Yoḥannan bar Penkaye edinci yüzyılın sonlarında Doğu Kilisesi'nin
bir üyesi olan bir yazardı. Cudi Dağı'nın güneybatısındaki Kamul John (Cizre)
manastırının bir keşişiydi. Beşinci Emevi halifesi Abd’ül-Malik ibn Mervan
zamanında yaşamıştır.
Başlıca eseri Ktābā d-reš melle 'Ana Olaylar Kitabı', kendi
zamanıyla biten 15 Kitaplık bir dünya tarihidir.
Elyazmaları
Harvard MS Syr 42. This contains
"a collection of ascetical literature dominated by a fairly complete
assembly of the works of John of Dalyatha (eighth century), and including brief
selections from John bar Penkaye, Evagrius Ponticus, Basil the Great,
Philoxenus of Mabbug, John Chrysostom, and the monks Gregory (of Cyprus?) and
Simon (the Graceful?)" (Ref: M. Henze, The Syriac Apocalypse of Daniel:
Introduction, Text, and Commentary. Studien und Texte zur Antike und
Christentum 11. Tübingen: Mohr Siebeck, (2001) as described in Alexander
Golitzin, Making the Inside like the Outside: Toward a Monastic Sitz im Leben
for the Syriac Apocalypse of Daniel, Contribution to a Festschrift, edited by
Monica Blanchard and Robin Darling Young for Catholic University of America
Press, forthcoming 2003. Online at http://www.marquette.edu/maqom/daniel).
Biblioteca apostolica Vaticana,
"Vat." sir. 497 * 20e s. : (1900). Alqos - MAR JOHANNAN BAR PENKAYE,
"Histoire des principaux événements du monde" * (Stephan Raës,
copiste) (Reference found online at
http://www.ftsr.ulaval.ca/_pdf/bibp/index_manuscrits4_origines2003.pdf)
Several works are contained in mss. at the monastery of Rabban
Hormizd (Notre-Dame des Semences) at Alqosh, and listed by Addai Scher in his
catalogue.
Codex 25. Book of the archaeology or history
of the temporal world composed by St. John Bar Penkaye. The work is divided
into two sections, the first of 9 chapters and the second 6. It finishes in 686
AD, Codex 116. The tenth item in this miscellaneous volume is a poem On
faith in God by John bar Penkaye, published by Elia Millos in 1868, Codex
122. Book of good works, composed by John of Mosul. But following this is a
poem by John bar Penkaye On the vices of the monks; and then other works by
other authors. The Ms. was written in 1758. Most of the works, including
John's, were published by Elia Millos, Directorium Spirituale, Rome (1868), Codex
123. Same content as Ms. 122, but the Ms. dates to 1663 ,Vatican Borgia
Syr. Ms. 1. This is a copy of the Book of good works, composed by John of
Mosul, and is followed by a poem by John bar Penkaye, On the vices of the
monks; the Book of the pearl by Ebedjesu; Catalogue of Syriac writers also by
Ebedjesu. 217 folios. The last folios have gone. Written at Alqosh in May 1674.
Listed in Addai Scher's catalogue of the Borgia mss. in the Journal Asiatique,
March–April 1909 (online at gallica.bnf.fr)
A. Mingana, Sources syriaques, vol. I (1907), 1–171. (Syr. text of
World history, Books 10–15 with FT of Book 15).
https://archive.org/details/SourcesSyriaquesVol.1AlphonseMingana/page/n3/mode/2up (06.09.2022).
ʿAbdishoʿ bar Brikha, Ktābā d-metqre margānitā d-ʿal šrārā da-kresṭyānutā,
2nd ed. (Mosul: Mṭabbaʿtā ātoraytā d-ʿēdtā ʿattiqtā d-madnḥā, 1924), s:
77; Micheline Albert, “Une Centurie
de Mar Jean bar Penkaye”, in Mélanges A. Guillaumont (Cahiers
d’Orientalisme 20; 1988), 143–151; (FT of the first of the two Centuries),
Sebastian Paul Brock, in Jerusalem Studies in Arabic and Islam 9 (1987), 51–75;
(ET of World history, Book 15, repr. in Studies in Syriac Christianity [1992],
ch. 2); Peter Bruns, “Von Eva ve Adam bis Muhammed. Beobachtungen zur
syrischen Chronik des Johannes bar Penkaye”, OC 87 (2003), 47-64; Lutz
Greisiger, “John bar Penkāyē”, in Christian-Muslim Relations, ed. Thomas
ve Roggema, 176-81; Taeke Jansma, “Projet d'édition du Ktaba d-Resh Melle de
Jean bar Penkaye”, OS 8 (1963), 87–106; Hubert Kaufhold, “Anmerkungen
zur Textüberlieferung der Chronik des Iohannes bar Penkaye”, OC 87 (2003),
65-79; Karl Pinggéra, “Nestoranische Weltchronistik. Johannes bar Penkaye
und Elias von Nisibis”, in Julius Africanus ve die christliche Weltchronik
, ed. M. Wallraff (TU 157; 2006), 263–83; Gerrit Jan Reinink, “Paideia: God's
design in world history according to the East Syrian monk John bar Penkaye”,
The Medieval Chronicle , ed. K. Cooper, cilt. 2 (2002), 190–98; Gerrit Jan
Reinink, “East Syrian historiography in response to the rise of Islam: the
case of John bar Penkaye’s Ktaba d-Resh Melle”, in Redefining Christian
Identity, ed. Jj Van Ginkel, Heleen Murre-van den Berg, and Theo Maarten van
Lint (OCA 134; 2005), 77–89; Harald Suermann, “Das arabische Reich in der
Weltgeschichte des Johannan bar Penkaye”, Nubia et Oriens Christianus , ed.
P. O. Scholz ve R. Stempiel (1987), 59-71.
John bar Penkaye, Summary of World
History (Rish melle)
Roger Pearse’nin çevirisi ve notlarıyla
https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/john_bar_penkaye_history_15_trans.htm#Book14 (06.09.2022).
End of book 14
Note: Alphonse
Mingana only translated book 15. I
include Brock's translation of the end of book 14 for completeness:
When the kingdom of the Persians came to an end, in the days of
their king Khosro 1, the kingdom of the children of Hagar at once gained
control over more or less the whole world, for they took the whole kingdom of
the Persians. overthrowing all their warriors who prided themselves in the arts
of war.
We should not think of the advent (of the children of Hagar) as
something ordinary, but as due to divine working. Before calling them, (God)
had prepared them beforehand to hold Christians in honour, thus they also had a
special commandment from God concerning our monastic station, that they should
hold it in honour. Now when these people came, at God's command, and took over
as it were both kingdoms, not with any war or battle, but in a menial fashion,
such as when a brand is rescued out of the fire; not using weapons of war or
human means. God put victory into their hands in such a way that the words
written concerning them might be fulfilled, namely, 'One man chased a thousand
and two men routed ten thousand'! How, otherwise, could naked men, riding
without armour or shield, have been able to win, apart from divine aid, God
having called them from the ends of the earth so as to destroy, by them, a
sinful kingdom, and to bring low, through them. the proud spirit of the
Persians.
Only a short period passed before the entire world was handed over
to the Arabs; they subdued all the fortified cities, taking control from sea to
sea 2, and from East to West - Aigyptos and the whole of Mesrin, and from Crete
to Cappadocia, from Yahelman 3 to the gates of Alan, Armenians, Syrians.
Persians, Byzantines, Egyptians and all the intermediary regions: their hand
was upon everyone, as the prophet says. Only half the Byzantine empire was left
by them.
Who can relate the carnage they effected in Greek territory, in
Kush, in Spain, and in other distant regions, taking captive their sons and
daughters and reducing them to slavery and servitude. Against those who had not
ceased in times of peace and prosperity from fighting against their Creator,
there was sent a barbarian people who had no pity on them.
Having reached thus far, however, in the narrative, let us end this
book here, and give praise to Father, Son and Holy Spirit for ever, Amen.
BOOK 15
[Translated by
Alphonse Mingana and Englished by Roger Pearse]
While our affairs were prospering, purely by divine providence than
by any human help, we saw ourselves victorious, thanks to the assistance of our
invincible King, in all the wars raised against us by tyrannical despots; and
all of us were saved while the pagan kings remained, because the weak (in
faith) who were among us were not left in peace for fear of the persecutors. As
soon as someone started dozing in the vigilance of the truth, the furnace of
persecution isolated him (from his brothers), without requiring the punishment
of a synod. Sometimes when the violence of the persecution slackened somewhat,
the fathers met as usual, judged the few current disciplinary cases, solved
unresolved problems, and put into force the apostolic discipline, and whatever
other disciplinary measures as the circumstances of the time required them to
take and decide. Consequently, as I said earlier, our faith was very successful
and our way of life flourished. There were, indeed, many synods even before
Nicaea, but they were not ecumenical, and were not convoked in order to make a
new creed, but only for the purposes indicated indicated above.4 But once peace
was restored and Christian kings had taken over the reins of government of the
Romans, then vice and scandal entered the Church, and synods and sects
multiplied, because every year someone invented a new creed. Security and peace
led to many evils. The lovers of glory stirred up troubles unceasingly, using
gold to obtain the consent of kings, so they could play about with them like
little children. All this happened among the Romans.
As for the Church of Persia, as it was under the domination of the
Magians, it was had nothing else to oppose.
Although some scandals arose, these scandals, however, were not allowed
to grow, because from the first the Lord repressed them. So while these things were going thus from
apostolic times to the reign of the last Khosro 5, our Saviour, to whom everything
is clear even before it happens, saw how much we had lost during this long
peace and to what evils we were led by the interference of Christian kings who
wanted us to say that this nature above to all suffering suffered 6 --
something even the demons have not dared to put forward 7. He revealed to us
many signs, some of which we did not even notice. For since that unfortunate schism happened
right up until today, three times he has showed us the sun which he showed to
those who crucified him at the time of the crucifixion 8 along with tremblings,
quakes and terrifying signs in the sky, indicating the malice of the heretics
and the events that were to happen on the earth.
When he saw that there was no amendment, he raised a barbarian
kingdom against us, a people who would not hear supplications, who knew no
compromise, no peace, and disdained flattery and meanness. Its delight was in
shedding blood without reason, and its pleasure laying hands on everything. Its
passion was raiding and stealing, and its food hatred and anger; it was never
appeased by offerings made to it. When it had prospered and done the will of
Him who sent it, it had taken possession of all the kingdoms of the earth, had
subjected brutally all the peoples and brought their sons and daughters into a
bitter slavery, had avenged in them the opprobrium of God the Word, and the
blood of the martyrs of Christ shed through no fault of their own, then our
Lord was satisfied and rested, and He agreed to give grace to his people. So
the Lord, to punish the sons of Hagar 9 for the ravages they had made, gave
them two leaders from the beginning of their kingdom and divided them into two
sections. This was so that we might
understand the word that was spoken by our Saviour. But they were united until
they had subjected the whole earth, but when they returned to tranquility and
rested from war, they fought one another. Those in the West said:
"superiority is due to us, and the king must be chosen from among
us." Those of the East contradicted them and claimed that it was to them
that this was due. As a result of this contention, they came to blows. When
they had settled the business according to their methods, the victory fell to
the Westerners called Ummayyads 10, and this after a great slaughter that took
place between them. A man among them named Mu`awiya 11, took the reins of
government of the two empires: Persian and Roman. Justice flourished under his
reign, and a great peace was established in the countries that were under his
government, and allowed everyone to live as they wished. They had received, as
I said, from the man who was their guide 12, an order in favour of the
Christians and the monks. Similarly because of his guidance they held to the
worship of one God, according to the customs of the old law. Firstly, they were
so attached to the tradition of Muhammad who was their leader, that they
inflicted the death penalty on anyone who seemed not to obey his commands.
Their troops went every year into distant countries and islands, raided and
brought back captives from all the nations that are under heaven. From every
man they required only the tribute, and left him free to hold any belief, and
there were even some Christians among them: some belonged to the heretics 13
and others to us.14 While Mu`awiya reigned there was such a great peace in the
world as was never heard of, according to our fathers and our fathers' fathers.
It was as if our Lord had said: "I will test you in this way, as it is
written: 'by grace and justice iniquity may be pardoned.'"15
The accursed heretics who received such assistance for the present
time, instead of evangelizing and baptizing the heathen, as required by the
ecclesiastical law, undertook a contrary evangelization, perverting to their
sacrilegious (faith) almost all the churches of Rome, and revived and rebuilt
what had already been abolished. As a
result, most Westerners have always used (the addition to the Trisagion):
"... immortal, who was crucified for us." All the churches of (these countries) became
like a wasteland.
In the same way as we recounted earlier the deeds of the brave when we deserved praise, we should expose our
weakness without concealment: because the Scripture says: "Cursed is he
who calls good evil and evil good." 16 This period of calm was to us the
cause of so much weakness, that there happened to us what happened to the
Israelites, of whom it is said: "Israel has grown fat and lazy, he has
become fat and wealthy, he has abandoned the God who made him, and despised the
strong one that saved him." 17 The
westerners, it is true, clung tightly to their sacrilegious (faith), but we who
believe we adhere to the true faith, we were so far from the works of
Christians, that if one of the former had risen and had seen us, he would have
had been dizzy and said: "this is not the faith in which I died."
So I am forced to reveal everything, so that we know that
everything that happened to us, happened to us justly, and that we were
punished according to the measure of our deeds and our merits. 18 The bishops
have forgotten the command: "preach the word, get up with zeal, in season
and out of season, keep trying, in all patience and doctrine." Instead of all this, they did the opposite:
they dictated orders and shouting loudly as archons, and sent the terror of
their voices to their subjects, like animals without reason. They drew their
strength and power not from Christ, but from the civil courts, involved
themselves in public affairs and uncanonical quarrels. They tried very much to
show themselves ministers of Christ by pride more than by humility. They have many people running before and
behind them. They receive ovations on
horseback and mules, like hyparchs. One mocks another, and a perpetual confusion
reigns among them. They judge harshly and punish severely. They teach not in order to edify, but to
glory in twisted words and affected speech, and they always breathe severity.
Even in their letters they speak like proud men. Look at those who are set at our head.
But, what of those who come behind them, the phalanx of priests and
deacons, who serve not Christ but their belly, who are not concerned about the
fracture of Joseph; servants of Caesar and not of Christ, lovers of sordid
interests and not the interests of faith.
Shrines are built, and there is no one to open the doors. Altars are erected, and they are covered with
cobwebs. O! What a crime! What
long-suffering!
Let's talk about the leaders and superiors, whose crime has
exceeded all limits. Because you have to tell them what they want to hear, or
else be prepared to have a war with them, those who have no mercy on the
members of Christ: those whose food is human flesh; those who require not only
what they asked for (by law), but who are not even satisfied with superfluity;
those whose pasture is the poor. They suck
human blood like the leeches of Solomon, and don't get their fill. They never
intend to do the will of God, so that in their internal hatreds, they cause the
loss of the world. They pick up, throw away and give to the moth. Like a tomb,
nothing can satisfy their greed. They cannot live in justice, and do not
understand that they are men and that it is men they govern. They do not
remember they are mortal, and never inquire for whom they collect and hoard.
And what is the worst of all, they blaspheme the Most High, believing he is an
accomplice of their wickedness. They grow fat on the labours of other, like a
calf on grass. They do not understand that the needy exist. Their thought, day
and night, is to know who to catch in their net: our rich men. As for the judges, they allow
themselves to bribed with gifts. Deception and hypocrisy, anger, malice and
harshness, these are their own.
Let's talk about the people, it is open to everyone to live like a
sheep, in his own way. The law isn't for
him, so he transgresses the law. I would say here these memorable words: all
have sinned and made themselves hateful, there is none, not even one who does
good. Their throats are like gaping graves, and their mouths are full of curses
and poison, and the rest of the chapter (of the Scriptures) is applicable to
us. We have forgotten the One who created us, and we never speak of the One who
has saved us. We have never thought about what he asks of us. He who excelled
in exactions, he was welcome among us. We merely envied those who amassed
money, because everyone, as much as he could, put on the yoke of evil, and if
someone broke this yoke, it was because he lacked time or strength. What
wickedness does not our perverse century not bear! There was no difference
between pagan and Christian, the believer was not distinct from the Jew, and
did not differ from the deceiver.
Let's say some more about the crimes that we commit! We have all
broken the yoke and severed the ties. I strongly dislike saying this, I say it
notwithstanding and I will not lie. Because if there is someone who denies with
his mouth the truth of what I say, he certainly confesses in his heart that the
words I say are true. In Egypt, the mother of witches, witchcraft was not as
widespread as in our century. At Babel, the soothsayers and diviners were not
so numerous as they are now, within the Christian people. The pagans did not
leave the dead unburied, like the so-called Christians of today. We even
thought we could seek a refuge apart from God!
How can I say this without tears! Who will call such people Christians?
Who will call them men who know Christ. Who can consider them as the people of
God? They shouted like dogs at the poor who knocked at their door, and looked
at the foreigners who traveled for the name of Christ as enemies of God, and
that 19 class of monks that the demons themselves fear and that the angels
honour were vile and despised in their eyes, they were regarded them like the
soiled linen of a woman's period. This is the evil of Sodom, the haughty
sister, who fed herself on bread and remained in repose, never lend a helping
hand to the poor and needy. Time will show us the things that happen following
these crimes. O you who hear me, do these things exist, yes or no? Yes, they
exist, and I also who am of your number, and possibly worse than you, I know
they exist.
I have yet to disclose other impurities darker than these:
persecution of priests, slander against the Saints, trade with unbelievers,
union with the perverse, relationships with heretics, friendship with the Jews.
What! Are these things real? We are obliged to tell the truth.
You can still see desecrations greater than these: contempt for
holy shrines, mockery of the divine sacraments, mocking profanation of the holy
day of Sunday, neglect of the meetings which are the feast days of Our Lord,
transgression of the law, and of the apostolic canons, termination of
emoluments and canonical tithes. Do these things exist, my dear friends, or do
they not exist? Yes, they exist.
I have yet to
disclose other impurities greater than these: impure and useless ablutions;
lying inventions consisting of consulting the lot in the water 20, attendance
at the doors of soothsayers, too great attachment to the cinders and ligatures
of arms 20, a profane liberty of hiding things in the dwellings of demons 20, a
too great facility to allow oneself to be persuaded by the diabolical illusions
of dreams; quarrels, disputes, murder, adultery, robbery, theft. What, my
brothers! Do these things exist, yes or no? I know they exist, and I am tired
of telling others so 21.
All these evils are the product of the period of peace. This is not
to say that in these days we are obliged to do all this, but that our
wickedness has not enjoyed his honour. This period, if we had wanted, could
have been a time of great blessings. Peace reigned everywhere, the land gave us
ample fruit. Good health prevailed, friendship was everywhere, commerce was
doubled, the children bounded with joy, wealth was widespread, riches were immense,
the kings were at peace, there were good relationships between the lords, the
roads were open, the enemy's forces were broken, the trumpets of war were
asleep. Did all this exist because of what?
It is the effect of the hand of Christ, almighty and full of grace. What
have we done, we, as an return for all these benefits, if not the iniquity that
we recounted above. We have returned evil for good, hatred for love, and we
have become ungrateful to our benefactor.22
Therefore when we were mixed up in every evil and all the
impurities that we have mentioned, and God looked on and was saddened, and
began to show mercy as usual, in order to excite our minds gradually to
repentance. There were an earthquake in
the city 23, but the hardness of our hearts saw them and was silent. He made
signs appear in the sky, and our wicked nature saw them and did not take the
hint. He sent grasshoppers and locusts
that ravaged the fields and vineyards,24 and none of us wondered the cause of
all this. The empire began to totter, and our heart was not moved at all. He
used up our strength 25 through taxes, and our thought was undisturbed in any
way. The kingdom which ruled us was divided in two sections, each of them
raided the other, and the hardness of our hearts did not change. He sent
troops, destroyed cities and made the roads deserted. As for us, as we remained
penned in our iniquity, like sheep in pasture, (punishment) began to reach us
gradually, so that our hearts might awaken, if possible. He brought plague on
the cattle, so that perhaps we would wake up, but we thought that this was a
mere incident. News of captives being taken and epidemics came to us from our
neighbours, and we said that this was a fluke. So I too, taking the part of
Christ, I will say with the prophet Isaiah: "Heaven, earth, reasoning
beings and unreasoning beings, judge between Me and My people. What could I do
to my people that I have not done? For I expected them to do good, and they
have done evil. Wait a bit and see what I will do to my people." 26
When Mu`awiya ended his days and left the world, Yazid his son
reigned in his stead 27. He did not
follow in the footsteps of his father, but he loved children's games and the
pastimes of the idle. The strength of men declined under his weak government;
because the devil put the finishing touch to the punishment of men, that of
useless toil; but God took him soon after. When he had thus left the world,
there was one of them (the Arabs) named Zubayr 28, who made his voice heard
from afar. He said of himself that he
was come out of zeal for the house of God.
He threatened the west, as transgressors of the Law. So he went south, into the place where was
their place of worship, and settled there.
A war with him was prepared, and he was defeated. They even set fire to
their own place of worship, and a lot of blood was shed.29 Since that time the
kingdom of the (eastern) Arabs has never recovered. So when (Zubayr) died, they elected his son
to be emir. The westerners had a general named `Abd al-Rahman ibn Ziyad 30 and
the easterners had another called al-Mukhtar 31. Nisibis at that time belonged to the west,
and an emir named Ibn `Uthman 32 governed it.
Another emir of the westerners named Ibn Nitron 33 attacked him. The westerners said that "Nisibis
belongs to us by right because it was part of the realm of the Romans" and
the easterners pretended that it belonged to the Persians and that it was
rightfully theirs. Because of this
conflict, there was great trouble in Mesopotamia. The westerners triumphed and the easterners
were expelled. The year after, Ibn
Nitron gathered a large army and gathered horsemen to him, (as numerous) as the
sand. He set himself up very arrogantly and marched to battle with
the 'Akoulians 34. He took with him
John, who at that time was bishop of Nisibis 35.
Some time earlier George 36, patriarch of the church of Christ, had
been transported to the life of glory, and the patriarchal see was occupied by
Mar Hnanisho` the exegete, so Ibn Ziyad promised John that "if you come
with me, I will depose Mar Hnanisho` and establish you in his place in the
patriarchate." 37 So he long
believed that victory would be his, because he had many generals.
But al-Mukhtar was angry with the `Akoulians because they were
unfit for war, and he gave order that all their slaves should be freed and
enrolled in the army in their place.
When this order was published, many slaves, former prisoners of war,
gathered to him. He gave them as general
a man named Abraham 38, and sent him to battle with Ibn Ziyad, with 13,000 men
who were all on foot, without arms, equipment, horses, or tents; but each
having in his hand a sword, a lance or a club; and they set off.
When they met on a river named Khazir 39, they fought a terrible
battle. All the warriors of the
westerners were killed, and their pride was turned into a great shame; they
were conquered not by warriors but by weaklings. The man seeking the patriarchate had
difficulty saving even his coat. The
westerners were cut to pieces, lost their general, while their enemies seized
their military stores, their wealth, their equipment, their arms and their
silver and they themselves (the westerners) took flight in confusion until they
had crossed the river Euphrates.
These slaves were called Shourte 40, a name which indicates their
ardour for justice. They came and
entered Nisibis, which they took. They
seized all of Mesopotamia, and in every clash with the enemy the victory was
theirs. When they entered Nisibis
Abraham left his brother as general, while he went down to `Akoula. But because the Nisibites wanted a general
from their own town, and because Abraham, like his brother, was of the Tayayes
41, they rose up against the latter and killed him together with his officers
and set up to govern them one of their country, named `Abu-Karib.
The `Akoulians repented of what they had done, because they saw
that their slaves had revolted against them.
So they rose up against al-Mukhtar and made war on him. After he had beaten them several times, at
last he was beaten and killed by them,42 he and a great army which he had
formed from prisoners of war. Many other
prisoners assembled and gathered to those who were at Nisibis.
And every day they gathered men
from all sides and enrolled them with them.
They took many fortresses and spread fear throughout the Arabs, and
wherever they went they were victorious.
From that time God began to be angry against the earth. He stirred and arose like a giant; he caused
his sword to flash out and terrified the world;
He revealed his arm and the universe trembled; he summoned destruction
on all his enemies and began to take vengeance on all those who hated him. It is as if it was said: "I have kept
silence for eternity, shall I continue to be silent?" 43 and then: "Now
I will arise, says the Lord, now I will lift myself up, now I will be exalted;
you shall conceive thorns" and give birth to the bow in your spirit 44
etc.
For seeing that, in all the circumstances that have happened, we
had stayed in our wickedness, and did not become penitent; because the priests
do not tell us: "where is the Lord your God," and the guardians of
the law have not recognised Him; because the pastors have betrayed him, while
each of us has retired and said to the Lord "Depart from here," the
Lord was justly angry against us. He
began to make war on us, not by means of despotic kings forcing us to worship
idols, nor by way of the Arians, nor by that of Eunomians, but Himself. By the
force of his power the peoples were stirred up and the kingdoms shook. He
raised his voice and the earth was shaken. He set people against people, and
kingdom against kingdom. According to his word, he created famines, earthquakes
and plagues. He handed over the sinning generation to overwhelming and
unparalleled tribulations. What they sowed, they reaped. He blew (this generation) away and it
disappeared, and he gave us into the hands of raiders. Who can calculate the
many tribulations that surround the world; especially the unequalled
tribulations of plague and famine? Men were imprisoned (indoors) for fear of
raiders, for could not even move away to the places elsewhere where there was
security.
In the sixty-seventh year of the empire of the Arabs 45, following
the striking signs and the terrors that we talked about earlier, and following
the battles and wars through which (the Lord) called us to repentance - but we
ignored him - in the same year sixty-seven this cruel plague began, that has
not been equaled and never will be, I hope. According to the sacrilegious habit
that had developed among men, they did not even bury those whom death reaped,
but, like the heathen 46, they abandoned them and fled. From then on brothers
and parents became like dogs and animals to those who died, and the crows and
vultures were to be responsible for burying them. The bodies of dead men were
lying in the streets and bazaars like manure on the earth 47, thus
contaminating springs and rivers. Dogs
began to eat many while they were still alive; each of them saw his fate with
his own eyes. Brother had no pity on brother nor father on son. The compassion
of the mother for her children was destroyed; she contemplated their
convulsions caused by the pains of death and did not approach even to close
their eyes. This was a spectacle filled with heartbreak, a terrifying
sacrilege. Those who were still alive were scattered in the mountains, like
sheep without a shepherd. They wanted thereby to avoid the plague, but it
followed them like a harvester. Dogs and wild beasts heaped them up like sheaves.
(What was worst of all), they were constantly hounded by looters, from whom
they could not escape, for they wandered
about everywhere, following them like gleaners.
They would haul them out of hidden places and deprive them of everything
and leave them naked. But still they thought that it was possible to escape God
without repentance and without returning to him with a heart full of penitence.
They beat harshly any that reminded them of this and told him: "Go away
from here; for we know that flight is much more beneficial than prayer; we have
already repented, but we have not been helped, we can't even do that any
more." Men were reduced to despair because of their many sins; such pain
came down upon them, and they did not repent at all, because 'the bellows for
their fire has failed and their lead is consumed,' according the word of the
prophet, and 'it is in vain that the refiner refines them; call them condemned
coin, because the Lord has condemned them.' 48 'He has truly rejected them, and
his soul abhorred them.' In vain he has allowed his hand to dwell on us: we did
not wish for his correction. He has sent locusts and other pests, and we are
not at all converted; he has sent raiders, and we have not done penance. He has
refused the rain during the three months preceding the harvest and we have been
unmoved. Plague has herded us like sheep, but we have only added to our
wickedness.
The priests and guardians of the law have perished, and the
churches have become deserted. The holy vessels have been soiled. Villages were
burned, and the cities laid waste and fear commands every roadway. This was
just the first generation, that is to say, the beginning of the suffering. He
still continued to chasten us seven times over for our sins 49. All the words
of the prophets and apostles, and all the curses contained in the law have been
fulfilled against us. We were plundered and scattered over the whole earth 50,
we were in distress, like a reed shaken by the winds. We have been in anguish
and agitation, like Cain was upon the earth. What then! another calamity hit us
that removed from us any means to flee and escape from it. The famine, I mean,
and the plague. After avoiding the plague, we were pursued by the famine, and
all that remained was carried off by raiders. We therefore need to use the
words of Jeremiah; for him, he only wept over one people: Jerusalem, but we
must weep over the whole world; let us borrow his lamentations so that our
sorrows may be contained; but alas! they cannot be limited, because we do not
deserve it: see the noble children of Zion 'lying asleep at the top of every
street, like flabby beetroot, having had their fill with the anger of God's
wrath.' 51 The hands of caring mothers have cooked their own children, who have
served them as food, in the destruction of the daughter of my people; then if I
go out into the desert, there are men struck by the sword; if I go into homes,
there are men overwhelmed with hunger; and those who were struck by the sword
were better off than those who had died of hunger, because the latter wasted
away as if they had been wounded in battle.
Our feeble generation has been overwhelmed by this harsh plague;
the severity of hunger has made the ruddy hue of men blue, like a sapphire; or
they turned black and became like brands rescued from the burning. Many women
refused to recognize their children, and many others gave birth and dumped
(their children) living from their wombs into the tomb. There were no more
people to bury: hunger had left them exhausted and emaciated. The storage pits
that the famine had emptied, the same famine filled with human corpses 52. He
was deemed fortunate who died quickly; and suffering saturated with curses
accompanied him who died several times each day from hunger. How many have you
seen who fainted when they opened their mouths to ask for bread! Many
over-exerted themselves and collapsed in the streets: their fall was their last
gasp. It was a sight truly worthy of grief. 53 Small children especially become
a terrifying sight: their faces had changed competely, and their fathers
recognized them no more. They ate grass like lambs, they hugged stones (in the
desert) and won sleep for themselves: but alas! they were found in the morning
like pieces of dry wood. Several mothers ate their children. It often happened
that a mother spent the night with her children, but their souls were not in
this world in the morning.
How many evils, which our sins merited, have I still to tell? Many,
pressed by hunger, died on the roads, and their corpses littered in public
places: the men trod on them and passed on. Such was the result of the second
trial, or rather these are the effects of the evil conduct that we reported.
Would all this suffering not suffice to punish our crimes! No, 'you will be further
punished'. 54 Because the poor have died of hunger; because orphans and widows
have died for lack of care; because the convents and monasteries were destroyed
because the monks roamed everywhere, and the saints went into every country;
because the wicked were drying up their compassion; because the rich beheld our
ruin and said according to the words of the prophet: when then will the month
end and the week pass, so that we can open the granary and decrease the
measures, etc. Because, we say, they did
not stop thinking malicious thoughts, the prophet said: "you will be
punished even more than before." The plague returned again and resumed its
work of extermination, and herded men, so to speak, one by one; and he whom the
famine had spared was devoured by the plague, and he whom the plague had
spared, was finished off by the sword. Our iniquity was suppressed by these
tribulations; and because we did not recall the fear of God in our rest, God
did not remember his mercy in our suffering; he had neither pity, nor
compassion, as we had not pitied the torment and suffering of our brothers. On
the day of his anger, He did not think of his holy name, but He allowed us to
give ourselves to our sins and withdrew his face from us. He did more, becoming
our adversary, declaring war on us and pitilessly slaughtering us in his wrath
55.
These, then, are the causes of the calamities that have come upon
us today 56, O beloved of my soul, brother Sabrisho`! It is our iniquity which is filled with
bitterness and which breaks our hearts. I am sure that we have reached the end
of time: I deduce this from the Holy Books and especially the words of Our
Lord; for everything that has been written (about this) has taken place, and
men have become deceitful, full of pride, ungrateful, cruel, enemies of good,
addicted to the passions rather than the love of God, having the appearance of
godliness, but denying its power. The blessed Paul said these things of our
times, and here they are fulfilled, and in the words of Our Lord, there is
nation against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there are famines,
earthquakes and plagues. One thing only we lack: the army of the Ante-Christ,
and I believe that these troubles come from him, according to the words of Our
Lord who said: "these things are the beginning of sorrows." The
blessed Paul also said: "if that which prevents it at the moment is
destroyed, then will appear this wicked one, whom the Lord shall consume with
the breath of his mouth, and abolish with the brightness of his coming."
What is it that prevents it, if it is not the providence of Our Lord, which he
has taken from men. There is no more order, and the laws governing the kings,
priests, and ordinary people and even the seasons are overthrown. Because of
the magnitude of the iniquity, charity has gone cold, according to what is
written. Who do you see today loving his neighbour with the charity of which
our Lord has spoken? All classes of men are full of jealousy, hatred, slander
and whispering; everyone speaks ill of his neighbour, and there is no one who
supports or consoles, and if there be one, he does so in dissimulation and not
in truth. The Lord had all this before his eyes when he said: "when the
Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?" With whom do you see
a shadow of faithfulness? Contemplate those are in the forefront of society,
and descend down to me, the last of all, begin with the priests and end with
the people, look at the monks and consider carefully the various members of
society: do you see a man who keeps his station? Do you notice anyone who
follows his own path? Alas! All of us, we walk in darkness; what other stronger
evidence do we require for the next fulfillment of the words of Our Lord?
The arrival of the Shourtes, of which we have spoken, and their
victory is the work of God, and I believe that they will cause the destruction
of the Ishmaelites (Arabs). So is fulfilled the prophecy of Moses, who said:
"his hand extends over all and the hand of all is on him." The hand
of the Arabs has in fact subjected all peoples, and these Shourtes count among
them men of all peoples under heaven. So I think that it is through them that
the Arab empire will end. They, in their turn, will cease to exist because they
mingle with other kingdoms from which they have taken captives. It appears that
the men who avoid the sword, the famine and the plague of today 57, are
reserved for greater evils. They have against them a people from distant
countries, and the prophets have already predicted their actions. A kingdom
will destroy another realm. They (the Shourtes?) have already attemped to
destroy the Roman Empire, and even want to rule over all. This is a greedy
people who have been called to do the wrong thing and does not know it.
Therefore when you know it has been freed from its bonds, arm yourself against
inward things; the senses will be a clear sign, and they will understand
everything, when they see it.
The earth will then be like wheat in a sieve: it will shake, and
the skies will be darkened and the earth will be filled with human blood. They
(the Shourtes?) will no longer focus on acquiring a kingdom, they will no
longer want gold and they will despise riches, because they will satisfy the
will of God. After that, there will be another evil, hidden in good, like a
deadly poison in honey. Let us stop here: because here begins the kingdom of
the Lord. We have started and finished with him, because everything comes from
him, everything has been done by him and everything is directed by him: to him
be glory and blessing, for ever and ever. Amen 58.
We have composed briefly these discourses, giving ten years to each
word. Do not be surprised if the same
happens here; God knows what other events could still happen. It was important to us, to deposit only, with
the grace of God, the talent that we have been given, so that many seek, and so
that knowledge increases, and so that the many are tired and that one alone
finds. He will command the earth a
second time, not to give (as in creation) what did not have, but to provide
what has been sown in it. Let us be
placed, ourselves, in the eastern part of this area! Let us not see the south nor know the north!
because we hope that we shall be as we have been, and that we will not be found
in the state where we are now 59.
We set out, dear (Sabrisho`), as you know, to tell when the wise
creator began to show us his providence, and we have reported how he honoured
our creation more than anything else, and we have unveiled our ingratitude to
him. We have also recounted what he did before and after the flood; and how he
gave his commandments; what he did to the Jewish people through the prophets,
and what the Jews did to the Gentiles. (We have also mentioned) that the rebel
demons work against us, and how they are always ready to do us harm, but the
(divine) grace prevents them. (We have set out) what (God) did by means of the
Maccabees, which he revealed to the prophets, and how their words came true;
how the people (of God) and the gentiles entered into iniquity and revolted;
how he reconciled himself with men without any merit on their part; what mercy
he showed them by sending them the Christ; what He did on joining us, how he
worked our salvation, dispersed our enemies, raise us up from our fall, and
ascended to heaven; and how He honoured his apostles by the descent of the Holy
Spirit and how through them he plucked all the peoples from error; how He was
with our fathers whom He made victorious, and how He defeated the evil kings
and enhanced the glory of His churches. We have shown what the Christian kings
did, and what evils the heretics caused; how God changed the events against the
world, and what signs he gave to terrify us; how he brought against us a
barbarian kingdom and how he punished us temporarily; and how he gave us the
means to repent, and how we are rebels and insurgents; and how he overthrew the
empire against us and how he punishes us by a severe penalty today 60.
In short, we have shown how he began by our creation and led our
steps slowly, like a father with his children and like a teacher and his pupil,
and how he will finish with us too. Finally we have put in this epitome all
that God did in this world, in his gentleness and forbearance, for mankind, and
what men did for him in their wickedness and their errors. What will he do with
them in the future? We will leave that question to his knowledge, because the
hidden things belong to him, and things visible belong to us and our children.
— That, in short, is the history of the world, dear Sabrisho`; we have composed
it in epitome, because otherwise we would not have been able to work on it. We
have only put the beginning (= the abstract) of the facts, because you can see
the end (= extent) in all the books 61.
The Lord has helped us do this only in this way; so here let us finish
the book, saying, with the blessed Paul, to him who has helped us: to him who
do more than anyone, and whose power working in us more than we can think and
believe, be glory in his Church, through Our Lord Jesus Christ, through ages of
ages, Amen, Amen, Amen, Amen; glory, glory, glory, be to him; three times
glorify the Holy Trinity, which has strengthened our weakness, Amen, Amen; let
all the people respond: Amen.
Footnotes
The footnotes are given in substance, rather than
word-for-word. AM=Alphonse Mingana,
SB=Sebastian Brock, RP=Roger Pearse.
1. In fact Khosro II had died in 628 AD, prior to the collapse of
the Sassanid empire. (SB)
2. I.e. Mediterranean to Persian gulf. (SB)
3. Unknown, but represents furthest south, as the "gates of
Alan" represent furthest north. (SB)
4. This suggests that the Nestorians of the 7th century possessed a
translation of the acts of most local synods held in the west prior to Nicaea.
(AM)
5. John bar Penkaye has in mind Khosro (Chosroes) II, or Parwez,
who reigned from 590 to 628. This
obliges us to believe that John was born early in the 7th century. (AM)
6. After Justinian
proclaimed the "theopaschite" formula in 533, this issue had been the
main point of contention between the Roman and Persian churches (SB).
7. An allusion to the
protection given by the emperors Anastasius and Justinian to the monophysite party, and by the empress
Pulcheria to the Cyrillians. (SB)
8. He means a total eclipse
of the sun. Three solar eclipses are recorded in Syriac chronicles, the first
two for 25th Aug. 667 and 7th Dec. 671.
Several more took place in this period, some of which would have been
visible in the Middle East (SB).
9. I.e. the Ishmaelites or
Arabs of the desert, who the bible calls descendants of Hagar, the maidservant
of Abraham (Gen. 17:7f ). (AM)
10. The battle of Siffin, 657 AD.
(SB)
11. The caliph Mu`awiya I, great-grandson of Ummiah, who was
Mohammed's grandfather's cousin. He
reigned from 661 to 680. (AM, SB)
12. Mohammed. (AM)
13. The
monophysites. (SB)
14. The
Ghassanids and Lakhmids. (SB)
15. Prov.
16:6.(SB)
16. Isaiah 5:20
(SB)
17. Deut.
32:15. (SB)
18. SB omits
the text from this point until note 22. (RP)
19. This
together with the earlier phrase shows that Bar Penkaye was a monk. (AM)
20. We have
been unable to understand these phrases.
(AM)
21. There is nothing to add to this picturesque and simple
depiction over a period of two centuries of the manners of the Nestorian
church. (AM)
22. End of the
portion omitted by SB. (RP)
23. Edessa
suffered a devastating earthquake at Easter in 679 AD. (SB)
24. A.G. 990
(SB)
25. Or
"wealth" (SB)
26. Isaiah
5:3-4, adapted (SB).
27. Yazid I reigned at Damascus from 680 to 683. He fought against Hussein, son of Ali
(680-1), besieged and pillaged Medina (681-2) and was going to attack Mecca and
kill the son of Zuebir when he died. The
Shi'ites execrate him. (AM)
28. `Abdallah ibn al-Zubayr revolted against the caliphs of
Damascus in March 684. He was able to
remain independent until 689, when he submitted to `Abdel-Malik. (AM and SB)
29. The events of October 683 are meant here, rather than
al-Hajji's seige of Mecca in 692. (SB)
30. He and his brother were generals of Mu`awiya I, who made them
governors of Khorassan and Segestan, ca. 673-4.
Yazid removed them in 681 and replaced them with their brother Salam.
(AM) There is an error here; his brother
`Ubaydallah is meant. (SB)
31. Al-Mukhtar son of `Abou-`Oubeida, born in 622, defeated the
caliph `Oubeid-Allah, conquered Mesopotamia, and supported the family of
Ali. He was defeated by Mosab, the
general of the caliph `Abdallah, and put to death in 687.
32. Not otherwise known (SB).
[Note that AM gives names as "Son of `Uthman", and SB as
"bar Uthman", the Syriac form.
It seems more sensible to say "ibn Uthman". RP].
33. Not
otherwise known (SB).
34. These are
the Kufites, so labelled in the Khuzistan Chronicle, p.36. (SB)
35. John of Dasen, or 'the Leper'.
He managed to occupy the see for 22 months until his death in 695 AD. He
was in fact a rival candidate to Hnanisho` from the first. (SB)
36. George was patriarch from 659 to 680/1. (SB)
37. Hnanisho` was patriarch from 685/6 to 692/3. The intervening period when the very aged
John I was patriarch is ignored. (SB)
38. Ibrahim ibn al-Ashtar. (SB)
39. A little river which rises in the upper part of the district of
Marga and flows into the Zab near the ruins of Nimroud. It is noted for the swiftness of its
flow. (AM) The defeat and death of
`Ubaydallah ibn Ziyad took place on 6th August 686 AD, according to Islamic
tradition, but Michael the Syrian (vol. 2, p. 471) states that it was in AG 996
(so the editor; the ms. says 995), i.e. 686 AD, on 22-23rd September, and that
400,000 died. (SB)
40. Probably "surat", who had "sold" their life
for the cause of God (Koran IV, 76) rather than "surta"
(bodyguard).(SB)
41. = Arabs. (RP)
42. 3rd April 687 AD. (SB)
43. Isaiah
42:14. The preceding section is a
mixture of biblical phrases. Cf. Ps.
78:65, 143:6, Ezek. 32:10, Is. 52:10, Deut. 32:41. (SB)
44. Isaiah 33:10-11. The last few words are given by Mingana,
"et vous enfanterez l'arc dans votre esprit." - "and give birth
to the bow in your spirits" is how SB renders it - but does not seem to
correspond to the next part of Isaiah, "and you will give birth to
stubble." SB gives no reference. (RP)
45. At the end of 686, the same year as the death of al-Mukhtar.
(SB)
46. The
Zoroastrians. (SB)
47. Using a
variant reading in Mingana's edition (SB).
48. Jer.
6:29-30. (SB)
49. Gen. 4:15.
(SB)
50. The first
part of the sentence is not in the Mingana translation. (RP)
51. Is. 51:20.
(SB)
52. Orientals often dig pits to contain grain for which there is no
space in the house. (AM)
53. This
sentence is not in AM, only in SB. (RP)
54. Is. 1:5.
(SB)
55. These pages by an eye-witness which contain a detailed
description of the plague and the famine following in 686-7 are among the
finest pieces of Syriac literature. (AM)
56. These
words, so precise, must be those of a contemporary. (AM)
57. The author recounts, chapter by chapter, the events taking
place before his eyes. (AM)
58. This paragraph is difficult to follow and relates prophetically
to events to take place at the end of time. (AM) SB stops here. (RP)
59. Apocalyptic
material relating to the second coming of Christ, and suggesting a millenialist
tendency in the author.
60. I.e. the famine of which he has spoken at length. The plagues took place in 686-7. Bar Penkaye must have lived in the 7th century,
and perhaps ca. 617 to 690. From this
point the author gives a summary of the contents of his book. (AM)
61. This word
does not have the sense of archaeology given to it by Duval, but rather of
epitome, summary, abridgement.
