For medievalist libraries only

This volume contains three medieval documents of relatively little interest to the general reader. The original text and the English translation are at facing pages. Both the Greek and Latin versions of “The Apocalypse of Pseudo-Methodius” have been included. This anti-Muslim apocalypse, probably written during the 690's, was apparently very popular during the Middle Ages. “An Alexandrian World Chronicle” is an originally East Roman document from the 6th century, awarded as a diplomatic gift to the Merovingian Franks by ambassadors of Emperor Justinian.

The “Apocalypse”, wrongly attributed to a martyred 4th century bishop named Methodius, was written at a time when the originally relatively tolerant Umayyad caliphs of Damascus were increasing the tax burdens on their Christian subjects, thereby creating a (probably unintentional) incentive to leave the Christian faith and convert to Islam. Pseudo-Methodius expects more anti-Christian persecutions and Muslim invasions of Christian lands as the end-times draws nearer. In typical Biblical vein, he attributes the tribulations of Christians at “Ishmaelite” hands to the multiple sins of the former. Salvation comes from the “Roman” Empire (i.e. the Byzantine Empire), the king of which will eventually recapture Jerusalem, at which point the True Cross will miraculously raise itself at Calvary and then ascend to Heaven. Another part of the scenario is a wholesale invasion of the barbarian tribes known as Gog and Magog in the Bible, who are said to be excluded from the civilized world by a gigantic brazen gate built by Alexander the Great. The gate will be breached as the end-times approach…

Pseudo-Methodius contains a number of odd claims, who may be of considerable interest to Afro-centrists, if they ever choose to pick up this book. According to the author of the “Apocalypse”, the founder of Byzantium, Byzas, was married to an Ethiopian queen. Hence, the Byzantine emperors are partially descended from Black Africa! This exaltation of Ethiopia, typical of Pseudo-Methodius, may indicate that the author was a Monophysite, since Ethiopia was the only independent Monophysite kingdom at the time the apocalypse was written. At the same time, the author (probably a Syrian) was apparently realistic enough not to expect much military assistance from that quarter, instead pinning his hopes on the more nearby Byzantines (who were “Chalcedonians”, not Monophysites). This presumably explains the curious attempts to harmonize the “Roman” Empire with Ethiopia in the text. The “Apocalypse” also contains claims which are presumably well known among the medievalist cognoscenti, but hardly among average modern Bible readers. Thus, we finally learn where Cain's wife comes from! We also learn that Noah had a son named Jonetos.

The “Alexandrian Chronicle” is an attempt to summarize world history from the creation of Adam and Eve to the 6th century AD. The chronicle contains short entries dealing with Biblical history, Manetho's Egyptian dynasties, Assyrian and Babylonian king-lists, and a long list of Roman consulships. Its most notable feature is its euhemeristic interpretation of pagan gods. Thus, Prometheus, Zeus and Hermes Trismegistus (among others) are said to have been mortal human rulers, not worthy of worship. According to the editor, the chronicle contains coded polemics against the pagan practices of the Franks (including horse sacrifice) and equally coded calls for the Franks to attack the Ostrogoths and capture Rome. I admit that I missed all the hidden cues…

But then, I'm not a medievalist. :P