A Medieval Arabic Translation of a Greek Dream Interpretation Book

What is it about?

The "Oneirocritica" is a Greek book from the 2nd century AD, which provides detailed interpretations of dreams. These dreams and their interpretations were very specific to the time and language in which the book was written, extensively referencing the Greek gods and cultural practices. This paper looks at a 9th century AD Arabic translation of this text, examining how the translator grapples with the challenge of not just translating these references to mythology, sexuality, and culture, but reinterpreting them to fit their new Islamic context.

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Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

Photo by Jr Korpa on Unsplash

Why is it important?

By examining how these dreams and interpretations were modified to fit their new context, this paper sheds light on the social, cultural, and religious setting of 9th century Baghdad.

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