Scripta supposita (writings wrongly attributed to Benedict)

What it is

This is a Latin text from the Patrologia Latina, volume 66, edited by J. P. Migne and published in Paris in 1847. The opening text is a letter headed as sent by Benedict to Remigius, bishop of Reims. Migne's edition lists its author as unknown, with a question mark about whether it was Benedict of Nursia. The text is shared on Wikisource, where it is listed under "Opera".

Scholars regard writings like these as falsely attributed to Benedict. Later attributions tell us about later beliefs, not reliably about what Benedict himself wrote.

Why it matters

This collection shows how people in later centuries gave Benedict's name to texts he may not have written. Reading it helps students separate what can be known about Benedict from what was believed about him later.

Look closer

• What clues in the text suggest who the writer wanted readers to think it came from?
• Why might a later editor print a text whose author is uncertain?
• How could you tell whether a text is really by the person whose name it carries?