On a Special Edition of Manuscript Synodikoses — Literary Collections of the 18th Century

Abstract

The type of Synodikos with a literary preface appeared at the end of the 16th century and developed and spread in the 17th century. It is believed that the study of the copies of the 18th century does not add essential information about the repertoire of collections of Synodikos. However, manuscripts can still be found that do not completely fit into the general picture of the ideas available in current science about the composition of literary collections of the late Synodikos. The article examines three handwritten front Synodikos books identified by the author, which differ significantly in the composition of literary prefaces from the general mass of those Synodikoses of the third edition common in the 18th century (I.V. Dergacheva). They are based on miniatures copied from engravings of various editions of the Synodikos by Leonty Bunin, and selected texts that match their meaning. A similar principle of compiling a moralistic collection was used in the Patriarch Adrian Synodikos (O.R. Khromov). The manuscripts in question have different origins and history of existence, but demonstrate thematic and stylistic affinity. They are also united by a curious combination in preface collections of poetic and prose texts. All this gives reason to say that in this case we are dealing with a special edition of the Synodikos — a literary collection that existed in the 18th century.