The Oracles of Leo the Wise (886)

Leo VI the Wise, also known as Leo VI the Philosopher (Greek: , Len VI) was the emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire from 886 to 912. Domestically, his reign produced one of the most brilliant periods of the empires history. In foreign affairs, his reign was not as successful. His numerous marriages produced a major scandal and incited the wrath of the Church.1

History of the Text2 A few words are indicated concerning a short tract entitled by its first editor, Petrus Lambecius, 3, but henceforth to be cited as the Cento of the True Emperor. The edition is based on a single manuscript of the 16th century.4 In the printed edition the title is followed by a subtitle that corresponds somewhat better to the content: Concerning the much-discussed beggar and chosen emperor, known and unknown, residing on the first citadel of Byzantium. The text itself begins with the words, The True Emperor. Both the content and structure of the work are frequently obscure, but it may be helpful to present a brief analysis, at least to the extent that I was able to understand its meaning. It begins with observations about the time when the True Emperor will be

revealed: at the end of the Ishmaelite domination, in the days , at the third hour of a Friday. There follows information on means used by the Lord to reveal the Annointed, namely, (rain-)bows and signs ( ). Three times the True Emperor will receive instructions from an angel, twice orally and the last time by means of stone tablets handed to him by the angel. The signs identifying him are then set forth at great length: physical characteristics, costume, moral and mental qualities partially expressed by means of pairs of paradoxes, as well as cryptic allusions to his name. In this section there occurs a brief interruption referring to the anointment and activities of the True Emperor, notably his victory over the Ishmaelites and their harassment of the population. The rest is taken up largely with data on the True Emperors place of residence at the time of his revelation, as well as its circumstances: a star will shine for three days, and in heaven will be seen a body of clouds, as large as the sun, from which are suspended a heavenly host clad in purple, and the rainbow set as a permanent covenant at the time of the Flood. The rainbow will stand over the True Emperors place of residence and the people will conduct the scion of the palace solemnly to the great Sion. The star and a herald will also announce him, and once again the people will lead him to the great Sion. Its doors will be opened for him. Two angels will instruct him in his duties, and many persons will lament the fact that they had failed to listen to the Lords kindness. Everyone will then be at rest. The piece ends with a particularly obscure reference to another illustrious person from the East resembling a beggar (i.e. the True Emperor). It will be important to define clearly the nature and purpose of the Cento of the True Emperor, for its usefulness as a source will largely depend on this definition. Here it is important to note that its designation as a paraphrase of the Oracles of Leo printed in Lambecius first edition and in Mignes reprint is not based on manuscript evidence. Apparently invented by Lambecius, it represents his conception of the nature of the text. He supported his view by citing, in the footnotes to his edition of the paraphrase, the lines of the Oracles of Leo that he supposed certain passages to restate. Many of these alleged parallels belong to the standard repertoire of apocalyptic speculation and do not prove any dependence of the Cento on the Oracles of Leo. There remain four passages where a connection between the two texts is beyond doubt, but their relation is not that of original and paraphrase. In two of them the same topic is mentioned in similar language, in one case a mysterious figure called Lips [?] and in the other the residence of the True Emperor in a western quarter of Constantinople. In a third case the Cento quotes verbatim from one of the Oracles of Leo (but omitted a key phrase), yet a literal citation hardly qualifies as a paraphrase. The fourth passage is partially also a direct quotation, and partly may represent a paraphrase, but it presents special problems, and is at any rate not a sufficient basis for characterizing the entire work as a paraphrase. It is not even certain, though it is probable, that the author of the Cento knew the Oracles of Leo, for in the two instances where he seems to cite them, he may be quoting from a source of the Oracles rather than from the Oracles themselves. The conclusion that the author is citing his sources verbatim is confirmed if one considers his use of apocalyptic texts earlier than the Oracles of Leo. Repeatedly he refers to the Emperor as of no utility, in words reminiscent of Pseudo-Methodius and of the Visions of Daniel derived from the PseudoMethodius. Two further passages are taken, with minor variations and corruptions, from the Greek text of the Tiburtine Sibyl, and the statement about the Lord laying his hand on the Emperors head derives from Daniel. The most interesting borrowing is the first set of instructions given by an angel to the True Emperor. The passage looks at first glance like a citation of Ephesians 5:14.This is, however, unlikely, on a priori

grounds, as it would be the only biblical quotation in the Cento. It reads: Awake, O sleeper and arise from the grave, and Christ will give you light, for he summons you to tend his peculiar people. Moreover, in the Cento the apparently Pauline verses are followed by a phrase that does not occur in the Bible, yet resembles in vocabulary and syntax the Greek Old and New Testaments... The Prophecy Text as found in Orthodox Publications "With regards to the legendary, poor and chosen king, who is well known and yet unknown, who lives at the edge of the geographical area of the Byzantine empire. The true king, whom people have chased from his abode will be revealed at the time when the end of the Ishmaelites approaches It will be on a Friday, in the third hour of the morning when he will be revealed He, who is to be revealed, will be identified by means of celestial signs. While he is sleeping, he will hear a voice and see and Angel who will appear like a royal servant dressed in white; the Angel will take him by the hand and will tell him: you, who are sleeping, get up Jesus Christ will be with you. It is your calling to lead a chosen people; and the Angel will add: you, who have been concealed, do not hide yourself any longer, many are asking for you and furthermore, the Angel will give him plaques of stone upon which are etched two commands: Punish the evil doers and rule justly over your defeated enemies. And you should punish impiety and utterly consume with fire those who engage in acts of Sodomy; furthermore, the bad priests you should chase from the alter and you should reinstitute the worthy priests. And the King will have signs to be recognize by. The nail of his big toe on his right foot has a corn on his shoulders he bears two red crosses the name of the King is not revealed among the nations the Lord will lay His hand upon the head of the King In those days, the humans will become distresses and will turn their faces towards the earth and they will put dirt on their heads and will cry out with a loud voice to the Lord God, the God of Heaven and earth, and God will listen to their supplications and He will send them his Archangel, in the form of a human being who will come in the islands. And the Archangel will find the holy one of God who is not seen or suspected by anybody who is concealed to the eyes of the world and inconspicuous, but who is known to God and also to himself; he is descended from royalty and from dukes and he is a saintly person God will make him revealed and he will be presented to the people and will be anointed with chrism (holy oil) in his old age And this is how the king will be revealed to the people: there will be a star which will appear for the duration of three days and in the third hour of the night of the eve of the holiday of the Mother of the Most High, the star will be seen in the middle of the city. And this star is not one of the planets but it will be like the one which made its appearance during the salvation-bringing birth of Jesus. And a herald will be crying aloud in these three days calling and revealing the hoped-for king. Then, the citizens of the city seeing and hearing the thunderous voice will be amazed. And with joy and fear will come out and they will say that they ignore the identity of the hoped-for king. While all are watching and extensively and fervently praying Lord have Mercy and beating their foreheads on the ground and putting dirt on their heads, and wailing and crying bitter tears for the coming sorrow, their prayers will be heard by God. God will receive favourably their supplication and with a well-disposed eye He will look down upon the inhabitants of the earth; and it is for the sake of the then remaining Elect that the chosen one will be made known.

In the sky, at that time a nebulous (hazy) firmament will be visible and something circular resembling the image of the sun which will seemingly be of a size corresponding to a circle circumscribed on a threshing floor by six oxen. A cross will be hanging underneath it, and at the left side of the purple-coloured cross, and extending arc such as the one given to our forefathers in eternal testament; and since nobody will know the identity of the hoped-for person, the arc will be broken at its southern part, as it becomes decomposed in the firmament and this way the exact location of the true King will be shown. Then, the nations, having given praise to God, will rush to the area indicated by the edge of the arc; and having received the precious and elderly royal man with lit candles and palm tree branches, with singing and pomp they will bring him into the Great Zion And an invisible herald with a thunderous voice calling from heaven will address the people with the following words: Is this man agreeable to you? And everybody will be filled with fear and terror and ecstacy because of the thunderous voice from above. And beating their chest with wailing and tears, raising their arms towards heaven they will say: Yes, Lord, because You have given him to us, he is agreeable to us. And having bowed in submission before him, they will bring him into the Great Zion. And the King, having prayed to God in front of the gates, they will be opened up And those who were there will run away in great terror; the people having prayed to God will receive the King and they will bring him to an elevated spot and proclaim him their King And in this manner they will reach the palace in night time and the signs in the heavens will fade away. The King will be guided by two Angels in the guise of officials dressed in white; and they will whisper into his ears instructions concerning his future activities." ADDITIONAL ORACLES COLLECTED BY EMPEROR LEO THE PHILOSOPHER Sovereignty Woe to you city of the Seven Hills when the twentieth letter is being saluted and praised on your walls. At that moment the fall and corruption of your strong leaders Will have finally arrived, Those who judge without justice; of your leader who has scythe-like fingers which scythe is the scythe of desolation and a blasphemy before the Most High Piety The already dead and not manifested one Many know him, although nobody sees him; He will rise up, as if from a wine-revelry For a column-shaped phenomenon having been seen in the heavens An invisible herald will shout thunderously thrice: Make haste and go to the western parts of the Seven-Hilled city And you will find a praying man, who is dear to me; Bring him to the royal palace, He wears a helmet, is soft-spoken, calm, noble minded, He has a very sharp knowledge of the future.

Thus, you, Seven-Hilled city will achieve sovereignty once again. (No Title Given) You, who have been the courtyard of Byzas and the home of Constantine, Rome, Babylon and another, new, Zion, In six centuries minus about twenty years you will become powerful again.1 You will amass the gold of the nations as if it were the dust of the earth. And you will be the leader of all the surrounding powers. But a blond nation, with fire-red hair Will turn to ashes and completely destroy your power. You will appear again as if you had never began. Till the moment that the finger of God will be visible at dawn And will strike two fingers with the hand The fingers having edges like the hot currents emanating from a furnace And will take revenge over the seed of the fathers. And from all around your children will arrive In a centripetal fashion, from the periphery to the center Disembarking from the ships to administer justice You will become renewed and renovated again And your power will be greater than in the past. Because you will become the house of the Glory of God And those who will be near, will fall on their knees and ask forgiveness.

Notes 1) Leo VI caused a major scandal with his numerous marriages which failed to produce a legitimate heir to the throne. His first wife Theophano, whom Basil had forced him to marry, died in 897, and he married Zoe Zaoutzaina, the daughter of his adviser Stylianos Zaoutzes, though she died as well in 899. Upon this marriage Leo created the title of basileopatr ("father of the emperor") for his father-in-law. After Zoe's death a third marriage was technically illegal, but he married again, only to have his third wife Eudokia Baana die in 901. Instead of marrying a fourth time, which would have been an even greater sin than a third marriage (according to the Patriarch Nicholas Mystikos) Leo took as mistress, Zoe Karbonopsina. He married her only after she had given birth to a son in 905, but incurred the opposition of the patriarch. Replacing Nicholas Mystikos with Euthymios, Leo got his marriage recognized by the church, but opened up a conflict within it and allowed new grounds for papal intervention into Byzantine affairs when he sought and obtained papal consent. 2) Alexander, Paul J., The Byzantine Apocalyptic Tradition, 1985, pp. 131-135. 3) Migne . 1141- 1148 . 107. 4) According to a scribal note at the end of the manuscript, it was copied from a very ancient manuscript the script of which, it is said, was four hundred years or more old, i.e. of the 12th century at the latest.