Scopi e destinatari delle traduzioni dal greco nel medioevo latino : una prospettiva politica

In the Early Middle Ages, the knowledge of Greek language in the West is quite rare, and consequently Latin versions of Greek texts are not many. These translations have often high goals and motivations, in particular political connotations, such as moments of confrontation between Latin and Byzantine world. The paper considers from this point of view some important episodes of translations from Greek into Latin (VI-XII c.): the Acts of three councils (Lateranensis 649, Nicaenus 787 and Constantinopolitanus 869-70), the versions produced in Rome in the circle of Anastasius Bibliothecarius (IX c.), those of the works of pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite with alleged commentaries (IX c.), the hagiographical literature in Neapolitan area (IX-X c.) and in the commercial bases of Italian merchants in Byzantium. In appendix is presented a provisional list of hagiographical translations of the Venetian area (XII-XIV c.).