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Medieval Sourcebook:
Symeon Metaphrastes (10th Century):
Lives of the Saints: Index

Introduction

[Halsall]

Historians interested in the "real lives" of individual saints value the earliest texts above all others. But for assessing the cult of saints in Byzantium the tenth-century "Metaphrastic" (rewritten) collection of saints' lives dominate the manuscript record. There are about 700 surviving manuscripts of the 10th-century Byzantine "re-phraser" known St. Symeon Metaphrastes. As a result his work dominates the later Byzantine conception of sanctity.

By far the easiest way to locate the collection today is through the version published in J.P. Migne's Patrologia Graeca. In Vols. 114-116, Migne published an almost complete collection accompanied by a Latin translation. The table below summarizes both the saints in the collection, giving their feast day and location in the Patrologia Graeca. Also added, as it becomes available, is information on later editions, since the Migne collection was based on a limited number of manuscripts, and information on translations of particular lives.

Note: this is not a complete list of the Metaphrastic corpus, but rather of the texts in Migne. Migne simply did not include all the lives. For a more extensive listing, based on a sampling of 29 manuscripts, see Hippolyte Delehaye, "Synopsis Metaphrastica", in Bibliotheca Hagiographica Greaca, 2^nd ed., (Brussels: 1909), 267-292,

See also:

• Simeon Metaphrastes [At Ecole]
• Metaphrastic MS: Image of Iviron Monastery, Cod. 16, Parchment, 34.5/35 x 28.5/29 cm, ff. 294, [At Mt Athos Exhibit.]
  

Symeon Logotheta Metaphrastes,
Saec X., PG, Vols 114-116:
Menologium seu Vitæ Sanctorum, 114­16

(Graece et latine editio princeps: quae graece nondum edita erant stellula notantur, lt = latine tantum.)

Notes:

Base list is from the index volume of PG., cols. 96-99

Each entry contains:

• Date given. Usually one saint for each day, occasionally two or three
• Name of saint in standard Latin. If marked with a *, indicates the PG text is first edition. If I have thought the Latin unclear I have given in brackets the usual English form]
• Source of PG text if not first edition given in parentheses:
  AA.SS = Acta Sanctorum
• Source of PG Latin translation, also given in parentheses
  - Surius is the most common source.
• Page location. Take volume number from number after name of month. Some texts are out of order, in which case the volume number is given highlighted.
• Source of preface, usually taken from AA.SS, but occasionally other authors.
• Additional notes on more modern editions or translations.
  
  

Januarius, 114.

1. *Euphrosyne Alex. (latine Surius), 305­22.

3. Apollinaris, virgo (Surius, 1t), 321­8.

5 *Symeon Stvlita 335­92.
AA.SS. praefatio, 329­36.

7. *I,ucianus, martyr, 397­416.
AA.S.S. praefatio, 393­8.

9. *Polyeuctus (Surius), 417­30.

10. *Marcianus. presbyter (Surius), 429­5G.

11. *Theodosius cenobiarcha, 469­554.
AA.SS. praefatio, 433­68.

13. *Hermylus et Stratonicus (Surius), 553­66.

15. *Joannes Calybita (Surius), 567­82.

21. *Euthymius hegumenus (Cottelerius), 595­734,
prolgus genuinius Cyrilli Scythopoleos, latine, 594.
AA.SS praefatio, 583­94.

*Sebastianus et socii (Surius), 116, 793­816.

22. *Vincentius, martyr (Surius), 114, 735­56.

Timothous, apostolus, 761­74.
AA.SS. praefatio, 757­60.

23. *Anastasius persa (Surius), 773­812.

*Clemens Ancyranus, 815­94.
AA.SS. praefatio, 813­4.

*Joannes Eleemosynarius [John the Merciful, or the Almoner] , 895­966.
AA.SS. praefatio, 893­4.

24. *Babylas, martyr, 967­82.
AA.SS. praefatio, 965­ó.

25. Eusebia (Surius), 981­1000.

*Ananias, apostolus, 1001­10.
AA.SS. praefatio, 1001­2,
26. *Xenophon et filii, 1013­44.

AA.SS. praefatio, 1011­12.

27. .Joannes Chrysostomus (Savilius), 1045­1210

28. *Jacobus, monachus, 1213­30 (n. 16 33 lt).
AA.SS. praefatio, 1211­2.

31. Cyrus et Joannes, 1231­50.
AA.SS. praefatio, 1229­32.

Februarius , 114.

1. Ephræm Syrus (ex Nysseno), 1253­68.
Assemani. praefatio, 1251­2.

*Ignatius Deifer [Ignatius of Antioch] (Surius), 1269­86.

2. *Cornelius, centurio, 1293­1312.
AA.SS. praefatio, 1287­92.

*Trypho, 1311­28.

3. *Blasius (Surius), 116, 817­30

5. Agatha, virgo et martyr, 114, 1331-14
AA.SS. praefatio,, 1329-46

7. *Parthenius, episcopus (auctore Crispino), 1347-66
AA.SS. praefatio, 1345­46.

-note: this is not metaphrastic according to BHG.

9. *Nicephorus, martyr, 1367­76.
AA.SS. praefatio, 1365-66

14. *Auxentius, 1377­436.
AA.SS. praefatio, 1375­78.

16. *Juliana (Surius), 1437­52.

18. *Leo et Paregorius, 1451­62.

Martius, 115.

12. Theophanes, 9­30 (AA.SS.).

16. *Longinus, centurio (Surius), 31­44.

*Abramius et neptis (id.), 43­78.

Aprilis, 115.

1. Agape et sociæ (Surius, It), 77­82.

4.. *Ambrosius, 116, 861­82.

5. Theodora, 115 (Surius, It), 83­88,

Therme et sociæ (Surius, lt), 87­90

7. Calliopius (Surius, It), 91­94.

10, *Terentius et socii, 95­106 (Surius).

13. *Carpus et socii (id.), 105­26.
Jam. in AA. SS.

18, Eleutherius (greace AA.SS., latine Surius)

22. Acepsimas et socii (AA.SS.), 116, 831­60.

Georgius, 115 (AA.SS.), 141­62.

*Marcus, apostolus et evangelista (Surius)

27. *Anthimus, 171­84 (id.).

Maius, 115.

1. Philippus, apostous, 187­98.
AA.SS. praefatio, 183­88.

Jacobus, frater Domini, 199­2í8 (id.).

8. *Acacius, 217­40 (Surius).

Bonifacius, 241­58 (graece AA.SS., Surius).

14. *Victor et Corona (Surius), 257­68.

Junius, 115.

7. Paulus CP [Paul, an early bishop Constaninople]. (Surius), 116, 883­96.

19. Nazarius et socii (id.) 116, 895­908.

27. Sampson, 277­308.
AA.SS. praefatio,, 267­78.

Julius, 115.

11. Stephanus et socii, 317­8.
AA.SS., 309­16.

17. XLV Martyres [Forty Martyrs of Sebasteia], 323­40.
AA.SS., 319­22.

*Eugenitls et Maria filia (AA. SS.), 347­56.

18. *Mauricius et socii (Surius), 355­72.

21. *Daniel, propheta (id.), 371­404

22. *Plato (id.), 403­28.

27. *VII Dormientes [Seven Sleepers of Ephesus] (id.), 427­48

*Panteleemon (id.), 447­78.

29. *Caninicus (id.), 477­88.

Eudocimus (Surius, It), 487­98.

Augustus, 115.

1. Sophia et filiæ (Surius), 497­514.

2. Stephanus, papa et martyr (latine Surius)

12. Euplus, martyr (Cotelerius), 523­30

15. S. Maria Deipara [Mary, Mother of God], latine (Surius), cum fg. graecis (M.), 529­66.

17. Mamas, martyr (auctore Neophytos, latine Surius), 513-24

Paulus et Juliana, martyres (latine ,Surius)

19. *Andreas et socii, 595­610.
AA.SS. praefatio, 587­96,

September, 115.

5. Eudoxius et socii, martyres, 617­34.
AA.SS. praefatio, 609­18.

7. *Sozon, martyr (Surius), 633­40.

9. *Severianus, martyr (id.), 639­52.

*Menodora et sociæ, martyres (id.), 653­66,

11. *Theodola Alex. (id.), 665­90.

12. *Autonomus, martyr (id.), 691­98.

15. Nicetas Gothus, martyr, 703­12.
AA.SS. praefatio, 697­704.

16. *Euphemia, martyr (Surius), 713­32

19. Trophimus et socii, martyres (id.), 733­49

21. *Matthæus, evangelista, 813­20.
AA.SS. praefatio, 749­814.

23. Thecla, martyr (Pantinus), 821­46.

24. Cyprianus Ant., 847­82.
Blampignon Monitum 845 8.

27. *Callistratus, martyr (Surius), 881­900

28. *Chariton (id.) 899­918.

29. Cyriacus (Montfaucon), 919­44.

31. *Gregorius illuminator (Surius), 943­96.

October, 115.

5. Charitina, martyr (AA.SS.), 997­1006.

7. Sergius et Bacchus, martyr (id.), 1005­32.

8. *Pelagia Antiochena (Surius), 116, 107­20.

9. Dionyslus Areopagita, 1031­50 et 4, 589­608.

Andronicus et conjux (latine Surius), 1049­54.

10. *Eulampius et Eulampia, martyres (Surius) 1053­66.

11. *Probus et socii, martyres (id.), 1067­80,

20. Andreas Cretensis, 1109­1128.
AA.SS. praefatio,1081­1110.

Lucas, evangelista (editio Paris., 1631)

*Varus, martyr (Surius), 1141­60.

Artemius, martyr (id.), 1159­1212,

22. *Abercius (id.), 1211­48
-Later ed. S. Abercii vita. Supplementum, Abercii titulus sepulcralis qua ratione sit traditus exposuerunt Guilelmus Ludtke et Theodorus Nissen. Lipsiae, inaedibus B.G. Teubneri, 1910.

24. *Arethas et socii (id.), 1249­90.

25. *Marcianus, martyr (id.), 1289­94.

28. *Anastasia romana (id.), 1293­1308.

30. *Zenobius et Zenobia, martyres (id.)., 1309­18.

31. *Epimachus, martyr (id.), 1319­26.

November, 116.

2. *Acyndinus et socii, martyres (Surius), 9­36

4. *Joannicius, abbas (id.), 35­92.

5. *Galactio et Episteme (id.), 93­108.

7. *Hiero et socii, martyres (id.), 109­120.

8. *Matrona, Martyr (id.), 919­54.
-this is not, in fact the life of a martyr, but of Matrona of Perge.
-English trans. by Khalifa Bennasser, Gender and Sanctity in Early Byzantine Monasticism: A Study of the Phenomenon of Female Ascetics in Male Monastic Habit, (University Microfilms, Ann Arbor, MI 1984) 118-154

9. *Orestes, martyr (id.), 119­28.

15. Gurias, Samonas et Abibus, martyres (id.),
English trans. in Ante-Nicene and Nicene Fathers Series

22. *Cecilia et socii (latine Surius) 163­80

23. Clemens, martyr (latine Surius), 179­90 cum narratione S. Ephræm, quæ est græce et latine 2, 617­32; 631­46.

*Gregorius Agrigentinus (Surius), 189­270

Amphilochius Iconii, 955­970.

25. Mercurius (latine Surius), 269­76.

*Æcaterina [Katherine of Alexandria] (Surius), 275­302.

December, 116.

4. *Barbara (Surius), 301­16.

6. *Nicolaus Myrensis (id.), 317­56

8. *Patapius, 357­68 (id.).

10. *Menas et socii (id.), 367­416.

11. *Daniel Stylita (id.), 969­1038.

12. *Spyridon (id.), 417­68.

13. *Eustratius et socii (id.), 467­506.

14. *Thyrsus et socii, martyres (id.), 507­560.

21. Thomas, apostolus (latine Surius), 559­66.

23. X Martyres cretenses (græce Cornelius, latine Surius), 565­74

25. Anastasia junior et sociæ, martyres(Surius)

*Eugenia (id.), 609­52.

26. Theodorus Graptus (Combefis) 653­84

11. *Indas, Domna et socii (Surius), 1037­82.

27. Joannes Evangelista (editio Paris., 1631), 683

29. *Marcellus Archimandrita (Surius), 705­46

30. Anysia Thessalonicensis, martyr (latine Surius)

31. *Melania Romana (Surius), 753­794.

Supplementum; de S. Demetrio (AA.SS.), 1081-1424

AA SS. Commentarius prævius de S. Demetrio, 1081­1168.

Honoratus a S. Maria, de auctoritate et testimonio Metaphrastae, gallice, 114 157­84.

Allatius. Diatriba, 114, 19­li8, cum indicibus:

• 1. Alli hagiographi certi, 147­52.
• 2. Vitæ sanctorum his certis hagiographis tribuendæ, 153­56.
• 3. Index analyticus in diatribam, 155­8.

Hanckius. Catalogus vitarum a S. M. compositarum, 293­300.

Nessel. Calalogus alter, 299­304.

Editoris Patrologiae praefatio, 114. 9­18.

See also:

BHG 1667: Vita di S. Stefano Minore/ Simeone Metafraste ; introduzione, testo critico, traduzione e note a cura di Francesca Iadevaia., (Messina : Edizioni Dr. A. Sfameni, 1984)

BHG 1686: Symeon Stylites the Elder - vita by Symeon Metaphrastes
Fr. tr. in preparation by Anne Bertrand

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(c)Paul Halsall, December 1997
halsall@murray.fordham.edu