Walter of Compiègne

{{Short description|French poet}}

Walter of Compiègne was a French poet who lived in the middle of the 12th century and was a monk at Saint Martin's at Tours. He composed a Latin biography of Muhammad in elegiac couplets.

The story of Mahomet reached Walter by oral tradition, according to the information he himself provides. Its source was a young Muslim who was brought to France after the First Crusade by a French knight, and who converted to Christianity. He narrated the life of Mahomet to Pagan of Sens, the abbot of {{ill|Notre Dame d'Étampes|fr|Collégiale Notre-Dame-du-Fort d'Étampes}}. Paganus told it to Warner, abbot of the monastery at Tours, and Warner told it to Walter of Compiègne.{{sfn|Yolles|Weiss|2018|p=xvi}} {{lang|la-x-medieval|Otia de Machomete}} (Poetic Pastimes on Muhammad) may be given as its title. The poem begins:

{{poemquote|

{{lang|la-x-medieval|Quisquis nosse cupis patriam Machometis et actus

otia Walterii de Machomete lege.

Sic tamen otia sunt, ut et esse negotia credas:

ne spernas, quotiens "otia" fronte legis.}}

If you wish to know about Muhammad's country and his deeds,

then read Walter's poetic pastimes on Muhammad.

These poetic pastimes are such that you might also believe they are serious:

so do not scorn them when you see "pastimes" on the front.{{sfn|Yolles|Weiss|2018|p=105}}}}