An Attempt To Date
Parables
August 21, 2015
G.D.O'Bradovich III
citations
We turn to the Oxford English Dictionary to uncover when the English knew about parables and what they knew. Citations after the year 1800 are omitted.
Forms:
ME pable (transmission error), ME parabele, ME parabil, ME parabol, ME parabole, ME–15 parabyl, ME–15 parabyll, ME– parable, 15–16 parrable, 16 parabile; Sc. pre-17parabil, pre-17 parabill, pre-17 parabol, pre-17 parabole, pre-17 parrabile, pre-17 17– parable, 18 parbole.
Etymology:
< Anglo-Norman and Old French parable (late 12th cent. with reference to the Book of Proverbs), Old French, Middle French, French parabole (1265 with reference to the Book of Proverbs, 1269–78 in sense ‘moral, allegorical tale’) and its etymon classical Latin parabola comparison, in post-classical Latin also allegory, proverb, discourse, speech, talk (Vetus Latina; from early 3rd cent. in Tertullian; in Jerome (in plural) with reference to the Book of Proverbs)
< ancient Greek παραβολή a placing side by side, comparison, analogy, in Hellenistic Greek also parable, proverb (New Testament, Septuagint)
< παρα- para- prefix1 + βολή casting, putting, a throw (see metabole n.). Compare Spanish parábola (1450), Italian parabola (a1342), Old High German parabola (Middle High German parabelle, German Parabel).
1. An allegorical or metaphorical saying or narrative; an allegory, a fable, an apologue; a comparison, a similitude. Also: a proverb, a maxim; an enigmatic or mystical saying (now arch.). Parables of Solomon n. now hist. the Book of Proverbs.
c1250 in Stud. Philol. (1931) 28 66 (MED),
Of hem speket salomon in parabolis.
c1350 Psalter (BL Add. 17376) in K. D. Bülbring Earliest Compl. Eng. Prose Psalter(1891) xlviii. 4 (MED),
Y shal bowe myn ere in parabiles [v.r. ensaumples; a1400 Vesp. forbiseninge].
c1395 Chaucer Wife of Bath's Tale 369
Been ther noone othere resemblaunces That ye may likne youre parables [v.r. parabele] to?
c1395 Chaucer Wife of Bath's Tale 679
The Parables of Salomon, Ouydes art, and bokes many on..were bounden in o volume.
c1440 Sir Degrevant (Thornton) 1455 (MED),
Þer men myght..Se..þe Pokalypps of John..The Parabylls of Salomone Paynted full righte.
a1500 (▸a1450) tr. Secreta Secret. (Ashm. 396) (1977) 41
This forsothe is the same parable [a1500 Lamb. lyknesse; c1450 Royal ensampille] in wynter and somer.
c1500 (▸?a1475) Assembly of Gods (1896) 1987 (MED),
Hit sownyd to me as a parable, Derke as a myste or a feynyd fable.
1523 J. Skelton Goodly Garlande of Laurell 101
A poete somtyme..Spekyng in parablis, how the fox, the grey, The gander,..Went with the pecok ageyne the fesaunt.
a1626 Bacon Elements Common Lawes (1630) Pref. sig. B3,
All the ancient wisdome and science was wont to be delivered in that forme, as may bee seene by the parables of Solomon.
1654 E. Gayton Pleasant Notes Don Quixot iv. iv. 194
Accept of the Curates parabile, and his sentences in praise of a slender dyet as Modicum non nocet.
1671 Milton Samson Agonistes 500
A sin That Gentiles in thir Parables condemn.
1704 Swift Tale of Tub Pref. 14
This Parable was immediately mythologiz'd; The Whale was interpreted to be Hobs's Leviathan_[etc.].
1794 R. J. Sulivan View of Nature II. 234
Moses and the Prophets wrote all in Parables.
2. spec. a. A (usually realistic) story or narrative told to convey a moral or spiritual lesson or insight; esp. one told by Jesus in the Gospels. (Now the usual sense.)
▸c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Matt. xiii. 3
Jhesus..spak to hem many thingis in parablis [L. parabolis].
c1400 Prose Versions New Test.: Heb. (Selwyn) xi. 19 (MED),
God is myȝty to areren up men from deþ to lyf, Wherfore he vnderfong hym in a parable.
a1425 Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 352
Þus spekiþ Crist..of dette in þe Pater Noster, and also in o parable, bi which he moveþ men to mercy.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Matt. xiii. 10
Why speakest thou to them in parables? 13 Therefore speake y to them in similitudes. 18 Heare ye therfore the similitude [Rheims and 1611 parable] off the sower.
c1586 J. Stewart Poems (1913) II. 248
His [sc. Christ's] pithie prudent parabols.
1611 Bible (King James) Luke xiv. (heading)
Vnder the parable of the great supper, sheweth how worldly minded men..shalbe shut out of heauen.
1688 R. South Serm. II. viii. 276
The Foundation of all Parables is..some Analogy or Similitude, between the Tropical, or Allusive part of the Parable, and the Thing couched under it.
1702 Eng. Theophrastus 164
Naked lessons and precepts have nothing the force that Images and Parables have upon our minds.
1796 R. Southey Joan of Arc iv. 208
Or rather sing thou of that wealthy Lord, Who took the ewe lamb from the poor man's bosom,.. This parable would I tell,..And look at thee and say, ‘Thou art the man!’
b. Chiefly Irish English. Something that may be pointed to as an example or illustration, an exemplary case; a model, a lesson. Recorded by N.E.D. (1904) as being in use near Drumcondra in Ireland c1880.
No examples of this word before the year 1800.
†3. A scornful speech, a taunt. Also: an object of scorn. Obs.
c1350 Psalter (BL Add. 17376) in K. D. Bülbring Earliest Compl. Eng. Prose Psalter(1891) lxviii. 14 (MED), Ich made þe haire my cloþyng, and ich am made to hem into pables [read parables].
▸a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1969) Isa. xiv. 4
Þou shalt take þis parable aȝen þe king of babiloyne & seyn, ‘what maner ceside þe pletere?’
▸a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Jer. xxiv. 9,
I shal ȝyuen hem..in to repref & in to parable & in to prouerbe & in to cursing.
1611 Bible (King James) Hab. ii. 6
Shal not all these take vp a parable against him, and a tanting prouerbe against him, and say; Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his!
† to take up (one's) parable (in Middle English †to take (to) one's parable ) [after post-classical Latin assumptaque parabola sua (Vulgate, Numbers 23:7), etc.] : to begin to speak. Obs.App. only in biblical translations before the mid 19th cent.
▸a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) Num. xxiii. 7
He..take-to his parable [a1425 L.V. And whanne his parable was takun].
▸a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Job xxvii. 1
Also Job addide, takinge his parable, & seiþ, ‘God lyueþ þat tooc awei my dom.’
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Num. xxiii. 7
He toke vp his parable and sayed: ryse vpp Balac.
1535 Coverdale Num. xxiii.7
Then toke he [sc. Balaam] vp his parable, & sayde [etc.].
1611 Bible (King James) Num. xxiii. 7
And he tooke vp his parable, and said [etc.].
C1. General attrib. and objective with reference to works of art, etc., which are parables or are intended to convey a moral lesson, or to the authors of such works, as parable-opera,parable-play, parable-poem, parable-poet, parable-writer, etc.
No examples before the year 1800.
C2.
parable people n. (a) a people given to telling parables as a means of illustrating or clarifying moral principles; (b) the people whose actions are narrated in a parable.
No examples before the year 1800.
Derivatives
parable-like adj. reminiscent of a parable.
a1603 T. Cartwright Confut. Rhemists New Test. (1618) 240
His speeches had been hitherto darke and parable-like.
a1953 H. Belloc in Dict. National Biogr. (1993) 84/2
These parable-like tales obtain their effect of subtle humour and philosophy by the adaptation of Chinese conventions to the English tongue.
ˈparable-wise adv. rare by way of a parable.
1573 J. Daus tr. H. Bullinger Hundred Serm. vpon Apocalipse (rev. ed.) xlviii. f. 149v,
It is in parablewyse, and in way of comparison, that this citie is called Sodome and Egypt.
1583 B. Melbancke Philotimus (new ed.) sig. D,
The most bee fables, yet parrable-wyse conteynynge greate misteryes.
Forms:
ME pable (transmission error), ME parabele, ME parabil, ME parabol, ME parabole, ME–15 parabyl, ME–15 parabyll, ME– parable, 15–16 parrable, 16 parabile; Sc. pre-17parabil, pre-17 parabill, pre-17 parabol, pre-17 parabole, pre-17 parrabile, pre-17 17– parable, 18 parbole.
Etymology:
< Anglo-Norman and Old French parable (late 12th cent. with reference to the Book of Proverbs), Old French, Middle French, French parabole (1265 with reference to the Book of Proverbs, 1269–78 in sense ‘moral, allegorical tale’) and its etymon classical Latin parabola comparison, in post-classical Latin also allegory, proverb, discourse, speech, talk (Vetus Latina; from early 3rd cent. in Tertullian; in Jerome (in plural) with reference to the Book of Proverbs)
< ancient Greek παραβολή a placing side by side, comparison, analogy, in Hellenistic Greek also parable, proverb (New Testament, Septuagint)
< παρα- para- prefix1 + βολή casting, putting, a throw (see metabole n.). Compare Spanish parábola (1450), Italian parabola (a1342), Old High German parabola (Middle High German parabelle, German Parabel).
1. An allegorical or metaphorical saying or narrative; an allegory, a fable, an apologue; a comparison, a similitude. Also: a proverb, a maxim; an enigmatic or mystical saying (now arch.). Parables of Solomon n. now hist. the Book of Proverbs.
c1250 in Stud. Philol. (1931) 28 66 (MED),
Of hem speket salomon in parabolis.
c1350 Psalter (BL Add. 17376) in K. D. Bülbring Earliest Compl. Eng. Prose Psalter(1891) xlviii. 4 (MED),
Y shal bowe myn ere in parabiles [v.r. ensaumples; a1400 Vesp. forbiseninge].
c1395 Chaucer Wife of Bath's Tale 369
Been ther noone othere resemblaunces That ye may likne youre parables [v.r. parabele] to?
c1395 Chaucer Wife of Bath's Tale 679
The Parables of Salomon, Ouydes art, and bokes many on..were bounden in o volume.
c1440 Sir Degrevant (Thornton) 1455 (MED),
Þer men myght..Se..þe Pokalypps of John..The Parabylls of Salomone Paynted full righte.
a1500 (▸a1450) tr. Secreta Secret. (Ashm. 396) (1977) 41
This forsothe is the same parable [a1500 Lamb. lyknesse; c1450 Royal ensampille] in wynter and somer.
c1500 (▸?a1475) Assembly of Gods (1896) 1987 (MED),
Hit sownyd to me as a parable, Derke as a myste or a feynyd fable.
1523 J. Skelton Goodly Garlande of Laurell 101
A poete somtyme..Spekyng in parablis, how the fox, the grey, The gander,..Went with the pecok ageyne the fesaunt.
a1626 Bacon Elements Common Lawes (1630) Pref. sig. B3,
All the ancient wisdome and science was wont to be delivered in that forme, as may bee seene by the parables of Solomon.
1654 E. Gayton Pleasant Notes Don Quixot iv. iv. 194
Accept of the Curates parabile, and his sentences in praise of a slender dyet as Modicum non nocet.
1671 Milton Samson Agonistes 500
A sin That Gentiles in thir Parables condemn.
1704 Swift Tale of Tub Pref. 14
This Parable was immediately mythologiz'd; The Whale was interpreted to be Hobs's Leviathan_[etc.].
1794 R. J. Sulivan View of Nature II. 234
Moses and the Prophets wrote all in Parables.
2. spec. a. A (usually realistic) story or narrative told to convey a moral or spiritual lesson or insight; esp. one told by Jesus in the Gospels. (Now the usual sense.)
▸c1384 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(2)) (1850) Matt. xiii. 3
Jhesus..spak to hem many thingis in parablis [L. parabolis].
c1400 Prose Versions New Test.: Heb. (Selwyn) xi. 19 (MED),
God is myȝty to areren up men from deþ to lyf, Wherfore he vnderfong hym in a parable.
a1425 Wyclif Sel. Eng. Wks. (1871) III. 352
Þus spekiþ Crist..of dette in þe Pater Noster, and also in o parable, bi which he moveþ men to mercy.
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Matt. xiii. 10
Why speakest thou to them in parables? 13 Therefore speake y to them in similitudes. 18 Heare ye therfore the similitude [Rheims and 1611 parable] off the sower.
c1586 J. Stewart Poems (1913) II. 248
His [sc. Christ's] pithie prudent parabols.
1611 Bible (King James) Luke xiv. (heading)
Vnder the parable of the great supper, sheweth how worldly minded men..shalbe shut out of heauen.
1688 R. South Serm. II. viii. 276
The Foundation of all Parables is..some Analogy or Similitude, between the Tropical, or Allusive part of the Parable, and the Thing couched under it.
1702 Eng. Theophrastus 164
Naked lessons and precepts have nothing the force that Images and Parables have upon our minds.
1796 R. Southey Joan of Arc iv. 208
Or rather sing thou of that wealthy Lord, Who took the ewe lamb from the poor man's bosom,.. This parable would I tell,..And look at thee and say, ‘Thou art the man!’
b. Chiefly Irish English. Something that may be pointed to as an example or illustration, an exemplary case; a model, a lesson. Recorded by N.E.D. (1904) as being in use near Drumcondra in Ireland c1880.
No examples of this word before the year 1800.
†3. A scornful speech, a taunt. Also: an object of scorn. Obs.
c1350 Psalter (BL Add. 17376) in K. D. Bülbring Earliest Compl. Eng. Prose Psalter(1891) lxviii. 14 (MED), Ich made þe haire my cloþyng, and ich am made to hem into pables [read parables].
▸a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) (1969) Isa. xiv. 4
Þou shalt take þis parable aȝen þe king of babiloyne & seyn, ‘what maner ceside þe pletere?’
▸a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Jer. xxiv. 9,
I shal ȝyuen hem..in to repref & in to parable & in to prouerbe & in to cursing.
1611 Bible (King James) Hab. ii. 6
Shal not all these take vp a parable against him, and a tanting prouerbe against him, and say; Woe to him that increaseth that which is not his!
† to take up (one's) parable (in Middle English †to take (to) one's parable ) [after post-classical Latin assumptaque parabola sua (Vulgate, Numbers 23:7), etc.] : to begin to speak. Obs.App. only in biblical translations before the mid 19th cent.
▸a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Bodl. 959) Num. xxiii. 7
He..take-to his parable [a1425 L.V. And whanne his parable was takun].
▸a1382 Bible (Wycliffite, E.V.) (Douce 369(1)) (1850) Job xxvii. 1
Also Job addide, takinge his parable, & seiþ, ‘God lyueþ þat tooc awei my dom.’
1526 Bible (Tyndale) Num. xxiii. 7
He toke vp his parable and sayed: ryse vpp Balac.
1535 Coverdale Num. xxiii.7
Then toke he [sc. Balaam] vp his parable, & sayde [etc.].
1611 Bible (King James) Num. xxiii. 7
And he tooke vp his parable, and said [etc.].
C1. General attrib. and objective with reference to works of art, etc., which are parables or are intended to convey a moral lesson, or to the authors of such works, as parable-opera,parable-play, parable-poem, parable-poet, parable-writer, etc.
No examples before the year 1800.
C2.
parable people n. (a) a people given to telling parables as a means of illustrating or clarifying moral principles; (b) the people whose actions are narrated in a parable.
No examples before the year 1800.
Derivatives
parable-like adj. reminiscent of a parable.
a1603 T. Cartwright Confut. Rhemists New Test. (1618) 240
His speeches had been hitherto darke and parable-like.
a1953 H. Belloc in Dict. National Biogr. (1993) 84/2
These parable-like tales obtain their effect of subtle humour and philosophy by the adaptation of Chinese conventions to the English tongue.
ˈparable-wise adv. rare by way of a parable.
1573 J. Daus tr. H. Bullinger Hundred Serm. vpon Apocalipse (rev. ed.) xlviii. f. 149v,
It is in parablewyse, and in way of comparison, that this citie is called Sodome and Egypt.
1583 B. Melbancke Philotimus (new ed.) sig. D,
The most bee fables, yet parrable-wyse conteynynge greate misteryes.
citations in chronological order
The previous citations in chronological order and separated by century. Secondary sources in red.
1250c (1931) (MED), Of hem speket salomon in parabolis.
1350c (1891) (MED),... ich am made to hem into pables ..
1350c (1891) (MED), Y shal bowe myn ere in parabiles...
1382▸a (Wycliffite, E.V.) (1969) Þou shalt take þis parable aȝen þe king of babiloyne...
1382▸a (Wycliffite, E.V.) ...his parable [a1425 L.V. And whanne his parable ...]
1382▸a (Wycliffite, E.V.) (1850) shal ȝyuen hem..in to repref & in to parable ...
1382▸a (Wycliffite, E.V.) (1850) Also Job addide, takinge his parable, & ...
1384▸c (Wycliffite, E.V.) (1850) Jhesus... many thingis in parablis [L. parabolis].
1395c ... That ye may likne youre parables [v.r. parabele] to?
1395c The Parables of Salomon, Ouydes art, and bokes many on...
1400c (MED), ... Wherfore he vnderfong hym in a parable.
1425a (1871) ... and also in o parable, bi which he moveþ men to mercy.
1440c (MED), ...The Parabylls of Salomone Paynted full righte.
1500a (▸a1450) (1977) ... same parable [a1500 Lamb. lyknesse; c1450 Royal ensampille]...
1500c (▸?a1475) (1896) (MED), Hit sownyd to me as a parable, Derke as ...
1523 A poete somtyme..Spekyng in parablis, how the fox, ...
1526 ... thou to them in parables? 13 ... the similitude [Rheims and 1611 parable] off the sower.
1526 He toke vp his parable and sayed: ryse vpp Balac.
1535 Then toke he [sc. Balaam] vp his parable, & sayde [etc.].
1573 It is in parablewyse, and in ...
1583 The most bee fables, yet parrable-wyse ...
1586c (1913) His [sc. Christ's] pithie prudent parabols.
1603a (1618) His speeches had been hitherto darke and parable-like.
1611 Shal not all these take vp a parable against him, and a...
1611 Vnder the parable of the great supper, sheweth how...
1611 And he tooke vp his parable, and said [etc.].
1626a (1630) , ... by the parables of Solomon.
1654 Accept of the Curates parabile, and his sentences ...
1671 A sin That Gentiles in thir Parables condemn.
1688 The Foundation of all Parables is..some Analogy or Similitude, ... of the Parable, ...
1702 ... the force that Images and Parables have upon our minds.
1704 This Parable was immediately mythologiz'd; The Whale was ...
1794 Moses and the Prophets wrote all in Parables.
1796 ...This parable would I tell,..And look at thee and say...
1250c (1931) (MED), Of hem speket salomon in parabolis.
1350c (1891) (MED),... ich am made to hem into pables ..
1350c (1891) (MED), Y shal bowe myn ere in parabiles...
1382▸a (Wycliffite, E.V.) (1969) Þou shalt take þis parable aȝen þe king of babiloyne...
1382▸a (Wycliffite, E.V.) ...his parable [a1425 L.V. And whanne his parable ...]
1382▸a (Wycliffite, E.V.) (1850) shal ȝyuen hem..in to repref & in to parable ...
1382▸a (Wycliffite, E.V.) (1850) Also Job addide, takinge his parable, & ...
1384▸c (Wycliffite, E.V.) (1850) Jhesus... many thingis in parablis [L. parabolis].
1395c ... That ye may likne youre parables [v.r. parabele] to?
1395c The Parables of Salomon, Ouydes art, and bokes many on...
1400c (MED), ... Wherfore he vnderfong hym in a parable.
1425a (1871) ... and also in o parable, bi which he moveþ men to mercy.
1440c (MED), ...The Parabylls of Salomone Paynted full righte.
1500a (▸a1450) (1977) ... same parable [a1500 Lamb. lyknesse; c1450 Royal ensampille]...
1500c (▸?a1475) (1896) (MED), Hit sownyd to me as a parable, Derke as ...
1523 A poete somtyme..Spekyng in parablis, how the fox, ...
1526 ... thou to them in parables? 13 ... the similitude [Rheims and 1611 parable] off the sower.
1526 He toke vp his parable and sayed: ryse vpp Balac.
1535 Then toke he [sc. Balaam] vp his parable, & sayde [etc.].
1573 It is in parablewyse, and in ...
1583 The most bee fables, yet parrable-wyse ...
1586c (1913) His [sc. Christ's] pithie prudent parabols.
1603a (1618) His speeches had been hitherto darke and parable-like.
1611 Shal not all these take vp a parable against him, and a...
1611 Vnder the parable of the great supper, sheweth how...
1611 And he tooke vp his parable, and said [etc.].
1626a (1630) , ... by the parables of Solomon.
1654 Accept of the Curates parabile, and his sentences ...
1671 A sin That Gentiles in thir Parables condemn.
1688 The Foundation of all Parables is..some Analogy or Similitude, ... of the Parable, ...
1702 ... the force that Images and Parables have upon our minds.
1704 This Parable was immediately mythologiz'd; The Whale was ...
1794 Moses and the Prophets wrote all in Parables.
1796 ...This parable would I tell,..And look at thee and say...
conclusion
Before the Age of Printing, only primary source that uses the word "parable" is Chaucer.