伊琳娜皇后墓志銘

Ε? τι? ν?μο? δ?δωσι κα? νεκρο?? λ?γειν, ?δο? βο?ν π?μψασα κ?γ? τυμβ?θεν Τ? κατ’?μαυτ?ν ?κδιδ?ξω σε, ξ?νε. ?γ? προ?λθον ε?τυχ?ν προπατ?ρων ?ρχ?? ?π?ση? δυσμικ?? βασιλ?ων· ?ο?λιοι Κα?σαρε? ?θρ?ψαντ? με

κα? καλλον?? Χ?ριτε? ?στ?ψαντ? με.

??μη? δ’ ?ναξ κρ?τιστο? ?λεξι?δη? πορφυρογενν?? ε?τυχ?? ?ω?ννη?,

?ρπηξ Κομνην?ν, ε?θαλ?? Δουκ?ν κλ?δο?, π?ση? δι?κτη? ?θνικ?? φυλαρχ?α?,

Ε?? ?ννομον σ?ζευξιν ?ρμ?σατ? με·

? κα? συνεξ?ρξασα τ?? γ?? Α?σ?νων

Ε?? φ?? προ?σχω τ?τταρε? μ?ν υ??α?

τ?? πατρογεννο?? ?κφυ?ντα? πορφ?ρα?, ?δε?ν ?γαθο??, π?ρ πν?οντα? ε?? μ?χην

κα? τ?τταρε? δ? κοσμ?α? θυγατ?ρα?.

?ρ? δ? λαμπρ? τ? κρ?τη το? συζ?γου, ν?κα? πρ?? α?γ?ν ?λ?ου κα? πρ?? δ?σιν, ν?κα? πρ?? ?ρκτον κα? ν?του θερμ?ν κλ?μα. Τ?λο? λιπο?σα τ? στ?φο?, τ?ν πορφ?ραν, τ? β?σσινον π?ρπημα, τ?ν ?λουργ?δα, τ? τ?ν μοναστ?ν ?νδιδ?σκομαι ??κο?· θν?σκω δ’ ?π’ α?τ?? Βιθυν?ν ?παρχ?α? ?ποικο? ?κ τ?? Α?σ?νων βασιλ?δο?· κομ?ζομαι δ? ναυστολουμ?νη π?λιν

κα? τ?ν ?μ?ν ?ντα?θα πιστε?ω κ?νιν.

?λλ’ ? πλ?σα? με κα? μεταπλ?σα? π?λιν

? τ?ν κ?τω δο?? κοσμικ?ν ?ξουσ?αν,

κα? τ?ν ?νω δ?? ο?ραν?ν κληρουχ?αν.

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If the dead are permitted to speak after death, here is my word from the tomb, traveller, who are passing here;

I tell you the story of my life, I had been a descendant of happy and great ancestors who

bore rule over the whole West.

I was nurtured by the brood of Julius Caesar’s,

and crowned by the Graces.

The son of Alexius, ruler of Rome, thestrong

Ióa(chǎn)nnes born in the purple room,

a flourishing shoot of the Comnenus-Ducas house,

the noble warrior who fought all pagan races, made me his law- ful wife according to ancient rites.

With him I ruled the Ausonian land

and bore four noble sons to him

who saw the light of day in the ancient purple room, all great heroes, full of fighting spirit; and I also brought four virtuous girls into the world.

I had been witness to my husband’s great deeds, his victories in all parts of the world where the sun rises and sets,

in the North as much as in South.

Yet having left the imperial purple and rooms, having taken off splendid garments and a shining crown, I put on the nun’s veil and their rags.

Death reached me in distant Bithynia, far from the walls of Byzantium.

My mortal remains were brought by imperial galley

back to this place where I wished to rest.

God Almighty who hast created me

and gavest me power on the earth below,

give me my heavenly portion in the world above.