Endometriomas More Condition_symptoms

THE TRANSMISSION OF THE GREEK LITERATURE

1. APPROACH
2. STEPS IN THE TRANSMISSION OF THE GREEK LITERATURE
3. PRINTING AND THE PRESERVATION OF ANCIENT GREEK LITERATURE
4. THE WIDENING OF TRADITION: Palimpsest and papyrus


1. APPROACH

A general question to be addressed when discussing Greek literature is the problem of transmission of this literature.
might think that is a secondary question (which might not we consider, for example., Speaking in English literature.)
But the truth is that the channels through which transmitted the Greek Literature condition our view of it: we have only a partial picture of Greek Literature, fragmentary, because there is much that we have lost it in the process transmission.

P. eg., do not keep any book full of lyric poets before Pindar (SS. VII-VI BC), Archilochus, Sappho Stesichorus are known to us only in fragments. P.
eg., we retain only 7 tragedies of Aeschylus, of the 79 that were known in Alexandria

• similar data could be Sophocles or Euripides (although we have had more luck this);
• Please also note that in Athens in S. V, each year represented nine tragedies satirists three dramas;
• however, there remain only thirty-one tragedies drama ("a 2 / 3% of the tragedy of S. V a. C.?).

Why have we lost so much Greek Literature? Why has narrowed the transmission?
This is a process that was once for all, but occurred in phases.


2. STEPS IN THE TRANSMISSION OF THE GREEK LITERATURE: THE "HOMER" TO THE INVENTION OF PRINTING

1) In its early stages (archaic: SS. VIII-VI BC), Greek Literature is literature strong oral, in the sense that its execution, its transmission and, according to many critics, also its composition is oral.
This is the golden age of the epic, and if we have lost much of the archaic epic is because, perhaps, was never written.
Likewise, a huge mass of archaic oral literature must have lost because they never put in writing, to disappear from people's memory, eventually dying out. This might be p.
eg. the case of the Greek tale, which we ignore almost everything (see the entry 57. The folk tale and fable in Greece ).

2) In a second stage, the transmission of Greek literature is in writing. The idea of \u200b\u200bsetting
writing literary works should the model of what happens to the laws that are put in writing because they have to survive their legislator.
Similarly, get to write literary works in order to ensure their survival, and survive and its composer, who begins to become aware of copyright.
First, fixation was done in writing through single copies, usually enshrined in a temple

• p. eg. We heard that this might be the case Homeric Hymn to Apollo (preserved in the temple of Apollo at Delos);
• so does the book of Heraclitus (preserved in the temple of Artemis at Ephesus).

The fact that only single copies made indicates that by the time we talked (sixth century BC), there was no book trade, this trade could not even exist at that time by the absence of a reading public:

• the degree of literacy was low;
conditions
• reading materials were complex;
• the material to copy books (the papyrus) was scarce and therefore expensive.

The "book industry" does not arise until about the 450 in Athens. In S. IV appear as the first library (the Academy of the Lyceum).
Books that host these libraries, which have existed for the S. V a. C., are "volumes", uolumina , papyrus scrolls that have to operate for reading and then have to wrap again.
The procedure is very cumbersome, especially if the papyrus is long: p. eg. we retain a papyrus of Platonic banquet with a length of ten meters.

arise in the Hellenistic era large libraries such as the Museum of Alexandria (see entry 34. The world of Hellenism and the development of Philology ).
These libraries are created and supported by the Hellenistic monarchs for a political motivation: they are interested in preserving ancient literature because they see it as a sign of identity that can hold its own against other cultures.
The Museum Library was busy seeking true copies of ancient authors, using sometimes dubious procedures:

• in the case of Ptolemy evergetism;
Athens
• loan requests the canonical text of the tragic;
• should be left as security in Athens astronomical amount of fifteen talents of gold,
• the end, would rather lose the money and keep the official texts Athenians
• yes, at Athens sent a careful copy of the text held in Alexandria.

is obvious that libraries play an important role in the transmission of Greek Literature: at this time, and as a result of the work of philologists who work in libraries, arise "prearquetipos" Alexandrian, who will then step to the Roman archetypes.
Please note, however, that libraries can help preserve ancient literature, and in the case of the rare authors is irreplaceable role. However, for that matter, the damage in libraries also produce irreparable loss.
Thus, the burning of the Library of Alexandria in the S. I a. C. (During the stay of Caesar, 48-47 BC) determined the loss of many authors.

3) Authors who are being saved despite the fires are obviously the authors are read and copied out of libraries. Now But who are the authors who have this fate?
These are the authors who make up the first of the "fees" in the strict sense, the Alexandrian canon, a canon designed on the basis of school needs. Canon
reduced, which saves up to today, but takes some authors (with the exclusion) to the loss of others.
We see it with unquestionable clarity of the numbers if you look at the case of the authors of tragedy:

• The Alexandrian canon states that copied only the tragedies of the three great tragedians, and only seven of each of these .
• This will have lost (Or only a few fragments preserved in) the works of the other tragic, is identical to the situation of the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles or Euripides did not enter the canon.
• For this reason we retain only seven tragedies of Aeschylus, of the 79 known at Alexandria (retain slightly less than 9% of the work of Aeschylus).
• data could be similar to Sophocles or Euripides, but with this one (by chance of transmission) have had more luck and eighteen tragedies retain a satirical drama.
• Please also note that in Athens, in the S. V a. C., each year represented nine tragedies plus three satirical plays: instead, we retain only thirty-one tragedies plus a satyr play, ie a 2 or 3% of the drama of S. V a. C.

The Alexandrian canon thus became, despite its intrinsic goodness, another bottleneck in the transmission of Greek Literature.

4) The cultural impoverishment of the late ancient world determines another kink in the transmission of classical culture, it fails to copy what is not understood:

• Dejan technical writers to copy: p. eg., authors of astronomy and scientific geography.
Dejan
• to copy the authors of works long: the trivialization of culture makes only be stored in the form of extracts and epitome. Dejan
• to copy writers in dialect: this affects both authors of literary interest as the lyrical, p. eg. Sappho: lesbian dialect in which it was written to present real difficulties for a late Greek period.

We exemplify the phenomenon of trivialization of the previous culture in the case of an author mythography (Paléfato).

Paléfato
• 's work (Extraordinary Stories ) as the preserve, consists of 52 stories brief exegesis of myths and rationalistic in appearance is a rather simplistic.
• However, according to the Suda's work consisted of 5 books Paléfato: so what we have is an epitome, which some critics would be all the work and for others only the first book.
• Note also that a work like Paléfato lent itself especially to be abridged, not only because of its presumed extension: the case of the work (the collection of myths and their interpretation) made it especially useful for use in school, and hence its abbreviation and simplification.
• What may be the original work is minimal and difficult to interpret, perhaps there is some personal imprint ironic or disparaging remarks (among others).

5) further narrowing of the Classical Tradition also speaks (or spoke) with true passion is the "Christian censorship. But:

• More than "censorship" should talk about "disinterest" (indifference, contempt ...): pagan authors copied because no longer interested.
• systematic burning was the work of heretical sects.
• Several Church fathers writing indicating how spiritual can take advantage of pagan authors, in a clear process of "inculturation" (cf. St. Basil, Homily 22).
• to justify the reading of pagan authors often resorted to allegorical reading: A famous case is that of the messianic interpretation of Virgil, Eclogue IV.
• It should be well aware that censorship is not in any sense a Christian invention: in ancient Greece Plato advocated control of the poets and poetry.

6) In the Middle Ages (the so-called "Dark Ages") increases the portion of lost Greek Literature:

• in the West has disappeared almost completely lost Greek Literature at the language.
• Although also here are copying works, particularly in the Benedictine monasteries.
• In the East the situation was different because of the slow evolution of the Greek language, to allow the continued understanding and copying the ancient authors.
• East's education system is also based on the classics, which remained copied in monasteries.
• copying of books was very driven in the Renaissance of the patriarch Photius (ninth century): it is worth remembering, of course, that what we call the Renaissance was not the only "Renaissance" of history, that the phenomenon was even in the "Dark Ages."

But Photius tried to further restrict the tragic canon, though fortunately he failed.
This would have been a new canon, the "Byzantine triad", which chooses for each of the tragic three works a bit "eccentric"

• Aeschylus Persians, Seven Against Thebes, Prometheus .
• Sophocles Ajax, Electra, Oedipus Rex .
• Euripides Hecuba, Orestes, Phoenician .

Had this fee tax have lost key works of the three tragic: we have lost also the effect of the Alexandrian canon?
Despite the work of Photius and the Byzantine Renaissance lost books followed:

• the random factor can be decisive in a very narrow transmission;
• accidental fires, accidental loss, wars (eg., Looting Constantinople by Crusaders in 1204) narrowed more and more of the preserved body of ancient literature.

3. PRINTING AND THE PRESERVATION OF ANCIENT GREEK LITERATURE

A selected literature as history is possibly destined to be a quality literature ... if you survive the gradual process of narrowing of the tradition.
Now, after a certain date, introduced new factors that guarantee the preservation and rescue of Greek Literature.
In this regard it is essential to the invention of printing, the so-called renaissance and interest in the indiscriminate printing of books.
In fact, since the S. XVI have not lost again authors or works (although, occasionally, lost manuscripts).
must be noted, however, that the printing of books in Greek was not easy at first. It was difficult for
the need for very special fonts, which also would have limited use (there were very few people would read Greek).
But books began to be printed in Greek, and in this respect was fundamental activity of Aldus Manutius, who owe a total of 27 first editions (Aldine editions.)
Similarly, the work was essential that developed in Spain Cisneros, whom we owe the publication of the Complutense Polyglot Bible (published between 1502-1517).
For printing books in the Renaissance is not part of a philological work:

• is part of codices known as impaired.
• Once printed, these codices are often discarded on the grounds that it is useless.

4. THE WIDENING OF TRADITION: Palimpsest and papyrus

The "happy end" of the whole story may be that in the last two centuries have produced widening of tradition, we have recovered texts that seemed lost:
* have been recovered through the palimpsest texts. These are parchment scraped
to rewrite them, this work was scraping

• to be passed from the capitalization (uncial) to writing in lower case,
• or when it is considered that certain texts and had no interest.

Thus we have recovered, p. eg., the Phaeton of Euripides, or Republic of Cicero.

* But, above all texts have been recovered through the papyrus.
papyri, writing the basic material in antiquity have been preserved only

• in very dry climates such as Egypt (in landfills as the Oxyrhynchus, in packing of mummies);
• occasionally contact temperatures high (as was the case Derveni papyrus, fallen from a funeral pyre, or in the case of the Papyri at Herculaneum in Pompeii).

Through the papyri we have recovered significant texts by authors who were previously only names, by way of example: lyric
Authors Bacchylides have recovered, have recovered their Epinicia and dithyrambs through a papyrus discovered in 1896 and published in late 1897.
Now Bacchylides text occupies 121 pages in the Teubner edition. Authors
comedians have recovered to Menander:

• above, this stock is only possessed collections of sentences;
• now have full or almost full recovered some of his comedies ( The wayward ) today
• These days, the text of Menander occupies 356 pages in the edition of the Oxford Classical Texts.

Joseph B. Torres Guerra

SOME REFERENCES:

BARNABAS, A., "Transmission of Greek literature," in JA Lopez Ferez (ed.), H istory of Greek Literature , Madrid, 1988, pp. 1189-1207.
BRAVO, A., "The written sources of Greek culture and its transmission to us," ECLAS 22 (1978), pp. 11-40.
GIL, L., Censorship in the ancient world , Madrid, 1961.
PFEIFFER, R., Historia de la Filología Clásica. I. Desde los comienzos hasta el final de la época helenística , Madrid, 1968 ( History of the Classical Scholarship. From the Beginnings to the End of the Hellenistic Age, Oxford, 1968).
PFEIFFER, R., Historia de la Filología Clásica. II. De 1300 a 1850 , Madrid, 1981 ( History of the Classical Scholarship. From 1300 to 1800 , Oxford, 1976).
REYNOLDS, L.D. y WILSON, N.G., Copistas y filólogos. Las vías de transmisión de las literaturas griega y latina , Madrid, 1986 ( Scribes and Scholars: A Guide to the Transmission of Greek and Latin Literature , Oxford, 1974, 2 nd ed.).


* literary texts on papyrus (partial access to the Mertens-Pack 3):

http://promethee.philo.ulg.ac.be/cedopal/index.htm

* About copyists:

http://www.ucm.es/info/copistas

Cf also the website Papyrologie und Zeitschrift für Epigraphik:

http://www.uni-koeln.de/ phil-fak/ifa/zpe