Publication details
Ióannés Klimakos. Nebeský žebřík
| Title in English | John Climacus. Ladder of the Divine Ascent |
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| Authors | |
| Year of publication | 2015 |
| Type | Monograph |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Description | The book brings forward the first Czech translation of the important ascetic and mystical treatise by John Climacus, The Ladder of the Divine Ascent. Not much is known about the author, but it is generally assumed that the work was probably written in the first half of the 7th century, in the so-called Dark Ages of Byzantium. This period of transition influenced the literary qualities of the Ladder. In the introductory essay we strive to present the treatise as a literary work of the turn of two epochs: the treatise was created by a person with at least basic classical literary training, but the form was imbued with new contents characteristic of the approaching era of Byzantine society that was completely identified with Christianity. Besides, new literary techniques, which became common in Byzantine literature later on, can be already noticed here. The essay then examines literary influences and genre classification of the text. The final part briefly deals with several issues of interpretation of the text. The text of The Ladder of the Divine Ascent is accompanied with the first Czech translation of one of the two more voluminous Lives of St. John the Climacus, written by Daniel of Raithou, perhaps not long after John’s death. The Life remarkably illustrates a relationship between the work and its author and demonstrates the modes of representations of the author as a saint – an image formed in the later tradition on the grounds of his literary legacy. However deeply embedded in the Eastern spiritual tradition, The Ladder - translated for the first time into Latin in the 13th century - had a tremendous impact on the Western mysticism and asceticism. |
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