Marcos Dobelio was among the more remarkable figures of his age. He devoted himself to the study and translation of Eastern books, making their contents accessible to a European readership. It is difficult, perhaps impossible, to establish a complete catalogue of his Latin translations, for many of the manuscripts preserved in European libraries have survived in a lamentable state. Yet some of his works have been identified. Among them is a brief history of mankind composed by Abulfeda, the Kurdish ruler of Hama.
Dobelio is, in many respects, an instructive example of the Kurdish man of letters in the premodern world. He understood the circumstances in which he found himself and adapted accordingly. In Europe, Christianity was the surest means of earning one's bread; and so he made his living through the opportunities that presented themselves. There was little room for sentiment in such matters. The Kurdish literati of earlier centuries often displayed a remarkable capacity to accommodate themselves to the societies in which they lived, moving between religious and intellectual worlds with an eye to their own advancement. Their spiritual pursuits was to maximize profit and pleasure.
No comments:
Post a Comment