Epitaph of abbot Honorius

Epitaph of abbot Honorius

Reference CLE 789 | Description | Lyrics | Location | Chronology | Epigraphic edition | Translation | Apparatus | Comentary | Type of verse | Text divided into verses and metric signs | Images | Bibliography | Link to DB | Author |

Epitaph of abbot Honorius

Description

  • Idno filename 22/01/0034
  • Type of inscription: Sepulcralis Christ.
  • Perdida

Location

  • Place of discovery: Fregenal de la Sierra, perhaps in the Visigothic monastic settlement of San Miguel (´´There in Frexenal at the door of San Miguel on a rock there is written this, and it seems to be from the time of the Goths´´)
  • Geolocation
    •
  • Location with Modern Nomenclature España / Badajoz / Fregenal de la Sierra
  • Location with Old Nomenclature Hispania / Baetica / Hispalensis / Nertobriga Concordia Iulia

Chronology

  • Inscription's dating: Between year 501 and year 699
  • Dating explanation: The archaeological context of the hermitage of San Miguel and the epigraph In nomine Domini point to the 6th-7th centuries. The only sure point of reference as terminus post quem is the epitaph of Paula, who died in 404.

Type of verse

  • Type of verse: Dactílico (hexámetro)
  • Verse/line correspondence: No
  • Prose/verse distinction: No

Epigraphic edition

In nomine Domini hic tumulus Ho-

norii abbat(is)

respicis angustum precisa rupe sepul-

crum hospitium beatissimi Honorii abba-

5       tis c(a)elestia regna tenentis in s(a)ecula

saeculorum amen.

Text divided into verses and metric signs

Respicis angustum pr(a)ecisa rupe sepulcrum lkk|ll|l/l|ll|lkk|l~

Hospitium {beatissimi} Honor͡ii {abbatis} celestia regna tenentis. lkkH|k/kl|l/l|lkk|lkk|l~

 

Translation

“In the name of the Lord. This is the tomb of abbot Honorius. You are contemplating a narrow sepulchre dug out of rock, the dwelling of the blessed abbot Honorius, who is enjoying the kingdom of heaven for ever and ever amen”.

Bibliography

Morales 1574–1586, 100; ex eo Hübner, IHC 49 (inde Bücheler, CLE 789, cuius exemplum in linguam Hispanicam vertit Fernández Martínez 1998-99; Diehl, ILCV 1647; Vives, ICERV 280). – Cf. Berrocal – Caso 1991, 306; Marengo 1995, p. 375–379; Canto 1997, 76 n. 53.

Comentary

Epitaph of an unknown abbot Honorius, based on the epitaph to Saint Paula by Saint Jerome, epist. 108: aspicis angustum praecisa rupe sepulcrum / hospitium Paulae est caelestia regna tenentis, as Hübner already said, but who wrote, however, respicit. The first verse, with the sole variant of respicis for aspicis, does not spoil the scheme of the hexameter. However, the scheme is spoiled in the second when the name of the deceased is replaced with the syntagma beatissimi Honorii abbatis. The epitaph to Paula was also the origin of another epigraphic poem, cf. CLE 788: respicis angustum precisa rupe sepulcrum / hospitium Romuli levitae est caelestia regna tenentis.

  1. 1, In nomine Domini is a common formula at the beginning of inscriptions commemorating the consecration of churches and the receiving of relics, as well as in Christian epitaphs, vid. Vives 1969, 98 – 112. L. 4, on the metaphorical use of hospitium for sepulcrum, cf. Hernández Pérez 2001a, 135 – 136; ll. 5 – 6, in saecula saeculorum, a liturgical echo of Apoc. 1, 6 and 22, 5, vid. Escolà – Martínez Gázquez 2002.

Link to DB

Author

  • Author:J. M. Escolà Tusset, J. Martínez Gázquez
  • Last Update2023-12-03 17:10:39

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