Database of Byzantine Book Epigrams

Type 4437
(formerly typ/2540)

	Ἄνω φέρων σε τῷ τρόπῳ πρὸς τῷ χρόνῳ
	κάτω γράφει σοι τὴν ἀνωτάτω βάσιν.
	Τὸν οὖν Ιησοὺν ὅν τυποῖ σοι καὶ βλέπε
	μετροχρονῶν τὰ βάθρα τούτῳ εὐστόχως,
	ὥς φησι Παῦλος, αὐτὸν ἡλαττωμένον
	καὶ τοῦ πάθους ἔπαθλον εὑρόντα κράτος∙
	ὅτ' ἂν γίνῃ γὰρ εἰς ταπείνωσιν ἄκραν,
	τότε πρὸς ὕψος οὐρανοῦ καταδράμεις.

Text source	A. Rhoby, 2018, Ausgewählte Byzantinische Epigramme in Illuminierten Handschriften, Wien: 89-91
Text status	Text completely known
Editorial status	Critical text
Genre(s)	Image-related epigram Reader-related epigram Text-related epigram
Metre(s)	Dodecasyllable
Subject(s)	Heavenly Ladder Jesus Christ (10 BC-1 BC - 30-33) John Klimax (6th c. - 7th c.) - PMBZ: 13914: "Personenkennziffer: 2791" Paul (apostle, saint)
Tag(s)	(Spiritual) advice to the reader Address to the reader Description of an image Reference to content of the book
Translation(s)	Bringing you on high by a mode within time, It describes for you below the uppermost step: While measuring out in time the rungs, aiming well, Behold Jesus whom it represents (as a model?) for you, Who, as Paul says, being Himself lesser Found power as the prize of His Passion. For, whenever you attain the height of humility, Then you rush headlong to the summit of heaven. Language English Source(s) K. Corrigan, N. Patterson Ševčenko 2011, 'The teaching of the ladder': The Message of the Heavenly Ladder Image in Sinai ms. gr. 417, in A. Lymberopoulou (ed.), Images of the Byzantine World. Visions, Messages and Meanings. Studies presented to Leslie Brubaker, Farnham / Burlington, 99-120: 106 Empor dich tragend nach der zeitgebundenen Art beschreibt er (Ioannes Klimax ?) dir unten die höchste Stufe. Betrachte nun auch Jesus, den er dir als Vorbild darstellt, indem du die Stufen diesem trefflich zeitlich bemisst – wie Paulus sagt, er (d.h. Christus) sei schwächer geworden und habe als Kampfpreis des Leidens Stärke gefunden. Denn wenn du zur höchsten Stufe der Demut gelangst, dann wirst du zur Höhe des Himmels hinablaufen. Language German Source(s) A. Rhoby, 2018, Ausgewählte Byzantinische Epigramme in Illuminierten Handschriften, Wien: 90
Comment	Verses 5-6 are based on Hebrews 2.7-9.
Bibliography	Primary K. Corrigan, N. Patterson Ševčenko 2011, 'The teaching of the ladder': The Message of the Heavenly Ladder Image in Sinai ms. gr. 417, in A. Lymberopoulou (ed.), Images of the Byzantine World. Visions, Messages and Meanings. Studies presented to Leslie Brubaker, Farnham / Burlington, 99-120: 106 Secondary S. Lucà 2025, Un ignoto frammento del De lege spirituali di Marco Monaco (Athos, Protatou 38, ff. 1r-2v), con una nota sulla fortuna dei suoi scritti nella Calabria bizantina, in Corolla Byzantina. Studi in onore di Carmelo Crimi, Spoleto, 151-206: 174 n. 88
Number of verses	8
Occurrence(s)	[29737] Ἄνω φέρων σε τῶ τρόπω προς τω χρόνω [946-955] ISTANBUL - Patriarchike Bibliotheke - Hagia Trias 134 [946-955] (f. 2v) (8 verses) [20867] ἄνω \| φέρων σε τῷ τρό\|πῳ πρὸς τῷ χρόν(ω) [01/09/1258-31/08/1259] MILAN - Biblioteca Ambrosiana D 58 sup. [01/09/1258-31/08/1259] (f. 2r-2v) (8 verses) [23603] ἄνω φέρων σε (...) [1451-1475] NAPLES - Biblioteca Nazionale - gr. II A 26 [1451-1475] (f. 201v) (8 verses) [22081] Ἄνω \| φέρω(ν) \| σε τῶ \| τρόπω \| πρὸς τῶ \| χρόνω [11th c.] PATMOS - Mone tou Hagiou Ioannou tou Theologou 121 [11th c.] (f. 3v) (8 verses) [21401] ἄνω \| φέρω(ν) \| σε τῶ \| τρόπω \| πρὸς τῶ \| χρόνω [10th c.] SINAI - Mone tes Hagias Aikaterines - gr. 417 [10th c.] (f. 13v) (8 verses) [35909] Ἄνω φέρω σε τῷ τρόπῳ πρὸς τῷ χρόνῷ [1151-1200] VATICAN CITY - Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana - Vat. gr. 2016 [1101-1125] (f. 2v) (8 verses) display 3 more occurrences (6 in total) hide 3 occurrences (6 in total)
Acknowledgements	Contributor(s) Anne-Sophie Rouckhout, Lotte van Olmen, Eleonora Lauro The credits system has been implemented in 2019. Credits from before the new system was in use might be incomplete.
Identification	BEiÜ IV, ÄG12 Vassis ICB 2005, 63: "In Ioann. Climaci Scalam Paradisi"
Permalink	https://www.dbbe.ugent.be/types/4437

Last modified: 2025-10-13.

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