ind pure from material passions,
Prepare for me again thy home.
Martha,[254] thy wife formerly, writes these things to thee,
O protostrator, fairest also of the dead!

The following epitaph in honour of the protostrator Glabas[254] was to
be placed in the parecclesion of the church of the Pammakaristos
(_Carmina Philae_, ccxix., ed. Miller, vol. i. pp. 115-16):--

[Greek: Epigramma eis ton naon hon okodomesen he tou protostratoros
symbios apothanonti to andri autes.

he men dia sou pasa ton onton physis
ou dynatai chorein se ten proten physin;
plerois gar auten alla kai pleion meneis,
Theou Loge zon kai draki to pan pheron,
kan sarx alethes heuretheis perigraphe, 5
psychais de pistais mystikos enidrye
monen seauto pegnyon athanaton;
oukoun dechou ton oikon hon teteucha soi
deiknynta saphos tes psyches mou ten schesin;
ton syzygon de pheu teleutesanta moi 10
kai tes choikes apanastanta steges,
oikison eis aphtharton autos pastada,
kantautha teron ten soron tou leipsanou,
me tis enechthe syntribe tois osteois. 15
protostrator kai tauta sen depou charin
he syzygos prin, alla nyn Martha graphei.]

The whole nature of existing things which thou hast made
Cannot contain Thee, the primordial nature,
For Thou fillest it, and yet remainest more than it;
O Logos of God, living and holding all in the hollow of Thy hand,
Although as true flesh Thou art circumscribed,
And dwellest, mystically, in faithful souls,
Establishing for Thyself an immortal habitation,
Yet accept the house which I have built for Thee,
Which shows clearly the disposition of my soul.
My husband who, alas! has died to me
And gone forth from his house of clay,
Do Thou Thyself settle in an incorruptible mansion,
Guarding also here the shrine of his remains,
Lest any injury should befall his bones.
O protostrator, these things, too, for thy sake I trow,
Writes she who erewhile was thy wife, but now is Martha.[256]

[Illustration: FIG. 50.]

_To face page 160._

[Illustration: FIG. 51.]

[Illustration: FIG. 52.]

[Illustration: FIG. 53.]

[215] See the masterly articles of Mr. Siderides in the _Proceedings
of the Greek Syllogos of C.P._; supplement to vols. xx.-xxii. pp.
19-32; vol. xxix. pp. 265-73. I beg to acknowledge my great
indebtedness to their learned author.

[216] 'This is the thoughtful deed of John Comnenus and o