Бәхәс:Codex Cumanicus

«Codex Comanicus» Peter B. Golden (Rutgers)

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The Codex Cumanicus, which is presently housed in the Library of St. Mark, in Venice, Cod. Mar. Lat. DXLIX, is not one but several unrelated (except in the broadest sense) works which were ultimately combined under one cover. The Codex may be divided into two distinct and independent parts: I) a practical handbook of the Cuman language with glossaries in Italo-Latin, Persian and Cuman II) a mixed collection of religious texts, linguistic data and folkloric materials (the Cuman Riddles), stemming from a number of hands, with translations into Latin and a dialect of Eastern Middle High German. It is also clear that a number of subsequent hands made contributions to both sections.

Many scholars have simply termed these two, distinct works, the "Italian" part and the "German" part. This is undoubtedly true with respect to the ethno-linguistic origins or milieus of the authors. But, Ligeti is probably closer to the mark in calling the first part, the "Interpretor's Book" and the second part the "Missionaries' Book".

The Codex was first mentioned in the 17th century and was believed to have come from the library of the great Italian Humanist Petrarch (1304-1375). This attribution, however, has been shown to be incorrect. The dating and place of origin of the Codex's different sections have long been in dispute. Bazin, who has closely studied the calendrical entries (CC, 72/80-81) concluded that the "Interpretor's Book" was probably composed between 1293-1295. Drll, however, would place it as early as 1292-1295. The date found in the Venice ms. "MCCCIII die XI Iuly" (CC, 1/1) should be viewed as the date of the first copy or the beginning of the first copy. The copy preserved in the Venice ms., as an examination of the paper has demonstrated, stems from, or was at least copied on, paper made in the mid-13th century. The "Missionaries' Book" comes from a variety of sources and was put together ca. 1330-1340. Other elements were perhaps added later. The authors are unknown, although it seems likely that they were part of the Franciscan community. The German Francsicans who played an important role in the creation of the "Missionaries' Book", came from an Eastern High German- speaking background. The "Interpretor's Book" was compiled by Italian men of commerce (Venetians or Genoese) or their scribes in Solxat (Eski Krim) or Kaffa (Feodosija). There is evidence to indicate that different individuals (perhaps many) were involved in preparing/translating the Persian and Cuman sections of the tri-lingual glossary. The first copy (1303), it has been suggested, was done in the monastery of St. John near Saray. The later copy which is preserved in Venice, dating to ca. 1330-1340, probably came from some Franciscan monastery. Here too, it seems likely, is where the different sections of the Codex were combined. Somehow, these various parts came again into Italian hands and thus to Venice. The work, then, is a pastiche of larger and smaller pieces which were composed/compiled with different intentions. The "Interpretor's Book" was largely, but not exclusively, practical and commercial in nature. The "Missionaries' Book", in addition to its purely linguistic goals, contains sermons, psalms and other religious texts as well as a sampling of Cuman riddles.