SIKE Henricus Evangelium Infantiae. Vel liber apocryphus de infantia servaoris. Ex manuscripto edidit, ac latina versione & notis illustravit.

First edition of the apocryphal Arabic Gospel, accompanied by the Latin translation by Henry Sike (1669-1712). This renowned orientalist from Bremen based his edition on a manuscript previously owned by Jacobus Golius, with extensive notes that include extracts from the Qur’an and other works.

The title, printed in red and black with some Arabic characters, is decorated with a small copperplate vignette. The Arabic text in the body of the book is always placed to the left of the Latin translation.

“Important first edition of the Syriac Infancy Gospel, translated by Henry Sike, Professor of Oriental Languages at Cambridge, in 1697. Also known as the Arabic Infancy Gospel, Evangelium Infantiae concerns the childhood of Jesus. This apocryphal piece, originating from Syriac sources of the 5th and 6th centuries, reveals some amusing claims: a magic diaper that heals people; sweat (of Jesus) that turns into balm, and cures leprosy; and an early encounter for Jesus with Judas Iscariot” (University of Otago, NZ).

Very good copy.