An Oriental Tale

Two translations of the Qurʾan made directly from the Arabic appeared in French between 1600 and 1800. The first, by André Du Ryer, was first published in 1647 . The second, by Claude-Etienne Savary, appeared in 1783. In contrast to scholarly translations, whether of the entire text of the Qurʾan or simply of fragments in Latin or Arabic, the vernacular versions aimed for a broad readership often ignorant of Latin and with little interest in the Arabic original. Du Ryer’s decision to publish his rendering with a popular press that specialized in plays and romances led to a work which prefigured the translation of the Arabian Nights . Indeed, he intended his translation as a work of entertainment—an oriental tale. Savary, influenced by the growing interest in oriental poetry, wanted to convey the stylistic beauty of the “masterpiece” of Arabic literature. In fact, he paid little attention to the Arabic but relied on a Latin version to produce a version that would be a delight to read. This chapter discusses the procedures employed by Du Ryer and Savary in translating and presenting the sacred text of the Islamic world.