Database of Byzantine Book Epigrams

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Type 4816
(formerly typ/2881)

	Ὁ μεσίτης με Χριστὸς οὖσαν ἐσχάτην
	πρώτην ἔσεσθαι εἶπεν αὐτός∙ εἰμι γάρ.
	ἡ γοῦν ταπεινὴ τῇ ἀριθμήσει βάσις
	άρχὴ καθ' ὕψός εἰμι εὐστηριξίας.

Title(s)	Ὡς ἐκ τῆς ἀγάπης ἥτις ἐστι Χριστός
Text source	A. Rhoby, 2018, Ausgewählte Byzantinische Epigramme in Illuminierten Handschriften, Wien: 91-92
Text status	Text completely known
Editorial status	Critical text
Genre(s)	Image-related epigram Text-related epigram
Metre(s)	Dodecasyllable
Subject(s)	Heavenly Ladder Jesus Christ (10 BC-1 BC - 30-33)
Tag(s)	Description of an image Miniature Reference to content of the book Self-presentation
Translation(s)	As if (spoken by) Agape which is Christ Christ the mediator said of me, being the last, That I will be the first, ‘for I am myself. Now <though> a lowly step with respect to the counting I am the beginning of the stability on high.' 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 Der Mittler Christus selbst sagte, ich würde, obwohl die letzte, die erste sein – ich bin es ja. Die ja nur der Zählung nach niedrige Stufe bin ich der Anfang des sicheren Weges in die Höhe. Language German Source(s) A. Rhoby, 2018, Ausgewählte Byzantinische Epigramme in Illuminierten Handschriften, Wien: 91
Comment	Title: cf. I John 4.16 1 cf. 1 Tim. 2.5 2 cf. Revelation 1.17, 22.12; Matthew 19.30 4 cf. Genesis 28.12
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
Number of verses	4
Occurrence(s)	[29736] Ὁ μεσίτης με χ(ριστό)ς οὖσαν ἐσχάτη(ν) [946-955] ISTANBUL - Patriarchike Bibliotheke - Hagia Trias 134 [946-955] (f. 2v) (4 verses) [22084] ὁ μεσίτης με Χ(ριστὸ)ς οὖσαν ἐσχάτην [11th c.] PATMOS - Mone tou Hagiou Ioannou tou Theologou 121 [11th c.] (f. 3v) (4 verses) [21402] ὁ μεσίτης με χ(ριστὸ)ς οὖ\|σαν ἐσχάτην [10th c.] SINAI - Mone tes Hagias Aikaterines - gr. 417 [10th c.] (f. 13v) (4 verses)
Acknowledgements	Contributor(s) Anne-Sophie Rouckhout, Lotte van Olmen The credits system has been implemented in 2019. Credits from before the new system was in use might be incomplete.
Identification	BEiÜ IV, ÄG13
Permalink	http://dev.dbbe.ugent.be/types/4816

Last modified: 2026-01-19.

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