Монахиња Јефимија

KIND IN SERBIAN MEDIEVAL LITERATURE. IT IS, MOREOVER, THE FIRST LITERARY COMPOSITION BY A WOMAN OF OUR PEOPLE, AND EUPHEMIA IS CONSEQUENTLY THE FIRST SERBIAN WOMAN OF LETTERS. HER LAUD. IS CHARACTERISED BY DEEP AND PAINFUL EMOTION AND EXPRESSES NOT ONLY HER OWN PERSONAL GRIEF BUT THAT OF THE WHOLE NATION AT THE DIRE FATE WHICH HAD OVERTAKEN THE LAND AND ITS PEOPLE. FEELINGS OF GRATITUDE TO THE PRINCE WHO HAD BEFRIENDED HER AND OF DESPAIR AT THE VICTORY OF CRESCENT OVER CROSS, ADD TO THE WARMTH OF ITS APPEAL. THE LAUD „TRULY DESERVED TO BE WORKED IN GOLD“. IN TRANSLATION IT READS AS FOLLOWS;

„AMONG THE FAIR THINGS OF THIS WORLD WAST THOU REARED FROM THY YOUTH UP, OH PRINCE LAZAR, THOU NEW-MADE MARTYR, AND THE MIGHTY HAND OF THE LORD MADE THEE STRONG AND FAMOUS AMONG ALL THE RULERS OF THE EARTH. THOU DIDST RULE OVER THE LAND OF THY FATHERS AND IN ALL GOOD THINGS DIDST THOU DELIGHT THE CHRISTIAN PEOPLE ENTRUSTED TO THY HANDS; WITH MANLY HEART AND PIOUS