On the Beatitudes 1215–1233
Greek text: PG 44.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 1215
1215PG 44:1216a–1216d
\‘tiqv ὁρμὴν πρὸς τὴν ἐκπλήρωσιν τοῦ θελήματι, (βαρεῖα γὰρ καὶ κατωφερὴς ἡῦλη) · διὰτοῦτοψραια· ρίζει ὁ Κύριος, οὐ τοὺς ἔξω πάθους ἐφʼ εαυτῶν βιοτεύοντας (οὐ γὰρ δυνατόν ἐστιν ὲν ὑλώδει ζωῇ τὸν iiλον καθʼ ὅλου καὶ ἀπαθῆ κατορθωθῆναι βίον),άλλὰ ab ἐνδεχόμενον τῆς ἀρετῆς ὅρον ὲν τῇ διά σαρκὸς Qui τὴν πραὸτὴτα λέγει, καὶ ἱκανὸνείς pauc-aptan τὶ πέδον* εἶναί φησιν. Οὐ γὰρ καθόλου τὴν ἀττάθειπε νομοθετεῖ τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ φύσει ’ οὐδὲ γάρ faxsit: νομοθέτου τὸ ταῦτα κελεύειν, ὅσα ἡ φύσις οὐ δέχεται· σεδ-γὰρ τοιοῦτον ὅμοιόν ἐστιν, ὥσπερ Adv εξ ξιξ.τᾶ ἔνυδρα μετοικίζοι πρδς τδν “diu?” βίίξνν tib}? παλίν sia τὸ ὕδωρ, δσα τῷ ἀέρι ὲμσιοτεύειι ἀλλὰ τῇ οἰκείᾳ καὶ κατὰ φύσιν δυνάμει πρόσφορον εἶναι πρισήκει ’τὸν νόμον. Διὰ τοῦτο τὸ μέτριόν τε καῖ. Β μακαρισμὸς, οὐ τὸ παντάπασιν ἀπαθὲς ἐγκελεὺετπι· τό μὲν γὰρ ιξω τῆς φύσεως, τδ δὲ at: ἀρετῆξ κιτθρς (δεόμενον.- Εί οὖν τὸ ἀκίνητον πρὸς ἐπιθυρίανξ μακαρισμὸς ὑπετίθετο, ἀνόνητος ἂν-ἦν τερ βίῳ ἆχρηᾶτοξ εὐλογία· τίς γὰρ ἂν τοῦ καθἰκοιτο σαρκὶ καὶ αἵματι συνεζευγμένοςὶ Ν·δῇ δέ φησιν οὐ τδν ὲτξιθυμήσαντα κατά τινα συντυχίαν εἶναικατάκριτον, ἀλλὰ τὸν ὲκ προνοίας τὸ πάθος summaiμενον. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐγγενέσθαι ποτὲ τοιαύτην ὁρμὴν ἦ συγκεκραμὲνη τῇ φύσει πολλάκις adsveta?! δίκην τταρενεχθῆνναι τῇ τοῦ πάθους bell-ilo ἀῖί δρικῶς προς τὴν τοιαύτην διάθεσιν στῆναι, καὶ ττξέ λογισμοῖς ’τὸ τιάθος ἀπώσασθαι, τοῦτο τῆς ἀρετῆς ο. Μακάριοι τοίνυν οἱ μὴ ὀξῦρῤοποι πρδς τὰς ἐξίτῗθεῖί _ τῆς ψυχῆς κινήσεις, 7 αλλὰ κατεσταλμένοι τῷ milia ιῖξνιδ,’λογισιιὺς καθάπερ τις χαλινὸς enutriti-5:” τὰς ὁρμὰς, est; ἐᾷ τὴν ψυχὴν πρὸς ἀταξίαν tua. , ρεσθαιξ Μᾶλλον 6; ἄν τις ὲπὶ τοῦ κατὰ τὸν ’τιάθους τὸ τοιοῦτον ἴδοι, ὅπως ἐστὶ μακαριατξν,ἢ πραότης. Ἐπειδὰν γὰρ λόγος, ἢ πρᾶξίς τις, ἦ ’ νοια τῶν ἀηδεστέρων τὴν τοιαύτην ἀνακινήσῃ νότξθι m). περιζέσῃ τῇ καρδίᾳ. τὸ αἷμα, καὶ διαναστῇ πρδῖ ἄμυναν ἡ ψυχή καθάπερ οἱ μῦθοι διὰ φαρμακῡῂ ι σίας τινδςήείς -άλόγων μορφὰς ἀλλοιοῦσι τὴνὲ ὀὗτιυς ἔστιν ἐξαίφνής ἰδεῖν σῦν, ἦ κύνα, ἦ πάρῆαξιν· ἢ ἄλλο τι τοιοῦτον θηρίον ὲκ τοῦ θυμοῦ τὸν fit? ’Ύφαιμος ’δφθαλμός ' θρὶξ-ἑσταμένη λ ἐπιφρίσσουσαο φωνὴ τραχεῖα καὶ ὲποξυνομέντξ . ί) ῥήμασιν· γλῶσσα τῷ πάθει νεναρκηκυῖα, καὶ aq γ ταῖς ἔνδον ὁρμαίςο χείλη-πεπηγότα, οὐ διαρθροῦντα τὸν λόγον, οὔτε περιστέλλονξα Ϊίδ . στόματι τὴν ἐγγενομένην ὑπὸ τοῦ πάθους ὺτρξτηῗι ε ait} ἀσχηὲιόνιιὶὲ τὸν ἀφίρδν τῇ φωνῇ συνεκῖττδθνξῖ - τοιαῦται αἱ χεῖρες · τοιοῦτοι οἱ πόδες· τοιαύτη ι τοῦ σώματος ἡ διάθεσις, ἑκάστου τῶν μελῶν 5M“
\‘tiqv hormēn pros tēn ekplērōsin tou thelēmati, (bareia gar kai katōpherēs hēulē) ; diatoutopsraia; rizei ho Kyrios, ou tous exō pathous ephʼ eautōn bioteuontas (ou gar dynaton estin en hylōdei zōę̄ ton iilon kathʼ holou kai apathē katorthōthēnai bion),alla ab endechomenon tēs aretēs horon en tę̄ dia sarkos Qui tēn praotēta legei, kai hikanoneis pauc-aptan ti pedon* einai phēsin. Ou gar katholou tēn attatheipe nomothetei tę̄ anthrōpinę̄ physei ’ oude gar faxsit: nomothetou to tauta keleuein, hosa hē physis ou dechetai; sed-gar toiouton homoion estin, hōsper Adv ex xix.ta enydra metoikizoi prds tdn “diu?” biixnn tib}? palin sia to hydōr, dsa tǭ aeri emsioteueii alla tę̄ oikeią kai kata physin dynamei prosphoron einai prisēkei ’ton nomon. Dia touto to metrion te kai. B makarismos, ou to pantapasin apathes enkeleuetpi; to men gar ixō tēs physeōs, td de at: aretēx kitthrs (deomenon.- Ei oun to akinēton pros epithyrianx makarismos hypetitheto, anonētos an-ēn ter biǭ achrēatox eulogia; tis gar an tou kathikoito sarki kai haimati synezeugmenosi N;dę̄ de phēsin ou tdn etxithymēsanta kata tina syntychian einaikatakriton, alla ton ek pronoias to pathos summaimenon. To men gar engenesthai pote toiautēn hormēn ē synkekramenē tę̄ physei pollakis adsveta?! dikēn ttarenechthēnnai tę̄ tou pathous bell-ilo aii drikōs pros tēn toiautēn diathesin stēnai, kai ttxe logismois ’to tiathos apōsasthai, touto tēs aretēs o. Makarioi toinyn hoi mē oxyrropoi prds tas exitïtheii _ tēs psychēs kinēseis, 7 alla katestalmenoi tǭ milia iixnid,’logisiiys kathaper tis chalinos enutriti-5:” tas hormas, est? eą tēn psychēn pros ataxian tua. , resthaix Mallon 6? an tis epi tou kata ton ’tiathous to toiouton idoi, hopōs esti makariatxn,ē praotēs. Epeidan gar logos, ē praxis tis, ē ’ noia tōn aēdesterōn tēn toiautēn anakinēsę̄ notxthi m). perizesę̄ tę̄ kardią. to haima, kai dianastę̄ prdi amynan hē psychē kathaper hoi mythoi dia pharmakyę̄ i sias tindsēeis -alogōn morphas alloiousi tēne houtiys estin exaiphnēs idein syn, ē kyna, ē parēaxin; ē allo ti toiouton thērion ek tou thymou ton fit? ’Yphaimos ’dphthalmos ' thrix-hestamenē l epiphrissousao phōnē tracheia kai epoxynomentx . i) rhēmasin; glōssa tǭ pathei nenarkēkuia, kai aq g tais endon hormaiso cheilē-pepēgota, ou diarthrounta ton logon, oute peristellonxa Ïid . stomati tēn engenomenēn hypo tou pathous ytrxtēïi e ait} aschēeioniiie ton aphirdn tę̄ phōnę̄ synekittdthnxi - toiautai hai cheires ; toioutoi hoi podes; toiautē i tou sōmatos hē diathesis, hekastou tōn melōn 5M“
… the impulse toward the fulfilment of the will (for matter is heavy and tends downward). For this reason the Lord blesses not those who live wholly free of passion — for it is not possible in a material life to achieve a life wholly free of passion — but he speaks of meekness as the limit of virtue attainable in life in the flesh, and says it suffices for blessedness. He does not lay down complete freedom from passion as a law for human nature; for it is not the part of a just lawgiver to command what nature does not admit. That would be like moving creatures of the water to live in the air, or again putting into the water those that live in the air; the law should be suited to our own natural power. Therefore the beatitude enjoins moderation and gentleness, not complete freedom from passion; for the one is beyond nature, the other is achieved by virtue. If the beatitude had proposed being unmoved by desire, the blessing would have been useless and unprofitable for life; for who, joined as he is to flesh and blood, could attain it? … he says that not the one who has felt desire by some chance is condemned, but the one who has deliberately … the passion. For that such an impulse should sometimes arise, mixed as it is with our nature … to be carried away …; but to stand manfully against such a disposition and drive off the passion by reasoning — this is the work of virtue. Blessed, then, are those who are not quick to incline toward the passionate movements of the soul, but are restrained by reason, whose reasoning, like a bridle, checks their impulses and does not let the soul be carried into disorder. One may see more clearly in the case of anger how meekness is blessed. When a word, or an act, or a suspicion of something disagreeable stirs up this passion, the blood boils around the heart, and the soul rises up for revenge, then — just as the myths, by some sorcery, change men into the forms of irrational animals — one can suddenly see a man become, from anger, a boar, or a dog, or a leopard, or some other such beast. The eye is bloodshot; the hair stands on end and bristles; the voice is harsh and sharpened in its words; the tongue is numbed by passion and does not keep pace with the impulses within; the lips are set, neither articulating speech nor keeping in the mouth the foam produced by the passion, but spraying it out unseemly with the words. Such are the hands, such the feet, such the state of the body, each limb
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 5:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 5:28 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ does not demand impossible freedom from all passion, but meekness, the restraint of passion by reason; anger shows by contrast how blessed meekness is, for it turns a man into a raging beast.
- The opening continues after a gap in the scan; this page is badly damaged, with several runs of debris and lost words (marked …). Only readable text is translated.
- The transformation of men into beasts by sorcery recalls Circe (Homer, Odyssey 10).
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Beat. 1215 (PG 44:1216a–1216d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-beatitudines/1215/#p-1215). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 1217
1217PG 44:1217a–1217d
ετιθε μένου τῷ πάθει. Et οὗν 6 μὲν τοιοῦτος εῐη· 6 δὲ ίπρδς τὸν μακαρισμὸν βλέπων, διὰ τῶν λογισμῶν ’καταπραΰνοι τὴν νόσον ὲν καθεστῶτι τῷ βλέμματι, λκαὶ ἠρεμαίᾳ τῇ φωνῇ, καθάπερ τις ἰατρὸς ἐκ φρενίτιίδος ἀσχημονοῦντα θεραπεύων τῇ τέχνῃ ο ἆρʼ οὐχὶ καὶ εαὺτὸς ἐρεῖς ἀντιπαραθεὶς τοῦτο ἐκείνῳ, ὅτι ἐλεεινὸς μὲν καὶ βδελυκτδς 6 θηριώδης ἐκεῖνος, μακαριστὸς δὲ ίό πραῢς ὁ τῇ τοῦ πέλας κακίᾳ μὴ ωνδιαπρέψας τὸ λ εὔσχημον ; Kal ὅτι πρὸς τοῦτο μάλιστα τὸ πάθος ὁ Λόγος βλέπει, δῆλόν ἐστιν ἐκ τοῦ μετὰ τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην ” νομοθετῆσαι ἡμῖν τὴν πραότητα. Ἔοικε γάρ ἔχεσθαι τ τοῦ ἐτέρου τὸ ἕτερον, καὶ οἷον μήτηρ τις εἷναι τῆς τ κατὰ τὸ πρᾶον ἕξεως ἡ τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης κατάῖ στασις. El γὰρ ὑφέλοις τοῦ ἤθους τὸν τῦφον, καιρὸν ι οὐκ ἔχει τὺ κατὰ θυμὸν ἐγγενέσθαι πάθος. ’Ὕβρις γὰρ τ καὶ ἀτιμία τῆς τοιαύτης ἀρρωστίας τοῖς ὀργισθεῖσιν ί αἰτία γίνεται. ’Δτιμία δὲ οὐχ ἅπτεται τοῦ ἑαυτὸν ‘ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ παιδαγωγήσαντος. Εἰ γάρ τις κεκα· : 0 αρμένον ἔχοι τὸν λογισμὸν ὲκ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἀπάτης, ε καὶ βλέποι τὸ ούτιδανὺν τῆς φύσεως συγκεκλή ρωται, η ἀφʼ οἴας ἀρχῆς τὴν σύστασιν ἔχει, καὶ εἰς ὅ τι φέρεται τέλος τὸ βραχὺ καὶ ὠκύμορον τῆς τῇδε ζωῆς, καὶ τὸν ’ ι συνεζευγμένον τῇ σαρκὶ ῥύπον, καὶ τὸ πενιχρὸν τῆς ς φύσεως. τὸ μὴ εἶναι αὐτὴν αὐτάρκη διʼ ἑαυτῆς πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν σύστασιν, εί μὴ τῇ περιουσίᾳ τῶν ἀλόγων η τὸ ἐνδέον ἀναπληρώσειεν · λύπας τε πρὸς τούτοις καὶ ε πένθη καὶ συμφορὰς, τάς τε πολυτρόπους τῶν νογ σημάτων ἰδέας, αἷς ὑπόκειται ἡ ἀνθρωπίνη ζωὴ, ὧν ι οὐκ ἔστιν ὅστις ὲκ φύσεως ἀτελής ἐστι καὶ ἐλεύθει ρος. Ταῦτα διʼ ἀκριβείας κεκαθαρμένῳ τῷ τῆς ψυχῆς ς ὀφθαλμῷ βλέπων, οὐκ ἂν ῥᾳδίως πρὸς τὰς τῶν τι·μῶν ἐλλείψεις ἀγανακτήσειεν. Tb ἐναντίον μὲν οὗν γ ἀπάτην ἡγήσεται τὴν ἐπί τινι προσαγομένην αὐτῷ παρὰ τοῦ πέλας τιμὴν, οὐκ ὄντος ἡμῖν ὲν τῇ φύσει ; τοιούτου τινὸς, ὃ δύναται τὴν πρὸς τὸ τίμιον κοινω- ; νίαν ἔχειν, εί μὴ κατὰ ψυχὴν μόνον, ἧς ἡ τιμὴ οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν κατά τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον ἐπιζητουμένων συνι ίσταται. Tb γὰρ ἐπὶ πλούτῳ κομπάζειν, ἢ γένει σε· : μνύνεσθαι, ἢ πρὸς δόξαν δρᾷν, ἢ τὸ δοκεῖν ὑπὲρ τὸν π πέλας εἶναι, διʼ ὧν αἱ ἀνθρώπιναι πληροῦνται τιμαίο i ταῦτα πάντα καθαίρεσις τῆς ψυχικῆς τιμῆς καὶ ί ὖνειδος γίνονται, ὡς μὴ ἂν ἑλέσθαι τὸν λελογισμένον , τοιούτῳ τινὶ τὸ καθαρὸν τῆς ψυχῆς καταμολύνεσθαι. ι Τὸ δὲ οὕτως ἔχειν οὐδὲν ἕτερον, ἢ ἐν έξει βαθείᾳ τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης ἐστὶν εἷναι, ἦς κατορθωθείσης, οὐ δεμίαν εἴσοδον 6 θυμὸς κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς ἕξει. Τούτου δὲ μὴ παρόντος, 6 ἦρεμός τε καὶ ήσύχιος κατορθοῦται βίος ο ὅπερ οὐδὲν ἓτερον, εί μὴ πραΰτης ἐστὶν, ἧς τὸ πέρας μακαρισμὸς καὶ οὐρανίας γῆς κληρονομία, ὲν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ’Λμήν.
etithe menou tǭ pathei. Et houn 6 men toioutos eiē; 6 de iprds ton makarismon blepōn, dia tōn logismōn ’katapraÿnoi tēn noson en kathestōti tǭ blemmati, lkai ēremaią tę̄ phōnę̄, kathaper tis iatros ek phrenitiidos aschēmonounta therapeuōn tę̄ technę̄ o arʼ ouchi kai eautos ereis antiparatheis touto ekeinǭ, hoti eleeinos men kai bdelyktds 6 thēriōdēs ekeinos, makaristos de io praÿs ho tę̄ tou pelas kakią mē ōndiaprepsas to l euschēmon ? Kal hoti pros touto malista to pathos ho Logos blepei, dēlon estin ek tou meta tēn tapeinophrosynēn ” nomothetēsai hēmin tēn praotēta. Eoike gar echesthai t tou eterou to heteron, kai hoion mētēr tis heinai tēs t kata to praon hexeōs hē tēs tapeinophrosynēs katai stasis. El gar hyphelois tou ēthous ton typhon, kairon i ouk echei ty kata thymon engenesthai pathos. ’Hybris gar t kai atimia tēs toiautēs arrōstias tois orgistheisin i aitia ginetai. ’Dtimia de ouch haptetai tou heauton ‘ tapeinophrosynę̄ paidagōgēsantos. Ei gar tis keka; : 0 armenon echoi ton logismon ek tēs anthrōpinēs apatēs, e kai blepoi to outidanyn tēs physeōs synkeklē rōtai, ē aphʼ oias archēs tēn systasin echei, kai eis ho ti pheretai telos to brachy kai ōkymoron tēs tę̄de zōēs, kai ton ’ i synezeugmenon tę̄ sarki rhypon, kai to penichron tēs s physeōs. to mē einai autēn autarkē diʼ heautēs pros tēn idian systasin, ei mē tę̄ periousią tōn alogōn ē to endeon anaplērōseien ; lypas te pros toutois kai e penthē kai symphoras, tas te polytropous tōn nog sēmatōn ideas, hais hypokeitai hē anthrōpinē zōē, hōn i ouk estin hostis ek physeōs atelēs esti kai eleuthei ros. Tauta diʼ akribeias kekatharmenǭ tǭ tēs psychēs s ophthalmǭ blepōn, ouk an rhądiōs pros tas tōn ti;mōn elleipseis aganaktēseien. Tb enantion men houn g apatēn hēgēsetai tēn epi tini prosagomenēn autǭ para tou pelas timēn, ouk ontos hēmin en tę̄ physei ? toioutou tinos, ho dynatai tēn pros to timion koinō- ? nian echein, ei mē kata psychēn monon, hēs hē timē ouk apo tōn kata ton kosmon touton epizētoumenōn syni istatai. Tb gar epi ploutǭ kompazein, ē genei se; : mnynesthai, ē pros doxan drąn, ē to dokein hyper ton p pelas einai, diʼ hōn hai anthrōpinai plērountai timaio i tauta panta kathairesis tēs psychikēs timēs kai i yneidos ginontai, hōs mē an helesthai ton lelogismenon , toioutǭ tini to katharon tēs psychēs katamolynesthai. i To de houtōs echein ouden heteron, ē en exei batheią tēs tapeinophrosynēs estin heinai, ēs katorthōtheisēs, ou demian eisodon 6 thymos kata tēs psychēs hexei. Toutou de mē parontos, 6 ēremos te kai ēsychios katorthoutai bios o hoper ouden heteron, ei mē praÿtēs estin, hēs to peras makarismos kai ouranias gēs klēronomia, en Christǭ Iēsou, hǭ hē doxa kai to kratos, eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. ’Lmēn.
conspiring with the passion. If, then, the one is like this, while the other, looking to the beatitude, calms the disease by reasoning, with a steady glance and a quiet voice, like a physician who by his art treats a man behaving disgracefully in a frenzy, will you not yourself say, comparing the one with the other, that the beastlike man is pitiable and loathsome, but the meek man is blessed, who did not let his neighbour’s wickedness overturn his own decorum? That the Word has this passion especially in view is clear from his laying down meekness for us right after humility. For the one seems to hold on to the other, and the state of humility is like a mother of the habit of meekness. If you remove conceit from the character, the passion of anger has no occasion to arise; for insult and dishonour become the cause of this sickness in those who are angered, and dishonour does not touch one who has trained himself in humility. If someone has a reason purified of human delusion, and sees the worthlessness that is our nature’s lot — from what beginning it takes its composition, and to what end this brief and short-lived life here is carried; the filth bound up with the flesh; the poverty of our nature, which cannot sustain itself by itself unless it fills its want from the abundance of the irrational creatures; and besides these the griefs, mourning, and misfortunes, and the many kinds of diseases to which human life is subject, from which no one is by nature exempt and free — seeing these things exactly with the purified eye of the soul, he would not easily be vexed at falling short of honours. On the contrary, he will consider deceptive any honour paid him by his neighbour for anything, since there is nothing in our nature that can share in honour except the soul alone, whose honour does not consist in the things sought after in this world. To boast of wealth, to pride oneself on family, to look for glory, or to seem to be above one’s neighbour — the things of which human honours are made up — all these become the ruin and reproach of the soul’s honour, so that a reasonable person would not choose to defile the purity of his soul with any such thing. To be so disposed is nothing other than to be in a deep habit of humility; and when this has been achieved, anger will find no entrance against the soul. When anger is absent, the calm and quiet life is achieved, which is nothing other than meekness, whose end is blessedness and the inheritance of the heavenly earth, in Christ Jesus, to whom be glory and power for ever and ever. Amen.
Matt 5:5 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The meek man who calms his anger is blessed, the angry man pitiable; meekness grows from humility, for one who knows the lowliness of human nature cannot be insulted, and honour belongs only to the soul.
- End of Homily 2.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Beat. 1217 (PG 44:1217a–1217d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-beatitudines/1215/#p-1217). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-beatitudines-1217) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 1219
1219PG 44:1220a–1220d
Α ΛΟΓΟΣ Γ. Μακάριοι οὶ πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθῂ- Οῠπω τῆς κορυφῆς τοῦ ὅρους ὲπιβεβήκαμεν, ἀλλʼ ἔτι κατά τὴν ὑπώρειαν τῶν νοημάτων ἐσμέν· εἱ καί δύο τινὰς ἥδη παρωδεύσαμεν λόφους, ἐπὶ τὴν μα· καριστὴν πτωχείαν, καί τὴν ἀνωτέρω ταύτης πραότητα διὰ τῶν μακαρισμῶν ἀναχθέντες, μεθʼ οὓς προσάγει τοῖς ὑψηλοτέροις ἡμᾶς ὁΛὸγος, καὶ τρίτου ἡμῖν ἑφεξῆς ὕψωμα διὰ τῶν μακαρισμῶν ἀναδείκνυσι· πρὸς δ χρὴ πάντως ἀναδραμεῖν ὄκνον ἀτοθεμένους πάντα, καί τὴν εὐπερίστατον ἁμαρτίαν, καθώς φησιν ὁ Ἀπόστολος, ὡς ἂν κοῦφοι καὶ εὐσταλεῖς ἐπὶ τῆς ἄκρας γενόμενοι, καθαρωτέρῳ τῷ τῆς ἀληθείας φωτὶ διὰ τῆς ψυχῆς πῳσπελάααιμεν. Τί Β τοίνυν ἐστὶ τὸ λεγόμενον, Μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες. ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται; Γελάαει πάντως ὁ πρὸς τὸν κόσμον βλέπων, καὶ λέξει ταῦτα καταχλευὰζων τὸν Λόγον ο Et μακαρίζονται κατά τὸν βίον οἱέν πάσῃ συμφορᾷ δαπανώμενοι, ἄθλιοι κατά τὸ ἀκόλουθόν είσι πάντως οἷς ἄλυπός τε καὶ ἀπήμων ἐστὶν ἡ ζωή. Καὶ οὕτω τὰ εἴδη τῶν συμφορῶν ἐξαριθμούμενος, πλεονᾴσει τὸν γέλωτα, τὰ τῆς χηρείας κακὰ, καὶ τὴν τῆς ὀρφανίας ταλαιπωρίαν ὑπʼ ὄψιν ἄγων. τὰς ζημίας, τὰ ναυάγια, τᾲς ὲκ πολέμων αἰχμαλω· σίας, τὰς ἀδίκους ἐν δικαστηρίῳ κρίσεις. μεθορίσμούς τε καλ δημεύσεις καὶ ἀτιμίας,τάς τε … τὰς ὲκ τῶν νόσων, οἷον πηρώσεις τε καὶ ἀκρωήο ριασμοὺς, καὶ τὴν παντοδαπὴν τοῦ σώματος λώβην. καὶ εἴτι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις κατά τὸν βίον τοῦτον συνίσταται πάθος,ἢ σώματος,ἢ ψυχῆς ἀπτόμενον, πάντα τῷ λόγῳ διεξελεύσεται, διʼ ὧν, ὡς οἴεται, καταγέλαστον ἀποδείξει τὸν τοὺς πενθοῦντας μακαρίζοντα λόγον. Ἡμεῖς δὲ μικρὰ φροντίσαντες τῶν μικρσιῖιῦ· κως τε καὶ … ἀναθεωρούντων τὰ θεῖα vol}: ματα, ὡς ἔστι δυνατὸν κατιδεῖν τὸν ἐγκείμενον τίς) εἰρημένῳ διὰ βάθους πλοῦτον ἐπιχειρήσωμεν, ὅπως ἂν φανερὸν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο γένοιτο, πόσον ἐστὶ τδ διάφορον τῆς σαρκίνης τε καὶ χοῖκῆς διανοίας, πρὶς τὴν ὑψηλήν τε καί ἐπουράνιον. Ἔστι μὲν οὖν ὲκ τοῦ προχείρου μακαριστδν ὑπαί λαβεῖν ἐκεῖνο τὸ πένθος, τὸ ἐπὶ πλημμελήματξικξὶ ἁμαρτίαις γινόμενον, κατά τὴν τοῦ Παῦλου περὶτῆς ί) λύπης διδασκαλίαν, τοῦ φήσαντος, μὴ ἓν εἶναι λύπης εἶδος, ἀλλά τὸ μὲν κοσμικὸν, τὸ δὲ κατὰ Θεὸν ἐνείν γούμενον. Καὶ τῆς ὑμὲν κοσμικῆς λύπης, θάνατον εἶναιτὸ ἔργον· τὴν δὲ ἑτέραν, σωτηρίαν ἐκ im? νοίας τοῖςγλυπουμένοις ἐργάζεσθαι. Τῷ δντι γὰρ οὒκ ἔξω τοῦ μακαρίζεσθαι τὸ τοιοῦτον τῆς ψυχῆς πάθος ἐστὶν, ὅταν ἐνί αἰσθήσει γενομένη τοῦγ χείρονος, τξιν ὲν κακίᾳ βίον ἁπολοφύρηται. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν σωματικῶν ἀρρωστημάτων, οἷς ἂν πάρετον ἐξ ὲπξγ ρείας τινὸς γένηταί τι μέρος τοῦ σώματος, σημεῖα τοῦ νενεκρῶσθαι τὸ παρειμένον ἡ ἀναλγησία γίνεται· εί δὲ κατά τινα τέχνην ἰατρικὴν ἡ ζωτικὴ πάλιν αἴσθησις ὲπαναχθείη τῷ σώματι, χαίρουσιν ήδη πθ·
A LOGOS G. Makarioi oi penthountes, hoti autoi paraklēthę̄- Oupō tēs koryphēs tou horous epibebēkamen, allʼ eti kata tēn hypōreian tōn noēmatōn esmen; hei kai dyo tinas hēdē parōdeusamen lophous, epi tēn ma; karistēn ptōcheian, kai tēn anōterō tautēs praotēta dia tōn makarismōn anachthentes, methʼ hous prosagei tois hypsēloterois hēmas hoLogos, kai tritou hēmin hephexēs hypsōma dia tōn makarismōn anadeiknysi; pros d chrē pantōs anadramein oknon atothemenous panta, kai tēn euperistaton hamartian, kathōs phēsin ho Apostolos, hōs an kouphoi kai eustaleis epi tēs akras genomenoi, katharōterǭ tǭ tēs alētheias phōti dia tēs psychēs pǭspelaaaimen. Ti B toinyn esti to legomenon, Makarioi hoi penthountes. hoti autoi paraklēthēsontai? Gelaaei pantōs ho pros ton kosmon blepōn, kai lexei tauta katachleuazōn ton Logon o Et makarizontai kata ton bion hoien pasę̄ symphorą dapanōmenoi, athlioi kata to akolouthon eisi pantōs hois alypos te kai apēmōn estin hē zōē. Kai houtō ta eidē tōn symphorōn exarithmoumenos, pleonąsei ton gelōta, ta tēs chēreias kaka, kai tēn tēs orphanias talaipōrian hypʼ opsin agōn. tas zēmias, ta nauagia, tąs ek polemōn aichmalō; sias, tas adikous en dikastēriǭ kriseis. methorismous te kal dēmeuseis kai atimias,tas te … tas ek tōn nosōn, hoion pērōseis te kai akrōēo riasmous, kai tēn pantodapēn tou sōmatos lōbēn. kai eiti tois anthrōpois kata ton bion touton synistatai pathos,ē sōmatos,ē psychēs aptomenon, panta tǭ logǭ diexeleusetai, diʼ hōn, hōs oietai, katagelaston apodeixei ton tous penthountas makarizonta logon. Hēmeis de mikra phrontisantes tōn mikrsiiiy; kōs te kai … anatheōrountōn ta theia vol}: mata, hōs esti dynaton katidein ton enkeimenon tis) eirēmenǭ dia bathous plouton epicheirēsōmen, hopōs an phaneron kai dia touto genoito, poson esti td diaphoron tēs sarkinēs te kai choikēs dianoias, pris tēn hypsēlēn te kai epouranion. Esti men oun ek tou procheirou makaristdn hypai labein ekeino to penthos, to epi plēmmelēmatxikxi hamartiais ginomenon, kata tēn tou Paulou peritēs i) lypēs didaskalian, tou phēsantos, mē hen einai lypēs eidos, alla to men kosmikon, to de kata Theon enein goumenon. Kai tēs hymen kosmikēs lypēs, thanaton einaito ergon; tēn de heteran, sōtērian ek im? noias toisglypoumenois ergazesthai. Tǭ dnti gar ouk exō tou makarizesthai to toiouton tēs psychēs pathos estin, hotan eni aisthēsei genomenē toug cheironos, txin en kakią bion hapolophyrētai. Kathaper gar epi tōn sōmatikōn arrōstēmatōn, hois an pareton ex epxg reias tinos genētai ti meros tou sōmatos, sēmeia tou nenekrōsthai to pareimenon hē analgēsia ginetai; ei de kata tina technēn iatrikēn hē zōtikē palin aisthēsis epanachtheiē tǭ sōmati, chairousin ēdē pth;
Homily 3. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” We have not yet reached the summit of the mountain; we are still at the foothills of the thoughts, even though we have already passed two hills, led up by the Beatitudes to the blessed poverty and to the meekness that lies above it. After these the Word brings us to higher things and shows us next a third height through the Beatitudes. We must surely run up to it, laying aside all hesitation and “the sin that clings so closely,” as the Apostle says, so that, coming light and unencumbered to the summit, we may draw near in soul to the purer light of truth. What, then, does the saying mean, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted”? Whoever looks to the world will surely laugh, and say in mockery of the Word: “If those consumed by every misfortune are called blessed in this life, then by consequence those whose life is free of grief and harm are certainly wretched.” And so, enumerating the kinds of misfortune, he will laugh all the more, bringing before our eyes the evils of widowhood and the misery of orphanhood, losses, shipwrecks, captivity in war, unjust judgments in court, banishments, confiscations and disgraces, the … of diseases, such as maimings, mutilations, and every kind of bodily disfigurement; and whatever suffering befalls human beings in this life, touching body or soul, he will go through them all in his speech, by which, as he thinks, he will show that the saying that blesses mourners is ridiculous. But let us pay little heed to those who view the divine words in a petty and … way, and attempt, as far as we can, to see the wealth that lies deep in the saying, so that by this too it may become plain how great is the difference between fleshly and earthly thinking and the lofty and heavenly kind. One may readily take as blessed the mourning that arises over offences and sins, according to Paul’s teaching about grief: he said that grief is not of one kind, but that one is worldly and the other works according to God, and that the work of worldly grief is death, while the other works salvation from repentance for those who grieve. For indeed such an affection of the soul is not outside blessedness, when the soul comes to perceive the worse and laments its life in vice. In bodily illnesses, when some part of the body has become paralysed through some injury, the absence of pain is a sign that the paralysed part has died; but if by some medical art vital sensation is restored to the body, those
Matt 5:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 12:1 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 7:10 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Homily 3 opens on the third beatitude, which worldly people mock as praising misfortune; Gregory first takes it of godly grief for sin, which, like returning feeling in a paralysed limb, is a sign of healing.
- Homily 3 on the Beatitudes: “Blessed are those who mourn” (Matt 5:4). “The sin that clings so closely”: Heb 12:1. Two kinds of grief: 2 Cor 7:10.
- Two words in the list of misfortunes and in the description of the mockers are unreadable in the scan (OCR debris, marked …).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (Latin letters); word unreadable): autumi; → …; samnitio; → ….
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Beat. 1219 (PG 44:1220a–1220d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-beatitudines/1215/#p-1219). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 1221
1221PG 44:1221a–1221d
ε θεραπείαν προσάγοντες, τεκμηρίῳ χρώμενοι τοῦ ν προς ὑγίειαν τρέψαι τὸ πάθος, τὸ ὲν αἰσθήσει τῶν δριμυσσόντων ἤδη γενέσθαι τὸ μέλος· οὑτως ἐπειδάν, καθώς φησιν 6 Ἀπόστολος, ἀπηλγηκότες τινὲς παραδῶσι τῷ καθʼ ἁμαρτίαν βίῳ ἑαυτοὺς, νεκροί τινες ὄντως καὶ πάρετοι τοῦ κατʼ ἀρετὴν βίου γενόμενοι, οὐδεμίαν ἔχουσιν ὧν ποιοῦσιν τὴν αἴσθησιν. Εἰ δὲ καθάψαιτό τις αὑτῶν 6 ἰατρεύων λόγος, οἷον διά τινων θερμῶν τε καὶ διακαιόντων φαρμάκων (λέγω δὲ τῶν σκυθρωπῶν τῆς μελλούσης κρίσεως ἀπειλῶν), καὶ διὰ βάθους τὴν καρδίαν τῷ φόβῳ τῶν προσδοκωμένων δριμύξειεν, γεέννης φόβον, καὶ ττῦρ μὴ σβεννύ μενον, καὶ ἀτελεύτητον σκώληκα, καὶ βρυγμὺν όδίντων, καὶ κλαυθμὸν ἀδιάλειπτον, καὶ σκότος ἐξώτερον, καὶ ἅπαντα τά τοιαῦτα, οἷόν τινα θερμά καὶ δριμέα φάρμακα τῷ νεναρκηκότι διὰ τῶν καθʼ ἡδονὴν παθημάτων ἐντρίὸων καὶ άναθάλπων, είς αἴσθησιν αὑτὸν ἀγάγοι τοῦ ἐν ᾧ ἦν βίου, μακαριστὸν αὑτὸν ἀπεργάσηται, τὴν ὀδυνηρὰν αἴσθησιν τῇ ψυχῇ ἐμποιήσας. Καθάπερ καί 6 Παῦλος τὸν τῇ κοίτῃ τοῦ πάτρος ἑπιλυσσήσαντα, μέχρις ἐκείνου μαστίζει τῷ λόγῳ, ἕως ἂν ἀναισθήτως εἶχεν τῆς ἁμαρτίας · ἐπεὶ δὲ καθίκετο τοῦ ἀνδρὸςή τῆς ἐπι-πλήξεως ἰατρεία, ὡς ἤδη μακάριον διά τοῦ πένθους γενόμενον, παραυ καλεῖν ἄρχεται, ἴνα μὴ τῇ περισσοτέρᾳ λύπῃ, φησὶ, καταποθῇ 6 τοιοῦτος. Ἔστω δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἡμῖντὸ νόημα πρὸς τὴν προκειμένην τοῦ μακαρισμοῦ θεωρίαν εἰς τὸν κατʼ ἀρετὴν βίον οὐκ ἄχρηστον, διὰ τὸ πλεονάζειν πως ἐν τῇ φύσει τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ταύτης δὲ φάρμακον τὸ ἐκ μετανοίας πένθος ἀποδέδεικται. Ἀλλά μοι δοκεῖ βαθύτερόν τι τῶν εἰρημένων ὑποσημαίνειν 6 Λόγος ἐν τῇ παρατατικῇ τοῦ πένθους ἐνεργείᾳ, ἄλλο τι παρὰ τοῦτο νοεῖν ὑφηγούμενος. Εἰγὰρ μόνην τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ πλημμελήματι μεταμέλειαν ἐπεδείκνυεν, ἁκολουθότερον ἂν ἦν τοὺς πενθήσαντας μακαρίζεσθαι, ού τοὺς εἰσαεί πενθοῦντας ο ὡς ἐπὶ ὑποδείγματος συγκρίσει τῆς ἐν τῇ νόσῳ διαγωγῆς τοὺς Οεραπευθέντας μακαρίζομεν, οὑ τοὺς εἰσαεὶ θεραπευομένους. Ἦ γὰρ παράτασις τῆς θεραπείας, καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀρρωστίας διηνεκὲς συνενὸείκνυται. Καὶ ἄλλως δέ μοι δοκεῖ καλῶς ἔχειν μὴ τῷ τοιούτῳ μόνῳ νοήματι τίθεσθαι, ὡς τοῦ Λόγου τοῖς ἐφʼ ἁμαρτίαις πενθοῦσιν τὸν μακαρισμὸν νέμοντος. Πολλοὺς γάρ εὑρήσομεν ἀκατηγόρητον ἐσχηκότας τὸν βίον, καὶ ὑπʼ αὑτῆς τῆς θείας φωνῆς μεμαρτυρημένον ἐπὶ παντὶ τῷ βελτίονι. Ποία γάρ πλεονεξία τοῦ Ἰωάννου; ποία εἰδωλολατρεία τοῦ Ἦλίου; Τί μικρὸν ἢ μεῖζον κατά τὸν βίον ἐκείνων οἶδενη ἱστορία πλημμέλημα; Τί οὗνς Ἀρα ἔξω τῆς μακαριότητος εἶναι 6 λόγος αὐτοὺς ὑποθήσεται, τοὺς μήτε τὴν ἀρχὴν νενοσηκότας, μήτε τοε φαρμάκου τούτου, λέγω δὲ τοῦ ἐκ μετανοίας πένθους,είς χρείαν ἐλθόνταςς Ἦ ἄτοπον εἴη τοὺς τοιούτους τῆς θείας μακαριότητος ἀποβλητους οἴεσθαι, ὅτι μήτε ἥμαρτον, μήτε πένθει τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἱάσαντοξ Ἢ οὕτω γʼ ἂν εῐη τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν τοῦ ἀναμαρτήτως ζῇν προτιμότει
e therapeian prosagontes, tekmēriǭ chrōmenoi tou n pros hygieian trepsai to pathos, to en aisthēsei tōn drimyssontōn ēdē genesthai to melos; houtōs epeidan, kathōs phēsin 6 Apostolos, apēlgēkotes tines paradōsi tǭ kathʼ hamartian biǭ heautous, nekroi tines ontōs kai paretoi tou katʼ aretēn biou genomenoi, oudemian echousin hōn poiousin tēn aisthēsin. Ei de kathapsaito tis hautōn 6 iatreuōn logos, hoion dia tinōn thermōn te kai diakaiontōn pharmakōn (legō de tōn skythrōpōn tēs mellousēs kriseōs apeilōn), kai dia bathous tēn kardian tǭ phobǭ tōn prosdokōmenōn drimyxeien, geennēs phobon, kai ttyr mē sbenny menon, kai ateleutēton skōlēka, kai brygmyn odintōn, kai klauthmon adialeipton, kai skotos exōteron, kai hapanta ta toiauta, hoion tina therma kai drimea pharmaka tǭ nenarkēkoti dia tōn kathʼ hēdonēn pathēmatōn entrioōn kai anathalpōn, eis aisthēsin hauton agagoi tou en hǭ ēn biou, makariston hauton apergasētai, tēn odynēran aisthēsin tę̄ psychę̄ empoiēsas. Kathaper kai 6 Paulos ton tę̄ koitę̄ tou patros hepilyssēsanta, mechris ekeinou mastizei tǭ logǭ, heōs an anaisthētōs eichen tēs hamartias ; epei de kathiketo tou androsē tēs epi-plēxeōs iatreia, hōs ēdē makarion dia tou penthous genomenon, parau kalein archetai, ina mē tę̄ perissoterą lypę̄, phēsi, katapothę̄ 6 toioutos. Estō de kai touto hēminto noēma pros tēn prokeimenēn tou makarismou theōrian eis ton katʼ aretēn bion ouk achrēston, dia to pleonazein pōs en tę̄ physei tōn anthrōpōn tēn hamartian tautēs de pharmakon to ek metanoias penthos apodedeiktai. Alla moi dokei bathyteron ti tōn eirēmenōn hyposēmainein 6 Logos en tę̄ paratatikę̄ tou penthous energeią, allo ti para touto noein hyphēgoumenos. Eigar monēn tēn epi tǭ plēmmelēmati metameleian epedeiknyen, hakolouthoteron an ēn tous penthēsantas makarizesthai, ou tous eisaei penthountas o hōs epi hypodeigmatos synkrisei tēs en tę̄ nosǭ diagōgēs tous Oerapeuthentas makarizomen, hou tous eisaei therapeuomenous. Ē gar paratasis tēs therapeias, kai to tēs arrōstias diēnekes synenoeiknytai. Kai allōs de moi dokei kalōs echein mē tǭ toioutǭ monǭ noēmati tithesthai, hōs tou Logou tois ephʼ hamartiais penthousin ton makarismon nemontos. Pollous gar heurēsomen akatēgorēton eschēkotas ton bion, kai hypʼ hautēs tēs theias phōnēs memartyrēmenon epi panti tǭ beltioni. Poia gar pleonexia tou Iōannou? poia eidōlolatreia tou Ēliou? Ti mikron ē meizon kata ton bion ekeinōn oidenē historia plēmmelēma? Ti houns Ara exō tēs makariotētos einai 6 logos autous hypothēsetai, tous mēte tēn archēn nenosēkotas, mēte toe pharmakou toutou, legō de tou ek metanoias penthous,eis chreian elthontass Ē atopon eiē tous toioutous tēs theias makariotētos apoblētous oiesthai, hoti mēte hēmarton, mēte penthei tēn hamartian hiasantox Ē houtō gʼ an eiē to hamartanein tou anamartētōs zę̄n protimotei
who apply the treatment rejoice, taking it as proof that the affliction has turned toward health when the limb begins to feel the stinging remedies. So it is when, as the Apostle says, some have become callous and given themselves over to the life of sin: they have become truly dead and paralysed toward the life of virtue, and have no sensation of what they are doing. But if the healing word takes hold of them, as with hot and burning remedies — I mean the gloomy threats of the coming judgment — and pricks the heart deeply with fear of what is expected — fear of Gehenna, the unquenchable fire, the undying worm, the gnashing of teeth, unceasing weeping, the outer darkness, and all such things — rubbing these in and warming the one numbed by the passions of pleasure, as with hot and pungent remedies, and bringing him to feel the life he was living, it makes him blessed by producing that painful sensation in his soul. So Paul too lashes with his word the man who had raged after his father’s bed, for as long as he was insensible of his sin; but when the healing of the rebuke reached the man, Paul begins to comfort him, as one who had now become blessed through mourning, “so that such a one,” he says, “may not be swallowed up by excessive grief.” Let this meaning too not be useless for us in the contemplation of the beatitude for the life of virtue, since sin somehow abounds in human nature, and mourning from repentance has been shown to be its remedy. But it seems to me that the Word hints at something deeper than what has been said, in the continuous form of the verb “mourn,” guiding us to understand something else besides this. For if he were pointing only to regret for an offence, it would be more consistent to bless those who have mourned, not those who always mourn; just as, comparing by example the condition of illness, we call blessed those who have been healed, not those who are always being treated, for prolonged treatment also shows the continuance of the illness. Besides, it seems to me right not to settle for this meaning alone, as though the Word assigned blessedness only to those who mourn for sins. For we shall find many whose life was blameless, attested by the divine voice itself for everything that is better. What greed was there in John? What idolatry in Elijah? What offence, small or great, does the history know in their lives? What then? Will the Word place outside blessedness those who were never sick at all and never came to need this remedy, I mean mourning from repentance? Would it not be absurd to think that such people are excluded from divine blessedness because they neither sinned nor healed sin by mourning? Then sinning would be preferable to living without sin.
Eph 4:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 9:43–48 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 8:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 25:30 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 5:1–5 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 2:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 5:4 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The fear of judgment, like a stinging remedy, brings the callous sinner to feel and mourn his sin, as Paul did with the incestuous man; but since Christ blesses those who always mourn, and the sinless too are blessed, the beatitude must mean more than repentance.
- Callousness: Eph 4:19. The threats of judgment: Mark 9:43–48; Matt 8:12; 25:30. The incestuous man: 1 Cor 5:1–5; 2 Cor 2:7. “Those who mourn” is a present participle (οἱ πενθοῦντες), which Gregory takes as continuous. John the Baptist and Elijah as blameless.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Beat. 1221 (PG 44:1221a–1221d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-beatitudines/1215/#p-1221). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 1223
1223PG 44:1224a–1224d
ρον. εἰ μόνοις τοῖς μετανοοῦσιν τοῦ Παρακλήτω χάρις ἀποκεκλήρωται; Μακάριοι γὰρ. φησὶν, οι πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται. Οὐκοῦν ὡς ἔστι δυνατὸν ἑπόμενοι, καθώς φησιν ὁ “p.61κοὺμ, τῷ ἐπὶ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ἐπιὸιβῶντι, πάλιν τὴν ἐγκειμένην διάνοιαν τοῖς εἰρημένοις ἁναζητήσωμεν, ὡς ἂν μάθοιμεν ποίῳ πένθει πρόκειται ἡ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου πα ράκλησις. Σκοπήσωμεν τοίνυν ἐν τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ ζωῇ, τί πιτε πρῶτον αὐτὸ τὸ πένθος ἐστὶ, κα). ἐπὶ τίσιν συνίσταται. Οὐκοῦν πρόδηλον ἅπασιν τὸ τοιοῦτον, an πένθος ἐστὶ σκυθρωπὴ διάθεσις τῆς ψυχῆς, ἐπὶ στερήτει τινὸς τῶν καταθυμί‹.›ν συνισταμένη” ὅπερ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐν εὐθυμία διαδιούντωνʼσυνίστασθαι χώραν οὐκ ἔχει ‘ οἷον, εὐπραγΞί τις κατὰ τὸν βίον, πάντα xx": ῥοῦν αὐτῷ διὰ τῶν ἡδέων τὰ πράγματα φέρεται, τῇ γαμετῇ ὲπευφραὶνεται, τοῖς παισὶν ἑπαγὰλλεται. διὰ τῆς τῶν ἀδελφῶν συμμαχίας ὠχύρωται, σεμνὸς κατὰ τὴν ἀγορὰν, τίμιος τοῖς δυναστεύουσιν, φοβερὸς τρῖς ἀντιτεταγμένοις, ἀκαταφρόνητος τοῖς ὑποχειρίοις, φξλοις εὐπρόσιτος, πλούτῳ κομῶν, ἀπολαυστικὸς, ἠδϋς, ἄλυπος, σθεναρὸς τῷ σώματι· πάντα ἔχων, ὅσα τίμια κατὰ τὸν κόσμον τοῦτον εἶναι δοκεῖʼ ὁ τοιοῦτος πάντως ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ ἑκάστῳ τῶν παρόντων ἐπιγαννύμενος. Εἰ δέ τις μεταβολὴ τῆς εὐημερίας ταύτης καθάψαιτο, ἦ διάζευξιν τῶν φιλτάτων, ἣ ζημίαν τῶν προσόντων, ἦ τινα πήρωσιν τῆς σωματικῆς εὐκληρίας, ὲκ πονηρᾶς τινος (Iuven-xta; ‘émi'roum. τότε τῇ ὑπεξαιρέσει τοῦ εὐφραῖνοντος, ή ὲναντῖα διάθεσις μ γίνεται, ἣν πένθος προσαγορεύομεν. οὐκοῦν ἀληθὴς ὁ ἁποδεόομένος περὶ αὑτοῦ λόγος, ὅτι πένθος ἐστὶν αἴσθησίς τις ἀλγεινὴ τῆς τῶν εὐφραινόντων στερήσεως. Εἰ δὴ νενόηται ἡμῖν τὸ ἀνθρώπινον πένθος, γενέσθω τις ὁδηγία τῶν ἀγνοουμένων τὰ πρόδηλα, ὡς ἂν φανερὸν γένοιτο, τί τὺ μακαριζόμενον ἐστι πένθος, ἐπακολουθεῖ ὴ παράκλησις. Εἰ γὰρ ὴ τῶν προσόντων ἀγαθῶν στέρησις ἐνταῦθα τὺ πένθος ποιεῖ, οὐκ ἂν δέ τις τοῦ ἀγνοουμένου τὴν ζημίαν ἀπολοφύραιτο· γνῶναι προσήκει πρότερον αὐτὸ τὸ ἀγαθον, ὅ τε ποτέ ἐστι κατὰ ἀλήθειαν, εἷθʼ οὕτως τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν κατανοῆσαι. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο συμβήσεται τὸ μακαριζόμενον πένθος κατορθωθῆναι. Οἴον γάρ στιν ἐπὶ τῶν ὲν σκότῳ βιοτευόντων, ὅταν ὁ μὶν ἐν· τεχθῇ τῷ ζόφῳ, ὁ δὲ τῇ ἀπολαύσει τοῦ ἔξω φωτὸς συνειθισμένος, ἐξ ἐπηρείας τινος κατάκλειστος γένηται, οὐχ ὁμοίως ἀμφοτέρων ἡτῶν παρόντων καθέξπτεται συμφορὰ (ὁ μὲν γὰρ εῐδὼς οὗ ἐστέρηται, βαρεῖαν ποιεῖται τοῦ φωτὸς τὴν ζημίαν· ὀ δὲ μηδὲ ὅλως ἐγνωκὼς τὴν τοιαύτην χάριν, ἀλύπως διαΰιὼσεται, διὰ τὴν τροφίαι) τοῦ ζόφου μηδενὸς ἐκπεπτωκέ ναι τῶν ἀγαθῶν λογιζόμενος ’ ἐκ δὲ τούτου τὸν μὲν ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῆς τοῦ φωτὸς ἀπολαύσεως, εἰς πᾶσαν ἄξει μηχανὴν καὶ ἐπίνοιαν τοῦ πάλιν ἰδεῖν οὗ ἐξ ἐπηρείας ἀπεστερήθη· ὁδὲ καταγηράεει τῷ ζόφιεῖ διαβιῶν, διὰ τὸ μὴ ἐγνωκέναι τὸ βέλτιον, ἀγαθὸν ἐαυτῷ τὸ παρὸν κρίνων) · οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ προκ;ι;.ιένου νοήματος. ὁ τὺ ἀληθῶς ἀγαθὸν κατιδεῖν ἰσχύσας, ἔπειτα
ron. ei monois tois metanoousin tou Paraklētō charis apokeklērōtai? Makarioi gar. phēsin, oi penthountes, hoti autoi paraklēthēsontai. Oukoun hōs esti dynaton hepomenoi, kathōs phēsin ho “p.61koum, tǭ epi ta hypsēla epioibōnti, palin tēn enkeimenēn dianoian tois eirēmenois hanazētēsōmen, hōs an mathoimen poiǭ penthei prokeitai hē tou Pneumatos tou hagiou pa raklēsis. Skopēsōmen toinyn en tę̄ anthrōpinę̄ zōę̄, ti pite prōton auto to penthos esti, ka). epi tisin synistatai. Oukoun prodēlon hapasin to toiouton, an penthos esti skythrōpē diathesis tēs psychēs, epi sterētei tinos tōn katathymi‹.›n synistamenē” hoper epi tōn en euthymia diadiountōnʼsynistasthai chōran ouk echei ‘ hoion, eupranXi tis kata ton bion, panta xx": rhoun autǭ dia tōn hēdeōn ta pragmata pheretai, tę̄ gametę̄ epeuphrainetai, tois paisin hepagalletai. dia tēs tōn adelphōn symmachias ōchyrōtai, semnos kata tēn agoran, timios tois dynasteuousin, phoberos tris antitetagmenois, akataphronētos tois hypocheiriois, phxlois euprositos, ploutǭ komōn, apolaustikos, ēdÿs, alypos, sthenaros tǭ sōmati; panta echōn, hosa timia kata ton kosmon touton einai dokeiʼ ho toioutos pantōs en euphrosynę̄ hekastǭ tōn parontōn epigannymenos. Ei de tis metabolē tēs euēmerias tautēs kathapsaito, ē diazeuxin tōn philtatōn, hē zēmian tōn prosontōn, ē tina pērōsin tēs sōmatikēs euklērias, ek ponēras tinos (Iuven-xta? ‘emi'roum. tote tę̄ hypexairesei tou euphrainontos, ē enantia diathesis m ginetai, hēn penthos prosagoreuomen. oukoun alēthēs ho hapodeoomenos peri hautou logos, hoti penthos estin aisthēsis tis algeinē tēs tōn euphrainontōn sterēseōs. Ei dē nenoētai hēmin to anthrōpinon penthos, genesthō tis hodēgia tōn agnooumenōn ta prodēla, hōs an phaneron genoito, ti ty makarizomenon esti penthos, epakolouthei ē paraklēsis. Ei gar ē tōn prosontōn agathōn sterēsis entautha ty penthos poiei, ouk an de tis tou agnooumenou tēn zēmian apolophyraito; gnōnai prosēkei proteron auto to agathon, ho te pote esti kata alētheian, heithʼ houtōs tēn anthrōpinēn physin katanoēsai. Dia gar touto symbēsetai to makarizomenon penthos katorthōthēnai. Oion gar stin epi tōn en skotǭ bioteuontōn, hotan ho min en; techthę̄ tǭ zophǭ, ho de tę̄ apolausei tou exō phōtos syneithismenos, ex epēreias tinos katakleistos genētai, ouch homoiōs amphoterōn hētōn parontōn kathexptetai symphora (ho men gar eidōs hou esterētai, bareian poieitai tou phōtos tēn zēmian; o de mēde holōs egnōkōs tēn toiautēn charin, alypōs diaÿiōsetai, dia tēn trophiai) tou zophou mēdenos ekpeptōke nai tōn agathōn logizomenos ’ ek de toutou ton men hē epithymia tēs tou phōtos apolauseōs, eis pasan axei mēchanēn kai epinoian tou palin idein hou ex epēreias apesterēthē; hode katagēraeei tǭ zophiei diabiōn, dia to mē egnōkenai to beltion, agathon eautǭ to paron krinōn) ; houtō kai epi tou prok?i?.ienou noēmatos. ho ty alēthōs agathon katidein ischysas, epeita
— if the grace of the Comforter has been allotted only to those who repent? For “blessed,” he says, “are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” So, following as far as we can, as Habakkuk says, the one who sets us on the high places, let us seek again the meaning that lies in the words, so as to learn to what kind of mourning the comfort of the Holy Spirit is promised. Let us consider, then, what mourning itself first is in human life, and from what causes it arises. It is plain to all that mourning is a gloomy disposition of the soul, arising from the loss of something desired; and it has no room to arise in those who live in cheerfulness. Suppose someone prospers in life: everything flows his way through pleasant things; he delights in his wife and exults in his children; he is fortified by the support of his brothers; he is respected in the marketplace, honoured by the powerful, feared by his opponents, not despised by those under him, approachable to his friends, flourishing in wealth, enjoying life, pleasant, free of grief, strong in body, having everything that is thought honourable in this world. Such a man surely rejoices with gladness in each of his present goods. But if some change touches this prosperity — separation from his dearest, or loss of his possessions, or some maiming of his bodily good fortune — from some evil …, then, when what gladdened him is taken away, the opposite disposition arises, which we call mourning. So the account given of it is true: mourning is a painful sensation of the loss of things that gladden. If, then, we have understood human mourning, let what is plain be our guide to what is unknown, so that it may become clear what the blessed mourning is, on which comfort follows. If here the loss of goods we had produces mourning, and no one would lament the loss of what he does not know, one must first know the good itself, what it truly is, and then understand human nature; for in this way the blessed mourning will be achieved. Consider those who live in darkness. One was born in the gloom; another, accustomed to enjoying the light outside, has been shut in by some injury. The misfortune does not affect both alike. The one, knowing what he has been deprived of, feels the loss of the light heavily; the other, never having known such a grace, will live without grief, reckoning, because he was brought up in the gloom, that he has lost no good thing. As a result, desire for the enjoyment of light will drive the first to every device and contrivance to see again what he was deprived of by injury, while the second grows old living in the gloom, judging what he has to be good because he has not known the better. So it is with the meaning before us. Whoever has been able to perceive the truly good, and then
Matt 5:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Hab 3:19 (allusion, high confidence) · John 14:26 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Since blessed mourning cannot be only repentance, Gregory defines mourning as pain at the loss of something gladdening; to mourn rightly one must first know the true good we have lost, as one who has seen light feels its loss in a dungeon while the man born there does not.
- “The one who sets us on the high places”: Hab 3:19 (compare Ps 18:33). The Comforter (Παράκλητος): John 14:16, 26; Gregory plays on “they shall be comforted” (παρακληθήσονται).
- A few words after “from some evil” are unreadable in the scan (OCR debris, marked …).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (Latin letters) for τοῦ φωτὸς): τοῦ qam-:7); → τοῦ φωτὸς.
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Beat. 1223 (PG 44:1224a–1224d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-beatitudines/1215/#p-1223). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 1225
1225PG 44:1225a–1225d
τὴν πτωχείαν τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως κατανοήσας, ὲν συμφορᾷ τὴν ψυχὴν πάντως ἕξει, τῷ μὴ εἶναι ὲν τῷ ἀγαθῷ ἐκείνῳ τὸν παρόντα βίον, πένθος ποιούμενος.“ Οὐκοῦν οὐ τὴν λύπην μοι δοκεῖ μακαρίζειν ὁ Λόγος, ἀλλά τὴν εἴδησιν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ, rb τῆς λύπης πάθος ὲπισυμὸαίνει, διὰ rb μὴ παρεῖναι τῷ βίῳ τὸ ’Δκόλουθον τοίνυν ἐξετάσαι τί ποτε ἄρα ἐστὶν ἐκεῖνο τὸ φῶςο, ᾧ rb ζοφῶδες τοῦτο τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως σπήλαιον ὲν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ οὑ καταυγά- (erat. Ἦ τάχα, οὑ πρὸς rb ἀνήνυτόν τε καὶ ἀκατάληπτον ή ἐπιθυμία βλέπει ; Τίς γάρ ἐν ἡμῖν λογισμὸς τοιοῦτος, ὡς ἀνιχνεῦσαι τοῦ ζητουμένου τὴν φύσιν; Τίς ἐξ ὀνομάτων τε καὶ ῥημάτων σημασία τοιαύτη, ὡς ἀξίαν ἡμῖν ἔννοιαν τοῦ ὑπερκειμένου φωτὸς ἐμποιῆσαι; Πῶς ὀνομάσω rb ἀθέατον; Πῶς παραστήσω rb eam; Πῶς δείξω rb ἀειδές; πῶς διαλάόω τὸ ἀμέγεθες, rb ἄποσον, rb ἄποιον, rb ἀσχημάτιστον ; rb μήτε τόπῳ, μήτε χρόνῳ εὑρισκόμενον; rb ἐξώτερον παντδς περασμοῦ, καὶ πάσης όριστικῆς φανταο σίας; οὗ ἔργον ζωὴ, καὶ ἡ πάντων τῶν κατὰ rb ἀγαθὸν νοουμένων ὑπόστασιςς περὶ ὃ πᾶν ὑψηλὸν νόημά τε καὶ ὄνομα θεωρεῖται; θεότης, βασιλεία, δύναμις, ἀϊδιότης, ἀφθαρσία, χαρά τε καί ἀγαλλίαμα, καὶ πᾶν ὅτι πέρ ἔστιν ὲν ὕψει νοούμενόν τε καὶ λεγόμενον; Πῶς τοίνυν ἔστι καὶ διὰ ποίων λογισμῶν rb τοιοῦτον ἡμῶν ἀγαθὸν ὑπʼ ὄψιν ἐλθεῖν, rb θεώμενον καὶ μὴ βλεπόμενον ; Τὸ πᾶσι τοῖς οὖσι rb εἶναι παρεχόμενον; αὐτὸ δὲ ἀεὶ ὃν, καὶ τοῦ γενέσθαι οὐ προσδεόμενον; Ἀλλʼ ὡς ἂν μὴ μάτην ὁ λόγος κάμνοι τοῖς ἀχωρήτοις ἑαυτὸν ὲπεκτείνων, τῶν μὲν ὑπερκειμένων ἀγαθῶν τὴν φύσιν, ὡς ἀμήχανον ὃν rb τοιοῦτον ὑπὸ κατάληψιν ἐλθεῖν, πολυπραγμονοῦντες παυσώμεθα, τοσοῦτον μόνον ὲκ τῶν ζητηθέντων κερδάναντες, ὅσον διʼ αὑτοῦ τοῦ μὴ δυνηθῆναι κατιδεῖν rb ζητούμενον, ἔννοιάν τινα τοῦ μεγέθους τῶν ζητουμένων ἀνατυπώσασθαι. Ὀσῳ δὲ τῆς γνώσεως ἡμῶν ὑψηλότερον εἶναι rb ἀγαθὸν τῇ φύσει πιστεύομεν, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον τὸ πένθος ὲν αὑτοῖς ἐπιτείνωμεν, ὅτι τοιοῦτόν ἔστι καὶ τοσοῦτον rb ἀγαθὸν, οὗ διεζευγμένοι τυγχάνομεν, ὡς μηδὲ τὴν γνῶσιν αὑτοῦ χωρεῖν δύνασθαι. Τούτου μέντοι τοῦ ὑπεραίροντος πᾶσαν δύναμιν καταληπτικὴν, ὲν μετουσίᾳ ποτὲ ἦμεν οί ἄνθρωποι· καὶ τοσοῦτον ἦν ὲν τῇ φύσει ἡμῶν ἐκεῖνο rb ἀγαθὸν τὸ ὑπὲρ πᾶν νόημα, ὡς ἄλλο έκεῖνο rb ἀνθρώπινον εἶναι δοκεῖν, τῇ ἀκριβεστάτη ὁμοιώσει κατά τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ πρωτοτύπου μεμορφωμένον. "A γάρ νῦν περὶ ἐκείνου στοχαστικῶς θεωροῦμεν, ταῦτα πάντα καὶ περὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἦν, ἀφθαρσίᾳ τε καὶ μακαριότητι· xui rb αὐτοκρατὲς καὶ rb ἀδέσποτον, τό τε ἄλυπον καὶ
tēn ptōcheian tēs anthrōpinēs physeōs katanoēsas, en symphorą tēn psychēn pantōs hexei, tǭ mē einai en tǭ agathǭ ekeinǭ ton paronta bion, penthos poioumenos.“ Oukoun ou tēn lypēn moi dokei makarizein ho Logos, alla tēn eidēsin tou agathou, rb tēs lypēs pathos episymoainei, dia rb mē pareinai tǭ biǭ to ’Dkolouthon toinyn exetasai ti pote ara estin ekeino to phōso, hǭ rb zophōdes touto tēs anthrōpinēs physeōs spēlaion en tǭ paronti biǭ hou katauga- (erat. Ē tacha, hou pros rb anēnyton te kai akatalēpton ē epithymia blepei ? Tis gar en hēmin logismos toioutos, hōs anichneusai tou zētoumenou tēn physin? Tis ex onomatōn te kai rhēmatōn sēmasia toiautē, hōs axian hēmin ennoian tou hyperkeimenou phōtos empoiēsai? Pōs onomasō rb atheaton? Pōs parastēsō rb eam? Pōs deixō rb aeides? pōs dialaoō to amegethes, rb aposon, rb apoion, rb aschēmatiston ? rb mēte topǭ, mēte chronǭ heuriskomenon? rb exōteron pantds perasmou, kai pasēs oristikēs phantao sias? hou ergon zōē, kai hē pantōn tōn kata rb agathon nooumenōn hypostasiss peri ho pan hypsēlon noēma te kai onoma theōreitai? theotēs, basileia, dynamis, aïdiotēs, aphtharsia, chara te kai agalliama, kai pan hoti per estin en hypsei nooumenon te kai legomenon? Pōs toinyn esti kai dia poiōn logismōn rb toiouton hēmōn agathon hypʼ opsin elthein, rb theōmenon kai mē blepomenon ? To pasi tois ousi rb einai parechomenon? auto de aei hon, kai tou genesthai ou prosdeomenon? Allʼ hōs an mē matēn ho logos kamnoi tois achōrētois heauton epekteinōn, tōn men hyperkeimenōn agathōn tēn physin, hōs amēchanon hon rb toiouton hypo katalēpsin elthein, polypragmonountes pausōmetha, tosouton monon ek tōn zētēthentōn kerdanantes, hoson diʼ hautou tou mē dynēthēnai katidein rb zētoumenon, ennoian tina tou megethous tōn zētoumenōn anatypōsasthai. Osǭ de tēs gnōseōs hēmōn hypsēloteron einai rb agathon tę̄ physei pisteuomen, tosoutǭ mallon to penthos en hautois epiteinōmen, hoti toiouton esti kai tosouton rb agathon, hou diezeugmenoi tynchanomen, hōs mēde tēn gnōsin hautou chōrein dynasthai. Toutou mentoi tou hyperairontos pasan dynamin katalēptikēn, en metousią pote ēmen oi anthrōpoi; kai tosouton ēn en tę̄ physei hēmōn ekeino rb agathon to hyper pan noēma, hōs allo ekeino rb anthrōpinon einai dokein, tę̄ akribestatē homoiōsei kata tēn eikona tou prōtotypou memorphōmenon. "A gar nyn peri ekeinou stochastikōs theōroumen, tauta panta kai peri ton anthrōpon ēn, aphtharsią te kai makariotēti; xui rb autokrates kai rb adespoton, to te alypon kai
has understood the poverty of human nature, will certainly have his soul in misfortune, mourning that the present life is not in that good. So it seems to me that the Word blesses not grief itself, but the knowledge of the good, on which the feeling of grief follows because the good is not present in this life … It follows, then, to examine what that light is by which this gloomy cave of human nature is not lit in the present life. Or perhaps the desire looks toward what is beyond attainment and comprehension? For what reasoning in us is able to track down the nature of what is sought? What meaning of names and words is able to produce in us a worthy notion of the light that is beyond? How shall I name the unseen? How shall I present the incomprehensible? How shall I show what has no form? How shall I grasp what has no size, no quantity, no quality, no shape — what is found neither in place nor in time, what lies beyond every limit and every defining image; whose work is life and the substance of all that is understood as good; around which every lofty thought and name is contemplated: godhead, kingship, power, eternity, incorruption, joy and exultation, and whatever is understood and spoken of in the heights? How, then, and by what reasonings, can such a good come within our sight, which is beheld and not seen, which gives being to all things that are, but itself always is and has no need of coming to be? But so that our discourse may not labour in vain, stretching itself toward what cannot be contained, let us stop prying into the nature of the transcendent goods, since it is impossible for such a thing to come within comprehension. Let us gain only this much from our inquiry: that through our very inability to perceive what we seek, we form some notion of the greatness of what we seek. And the more we believe the good to be by nature higher than our knowledge, the more let us intensify our mourning, because the good from which we have been separated is such and so great that we cannot even contain the knowledge of it. Yet we human beings once shared in this good that surpasses every power of comprehension. That good, beyond every thought, was so present in our nature that the human seemed to be a second such good, formed by the most exact likeness to the image of the prototype. For all the things we now contemplate by conjecture about that good were also present in man: incorruption and blessedness, self-rule and freedom from any master, a life free of grief and
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Gen 1:26–27 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Christ blesses not grief but the knowledge of the lost good; that good, God himself, cannot be named or grasped, but our very inability shows its greatness, and we were once made in its likeness, sharing incorruption, blessedness, and freedom.
- After “not present in this life” a line is lost in the scan (marked …). A word in the list (“incomprehensible”) is supplied where the scan has debris.
- Gregory’s teaching on the original state of humanity in the image of God (compare his On the Making of Man) is translated as written.
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Beat. 1225 (PG 44:1225a–1225d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-beatitudines/1215/#p-1225). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 1227
1227PG 44:1228a–1228b
12ῗὸ ιπραγμάτευτον τῆς ζωῆς, καὶ ὴ ἐν θειοτάροις διαγωγή ' καὶ τὺ γυμνῇ τε καὶ καθαρᾷ παντὸς προκαλύμματος τῇ διανοίᾳ πρὸς τὺ ἀγαθὸν βλέπειν. Ταῦτα γάρ πάντα διʼ ὀλίγων ῥημάτων ό τῆς κοσμστὲνείας ἡμῖν ὑπαινίττεται λόγος, κατʼ εἰκόνα Θεοῦ λέγων πεπλάσθαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ ζῇν. καὶ τῶν ἐκεῖ πεφυτευμένων κατατρυφᾷν. Τῶν δὲ φυτῶν ἐκείνων καρπὸς,’ζωὴ καὶ γνῶσις καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτά ἐστιν. Ei δὲ ταῦτα ἐν ἡμῖν ἦν, πῶς οὖν ἐστι διὰ ουτκρίσεως ἀντιπαραθεωροῦντα τῇ τότε μακαριότητι τὴν παροῦσαν νῦν ἀθλιότητα, μὴ ἐπιστενάζειν τῇ συμφορᾷο τὸ ὑψηλὸν τεταπείνωται ο τὺ κατʼ εἰκόνα τοῦ ἐπουρανίου γενόμενον, ἀπεγεώθη ο τὸ βασιλεύειν τεταγμένον, κατεδουλώθη· τὸ εἰς ἀθανασίαν κτισθὲν, κατεφθάρη θανάτῳς τὸ ἐν τρυφῇ τοῦ παραδείσου διάγον, εἰς τὸ νοσῶδες καὶ ἐπίπονον τοῦτο μετῳκίσθη χωρίονʼ τὸ τῇ ἀπαθείᾳ σύντροφον. τὸν ἐμπαθῆ καὶ ἐπίκηρον ἀντηλλάξατο βίον ” τὸ ἀδέσποτόν τε καὶ αὐτεξούσιον, νῦν ὑπὸ τοιούτων καὶ τοσούτων κακῶν κυριεύεται, ὡς μηδὲ ρᾁιον εἶναι τοὺς τυράννους ὴμῶν ἀπαριθμήσασθαι. ’Ἐκαστον γὰρ τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν παθῶν, ὅταν ἐπικρατήσῃ, δεσπότης τοῦ δουλωθέντος γίνεται “ καὶ καθάπερ τις τύραννος καταλαῦὼν τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν ἀκρόπολιν, διʼ αὐτῶν τῶν ὑποχειρίων κακοῖ τὸ ὑπήκοον, ὑπηρέταις τοῖς ἡμετέροις λογισμοῖς πρδς τὸ δοκοῦν ἐαυτῷ καταχρώμενος · οὕτως ό θυμὸς, οὕτως ό φόβος, ἡ δειλία, τὸ θράσος, τὸ κατά λύπην τε καὶ τὸ καθʼ,ἡδονὴν πάθος, μῖσος, ἔρις, ἀνέλεος.. ἀπήνεια, φθόνος, κολακεία, μνησικακία τε καὶ ἀναλγησία, καὶ πάντα τὰ κατὰ τὸ ἐναντίον ἐν ἡμῖν νοούμενα πάθη, τυράννων ἐστί τινων καὶ δεσποτῶν ἀπαρίθμησις, τῶν πρὸς τὺ ῐδιον κράτος τὴν ψυχὴν οἷόν τινα δορυάλωτον καταδουλούντων. El δέ τις καὶ τὰς περὶ τὸ σῶμα συμφορὰς ἀναλογίζοιτο, τάς τῇ φύσει ἡμῶν συμπεπλεγμένας τε καί συστρεφομένας, τὰς ποικίλας λέγω καὶ πολυτρόπους τῶν νοσημάτων ἰδέας, ὧν πάντων τὸ κατʼ ἀρχὰς ἀπείρατον ἦν τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, πολὺ μᾶλλον πλεονάσει ob δάκρυον, ἐκ παραλλήλου θεωρῶν ἀντὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὰ λυπηρὰ, καὶ ἀντιπαρατιθεὶς τὰ κακά τοῖς βελτίοσιν. Τοῦτο οὖν ἔοικεν ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ διδάσκειν ό μακαρίζων τὸ πένθος, τὸ πρὸς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἀγαθὸν τὴν ψυχὴν βλέπειν, μηδὲ τῇ παρούσῃ ἀπάτῃ τοῦ βίου καταβαπτίζεσθαι· ού γὰρ ἔστιν οὔτε ἀδακρυτὶ ζῇν τὸν ἐπεσκεμμένον διʼ ἀκριβείας,τά πράγματα, οὔτε ἐν λυπηροῖς εῖναι νομίζειν τὸν ταῖς βιωτικαῖς ἡδοναῖς ἐμβαθύνοντα · καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀλόγων τὸ τοιοῦτον ἔστιν ίδεῖν ο οἷς ἐλεεινὴ μὲν ὴ τῆς φύσεώς ἐστι κατασκευή ο (τί γὰρ ἐλεεινότερον τῆς τοῦ λόγου στερήσεως;) αἴσθησις δὲ τῆς συμφορᾶς αὐτοῖς οὐδεμία, ἀλλά κατά τινα ἡδονὴν κάκείνοις ἡ ζωὴ διεξάγεται ο καὶ ό ἵππος γαυριᾷ, καὶ ό ταῦρος κονίζεται· καὶ ό οὺς φρίσσει τὴν λοφιάν· καὶ οἱ σκύλακες παι. ζουσι, καὶ διασκιρτῶσιν οί μόσχοι. καὶ ἕκαστον τῶν ζώων ἐστιν ἰδεῖν διά τινων τεκμηρίων τὴν ἡδονὴν ἐνδεικνύμενον, οἷς εί τις κατανόησις ἦν τῆς τοῦ λόγου χάριτος, οὐκ ἂν τὸν κωφὸν αὐτῶν καὶ ταλαί· ταυρον βίον ἐν ἡδονῇ διετίθεντο. υῦτως καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οἷς οὐδεμία τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐστι γνῶσις,
12ïo ipragmateuton tēs zōēs, kai ē en theiotarois diagōgē ' kai ty gymnę̄ te kai katharą pantos prokalymmatos tę̄ dianoią pros ty agathon blepein. Tauta gar panta diʼ oligōn rhēmatōn o tēs kosmsteneias hēmin hypainittetai logos, katʼ eikona Theou legōn peplasthai ton anthrōpon, kai en tǭ paradeisǭ zę̄n. kai tōn ekei pephyteumenōn katatryphąn. Tōn de phytōn ekeinōn karpos,’zōē kai gnōsis kai ta toiauta estin. Ei de tauta en hēmin ēn, pōs oun esti dia outkriseōs antiparatheōrounta tę̄ tote makariotēti tēn parousan nyn athliotēta, mē epistenazein tę̄ symphorąo to hypsēlon tetapeinōtai o ty katʼ eikona tou epouraniou genomenon, apegeōthē o to basileuein tetagmenon, katedoulōthē; to eis athanasian ktisthen, katephtharē thanatǭs to en tryphę̄ tou paradeisou diagon, eis to nosōdes kai epiponon touto metǭkisthē chōrionʼ to tę̄ apatheią syntrophon. ton empathē kai epikēron antēllaxato bion ” to adespoton te kai autexousion, nyn hypo toioutōn kai tosoutōn kakōn kyrieuetai, hōs mēde rąion einai tous tyrannous ēmōn aparithmēsasthai. ’Ekaston gar tōn en hēmin pathōn, hotan epikratēsę̄, despotēs tou doulōthentos ginetai “ kai kathaper tis tyrannos katalauōn tēs psychēs tēn akropolin, diʼ autōn tōn hypocheiriōn kakoi to hypēkoon, hypēretais tois hēmeterois logismois prds to dokoun eautǭ katachrōmenos ; houtōs o thymos, houtōs o phobos, hē deilia, to thrasos, to kata lypēn te kai to kathʼ,hēdonēn pathos, misos, eris, aneleos.. apēneia, phthonos, kolakeia, mnēsikakia te kai analgēsia, kai panta ta kata to enantion en hēmin nooumena pathē, tyrannōn esti tinōn kai despotōn aparithmēsis, tōn pros ty idion kratos tēn psychēn hoion tina doryalōton katadoulountōn. El de tis kai tas peri to sōma symphoras analogizoito, tas tę̄ physei hēmōn sympeplegmenas te kai systrephomenas, tas poikilas legō kai polytropous tōn nosēmatōn ideas, hōn pantōn to katʼ archas apeiraton ēn to anthrōpinon, poly mallon pleonasei ob dakryon, ek parallēlou theōrōn anti tōn agathōn ta lypēra, kai antiparatitheis ta kaka tois beltiosin. Touto oun eoiken en aporrētǭ didaskein o makarizōn to penthos, to pros to alēthinon agathon tēn psychēn blepein, mēde tę̄ parousę̄ apatę̄ tou biou katabaptizesthai; ou gar estin oute adakryti zę̄n ton epeskemmenon diʼ akribeias,ta pragmata, oute en lypērois einai nomizein ton tais biōtikais hēdonais embathynonta ; kathaper epi tōn alogōn to toiouton estin idein o hois eleeinē men ē tēs physeōs esti kataskeuē o (ti gar eleeinoteron tēs tou logou sterēseōs?) aisthēsis de tēs symphoras autois oudemia, alla kata tina hēdonēn kakeinois hē zōē diexagetai o kai o hippos gaurią, kai o tauros konizetai; kai o ous phrissei tēn lophian; kai hoi skylakes pai. zousi, kai diaskirtōsin oi moschoi. kai hekaston tōn zōōn estin idein dia tinōn tekmēriōn tēn hēdonēn endeiknymenon, hois ei tis katanoēsis ēn tēs tou logou charitos, ouk an ton kōphon autōn kai talai; tauron bion en hēdonę̄ dietithento. yytōs kai epi tōn anthrōpōn, hois oudemia tōn agathōn esti gnōsis,
without toil, a way of life among more divine things, and the beholding of the good with a mind bare and clean of every veil. All these the account of the world’s creation hints at for us in a few words, when it says that man was formed in the image of God, lived in paradise, and enjoyed what was planted there; and the fruit of those plants is life and knowledge and the like. If these things were ours, how can one, comparing the present misery with the blessedness of that time, not groan at the misfortune? The lofty has been humbled; what was made in the image of the heavenly has become earthly; what was appointed to reign has been enslaved; what was created for immortality has been corrupted by death; what lived in the delight of paradise has been moved to this sickly and toilsome place; what was nurtured in freedom from passion has exchanged it for a life of passion and decay; what was masterless and self-determining is now ruled by so many and such great evils that it is not easy to count our tyrants. For each of the passions within us, when it prevails, becomes the master of the one it has enslaved; and like a tyrant who seizes the citadel of the soul, it harms its subjects through those under its hand, using our reasonings as servants for whatever pleases it. So it is with anger, with fear, with cowardice and rashness, the passion of grief and of pleasure, hatred, strife, mercilessness, harshness, envy, flattery, rancour and callousness, and all the passions understood as opposed to the good within us: they are a list of tyrants and masters who enslave the soul to their own power like a captive taken by the spear. And if one reckons too the misfortunes of the body, which are interwoven and twisted together with our nature — I mean the various and manifold kinds of disease, of all of which humanity was at first without experience — his tears will flow much more abundantly, as he sees side by side griefs instead of goods, and sets the evils against the better things. This, then, is what the one who blesses mourning seems to teach in secret: that the soul should look to the true good, and not be drowned in the present deceit of life. For one who has examined things exactly cannot live without tears, nor can one who sinks deep in the pleasures of life think himself in grief. One can see this in the irrational animals. Their natural constitution is pitiable — for what is more pitiable than lacking reason? — yet they have no sense of their misfortune; their life too is passed in a kind of pleasure. The horse prances, the bull rolls in the dust, the boar bristles its crest, the puppies play, the calves skip, and each of the animals can be seen showing its pleasure by some signs. If they had any understanding of the gift of reason, they would not pass their dumb and wretched life in pleasure. So too with human beings who have no knowledge of the goods
Gen 1:27 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 2:8–9 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 3:17–19 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Humanity, made in God’s image in paradise, has fallen into slavery to the passions, death, and disease; whoever sees this cannot but weep, whereas those who know nothing better live content like animals.
- The image of God and paradise: Gen 1:26–27; 2:8–9. The fall into death: Gen 3:17–19.
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Beat. 1227 (PG 44:1228a–1228b; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-beatitudines/1215/#p-1227). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 1229
1229PG 44:1229a–1229d
ὧν ἠ φύσις ἡμῶν ἀπεστέρηται, τούτοις καθʼ ἡδονὴι ἡ τῆς παρούσης ζωῆς διαγωγή. ’Λκολουθεῖ δὲ τῷ τοῖς παροῦσιν ἥδε σθαι, τὸ μὴ ζητεῖν τά βελτίω. '0 δὲ μὴ ζητῶν, οὐκ ἂν εὕροι τὸ μόνοις ζητοῦσι παραγενόμενον. Οὐκοῦν διὰ τοῦτο όΛόγος μαχαρίζει τὸ πένθος, οὐ διʼ ἑαυτὸ κρίνων εἶναι μακάριον, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ ἐξ ἐκείνου παραγενόμενον. Δείκνυσι δὲ τοῦ λόγου ὴ συζυγία, ὅτι τῆς πρὸς τὴν παράκλησιν ἀναφορᾶς τὸ πενθεῖν αὐτοῖς ἐστι μακάριον. Μακάριοι γὰρ, φησὶν, ol πενθοῦντες καὶ οὐκ ἔστησεν ὲν τούτῳ τὸν λόγον, ἀλλά προσέθηκεν, Ὅτι αὐτοι παρακληθήσονται. Ὃ μοι δοκεῖ προκατανενοηκὼς ὁ μέγας Μωῦσῆς (μᾶλλον δὲ, ὁ ἐν ἐκείνῳ ταῦτα διατάσσων Λόγος, ἐν ταῖς μυστικαῖς τοῦ Πάσχα παρατηρήσεσιν)· ἄζυμον μὲν αὐτοῖς ἄρτον ἐν ταῖς ἑορτασί.. μοις ἡμέραις νομοθετῆσαν ὅψονσδὲ τῇ βρώσει πικρίδας ποιήσασθαι, ὡς ἂν διά τῶν τοιούτων μάθοιμεν alνιγμάτων, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι τῆς μυστικῆς ἐκείνης ἑορτῆς μετασχεῖν ἄλλως, εί μὴ αἱ πικρίδες τοῦ βίου τούτου τῇ ἀπλῇ καὶ ἀζύμῳ ζωῇ ἑκουσίως καταμιγνύοιντο. Διά τοῦτο καὶ ό μέγας Δαβὶδ, καίτοι τὸ ἀκρότατον τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης εὐκληρίας μέτρον (λέγω δὴ τὴν βασιλείαν) περὶ ἐαυτὸν βλέπων· δαψιλῶς ἐπιβάλλει τῶν πικρίδων τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ζωῇ στενάζων ἐν οἰμωγῇ, καὶ θρηνῶν τὴν παράτασιν τῆς ὲν σαρκὶ παροικίας, καὶ ἐκλείπων, ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν μειζόνων ἐπιθυμίας, φησὶν, Οἵμοι ὅτι ἠ παροικία μου ἑμακρύγθη. Ἐτέρωθι δὲ πρὸς τὸ κάλλος τῶν θείων σκηνωμάτων ἀτενὲς ἀποελέπων, ἐκλιπεῖν ὑπὸ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας φησι, τὸ ἐν ἐσχάτοις ἐκεῖ τετάχθαι, τοῦ πρωτεύειν ἐν τοῖς παροὖσι, προτιμότερον ἐαυτῷ κρίνων. El δέ τις ἀκριβέστερον κατανοῆσαι βούλοιτο τοῦ μακαριζομένου τούτου πένθους τὴν δύναμιν, ἐπισκεψάσθω ἐαυτῷ ἐν τῷ κατά τὸν Λάζαρον καὶ τὸν πλούσιον διηγήματι, ἐν ᾧ γυμνότε ρον τὸ τοιοῦτον δόγμα ἡμῖν σαφηνίζεται. Μνήσθήτι γάρ, φησὶν ό Ἀβραὰμ πρὸς τὸν πλούσιον, ὅτι ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθά σου ἐντῇ ζωῇ σουʼ ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ὁ Λάζαρος τὰ κακάʼ διὰ τοῦτο οὗτος μὲν παρακαλεῖται, σὺ δὲ ὀδυνᾶσαι. Ἔοικε γὰρ, ἐπειδὴ τῆς ἀγαθῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον οἰκονομίας ἀπ·έστησεν ἡμᾶς ἡ ἀβουλία, μᾶλλον δὲ ἡ κακοβουλίαο τοῦ γὰρ θεοῦ ἀμιγὲς τοῦ κακοῦ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐν τῇ ἀπον ηλαύσει ἡμῶν νομοθετήσαντος, καὶ καταμιγνύναι τῷ καλῷ τὴν τοῦ κακοῦ πεῖραν ἀπαγορεύσαντος, ἐπειδὴ ἡμεῖς ὑπὸ λαιμαργίας ἑκουσίως τοῦ ἐναντίου ἐνεφορήθημεν (λέγω δὲ τῆς τοῦ θείου Λόγου παρακοῆς ἀπογευσάμενοι)ο διὰ τοῦτο χρὴ πάντως ἐν ἀμφοτέροις . γενέσθαι τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσινριαὶ μετασχεῖν ἓν μέρει
hōn ē physis hēmōn apesterētai, toutois kathʼ hēdonēi hē tēs parousēs zōēs diagōgē. ’Lkolouthei de tǭ tois parousin hēde sthai, to mē zētein ta beltiō. '0 de mē zētōn, ouk an heuroi to monois zētousi paragenomenon. Oukoun dia touto oLogos macharizei to penthos, ou diʼ heauto krinōn einai makarion, alla dia to ex ekeinou paragenomenon. Deiknysi de tou logou ē syzygia, hoti tēs pros tēn paraklēsin anaphoras to penthein autois esti makarion. Makarioi gar, phēsin, ol penthountes kai ouk estēsen en toutǭ ton logon, alla prosethēken, Hoti autoi paraklēthēsontai. Ho moi dokei prokatanenoēkōs ho megas Mōysēs (mallon de, ho en ekeinǭ tauta diatassōn Logos, en tais mystikais tou Pascha paratērēsesin); azymon men autois arton en tais heortasi.. mois hēmerais nomothetēsan hopsonsde tę̄ brōsei pikridas poiēsasthai, hōs an dia tōn toioutōn mathoimen alnigmatōn, hoti ouk esti tēs mystikēs ekeinēs heortēs metaschein allōs, ei mē hai pikrides tou biou toutou tę̄ aplę̄ kai azymǭ zōę̄ hekousiōs katamignyointo. Dia touto kai o megas Dabid, kaitoi to akrotaton tēs anthrōpinēs euklērias metron (legō dē tēn basileian) peri eauton blepōn; dapsilōs epiballei tōn pikridōn tę̄ heautou zōę̄ stenazōn en oimōgę̄, kai thrēnōn tēn paratasin tēs en sarki paroikias, kai ekleipōn, hypo tēs tōn meizonōn epithymias, phēsin, Hoimoi hoti ē paroikia mou hemakrygthē. Eterōthi de pros to kallos tōn theiōn skēnōmatōn atenes apoelepōn, eklipein hypo tēs epithymias phēsi, to en eschatois ekei tetachthai, tou prōteuein en tois parousi, protimoteron eautǭ krinōn. El de tis akribesteron katanoēsai bouloito tou makarizomenou toutou penthous tēn dynamin, episkepsasthō eautǭ en tǭ kata ton Lazaron kai ton plousion diēgēmati, en hǭ gymnote ron to toiouton dogma hēmin saphēnizetai. Mnēsthēti gar, phēsin o Abraam pros ton plousion, hoti apelabes ta agatha sou entę̄ zōę̄ souʼ homoiōs de kai ho Lazaros ta kakaʼ dia touto houtos men parakaleitai, sy de odynasai. Eoike gar, epeidē tēs agathēs tou Theou peri ton anthrōpon oikonomias ap;estēsen hēmas hē aboulia, mallon de hē kakobouliao tou gar theou amiges tou kakou to agathon en tę̄ apon ēlausei hēmōn nomothetēsantos, kai katamignynai tǭ kalǭ tēn tou kakou peiran apagoreusantos, epeidē hēmeis hypo laimargias hekousiōs tou enantiou enephorēthēmen (legō de tēs tou theiou Logou parakoēs apogeusamenoi)o dia touto chrē pantōs en amphoterois . genesthai tēn anthrōpinēn physinriai metaschein hen merei
of which our nature has been deprived: for them the present life is passed in pleasure. And not seeking better things follows from delighting in present ones; and whoever does not seek will not find what comes only to those who seek. That is why the Word blesses mourning, not judging it blessed in itself, but because of what comes from it. The pairing in the saying shows that mourning is blessed for them by its relation to comfort. For “blessed,” he says, “are those who mourn,” and he did not stop the saying there, but added, “for they shall be comforted.” The great Moses seems to me to have understood this beforehand — or rather the Word who ordered these things through him in the mystical observances of the Passover. He laid down unleavened bread for them on the festival days, and ordered them to take bitter herbs as the relish for the food, so that through such riddles we might learn that one cannot share in that mystical feast unless the bitter herbs of this life are freely mixed with the simple and unleavened life. Therefore the great David too, though he saw around himself the highest measure of human good fortune — I mean kingship — lavishly adds bitter herbs to his own life, groaning in lament and mourning the prolonging of his sojourn in the flesh; and fainting with desire for greater things he says, “Woe is me, that my sojourning is prolonged!” Elsewhere, gazing intently at the beauty of the divine tabernacles, he says he faints with desire, judging it better for himself to be placed last there than to be first among present things. If anyone wishes to understand more exactly the power of this blessed mourning, let him consider the story of Lazarus and the rich man, in which this teaching is made plainer for us. “Remember,” Abraham says to the rich man, “that you received your good things in your life, and Lazarus in like manner evil things; therefore he is comforted, and you are in anguish.” It seems that, since our ill counsel, or rather our evil counsel, removed us from God’s good ordering for humanity — for God had laid down for our enjoyment the good unmixed with evil and had forbidden us to mix experience of evil with the good, but we in our greed freely filled ourselves with the opposite (I mean, having tasted disobedience to the divine Word) — for this reason human nature must come to be in both, and share in turn
Matt 5:4 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 12:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 120:5 (119:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 84:2 (83:3 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 84:10 (83:11 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 16:19–31 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 16:25 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 2:17 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 3:6 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Mourning is blessed for the comfort that follows it, as the bitter herbs of Passover and David’s longing for God’s house show; the parable of Lazarus teaches that, since the fall, human life must taste both grief and joy.
- Unleavened bread and bitter herbs: Exod 12:8. “Woe is me, that my sojourning is prolonged”: Ps 120:5 (LXX 119:5). Fainting for the courts of the Lord, better a doorkeeper: Ps 84:2, 10 (LXX 83:3, 11). “Remember that you received your good things …”: Luke 16:25. The command not to eat of the tree of knowledge: Gen 2:17; 3:6.
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Beat. 1229 (PG 44:1229a–1229d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-beatitudines/1215/#p-1229). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 1231
1231PG 44:1232a–1232d
τοῦ τε λυποῦντος καὶ τοῦ εὐφραίνοντος. Δύο δὲ ὄντων βίων, καὶ διπλῆς τῆς ζωῆς καθʼ ἑκάτερον τῶν βίων ἰδιαζόντως θεωρουμένης, ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ εὐφροσύνης διπλῆς* τῆς μὲν ὲν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ, τῆς δὲ ὲν τῷ κατʼ ἐλπίδας ἡμῖν προκειμένῳ· μακαριστὸν ἂν εἴη τῆς εὐφροσύνης μοῖραν τοῖς ἀληθινοῖς ἀγαθοῖς είς τὸν ἀΐδιον ἀποθέσθαι βίον· τῆς δὲ λύπης ἐκπληρῶσαι τὴν λειτουργίαν ὲν τῇ βραχείᾳ ταύτῃ καὶ προσκαίρῳ ζωῇ, ζημίαν ποιούμενον, οὐ τὸ στερηθῆναί τινος τῶν κατά τὸν βίον τοῦτον ἡδέων, ἀλλά τὸ διά τῆς ἀπολαύσεως τούτων ὲν ἁποπτὼσει τῶν ἀμεινόνων γενέσθαι. Οὑκοῦν εἰ μακαριστόν ἐστιν τὸ ὲν τοῖς ἀπείροις αἰῶσιν ἀτέλεστόν τε καί εἰσαεί παρατεινομένην τὴν εὐφροσύνην ἔχειν· δεῖ δὲ πάντως γεύσασθαι καὶτῶν ἐναντίων τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν· οὐκέτι χαλεπόν ἐστι συνιδεῖν τοῦ λόγου τὸ βούλημα, διὰ τί μακάριοι οἱ νῦν πενθοῦντες, αὐτοὶ γὰρ εἰς τοὺς ἀπείρους αἰῶνας παρακληθήσονται· ἡ δὲ παράκλησις, ὲκ τῆς τοῦ Παρακλήτου μετουσίας γίνεται. Ἶδία γὰρ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐνέργεια ἡ τῆς παρακλήσεως χάρις ἐστίνʼ ἧς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀξιωθείημεν, χάριτι τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ὴ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. · ΛΟΓΟΣ Δʼ. Μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες,,καί διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνηνσ ὅτι αὑτοί χορτασθήσονται. Τοὺς στομαχοῦντας καὶ κακοσίτους φασιν οξ τῆς ἰατρικῆς ἐπιστήμονες, πονηρῶν τινων χυμῶν τε καὶ περιττωμάτων ἐπὶ τὴν ἄνω γαστέρα συρρυέντων, ἀεὶ δοκεῖν ’πλήρεις τε καὶ διακορεῖς εἶναι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πρὸς τὴν ὠφέλιμον τροφὴν ἀλλοτρίως ἔχειν, τῆς φυσικῆς αὐτοῖς ὀρέξεως ὲν τῇ νόθῳ πλησμονῇ μαρανθείσης. Εἰ δέ τις αὐτοῖς ἐξ ἰατρικῆς ἐπιμέλεια προσαχθείη, διά τινος τμητικῆς φαρμακοποσίας ἀποκλυσθέντων τῶν ὲναπειλημμένων ταῖς τοῦ στομάχου κοιλότησιν, οὕτως συμβαίνειν, τοῦ ἀλλοτρίου μηκέτι διοχλοῦντος τὴν φύσιν, τῆς ὠφελούσης τε καὶ τροφίμου βρώσεως αὐτοῖς ἐπανιέναι τὴν δρεξιν· καὶ τοῦτο τῆς ὑγιείας εἶναι σημεῖον, τδ μηκέτι κατηναγκασμένως, ἀλλὰ μετʼ ἐπιθυμίας τε καὶ ὁρμῆς τὴν βρῶσιν προσίεσθαι, Τί οῦν μοι βούλεται τὸ προοίμιον; Ἐπειδὴ προῖὼν διʼ ἀκολουθίας ὁ πρὸς τὰ ὑψηλότερα τῆς τῶν μακαρισμῶν κλίμακος χειραγωγῶν ἡμᾶς λόγος, ὁ κατά τὴν τοῦ Προφήτου φωνὴν, τάς καλὰς ἀναβάσεις ὲν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἡμῶν διατιθέμενος, τοιαύτην ἡμῖν μετὰ τάς προδιανυσθείσας ἀνόδους τετάρτην προδείκνυσιν ἀλλην ἀνάβασιν, λέγωνʼ Μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην, ὅτι αὑ· τοι χορτασθήσονται· καλῶς ἔχειν οἶμαι, τὸ διακορές τε καὶ πλησμονικὸν τῆς ψυχῆς ὲκκαθάραντας, ὡς ἐστι δυνατὸν, τῆς τοιαύτης βρώσεως τε καὶ πεδσεως τὴν μακαριστὴν ὄρεξιν ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς ἐμποιῆσαι· γ
tou te lypountos kai tou euphrainontos. Dyo de ontōn biōn, kai diplēs tēs zōēs kathʼ hekateron tōn biōn idiazontōs theōroumenēs, hōsautōs de kai euphrosynēs diplēs* tēs men en tǭ biǭ toutǭ, tēs de en tǭ katʼ elpidas hēmin prokeimenǭ; makariston an eiē tēs euphrosynēs moiran tois alēthinois agathois eis ton aïdion apothesthai bion; tēs de lypēs ekplērōsai tēn leitourgian en tę̄ bracheią tautę̄ kai proskairǭ zōę̄, zēmian poioumenon, ou to sterēthēnai tinos tōn kata ton bion touton hēdeōn, alla to dia tēs apolauseōs toutōn en hapoptōsei tōn ameinonōn genesthai. Houkoun ei makariston estin to en tois apeirois aiōsin ateleston te kai eisaei parateinomenēn tēn euphrosynēn echein; dei de pantōs geusasthai kaitōn enantiōn tēn anthrōpinēn physin; ouketi chalepon esti synidein tou logou to boulēma, dia ti makarioi hoi nyn penthountes, autoi gar eis tous apeirous aiōnas paraklēthēsontai; hē de paraklēsis, ek tēs tou Paraklētou metousias ginetai. Idia gar tou Pneumatos energeia hē tēs paraklēseōs charis estinʼ hēs kai hēmeis axiōtheiēmen, chariti tou Kyriou hēmōn Iēsou Christou, hǭ ē doxa eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. Amēn. ; LOGOS Dʼ. Makarioi hoi peinōntes,,kai dipsōntes tēn dikaiosynēns hoti hautoi chortasthēsontai. Tous stomachountas kai kakositous phasin ox tēs iatrikēs epistēmones, ponērōn tinōn chymōn te kai perittōmatōn epi tēn anō gastera syrryentōn, aei dokein ’plēreis te kai diakoreis einai, kai dia touto pros tēn ōphelimon trophēn allotriōs echein, tēs physikēs autois orexeōs en tę̄ nothǭ plēsmonę̄ marantheisēs. Ei de tis autois ex iatrikēs epimeleia prosachtheiē, dia tinos tmētikēs pharmakoposias apoklysthentōn tōn enapeilēmmenōn tais tou stomachou koilotēsin, houtōs symbainein, tou allotriou mēketi diochlountos tēn physin, tēs ōphelousēs te kai trophimou brōseōs autois epanienai tēn drexin; kai touto tēs hygieias einai sēmeion, td mēketi katēnankasmenōs, alla metʼ epithymias te kai hormēs tēn brōsin prosiesthai, Ti oun moi bouletai to prooimion? Epeidē proiōn diʼ akolouthias ho pros ta hypsēlotera tēs tōn makarismōn klimakos cheiragōgōn hēmas logos, ho kata tēn tou Prophētou phōnēn, tas kalas anabaseis en tę̄ kardią hēmōn diatithemenos, toiautēn hēmin meta tas prodianystheisas anodous tetartēn prodeiknysin allēn anabasin, legōnʼ Makarioi hoi peinōntes kai dipsōntes tēn dikaiosynēn, hoti hau; toi chortasthēsontai; kalōs echein oimai, to diakores te kai plēsmonikon tēs psychēs ekkatharantas, hōs esti dynaton, tēs toiautēs brōseōs te kai pedseōs tēn makaristēn orexin hēmin autois empoiēsai; g
in what grieves and in what gladdens. Since there are two lives, and living is seen as twofold, belonging to each of the two lives, so too joy is twofold: one in this life, the other in the life set before us in hope. It would be blessed, then, to lay up our share of joy, in true goods, for the everlasting life, and to fulfil the service of grief in this short and passing life — counting as loss not the lack of some pleasure of this life, but falling away from better things through enjoying such pleasures. If, then, it is blessed to have joy without end, ever prolonged through infinite ages, and human nature must certainly taste the opposite as well, it is no longer hard to see the intent of the saying: why those who now mourn are blessed — for they will be comforted through the infinite ages. The comfort comes from sharing in the Comforter; for the grace of comfort is the proper work of the Spirit. May we too be deemed worthy of it, by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Homily 4. “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Physicians say that those with weak stomachs and poor appetites, when bad humours and residues have flowed together into the upper part of the stomach, always seem to be full and sated, and so are averse to beneficial food, their natural appetite having withered in a false fullness. But if medical care is given them, and what is lodged in the cavities of the stomach is washed away by some sharp purgative, then, since the foreign matter no longer troubles their nature, their appetite for beneficial and nourishing food returns; and it is a sign of health when food is taken no longer under compulsion but with desire and eagerness. What do I mean by this preface? The Word, advancing in order and leading us by the hand to the higher rungs of the ladder of the Beatitudes — who, in the Prophet’s words, sets fair ascents in our heart — shows us, after the ascents already completed, a fourth ascent of this kind, saying, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” I think it right, then, after purging as far as possible the surfeit and fullness of the soul, to produce in ourselves the blessed appetite for such food and drink.
Matt 5:4 (allusion, high confidence) · John 14:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 5:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 84:5 (83:6 LXX) (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Homily 3 ends: those who accept grief now will have endless joy from the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. Homily 4 opens: as a purged stomach regains its appetite, so the soul must be cleansed of false fullness to hunger and thirst for righteousness.
- Homily 4 on the Beatitudes begins here: Matt 5:6. “Sets fair ascents in our heart”: Ps 84:5 (LXX 83:6).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (Latin letters) for Πνεύματος): Ilvatiματος → Πνεύματος.
Topics: Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Beat. 1231 (PG 44:1232a–1232d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-beatitudines/1215/#p-1231). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 1233
1233PG 44:1233a–1233d
οὔτε γὰρ ίσχύσαι δυνατόν ἐστι τὸν ἄνθρωπον, μὴ τῆς ἀρκούσης τροφῆς ύποστηριζούσης τὴν δύναμιν, οὔτε δίχι τοῦ φαγεῖν ἐμπλησθῆναι τροφῆς, οὕτε τραφῆναι χωρὶς ὀρέξεως. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἀγαθόν τι κατὰ τὴν ζωήν ἐστιν ἠ δύναμιςʼ αὕτη δὲ τῷ ἀρκοῦντι συντηρεῖται κόρῳ· ὁ δὲ κόρος διὰ βρώσεως γίνεται· τὸ δὲ φαγεῖν ἐξ ὀρέξεωςο μακαριστὸν ἂν εἴη τοῖς ζῶσιν ἡ ὄρεξις, ἀρχή τε καὶ αἰτία τῆς ὲν ἡμῖν γινομένη δυνάμεως. Ὥσπερ δὲ κατὰ-τὴν αἰσθητὴν ταύτην τὴν τροφὴν ἔχομεν, ού τῶν αὐτῶν πάντες ἐφίενται, ἀλλὰ μερίζεται πολλάκις πρρς τὰ είδη τῶν ἐδωδίμωνή τῶν μετεχόντων ἐπιθυμία, καὶ ὁ μέν τις ἐπιτέρπεται τοῖς γλυκαίνουσιν, ἄλλος πρὸς τά δριμύσσοντά τε καὶ Θερμαίνοντα τὴν ὁρμὴν ἔχει· ἕτερος δέ τοῖς ἁλμώδεσι, καὶ ἄλλος τοῖς παραστύφουσιν ἥδεται συμβαίνει δὲ πολλάκις μὴ κατὰ τὸ λυσιτελοῦν ἐγγίνεσθαι τὴν ὁρμὴν ἑκάστῳ τῆς βρώσεως (κατὰ γάρ τινα κράσεως κ ἰδιότητα πρός τι πάθος ἐπιρῤεπῶς τις ἔχων, τρέφει τὴν νόσον τῇ τῶν κατʼ ἀλλήλων βρωμάτων ποιότητι ο εί δὲ πρὸς τά ὠφελοῦντα τὴν ὁρμὴν σχοίη, πάντως ὲν ὑγιείᾳ βιώσεται, τῆς τροφῆς αὑτῷ συντηρούσης τὴν εὐεξίαν)· οὕτως καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τροφῆς ού πάντων πρὸς τὸ αὐτὸ ῥέπουσιν αἱ ἐπιθυμίαι. Οί μὲν γὰρ δόξης, ἢ πλούτου, fl τινος κοσμικῆς περιφανείας ὀρέγονται, ἄλλοις περὶ τὴν τράπεζαν ἄσχολός ἐστιν ἡ ὄρεξις, ἐτεροι τὸν φθόνον, ὥς τινα δηλητηριώδη τροφὴν προθύμως ἀναλαμβάνουσιν εἰσὶν δέ τινες οἷς τὸ τῇ φύσει καλὸν ἐν ὀρέξει γίνεται. Φύσει δὲ καλὸν ἀεὶ καὶ πᾶσι τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὃ μὴ ἄλλου τινος ἕνεκέν ἐστιν αἱρετὸν, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸ διʼ ἑαυτὸ ἐπιθυμητὸν, ἀεὶ ὡσαύτως ἔχον, καὶ οὐδέποτε άμβλυνόμενον κόρω. Διὰ τοῦτο C' μακαρίζει ὁ Λόγος ού τοὺς ἁπλῶς πεινῶντας, ἀλλʼ οἷς πρὸς τὴν ἀληθῆ δικαιοσύνην ἡ ἐπιθυμία τὴν ῥοπὴν ἔχει.
oute gar ischysai dynaton esti ton anthrōpon, mē tēs arkousēs trophēs ypostērizousēs tēn dynamin, oute dichi tou phagein emplēsthēnai trophēs, houte traphēnai chōris orexeōs. Epei oun agathon ti kata tēn zōēn estin ē dynamisʼ hautē de tǭ arkounti syntēreitai korǭ; ho de koros dia brōseōs ginetai; to de phagein ex orexeōso makariston an eiē tois zōsin hē orexis, archē te kai aitia tēs en hēmin ginomenē dynameōs. Hōsper de kata-tēn aisthētēn tautēn tēn trophēn echomen, ou tōn autōn pantes ephientai, alla merizetai pollakis prrs ta eidē tōn edōdimōnē tōn metechontōn epithymia, kai ho men tis epiterpetai tois glykainousin, allos pros ta drimyssonta te kai Thermainonta tēn hormēn echei; heteros de tois halmōdesi, kai allos tois parastyphousin hēdetai symbainei de pollakis mē kata to lysiteloun enginesthai tēn hormēn hekastǭ tēs brōseōs (kata gar tina kraseōs k idiotēta pros ti pathos epirrepōs tis echōn, trephei tēn noson tę̄ tōn katʼ allēlōn brōmatōn poiotēti o ei de pros ta ōphelounta tēn hormēn schoiē, pantōs en hygieią biōsetai, tēs trophēs hautǭ syntērousēs tēn euexian); houtōs kai epi tēs psychēs trophēs ou pantōn pros to auto rhepousin hai epithymiai. Oi men gar doxēs, ē ploutou, fl tinos kosmikēs periphaneias oregontai, allois peri tēn trapezan ascholos estin hē orexis, eteroi ton phthonon, hōs tina dēlētēriōdē trophēn prothymōs analambanousin eisin de tines hois to tę̄ physei kalon en orexei ginetai. Physei de kalon aei kai pasi touto estin, ho mē allou tinos heneken estin haireton, allʼ auto diʼ heauto epithymēton, aei hōsautōs echon, kai oudepote amblynomenon korō. Dia touto C' makarizei ho Logos ou tous haplōs peinōntas, allʼ hois pros tēn alēthē dikaiosynēn hē epithymia tēn rhopēn echei.
For a person cannot be strong unless sufficient food supports his strength, nor be filled with food without eating, nor be nourished without appetite. Since strength is a good thing in life, and strength is preserved by sufficient fullness, and fullness comes through eating, and eating from appetite, appetite would be a blessed thing for the living, as the beginning and cause of the strength that arises in us. But with this perceptible food, not everyone desires the same things; the desire of those who eat is often divided among the kinds of food. One delights in sweet things; another has an impulse toward pungent and warming things; another enjoys salty foods, another astringent ones. It often happens that each person’s impulse toward food does not arise in accordance with what is profitable: someone inclined to some disease by a peculiarity of temperament feeds the disease by the opposing qualities of his foods, whereas if his impulse were toward what benefits him, he would surely live in health, the food preserving his good condition. So too with the food of the soul: the desires of all do not incline toward the same thing. Some long for glory, or wealth, or some worldly distinction; for others appetite is busy with the table; others eagerly take up envy like some poisonous food; but there are some in whom what is good by nature becomes the object of desire. What is good by nature, always and for all, is that which is chosen not for the sake of anything else but is desirable for its own sake, always the same and never blunted by satiety. Therefore the Word blesses not those who simply hunger, but those whose desire inclines toward true righteousness.
Matt 5:6 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Appetite is the beginning of strength, but appetites differ, for bodily food and for the food of the soul; Christ blesses not hunger as such but hunger for true righteousness, the good desired for its own sake.
- Only part of this page survives in the scan; the end of the page and the beginning of the next are lost (the next page begins in the middle of a list of rulers).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR debris (Latin letters) for δὲ): ὁ gas κόρος → ὁ δὲ κόρος.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Beat. 1233 (PG 44:1233a–1233d; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/gregory-nyssa-beatitudines/1215/#p-1233). (abbreviation not yet checked)
BibTeX · RIS (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-beatitudines-1233) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude from the Migne PG 44 scan text (cited by Migne column); no public-domain English or FOTC volume exists, so it was re-read against the Greek.