Pauli Silentiarii. Ekphrasis of Hagia Sophia. Ekphrasis of the Ambo. Preface, Translation from Greek and Commentary by T.L. Aleksandrova

The publication presents a poetic translation of the poem by Paul the Silentiary written by request of Justinian on the occasion of the reconsecration of the Hagia Sophia in 562. The poem is divided into two unequal parts, although in fact it represents a single piece, read before the Emperor, the Patriarch and the courtiers. The Ekphrasis contains an eulogy to Justinian as the chief builder of the church and glorifies the achievements of his reign, of which the construction of the Hagia Sophia, in the poet’s opinion, is the most outstanding deed. In the Ekphrasis the interior of the church is exhaustively described, so the poem is considered as necessary help for art historians. However, the Ekphrasis is not a technical description of the building, but an independent literary work, following the tradition of Alexandrian learned poetry and written in accordance with the early Byzantine aesthetic values.

Keywords

Paul the Silentiary, Ekphrasis, Hagia Sophia, Justinian, consecration, Byzantine poetry, Byzantine art, Byzantine architecture

Received

24.09.2019

Publication date

24.09.2019

Number of characters

99510

Cite

GOST	Aleksandrova T. Pauli Silentiarii. Ekphrasis of Hagia Sophia. Ekphrasis of the Ambo. Preface, Translation from Greek and Commentary by T.L. Aleksandrova // Vestnik drevnei istorii – 2019. – V. 79. – Issue 2 C. 502-539 [Electronic resource]. URL: http://ras.jes.su/vdi/s032103910006768-7-1-en (circulation date: 04.10.2024). DOI: 10.31857/S032103910006768-7
MLA	Aleksandrova, Tatiana "Pauli Silentiarii. Ekphrasis of Hagia Sophia. Ekphrasis of the Ambo. Preface, Translation from Greek and Commentary by T.L. Aleksandrova." Vestnik drevnei istorii 79.2 (2019):502-539. DOI: 10.31857/S032103910006768-7
APA	Aleksandrova T. (2019). Pauli Silentiarii. Ekphrasis of Hagia Sophia. Ekphrasis of the Ambo. Preface, Translation from Greek and Commentary by T.L. Aleksandrova. Vestnik drevnei istorii 79(2), pp.502-539 DOI: 10.31857/S032103910006768-7

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