Ecclesiastical History

...to be of service to those comparing these two versions, which flow from the same source but are quite different, even though this format presented great typographical difficulties when combined with the explanatory and manuscript-based annotations.

As mentioned above, the delay in the printing of this book has left its mark. Over time, the management of the printing house changed the fonts used for the notes several times; I also introduced changes to the way the text itself was printed. Initially, we were transcribing the "Longer Version" from the manuscript with absolute fidelity—retaining the manuscript's original punctuation, accents, and even its spelling errors. However, I eventually became convinced that this "slavish" Hellenizing original: "յունաբան" (yunaban). This refers to the "Hellenizing School" of Armenian translators (6th–8th centuries) who followed Greek syntax and grammar so literally that the resulting Armenian is often difficult to understand without knowing Greek. translation would be even more incomprehensible to many readers if it were not clarified by modern punctuation. Therefore, I decided to follow the punctuation of the original Greek text, as the Armenian manuscript followed no consistent rules. Despite this, the Hellenizing text of the "Big Socrates" The "Big Socrates" is the earlier, more literal and complete Armenian translation of the Ecclesiastical History. still contains many passages that are obscure or difficult to understand, which can only be grasped with the help of the Greek original. In this regard, I have attempted to provide some relief through the inclusion of notes. By contrast, the "Small Socrates" A later, shorter, and more linguistically refined Armenian adaptation of the text. is incomparably clearer and more accessible; I have printed it as a separate volume intended to be an easily readable book.

III.

The first distinction made between the double versions known as the "Big" and "Small" Socrates is found in the writings of Ayrivantsi Mkhitar Ayrivantsi (c. 1222–1307), a noted Armenian historian, poet, and monk known for his "Chronological History.", who lived and wrote at the beginning of the fourteenth century...

Socrates, Hellenizing, Ayrivantsi, original text, printing, annotation