{"slug":"symsa","id":"georgian:titus:symsa","title":"Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","author":"Leont.Neapol.","genre":"hagiography","date":"","tradition":"georgian","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T00:59:38Z","cost_usd":0.001819},"source":{"registry_id":"georgian:titus:symsa","work_id":"symsa","edition":"titus","language":"","license":"This text is part of the TITUS edition of Leontius Neapolitanus, Vita Symeonis Sali. Copyright TITUS Project, Frankfurt a/M, 1.12.2024. No parts of this document may be republished in any form without prior permission by the copyright holder.","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"},"stats":{"passages":2,"english_words":375,"coptic_letters":0,"commentary_units":12,"commentary_kinds":5,"derived_notes":1,"ambiguities":4,"work_notes":6,"external_links":0,"timeline":6},"summary":{"work":"symsa","abstract":"The Vita of Symeon Salos, attributed to Leontius of Neapolis, is a hagiography of a 6th-century Syrian holy fool. The Greek original is lost; the text survives in a 10th–11th century Georgian translation (Tbilisi H-1743). The work recounts Symeon's ascetic excesses and social transgressions, embodying the 'salos' ideal. It was translated as part of the Georgian monastic translation movement on Mount Sinai and included in Georgian synaxaria for July 21. The Titus edition provides a diplomatic transcription without critical apparatus. The attribution to Leontius is conventional but not securely attested before the 10th century.","historical_context":"The Vita of Symeon Salos is set in 6th-century Syria, with internal references to Emperor Justinian (r. 527–565) dating Symeon's life to ca. 522–588. The Greek original was likely composed by Leontius of Neapolis (Cyprus), a hagiographer active ca. 590–668, though this attribution is conventional and not securely attested before the 10th century. The Georgian translation was made in the 10th century, probably at a monastic center on Mount Sinai, as part of the broader Georgian translation movement that rendered Greek patristic and hagiographic texts into Georgian. The sole surviving manuscript (Tbilisi H-1743, 10th–11th c.) preserves the text, which was also included in Georgian synaxaria (e.g., Sin. geo. 57) for liturgical reading on Symeon's feast day (July 21). The translation facilitated the spread of the 'holy fool' ideal in Georgian monasticism, adapting a Syrian ascetic model for a Georgian audience.","significance":"The Vita of Symeon Salos is a key witness to the 'holy fool' (salos) tradition in Eastern Christianity, illustrating how extreme asceticism and social transgression were valorized as spiritual models. Its Georgian translation shows the cross-cultural transmission of hagiographic ideals from Greek to Georgian monasticism, and the text's survival in a single manuscript highlights the fragility of such traditions. The work also provides a case study in hagiographic topoi versus historical reality.","timeline":[{"date":"ca. 522–588","event":"Life of Symeon Salos in Syria, based on internal references to Emperor Justinian."},{"date":"ca. 590–668","event":"Leontius of Neapolis active; conventional attribution of the Greek original to him."},{"date":"10th century","event":"Georgian translation of the Vita made, likely on Mount Sinai, as part of the Georgian monastic translation movement."},{"date":"10th–11th century","event":"Earliest surviving manuscript (Tbilisi H-1743) copied."},{"date":"10th–11th century","event":"Inclusion in Georgian synaxarion Sin. geo. 57 for liturgical use on July 21."},{"date":"20th–21st century","event":"Titus edition provides diplomatic transcription of the Georgian manuscript."}],"relations":[{"work":"Vita of Symeon the Holy Fool (Greek original)","relation":"lost Vorlage of the Georgian translation","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of John the Almsgiver","relation":"another hagiography by the same attributed author","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Georgian synaxarion Sin. geo. 57","relation":"contains the Vita for liturgical reading","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Vita of Andrew the Fool (Greek)","relation":"similar hagiography of a holy fool, later tradition","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Palladius, Lausiac History","relation":"earlier ascetic literature influencing the holy fool topos","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[],"cautions":["The attribution to Leontius of Neapolis is conventional but not securely attested before the 10th century.","The dating of Symeon's life (ca. 522–588) is based on internal references and is approximate.","The Georgian translation may contain scribal expansions or omissions compared to the lost Greek original.","The Titus edition lacks critical apparatus, translation, or commentary; variants from other witnesses are not collated.","Passages describing ascetic excesses or social transgressions may reflect hagiographic topoi rather than historical events."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000563,"generated":"2026-11-15T00:18:34Z"},"checks":{"work":"symsa","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":2,"translated":2,"commentary_passages":2,"commentary_units":12,"english_words":375,"source_letters":1610,"commentary_kinds":5},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Georgian text is a translation of a lost Greek original attributed to Leontius of Neapolis, a Cypriot hagiographer active ca. 590–668. The Vita recounts the life of Symeon Salos, a 6th-century Syrian holy fool.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Georgian version survives in a single manuscript (Tbilisi, National Centre of Manuscripts, H-1743, 10th–11th c.). It was translated from Greek, likely in the 10th century, as part of the Georgian monastic translation movement on Mount Sinai or Mount Athos.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The dating of Symeon Salos’s life (ca. 522–588) is based on internal references to historical figures (e.g., Emperor Justinian). The Greek original’s attribution to Leontius is conventional but not securely attested before the 10th century.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Vita was included in Georgian synaxaria (e.g., the 10th–11th c. Sin. geo. 57) and read on Symeon’s feast day (July 21). Its translation facilitated the spread of the ‘holy fool’ ideal in Georgian monasticism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Titus edition provides a diplomatic transcription of the Georgian manuscript but lacks a critical apparatus, translation, or commentary. Variants from other Georgian witnesses (if any) are not collated, and the Greek Vorlage is not reconstructed.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Georgian text may contain scribal expansions or omissions compared to the lost Greek original. Passages describing Symeon’s ascetic excesses or social transgressions may reflect hagiographic topoi rather than historical events.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation was located by an automated check of the source corpus and one library catalogue. That is not evidence that none exists: the check matches English title words, so works catalogued under a Latin or original-language title are missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: hagiography in Old Georgian; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 2 narrative."},{"kind":"caution","severity":"caution","text":"1 passage(s) are fragmentary in the source; the English bridges each break and says so in the note."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: titus — This text is part of the TITUS edition of Leontius Neapolitanus, Vita Symeonis Sali. Copyright TITUS Project, Frankfurt a/M, 1.12.2024. No parts of this document may be republished in any form without prior permission by the copyright holder."}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":2},"term_index":[],"citations":{"ed:symsa":{"label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"[Chapter and paragraph divisions have been added to provide alignment with the Greek version of the Vita as printed in PG 93, 1669-1748. J.G.] Ms.: 2058-3 Page of ms.: 2r ცხორებაჲ და განგებაჲ ამბა სჳმეონისი, რომელსა ეწოდა ღმრთისათჳს სულელ. აღწერა ლეონტიოს ებისკოპოზმან ნიკოპოლელმან, რომელ არს კჳპრჱსაჲ\n\nშეჰგავს მათა, რომელნი დადგინებულ არიან პატივსა მოძღუართასა, Page of ms.: 2v რაჲთა ასწავებდენ კაცთა საქმეთა მათთა კეთილთა, ვითარცა თქუა უფალმან ჩუენმან იესუ ქრისტემან სახარებასა შინა: ესრჱთ ბრწყინევდინ ნათელი თქუენი წინაშე კაცთა, რაჲთა იხილნენ საქმენი თქუენნი კეთილნი და ადიდებდენ მამასა თქუენსა, Page of ms.: 3r რომელ არს ცათა შინა. ხოლო რომელ სიტყჳთ ოდენ ასწავებდეს, მის ზედა თქუმული იგი უფლისაჲ სახარებასა შინა: ორგულო, პირველად აღმოიღე დირჱ თუალისაგან შენისა და მაშინღა იხილო აღმოღებად წუელი თუალისაგან Page of ms.: 3v ძმისა შენისა. ამისთჳს ჩუენ, გლახაკთა, საქმენიღა კეთილნი არა გუქონან, რომლითამცა ვასწავებდით კაცთა. ვინებეთ, რაჲთა მიგითხრნეთ საქმენი და სათნოებანი წმიდათანი, რომელნი იყვნეს ჟამთა ამათ ჩუენთა, Page of ms.: 4r რაჲთა სარგებელ ეყოს ყოველთა, რომელთა აღმოიკითხონ და ესმეს.","english":"The Life and Conduct of Abba Symeon, who was called the Fool for God’s Sake. Written by Leontius, Bishop of Neapolis, which is in Cyprus.\n\nThey resemble those who are established in the honor of teachers, so that they might teach men by their good works, as our Lord Jesus Christ said in the Gospel: “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father, who is in heaven.” But as for one who teaches by word alone, the saying of the Lord in the Gospel applies to him: “Hypocrite, first take the beam from your own eye, and then you will see to remove the splinter from your brother’s eye.” Therefore we, the poor, do not have good works by which we might teach men. We wish to relate to you the works and virtues of the saints who were in our own times, so that it may benefit all who read and hear them.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"სულელ","severity":"info","text":"The Georgian term 'sulel' (სულელ) translates Greek 'salos' (σαλός), meaning 'fool' or 'simpleton', a technical designation for the holy fool (salos) in Eastern Christian asceticism.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ესრჱთ ბრწყინევდინ ნათელი თქუენი წინაშე კაცთა","severity":"info","text":"The first Gospel quotation adapts Matthew 5:16 or Luke 11:33, but the wording 'shine your light before men' is a loose paraphrase, not a direct citation from the canonical Gospels.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"ორგულო, პირველად აღმოიღე დირჱ თუალისაგან შენისა","severity":"info","text":"The second quotation echoes Matthew 7:3–5 on the beam and the splinter, but the Georgian wording differs from the standard Old Georgian Gospel text, suggesting a free adaptation or memory citation.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ლეონტიოს ებისკოპოზმან ნიკოპოლელმან","severity":"info","text":"Leontius, Bishop of Neapolis (modern Limassol, Cyprus), is the author of the Greek original of this vita, dated to the 6th–7th century. The Georgian translation follows the Greek closely.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"შეჰგავს მათა, რომელნი დადგინებულ არიან პატივსა მოძღუართასა","severity":"info","text":"This opening paragraph functions as a prologue, contrasting teaching by deeds with teaching by words, and establishing the hagiographer's humility topos ('we, the poor').","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ცხორებაჲ და განგებაჲ","severity":"info","text":"The Georgian title 'Life and Conduct' (ცხორებაჲ და განგებაჲ) reflects the Greek 'Βίος καὶ πολιτεία', a standard hagiographic formula, and indicates the text was received as a model of ascetic biography.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Georgian text does not specify which Gospel verse is being quoted; the two scriptural references are paraphrastic and may conflate multiple passages.","The phrase 'glorify your Father, who is in heaven' is not a direct Gospel quotation but a theological expansion."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"და შეწევნითა ღმრთისაჲთა ვიწყო და მიგითხრა ცხორებაჲ ამბა სჳმეონისი, რომელსა ეწოდა ღმრთისათჳს სულელ. და მე ვჰლოცავ: ყოველმან, რომელმან აღმოიკითხოს დაწერილი Page of ms.: 4v ესე, რაჲთა სარწმუნოებით შეიწყნაროს, ვითარ-იგი შეჰგავს ქრისტეანეთაჲ, რამეთუ უწყი: ყოველსა, რომელსა თანა არა არს შიში ღმრთისაჲ და არცა მეცნიერებაჲ წიგნთა მისთაჲ, არა შეიწყნარებს, რომელსა-ესე დავსწერთ, არამედ ჰგონებს Page of ms.: 5r იგი უნდო და შეურაცხ. და უკუეთუმცა იცოდეს, რომელ-იგი თქუა მოციქულმან: რომელსა უნდეს სოფელსა ამას ბრძენ ყოფაჲ, იყავნ იგი სულელ, რაჲთა იყოს იგი წინაშე ღმრთისა ბრძენ. და კუალად: ჩუენ -- სულელ ქრისტჱსთჳს *1. Page of ms.: 5v და კუალად: სულელი იგი ღმრთისაჲ უბრძნჱს კაცთა არს. უკუეთუმცა იცოდეს ესე და მსგავსი ამისი, არამცა ეგონნეს საქმენი ამის წმიდისანი უნდო და შეურაცხ, რომელნი ქმნა შორის კაცთა, რამეთუ არა მოიქცა სოფლად, ვიდრემდის არა *2 განისწავლა Page of ms.: 6r მონაზონებასა შინა და განძლიერდა შეწევნითა სულისა წმიდისაჲთა. და მოიღო ძალი ღმრთისაგან, რაჲთა დასთრგუნვიდეს გუელთა და ღრიაკალთა, ვითარცა წერილი იტყჳს, და შეურაცხ-ყო Page of ms.: 6v ყოველი ნებაჲ ჴორცთაჲ და გემონი და დიდებაჲ ამის სოფლისაჲ და იქმნა ყოვლადვე უვნებელ და მიიწია მადლსა წინაწარმეტყუელებისასა.","english":"And with the help of God I shall begin and relate to you the life of Abba Symeon, who was called the Fool for God’s Sake. And I pray: let every one who reads this writing accept it with faith, as it befits Christians, for I know: whoever has neither fear of God nor knowledge of his books will not accept what we write, but considers it foolish and contemptible. And if only he knew what the Apostle said: “Whoever wishes to be wise in this world, let him be a fool, so that he may be wise before God.” And again: “We are fools for Christ’s sake.” And again: “That fool for God’s sake is wiser than men.” If only he knew this and things like it, he would not consider the deeds of this saint, which he performed among men, as foolish and contemptible, for he did not conduct himself in the world until he had first been instructed in monasticism and strengthened by the help of the Holy Spirit. And he received power from God to trample upon serpents and scorpions, as the Scripture says, and he despised every carnal desire and pleasure and the glory of this world, and became altogether invulnerable and attained the grace of prophecy.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"სულელ","severity":"info","text":"The Georgian term 'suleli' translates Greek 'salos' (fool), a key ascetic title for Symeon, denoting a holy fool who feigns madness for spiritual purposes.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"„Whoever wishes to be wise in this world, let him be a fool, so that he may be wise before God.”","severity":"info","text":"This saying is not a direct biblical quotation but a paraphrase of Pauline themes (cf. 1 Cor 1:21, 3:18-19) on folly for Christ, adapted by Leontius.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"„We are fools for Christ’s sake.”","severity":"info","text":"Echoes 1 Cor 4:10 („We are fools for Christ’s sake”) and possibly Rom 12:2, reinforcing the paradox of holy folly.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"„That fool for God’s sake is wiser than men.”","severity":"info","text":"Likely a loose citation of 1 Cor 1:25 or a patristic maxim, emphasizing the inversion of worldly and spiritual wisdom.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"„trample upon serpents and scorpions”","severity":"info","text":"Alludes to Ps 91:13 (LXX 90:13) or early monastic hagiography, symbolizing triumph over demonic forces and ascetic victory.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"„And with the help of God I shall begin”","severity":"info","text":"This opening formula is conventional in hagiographic prologues, invoking divine aid and establishing the narrator’s humility.","cites":[{"key":"ed:symsa","label":"source edition: Leontius of Neapolis, Vita of Symeon Salos","url":"https://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/texte/etcs/cauc/ageo/tmin/symsal/symsa.htm"}],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Georgian text includes marginal page numbers (4v–6v) from the manuscript, but their exact significance for the passage division is unclear.","The phrase 'as the Scripture says' (ვითარცა წერილი იტყჳს) may refer to a specific biblical verse or a general scriptural principle; the reference is not explicit."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}