The Virgin in Song. Thomas Arentzen

and incorrupt; and as an unmarried virgin, she is appealing to all. Although a bride, she is unmarried. Romanos never indicates that Mary should be particularly pious in any ascetic sense.

       The Encounter with the Virgin

      Once the narrative part of the hymn starts, Mary is set in humble surroundings and to her comes the fiery archangel. He, in whose footsteps the reader is invited to follow, “hastened to show himself to the virgin,” and he “entered the honorable maiden’s covering” and greeted her.⁵⁵ While the English word “greeting” is rather reserved, the Greek word aspasmos usually involves a more physical embrace or even a kiss. The meaning “erotic embrace” is attested in post-Byzantine Greek.⁵⁶ Romanos uses the word several times in the hymn. It refers to Gabriel’s greeting phrase “Hail,” but at the same time it suggests that their encounter amounts to more than verbal interaction. Gabriel later argues that God has given him one task, the greeting or the kiss (aspasmos), but he is not in charge of the child.⁵⁷ The fact of the matter is that when a male enters a virginal chamber, the act carries nuptial connotations.