THE TRANSMISSION AND RECEPTION OF BENJAMIN OF TUDELA’S BOOK OF TRAVELS FROM THE TWELFTH CENTURY TO 1633 A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY IN THE FACULTY OF HUMANITIES 2016 MARCI FREEDMAN SCHOOL OF ARTS, LANGUAGES AND CULTURES Table of Contents Abstract 4 Declaration 5 Copyright 6 Acknowledgements 7 A Note on Translations 8 Chapter 1: Introduction 9 Historiography 14 Structure 24 Chapter 2: ‘Rabbi Benjamin’: The Book of Travels in Manuscript 28 The Extant Manuscripts 29 London, British Library, Ms.Add.27089 29 Rome, Casanatense Library, Ms. 3097 33 Oxford, Bodleian Library, Ms.Opp.Add.8vo36 41 Jerusalem, National Library of Israel, Ms. Heb 82647 43 Textual Comparison 48 Chapter 3: ‘Masa‘ot Shel Rabbi Binyamin’: The Book of Travels in Print 69 The Editions 70 Masa‘ot Shel R. Binyamin (MiTudela), Constantinople 1543 70 Masa‘ot Shel Rabbi Binyamin, Ferrara 1556 73 Masa‘ot Shel R. Binyamin, Freiburg-im-Breisgau, 1583 76 Textual Comparison 82 Chapter 4: ‘A Man of Truth?’ The Hebrew Reception of the Book of 94 Travels The Manuscript Reception 95 Samuel ibn (Seneh) Zarza, Mekor Chaim 96 Isaac ben Moses Arma, Akedat Yitchak 97 Isaac ben Judah Abarbanel, Commentary on the Prophets 100 Solomon ibn Verga, Shevet Yehudah 103 Abraham Zacuto, Sefer Yuchasin 107 Abraham Farissol, Iggeret Orchot Olam 110 The Editions Reception 116 The Soncino Press, 1543 117 Abraham Usque, 1556 120 The Zifroni-Froben Press, 1583 124 Chapter 5: ‘A Book for All Men’: Christian Scholars and the Book of 131 Travels Benito Arias Montano’s Itinerarium Beniamini Tudelensis 135 Constantijn L’Empereur’s Itinerarium D. Beniaminis 151 2 Chapter 6: ‘Protecting the Faith’ Censorship and the Book of Travels 178 The Jerusalem Manuscript 179 Abraham Usque and Self-Censorship 184 The Ecclesiastical Censorship of the Itinerarium 188 Chapter 7: Conclusion 209 Bibliography 215 Appendix 236 Word Count: 86,982 3 Abstract This thesis explores the transmission and reception of Benjamin of Tudela’s Book of Travels, a twelfth-century Hebrew travel narrative. Scholarship of the Book of Travels is fragmentary, descriptive and largely focused on what the narrative can tell scholars about the twelfth-century Jewish and non-Jewish worlds. This study presents a methodological shift away from an intra-textual examination of the text by seeking to answer how the text has been transmitted, how successive copiers and printers have changed the text, and how readers interpreted and used the text between the twelfth and seventeenth centuries. It begins with an outline of the extant manuscripts through a codicological examination and textual comparison. Based on a close reading of the manuscripts, it illustrates how the Book of Travels has survived in four separate textual witnesses. This study, however, highlights the centrality of the Jerusalem manuscript, which carried the transmission of the Book of Travels from manuscript into print. Whilst scholars have argued that the text has been edited and redacted, this thesis offers a more nuanced argument for scribal intervention as copyists, and later printers, altered the text through error and deliberate omissions and additions. Consequently, there is no single transmission of the Book of Travels. Although the core of the text remained unchanged, readers would have encountered different texts through the lens of copyists and printers. The second half of the thesis addresses the medieval and early modern reception of the Book of Travels. It argues that the narrative was used in a variety of contexts, from polemics, to biblical geography and history by medieval Jewish scholars. The early modern reception, discussed more broadly, indicates that the printed Hebrew editions of 1543 and 1556 were read by an Sephardic audience for the purposes of connecting to their Iberian heritage, with an additional layer of interpretation which linked the text to the hope for redemption and the coming of the Messiah. As the text becomes introduced to Christian readers in both Hebrew and Latin, the Book of Travels was initially understood and used in a similar manner. The 1583 Hebrew edition and first Latin translation of 1575 also applied the text to history and biblical geography. This study thus illuminates the continuity in the way in which the Book of Travels was understood – as an eye-witness and authoritative source which found contemporary resonance with later readers. The second Latin translation of 1633 represents an evolution in the way in which the Book of Travels was interpreted, as the text was now engaged polemically to attack the Jews. This study also investigates the censorship of the Book of Travels. It analyses not just the text which has been excised through self-censorship, and the prohibition and expurgations proscribed by both the Italian and Spanish Inquisitions, but also how this impacted the transmission and reception of the narrative. It is shown that whilst Inquisitorial censorship was seemingly systematic, it was unevenly applied and did not impact on the Book of Travels’ transmission. This thesis is ultimately a pioneering study of the afterlives of a Hebrew travel narrative which enjoyed a rich manuscript and printed tradition. In attracting both Jewish and Christian readers alike, the Book of Travels endured and continued to find relevance amongst audiences. As a result of its versatility the Book of Travels achieved a prominent position within the Jewish and Christian worlds crossing cultural and religious divides between the twelfth and seventeenth centuries. 4 Declaration No portion of the work referred to in the thesis has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification of this or any other university or other institute of learning. 5 Copyright i. The author of this thesis (including any appendices and/or schedules to this thesis) owns certain copyright or related rights in it (the “Copyright”) and s/he has given The University of Manchester certain rights to use such Copyright, including for administrative purposes. ii. Copies of this thesis, either in full or in extracts and whether in hard or electronic copy, may be made only in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (as amended) and regulations issued under it or, where appropriate, in accordance with licensing agreements which the University has from time to time. This page must form part of any such copies made. iii. The ownership of certain Copyright, patents, designs, trademarks and other intellectual property (the “Intellectual Property”) and any reproductions of copyright works in the thesis, for example graphs and tables (“Reproductions”), which may be described in this thesis, may not be owned by the author and may be owned by third parties. Such Intellectual Property and Reproductions cannot and must not be made available for use without the prior written permission of the owner(s) of the relevant Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions. iv. Further information on the conditions under which disclosure, publication and commercialisation of this thesis, the Copyright and any Intellectual Property and/or Reproductions described in it may take place is available in the University IP Policy (see http://documents.manchester.ac.uk/DocuInfo.aspx?DocID=487), in any relevant Thesis restriction declarations deposited in the University Library, The University Library’s regulations (see http://www.manchester.ac.uk/library/aboutus/regulations) and in The University’s policy on Presentation of Theses 6 Acknowledgements There are many people to acknowledge who have contributed to my studies and supported me throughout the past four years. Thanks must first and foremost go to my supervisors, Stephen Mossman, Renate Smithuis and Paul Oldfield. Combined, their advice, encouragement, time and expertise have helped to shape this thesis. I would also like to thank my panalists, Paul Fouracre and Jenny Spinks, who also provided insightful comments on my work. I am grateful to Theodore Dunkelgrün and Vered Tohar who read earlier versions of chapters and provided their perceptive thoughts, and to Martin Jacobs for his help and insights via e-mail. Thanks must also go to the helpful staff at the National Library of Israel, the British Library (Ilana Tahan) and the Biblioteca Casanatense (especially Simona Perugia). I am indebted to a number of classicists who, over the years, have checked through Latin translations; to Sammy Livshin for helping me wade through Talmudic lingo, and to Christopher Henstock for smoothing out my Old Castilian. Finally, I would like to thank the George Heim Memorial Trust and The Bibliographical Society for supporting my research. There are innumerable families and individuals who have provided the moral support necessary to complete this thesis. Thanks are due to my many adopted families who sustained me with food, whiskey/wine/ale and beds: Allweiss’, Bergs, Bradleys, Davidsons, Danows, Gatoffs, Goodmans, Hodges, Hymans, Kirzners, Kleerekopers, Morris’, Nimans (Srs and Jrs), Rands and Rosenheads. To the many friends who, each in their own way, have been my biggest supporters: Andrea, Dina, Dan & Fiona, Iain, Isabella, Jess, Jessie, Julia, Kelly, Liz, Maarten, Peter, Rachel, Rebecca, Riv, Sharon, Sugarman, and, of course, the whole of the postgraduate history community at Manchester. A very special thank you must be extended to the Livshins who have truly provided a home away from home. Ros, you have been my rock. Thank you for the many chats (at all hours) which provided a much-needed sounding board, and for putting up with all my crazy. This thesis is much improved because of your input. To Chaim and Anthony – your constant quips have spurred me on and provided a great deal of motivation. I am especially grateful to Anthony for taking time out of his own busy schedule to read through drafts and catch out my many errors. Portions of this thesis are entirely in your debt.