Textological features of the Chronicle of John of Nikiu

Abstract

In the frame of the present research the text of the Chronicle of John of Nikiu’s translation in Geez is considered on the base of its textological features. This compilation was created in Egypt at the end of the 7th century AD by John, Bishop of the city of Nikiu, most probably in Greek. Later it was translated in Arabic and finally in the very beginning of the 17th century in Ge'ez. It reached our days exclusively in the Ethiopic revision. Nevertheless the test has conserved traces of the history of its existence. In particular it concerns foreign in relation to Ethiopia loans in lexis and some grammar constructions not intrinsic for traditional Ethiopian historiography. Such textological features of the translation from Arabic into Geez are of great interest for the scientists. They shed, albeit limited, light on the original Greek and then Arabic versions of the text of the Chronicle. In addition it forms an idea about the process of translating and personal and professional qualities of the translators in the Middle Ages in Egypt and Ethiopia.

Keywords

• ethiopian manuscript tradition
• ethiopian historiography
• byzantine historiography
• john of nikiu
• arabic conquest of egypt
• textological features
• foreign borrowings
• эфиопская рукописная традиция
• эфиопская историография
• византийская историография
• иоанн никиуский
• арабское завоевание египта
• текстологические особенности
• иностранные заимствования