Tag: Patristics

Origen project update

Posted on by Roger Pearse

The translation of the Homilies on Ezechiel by Origen is almost done.  There’s merely revision to do. 

But a project can get very bogged down at that stage.  The very lack of structure can give a feeling of sinking in a morass!

I always hate it when I’m handed something like that at work.  It’s slow, dull, work, with little feeling of achievement.

The way I handle it at work is to work with my boss, and break it down into defined chunks, each no larger than 1 day of work.  Then at least I get a feeling of progress as I tick each one off.

I’ve proposed to the translator that we do something similar here.  It will also allow me to see progress, and to pay for it as I go. 

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Severian of Gabala and the heavens as a “tent”

Posted on by Roger Pearse

Severian is famous — or infamous — because he compared the sky to a “tent” and then to a “pavilion” in his sermons on Genesis, e.g. in homily 1, 3:5.  I’ve been thinking about this.  A tent to us is a square thing, and the idea is outlandish.  But what did the word mean to Severian?  What is being said?

To find out, we need to see the Greek. 

severian3_5_greek

severian3_5_greek3

This I rendered from French as follows:

5. Let us now ask where the sun goes down, and where, during the night, it purses its course?  According to our adversaries, under the land; and we who look at the sky as a tent, what is our feeling on this?  Look and see, I beg you, whether we are in error, or whether the truth of our opinion appears clearly, and whether reality is in agreement with our hypothesis.  Imagine that above your head a pavilion has been set up.  East would be there, north here, south there and west there.  When the sun has left the East and starts to set, it will not set under the land; but crossing the limits of the sky, it traverses the northern areas where it is hidden by a kind of wall from our gaze, the upper waters concealing his journey from us; and, after having traversed these areas, it returns to the East. And where is the proof of this assertion?  In Ecclesiastes, an authentic and not interpolated work of Solomon: “The sun rises and the sun sets,” it is written there;  “while rising, it moves towards its setting, then it turns to the north;  it turns, it turns, and it rises again in its place.”  Eccl., i, 5.

The first word used — rendered “tent” by Bareille in his French translation — is σκηνή, which LSJ at Perseus give with a range of meanings.  The word “skene” is what we get “scene” from, in a theatrical sense, as in the stuff on the stage, referring to the wall at the back of the stage behind which things went on.

I. a covered place, a tent, Hdt., Soph., etc.: —in pl. a camp, Lat. castra, Aesch., Xen.
      2. generally, a dwelling-place, house, temple, Eur.
II. a wooden stage for actors, Plat.:—in the regular theatre, the σκηνή was a wall at the back of the stage, with doors for entrance and exit; the stage (in our sense) was προσκήνιον or λογεῖον, the sides or wings παρασκήνια, and the wall under the stage, fronting the orchestra, ὑποσκήνια.
       2. οἱ ἀπὸ σκηνῆς, the actors, players, Dem.
      3. τὸ ἐπὶ σκηνῆς μέρος that which is actually represented on the stage, Arist.; τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς σκηνῆς (sc. ᾁσματα）, odes sung on the stage, id=Arist.
       4. metaph. stage-effect, unreality, σκηνὴ πᾶς ὁ βίος “all the world’s a stage, ” Anth.
III. the tented cover, tilt of a wagon, Aesch., Xen.: also a bed-tester, Dem.
IV. an entertainment given in tents, a banquet, Xen.

There is quite a range of meanings in there, and there may be post-classical meanings that LSJ doesn’t have.  Is “tent” quite adequate?  Wouldn’t “covered area” be better?

The second word used is καμάραν — rendered “pavilion”.  This also has a range of meanings:

καμάρ-α, Ion. καμάρ-η μα, ἡ,
 [A] anything with an arched cover, covered carriage, Hdt. 1.199, D.C. 36.49 ; covered boat or barge, Str. 11.2.12, cf. Gell. 10.25 ; vaulted chamber, Agatharch. 62, PStrassb. 91.5 (i B.C.), D.S. 18.26, BGU 731 (ii A.D.) ; vault of a tomb, CIG 2241 ( Chios ), 3007 ( Ephesus ), 3104 ( Teos ), IG 7.2725.4 (Acraeph.); vault of heaven, LXX Is. 40.22 ; vaulted ceiling, τοῦ ἑπτακλίνου PCair.Zen. 445.9 (iii B.C.) ; tester-bed, Arr. An. 7.25.4 ; vaulted sewer, as gloss on ψαλίς, Sch. Pl. Lg. 947d, Hsch.
 [II] Medic., hollow near the auditory meatus, Poll. 2.86 .
 [III] pl., = ζῶναι στρατιωτικαί, Hsch. (Cf. Avest, kamarā ‘girdle’, Lat. camurus, unless Carian, cf. καμαρός 11 .)

which all adds up to “something with a curved top”.  The LXX meaning in Is. 40.22 of “vault of heaven” is perhaps what is in mind here, conceived of as curved.

Cosmas Indicopleustes adopted the idea of Severian — which was speculation by the latter.  His model was a cube with a domed roof.  The fact that this meant the world had corners was no problem — on the contrary! — because the bible talks about the four corners of the world.  I haven’t read enough of Severian to find his reference to corners, but it looks as if this is the pattern here too.

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Severian of Gabala in Arabic

Posted on by Roger Pearse

Some materials by the 4th century bishop made their way into Arabic.  Here is what Georg Graf says.  German is not a language I find easy, but I have attempted a translation and placed it below.

92. Severianus, Bischof von Gabala (gest. nach 408).

1. Von seinem reichen Homilien schätz ist nichts vollständig in arabischer Uebertragung vererbt worden. Auch musste gerade in dem wenigen, was als Ausbeute aus seinen Schriften übrigblieb, sein Name demjenigen des von ihm angefeindeten, aber berühmteren Johannes Chrysostomus weichen, wie schon in der griechischen Ueberlieferung.

1. Of his many and popular homilies nothing has been transmitted in a complete form in Arabic. Also the very few portions that survived of his writings were not attributed to him, but to the more famous John Chrysostom, as already in the Greek tradition

Noch als Eigentum des Severian war dem Enzyklopädisten Abu’l-Barakät in seinem Katal. 648 (678) “das Buch Hexaemeron” (Kitäb aksimärus) bekannt; er führt es als einziges Werk von ihm an. Zweifelhaft aber ist, ob damit eine vollständige Uebersetzung der 6 Reden über die Erschaffung der Welt (P. gr. 56, 429-500) gemeint ist, von der wir keine Hs kennen, oder schon eine Neubearbeitung dieser Eeden zusätzlich einer siebenten, die mit dem griechischen Original nicht viel mehr als das Thema und einige gedankliche Anklänge gemein hat. — Die anderen, zu einer einzigen Homilie zusammengezogenen Auszüge können mit dem “Buch” des Abu’l-Barakät kaum zu identifizieren sein.

The encyclopedist Abu’l-Barakat in his Catalogue 648 (678) stated that “the book Hexaemeron” (Kitab aksīmārus) was known as being by Severian; he gives it as a single work by him. It is doubtful, however, whether a complete translation of the 6 speeches about the creation of the world (PG 56, 429-500) is meant, of which we know no manuscript, or instead a new edition of these discourses with a seventh, which have in common with the original Greek not much more than the subject, and some echoes of thought. – The latter, a collection of extracts from a single homily, is difficult to identify with the “book” of Abu’l-Barakat.

Die 7 Reden in Paris arabe 68 (J 1339), ff 36 r-67r tragen die Ueberschrift: “Aus den Worten (qaul) des Severianus (Name verstümmelt), Bischofs von Gabala, die er zur Erklärung der sechs Tage, in denen Gott den Himmel und die Erde erschuf, gesprochen hat, eine zusammengelesene Abhandlung (kaläm multaqat), Zeugnisse und feststehende Tatsachen (umür täbita?) für die, welche Erkenntnis wünschen”. Siehe Joh. Zellinger, Die Genesishomilien des Bischofs Severian von Gabala, Münster i. W. 1916, S. 17-19 mit Textproben aus der 7. Homilie in Uebersetzung. – Die “Homilie zur Erklärung der 6 Schöpfungstage” siehe oben bei Johannes Chrysostomus.

The 7 speeches in ms. Paris arabe 68 (J 1339), ff 36 r-67r bear the inscription: “From the words (qaul) of Severianus (name mutilated), Bishop of Gabala, which he spoke in explanation of the six days that God created the heavens and the earth, gathered into a treatise (multaqat Kala), with evidence and established facts (umür täbita?) for those who desire knowledge.” See Johannes Zellinger, Die Genesishomilien des Bischofs Severian von Gabala, Münster i. W., 1916, p. 17-19 with samples of the text of the 7th Homily in translation. – For the “homily to explain the 6 days of creation,” see above under John Chrysostom.

Die Homilie über den verfluchten und vertrockneten Feigenbaum ebd.

The homily on the cursed and withered fig-tree, likewise.

2. Unterschobene Homilien. – “Ueber die Erscheinung Gottes, unseres Erlösers, und seine Geburt aus der Jungfrau, aus dem Syrischen übersetzt von Gregorius, Oberen des Klosters Däfnünä in den Schwarzen Bergen”: Bairut 510, S. 500-509 (verschieden von Oratio in Dei apparitionem, P. gr. 65, 15-26). H. zum Mittwoch in der Karwoche: Borg, ar. 57 (J. 1739), ff. 135 v, 136 r. Kairo 170 (15. Jh.), ff. 53 v-54 v; kopt. und ar.; zum Karfreitag ebd. in 91 (17. Jh.).

2. Spurious homilies. – “On the epiphany of God our saviour and his birth from the Virgin, translated from the Syriac by Gregorius, Superior of the Abbey of Däfnünä in the Black Mountains”: Beirut 510, p. 500-509 (different to the Oratio in Dei apparitionem, PG 65, 15-26). Homily on Holy Wednesday: Borg, ar. 57 (1739 AD), ff. 135v, 136r. Cairo 170 (15th c.), ff. 53 v-54v; Copt. and Ar.; on Good Friday likewise in 91 (17th c.).

Lobrede auf die Apostel zum 6. hatür, aus dem Koptischen übersetzt: Vat. ar. 536 (15. Jh.), ff. 1 r-32 r. Kairo 717 (J. 1358), ff. 115 v- 130 v. – Eine unbestimmte Rede: Sin. ar. 423, 3 (J. 1626x).

A panegyric on the apostle on the 6th Hatur, translated from the Coptic: Vat. ar. 536 (15th c.), ff. 1 r-32 r. Cairo 717 (1358 AD), ff. 115v- 130v. — A sermon of indefinite content: Sin. ar. 423, 3 (1626 AD).

3. Zwei Scholien zu Mt 25,31-26, 5 in der koptisch-arabischen Evangelien-Katene: Vat. ar. 452, f. 119 r; 410, ff. 98r-99v. – Ein dem Cyrillus von Alexandrien (De recta fide ad reginas) entnommenes Zitat unter dem Namen des Severian im Florileg B. V. 76, siehe dort; J. Zellinger, Studien zu Severian von Gabala, Münster i. W. 1926, S. 118 f.

3. Two scholia on Mt 25:31-26:5, in the Coptic-Arabic gospel catena: Vat. ar. 452, f. 119 r; 410, ff. 98r-99v. — A citation from Cyril of Alexandria (De recta fide ad reginas) appears under the name of Severian in the Florilegium B. V. 76, see J. Zellinger, Studien zu Severian von Gabala, Münster i. W. 1926, p. 118.

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Eusebius update – Coptic transcribed

Posted on by Roger Pearse

Excellent news – the chap I commissioned to type up the Coptic text of the fragments of Eusebius in that language has done so and I have the file.  He did an excellent job.  In fact he inlined extracts of the page images, and then typed underneath in unicode.  He said:

I’ve used a Unicode font called Keft. You can download it from http://www.evertype.com/fonts/coptic/ if you don’t already have it.

I don’t know if there is a “standard” Coptic font to use, nor how he did his data entry — is there perhaps a Coptic keyboard?  All the same, I am very glad. 

I’ve now passed the file to the Coptic translator for comment, and since she is a little technophobic I am reasonably confident it will blow her socks off!  Very nice piece of work, very quickly done.  (Indeed I was so pleased I added a bonus for quick completion).

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A volume of papers from a Eusebius conference

Posted on by Roger Pearse

A year or so back there was a conference somewhere in Europe about Eusebius.  I never saw it announced, and the few people who seemed to know about it responded evasively to my requests for further information.  Possibly they were afraid that someone as unacademic as me might turn up!  Indeed I might have done.

The papers from the conference are being gathered in a volume to be published by Brill.  Interesting a translation of Eusebius of Caesarea’s De Sollemnitate Paschalis is among them:

Mark DelCogliano, “The Promotion of the Constantinian Agenda in Eusebius of Caesarea’s On the Feast of Pascha,” in Sabrina Inowlocki and Claudio Zamagni (eds.), Reconsidering Eusebius: A Fresh Look at his Life, Work, and Thought (Leiden: Brill, forthcoming).

My correspondant adds:

I don’t know when the volume is supposed to appear. It’s not yet listed on the Brill website, so presumably not soon.

Note that the article is not merely a translation. It is a study that argues that the short treatise was commissioned by Constantine as part of his campaign to eliminate the celebration of Easter on different dates around the empire. A translation is appended to the study.

The book is something to look out for, if not to buy — Brill volumes are so expensive as to be library-only purchases.

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Eusebius, De sollemnitate paschalis – translation done

Posted on by Roger Pearse

Angelo Mai retrieved various things from the margins of Vatican manuscripts in the 1820’s.  Among these was an epitome of another lost work by Eusebius of Caesarea, De sollemnitate paschalis (On the celebration of Easter).  This has never received a complete translation into English, although it is fairly short.

I commissioned a translation of it a couple of months back, and the first draft arrived today.  It’s an excellent and professional piece of work, as always with that translator. 

My original intention was to place the thing online.  I’m being slightly tempted instead to bundle it with the Gospel Problems and Solutions translation, and to think in terms of a volume of Minor works of Eusebius, rather than just the original idea.

Probably that’s a bad idea.  It’s taken long enough to get as close to completion with the Problems as we now are, and further delay would be involved if the scope expands.

Still tempting tho.

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Eusebius update 2

Posted on by Roger Pearse

I emailed someone this morning about transcribing the text of the Coptic fragments of Eusebius of Caesarea’s Gospel problems and solutions.  Rather to my surprise he did the first fragment then and there into unicode, and perfectly well.  I’m so used to delays on the Coptic that it is delightful to find someone getting on with it.

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Eusebius update

Posted on by Roger Pearse

Good news – the Greek text that the Sources Chretiennes sent me turns out to be exactly what they printed.  I had half the Ad Marinum checked, and there were no deviations. 

This means that all the Greek text has now been checked and is ready to go.

I’ve written to someone to type up the Coptic text in unicode.  That shouldn’t take too long.  I’ve put the translators of the Arabic and Coptic in contact, and they’re agreeing to disagree about the reading of some passage.  The Arabic is all done, translated and transcribed; the Coptic I think is probably the same.

I need to prepare the Latin text myself of the Ambrose fragments (unless someone else wants to, for money).  I need to assemble all the Greek in files in the right format.  And then…. we are basically done!  At that point it can be sent for typesetting.

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Greek texts from the library of the Patriarch in Jerusalem

Posted on by Roger Pearse

John Chrysostom was exiled from Constantinople at the instigation of the empress Eudoxia, assisted by Severian of Gabala.  But the people rioted before he had gone far, and Chrysostom was recalled.  An armistice was patched up between the two men.

In Migne there is a little group of three sermons, only in Latin, all headed De Pace — On Peace.  The first two are by Chrysostom, and refer to “our brother Severian”.  The third is by Severian himself in reply.

Quasten tells us that the latter is only fragments, and that the full Greek text only appeared in print at the hands of Papadopoulos-Kerameus, St. Petersburg in 1891, in vol. 1 of Analekta hierosolumitikes stakuologias, p.15-26.  My heart sank as I saw this, and contemplated how on earth I would ever even locate such a volume. 

Slightly hopelessly I entered his name in Google; and a list on Archive.org came up.  And here it is, courtesy of the good and generous people at Harvard Library, who have given freely of their store to the world!  There’s also a catalogue of manuscripts in that library.

Looking at the PDF of vol. 1, after the prologue in Greek, sure enough, on p. 15 (Roman numerals; p.50 of the PDF), is the sermon peri eirenes, taken from ms. Saba 32, fol. 130a-135b.  Migne’s Latin text is printed in parallel where it exists; no translation where it does not.

Anyone fancy translating it into English, for money?

On p.556 of the PDF is a list of contents.  Any care to give us an idea of that lot in English?  I can see it starts with Andrew of Crete, then Severian, then Paulinus’ Life of Ambrose…

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An opportunity to translate some of Severus Sebokht

Posted on by Roger Pearse

The Syriac scientist Severus Sebokht lived in the mid-7th century in Syria and was possibly the most learned man of his day.  He lived at the great monastery of Kinnesrin, which was noted for Greek studies.  He is the first western writer to refer to what we today call “arabic numerals”. 

Two works by him have been translated into French; On the astrolabe and On the constellations.  The French translation of the former was run into English, and I scanned that and placed it online.  I translated part of the latter and also placed that online.

I also dumped whatever information I had on him online here.

Most of his works have never been published.  A lot of them are to be found in a manuscript in the French National Library in Paris, ms. Syr. 346.  I obtained a PDF of a microfilm of this years ago.

I’ve had an offer today by a chap who is fluent in both Syriac and Arabic to translate some of it.  I think I’ll take him up on this!

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