Finally, an English translation of a pseudonymous encomium for John Chrysostom is available to scholars. The original text, in fact, comes without a title, but the title provided by the editors and translators, namely, The Funerary Speech for John Chrysostom, is quite appropriate. Yet, at the outset of this review, it should be said that the current volume offers much more than a translation of this important text. It also offers translations of 30 significant letters of Chrysostom during his exile, a new translation of the acta of the Council of the Oak (Photius, Bibliotheca 59.17a–19a [Bekker]), Theodoret's Lost Orations on John (CPG 6225: Photius, Bibliotheca 273.507a–509a [Bekker]) and a useful translation of entries relating to John in the Synaxarium Ecclesiae Constantinopolitanae. In light of these extra translations, perhaps the volume could have been better titled to indicate the presence of these other crucial resources to the prospective reader. In itself, the Speech is important for Chrysostom studies in that it may be the earliest known ‘biographical’ account we have (probably delivered shortly after news of his death in exile). It provides insight into how John's supporters, later known as the Johannites, viewed his activities in Constantinople as well as how they understood the cause for his deposition, return, final exile and death. As a historical account of the events surrounding John at the beginning of the fifth century, however, it has its limits, and as the translators often note, the Speech frequently makes significant historical errors in its unfolding panegyric. The main value of the Speech lies in its status as a cultural artefact of the Johannite and anti-Johannite conflict and schism, and it gives extremely useful insight into the operations and rhetoric of religious conflict in this context.

Having said this, the translators of the volume have done an excellent job at translating a very poorly written Greek text. Despite the numerous attempts of the author of the Speech to imitate Chrysostom, he fails to match Chrysostom's rhetorical and literary prowess. The critical edition of M. Wallraff and C. Ricci is used for the translation (Oratio Funebris in Laudem Sancti Johannis Chrysostomi. Epitaffio attribuito a Martirio di Antiochia (BHG 871, CPG 6517), with an Italian translation by C. Ricci [2007]; the first edition was prepared in 1974 by F. van Ommeslaeghe [see below]).

The book starts with an introduction not only to the Speech, but also to issues generally relating to Chrysostom's life. This reviewer will not venture here into minutiae concerning the introduction's information about Chrysostom's life; while the general overview of his life is accurate, there may be some more specific details about which scholars of Chrysostom can debate. What is more useful in the introduction is its detail about the author and contents of the text. In 1974, the seminal study by Van Ommeslaeghe (De Lijkrede voor Johannes Chrysostomus toegeschreven aan Martyrius van Antiochie. Tekstuitgave met Commentaar, Hoofdstukken uit de Historische Kritiek [unpublished doctoral thesis, Leuven]) attributed the text to Martyrius, with Wallraff preferring Philip of Side – the current volume ‘tentatively’ (p. 9) favours Cosmas as the author. While Cosmas is certainly a possibility, the issue of the authorship of the document is by no means decided. The introduction also provides an overview of the manuscripts and editions of the Speech, a status quaestionis and a helpful overview of other early sources for John's time in Constantinople and his exile. These sections of the introduction are extremely helpful in providing the reader who is somewhat unfamiliar with Chrysostom and the Speech with some integral orientation. The introduction is concluded with an interesting excursus into the relationship between Eudoxia and Chrysostom, and her role in the Speech, and a note on the importance of the Speech for current scholarship. All these parts in the introduction are very helpful and meet the needs of the reader; perhaps a little more information could be provided about the text as a cultural artefact of the Johannite/anti-Johannite conflict (especially as a product of an imitative historiography), and its limits for the biographical reconstruction of Chrysostom (although, admittedly, much of this is done in the in-text footnote commentary).

After the introduction, there is the translation of the Speech. The translators have done well in rendering the oft-insensible and awkward Greek idiom into English. Generally, the translation follows the headings used by Ricci in the Italian translation, with some minor changes. This reviewer was especially impressed by the excellent commentary provided in the footnotes, and the reader should by no means neglect these. The notes provide, inter alia, insight into the technical meanings of certain words or phrases, the possible historical context of some statements, bibliographical references, as well as the occurrence of some words and phrases in the Speech that are common to Chrysostom's own writings.

We then have the translation of 30 of Chrysostom's letters written during his exile (not including those written to Olympias). The historical value of these letters cannot be overstated, and as in the translation of the Speech, the translators have done an excellent job in translating the letters into English, along with useful commentary and bibliographical information in the footnotes. An introduction to the letters is provided, as well as a discussion of the various recipients. There is also a section discussing terms denoting status found in the letters, yet another useful tool for the reader who is unfamiliar with the correspondence. The 30 letters include the letters addressed to Aetius, Anatolius, Anthemius, Antiochus, Aurelius, Briso, Carterius, Chromatius, Gemellus, Herculius, Italica, Juliana, Leontius, Marcellinus, Marcianus, Marinianus, Paeanius, Palladius, Proba, Studius, Theodosius, Theodotus and Venerius.

Appendix A offers a new translation of the acta of the Council of the Oak. The Council has been translated twice in the past (first by N.G. Wilson, Photius: the Bibliotheca. A Selection Translated with Notes [1994], pp. 38–41; and secondly by J.N.D. Kelly, Golden Mouth: the Story of John Chrysostom – Ascetic, Preacher, Bishop [1995], pp. 299–310), so this is a third version now available, and useful in the context of the current volume. The translation of Theodoret's orations on John in appendix B and the translations of sections referring to John in the calendar of the church of Constantinople are equally useful and interesting. As if all this is not enough, the volume also provides two concordances, one with reference to editions of Palladius' Historical Dialogue and another to Chrysostom's Letters to Olympias. In addition the book has a timeline, map, extensive bibliography and an index.

This is a wonderful and important addition to the current crown of resources for research on John Chrysostom, and is a must for anyone interested in the serious study of his life, times, and posthumous presence and influence. Aside from the excellent translation of the Speech, the many other gems scattered throughout the volume add to the value of the book. Most importantly, this resource will hopefully give rise to more specialised and intensive studies on the speech and letters themselves.