Jean Bodel (c. 1165 – c. 1210), also spelled Jehan Bodel,
Writings
Bodel wrote
Like another French miracle play from the same time period, Le Miracle de Théophile, Le Jeu de saint Nicolas contains an invocation to the Devil in an unknown language:
::Palas aron ozinomas
::Baske bano tudan donas
::Geheamel cla orlay
::Berec hé pantaras tay
Bodel was the first person of record to classify the legendary themes and literary cycles known to medieval literature into the "Three Matters".
His epic La Chanson de Saisnes ("Song of the Saxons") contains the line:
<poem>
Ne sont que III matières à nul home antandant,
De France et de Bretaigne et de Rome la grant.
"There are but three matters for the understanding man:
Of France, and of Britain, and of great Rome."
</poem>
- the "Matter of Rome", or retellings of stories from classical antiquity
- the "Matter of Britain", concerning King Arthur and related topics
- the "Matter of France", concerning Charlemagne and his paladins
Bodel contracted leprosy in 1202 or 1205,