On the Textual Criticism and a New Translation-Reconstruction of the "Povest' vremennykh let"

This review of the recently published fourth edition of Ludolf Muller's Handbuch zur Nestorchronic (Manual on the Primary Chronicle) discusses the contribution & the content of the book. Although translated versions of the "Povest' vremennykh let" (Primary Chronicle) are typically not very popular with Russian readers, this book constitutes an important work about it. In addition to literary & linguistic discussions of the "Povest' vremennykh let," this edition contains a new translation, which is considered by the author of the review as an exceptional piece of scholarly work. Unlike most previous translations, which were based on only one or a few of the several existing recorded versions of the "Povest' vremennykh let," Muller has translated a reconstructed text based on six major recorded versions of the "Povest' vremennykh let," giving equal weight to all six versions. Therefore, this particular work goes beyond pure translation & represents a "critical translation," or a translation-reconstruction, of the original document. This critical translation is based on certain text-critical principles, which has not been the case with many previous translations & reconstructions. This critical translation is considered in the context of previous translations & scholarly works on the "Povest' vremennykh let," & many distinct features of Muller's work are identified & discussed. 52 References. A. Pereltsvaig