The numerous extant collections of early medieval riddles bear witness to the relevance that this genre gained around the late 7th and 8th centuries. In this period, the composition of

– a term that is rendered as “riddles” or “mysteries” – achieved great popularity in Europe. But this literary phenomenon became particularly prominent in England, where a significant group of writers developed the genre: Aldhelm, Tatwine, Eusebius, Boniface, and, possibly, one “Pseudo-Bede”. Furthermore, the anonymous Lorsch and Bern Riddles present evidence of having an Insular provenance or at least some kind of Anglo-Saxon affiliation. Medieval riddle collections in general are in turn indebted to the

of one Symphosius, an unknown late Latin author who was probably…

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Citation: Salvador-Bello, Mercedes. "Latin Riddles [enigmata]". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 21 October 2005 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1596, accessed 24 November 2024.]