Quando l’auctor non serve : la leggenda del viaggio di Brendano

The hiberno-latin text known as Navigatio Brendani circulated very widely in medieval Europe, both in its original language and in vernacular versions. Apparently, its being anonymous did not limit or damage its fortune as a hagiographical and monastic reading, rich in moral teachings, as well as an adventure novel, very popular also by a secular public. It is precisely the nature of both genres (hagiography and romance) that explains such a success, remarkable for a text not supported by any authoritative name: in the hagiographical field, it was a common practice to admit anonymous and apocryphal writings for readings, on the same level as the great authors’ work; and in both cases, the importance and popularity of the main character itself (a saint, like Brendan, or a hero, like Alexander the Great) was enough to promote his history’s diffusion.