Russian Version H
The Russian translation of the Seven Sages is usually titled Повесть о Семи Мудрецах (Povestʹ o Semi Mudrecach, A Story about Seven Sages).
All Russian versions seem to originate from one Polish translation, as shown by similar misunderstandings of the original Polish text present in all versions (Gudzij (1966), p. 450). Early scholarship on the Russian texts suggested that the source was Jan z Koszyczek's translation of the Latin text into Polish (dated c. 1540) (see Murko, 1890). However, newer research suggests the Russian text was either a translation of a later editions of the 1540s text (as suggested by e.g. Nikolaev (2008), p. 125) or a translation of the second Polish text that was a separate translation from Latin made no later than 16th century (Gudzij (1966)). According to Orlov (1934), this second Polish text appears to be missing.
According to Gudzij (1966), research suggests that the earliest transmission of the narrative into Russian may have dated to the end of the sixteenth century; however, this remains hypothesis (p. 450). The earliest surviving Russian versions date from the 1610s and 1620s for versions B and C, earliest versions A date to 1640s, according to the latest manuscript lists (Azvolinskaja (1981), pp. 255-58). Originally the Russian version seems to come from Belarus, as shown by the dialect-specific adaptations, and may have arrived at Moscow though Novgorod (and then moved further up north-east), though it is also a hypothesis (based largely on Murko's (1890) analysis of some of the later manuscript transmission, not the earliest texts). Though all of the versions seem to originate from one translation, they differ significantly from each other, with varying story details, stylistic choices, dialects and story titles almost never identical (see Murko (1890), pp. 87-138). The structure and the main overarching story however remain similar (Małek (2016), p. 47).
The Seven Sages Ukrainian version appears to be a separate shorter version that appeared later than the first Russian ones in 1660s[12], contrary to some early research ideas that suggested it was an intermediate version between the Polish and Russian versions.[13] It is, however, unclear whether the Ukrainian version was a late direct translation from Polish, or originated from one of the earlier Russian texts, like proposed by, for example, Lur’e.[14]
From the end of 17th century onwards, some of the stories became more self-contained (such as Vaticinium, which is also known for its’ separate shorter and full version – Повесть об Александре и Лодвике - Povestʹ ob Aleksandre i Lodvike).[15] Start of the 18th century marks an even stronger turn for this removal of the original story: stories from the Seven Sages either (1) become attached to other similar story series all together, but without the overarching plot, or (2) are separated and included as self-sufficient stories in the thematic collections within books – both with heavy modifications[16], though the more traditionally structured versions of Seven Sages remain.
[1] Gudzij, N. K. Istorija drevnej russkoj literatury. 7th ed., Moscow, 1966, p. 450.
[2] Murko M. Die Geschichte von den sieben Weisen bei den Slaven // Sitzungsberichte der philosophisch-historischen Classe der kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Wien, 1890. Bd 122. Abhandlung X. S. 87–138.
[3] Nikolaev, S. I. Pol’sko-russkie literaturnye svjazi XVI–XVIII vv.: Bibliografičeskie materialy. Sankt-Peterburg: Nestor-Istorija, 2008, p. 125
[4] Gudzij, N. K. Istorija drevnej russkoj literatury. 7th ed., Moscow, 1966, p. 450.
[5] Orlov, A. S. Perevodnye povesti feodal’noj Rusi i Moskovskogo gosudarstva XII–XVII vekov. Leningrad, 1934, pp. 120–128.
[6] Azvolinskaja (Kazovskaja), I. D. “‘Povest’ o semi mudrecakh’: (datirovka drevnejšikh russkikh spiskov XVII v.).” Trudy Otdela drevnerusskoj literatury, Leningrad, 1981, vol. 36, pp. 255–258.
[7] Gudzij, N. K. Istorija drevnej russkoj literatury. 7th ed., Moscow, 1966, p. 450.
[8] Murko M. Die Geschichte von den sieben Weisen bei den Slaven // Sitzungsberichte der philosophisch-historischen Classe der kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Wien, 1890. Bd 122. Abhandlung X. S. 87–138.
[9] [this is just my note here: some later research seems to simply follow Murko’s analysis that was suggesting there is Belorussian dialect in the earliest translations, but Murko (in 1890) was analyzing much later manuscripts (later than 1630s) than the ones found by Azvolinskaja in 1981 (1610s-1620s). And I don’t think there is research specifically focusing on these earliest versions from 1610s trying to determine the translator, so I would really emphasize the “hypothesis” part.]
[10] Murko M. Die Geschichte von den sieben Weisen bei den Slaven // Sitzungsberichte der philosophisch-historischen Classe der kaiserlichen Akademie der Wissenschaften. Wien, 1890. Bd 122. Abhandlung X. S. 87–138.
[11] Małek, E. "Žanrovye i kompozicionnye modifikacii perevodnoj belletristiki (nazidatelʹnye novelly iz" Povesti o semi mudrecach" i facecii)." Trudy otdela drevnerusskoj literatury 64, 2016, p. 47.
[12] Azvolinskaja (Kazovskaja), I. D. “‘Povest’ o semi mudrecakh’: (datirovka drevnejšikh russkikh spiskov XVII v.).” Trudy Otdela drevnerusskoj literatury, Leningrad, 1981, vol. 36, pp. 255–258.
[13] Peretc, V. N. “K istorii ukrainskoj povesti XVII v.” Trudy Otdela drevnerusskoj literatury, vol. 51, no. 2, 1926, pp. 104, 128-133.
[14] Lur’e, Ja. S., otv. red. Istoki russkoj belletristiki: Vozniknovenie žanrov siužetnogo povestvovanija v drevnerusskoj literature. Akademija Nauk SSSR, IRLI, Nauka, 1970, p. 543
[15] Lur’e, Ja. S., otv. red. Istoki russkoj belletristiki: Vozniknovenie žanrov siužetnogo povestvovanija v drevnerusskoj literature. Akademija Nauk SSSR, IRLI, Nauka, 1970, p. 543
[16] Małek, E. "Žanrovye i kompozicionnye modifikacii perevodnoj belletristiki (nazidatelʹnye novelly iz" Povesti o semi mudrecach" i facecii)." Trudy otdela drevnerusskoj literatury 64 (2016): 47-48.
Literature & Editions
Recorded Branch of This Secondary Version
- H (Historia Septem Sapientum)
- Armenian Version H
- Czech Version H: Kronika sedmi mudrců
- Danish Version H
- Dutch Version H
- English Version H
- French Version H
- German Version H
- Hungarian Version H: Pontianus tsaszar historiaia
- Icelandic Version H
- Latin Version H
- Lithuanian Version H
- Polish Version H
- Russian Version H
- Scots Version H: Rolland, Seuin Seages
- Spanish Version H: Los Siete Sabios de Roma
- Swedish Version H: Sju vise mästare
- Yiddish Version H