The Seven Sages of Rome: editing and reappraising a forgotten premodern classic from global and gendered perspectives
Lead Research Organisation:
University of St Andrews
Department Name: Sch of Modern Languages
Abstract
The Seven Sages of Rome is the most famous premodern text of which nobody has ever heard, and this project aims to change that. This story cycle, told in at least 30 languages from Central Asia to Iceland over more than five centuries, recounts a medieval #metoo story of a fake rape accusation between a mute prince and his young stepmother at a royal court, and the impossibility of establishing the truth. We will reappraise the text's gender politics from the perspective of recent gender studies. Most of the versions have not yet been edited or even identified, and we will take a first step towards this by collating and expanding the available factual information on the transmission. We will also edit one of The Seven Sages' earliest versions from a multilingual hub, the Dutch tradition. Seeing each of the different versions as part of a transcultural rather than monolingual tradition will give new impulses to the study of medieval and early modern literature. Our edition and repertory of versions will be freely available online for anyone wanting to find out more about our shared transcultural rather than national or "Western" history. Academics from across the different national philologies concerned, as well as from medieval and early modern studies and gender studies generally will benefit from this project's practical and theoretical groundwork.
Organisations
| Description | With a year left to go on the project, we have achieved the following towards our objectives as stated at the start of the project. 1. Objective: Edit all Seven Sages versions before AD1600 in Dutch as one of the earliest language traditions, and translate them into modern English and German. Progress: We have completed the editions. The scholarly commentary and translations are in progress. 2. Objective: Collect and augment the available information on the at least 450 extant manuscript and print versions of The Seven Sages in 30 languages in an open access repertory (database). Progress: We have designed an interactive publicly available database and entered 250 manuscripts and prints: https://db.seven-sages-of-rome.org/Main_Page. 3. Objective: Theorise the consequences for wider Global Medieval Studies of recognising the multilingual spread of The Seven Sages. Progress: We are gaining academic recognition for our translingual approach, which sees all the translations of a particular narrative as one single story matter, and understands translation not as colonial and derivative, but as encouraging translingual knowledge and flexibility. 4. Objective: Explore the consequences for wider gender history of rethinking gender in The Seven Sages. Progress: We have demonstrated that there is persistent interest in different trans* and non-binary characters in most Seven Sages/Sindbad versions, which corrects the assumption that trans* history begins in the modern period. 5. Objective: Lay the foundations for further research and enquiry into The Seven Sages through the edition, digital repertory, academic publications, public presentations and an interdisciplinary workshop. Progress: Through workshops, conferences and events we have created a thriving research group of c. 40 scholars who meet monthly to discuss Seven Sages research, with a forthcoming special issue of a journal, and planned grant applications and events. |
| Exploitation Route | Creatives are taking forward their engagement with the story matter and its gender and linguistic politics. Academics are taking forward the survey and interpretation of this most popular of all medieval and early modern narratives, and drawing out the implications for gender history and world literature. |
| Sectors | Creative Economy |
| Description | Story-tellers and poets such as Daisy Black have become interested in the Seven Sages story matter and are working on including in their repertoire. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2025 |
| Sector | Creative Economy |
| Impact Types | Cultural |
| Title | Seven Sages of Rome: Manuscripts and prints database |
| Description | Collecting metadata and digitisations of the thousands of manuscripts and early prints of the story matter The Seven Sages of Rome/ Book of Sindibad/ Book of Syntipas/ Dolopathos in 30+ languages |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2023 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Ongoing database development that will be published and form the basis of further research into global spread of premodern literature |
| URL | https://db.seven-sages-of-rome.org/index.php/Special:UserLogin |
| Description | Seven Sages of Scotland Storytelling Performance and Workshop September 2024 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | C. 75 members of the public, students and colleagues travelling internationally attended a storytelling performance at the local Byre Theatre specially commissioned for this project. Six contemporary story-tellers and poets adapted the medieval Scots Seven Sages into a performance in contemporary Scots language. The performance piece was commissioned before the start of the AHRC-DFG project and first staged in 2023, but the line-up of performers and the script changes significantly due to the AHRC-DFG project results, with Jane Bonsall, PDRA working closely with the performance. The event also comprised a story-telling workshop with the project group and other academics and students; and a roundtable on Seven Sages adaptations with Bildhauer and Bonsall. Colleagues have reported a significant impact as the performance made them start to think about our source text as an oral performance rather than an academic object of study. Bonsall is writing one research article directly based on the performance. Students have reported an interest in the work prompted by the performance. The performers anecdotally reported an impact on their perception of the tradition of Scottish story-telling and their perception of medieval literature. A systematic evaluation of the impact on the performers is planned. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
| URL | https://byretheatre.com/shows/the-seven-sages-of-scotland/ |
| Description | Storytelling session Dundee Science Centre |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Storytelling session for children held by Jane Bonsall as part of Exploration 2023 at the Dundee Science Centre, attended by 66 participants (20 adults, 46 children). Purpose: public engagement with project; using creative metholodology to gain research insights into medieval methods of story-telling. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://www.explorathon.co.uk/events-programme/explorathon-dundee-science-centre-2/ |