p Christian morality was also propagandised by di-’, dactic translated tales, among them the Tale of Akir the Wise and the Tale ofBarlaam and Josaphat.

p The Tale of Akir the Wise was translated into Russian directly from the Syrian original. The Old Russian translator was attracted by the image of the wise, virtuous Akir, ideal counsellor to the king. Akir was constantly concerned with the good of the state and in this sense could serve as an example for the advisors of the Kievan prince. Part of the tale was a collection of parables, each ending in an aphorism with a moralistic purpose.

p In Russian translation the tale was altered to fit traditional conception of Christian moralistic literature. Akir took on certain traits of the Christian righteous man driven away when King Sinagrip believed the slanders of Anadam, Akir’s dishonourable nephew who acted at the instigation of the devil.

p Other purely Russian features are reflected in the tale. Akir teaches his nephew how to read Russian; at times the King is replaced by a prince. The Novgorod redaction inserts many elements of Novgorodian life: the Pharaoh calls a veche and rules with the help of aldermen.

p The parables and aphorisms eventually acquired independent significance and were included as proverbs in the miscellany Melissa (The Bee).

p The Tale ofBarlaam and Josaphat glorified the victory of Christianity over paganism and served as a sort of reminder of recent events related to the christening of Rus. It also served as a means in the struggle against remnants of surviving paganism which still had a certain resonance in Old Russian life. It is a translation from a 141 Greek, Christianised life of the Buddha.

p In the fifteenth century the tale was adapted into a typical vita of a Christian hero. It contained many parables related by Barlaam to his pupil Josaphat in order to convince him of the truth of Christianity.

p Obviously translated works were closely connected to the original literary genres, primarily with the historical military tale, the precept and the vita. Translations were not exact reproductions of the original, but rather free renderings and in that capacity incorporated many elements of folk poetry and original writings. In this respect translated tales helped enrich and develop original literature.

p Sources

p 1. “Alexandria ”. Roman ob Aleksandre Makedonskom po russkoi rukopisi XV veka (The Alexander Tale: A Novel of Alexander of Macedon based on a Fifteenth Century Manuscript). Edited by M. N. Botvinnik, Ya. S. Lurye and O. V. Tvorogov, M.-L., 1965.

p 2. V. D. Kuzmina, Devgenievo deyanie (The Deeds of Digenis), M., 1962.

p 3. N. A. Meshchersky, “Istoriya ludeiskoi voiny" losifa Flaviya v drevnerusskom perevode (Joseph Flavius’ “History of the Jewish War" in Old Russian translation), M.-L., 1958.

4. A. S. Orlov, Perevodnye povesti feodalnoi Rusi i Moskovskogo gosudarstva XII-XVII vekov (Translated Tales of Feudal Rus and the Muscovite State from the Twelfth to the Seventeenth Centuries), L., 1934.