topos

The article examines the emergence and semantic uses of the cedar, and more specifically the ‘Lebanese’ one, not only as a separate tree species but also as a specific ‘topos’, used in a Biblical context not only in St. Prophet Isaiah, with more than one meaning and even separate thematic spheres, while in medieval Bulgarian literature its ideological and semantic uses expanded and it became part of the ‘Christ tree.’ The reasons for this are rooted in its Old Testament Biblical use, and later, a purposeful attempt was made not only to explain it in more detail but also to attribute to it an even more substantial meaning. The ‘Lebanese cedar’ finds its place in early interpretive literature because it is one of the symbols of the presence and power of God. The ‘topos’ also finds wide application in parabiblical literature that goes beyond or adds to the previously expected qualities and properties of the cedar. Some facts and hypotheses will be presented to the Bulgarian reader for the first time.

The creation of a text in the Middle Ages was a process of superimposition of persistent patterns and ‘topos’ formulas that had acquired universal meaning. It is very difficult to point out a historical-apocalyptic text that consistently conveys the Greek original, without exception all translated works have the intervention of the Slavic scribe who amends, adds or abridges the text. This is a natural process, especially for this type of literature, which has no liturgical purpose, it is outside of following the canon and the liturgical statute. The main reason for the compilation nature of historical- apocalyptic literature is the desire to express and highlight the current local (in most cases – Bulgarian) point of view on the events that took place, to adapt the images of historical figures to the current reality.