DOI article:
Crum, Walter E.: Progress of Egyptology: christian Egypt
DOI Page / Citation link: https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.12423#0073
Christian Egypt.
63
Winstedt edits10 fragments of an already known collection of brief
lives in Coptic of the apostles and other biblical characters. In several
cases legendary matter is conspicuous.
In Galtier's publication11 of an account by A. des Eivieres of Harris's
MSS. (biblical and patristic), a fragment of ' the Gospel of Nicodemus or
of the Egyptians' is mentioned. What has become of this ?
Andersson prints12 further instalments of his criticisms, chiefly
philological, on Amelineau's Pistis, taking account now of C. Schmidt's
translation likewise.
Peeters criticises13 Liidtke's study of the Salome legend (v. Report
1905-06, 68).
Lieblein suggests that the obscure avri^iinov Trvev/j.a of the Pistis is a
reminiscence of the Egyptian fat.13?
3. Liturgical.—The foremost contribution to this branch of our subject
might be as well classed under ' Philology,' for it is equally important in
that aspect. H. Junker has undertaken the investigation of what remains
of Coptic poetry in the Sa'idic dialect.14 ' Of the 10th century,' lie
terms it, for the MSS. should indeed date roughly from that period. But
its elements are doubtless to be sought far further back. J. describes all
the known MSS., pointing out the ' dramatic' structure of some (recitative,
solo, chorus), discusses the titles prescribing the melodies, the form of
strophes, the rhythmical construction. He shows the freedom with which
toned and untoned syllables can be interchanged, and how indefinite
may be the number of the latter in a line. He examines the Byzantine
element in the hymns, both as regards texts translated, or rather, adapted
and melodies used. The debased linguistic character of all texts (the long
Leyden MS. being the purest) would be the result of repeated copying;
the originals would be in classical Sa'idic. The completion of Junker's
fundamental work is still to come.
One of the hymns in Kenyon and Bell's Catalogue iii (v. last Report 69)
is reedited by P. Maas,15 who regards it as possibly used as a model by
Romanos. It bears a certain likeness to the Te Deum and is still to be
heard in the Greek church.
Junker compares10 the hymn to the Cross in one of the new Nubian
MSS., with a Sa'idic text in Leyden {Manuscrits p. 433), and draws the
natural conclusion that, in such matters, Nubia was indebted to Egypt.
He also shows1? that the Sa'idic hymn, Berlin Urkunden i, p. 163, is
the Greek v^vos eooOivo*;, in a longer form, and that it is to be found also
in Bohairic (Theotokia &c).
Turaef prints18 a Bohairic ' canon' on the Virgin, Christinas &c. He
63
Winstedt edits10 fragments of an already known collection of brief
lives in Coptic of the apostles and other biblical characters. In several
cases legendary matter is conspicuous.
In Galtier's publication11 of an account by A. des Eivieres of Harris's
MSS. (biblical and patristic), a fragment of ' the Gospel of Nicodemus or
of the Egyptians' is mentioned. What has become of this ?
Andersson prints12 further instalments of his criticisms, chiefly
philological, on Amelineau's Pistis, taking account now of C. Schmidt's
translation likewise.
Peeters criticises13 Liidtke's study of the Salome legend (v. Report
1905-06, 68).
Lieblein suggests that the obscure avri^iinov Trvev/j.a of the Pistis is a
reminiscence of the Egyptian fat.13?
3. Liturgical.—The foremost contribution to this branch of our subject
might be as well classed under ' Philology,' for it is equally important in
that aspect. H. Junker has undertaken the investigation of what remains
of Coptic poetry in the Sa'idic dialect.14 ' Of the 10th century,' lie
terms it, for the MSS. should indeed date roughly from that period. But
its elements are doubtless to be sought far further back. J. describes all
the known MSS., pointing out the ' dramatic' structure of some (recitative,
solo, chorus), discusses the titles prescribing the melodies, the form of
strophes, the rhythmical construction. He shows the freedom with which
toned and untoned syllables can be interchanged, and how indefinite
may be the number of the latter in a line. He examines the Byzantine
element in the hymns, both as regards texts translated, or rather, adapted
and melodies used. The debased linguistic character of all texts (the long
Leyden MS. being the purest) would be the result of repeated copying;
the originals would be in classical Sa'idic. The completion of Junker's
fundamental work is still to come.
One of the hymns in Kenyon and Bell's Catalogue iii (v. last Report 69)
is reedited by P. Maas,15 who regards it as possibly used as a model by
Romanos. It bears a certain likeness to the Te Deum and is still to be
heard in the Greek church.
Junker compares10 the hymn to the Cross in one of the new Nubian
MSS., with a Sa'idic text in Leyden {Manuscrits p. 433), and draws the
natural conclusion that, in such matters, Nubia was indebted to Egypt.
He also shows1? that the Sa'idic hymn, Berlin Urkunden i, p. 163, is
the Greek v^vos eooOivo*;, in a longer form, and that it is to be found also
in Bohairic (Theotokia &c).
Turaef prints18 a Bohairic ' canon' on the Virgin, Christinas &c. He