Peculiarity of the Holy Scriptures Citation in the Galician-Volynian Chronicle

Abstract

Bible quotes are constantly used by chroniclers of all Russian principalities with various functions. At the same time, the sources, frequency and functions of citation differ in the chronicles according to the intention of the chroniclers, the general plan and positions of individual scribes, and the styling features of the texts. Relatively rare citation of the Holy Scripture characterizes the Galician-Volynian chronicle, two parts of it show two stylistic manners, including various methods of citation. There are more inexact quotes that uncover the thoughts of narrators and princes, sometimes creating emotional accents in the Galician chronicle. The quotations are not used in this part for the purpose of characterizing the princes. In the Volynian chronicle the texts of the Bible are quoted exactely more often, their main function is to create an image of the ideal prince Vladimir Vasil’kovich. The range of motives revealed by quotations is quite narrow in the both parts of chronicle, this feature distinguishes the text from the chronicles of the Kiev and Vladimir principalities. There are motives of God’s help to Russian princes, the motive of betrayal, and the understanding of the prince’s ideal. Specificity of the citation can be explained by the intention of the authors to create by the vivid narration the image of the main character Daniil Romanovich in Galician chronicle; Volynian chroniclers’ aim was to create a panegyric to prince Vladimir Vasilkovich.