Diliana Atanassova, Tinatin Chronz (Hg.) Beiträge zu Gottesdienst und Geschichte der fünf altkirchlichen Patriarchate für Heinzgerd Brakmann zum 70. Geburtstag orientalia - patristica - oecumenica Bd. 6.1 LIT orientalia – patristica – oecumenica herausgegeben von/edited by Dietmar W. Winkler (Universität Salzburg) Vol. 6.1 LIT Beiträge zu Gottesdienst und Geschichte der fünf altkirchlichen Patriarchate für Heinzgerd Brakmann zum 70. Geburtstag Teilband 1 herausgegeben von Diliana Atanassova und Tinatin Chronz LIT Synaxis katholike Gedruckt mit freundlicher Unterstützung der Gertrud-und-Alexander Böhlig Stiftung im Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft und des Zentrums zur Erforschung des Christlichen Ostens der Universität Salzburg (ZECO) Umschlagbild (Detail): Erscheinung des Kreuzes als Lebensbaum im Tympanon über dem Eingang (Südseite) in die Kreuzkirche bei Mzcheta, Georgien (6. Jh.) Foto: Alexander Mchedlidze (Gori, Georgien) Satz: Diliana Atanassova, Tinatin Chronz Umschlaggestaltung: Diana Trampova-Stoyanova Bibliografische Information der Deutschen Nationalbibliothek Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek verzeichnet diese Publikation in der Deutschen Nationalbibliografie; detaillierte bibliografische Daten sind im Internet über http://dnb.d-nb.de abrufbar. ISBN 978-3-643-50552-1 L © IT VERLAG GmbH & Co. KG Wien 2014 Krotenthallergasse 10/8 A-1080 Wien Tel. +43 (0) 1-409 56 61 Fax +43 (0) 1-409 56 97 E-Mail: wien@lit-verlag.at http://www.lit-verlag.at LIT VERLAG Dr. W. Hopf Berlin 2014 Verlagskontakt: Fresnostr. 2 D-48159 Münster Tel. +49 (0) 2 51-62 03 20 Fax +49 (0) 2 51-23 19 72 E-Mail: lit@lit-verlag.de http://www.lit-verlag.de Auslieferung: Deutschland: LIT Verlag Fresnostr. 2, D-48159 Münster Tel. +49 (0) 2 51-620 32 22, Fax +49 (0) 2 51-922 60 99, E-Mail: vertrieb@lit-verlag.de Österreich: Medienlogistik Pichler-ÖBZ, E-Mail: mlo@medien-logistik.at E-Books sind erhältlich unter www.litwebshop.de A GREEK HYMN TO THE VIRGIN WITH ALPHABETIC ACROSTICS FOUND AT QASR IBRIM, EGYPTIAN NUBIA* Adam ŁAJTAR Warsaw, Poland Several years ago Heinzgerd Brakmann published a seminal study about the liturgy of the Christian Church in Nubia1. The material Brakmann had at his disposal while preparing his study included several dozen in all three languages used in Nubia (Greek, Coptic, Old Nubian), written on parchment, paper, stone and brick, supplemented by the remains of cult buildings with their decoration and equipment. The topographical distribution of this material is very uneven; the large majority comes from northern Nubia, from the area located between the first and the third Nile cataracts2, which once formed an independent kingdom of Nobadia. Among Nobadian sites, two are particularly important for the study of various aspects of Nubian Christian culture. These are Faras (Nubian Pachoras) in the area of the second Nile cataract, famous for its cathedral with magnificent paintings discovered by the Polish archaeological mission in the 1960s, and Qasr Ibrim (Nubian Phrim or Silmi), one hundred kilometres north of Faras, which produced an unusual collection of written sources unearthed by the Mission of the Egypt Exploration Society that excavated the site between 1963 and 2008. * 1 2 I would like to thank the authorities of the Egypt Exploration Society (EES) who generously granted me permission to publish this interesting find. My special thanks go to Patricia Spencer, General Editor of the EES, with whom I discussed the question of the publication rights. I am highly obliged also to Pamela Rose, the former Director of the EES mission to Qasr Ibrim as well as keeper of the Qasr Ibrim Archive (then at the University of Cambridge), and to Julie Anderson, who keeps the Archive at present in the Egyptian Department of the British Museum. It is Julie Anderson who provided me with the photo of the object and all necessary information about it. I thank Józef Naumowicz and Jacques van der Vliet who read through an earlier version of this paper and provided me with some valuable observations, and to Giovanni Ruffini who corrected the English of this paper. H. BRAKMANN, Defunctus adhuc loquitur. Gottesdienst und Gebetsliteratur der untergegangenen Kirche in Nubien, in: ALW 48,3 (2006), 283–333. For the history of Christian Nubia, see most recently D. A. WELSBY, The Medieval Kingdoms of Nubia. Pagans, Christians and Muslims along the Middle Nile. London 2002. Still valuable remain appropriate chapters of the study by W. Y. ADAMS, Nubia, Corridor to Africa. London 1977. This is due to the fact that this part of the Nile valley was well researched archaeologically in 1960s, during an international campaign carried out in connection with the construction of the Aswan high dam. Only recently the study of Christian Nubia included in a more substantial degree areas to the south of the third Nile cataract as well. 392 Adam Łajtar As far as Christian liturgica are concerned, the following items are known from Qasr Ibrim: a leaf of parchment with the beginning of the anaphora of St Mark with gratiarum actio and intercession prayers in Greek3; a leaf of parchment with the intercession prayers of the anaphora of St Mark in Greek4; fragments of a paper sheet with the intercession prayers of the anaphora of St Mark in Greek5; a leaf of parchment with the prayer for peace and for the Church of an otherwise unknown anaphora of St Athanasius (Greek)6; a sheet of paper with prayers of thanksgiving and dismissal in Greek7; a fragment of a leaf of parchment with petitionary prayers in Greek8; a fragment of a parchment leaf with a text in Greek, perhaps an intercession prayer9; a fragment of a leaf of parchment with prayers in Greek resembling prayers after the Censing and the Trishagion from the Liturgy of the Ethiopian Church10; a fragment of a leaf of parchment with a Greek text (either prayers or hymns)11; two leafs of parchment with prayers of the liturgy of the Presanctified in Greek12; a fragment of a leaf of paper with the Trishagion13; a parchment leaf from a lectionary in Old Nubian with readings (only Pauline letters) for Saturdays and Sundays in the month of Mesore14; another fragment of an Old Nubian lectionary with Pauline and Evan3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 W. H. FREND, G. DRAGAS, A eucharistic sequence from Q’asr Ibrim, in: JAC 30 (1987), 90– 98, pl. 2; J. HAMMERSTAEDT, Griechische Anaphorenfragmente aus Ägypten und Nubien (PapyCol XXVIII). Opladen, Wiesbaden 1999, 102–122, no. 6 FREND, DRAGAS, A eucharistic sequence from Q’asr Ibrim (see fn. 3), 97, pl. 2a–b; HAMMERSTAEDT, Anaphorenfragmente (see fn. 3), 123–126, no. 7. W. H. C. FREND, G. DRAGAS, S. KONTOYIANNIS, Some Further Greek Liturgical Fragments from Q’asr Ibrim, in: JAC 35 (1992), 127–129, pl. 3a–f; J. HAMMERSTAEDT, Papierfragmente der Markusliturgie aus byzantinischer Zeit in Qasr Ibrim, in: ZPE 104 (1994), 287–291 (new arrangement of fragments 2–3); HAMMERSTAEDT, Anaphorenfragmente (see fn. 3), 127–134, no. 8. W. H. C. FREND, I. A. MUIRHEAD, The Greek Manuscripts from the Cathedral of Qasr Ibrim, in: Mus 89 (1976), 47–49; HAMMERSTAEDT, Anaphorenfragmente (see fn. 3), 135–137, no. 9. W. H. C. FREND, Some Greek Liturgical Fragments from Q’asr Ibrim in Nubia, in: E. LIVINGSTONE (ed.), Studia Patristica XV: Papers Presented to the Seventh International Conference on Patristic Studies Held in Oxford 1975. Part I (TU 128). Berlin 1984, 545–553, photo. FREND, DRAGAS, KONTOYIANNIS, Greek Liturgical Fragments (see fn. 5), 129–130, pl. 3g/h. Ibid. 131–132, pl. 4b. Ibid. 132, pl. 4 c/d. Ibid. 132–133, pl. 4 e/f. Both leafs were published separately and their texts were identified as anaphoric prayers. Leaf (1): FREND, DRAGAS, KONTOYIANNIS, Greek Liturgical Fragments (see fn. 5), 130–131, pl. 4a who recognised an offertory prayer resembling the offertory prayer from the Liturgy of St James. Leaf (2): FREND, MUIRHEAD, Greek Manuscripts from the Cathedral of Qasr Ibrim (see fn. 6), 45–47 who identified the text as the offertory prayer of the Liturgy of St Mark. The leafs were connected and identified as containing prayers of the Nubian liturgy of the Presanctified by A. ŁAJTAR, Varia Nubica III. Ein liturgisches Gebet aus Qasr Ibrim, in: ZPE 112 (1996), 140–142. FREND, DRAGAS, KONTOYIANNIS, Greek Liturgical Fragments (see fn. 5), 126–127, pl. 2c. J. M. PLUMLEY, G. M. BROWNE, Old Nubian Texts from Qasr Ibrim I (EES. Texts from Excavations 9). London 1988, no. 7; G. M. BROWNE, Literary Texts in Old Nubian (BzS.B 5). Vienna 1989, 52–55 (Old Nubian text on odd pages, English translation on even pages). A Greek Hymn to the Virgin with Alphabetic Acrostics 393 gelical readings15; a fragment of a parchment leaf from a lectionary in Old Nubian with readings for the beginning of the month of Khoiak16; various leafs from psalters either in Old Nubian or bilingual Graeco-Nubian17; a leaf of parchment with a hymn to the Virgin in Greek18; a portion of a parchment page with another Greek hymn in honour of the Virgin19; a small fragment of a parchment page with a fragmentary hymn in Greek, also addressed to the Virgin20; a small fragment of parchment with a liturgical text on birth in Greek, perhaps a hymn21; a leaf of parchment with an encomium in Old Nubian22; and a leaf of parchment with a liturgical text on the Archangel Michael in Old Nubian23. The above list, however rich, does not cover all textual finds with liturgical contents made during the work of the British mission. Actually it includes only two groups of finds: 1) Greek liturgical texts discovered by W. H. C. Frend in the 1963/1964 season within the Qasr Ibrim cathedral and published by him, either alone or in cooperation with other scholars24; 2) texts in Old Nubian from various contexts and of various contents. Other finds, with the exception of texts in Old Nubian, largely remain unpublished until now. To the latter group belongs, among others, a sheet of paper with an acrostic hymn to the Virgin in Greek, publication of which I would like to offer to Heinzgerd Brakmann in 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 PLUMLEY, BROWNE, Old Nubian Texts from Qasr Ibrim I (see fn. 14), no. 5; BROWNE, Literary Texts (see fn. 14), 50–53 (Old Nubian text on odd pages, English translation on even pages). G. M. BROWNE, An Old Nubian Lectionary Fragment, in: Or. 70 (2001), 113–116. Cf. e. g. PLUMLEY, BROWNE, Old Nubian Texts from Qasr Ibrim I (see fn. 14), no. 1. BROWNE, Literary Texts (see fn. 14), 44 (English translation) and 45 (Old Nubian text). The heading indicates that the psalm was destined for singing on a Sunday of lent. FREND, DRAGAS, KONTOYIANNIS, Greek Liturgical Fragments (see fn. 5), 119–122, pl. 1a/b. Ibid. 124–126, pl. 2a/b. Ibid. 123–124, pl. 1e/f. Ibid. 122–123, pl. 1c/d. E. LUCCHESI, Hymnes de Severe et sur Severe, in: Aegyptus 88 (2008), 165–196, demonstrated that the verso of this parchment contains the hymn of Severus of Antioch on birth (hymn 5 according to the numbering of E. W. BROOKS, James of Edessa. The Hymns of Severus of Antioch and Others [PO 6,1, no. 26]. Paris 1909 [reprint Turnhout 1971], 48–49). G. M. BROWNE, Old Nubian Texts from Qasr Ibrim II (EES. Texts from Excavations 10). London 1989, no. 17, pl. 2. BROWNE, Literary Texts (see fn. 14), 68–69, no. 17 (Old Nubian text on odd pages, English translation on even pages), and 92 (grammatical commentary). English translation also in: W. Y. ADAMS, Qasr Ibrim. The Late Mediaeval Period (EES. Excavation Mamoir 59). London 1996, 240. BROWNE, Old Nubian Texts from Qasr Ibrim II (see fn. 22), 19; BROWNE, Literary Texts (see fn. 14), 70–73, no. 19 (Old Nubian text on odd pages, English translation on even pages), and 92 (grammatical commentary). Note that the text is written on the hair side whereas the flesh side has a Greek hymn that quotes from Ps 121:1 εὐφράνθην [ἐπὶ τοῖς εἰρη]κόσιν µοι εἰς οἶκ[ον κ(υρίο)υ. The hymn has not been edited yet. All of these texts are obviously fragments of liturgical books that originally could have belonged to the library of the Qasr Ibrim cathedral, dismantled and dispersed during the raid of Egyptian troops under the command of Shams ed-Dawla in 1172/3; cf. W. H. C. FREND, The Greek Liturgical Papyri from the Cathedral at Q’asr Ibrim, in: J. LECLANT, J. VERCOUTTER (eds.), Études nubienne. Colloque de Chantilly, 2–6 Juillet 1975 (BEt LXXVII). Cairo 1978, 95. 394 Adam Łajtar recognition of his achievements in the field of “Liturgiewissenschaft” in general and the study of the liturgy of the Church in Nubia in particular. The paper sheet under consideration was discovered during the 1972 season of work in Qasr Ibrim below floor 1 of Room 4 in Late Christian House 1–6, also labeled House 17725. It carries the inventory number 72.11.4; the register number 72/84; and the photo number V.72.14/2. The present whereabouts of the paper are unknown to me. It must be kept in one of the Egyptian Museums, most probably in the Coptic Museum in Cairo, which houses the majority of the 26 Qasr Ibrim finds . The sheet, which preserves all four of its original edges, has the dimensions 17,9 x 13,3 cm27. It is torn obliquely from the lower left-hand corner towards the middle, and then vertically to the top. Both lower corners are torn off, the top left-hand corner is frayed. A hole is visible in the top right-hand corner between lines 2 and 3 of the text. The sheet is inscribed on one side only. The ink is black, without rubrics. The script is Biblical majuscules of the Nubian type, slightly inclined to the right. The writer of the text makes use of a rich repertoire of scribal techniques connected with Nubian literacy. Particular verses of the hymn are divided from one another by a double oblique stroke. Words are separated, albeit inconsistently, by a free space. Vowels in the initial position are marked, also inconsistently, by a dot above them. A dot occurs also above vowels in the middle position, apparently an attempt at marking a word accent, sometimes in disagreement with the rules of Greek accentuation. There are two occurrences of an iota with trema (ⲅⲁⲥⲧⲣ̈ in line 3 and ⲅⲁⲃⲣ̈ⲏⲗ in line 15). It is possible that an iota was provided with trema also in ⲓⲇⲟⲩ at the beginning of line 15. However, this is uncertain because of the damage to the paper in this place. Nomina sacra are used according to the common rules. Words are occasionally abbreviated through suspension with the last preserved letter shifted (ⲁⲗⲗ in line 2, ⲡⲁⲣⲑ in line 24 [twice]). καί is abbreviated only once (line 24) through crossing the lower oblique stroke of ⲕ. The carrying over of the preposition παρά from line 8 to 9 was apparently marked by a horizontal stroke both at the end of line 8 and the beginning of line 9. However, this cannot be positively proven on the photo. There are several examples of autocorrecting (for a detailed discussion see below, in the palaeographic and grammatical commentary). 25 26 27 For the report from work in this season, see J. M. PLUMLEY, W. Y. ADAMS, Qasr Ibrim, 1972, in: JEA 60 (1974), 212–238. For house LC1–6, see W. Y. ADAMS, Qasr Ibrîm. The Late Mediaeval Period (EES. Excavation Memoir 59). London 1996, 47–50, figs. 9 (plan) and 10 (section). Adams designated this house “the eparchal residence” based on the discovery in its room 2 of an archive of documents in Old Nubian that he considered to have been an archive of the eparch of Nobadia. Recent studies demonstrated that the archive in question was a private familial archive which makes Adams’ designation invalid; cf. G. RUFFINI, Medieval Nubia: A Social and Economic History. Oxford 2012, passim, especially, 10–17; B. WOJCIECHOWSKI, The Old Nubian ‘eparchal archive’ from Qasr Ibrim reconsidered, in: JJP 41 (2011), 265–293. Cf. G. ROBINSON, International Photographic Archive of Greek Papyri. Photography of the Papyrus Collection of the Coptic Museum, Cairo, in: ZPE 70 (1987), 69–71. Note that the dimensions are approximate ones. I counted them on the photo. A Greek Hymn to the Virgin with Alphabetic Acrostics 395 The language of the text may be considered as decent for the standards of Nubian Greek. One observes a number of phonetic notations due to the loss of distinction of the vowel length and iotacism. Equally frequent are notations connected with the loss of the final /n/ and /s/, and, in the opposite direction, the appearance of the same sounds in the final position. Except for ⲛ and ⲥ, interchange of consonants is rare (only ⲑ for ⲧ and ⲍ for ⲥ). There are several mistakes caused by the context and one occurrence of haplography. The date of the paper can be established only approximately based on archaeological and palaeographic criteria. House 177, under the floor of which the paper was found, was most probably built in the second half of the 12th century, possibly after the sack and destruction of the Qasr Ibrim citadel by Egyptian troops in 1172/328. This yields the post quem date for the paper. The ante quem date is the introduction of the majuscules of Nubian type into the Nubian literacy, which probably took place in the 10th century according to the present state of our knowledge29. As this script occurs in its full form here, I am inclined to the date the paper closer to the post quem date, to the second half of the 11th/first half of the 12th century. One wonders what this paper sheet originally was. It cannot come from a paper codex as there are no traces of binding on it. It was rather a loose sheet or one of several loose sheets with a copy of a hymn (and possibly other texts of liturgical use) made for the private use of a believer. Diplomatic transcript 4 8 12 16 28 29 ⲁⲥⲡⲟⲣ[ . ]ⲥ ⲥⲩⲗⲗⲁⲃⲟⲩⲥⲁ ⲁⲕⲓⲛⲇⲩⲛⲟⲛ ⲧⲉⲕⲟⲩⲥⲁ ⲑ︦ⲛ︦ ⲁⲗⲏⲑⲉⲓⲛⲟⲛ ⲁⲗⲗ // ⲃⲁⲥⲓⲗⲉⲱⲥ ⲁⲛⲁⲕⲧⲱⲣⲱⲥ ⲉⲛⲅⲁⲥⲧⲣ̈ⲭⲟⲣⲓⲥⲁⲥⲁⲟⲛⲟ︦ⲛ︦ⲱⲟⲩⲕⲉⲭⲱⲣⲟⲩⲛ//ⲅⲉ ⲛⲉⲁⲛ ⲕⲁⲓⲅⲉⲛⲉⲁⲛ ⲉⲡⲁⲓⲛⲟⲛⲥⲟⲩ ⲧⲁⲉⲣⲅⲁⲥⲟⲩⲧⲱⲛ ⲉⲑⲛⲱⲛ ⲧⲏⲛⲟⲓⲕⲟⲩⲙⲉⲛⲏⲛ// ⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓ̇ⲥⲩⲛⲏⲥ ⲏⲗⲓⲟⲛ ⲉⲛⲁⲅⲕⲁⲗⲁⲓⲥ ⲃⲁⲥⲧⲁⲍⲁⲥⲁ︦︦ ⲧⲱⲛⲁⲭⲣⲁⲛⲧⲱⲛ// ⲉⲩⲁⲛⲉⲗⲉⲩⲑⲉⲣⲱⲥⲁⲥ ⲁⲇⲁⲙ̇ⲛⲁⲕⲁⲓⲛⲓⲥⲁⲥ ⲧⲏⲛ ⲡⲁⲛ̇ⲭⲣⲁⲛⲧⲟⲛⲧⲱⲕⲟⲛⲥⲟⲩ// ⲉⲩⲣⲉⲥⲅⲁⲣ ⲭⲁⲣⲓⲛ ⲡⲁ-ⲣⲁ︦︦ⲑⲉⲟⲧⲟⲕⲉ ⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲉⲧⲟⲛ︦︦ⲥⲟⲩ ⲩⲡⲉⲣⲏ ⲙⲱⲛ ⲓⲕⲉⲧⲉⲩⲥⲟⲛ//ⲍⲱⲏⲧⲟⲕⲉ ⲙⲁⲣⲓ̇ⲙ︦ⲣ̇ ⲛⲩⲙⲫⲉⲩⲧⲉ ⲉⲗⲡⲏⲥⲙⲏ ⲕⲁⲧⲁⲓⲥⲭⲩⲛⲟⲩⲥⲁ// ̇ⲅⲏ ̇ⲙⲛ̇ⲧⲉ ⲧⲟⲛ︦︦ ̇ⲡⲣⲟⲁⲓ̇ⲛⲓⲟⲛ ︦︦ ⲏⲗ ⲑⲉⲛ ⲃⲣⲱⲧⲱⲛ ⲇⲓⲉⲥⲱⲥⲉⲛ//ⲑⲁⲩⲙⲁ ⲡⲁⲣⲁⲇⲟ ⲝⲟⲛⲅⲉⲛⲛⲏⲥⲁⲥⲁ ⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲉ ⲉⲙⲉⲓⲛⲁⲥⲁⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲉ// ⲓⲇⲟⲩⲕⲁⲓⲏⲙⲉⲓⲥ ⲥⲩⲛ ⲧⲱⲅⲁⲃⲣ̈ⲏⲗ ⲧⲱⲭⲁⲓⲣⲉ ⲃⲟⲱ ⲙⲉⲛⲥⲟⲓ// ⲕⲟⲣⲓ ⲁⲙⲓ ⲁⲛⲧⲉ ⲙⲏ︦ⲣ ⲁⲛⲩⲙⲫⲉⲩⲧⲉ ADAMS, Qasr Ibrîm. The Late Mediaeval Period, 48. Earlier round upright majuscules were in common use in Nubia. Adam Łajtar 396 20 24 ︦︦ ̇ⲯ̣ⲥⲧ̣̣̣ⲩⲥⲁ// ⲗⲟⲅⲟⲥ ⲧⲱⲛⲉⲕⲡⲣ︦ⲥⲥⲩⲛ ⲡⲣ︦ⲥ ⲕⲁⲑⲏⲙⲉⲛⲟⲛ ⲱⲥⲛⲓⲡⲓⲟⲛⲑⲉⲗⲁⲍⲟⲩⲥⲁ//ⲙⲟⲛⲏ ̇ⲙⲓⲁⲛⲧⲉⲙⲏ︦ⲣⲁⲛⲩⲙⲫⲉⲩⲧⲉⲁⲛⲉⲩⲁⲛⲇⲣⲟⲥⲧⲉⲕⲟⲩⲥⲁ// ⲛⲟⲙⲟⲩ ⲕⲁⲓⲡⲣⲟⲫⲏⲧⲟⲛ ⲡⲗ̇ⲣⲱⲑⲏ ︦︦ ⲇⲓⲁⲥⲟⲩⲡⲁⲣ ̣.ⲏⲗⲑⲉⲛ//ⲝⲉⲛⲟⲛⲅⲁⲣⲑⲉⲱⲣⲟⲩⲥⲁ ⲙⲁⲅⲟⲓⲕⲁⲓⲡⲟⲓ ⲙⲉⲓⲛⲁⲥ ⲉⲛⲥⲡⲉⲗⲁⲓⲟⲛ ⲉⲧⲉⲭⲑⲉⲥ// ⲟⲩⲧⲟⲥ̇︦︦̇ⲙⲱⲛ [ . ]ⲩⲗⲟⲅⲏⲥⲑⲉⲓⲥⲉⲧⲁⲓ ⲉⲑⲉⲣⲟⲥ ⲡⲣⲟⲥⲁⲩⲧⲟⲩⲥ// ⲡⲣⲟⲧⲟⲕⲟⲩ [ . . ]ⲣⲑ ⲕ/ⲉⲛⲧⲱⲕⲱ ⲡⲁⲣⲑ ⲕⲁⲓⲙⲉⲧⲁⲧⲟⲕⲟⲛ ⲡⲁⲣⲑⲉⲛⲉ// Reading text 4 8 12 16 20 24 ἀσπόρ[ω]ς συλλαβοῦσα ἀκίνδυνον τεκοῦσα θ(εὸ)ν ἀληθεινὸν ἀλλ(ηλλούια). // βασιλέως ἀνάκτωρως ἐν γαστρὶ χορίσασα ὃν οὐ(ρα)νῷ οὐκ ἐχώρουν. // γενεὰν καὶ γενεὰν ἐπαιν⟨έ⟩σ⟨ει⟩ τὰ ἔργα σου τῶν ἐθνῶν τὴν οἰκουµένην. // δικαιωσύνης ἥλιον ἐν ἀγκάλαις βαστάζασα θ(εὸ)ν τὼν ἄχράντων. // Ευαν ἐλευθέρωσας Αδαµ ἀνακαίνισας τὴν πανάχραντον τώκον σου. // εὗρες γὰρ χάριν παρὰ θ(εό)ν, θεοτόκε παρθένε, τὸν υ(ἱό)ν σου ὑπὲρ ἡµῶν ἱκέτευσον. // ζωήτοκε Μαρία, µῆ(τε)ρ ἀνύµφευτε, ἔλπης µὴ καταισχύνουσα. // ἡ γῆ ὑµνήτ⟨ω⟩ τὸν θ(εὸ)ν, ὁ προαιώνιον θ(εὸ)ς ἦλθεν βρωτὼν διέσωσεν. // θαῦµα παράδοξον· γεννήσασα παρθένε ἐµείνασα παρθένε. // ἰδοῦ καὶ ἡµ`ε΄ῖς σὺν τῷ Γαβριὴλ τὼ “χαῖρε” βοῶµεν σοι. // κόρι ἀµίαντε, µῆ(τε)ρ ἁνύµφευτε, θ(εὸν) ὕψησ⟨τον⟩ τεκοῦσα. // λόγος τὼν ἐκ π(ατ)ρ(ὸ)ς σὺν π(ατ)ρ(ὸ)ς καθήµενον ὡς νίπιον θελάζουσα. // µόνη ἁµίαντε, µῆ(τε)ρ ἁνύµφευτε, ἄνευ ἀνδρὸς τεκοῦσα. // νόµου καὶ προφητôν πληρωθῇ υ(ἱὸ)ν διά σου παραῆλθεν. // ξένον γὰρ θεωροῦσα· µάγοι καὶ ποιµαίνες· ἐν σπηλαίον ἐτέχθης. // οὗτος ὁ θ(εὸ)ς ἡµῶν [ο]ὐ λογησθείσεται ἕθερος πρὸς αὐτούς. // πρὸ τόκου [πα]ρθ(ένος) κ(αὶ) ἐν τόκῳ παρθ(ένος) καὶ µετὰ τόκον παρθένε. // 2. ἀληθινόν | ἀνάκτορος || 3. χωρήσασα || 3–4. γενεὰ || 4. γενεὰ || 5. τῆς οἰκουµένης | δικαιοσύνης || 6. βαστάσασα | τὸν ἄχραντον || 8. τόκον || 9. θεῷ || 11. ἔλπις || 12. ὑµνείτω | προαιώνιος || 13. βρωτὸν || 14. παρθένος (two times) | µείνασα || 15. τὸ || 16. κόρη || 17. ὕψιστον | λόγον τὸν || 18. πατρὶ | νήπιον || 20. προφητῶν | υἱὸς || 21–22. ποιµένες || 22. σπηλαίω || 23. λογισθήσεται ἕτερος || 24. τόκῳ A Greek Hymn to the Virgin with Alphabetic Acrostics 397 Translation in acrostics order Α (ll. 1–2). She begot without impregnation and gave birth without danger to the true God, Halleluiah. Β (ll. 2–3). She made room in the womb for the King-Lord, for whom there was no room in Heaven. Γ (ll. 3–5). Generation after generation of the nations of the inhabited world shall praise Your works. Δ (ll. 5–6). She carried in her arms the sun of justice, the immaculate God. Ε1 (ll. 7–8). Your wholly undefiled offspring freed Eve and renewed Adam. Ε2 (ll. 8–10). You found grace before God, O God-bearing virgin; beseech your Son for us. Ζ (ll. 10–11). O Life-giving Mary, unwedded mother, hope that does not dishonour. Η (ll. 12–13). The earth shall celebrate God in hymns; the eternal God came (and) saved the mortal man. Θ (ll. 13–14). A mighty wonder, a virgin gave birth and remained virgin. Ι (ll. 15–16). And now also we, together with Gabriel, are crying “Greetings” to You. Κ (ll. 16–17). O undefiled virgin, O mother without husband, who gave birth to the most high God. Λ (ll. 17–18). She suckled the Word who is of His Father and who is sitting together with His Father, when He was child. Μ (ll. 18–19). The only one without defilement, unwedded mother, who gave birth without husband. Ν (ll. 20–21). The Son came through you in order that what (was said) by Law and Prophets be fulfilled. Ξ (ll. 21–22). She contemplated the guest; magi and shepherds; You were born in the cave. Ο (ll. 22–23). God has not enjoined condemning men on trial. Π (ll. 23–24). Virgin before childbirth, virgin during childbirth, virgin after childbirth. Palaeographic Commentary Line 2: It looks like if the scribe wrote ⲁⲗⲉⲓⲑⲉⲓⲛⲟⲛ and then corrected the first ⲉⲓ into ⲏ. In Byzantine Greek, both ⲉⲓ and ⲏ were graphemes for what was pronounced as /i/, hence the hesitation. Line 3: ⲟ in ⲟⲛⲟⲩ︦ⲛ︦ⲱ has the shape of an oval blot with a horizontal stroke two-thirds up its height (seen on the right-hand side of the blot). It is possible that the scribe originally wrote ⲉ or ⲑ and then made ⲟ of it through filling in the letter with ink in order to hide its horizontal stroke. 398 Adam Łajtar Line 5: ⲧⲏⲛ ⲟⲓⲕⲟⲩⲙⲉⲛⲏⲛ for τῆς οἰκουµένης has probably nothing to do with syntax, but is purely phonetic: loss of /s/ with the concomitant insertion of /n/ in final position. The phenomenon is frequently encountered in Nubian Greek30. A dot over ⲱ in ⲇⲓⲕⲁⲓ̇ⲥⲩⲛⲏⲥ most probably marks the word accent (placed incorrectly from the point of view of the Greek accentuation). It is interesting to observe that the word δικαιοσύνη is accentuated analogically in numerous grave inscriptions from Nubia containing the prayer ὁ θεὸς τῶν πνευµάτων καὶ πάσης σαρκός, in the expression δικαιοσύνη σου δικαιοσύνη εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα31. Perhaps δικαιοσυνη was proparoxytonon for Nubian speakers. Line 7: Here the subject must be Jesus for it was He and not His mother who freed Eve and renewed Adam. In view of that, one has to assume that the accusative τὴν πανάχραντον τώκον σου mistakenly stands for nominative ὁ πανάχραντος τόκος σου. Even if the second letter of the article at the end of the line is incompletely preserved, the reading τὴν seems to be certain. Line 10: Traces of another letter, most probably ⲙ, are visible under ̇ in ⲙⲁⲣⲓ̇. The scribe wrote most probably ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲙ, but he immediately realized his mistake, wiped out the mistakenly written ⲙ and wrote the correct ̇ over it. Line 14: γεννήσασα παρθένε ἐµείνασα παρθένε is strange; here we expect the nominative παρθένος and not the vocative παρθένε (similar mistake in line 24); the latter was probably introduced under the influence of numerous vocatives occurring in the text. Also ἐµείνασα in place of the expected µείνασα is odd. It looks as if the augment were retained in the participle. Another possibility is that the original text had καὶ µείνασα and καὶ, recorded as the siglum ς, was changed into ⲉ during the text transmission due to the visual similarity of both signs. Line 15: ⲉ in ⲏⲙⲉⲓⲥ at the beginning of the line stands slightly above the level of the letters and the letters are cramped. Obviously this ⲉ was omitted by the scribe and was added by him when the neighbouring letters already existed. Line 17: ⲛ in ︦︦ is blurred. Perhaps the scribe originally wrote another letter and then corrected himself. The reading ̇ⲯ̣ⲥⲧ̣̣̣ⲩⲥⲁ seems to be certain. It is due to haplography. Line 18: π(ατ)ρ(ὸ)ς instead of π(ατ)ρὶ is possibly due to the influence exerted by the first occurrence of this form immediately before. Another possibility is that it is a mistake of this paper’s scribe or one of his predecessors in the process of the text transmission who substituted ⲓ for ⲥ at the end of the nomen sacrum (ⲡⲣ︦ⲥ for ⲡⲣ︦ⲓ). Line 20: ⲩ︦ⲛ︦ stands for υἱός through the loss of /s/ with the concomitant insertion of /n/ in the final position32. 30 31 32 See numerous examples listed in A. ŁAJTAR, Catalogue of the Greek Inscriptions in the Sudan National Museum at Khartoum (OLA 122). Leuven, Paris, Dudley 2003, index, 257. Cf. e. g. ibid. no. 2, l. 12; no. 3, l. 13; no. 6, l. 17; no. 7, l. 19–20; no. 20, l. 15; no. 21, l. 6; no. 31, l. 14 and many more. For the phenomenon, see above commentary to line 5. A Greek Hymn to the Virgin with Alphabetic Acrostics 399 Lines 20–21: In the word ⲡⲁⲣ̣.ⲏⲗⲑⲉⲛ, the initial letters ⲡⲁ are cramped so as to resemble a ligature33. Perhaps the scribe omitted the letter ⲁ and added it later, leaning it on the already existing ⲡ. Note that the form was left uncontracted. What is more, the preposition seems to be divided from the root by a dot. Similar phenomena are known in Nubian Greek34. Line 22: One wonders if ἐν σπηλαίῳ ἐτέχθης is the correct reading. ἐν σπηλαίῳ ἐτέχθη would be equally possible if not preferable here. A parasitic ⲥ occurs frequently in final position in Nubian Greek. Line 24: Vocative παρθένε in place of the expected nominative παρθένος may be due to the influence exerted by other vocatives, frequently occurring in this text. Similar mistakes occur in line 14. General Commentary What we have here is a hymn with alphabetic acrostics made out of the first letters of consecutive verses35. Preserved are verses from Α to Π. The rest (verses from Ρ to Ω), if it existed, must have been written on another sheet of paper. One notes that there are two verses beginning with Ε. Reasons for that are unknown. As both verses start with ΕΥ one cannot argue that one verse represent the simple Ε, another one a diphthong with Ε. The hymn has a very simple construction. It consists of single verses (cola) connected with one another neither syntactically not semantically. Neither stanzas nor refrain are observable. Verses do not have an even number of syllables which means that they do not follow the principles of isotony and isosyllaby characteristic of Byzantine poetry, including hymnography. There are also no rhymes. The verses show accentuated rhythm instead, thus representing another type of Byzantine poetry, probably taken over from the Semitic (Hebrew) tradition36. The most common 33 34 35 36 We certainly are not dealing with a true ligature, because ligatures do not occur in Nubian-type majuscules. As an example one can cite the spelling ἔνθα ἁπέδρα in the epitaphs with the prayer ὁ θεὸς τῶν πνευµάτων καὶ πάσης σαρκός. For a collection of evidence, see ŁAJTAR, Catalogue (see fn. 30), index, 256. Hymns with alphabetical acrostics are common in Byzantine hymnography. To this category belong, among others, the famous Akathistos, a hymn to the Virgin so called because it was sung while standing. Numerous examples of hymns with alphabetical acrostics including those to the Virgin are preserved in Greek papyri from Egypt; for an exhaustive discussion of the subject, see P.Köln IV 172–173 (ed. by C. RÖMER). Greek hymns with alphabetic acrostics were translated into Coptic. An example is published in: W. W. BRASHEAR, H. SATZINGER, Ein akrostichischer griechi-scher Hymnus mit koptischer Übersetzung (Wagner-Museum K 1003), in: JCoptS 1 (1990), 37–58. Generally on the technique of Byzantine poetry, see P. MAAS, Frühbyzantinische Kirchenpoesie. Anonyme Hymnen des V–VI Jahrhunderts (KlT 52–53). Bonn 1910; A. DIHLE, Die 400 Adam Łajtar type of rhythm occurring in the hymn under consideration is that a verse, irrespectively of the number of syllables, has seven “strong” accents divided in two groups, of four and three respectively, separated by a caesura. This rhythm occurs in verses in A, B, K, M37, O, and Π. In verses in Γ, Δ, Ε1, Ζ, Λ, and Ξ, the second part has only two “strong” accents; unless we assume that an article (so in Γ, Δ, and Ε1) or a negation µὴ (so in Ζ) was considered as “strong”. The verses in Ε2, Η, Θ, Ι, and Ν apparently have other rhythms. In Ε2 it is 3–2–238, in Η 3–3–2, in Θ 2–4, in Ι 2–239, and in Ν 3–240. The verses vary with respect to their form. This is so already because of their heterogenous origin. Three of them, those in Γ, Ε2, and Ο, are quotations from the Bible, either direct or modified; others could have been composed for the purpose of this hymn. Two types of construction recur among those original verses: 1) a word (substantive or adverb) + a participle, a word (substantive or adverb) + a participle | a reference to a direct object (Α, Ε1); 2) a substantive + an adjective in vocative, a substantive + an adjective in vocative | another reference to the subject with a participle at the end (Ζ, Κ, Μ). Generally speaking the style is dominated by participle constructions with the participles always being that of aorist active feminine referring to Mary. Indicative sentences are rare. They are found only in Γ, Ε2, Η, and Ο, i. e. in those verses, which quote extensively from the Holy Scriptures, and also in Ι. Interestingly, the verses almost completely lack direct addresses to the believers, which are common in Byzantine hymns. They are found only in Ε2 (τὸν υἱόν σου ὑπὲρ ἡµῶν ἱκέτευσον) and in Ι (ἰδοῦ καὶ ἡµεῖς σὺν τῷ Γαβριὴλ τὼ “χαῖρε” βοῶµεν σοι). The hymn is obviously devoted to Mary. The anonymous author is interested in her being the mother of the Saviour. He explores two subjects: the virginal conception and the birth of Jesus Christ. The latter is regarded as freeing mankind from the primeval sin (E1) and the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies (N). In this context, the two Old Testament quotes transmit a clear theological message: sending the Son by the Father to this world to save mankind is His greatest work which will be praised ages for ages. He did this as a good judge who does not find contention in revenge. 37 38 39 40 Anfänge der griechischen akzentuierenden Verskunst, in: Hermes 82 (1954), 182–199. Considering the preposition ἄνευ as “strong”. Eliminating θεότοκε παρθένε from the middle and, in what remains, considering some “weak” elements as “strong”, one finds the rhythm 4–3, characteristic of this hymn. Perhaps the verse originally had exactly this form and only later, in the process of text transmission, it became corrupted through the addition of θεότοκε παρθένε. Or perhaps 3–2 considering ἡµεῖς as “strong”. Or perhaps 3–3 considering διά σου as “strong”. A Greek Hymn to the Virgin with Alphabetic Acrostics 401 Textual Commentary of the Acrostics Α (ll. 1–2). ἀσπόρως συλλαβεῖν and its derivatives are commonly used to describe the virginal conception in Early Christian literature; cf. e. g. Cyrillus Alexandrinus, Commentarii in Lucam (in catenis), PG 72, 501 ἀλλ’ ἀσπόρως συνέλαβε, καὶ ἀφθόρως ἔτεκεν; Cyrillus Alexandrinus, Encomium in sanctam Mariam deiparam (homilia diversa 11), PG 77, 1032 συνέλαβε γὰρ ἀσπόρως, θεοπρεπῶς δὲ ἐγέννησα; Johannes Chrysostomus, In mediam pentecosten, PG 61, 744 ἀµνός, ὃν ἀµνὰς µὲν παρθένος ἀσπόρως συλλαβοῦσα, ἀφθόρως ἐγέννησεν. As far as Greek hymnic poetry is concerned one compares Andrew of Crete’s canon for the first week of lent, ode 8, hirmos41: ἀσπόρου συλλήψεως ὁ τόκος ἀνερµήνευτος, µητρὸς ἀνάνδρου ἄφθορος ἡ κύησις. From the Egyptian material one can cite a hymn on an ostracon in the Bodleian Library in Oxford: χαῖρε θεοτόκε ἀµίαντε παρθένε ἡ τὸν θεὸν λόγον κατὰ σάρκα ἀσπόρως γεννήσασα42. Note that this chairetismos yields parallels for several verses of the hymn from Qasr Ibrim. Β (ll. 2–3). A close parallel for the entire verse is Hesychius, Homilia I de Hypapante 243: γυνὴ παρθενίαν τῷ βίῳ εἰσήγαγεν, ἐχώρησεν ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ τὸν θεὸν ὃν ἡ κτίσις χωρῆσαι οὐ δύναται. See also, Johannes Chrysostomus, De siccitate, PG 41, 724 κυρία δέσποινα, ἡ τὸν θεὸν λόγον ἐν γαστρί σου χωρήσασα; Johannes Chrysostomus, In sanctum pascha, ll. 54–5544: καὶ ὃν οὐρανὸς οὐκ ἐχώρησεν, οὐκ ἐστενοχώρησεν ἡ γαστὴρ τῆς παρθένου; Theodorus Studites, Homilia in nativitatem Mariae, PG 96, 696 πᾶσιν ἀχώρητον ἐν γαστρὶ χωρήσασα. Γ (ll. 3–5). The verse is obviously a remodelling of the first part of Ps 144:4 γενεὰ καὶ γενεὰ ἐπαινέσαι τὰ ἔργα σου καὶ τὴν δύναµίν σου ἀπαγγελοῦσιν. γενεὰν καὶ γενεὰν instead of γενεὰ καὶ γενεὰ may be judged twofold: either it is a phonetic phenomenon (the appearance of an unetymological /n/ in final position) or it is due to the influence of those Biblical places which have εἰς (κατὰ) γενεὰν καὶ γενεὰν, e. g. Esther 9:27; Ps 32:11; 48:12; 78:13; 88:2.5; 101:13; 105:31; 119:90; 134:13; 145:10; Od. 9:50; thr. 5:19; Dan. 4:3; 4:34. ⲉⲡⲁⲓⲛⲟⲛⲥⲟⲩ for ἐπαινέσαι is obviously a mistake made by the scribe of the Qasr Ibrim paper or one of his predecessors in the text transmission on Nubian soil. It could have occurred in the following stages: the substitution of ⲟ for ⲉ rooted in the visual similarity of both letters, the appearance of an unetymological /n/ at the end of a 41 42 43 44 W. CHRIST, M. PARANIKAS (eds.), Anthologia Graeca carminum christianorum. Leipzig 1871, 155. O.Bodl. I 117; reedited with improved readings by S.-G. MERCATI, Osservazioni sul testo e sulla metrica di alcuni papiri cristiani, in: CÉg 7 (1932), 189. M. AUBINEAU (ed.), Les homélies d’Hésychius de Jérusalem. Vol. I: Les homélies I–XV (SHG 59). Brussels 1978, 25–31. P. ALLEN, C. DATEMA, Text and tradition of two Easter homilies of Ps. Chrysostom, in: JÖB 30 (1981), 98–102. 402 Adam Łajtar syllable, the substitution of ⲟⲩ for ⲉⲓ again due to their similarity. The expression τὰ ἔθνη τῆς οἰκουµένης added to the Psalm verse also has a Biblical model; cf. Is 14:26: αὕτη ἡ χεὶρ ἡ ὑψηλὴ ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τῆς οἰκουµένης. τὰ ἔθνη designates all nations, including pagans; cf. Matth. 12:18, and see further G. Kittel (ed.), Theologisches Wörterbuch zum Neuen Testament. Bd. II: Δ – Η. Stuttgart 1990 (Nachdruck 1933–1979), 366–367. Δ (ll. 5–6). The verse finds comparison in, e. g., Cyrillus, Encomim in sanctam Mariam deiparam (homilia diversa 11), PG 77, 1032 µήτηρ δὲ διὰ τὸν ἐν ἀγκάλαις σαῖς βασταχθέντα καὶ γάλακτι σῷ τραφέντα; see also a hymn to the Virgin from Qasr Ibrim45: τὸ] ξένον πράγµα ἐβαστάσας. “Sun of justice”, “sun of righteousness” (ἥλιος τῆς δικαιοσύνης) is a common epithet of Jesus Christ in early Christian texts, going back to Mal. 3:20, who ascribes it to the Messiah. We find it, e. g., in the Easter canon of John of Damascus, which is attested not only in the manuscript tradition46 but also in a Berlin papyrus47. E1 (ll. 7–8). One compares Gregorius Thaumaturgus, In annunciationem sanctae virginis Mariae, PG 10, 1145 σήµερον ὁ Αδαµ ἀνακεκαίνισται καὶ χορεύει µετ’ ἀγγέλων εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνιπτάµενος; Romanus Melodus, Cantica dubia, Hymn 83, proem-strophe, section 948: ἐτέχθη γὰρ ὁ κύριος ἐκ Μαρίας τῆς παρθένου, ἵνα τὸν Αδαµ ἀνακαινίσῃ. As for the first element of the verse, one comperes Akathistos 15: χαῖρε, τῶν δακρύων τῆς Ευας ἡ λύτρωσις, and a Greek alphabetic hymn in a Coptic codex of the 14th century kept in Cairo, fol. 13–14, E: χαῖρε Ευας κατάρας ἡ λύτρωσις49. E2 (ll. 8–10). The first part of the verse quotes the words Gabriel said to Mary during the annunciation as given in Lk 1:30 καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος αὐτῇ, µὴ φοβοῦ, Μαριάµ, εὗρες γὰρ χάριν παρὰ τῷ θεῷ. Z (ll. 10–11). ζωητόκος is a relatively rare word. As an adjective (like here) it occurs in Anastasius Sinaita, Anagogicarum contemplationum in hexaëmeron liber duodecimus, PG 89, 1072, and in παρθένιον of Methodius (as an epithet of χάρις)50. As a substantive one finds it in Methodius, Symposium seu convivium virginum 11, PG 18, 212. Theognostus, Canones sive de orthographia 497 quotes it as an example of a compound word with ζώη51. ἀνύµφευτος is a very frequent epithet of Mary in hymns. It occurs as many as three times in the hymn under consideration (here, in K and M). It is found in the refrain of the famous Akathistos: χαῖρε νύµφη ἀνύµφευτος. A hymn to the Virgin in the London 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 FREND, DRAGAS, KONTOYIANNIS, Greek Liturgical Fragments (see fn. 5), 119–120, recto, l. 16. For the edition, see CHRIST, PARANIKAS, Anthologia Graeca (see fn. 41), 219, stanza 5. BKT VI 6, 3, 3, stanza 5. P. MAAS, C. A. TRYPANIS (eds.), Sancti Romani Melodi cantica: cantica dubia. Berlin 1970, 1–185. H. G. EVELYN WHITE (ed.), The Monasteries of the Wâdi ‘n Natrûn. Vol. I. New York 1926, 212–213. Reprinted by MERCATI, in: CÉg 7 (1932), 185. CHRIST, PARANIKAS, Anthologia Graeca (see fn. 41), 36, l. 103. J. A. CRAMER (ed.), Anecdota Graeca e codd. manuscriptis bibliothecarum Oxoniensium II. Oxford 1835, 1–165. A Greek Hymn to the Virgin with Alphabetic Acrostics 403 papyrus inv. 873 has: πανάγια παρθένε ἀνύµφευτε, ἡ τεκοῦσα τὸν λόγον ἐν δούλου µόρφῃ52. ἔλπις µὴ (οὐκ) καταισχύνουσα is an expression used especially by Christian authors, mostly with reference to the belief in eternal life; cf. e. g. Didymus Caecus, Fragmenta in Psalmos (e commentario altero), Fragment 372, l. 753: ἑκατέρως προστάσσει φυλάσσειν ἀκακίαν καὶ ἰδεῖν εὐθύτητα τῷ εἶναι ἐγκατάλειµµα εἰς τὸν µέλλοντα βίον τῷ εἰρηνικῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τὴν οὐ καταισχύνουσαν ἐλπίδα, τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἐξολοθρευµένων ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ἅµα κατὰ τὸν τῆς κρίσεως καιρόν; Ephraem Syrus, Paraenesis ad ascetas (ordine alphabetico), 35254: ὑποµονὴ µοναχοῦ ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσι παρὰ πιστοῦ τελειουµένη, ἐλπίδα περιποιεῖται µὴ καταισχύνουσαν; Gregorius Nazianzenus, Contra Julianum imperatorem 1 (oratio 4), PG 35, 537 καὶ δεξιὸν ἐν τοῖς κακοῖς φάρµακον, τὴν οὐ καταισχύνουσαν ἐλπίδα ποιούµενοι; Gregorius Nazianzenus, De pace 1 (oratio 6), PG 35, 729 τὴν οὐ καταισχύνουσαν ἀλπίδα παραζευγνὺς καὶ τὸ παρὸν κουφίζων τῷ µέλλοντι; Theodoretus, Interpretatio in Psalmos, PG 80, 949 ὅτι ὁ ἑαυτὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἀναρτήσας τὴν µὴ καταισχύνουσαν ἐλπίδα ἐκτήσατο. Mary is called ἔλπις ἀκαταισχύντος in Ephraem Syrus, Precationes ad dei matrem, Prayer 655, and also in the theotokion to the fourth kathisma56. Η (ll. 12–13). The first part of the verse may go back to Odae VIII 74: εὐλογείτω ἡ γῆ τὸν κύριον· ὑµνείτω καὶ ὑπερυψούτω αὐτὸν εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. If so, ̇ⲙⲛ̇ⲧⲉ should be regarded as a corrupt notation of ὑµνείτω. Another possibility is to read ἡ γῆ ὑµνῆ (= ὑµνεῖ) τὲ (= δὲ) τὸν θ(εό)ν. The earth praising the newborn God in hymns is pictured e. g. in Johannes Chrysostomus, Expositiones in Psalmos, PG 55, 188 πᾶσα ἡ γῆ ἀπὸ περὰτων εἰς τὰ πέρατα δοξολογεῖ καὶ ὑµνεῖ καὶ εὐφηµεῖ τὸν σαρκωθέντα θεόν. Θ (ll. 13–14). The virginal conception and birth of Jesus is frequently called θαῦµα (µέγα καὶ) παράδοξον in the Patristic literature, especially in the poetry. It opens, among others, a famous sticheron for the Christmastide, most probably by Germanus, the Patriarch of Constantinople between A. D. 715 and 73057. Ι (ll. 15–16). The verse obviously refers to the annunciation as described in Lc. 1:26–38. A somewhat similarly edited passage is found in a sticheron to the koimesis of the Theotokos58: βοήσωµεν οἱ πιστοὶ τὸν Γαβριὴλ κεκτηµένοι ταξίαρχον· κεχαριτωµένη, χαῖρε, and see further an idiomelon to the nativity of Jesus Christ59: µετὰ τοῦ Γαβριὴλ ἀνυµνοῦµέν σε. 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 P.Lond.Lit. 235; reprinted by MERCATI, CÉg 7 (1932), 187. E. MÜHLENBERG (ed.), Psalmenkommentare aus der Katenenüberlieferung. Vol. I–II (PTS 15– 16). Berlin 1975–1977. K. G. PHRANTZOLES (ed.), Ὁσίου Ἐφραὶµ τοῦ Σύρου τὰ ἔργα. Vol. III. Thessalonica 1990, 338–356. K. G. PHRANTZOLES (ed.), Ὁσίου Ἐφραὶµ τοῦ Σύρου τὰ ἔργα. Vol. VI. Thessalonica 1995, 382. CHRIST, PARANIKAS, Anthologia Graeca (see fn. 41), 59. English translation: J. M. NEALE, Hymns of the Eastern Church. London 1862, 11; note that Neale attributed the hymn to Saint Anatolius. For the theological content of the hymn, see L. ADEY, Hymns and the Christian Myth. The University of British Columbia Press 1986, 44. CHRIST, PARANIKAS, Anthologia Graeca (see fn. 41), 65. Ibid. 98, l. 25. 404 Adam Łajtar Κ (ll. 16–17). Κόρη does not occur in the New Testament as a designation of Mary, but later it was common; cf. LAMPE, s. v. ἀµίαντος, “undefiled, pure”, is a standard epithet of Mary in the Patristic literature. It occurs for the second time in our text in Μ (connected with µήτηρ). Note that Κ and Μ have an analogous construction; cf. above, general commentary. Λ (ll. 17–18). The verse shows a certain similarity with John of Damascus’ Epistula de hymno trisagio 9.3–960: ἡ µακαρία ἐν γυναιξὶν ἡ τὸν λόγον ἐκ σοῦ σαρκωθέντα τεκοῦσα, λόγον τὸν τοῦ πατρὸς υἱόν, λόγον τὸν προαιώνιον θεόν, λόγον τὸν ἄναρχον καὶ ἀίδιον, λόγον τὸν ὁµοούσιον τῆς ἀχωρίστου τριάδος, λόγον τὸν σὺν πατρὶ καὶ ἁγίῳ πνεύµατι προσκυνούµενον, λόγον τὸν σύνθρονον τοῦ πατρός, λόγον τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν χερουβὶµ καθήµενον, λόγον, ὃν τὰ τετράµορφα ζῷα δοξολογοῦσι κτλ. Μ (ll. 18–19). One compares Johannes Chrysostomus, In natale domini et in sanctam Mariam genitricem 261: ὠ παρθένε ἀνύµφευτε καὶ µόνη µετὰ τὸν τόκον ἀµίαντε. Ν (ll. 20–21). νόµο⟨ς⟩ (καὶ) προφῆ(ται) is found in line 15 of an ink inscription written on a wall of the Faras cathedral62. The text kept at present in the Sudan National Museum in Khartoum probably contains a list of hymn incipits. The terms “Law” and “Prophets” designate two out of three parts into which the Old Testament is divided. νόµος translates the Hebrew “Torah” = Pentateuch, and προφῆται renders “Neviim” = the prophetical books. The Law and the Prophets form together with Gospels the essentials of the Christian Bible; cf. e. g. Origines, Fragm. in Lucem (in catenis), fr. 146, line 963: καὶ ὅτι εἰς τὰς αὐτὰς σκηνὰς ἀνάγουσι νόµος καὶ προφῆται καὶ εὐαγγέλιον. Ξ (ll. 21–22). It looks as if the verse were composed of three independent expressions, most probably being opening words of three independent verses. The first of these expressions has numerous parallels as ξένος and its derivatives is a favourite word beginning verses and/or stanzas in ξ in Greek Christian hymns κατ’ ἀλφάβητον; cf. e. g. P.Turner 10, 14: ξένον θαῦµα ἐπέδειξας; troparion to the cross in Horologion 664: ξένον θαῦµα ἰδόντες, ξένον βίον βιῶµεν; P.Bouriant 4 ξένον λαὸν ξενίσας ἐθνῶν ὁ Ἰησοῦς; hymn to the Virgin from Qasr Ibrim64: τὸ] ξένον πράγµα ἐβαστάσας; and in particular MPER XVII IV 5: [ξέ]νον τι θεώρηµα. The second expression may come from a verse like µάγοι καὶ ποιµένες ἦλθον προσκυνῆσαι Χριστὸν τὸν γεννηθέντα ἐν Βηθλεὲµ τῇ πόλει occurring in µεγαλυνάρια for the feast of Christ’s nativity by Andreas Pyrros65. 60 61 62 63 64 65 P. B. KOTTER (ed.), Die Schriften des Johannes von Damaskus. Vol. IV: Liber de haeresibus. Opera polemica (PTS 22). Berlin 1981, 304–332. F. J. LEROY, Une nouvelle homélie acrostich sur la nativité, in: Mus 77 (1964), 163–173. Unpublished; my reading from the photo. M. RAUER (ed.), Origenes Werke. Vol. IX2 (GCS 49). Berlin 1959, 227–336. FREND, DRAGAS, KONTOYIANNIS, Greek Liturgical Fragments (see fn. 5), 119–120, recto, l. 16. CHRIST, PARANIKAS, Anthologia Graeca (see fn. 41), 85, XV, ll. 13–14. A Greek Hymn to the Virgin with Alphabetic Acrostics 405 The third expression is too indistinct to indicate a possible source of borrowing or inspiration. Only exempli gratia one can point out Basilius, Consolatoria ad aegrotum, PG 31, 1721 ἄσωµεν τῷ κυρίῳ· ἐνδόξως γὰρ δεδόξασται. ἐξ οὐρανοῦ κατῆλθε, καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς οὐκ ἐχωρίσθη· ἐν σπηλαίῳ ἐτέχθη, καὶ τὸν θρόνον οὐκ ἐγύµνωσε; Romanus Melodus, Cantica 13:12 ἐν σπηλαίῳ νῦν ἐτέχθη; similarly in 83, prooimion. Ο (ll. 22–23). This is a quotation from Baruch 3:36: οὗτος ὁ θεὸς ἡµῶν, οὐ λογισθήσεται ἕτερος πρὸς αὐτόν. Note that the singular αὐτόν has been changed into the plural αὐτούς. Π (ll. 23–24). One compares Johannes Damascenus, Sermo in annuntiationem Mariae, PG 96, 656 χαίροις, µόνη ἐν παρθένοις παρθένος, ἡ καὶ πρὸ τοῦ τόκου, καὶ ἐν τόκῳ, καὶ µετὰ τόκον, παρθένος διαµείνασα. Similarly in a hymn inscribed on an ostracon found in the so-called Monastery of St Epiphanios in Egyptian Thebes, P.Mon.Epiph. 600: παρθένος συνέλαβεν, παρθένος ἐκύησεν, παρθένος ὦδινεν, παρθένος ἔτεκεν, παρθένος ἔµεινεν, πρὸ τόκου παρθένος καὶ ἐν τόκῳ παρθένος κεὶ µετὰ τόκον παρθένος. The Qasr Ibrim hymn to the Virgin Mary published here supplements a modest list of liturgical chant texts known from Christian Nubia. As far as published texts are concerned, we have only three hymns in various states of preservation and of various contents coming from Qasr Ibrim66. To them one can possibly add a text inscribed on an ostracon found in the sacristy of the south church at Faras, now kept in Philadelphia, University of Pennsylvania, University Museum (inv. Faras 2, no. 36)67. It contains a series of verses separated by // or \\. The verses are largely based on psalm quotations and it is possible that they in fact form a hymn68. Several finds of this kind still remain unpublished. A hymn with a quotation from Ps 121:1 inscribed on the other side of the parchment leaf with a liturgical text on Archangel Michael found in Qasr Ibrim was already mentioned above69. Further, one should make note of a parchment leaf discovered during the work of the Polish mission in Faras in 1960s (field inv. no. F 112/62–3) and now kept in the National Museum in Warsaw (inv. no. 228519)70. The leaf is inscribed on both sides with verses of hymnic character, separated, like the 66 67 68 69 70 For references, see above, footnotes 19, 21, 22. G. S. MILEHAM, Churches in Lower Nubia (University of Pennsylvania Egyptian Department of the University Museum. Eckley B. Coxe Junior Expedition to Nubia II). Philadelphia 1910, 36 (with a note by F. E. BRIGHTMAN). The date of the ostracon is unknown. Such was the opinion of Th. SCHERMANN, Ägyptische Abendmahlsliturgien des ersten Jahrtausends (SGKA 6,1–2). Paderborn 1912, 201, and J. VAN HAELST, Catalogue des papyrus littéraires juifs et chrétiennes (Université de Paris IV Paris-Sorbonne, Série <Papyrologie> 1). Paris 1976, no. 916. See fn. 23. The find was mentioned by H. QUECKE, Untersuchungen zum koptischen Stundengebet (PIOL 3). Louvain 1970, 79–80, fn. 140, and by BRAKMANN, Defunctus adhuc loquitur (see fn. 1), 290, fn. 20. Its publication is under preparation by the present author. The date of the find is difficult to establish. Palaeographic and textual criteria suggest 12th century or later. 406 Adam Łajtar verses on the Qasr Ibrim paper sheet and the ostracon from Faras, by double oblique strokes. One of the verses contains the troparion ἦλθεν ὁ σωτὴρ σήµερον, which suggests that we are dealing with a hymn for Palm Sunday71. Faras also yielded an inscription in black ink written on the northern wall of room D of the cathedral (inv. of inscriptions: D 80a.3), now kept in the Sudan National Museum in Khartoum72. The inscription, dating from the 11th/13th century, contains in 23 lines a list of hymn incipits, some of them known from the Byzantine tradition, some not. Two interesting finds related to the liturgical chant as practised in the Nubian church were made recently by the mission of the Southern Dongola Reach Survey in Banganarti, 10 kilometres to the south of Dongola, the capital of the Christian kingdom of Makuria. These are two ink inscriptions, most probably of the 10th/first half of the 11th century, written on the northern and the southern walls of Room 18 of the so-called lower church73. The first of them contains a canon to an unidentifiable subject, the second a hymn divided into stanzas, perhaps a kind of kontakion or sticherion. All these texts have in common that they are in Greek even if the standards of the language often leave much to desire. All of them represent the Greek hymnography of the period prior to the 7th/8th century, although the finds themselves come from a much later period (from 10th/11th century to, apparently, 12th/13th century). This shows that the liturgical chant of the Nubian church was based on imports made during the official evangelization of the country in the 6th century or in the following two centuries. Where these imports exactly came from – Constantinople, the Syro-Palaestinian area, Egypt – is a secondary question; in the period under consideration Oriental Christianity probably still made use of a more or less similar hymnography74. The original Coptic hymnography that started to appear from the 9th century onwards left no traces in Nubia75. On the other hand, the Church in Nubia most probably produced with time its own form of sacral chant, basing on local African tradition. A proof for that may be a unique mural 71 72 73 74 75 Thus BRAKMANN, Defunctus adhuc loquitur (see fn. 1), 283–333. The publication of the inscription is under preparation by the present author. The inscriptions are being studied by Agata Deptuła to whom I owe information about their character quoted here. Preliminarily, see A. DEPTUŁA, Inscription with liturgical hymn from the Lower Church in Banganarti, in: PAM 20 (2012), 267–272. This is testified by papyrus finds in Egypt; see for example C. GRASSIEN, Reconstitution d’un livret byzantin pour la Dimanche des Rameaux (P.Vindob.G 1383 + 19895 + 26089), in: I. ANDORLINI, G. BASTIANINI, M. MANFREDI, G. MENCI (eds.), Atti del XXII Congresso Internazionale di Papirologia, 23–29 agosto 1998. Vol. I. Florence 2001, 559–569. One the Coptic hymnography, see H. JUNKER, Koptische Poesie des 10. Jahrhunderts. Vol. I– II. Berlin 1908–1911 (reprint Hildesheim 1977); H. JUNKER, Alte koptische Poesie, in: BSAC 2 (1936), 25–37; De Lacy O’LEARY, The Difnar (Antiphonarium) of the Coptic Church. Vol. I–III. London 1926–1930; G. GABRA, Untersuchungen zum Difnar der koptischen Kirche. Vol. I: Quellenlage, Forschungsgeschichte und künftigen Aufgaben, in: BSAC 35 (1996), 37– 52; G. GABRA, Untersuchungen zum Difnar der koptischen Kirche. Vol. II: Zur Kompilation, in: BSAC 37 (1998), 49–68; M. R. B. AWAD, Untersuchungen zur koptischen Psalmodie. Christologische und liturgische Aspekte (StOrKg 41). Berlin 2007. A Greek Hymn to the Virgin with Alphabetic Acrostics 407 on the northern wall of Room 5 of the so-called South-Western Annex to the monastery on Kom H at Dongola, representing possibly a Marian feast76. The feast is attended by two groups of participants clad as hyenas and giraffes, dancing and singing (or shouting) to the accompaniment of some percussion instruments of African origin. Texts of songs (or acclamations) in Old Nubian are given all around the participants, which makes the mural to resemble a modern cartoon. 76 M. MARTENS-CZARNECKA, Wall Paintings Discovered in Dongola in the 2004 Season, in: PAM 16 (2005), 276–281, figs. 6–7; M. MARTENS-CZARNECKA, The Wall Paintings from the Monastery on Kom H in Dongola (PAM. Monograph Series 3, Nubia III, Dongola 3). Warsaw 2012, 233–238. 408 Adam Łajtar Qasr Ibrim inv. 72.11.4: Sheet of paper with hymn to the Virgin in alphabetic acrostichs in Greek. Copyright Egypt Exploration Society