Database of Byzantine Book Epigrams

• Image-related epigram
• Text-related epigram

Poet

John of Melitene < Cappadocia (951-1000) - PMBZ: 25315: "Personenkennziffer: 23161" (metropolites of Melitene < Cappadocia)

• Death
• Epitaph
• Miniature

• Who before to men was even sharper than a sword,
  victim he of both a woman and a sword.
  Who before by might held power over the whole earth,
  like a nobody occupies a small patch of earth.
  Before, even savages, I believe, respected his imperial majesty;
  she slew him, who shared his bed, pretending to be one flesh.
  Who wished not to sleep even a little, even at night,
  sleeps now, in the grave, a long sleep.
  Bitter sight!" "But rise now, lord,
  and marshal infantry, cavalry, archers,
  your army, your phalanxes, your squadrons;
  Russian armour is surging towards us,
  nations of Scythians are throbbing for murder,
  every nation is raiding around your city,
  whom previously a mere graven image would intimidate
  before the gates, your image, in the city of Byzantium.
  No, be not disdainful. Cast off the stone
  that holds you and with stones drive away
  the nations of savages. And also give rocks,
  a support for us, a most unbreakable foundation.
  But if you wish not to peep a little from your tomb,
  at least burst forth a cry from the earth to the nations,
  perhaps on its own it will scatter and rout them.
  But if not even this, in your tomb accept
  us all, for even dead you are capable
  of saving the entire Christian people."
  "O, except for a woman, in all else indeed victorious.

  Language

  English

  Source(s)

  J. Burke 2017, Nikephoros Phokas as Superhero, in A. Brown, B. Neil (eds.), Byzantine Culture in Translation, Leiden, 95-114: 96-97

• Тотъ, кто прежде былъ крѣпче мужей и меча, тотъ сдѣлался легкою добычею женщины и меча. Тотъ, кто своею силою держалъ в рукахъ власть надъ всею землею, тотъ занимаетъ теперь малый уголокъ земли. Того, кто прежде былъ, думаю, лицомъ священнымъ для самыхъ звѣрей, того убила супруга, членъ, казалось, единаго тѣла. Тотъ, который и въ ночи не давалъ себѣ краткаго сна, спитъ теперь во гробѣ длинное время. Печальное зрѣлище! Но возстань нынѣ, царь, и собери пѣшихъ, конныхъ, копейщиковъ, твое войско, фаланги и полки. На насъ устремляется русское всеоружіе; Скиѳскіе народы яростно порываются къ убійствамъ; всяческий языкъ разоряетъ твой градъ-(иноплеменники), которыхъ прежде пугалъ одинъ твой образъ, начертанный впереди воротъ Византіи. Нѣтъ, не презри этого: сбрось камень, который держитъ тебя, и прогони каменьями сихъ звѣрей-иноплеменниковъ; дай также намъ прочное основаніе на неподвижномъ камени. Если же нѣтъ, если ты не хочешь приникнуть немного изъ гроба, то грянь изъ земли народамъ однимъ твоимъ голосомъ; можетъ быть, это одно разсѣетъ ихъ и обратитъ въ бѣгство. Если же и это тебѣ не угодно, то прими всѣхъ насъ въ твою гробницу; ибо и мертвый ты, во всемъ побѣдоносный (Никифоръ), кроме женщины, будешь имѣть достаточно силы, чтобы спасти толпы христіанъ.

  Language

  Russian

  Source(s)

  V. Vasilievsky, 1909, Русско-византийскіе отрывки, Saint Petersburg: 114-115

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