From my diary

Some of the works of Methodius of Olympus (d. 311 AD) no longer exist in Greek.  But an unpublished Old Slavonic version of a few does exist.  Recently a couple of manuscripts of this appeared online on a Russian site; and a little while ago I commissioned a translation of “On life and rational activity”.

Last night I received the translation and it seems fine.  I have sent off a cheque for it today – unusually, in these days of instant funds transfer – but of course I shan’t put it online until the money has reached the translator, and it becomes mine and, therefore, public domain as usual.

The sermon – for such it is – is well adapted to these present days of uncertainty.  The actual Slavonic is rather corrupt, and somewhat awkward at points, but the work is still comprehensible.  The translator has stated as his opinion that the corruption is probably older than all the exemplars.

This evening I shall look at the other sermons by Methodius, and do some calculations of word counts, and see if perhaps we can get some more of these translated too.

I wonder if there is an index or clavis of Old Slavonic literature, like that for Greek in the Clavis Patrum Graecorum?  I always like to reference such indices if they exist.

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6 thoughts on “From my diary

  1. That sounds great. I look forward to them, since these were some of the few Ante-Nicene writings still waiting to be translated. (Another one, which strangely has not been too, is Commodianus’ Carmen Apologeticum.)

    Thanks for all of your efforts,
    Andy

  2. Hi Roger, yes a Clavis for Slavonic literature got underway in 2012 as you noted years ago. The website launched in the following year is here. I looked at it about a year or so ago but it’s not loading for me today. Tthat could be because my connection is dodgy- perahps others can check?

  3. Hi Roger,
    There was something there when I first looked at it, I think they were concentrating on Chrysostom first, but seems it never went further, as you said 🙁

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