Type 3867
(formerly typ/1965)

Κλίμαξ προμήκης καθορᾶται μοι ξένη,
ἐκ γῆς πρὸς ὕψος ἀδύτων οὐρανίων
βροτοὺς φέρουσα· καὶ τίς ἡ κλίμαξ λέγε.
"Οὐκ ἀσφαλὴς ἡ πεῦσις." Ἀλλ’ ἔτι διασάφει.
Μὴ γὰρ κλίμακα τὴν Ἰακώβ μοι λέγεις,
τὴν κατάγουσαν ἀγγέλους οὐρανόθεν,
βροτῶν παλαιστὰς τῆς χοϊκῆς οὐσίας;
"Οὔκουν ἐκείνην, ἥν δ’ ἀνιστᾷ τεχνίτης
ἐκ τῆς καθ’ ἕξιν μυστικῆς λεπτουργίας
τῷ τῆς ἐπιστήμης τε καθηδρασμένῳ
εἰς ἀκρότητα τῆς τεχνουργίας φθάσας,
ἧς τὴν κεφαλὴν ἑδράσας μέχρι πόλου,
πηξάμενός τε τὰς βάσεις πανευστόχως,
βάσιμον αὐτὴν τοῖς βροτοῖς σχεδιάσας
τὴν ἀνάβασιν εὐχερῆ προδεικνύει."
Text source R. Meesters 2016, Ascending the Ladder: Editio Princeps of Four Poems on the Ladder of John Klimakos (Bodleian Baroccianus 141), Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies (GRBS), 56, 556-571: 561-562
Text status Text completely known
Editorial status Critical text
Genre(s)
Metre(s) Dodecasyllable
Subject(s)
Tag(s)
Translation(s) Other verses on the same book
This elongated ladder seems to me a strange thing
since it leads mortals from the earth to the height of
the inaccessible places in heaven. What is this ladder? Tell me.
“It is risky to ascertain.” Come, explain more.
You do not speak of the ladder of Jacob, do you?
The one which leads the angels down from heaven,
those who wrestle against humans of material substance?
“Of course not of that one. I speak of the ladder set up by a craftsman,
who, with his experienced, fine, mystical workmanship,
his solid grasp of skill,
has reached the summit of craftsmanship.
He has placed the top of the ladder as far as heaven,
fixed its fundaments most precisely,
and has devised it to be passable for mortals,
thus showing that its ascent is easy".
Language
English
Source(s)
R. Meesters 2016, Ascending the Ladder: Editio Princeps of Four Poems on the Ladder of John Klimakos (Bodleian Baroccianus 141), Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Studies (GRBS), 56, 556-571: 562
Bibliography
Number of verses 15
Occurrence(s) [19838] Κλίμαξ προμήκ(ης) καθορᾶτ(αι) μοι ξένη [1376-1400]
OXFORD - Bodleian Library - Barocci 141 [1326-1350] (f. 247r)
(15 verses)
Acknowledgements

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Identification
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Last modified: 2022-12-13.