Epitaph of Abercius (complete)
Greek text: Lightfoot 1889 (Scan from the Internet Archive (University of Toronto copy)).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Epitaph of Abercius (title)
0Lightfoot 1889, 495
Ἐπιτάφιον Ἀβερκίου
Epitaphion Aberkiou
The Epitaph of Abercius
Notes and citation
Summary: The supplied title of the inscription.
- The title is supplied; the stone has none. Abercius was bishop of Hieropolis in Phrygia in the late second century; parts of the inscription survive on the stone (now in the Vatican Museums), and the rest is restored from the Life of Abercius. The text is Lightfoot's restoration (1889). The epitaph speaks in veiled terms ('the Shepherd', 'the Fish', 'the Virgin') that most interpreters read as Christian. No public-domain English translation was compared; checked against the Greek. Line breaks follow the verse lines.
Cite (SBL): Ep. Aberc. pref. (Lightfoot 1889, 495; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/epitaph-abercius/0/#p-0). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek as restored by Lightfoot (Apostolic Fathers II.1, 1889); re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 1
1Lightfoot 1889, 496
Ἐκλεκτῆς πόλεως ὁ πολίτης τοῦτ᾽ ἐποίησα ζῶν, ἵν᾽ ἔχω καιρῷ σώματος ἔνθα θέσιν. οὔνομ᾽ Ἀβέρκιος εἰμὶ μαθητὴς ποιμένος ἁγνοῦ, ὃς βόσκει προβάτων ἀγέλας ὄρεσιν πεδίοις τε,
Eklektēs poleōs ho politēs tout᾽ epoiēsa zōn, hin᾽ echō kairǭ sōmatos entha thesin. ounom᾽ Aberkios eimi mathētēs poimenos hagnou, hos boskei probatōn agelas oresin pediois te,
Citizen of a chosen city, I made this in my lifetime, so that I might have here in due season a resting place for my body. Abercius is my name, a disciple of the pure Shepherd, who feeds flocks of sheep on mountains and plains,
John 10:11 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 23:1–2 (22:1-2 LXX) (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Abercius, citizen of a chosen city, names himself a disciple of the pure Shepherd who tends his flocks.
- 'The pure Shepherd' is read as Christ (compare John 10:11).
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Ep. Aberc. 1 (Lightfoot 1889, 496; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/epitaph-abercius/0/#p-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek as restored by Lightfoot (Apostolic Fathers II.1, 1889); re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 5
5Lightfoot 1889, 496
ὀφθαλμοὺς ὃς ἔχει μεγάλους πάντῃ καθορῶντας· οὗτος γάρ μ᾽ ἐδίδαξε … γράμματα πιστά· εἰς Ῥώμην ὃς ἔπεμψεν ἐμὲν βασιλῆαν ἀθρῆσαι καὶ βασίλισσαν ἰδεῖν χρυσόστολον χρυσοπέδιλον.
ophthalmous hos echei megalous pantę̄ kathorōntas; houtos gar m᾽ edidaxe … grammata pista; eis Rhōmēn hos epempsen emen basilēan athrēsai kai basilissan idein chrysostolon chrysopedilon.
who has great eyes that look down on every side. For he taught me … faithful writings. He sent me to Rome to behold royalty, and to see a queen in golden robe and golden sandals.
Notes and citation
Summary: The Shepherd taught Abercius faithful writings and sent him to Rome to see royalty and a golden-robed queen.
- A word is lost on the stone in the second line, marked …; restorations differ. 'Faithful writings' are probably the Scriptures. The 'queen' has been read as the church at Rome, or as Rome itself.
Topics: Scripture and canon
Cite (SBL): Ep. Aberc. 5 (Lightfoot 1889, 496; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/epitaph-abercius/0/#p-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek as restored by Lightfoot (Apostolic Fathers II.1, 1889); re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 9
9Lightfoot 1889, 496
λαὸν δ᾽ εἶδον ἐκεῖ λαμπρὰν σφραγῖδαν ἔχοντα· καὶ Συρίης πέδον εἶδα καὶ ἄστεα πάντα, Νίσιβιν, Εὐφράτην διαβάς· πάντῃ δ᾽ ἔσχον συνομίλους· Παῦλον ἔχων ἐπό[μην], πίστις πάντῃ δὲ προῆγε,
laon d᾽ eidon ekei lampran sphragidan echonta; kai Syriēs pedon eida kai astea panta, Nisibin, Euphratēn diabas; pantę̄ d᾽ eschon synomilous; Paulon echōn epo[mēn], pistis pantę̄ de proēge,
And there I saw a people bearing a shining seal. And I saw the plain of Syria and all its cities, and Nisibis, having crossed the Euphrates; and everywhere I had companions in faith. With Paul in my hands I followed, and Faith everywhere led the way
Notes and citation
Summary: Abercius tells of seeing a people with a shining seal at Rome and of travelling through Syria beyond the Euphrates, finding fellow believers everywhere, led by Faith.
- 'A shining seal' is commonly read as baptism. 'I followed' (ἐπό[μην]) is Lightfoot's restoration of a damaged word; 'with Paul in my hands' renders Παῦλον ἔχων, probably meaning that he carried Paul's letters, though some take it as 'having Paul as companion'.
Topics: Baptism
Cite (SBL): Ep. Aberc. 9 (Lightfoot 1889, 496; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/epitaph-abercius/0/#p-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek as restored by Lightfoot (Apostolic Fathers II.1, 1889); re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 13
13Lightfoot 1889, 496
καὶ παρέθηκε τροφὴν πάντῃ ἰχθὺν ἀπὸ πηγῆς πανμεγέθη, καθαρόν, ὃν ἐδράξατο παρθένος ἁγνή· καὶ τοῦτον ἐπέδωκε φίλοις ἔσθειν διὰ παντός, οἶνον χρηστὸν ἔχουσα, κέρασμα διδοῦσα μετ᾽ ἄρτου.
kai parethēke trophēn pantę̄ ichthyn apo pēgēs panmegethē, katharon, hon edraxato parthenos hagnē; kai touton epedōke philois esthein dia pantos, oinon chrēston echousa, kerasma didousa met᾽ artou.
and set before me everywhere as food a Fish from the spring, very great and pure, which a pure Virgin caught; and this she gave to her friends to eat at all times, having good wine, giving the mixed cup with bread.
John 6:51 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Faith everywhere sets before him the Fish caught by a pure Virgin, with wine mixed and bread, given to her friends.
- These lines are usually read as eucharistic: the Fish (ἰχθύς, an early acrostic for 'Jesus Christ, Son of God, Saviour') as Christ, the pure Virgin as Mary (or the church), and the mixed cup with bread as the eucharist. The epitaph itself speaks only in images; translated as written.
Topics: Eucharist, Christology
Cite (SBL): Ep. Aberc. 13 (Lightfoot 1889, 496; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/epitaph-abercius/0/#p-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek as restored by Lightfoot (Apostolic Fathers II.1, 1889); re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 17
17Lightfoot 1889, 496
ταῦτα παρεστὼς εἶπον Ἀβέρκιος ὧδε γραφῆναι· ἑβδομηκοστὸν ἔτος καὶ δεύτερον ἦγον ἀληθῶς. ταῦθ᾽ ὁ νοῶν εὔξαιτο ὑπὲρ μοῦ πᾶς ὁ συνῳδός. οὐ μέντοι τύμβῳ τις ἐμῷ ἕτερον ἐπιθήσει·
tauta parestōs eipon Aberkios hōde graphēnai; hebdomēkoston etos kai deuteron ēgon alēthōs. tauth᾽ ho noōn euxaito hyper mou pas ho synǭdos. ou mentoi tymbǭ tis emǭ heteron epithēsei;
These things I, Abercius, standing by, ordered to be written here; I was truly in my seventy-second year. Let every one who understands these things and is in harmony with them pray for me. But no one shall place another in my tomb;
Notes and citation
Summary: Abercius dictates the epitaph in his seventy-second year and asks those who understand and agree to pray for him.
- The request for prayer by 'every one who understands' (the one in harmony, ὁ συνῳδός) suggests a reader who shares the faith.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Ep. Aberc. 17 (Lightfoot 1889, 496; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/epitaph-abercius/0/#p-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek as restored by Lightfoot (Apostolic Fathers II.1, 1889); re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 21
21Lightfoot 1889, 496
εἰ δ᾽ οὖν, Ῥωμαίων ταμείῳ θήσει δισχίλια χρυσᾶ, καὶ χρηστῇ πατρίδι Ἱεροπόλει χίλια χρυσᾶ.
ei d᾽ oun, Rhōmaiōn tameiǭ thēsei dischilia chrysa, kai chrēstę̄ patridi Hieropolei chilia chrysa.
if he does, he shall pay to the treasury of the Romans two thousand gold pieces, and to my good native city Hieropolis a thousand gold pieces.
Notes and citation
Summary: Anyone who puts another body in the tomb must pay fines to Rome's treasury and to Hieropolis.
- A standard fine-clause of Greek epitaphs in Asia Minor.
Cite (SBL): Ep. Aberc. 21 (Lightfoot 1889, 496; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/epitaph-abercius/0/#p-21). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek as restored by Lightfoot (Apostolic Fathers II.1, 1889); re-read against the Greek.