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Anonymous (eleventh/twelfth century)

 
 

Obverse

Bust of St. Nicholas holding the book and offering a blessing. Sigla on either side: |νι|κολ||ο, : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Νικόλαο(ς). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, a cross above. Border of dots.


σκεπησ
φυλατε
τονσονοι
κετ,λατρ
ι̣,

σκέπης, φύλατ(τ)ε τὸν σὸν οἰκέτ(ην), λάτρι(ν)

Obverse

Bust of St. Nicholas holding the book and offering a blessing. Sigla on either side: |νι|κολ||ο, : ὁ ἅ(γιος) Νικόλαο(ς). Border of dots.

Reverse

Inscription of five lines, a cross above. Border of dots.


σκεπησ
φυλατε
τονσονοι
κετ,λατρ
ι̣,

σκέπης, φύλατ(τ)ε τὸν σὸν οἰκέτ(ην), λάτρι(ν)

Accession number BZS.1958.106.1790
Diameter 24.0 mm; field: 22.0 mm
Previous Editions

Cf. Wassiliou-Seibt, Siegel mit metrischen Legenden II, no. 2205.

Translation

σκέπης, φύλαττε τὸν σὸν οἰκέτην, λάτριν.

May you protect your servant. Guard him well.

Commentary

It may well be from the choice of saint on the obverse that the owner's name was Nicholas.

The translation of the inscription is somewhat free. The Greek combines one verb in the optative mood ("may you protect") with another in the imperative ("guard"), and each verb has its own object (οἰκέτην / λάτριν, both synonyms for "servant"). Note the paratactic arrangement of the verse (x x ... y y).

Bibliography

  • Corpus der byzantinischen Siegel mit metrischen Legenden, Vol. 2, Siegellegenden von Ny bis inklusive Sphragis (Open in Zotero)