Type 33670
| Περσὶς Χριστῷ πρὶν τῷ βροτεργάτῃ λόγῳ | |
| δῶρα κομίζει, λίβανον, χρυσὸν, σμύρναν· | |
| σοί δ’ αὖ, βασιλεῦ, Περσικῶν ἀρχοὶ φύλων | |
| χρυσὸν φέρουσι καὶ λίθους καὶ μαργάρους· | |
| ἐν οἷς φαεινὸς ἦν ξενίζων λυχνίτης | |
| τὴν σταυρικὴν μόρφωσιν ἀτεχνῶς φέρων· | |
| ᾧ τεχνικὴ χεὶρ καὶ γραφὶς θείῳ πόθῳ | |
| εἰς κάλλος ἐξύφανε γραμμάτων τύπους· | |
| οὗ κρεῖττον οὐδὲν, οὐδ’ ἶσον τῶν ἐν βίῳ. |
| Text source | J. Bértola 2021, Ephraim of Ainos at work: a cycle of epigrams in the margins of Niketas Choniates, Byzantinische Zeitschrift, 114(3), 929-1000: 980 |
| Text status | Text completely known |
| Editorial status | Critical text |
| Genre(s) | Text-related epigram |
| Person(s) | |
| Metre(s) | Dodecasyllable |
| Subject(s) | |
| Tag(s) | |
| Translation(s) |
Persia before brought to Christ, the Word, creator of mortals, gifts, incense, gold and myrrh. Now to you, emperor, the leaders of the Persian tribes (Arabs) carry gold and stones and pearls, among which there was an astonishing shining stone (lychnites), truly bearing the shape of the cross, in which an artful hand and a chisel with divine love for the sake of beauty wove engraved letters. There is nothing better than this, nor even equal, among the things in life. |
| Comment | The poem comments on Niketas Choniates' History 30.90-2. |
| Bibliography | |
| Number of verses | 9 |
| Acknowledgements |
The credits system has been implemented in 2019. Credits from before the new system was in use might be incomplete. |
| Identification | Vassis ICB 2005, 614: "Scholium in Historiam Nicetae Choniatae (de imagine s. crucis)" |
| Permalink | https://www.dbbe.ugent.be/types/33670 |
Last modified: 2021-11-19.
