A collection of twelve wide-ranging papers on the language, religious texts and literature of early Ireland and Anglo-Saxon England. The essays, all richly furnished with contemporary Latin or vernacular extracts, examine beliefs, memories and social and political ideals, as well as linguistics, which defined the place of individuals and communities. Subjects include the continued interest in Classical mythology and use of Roman terms, the relevance of religious texts, such as Aelfric's Old Testament, to the issues of the day, central religious beliefs, notably the harrowing of hell, warfare and humerous texts or riddles.