Page:Ragg Gospel of Barnabas.djvu/81

 DEDICATORY PREFACE .(translation down)

By J. F. CRAMER (1). Serenissimo Sabaudiae Principi EUGENIO Heroi invicto, Musarum Herculi, Hoc Evangelium Muhammedanum, quod BARNABAE Apostoli Nomen prae se fert. In Italicum sermonem, compluribus abhinc seculis, uti caracteris ductus et vetustae orthographiae ratio ostendit, conversum ; quod Evangelium, sive Arabice sive alia lingua, et si quis conjecturae locus est, a Sergio Monacho Nestoriano, uno e tribus illis Alcorani architects compositum, adhuc videre nemini Christianorum licuit : quamvis hi illud perquirere et inspicere omni ope niterentur : at tandem ejusmodi Evangelium quo Muhammedani, tantopere gloriantur, ne existere quidem suspicari coeperint : Hunc, inquam, Codicem, manu satis eleganti exaratum, et, sicuti constat, unicum: ut esset Bibliothecae quam Princeps Incomparabilis, libris rarissimis, seu typis, seu manu descriptis refertissimam, construendam, regio et animo et sumptu, suscepit, non postremum ornamentum : Et simul suae in immortale MAXIMI HEROIS Nomen perpetuae observantiae, pietatis, ac devolissimi pectoris qualecumque Monumentum :

L. M. Q. ( Libens . MeritoQue )

D. D. D. (Dedit . Donavit . Dedicavit )

IOANNES FREDERICUS CRAMERUS HAGAE COMITIS a. d. xx lunii
 * ciɔ iɔ ccxiii. ( 20 June 1713 )

1 See Introduction, p. xiii, note 2, and xliv, note 3.

TRANSLATION :

Serene Highness, Prince of Savoy, EUGEN,

the invincible hero,

Hercules of the Muses,

This is the Mohammedan Gospel, preceded by the name of the apostle Barnabas. It was translated into Italian a few centuries ago, which is indicated by the written form used and the ancient spelling. The gospel, even if it is only a guess, has been compiled either in Arabic or in another language by the Nestorian monk Sergius, one of the three authors of the Koran. To date, no Christian has seen it, even though they have tried to find and see it by all means, so that they eventually believe that this gospel, so much prized by the Mohammedans, does not exist. This book comes from - I would like to emphasize - a fine hand and, it looks like, is unique: Since you, incomparable ruler, had a library built, which is filled with very rare books, both printed and handwritten is, this gospel would not be the worst adornment for this: and at the same time a worthy monument to my, the greatest hero, immortal name, my uninterrupted deference, loyalty and the devotion of my soul to you:

Willingly and deservingly

dedicated and given as a gift,

Johann Friedrich Cramer,

The Hague, in the year of the Lord June 20, 1713.