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A UNIQUE SPECIMEN OF MID-BYZANTINE LYDIAN HAGIOGRAPHY: THE LIFE OF ONESIMUS THE WONDER-WORKER (BHG 2324)*
The Life of st.Onesimus (BHG 2324), which survived partially in one Byzantine manuscript (Patm. 185) an completly in the Old Slavic translation, is published for the first time. The text was written in the 1 half of the 9th century in Lydia. It contains several place-names (Askondia, Kochlias), which are not attested othersiwe, the action develops between Manisa (Magnesia ad Sipylum) and the town which called in Slavic Astochia/Satochia, which could render the Greek Τὰ Τείχη. Side by side with the stereotyped scenes, the Life presents some unique events of real life (the flooding of Gedix river, the enchraochemtn of jelly-fish in this river, the famin which causes grave social conflicts. Yet, even more interesting are unique supernatural events: for exmple, the appearance of demoni creatures resembling the mythological Harpyes.