Part 17 (2/2)

O my husband, my light, my breath, whom I now greet.

This gift to thee also is from thy wife.

For thou indeed who wast like a sleepless lion in battles Sleepest, having to endure the grave, instead (of occupying) thy lair.

But I have erected for thee a dwelling of stone, Lest the army finding thee again, should trouble thee, Although here thou art hidden, having cast off thy (body of) clay, Or, the gross flesh having dropped off, thou hast been transported above, Leaving every weapon hung up on its peg.

For thou didst abhor the mansions in the world,[253]

Having fled from life in the cheap cloak (of a monk), And didst confront invisible potentates, Having received instead (of thine own armour) a strong panoply from G.o.d.

Therefore I will construct for thee this tomb as a pearl oyster sh.e.l.l, Or sh.e.l.l of the purple dye, or bud on a th.o.r.n.y brier.

O my pearl, my purple, rose of another clime, Even though being plucked thou art pressed by the stones So as to cause me sheddings of tears.

Yet thou thyself, both living and beholding the living G.o.d, As a mind pure from material pa.s.sions, Prepare for me again thy home.

Martha,[254] thy wife formerly, writes these things to thee, O protostrator, fairest also of the dead!

The following epitaph in honour of the protostrator Glabas[254] was to be placed in the parecclesion of the church of the Pammakaristos (_Carmina Philae_, ccxix., ed. Miller, vol. i. pp. 115-16):--

[Greek: Epigramma eis ton naon hon okodomesen he tou protostratoros symbios apothanonti to andri autes.

he men dia sou pasa ton onton physis ou dynatai ch.o.r.ein se ten proten physin; plerois gar auten alla kai pleion meneis, Theou Loge zon kai draki to pan pheron, kan sarx alethes heuretheis perigraphe, 5 psychais de pistais mystikos enidrye monen seauto pegnyon athanaton; oukoun dechou ton oikon hon teteucha soi deiknynta saphos tes psyches mou ten schesin; ton syzygon de pheu teleutesanta moi 10 kai tes choikes apanastanta steges, oikison eis aphtharton autos pastada, kantautha teron ten soron tou leipsanou, me tis enechthe syntribe tois osteois. 15 protostrator kai tauta sen depou charin he syzygos prin, alla nyn Martha graphei.]

The whole nature of existing things which thou hast made Cannot contain Thee, the primordial nature, For Thou fillest it, and yet remainest more than it; O Logos of G.o.d, living and holding all in the hollow of Thy hand, Although as true flesh Thou art circ.u.mscribed, And dwellest, mystically, in faithful souls, Establis.h.i.+ng for Thyself an immortal habitation, Yet accept the house which I have built for Thee, Which shows clearly the disposition of my soul.

My husband who, alas! has died to me And gone forth from his house of clay, Do Thou Thyself settle in an incorruptible mansion, Guarding also here the shrine of his remains, Lest any injury should befall his bones.

O protostrator, these things, too, for thy sake I trow, Writes she who erewhile was thy wife, but now is Martha.[256]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 50.]

_To face page 160._

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 51.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 52.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 53.]

[215] See the masterly articles of Mr. Siderides in the _Proceedings of the Greek Syllogos of C.P._; supplement to vols. xx.-xxii. pp.

19-32; vol. xxix. pp. 265-73. I beg to acknowledge my great indebtedness to their learned author.

[216] 'This is the thoughtful deed of John Comnenus and of his consort Anna of the family Ducas. Grant to them, O Pure One, rich grace and appoint them dwellers in the house of G.o.d.'

[217] Vol. ii, p. 183.

[218] _Carmina Philae_, vol. i. ode 237, lines 21-23. Codex Paris, p.

241.

[219] M. Crusius, _Turcograecia_, p. 189.

[220] It should read, [Greek: Branaina]. See Siderides, in the _Proceedings of the Greek Syllogos of C.P._ vol. xxix. p. 267.

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