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{{Version
{{Version
|Has Description=The Syriac ''Sindban'' only survives in one manuscript, Berlin Staatsbibliothek Petermann I 24 (itself fragmentary). This manuscript was translated into German and dated to 1579CE by Baethgen 1879, but the Berlin library catalogue dates it to 1400-1450CE.  
|Has Description=The Syriac ''Sindban'' only survives in one fragmentary manuscript, Berlin Staatsbibliothek Petermann I 24. Entries in the manuscript mentions the date 1579CE (as well as the date 1583CE, and elsewhere the date 1660CE), which led its German translator Baethgen (1879) to presume that is was written some time before 1579CE. Krönung (2016) follows that dating, as does Perry (1960). Sachau's catalogue of the Berlin library (1899), however, considers these entries to be a later addition, and dates the manuscript to 1400-1450CE. The current digital Berlin library catalogue follows this dating.  


However, there is credible evidence that the text must have been composed much earlier: Michael Andreopoulos claims to have translated his Greek ''Syntipas'' from a Syriac text, and both the surviving Syriac fragment and the surviving Syntipas versions are similar. Most scholars thus assume that the Syriac version was composed some time in the ninth, tenth or eleventh centuries (Krönung 2016).
There is credible evidence that the text itself must have been composed much earlier: Michael Andreopoulos plausibly claims to have translated his Greek ''Syntipas'' from a Syriac text. The text of his Greek ''Syntipas'' is close to the surviving Syriac manuscript, leading most academics to assume that both were based on a common source (Perry 1960, Krönung 2016). Krönung 2016 assumes that the Syriac version was composed some time in the ninth, tenth or eleventh centuries, Minets 2023 speaks of the eighth to the eleventh centuries.
 
The frame narrative in this version is set at the court of King Cyrus, and the prince is taught by Sindban alone, who reads the prophecy in the stars. The seven philosophers who come to the prince's defence are the king's counsellors. The sequence of stories is the same as in Andreopoulos' ''Syntipas'', except for three lacunae. A leaf is missing in the manuscript just after the fourth philosopher had announced that he would tell his first story (which is 'Balneator' in Andreopoulos' ''Syntipas''). The text start again in the middle of his second story, 'Canicula'. Three leaves are missing after the seventh philosopher has just begun to tell 'Ingenia'. The ending is also missing, just after the prince has started telling the story 'Senex Caecus'. In Andreopoulos' ''Syntipas,'' this ending includes two more stories, 'Vulpes' and 'Fatum'.


Entered by Bettina Bildhauer
Entered by Bettina Bildhauer
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|Has Title=ܟܬܒܐ ܕܣܢܕܒܢ (The Book of Sindban)
|Has Title=ܟܬܒܐ ܕܣܢܕܒܢ (The Book of Sindban)
|Has Branch Of Tradition=Book of Sindbad
|Has Branch Of Tradition=Book of Sindbad
|Is Adapted From=Arabic Version A (The Seven Viziers)
|Is Adapted Into=Andreopoulos Syntipas
|Is Adapted Into=Andreopoulos Syntipas
|Has Source For Composition And Adaption Information=Krönung (2016); Perry (1960); Toth (2016)
|Has Language Of Version=Syriac
|Has Language Of Version=Syriac
|Has Regional Language=Syriac (Serto script)
|Has Regional Language=Syriac (Serto script)
|Is Translated Into Languages=Greek
|Is Translated Into Languages=Greek
|Has Place Of Text Composition=Likely near Melitene (Malatya)
|Has Place Of Text Composition=Melitene (Malatya)
|Has Start Date Of Composition=801
|Has Start Date Of Composition=801
|Has End Date Of Composition=1100
|Has End Date Of Composition=1100
|Is Date Uncertain=No
|Is Date Uncertain=No
|Has Source For Date Of Text Composition=Krönung (2016)
|Has Source For Date Of Text Composition=Krönung (2016)
|Has Modern Research Literature=Barsoum (2003); Macler (1903); Gollancz (1987); Minov (2013); Minets (2023); Jernstedt (1912)
|Has Modern Research Literature=Barsoum (2003); Macler (1903); Gollancz (1987); Minov (2013); Minets (2023); Jernstedt (1912); Krönung (2016); Perry (1960); Sachau (1899)
|Has Modern Edition=David Taylor (in progress as of 2025)
|Has Modern Edition=David Taylor (in progress as of 2025)
|Has Internal Notes=Text from Alfie Watkins:
|Has Internal Notes=Text from Alfie Watkins:
Line 27: Line 29:


A final point to note is the interaction between the Sindban and the  wider Syriac fabulistic tradition. As is true of other versions (eg the  Sindbadnameh and Seven Viziers) and parallel works (''Fables of  Aesop, Kalila wa Dimna'', etc), there is a great deal of cross pollination  between the Sindban and other fabulistic works. In particular, the  theme of a falsely accused son being defended in a court setting by a  group of Seven Sages crops up several times. However, there is a great  deal of divergence in these pseudo Sindban tales. Thus, it is worth  making a firm distinction between the Syriac ''Sindban'' proper and the  broader Syriac ‘Fables of Sindban’ tradition. For more detail on the surviving manuscript, see manuscript page for Berlin Staatsbibliothek Petermann I 24.
A final point to note is the interaction between the Sindban and the  wider Syriac fabulistic tradition. As is true of other versions (eg the  Sindbadnameh and Seven Viziers) and parallel works (''Fables of  Aesop, Kalila wa Dimna'', etc), there is a great deal of cross pollination  between the Sindban and other fabulistic works. In particular, the  theme of a falsely accused son being defended in a court setting by a  group of Seven Sages crops up several times. However, there is a great  deal of divergence in these pseudo Sindban tales. Thus, it is worth  making a firm distinction between the Syriac ''Sindban'' proper and the  broader Syriac ‘Fables of Sindban’ tradition. For more detail on the surviving manuscript, see manuscript page for Berlin Staatsbibliothek Petermann I 24.
|Has Note='''Bibliography:'''  
 
'''Bibliography:'''


Baethgen, F., (ed.): Sindban oder Die Sieben weisen Meister. Syrisch  und Deutsch. Leipzig 1879.  
Baethgen, F., (ed.): Sindban oder Die Sieben weisen Meister. Syrisch  und Deutsch. Leipzig 1879.  
Line 48: Line 51:


Sachau, E. ed., Die Handschriften-Verzeichnisse der Königlichen  Bibliothek zu Berlin, 23. Band:Verzeichniss der syrischen  Handschriften, 2 vols. (Berlin, 1899).
Sachau, E. ed., Die Handschriften-Verzeichnisse der Königlichen  Bibliothek zu Berlin, 23. Band:Verzeichniss der syrischen  Handschriften, 2 vols. (Berlin, 1899).
}}
{{EmbeddedStory
|Has Short Title=Leo
|Has Sequence Number=1
|Has Narrator=First Master
}}
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|Has Short Title=Avis
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}}
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{{EmbeddedStory
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}}
{{EmbeddedStory
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}}
{{EmbeddedStory
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{{EmbeddedStory
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{{EmbeddedStory
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{{EmbeddedStory
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{{EmbeddedStory
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{{EmbeddedStory
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{{EmbeddedStory
|Has Short Title=Senex Caecus
|Has Sequence Number=23
|Has Narrator=Prince
}}
}}

Latest revision as of 12:14, 5 March 2026

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The Syriac Sindban only survives in one fragmentary manuscript, Berlin Staatsbibliothek Petermann I 24. Entries in the manuscript mentions the date 1579CE (as well as the date 1583CE, and elsewhere the date 1660CE), which led its German translator Baethgen (1879) to presume that is was written some time before 1579CE. Krönung (2016) follows that dating, as does Perry (1960). Sachau's catalogue of the Berlin library (1899), however, considers these entries to be a later addition, and dates the manuscript to 1400-1450CE. The current digital Berlin library catalogue follows this dating.

There is credible evidence that the text itself must have been composed much earlier: Michael Andreopoulos plausibly claims to have translated his Greek Syntipas from a Syriac text. The text of his Greek Syntipas is close to the surviving Syriac manuscript, leading most academics to assume that both were based on a common source (Perry 1960, Krönung 2016). Krönung 2016 assumes that the Syriac version was composed some time in the ninth, tenth or eleventh centuries, Minets 2023 speaks of the eighth to the eleventh centuries.

The frame narrative in this version is set at the court of King Cyrus, and the prince is taught by Sindban alone, who reads the prophecy in the stars. The seven philosophers who come to the prince's defence are the king's counsellors. The sequence of stories is the same as in Andreopoulos' Syntipas, except for three lacunae. A leaf is missing in the manuscript just after the fourth philosopher had announced that he would tell his first story (which is 'Balneator' in Andreopoulos' Syntipas). The text start again in the middle of his second story, 'Canicula'. Three leaves are missing after the seventh philosopher has just begun to tell 'Ingenia'. The ending is also missing, just after the prince has started telling the story 'Senex Caecus'. In Andreopoulos' Syntipas, this ending includes two more stories, 'Vulpes' and 'Fatum'.

Entered by Bettina Bildhauer

Identification & General Information

Title
ܟܬܒܐ ܕܣܢܕܒܢ (The Book of Sindban)

Tradition & Lineage

Branch of the tradition
Book of Sindbad
Adapted into (version)
Andreopoulos Syntipas
Source for composition and adaptation information
Krönung (2016), Perry (1960), Toth (2016)

Recorded Secondary Versions

Connected Manuscripts

 Has LanguageHas LocationHas Date Range Of Production

Language & Composition

Language of version
Syriac
Regional or specific language of version
Syriac (Serto script)
Translated into (languages)
Greek
Place of composition
Melitene (Malatya)
Date of Composition
801 - 1100


Source for date of composition
Krönung (2016)

Modern Scholarship & Editions

Modern research literature
Barsoum (2003), Macler (1903), Gollancz (1987), Minov (2013), Minets (2023), Jernstedt (1912), Krönung (2016), Perry (1960), Sachau (1899)
Modern Editions
David Taylor (in progress as of 2025)


Pattern of Embedded Stories in This Version













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This page was last edited on 5 March 2026, at 12:14.
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