Talks by CRISTINA COCOLA
University of Athens: 11ο ΣΥΝΕΔΡΙΟ ΜΕΤΑΠΤΥΧΙΑΚΩΝ ΦΟΙΤΗΤΩΝ & ΥΠΟΨΗΦΙΩΝ ΔΙΔΑΚΤΟΡΩΝ. ΤΜΗΜΑΤΟΣ ΦΙΛΟΛΟ... more University of Athens: 11ο ΣΥΝΕΔΡΙΟ ΜΕΤΑΠΤΥΧΙΑΚΩΝ ΦΟΙΤΗΤΩΝ & ΥΠΟΨΗΦΙΩΝ ΔΙΔΑΚΤΟΡΩΝ. ΤΜΗΜΑΤΟΣ ΦΙΛΟΛΟΓΙΑΣ.
(3 – 7 ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΥ 2022)
The presence of a repentant I-voice is one of the distinctive marks of Byzantine compunctious poe... more The presence of a repentant I-voice is one of the distinctive marks of Byzantine compunctious poetry. The aim of this presentation is to examine the function of the I-speech and the employment of biblical references in the catanyctic poems, which contain the topic of Adam’s Lament.
These compositions recall the biblical narration of Adam’s expulsion from Paradise, by identifying the author and the audience with the figure of the first man. Therefore, this study will outline in which manner these poems shaped the Byzantine self, through the examination of two late antique catanyctic hymns.
The importance of the Psalms in the liturgical and devotional life of Byzantium has been investig... more The importance of the Psalms in the liturgical and devotional life of Byzantium has been investigated by eminent scholars. In the recent past, significant studies have outlined the manuscript tradition of the Greek Psalter in Byzantium more clearly than even before. Ongoing projects bring to light Byzantine epigrams and metaphrases of the Psalms. Yet other avenues still await further exploration, such as the Byzantine perception of the biblical Psalms as poetry.
In my thesis I aim to study the influence of the Psalms on the Byzantine penitential poems called κατανυκτικά, most of which are still unedited, and require in-depth investigations. In particular, I want to demonstrate in which way, and with which intensity, the Byzantine penitential poems drew from the Psalter, also by outlining the peculiar elements related to self-expression and compunction, that the κατανυκτικά share with the Psalms. With this research I intend to contribute to a nuanced scholarly appreciation of how the Psalms were read and interpreted by Byzantines, as a literary and poetical text.
In this presentation, I will introduce my project, focusing on my methods, sources and research corpus.
RESPONDING TO MISFORTUNE: REPRESENTATION AND REGRET
Cristina Cocola (Gent): The heritage of the ... more RESPONDING TO MISFORTUNE: REPRESENTATION AND REGRET
Cristina Cocola (Gent): The heritage of the Psalms in Byzantine penitential poetry
The presentation aims to outline the actual influence of the Psalms on Byzantine poetry, with a special attention to penitential poems (κατανυκτικά), since this kind of poetry shares with the Psalms peculiar elements related to self-expression and contrition. Important for this influence is the connection between the Psalms and catanyctic hymnography in liturgy.
Papers by CRISTINA COCOLA
Zenodo (CERN European Organization for Nuclear Research), Feb 27, 2023
Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies
For Byzantines, catanyctic poetry offered a rich source of models for self-representation. In thi... more For Byzantines, catanyctic poetry offered a rich source of models for self-representation. In this paper I analyse the poetic strategies and literary motifs through which Nikephoros Ouranos (tenth–eleventh century) shaped the self in his catanyctic alphabet. In particular, I will focus on the intertextual strategies employed by Ouranos in order to model the catanyctic self, such as the identification with scriptural sinners, and the presence of biblical metaphors.
Aevum. Rassegna di scienze storiche, linguistiche e filologiche, 2021
This article offers the editio princeps of a series of katanyktic troparia (τροπάρια κατανυκτικά)... more This article offers the editio princeps of a series of katanyktic troparia (τροπάρια κατανυκτικά), preserved in the roll Sin. gr. E 26 (Diktyon 60773). This scroll is one of the oldest collections of Hagiopolitan hymns for the weekday Divine Office. The study of a document like this one allows us to trace the evolution of the hymnological cycle that marked the daily prayer in the Eastern Church. The present analysis also adds new katanyktic compositions to the panorama of Byzantine hymnography. Firstly, I will introduce the roll and the work in question. The edition itself will be accompanied by a translation and a concise thematic commentary. In particular, the development of katanyktic motifs will be analysed on the basis of biblical models; in fact, this scroll is also an important testimony for the study of katanyktic poetry and the influence of the Scriptures on it.
The Psalms, in their Greek Septuagint translation, were a fundamental corpus of biblical poetry, ... more The Psalms, in their Greek Septuagint translation, were a fundamental corpus of biblical poetry, and as such were continuously referred to in Christian literature. They played a key role in the daily life and in the development of religious sensitivity of late antique and Byzantine people. The production of Psalm-related literature, notably exegetic, was impressively widespread. The Psalms, however, influenced other genres of religious literature as well, and their poetical nature remained an important feature that later authors were well aware of. In preparation of a volume on the reception of the Psalms in poetry from Late Antiquity and Byzantium, we invite scholars of all levels of experience to present a paper at a colloquium on this subject. Confirmed speakers are We welcome contributions on the following topics especially: • the appreciation of the Psalter's poetical nature in exegesis and in the biblical manuscript tradition (e.g. recognition, by patristic and Byzantine exegetes, of the presence or absence of poetical features); • rhetorical aspects of the Psalms as highlighted in late antique and Byzantine treatises; • the influence of the Psalms on Byzantine poetry (e.g. what was their role in the composition of eis heauton poems? How does self-expression in Christian poetry relate to the Psalms?); • the reception of the Psalms in hymnographic poetry; • the reception of the Psalter in specific genres of poetry, such as Byzantine catanyctic poetry; • the metrical metaphrases by ps-Apollinaris and Manuel Philes; • metrical paratexts on the Psalms. These examples are not exclusive and papers on other related topics are welcome. We invite proposals for 20-minute papers. Each paper will be followed by a reaction from a respondent, who will open the discussion with the audience. Contributors whose abstract is accepted will be asked to submit prior to the colloquium a rough draft of their full text. After the conference, they are expected to offer their reworked paper for inclusion (upon acceptance after peer-review) in a volume on the reception of the Psalms in Byzantine poetry. Please send a title and a short abstract (max. 300 words) of your paper to [email protected] no later than May 31, 2019. Accepted speakers will be notified by the end of June 2019. For more information, please visit our website:
Conferences by CRISTINA COCOLA
Conference Siena Centro AMA 11.12.2018
Calls for Papers by CRISTINA COCOLA
Call for Papers
We are thrilled to announce our upcoming DBBE conference ‘Growing Corpora. Byzan... more Call for Papers
We are thrilled to announce our upcoming DBBE conference ‘Growing Corpora. Byzantine Book Epigrams and Online Text Collections’, which will take place on 24-25 June 2020 in Ghent!
A new version of our database was launched last June. Exactly one year later, we are organising a two-day conference. Together with anyone interested, we want to celebrate and reflect on what we have achieved so far and look ahead at what is - hopefully! - yet to come.
In our demo sessions you can present your project and discuss your experiences in growing your online corpus (10-15 minutes). In our thematic sessions you can present your research on Byzantine book epigrams (20 minutes).
📄Abstracts should be sent to [email protected] by November 15, 2019.
🌐 For any further information, please visit the conference website (https://www.dbbe2020.ugent.be).
Databases by CRISTINA COCOLA
The Database of Byzantine Book Epigrams (DBBE) is an ongoing project that makes available both te... more The Database of Byzantine Book Epigrams (DBBE) is an ongoing project that makes available both textual and contextual data of book epigrams - also known as “metrical paratexts” - from medieval Greek manuscripts dating up to the fifteenth century. We define book epigrams as poems in and on books: they have as subject the very manuscript in which they are found, elaborating on its production, contents and use.
Conference Presentations by CRISTINA COCOLA
For Byzantines, penitential poetry was a rich source of models of self-representation. In this pa... more For Byzantines, penitential poetry was a rich source of models of self-representation. In this paper I will analyse the poetical strategies and literary motifs through which Nikephoros Ouranos (tenth-eleventh century) shaped the Self in his katanyktic alphabet (ed. Papadopoulos-Kerameus 1899, emend. Kurtz 1925).
Drafts by CRISTINA COCOLA
Emotions from the Psalter: the Origin of Compunction
The aim of the present paper is to trace the origin of the experience of compunction (katanyxis) ... more The aim of the present paper is to trace the origin of the experience of compunction (katanyxis) in Byzantium, through the analysis of ascetic sources and Patristic commentaries on the Psalms.
In Byzantium katanyxis was an embodied emotion, also performed through religious poems called katanyktika; it caused actual tears, which are constantly mentioned in the texts and at the same time were physically enacted in order to reach repentance. Although such poetic compositions flourished in the midst of the Byzantine era, since Late Antiquity Christian exegetical authors have devoted ample space to compunction in their commentaries and homilies, by greatly influencing the subsequent generations. However, despite the
relevance of katanyxis in Byzantine society, and especially in the liturgical space, in-depth investigations on this emotion are still lacking in current scholarship.
Like many fundamental terms of the Christian spiritual tradition, the word katanyxis is first to be found in the Septuagint, precisely in the Book of Psalms. This term and the related verb, katanysso, occur five times within the Psalter (4:5, 29:13, 34:15, 59:5, 108:16). The interpretation of these verses by the Christian thinkers of the third and fourth centuries (especially Origen, Eusebius of Caesarea and Athanasius) are explored in this study, with the final scope of identifying the origins of the Byzantine compunction and the nature of the emotions linked to it. Katanyxis is literally a “sting”, but who is the agent for this, when does it happen and why is it so vital for Christian believers?
Conferences, lectures & workshops by CRISTINA COCOLA
! UPDATE ! Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, the Crash Course has been postponed to 23-24... more ! UPDATE ! Due to the current COVID-19 restrictions, the Crash Course has been postponed to 23-24 May 2022.
On 23-24 May 2022, the Greek department of Ghent University offers a two-day course in Greek palaeography in collaboration with the Research School OIKOS. The course is intended for MA, ResMA and doctoral students in the areas of Classics, Ancient History, Ancient Civilizations and Medieval studies with a good command of Greek. It offers an chronological introduction into Greek palaeography from the Hellenistic period until the end of the Middle Ages and is specifically aimed at acquiring practical skills for research involving literary and documentary papyri and/or manuscripts. We will also provide the unique opportunity to read from original papyri in the papyrus collection of the Ghent University Library and become familiar with the ongoing research projects at Ghent University.
Thesis Chapters by CRISTINA COCOLA
Expressing Compunction: The Literary Motifs of Byzantine Katanyktic Poetry and their Religious and Scriptural Background , 2023
This doctoral thesis aims to explore the literary expression of the emotions of compunction (κατά... more This doctoral thesis aims to explore the literary expression of the emotions of compunction (κατάνυξις) and repentance in the so-called katanyktic poems from the middle and late Byzantine period. These are personal poems of a penitential nature that were performed and chanted in Byzantium during liturgical rites and practices of personal devotion.
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Talks by CRISTINA COCOLA
(3 – 7 ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΥ 2022)
These compositions recall the biblical narration of Adam’s expulsion from Paradise, by identifying the author and the audience with the figure of the first man. Therefore, this study will outline in which manner these poems shaped the Byzantine self, through the examination of two late antique catanyctic hymns.
In my thesis I aim to study the influence of the Psalms on the Byzantine penitential poems called κατανυκτικά, most of which are still unedited, and require in-depth investigations. In particular, I want to demonstrate in which way, and with which intensity, the Byzantine penitential poems drew from the Psalter, also by outlining the peculiar elements related to self-expression and compunction, that the κατανυκτικά share with the Psalms. With this research I intend to contribute to a nuanced scholarly appreciation of how the Psalms were read and interpreted by Byzantines, as a literary and poetical text.
In this presentation, I will introduce my project, focusing on my methods, sources and research corpus.
Cristina Cocola (Gent): The heritage of the Psalms in Byzantine penitential poetry
The presentation aims to outline the actual influence of the Psalms on Byzantine poetry, with a special attention to penitential poems (κατανυκτικά), since this kind of poetry shares with the Psalms peculiar elements related to self-expression and contrition. Important for this influence is the connection between the Psalms and catanyctic hymnography in liturgy.
Papers by CRISTINA COCOLA
Conferences by CRISTINA COCOLA
Calls for Papers by CRISTINA COCOLA
We are thrilled to announce our upcoming DBBE conference ‘Growing Corpora. Byzantine Book Epigrams and Online Text Collections’, which will take place on 24-25 June 2020 in Ghent!
A new version of our database was launched last June. Exactly one year later, we are organising a two-day conference. Together with anyone interested, we want to celebrate and reflect on what we have achieved so far and look ahead at what is - hopefully! - yet to come.
In our demo sessions you can present your project and discuss your experiences in growing your online corpus (10-15 minutes). In our thematic sessions you can present your research on Byzantine book epigrams (20 minutes).
📄Abstracts should be sent to [email protected] by November 15, 2019.
🌐 For any further information, please visit the conference website (https://www.dbbe2020.ugent.be).
Databases by CRISTINA COCOLA
Conference Presentations by CRISTINA COCOLA
Drafts by CRISTINA COCOLA
In Byzantium katanyxis was an embodied emotion, also performed through religious poems called katanyktika; it caused actual tears, which are constantly mentioned in the texts and at the same time were physically enacted in order to reach repentance. Although such poetic compositions flourished in the midst of the Byzantine era, since Late Antiquity Christian exegetical authors have devoted ample space to compunction in their commentaries and homilies, by greatly influencing the subsequent generations. However, despite the
relevance of katanyxis in Byzantine society, and especially in the liturgical space, in-depth investigations on this emotion are still lacking in current scholarship.
Like many fundamental terms of the Christian spiritual tradition, the word katanyxis is first to be found in the Septuagint, precisely in the Book of Psalms. This term and the related verb, katanysso, occur five times within the Psalter (4:5, 29:13, 34:15, 59:5, 108:16). The interpretation of these verses by the Christian thinkers of the third and fourth centuries (especially Origen, Eusebius of Caesarea and Athanasius) are explored in this study, with the final scope of identifying the origins of the Byzantine compunction and the nature of the emotions linked to it. Katanyxis is literally a “sting”, but who is the agent for this, when does it happen and why is it so vital for Christian believers?
Conferences, lectures & workshops by CRISTINA COCOLA
On 23-24 May 2022, the Greek department of Ghent University offers a two-day course in Greek palaeography in collaboration with the Research School OIKOS. The course is intended for MA, ResMA and doctoral students in the areas of Classics, Ancient History, Ancient Civilizations and Medieval studies with a good command of Greek. It offers an chronological introduction into Greek palaeography from the Hellenistic period until the end of the Middle Ages and is specifically aimed at acquiring practical skills for research involving literary and documentary papyri and/or manuscripts. We will also provide the unique opportunity to read from original papyri in the papyrus collection of the Ghent University Library and become familiar with the ongoing research projects at Ghent University.
Thesis Chapters by CRISTINA COCOLA
(3 – 7 ΟΚΤΩΒΡΙΟΥ 2022)
These compositions recall the biblical narration of Adam’s expulsion from Paradise, by identifying the author and the audience with the figure of the first man. Therefore, this study will outline in which manner these poems shaped the Byzantine self, through the examination of two late antique catanyctic hymns.
In my thesis I aim to study the influence of the Psalms on the Byzantine penitential poems called κατανυκτικά, most of which are still unedited, and require in-depth investigations. In particular, I want to demonstrate in which way, and with which intensity, the Byzantine penitential poems drew from the Psalter, also by outlining the peculiar elements related to self-expression and compunction, that the κατανυκτικά share with the Psalms. With this research I intend to contribute to a nuanced scholarly appreciation of how the Psalms were read and interpreted by Byzantines, as a literary and poetical text.
In this presentation, I will introduce my project, focusing on my methods, sources and research corpus.
Cristina Cocola (Gent): The heritage of the Psalms in Byzantine penitential poetry
The presentation aims to outline the actual influence of the Psalms on Byzantine poetry, with a special attention to penitential poems (κατανυκτικά), since this kind of poetry shares with the Psalms peculiar elements related to self-expression and contrition. Important for this influence is the connection between the Psalms and catanyctic hymnography in liturgy.
We are thrilled to announce our upcoming DBBE conference ‘Growing Corpora. Byzantine Book Epigrams and Online Text Collections’, which will take place on 24-25 June 2020 in Ghent!
A new version of our database was launched last June. Exactly one year later, we are organising a two-day conference. Together with anyone interested, we want to celebrate and reflect on what we have achieved so far and look ahead at what is - hopefully! - yet to come.
In our demo sessions you can present your project and discuss your experiences in growing your online corpus (10-15 minutes). In our thematic sessions you can present your research on Byzantine book epigrams (20 minutes).
📄Abstracts should be sent to [email protected] by November 15, 2019.
🌐 For any further information, please visit the conference website (https://www.dbbe2020.ugent.be).
In Byzantium katanyxis was an embodied emotion, also performed through religious poems called katanyktika; it caused actual tears, which are constantly mentioned in the texts and at the same time were physically enacted in order to reach repentance. Although such poetic compositions flourished in the midst of the Byzantine era, since Late Antiquity Christian exegetical authors have devoted ample space to compunction in their commentaries and homilies, by greatly influencing the subsequent generations. However, despite the
relevance of katanyxis in Byzantine society, and especially in the liturgical space, in-depth investigations on this emotion are still lacking in current scholarship.
Like many fundamental terms of the Christian spiritual tradition, the word katanyxis is first to be found in the Septuagint, precisely in the Book of Psalms. This term and the related verb, katanysso, occur five times within the Psalter (4:5, 29:13, 34:15, 59:5, 108:16). The interpretation of these verses by the Christian thinkers of the third and fourth centuries (especially Origen, Eusebius of Caesarea and Athanasius) are explored in this study, with the final scope of identifying the origins of the Byzantine compunction and the nature of the emotions linked to it. Katanyxis is literally a “sting”, but who is the agent for this, when does it happen and why is it so vital for Christian believers?
On 23-24 May 2022, the Greek department of Ghent University offers a two-day course in Greek palaeography in collaboration with the Research School OIKOS. The course is intended for MA, ResMA and doctoral students in the areas of Classics, Ancient History, Ancient Civilizations and Medieval studies with a good command of Greek. It offers an chronological introduction into Greek palaeography from the Hellenistic period until the end of the Middle Ages and is specifically aimed at acquiring practical skills for research involving literary and documentary papyri and/or manuscripts. We will also provide the unique opportunity to read from original papyri in the papyrus collection of the Ghent University Library and become familiar with the ongoing research projects at Ghent University.