J_
LEGENDS OF EASTERN SAINTS
LEGENDS OF EASTERN SAINTS
CHIEFLY FROM SYRIAC SOURCES
EDITED AND PARTLY TRANSLATED
BY
A. J. WENSINCK
Vol. II
The Legend of Hilaria
With 3 facsimiles
LEYDEN
. E. J. BRILL LTD.
1913
v^
/ry Of T0^<^
lfl% -,,,
-i (
PRINTED BY E. J. BRILL, LEYDEN (HOLLAND).
PREFACE.
The existence of the story which is published in the
following pages, may have been known in Europe since
S. E. and J. S. Assemani published the catalogue of the
Syriac Mss. preserved in the Vatican library (Bibl. apost.
vatic, codd. mss. catalogue, III, p. 494). But it was only
in 1879 that more details were made known by the ap
pearance of Wustenfeld s translation of the Alexandrian
synaxary (Synaxarium das ist Heiligen-Kalender der
Coptischen Christen, II, p. 252 et sequ.).
In 1887/1888 the Coptic text of the story appeared
in the Proceedings of the Society for Biblical Archaeology,
X, p. 194 et sequ., together with a translation of another
redaction of the text of the Alexandrian synaxary, much
longer than the one translated by Wustenfeld (ib., p. 186).
This edition and translation were made by Amelineau.
A new edition and translation of the enlarged Coptic
text were published by Giron in his Legendes copies,
p. 44 et sequ.
The Arabic text of the Alexandrian synaxary has
been edited by J. Forget (Corpus scriptorum christiano-
rum orientalium, scriptores arabici, series tertia, tomus
I et II). The text of Wustenfeld s translation is to be
found in torn. I, p. W et sequ., that of Amelineau s trans
lation in torn. I, p. i^Af et sequ.
VI PREFACE.
The Syriac and Karshuni texts are published for the
first time in the present book.
The general features of the story, contained in the
above mentioned versions, are as follows.
Hilaria, daughter of the Emperor Zeno, having a
strong inclination towards monastic life, steals away from
her father s palace and reaches the valley of Skete,
where she lives henceforth in a cell or grotto, disguised
as a man. Her sister, having been attacked by a severe
illness, is sent by Zeno to the monks in order to be
healed. This task is entrusted to Hilaria. After having
recovered the girl is sent back to the Emperor, to whom
she relates how a monk, a eunuch, kept her in his cell
and healed her. Zeno, being disturbed by this fact,
summons the monk to his residence. Here it appears
that the so-called eunuch is Hilaria. She returns to the
desert and only after her death it becomes more gene
rally known that she was a woman. The monastery
receives yearly large gifts from the Emperor.
These are the common features of the Coptic, Arabic,
Aethiopic, Syriac and Karshuni versions of the legend.
On the differences cf. the Introduction.
It was Dr. O. von Lemm, who recognised the proto
type of this, apparently thoroughly Christian, story in
the old-egyptian tale of Bent-resh (cf. Melanges asiatiques
tires du bulletin de V acadhnie imperiale des sciences de
St. Peter sbourg, Tome IX, p. 595 597). The translation
of this tale, contained in the present book, has been
taken from Breasted, Ancient Records of Egypt, III,
429 447. A French translation is to be found in Mas-
pero, Legendes popnlaires de V Egypte ancienne, p. 183
et sequ.
PREFACE. VII
The translation of the Coptic text is based upon the
above mentioned translations by Amelineau and Giron.
Dr. von Lemm has revised and corrected it. I am greatly
indebted to him for this kindness, as well as for many
valuable data.
The Karshuni texts have been printed in Arabic
characters for typographical reasons. In order to give
an idea of the character of the Mss. I have added some
facsimiles. - - I have not deemed it necessary to translate
the Aethiopic texts. They represent the same version
as the short Arabic text.
I have to thank Professor K. Lake and Mr. M. G. van
Neck for revising the English parts of this book.
I have to thank M. 1 Abbe S. Grebaut who kindly
lent me his photographs of the Parisian Aethiopic Mss.
I have used.
My revered teacher Professor Snouck Hurgronje again
read a proof of the whole book.
I beg that the Corrigenda be not overlooked, where
also corrections to vol. I are to be found.
Leiden, November 1913. A. J. WENSINCK.
CONTENTS.
p.
XI
Corrections in vols. I and II. .
. . . P .
XXXII
Translation of the Story of Bent-Resh
P.
I
Translation of the Coptic text
. . . P.
7
Translation of the long Arabic text
p.
17
Translation of the short Arabic text
. . . P.
30
Translation of the Syriac text
. . . p.
35
Translation of the short Karshuni text V) .
p-
58
Translation of the long Karshuni text ....
. . . p.
63
Glossary of Arabic words
. . . P.
90
Aethiopic texts
p-
"b and Z
Short Karshuni text (V)
. . . p.
rr
X onu Kcirsliuni text
P-
\
r
Svriac text .
p.
rf
INTRODUCTION.
MANUSCRIPTS.
SYRIAC MANUSCRIPTS.
A==Ms. Add. 14.649, British Museum (cf. Wright,
Catalogue of the Syriac Mss. in the Brit. MILS, acquired
since the year 1838, III, p. mo, n. 25), fol. 162*.
B = Ms. Add. 14.735, British Museum (cf. Wright,
I.e., Ill, p. 1 121, n. 10), fol. 136*.
C = Ms. Add. 12.172, British Museum (cf. Wright,
I.e., Ill, p. uiS, n. 4), fol. 38*.
]) = Ms. Add. 14.650, British Museum (cf. Wright,
I.e., Ill, p. 1107, n. 20), fol. 2o6.
E = Ms. Add. 14.641, British Museum (cf. Wright,
I.e., Ill, p. 1046/0, fol. 165*.
R = Ms. Rich 7190, British Museum (cf. Catal. Codd.
Mss. Or. qui in Museo Britannico asservantur, Pars I
[ed. Forshall], p. 83, n. 81), fol. 353^.
These Mss. belong to the same family; only B has
many deviations, which however do not modify the
character of the story in any way.
KARSHUNI MANUSCRIPTS.
A = Ms. Sachau 43, Berlin, Royal Library (cf. Die
Handschnftenverzeichmsse der Konigl. Bibliothek zu
Berlin, Band XXIII, Verzeichniss der Synschen Hand-
schriften von E. Sachau, p. 746, n. 4), fol. 26*.
XIV INTRODUCTION.
B = Ms. Sachau 109, Berlin, Royal Library (cf. Sachau,
I.e., p. 394, n. i), fol. 26*.
C = Ms. Sachau 7, Berlin, Royal Library (cf. Sachau,
I.e., p. 381, n. 10), fol. 66.
D = Ms. Or. 4403, British Museum (cf. Margoliouth,
Descriptive List of Syriac and Karshunic Manuscripts in
the British Museum acquired since 1873, p. 32 et sequ.},
fol. 112*.
There is another Ms. at Jerusalem (cf. Chabot, Notice
sur les man-user its syriaques conserves dans la bibliotheque
du patriarcat grec orthodoxe de Jerusalem, in Journal
Asiatique, 9 e serie, tome 3, p. in). The title of the
story runs here : History of the Emperor Zenon. I have
not been able to consult this Ms.
T == Ms. CCVI, Vatican Library (cf. S. E. et J. S.
Assemani, Bibliothecae apost. vatic, codd. mss. cat., Ill,
494), fol. 1 10* 1 12^.
AETHIOPIC MANUSCRIPTS.
A = Cod. d Abbadie 66, fol. 146. Cf. Catalogue rai-
sonne de Mss. ethiopiens appartenant a Antoine cFAbbadie.
B = Cod. d Abbadie i, fol. 142 3. Cf. op. cit.
C = Ms. ethiopien 126, Bibliotheque Nationale, fol.
155 7. Cf. Zotenberg, Cat. des Mss. ethiopiens de la
Bibl. Nat., p. 173.
D = Cod. Add. 16.218, British Museum, fol. 124. Cf.
Catalogus Codd. Mss. Orr. qui in Mus. Britannico asser-
vantur, Pars III, p. 45 et sequ.
There are many other Mss. of the Aethiopic Synaxary,
but I have not been able to consult all of them. More
over, those mentioned were sufficient for editing a
INTRODUCTION. XV
readable text of the legend. A comparison of A with
B, C, D will show, that Guidi s statement concerning
the months Sane, Hamle, Nahase of the Aethiopic syn-
axary ), holds also good for this portion of Ter. A is a
literal translation of the short Arabic text, which seems
to have lost a few words still read by the Aethiopic
translator. Unhappily A is only a fragment. After fol.
146 of the Ms. one or more folio s are wanting.
B, C, D, belong to one family of Mss. D is very
carelessly written. A large part of the story is omitted
on account of homoioteleuton, with the gutturals is dealt
in a free manner. There are many scribal errors. It goes
finally back to C or the prototype of C, as may be seen
on page B, note (21 21), where both in C and D
ft JT is followed by P A fc : *flnlr"r which gives no
sense. The omitted words <Dh m f ii 0D 4* : ft 170 : are in B
only. - - On the other hand D goes with B in some
cases. But the exact relation between these Mss. cannot
be established without comparing the numerous other
Mss. of the Synaxary.
PROPER NAMES.
The heroine of the story is called Hilaria,
Vy^ Vj^ MC?, h+", h>". This name (ihxpiz) is,
as Dr. von Lemm has pointed out, a translation of Bent-
resh, which popular etymology has taken for "Daughter
of Joy"; hence the Coptic translation J;.^/^, "Joy." During
her abode with the monks she takes the name of Hilarios,
i (5jV\ , ,3*)U~J\ (jj^fc , h+^C^Tr : The Syriac
l) Journal of the Royal Asiatic society^ 1911, p. 739 et sequ.
XVI INTRODUCTION.
and Karshuni versions call her during the time of disguise
The name of her sister is not mentioned in any of
the texts. Seymour de Ricci and E. Winstedt call her
Anastasia on account of a passage in the Coptic story
of the forty-nine old men of Skete. In their translation )
this passage runs: "Et a cause de leur desir de ces
saints, les filles des rois laisserent leur gloire et leur
palais; elles allerent secretement a Shiet, la metropole
des moines. Et ainsi elles accomplirent leur sainte vie
dans les grands et saints deserts de Shiet. Une d elles
fut Elaria, la fille du pieux roi Zenon, de bonne memoire,
avec Anastasia la servante de Dieu a qui ecrivit le saint
patriarche Severos" and so on.
I do not think that this place gives us the right to
call Anastasia the sister of Hilaria. The history of this
Anastasia is not only known in extract from this Coptic
text, but also in extenso from two Syriac Mss. : British
Museum, Add. 14. 649, fol. 99 et sequ., and Bibliotheque
Nationale, Cod. Syr. 234, fol. 399 et seqii., from the
Alexandrian Synaxary, ed. Forget, I p. fpp et sequ. and
from the Aethiopic Synaxary (e. g. Br. Mus., Add.
16.218, fol. 127 v). Here she is called a patrika or a
princess, but there is not the slightest hint as to her
being a daughter of Zeno. So we must maintain that
the name of Hilaria s sister is unknown to us.
Her father is the Emperor Zeno who reigned in the
last quarter of the V th century A. D. (died 491). He is
praised here as being orthodox, of course on account of
i) Les quarante-neuf vieillards de Scete^ texte copte inedit et tradiic-
tion f ran false par Seymour de Ricci et Erich O. Winstedt (Notices et
extraits^ Tome XXXIX).
INTRODUCTION. XVII
his Henoticon, which was favourable for the Monophy-
sites. Further it is said, that he led a pious life and
equalled Constantine the Great in his love of Christ ! ).
In the Karshuni text 2 ) he is even compared to Abraham
and the other patriarchs. History declares him cruel and
voluptuous.
The name of his wife is not mentioned in the Coptic
and Arabic texts and V. The Syriac version calls her
Augusta, the Karshuni one Shams al-Munira, "the shining
sun". In reality she bore the name of Ariadne and is
praised by the historians. History does not mention any
daughters of Zeno.
On her journey towards the desert Hilaria reaches
Alexandria (Rakote) ; the short Arabic text does not
mention this place, but j^.* ^Vp, translated in the Aeth.
Synaxary as "the land of Egypt"; the Karshuni text has
_^- A (3^5 what this means, I am not able to say. -
At Alexandria she finds a man who shows her the way
to the monastery. According to the long Arabic text
this man is a deacon, called Theodore; according to the
short Arabic text he is an old monk, called Bamii,
which seems to be a corruption of Pambo (see beneath).
The name of the monastery she reaches, is given in
the Syriac and Karshuni texts as that of Aba Macarius,
a well known place, which has retained its name till the
present day 3 ). This Macarius is the famous founder of
monasticism in the desert of Skete, who died in 390 A. D. 4 )
i) P. .1, ult. et scqu.
2} Henceforth by the Karshuni text the longer recension only is meant,
with the exclusion of V.
3) Cf. Evetts and Butler, The churches and monasteries of Egypt
(Oxford, 1895), p. 194.
4) His Syriac Acta in Bedjan, Acta Martt. V, 177 et sequ.
IT 6
XVIII INTRODUCTION.
A part of the desert is called after him ^Vl* <^\ 5..^ 1 ).
V calls this region Wadi Habib. This name is also well
known 2 ). On the map of Evetts and Butler it lies between
Cairo and the Nitrian desert ; but I do not know whether
this location is absolutely trustworthy.
The long Arabic text does not mention the monas
tery of Macarius; it says only that Hilaria passes by the
church of Menas 3 ) and reaches the mountain of Shlhat
(Skete), also called "The Balance of Hearts", where she
is received by the abbot Bamfu (Pambo). There have
been several monks of this name, as Amelineau has
remarked; but this one is referred to another time in
Eastern literature, viz. in the Alexandrian Synaxary on
the 8th Abib (ed. Forget, II, p. Ho). Here this is said
about him: "On the montain of Shlhat was a presbyter
whose name was Bamu ; it is he who shrouded the corpse
of the holy Allaria 4 )". Then there is told how he was
present at the death of the holy Kiros.
In the Coptic, long Arabic and Syriac versions of
the story Hilaria is trusted to an old man, whose name
is given in the first two as Aba Martyrios.
CHARACTER OF THE DIFFERENT VERSIONS.
I. COPTIC VERSION.
As the origin of the legend of Hilaria is to be sought
in the old-egyptian story of Bent-resh (see above, p. vi),
i) Evetts and Butler, o. c., p.
2] O. c., Index, II, s. v. Wadi Habib.
3) cf. K. M. Kaufmann, Die Menasstadt und das Nationalheiligtum
der altchristlichen Aegyptcr, I (Leipzig 1910).
4) The same place is in the Aethiopian Synaxary, on the 8th Hamle
Ced. Guidi, Patrol. Orient., VII, p. 290).
INTRODUCTION. XIX
it is a priori probable that of the Coptic, Arabic, Syriac
and Karshuni versions, the first has preserved the origi
nal features better than the other ones. This is confirmed
by a comparison of the texts. Of course the transition
from a profane story to a legend, wholly inclosed in
the horizon of solitaries, cannot be a gradual one.
In the Egyptian story the daughter of the king
of Bakhtan leaves her country to marry the king of
Egypt. Her younger sister, Bent-resh, is the heroine of
the tale.
In the Coptic legend the eldest daughter leaves her
country to become a nun. The nun is the heroine of
the story and receives the (translated) name of the for
mer heroine.
In the Coptic legend the eldest daughter of the king
leaves her parents secretly, disguising her sex and effacing
all traces which could betray her place of abode. This
alteration serves to introduce two motifs which are not
rare in Eastern legends:
i. Women living in monasteries of monks disguised
as men.
2. Children being lost sight of by their parents and
becoming united to them again.
We shall speak about these motifs later.
II. ARABIC VERSIONS.
a. Nearest to the Coptic legend stands the long
Arabic text. If we compare the texts, there can be no
doubt about the fact that the latter is a rendering of the
former, sometimes free, sometimes close. Of the Coptic
text we have only the middle part, so we may complete
XX INTRODUCTION.
it safely from the Arabic one, which has been preser
ved wholly.
Here may follow the main traits of this version :
King Zeno has no male offspring, but only two young
daughters. The elder, Hilaria, becomes inclined to monas
tic life. Being in a church she beseeches God to give
her an indication as to her further way. She receives
unmistakable signs, she leaves Constantinople disguised
and reaches Alexandria. In the church of St. Mark she
meets a deacon Theodore, whom she invites to conduct
her to the desert of Skete. He brings her into the presence
of Aba Bamfu (Pambo), who gives her a cell. Theodore
withdraws. She is invested with the holy habit. [Accor
ding to the Coptic version God reveals to Aba Pambo
after three years, that she is a woman. This is not in
the Arabic text.] Hilaria remains beardless, whereupon
the monks call her Hilarios the eunuch. On account of
her ascetic practices her breasts wither and she becomes
exempt from the usual illness of women.
Her younger sister has meanwhile become possessed
by a demon. Her father writes to the monks of Skete
and orders the governor of Alexandria to take the girl
with the letter to Skete, where she is entrusted to her
sister, who recognises her without being recognised her
self. Hilaria kisses her, sleeps with her on the same bench
and makes the demon leave her. The girl is sent back
to Constantinople and tells her father how she has
been cured by Hilarios the eunuch. Zeno conceives sus
picions about the morality of the monk and summons
him to the residence, under the pretext of being ill.
Hilaria arrives with some other monks and is interrogated
by the king about her way of healing the girl. She
INTRODUCTION. XXI
induces the king to swear by the Gospel not to betray
the secret she will reveal to him. The king swears, she
tells who she is. Three months afterwards she departs
to Skete; the king sends yearly rich gifts to the desert.
Hilaria lives still twelve years; she is buried in her
male dress. Aba Pambo tells the brethren the story of
her life. Her death is communicated to the king.
This text assumes that it was composed by the holy
Aba Pambo; this is not probable, as a glance at the
text will show. In the above cited story of saint Kiros
in the Aethiopian Synaxary the same Bamu is related
to have written the story of Kiros at divine command
(/. c. t p. 292, 294).
b. The short Arabic text is an abridgment of the
Coptic, viz. long Arabic text. There are however some
divergent points:
i. Hilaria leaves the palace without having received
a token from heaven in the church.
2. The man whom Hilaria meets in Alexandria is called
Amba Bamu, which is no doubt a corruption of Pambo.
Here the role of Theodore is left out and Pambo takes
his role as well.
3. Hilaria reveals her secret to Bamu. In the Coptic
text it is God who reveals it. In the long Arabic text
this trait is altogether left out, but at the end of the
story there is an allusion to it.
4. Zeno does not send his sick daughter to the gover
nor of Alexandria, but directly to Skete.
5. Zeno summons Hilarios the eunuch to his resi
dence, not, as the Coptic text has it, under the pretext
of being ill, but pretending to be desirous to receive
his blessing.
XXII INTRODUCTION.
6. In the scene of recognition Hilaria shows her parents
bodily peculiarities, which were known to them l ).
The Aethiopic versions are simply a translation of
the short Arabic text without material differences; there
is only added a notice concerning the building of chur
ches (cf. V) and the usual Salam.
III. THE SYRIAC VERSION.
This version has been enlarged and modified into the
usual style of Syriac legends of saints. We shall see,
that the author had not before him our Coptic text, but
a type of text like the short Arabic one.
We have to swallow the usual exordium; it is very
profitable for Believers to hear the great deeds of God
at the hands of the saints. So it is a good work to
transmit the records thereof by script. Now the author
confesses that he is wholly unworthy of undertaking such
a work; but as it is profitable for pious souls, he will
not be silent (p. -^and .1).
The same exordium is to be found in text I) and
parallel texts of the story of Archelides (vol. I, p. csa),
in 25 of the Acta edited by Bedjan, in the Life of John
of Telia (Het lev en van Johannes van Telia, door H. G.
Kleyn, p. 6, 7).
We do not find these formula s at the head of the old
Acts of martyrs, which pretend to be protocols of trials
and executions. Only when writing the lives of saints
becomes a literary occupation, humble or would-be humble
authors begin to use such a captatio benevolentiae \ gra
dually it becomes a form to do so. Ephraim s Hymn
i) cf. Vol. I, p. 12.
INTRODUCTION. XXIII
on Julian Saba has already such a beginning (ed. Lamy,
III, 837, 2nd stanza) :
"Whose words can be compared with the treasury of
works and excellent deeds ! ), which sleeps ? He is silent,
but his silence is too great for his preachers, and his
shrine for his treasures. The treasure of our father is
too great for my mouth."
But Ephraim does not use these phrases at the be
ginning of other hymns on saints and martyrs.
After the rather long introduction the story begins.
Hilaria is born as the fruit of many prayers 2 ). This is
a circumstance she has to share with other heroes of
stories, e. g. Jacob Baradaeus 3 ), Archelides 4 ), Euphro-
syne 5 ), Samuel in the Old Testament.
Hilaria is a fair child, another trait she has in common
with other heroes and heroines, e. g. Archelides ), Jacob
Baradaeus 7 ), Onesima s ).
Like Archelides she enjoys a literary education and
is captivated by the lives of holy persons, especially
the monks of Skete, with whom she desires to live.
Syriac literature mentions several cases of that sort. John
of Telia ) e. g. is struck by a place in the biography of
Tekla, the disciple of St. Paul, and begins ascetic prac
tices in his home, like Hilaria.
The Fathers of Skete enjoyed a high reputation
throughout the Christian world, and paying them a visit
and hearing their profitable discourses was an ideal of
i) Julian Saba. 2) Sometimes she is simply called "the Fruit of Prayer."
3) cf. H. G. Kleyn, Jacobus Baradaeus^ p. 37 ct scqu.
4) cf. Vol. I, p. i, !v, V/\. 5) cf. Bedjan, Acta, V, 388.
6) Vol. I, p. v ct sequ. 7) o. f., p. 38.
8) Bedjan, Acta, V, 406. 9) Kleyn, Hct levcn van J.v. T., p. 18.
XXIV
INTRODUCTION.
many pious persons; Palladius dwelt amongst them and
the account of his visit has become one of the most
widely spread books in the East. People could not con
ceive how St. Ephraim had attained to such a spiritual
height without having visited Skete; so his enlarged bio
graphy is supplemented with a narrative to that extent ).
Hilaria prepares her flight with the unconscious help
of her waiting woman, whose visits she is able to delay
more and more. We do not hear anything of a token
from heaven, as in the long Arabic text. She walks
from Alexandria to the desert alone, not accompanied
by a man as in the long Arabic text. The Syriac author
puts a prayer into her mouth which has a certain likeness
with Archelides prayer on his way to the monastery 2 ).
Archelides Hilaria
Our Lord Jesus Christ, Our Lord Jesus Christ,
who wiliest not the death the life and salvation that
of the sinner, hear me this
time. Open to me Thy gate
full of mercy. Give me Thy
helping hand and guide me
on Thy way of Life. For
my soul loveth Thee more
than all visible things. Be
Thou my guide where Thou
wilt, that I may please
Thee according to Thy will
and praise and glorify Thee
for ever.
i) Roman edition of his
2} Vol. I, p. \
hath dawned for us, thou
who hast come to seek the
forlorn and to bring back
to the way of truth those
who have gone astray. Thou
who leadest Thy saints to
the eternal way turn to
me, the lost one, for I seek
Thee, my Lord; and lead
me at Thy right hand to
Thy way of life, for Thee
alone my soul loveth. And
direct my feet in the way
era omnia^ III, p. XLJ.
INTRODUCTION. XXV
of salvation and receive me
into Thy good harbour. For
Thou art my strong hope
and in Thee I have confi
ded from my youth, now
and for ever.
The prior of the monastery asks her name. She ans
wers : "I am John the eunuch, a slave freed by my
master." In the older texts it is only after the monks
have seen her remaining beardless, that they call her
"the eunuch." The Syriac author does not say, like the
older texts, that she ceased to be a woman as to the
7TdJ0ty of her body. It is clear that in the Syriac version
she is considered as one who has been made a eunuch,
in the Coptic and long Arabic texts the monks take
her for a eunuch by nature. Such persons seem not to
have been very rare in the East. In Matthew XIX, 12
they are called eunuchs from their mother s womb, in
the Mishna l ) pj^fj D^p "eunuch of the sun". A simi
lar expression occurs at the end of the Syriac text,
where it is said that the monks who buried Hilaria,
thouht that she was beardless rtli i.jjpc .i
rc ^VSJO.x- i. e. "like the rest of those persons
who have no beard on the chin because of great heat". This
"great heat" is an expression analogous to the Plebrew
one, perhaps no longer understood. Dr. Preuss and Baron
1) Jebam. VIII, 4. This place has been taken from a letter of Dr. J.
Preuss in Berlin to Dr. von Lemm. Many letters on this subject have
been kindly lent to me by the latter. Cf. also Tosephta, Berakot V. 14.
2) p. A .
XXVI INTRODUCTION.
Dr. von Oefele call attention in explanation of it, to the
Egyptian myth of Seth being castrated by Horus (the sun).
Hilaria passes her farther life disguised as a man. This
is also a common trait in Eastern legends. Marina resi
des with her father in a monastery of monks, disguised
as one of them J ). Euphrosyne left her father s house
and did the same thing 2 ). Anastasia, flying before Jus
tinian, reached Skete and was henceforth known as a
eunuch 3 ). During her abode in the monastery Hilaria is
performing ascetic works 4 ), just like Archelides 5 ). Ten
years after her flight another daughter is born to her
parents. This is an alteration by the Syriac author. In
the Coptic and Arabic texts king Zeno has already two
daughters at the beginning of the story, in accordance
with the Egyptian tale. Perhaps this alteration is due
to the tendency of making it more probable, that Hilaria
is afterwards not recognised by her younger sister.
The Syriac text, like the short Arabic one, has
omitted the governor and the commander of Alexandria,
who, according to the older texts, accompany the
younger sister with an escort of soldiers to the monastery
of Aba Macarius. But her escort consists of soldiers of
the king and trustworthy persons, who do not take a
royal letter to the monks, but simply give an oral
account of the matter.
1) Bed] an, Acta^ I, 365 ct sequ. I have not at my disposition Clug-
net s edition.
2) tf., V, 3 86.
3) Br. Museum, cod. Add. 14. 649, fol. 99 et sequ, Paris, Cod. Syr.
234, fol. 339 et sequ.
4) p. r<* infra et sequ.
5) Vol. I, p.
INTRODUCTION. XXVII
Hilaria is not recognised by her younger sister, who
stays with her five years; in the older texts only a
week. Neither is she recognised afterwards by her father
at Constantinople, but she makes herself known.
Here we have another motif of Eastern tales ; the
hero is separated from his relatives and after a long
interval he meets them again, but one of the parties
does not recognise the other at first. This motif has
been made use of in the legend of Archelides, the story
of John and Arcadius, Xenophon and Maria ] ), John bar
Malke 2 ), Euphrosyne ;1 ), in the Old Testament in the
story of Joseph and his brethren.
The end of the Syriac story is altogether an addition
to the original legend. Here the ascetic predilections of
the author again find expression : Hilaria is presumed
by the other monks to be a relative of the king and
more honour is shown her for that reason. She fears
to become conceited and to lose the fruits of her good
works. So she goes away secretly and passes the rest
of her life in a grotto. We find the same trait in the
legend of Onesima (Bedjan, Acta V, 419). On the day of
her death she is visited by three monks, who witness her
departure. A similar trait is in the story of Kiros (/. c.),
where it is said that the priest Bamu travels through the
desert in order to shroud the saint, and in the story of
Anastasia (see above, p. XXVI note 3). --As the monks
wash her corpse, they perceive her to be a woman. This we
have also in the legend of Anastasia, where there is said
that the disciple of Aba Daniel, who washes the corpse of
i) Acta Sanctorum^ ed. Holland., January 26. The Syriac text has not
yet been published.
2~) Bedjan, Acta, I, 344 ct sequ. 3) /., V, 386 ct scqu.
XXVIII INTRODUCTION.
the saint, perceives her breasts "like two withered leaves."
Nothing more is said about her relatives. She does
not inform them of her departing from the monastery
to a remote part of the desert. These saints do not care
much about "worldly" relations. We have seen the same
thing in the story of Archelides; Onesima wishes that
her parents may die on the same day, in order to liberate
herself from a possible marriage ! ).
IV. THE KARSHUNI VERSIONS.
a. The Karshuni text V is only a very short abridg
ment of the Coptic legend. The character of the original
has been preserved throughout. The following devia
tions are only to be noticed :
i. In the Coptic text Zeno orders the monks to send
Hilarios to Constantinople. Here he writes again to the
Wall (of Alexandria) to carry out his order.
2. In the scene of recognition at Constantinople
Hilaria shows her mother some bodily peculiarities in
order to ascertain her identity 2 ) (V). This trait is not
in the long Arabic text.
3. In the long Arabic text the story closes with
the annunciation of Hilaria s death to Zeno. In V the
last fact mentioned is Zeno s yearly sending of rich gifts
which enable the monks to erect several buildings, e. g.
the church of Abu Makar. Here it becomes manifest
that the chief interest of the author of V lies in the
history of Skete, which was a priori to be expected, as
the MS., from which it is taken, is a history of Skete.
1) Bedjan, o. r., V, 406.
2) cf. p. XXII, note I.
INTRODUCTION. XXIX
b. That the other Karshuni version has its origin in
Syria, appears from the Syriac verses which are inter
mingled with the Arabic text and from some Syriacisms.
The redaction is dependent on the Syriac one. The most
important deviations may follow here. The long Syriac
exordium has been left out. The narrator starts at once
with his story, which has altogether got the character
of a tale and is void of all historical probability. Zeno
and his wife (here called Shams al-Munlr, "the shining
sun") are persons of the type of popular tales, always
wearing a crown and surrounded by courtiers, but not
objecting against a journey to the monks in order to
ask their intervention with God for the sake of getting
offspring. Hilaria does not conceal from her gover
ness the project of flying to the desert. She only does
not tell her at what time she will depart in order to
enable the governess to swear that she does not know
when her pupil has fled. According to the Syriac
version Hilaria, like Archelides, is travelling to Alexan
dria on a ship. This way of travelling is not ascetic
and romantic enough for our narrator: Hilaria walks all
the way barefoot, through deserts, treading on thorns
and thistles. She reaches Siik Misr and goes from there
to the monastery of Abu Macarius, where she tells the
prior that she has been manumitted by a king, whereas in
the Syriac redaction it is a nobleman who has freed her.
In the Syriac version it is the governess who is as
tonished at Hilaria s having disappeared ; she informs
the king and the queen of the fact. Here, of course,
this is not the case. The king and the queen, on visiting
their daughter, do not find her and call for the trem
bling governess.
XXX INTRODUCTION.
In the Syriac version the king sends messengers to
search for Hilaria. Here he and the queen travel to the
monastery of Abo Macarius and request the prior and
the monks to pray for Hilaria s discovery, The colour
of this scene is remarkably heightened by the addition
that Hilaria herself is among the monks, praying for
the contrary and that her prayer prevails over that of
the threehundred.
In the Syriac version the king gets the worst suspicions
against John the eunuch on hearing in what manner he
has healed his daughter. But our narrator apparently
does not find it suitable to utter such thoughts in con
nection with a monk. Here it is only Zeno s curiosity
which induces him to summon John the eunuch to Con
stantinople.
AGE AND RELATIONSHIP OF THE VERSIONS.
The origin of the Hilaria-legend is to be sought in
the old-egyptian tale of Bent-resh, as Dr. von Lemm
has pointed out. According to Erman ] ) this tale was
composed as late as the Ptolemaic times, according to
Maspero 2 ) it dates from the time of the invasions of
the Aethiopians.
The Coptic story cannot well have been composed
before 500 A. D., probably later, because there is a
lack of historical truth about Zeno and his family in it.
The oldest Syriac Ms. dates, according to Wright,
from the IXth century A. D.
At what time the Arabic speaking Syrian Christians
1) Zeitsckrift fur dgyptische Sprache^ 1883, p. 54 et sequ.
2) Les conies populaires dc VEgypte ancienne*^ p. 184.
INTRODUCTION. XXXI
took up the legend and reproduced it in Arabic, is not
to be said. The oldest Karshuni Ms. (Or. 4403, British
Museum) dates, according to G. Margoliouth, from the
XHIth XlVth century A. D.
The Alexandrian Synaxary, is according to Guidi, /. c.,
an outcome of the movement which, from the thirteenth
century onwards, gave new life to the Church in Egypt.
The Aethiopic translation of this Synaxary must have
originated, according to the same scholar, in the fifteenth
century.
The relationship between the different versions can
be represented in the following way :
Old-egyptian
, I .
Coptic
Long Arabic Karshuni V Short Arabic = Aethiopic
Syriac
I
Other Karshuni
I must however remark that I do not presume that
there is a direct relation between any of these texts ;
the above stemma means only, that e. g. the Syriac
version derives from a type of the legend like the
short Arabic text. Whether this type was contained
in an Arabic or in a Coptic text, it is impossible to
make out.
CORRECTIONS IN VOL. I.
In the Machriq (1913, n. 2), Louis Cheikho, S. J.,
has published an Arabic text of the Legend of Arche
lides, which is the prototype of our Karshuni Ms. A
and gives many good readings.
P. XIX. On account of the common features of the
Legend of Archelides and that of Hilaria, and the fact
that the latter has a Coptic source, I must alter my
opinion, that Archelides is originally a Greek tale : I hold
it now for a product of Coptic monks. The Coptic origin
explains the form of the hero s name, which is not
Greek, but sounds like a Greek one.
P. XVII. That the Karshuni versions go back to a Coptic
source is not probable. Several critics have maintained
a Syriac origin. I agree with them and have reproduced
their arguments also in discussing the origin of the
Karshuni version of the Hilaria-legend.
Professor Noldeke and Professor Seybold sent me
some corrections of the texts ; Professor Schulthess gave
his corrections in the Gottingische gelehrte Anzeigen,
1912, Nr 6. I give here those corrections which seem
to me evident.
p. ? 1. 3 read \^j for \^>"jf. (Seybold).
p. i 1. 5 read iU^ for "jj\ (Seybold).
ib. 1. 6 read dJJ for dlk (Seybold).
ib. 1. 10 read 4^, for iy^ (Seybold).
p. o 1. 13 read j\j for U (Seybold).
CORRECTIONS IN VOL. I. XXXIII
p. \ ult. read ^&.\* f r T^Wj (Seybold).
p. \\ 1. 3. The word ^^."Vi is explained by Professor
Seybold as opOpo$.
p. n" 1. 7 read ^^ for ^V, (Schulthess).
p. ff 1. 7 read -^>. for ^-lr> (Seybold).
p. f^ 1. i read eX.Vi.1^ ^" or ^ ^!^ (Seybold).
ib. 1. 6 read S^J^; f r o^J^j (Seybold).
p. ^ 1. 17 read o^j^ for exc^lj (Noldeke).
p. ^i 1. 1 6 read ^W for 4.;V^ (Seybold).
p. VV 1. 2 read *^aJ (cf. ff, 20) for A^J (Seybold).
1. 15 read _L for ^,; (Noldeke).
p. , (Syriac text) 1. 18 read &w*.i for ^vw (Noldeke).
p. \* 1. 14 read jj^A&rf.i for ,^A^rfs (Schulthess).
p. -^ 1. ii read .^cuc" for ^cucn (Noldeke).
p. .i\ 1. 4 read >O3 for >cn (Noldeke).
p. ori sa 1. 5 read ona for >cna (Noldeke).
p. Kli 1. 17 r. r*yi* (with R) for KlLsa (Schulthess).
p. cu 1. 8 r. p^&IlliiA 1 ^ for K AxilixJtso (Schulthess).
CORRECTIONS IN VOL. II.
p. ^^ 1. 12 read rtfki.MK i for
p. cri^ 1. 8 read rdaajA. sa for
p. ? 1. 2 read 4J5Jy^ for ^.IJ
p. \fl.4 r ead 4 for \p
XXXIV CORRECTIONS IN VOL. I.
p. \ o note ee read \ y for IV.
p. \ ~\ paen. read \^>- for
p. fv" I- H read >x^c\ for
p. To 1. 4 read -\^\ for
p. VT> note: the reading of the MS. is correct.
THE STORY OF BENT-RESH.
The Story of Bent-Resh.
Lo ), his majesty 2 ) was in Naharin according to his
yearly custom, while the chiefs of every country came
bowing down in peace, because of the fame of his
majesty. From the marshes was their tribute; silver,
gold, lapis lazuli, malachite and every sweet wood of
God s-Land were upon their backs, each one leading
his neighbour.
Then the chief of Bekhten caused his tribute to be
brought, and he placed his eldest daughter in front
thereof, praising his majesty, and craving life from
him. Now, she was exceedingly beautiful to the heart
of his majesty, beyond everything. Then they affixed
her titulary as: "Great King s-Wife, Nefrure". When his
majesty arrived in Egypt, she fulfilled all the functions
of King s- wife. - - When the year 23, the tenth month,
the twenty-second day, came, while his majesty was in
Thebes, the victorious, the mistress of cities, performing
the pleasing ceremonies of his father, Amon-Re, Lord
of Thebes, at his beautiful feast of Southern Opet
(Luxor), his favorite seat, of the beginning (of the
world), came one to say to his majesty: "A messenger
of the chief of Bekhten has come, bearing many gifts
for the King s-Wife". Then he was brought before his
majesty together with his gifts. He said, praising his
majesty: "Praise to thee, Sun of the nine Bows! Give
1) I have omitted the titles at the beginning of this story
2) Ramses II.
us life from thee". So spake he, smelling the earth
before his majesty. He spake again before his majesty:
"I come to thee, o King, my lord, on account of
Bentresh, thy great sister of the King s- Wife, Nefrure.
Sickness has penetrated into her limbs. May thy majesty
send a wise man to see her".
Then said his majesty: "Bring to me the sacred
scribes and the officials of the court". They were led
to him immediately. Said his majesty: "Let one read to
you, till you hear this thing. Then bring to me one
experienced in his heart, who can write with his fingers
from your midst". The king s-scribe, Thutemhab, came
before his majesty, and his majesty commanded that
he go to Bekhten together with this messenger.
The wise man arrived in Bekhten; he found Bentresh
in the condition of one possessed of a spirit. He found
her Tunable 1 to contend with him.
The chief of Bekhten repeated in the presence of his
majesty, saying: "O King, my lord, let his majesty
command to have this god brought ).
[Then the wise man whom his majesty had sent,
returned] to his majesty in the year 26, the ninth month,
at the feast of Amon, while his majesty was in Thebes.
Then his majesty repeated (it) before Khonsu-in-Thebes-
Beautiful-Rest, saying: "O my good lord, I repeat before
thee concerning the daughter of the chief of Bekhten".Then
they led Khonsu-in-Thebes-Beautiful-Rest to Khonsu-the-
Plan-Maker, the great god, smiting the evil spirits. Then
said his majesty before Khonsu-in-Thebes-Beautiful-Rest:
"O thou good lord, if thou inclinest thy face to Khonsu-
i) Lacuna.
5
the-Plan-Maker, the great god, smiting the evil spirits,
he shall be conveyed to Bekhtcn". There was violent
nodding. Then said his majesty: "Send thy protection
with him, that I may cause his majesty to go to Bekhten,
to save the daughter of the chief of Bekhten". Khonsu-
in-Thebes-Beautiful-Rest nodded the head violently. Then
he wrought the protection of Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker-in-
Thebes, four times.
His majesty commanded to cause Khonsu-the-Plan-
Maker-in-Thebes to proceed to a great ship, five transports,
numerous chariots and horses of the west and the east.
This god arrived in Bekhten in a full year and five
months. Then the chief of Bekhten came, with his
soldiers and his nobles, before Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker.
He threw himself upon his belly, saying: "Thou comest
to us, thou art welcome with us, by command of the
King Usermare-Setepnere (Ramses II)".
Then this god went to the place where Bentresh was.
Then he wrought the protection of the daughter of the
chief of Bekhten. She became well immediately.
Then said this spirit which was in her before Khonsu-
the-Plan-Maker-in-Thebes: "Thou comest in peace, thou
great god, smiting the barbarians. Thy city is Bekhten,
thy servants are its people, I am thy servant, I will go
to the place whence I came, to satisfy the heart con
cerning that, on account of which thou comest. (But)
let thy majesty command to celebrate a feast-day with
me and with the chief of Bekhten". Then this god
nodded to his priest, saying: "Let the chief of Bekhten
make a great offering before this spirit". While these
things were happening, which Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker-
in-Thebes wrought with the spirit, the chief of Bekhten
stood with his soldiers, and feared very greatly. Then
he made a great offering before Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker-
in-Thebes and the spirit; and the chief of Bekhten cele
brated a feast-day r with ] them. Then the spirit departed
in peace to the place he desired, by command of Khonsu-
the-Plan-Maker-in-Thebes, and the chief of Bekhten re
joiced very greatly, together with every man who was
in Bekhten.
Then he took counsel with his heart, saying: "I will
cause this god to remain with me in Bekhten; I will
not permit that he return to Egypt". Then this god
tarried three years and nine months in Bekhten.
Then the chief of Bekhten slept upon his bed, and he
saw this god coming to him, to forsake his shrine; he
was a hawk of gold, and he flew upward to Egypt.
He (the chief) awoke in fright.
Then he said to the priest of Khonsu-the-Plan-Maker-
in-Thebes: "This god, he is still with us; let him depart
to Egypt; let his chariot depart to Egypt".
Then the chief of Bekhten caused this god to proceed
to Egypt, and gave to him very many gifts of every
good thing, very many soldiers and horses.
They arrived in peace at Thebes. Then came the city
of Thebes, and the Plan-Maker-in-Thebes to the house
of Khonsu-in-Thebes-Beautiful-Rest. He set the gift which
the chief of Bekhten had given to him, of good things,
before Khonsu-in-Thebes-Beautiful-Rest, (but) he gave not
everything thereof into his house. Khonsu-the- Plan-Maker-
in-Thebes arrived [at] his [placje in peace in the year 3 3,
the second month, the ninth day, of King Usermare-
Setepnere ; that he might be given life like Re, forever.
THE STORY OF THE TWO DAUGHTERS
OF KING ZENO.
TRANSLATION OF THE COPTIC TEXT.
The story of the two daughters of
king Zeno.
[He knew not that she was a woman l )\. He gave
her a cell near his own cell, to the south of the church.
Together with a philosopher, named apa Martyrios, he
visited her twice every day. And the words which the
saint apa Pambo spake to her for the profit of her soul
were translated into Greek by apa Martyrios; for this
reason the girl learned the Egyptian language.
When she had dwelled there three years, the Lord
revealed to Pambo, that she was a woman, but he knew
not that she was the daughter of the king.
When he knew that she was a woman, he said to
her secretly: "Let nobody know that thou art a woman,
for it is not suitable for our manner of life that a woman
dwell amongst us, lest anybody be hurt for our sake."
Nine years later, when they saw the girl beardless
amongst the brethren , they called her Hilarion the
eunuch, for there were many men in such a condition.
Her breasts were not like the breasts of other women,
on account of her ascetic practices they were withered;
and she 2 ) was not subjected to the illness of women,
for God had ordained it in this way.
1) Not in Amelineau s text, but supplemented by Dr. von Lemm.
2) According to a correction of the Coptic text by Dr. von Lemm.
IO
When she had passed nine years under these severe
ascetic practices, and her parents had already ceased to
think of her, a demon took possession of her younger
sister in Constantinople. She was brought into the pre
sence of the great ascetics of Byzantium, that they
might pray for her; but God did not grant her recovery
at their hands. The courtiers gave advice to the king
and said: "May the king live for ever 1 )! If it please
thy majesty to accept our advice, thou shouldst send
thy daughter to the ascetics of Shilt 2 ), who are great
in holiness 3 ), and we believe that God will grant her
recovery on account of their prayers."
The king on hearing their advice rejoiced, for there
was great sorrow in his house for the sake of the girl.
He prepared what was useful for his daughter and
sent with her two eunuchs and two virgins and other
servants for her service.
He wrote to Rakote 4 ) to the commander and to the
governor to accompany her to Shilt. The king wrote
[also] a letter to Shilt, asking for paper and ink to
write with his own hand, lest haughty words should be
put in the letter, such as are becoming to the royal
rank. "The unworthy king Zeno, whom God hath given
this honour above his merits, writeth to the saints,
worthy of being loved, who pray for us in [the name
of] the Lord, Hail. Above all, I worship your assembly
in Christ, and if you hold me worthy enough, I shall
kiss the dust of your sanctity s feet. But I inform you
of what the Lord hath done me, on account of my
I) Cf. Daniel VI, 22; The Story of Ahiqar, ed. Conybeare, R. Harris,
A. Smith Lewis, p. V, 12 paen. 2) Skete. 3) jro^irsiix 4) Alexandria.
1 1
many sins. I had two daughters. I had no consolation
except them. The eldest went from me, she is gone.
Hath she died in the sea? Hath she become the prey
of the wild beasts? ( ] Hath she been captured by the
Barbarians 1 )? God knoweth in what manner she died.
A great sorrow struck me on her account, for I found
not her corpse to bury her. ( ! When I had consoled my
self somewhat about her, saying : The will of the Lord
be [accomplished] 1 ) - - then another sorrow struck me,
much more vehement than the first one : the other
[daughter], who was my support, a demon took posses
sion of her; we keep watch over her day and night.
I have been advised to send her to your holiness. Now
the end of this letter is truly, that God will not reject
your prayer".
When the girl had arrived at Rakote, the commander
and the governor went with her to Shilt; and when
they came into the presence of the saint apa Pambo,
they gave him the letter of the king and told him about
the girl who was possessed by the demon. He called all
the brethren together and read before them the letter of
the king. But when they had begun to pray over her the
demon took possession of her in the midst of the bre
thren, threw her on the ground and continued to tor
ment her so that the commander and the governor
wondered greatly.
As to the saint Hilaria, when she saw her lay sister,
she recognised her: but the lay sister did not recognise
her sister, the nun: and how could she recognise her?
(i i) Only in Coptic Ms. noi (Or. 6073), British Museum, accor
ding to Dr. von Lemm.
12
For her colour had altered, the beauty of her body had
withered, her eyes were sunken in, she was only bones
and skin.
When she saw her sister, she was vehemently troubled,
her bowels were disturbed about her sister, she threw
herself at her sister s neck, weeping till the earth was
soaked with her tears.
When the brethren saw her weeping, they said: "She
hath compassion of heart with her". But when she had
recovered a little from her illness, he ) called an old
ascetic and said to him: "Take the girl to thy cell
and pray over her, till God granteth her recovery". But
he said: "I have not attained such a degree of perfec
tion as to be able to take a woman into my cell". But
the philosopher Martyrios said to Pambo : "Trust her
to Hilarion the eunuch, he is able to take a woman
into his house". They trusted the girl to her sister, who
took her into her house. When she saw the face of her
sister, she was troubled, she threw herself on the ground
and weeped vehemently: when she had recovered she
kissed her mouth. Sometimes she slept with her on the
same bench.
After seven days God granted her the recovery [of
her sister]. She took her to the midst of the church
and said: "On account of your prayers God hath granted
recovery to the daughter of the king". The commander
and the governor held a religious meeting and turned
back and departed. As to the brethren they wrote to
the king through his daughter: "The unworthy [persons]
of the Nitrian mountain write to the triumphant king
i) Pambo.
13
Zeno. Above all we adore thy lofty majesty. May the
Lord preserve thy empire without any scandal, like that
of David and Solomon. Farewell, thou who providest
for us and the whole church".
In this way they arrived at Constantinople. There
was a great joy over the recovery of the king s daughter.
The king made a feast for all weak and ill persons, he
stood and served them and gave everyone with his own
hand a goblet of spiced wine. On the next day he made
a feast for all the courtiers. But when he asked his
daughter about that which had passed to her, she said
to him: "They entrusted me to an ascetic, named
Hilarion ; he hath prayed over me and God hath granted
me recovery. ( Great was his compassion with me ).
Sometimes he kissed my mouth, sometimes he slept
with me on the same bench during the whole night".
When the king heard this, the matter troubled him;
he said: "I never heard that monks would kiss women
or sleep with them on the same bench ; but I have
heard that they hated them and would not condescend
to speak with them at all. How is this now? I under
stand it not".
This thought troubled the king. He wrote a second
letter to Shift, in this way: "His victorious majesty
Zeno, writeth to the pious fathers dwelling in Shilt. I
am a debtor to your prayers and I cannot attain the
measure of your honour, nor pay what I wish [to
pay 2 )] by your intermediary. So I wish that
you accept my . . . and that you send me the brother
(i i) According to corrections of Dr. von Lemm.
2) i.e. my debt.
14
named Hilarion. There is an illness in the palace and
I cannot " [They called] Hilaria and said to her: 1 )
"Arrange thy matters, brother, for the king hath sent
for thee".
Now the Blessed was much grieved. The brethren
consoled her, saying: "Go and the Lord shall go with
thee and thou shalt return in peace".
Tl^ey sent with her two old brethren, hermits. So
they went towards Constantinople to the king. When the
king heard that they had arrived, he rejoiced greatly
and ordered them to be brought to him
["Tell me the truth, that I] may purify
myself from this transgression. But thou, spare no words!"
The holy Virgin meditated saying [to herself]: "I
should like to conceal the matter; but lest the other
monks be confounded on my account [I shall make
known the matter] now that such foulness hath been con
ceived about these saints. She said to him: "Bring me
the Gospels". He brought them her. She said to him :
"Swear to me: I shall not [restrain thee] from going to
my place". So he swore by the Gospel. She said to him :
"I am Hilaria, thy daughter". The king, on hearing this,
wondered and was perplexed ; he could not speak for an
hour. But at once he understood [the matter], hurried
towards his daughter, embraced her, weeped on her neck,
kissed her mouth like Joseph in his time, when he threw
himself on Benjamin s neck and wept over him.
When Hilaria s mother and sister heard [the news],
they screamed aloud. For women are naturally in
clined to be perplexed. The king restrained them,
i) Giron, p. 61.
15
saying lest God bereave us of our two
[daughters]. But, on the contrary, let us praise Him be
cause we have found her back alive". Because the king had
sworn it to her, he revealed not the matter to the other
brethren who had accompanied her and kept her during
three months with him in order to continue seeing his
daughter s face daily.
He asked her how she had left his house, she told
him how she wore her dress of a spatharios and how
she had gone to Rakote and how she had gone to Shirt
with the deacon.
Then they took leave and returned to their place.
The king gave Shilt three thousand [measures of] corn,
for the eucharist and for his daughter, with six hundred
measures of oil and this hath been continued for the
church of Shilt till this day.
After her arrival at Shilt she lived still twelve years.
At last she fell into a severe illness and bore it with
courage. She called the holy Pambo and conjured him
thus: "When I shall have ceased living, thou shalt take
care, because thou knowest my whole life, that this coat
be not taken from me, but let me be buried with it".
When she had given up the ghost, he stood over her
body fc.nd buried it in the coat, according to what she
had said to him; when she had been buried, he sat
down and spoke to the monks a divine word. He said
to them: "Verily, a weak vessel hath put to shame this
multitude of monks who are dwelling at Shilt : who hath
shown such an endurance, when she dwelled struggling
amongst men? Who hath shown such an endurance,
bereaving herself of rest of the flesh, as she hath done?"
When the brethren heard her life, they were struck
i6
with wonder and praised God, saying: "Therefore He
hath granted her the grace of deceasing on the day of
Mary, the holy mother of God ), i.e. the 2i*t Touba".
They wrote to her father about her end. He and
[Hilaria s] mother were highly grieved. Afterwards he
consoled her 2 ) mother, saying: "If he who hath poste
rity in Sion and kindred in Jerusalem hath been called
happy 3 ), verily how much happier are we, for we have
posterity in the heavenly Jerusalem. Verily
i) Seoroxos 2) i.e. Hilaria s.
3) Dr. von Lemm compares Is. XXXI, </ according to LXX.
THE STORY OF HILARIA.
TRANSLATION OF THE LONG ARABIC TEXT.
(Forget I, p. i^f ct sequ^
The 2ith day of the month of Tubih.
On this day Hilaria the daughter of king Zcno, departed
this life. He had no male child, but only two virgin
daughters. He gave them a careful education ; in the
first place he let them learn writing, as was becoming
to the royal rank, and let them learn by heart the
psalms so that they could read them throughout ).
The name of the oldest daughter was Hilaria. She p
desired to remain a virgin ; especially she felt inclined
towards monastic life. But she shrank back from going
to the monasteries of Byzantium because she knew that
they would not receive her from fear before her father.
Then she took a manly resolution and determined
what to do in order to enter the pure career of mo
nastic life. One day the king went with his daughter to
the cathedral at the time of the ministration of the
holy sacrifice and the blessed Hilaria raised her eyes to
heaven and said in her heart: "O Lord, if Thou estcemest
me worthy of the pure calling and Thou wilt make
my way to succeed, let me hear words from the scripture-
lessons pointing to my aim and wish." When she entered
the church she listened and heard firstly the great word
of the apostle: "By faith Moses refused to be called
the son of Pharao s daughter; choosing rather to suffer
affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the
i) Li3,.c , ad apei turani.
20
pleasures of sin for a season" ). And also from the
catholic epistle: "The wealth of this world is like grass
and hay" 2 ); and from the Acts of the Apostles: "I
have coveted no silver or gold or apparel. Yea, you
yourselves know that these hands have ministered unto
my necessities" 3 ); and also from the Psalter: "His joy
is sweeter than gold and precious stones and honey
and honey-comb" 4 ); and also from the Gospel: "Who
soever forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my
disciple" 5 ); and from the sermon of the bishop after the
Gospel: "Wherefore, O man, desirest thou what passeth
away and what thou must leave behind. Know that the
lusts of this world pass away. Therefore confide not in
riches, for riches remain here and our sins precede us
to the judgment-seat of the Lord." Then she praised
God saying: "God hath given success to my course and
smoothed my way." When they had received the blessing,
she prepared herself for fleeing and God, the beneficent,
showed her how to act. On the next morning she clad
herself in the dress of a spatharios, girded herself with
a girdle of Taif-leather, took a stick in her hand and
went in the direction of the sea, where no one would
notice her. She found a ship sailing to a town called
Safira. She said to the sailor: "I desire to be brought
to the shore of Alexandria, for I have to transmit orders
of the king." The sailor said : "We go not towards that
place, o spatharios; but if the king wanteth it, we cannot
thwart him." So they brought her to Alexandria; at
that time she was twelve years old and a beautiful girl.
i) Hebrews XI, 24 et sequ. 2) James I, 10.
3) Acts XX, 33 ct sequ. 4) Psalm XIX, 10. 5) Luke XIV, 33,
21
She entered the church of Anba Petros, the last of the
martyrs, prayed and beseeched him to help her and
went to the church of the holy Mar Marcus and asked
him to smooth her way. There she found a deacon,
named Theodorus, and said to him: "Peace to thee,
brother. I desire that thou travellest with me to the p.
mountain of Shihat, for I wish to visit that place and
will give thee thy wages ; for I have left my country
in order to pay this visit." The deacon said to her: "O
spatharios, for a long time I have wished to go to that
place, and perhaps it is God s will. But let us eat bread and
depart to morrow morning." The blessed said to him :
"Good." She took a dinar and gave it him, saying : "Buy
for this dinar what we need." The deacon took the
dinar and spent of it what they wanted.
The next morning they saddled beasts to ride on
and went to the church of Abu Menas ) where they
passed the night. On the next morning they went to
Shihat. When they had arrived, the holy Man Bamfu
was consulted about them: "There is a spatharios who
hath brought with him a deacon." He gave order to
bring them to him. When they had entered, he clapped
his hands, as is the custom of monks, and prayed. When
they sat down he told them many profitable stories.
Then the blessed Hilaria addressed herself to the pure
old man, saying: "I wish to be invested by thee with
the monastic habit and to remain here." Father Bamfu
answered and said: "My son, it is impossible for thee
to remain here, for thou art accustomed to comfort and
i) Cf. K. M. Kaufmann, Die Mcnasstadt nnd das Nationalhciligttim
der altchristlichen Acgyptcr^ I (Leipzig, 1910).
22
bodily rest. But if thou desirest to become a monk, go
to Anyatun because it is hidden ) and in that place is
a congregation of rich people who have embraced monastic
life but live there without trouble, finding consolation.
But we are far from Misr, at a distance of forty 2 ) days
from the plain and the towns; nay, we are even in need
of clothes. And thou canst not endure our meagre food
and our hard life." The blessed Hilaria answered him
saying: "Know, my father, that I have 3 ) come to this
holy mountain with my whole heart and now thou
repellest me, but the Lord shall call thee to account
for my sake."
When the pure old Anba Bamfu heard this he won
dered at the acuteness of the boy s answer. At once he
cleared a place for her and the deacon where they could
be lodged. But the deacon took the prayer 4 ) [of the
prior] and returned to the town. Hilaria, the daughter
of the king, said to the prior: "My Father, take this
little sum from me and distribute it among the poor."
He answered: "We need nothing of it, for the labour
of our hands is sufficient for us. But if thou possessest
something, I will give it the deacon in order to trans
mit it to the patriarch." Hilaria gave him all that she
possessed and the golden stick and her girdle.
The deacon took leave of them and departed. Then
Hilaria turned towards the holy Anba Bamfu and said :
"My Father, I desire that thou investest me with the
monastic habit." He explained [the precepts] to her, exa-
1) I am not sure of the meaning of the text.
2) Amelineau proposes to read: four. 3) The text adds: not.
4) i.e. blessing.
23
mined her and taught her the ascetic practices, gave
her a repaired mitre and a coat of hair. At once she
would put them on ; he prayed over them and invested
her with them, without knowing her to be the daughter
of the king. He gave her a cell near his own and visited
her at all times. The Lord showed her his grace, so
that she learned to speak the language of the Egyptian
people. She was extremely ascetic and zealously fasting
and praying. The monks wondered how the softness of her
body suffered those harsh clothes. When she had stayed
there nine years without getting a beard they called
her Hilari the eunuch. On account of her frequent fasting
and praying and ascetic practices her breasts withered
and it ceased to be with her after the manner of women.
After the lapse of so long a period her parents had
despaired of seeing her again, but the Lord (blessed be
His name) would show her and make her known to
them. Her younger sister became possessed by a mean
villainous demon. So her father the king sent her, es
corted by soldiers and two masters, to many monasteries
and dwellingplaces of ascetic old men, but the Lord
gave her no healing at their hands because God planned
Hilaria s glorification. So the courtiers gave advice
to the king, saying: "May our Lord the king live
for ever ) ; know that in WadI Hablb there are pure
holy monks. Send thy daughter to them and we believe
that God will heal thy daughter on account of their
pure prayers." When the king heard this he rejoiced
greatly. He ordered two masters and two slave-girls and
soldiers from his armies to accompany the girl and
i) Cf. p. 10, note
24
wrote to the governor of Alexandria ordering him to
send his daughter to the mountain of Shlhat. He wrote
also to the old men: "Thus writeth Zeno, the unworthy
of the kingdom, whom God hath given this gift which
he meriteth not, to the holy, pious, beloved Fathers,
who strive to liberate themselves from the whole world,
the ascetic, selfdenying monks in the holy mountain of
Shlhat, called balance of hearts, Hail. In the first place
I prostrate myself with my face before your holiness.
Then I will inform you, my Fathers, of what the Lord
hath done me on account of my many sins and tres
passes. God had given me two daughters. One left
me and I know nothing about her; so I was in great
sorrow on her account. And while I had to suffer this
great sorrow, there struck me another sorrow greater
than the first one: the other daughter, whom I had
expected to be my consolation and a compensation for
her sister, a demon took possession of her and tormented
her day and night so that I am near to saying that death is
preferable for her to life. My courtiers have given me
advice to send her to your holiness. And now my whole
hope is upon you, that God will not reject your request
and that she will be saved by your prayers."
When this message reached Alexandria, the emir with
many soldiers went to accompany her. They reached the
monastery, brought the letter of the king and gave it
the holy Anba Bamfu. He assembled the brethren and
read the letter before them. When they began to pray,
the demon threw her down and continued to beat her
among them, so that the emir and all who were with
him wondered and said: "How can a demon do so
among holy persons?"
When the holy Hilaria saw her younger sister, she
recognised her and her heart was troubled on her ac
count, her limbs ached and she wept over her. When
the brethren saw her sick at heart for her sake, they
were sorry. When prayer was finished Anba Bamfu
called one of the brethren and said to him: "Take this
girl with thee in thy cell and cease not to pray over
her till God shall have restored her health." He said
humbly: "I have not reached that degree of perfection,
and I cannot be entrusted with this girl." Then Anba
Martyrios said: "Trust her to Hilari the eunuch 1 )." So
they trusted the girl to her sister. She began to pray
over her and to weep till she had soaked the earth, to
embrace her and to kiss her face, to lie with her on
one bench, while she held her to her bosom. After
seven days the Lord healed her. The emir and the ka D id
and the soldiers received with them the holy eucharist
on Sunday and returned to Alexandria. As to the
girl, God had given her grace and the villainous demon
had left her; so the servants and slave-girls and soldiers
took her and returned with her, rejoicing because the
Lord had given success to their journey. The old men
wrote a letter of explanation to king Zeno in the follo
wing terms: "The unworthy inhabitants of the mountain
of Natrun write to their victorious lord Zeno, the pious.
Above all we prostrate ourselves before thy venerable
noble majesty. May the Lord preserve thy throne and
confirm thy kingdom like that of David and Solomon and
Hezekiah -) and Uzziah and rule thy kingdom without
trouble. Be safe in the Lord because of thy care for
i) Text: ...bL&wJI ,..*J,US. 2) Text: Ezekiel.
"
26
the church of the Lord Christ, our God." When this
letter reached the king he rejoiced greatly on account
of his daughter s recovery. He arranged meals for the
poor and spent much money. He said: "My daughter,
what hath happened to thee at Shihat?" She answered:
"My father, they entrusted me to a holy, ascetic monk,
called Hilari the eunuch. It was he who prayed over
me ; then I was healed and the Lord gave me health ;
he was very benignant to me and many times he lay
with me on the mat on the bench. But, my father, I
) hear that monks hate women and therefore inhabit the
desert, because they will absolutely not speak with them.
And how is this? I know it not."
When the king heard this from his daughter he won
dered greatly and said: "This is not the custom of
monks who expel demons, this is an innovation among
the monks". He wrote a second letter to Shihat in the
following terms: "The victorious king Zeno ventureth
to write to the pure, pious Fathers on the mount of
Shihat. I am indebted to you on account of your bounty
and benignity and your prayers and I cannot pay . . . )
so I beg you to show me the favour of sending brother
Hilarion, for I am sick at heart and I cannot undertake
a sea voyage and accomplish this great distance be
cause of the heavy 2 ). The fame of his holiness hath
reached us and our confidence is in him; if he cometh
to us we shall profit by his prayers."
When this royal letter had arrived and had been read
before the rest of the holy monks, the pure presbyter
Bamfo called the blessed Hilaria and said: "Prepare
i) The text is corrupt. 2 ) The text has: hunger.
thyself, brother, for the king hath summoned thee."
When the blessed Hilaria heard this, she felt a great
sorrow. The monks consoled her saying: "Go in the
peace of the Lord who will be with thee and restore
thee to us safely." They sent with her two brothers
and two old brothers and they went to Constantinople.
When they arrived the king rejoiced and gave orders
to introduce them joyfully; he received them personally.
He said to them : " Pray for me, that the Lord may
keep me in the loyalty of my orthodox fathers." When
they went out he retained his daughter Hilaria and
remained alone with her saying: "Holy Father Hilarion,
we need thy prayers and wish to speak to thee; but
be not offended and be not sorry. The little girl hath
told me how she was in thy blessed presence : that thou
used to kiss her, mouth on mouth, and to lie with her
on the mat on the same bench. So I desire that thou
tellest me the reason of thy kindness towards her, whether
it sprang from spiritual or from bodily love. Tell me
the truth and be not ashamed or disturbed by shame,
that I may be pure from this trangression." The virgin
Hilaria thought: "I should like to conceal this matter,
but I fear that the king would cast an eye of contempt
on all monks." She said: "The king may live for ever.
Let the four holy Gospels be brought before me." When
this had been done she said to him: "Swear to me that
thou wilt not reveal this secret nor restrain me from
going to my monastery." The king swore by the holy
Gospel. Hilarion said: "I am Hilaria thy daughter."
When the king heard this he wondered and became
stupefied so that he could not speak during a long time.
When his spirits returned he went up to his daughter
28
and embraced her like Joseph when he embraced Ben
jamin his brother, and wept vehemently. When her
mother and sister heard the news they came running,
embraced her and wept and cried, kissed her hands and
her face and would restrain her from returning to her
monastery. But the king checked them saying: "I have
submitted myself to her will and sworn not to restrain
her." Then her mother said: "We will retain her with
us, in order to crown her with the royal crown." But
the king said: "I will not do so, but we will give glory
to the Lord, now that we have seen her alive." The
king concealed her secret and retained the monks for
three months in order to be able to see his daughter
every day. He questioned her about her flight from the
castle. She told him the details, how she had disguised
herself as a spatharios, how she had reached Alexandria
and how she had gone to Shlhat. When the king heard
this he wondered, and gave an official order to send to
the monks on the mountain of Shlhat every year three
thousand measures of corn for the eucharist of his
daughter, and three hundred measures of oil. This hath
been continued every year until to day.
The king bade them farewell and they departed to
wards their monastery. After her arrival Hilari lived
twelve years. At the end there befell her an illness, the
pains of which she bore with great courage. Then the
holy virgin called Anba Bamfu and conjured him thus:
"When I shall have accomplished my life, make known,
my Father, the whole story of my life and allow not that
this repaired cowl be taken from me, but if you shroud
me, let me keep it." When she had departed this life in
glory and honour, the holy Anba Bamfu told them what
2 9
she had ordered him. When they had buried her the
holy Anba Bamfii sat down and told the brethren in
an address all about the holiness of this pure virgin,
saying: "I am feeble, the unworthiest of all the brethren
on the mountain of Shihat. Who is there that like her
possesseth the endurance to live continually among so
many men ? Who possesseth such selfrestraint and is
able to neglect all bodily comfort and finery and plea
sure ?" When the brethren heard this they praised God.
And behold, the Lord gave her good fortune and
grace for she departed this life on the day of the
departure of the mother of Light, the virgin Mary, be
cause she had loved her (Mary s) life; so the Lord gave
her this sign of grace.
They wrote to her father the king that she was
dead and he began to mourn over her. But her
mother consoled him saying: "He hath been called
happy who hath posterity in Sion and kindred in Jeru
salem, according to what is written in Isaiah the pro
phet: "Blessed who hath posterity in Sion." 1 ) For she
can be beseeched to intercede for us with our Lord Jesus
Christ so that He forgive us our sins and trespasses."
These words have been written by the holy Anba
Bamfu. He hath written and deposited them in the
church of Shihat for the sake of glory and profit. May
the Lord have mercy upon us by his prayers. Amen.
i) Is. XXXI, Q/; according to LXX.
TRANSLATION OF THE SHORT ARABIC TEXT
(Forget I, p. Itf a se q H .}
On this day (2ith Tubih) died also the holy, pure
Hilaria, the daughter of king Zeno. This king was or
thodox and a friend of the church. He had two daugh
ters , this saint and her sister, but no son. This pure
maid Hilaria had from her youth an inclination for
being alone. So she began to think about monasticism
and putting on the angelic habit. She left the palace of
her father, dressed as a man, reached Egypt and went
from there towards Shihat. There she met a holy old
man, named Aba Bamu. She told him the plan she had
conceived and that she was a woman. He concealed her
secret and gave her a grotto to dwell in and took
up the habit of visiting her. When she had passed
fifteen years in the grotto without getting a beard, the
old men thought her to be a eunuch and they called
her Hilari the eunuch.
As to her sister, a villainous demon took hold of
her. Her father spent much money on her behalf,
but she was not healed. Then the advice was given him
to send her to the old men in Shihat ; for their fame
had penetrated throughout the Roman empire, because of
their holiness. So he sent her, accompanied by two masters
and an escort and slaves and gave them a letter for
the old men, in which he informed them of his sorrow,
33
and told them that the Lord had given him two daugh
ters; one of them had left him and he knew not her
place of abode, and he had not heard of her. The other
was possessed by a demon, she whom he ) had ex
pected to be his l ) comfort and consolation. He asked
their holiness to pray over her, that the Lord might
heal her. When the old men had read the letter of the
king, they prayed over her many days but she was not
healed. Lastly they requested Hilari the eunuch, her
sister, to take her and pray over her, but she excused
herself. Then they induced her to take her and after a
few days she was liberated from the demon.
The holy maid had recognised her sister, without
being recognised by her; and she used to embrace and
to kiss her and to go outdoors to weep. Then she
brought her before the old men and said to them :
"Behold, the Lord hath healed her by your prayers".
Then they sent her to her father in peace. When she
arrived, he and all the inhabitants of the castle rejoiced
over her and uttered many thanksgivings to the Lord.
Her father asked her about her manner of life among
the old men. She told him how the holy Hilari had
healed her and how he used to embrace her often and
to kiss her. The king was disturbed by this fact and he
sent a message to the old men wherein he told them
to send Hilari the eunuch who had healed his daughter
in order to receive his blessing, whereupon the old men
told her to go to the king. Then the holy maid wept
grievously before all the old men and excused herself.
They said to her: "This king is pure, a friend of the
i) The text has the ist person.
34
church. It is not allowed, according to the scriptures,
to thwart him". After a struggle she went to the king.
He and his courtiers saluted her. When they were alone,
the king drew near to her and uttered his suspicion
about her kissing his daughter and how he had been
disturbed on hearing this : he asked her to reveal him
the cause of this. Only he and the queen were present.
So she said to them: "Bring me the Gospel and swear
to me , that you will not press me not to return to
the desert, when I shall have spoken". They swore, and
thereupon she told them that she was their daughter
Hilaria, and how she had left them disguised as a man,
and showed them the signs they knew. Then they cried
aloud and wept together and there was a great tumult
in the castle. They said to her: "We allow thee not to go".
But she reminded them of the oath and scarcely she
agreed to stay a month with them. Then she departed
to the desert. From this day onwards the king gave
the revenues and the taxes to the inhabitants of the
desert and all that they wanted from the revenues of
Egypt, so that the number of the monks augmented
greatly, and they began to inhabit the cells. As to the
pure, holy Hilaria, after her coming back from her father,
she lived five years; then she died and nobody knew
her to be a woman, until after her death. May the
blessing of her prayer be with us. Amen.
TRANSLATION OF THE SYRIAC TEXT.
The Story of the Holy Hilaria, the
daughter of king Zeno.
For the pious, my Beloved, it is always good to
occupy themselves with the holy doctrines, teaching the
fear of God and leading us in the right ways which are
pleasing unto God.
And especially with the stories of the memory of the
works of the Saints, who lived well with God and
were perfect in the holy service. For there is nothing
of such profit to the pious soul as such meditations
which show forth the excellent life and holy works and
humble habit of monasticism.
For it is well known that there is no small consola
tion to be gathered from [an examination] as to how
they lived and pleased God in humbleness; how they
persisted in patience and in that love, which is a perfect
sign of being a disciple of Christ, and in great works;
how they persevered in steady and long fasting, how
they humbled themselves in ascetic exercises beyond
all power, and in performing abundant services beloved
by God.
Not only blessed men have been seen doing this, but
there have also been found women in all generations
shining like stars in the whole world. And now, because
33
it is, as I have said, meritorious to make known by
writing the memory of the deeds of the Saints, it is also
beautiful for us to hand down and to write that which
we have heard from trustworthy men who were eye
witnesses of the pious persons who were leading an
aneelic life by their deeds, and mortified their bodies
o *
by asceticism.
So [we will speak] firstly about a woman of royal
descent, whose story is above [the power] of our weak
words. So it would be becoming for us to be silent,
because of our inability, but as such a work, however
weak, is of profit for such persons as are longing with
a pious mind to hear such things, we will not refrain
from speaking, asking the help of God, giver of knowledge.
So we will begin with the time when the famous and
pious king Zeno, was reigning beautifully; he was equal
in faith and love of Christ to the glorious and great Con-
stantine ; but he was vexed and suffering from his having
no son and successor to the throne after his death. His
desire made him frequently pray and entreat God and
send to saintly-living men in mountains and caverns and
monasteries, that they should ask God to grant him his
wish. This he did because he was very pious and expected
that on account of their intercession J ) with Xaod, who
loveth his elected, they could acquire all from him. So
shortly after his accession to the throne a daughter was
born to him, she with whom this story dealeth, truly a
firstborn fruit of the prayer of the Saints and a reward
of his rich vows. When she was sanctified by baptism,
the holy sign of divine birth, she was called Hilaria.
l)
39
She was educated as is becoming to children of
faithful parents. A heavenly grace was spread over her
and with her was to be found humbleness and great
peacefulness; the doctrine of the holy Scriptures she
learned soon and excelled by great wisdom. She had
governesses who taught her the good doctrine, chaste
women who were ascetically living as virgins. I mean
nuns, who were visiting her constantly. While she recited
with them the holy Scriptures and songs and services,
there awoke in her the desire of assuming their habit.
They told her about the life of holy men and humble
virgins who had given themselves to God and were be
trothed to Christ and had mortified their flesh by asceti
cism. They told her especially about the holy Fathers
who were aboding in the desert of Egypt, which is
called Skete.
All these things she concealed secretly in her soul
and hoped that they could be realised in good season.
But though she was anxious to assume the holy life
and to perform the duties of waking and fasting which
are becoming to the holy habit, she would not do
this openly because she knew that it was not agreeable
to the king and queen, that she had such plans : for
they hoped that she would be a source of temporal
joy to them; and they thought already about her mar
rying and having children, that would bear the royal
dignity after them.
But she, while living alone in a room in the palace,
was, according to a rule of divine wisdom, symbolically
practising monasticism, fasting steadily and sometimes
eating only every evening or every second day, with
long vigils and constant standing in prayer, day and
4
night, reading the holy Scriptures and the stories of
elect holy men and holy women. Meanwhile she looked
for the realisation of the plan which she had conceived
namely to go away secretly and to adopt the solitary life in
the foreign country. She hoped fervently to see the Egyp
tian desert and to live with the solitary ascetics there.
Now her parents, the king and queen, were usually
admitted to see her every fifth or tenth day, according
to the rule laid down by her; because she would not
converse with them frequently, for she lived in a retired
manner and was in this way quietly practising the habit
of chastety and humbleness under a pretext. Then it
happened that the king, when visiting her, perceived
that the grace and royal beauty, that was spread over
her handsome face, was fading away, that her body was
becoming emaciated, that her strength was diminishing
and day by day she was fading away and decaying and
that she was sinking into a serious decline. So he said :
"What hath befallen thee, my daughter? Perhaps thou
art sick and, because of thy bashfulness, thou wilt not
reveal it to us? Or is there a sickness of heart of which
thou informest us not ? Verily, thou givest us much trouble
and pain, on seeing thee fading away and decaying like
one wounded and sick". But she said to them: "Suffer
not anyhow, my father; for there is nothing that maketh
me suffer, nor is there a pain that troubleth me. On
the contrary, my heart rejoiceth very much, because thou
art spared and enjoyest peace". So she cheered them
up by these words.
As a rule her waiting-woman with whom she had
intercourse brought her food from the palace, dishes of
all kinds; but she took only the bread and the rest of
4
the food she sent secretly to the poor by the medium
of that servant. When she had lived in such a way five
years, steadily fasting every second day (she was at that
time five and twenty years old), she thought that this
was the time for going away to the abode she was
longing for; but how could this plan be carried out if
she was seen by her servant every day? And if she
were to be sought in vain, they would turn every stone
and seek her in every direction and there would be
no means of escaping.
But what devised she and what contrived she?
She adopted the rule of delaying [the visits of her
servant] more and more, saying to her: "To day I have
got food that will be sufficient for three days; trouble
me not with thy visit till the fourth day hence. Let
nobody know this; otherwise thou wilt be in danger
on my account. But take the food, which is given to
thee to bring it me, and take it secretly to the poor.
And if my parents ask thee, say, as usually: She hath
taken and eaten it". In this way she would, when being
ready to go away, be able to prolong the interval
between her visits and hinder her from entering during
five days or more, in order to be able to reach a far
distance on her journey before being sought and missed.
Thus she did during one year, saying to her servant:
"Till the fourth day hence approach not unto my door".
And soon she said: "Till the fifth day", and then: "Till
the seventh".
When the day had come, that she was prepared for
going away, she said secretly to her servant: "Take this
dinar and buy for it a coat of hair and sandals and
a cowl, but let nobody see or know it, for I will
this to that nun, which often visiteth me, because
I see that she is poorly dressed". The servant took the
dinar and accomplished all according to her command.
After a few days Hilaria said to her: "Visit me not
during five days". Thereupon she prepared herself for
departing, took off the princely dress she was wearing
and put on the coat of hair and the sandals.
Then she threw on the capuchin, took some food
and some money for expenses and went away in the
morning, while no one saw her, to the seashore which
was not very far from the town, while a steady prayer
was in her mouth and tears stood in her eyes.
Thus she prayed: "O God, Thou who guidest the
Saints and leadest them on Thy eternal way, who art
everywhere with them and leavest them never, lead
me on this way and direct my feet on the way of
salvation and bring me to the place which I long for,
that I may have intercourse with Thy Saints and
serve Thee with them in holiness and praise Thee
eternally".
Now it happened that, by divine Providence, at that
time a ship was ready for departing in the direction
of Egypt, to Alexandria, the place where she wished
to go to. When she had asked the people there and
had heard what she hoped, she gave the fare and
embarked. And nobody of those who saw her, knew
whether she was a man or a woman, because she was
dressed humbly and chastely in the humble monastic
dress and in the royal residence there were many of
such monks and nuns; so those who saw her thought
that she was like the rest.
The ship sailed and reached Egypt in a few days.
43
Then she left the ship, entered Alexandria and visited
the holy places there, churches and monasteries and
strengthened herself by the prayers of those who were
performing in holiness the service there. While she was
still walking through the town she saw an old hermit, an
excellent man of those of the desert. Addressing him
she asked in the first place after the way of living of
the hermits in the desert, and whether they received
strangers gladly into their community, and which place
or convent was the first to be reached in the desert.
The hermit said to her: "Their way of living is
that each of them reciteth separately and in his own
way and every one accomplished the holy service in
his cell, which he leaveth not during the whole week.
But on Sundays, at the time of the ministration of
the holy sacrifice, they go to the church that is situated
in the midst of the cells and partake of the holy sacra
ments. Some of them cover their faces with their caps
so as not to see anyone and not to be seen by any
one ; every one fasteth as he chooseth and according to
his strength, some of them every second day, others
every third or fourth day. The conspicuous take food
only once a week.
This consisteth of dry bread and olives, sometimes
they take also boiled vegetables; others feed upon herbs
like the beasts.
The monastery which is at the entrance of the desert
is called that of Aba Macarius. It is said that the number
of hermits belonging to it, amounteth to three thousand.
And as to their love of strangers, it is great, praise
worthy and divine. But they admit amongst them no
beardless youths nor indulgeth any one in seeing a woman".
44
When she heard this she replied and asked after the
way to the desert. He told it her and she made an
obeisance before him and received his blessing J ) and
each of them went his own way, without knowing
the other s sex and without asking after it. When he
was far from her and out of sight, she knelt down in
order to pray before God and thus she spoke: "Our
Lord Jesus Christ, the life and salvation that hath
dawned for us, thou who hast come to seek the forlorn,
and to bring back to the way of truth those who have
gone astray, Thou who leadest Thy Saints to the eternal
way -- turn to me the lost one, for I seek Thee, my Lord,
and lead me at Thy right hand to Thy way of life, for
Thee alone my soul loveth. And direct my feet in the
way of salvation and receive me into Thy good harbour.
For Thou art my strong hope and in Thee I have con
fided from my youth, now and for ever. Amen".
When she had finished her prayer and sealed herself
with the holy sign, she took the way to the desert
while continually prayer was in her mouth. After three
days of travelling, she reached the convent of Aba
Macarius, at the entrance of the desert.
It was a sabbathday, and while she was passing be
tween the cells she saw none of the solitaries without
the door of his cell. She ventured not to knock at a
door; but on going round in order to find some one,
she came to the church, their place of congregation. She
entered to pray and saw the Presbyter who constantly
was aboding there. After having finished her prayer,
she asked his blessing, and he invited her to take rest,
l) Litt. his prayer.
45
saying: "From where cometh your pious person, o Father?
and what is the cause, why thou visitest us, poor crea
tures?" For he thought that she was a man because of
her manly dress and the changed colour of her face
which had become dusky and black.
And thus she answered him in a manly tone: w Your
servant, Father, cometh from Constantinople, in order
to be the disciple of your holiness, if it please God and
you". The Presbyter said: "What is Thy name?" She
answered: "John the eunuch. As to my class I am a
slave and I belonged to a noble and well-known Roman ] )
man and performed with him the service of a slave.
And when he deceased in peace, he freed me. Then
being master of my own person, I have sought to
please God above all and from fear of God I assumed
the holy habit. But I had an infinite longing to see the
Saints who in this desert are living ascetically and
devoting their lives to God, and to pass the rest of my
life with them. For that reason I have hastened to
come to you now".
Thereupon the Presbyter said: "Thy coming is right,
Father. Stay here and take rest to-day. Tomorrow,
which is a Sunday, the solitaries will assemble here as
usually in order to partake of the holy sacrifice".
So on Sunday morning, at the third hour the solitaries
assembled into the above mentioned church; and when
they had partaken of the sacramental sacrifice, the
Presbyter told them the story of John, the eunuch. On
their wish, she 2 ) was brought before them and throwing
herself at their feet, her 2 ) lips murmered a prayer,
:) i. e. Byzantine. 2) The MS. has the masculine.
4 6
while she ! ) was trembling from fear, that it might be
known who and what 2 ) she ) was.
Then they prayed over her, blessed her, spoke to
her words of admonition and taught her how to conduct
herself; they gave her also a separate cell and ordered
a very old man in her neighbourhood: "Take John the
eunuch and let him be as a son to thee and take care
to be his guide in the doctrine which is necessary and
in the rules laid down amongst us".
Thereupon the old man took her with him and showed
her the cell and she dwelt amongst them and regu
lated her life as they did, in good work and labour. -
Thus far about her departing and arriving in the
desert. -
As to the governess which had served her while being
in the royal palace , when the days had passed during
which Hilaria had forbidden her to enter, she went to
her service and saw that Hilaria was gone and that her
royal garments were put aside in a corner of the apart
ment she at once understood that Hilaria had gone to
devote herself to the service of God, and that therefore
she had wanted the coat of hair and the capuchin.
Weeping and crying she went to the queen and told
her what had happened but she revealed nothing about
the rule of her food and her [rare] visits to her; for
she was afraid of being endangered, because she had
not told them the secret.
The king and the queen, being troubled by what
they had heard, went to the apartment, and seeing that
1) The MS. has the masculine.
2) I. e. her sex.
47
their daughter Hilaria had gone, they were in great
sorrow and grief.
The king wept, sobbing in a loud voice , and thus
lamented : "Woe, my beloved daughter. Who hath severed
thee from me ? How can I live without thee, support
of my old age, crown on my head ? Now may death
hasten to me and take from me the trouble that never
can be consoled away".
When the nobles of the king heard what had hap
pened, they came to lament with him. At once they sent
messengers in all directions to ask and to seek. The con
vents were also examined but she was not found. After a
few days the king recovered from his trouble, because he
was certain that she had gone to devote herself to God.
And Hilaria, being in the desert of Skete, was going
through great struggles and performing works of self-
denial above human strength , in many vigils and long
fasting, so that even the solitaries wondered at her
endurance and patience.
And she was praiseworthy and great in the eyes of
all people of her class, because of her great humility
and her placidity and meekness.
When she had passed ten years in the desert, another
daughter was born to her father the king. When this
girl was five years of age, she was tried by the Evil-one.
And as the Devil attacked her vehemently, her father
said to himself: "There is no hope of healing my
daughter, except by the prayers of the solitaries in
Skete, who are very near to God and are allowed to
speak to Him )".
:) Litt. : Who have
48
Thus he resolved in his mind and prepared for her
departing. He ordered a trustworthy man, one of his
relatives, and he and an escort of soldiers took her, went
on their way and reached the desert.
The solitaries had heard of this and many of them
had departed, lest they should be seen by the soldiers
and the other persons. John the eunuch too had hid
himself, without knowing the case exactly.
When the messengers of the king arrived, they told
the monks about his belief and his hope on them and
explained the reason of their coming. They left the girl
with them and returned to the king without delay.
On the next day the solitaries returned to their places
and discussed to whom they should entrust the little
girl. They choosed John the eunuch because he was a
eunuch and advanced in holiness. Thereupon they sent
for him and said to him: "The Fathers have discussed
with whom the girl should be; and all of them agreed
upon giving her to thee, be thou her support and teacher".
Being forced thus he obeyed their will and took the
girl to his cell.
One time Hilaria asked the girl: "Answer, my sister,
what I ask thee. What is the name of thy father,
and what is the name of thy mother?" The girl said:
"My father is called Zeno, my mother Augusta". She
asked again: "Have they a son or daughter besides
thee? The girl answered: "I have no brother or sister
at all, but as I have heard of my mother, who told it
me weeping, before my birth they had another daughter,
named Hilaria. But she went away from them secretely
and nobody knoweth what became of her. They sought
her industriously but she was not found".
49
When she heard this from her, she knew certainly
that the girl was her sister, the daughter of the parents
who had borne herself and with the fervour of a love
not to be checked, she embraced her, the tears dropping
from her eyes, on account of the girl s saying: "My
mother told me weeping, that they had another daughter
before me, who went away from them secretly".
When the girl had passed five years with Hilaria, she
got recovery from the Lord and became excellent in
wisdom and knowledge. She was also distinguished by
humbleness and chastity, because Hilaria had taken
great care to adorn her with all praiseworthy qualities.
So, when the messengers of the king, whom he used
to send in order to get tidings of the girl, came, the
Fathers sent her with them to her father. After her
arrival, he noticed during his intercourse with her, that
she excelled in wisdom and good works, and that she
had got spiritual as well as bodily aid, being freed from
the influence of the Evil one. So he rejoiced greatly and
thanked and praised God.
He asked her: "My daughter, who was it to whom
thou wast entrusted and with whom thou hast been ?
And how was he treating thee ? For I will reward him
with becoming signs of honour". The girl answered
plainly: "When I was sent by thy majesty and the old
men had taken me up, they discussed the next day to
whom they should entrust me. And they agreed opon
giving me to a trustworthy man, whose name is John the
eunuch. With him I have been thenceforth and I have
improved by him. He shew unto me an infinite love and
honoured me greatly. I have never seen him eating
before my eyes, nor lying down on the floor to sleep.
50
But when he was overcome by sleep, he would lean
against the wall for some time and so he took some
o
comfort from sleep. Innumerable was his kneeling down
on the floor, and he ceased not praying and reciting
night and day. He took food only once a week".
When the king heard this, he was grieved and he took
up evil suspicions against John the eunuch, thinking
that he was no eunuch. Being anxious to examine the
matter exactly and to be relieved from his care, he
sent for John and about ten of the other old men.
Here Providence was already at work, in order to make
known who John was and that he might be a good
example to the glory of God.
When John and his companions had arrived, he lodged
them in a quiet place as was becoming to their habit.
But he took John and introduced him separately into
the palace and held with him many discourses.
Hilaria had a cowl covering her face lest her father
should recognise her. While she spoke to him words
of admonition an unchecked stream of tears flowed
from her eyes, on seeing her father and mother and
her sister that was healed. But the king thought that
her tears came from repentance. Sometime afterwards,
the king said to her: I have heard of the beautiful
things thou art working and of the good thou hast
wrought towards my daughter and that she hath re
ceived healing from the Lord by thy hands. I have
called and forced thee to come towards me, that I may
be deemed worthy of seeing thee and being helped by
thy prayers and that my house may be blessed by thy
footsteps. But I wish to hear from thee who thou art
and from where thou earnest to the desert, and what
thy sex is". She answered: "Why askest thou me about
this, the poorest and most miserable of all children of
man? But, now that thou wilt know it, I say: as to my
class I am a slave and as to my sex a eunuch. My lord
freed me when dying; and being my own master I
sought God, the true Lord, above all; Him I loved and
to his service I devoted myself. Above all places, I
have chosen the dwelling in the desert in order to
receive support from the Saints there, by whose prayers
I have had the joy of healing the girl".
When the king had interrogated her circumstantially
and revealed the trouble of his thoughts and the doubts
of his heart, she resolved to relieve him from his cares
and from the thoughts which were making a pernicious
war against his soul. For she pitied him as a good
father and a just king. She said to him: "I will reveal
to thee a secret. But swear to me first by the Lord,
that thou shalt accomplish my will in all things 1 ask
and that thou shalt not oppose me in any thing I wish
and that this secret shall not be revealed to any one
besides the queen and the girl".
When Hilaria had said this to the king, the tears
flowed unchecked from her eyes and she was choked
by sobbing. The king swore to her plainly, without
thinking of who she might be, for her face was invisible
by the cowl which covered it and her speech was
altered ) by reciting in the Egyptian language; and,
besides, twenty years had elapsed since she left them,
and he thought that she had already died.
When she saw that the king had given his assurance
l) According to a correction of the text.
52
by his oath, she took them with her to an inner apart
ment, took the capuchin off, uncovered her face, showed
herself to him and said: "I am whom thou seest, Hilaria,
the poor, thy daughter whom thou knowest".
When the king and the queen heard the name Hilaria,
they were disturbed and they swooned and fell down
on the floor and were as dead.
When Hilaria saw what happened and that her parents
were near dying, she took water and signed them with
the cross, and sprinkled it on their faces, so that they
revived and rose. The king weeped vehemently and
they were in great sorrow and scarcely could check
their crying and weeping. Then the king and the queen
threw themselves at her and kissed her eyes and her hands.
Some time afterwards the king, having recovered
from his weeping, said to her: "Hilaria, my beloved
daughter, it is a great thing to me, to have seen to-day
in thee, that an offspring pleasing to God cometh forth
from me and that I may give to God a daughter who
is accepted by Him. If thou wouldst only show me this
kindness". Hilaria said: "What wishest thou ?" The king
said: "I have sworn the oath, and thy will shall be
accomplished wholly. Only, if thou art willing, allow
me to make for thee and those with thee a dwelling-
place in our neighbourhood, that will be an abode to
thee, in the same manner as there, be it for dwelling
separately or commonly, as thou desirest".
But Hilaria agreed not with this, speaking: "It is not
well to alter the beautiful institutions which have
pleased to the Ancients, and to change a place which
has been fittingly set apart by the chosen Fathers for
their rest and abode. But, if thou allowest, we soon will
53
take leave in peace. The king submitted to her will and
withstood not the word of her mouth concerning all
which she said to him".
Five days afterwards, he dismissed her and those with
her. And they gave them presents and signs of honour
and gifts of gold and silver, and tapers and perfumes
and oil, and costly garments for adorning the altars and
churches of the convents in the desert.
But Hilaria accepted not the gold and the silver
saying: "Gold and silver are usually not to be seen in
the desert. But we will take these other presents".
Secretly she said to him: "If thou wilt, we shall spend
this gold and silver for works which I will mention to
thee. There are places in the desert, where the solitaries
are distressed by want of water and the large distance
of it. Others are unfit for dwelling, because of the ab
sence of materials necessary for buildings. Send a trust
worthy man and let him dig pits and build well-secured
dwelling-places and make holes and hidden caves for
those who wish to dwell in them secretly, not openly.
This will give thee the wages of righteousness".
Her father said to her: "Ay, beloved mistress, I shall
accomplish all according to thy wish". Then she took
leave and departed from the palace with weeping and
crying, and reached the desert of Skete, with the Fathers
who were accompanying her.
A few days afterwards the king sent a trustworthy
man according to Hilaria s wish. He gave him much
money for the expenses of the buildings and for erecting
well-secured towers. And thus he spake to him: "Go
straightway to John who is called the eunuch; he will
tell thee what to do, accomplish his will".
54
When this trustworthy man arrived he did all that
Hilaria told him; [he made] cells and pits and caves
fit for dwelling therein and high, well-secured houses.
Having finished all, he went back in peace.
Hilaria took up her former way of life, struggling
in work and difficult tasks. Her father sent continually
messengers to her.
So within ^very month he sent some one to ask
about her, secretly, nobody knowing of it. But this
remained not concealed from the solitaries; although
not knowing it certainly, yet they presumed John to
be a relative or an acquaintance of the king. From that
time they began to show her ! ) signs of honour in the
assemblies and in the church. When she perceived their
presumption, she began to be afraid that gradually her
position might become known and her labour might be
lost by vain glory.
So she left them secretly, while they perceived it
not, and went to a more remote part of the desert. She
concealed herself in a suitable cave in the earth, which
she found according to her desire. At fixed intervals she
went through the ravine, which led from the bottom of
her cave under the earth to the ground, and got up to
take the fresh air during a long time. At the mouth of
the cave was a well and a little garden of wild vege
tables. Whenever she wanted some food she took it
there, and drank from the well ; so she lived in the cave
for ten years. The whole time of her staying in the
desert was thirty years. By her heavy labour she was
fast decaying so that she, from weakness and old age,
i) MS. "him".
55
lay down on the bottom of her cave to perform her
prayer to God. At that time God exhorted three soli
taries of the desert, Aba Isidorus and Aba Isaic and
Aba Isak, to go through the desert in order to visit the
solitaries. They took with them fruits and bread made
of flour, garments and coats, to provide and strengthen
the sick and weak people with, if they should find them;
or if they were dead, to shroud their corpses and to bury
them honourably.
On their march through the desert, one day at noon
time, they came near the place where Hilaria was living
and hearing from within the earth a sound of groaning
as from a sick person they wondered and investigated
what it might be ; so they found the entrance of the
ravine on the surface of the earth, but, on going down
to enter it they feared that that sound might come
from a wild animal there. Going round they perceived
the garden and the well and signs of human footsteps.
Then they understood that a solitary must be living
there. They took heart and entered the ravine and
reaching the bottom of the cave, they saw a light as
clear as daylight, as the rays of the sun. Then they
looked and saw a human being lying on the ground and
groaning; the hair of the head was white as wool. When
they had prayed and said : "Bless me my Lord", she raised
her eyes, perceived them, rose quickly and received
them with a salutation. Then they sat down and asked
about her coming there, saying: "When hast thou come
here, Father ? and from which direction hath come thy
pious person ?"
For they presumed her to be a man.
She answered them and spoke with them excellent
56
words. At last she said to them: "My Fathers, you are
sent to-day by God, in order to bury me". Then she rose,
and prayed. Having finished her prayer, she stretched
herself on the earth and entrusted her spirit to God.
When the Fathers saw that she was dead they
praised God and took her immediately from that cave
to the ground. There they performed over her the
burial service and were going, as was becoming, to
shroud her body, presuming her to be an ascetic man
like others, who are beardless by great heat ! ). But
touching her corpse outwardly, they perceived it to be
a woman s and, full of astonishment, they praised Christ,
who kindleth the fire of His Love in all mankind, men
and women, old men and youths and children.
Then they buried her as she was, and interred her.
While their lips murmured a hymn of praise, they went
to wash their hands in the well from which she used to
drink and to eat of the vegetables there in order to
receive a blessing thereby. But they found that well
dried up and the garden withered; but in the cave
where she had lived, the water rose, and went up to
the surface of the earth and streamed there. Then they
praised still more on account of a wonder, the like of
which they had neither seen nor heard.
They stayed there three days, entreating God and
saying: "O Lord, show thy servants who thy servant
was and from where she came".
When the days of death were over, in a divine
revelation, there was said to them: "Make a memorial-
day for the odour *) which was accepted by God, three
1) Cf. the Introduction.
2) Cf. Ada Martyrum, ed. Bedjan, I, 187, I? .
57
days before, which belongeth to Hilaria, the daughter
of king Zeno, who, while dwelling amongst you before,
was called John the eunuch". Three days afterwards
they departed and went and told the Fathers what
they had seen.
This is the Life and holy works of Hilaria. We ,
chaste brethren and faithful sisters, being envious of the
works of the Saints, must imitate their beautiful deeds
and perform good works, that we may attain life ever
lasting, of which we may be deemed worthy by the
Grace and Love of Christ. To Him be praise with His
Father and the Holy Spirit for ever and ever. Amen.
Here endeth the story of Hilaria, the daughter of
king Zeno, who left the house of her parents secretly
and led an ascetic life in the desert of Egypt.
TRANSLATION OF THE SHORT KARSHUNI TEXT (V).
It is told that Hilaria, the daughter of king Zeno,
when she heard of the desert and the monks living
there, left the kingdom and fled to the desert disguised
as a servant. The Father of the desert received her;
the Holy Ghost had revealed to him that she was a
woman. But he concealed this and put her into a grotto,
where she remained thirteen years, praying with the
monks till her skin grew black, her appearence became
altered and her bones grew thin. She reached a high
degree of ascetism.
When the old men saw that she remained beardless,
they called her the eunuch, but her name was Alaria.
It happened that her sister became insane in a vehement
manner, so that her father and her mother were sorry
for her sake. He said: "I will give half of my kingdom
to him who healeth my daughter." But he found no one.
Then there was told to him: "In Wadl Habib, near
Alexandria, dwelleth a monk, called the eunuch. When
he prayeth over insane persons, they are healed. He is
a disciple of a disciple of Abu Macarius."
The king wrote to the governor of Alexandria, in this
way: "We have heard, that in Wadl Habib, in the
neighbourhood of thy city, there is a monk who healeth
insane persons. We send to thee a sick person, dear to
us, with an escort. When -he reacheth thee, accompany
him to that place. The king sent with her ] ) much money
i) The text has: him.
6i
and many of those in his confidence. When they reached
Alexandria [on their way] to WadI Habib, the governor
with his soldiers encamped at a distance. Then he took
the girl with her trustworthy servants to the monastery
of the monks. He told the old men what the matter was.
Immediately they called the eunuch. When her sister
entered, Hilaria recognized her without being recognized.
She wept and kept her with her seven days, weeping
and praying over her. When she slept, she held her on
her bosom. She used to kiss her eyes. On the seventh
day the demon left her; her companions took her and
journeyed with her to their country.
When they reached Constantinople and her parents
saw that she was healed, they rejoiced greatly and gave
opulent alms. Being alone with her they asked her
about \vhat had happened to her during her abode in
that place. She told them every circumstance and how
the holy eunuch (I mean her sister) had healed her.
The king was very angry; he said: "A monk, a slave,
healeth the sick and abuseth his monastic state in order
to look on a woman ; prayeth and holdeth her on his
breast and kisseth her eyes."
He wrote to the governor, ordering him to send the
eunuch. The governor did so. When the monk was in
troduced to the king and he saw his person, he received
him, standing, very graciously, and took his blessing.
But the monk was like a shadow or a spider: his skin
had grown black and his bones had become thin. The
king regretted to have summoned him. Afterwards he
was alone with him and asked him about what his
daughter had told him. He answered: "How troublest
thou me and restrainest me from doing my duty by
62
[forcing me to reveal] what I am not bound to reveal
to thee. In the presence of the Gospel and the patriarch
thou shalt swear to me that thou wilt let me go to my
place of abode."
He swore to him, that, after having been entrusted
with the secret, he would immediately let him go to
the monastery without restraining him. She thought:
,,There remaineth for me in the world only so and so
much." When she was sure of him on account of his oaths,
she said: "I am thy daughter Hilaria. Thou believest
this not?" He believed her not until she had communi
cated to him some peculiarities he knew about her and
she had told the story of her life, and shown to her
mother a token on her body. Then they wept vehemently
and pressed her on their bosom.
She stayed with them three days. Then she returned
to her dwelling place in Wad! Habib, as if she were a
servant. For she had made them swear that they would
not betray her state.
The king sent many treasures with her to that place.
Then she built ) and fortified houses and churches
and monasteries all over the desert. And the king ceased
not to send these gifts [yearly] till after the death of
his daughter. And the other kings followed his example
by providing for this place, till Islam appeared. The
church of Abu Macarius was built in Wadi Habib.
Their prayers be with us. Amen.
which I do not understand.
TRANSLATION OF THE LONG KARSHUNI TEXT.
In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy
Ghost, one God, we begin to write, with the help and
assistance of God, the story of king Zeno and his wife
Shams al-Munlr and the chosen Hilaria their daughter.
May their prayer and blessings be with us. Amen.
There was a faithful king and his name was Zcno.
He and his wife were honourable, just and merciful in
their life like our noble father and mother Abraham
and Sara and like the chosen Isaac and Rebecca, going
the way of our father Jacob and Rachel, the Ancients.
They were of honourable origin, but they had sorrow
in this world because they were barren and had no
child nor heir to govern towns and cities after their
decease.
One day, by the working of the grace of the Lord
Christ, who loveth mankind (honour and praise to him
for ever. Amen.) they conceived a plan and they spoke
one to the other: "Let us take a part of this money
and go to the desert and the monasteries and to the
temples of God and to the caverns and mountain-caves
and to the clefts which are beneath the earth in dark
ness ) who are bound, in a way pleasing to
i) Some words seem to have fallen out here.
66
God, by their own will, who are nourished and whose
thirst is quenched, and who are all provided for by our
Lord Jesus Christ, every one according to his wish and
need; let us request them to stand before Christ and to
pray for us; perhaps God will grant us a child whereby
we shall be consoled for the rest of our lifetime.
So they went with zeal and warm faithfulness and
with tears which flowed so as to soak their garments
and with sighs which would remove mountains, partly
on account of their sins and partly from longing for
offspring. They reached the venerable places and attained
their end by the power of Christ, for the sincere
faithfulness that was in their heart. Then they returned
to their appartments with joy and gladness.
After the completion of a certain number of days
Shams al-Munlr perceived [that she was pregnant]. She
said to the faithful king Zeno : "My husband, rejoice;
by the grace of the Lord and the prayers of the Fathers
I perceive that I am pregnant". Then he thanked God and
began to show the monasteries and the poor still more
mercy and care; till the blessed bore a girl whose
beauty was not equalled in her time. Seven days after
wards she was baptized and called Hilaria, the fruit of
prayer, and he ] ) used to call her by this name.
When she had grown up and had come to years of dis-
P. o cretion, her father built for her a pavilion and a beautiful
appartment, the most beautiful of his country. And he sent
[someone] to ask and to search in the whole town for
a chaste, pious, learned woman, able to read the holy
Scriptures. When she was brought into the presence of
i) The king seems to be meant.
6;
the king and the queen and they spoke to her, she
answered in the best manner. Then they praised and
thanked God for granting them their wish. Then king
Zeno took the hand of his daughter and they entrusted
her to her governess, in order to teach her good demea
nour and science and reading, that her intellect might
shine and her demeanour be beautiful. The chaste woman
received [her] with gladness and great joy, kissed the
feet of the king and the queen, took the hand of the
chosen [maid] and went away confiding in God. He )
sent with them two blessed old men to wait at the
door, and food and drink and servants and utensils,
suiting to royal rank. Every fifth day the king took the
queen and they visited their daughter, the fruit of
prayer, and the joy of their heart.
In this blessed state and good demeanour she stayed
for six years; then Christ would lead her to perfection.
She used to read in the stories of the martyrs and the
narratives of the saints which had reached perfection
in the desert. Then her heart thirsted and she loved
them warmly and longed for dwelling with and amongst
them. So she began to fast, to pray and to observe
vigils and to shed tears, the beginning of every [spiri
tual] gift and of remission of sins. But her beauty began
to wither. Her governess observed her and said to her:
"My daughter, I see thy beauty withered." She made
an obeisance for her and said: "[This is caused] by my
longing for meeting the saints and living amongst them.
My heart is thirsting vehemently after seeing them; I
hope that thy venerable person will hide me from my
i) The king.
68
father and mother. All food, which is brought, I shall
give to the poor; perhaps God will open for us a way
to the desert by their prayers". In this state she remai
ned for a year. As she withered her parents observed
her and said to her: "Our daughter, blood of our hearts,
we find thee withering in a vehement way and we are
sorry for thy sake; is there not a secret sorrow which
thou revealest not to us?" She smiled and said: "What
sorrow can he have, who enjoyeth such honour, who
hath so many servants, and whose parents converse
with him? Be good to me, that I may lead this agree
able life in your shadow". So she comforted their heart
by her words; they rejoiced when she spoke to them
in this way ; they took leave from her, kissed her and
said to her: "Remain in peace". They greeted also her
governess and went to their castle and court.
When the chosen [maid] perceived that they observed
her she feared they would thwart her and her work
would be idle ; so she stood the whole night praying
and shedding tears like rain ; she beseeched God to save
and liberate her according to His will and good pleasure.
The next morning her governess came to her. They
greeted one another and the chosen Hilaria took a
golden dinar and gave it her governess, saying: "I re
quest thee to buy for me to day a monk s habit".
She went to the porter and said to him: "Run and buy
for this dinar a cowl and a mantle and a habit, which
must be worn out". He went and brought her what she
had commanded; she took it and went to the chosen
maid who took it with joy and gladness. They wept
together till their garments were soaked by tears.
Then they took leave from one another. Hilaria, the
6 9
pure, said to her governess: "From to day till after
three days visit me not, in order that, if they ask thee,
thou mayest swear sincerely: "I know not where she
hath gone to, nor at what time she hath departed".
She accepted her command and this was an achievance
from God, strong is His name, exalted His praise.
She rose in the midst of the night and departed
confiding in God, reciting psalms and praises and sanc-
tifications to Our Lord Jesus Christ , to whom may
be glory and praise. He sent her the angel of grace
and protected her wholly against the animals and the
children of man, till she arrived at Suk Misr ). While
she passed she saw a monk who was going his way,
his head bent. She went up to him and saluted him.
He answered her salutation. Then she began to ask him
about the way of living of the monks in the desert and
as to which monastery was the first to be reached and
what its name was. He informed her about their whole
way of living and said: "The first monastery thou wilt
reach is that of Abu Macarius; therein are three hundred
monks ; part of them feedeth upon grass like the beasts ;
another part fasteth one, two or three days and [then]
eateth some bread ; part of them sleepeth not and all
are, according to Christ s good pleasure, standing night
and day". She said to him: "Pray over me and give
me thy prayer 2 ), that I may reach them and dwell
amongst them". Then they prayed over one another
and went their way both of them.
She went, confiding in God, barefoot, on the thorns
1) See introduction.
2) Nearly synonymous with blessing.
;o
and pebbles and thistles till the blood ran from her
feet and the sun had burnt her skin and her beauty
had faded away and she had become like an Abessinian.
When she reached the gate of the monastery by
the grace of Christ, she knocked and the porter came
and opened the door saying: "What is thy wish, my
brother?" He ) answered: "To dwell with your holiness,
if .it please Christ". He said: "Stay here, my brother,
till I shall have informed the prior of the monastery."
1 He went and informed the prior of the monastery; then
the prior of the monastery came to Hilaria, the chosen.
When he came near her she rose towards him, made
an obeisance and saluted and kissed his feet and his
hands. He embraced her and said: "Blessed be thy
coming to us, my child ; by thy prayer God may protect
our monastery from Satan". Then he 2 ) sobbed and wept.
The prior of the monastery began to interrogate him
saying: "From where art thou, my lord, and what is
thy country and thy family? Inform me truly about
thy coming and all thy affairs". He answered: "My
name is John the eunuch. I know neither father nor
mother other than the Lord who created me. I was the
slave of a king. When he was at the point of death he
freed me. Meditating I said to myself: "The service
of the children of man and of earthly kings is nothing
in comparison with [the service] of the king of heaven
and earth". Then I went confiding in God, bought this
garment from a monk, changed my dress, till I came
under the feet of your holiness, our Father. I request
1) Hilaria is henceforth spoken of as of a man.
2) Hilaria.
7 1
from your holiness to guide me by your excellency and
bounty.
Then grace came down ) upon the prior of the
monastery and he knew that he 2 ) was one of the Lord s
chosen. He put before him food and water to drink after P-
the hot journey. Then he ordered the wooden gong to be
rung and all the brethren assembled, three hundred in num
ber. They brought water and washed his feet and drank
the water in order to obtain a blessing. Then they put
on him the holy habit, glory on glory and honour on
honour 3 ), and grace came down upon him and upon
the whole monastery. When they looked upon him joy
and gladness increased among them. They gave him
a cell that he might perform his works as he liked ;
whereupon he prostrated himself at the feet of the
brethren, received their prayer 4 ) and went to his cell.
Then he began to do his hard works so that all the
brethren and the prior of the monastery w r ere ashamed
by the ardour of his labour. - - Now we shall return
to her father Zeno and her mother.
As usually they rose and went to the castle. The old
men came and opened the doors; then they entered.
Now she would run to meet her mother and her father
joyfully and to salute them. When they entered they
perceived the disorder and traces of her, but they heard
no sound. They called for the governess, who began to
tremble, so that she could not answer them. When they
reached the room, where their daughter used to sleep,
i) According to A. 2} Hilaria.
3) The author means to say: the glorious habit on a glorious person.
4) Cf. p. 64, note 2.
7 2
they found that she had laid off her silk garments
P. ! l and the golden girdle which was round her waist and
her shoes and that she had departed barefoot. Then
the king said: "Tell me, woman, and be not afraid,
whether thou knowest where she hath gone to". She
swore to them: "I know not where she hath gone to,
nor at which time she hath departed. But three days
before she gave me a golden dinar and said to me:
"I beg thee to buy for me a monk s habit". Then I
went and bought what she wished". Then they under
stood that she had gone to the desert. The king beat
his breast and threw the crown from his head and began
to recite about what had befallen him regarding his
daughter:
"O star, that sparkled upon me, and now hath set
and become obscure,
O moon, that shone upon me, and now is eclipsed
and become dark". And he said: "Thou, Lord, who
makest the rivers flow and hast created the creatures
in the deepest depth, that they praise Thy holy name ;
Thou hast created the trees and hast adorned them by
beautiful fruit, that they give praises to thy great name".
With the axes of his sighs he demolished mountains
and with the soap of his tears he washed his garments,
saying:
"Thou, who gavest back Joseph to our father Jacob
so that his sorrow and his grief ceased, just so I expect
from Thy generosity, that I may see her with my eyes
and augment praise and glory to Thy name". While he
recited and lamented and wept those who heard him
trembled from awe before his words. And the old men
cried in the metre of Mar Jacob:
73
( l "The righteous have bewailed their beloved with
great sorrow,
Because resurrection was hidden from them and not
spoken out,
Abraham bewailed Sara when he buried her
And accompanied and interred her with great mourning
before the eyes of many.
Abraham was bewailed by his heir Isaac.
And when Isaac died he was bewailed by Jacob.
Joseph and his brethren mourned seventy days and
bewailed the old Jacob when he had died ) .
Then he 2 ) threw the crown from his head ; her mother
laid aside the royal robe and put on a coat of hair and
put off her veil and began to lament and to utter bitter
words, till the hard stones would weep with her. She
said: "Had I wings like the dove and strength like the
eagle, I should fly round the blood of my heart and
make cease this heavy sorrow and grief. I must lament
with the lamenting dove and cry with the nightingale
when she crieth in the trees. So I lament and cry over
the blood of my heart which hath ruined my strength
and vigour and hath gone. She said in the metre of
Mar Ephrem :
( 3 This is the gate full of mercy,
In it is mercy.
Enter, o sinner, and beg mercy
From thy Lord who is full of mercy 3 ).
Weep, ye daughters of Eve, with me over a ewe
which had one lamb and the wolf came and fetched
it, and now how can the ewe be consoled ?" And over a
(i -i) Syriac verses. 2) The king. (3 3) Syriac verses.
74
P. If dove which had one cub and the hawk fetched it, and
now whereby can the dove be consoled? And over a
vineyard which had one bunch and the sparrows came
and picked it away and now whereby can the vineyard
be consoled ? O wine in a glass, O rose of the gardens
which hath withered now. O myrtle, whose odours I
used to smell when the zephyr blew, which would
heal my sickness".
Her mother and her father remained for three days
weeping and lamenting. And after three days they opened
the treasuries and gave gold to the slaves of the court
and said to them: "Go and search in all monasteries
and dwellings of hermits; perhaps you will find the
light of my eye and the blood of my heart". He took
with him his bodyguard and marched towards the desert
till he reached the monastery where his daughter was
serving her Lord. The monks feared from awe before
the king and flew into the desert. When the king... 1 )
they asked him saying:
"What is thy wish, happy king"? He beat his breast
and lamented and wept, saying: "My child Hilaria, the
fruit of prayer, hath flown from between my hands and
we know not what hath passed her, we hope that your
holiness will stand praying and beseeching God ; perhaps
He will accept your prayer and as He hath done the
first time, when He gave me her, He will give her
back to us this time by your prayers". They rang the
p. b wooden gong and three hundred monks assembled. They
stood praying and the chosen [maid], John the eunuch,
amongst them. They began to beseech and to pray, that
l) iciA> which I do not understand.
75
Christ might reveal to them what had passed her; but
she beseeched Christ to conceal it and her prayer was
accepted and got the upperhand over the three hundred
so that she was not found out. Then the prior of the
monastery came and began to console the king saying:
"Faithful and happy king (may God prolong thy life
and forgive thy sins) be not grieved nor .... ) over the
brilliant gem which shineth before its Creator. Compare
thyself with our father Abraham, how he let down the
knife on the neck of Isaac to slay him. Compare thyself,
O king (who may be rendered happy by his Lord) with
Jephtah who sacrificed his daughter and shed her blood
from love for his Lord. Compare thyself, O king (may
his Lord render him happy) with the blessed Lady
ShamunI, the martyr, how she sacrificed her seven sons
to God with joy and gladness. So thou wilt be consoled
by Christ and He will comfort thy heart by His grace.
Perhaps He will grant thee another child".
The king and queen were consoled by the speech of
the venerable Father and their sorrow ceased. They
returned to their home being bewildered. After a short
time God granted them a girl; they rejoiced over her
greatly. She was brought up in the way of princely
children, in the best manner, till she had finished five
years of her life. Then Satan began to throw her down
and to torment her vehemently. The queen said to the
king: "My husband, we cannot but send her to the
monastery of Abu Macarius, perhaps Christ will heal
her by their prayers". The king said: "Thy advice is
accepted". At once he ordered the most splendid votive
which I do not understand.
7 6
presents to be brought and summoned ten old men,
whom he commanded to accompany His daughter to
the monastery and to stay with her three days. If she was
healed then, they should take her back; but if not, they
should leave her behind in the monastery till she would
have been healed. They answered: "We shall obey thy
command". They took the girl and accompanied her to
the monastery, told the monks her history, and made
themselves worthy of the confidence the king had put
in them. They remained three days with them and, the
girl being not healed, they left her behind in the mo
nastery and returned to the king. When it was evening
the prior of the monastery and the monks deliberated :
"To whom shall we entrust this girl?" They unanimously
chose John the eunuch, because he was a eunuch and
more abundant in performing offices and ascetic works
than any of them. Then they called him and trusted
to him the girl his sister, the daughter of his mother
and his father. He accepted her with joy and great
gladness and took her hand and they went to his cell.
When they had entered the cell the chosen [maid] rose,
set her sister at her side, and began to shed tears and
to sigh and to beat her pure breast and to cover the
ground with her face, before Christ.
P . tv After three prostrations Satan left the girl, shrieking
and flying, like a slave, more black than soot. She went
up to her sister, made the sign of the cross upon her
and embraced her. She praised the Lord and thanked
Him, accepting the signs of His grace, for this gift and
the healing which had taken place at her hands.
Then she began to speak with her sister in rest and
tranquillity, saying: "What is the name of the king thy
77
father and of thy mother?" She answered: "The name
of my mother is Shams al-Munir and the name of my
father is king Zeno". She said: "May Christ inspire them
with righteousness, prolong their kingdom and give them
victory over their enemies". She answered: "Amen. It
may be according to thy word and by thy prayer".
When she had given this sweet answer, Hilaria per
ceived that she was completely healed from her sickness.
Then she asked, saying: "Hast thou brethren or sisters?"
She answered: "No, Father, I have no brother nor sister.
But sometimes my mother sighed and shed tears. When
I asked: "Why weepest thou, mother?", she said: "I
had a daughter, named Hilaria; she left her castle in
the dead of night and we have heard nothing of her".
While she told this, the holy maid shed tears; she
said: "May the Lord help her and console her sorrow
and...." 1 ). She answered: "Amen. May it be by thy
prayer, our Father. May thy word be accepted". Then
Hilaria began to teach her reading and knowledge and
demeanour and agreeable speech and dignity. And by
the prayer of the holy maid, her mind was opened and
she began to read and to interpret like one of the old
and learned men. After two months the men came to p. U
fetch her. They brought presents and all sorts of good
things. They asked after the girl and it was told them
that she was healed. When she was brought into their
presence and they had saluted her, she gave the best
answer and began to ask about her parents in most
beautiful words. Then they praised God and thanked
[Him for] His bounty and kissed the feet of the prior
i) l>.l$j5" which I do not understand.
of the monastery and of those who were present with
him. They stayed with them three days, till they had over
come the fatigue of the journey, then they took the girl
and returned to their abode and castle. When she met her
mother and father, they were struck by her good colour
and beauty. She began to tell them about the inhabi
tants of the monastery. Her father said to her: "My
beloved, who was the man that healed thee, who was
so benevolent towards thee ? [Tell us], then we shall
honour him. Who hath wrought this benefaction ? We
shall honour him and reward him twofold for what he
hath done for thee". She answered: "My father, when
the slaves had left me and were gone, the wooden
gong was rung and the monks assembled and deliberated
together: "With whom shall we leave this girl?" They
said unanimously: "With the chosen John, the eunuch".
Then the prior of the monastery called him and said :
"Draw near, my child. Accept the word of thy brethren
and take the daughter of the faithful king, and beseech
Christ in thy prayer, that she may be healed and your
fame exalted and confidence in Him and in the faithful
p. 11 be augmented by your holiness". Then he wept and
prostrated himself on the ground, saying: "Who am I
amongst your holy persons? For I am a sinful slave,
lower than all the brethren, O Father". The prior of
the monastery sobbed and wept and considered his
demeanour and modesty. He laid the exalted cross on
his head and said: "Contradict not the opinion of the
brethren about thyself, O saint of the Lord". Then he
drew near and kissed the feet of the prior of the monas
tery and of the old men, obeyed, and took my hand
with love and great joy. I went with him to his cell.
79
When he had entered his cell, he turned towards the
East ) and began to pray.
He beat his breast and shed tears till they trickled
on the ground like rain, and covered the ground with
his face, so that I trembled from awe before him. When
he had prostrated himself one time and two times and
three full times, and laid the cross on my head - - lo,
there departed from me a slave black as soot. He cried
to him and scolded him. Then he left the cell and flew.
At the same moment I felt that I was healed and that
my soul had become quiet. Then he stroked my head
with his blessed hand and began to converse with me
in quietness and tranquillity. When he spoke with me,
I smelled from his mouth an odour like perfume, which
refreshed me. Then he began to ask about my father
and my mother, saying: "Hast thou brethren or sisters" ?
And he asked about all my kindred. The more I spoke
to him, the more he wept, so that I wondered for which
cause those tears trickled and streamed down constantly,
not to speak of fasting, prayer, and long vigils. When
he desired to sleep he lent against the wall and slum
bered somewhat. Then he began with passion and great
strength his prostrations and humiliations. When he had
finished his prayer he taught me reading and the prin
ciples of good demeanour and knowledge. He held me
in great honour. And when thou sent after me, my
father, it was not a light matter for me to let him alone.
May the Lord show us mercy by his prayer, constantly.
Amen".
King Zeno wondered at what he heard about this
i) The direction of prayer for Eastern Christianity,
ii
8o
saint and he began to think where this eunuch might
come from and which king he possibly could have ser
ved and what his origin might be. His thoughts tortured
him vehemently. Then he called the old men which
had brought back the girl, and said to them: "Go and
return to the monastery a second time and take with
you food and drink and presents as is becoming to the
sacred monastery. And greet the prior of the monastery
and tell him to send me ten old men of the monks,
amongst them John the eunuch. This is absolutely ne
cessary". Then the slaves of the king rose and loaded
up all sorts of things becoming to the monastery and
the monks. They departed confiding in God, like all
faithful persons. When they had reached the monastery
they told the prior of the monastery what the king
had said to them. The prior answered: "The order of
the faithful king (may God prolong his happiness and
confirm his dynasty) be carried out". The wooden gong
was rung and all the monks assembled and received the
blessing from one another like the angels ). They stood
during the ministration of the exalted sacrifice, the hope
of the living and the dead. The prior of the monastery
selected nine old men, called John and said to him :
"Rise, confiding in Christ (honour and praise to Him
who hath given this gift to thy holiness), O glory of our
religion and crown of our heads, joy of our hearts; rise
and go to the king and be ever more loyal to him".
They received the blessing of one another and went on
their way. On the whole way they recited psalms and
songs of praise without break, so that the bodyguard of
i) Litt. the class of angels.
Si
the king trembled from awe before them. When they
entered the town the king heard of their arrival. The
people went to meet them with signs of honour and
great esteem ; and the faithful, men and women, would
take dust from under their feet and give it their children
to drink. And the blessing [of God] took abode in that
town by their prayers and blessings.
The king summoned his confidant and said to him:
"Take these old men and let them take rest, heat water
and wash their feet. Spread the best cloth under them
and pour the water of their feet into the storehouses
that people may receive a blessing by the blessings of
their prayers; and bring food as much as thou canst."
He answered: "According to thy good pleasure, O king
of the time." The king laid hold on John and went with
him to the royal appartment. When he drew near to
the girl she uttered a cry and came towards him, kissed p
his feet and prostrated herself on the ground and covered
his feet with her face. Then the Fruit of Prayer cried,
in the metre of Mar Jacob: ( l "Peace, peace unto you,
who are far and near, sayeth the Lord, who hath spread
peace among mortals. The cross hath shown the love
of the Father towards the whole world. The Lord hath
revealed Himself and the world hath perceived how He
loveth it" ). She blessed her mother and raised her
head from the ground. Grace came down upon that
place where she had taken abode. When they had
taken rest, the king opened the conversation and said :
"Our Father, heavenly blessing hath come down upon
us by the coming of thy highness and thou hast shown
i i) Syriac text.
82
us the utmost bounty and favour by the healing of our
daughter. I beseech thy holiness to tell me from where
thou art and what thy extraction is, and who was the
king whom thou hast served and who hath freed thee,
and how thou earnest to the monastery, how thou wast
liberated from [the service of] the kings, so that they
let thee go to this holy monastery." After every answer
the king asked a new question. Then she perceived the
thoughts of her father, that he was weary on account
of herself. Obedient as she was, she understood that
the word of a king is not to be withstood. She said:
"Happy king, if thou desirest that I speak to thy majesty
about myself, give an order to these servants [to depart]
and let nobody stay except thyself and my mother the
queen and the beautiful girl." He ordered those who
were present to depart. They saluted the king, took
Hilaria s blessing and went away. Then she conjured
her father, saying: "Swear by the right hand [of God]
and by the voice that cried over the Jordan when our
Lord was baptized; swear to me by the whole congre
gation ), and by the blood and the water which flowed
from His side and saved our father Adam and his pos
terity; and swear to me by His mighty resurrection
and His ascension unto heaven, that thou wilt not press
me nor divulge my secret; then I will reveal my his
tory to thee". He trembled from awe before the oaths
with which she had conjured him. Then he swore to
her all the oaths which she had conjured him by. Then
she took the cape from her head and raised the cloth
from her eyes. She recited, saying in the metre of Mar
i) i. e. Christianity.
Ephrem: ( ! "You are my father and my mother and I
am your daughter Hilaria. Let us cry and say to the
Lord, the Highest: Halleluja". The king and Shamsha
Munira listened to Hilaria. They were confused and trem
bled and they fainted, being as dead J ). You are my
father and my mother and I am your daughter Hilaria".
They trembled and fainted and were confused and ( ^fell
down 2 ) on the ground from the vehemence of what had
befallen them, they lay down and were as dead. -
When she saw what had befallen her mother and her
father, she wept and said: "O Lord, let them constantly
be confident in Thee". Then she took water, blessed
it, and sprinkled it on them so that they awoke and
praised the bounteous Lord and they were no longer
sorry but constantly glad ; they cried together, in the
metre of Mar Ephrem: ( ;! "A thousand times a thousand
and ten thousand times ten thousand be the praise of
Thee, who acceptest the praise of the praisers who praise
Thee. The whole creation is obliged to praise Thee. The
high and the low places sing Thy praise. Praise to
Thee" 3 ). Then they bowed their heads till they ceased
weeping. Then they began conversation with their .daugh
ter gladly and joyfully and quietly, as she requested
them. Her father said: "My daughter, light of my eyes,
which hath been augmented to day so that it shineth
by thy light; my daughter, my heart s blood, I shall not
break towards thee the oath which I have sworn ; but
how can I dispense with thy holiness? What is the best
way of acting, my daughter? Build for thee and for
(i i) Syriac text, followed by an Arabic translation.
(22) Only in C. (33) Syriac text.
8 4
these holy men, thy brethren, a monastery outside this
city, that I and thy mother and sister may be with
P. ^ thee morning and evening". She answered: "No, my
father; do not annul the institutions of the Ancients,
who have laid the foundations of the monasteries in the
desert. Know, my father, that the farther the monasteries
are from the world the better it is. And regarding me,
Christ will give thee patience and inward joy and thy
soul will rejoice in the grace of thy Lord." He answered
and said: "Amen, may thy word be accepted."
They stayed three days till the fatigue of the journey
had disappeared. Then the saints begged him permission
to depart. He said : "Your order will be done". He ordered
to be brought before his daughter clothes and utensils, gold
and silver, tapers and perfume, oil and food, in unnumbered
masses. She said: "My father, may thy votive presents
be accepted, and the Lord forgive thy sins and trespasses.
As to gold and silver, we have no prescript to take
it. But I will give thee and thy servants a counsel."
He said: "Give order, O blood of the heart of thy mother
and father." She said to him: "My father, seven days
after our depart thou shalt send masters and workmen
in great number in order to make in the monastery
deep pits, that all people may drink from their water
and thy wages be constant till the end." He said: "Thy
P . n will be done, O crown of our heads." Then she took all
that could be profitable to the holy monastery; and the
rest she told her father to divide among the poor. Then
they took leave from her and asked her blessing. And
she also prostrated herself before her parents.
Then they went on their way. People perceived them
and went to meet them. And they tore pieces from their
85
habits and took the dust from under their feet and the
Lord gave them according to their fidelity. With trouble
and accompanied by a crowd they departed from the town.
They marched singing and sanctifying and praising God,
under the royal safeguard. And the secret remained
kept. When they came near the monastery, the prior
and all the brethren went to meet them. They made
obeisances before one another and praised the Lord and
thanked for the signs of His grace. Then everyone took
the place becoming to him. After the seven days the
king sent his slaves and workmen with them to the
monastery. They saluted the prior of the monastery and
told him the command of the king: "We have to do what
John shall order us". Then John was called. He left
his cell, reciting the praise of the Lord and his lips
ceased not sanctifying the Lord. They went to meet him
and asked his blessing. He asked after the king and the
queen and the state of mind of the girl. They answered :
"They wish thee much peace, The girl is well". Then
they praised God and thanked Him and said to John :
"See, where thou wilt have us work". He said to them:
"From here till there. Work so and so and it will be
completed by the power of the Lord and His good
pleasure". They began to dig and built and completed
by the power of Him who worketh all completion ; to
Him be praise and honour eternally. Amen. When the
workmen had finished and terminated their work they
received the prayers and the blessings of the brethren
and returned to the king and congratulated him on the
completion of the work. He praised God and thanked
Him, and asked after John. They said: "W r hat shall we
tell thee about his holiness, standing among us and laying
86
hand on the work like us, while his lips ceased not
praising and sanctifying God ? Blessed are the father and
the mother who begat him." When this word reached his
ear his heart trembled l ) and rejoiced, he gave them
their wages and presents very graciously and began
to send every two months presents in honour of the
( 2 secret of his heart 2 ) so that all the monasteries and
everyone who heard it, wondered and they began to
speak with one another, saying: "If he belonged not to
his kindred, he would not show him this honour and
submissiveness". And she used to take all the presents
which her father sent and send them to the monasteries
in the neigbourhood. But when she heard that the monks
spoke amongst each other in that way, she feared that
p. PA her history might be revealed and her work become
fruitless. Then she went away stealthily and travelled
in the desert in heat and thurst, barefoot on thistles
and pebbles and thorns, one, two, three days, till she
reached the border part of the desert. There she found
a garganas-tree and near it a waterpool; at the water
grew desert herbs. Near the tree was a hole which
could hold one man. She praised God and thanked
Him for the signs of His grace and said: "This garganas-
tree is winter food, and the herbs are summer food. Then
she entered the hole and dwelt in it for ten years,
nobody knowing about her except Christ who had created
and sent her."
Now there were venerable old men among the priors
of the monasteries who used every year to take with
them a beast of burden and to load on it food and
i) See the Glossary s. v. ^ ( 2 _ 2 ) H ilaria.
37
drink and clothes and shrouds, and to go round the
whole desert. And every one whom they saw in need
of food, they would feed ; and whom they saw bare,
they would clothe ; and whom they found sick or dis
tressed they would cure, and whom they found dead
they would bury according to God s order.
During ten years the existence of this saint remained
concealed , till the day of her transition to blessed
Paradise came. Then they came up to the entrance of
the hole ; at once they heard the sound of sighing from
the depth of the earth. They thought it to be an animal
growling against them. But as soon as they inspected p. D
the place they found there the traces of human foot
steps. They said to one another: "There is a saint in
this hole. Possibly he is ill, let us go in and look."
They made the sign of the cross on their face, began
to recite and entered up to the border of the hole ; at
once they saw the hair of the innocent one shining like
a polished sword in the sunshine. When she heard their
reciting she rose and made an obeisance before them.
Then she went back, sat down leaning on her side
and trusted her pure spirit to her Lord. At her death
her pure odour spread till the desert was filled with
her perfume. Then the saints began to praise and to
sanctify the Lord Jesus Christ, who loveth the children
of man and giveth them such beautiful gifts. They bore
her out of the hole and began to put off her worn out
clothes and shroud her honourably in new shrouds, as
was becoming. But while they were stripping off her
clothes they found her breasts withered on her pure
bosom like leaves wither beneath the trees; then one of
them knocked his head and cried to his companions:
88
"Look here, my brethren, and gaze at this wonder;
she is a virgin and not a man." When they saw the
wonder they praised God who had helped her and led
her to perfection. They dug a grave and buried her
and the angels descended to honour her.
When they had buried her, they went to the water-
pool to drink. But they found the water dried up and
the herbs withered and likewise the tree. Then they
praised the great Lord and stayed wondering over this
fact. Then each of them laid his head on a stone and
lay down to sleep. They beseeched God to make known
to them her whole history, and her coming to that
place. They laid down their heads and slept. Then the
angel descended and made known to them her whole
history from the beginning of her beautiful demeanour
up to the day of her departure as they had witnessed it.
When they awoke and discussed their dream among
themselves it appeared to be one and the same. Then
they wrote down the history of the chosen virgin and
sent it to the parts of the whole world that it might
be profitable for the faithful by her prayers.
And we, the sinners, will beseech our Lord and Saviour
Jesus Christ to give you security in your dwelling pla
ces and to protect your wives and to support your old
men, to give health to your youths and to bring up your
children, to give abundant blessing on the work of your
hands, by the prayer of the dome of light, the mother
of all creatures, the mother of Salvation, the mistress
of women and men, the hope of the dead and the living,
our Lady Mariam, the mother of God, the Virgin, and
of Mar Petrus the Apostle, and by the prayers of the
pure Prophets and Disciples and the rest of the Martyrs
9
and the Saints and by the prayer of this excellent p.
saint Hilaria, the daughter of the faithful king Zeno.
Their prayers and the prayers of all who have the
same rank may protect all the faithful and the poor
scribe and the reader and the hearers. The mercy of
the Lord be upon every one who sayeth Amen, O Lord
of the worlds, Amen, ( ! our Father in heaven ).
Here endeth the story of the holy Hilaria, the daugh
ter of king Zeno. May the Lord protect us by her
prayers. Amen.
(i l) Syriac words.
GLOSSARY OF ARABIC WORDS.
GLOSSARY OF ARABIC WORDS.
^ TA 4 = oai\jk^ arbutus unedi.
b>- ?V 9 , cf. Lisan, s.v. j^.
~V\ fy" 1 2 seems to mean "venerable person" here.
A^ VIII, TV 8 ? according to a suggestion of Pro
fessor Snouck Hurgronje, perhaps an error for
J*j VIII.
^i* (note) seems to mean here "to bewail the
dead". Cf. Dozy, Supplement, s.v. i^asj, who
cites Roger, Z<7 ^rr^ saincte (Paris, 1646),
p. 265:
w Etant toutes assemblees pour faire les cere
monies et lamentations qu elles appellent Ra-
quase, elles se mettent en une salle, ou en
une cour, et quelquefois en un lieu eminent
et spacieux hors la maison et se disposent
toutes en rond, comme si elles voulaient danser
sans se tenir les mains. Apres quoi une vieille
9 2 GLOSSARY OF ARABIC WORDS.
femme, qui est louee pour ce badinage, se
barbouille de noir la face, la poitrine, les mains
et les bras avec le noir de leurs poeles et
marmites et a son instigation les femmes du
defunt, leurs soeurs et filles se noircissent de
meme, toutes echevelees, n ayant rien que
leurs chemises qui sont ouvertes jusques au
nombril. Cette vieille noircie se met au milieu
de la danse, et commence a dire toutes les
prouesses et actions de remarque du defunt
en forme de litanie, et a chacune elle fait une
pause pendant que les autres repetent avec
un air funeste et lugubre dansant d un pas
egal. Les parentes qui sont barbouillees de
noir, se frappent la poitrine et les joues avec
les paumes des mains, tant qu elles ont les
joues toutes bouffies et continuent cette cere-
monie de danse sans intervalle, jusques a ce
qu on porte le corps au tombeau".
The Syriac word .Tai, properly "to dance",
has also got the meaning of u to bewail the
dead", of course on account of practices like
the one mentioned by Roger.
o 14 , is an Arabic plural of the Syriac
i 1 , Arabic plural of the Syriac
o , cf. Dozy s.v.
10 * probably corrupt.
ly 15 , seems to mean "to mourn, to
GLOSSARY OF ARABIC WORDS. 93
be sorry", but I do not find the word else
where.
^T 19 , I do not find a meaning for this word,
suitable to the context.
It 15 , "to take rest"(?), cf. Dozy s.v. Professor
Snouck Hurgronje suggests, hesitatingly , to
read : dili\ ^ V^ (cf. C).
v
li|^4 24*5j| 1$,
feiff ll
JjJ4: V.-6 S-*->V^-r
1
i
i!
a
n.
"VA X K\
* .
.-I
s i <y> j
f"
M**sL
CO
-f a-
^ -.
-S 1
^ c-i
(A)
Cj? : rDA-1- : H,^ : ?W :: TTH= : TW : M s C*
h s <DHi><i:4* : fl,-|- : hCA-fcH : HHDAJVf : A (?
C : h^ : ^nC s flrlvfc;* : ^r!iAe ; |- : HAH : I^IW-AV :
: hAh."? : ^AWfl-1- ::
-1- : Vrt : flrh,^ s ^ fiK : lOhS^Of : ^fl : 1^^ : hfl
s - : : ri : rtl : :
- : J&Ji-t : ftO l- : ^^.Q^A : At s KV7i9 :
: s
: nihrV : Am.^ .- ai.--UA-^-
Vft : l^.^ 1 : h ATA : ^0 : ^-41 : fc^J -BJ?^ : KA^ :
: VlV i ftfrrh : ^ : tfA- : flrh^C^ s CT^ s
s
< -
J&-OA
: HOfohfc :
:: : i : - : -9.0.7 : rt^^H^ : CVhft s
: HVl^Vl- : hrlltA. : h^ : Q-fc : J&tl^ft : ^Hll, ::
: JtfthA : *^riVhtfO- : h^ : V^A^ : WM :
MOO* - **
: ^KVh^. : ^A?%h* : A^TV* 1 : 5VA^ : AdA// : -flfr
-
*fc : AH* : A l- : "JT-^: <ftA.: AdA* 1 / s flJ V
*J?,-ft-Th : MCjf : ^rt : ttiifl. : KQrt. : A.J&)A :
: fifr fl : ^K-?nC^ : hflh : V/^K : 0101^^, : TlO :
: A^A, 1 / : ^O^i^T : ^ PdA s
: rt^^] }: CYl-rt:: lOtJtftl-fl : KAC^ :
: h" : j&h-f: : Mp : IDJ&h-fcA : A.*h^% ::
- : ID-Thft* 11 ? : ^ V<d?i : VO : A PAi
: h-flKVh^ : TfO : hWEfTf - **4" : ^
: nftA;H:*ltf- : fl|in s fc^H.ft-nrh.C
A : fcr&&lt;6 / : ffl-W./^rh- : *^^^ : (D^O^^ - ^fl :
:: ^n : flftMi^ : VO.U- : -I ^^rh : fl* :
tf- : A-nK : 0,-f : <*>)*! /^ . -h^/*Vh-
: ATt^H.M : hCA-f-A :: ^h^li : -f-f)M : ^fl- 1 / : 0)J&
: ?i6" : VlV : ^-fl^^h. : O lffl : hWEft : ^^A J .-
i) Ms. without ^ 2) Ms. OJfi"
M fcTfl :: &YIIA : M^ : *3-ft : M<! : If
: 1 : f r
J : H J J" :
*
: 0>F>ft> Caetera desunt.
B, C, D.
: -1-inC : flAt^ : ^rliAP-V 8 ): flAG :
: <D-VAnA 9 ) : KflVb"? : H^AWfl Th 1() ) : ^^
: ^7^^ ; l" : ^^Arivl- : h ADA.? : ^A-flfl 1- :
AHA : *ftfl n ) : fflrh^V : VH :
- ^ATA : nOitt
. . ii . QUO- is .
l : /- : -
3S ) : A.n*A : At : A^ :
( 3 h* : Ml: Ad
3C ) : AA>- : < Ji A
i ) ] x 2) c aJ5?" 3) c &" throughout (44)
5) i) without A 6) ii tODt: ^ tOX 1 ^: 7) i> without a?
8) B, D <DU" 9) D aJ^A-flf! : 10) B without H; i> A* "
n) ]) X" 12) C, I) <DhO: (I3I3) c inverse ordine.
14) B < 15) B aa*- 7 ?: 1 6) D (D^m?*t: 17) B, c
n^rthi i8)Dnft ; T: 19) c j&rh,flJ-q 2o)B +
(2121) C, D < 22) C, D <D only. 23) C, I)
24) D fi,2<l*fl throughout (25 25) I) <; C has in stead of
the last word ^(l^ I 26) B, C
J[
Yrf-HMV 3 )
-ntf-:^ s Amn.m
: in : tf A- : ftth^C* : 9 ) : <<O<P :
21 ) . -in
: AdA^ 1 / : fl"n : Cfrft : ( 2
( 26 A/f* : VHH,
) :
: JVA^ : A*A,V : h^ : ^^^A : h^H.^-nrh-C 19 ) i
s
I) B, C 01|M^A S (2-2) B < 3)CtaOil 4) C, D
aj / ! i tn) h" 5) B < (6 6) D in verso ordine. C has in stead of
the last word OD&TJty I 7) C fr&ft ; 8) D
9) D G^\ 10) B < ii) c ffD&Jtfrt J i)
12) See p. B note 24 (1313) B < 14) D JB<1 ; 15 B, D
*ft(m: 1 6) B + ^PID-.PI: 17) In D before /tf<VE? !
(18-18) C HttH-lfliJ^Hl?! 19) C + &(HV: 20) C, D (Dft"
21) B <DAJP" 22) D without (D, C + OA^ J (2323) D <
24) r> j&rfWl ; 25) c < (2626) c HRt i A.T : 27) B
28) D ^^fltho^ : 29) B, D !%&? : 30) B
31) B
: : Afc.ACT * ) : Aft<- : h H" :
:.- Mr;* .- <DjK.fl.AP 1 " : VA s AH-/: .- ^A-I- .- IT-/* .-
CP 16 ) :
A, / : fll
-tf - : Vll-:
: 0>-rt
: -r- : t- : Ti^H.TiV : A.f A-A : VlCA
: A-* : A flrlrV ]9 ) : ^flKA : h(M
: l-n/.-1-tU s r AA : htW-n : ** =
A / / :
: Afl.7
B, D A^.1C^; 2) C + AHt: 3) B
4) u tftft : 5) IJ < 6) i, OJ^Q : W 7)
(8-8) B (DW \ (D-tt ; (["C" 9) C + (\ 10) I) ^.PO"
a?t" 12) B aJtnX 7 ?; 13) c, D A^" H) r> +
which is wanting at the end of the sentence. 15) B fiX 7 7" 16) Here
27 (printed) lines are wanting in 1.). 17) B fr > ; cr Zl> . 18) B
; (19 19) i > itemftftvkC: 20) c A 21) c +
(2222) B inverse ordinc. (2323) B
If?
-Ill : M* : hfrfeTfl : O^kA"" : A^O*?* : ( l W* : A
. (5
- 5 ) : /uJ&^h;A>. G )
n.A? 1 : Til* : IT-/* 1 :
u ) :
A fc 21 ) : flft" :
: M : J
( 23 M - 23
s
( n If frHlA : ^^ n ) ::
fl.ll- : +h9$ : fllV^A-^- : hA :
4
(i i) B AMCJP : fr&ft : (22) B *^.A1 s A^IC^ : 3) B <
4) K without (D (55) C (m<"ya>.t - 6) B ^j&thyAi I
7) B B WOW 8) B ^XHH*: 9) B + $&/tf ; 10) C has
the masculine suffixes. (n_n) C < 12) C AM ! 13) C
tC: 14) BMW: 15) c < 16) B A<0A.ef :
J 7) C + A-"l* which is wanting before H"J1* I 18) B has the
masc. suffix. (i 9 _ I9 ) B inverse ordine. 20) C H 21) B A/l* I
22) Here D goes on. (2323) U JiJ^ ; 5{^^ ; 24) D without H
: htttt "tW :
) : HIM" : 0>-A I- : /*W :: ^(L 1 / : ftC V 3 ) : R6& 4 )
S ) :
U 9
Of 23 ) ft,^ 2i ) : Y}CM:?t : ^nA-fl^ 25 ) : M :
(VI* : hCft-tn :s ^n^-n/. 25 ) : M : fl^j?, :
2 ) : fl*J^-ft-V : ^ACJ? : VQ^ V = VQ : 7^.^ 27 ) :
ftTft : ft J* !- : Jk9Jt^^ : rK ^i.^ : ^^ Vn : ^H 1 / :
:: flJ^A 170 ^ 28 ) 5 ^W 39 ) : Hh^ : InVl : fill
A.* 30 )
D CD^C^C?f^I 2) D ^0" 3) B,
4) B < 5) B, D m?5 6) D (DOh^ I Qh?- : 7) C, D <
8) D without OJ 9) I) Mdll 10) ]i 17/" I n) I)
without a& (1212) C rt-t : (Wfh/tiiafr \ I) A-t : ^rft l ; H^rfi
2Vh4i<n>- 13) B aq^7: B, I) + ^a^; 14) D Xrtl*:
(15 15) B invcrso ordine. 16) D i fiff D ][* I 17) I) without f.
1 8) J) ojyoff 04 : 19) B, i) < 20) flMlhKJ: 21) B, I)
rhJ^ ! 22) I) OD^Crfl 5 23) B, D B 24) D
25) c without n 26) B, D h aJfUi-nC i ^a ; a^d \ ?.l ftt :
t^t : 27) B, D ><{ i 28) D <DAj>Am>t ; 29) c
30) D >nXrt.t; 30 i-> < 32) D X^
To
-nil J
A 1 } A"
M 3 ) ::
I) D ?yA*J ( 2 2 ) D ^ff ^! and then there is a rasura. In
B the text is made illegible by later alterations. 3) D
4) c ^nt^Hrtii: D Mt^^A.: 5) c, D
6) P, -V<5t J D l<5t ! 7) B, D flHtAfrtfl 5 8) D
9) B, D ^trt^hJL! 10) B, C
Vf*\i. J U>W
AC
a) Ms. jl^ j &) Ms.
i"\ v
VA* *:
Q,
v,
ft.^5 \j\ 4. \
, VA 4 J
- (3 c
c) Ms.
V
A< U Ijf ^^
s __ J-Ju. Lte\j iijJc
L?
V^> \j\j < <ui\ A!^
(J,\ ^U?j U9 < 4^b>-j 4_A ^\ ^ 4C\^j JaP *
* (Jj- j
LtoJcP V^iWj VpJo-^ C-*j V/^l . V^J 1
L^ .U^ (VftjA^ J& V^v^P C-^^V: \j^ V^JiC
ukW^.11 J\
a) A <C ) From here A runs: 5^. 0j
.\ Crc^U QZ- ^ Ov-i^ ^ c ) Doxology of C (see
previous page, note a:): tfj\.*c> ^3 iQj<f>\ ^ ^^:^ 5^^^ f 9 "^ 1 -?
s\c.\i.iM o^j> oV,^ V?-^ -^^^ 4;V.j f ^*-j .j 1 ^ >**ij
Jut!
a) B, C, D < 7>) A "^ c) A ^ d) A
(/ /) A < g) C + JUS /*) A without j /) D , k) V**. d
/) A
ry) A
) A < w) C pj\ (o o) In B only j>) A, C V^i
>) B ^^T. s) A <. Here A, C, D have: ^ ^-^Vs
W^ ^->3 ^ ) c ^- ] :
C . Oyo t) C <jVtii ; D torn oil
y] C *CA,\; I give the rest of the cloxology
) C + < A ^,
(x .r) Torn off in D.
of C at the end. z) \V*\ . The last leaf of 1) has got lost; of
the opening of the doxology only a few words have not been torn oil .
aa) A U\ II) A ^_ cc) A "iV (W) A C^^ "i\\ -
\jjuj (
j V\
^ (3 *>-^ ^-^ ^ \^ jJ^ V*^u: ^JL -Xsrj V\
A -=^ - /^j C ^-*^L
Jol\)
t y 5j < A33^ , j-, ^. c 3^
y ^ Jy, aa^^o ^ ,^\ \>>\
a) A o*-j^ (fc &) B, D ,Jj.^ ; C ^ij J\ c) A + ^^
d) A _^^; C + &j e) A y>^\ ; B \>^ f) C ^c-_> g) C +
o^Vi\\ ^j h) A, B, D ^jU i) A JJuA\ ; C -f jij Jfe) A O
A, 1) Jl ^jl\ m ) C iJ^U* w) A, B, D oj;^ o) A, C V^sftj
p) A, B, D ^\ q) A "J\ J\ r) C j^ij ) C ^\y. ) B, C, D ^.Vj
?e) A o Vi5l v) B, C, D \AJJJJ w) C jc a) A without _,
y) C < z) D y*3 a) C ^ Jc 66) Torn off in D ; B + ^>-
cc) A V^\\ ; B < dd) A ^ ee) Torn off in C //) B, C, D V^\c
09} B, C, 1) j.^ hit) B Vfcj\3^ ; torn off in D.
TA
1J
> \
C Ax\s !> } A < ; B
) C ^^ /) A
u. r) C < A;) C
H) A ^\j*4\ , < ( ,^-W^; !->
?) C + u^^ V ^- j^ ^- ;
<) D Uj^ .) C oj-^^. )
y) A -H JJ .") B _^A,
cc) A < <ld) A without *
i\
c) D ^^U^j ^^jj rf) <- +
>^ ^ A ^^ 70 A +
/) A, C J^>\^ ///) C + JV*1
^ ("-") C. J) < V>) A, B "-jj
) C + ^^ -^ C V^" ^ ^ J ^
Ov M>) T, < .-) B Jc ^^
( ^^ / / ) A, ("!, I) ur ,_ 3 3yi\
ce) A O^ // ) 15 ( !) <
rv
xLj r
3^>-V\ i // .Jcb U5
v\
) !> + J\ J (hb) A A\)\ ^ f) A ojU^V,_5 d) A
c)C< /) A < (0-0) C J^U A) A ^ i) C -Jfc fc) A, B, C
Z) A, B o^^ Ao m) B ^ M) A, B + (A ^) ^\^
) A > B ci^ 2?) C + JU* 5) B -u^i jCi^; C o^
r) C ^jl ) A jp t] Torn off in D u) A ^\ii^ v) B, C
iv) B, C ^U (rea;) C, 1J inverse ordine y) C >J^j ) A \
oa) A Oj ^ 66) B + j ) C J^. dd) B ^y,
ce) C + ^ ff) D J^, W ) A 15^ hh) C f A^\ w) C
AAr) C AL^ (??-??) C < mm) A, C < wn ) B
00) B ^1 J; D ^U
ri
iVaJ , __ i\ ^
y J,\ 3
*>-
*
vil!i\
a) C ^j}\ (\; I) ji^\ M A "j ^ <) ]) \JVb
(7) A, B -f
^ Jp ) A \^\5 V /) C ^J. r/ ) B ^-\, ; << ,
x-j : I) ^
1,.} C _Vj\ /) B ^ />) A ji}\ /) A A!S\; I) ^
^ .
m) C U
D ^4 H) A ^U^; C J>^^ ) A<; C ^ ;>) A <
(qq) A, C i*o ^\ j ; D i*x- f l^ J^ ) A ^**i V ; ( " J-J^ V
s A Ai^\ - ^) A <; I) torn off u.) I ^jC* ) A, B -cVi. :
) A, B U .<) C
B, C,
To
U -
z ** V, j-,\ JV^ f sj^i-
. U a*j < \ I
JA Vc\5
) B Jc 1) C < c) A c5J.\\ rZ) B ^.j (e-^e) D <
/) B ^^ fl ) A + Vi\ /O B ^ /) C +Vk A-) A,B,D J^IU
A j^J\9 y w.) T) ^^^ ?i) A + ^^ l^^, jp o) B, C
S~^j ;>) I> ^-ij *?) A < r) A <; D JjfL ) A, B
J^l. A diji 7/) A dlx t W^; D dUW^ r) B U
^) T) ^k~o r/-) D < ?/ ) D without _j s) B ^ aa) A ^
(/;/>-&/0 A < ; D torn off cc) A ^\3; B oJ^ fW) A -j- U
w) B, C, D ^ ,, (/f-/0 C, D < V/,/) B 4iu AA) B <
) 0/i ^- ; r > D jC H-) C + \i ZJ) A
mm) B o3>Vj t) B; C <
rt
Jj
vA
a) A, B, D
( ,_ e) B ^
(7i /i) B < i) C
D < C rl^.i&
A,
V -
A, B, D VJc c) C +
U U ^ ^ /) D V^\ f/) A Jj
A ^\ I) B V^o^ (MJ. wi.) B,
w ) < ) A > C
p) A
q) C < (r r) B ^1S3 (s ) A V^ <) D \ ij?
C ^ v) A Ij w) A + jy (x-x) A < ?/) C +
) A, B, D v a) A + \5"; D + V*) (Wb!>) A ^
cc) C ^y. ^ jl^ f7//) A + Ate- w) ^V, /T) jxxx.^j,
i _ i Jo-^l (5
\Jb
i. .r<la\lcD rds?i*ti
bb >JL^O ^A^.ia a
x; .
a) B 1) D ^W-i (c-c) B ,^>\ t5 V d) C +
Jo\ e) B, C ^JL, /) B ^\ ; C ^-Ua)\ flr) A B <^
70 C "^ i) C " v \\ J\ fc) B, D U^; C U^ \ (l-l) D
m) C + ^\ w) B ^o ; C b\J o) A +
C ^K. g) A, B, C b^,\ r) D + \A?\ s) C
A V y (w-w) C < v) A, B ^JJJ,j
B, D <; A has .aCXn^t in stead of ^i^K x) A bis.
(y y) C rdirtl^r^ ^ccn^in ,cn,i criAcasaK 2) D
aa) C ^^3 M) B JLrcl^o; D vxX.\o ; read
metri causa(?) cc) C + rtlsui. sa Kli^a.i ctlix\ CUxzxz.
dd) B +
rr
>*!
u
L
U
3^ V^-VU
a) A without _, &) A, B + V^^
<*\J3\ jp A^^V, c) C ^s*jj d) C
r<Auijt.asrj /) A + ^\3, l^V^
i) A, B, C >\\0 k) C + o^-i^^
fU\
^o (A <)
(ec)
B < /O
B ,
o) D ^Jo
( r _ r ) torn off in D s) C
v) C i^rC tf) C . JJ
Z) A + U m) D
p 2>) C
<) torn off in D w) C
A!
a) B ?,) B
(/-/) A <
d) D V^i e) A, C +
A) B J i) C + ^l-tfjj
B ^V< m) B ^ r ^; C \^\3 n) B J
) D ^Ai>^ g) B + V^\S" r) B ^*Vi s) B J
B ^^5 V ) D ^U W ) A, C ^t>^\ x) D j>y^
V} D o>^ (-) D , v ib^j> ^^O. aa ) A J/U^ &&) C + Ai
cc) A _, ; the reading of the other Mss. is a syriacism. <fcZ) C +
)VS \i
* JW
^>l^ J/vl
*
a) C Vcb t $j? 1>) C J>" c) ( < (dd) A <
c) C + oV T /) ]Mss. Jcu. r/) A 4- ^xT A) A, ( y < ; D Vo
i) D + ^\ k) A, C, D _* A j\\ ; C ^ m) < ( + J\
(n n) In B these words occur after <L;\i o) A A.^jJb^ ;>) P> ^J\\ J,i
r?) C ^ r) A UJ\ . J\^ ; C + ^ ^ ) A < A, C
^UJV, M ) A, B i;UV\; C -f JU r) A, D ^ H ) I) + jT
T ) c J 2/) C + J,\ (0 a) A X^jj o\c3 ; B o^V*^ (rmtw) In B
these words occur after the preceding
^ A
f \ S
a) C < 6) D ^* c) A, B \JuP d) D ur U\ e) B p-iy
/) C + 4i <JT) B ^^J^ A) D < i) C 4^_, fc) B <
1) A, C jp ?H) C cUk^ n) A ^.^ o) C "^ ^j
P) B <fe^ ?) C + ^J^> r) B ^Vj ; C ij^ s) C
without^ <) B, C, D without ^ u) A, C, D \& v) C Sjli.^^
w) A oJji\ j^; B ^J^_j a) B ^^V-C ; C ^ ^V:, y) A, B ^JiU,
) B S^Wt (aa aa) C ^i^c^ u^;\ ; D A^ \^\ 6&) A, B
j\U (co-cc) A, B JUs V^ *Z) B VC^ ee) B j^\ ; D^
(//-//) A, B ^ ^i\
u
\AJA\
^
i
Jli 43^ ^ f
^ ^^ Z 4^i\ i^
Jc
^
J,
^ S^ ^X-A \i** J^- (5Jl\
a) Aj.,UU; B, CljJb\ />) A \ OJ ^-\ c) B \a*\ d) A, P>
c) C _^.~9 /) A *+.*;] g] A " J "jr /i) C ^>K^
t) B ^JCP fc) A \_yu ; C Vj.,L^ Z) < wi A l^^i
w) C ^P o) A, B ^j (j> /?) B(?) o^Ui J g) A
(r r) D inverse ordine ; B ^^ ,jVJui\; C Vl\ o^Lj >J\ ^Viii
^iji\ c3 s) C, D V^>, <) A \j*+j-\ A9_,; B 1J^-J^ ) A, B <
v) C Sj w) B \\ -*uU a) \^J^V\ y) A > (< "t" ^
\y
o) C
B ^A\
i) C + Ik
n) C VkL
r) C, D <
w) B f ^3\
aa) B \^
6) A + ^_5 c) C jVi i d) C ^
(/-/) A, C ^U flr) B \jJb^; C J, \jl\_,
A) Here D goes on. Z) B <
o) C + U, p) B ^.WU; A, C
*) B ojf, (<-<) In D only. M ) C
.r) A, C V^-i ? y) A <; C i
. e) A
(A-/,) C
m) C, D
g) C J,
\ v ) B
) C
A < cc) C without ^ dd) C + j) C
n
di\l\ ^
U
^ dill\ r JC
e>A ii>v.
*
J\
c) C
/) C +^ i/) C ^,j}\ 7t) A U\; C
/c) C + Vk Z) C < w) C ^V\ }/)
p) + ^ (/) A + 0j <C (r-r) C ^\
B "y; C J^^ .) C "j; ^ r) A < w) C +
.r) A ^ ?/ ) B J^Ui; C c ^Vs ar) A V^\
II) A\^\ cc) C V^_^5 ( /^) B is ^) A o\yV, Jj,;
(ffff) C < ^) P, U^c. (Mi hi,) B < -//) r; +
c) A, C <
o B
\o
d b & < a
Jb ^jLi
V>
i vJLi J&- <5
J ^o J>
r ciu- diU V, iJ\ tS AJ
\ \f
o) B U^ 6) A, B "ij c) C J^ d) A Vc\3 ; C +
e) C + 4J\ /) C + g^\ ^) A <; D ^Ww
/i) A without _5 i) A, B, C + ^&\j k) C ^, (Z Q D <
m) C di\L W )A, D^ci\ o) B ^\ p)Bj\^\;C^\;
C + ^ (7?) A o^, ^ ; C, D g3 ojCj r) A, B ex*-\
s) B ^ <) B, C 5^ W ) C jy-\ V ) A 4\ J\ ; D ^^ ; C +
uj CAJ^ w) B diJ Jj^, a;) B U_j y) B, C J\j z) C 1^.
oa) A < 66) A, B, D o^V, cc) A, B, C V:Uj dd) A, B, C ^u;\^
ee) From here to p. IV, 1. 6 is wanting in D (ffff) B <
\j\
,3 #
9 1 jVa^ K
i L <5^Lal\ S^^J
Oli
// ^9 < ce JuJl\ dlii\
A\l\
C
a) C .juJb 6) A J.^11 ; C
e) A, B, C < /) C
i) B Z>\.& (kk) B ^A,
B VJ m) D ^.Jl w) B
((? g) A <; B, G inverso ordine.
<) B Uj> M) C diJVvi\ * J
oVi^^ (read roV^U^, cf. p. i, note c) a;) C
a) B a) B J
c) A -us
d) C
A) A
Z) D ^J ;
o) C ^>c. p) A \^u ; C ^
(r r) A < s) B (j>^
w) C ^.
y) C
(lbbb) B < cc) C "^ ^ cW) D <
ce) D jlJ\ //) A, C Jc gg) C + _x5 M) C \ iJ \ J \ M) A ^
fcfc) B ^^ ZQ A, B, C OjV\ m) A, B, C \J^A w?i) A + Uu\
oo) C 4- j pp) A, B, C jy U\
Jp "
^\ V.\
CUcw . ^ pa*i^f^ ,t.l rtSu
Aa^. . ndsaui ^ur^ caxQ
aa
.i w.
"
a) C Uj\ dAil\ |f 6) A + jp ; C ^s. (c c) C < <Z) A, D
c ^\s\ diiJ^ ^U^ ^ a_iyj\ 5 y$S; A _^
/) C without _5 <JT) A, C A,V^ ^) A, C \Jb\y ^ ; B J\^ i) A Sj^V\
fc) A 4*> ; C ^ A, C j{^\ m) C ^U- $T n) C + 5>
o) C ":>_, p) B ^. g) A, C (53^ (r r) A < (s s) These
words are in C only. <) C , D ^S\\ u) B < ; C cu-A*
v) C + ^Aa^ w) B -f- J^ V^ ; c ^^ .r) A witliout ^ y) In
A only (a 2) B < ; C rC&Vtfei) K&uin=9 Kl^i^ ) C -f
Jiv^l ^ 4.J V* (sic) j.1* ^.i_5 4 i^j Aji.\ ^A. Uft f-Vi
|T < ^ J ^i\ ii^y. ^ ^ di! _AW\ &&) C ^^1 CC) C
dd) A, B \>jj\t> cc) A + oO, (////) D < *gg) B jV
ir
JU\
rcbcn rdoa^.i ,oa=3
ino .v
ooco
a) D jWV\ &) A, C ^-^Vj c) C l ( J c d) C "._,
I? j\ /) B inserts:
>CT3
i/) A \>\ (hk) A, C Uc J\>. _j t) A, B ^W^ A;) C + ^ J\
C j^\ wi) B, JyK* ?t) A + yVsj (o o) B < p) C
; B < r/) A, B Artfa ) C
<) In C tliere follows:
"3^. jC, o^^. a ^ t3 V^ (read ^ J^ ) ^ VJ
11
J,
a) A, B \ Js\ ; C ci/1 6) C A^ c) A (t,>- > B ;
C jj^- c?) D + J^3 e) A < /) A J&\ fir) B ^Wc-
/i) B < i) B \ A) B ^.JoV; C ^^J Z) C vJlud\ m) A
^\ w) C ^^ o) C ^^.^ p) C Jc ?) A*+ Jc r) D
s) B inserts here:
orA AiA Kll^r^.i caLsr< VIS)
apparently = r<!C\; in stead of dxA (2 nd line), read
.l. I suggest to read the 4 th line in this way:
A ,_j U ) A, C, D ^ v) B, C, D l^ w) C, D \jAj
a;) C ottSj\ 2 /)By s \^\ (~) C viic-\ O*Ui ) A, C
; from here to the next .Ji^\ is wanting in A II) A, C <
51*
lb
hh
J\
(a a) A JyJJ W A, C jyU\ c) A^t^i J3^; B
d) A *!* e) B \y.^>; C + \U /) C \SS>^ 0) A
(fc &) A, B, C \js.j \jk ^ \j i) B + J<r A;) C \j-t- (Z Z) B
j3j~>3 \>J> \f&*\ m ) ^ j only n) C 0*^3 o) B ^y^Xl >iAlA
p) C VftJiL g) C \fJjj_j (sic) ; A, B + Lai\ r) A without V. ; C j&
s) C S^V^J (?) Q _\ it) A VjU; B \^\i v) A ">, w) C <iJu.
( x ) Q \,;ji\^. U-ii\; has further on constantly _\i\j and txi\^ in
stead of ^_j\ and ^\ y) D ^*i_j ( 2) A, C, D inverse ordine.
a) A < bb) A + Vk cc) A, C V* Js>^ dd) B extj}\ ; C %**\
ee) B oJ.. /f ) A, B < gg) C J.^ /t^) A v->^>- M) B <
fcA;) A <u ZZ) D iLu^ mm) C Uxo_j
<J>\
n \ ^\
U J^ t ^S\t\ 7 i ^^-^ W Oj
(a-rt) A ^^ 6) CV, J \ J \ c) ^\ d) B f j^ C ) B V^
/) A J g,) A ^Vj>iVj ; B, C ;U>VVV, A) C + *je*\, ^
i) A, B A.,A,^ A) A ^z-^ Vi Z) A o-So_j m) A has everywhere
feminine forms, when Hilaria is meant ri) A < o) A < ; B C ^ji,
1)) B + r \ g) C ^ r) C y/i^ *) D < C ^lo
?t) C x*;* (t- 7,-) A ^ ^J_5 7r) B ^^5 .r) A o^j ; A, C +
r ^c>\ ?y) B < z) f ( , D jj)=> an) B _J^ &6) B dL-X$
cc) B J^JT rfd) B dlUl, ee) B dl-U^ //) A ^J,^; B <
gg) A U_<j\; B < hh ) A ^^ J c ; B ^ ^^ ; D ^,^\
n) B ^ ji\\ ^^ f U\j *Jb) A i.^ //) A Vk mm) A
nri) A ^__>L.$
A.1UJ CJ-XJ t *
V\ s
Jj\ rf J^
^ cP Ir^j < u^* 5 . <^^. JP \5^ ^ : W. c
V. *\
a) C ^jy 6) B W, c) A go- d) C < ; D + U,
e) A ^o /) C JjbL ; D <llb ^ A < h) B Jt^; C ^.
i) B oV;^\; A, C + oVlV^ fc) Ajv^l /) B < m) A J
n) B j o) A A.\i\ jp) A CAC^ (?) B, C dl j,^. 7-) A, B + ^
s) A, B U^\j ) A only_5 M) D ^ji\ (f ?) A ^ \^ o-^i )J?
iti^l; C ^S, A..i\->- ^ u ) A ^\i\ .r) D without^ y) B < ;
C + v_jU\ 2) A + \Jb aa) A ^iVls; B, C + u \ & bb) C +
(jj, 5^.V\ cc) B 4.M drf) A, B, C ^\ ee) C + J\ //) A -f
< M) A V \i
>
5 r
Si\ ^
Wj Jp
a) B &\j b) AB < ; C ^J c) AB \^^ d) C ^J e) B, C
j> ji\ ; A \t^o /) D V^-i P) B ^ A) A ", J\ i) C {.JJl
k) A <; C ^xuU A ^ J\ m) D j\jyj n) A o^jC,
o) C fy p) A, C + Jxc- (? g) A without the article. r) A cJui\;
B ^JL, s) A ^j^ *) ^a^ui M) A < t ) A V^Cj J\
w) C "J; B C + c ) A L^-
\; B + o \ z) D <
ao) C + J*) (&6-Z.6) A < cc) C +
ee) A, B, C jT //) B <
ti\ J3
VJ
*
a) C < &) D < c) A + JW^ d) C + Vk e) A, C
j ; D r^l^j /) A oi^-" ; c ^-^-- ^
B ^*U ; C \^\ ^c V^y ; D V^A^" (i i) A B CrUii ; C
A;) C J^J^ I) A p^^^Lu. ; C r tf\5^U m) C ^U
i) A, B ^^3-_5 ; C c^^j o) A lias this word after o~~ *j
p) A < (2 0) D < -/) B L)3; C V^.^3 ) A ^ only
B ^.3 w ) C <ud\ (* t ) A < (w w;) A <,^\ a-) A +
<o\^ o^.\ y) A ^ ; B <J 0) A + Cni^ ( ft ) A has these
words after J^\ 11} A o-Ja I- 4 , cc) A + o^\ ^^) C +
Jas. \e>^ cc) A UAXC- //) C ^ T U\i> ^) A - \ 7t/ D
\fOj5 u) B < A;/o) B ^.Wc-j
ci\
U
OU~*~
JU,
ijlU JW!\
vi
a) A L (6 I) A < ; the preceding words <j^C U seem super
fluous. c) A, C V.^U d) A .ioo .ilij) juu.j e) A + JA\
/) C 4^ g) C J. h) A -uU\ \^^ ) C V^vUx,
A) Here B goes on. Q D ^^^^ 7 >i) C + ^iiVj ^ ^, j:^
n) C + JU- o) A < p) A ^^ (q-q) A ^\j r) A _,
5) B ^^.j; C ^ j (-<) B < 7t) B + 5^LJ\ 5^
v) A, B, C &- l( ,) A + 4J\ a:) A without ,,; C SVi^^
y) A without , 2 ) D < ) C +
W U, U
V. {
(a ) A < 1) A < c) A <; C cALLiJ\ d) C ^o^.-a.\\
c) A + O*~j- /) A, C ^.\ai\ ; some words seem to Iiave fallen out here,
perhaps J^ or something the like. g) A J^^ K) G ^j
i) C \d> k) C J\ ; A < /) A "^ w) A _> 71) C 1.
o) D -V. p) C + ,a (<?(?) A inverso ordinc r) C
s) A ^"^Laj ) A without ^ w) C -{- jWl -r) A ^u ; C l
I) \s& w) A J, a) C V JV;\ z/) A ^^j -) A +
a) A \ bl) A, C ^^3 cc) A "^ ^ij <W)
ce) A o-U /"/) A s.\ \V\ ^) A + ^\
a) The Mss. have everywhere AiJc> in stead of ^L
c) C V<G -A=>!^ ; A, B < d) C <u~\ e) A
/) C -f- o$3U S^ J\, gr) A Ji* ; B <jj ; C *
i) A "^ ft) A Ji 9j C j^\ 7/1) A C
o) A, B ^ o^V, P ) A ^ ; B ^V, q) C
6) A ^^
; C A^ j^
h) A <
w) B 5
r) D
s) C, D <uj <) A J^jjliJ p w) A yVi^ v) Here two leaves are
wanting in B. ,) C < a;) C ^_ji\ y) A + J^W* ) A, C S^V, ji\
.i rc .icn
.* ^c^cnA ( 4 O\J .1^0 . ( 3 rc j^K pao . vv
_*.! . prfco-ArtA pc Aza.n. sa rtUx-*i.i rdli^OJi .T=L^..I
>cn
. rdlrst 3 .TO . ^ocn K i^liL
cuiz,
^Acn : c\Vw.l
( 6 pf(ki
v\.T-i.
even
1) B + KtaW 2) B 99 3) B + ,03
4) B aA^fl 5) A a-ba&K ; C i^^^r^ 6) B <
A
. e- .
. crA cvcittt CV.TA
cvcio 2
oocn
rsllHwrc .i Kl^is- vyrt r<*CV.i^. c\on
ocn K i.l OVA* . i:a\
even : ( 3
vv-*r^ even
.i >cn
.i even *.i rcAVjA . cVxx^.*.T . ^DCVC^ rc cKflocxi^cv . ctA
cxn\.flocv rdxJiTj caa cx^n^.i .eleven K i
cvcvcn C\.A>cXi?3 T^cVi^ ^acvcVvcv . K^-ir^ .x
. caA
1) B < 2) B reAAjj (33) B rctaWA
4) B
V
a :vxrj . r<V3.ta=3 coco
.TAG . r<cri*V*.! vwK Kll^CXa
. T-lrt .i K^v&lO.l.l
c\ca=j
pc icocxi
oQjc_*i.i K T^QOO ..ri aaa rd^.ire .^ r^sai.i
cbcArelx. cv=3^v> .
KlSkicaA
.v^=3.1
,cna . cnij^.i relflflA.=) ocn K T-n.i GOOD
rtliJiacx.*
i) E V2 2) B .i^a 3) B
4 P.
an A
^Loo^^n ^-.i rdi=)V=J : orA ,op
Kbcn A>r< .i . Klaa^ri Kl^u*^ can\^ Jzn ncbcn
^ocn K A^^v^a .KVti^oo rc ia^ . Kl^i
oc
Kb en
(^ocn
llir. ocn (
(1-1) B < 2) B rdio 3) Mss.
<^C\A
.even
A\r<* .
^
Kl\r< .
cA
. i oocn
crA ( 8 .x.-
oc
CT3
A\xii.o .
acncv
.1 cioanK . ( 7 r^ia^rc ^ocn
Kb co .x.r<!A r<l\o . crA K*oc
.T^.t . i.T_x-J.i ( 7 ,cn ^n ^
0:13 rd^a
,cn
1) A, E have in the text
in D it is just the reverse.
Kd-Ll-4ja 4) A <
0) B rell^Avsa 7) B <
^ , in the margin j3.T\.i;
2) B r^irelao 3) B
5) A rduou,; E Klifiojjo
8) C CV.r. itoA 9) B
Klraon.T\ vrar* rx .Vi.i*. ^UK* KlVi . erA
oriA . K ira
^-,*.i cnA ^
r^=3.-usa-=
^~ 01=3.1 r<l*.T.AjjL f _ca=j ..A-.k
. ( 4 KLi.auiaa K i_ sa.iw. i ( 3
.1 ^xV*r<l\ 6 ) rdx
oraA i.JSaK cv : r< ^O.ia.*.l\.l
vw*r^ ( 7
oocn
i.vx- . A. An
vv-
. crA i-ssip^ Kli^cno . Kl
1) Reading of C; the other Mss. ,caxc.2il 2) B
3) B + rf^uilttiAx Sa 4) B < 5) B rf A Aw ; C
(60) B < 7) B
. ,03
vw^
ca\
OO3
( 4 K H
.T^ .( 8 r<rjJr<lai_\G
cv=>ca*c\ .
1) A, C, R ^ur^ 2) B
4) B r^ -iijAao 5) B
^xanf .1x1^ 7) B c
10) B, E wi-
rcl^ rdlrdXri
3) B
(66) B
8) B < 9) B
cri-A
. *-.
U.l
>cn
ca\
^Ur^ K VM.T rc ^cn ,^1*^ rdirc .i ca\
^.T*cn . ^xiK* .^.T^.l ><TJ
cxV^io
oocn
AxVn .1^ I r^.
. crA
,OD
1) Read > iaj^K ( ? 2) B 01**^ :i) B
4) B
cn_\0 .K -uix. ( r^i-^J Ktn-WA
ocn rvo.vA vvo.-rV^ ^330 . CTD^XXJII.^X\
.v vvo.-r^
l;.i.a ^3 i
i cb^CUflortlra ^V*.
crA
: ca-x-^_i
,cn io.i
1) B + A* 2) B
.
>\ >^1* >>.\ocA r^Ar^ . vA
ocn
K ArC rtlicta
K cnAr^b Kln r^Al^^ Kt\crUC\
( cali^K ^uKli*.^ K^a^sa ^xxra .nan .
,cp . r<&r<lv^oo r<l\. i3
.l caA Kbcn
rd*V-** .1-^ *. cti-Lvi^. .J53 Kb en K .ii.
.l oco .
.i,i Kbco
a vvw
vv&vSkia.ta KXxra v\
.l KClK r^=J.
cusoo . ^^r^ ocb K -i=3.Tsa\
. vax^.i
K .icn ( 4 A^. A Kli^so . ^i^snc cn^cA ^.
. reln=D ^
A*.! KlOil^r rdlK*
1) B; the other Mss. c^x\^. 2) Mss. rc^^) 3) B <
4) B
i . Ktocn i-a.VJ v^&tcvA.i Acn KLia^Kb . &v*c\cn
>cno .
vv
Kbcnit.i r^\.A.\.\ A^\-i cx.uL.i . c\cn ^11^=3 oocn
cax^l K .
Kb en viflo ca_x.^.i . r^iix. ?3 ncbcn
AAr> .nfial KlJAcwa . Kli.l.^. rdlJ
rchcn
.ocn rdfla^iorx re.i KbctJ
1) B caix^ia 2) B
( l r<A xx^ar urCo? .TAG . cnocn
ur^i*^x. . cn.i tfc ^cvcn ^x^rax, .Acn
aauA.i rC ari-a
,*c\cn
.cn
.i .i criA r<t\en Ardx.t?3 . Axa.i.O >.ic\rc
cnA.i ccn ,^i
1) B nco (2-2) B < 3) U +
4) B K HaO.Ta AKh 5) B "ic\
CV.XIA&K
rcbco :
vv-iK.i
.i CU.IG annxi rrfvoocx cvi-so o.i . rdlcn
cn\
even rajAJOK.i ,cn
cvocn O.TJO.^ r^.i4Jk.f3O . KO.-g-*.T-n n oora
.i . ca\ cv
A ^~.i oop
: KX AnA Atrfb
>_=3
rd\o .
1) B v^r^.i.i 2) A, D, E, R + p\ (3-3) B <
4) B ^Q.IO a;, 5) B
K lcnxra .
A^. KlV.
K* K Ari
K caArdA ^nATc T-*^\*.1
rc .icn .
c\.i .T^c\ .oc\cn
r<A.i
.Tiio . caxa.i
: ions .
1) Reading of C; the other Mss. ^Jin^.i 2) 13
3) B rtfc\cr> (44) B
K .icn
oA OOCI3
vvo>
T=> .Vv
,cn
on.* ^\. i A.i c\v-Ai .T-^O . KllCVxiA cxnVoo
j3CV.fla2k.ia
cv.vx.
rdsoi rdin.=3 r^l^lsa rfocn r<l^.=3 .1.^ . oocn
Kbcn ( 3 K relXr
,<TJ
i^La
>cn : AxV^^A ^A^K* rfcaW >^:
* >C p
(1-1) B f \ V "^ 2) B rdViir, 3) sic.
4) Mss.
cu
oocn c\.
. rc&\u\rc i
>oa3
.r<lat_flo.i
. ( 2 >CTD
( 3 i=.
^n.fio.1 . cfA Kboo .rx*Tj.n .J^ .tjj rdziflo TtiKl c\c\cn
Ktocriia , relfla^.aaK rdicn
ocn
caA
K H-=>c\.v=3 an.JLi.Aj
,q .
xJSl-X-t73 caA.i
oaA
ocn
1) C
4) B
0) B
(2-2) B < 3) B
(5 5) so B; the other Ms
\Ci
CO*
>cn
,cn
c\cno .
>cnc\ .
KtaArfA . -To.
A Kbcn iur^ vypo rtA.i
rtllco
paii-K J[x4J.
r^aT3. u>i KlJCX*.i
1) B >4xx..i 2) B rtlttiACUCVPC 3) B <
GOT :
{AerA Klia.io . K .-uareA ( r^s.a > gi\ K&K .i COT
GOT :
v/\_*.ia.4A.=3 vyA.i . rd.xw.1 vy-wcvni vvli^Tixa
cvc
OOCTJ ^^-0lS3 a.1 >OT
aA.1 >
,03
,OT
1) B rd^.ni.i 2) B + cn^CX:^ fc^^XMa 3) B
without a 4) B ^.i
vw
4 ) ^ifln^tq ( 3 c
r^-\Ax_\ ( 5
ocn
vv-fio
ocn
( 7
.i ,cn
.K .icn A^. . 3ns.. rdiAr^ CTI.I_A.^.I r^ p ^
. ( 8
1) B < 2; B + rdgiH 3) Reading of C; the other
Mss. have cn^ucu^.l (44) B ocn 5) B -f rds^.i^
G) B + orA ocn 7) B rd^iaa (88) B < (99) B
"A V "
A JA .12^ -*
. .
1) B + K&KlL^to 2) B jao 3) After this word the scribe
of A inserted crA rcArtflxJ^a . These words are also found in the
other Mss. with the exception of C. 4) B .1.43 5) B
6) B < 7) B .Twl^; the other Mss. icA-k 8) B
&v.icna Klx^.ix ^ia.n ocn
2. Ka vvo
( l vi*.icn .
.i c\c
vwaK.i ^-*.
.! ( 3
cai.i ocb r^i^ncl\ .( 4 Kal.*Uflffi^K!l r^v*r-Sfl 4 )
v^*rc ^.i
redo . K AuA&aA ^\xiijo K iK Sirica* .
( 5 , en K in ^rct . c\u.i
vy-
>co AK* rdswr^.i rct^it vyr^.i
oc
*K .i rcbco
/,c
&\n&.i K ^UA^O) -sa .-o . sa.i acb
1) Page .v, line 4 lias the correct form yl.tcn (22) B
$xm\&Kh 3) B < (4-4) B ^1^53.10 ri.-
5) B has this word after rt&i&\_ar^ 6) B
v\c
&ocn K isaK .v^ .r^.
.i KlsacxA r<lt?3.i.^o rdaco r<l3cu
oraa
oria
>cn
i^. orA rdiK* Klv** T=> .
. cni.TJDCv.2k
ocn rtli.cv.iA
va.a
flo . AAjo
AAo
cAl
1) B >na>.i 2) B cnx^^K .f 3) A, B &cA:i 4) B, C
5) B
A,
rtlico
.i ocn r^ 1*0.1 \j.a, rlOJL! ocn
rC*At<b . K .icoa .s^.T-i T-irt rfAc\ :
ccalKb
( 9 .i...n
(11) B ^co vyK .i.i rf -isaa.ia .1^0 2) E
3) B < 4) B + *.vcn 5) B nd*mx..i 6) B
7) so B, C; the other Mss. ^u.!*^ (88) B
vy.K .i jisarf 9) B rua.i 10) B
Kbcn
vvx
:i cnL.i rcdxjja /crA
Kfocn WK >i=a ( 8 ^xx-.Tri K .icn >o
VW*
>cn .
ocn ^a.t-^s ^x.i . >*.i KlsK* OK (
( 8
( 9 KlV *.n
^ocn Kiisa Kla.=3cA ^Acn
LlZ^lZJ^ J.J.3.1 CTlA Kb 03
i^ oriA ^acn
>cn .
.Kl^ii..! ^Aco K ^lii.Kl^ &oct>
1) B Klsu.i.i 2) B >^ \3L.i^l 3) B witliout o
(44) B ^aca* 5) B *_*>K& 0) B
7) B ^a\.\Kl=33 8) B vy^K^.-Y 9) B
the other Mss.
.T n ^ ^ ^\*r<li_53Q^ rdinc ijsar^ K!_A.I CVT. .1
CvlaLrxSi\ criAs.. ,O3 K .
.i am
ori.lJSfl.1 nzUCl,LD
vw*^ .
Kla
.1=3 . (
rcbcn
1) E ^urcUK tl 2) C singular. (33) B < 4) B +
KlaK* ^JS^K 5) C, E, R ^^ocr)^\CV\.l , which is on the
margin of A. 6) E
n cnA
i en . ^ acn ArCl sL liLsarc cio^cxA.i
.l CT1_\ >OCT3
COT
.i Kl^JO^cv rC orix-a
( 6
c^cvco
ca\ coco
( 9
1) B rtoi^O)^.-! 2) B, E, R f<*-i^ 3) B, C, R
4) B ,jaa>r<& 5) In B only. 6) E
7) B :u=> 8) B ftCfl.i 9) C
en
KfcUL ocb . Kta\rd=D.l KLJU> 1
Kbcn
j3 Anai.i ."U^. K^QjAsfl.i Klfioia&l.i ocb K is orA
a KtaAri ^>O-\ Kbco
. ( 3
A \ *?3.i K iaJto >i^. rcbcn ^J5a-*crijsa TA^.x..%=3 . caA
oo\ ^ur^.l ( 4
ocb
i_=3 caA ^.
.i ,cb
^O-V^.i ( 5
. ocb
.i Kfccn
. Avin
1) B + rA*j 2) B < 3) B without o 4) B
Kkoa*iW-Si 5) E ^oco; D, R -f ^oco ; in A, B, C, E
there follows ^ux.K l 6) B
-* .
A^A.i
,OT
,cn
Arc*
cvocn.i .
( 2
.i >cn
Ktocn
1) B ajji^^vx.^ 2) B A\i.^r<ls3 3) B
4) A r^l^\ 5) C
,V A AJ*-\
>03
* 7
( ] ^Jia.!-.
-AO.l.l ( 3 K&x
.i Klx_V.i_n
) . ^Acn
ocn
1) So B; other Mss. ^J
4 ) B ^Oca*H=)0^.l 5) B
7) B rc cn.W (8-8) B
K T^SO.! l^.c\ 9) B
11) B
5
*.T^3 ( 8
>cn
2) D ^i^ 3) B <
fo 6) B
10) B
BINDING C^CT. APR 3-1969
BR
1710 Wensinck,Arent Jan
W4
v.2 Legends of Eastern stints
PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE
CARDS OR SLIPS FROM THIS POCKET
UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO LIBRARY
