Byzantine literature enjoys growing popularity nowadays. However, certain areas or genres—such as proverbs and fables—still attract relatively little scholarly attention. A recently published translation of the Stephanites and Ichnelates may inspire more vigorous research on animal fables in the Byzantine period. This is a fascinating text, one of the medieval bestsellers. The Greek title is derived from two jackals, Stephanites and Ichnelates, who serve, at least in part, as the protagonists of the work.
The significance of this translation lies in the fact that it is based on a version of the story that differs from the one usually used. The 2021 German translation by Kai Brodersen employs a shorter version attributed to Symeon Seth (eleventh century) and dedicated to Emperor Alexios I Komnenos. In contrast, the editor and translator of the Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library volume opted for a longer version associated with the poet-admiral Eugenios of Palermo.
Hopefully, this fine volume will spur further interest in animal fables during the Byzantine period. This text merits more attention than it has received so far, and the present translation will undoubtedly contribute to its wider—and well-deserved—reception.
Przemysław Marciniak
Speculum
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