Database of Byzantine Book Epigrams

• Patron-related epigram
• Text-related epigram

• Barnabas (12th c.) - PLP: II.2317 (monachos)
• David
• Psalter

• Beauty of the book
• Prayer
• Reference to content of the book
• Self-presentation

• A very great man and monk, Barnabas,
  a saintly, very great oikonomos
  for the estates of the patriarch of Holy Sion
  on the island of Cyprus,
  having acquired an overwhelming craving
  for the soul-nourishing, Davidic words,
  wrote and illustrated in a pious spirit
  the most beautiful psalter,
  adorned and shining with a golden appearance.
  For, most radiant with virtues, Barnabas,
  his soul purified and his mind given wings,
  ascended to the height of the psalmist’s
  and mighty prophet’s thoughts.
  Whence, seeing beyond material imagery,
  he has brilliantly written the psalmodic hymns.
  May the Lord assess him worthily and rank him among the saints,
  as one who preferred over earthbound deeds
  a pure soul and a firm mind.

  Language

  English

  Source(s)

  A. Weyl Carr 2022, Athens, Benaki Museum, Vitr. 34.3, in F. Spingou (ed.), The Visual Culture of Later Byzantium (vol. 2), Cambridge / New York, 1424-1428: 1427

• Verses on the Psalter and on the monk Barnabas also great oikonomos.
  A very great man and monk, Barnabas, a saintly (and) very great oikonomos for the estates of the patriarch of Holy Sion on the island of Cyprus, having succumbed to an overwhelming affection for the Davidic words, nourishing to the soul, wrote and illustrated in a pious spirit the most beautiful psalter, adorned and shining with a golden appearance. Out of the brilliance of his virtues, Barnabas, having purified his soul and given wings to his wit, attained the heights of the thoughts of the psalmist and outstanding prophet. Whence, disregarding material imagery, he brilliantly wrote the psalmodic hymns. May the Lord treat him worthily and number him in the ranks of the saints, as having preferred a pure soul and a firm mind to earthbound deeds.

  Language

  English

  Source(s)

  A. Cutler, A. Weyl Carr 1976, The Psalter Benaki 34.3. An unpublished illuminated manuscript from the family 2400, Revue des Études Byzantines, 34, 281-324: 314

• Barnabas, ein überaus großer Mann und Mönch,
  ein überaus großer heiliger Verwalter
  der Besitzungen, die sich auf der Insel Zypern befinden,
  des Patriarchen des heiligen Sion,
  überbordende Sehnsucht besitzend
  nach den seelennährenden Reden Davids,
  ließ ein Psalterion, wunderschön gestaltet
  und goldglänzend ausgeschmückt
  schreiben (und) illustrieren in frommer Gesinnung.
  Denn auf Grund der Pracht seiner Tugenden lief Barnabas
  seelisch gereinigt und geistig beflügelt
  zur Höhe der Gedanken
  des Psalmendichters und hervorragenden Propheten empor.
  Daher sah er über die materiellen Vorstellungen hinweg
  und ließ prächtig Psalmengesänge abschreiben.
  Würdig möge diesen der Herr einordnen und
  dem Reigen der Heiligen zurechnen,
  da er gemeinen Dingen
  der Seele Reinheit und des Geistes Kraft vorzog.

  Language

  German

  Source(s)

  A. Rhoby, 2018, Ausgewählte Byzantinische Epigramme in Illuminierten Handschriften, Wien: 194

The credits system has been implemented in 2019. Credits from before the new system was in use might be incomplete.

• BEiÜ IV, GR11
• Vassis ICB 2005, 52: "Librarii subscr. in psalterium"