Translation as a Form of Rewriting: Theological Terminology and Sources in Manuel Kalekas’ Greek Translation of St. Anselm’s Cur Deus Homo

In the fourteenth century, Manuel Kalekas translated Cur Deus homo, Saint Anselm’s influential treatise on the necessity of Christ’s incarnation for human salvation. This translation forms part of the broader movement of the so-called Latinophrones: Byzantine scholars devoted to the study of Latin and Catholic theology. Within this context, an extensive corpus of Latin theological texts — including works by Augustine, Boethius, Anselm, and especially Thomas Aquinas — was rendered into Greek. These translations circulated within intellectual circles and exerted a significant influence on Byzantine theological thought. They thus constitute a unique source for examining intellectual and cultural interaction in Byzantium through the medium of translation. My paper focuses on Kalekas’s Greek version of Anselm’s Cur Deus homo as a case study within this wider network of translations. The analysis concentrates on two main aspects: (i) the translation of theological terminology — does Kalekas employ the same Greek equivalents for specific Latin concepts, or does he opt for variation, and if so, with what semantic or stylistic motivation? How were these Greek terms used in other Byzantine theological treatises? — and (ii) the treatment of quotations from other theological works — does Kalekas rely on existing Greek versions or retranslate the passages himself? Are these references still recognizable as such, or is the intertextual dimension of the treatise partially lost in translation? Answering these questions is crucial for understanding how this work was could be received in Byzantium. In addition, Kalekas’s translation practices will be situated within the broader framework of the Latinophrones’ intellectual activity, assessing whether Kalekas’s translation strategies align with or diverge from those of other Latinophrones. This paper ultimately reveals how these translations, themselves the product of intercultural and intellectual collaboration, became instruments and drivers of further exchange, fostering ongoing dialogue and creative engagement within the Palaeologan world.