iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

Literally in line to pick up my Hildegard latte

Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

It’s just so exciting to find some random text written by someone a thousand years ago and be able to read it. The great woman humanists of 15th c. Italy? Wrote in Latin. Augustine, Gregory, Ambrose? Latin. Hildegard? Hrotsvit of Gandersheim? Latin! One key unlocks them all!

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

Old English will always be my favorite language, but Latin man … How cool is it to be able to read, in the same language, the writings of figures as far apart in space and time as Plautus, Cicero, Boethius, Bede, Aquinas, Petrarch, Isabella I, Isaac Newton, and J.R.R. Tolkien?

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Ēala Romeo! Romeo! For hwȳ eart ðū Romeo? Wiðsac þīnne fæder and forwiern þīnne naman!

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

My parents are always telling me to save up for unplanned expenses. By this I assume they mean “what if you walk into the used book store and find five new Loebs that you don’t have” Well, I didn’t save up for this, but I’m buying them anyway

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

I googled this expression to see if a friend had gotten it from a website, and was unfortunately greeted by an ‘Old English’ response from the unsolicited AI overview. AI is still so so bad at Old English. Most of this is incorrect in some way. Please don’t use AI for OE.

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

Why is it so hard to judge the quality of Old English poetry? What kinds of things were the poets trying to do? How should we read their work today? I ask these questions and more of Emily Thornbury today, who joins me to talk early medieval poetics. Check it out: youtu.be/2NIch6CqTfM?...

youtu.be

What makes Old English poetry good? - Emily Thornbury

YouTube video by Graham Scheper

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Today’s video is about Bede’s magnum opus: the Ecclesiastical History of the English People. What is this work? Why is it so important? What makes it so good? Why and how should you read it? Check it out here: youtu.be/Y7mJCmu--ho?...

youtu.be

The Ecclesiastical History of the English People - Bede's Masterpiece

YouTube video by Graham Scheper

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Though the Welsh king Cadwallon gets quite the nasty description in Bede (barbarus pagano saevior - a barbarian, more savage than a pagan), I can't help but feel like he looks like a really friendly guy in this picture. Are those bunny ears on his helmet? And his rosy cheeks!

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

“Yeah” is one of the oldest attested words in the English language. Bede records in the HEGA that a bishop healed a mute man by making the sign of the cross over his tongue and commanding him: “say something, say ‘ġǣ.’” Was it already informal? Bede’s translation, “etiam,” might suggest yes..?

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

Local tradition says that Bede was born in Jarrow. But his Old English translator tells us that the monk was born in <sunderlonde> … does this mean Sunderland (i.e., Wearmouth)? Or does it mean “private property” (a common meaning of the OE word ‘sunderland’), i.e., Jarrow??

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Surprised Eel Historian, PhD @greenleejw.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

So. You're off to the Holy Land. Bags are packed. Sword is sharpened. But have you given away your eels? In 1190 a man in Flanders named Eustace did just that. Before leaving for Jerusalem, he gave the "catch of eels" from his properties to his local church in perpetuity. 1/3 🗃️🧪

Meme. Color drawing of Jerusalem from Bernard von Breydenbach's 15th century itinerary. The drawing shows the city, hugged by hills, as a green an verdant space. You're looking eastward from the sea, w/ the Mediterranean coast at the bottom of the page. The central feature of the city is the Dome of the Rock, but there are numerous Christian spaces, too.

This wouldn't work as a street map, but it is geographically illustrative. This is part of a longer, 3-page foldout that also shows broader surrounding geographies.

Breydenbach was an interesting dude. He went on pilgrimage in 1486, with the explicit goal of writing a book about it. He even brought an artist along with him to draw the places he went through (the image of Rhodes, which shows damage from the failed 1480 Ottoman siege, is fascinating). Bernie was all about monetizing his religious experience, & it worked. His book was wildly popular, which is why we have this map!

Meme text reads:
"Where We're going
We don't need eels!

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Bede tells us that when Bishop Wilfred brought Christianity to Bosham (in West Sussex), he also brought fishing. Apparently the local population only knew how to catch eels! “piscandi peritia genti nulla nisi ad anguillas tantum inerat.” (HEGA 3, 13)

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Elaine Treharne @etreharne.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Woman, drawn in eleventh-century England, peeping through holes natural to the membrane of this densely inhabited manuscript (Oxf., Bodleian Library, MS Barlow 4)

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 25/08/2026

Looking for a name for your daughter? The seventh-century Kentish king Earconbert and his wife Sexberg named their daughter Earcongota; she lived an admirable life and is venerated as a saint. Her name would be “Arkengoth” today. Who has a cooler name than that?

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

The Greek word for daughter was θῠγᾰ́τηρ. Fun to remember that the gamma in the middle of this word corresponds with the <h> in Old English dohtor and the now-silent <gh> in MnE daughter. It is still pronounced as /x/ in German Tochter 🇩🇪

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

I recently interviewed Emily Kesling on the Old English medical texts: what we know (and don’t know) about them, how they’ve been received, and what interesting questions they raise. Check it out here: youtu.be/XgfQbrEC9BA?...

youtu.be

The Old English Medicinal Texts - Emily Kesling

YouTube video by Graham Scheper

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Reposted by Graham Scheper

Dr Alison Ray @liber-ray.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Happy Black Cat Appreciation Day to all the ghoulies celebrating! Illustration from a 13th-century Bestiary, now @bodleian.ox.ac.uk MS Bodl. 533, f. 13r 🐈‍⬛🖤

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

The Old English name for the Milky Way was Īringes weġ (Iring’s Way). The hero Iring famously killed two kings (Hermanfried of Thuringia and Theodoric of Metz) and then escaped “carving a road with his sword.” In the Nibelungenlied, he duels (and is killed by) Hagen.

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Remember, don’t let the Odyssey discourse distract you from what’s really important in life: Old English! Today’s video is all about the singular appearance of Odysseus (called “Aulixes”) in the Old English corpus, in a poem about the Circe episode. Check it out here: youtu.be/eaiV9ngYqQQ?...

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

The word “tired” is from Old English ġetēorod, which literally meant ‘exhausted.’ Two more commonly used synonyms in Old English were wēriġ (weary) and mēþe,which would have been ‘*meethe’ in Modern English. Hēo dyde stæflīċe nāwiht tōdæġ (She did literally nothing today)

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 13/08/2026

As an Old English scholar, I feel left out of the Odyssey discourse. So, here is the Meters of Boethius poet alternating alliteration on Au- and -li- in the name Aulixes (Odysseus). I’ve always loved this as an example of the options at the poet’s disposal when using Latin words and names.

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Richard Methley was a fifteenth-century Carthusian mystic and visionary, whose works were largely forgotten after the dissolution of the monasteries. Today I talk with Barbara Newman about this fascinating character. Check out the episode here: youtu.be/95cguJUg05o?...

youtu.be

The Spiritual Works of Richard Methley - Barbara Newman

YouTube video by Graham Scheper

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Stephen Hopkins @phil-lol-ogist.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Was Thomas Jefferson the worst Old English enthusiast ever? Contractually, I'm not allowed to say "yes" but

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 31/07/2026

Thomas Jefferson might rightly be considered the first American Old English scholar … and also the worst. Check out today’s video on the bizarre things he had to say about the language: youtu.be/1a2wqLExfbE?...

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Smart person listening to the first ever recitation of Beowulf: “Umm, that’s not at all what armor would have looked like in fifth-century Sweden”

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 29/07/2026

It’s so nice to see someone translating “rād” as “riding or journeying” and not “road.” Tolkien’s vengeance is coming!!

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

The Carthusian monk Richard Methley occasionally got so excited while composing his meditations on Christ that he would just start writing Jesus’s name over and over again. “O Jesu! Jesu Jesu Jesu Jesu Jesu Jesu Jesu Jesu!” Bedroom of the beloved Beloved, 21 trans. Barbara Newman:

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 27/07/2026

In speech, Cicero says that "magis offendit nimium quam parum." That is: 'too much is worse than not enough.' Seneca as well: "non minus magnam virtutem esse scire desinere quam scire dicere." That is: 'knowing how to stop is just as important a skill as knowing how to talk.'

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Question I've been wondering lately: is there a particular American writer that sets the standard for modern American English? Do we have our own version of Cicero? I'd love any recommendations people would be kind enough to give. For myself, I've always loved the prose style of R.D. Fulk.

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

Cicero’s Crassus describing glossophobia: “in me ipso experior ut exalbescam in principiis dicendi, et tota mente atque omnibus artubus contremiscam.” “I experience it myself; I turn white at the beginning of a speech, and begin shaking throughout my mind and in every limb.”

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 17/07/2026

Would you pass an Old English exam from 1920? In today’s video, I put myself to the test by taking the practice exam that Tolkien sent to an inquiring Somerville student, as she studied for the end of her school year. Check it out here: youtu.be/KCaBBSNDhRA?...

youtu.be

Taking a 1920s Oxford Old English Exam

YouTube video by Graham Scheper

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

In her preface to George Hickes, Elstob writes of those who treat Old English as a "barren" and "barbarous" language: "these gentlemens ill treatment of our mother tongue has led me into a stile not so agreeable to the mildness of our sex." !!!

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

The first ever Old English grammar (in English) was published by Elizabeth Elstob, in 1715. She dedicated it to Caroline of Ansbach (then Princess of Wales). In particular, Elstob hoped that Caroline would appreciate the 'Saxon' connection between England and her German-speaking homeland.

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Jackson Crawford @norsebysw.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Norway vs. England 1000 years ago: a World Cup faceoff in Old Norse and Old English between Erling Alfs-Yngvason of Rogaland and Hereweald “Harry” Cana. Longer version with our commentary on @grahamscheper.bsky.social’s Youtube: m.youtube.com/watch?v=dwWj...

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

Whoever constructed the entry for 'hwæt' in the DOE deserves a lot of credit. The amount of time and research that went into carefully assigning interpretations for such a controversial word cannot have been easy. Such an amazing resource already. (but let's update the hranrād entry 😉)

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Stephen Hopkins @phil-lol-ogist.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

Mutual intelligibility babes 💅

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 09/07/2026

To celebrate the impending match between England and Norway, @norsebysw.bsky.social and I got together to test the intelligibility of 11th century English and Norwegian. We also had a bit of fun boasting in our respective languages 😏 check it out here: youtu.be/dwWjL9nBgcI?...

youtu.be

A Conversation in 11th century English and Norwegian

YouTube video by Graham Scheper

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

The Old English word for 'duel' was ānwīġ, which literally meant 'singular war.' To challenge someone to a duel was ānwīġes biddan or ānwīġ ġecweðan; here is an example from Orosius: Hē ðā Brutus ġecwæð ānwīġ wið þone cyning. Brutus then challenged the king [Tarquin] to a duel.

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

What did the early medieval English think about hell? About guardian angels? About wizards? I talk about these topics and more in today’s interview with UVA’s @phil-lol-ogist.bsky.social on his recent book about medieval apocrypha. Check it out ⬇️

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

So excited to announce that my first ever book will be coming out this year: a selection of Bede’s works, in facing-page translation! The goal is to provide a holistic image of Bede and his life’s work, accessible to a wide range of readers, from casual learners to students of Latin.

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Wilhelm Müller’s ‘Rückblick’ poem has the line “da war’s geschen um dich, Gesell!” My Gen Z heart is warmed to know that even 19th century German lyric poets were saying “it’s over for you, bro”

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Elizabeth Biggs @elizabethbiggs.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Thrilled to hear this afternoon that my article on medieval women interacting with English government in Ireland is now live at Speculum! It was all due to the resources @virtualtreasury.bsky.social 50 people can access it for free here: www.journals.uchicago.edu/eprint/VCYQU...

journals.uchicago.edu

University of Chicago Press Journals: Cookie absent

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

It took a long time for 'pride' (OE prȳde) to be settled as the English equivalent to Latin 'superbia' (i.e., the deadly sin). Other early contenders were oferhyġd (would have become *overhide), ofermōd (would have been *overmood), and mōdiġnes (survives as 'moodiness').

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

The fact that Aldhelm expected the dedicatees of “de Virginitate” to be able to read the poem, when modern students struggle immensely with it (with the help of modern dictionaries), speaks to the truly impressive level of Latin learning achieved by some of these pre-viking nuns and monks.

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Seventh-century English monks who drank to the point of throwing up were to fast for 30 days; so say the canons associated with Archbishop Theodore of Canterbury (602-690). ... unleeesssss it happened on a feast day; then you're excused (and maybe even encouraged to do so?)

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

“Ceolfrith, self-styled in his dedication page as ‘abbot from the ends of the earth’, intended the Amiatinus Bible to proclaim to Rome his people’s contribution to the apostolic mission, worthy of the Church Fathers.” Michelle P. Brown, on the Codex Amiatinus

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John Garth @johngarthwriter.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

My book Tolkien and the Great War changed how people look at the creation of Middle-earth. Now my Oxford doctoral project will transform the way we look at his epic masterpiece The Lord of the Rings. Here’s why … and how you can help. Please share! tinyurl.com/lotr-tides #tolkien #lotr #ww2 #DDay

tinyurl.com

How the tides of Tolkien’s world shaped The Lord of the Rings

Eighty years ago the Allies invaded France… and Frodo reached Mordor. Now I'm starting the first doctoral project to address how 20th-century war inspired Tolkien's epic.

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Graham Scheper @grahamscheper.bsky.social · 21/08/2025

I'm not sure how much I'll use this account, but I at least want to be here. Salvete omnes and wesaþ ge hale!

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