Kassia: A female hymnographer of the 9 th century SPYROS PANAGOPOULOS

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1 Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the ASBMH page 111 Introduction Kassia:Afemalehymnographerofthe9 th century SPYROSPANAGOPOULOS Forover1.000 yearsmanymenandafewwomenwrotehymnsinbyzantium. TheircontributiontoworldliteratureandtoGreeklettersconstitutesavastand pricelesstreasureofsacredpoetry.it simpossibletoexaggeratethevalueofthis hymnography,sinceitexpresses,asnothingelsecan,thespiritualriches,faithand beautyofeasternchristendom.someofthesehymnsarestillchantedtodayin manylanguagesinorthodoxchurchesineverypartoftheworld.othersremain unknown.hiddeninmanuscriptsstoredinmonasticlibraries,theywaittobe discoveredandtobeedited. 78 It sobviousthatthebyzantinefemalehymnographywasnotflourishedespeciallyin Byzantium.Wehavethenamesofhundredsmalehymnodistswhocamefromall partsoftheoikoumene,fromgreece,italy,palestine,andsyria,aswellasfromthe islandsofcyprus,creteandsicily.thesehymnodistscameofallclassesof Byzantinesociety,fromtheobscuremanwhosignedhishymnὁἀμαρτωλός(the sinner)totheemperorjustinian( ),whowroteinimperialredinkthe troparionὁμονογενὴςυἱός,andthenordereditsinsertionintothedivineliturgy. Despitethegreatnumberofmalehymnodists,weknowonlysixfemininenames thatcomposedhymns:γρηγορίς,μάρθα,θεοδοσία 79,Θέκλα 80,Κασσίαand Παλαιολογίνα. 81 ThefameofKassiatheMelodistoutshinesbyfarallotherwomen writersinbothmedievalandmoderngreekwriters. 78 ForanintroductioninBzyantineHzmnographythereisavastbibliography.Cf.e.g. N. B. Thomadakis, Βυζαντινή Υμνογραφία και Ποίησις. Thessaloniki 1993; K. Metsakes, Βυζαντινή Υμνογραφία. Athens ; Barry Baldwin, Anthology of ByzantinePoetry.Amsterdam ;C.A.Trypanis,MedievalandModernGreekPoetry: An Anthology. Oxford 1951; Edgon Wellescz, A History of Byzantine Music and Hymnography.Oxford E.CataphygiotouTopping, Theodosia:MelodosandMonastria,Diptycha4( ),pp E. Kataphygiotou Topping, Thekla the Nun: In Praise of Women, GOThR 25(1980), pp E. Kataphygiotou Topping, Women Hymnographers in Byzantium, Diptycha 3( ), Topping has refuted older opinions, that Kassia was the only woman hymnographerinbyzantium.

2 Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the ASBMH page 112 Kassia slifeandwork Kassia 82 wasbornbetween805and810inconstantinopleintoanaristocraticfamily. ThreeByzantinechroniclers Pseudo SymeontheLogothete 83,GeorgetheMonk 84 (a.k.a.georgethesinner)andleothegrammarian 85,claimthatshewasa participantintheʺbrideshowʺorganizedfortheophilusbyhisstepmother Euphrosyne. 86 SmittenbyKassiaʹsbeautytheyoungemperorTheophilus approachedherandsaid,ʺthroughawomantrickledforththebaserthings [referringtothepassionscomingasaresultofeveʹstransgression].ʺkassia respondedbysaying,ʺbutthroughawomancamethebetterthings[referringtothe blessingsresultingfromtheincarnationofchrist].ʺhispridewounded,theophilos choseanotherbride,theodora. AboutKassia slifeandherunsucesfulefforttobemarriedwiththeophilus,wehave manysourcesfrombothbyzantineandthemoderntimes 87.Inthispaperwewill presentthesourcesfromthebyzantineeraandespeceiallyasourcefromthefirsthalf ofthe12 th centuryandthesecondoneapoemfromthe14 th centuryin29iambic verses. ThefirstsourceisfromJohnZonaras EpitomeHistoriarum,inwhichhenarratesusthe marriageoftheophiluswiththeodora,theunsuccesfulattemptofkassiatomarry TheophilusandKassia sdecisiontobuiltaconvent. Γυναῖκαδ ἑαυτῷεἰσοικίσασθαιβουληθεὶςὁθεόφιλος,πολλὰςπολλαχόθενὡραίας κόρας συνήγαγεν, ἐν αἷς ἦν καὶ ἡ Εἰκασία, παρθένος καὶ τὸ εἶδος καλὴ καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ὑπερφέρουσα καὶ λόγοις ὡμιληκυῖα καὶ τὸ γένος ἐπίσημος. περιῄει γοῦν 82 For an introductory article about Kassia, cf. G. Schirò, La seconda leggenda di Cassia, Diptycha1(1979), Ed.Im.Bekker,SymeonMagister,CS(1838), Ed.Muralt,GeorgiiMonachidictiHamartoli,Chronikonaborbeconditoadannump.chr. n.842etadiversisscriptoribususqueada.1143continuatum,saintpetersburg,1859p Ed.Im.Bekker,LeonisGrammaticiChronographia,CS(1842),, W.Treadgold, TheProblemoftheMarriageoftheEmperorTheophilus,GRBS16(1975), PP In this article there is an analytical explanation of Theophilus marriage with Theodora, which is dated exactly on 5 June 830 and not in 821, as Brooks Bury etc. have claimed. The episode with Kassia is acceptable by Treadgold. Cf. also, IDEM, The Bride ShowsoftheByzantineEmperors,Byz.49(1979), ;E.W.Brooks, TheMarriageofthe EmperorTheophilus,BZ10(1901), About these sources, cf. Ph. Blachopoulou, Βιβλιογραφικό δοκίμιο για την Κασ[σ]ία Κασ[σ]ιανή,ByzantinosDomos1(1987),pp (here )

3 Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the ASBMH page 113 ταύτας θεώμενος καὶ μῆλον κατέχων χρυσοῦν, ἵν αὐτὸ ἐπιδῷ τῇ δοξάσῃ αὐτῷ ἀρεστῇ ἐπεὶδὲἦλθεκατὰτὴνεἰκασίανπεριιών,θαυμάσαςἐκείνηντῆςὡραιότητος ἔφη ἐκ γυναικὸς ἐρρύη τὰ φαῦλα. ἡ δ ἠρέμα καὶ μετὰ σεμνοῦ ἐρυθήματος εὐστόχως πως ἀπεκρίνατο ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ γυναικὸς πηγάζει τὰ κρείττω. ὁ δὲ καταβροντηθεὶς ὥσπερ τῷ τῆς παρθένου λόγῳ τὴν μὲν παρῆλθε, τὸ μῆλον δὲ τὸ χρυσοῦν τῇ ἐκ Παφλαγονίας Θεοδώρᾳ παρέσχετο. ἡ δ Εἰκασία τῆς βασιλείας ἀποτυχοῦσα μονὴν ἐδείματο, ἣ τὴν ἐκείνης κλῆσιν ἔσχεν ἐπίκλησιν, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ μονάσασα ἑαυτῇ ἔζη καὶ τῷ θεῷ, τῆς λογικῆς παιδείας μὴ ἀλογήσασα. ὅθεν καὶ συγγράμματαἐκείνηςεὑρίσκονταιεὐπαιδευσίαςχαρίτωνοὐκἄμοιρα.καὶἡμὲνοὕτω διέθετοτὰκαθ ἑαυτὴνκαὶἀτευκτήσασαβασιλέωςφθαρτοῦτῷπαμβασιλεῖἑαυτὴν ἐμνηστεύσατο;καὶἀντὶγεηρᾶςβασιλείαςτὴνἐπουράνιονἐκληρώσατο.ὁβασιλεὺςδὲ ΘεόφιλοςτὴνΘεοδώρανἑαυτῷσυνοικίζεικαὶὁμοῦταύτηνκαὶτῷγαμηλίῳστεφάνῳ καὶτῷβασιλικῷταινιοῖδιαδήματικαὶτοὺςγάμουςτελεῖ. 88 ThesecondsourceisfromsomeonemonkEphraiminthe14 th century,whohaswritten aworldchronik. Θεόφιλοςσχεῖναύζυγονβίουθέλων κοινωνὸνἄματοῦκράτουςκαὶτοῦλέχους, χορὸνσυνῆξεπαρθένωνπολλαχόθεν, καλῶνἁπασῶν,ὄψινεὐπρεπεστάτων ἐναἷσπερἐξέλαμψετῶνἄλλωνπλέον, οἷοςσελήνηςπλησιφαοῦστιςκύκλος. Σώματοςὥρα,λαμπρότητιτοῦγένους καὶμαρμαρυγαῖςτῶνλόγωνεἰκασία. χρυσοῦντιμῆλονἀμέλειφέρωνἄναξ 2320περιπολῶνἦντὸνχορὸντῶνπαρθένων, μνῆστρονσκοπῶνδοῦναίτιτοῦτοφιλτάτῃ. ὡςοὖνθεᾶταιπαριὼνεἰκασίαν, κάλλουςπεριττοῦθαυμάσαςκόρηνἔφη «διὰγυναικὸςφαῦλαπάντ ἀπερρύη» 2325ἡδ ἠρέμ ἀντέφησενεὐστόχωςἄγαν «ἀλλ ἐκγυναικὸςπηγάζεικαὶβελτίω». ὁδ αὖπαρῆλθεθαυμάσαςτὴνπαρθένον, 88 IoannisZοναραεepitomehistoriarumlibriXIII XVIII,ed.Th.Bütner Wobst,Bonnae1897, 354f.

4 Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the ASBMH page 114 καὶδοὺςτὸμῆλονπαρθένῳθεοδώρᾳ, χώρανἐχούσῃπατρίδαπαφλαγόνων 2330πλὴνεὐπατριδῶνπατέρωνκατηγμένῃ, κοινωνὸναὐτὴνἄγεταικράτουςλέχους, τὴνεἰκασίανπαραβλέψας,ὡςἔφην. ἣμὴτυχοῦσακοσμικῆςἐηουσίαςσκηπτουχίας οὐνυμφίουτεγηγενοῦςβασιλέως 2335πλουτεῖνοητὸνπαντάνακτανυμφίον καὶβασιλέωςοὐρανῶνκληροουχίαν, μονάσασαδὲκαὶμονὴνδειμαμένη ἠσκεῖτ ἐναὐτῇ,προσλαλοῦσαταῖςβίβλοισ ἧςμεστὰσυγγράμματαχαρίτωνἔφυ. Kassiafoundaconventin843inthewestofConstantinoplenearthewallsof Constantineandbecameitsfirstabbess. 89 ΠάτριαΚωνσταντινουπόλεως, 90 achronicle fromthe14 th century,informsusaboutkassia sconvent:ἡμονὴτὰεἰκασίαςἐκτίσθη παρὰεἰκασίαςμοναχῆςεὐλαβεστάτηςκαὶσεβασμίαςγυναικός,ὡραίαςτῷεἴδει ἣν δὲκοσμικὴνοὖσανθεόφιλοςὁβασιλεὺςἰδὼνλαβεῖνγυναῖκαἠθέλησεν,εἰπὼνὡς ἄρα«διὰγυναικὸςἐρρύητὰφαῦλα».ἐπεὶδ ἐκείνησοφωτάτηἦν,μετ αἰδοῦςπως ἀντέφησεν «ἀλλὰκαὶδιὰγυναικὸςπηγάζειτὰκρείττονα».ταῦταἀκοῦσαςὁ Θεόφιλοςταύτηνμὲνεἴασε,Θεοδῶρᾳδὲὃἐπεφέρετοχρυσοῦνμῆλονδεδώκει 91.Ἡ οὖνεἰκασίατῆςβασιλείαςἀποτυχοῦσατὸτῶνμοναζουσῶνἐνδιδύσκεταισχῆμα, κανόναςπολλοὺςκαὶστιχηρὰκαὶἄλλατινὰἀξιοθαύμασταποιήσασα.although manyscholarsattributethistobitternessathavingfailedtomarrytheophilos,aletter fromtheodorethestuditeindicatesthatshehadothermotivationsforwantinga 89 I. Rochow, Studien zu der Pesron, den Wirken und dem Nachleben der Dichterin Kassia. AkedemieVerlag,München1967,pp Ed.Th.Preger,2[Leipzig,1907],276f. 91 Ath.Markopoulos, ΒίοςτῆςΑὐτοκράτειραςΘεοδώρας/BHG1731,Symmeikta5(1983),pp ( text ). A detailed account which there is in no other primary source about Theodora s choice, in whom Theophilus offered the golden apple. According to Markopouloswhoalsopointstotheacceptanceof830aboutTheophilus marriage,«μόνοἡ Θεοδώρα προβάλλεται καὶ τιμάται ἰδιαίτερα[ ]ἐνῶ γιὰ τὴν Κασσιανὴ δὲν ὑπάρχει καμμιὰ συγκεκριμένη ἀναφορὰ κάτι ποῦ ἔκανε τὸν Melioransky (VV 8, 1901, 12 13) νὰ θεωρήσειτὸκεἰμενοαὐτὸπολεμικὴἐναντίοντῆςκασσιανῆς».cf.aboutthethemeofthe apple as an erotic symbol A. R. Littlewood, The Symbolism of the Apple in Byzantine Literature,JÖB23(1974),33 59;IDEM, TheeroticSymbolismoftheAppleinlateByzantine andmeta ByzantinedemoticLiterature,BMGS17(1993),

5 Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the ASBMH page 115 monasticlife. 92 IthadacloserelationshipwiththenearbymonasteryofStoudios, whichwastoplayacentralroleinre editingthebyzantineliturgicalbooksinthe9 th centuryandthe10 th century,sowereimportantinensuringthesurvivalofherwork. Kassia spoeticaloeuvre Kassiahascomposedanextendednumberofliturgicalhymnswhichareconcludedin theliturgicalbooksofeasternchristendom,suchasthemenaiaandthetriodion. TraditionandmanuscriptauthorityascribedtoKassia49religioushymnsand261 secularversesintheformofepigramsandgnomicversesormoralsentences(e.g.i hatetherichmangroaningasifhewerepoor).theseworksarefoundinnumerous manuscriptsdatingfromthe11 th tothe16 th centuryandbearthenamekassia,or EikasiaorIkasia.AccordingtoAntoniaTripolitis, Manuscriptscholarssuggestthat EikasiaandIkasiaarecopyist serrorsthatresultedfromtheannexationofthe femininearticle n,acommonmistakeofthescribes. 93 Themostwidely spread Kassia shymnisthetroparionκύριεἡἐνπολλαῖςἁμαρτίαιςandissunginthe VesperserviceofHolyTuesday. 94 OthergreatpoemsofKassiaarethehugeKanonfor thereposeofthedead,thesticheron,onthebirthofchrist(otherwise, WhenAugustus reigned»),thesticheron,ontheannunciation,sticheraonvarioussaintsetc. 95 A hypothesisthatkassiaauthoredtheakathistoshymnhasnoscholarlyjustification. 96 Kassia stroparionκύριεἡἐνπολλαῖςἁμαρτίαις 1Κύριεἡἐνπολλαῖςἁμαρτίαιςπεριπεσοῦσαγυνὴ, 2τὴνσὴναἰσθομένηθεότητα 3μυροφόρουἀναλαβοῦσατάξιν, 4ὀδυρομένημύρονσοιπρὸτοῦἐνταφιασμοῦκομίζει 5οἴμοι!λέγουσα,ὅτινύξμοιὑπάρχει, 6οἶστροςἀκολασίαςζοφώδηςτεκαὶἀσέληνος, 7ἔρωςτῆςἀμαρτίας 8δέξαιμουτὰςπηγὰςτῶνδακρύων 9ὁνεφέλαιςδιεξάγωντῆςθαλάσσηςτὸὕδωρ 92 ThelettersofTheodoretheStuditetoKassiareprintedinRochow1967,pp A.Tripolitis,Kassia:TheLegend,theWoman,andherWork,NewYork London,1992,xi xii 94 Forthishymnthereisanextendedanalysisbelow. 95 Aboutthesehymnsasalsoaboutepigramsandgnomai,cf.A.Kazhdan,pp About thewholetextofthesehymns,epigramsandgnomai,cf.a.tripolitis1992,passim. 96Cf.A.Kazhdan,AHistoryofByzantineLiterature.( ).TheNationalHellenicResearch offoundation.instituteofbyzantineresearch,athens1999,p.322,footnote.15.

6 Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the ASBMH page κάμφθητίμοιπρὸςτοὺςστεναγμοὺςτῆςκαρδίας 11ὁκλίναςτοὺςοὐρανοὺςτῇἀφράστῳσουκενώσει 12καταφιλήσωτοὺςἀχράντουςσουπόδας, 13ἀποσμήξωτούτουςδὲπάλιν 14τοῖςτῆςκεφαλῆςμουβοστρύχοις 15ὧνἐντῷπαραδείσῳΕὔατὸδειλινὸν 16κρότοντοῖςὠσὶνἠχηθεῖσατῷφόβῳἐκρύβη 17ἁμαρτιῶνμουτὰπλήθηκαὶκριμάτωνσουἀβύσσους 18τίςἐξιχνιάσει,ψυχοσῶστασωτήρμου; 19Μήμετὴνσὴνδούληνπαρίδῃς 20ὁἀμέτρητονἔχωντὸἔλεος. ENGLISHTRANSLATIONACCORDINGTOANDREWR.DYCK S TRANSLATION Lord,awomanwhofellintomanysins, RecognizingYourDivinity, Tookupthemyrrh bearer soffice, Withtearsbroughtyoumyrrhbeforeyourentombment. Ahme! shesaid, nightisuponme, Thegoadofincontinence,gloomyandmoonless, Tolustaftersin. Receivemystreamsoftears, Youwhousecloudstodrawthewaterofthesea; Bendtomyheartsgroans, Youwhobenttheheavenswithyourineffableabasement. Ishallcoverwithkisses Andwipeagain Withthehairofmyhead TheimmaculatefeetofYou, Whosefootfallsechoinginherears, Eveinparadiseateven tidehidherselfinfear. Soul savingsavior,whowilltrackdown Thenumbersofmysinsandthedepthsofyourjudgment? Donotoverlookmeyoursservant Youwhohavepitywithoutmeasure. Kassia sliteraryfamerestsonhersticheronoftroparion,formallyknownbyitsfirst line:κύριεἡἐνπολλαῖςἁμαρτίαις(lord,shewhohadfalleninmanysins).inthe manuscriptsmedievalscribesentitled:εἰςτὴνπόρνην(totheharlot).tomany generationsofgreekorthodoxitisfamiliarknownasτὸτροπάριοντῆςκασσιανῆς

7 Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the ASBMH page 117 (ThetroparionofKassia).Admired,popularandbeloved,thishymnisuniversally acknowledgedtobeamasterpieceofreligiouspoetry.thishymnrepublished, translatedandingeniouslycommentedonbyprofessora.r.dyck 97.Itisnotthefirst timethatthe«sinfulwoman»ofthegospelofluke( ),appearsinGreekpoetry: RomanostheMelodedevotedtoherakontakion 98.AccordingtoRussianByzantinist AlexanderKazhdan,thehymnisreferrednottoMaryMagdalene,asMary sname neverbeingmentioned.whereasromanos,accordingtodyck,followstheplotofthe Gospel,Kassia,ontheotherhand,turnsfromthesphereofhumanmoralstothe metaphysicalrelationbetweenthesinnerandgod:theheroineofherhymncherishes noclaimtothebetterthananybodyelse(apharisee,forinstance),butinthe humblenessshegenuflectsbeforethelordandasksforhisforgiveness. 99 Thelanguageofthetroparionisamosaiccomposedofwords,phrases,andechoes fromthescriptures,especiallythepsalter.thehymnisconsecrated,intenseandbrief, consistingofalittlemorethan100words.yetthebyzantinenun hymnographer portraysinituniversalhumanemotions,thefundamentalchristiandramaofsinand salvation.thetroparionpossessesbothbeautyandrichnessofmeaning.onescholar appreciated Thewayinwhichdramaticandnarrativeelementsareblended,andthe finalplayer,whereintheneedofonesinnerisabsorbedintothecryofawhole sufferingworld[ ] 100. ThestructureandstyleofKassia stroparionareinfluencedbythesevenpenitential Psalms(6,31,37,50,101,129,142),threeofwhich(37,50,142)arechantedduringthe OrthrosofHolyWednesday.LikethesepsalmsthetroparionisaddressedtoGod, praiseshismercyandcontainsconfessionandprayer.kassia,however,wasnomere imitatorofthepsalmist.hertroparionismorecomplexinstructure,moresubtleinits psychologyandmoredynamicinmovement.hersisanewsong,adistinctly ByzantineLentenpsalm,inspiredbytheproseofSaintLuke. AccordingtoA.Dyck,the sinfulwoman ofluke sgospel(7,36ff.)appearsnotfor thefirsttimeasapoeticsubject.cassia stroparionhaspointsofcontactwith Romano spoetryandespeciallywithhistenthkontakion,includingthemetaphorof 97 A. R. Dyck, On Cassia ΚΥΡΙΕ Η ΕΝ ΠΟΛΛΑΙΣ, Byz 46(1986), pp Professor Dyck sstudywillbeourguideforourcommentary. 98 Cf.IlseRochow1967,p.42andK.Krumbacher, Kassia,SBBAW,philos. philol.undhist. Cl.(1897), 1, Romanos also alludes to the harlot at canticum 52, α, 3: ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ (sc.τῷἰατρείῳτῆςμετανοίας)ἡπόρνηὑγίανεν. 99Dyck1986,p.66f. 100 H.J.W.Tillyard, AMusicalStudyoftheHymnsofCassia,BZ20(1911), (here p.433)

8 Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the ASBMH page 118 nighttodescribethewoman sstate:romanos,prooemiumii.1:ἐνκατανύξειibid., stanza6,1.4:ἦνἐνσκότεικαὶἦλθεςἰδεῖνμετὸνἥλιον:(7):cassia,lines5 6:ὅτινύξ μοιὑπάρχει,/οῖστροςἀκολασίαςζοφώδηςτεκαὶἀσέληνος. Kassia stroparionconsistsofasinglestropheinwhichtwodifferentvoicesareheard. First,thesacredpoetherselfspeaksinabriefintroduction.Theninthelonger dramaticportionwehearthevoiceofthesinfulwomandisclosingthepathosofher life,thechangefromhamartia(sin)tosoteria(salvation).thepoemopenswithashort, four linepreamble:thewomanfallenintomanysinsbringschristmyrrhforburial.in thepreamble,weareattheendofthestory,christisdead,andmaryassistsathis burial. The introduction to the woman s speech is framed by the two longest lines of the poem(verses1and4;18syllableseach).webeginwithadescriptionofthewoman s sinful state (1, 5 7); the turning point, expressed in the second line, is not so much restatedasdramatizedinthespeechasawhole.thenfollowsthewoman sacceptance ofserviceasastepinherredemption(3 4and12 14).ThewordΚύριε(Lord),with whichthepoembegins,setsthetone.addressingthelord,thesacredpoetpresents herhymntohim.atthesametimeshesummarizesthestoryfirsttoldbyst.luke,all the while subtly refining and deepening it. With a long dignified phrase Kassia the Nun introduces her subject: ἡ ἐν πολλαῖς ἁμαρτίαις περιπεσοῦσα γυνὴ (a woman whofellintomanysins).thereishereadifferencebetweentheotherhymnographers and Kassia, as to the woman s characterization: the hymnographers insist on calling the sinner a πόρνη, Kassia, nevertheless vividly describes the woman s utter degradation.itistheveryonsetofspiritualperception(noteaoristαἰσθομένη)inl.2, which makes the darkness surrounding the woman in ll. 5 7 seem so oppressive. 101 Thewoman sacceptanceoftheofficeofmyrrh bearer(ll.3 4)isanoutwardsignofan innerchange.onereadingthislineforthefirsttimemightbetemptedtoreferthese wordstothepurchaseofmyrrhpriortothewoman sacceptanceatsimon shouse,a scenedramatized,afterephraimthesyrian,byromanos(cant.10,stanzas9 10).The 101 Theharlot schangeofheartappearsasareactionagainstherpreviouswayoflifeinthe anonymous hymn for the Wednesday of Holy Week printed at Analecta sacra spicilegio solesmensi parata, ed. J.B. Pitra, 1(Paris, 1876), , stanza β : ἡ πρώην ἄσωτος γυνὴ/ ἐξαίφνης σώφρων ὤφθη/ μισήσασα τὰ ἔργα/ τῆς αἰσχρᾶς ἁμαρτίας/ καὶ ἡδονὰς τοῦ σώματος/ διενθυμουμένη/ τὴν αἰσχύνην τὴν πολλὴν/ καὶ κρίσιν τῆς κολάσεως,/ ἣν ὑποστῶσιν πόρνοι καὶ ἄσωτοι[ ]. Cf. also the oppressive darkness conjured by Aristophanes choir of birds. Aves, stanzas : Χάος ἦν καὶ Νὺξ Ἔρεβός τε μέλαν πρῶτονκαὶτάρταροςεὐρὺς,γῆδ οὐδἀὴροὐδ οὐρανὸςἦν Ἐρέβουςδ ἐνἀπείροσικόλποις τίκτει πρώτιστονὑπηνέμιον Νὺξ ἡ μελανόπτεροςὠόν[ ](Ed.F. W. Hall W. M. Geldart, AristophanisComoediae TomusI,OCT,Oxford

9 Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the ASBMH page 119 office of myrrh bearer conjures another New Testament scene, that in which the Magipresentmyrrh,amongothergiftstotheinfantJesus.Infact,themyrrhwillbe neededforembalmingthebodyofthecrucifiedchrist.inallthesethreecases,which werementioned,thegiftofmyrrhrepresentsanhonor,whichflowsfromthespiritual insightmentionedinl.2(τὴνσὴναἰσθομένηθεότητα). After this brief yet suggestive introduction, the second voice enters the troparion. FromthelipsoftheSinfulWomanherselfwehearherconfessionandprayer.Thecry οἴμοιwithwhichthewomanbeginsisunexpected. Woe sme!,aloanfromancient tragedyfrequentlyemployedbyhagiographersandhymnographersabouttomention somefrightfulfactorsituationcassiausesittomakethegoadofsinpalpable.the imageryofdarknessinll.5 6includesametaphoricalapplicationofἀσέληνος,which isordinarilyanepithetofnight. 102 AccordingtoKazhdan, theepithetsofdarkness, anobviouscharacteristicofnight,areextendedinthepoemtothesensualdesiresof the sinful woman. [ ] It seems at this point Kassia turns to the episode of Simon s banquet:thestreamsoftears,thekisses,thewipingoffeetwiththelocksofherhair alltheseactionsareborrowedfromthegospel,butinthepoemtheyacquireaspecific role[ ] 103. Lines8 14compriseastatementofherofferings.Eachofferinginvolvesapartofher thestreamsofhertears,thegroansofherheart,thekissingofhisfeet,andwipingof themwiththehairsofherhead:whatsheisofferingisherself.thoughinlines8and9 hertearsarebyrhetoricalhyperbolestreams,hecanreceivethemsincehefillsthe seawithwater.thebendingtoanindividualiseasilycomparedtothebendingofthe heavens(ll.10 11;cf.Ps.17,10). 104 SheasksGodto bend towardhersorrowing heart.confession,tearsandprayertoamercifulgodbegintohealthesinfulwoman, toliberateherfromhersin filledpast.lookingnowtothefuture,shepromiseschrist tokisshisfeetagainandtodrythemwithherhair.divinelovehaserasedthe moonlessnight ofguiltandsin.wemustalsonotethecontrastofll.9and11:itisas 102 Cf.Dyck1985,p.69(footnote23),whereDyckexplainsthetermἀσέληνος. 103 A.Kazhdan,1999,pp For the phraseology of ll. 8 and 10 (τὰς πηγὰς τῶν δακρύων[ ]πρὸς τοὺς στεναγμοὺςτῆςκαρδίαςcf.andrewofcrete,greatcanon,ll :Τὰδάκρυα,σωτὴρ, τῶν ὀμμάτων μου καὶ τοὺς ἐκ βάθους στεναγμοὺς/ καθαρῶς προσφέρω βοώσης τῆς καρδίας[ ]. Forlines9and11(ὁ νεφέλαις διεξάγωντῆςθαλάσσης τὸὕδωρ;ὁκλίνας τοὺςοὐρανοὺςτῇἀφράστῳσουκενώσει)notee.norden,agnostostheos.untersuchungen zurformengeschichtereligiöserrede.(leipzig Berlin,1913),pp.175ff.,esp.201ff.,220ff., who contrasts forms of divine predication current in Greek paganism and in Oriental religionsorreligiousinfluencedbyorientalconceptions,includingchristianity.

10 Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the ASBMH page 120 anexplosionofwaterfillingtheseaisopposedtoanimplosionwhenavoidisleftby theκένωσις. 105 Atthispointandwhilewewouldexpectapenitentialconclusion,Kassia ssinful WomanrecallsEve,thefirstwomanwhosinned.TheintroductionofEvehascaused difficulty.tillyardfoundeve spresenceinthepoema pedantic intrusion.evehad runfromgod,thesinfulwomantohim.hertrusthadvanquishedallfear.botheve andthesubjectofkassia spoemaresinfulwomen,buttheirbehaviorintheir presenceoftheirgodistotallyopposite.eveattemptstobehidden,theother,pours outtearsofrepentance.toppingpointstothecontrastofevethedisobedientandthe repentantharlotinlentensermonsandhymnsasprecedentfortheallusiontothe firstsinfulwoman.shesaysthatinthegreatcanonofandrewofcrete upbraidshis soulforimitatingeveratherthantheporne 106.Thereferencetotheporneisasfollows: Τὰδάκρυατὰτῆςπόρνης,οἰκτίρμον,κἀγὼπροβάλλομαι /ἱλάσθητίμοι,σωτήρ,τῇ εὐσπλαχνίᾳσου(ll.57 58;cf.ll.307ff.)AnothersourceforKassia stroparionisthe orationonthesinfulwomanbyamphilochiusoficonium,acousinofgregory Nazianzen. 107 Dyckassertsthat thepurefeetofchristservingasthelinkbetween thescenesatsimon shouseandinthegardenofeden. 108 BothEveandthesubjectof Kassia spoemaresinfulwomenbuttheirbehaviorinthepresenceoftheir 109 Godis 105 Κένωσις according to A. Kazhdan designates emptiness, and Kassia evidently played on its double meaning. The confirmation of our explanation is found in the anonymous drama Christus Patiens (vers : [ ] ὡς Μαγδάλ εἶπε Μαρία πιστουμένη, πρώτη δραμοῦσα, πάντ ἀκριβωσαμένη καὶ τὴν κένωσιν μηνύσασα τοῦ τάφου; Grégoire de Nazianze, La Passion du Christ. Tragédie, Introduction, texte critique, traduction notes et index de André Tuillier, Le Éditions du Cerf No 149, Paris 1969, p. 324)inwhichMaryMagdaleneissaidtobethefirsttohavearrivedatChrist stomband to have witnessed its κένωσις: by having emptied His grave(i.e. by being resurrected), says Kassia, Christ bent the heavens. Cf. τάφου κένωσις in Photios, Homily XII on Holy Saturday, ed. B. Laourdas, Φωτίου Ὁμιλίαι, Thessalonike 1959 [Ἑλληνικά. Παράρτημα 12], : [ ]καὶ γὰρ διὰ σὲ καὶ τάφου κένωσις καὶ θανάτου νέκρωσις καὶ ᾍδου καθαίρεσιςκαὶτριήμεροςἔγερσις[ ]. 106 E.Catafygiotou Topping, Kassianethenunandthesinfulwoman,GOThR26,3(1981), pp (here206f.) 107 PG39,71B ff. Cf.K. Hall, AmphilochiusvonIkoniuminseinemVerhältniszudengroßen Kappadoziern.(TübingenandLeipzig,1904),p.61, CosmasofJerusalemalludestothe purefeet ofchristinconnectionwiththeharlot; but this reference is for the sake of a contrast along the lines of that of Romanos: τῶν ἰχνῶν σου ἐπελάβετο τῶν ἀχράντων κεχραμμέναις παλάμαις (PG 98, 476 A). Cf. Amphiloch. Icon., PG 39, 77B and 80A and the anonymous hymn(n. 12 above), stanza α. 109 Withtheword their ImeanthatbothKassiaandthesinfulwomansenseGodastheir personalgod.

11 Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the ASBMH page 121 totallyopposite:theoneattemptstohide(gen.3,8),theotherpoursouttearsof repentance.ifwefollowprofessordyck soppinion, Thetwowomenbecomeforall mankindnegativeandpositiveexemplaofthebehaviorofasinfulmortal 110.Eveand thesinfulwomandon tfollowapiouslifeandtheybothremembergodandtheir sins,onlyaftertheyhearhisfootsteps. Theverbἐξιχνιάσειinl.18suggestsalinkbetweenthetwocoupletscomprisedinll and17 18.Goddidindeed trackdown Eve,inspiteofhervainandfoolish efforttohide.therhetoricalquestion[ ]κριμάτωνσουἀβύσσους/τὶςἐξιχνιάσει;is modelledonrom.11,33:ὦβάθοςπλούτουκαὶσοφίαςκαὶγνώσεωςθεοῦ ὡς ἀνεξερεύνητατὰκρίματααὐτοῦκαὶἀνεξιχνίαστοιοἱὁδοὶαὐτοῦ 111.Wecansaythat Eve sandkassia ssinsarerelatedhere.thenfollowsthephraseψυχοσῶστασωτήρ μου,thefirstinvocationofthedeitywithinthewoman sspeech.accordingto ProfessorA.Dyck withitsdoublingoftheσω elementitseemslikeotherfiguresof repetition,toheightenthepathosstillfurther. 112 The troparion then concludes with the Sinful Woman s last petition: Μή με τὴν σὴν δούληνπαρίδῃςὁἀμέτρητονἔχωντὸἔλεος(donotoverlookmeyoursservant,you who have pity without measure). The imitation of the penitential Psalms, though palpable,isintegratedseamlesslyintothenewcontext:ps.50,3:ἐλέησόνμε,ὁθεός, κατὰ τὸ μέγα ἔλεός σου καὶ κατὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν μου ἐξάλειψον τὸ ἀνόμημάμου;kassia,ll.19 20:Μήμετὴνσὴνδούληνπαρίδῃςὁἀμέτρητονἔχωντὸ ἔλεος. 113 The Sinful Woman now addresses God as her personal Redeemer, ψυχοσῶστα,σωτήρμου(saviorofsouls,mysavior).thustheprayer,whichbegun with a cry of despair and guilt, ends with a statement of faith and hope. The hymn whichbegunwithanimageofalostsoulendswiththeimageofthatsoulredeemed bygod sinfinitelovingmercy,astoppingpointsout. 114 Toconclude:thepoemonMary,asDyckcorrectlystresses,beginsonamildernote whichthenrisessharplywiththeonsetoftheactorialspeechandcontinuestoascend 110 Dyck1986,p Cf.alsoPs.35,7:τὰκρίματάσουἄβυσσοςπολλή.Cf.alsoKassia scanonforthedead: Ὕψοςκαὶβάθοςτίςἐκφράσαιδύναται/τῆςσῆςσοφίας,Χριστὲ[ ]; 112 Dyck1986,p.73(cf.note40) 113 Forthepetitionμήμε παρίδηςcf.andrewofcrete,greatcanon,1.76(μηὑπερίδης με).kassia,canonforthedead:τῶνδούλωνσουπάριδε/τὰὲνἀγνοίᾳ,σωτήρ,/καὶγνώσει πταίσματα./ Ὡς ἔχων μακρόθυμε,/ φιλανθρωπίας ἄπλετον πέλαγος,/ τῶν πρὸς σὲ μεταστάντων μὴ στήσῃς ὅλως τὰ παραπτώματα/ ἐν τῇ ἐτάσει/ αὐτῶν κατὰ πρόσωπον[ ]. 114 Topping1981,p.209

12 Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the ASBMH page 122 untilitcomestotheclimax.troparion slanguageissimpleanddirect,theuseof rhetoricalfiguresrestrained.atseveralpointsmetricalcorrespodenceunderlines parallelismofsense.elementstakenfromliterarymodels(scriptures,romanos, ChurchFathers)arenotcarelesslypastedonbutmadetoformanorganicpartoftheir newenviroment.theoldtastementtype(eve),formsanaptcontrastwiththesinful womanandpointsamoral. AccordingtoIlseRochow 115 theformofthe«sinfulwoman»isappearedalsoinother EasternChristendomhymns,whicharesungonHolyWednesdayandareascribedby mistaketokassia.thesehymnsareinthefollowingway: i)inc.σὲτὸντῆςπαρεθένουυἱόν,πόρνηἐπιγνοῦσαθεόν isascribedfromthe manuscriptstokosmasofmaïouma ii)inc.τὸπολύτιμονμύρον,isascribedalsotokosmasmaïouma iii)inc.ὅτεἡἁμαρτωλός,isascribedinparttokosmasmaïouma,asalsoinpartto JohntheMonk.AccordingtoRochowitcannotbeascribedtoKassia,becausethis hymnisconfirmedalreadyfromthe7 th century 116 iv)inc.ὢτῆςἰούδαἀθλιότητος,isascribedeithertokosmasmaïoumaortojohn themonk v)inc.ἡἁμαρτωλός.,isascribedalsotokosmasmaïoumaortojohnthemonk vi)inc.ἡβεβυθισμένη,isascribedtojohnofdamascus vii)inc.σήμερονὁχριστός,isascribedtosomeonebyzantios viii)inc.ἥπλωσενἡπόρνη,isascribedeithertojohnofdamascusortojohnthe Monk ix)inc.προσήλθεγυνὴ,isascribedtobyzantios x)inc.ἡἀπεγνωσμένη,issupposedtobejohnofdamascus hymn 117 Conclusion 115 Rochow1967,pp Rochow1967,p Cf.Rochow,p.235,footnotes forthebibliographyaboutthese hymns.

13 Proceedings of the 1st International Conference of the ASBMH page 123 AcrossthemorethantencenturieswhichseparateusfromtheByzantinenun,Kassiathe Melodoscommunicatestherealityofthechristianpassoverfromdeathtolife,aswellas her serene belief in the transformnig grace of divine philanthropia. Cassia invites such identificationbypresentinghersituationwithsuchvividnessandpathos.cassiacanbe said to have laid bare the human soul in a poem of extraordinary concentration and power.