194 Part Two: Epigrams in Context
Purely descriptive, for instance, is the following epigram found next to the
frontispiece of the book of Job:
Gymnñn tñn \Iwb, s1rkaß ™ktethköta,
Çdeixen 9m¦n Ö graóeáß ×lkoyß pl6znº
o¾kton g2r Çscen oJdam0ß polystönoy,
ändrñß pönoyß d\ Œóhne kän ta¦ß eœkösi^103.“Here we see Job naked, his body emaciated and full of festering wounds,
as the painter represented him; for he did not pity at all the much troubled one,
but even wove the sufferings of this man into the image”. This epigram does
not offer an interpretation of the image. At best it may be said that the
epigram implicitly suggests that the viewer has to feel compassion when he
looks at the miniature depicting the sufferings of Job. The implicit injunction
to pity poor Job may perhaps orchestrate the appropriate viewer response to
the image, but it does by no means constitute an explanation of its visual
message.
There are many epigrams, however, that do provide a theological interpre-
tation of the miniatures. This theological interpretation always involves a
symbolic reading of the Old Testament stories in the light of the revelation of
the New Testament. In these interpretative epigrams there is an intricate play
of metaphors, symbols and analogies, which, as in a dark mirror, reflect the
immanent truth of Christianity. See, for instance, the epigram on the book of
Judith:
Sköpei tñ l7tron kaò xen5foy tñn t7ponº
q‰ly x5óoß g2r ¢de kaò Qeo ̄ sq6noß
t/ \Israël t5qhsi tën szthr5anº
™k q8lezß aïqiß dê Qeo ̄ Soó5a
Cristñß pro‰lqe stayrñn Äß x5óoß ó6rzn,
di\ oÏ Sat2n kaqe¦le tën panopl5an^104.“See the redemption and marvel at the prefiguration, for here a female
sword and God’s might bring salvation to Israel. It was from a woman, too,
that the Wisdom of God, Christ, came forth bearing the cross as a sword, by
which He subdued the panoply of Satan”. In this epigram the sword by which
(^103) MATHEWS 1977: 132 (fol. 461v). Mathews reads kan ta¦ß eÉkosi and translates “twentyfold”
(sic). The form ™ktethkötaß (v. 1) is grammatically incorrect: not only is s1rx a feminine
noun, but because of gymnön and pl6zn an acc. sing. is required. For a more correct
edition, see HÖRANDNER 1991: 420.
(^104) MATHEWS 1977: 132 (fol. 383v). Mathews reads skope¦ in v. 1. The ungrammatical form
q8lezß (instead of q8leoß) should be retained metri causa.