On Aristotle’s Peri Hermeneias 16a1-18 : the case of an anonymous Armenian commentary

The anonymous Armenian commentary was transmitted together with the Armenian translation of Aristotle's Peri Hermeneias (sixth century or earlier). It was composed in the Hellenizing style and commonly associated with the figure of David the Invincible, a philosopher of the Neoplatonic School of Alexandria. This article presents a general structural analysis of the commentary followed by a comparative study and translation of its first chapter. It argues that the commentary was indeed written in the tradition of late antique Greek commentaries but was probably not associated with late Neoplatonism. The Armenian commentary shares many common features with Ammonius' commentary, but also departs from it on many crucial aspects. From a philosophical standpoint, it has much more in common with Boethius' and Alexander of Aphrodisias' commentaries than with those of the Neoplatonic School of Alexandria, thus suggesting an early writing date.