GRAECO-AEGYPTIACA/AEGYPTO-GRAECA
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN GREECE AND EGYPT 700BCE-300CE
The relationship between ancient Greek writers and the Egyptian literature
and discourse of the Graeco-Roman period is emerging as an area of intense
debate, stimulated by two factors. First, there have been a series of
stunning new discoveries, e.g. a Demotic Egyptian text published by Kim
Ryholt which is close to the story of Pheros in Herodotus' history Egypt,
or the Demotic Book of Thoth which provides an Egyptian equivalent to the
Greek Hermetica - both of which appeared in 2005; and secondly, a number of
important new interpretations have been published, e.g Phiroze Vasunia's
Gift of the Nile (2001), Susan Stephens' Seeing Double (2003) and Jacco
Dieleman's Priests, Tongues and Rites (2005).
In this context, the Classics Department of the University of Reading will
host a conference on September 17th-19th of 2007, with the aim of exploring
the transmission and translation of literature between Egypt and the
Graeco-Roman world, covering the period 700BCE- 300CE. Central issues that
it is hoped will be addressed include the following:
a. THE SCOPE OF BILINGUAL LITERATURE. Conceived narrowly, "Graeco-Egyptian
literature" comprises texts that circulated in both Greek and Egyptian
versions, including narratives (such as the Sesostris-novel), prophecies
and magical texts; in a broader sense, it covers texts of either language
which seem to engage with the texts or discourses of the other. Key
questions here include: which specific texts are we talking about? And how
can it be established that a relationship exists between texts or
discourses from different languages or cultures? What terms and categories
are appropriate to describe such relationships? And how do they change over
time?
b. CONTEXTS OF TRANSLATION AND PRODUCTION. When and how should we
understand transmission between the cultures as taking place? Who carried
out the translation? What was the role of bilingual priests (cf. e.g. P.
Derchain in RdÉ 41 (1990), 9-30 on Greek echoes in the Papyrus Jumilhac).
Can the direction of the translation be determined in every case? Do texts
show traces of linguistic interference or code-switching? If Egypt's
relation to the Greco-Roman world in the Hellenistic and Roman periods
resembles one between a colony and an imperial power, can the process be
illuminated by the contemporary model of postcolonial theory?
c. THE CONSEQUENCES OF CONTACT. What results for either tradition did
interaction with the other bring about? For example, it has been argued
that contact with Greek culture may have led to radical changes in late
Egyptian literature, or even to the development of entirely new forms and
genres, such as the heroic narratives of the Inaros Cycle (cf. J. Quack,
Die demotische und gräko-ägyptische Literatur (2005), 171-5); or satiric
poetry (H.-J. Thissen, SAK 27 (1999), 369-387); conversely, Manetho's
Aegyptiaca has be seen as an innovative fusion between native Egyptian
forms of chronology and narrative with Greek historiography (cf. John
Dillery, ZPE 127 (1999) 93-116).
Papers are invited which address interactions and engagements between Greek
and Egyptian literature and discourse, including narrative-texts,
religious-texts and magical texts, and the underlying issues of translation
and transmission. Those interested in participating should send an abstract
of 300-500 words as soon as possibl an at any event by February 16th 2007
to GraecoAegyptica AT reading.ac.uk. For further information about the
conference and updates, visit the conference website at
http://www.reading.ac.uk/AcaDepts/lk/GraecoAegyptica/.
INTERACTIONS BETWEEN GREECE AND EGYPT 700BCE-300CE
The relationship between ancient Greek writers and the Egyptian literature
and discourse of the Graeco-Roman period is emerging as an area of intense
debate, stimulated by two factors. First, there have been a series of
stunning new discoveries, e.g. a Demotic Egyptian text published by Kim
Ryholt which is close to the story of Pheros in Herodotus' history Egypt,
or the Demotic Book of Thoth which provides an Egyptian equivalent to the
Greek Hermetica - both of which appeared in 2005; and secondly, a number of
important new interpretations have been published, e.g Phiroze Vasunia's
Gift of the Nile (2001), Susan Stephens' Seeing Double (2003) and Jacco
Dieleman's Priests, Tongues and Rites (2005).
In this context, the Classics Department of the University of Reading will
host a conference on September 17th-19th of 2007, with the aim of exploring
the transmission and translation of literature between Egypt and the
Graeco-Roman world, covering the period 700BCE- 300CE. Central issues that
it is hoped will be addressed include the following:
a. THE SCOPE OF BILINGUAL LITERATURE. Conceived narrowly, "Graeco-Egyptian
literature" comprises texts that circulated in both Greek and Egyptian
versions, including narratives (such as the Sesostris-novel), prophecies
and magical texts; in a broader sense, it covers texts of either language
which seem to engage with the texts or discourses of the other. Key
questions here include: which specific texts are we talking about? And how
can it be established that a relationship exists between texts or
discourses from different languages or cultures? What terms and categories
are appropriate to describe such relationships? And how do they change over
time?
b. CONTEXTS OF TRANSLATION AND PRODUCTION. When and how should we
understand transmission between the cultures as taking place? Who carried
out the translation? What was the role of bilingual priests (cf. e.g. P.
Derchain in RdÉ 41 (1990), 9-30 on Greek echoes in the Papyrus Jumilhac).
Can the direction of the translation be determined in every case? Do texts
show traces of linguistic interference or code-switching? If Egypt's
relation to the Greco-Roman world in the Hellenistic and Roman periods
resembles one between a colony and an imperial power, can the process be
illuminated by the contemporary model of postcolonial theory?
c. THE CONSEQUENCES OF CONTACT. What results for either tradition did
interaction with the other bring about? For example, it has been argued
that contact with Greek culture may have led to radical changes in late
Egyptian literature, or even to the development of entirely new forms and
genres, such as the heroic narratives of the Inaros Cycle (cf. J. Quack,
Die demotische und gräko-ägyptische Literatur (2005), 171-5); or satiric
poetry (H.-J. Thissen, SAK 27 (1999), 369-387); conversely, Manetho's
Aegyptiaca has be seen as an innovative fusion between native Egyptian
forms of chronology and narrative with Greek historiography (cf. John
Dillery, ZPE 127 (1999) 93-116).
Papers are invited which address interactions and engagements between Greek
and Egyptian literature and discourse, including narrative-texts,
religious-texts and magical texts, and the underlying issues of translation
and transmission. Those interested in participating should send an abstract
of 300-500 words as soon as possibl an at any event by February 16th 2007
to GraecoAegyptica AT reading.ac.uk. For further information about the
conference and updates, visit the conference website at
http://www.reading.ac.uk/AcaDepts/lk/GraecoAegyptica/.