“Literary Researches”
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“Literary Researches” Vol 28 Summaries Darejan Menabde Old Georgian Literary Monuments in the German Language (Moktsevai Kartlisai and The Life of Saint Nino) Summary The present study is of the bibliographic character. In it scholarly studies published about Moktsevai Kartlisai („The Conversion of Kartli“) and The Life of Saint Nino in German translations, journals and newspapers are gathered. The interest in Georgian literature originated in Germany from the 1780s. A number of scholars ‐ I.Adler, F.Alter, I.Adelung, A.Baumgartner, A.Baumstark, and others ‐ touched upon the issues of the history of Georgia, Georgian culture and literature in their works. Georgian researchers (M.Tarkhnishvili, N.Janelidze, and others) also published numerous papers on St.Nino in the German language. In the study considerable attention is devoted to the translations of German kartvelologist G. Pätsch. The aim of the study is to record and classify the presented material. Irina Natsvlishvili The Biblical Sources of The Chronicle of One Hundred Summary Medieval Georgian literature, similar to the art of that period in general, is based on the aesthetic categories, quite different from those of the present day. The artistic specificity of these literary monuments draws on the biblical image system and one or another work is interpreted on this basis. Georgian chronicling, which is an inalienable part of our national literature, follows a similar model of creation and thinking. Along with this, it shows the specific historism, worked out by the medieval Christian world view. According to the theological philosophy of history, originating with St Augustine, every act of divine agency in the life of humankind constitutes a particular stage of history, and thus, historical facts acquire a religious value. The earthly life obeys the biblical history of the redemption and is guided by the transcendent intent. The medieval world view did not look for a specific causal explanation of a phenomenon of real life, but sought to find its symbolic link with the archetypes of the world historical drama, for national history symmetrically corresponds to the biblical history, as is the case with the correspondence of the New and the Old Testament. The earthly life has no value in itself. It is the reflection of the sacred history, acquiring a meaning only with relation to the latter. The perception of national history as a part of the world history is typical for the old Georgian historiography too, which writes the history of the country on the basis of the medieval theological typology. In this regard, attention attaches to The Chronicle of One Hundred Years of the 14th c., which according to the narration and the logic of representation of the events adheres to the chronographic rather than the chronicle style. The narration of the anonymous Georgian historian is based on the relations of the inner sense and thus the plot of his work is somewhat more literary than historical. In The Chronicle of One Hundred Years every significant event of the life of the Georgian people acquires a timeless dimension and is explained by the biblical categories. Historical figures and separate situations are shown in respect to the world biblical history. Due to the search for the biblical archetypes, the real world is symbolically dual, life goes on two temporal planes - against the background of the empiric phenomena of the earthly life and the fulfillment of the divine intent. The history of Georgia is represented as a manifestation of the supra-temporal biblical history in time and the allegoric correspondence to it. In this respect, the present author would like to focus attention on several passages of The Chronicle of One Hundred Years, in which the chronicler links the transgression of an individual historical figure or the entire nation with the biblical sin, also interpreting its results in relation to the prophecies of the Holy Scripture. This "code" of the chronicle demonstrates the world view of that time, according to which the life of a country or a nation is predetermined by the Bible, for it not only narrates the past events, but also establishes the system of the eternal categories. One or another fact finds an archetype in the past. Owing to this, "the past revives and returns, becoming the real contents of the present. The present loses its independent value, but it is enriched with a deeper and eternal meaning, as it is directly linked to the mythic past, which lives on eternally. Life is no longer accidental and fleeting, it is included in eternity and has a deeper meaning" (A.Gurevich). Taking into account the above-mentioned, the biblical context of The Chronicle of One Hundred Years should be understood as the attempt of the chronicler to show Georgia's history at a particular time in relation to the eternal and to demonstrate its real meaning in this way. Gocha Kuchukhidze For "Martyrdom Saint Shushanik" Archetypes Restoration Summary Jacob Tsurtaveli (V cent) in the work "Martyrdom saint Shushanik " writes: “Saint Shushanik it since the childhood had fear before the God”. In the story anywhere it is not spoken about the childhood Shushanik, scientists consider, that the author speaks about the childhood of Shushanik in another text. That text has not reached us. Between scientists there is no consent about what was that text. Prof. Sergi Gorgadze considered that before "Martyrdom Saint Shushanik" there was a correspondence between authors and that person which has given the order on the story. Acad. Ivane Djavakhishvili writes that was kept probably only the second part of the story. Acad. Korneli Kekelidze considered not as the truth this fact. He spoke: Hagiographical work does not know the facts of division of the story on parts. In our opinion this correct supervision. We think will difficultly believe that it means other text, ‐ that text of which was not known by the reader. In the first sentence "Martyrdom Saint Shushanik" the author speaks: Now I will tell you of a surely about death of Saint Shushanik. These words as though extension of the unfamiliar text. Up to the unfamiliar text there was one more text which is closely connected with this text‐ In introduction it is spoken about fear of the God Shushanik, About kindness, After the author has described the vital facts consistently. Jacob writes: ‐ The Varsqen wife was the daughter of Vardan, he was Armenian spaspet (military leader), about him "I have written to you". These words read to people who have gathered in church, But words "has written to you" gives a sign that the author speaks about the letter which it writes any the church person. Such rule of narration is used in the Gospel, Saint Luke Herald in the beginning Gospel. Addresses an Theophilus and to it tells about the god. But it is obvious, that the Gospel is written not only for it, and for all Christian world. Epistles of envoys has specific addressees, But it is obvious, that Epistles is written for all Christian world. We think, before the text "Martyrdom Saint Shushanik" has been written the letter. Probably, the author has written church chapter, probably, it was not classical epistles, and introduction in work which beginning address to one person and which was similar on epistles. In our opinion Sergi Gorgadze is close from the truth when it considered, that before the story there is an introduction, particularly correspondence. Lali Rukhadze Life and Death Paradimg In Georgian Hagiography in V‐XIII Centuries Summary Mundane existence is the result of divine emanation and consequently, its perception as the evil is absolutely unacceptable. It was regarded as the phenomenon having its significance onli in comparison with divine, eternal existence. Death was interpreted as “gardatsvaleba” (word by word‐reincarnation, transition from one form of existence to another)‐separation of soul and body. As far as mundane life was considered to be the beginning of eternal existence, more precisely, it was considered to be the preparatory stage; “Gardatsvaleba” was regarded as change of lifestyle, transition from material to eternal spiritual life. That`s why fear of death was not the fear of non‐ existence‐“nothing”. It was hard emotional experience, caused from the expected anger of Most High for man`s sins. Material time and space was considered to be the part of sacral time and sphere, the step on the way to elevation, spiritual perfection. Saba‐Piruz Metreveli Some Image Aspects of ,,Marthyrdom of St. Gobroni“ Summary Structure of the text is absolutely distinct from the other examples of the ,,Life" and the "Martyrdom" genzes. The description of the martyrdom of Gobroni‐ takesonly one third of the text, other part is preparation for perception of his feat. Stefani Mtbevari calls for indefatigable preparation for the second coming of the Christ: « That day is terrible ».He "is terrible" not because it that the last day, but also because in that this day Godwill in all the Light. St. Gobroni is a vivid personification of enduring difficulties. The work reveals antimonophizit tendencies. Its main subject is eschatology and ends with the teaching on regret. Maya Machavariani Hagiographic Paradigms According to the Martyrdom and Praise of St. Demetrios Summary Hagiographic paradigms and models were developed in Byzantine literature in order to create the image of martyr as opposed to the image of tyrant and despot promoting the martyrdom. In Georgian literature these paradigms were adopted and accepted, but sometimes in Georgian translations, unlike some Greek originals where these models were not presented widely, the tendency towards schematizing the mentioned paradigms is revealed. In these cases the opposition of the images is shown more clearly through the interpolations of rhetorical character. Georgian translators, namely Euthymius the Athonite (the 10th century; cf.