Book of the Knight Zifar
Encyclopedia
The Book of the Knight Zifar (originally Livro del cavallero Cifar, in modern orthography Libro del caballero Zifar) is the earliest fictional adventure tale in prose
in the Spanish language
. It was written around 1300, probably by a cleric of Toledo, Ferrand Martínez
, who is mentioned in the prologue. The book has much affinity with contemporary works of chivalric romance.
The Book of the Knight Zifar has been transmitted in two manuscripts. The first is a fifteenth-century codex known by the letter "M", and catalogued as MS. 11.309 in the Biblioteca Nacional de España
in Madrid. The second is Spanish MS. 36, called codex "P", in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France
in Paris. The latter, compiled in 1464, is generally referred to simply as the "Paris manuscript" and is well-illustrated with colourful miniatures. Two further examples of the Knight Zifar printed in Seville in 1512 survive.
The book is an adaption of the legendary life of Saint Eustace
, who before his conversion was a Roman general named Placidus (Plácidas in Spanish). The knight Zifar is a medieval Placidus-cum-Eustace, and his story shares in part the didactic function of Eustacian hagiography
, but in other respects is epic and chivalric. After being separated from his family, Zifar finds himself King of Menton. His son Roboam, after receiving an education, is separated from his family, only to end up emperor.
Prose
Prose is the most typical form of written language, applying ordinary grammatical structure and natural flow of speech rather than rhythmic structure...
in the Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
. It was written around 1300, probably by a cleric of Toledo, Ferrand Martínez
Ferrand Martinez
Ferrand Martinez Spanish cleric, Archdeacon of Écija. An antisemitic agitator whom historians cite a the prime mover behind the series of pogroms against the Spanish Jews in 1391 beginning in the city of Seville....
, who is mentioned in the prologue. The book has much affinity with contemporary works of chivalric romance.
The Book of the Knight Zifar has been transmitted in two manuscripts. The first is a fifteenth-century codex known by the letter "M", and catalogued as MS. 11.309 in the Biblioteca Nacional de España
Biblioteca Nacional de España
The Biblioteca Nacional de España is a major public library, the largest in Spain.It is located in Madrid, on the Paseo de Recoletos.-History:...
in Madrid. The second is Spanish MS. 36, called codex "P", in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France
Bibliothèque nationale de France
The is the National Library of France, located in Paris. It is intended to be the repository of all that is published in France. The current president of the library is Bruno Racine.-History:...
in Paris. The latter, compiled in 1464, is generally referred to simply as the "Paris manuscript" and is well-illustrated with colourful miniatures. Two further examples of the Knight Zifar printed in Seville in 1512 survive.
The book is an adaption of the legendary life of Saint Eustace
Saint Eustace
Saint Eustace, also known as Eustachius or Eustathius, was a legendary Christian martyr who lived in the 2nd century AD. A martyr of that name is venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church, which, however, judges that the legend recounted about him is "completely fabulous." For that reason...
, who before his conversion was a Roman general named Placidus (Plácidas in Spanish). The knight Zifar is a medieval Placidus-cum-Eustace, and his story shares in part the didactic function of Eustacian hagiography
Hagiography
Hagiography is the study of saints.From the Greek and , it refers literally to writings on the subject of such holy people, and specifically to the biographies of saints and ecclesiastical leaders. The term hagiology, the study of hagiography, is also current in English, though less common...
, but in other respects is epic and chivalric. After being separated from his family, Zifar finds himself King of Menton. His son Roboam, after receiving an education, is separated from his family, only to end up emperor.
Modern editions
The edition of Wagner (1929) is still definitive, and was reproduced, with minor modifications, by both Riquer (1951) and Buendía (1961).- Heinrich Michelant. Historia del Cavallero Cifar. Bibliothek des Litterarischen Vereins in Stuttgart, CXII. Tübingen: 1872.
- Charles Philip Wagner. El Libro del Caballero Zifar. Ann Arbour: University of Michigan Press, 1929.
- Martín de Riquer. El Caballero Zifar. Selecciones Bibliófilas. Barcelona: Ariel, 1951.
- Felicidad Buendía. Libros de Caballerías españoles: El Caballero Cifar, Amadís de Gaula, Tirant el Blanco. Madrid: Aguilar, 1960.
- Joaquín González Muela. Libro del Caballero Zifar, 2nd ed. Madrid: Castalia, 1990 [1982].
- Cristina González. Libro del Caballero Zifar. Madrid: Cátedra, 1983.
- M. A. Olsen. Libro del Cavallero Çifar. Madison: HSMS, 1984.
- Manuel Moleiro y Francisco Rico. Libro del caballero Zifar. Códice de París. Barcelona: Moleiro, 1996. Online