Aneta Dimitrova

The article explores the development of the genre kephalaia in the history of medieval Bulgarian literature, especially the changes of its context in the miscellanies in the 10th c. and later in the 13th–14th c. Paraenetic works by many patristic authors, usually presented as short wise sayings in groups of 100 (centuriae), were translated, excerpted, revised, and translated again – a century-long tradition preserved in many Slavic manuscripts. The survey is focused on two works in this genre – Capita de oratione (CPG 2452) by Evagrius of Pontus and Centuriae iv de caritate et continentia (CPG 7848) by Thalassius of Libya. They were first introduced into the Slavic literatures in the early 10th c., and with the development of monasticism and the rise of Hesychasm, their renewed and revised translations were included in the monastic miscellanies from the 14th c. onwards. The linguistic comparison of the versions of the two texts reveals the connections and the differences between them. The analysis of their respective contexts in several manuscripts shows the continuity between the literary traditions of the early and the later period of Slavic literatures.

The use of the infinitive represents a significant peculiarity when studying the Old-Bulgarian language and especially the texts which were translated in the 9th-10th century. Of a great importance is the comparison of the infinitive constructions with the respective Greek texts. In the article for the first time are summarized the results of the study of the infinitive in the Life of saint Anthony the Great, written by Atanasius of Alexandria, translated into Old-Bulgarian in the 10th century. The translation is connected with the name of the Preslav scholar presbyter John. The purpose of the study is to establish the syntactic role and the structural peculiarities of the infinitive forms towards the Greek original, as well as to compare possible alternative forms of expression. Examined are the cases of a dependent (dynamic and declarative) and an independent infinitive. The research is part of a dissertation work on the syntax of the vitas of St. Anthony, St. John Chrysostom, St. Nifont Constansky and St. Theodor Studit, translated in the time of the First Bulgarian state.