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5 Cosmographies in Romanian 157

is taken for Saint Justin (probably the one who lived in the 2nd century A.D., author of numerous writings in Latin). In ms. 1436 (f. 62^v) a Saint Ustin “The Philosopher” is referred to in a previous fragment to the story of Ama-zons, namely the one containing the eulogy of the Tartars (assimilated to the Scythians). This fragment represents a reshaping of some pages of the History of the same Trogus Pompeius, yet of a little morę remote extraction than that of the Amazons. ¹⁶

Also, the fragment containing the Cuvdnt (Speech) addressed by the Tartars to the King of Egypt (ms. 1436, f. 63) has a corresponding part in Trogus Pompeius’s work. It is here the place to stress also the similarities existing between Miron Costin’s Translation Graiul solului tatarasc catra Alexandru Machidon tThe Tartar Messenger’s Speech addressed to Alexander the Great) madę after a fragment of Curtius Rufus’s ¹⁷ and the Trogus Pom-peius's work.

The “fables” on Amazons and Scythians (confused with Tartars by some Mediaeval sources) did not arise the interest of the Spatharus Nicolaus Milescu (he was well acąuainted with Asia) but, this does not mean that he ignored them. On the contrary, the fragment on Laus Asiae, as depicted in the Descńption of Cliina, has great similarities with the one existing in Costea Dascalul's manuscript (ms. 1436, f. 68^v — 69) and in the-Romanian versions of Botero's (Rom. ms. BAR 3515, f. 119^v; Rom, ms. 3391, f. 404^v). The lines dedicated by Milescu to Gog and Magog, as well as those referring to the spreading of power of the Scythians in the Carłicica despre tałań (Book on the Tartars) ¹⁸ also remind us of the manuscript of §chei (f. 59—61^v).

(such as one in French dated Basel, 1552, preser/ed in the University Library — Iassy; one in Latin dated Basel, 1554, on the title page 1654, preserved in the County Library at Zal&u; one in Italian, dated Koln, 1575, preserved in the ‘Gh. Asachi* County Library, Iassy). A-notlier group ol editions under study can be situated in the sanie category of texts with the already quoted German edition of 1567. (Such as one in German, dated Basel, 1598, pre-served in the University Library Iassy and another one preserved in the County Library of Timięoara). See also the catalogue ^ł'ancient books" of the National Library—Bucbarest.

We would like to express our gratitude to Mrs. Olga $erb5nescu who helped us find out four editions of S. Mtinster^łs Cosmography preserved at the Library of the Brukenthal Mu-seum — Sibiu (two in Latin dated Basel 1550, and 1559, respectively, and two in German dated Basel, 1578, and 1598, respectively).

For the Amazons, see also Chr. Rommel, Caucasiaruyn rcgiorunt et gentium Straboniaua dcscriptio, Leipzig, 1804, pg. 58—60; N. Frćret, Observations sur 1’histoirc des Amazoties, in QLuvres completes, ed. de Septchenes, Paris, 1796, vol. V, pp. 97—128; Ch. V. Langlois, La Connaissance de la naturę et du monde au Moyen Age, Paris, 1911; L. Olschki, Storia lit-teraria (see notę 6); also U Asia di Marco Polo, Yenice — Romę, 1957; J. K. Wright, The Ge graphical Lorę of the Time of the Crusades, New York, 1925; Richard Henning, Die Ama-zonen Sagę in the volume entitled Wo lag das Paradies? Patselfragen der Kulturgeschichte utid Geographie, Berlin, 1950, pp. 83—97.

¹⁶    Justin, op. cit., Amsterdam, 1635, p. 24. $ee also, A. Riese: Uideal de j u Stic e et de bonhcur ct la vie primitive des peuples du Nord datis la literaturę grecque et latine, Paris, 1885.

We also mention that the data on Saramisa Unpdrdteasd (wife of Ninus and mother of another Ninus; ms. 1436, f. 54 —59^v), on Sardanapalus, on Emperor Astighie and his ne-phew Chirus (ms. 1436, f. 55), on Arsachis and Mithridates of Parthia on the wars led by Se-miramis up to India that can be compared to those led by Alexander of Macedonia (ms.^v 1436, f. 56) can be found also in the version written by Justin after Trogus Pompeius's uni-versal history.

¹⁷    Justin, op. cit._t Amsterdam, 1635, p. 24; Miron Costin, Opere, edited by P. P. Pauaitescu, Bucharest, 1958, pp. 315—317, pp. 429—431.

¹⁸    Zamfira Mihail, ^t,Cdlatoria^,> unut Jurnal de cdldtorie in “Manuscriptum", XVIII, 1987, no. 2, p. 67.