1836.] Memoir of St. Nierses Clajensis. 137 



Graceful as the first poetic writer in Armenia, whose talented produc- 

 tions have deservedly gained him the title of the Prince of Armenian 

 Poets. Gifted by nature with a great genius, Nierses devoted his 

 leisure to the composition of melodies, anthems, and hymns, which are 

 to this day sung in our Church to the admiration of all. Some of 

 these poetical pieces are acrostic, the first letters of the stanzas com- 

 posing the name of the author or the entire alphabet of the Armenian 

 language. He also wrote several treatises and panegyrics, both in 

 prose and verse, on dominical feasts, patriarchs, martyrs, and angels. 

 During the days of his priesthood, he composed a brief history of Ar- 

 menia in verse, from the period of Haic to the twelfth century. A 

 variety of miscellaneous pieces are also extant by this author, several 

 of which he wrote before his elevation to the pontifical throne. At 

 the express desire of his nephew Apirat, he produced in verse a pathe- 

 tic Elegy on the destruction of the devoted city of Edessa by the 

 victorious army of ZENGHi,the chief of Aleppo, which memorable event 

 took place on the 23rd of December, 1144*. This little work, which 

 abounds with vivid descriptions and patriotic feelings, was for the first 

 time published at Madras in the year 1810. Another edition of it 

 was lately published by the Asiatic Society of Paris. The European 

 public may shortly expect an English translation of it, which I have 

 undertaken to executef . On his^ being raised to the dignity of a bishop 

 Nierses produced another excellent work entitled g« |]^«|./» " Jesus 

 the Son}," which is a poetical description of the principal events that 

 are recorded in the Old and New Testaments. During this time he 

 composed that admirable prayer which commences with " I confess 

 with faith," ^««.u/™^ \unumnt[iuu[tl ' } and which is now so popular 

 amongst the generality of the Armenians. It consists of twentv-four 

 verses, typical of the twenty-four hours of the day, and the number of 

 the books of prophecy. Regarding this prayer, the author says in the 

 records of old manuscripts, " I have written this in a plain and easy 

 style, that it should be intelligible to general readers." It is held in 

 such great estimation by my countrymen, that a translation of it into 

 twenty-four languages was published in the year 1823 bv the Mukhi- 

 tharian Society in Venice ! Nierses was not unaware of the benefit of 

 combining utile dulci in the variety of his literary productions. He 



* Mills's History of the Crusades, vol. i. p. 307. 



t The Armenian text was published at Calcutta in 1832. The translation has 

 not yet appeared. — Ed. 



X This work is very popular with the Armenian literati, and has run through 

 several editions, the latest of which was published at Venice in the year 

 1830. 



T 



