>
> Sy ne suis, bien le considere,
> Filz d'ange portant diadame
> D'estoille ne d'autre sidoire...
>
> not provide satisfying evidence that such a diademe was
>a common attribute in representations of angels (or even of the 'sons' of
>angels). Does anybody happen to know whether in fact it was? Or have other
>associations which might throw some light on these verses?
>
> Otfried Lieberknecht
>
>
In medieval Arabic and Hebrew Andalusian (and some North African) poetry, it
is very common to use the image of the diademe crowning the subject of a poem
of praise (always male). I don't recall a crown of stars, but usually a
crown of glory or honor or some such attribute; in the Hebrew poetry, the
person being praised is then often described, too, as having such brilliance
that he dims the stars. I think Adena Tanenbaum recently wrote an article
about the use of such encomia in medieval philosophical poetry from
al-Andalus -- I'll try and check the reference for you.
Susan Einbinder
-------------------------------------
08/09/96 06:26:51
Susan Einbinder
Hebrew Union College
3101 Clifton Avenue
Cincinnati OH 45220
office: 513-221-1875
[log in to unmask]
-------------------------------------
%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
|