Euthymius the Athonite: Great Bilingual Literary Tradition

saqarTvelos mecnierebaTa erovnuli akademiis moambe, t.9,#3,2015

BULLETIN OF THE GEORGIAN NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, vol. 9, no. 3, 2015

History

Euthymius the Athonite: Great Bilingual Literary Tradition

Irakli G. Shekriladze

Georgian Technical University, Tbilisi

(Presented by Academy Member Roin Metreveli)

ABSTRACT. The paper outlines the role of Georgian background in the hypothetic Georgian-Greek project“Buddha-Iodasaf-Josaphat”. Examinationofthe extraordinarybilingual literaryworksofEuthymius the Athonite highlights important features of the phenomenon “Barlaam and Josaphat”, which was considered as just a “popular book” for a millennium until it was comprehended as the first step on the long journey to the European Enlightenment and the authorship of Euthymius was finally recognized. This fact not only reunited the great Georgian-Greek tandem “Balavariani” - “Barlaam and Josaphat” divided over centuries in consequence of misunderstanding, but also gave a new dimension to the figure of Euthymius. Although the reassessment has just begun, we can already assume that this process will gaina qualitative character.AlongwiththecomprehensionofByzantine andEuropeancontext of Euthymius the Athonite’s heritage, historians will have tonewly analyze the Georgian civilization breakthrough of the 11^th- 12^thcenturies, mainly inspired by the same Euthymius the Athonite. “Barlaam and Josaphat” will appear with yet another new facet as the realization of the Georgian cultural potential to give an impetus to the thousand-year process of convergence of East and West, peoples and religions.

The process of attribution of “Barlaam and
Josaphat” lasting for centuries overshadowed its artistic merits and role in the development ofEuropean literature. For instance, there is not a single word about these maxims in the relevant article of the Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium [1], devoted exclusively to the issue of attribution. the immense spheres of its influence [2-5].
Not waiting the disclosure of complete picture,
Silvia Ronchey [2,5] gives brief remarks about the known literature generated by the novel.
The list of addressees is quite impressive: Rudolf von Ems, Catherine of Siena, Jacobus de Voragine, Gui de Cambrai, Boccaccio, Shakespeare, Lope de Vega, Pedro Calderon de la Barca, Aleph of Borges, Marcel Schwob, Vincent of Beauvais, Jacopo da Varazze, Baudelaire, Leo Tolstoy, Hugo von Hofmannsthal, Hermann Hesse, urban medieval
Real discussion of “Barlaam and Josaphat” as the great masterpiece ofthe MiddleAges, began only in the 21^thcentury. Researchers of the problem unanimouslyemphasize theoutstanding literarymeritsand

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French literature, French and German medieval epic, Rounchey[11: LXXXII], this inference received fur-

the 18^th-19^thcenturyEuropean literature.

ther support through analysis of the Georgian-Byz-

Sylvia Rounchey was the first who pronounced antine relations in the 11^thcentury [10: 146]. theroleofthenovel in European civilization,declaring Below we do not dwell on historical details “Barlaam and Josaphat” as the first step on the long described in the prior studies [3-4, 11-12]. We only journey to the European Enlightenment [2]. Not so refer to some quite specific episodes, which markedly fast the process of rethinking and reassessment of detained the attribution in the 20^thcentury. the vast cultural heritage and historical data, and revision of established values was launched.
Among them, the findings of Frederick Conybiere
(published in 1896) left beyond the academic discus-
Cordoni [6] studied the role of “Barlaam and sion deserves special attention [13].

Josaphat” in French, Provencal, Spanish, Portuguese,

Quite important results of the research, which

Italian, German, Scandinavian andBritish literaryand might close the problem in the late 19^thfolk traditions. Ribas [7] discusses some aspects of the century, remained inactive throughout the 20^thcentury. imperial andreligious politics ofByzantium ofthe late Unexpected belated promotion of the same findings 10^thand early 11^thcentury, as reflected in the novel. in the form of facsimile edition (published in 2008) LopezJr.andMcCracken[8]considerthenovelinterms [14] after final attribution of“Barlaam and Josaphat” ofprocesses of sharing the ideas between the religions in 2006 were noless strange [3: vii-viii].

born thousands of miles away from each other.

According to the annotation of the book [14],

A qualitativelynew stage can be seen in recently “Conybeare makes a compelling argument for the published extensive collection of studies [9]. Two Georgian version as the earliest Christian form from dozens of researchers from different countries as well which came a Greek and later a Syriac translation, of as the title itself clearlydemonstrates rapidlychang- which theArmenian is an abridgement.”

ing situation around the novel in general.

Nowadays the book [14] is often used as the main

In the previous article [10], we tried to show that proof of final attribution (see, the article “Barlaam the first phase of the Georgian Euthymius the and Jospahat” in online resources Questpedia, Athonite’s activities gives a genuine insight into the Bahaistudies.net, Wikipedia). The question is what

second one, the Byzantine phase.

prevented the study to playthe same role right away

Within the Georgian-Byzantine project “Buddha- after its publication.

Iodasaph-Josaphat” he was able to combine the fun-

Correctness of quoting the edition of 2008 (rather

damental interests of the Byzantine Empire and the than theJournal version of1896)showing the novelty Orthodox Church with certain pan-European of the findings also raises the question.

civilizational momentum.

Deactivation of the article could be partly due to

Below we link the phenomenon of “Barlaam and fact that it was not published in a special journal of
Josaphat” to the outstanding bilingual literary crea- Byzantine studies. However, in the 19^thcentury this tivity of Euthymius the Athonite, considering his circumstance could not play a decisive role, since Georgian literary works as the prologue to the great the main form of mutual exchange of scientific

Greek novel.

information was personal communication. For exam-

ple, in the same article, the author notes that “Balavariani” was sent tohim byNicholas Marr. By

Hard way to the truth

Volk admitted the possibility that it might be the way, it isinteresting, whether the author informed Euthymius himself, who concealed the real genesis Nicholas Marr about the results of the study.

and authorship of the novel [4: 94]. Shared also by

Unfortunately, in any case, we are faced with the

Bull. Georg. Natl. Acad. Sci., vol. 9, no. 3, 2015

170

fact that the important findings, capable to solve the century. Later, this version was redeveloped intoAraproblem of attribution, are “frozen” over a century bic one that was finallytranslated into Georgian [16: and no additional actions are taken to activate 149].

them.Thefact ofitsrepublication in theform ofa book

Unfortunately, in this case, we are faced with one

in 2008[14] when theproblem was alreadysolved [3: of the negative effects of deactivation of the vii-viii] onlyemphasizes the strangeness ofsituation. Conybeare’s findings [13].

Another constraint was a powerful wave of

The point is that Conybeare was the first to apply

skepticism emerged in the mid 20^thcenturyabout the the same logic. As a result, he arrived at a conclusion Euthymius the Athonite’s ability to create the great that “the earliest Greek form of the Christianized

Greek masterpiece.

biography of the Buddha probably originated in

In general, of course, skepticism is a mightytool Bactria in the third century A.D., in the circles, in for cognition and its overcoming is the most effec- which the religions of Jesus and Buddha met and tive way to truth. Especially, as in this case the mingled”[13: 141]. skepticism went from the pillars of Byzantine and ancient Georgian literarystudies, Franz Doelger and unreserved reliance on the general logic, Conybeare Korneli Kekelidze. surely defined “Balavariani” as “the Georgian or
At the same time, correctly assessing the risk of
Justly regarding “Barlaam and Josaphat” as the earliest Christian form of the story” [13: 101]. No best creation ofByzantine literature, in 1953 Doelger doubt, Kekelidze’s analysis would have been declared that for nearlyhalfa millennium (650-1085), fundamentally diverse if he had been familiar with he hardly saw any historical figure other than John the findings of Conybeare. of Damascus, able to create such a masterpiece [15: 64].
Finally, David Lang’s fundamental studyplayed a decisive role [17] securing the status of
Now, after the attribution ofthe novel, there is no “Balavariani” as the first Christianized biographyof point to discuss such a specific approach in detail. the Buddha, created on the basis of the Arabic IsWe can only point to its obvious drawback - the lamic “Bilauhar and Budasaf”. An anonymous auneglect of the need of comprehensive knowledge of thor of “Balavariani” firmly took the status of the the Georgian background and the personality of creator of the Budda’s first Christianized biography.

Euthymius the Athonite.

Certain inconsistencies are distinctive for the

The hypothesis of Kekelidze derived from the analysis of the second major stage.

analysis of the whole chain of the primary source -

On the one hand, the author criticizes Western

“Balavariani” - “Barlaam and Josaphat” deserves scientistsfor underestimation ofGeorgian cultureand detailed analysis[16]. Characteristic feature of the the personality of Euthymius the Athonite. On the hypothesis is not just declared de-facto skepticism other hand, when it comes to division of the roles in regarding the leading roleofGeorgian intellectuals at creation of “Barlaam and Josaphat”, he gives

decisive stages of the chain.

Euthymius the secondary role of the interlinear

The starting analysisis focused on definition of translator of “Balavariani” contributing a draft to the the geographical, religious and historical novel [16: 168].

circumstances determining the need ofChristianized

As for the real author of the novel, according to

biography of the Buddha. It is concluded that the Kekelidzethat is Symeon Metaphrastes, therenovator first Christianized biography based on the Pahlavi ofGreek literarylanguage and composer of the great version of the Buddha’s life was created in Syriac, GreekMenologies [16: 170].

the Nestorian metropolis of India in the mid seventh

Here, the main supporting arguments were the

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supposed contacts ofSymeon and Euthymius in Con-

Among these facts it is worth noting that full ter-

stantinople followed by professional and friendly mination of work on the Menologies is connected relations and the real metaphrastic literary style of with the departure ofSimeon. This fact suggests that the novel. The option of creating the novel by within the Metafrasticliteraryschool Simeonremained Euthymius independently, without the help ofliterary indispensable.

advisers, was not considered at all.

Thus, from the early980s to the mid 11^thcentury

In the mid 20^thcentury the life of Simeon (the period fully covering the most probable period
Metaphrastes was studied insufficiently. Important of creation the novel, 1010s, and supposedly his chronological details were clarified only in recent previous works, done before his father’s death, 990s)

decades.

the work on the Menologies was fully abandoned

Researchers established the most probable date and the Byzantine Metafrastic scene was left without of the Simeon’s death (987) [11: xcix; 18: 135, 19]. any serious figure.

Several years before he stopped literary activities, he

All these circumstances preclude not only

left Constantinople and became a monk. According Simeon’s authorship and his personal contacts with the same sources, it happened most probably in 980- Euthymius but alsotheexistenceofanyother “literary 982 after publication of a part of the great Greek adviser” whocould have taken part in creation of the Menologies - tremendous work done byhim and his great masterpiece of Byzantine literature. literary school. And it was the half of full collection of the Menologies.
In contrast to the assumption of the Simeon
Metaphrastes’ authorship, examination of
Based on the message of Eprem Mtsire, Hogel metaphrastic features of the novel turned out very suggested that “a possible explanation for this would fruitful.

be that Simeon Metaphrastes fell into disgrace at the

Kekelidze was the first to focus on the whole

court of Basil II” [20: 188]. It should be also noted complex of Metaphrastic features of the novel, that the age of Simeon (he was born in 900) might including its compilation character, literarystyle and alsoplaya role (wherever the source is not specified, the link to the Metafrastic life of St. Catherine (the historical dates correspond to the encyclopedia latter fact was known before) [16: 146]. The previous Britannica). For one reason or another, work on approach aimed at justifyingthe authorship ofSimeon

Menologies really stopped in early 980s.

Metaphrastes was redeveloped later by Elgudja

According to Efthymiadis “After the publication Khintibidze for analysis of the novel’s history, of Symeon Metaphrastes’ Menologion (later tenth primarily, for clarifying the chronology and the century), hagiographyfell into a decline” [21]. Hogel authorship. Relevant studies and analysis ofreligious echoes this evaluation “No rewriter after Symeon and political role ofthe novel allowed him to make a Metaphrastes attained his importance, but prose significant contribution to establishing the Euthymius rewriting continued, to some extent toa newand less theAthonite’s authorship [12: 192-291, 23].

ambitious fashion. The first towering personalitywas

The final point was placed in the basic research

MichaelPsellos”[20:189]. MichaelPsellos(1018-1078) ofRobert von Volk[3: vii-viii, 4: 1-95].

attempted to resume the work on the Menologies

Relying on the Thesaurus Linguae Graecae, he

and “produced at least one piece of rewriting, namely studied and compared in detail almost all the survivhis version of “Life ofAuxentios” [20: 190]. The real ing manuscripts of “Barlaam and Josaphat” together endeavor to complete the Menologies was made by with the vast corpus of Simeon Metaphrastes finally John Xiphilinos the Younger during the reign of resolving the problem of dating and authorship of

AlexiosIKomnenos(1081-1118) [19, 22: 144].

the novel.

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The publication of final attribution [3-4] by“Die

Theseestimates ofhis contemporaries hardlyneed

Schriften des Johannes von Damaskos” is symbolic: any comments and it should be said that in the hisas if, after a decent fulfillment ofthe role conferred on tory of Georgia there is no other figure rewarded by him to hold the novel through the millennium, the such estimates. great John Damascus announces tothe world its real author.
“Prayer of the Holy Father our Euthymius
Georgian”, the original creation of Euthymius in Georgian is alsoofinterest. Let us look at theestimate ofKekelidze [25: 13].

Bilingual Literary Genius

In our opinion, the most reliable way to verify the

“History knows such great classics as Asshur

literary strength of the Greek writer Euthymius the Ephrem, Basil the Great, John Chrysostom, John of Athonite passes through the analysis of the Damascus, and many others, whose prayers were biography and achievements of the Georgian writer translated by Euthymius. However, the Euthymius Euthymius the Athonite. Moreover, there is a great prayer not only does not stand any of these down, deal of historical data characterizing him as the but is above them in a comprehensive way. It

Georgian writer.

combines deep religious feelings of the Christian

Euthymius left the native language environment believer, mental contemplation ofthe thinking human in his childhood and spent the rest ofhis life far away being and subtle inspiration of poetical feeling”.

from Georgia. During the hostage in Constantinople

It is impossible not to recall the words of

he almost forgot Georgian language, which he Heine”The flower of the sacred poetry” saying about relearned in the Iviron Monastery. Further he main- “Barlaam and Josahat”.

tained the language proficiencybymeans ofcommu-

As far as we know, the history knows no other

nication with dozens of Georgian monks and the case when the literarygeniusand renovator ofliterary guests from Georgia, and alsowith the help of Geor- language was formed far from the country without

gian literature.

genuine integration into the spectrum of native

As to the achievements of Euthymius the speakers. Only fantastic literary talent could afford
Athoniteas theGeorgian writer, he renewedGeorgian such achievement.

literary language and expanded its capacity. He

By the way, we are talking about a highly

renewed and expanded theological terminologyand developed language, with a prehistory of thousands practically recreated philosophical terminology. He of years of continuous evolution and centuries-old created the grand Georgian “Athonnite’s Corpus” literary tradition. Long before Euthymius, the including more than 160 translated books. In his Georgianscreated “TheMartyrdom ofthe HolyQueen translations he often used compilation, did extensive Shushanik” (5^thcentury) and “Balavariani” (9^thexemptions and insertions. Atangible part of the de- century), still underestimated masterpieces of the facto library created by him represents his original world literature. literarytexts.
Now let us see the estimates of his could the above fantastic literarytalent develop with contemporaries: genuine integration into the language environment,
Now, it remains toanswer themain question: how
“The grace of God gives us a new Chrysostom” in other words, what could reach the Greek writer
[24: 61]. “He ripped offthe veil ofignorance from the Euthymius the Athonite?

mind of ours” [24:108]. “He expanded and replen-

Euthymius the Athonite learned the Greek lan-

ished, and decorated the Shortcomings of the language in his childhood, receiving brilliant Byzantine

guage of ours” [24:333].

education at Constantinople court. He spent almost