The medieval vitae of St. Mary of Egypt - A repository & synopsis of versions and translations || Texts & Sources

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(6) De Transitu Mariae Aegyptiace (Anglo-Saxon, 996/997)

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Anglo-Saxon

This Anglo-Saxon or Old English version is one of the earliest vernacular translations of the vita of Mary of Egypt. It is not based directly on the Sophronian original but was made using the Latin translation by Paulus Diaconus. The manuscript sources selected for printed editions Surius 1875 and Patrologia Latina 73 [1879] of Paulus' Latin translation are the most likely sources for the translation into Anglo-Saxon.

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Text

The text is that of (6.e) Stevenson 1996. Differences in (6.d) Skeat 1890 are indicated via footnotes. Both printed editions contain a parallel translation into Modern English.

Show page and folio references

[ Cotton MS Julius E VII, fol. 122v, l. 29, Skeat 1890, p. 2, Stevenson 1996, p. 58 ]

XXIII b.
DE TRANSITU MARIAE AEGYPTIACE.

[...] [ Cotton MS Julius E VII, fol. 128v, l. 20, Skeat 1890, p. 28, Stevenson 1996, p. 88 ]

(15) ‘Ða þa seo symbelnyss becom þære halgan deorwurðan rode upahefennysse [Skeat: úp-ahefennysse], ic foregeode, þa geongan swa swa ær on þæt grin forspillednysse teonde. Ða geseah ic soðlice on ærnemergen [Skeat: ærne mergen] hi ealle anmodlice to þære cyrcan yrnan. Ða ongan ic yrnan mid þam yrnendum, and samod mid heom teolode toforan þam temple becuman. Ða þa seo tid becom þa halgan rode to wurþigenne, þa ongan ic nydwræclice gemang þam folce wið þæs folces þringan, and swa mid micclum geswince ic unsælige [Skeat: ungesælige] to þæs temples dura becom mid þam þe þær ineodon. Ða ic sceolde in on þa dura gangen, þa ongunnon hi butan ælcere lættinge ingangan; me witodlice þæt godcunda mægen [ Cotton MS Julius E VII, fol. 129r ] þæs ganges bewerede, and ic sona wæs ut aþrungen fram eallum þam folce, oððe ic ænlipigu on þam cafertune to læfe oþstod. Ða ongan ic þencan þæt me þæt gelumpe for þære wiflican unmihte, and ic me þa eft ongan mæncgan to oþrum, þæt ic wolde on sume wisan inn geþringan, ac ic swanc on idel, mid þam þe ic þone ðerscwold [Skeat: erscwold] þæra dura gehran.

(16) ‘And hi ealle þyder inn onfangene wæron butan ælcere lettinga [Skeat: lettinge]; þa wæs ic ana ut asceofen. Ac swilce me hwilc strang meniu ongean stode þæt me þone ingang beluce, swa me seo færlice Godes wracu þa duru bewerede, oððe ic eft standende on þæs temples cafertune wæs. [Ab hier weiter Stevenson abglechen:] þus ic þrywa . oþþe feower siþum þrowode minne willan to geseonne . [and] eác to fremanne . [and] þa ða ic naht ne gefremode . þa ongan ic ofer þ[æt] geor[n]e wénan [and] mín lichama wæs swiðe geswenced for þam nyde þæs geþringes ; Ða gewát ic witodlice þanone . [and] mé ána gestód on sumum hwomme þæs cafertunes . [and] on minu[m] mode geornlice þohte [and] smeade for hwilcum intingu[m] me wære forwyrned þæs liffæstan treowes ansyn . þa onhran soðlice mín mód [and] þa eagan minre heortan hælo andgit mid me sylfre þencende þ[æt] me þone ingang belucen þa onfeormeganda (sic) minra misdæda . Ða ongan ic biterlice wepan . and swiðe gedrefed mine breost cnyssan . and of inneweardre heortan heofonde forðbringan . þa geomorlican siccetunga ; Ða geseah ic of þære stówe [ Skeat 1890, p. 30 ] þe ic ón stód . þære halgan godes cennestran anlicnysse standende . [...]

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Sources

Manuscript

(6.a) Cotton MS Julius E VII

Cotton MS Julius E VII, fols. 122v-136r.

High resolution scans of the whole manuscript are available at the British Library, London, which also provides detailed information on its content and ownership, along with a bibliography.

Printed editions

(6.b) Skeat 1890 = Printed edition of (6.a) Cotton MS Julius E VII

Anonymous: De Transitu Mariae Aegyptiace, in: Walter W. Skeat (ed.), Aelfric's Lives of Saints. Being a set of sermons on Saints' days formely observed by the English Church, vol. 2: Chapters 23B-37, London 1890, p. 2-52.

Bibliographical details @ Regesta Imperii OPAC

Scan @ Internet Archive, p. 2 ff.

Scan @ Wikimedia Commons, p. 2 ff.

Scan: Open PDF, Skeat 1890, p. 2 ff.

This volume contains a translation of the Anglo-Saxon text into modern English, cf. (6.d) below.

(6.c) Stevenson 1996 = Printed edition of (6.a) Cotton MS Julius E VII

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Transcription of Cotton MS Julius E VII

In my transcription I am trying to represent, as faithfully as possible, all scribal abbreviations and variant typographic characters of the original Anglo-Saxon manuscript.

fol. 128v (facsimile)

Show Skeat's transcription

[...] Ðɑ

þɑ ꞅeo ꞅẏmbelnẏꞅꞅ becom þæꞃ hɑlᵹɑn ꝺeoꞃƿuꞃðɑn ꞃo

ꝺ . úp ɑheꝼennẏꞅꞅ ; Ic ꝼoꞃ ᵹeoꝺ þɑ ᵹeonᵹɑn ꞅƿɑ́ ꞅƿɑ́

ǽꞃ on  ᵹꞃın foꞃꞅpılleꝺnẏꞅꞅ ꞇeonꝺ . þɑ ᵹeꞅeɑh ıc ꞅoð

lıc on æꞃn meꞃᵹen hı eɑll ɑnmoꝺlıc ꞇo þꞃ cẏꞃcɑn

ẏꞃnɑn . þɑ onᵹɑn ıc ẏꞃnɑn mıꝺ þɑm ẏꞃnenꝺum . ⁊ ꞅɑmoꝺ

mıꝺ heom ꞇeoloꝺ ꞇoꝼoꞃɑn þɑm ꞇempl becumɑn . þɑ

þɑ ꞅeo ꞇíꝺ becom þɑ hɑlᵹɑn ꞃoꝺ ꞇo ƿuꞃþıᵹenn . þɑ onᵹɑn

ıc nẏꝺƿꞃæclıc ᵹemɑnᵹ þɑm ꝼolc ƿıð þꞅ ꝼolceꞅ þꞃın

ᵹɑn . ⁊ ꞅƿɑ́ mıꝺ mıcclum ᵹeꞅƿınc ıc unᵹeꞅælıᵹ ꞇo þæꞅ

ꞇempleꞅ ꝺuꞃɑ becom mıꝺ þɑm þ þǽꞃ ın eoꝺon . þɑ ıc ꞅceol

ꝺ ın on þɑ ꝺuꞃɑ ᵹɑnᵹen . þɑ onᵹunnɑn hı buꞇɑn ælceꞃ

læınᵹ ınᵹɑnᵹɑn . m́ ƿıꞇoꝺlıc  ᵹoꝺcunꝺa mæᵹen

fol. 129r (facsimile)

þæꞅ ᵹɑnᵹeꞅ beƿeꞃeꝺ . ⁊ ıc ꞅonɑ ƿꞅ uꞇ ɑþꞃunᵹen ꝼꞃɑm eɑl

lum þɑm ꝼolc . oðð ıc ænlıpıᵹu on þɑm cɑꝼeꞃꞇun ꞇo

laꝼ oþꞅꞇóꝺ . þɑ onᵹɑn ıc þencɑn  m  ᵹelump ꝼoꞃ

þæꞃ ƿıꝼlıcɑn unmıhꞇe . ⁊ ıc m þɑ eꝼꞇ onᵹɑn mncᵹɑn

ꞇo oþꞃum .  ıc ƿolꝺ on ꞅum ƿıꞅɑn ınn ᵹeþꞃınᵹɑn . ɑc

ıc ꞅƿɑnc ón íꝺel . mıꝺ þɑm þ ıc þon ðeꞃꞅcƿolꝺ þꞃɑ

ꝺuꞃɑ ᵹehꞃɑ́n . ⁊ hí eɑll þẏꝺeꞃ ınn onꝼɑnᵹen ƿꞃon

buꞇɑn ælceꞃ leınᵹ . þɑ ƿæꞅ ıc ɑ́nɑ uꞇ aꞅceɑ̣̦ͦꝼen ; Λc

ꞅƿılc m hƿılc ꞅꞇꞃɑnᵹ menıu onᵹeɑn ꞅꞇoꝺ .  m þon̈

ınᵹɑnᵹ beluc . ꞅƿɑ m ꞅeo ꝼæꞃlıc ᵹoꝺeꞅ ƿꞃɑcu þɑ ꝺuꞃu

beƿeꞃeꝺ ; Oðð ıc eꝼꞇ ꞅꞇɑnꝺenꝺ on þꞅ ꞇempleꞅ cɑꝼeꞃ

ꞇun ƿæꞅ . þuꞅ ıc þꞃẏƿɑ . oþþ ꝼeoƿeꞃ ꞅıþum þroƿoꝺ

mınn ƿıllɑn ꞇo ᵹeꞅeonn . ⁊ eɑ́c ꞇo ꝼꞃemɑnn . ⁊ þɑ ðɑ

ıc nɑhꞇ n ᵹeꝼꞃemoꝺ . þɑ onᵹɑn ıc oꝼeꞃ  ᵹeoꞃ ƿénɑn

⁊ mín lıchɑmɑ ƿæꞅ ꞅƿıð ᵹeꞅƿenceꝺ ꝼoꞃ þɑm nẏꝺe þæꞅ

ᵹeþꞃınᵹeꞅ ; Ðɑ ᵹeƿɑ́ꞇ ıc ƿıꞇoꝺlıc þɑnon . ⁊ m́ ɑ́nɑ ᵹe

ꞅtóꝺ on ꞅumum hƿomm þæꞅ cɑꝼeꞃꞇuneꞅ . ⁊ on mınü

moꝺ ᵹeoꞃnlıc þohꞇ ⁊ ^ꞅ̦meɑꝺ ꝼoꞃ hƿılcum ınꞇınᵹü

m ƿæꞃ ꝼoꞃƿẏꞃneꝺ þæꞅ lıꝼꝼꞅꞇɑn ꞇꞃeoƿeꞅ ɑnꞅẏn . þɑ

onhꞃɑn ꞅoðlıc mín móꝺ ⁊ þɑ eɑᵹɑn mınꞃ heoꞃꞇɑn

hælo ɑnꝺᵹẏꞇ mıꝺ m ꞅẏlꝼꞃ þencenꝺ  m þon ınᵹɑnᵹ

belucen þɑ onꝼeoꞃmeᵹɑnꝺɑ mınꞃɑ mıꞅꝺæꝺɑ . Ðɑ on

ᵹɑn ıc bıꞇeꞃlıc ƿepɑn . ⁊ ꞅƿıð ᵹeꝺꞃeꝼeꝺ mın bꞃeoꞇ

cnẏꞅꞅɑn . ⁊ oꝼ ınneƿeɑꞃꝺꞃ heoꞃꞇɑn heoꝼonꝺ ꝼoꞃð

bꞃınᵹɑn . þɑ ᵹeomoꞃlıcɑn ꞅıcceꞇunᵹɑ ; Ðɑ ᵹeꞅeɑh ıc oꝼ

þæꞃ ꞅꞇóƿ þ ıc ón ꞅꞇóꝺ . þæꞃ hɑlᵹɑn ᵹoꝺeꞅ cenneꞅꞇꞃɑn

ɑnlıcnẏꞅꞅ ꞅꞇɑnꝺenꝺ . [...]

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Modern English translations

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Text

Show page references

[ Skeat 1890, p. 3 ]

XXIII b.
DEATH OF ST. MARY OF EGYPT (Αpril 2.)

[...] [ Ibid., p. 29 ] When the festival of the elevation of the precious Rood arrived, I went before the young men, as before, enticing them to the snare of perdition. Then indeed I saw them all run with one accord to the church early in the morning. Then began I to run with the runners, and together with them endeavoured to arrive before the temple. When the time came for reverencing the Holy Rood, then I began violently to push among the people against the people, and so with much toil I, poor wretch, arrived at the temple-door with those who were entering therein. When I ought to have entered at the door, the rest began to enter without any hindrance; but the divine might prevented me from going in, and I was soon thrust out from amid all the people, until I stood behind alone in the vestibule. Then I began to think that this had happened to me on account of my womanly want of strength, and so I began once more to mix myself with others, that I might somehow push my way in. But I toiled in vain, whenever I touched the threshold of the doors. And they were all received therein without any hindrance, when I alone was pushed out. Just as if some strong company of men opposed me to prevent my entrance, so the sudden vengeance of God barred the door to me, until I was again standing in the vestibule of the temple. Thus thrice or four times I endeavoured to behold and also to fulfil my will; and when I in no wise succeeded, then I began to think earnestly about it, and my body was extremely wearied by the compulsion of the pressure. Then, verily, I departed thence, and stood alone in a corner of the vestibule, and earnestly deliberated in my mind, and considered for what cause the sight of the quickening tree was denied me. Then indeed a knowledge of salvation touched my mind and the eyes of my heart, while pondering with myself that the filthiness of my misdeeds had closed the entrance against me. Then I began to weep bitterly, and in great sorrow to beat my breast, and sighing from my inmost heart to bring forth sorrowful sobbings. Then [ Ibid., p. 31 ] from the place where I stood I beheld the likeness of the holy Mother of God standing there ; [...]

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Source

(6.d) Skeat 1890 = translation of (6.a)/(6.b)

Death of St. Mary of Egypt (April 2.), in: Walter W. Skeat (ed.), Aelfric's Lives of Saints. Being a set of sermons on Saints' days formely observed by the English Church, vol. 2: Chapters 23B-37, London 1890, p. 3-53.

Bibliographical details @ Regesta Imperii OPAC

Scan @ Internet Archive, p. 3 ff.

Scan @ Wikimedia Commons, p. 3 ff.

Scan: Open PDF, Skeat 1890, p. 3 ff.

(6.e) Stevenson 1996 = Translation of (6.c) Stevenson 1996