Zachariah of Mytilene, The Life of Severus 83-86
https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/513
Context
Zachariah of Mytilene's hagiographic account of the life of the early
sixth-century anti-Chalcedonian bishop, Severus, patriarch of Antioch, includes brief
accounts of several other saints. In this testimonium, Zachariah describes a religious
conversion episode from the late fifth century in which one of Severus' contemporaries,
Anastasius of Edessa, travels via Caesarea Maritima in a manner which evokes the Apostle
Peter's vision and journey to Caesarea as described in the New Testament (Acts 10). In
this way, the author seems to blur together two figures, both of whom are called "the
great Peter". The first figure is the New Testament Apostle Peter. The second figure is
Peter the Iberian, a fifth-century miaphysite Christian leader and monastic founder
whose monastery at Miaouma in Gaza became a spiritual home to Anastasius and other
saints mentioned by Zachariah of Mytilene. The passage also emphasizes the intellectual
and social connections between the law schools of Beirut and the anti-Chalcedonian
(miaphysite) Christian clergy and communities of Caesarea and Gaza in this
period.
Text
ܐܢܐ ܕܝܢ ܟܕ ܡܝܬܪ̈ܬܐ ܕܐܢܫ̈ܐ ܠܒܝ݀ܫܝ ܠܐܠܗܐ܆ ܕܦܛܪܘܣ ܗܘ ܕܡܢ ܐܝܟܪ݀ܝܐ܇ ܘܐܫܥܝܐ ܗܘ
ܥܢܘܝܐ ܪܒܐ ܘܐܓܘܦܬܝܐ ܡܟܬܒ ܗܘܝܬ. ܬܖܝܗܘܢ̈ ܓܝܪ ܗܠܝܢ ܓܒܖܐ̈ ܟܕ ܒܦܠܣܛܝܢܐ ܥܡܪܝܢ ܗܘܘ: ܬܫܒܘܚܬܐ ܪܒܬܐ
ܩܢܝܢ ܗܘܘ ܗܝܕܝܢ: ܠܘܬ ܟܠܗܘܢ ܟܪܝܣܛܝܢܐ̈܆ ܚܫ ܡܕܡ ܠܘܩܕܡ ܡܢ ܬܫܥܝܬܐ̈ ܕܕܐܝܟ ܗܠܝܢ܆ ܐܢܣܛܘܣ ܗܘ ܕܡܢ
ܐܘܪܗܝ: ܗܘ ܕܡܢ ܠܥܠ ܐܬܥܗܕܬ: ܕܫܘܐ ܠܬܕܡܘܪܬܐ ܘܠܟܬܒܐ. ܚܙܐ ܓܝܪ ܒܚܠܡܐ܆ ܠܦܛܪܘܘܝ ܪܒܐ ܘܪܝܫ ܟܗܢܐ̈
ܕܡܪܢ ܝܫܘܥ ܡܫܝܚܐ܇ ܗܘ ܕܐܦ ܠܫܡܐ ܕܪܝܫܐ ܕܫܠܝܚܐ̈ ܐܫܬܘܝ ܕܦܩܕ ܠܗ܆ ܕܒܥܓܠ ܢܐܬܐ ܟܕ ܪܟܝܒ ܗܝ ܕܡܬܩܪܝܐ
ܒܐܪܘܕܐ. ܗܘ ܕܝܢ ܟܕ ܩܡ܆ ܚܙܘܐ ܥܡ ܦܘܩܕܢܐ ܐܘܕܥܢܝ. ܟܕ ܐܘܣܦ ܐܦ ܕܡܘܬܐ ܕܦܪܨܘܦܗ ܟܗܢܝܐ ܀ ܟܕ ܗܟܝܠ
ܕܡܝܬ [84] ܡܢ ܗܠܝܢ ܕܐܫܬܥܝ: ܕܠܘ ܚܠܡܐ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܗܘ ܕܐܬܚܙܝ: ܐܠܐ ܓܠܝܢܐ ܐܠܗܝܐ: ܕܩܪܐ ܒܝܕ ܗܘ ܓܒܪܐ
ܚܣܝܐ ܠܘܬ ܕܘܒܪܐ ܕܕܝܪܝܘܬܐ: ܠܐܢܣܛܘܣ ܬܡܝܗܐ܆ ܐܡܪܬ ܕܠܗ ܠܓܒܪܐ ܪܒܐ ܚܙܝܬ ܫܪܝܪܐܝܬ. ܘܙܕܩ ܠܟ ܕܬܫܡܥ
ܩܠܝܠܐܝܬ. ܗܕܐ ܓܝܪ ܪܡܙ ܗܘ ܓܠܝܢܐ. ܗܘ ܕܝܢ ܡܛܠ ܕܚܠܐ ܐܝܬ ܗܘܐ ܠܗ: ܕܗܝܕܝܢ ܠܗܝ ܗܘܦܪܟܝܐ ܡܕܒܪ ܗܘܐ܆
ܕܚܠ ܐܢܐ ܐܡܪ ܡܢ ܚܙܘܩܝܐ ܕܒܝܕ ܐܪܥܐ. ܘܝܬܝܪܐܝܬ ܒܥܐ ܗܘܝܬ ܕܪܘܚܐ ܕܓܪܒܝܐ ܬܗܘܐ ܠܝ܆ ܘܒܝܡܐ ܠܦܠܣܛܝܢܐ
ܐܙܠ. ܡܛܠ ܕܝܢ ܕܝܘܡܬܐ̈ ܡܕܡ ܡܛܠܬܗ̇ ܕܗܕܐ ܟܬܪ: ܘܠܐ ܗܘܬ ܠܗ ܗܝ ܕܒܥܐ ܗܘܐ: ܘܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܗܘܐ ܒܩܘܛܦܐ
ܠܚܙܘܐ ܗܘ ܕܚܙܐ ܐܥܗܕܬܗ ܕܨܒܐ ܕܒܝܕ ܐܪܥܐ ܡܠܘܢ ܢܪܗܛ ܠܘܬ ܗܘ ܣܓܝ ܩܘܠܣܐ̈: ܪܝܫ ܟܗܢܐ̈ ܘܥܒܕܗ ܕܐܠܗܐ
ܪܒܐ ܘܦܪܘܩܢ ܝܫܘܥ ܡܫܝܚܐ. ܘܡܠܟܐ ܡܠܟܬܗ ܠܗܢܐ܇ ܕܕܚܠ ܗܘܐ ܡܢ ܚܠܗ ܕܢܥܒܪ ܟܕ ܐܙܠ ܡܢ ܒܝܪܘܛܘܣ܆ ܕܠܐ ܣܟ
ܥܠ ܨܘܪ ܗܝ ܕܗܘ ܗܝܕܝܢ ܡܕܝܪ ܗܘܐ ܒܗ̇ ܒܐܝܡܡܐ ܢܥܒܪ. ܐܠܐ ܕܢܬܬܢܝܚ ܡܝܢ ܠܒܪ ܡܢ ܡܕܥܢܬܐ܆ ܒܠܠܝܐ ܕܝܢ
ܕܠܐ ܥܕܢܐ ܢܥܒܪܝܗ̇ ܠܨܘܪ. ܗܘ ܕܟܕ ܠܗܢܐ ܡܠܟܐ ܩܒܠ܆ ܠܥܒܕܐ ܐܝܬܝܗ. ܘܡܟܝܠ ܠܩܣܪܝܐ
ܕܦܠܣܛܝܢܐ ܡܢܥ. ܐܠܗܐ ܗܟܝܠ ܗܘ ܕܠܗܢܐ ܩܪܐ ܠܘܬܗ ܒܝܕ ܗܘ ܓܒܪܐ ܚܣܝܐ ܐܥܒܕ܆
ܕܒܬܠܡܝܕܘܗܝ̈ ܕܪܒܐ ܦܛܪܘܣ ܢܦܓܥ܆ [85] ܘܡܢܗܘܢ ܢܐܠܦ ܕܐܝܟܐ ܡܕܝܪ܆ ܥܕܡܐ ܕܠܘܬܗ ܕܗܘ ܐܙܠ. ܘܟܕ ܗܠܝܢ
ܡܡܠܠ ܫܡܥ܆ ܕܟܕ ܩܠܝܠܐܝܬ ܐܬܦܩܕ ܠܟ ܕܬܐܬܐ܆ ܡܛܠ ܡܢܐ ܥܕܡܐ ܠܗܫܐ ܐܬܬܗܝܬ. ܘܒܬܪܟܢ ܟܕ ܠܘܬܗ ܐܬܐ:
ܘܒܢܣܝܢܐ ܩܒܠ ܡܝܬܪ݀ܬܐ ܕܗܘ ܓܒܪܐ ܐܠܗܝܐ: ܘܬܘ݀ܢܝܐ ܕܡܛܠ ܫܡܥܗ܆ ܟܕ ܚܝ݀ܐ ܕܕܝܪܝܘܬܐ ܐܫܬܘܕܝ ܠܐܠܗܐ܇
ܘܬܚܝܬ ܫܘܥܒܕܗ ܕܗܘ ܗܘܐ ܡܢ ܐܪܝܐ ܕܐܝܬ ܗܘܐ ܒܦܓܪܗ ܡܚܕܐ ܐܓܗܝ. ܗܘ ܕܡܬܩܪܐ ܟܘܪܗܢܐ ܟܗܢܝܐ܇ ܕܫܪܝ ܗܘܐ
ܡܢ ܟܕܘ ܕܢܫܬܠܛ ܒܗ. ܟܕ ܗܕܐ ܐܬܝܕܥܬ ܒܒܝܪܘܛܘܣ ܠܐܠܝܫܥ ܬܡܝܗܐ ܠܗ ܟܕ ܠܗ ܠܛܢܢܐ ܕܢܐܬܐ ܥܒܕܬ܀ ܟܕ ܓܝܪ
ܪܚܡ ܐܠܗܐ ܐܘܓܪܝܣ ܡܠܐ̈ ܡܛܠ ܚܝ݀ܐ ܕܕܝܪܝܘܬܐ ܙܒܢܝܢ̈ ܣܓܝܐܢ̈ ܐܙܝܥ ܠܘܬܢ: ܡܣܟܐ ܗܘܐ ܕܝܢ ܕܢܨܘܕ ܠܟܠܢ
ܐܘ ܠܣܘܓܐܢ: ܟܕ ܦܫܝܛܐ ܐܝܬܘܗܝ ܗܘܐ ܒܙܢܘ݀ܗܝ. ܗܘ ܪܒܐ ܐܠܝܫܥ܆ ܠܬܘܗܝܐ ܕܐܟ ܗܢܐ ܠܐ ܟܬܪ. ܐܫܬܘܝ ܗܘܐ
ܓܝܪ ܐܦ ܗܘ ܩܕܡ ܙܒܢܐ ܣܓܝܐܐ ܠܓܠܝܢܐ ܕܓܒܪܐ ܚܣܝܐ. ܕܦܩܕ ܠܗ ܒܠܠܝܐ ܩܘܡ ܘܡܙܡܘܪܐ ܕܚܡܫܝܢ ܙܡܪ ܠܐܠܗܐ.
ܐܚܪܝܐܝܬ ܕܝܢ ܡܢ ܚܘܒܐ ܣܓܝܐܐ܆ ܐܦ ܢܘܪܐ ܕܦܝܠܣܦܘܬܐ ܐܠܗܝܬܐ ܕܠܩܐ ܗܘܬ ܒܗ܇ ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܗܘ ܓܠܐ ܠܝ ܟܕ ܥܡܪ
ܐܢܐ ܥܡܗ ܗܝܕܝܢ. ܐܝܟܢܐ ܕܟܕ ܠܐ ܣܝܒܪ ܗܢܐ ܠܫܠܗܒܝܬܐ ܕܩܪܝܬܐ ܐܠܗܝܬܐ܆ ܠܘܬ [86]ܦܠܣܛܝܢܐ ܪܗܛ ܠܘܬܗ
ܕܓܒܪܐ ܚܣܝܐ. ܘܬܚܝܬ ܫܘܥܒܕܗ ܗܘܐ܆ ܟܕ ܢܝܪܐ ܕܦܝܠܣܦܘܬܐ ܫܩܠ.1
Textual Note
Testimonium prepared with reference to Simtho: The Syriac Corpus (version 0.2).Translation
When writing the virtues of God-clad men, of Peter from Iberia, and
Isaiah, the great Egyptian ascetic—while dwelling in Palestine, these two were highly
praised by all Christians—the first to experience such stories was Anastasius from
Edessa, whom I have mentioned above as worthy of admiration and writing about.
[Anastasius] saw, in a dream, the great Peter, the high priest of our Lord Jesus Christ,
who is also called the Prince of apostles, commanding him to come quickly, riding a
so-called post-horse (βέρηδος). When he woke up, he told me about the vision and the
order, and even added a description of his priestly face. When I then concluded, [84]
from what was told, that what he had seen was not a dream but a divine revelation which,
through this holy man, called the worthy Anastasius to monastic life, I said: “You have
actually seen the great man, and you should obey at once! For this is the meaning of the
revelation.” He, however, since he had an uncle who at the time was governing the
province, said: “I am afraid to travel by land, and would prefer to wait for a northerly
wind and go to Palestine by sea. ” Since, because of this, he was delayed for some days
without getting what he waited for, and was becoming worried, I reminded him of the
vision he had seen which urged him to hurry by land to the highly honoured high priest
and servant of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. And since, because of his
uncle, he was afraid to pass through [Tyre] when coming from Beirut, I advised him not
to pass through Tyre, where he [the uncle] was living at the time, at day-time, but to
pause outside the city and then, in the middle of the night, pass through Tyre. He took
this advice and acted accordingly, and eventually came to Caesarea in
Palestine. And so God, who had called him by means of this holy man,
arranged that he met some pupils of the great Peter [85] and learnt from them where he
was living, so that he could go to him. When he was talking with them they said: “You
were ordered to come quickly. Why are you so late?” And later, when he had joined him,
and experienced the virtues of this divine man, and listened to the stories about [him],
and had promised God monastic life, and become his subject, his body was immediately
free from the leprosy, called the sacred disease, that was already beginning to get hold
of him. When this became known to the worthy Elishaʿ in Beirut, it made him want to go,
too—for the God-loving Evagrius’ had exalted the monastic life many times, expecting to
capture us all, or most of us. Being simple in his manners, the great Elishaʿ was not
delayed like this. He, too, had long ago been granted a revelation of the holy man, who
ordered him to rise in the night and sing the fiftieth psalm to God. Eventually, then,
strong love lit the fire of divine philosophy in him—as he revealed to me, for I was
staying with him at the time—so that he, unable to endure the flame of the divine call,
hurried to [86] Palestine, to the holy man, and became his subordinate, having accepted
the yoke of philosophy.2
Translation Note
Revised from Ambjörn 2008Works Cited
- 1 Zacharie le Scholastique, Vie de Sévère d’Antioche, Par Zacharie Le Scholastique, in Sévère Patriarche d’Antioche 512-518, Textes Syriaques Publiés, Traduits et Annotés Par M.-A. Kugener, ed. and trans. M.-A. Kugener, Patrologia Orientalis 2 (Paris: Firmin-Didot, 1907), 1–115, p: 83-86.
- 2 Zachariah of Mytilene, The Life of Severus by Zachariah of Mytilene, trans. Lena Ambjörn, Texts from Christian Late Antiquity (Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press, 2008), p: 84-88.
Additional Bibliography
- Zacharie le Scholastique, Vie de Sévère d’Antioche, Par Zacharie Le Scholastique: Machine Readable Text, in Sévère Patriarche d’Antioche 512-518, Textes Syriaques Publiés, Traduits et Annotés Par M.-A. Kugener, ed. and trans. M.-A. Kugener, Patrologia Orientalis 2 (Paris: Piscataway, N.J.: Firmin-Didot: Machine Readable Tokens: Simtho: The Syriac Thesaurus (v. 0.2), 1907)
How to Cite This Entry
David A. Michelson et al., “Zachariah of Mytilene, The Life of Severus 83-86,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published June 30, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/513.
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Bibliography:
David A. Michelson et al., “Zachariah of Mytilene, The Life of Severus 83-86.” In Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, edited by Joseph L. Rife., edited by Joseph L. Rife. Caesarea City and Port Exploration Project, 2023. Entry published June 30, 2023. https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/513.About this Entry
Entry Title: Zachariah of Mytilene, The Life of Severus 83-86
Authorial and Editorial Responsibility:
- Joseph L. Rife, general editor, Vanderbilt University
- Joseph L. Rife, editor, Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia
- David A. Michelson, Daniel L. Schwartz, and William L. Potter, technical editors, “Zachariah of Mytilene, The Life of Severus 83-86”
- David A. Michelson and Joseph L. Rife, entry contributors, “Zachariah of Mytilene, The Life of Severus 83-86”
Additional Credit:
- TEI record created by David A. Michelson
- Testimonium translated by David A. Michelson
- Testimonium transcribed by David A. Michelson
- Testimonium identified by Joseph L. Rife