Original scientific paper

Caelius’ Translation of Xenophons’s Anabasis

Josip Parat ; Hrvatski institut za povijest, Podružnica za povijest Slavonije, Srijema i Baranje, Slavonski Brod
Petra Šoštarić orcid.org/0000-0002-2567-8665 ; Filozofski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu

Abstract

The Renaissance imparted a new impetus to the study of Greek in the West. Among the most influential teachers of Greek in Italy was Demetrius Chalcondyles, who taught the Dubrovnik native Michael Caelius Gradius (Miho Celije Gradić)(about 1465-1527). Like many of his contemporaries, Gradius decided to try his hand at translating from Greek into Latin, opting for prose. His translation of Xenophon’s Anabasis, a work popular for both its theme and its simplicity of style, is extant in manuscript (Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, Ms. Phillipps 1900). In his translation, Caelius shows an excellent knowledge of Greek and Latin grammar and the art of composing a Latin text according to the rules of classical syntax. Some places in the translation are not consistent with the Greek text considered standard today, and there is no Greek source described in textual criticism to identify these places. The question of what Caelius’ source for the translation was remains unresolved.

Keywords

Michael Caelius Gradius; Demetrius Chalcondyles; Dubrovnik; humanism; Xenophon; Anabasis; Greek; Latin

Hrčak ID:

180504

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/180504

Publication date:

21.4.2017.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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