Antonio Catiforo, Vita di Pietro and its Romanian Versions in the 18th Century

Abstract

An interesting example of the way in which authors and translators got informed in the 18th century is represented by the book Vita di Pietro by Antonio Catiforo, printed in Venice in 1736. The author, of Greek origin, wrote his work in Italian and presented the life, activity and personality of the Russian Tsar Peter I the Great, mentioning in the foreword English, French and German sources. Cornaro’s work, in two volumes (volume I, 4 parts and volume II, 2 parts), was almost immediately translated into Greek by Alexandros Kanghellarios and published in 1737 in Venice as well.In 1749, volume I of the Greek version was translated into Romanian by the grand nobleman of Wallachia Matei F?rc??anu. His translation, not printed, was however known and circulated in several manuscript copies. The Greek version was entirely translated into Romanian in Moldavia by the clergyman Cozma Vlahul from the Iasi Metropolitanate. His work is preserved in manuscript copies. A special situation is represented by another manuscript version from Brasov (Transylvania), which includes volume I, while volume II (part 5), though it is mentioned to be part of the same work, is entirely different from Cornaro’s work, including a compilation of Romanian chronicles and information regarding the situation of the Swedish and Russian troupes after the Russian-Swedish war. At the middle of the 18th century there was a Russian version of Cornaro’s two volumes. Such presentation will illustrate the regime of the writings in the 18th century at European level.

DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n7p368