Oration to the Assembly of the Saints 11.1–16.2
Greek text: Heikel, GCS 7 (Greek text: Ivar A. Heikel, Eusebius Werke 1 (GCS 7, 1902), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 1 (1890).
Chapter 11
11.1Heikel
Οὐκοῦν εἴ τίς ἐστιν ἀνάξιος χρηστοῦ βίου σύνοιδέν τε ἐαυτῷ πλημμελῶς καὶ ἀτάκτως τὸν βίον βεβιωκότι, ἐὰν μετάθηται καὶ πρὸς τὸ θεῖον ἀπίδῃ τῷ τῆς ψυχῆς ὄμματι καθαρθεὶς καὶ ἀλλότριος γενόμενος τῆς πάλαι κακίστης διαίτης θεραπείας τε τυχὼν τῆς ἐκ θεοῦ, εἰς τὸν πάντα αἰῶνα ζήσεται. εὐχαριστεῖν δὲ προσήκει διὰ τοῦτο τῷ ἐκεῖνον τε σώσαντι καὶ σώζοντι πάντας θεῷ. σώζοιντο δʼ ἄν εὐμαρέστερον, εἰ μετὰ καθαρᾶς πίστεως τὴν θεραπείαν τῆς ψυχῆς δέχοιντο καὶ μὴ ἐπαμφοτερίζοιεν, ὤσπερ οἱ ποτὲ μὲν καταπιστεύοντες ἐαυτοῦς τοῖς ἰάμασι ποτὲ δὲ ἀποτρέχοντες, ἀλλὰ καρτερικῶς τε καὶ γενναίως ὑφιστάμενοι τὸ δικαιοσύνης καὶ σωφροσύνης καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἄκος. ἡμεῖς γοῦν κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν ἁμιλλώμεθα τοὺς ἀμυητοῦς τῶν τοιούτων λόγων ἐλπίδος ἀγαθῆς ἐμπλῆσαι, βοηθὸν ἡμῖν πρὸς τὸ ἐπιτήδευμα προσκαλεσάμενοι τὸν θεόν· οὐδὲ γὰρ μέτριον ἔργον τὰς διανοίας τῶν ὑπηκόων ἡμῖν, εἰ μὲν ἀγαθαὶ τυγχάνοιεν οὖσαι, προτρέψασθαι ἐπὶ τὴν θεοσέβειαν εἰ δὲ καχαὶ καὶ ἀγνώμονες, εἰς τοὐναντίον μεταγαγεῖν, ἀντὶ ἀχρήστων χρησίμους ἐπιτελοῦντας. τούτοις γοῦν αὐτοῖς τε χαίρων τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν ἀγαθοῦ τʼ ἀνδρὸς ἔργον εἶναι νομίζων ὑμνεῖν τὸν σωτῆρα, ἀποπέμπομαι πάνθʼ ἄσα ἡ χείρων τῆς τύχης κατάστασις ἀλόγως ἐπέσχηψεν ἀγνοίας συμπτώματι, μεγίστην σωτηρίαν ἡγησάμενος τὴν μεταμέλειαν· ηὐξάμην δʼ ἄν πάλαι τήνδε μοι τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν δεδωρῆσθαι, εἴ που μακάριος ὁ ἐκ νέων συσταθεὶς καὶ τῇ γνώσει τῶν θείων καὶ τῷ τῆς ἀρετῆς κάλλει κατευφρανθείς. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἡμῖν μετρίως εἰρήσθω· εἰ γὰρ καὶ μὴ ἀπὸ πρώτης τῆς ἡλικίας μηδʼ ἐκ σπαργάνων, ὡς φασίν, οἱ χρηστοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων σοφοὶ γίγνονται, ἀλλʼ ὅμως ἀγαπητόν, εἰ κἄν ἐν τῇ τῆς ἀκμῆς ἡλικίᾳ τὴν σοφίαν εὐτυχῶσιν.
Oukoun ei tis estin anaxios chrēstou biou synoiden te eautǭ plēmmelōs kai ataktōs ton bion bebiōkoti, ean metathētai kai pros to theion apidę̄ tǭ tēs psychēs ommati kathartheis kai allotrios genomenos tēs palai kakistēs diaitēs therapeias te tychōn tēs ek theou, eis ton panta aiōna zēsetai. eucharistein de prosēkei dia touto tǭ ekeinon te sōsanti kai sōzonti pantas theǭ. sōzointo dʼ an eumaresteron, ei meta katharas pisteōs tēn therapeian tēs psychēs dechointo kai mē epamphoterizoien, ōsper hoi pote men katapisteuontes eautous tois iamasi pote de apotrechontes, alla karterikōs te kai gennaiōs hyphistamenoi to dikaiosynēs kai sōphrosynēs kai tōn loipōn akos. hēmeis goun kata to dynaton hamillōmetha tous amyētous tōn toioutōn logōn elpidos agathēs emplēsai, boēthon hēmin pros to epitēdeuma proskalesamenoi ton theon; oude gar metrion ergon tas dianoias tōn hypēkoōn hēmin, ei men agathai tynchanoien ousai, protrepsasthai epi tēn theosebeian ei de kachai kai agnōmones, eis tounantion metagagein, anti achrēstōn chrēsimous epitelountas. toutois goun autois te chairōn tois epitēdeumasin agathou tʼ andros ergon einai nomizōn hymnein ton sōtēra, apopempomai panthʼ asa hē cheirōn tēs tychēs katastasis alogōs epeschēpsen agnoias symptōmati, megistēn sōtērian hēgēsamenos tēn metameleian; ēuxamēn dʼ an palai tēnde moi tēn apokalypsin dedōrēsthai, ei pou makarios ho ek neōn systatheis kai tę̄ gnōsei tōn theiōn kai tǭ tēs aretēs kallei kateuphrantheis. kai tauta men hēmin metriōs eirēsthō; ei gar kai mē apo prōtēs tēs hēlikias mēdʼ ek sparganōn, hōs phasin, hoi chrēstoi tōn anthrōpōn sophoi gignontai, allʼ homōs agapēton, ei kan en tę̄ tēs akmēs hēlikią tēn sophian eutychōsin.
So if anyone is unworthy of a good life and conscious of having lived his life wrongly and disorderly, if he changes and looks to the divine with the eye of the soul, purified and made a stranger to his former most evil way of life, and receives healing from God, he will live for all eternity. And for this he ought to thank God, who saved him and saves all. They would be saved more easily if they received the healing of the soul with pure faith and did not waver, like those who now entrust themselves to the remedies and now run away, but bore steadfastly and nobly the medicine of justice and self-control and the rest. We, at any rate, strive as far as we can to fill those uninitiated in such words with good hope, calling on God as our helper in the undertaking. For it is no small task to turn the minds of our subjects, if they are good, toward godliness, and if they are bad and ungrateful, to bring them over to the opposite, making them useful instead of useless. Rejoicing in these very pursuits, and thinking it the work of a good man to hymn the Saviour, I put away all that the worse condition of my fortune laid on me without reason by the accident of ignorance, counting repentance the greatest salvation. I would have prayed that this revelation had been given me long ago, since blessed is he who from youth has been established and has rejoiced in the knowledge of divine things and the beauty of virtue. But let this be said with moderation; for even if good men do not become wise from their first youth, nor, as they say, from their swaddling clothes, still one should be content if they obtain wisdom in the prime of life.
Jas 1:6–8 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Whoever repents and turns to God will live forever; Constantine strives to bring his subjects to faith, and confesses that he himself came to the truth only in maturity, counting repentance his salvation.
- Constantine's personal confession: he regrets the ignorance of his earlier years and wishes he had known the truth from youth. 'Not from swaddling clothes' is proverbial.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR garbled words; OCR inserted letter; OCR slip; OCR slip (ζ for ξ); OCR slip (χ for κ); OCR slip in accent; OCR slip in breathing; OCR slips; split word rejoined): ἀνάζιος → ἀνάξιος; ἀτάχτως → ἀτάκτως; σύσαντι → σώσαντι; τῆν θεραπείαν → τὴν θεραπείαν; θεοδέβειαν → θεοσέβειαν; ἐπιτηδεήμασιν → ἐπιτηδεύμασιν; ὔμνεῖν → ὑμνεῖν; ηὺζάμην → ηὐξάμην; ἀποκάλυψφιν → ἀποκάλυψιν; σθσταιεὶς καὶ τῇ γνώσεει τῶν θείων καὶ τῷς → συσταθεὶς καὶ τῇ γνώσει τῶν θείων καὶ τῷ τῆς; ἡ λικίᾳ → ἡλικίᾳ.
Topics: Ethics, Eschatology, Repentance
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.2Heikel
ἡμῖν δὲ παιδεία μὲν ἡ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων οὐδεμία πώποτε συνήρατο, θεοῦ δέ ἐστιν ἄπαντα τὰ δωρήματα, ὅσα ἐν ἤθεσι καὶ τρόποις εὐδοκιμεῖ παρὰ τοῖς νοῦν ἔχουσιν. ἔχω δὲ καὶ οἷον προβέβλημαι δηλητηρίου παντὸς ἄντικρυς, ὁπόσα τεκταίνεται ὁ πονηρός, οὐ μετρίαν ἀσπίδα τὴν γνῶσιν τῶν ἀρεσκόντων τῷ θεῷ, ἐξ ἧς τὰ πρὸς τὸν προκείμενον λόγον χρήσιμα ἐκλεξάμενος ὑμνήσω τὸν πατέρα τῶν πάντων.
hēmin de paideia men hē ex anthrōpōn oudemia pōpote synērato, theou de estin apanta ta dōrēmata, hosa en ēthesi kai tropois eudokimei para tois noun echousin. echō de kai hoion probeblēmai dēlētēriou pantos antikrys, hoposa tektainetai ho ponēros, ou metrian aspida tēn gnōsin tōn areskontōn tǭ theǭ, ex hēs ta pros ton prokeimenon logon chrēsima eklexamenos hymnēsō ton patera tōn pantōn.
As for us, no education from men has ever helped us; all the gifts that are esteemed in character and conduct among those of good sense are from God. And I have, as it were, held before me against every poison that the evil one devises no small shield, the knowledge of what pleases God; choosing from it what is useful for the present speech, I will hymn the Father of all.
Eph 6:16 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine owes nothing to human teaching; armed with the knowledge of what pleases God, he will praise the Father of all.
- The shield recalls Eph 6:16. The digital text repeats a clause; the repetition is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slips; dittography and OCR slips): δωρή ματα, ἄσα ἐν ἥθεδι → δωρήματα, ὅσα ἐν ἤθεσι; οἶον προβέβλημαι δηλητηρίου παντὸς ἄντικρθς, ὁπόσα τεκταίνεται ὁ πονηρός, οὑ μετρίαν ἀσπίδα τὴντὸς ἄντιχρυς, ὁπόσα τεκταίνεται ὁ πονηρός, οὐ μετρίαν → οἷον προβέβλημαι δηλητηρίου παντὸς ἄντικρυς, ὁπόσα τεκταίνεται ὁ πονηρός, οὐ μετρίαν; τῷ θθεῷ, ἐξ ἦς τὰ πρὸς τὸν προκείμνον λόγον χρήσιμα ἐκλεχάμενος → τῷ θεῷ, ἐξ ἧς τὰ πρὸς τὸν προκείμενον λόγον χρήσιμα ἐκλεξάμενος.
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.3Heikel
αὐτός τε συναιρόμενος τῇ τῆς καθοσιώσεως σπουδῇ πάριθι, Χριστὲ σῶτερ ἁπάντων, καὶ τὸν περὶ τῆς σῆς ἀρετῆς κατακόσμει λόγον, τὸν τρόπον τῆς σεμνολογίας ὑφηγούμενος. καὶ μηδεὶς προσδοκάτω κομψείᾳ τινὶ κεκαλλωπισμένων ὀνομάτων τε καὶ ῥημάτων ἀκούσεσθαι· οἶδα γὰρ ἀκριβῶς τὴν ἔκλυτον καὶ πρὸς ἡδονὴν ἀπειργασμένην δημηγορίαν τοῖς εὖ φρονοῦσιν ἀπαρέσκειν, ὅταν οἱ λέγοντες κρότου μᾶλλον ἢ σώφρονος διαλέξεως ἐπιμελῶνται.
autos te synairomenos tę̄ tēs kathosiōseōs spoudę̄ parithi, Christe sōter hapantōn, kai ton peri tēs sēs aretēs katakosmei logon, ton tropon tēs semnologias hyphēgoumenos. kai mēdeis prosdokatō kompseią tini kekallōpismenōn onomatōn te kai rhēmatōn akousesthai; oida gar akribōs tēn eklyton kai pros hēdonēn apeirgasmenēn dēmēgorian tois eu phronousin apareskein, hotan hoi legontes krotou mallon ē sōphronos dialexeōs epimelōntai.
And you yourself, O Christ, Saviour of all, come and help the zeal of my dedication, and adorn the speech about your virtue, guiding the manner of my solemn words. And let no one expect to hear any elegance of ornamented names and phrases; for I know well that loose oratory made for pleasure displeases the sensible, when speakers care more for applause than for sober discourse.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine invokes Christ's help and disclaims rhetorical ornament.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (δ for σ)): κεκαλλωπιδμένων → κεκαλλωπισμένων.
Topics: Prayer, Christology
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.3 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.4Heikel
φασὶ δή τινες ἀνόητοι καὶ δυσσεβεῖς ἄνθρωποι, δικαιωθῆναι τὸν Χριστὸν ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν παραίτιον τοῦ βίου τοῖς ζῶσιν αὐτὸν τοῦ ζῆν ἐστερῆσθαι... τοὺς ἀσεβεῖν ἅπαξ τολμήσαντας καὶ μήτε δεδιέναι μήτε ἐγκαλύπτεσθαι τὴν ἑαυτῶν πονηρίαν οὐδὲν θαυμαστόν, ἐκεῖνο δὲ πᾶσαν ὑπερβέβηκεν εὐήθειαν τὸ δοκεῖν πεπεικέναι ἑαυτοὺς ὑπʼ ἀνθρώπου θεὸν ἄφθαρτον βεβιάσθαι, ἢ τὴν ὠμότητα ἐπικρατῆ γεγενῆσθαι τῆς φιλανθρωπίας, μηδʼ ἐννοεῖν ὅτι τὸ μεγαλόψυχον καὶ ἀνεξίκακον οὔθʼ ὑπὸ ὕβρεως διατρέπεται, οὔθʼ ὑπὸ προπηλακισμοῦ τῆς φυσικῆς στερρότητος ἐξίσταται, ἀλλʼ ἀεὶ... γίγνεται τῶν ἐπεμβαινόντων τὴν ἀγριότητα λογισμοῦ τε καὶ μεγαλοψυχίας φρονήματι θραύουσα.
phasi dē tines anoētoi kai dyssebeis anthrōpoi, dikaiōthēnai ton Christon hēmōn kai ton paraition tou biou tois zōsin auton tou zēn esterēsthai... tous asebein hapax tolmēsantas kai mēte dedienai mēte enkalyptesthai tēn heautōn ponērian ouden thaumaston, ekeino de pasan hyperbebēken euētheian to dokein pepeikenai heautous hypʼ anthrōpou theon aphtharton bebiasthai, ē tēn ōmotēta epikratē gegenēsthai tēs philanthrōpias, mēdʼ ennoein hoti to megalopsychon kai anexikakon outhʼ hypo hybreōs diatrepetai, outhʼ hypo propēlakismou tēs physikēs sterrotētos existatai, allʼ aei... gignetai tōn epembainontōn tēn agriotēta logismou te kai megalopsychias phronēmati thrauousa.
Some senseless and impious men say that our Christ was justly punished, and that the cause of life for the living was himself deprived of life ... That those who have once dared to be impious, and neither fear nor hide their wickedness, should say this is no wonder; but it passes all folly that they seem to have persuaded themselves that the incorruptible God was overpowered by a man, or that cruelty prevailed over love for humanity; and they do not consider that magnanimity and forbearance are neither turned aside by insult nor moved by abuse from their natural firmness, but always ..., breaking the savagery of those who attack by the mind of reason and magnanimity.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine rebuts those who say Christ was justly condemned: God was not overcome by men; his forbearance is unmoved by insult.
- The digital text marks gaps ('...') after 'deprived of life' and after 'always'. 'Justly punished' renders δικαιωθῆναι.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slips and dittography; stray digit and split word; stray marks inside word): οὔθʼ ὐπὶ προπηλακισμοῦ τῆς τῆς φυσικηῆς στερότητος → οὔθʼ ὑπὸ προπηλακισμοῦ τῆς φυσικῆς στερρότητος; ἐπεμβαι8 νόντων → ἐπεμβαινόντων; μεγαλοψυχ΄ʼιας → μεγαλοψυχίας.
Topics: Christology, Passion and death of Christ
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.4 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.5Heikel
προῄρητο γὰρ ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ φιλανθρωπία ἀδικίαν μὲν ἐξαλεῖψαι κοσμιότητα δὲ καὶ δίκην ἐπᾶραι· διὸ καὶ τοῦς σοφωτάτους τῶν ἀνδρῶν συναθροίσας, καλλίστην καὶ βιωφελεστάτην διδασκαλίαν συνεστήσατο, ζηλῶσαι τοὺς ἀγαθούς τε καὶ εὐδαίμονας τὴν ἑαυτοῦ περὶ τὰ κοσμικὰ πρόνοιαν· οὗ μεῖζον ἀγαθὸν τί ἄν τις εἴποι, θεοῦ δικαιοσύνην βραβεύοντος καὶ ἐξομοιοῦντος ἑαυτῷ τοὺς ἀξίους τῆς αὐτοῦ παιδεύσεως, ὅπως διαδοθείσης εἰς πάντας τῆς ἀγαθότητος τὸ εὐτυχεῖν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις εἰς ἄπαντα τὸν αἰῶνα περιγένηται;
proę̄rēto gar hē tou theou philanthrōpia adikian men exaleipsai kosmiotēta de kai dikēn eparai; dio kai tous sophōtatous tōn andrōn synathroisas, kallistēn kai biōphelestatēn didaskalian synestēsato, zēlōsai tous agathous te kai eudaimonas tēn heautou peri ta kosmika pronoian; hou meizon agathon ti an tis eipoi, theou dikaiosynēn brabeuontos kai exomoiountos heautǭ tous axious tēs autou paideuseōs, hopōs diadotheisēs eis pantas tēs agathotētos to eutychein tois anthrōpois eis apanta ton aiōna perigenētai?
For God's love for humanity had resolved to wipe out injustice and to exalt good order and justice. Therefore, gathering together the wisest of men, he established a most beautiful and beneficial teaching, so that the good and blessed might emulate his own providence over the affairs of the world. What greater good could one name than this: that God awards righteousness and makes like himself those worthy of his instruction, so that, goodness being shared among all, happiness may come to men for all eternity?
Notes and citation
Summary: God gathered the wisest men and gave a teaching by which the worthy become like him and gain eternal happiness.
- 'The wisest of men' are the apostles. ἀλικίαν is a slip for ἀδικίαν ('injustice').
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR inserted letter; OCR slip; OCR slip (λ for δ); OCR slip (ξ for ζ); OCR slips; OCR slips in accent): ἀλικίαν μὲν → ἀδικίαν μὲν; ξηλῶσαι → ζηλῶσαι; καοσμικὰ → κοσμικὰ; οὖ μεὶζον ἀγαθον → οὗ μεῖζον ἀγαθὸν; δικαιοσύνηυν → δικαιοσύνην; ἐζομοιοῦντος, ἐαυτῷ τοῦς → ἐξομοιοῦντος ἑαυτῷ τοὺς; περιγέηνται → περιγένηται.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.5 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-5
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.6Heikel
αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ σεμνὴ νίκη, τόδʼ ἀληθὲς κράτος, τόδε μέγιστον ἔργον καὶ ἁρμόζων τῶν συμπάντων δήμων σωφρονισμός. καὶ τούτων μέν πάντων σοι τὰ νικητήρια δίδομεν εὐφημοῦντες, ὦ σῶτερ τῶν ὅλων, σὺ δʼ, ὦ πονηρὰ καὶ ἐπονείδιστε βλασφημία, ψεύδεσιν ἐπαιρομένη φήμαις τε καὶ διαβοήσεσιν ἐξαπατᾷς μὲν νέους, πείθεις δὲ μειράκια καὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν τοὺς μειρακιώδη τινὰ τρόπον ἔχοντας, ἀπάγουσα μὲν αὐτοὺς ἀπὸ τῆς θρησκείας τοῦ ὄντως θεοῦ, συνιστάνουσα δʼ ἀγαλμάτων πλάσματα, οἷς εὔχοιντο καὶ προσκυνοῖεν, ὥστε ἐξαπατηθέντας μένειν τὰ ἐπίχειρα τῆς αὐτῶν ἀναισθησίας.
hautē estin hē semnē nikē, todʼ alēthes kratos, tode megiston ergon kai harmozōn tōn sympantōn dēmōn sōphronismos. kai toutōn men pantōn soi ta nikētēria didomen euphēmountes, ō sōter tōn holōn, sy dʼ, ō ponēra kai eponeidiste blasphēmia, pseudesin epairomenē phēmais te kai diaboēsesin exapatąs men neous, peitheis de meirakia kai tōn andrōn tous meirakiōdē tina tropon echontas, apagousa men autous apo tēs thrēskeias tou ontōs theou, synistanousa dʼ agalmatōn plasmata, hois euchointo kai proskynoien, hōste exapatēthentas menein ta epicheira tēs autōn anaisthēsias.
This is the venerable victory, this the true power, this the greatest work and fitting chastening of all peoples. For all these we give you the prizes of victory with praises, O Saviour of all. But you, wicked and shameful blasphemy, lifted up by lies, rumours and slanders, you deceive the young and persuade youths and men of youthful character, leading them away from the worship of the true God and setting up fashioned images for them to pray to and worship, so that, deceived, they may await the reward of their folly.
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ's victory is the reform of all peoples; blasphemy deceives the young into idolatry.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR dropped letter; OCR inserted letter; OCR slip in breathing; OCR slips; OCR slips; stray mark; stray marks inside word): ἀρμόζων → ἁρμόζων; εὐφημοῦτες, ὦ σῶτερ τῶν ὄλων → εὐφημοῦντες, ὦ σῶτερ τῶν ὅλων; ἐξαπατᾷσς → ἐξαπατᾷς; ἀπ΄΄αγουσα → ἀπάγουσα; οἶς εὔχοιντο καὶ προσκυνοπιεν, ὤστε ἐ\ξαπατηθέντας → οἷς εὔχοιντο καὶ προσκυνοῖεν, ὥστε ἐξαπατηθέντας; ἀναιθησίας → ἀναισθησίας.
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.6 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-6
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.7Heikel
αἰτιῶνται γὰρ τὸν τῶν ἀγαθῶν παραίτιον πάντων, Χριστόν, θεόν τε καὶ θεοῦ παῖδα. ἆρʼ οὗτος ὁ θεὸς κατʼ ἀξίαν σέβεται, παντοίας μὲν δυνάμεως ἐπειλημμένος πᾶσαν δʼ ἀγαθότητα ὑπερκύπτων, ἐξ οὗ καὶ ὁ ἔπαινος μείζων καὶ τὸ θαῦμα ἐξαίσιον, ὅτι τῷ τῆς δυνάμεως μεγέθει πρὸς τὴν ἐκδικίαν τῆς ὕβρεως οὐκ ἀπεχρήσατο, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἠλίθια φρονοῦσι συνέγνω, ἴδιον ἀνθρώπων τὴν μωρίαν ἡγησάμενος καὶ τὸ ἐξαμαρτεῖν, αὐτὸς δʼ ἐν τῇ οἰκείᾳ προαιρέσει μένων, οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν τῆς ἐμφύτου φιλανθρωπίας ἐμείωσεν. ἄπιτε δή, δυσσεβεῖς, (ἐφεῖται γὰρ ὑμῖν διὰ τὴν ἀτιμώρητον ἁμαρτίαν) ἐπὶ τὰς τῶν ἱερείων σφαγὰς θοίνας τε καὶ ἑορτὰς καὶ μέθας, προσποιούμενοι μὲν θρησκείαν ἐπιτηδεύοντες δὲ ἡδονὰς καὶ ἀκολασίας, καὶ θυσίας μὲν ἐπιτελεῖν σκηπτόμενοι ταῖς δʼ ἐαυτῶν ἡδοναῖς δουλεύοντες. οὐ γὰρ ἴστε ἀγαθὸν οὐδὲν οὐδὲ τὸ πρῶτον τοῦ μεγάλου θεοῦ πρόσταγμα, διατάσσοντός τε τῷ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένει καὶ ἐπισκήπτοντος τῷ παιδὶ τὸν τούτων διακυβερνᾶν βίον, ὅπως οἱ δεξιῶς καὶ σωφρόνως βιώσαντες κατὰ τὴν τοῦ παιδὸς κρίσιν δεύτερον βίον μακάριόν τε καὶ εὐδαίμονα λαγχάνωσιν.
aitiōntai gar ton tōn agathōn paraition pantōn, Christon, theon te kai theou paida. arʼ houtos ho theos katʼ axian sebetai, pantoias men dynameōs epeilēmmenos pasan dʼ agathotēta hyperkyptōn, ex hou kai ho epainos meizōn kai to thauma exaision, hoti tǭ tēs dynameōs megethei pros tēn ekdikian tēs hybreōs ouk apechrēsato, alla tois anthrōpois ēlithia phronousi synegnō, idion anthrōpōn tēn mōrian hēgēsamenos kai to examartein, autos dʼ en tę̄ oikeią proairesei menōn, oudʼ hotioun tēs emphytou philanthrōpias emeiōsen. apite dē, dyssebeis, (epheitai gar hymin dia tēn atimōrēton hamartian) epi tas tōn hiereiōn sphagas thoinas te kai heortas kai methas, prospoioumenoi men thrēskeian epitēdeuontes de hēdonas kai akolasias, kai thysias men epitelein skēptomenoi tais dʼ eautōn hēdonais douleuontes. ou gar iste agathon ouden oude to prōton tou megalou theou prostagma, diatassontos te tǭ tōn anthrōpōn genei kai episkēptontos tǭ paidi ton toutōn diakybernan bion, hopōs hoi dexiōs kai sōphronōs biōsantes kata tēn tou paidos krisin deuteron bion makarion te kai eudaimona lanchanōsin.
For they accuse Christ, the cause of all good things, God and Son of God. Is not this God worshipped as he deserves, possessing every kind of power and surpassing all goodness? From this the praise is greater and the wonder extraordinary, that he did not use the greatness of his power to avenge the outrage, but pardoned men of foolish mind, thinking folly and sin proper to men, while he himself, remaining in his own purpose, diminished nothing of his natural love for humanity. Go then, you impious (for it is allowed you, because of your unpunished sin), to the slaughter of victims, to feasts and festivals and drunkenness, pretending to worship but practising pleasures and licentiousness, making a show of offering sacrifices but serving your own pleasures. For you know nothing good, not even the first command of the great God, who ordained for the human race and charged his Son to govern their life, so that those who lived rightly and soberly might, by the Son's judgment, obtain a second life, blessed and happy.
John 5:22 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 23:34 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ, God and Son of God, forgave his foolish accusers; pagans, meanwhile, indulge their pleasures, ignorant that the Father appointed the Son to judge and give eternal life.
- The judgment by the Son recalls John 5:22. 'Son' renders παῖς.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR doubled letter; OCR dropped letter; OCR dropped letters; OCR garbled word; OCR garbled words; OCR slip; OCR slip in breathing; OCR slips; OCR slips in breathing): αὐτιπῶνται γὰρ τὸν τῶν ἀυαθῶν → αἰτιῶνται γὰρ τὸν τῶν ἀγαθῶν; ἆρʼ οὖτος → ἆρʼ οὗτος; ἐπείλημένος ππασαν → ἐπειλημμένος πᾶσαν; ἐξ οὖ καὶ ὀ ἔπαινος → ἐξ οὗ καὶ ὁ ἔπαινος; τῆς ὕβρες → τῆς ὕβρεως; φρανοῦσι → φρονοῦσι; οὐδοτιου → οὐδʼ ὁτιοῦν; δυσσεβεπις, (ἐρἒῖται → δυσσεβεῖς, (ἐφεῖται; ἐορτὰς → ἑορτὰς; ἠδονὰς → ἡδονὰς; σκητόμενοι → σκηπτόμενοι; ἐεπισκήπτοντος → ἐπισκήπτοντος; εεύτερον → δεύτερον.
Topics: Christology, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.7 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-7
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.8Heikel
ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν τὸ τοῦ θεοῦ δόγμα περὶ τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων βιώσεως διεξῆλθον, οὐ μὴν ἀγνοῶ, καθάπερ οἱ πολλοί, οὐδὲ ἐξ εἰκασίας παιδός, ποία δὲ γένεσις. εἴπερ εἷς μόνος ὢν θεὸς τυγχάνει, πάσης δὲ μίξεως οὗτός ἐστιν ἀλλότριος; ἀλλὰ τὴν γένεσιν διπλῆν τινα νοεῖσθαι χρή, τὴν ἐξ ἀποχυήσεως τὴν συνεγνωσμένην ταύτην, ἑτέραν δὲ τὴν ἐξ ἀιδίου αἰτίας, ἧς τὸν λόγον θεοῦ προνοίᾳ θεᾶται καὶ ἀνδρῶν ὅς ἐκείνῳ φίλος ὑπάρχει· σοφὸς γάρ τις τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς τῶν ὅλων διακοσμήσεως εἴσεται. ὄντος τοίνυν ἀναιτίου μηδενός, προϋπάρχειν τῶν ὄντων τὴν αἰτίαν αὐτῶν ἀνάγκη. ὄντος ἄρα κόσμου καὶ τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ οὔσης τε αὐτῶν σωτηρίας, τὸν σωτῆρα τῶν πάντων προυπάρχειν ἀνάγκη· ὡς εἶναι τὸν μὲν Χριστὸν τὴν τῆς σωτηρίας αἰτίαν, τὴν δὲ σωτηρίαν τῶν ὄντων τὸ αἰτιατόν, καθάπερ αἰτία μὲν υἱοῦ ὁ πατήρ, αἰτιατὸν δʼ ὁ υἱός.
egō men oun to tou theou dogma peri tēs tōn anthrōpōn biōseōs diexēlthon, ou mēn agnoō, kathaper hoi polloi, oude ex eikasias paidos, poia de genesis. eiper heis monos ōn theos tynchanei, pasēs de mixeōs houtos estin allotrios? alla tēn genesin diplēn tina noeisthai chrē, tēn ex apochyēseōs tēn synegnōsmenēn tautēn, heteran de tēn ex aidiou aitias, hēs ton logon theou pronoią theatai kai andrōn hos ekeinǭ philos hyparchei; sophos gar tis tēn aitian tēs tōn holōn diakosmēseōs eisetai. ontos toinyn anaitiou mēdenos, proÿparchein tōn ontōn tēn aitian autōn anankē. ontos ara kosmou kai tōn en autǭ ousēs te autōn sōtērias, ton sōtēra tōn pantōn prouparchein anankē; hōs einai ton men Christon tēn tēs sōtērias aitian, tēn de sōtērian tōn ontōn to aitiaton, kathaper aitia men huiou ho patēr, aitiaton dʼ ho huios.
I, then, have set out God's teaching about human life. not in ignorance, like the many, nor by guesswork. [Whence, then,] a Son, and what kind of birth, if God is one alone and foreign to all mixture? Birth must be understood as twofold: the one by bringing forth, which is the familiar one, and the other from an eternal cause, whose reason the providence of God beholds, and of men whoever is his friend; for a wise man will know the cause of the ordering of the universe. Since nothing is without a cause, the cause of things that exist must necessarily pre-exist them. Since, then, the world and the things in it exist, and their preservation exists, the Saviour of all must necessarily pre-exist; so that Christ is the cause of preservation, and the preservation of things that exist is the effect, just as the Father is the cause of the Son, and the Son the effect.
Col 1:17 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The Son's birth is not physical but from an eternal cause; Christ, the cause of the world's preservation, must pre-exist it, as the Father is cause of the Son.
- Constantine's comparison 'the Father is the cause of the Son, and the Son the effect' is translated as written. The text has many slips (θεοὺ, πῦς, ἀγνοῦ, πολλού, γέμεσος, ἐπέραν, ἐζὰ, ὅτος, ἀναιτόυ, σωπηρίας). A word such as 'whence' seems lost before παιδός; supplied in brackets.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR garbled words; OCR slip (π for τ); OCR slip in breathing; OCR slips; OCR slips in accent; OCR slips in breathing and accent; OCR stray diaeresis; dittography and OCR slips; dittography and breathing slip; dittography in the digital text): τοῦ θεοὺ δόγμα περὶ πῦς τῶν ἀνθρώπων βίώσεως → τοῦ θεοῦ δόγμα περὶ τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων βιώσεως; οὐ μὴν ἀγνοῦ, καθάπερ οἱ πολλού → οὐ μὴν ἀγνοῶ, καθάπερ οἱ πολλοί; ποία δὲ γέμεσος → ποία δὲ γένεσις; εἴπερ εἶς μόνος ὤν → εἴπερ εἷς μόνος ὢν; οὖτός ἐστιν → οὗτός ἐστιν; διπλῆν τινα τινα νοεῖσθαι → διπλῆν τινα νοεῖσθαι; ταύτην, ταύτην, ἐπέραν δὲ τὴν ἐζὰ ἀιδίου αἰτίας, ἦς → ταύτην, ἑτέραν δὲ τὴν ἐξ ἀιδίου αἰτίας, ἧς; προνοἴᾳ → προνοίᾳ; τῆς τῶν τῶν ὄλων → τῆς τῶν ὅλων; ὅτος τοίνυν ἀναιτόυ → ὄντος τοίνυν ἀναιτίου; σωπηρίας → σωτηρίας; αἰτιατὸν δʼ ὁ υἰός → αἰτιατὸν δʼ ὁ υἱός.
Topics: Christology, Trinity
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.8 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-8
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.9Heikel
καὶ τὸ μὲν προϋπάρχειν αὐτὸν ἱκανῶς οἶμαι δεδήλωται. πῶς δʼ εἰς ἀνθρώπους καὶ γῆν κατῆλθεν; ἡ μὲν προαίρεσις τῆς καθόδου, καθὼς οἱ προφῆται προεθέσπισαν, κηδεμονία τῶν ὅλων ἐστίν· ἀνάγκη γὰρ τὸν δημιουργὸν τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ κήδεσθαι. ἐπεὶ δὲ δὴ σώματι κοσμικῷ πλησιάζειν ἔν τε γῇ χρονίζειν ἔμελλεν, τῆς χρείας τοῦτο ἀπαιτούσης νέαν τινὰ γένεσιν ἑαυτοῦ ἐμηχανήσατο· χωρὶς γάρ τοι γάμου σύλληψις, καὶ ἁγνῆς παρθενίας εἰλείθυια καὶ θεοῦ μήτηρ κόρη, καὶ αἰωνίου φύσεως ἀρχὴ χρόνιος καὶ νοητῆν καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τοῦ φάσματος· αἰγλήεσσα περιστερὰ ἐκ τῆς Νῶε λάρνακος ἀποπταμένη ἐπὶ τοὺς τῆς παρθένου κόλπους κατῆρεν.
kai to men proÿparchein auton hikanōs oimai dedēlōtai. pōs dʼ eis anthrōpous kai gēn katēlthen? hē men proairesis tēs kathodou, kathōs hoi prophētai proethespisan, kēdemonia tōn holōn estin; anankē gar ton dēmiourgon tōn ergōn autou kēdesthai. epei de dē sōmati kosmikǭ plēsiazein en te gę̄ chronizein emellen, tēs chreias touto apaitousēs nean tina genesin heautou emēchanēsato; chōris gar toi gamou syllēpsis, kai hagnēs parthenias eileithuia kai theou mētēr korē, kai aiōniou physeōs archē chronios kai noētēn kai ta loipa tou phasmatos; aiglēessa peristera ek tēs Nōe larnakos apoptamenē epi tous tēs parthenou kolpous katēren.
That he pre-exists has, I think, been sufficiently shown. But how did he come down to men and to earth? The purpose of the descent, as the prophets foretold, is care for all things; for the creator must care for his works. And since he was about to draw near to a worldly body and to spend time on earth, as need required this, he devised for himself a novel birth: conception without marriage, the childbirth of pure virginity, a girl the mother of God, a temporal beginning of an eternal nature, an intelligible ... and the rest of the vision; a radiant dove, flying from Noah's ark, alighted on the virgin's bosom.
Isa 7:14 (echo, medium confidence) · Luke 1:35 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 8:8–12 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The pre-existent Son came to earth out of care for creation, by a novel birth: conceived without marriage, born of a virgin, the mother of God.
- 'Mother of God' renders θεοῦ μήτηρ. The dove from Noah's ark (Gen 8:8–12) here signifies the Holy Spirit descending (compare Luke 1:35). νοητῆν καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τοῦ φάσματος is garbled; marked '...'. νόξην is a slip for νέαν ('novel').
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR dropped letter; OCR garbled word; OCR slip in accent; OCR stray accent; joined words separated): προεθέσπισάν → προεθέσπισαν; τῶν ἔργν αὐτοῦ → τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ; σώματικοσμικῷ → σώματι κοσμικῷ; νόξην τινὰ → νέαν τινὰ; ἐπὶ τοῦς τῆς παρθένου → ἐπὶ τοὺς τῆς παρθένου.
Topics: Christology, Incarnation
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.9 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-9
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.10Heikel
ἀκόλουθα δὲ καὶ τὰ μετὰ τὸν ἀναφῆ πάσης τε ἁγνείας καθαρώτερον καὶ αὐτῆς ἐγκρατείας κρείσσονα ὑμέναιον, ἡ ἐκ σπαργάνων σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐντρεπόμενός τε αὐτὸν μετὰ αἰδοῦς ὁ τῶν λουτρῶν πάροχος Ἰορδάνης,
akoloutha de kai ta meta ton anaphē pasēs te hagneias katharōteron kai autēs enkrateias kreissona hymenaion, hē ek sparganōn sophia tou theou, entrepomenos te auton meta aidous ho tōn loutrōn parochos Iordanēs,
And what followed is consistent with this: after the marriage that was intangible, purer than all chastity and stronger than continence itself, the wisdom of God from his swaddling clothes, and the Jordan, provider of the washing, reverencing him with modesty;
Luke 2:40 (echo, low confidence) · Matt 3:13–17 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ's virginal conception was followed by his wisdom from infancy and his baptism in the Jordan.
- 'The marriage that was intangible' (ἀναφῆ ... ὑμέναιον) refers to the virginal union; the phrase is Constantine's. The sentence continues in 11.11.
Topics: Christology, Baptism
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.10 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-10
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.11Heikel
πρὸς τούτῳ τε βασιλικὸν χρίσμα ὁμόψυχον τῆς πάντων συνέσεως, παιδεία δὲ καὶ δύναμις παράδοξα κατορθοῦσα καὶ τὰ ἀνίατα ἰωμένη, καὶ εὐχῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ταχεῖα καὶ ἀνεμπόδιστος βεβαίωσις, καὶ ὅλως ὁ σύμπας ὑπὲρ ἀνθρώπων βίος, διδασκαλία τε οὐ φρόνησιν ἀλλὰ σοφίαν διδάσκουσα, τῶν φοιτητῶν οὐ τὰς πολιτικὰς λεγομένας ἀρετὰς μανθανόντων ἀλλὰ τὰς εἰς τὸν νοητὸν κόσμον ἀτραποὺς ἀγούσας, τήν τε τοῦ ἀεὶ κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ ἔχοντος γένους ἐποπτείαν πονούντων καὶ τὴν τοῦ μεγίστου πατρὸς ἔννοιαν ἀσκουμένων.
pros toutǭ te basilikon chrisma homopsychon tēs pantōn syneseōs, paideia de kai dynamis paradoxa katorthousa kai ta aniata iōmenē, kai euchōn anthrōpinōn tacheia kai anempodistos bebaiōsis, kai holōs ho sympas hyper anthrōpōn bios, didaskalia te ou phronēsin alla sophian didaskousa, tōn phoitētōn ou tas politikas legomenas aretas manthanontōn alla tas eis ton noēton kosmon atrapous agousas, tēn te tou aei kata ta auta echontos genous epopteian ponountōn kai tēn tou megistou patros ennoian askoumenōn.
and besides this the royal anointing, of one soul with the understanding of all, a teaching and a marvellous power that accomplished things and healed the incurable, a swift and unhindered fulfilment of human prayers, and in a word the whole life lived for men; a teaching that taught not prudence but wisdom, its disciples learning not the so-called civic virtues but those that lead on the paths to the intelligible world, labouring at the contemplation of the kind that is always the same, and practising the thought of the greatest Father.
Acts 10:38 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ was anointed, worked healings, answered prayers, and taught a wisdom that leads to the contemplation of God.
- The 'royal anointing' is the descent of the Spirit at the baptism (Acts 10:38). ὁμόψυχον is obscure; translated literally.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR doubled letter; OCR slip; OCR slip (ζ for ξ); OCR slip (χ for κ); OCR slip in accent; OCR slip in breathing; OCR transposed letters): πρὸς τούτῶ → πρὸς τούτῳ; παράδοζα → παράδοξα; ἰωμέην → ἰωμένη; ὁ σύμπας ὐπὲρ → ὁ σύμπας ὑπὲρ; διδάσχουσα → διδάσκουσα; λεγομέενας → λεγομένας; ἀτραποῦς → ἀτραποὺς.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.11 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-11
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.12Heikel
τὰ γέ τοι τῶν εὐεργετημάτων οὐ μέτρια· ἀντὶ μὲν τῆς πηρώσεως ὅρασις, ἀντὶ δὲ παρέσεως εὐεξία, ἀντὶ δὲ θανάτου πάλιν εἰς τὸ ζῆν ἀποκατάστασις. παρίημι γὰρ ἄφθονον τῶν ἀναγκαίων παρασκευὴν ἐν ἐρημίᾳ καὶ ἐν ὀλίγοις ἐδέσμασι παντοδαπὴν μεγάλοις πλήθεσι πολλοῦ χρόνου περιουσίαν.
ta ge toi tōn euergetēmatōn ou metria; anti men tēs pērōseōs horasis, anti de pareseōs euexia, anti de thanatou palin eis to zēn apokatastasis. pariēmi gar aphthonon tōn anankaiōn paraskeuēn en erēmią kai en oligois edesmasi pantodapēn megalois plēthesi pollou chronou periousian.
His benefits were not small: sight in place of blindness, vigour in place of paralysis, and in place of death restoration to life again. I pass over the abundant provision of necessities in the desert, and the plentiful supply, lasting a long time, for great multitudes from a few loaves.
Matt 11:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 14:13–21 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 15:32–38 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ gave sight to the blind, strength to the paralysed, life to the dead, and fed multitudes in the desert.
- Compare Matt 11:5; the feeding of the multitudes, Matt 14:13–21; 15:32–38.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (ζ for ξ); OCR slip (χ for κ)): εὐεζία → εὐεξία; ἀποχατάστασις → ἀποκατάστασις.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.12 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-12
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.13Heikel
ταύτην σοι τὴν εὐχαριστίαν κατὰ τὸ δυνατὸν ἀποδίδομεν, Χριστὲ ὁ θεὸς καὶ σωτήρ, μεγάλου πατρὸς μεγίστη πρόνοια, σώζοντί τʼ ἐκ τῶν κακῶν καὶ τὴν μακαριωτάτην διδασκαλίαν διδάσκοντι. οὐ γὰρ ἐγκωμιάζων ταῦτʼ ἀλλʼ εὐχαριστῶν λέγω.
tautēn soi tēn eucharistian kata to dynaton apodidomen, Christe ho theos kai sōtēr, megalou patros megistē pronoia, sōzonti tʼ ek tōn kakōn kai tēn makariōtatēn didaskalian didaskonti. ou gar enkōmiazōn tautʼ allʼ eucharistōn legō.
This thanksgiving we render to you as far as we can, O Christ, God and Saviour, greatest providence of the great Father, who save us from evils and teach the most blessed teaching. For I say these things not as praise but as thanksgiving.
Titus 2:13 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine gives thanks to Christ, God and Saviour.
- The text reads εὐχαμὲν ριστῶν, garbled for εὐχαριστῶν ('giving thanks').
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR garbled word; OCR slip (χ for κ)): μαχαριωτάτην → μακαριωτάτην; διδάσχοντι → διδάσκοντι; εὐχαμὲν ριστῶν → εὐχαριστῶν.
Topics: Christology, Prayer
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.13 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-13
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.14Heikel
τίς γὰρ ἄν δε κατʼἀξίαν ὑμνήσειεν ἄνθρωπος; δὲ μὲν γὰρ λόγος ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων τὰ ὄντα γεννῆσαι, σὲ δὲ φῶς αὐτοῖς ἀνάψαι καὶ τὴν ἄτακτον τῶν στοιχείων σύγχυσιν κατακοσμῆσαι τάξει καὶ μέτρῳ. τὸ δὲ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας ἐξαίρετον ἐν τῷ τοὺς εὖ πεφυκότας τῶν ἀνθρώπων θείου καὶ μακαρίου ζηλωτὰς ποιῆσαι βίου, κατανοεῖν θʼ ὅπως τῶν ὄντως ἀγαθῶν ἔμποροι γεγενημένοι πλείοσι τῆς ἐαυτῶν σοφίας τε καὶ συντυχίας μεταδιδοῖεν αὐτοί τʼ ἀρετῆς καρπὸν αἰώνιον κομίζοιντο, ἀπηλλαγμένοι μὲν ἀκολασίας μετέχοντες δὲ φιλανθρωπίας, οἶκτον μὲν πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἔχοντες πίστεως δὲ προασπίζοντες, αἰδὼ δὲ καὶ παντοίαν ἀρετὴν ἀσπαζόμενοι, ἥν ὁ πρὸ τοῦ βίος ἀνθρωπίνων ἠθῶν ἐκβεβλήκει, ἥτις ποτε γέγονεν αἰτία μάλλον δὲ ἀνάγκη σωτῆρι καθόδου τὴν ὑπὲρ πάντων ποιουμένῳ πρόνοιαν· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἄν τῶν τοσούτων κακῶν καὶ τῆς ἐπικρατησάσης κατʼ ἐκεῖνον τὸν βίον ἀδικίας ἰατρὸς ἀξιόχρεως εὑρέθη.
tis gar an de katʼaxian hymnēseien anthrōpos? de men gar logos ex ouk ontōn ta onta gennēsai, se de phōs autois anapsai kai tēn atakton tōn stoicheiōn synchysin katakosmēsai taxei kai metrǭ. to de tēs philanthrōpias exaireton en tǭ tous eu pephykotas tōn anthrōpōn theiou kai makariou zēlōtas poiēsai biou, katanoein thʼ hopōs tōn ontōs agathōn emporoi gegenēmenoi pleiosi tēs eautōn sophias te kai syntychias metadidoien autoi tʼ aretēs karpon aiōnion komizointo, apēllagmenoi men akolasias metechontes de philanthrōpias, oikton men pro ophthalmōn echontes pisteōs de proaspizontes, aidō de kai pantoian aretēn aspazomenoi, hēn ho pro tou bios anthrōpinōn ēthōn ekbeblēkei, hētis pote gegonen aitia mallon de anankē sōtēri kathodou tēn hyper pantōn poioumenǭ pronoian; oudeis gar an tōn tosoutōn kakōn kai tēs epikratēsasēs katʼ ekeinon ton bion adikias iatros axiochreōs heurethē.
For what man could hymn you worthily? Of you it is said that you brought into being from what was not the things that are, that you kindled light for them, and ordered the disorderly confusion of the elements with order and measure. And the excellence of your love for humanity lies in making those of men who are well disposed by nature emulators of a divine and blessed life, and in considering how, having become merchants of truly good things, they might share their wisdom and good fortune with more, and themselves gain the eternal fruit of virtue, freed from licentiousness and sharing in love for humanity, keeping pity before their eyes and defending faith, embracing modesty and every virtue, which the former life had cast out of human ways; which was once the cause, or rather the necessity, of the descent of the Saviour, who exercises providence for all. For no worthy physician of so many evils and of the injustice that prevailed in that life could have been found.
Rom 4:17 (echo, low confidence) · Matt 13:45–46 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ created all from nothing, and in love makes the virtuous share their goodness with others; human corruption made his descent necessary, since no other physician could cure it.
- The text reads δε for σε, λόγος ἐζοὐκ ὄντων for λόγος ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων, γῶς for φῶς, and repeats ἀδικίας; translated by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (γ for φ); OCR slip (χ for κ); OCR slip in breathing; OCR slips; dittography in the digital text): λόγος ἐζοὐκ ὄντων → λόγος ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων; σὲ δὲ γῶς αὐτοῖς → σὲ δὲ φῶς αὐτοῖς; ἄταχτον → ἄτακτον; μέετρῳ. τὸ δὲ τὴς → μέτρῳ. τὸ δὲ τῆς; ἄκολασίας → ἀκολασίας; ἀδικίας ἰδικίας ἰατρὸς → ἀδικίας ἰατρὸς.
Topics: Christology, Creation
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.14 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-14
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.15Heikel
ἡ γοῦν πρόνοια μέχρι τῶν τῇδε διήκουσα πάνθʼ ὅσα ὑφʼ ὕβρεως καὶ ἀκολασίας ἀκόσμητα ἦν κατεκόσμησε ῥᾷστα. καὶ οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἀποκρύφως. ᾔδει γὰρ τοὺς μὲν τῶν ἀνθρώπων φρονήσει καὶ νῷ τὴν ἐαυτοῦ δύναμιν θεωροῦντας, τοὺς δὲ ἅτε τοῖς ἀλόγοις τῶν ζώων ἀπεικασμένους τὴν φύσιν μάλλον ταῖς αἰσθήσεσιν ἐπιβάλλοντας· διὸ φανερῶς, ἵνα μηδεὶς ἀμφιβάλλοι μὴ σπουδαῖος μὴ φαῦλος, τὴν εὐδαίμονα καὶ θαυμαστὴν θεραπείαν ὑπʼ ὄψιν ἦγεν, τοῖς μὲν παυσαμένοις τοῦ βίου ἀποκαθιστὰς τὸ ζῆν ἐκ δευτέρου, τοὺς δὲ ἐστερημένους τῶν αἰσθήσεων ὑγιῶς κελεύων πάλιν αἰσθάνεσθαι. στηρίξαι δὲ θάλασσαν καὶ νηνεμίαν ἐκ χειμῶνος ἐπιτάξαι, καὶ τέλος θαυμαστοῖς ἔργοις ἐπιχειρήσαντα καὶ ἐξ ἀπιστίας τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς πίστιν ἰσχυρὰν προσκαλεσάμενον εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀναπτῆναι, τίνος ἄλλου πλὴν τοῦ θεοῦ τῆς τε ἐξοχωτάτης δυνάμεως ἔργον τοῦτο;
hē goun pronoia mechri tōn tę̄de diēkousa panthʼ hosa hyphʼ hybreōs kai akolasias akosmēta ēn katekosmēse rhąsta. kai oude touto apokryphōs. ę̄dei gar tous men tōn anthrōpōn phronēsei kai nǭ tēn eautou dynamin theōrountas, tous de hate tois alogois tōn zōōn apeikasmenous tēn physin mallon tais aisthēsesin epiballontas; dio phanerōs, hina mēdeis amphiballoi mē spoudaios mē phaulos, tēn eudaimona kai thaumastēn therapeian hypʼ opsin ēgen, tois men pausamenois tou biou apokathistas to zēn ek deuterou, tous de esterēmenous tōn aisthēseōn hygiōs keleuōn palin aisthanesthai. stērixai de thalassan kai nēnemian ek cheimōnos epitaxai, kai telos thaumastois ergois epicheirēsanta kai ex apistias tous anthrōpous eis pistin ischyran proskalesamenon eis ouranon anaptēnai, tinos allou plēn tou theou tēs te exochōtatēs dynameōs ergon touto?
So providence, reaching down to things here, set in order most easily all that was disordered through insolence and licentiousness. Nor was this done in secret. For he knew that some men behold his power with prudence and mind, while others, likened in nature to irrational animals, rely rather on the senses. Therefore openly, so that no one, good or bad, might doubt, he brought before their eyes the happy and wonderful healing, restoring life a second time to those who had ended their life, and commanding those deprived of their senses to perceive soundly again. And to make the sea firm and to command calm out of a storm, and finally, having undertaken wonderful works and called men from unbelief to strong faith, to fly up into heaven: whose work is this but God's and of the most exalted power?
Matt 8:23–27 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 14:22–33 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 1:9 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ worked public miracles, raising the dead, healing the senses, calming the sea, and ascending to heaven, all works of God.
- Walking on and calming the sea: Matt 14:22–33; 8:23–27; the ascension: Acts 1:9.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (ζ for ξ); OCR slip (η for γ); OCR slip (ξ for φ); OCR slips; OCR slips; hyphenation rejoined; hyphenation rejoined; letter-shape slip; line-end hyphenation rejoined): ἀκο- λαςίας → ἀκολασίας; τοῦς μὲν τῶν ἀνθρώπων φρονήσει καὶ ωῷ → τοὺς μὲν τῶν ἀνθρώπων φρονήσει καὶ νῷ; ἀπεικασ- μένους → ἀπεικασμένους; μὴ ξαῦλος → μὴ φαῦλος; ὑπʼ ὄψιν ἦηεν → ὑπʼ ὄψιν ἦγεν; αἰσθή- σεων → αἰσθήσεων; ἐπιτάζαι → ἐπιτάξαι; ἐπιχει- ρήσαντα → ἐπιχειρήσαντα; τοῦς ἀνθρώπους εἰς πίστιν ἰσχυρὰν προσκα- λεςάμενον → τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς πίστιν ἰσχυρὰν προσκαλεσάμενον.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.15 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-15
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
11.16Heikel
οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ ὁ προσεχὴς τοῦ παθήματος καιρὸς τῶν θαυμαστῶν ἐκείνων θεαμάτων ἀλλότριος ἦν, ἡνίκα νύκτες ἡμερινὸν φῶς ἐπικαλύπτουσαι τὸν ἥλιον ἠφάνιζον· κατειλήφει γὰρ δέος τοὺς πανταχοῦ δήμους τὴν τῶν ἁπάντων πραγμάτων συντέλειαν ἥκειν, καὶ χάος αὖθις οἷον τὸ πρὸ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου διατάξεως ἐπικρατήσειν. ἐζητεῖτο δὲ καὶ τὸ αἴτιον τοῦ τηλικούτου κακοῦ, καὶ εἴ τι πλημμελὲς ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰς τὸ θεῖον γένοιτο, ἕως ὅτε ἡπίῳ μεγαλοψυχίᾳ τῆς τῶν ἀσεβῶν ὕβρεως ὑπερφρονήσας ἀποκαθίστησι τὸν οὐρανὸν σύμπαντα τῇ τῶν ἄστρων κατακοσμῶν χορείᾳ. τοιγάρτοι πως καὶ ἡ τοῦ κόσμου πρόσοψις σκυθρωπῶσα εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν αὖθις ἀποκαθίστατο φαιδρότητα.
ou mēn oude ho prosechēs tou pathēmatos kairos tōn thaumastōn ekeinōn theamatōn allotrios ēn, hēnika nyktes hēmerinon phōs epikalyptousai ton hēlion ēphanizon; kateilēphei gar deos tous pantachou dēmous tēn tōn hapantōn pragmatōn synteleian hēkein, kai chaos authis hoion to pro tēs tou kosmou diataxeōs epikratēsein. ezēteito de kai to aition tou tēlikoutou kakou, kai ei ti plēmmeles hypo tōn anthrōpōn eis to theion genoito, heōs hote hēpiǭ megalopsychią tēs tōn asebōn hybreōs hyperphronēsas apokathistēsi ton ouranon sympanta tę̄ tōn astrōn katakosmōn choreią. toigartoi pōs kai hē tou kosmou prosopsis skythrōpōsa eis tēn oikeian authis apokathistato phaidrotēta.
Nor was the time near the passion without those wonderful sights, when night, covering the daylight, made the sun disappear. For fear seized the peoples everywhere that the end of all things had come, and that chaos, like that before the ordering of the world, would prevail again. The cause of so great an evil was sought, and whether men had committed some offence against the divine; until he, with gentle magnanimity disregarding the outrage of the impious, restored the whole heaven, adorning it with the dance of the stars. So the face of the world, which had been gloomy, was restored again to its own brightness.
Matt 27:45 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 23:44–45 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: At the passion darkness covered the sun and men feared the end of the world, until Christ in his forbearance restored the light.
- The darkness at the crucifixion: Matt 27:45; Luke 23:44–45.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (ξ for φ); OCR slips; hyphenation rejoined; accent slip; hyphenation rejoined; line-end hyphenation rejoined; split word rejoined): ἀλλότ ριος → ἀλλότριος; ἠξάνιζον → ἠφάνιζον; κατειλήξει → κατειλήφει; πραγ- μάτων → πραγμάτων; οἶον τὸ πρὸ τῆς τοῦ κόσ- μου → οἷον τὸ πρὸ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου; τηλικού- του → τηλικούτου; ὑπερφρο- νήσας → ὑπερφρονήσας; κα- τακοσμῶν → κατακοσμῶν; ποςῶς καὶ ἡ τοῦ κόσμου πρόσοψις σκυ- θρωπῶσα εἰς, τὴν οἰκείαν αὖθις ἀποκαθίστατο ξαισρότητα → πως καὶ ἡ τοῦ κόσμου πρόσοψις σκυθρωπῶσα εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν αὖθις ἀποκαθίστατο φαιδρότητα.
Topics: Christology, Passion and death of Christ
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 11.16 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/11-16
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
Chapter 12
12.1Heikel
Ἀλλʼ ἐρεῖ τις, ᾧ φίλον ἐστὶ βλασφημεῖν, θεὸν ὄντα δεδυνῆσθαι κρείσσονα καὶ ἠπιωτέραν τὴν προαίρεσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀπεργάσασθαι. τίς οὖν κρείσσων μέθοδος ποία δʼ ἐπιχείρησις ἀνυτικωτέρα πρὸς τὸ τοὺς κακοὺς σωφρονισθῆναι τῆς ἑαυτοῦ προσρήσεως; οὐκ αὐτὸς παρὼν καὶ ὁρώμενος ἐδίδασκε τὸν κόσμιον βίον; εἰ οὖν ἡ τοῦ θεοῦ παραγγελία παρόντος οὐδὲν ἤνυσεν, τί ἂν ἀπόντος καὶ μὴ ἀκουομένου ὠφέλησεν;
Allʼ erei tis, hǭ philon esti blasphēmein, theon onta dedynēsthai kreissona kai ēpiōteran tēn proairesin tōn anthrōpōn apergasasthai. tis oun kreissōn methodos poia dʼ epicheirēsis anytikōtera pros to tous kakous sōphronisthēnai tēs heautou prosrēseōs? ouk autos parōn kai horōmenos edidaske ton kosmion bion? ei oun hē tou theou parangelia parontos ouden ēnysen, ti an apontos kai mē akouomenou ōphelēsen?
But someone who loves to blaspheme will say that, being God, he could have made men's choice better and gentler. What better method, what more effective undertaking for the chastening of the wicked, than his own address? Did he not, present and seen, teach the orderly life? If, then, the command of God when present achieved nothing, what would it have profited when absent and unheard?
Notes and citation
Summary: If Christ's personal teaching did not reform the wicked, nothing else could have; the fault is not God's.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip (σ for δ); OCR slip in accent; line-end hyphenation rejoined): ᾦ φίλον → ᾧ φίλον; δε- δυνῆσθαι → δεδυνῆσθαι; ἀνθρώ- πων ἀπεργάσασθαι → ἀνθρώπων ἀπεργάσασθαι; τοῦς κακοὺς → τοὺς κακοὺς; ἐσίδασκε → ἐδίδασκε.
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 12.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/12-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/12-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
12.2Heikel
τί οὖν ἐγένετο ἐμπόδιον τῆς μακαριωτάτης διδασκαλίας; ἡ τῶν ἀνθρώπων σκαιότης· ὅταν γὰρ τὰ καλῶς τε καὶ προσηκόντως παραγγελλόμενα πρὸς ὀργὴν λαμβάνωμεν, τηνικάδε τὸ νῆφον τῆς διανοίας ἀμαυροῦται. τί δὲ ὅτι προσφιλὲς ἦν ἐκείνοις ἀμελεῖν τῶν προστάξεων καὶ ἀνορέκτους παρέχειν τὰς ἀκοὰς τῷ τεθέντι νόμῳ; εἰ γὰρ μὴ κατημέλουν, ἔσχον ἂν ἄξια τὰ ἐπίχειρα τῆς ἀκροάσεως οὐ μόνον εἰς τὸ παραχρῆμα ἀλλʼ εἰς τὸν μετέπειτα βίον, ὅς ἐστιν ὡς ἀληθῶς βίος· ὁ γάρ τοι μισθὸς τοῦ τῷ θεῷ πείθεσθαι ὁ ἄφθαρτος καὶ ἀίδιος βίος, οὗ δυνατὸν ἀντιποιεῖσθαι τοῖς εἰδόσι τὸν θεὸν καὶ τοῖς τὸν ἑαυτῶν βίον ζηλωτὸν παρεχομένοις καὶ οἶον παράδειγμα αἰώνιον τοῖς πρὸς ἅμιλλαν ζῆν προῃρημένοις.
ti oun egeneto empodion tēs makariōtatēs didaskalias? hē tōn anthrōpōn skaiotēs; hotan gar ta kalōs te kai prosēkontōs parangellomena pros orgēn lambanōmen, tēnikade to nēphon tēs dianoias amauroutai. ti de hoti prosphiles ēn ekeinois amelein tōn prostaxeōn kai anorektous parechein tas akoas tǭ tethenti nomǭ? ei gar mē katēmeloun, eschon an axia ta epicheira tēs akroaseōs ou monon eis to parachrēma allʼ eis ton metepeita bion, hos estin hōs alēthōs bios; ho gar toi misthos tou tǭ theǭ peithesthai ho aphthartos kai aidios bios, hou dynaton antipoieisthai tois eidosi ton theon kai tois ton heautōn bion zēlōton parechomenois kai oion paradeigma aiōnion tois pros hamillan zēn proę̄rēmenois.
What then was the obstacle to the most blessed teaching? The perversity of men. For when we take with anger what is commanded rightly and fittingly, then the sobriety of the mind is darkened. Why was it dear to them to neglect the commands and to offer unwilling ears to the law laid down? For if they had not neglected them, they would have had a worthy reward for their hearing, not only at once but in the life thereafter, which is truly life. For the reward of obeying God is the incorruptible and everlasting life, which those can lay claim to who know God and make their own life worthy of emulation and, as it were, an eternal example to those who choose to live in rivalry.
1 Tim 6:19 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Human perversity hindered Christ's teaching; obedience would have earned eternal life, the true life.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip (ζ for ξ); OCR slip (ξ for φ); OCR slip in breathing; line-end hyphenation rejoined): λαμβάνω- μεν → λαμβάνωμεν; προστάζεων → προστάξεων; ὠς ἀληθῶς → ὡς ἀληθῶς; μεσθὸς → μισθὸς; ἄξθαρτος → ἄφθαρτος; οὖ δυνατὸν → οὗ δυνατὸν; παρεχομέ- νοις → παρεχομένοις; προῃρη- μένοις → προῃρημένοις.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 12.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/12-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/12-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
12.3Heikel
διὰ τοῦτο οὖν ἡ διδασκαλία παρεδόθη τοῖς σοφοῖς, ἵνʼ ὅπερ ἂν ἐκεῖνοι παραγγέλλωσι, τοῦτο μετʼ ἐπιμελείας ὑπὸ τῶν ὑπηκόων παραφυλάσσηται καθαρᾷ ψυχῇ ἀληθής τε ᾖ καὶ βεβαία ἡ φυλακὴ τῆς κελεύσεως τοῦ θεοῦ. ἐκ γάρ τοι αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ πρὸς τὸν θάνατον ἀδεὲς ὑπὸ καθαρᾶς πίστεως καὶ εἰλικρινοῦς περὶ τὸν θεὸν καθοσιώσεως φύεται, ἀνθίσταται δὲ ζάλαις κοσμικαῖς, ἀνανταγωνίστῳ θείας ἀρετῆς… πεφραγμένη πρὸς τὸ μαρτύριον· νικήσασα γοῦν ὑπὸ μεγαλοψυχίας τοὺς μεγίστους φόβους ἀξιοῦται στεφάνου παρʼ αὐτοῦ, ᾧ γενναίως ἐμαρτύρησε.
dia touto oun hē didaskalia paredothē tois sophois, hinʼ hoper an ekeinoi parangellōsi, touto metʼ epimeleias hypo tōn hypēkoōn paraphylassētai katharą psychę̄ alēthēs te ę̄ kai bebaia hē phylakē tēs keleuseōs tou theou. ek gar toi autēs kai to pros ton thanaton adees hypo katharas pisteōs kai eilikrinous peri ton theon kathosiōseōs phyetai, anthistatai de zalais kosmikais, anantagōnistǭ theias aretēs… pephragmenē pros to martyrion; nikēsasa goun hypo megalopsychias tous megistous phobous axioutai stephanou parʼ autou, hǭ gennaiōs emartyrēse.
For this reason, then, the teaching was handed down to the wise, so that whatever they command may be carefully kept by those who hear, with a pure soul, and the keeping of God's command may be true and firm. For from it, from pure faith and sincere devotion to God, springs fearlessness in the face of death; it withstands worldly storms, fortified with the invincible ... of divine virtue for martyrdom. Having conquered the greatest fears by magnanimity, it is counted worthy of a crown from him to whom it nobly bore witness.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
2 Tim 4:8 (echo, low confidence) · Rev 2:10 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The teaching was entrusted to the wise; from faithful obedience comes fearlessness in death, and the martyr receives a crown from Christ.
- The digital text marks a gap after ἀνανταγωνίστῳ θείας ἀρετῆς ('...').
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter-shape slip; OCR slip (ξ for φ); OCR slip in breathing; OCR slips): τοῖς σοξοῖς → τοῖς σοφοῖς; ἀληθήσ τε → ἀληθής τε; ἀδεὲς ὐπὸ → ἀδεὲς ὑπὸ; παρʼ ἀὐτοῦ, ᾦ → παρʼ αὐτοῦ, ᾧ.
Topics: Martyrdom
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 12.3 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/12-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/12-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
12.4Heikel
καὶ οὐδὲν σεμνύνεται· ἐπίσταται γὰρ οἶμαι καὶ τοῦτο θεόθεν δεδόσθαι πρὸς τὸ ὑποστῆναι καὶ πληρῶσαι προθύμως τὰ θεῖα προστάγματα. διαδέχεται δὴ τόνδε τὸν βίον μνήμη διαρκὴς καὶ αἰώνιος δόξα μάλα εἰκότως, εἴπερ ὅ τε βίος σώφρων τοῦ μάρτυρος καὶ τῶν παραγγελμάτων μνήμων, ἥ τε τελευτὴ πλήρης εὑρίσκεται μεγαλοψυχίας τε καὶ εὐγενείας. ὕμνοι δὴ μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ψαλτήρια καὶ εὐφημίαι καὶ πρὸς τὸν πάντων ἐπόπτην ἔπαινος.
kai ouden semnynetai; epistatai gar oimai kai touto theothen dedosthai pros to hypostēnai kai plērōsai prothymōs ta theia prostagmata. diadechetai dē tonde ton bion mnēmē diarkēs kai aiōnios doxa mala eikotōs, eiper ho te bios sōphrōn tou martyros kai tōn parangelmatōn mnēmōn, hē te teleutē plērēs heurisketai megalopsychias te kai eugeneias. hymnoi dē meta tauta kai psaltēria kai euphēmiai kai pros ton pantōn epoptēn epainos.
And it does not boast; for it knows, I think, that this too was given by God, to endure and to fulfil the divine commands eagerly. This life is followed by lasting remembrance and eternal glory, most fittingly, if the martyr's life is found sober and mindful of the commands, and his end full of magnanimity and nobility. After this come hymns and psalms and praises, and praise to the overseer of all.
1 Cor 4:7 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The martyr does not boast, knowing his strength is God's gift; he is honoured with lasting memory, hymns and psalms.
- The commemoration of martyrs with hymns and psalms is described.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip (δ for χ); line-end hyphenation rejoined): ἐπέσταται → ἐπίσταται; αἰώ- νιος → αἰώνιος; μεγαλοψυδίας → μεγαλοψυχίας.
Topics: Martyrdom, Prayer, Martyrs' shrines and relics
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 12.4 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/12-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/12-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
12.5Heikel
καὶ τοιαύτη τις εὐχαριστίας θυσία τοῖς ἀνδράσιν ἀποτελεῖται, ἁγνὴ μὲν αἵματος ἁγνὴ δὲ πάσης βίας, οὐδὲ μὴν ὀσμὴ λιβάνων ἐπιποθεῖται οὐδὲ πυρκαϊά, καθαρὸν δὲ φῶς ὅσον ἐξαρκέσαι τοῖς εὐχομένοις πρὸς ἔκλαμψιν, σωφρονέστατα δὲ πολλῶν καὶ τὰ συμπόσια πρὸς ἔλεον καὶ ἀνάκτησιν τῶν δεομένων ποιούμενα καὶ πρὸς βοήθειαν τῶν ἐκπεσόντων. ἅπερ ἄν τις φορτικὰ εἶναι νομίζῃ, οὐ κατὰ τὴν θείαν καὶ μακαρίαν διδασκαλίαν φρονεῖ.
kai toiautē tis eucharistias thysia tois andrasin apoteleitai, hagnē men haimatos hagnē de pasēs bias, oude mēn osmē libanōn epipotheitai oude pyrkaïa, katharon de phōs hoson exarkesai tois euchomenois pros eklampsin, sōphronestata de pollōn kai ta symposia pros eleon kai anaktēsin tōn deomenōn poioumena kai pros boētheian tōn ekpesontōn. haper an tis phortika einai nomizę̄, ou kata tēn theian kai makarian didaskalian phronei.
And such a sacrifice of thanksgiving is offered for these men, pure of blood and pure of all violence; nor is the smell of incense desired, nor a pyre, but only pure light, enough to give illumination to those who pray; and the feasts of many are held most soberly, for mercy and the refreshment of those in need and the help of those who have fallen. If anyone thinks these things burdensome, he does not think according to the divine and blessed teaching.
Heb 13:15 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The martyrs are honoured with a bloodless thanksgiving, lamps for prayer, and sober feasts for the relief of the poor.
- 'Sacrifice of thanksgiving' (εὐχαριστίας θυσία) may refer to the eucharist celebrated at the martyrs' commemorations; the feasts are charitable meals.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter-shape slip; OCR misplaced accent; OCR slips): εὐχαριστίας θθςία → εὐχαριστίας θυσία; ἀποτελείται → ἀποτελεῖται; ἐκπεςόντων → ἐκπεσόντων.
Topics: Martyrdom, Eucharist, Ethics, Martyrs' shrines and relics
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 12.5 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/12-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/12-5
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum-12-5) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
Chapter 13
13.1Heikel
Ἤδη δέ τινες καὶ ἐν τῷ μέμφεσθαι τὸν θεὸν νεανιεύονται. τί δή ποτε βουληθεὶς οὐ μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν τῶν ὄντων φύσιν ἐτεκτήνατο, ἀλλὰ διάφορα καὶ τὰ πλεῖστα ἐναντία τὴν φύσιν ἐκέλευσεν ἀπογεννᾶν; ὅθεν καὶ ἡ διαφορὰ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἠθῶν τε καὶ προαιρέσεων. ἦν γὰρ ἴσως ἄμεινον, καὶ πρὸς τὸ πειθαρχεῖν τοῖς κελεύσμασι τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀκριβῆ κατάληψιν αὐτοῦ καὶ πρὸς τὸ βεβαιοῦσθαι τὴν καθʼ ἑκάστου πίστιν, ὁμοτρόπους εἶναι πάντας ἀνθρώπους. δυνατὴ δὲ καὶ ἡ πρᾶξις ἅτε δὴ θεοῦ. οἱ ταῦτα λέγοντες ἐοίκασι μέμφεσθαι τῇ διακοσμήσει τῶν ὅλων καὶ τήν τε νυκτερινὴν διαδοχὴν μὴ προσδέχεσθαι, βούλεσθαι δὲ ἀεὶ τὸ ἡμερινὸν φῶς διαρκεῖν, καὶ ταῦτα τῆς ἀναπαύσεως οὔσης ἀναγκαίας, ἀγανακτεῖν τε πρὸς τοὺς ὠκεανοῦ καὶ γῆς ὅρους, μέμφεσθαί τε τὴν γῆν τοσαῦτα πρὸς χρῆσιν τῶν ἐπιγείων δωρουμένην, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν αἰτιᾶσθαι παντοδαπὴν τοῖς πλέουσι παρεχομένην πορείαν, καὶ καθάπαξ πάντας μιᾶς μορφῆς ἀξιοῦν εἶναι, ὕλας δὲ καὶ ὄρη τὸ συνόλον μηδʼ ἀξιοῦν φαίνεσθαι, καὶ ὅλως πάντα τὰ διάφορα τῆς φύσεως ἀποτελέσματα σὺν ταῖς προσηγορίαις αὐτῶν ἀναιρεῖν. καὶ ταῦτα μὲν φανερῶς ἕωλα, τὸ δὲ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους πάντας ὁμοιοτρόπους εἶναι ἀξιοῦν, κομιδῇ γελοῖον, μηδὲ ἐννοεῖν, ὅτι οὐχ ἥπερ ἡ τοῦ κόσμου διάταξις αὕτη καὶ τῶν κοσμικῶν, οὐδὲ τὰ φυσικὰ τοῖς ἠθικοῖς ὁμοούσια, οὐδὲ τὰ τοῦ σώματος παθήματα τοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς πάθεσι τὰ αὐτά; τὸν μὲν γὰρ σύμπαντα κόσμον ἐκ διαφόρων στοιχείων ὁ θεὸς ἐτεκτήνατο. διαφορῶν γὰρ οὐσῶν τῶν σωματικῶν δυνάμεων διάφορα καὶ παντοδαπὰ πρὸς τὴν χρῆσιν τοῦ κόσμου ἐπορίζετο ἐξ ἀνάγκης, εἴπερ πολλὰ καὶ ἀναρίθμητα τῇ φύσει,... πολλὰ δʼ ὑπὸ θαλάσσης καὶ ἀέρος συντελεῖται. τὸν δὲ ἄνθρωπον λογικὸν ἐποίησεν ζῶον γνῶσιν τʼ αὐτῷ κακῶν καὶ ἀγαθῶν ἐδωρήσατο, ὅπως τὰ μὲν φύγοι τὰ δὲ μεταδιώκοι, δούς τʼ αὐτῷ τοιαύτης τινὸς σοφίας ἐπιτηδειότητα αὐτεξούσιον αὐτὸν εἴασεν καὶ τὴν κρίσιν τῆς διατυπώσεως ἐπέτρεψεν τοῦ καθʼ αὐτὸν βίου, καὶ ταῦτα ἐξ ἴσης πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις. πόθεν οὖν τὸ διάφορον τῶν τρόπων; ὅταν οἶμαι τοῦ δωρηθέντος ἡμῖν ὑπὸ τῆς προνοίας ἀγαθοῦ καταμελῶμεν, θυμῷ δὲ εἴξαντες ἢ ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἀντὶ τῶν βελτιόνων τὰ χείρονα αἰρώμεθα. ἐρεθίζει γὰρ οὐ μικρῶς ὁ θυμός, βιάζεται δὲ καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία, καὶ τοὺς ἄφρονας ἐκτραχηλιάζουσιν, ὅταν τοῦ λόγου περιγένωνται. ἐπικρατήσαντος δʼ ἐκείνου πᾶς ὁ βίος μέτριος ἐπαίνου τε ἄξιος. συγκροτεῖται δʼ οὖν, ἡνίκα δίκην ἀγαθοῦ τινος ἡνιόχου σπάσῃ τὰς ἡνίας τῆς ἀτάκτου καὶ μανιώδους συνωρίδος, ἐνθένδε ἡ πίστις, καὶ ἡ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν εὐσέβεια δικαιοσύνη τε καὶ σωφροσύνη καὶ παντοίας ἀρετῆς εὐδαιμονία συνέστη. ταῦτα δὴ καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα τὰ τῶν ψυχῶν κατορθώματα ἄγει πρὸς τὸν ὅσιον δικαστὴν αὐτὰς οὐ κριθησομένας οὐδʼ ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἔλεγχον ἀχθησομένας ἀλλʼ ἐπὶ τὰς τιμάς, ἃς αὐτὸς ταῖς ἄριστα βεβιωκυίαις προϋπέσχετο. τὰς δʼ ἀκαθάρτους καὶ σωματικῶν ἡδονῶν ἐμφορηθείσας ὠθεῖ βίᾳ ὀδυρομένας ἐπὶ τὴν προσήκουσαν δίκην ἡ τιμωρία ἐπὶ τέλος ἄγουσα καὶ ἐκδικάζουσα τὴν δικαίαν τοῦ θεοῦ ἀπόφασιν. ἔνθα μένει μὲν αὐτὰς ἀσβεστόν τι καὶ ἀκατάπαυστον πῦρ, μένει δὲ ἀπόκρημνόν τε καὶ κατηρεφὲς βάραθρον. ἀσεβὲς δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐνθύμημα τῶν πρὸς τὴν διαφορὰν τῶν ὄντων ἀπεχθανομένων, μίαν τε καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἀξίαν πάντων χρημάτων εἶναι θελόντων. ἄδικον ἄρα τοῖς δυσσεβέσιν εἶναι δοκεῖ τὰ τίμια τῶν ὑποδεεστέρων προτιμᾶσθαι καὶ τὴν ἀθάνατον φύσιν πλεονεκτεῖν τῶν φθαρτῶν καὶ ἐπιγείων ζώων μακαριότητι, ὅσῳ σεμνοτέρα τε καὶ θειοτέρα τυγχάνει οὖσα. καὶ τῆς θείας ἀγαθότητος οὐκ ἄμοιρον τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἁπλῶς πάντων οὐδʼὡς ἔτυχε, μόνων δὲ τῶν τὴν θείαν φύσιν ἐξιχνευσάντων καὶ τὸ προηγούμενον ἐπιτήδευμα τοῦ βίου προελομένων, τὴν τῶν θείων ἐπίγνωσιν.
Ēdē de tines kai en tǭ memphesthai ton theon neanieuontai. ti dē pote boulētheis ou mian kai tēn autēn tōn ontōn physin etektēnato, alla diaphora kai ta pleista enantia tēn physin ekeleusen apogennan? hothen kai hē diaphora tōn hēmeterōn ēthōn te kai proaireseōn. ēn gar isōs ameinon, kai pros to peitharchein tois keleusmasi tou theou kai pros tēn akribē katalēpsin autou kai pros to bebaiousthai tēn kathʼ hekastou pistin, homotropous einai pantas anthrōpous. dynatē de kai hē praxis hate dē theou. hoi tauta legontes eoikasi memphesthai tę̄ diakosmēsei tōn holōn kai tēn te nykterinēn diadochēn mē prosdechesthai, boulesthai de aei to hēmerinon phōs diarkein, kai tauta tēs anapauseōs ousēs anankaias, aganaktein te pros tous ōkeanou kai gēs horous, memphesthai te tēn gēn tosauta pros chrēsin tōn epigeiōn dōroumenēn, alla kai tēn thalassan aitiasthai pantodapēn tois pleousi parechomenēn poreian, kai kathapax pantas mias morphēs axioun einai, hylas de kai orē to synolon mēdʼ axioun phainesthai, kai holōs panta ta diaphora tēs physeōs apotelesmata syn tais prosēgoriais autōn anairein. kai tauta men phanerōs heōla, to de tous anthrōpous pantas homoiotropous einai axioun, komidę̄ geloion, mēde ennoein, hoti ouch hēper hē tou kosmou diataxis hautē kai tōn kosmikōn, oude ta physika tois ēthikois homoousia, oude ta tou sōmatos pathēmata tois tēs psychēs pathesi ta auta? ton men gar sympanta kosmon ek diaphorōn stoicheiōn ho theos etektēnato. diaphorōn gar ousōn tōn sōmatikōn dynameōn diaphora kai pantodapa pros tēn chrēsin tou kosmou eporizeto ex anankēs, eiper polla kai anarithmēta tę̄ physei,... polla dʼ hypo thalassēs kai aeros synteleitai. ton de anthrōpon logikon epoiēsen zōon gnōsin tʼ autǭ kakōn kai agathōn edōrēsato, hopōs ta men phygoi ta de metadiōkoi, dous tʼ autǭ toiautēs tinos sophias epitēdeiotēta autexousion auton eiasen kai tēn krisin tēs diatypōseōs epetrepsen tou kathʼ auton biou, kai tauta ex isēs pasin anthrōpois. pothen oun to diaphoron tōn tropōn? hotan oimai tou dōrēthentos hēmin hypo tēs pronoias agathou katamelōmen, thymǭ de eixantes ē epithymią anti tōn beltionōn ta cheirona airōmetha. erethizei gar ou mikrōs ho thymos, biazetai de kai hē epithymia, kai tous aphronas ektrachēliazousin, hotan tou logou perigenōntai. epikratēsantos dʼ ekeinou pas ho bios metrios epainou te axios. synkroteitai dʼ oun, hēnika dikēn agathou tinos hēniochou spasę̄ tas hēnias tēs ataktou kai maniōdous synōridos, enthende hē pistis, kai hē pros ton theon eusebeia dikaiosynē te kai sōphrosynē kai pantoias aretēs eudaimonia synestē. tauta dē kai ta toiauta ta tōn psychōn katorthōmata agei pros ton hosion dikastēn autas ou krithēsomenas oudʼ epi ton tōn hamartēmatōn elenchon achthēsomenas allʼ epi tas timas, has autos tais arista bebiōkuiais proÿpescheto. tas dʼ akathartous kai sōmatikōn hēdonōn emphorētheisas ōthei bią odyromenas epi tēn prosēkousan dikēn hē timōria epi telos agousa kai ekdikazousa tēn dikaian tou theou apophasin. entha menei men autas asbeston ti kai akatapauston pyr, menei de apokrēmnon te kai katērephes barathron. asebes de kai to enthymēma tōn pros tēn diaphoran tōn ontōn apechthanomenōn, mian te kai tēn autēn axian pantōn chrēmatōn einai thelontōn. adikon ara tois dyssebesin einai dokei ta timia tōn hypodeesterōn protimasthai kai tēn athanaton physin pleonektein tōn phthartōn kai epigeiōn zōōn makariotēti, hosǭ semnotera te kai theiotera tynchanei ousa. kai tēs theias agathotētos ouk amoiron to tōn anthrōpōn genos, allʼ ouk haplōs pantōn oudʼhōs etyche, monōn de tōn tēn theian physin exichneusantōn kai to proēgoumenon epitēdeuma tou biou proelomenōn, tēn tōn theiōn epignōsin.
Some even make bold to blame God: why did he not wish to fashion one and the same nature for all things, but commanded them to be produced different and mostly opposite in nature? From this comes the difference of our characters and choices. For it would perhaps have been better, both for obeying God's commands, for grasping him exactly, and for each man's faith being made firm, that all men should be of the same character; and the deed was possible, since God is God. Those who say this seem to blame the ordering of the universe, not to accept the succession of night, but to wish daylight to last always, though rest is necessary; to be indignant at the boundaries of ocean and land; to blame the earth for giving so much for the use of earthly creatures; and to accuse the sea for providing every kind of voyage to sailors; and in short to think that all should be of one form, and not to think forests and mountains should appear at all, and altogether to abolish all the various products of nature together with their names. These things are plainly stale; but to think that all men should be of the same character is quite ridiculous, not considering that the ordering of the world is not the same as that of worldly things, nor are natural things of the same substance as moral things, nor are the sufferings of the body the same as the passions of the soul. God fashioned the whole world from different elements. Since the bodily powers are different, different and manifold things were necessarily provided for the use of the world, since many and countless things by nature ... and many are accomplished by sea and air. But man he made a rational creature and gave him knowledge of evil and good, so that he might flee the one and pursue the other; and having given him fitness for such wisdom, he left him free and entrusted to him the judgment of shaping his own life, and this equally to all men. From where, then, the difference of characters? When, I think, we neglect the good given us by providence, and, yielding to anger or desire, choose the worse instead of the better. For anger provokes not a little, and desire forces, and they throw the foolish headlong when they get the better of reason. But when reason prevails, the whole life is moderate and worthy of praise. It is made firm when, like a good charioteer, it pulls the reins of the disorderly and frenzied pair; from this comes faith, and piety toward God, justice and self-control, and the happiness of every virtue. These and such achievements of souls lead them to the holy judge, not to be judged nor brought to the examination of sins, but to the honours which he himself promised to those who have lived best. But the impure, glutted with bodily pleasures, the punishment, leading them to the end and carrying out God's just sentence, thrusts by force, lamenting, to the fitting penalty. There an unquenchable and unceasing fire awaits them, and a sheer and overhung pit. Impious too is the thought of those who hate the difference among things and want all things to be of one and the same worth. It seems unjust to the impious, then, that the honourable should be preferred to the inferior, and that the immortal nature should surpass the perishable and earthly creatures in blessedness by as much as it is more venerable and divine. And the human race is not without a share of the divine goodness, yet not of all simply or at random, but of those only who have traced out the divine nature and chosen the chief pursuit of life, the knowledge of divine things.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Mark 9:43–48 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 5:24 (echo, low confidence) · Gen 2:17 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Some blame God for making things and characters different; but diversity serves the world, while human character depends on free choice: reason ruling the passions leads to virtue and reward, vice to unquenchable fire.
- The charioteer and the unruly pair recall Plato, Phaedr. 246a–b, 253c–254e. The unquenchable fire recalls Mark 9:43–48. 'Not to be judged' echoes John 5:24. The digital text marks a gap ('...') after 'by nature'. ἄλικον is a slip for ἄδικον ('unjust') and ἀφίαν for ἀξίαν ('worth').
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR dropped letter; hyphenation rejoined; OCR letter-shape slip; OCR letter-shape slips; OCR slip (λ for δ); OCR slip (ξ for φ); OCR slip; hyphenation rejoined; OCR slips; OCR stray breathing; accent slip; hyphenation rejoined; hyphenation rejoined; accent slip; line-end hyphenation rejoined): νεανιεύον- ται → νεανιεύονται; διάξορα καὶ τὰ πλεῖστα → διάφορα καὶ τὰ πλεῖστα; ἐκέ- λευσεν → ἐκέλευσεν; λέηον- τες → λέγοντες; νυκ- τερινὴν → νυκτερινὴν; ἀγανακ- τεῖν τε πρὸς τοῦς → ἀγανακτεῖν τε πρὸς τοὺς; ἀἰτιᾶσθαι → αἰτιᾶσθαι; πο- ρείαν → πορείαν; μορξῆς → μορφῆς; ξαίνεσθαι → φαίνεσθαι; τοῦς ἀνθρώπους πάντας ὁμοιο- τρόπους → τοὺς ἀνθρώπους πάντας ὁμοιοτρόπους; τὰ ξυσικὰ → τὰ φυσικὰ; δια- φόρων → διαφόρων; διάξορα καὶ παντοδαπὰ → διάφορα καὶ παντοδαπὰ; ἄνθρω- πον λογικὸν → ἄνθρωπον λογικὸν; ταπυτα ἔξ ἴσης ππασιν → ταῦτα ἐξ ἴσης πᾶσιν; τὸ διάξορον τῶν τρό- πων → τὸ διάφορον τῶν τρόπων; δικαιοςύνη τε καὶ σωφροςύνη → δικαιοσύνη τε καὶ σωφροσύνη; προςήκουσαν δίκην ἡ πιμωρία → προσήκουσαν δίκην ἡ τιμωρία; μίαν τε κανῖ τὴν αὐτὴν ἀφίαν → μίαν τε καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἀξίαν; ἄλικον ἄρα → ἄδικον ἄρα; ἀγαθό- τητος → ἀγαθότητος; ἀνθώπων γένος, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἁπλῶς πάν- των → ἀνθρώπων γένος, ἀλλʼ οὐκ ἁπλῶς πάντων; ἐξιχνευςάντων → ἐξιχνευσάντων.
Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Phaedr. 246a-b (Plato (works); allusion)
Topics: Ethics, Eschatology, Free will, Hell and eternal punishment
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 13.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/13-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/13-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
Chapter 14
14.1Heikel
Τά γε μὴν ἐκ γενεᾶς τοῖς ἀιδίοις συγκρίνειν μανία ἐστὶν ὡς ἀληθῶς ἡ τελεωτάτη. τῶν μὲν γὰρ οὔτε ἀρχὴ οὔτε τέλος, τὰ θʼ, ἅτε φύντα καὶ γενόμενα καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ τε εἶναι καὶ ζῆν ἐν χρόνῳ τινὶ λαβόντα, ἀκολούθως καὶ τελευτὴν ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἔχει· τὰ δὲ γενόμενα τῷ κελεύσαντι γεννηθῆναι αὐτὰ πῶς ἂν ἐξισάζοιτο; εἰ γὰρ ὅμοια ταῦτα ἐκείνῳ, οὐδὲ πρόσταξις τοῦ γεννᾶσθαι προσηκόντως ἂν ἐκείνου νομίζοιτο. ἀλλʼ ἐκείνῳ μὲν οὐδʼ ἂν τὰ οὐράνια συγκριθείη, ὥσπερ οὐδʼ ὁ αἰσθητὸς κόσμος τῷ νοητῷ οὐδʼ αἱ εἰκόνες τοῖς παραδείγμασιν.
Ta ge mēn ek geneas tois aidiois synkrinein mania estin hōs alēthōs hē teleōtatē. tōn men gar oute archē oute telos, ta thʼ, hate phynta kai genomena kai tēn archēn tou te einai kai zēn en chronǭ tini labonta, akolouthōs kai teleutēn ex anankēs echei; ta de genomena tǭ keleusanti gennēthēnai auta pōs an exisazoito? ei gar homoia tauta ekeinǭ, oude prostaxis tou gennasthai prosēkontōs an ekeinou nomizoito. allʼ ekeinǭ men oudʼ an ta ourania synkritheiē, hōsper oudʼ ho aisthētos kosmos tǭ noētǭ oudʼ hai eikones tois paradeigmasin.
To compare things born with things eternal is truly the most complete madness. For the latter have neither beginning nor end, while the former, since they have been born and come into being and received the beginning of being and living at some time, necessarily have an end too. How could things that came into being be made equal to the one who commanded them to be born? For if these were like him, the command to be born could not properly be thought his. Not even the heavenly things could be compared with him, just as the perceptible world cannot be compared with the intelligible, nor images with their patterns.
Notes and citation
Summary: Created things, which have a beginning and end, cannot be compared with the eternal Creator, any more than images with their originals.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter-shape slip; line-end hyphenation rejoined): ἐξιςάζοιτο → ἐξισάζοιτο; προσ- ηκόντως → προσηκόντως; οὐρά- νια → οὐράνια.
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 14.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/14-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/14-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
14.2Heikel
ἡ δὲ σύγχυσις τῶν πάντων πῶς οὐ γελοῖον, ἀποκρυπτομένης τῆς τοῦ θείου τιμιότητος τῇ πρὸς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους καὶ τά γε θηρία συγκρίσει; ἔφεσις δὲ δυναστείας ἀντιρρόπου θεοῦ δυναστείᾳ πῶς οὐ μαινομένων ἐστὶν ἀνθρώπων ἀπεστραμμένων τε τὸν σώφρονα καὶ ἐνάρετον βίον; εἰ γὰρ ὅλως τῆς θείας εὐτυχίας ἀντιποιούμεθα, χρὴ τὸν βίον διάγειν κατὰ τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ κέλευσιν. οὕτω γὰρ ἐν μοναῖς ἀθανάτοις καὶ ἀγήροσι κρείσσους πάσης εἱμαρμένης διάζομεν τὸν βίον, κατὰ τὸν ὑπὸ θεοῦ νόμον ὁρισθέντα βιώσαντες.
hē de synchysis tōn pantōn pōs ou geloion, apokryptomenēs tēs tou theiou timiotētos tę̄ pros tous anthrōpous kai ta ge thēria synkrisei? ephesis de dynasteias antirropou theou dynasteią pōs ou mainomenōn estin anthrōpōn apestrammenōn te ton sōphrona kai enareton bion? ei gar holōs tēs theias eutychias antipoioumetha, chrē ton bion diagein kata tēn tou theou keleusin. houtō gar en monais athanatois kai agērosi kreissous pasēs heimarmenēs diazomen ton bion, kata ton hypo theou nomon horisthenta biōsantes.
And how is the confusion of all things not ridiculous, when the honour of the divine is hidden by comparing it with men and even with beasts? And how is the desire for a power to rival God's power not the mark of mad men who have turned away from the sober and virtuous life? For if we lay claim at all to the divine happiness, we must spend our life according to God's command. So, in immortal and ageless mansions, superior to all fate, we shall pass our life, having lived according to the law laid down by God.
John 14:2 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: To liken God to men or beasts, or to seek a power rivalling his, is madness; those who live by God's law will dwell in immortal mansions.
- 'Mansions' (μοναί) recalls John 14:2.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; line-end hyphenation rejoined): ἀντιρρό- που → ἀντιρρόπου; ἀπεστραμ- μένων → ἀπεστραμμένων; βιύσαντες → βιώσαντες.
Topics: Eschatology, Ethics
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 14.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/14-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/14-2
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum-14-2) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
14.3Heikel
μόνη γὰρ ἀντίρροπος θεοῦ δυνάμεως ἀνθρωπίνη δύναμις ἡ εἰλικρινὴς καὶ ἄδολος πρὸς τὸν θεὸν λατρεία καὶ ἡ εἰς αὐτὸν ἐπιστροφή, θεωρία τε καὶ μάθησις τῶν ἀρεσκόντων τῷ κρείττονι, καὶ τὸ μὴ εἰς γῆν νενευκέναι ἀλλʼ, ὅση δύναμις, τὴν διάνοιαν ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρθιά τε καὶ ὑψηλὰ ἀναβιβάζειν· ἐκ γάρ τοι τῆς ἐπιτηδεύσεως ταύτης τὸ νικᾶν ἀντὶ πολλῶν ἀγαθῶν, φησί, περιγίγνεται. ἡ τοίνυν αἰτία τῆς τῶν ὄντων διαφορᾶς κατά τε τὴν ἀξίαν καὶ ἐν τῇ τοῦ δύνασθαι παραλλαγῇ τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν λόγον, ᾧ πείθονται μὲν οἱ εὖ φρονοῦντες καὶ εὐχαριστοῦσιν ἐξαισίως, οἱ δʼ ἀχαριστοῦντες ἠλίθιοι τὴν ἀξίαν τῆς ὑπερηφανίας κομίζονται τιμωρίαν.
monē gar antirropos theou dynameōs anthrōpinē dynamis hē eilikrinēs kai adolos pros ton theon latreia kai hē eis auton epistrophē, theōria te kai mathēsis tōn areskontōn tǭ kreittoni, kai to mē eis gēn neneukenai allʼ, hosē dynamis, tēn dianoian epi ta orthia te kai hypsēla anabibazein; ek gar toi tēs epitēdeuseōs tautēs to nikan anti pollōn agathōn, phēsi, perigignetai. hē toinyn aitia tēs tōn ontōn diaphoras kata te tēn axian kai en tę̄ tou dynasthai parallagę̄ touton echei ton logon, hǭ peithontai men hoi eu phronountes kai eucharistousin exaisiōs, hoi dʼ acharistountes ēlithioi tēn axian tēs hyperēphanias komizontai timōrian.
For the only human power to rival God's power is sincere and guileless worship of God and turning to him, contemplation and learning of what pleases the higher, and not to bend down to the earth but, as far as one can, to raise the mind to what is upright and lofty; for from this pursuit, he says, comes victory instead of many good things. So the cause of the difference among things, both in worth and in variation of ability, has this reason; the sensible are persuaded by it and give thanks exceedingly, while the ungrateful fools receive the punishment their arrogance deserves.
Notes and citation
Summary: The only human power comparable to God's is sincere worship and contemplation; the grateful accept the order of things, the ungrateful are punished for arrogance.
- 'He says' (φησί) introduces an unidentified saying.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter-shape slip; OCR slip; line-end hyphenation rejoined; stray stop; hyphenation rejoined; OCR slip): ἀνθρω- πίνη → ἀνθρωπίνη; ὅση. δύναμις, τὴν διά- νοιαν ἐπὶ τὰ ἄρθιά → ὅση δύναμις, τὴν διάνοιαν ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρθιά; ἐπιτη- δεύσεως → ἐπιτηδεύσεως; φηςί → φησί; ᾦ πείθονται → ᾧ πείθονται; ἐξαιςίως → ἐξαισίως.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 14.3 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/14-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/14-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
Chapter 15
15.1Heikel
Καὶ μὴν ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ παρακαλεῖ παῖς πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν ἄπαντας, διδάσκαλον ἑαυτὸν τοῖς εὖ φρονοῦσιν τῶν τοῦ πατρὸς παραγγελμάτων καθιστάς· εἰ μὴ ἄρα λανθάνομεν ἑαυτοὺς κακῶς ἀγνοοῦντες, ὅτι διὰ τὸ ἡμῖν συμφέρον τουτέστιν διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων μακαριότητα τὴν γῆν περιενόστησε, καὶ καλέσας ὡς ἑαυτὸν τοὺς ἀρίστους τῶν τηνικαῦτα βιωφελῆ παιδείαν ἐπαίδευσε, σώφρονος τοῦ ἐκ τῆς ἀντικειμένης φύσεως φθόνου, ᾧ δελεάζειν καὶ ἐξαπατᾶν τοὺς ἀπείρους προσφιλές.
Kai mēn ho tou theou parakalei pais pros tēn aretēn apantas, didaskalon heauton tois eu phronousin tōn tou patros parangelmatōn kathistas; ei mē ara lanthanomen heautous kakōs agnoountes, hoti dia to hēmin sympheron toutestin dia tēn tōn anthrōpōn makariotēta tēn gēn perienostēse, kai kalesas hōs heauton tous aristous tōn tēnikauta biōphelē paideian epaideuse, sōphronos tou ek tēs antikeimenēs physeōs phthonou, hǭ deleazein kai exapatan tous apeirous prosphiles.
And indeed the Son of God summons all to virtue, making himself the teacher of the Father's precepts to those of good sense; unless we deceive ourselves in wretched ignorance that for our benefit, that is, for the blessedness of men, he went about the earth, and calling to himself the best men of that time, taught them a teaching beneficial for life, [though aware] of the envy from the opposing nature, which loves to entice and deceive the inexperienced.
Notes and citation
Summary: The Son of God went about the earth for human happiness, calling the best men of his time and teaching them, despite the devil's envy.
- σώφρονος is garbled (perhaps συνειδώς, 'being aware'); translated by sense, the supplement marked in brackets. 'The opposing nature' is the devil.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin letter inside Greek word; OCR slip; OCR slip in accent; hyphenation rejoined; OCR slip): Kαὶ μὴν → Καὶ μὴν; συμφέφον → συμφέρον; ἀνθρώ- πων μακαριότητα τὴν ηῆν → ἀνθρώπων μακαριότητα τὴν γῆν; τηνικαὐτα → τηνικαῦτα; ᾦ δελεάζειν → ᾧ δελεάζειν.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 15.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/15-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/15-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
15.2Heikel
τοιγαροῦν νοσοῦντας μὲν ἐπεσκέπτετο, ἀρρύστους δὲ τῶν περιεχόντων κακῶν ἐκούφιζε, παρεμυθεῖτο δὲ καὶ τοὺς εἰς τοὔσχατον πενίας τε καὶ ἀπορίας προβεβηκότας, ἐπῄνει δὲ τὸ μετὰ λόγου τῆς φρονήσεως μέτριον, φέρειν τε γενναίως καὶ ἀνεξικάκως παντοίαν μὲν ὕβριν παντοίαν δὲ καταφρόνησιν προσέταξε, διδάσκων ἐπίσκεψίν τινα τοῦ πατρὸς εἶναι τοιαύτην, ὥστε ἀεὶ νικᾶν τοὺς μεγαλοψύχως φέροντας τὰ προσπίπτοντα. ταύτην γὰρ ὑπερφυῶς ἐξοχωτάτην ἰσχὺν εἶναι διεβεβαιοῦτο, στερρότητα διανοίας μετὰ φιλοσοφίας, ἥτις ἐστὶ τοῦ ἀληθοῦς καὶ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ γνῶσις, ἐθίζουσα καὶ τοὺς μετὰ δικαιοσύνης πλουτοῦντας κοινωνεῖν τῶν παρόντων τοῖς πενιχροτέροις φιλανθρώπῳ διανεμήσει, δυναστείαν παντὶ τρόπῳ κωλύων, δεικνύς τε ὅτι, ὥσπερ μετρίοις προσῆλθεν, οὕτω μετρίους καταλείψει τοὺς ἀφέντας χαριζόμενος, καὶ ὅτι τῷ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένει τὸ προοίμιον τοῦ ζῆν ἀπό τε ἐνδείας καὶ γυμνότητος, καὶ ἡ τελευτὴ ὡσαύτως εἰς ἔνδειαν ἀποτελευτᾷ καὶ γυμνότητα, μόνην φάσκων εἶναι πάσης ἀξίαν ἐπιμελείας τὴν ἀρετήν. ταύτην οὖν χρῆναι παρήγγειλε τιμᾶν, ὡς τὴν σωτηρίαν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐν τῷ τῆς ἀρίστης ἀρετῆς οἴακι καθιδρυμένην, ἀσκεῖν δʼ ἐξαιρέτως εὐσέβειαν καὶ σωφροσύνην καὶ ἡμερότητα. ταύτην γὰρ εἶναι τὴν μέθοδον ἀντιτεταγμένην παντὶ τῷ κατὰ τὸν βίον ἡμῶν κλύδωνι. τοιγάρτοι τούτοις αὐτοῖς καὶ τούτων παραπλησίοις πλείοσι παραγγέλμασι τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν μαθητῶν κατηχήσας, ἵνα μὴ μόνον παραγγελίαις ῥηταῖς ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔργῳ τὴν ὠφελιμωτάτην ἐπιτήδευσιν μεθέλθοιεν, ἦγεν αὐτοὺς ἡγεμονεύων διὰ μακρᾶς τινος καὶ ἀοικήτου πορείας ἀνύδρου τε καὶ διακεκαυμένης ψάμμου. ἡγεῖτο δὲ καὶ διὰ κυμάτων μαινομένης θαλάττης ὑπό τε ἀνέμων ἀγριωθείσης καὶ ἀντεῖχε τὰ κύματα φέροντα ἀντιτύπως θεοῦ τε καὶ δικαίων ἀνδρῶν πορευομένων ἴχνη,
toigaroun nosountas men epeskepteto, arrystous de tōn periechontōn kakōn ekouphize, paremytheito de kai tous eis touschaton penias te kai aporias probebēkotas, epę̄nei de to meta logou tēs phronēseōs metrion, pherein te gennaiōs kai anexikakōs pantoian men hybrin pantoian de kataphronēsin prosetaxe, didaskōn episkepsin tina tou patros einai toiautēn, hōste aei nikan tous megalopsychōs pherontas ta prospiptonta. tautēn gar hyperphyōs exochōtatēn ischyn einai diebebaiouto, sterrotēta dianoias meta philosophias, hētis esti tou alēthous kai tou agathou gnōsis, ethizousa kai tous meta dikaiosynēs ploutountas koinōnein tōn parontōn tois penichroterois philanthrōpǭ dianemēsei, dynasteian panti tropǭ kōlyōn, deiknys te hoti, hōsper metriois prosēlthen, houtō metrious kataleipsei tous aphentas charizomenos, kai hoti tǭ tōn anthrōpōn genei to prooimion tou zēn apo te endeias kai gymnotētos, kai hē teleutē hōsautōs eis endeian apoteleutą kai gymnotēta, monēn phaskōn einai pasēs axian epimeleias tēn aretēn. tautēn oun chrēnai parēngeile timan, hōs tēn sōtērian tēs psychēs en tǭ tēs aristēs aretēs oiaki kathidrymenēn, askein dʼ exairetōs eusebeian kai sōphrosynēn kai hēmerotēta. tautēn gar einai tēn methodon antitetagmenēn panti tǭ kata ton bion hēmōn klydōni. toigartoi toutois autois kai toutōn paraplēsiois pleiosi parangelmasi tas psychas tōn mathētōn katēchēsas, hina mē monon parangeliais rhētais alla kai ergǭ tēn ōphelimōtatēn epitēdeusin methelthoien, ēgen autous hēgemoneuōn dia makras tinos kai aoikētou poreias anydrou te kai diakekaumenēs psammou. hēgeito de kai dia kymatōn mainomenēs thalattēs hypo te anemōn agriōtheisēs kai anteiche ta kymata pheronta antitypōs theou te kai dikaiōn andrōn poreuomenōn ichnē,
So he visited the sick, relieved the infirm of the evils that beset them, consoled those who had come to the extreme of poverty and want, praised moderation joined with reason and prudence, and commanded them to bear nobly and patiently every outrage and every contempt, teaching that the Father's watchfulness is such that those who bear what befalls them with magnanimity always conquer. For he affirmed that this is a supremely excellent strength: firmness of mind with philosophy, which is the knowledge of the true and the good; accustoming those who are rich with justice to share what they have with the poorer by kindly distribution, forbidding domination in every way, and showing that, as he came to the lowly, so he will leave lowly those who give freely (the clause is obscure in the Greek); and that for the human race the beginning of life is from want and nakedness, and the end likewise ends in want and nakedness, saying that virtue alone is worthy of all care. He commanded, then, that it be honoured, since the salvation of the soul is set at the helm of the best virtue, and that piety, self-control and gentleness be practised above all; for this is the method set against every storm of our life. Then, having instructed the souls of his disciples with these and many similar precepts, so that they might pursue the most beneficial practice not only through spoken precepts but also in deed, he led them, going before them, on a long and uninhabited journey through waterless and scorched sand. He led them also through the waves of a raging sea, made savage by winds; and the waves, bearing firmly, held up the footsteps of God and of the righteous men walking,
Matt 25:36 (echo, low confidence) · Job 1:21 (echo, low confidence) · 1 Tim 6:7 (echo, medium confidence) · 1 Tim 6:17–18 (echo, low confidence) · Matt 14:22–33 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ cared for the sick and poor, taught patience, generosity and that virtue alone matters, and trained his disciples by leading them through desert and over the raging sea.
- 'We come naked and leave naked' recalls Job 1:21 and 1 Tim 6:7. The walk on the sea recalls Matt 14:22–33. The sentence continues in 15.3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter-shape slip; OCR slip; OCR slip (η for γ); OCR slips; hyphenation rejoined; OCR slips; hyphenation rejoined; letter-shape slip; letter-shape slip; hyphenation rejoined; line-end hyphenation rejoined): λόηου → λόγου; ἀνεξεκάκως → ἀνεξικάκως; προςέ- ταξε → προσέταξε; δικαιοςύνης πλουτοῦντας κοινωνεῖω → δικαιοσύνης πλουτοῦντας κοινωνεῖν; προςῆλθεν → προσῆλθεν; γυμ- νότητος → γυμνότητος; γυμνό- τητα → γυμνότητα; ταύ- την οὖν → ταύτην οὖν; εὐσέ- βειαν καὶ σωφροςύνην → εὐσέβειαν καὶ σωφροσύνην; τού- τοις αὐτοῖς καὶ τούτων παραπλγςίοις → τούτοις αὐτοῖς καὶ τούτων παραπλησίοις.
Topics: Ethics, Christology
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 15.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/15-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/15-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
15.3Heikel
τοιαύτῃ δὴ καὶ τοσαύτῃ πείρᾳ δοκιμάσας τὴν πίστιν τῶν ὑπηκόων δήμων παρεσκεύαζεν αὐτοὺς οὐ μόνον τῶν δεινῶν τε καὶ φοβερῶν καταφρονητάς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν ἐλπίδος γνησιωτάτους μαθητάς. καὶ δή ποτε λίαν εἴξαντα θυμῷ τινα τῶν ἑταίρων καθαπτόμενος λόγοις κατέστειλεν· ἐτύγχανε δʼ ἐκεῖνος ξιφήρη τινὰ ἐπιφοιτῶντα ἑαυτῷ ξίφει πειρώμενος ἀμύνεσθαι, ὡς μὴ παρούσης αὐτῷ τῆς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἐπικουρίας· τοῦτον δὴ μένειν κατὰ σχολὴν ἐκέλευσε καὶ μεθιέναι τὸ ξίφος, ἐγκαλῶν ὡς ἀπελπίσαντι τῆς πρὸς αὐτὸν καταφυγῆς, νομοθετῶν δὲ διαρρήδην πάντα τὸν ἀδίκων χειρῶν κατάρξαντα ἢ πρὸς τὸν καταρξάμενον ἀδικεῖν ἐπιχειρήσαντα ξίφει τε χρησάμενον ἀπολεῖσθαι βιαίως.
toiautę̄ dē kai tosautę̄ peirą dokimasas tēn pistin tōn hypēkoōn dēmōn pareskeuazen autous ou monon tōn deinōn te kai phoberōn kataphronētas, alla kai tēs eis auton elpidos gnēsiōtatous mathētas. kai dē pote lian eixanta thymǭ tina tōn hetairōn kathaptomenos logois katesteilen; etynchane dʼ ekeinos xiphērē tina epiphoitōnta heautǭ xiphei peirōmenos amynesthai, hōs mē parousēs autǭ tēs tou sōtēros epikourias; touton dē menein kata scholēn ekeleuse kai methienai to xiphos, enkalōn hōs apelpisanti tēs pros auton kataphygēs, nomothetōn de diarrēdēn panta ton adikōn cheirōn katarxanta ē pros ton katarxamenon adikein epicheirēsanta xiphei te chrēsamenon apoleisthai biaiōs.
and having tested the faith of the peoples who obeyed him by such and so great a trial, he made them not only despisers of terrors and fears but also most genuine disciples of hope in him. And once he restrained with words one of his companions who had given way too much to anger; for that man was trying to defend himself with a sword against a swordsman who attacked him, as though the Saviour's help were not present to him. He commanded him to stay quiet and put away the sword, rebuking him as one who had despaired of refuge in him, and laying down plainly that everyone who begins with unjust hands, or who attempts to wrong the one who began it, and uses the sword, will perish by violence.
Matt 26:51–52 (allusion, high confidence) · John 18:10–11 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ rebuked the disciple who drew a sword at his arrest, teaching that whoever takes the sword will perish by it.
- The arrest: Matt 26:51–52; John 18:10–11. ἐλπίλος is a slip for ἐλπίδος; ἐπολεῖσθαι for ἀπολεῖσθαι.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (λ for δ); OCR slips; hyphenation rejoined; OCR slip; line-end hyphenation rejoined): παρ- εσκεύαζεν → παρεσκεύαζεν; καταφρο- νητάς → καταφρονητάς; ἐλπίλος → ἐλπίδος; ξεφήρη τινὰ ἐπιφοιτῶντα ἑαυτῷ ξίφει πειρύμενος → ξιφήρη τινὰ ἐπιφοιτῶντα ἑαυτῷ ξίφει πειρώμενος; σω- τῆρος → σωτῆρος; μεθ- ιέναι → μεθιέναι; κατα- φυγῆς, νομοεθετῶν → καταφυγῆς, νομοθετῶν; κατ- άρξαντα → κατάρξαντα; χρηςάμενον ἐπολεῖσθαι → χρησάμενον ἀπολεῖσθαι.
Topics: Christology, Ethics, War and military service
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 15.3 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/15-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/15-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
15.4Heikel
ἥδε ἐστὶν ὡς ἀληθῶς ἡ οὐράνιος σοφία αἱρεῖσθαι τὸ ἀδικεῖσθαι πρὸ τοῦ ἀδικεῖν, καὶ γενομένης ἀνάγκης ἑτοίμως ἔχειν κακῶς πάσχειν μᾶλλον ἢ ποιεῖν· μεγίστου γὰρ ὄντος τοῦ ἀδικεῖν κακοῦ, οὐχ ὁ ἀδικούμενος ἀλλʼ ὁ ἀδικῶν τῇ μεγίστῃ περιβέβληται τιμωρίᾳ. τῷ δʼ ὑπηκόῳ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐξῆν μήτε ἀδικεῖν μήτε ἀδικεῖσθαι, θαρρήσαντι τῇ προστασίᾳ τοῦ παρόντος καὶ ἐπικουροῦντος ἀεὶ θεοῦ πρὸς τὸ μηδένα τῶν ὑπηκόων αὐτοῦ βλαβῆναι. πῶς δʼἂν αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ τὰ κάλλιστα συνεβούλευσεν, ἢ οἶον παραιτησάμενος τὴν τοῦ θεοῦ βοήθειαν ᾠήθη δεῖν αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ βοηθεῖν; μάχη δʼ ἦν μεταξὺ δυοῖν καὶ ἀμφίβολον τὸ τῆς νίκης· οὐδεὶς δʼ εὖ φρονῶν τὰ ἀμφίβολα πρὸ τῶν ἀραρότων προαιρεῖται. πῶς δὲ ἔμελλε περὶ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ παρουσίας καὶ βοηθείας ἀμφιβάλλειν ὁ τοσούτων μὲν ἐν πείρᾳ γενόμενος κινδύνων ἀεὶ δʼ εὐχερῶς ῥυσθεὶς ἀπὸ τῶν δεινῶν μόνῳ θεοῦ νεύματι, ὁ διὰ θαλάσσης ὁδοιπορήσας παραγγέλματι τοῦ σωτῆρος καταστορεσθείσης καὶ στερεᾶν παρασχομένης ὁδὸν τοῖς διαποντίοις δήμοις; αὕτη γὰρ οἶμαι προφανὴς ὑποβάθρα πίστεως καὶ θεμέλιος οὗτος πεποιθήσεως, ἡνίκα ἂν τὰ θαυμαστὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἄπιστα γινόμενα καὶ ἐπιτελούμενα ἱστορῶμεν τῇ τοῦ προνοοῦντος κελεύσει. ἐντεῦθεν δὲ καὶ τὸ μὴ μεταμέλειν ἐπὶ τῇ πίστει παραγίνεται, ἡνίκα ἄν τις προσπίπτῃ πείρᾳ κακῶν, καὶ τὸ ἄτρεπτον ἔχειν τὴν πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἐλπίδα· ταύτης γὰρ τῆς ἕξεως ἐγγενομένης τῇ ψυχῇ, ἵδρυται κατὰ τὴν διάνοιαν ὁ θεός· ἀήττητος δʼ οὗτος, οὐδὲ ἡ ψυχὴ ἄρα τὸ ἀήττητον ἔχουσα κατὰ τὴν ἑαυτῆς διάνοιαν ὑπὸ τῶν περιεστώτων κακῶν κρατηθήσεται. πείρᾳ δὲ τοῦτο μεμαθήκαμεν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ νίκης, ὃς τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν πάντων πρόνοιαν ποιούμενος ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν ἀσεβῶν ἀδικίας ἐμπαροινηθείς, μηδεμίαν ἐκ τοῦ παθήματος καρπωσάμενος βλάβην, μέγιστα νικητήρια καὶ ἀίδιόν τινα στέφανον κατὰ τῆς πονηρίας ἀνεδήσατο, ἐπὶ τέλος μὲν ἀγαγὼν τὴν προαίρεσιν τῆς αὐτοῦ προνοίας καὶ στοργῆς τῆς περὶ τοὺς δικαίους, συντρίψας δὲ τὴν τῶν ἀδίκων τε καὶ ἀσεβῶν ὠμότητα.
hēde estin hōs alēthōs hē ouranios sophia haireisthai to adikeisthai pro tou adikein, kai genomenēs anankēs hetoimōs echein kakōs paschein mallon ē poiein; megistou gar ontos tou adikein kakou, ouch ho adikoumenos allʼ ho adikōn tę̄ megistę̄ peribeblētai timōrią. tǭ dʼ hypēkoǭ tou theou exēn mēte adikein mēte adikeisthai, tharrēsanti tę̄ prostasią tou parontos kai epikourountos aei theou pros to mēdena tōn hypēkoōn autou blabēnai. pōs dʼan autos heautǭ ta kallista synebouleusen, ē oion paraitēsamenos tēn tou theou boētheian ǭēthē dein autos heautǭ boēthein? machē dʼ ēn metaxy dyoin kai amphibolon to tēs nikēs; oudeis dʼ eu phronōn ta amphibola pro tōn ararotōn proaireitai. pōs de emelle peri tēs tou theou parousias kai boētheias amphiballein ho tosoutōn men en peirą genomenos kindynōn aei dʼ eucherōs rhystheis apo tōn deinōn monǭ theou neumati, ho dia thalassēs hodoiporēsas parangelmati tou sōtēros katastorestheisēs kai sterean paraschomenēs hodon tois diapontiois dēmois? hautē gar oimai prophanēs hypobathra pisteōs kai themelios houtos pepoithēseōs, hēnika an ta thaumasta tauta kai apista ginomena kai epiteloumena historōmen tę̄ tou pronoountos keleusei. enteuthen de kai to mē metamelein epi tę̄ pistei paraginetai, hēnika an tis prospiptę̄ peirą kakōn, kai to atrepton echein tēn pros ton theon elpida; tautēs gar tēs hexeōs engenomenēs tę̄ psychę̄, hidrytai kata tēn dianoian ho theos; aēttētos dʼ houtos, oude hē psychē ara to aēttēton echousa kata tēn heautēs dianoian hypo tōn periestōtōn kakōn kratēthēsetai. peirą de touto memathēkamen ek tēs tou theou nikēs, hos tēn hyper tōn pantōn pronoian poioumenos hypo tēs tōn asebōn adikias emparoinētheis, mēdemian ek tou pathēmatos karpōsamenos blabēn, megista nikētēria kai aidion tina stephanon kata tēs ponērias anedēsato, epi telos men agagōn tēn proairesin tēs autou pronoias kai storgēs tēs peri tous dikaious, syntripsas de tēn tōn adikōn te kai asebōn ōmotēta.
This is truly the heavenly wisdom: to choose to suffer wrong rather than to do wrong, and, when necessity arises, to be ready to suffer evil rather than to do it. For since doing wrong is the greatest evil, not the one wronged but the one who does wrong is encompassed by the greatest punishment. But for one obedient to God it was possible neither to do wrong nor to suffer it, trusting in the protection of God, who is always present and helping, so that none of those obedient to him is harmed. How could he have counselled himself best, or why, refusing God's help, did he think he must help himself? There was a fight between two, and the victory doubtful; and no one of sound mind prefers the doubtful to the certain. How could one doubt God's presence and help who had experienced so many dangers and had always been easily rescued from terrors by God's nod alone, who had walked through the sea, made smooth by the Saviour's command and offering a firm road to the peoples crossing it? For this, I think, is the plain foundation of faith and the ground of confidence, when we relate that these marvellous and incredible things were done and accomplished at the command of the one who provides. From this too comes not repenting of faith when one meets the trial of evils, and keeping one's hope in God unchanged; for when this habit is formed in the soul, God is established in the mind; and he is unconquerable, so the soul too, having the unconquerable in its own mind, will not be overcome by the evils that beset it. We have learned this by experience from the victory of God, who, exercising providence for all and outraged by the injustice of the impious, suffering no harm from the passion, bound on the greatest prizes and an eternal crown over wickedness, bringing to completion the purpose of his providence and his love for the righteous, and crushing the cruelty of the unjust and impious.
1 Cor 6:7 (echo, medium confidence) · Exod 14:21–22 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Heavenly wisdom is to suffer wrong rather than do it; trusting God, who rescued his people at sea and conquered through the passion, the believer is unconquerable.
- 'Better to suffer wrong than to do it' recalls Plato, Gorg. 469b–c, and 1 Cor 6:7. The crossing of the sea recalls Exod 14 and the walk on the water. Constantine's statement that God suffered no harm from the passion is translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter-shape slip; OCR slip; OCR slip (κ for χ); OCR slip (ξ for φ); OCR slip; hyphenation rejoined; OCR slips; OCR slips in breathing; letter-shape slip; hyphenation rejoined; line-end hyphenation rejoined): σοξία → σοφία; ἀ- τάγκης → ἀνάγκης; μεγέστου γὰρ → μεγίστου γὰρ; τῇ μεγέστῃ → τῇ μεγίστῃ; προσταςίᾳ → προστασίᾳ; βλα- βῆναι → βλαβῆναι; παραιτηςάμενος → παραιτησάμενος; παρουςίας καὶ βοηθείας ἀμφιβάλ- λειν → παρουσίας καὶ βοηθείας ἀμφιβάλλειν; εὐκερῶς → εὐχερῶς; ἂρα τὸ ἀήττητον ἒχουσα → ἄρα τὸ ἀήττητον ἔχουσα; ἐμπαροινηθείας → ἐμπαροινηθείς; καρπωςάμενος → καρπωσάμενος; προςίρεσιν τῆς αὐτοῦ προνοίας καὶθ → προαίρεσιν τῆς αὐτοῦ προνοίας καὶ.
Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Gorg. 469b-c (Plato (works); echo)
Topics: Ethics, Christology, Suffering and affliction, Providence
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 15.4 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/15-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/15-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
Chapter 16
16.1Heikel
Ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν πάθημα ἐκείνου ὑπὸ τῶν προφητῶν ἤδη προκεκήρυκτο, προκεκήρυκτο δὲ καὶ ἡ σωματικὴ γένεσις αὐτοῦ, προείρητο δὲ καὶ ὁ καιρὸς τῆς ἐνσωματώσεως, φανερὰ δʼ ἦν καὶ ἡ αἰτία τῆς σαρκώσεως αὐτοῦ, ὅπως τὰ ἐκ τῆς ἀδικίας τε καὶ ἀκολασίας ἐκφύοντα γεννήματα, λυμαινόμενα τοῖς δικαίοις ἔργοις καὶ τρόποις, ἀναιρεθείη, πᾶσα δὲ ἡ οἰκουμένη φρονήσεώς τε καὶ σωφροσύνης μετάσχοι, ἐπικρατήσαντος σχεδὸν ἐν ταῖς πάντων ψυχαῖς τοῦ θεσπισθέντος ὑπὸ τοῦ σωτῆρος νόμου, καὶ θεοσεβείας μὲν ῥωσθείσης, δεισιδαιμονίας δὲ ἐξαλειφθείσης, διʼ ἣν οὐ μόνον ἀλόγων ζώων σφαγαί, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνθρωπίνων ἱερευμάτων θυσίαι καὶ ἐναγῆ μιάσματα βωμῶν ἐπενοήθη, κατὰ τε Αἰγυπτίους καὶ Ἀσσυρίους νόμους χαλκηλάτοις ἢ καὶ πλαστοῖς ἰνδάλμασιν σφαγιαζόντων ψυχὰς δικαίας.
Alla to men pathēma ekeinou hypo tōn prophētōn ēdē prokekērykto, prokekērykto de kai hē sōmatikē genesis autou, proeirēto de kai ho kairos tēs ensōmatōseōs, phanera dʼ ēn kai hē aitia tēs sarkōseōs autou, hopōs ta ek tēs adikias te kai akolasias ekphyonta gennēmata, lymainomena tois dikaiois ergois kai tropois, anairetheiē, pasa de hē oikoumenē phronēseōs te kai sōphrosynēs metaschoi, epikratēsantos schedon en tais pantōn psychais tou thespisthentos hypo tou sōtēros nomou, kai theosebeias men rhōstheisēs, deisidaimonias de exaleiphtheisēs, diʼ hēn ou monon alogōn zōōn sphagai, alla kai anthrōpinōn hiereumatōn thysiai kai enagē miasmata bōmōn epenoēthē, kata te Aigyptious kai Assyrious nomous chalkēlatois ē kai plastois indalmasin sphagiazontōn psychas dikaias.
His passion had already been foretold by the prophets; foretold too his bodily birth; the time of his embodiment had been announced; and the cause of his incarnation was plain: that the offspring growing out of injustice and licentiousness, which defiled just deeds and ways, might be destroyed, and the whole inhabited world might share in prudence and self-control, the law laid down by the Saviour having prevailed in almost all souls, godliness being strengthened and superstition wiped out, through which not only slaughters of irrational animals but also sacrifices of human victims and accursed defilements of altars had been devised, as people, according to the laws of the Egyptians and Assyrians, slaughtered righteous souls to bronze or moulded images.
Notes and citation
Summary: The prophets foretold Christ's passion, birth and time; he became flesh to destroy vice and superstition, including the human sacrifices of Egypt and Assyria.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR garbled word; OCR letter-shape slip; OCR slips): ἀκολαςίας ἐκφύοντα γεννήματα, λαυμαινόμενα → ἀκολασίας ἐκφύοντα γεννήματα, λυμαινόμενα; σωφροςύνης μετάσχοι → σωφροσύνης μετάσχοι; φυχαπῖς → ψυχαῖς.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 16.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/16-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/16-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.
16.2Heikel
τοιγάρτοι καρπὸν ἄραντο τὸν προσήκοντα τῇ τοιαύτῃ θρησκείᾳ Μέμφις καὶ Βαβυλών, ἐρημωθεῖσαι καὶ ἀοίκητοι καταλειφθεῖσαι μετὰ τῶν πατρῴων θεῶν. καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐξ ἀκοῆς λέγω, ἀλλʼ αὐτός τε παρὼν καὶ ἱστορήσας ἐπόπτης τε γενόμενος τῆς οἰκτρᾶς τῶν πόλεων τύχης. Μέμφις ἔρημος, ἐν ᾗ Μωϋσῆς κατὰ τὴν θείαν πρόσταξιν τὴν τοῦ δυνατωτάτου τότε Φαραῶνος ὑπεροψίαν κατέθραυσε, τόν τε στρατὸν αὐτοῦ πολλῶν καὶ μεγίστων ἐθνῶν νικηφόρον πεφραγμένως τε καθωπλισμένον οὐ βελῶν τοξεύμασιν οὐδʼ ἀκοντίων ῥιπαῖς μόνῃ δʼ ὁσίᾳ προσευχῇ καὶ ἡμέρῳ λιτανείᾳ καθεῖλεν.
toigartoi karpon aranto ton prosēkonta tę̄ toiautę̄ thrēskeią Memphis kai Babylōn, erēmōtheisai kai aoikētoi kataleiphtheisai meta tōn patrǭōn theōn. kai tauta ouk ex akoēs legō, allʼ autos te parōn kai historēsas epoptēs te genomenos tēs oiktras tōn poleōn tychēs. Memphis erēmos, en hę̄ Mōÿsēs kata tēn theian prostaxin tēn tou dynatōtatou tote Pharaōnos hyperopsian katethrause, ton te straton autou pollōn kai megistōn ethnōn nikēphoron pephragmenōs te kathōplismenon ou belōn toxeumasin oudʼ akontiōn rhipais monę̄ dʼ hosią proseuchę̄ kai hēmerǭ litaneią katheilen.
Accordingly Memphis and Babylon reaped the fruit fitting such worship, made desolate and left uninhabited with their ancestral gods. And I say this not from hearsay, but having been present myself and inquired, and having become an eyewitness of the pitiable fate of the cities. Memphis is desolate, where Moses, at God's command, broke the arrogance of Pharaoh, then most powerful, and destroyed his army, victorious over many great nations and strongly armed, not with showers of arrows nor volleys of javelins, but by holy prayer alone and gentle supplication.
Exod 14:10–31 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Memphis and Babylon, centres of idolatry, lie desolate, as Constantine saw himself; at Memphis Moses overthrew Pharaoh by prayer alone.
- Constantine claims to have seen Memphis and Babylon himself, perhaps as a young man in Diocletian's train. The overthrow of Pharaoh: Exod 14.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slips; OCR stray accent): καρπὸς ἄραντο τὸν προςήκοντα → καρπὸν ἄραντο τὸν προσήκοντα; καταλείφθεῖσαι → καταλειφθεῖσαι.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Constantine, Or. sanct. coet. 16.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/16-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum/16-2
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-constantine-oratio-sanctorum-coetum-16-2) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from Heikel's Greek (GCS 7, 1902; noisy digital text, OCR slips corrected and logged); compared afterwards with the public-domain English of NPNF² 1 (Richardson, 1890), which condenses some passages; those were checked against the Greek only.