An unknown copy of the “Logic” and “Metaphysics” by Athanasios Psalidas in the Manuscript of Theodosios Melas (RSL. F. 310. No. 1360)

   This article deals with an unknown copy of a course on logic and metaphysics by an outstanding figure of the Greek Enlightenment, the writer and teacher Athanasios Psalidas. In this course, compiled in 1804 in Ioannina and preserved in an autograph and several later undated copies, Psalidas outlines the philosophical views of the German encyclopedic scholar Christian von Wolf, which he learned during his studies at the University of Vienna in 1787–1795. The earliest precisely dated copy of Psalidas’ work is preserved in the Russian State Library, F. 310 (collection of V. M. Undolsky), No. 1360. In our article, brief codicological information on the manuscript is provided as well as information on its composition and content. The manuscript contains a treatise on logic and the first three parts of metaphysics, namely ontology, cosmology, and psychology (without an ending). The end of the treatise on psychology and the final part of metaphysics — natural theology — are missing, although there is no lacuna or break in the text at the end. In the article, information is provided concerning the scribe and owner of the manuscript, Theodosios Melas, a representative of the rich and educated merchant family Melas from Ioannina, who lived in Russia for a period of time. Based on the study of the watermarks (Venetian-made paper), we conclude that the manuscript was written by Theodosios Melas before he moved to Russia, most likely in Ioannina. It is established that in 1816–1819 Melas lived in Moscow, where he acquired a certain number of educational publications in Greek. Information is provided about these publications, as well as about a second manuscript belonging to Theodosios Melas, acquired by V. M. Undolskii in 1863 and also preserved in the Russian State Library. The text of the newly discovered copy of Psalidas’ works is compared with Latin translations of treatises on logic and metaphysics by Christian von Wolf, as well as with their popular educational transcriptions compiled by Johann Heinrich Winkler and Friedrich Christian Baumeister. It is established that the direct source of the works of Athanasios Psalidas were textbooks on logic and metaphysics by Friedrich Christian Baumeister, frequently reprinted in the 18^th century.

1. Belousova, L. G. et al. (2002–2014). Greki Odessy: Imennoi ukazatel’ po metricheskim knigam Odesskoi Grecheskoi Sviato-Troitskoi tserkvi [Greeks of Odessa: Name index for the metric books of the Odessa Greek Trinity Church] (Pt. 2) 1834–1852; (Pt. 3) 1853–1874; (Pt. 4.) 1875–1891; (Pt. 1) 1799–1831, 1836 (2^nd ed., enl.). Druk; Fotosintetika; Udacha. (In Russian).

2. Gritsopoulos, T. A. (1952). Catalogos tōn cheirographōn codikōn tēs Scholēs Dēmētsanēs [A Catalogue of Codices in the Library of the School of Demetsana]. Epeteris Hetaireias Byzantinōn Spoudōn, 22, 183–226. (In Greek).

3. Kazhdan, A. P., Griazina, L. P. et al. (1975). Opis’ fonda № 310. Sobranie V. M. Undol’skogo [Inventory of Fond 310. Collection of V. M. Undolsky] (Typescript, Vol. 3). (In Russian).

4. Koukouvinou, S. (2022). Germanikos kai Neoellēnikos Diaphōtismos: Diereunēsē pneumatikōn allēlepidraseōn stē diamorphōsē tēs Neoellēnikēs paideias [The German and modern Greek Enlightenment: The study of spiritual interactions in the formation of modern Greek education] (= The electronic journal of the Department of German Language and Literature of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens; Vol. 2). http://lexis.gs.uoa.gr/pararthma-dhmosieyseis/tomos-2os-germanikos-kai-neoellhnikos-diafwtismos.html. (In Greek).

5. Kourmantzi-Panagiotakou, E. (1991). Hē ekpaideusē sta Giannena kai hoi ideologies tēs: Hoi “neōteristikes” scholes kai hoi scholes Mpalanōn kai Psalidas [Education in Ioannina and its ideologies: The “innovative” schools and the Balanon and Psalida Schools]. Dōdōnē, [Ser.] 2, 20, 101–174. (In Greek).

6. Kourmantzi-Panagiotakou, E. (2007). Hē neoellēnikē anagennēsē sta Giannena apo ton paroiko emporo ston Ath. Psalida kai ton Iō. Vilara (17 – arches 19 aiōna) [The modern Greek renaissance in Ioannina from foreign commerce to A. Psalidas and I. Bilaras (17^th — early 19^th centuries)]. Gutenberg. (In Greek).

7. Melas, L. I. (1967). Ēpeirōtikes meletes. Mia oikogeneia, mia historia [Studies on Epirus. One family, one history] (Author’s ed.). (In Greek).

8. Noutsos, P. Chr. (1986). Hena mathēmatario “Metaphysikēs” tou Athanasiou Psalida [A textbook on metaphysics by Athanasios Psalidas]. Ho Eranistēs, 18, 93–104. (In Greek).

9. Petrunina, O. E. (2010). Grecheskaia natsiia i gosudarstvo v XVIII–XX vv. : Ocherki politicheskogo razvitiia [Greek nation and state (18^th–20^th сenturies): Studies in political history]. Knizhnyi dom Universitet. (In Russian).

10. Petsios, K. Th. (2003a). Symmikta peri Athanasiou Psalida me basē to Archeio tou [Miscellanea on Athanasios Psalidas based on his archive]. Ho Eranistēs, 24, 202–206. (In Greek).

11. Petsios, K. Th. (2003b). Tekmēria apo to hystero philosophiko ergo tou Athanasiou Psalida [Evidence from the latter philosophical work of Athanasios Psalidas]. Dōdōnē, [Ser.] 3, 32, 283–298. (In Greek).

12. Sturdza, M.-D. (1999). Dictionnaire historique et généalogique des grandes familles de Grèce, d’Albanie et de Constantinople (2^nd ed., rev. and enl.). Chez l’auteur.

13. Vranousis, L. I. (1952). Athanasios Psalidas: ho didaskalos tou Genous [Athanasios Psalidas, teacher of the nation]. Ēpeirōtikē Hestia, 4–5, 331–470. (In Greek).