Standard abbreviation: Bk. Rooster
Other titles: Book of the Cock; Homily and Teaching of Our Fathers, the Holy Apostles
Clavis numbers: ECCA 761
Category: Passion Narratives
Related literature: Book of Bartholomew, Acts of Pilate (Greek B)
Status: unassigned
Citing this resource (using Chicago Manual of Style):
1. SUMMARY
The Book of the Rooster, though believed to have been composed in Greek in or around Jerusalem in the fifth or sixth century, is now available only in Ethiopic. The main story features Jesus and the disciples at the house of a Pharisee named Simon. Simon’s wife prepares a rooster for their meal. But Jesus brings the rooster to life and gives it the ability to speak so that it will spy on Judas. The rooster follows Judas home and watches as Judas conspires with his wife to betray Jesus. Judas then works with Paul, arranging between them a signal so that Paul can arrest Jesus. The rooster then flies back to Jesus with his report. As a reward Jesus sends him to heaven for a thousand years. Paul is portrayed here also as the one who places the crown of thorns on Jesus’ head.
Named Historical Figures and Characters: Adam, Akrosenna, Alexander (doorkeeper), Alexander (scribe), Amennara, Andrew (apostle), Annas (scribe/high priest), Archelaus, Armanyas, Baladi, Balasida, Barabbas, Bartholomew (apostle), Caiaphas, Dimas/Dysmas/Demas (Good Thief), Dorta, Fatkura, Gamaliel, Dumachus/Gestas/Kestes (Bad Thief), Herod Antipas, James (son of Alphaeus), John (son of Zebedee), Joseph of Arimathea, Judas Iscariot, Kadafine, Karunussa, Kolseb, Lazarus (of Bethany), Makara, Malchus, Mary (Virgin), Mary Magdalene, Mason, Matthew (apostle), Milyas, Moses (patriarch), Nathaniel, Nicodemus, Paul (apostle), Peter (apostle), Philip (apostle), Pontius Pilate, Procla (wife of Pilate), Satan, Simon (of Cyrene), Simon (the leper/Pharisee), Sinan, Thaddaeus (apostle), Thomas (apostle), Tiberius (emperor), wife of Judas, woman with alabaster jar, Yodnah.
Geographical Locations: Antioch, Bethany, Cilicia, Ephesus, Gethsemane, Golgotha, hell, Jerusalem, Karadyos, Kidron Valley, Mount of Olives, paradise, Solomon’s portico, Tarsus.
2. RESOURCES
3. BIBLIOGRAPHY
3.1 Manuscripts and Editions
3.1.1 Arabic
An Arabic manuscript is mentioned by Piovanelli (“Exploring,” 437 n. 25). Enzo Luchessi had plans to publish it but it has yet to appear.
3.1.2 Ethiopic (CAe 1922)
A Manchester, John Rylands University Library, Eth. 18, fols. 204r–220r (1687)
B Berlin, Staatsbibiothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Tanasee 21, fols. 1r–16v (17th/18th cent.)
C Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Éthiopien d’Abbadie 11, fols. 60r–70r (18th cent.)
D Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, Éthiopien d’Abbadie 168, fols. 111v–129v (18th/19th cent.)
ʿAddigrat, ʿĀddigrāt Dabra Mankǝrāt Qǝddus Qirqos, AMQ-003, fols. 101r–111v (1800-1850) ~ Betamasaheft
Addis Ababa, Ethiopian Orthodox Tawāḥedo Church Patriarchate Library, EMML 680, fols. 139r–143r (ca. 1959–1970) ~ HMML
Addis Ababa, Ledatā Māryām Church, EMML 411, fols. 141r–149v (20th cent. ?) ~ HMML
Addis Ababa, Manbara Sebḥat Qeddest Śellāsē Church, EMML 857, fols. 145r–158r (1958) ~ HMML
Bǝḥerāwi Kǝllǝlāwi Mangǝśti Tǝgrāy, Balasā Qǝddus Mikāʾel, QMB-001, fols. 168v–176v (1900/1901) ~ Betamasaheft
Bǝḥerāwi Kǝllǝlāwi Mangǝśti Tǝgrāy, Dabra Zayt Qǝddǝst Māryām, DZ-010, fols. 194r–204r (19th cent.) ~ Betamasaheft
Bǝḥerāwi Kǝllǝlāwi Mangǝśti Tǝgrāy, Kadiḥ Dabra Tawāḥǝdo Qǝddǝst Māryām, KTM-005, fols. 86v–95r (19th cent.) ~ Betamasaheft
Bǝḥerāwi Kǝllǝlāwi Mangǝśti Tǝgrāy, Nǝḥbi Qǝddus Mikāʾel, NSM-002, fols. 69r–73r (19th cent.) ~ Betamasaheft
Bǝḥerāwi Kǝllǝlāwi Mangǝśti Tǝgrāy, Č̣ahāt Madḫāne ʿĀlam, MAC-002, fols. 116r–123v (ca. 1750-1850) ~ Betamasaheft
Berlin, Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, or. fol. 3070, fols. 77r-85v (18th/19th cent.) ~ Berlin
Berlin, Staatsbibiothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Or. oct. 1308, fols. 1r-11v (19th cent.)
Berlin, Staatsbibiothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Tanasee 24, fols. 99v-100v (18th/19th cent.)
Tanasee 64 106v-123v
Berlin, Staatsbibiothek Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Tanasee 180, fols. 155v-160r (1964-1966)
Dabra Berhān (Shoa), Church of Dabra Berhān Sellāsē, EMML 1878, fols. 163v-174v (1712)~ HMML
ʾƎndartā, Dǝrbā Dabra ʾAbuna Yāsāy, DAY-001, fols. 205v–219r (18th cent.) ~ Betamasaheft
Gāntā ʾAfašum, ʾAḥzarā Māryām, DMA-014, fols. 163v–173r (18th cent.) ~ Betamasaheft
Gāntā ʾAfašum, Dabra Maʿār Qǝddǝst Māryām, MQM-010, fols. 121r–130v (19th cent.) ~ Betamasaheft
Gāntā ʾAfašum, Māryām Māy ʾAbʾa, BQM-005, fols. 168r–176r (19th cent.) ~ Betamasaheft
Gāntā ʾAfašum, Maḵodʿa Dabra Gannat Kidāna Mǝḥrat, GKM-006, fols. 206r–219r (1900/1901) ~ Betamasaheft
Gāntā ʾAfašum, Qandāʿro Qǝddus Qirqos, QDQ-002, fols. 149r–158r (19th cent.) ~ Betamasaheft
Goğğām, Qarānyo Madḫānē Ālam Church, EDMA 191 (20th cent.?) ~ HMML
Goğğām, Dimā Giyorgis Monastery, G2-IV-35 (18th/19th cent.) ~ HMML
Goğğām, Dabra Gannat Ēlyās Monastery, EMDA 443, item 5 (19th/20th cent.) ~ HMML
Gondar, Fogarā Ḥannā Church, EMML 8771, fols. 188r–199v (1672) ~ HMML
Gondar, Azāwer Kidāna Meḥrat Church, H2-IV-643 (EMML 8907), fols. 186, 170r–178v, 187r–188r (19th cent.) ~ HMML
Gulo Maḵadā, Faqādā Māryām, FBM-002, fols. 98r–100v (19th cent.) ~ Betamasaheft
Gulo Maḵadā, Samāz Māryām, SMM-001, fols. 75r–87r (19th cent.) ~ Betamasaheft
Leiden, Universiteitsbibliotheek, Or. 20.537, fols. 73r-81v
London, British Library, Or. 752, fols. 183v-188v (1721-1730)
London, British Library, Or. 775, fols. 160r-182v (18th cent.)
London, British Library, Or. 2083, fols. 107v-113v (1694-1706) ~ BL
Sāʿsiʿ Ṣaʿdā ʾƎmbā, Ṣabalā Dabra Gannat Māryām, SDGM-003, fols. 139v–142v (19th cent.) ~ Betamasaheft
Šawā, Private Library, EMML 4410, fols. 140v–144r (19th cent.?) ~ HMML
Šawā, Ethiopia Miṭāq Amānu’ēl Church, EMML 2338, fols. 197r–204r (ca. 1813–1847) ~ HMML
Vatican, Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana, Vat. et. 252 ~ BAV
Wallo, Boru Śellāsē Church, EMML 4781, fols. 1r–20v (19th cent.) ~ HMML
EMDA 116
EMDA 183
Addis Ababa, Qeddest Śellāsē Cathedra, 7 (EMML 1179), fols. 95r- 101v, 106r-121v, 132r-135r, 149r-152v, 165r-168r, 170r-175r (1916-1930) ~ HMML
Addis Ababa, Ṣerḥa Negeśt Qeddest Ḥannā Church, EMML 1318, fols. 133v-146v (20th cent.) ~ HMML
Wallo Province, Waldeyā Madḫānē Ālam Church, EMML 3377, fols. 121v-135r (19th cent.) ~ HMML
Šawā Province, Dobbā Abbo Church, EMML 3625, fols. 51r-68r (1930) ~ HMML
Šawā Province, Garbā Giyorgis Church, EMML 3875, fols. 178r-189r (18th cent.) ~ HMML
Wallo Province, Waldeyā Gabre’ēl Church, EMML 3391, fols. 88r-102v, 149r-150v (18th cent.) ~ HMML
Wallo Province, Gāllā Giyorgis Church, EMML 3414, fols. 49v-56r (19th cent.) ~ HMML
Wallo Province, Waldeyā Mikā’ēl Church, EMML 3802, fols. 79v-89v, 142v-143v (19th/20th cent.) ~ HMML
Wallo Province, Waldeyā Mikā’ēl Church, EMML 3803, fols. 67r-77r (19th/20th cent.) ~ HMML
Šawā Province, Sallā Dengāy Mārqos Church, EMML 4440, fols. 89r-93r, 98v-99v, 100v-101v, 114r-115r, 122r-123v, 135r-136v, 146v-149r, 150v-153r, 179v-181v (1884-1885) ~ HMML
Wallo Province, Gannata Giyorgis Church, EMML 4856, 91r-97v, 98v-99v, 114v-116r, 125r-125v, 147v-150v, 157r-160r, 162r-166r, 187r-189v (no date provided) ~ HMML
Wallo Province, Dasē Madḫānē Ālam Church, EMML 4794, fols. 145r-154r (1906-1907) ~ HMML
Wallo Province, Dabra Bētēl Śellāsē Church, EMML 4898 ~ HMML
Wallo Province, Manbara Ḍaḥay Takla Hāymānot Church, EMML 4967 ~ HMML
Wallo Province, Marṭo Iyasus Church, EMML 5891 ~ HMML
EMML 6300 fols. 144r-161v ~ HMML
Šawā Province, Mannāgašā Māryām Church, EMML 6325 ~ HMML
Šawā Province, Mannāgašā Mārqos Church, EMML 6340 ~ HMML
Wallo Province, Gannata Le’ul Māryām Church, EMML 6596 ~ HMML
Wallo Province, Qobbo Māryām Church, EMML 6716 ~ HMML
Wallo Province, Dabra Zamaddo Monastery, EMML 6985 (19th cent.) ~ HMML (DOES NOT HAVE)
Wallo Province, Na’akkweto La’ab Church, EMML 7034 ~ HMML
Wallo Province, Gwabeyē Kidāna Meḥrat Church, EMML 7368 ~ HMML
EMML 7387
EMML 7523
EMML 7700
EMML 8059
EMML 8216, fols 125v–142r (18th cent.)
EMML 8761
EMML 8785 (details pending), fols. 153v–164r (19th/20th cent.) ~ HMML
EMML 8896
EMML 8949
EMML 8966
EMML 9025
EMML 9072
EMML 9082
EMML 9127
Passion Week Lectionaries (may contain the text):
Addis Ababa, Church of our Lady of Mount Quesquam, EMML 884 (1930) ~ HMML
Addis Ababa, Church of St. George, EMML 945 (1959/1970) ~ HMML
Addis Ababa, Church of St. George, EMML 999 (1908/1909)~ HMML
Addis Ababa, Church of St. George, EMML 660 (18th/19th cent.) ~ HMML
Addis Ababa, Church of the Savior of the World, EMML 753 (20th cent.) ~ HMML
Addis Ababa, Church of the Apostles, EMML 807 (20th cent.) ~ HMML
Addis Ababa, Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, EMML 1607 (20th cent.) ~ HMML
Addis Ababa, Church of Sts. Peter and Paul, EMML 242 (1924) ~ HMML
Ankobarr (Shoa), Church of Ankobarr Māryām, EMML 2464, fols. 119r–141r (ca. 1779–1800)~ HMML
Ankobarr (Shoa), Church of Astit Kidāna Mehrat, EMML 2515 (ca. 1779–1800) ~ HMML
Ankobarr (Shoa), Church of Afar Bāynē Takla Hāymānot, EMML 2407 (ca. 1813–1847) ~ HMML
Genner Agar (Shoa), Monastery of Dabra Bagge͑, EMML 2348 (19th cent.) ~ HMML
Gubālāfto (Wallo), Church of Damtā Giyorgis, EMML 1626 (ca. 1930–1974) ~ HMML
DSAE 13 ~ HMML
EMML 466 ~ HMML
EMML 194 ~ HMML
EMML 2315 ~ HMML
EMDA 413 ~ HMML
EMML 2014 ~ HMML
EMML 505 ~ HMML
EMML 576 ~ HMML
EMML 600 ~ HMML
EMML 8139 ~ HMML
EMML 16 ~ HMML
EMML 387 ~ HMML
EMML 403 ~ HMML
EMDA 238 ~ HMML
EMML 1171 ~ HMML
EMML 8820 ~ HMML
EMML 8890 ~ HMML
EMML 138 ~ HMML
EMML 514 ~ HMML
EMML 8776 ~ HMML
EMML 116 ~ HMML
EMML 285 ~ HMML
EMML 559 ~ HMML
EMML 749 ~ HMML
EMML 1769 ~ HMML
EMDA 183 ~ HMML
EMML 8764 ~ HMML
EMML 8817 ~ HMML
EMML 2214 ~ HMML
EMDA 94 ~ HMML
DSAE 15 ~ HMML
EMML 284 ~ HMML
EMDA 8 ~ HMML
EMML 2049 ~ HMML
EMML 558 ~ HMML
EMML 1979 ~ HMML
EMML 8014 ~ HMML
EMML 2466 ~ HMML
EMML 2468 ~ HMML
Chaîne, Marcus. “Le Livre du Coq (‘Matzhafa Dorho’).” Revue Sémitique d’Epigraphie et d’Histoire Ancienne 13 (1905): 276–81 (edition of an incomplete text based on BNF Abbadie 11).
Walda Mikā’ēl Berhāna Masqal. Gebra hemāmāt. Addis Ababa, 1950–1951. Reprinted by Tasfa Gabra Sellāsē; Addis Ababa: Artistic Printing Press, 1990–1991.
3.1.2 Middle Irish Legend
O Máille, Tomás. “Críst rocrochad.” Ériu 3 (1907): 194–99.
3.1.3 Latin Legend
London, British Library, Royal E.VII.7, fol. 340v (14th cent.)
Virginia Water (Great Britain), Rev. Dr. Ginsburg MS (14th cent) ~ current location unknown; = Izydorczyk, Census no. 436
Lehmann, Paul. “Judas Ischarioth in der lateinischen Legendenüberlieferung des Mittelalters.” Studi medievali n.s. 2 (1929): 289–346 (transcription of legend from Royal E.VII.7, pp. 345–46).
Thompson, E. M. “Apocryphal Legends.” Journal of the British Archaeological Association 37 (1881): 239–53 (transcript of Royal E.VII.7, pp. Virginia Water, Rev. Dr. Ginsburg MS, pp. 344–45).
Napier, Arthur S. History of the Holy Rood-tree. EETS, Old Series 103. London: Oxford University Press, 1894 (68–70).
3.2 Modern Translations
3.2.1 English
Blocker, David. “An Annotated English Translation of the Book of the Cock.” Academia.edu (English translation of the French translation by Piovanelli).
James, Montague Rhodes. The Apocryphal New Testament: Being the Apocryphal Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Apocalypses. Oxford: Clarendon, 1924; corrected edition, 1953 (summary of Bk. Rooster, p. 150; excerpt of legend from Acts Pil., p. 122).
3.2.1 French
Piovanelli, Pierluigi. “Livre du Coq.” Pages 137–203 in volume 2 of Écrits apocryphes chrétiens. Edited by Pierre Geoltrain and Jean-Daniel Kaestli. Bibliothèque de la Pléiade 516. Paris: Gallimard, 2005 (translation based on Masqal’s edition collated against ABCD).
3.3 General Works
Cowley, Roger W. “The So-called ‘Ethiopic Book of the Cock’—Part of an Apocryphal Passion Gospel, The Homily and Teaching of our Fathers the Holy Apostles.” Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society (1985): 16–22.
Gaidoz, Henri. “Le coq cuit qui chante.” Mélusine 6 (1892–1893): 25–27.
Gounelle, Rémi. “À propos des volailles cuites qui ont chanté lors de la passion du Christ.” Recherches Augustiniennes 33 (2003): 19–63 (esp. pp. 29–33).
__________. Les recensions byzantines de l’evangile de Nicodeme. CCSA Instrumenta 3. Turnhout: Brepols, 2008 (pp. 27–29).
Leydon, Christopher. “Judas, his Sister, and the Miraculous Cock in the Middle Irish Poem Críst ro crochadh.” Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium 28 (2008): 152–68 (includes translation, pp. 156–57).
Lucchesi, Enzo. “La ‘vorlage’ arabe du ‘Livre du coq’ éthiopien.” Orientalia 74 (2005): 91–92.
Nagy, Ilona.“The Roasted Cock Crows: Apocryphal Writings (Acts of Peter, the Ethiopic Book of the Cock, Coptic Fragments, the Gospel of Nicodemus) and Folklore Texts.” Folklore 36 (2007): 7–40.
Piovanelli, Pierluigi. “The Book of the Cock and the Rediscovery of Ancient Jewish Christians Traditions in Fifth Century Palestine.” Pages 308–23 in The Changing Face of Judaism, Christianity and Other Greco-Roman Religions in Antiquity. Edited by Ian Henderson and Gerbern Oegema. Gütersloh: Gütersloher Verlagshaus, 2005.
__________. “Exploring the Ethiopic Book of the Cock, An Apocryphal Passion Gospel from late Antiquity.” HTR 96 (2003): 427–54 (includes summary pp. 429–31).
__________. “Le Livre du Coq à la croisée des chemins.” Bulletin de l’AELAC 12 (2002): 12–16 (summary of text).
__________. “Marius Chaîne, Joseph Trinquet et la version éthiopienne du Livre du coq.” Transversalités-Revue de l’Institut catholique de Paris 85 (2003): 51–62.
__________. “Pre- and Post-canonical Passion Stories: Insights into the Development of Christian Discourse on the Death of Jesus.” Apocrypha 14 (2003): 99–128.
__________.“Rabbi Yehuda versus Judas Iscariot: The Gospel of Judas and Apocrypha Passion Stories.” Pages 223–39 in The Codex Judas Papers. Proceedings of the International Congress on the Tchacos Codex, Rice Univ., Houston, Texas, March 13–16, 2008. Edited by April D. DeConick. Leiden-Boston: Brill, 2009.
__________.“D’un récit de la passion (Marc 14–16) à l’autre (Livre du coq). De la quête d’un sens théologique à la recherche d’un effet dramatique.” Pages 431–41 in La Bible en récits. L’exégèse biblique à l’heure du lecteur. Colloque international d’analyse narrative des textes de la Bible, Lausanne (mars 2002). Edited by Daniel Marguerat. Le Monde de la Bible 48. Geneva: Labor et fides, 2003.