Homilies and Songs, Volume 1

Barsauma having obtained the see of Nisibis, were drafted; they are unfortunately missing today and are entirely different from the constitutions published at Rome by I. Guidi (1890), which are certainly to be ascribed to Osea or Eliseus, the successors of Barsauma. During the time of Narsai and subsequently, this school shone with unusual brilliance of knowledge throughout the entire Christian East, and its fame attracted students from even the most distant regions, which in truth was so great that it resounded even as far as Africa and Italy (1). The parent and founder of this school dedicated himself to its governance for fifty years, as Barhebraeus reports (2) (but see below No. II).

But after some time, Narsai became alienated from his old friend and companion. The aforementioned Barhebraeus explains the cause of this split as follows (3): Barsauma and Narsai quarreled over a concubine (whom Barsauma kept at his house). For this reason, the latter was driven from Nisibis by Barsauma and withdrew into the region of the Kurds. But, not at all tranquil there, he composed a poem, the beginning of which is: Sniq zabna "The time is needy" (4), in which he signifies his friendship toward Barsauma. From then on, Barsauma restored him to his office. Furthermore, Narsai died in peace at Nisibis in advanced age, in the year 507 (but see below No. II). His departure from Edessa happened after the death of Ihibas and the exile of the teachers, namely in the year 457 (not in the year 489, as Barhebraeus contends, wrongly mixing the year of the exile of the teachers and the suppression of the school) (5). Thus, calculating the years Narsai spent at Nisibis, it must be believed that his death occurred in the year 507, and in no way in 496, as some assume (6) (but see below No. II). Where was the body of the deceased buried? Mari recounts this in a few words (7):

"After the death of Narsai, he says, his body was buried in the church built under his name."

Our author held a prominent name among the Nestorian saints and claimed for himself the praise of being the strongest scourge of the Jacobites, whose errors he tirelessly defeated and exploded with insurmountable eloquence.

Footnotes from page 15:
(1) Assemani, B. O. III, 2, 927. cf. Guidi: Statutes of the School of Nisibis (preface). Whoever desires more on this school should consult Chabot, Journal Asiatique, July-August 1896, 9th series, vol. VIII, p. 43 ff.: The School of Nisibis, its history, its statutes.
(2) Ecclesiastical Chronicle II, p. 77. And 60 years according to Mari (ibid. p. 45): "And he was a professor for sixty years." But changing his opinion (p. 44), the same Mari puts it at 50 (perhaps from his arrival at Nisibis, whereas 60 is from the title of professor). See below No. II.
(3) Ecclesiastical Chronicle II, 75. On this split, see Mari, who narrates it fully and more richly (ibid. p. 44, 47-48). cf. the Chaldean preface.
(4) Sniq zabna does not mean "poor in time" as Lamy and Assemani suggest, but "the time is needy," as is clear from the general sense. See p. 210 of this volume.
(5) Thus Duval, Syriac Literature, p. 346.
(6) See Duval ibid., p. 346.
(7) Same edition, p. 44.