CORRECTION DE QUELQUES ERREURS DANS LES EDITIONS SCIENTIFIQUES DE L'HISTOIRE HIÉROGLYPHIQUE (1705) PAR DIMITRIE CANTEMIR. L'EDITION PANAITESCU-VERDEŞ (1965)
CORRECTION OF SOME ERRORS IN THE SCIENTIFIC EDITIONS OF THE HIEROGLYPHIC HISTORY (1705) BY DIMITRIE CANTEMIR. THE PANAITESCU-VERDEŞ EDITION (1965)

Summary/Abstract: Correction of some errors in the scientific editions of The Hieroglyphic History (1705) by Dimitrie Cantemir. The Panaitescu-Verdeş edition (1965). The Hieroglyphic History, written by Dimitrie Cantemir in 1705, is considered the first Romanian (historical) novel. Beyond the veil of allegory, the exotic topos and animal-related fantasy, the historical events between 1685-1705 are revealed through characteristic deciphering, which can represent valuable data for a historian. The work, first published in 1883, then in 1927 and 1957 in a few non-scientific editions, was finally republished in 1965 in a scientific edition elaborated by P.P. Panaitescu and Ion Verdeş. This particular 1965 edition is of very high historical value, but it also has a number of lacunae, especially in the field of theology. The editors don't reference certain biblical quotes, they hint at certain psychological ideas when mentioning quotes that are clearly extracted from the Bible, they ignore the biblical source, which was the very foundation of Cantemir's maxims, they overlook the study of certain toponyms with biblical origins (Euphrates, Tarshish, Babylon etc.) and don't realize that some of his ideas are of biblical origin (for example: the cyclical evolution of things, free will). Furthermore, they don't distinguish certain elements of Christian iconography from their biblical counterparts, leading to confusion (according to the editors, Saint Veronica's Veil is attributed to Magdalene!). For all this, attention, thoroughness, knowledge of biblical sources and familiarity with Romanian and European biblical tradition are required. An edition of The Hieroglyphic History which envelopes historical, philological, but also theological and, last but not least, philosophical notes and commentaries is expected in the future.

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