Dreambooks in Byzantium: Six Oneirocritica in Translation, with Commentary and Introduction Book PDF, ePub eBook

Join our eBook service for unlimited books & audiobooks. Get a free 7 day subscription! ↓↓↓↓↓


Book Descriptions:

Dreambooks in Byzantium offers for the first time in English translation and with commentary six of the seven extant Byzantine oneirocritica, or manuals on the interpretation of dreams. (The seventh, The Oneirocriticon of Achmet ibn Sereim was published previously by the author.)

Dreams permeated all aspects of Byzantine culture, from religion to literature to everyday life, while the interpretation of the future through dreams was done by professionals (emperors had their own) or through oneirocritica. Dreambooks were written and attributed to famous patriarchs, biblical personages, and emperors, to fictitious writers and interpreters, or were copied and published anonymously. Two types of dreambooks were produced: short prose or verse manuals, with the dreams usually listed alphabetically by symbol; and long treatises with subject matter arranged according to topics and with elaborate dream theory. The manuals were meant for a popular audience, mainly readers of the middle and lower classes; their content deals with concerns like family, sickness and health, poverty and wealth, treachery by friends, fear of authorities, punishment and honor-concerns, in other words, that pertain to the individual dreamer, not to the state or a cult.

The dreambook writers drew upon various sources in Classical and Islamic literature, oral and written Byzantine materials, and, perhaps, their own oneirocritic practices. Much of the source-material was pagan in origin and, therefore, needed to be reworked into a Christianized context, with many interpretations given a Christian coloring.

For each dreambook the author provides a commentary focusing on analyses of the interpretations assigned to each dream-symbol; historical, social, and cultural discussions of the dreams and interpretations; linguistic, lexical, and grammatical issues; and cross-references with Achmet, Artemidorus, and the other Bzyantine dreambooks. There are also introductory chapters on Byzantine dream interpretation; the authors, their dates, and sources; the manuscripts of the dreambooks; and a lengthy discussion of the contribution of these dreambooks to psychohistory, cultural history, historical sociology, and gender studies.

The book is unique in that it offers a full study, through translation and commentary, of the oneirocritica to a wide audience - Byzantinists, Arabists, cultural historians, medievalists (several of the Byzantine dreambooks were translated into Latin and became fundamental dream-texts throughout the Middle Ages), and psychohistorians, all of whom will find the book useful in their study of dreams, transmission of Arabic sources by Byzantine authors, and cultural anthropology. Together with the Oneirocriticon of Achmet, it offers a complete study of dream-interpretation in medieval Greece.

Dreambooks in Byzantium: Six Oneirocritica in Translation, with Commentary and Introduction by Steven M. Oberhelman

From reader reviews:

Frankie Graybill:

Book is to be different for each grade. Book for children right up until adult are different content. We all know that that book is very important for us. The book Dreambooks in Byzantium: Six Oneirocritica in Translation, with Commentary and Introduction was making you to know about other knowledge and of course you can take more information. It is very advantages for you. The e-book Dreambooks in Byzantium: Six Oneirocritica in Translation, with Commentary and Introduction is not only giving you a lot more new information but also being your friend when you sense bored. You can spend your spend time to read your publication. Try to make relationship while using book Dreambooks in Byzantium: Six Oneirocritica in Translation, with Commentary and Introduction. You never feel lose out for everything in the event you read some books.

Manuel Thomas:

As people who live in the particular modest era should be up-date about what going on or data even knowledge to make these people keep up with the era which is always change and make progress. Some of you maybe will certainly update themselves by reading books. It is a good choice for you but the problems coming to you is you don't know which one you should start with. This Dreambooks in Byzantium: Six Oneirocritica in Translation, with Commentary and Introduction is our recommendation to make you keep up with the world. Why, as this book serves what you want and wish in this era.

Thomas Brim:

Playing with family in the park, coming to see the coastal world or hanging out with buddies is thing that usually you have done when you have spare time, in that case why you don't try issue that really opposite from that. Just one activity that make you not experience tired but still relaxing, trilling like on roller coaster you already been ride on and with addition associated with. Even you love Dreambooks in Byzantium: Six Oneirocritica in Translation, with Commentary and Introduction, you could enjoy both. It is great combination right, you still desire to miss it? What kind of hangout type is it? Oh come on its mind hangout men. What? Still don't obtain it, oh come on its known as reading friends.

Sara Burns:

That publication can make you to feel relax. This specific book Dreambooks in Byzantium: Six Oneirocritica in Translation, with Commentary and Introduction was multi-colored and of course has pictures on the website. As we know that book Dreambooks in Byzantium: Six Oneirocritica in Translation, with Commentary and Introduction has many kinds or type. Start from kids until teenagers. For example Naruto or Investigation company Conan you can read and think you are the character on there. Therefore , not at all of book are generally make you bored, any it can make you feel happy, fun and loosen up. Try to choose the best book for yourself and try to like reading which.