Tricennial Oration (In Praise of Constantine) 9.1–11.17
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 9
9.1Heikel
Ὥρα δʼ οὖν τὰ νέα τοῖς παλαιοῖς ἀντιπαραβάλλειν καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τὰ κρείττω ῥοπὴν ἐκ τῆς τῶν χειρόνων ἀντιπαραθέσεως ἐπισκοπεῖν, διακρίνειν τε καὶ συνορᾶν ὡς πάλαι μὲν πρόπυλα καὶ τεμένη ἄλση τε καὶ ἱερὰ κατὰ πᾶσαν πόλιν αὐτοῖς φιλοπόνων ἐξησκεῖτο ἀναθήμασί τε πάνυ πολλοῖς ἐστεφανοῦντο οἱ ναοί.
Hōra dʼ oun ta nea tois palaiois antiparaballein kai tēn epi ta kreittō rhopēn ek tēs tōn cheironōn antiparatheseōs episkopein, diakrinein te kai synoran hōs palai men propyla kai temenē alsē te kai hiera kata pasan polin autois philoponōn exēskeito anathēmasi te pany pollois estephanounto hoi naoi.
It is time, then, to compare the new with the old, to see the turn to better things by contrast with the worse, and to discern and observe how formerly gateways and precincts, groves and shrines were elaborately built for them in every city, and the temples were crowned with very many offerings.
Notes and citation
Summary: Eusebius turns to compare the old pagan order with the new.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter-shape slip; line-end hyphenation rejoined): τε- μένη → τεμένη; ἀναθήμαςί → ἀναθήμασί.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-1
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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).
9.2Heikel
καὶ θεῶν μὲν πολὺς ἦν ὁ παρὰ τοῖς τότε τυράννοις λόγος, ἔθνη τε καὶ δῆμοι κατʼ ἀγροὺς καὶ κατὰ πάντα τόπον ἤδη τε κατʼ οἴκους ἐν αὐτοῖς αὐτῶν ταμείοις τε καὶ θαλάμοις βωμοῖς καὶ ἀγάλμασιν ἐτίμων τὰ πάτρια, τῆς δʼ εὐσεβείας αὐτοῖς ὁ καρπὸς οὐ τὰ νῦν ὀφθαλμοῖς ὁρώμενα τῆς πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὑπῆρχεν εἰρήνης, πάντα δὲ τἀναντία τούτοις, πόλεμοι καὶ μάχαι καὶ στάσεις· αἷς διὰ παντὸς τοῦ βίου κατατριβόμενοι αἵμασι καὶ φόνοις ἐμφυλίοις τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἐπλήρουν χώρας.
kai theōn men polys ēn ho para tois tote tyrannois logos, ethnē te kai dēmoi katʼ agrous kai kata panta topon ēdē te katʼ oikous en autois autōn tameiois te kai thalamois bōmois kai agalmasin etimōn ta patria, tēs dʼ eusebeias autois ho karpos ou ta nyn ophthalmois horōmena tēs pros allēlous hypērchen eirēnēs, panta de tanantia toutois, polemoi kai machai kai staseis; hais dia pantos tou biou katatribomenoi haimasi kai phonois emphyliois tas heautōn eplēroun chōras.
And the tyrants of that time made much of the gods; nations and peoples in the country and in every place, and even in their houses, in their storerooms and bedchambers, honoured the ancestral gods with altars and statues. Yet the fruit of their piety was not what is now seen with our eyes, peace with one another, but everything opposite to it: wars, battles and factions; worn out by these through their whole lives, they filled their own lands with blood and civil slaughter.
Notes and citation
Summary: Under the old gods the empire knew not peace but constant war and civil bloodshed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR doubled letter): πολλὺς → πολὺς.
Topics: Paganism
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-2
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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).
9.3Heikel
οἱ τʼ αὖ πρὸς αὐτῶν τιμώμενοι μαντείας μὲν καὶ χρησμοὺς καὶ μελλόντων προγνώσεις σὺν κολακείᾳ πολλῇ τοῖς τότε κρατοῦσιν ἐπηγγέλλοντο, τὸν δὲ σφῶν ὄλεθρον οὐκ ἔγνωσαν προγνῶναι οὐδὲ προφῆσαι σφίσιν αὐτοῖς, ὅ δὴ καὶ μέγιστον γένοιτʼ ἄν δεῖγμα τοῦ τῆς ἀπάτης ἐλέγχου.
hoi tʼ au pros autōn timōmenoi manteias men kai chrēsmous kai mellontōn prognōseis syn kolakeią pollę̄ tois tote kratousin epēngellonto, ton de sphōn olethron ouk egnōsan prognōnai oude prophēsai sphisin autois, ho dē kai megiston genoitʼ an deigma tou tēs apatēs elenchou.
And those honoured by them promised the rulers of the time, with much flattery, divinations and oracles and foreknowledge of the future, but they could not foreknow or foretell their own destruction; which would be the greatest proof of the exposure of the deceit.
Notes and citation
Summary: The oracles flattered rulers with predictions but could not foresee their own ruin.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in accent): κολακεὶᾳ → κολακείᾳ.
Topics: Magic, divination, and astrology
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.3 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-3
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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).
9.4Heikel
οὐδεὶς γοῦν πώποτε τῶν ἐπὶ χρησμοῖς πάλαι θαυμαζομένων τὴν εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἔκλαμψιν τοῦ κοινοῦ σωτῆρος προηγόρευσεν οὐδὲ τὸ νέον κήρυγμα τῆς ὑπʼ αὐτοῦ προβληθείσης θεογνωσίας· ἀλλʼ οὐδ΄ αὐτὸς ὁ Πύθιος συνῆκεν οὐδʼ ἕτερος τῶν μεγαλοδαιμόνων τὴν οἰκείαν ἐρημίαν οὐδὲ τὸν πολιορκητὴν ἐθέσπισεν οὐδὲ τὸν αὐτῶν καθαιρέτην ἐμαντεύσατο.
oudeis goun pōpote tōn epi chrēsmois palai thaumazomenōn tēn eis anthrōpous eklampsin tou koinou sōtēros proēgoreusen oude to neon kērygma tēs hypʼ autou problētheisēs theognōsias; allʼ oud΄ autos ho Pythios synēken oudʼ heteros tōn megalodaimonōn tēn oikeian erēmian oude ton poliorkētēn ethespisen oude ton autōn kathairetēn emanteusato.
Not one of those formerly admired for oracles ever foretold the shining forth of the common Saviour among men, nor the new preaching of the knowledge of God put forth by him. Not even the Pythian himself understood, nor did any other of the great demons prophesy their own desolation, or foretell their besieger, or divine their destroyer.
Notes and citation
Summary: No oracle, not even Apollo's, foretold Christ's coming or their own overthrow.
- 'The Pythian' is Apollo of Delphi.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR dropped letter; OCR letter-shape slip): προγόρευσεν → προηγόρευσεν; θεογνωςίας → θεογνωσίας.
Topics: Magic, divination, and astrology
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.4 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-4
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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).
9.5Heikel
τίς δὲ χρησμῳδὸς ἤ μάντις τὰ μὲν αὐτῶν σεμνὰ νέου τινὸς ἐπιφανέντος τῷ βίῳ σβεσθήσεσθαι, τὴν δ΄ εἰς τὸν πάντων βασιλέα γνῶσίν τε καὶ εὐσέβειαν πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις παραδοθήσεσθαι προηγόρευσεν; τίς τὸ σεμνὸν τοῦτὶ καὶ θεοσεβὲς βασίλειον αὐτόν τε τὸν καλλίνικον ἡμῶν τά τε κατὰ δαιμόνων αὐτῷ πανταχοῦ γῆς ἀνεγηγερμένα τρόπαια καὶ τῶν ὑψηλῶν τὸν ἀφανισμὸν προέγνω;
tis de chrēsmǭdos ē mantis ta men autōn semna neou tinos epiphanentos tǭ biǭ sbesthēsesthai, tēn d΄ eis ton pantōn basilea gnōsin te kai eusebeian pasin anthrōpois paradothēsesthai proēgoreusen? tis to semnon touti kai theosebes basileion auton te ton kallinikon hēmōn ta te kata daimonōn autǭ pantachou gēs anegēgermena tropaia kai tōn hypsēlōn ton aphanismon proegnō?
What oracle-singer or prophet foretold that their sacred things would be extinguished when someone new appeared in life, and that the knowledge and worship of the King of all would be handed on to all people? Who foreknew this venerable and godly reign, and our victorious emperor himself, and the trophies raised by him everywhere on earth against the demons, and the destruction of the high places?
Notes and citation
Summary: No pagan prophet foresaw Constantine's Christian reign or the destruction of the shrines.
- 'High places' (ὑψηλά) is the Septuagint term for idolatrous shrines.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter-shape slip; OCR slip (σ for δ); joined words separated): χρησμῳσὸς → χρησμῳδὸς; βαςίλειον → βασίλειον; καλλίνικονἩμῶν → καλλίνικον ἡμῶν.
Topics: Magic, divination, and astrology
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.5 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-5
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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).
9.6Heikel
τὴν δὲ διὰ πυρὸς χωνείαν καὶ τὴν ἐξ ἀχρήστου ἰδέας εἰς ἀναγκαίας χρήσεις τῶν ἀψύχων μεταβολὴν τίς πώποτε ἡρώων διεστείλατο; χωνευομένων δʼ αὐτοῖς τῶν ξοάνων εἰς λεπτόν τε γελοίως κατακοπτομένων τίς πώποτε θεῶν ἐμνημόνευσεν;
tēn de dia pyros chōneian kai tēn ex achrēstou ideas eis anankaias chrēseis tōn apsychōn metabolēn tis pōpote hērōōn diesteilato? chōneuomenōn dʼ autois tōn xoanōn eis lepton te geloiōs katakoptomenōn tis pōpote theōn emnēmoneusen?
Who of the heroes ever announced the melting down by fire and the change of lifeless objects from a useless form to necessary uses? When their wooden images were being melted down and ridiculously chopped into small pieces, which of the gods ever made mention of it?
Notes and citation
Summary: No god foresaw or prevented the melting and chopping up of their images.
- The digital text repeats a clause ('when their wooden images ... which of the gods'); the repetition is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (dittography in the digital text): ξοάνων εἰς λεπτόν τε γελοίως κατακοπτομένων τίς πώποτε θεῶν ξοάνων → ξοάνων.
Topics: Idolatry
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.6 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-6
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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).
9.7Heikel
ποῖ δʼ ἦσαν οἱ τούτων ἀρωγοὶ μὴ οὐχὶ ἐπαμύνειν τοῖς αὐτῶν ἀφιερώμασιν ὑπʼ ἀνθρώπων ἀφανιζομένοις; σφῶν πολιορκητὰς ἐν βαθυτάτῃ διατελοῦντας εἰρήνῃ θεώμενοι; ποὶ δὲ οἱ τούτοις ὡς θεοῖς ἐπιθαρσοῦντες καὶ πεποιθήσει ματαίᾳ τοὺς λογισμοὺς ἐπαιρόμενοι, οἱ τὴν μὲν πλάνην εἰς ὕψος ἐγείραντες πόλεμον δʼ ἀκήρυκτον κατὰ τῶν προμάχων τῆς ἀληθείας ἀράμενοι;
poi dʼ ēsan hoi toutōn arōgoi mē ouchi epamynein tois autōn aphierōmasin hypʼ anthrōpōn aphanizomenois? sphōn poliorkētas en bathytatę̄ diatelountas eirēnę̄ theōmenoi? poi de hoi toutois hōs theois epitharsountes kai pepoithēsei mataią tous logismous epairomenoi, hoi tēn men planēn eis hypsos egeirantes polemon dʼ akērykton kata tōn promachōn tēs alētheias aramenoi?
Where were their helpers, that they did not defend their own offerings being destroyed by men? when they saw their besiegers living in the deepest peace? Where were those who trusted in these as gods and lifted up their thoughts in vain confidence, who raised error on high and waged undeclared war against the champions of the truth?
Notes and citation
Summary: The idols' defenders, who had persecuted the Christians, were nowhere to be found.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR garbled word; OCR slip (τ for π); line-end hyphenation rejoined): διατελοπυντας → διατελοῦντας; τεποιθήσει → πεποιθήσει; ἐπαιρό- μενοι → ἐπαιρόμενοι.
Topics: Persecution
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.7 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-7
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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).
9.8Heikel
ποῖ τὸ τῶν θεομάχων γιγάντων στῖφος καὶ τῶν δρακόντων τὰ συρίγματα, οἵ τὰς γλώττας ἀκονήσαντες φωνὰς ἀθέους κατὰ τοῦ παμβασιλέως ἠφίεσαν; ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν ὅλων πεπολεμωμένοι πολυπληθείᾳ θεῶν θαρροῦντες, σὺν πολλῇ δυνάμει χειρὸς στρατιωτικῆς ἐπῄεσαν, νεκρῶν εἴδωλα καμόντων ἐν ἀψύχοις ἀγάλμασι προβεβλημένοι, ὁ δʼ εὐσεβείας θώρακι πεφραγμένος τὸ σωτήριον καὶ ζωοποιὸν σημεῖον ὥσπερ τι φόβητρον καὶ κακῶν ἀμυντήριον τῷ πλήθει τῶν ἐναντίων ἀντιπαρατάξας, ὁμοῦ τὴν κατʼ ἐχθρῶν καὶ κατὰ δαιμόνων νίκην ἀπηνέγκατο, εἶτʼ εὐγνώμονι λογισμῷ χαριστήριον ἀποδιδοὺς εὐχὴν τῷ τῆς νίκης αἰτίῳ φωνῇ μεγάλῃ καὶ στήλαις ἅπασιν ἀνθρώποις τὸ νικοποιὸν ἀνεκήρυττεν σημεῖον, μέσῃ τῇ βασιλευούσῃ πόλει μέγα τρόπαιον τοῦτὶ κατὰ πάντων πολεμίων ἐγείρας, διαρρήδην τε ἀνεξάλειπτον σωτήριον τουτὶ σημεῖον τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἀρχῆς καὶ τῆς καθόλου βασιλείας φυλακτήριον.
poi to tōn theomachōn gigantōn stiphos kai tōn drakontōn ta syrigmata, hoi tas glōttas akonēsantes phōnas atheous kata tou pambasileōs ēphiesan? allʼ hoi men tǭ basilei tōn holōn pepolemōmenoi polyplētheią theōn tharrountes, syn pollę̄ dynamei cheiros stratiōtikēs epę̄esan, nekrōn eidōla kamontōn en apsychois agalmasi probeblēmenoi, ho dʼ eusebeias thōraki pephragmenos to sōtērion kai zōopoion sēmeion hōsper ti phobētron kai kakōn amyntērion tǭ plēthei tōn enantiōn antiparataxas, homou tēn katʼ echthrōn kai kata daimonōn nikēn apēnenkato, eitʼ eugnōmoni logismǭ charistērion apodidous euchēn tǭ tēs nikēs aitiǭ phōnę̄ megalę̄ kai stēlais hapasin anthrōpois to nikopoion anekērytten sēmeion, mesę̄ tę̄ basileuousę̄ polei mega tropaion touti kata pantōn polemiōn egeiras, diarrēdēn te anexaleipton sōtērion touti sēmeion tēs Rhōmaiōn archēs kai tēs katholou basileias phylaktērion.
Where is the band of God-fighting giants, and the hissing of dragons, who sharpened their tongues and let loose godless words against the King of all? They, at war with the King of all, trusting in a multitude of gods, advanced with a great power of military force, holding before them images of the dead in lifeless statues. But he, fortified with the breastplate of godliness, set against the multitude of his opponents the saving and life-giving sign as a terror and a defence against evils, and won the victory over enemies and demons together. Then, rendering with grateful mind the thanksgiving prayer to the cause of the victory, he proclaimed the victorious sign to all people with a loud voice and with monuments, raising this great trophy against all enemies in the middle of the ruling city, and expressly decreeing that this saving sign is the indelible safeguard of the Roman Empire and of the whole kingdom.
Eph 6:14 (echo, medium confidence) · Ps 140:3 (139:4 LXX) (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Against persecutors who trusted in many gods Constantine set the saving sign of the cross, won the victory, and raised it as a trophy in Rome.
- 'Breastplate' echoes Eph 6:14. The trophy in the ruling city is the statue in Rome holding the cross (Hist. eccl. 9.9.10–11; Life of Constantine 1.40). 'Sharpened their tongues' echoes Ps 140:3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR dropped letter): στρατιωτικῆ ἐπῄεσαν → στρατιωτικῆς ἐπῄεσαν.
Extrabiblical texts: Eusebius, Hist. eccl. 9.9.10-11 (Church History; allusion); Eusebius, Vit. Const. 1.40 (Life of Constantine; allusion)
Topics: The sign of the cross
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.8 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-8
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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).
9.9Heikel
τοῦτο μὲν δὴ γνωρίζειν ἅπαντας ἐδίδασκεν ἀνθρώπους, πρό γε πάντων τὰ στρατιωτικά, οὕς δὴ μάλιστα χρῆναι μὴ δόρασι καὶ παντευχίαις μηδʼ ἀλκῇ σωμάτων τὰς ἐλπίδας ἐξάπτειν, τὸν δʼ ἐπὶ πάντων εἰδέναι θεόν, τὸν παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ καὶ αὐτῆς νίκης δοτῆρα.
touto men dē gnōrizein hapantas edidasken anthrōpous, pro ge pantōn ta stratiōtika, hous dē malista chrēnai mē dorasi kai panteuchiais mēdʼ alkę̄ sōmatōn tas elpidas exaptein, ton dʼ epi pantōn eidenai theon, ton pantos agathou kai autēs nikēs dotēra.
He taught all people to recognize this, above all the soldiers, who most of all ought not to hang their hopes on spears and armour or on bodily strength, but to know the God over all, the giver of every good and of victory itself.
Ps 33:16–17 (32:16-Ps LXX) (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine taught his soldiers to trust not in arms but in God, the giver of victory.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.9 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-9
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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).
9.10Heikel
οὕτω δὴ βασιλεὺς αὐτός, ὤ τῆς παραδόξου ἀκοῆς, τε εὐσεβεῖς θεσμοῖς ἀκολούθως παρεδίδου θείοις, ἄνω μὲν αἴροντας εἰς οὐρανὸν μετεώρους τὰς χεῖρας, ἀνωτάτω δʼ ἐπὶ τὸν ἐπουράνιον βασιλέα τοὺς τῆς διανοίας παραπέμποντας ὀφθαλμούς, κἀκεῖνον ταῖς εὐχαῖς νίκης δοτῆρα σωτῆρα φύλακά τε καὶ βοηθὸν ἐπιβοωμένους· ναὶ μὴν καὶ ἡμέραν εὐχῶν ἡγεῖσθαι κατάλληλον τὴν κυρίαν ἀληθῶς καὶ πρώτην ὄντως κυριακήν τε καὶ σωτήριον, τὴν δὴ καὶ φωτός καὶ ζωῆς, ἀθανασίας τε καὶ ἀγαθοῦ παντὸς ἐπώνυμον.
houtō dē basileus autos, ō tēs paradoxou akoēs, te eusebeis thesmois akolouthōs paredidou theiois, anō men airontas eis ouranon meteōrous tas cheiras, anōtatō dʼ epi ton epouranion basilea tous tēs dianoias parapempontas ophthalmous, kakeinon tais euchais nikēs dotēra sōtēra phylaka te kai boēthon epiboōmenous; nai mēn kai hēmeran euchōn hēgeisthai katallēlon tēn kyrian alēthōs kai prōtēn ontōs kyriakēn te kai sōtērion, tēn dē kai phōtos kai zōēs, athanasias te kai agathou pantos epōnymon.
So the emperor himself (O marvellous report!) handed on pious ordinances in keeping with the divine laws: that they should lift up their hands on high to heaven, send the eyes of the mind higher still to the heavenly King, and in their prayers call on him as giver of victory, Saviour, guardian and helper; and also that they should regard as the fitting day for prayers the one that is truly the lord and first day, the Lord's and saving day, named indeed after light and life, immortality and every good.
1 Tim 2:8 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine taught his soldiers to pray with raised hands and to keep Sunday as the day of prayer.
- On Constantine's soldiers' prayer and Sunday, see Life of Constantine 4.18–20. The text reads τε εὐσεβεῖς, probably for τοῖς στρατιώταις or similar; translated by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter-shape slip): ἀθαναςίας → ἀθανασίας.
Extrabiblical texts: Eusebius, Vit. Const. 4.18-20 (Life of Constantine; allusion)
Topics: Prayer, The Lord's day and the Sabbath
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.10 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-10
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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).
9.11Heikel
αὐτὸς τε αὐτοῦ διδάσκαλος ἀγαθῶν ὑποστάς, ἐν αὐτοῖς βασιλικοῖς ταμείοις τὸν αὐτοῦ σωτῆρα γεραίρων, ὧδε μὲν εὐχαῖς θεσμοὺς ἐξετέλει θείους, ὡδε δὲ λόγων ἱερῶν ἀκοαῖς τὸν νοῦν ἐξεπαιδεύετο, διάκονοι δʼ αὐτῷ καὶ ὑπηρέται θεῷ καθιερωμένοι, βίου τε σεμνότητι καὶ ἀρετῇ κεκοσμημένοι ἄνδρες, φύλακες τοῦ παντὸς οἴκου καθίσταντο, καὶ δορυφόροι δὲ πιστοί, σωματοφύλακες τρόποις εὐνοίας ἀγαθῆς καθωπλισμένοι, βασιλέα διδάσκαλον θεοσεβοῦς ἐπεγράφοντο βίου.
autos te autou didaskalos agathōn hypostas, en autois basilikois tameiois ton autou sōtēra gerairōn, hōde men euchais thesmous exetelei theious, hōde de logōn hierōn akoais ton noun exepaideueto, diakonoi dʼ autǭ kai hypēretai theǭ kathierōmenoi, biou te semnotēti kai aretę̄ kekosmēmenoi andres, phylakes tou pantos oikou kathistanto, kai doryphoroi de pistoi, sōmatophylakes tropois eunoias agathēs kathōplismenoi, basilea didaskalon theosebous epegraphonto biou.
And he himself, becoming his own teacher of good things, honoured his Saviour in the very royal chambers: here he carried out divine ordinances with prayers, there he trained his mind by hearing the sacred words. His ministers and attendants, men consecrated to God and adorned with dignity of life and virtue, were appointed guardians of the whole household; and faithful guards, bodyguards armed with the ways of good loyalty, acknowledged the emperor as the teacher of a godly life.
Notes and citation
Summary: In the palace Constantine prayed and heard Scripture, and his household was staffed by devout men.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray letter): ξδιδάσκαλος → διδάσκαλος.
Topics: Prayer, Scripture and canon
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.11 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-11
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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).
9.12Heikel
ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς τὸ νικοποιὸν ἐτίμα σημεῖον, ἔργῳ τὴν πεῖραν τῆς ἐν αὐτῷ θεότητος μαθών· καὶ γὰρ δὴ τούτῳ πλήθη πολεμίου στρατιᾶς ὑπεχώρει, τούτῳ θεομάχων μεγαλαυχίαι καθῃροῦντο, τούτῳ δυσφήμων καὶ δυσσεβῶν γλῶτται κατεσιγάζοντο, τούτῳ βάρβαρα φῦλα καθυπετάττετο, τούτῳ δυνάμεις ἀφανῶν δαιμόνων ἠλαύνοντο, τούτῳ παιδιαὶ δεισιδαίμονος ἀπάτης ἠλέγχοντο, τούτῳ τὸ πάντων ἀγαθῶν τέλος οἷόν τι χρέος βασιλεὺς ἀποδιδοὺς ἁπανταχοῦ γῆς στήλας ἐπινικίους ἱδρύετο, πλουσίᾳ καὶ βασιλικῇ χειρὶ νεὼς καὶ τεμένη ἱερά τε προσευκτήρια συνίστασθαι τοῖς πᾶσι διακελευόμενος.
ho de basileus to nikopoion etima sēmeion, ergǭ tēn peiran tēs en autǭ theotētos mathōn; kai gar dē toutǭ plēthē polemiou stratias hypechōrei, toutǭ theomachōn megalauchiai kathę̄rounto, toutǭ dysphēmōn kai dyssebōn glōttai katesigazonto, toutǭ barbara phyla kathypetatteto, toutǭ dynameis aphanōn daimonōn ēlaunonto, toutǭ paidiai deisidaimonos apatēs ēlenchonto, toutǭ to pantōn agathōn telos hoion ti chreos basileus apodidous hapantachou gēs stēlas epinikious hidryeto, plousią kai basilikę̄ cheiri neōs kai temenē hiera te proseuktēria synistasthai tois pasi diakeleuomenos.
The emperor honoured the victorious sign, having learned by deed the proof of the divinity in it. For by it the multitudes of the enemy army gave way, by it the boasts of the God-fighters were cast down, by it the tongues of blasphemers and impious men were silenced, by it barbarian tribes were subdued, by it the powers of invisible demons were driven off, by it the childish games of superstitious deceit were exposed. By it the emperor, rendering as a debt the end of all good things, set up monuments of victory everywhere on earth, commanding all with rich and royal hand to build temples, sacred precincts and houses of prayer.
Notes and citation
Summary: The cross brought Constantine victory over enemies and demons, and in thanks he ordered churches built everywhere.
- 'The end of all good things' is a literal rendering of τὸ πάντων ἀγαθῶν τέλος; the sense may be 'the fulfilment of every good' owed to God.
Topics: Church buildings
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.12 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-12
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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).
9.13Heikel
ὑψοῦτο δὲ παραχρῆμα μέσαις αὐταῖς ἐπαρχίαις τε καὶ πόλεσι βασιλικῆς μεγαλονοίας μεγαλουργήματα, ἐν ὀλίγῳ τε ταῦτα κατὰ πᾶν ἔθνος διέλαμπεν, ἀθέου τυραννίδος τὸν ἔλαχον ἐφελκόμενα· οἱ μὲν γὰρ ψυχῆς ἀπονοίᾳ πρὸ μικροῦ θεομαχεῖν ὡρμημένοι κυνῶν δίκην λυττῶντες κατὰ τῶν ἀψύχων οἰκοδομημάτων, ὅτι μὴ κατʼ αὐτοῦ θεοῦ δυνατὸν ἠν αὐτοῖς, τοὺς θυμοὺς ἠφίεσαν, εἶτʼ ἐξ ὕψους εἰς ἔδαφος καταρρίπτοντες ἐξ αὐτῶν τε βάθρων ἀνασκάπτοντες τὰ προσευκτήρια ἑαλωκυίας ὑπὸ πολεμίων πόλεως παρεῖχον θέαν. καὶ τοῦτ΄ ἠν αὐτοῖς τῶν κακῶν τὸ δρᾶμα, διʼ οὗ τὸ θεῖον ὥσπερ ἀμυνόμενοι τῆς φρενοβλαβείας αὐτίκα τὴν πεῖραν ἐλάμβανον. οὔπω δʼ οὖν αὐτοῖς βραχὺς διῄει χρόνος, καὶ μιᾷ ῥιπῇ θεηλάτου καταιγίδος ἀφανεῖς ἐποίει, ὡς μὴ γένος, μὴ σπέρμα, μηδέ τι λείψανον τῆς αὐτῶν μνήμης ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἀπολειφθῆναι ἄρδην δʼ ἐν βραχεῖ τοὺς πάντας καίπερ εἰς πλῆθος ἀφωρισμένους θεηλάτοις μάστιξι τιμωρουμένους ἀποσβῆναι. 14 ἀλλʼ οἵδε μὲν θεομάχου λύττης τοιοῦτον εὕραντο τέλος, ὁ δὲ τὸ σωτήριον τρόπαιον προβεβλημένος μόνος αὐτός, οὐ μὴν μόνος συνόντος δὲ καὶ συμπράττοντος αὐτῷ τοῦ μόνου, τῶν μικρῷ πρόσθεν ἑαλωκότων τὰ νέα πολὺ κρείττονα τὰ δεύτερα μακρῷ τῶν πρώτων ἀπέφαινε τιμιώτερα, ὡδε μὲν τὴν ἐπώνυμον αὐτῷ πόλιν διαφόροις ἐκκλησίαις θεοῦ φαιδρύνων, ὡδε δὲ τὴν Βιθυνῶν ἄρχουσαν μεγίστῃ τιμῶν καὶ περικαλλεστάτῃ, καὶ τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν ἐθνῶν τὰς μάλιστα κρατιστευούσας τοῖς ὁμοίοις ἐκόσμει.
hypsouto de parachrēma mesais autais eparchiais te kai polesi basilikēs megalonoias megalourgēmata, en oligǭ te tauta kata pan ethnos dielampen, atheou tyrannidos ton elachon ephelkomena; hoi men gar psychēs aponoią pro mikrou theomachein hōrmēmenoi kynōn dikēn lyttōntes kata tōn apsychōn oikodomēmatōn, hoti mē katʼ autou theou dynaton ēn autois, tous thymous ēphiesan, eitʼ ex hypsous eis edaphos katarriptontes ex autōn te bathrōn anaskaptontes ta proseuktēria healōkuias hypo polemiōn poleōs pareichon thean. kai tout΄ ēn autois tōn kakōn to drama, diʼ hou to theion hōsper amynomenoi tēs phrenoblabeias autika tēn peiran elambanon. oupō dʼ oun autois brachys dię̄ei chronos, kai mią rhipę̄ theēlatou kataigidos aphaneis epoiei, hōs mē genos, mē sperma, mēde ti leipsanon tēs autōn mnēmēs en anthrōpois apoleiphthēnai ardēn dʼ en brachei tous pantas kaiper eis plēthos aphōrismenous theēlatois mastixi timōroumenous aposbēnai. 14 allʼ hoide men theomachou lyttēs toiouton heuranto telos, ho de to sōtērion tropaion probeblēmenos monos autos, ou mēn monos synontos de kai symprattontos autǭ tou monou, tōn mikrǭ prosthen healōkotōn ta nea poly kreittona ta deutera makrǭ tōn prōtōn apephaine timiōtera, hōde men tēn epōnymon autǭ polin diaphorois ekklēsiais theou phaidrynōn, hōde de tēn Bithynōn archousan megistę̄ timōn kai perikallestatę̄, kai tōn de loipōn ethnōn tas malista kratisteuousas tois homoiois ekosmei.
At once the great works of imperial magnanimity rose in the middle of provinces and cities, and in a short time they shone through every nation, bringing with them the refutation of the godless tyranny. For those who a little before, in madness of soul, had rushed to fight against God, raging like dogs, let loose their fury against lifeless buildings, since they could not against God himself; then, throwing down the houses of prayer from on high to the ground and digging them up from their foundations, they presented the sight of a city captured by enemies. This was the drama of their wickedness, for which they at once experienced the divine power, as though avenging itself on their madness. Not even a short time passed, and with one blast of a God-sent storm it made them disappear, so that neither race nor seed nor any remnant of their memory was left among men, but all, though counted in great numbers, were punished by God-sent scourges and utterly extinguished in a short time. [14] Such was the end they found for their God-fighting madness. But he who had set forth the saving trophy alone (yet not alone, since the Only One was with him and working with him) made the new buildings far better than those so recently captured, the second far more honourable than the first: here brightening the city named after him with various churches of God, there honouring the chief city of the Bithynians with one very large and most beautiful, and adorning with similar ones the most powerful cities of the other provinces.
Hag 2:9 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The persecutors who destroyed the churches were swiftly destroyed by God, while Constantine built new churches far finer, in Constantinople, Nicomedia and other chief cities.
- The printed numeral 14 marks section 9.14, which the staging did not separate; it is kept as [14]. The text reads τὸν ἔλαχον, a slip for τὸν ἔλεγχον ('the refutation'). The chief city of Bithynia is Nicomedia.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR garbled word; line-end hyphenation rejoined): δέ οὑ τὸ θεῖον → διʼ οὗ τὸ θεῖον; ἐν ἀν- θρώποις → ἐν ἀνθρώποις.
Topics: Persecution, Church buildings
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.13 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-13
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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).
9.15Heikel
πάντων δʼ ἐξαίρετα δύο τμήματα τῆς ἑῴας ἀπολαβών, τὸ μὲν ἐπὶ τοῦ Παλαιστινῶν ἔθνους ὡς ἂν ἐνθένδε τοῦ ζωοποιοῦ νάματος πηγῆς δίκην ἀνομβρήσαντος εἰς πάντας, τὸ δʼ ἐπὶ τῆς ἀνατολικῆς μητροπόλεως ἣ τὴν ἐπώνυμον Ἀντιόχου κοσμεῖ προσηγορίαν. τῇδε μὲν ὥσπερ ἐν κεφαλῇ τῶν τῇδε ἐθνῶν ἀπάντων θεῖόν τι καὶ μονογενὲς χρῆμα μεγέθους ἕνεκα καὶ καλλονῆς ἀφιέρου· μακροῖς ἔξωθεν περιβόλοις τὸν πάντα νεὼν περιλαμβάνων, εἴσω δὲ τὸ ἀνάκτορον εἰς ἀμήχανον ἐπαίρων ὕψος, ἐν ὀκταέδρου μὲν σχήματι κατεποίκιλλεν, οἴκοις δὲ τοῦτο πλείοσιν ἐξέδραις τε ἐν κύκλῳ περιστοιχισάμενος, παντοίοις ἐστεφάνου κάλλεσιν.
pantōn dʼ exaireta dyo tmēmata tēs heǭas apolabōn, to men epi tou Palaistinōn ethnous hōs an enthende tou zōopoiou namatos pēgēs dikēn anombrēsantos eis pantas, to dʼ epi tēs anatolikēs mētropoleōs hē tēn epōnymon Antiochou kosmei prosēgorian. tę̄de men hōsper en kephalę̄ tōn tę̄de ethnōn apantōn theion ti kai monogenes chrēma megethous heneka kai kallonēs aphierou; makrois exōthen peribolois ton panta neōn perilambanōn, eisō de to anaktoron eis amēchanon epairōn hypsos, en oktaedrou men schēmati katepoikillen, oikois de touto pleiosin exedrais te en kyklǭ peristoichisamenos, pantoiois estephanou kallesin.
Choosing out two parts of the East above all, one in the province of Palestine, since from there the life-giving stream gushed forth to all like a spring, and the other in the eastern metropolis that bears the name of Antiochus, in the latter, as at the head of all the provinces there, he dedicated a divine and unique work for its size and beauty. Surrounding the whole temple outside with long enclosures, and raising the sanctuary within to an immense height, he built it in the form of an octagon, and, surrounding it all round with many chambers and exedras, crowned it with every kind of beauty.
Notes and citation
Summary: In Antioch Constantine built a great octagonal church.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (φ for ψ); OCR slip in breathing): ὥσπερ έν κεφαλῇ → ὥσπερ ἐν κεφαλῇ; ἀμήχανον ἐπαίρων ὕφος → ἀμήχανον ἐπαίρων ὕψος.
Topics: Church buildings
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.15 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-15
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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).
9.16Heikel
τάδε μὲν οὖν ὡδε συνετελεῖτο, τὰ δʼ ἐπὶ τοῦ Παλαιστινῶν ἔθνους τῆς Ἑβραίων βασιλικῆς ἑστίας ἐν μέσῳ κατʼ αὐτὸ δὴ τὸ σωτήριον μαρτύριον οἶκον εὐκτήριον παμμεγέθη νεών τε ἅγιον τῷ σωτηρίῳ σημείῳ πλουσίαις καὶ δαψιλέσι κατεκόσμει φιλοτιμίαις, μνῆμά τε μνήμης αἰωνίου γέμον αὐτό τε τοῦ μεγάλου σωτῆρος τὰ κατὰ τοῦ θανάτου τρόπαια λόγου παντὸς κρείττοσιν ἐτίμα καλλωπίσμασιν.
tade men oun hōde syneteleito, ta dʼ epi tou Palaistinōn ethnous tēs Hebraiōn basilikēs hestias en mesǭ katʼ auto dē to sōtērion martyrion oikon euktērion pammegethē neōn te hagion tǭ sōtēriǭ sēmeiǭ plousiais kai dapsilesi katekosmei philotimiais, mnēma te mnēmēs aiōniou gemon auto te tou megalou sōtēros ta kata tou thanatou tropaia logou pantos kreittosin etima kallōpismasin.
These were completed in this way. In the province of Palestine, in the middle of the royal seat of the Hebrews, at the very saving witness itself, he adorned with rich and lavish munificence a vast house of prayer and holy temple to the saving sign; and he honoured with adornments beyond all description the tomb full of everlasting memory and the very trophies of the great Saviour over death.
Notes and citation
Summary: In Jerusalem Constantine built a great church at the place of the cross and adorned Christ's tomb.
- The 'saving witness' (μαρτύριον) is the place of the crucifixion and resurrection; the church is the Martyrium of the Holy Sepulchre (Life of Constantine 3.25–40).
Extrabiblical texts: Eusebius, Vit. Const. 3.25-40 (Life of Constantine; allusion)
Topics: Church buildings
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.16 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-16
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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).
9.17Heikel
τρεῖς δʼ ἀπολαβὼν ἐν τῇδε χώρας τρισὶν ἄντροις μυστικοῖς τετιμημένας, πλουσίαις ταύτας οἰκοδομαῖς ἐκόσμει, τῷ μὲν τῆς πρώτης ἄντρῳ τὰ τῆς καταλλήλου νέμων τιμῆς, τῷ δὲ τῆς ὑστάτης ἀναλήψεως τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀκρωρείας μνήμην σεμνύνων, τῷ δὲ μέσῳ τοῦ παντὸς ἀγῶνος τὰς σωτηρίους ἀνυψῶν νίκας. ταῦτα δὴ πάντα βασιλεὺς ἐκόσμει τὸ σωτήριον εἰς ἅπαντας ἀνακηρύττων σημεῖον·
treis dʼ apolabōn en tę̄de chōras trisin antrois mystikois tetimēmenas, plousiais tautas oikodomais ekosmei, tǭ men tēs prōtēs antrǭ ta tēs katallēlou nemōn timēs, tǭ de tēs hystatēs analēpseōs tēn epi tēs akrōreias mnēmēn semnynōn, tǭ de mesǭ tou pantos agōnos tas sōtērious anypsōn nikas. tauta dē panta basileus ekosmei to sōtērion eis hapantas anakēryttōn sēmeion;
Taking three places in that land honoured by three mystic caves, he adorned them with rich buildings: to the cave of the first manifestation he gave fitting honour; at the cave of the final ascension he exalted the memorial on the mountain ridge; and at the middle one he raised high the saving victories of the whole contest. All these the emperor adorned, proclaiming to all the saving sign.
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine built churches at three caves: of the birth, of the ascension, and of the tomb.
- The three caves are Bethlehem (Christ's birth), the Mount of Olives (the ascension), and the tomb in Jerusalem; compare Life of Constantine 3.41–43. 'First manifestation' renders τῆς πρώτης, the noun being understood.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (ο for σ)): μυοτικοῖς → μυστικοῖς.
Extrabiblical texts: Eusebius, Vit. Const. 3.41-43 (Life of Constantine; allusion)
Topics: Christology, Church buildings
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.17 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-17
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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).
9.18Heikel
τὸ δὲ τῆς εὐσεβείας αὐτῷ τὰ ἀμοιβαῖα δωρούμενον οἶκον ἅπαντα καὶ γένος αὔξει, θρόνον τε βασιλείας μακραῖς ἐτῶν περιόδοις κρατύνει, παισὶν ἀγαθοῖς καὶ αὐτοῦ γένει διαδοχαῖς τε τούτων τοὺς τῆς ἀρετῆς καρποὺς ταμιευόμενον.
to de tēs eusebeias autǭ ta amoibaia dōroumenon oikon hapanta kai genos auxei, thronon te basileias makrais etōn periodois kratynei, paisin agathois kai autou genei diadochais te toutōn tous tēs aretēs karpous tamieuomenon.
And the sign, giving him the rewards of his piety, increases his whole house and family, strengthens the throne of his kingdom for long periods of years, storing up the fruits of virtue for his good sons, his family and their successors.
Notes and citation
Summary: In return God blesses Constantine's house and dynasty.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR misplaced accent): περίοδοις → περιόδοις.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.18 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-18
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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).
9.19Heikel
καὶ δὴ τοῦτʼ ἦν τὸ φέριστον τῆς τοῦ τιμωμένου δυνάμεως δεῖγμα, ὅτι δὴ δικαιοσύνης ἐξ ἴσου νέμων τὰ τάλαντα τὴν κατʼ ἀξίαν ἀμοιβὴν ἑκατέρῳ τάγματι προσῆγεν. διὸ τοῖς μὲν τοὺς εὐκτηρίους οἴκους πολιορκήσασι παρὰ πόδας εἵπετο τἀπίχειρα τῆς δυσσεβείας, ἄρριζοί τε καὶ ἄοικοι ἀνέστιοί τε καὶ ἀφανεῖς καθίσταντο παραχρῆμα· ὁ δὲ τὸν αὐτοῦ δεσπότην παντοίοις τρόποις εὐσεβείας τιμῶν, καὶ τοτὲ μὲν οἴκους αὐτῷ βασιλικοὺς ἀνυψῶν, τοτὲ δὲ τοῖς ἁπανταχοῦ γῆς ἀφιερώμασι τοῖς ἀρχομένοις ἀναφαίνων, εἰκότως αὐτὸν οἴκου, βασιλείας καὶ γένους σωτῆρα καὶ φρουρὸν εὕρατο. ὡδε θεοῦ κατεφαίνοντο πράξεις διʼ ἐνθέου ἀρετῆς τοῦ σωτηρίου σημείου,
kai dē toutʼ ēn to pheriston tēs tou timōmenou dynameōs deigma, hoti dē dikaiosynēs ex isou nemōn ta talanta tēn katʼ axian amoibēn hekaterǭ tagmati prosēgen. dio tois men tous euktērious oikous poliorkēsasi para podas heipeto tapicheira tēs dyssebeias, arrizoi te kai aoikoi anestioi te kai aphaneis kathistanto parachrēma; ho de ton autou despotēn pantoiois tropois eusebeias timōn, kai tote men oikous autǭ basilikous anypsōn, tote de tois hapantachou gēs aphierōmasi tois archomenois anaphainōn, eikotōs auton oikou, basileias kai genous sōtēra kai phrouron heurato. hōde theou katephainonto praxeis diʼ entheou aretēs tou sōtēriou sēmeiou,
And this was the best proof of the power of the one honoured: that, weighing equally the scales of justice, he gave to each rank the reward it deserved. Therefore those who besieged the houses of prayer were followed at once by the wages of their impiety, and were made rootless and homeless, without hearth and vanished; while he, who honoured his Master with every kind of piety, now raising royal houses to him, now displaying him to his subjects by offerings everywhere on earth, fittingly found in him the saviour and guard of his house, his kingdom and his family. Thus the acts of God were made manifest through the divine virtue of the saving sign,
Notes and citation
Summary: God rewarded each justly: the destroyers of churches perished, and Constantine, who honoured God, was protected with his house.
- The sentence continues in 10.1.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 9.19 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/9-19
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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).
Chapter 10
10.1Heikel
οὑ δὴ πέρι μακρὸς ἂν εἴη λόγος μύσταις θεολόγων ἀνδρῶν παραδεδομένος· καὶ γὰρ ἠν τουτὶ σωτήριον ἀληθῶς, θαῦμα μὲν εἰπεῖν πολὺ δὲ θαυμάσιον ἐννοῆσαι, ὡς πάντα μὲν τὰ ἐξ αἰῶνος περὶ θεῶν ἐψευσμένα μόνον ἐπὶ γῆς ἐκάλυψεν ὀφθὲν καὶ σκότῳ μὲν καὶ λήθῃ παραδέδωκεν τὴν πλάνην, φῶς δὲ νοερὸν ψυχαῖς ἀνθρώπων ἐκλάμψαν τὸν μόνον ἀληθῆ τοῖς πᾶσιν ἀνεκάλυψε θεόν.
hou dē peri makros an eiē logos mystais theologōn andrōn paradedomenos; kai gar ēn touti sōtērion alēthōs, thauma men eipein poly de thaumasion ennoēsai, hōs panta men ta ex aiōnos peri theōn epseusmena monon epi gēs ekalypsen ophthen kai skotǭ men kai lēthę̄ paradedōken tēn planēn, phōs de noeron psychais anthrōpōn eklampsan ton monon alēthē tois pasin anekalypse theon.
about which a long account would be handed down to initiates by men versed in theology. For this was truly saving, a wonder to say and far more wonderful to conceive: that, appearing alone on earth, it covered all the falsehoods about gods from all ages and gave error over to darkness and oblivion, and shining an intellectual light into human souls, revealed to all the only true God.
Notes and citation
Summary: The cross alone abolished the lies about the gods and revealed the true God to all.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (ω for ψ)): ἐκλάμωαν → ἐκλάμψαν.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 10.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/10-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/10-1
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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).
10.2Heikel
διὸ δὴ πᾶς ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον μεταβαλὼν νεκρῶν μὲν εἰδώλων καταπτύει προσώποις, πατεῖ δʼ ἄθεσμα δαιμόνων θέσμια, καὶ παλαιᾶς ἀπάτης πατροπαραδότου καταγελᾶ. λόγων δʼ ἱερῶν ἁπανταχοῦ διατριβὰς ἄνθρωποι συστησάμενοι ᾠ σωτηρίοις μαθήμασιν ἐκπαιδεύονται, ὡς μηκέτι τὴν ὁρωμένην σαρκὸς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐπτοῆσθαι κτίσιν μηδʼ ἄνω βλέποντας ἥλιον καὶ σελήνην καὶ ἀστέρας μέχρι τούτων ἱστάναι τὸ θαῦμα, τὸν δὲ τούτων ἐπέκεινα, τὸν ἀφανῆ καὶ ἀόρατον κτίστην τῶν ὅλων ὁμολογεῖν, μόνον αὐτὸν σέβειν δεδιδαγμένους.
dio dē pas epi to kreitton metabalōn nekrōn men eidōlōn kataptyei prosōpois, patei dʼ athesma daimonōn thesmia, kai palaias apatēs patroparadotou katagela. logōn dʼ hierōn hapantachou diatribas anthrōpoi systēsamenoi ǭ sōtēriois mathēmasin ekpaideuontai, hōs mēketi tēn horōmenēn sarkos ophthalmois eptoēsthai ktisin mēdʼ anō blepontas hēlion kai selēnēn kai asteras mechri toutōn histanai to thauma, ton de toutōn epekeina, ton aphanē kai aoraton ktistēn tōn holōn homologein, monon auton sebein dedidagmenous.
Therefore everyone who has turned to the better spits on the faces of dead idols, tramples on the lawless laws of demons, and laughs at the old deceit handed down from the fathers. People everywhere have established schools of sacred words and are trained in saving teachings, so that they are no longer excited by the creation seen with the eyes of the flesh, and, looking up at the sun and moon and stars, do not stop their wonder at these, but confess the One beyond them, the unseen and invisible Creator of all, having been taught to worship him alone.
Rom 1:20 (echo, medium confidence) · Rom 1:25 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Converts despise the idols, learn Scripture, and worship not the heavenly bodies but their invisible Creator.
- Compare Rom 1:20, 25. The text has ᾠ for καὶ or a similar word; translated by sense.
Topics: Scripture and canon, Idolatry
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 10.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/10-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/10-2
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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).
10.3Heikel
τοσούτων δῆτα παραίτιον ἀγαθῶν ἀνθρώποις τὸ μέγα τουτὶ καὶ παράδοξον ἀναπέφανται σημεῖον, διʼ οὗ τὰ μὲν οὐκέτʼ ἔστιν ὅσα φαῦλα, τὰ πρὶν οὐκ ὄντα νῦν παρὰ τοῖς πᾶσιν ἀκτῖσιν εὐσεβείας ἐκλάμπει.
tosoutōn dēta paraition agathōn anthrōpois to mega touti kai paradoxon anapephantai sēmeion, diʼ hou ta men ouketʼ estin hosa phaula, ta prin ouk onta nyn para tois pasin aktisin eusebeias eklampei.
Of so many good things for mankind this great and marvellous sign has been shown to be the cause, through which all that was bad no longer exists, and what formerly did not exist now shines among all with the rays of godliness.
Notes and citation
Summary: The cross has been the cause of countless benefits to humanity.
- ἀβαθῶν is a slip for ἀγαθῶν ('good things'); translated by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (β for γ)): ἀβαθῶν → ἀγαθῶν.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 10.3 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/10-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/10-3
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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).
10.4Heikel
λόγοι δʼ οὖν καὶ μαθήματα καὶ προτροπαὶ σώφρονος καὶ θεοσεβοῦς βίου εἰς ἐξάκουστον πᾶσιν ἔθνεσι κηρύττονται, κηρύττει τε βασιλεὺς αὐτός· τὸ δὲ μέγιστον θαῦμα ὅτι δὴ τοσοῦτος βασιλεὺς μεγίστῃ φωνῇ τῷ παντὶ κόσμῳ οἷά τις ὑποφήτης τοῦ παμβασιλέως θεοῦ κέκραγεν, πάντας ὁμοῦ τοὺς ὑπʼ αὐτῷ ποιμαινομένους ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ ὄντος γνῶσιν ἀνακαλούμενος.
logoi dʼ oun kai mathēmata kai protropai sōphronos kai theosebous biou eis exakouston pasin ethnesi kēryttontai, kēryttei te basileus autos; to de megiston thauma hoti dē tosoutos basileus megistę̄ phōnę̄ tǭ panti kosmǭ hoia tis hypophētēs tou pambasileōs theou kekragen, pantas homou tous hypʼ autǭ poimainomenous epi tēn tou ontos gnōsin anakaloumenos.
Words and teachings and exhortations to a sober and godly life are proclaimed in the hearing of all nations, and the emperor himself proclaims them. And the greatest marvel is that so great an emperor has cried out with the loudest voice to the whole world, like an interpreter of God the King of all, calling all those shepherded under him to the knowledge of the One who is.
Notes and citation
Summary: The emperor himself preaches godliness to the world, calling all to know God.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in accent): οἱά τις → οἷά τις.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 10.4 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/10-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/10-4
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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).
10.5Heikel
καὶ δὴ μέσοις βασιλείων οἵκοις οὐκ ἔθʼ ὡς τὸ πρὶν ἀνδρῶν ἀθέων φλήναφοι, ἱερεῖς δὲ καὶ θιασῶται θεοῦ βασιλικῆς ὕμνοις εὐσεβείας σεμνυνόμενοι πανηγυρίσουσιν, θεός τε εἷς αὐτὸς ὁ τῶν ὅλων βασιλεὺς εἰς ἅπαντας καταγγέλλεται, ἀγαθῶν τε λόγος εὐαγγελικὸς τῷ τοῦ παντὸς βασιλεῖ τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων συνάπτει γένος, ἵλεων καὶ φίλον τὸν ἐπουράνιον πατέρα τοῖς κατὰ γῆν υἱοῖς εὐαγγελιζόμενος, χοροί τε παντοῖοι ᾠδαῖς ἐπινικίοις γεραίρουσι, καὶ πᾶν τὸ θνητὸν συνηχεῖ τοῖς κατʼ οὐρανὸν ἀγγελικοῖς θιάσοις.
kai dē mesois basileiōn hoikois ouk ethʼ hōs to prin andrōn atheōn phlēnaphoi, hiereis de kai thiasōtai theou basilikēs hymnois eusebeias semnynomenoi panēgyrisousin, theos te heis autos ho tōn holōn basileus eis hapantas katangelletai, agathōn te logos euangelikos tǭ tou pantos basilei to tōn anthrōpōn synaptei genos, hileōn kai philon ton epouranion patera tois kata gēn huiois euangelizomenos, choroi te pantoioi ǭdais epinikiois gerairousi, kai pan to thnēton synēchei tois katʼ ouranon angelikois thiasois.
And in the middle of the imperial palace, no longer, as before, the babblers of godless men, but priests and worshippers of God celebrate, honouring with hymns the royal piety; and one God himself, the King of all, is proclaimed to all; and the good news of good things joins the human race to the King of the universe, announcing the heavenly Father as gracious and friendly to his sons on earth; choirs of every kind honour him with songs of victory, and all that is mortal sounds in harmony with the angelic companies of heaven.
Notes and citation
Summary: In the palace priests now sing hymns, and the gospel joins humanity to God.
Topics: Hymns and singing
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 10.5 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/10-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/10-5
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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).
10.6Heikel
ψυχαί τε λογικαὶ διʼ ὧν περιβέβληνται σωμάτων ὥσπερ διὰ μουσικῶν ὀργάνων τοὺς πρέποντας ὕμνους αὐτῷ καὶ τὰς ὀφειλομένας ἀναπέμπουσι θεολογίας· ὁμοῦ τε τοῖς κατʼ ἀνατολὰς οἰκοῦσιν οἱ τὰ πρὸς δυσμὰς λαχόντες ὑπὸ μίαν καιροῦ ῥοπὴν τοῖς αὐτοῦ μαθήμασιν ἐκπαιδεύονται, τοῖς τε κατὰ μεσημβρίαν οἱ τὴν ἀρκτῴαν διειληφότες λῆξιν σύμφωνα κελαδοῦσι μέλη, τοῖς αὐτοῖς τρόποις τε καὶ λόγοις τὸν θεοσεβῆ μεταδιώκοντες βίον, καὶ ἕνα μὲν τὸν ἐπὶ πάντων θεὸν ἀνευφημοῦντες, ἕνα δὲ τὸν μονογενῆ σωτῆρα πάντων αἴτιον ἀγαθῶν ἐπιγραφόμενοι, ἕνα δὲ καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ γῆς διορθωτὴν βασιλέα παῖδάς τε τούτου θεοφιλεῖς γνωρίζοντες.
psychai te logikai diʼ hōn peribeblēntai sōmatōn hōsper dia mousikōn organōn tous prepontas hymnous autǭ kai tas opheilomenas anapempousi theologias; homou te tois katʼ anatolas oikousin hoi ta pros dysmas lachontes hypo mian kairou rhopēn tois autou mathēmasin ekpaideuontai, tois te kata mesēmbrian hoi tēn arktǭan dieilēphotes lēxin symphōna keladousi melē, tois autois tropois te kai logois ton theosebē metadiōkontes bion, kai hena men ton epi pantōn theon aneuphēmountes, hena de ton monogenē sōtēra pantōn aition agathōn epigraphomenoi, hena de kai ton epi gēs diorthōtēn basilea paidas te toutou theophileis gnōrizontes.
Rational souls, through the bodies in which they are clothed, as through musical instruments, send up to him the fitting hymns and due praises. Those who dwell in the West are taught his lessons at one moment together with those in the East, and those whose lot is in the North sing in harmony with those in the South, pursuing the godly life by the same ways and words, praising one God over all, acknowledging one only-begotten Saviour, the cause of all good things, and recognizing one emperor on earth as corrector, and his sons dear to God.
Notes and citation
Summary: East and West, North and South now praise one God and one Saviour, and acknowledge one emperor and his sons.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slips): δί ὡν περιβέβληνται οωμάτων → διʼ ὧν περιβέβληνται σωμάτων.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 10.6 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/10-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/10-6
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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).
10.7Heikel
ὁ δʼ οἷα σοφὸς κυβερνήτης ὑψίζυγος ὑπὲρ πηδαλίων ὀχούμενος εὐδίᾳ περαίνων οἰακίζει, οὐρίῳ πνεύματι τοὺς ὑπ αὐτῳ πάντας ἐπὶ τὸν ἀσφαλῆ καὶ γαληνὸν ναυστολῶν ὅρμον, θεὸς δὲ αὐτὸς ὁ μέγας βασιλεὺς ἄνωθεν αὐτῷ δεξιὰν χεῖρα προτείνων τέως μὲν ἁπάντων ἐχθρῶν καὶ πολεμίων νικητὴν αὐτὸν καθίστησιν, μακραῖς ἐτῶν περιόδοις τὸ τῆς βασιλείας ἐπαύξων κράτος, μέλλει δὲ καὶ κρειττόνων ἀποφαίνειν κοινωνὸν ἀγαθῶν, ἔργοις εἰς αὐτὸν τὰς οἰκείας πιστούμενος ἐπαγγελίας, ἃς οὐκέθʼ ὁ παρὼν καιρὸς οἷός τε ἐπιτρέπει λέγειν, μένειν δὲ χρὴ τὴν ἐκεῖσε ὅτι δὴ θνητοῖς ὄμμασι καὶ σαρκὸς ἀκοαῖς οὐκ ἔχει φύσιν τὰ θεῖα καταλαμβάνεσθαι.
ho dʼ hoia sophos kybernētēs hypsizygos hyper pēdaliōn ochoumenos eudią perainōn oiakizei, ouriǭ pneumati tous hyp autǭ pantas epi ton asphalē kai galēnon naustolōn hormon, theos de autos ho megas basileus anōthen autǭ dexian cheira proteinōn teōs men hapantōn echthrōn kai polemiōn nikētēn auton kathistēsin, makrais etōn periodois to tēs basileias epauxōn kratos, mellei de kai kreittonōn apophainein koinōnon agathōn, ergois eis auton tas oikeias pistoumenos epangelias, has oukethʼ ho parōn kairos hoios te epitrepei legein, menein de chrē tēn ekeise hoti dē thnētois ommasi kai sarkos akoais ouk echei physin ta theia katalambanesthai.
And he, like a wise helmsman seated high above the rudders, steers in fair weather, sailing all under him with a favourable wind into the safe and calm harbour; and God himself, the great King, stretching out his right hand to him from above, makes him meanwhile victor over all enemies and foes, increasing the power of his reign for long periods of years, and he will also show him a sharer in better good things, confirming his own promises to him by deeds. These the present time does not allow to be told; we must wait for that place, since by nature divine things cannot be grasped by mortal eyes and the hearing of the flesh.
1 Cor 2:9 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Constantine steers the empire like a helmsman under God, who will give him still greater blessings beyond human telling.
- The text reads τὴν ἐκεῖσε (perhaps τὴν ἐκεῖσε μετάστασιν, 'the passage there'); translated by sense. Compare 1 Cor 2:9.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in accent; stray letter): αὐτὸςό ὁ → αὐτὸς ὁ; οἶός τε → οἷός τε.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 10.7 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/10-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/10-7
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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).
Chapter 11
11.1Heikel
Φέρε δή σοι, Νικητὰ Μέγιστε Κωνσταντῖνε, λόγων ἀπορρήτων μυήσεις ἐν τῷ βασιλικῷ τῷδε ἀμφὶ τοῦ παμβασιλέως τῶν ὅλων συγγράμματι παραθώμεθα, οὐ σὲ μυοῦντες τὸν ἐκ θεοῦ σεσοφισμένον οὐδὲ σοὶ τὰ ἀπόρρητα γυμνοῦντες, ᾧ καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἡμετέρων λόγων θεὸς αὐτὸς οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων οὐδὲ διʼ ἀνθρώπου διʼ αὐτοῦ δὲ τοῦ κοινοῦ σωτῆρος καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ σοι πολλαχῶς ἐπιλαμψάσης θεϊκῆς ὄψεως τὰ κρύφια τῶν ἱερῶν ἐξέφηνέν τε καὶ ἀπεκάλυψεν, τοὺς δʼ ἀμαθεῖς ἀνθρώπους εἰς φῶς ἄγοντες καὶ τῶν σῶν τῆς εὐσεβείας ὁσίων ἔργων τὰς ὑποθέσεις καὶ τὰς αἰτίας τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσιν ὑποτιθέμενοι.
Phere dē soi, Nikēta Megiste Kōnstantine, logōn aporrētōn myēseis en tǭ basilikǭ tǭde amphi tou pambasileōs tōn holōn syngrammati parathōmetha, ou se myountes ton ek theou sesophismenon oude soi ta aporrēta gymnountes, hǭ kai pro tōn hēmeterōn logōn theos autos ouk ex anthrōpōn oude diʼ anthrōpou diʼ autou de tou koinou sōtēros kai tēs autou soi pollachōs epilampsasēs theïkēs opseōs ta kryphia tōn hierōn exephēnen te kai apekalypsen, tous dʼ amatheis anthrōpous eis phōs agontes kai tōn sōn tēs eusebeias hosiōn ergōn tas hypotheseis kai tas aitias tois agnoousin hypotithemenoi.
Come then, Victor, Greatest Constantine, let us set before you initiations into secret words in this royal treatise concerning the King of all, not initiating you, who have been made wise by God, nor laying bare the secrets to you, to whom, even before our words, God himself, not from men nor through man, but through the common Saviour himself and the divine vision that has often shone upon you, has shown and revealed the hidden things of the sacred mysteries; but bringing ignorant people into the light, and setting before those who do not know them the reasons and causes of your holy works of piety.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Gal 1:1 (echo, medium confidence) · Gal 1:12 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Addressing Constantine directly, Eusebius will explain to the ignorant the reasons for the emperor's pious works, which God himself revealed to him.
- Chapters 11–18 are generally taken to be a separate speech, probably that 'on Christ's tomb' mentioned in Life of Constantine 4.33 and 4.46, joined to the Tricennial Oration in the manuscripts. 'Not from men nor through man' echoes Gal 1:1. The text reads ὄφεως for ὄψεως ('vision') and αἐτίας for αἰτίας.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip; OCR slip (φ for ψ); joined words separated; breathing; line-end hyphenation rejoined): σεσοφισμέ- νον → σεσοφισμένον; ὄφεως → ὄψεως; εὐσεβείαςόσίων → εὐσεβείας ὁσίων; αἐτίας → αἰτίας.
Extrabiblical texts: Eusebius, Vit. Const. 4.33 (Life of Constantine; allusion)
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.1 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.2Heikel
τὰ μὲν γὰρ εἰς τὴν τοῦ παμβασιλέως θεοῦ θεραπείαν τε καὶ τιμὴν ὁσημέραι καθʼ ὅλης τῆς ἀνθρώπων οἰκουμένης πρὸς τῆς σῆς ἀρετῆς κατορθούμενα πᾶν στόμα θνητῶν ἀνυμνεῖ, τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς ἡμεδαπῆς ἑστίας, φημὶ δὴ τοῦ Παλαιστινῶν ἔθνους, πόλεώς τε τῆσδε, ἔνθεν ὁ σωτήριος λόγος ὥσπερ ἀπὸ πηγῆς εἰς πάντας ἀνώμβρησεν ἀνθρώπους, ἀνατεθέντα τῷ σῷ φύλακί τε καὶ σωτῆρι χαριστήρια, τρόπαιά τε τῆς κατὰ τοῦ θανάτου νίκης ἐν προσευκτηρίων οἴκοις καὶ ναῶν ἀφιερώσασιν ἀνεγηγερμένα, ὑψηλά τε καὶ περικαλλῆ βασιλικῆς διανοίας βασιλικὰ μεγαλυργήματα ἀμφὶ τὸ σωτήριον μαρτύριον τῆς ἀθανάτου μνήμης ἐπεσκευασμένα
ta men gar eis tēn tou pambasileōs theou therapeian te kai timēn hosēmerai kathʼ holēs tēs anthrōpōn oikoumenēs pros tēs sēs aretēs katorthoumena pan stoma thnētōn anymnei, ta epi tēs hēmedapēs hestias, phēmi dē tou Palaistinōn ethnous, poleōs te tēsde, enthen ho sōtērios logos hōsper apo pēgēs eis pantas anōmbrēsen anthrōpous, anatethenta tǭ sǭ phylaki te kai sōtēri charistēria, tropaia te tēs kata tou thanatou nikēs en proseuktēriōn oikois kai naōn aphierōsasin anegēgermena, hypsēla te kai perikallē basilikēs dianoias basilika megalyrgēmata amphi to sōtērion martyrion tēs athanatou mnēmēs epeskeuasmena
For what your virtue accomplishes daily throughout the whole inhabited world for the service and honour of God, the King of all, every mortal mouth hymns. But the things in our own land, I mean the province of Palestine, and in this city, from which the saving Word gushed forth as from a spring to all people, dedicated as thank-offerings to your guardian and Saviour, the trophies of the victory over death raised in houses of prayer and in dedications of temples, the lofty and most beautiful royal works of a royal mind built around the saving witness of immortal memory,
Notes and citation
Summary: The world praises Constantine's works, but the churches he built in Palestine around Christ's tomb are not understood by all.
- 'This city' is Jerusalem; the 'saving witness' (μαρτύριον) is the church of the Holy Sepulchre. The sentence continues in 11.3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in breathing; hyphenation rejoined): έν προσευκ- τηρίων → ἐν προσευκτηρίων.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.2 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.3Heikel
οὐ τοῖς πρόδηλον ἔχει τὴν αἰτίαν, ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν τὰ θεῖα δυνάμει πνεύματος ἐνθέου πεφωτισμένοι ἴσασί τε καὶ γνωρίζουσι, καὶ σὲ τῆς ἐπὶ ταῦτα διανοίας τε καὶ ὁρμῆς οὐκ ἀθεεὶ κεκινημένης ἐνδίκως θαυμάζουσί τε καὶ μακαρίζουσιν, οἱ δὲ τῶν θείων ἀγνώμονες ψυχῆς ἀβλεψίᾳ χλεύην καὶ γέλωτα πλατὺν τίθενται τὸ πρᾶγμα, νεκρῶν σωμάτων μνημεῖα καὶ τάφους τοσούτῳ βασιλεῖ σπουδάζεσθαι ἀπρεπὲς εἶναι καὶ ἀνοίκειον ὑπειληφότες.
ou tois prodēlon echei tēn aitian, allʼ hoi men ta theia dynamei pneumatos entheou pephōtismenoi isasi te kai gnōrizousi, kai se tēs epi tauta dianoias te kai hormēs ouk atheei kekinēmenēs endikōs thaumazousi te kai makarizousin, hoi de tōn theiōn agnōmones psychēs ablepsią chleuēn kai gelōta platyn tithentai to pragma, nekrōn sōmatōn mnēmeia kai taphous tosoutǭ basilei spoudazesthai aprepes einai kai anoikeion hypeilēphotes.
do not have their cause plain to everyone. Those enlightened in divine things by the power of the divine Spirit know and recognize it, and rightly admire and call you blessed for a purpose and impulse toward these things not moved without God. But those ignorant of divine things, through blindness of soul, make the matter an object of mockery and broad laughter, supposing it unbecoming and unfitting for so great an emperor to take trouble over memorials and tombs of dead bodies.
Notes and citation
Summary: The spiritually enlightened admire Constantine's churches, but the ignorant mock him for honouring a tomb.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (δ for κ)): μαδαρίζουσιν → μακαρίζουσιν.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.3 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.4Heikel
εἶτʼ οὐχὶ βέλτιον, φαίη ἄν τις αὐτῶν, τὰ πάτρια φυλάττειν καὶ τοὺς καθʼ ἕκαστον ἔθνος τιμωμένους ἥρωάς τε καὶ θεοὺς εὐμενίζειν μηδὲ ἀποπτύειν αὐτοὺς καὶ φεύγειν τῶν τοιῶνδε συμφορῶν ἕνεκα; ἀλλʼ ἢ κἀκείνους ὁμοίως τῷδε τῆς ὁμοπαθείας χάριν θειάζειν, ἤ εἰ ἀπόβλητοι διὰ τὰς ἀνθρωποπαθείας ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ τούτῳ δίκαιον εἶναι τὴν αὐτὴν ἀπονέμειν ψῆφον. ταῦτα γοῦν αὐτῶν εἴποι τις ἂν εὖ μάλα τὰς ὀφρῦς συνάγων οἰήματί τε δοκησισόφῳ τὸν αὐτοῦ σεμνολογῶν τῦφον.
eitʼ ouchi beltion, phaiē an tis autōn, ta patria phylattein kai tous kathʼ hekaston ethnos timōmenous hērōas te kai theous eumenizein mēde apoptyein autous kai pheugein tōn toiōnde symphorōn heneka? allʼ ē kakeinous homoiōs tǭde tēs homopatheias charin theiazein, ē ei apoblētoi dia tas anthrōpopatheias ekeinoi, kai toutǭ dikaion einai tēn autēn aponemein psēphon. tauta goun autōn eipoi tis an eu mala tas ophrys synagōn oiēmati te dokēsisophǭ ton autou semnologōn typhon.
"Would it not be better," one of them might say, "to keep the ancestral customs and appease the heroes and gods honoured in each nation, and not to spit on them and flee from them because of such misfortunes? Either they too should be deified like this one, for their likeness of sufferings, or, if they are to be rejected because of their human sufferings, it is just to give the same verdict on this one." So one of them might say, drawing his brows close together and solemnly displaying his conceit with self-satisfied opinion.
Notes and citation
Summary: A pagan objector argues that if Christ is worshipped despite his sufferings, the pagan heroes should be too, or neither.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip): συνάγεν → συνάγων.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.4 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.5Heikel
ὅν δὴ συγγνώμης ἀξιῶν τῆς ἀμαθίας οὐ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντα πεπλανημένον ὁ τοῦ παναγάθου πατρὸς φιλάνθρωπος λόγος, διατριβὰς καὶ διδασκαλεῖα καθʼ ὅλης τῆς τῶν ἐθνῶν οἰκουμένης πηξάμενος ἒν τε χώραις καὶ κώμαις ἀγροῖς τε καὶ ἐρημίαις ταῖς θʼ ἀπανταχοῦ πόλεσιν εἰς τὴν τῶν ἐνθέων μαθημάτων παίδευσιν ἀφθόνως ἐπικαλεῖται, Ἕλληνας ὁμοῦ καὶ βαρβάρους, σοφοὺς καὶ ἰδιώτας, πένητας καὶ πλουσίους, οἰκέτας ἅμα δεσπόταις, ἄρχοντας καὶ ἀρχομένους, ἀσεβεῖς ἀδίκους ἀμαθεῖς αἰσχροποιοὺς βλασφήμους ἥκειν καὶ σπεύδειν ἐπὶ τὴν ἔνθεον θεραπείαν οἷα φιλάνθρωπος σωτὴρ καὶ ψυχῶν ἰατρὸς παρακελευόμενος. λαμπραῖς γοῦν φωναῖς προτέρων κακῶν ἀμνηστίαν τοῖς πᾶσιν ἀνακηρύττων ἐβόα· δεῦτε, πρός με", λέγων, „πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες καὶ πεφορτισμένοι, κἀγὼ ἀναπαύσω ὑμᾶς·" αὐθις· „οὐκ ἠλθον καλέσαι δικαίους, ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτωλοὺς εἰς μετάνοιαν·" καὶ προστίθησί γε τὸ αἵτιον φάσκων· „οὐ γὰρ χρείαν ἔχουσιν ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ, ἀλλʼ οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες." καὶ· οὐ βούλομαι τὸν θάνατον τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ, ὡς τὴν μετάνοιαν αὐτοῦ.“
hon dē syngnōmēs axiōn tēs amathias ou monon alla kai panta peplanēmenon ho tou panagathou patros philanthrōpos logos, diatribas kai didaskaleia kathʼ holēs tēs tōn ethnōn oikoumenēs pēxamenos en te chōrais kai kōmais agrois te kai erēmiais tais thʼ apantachou polesin eis tēn tōn entheōn mathēmatōn paideusin aphthonōs epikaleitai, Hellēnas homou kai barbarous, sophous kai idiōtas, penētas kai plousious, oiketas hama despotais, archontas kai archomenous, asebeis adikous amatheis aischropoious blasphēmous hēkein kai speudein epi tēn entheon therapeian hoia philanthrōpos sōtēr kai psychōn iatros parakeleuomenos. lamprais goun phōnais proterōn kakōn amnēstian tois pasin anakēryttōn eboa; deute, pros me", legōn, „pantes hoi kopiōntes kai pephortismenoi, kagō anapausō hymas;" authis; „ouk ēlthon kalesai dikaious, alla hamartōlous eis metanoian;" kai prostithēsi ge to haition phaskōn; „ou gar chreian echousin ischyontes iatrou, allʼ hoi kakōs echontes." kai; ou boulomai ton thanaton tou hamartōlou, hōs tēn metanoian autou.“
But the loving Word of the all-good Father, judging him worthy of pardon for his ignorance, and not him only but everyone in error, having founded schools and places of teaching throughout the whole world of the nations, in countries and villages, in fields and deserts and in cities everywhere, generously calls them to the training of the divine teachings: Greeks and barbarians alike, wise and simple, poor and rich, slaves with masters, rulers and ruled, the impious, the unjust, the ignorant, the doers of shameful things, the blasphemers, urging them to come and hasten to the divine service, as a loving Saviour and physician of souls. With clear voice, proclaiming to all an amnesty for former evils, he cried: "Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest"; again: "I came not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance"; and he adds the reason, saying: "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick"; and: "I do not desire the death of the sinner, so much as his repentance."
Matt 11:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 5:32 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 9:13 (quotation, medium confidence) · Matt 9:12 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezek 33:11 (quotation, medium confidence) · Ezek 18:23 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The Word mercifully calls all people, even the impious and ignorant, to his teaching, as the physician of souls who came for sinners.
- Quotations: Matt 11:28; Luke 5:32 (Matt 9:13); Matt 9:12; Ezek 33:11 (compare 18:23), the last loosely.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in breathing; stray capital): ἄξιῶν → ἀξιῶν; Ψυχῶν ἰατρὸς → ψυχῶν ἰατρὸς.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.5 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.6Heikel
ἐνθένδε μόνῳ τῷ τὰ θεῖα πεπαιδευμένῳ, τὰς αἰτίας ἐκμαθόντι τῆς τῶν προκειμένων σπουδῆς, κρείττονα ἢ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ἐπίπνοιαν τῷ ἡμετέρῳ βασιλεῖ συνομολογεῖν ἔπεισι καὶ τοῦ τρόπου τὸ θεοσεβὲς ἀποθαυμάζειν τήν τε περὶ τὸ μαρτύριον τῆς σωτηρίου ἀθανασίας σπουδὴν οὐκ ἀθεεὶ γεγονέναι πιστεύειν ἐξ ἐπιπνοίας δὲ ἀληθῶς τοῦ κρείττονος, οὗ θεράπων ἀγαθὸς ἀγαθῶν ὑπηρέτης εἶναι σεμνύνεται.
enthende monǭ tǭ ta theia pepaideumenǭ, tas aitias ekmathonti tēs tōn prokeimenōn spoudēs, kreittona ē kata anthrōpon epipnoian tǭ hēmeterǭ basilei synomologein epeisi kai tou tropou to theosebes apothaumazein tēn te peri to martyrion tēs sōtēriou athanasias spoudēn ouk atheei gegonenai pisteuein ex epipnoias de alēthōs tou kreittonos, hou therapōn agathos agathōn hypēretēs einai semnynetai.
From this it follows that only one taught in divine things, who has learned the causes of zeal for what lies before us, will acknowledge in our emperor an inspiration greater than human, will admire the godliness of his character, and will believe that his zeal for the witness of saving immortality came about not without God, but truly by the inspiration of the higher power, whose good servant he is proud to be as a minister of good things.
Notes and citation
Summary: Only those taught by God see that Constantine's zeal for Christ's tomb came from divine inspiration.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR garbled words (Latin letters inside Greek); OCR slips): σπουδr̀ιν οὐκ ἀΜὶ → σπουδὴν οὐκ ἀθεεὶ; χρείττονος, οὑ → κρείττονος, οὗ.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.6 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.7Heikel
ταῦτά σοι, βασιλεῦ μέγιστε, φίλτατα καὶ προσήγορα εἶναι ἀληθῶς πεπεισμένος, τῶν σῶν φιλοθέων ἔργων τοὺς λόγους καὶ τὰς αἰτίας ὁ παρών μοι λόγος εἰς τοὺς πάντας ἐκφῆναι βούλεται, τις εἶναι τῆς σῆς διανοίας καὶ τῆς φιλοθέου ψυχῆς ἄγγελος ὑπάρχειν εὐχόμενος, διδάσκων πάντα ἅ δεῖ καὶ προσήκει παιδεύεσθαι πάντα, ᾧ πόθος ἐστὶ μανθάνειν τῆς τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν θεοῦ δυνάμεως τοὺς λόγους, διʼ οὕς καὶ πάλαι προὼν καὶ τοῦ παντὸς ἐπιμελόμενος ὀψέ ποτε οὐρανόθεν εἰς ἡμᾶς κατῄει, καὶ διʼ οὕς φύσιν ὑπεδύετο, καὶ διʼ οὓς ἐπὶ τὸν θάνατον παρῄει, τῆς τε μετὰ ταῦτα ζωῆς ἀθανάτου καὶ τῆς ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναβιώσεως τὰς αἰτίας οὐ μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ λογικὰς ἀποδείξεις ἐναργῆ τε διδάγματα τοῖς εἰσέτι τούτων δεομένοις ἀναγκαῖα.
tauta soi, basileu megiste, philtata kai prosēgora einai alēthōs pepeismenos, tōn sōn philotheōn ergōn tous logous kai tas aitias ho parōn moi logos eis tous pantas ekphēnai bouletai, tis einai tēs sēs dianoias kai tēs philotheou psychēs angelos hyparchein euchomenos, didaskōn panta ha dei kai prosēkei paideuesthai panta, hǭ pothos esti manthanein tēs tou sōtēros hēmōn theou dynameōs tous logous, diʼ hous kai palai proōn kai tou pantos epimelomenos opse pote ouranothen eis hēmas katę̄ei, kai diʼ hous physin hypedyeto, kai diʼ hous epi ton thanaton parę̄ei, tēs te meta tauta zōēs athanatou kai tēs ek nekrōn anabiōseōs tas aitias ou monon alla kai logikas apodeixeis enargē te didagmata tois eiseti toutōn deomenois anankaia.
Being truly convinced that these things are dearest and most pleasing to you, greatest emperor, my present speech wishes to make known to all the reasons and causes of your God-loving works, praying to be a kind of messenger of your mind and God-loving soul, teaching everything that one who longs to learn the reasons of the power of our Saviour God ought and should be taught: why, though he existed of old and cared for the universe, he at last came down to us from heaven; why he put on a nature; why he went to death; and not only the causes of the immortal life after these things and of the return to life from the dead, but also reasoned demonstrations and clear teachings, necessary for those who still need them.
Notes and citation
Summary: Eusebius will explain why the pre-existent Word came from heaven, became man, died, and rose again.
- 'Our Saviour God' (τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν θεοῦ) refers to Christ. The text reads τις εἶναι, probably for ὥς τις, and ᾠ for ᾧ; translated by sense.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in iota subscript): ᾠ πόθος → ᾧ πόθος.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.7 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.8Heikel
ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ τούτων αὐτῶν ἐνθένδε ποθὲν ἄρξασθαι ὥρα. οἱ τὸ σέβας τοῦ κοσμοποιοῦ καὶ πανηγεμόνος θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων τοῖς πρὸς αὐτοῦ γεννηθεῖσιν ἀντικαταλλαξάμενοι ἥλιόν τε καὶ σελήνην καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τοῦ κόσμου μέρη τά τε πρῶτα στοιχεῖα γῆν, ὕδωρ, ἀέρα, πῦρ, τῇ ἴσῃ προσηγορίᾳ τῷ τούτων ποιητῇ καὶ δημιουργῷ τιμήσαντες καὶ θεοὺς ταῦτα προσειπόντες, ἅ οὐδαμῆ οὐδαμῶς ἦν, ὑπῆρχεν ἂν οὐδʼ ὠνόμαστο, εἰ μὴ τῷ κοσμοποιῷ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγῳ παρέστη οὔ μοι δοκοῦσι τούτων διαφέρειν, ὅσοι τὸν ἀρχιτέκτονα τῶν ἐν τοῖς βασιλικοῖς οἴκοις μεγαλουργημάτων παριόντες ὀρόφους καὶ τοίχους καὶ τὰς ἐν τούτοις πολυχρώμους καὶ πολυανθεῖς γραφὰς χρυσόφορα τε δαιδάλματα καὶ λίθων γλυφὰς ὑπερεκπλήττονται, τούτοις τε αὐτοῖς τῆς τοῦ τεχνίτου σοφίας ἀνατίθενται τὴν ἐπηγορίαν, δέον μὴ τοῖς ὁρωμένοις μόνῳ δὲ τῷ τούτων ἀρχιτέκτονι τὴν τοῦ θαύματος ἐπιγράφειν αἰτίαν, καὶ σοφίας ἔργα τὰ πολλὰ εἶναι ὁμολογεῖν σοφὸν δʼ ἐκεῖνον μόνον τὸν δὴ τοῖς πολλοῖς τοῦ τοιαδὶ εἶναι παρασχόντα αἰτίαν.
alla gar kai toutōn autōn enthende pothen arxasthai hōra. hoi to sebas tou kosmopoiou kai panēgemonos theou tōn holōn tois pros autou gennētheisin antikatallaxamenoi hēlion te kai selēnēn kai ta loipa tou kosmou merē ta te prōta stoicheia gēn, hydōr, aera, pyr, tę̄ isę̄ prosēgorią tǭ toutōn poiētę̄ kai dēmiourgǭ timēsantes kai theous tauta proseipontes, ha oudamē oudamōs ēn, hypērchen an oudʼ ōnomasto, ei mē tǭ kosmopoiǭ tou theou logǭ parestē ou moi dokousi toutōn diapherein, hosoi ton architektona tōn en tois basilikois oikois megalourgēmatōn pariontes orophous kai toichous kai tas en toutois polychrōmous kai polyantheis graphas chrysophora te daidalmata kai lithōn glyphas hyperekplēttontai, toutois te autois tēs tou technitou sophias anatithentai tēn epēgorian, deon mē tois horōmenois monǭ de tǭ toutōn architektoni tēn tou thaumatos epigraphein aitian, kai sophias erga ta polla einai homologein sophon dʼ ekeinon monon ton dē tois pollois tou toiadi einai paraschonta aitian.
But it is time to begin from here. Those who exchanged the worship of God, the maker and ruler of the universe, for the things he had brought into being, honouring the sun and moon and the other parts of the world and the first elements, earth, water, air, fire, with the same name as their maker and creator, and calling them gods (things that would in no way at all have existed, nor been named, had they not been brought forth by the world-making Word of God), seem to me no different from those who pass by the architect of the great works in the royal palace and are utterly amazed at the ceilings and walls and the many-coloured and flowery paintings in them, the gilded carvings and the sculptures of stone, and attribute to these the title of the craftsman's wisdom. They ought to ascribe the cause of the wonder not to the things seen but to their architect alone, and to confess that the many things are works of wisdom, but that he alone is wise who has given the many the cause of being such as they are.
Rom 1:25 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Worshipping the heavenly bodies and elements is like praising a palace's decorations instead of its architect.
- Compare Rom 1:25 ('exchanged ... worshipped the creature').
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip (ο for σ); line-end hyphenation rejoined; stray stop): ὕδωρ. ἀέρα → ὕδωρ, ἀέρα; τι- μήσαντες → τιμήσαντες; χρυοόφορα → χρυσόφορα.
Topics: Idolatry
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.8 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.9Heikel
νηπίων γοῦν κομιδῆ παίδων διαφέροιεν ἂν οὐδὲν καὶ οἱ τῆς ἑπταχόρδου λύρας αὐτὸ αὐτὸ τὸ μουσικὸν ὄργανον ἀλλʼ οὐ τὸν τῆς συντάξεως εὑρέτην τε καὶ ἐπιστήμονα τῆς σοφίας ἀποθαυμάζοντες, ἢ οἱ τὸν ἐν πολέμοις ἀριστέα παριόντες τὸ δὲ δόρυ καὶ τὴν ἀσπίδα ἐπινικίοις κοσμοῦντες στεφάνοις, ἢ οἱ τῷ μεγάλῳ βασιλεῖ τῷ τῆς μεγάλης καὶ βασιλικῆς παραιτίῳ πόλεως ἐξ ἴσου τιμῶντες ἀγορὰς καὶ πλατείας καὶ οἰκοδομήματα τεμένη τε ἄψυχα καὶ γυμνάσια, δέον μὴ κίονας μηδὲ λίθους τὸν δὲ τῶν σοφῶν μεγαλουργὸν καὶ νομοθέτην ὑπερεκπλήττεσθαι.
nēpiōn goun komidē paidōn diapheroien an ouden kai hoi tēs heptachordou lyras auto auto to mousikon organon allʼ ou ton tēs syntaxeōs heuretēn te kai epistēmona tēs sophias apothaumazontes, ē hoi ton en polemois aristea pariontes to de dory kai tēn aspida epinikiois kosmountes stephanois, ē hoi tǭ megalǭ basilei tǭ tēs megalēs kai basilikēs paraitiǭ poleōs ex isou timōntes agoras kai plateias kai oikodomēmata temenē te apsycha kai gymnasia, deon mē kionas mēde lithous ton de tōn sophōn megalourgon kai nomothetēn hyperekplēttesthai.
They would be no different from quite young children, those who admire the seven-stringed lyre, the musical instrument itself, but not the inventor of its arrangement who has the knowledge of the skill; or those who pass by the champion in war and adorn the spear and the shield with victory crowns; or those who honour equally with the great King, the founder of the great royal city, the market-places and streets and buildings, lifeless precincts and gymnasia. One should be amazed not at columns or stones, but at the master-builder and lawgiver of the wise.
Notes and citation
Summary: Like admiring the lyre instead of the musician, or the shield instead of the hero, pagans admire creation instead of its Maker.
- The text repeats αὐτὸ; translated once.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in breathing): ἐξ ἵσου → ἐξ ἴσου.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.9 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.10Heikel
κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ δὴ καὶ τὸ σύμπαν τόδε σαρκὸς ὀφθαλμοῖς θεωμένους οὔτε ἡλίῳ οὔτε σελήνῃ οὔτʼ ἄλλῳ τῶν κατʼ οὐρανὸν ἀναθετέον τὴν αἰτίαν, σοφίας δʼ ἔργα τὰ πάντα προσῆκον ὁμολογεῖν, μηδὲ μὴν ὁμοίως τῷ τούτων ποιητῇ τε καὶ δημιουργῷ τιμᾶν τε καὶ σέβειν, ἐκ δὲ τούτων αὐτῶν τῆς ὄψεως τὸν μηκέτι σώματος ὀφθαλμοῖς μόνῳ δὲ νῷ διαυγεῖ καὶ καθαρῷ νοούμενον τὸν παμβασιλέα θεοῦ λόγον πάσῃ διαθέσει ψυχῆς θεολογεῖν τε καὶ προσκυνεῖν· ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐπὶ ἀνθρώπου σώματι πώποτε τοῦ σοφοῦ καὶ ἐπιστήμονος ὀφθαλμοὺς ἢ κεφαλὴν ἢ χεῖρας ἢ πόδας ἢ τὰς λοιπὰς σάρκας, πολλοῦ δεῖ τὴν ἔξωθεν τοῦ τρίβωνος περιβολὴν σοφὴν ἀνηγόρευσεν, οὐδὲ σοφὰ τῆς οἰκίας τὰ ἔπιπλα οὐδὲ τοῦ φιλοσόφου τὰ ὑπηρετικὰ σκεύη, τὸν δʼ ἀφανῆ καὶ ἀόρατον ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ νοῦν πᾶς τις ἔμφρων θαυμάζει.
kata ta auta dē kai to sympan tode sarkos ophthalmois theōmenous oute hēliǭ oute selēnę̄ outʼ allǭ tōn katʼ ouranon anatheteon tēn aitian, sophias dʼ erga ta panta prosēkon homologein, mēde mēn homoiōs tǭ toutōn poiētę̄ te kai dēmiourgǭ timan te kai sebein, ek de toutōn autōn tēs opseōs ton mēketi sōmatos ophthalmois monǭ de nǭ diaugei kai katharǭ nooumenon ton pambasilea theou logon pasę̄ diathesei psychēs theologein te kai proskynein; epei kai epi anthrōpou sōmati pōpote tou sophou kai epistēmonos ophthalmous ē kephalēn ē cheiras ē podas ē tas loipas sarkas, pollou dei tēn exōthen tou tribōnos peribolēn sophēn anēgoreusen, oude sopha tēs oikias ta epipla oude tou philosophou ta hypēretika skeuē, ton dʼ aphanē kai aoraton en anthrōpǭ noun pas tis emphrōn thaumazei.
In the same way, those who view this whole universe with the eyes of the flesh must not ascribe the cause to the sun or moon or any other of the heavenly bodies, but must confess that all things are works of wisdom, and must not honour and worship them like their maker and creator; but from the very sight of these they must, with every disposition of soul, praise and worship the Word of God, King of all, who is no longer perceived by the eyes of the body but only by a clear and pure mind. For who ever proclaimed wise, in the body of a wise and learned man, his eyes or head or hands or feet or the rest of his flesh, still less the outer cloak he wears? Nor is the furniture of the house wise, nor the philosopher's utensils; but every sensible person admires the unseen and invisible mind in the man.
Rom 1:20 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The universe should lead us to worship the invisible Word, as we admire a sage's unseen mind rather than his body or cloak.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip in accent): ἔπιπλὰ → ἔπιπλα.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.10 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.11Heikel
ταύτῃ τοι καὶ μᾶλλον πρὸ τῶν ὁρωμένων δαιδαλμάτων τοῦ σύμπαντος κόσμου, σωμάτων ὄντων καὶ ἐκ μιᾶς ὕλης πεποιημένων, τὸν ἀφανῆ καὶ ἀόρατον λόγον τὸν δὴ τοῦ παντὸς εἰδοποιόν τε καὶ κοσμήτορα ὑπερεκπληκτέον, ὄντα τοῦ θεοῦ μονογενῆ, ὅν ὁ τῶν ὅλων ποιητὴς ὁ πάσης ἐπέκεινα καὶ ἀνωτάτω οὐσίας αὐτὸς ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεννήσας ἡγεμόνα καὶ κυβερνήτην τοῦδε τοῦ παντὸς κατεστήσατο.
tautę̄ toi kai mallon pro tōn horōmenōn daidalmatōn tou sympantos kosmou, sōmatōn ontōn kai ek mias hylēs pepoiēmenōn, ton aphanē kai aoraton logon ton dē tou pantos eidopoion te kai kosmētora hyperekplēkteon, onta tou theou monogenē, hon ho tōn holōn poiētēs ho pasēs epekeina kai anōtatō ousias autos ex autou gennēsas hēgemona kai kybernētēn toude tou pantos katestēsato.
In this way, all the more, beyond the visible works of art of the whole world, which are bodies and made from one matter, one should be amazed at the unseen and invisible Word, the giver of form and orderer of the universe, who is the only-begotten of God, whom the maker of all, who is beyond all and above all substance, begot from himself and appointed leader and helmsman of this universe.
Notes and citation
Summary: Above creation we should marvel at the invisible Word, the only-begotten whom the Father begot from himself and set over the universe.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (split word with stray mark rejoined): πε· ποιημένων → πεποιημένων.
Topics: Christology, Trinity
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.11 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.12Heikel
ἐπεὶ γὰρ μὴ οἷον τε ἦν τὴν ῥευστὴν τῶν σωμάτων οὐσίαν τὴν τε τῶν ἄρτι γενομένων λογικῶν φύσιν τῷ πανηγεμόνι θεῷ πελάζειν διʼ ὑπερβολὴν τῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ κρείττονος ἐλλείψεως· ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἦν ἀγέννητος, ἀνωτάτω τε καὶ ἐπέκεινα τῶν ὅλων, ἄρρητος ἀνέφικτος ἀπροσπέλαστος φῶς οἰκῶν ἀπρόσιτον, ᾗ φασὶν οἱ θεῖοι λόγοι· ἡ δʼ ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων προβεβλημένη πορρωτάτω τε διεστῶσα καὶ μακρὰν τῆς ἀγεννήτου φύσεως ἀπεσχοινισμένη· εἰκότως ὁ πανάγαθος καὶ θεὸς τῶν ὅλων μέσην τινὰ προεμβάλλει τὴν τοῦ μονογενοῦς αὐτοῦ λόγου θείαν καὶ παναλκῆ δύναμιν, ἀκριβέστατα μὲν ὡς ὅτι μάλιστα καὶ ἐγγύτατα τῷ πατρὶ προσομιλοῦσαν εἴσω τε αὐτοῦ τῶν ἀπορρήτων ἀπολαύουσαν, πραότατα δὲ συγκατιοῦσαν καὶ ἁμωσγέπως συσχηματιζομένην τοῖς τῆς ἄχρας ἀπολιμπανομένοις· ἄλλως γὰρ οὔτʼ εὐαγὲς οὔθʼ ὅσιον τὸν τῶν ὅλων ἐπέκεινα καὶ ἀνωτάτω ὕλῃ φθαρτῇ καὶ σώματι συμπλέκειν. διὸ δὴ λόγος θεῖος ἀναμὶξ τόδε τὸ πᾶν ὑπελθὼν καὶ τὰς ἡνίας τοῦ παντὸς ἐνδησάμενος ἀσωμάτῳ καὶ θεϊκῇ δυνάμει ἄγει καὶ φέρει, πανσόφως ἡνιοχῶν ᾗ καλῶς ἔχειν αὐτῷ καταφαίνεται.
epei gar mē hoion te ēn tēn rheustēn tōn sōmatōn ousian tēn te tōn arti genomenōn logikōn physin tǭ panēgemoni theǭ pelazein diʼ hyperbolēn tēs apo tou kreittonos elleipseōs; ho men gar ēn agennētos, anōtatō te kai epekeina tōn holōn, arrētos anephiktos aprospelastos phōs oikōn aprositon, hę̄ phasin hoi theioi logoi; hē dʼ ex ouk ontōn probeblēmenē porrōtatō te diestōsa kai makran tēs agennētou physeōs apeschoinismenē; eikotōs ho panagathos kai theos tōn holōn mesēn tina proemballei tēn tou monogenous autou logou theian kai panalkē dynamin, akribestata men hōs hoti malista kai engytata tǭ patri prosomilousan eisō te autou tōn aporrētōn apolauousan, praotata de synkatiousan kai hamōsgepōs syschēmatizomenēn tois tēs achras apolimpanomenois; allōs gar outʼ euages outhʼ hosion ton tōn holōn epekeina kai anōtatō hylę̄ phthartę̄ kai sōmati symplekein. dio dē logos theios anamix tode to pan hypelthōn kai tas hēnias tou pantos endēsamenos asōmatǭ kai theïkę̄ dynamei agei kai pherei, pansophōs hēniochōn hę̄ kalōs echein autǭ kataphainetai.
For since it was not possible for the fluid substance of bodies and the nature of the newly made rational beings to approach God the ruler of all, because of the excess of their falling short of the higher (for he was unbegotten, above and beyond all things, ineffable, unattainable, unapproachable, "dwelling in unapproachable light," as the divine words say; while the other, brought forth from what was not, stood very far off and far removed from the unbegotten nature), it was fitting that the all-good God of the universe should put forth in the middle the divine and all-powerful power of his only-begotten Word, associating most exactly and as closely as possible with the Father and enjoying his secrets within him, yet most gently coming down and in some way conforming itself to those who fall short of the height. For otherwise it would be neither pious nor holy to bind the one beyond all and above all to corruptible matter and body. Therefore the divine Word, entering this universe in mingling and binding on the reins of the whole, leads and carries it with incorporeal and divine power, driving it all-wisely as seems good to him.
1 Tim 6:16 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Because created things could not approach the unbegotten God, God set his only-begotten Word as mediator, who governs the universe.
- 'Dwelling in unapproachable light' is 1 Tim 6:16. Eusebius's picture of the Word as a mediating power between the unbegotten God and creation is translated as written. The text reads οἱ Μοι λόγοι, a slip for οἱ θεῖοι λόγοι ('the divine words'), and ἄχρας for ἄκρας ('the height').
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR dropped letter; OCR garbled word; OCR slip (τ for π); line-end hyphenation rejoined): πανηγεμόν θεῷ → πανηγεμόνι θεῷ; οἱ Μοι λόγοι → οἱ θεῖοι λόγοι; τανάγαθος → πανάγαθος; μονογε- νοῦς → μονογενοῦς.
Topics: Christology, Trinity
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.12 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.13Heikel
τοῦ δὲ λόγου σαφὴς ἡ ἀπόδειξις. εἰ γὰρ δὴ αὐτὰ καθʼ ἑαυτὰ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου μέρη, ἃ δὴ καὶ πρῶτα στοιχεῖα καλεῖν εἰώθαμεν, γῆν, ὕδωρ, ἀέρα, πῦρ, ἅπερ ἐξ ἀλόγου συνέστηκε φύσεως, ὅ δὴ καὶ αὐτοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ὁρῶμεν, ἢ εἰ μία τοῖς ὑπόκειται οὐσία, δὴ δὴ καὶ πάνδοχον καὶ μητέρα καὶ τιθήνην τοῖς περὶ ταῦτα δεινοῖς ὀνομάζειν φίλον, ἄμορφός τε καὶ ἀνείδεος αὕτη πάντη τε ἄψυχος καὶ ἄλογος, πόθεν ἂν εἴποι τις τὸν ἐν αὐτῇ κόσμον ἐνυπάρχειν αὐτῇ; πόθεν ἡ τῶν στοιχείων διάκρισις; πόθεν ἡ τῶν ἐναντίων ἐπὶ ταὐτὸ συνδρομή; τίς τὸ βαρὺ τῆς γῆς στοιχεῖον ἐφʼ ὑγρᾶς οὐσίας ὀχεῖσθαι παρεκελεύσατο; τίς τὴν τῶν ὑδάτων φύσιν κάτω ῥέουσαν ἀναστρέψας εἰς τοὐπίσω μετέωρον διὰ νεφῶν ἤγαγεν; τίς τὴν τοῦ πυρὸς δύναμιν πεδήσας ξύλοις φωλεύειν καὶ τοῖς ἐναντίοις τῇ φύσει συνεκεράσατο; τίς τὸν ψυχρὸν ἀέρα θερμῇ δυνάμει καταμίξας, τῆς πρὸς ἄλληλα μάχης αὐτὰ διαλύσας εἰς φιλίαν κατήλλαξεν; τίς τὸ θνητὸν γένος τῷ τῆς διαδοχῆς τρόπῳ μηχανησάμενος εἰς μακρὸν αἰῶνα ζωῆς ἀθανάτου βίον διήγαγεν; τίς ὧδε τὸ μὲν μορφώσας τὸ δὲ θῆλυ σχηματίσας ἄμφω τε εἰς ἁρμονίαν μίαν, γενέσεως ἀρχὴν ἅπασι ζώοις ἐξεύρατο; τὴν τὴν ῥοώδη καὶ σπερματικὴν γένεσιν τῆς φθαρτῆς καὶ ἀναισθήτου μεταβαλὼν ῥοῆς ζωογόνον ἀπέδειξεν; τίς ταῦτα πάντα καὶ μυρία τούτων ἐπέκεινα θαύματος καὶ ἐκπλήξεως κρείττονα εἰσέτι καὶ νῦν ἐνεργεῖ; τίς ἐφ ἑκάστης ἡμέρας καὶ ὥρας τὰς τούτων γενέσεις καὶ φθορὰς ἀφανεῖ καὶ ἀοράτῳ δυνάμει κατεργάζεται;
tou de logou saphēs hē apodeixis. ei gar dē auta kathʼ heauta ta tou kosmou merē, ha dē kai prōta stoicheia kalein eiōthamen, gēn, hydōr, aera, pyr, haper ex alogou synestēke physeōs, ho dē kai autois ophthalmois horōmen, ē ei mia tois hypokeitai ousia, dē dē kai pandochon kai mētera kai tithēnēn tois peri tauta deinois onomazein philon, amorphos te kai aneideos hautē pantē te apsychos kai alogos, pothen an eipoi tis ton en autę̄ kosmon enyparchein autę̄? pothen hē tōn stoicheiōn diakrisis? pothen hē tōn enantiōn epi tauto syndromē? tis to bary tēs gēs stoicheion ephʼ hygras ousias ocheisthai parekeleusato? tis tēn tōn hydatōn physin katō rheousan anastrepsas eis toupisō meteōron dia nephōn ēgagen? tis tēn tou pyros dynamin pedēsas xylois phōleuein kai tois enantiois tę̄ physei synekerasato? tis ton psychron aera thermę̄ dynamei katamixas, tēs pros allēla machēs auta dialysas eis philian katēllaxen? tis to thnēton genos tǭ tēs diadochēs tropǭ mēchanēsamenos eis makron aiōna zōēs athanatou bion diēgagen? tis hōde to men morphōsas to de thēly schēmatisas amphō te eis harmonian mian, geneseōs archēn hapasi zōois exeurato? tēn tēn rhoōdē kai spermatikēn genesin tēs phthartēs kai anaisthētou metabalōn rhoēs zōogonon apedeixen? tis tauta panta kai myria toutōn epekeina thaumatos kai ekplēxeōs kreittona eiseti kai nyn energei? tis eph hekastēs hēmeras kai hōras tas toutōn geneseis kai phthoras aphanei kai aoratǭ dynamei katergazetai?
The proof of the argument is clear. For if the parts of the world taken by themselves, which we are accustomed to call the first elements, earth, water, air, fire, are composed of an irrational nature, as we see with our very eyes; or if one substance underlies them, which those skilled in these matters like to call receptacle and mother and nurse, and this is shapeless and formless, wholly lifeless and irrational, from where could one say the order in it exists in it? From where the separation of the elements? From where the coming together of opposites into the same? Who commanded the heavy element of earth to ride on the liquid substance? Who turned back the nature of the waters, which flows downward, and brought it up aloft through the clouds? Who fettered the power of fire to lurk in wood and mixed it with things opposite in nature? Who, mixing the cold air with warm power, released them from their battle with one another and reconciled them into friendship? Who devised the mortal race by the way of succession and led it on into a long age, a life of immortal life? Who, shaping the one male and fashioning the other female, and joining both into one harmony, found the beginning of generation for all living things? Who changed the fluid and seminal generation from a corruptible and senseless flow and showed it life-giving? Who still works all these things, and countless others beyond them more worthy of wonder and amazement? Who every day and hour accomplishes their generation and corruption by an unseen and invisible power?
Notes and citation
Summary: The order of the elements, the water cycle, fire, the reconciling of opposites, and human generation show a governing power beyond matter.
- 'Receptacle and mother and nurse' are Plato's terms for matter (Tim. 49a, 51a); the text reads Μήνην, a slip for τιθήνην ('nurse'). 'The one male' supplies ἄρρεν, apparently lost before μορφώσας. The text repeats λαξεν; the repetition is removed.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR dropped letter; OCR garbled word; OCR inserted letter; OCR slip in breathing; dittography in the digital text): ἐι γὰρ → εἰ γὰρ; καὶ Μήνην → καὶ τιθήνην; κατήλλαξεν; λαξεν; → κατήλλαξεν;; διεήγαγεν → διήγαγεν; ἀοράῳ → ἀοράτῳ.
Extrabiblical texts: Plato, Tim. 49a-51a (Plato (works); allusion)
Topics: Providence
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.13 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-13). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.14Heikel
ἀλλὰ γὰρ τούτων ἁπάντων ὁ παραδοξοποιὸς τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος αἴτιός ἄν ἐνδίκως ἀποφανθείη· λόγος γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς θεοῦ παντοδύναμος διὰ πάντων ἑαυτὸν ἁπλώσας, καὶ ἄνω τε πρὸς ὕψος καὶ κάτω πρὸς βάθος ἑαυτὸν ἀσωμάτως ἐκτείνας, πλάτη τε καὶ μήκη τοῦ παντὸς πλατείαις ὥσπερ ταῖς χερσὶ περιλαβών, συνήγαγεν τόδε τὸ πᾶν καὶ συνέσφιγξεν, ὄργανον τε τοῦτο παναρμόνιον αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ συμπηξάμενος τὴν ἄλογον καὶ ἄμορφον καὶ ἀνείδεον τῶν σωμάτων οὐσίαν πανσόφῳ καὶ λογικῇ δυνάμει, εὖ μάλα τοῖς διατόνοις τὰ διεζευγμένα συνάπτων, ἀνακρούεται, ἥλιόν τε αὐτὸν καὶ σελήνην καὶ τὰ κατʼ οὐρανὸν φωσφόρα λόγοις διακυβερνῶν ἀρρήτοις ἐς τὸ χρήσιμον τῶν ὅλων ὁδηγεῖ.
alla gar toutōn hapantōn ho paradoxopoios tou theou logos aitios an endikōs apophantheiē; logos gar hōs alēthōs theou pantodynamos dia pantōn heauton haplōsas, kai anō te pros hypsos kai katō pros bathos heauton asōmatōs ekteinas, platē te kai mēkē tou pantos plateiais hōsper tais chersi perilabōn, synēgagen tode to pan kai synesphinxen, organon te touto panarmonion autos heautǭ sympēxamenos tēn alogon kai amorphon kai aneideon tōn sōmatōn ousian pansophǭ kai logikę̄ dynamei, eu mala tois diatonois ta diezeugmena synaptōn, anakrouetai, hēlion te auton kai selēnēn kai ta katʼ ouranon phōsphora logois diakybernōn arrētois es to chrēsimon tōn holōn hodēgei.
But of all these the wonder-working Word of God would rightly be shown to be the cause. For the truly almighty Word of God, spreading himself through all things, stretching himself incorporeally up to the height and down to the depth, and embracing the breadth and length of the universe as with broad hands, gathered and bound this universe together; and, fitting together for himself this all-harmonious instrument, the irrational, shapeless and formless substance of bodies, by all-wise and rational power, skilfully joining the separated parts by the intervals of the scale, he plays upon it; and, steering by ineffable reasons the sun and moon and the light-bearers of heaven, he guides them to the benefit of the whole.
Eph 3:18 (echo, medium confidence) · Col 1:17 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The almighty Word spreads through all things and holds the universe together like a well-tuned instrument.
- 'Height ... depth ... breadth and length' recalls Eph 3:18; 'bound together' recalls Col 1:17.
Topics: Christology
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.14 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.15Heikel
ὁ δʼ αὐτὸς τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος καὶ κατὰ γῆς ἑαυτὸν βαθύνας παντοδαπῶν γένη ζώων φυτῶν τε πολύμορφα κάλλη συνεστήσατο· οὗτος αὐτὸς ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ λόγος καὶ βυθῶν ἄχρι θαλάττης καταδὺς νηκτῶν ἐπενόησε φύσιν, πάλιν κἀνταῦθα μυρίας καὶ ἀναρίθμους ἰδέας καὶ παντοίων ζώων διαφορὰς ἐργασάμενος. ὁ δʼ αὐτὸς αὐτὸς καὶ τὰ γαστρὸς κυούμενα ἔνδον ἐν τῷ τῆς φύσεως ἐργαστηρίῳ τελεσιουργῶν ζωοπλαστεῖ· οὑτος καὶ τῆς ὑγρᾶς οὐσίας τὴν ῥευστὴν καὶ βαρεῖαν φύσιν ἄνω μετέωρον ἀνακουφίσας κἄπειτα γλυκάνας τῇ μεταβολῇ, μέτρῳ μὲν εἰσάγει τῇ γῇ, χρόνοις δὲ ὡρισμένοις τὴν ἐπιχορηγίαν ἐκτελεῖ.
ho dʼ autos tou theou logos kai kata gēs heauton bathynas pantodapōn genē zōōn phytōn te polymorpha kallē synestēsato; houtos autos ho tou theou logos kai bythōn achri thalattēs katadys nēktōn epenoēse physin, palin kantautha myrias kai anarithmous ideas kai pantoiōn zōōn diaphoras ergasamenos. ho dʼ autos autos kai ta gastros kyoumena endon en tǭ tēs physeōs ergastēriǭ telesiourgōn zōoplastei; houtos kai tēs hygras ousias tēn rheustēn kai bareian physin anō meteōron anakouphisas kapeita glykanas tę̄ metabolę̄, metrǭ men eisagei tę̄ gę̄, chronois de hōrismenois tēn epichorēgian ektelei.
The same Word of God, reaching down into the earth, formed the races of animals of every kind and the many-formed beauties of plants. This same Word of God, sinking down to the depths of the sea, devised the nature of swimming creatures, there again making countless and innumerable forms and differences of living things of every kind. He himself, the same, shapes the life of what is conceived in the womb, completing it within the workshop of nature. He too, lifting aloft the fluid and heavy nature of the liquid substance and then sweetening it by its change, brings it to the earth in measure and completes the supply at fixed times.
Ps 139:13 (138:13 LXX) (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The Word formed animals, plants and sea creatures, shapes life in the womb, and gives the rain.
- The text repeats αὐτὸς; translated once.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR slip): κὐνταῦθα → κἀνταῦθα; ἀργαστηρίῳ → ἐργαστηρίῳ.
Topics: Christology, Creation
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.15 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.16Heikel
εἶθʼ τις γεωργὸς ἄριστος ἐποχετεύσας εὖ μάλα τὴν χώραν τῇ τε ξηρᾷ τὴν ὑγρὰν συγκεράσαμενος, μεταρρυθμίζει παντοίως τοτὲ μὲν ὡραίοις ἄνθεσιν, τοτὲ δὲ σχήμασι παντοίοις, τοτὲ δὲ ὀδμαῖς ἡδείαις, τοτὲ δὲ καρπῶν ἐναλλαττούσαις διαφοραῖς, τοτὲ δὲ τῇ γεύσει παντοδαπὰς ἀπολαύσεις παρέχων.
eithʼ tis geōrgos aristos epocheteusas eu mala tēn chōran tę̄ te xērą tēn hygran synkerasamenos, metarrythmizei pantoiōs tote men hōraiois anthesin, tote de schēmasi pantoiois, tote de odmais hēdeiais, tote de karpōn enallattousais diaphorais, tote de tę̄ geusei pantodapas apolauseis parechōn.
Then, like a most excellent farmer, having irrigated the land well and mixed the moist with the dry, he transforms it in every way: now with beautiful flowers, now with shapes of every kind, now with sweet scents, now with changing varieties of fruits, now offering every kind of enjoyment to the taste.
Notes and citation
Summary: Like a farmer, the Word waters and adorns the earth with flowers and fruits.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR lost accents; line-end hyphenation rejoined): εὐ μαλα → εὖ μάλα; ἐναλλατ- τούσαις → ἐναλλαττούσαις.
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.16 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/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).
11.17Heikel
τί με δεῖ τοῦ θείου λόγου τὰς δυνάμεις ἐπεξιέναι τολμᾶν καὶ ἀδυνάτοις ἐπιχειρεῖν, πᾶσαν θνητὴν διάνοιαν ὑπερνικώσης τῆς ἐνεργείας; ἄλλοι μὲν οὖν τοῦτον φύσιν τοῦ παντὸς ὠνομάκασιν, ἄλλοι δὲ τὴν καθʼ ὄλου ψυχήν, ἄλλοι δὲ εἱμαρμένην· οἱ δʼ αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν ἐπέκεινα τῶν ὅλων θεὸν οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅπως τὰ πορρωτάτω διεστῶτα μιγνύντες ἀπεφήναντο, αὐτὸν τὸν πανηγεμόνα καὶ τὴν ἀγέννητον καὶ τἀνωτάτω δύναμιν κάτω βάλλοντες ἐπὶ γῆν, καὶ σώματι ὕλῃ τε φθαρτῇ συμπλέξαντες, ζώων τε ἀλόγων καὶ λογικῶν θνητῶν τε καὶ ἀθανάτων μέσον εἰλεῖσθαι φήσαντες. ἀλλʼ οἱ μὲν ταῦτα.
ti me dei tou theiou logou tas dynameis epexienai tolman kai adynatois epicheirein, pasan thnētēn dianoian hypernikōsēs tēs energeias? alloi men oun touton physin tou pantos ōnomakasin, alloi de tēn kathʼ olou psychēn, alloi de heimarmenēn; hoi dʼ auton einai ton epekeina tōn holōn theon ouk oidʼ hopōs ta porrōtatō diestōta mignyntes apephēnanto, auton ton panēgemona kai tēn agennēton kai tanōtatō dynamin katō ballontes epi gēn, kai sōmati hylę̄ te phthartę̄ symplexantes, zōōn te alogōn kai logikōn thnētōn te kai athanatōn meson eileisthai phēsantes. allʼ hoi men tauta.
Why should I dare to go through the powers of the divine Word and attempt the impossible, when its working surpasses every mortal mind? Some have named him the nature of the universe, others the universal soul, others fate. Others, mixing things that stand farthest apart, I know not how, have declared him to be the God beyond the universe himself, casting down to earth the ruler of all, the unbegotten and supreme power, binding him with body and corruptible matter, and saying that he is rolled about in the midst of irrational and rational, mortal and immortal living things. But so much for these.
Notes and citation
Summary: Philosophers have called the Word nature, world-soul or fate; others wrongly identified him with the supreme God himself bound up in matter.
- The views are those of philosophical schools (the Stoics among them). Eusebius rejects identifying the supreme God with a power immanent in matter; translated as written.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR dropped letter): ἀπεφήαντο → ἀπεφήναντο.
Topics: Christology, Philosophy
Cite (SBL): Eusebius, Laud. Const. 11.17 (Heikel; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/eusebius-laus-constantini/11-17
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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).