How
long such a manual had been in use is unknown, but it is thought that
something of the kind must have existed from the time, at least, of
Justinian, perhaps earlier. The manual here referred to was found by M.
Didron at Sphigmenou, on Mt. Athos. This little monastery is said to
have been founded by the Empress Pulcheria, sister of the Emperor
Theodosius the Younger. She died in the year 453. Theodosius, it may be
remembered, was himself an admirable penman and illuminator, so much so
as to have acquired the cognomen of Kalligr?phos.
The monastery is built in a narrow valley by the seaside, between three
little hills, and as it were "squeezed" in, and hence its name (in Greek
{~GREEK SMALL LETTER SIGMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER PHI~}{~GREEK SMALL
LETTER IOTA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER GAMMA~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER
MU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER EPSILON WITH TONOS~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER
NU~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER OMICRON~}{~GREEK SMALL LETTER FINAL SIGMA~}),
which describes its situation exactly. It is occupied by about thirty
unusually neat and orderly monks, who are justly proud of the few relics
and curiosities which they exhibit to visitors. It was at Sphigmenou
that Curzon saw the piece of _ancient_ jewellery set with diamonds and a
Russian or Bulgarian MS.
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