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Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob — Historical footnotes

Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr

Complete historical editorial footnotes. These notes retain the original edition’s wording; individual note authors are unspecified.

English translation and editorial credits: Benjamin Plummer Pratten (English translator), William Cureton (underlying translation and most unmarked notes), William Wright (textual collations), Robert Payne Smith (acknowledged lexical assistance), Alexander Roberts (Edinburgh series editor), James Donaldson (Edinburgh series editor), Arthur Cleveland Coxe (American revision with prefaces and notes), Matthew Brown Riddle (American volume collaborator; individual note authorship unspecified).

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1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

The ms. from which this is taken is Cod. Add. 17,158, fol. 30 vers. Mar Jacob, bishop of Sarug, or Batnæ, was one of the most learned and celebrated among all the Syriac writers. He was born a.d. 452, made bishop of Sarug a.d. 519, and died a.d. 521. He was the author of several liturgical works, epistles, and sermons, and, amongst these, of numerous metrical homilies, of which two are given here. Assemani enumerates no less than 231. Ephraem Syrus also wrote a similar homily on Habib, Shamuna, and Guria. The metre of the original in this and the following homily consists of twelve syllables, and six dissyllabic feet; but whether they were read as iambs ortroches, or as both, appears to depend on the nature of the Syriac accentuation, which is still an unsettled question. Hoffmann, in his slight notice of the subject (Gram. Syr., § 13), merely says: “Scimus, poësin Syriacam non quantitatis sed accentus tantum rationem habere, versusque suos syllabarum numero metiri. Quâ tamen poëseos Syriacæ conditione varietas morarum in pronuntiandis vocalibus observandarum non tollitur.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-1 · Original source

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Homily on Habib the Martyr, Composed by Mar Jacob.

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Cureton has “prosperous,” which Dr. Payne Smith condemns, remarking: “*** I find generally used for the Gk. ἄριστος, and once or twice for κράτιστος . It answers more frequently to strenuus = courageous, heroic.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-3 · Original source

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Pursueth his course like a valiant man, because of the beauty of his faith.

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

The ordinary word for “Christians” in these documents is the borrowed Χριστιανοί here a native word is used, formed from the one which we read as “Messiah.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-6 · Original source

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The friends of Christ, who were harassed by persecutors.

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

A corruption of the word σαμψηρά is used here. It is said by Josephus, Antiq., xx. 2, 3, to have been the name given by the Assyrians to some kind of sword. Suidas mentions it as a barbarian word for σπάθη, a broadsword. Cureton’s “scimetar” would be preferable, as being somewhat more distinctive, if it appeared that a scimetar could have two edges.—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-7 · Original source

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Like a two-edged brand, keen was

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

The temptation was strong to render ***, “became unleavened” (or, “tasteless”), a sense apparently required by the decided figure employed and by the language of the next couplet, where “insipid ” corresponds to “salt.” The word *** (= ἄζυμον), moreover, if not the Arabic *** (to which Schaaf, though it does not appear on what authority, assigns the meaning “sine fermento massam subegit”), seems to point in the same direction. Dr. Payne Smith, however, is not aware of any instance of the proposed meaning: he says, “My examples make *** = ἐκλείπω, to fail.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-8 · Original source

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Leaven did he prove to be in this land which had become exhausted

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Lit. “reached the king in great rage (i.e., so as to cause great rage, *** being often = εἰς denoting result), and, because…, he decreed.”—Dr. Payne Smith.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-13 · Original source

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And because the diadem was interwoven with paganism, decreed death

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Lit. “here and there.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-2 · Original source

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And of him who was burned, is one and the same, in this case and in that;

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Lit. “the party” or “side.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-4 · Original source

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Divine, that he might establish the adherents of the faith.

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Or “brought to contempt.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-9 · Original source

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That they might not be ignominiously overthrown by the paganism which abounded.

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Or “that his voice might cease.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-11 · Original source

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That he might make his voice to cease from the teaching of the house of God.

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Lit. “openness of countenance.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-14 · Original source

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A fearless countenance did the brave man carry with him, and a great heart;

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Prop. “agitate questions.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-15 · Original source

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His rage was excited, and he began in his fury to put to him questions.

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Or “so as to cease.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-17 · Original source

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He trembled not, nor ceased from the confession of the Son of God.

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Lit. “he entered into bondage.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-18 · Original source

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He was put into bonds, and he looked on his Lord, whom also they had bound;

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

The equuleus is meant.—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-19 · Original source

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He ascended the block, and they tore him with combs, but his soul was radiant with light,

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Or “of the sacrifices.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-20 · Original source

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The fire of sacrifice was betrothed to him, and for her did he look;

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Lit. “bitterly.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-21 · Original source

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And his limbs, while they were being torn asunder in bitter agony.

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Lit. “side,” or “party.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-23 · Original source

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Because he raised up the friends of the faith by the sufferings which he bore.

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Lit. “the sacrifices of.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-24 · Original source

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The firmament was fetid with the exhalations from the altars;

1886 (historical English edition; transcription printing date uncertain) | Historical editor/translator (individual note author unspecified)

Lit. “from him.”—Tr.

Editorial footnote · Homilies, Composed by Mar Jacob, Chapter uncertain; original source section: Homily on Habib the Martyr, editorial note cite_note-25 · Original source

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And from that time even until now not one has it slain, since he was burned.