Archellites

Coptic Poem

Anthony Alcock

The text reproduced below is taken from H. Junker Koptische Poesie.1 It is a late non-standard
Sahidic text that, I hope, will be helpful to those in the early stages of studying Coptic. There is
a good deal of repetition in the text, which makes it relatively easy for beginners to read. The
non-standard forms are 'translated' into Sahidic in the notes. I have tried as far as possible to
translate the repeated phrases and sentences in the same way.

Many Coptic poems were probably not meant to be spoken but sung or chanted and, as with
Archellites, were provided with abbreviated instructions as to how this was to be done. The
abbreviated instructions listed below seem to mean that the stanzas should be performed
using the tune, presumably well-known, of a hymn that began with the words in the
instruction, 'tune instructions' (Melodienvermerk).

In addition to the poem the Archellites 'dossier' includes a Coptic life, published by James
Drescher Three Coptic Legends (1947) pp. 14ff., said in the proemium of the text to have been
written Eusebius the historian. There is also a Syriac tradition about Archellites, but I am not
familiar with it.

The Coptic legend is that Archellites was of 'a good root' (ounoune enanous), the son of a
city eparch. His mother, Synklêtikê, made sure that he was properly instructed in Christian
belief. At the age of 12 he was sent to Athens for a good education: 'later, when you are a good
philosopher, return to me in peace' (mNNsws ek¥anvilosovei kalws, ngktok on ¥aroi
xnoueirhnh). But this did not happen. The boy allowed himself to be guided by God 'from
place to place and from city to city, country to country, fatherland to fatherland until God
brought him to the monastery of Romanus' (ebol xnouma euma auw ebol xnoupolis
1 Published in two volumes of Oriens Christianus 6 (1906) pp. 319-411 and 7 (1907) pp. 136-253. Tex and
translation in vol. 7 pp. 161ff.

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eupolis, xnouywra euywra, xnoupatris ekepatris ¥antepnoute NtF
ejMpmonasthrion napa xrwmanos). Synklêtikê says that the search for her son has
brought her to Palestine (stanza 14).

It is at this point that the poem begins. The divisions of 8 lines each used here are those of
Junker. I take these stanzas 2 to be double quatrains, also known as octaves. Some but not all
lines have ten syllables. There seem to be three or four stressed syllables in a line. The lines
are either self-contained of sense or joined to each other only by the grammatical structure
known as the Conjunctive; in the first stanza there are examples of this in lines 3, 5, 6 and 8. It
is to be understood as 'and' or 'so that'. The influence of Bohairic can be seen in the nomen
sacrum QS in place of JS and the Conjunctive forms tek--- and tef-- in place of Nk- and Nf-.
The most common verbal prefix conjugations in the text are <are/m
- ere, which Crum (CD
583a) describes as 'aorist'.3

The text seems to have been something like a libretto, in this case of an oratorio, performed by
a number of people, perhaps three or four, on the feast day of the saint (Tôbe 13). It
represents the most poignant episode in the saint's career and, in that sense, is the most
appropriate for a dramatic performance. The skill of the writer is displayed in the use of
repetition and 'double entendre': in double stanza 7 the near-repetition of the lines tabwk
taparakali mmof/arhu <arepefna taxoi and tabwk taparakali mmof/arhu <areoujai
taxoi and the effortless transition from the physical pain of the unknown stranger to the
emotional distress of Synklêtikê.

The following is a list of some of the annnotations used throughout the poem/hymn. They are
discussed by Junker Or. Chr. 6 pp. 340ff.
1 : +naxise an
3 : aprh/allos
4: paiw

2 German regularly uses the Classical Greek term Strophe, borrowed from French in the 17th cent. English often
uses the Italian term 'stanza', which coincidentally corresponds more or less to the term hwt in Late Egyptian
verse. Quatrain specifically refers '4 lines' (German 'Vierzeiler')
3 The positive form <are has probably developed from the earlier particle that usually points to the inevitable
consequence of a previous statement/action. The negative mere has developed from the Late Egyptian
negative particle bw and negates statements or actions without reference to time and is similar to the English
'one does not do that' or German 'man tut sowas nicht'. The Coptic aorist does not have much to do with the
Classical Greek aorist, a largely narrative tense that is similar to the English Past Simple.

2
5 : pdiak/
6 : qw<t
7 : +naxi
8 : kdisetpe / allos
10: pdi/
11: ¥omt exwf
12: all/
14/15: pallos
17: +naxise /allos
20: . . . noute
21: . . . rompe
22: ¥omt exwf

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The standard Sahidic spelling is given after each double stanza, numbered by line.

1. The prior of the monastery speaks.

auwn naf ntetnhtf exoun Open to him and bring him in
taxof eratf Mpamto ebol Stand him before me
tanau epefxo jeoueboltwnpe That I may see his face, where he is from,4
pejaf eqipeproestos Said the prior,
tati jwf mpesyhma nnaggelos And put on him the habit of the angels
takw mmof xmpmwnasthrion And let him into the monastery.
ounxntalqo na¥wpe ebol xitootf Cures will happen because of him
nterwme nim jw mpeftaio And everyone will speak his praises.

1. ntetnntf
4. nqi
5. + ejwf

2. Archellites speaks to the prior.

+parakalei mmok paiwt I beg you, my father

peproestos epimonasthrion Prior of this monastery
ekeaat emonayos xaxthk That you will make me a monk with you
taqw xacaibs enek¥lhl That I may remain under the protection of your prayers
mpernojt ebol pajoeis eiwt Do not reject me, my lord father.
jentok knatilogos xapasnof For you will give an account of my blood,
pnoute ntpepe pabohcos The God of heaven, my helper,
ereparoou¥ nhj erof Care of me lies with Him

4 I imagine that he is referring to the social background. Pale skin and fine features would probably point to the
sheltered upbringing of the well-to-do. In the Apophthegmata Patrum Apa Macarius was doubtful of the
ability of the two 'Romans Brothers' to cope with the harsh life of the desert cf. Benedicta Ward Sayings of the
Desert Fathers (1975) p. 134

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3, 4 and 5. Synklêtikê laments the absence of her son
ouoi anok aijoouk esxai Woe is me ! I sent you for an education5
eie oupe pekxhu ntok Now then, what use is it to you6
aryelliths pa¥hre mmerit Archellites, my beloved son,
papran efxoulq xitapapro The one of the name that is sweet in my my mouth ?
¥aisolsl emhne einau epekxo I will be comforted daily when I see your face
nenka mpekiwt rw¥eroi nemak The property of your father will be enough for us both
ounoqpe paemkax exht My heartache is great

6. mmhne
7. rw<e eroi

er¥anourwme bwk ep¥emo If someone goes abroad

teferourompe ¥afktof epefhi And spends a year, he returns home.

aaryelliths bwk etanshf Archellites went to school.

eisoumhh¥e nxoou epinau epefxo It is a long time since I have seen his face

e¥wpe tekonax pa¥hre If you are alive. my son,

erepQS nastok ejwi The Lord will return you to me.

e¥wpe on akkaswma exrai If you have laid down your body,

marepQS erouna nemak May the Lord have mercy on you.

1. <mmo (-em- for -mm- also in the pronouns)

3. anzhbe
4. mpinau
5. onx

I mourn for you, my beloved son

+erxhbe nak pa¥hre mmerit Archellites. the one I love,
aryelliths petime mmof The one of the name that is sweet in my mouth,
papran efxolq xitatapro Apart from whom I have no-one.
emhntai emau nsabllaf My brothers, those who know me,
nasnhu men netsooun emoi Let them mourn and grieve with me
marouerxube nseluph nemai Over the death of my beloved son.
ejmpmou mpa¥hre mmerit
5 Lit. 'to write'
6 This translates the restoration by Junker Or. Chr. 7 p.161. I imagine that it is a standard lament of disappointed
parents: 'I spend all this money giving you a good education, and what have you done with it ?' She then
moves swiftly on to how glad she will be when he comes back home. I think the sheer frustration she is feeling
is very well expressed in these terse lines

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mpieime epnetaf¥wpe mmof I do not know what has happened to him

4. mmntai

There are probably four pages missing here, in which Synklêtikê probably talks about the inn she has
opened for travellers and from one whom she has heard about the sick man mentioned in the next stanza.

6. Archellites' mother hears the following conversation of travellers passing through about a sick man.
xamoi ene ntapaie¥bwk Would that this one had been able to go
epimonasthrion eapa xrwmanos To the monastery of Apa Romanus
¥apiptouaab jearyelliths To the one called Archellites
tefparakali mmof That he might call upon him
tef¥lhl epnoute exrai ejwf
To pray to God for him,
¥arepoujai taxof
He would have been cured,
jeerepnoute ntpe
For the God of heaven
¥oop nemaf
Is with him.

2. napa

7. Synklêtikê speaks to the travellers.

+sops emwtn naiote etouaab I beg you, my holy fathers.
tamok epma erepirwme enxhtf Tell me of the place where this man is
tabwk taparaklai mmof That I might go and call upon him.
arhu ¥arepefna taxoi Perhaps he will be merciful to me,
mon ereou¥wne xipasanxoun
For there has been a sickness in my inside
eisoumhh¥e nxoou mpieime epeftw¥
The condition of which I have for some time not
tabwk taparakali mmof
understood.
arhu ¥areoujai taxoi
That I might go and call upon him.
Perhaps I will be cured.

8. The travellers reply*

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tesxime ento ouskeos eqwf Woman, you , a weak vessel,8
mere¥bwk epma etmmau You will not be able to go to that place.
xax xelhrion7 xitexih There are many brigands on the way

line missing line missing

auw pipetouaab jearyelliths And the saint called Archellites

mefnau epxo nsxime enex Will never see the face of a woman

9 and 10. Synklêtikê speaks to the archbishop

¥lhl ejwi paryhepiskopos Pray for me, archbishop,
tabwk ¥atexrwmania That I may go to Romania,9
mon aiswtm etbearyelliths For I have heard about Archellites
jaferounoq etelios That he has become a great man of perfection.10
tabwk termwnayh xaxthf That I may go and become a monk with him
tepara¥e jwk ebol And my joy be complete.
paiwt paryhepiskopos My father archbishop,
mo nayrhma tekkau xaxthk Take my wealth and keep it with you

mon axenrwme ermhtre nai For men have borne witness to me

jearyelliths pa¥ere onax That Archellites my son is alive.
ei¥anbwk taktoi taei If I go and come back,11
¥aiti noumeros etekklhsia I will give a part to the church.
ei¥anbwk on ntaqw xaxthf But if I go and stay with him,
taau enxhke me orvanos Give my money to the poor and orphans

6 mn

7 Junker understands the word as lhsthrion 'brigands'.

8 Allusion to 1 Peter 3,7
9 A name sometimes used of what we now call the Byzantine Empire
10 For the associations of telios with the monastic life G. W. H. Lampe Patristic Greek Lexicon (1961) p. 1380.
sense.
11 One of these verbs is not required by the sense but probably by the rhythm.

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11 and 12. Synklêtikê arrives at the monastery and speaks to the son she is unable to see
tkalaxh ntasbi xarok The womb that carried you
auw nekibe nai etakji mmoou And the breasts that you took,
etoou ne nai eu¥ine nswk They now seek you,
aryelliths pamerit Archellites, my beloved.
12 I entreat you by the pains
titarko Mmok enexise
etapeYS ¥opou xaron That Christ received for us,

e¥wp mekei ebol tanau epekxo To come out that I may see your face

tepara¥e jwk ebol And that my joy may be complete

1. ntasfi

bwk ajis earyilltiths Go and tell Archellites:

jetekmaau tesaxerats erok 'Your mother is waiting for you.

ntaiei ¥arok tanau epekxo I have come to you to see your face

ei¥annau erok marimou If I see you, let me die.

amou ebol pamerit Come out, my beloved,

tekti nousolshl eta-Ä2uyh And comfort my soul,

tanau epekxo That I may see your face

tepaxht emton emof And my heart be at rest

6. solsl

13. Archellites replies

aismine noudiachkh13 me pnoute I have made a covenent with God.

mih<paraba mmos I am not able to violate it,

jemihrsabol epiro For I may not come beyond the gate

minau epxo nsxime <aenex Or ever see a woman's face.

e<wpe <arqw mpima If you remain here,

w tamau kwchnhte nh My mother, build a monastery for yourself.

e<wpe <arbwk epouhi If you go home,

erepQS jimoeit ne The Lord will guide you.

12 For tarko followed by the conditional particle and <are/mere the cf. W. E. Crum Coptic Dictionary (1939)
580b for examples from other texts. See also stanza 19.
13 The same phrase is used in the text of vow made on becoming a monk in the works of Shenoute cf. J. Leipoldt
Schenute von Atripe (1903) p. 196

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2. mei<--
3. meir-
6. ketouxeneete

14 and 15. Synklêtikê

aikw ntexrwmania nswi I have left Byzantium
aiei nesto< etpllhsthnh I have come to the borders of Palestine
jiouw< tanau epekxo Because I want to see your face,
aryelliths pa<hre mmerit Archellites, my beloved son.
penexoime ncalassa The waves of the sea
ntaiplea nxhtou +xise nai On which I sailed have not given me as much pain
nce mpi<aje ntaktauof As the words you have spoken:
jeminau epxo nsxime <aenex 'I will never see a woman's face.'

3. jeiouw<
5 mpe-

ajis epa<hre pamerit Tell my beloved son:

jis nekibe netausanou<k 'Here are the breasts that fed you,
seaxeratou erok They are waiting for you,
euepicumi nnau erok
aryelliths pamerit Wanting14 to see you,
amou ebol tanau erok Archellites my beloved son.
taaspaze mmok Come out that I may see you
tepara<e jwk ebol And embrace you
And my joy be complete.'

16 and 17. Archellites (to an unspecified person in the monastery)

bwk ajis etsunklhtikh tamaau Go, tell Synklêtikê my mother:

jeaismine noudiachkh me pnoute 'I have made a covenant with the God of heaven
ntpe
anok mih<paraba mmos I am unable to violate it.
nanous tanau epouxo It good that I wll see your face

14 Pronoun switching: here 'they' but in double quatrain 18 'she'

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xntmntero nephue In the kingdom of heaven
tatilogos xanentaiaau And give an account of what I have done.'

bwk eng<aje me tamaau Go and speak with my mother:

jetwoun tebwk etoupatris 'Arise and go home,
mon aitioulogos epnoute ntpe For I have made a promise to God
nninau epxo nsxime <aenex That I will never see the face of a woman
mih<paraba tidiachkh I am not able to violate the covenant,
tai ntaismhnts me pnoute This one that I have made with God,
mhpo nfqwnt eroi Lest He be angry with me
nfnojt sabol emof And cast me from Him.'

6 -smnts

18 Synklêtikê
bwk nek<aje me pa<hre Go and speak with my son,
aryelliths pe+me mof Archellites, whom I love:
jeanokpe tsunklhtikh tekmaau 'It is I, Synklêtikê your mother,
etaiei empima tanau erok Who have come to this place to see you.
eis nekibe nai etakji mmoou Here are the breasts that you took,
tkalaxu etastwoun xarok The womb that carried you,
seaxerats epbol epiro She is waiting outside at the gate,
esouw< e<aje nemak Wishing to speak with you.'

19. Archellites
aitarko w tamaau I beg you my mother,
epran epQS eneqom By the name of the Lord of Hosts,
e<wpe <artixise nai Not to distress me
taei ebol tanau epouxo To come out and see your face.
aitilogos epnoute ntpe I have promised the God of heaven
jeminau epxo ensxime <aenex That I will never see the face of a woman.
mih<paraba mmos I will not violate it
tepanoute nojt ebol That my God cast me away.

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20. Synklêtikê
aitarkok epnoute ntpe I beg you by the God of heaven,
aryelliths pa<hre mmerit Archellites my beloved son,
<enexthk xaroi Have pity on me.
amou ebol nai tanau erok Come out to me that I may see you.
aripmeue o pa<hre Remember, my son,
nnexise ntai<opou nemak The tribulations I endured with you
ekalh ejnnaqij You lying in my hands,
eiti ekibe exoun erwk I giving my breast to your mouth

5. w

21-24. Archellites promises to let his mother in but dies before she can see him. This is her lament.

sxime nim etaujpe<hre Every woman who has borne a child,

swouax ntetnrime nemai Gather and weep with me
jou<hre nouwt aijpof Because a single child I bore,
anok pentaimpefmou naf I who brought his death to him.
+ouw< ousop e<ainau erok I wish once to see you16
mpara neyrhma throu mpkosmos More than all the wealth of the world.
pQS pe pabohcos The Lord is my helper,
ereparoou< nhj erof And care of me lies with Him.

Women who have borne children,

nesxime entaujpe<hre Gather and weep with me,
swouax ntetnrimi nemai For a single child have I borne,
jeou<hre nouwt aijpof I who brought his death to him,
anok pentaimpefmou naf I sent you to Athens
aijoouk eacnneos And Beirut to learn how to write
men beretos jekanoi esxai You left all these things behind you
akka nai throu nswk You went and became a monk.
akbwk akermonayos

I have crossed the great sea

aisekpnoq npelagos
From the city of Rome I have come to you,
jinetpolis xrwmh aiei <arok
Archellites, my only son,
aryelliths pa<hre nouwt
The light in my eyes.
pouoein efxinabal
I have brought all this on myself,
anok ainnai throu ejwi

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w pa<hre aryelliths My son Archellites.

axroi anok [. . .5 syllables ?. . . ]15 What is with me, [Synklêtikê],

ainpekmou nak I have brought your death to you.

biatk exrai teknau epaxo Lift up your eyes to see my face,

aryelliths pa<hre mmerit Archellites my beloved son.
anokpe tsunklhtikh tekmaau It is I Synklêtikê your mother.
Ntaiei epima tanau erok I have come here to see you.

15 Perhaps tsunklhtikh ?
16 The pronoun switching ('to him' to 'you') indicates that she is talking about and to her son, a sign perhaps of
mental anguish. The grammatical construction, as it stands, is strange: +ouw< ousop e<ainau erok 'I wish
once I see you'. I am unable to find any example of a parallel construction in Crum 500a, unless perhaps it is
intended as a variant of the tarko construction mentioned in note 8. I wonder if the text might be emended to
+ouw< ousop e<nau erok 'I wish once to be able to see you.'

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