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241 RELIGIOUS ENCYCLOPEDIA Syriac Literature
1888, pp. xvi.-xx., and F. Nau has written not only " La Cosmographic au vii. sii'cle chez les Syriens " in ROC, II., v. 3, but also, on the theme of astronomy, " Notes d'astronomie syrienne," in JA, Sept.Oct., 1910.
Syriac translations from-the Pahlavi include the famous " Kalilag and Dimnag " (ed. and transl., G. Bickell, with introduction by T. Benfey, Leipsic, 1876), while the Psalms, with the canons of Mar Abha, were translated from Syriac into Pahlavi (see
r r. Trans- sqq.). [There is also reason to suplation pose that the Biblical fragments pre-
Literature. served in Pahlavi translation in theShikand-gumanig Vijar were derived, as the form of the proper names shows, from a Syriac original (see BIBLE VERSIONS, B, XIII.).] The Syriac version of the Pseudo-Callisthenes (ed. and transl., E. A. W. Budge, The History of Alexander the Great, Cambridge, 1889) was based on the Greek original, while, on the other hand, some Syriac writings, notably of Ephraem, were rendered into Greek. A second Syriac recension of " Kalilag and Dimnag " was founded on an Arabic instead of a Pahlavi version (ed. W. Wright, Book of Kalila and Dimna, London, 1884; new ed., with German transl., by F. Schulthess, Berlin, 1911), and to a similar source belongs the " Story of Sindban, or, The Seven Wise Masters " (ed. and transl., F. Baethgen, Leipsic, 1879). Many Syriac works have been translated into Armenian, Arabic, and Coptic. Thus, the homilies of Aphraates were long known from their Armenian version, although, prior to the discovery of their Syriac original, they were ascribed to Jacob of Nisibis (q.v.). Still other works, such as Ephraem's commentary on the Diatessaron of Tatian, are yet lost in Syriac, and are known only through Armenian versions.
The juristic literature of the Syrians was concerned with both ecclesiastical and civil law, and it was especially important since the bishops and other clergy were the representatives of their people under the Iranian and Mohammedan rulers. For the earlier literature reference may be made to
Buch der Synhados, Stuttgart, 1900; J. B. Chabot, Synodicon orientale, Paris, 1903; and the Nomocanon of Ebed Jesu (q.v.). There is also a great collection of laws, the Greek original of which appears to date from the reign of Basiliscus (475-477), while its Syriac version has been translated into Armenian, Georgian, and Arabic (cf. E. Saehau, Syrische Rechtsbiicher herausgegeben and iibersetzt, i., Berlin, 1907, containing the laws of Constantine Theodosius, and Leo; idem, " Ueber altere syrische Rechstliteratur der Nestorianer and im besonderen fiber das Buch der richterlichen Urteile des im Jahre 705 gestorbenen Patriarchen Chananischo," in SBA, 1904; E. Sachau and L. Mitteis, " Ueber drei neue Handschriften der syrischr6mischen Rechtsbiicher" ib. 1905-also published separately; D. H. Maller, Das syrisch-romische Rechtsbuch, Vienna, 1905; J. Kohler, "Altsyrisehes," XI.-16
in Zeitschrift fur vergleichende Rechtstviwenechaft, xix., parts 2-3; V. Aptowitzer, " Die Rechtsbilcher der syrischen Patriarchen and ihre Quellen," in Wiener Zeitschrift fur die Kunde des Morgenlandes, xxiv., parts 2-3). Much importance attaches to the Syriac translations of the canons of the early synods of the Church (see the ed. by F. Schulthess, " Die syrischen Kanones der Synoden von Nicwa his Chalcedon nebst einigen zugeh6rigen Documenten," in GA, vol. x., part 2; cf. also F. Nau, Ancienne littgrature canonique syriaque, iii., Paris, 1909). Among the canons of'Qndividual bishops, to which a more limited interest attaches, special mention may be made of those of Jacob of Edessa (q.v.), John bar Cursus (BrGr), Timotheus I. (transl., F. Labourt, Les Canons ecclesiastiques du patriarche nestorien Timothee 1., Paris, 1908), and Simeon of Revardeshir (c. 650; cf. A. Reicker, Die Canones des Simeon von RevdrdeRr, Leipsie, 1908; see also W. Wright, Notulce Syriacte, pp. 3-11, n.p., 1887). It should also be stated that some Syriac canons are translated from the Persian.
The historical literature of the Syrians begins with the legend of King Aogar (q.v.), which Eusebius incorporated in his Hist. eccl. This literature includes works of great importance, among them the translation of the history of Eusebius just mentioned-a version made perhaps during the lifetime of its author. The calendar of the church at Nicomedia is preserved in the " Syrian Martyrology " (first ed. W. Wright, in Journal of Sacred Literature, viii. 45, 423; also by R. Graffin and L. Duchesne, in ASB, Nov., vol. ii., 1, pp. Iii.-Iv.; German transl. by H. Lietzmann, Die drew (iltesten Martyrologien, Bonn, 1903). The
313. His- Syriac Acta Martyrum et Sanctorum,torical edited or reedited by P. Bedjan, fill Treatises. seven volumes (Paris, 1892-97), these including the collection of Maruthas, bishop of Maipherkat (see MARUTHAS), on the Persian martyrs. The historical and geographical knowledge that may be gained from these acts is well illustrated by G. Hoffmann's Ausziige aus syrischen Akten persischer Mkrtyrer (Leipsie, 1880). A good type of the historical. legend is that of Alexis, " the man of God " (cf. A. Amiaud, La Legende syriaque de saint Alexis, l'homme de Dieu, Paris, 1889; T. Noldeke, in ZDMG, (iii. 256-258); while for a real historical biography reference may be made to that of Rabbula (q.v.). There are, besides, a large number of chronicles, largely revisions and continuations of the work of Eusebius (cf. F. Macler, " Extraits de la chronique de Maribas Kaldoyo," in JA, May-June, 1903, pp. 491-549). Three parts of Chronica minora have been edited and translated by E. W. Brooks, J. B. Chabot, and I. Guidi in CSCO, ser. iii., vol. iv., parts 1-3), and special value also attaches to L. J. Delaporteg editio princeps of La Chronographie d1lie bar inaya, m6tropolitain de Nisibe (Paris, 1910). New fields of church history were opened up by the writings of John of Ephesus (q.v.); the Chronicle of Joshua the Stylite (ed. W. Wright, London, 1882); the " Chronicle of Edessa " (ed. and transl., L. Hallier, in his Untersuehungen iiber die edessenische Chronik, Leipsic, 1890; the church history of Zacharias