As we're filling the gaps over this week, I'll direct those interested in Ishoʿyahb III to Jean Maurice Fiey's multi-chapter "Išōʿyaw le Grand" spread over Orientalia Christiana Periodica 35-6 (1969-70). The Introduction and first four chapters span OCP 35, 305f; the sequel commences the next volume.
Overall Fiey's monograph as far as I've read (26 March), which is as far as the fourth chapter, is good. It's the best of the (few) dedicated monographs we have. Although I'll be picking nits as I look closer.
Orthography is always a p.i.t.a. with Semitic languages as related in Latin script. I like to think we're good on the classical Arabic, at least these days; Qâric is getting there also, thanks to al Jallad and van-Putten. Syriac remains a problem; not least because the Nestorians and West-Syrians never agreed upon a standard, themselves. I dislike seeing "Išōʿya(h)b" or "mdi(n)ta" even where the rasm marks these consonants as unpronounced. Fer cryin' out loud these MSS often come to us in nineteenth-century copies. And then we look around and see he spells a similar figure, "Ichōʿdnah". So "Išōʿyaw" here is just - pretentious. Trust us the readers to figure out begadkepat on our own. (I'll admit mine own orthography isn't consistent on this here blog but... blog.)
BACKDATE 3/26
QUIBBLES 4/29/23: I think Ishoʿyahb was already bishop AD 638. I date some of the "Metro" letters, which dealt with Marammeh going out to Elam, to the last days of Ishoʿyahb's tenure as a more-humble provincial bishop not yet in Arbela. And, after Ishoʿyahb does get to Arbela, I think Marammeh will rise to become Catholicos in what we call AD 645 not 646; I place less weight upon M#26's context than does Fiey.
No comments:
Post a Comment