1968-1970, before the main story
Preface: Discovery of the Manuscript
The narrator, a modern scholar, recounts finding a book by Abbé Vallet in Prague in 1968, which claims to reproduce a fourteenth-century manuscript by Adso of Melk. After losing the book, he searches for its source but finds only contradictions. Later, in Buenos Aires in 1970, he encounters quotations from Adso's manuscript in a work by Milo Temesvar, confirming its existence. He decides to publish his Italian translation of the story, acknowledging its uncertain origins and his own doubts about its authenticity.
Late 14th century, when Adso writes his memoirs
Prologue: Adso's Introduction
Adso of Melk, now an old monk, begins his account of the wondrous and terrible events he witnessed in his youth. He sets the historical context: the conflict between Pope John XXII and Emperor Louis the Bavarian, the Franciscan controversy over poverty, and the political turmoil of Italy in 1327. He explains how he became the scribe and disciple of the Franciscan friar William of Baskerville, who was sent on a mission that led them to a wealthy abbey in the Apennines.
Morning of the First Day
Arrival and Deduction of Brunellus
William and Adso arrive at the abbey. At a crossroads, William astounds the cellarer, Remigio of Varagine, by deducing that the abbot's lost horse, Brunellus, took the right-hand path. He explains his reasoning to Adso: he read the horse's tracks in the snow, broken twigs, and horsehairs, and used his knowledge of how monks describe a perfect horse. This display of acumen establishes William's reputation as a man of great wisdom before they even enter the abbey.
Terce of the First Day
First Conversation with Abbot Abo
Abbot Abo welcomes William and asks him to investigate the death of Adelmo of Otranto, a young illuminator found dead at the foot of the cliff. The abbot hints at a possible suicide but fears a murder, as the windows were closed. He also reveals his anxiety about the upcoming meeting between the Pope's and the Emperor's legations. William agrees to investigate but is forbidden from entering the library, the top floor of the Aedificium, which is guarded by strict rules known only to the librarian.
Sext of the First Day
Meeting with Ubertino of Casale
In the church, William and Adso meet Ubertino of Casale, an old friend of William's and a former Spiritual Franciscan now hiding in the abbey. Ubertino speaks passionately about the corruption of the church, the coming of the Antichrist, and his own persecution. He warns William about the dangers of pride and lust within the abbey, hinting at the sinful nature of the dead Adelmo. Their conversation reveals the deep theological and political divisions of the time.
Toward Nones of the First Day
Conversation with Severinus the Herbalist
William and Adso meet Severinus of Sankt Wendel, the herbalist, who shows them his garden and laboratory. William questions him about Adelmo and visions, but Severinus is evasive. He mentions that Adelmo was close to Jorge of Burgos, Venantius of Salvemec, and Berengar of Arundel. The conversation reveals the tension surrounding the library and the herbalist's knowledge of dangerous plants.
After Nones of the First Day
Visit to the Scriptorium
William and Adso visit the scriptorium, where they meet the librarian Malachi of Hildesheim and other monks. They see the illuminated manuscripts of the dead Adelmo, which are filled with grotesque and fantastical marginalia. This leads to a heated debate with the blind old monk Jorge of Burgos, who condemns laughter and such images as sinful. The debate touches on the nature of truth, the use of metaphor, and the lost second book of Aristotle's Poetics.
Vespers of the First Day
Conversation with Nicholas the Glazier
William and Adso meet Nicholas of Morimondo, the master glazier. William shows him his reading lenses, sparking a discussion about the wonders of science and the need to keep certain knowledge secret. Nicholas hints at strange rumors about the library, including visions and magical lamps used to frighten intruders. This conversation plants the idea that the library is protected by more than just locks and prohibitions.
Compline of the First Day
Supper and Jorge's Rebuke
At supper, William and Adso sit at the abbot's table with Jorge and other monks. The reading from the Rule condemns laughter and jesting, leading to a sharp exchange between William and Jorge about whether Christ ever laughed. William argues that laughter is proper to man and can be a tool for truth, while Jorge insists it is a sign of folly and doubt. The abbot introduces William to the monks and formally charges him with investigating Adelmo's death.
Lauds of the Second Day
Discovery of Venantius's Body
During the morning office, the discovery of a second corpse throws the abbey into chaos. Venantius of Salvemec, the Greek scholar, is found dead, thrust headfirst into a jar of pigs' blood. William examines the scene and deduces that Venantius was killed elsewhere and brought to the jar. He finds tracks in the snow leading from the Aedificium, suggesting the murder is connected to the library.
Prime of the Second Day
Questioning of Benno and Berengar
William questions Benno of Uppsala, who reveals details of a debate in the scriptorium about laughter and the 'finis Africae,' a mysterious location in the library. Benno suggests that Berengar of Arundel knows a secret. William then confronts Berengar, who, terrified, confesses to seeing Adelmo's ghost in the cemetery on the night of his death. The ghost spoke of damnation and burning, confirming William's suspicion that Adelmo was driven to suicide by guilt and fear.
Terce of the Second Day
Conversations with Aymaro and Salvatore
William and Adso overhear a quarrel in the kitchen involving Salvatore, a strange, multilingual monk. Aymaro of Alessandria, a cynical Italian monk, hints at corruption and a conspiracy of foreigners controlling the library. He suggests that the deaths are connected to a power struggle within the abbey. William learns more about the tensions between the Italian and foreign monks.
Sext of the Second Day
Benno's Full Confession
Benno reveals the full story of the night Adelmo died. He saw Berengar and Adelmo together, then Adelmo rushing to confess to Jorge. Venantius followed them. Benno's account confirms that Berengar had a secret, likely about the library, which he used to seduce Adelmo. This strengthens William's theory that the key to the mystery lies in the forbidden knowledge of the library.
Nones of the Second Day
Discussion with the Abbot on Heresy
William meets with Abbot Abo to discuss the upcoming meeting of legations. The abbot is worried that the murders will compromise the abbey's neutrality and give the Pope's envoy, Bernard Gui, an excuse to intervene. He also hints that the cellarer, Remigio of Varagine, may have a heretical past connected to Fra Dolcino. William realizes the investigation is becoming entangled with larger political and religious conflicts.
Night of the Second Day
First Night Expedition into the Library
William and Adso secretly enter the Aedificium through the ossuary and explore the library labyrinth. They discover rooms filled with books, mirrors, and a lamp that emits vision-inducing fumes. Adso is overcome by a terrifying hallucination. They become lost but eventually find their way out. The expedition reveals the library's complex layout and the use of psychological tricks to protect its secrets.
Night of the Second Day / Lauds of the Third Day
Discovery of Berengar's Body
After the library expedition, William and Adso find Berengar of Arundel drowned in the balneary. His body shows signs of poisoning, with blackened fingers and tongue. This confirms that the poison used on Venantius was also used on Berengar. The abbot is informed, and the community is thrown into further despair.
Lauds of the Fourth Day
Examination of Berengar's Corpse
William and Severinus examine Berengar's corpse. They note the blackened fingers and tongue, indicating poison. Severinus recalls a powerful poison that was stolen from his laboratory years ago. William deduces that the poison was applied to the pages of a book, and that the victims poisoned themselves by licking their fingers while reading. This points to a book as the murder weapon.
Prime of the Fourth Day
Questioning of Salvatore and Remigio
William confronts Salvatore, who confesses that he and the cellarer, Remigio of Varagine, were followers of Fra Dolcino. Remigio, when questioned, admits to his past as a Dolcinian but denies involvement in the recent murders. He reveals that he found Venantius's body in the kitchen and moved it to the jar out of fear. This confession links the cellarer to the heretical past that the abbot suspected.
Terce of the Fourth Day
Deciphering the Zodiacal Code
William successfully deciphers the secret message left by Venantius. The message, written in a zodiacal alphabet, reads: 'Secretum finis Africae manus supra idolum primum et septimum de quatuor.' This is a clue to entering the 'finis Africae,' the most secret part of the library. The Greek notes on the same page contain fragments of text that seem to describe a book about comedy and the power of laughter.
Sext of the Fourth Day
Arrival of the Franciscan Legation
The Franciscan legation, led by Michael of Cesena, arrives at the abbey. William, Ubertino, and Michael hold a council of war, discussing the political and theological stakes of the upcoming meeting with the Pope's envoys. They share alarming stories about Pope John XXII's greed and his heretical views on the beatific vision. The mood is tense and pessimistic.
Nones of the Fourth Day
Arrival of the Papal Legation
The papal legation, led by Cardinal Bertrand del Poggetto and the inquisitor Bernard Gui, arrives. Bernard Gui immediately begins his own investigation, questioning servants and lay brothers. His presence creates an atmosphere of fear and suspicion. William and Bernard exchange thinly veiled hostilities, setting the stage for a conflict between their methods and goals.
After Compline of the Fourth Day
Adso's Encounter with the Girl
Adso, alone in the library, is overcome by lust and guilt after reading about Fra Dolcino. He goes down to the kitchen and encounters a beautiful peasant girl. They have a passionate sexual encounter. Afterward, he finds a package containing an ox heart, which terrifies him. William finds him and hears his confession, absolving him but warning him of the dangers of lust.
Night of the Fourth Day
Capture of Salvatore and the Girl
Bernard Gui's archers capture Salvatore and the peasant girl in the kitchen. They are found with a black cat and eggs, which Bernard interprets as evidence of witchcraft. The girl is arrested as a witch, and Salvatore is taken for questioning. Adso is devastated, but William tells him the girl is lost. This event gives Bernard a powerful tool to use against the abbey and the Franciscans.
Prime of the Fifth Day
The Debate on the Poverty of Christ
The formal debate between the Franciscans and the papal legation begins. Ubertino of Casale eloquently defends the Franciscan position on the absolute poverty of Christ and the apostles. The debate quickly degenerates into a shouting match and a brawl, with monks from both sides exchanging insults and accusations. The meeting is a failure, as Bernard Gui had intended.
Terce of the Fifth Day
Murder of Severinus
During the debate, Severinus sends word that he has found the mysterious book. Before William can retrieve it, Severinus is murdered in his laboratory, his head crushed by an armillary sphere. The cellarer, Remigio, is found at the scene and arrested. The book is missing. William realizes that the killer is still at large and that the book is the key to everything.
Nones of the Fifth Day
Trial of Remigio of Varagine
Bernard Gui conducts a public trial of Remigio, using Salvatore's testimony to expose his past as a Dolcinian. Under pressure, Remigio confesses to his heretical past and, in a fit of despair, falsely confesses to all the murders. Bernard is satisfied, as this allows him to link the Franciscan ideal of poverty to heresy and criminality. The trial is a political victory for the Pope.
Vespers of the Fifth Day
Ubertino's Escape
Fearing for his life after Bernard Gui's threats, Ubertino of Casale flees the abbey with the abbot's help. William and Adso bid him a sorrowful farewell. Ubertino's departure marks the end of any hope for a reconciliation between the Franciscans and the Pope. William is now free to focus entirely on solving the mystery of the murders.
Compline of the Fifth Day
Benno's Betrayal
William confronts Benno, who admits he took the book from Severinus's laboratory but then handed it over to Malachi in exchange for the position of assistant librarian. Benno has chosen power and access to the library's secrets over the pursuit of truth. William is disgusted by this betrayal of scholarly ideals.
Compline of the Fifth Day
Jorge's Sermon on the Antichrist
At the abbot's request, Jorge of Burgos delivers a terrifying sermon on the coming of the Antichrist. He describes the signs of the end times and warns the monks of the pride and corruption within their own abbey. The sermon is a masterpiece of apocalyptic rhetoric, filling the listeners with fear and dread. It also serves as a veiled threat to those who would violate the library's secrets.
Matins of the Sixth Day
Death of Malachi
During the chanting of the 'Sederunt principes,' Malachi of Hildesheim collapses and dies, poisoned in the same manner as Venantius and Berengar. His last words are 'He told me... truly. It had the power of a thousand scorpions.' This confirms that the book is poisoned and that Jorge is the mastermind behind the murders. The abbot is now the only person who knows the library's secrets.
Prime of the Sixth Day
Conversation with Nicholas in the Crypt
William and Adso speak with Nicholas of Morimondo in the treasure crypt. Nicholas reveals the political intrigues surrounding the position of librarian and abbot. He tells them that Alinardo of Grottaferrata was passed over for the post of librarian years ago, and that Jorge has been the true power behind the library for decades. This information helps William piece together the motive for the crimes.
Terce of the Sixth Day
Adso's Dream of the Coena Cypriani
While praying in the church, Adso falls asleep and has a vivid, grotesque dream. The dream is a distorted version of the 'Coena Cypriani,' a medieval parody of the Bible, mixed with the events and characters of the past few days. William later interprets the dream, noting that it contains clues about the forbidden book and the nature of the crimes. The dream reveals the central role of the 'Coena Cypriani' manuscript.
Sext of the Sixth Day
Reconstructing the Librarians' Succession
William examines the library catalogue and reconstructs the succession of librarians. He deduces that Jorge of Burgos, as assistant to the previous librarian, was the true master of the library for decades. He also confirms that the mysterious book was acquired during Jorge's time. This solidifies his suspicion that Jorge is the guardian of the library's darkest secret.
Nones of the Sixth Day
Confrontation with Abbot Abo
William warns Abbot Abo that he is in danger, as he is the last person who knows the library's secrets. The abbot, however, refuses to listen and orders William to leave the abbey the next morning. He is more concerned with protecting the abbey's reputation than with uncovering the truth. This forces William to act on his own.
After Compline of the Sixth Day
Discovering the Secret of the Mirror
In the stables, Adso's comment about Salvatore's Latin ('tertius equi') gives William the key to entering the finis Africae. He realizes that 'primum et septimum de quatuor' refers to the first and seventh letters of the word 'quatuor' in the verse 'Super thronos viginti quatuor' above the mirror. They rush to the library and press the letters 'q' and 'r', causing the mirror to swing open, revealing the entrance to the secret room.
Night of the Seventh Day
Confrontation in the Finis Africae
William and Adso enter the finis Africae and find Jorge of Burgos waiting for them. Jorge confesses to masterminding the plot to protect the library's most dangerous book: the lost second book of Aristotle's Poetics, which deals with comedy and laughter. He poisoned the book to kill anyone who read it. He also reveals that he has trapped and killed Abbot Abo in a secret passage.
Night of the Seventh Day
Jorge Eats the Book and Starts the Fire
Jorge, determined to destroy the book, begins tearing out its pages and eating them. In the ensuing struggle, the lamp is knocked over, setting the library on fire. Jorge laughs maniacally as the flames spread. William and Adso are forced to flee, leaving Jorge and the book to be consumed by the fire. The library, the greatest in Christendom, is doomed.
Night of the Seventh Day
The Great Fire of the Abbey
The fire spreads rapidly from the library to the rest of the abbey. Despite desperate efforts, the monks and servants cannot contain the blaze. The church, the stables, and all the other buildings are consumed. Many are killed, including Benno and Alinardo. William and Adso watch helplessly as the abbey is destroyed. The fire burns for three days.
After the fire, early December 1327
Departure and Aftermath
William and Adso leave the ruined abbey. They travel to Bobbio and learn of the Emperor's failing fortunes. William is disillusioned, realizing that his pursuit of order and truth has led only to destruction. He and Adso part ways in Munich, and William dies years later during the plague. Adso returns to Melk and, as an old man, writes this account of the 'wondrous and terrible events' he witnessed.
Late 14th century, as Adso writes
Adso's Final Reflections
Adso concludes his manuscript. He describes a later visit to the abbey's ruins, where he collected fragments of parchment from the destroyed library. He reflects on the meaning of the story he has told, uncertain whether it contains any hidden design. He ends with the Latin phrase 'Stat rosa pristina nomine, nomina nuda tenemus,' suggesting that only the names of things remain, not the things themselves.
