History of Aristakes Lastivertts'i

On the manuscript, see also K. Yuzbashyan, "On a variant of Aristakes Lastiverttsʻi's History: 'franks' and not 'pranks'," Banber Matenadarani Messenger of the Matenadaran, No. 4, 1958, p. 78.

From the colophons, it is evident that the aforementioned volume was restored twice: in 1567 by Ignatios (135a—136a) and in 1684 by the scribe David Tsndghuk and his son Stepanos (136b). The quires containing Aristakes's History underwent only partial restoration: paper was pasted over damaged areas and the writing was reconstructed.

Another colophon has also been preserved in this manuscript, which is placed immediately after Asoghik's History, that is, it follows the author's colophon. Below we present the important part of that colophon:

"...Along with this, I, Yohan the scribe, the lowest of all and more burdened with countless sins than all the transient, and worthy of many deaths and not one life, dark-minded in soul, beg you to remember in prayer before Christ me and my parents, Bambkots, who assisted me with light in the work, so that through your prayers we may find mercy from Christ, and the Lord may grant you the debt manifold, amen."

Yohan the scribe mentioned here is the copyist of this manuscript. Another colophon has been preserved after the final, 27th chapter of Aristakes's History:

"Christ God, who rewards everyone with wages, reward Bambkots a hundredfold and a thousandfold, for we have been yours and remain waiting for your mercies. Do not judge us with your truth, but cleanse us with your compassion and we shall lift up glory to you for ages " (fol. 309a).

The manuscript was copied by a skilled hand, without spelling errors. In some places, there are corrections and additions which seem to belong to the scribe himself; therefore, they were not specifically noted during the collation. The 'l' sound is expressed in many places by the letter ղ (gh): ayd that, Israyel Israel, etc. The archaic forms եւղ, կորեւն, եղջեր, յարեւելս are preserved in the writing. The diphthong աւ (au) is never expressed by օ (o): zaur force, aurin law, pashtavn service, etc., with the exception of one place (290b), which has been restored. The imperfect tense of verbs has the էի, էիր endings.

Considering these circumstances and especially the style of writing, one can say with confidence that the manuscript dates from the 13th, or at the latest the 14th century, and constitutes, thus, the oldest copy of the History that has reached us.

The chapters are not numbered. Chapter 11 immediately follows chapter 10, but the 'Z' (6) sign, which is placed [where the text begins] "In the same year the door of the bar..."