ТHE EXCERPT WITH THE BEGINNING “I KNOW THAT…” OF “SONG OF SONGS” AND THE COMMENTARY OF VARDAN AREVELTSI

Abstract

A few of the manuscripts “Commentary of Song of Songs” by Vardan Areveltsi, along with their commentaries present the excerpt with the beginning “I know that…” of “Song of Songs”. This excerpt of “Song of Songs” retains only the canon of the Bible in Armenian.

 The commentary of this excerpt in Armenology has been considered as an individual homily which has no relation to the “Commentary of Song of Songs” by Vardan Areveltsi (P. Antabian, H. Kyoseyan) intended to be placed in the “Tonapatchar” collection (Mashtots Matenadaran, Ms. № 5862). However, through the comparison of manuscripts it becomes clear that besides the Mss. №№ 5862, 1121 and 3695 already put into scientific circulation, the composition under consideration is also present in the Mss. №№ 4834, 5259, 1161, 5747, 3342 and the Mss. №№ 1361, 1212, 1368 of the Mekhitarist Library of Venice.

The article subjects to a comparative examination not only individual manuscripts of the Commentary by Vardan Areveltsi, but also allusions, descriptions on the excerpt “I know that…”. As a result of the comparison, it is confirmed that the interpretation of the passage “I know that…” was originally part of the “Commentary of Song of Songs” by Vardan Areveltsi, consequently it was separated from the proper Commentary and was included in the “Tonapatchar” collection as a homily. This condition of the original text is reflected in the 1278 copied manuscript № 1361 of the Mekhitarist Library of Venice which proves that the commentary with the beginning “I know that…” of “Song of Songs” authored by Vardan Areveltsi is not an individual homily, but part of the “Commentary of Song of Songs” and should be considered as one unit with the Commentary when compiling the original critical text.