Homilies on the Song of Songs 7
Greek text: PG 44 (OCR by the Internet Archive; lines extracted for this site).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 7
7PG 44
ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ ὁ βασιδεὺς Σολομὼν ἀπὸ ξύλων τοῦ Λιδάνου, στύλους αὐτοῦ ἐποίησεν ἀργύριον. καὶ ἀνάχλιτον χρυσίον, ἐπίβασις αὐτοῦ πορφυρᾶ. Ἐντὸς αὐτοῦ λιθόστρωτον, ἀγάπην ἀπὸ θυγατέρων Ἱερουσαλήμ.] Θυγατέρες Σιὼν, ἐξέλθετε, καὶ ἴδετε ἐν τῷ βασιλεῖ Σολομὼν, ἐν τῷ στεφάνῳ, ᾧ ἐστεφάνωσεν αὐτὸν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ νυμφεύσεως τοῦ, καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὐφροσύνης καρδίας αὐτοῦ. ᾿Ιδοὺ εἴ χωλὴ, ἡ πιλησίον μου, ἰδοὺ εἶ κα.λή. Ὀφθαΐλμοί σου περιστεραὶ, ἐκτὸς τῆς σιωπήσεώς σου.· ὡς ἀγέλαι τῶν αἰγῶν, αἵ ἀπεχααἴύφρθησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ Γαλαάδ. Ὁδόντες σου ὡς ἀγέλαι τῶν κεκαρμένων, αἱ ἀγέδθησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ ΤΖουτροῦ, αἱ πᾶσαι διδυμεύουσαι, καὶ ἀτεκνοῦσα οὐκ ἔστιν. ἐν αὐταῖς. Ὡς σπαρτίον τὸ κόχκιον χείλη σου, καὶ ἡ 1αλιά σον ὡραία. Ὡς λέπυρον ῥοᾶς μῆλόν σου ἐκτὸς τῆς σιωπήσεώς … ᾠκοδομημένος εἰς Θαλπιώθ. Χίλιοι θυρεοὶ κρέμανται ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν, πᾶσωι βολίδες τῶν δυνατῶν. Δύο μαστοὶ σου ὡς δύο νεδροὶ δίδυμοι δορκάδος … ἡμέρα, καὶ κιγηθῶσιν αἱ σκιαί. Πὸρεύσομαι ἐμαυτῷ πρὸς τὸ ὅρος τῆς σμύρνης, καὶ πρὸς τὸν βουνὸν τοῦ Λιθάγνου. Ὅλη καλὴ, ἡ κλησίον μου, καὶ μῶμος οὐκ ἔσειν ἐν σοί. Ἐν πολλοῖς ὁ βασιλεὺς Σολομὼν εἰς τύπον τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ βασιλέως παραλαμδάνεται· πολλοῖς δὴ, φημὶ, τοῖς πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον περὶ αὐτοῦ παρὰ τῆς ἁγίας Γραφῆς ἱστορουμένοις. Εἰρηνικός τε γὰρ λέγεται, καὶ σοφίαν ἀμέτρητον ἔχει· καὶ ναὸν οἶκοδομεῖ, βασιλεύει τε τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ κρίνει τὸν λαὸν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ· καὶ ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματός ἐστι τοῦ Δαδίξ. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἡ τῶν Αἰθιόπων βασίλισσα αὐτὸν φοιτᾷ. Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα, περὶ αὑτοῦ μὲν λέγεται τυπικῶς, προδιαγράφει δὲ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τὴν δύναμιν. Τίς γὰρ οὕτως εἰρηνικὸς, ὡς ὁ ἀποκτείνας τὴν ἔχθραν, καὶ τῷ σταυρῷ προσηλώσας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἑαυτοῦ· ἡμᾶς, μᾶλλον δὲ τὸν κόσμον ἑαυτῷ χαταλλάξας͵ καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας, ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν ἑαυτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον, ποιῶν εἰρήνην, ὁ κηρύξας τοῖς μακράν τε καὶ τοῖς ἐγγὺς τὴν εἰρήνην, διὰ τῶν εὐαγγελιζομένων τὰ ἀγαθά; Τίς δὲ τοιοῦτος οἰκοδόμος ναοῦ ὡς ὁ τοὺς μὲν θεμελίους αὐτοῦ τιθεὶς ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι τοῖς ἁγίοις, τουτέστιν, ἐν τοῖς προφήταις καὶ ἀποστόλοις - ἔποιχοδομῶν δὲ, καθώς φησιν ὁ Παῦλος, ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν, τοὺς ζῶντας καὶ τοὺς ἐμψύχους λίθους, τοὺς δι ἑαυτῶν πρὸς τὴν τῶν τοίχων ἁρμονίαν κατὰ τὸν προφητικὸν λόγον χεχυλισμένους, ὥστε συναρμοσθέντας ἐν τῇ ἑνότητι τῆς πίστεως, καὶ τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς εἰρήνης, αὐξῆσαι δι᾽ ἑαυτῶν τὸν ναὸν τὸν ἅγιον, εἰς τὸ γενέσθαι κατοικητήριον Θεοῦ ἐν πνεύματι; Ὅτι δὲ καὶ τῇ σοφίᾳ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ὁ Σολομὼν τὴν ἀληθινὴν μηνύει σοφίαν, οὗὐδεὶς ἂν ἀντείποι, πρός τε τὴν ἱστορίαν καὶ πρὸς τὴν· ἀλήθειαν βλέπων. Μαρτυρεῖται μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ὑπὸ τῆς ἱστορίας, ὅτι παρῆλθε τοὺς τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης σοφίας ὄρους, πάντων τὴν γνῶσιν ἐν τῷ πλάτει τῆς καρδίας χωρήσας, ὡς καὶ τοὺς προλαδόντας παραδραμεῖν, καὶ τοῖς ἐφεξῆς γενέσθαι ἀνέφικτος· Κύριος κατὰ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φύσιν, αὐτὸ ὅπερ ἐστὶν, ἀληθείας τε καὶ σοφίας καὶ δυνάμεως οὐσία ἐστί. Διὰ τοῦτο τοῦ Δαδὶδ εἰπόντος· ὅτι Πάντα ἐν σοφίᾳ ἐποίησας, ἑρμηνεύων τὸν Προφήτην ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθαι τὰ πάντα λέγει· ὡς τοῦτον τοῦ Προφήτου διὰ τῆς σοφίας σημαίνοντος. Τὸ δὲ βασιλέα τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ εἶναι τὸν Κύριον, καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μεμαρτύρηται, τῶν ὑπογεγραφότῶν τῷ σταυρῷ τὴν ὁμολογίαν τῆς βασιλείας αὐτοῦ· ὅτι Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν ᾿Ιουδαίων· δεχόμεθα γὰρ τὴν μαρτυρίαν, εἰ καὶ χατασμιχρούνειν νομίζεται τὸ μεγαλεῖον τοῦ κράτους, τῇ τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν βασιλείᾳ τὴν δεσποτείαν ὁρίξουσα, Οὐ γὰρ οὕτως ἔχει· ἀλλʼ ἀπὸ μέρους, τὴν κατὰ πάντων ἀρχὴν ἡ ἐπιγραφὴ αὕτη τῷ σταυρῷ ἀνατίθησι, τῷ μὴ προσθεῖναι, ὅτι μόνων τῶν Ἰουδαίων οὗτός ἐστι βασιλεύς. ᾽Λπολύτως γὰρ αὐτῷ προσμαρτυρήσας ὁ λόγος τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀρχὴν, καὶ τὸ κατὰ πάντων κράτος κατὰ τὸ σιωπώμενον τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ ταύτῃ Ὁ γὰρ βασιλεὺς πάσης τῆς γῆς καὶ τοῦ μέρους πάντως τὴν δεσποτείαν ἔχει· ἡ δὲ περὶ τὴν δικαίαν χρὶσι τοῦ Σολομῶντος σπουδὴ τὸν ἀληθινὸν κριτὴν τοῦ παντὸς κόσμου διασημαίνει, ὅς φησιν Ὁ Πατὴρ οὗ πρίγει οὐδένα, ἀ.:ὰ τὴν κρίσιν πᾶσαν δέδωκε τῷ Υἱῷ· καὶ ὅτι, Οὐ δύναμαι ποιεῖν ἀπʼ ἐμαυτοῦ· οὐδέν· ἀλ.1λὰ καθὼς ἀκούω, κρίνω, καὶ ἡ κρίσις ἡ ἐμὴ δικαία ἐστίν. Οὗτος γὰρ ὁ ἀκρότατος τῆς δικαίας κρίσεως ὅρος, τὸ μὴ ἀφ᾽ ἑαντοῦ κατά τινα προσπάθειαν ἀπόκρισιν τοῖς χρινομένοις νέμειν· ἀλλὰ πρῶτον ἀκούειν τῶν ὑποδίχων τῇ κρίσει, εἶθ᾽ Ὁ οὕτως τὴν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖ; ψῆφον ἐκτίθεσθαι. Οὗ χάριν ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναμίς τινα ὁμολογεῖ μὴ δύνασθαι. Τὸ γὰρ ἕξω τοῦ δικαίου παρατρέψαι τὴν κρίσιν ἀδυνατεῖ ἀλήθεια. ᾿Αλλὰ τὸ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ σπέρματος Δαδὶδ εἶναι κατὰ σάρκα τὸν Κύριον, καὶ παρὰ τοῦ γεγονότος ἐχπαρήσομεν. Τὸ δὲ κατὰ τὴν Αἰθιόπισσαν μυστήριον, πῶς καταλιποῦσα ὧν Αἰθιόπων τὴν βασιλείαν, καὶ τοσοῦτον διαδᾶσα τὸν ἐν τῷ μέσῳ τόπον, πρὸς τὸν Συλομῶντα διὰ τὸ κλέος τῆς σοφίας ἐπείγεται, λίθοις πιμίοις καὶ χρυσῷ, καὶ τοῖς τῶν ἀρωμάτων ἠδύσμασι δεξιουμένη τὸν βασιλέα, δῆλον ἂν γένοιτο τῷ ἐπιστήσαντι πρὸς ὃ τι τῶν εὐαγγελικῶν βλέπει θαυμάτων. Τίς γὰρ οὐκ οἶδεν ὅτι μέλαινα ἣν ἐξ εἰδωλολατρείας τὸ καταρχὰς ἡ ἐξ ἐθνῶν Ἐκκλησία, πρὶν Ἐκκλησίαν ενέσθαι, πολλῷ μεταξὺ τῷ τῆς ἀγνοίας διαστήματι, ἧς πρὸς τὸν ἀληθινὸν Θεὸν γνώσεως ἀπῳχισμένη ; Αλλ᾽ ὅτε ἐπεφάνη ἡ χάρις τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἡ σοφία διέλαμψε, καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν πρὸς τοὺς ἐν σκότει καὶ σκιᾷ θανάτου καθημένους τὴν ἀκτῖνα διέ--, πεμψε, τότε τοῦ Ἱσραὴλ πρὸς φῶς ἑἐπιμύσαντυς, καὶ τῆς τῶν ἀγαθῶν μετουσίας ἑαυτὸν ἀποστήσαντος, ἔρχονται οἱ Αἰθίοπες, οἱ ἐθνῶν τῇ πίστει προστρέχοντες, καὶ οἵ ποτε ὄντες μακρὰν, ἐγγὺς γίνονται, τῷ μυστικῷ ὕδατι τὴν μελανίαν ἀποχλυσάμενοι· ὥστε-.τὴν Αἰθιοπίαν προφθάσαι χεῖρα αὐτῆς τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ προσάγειν δῶρα τῷ βασιλεῖ, τά τε τῆς εὐσεδείας ἀρώματα, καὶ τὸ τῆς θεογνωσίας χρυσίον, καὶ τοὺς τιμίους λίθους τῆς τῶν ἐντολῶν τε καὶ τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐργα.. ᾿Αλλὰ πρὸς ὅ τι βλέπων ἐντεῦθεν ἄρχομαι τῆς προκειμένης ἡμῖν τῶν ῥητῶν θεωρίας, ἤδη διασαφήσω Ὑ τῷ λόγῳ αὐτὴν προεχθέμενος τὴν λέξιν τῶν θείων λογίων ἔχουσαν οὕτως· Φορεῖον ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ ὁ … στύλους αὐτοῦ ἐποίησεν ἀργύριον, καὶ τὸ ἀνάκιλιτον αὑτοῦ χρυσίον, ἐπίδασιν αὐτοῦ πορφύραν. Ἐντὸς αὐτοῦ ιθόστρωτον ἀγάπην ἀπὸ θυγατέρων Ἱερουσαλήμ. Ὥσπερ τοίνυν ἐν τοῖς προεξητασμένοῖς περὶ τοῦ Σολομῶντος εὗρεν ὁ λόγος, δι᾽ ὧν τὸ περὶ τοῦ ναοῦ μυστήριον ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ προσώπῳ· οὕτω καὶ διὰ τῆς τοῦ φορείου κατα-· σκευῆς ἡ περὶ ἡμῶν οἰκονομία διασημαίνεται. Πολυτρόπως γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τοῖς ἀξίοις ἑαυτοῦ γίνεται, καθὼς ἔκαστος ἂν ἔχῃ δυνάμεώς τε καὶ ἀξίας, οὕτως ἐν ἐκάστῳ γινόμενος, Ὁ μὲν γάρ τις γίνεται Θεοῦ τόπος, ὁ δὲ οἶκος, ἄλλος δὲ θρόνος, καὶ ἕτερος ὑποπύδιον. Ἔστι δέ τις καὶ ἅρμα γινόμενος, ἣ ἵπτοος εὐήνιος, δεχόμενος ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ τὸν ἀγαθὸν ἑπιδάτην, Λ καὶ πρὸς τὸ δοκοῦν τῷ εὐθύνοντι διανύων τὸν δρόμον. Ὡς δὲ νῦν διδασκόμεθα, καὶ φορεῖον αὐτοῦ τις γίνεται, ὁ κατὰ τὴν ἐκείνου σοφίαν οὐ μόνον τοῖς ἐκ τοῦ ξύλοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ χρυσίῳ καὶ ἀργυρίῳ καὶ πορφύρᾳ καὶ λίθοις καταλλήλως ἐν ἑκάστῳ μέρει, δι᾽ ὧν ἡ ἀγάπη αὐτοῦ ἐνεργὸς γίνεται, οὐ πάντων χωρούντων τὴν τῆς ἀγάπης ἐνέργειαν· ἀλλ᾽ εἴ τις θυγάτηρ τῆς ἄνω Ἱερουσαλὴμ. τῆς ἐλευθέρας διὰ τοῦ βίου γνωρίζοιτο. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ὁ τὸν Θεὸν ἐν ἑαυτῷ φέρων, φορεῖϊόν ἐστι τοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ κατοικοῦντος καὶ χαθεδουμένου, δῆλον καὶ πρὸ τῶν ἡμετέρων λόγων ἂν εἴη. Ὁ γὰρ κατὰ τὸν ἅγιον Παῦλον, μηκέτι αὐτὸς ζῶν, ἀλλὰ ζῶντα ἔχων ἐν ἑαντῷ τὸν Χριστὸν, καὶ δοκιμὴν διδοὺς τοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ λαλοῦντος Χριστοῦ, οὗτος κυρίως φορεῖον λέγεται καὶ γίνεται Τ τοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ φερομένου καὶ ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ βασταζομένου. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ ζητούμενον. Ἐχεῖνοδὲ μᾶλλον προσήκει δι᾽ ἐπιμελείας κατανοῆσαι, τί βούλεται τὸ τῆς ὕλης ποικίλον τε καὶ πολυειδές. ἡιῶς οὖν συμπαραλαμθάνεται χρυσίῳ καὶ ἀργυρίῳ, καὶ πορφύρᾳ, καὶ λίθοις ἢ τοῦ ξύλου φύσις εἰς τὴν κατασκευὴν τοῦ φορείου ; Καί τοῖ γε τὸ ξύλον ὁ σορὸς ἀρχιτέκτων Ἠαῦλος, μετὰ τοῦ χόρτου καὶ τῆς καλάμῆς εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ οἴκου κρίνει ἀπόδλητον, τοῦ πυρὸς δυνάμει τῇ τὸ ἔργον ἐνδαπανώμενον. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οἴδαμέν τινά ξύλου φύσιν μὴ διαμένουσαν ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς χρυσὸν, ἢ ἄργυρον, ἣ ἄλλο τι τῷν τιμίων ἑαυτὴν μεταδάλλου σαν. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ μεγάλῃ τοὺ Θεοῦ οἰχέᾳ φησὶν ὁ ᾿Ἀπόστολος τὰ μὲν εἶναι χρυσᾶ τῇ φύσει, καὶ ἀργυρᾶ· σκεύη, τὴν ἀσώματον, οἶμαι, καὶ νοερὰν κτίσιν διὰ τούτων ὑπαινισσόμενος᾽ τὰ δὲ ξύλινά τε καὶ χινα, ἡμᾶς τάχα διὰ τούτων ἀποεημαίνων, οὗς ἀπεἡ δὲ διὰ τοῦ ξύλου ἁμαρτὰς, ξύλινα ἡμᾶς σκεύη ἀντὶ χρυσῶν ἀπειργάσατο. Μεμέρισται δὲ πρὸς τὴν ἀξίαν ἧς ὕλης καὶ ἡ τῶν σκευῶν χρῆσις. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ τιμιωτέρας ὕλης, εἰς τιμὴν ἀποτέταχται· τὰ δὲ εἰς τὴν ἄτιμον ὑπηρεσίαν ἀπέῤῥιπται. ᾿Αλλὰ τί φησι περὶ τῶν τοιούτων ὁ Παῦλος ; Ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχει τὸ σκεῦος ἢ ἐκ τῆς ἰδίας προαιρέσεως, ἢ χρύσεον ἀπὸ ξυλίνου, ἀργύρεον ἀπ᾽ δστραχίνου γενέσθαι, ᾽Εὰν γάρ τις. φησὶν, ἐκκαθάρῃ ἑαυτὸν, ἔσται σκεῦος εἷς τιμὴν τῷ Δεσπότῃ, πρὸς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθὸν ἡτοιμασμένον. ᾳυοά Ὁ Τάχα τοίνυν διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων προσαγόμεθά πως τῇ - προκειμένῃ θεωρίᾳ τοῦ λόγου. Τὸ ὄρος ὁ Λίβανος πολλοῖς τῆς ἁγίας Γραφῆς εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς ἀντικειμένης δυνάμεως μνημονεύεται· ὡς ὅταν λέγει διὰ τοῦ· ὅτι Συντρίψει Κύριος τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Λιδάγνου, καὶ λεπτυγνεῖ αὐτάς τε καὶ τὸν Λίδαγνον τὸν μόσχον ἐχεῖγον, δηλαδὴ τὸν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ κατα λεανθέντα ὑπὸ τοῦ Μωῦσέως, καὶ πότιμον διὰ λεπτότητὰ τοῖς Ἰσραηλίταις γενόμενον. Δηλοῦται γὰρ ᾧδε διὰ τῆς προφητείας ὅτι οὗ μόνον τὰ ἐχφυέντα παρὰ πῆς ἀντικειμένης δυνάμεως κακὰ, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ὄρος ἡ πρώτη τοῦ κακοῦ ῥίζα, ὁ Λίδανος, τῶν τοιούτων δένδρων τὴν ὕλην, εἰς τὸ μὴ ὃν περιστήσεται. Οὐκοῦν ἡμεῖς ἦμέν ποτε τοῦ Λιβάνου τὰ ξύλα, ἕως ἐν ἐκείνῳ ἦμεν ἐῤῥιζωμένοι, διά τε τοῦ πονηροῦ βίον, καὶ τῆς τῶν εἰδώλων ἀπάτης· ἀλλ᾽ ἐ πειδὴ ἐκεῖθεν ὑπὸ τῆς λογικῆς ἀξίνης ἐξετμήθημεν, καὶ ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ τοῦ τεχνίτου ἐγενόμεθα, φορεῖον ἑαυτοῦ ἡμᾶς ἐποίησε, μεταστοιχειώσας τοῦ ξύλου τὴν φύσιν διὰ τῆς παλιγγενεσίας εἰς ἀργύριόν τε καὶ χρυσίον, καὶ εἰς εὐανθῇ πορφύραν, καὶ εἰς τὰς τῶν λίθων αὖγάς· καὶ ὥσπερ φησὶν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, ὅτι ως ἐμέρισεν ἑκάστῳ ὁ Θεὸς τὰς τοῦ ἁγίου Πγεύματος δωρεάς· καὶ ᾧ μὲν δίδωσι προφητείαν κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς πίστεως· ἄλλῳ δὲ ἄλλο τι τῶν ἐνεργημάτων, πρὸς ὃ πέφυκέν τε καὶ δύναται ἔκαστος τὴν χάριν δέξασθαι, ἣ ὀφθαλμὸς τοῦ σώματος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας γινόμενος, ἣ εἰς χεῖρα τασσόμενος, ἣ ἀντὶ ποδὸς ὑποστηρίζων οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῇ τοῦ φορείου κατασκευῇ, ὁ μέν τις στύλος, ὁ δὲ ἑπίδασις γίνεται· ἕτερος δὲ τὸ πρὸς τῇ κεφαλῇ μέρος ὃ ἀνάχλιτον προσηγόρευσεν εἰσὶ δέ τινες οἱ εἰς τὸ ἐντὸς τεταγμένοι. Ὧν ἀπάντων κατά τινα λόγον ὁ τεχνίτης οὐ μονοειδῆ πρὸς τὸν καλλωπισμὸν ἐπινοεῖ τὴν ὕλην ᾿ ἀλλὰ πάντα μὲν κατακοσμεῖται τῷ κάλλει· διάφορος δὲ καὶ κατάλληλος ἑκάστῳ τούτων ἐπινοεῖται ἡ ὥρα. Εἰσὶ τοίνυν ἀργύριον μὲν οἱ στύλοι τοῦ φορείου· δὲ τούτων ἐπιδάσεις πορφύρα· ἐκ χρυσίου δὲ τὸ ἀνάκλιτον τὸ τῇ κεφαλῇ ὑποθαῖνον, ἐν ᾧ κλίνει τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κεφαλὴν ὁ νυμφίος· τοῖς δὲ τιμίοις λίθοις τὸ ἔνδον ἅπαν χαταποιχίλλεται. Οὐκοῦν στύλους μὲν νοητέον, τοὺς στύλους τῆς Ἐχκχλησίας, οἷς ἀκριδῶς τὸ ἀργύριον καθαρόν τε καὶ πεπυρωμένον ὁ λόγος ἐστίν. Ἢ . δὲ πορφύρα εἰσὶν οἵ τῆς βασιλείας ἐν τῷ ὑψηλῷ τῆς ( πολιτείας ἐπιδεδήχασιν. Ἐξαίρετον γὰρ γνώρισμα τῆς βασιλείας ἡ πορφύρα νομίζεται. Τὸ δὲ ἡγεμονιχὃὸν αὐτοῦ, ἐν ᾧ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ κλίνει ὁ τὸ φορεῖον κατασκευάσας, τὸ τῶν καθαρῶν δογμάτων χρυσίον ἐστίν. Ὅσα δὲ ἀφανῆ τε καὶ κρύφια τῇ καθαρᾷ συνεἰδήσει τῶν τιμίων λίθων ἐνωραΐξεται, δι᾿ ὧν ἀπάντῶν ἀπὸ τῶν θυγατέρων Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ἡ ἀγάπη συνίσταται. Εἰ δὲ βούλοιτό τις φορεῖον μὲν πᾶσαν λέγειν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν· χαταμερίζοι δὲ κατὰ τὰς τῶν ἐνερ- ᾿ γειῶν διαφορὰς εἰς πρόσωπά τινα τοῦ φορείου μέρη, ὡς δὴ περὶ τούτου προεέρηται, πολλὴν καὶ οὔτως εὐκολίαν ὁ λόγος ἔχει, ἑκάστῳ τάγματι τῶν κατὰ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τεταγμένων ἐφαρμόσαι τοῦ φορείου τὰ μέρη· καθώς φησιν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, ὅτι·Ἔθετο ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῇ Ἐκχχιλησίᾳ, πρῶτον ἀποστόλους, δεύτερον προφήτας, τρίτον διδασκάλους, ἔπειτα καθ᾽ ἕκαστον πάντα πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμὸν τῶν ἁγίων· ὡς διὰ τῶν ὀνομάτων τῶν πρὸς τὴν τοῦ φορείου χαταὀχενὴν συντελούντων ἱερέας νοεῖσθαι καὶ διδασκάλους, καὶ τὴν σεμνὴν παρθενίαν τὴν ἐντὸς τοῦ φορείου καθαρότητι τῶν ἀρετῶν, οἷόν τισι λίθων αὐγαῖς ἐν᾿Αλλὰ περὶ μὲν τούτων τοσαῦτα, Ὁ δὲ ἐφεξῆς λόγος προτροπὴν περιέχει πρὸς τὰς θυγατέρα: Ἵερου- -. σαλὴμ παρὰ τῆς νύμφης γινόμενος. Ὡς γὰρ ὁ μέγας Παῦλος ζημίαν ἡγεῖτο, εἰ μὴ πᾶσι τῶν ἰδίων ἀγαθῶν ἐκοινώνησε, διὸ τὰ τοιαῦτα πρὸς τοὺς ἀκούοντας ἔλεγεν· ὅτι Γίγεσθε ὡς ἐγὼ, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὸς ἤμην ποτὲ καθ᾽ ὑμᾶς· καὶ ὅτι Μιμηταί μοῦ γίγνεσθε, καθὼς ἐγὼ Χριστοῦ· οὕτω καὶ ἡ φιλάνθρωπος γύμφη αὕτη τῶν θείων τοῦ Δεσπότου μυστηρίων- ἀξιωθεῖσα, ὅτε τὴν κλίνην ἴδε, καὶ φορεῖον βασιλέως ἐγένετο, βοᾷ πρὸς τὰς νεάνιδας· αὗται δ᾽ ἂν εἶεν α τῶν σωζομένων ψυχαί: Ἕως πότε, λέγουσα, τῷ σπηλαίῳ τοῦ βίου ἐναποχλείεσθε ; ἐξέλθετε τῶν προχαλυμμάτων τῆς φύσεως, καὶ ἴδετε τὸ θαυμαστὸν Ὑθέαμα· Σιὼν θυγατέρες γενόμεναι, θεάσασθε ᾿ περιπρέποντα τῇ κεφαλῇ τοῦ βασιλέως τὸν στέφανον, ὃν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτῷ περιέθηκε κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Προφήτου φωνὴν, ὅς φησιν·Ἔθηχας ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὑτοῦ στέφανον ἐκ λίθου τιμίου. Πάντως δὲ οὐδεὶς τῶν κρίνειν τοὺς περὶ Θεὸν λόγους ἐπεσχεμμένων ἀχριδολογεῖται περὶ τὴν τοῦ ὀνόματος ἔμφασιν, ὅτι μήττρ ἀντὶ τοῦ πατρὸς μνημονεύεται, μίαν ἀφ᾽ ἑκατέρας φωνῆς ἀναλαμδάνων διάνοιαν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὔτε ἄῤῥῆν, οὔτε θῆλυ τὸ Θεῖόν ἐστι - πῶς γὰρ ἂν ἐπὶ τῆς θεότητός τι νοηθείη τοιοῦτον, ὁπότε οὐδὲ ἡμῖν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τοῦτο εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς παραμένει, ἀλλ᾽ ὅταν ἐν Χριστῷ ἕν πάντες γενώμεθα, τὰ σημεῖα τῆς διαφορᾶς ταύτης μετὰ ὅλου τοῦ παλαιοῦ ἀνθρώπου συνεχδυόμεθα; τούτου χάριν ἰσοδυναμεῖ πρὸς τὴν ἔν- δειξιν τῆς ἀφθάρτου φύσεως πᾶν τὸ εὑρισκόμενον ὄνομα· οὔτε θήλεος, οὔτε ἄῤῥενος τὴν σημασίαν τῆς ἀκηράτου καταμολύνοντος φύσεως. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐν μὲν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ ὁ πατὴρ λέγεται ποιεῖν τοὺς γάμους· ᾽ ὁ δὲ Προφήτης πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν λέγει· ὅτι ΓἜθηχας ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ στέφανον ἐκ λίθου τιμίου· ἐνταῦθα δὲ παρὰ τῆς μητρός φησιν ἐπιτίθεσθαι τῷ γυμφίῳ τὸν στέφατον. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐστιν εἷς ὁ γάμος καὶ μία νύμφη, καὶ παρὰ ἑνὸς ἐπιδάλλεται τῷ νυμφίῳ ὁ στέφανος· οὐδὲν διαφέρει πάντως, ἣ ΥἹὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν μονογενῆ λέγειν Θεὸν, ἣ ΥἹὸν τῆς ἀγάπης αὐτοῦ, κατὰ τὴν Παύλου φωνὴν, ὡς μιᾶς οὔσης καθ᾽ ἐχάτε ρον ὄνομα τῆς νυμφοστολούσης αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας συνοιχήσεως δυνάμεως. Ἐξέλθετε οὖν, φησὶν ἡ γύμφη πρὸς τὰς νεάνιδας, καὶ θυγατέρες Σιὼν γένε- σθε- ὥστε ἀπὸ σκοπιᾶς ὑψηλῆς (οὕτω γὰρ Σιὼν ἐρμηνεύεται) δυνηθῆναι τὸ θαυμαστὸν ἰδεῖν θέαμα, στεφανηφοροῦντα τὸν νυμφίον. Στέφανος δὲ αὐτῷ ἡ Ἐκκλησία γίνεται, διὰ τῶν ἐμψύχων λίθων τὴν κεφα… τοιούτου στεφάνου, ἡ ἀγάπη ἐστὶν, ἣν, εἴτε μητέρα, εἴτε ἀγάπην τις λέγει, οὐκ ἁμαρτήσεται. θεὸς γάρ ἔατιν ἀγάπη, κατὰ τὴν Ἰωάννου φωνήν. Τούτῳ δὲ τῷ στεφάνῳ ἐνευφραίνεσθαι λέγει αὐτὸν ἡ νύμφη, κόσμῳ ἐναγαλλόμενον. Χαίρει γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς ἁ σύνοικον τὴν Ἐχκχλησίαν ἑαυτῷ ποιησάμεγος, ταῖς ἀρεταῖς τῶν διαπρεπόντων ἐν αὐτῇ στεφανούμενος. Κρεῖττον δ᾽ ἂν εἴη αὐτὰς παραθέσθαι τὰς θείας φωνὰς ἐπὶ λέξεως ἐχούσας οὕτως Ἐξέλθετα καὶ ἴδετε, θυγατέρες Σιὼν, τὸν βασιλέα Σολο… μήτηρ αὐτοῦ, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ νυμφεύσεως αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ εὑφροσύνης καρδίας αὑτοῦ. Τὴν οὖν τοιαύτην φιλανθρωπίαν τῆς νύμφης ὁ Λόγος ἀποδεξάμενος, ὅτι κατὰ μίμησιν τοῦ Δεσπότου καὶ αὐτὴ πάντας θέλει σωθῆναι, καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν· σεμνοτέραν αὐτὴν ἀπεργάζεται ὁ κήρυξ τοῦ κάλλους αὐτῆς καὶ ζωγράφος γινόμενος. Οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς ὁ τῆς ὥρας ἔπαινος λέγεται, καθολικήν τινα εὐφημίαν περιέχων τοῦ κάλλους· ἀλλ᾽ ἐμφιλοχωρεῖ τῷ λόγῳ τοῖς καθ᾽ ἕκαστον μέρεσιν, ἴδιον ἑκάστῳ μέλει διὰ συγκρίσεώς τε καὶ ὁμοιώσεως χαριζόμενος … Λέγει δὲ οὕτως· ᾿Ιδοὺ εἶ καλὴ, ἡ πλησίον μου, ἰδοὺ εἶ καλή. Ἢ γὰρ μιμησαμένη τοῦ Δεσπότου τὸ φιλάνθρωπον βούλημα, καὶ ἐξελθεῖν ἐγκελευσαμένη καθ᾽ ὁμοιότητα τοῦ ᾿Αδραὰμ τὰς νεάνιδας, ἑκάστην ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἑαυτῆς, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς περὶ τὰ αἰσθητήρια συγγενείας αὐτῆς, ὥστε ἰδεῖν τὸν καθαρὸν νυμφίον στεφανηφοροῦντα τὴν ᾿Εκκλησίαν· ἀληθῶς πλησίον.· γίνεται τῆς δεσποτικῆς ἀγαθότητος, διὰ τῆς πρὸς τὸν πλησίον ἀγάπης τῷ Θεῷ προσεγγίσασα. Κα.1ὴ οὖν εἶ, φησὶ πρὸς αὐτὴν ὁ Λόγος, τῇ καλῇ προαιρέσει τῷ ἀγαθῷ πλησιάσασα. Ἢ δὲ ἐπανάληψις τοῦ ἐπαίνου τὸ ἅψευστον τῆς μαρτυρίας ἐνδείκνυται. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ τ διπλῇ μαρτυρίᾳ βεδαιοῦσθαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὁ θεῖος ἀποφαίνεται νόμος. Διὰ τοῦτό φησιν· Ἰδοὺ εἶ καλὴ, ἡ πλησίον μου, ἰδοὺ εἷ και1ή. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ἐν σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἡ Ἐκκλησία πᾶσα, ἐν δὲ τῷ ἑνὶ σώματι, καθώς φησιν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, μέλη ἐστὶ πολλά· πάντα δὲ τὰ μέλη οὐ τὴν αὑτὴν ἔχει πρᾶξιν· ἀλλὰ τὸν μὲν ὀφθαλμὸν ἔκτισεν ὁ Θεὸς ἐν τῷ σώματι, ἔτε- ᾿ ρος δέ τις οὗς ἐφυτεύθη· εἰσὶ δέ τινες διὰ τῆς ἐνερ- ἡ γείας τῶν δυνάμεων χεῖρες γινόμενοι, καὶ πόδες λέγονταί τινες οἱ τὰ βάρη βαστάζοντες· εἴη δ᾽ ἄν τι· καὶ γεύσεως ἔργον καὶ ὀσφρήσεως, καὶ τὰ καθ᾽ ἔκαστον πάντα, δι᾽ ὧν ἀνθρώπινον συνίσταται σῶμα· καὶ δυνατόν ἔστιν εὑρεῖν ἐν τῷ κοινῷ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας σώματι χείλη τε καὶ ὀδόντας, καὶ γλῶσσαν, μαζούς τε, καὶ κοιλίαν, καὶ τράχηλον· ὡς δὲ ὁ Παῦλός·φησι· Καὶ αὑτὰ τὰ δοκοῦντα εἶναι ἀσχήμονα τοῦ σώματος· τούτου χάριν ὁ ἀκριδὴς τοῦ κάλλους δοκιμαστὴς, τῶν ἀρεσάντων αὐτῷ μελῶν ἐξ ὅλου τοῦ σώματος, ἴδιόν τε καὶ πρόσφορον ἑκάστῳ ποιεῖται: τὸν Ἄρχεται δὲ τῶν ἐγκωμίων ἀπὸ τῶν χυριωτέρων μελῶν. Τί γὰρ ὀφθαλμῶν ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶν ἐστι τιμιώτερον ; Δι’ ὧν ἡ τοῦ φωτὸς ἀντίληψις γίνεται, παρ᾽ ὧν ἐστιν ἡ τῶν φίλων καὶ πολεμίων ἐπίγνωσις, οἷς τὸ ἴδιον καὶ τὸ ἀλλότριον διαχρίνομεν, πάσης ἐρ- ᾿· γασίας ὑφηγηταὶ καὶ διδάσκαλοι γίνονται, καὶ τῆς ἀπλανοῦς ὁδοιπορίας ὁδηγοὶ συμφυεῖς καὶ ἀχώριστοι, ὧν ἡ θέσις τῶν ἄλλων αἰσθητηρίων ὑπερκειμένη,, τὸ προτιμότερον τῆς ἀπ᾽ αὐτῶν γινομένης ἡμῖν ὦφελείας ἐνδείκνυται. Πάντως δὲ πρόδηλόν ἔστι τοῖς ἀκούουσιν, εἰς ποῖα μέλη τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὁ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἔπαινος βλέπει. Ὀφθαλμὸς ἦν Σαμουὴλ ὁ βλέπων· οὕτω γὰρ ὠνομάζετο· ὀφθαλμὸς ὁ Ἰεζεκιήλ, … ὁ σκοπεῖν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τεταγμένος, ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν φυλασσομένων παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ σωτηρίᾳ· ὀφθαλμὸς Μιχαίας ὁ ὁρῶν, καὶ Μωῦσῆς ὁ θεώμενος, ὁ δια τοῦτο καὶ θεὸς ὠνομασμένος· ὀφθαλμοὶ πάντες ἐκεῖνοι, οἱ εἰς ὀδηγίαν τοῦ λαοῦ τεταγμένοι, οὗς καὶ ὁρῶντας ὠνόμάζον οἱ τότε ἄνθρωποι· καὶ νῦν οἱ τὸν ἐκεῖνον τόπον ἀναπληροῦντες τῷ σώματι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ ἐπισκοπεῖν τεταγμένοι, ὀφθαλμοὶ κυρίως χατονομάζονται, ἐὰν ἀχριδῶς πρὸς τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ᾿ ἥλιον βλέπωσι, μηδαμοῦ τοῖς ἔργοις τοῦ σκότους καὶ εἰ διαχρίνοιεν τοῦ ἀλλοτρίου πὸ ἴδιον, ἐν τῷ γινώσκειν, ὅτι πᾶν ἀλλότριόν ἔστε τῆς φύσεω; ἡμῶν, τὸ φαινόμενόν τε καὶ πρόσκαιρον· ἴδιον δὲ τὸ δι᾽ ἐλπίδος προκείμενον, οὗ ἡ κτῆσις μένει πρὸς τὸ διηνεκὲς ἀναφαίρετος. Ὀφθαλμῶν ἔργον καὶ τὸ διαγινώσκειν τὸν φίχιόν τε καὶ τὸν πολέμιον, ὥστε ἀγαπᾶν μὲν τὸν ἀληθινὸν φίλον ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας τε καὶ ψυχῆς καὶ δυνάμεως, τέλειον δὲ μῖσος κατὰ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν ἐπιδείχνυσθαι.᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ὁ τῶν πρακτέων ὑφηγητὴς, καὶ τῶν συμφερόντῶν διδάσκαλος, καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν πορείας χειραγωγὸς, τοῦ καθαροῦ τε καὶ ὑγιαίνοντος ὀφθαλμοῦ τὸ ἔργον δι’ ἀχριδείας ποιεῖ, καθʼ ὁμοιότητα τῶν σωματικῶν ὀμμάτων τῆς ὑψηλῆς πολιτείας τῶν λοι- Τʼ πῶν προφαινόμενος. Διὰ τοῦτο ἐντεῦθεν ἐπαινεῖν ὁ Λόγος τὸ τῆς νύμφης ἄρχεται κάλλος, καί φησιν Ὀφθαλμοί σου περιστεραί· ἀκεραίους γὰρ εἰς τὸ κακὸν τοὺς ἐν ὀφθαλμῶν τάξει προδεθλημένους ὁρῶν, ς τὴν ἁπλότητά τε καὶ τὸ ἀκέραιον τοῦ ἤθους αὐτῶν ἀποδεξάμενος, περιστερὰς χατωνόμασεν αὐτούς. Ἴδιον γάρ ἐστι περιστερῶν τὸ ἀκέραιον. Ἢ τάχα ποιοῦτόν τινα ὁ λόγος μαρτυρεῖ τοῖς ὄμμασιν ἔπαινον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πάντων τῶν ὁρατῶν αἱ εἰκόνες τῷ καθαρῷ τῆς κόρης ἐμπίπτουσαι, τὴν ὁρατικὴν ἐνέργειαν ἀποτελοῦσιν ἀνάγκη πᾶσα πρὸς ὅ τις ὁρᾷ, τούτου τὴν μορφὴν ἀναλαμθάνειν διὰ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ, κατόπτρου δίκην τοῦ φαινομένου τὸ εἶδος ἀναμασσόμενος. Ὅταν τοΐνυν ὁ τὴν ὀπτιχὴν ταύτην ἐξουσίαν ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας λαδὼν, πρὸς μηδὲν ὑλῶδες χαὶ·ἡ σωματικὸν βλέπῃ ὁ πνευματικός τε καὶ ἄῦλος ἐν αὐτῷ κατορθοῦται βίος. Ἧ δὲ τοιαύτη ζωὴ τῇ τοῦ πελειότατος τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἔστιν ἔπαινος, τὸ πρὸς αὐτῶν τῆς ζωῆς τὸ εἶδος. Περιστερὰ γὰρ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. Ἦ δὲ δυὰς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἐπαινεῖται, ὡς ἂν ὅλος γένοιτο ἐν ἐπαίνῳ ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ὁ φαινόμενός τϑ καὶ νοούμενος. Διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ προσέθηκε τῷ ἐπαίνῷ καὶ ἄλλην ὑπερδολῆν, εἰπών’ ὅτι Ἐκτὸς τῆς σιωσπήσεώς σου· τοῦ γὰρ ἀγαθοῦ βίου, τὸ μέν τι πρόδηλάν ἔστιν, ὡς καὶ ἀνθρώποις γνώριμον εἶναι· τὸ δὲ κρύφιόν τε καὶ ἀπόῤῥητον, μόνῳ Θεῷ χαθορώμενον. ποίνυν τὸ ἀκατέργαστον βλέπων, καὶ εἰς τὰ κρύφια καθορῶν μαρτυρεῖ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐπαινουμένον προσώπου πλέον εἶναι τοῦ φαινομένου τὸ σιωπώμενον, δι᾽ ὧν , φῆσιν· ὅτι Ὀφθαιῖμοί σου περιστεραὶ ἐκτὸς τῆς σιωπήσεώς σου. Ἔξωθεν γάρ ἔστι τοῦ ἐπαινηθέντὸς ἤδη. τὸ διὰ τῆς σιωπῆς θαυμαζόμενον. Ὁδῷ δὲ κροάγει καθεξῆς τὸ τοῦ κάλλους ἐγκώμιον, ἐπὶ τὰς τρίχας μετάγων τὸν λόγον ,καί φησιν Τρίχωμά σου ἀγέιλαι τῶν αἰγῶν, αἱ ἀνεχαλύφρθησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ Νοῆσαι δὲ προσήκει πρῶτον τῆς τριχὸς τὴν ʼφύσιν· εἶθ᾽ οὕτως ἐπιγνῶναι τὸν ἔπαινον, ὃν διὰ τῶν τριχῶν ὁ λόγος τῇ νύμφῃ χαρίζεται. Οὐκοῦν δόξα μὲν γαιχὸς κεφαλῆς ἡ θρὶξ παρὰ τοῦ Παύλου ὠνόμασται. καὶ ἀντὶ περ:θολαίου δεδόσθαι τῇ γυναικὶ τὴν κόμην λέγει. Αἰδὼ δὲ καὶ σωφροσύνην τὸ πρέπον εἶναί φησι παῖς γυναιξὶ περιθόλαιον, οὕτω γράψας τῷ ῥήματι τὰ αἰδοῦς καὶ σωφροσύνης κοσμεῖν ἑαυτάς. Διὰ τούτων τὰς ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς τρίχας, αἷς κομᾷ ἡ γυνὴ, ᾿ ἣν αἰδὼ καὶ σωφροσύνην διὰ τῆς τοῦ Παύλου σοφίας χαταλαμθάνεσθαι. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄλλην πρέπει τινὰ δόξαν νομίζεσθαι ἐπὶ τῆς ἐπαγγελλομένης θεοσέδειαν χῆς, εἰ μὴ τὴν αἰδώ τε καὶ τὴν σωφροσύνην, ἣν κόμὴν ὠνόμασεν, ἣν ὅταν μὴ ἔχῃ, καταισχύνει τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτῆς, καθώς φησιν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος. ΕἸ δὴ΄ ταῦτα περὶ τῶν τριχῶν ὁ Παῦλος ἐφιλοσόφησε, προςἀκτέον ἂν εἴη τὰ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου ῥήματα τῷ ἐπαίνῳ ἡ τῆς Ἐχκχλησίας, ἐν τῷ περὶ τοῦ τριχώματος λόγῳ, κατὰ τὴν προκειμένην φωνὴν, ἥ φησιν ὅτι Τρίχωμά σου, ὡς ἀγέλαι τῶν αἰγῶν, αἵ ἀνεχαλύζθησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ Γαλαάδ. Διὰ τούτων γὰρ τὴν ἐνάρετον πο- αὶ λιτείαν ἐν ἐπαίνῳ ποιεῖται ὁ Λόγος. ᾿Αλλὰ χἀχεῖνοις͵ προσήκει προστεθῆναι τῷ λόγῳ τῷ περὶ τῶν τριχῶν, ὅτι πάσης αἰσθήσεως ζωτικῆς. ἀμοιροῦσιν αἱ χόμαι. Οὐ μικρὸν γὰβ᾽ εἰς ἐπαύξησιν ἐγκωμίων καὶ τοῦτο, τὸ ἦτε πόνου, μήτε ἡδονῆς αἴσθησιν ἐν ταῖς θριξὶν εἶναι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ σῶμα, ὅθεν ἐχφύονται, ὀδυνᾶται: αὑτὴ δὲ ἡ θρὶξ, οὔτε εἰ οὔτε εἰ φλέγοιτο, οὔτε εἰ διά τινος χκωμμωτικῆς ἐπικαταλεαίνοιτο, τῷ γινομένῳ αἴσθησιν ται. Τὸ δὲ ἀμοιρεῖν τῆς αἰσθήσεως τῶν νεκρῶν ἐστιν ἴδιον. Οὐκοῦν ὁ μηδεμίαν τῶν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ. σπουδαζομένων παραδεχόμενος αἴσθησιν, μήτε ὑπὸ δόξης τε καὶ τιμῆς ἐξογχούμενος, μήτε δι’ Ὁδρεώς πε καὶ ἀτιμίας ἀλγεινῶς διατιθέμενος· ἀλλ᾽ ἐν ὁμοίῳ καθ᾽ ἑκάτερον τῶν ἐναντίων ἑαυτὸν φυλάσσων· οὗτός Ὁ ἔστιν ἡ ἐπαινουμένη τῆς νύμφης κόμη, νεκρὸς ἄνπιπρὺς καὶ ἀκίνητος πρὸς τὰ τοῦ κόσμου γενόμενος πράγματα, εἴτε οὕτως. εἴτε ὡς ἑτέρως ἔχοι. Εἰ δὲ τὸ πλεονέκτημα τῶν τριχῶν ἀγέλαις αἰγῶν· ταῖς ἀπὸ τοῦ σαις· ἃ μὲν χρὴ δι’ ἀχριδείας περὶ τούτων γινώσκειν οὔπω χαταλαόεῖν ἠδυνήθημεν· στοχαζόμεθα δὲ, ὅτι ὥσπερ τὰ ξύλα τοῦ Λιδάνου εἰς χρυσόν τε καὶ ἄργυρον καὶ πορφύραν μεταποιήσας, φορεῖον ὁ βασιλεὺς ἡ κατεσκεύασεν ἑαυτῷ ᾿ οὕτως οἶδεν ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλὸς αἰγῶν ἀγέλας παραλαθδεῖν καὶ εἰς ποίμνια μεταβαλεῖν τὰ αἰπόλια τοῦ Γαλαὰδ ὄρους. ᾿Αλλοφύλου δὲ ὄρους ὄνομα τοῦτο τοῦ τὴν τοιαύτην χάριν ἀναχαλύπτοντος, ὥστε τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν τῷ καλῷ ποιμένι ἀκολουθήσαντας εἰς τὸ. τρίχωμα συντελῇσαι τοῦ τῆς νύμφης· κάλλους· δι’ ὧν σωφροσύνη τε καὶ αἰδὼς, καὶ ἐγκρά- -΄ τεια, καὶ ἡ τοῦ σώματος νέκρωσις κατὰ τὸν προθεωρηθέντα λόγον διασημαίνεται.) Ἢ τάχα συμθάλλεταί τε πρὸς τὴν τῶν αἰγῶν θεωρίαν καὶ ὁ Ἠλίας, τῷ ὄρει τῷ Γαλαὰδ ἐμφιλοσοφῆσας χρόνον πολὺν, ὃς μάλιστα τοῦ κατ᾽ ἐγκράτειαν καθηγήσατο βίου, αὐχμηρὸς τὸ εἴδης, δασὺς τὴν τρίχα, ἀντὶ μαλακῆς τινος ἐσθῆτος δέρματι αἰγὸς σχεπαζόμενος. Πάντες οὖν οἱ κατὰ τὸν προφήτην ἐκεῖνον τὸν αὐτῶν κατορθοῦν᾿ πες βίον, κόσμος γίνονται τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ἀγεληδὸν, κατὰ τὸν νῦν ἐπικρατοῦντα τῆς φιλοσοφίας τρόπον,· μετ᾽ ἀλλήλων τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐχπονοῦντες [Τὸ δὲ Γαλαὰδ τὰς τοιαύτας ἀποκαλυφθῆναι ἀγέλας, μείζονα τοῦ θαύματος τὴν ὑπερδολὴν ἔχει, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ ἐθνικοῦ βίου γέγονεν ἡμῖν ἡ πρὸς τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν φιλοσοφίαν μετάστασις. Οὐ γὰρ Σιὼν ὄρος τὸ ἅγιον αὐτοῦ τῆς Ὁ τοιαύτης καθηγήσατο πολιτείας· ἀλλὰ τὸ τοῖς εἰδώλοις ἀνακείμενον ἔθνος εἰς τοσαύτην ἦλθε τοῦ βίου μετάστασιν, ὥστε τὴν κεφαλὴν κοσμῆσαι τῆς νύμφῆς τοῖς κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν προτερήμασιν. Εἶτα τοὺς ὀδόντας τῇ ἀκολουθίᾳ τῶν ἐπαίνων ὁ Λόγος προτίθησι, παραδραμὼν τοῦ στόματός τε καὶ τῶν χειλέων τὰ ἐγκώμια. Ὅπερ ἄξιον μὴ παριδεῖν ἀνεξέταστον. Τί δή ποτε τῶν χειλέων οἱ ὀδόντες ἐν τοῖς ἐπαίνοις προτίθενται; Τάχα μὲν οὖν εἴποι τις ἂν γλαφυρώτερον τὸ κάλλος δεῖξαι βουλόμενος, μειδίαμα στόματος διὰ τῆς τῶν ὀδόντων ὑπογραφῆς κατὰ τὸ λεληθὸς συνενδείχνυσθαι· ἐγὼ δὲ πρὸς ἕτερον βλέπων, προτερεύειν ἐν τοῖς ἑπαίνοις τὸ τῶν ὀδόντων κάλλὸς πρὸ τῶν τοῦ στόματος ἐγκωμίων λογίζομαι. Μετὰ τοῦτο γὰρ, οὐδὲ τὸ χεῖλος ἀφῆκεν ἀνεγχωμίαστον, σπαρτίον εἰπὼν κόκκινον εἶναι τὰ χείλη αὐτῆς, καὶ τὴν λαλιὰν ὡραίαν. Τί οὖν ὃ περὶ τούτου στοχάζομαι; ᾿Αρίστη τάξις ἐν τοῖς μαθήμασίν ἐστι πρῶτον διδάσκεσθαι καὶ τότε φθέγγεσθαι· τὰ δὲ μαθήματα τῆς ψυχῆς βρώματά τις εἰπὼν εἶναι, τοῦ εἰκότος οὐκ ἁμαρτήσεται. Ὥσπερ γὰρ δὴ τὴν σωματικὴν τροφὴν τοῖς ὁδοῦσι καταλεάναντες, κατάλληλον αὐτῷν τοῖς σπλάγχνοις γενέσθαι παρασχευάξομεν· κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον ἐστί τις λεπτοποιητιχὴ τῶν διδαγμάτων δύναμις ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ, δι᾿ ἧς ὀφέλιμον γίνεται τῷ δεχομένῳ τὸ μάθημα. Τοὺς τοίνυν χριτιχούς τε καὶ διαιρετιχοὺς τῶν διδαγμάτων καθηγητὰς, δι᾽ ὧν εὔληπτος ἡμῖν γίνεται καὶ ἐπωφελὴς ἡ διδασκαλία,, ὀδόντας ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου φημὶ τροπικῶς ὀνομάζεσθαι. Οὗ χάριν προλαμθάνει τῶν ὀδόντων ὁ ἔπαινος, εἶθ᾽ οὗτως ἐπάγεται τῶν χειλέων τὸ ἐγκώμιον. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐπήνθιστο τῷ λογικῷ κάλλει τὸ χεῖλος, μὴ τῶν ὀδόντων ἐκείνων διὰ τῆς φιλοπονωτέρας τῶν μαθημάτων κατανοήσεως τὴν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις χάριν ἐπιδαλλόντων τοῖς χείλεσιν. Αἰτίαν μὲν οὖν ἐν τοῖς ἐπαίνοις ἀκολουθίας ταύτην ἐπὶ τῶν ὀδόντων κατενοήσαμεν. Καιρὸς δ᾽ ἂν εἴη καὶ αὐτὸν ἐξετάσαι τὸν ἔπαινον, πῶς παραθάλλει τὸ ἐν τοῖς ὁδοῦσε κάλλος ταῖς χεχαρμέναις ἀγέλαις, αἵ νῦν τοῦ λουτροῦ ἀναδνεῖσαι διδύμοις ἐπαγάλλοντσι τόκοις κατὰ τὸ ἴσον αἱ πᾶσαι· ἔχει δὲ κατὰ τὴν λέξιν ὁ ἔπαινος οὕτως· Ὀδόντες σον ὡς ἀγέλαι τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ λουτροῦ. αἱ πᾶσαι διδυμεύουσαι, καὶ ἀτεχγοῦσα οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπ᾽ αὐταῖς. Τοῦτο τοίνυν εἰ πρὸς τὸ σωματικὸν τοῦ ὑποδείγματος βλέπομεν, οὐκ οἶδα πῶς ἄν τις ἐπαινεῖσθαι τοὺς ὀδόντας εἴποι, διὰ τῆς πρὸς τὰς πολυγονούσας ἀγέλας συγκρίσεως. ᾿Ὀδόντων μὲν γὰρ ἔπαινος, ἡ στεῤῥότης ἐστὶ καὶ ἡ ἐναρμόνιος θέσις, καὶ τὸ παγίως δι᾽ ὁμαλῇ; τε καὶ ἀκολούθου τῆς ἁρμονίας ἐμπεφυχέναι τοῖς οὔλοις. ἀναθαίνουσαι ἀπὸ τοῦ λουτροῦ ἀγέλαι μετὰ τῆς διδύμου γονῆς ἐπισχεδασθεῖσαι ταῖς νάπαις, ποίαν ὁδόντων ὑπογράφουσιν ὥραν τῷ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὰς ὑποδείγματι, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκ τοῦ προχείρου κατανοῆσαι· οὗτοι στοιχηδὸν συνεστήχασιν ἐναρμονίως ἀλλήλων ἐχόμενοι - ἐκεῖναι δὲ ἀπ᾽ ἀλλήλων διασχεδάννυνται πρὸς τὴν χρείαν τῆς νομῆς ἀραιούμεναι. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ γυμνῷ τῷ ὀδόντι κατὰ φύσιν ὄντι εἰς σύγκρισιν τὸ ἐρειαφοροῦν οὐκ εὐάρμοστον. Οὐκοῦν ἐρευνητέον ἂν εἴη, πῶς ὁ κοσμῶν δι᾽ ἐγχωμέων τὴν τῶν ὀδόντων τὸ κάλλος, ταῖς ἀποχειραμέναις τὸ ἔριον, καὶ λουτρῷ τὸν ῥύπον ἀποχλυσαμέναις τοῦ σώματος. Τί οὖν περὶ τούτων ἀπονοήσομεν ; Οἱ τὰ θεῖα μυστήρια δια… σακτὸν τὴν πνευματικὴν τροφὴν ταύτην γενέσθαι τῷ σώματι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, οὗτοι τὸ τῶν ὀδόντων ἔργον ἀποτελοῦσι, παχύν τε καὶ συνεστῶτα τοῦ λόγου τὸν ἄρτον τῷ ἑαυτῶν λαμθάνοντες στόματι, καὶ διὰ τῆς (, ταῖς ψυχαῖς τῶν νων παρασχενάξοντες, οἷον (κρεῖττον γὰρ ἐπὶ ὑποδειγμάτων παραστῆσαι τὸ νόημα) ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος νῦν μὲν ἁπλῶς τε καὶ ἀχατασχεύως, ὥσπερ τινὰ Ψωμὸν ἀκατέργαστον προτίθησιν ἡμῖν τὸ τοῦ νόμου παράγγελμα, λέγων· Οὐ φιμώσεις βοῦν ἀλοῶντα. Πάλιν διὰ τῆς ἐπεξηγήσεως ἀπαλύνας, εὐπαράδεκτον ποιεῖ τὸ τοῦ νόμου βούλημα, λέγων· Μὴ τῶν βοῶν μέλει τῷ Θεῷ, ἣ δι’ ἡμᾶς πάντως ἐγεγράφει ; καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα πολλά· οἷον, Αδραὰμ δύο υἱοὺς ἔσχεν, ἕνα ἐκ τῆς παιδίσκης, καὶ ἕνα, ἐκ τῆς ἐλευθέρας. Τοῦτο ὁ ἀχατέργαστος ἄρτος. ᾿Αλλὰ πῶς αὐτὸν διαλεπτύνων ἐδώδιμον ποιεῖ τοῖς τρεφομένοις, εἰς δύο Διαθήκασ μεταλαμδάνει τὴν ἱστορίαν, τὴν μὲν εἰς ροῦσων. Οὕτω καὶ πάντα τὸν νόμον, ἵνα μὴ τὰ καθ᾽ λέγοντες διατρίδωμεν, παχυμερὲς σῶμα λαὀὼν, λεπτύνειδιὰ τῆς θεωρίας, πνευματιχὺν αὐτὸν ἐκ σωματικοῦ ἐργαζόμενος - Οἴδαμεν, λέγων, ὅτι ὁ γόμος πνευματικός ἐστιν. Ὅπερ τοίνυν ἐπὶ τοῦ Παύλου κατενοήσαμεν, ὡς ὀδόντων χρεία τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ, πληρούντων ἕν τῷ διαλεπτύνειν τὴν τῶν δογμάτων σαφήνειαν· τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ παντὸς τοῦ κατὰ μίμησιν ἐκείνου διασαφοῦντος ἡμῖν τὸ μυστήριον λέγομεν. ὈΟὐχοῦν ὁδόντές εἰσι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας οἱ τὴν ἀκατέργᾶστον τῶν θείων λογίων πόαν λεπτοποιοῦντες ἡμῖν καὶ μηρυχίζοντες. Ὥσπερ τοίνυν ὑπογράφει τῶν ἀΐ- αὶ τοῦ καλοῦ ἔργου τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρεγομένων τὸν βίον ὁ θεῖος. ᾿Απόστολος, λέγων τὰ καθ᾽ ἕκαστον, οἷον εἶναι προσήκει τὸν τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἐπειλημμένον, ὡς μετὰ πάντων καὶ τὴν διδαχτιχὴν χάριν ἔχειν· οὕτως ἐνταῦθα τοὺς εἰς ὀδόντων ὑπηρεσίαν τεταγμένους ἐν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ βούλεται ὁ λόγος πρῶτον χεχαρμένους εἶναι, τουτέστι πάσης ὑλικῆς ἀχθγυδόνος γεγυ· εἶτα τῷ λουτρῷ τῆς συνειδήσεως παντὸς μολυσμοῦ σαρκὸς καὶ πνεύματος καθαρεύοντας· πρὸς τούτοις εἰς ἀεὶ διὰ προκοπῆς ἀναδαίνοντας, καὶ μηδέποτε πρὸς τὰ ἔμπαλιν χατασυρομένους ἐπὶ τὸ βά ραθρον· ἐπὶ πᾶσι δὲ διπλαῖς ταῖς τῶν ἀγαθῶν χκυημάτων γοναῖς κατὰ πᾶν εἶδος ἀρετῆς ἐπαγάλλεσθαι, καὶ ἐν μηδενὶ τῶν καλῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων ἀγονεῖν. Τὸ δὲ διπλοῦν κύημα, αἴνιγμα τῆς καθ᾽ ἑκάτερον γίνεται τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν νεγοημένων εὐδοκιμήσεως, ὥστε διδυμοτόχους εἶναι τοὺς τοιούτους ὀδόντας· τῇ μὲν ψυχῇ τὴν ἀπάθειαν, τῷ δὲ σωματικῷ βίῳ τὴν εὐσχη· ἐπάγει τούτοις τὸν δι᾽ ἀχολούτὸ κάλλος, οὗ τὴν ἑρμηνείαν αὑτὸς ἐπήγαγεν, λαλιὰν ὡραίαν τὸ σπαρτίον κατονομάσας. Τοῦτο δὲ ἐν τοῖς φθάσασιν ἤδη προτεθεώρῆται, πῶς τῇ τῶν ὀδόντων ὑπηρεσίᾳ τὸ ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν ὡραΐζεται κάλλος. Τῇ γὰρ τῶν ὀδόντων, τουτέστι τῶν διδασχαλιχῶν ὑφηγημάτων τὸ στόμα τῆς Ἐκκλησίας συμφθέγγεται, Διὰ τοῦτο πρῶτον οἱ ὁδόντες χείρονται καὶ λούονται, καὶ οὐκ ἀτεχνοῦσι, καὶ διδυμεύουσι, καὶ τότε τῷ κοκκίνῳ εἴδει τὰ χείλη περιανθίζεται, ὅταν γένηται πᾶσα ἡ Ἐκκλησία κατὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ συμφωνίαν χεῖλος ἕν καὶ φωνὴ μία. Διπλοῦν δὲ τοῦ κάλλους ἐστὶ τὸ ὑπόδειγμα. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἁπλῶς σπαρτίον φησὶν εἶναι τὰ χείλη· ἀλλὰ προσέθηκε καὶ τῆς εὐχροίας τὸ ἄνθος, ὥστε διʼ ἀμ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τὸ στόμα· διά τε τοῦ σπαρτίου καὶ τοῦ κοκκίνου, ἰδιαζόντως καθ᾽ ἑκάτερον μέρος. Τῷ μὲν γὰρσπαρτίῳ ὁμογνωμοσύνην παιδεύεται· ὥστε πᾶσαν αὐτὴν ἕν σπαρτίον καὶ μίαν γενέσθαι σειρὰν ἐκ διαφόρων νοημάτων· διὰ δὲ τοῦ κοκκίνου πρὸς τὸ αἷμα δι᾽ οὗ ἐλυτρώθημεν βλέπειν διδάσκεται, καὶ ἀεὶ τὴν ὁμολογίαν διὰ στόματος φέρειν, τοῦ ἐξαγοράσαντος ἡμᾶς διὰ τοῦ αἵματος, Δι᾽ ἀμφοτέρων γὰρ τούτων ἐστὶ πληρουμένη τοῖς τῆς Ἐκκλησίας χείλεσιν ἡ εὑπρέπεια, ὅταν καὶ ἡ πίστις τῆς ὁμολογίας προλάμπει, καὶ ἡ ἀγάπη τῇ πίστει συμπλέκεται. Καὶ εἰ χρὴ ὥσπερ ὁρισμῷ τινι περιλαδεῖν τὸ ὑπόδειγμα.· οὕτω τὸ ὁηθὲν ὁριούμεθα· κόκκινον σπαρτίον ἐστὶ πίστις δι ἀγάπης ἐνεργουμένη, ὡς τῇ πίστει μὲν δηλοῦσθαι τὸ κόκκινον· τῇ δὲ ἀγάπῃ τὸ σπαρτίον διερμηνεύεσθαι. Τούτοις κεκοσμῆσθαι τὰ χείλη τῆς νύμφης μαρτυρεῖ ἡ ἀλήθεια. Ἢ δὲ ὡραία λαλιὰ θεωρίας τινὸς λεπτοτέρας ἣ ἑρμηνείας ἄλλης οὐκ ἐπιδέεται. Φθάσας γὰρ διεσάφησεν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, ὅτι ἡ λαλιὰ αὕτη τὸ ῥῆμα τῆς πίστεώς ἐστιν, ὃ κηρύσσομεν, Ἐὰν ὁμολογήσῃς τῷ στόματί σου Κύριον Ἰησοῦν, καὶ πιστεύσῃς ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου, ὅτι ὃ Θεὸς αὐτὸν ἤγειρεν ἐκ νεκρῶν, σωθήσῃ. Καρδίᾳ γὰρ πιστεύεται εἰς δικαιοσύνην, στόματι δὲ …λογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν. Αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ ὡραία λαλιὰ, δι᾽ ἧς τὰ χείλη τῆς Ἐκκλησίας κατὰ τὸ κόκκινον ἐκεῖνο σπαρτίον εὐπρεπῶς ἐπανθίζεται. ᾿Αρέσκεται δὲ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ στόματος ὥραν ὁ νυμφίος, καὶ τῷ πἧς παρειᾶς ἐρυθήματι. Μῆλον δὲ τοῦτο τοῦ προσώποὺ τὸ μέρος ἐκ καταχρήσεως καλεῖ ἡ συνήθεια, Προσειχάζει τοίνυν τὸ τῆς παρειᾶς μῆλον τῷ λεπύρῳψ ἧς ῥόας, γράψας οὕτω τὸν ἔπαινον αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ λέξεως· Ὡς λέπυρον ῥόας μῆ.1όν σου, ἐκτὸς τῆς σιωπήὍτι μὲν οὖν αἰδώς ἔστι τὸ ἐπαινούμενον, παντὶ ῥάδιον ἐκ τῆς ἀκολουθίας τῶν τεθεωρη μένων λογίσασθαι. Σωματοποιήσας γὰρ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ὁ Λό{ος εἰς τὸ τῆς νύμφης εἶδος ,, καὶ τὰς καθ᾽ ἕκαστον Ξεὶ ἀρετὰς καταλλήλως τῇ ὑπογραφῇ τῆς κατὰ τὸ πρόσὠπὸν ὥρας ἐκιμερίσας- νῦν διὰ τοῦ ἐρυθήματος τοῦ ταῖς παρειαῖς ἐπιζέοντος, προσφόρως ἐπαινεῖ τὴν σωφροσύνην, αἰδοῖ κατακοσμήσας ἐν τῷ τῆς ῥόας αἰνίγματι. Ὁ γὰρ καρπὸς οὗτος στύφει τε καὶ ἀδρώτῳ τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ ἐντρέφεται. Διὸ καλῶς τε καὶ οἰκείως εἰς τὸ τῆς᾽ σωφροσύνης κατόρθωμα διὰ τῆς θεωρίας μεταλαμθάνεται. Ὥς γὰρ ἣ στύψις τοῦ τῆς ῥόας λεπύρου τρέφει τε καὶ φυλάσσει τοῦ ἐμπεριεχομένου καρποῦ τὴν γλυκύτητα - οὕτως ὁ στύφων τε καὶ ἐγκρατὴς καὶ χατεσχληχὼς βίος φύλαξ γίνεται τῶν τῆς σωφροσύνης καλῶν. Διπλοῦς δὲ καὶ ἐνταῦθα τῆς ἀρετῆς ταύτης ὁ ἔπαινος γίνεται, διά τε τῶν προφαινομένων κατὰ τὸν εὐσχήμονα βίον, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἐν τῇ ψυχῆς ἀπαθείᾳ κατορθουμένων. Ὧν ὁ ἔπαινος, καθώς φησιν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, οὐκ ἐξ ἀνθρώπων, ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἢ γὰρ ἐπιλάμπουσα τοῖς γινομένοις αἰδὼς. ἴδιον μὲν ἐκ τῶν προδήλων ἔχει τὸν ἔπαινον· ἐκτὸς δὲ τῶν σιωπωμένων ἐστὶ καὶ ὑποχεχρυμμέγων θαυμάτων, ἃ μόνῳ καθορᾶται τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ ἐκείνῳ τῷ τὰ κρύφια βλέποντι. Διὰ δὲ τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα μανθάνομεν, ὅτι πᾶν τὸ παρὰ τῶν θεοφόρων ἁγίων γινόμενον, τύπος τὶς καὶ διδασκαλία τῶν εἰς ἀρετὴν κατορθουμένων ἐγίνετο. Οἱ γάμοι, αἱ ἀποιχίαι, οἱ πόλεμοι, αἱ τῶν οἰκοδομημάτων χκατασχευαὶ, πάντα κατά τινα λόγον εἰς νουθεσίαν τῷ μετὰ ταῦτα προετυποῦτο βίῳ. ᾿Εγράφη γὰρ ταῦτα, φησὶ, πρὸς γουθεσίαν ἡμῶν, εἰς οὖς τὰ τέλη τῶν ωἰώγων κατήγτηκχεν. Ὃ μὲν γὰῤ κατὰ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων πόλεμος, συμθουλεύει κατὰ τῆς κακίας ἡμᾶς ἀνδρίζεσθαι. Ἡ δὲ κατὰ τοὺς γάμους σπουδὴ τὴν τῶν ἀρετῶν συνοίκησιν δι᾽ αἰνιγμάτων ἡμῖν ὑποτίθεται, Ὡσαύτως δὲ καὶ ἡ ἀποικία τοῦ ἐναρέτου βίου τὸν οἰκισμὸν ὑποδάλλει· τὰ δʼ ὅσα περὶ τὰς κατασκευὰς ὧν οἰκοδομημάτων παρ᾽ αὐτῶν ἑσπουδάζετο, τῶν ἡμετέρων οἴκων τῶν δι᾽ ἀρετῆς οἰχοδομου μένων ἐπιμέλειαν ποιεῖσθαι διακελεύεται. Διό μοι δοκεῖ τὸν περιφανῆ πύργον ἐκεῖνον, ᾧ τὰ ἀκροθίνια τῶν λαφύξὼν ἀνέθηκεν ὁ Δαδὶδ͵ πρὸς τὴν προχοπκὴν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας βλέπων, τῶν τι κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν σπουδαζομένων … μὲν ἀκρωρείας τινὸς εἰς ὕψος ἀνατεινόμενος· ἐπιτήδειος δὲ κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ἐκεῖνον πρὸς τὴν τῶν λαφύρὼν φυλακὴν ἐνομίσθη, ὅσα δουλωσάμενος τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους μετὰ τῶν λοιπῶν χρημάτων ἴδιον κέρδος ὃ βασιλεὺς ἐποιήσατο. ἜἜδειξεν οὖν διὰ τῆς αὐτοῦ σοφίας ὁ βασιλεὺς, πρὸς ὅ τι βλέπων ὁ Δαδὶδ ἀγαθὸν τῇ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ζωῇ, ὥσπερ τινὰ συμδουλὴν τῷ μετὰ ταῦτα βίῳ διὰ τῆς τοῦ πύργου κατασκευῆς προα πέθετο, Παντὸς γὰρ τοῦ σώματος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, τῶν καθ᾽ ἕκαστον μελῶν διὰ τῆς πρός τι παραθέσεώς τε καὶ ὁμοιώσεως ἐγκωμιάζειν τὸ κάλλος μέλλων, δι᾽ ἀκολούθου τοὺς ἐν τῷ λαῷ τὸν τοῦ τραχήλου τόπον ἐπέχοντας, οἴους τινὰς εἶναι προσήκει, διαγράφων τῷ λόγῳ, τοῦ πύργου μέμνηται τούτον, ᾧ ἐπονομάζετας μὲν ὁ Δαδὶδ, ἔχει δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπάλξεων τὸ γνώριμον. θαλπιὼθ γὰρ αἱ ἐπάλξεις χατονομάξονται.. Οὕτω δὲ ἡ λέξις ἔχει· Ὡς πύργος Δαδὶδ τράχηεῖός σον, ὁ ᾧκοδομημένος ἐν θυρεοὶ κρέμανται ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ, πᾶσαι βολίδες τῶν δυνατῶν. Ἢ μὲν οὖν σωματικὴ τοῦ πύργου κατασκευὴ τὸ περίδλεπτον ἔχει, ἔκ τε τοῦ ἔργον εἶναι τοῦ βασιλέως Δαδὶδ, καὶ ἐκ τῆς περιφανείας τοῦ τόπου, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀνατεθέντων ὅπλων ἐν αὐτῷ, θυρεῶν τε καὶ τῶν βολίδων, ὧν τὸ πλῆθος ἐνδείκνυται ὁ λόγος τῷ τῆς χιλιάδος ὀνόματι. Ἡμῖν δὲ σκοπός ἔστι κατανοήσαι τοῦ θείου λόγου τὴν δύναμιν· πῶς παραθάλλεται τῷ πύργῳ τούτῳ τὸ μέρος ἐκεῖνο τῆς Ἐχχλητίας, ᾧ τράχηλός ἔστι τὸ ὄνομα. Πρῶτον τοίνυν ἐξετάσαι προσήκει ποῖον ἐν τῷ καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς σώματι μέρος, τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ τραχήλου προσαγορεύεται, εἶθ᾽ οὕτως ἐφαρμόσαι τῷ τῆς ᾿ἔκκλησίας μέλει τὸ ὄνομα. Οὐκοῦν τὸ ἐῤῥιζωμένον ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ὥμων, ἀνέχων ὃξ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ, καὶ ἀντὶ βάσεως τοῦ ὑπερχειμένου γινόμενον, τράχηλος ὀνομάζεται· οὗ τὸ κατόπιν μὲν, ὀστέοις ἐρείδεται . δλημένον ἐλεύθερόν ἐστι τῆς τῶν ὀστέων περιδολήῆς. Ἧ δὲ τοῦ ὀστέου φύσις, οὐ καθ᾽ ὁμοιότητα τοῦ πὲ χεως ἣ τῆς χνήμης συνεχής ἐστι πρὸς ἑαυτὴν καὶ ἀδιαίρετος, ἀλλὰ πολλαχοῦ τῶν ὀστέων ἐν σπονδύλων σχήματι διῃρημένων, διὰ τῶν πεφυκότων αὑτοῖς νεύρων καὶ μυελῶν καὶ συνδέσμων ἡ ἕνωσις αὑτῇ πρὸς ἄλληλα γίνεται, καὶ διὰ τοῦ μυελοῦ τοῦ αὐλοειδοῦς κατὰ τὸ μέσον διήκοντος, οὗ ἡ περιοχὴ μὲν πρὸς τὰς μένιγγας, αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ ἐγκείμενον πρὸς τὸν ἐγκέφαλον Ὁ ἤνωται· ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν περιέχει μὲν τὴν ἀρπηρίαν ὁ τράχηλος, ἣ δοχεῖόν ἐστι τοῦ πνεύματος ποῦ ἔξωθεν ἡμῖν εἰσοιχιζομένου τε καὶ εἰσρέοντος, δι᾽ οὗ τὸ ἐγκάρδιον πῦρ πρὸς τὴν ἐνέργειαν αὑτοῦ κὶν κατὰ φύσιν ἀναῤῥιπίζεται. Περιέχει δὲ καὶ τῖις προφῆς τὰς εἰσόδους, διὰ τοῦ λαιμοῦ τε καὶ τοῦ λάθυγγος, πᾶν τὸ διὰ τοῦ στόματος εἰσαγόμενον πρὸς τὴν χοιλότητα τὴν δεκτικὴν τούτων διαπορθμεύων. Ἔχει δὲ καὶ ἄλλο παρὰ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν μελῶν ἑξαίρετόν ἰ ὁ τράχηλος. Κατὰ) γὰρ τὴν ἄνω τῆς ἀρτηρίας θέσιν, ἐστὶν ἐν αὐτῷ τῆς φωνῆς τὸ ἐργαστέριον, φωνητιχὰ πάντα παρεσκεύασται ὄργανα, δι᾿ ὧν ἀπογεννᾶται ὁ ἦχος, τῷ ἀναδιδομένῳ πνεύματι περιδονουμένης ἐν κύκλῳ τῆς ἀρτηρίας. Οὕτω δὲ τοῦ σωἡμῖν διαγραφέντος͵ εὔκολον ἂν εἴη διὰ τῶν ἐνταῦθα θεωρηθέντων καὶ τὸν τοῦ ἐκκλησιαστικοῦ σώματος τράχηλον κατανοῆσαι· ὅστις ἐστὶν ὁ διὰ τῶν καταλλήλων ἐνεργειῶν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦτο κυρίως ἀναλαμδάνων, τράχηλός τε ὀνομαζόμενος, καὶ τῷ πύργῳ τοῦ Δαδὶὸ ὁμοιούμενος. Πρῶτον μὲν οὖν, ὃ δὴ καὶ πρῶτόν ἐστιν, εἴ τις τὴν ἀληθινὴν τοῦ παντὸς κεφαλὴν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ βαστάζοι, ἐκείνην λέγω τὴν κεφαλὴν, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁ Χριστὸς, ἐξ οὗ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα συναρμολογεῖται καὶ συμθιδάζεται, οὗτος κυρίως φέρει ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῷ τοῦτο τὸ ὄνομα. Πρὸς πούτοις εἰ τοῦ πνεύματός ἔστι ξεχτιχὸς, τοῦ τὴν καρδίαν ἡμῶν πυροειδῃ ποιοῦντος καὶ ἐχθερμαίνοντος, καὶ εἰ διὰ τῆς εὐήχου φωνῆς ὑπηρετεῖ τῷ λόγῳ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄλλου τινὸς ἕνεκεν τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φωνὴν ὁ Θεὸς τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ φύσει ἐνετεχτήσατο, ἣ ἵνα ὄργανον ἧ ποῦ λόγου, διαρθροῦσα δι᾽ ἑαυτῆς τὰ τῆς καρδίας κινήματα. Ἐχέτω δὲ οὗτος ὁ τράχηλος καὶ τὴν θρεπτικὴν ἐνέργειαν, τὴν διδασκαλίαν λέγω, δι’ ἧς παντὶ τῷ σώματι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας συντηρεῖται ἡ δύναμις. Ἐπιῤῥεούσης γὰρ ἀεὶ τῆς τροφῆς, ἐν τῷ εἶναι διαμένει τὸ σῶμα· ἐπιλειπούσης δὲ, φθίνει καὶ φθείρεται. Μιμείσθω δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐναρμόνιον τῶν σπονδύλων θέσιν, ἐν τῷ τοὺς καθ᾽ ἔκαστον ἐν τῷ λαῷ συντελοῦντας διὰ τοῦ συνδέσμου τῆς εἰρήνης, ἕν ἀπεργάζεσθαι μέλος, χλινόμενόν τε καὶ ἀνοοθούμενον, καὶ καθ᾽ ἑκάτερον τῶν πλαγίων εὐχινήτως μεταστρεφόμενον. Τοιοῦτο; τράχηλος ὁ Παῦλος ἦν, καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος κατὰ μίμησιν ἐκείνου τὸν βίον κατώρθωσεν, ὃς ἑδάστασε μὲν τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου, σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς τῷ Δεσπότῃ γενόμενος· καὶ οὕτως αὐτῷ δι᾽ ἀχρίδειαν κεφαλὴ τῶν ὅλων ἐφήρμοστο, ὥστε καὶ ὅσα ἐλάλει, μηκέτι αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν λαλοῦντα, ἀλλὰ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ φθέγγεσθαι· καθὼς ἐπέδειξε τοῖς Κορινθίοις τὸν Χριστὸν ἐν αὐτῷ λαλοῦντά τε καὶ φθεγγόμενον. Οὕτως αὐτῷ εὔφωνός τε καὶ εὔηχος τηρία, διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος διαρθροῦσα τῆς ἀληθείας τὸν λόγον - οὕτως αὐτῷ πάντοτε τοῖς θείοις λογίοις ὁ λάρυγξ χατεγλυχαίνετο, τρέφων ὅλον δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ τὸ σῶμα τοῖς ζωοποιοῖς ἐκείνοις διδάγμασιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸ τῶν σπονδύλων ζητεῖς, τίς οὔτυν πάντας εἰς ἐν σῶμα συνήρμοσε τῷ συνδέσμῳ τῆς εἰρήνης καὶ τῆς ἀγάπης ; Τίς οὕτως ἐδίδαξε τὸν τράχηλον χλίνεσθαι ἐν τοῖς ταπεινοῖς, καὶ συμπεριφέρεσθαι πάλιν ἐν τῷ τὰ ἄνω φρονεῖν, καὶ πρὸς τὰ πλάγια περισχοπεῖν εὐστρόφως τε καὶ εὐχινήτως, ἐν τῷ τὰς ποικίλας τοῦ διαδόλου μεθοδείας ἐκκλίνειν καὶ ἀσφαλίζεσθαι ; Ὁ τοιοῦτος οὖν τράχηλος ὄντως παρὰ τοῦ Δα… Νόει δὲ διὰ τοῦ Δαδὶδ τὸν βασιλέα τὸν τοῦ βασιλέως πατέρα, ὃς ἐξ ἀρχῆς τὸν ἄνθρωπον κατεσκεύασε πύργον εἶναι, καὶ οὐχὶ σύμπτωμα, καὶ διὰ τῆς κά- Ν ριτος αὐτὸν πάλιν ἀνῳχοόδόμησεν, ἀσφαλισάμενος τοῖς πολλοῖς θυρεοῖς, ὥστε μηκέτι αὐτὸν ταῖς τῶν πολεμίων ἐφόδοις εὐεπίδατον εἶναι. Οἱ γὰρ χρεμάμενοι θυρεοὶ, οὐκ ἐπὶ γῆς κείμενοι, ἀλλὰ διαέριοι περὶ αὑτὸν θεωρούμενοι, καὶ μετὰ τῶν θυρεῶν, αἱ τῶν δυνατῶν βολίδες, φόδον ἐμποιοῦσι τοῖς πολεμουμένοις ὥστε μήτε τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐγχειρῆσαι καταδραμεῖν ποῦ πύργου. Οἶμαι δὲ τὴν ἀγγελικὴν φρουρὰν ἐν κύκλῳ περιτετειχισμένην τὸν τοιοῦτον πύργον τῷ λήθει τῶν θυρεῶν ἡμῖν διασημαίνεσθαι. Δείκνυσι δὲ καὶ ἡ τῶν βολίδων μνήμη τὴν τοιαύτην διάνοιαν. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπλῶς εἵἴπεν, βολίδας, ἀλλὰ τῇ τῶν δυνατῶν προσθήκῃ τοὺς ὑπερμαχοῦντας ἡμῖν ἐνεδείξατο ὥστε τὸ λεγόμενον, ὅτι Παρεμβαλεῖ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κύκλῳ τῶν φοδουμένων αὑτὸν, καὶ ῥύσεται αὑτούς. Ὃ δὲ τῶν χιλίων ἀριθμὸς οὔ μοι δοκεῖ δι᾽ ἀχριδείας σημαίνειν τὴν τῶν ἑκατοντάδων δεκάδα· ἀλλ᾽ εἰς πλήθους ἔνδειξιν παρελήφθη ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγον. Σύνηθες γάρ ἐστιν ἐκ τῆς καταχρήσεως τῆς Γραφῆς, τῷ ἀριθμῷ τούτῳ τὸ πλῆθος ἐνδείκνυσθαι, ὥς φησιν ὁ Δαδὶδ ἀντὶ τοῦ πλήθους, ὅτι Χιιζιάδες εὐθηγνούντων, καὶ, Υπὲρ χιλιάδας χρυσίου καὶ ἀργυρίου. Οὔτω μὲν οὖν τὸν τράχηλον τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ὥμων ἐῤῥιζωμένον κατενοήσαμεν. Ὥμους δὲ νοοῦμεν, οἷς ἐπιπέφυχε, τὰς πρακτικάς τε καὶ ἐνεργητιχὰς σπουδὰς, δι᾽ ὧν οἱ βραχίονες ἡμῶν τὴν σωτηρίαν ἑαυτῶν χατεργάζονται. Τὴν δὲ πρὸς τὸ μεῖζον ἐπαύξησιν τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν ὑψουμένης ψυχῆς συνεῖδε πάντως ὁ ἐπιστατιχῶς τοῖς λεγομένοις ἀκολουθῶν,, ὅτι πρότερον μὲν ἀγαπητὸν ἣν τῇ νύμφῃ ἵππῳ ὁμοιων θῆναι τῇ χαταγωνισαμένῃ τὸν Αἰγύπτιον τύραννον, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ὁρμίσχους ἐμφερῶς ἔχειν τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ πραχήλου εὐπρέπειαν· νυνὶ δὲ πόσην αὐτῇ μαρτυρεῖ τὴν πρὸς τὸ ἀγαθὸν τελειότητα, ὅτι οὐκ ὁρμίσχοις τισὶ περιδεραίοις προσειχάζει τοῦ τραχήλου τὴν ὥραν, ἀλλὰ πύργος εἶναι διὰ τὸ μέγεθος λέγεται, ὃν περίὄλεπτον ποιεῖ καὶ τοῖς πόῤῥωθεν ἀφεστηχόσιν ἀποσχοπούμενον, οὗ μόνον ἢ περὶ τὴν οἰκοδομὴν φιλοτι μία, ἐφ᾽ ὅτι μήκιστον τὸ ὕψος ἐγεέρουσα· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ τοῦ τόπου θέσις, φυσικῶς ὑπερανιστῶσα τῶν γειτ; Ὅταν; τοίνυν βασιλέως μὲν ἔργον ὁ πύργος ἦν, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς ὑψηλῆς πολιτείας βεδηχὼς τύχῃ, τότε ἀληθὲς ἐπιδείκνυται τὸ παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου λεγόμενον· ὅτι Οὐ δύναται πόλις χρυδῆγναι ἑπάνω ὄρους κειμένη. Νόει δέ μοι πύργον ἀντὶ τῆς πόλεως. Καιρὸς δ᾽ ἂν εἴη καὶ τοὺς δύο νεδροὺς τῆς δορκάδος κατανοῆσαι, οἵ περὶ τὴν καρδίαν τῆς νύμφης αὐλίζονται, μαστοὶ κληθέντες παρὰ τοῦ Λόγον, καθώς φησι᾿ Δύο μαστοί σον ὡς δύο γτεδροὶ δίδυμοι δορκάδος, οἱ νεμόμενοι ἐν τοῖς κρίνοις· διὰ τὸ μεταξὺ τούτων εἶναι τῆς καρδίας τὴν θέσιν, ὧν ἡ νομὴ οὐ χόρτος ἐστὶν ἣ ἄκανθα, ἀλλὰ κρίνα παντὶ τῷ τῆς νομῆς χρόνῳ τὸ ἄνθος ἑαυτῶν παρατείνοντα, καὶ οὐ κατὰ καιρὸν ἀνθοῦντα, οὐδὲ ἐπὶ καιροῦ μα- ἀλλὰ διαρκῇ παρεχόμενα τοῖς νεδροῖς πούτοις δι᾽ ἑαυτῶν τὴν τροφὴν, ὡς ἂν μηκέτι αἱ σκιαὶ κρατῶσι τῆς σπουδαζομένης περὶ τὸν βίον ἀπάτη ἀλλ᾽ ἤδη τοῦ φωτὸς πανταχῆ, διλλάμψαντος, χαταυγασθῇ τὰ πάντα διὰ τῆς ἡμέρας, τῆς ὅπου θέλει διαπνεούσης τὸ φῶς, Οὕτω γάρ φησιν ὁ Λόγος· Ἕως οὗ διαπνεύσῃ ἡ ἡμέρα, καὶ κινηθῶσιν αὲ σκιαί. Οἶδας δὲ πάντως παρὰ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου μαθὼν, ὅτι τὸ Πνεῦμά ἔστι τὸ ἅγιον, τὸ διὰ τοῦ πνεῖν ὅπου βούλεται φῶς ἐμποιοῦν τοῖς ἑἐπανισταμένοις ὅθεν ἔρχεται, καὶ ποῦ ὑπάγει· περὶ οὗ νῦν ὁ λόγος οὕτως διεξέρχεται· Δύο μαστοί σου ὡς δύο νεδροὶ δίδυμοι δορκάδος, οἱ γεμόμεγοι ἐν τοῖς κρίνοις, ἕως οὗ διαπνεύσῃ ἡ ἡμέρα, καὶ κινηθῷσιν αἱ σκιαί. ᾿Αλλὰ τὸ μὲν ἡμέραν λέγεσθαι τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, φῶς πνέον οἷς ἂν ἐγγένηται, οὐκ οἶμαί τινα τῶν νοῦν ἐχόντων ἐπιδιστάσαι τῷ λόγῳ. Εὶ γὰρ υἱοὶ φωτὸς καὶ υἱοὶ ἡμέρας γίνονται οἱ γεννηθέντες παρὰ τοῦ ἹΙνεύματος, τί ἄλλο χρὴ νοεῖν τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ἣ φῶς καὶ ἡμέραν, ἧς ἡ πνοὴ φυγαδευτιχὴ τῶν σκιῶν τῆς ματαιότητος γίνεται; ᾿Ανάγκη γὰρ πᾶσα τοῦ ἡλίου φανέντος τὰς σκιὰς μὴ μένειν, ἀλλὰ μεταχωρεῖν τε καὶ μετανίστασθαι. Τὸ δὲ περὶ τῶν δύο νεδρῶν τῆς δορκάδος μυστήριον εὔκαιρον ἂν εἴη προσθεῖναι τῇ ἐξετάσει τοῦ λόγου, ὧν δίδυμος μέν ἐστιν ἡ γένεσις, τροφὴ δὲ τὸ κρίνον᾽· τόπος δὲ νομῆς, ἧ ἀγαθῇ τε καὶ πιαρὰ γῇ. Αὐτὴ δέ ἔστιν ἡ καρδία, κατὰ τὸν τῆς παραδολῆς τοῦ Κυρίου λόγον· ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ νεμόμενοι, καὶ τοὺς καθαροὺς ἐξ αὐτῆς λογισμοὺς πλῆρ ἔχει τὴν χάριν παρὰ τῆς φύσεως, εὐπνοίας εὐχροίᾳ συμμεμιγμένης, ὡς καθ᾽ ἑκάτερον εἶναι τοῖς δρεπομένοις ἐράσμιον, εἴτε τῇ ὀσφρήσει προσάγοιεν, εἴτε τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τοῦ κάλλους τῆς ὥρας κατατρυφῷεν. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ὄσφρησις τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ εὐωδίας. πλήρης γίνεται· διὰ δὲ τοῦ εἴδους ἐνδείκνυται τὸ καθαρόν τε καὶ ἀκηλίδωτον. Τάχα τοίνυν ἤδη διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων σεσαφήνισται ἡμῖν τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ λόγου δηλούμενον, ὅτι δύο ἀνθρώπων ἐν τοῖς καθ᾽ ἔκαστον θεωρουμένων, τοῦ μὲν σωματικοῦ τε καὶ φαινομένον, τοῦ δὲ νοητοῦ τε καὶ ἀοράτον, δίδυμος μὲν ἀμφότερός ἔστιν ἡ γένεσις, κατὰ αὐτὸν ἀλλήλοις συνεπιδη μούντων τῷ βίῳ. Οὔτε γὰρ προϋπάρχει τοῦ σώματος ἣ ψυχή· οὔτε προχατασχευάζεται τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ σῶμα· ἀλλ᾽ ὁμοχρόνως τῇ ζωῇ γίνονται. Τροφὴ δὲ τούτοις κατὰ φύσιν μέν ἐστιν, ἣ καθαρότης καὶ εὐωδία, καὶ πάντα τὰ τοιαῦτα εὐφοροῦσιν αἱ ἀρεταί. Ἔστι δὲ ὅτε τὸ δηλητήριόν τῶν ἀρετῶν ἐπιθόσχονται, ἀλλ᾽ ἀκάνθαις ἐπιτέρπονται καὶ τριδόλοις, Οὕτω γὰρ τῆς παραδολῆς τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ὀνομαζούσης τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἠκούσαμεν, ὧν ἡ κατάρα τοῦ ὄφεως τὴν κακὴν βλάστην ἐδηἘπειδὴ τοίνυν διαχριτικῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἐστι χρεία, τῶν δυναμένων ἐν ἀκριδείᾳ διαγνῶναι τὸ κρίνον τε καὶ τὴν ἄκανθαν, καὶ τὸ μὲν σωτήριον προελέσθαι, τὸ δὲ φθοροποιὸν ἀποπέμψασθαι· διὰ τοῦτο τὸν καθ’ ὁμοιότητα τοῦ μεγάλου Παύλου μαζὸν Ὁ τοῖς νηπίοις γενόμενον, καὶ γαλαχτοτροφοῦντα τοὺς ἀρτιγενεῖς τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, δυάδα μαζῶν ἀλλήλοις συγγεννηθέντων τῶν τοῖς νεδροῖς τῆς δορκάδος ἀπειχκασμένων ὠνόμασεν, διὰ πάντων μαρτυρῶν τῷ τοιούτῳ μέλει τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τὸ δόκιμον· ὅτι τε καθ᾽ ἑκάτερον εὐοδοῦται πρὸς τὴν τῶν καθαρῶν κρίνων νομὴν, ὀξυδερχῶς διακρίνον τοῦ τροφίμου τὴν ἄκανθαν καὶ ὅτι περὶ τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν ἀναστρέφεται, ἡ καρδία ἐστὶν, ἡ δι’ ἑαντῆς τοὺς μα· καὶ ἔτι πρὸς τούτοις, ὅτι οὐκ ἐν ἑαυτῷ κατακλείει τὴν χάριν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπέχει τοῖς δεομένοις τοῦ λόνου τὴν θηλὴν, ὡς ἂν τροφὸς θάλπει τὰ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα, καθὼς ἐποίει τε καὶ ἔλεγεν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, Μετὰ δὲ τούτων τῶν μελῶν τῆς Ἐκκλησιας προαγαγὼν ὁ Λόγος τὸν ἔπαινον, ἐν τοῖς ἐφεξῆς ὁλοτὼμᾶτον ποιεῖται αὑτῆς τὸ ἐγκώμιον, ὅταν διὰ τοῦ θανάτου καταργήσῃ τὸν τὸ κράτος ἔχοντα τοῦ θανάτου· καὶ πάλιν ἐπαναγάγῃ ἑαυτὸν πρὸς τὴν ἰδίαν δόξαν ᾿τῆς θεότητος, ἣν εἶχεν ἀπ᾽ ἀρχῆς πρὸ τοῦ κόσμον εἶναι. Εἰπὼν γὰρ,ὅτι Πορεύσομαι ἐμαυτῷ εἰς τὸ ὄρος τῆς σμύρνης, καὶ εἰς τὸν βουνὸν τοῦ δάνου, τὴν δόξαν τῆς θεότητος ἐνδειξάμενος προσέεθηχεν᾽ Ὅλη καλὴ εἶ, πλησίον μοῦ, καὶ μῶμος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν σοὶ, διδάσκων διὰ τῶν εἰρημένων, πρῶτον μὲν ὅτι οὐδεὶς αἴρει τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξουσίαν ἔχει θεῖναι αὐτὴν, καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἔχει πάλιν λαθεῖν αὐτὴν, πορευόμενος ἑαυτῷ ἢ ἐπὶ τὸ ὅρος τῆς σμύρνης, οὐκ ἐκ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἔργων, ἵνα μή τις καυχήσηται, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξ ἰδίας χάριτος, τὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ἀναδεξάμενος θάνατον· ἔπειτα δὲ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλως καθαρθῆναι τοῦ μώμου τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν, μὴ τοῦ ἀμνοῦ τοῦ αἴροντος τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου πᾶσαν δι᾽ ἑαυτῆς τὴν κακίαν ἐξαφανίσαντος. Τοίνυν εἰπὼν, ὅτι καλὴ εἶ, πλησίον μοῦ, καὶ μῶμος οὐκ ἔστιν ἂν σοί καὶ ἐπαγαγὼν τὸ κατὰ τὸ πάθος μυστήριον, διὰ τοῦ κατὰ τὴν σμύρναν αἰνίγματος, εἶτα τοῦ λιδόάνου μνησθεὶς, δι᾽ οὗ τὸ θεῖον ἐνδείκνυται τούτῳ παιδεύει ἡμᾶς, ὅτι ὁ συμμετασχὼν αὐτῷ τῆς σμύρνης, συμμεθέξει πάντως καὶ τοῦ λιβθάγου. Ὁ γὰρ συμπαθὼν καὶ συνδοξάζξεται πάντως. Ὁ δὲ ἅπαξ ἐν τῇ θείᾳ δόξῃ γενόμενος, ὅλος γίνεται καλὸς, ἔξω τοῦ ἀντικειμένου μώμου γενόμενος, Οὗ καὶ ἡμεῖς χωρισθείημεν διὰ τοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἀποθανόντος καὶ ἐγερθέντος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Κνρίου ἡμῶν, ᾧ πρέπει ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ᾿Αμήν.
epoiēsen heautǭ ho basideus Solomōn apo xylōn tou Lidanou, stylous autou epoiēsen argyrion. kai anachliton chrysion, epibasis autou porphyra. Entos autou lithostrōton, agapēn apo thygaterōn Hierousalēm.] Thygateres Siōn, exelthete, kai idete en tǭ basilei Solomōn, en tǭ stephanǭ, hǭ estephanōsen auton hē mētēr autou en hēmerą nympheuseōs tou, kai en hēmerą euphrosynēs kardias autou. ᾿Idou ei chōlē, hē pilēsion mou, idou ei ka.lē. Ophthaïlmoi sou peristerai, ektos tēs siōpēseōs sou.; hōs agelai tōn aigōn, hai apechaaiyphrthēsan apo tou Galaad. Hodontes sou hōs agelai tōn kekarmenōn, hai agedthēsan apo tou TZoutrou, hai pasai didymeuousai, kai ateknousa ouk estin. en autais. Hōs spartion to kochkion cheilē sou, kai hē 1alia son hōraia. Hōs lepyron rhoas mēlon sou ektos tēs siōpēseōs … ǭkodomēmenos eis Thalpiōth. Chilioi thyreoi kremantai ep᾿ auton, pasōi bolides tōn dynatōn. Dyo mastoi sou hōs dyo nedroi didymoi dorkados … hēmera, kai kigēthōsin hai skiai. Poreusomai emautǭ pros to horos tēs smyrnēs, kai pros ton bounon tou Lithagnou. Holē kalē, hē klēsion mou, kai mōmos ouk esein en soi. En pollois ho basileus Solomōn eis typon tou alēthinou basileōs paralamdanetai; pollois dē, phēmi, tois pros to kreitton peri autou para tēs hagias Graphēs historoumenois. Eirēnikos te gar legetai, kai sophian ametrēton echei; kai naon oikodomei, basileuei te tou Israēl, kai krinei ton laon en dikaiosynę̄; kai ek tou spermatos esti tou Dadix. ᾿Alla kai hē tōn Aithiopōn basilissa auton phoitą. Tauta gar panta kai ta toiauta, peri hautou men legetai typikōs, prodiagraphei de tou Euangeliou tēn dynamin. Tis gar houtōs eirēnikos, hōs ho apokteinas tēn echthran, kai tǭ staurǭ prosēlōsas tous echthrous heautou; hēmas, mallon de ton kosmon heautǭ chatallaxas͵ kai to mesotoichon tou phragmou lysas, hina tous dyo ktisę̄ en heautǭ eis hena kainon anthrōpon, poiōn eirēnēn, ho kēryxas tois makran te kai tois engys tēn eirēnēn, dia tōn euangelizomenōn ta agatha? Tis de toioutos oikodomos naou hōs ho tous men themelious autou titheis en tois oresi tois hagiois, toutestin, en tois prophētais kai apostolois - epoichodomōn de, kathōs phēsin ho Paulos, epi tǭ themeliǭ tōn apostolōn kai prophētōn, tous zōntas kai tous empsychous lithous, tous di heautōn pros tēn tōn toichōn harmonian kata ton prophētikon logon chechylismenous, hōste synarmosthentas en tę̄ henotēti tēs pisteōs, kai tǭ syndesmǭ tēs eirēnēs, auxēsai di᾽ heautōn ton naon ton hagion, eis to genesthai katoikētērion Theou en pneumati? Hoti de kai tę̄ sophią tę̄ heautou ho Solomōn tēn alēthinēn mēnyei sophian, houydeis an anteipoi, pros te tēn historian kai pros tēn; alētheian blepōn. Martyreitai men gar ekeinos hypo tēs historias, hoti parēlthe tous tēs anthrōpinēs sophias orous, pantōn tēn gnōsin en tǭ platei tēs kardias chōrēsas, hōs kai tous proladontas paradramein, kai tois ephexēs genesthai anephiktos; Kyrios kata tēn heautou physin, auto hoper estin, alētheias te kai sophias kai dynameōs ousia esti. Dia touto tou Dadid eipontos; hoti Panta en sophią epoiēsas, hermēneuōn ton Prophētēn ho theios ᾿Apostolos, en autǭ ektisthai ta panta legei; hōs touton tou Prophētou dia tēs sophias sēmainontos. To de basilea tou Israēl einai ton Kyrion, kai para tōn echthrōn memartyrētai, tōn hypogegraphotōn tǭ staurǭ tēn homologian tēs basileias autou; hoti Houtos estin ho basileus tōn ᾿Ioudaiōn; dechometha gar tēn martyrian, ei kai chatasmichrounein nomizetai to megaleion tou kratous, tę̄ tōn Israēlitōn basileią tēn despoteian horixousa, Ou gar houtōs echei; allʼ apo merous, tēn kata pantōn archēn hē epigraphē hautē tǭ staurǭ anatithēsi, tǭ mē prostheinai, hoti monōn tōn Ioudaiōn houtos esti basileus. ᾽Lpolytōs gar autǭ prosmartyrēsas ho logos tēn tōn Ioudaiōn archēn, kai to kata pantōn kratos kata to siōpōmenon tę̄ homologią tautę̄ Ho gar basileus pasēs tēs gēs kai tou merous pantōs tēn despoteian echei; hē de peri tēn dikaian chrisi tou Solomōntos spoudē ton alēthinon kritēn tou pantos kosmou diasēmainei, hos phēsin Ho Patēr hou prigei oudena, a.:a tēn krisin pasan dedōke tǭ Huiǭ; kai hoti, Ou dynamai poiein apʼ emautou; ouden; al.1la kathōs akouō, krinō, kai hē krisis hē emē dikaia estin. Houtos gar ho akrotatos tēs dikaias kriseōs horos, to mē aph᾽ heantou kata tina prospatheian apokrisin tois chrinomenois nemein; alla prōton akouein tōn hypodichōn tę̄ krisei, eith᾽ Ho houtōs tēn ep᾽ autoi? psēphon ektithesthai. Hou charin hē tou Theou dynamis tina homologei mē dynasthai. To gar hexō tou dikaiou paratrepsai tēn krisin adynatei alētheia. ᾿Alla to men ek tou spermatos Dadid einai kata sarka ton Kyrion, kai para tou gegonotos echparēsomen. To de kata tēn Aithiopissan mystērion, pōs katalipousa hōn Aithiopōn tēn basileian, kai tosouton diadasa ton en tǭ mesǭ topon, pros ton Sylomōnta dia to kleos tēs sophias epeigetai, lithois pimiois kai chrysǭ, kai tois tōn arōmatōn ēdysmasi dexioumenē ton basilea, dēlon an genoito tǭ epistēsanti pros ho ti tōn euangelikōn blepei thaumatōn. Tis gar ouk oiden hoti melaina hēn ex eidōlolatreias to katarchas hē ex ethnōn Ekklēsia, prin Ekklēsian enesthai, pollǭ metaxy tǭ tēs agnoias diastēmati, hēs pros ton alēthinon Theon gnōseōs apǭchismenē ? All᾽ hote epephanē hē charis tou Theou, kai hē sophia dielampse, kai to phōs to alēthinon pros tous en skotei kai skią thanatou kathēmenous tēn aktina die--, pempse, tote tou Hisraēl pros phōs heepimysantys, kai tēs tōn agathōn metousias heauton apostēsantos, erchontai hoi Aithiopes, hoi ethnōn tę̄ pistei prostrechontes, kai hoi pote ontes makran, engys ginontai, tǭ mystikǭ hydati tēn melanian apochlysamenoi; hōste-.tēn Aithiopian prophthasai cheira autēs tǭ Theǭ, kai prosagein dōra tǭ basilei, ta te tēs eusedeias arōmata, kai to tēs theognōsias chrysion, kai tous timious lithous tēs tōn entolōn te kai tōn aretōn erga.. ᾿Alla pros ho ti blepōn enteuthen archomai tēs prokeimenēs hēmin tōn rhētōn theōrias, ēdē diasaphēsō Hy tǭ logǭ autēn proechthemenos tēn lexin tōn theiōn logiōn echousan houtōs; Phoreion epoiēsen heautǭ ho … stylous autou epoiēsen argyrion, kai to anakiliton hautou chrysion, epidasin autou porphyran. Entos autou ithostrōton agapēn apo thygaterōn Hierousalēm. Hōsper toinyn en tois proexētasmenois peri tou Solomōntos heuren ho logos, di᾽ hōn to peri tou naou mystērion en ekeinǭ tǭ prosōpǭ; houtō kai dia tēs tou phoreiou kata-; skeuēs hē peri hēmōn oikonomia diasēmainetai. Polytropōs gar ho Theos en tois axiois heautou ginetai, kathōs ekastos an echę̄ dynameōs te kai axias, houtōs en ekastǭ ginomenos, Ho men gar tis ginetai Theou topos, ho de oikos, allos de thronos, kai heteros hypopydion. Esti de tis kai harma ginomenos, hē hiptoos euēnios, dechomenos eph᾽ heautou ton agathon hepidatēn, L kai pros to dokoun tǭ euthynonti dianyōn ton dromon. Hōs de nyn didaskometha, kai phoreion autou tis ginetai, ho kata tēn ekeinou sophian ou monon tois ek tou xylois, alla kai chrysiǭ kai argyriǭ kai porphyrą kai lithois katallēlōs en hekastǭ merei, di᾽ hōn hē agapē autou energos ginetai, ou pantōn chōrountōn tēn tēs agapēs energeian; all᾽ ei tis thygatēr tēs anō Hierousalēm. tēs eleutheras dia tou biou gnōrizoito. Hoti men oun ho ton Theon en heautǭ pherōn, phoreiïon esti tou en autǭ katoikountos kai chathedoumenou, dēlon kai pro tōn hēmeterōn logōn an eiē. Ho gar kata ton hagion Paulon, mēketi autos zōn, alla zōnta echōn en heantǭ ton Christon, kai dokimēn didous tou en autǭ lalountos Christou, houtos kyriōs phoreion legetai kai ginetai T tou en autǭ pheromenou kai hyp᾽ autou bastazomenou. ᾿All᾽ ou touto esti to zētoumenon. Echeinode mallon prosēkei di᾽ epimeleias katanoēsai, ti bouletai to tēs hylēs poikilon te kai polyeides. hēiōs oun symparalamthanetai chrysiǭ kai argyriǭ, kai porphyrą, kai lithois ē tou xylou physis eis tēn kataskeuēn tou phoreiou ? Kai toi ge to xylon ho soros architektōn Ēaulos, meta tou chortou kai tēs kalamēs eis tēn oikodomēn tou oikou krinei apodlēton, tou pyros dynamei tę̄ to ergon endapanōmenon. ᾿All᾽ oidamen tina xylou physin mē diamenousan en hǭ estin, alla pros chryson, ē argyron, hē allo ti tǭn timiōn heautēn metadallou san. En gar tę̄ megalę̄ tou Theou oicheą phēsin ho ᾿Apostolos ta men einai chrysa tę̄ physei, kai argyra; skeuē, tēn asōmaton, oimai, kai noeran ktisin dia toutōn hypainissomenos᾽ ta de xylina te kai china, hēmas tacha dia toutōn apoeēmainōn, hous apeē de dia tou xylou hamartas, xylina hēmas skeuē anti chrysōn apeirgasato. Memeristai de pros tēn axian hēs hylēs kai hē tōn skeuōn chrēsis. Ta men gar timiōteras hylēs, eis timēn apotetachtai; ta de eis tēn atimon hypēresian aperrhiptai. ᾿Alla ti phēsi peri tōn toioutōn ho Paulos ? Hoti exousian echei to skeuos ē ek tēs idias proaireseōs, ē chryseon apo xylinou, argyreon ap᾽ dstrachinou genesthai, ᾽Ean gar tis. phēsin, ekkatharę̄ heauton, estai skeuos heis timēn tǭ Despotę̄, pros pan ergon agathon hētoimasmenon. ąuoa Ho Tacha toinyn dia tōn eirēmenōn prosagometha pōs tę̄ - prokeimenę̄ theōrią tou logou. To oros ho Libanos pollois tēs hagias Graphēs eis endeixin tēs antikeimenēs dynameōs mnēmoneuetai; hōs hotan legei dia tou; hoti Syntripsei Kyrios tas kedrous tou Lidagnou, kai leptygnei autas te kai ton Lidagnon ton moschon echeigon, dēladē ton en tę̄ erēmǭ kata leanthenta hypo tou Mōyseōs, kai potimon dia leptotēta tois Israēlitais genomenon. Dēloutai gar hǭde dia tēs prophēteias hoti hou monon ta echphyenta para pēs antikeimenēs dynameōs kaka, alla kai auto to oros hē prōtē tou kakou rhiza, ho Lidanos, tōn toioutōn dendrōn tēn hylēn, eis to mē hon peristēsetai. Oukoun hēmeis ēmen pote tou Libanou ta xyla, heōs en ekeinǭ ēmen errhizōmenoi, dia te tou ponērou bion, kai tēs tōn eidōlōn apatēs; all᾽ e peidē ekeithen hypo tēs logikēs axinēs exetmēthēmen, kai en tais chersi tou technitou egenometha, phoreion heautou hēmas epoiēse, metastoicheiōsas tou xylou tēn physin dia tēs palingenesias eis argyrion te kai chrysion, kai eis euanthę̄ porphyran, kai eis tas tōn lithōn augas; kai hōsper phēsin ho ᾿Apostolos, hoti ōs emerisen hekastǭ ho Theos tas tou hagiou Pgeumatos dōreas; kai hǭ men didōsi prophēteian kata tēn analogian tēs pisteōs; allǭ de allo ti tōn energēmatōn, pros ho pephyken te kai dynatai ekastos tēn charin dexasthai, hē ophthalmos tou sōmatos tēs Ekklēsias ginomenos, hē eis cheira tassomenos, hē anti podos hypostērizōn houtō kai en tę̄ tou phoreiou kataskeuę̄, ho men tis stylos, ho de hepidasis ginetai; heteros de to pros tę̄ kephalę̄ meros ho anachliton prosēgoreusen eisi de tines hoi eis to entos tetagmenoi. Hōn apantōn kata tina logon ho technitēs ou monoeidē pros ton kallōpismon epinoei tēn hylēn ᾿ alla panta men katakosmeitai tǭ kallei; diaphoros de kai katallēlos hekastǭ toutōn epinoeitai hē hōra. Eisi toinyn argyrion men hoi styloi tou phoreiou; de toutōn epidaseis porphyra; ek chrysiou de to anakliton to tę̄ kephalę̄ hypothainon, en hǭ klinei tēn heautou kephalēn ho nymphios; tois de timiois lithois to endon hapan chatapoichilletai. Oukoun stylous men noēteon, tous stylous tēs Echkchlēsias, hois akridōs to argyrion katharon te kai pepyrōmenon ho logos estin. Ē . de porphyra eisin hoi tēs basileias en tǭ hypsēlǭ tēs ( politeias epidedēchasin. Exaireton gar gnōrisma tēs basileias hē porphyra nomizetai. To de hēgemonichoon autou, en hǭ tēn kephalēn autou klinei ho to phoreion kataskeuasas, to tōn katharōn dogmatōn chrysion estin. Hosa de aphanē te kai kryphia tę̄ katharą syneidēsei tōn timiōn lithōn enōraïxetai, di᾿ hōn apantōn apo tōn thygaterōn Hierousalēm, hē agapē synistatai. Ei de bouloito tis phoreion men pasan legein tēn Ekklēsian; chatamerizoi de kata tas tōn ener- ᾿ geiōn diaphoras eis prosōpa tina tou phoreiou merē, hōs dē peri toutou proeerētai, pollēn kai outōs eukolian ho logos echei, hekastǭ tagmati tōn kata tēn Ekklēsian tetagmenōn epharmosai tou phoreiou ta merē; kathōs phēsin ho ᾿Apostolos, hoti;Etheto ho Theos en tę̄ Ekchchilēsią, prōton apostolous, deuteron prophētas, triton didaskalous, epeita kath᾽ hekaston panta pros ton katartismon tōn hagiōn; hōs dia tōn onomatōn tōn pros tēn tou phoreiou chataochenēn syntelountōn hiereas noeisthai kai didaskalous, kai tēn semnēn parthenian tēn entos tou phoreiou katharotēti tōn aretōn, hoion tisi lithōn augais en᾿Alla peri men toutōn tosauta, Ho de ephexēs logos protropēn periechei pros tas thygatera: Hierou- -. salēm para tēs nymphēs ginomenos. Hōs gar ho megas Paulos zēmian hēgeito, ei mē pasi tōn idiōn agathōn ekoinōnēse, dio ta toiauta pros tous akouontas elegen; hoti Gigesthe hōs egō, hoti kai autos ēmēn pote kath᾽ hymas; kai hoti Mimētai mou gignesthe, kathōs egō Christou; houtō kai hē philanthrōpos gymphē hautē tōn theiōn tou Despotou mystēriōn- axiōtheisa, hote tēn klinēn ide, kai phoreion basileōs egeneto, boą pros tas neanidas; hautai d᾽ an eien a tōn sōzomenōn psychai: Heōs pote, legousa, tǭ spēlaiǭ tou biou enapochleiesthe ? exelthete tōn prochalymmatōn tēs physeōs, kai idete to thaumaston Hytheama; Siōn thygateres genomenai, theasasthe ᾿ peripreponta tę̄ kephalę̄ tou basileōs ton stephanon, hon hē mētēr autǭ periethēke kata tēn tou Prophētou phōnēn, hos phēsin;Ethēchas epi tēn kephalēn hautou stephanon ek lithou timiou. Pantōs de oudeis tōn krinein tous peri Theon logous epeschemmenōn achridologeitai peri tēn tou onomatos emphasin, hoti mēttr anti tou patros mnēmoneuetai, mian aph᾽ hekateras phōnēs analamdanōn dianoian. Epeidē gar oute arrhēn, oute thēly to Theion esti - pōs gar an epi tēs theotētos ti noētheiē toiouton, hopote oude hēmin tois anthrōpois touto eis to diēnekes paramenei, all᾽ hotan en Christǭ hen pantes genōmetha, ta sēmeia tēs diaphoras tautēs meta holou tou palaiou anthrōpou synechdyometha? toutou charin isodynamei pros tēn en- deixin tēs aphthartou physeōs pan to heuriskomenon onoma; oute thēleos, oute arrhenos tēn sēmasian tēs akēratou katamolynontos physeōs. Dia touto en men tǭ Euangeliǭ ho patēr legetai poiein tous gamous; ᾽ ho de Prophētēs pros ton Theon legei; hoti GEthēchas epi tēn kephalēn autou stephanon ek lithou timiou; entautha de para tēs mētros phēsin epitithesthai tǭ gymphiǭ ton stephaton. Epei oun estin heis ho gamos kai mia nymphē, kai para henos epidalletai tǭ nymphiǭ ho stephanos; ouden diapherei pantōs, hē HuIon tou Theou ton monogenē legein Theon, hē HuIon tēs agapēs autou, kata tēn Paulou phōnēn, hōs mias ousēs kath᾽ echate ron onoma tēs nymphostolousēs auton epi tēs hēmeteras synoichēseōs dynameōs. Exelthete oun, phēsin hē gymphē pros tas neanidas, kai thygateres Siōn gene- sthe- hōste apo skopias hypsēlēs (houtō gar Siōn ermēneuetai) dynēthēnai to thaumaston idein theama, stephanēphorounta ton nymphion. Stephanos de autǭ hē Ekklēsia ginetai, dia tōn empsychōn lithōn tēn kepha… toioutou stephanou, hē agapē estin, hēn, eite mētera, eite agapēn tis legei, ouk hamartēsetai. theos gar eatin agapē, kata tēn Iōannou phōnēn. Toutǭ de tǭ stephanǭ eneuphrainesthai legei auton hē nymphē, kosmǭ enagallomenon. Chairei gar hōs alēthōs ha synoikon tēn Echkchlēsian heautǭ poiēsamegos, tais aretais tōn diaprepontōn en autę̄ stephanoumenos. Kreitton d᾽ an eiē autas parathesthai tas theias phōnas epi lexeōs echousas houtōs Exeltheta kai idete, thygateres Siōn, ton basilea Solo… mētēr autou, en hēmerą nympheuseōs hautou, kai en hēmerą heuphrosynēs kardias hautou. Tēn oun toiautēn philanthrōpian tēs nymphēs ho Logos apodexamenos, hoti kata mimēsin tou Despotou kai autē pantas thelei sōthēnai, kai eis epignōsin tēs alētheias elthein; semnoteran autēn apergazetai ho kēryx tou kallous autēs kai zōgraphos ginomenos. Ou gar haplōs ho tēs hōras epainos legetai, katholikēn tina euphēmian periechōn tou kallous; all᾽ emphilochōrei tǭ logǭ tois kath᾽ hekaston meresin, idion hekastǭ melei dia synkriseōs te kai homoiōseōs charizomenos … Legei de houtōs; ᾿Idou ei kalē, hē plēsion mou, idou ei kalē. Ē gar mimēsamenē tou Despotou to philanthrōpon boulēma, kai exelthein enkeleusamenē kath᾽ homoiotēta tou ᾿Adraam tas neanidas, hekastēn apo tēs gēs heautēs, kai apo tēs peri ta aisthētēria syngeneias autēs, hōste idein ton katharon nymphion stephanēphorounta tēn ᾿Ekklēsian; alēthōs plēsion.; ginetai tēs despotikēs agathotētos, dia tēs pros ton plēsion agapēs tǭ Theǭ prosengisasa. Ka.1ē oun ei, phēsi pros autēn ho Logos, tę̄ kalę̄ proairesei tǭ agathǭ plēsiasasa. Ē de epanalēpsis tou epainou to hapseuston tēs martyrias endeiknytai. En gar tę̄ t diplę̄ martyrią bedaiousthai tēn alētheian ho theios apophainetai nomos. Dia touto phēsin; Idou ei kalē, hē plēsion mou, idou hei kai1ē. ᾿All᾽ epeidē en sōma tou Christou hē Ekklēsia pasa, en de tǭ heni sōmati, kathōs phēsin ho ᾿Apostolos, melē esti polla; panta de ta melē ou tēn hautēn echei praxin; alla ton men ophthalmon ektisen ho Theos en tǭ sōmati, ete- ᾿ ros de tis hous ephyteuthē; eisi de tines dia tēs ener- hē geias tōn dynameōn cheires ginomenoi, kai podes legontai tines hoi ta barē bastazontes; eiē d᾽ an ti; kai geuseōs ergon kai osphrēseōs, kai ta kath᾽ ekaston panta, di᾽ hōn anthrōpinon synistatai sōma; kai dynaton estin heurein en tǭ koinǭ tēs Ekklēsias sōmati cheilē te kai odontas, kai glōssan, mazous te, kai koilian, kai trachēlon; hōs de ho Paulos;phēsi; Kai hauta ta dokounta einai aschēmona tou sōmatos; toutou charin ho akridēs tou kallous dokimastēs, tōn aresantōn autǭ melōn ex holou tou sōmatos, idion te kai prosphoron hekastǭ poieitai: ton Archetai de tōn enkōmiōn apo tōn chyriōterōn melōn. Ti gar ophthalmōn en tois melesin hēmōn esti timiōteron ? Di’ hōn hē tou phōtos antilēpsis ginetai, par᾽ hōn estin hē tōn philōn kai polemiōn epignōsis, hois to idion kai to allotrion diachrinomen, pasēs er- ᾿; gasias hyphēgētai kai didaskaloi ginontai, kai tēs aplanous hodoiporias hodēgoi symphyeis kai achōristoi, hōn hē thesis tōn allōn aisthētēriōn hyperkeimenē,, to protimoteron tēs ap᾽ autōn ginomenēs hēmin ōpheleias endeiknytai. Pantōs de prodēlon esti tois akouousin, eis poia melē tēs Ekklēsias ho tōn ophthalmōn epainos blepei. Ophthalmos ēn Samouēl ho blepōn; houtō gar ōnomazeto; ophthalmos ho Iezekiēl, … ho skopein hypo tou Theou tetagmenos, epi tę̄ tōn phylassomenōn par᾽ autou sōtērią; ophthalmos Michaias ho horōn, kai Mōysēs ho theōmenos, ho dia touto kai theos ōnomasmenos; ophthalmoi pantes ekeinoi, hoi eis odēgian tou laou tetagmenoi, hous kai horōntas ōnomazon hoi tote anthrōpoi; kai nyn hoi ton ekeinon topon anaplērountes tǭ sōmati tēs Ekklēsias, kai episkopein tetagmenoi, ophthalmoi kyriōs chatonomazontai, ean achridōs pros ton tēs dikaiosynēs ᾿ hēlion blepōsi, mēdamou tois ergois tou skotous kai ei diachrinoien tou allotriou po idion, en tǭ ginōskein, hoti pan allotrion este tēs physeō? hēmōn, to phainomenon te kai proskairon; idion de to di᾽ elpidos prokeimenon, hou hē ktēsis menei pros to diēnekes anaphairetos. Ophthalmōn ergon kai to diaginōskein ton phichion te kai ton polemion, hōste agapan men ton alēthinon philon ex holēs kardias te kai psychēs kai dynameōs, teleion de misos kata tou echthrou tēs zōēs hēmōn epideichnysthai.᾿Alla kai ho tōn prakteōn hyphēgētēs, kai tōn sympherontōn didaskalos, kai tēs epi ton Theon poreias cheiragōgos, tou katharou te kai hygiainontos ophthalmou to ergon di’ achrideias poiei, kathʼ homoiotēta tōn sōmatikōn ommatōn tēs hypsēlēs politeias tōn loi- Tʼ pōn prophainomenos. Dia touto enteuthen epainein ho Logos to tēs nymphēs archetai kallos, kai phēsin Ophthalmoi sou peristerai; akeraious gar eis to kakon tous en ophthalmōn taxei prodethlēmenous horōn, s tēn haplotēta te kai to akeraion tou ēthous autōn apodexamenos, peristeras chatōnomasen autous. Idion gar esti peristerōn to akeraion. Ē tacha poiouton tina ho logos martyrei tois ommasin epainon. Epeidē gar pantōn tōn horatōn hai eikones tǭ katharǭ tēs korēs empiptousai, tēn horatikēn energeian apotelousin anankē pasa pros ho tis horą, toutou tēn morphēn analamthanein dia tou ophthalmou, katoptrou dikēn tou phainomenou to eidos anamassomenos. Hotan toïnyn ho tēn optichēn tautēn exousian epi tēs Ekklēsias ladōn, pros mēden hylōdes chai;hē sōmatikon blepę̄ ho pneumatikos te kai aulos en autǭ katorthoutai bios. Hē de toiautē zōē tę̄ tou peleiotatos tōn ophthalmōn estin epainos, to pros autōn tēs zōēs to eidos. Peristera gar to Pneuma to hagion. Ē de dyas tōn ophthalmōn epaineitai, hōs an holos genoito en epainǭ ho anthrōpos, ho phainomenos tϑ kai nooumenos. Dia touto gar prosethēke tǭ epainǭ kai allēn hyperdolēn, eipōn’ hoti Ektos tēs siōspēseōs sou; tou gar agathou biou, to men ti prodēlan estin, hōs kai anthrōpois gnōrimon einai; to de kryphion te kai aporrhēton, monǭ Theǭ chathorōmenon. poinyn to akatergaston blepōn, kai eis ta kryphia kathorōn martyrei epi tou epainoumenon prosōpou pleon einai tou phainomenou to siōpōmenon, di᾽ hōn , phēsin; hoti Ophthaiimoi sou peristerai ektos tēs siōpēseōs sou. Exōthen gar esti tou epainēthentos ēdē. to dia tēs siōpēs thaumazomenon. Hodǭ de kroagei kathexēs to tou kallous enkōmion, epi tas trichas metagōn ton logon ,kai phēsin Trichōma sou ageilai tōn aigōn, hai anechalyphrthēsan apo tou Noēsai de prosēkei prōton tēs trichos tēn ʼphysin; eith᾽ houtōs epignōnai ton epainon, hon dia tōn trichōn ho logos tę̄ nymphę̄ charizetai. Oukoun doxa men gaichos kephalēs hē thrix para tou Paulou ōnomastai. kai anti per:tholaiou dedosthai tę̄ gynaiki tēn komēn legei. Aidō de kai sōphrosynēn to prepon einai phēsi pais gynaixi peritholaion, houtō grapsas tǭ rhēmati ta aidous kai sōphrosynēs kosmein heautas. Dia toutōn tas epi tēs kephalēs trichas, hais komą hē gynē, ᾿ hēn aidō kai sōphrosynēn dia tēs tou Paulou sophias chatalamthanesthai. Oude gar allēn prepei tina doxan nomizesthai epi tēs epangellomenēs theosedeian chēs, ei mē tēn aidō te kai tēn sōphrosynēn, hēn komēn ōnomasen, hēn hotan mē echę̄, kataischynei tēn kephalēn autēs, kathōs phēsin ho ᾿Apostolos. EI dē΄ tauta peri tōn trichōn ho Paulos ephilosophēse, prosakteon an eiē ta tou ᾿Apostolou rhēmata tǭ epainǭ hē tēs Echkchlēsias, en tǭ peri tou trichōmatos logǭ, kata tēn prokeimenēn phōnēn, hē phēsin hoti Trichōma sou, hōs agelai tōn aigōn, hai anechalyzthēsan apo tou Galaad. Dia toutōn gar tēn enareton po- ai liteian en epainǭ poieitai ho Logos. ᾿Alla chacheinois͵ prosēkei prostethēnai tǭ logǭ tǭ peri tōn trichōn, hoti pasēs aisthēseōs zōtikēs. amoirousin hai chomai. Ou mikron gab᾽ eis epauxēsin enkōmiōn kai touto, to ēte ponou, mēte hēdonēs aisthēsin en tais thrixin einai. To men gar sōma, hothen echphyontai, odynatai: hautē de hē thrix, oute ei oute ei phlegoito, oute ei dia tinos chkōmmōtikēs epikataleainoito, tǭ ginomenǭ aisthēsin tai. To de amoirein tēs aisthēseōs tōn nekrōn estin idion. Oukoun ho mēdemian tōn en tǭ kosmǭ toutǭ. spoudazomenōn paradechomenos aisthēsin, mēte hypo doxēs te kai timēs exonchoumenos, mēte di’ Hodreōs pe kai atimias algeinōs diatithemenos; all᾽ en homoiǭ kath᾽ hekateron tōn enantiōn heauton phylassōn; houtos Ho estin hē epainoumenē tēs nymphēs komē, nekros anpiprys kai akinētos pros ta tou kosmou genomenos pragmata, eite houtōs. eite hōs heterōs echoi. Ei de to pleonektēma tōn trichōn agelais aigōn; tais apo tou sais; ha men chrē di’ achrideias peri toutōn ginōskein oupō chatalaoein ēdynēthēmen; stochazometha de, hoti hōsper ta xyla tou Lidanou eis chryson te kai argyron kai porphyran metapoiēsas, phoreion ho basileus hē kateskeuasen heautǭ ᾿ houtōs oiden ho poimēn ho kalos aigōn agelas paralathdein kai eis poimnia metabalein ta aipolia tou Galaad orous. ᾿Allophylou de orous onoma touto tou tēn toiautēn charin anachalyptontos, hōste tous ex ethnōn tǭ kalǭ poimeni akolouthēsantas eis to. trichōma syntelę̄sai tou tēs nymphēs; kallous; di’ hōn sōphrosynē te kai aidōs, kai enkra- -΄ teia, kai hē tou sōmatos nekrōsis kata ton protheōrēthenta logon diasēmainetai.) Ē tacha symthalletai te pros tēn tōn aigōn theōrian kai ho Ēlias, tǭ orei tǭ Galaad emphilosophēsas chronon polyn, hos malista tou kat᾽ enkrateian kathēgēsato biou, auchmēros to eidēs, dasys tēn tricha, anti malakēs tinos esthētos dermati aigos schepazomenos. Pantes oun hoi kata ton prophētēn ekeinon ton autōn katorthoun᾿ pes bion, kosmos ginontai tēs Ekklēsias, agelēdon, kata ton nyn epikratounta tēs philosophias tropon,; met᾽ allēlōn tēn aretēn echponountes [To de Galaad tas toiautas apokalyphthēnai agelas, meizona tou thaumatos tēn hyperdolēn echei, hoti ek tou ethnikou biou gegonen hēmin hē pros tēn kata Theon philosophian metastasis. Ou gar Siōn oros to hagion autou tēs Ho toiautēs kathēgēsato politeias; alla to tois eidōlois anakeimenon ethnos eis tosautēn ēlthe tou biou metastasin, hōste tēn kephalēn kosmēsai tēs nymphēs tois kat᾽ aretēn proterēmasin. Eita tous odontas tę̄ akolouthią tōn epainōn ho Logos protithēsi, paradramōn tou stomatos te kai tōn cheileōn ta enkōmia. Hoper axion mē paridein anexetaston. Ti dē pote tōn cheileōn hoi odontes en tois epainois protithentai? Tacha men oun eipoi tis an glaphyrōteron to kallos deixai boulomenos, meidiama stomatos dia tēs tōn odontōn hypographēs kata to lelēthos synendeichnysthai; egō de pros heteron blepōn, protereuein en tois hepainois to tōn odontōn kallos pro tōn tou stomatos enkōmiōn logizomai. Meta touto gar, oude to cheilos aphēken anenchōmiaston, spartion eipōn kokkinon einai ta cheilē autēs, kai tēn lalian hōraian. Ti oun ho peri toutou stochazomai? ᾿Aristē taxis en tois mathēmasin esti prōton didaskesthai kai tote phthengesthai; ta de mathēmata tēs psychēs brōmata tis eipōn einai, tou eikotos ouk hamartēsetai. Hōsper gar dē tēn sōmatikēn trophēn tois hodousi kataleanantes, katallēlon autǭn tois splanchnois genesthai parascheuaxomen; kata ton auton tropon esti tis leptopoiētichē tōn didagmatōn dynamis en tę̄ psychę̄, di᾿ hēs ophelimon ginetai tǭ dechomenǭ to mathēma. Tous toinyn chritichous te kai diairetichous tōn didagmatōn kathēgētas, di᾽ hōn eulēptos hēmin ginetai kai epōphelēs hē didaskalia,, odontas hypo tou logou phēmi tropikōs onomazesthai. Hou charin prolamthanei tōn odontōn ho epainos, eith᾽ houtōs epagetai tōn cheileōn to enkōmion. Ou gar an epēnthisto tǭ logikǭ kallei to cheilos, mē tōn odontōn ekeinōn dia tēs philoponōteras tōn mathēmatōn katanoēseōs tēn en tois logois charin epidallontōn tois cheilesin. Aitian men oun en tois epainois akolouthias tautēn epi tōn odontōn katenoēsamen. Kairos d᾽ an eiē kai auton exetasai ton epainon, pōs parathallei to en tois hodouse kallos tais checharmenais agelais, hai nyn tou loutrou anadneisai didymois epagallontsi tokois kata to ison hai pasai; echei de kata tēn lexin ho epainos houtōs; Odontes son hōs agelai tōn apo tou loutrou. hai pasai didymeuousai, kai atechgousa ouk estin ep᾽ autais. Touto toinyn ei pros to sōmatikon tou hypodeigmatos blepomen, ouk oida pōs an tis epaineisthai tous odontas eipoi, dia tēs pros tas polygonousas agelas synkriseōs. ᾿Odontōn men gar epainos, hē sterrhotēs esti kai hē enarmonios thesis, kai to pagiōs di᾽ homalę̄? te kai akolouthou tēs harmonias empephychenai tois oulois. anathainousai apo tou loutrou agelai meta tēs didymou gonēs epischedastheisai tais napais, poian hodontōn hypographousin hōran tǭ kath᾽ heautas hypodeigmati, ouk estin ek tou procheirou katanoēsai; houtoi stoichēdon synestēchasin enarmoniōs allēlōn echomenoi - ekeinai de ap᾽ allēlōn diaschedannyntai pros tēn chreian tēs nomēs araioumenai. ᾿Alla kai gymnǭ tǭ odonti kata physin onti eis synkrisin to ereiaphoroun ouk euarmoston. Oukoun ereunēteon an eiē, pōs ho kosmōn di᾽ enchōmeōn tēn tōn odontōn to kallos, tais apocheiramenais to erion, kai loutrǭ ton rhypon apochlysamenais tou sōmatos. Ti oun peri toutōn aponoēsomen ? Hoi ta theia mystēria dia… sakton tēn pneumatikēn trophēn tautēn genesthai tǭ sōmati tēs Ekklēsias, houtoi to tōn odontōn ergon apotelousi, pachyn te kai synestōta tou logou ton arton tǭ heautōn lamthanontes stomati, kai dia tēs (, tais psychais tōn nōn paraschenaxontes, hoion (kreitton gar epi hypodeigmatōn parastēsai to noēma) ho makarios Paulos nyn men haplōs te kai achatascheuōs, hōsper tina Psōmon akatergaston protithēsin hēmin to tou nomou parangelma, legōn; Ou phimōseis boun aloōnta. Palin dia tēs epexēgēseōs apalynas, euparadekton poiei to tou nomou boulēma, legōn; Mē tōn boōn melei tǭ Theǭ, hē di’ hēmas pantōs egegraphei ? kai alla toiauta polla; hoion, Adraam dyo huious eschen, hena ek tēs paidiskēs, kai hena, ek tēs eleutheras. Touto ho achatergastos artos. ᾿Alla pōs auton dialeptynōn edōdimon poiei tois trephomenois, eis dyo Diathēkas metalamdanei tēn historian, tēn men eis rousōn. Houtō kai panta ton nomon, hina mē ta kath᾽ legontes diatridōmen, pachymeres sōma laoōn, leptyneidia tēs theōrias, pneumatichyn auton ek sōmatikou ergazomenos - Oidamen, legōn, hoti ho gomos pneumatikos estin. Hoper toinyn epi tou Paulou katenoēsamen, hōs odontōn chreia tę̄ Ekklēsią, plērountōn hen tǭ dialeptynein tēn tōn dogmatōn saphēneian; touto kai epi pantos tou kata mimēsin ekeinou diasaphountos hēmin to mystērion legomen. OOuchoun hodontes eisi tēs Ekklēsias hoi tēn akatergaston tōn theiōn logiōn poan leptopoiountes hēmin kai mērychizontes. Hōsper toinyn hypographei tōn aï- ai tou kalou ergou tēs episkopēs oregomenōn ton bion ho theios. ᾿Apostolos, legōn ta kath᾽ hekaston, hoion einai prosēkei ton tēs hierōsynēs epeilēmmenon, hōs meta pantōn kai tēn didachtichēn charin echein; houtōs entautha tous eis odontōn hypēresian tetagmenous en tę̄ Ekklēsią bouletai ho logos prōton checharmenous einai, toutesti pasēs hylikēs achthgydonos gegy; eita tǭ loutrǭ tēs syneidēseōs pantos molysmou sarkos kai pneumatos kathareuontas; pros toutois eis aei dia prokopēs anadainontas, kai mēdepote pros ta empalin chatasyromenous epi to ba rathron; epi pasi de diplais tais tōn agathōn chkyēmatōn gonais kata pan eidos aretēs epagallesthai, kai en mēdeni tōn kalōn epitēdeumatōn agonein. To de diploun kyēma, ainigma tēs kath᾽ hekateron ginetai tōn en hēmin negoēmenōn eudokimēseōs, hōste didymotochous einai tous toioutous odontas; tę̄ men psychę̄ tēn apatheian, tǭ de sōmatikǭ biǭ tēn euschē; epagei toutois ton di᾽ acholouto kallos, hou tēn hermēneian hautos epēgagen, lalian hōraian to spartion katonomasas. Touto de en tois phthasasin ēdē protetheōrētai, pōs tę̄ tōn odontōn hypēresią to en tois cheilesin hōraïzetai kallos. Tę̄ gar tōn odontōn, toutesti tōn didaschalichōn hyphēgēmatōn to stoma tēs Ekklēsias symphthengetai, Dia touto prōton hoi hodontes cheirontai kai louontai, kai ouk atechnousi, kai didymeuousi, kai tote tǭ kokkinǭ eidei ta cheilē perianthizetai, hotan genētai pasa hē Ekklēsia kata tēn tou agathou symphōnian cheilos hen kai phōnē mia. Diploun de tou kallous esti to hypodeigma. Ou gar monon haplōs spartion phēsin einai ta cheilē; alla prosethēke kai tēs euchroias to anthos, hōste diʼ am tēs Ekklēsias to stoma; dia te tou spartiou kai tou kokkinou, idiazontōs kath᾽ hekateron meros. Tǭ men garspartiǭ homognōmosynēn paideuetai; hōste pasan autēn hen spartion kai mian genesthai seiran ek diaphorōn noēmatōn; dia de tou kokkinou pros to haima di᾽ hou elytrōthēmen blepein didasketai, kai aei tēn homologian dia stomatos pherein, tou exagorasantos hēmas dia tou haimatos, Di᾽ amphoterōn gar toutōn esti plēroumenē tois tēs Ekklēsias cheilesin hē heuprepeia, hotan kai hē pistis tēs homologias prolampei, kai hē agapē tę̄ pistei sympleketai. Kai ei chrē hōsper horismǭ tini periladein to hypodeigma.; houtō to hoēthen horioumetha; kokkinon spartion esti pistis di agapēs energoumenē, hōs tę̄ pistei men dēlousthai to kokkinon; tę̄ de agapę̄ to spartion diermēneuesthai. Toutois kekosmēsthai ta cheilē tēs nymphēs martyrei hē alētheia. Ē de hōraia lalia theōrias tinos leptoteras hē hermēneias allēs ouk epideetai. Phthasas gar diesaphēsen ho ᾿Apostolos, hoti hē lalia hautē to rhēma tēs pisteōs estin, ho kēryssomen, Ean homologēsę̄s tǭ stomati sou Kyrion Iēsoun, kai pisteusę̄s en tę̄ kardią sou, hoti ho Theos auton ēgeiren ek nekrōn, sōthēsę̄. Kardią gar pisteuetai eis dikaiosynēn, stomati de …logeitai eis sōtērian. Hautē de estin hē hōraia lalia, di᾽ hēs ta cheilē tēs Ekklēsias kata to kokkinon ekeino spartion euprepōs epanthizetai. ᾿Aresketai de meta tēn tou stomatos hōran ho nymphios, kai tǭ pēs pareias erythēmati. Mēlon de touto tou prosōpou to meros ek katachrēseōs kalei hē synētheia, Proseichazei toinyn to tēs pareias mēlon tǭ lepyrǭps hēs rhoas, grapsas houtō ton epainon autou epi lexeōs; Hōs lepyron rhoas mē.1on sou, ektos tēs siōpēOti men oun aidōs esti to epainoumenon, panti rhadion ek tēs akolouthias tōn tetheōrē menōn logisasthai. Sōmatopoiēsas gar tēn Ekklēsian ho Lo{os eis to tēs nymphēs eidos ,, kai tas kath᾽ hekaston Xei aretas katallēlōs tę̄ hypographę̄ tēs kata to prosōpon hōras ekimerisas- nyn dia tou erythēmatos tou tais pareiais epizeontos, prosphorōs epainei tēn sōphrosynēn, aidoi katakosmēsas en tǭ tēs rhoas ainigmati. Ho gar karpos houtos styphei te kai adrōtǭ tę̄ epiphaneią entrephetai. Dio kalōs te kai oikeiōs eis to tēs᾽ sōphrosynēs katorthōma dia tēs theōrias metalamthanetai. Hōs gar hē stypsis tou tēs rhoas lepyrou trephei te kai phylassei tou emperiechomenou karpou tēn glykytēta - houtōs ho styphōn te kai enkratēs kai chateschlēchōs bios phylax ginetai tōn tēs sōphrosynēs kalōn. Diplous de kai entautha tēs aretēs tautēs ho epainos ginetai, dia te tōn prophainomenōn kata ton euschēmona bion, kai dia tōn en tę̄ psychēs apatheią katorthoumenōn. Hōn ho epainos, kathōs phēsin ho ᾿Apostolos, ouk ex anthrōpōn, ek tou Theou. Ē gar epilampousa tois ginomenois aidōs. idion men ek tōn prodēlōn echei ton epainon; ektos de tōn siōpōmenōn esti kai hypochechrymmegōn thaumatōn, ha monǭ kathoratai tǭ ophthalmǭ ekeinǭ tǭ ta kryphia bleponti. Dia de tōn meta tauta manthanomen, hoti pan to para tōn theophorōn hagiōn ginomenon, typos tis kai didaskalia tōn eis aretēn katorthoumenōn egineto. Hoi gamoi, hai apoichiai, hoi polemoi, hai tōn oikodomēmatōn chkatascheuai, panta kata tina logon eis nouthesian tǭ meta tauta proetypouto biǭ. ᾿Egraphē gar tauta, phēsi, pros gouthesian hēmōn, eis ous ta telē tōn ōiōgōn katēgtēkchen. Ho men gar kata tōn allophylōn polemos, symthouleuei kata tēs kakias hēmas andrizesthai. Hē de kata tous gamous spoudē tēn tōn aretōn synoikēsin di᾽ ainigmatōn hēmin hypotithetai, Hōsautōs de kai hē apoikia tou enaretou biou ton oikismon hypodallei; ta dʼ hosa peri tas kataskeuas hōn oikodomēmatōn par᾽ autōn hespoudazeto, tōn hēmeterōn oikōn tōn di᾽ aretēs oichodomou menōn epimeleian poieisthai diakeleuetai. Dio moi dokei ton periphanē pyrgon ekeinon, hǭ ta akrothinia tōn laphyxōn anethēken ho Dadid͵ pros tēn prochopkēn tēs Ekklēsias blepōn, tōn ti kat᾽ aretēn spoudazomenōn … men akrōreias tinos eis hypsos anateinomenos; epitēdeios de kata ton chronon ekeinon pros tēn tōn laphyrōn phylakēn enomisthē, hosa doulōsamenos tous allophylous meta tōn loipōn chrēmatōn idion kerdos ho basileus epoiēsato. EEdeixen oun dia tēs autou sophias ho basileus, pros ho ti blepōn ho Dadid agathon tę̄ tōn anthrōpōn zōę̄, hōsper tina symdoulēn tǭ meta tauta biǭ dia tēs tou pyrgou kataskeuēs proa petheto, Pantos gar tou sōmatos tēs Ekklēsias, tōn kath᾽ hekaston melōn dia tēs pros ti paratheseōs te kai homoiōseōs enkōmiazein to kallos mellōn, di᾽ akolouthou tous en tǭ laǭ ton tou trachēlou topon epechontas, oious tinas einai prosēkei, diagraphōn tǭ logǭ, tou pyrgou memnētai touton, hǭ eponomazetas men ho Dadid, echei de kai apo tōn epalxeōn to gnōrimon. thalpiōth gar hai epalxeis chatonomaxontai.. Houtō de hē lexis echei; Hōs pyrgos Dadid trachēeios son, ho hǭkodomēmenos en thyreoi kremantai ep᾿ autǭ, pasai bolides tōn dynatōn. Ē men oun sōmatikē tou pyrgou kataskeuē to peridlepton echei, ek te tou ergon einai tou basileōs Dadid, kai ek tēs periphaneias tou topou, kai ek tōn anatethentōn hoplōn en autǭ, thyreōn te kai tōn bolidōn, hōn to plēthos endeiknytai ho logos tǭ tēs chiliados onomati. Hēmin de skopos esti katanoēsai tou theiou logou tēn dynamin; pōs parathalletai tǭ pyrgǭ toutǭ to meros ekeino tēs Echchlētias, hǭ trachēlos esti to onoma. Prōton toinyn exetasai prosēkei poion en tǭ kath᾽ hēmas sōmati meros, tǭ onomati tou trachēlou prosagoreuetai, eith᾽ houtōs epharmosai tǭ tēs ᾿ekklēsias melei to onoma. Oukoun to errhizōmenon en mesǭ tōn hōmōn, anechōn hox tēn kephalēn eph᾽ heautou, kai anti baseōs tou hypercheimenou ginomenon, trachēlos onomazetai; hou to katopin men, osteois ereidetai . dlēmenon eleutheron esti tēs tōn osteōn peridolēēs. Hē de tou osteou physis, ou kath᾽ homoiotēta tou pe cheōs hē tēs chnēmēs synechēs esti pros heautēn kai adiairetos, alla pollachou tōn osteōn en spondylōn schēmati dię̄rēmenōn, dia tōn pephykotōn hautois neurōn kai myelōn kai syndesmōn hē henōsis hautę̄ pros allēla ginetai, kai dia tou myelou tou auloeidous kata to meson diēkontos, hou hē periochē men pros tas meningas, auto de to enkeimenon pros ton enkephalon Ho ēnōtai; en de tois emprosthen periechei men tēn arpērian ho trachēlos, hē docheion esti tou pneumatos pou exōthen hēmin eisoichizomenou te kai eisreontos, di᾽ hou to enkardion pyr pros tēn energeian hautou kin kata physin anarrhipizetai. Periechei de kai tiis prophēs tas eisodous, dia tou laimou te kai tou lathyngos, pan to dia tou stomatos eisagomenon pros tēn choilotēta tēn dektikēn toutōn diaporthmeuōn. Echei de kai allo para ta loipa tōn melōn hexaireton i ho trachēlos. Kata) gar tēn anō tēs artērias thesin, estin en autǭ tēs phōnēs to ergasterion, phōnēticha panta pareskeuastai organa, di᾿ hōn apogennatai ho ēchos, tǭ anadidomenǭ pneumati peridonoumenēs en kyklǭ tēs artērias. Houtō de tou sōēmin diagraphentos͵ eukolon an eiē dia tōn entautha theōrēthentōn kai ton tou ekklēsiastikou sōmatos trachēlon katanoēsai; hostis estin ho dia tōn katallēlōn energeiōn to onoma touto kyriōs analamdanōn, trachēlos te onomazomenos, kai tǭ pyrgǭ tou Dadio homoioumenos. Prōton men oun, ho dē kai prōton estin, ei tis tēn alēthinēn tou pantos kephalēn eph᾽ heautou bastazoi, ekeinēn legō tēn kephalēn, hētis estin ho Christos, ex hou pan to sōma synarmologeitai kai symthidazetai, houtos kyriōs pherei eph᾽ heautǭ touto to onoma. Pros poutois ei tou pneumatos esti xechtichos, tou tēn kardian hēmōn pyroeidę̄ poiountos kai echthermainontos, kai ei dia tēs euēchou phōnēs hypēretei tǭ logǭ. Oude gar allou tinos heneken tēn anthrōpinēn phōnēn ho Theos tę̄ anthrōpinę̄ physei enetechtēsato, hē hina organon hē pou logou, diarthrousa di᾽ heautēs ta tēs kardias kinēmata. Echetō de houtos ho trachēlos kai tēn threptikēn energeian, tēn didaskalian legō, di’ hēs panti tǭ sōmati tēs Ekklēsias syntēreitai hē dynamis. Epirrheousēs gar aei tēs trophēs, en tǭ einai diamenei to sōma; epileipousēs de, phthinei kai phtheiretai. Mimeisthō de kai tēn enarmonion tōn spondylōn thesin, en tǭ tous kath᾽ ekaston en tǭ laǭ syntelountas dia tou syndesmou tēs eirēnēs, hen apergazesthai melos, chlinomenon te kai anoothoumenon, kai kath᾽ hekateron tōn plagiōn euchinētōs metastrephomenon. Toiouto? trachēlos ho Paulos ēn, kai ei tis allos kata mimēsin ekeinou ton bion katōrthōsen, hos hedastase men to onoma Kyriou, skeuos eklogēs tǭ Despotę̄ genomenos; kai houtōs autǭ di᾽ achrideian kephalē tōn holōn ephērmosto, hōste kai hosa elalei, mēketi auton einai ton lalounta, alla tēn kephalēn autou phthengesthai; kathōs epedeixe tois Korinthiois ton Christon en autǭ lalounta te kai phthengomenon. Houtōs autǭ euphōnos te kai euēchos tēria, dia tou hagiou Pneumatos diarthrousa tēs alētheias ton logon - houtōs autǭ pantote tois theiois logiois ho larynx chateglychaineto, trephōn holon di᾽ heautou to sōma tois zōopoiois ekeinois didagmasin. Ei de kai to tōn spondylōn zēteis, tis outyn pantas eis en sōma synērmose tǭ syndesmǭ tēs eirēnēs kai tēs agapēs ? Tis houtōs edidaxe ton trachēlon chlinesthai en tois tapeinois, kai symperipheresthai palin en tǭ ta anō phronein, kai pros ta plagia perischopein eustrophōs te kai euchinētōs, en tǭ tas poikilas tou diadolou methodeias ekklinein kai asphalizesthai ? Ho toioutos oun trachēlos ontōs para tou Da… Noei de dia tou Dadid ton basilea ton tou basileōs patera, hos ex archēs ton anthrōpon kateskeuase pyrgon einai, kai ouchi symptōma, kai dia tēs ka- N ritos auton palin anǭchoodomēsen, asphalisamenos tois pollois thyreois, hōste mēketi auton tais tōn polemiōn ephodois euepidaton einai. Hoi gar chremamenoi thyreoi, ouk epi gēs keimenoi, alla diaerioi peri hauton theōroumenoi, kai meta tōn thyreōn, hai tōn dynatōn bolides, phodon empoiousi tois polemoumenois hōste mēte tēn archēn encheirēsai katadramein pou pyrgou. Oimai de tēn angelikēn phrouran en kyklǭ periteteichismenēn ton toiouton pyrgon tǭ lēthei tōn thyreōn hēmin diasēmainesthai. Deiknysi de kai hē tōn bolidōn mnēmē tēn toiautēn dianoian. Ou gar aplōs heiipen, bolidas, alla tę̄ tōn dynatōn prosthēkę̄ tous hypermachountas hēmin enedeixato hōste to legomenon, hoti Parembalei angelos Kyriou kyklǭ tōn phodoumenōn hauton, kai rhysetai hautous. Ho de tōn chiliōn arithmos ou moi dokei di᾽ achrideias sēmainein tēn tōn hekatontadōn dekada; all᾽ eis plēthous endeixin parelēphthē hypo tou logon. Synēthes gar estin ek tēs katachrēseōs tēs Graphēs, tǭ arithmǭ toutǭ to plēthos endeiknysthai, hōs phēsin ho Dadid anti tou plēthous, hoti Chiiziades euthēgnountōn, kai, Yper chiliadas chrysiou kai argyriou. Outō men oun ton trachēlon ton epi tōn hōmōn errhizōmenon katenoēsamen. Hōmous de nooumen, hois epipephyche, tas praktikas te kai energētichas spoudas, di᾽ hōn hoi brachiones hēmōn tēn sōtērian heautōn chatergazontai. Tēn de pros to meizon epauxēsin tēs kata Theon hypsoumenēs psychēs syneide pantōs ho epistatichōs tois legomenois akolouthōn,, hoti proteron men agapēton hēn tę̄ nymphę̄ hippǭ homoiōn thēnai tę̄ chatagōnisamenę̄ ton Aigyption tyrannon, kai pros tous hormischous empherōs echein tēn epi tou prachēlou euprepeian; nyni de posēn autę̄ martyrei tēn pros to agathon teleiotēta, hoti ouk hormischois tisi perideraiois proseichazei tou trachēlou tēn hōran, alla pyrgos einai dia to megethos legetai, hon periolepton poiei kai tois porrhōthen aphestēchosin aposchopoumenon, hou monon ē peri tēn oikodomēn philoti mia, eph᾽ hoti mēkiston to hypsos egeerousa; alla kai hē tou topou thesis, physikōs hyperanistōsa tōn geit? Hotan? toinyn basileōs men ergon ho pyrgos ēn, epi de tēs hypsēlēs politeias bedēchōs tychę̄, tote alēthes epideiknytai to para tou Kyriou legomenon; hoti Ou dynatai polis chrydēgnai hepanō orous keimenē. Noei de moi pyrgon anti tēs poleōs. Kairos d᾽ an eiē kai tous dyo nedrous tēs dorkados katanoēsai, hoi peri tēn kardian tēs nymphēs aulizontai, mastoi klēthentes para tou Logon, kathōs phēsi᾿ Dyo mastoi son hōs dyo gtedroi didymoi dorkados, hoi nemomenoi en tois krinois; dia to metaxy toutōn einai tēs kardias tēn thesin, hōn hē nomē ou chortos estin hē akantha, alla krina panti tǭ tēs nomēs chronǭ to anthos heautōn parateinonta, kai ou kata kairon anthounta, oude epi kairou ma- alla diarkę̄ parechomena tois nedrois poutois di᾽ heautōn tēn trophēn, hōs an mēketi hai skiai kratōsi tēs spoudazomenēs peri ton bion apatē all᾽ ēdē tou phōtos pantachē, dillampsantos, chataugasthę̄ ta panta dia tēs hēmeras, tēs hopou thelei diapneousēs to phōs, Houtō gar phēsin ho Logos; Heōs hou diapneusę̄ hē hēmera, kai kinēthōsin ae skiai. Oidas de pantōs para tou Euangeliou mathōn, hoti to Pneuma esti to hagion, to dia tou pnein hopou bouletai phōs empoioun tois heepanistamenois hothen erchetai, kai pou hypagei; peri hou nyn ho logos houtōs diexerchetai; Dyo mastoi sou hōs dyo nedroi didymoi dorkados, hoi gemomegoi en tois krinois, heōs hou diapneusę̄ hē hēmera, kai kinēthǭsin hai skiai. ᾿Alla to men hēmeran legesthai to Pneuma to hagion, phōs pneon hois an engenētai, ouk oimai tina tōn noun echontōn epidistasai tǭ logǭ. Ei gar huioi phōtos kai huioi hēmeras ginontai hoi gennēthentes para tou HiIneumatos, ti allo chrē noein to Pneuma to hagion, hē phōs kai hēmeran, hēs hē pnoē phygadeutichē tōn skiōn tēs mataiotētos ginetai? ᾿Anankē gar pasa tou hēliou phanentos tas skias mē menein, alla metachōrein te kai metanistasthai. To de peri tōn dyo nedrōn tēs dorkados mystērion eukairon an eiē prostheinai tę̄ exetasei tou logou, hōn didymos men estin hē genesis, trophē de to krinon᾽; topos de nomēs, hē agathę̄ te kai piara gę̄. Autē de estin hē kardia, kata ton tēs paradolēs tou Kyriou logon; en autę̄ de nemomenoi, kai tous katharous ex autēs logismous plēr echei tēn charin para tēs physeōs, eupnoias euchroią symmemigmenēs, hōs kath᾽ hekateron einai tois drepomenois erasmion, eite tę̄ osphrēsei prosagoien, eite tois ophthalmois tou kallous tēs hōras katatryphǭen. Hē men gar osphrēsis tēs tou Christou euōdias. plērēs ginetai; dia de tou eidous endeiknytai to katharon te kai akēlidōton. Tacha toinyn ēdē dia tōn eirēmenōn sesaphēnistai hēmin to hypo tou logou dēloumenon, hoti dyo anthrōpōn en tois kath᾽ ekaston theōroumenōn, tou men sōmatikou te kai phainomenon, tou de noētou te kai aoraton, didymos men amphoteros estin hē genesis, kata auton allēlois synepidē mountōn tǭ biǭ. Oute gar proÿparchei tou sōmatos hē psychē; oute prochatascheuazetai tēs psychēs to sōma; all᾽ homochronōs tę̄ zōę̄ ginontai. Trophē de toutois kata physin men estin, hē katharotēs kai euōdia, kai panta ta toiauta euphorousin hai aretai. Esti de hote to dēlētērion tōn aretōn epithoschontai, all᾽ akanthais epiterpontai kai tridolois, Houtō gar tēs paradolēs tou Euangeliou onomazousēs tas hamartias ēkousamen, hōn hē katara tou opheōs tēn kakēn blastēn edēEpeidē toinyn diachritikōn ophthalmōn esti chreia, tōn dynamenōn en akrideią diagnōnai to krinon te kai tēn akanthan, kai to men sōtērion proelesthai, to de phthoropoion apopempsasthai; dia touto ton kath’ homoiotēta tou megalou Paulou mazon Ho tois nēpiois genomenon, kai galachtotrophounta tous artigeneis tēs Ekklēsias, dyada mazōn allēlois syngennēthentōn tōn tois nedrois tēs dorkados apeichkasmenōn ōnomasen, dia pantōn martyrōn tǭ toioutǭ melei tēs Ekklēsias to dokimon; hoti te kath᾽ hekateron euodoutai pros tēn tōn katharōn krinōn nomēn, oxyderchōs diakrinon tou trophimou tēn akanthan kai hoti peri to hēgemonikon anastrephetai, hē kardia estin, hē di’ heantēs tous ma; kai eti pros toutois, hoti ouk en heautǭ katakleiei tēn charin, all᾽ epechei tois deomenois tou lonou tēn thēlēn, hōs an trophos thalpei ta heautēs tekna, kathōs epoiei te kai elegen ho ᾿Apostolos, Meta de toutōn tōn melōn tēs Ekklēsias proagagōn ho Logos ton epainon, en tois ephexēs holotōmaton poieitai hautēs to enkōmion, hotan dia tou thanatou katargēsę̄ ton to kratos echonta tou thanatou; kai palin epanagagę̄ heauton pros tēn idian doxan ᾿tēs theotētos, hēn eichen ap᾽ archēs pro tou kosmon einai. Eipōn gar,hoti Poreusomai emautǭ eis to oros tēs smyrnēs, kai eis ton bounon tou danou, tēn doxan tēs theotētos endeixamenos proseethēchen᾽ Holē kalē ei, plēsion mou, kai mōmos ouk estin en soi, didaskōn dia tōn eirēmenōn, prōton men hoti oudeis airei tēn psychēn autou ap’ autou, all᾽ exousian echei theinai autēn, kai exousian echei palin lathein autēn, poreuomenos heautǭ ē epi to horos tēs smyrnēs, ouk ek tōn hēmeterōn ergōn, hina mē tis kauchēsētai, all᾽ ex idias charitos, ton hyper tōn hamartōlōn anadexamenos thanaton; epeita de hoti ouk estin allōs katharthēnai tou mōmou tēn anthrōpinēn physin, mē tou amnou tou airontos tēn hamartian tou kosmou pasan di᾽ heautēs tēn kakian exaphanisantos. Toinyn eipōn, hoti kalē ei, plēsion mou, kai mōmos ouk estin an soi kai epagagōn to kata to pathos mystērion, dia tou kata tēn smyrnan ainigmatos, eita tou lidoanou mnēstheis, di᾽ hou to theion endeiknytai toutǭ paideuei hēmas, hoti ho symmetaschōn autǭ tēs smyrnēs, symmethexei pantōs kai tou libthagou. Ho gar sympathōn kai syndoxazxetai pantōs. Ho de hapax en tę̄ theią doxę̄ genomenos, holos ginetai kalos, exō tou antikeimenou mōmou genomenos, Hou kai hēmeis chōristheiēmen dia tou hyper hēmōn apothanontos kai egerthentos Christou Iēsou tou Knriou hēmōn, hǭ prepei hē doxa kai to kratos eis tous aiōnas tōn aiōnōn. ᾿Amēn.
"[King Solomon made himself a litter] from the woods of Lebanon; its pillars he made of silver and its back of gold, its step of purple; within it is a paving of stones, love from the daughters of Jerusalem. Daughters of Zion, go out and look upon King Solomon, at the crown with which his mother crowned him on the day of his wedding and on the day of the gladness of his heart. Behold, you are beautiful, my close one; behold, you are beautiful. Your eyes are doves, apart from your silence. Your hair is like flocks of goats that have been revealed from Gilead. Your teeth are like flocks of shorn ewes that have come up from the washing, all of them bearing twins, and none among them is barren. Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your speech is lovely. Like the rind of a pomegranate is your cheek, apart from your silence. [Your neck is like the tower of David,] built for Thalpioth; a thousand shields hang upon it, all the darts of the mighty. Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, [that pasture among the lilies, until the] day [breathes] and the shadows move. I will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense. You are all beautiful, my close one, and there is no blemish in you."
In many things King Solomon is taken as a type of the true king: in many things, I say, related of him in holy Scripture for the better. For he is called peaceable, and has measureless wisdom; he builds a temple, reigns over Israel, and judges the people in righteousness; and he is of the seed of David. And the queen of the Ethiopians comes to him. All these and the like are said of him typically, but they sketch beforehand the power of the Gospel. For who is so peaceable as the one who killed the enmity and nailed his enemies to the cross, reconciling us, or rather the world, to himself, and destroying the dividing wall of the fence, so as to create the two in himself into one new man, making peace, who preached peace to those far off and those near, through those who announce the good news of good things? And who is such a builder of a temple as the one who lays its foundations on the holy mountains, that is, on the prophets and apostles, and builds on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, as Paul says, the living and ensouled stones, rolled, according to the prophetic word, into the fitting together of the walls, so that, joined in the unity of the faith and the bond of peace, they make the holy temple grow by themselves, to become a dwelling place of God in the Spirit? That Solomon by his own wisdom points to the true wisdom no one would deny who looks to the history and to the truth. For he is testified by the history to have passed beyond the bounds of human wisdom, containing the knowledge of all things in the breadth of his heart, so that he outran those before him and was unreachable by those after him; [but] the Lord in his own nature, that very thing which he is, is the being of truth and wisdom and power. That is why, when David said, "You made all things in wisdom," the divine apostle, interpreting the prophet, says that all things were created in him, since the prophet signified him by wisdom. That the Lord is king of Israel is testified even by his enemies, who wrote on the cross the confession of his kingship: "This is the King of the Jews." We accept the testimony, even if it is thought to belittle the greatness of his power by limiting his lordship to the kingdom of the Israelites. For it is not so; rather, from a part, this inscription attributes to the cross rule over all, by not adding that he is king of the Jews only. For the word, having testified to his rule over the Jews absolutely, [implies] by what it leaves unsaid his power over all in this confession. For the king of the whole earth surely has lordship over the part too. Solomon's zeal for just judgment signifies the true judge of the whole world, who says, "The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son," and, "I can do nothing of myself; as I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just." For this is the highest standard of just judgment: not to give a sentence to those judged from oneself out of some partiality, but first to hear those subject to judgment, and then to deliver the verdict on them. That is why the power of God confesses that it is unable to do something: for truth cannot turn judgment aside from what is just. That the Lord is of the seed of David according to the flesh we shall pass over, since it is clear from what has happened. But the mystery of the Ethiopian queen, how, leaving the kingdom of the Ethiopians and crossing so great a space between, she hastens to Solomon because of the fame of his wisdom, receiving the king with precious stones and gold and the sweetness of spices, would be clear to one who considers which of the wonders of the Gospel it looks to. For who does not know that the church from the nations was black from idolatry at the beginning, before it became the church, separated from the knowledge of the true God by a great interval of ignorance? But when the grace of God appeared and wisdom shone out, and the true light sent its ray to those sitting in darkness and the shadow of death, then, when Israel had shut its eyes to the light and withdrawn itself from participation in good things, the Ethiopians come, those of the nations who run to the faith, and those who were once far off become near, washing off their blackness in the mystical water; so that Ethiopia stretches out her hand to God beforehand and brings gifts to the king: the spices of piety, the gold of the knowledge of God, and the precious stones of the works of the commandments and the virtues.
But I shall now make clear in my discourse what I have in view in beginning from here the contemplation of the words before us, first setting out the very wording of the divine oracles, which runs thus: "King Solomon made himself a litter [from the woods of Lebanon; its pillars] he made of silver, and its back of gold, its step of purple; within it a paving of stones, love from the daughters of Jerusalem." Just as, then, in what was examined before about Solomon, the word found through what things the mystery of the temple [was shown] in that person, so too through the construction of the litter the economy concerning us is signified. For God comes to be in those worthy of him in many ways, coming to be in each according to the power and worth each has. One becomes a place of God, another a house, another a throne, and another a footstool. And one becomes a chariot, or a horse obedient to the rein, receiving the good rider upon himself and completing the course as the one who guides him wishes. And as we are taught now, one becomes also his litter, who according to his wisdom [is constructed] not only from wood but also from gold, silver, purple and stones, fittingly in each part, through which his love becomes effective; not all having room for the working of love, but [only] if one is recognized by his life as a daughter of the Jerusalem above, the free woman. That the one who carries God in himself is a litter of the one who dwells and is seated in him would be clear even before our words. For the one who, according to the holy Paul, no longer lives himself but has Christ living in him, and gives proof of Christ speaking in him, is properly called and becomes a litter of the one carried in him and borne by him. But this is not what is sought. Rather we should consider carefully what the variety and multiplicity of the material means. How is the nature of wood taken up together with gold and silver and purple and stones for the construction of the litter? And yet the wise master-builder Paul judges wood, together with grass and straw, to be rejected in the building of the house, the work being consumed by the power of fire. But we know a nature of wood that does not remain in what it is, but changes itself into gold or silver or some other precious thing. For in God's great house, the apostle says, some vessels are by nature of gold and silver, by which I think he hints at the incorporeal and intellectual creation; others are of wood and of clay, perhaps indicating us by these, whom sin, coming through the tree, made wooden vessels instead of golden. The use of the vessels is divided according to the worth of the material: those of more precious material are assigned to honour, while the others are cast aside to dishonourable service. But what does Paul say of such things? That the vessel has power by its own free choice to become golden from wooden, silver from earthenware. "For if anyone cleanses himself," he says, "he will be a vessel for honour to the Master, prepared for every good work."
Perhaps, then, through what has been said we are somehow brought to the contemplation of the text before us. The mountain of Lebanon is mentioned in many places of holy Scripture to signify the opposing power, as when it says through the [psalm], "The Lord will shatter the cedars of Lebanon and beat them small, and Lebanon too, like that calf," clearly the one ground fine in the wilderness by Moses and made drinkable for the Israelites because it was fine. For it is shown here by the prophecy that not only the evils that sprang from the opposing power, but the mountain itself, the first root of evil, Lebanon, the material of such trees, will be reduced to non-being. So we too were once the woods of Lebanon, as long as we were rooted in it through the wicked life and the deceit of idols; but since we were cut out from there by the rational axe and came into the hands of the craftsman, he made us his litter, transforming the nature of the wood through regeneration into silver and gold and bright purple and the gleam of stones. And just as the apostle says that God has distributed to each the gifts of the Holy Spirit, to one he gives prophecy according to the proportion of faith, to another another of the workings, as each is fitted by nature and able to receive the grace, becoming an eye of the body of the church, or being assigned as a hand, or giving support as a foot, so too in the construction of the litter one becomes a pillar, another the step, another the part at the head, which he called the back; and there are some assigned to the inside. For all of these the craftsman, by some reason, does not devise the material for adornment of a single kind, but all are adorned with beauty, while a loveliness different and fitting to each of them is devised. The pillars of the litter, then, are silver; their steps purple; the back that is under the head, in which the bridegroom rests his head, is of gold; and all the inside is variegated with precious stones. We must understand the pillars, then, as the pillars of the church, for whom the word is exactly pure and refined silver. The purple are those who have mounted to the height of the way of life of the kingdom; for purple is thought to be the special mark of kingship. Its ruling part, in which the maker of the litter rests his head, is the gold of pure doctrines. And whatever is unseen and hidden is adorned with the precious stones in the pure conscience; through all of these love is composed from the daughters of Jerusalem. But if one should wish to call the whole church the litter, and to divide the parts of the litter among persons according to the differences of their activities, as was said before about this, the word holds much ease in this way too, fitting the parts of the litter to each order of those appointed in the church; as the apostle says, "God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers," then each thing for the equipping of the saints; so that by the names that contribute to the construction of the litter, priests and teachers are understood, and the venerable virginity within the litter, [shining] with the purity of the virtues as with the gleam of stones … But so much for these things.
The next word contains an exhortation addressed by the bride to the daughters of Jerusalem. For as the great Paul counted it a loss if he did not share his own goods with all, and for this reason said such things to his hearers: "Become as I am, for I too was once like you," and, "Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ," so too this bride, who loves mankind, having been counted worthy of the Master's divine mysteries, when she saw the bed and became the king's litter, cries out to the maidens (these would be the souls of those being saved): "How long," she says, "will you shut yourselves up in the cave of life? Go out from the veils of nature and see the wonderful sight. Having become daughters of Zion, behold the crown that befits the head of the king, which his mother put on him," according to the voice of the prophet who says, "You set on his head a crown of precious stone." Surely none of those who have studied judging words about God will be pedantic over the meaning of the name, that mother is mentioned instead of father, taking one sense from either word. For since the divine is neither male nor female (for how could any such thing be understood of the Godhead, when even for us human beings this does not remain for ever, but when we all become one in Christ we put off the marks of this difference together with the whole old man?), for this reason every name found is of equal force for indicating the incorruptible nature, neither female nor male defiling the meaning of the undefiled nature. That is why in the Gospel the father is said to make the wedding, while the prophet says to God, "You set on his head a crown of precious stone," and here it says that the crown is put on the bridegroom by the mother. Since, then, the wedding is one and the bride one, and the crown is put on the bridegroom by one, it makes no difference at all whether one calls the only-begotten God the Son of God or the Son of his love, according to Paul's word, since by either name the power that dresses him as bridegroom for our union is one. "Go out, then," says the bride to the maidens, "and become daughters of Zion," so as to be able from a high watchtower (for so Zion is interpreted) to see the wonderful sight, the bridegroom wearing his crown. The church becomes his crown, [crowning his] head with living stones; [and the one who weaves] such a crown is love, which, whether one calls it mother or love, he will not be mistaken; "for God is love," according to John's word. The bride says that he is glad in this crown, exulting in the adornment. For he truly rejoices, having made the church his partner, crowned with the virtues of those who are distinguished in it. It would be better to set down the divine words themselves in their wording, which runs thus: "Go out and see, daughters of Zion, King Solomon, [at the crown with which] his mother [crowned him], on the day of his wedding and on the day of the gladness of his heart."
The Word, then, welcoming such love of mankind in the bride, that in imitation of the Master she too wills all to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, makes her more venerable, becoming the herald and painter of her beauty. For the praise of her loveliness is not spoken simply, containing some general commendation of beauty; but he lingers in his word over each of her parts, bestowing on each member its own [praise] by comparison and likeness. He speaks thus: "Behold, you are beautiful, my close one; behold, you are beautiful." For she who imitated the Master's will that loves mankind, and bade the maidens go out, like Abraham, each from her own land and from her kindred among the senses, so as to see the pure bridegroom wearing the church as a crown, truly comes to be close to the Master's goodness, having drawn near to God through love of her neighbour. "You are beautiful, then," the Word says to her, "by the beautiful free choice, having drawn near to the good." The repetition of the praise shows that the testimony cannot lie; for the divine law declares that truth is confirmed by a double testimony. That is why he says, "Behold, you are beautiful, my close one; behold, you are beautiful."
But since the whole church is one body of Christ, and in the one body, as the apostle says, there are many members, and all the members do not have the same function, but God created the eye in the body, and another was planted as an ear; and there are some who become hands by the working of their powers, and some are called feet, who carry the burdens; and there would be some work of taste and smell, and every other thing by which a human body is composed; and it is possible to find in the common body of the church lips and teeth and tongue, breasts and belly and neck, and, as Paul says, even those parts of the body that seem less honourable: for this reason the exact assessor of beauty makes, of the members that pleased him from the whole body, a praise proper and fitting for each. He begins the praises from the more important members. For what among our members is more precious than the eyes? Through them the light is perceived, from them comes the recognition of friends and enemies, by them we distinguish our own from what is foreign; they become guides and teachers of every work, natural and inseparable leaders on the journey without error; their position above the other senses shows how much more precious is the benefit that comes to us from them. And it is surely clear to the hearers to which members of the church the praise of the eyes looks. Samuel the seer was an eye, for so he was named; Ezekiel was an eye, appointed by God to watch for the salvation of those guarded by him …; Micah who sees was an eye, and Moses who beholds, who for this reason was also named god; all those were eyes who were appointed to guide the people, whom the people of that time called seers. And now those who fill that place in the body of the church and are appointed to oversee (episkopein) are properly called eyes, if they look exactly at the sun of righteousness, nowhere [looking] to the works of darkness, and if they distinguish their own from what is foreign, knowing that all that appears and is temporary is foreign to our nature, while what is set before us through hope is our own, the possession of which remains for ever, never taken away. It is the eyes' work also to distinguish friend and enemy, so as to love the true friend with all one's heart and soul and strength, and to show perfect hatred against the enemy of our life. And the one who sets forth what must be done, teaches what is profitable, and leads by the hand on the journey to God, performs exactly the work of the pure and healthy eye, standing out before the rest by the loftiness of his way of life, like the bodily eyes.
That is why the Word begins to praise the bride's beauty from here, and says, "Your eyes are doves." For seeing that those placed in the rank of eyes were innocent toward evil, and welcoming the simplicity and innocence of their character, he named them doves; for innocence is proper to doves. Or perhaps the word bears witness to the eyes with some such praise as this. Since the images of all visible things, falling on the pure pupil, produce the activity of sight, it is altogether necessary that whatever one looks at, he takes up its form through the eye, receiving the impression of the form of what appears like a mirror. When, then, the one who has received this power of sight in the church looks to nothing material and bodily, the spiritual and immaterial life is achieved in him. And such a life [is formed by] the perfect [dove]: the praise of the eyes is that the form of the life is seen in them; for the dove is the Holy Spirit. And the pair of eyes is praised, so that the whole person may be in praise, the one who appears and the one who is understood. For this reason he added another surpassing praise, saying, "apart from your silence." For of the good life one part is evident, so as to be known even to people, while another is hidden and secret, seen by God alone. The one, then, who sees what has not yet been worked out and looks into the hidden things bears witness that in the person praised what is kept silent is more than what appears, by saying, "Your eyes are doves, apart from your silence." For what is admired through silence lies outside what has already been praised.
By a way he carries the praise of beauty forward in order, moving the discourse to the hair, and says, "Your hair is like flocks of goats that have been revealed from [Gilead]." We must first understand the nature of hair, and then recognize the praise that the word bestows on the bride through the hairs. Hair is named by Paul a woman's glory [on her] head, and he says that the long hair has been given to the woman instead of a covering. And he says that modesty and self-control are the fitting covering for women, writing in so many words that they should adorn themselves "with modesty and self-control". Through these words the hairs on the head, by which the woman is long-haired, are understood through Paul's wisdom as modesty and self-control. For no other glory is fitting to be thought of for a [soul] that professes godliness than modesty and self-control, which he named long hair; when she does not have it, she dishonours her head, as the apostle says. If, then, Paul philosophized thus about the hairs, the apostle's words should be applied to the praise of the church in the passage about the hair, according to the present saying, "Your hair is like flocks of goats that have been revealed from Gilead." For by these words the Word praises the virtuous way of life. But to the account of the hairs this too should be added, that the hairs have no share in any living sensation. And this is no small thing for the increase of the praises, that there is no sensation of pain or pleasure in the hairs. For the body from which they grow feels pain; but the hair itself, whether it is [cut] or burned or smoothed down by some hairdresser's art, has no sensation of what happens. And having no share in sensation is proper to the dead. So the one who admits no sensation of the things sought after in this world, neither puffed up by glory and honour nor painfully affected by insult and dishonour, but keeping himself the same in both of the opposites, this one is the praised hair of the bride, become plainly dead and unmoved toward the affairs of the world, whether they are this way or otherwise. Why the excellence of the hairs is [likened] to the flocks of goats [revealed] from [Gilead], what one should know exactly about these things we have not yet been able to grasp; but we conjecture that, just as the king, having transformed the woods of Lebanon into gold and silver and purple, built himself a litter, so the good shepherd knows how to take flocks of goats and change into [his] flocks the herds of goats of Mount Gilead. This is the name of a foreign mountain, which reveals such grace, so that those of the nations who have followed the good shepherd contribute to the hair of the bride's beauty, by which self-control and modesty and continence and the putting to death of the body are signified, according to the account contemplated before. Or perhaps Elijah too contributes to the contemplation of the goats, who practised philosophy on Mount Gilead for a long time, who above all led the way in the life of self-control, rough in appearance, shaggy-haired, covered with a goat's skin instead of some soft garment. All, then, who achieve their life after that prophet become the ornament of the church, in flocks, according to the manner of philosophy that now prevails, labouring at virtue together with one another. That such flocks were revealed from Gilead has a greater excess of wonder, that our passage to the philosophy according to God came about from the life of the nations. For it was not Zion, his holy mountain, that led the way in such a way of life; but the nation devoted to idols came to so great a change of life that it adorned the bride's head with the excellences of virtue.
Then the Word puts the teeth next in the sequence of praises, passing over the praises of the mouth and the lips. This deserves not to be passed over unexamined. Why are the teeth put before the lips in the praises? Perhaps one might say, wishing to show the beauty more elegantly, that a smile of the mouth is shown together by implication through the description of the teeth. But I, looking to something else, reckon that the beauty of the teeth precedes the praises of the mouth in the praises. For after this he did not leave the lip unpraised either, saying that her lips are a scarlet thread and her speech lovely. What, then, do I conjecture about this? The best order in learning is first to be taught and then to speak; and one who says that the lessons are the soul's foods will not miss what is likely. For just as we grind bodily food with our teeth and make it fit for our inward parts, in the same way there is a power in the soul that makes teachings fine, through which the lesson becomes profitable to the one who receives it. Those, then, who are critical and analytical leaders of the teachings, through whom the teaching becomes easy for us to take in and profitable, I say are named teeth figuratively by the word. That is why the praise of the teeth comes first, and then the praise of the lips is brought in. For the lip would not have blossomed with rational beauty unless those teeth, through a more laborious understanding of the lessons, had put the grace of discourse on the lips. This, then, is the reason we have understood for the sequence of the praises in the case of the teeth.
It would be time to examine the praise itself, how it compares the beauty of the teeth to shorn flocks which, having just come up from the washing, all exult alike in twin births. The praise runs in its wording thus: "Your teeth are like flocks of [shorn ewes that have come up] from the washing, all of them bearing twins, and none among them is barren." If we look at the bodily side of the example, I do not know how one could say that the teeth are praised by comparison with flocks that bear many young. For the praise of teeth is firmness and harmonious placing and being fixed firmly in the gums by an even and regular arrangement. [But] what loveliness of teeth flocks coming up from the washing, scattered with their twin offspring over the glens, sketch by their example, one cannot understand at first sight. The teeth stand in rows, holding harmoniously to one another; the flocks scatter from one another, spreading out for the need of pasture. And the woolly is not well fitted for comparison with the tooth, which is by nature bare. So we must search how the one who adorns with praises the beauty of the teeth [likens them] to those that have shorn off their wool and washed off the dirt of the body in a bath. What, then, shall we understand about this? Those who [make clear] the divine mysteries, so that this spiritual food may become [digestible] for the body of the church, perform the work of the teeth, taking into their own mouth the coarse and solid bread of the word, and through [finer interpretation preparing it] for the souls of [those being fed]. For example (it is better to present the thought through examples), the blessed Paul now simply and without elaboration sets before us, like an unworked morsel, the command of the law, saying, "You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain." Then, softening it by explanation, he makes the intent of the law easy to receive, saying, "Is it for oxen that God cares, or does he speak entirely for our sake?" And many other such things: for example, "Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and one by the free woman." This is the unworked bread. But how does he grind it fine and make it edible for those who are fed? He takes the history over to the two covenants, the one [bearing children for slavery, the other for freedom] … So too with the whole law, not to spend time listing each thing, he takes a coarse body and grinds it fine by contemplation, making it spiritual from bodily, saying, "We know that the law is spiritual." What we have understood in Paul, then, that the church needs teeth who do their work in grinding fine the clarity of the doctrines, we say also of everyone who in imitation of him makes the mystery clear to us. So the teeth of the church are those who make fine for us and chew the unworked grass of the divine oracles.
Just as, then, the divine apostle describes the life of those who aspire to the good work of the office of bishop (episkopē), saying in detail what kind of person the one who has taken up the priesthood should be, so that together with all the rest he has also the grace of teaching, so here the word wishes those appointed in the church to the service of teeth first to be shorn, that is, [rid] of every material burden; then to be pure of every defilement of flesh and spirit by the washing of conscience; besides this, always going up through progress and never being dragged back down into the pit; and above all to exult in double births of good offspring in every kind of virtue and to be barren in none of the good pursuits. The double offspring becomes a riddle of good repute in each of the two parts understood in us, so that such teeth bear twins: freedom from passion for the soul, and seemliness for the bodily life. He adds to these, in sequence, the beauty [of the lips], whose interpretation he himself added, naming the thread "lovely speech". This has already been contemplated in what went before, how the beauty in the lips is made lovely by the service of the teeth. For the mouth of the church speaks together with [the service] of the teeth, that is, of the teachers' instructions. For this reason the teeth are first shorn and washed, and are not barren, and bear twins, and then the lips blossom with scarlet colour, when the whole church becomes, by agreement in the good, one lip and one voice. The example of beauty is double. For he does not say simply that the lips are a thread, but added the flower of good colour too, so that through both [is shown the beauty of] the mouth of the church, through the thread and through the scarlet, distinctly in each part. By the thread it is taught agreement of mind, so that it all becomes one thread and one cord out of different thoughts; and by the scarlet it is taught to look to the blood by which we were redeemed, and always to carry in its mouth the confession of the one who bought us with his blood. For through both of these the comeliness of the lips of the church is completed, when the faith of the confession shines out and love is woven together with faith. And if we must enclose the example in a kind of definition, we shall define what is said thus: the scarlet thread is faith working through love, so that by faith the scarlet is shown, and by love the thread is interpreted. The truth bears witness that the bride's lips are adorned with these. The lovely speech needs no finer contemplation or other interpretation. For the apostle has already made clear that this speech is the word of faith that we preach: "If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth one confesses unto salvation." This is the lovely speech, by which the lips of the church blossom becomingly like that scarlet thread.
After the loveliness of the mouth the bridegroom is pleased also with the redness of the cheek. Custom calls this part of the face an apple (mēlon) by an extended use. He likens the apple of the cheek, then, to the rind of the pomegranate, writing his praise in these words: "Like the rind of a pomegranate is your cheek, apart from your silence." That what is praised is modesty is easy for everyone to reckon from the sequence of what has been contemplated. For the Word, having given the church a body in the form of the bride, and [assigning] each of the virtues fittingly to the sketch of the beauty of the face, now through the redness glowing on the cheeks fittingly praises self-control, adorning it with modesty in the riddle of the pomegranate. For this fruit is astringent and is nourished within a rind that cannot be eaten. That is why it is well and fittingly taken over by contemplation to the achievement of self-control. For as the astringency of the pomegranate's rind nourishes and guards the sweetness of the fruit within, so the astringent, continent and austere life becomes the guardian of the goods of self-control. The praise of this virtue is double here too, through what appears in the seemly life and through what is achieved in the soul's freedom from passion; whose praise, as the apostle says, is not from men but from God. For the modesty that shines on what is done has its own praise from what is evident; but beyond it are the wonders kept silent and hidden, which are seen only by that eye which sees what is hidden.
From what follows we learn that everything done by the God-bearing saints became a type and teaching of what is achieved for virtue. Marriages, emigrations, wars, constructions of buildings, all were prefigured for some reason for the admonition of later life. "For these things were written," it says, "for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come." The war against the foreigners counsels us to be manly against wickedness. The zeal over marriages suggests to us in riddles the union of the virtues. Likewise the emigration suggests the settlement of the virtuous life; and all the care they took over the construction of buildings bids us take care of our own houses, built by virtue. That is why it seems to me that that famous tower, in which David dedicated the first-fruits of his spoils, looking to the progress of the church, [is a figure] of what is sought after in virtue, [standing on] some summit and stretching up to a height; at that time it was thought suitable for keeping the spoils which the king made his own gain, together with the other goods, when he subdued the foreigners. The king, then, through his wisdom showed what good for human life David had in view, setting out as it were a counsel for later life through the construction of the tower. For being about to praise the beauty of the whole body of the church, each of its members by comparison and likeness with something, he describes in sequence in his word what kind of people those in the people who hold the place of the neck should be, and he mentions this tower, which is named after David and is known also from its battlements; for the battlements are called Thalpioth. The wording runs thus: "Your neck is like the tower of David, built for Thalpioth; a thousand shields hang upon it, all the darts of the mighty." The bodily construction of the tower is admired because it is the work of King David, and because of the prominence of the place, and because of the weapons dedicated in it, shields and darts, whose multitude the word shows by the name of a thousand. But our aim is to understand the force of the divine word: how that part of the church whose name is neck is compared to this tower.
First, then, we must examine what part in our body is called by the name of neck, and then fit the name to the member of the church. The part rooted in the middle of the shoulders, holding up the head upon itself and becoming the base for what lies above, is called the neck. At the back it is supported by bones; [at the front, where it is] … it is free of the covering of bones. The nature of the bone is not continuous and undivided in itself like that of the forearm or the shin, but the bones being divided in many places in the form of vertebrae, their union with one another comes about through the sinews, marrows and ligaments that grow with them, and through the pipe-shaped marrow passing through the middle, whose covering is united to the membranes and its content to the brain. At the front the neck holds the windpipe, which is the receptacle of the breath that comes in and flows into us from outside, by which the fire in the heart is naturally fanned for its activity. It holds also the entrances of food, through the gullet and the throat, carrying across everything brought in through the mouth to the cavity that receives it. And the neck has something else special beyond the other members. For in the upper position of the windpipe is the workshop of the voice; all the vocal organs are prepared there, through which sound is produced, the windpipe being made to vibrate in a circle by the breath sent up. The [bodily neck] having been described to us in this way, it would be easy from what has been contemplated here to understand the neck of the church's body too: who is the one that properly takes this name through the corresponding activities, being named neck and likened to the tower of David. First, then, and this is indeed first, if anyone carries upon himself the true head of the universe, I mean that head which is Christ, from whom the whole body is joined and held together, he properly bears this name. Besides this, if he is receptive of the Spirit who makes our heart fiery and warms it, and if he serves the Word through a resonant voice. For God built the human voice into human nature for no other reason than that it should be an instrument of the word, articulating the movements of the heart by itself. Let this neck also have the nourishing activity, I mean the teaching, through which the strength of the whole body of the church is preserved. For while food always flows in, the body remains in being; when it fails, it wastes and perishes. Let it also imitate the harmonious placing of the vertebrae, by making those who contribute individually in the people into one member through the bond of peace, bending and straightening up and turning nimbly to either side. Such a neck was Paul, and anyone else who in imitation of him has achieved his life, who carried the name of the Lord, having become a chosen vessel for the Master; and the head of all was so exactly fitted to him that, in all he spoke, it was no longer he who spoke but his head that uttered it, as he showed the Corinthians that Christ was speaking and uttering in him. So his windpipe was well-voiced and resonant, articulating the word of truth through the Holy Spirit; so his throat was always sweetened by the divine oracles, nourishing the whole body through itself with those life-giving teachings. And if you seek the vertebrae too: who so joined all into one body by the bond of peace and love? Who so taught the neck to bend among the lowly, and again to turn about in thinking the things above, and to look round to the sides nimbly and with agility in turning aside from and guarding against the various schemes of the devil? Such a neck, then, is truly [built] by David.
Understand by David the king, the father of the king, who from the beginning made man to be a tower and not a ruin, and rebuilt him again through grace, securing him with the many shields, so that he is no longer easily mounted by the assaults of enemies. For the hanging shields, not lying on the ground but seen in the air around him, and with the shields the darts of the mighty, produce fear in those who make war, so that they do not even attempt to run against the tower. I think that the angelic guard walled around such a tower is signified to us by the mention of the shields. The mention of the darts also shows this sense; for he did not say simply "darts", but by the addition "of the mighty" he showed those who fight for us; so that what is said is that the angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him and will deliver them. The number of a thousand does not seem to me to signify exactly ten hundreds; it was taken by the word to show multitude. For it is customary by the extended usage of Scripture to show multitude by this number, as David says instead of a multitude, "thousands of those who flourish," and, "above thousands of gold and silver." So we have understood the neck rooted on the shoulders. And we understand the shoulders, on which it grows, as the practical and active endeavours, through which our arms work out their own salvation. The one who has followed attentively what is said has surely seen the increase toward the greater of the soul raised according to God: that earlier the bride was content to be likened to the mare that overcame the Egyptian tyrant, and to have the comeliness of her neck like necklaces; but now how much perfection in the good he testifies to her, that he does not liken the loveliness of her neck to necklaces round the throat, but it is said to be a tower because of its greatness, which is made conspicuous and seen even by those far off, not only by the ambition of the building that raises the height as far as possible, but also by the position of the place, which naturally rises above its neighbours. When, then, the tower was the work of a king and happens to stand on the lofty way of life, then what the Lord says is shown true: "A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden." Understand, I pray, tower instead of city.
It would be time to consider also the two fawns of the gazelle, which lodge about the bride's heart, called breasts by the Word, as he says: "Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, that pasture among the lilies"; because the heart is placed between them, whose pasture is not grass or thorn, but lilies that stretch out their flower through the whole time of pasture, and do not bloom for a season nor [wither] at a season, but provide by themselves lasting food for these fawns, so that the shadows no longer hold sway through the deceit that is sought after in life, but, the light having shone out everywhere, all things are lit up by the day, which breathes the light where it wills. For so the Word says: "until the day breathes and the shadows move." You surely know, having learned from the Gospel, that it is the Holy Spirit who, by blowing where he wills, produces light in those who rise up, [though one does not know] where he comes from and where he goes; of whom the word now relates thus: "Your two breasts are like two fawns, twins of a gazelle, that pasture among the lilies, until the day breathes and the shadows move." That the Holy Spirit is called day, breathing light on those in whom he comes to be, I do not think anyone of sense would doubt in the word. For if those born of the Spirit become sons of light and sons of day, what else must we understand the Holy Spirit to be than light and day, whose breath puts to flight the shadows of vanity? For when the sun has appeared the shadows necessarily do not remain, but move off and depart.
It would be timely to add to the examination of the text the mystery of the two fawns of the gazelle, whose birth is twin, whose food is the lily, and whose place of pasture is the good and rich earth. This is the heart, according to the word of the Lord's parable; and pasturing in it, and [gathering] from it pure thoughts … [The lily] has by nature full grace, fragrance mingled with good colour, so that in both respects it is lovely to those who pluck it, whether they bring it to the smell or delight their eyes in the beauty of its loveliness. For the smell is filled with the fragrance of Christ, and by its form what is pure and spotless is shown. Perhaps, then, by what has been said the meaning of the word has been made clear to us: that since two human beings are seen in each one, the bodily and visible and the intelligible and invisible, the birth of both is twin, as they come to dwell in life together with one another. For neither does the soul exist before the body, nor is the body fashioned before the soul, but they come into being at the same time in life. Their food by nature is purity and fragrance and all such things as the virtues bear. But there are times when they feed on what is poisonous to the virtues and take delight in thorns and thistles. For so we have heard the parable of the Gospel name sins, whose evil sprouting the curse of the serpent [made known]. Since, then, there is need of discerning eyes, able to distinguish exactly the lily and the thorn, and to choose the saving and send away the destructive, for this reason he named the one who, like the great Paul, has become a breast for infants and nurses with milk the newborn of the church, a pair of breasts born together with one another, likened to the fawns of the gazelle, bearing witness in all things to the proven worth of such a member of the church: that in both respects it goes well toward the pasture of pure lilies, discerning the thorn sharp-sightedly from what is nourishing; and that it dwells about the ruling part, which is the heart, which through itself [pours forth] the breasts …; and further, that it does not shut up grace in itself, but holds out the nipple of the word to those who need it, as a nurse cherishes her own children, as the apostle did and said.
After advancing the praise with these members of the church, the Word in what follows makes her praise whole, when through death he has destroyed the one who has the power of death, and has led himself back again to his own glory of the Godhead, which he had from the beginning before the world was. For having said, "I will go to the mountain of myrrh and to the hill of frankincense," showing the glory of the Godhead, he added, "You are all beautiful, my close one, and there is no blemish in you," teaching by what is said, first, that no one takes his life from him, but he has power to lay it down and power to take it again, going of himself to the mountain of myrrh, not from our works, so that no one may boast, but by his own grace, having taken on himself death for sinners; and then, that human nature could not otherwise be cleansed of blemish unless the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world wiped out all wickedness through himself. Having said, then, "You are [all] beautiful, my close one, and there is no blemish in you," and having brought in the mystery of the passion through the riddle of the myrrh, then mentioning the frankincense, by which the divine is shown, he teaches us this: that the one who has shared the myrrh with him will surely share the frankincense too. For the one who suffers with him is surely also glorified with him. And the one who has once come to be in the divine glory becomes wholly beautiful, having come outside the opposing blemish. From it may we too be separated through Christ Jesus our Lord, who died and was raised for us, to whom belong the glory and the power to the ages of ages. Amen.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Song 3:9–4:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 3:12 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 4:29–31 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 10:1–10 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 2:14–17 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 2:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 87:1 (86:1 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 2:20–22 (allusion, high confidence) · Zech 9:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Eph 4:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 4:13 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 104:24 (103:24 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Col 1:16 (allusion, high confidence) · John 19:19 (quotation, high confidence) · John 5:22 (quotation, high confidence) · John 5:30 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 68:31 (67:32 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Titus 2:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 1:79 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 4:26 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 2:20 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 13:3 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 3:10–12 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Tim 2:20–21 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 29:5–6 (28:5-Ps LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 32:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Titus 3:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 12:6 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:4–11 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:28 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Phil 3:8 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gal 4:12 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 11:1 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 21:3 (20:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 3:28 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 3:9 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 22:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 1:13 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 John 4:8 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 2:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 12:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 19:15 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 12:12–23 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Sam 9:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Ezek 3:17 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 7:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 139:22 (138:22 LXX) (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 10:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 3:16 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 6:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Cor 11:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 11:15 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Tim 2:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 11:5 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 17:1 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 1:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 11:37 (allusion, medium confidence) · Deut 25:4 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Cor 9:9–10 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 4:22–24 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 7:14 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 3:1–7 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 7:1 (allusion, high confidence) · Zeph 3:9 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Pet 1:18–19 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 5:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 10:8–10 (quotation, high confidence) · Rom 2:29 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 10:11 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:15–16 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 9:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Eph 6:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 34:7 (33:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 68:17 (67:18 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:72 (118:72 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 2:12 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 5:14 (quotation, high confidence) · John 3:8 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Thess 5:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 8:15 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 3:17–18 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 13:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Thess 2:7 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Cor 3:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 2:14 (allusion, high confidence) · John 17:5 (allusion, high confidence) · John 10:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:9 (allusion, high confidence) · John 1:29 (allusion, high confidence) · Rom 8:17 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Expounding Song 3:9–4:7, Gregory reads Solomon as a type of Christ, the litter as souls transformed from wood into gold and silver, the crown as the church woven by love, and the bride's eyes, hair, teeth, lips, cheek, neck and breasts as the members of the church: its overseers, ascetics, teachers, confessors and nursing teachers.
- The Song follows the LXX (3:9–4:7): "a litter (φορεῖον)"; "your eyes are doves, apart from your silence (ἐκτὸς τῆς σιωπήσεώς σου)"; "flocks of goats that have been revealed (ἀπεκαλύφθησαν) from Gilead"; "like the rind of a pomegranate is your cheek (μῆλον)"; "built for Thalpioth", which Gregory explains as "battlements". The opening words of the quotation are lost in the scan and supplied from the LXX in brackets.
- On God as "mother" in Song 3:11: Gregory says the divine is neither male nor female, so that either name may be used of God; the distinction of the sexes does not remain when all become one in Christ (Gal 3:28; Col 3:9). He equates "Son of God" with "Son of his love" (Col 1:13). Translated as written.
- Church offices: the eyes are those appointed "to oversee" (ἐπισκοπεῖν), like the seers Samuel, Ezekiel, Micah and Moses; the teeth are the teachers who "grind fine" Scripture, required to be shorn, washed and fruitful in the manner of 1 Tim 3; the lips are the church's confession of faith (Rom 10:9–10), "faith working through love" (Gal 5:6). Moses is "named god" (Exod 7:1). Gregory states that soul and body come into being at the same time, the soul neither pre-existing nor coming later.
- "According to the manner of philosophy that now prevails": the goats from Gilead are the monks who live in communities ("in flocks"), following Elijah's example on Gilead (1 Kgs 17:1; 2 Kgs 1:8).
- Lines are lost in the scan at several points (marked … or supplied in brackets by sense), notably in Ezekiel as watchman, the dove passage, the goats from Gilead, the shorn ewes, the Abraham example (Gal 4:22–24), the neck anatomy, the lilies, and the breasts. Leaks from the Latin column are removed by logged corrections where large.
- Scripture: 1 Kgs 3:12; 4:29–31; 5–8; 10:1–10; 2 Sam 7:12; Eph 2:14–17; Col 1:20; 2:14; Ps 87:1 (LXX 86:1); Eph 2:20–22; Zech 9:16; Eph 4:3, 13; Ps 104:24; Col 1:16; John 19:19; John 5:22, 30; Ps 68:31 (LXX 67:32); Titus 2:11; Luke 1:79; Eph 2:13; Gal 4:26; Gal 2:20; 2 Cor 13:3; 1 Cor 3:12; 2 Tim 2:20–21; Ps 29:5–6 (LXX 28:5–6); Exod 32:20; 1 Cor 12:4–28; Rom 12:6; Phil 3:8; Gal 4:12; 1 Cor 11:1; Ps 21:3 (LXX 20:4); Matt 22:2; 1 John 4:8; 1 Tim 2:4; Gen 12:1; Deut 19:15; 1 Sam 9:9; Ezek 3:17; Exod 7:1; Ps 139:22 (LXX 138:22); 1 Cor 11:7, 15; 1 Tim 2:9; 1 Kgs 17:1; 2 Kgs 1:8; Heb 11:37; 1 Cor 9:9–10; Deut 25:4; Gal 4:22–24; Rom 7:14; 1 Tim 3:1–7; 2 Cor 7:1; Rom 10:8–10; Gal 5:6; Rom 2:29; Matt 6:4; 1 Cor 10:11; Neh 3:25–27; Eph 4:15–16; Acts 9:15; Eph 6:11; Ps 34:7 (LXX 33:8); Ps 68:17; Ps 119:72 (LXX 118:72); Phil 2:12; Matt 5:14; John 3:8; 1 Thess 5:5; Matt 13:8; Gen 3:17–18; 1 Thess 2:7; Heb 2:14; John 17:5; John 10:18; Eph 2:9; John 1:29; Rom 8:17.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin-column text and a displaced line leaked; gap marked; Latin-column text leaked into the line; Latin-column text leaked into the word δύναμις; Latin-column text leaked into the word πόλεμος; Latin-column text leaked into the word ἀνάκλιτον; Latin-column text leaked into the word ἀποδεξάμενος; Latin-column text leaked into the word ἀργύριον; Latin-column text leaked where a word is lost; gap marked; Latin-column text leaked where words are lost; gap marked; Latin-column text leaked; OCR Δ for Λ; OCR slip; OCR slips; OCR slips and lost letters; OCR slips and lost words; gap marked; OCR δ for β; OCR θ for β; broken word; first letters of ὁμολογεῖται lost; gap marked; repeated word; χρυσίῳ lost (by sense); stray letters; stray mark; words lost in the scan; gap marked): ἐπίδασις αὐτοῦ πορφυρᾶ → ἐπίβασις αὐτοῦ πορφυρᾶ; ὡραία. Ὡς ἐπυρον ῥοᾶς μῆόν σου ἑἐχτὸς τῆς σιωπήσεώς δομημέγος εἰς Θαλπιώθ → ὡραία. Ὡς λέπυρον ῥοᾶς μῆλόν σου ἐκτὸς τῆς σιωπήσεώς … ᾠκοδομημένος εἰς Θαλπιώθ; δορκάδος εἶμι τἀμπὶ. δίοι: {ἀττὶς ἡμέρα → δορκάδος … ἡμέρα; ΓῸΣ ΘΔΙΟΠΊΟΠ 855ιπ|10γ ἴῃ ΤΥριπὶ νοὶ ἃ ἘΝ πολλοῖς → Ἐν πολλοῖς; ναοῦ : ὡς ὁ τοὺς → ναοῦ ὡς ὁ τοὺς; ἡ οὔ Θεοῦ δύναμίς → ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναμίς; Φορεῖον ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ ὁ ἴους αὐτοῦ ἐποίησεν → Φορεῖον ἐποίησεν ἑαυτῷ ὁ … στύλους αὐτοῦ ἐποίησεν; διαγύων τὸν δρόμον. ἶρβο [γίν εὲ ρογίδίυγ. δεὰ ποὴ δδὶ μος φιιοά Ὡς → διανύων τὸν δρόμον. Ὡς; καὶ καὶ. ἀργυρίῳ → καὶ χρυσίῳ καὶ ἀργυρίῳ; ἐν Γ΄ ἑκάστῳ → ἐν ἑκάστῳ; κατ- τῦ οικοῦντος → κατοικοῦντος; ὁ τεχνίτης τ ΠΕΡ Θχουρί(δι ππ|π]040 Δἀ ογηϑίιπι, ὁχοῦοὐ μονοειδῇ → ὁ τεχνίτης οὐ μονοειδῆ; ἀνά- - ϑυΐεπι ὁδὶ λιτὸν → ἀνάκλιτον; τὸ ἀργύ- Ρυγυπὶ θιον → τὸ ἀργύριον; ἀγαθῶν ποῖ ἰδ γε] σοηϑίγα τὶ! (ρου πὶ, ἐδὲ ρυγογυιη ἀορηνὰδὶ βοὴ οἰδὰ υμὲἐχοινώνησς, διὸ τὰ τοιαῦτα πρὸς τοὺς ἀκούοντας εὐἷᾶ (μος. δια ἔλεγεν → ἀγαθῶν ἐκοινώνησε, διὸ τὰ τοιαῦτα πρὸς τοὺς ἀκούοντας ἔλεγεν; ἡ Ἐκκλησία γίνεται, διὰ τῶν ἐμψύχων λίθων τὴν χεφατοιούτου στεφάνου → ἡ Ἐκκλησία γίνεται, διὰ τῶν ἐμψύχων λίθων τὴν κεφα… τοιούτου στεφάνου; τὸν. βασιλέα Σοῖλο- μήτηρ αὐτοῦ → τὸν βασιλέα Σολο… μήτηρ αὐτοῦ; Τὴν οὖν Ἰοοατὶ, φιῶ τοιαύτην → Τὴν οὖν τοιαύτην; ἀποδε- πιῤπὶ οἱ υἱάφίο, βία δῖοπ, ϑαίοπιοπέπι ξάμενος → ἀποδεξάμενος; καὶ αὐτὴ τόπα, φια οοτοπαυὶε διπὶ πάντας → καὶ αὐτὴ πάντας; τῆς ἀληθείας ἀεδροπάοθαίιιτ, εἰ αἷς (αἰ εοταϊς ἐρεῖ. δης ἐλθεῖν → τῆς ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν; κήρυξ τοῦ ἵ΄ ἰξίταν Θροπδί κάλλους → κήρυξ τοῦ κάλλους; καθολικὴν τινα εἰ δὰ οοβηϊοπαπ) γϑγί εὐφημίαν → καθολικήν τινα εὐφημίαν; ἐμφιλοχωρεῖ γοπὶ τῷ λόγῳ → ἐμφιλοχωρεῖ τῷ λόγῳ; ἴδιον ἑκάστῳ αυϊάδπι νοηἰιϑίδτί5 ε}.8. ΝΟῚ δηΐπὶ δ πιρ μέλει → ἴδιον ἑκάστῳ μέλει; χαριζόμενος λῦ Λέγει → χαριζόμενος … Λέγει; τοῦ Δεσπότου τὸς απιΐδα πιδᾷ, φιλάνθρωπον → τοῦ Δεσπότου τὸ φιλάνθρωπον; ἐγχελευσαμένη ἰδἴα Βοπίσπδιῃ Ηοτὶ καθ᾽ → ἐγκελευσαμένη καθ᾽; Ὁφθαλμὸς ἣν Σαμουὴλ ὁ ρογιϊποαὶ. Ετδὶ βλέπων → Ὀφθαλμὸς ἦν Σαμουὴλ ὁ βλέπων; Ἰεζεχ:ἣλ, νἱῖᾶ βρί γί ιι14|18, οἱ δχιοσῖς Ὁ τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου χάριν μεμορφῶσθαι ὁ σκοπεῖν → Ἰεζεκιήλ, … ὁ σκοπεῖν; ἐπὶ τὰς εει, νἱάει, οὐ ἀἴπ1ὰ ρμογϑρίοἷϊ, (δε Ἰπποπίυπι ροῦν τρίχας → ἐπὶ τὰς τρίχας; εἰς ποίμνια μεταδαλεῖν . ἐοπηπιιίωγο. Αἰαυς μος Θχίεγὶ πιοη- ἃ τὰ αἰπόλια → εἰς ποίμνια μεταβαλεῖν τὰ αἰπόλια; Τὸ ὄρος ὁ Λίθανος πολλοῖς τῆς ἁγίας Γραφῆς → Τὸ ὄρος ὁ Λίβανος πολλοῖς τῆς ἁγίας Γραφῆς; Οὐκοῦν ἡμεῖς; ἣμέν ποτε τοῦ Διδάνου τὰ ξύλα, θαπὶ, ἕως → Οὐκοῦν ἡμεῖς ἦμέν ποτε τοῦ Λιβάνου τὰ ξύλα, ἕως; οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῇ τοῦ οοἰιπηπᾶ, αἰϊυἀὰ γεγο ἅβθθηβϑιδ, φορείου → οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῇ τοῦ φορείου; διδαγμάτων δύραγιϊαπίυγ, φυογυμηηυθ ἢ) νάμις → διδαγμάτων δύναμις; Οἱ τὰ θεῖα μυστήρια διὰ σακτὸν → Οἱ τὰ θεῖα μυστήρια δια… σακτὸν; Ἀύριον Ἰπσοῦν → Κύριον Ἰησοῦν; Καρδίᾳ καὶ ἡμειἐΠἶαπε, . γὰρ πιστεύεται → Καρδίᾳ γὰρ πιστεύεται; γεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν → …λογεῖται εἰς σωτηρίαν; σπουδαζομένων Ῥοῦν [αἰ( οχἰ δι! πιδία δά εὐυδίοι απ δ Θροὶϊα, 4υ μὲν → σπουδαζομένων … μὲν; πό- Ὁ Βίξοπαδ, λεμος → πόλεμος; τὴν ΒΡεΐημπὶ ἀληθινὴν → τὴν ἀληθινὴν; Ὃ τοιοῦτος οὖν τράχηλος ὄντως παρὰ τοῦ ΔαΝόει → Ὁ τοιοῦτος οὖν τράχηλος ὄντως παρὰ τοῦ Δα… Νόει; Δείκνυσι : δὲ καὶ ἡ τῶν βολίδων μνήμη τὴν τοιαύτην διάνοιαν. ἐπα εἴτα ἀμο εδὲ ἀϊο δἱἷϊ Οὐ → Δείκνυσι δὲ καὶ ἡ τῶν βολίδων μνήμη τὴν τοιαύτην διάνοιαν. Οὐ; Παρεμθα,λεῖ ἄγγεΝυρίου → Παρεμβαλεῖ ἄγγελος Κυρίου; σκιαί. Αὶ αυοὰ ᾿Δλλὰ → σκιαί. ᾿Αλλὰ; Οὔτε γὰρ (, ἀδπὶ εδὶ ἀπ ΒΟΡΙ προυὐπάρχει → Οὔτε γὰρ προϋπάρχει; δυάδα! μαζῶν → δυάδα μαζῶν; θάλπει τὰ (οΥδὶ Π]105., δίουϊ (δείερθαι ἐϊ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα, καθὼς ἐποίει τε καὶ ἔλεγεν ὁ ᾿Απόποη δἰ τον ᾿ἰσοί στολος → θάλπει τὰ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα, καθὼς ἐποίει τε καὶ ἔλεγεν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος.
Topics: Church office, The church
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Cant. hom. 7 (PG 44; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-canticum/7). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-canticum/7
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 44/46 (archive.org OCR; Latin-column leaks and OCR slips removed by logged corrections); no public-domain English is on disk, so the translation was re-read against the Greek (Life of Macrina checked privately against a modern English translation).