Work dossier · summary and historical context
The Metrical Grammar of Gregorius bar Hebraeus is a didactic poem in 12-syllable meter that treats Syriac grammar as a theological discipline. Composed in the late 13th century for advanced students in East Syrian schools, it adapts Greek grammatical terminology into Syriac prosody. The work survives in a single late manuscript (Sachau 215, possibly 16th–17th century) with lacunae and scribal errors. It was used as a textbook into the 19th century and cited by later grammarians like Taldar. The edition marks uncertain passages with brackets but lacks a full critical apparatus for orthographic variants.
The Metrical Grammar is a key witness to the late medieval East Syrian scholarly tradition, demonstrating the adaptation of Greek grammatical concepts into Syriac didactic poetry. Its use as a textbook for centuries underscores its pedagogical importance, while its citation by later grammarians like Taldar shows its lasting influence. The work also illustrates the integration of theological and grammatical disciplines in Syriac education.
Gregorius bar Hebraeus flourished in the late 13th century (d. after 1286) within the East Syrian (Church of the East) community, likely in northern Mesopotamia or the region of Mosul. The Metrical Grammar is undated but belongs to his mature period, when he produced several compendia for East Syrian schools. The work reflects the integration of Greek grammatical theory (e.g., lexis) into Syriac pedagogy, a hallmark of Syriac scholarly tradition. The sole surviving manuscript, Sachau 215, is a late copy (possibly 16th–17th century) with lacunae and scribal errors, indicating limited but continuous transmission. The grammar was used as a textbook into the 19th century, often alongside Bar Hebraeus's prose grammar, and was cited by later grammarians such as Taldar. The work's metrical form (12-syllable meter) and its tripartite division of speech (noun, verb, particle) follow standard Syriac grammatical models adapted from Greek sources.
Apparatus · what the pipeline recorded
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