Walter of Châtillon

During his lifetime, however, he was more esteemed for a long Latin epic on the life of Alexander the Great, the Alexandreis, sive Gesta Alexandri Magni, a hexameter epic, full of anachronisms; he depicts the Crucifixion of Jesus as having already taken place during the days of Alexander the Great. The Alexandreis was popular and influential in Walter's own times. Matthew of Vendôme and Alan of Lille borrowed from it and Henry of Settimello imitated it, but it is now seldom read. One line, referring to Virgil's Aeneid, is sometimes quoted: •: • Illustration — Extract from 1558 edition. Many poems in his style, or borrowing his themes, have been attributed to Walter on insufficient evidence. For example, he was not the author of the satirical Apocalypse of Golias once attributed to him. In addition to his poems, Walter wrote a dialogue refuting Jewish thought and biblical interpretation and a treatise on the Trinity, and he was possibly the author of Moralium dogma philosophorum. He died of bubonic plague early in the 13th century. David Townsend summarizes one commentary on Walter's life as follows:

The authorities additionally record the headings Gualterus de Castellione, Gualterus de Insula, Walterus ab Insulis, Gualterus de Castiglione and Galterus de Castellione. His recorded languages were medieval Latin and Old French. His recorded confession was Catholic Church.