Abstract

Peter Comestor’s classroom lectures on the glossed gospels are replete with references to contemporary theologians, described using the terms quidam and alii. It is rarely possible to identify the masters who are hidden behind these references, yet Comestor’s continual use of the terms reveals a vast tradition of gospel teaching in 12th-century schools centred around the Glossa ordinaria. Whether discussing minute points of biblical interpretation or engaging in contemporary theological debates of the highest importance, Comestor ceaselessly exposes his students to the tradition. In this study, the identity of Comestor’s quidam and the broader significance of the Parisian culture of oral teaching concealed in his lectures will be considered