Between Thought and Perception: The Rendering of νοητός in the South Slavonic Translations of Synaxarial Verses

Abstract

This article examines the South Slavonic translations of the adjective νοητός in the synaxarial verses derived from the iambic calendar cycle of Byzantine poet and nobleman Christopher of Mytilene (11th c.), later incorporated into the synaxarial tradition. The Bulgarian translation of the Verse Prolog (14th c.) predominantly renders the term through a cognitive adjective мысльнъ, whereas the Serbian version (14th c.) prefers a perceptual equivalent чоувьствьнъ. Although these renderings appear antonymous, their use is contextually conditioned and restricted to adjectival forms. Through comparative analysis of the relevant passages, the study demonstrates that the meaning conveyed by νοητός was transmitted according to the immediate poetic context and could be expressed through both intellectual and perceptual vocabulary. The article further argues that the translators adapted the Greek concept νοητός in ways that reflected the linguistic and theological traditions of their respective Slavic cultures. Special attention is paid to the interaction between semantic nuance, liturgical usage, and stylistic choice in medieval translation practice. The findings reveal how sensory metaphors and mnemonic compression enabled the apprehension of noetic objects to be articulated as a form of perceptual experience, thereby bridging abstract theological thought with concrete poetic expression in the medieval Orthodox Slavic literary tradition.