A Hebrew Alexander Romance According to MS London, Jews' College No. 145

Book excerpt: The reader is presented here with a study of the text of a Hebrew manuscript which is a medieval version of the Alexander Romance or the legendary history of Alexander the Great. The Hebrew text in this unique manuscript, known as MS London, is a translation of the Historia de Preliis Alexandri Magni, a widespread Latin version on the Alexander Romance. The Latin text was very useful for establishing an almost complete text of the London version and for identifying names and terms. A comparison of our text with other Hebrew sources on Alexander was of similar help in establishing a correct reading. The introduction which precedes the text and the English translation offers a survey of research into the history and development of Alexander traditions in Greek, Latin and Hebrew literature as well as a detailed analysis of the present text concerning its language, style and themes. This study is concluded by selective notes to the text and indices on personal and geographical names and foreign terms with their Latin equivalents.