Foreword Preface xiii xv Preliminary xix I Subject xix II Research aspects xxi III Different approaches xxii Table 1 xxii-xxiii IV Research framework xxiii V Object of the investigation xxiv VI State of the investigation xxv VII Organisation of the investigation xxv Part I THE ARABIC ALEXANDER TRADITION INTRODUCTION 3 1 Nöldeke s Beiträge 3 2 Weymann s contribution 4 3 Other contributors: Meissner and Garcia Gomez 4 4 Research on Arabic sources: Lidzbarski and Friedländer 5 5 Grignaschi and Nagel 6 6 Latest developments and organisational set-up of this study 7 7 Branches of the Arabic Alexander tradition 9 CHAPTER 1: THE PSEUDO-CALLISTHENES TRADITION 13 1.2 Arabic translations of Pseudo-Callisthenes 13 1.2.1 The Arabic translation of the Syriac Alexander Romance 13 1.2.2 The Arabic translation of the Historia de Preliis 16 1.2.3 The Arabic translation of the Byzantine Alexander Romance in prose 17 1.3 Characteristics of the Arabic Pseudo-Callisthenes 19
viii Table of Contents 1.4 Historical and historical-geographical works: 21 1.4.1 Dinawari 21 1.4.2 Ya qubi 22 1.4.3 abari 22 1.4.4 Eutychius (Sa id ibn al-bi riq) 23 1.4.5 Mas udi 24 1.4.6 Mubashshir ibn Fatik 25 1.4.7 Ibn al-athir 26 1.4.8 Ibn al-faqih al-hamadhani 27 1.4.9 Maqrizi 28 1.4.10 Nihaya (Pseudo-AÒma i) 29 1.5 The traditions of Al-Makin and Abu Shakir 34 1.6 Romances 35 1.6.1 Umara 35 1.6.1a Conclusion Umara 43 1.6.2 Leyenda de Alejandro (Anonymous) 45 1.6.2a Conclusion Leyenda de Alejandro 49 1.6.3 El Rrekontamiento del Rrey Alisand e re versus QiÒÒat Dhi l-qarnayn by Abu Abd al-malik 50 1.6.3a Description of Manuscript D 1427: QiÒÒat Dhi l-qarnayn 51 1.6.3b Conclusion Rrekontamiento versus QiÒÒat Dhi l-qarnayn 57 1.6.4 Sirat al-malik Iskandar Dhi l-qarnayn (copyist: Quzman) 58 1.6.4a Description of the manuscript 59 1.6.4b Contents of the manuscript 60 1.6.4c Relationship to other Arabic texts 66 1.6.4d Conclusion Quzman 71 1.7 The Last Days of Alexander, the Epistola Alexandri ad Aristotelem and other Pseudo-Callisthenes episodes in Arabic translation 74 1.7.1 Conclusion on other Pseudo-Callisthenes episodes in Arabic translation 76 1.8 Final conclusions on the Arabic Pseudo-Callisthenes tradition 76 1.8.1 Tradition 77 1.8.2 Sources 78 1.8.3 Transmission 78 1.8.4 Motifs 80 Stemma of the Pseudo-Callisthenes tradition 91 CHAPTER 2: ALEXANDER AND WISDOM LITERATURE 93 2.1 Introduction 93 2.2 The authors of the libri philosophorum, the Wisdom collections 96 2.2.1 Îunayn ibn IsÌaq 96 2.2.2 Sijistani and Miskawayh 98
ix 2.2.3 Ibn Hindu 99 2.2.4 Tha alibi 100 2.2.5 Mubashshir ibn Fatik 100 2.2.6 Shahrastani 100 2.2.7 Shahrazuri 101 2.3 Frameworks and themes of Wisdom texts on Alexander 102 2.3.1 Alexander and the letters from Aristotle: the Epistolary Romance 102 2.3.1a The Epistolary Romance in relation to the Alexander Romance 105 2.3.2 The Ìikam-tradition: Alexander as philosopher-king 113 2.3.3 Alexander and his mother: the Letters of Consolation 120 Table 2 122 2.3.4 Alexander as mourned ruler: the philosophers Funeral Sentences 123 2.4 Conclusions concerning Alexander in Wisdom literature 128 2.5 Influences on, and parallels with, developments in the European Middle Ages 130 CHAPTER 3: THE DHU L-QARNAYN TRADITION 135 3.1 Introduction 135 3.2 Authors and their works 139 3.2.1 Ka b al-aìbar 139 3.2.2 Ibn Abbas 139 3.2.3 Wahb ibn Munabbih 139 3.2.4 Ibn Hisham 141 3.2.5 abari 142 3.2.6 Tha labi 142 3.2.7 Ibn al-athir 143 3.2.8 Ibn Kathir 143 3.2.9 Other collections of QiÒaÒ al-anbiya} 144 3.3 The background of the name Dhu l-qarnayn 145 3.4 Alexander as missionary and the wall against Gog and Magog 150 3.5 Origin of the Dhu l-qarnayn tradition 154 3.6 The Gog and Magog complex 155 3.6.1 The wall against Gog and Magog 155 Table 3 163 3.6.2 Characteristics of Yajuj and Majuj 163 3.6.3 Apocalyptic representations 168 3.7 Motifs: The Journey through Darkness 171 3.7.1 The Source of Life legend 172 3.7.2 The Rafa}il variant 173 3.7.3 The angel of Mount Qaf 178 3.7.4 Variants of the Journey through Darkness 179
x Table of Contents 3.8 Other motifs: the River of Sand, Jabalqa and JabarÒa and the Statues 180 3.8.1 River of Sand (Sabbath River) 181 3.8.2 JabarÒa and Jabalqa 183 3.8.3 Statues 185 3.9 Conclusion on the Dhu l-qarnayn tradition 188 Stemma of the Arabic Alexander tradition 193 CHAPTER 4: THE SIRAT AL-ISKANDAR AS PART OF THE ARABIC ALEXANDER TRADITION 195 4.1 Introduction 195 4.2 The Popular Romance of Al-Iskandar 196 4.2.1 Manuscripts 198 4.2.2 Transmission 201 4.3 The compilation of the Sirat Al-Iskandar 203 4.4 Sources of the Sirat Al-Iskandar 206 4.4.1 The Persian descent variant 206 4.4.2 Golden eggs 208 4.4.3 The horse Bucephalus 208 4.4.4 Darius murderers punished 209 4.4.5 Al-Iskandar and Aristotle 210 4.4.6 Al-Khi r and Al-Iskandar s mission 212 4.4.7 Dhu l-qarnayn and the lighthouses 214 4.4.8 Balinas and the Temple of Starlings 216 4.4.9 Gog and Magog 219 4.4.10 Cosmocrator Solomon 222 4.5 Conclusion on the Sirat Al-Iskandar as part of the Arabic Alexander tradition 224 Part II THE SIRA TRADITION Title page of ms. Aya Sofya 3003 230 CHAPTER 5: THE SIRAT AL-ISKANDAR AS PART OF THE SIRA TRADITION 231 5.1 Introduction 231 5.2 State of research 233 5.3 Description of the manuscripts Aya Sofya 3003-3004 235 5.3.1 Historical conditions 235 5.3.2 Contents of the manuscripts Aya Sofya 3003-3004 236
xi 5.4 Analysis of the Sirat Al-Iskandar 238 5.4.1 Division within the Popular Romance of Alexander 238 5.4.2 Linguistic and stylistic characteristics 239 5.4.2a Use of language 239 5.4.2b Orthography and text tradition 240 5.4.2c Rhymed prose (saj ) 241 5.4.3 Narrative technique and composition 242 5.4.3a Dialogue and al-khi r 243 5.4.3b Letters 245 5.4.3c Flashbacks 245 5.4.3d Perspective 246 5.4.3e Rhyme names 246 5.4.3f Formulas 247 5.4.3g Symmetry in construction 248 5.4.4 The cyclic structure of the Sirat Al-Iskandar 251 5.4.4a Construction of the Cycle 251 5.4.4b Short cycle 253 5.4.4c Long cycle: the components of the Ra iya episode 254 5.4.5 Characteristics of the Sirat Al-Iskandar 256 5.4.5a Representation of time and place 256 5.4.5b Kingship 258 5.4.5c Al-Iskandar and women 259 5.4.5d Queen Ra iya 261 5.4.5e Supernatural phenomena 264 5.5 The Sirat Al-Iskandar in relation to other sira literature 264 5.5.1 Comparison between the Sirat Al-Iskandar and other siras 266 5.5.2 The Sirat Al-Iskandar in relation to the Sirat Sayf ibn Dhi Yazan 269 5.6 The Malay Alexander Romance 270 5.7 Conclusion on the Sirat Al-Iskandar as part of the sira tradition 275 CHAPTER 6: FINAL CONCLUSION 279 CHAPTER 7: SUMMARY of the contents of the manuscript Aya Sofya 3003 entitled: Sirat Al-Iskandar wa ma fiha min al- Aja}ib wa l-ghara}ib Biography of Alexander and its Marvelous and Strange Events 283 Bibliography 369 Manuscripts 399 Index 401