Nicephori Blemmydae De virtute et ascesi ; Iosephi Racendytae De virtute / edidit Erika Gielen.

Turnhout : Brepols, 2016.

cxlv, 92 pages ; 25 cm.

Main text in Greek, preface and introduction in English.

Nicephorus Blemmydes was born as the second son of a doctor in Constantinople at the very end of the 12th century. In December 1224 he was ordained lector by patriarch Germanus II, which marked the beginning of a successful career in the Church, culminating in the foundation of an own monastery near Ephesus. Teaching, both on theological and secular topics, played a major part in his life as well. Among his pupils were George Acropolites and the future emperor Theodore II Lascaris. As to instruct his fellow monks in his monastery, Blemmydes wrote, among other things, four brief treatises, entitled 'De fide', 'De virtute et ascesi', 'De anima' and 'De corpore', each of which might have originally been part of his 'Typikon', yet has been circulating also independently. Up to now, only the 'De anima' has been decently edited.

English; Greek, Ancient (to 1453)

April 29, 2016

Includes indixes.