Moa Airijoki: The Translation Process of the Arabic Apophthegmata Patrum

This paper presents a work-in-progress hypothesis regarding the translation process of the Copto-Arabic Apophthegmata Patrum collection, with a recently published edition of a Copto-Arabic monastic Apophthegmata Patrum florilegium, by the name Garden of the Monks(Ar: Bustān ar-ruhbān) as case study. Along with most Christian literature that was at the disposal of Oriental Christians during the Middle Ages, the monastic sayings collection known as the Apophthegmata Patrum was translated into Arabic, proposedly from Greek, but possibly also from Syriac or Coptic. This paper examines how using data and tools from the newly constructed Monastica Database[1], as well as methods which are developed for the application of this database, can be used in making hypotheses regarding the provenance and tradition of Apophthegmata Patrumcollections in different vernaculars and traditions.[1] See monastica.ht.lu.se/.