On Epistles 18 and 19

Excuse the bait-n'-switch but my translation tonight will be Ishoʿdnah of Basra #89 and 93.

On Saint Mar-Qamishoʿ:

- who founded a convent in the mountain of Heftûn, near Marga. He was from the country of Marga, from the village of Qûf. He went to find Mar Jacob of Bet-ʿAbê. He gave the holy habit to Bar-Sahde, that is to say, Mar Tyris, who had attached himself to him, and the two then went to the mountain of Uruk, where they dwelt for some time in solitude; then they returned to Bet-ʿAbê, where Qamishoʿ was made superior. He abandoned his office and went to live in the mountain of Heftûn, about ten miles from Bet-ʿAbê. He then built a monastery there; and, in a happy old age, he went to Our Lord. His body was placed in his monastery.

On Saint Mar-ʿAfnimaran:

- who founded a monastery in the mountain of Bet-Nûhadra. His family was from Karka of Bet-Selûq. He went to find Abba Siméon who founded a convent in the town of Shêna. The latter advised him to go to Bet-'Abê, and he followed this advice. He received the habit from Rabban Qamishoʿ, Superior of the convent of Bet-ʿAbê. After leading the communal life, he lived for some time in profound solitude, then went to the monastery of Zarnûqa where he remained for three years. He left with brothers who had become attached to him, and came to the monastery of Mar John de Halhalah. He made a magnificent convent in it; but he aroused jealousy; so he left and dwelt in solitude in the place where Saint Gûsishoʿ the anchorite had dwelt, at the foot of the mountain. He built a famous monastery there and brothers gathered around him. He left the temporal life at the age of a hundred years, and they placed him in the martyrion which he had built.

Thomas of Marga #2.3 considers this latter a "disciple" of Qamishoʿ. Although Thomas seems (understandably) confused on who went where; I recommend using him only for his citations of earlier work.

It happens Ishoʿyahb as bishop knows a 'Afnimaran in Bet-'Abê. He is addressed alongside a Qamishoʿ, in that letter #18. This went "to the brothers in his monastery, on the director of the institution". Philip Scott-Moncrieff (this time) summarised it sufficiently, in XVI, such that I do not feel need to translate it myself.

'Afni has already received his habit, from Mar Jacob just like Qamishoʿ had; Ishoʿyahb's letter is on the occasion of Jacob's death, to endorse Mar John as the next abbot. Mar Jacob had ruled Bet-ʿAbê for forty years, with John by his side for all that time. I respect Ishoʿdnah more than I do, say, Thomas; but Ishoʿdnah does not always get everything perfect, either. Anyway there may have been a synopsis which led both agley.

In #18 is a promise, which Scott-Moncrieff considers a threat, that Ishoʿyahb will send another missive straight to the "patriarch"(?). We'll learn from #19 that Bet-'Abê lies under metropolitan jurisdiction; this mutual Father must be Gabriel. The monks, so S-M gathers, laughed off Ishoʿyahb's scribble so elected Qamishoʿ. Ishoʿyahb will just have to eat his words; and indeed Qamishoʿ will write to Ishoʿyahb to come visit the monastery, collect material for a vita of Mar Jacob (whom Ishoʿyahb claimed to love so much), and quell some "troublesome person". Ishoʿyahb's sniffy response is #19.

As to who Bet-ʿAbê's "troublemaker" is, I don't know - but it might not matter. The whole mountain of Bet-ʿAbê was toxic. Several of its monks will quit to join Rabban Hormizd. One of the metropolitan Gabriels - I think he must be the contemporary - left some choice words in a memra that Thomas of Marga will excerpt (and misplace). Thomas then notes how ʿAfni left the place with several others including Qamishoʿ. It will be left to one Sahdona, who'd composed Jacob's eulogy, also to write Jacob's hagiography which, Thomas will later say, he will accomplish without abusing his monks (in the Book Of Perfection...?).

ʿAfni never did like to answer to authority. Ishoʿyahb never mentions 'Afnimaran again - directly. Maybe this is why 'Afni extricates himself from Qamishoʿs "brothers" and, then, implicitly with those few still loyal to him, will slip off to Zarnûqa.

If we trust Thomas of Marga, which I don't, after Qamishoʿ quit Mar John ended up archimandrite anyway. Six months later Qamiʿ quit too and moved to Daqoq down in Bet-Garmay. Elias from Ishodnah says he'll pass away AG 963.

FIEY 4/16/23: E. XVIII is discussed ch. III, p. 320 in French; he's a "young bishop" looking backward. E. XIX comes p. 321.