The Gesta Hungarorum of Anonymus, the Anonymous Notary of King

71 Pages·2010·0.38 MB·English

by  M. Rady

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THE GESTAHUNGARORUM OFANONYMUS,THE ANONYMOUS
NOTARYOFKINGBÉLA
ATRANSLATION
byMartyn Rady
Introduction
TheGestaHungarorum oftheAnonymous Notaryof KingBélais theoldest extant
chronicleofthehistoryoftheHungarians. It remains ‘themost famous, themost
obscure,themost exasperatingandmost misleadingof all theearlyHungariantexts.’1
Purportingtobean account ofthebackground, circumstances andimmediate
aftermathoftheHungarianconquest ofPannonia inthelateninthcentury, it was most
probablycomposedintheearlyyears ofthethirteenthcenturybya chancelleryclerk
whohadformerlybeenintheserviceofKingBéla IIIofHungary(1172-1196).The
extant version,whichsurvives inalatethirteenth centurycopy,is apparently
incomplete.2 ThesoleMS,consistingof24folios, was first notedinthelibraryof
Schloss Ambras, outsideInnsbruck,intheseventeenthcentury,from where it was
movedtoViennain1665,andmuchlater,in1928, toBudapest.3 Althoughdetails of
theMS wereincludedin twoprintedseventeenth-centurycatalogues ofthe imperial
library,its text was not publisheduntil 1746.4 Betweenthen andtheendof the
nineteenthcentury,the MS was re-publishedmorethanadozentimes.5 Ascholarly
edition,with critical annotation,was first publishedbyGyulaPauler and László
Fejérpatakyin1900,6 andarevised editionbyEmil Jakubovichand DezsőPais inthe
first volumeof ImreSzentpétery’s Scriptores RerumHungaricarum(2vols,
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Budapest,1937; hereafter, SRH).7 The Latintext has beentranslatedseveral times into
Hungarian,most notablybyPais,8 as well as intoRomanianandGerman.9 What
follows is thefirst renderingofthe Latin text intoEnglish.
There canscarcelybeanydocument from theMiddleAges that carries such
heavypolitical baggage. Thedescriptionwhichtheauthor gives ofthepresence and
whereabouts ofpeoples inCentral Europeduringtheninth centuryhas been
extensivelyusedtobuttress historical claims toterritories inthetwentieth century.
Readings oftheGestaHungarorumwerethus usedafter1918tojustifythe cessionof
TransylvaniatoRomania as well as, aftertheSecondWorldWar,ofOroszvárto
Czechoslovakia.10 In1987, theGesta acquiredparticularnotorietyonaccount ofa
full-pageadvertisement in TheTimes,paidforbytheRomaniangovernment,
affirmingthevalidityofthechronicler’s account ofaRomanianpresenceinthe
Carpathianbasinmorethanathousand years before.11 Fortunately,modernscholarly
readings ofthe GestaHungarorumareless beset bypolitical partisanship since,inthe
post-SchengenworldoftheEU,onlydinosaurs careabout whowas where first.
Nevertheless,formerinterpretations ofphrases, locations, persons andword-strings,
preservedinanolderliterature,mayyet servetoconfusetheunwary,while inremote
academiccorners theJurassicAgeis still not quiteover.
Theauthorofthe Gesta, knownhistoricallyas the Anonymus (always thus),
pretends to giveahistorically-grounded account ofearlyHungarianhistorythat
disregards thesongs ofminstrels andthe yarns of yokels,12 but does infact nothingof
thesort.Anonymus’s account is essentiallya‘toponymicromance’that seeks to
explainplace-names byreferencetoimagined events andpersons.Althoughhegets
thenames ofthe earliest Hungarianrulers right,as well as someoftheearlytribal
chieftains, hehas theHungarians beatingSlavonicandRomanianleaders whose
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names arenot attestedto anywhereelse, as well as fightingtheCumans (who
appearedinEuropeonlyinthelateeleventhcentury) and,moreincredibly, the
Romans. His descriptionofpower-relations north oftheDanube inthelate ninth
centuryis not supported byanyotheraccount. It is at best anattempt toproject
contemporaryconditions backwards.
Clearly,thereis abit of correct historyinAnonymus’s work,andat least afew
ofhis heroes canbe ‘cross-checked’against informationgivenbyConstantine
Porphyrogenitus, LiudprandofCremona andthe Annals ofSt Gall.13 Anonymus also
borrows, extensivelyinplaces, from ReginoofPrum andhis continuator,14 andhe
plainlyrelies inpart ondiversewrittenaccounts, someofwhichwouldlaterfeedinto
SimonKézai’s latethirteenth-centuryGesta as well as the‘royal chronicles’ofthe
Angevinandlaterperiods.15 All three,at least,have shavenCumanheads beingsliced
likeripegourds. Contradictoryinformationgiven inhis sources mayalso explainthe
uncertainties ofAnonymus’s first few chapters andofÁlmos andÁrpád’s ambiguous
relationtothelineofAttila.Additionally,Anonymus mayhavehadat his disposal a
‘List ofDonations’,enumeratingwhichkindreds andclans hadbeen given landofthe
ruler.16 Althoughwedoubt verymuchthat sophisticated‘beneficiary’relations
existedinHungarybefore1200,it is noticeablethat manychapters concludewith
references toland-grants. Theextent towhichtheauthorreliedupon‘oral traditions’
cannot,however,betested.
Theidentityof Anonymus is, appropriately,uncertain,althoughvaliant
attempts havebeenmade touncloakhim.His styleis ofaFrenchschool,probably
Paris orOrleans. Hehas someknowledgeofHungarianthat heuses tosupport his
etymologies but hehandles terminal vowels andtheHungarian ‘dative’, -nec/nek
endingas ifunawareof Hungarian grammar.17 He is possiblythe first Europeanwriter
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tocall theBlackSeaas such,which(alongwithseveral otherindicators) maysuggest
understandingofaTurkiclanguage.18 Anonymus’s knowledgeofHungarywould,
likewise,appearpatchy. His account ofthe geographyoftheregions borderingthe
UpperTiszaandMiddle Danubeis detailed,but elsewherehis descriptions arethin.19
Themost that canbesaid about him is that his namebeganwithaP.20 His friend,N,
is probably,however,aliteraryfiction.
In what follows, wehave not attemptedtoreconcileAnonymus’s account with
otherexistingchronicles ofearlyHungarianhistory. This has beendone already,by
C.A.Macartney,insomeextensiveworks ofalmost impenetrablescholarshipthat
havebeenrecentlyrepublished.21 Onlyinafewplaces, have weindicatedthemore
substantial textual borrowings. Forindividual words andphrases, thereaderis
directedtospeculations intheSRHeditionandtothecross-referencingtothe
Alexandrineromances andotherepicliteratureundertakenbyGyőryand, more
recently,bySilagi andVeszprémy.22 Norhavewesought to‘modernize’the names of
most persons andplaces, sincethis might betaken as evidenceofpartisanshipwitha
specifichistorianor reading.Onlywheretheidentities ofplaces andpersons are
beyonddisputehavewetranslatedthem out ofthe Latin.At the expenseof
consistency,wehaveretainedtheindeterminacyofU/Vcapitalizationas well as the
terminal ‘u’vowel found inOldHungarianproper names. The Latintext followed
hereis that providedintheSRH,matched against theoriginal as readinfacsimile.23 In
places, wheretheterminologyornomenclatureis oflinguisticorhistorical interest,
wehave giventheoriginal Latininparentheses or footnotes. Ourtranslationpreserves
therepetitious andbreathless qualityoftheoriginal text.
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Herebegins theProloguetotheDeeds oftheHungarians
P.thesaidmasterandnotaryofthelatemost glorious Béla,kingof Hungary, of fond
memory,toN.his most dearfriend,avenerablemanandsteepedintheknowledgeof
letters: Greetings, andtheanswertohis plea.For whenwewerestudyingtogetherat
school andreadingwithequal enthusiasm thestoryofTroythat Ihadpreparedinone
volumeinmyownstyle, bringingmost lovinglytogetherwhat Ihadheardfrom the
books ofDares Phrygius24 andotherauthors as well as from mymasters, you asked
methat,inthesamewayas IhadwrittenonthehistoryofTroyand onthe wars ofthe
Greeks, so towrite for youofthegenealogy[genealogia] ofthekings ofHungaryand
oftheirnoblemen: howthesevenleadingpersons, whoare calledtheHetumoger,25
camedownfrom theScythianland,what that Scythianlandwas likeandhowDuke
Álmos was bornandwhyÁlmos, from whom thekings ofHungarytracetheirorigin,
is calledthefirst dukeof Hungary,andhowmanyrealms andrulers theyconquered
andwhythepeople comingforthfrom theScythianlandare calledHungarians inthe
speechof foreigners but Magyars [Mogerii] intheirown. Ididindeed promisethat I
woulddoso, but hinderedbyothermatters, Imight havealmost entirelyforgotten
your request andmypromise,hadnot yourloveadmonishedmeinaletter to
dischargethedebt.Mindful thereforeof yourlove,andalthoughhinderedbythe
manyandvaried affairs ofthis wearisomeworld, Iam, supportedbyGod’s grace,
readytodowhat youhaveordered,accordingtowhat has beenhandeddownby
various historians, seeingit as best that it benot lost toafuture generationinthetime
tocome. Iconsiderit best that Ishouldwriteto youtruthfullyandplainly,sothat
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readingit theymayknow what tookplace.Andit wouldbemost unworthyand
completelyunfittingfortheso most noblepeople ofHungarytohear as ifinadream
ofthebeginnings oftheir kind[primordiasuegenerationis] andoftheirbraveryand
deeds from the falsestories ofcountryfolk andthe gabblingsongofminstrels.26 May
theynot morenoblyperceivethetruthofmatters from thesureexplanationoftexts
andthestraightforwardexpositionofhistorical accounts? HencehappyHungary,to
whichmanygifts are given,shouldrejoice all hours inits gift ofletters, becauseit has
thebeginningofits line ofkings andnoblemen,forwhichkings shall bepraiseand
honourto theKingEternal andtheholyMary,His mother,through whose gracethe
kings ofHungaryandnoblemenhavethekingdom forhappypurposehereandever
after.Amen.
1. OfScythia
Scythiais thenaverygreat land,calledDentumoger,27 overtowards the east, theend
ofwhichreaches westwards totheBlackSea[Nigrum Pontem].Onthefarside,it has
ariverwith great marshes, calledtheDon[Thanais],wheresables canbefoundin
such extraordinaryabundancethat not onlynobles andignobles dress inthem but also
withwhichevenox-herds, swine-herds andshepherds adorntheirraiment inthat land.
Goldandsilveraboundthereandinthe rivers ofthis landprecious stones andgems.
Onits easternside,neighbouringScythia,werethepeoples ‘GogandMagog’,28
whom AlexandertheGreat walledin.29 Scythiais verymarshyinits lengthand
breadth,andindeedthe menwhodwell there, commonlycalledDentumoger,have
right uptothepresent dayneverbeensubject totheswayof anyemperor. The
Scythians arecertainlyanancient people andthe strengthofScythialies in theeast,as
wesaidabove.Andthefirst kingofScythiawas Magog,son ofJaphet,andthis
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peoplewerecalledafter him Moger, from whose royal linethemost renownedand
mightyKingAttiladescended,who,inthe451st yearof Our Lord’s birth,coming
downfrom Scythia,enteredPannoniawithamightyforce and,puttingtheRomans to
flight,tooktherealm and madearoyal residenceforhimselfbesidetheDanubeabove
thehot springs,30 andheorderedall theoldbuildings that hefoundtheretobe
restoredandhebuilt them inacircular andverystrongwall that intheHungarian
languageis nowcalled Budavár[Buduuar] andbytheGermans Etzelburg
[Ecilburgu].31 What more!Wewill keeptothestory.Alongtimeafter,there
descended from theprogenyofthesame KingMagog,Vgek,fatherofDukeÁlmos,
from whom thedukes andkings ofHungarytrace theirorigin, as will besaidinwhat
follows. TheScythians, as wesaid,areindeed anancient people,ofwhom historians
writingofthedeeds oftheRomans, saidas follows:32 That theScythianpeoplewas
most wiseandgentle; theydidnot workthesoil norbarelyknewanysinamongthem.
Andtheydidnot havehomes built bycraft but rathertents madeof felt.Theyate
meat andfish andmilkandhoneyandtheyhad muchspice.Andtheir clothes wereof
thepelts ofsables andotherwildbeasts. Theyhadgold,silverand gems as common
as stones, which theyfoundintherivers ofthis land.Theydesiredno one else’s
goods, fortheywereall rich,havingmanyanimals andsufficient victuals. Andthere
wereno adulterers, for everymankept onlytohis wife.But,later,this people,worn
out inwar,became,as somehistorians tell,so cruel that theyateinwrathhumanflesh
anddrankthebloodofhumans. And Ibelievethat you maystill knowahardynation
byits fruits. TheScythianpeoplewereneversubjugatedbyanyemperor. Forthe
Scythians made Darius, kingofthePersians, flee withthegreatest ignominy, and
Darius lost there80,000 menandso fledin great feartoPersia. Next,theScythians
slewCyrus, kingofPersia,with330,000men.Next,theScythians put tobaseflight
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evenAlexanderthe Great himself,theson ofKingPhilipandQueenOlympias, who
hadconqueredmanykingdoms inwar. AndtheScythian racewas hardysoas to
endureall toil andtheScythians werebiginbodyandboldinwar.Andtheyhad
nothingintheworldthat theyfearedtolosefor an injurydonetothem.And whenthe
Scythians had avictory,theywishednothingofbooty,as dotheirposteritytoday,but
sought onlypraise forit.Andexcept forDarius, Cyrus andAlexander,nopeoplein
theworld daredentertheirland.TheaforesaidScythianpeoplewereindeedhardyin
combat and,onspeedymounts andwithhelmetedheads, theywerebetterwithbows
andarrows thanall theothernations oftheworld,and you will knowthis tobeso
from theiroffspring. And theScythianland, as muchas it is distant from thetropics,
is as healthyforthe generatingoffamilies. Andalthoughspacious enough, it was still
insufficient tosustainorkeepthehost ofpeoples begottenthere.On account ofthis,
thesevenleadingpersons, whoare calledtheHetumoger, not toleratingthepressures
ofspace,thought verygreatlyofasolution.Then thesesevenleadingpersons, having
takencounsel together,decidedthat theyshouldforsakethesoil oftheirbirthandtake
forthemselves suchlands as theycouldinhabit,as will besaidinwhat follows.
2. WhytheyarecalledHungarians
It now remains tosaywhythepeoplewhoset forthfrom theScythianland arecalled
Hungarians. TheHungarians areso calledfrom thecastleof Ung[Hungu] wherethe
sevenleadingpersons,havingsubjugatedtheSlavs, tarried for atimeupon entering
thelandofPannonia.On account ofthis, all thenations roundabout called Álmos,
son ofVgek,thedukeof Hunguar[Ungvár] andtheycalledhis warriors
Hunguarians.33 What more!Passingoverthesematters, weshall returnto our task,
keeptoourstory,and, as theHolySpirit commands, finish theworkbegun.
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3.OfÁlmos, thefirst duke
Inthe819th yearofOur Lord’s birth,Vgek,who, as wesaidabove,beingofthe
familyof KingMagogbecamealongtimelaterthemost nobledukeofScythia,took
towifeinDentumogerthedaughterofDukeEunedubelian,calledEmesu, from whom
hesiredason, who was namedÁlmos. But heis calledÁlmos from adivineevent,
because whenshe was pregnant adivinevisionappearedtohis motherina dream in
theform ofa falconthat, as ifcomingtoher,impregnatedherandmadeknowntoher
that from herwombatorrent wouldcomeforthandfrom herloins glorious kings be
generated,but that theywouldnot increaseintheirland.Because,therefore,adream
is calledalmuintheHungarianlanguageandhis birthwas predictedin adream,so he
was calledÁlmos. Orhe is thus calledÁlmos, that is holy,becauseholykings and
dukes werebornofhis line.34 What more!
4. OfDukeÁlmos
AndDukeÁlmos, afterhewas bornintotheworld,brought great joytoDukeUgek
andhis kinsmen andtoalmost all theleadingmen ofScythiabecausehis fatherVgek
was ofthelineof KingMagog. ForÁlmos himselfwas handsomeofface,but dark,
andhehaddarkeyes, but bigones; tall andleaninstature,hehadindeedlargehands
andwidefingers, andthis Álmos was pious, benevolent, generous, tall,wise,a good
soldier, anda giverofcheertoall thosewho were at that timewarriors intheScythian
realm.And whenthis Álmos cametofull age, as ifthegift oftheHolySpirit was in
him,althoughhewas apagan,hebecame yet morepowerful andwiserthanall the
dukes ofScythiaandtheyconductedall thebusiness oftherealm at that timewithhis
counsel andhelp.And DukeÁlmos, whenhetocametofull ageof youth, tookawife
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inthat land,thedaughter ofacertainmost nobleduke,from whom hesired ason by
thenameofÁrpád,whom hetookwithhim intoPannonia,as will besaid inthe
following.
5. Oftheelection ofDuke Álmos
TheHungarianpeople,most valiant andmost powerful inthetasks ofwarthus
originated, as wesaidabove,from theScythianpeoplethat is calledinits own
languageDentumoger.Andtheirlandwas so full onaccount ofthehost of people
borntherethat it was insufficient tosustainorkeepthem,as wesaidabove.On
account ofthis, theseven leadingpersons,whoright uptothepresent dayarecalled
theHetumoger,findingthephysical constraints unendurable,havingtaken counsel
amongthemselves toquit thesoil oftheirbirth,didnot ceaseseekinginbattleand
wartooccupylands that theymight livein.Thentheychosetoseekforthemselves
thelandofPannoniathat theyhadheardfrom rumourhadbeenthelandof King
Attila,from whoseline DukeÁlmos, fatherofÁrpád,descended.Thentheseseven
leadingpersons realizedfrom theircommonandtruecounsel that theycouldnot
completethejourneybegununless theyhadadukeandruleramongthem. Thus by
thefreewill andcommonconsent ofthesevenleadingpersons,theychoseas their
dukeandrulerÁlmos, son ofVgek,andthose whodescended from his kin,sons of
sons tothelast generation,because DukeÁlmos was theson ofVgek,and thosewho
descended from his kinweremoreoutstandingbybirthandmorepowerful inbattle.
Thesesevenleadingpersons werenoblemenbybirthandstronginwar, firm intheir
faithfulness.Thentheysaidwithequal will toDukeÁlmos: From todaywechoose
youas dukeandrulerandwhere yourfortunetakes you,therewill we follow you.
ThentoDukeÁlmos the aforesaidmensworeanoath,confirmedinpagan manner