The Coptic Versions of the Martyrdom of Saint George

The Martyrdom of George is one of the most prominent early Christian hagiographies, the popularity of which endured far into the Middle Ages. Originally composed in Greek, it was translated into a multitude of ancient languages, including the three major literary dialects of Coptic - viz., Sahidic, Fayyumic, and Bohairic. Exactly one century ago, Giuseppe Balestri and Henri Hyvernat produced for this series an exemplary edition of two Bohairic manuscripts of the martyrdom. The present volume supplements the classic work of these two Coptologists by offering the reader an edition and translation of the other eight Coptic witnesses. The edition is preceded by a study which argues that, although scholars often speak of the Coptic version of the Martyrdom of George, there are, in fact, two distinct Coptic versions - viz., one attested by the extant Sahidic manuscripts and one attested in Bohairic and Fayyumic.