Basil II: A Bulgar-Slayer or a True-born Bulgarian? Emmanuel Moutafov Bulgarian Academy of Sciences

The earliest of the four manuscripts which record the epitaph of Basil II: Cod. Ambros. gr. 801, fol. 2v – late thirteenth to early fourteenth century

Psalter of Basil II (Cod. Marc. gr. 17), fol. IIIr

The content of the epitaph: [Στίχοι ἐπιτάφιοι εἰς τὸν τάφον κυροῦ Βασιλείου τοῦ Βουλγαροκτόνου καὶ βασιλέως]   ἄλλοι μὲν ἄλλῃ τῶν πάλαι βασιλέων αὑτοῖς προαφώρισαν εἰς ταφὴν τόπους, ἐγὼ δὲ Βασίλειος, πορφύρας γόνος, ἵστημι τύμβον ἐν τόπῳ γῆς Ἑβδόμου καὶ σαββατίζω τῶν ἀμετρήτων πόνων οὓς ἐν μάχαις ἔστεργον, οὓς ἐκαρτέρουν· οὐ γάρ τις εἶδεν ἠρεμοῦν ἐμὸν δόρυ, ἀφ’ οὗ βασιλεὺς οὐρανῶν κέκληκέ με αὐτοκράτορα γῆς, μέγαν βασιλέα· ἀλλ’ ἀγρυπνῶν ἅπαντα τὸν ζωῆς χρόνον Ῥώμης τὰ τέκνα τῆς Νέας ἐρυόμην ὁτὲ στρατεύων ἀνδρικῶς πρὸς ἑσπέραν, ὁτὲ πρὸς αὐτοὺς τοὺς ὅρους τοὺς τῆς ἕω, ἱστῶν τρόπαια πανταχοῦ γῆς μυρία· καὶ μαρτυροῦσι τοῦτο Πέρσαι καὶ Σκύθαι, σὺν οἷς Ἀβασγός, Ἰσμαήλ, Ἄραψ, Ἴβηρ· καὶ νῦν ὁρῶν, ἄνθρωπε, τόνδε τὸν τάφον εὐχαῖς ἀμείβου τὰς ἐμὰς στρατηγίας. According to Cod. Ambros. gr. 801, fol. 2v; Cod. Marc. gr. VII, fol. 355v; Cod. Moden. gr. 144, fol. 1v and Cod. Ottobon. gr. 324, fol. 156v. [Verse epitaph on the tomb of the emperor lord Basil Boulgaroktonos] Other past emperors previously designated for themselves other burial places. But, I Basil, born in the purple chamber, place my tomb on the site of the Hebdomon and take sabbath’s rest from the endless toils which I fulfilled in wars and which I endured. For nobody saw my spear at rest, from when the Emperor of Heaven called me to the rulership of this great empire on earth, but I kept vigilant through the whole span of my life guarding the children of New Rome, marching bravely to the West, and as far as the very frontiers of the East. The Persians and Scythians bear witness to this and along with them Abasgos, Ismael, Araps, Iber. And now, good man, looking upon this tomb Reward it with prayers in return for my campaigns. Stephenson, P. The Legend of Basil the Bulgar-Slayer (Cambridge, 2003), p. 49.

Σακκελίονος, Ι. Επιτύμβιον εις Βασίλειον τον Βουλγαροκτόνον Σακκελίονος, Ι. Επιτύμβιον εις Βασίλειον τον Βουλγαροκτόνον. – In: Παρνασσός 11 (1888), σελ. 550-553. National Library of Greece (EBE) 798, fol. 33 (30)r

EBE 798, fol. 33 (30)r as published by Sakkelion: σφράγισμα τοῦ χρυσοβούλλου αὐτοῦ: Βασίλειος Μέγας Βουλγαροκτόνος ἔχων ἀδελφόν Δεσπότην Κωνσταντίνον.

Βουλγαροχθόνος

EBE 798, fol. 33 (30)r

Golden coin of Basil II and Constantine VIII with cross, private collection

The problem of Βουλγαροχθόνος λιβοχθόνος as varia lectio for λιβοκτόνος.

Some suggestions: χθών, -ονός – earth, ground > χθόνιος – of or from the earth; Probably due to metri causa and Βουλγαροχθόνιος became Βουλγαροχθόνος in the given verse with twelve syllables like the whole other epitaph.

Thank you!