E07930: The pilgrim Egeria, in her Itinerary, describes her visit to Mount Nebo (Palestine): on the way she visits the place where *Moses (Old Testament prophet and lawgiver, S00241) struck the rock and brought forth water, which had a church and attendant monks; on the summit she finds a church containing the grave of Moses. Written in Latin during Egeria's journey to the East, probably in 381-384.

Egeria, Itinerary 10.9-11.3 and 12.1-3


Travelling to Mount Nebo with a presbyter from Livias, who is acting as her guide, he asks if she would like to turn off the road and visit the place where Moses brought forth water from the rock:

10.9 Quod cum dixisset, nos satis auidi optati sumus ire, et statim diuertentes a uia secuti sumus presbyterum, qui nos ducebat. In eo ergo loco ecclesia est pisinna subter montem, non Nabau, sed alterum interiorem: sed nec ipse longe est de Nabau. Monachi autem plurimi commanent ibi uere sancti et quos hic ascites uocati.

11.1 Hi ergo sancti monachi dignati sunt nos suscipere ualde humane, nam et ad salutationem suam permiserunt nos ingredi. Cum autem ingressi fuissemus ad eos, facta oblatione cum ipsis, eulogias nobis dare dignati sunt, sicut habent consuetudinem dandi his, quos humane suscipiunt. (2) Ibi ergo inter ecclesiam et monasteria in medio fluit de petra aqua ingens, pulchra ualde et limpida, saporis optimi. Tunc interogauimus nos etiam et illos sanctos monachos, qui ibi manebant, quae esset haec aqua talis et tanti saporis. Tunc illi dixerunt: "Haec est aqua, quam dedit sanctus Moyses filiis Israhel in hac heremo." (3) Facta est ergo iuxta consuetudinem ibi oratio et lectio de libris Moysi lecta, dictus etiam psalmus unus; et sic simul cum illis sanctis clericis et monachis, qui nobiscum uenerant, perexiuimus ad montem. Multi autem et ex ipsis monachis sanctis, qui ibi commanebant iuxta aqua ipsa, qui tamen potuerunt imponere sibi laborem, dignati sunt ascendere montem Nabau. (4) Itaque ergo proficiscentes de eodem loco peruenimus ad radicem montis Nabau, qui erat ualde excelsus, ita tamen ut pars eius maxima sedendo in asellis possit subiri; modice autem erat acrius, quod pedibus necesse erat subiri cum labore, sicut et factum est.

12.1 Peruenimus ergo ad summitatem montis illius, ubi est nunc ecclesia non grandis, in ipsa summitate montis Nabau. Intra quam ecclesiam, in eo loco ubi pulpitus est, uidi locum modice quasi altiorem, tantum hispatii habentem quantum memoriae solent habere. (2) Tunc ergo interrogaui illos sanctos, quidnam esset hoc; qui responderunt: "hic positus est sanctus Moyses ab angelis, quoniam, sicut scriptum est, "sepulturam illius nullus hominum scit"; quoniam certum est eum ab angelis fuisse sepultum. Nam memoria illius, ubi positus sit, in hodiernum ostenditur; sicut enim nobis a maioribus, qui hic manserunt, ubi ostensum est, ita et nos uobis monstramus: qui et ipsi tamen maiores ita sibi traditum a maioribus suis esse dicebant". (3) Itaque ergo mox facta est oratio, et omnia, quae in singulis locis sanctis per ordinem consueueramus facere, etiam et hic facta sunt: et sic cepimus egredere de ecclesia.


'10.9 When he said this, we eagerly chose to go there, and, at once leaving the road, we followed the presbyter, who was our guide. In that place there is a small church under a mountain, not Nebo, but one further in: but it is not far from Nebo. Many monks live there, truly holy men of those who are here called 'ascetics'.

11.1 These holy monks were kind enough to receive us very hospitably, and at their greeting allowed us to enter. When we had entered with them, after a prayer together, they kindly gave us 'blessings', as they do to those whom they kindly receive. (2) There, between the church and the monks' cells flows from the rock a substantial stream, very beautiful and clear, and of excellent taste. When we asked those holy monks who were there what this stream was that had such a good taste, they said: "This is the water which holy Moses gave to the children of Israel in this desert." (3) We prayed, as is our custom, read from the books of Moses, and recited a psalm; and so along with the holy clergy and monks who had accompanied us headed for the mountain. Many of the holy monks, who dwelt by that spring, were kind enough to ascend Mount Nebo with us, those who were able to take on this challenge. (4) So, leaving that place, we came to the foot of Mount Nebo, which is very high, so that while the greater part of it can be ascended on donkeys, in some parts it is steeper, so that one has struggle up on foot; and so we did.

12.1 We reached the top of that mountain, where there is now a church of no great size, on the summit of Mount Nebo, and inside, where the pulpit is, I saw a slightly raised place about the size of a normal tomb. (2) I asked about it, and the holy men replied, "Holy Moses was buried here - by angels, since the Bible tells us, 'No human being knoweth his burial'. And there is no doubt that it was angels who buried him, since the actual tomb where he was buried can be seen today. Our predecessors here pointed out this place to us, and now we point it out to you. They told us that this tradition came from their predecessors." (3) Soon we had had the prayer and the other things which we were accustomed to do in each place, and so we left the church.'


Text: Franceschini and Weber 1965, 51-52. Translation: Bryan Ward-Perkins, using Wilkinson 2002, 106-107.