TwoNoteableCorruptions
Well-known member
There was a letter sent from the Monastery where Simonides studied on Mt Athos to a Russian newspaper called in English "The Orthodox Review" in 1863.
It's very damning of Simonides and exposes his lies.
Kevin MacGrane has some of it in English scattered in the text and footnotes below:
[Page 56] […] Tracing this back, we find that the monks at the Panteleimon monastery judged that when he arrived there in November 1839,
But Simonides ‘on account of his behaviour…was soon denied further hospitality’ at that monastery,{134} and being ‘dismissed in consequence of his disorderly and scandalous conduct’{135} had to be moved elsewhere. The Panteleimon monastery, who arranged for Simonides to study in Odessa, advise that he did not last long there either:
So here, in November 1841, we find that Simonides had only elementary reading and writing skills, and yet, according to his own incredible account, believed by Dr Cooper, had already finished the transcription of a complete Bible in uncials within a matter of months. No one acquainted with Simonides during that time would believe such nonsense. At the Odessa school Simonides became acquainted with Amphilochius during 1841-2, who confirms that he had
Having emerged from Russia in 1846, Simonides had improved in his reading and writing skills, but had still not yet sufficiently mastered Greek syntax, and required the services of others to polish his writings for public consumption. We have an interesting view into Simonides’ time in Athens from Alexandros Lykourgos (later professor of theology at the University of Athens, and bishop of Syros and Tenos), which reveals that it was not earlier than 1850 that Simonides got a reasonable grip of Greek syntax and style:
[FOOTNOTE 133]: Православное Обозрение, 1863, Х, p.362ff. The term for ‘boy’ could not be used for a youth older than 15. To suggest—as Simonides does—that three months later he was engaged in writing out the whole Bible in uncials on parchment in the style of the fourth century is thus utterly ridiculous.
[FOOTNOTE 134]: These are the words of the Panteleimon monastery itself, see Православное Обозрение, 1863, Х, p.362ff.
[FOOTNOTE 135]: Letter of Amphilochius, Bishop of Pelusium, Alexandria, October 5, 1863, to Edwin J. Davies H.B.M. Consular Chaplain, Alexandria. Amphilochius entered the Panteleimon monastery in 1843 and having known Simonides in Odessa enquired about him and ‘was informed that [Simonides] had indeed lived there, but had been dismissed in consequence of his disorderly and scandalous conduct, and that he had no relationship with the Reverend Benedict’. The Panteleimon monastery subsequently made it a matter of public knowledge: ‘Benedict, who died in 1841, was neither Simonides’ uncle, nor a relative, but only a compatriot. This kind old man, whose example he should have followed, really interceded here for his fellow countryman, so that he could stay here for some time for his spiritual good. But on account of his behaviour the young man did not justify the care of the elder Benedict, and therefore the future glorious adventurer was soon denied further hospitality here.’ Православное Обозрение, 1863, Х, p.362ff. When Simonides paid a visit to Mount Athos again in 1851 he was refused entrance to the library of the Panteleimon monastery and so went to other monasteries, and was found ripping out and stealing sheets from precious manuscripts (three leaves of The Shepherd of Hermas was one example, which he subsequently sold in Leipzig) and, says Amphilochius who was there and met Simonides at the time, ‘he departed from the holy mountain with disgrace.’
[FOOTNOTE 136]: Православное Обозрение, 1863, Х, p.362ff.
[FOOTNOTE 137]: Letter of Amphilochius, October 5, 1863, to Edwin J. Davies.
[FOOTNOTE 138]: A. Lykourgos, Enthüllungen über den Simonides-dindorfschen Uranios (Leipzig, 1856), pp.55-56. Lykourgos had the same experience as those at the Panteleimon monastery 1839-41 and the Greek school at Odessa in 1841-2, from which Simonides was expelled for unruly behaviour. In 1855, when Simonides came to Leipzig, Lykourgos was studying there, and Lykourgos allowed Simonides to stay with him for some months. They fell out permanently when Lykourgos discovered that the rumours about Simonides, which he had tried not to believe, were fully justified, and Simonides tried to deceive the University of Leipzig. Though Simonides had only slight competence in Greek when he left Mount Athos in 1841, and that still by 1850 his education and competence in Greek were only fair,
Simonides in the details given in the Biographical Memoir, and in the forged manuscripts that he claimed to have had published in Russia in 1853 (his Autographa etc), states that he had received a PhD in Moscow in the early 1840s. This appears to be yet another deception.
It's very damning of Simonides and exposes his lies.
Kevin MacGrane has some of it in English scattered in the text and footnotes below:
A Review of : “The Forging of Codex Sinaiticus” By Dr W. R. Cooper
Against Detailed Background of the Discovery of the Codex
By Kevin McGrane
2018
Page 56-59
Against Detailed Background of the Discovery of the Codex
By Kevin McGrane
2018
Page 56-59
[Page 56] […] Tracing this back, we find that the monks at the Panteleimon monastery judged that when he arrived there in November 1839,
“He was a poor boy, who could, of course, write Greek, but not much more.”{133}
But Simonides ‘on account of his behaviour…was soon denied further hospitality’ at that monastery,{134} and being ‘dismissed in consequence of his disorderly and scandalous conduct’{135} had to be moved elsewhere. The Panteleimon monastery, who arranged for Simonides to study in Odessa, advise that he did not last long there either:
[Page 57] “Simonides was accepted under the patronage of Mr Sturdza, and in his dependency placed in the Odessa Richelieu Lyceum to learn to read and write…But…was soon expelled from the Lyceum with dishonour.”{136}
So here, in November 1841, we find that Simonides had only elementary reading and writing skills, and yet, according to his own incredible account, believed by Dr Cooper, had already finished the transcription of a complete Bible in uncials within a matter of months. No one acquainted with Simonides during that time would believe such nonsense. At the Odessa school Simonides became acquainted with Amphilochius during 1841-2, who confirms that he had
“a slight knowledge of the rudiments of our ancient Greek language…[but] having attended...for some few months only the lessons at Odessa, he was expelled from the school in consequence of his disorderly conduct.”{137}
Having emerged from Russia in 1846, Simonides had improved in his reading and writing skills, but had still not yet sufficiently mastered Greek syntax, and required the services of others to polish his writings for public consumption. We have an interesting view into Simonides’ time in Athens from Alexandros Lykourgos (later professor of theology at the University of Athens, and bishop of Syros and Tenos), which reveals that it was not earlier than 1850 that Simonides got a reasonable grip of Greek syntax and style:
“As he lived in Athens near my old home and visited us frequently, I soon noticed that he was lacking in higher education but not in the sense of the same. Through a very lively imagination and a sense for beauty, as well as a retentive memory, he made up for some of what was missing. He eagerly read the Greek writers, as far as they were accessible, and sought in all possible ways to broaden his archaeological and historical knowledge. He also knew how to give his writing a certain charm and great liveliness by coincidences and by imitating the ancients. As he often tried productions, he quite keenly felt his weakness in style, because many mistakes and solecisms escaped his pen. For this reason he also learned from the scholars among his acquaintances for articles that he intended for the newspapers. In this embarrassment, which highlighted his inadequate education, combined with the shame of having been taught in a municipal school, he asked me in 1850 to give him instruction in Greek syntax, desiring that this relationship, which made me, a student, his teacher, not be made public. Out of pure interest for him, I allowed myself to be persuaded to comply with his request. I had the opportunity more and more to get to know his easy and quick perception; for he understood quite well the speeches of Demosthenes, which we read together, and also made progress in syntax. My interest in him grew in the hope that increased education would lessen his recklessness, and that he would mature in his gifts into a good and useful man. I [Page 58] considered it a true Christian duty to contribute as much as possible to his recovery. But after two months he gave up this instruction; he probably found in it an unwelcome bridle on his unruly spirit, which in his vast fantasies he preferred to continue; and my frequent chastisement of him for his vanity and indiscretions was not to his liking.”{138}
[FOOTNOTE 133]: Православное Обозрение, 1863, Х, p.362ff. The term for ‘boy’ could not be used for a youth older than 15. To suggest—as Simonides does—that three months later he was engaged in writing out the whole Bible in uncials on parchment in the style of the fourth century is thus utterly ridiculous.
[FOOTNOTE 134]: These are the words of the Panteleimon monastery itself, see Православное Обозрение, 1863, Х, p.362ff.
[FOOTNOTE 135]: Letter of Amphilochius, Bishop of Pelusium, Alexandria, October 5, 1863, to Edwin J. Davies H.B.M. Consular Chaplain, Alexandria. Amphilochius entered the Panteleimon monastery in 1843 and having known Simonides in Odessa enquired about him and ‘was informed that [Simonides] had indeed lived there, but had been dismissed in consequence of his disorderly and scandalous conduct, and that he had no relationship with the Reverend Benedict’. The Panteleimon monastery subsequently made it a matter of public knowledge: ‘Benedict, who died in 1841, was neither Simonides’ uncle, nor a relative, but only a compatriot. This kind old man, whose example he should have followed, really interceded here for his fellow countryman, so that he could stay here for some time for his spiritual good. But on account of his behaviour the young man did not justify the care of the elder Benedict, and therefore the future glorious adventurer was soon denied further hospitality here.’ Православное Обозрение, 1863, Х, p.362ff. When Simonides paid a visit to Mount Athos again in 1851 he was refused entrance to the library of the Panteleimon monastery and so went to other monasteries, and was found ripping out and stealing sheets from precious manuscripts (three leaves of The Shepherd of Hermas was one example, which he subsequently sold in Leipzig) and, says Amphilochius who was there and met Simonides at the time, ‘he departed from the holy mountain with disgrace.’
[FOOTNOTE 136]: Православное Обозрение, 1863, Х, p.362ff.
[FOOTNOTE 137]: Letter of Amphilochius, October 5, 1863, to Edwin J. Davies.
[FOOTNOTE 138]: A. Lykourgos, Enthüllungen über den Simonides-dindorfschen Uranios (Leipzig, 1856), pp.55-56. Lykourgos had the same experience as those at the Panteleimon monastery 1839-41 and the Greek school at Odessa in 1841-2, from which Simonides was expelled for unruly behaviour. In 1855, when Simonides came to Leipzig, Lykourgos was studying there, and Lykourgos allowed Simonides to stay with him for some months. They fell out permanently when Lykourgos discovered that the rumours about Simonides, which he had tried not to believe, were fully justified, and Simonides tried to deceive the University of Leipzig. Though Simonides had only slight competence in Greek when he left Mount Athos in 1841, and that still by 1850 his education and competence in Greek were only fair,
Simonides in the details given in the Biographical Memoir, and in the forged manuscripts that he claimed to have had published in Russia in 1853 (his Autographa etc), states that he had received a PhD in Moscow in the early 1840s. This appears to be yet another deception.
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