"The Incineration of New Babylon": The Fire Poem of Constantine Stilbes 978-2-9700763-3-9 [PDF]

Zitiervorschau

Trevor Layman

The Incineration of New Babylon”: The Fire Poem of Konstantinos Stilbes

Editorial Board; Chief Editor: Paul Magdalino, University of St Andrews, K09 University, Istanbul Ivan Biliarsky, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia Matteo Campagnolo, Musee d’art et d’histoire, Geneva Paolo Cesaretti, University of Bergamo Stephanos Efthymiadis, Open University of Cyprus Simon Franklin, Clare College, Cambridge Maria Mavroudi, University of California, Berkley Bernard Outtier, CNRS, Paris Arietta Papaconstantinou, Oriental Institute, Oxford Jean-Michel Spieser, Universite de Fribourg

La Pomme d’or Geneva

Copyright by La Pomme d’or, 2015 All rights reserved

To Robin Blake 1986-2009

Page layout, graphic design: Iannis Meimaris Cover ©London Fire Brigade / Mary Evans Picture Library ISBN: 978-2-9700763-3-9

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Acknowledgments This book is the product of teamwork. The support given to me by La Pomme dor Publishing made everything easier. Iannis Meimaris did a beautiful job with copy­ editing and design, while Krassimira Platchkov-Magdalino deftly managed the logistics of publication.’

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I am grateful to my academic mentors, without whom this book would not exist. I am indebted to Stephen Batiuk for the idea of creating a digital reconstruction of the fire, and for his generous help in understanding the relevant software. I am also thankful for the training in writing mechanics I received from Dr. Alessandra Ricci. Without the 2005 edited Greek edition by Dr. Johannes Diethart and Dr. Wolfram Horandner, this book would not have been possible, I am indebted to their efforts. I am especially grateful to Dr. Horandner for his valuable feedback. Above all, I am thankful for Dr. Paul Magdalino and Adrian Saunders, both of whom shared not only their wisdom with me, but their homes. I can say without exaggeration that traces of their assiduous and thoughtful counsel can be found on every page of this book. I am inspired by their diligent correspondence and collaboration. Finally, I wish to thank my dear family, biological and otherwise, who supported me and endeavored to stay in touch when I lived across the sea. Seeing them again was the true reward for completing this book.

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Table

of contents

Introduction Konstantinos Stilbes and his Legacy in the Secondary Literature.......................................................... 1 Chapter I: Stilbes and his Language Konstantinos Stilbes: Clergyman and Poet.................................. 9 The Carmen de Incendio and 12th Century Literary Culture............................................. 10 i

Stilbes’ Language......................................................................... 16 Structural Qualities of the Carmen de Incendio.......................... 18 Stilbes’ Meter............................................................................... 20 Chapter II: Fire in Constantinople Byzantine Fires in Constantinople.............................................. 29 Ottoman Fires in Constantinople............................................... 33 The Path of the Fire of 1197 Reconstructed................................ 34 Chapter III: The Text The Greek Text of the Carmen de Incendio - English Translation and Commentary of the Carmen de Incendio............................. 42