Funeral Oration on Basil 807–817
Greek text: PG 46 (OCR by the Bavarian State Library / Google Books; lines extracted for this site).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 807
807PG 46:807–808
εἰς τροφὰς διαμείψας τὰ χρήματα, ὅτε σπανιον ἦν· καὶ τοὺς σφόδρα παρεσκευασμένους τράπεζαν ἑαυτοῖς παραστήσασθαι, διήρκεσεν ἐκεῖνος ἐν παντὶ τῷ χρόνῳ τοῦ λιμοῦ τρέφων, τους τε πανταχόθεν συῤῥέοντας, καὶ τὴν νεολέαν παντὸς τοῦ δήμου τῆς πόλεως, ὡς καὶ τοῖς τῶν Ἰουδαίων παισὶν ἐκ τοῦ ἴσου προτιθέναι τῆς φιλανθρωπίας ταύτης τὴν μετουσίαν. Διαφέρει δὲ πάντως οὐδὲν, ἢ διὰ καμψάκου τὴν θείαν ἐντολὴν, ἢ διά τινος ἄλλης ἀφορμῆς ἐκπληρῶσαι. Ἡ γὰρ παραμυθία τῶν δεομένων οὐ ζητεῖ τὸ πόθεν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ γινόμενον βλέπει. Εἰ δὲ ἀνωφερὴς ὁ Ἠλίας ἐγένετο, θαυμαστὸν μὲν καὶ τοῦτο, καὶ ὑπὲρ λόγον τὸ θαῦμα. Πλὴν οὐκ ἀπόβλητον καὶ τὸ ἕτερον εἶδος τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ ἄνω φορᾶς, ὅταν τις διὰ τῆς ὑψηλῆς πολιτείας ἀπὸ γῆς εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνοικίζηται, διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἄρμα τὰς ἀρετὰς ποιησάμενος. Ὅπερ δὴ κατωρθῶσθαι τῷ διδασκάλῳ πᾶς ὁ εὐγνωμόνως τὰ κατ᾿ αὐτὸν ἐξετάζων συνθήσεται. Ἆρα χρὴ καὶ τοῦ Σαμουήλ κατατολμῆσαι τῷ λόγῳ; Ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις πᾶσι τῶν πρωτείων τῷ προφήτῃ παραχωρήσαντες, πρὸς δύο τινὰ τῶν περὶ αὐτοῦ λεγομένων, καὶ τὰ περὶ τὸν διδάσκαλον ἡμῶν οἰκείως ἔχοντα δείξομεν· Θεόσδοτος ἀμφοτέρων ἡ γέννησις ἦν. Ὡς γὰρ ἐκεῖνον ἡ μήτηρ, οὕτω καὶ τοῦτον ἐξ αἰτήσεως θείας ὁ πατὴρ ἐτεκνώσατο. Καὶ ἀῤῥωστίᾳ ποτὲ συσχεθέντος ἐπιθανατίῳ ἔτι ἐν τῷ νέῳ τῆς ἡλικίας, εἶδεν ὁ πατὴρ ἐπιφανέντα αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν ἐνύπνιον ὄψιν τὸν Κύριον, τὸν ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ τὸν παῖδα τῷ βασιλικῷ χαρισάμενον, κἀκεῖνα εἰπόντα πρὸς τοῦτον, ἃ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος, ὅτι Πορεύου, ὁ υἱός σου ζῇ. Οὗ τὴν πίστιν καὶ αὐτὸς μιμησάμενος, τὸν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῇ πίστει καρπὸν ἐκομίσατο, τὴν τοῦ υἱοῦ σωτηρίαν ἐκ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας τοῦ Κυρίου δεξάμενος. Ἕν μὲν δὴ τοῦτο τοῖς θαύμασι τοῦ Σαμουὴλ ἀνατίθεμεν. Ἕτερον δὲ, ὅτι τὸ εἶδος τῆς ἱερουργίας τὸ αὐτὸ τοῖς δύο συνεσπουδάσθη. Εἰρηνικὰς προσήγαγον ἀμφότεροι τῷ Θεῷ τὰς θυσίας, ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν πολεμίων ἀναιρέσεως ἱερουργοῦντες, ὁ μὲν ἐπὶ τῇ καταλύσει τῶν αἱρέσεων, ὁ δὲ κατὰ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων τοῦτο ποιῶν. Μωϋσῆς δὲ ὁ μέγας, κοινὸν πρόκειται πᾶσι τοῖς πρὸς ἀρετὴν ὁρῶσιν ὑπόδειγμα καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις πλημμελοίη, τοῦ ἰδίου βίου σκοπὸν τὴν ἀρετὴν τοῦ νομοθέτου ποιούμενος. Οὐκοῦν ἀνεπίφθονον πάντως εἴη δεῖξαι τὸν διδάσκαλον ἡμῶν, ἐν οἷς οἷός τε ἦν, τὸν νομοθέτην ἐπὶ τοῦ βίου μιμούμενον. Ἐν τίσι τοίνυν ἡ μίμησις ἦν; ῎Αρχουσά τις τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, εἰσποιησαμένη τὸν Μωϋσέα παιδεύει τὴν ἐγχώριον παίδευσιν, οὐκ ἀποστάντα τοῦ μητρώου μαζοῦ, ἕως
eis trophas diameipsas ta chrēmata, hote spanion ēn; kai tous sphodra pareskeuasmenous trapezan heautois parastēsasthai, diērkesen ekeinos en panti tǭ chronǭ tou limou trephōn, tous te pantachothen syrrheontas, kai tēn neolean pantos tou dēmou tēs poleōs, hōs kai tois tōn Ioudaiōn paisin ek tou isou protithenai tēs philanthrōpias tautēs tēn metousian. Diapherei de pantōs ouden, ē dia kampsakou tēn theian entolēn, ē dia tinos allēs aphormēs ekplērōsai. Hē gar paramythia tōn deomenōn ou zētei to pothen, alla pros to ginomenon blepei. Ei de anōpherēs ho Ēlias egeneto, thaumaston men kai touto, kai hyper logon to thauma. Plēn ouk apoblēton kai to heteron eidos tēs epi to anō phoras, hotan tis dia tēs hypsēlēs politeias apo gēs eis ouranon anoikizētai, dia tou Pneumatos arma tas aretas poiēsamenos. Hoper dē katōrthōsthai tǭ didaskalǭ pas ho eugnōmonōs ta kat᾿ auton exetazōn synthēsetai. Ara chrē kai tou Samouēl katatolmēsai tǭ logǭ? All᾽ en tois allois pasi tōn prōteiōn tǭ prophētę̄ parachōrēsantes, pros dyo tina tōn peri autou legomenōn, kai ta peri ton didaskalon hēmōn oikeiōs echonta deixomen; Theosdotos amphoterōn hē gennēsis ēn. Hōs gar ekeinon hē mētēr, houtō kai touton ex aitēseōs theias ho patēr eteknōsato. Kai arrhōstią pote syschethentos epithanatiǭ eti en tǭ neǭ tēs hēlikias, eiden ho patēr epiphanenta autǭ kata tēn enypnion opsin ton Kyrion, ton en tǭ Euangeliǭ ton paida tǭ basilikǭ charisamenon, kakeina eiponta pros touton, ha pros ekeinon eipen ho Kyrios, hoti Poreuou, ho huios sou zę̄. Hou tēn pistin kai autos mimēsamenos, ton auton epi tę̄ pistei karpon ekomisato, tēn tou huiou sōtērian ek tēs philanthrōpias tou Kyriou dexamenos. Hen men dē touto tois thaumasi tou Samouēl anatithemen. Heteron de, hoti to eidos tēs hierourgias to auto tois dyo synespoudasthē. Eirēnikas prosēgagon amphoteroi tǭ Theǭ tas thysias, hyper tēs tōn polemiōn anaireseōs hierourgountes, ho men epi tę̄ katalysei tōn haireseōn, ho de kata tōn allophylōn touto poiōn. Mōÿsēs de ho megas, koinon prokeitai pasi tois pros aretēn horōsin hypodeigma kai ouk an tis plēmmeloiē, tou idiou biou skopon tēn aretēn tou nomothetou poioumenos. Oukoun anepiphthonon pantōs eiē deixai ton didaskalon hēmōn, en hois hoios te ēn, ton nomothetēn epi tou biou mimoumenon. En tisi toinyn hē mimēsis ēn? ᾿Archousa tis tōn Aigyptiōn, eispoiēsamenē ton Mōÿsea paideuei tēn enchōrion paideusin, ouk apostanta tou mētrōou mazou, heōs
exchanged the money for food at a time when it was scarce even for those well prepared to set a table for themselves; and he held out through the whole time of the famine, feeding both those who streamed in from everywhere and the youth of the whole populace of the city, so that he set before even the children of the Jews an equal share in this kindness. It makes no difference at all whether one fulfils the divine commandment through a flask or through some other means. For the relief of the needy does not ask “from where,” but looks to what is done. If Elijah was carried upward, this too is wonderful and the wonder beyond reason. Yet the other kind of being carried upward is not to be rejected either, when someone moves house from earth to heaven through a lofty way of life, having made the virtues a chariot through the Spirit. Everyone who examines his life fairly will agree that the teacher achieved this. Must we also venture on Samuel in our speech? We yield to the prophet the first place in all other things, but in two of the things told of him we will show that what concerns our teacher is akin. The birth of both was a gift of God. For as his mother bore him, so his father begot this man by asking God. And once, when he was seized by a deadly illness while still young in age, his father saw appear to him in a dream the Lord, the one who in the Gospel granted the official his son, and saying to him what the Lord said to that man: “Go, your son lives.” Imitating that man's faith, he gained the same fruit of faith, receiving the salvation of his son from the Lord's kindness. This one thing, then, we set beside the wonders of Samuel. The other is that the same form of sacrifice was pursued by both. Both offered peace offerings to God, sacrificing for the destruction of enemies, the one doing this for the overthrow of heresies, the other against the foreigners. As for the great Moses, he is set before all who look to virtue as a common example, and no one would go wrong in making the lawgiver's virtue the aim of his own life. So it would surely be blameless to show our teacher imitating the lawgiver in his life in what he was able to. In what, then, was the imitation? A ruling woman of the Egyptians adopted Moses and taught him the native learning, though he did not leave his mother's breast as long as
1 Kgs 17:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 2:11 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Sam 1:11–20 (allusion, high confidence) · John 4:50 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Sam 7:9–10 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 2:5–10 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: In the famine Basil fed all comers, Jewish children included; like Samuel he was born in answer to prayer and offered sacrifice against the enemies, here heresies; Gregory turns to Moses.
- A displaced OCR line (“νέῳ τῆς ἡλικίας, εἶδεν ὁ πατὴρ ἐπιφανέντα αὐτῷ”) stood inside the sentence about Elijah; it is restored to the Samuel passage, where the sense requires it, by logged corrections.
- Allusions: 1 Kgs 17:14 (the flask); 2 Kgs 2:11; 1 Sam 1:11–20 (Samuel's birth); John 4:46–53 (the official's son; “Go, your son lives,” John 4:50); 1 Sam 7:9–10 (Samuel's sacrifice against the Philistines); Exod 2:5–10 (Moses adopted, nursed by his mother).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; OCR split word; displaced OCR line removed (restored below in its place); displaced OCR line restored to its place): ἑαυ τοῖς → ἑαυτοῖς; συρ ῥέοντας → συῤῥέοντας; πό λεως → πόλεως; θαυμαστὸν μὲν νέῳ τῆς ἡλικίας, εἶδεν ὁ πατὴρ ἐπιφανέντα αὐτῷ καὶ τοῦτο → θαυμαστὸν μὲν καὶ τοῦτο; ἔτι ἐν τῷ κατὰ τὴν ἐνύπνιον → ἔτι ἐν τῷ νέῳ τῆς ἡλικίας, εἶδεν ὁ πατὴρ ἐπιφανέντα αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν ἐνύπνιον; ἔας → ἕως.
Topics: Heresy
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Bas. 807 (PG 46:807–808; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-in-basilium/807). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-in-basilium/807
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 809
809PG 46:809–810
ἔδει τὴν πρώτην ἡλικίαν τῇ τοιαύτῃ τροφῇ τιθηνήσασθαι. Τοῦτο καὶ τῷ διδασκάλῳ μαρτυρεῖ ἡ ἀλήθεια. ᾿Ανατρεφόμενος γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς ἔξω σοφίας, ἀεὶ τοῦ μαζοῦ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας εἴχετο, τοῖς ἐντεῦθεν διδάγμασι τὴν ψυχὴν αὔξων καὶ ἀδρυνόμενος. Ἠρνήσατο μετὰ ταῦτα ὁ Μωϋσῆς τῆς ψευδωνύμου μητρὸς τὴν σεσοφισμένην συγγένειαν. Οὐδὲ οὗτος παρέμεινεν ἐπιπολὺ νομίζεσθαι τοῦτο ᾧ ἐπῃσχύνετο. Πᾶσαν γὰρ τὴν ἐκ τῶν ἔξωθεν λόγων δόξαν ἀποσεισάμενος, ὥσπερ τὴν βασιλείαν ἐκεῖνος, πρὸς τὸν ταπεινὸν ἀπηυτομόλησε βίον, καθάπερ καὶ τοὺς Ἑβραίους ὁ Μωϋσῆς προτιμοτέρους τῶν Αἰγυπτίων θησαυρῶν ἐποιήσατο. Τῆς δὲ φύσεως ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστου τὸ ἑαυτῆς ἐνεργούσης (ἑκάστου γὰρ ἡ σάρξ ἐπιθυμεῖ κατὰ τοῦ πνεύματος), οὐδὲ οὗτος ἐκτὸς ἦν τῆς τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου λογισμοῦ μάχης, ἣν ἐπῆγε τῷ καθαρεύοντι ἀλλὰ συμμαχῶν τῷ βελτίονι, νεκρὸν ἐποίει τὸν κακῶς τῷ Ἑβραίῳ ἐπεγειρόμενον. Ἑβραῖος δὲ λογισμὸς, ὁ ἐκκεκαθαρμένος καὶ ἀμόλυντος. Ὁ γὰρ διὰ τοῦ νεκρῶσαι τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς μέλη τῇ ψυχῇ συμμαχῶν μιμεῖται τοῦ Μωϋσέως τὴν ἀριστείαν, ἣν κατὰ τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου ἐνήργησεν. Παραδραμεῖν δὲ προσήκει τὰ πολλὰ τῆς ἱστορίας, ὡς ἂν μὴ πολὺν ὄχλον ἐπάγοι τῇ ἀκοῇ, τὸ πάντα δι' ἀκριβείας θέλειν ἐκτίθεσθαι, ὅσα τε ἐπὶ Μωϋσέως ὁ λόγος κατέχει, καὶ ἐν οἷς ἐγένετο τοῦ διδασκάλου ἡ πρὸς τὸν νομοθέτην ὁμοίωσις. Κατέλιπε τὴν Αἴγυπτον μετὰ τὸν θάνατον τοῦ Αἰγυπτίου ὁ Μωσῆς, καὶ πολὺν ἐν τῷ μέσῳ διῆγεν χρόνον ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ ἰδιάζων. Κατέλιπε καὶ οὗτος τοὺς ἐν ἄστει θορύβους, καὶ τὰς ὑλικὰς ταύτας περιηχήσεις, καὶ ἦν ἐπὶ τῆς ἐσχατιᾶς προσφιλοσοφῶν τῷ Θεῷ. Κατελάμφθη τῷ φωτὶ διὰ τῆς βάτου ἐκεῖνος. Ἔχομέν τι συγγενὲς τῆς ὀπτασίας ταύτης καὶ ἐπὶ τούτου εἰπεῖν ὅτι νυκτὸς οὔσης, γίνεται αὐτῷ φωτὸς ἔλλαμψις κατὰ τὸν οἶκον προσευχομένῳ ἄϋλον δέ τι τὸ φῶς ἦν ἐκεῖνο, θείᾳ δυνάμει καταφωτίζον τὸ οἴκημα, ὑπ᾿ οὐδενὸς πράγματος ὑλικοῦ ἐξαπτόμενον. Σώζει τὸν λαὸν ὁ Μωσῆς ἐκ τοῦ τυράννου ῥυσάμενος. Μαρτυρεῖ τὰ ἴσα τοῦ καθ' ἡμᾶς νομοθέτου ὁ λαὸς οὗτος, οὗ διὰ τῆς ἱερωσύνης πρὸς τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ καθηγήσατο. Καὶ τί χρὴ τὰ καθ᾿ ἕκαστον λέγειν, ὅσους διήγαγε καὶ οὗτος διὰ τοῦ ὕδατος, ὅσοις διὰ τοῦ λόγου τὸν στύλον τοῦ πυρὸς ἐδᾳδούχησεν, ὅσους τῇ τοῦ Πνεύματος νεφέλῃ διέσωσεν, ὅσους ἔθρεψε τῇ οὐρανίᾳ τροφῇ, ὅπως ἐμιμεῖτο τὴν πέτραν ἡ ποτε τῷ ξύλῳ ἀνεστομώθη τὸ ὕδωρ, τουτέστιν, ᾗ ποτε ὁ τοῦ σταυροῦ τύπος τοῦ στόματος ἔθιγεν, ὅπως ἐπότιζε τοὺς διψῶντας τοῦ ὕδατος ἐκείνου, τῷ πλήθει τῆς ἐπιῤῥοῆς τὰς ἀβύσσους μιμούμενος, οἷαν μαρτυρίου σκηνὴν, καὶ σωματικῶς μὲν ἐν τῷ προαστείῳ κατεσκευάσατο, τοὺς πτωχοὺς τῷ σώματι, πτωχοὺς τῷ πνεύματι διὰ τῆς ἀγαθῆς διδασκαλίας εἶναι ποιήσας, ὥστε αὐτοῖς γενέσθαι μακαριστὴν τὴν πτωχείαν τῆς ἀληθινῆς βασιλείας προξενοῦσαν τὴν χάριν; Σκηνὴν δὲ ἀληθῆ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ κατοίκησιν τὴν ἑκάστου
edei tēn prōtēn hēlikian tę̄ toiautę̄ trophę̄ tithēnēsasthai. Touto kai tǭ didaskalǭ martyrei hē alētheia. ᾿Anatrephomenos gar hypo tēs exō sophias, aei tou mazou tēs Ekklēsias eicheto, tois enteuthen didagmasi tēn psychēn auxōn kai adrynomenos. Ērnēsato meta tauta ho Mōÿsēs tēs pseudōnymou mētros tēn sesophismenēn syngeneian. Oude houtos paremeinen epipoly nomizesthai touto hǭ epę̄schyneto. Pasan gar tēn ek tōn exōthen logōn doxan aposeisamenos, hōsper tēn basileian ekeinos, pros ton tapeinon apēutomolēse bion, kathaper kai tous Hebraious ho Mōÿsēs protimoterous tōn Aigyptiōn thēsaurōn epoiēsato. Tēs de physeōs eph᾽ hekastou to heautēs energousēs (hekastou gar hē sarx epithymei kata tou pneumatos), oude houtos ektos ēn tēs tou Aigyptiou logismou machēs, hēn epēge tǭ kathareuonti alla symmachōn tǭ beltioni, nekron epoiei ton kakōs tǭ Hebraiǭ epegeiromenon. Hebraios de logismos, ho ekkekatharmenos kai amolyntos. Ho gar dia tou nekrōsai ta epi tēs gēs melē tę̄ psychę̄ symmachōn mimeitai tou Mōÿseōs tēn aristeian, hēn kata tou Aigyptiou enērgēsen. Paradramein de prosēkei ta polla tēs historias, hōs an mē polyn ochlon epagoi tę̄ akoę̄, to panta di' akribeias thelein ektithesthai, hosa te epi Mōÿseōs ho logos katechei, kai en hois egeneto tou didaskalou hē pros ton nomothetēn homoiōsis. Katelipe tēn Aigypton meta ton thanaton tou Aigyptiou ho Mōsēs, kai polyn en tǭ mesǭ diēgen chronon eph᾽ heautou idiazōn. Katelipe kai houtos tous en astei thorybous, kai tas hylikas tautas periēchēseis, kai ēn epi tēs eschatias prosphilosophōn tǭ Theǭ. Katelamphthē tǭ phōti dia tēs batou ekeinos. Echomen ti syngenes tēs optasias tautēs kai epi toutou eipein hoti nyktos ousēs, ginetai autǭ phōtos ellampsis kata ton oikon proseuchomenǭ aÿlon de ti to phōs ēn ekeino, theią dynamei kataphōtizon to oikēma, hyp᾿ oudenos pragmatos hylikou exaptomenon. Sōzei ton laon ho Mōsēs ek tou tyrannou rhysamenos. Martyrei ta isa tou kath' hēmas nomothetou ho laos houtos, hou dia tēs hierōsynēs pros tēn epangelian tou Theou kathēgēsato. Kai ti chrē ta kath᾿ hekaston legein, hosous diēgage kai houtos dia tou hydatos, hosois dia tou logou ton stylon tou pyros edądouchēsen, hosous tę̄ tou Pneumatos nephelę̄ diesōsen, hosous ethrepse tę̄ ouranią trophę̄, hopōs emimeito tēn petran hē pote tǭ xylǭ anestomōthē to hydōr, toutestin, hę̄ pote ho tou staurou typos tou stomatos ethigen, hopōs epotize tous dipsōntas tou hydatos ekeinou, tǭ plēthei tēs epirrhoēs tas abyssous mimoumenos, hoian martyriou skēnēn, kai sōmatikōs men en tǭ proasteiǭ kateskeuasato, tous ptōchous tǭ sōmati, ptōchous tǭ pneumati dia tēs agathēs didaskalias einai poiēsas, hōste autois genesthai makaristēn tēn ptōcheian tēs alēthinēs basileias proxenousan tēn charin? Skēnēn de alēthē pros tēn tou Theou katoikēsin tēn hekastou
his early age had to be nursed with such food. The truth testifies this of the teacher too. For while he was brought up by outside wisdom, he always held to the breast of the church, growing and maturing his soul by its teachings. Afterwards Moses renounced the artificial kinship of his so-called mother. Nor did this man long remain thought to be what he was ashamed of. For shaking off all the glory that comes from outside learning, as Moses did the kingdom, he deserted to the humble life, just as Moses preferred the Hebrews to the treasures of the Egyptians. Since nature does its own work in each (for in each the flesh desires against the spirit), neither was this man outside the struggle of the Egyptian thought, which it brought against the pure one; but, fighting on the side of the better, he killed the one who wickedly rose against the Hebrew. And the Hebrew thought is the one cleansed and undefiled. For whoever fights on the side of the soul by putting to death the members on earth imitates Moses' valour, which he showed against the Egyptian. But it is fitting to pass over most of the history, so as not to bring a great crowd of words on the hearing by wishing to set out exactly everything the account holds about Moses and in which the teacher's likeness to the lawgiver came about. Moses left Egypt after the death of the Egyptian and spent a long time in between living by himself. This man too left the noise of the city and these material clamours, and was in a remote place, practising philosophy before God. Moses was shone upon by the light through the bush. We can tell of something akin to this vision in his case too: that at night, while he was praying in the house, a shining of light came upon him; that light was something immaterial, lighting up the room by divine power, kindled by no material thing. Moses saves the people, rescuing them from the tyrant. This people, whom he led through the priesthood to the promise of God, testifies the same of our lawgiver. And why must one tell each thing: how many he too led through the water, for how many he carried the pillar of fire as a torch by his word, how many he kept safe by the cloud of the Spirit, how many he fed with the heavenly food; how he imitated the rock whose water was once opened by the wood, that is, which the sign of the cross once touched at its mouth; how he gave drink to those who thirsted for that water, imitating the depths by the abundance of its flow; what a tabernacle of witness he built bodily in the suburb, making the poor in body poor in spirit through good teaching, so that their poverty became blessed, procuring for them the grace of the true kingdom? And a true tabernacle for the dwelling of God he made of each one's
Heb 11:24–26 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 5:17 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 2:11–15 (allusion, high confidence) · Col 3:5 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 3:2 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 13:21 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 16:4 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 17:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 15:25 (allusion, low confidence) · Matt 5:3 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil imitated Moses: nourished by the church while learning pagan wisdom, he left worldly glory, killed the “Egyptian” of the passions, withdrew to solitude, saw a divine light, and led his people through baptism and teaching and built a house for the poor.
- “The water” is baptism; the “tabernacle of witness … in the suburb” is Basil's hospital and poorhouse outside Caesarea (the Basileias). Gregory reads the Egyptian killed by Moses as the passions of the flesh.
- Allusions: Heb 11:24–26; Gal 5:17; Exod 2:11–15; Col 3:5; Exod 3:2; Exod 14; Exod 13:21; Exod 16; Exod 17:6 and Num 20:11 (the rock); Exod 15:25 (the wood); Matt 5:3.
- Two OCR slips are corrected: “λογισμοῦ χης” read as “λογισμοῦ μάχης” (“the struggle of the thought”), and “ἐπιρμθῆς” as “ἐπιῤῥοῆς” (“flow”).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR lost letters; OCR misread letters; OCR read ς as a semicolon; OCR split word): λογισμοῦ χης → λογισμοῦ μάχης; ἐσχατιᾶ; → ἐσχατιᾶς; ἐπιρμθῆς → ἐπιῤῥοῆς; κατ εσκευάσατο → κατεσκευάσατο.
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Bas. 809 (PG 46:809–810; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-in-basilium/809). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-in-basilium/809
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 811
811PG 46:811–812
ψυχὴν ἐδημιούργει τῷ λόγῳ, καὶ στύλους τινὰς ἐν αὐτῇ κατασκευάζων· λογισμοὺς λέγω τοὺς στύλους τοὺς τὸ ἐπίπονον τῆς ἀρετῆς ὑπερείδοντας καὶ λουτῆρας ὡσαύτως πρὸς τὸ ἐκπλύνειν τῆς ψυχῆς τὰ μιάσματα, τῷ ἐκ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ὕδατι τὸν μολυσμὸν ἀποκλύζοντας. Ὅσας λυχνίας ἐνετίθει τῇ ἑκάστου ψυχῇ, καταφωτίζων τῷ λόγῳ τὰ κρύφια! Οἷα τὰ τῶν προσευχῶν θυμιατήριά τε καὶ θυσιαστήρια κατεσκεύασεν, ἐκ καθαροῦ καὶ ἀδόλου χρυσίου, τουτέστιν ἐξ ἀληθινῆς τε καὶ καθαρᾶς διαθέσεως, οὗ μηδὲν ὁ βαρὺς τῆς κενοδοξίας μόλυβδος τὴν λαμπηδόνα τῶν γινομένων ἡμαύρωσεν! Τί δεῖ λέγειν τὴν μυστικὴν κιβωτὸν, οἴαν ἑκάστῳ ἐτεκτήνατο, τὰς πλάκας τῆς διαθήκης, τὰς τῷ θείῳ δακτύλῳ ἐγγεγραμμένας ἐντιθεὶς τῇ ψυχῇ; Λέγω δὲ ταῦτα πρὸς ἐκεῖνο βλέπων, ὅτι τὴν ἑκάστου καρδίαν ἐποίει κιβωτὸν, περιεκτικὴν τῶν πνευματικῶν μυστηρίων, γραπτὸν ἔχουσαν τὸν νόμον διὰ τῶν ἔργων καταγραφόμενον τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ τοῦ Πνεύματος (οὕτω γὰρ ὁ δάκτυλος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐρμηνεύεται)· ἐν ᾗ καὶ τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἡ ῥάβδος ἀεὶ τὸν ἴδιον καρπὸν ἐξήνθει, διὰ τῆς μετουσίας τῶν ἀγιασμάτων ἀναβλαστάνουσα· καὶ ἡ στάμνος οὐκ ἐκενοῦτο τοῦ μάννα. Τότε γὰρ κενὸν γίνεται τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ ἀγγεῖον τῆς οὐρανίας τροφῆς, ὅταν ἁμαρτία παρεμπεσοῦσα τὴν ἐπιῤῥοὴν τοῦ μάννα κωλύσῃ. Μάννα δέ ἐστιν ἄρτος οὐράνιος. Τί χρὴ λέγειν ὅπως δι᾿ ἀκριβείας τὴν ἱερατικὴν στολὴν αὐτός τε περιετίθετο, καὶ κατεκόσμει τοὺς ἄλλους τῷ καθ' ἑαυτὸν ὑποδείγματι, ἀεὶ φέρων τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ στήθους κόσμον, ᾧ ὄνομα λογεῖόν τε καὶ δήλωσις, καὶ ἀλήθεια; πάντα παρίημι τοῖς φιλοπονωτέροις κατὰ τὴν τροπικὴν σημασίαν ἐφαρμόζειν τῷ διδασκάλῳ· δι᾽ ὧν αὐτός τε τοιοῦτος ἦν, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐκοινώνει τοῦ κόσμου. Πολλάκις ἔγνωμεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐντὸς τοῦ γνόφου γενόμενον, οὗ ἦν ὁ Θεός. Τὸ γὰρ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀθεώρητον, ἐκείνῳ ληπτὸν ἐποίει ἡ μυσταγωγία τοῦ Πνεύματος, ὡς δοκεῖν ἐντὸς τῆς περιοχῆς εἶναι τοῦ γνόφου, ᾧ ὁ περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγος ἐναποκρύπτεται. Πολλάκις ἀντέστησεν ἑαυτὸν τοῖς Αμαληκίταις, ὅπλῳ χρησάμενος τῇ προσευχῇ. Οὗ τὰς χεῖρας ἐπαίροντος, ὁ ἀληθινὸς Ἰησοῦς κατηγωνίζετο τῶν πολεμίων. Πολλῶν κατὰ τὸν Βαλαὰμ ἐκεῖνον γοήτων τὰς μαγγανείας διέλυσεν· οἳ οὐχὶ τοῦ ἀληθινοῦ λόγου ἀκούοντες, ἀλλὰ τῇ ὀνώδει διδασκαλίᾳ τῶν δαιμόνων πειθόμενοι, ἀνενέργητον εἶχον εἰς κακίαν τὸ στόμα, τῆς τοῦ διδασκάλου εὐχῆς εἰς εὐλογίαν τὴν κατάραν μετατιθείσης. Ταῦτα δὲ παρ' ἡμῶν λέγεται δι' ἐπιδρομῆς τε καὶ συντομίας ἐφαρμόσει δὲ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ τῶν γεγονότων τὰ καθ᾿ ἕκαστον ὁ μὴ ἀγνοῶν τοῦ Ἁγίου τὸν βίον, ὅσοι διὰ φαρμακείας τε καὶ γοητείας ἐπιβουλὰς κατά τινων συσκευάσαντες, ἄπρακτον ἔσχον τὴν πονηρίαν, μὴ συγχωρηθέντες ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ διδασκάλου πίστεως προαγαγεῖν τὸ κακὸν εἰς τελείωσιν. Ἀλλὰ πάντα τὰ διὰ μέσου καταλιπών, τοῦ τέλους ἀμφοτέρων ἐπιμνησθήσομαι· ᾿Αφῆκε μὲν τὸν βίον ἑκάτερος μνημόσυνον δὲ τῆς ἰδίας περὶ τὴν σάρκα σχέσεως, οὐ-
psychēn edēmiourgei tǭ logǭ, kai stylous tinas en autę̄ kataskeuazōn; logismous legō tous stylous tous to epiponon tēs aretēs hypereidontas kai loutēras hōsautōs pros to ekplynein tēs psychēs ta miasmata, tǭ ek tōn ophthalmōn hydati ton molysmon apoklyzontas. Hosas lychnias enetithei tę̄ hekastou psychę̄, kataphōtizōn tǭ logǭ ta kryphia! Hoia ta tōn proseuchōn thymiatēria te kai thysiastēria kateskeuasen, ek katharou kai adolou chrysiou, toutestin ex alēthinēs te kai katharas diatheseōs, hou mēden ho barys tēs kenodoxias molybdos tēn lampēdona tōn ginomenōn hēmaurōsen! Ti dei legein tēn mystikēn kibōton, oian hekastǭ etektēnato, tas plakas tēs diathēkēs, tas tǭ theiǭ daktylǭ engegrammenas entitheis tę̄ psychę̄? Legō de tauta pros ekeino blepōn, hoti tēn hekastou kardian epoiei kibōton, periektikēn tōn pneumatikōn mystēriōn, grapton echousan ton nomon dia tōn ergōn katagraphomenon tę̄ energeią tou Pneumatos (houtō gar ho daktylos tou Theou ermēneuetai); en hę̄ kai tēs hierōsynēs hē rhabdos aei ton idion karpon exēnthei, dia tēs metousias tōn agiasmatōn anablastanousa; kai hē stamnos ouk ekenouto tou manna. Tote gar kenon ginetai tēs psychēs to angeion tēs ouranias trophēs, hotan hamartia parempesousa tēn epirrhoēn tou manna kōlysę̄. Manna de estin artos ouranios. Ti chrē legein hopōs di᾿ akribeias tēn hieratikēn stolēn autos te perietitheto, kai katekosmei tous allous tǭ kath' heauton hypodeigmati, aei pherōn ton epi tou stēthous kosmon, hǭ onoma logeion te kai dēlōsis, kai alētheia? panta pariēmi tois philoponōterois kata tēn tropikēn sēmasian epharmozein tǭ didaskalǭ; di᾽ hōn autos te toioutos ēn, kai tois allois ekoinōnei tou kosmou. Pollakis egnōmen auton kai entos tou gnophou genomenon, hou ēn ho Theos. To gar tois allois atheōrēton, ekeinǭ lēpton epoiei hē mystagōgia tou Pneumatos, hōs dokein entos tēs periochēs einai tou gnophou, hǭ ho peri tou Theou logos enapokryptetai. Pollakis antestēsen heauton tois Amalēkitais, hoplǭ chrēsamenos tę̄ proseuchę̄. Hou tas cheiras epairontos, ho alēthinos Iēsous katēgōnizeto tōn polemiōn. Pollōn kata ton Balaam ekeinon goētōn tas manganeias dielysen; hoi ouchi tou alēthinou logou akouontes, alla tę̄ onōdei didaskalią tōn daimonōn peithomenoi, anenergēton eichon eis kakian to stoma, tēs tou didaskalou euchēs eis eulogian tēn kataran metatitheisēs. Tauta de par' hēmōn legetai di' epidromēs te kai syntomias epharmosei de tę̄ alētheią tōn gegonotōn ta kath᾿ hekaston ho mē agnoōn tou Hagiou ton bion, hosoi dia pharmakeias te kai goēteias epiboulas kata tinōn syskeuasantes, aprakton eschon tēn ponērian, mē synchōrēthentes hypo tēs tou didaskalou pisteōs proagagein to kakon eis teleiōsin. Alla panta ta dia mesou katalipōn, tou telous amphoterōn epimnēsthēsomai; ᾿Aphēke men ton bion hekateros mnēmosynon de tēs idias peri tēn sarka scheseōs, ou-
soul by his word, and he built pillars in it: by pillars I mean reasonings that support the toil of virtue; and likewise lavers to wash away the soul's defilements, rinsing off the pollution with water from the eyes. How many lampstands he set in each one's soul, lighting up hidden things by the word! What censers and altars of prayers he made, of pure and unalloyed gold, that is, of a true and pure disposition, whose brightness the heavy lead of vainglory never dulled! Why should I speak of the mystical ark, such as he fashioned for each, placing in the soul the tablets of the covenant written by the divine finger? I say this looking to the fact that he made each one's heart an ark holding the spiritual mysteries, having the law written in it, inscribed through works by the working of the Spirit (for this is how the finger of God is interpreted); in which also the rod of the priesthood always blossomed with its own fruit, sprouting through participation in the holy things; and the jar was never emptied of manna. For the vessel of the soul becomes empty of heavenly food when sin falls in and stops the flow of manna. And manna is the bread of heaven. Why should I say how exactly he both put on the priestly robe himself and adorned others by his example, always wearing the ornament on the breast called the oracle, and manifestation, and truth? All these I leave to the more diligent to apply to the teacher in their figurative sense, by which he both was such himself and shared the adornment with others. We have known him often to enter the darkness where God was. For what was beyond sight for others, the Spirit's initiation made graspable for him, so that he seemed to be within the enclosure of the darkness in which the doctrine of God is hidden. Often he set himself against the Amalekites, using prayer as his weapon; and while he raised his hands, the true Jesus overcame the enemies. He undid the sorceries of many magicians like that Balaam, who, not listening to the true word but obeying the asinine teaching of the demons, had mouths powerless for evil, since the teacher's prayer turned the curse into blessing. We say these things in passing and briefly; whoever knows the saint's life will fit each one to the truth of what happened: how many, having contrived plots against others by poisoning and sorcery, found their wickedness ineffective, not being allowed by the teacher's faith to carry the evil through to completion. But leaving out everything in between, I will mention the end of both. Each left life, but neither left behind in life a memorial of his own attachment to the flesh.
Exod 25:1–31:18 (allusion, low confidence) · Exod 31:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 11:20 (allusion, medium confidence) · Num 17:8 (allusion, high confidence) · Heb 9:4 (allusion, high confidence) · John 6:31 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 28:30 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 20:21 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 17:11 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 22:28 (allusion, medium confidence) · Deut 23:5 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil built in souls the furnishings of Moses' tabernacle, entered the divine darkness, defeated “Amalekites” by prayer and undid sorcerers like Balaam; like Moses he left no memorial of the flesh.
- Gregory reads the tabernacle and its furnishings as figures of the soul's virtues (Exod 25–31); the breastplate “oracle, manifestation, and truth” is the LXX rendering of Urim and Thummim (Exod 28:30).
- Allusions: Exod 31:18 and Luke 11:20 (finger of God); Num 17:8 and Heb 9:4 (Aaron's rod and the jar of manna); John 6:31–33 (bread of heaven); Exod 20:21 (the darkness); Exod 17:8–13 (Amalek; “Jesus” is Joshua, Ἰησοῦς in Greek, read as Christ); Num 22–24 (Balaam; Deut 23:5, curse turned to blessing).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR doubled letter; OCR letter error): λογισμούὺς → λογισμοὺς; πεοὶ → περὶ.
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Bas. 811 (PG 46:811–812; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-in-basilium/811). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-in-basilium/811
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-in-basilium-811) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 813
813PG 46:813–814
θέτερος αὐτῶν τῷ βίῳ κατέλιπεν. Οὔτε γὰρ Μωϋσέως τάφος εὑρίσκεται, οὔτε οὗτος περιουσίᾳ τινὶ ὑλικῇ ὑπεχώσθη ἀλλ᾽ ὁμοῦ τε παρῆλθε τὸν βίον, καὶ συμπαρῆλθεν αὐτῷ πάντα, δι' ὧν ὁ βίος τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἔχει τὴν σύστασιν, ὡς μηδὲν εὑρεθῆναι τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ὑλικὸν μνημεῖον ἐκ τῆς τῶν ὑπολειφθέντων περιουσίας καταχωννύον αὐτοῦ τὴν πρὸς τὸ κρείττον ὑπόληψιν. Ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ Μωσέως ἡ ἱστορία λέγουσα τοῦτο, ὅτι οὐχ εὑρέθη αὐτοῦ τάφος ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας. Εἰ οὖν τοιοῦτος ἀπὸ τοῦ λόγου ἡμῖν ἀναδέδεικται ὁ Μέγας Βασίλειος, ὥστε μὴ πόῤῥω τῶν ἁγίων εἶναι αὐτὸν διὰ τοῦ βίου πρὸς ἕκαστον τῶν μεγάλων παρατιθέμενον, καλῶς ἡμῖν ἡ ἀκολουθία τῶν ἑορτῶν ἐπὶ τοῦτον ἄγει νῦν τὴν ἐνεστῶσαν πανἡγυριν. Ἀλλὰ μὴν διὰ τῶν κεχαρισμένων ἐκείνῳ προσαγαγεῖν πρέπον ἂν εἴη τὴν μνήμην. Οὐκοῦν σκεπτέον ὅπως διαθέντες τὴν ἑορτὴν, κεχαρισμένως τῷ ἁγίῳ πανηγυρίσομεν. ῾Αρὰ τις ἐπιζητήσει τὸν ἐπιδεικτικὸν ἐπ' αὐτοῦ καὶ κομπώδη τῶν ἐγκωμίων τρόπον Πατρίδα καὶ γένος, καὶ τὴν ἐκ γονέων άνατροφὴν, καὶ τὰ καθ᾿ ἕκαστον τοῦ βίου ἐπιτηδεύματα, οἷς συνηυξήθη τε καὶ συνήκμασε, καὶ δι᾽ ὧν τὸ περιφανές τε καὶ περίβλεπτον ἔσχεν ἐν ἀνδράσι γεγονώς. ᾿Αλλὰ παρωθεῖται πᾶσαν τὴν κομπώδη ταύτην ὑψηγορίαν τὸ μέγεθος τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν θεωρουμένων καλῶν, ὅτι πρὸς τουναντίον ἐκβαίνει τὸ σπουδαζόμενον, τῷ μὴ εἶναι δύναμιν ἐν λόγοις τοιαύτην, ἥτις τοῦ μεγέθους τῶν θαυμάτων πρὸς ἀξίαν ἐφἀψεται. Ὡς ἂν οὖν μὴ τῇ μικροφυΐᾳ τοῦ λόγου συγκαθαιρεθείη τὸ θαῦμα, καὶ τῆς ἐν ἑκάστῳ νῦν περὶ αὐτοῦ δόξης γένοιτό τις διὰ τῶν ἐπαινεῖν ἐπιχειρούντων ἐλάττωσις, κρεῖττον ἂν εἴη τῇ σιωπῇ μᾶλλον αὔξειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὸ θαῦμα, ἢ διὰ τοῦ λόγου κατασμικρύνειν τὸν ἔπαινον. Τί γὰρ ἄν τις τοιοῦτὸν εἰπὼν, σεμνότερον αὐτὸν ἀπεργάσαιτο Αρα δέξαιτο ἂν ἐκεῖνος τὴν διὰ σαρκός τε καὶ αἵματος λεγομένην εὐγένειαν; Καὶ τίς οὐκ οἶδεν τοῦ μεγάλου τὴν περὶ τὴν σάρκα διάθεσιν, ὡς ἐναντίως πρὸς αὐτὴν εἶχεν, καθάπερ ἀνδράποδόν τι δραπετικὸν ἀεὶ τοῖς ἐκ τῶν λογισμῶν δεσμοῖς περιβάλλων, καὶ διὰ τῆς ἀκροτάτης κακοπαθείας τε καὶ ἐγκρατείας, μαστίζων τε καὶ στρεβλῶν τὸν μαστιγίαν ἐκεῖνον δοῦλον τὸ σῶμα, οἷόν τις ἀπαραίτητος δεσπότης, οὐδεμίαν ἄνεσιν ἐνδιδοὺς τῷ δεσμώτῃ; Τὸν οὖν οὕτως ἔχοντα περὶ τὴν σάρκα, διὰ τῆς σωματικῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀποσεμνύνειν, τῶν ἀλογωτάτων ἂν εἴη. Πῶς γὰρ ὑπὸ τούτου νῦν τιμηθήσεται, ᾧ παρὰ τὴν ζωὴν ἐπῃσχύνετο; Ομοίως δὲ καὶ τῆς πατρίδος ἡ μνήμη, τῷ περὶ τοῦ γένους συνεκβάλλεται λόγῳ. Ὁ γὰρ παντὸς ὑπερθεὶς ἑαυτὸν τοῦ κόσμου, καὶ οἷον στενοχωρούμενος ἐν πάσῃ τῇ αἰσθητῇ τῶν στοιχείων φύσει, ὡς μηδὲ τὸν οὐρανὸν φέρειν ἑαυτοῦ ὑπερκείμενον· ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸ ἐπέκεινα ἴεσθαι τῇ ψυχῇ, καὶ ὑπερκύπτοντα τὴν αἰσθητὴν τοῦ κόσμου περιοχὴν ἀεὶ τοῖς νοητοῖς ἐμβατεύειν, καὶ συμμετεωροπορεῖν ταῖς θείαις δυνάμεσι, μηδὲν τῷ σωματικῷ ἐφολκίῳ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ νοῦ πορείαν ἐμποδιζόμενος πότε ἂν δέξαιτο μέρει τινὶ τῆς γῆς ἑαυτὸν
theteros autōn tǭ biǭ katelipen. Oute gar Mōÿseōs taphos heurisketai, oute houtos periousią tini hylikę̄ hypechōsthē all᾽ homou te parēlthe ton bion, kai symparēlthen autǭ panta, di' hōn ho bios tōn anthrōpōn echei tēn systasin, hōs mēden heurethēnai tou andros hylikon mnēmeion ek tēs tōn hypoleiphthentōn periousias katachōnnyon autou tēn pros to kreitton hypolēpsin. Hōsper epi tou Mōseōs hē historia legousa touto, hoti ouch heurethē autou taphos heōs tēs sēmeron hēmeras. Ei oun toioutos apo tou logou hēmin anadedeiktai ho Megas Basileios, hōste mē porrhō tōn hagiōn einai auton dia tou biou pros hekaston tōn megalōn paratithemenon, kalōs hēmin hē akolouthia tōn heortōn epi touton agei nyn tēn enestōsan panēgyrin. Alla mēn dia tōn kecharismenōn ekeinǭ prosagagein prepon an eiē tēn mnēmēn. Oukoun skepteon hopōs diathentes tēn heortēn, kecharismenōs tǭ hagiǭ panēgyrisomen. ῾Ara tis epizētēsei ton epideiktikon ep' autou kai kompōdē tōn enkōmiōn tropon Patrida kai genos, kai tēn ek goneōn anatrophēn, kai ta kath᾿ hekaston tou biou epitēdeumata, hois synēuxēthē te kai synēkmase, kai di᾽ hōn to periphanes te kai periblepton eschen en andrasi gegonōs. ᾿Alla parōtheitai pasan tēn kompōdē tautēn hypsēgorian to megethos tōn peri auton theōroumenōn kalōn, hoti pros tounantion ekbainei to spoudazomenon, tǭ mē einai dynamin en logois toiautēn, hētis tou megethous tōn thaumatōn pros axian ephapsetai. Hōs an oun mē tę̄ mikrophyïą tou logou synkathairetheiē to thauma, kai tēs en hekastǭ nyn peri autou doxēs genoito tis dia tōn epainein epicheirountōn elattōsis, kreitton an eiē tę̄ siōpę̄ mallon auxein en heautois to thauma, ē dia tou logou katasmikrynein ton epainon. Ti gar an tis toiouton eipōn, semnoteron auton apergasaito Ara dexaito an ekeinos tēn dia sarkos te kai haimatos legomenēn eugeneian? Kai tis ouk oiden tou megalou tēn peri tēn sarka diathesin, hōs enantiōs pros autēn eichen, kathaper andrapodon ti drapetikon aei tois ek tōn logismōn desmois periballōn, kai dia tēs akrotatēs kakopatheias te kai enkrateias, mastizōn te kai streblōn ton mastigian ekeinon doulon to sōma, hoion tis aparaitētos despotēs, oudemian anesin endidous tǭ desmōtę̄? Ton oun houtōs echonta peri tēn sarka, dia tēs sōmatikēs euergesias aposemnynein, tōn alogōtatōn an eiē. Pōs gar hypo toutou nyn timēthēsetai, hǭ para tēn zōēn epę̄schyneto? Omoiōs de kai tēs patridos hē mnēmē, tǭ peri tou genous synekballetai logǭ. Ho gar pantos hypertheis heauton tou kosmou, kai hoion stenochōroumenos en pasę̄ tę̄ aisthētę̄ tōn stoicheiōn physei, hōs mēde ton ouranon pherein heautou hyperkeimenon; all᾽ eis to epekeina iesthai tę̄ psychę̄, kai hyperkyptonta tēn aisthētēn tou kosmou periochēn aei tois noētois embateuein, kai symmeteōroporein tais theiais dynamesi, mēden tǭ sōmatikǭ epholkiǭ pros tēn tou nou poreian empodizomenos pote an dexaito merei tini tēs gēs heauton
For neither is Moses' tomb found, nor was this man buried under any material wealth; but as soon as he passed through life, everything by which human life is sustained passed along with him, so that no material monument of the man was found from the wealth of what he left behind, burying the better estimate of him. Just as the history says this of Moses, that his tomb has not been found to this day. If, then, the great Basil has been shown by our speech to be such that he is not far from the saints when set beside each of the great ones in his life, the sequence of the feasts rightly brings the present festival to him now. But it would be fitting to bring his memory forward through what was pleasing to him. So we must consider how to arrange the feast so as to celebrate it in a way pleasing to the saint. Will anyone look in his case for the showy and boastful manner of encomia: native land and family and upbringing by his parents and each of the pursuits of his life, with which he grew and came to his prime, and through which he became distinguished and admired among men? But the greatness of the good things seen in him pushes aside all this boastful grandiloquence, because what is attempted turns out the opposite, since there is no such power in words as could worthily reach the greatness of his wonders. So, lest the wonder be pulled down by the meanness of the speech, and the glory of him now in each person's mind be lessened through those who try to praise him, it would be better to increase the wonder in ourselves by silence than to diminish the praise through speech. For what could anyone say that would make him more dignified? Would he accept the so-called noble birth through flesh and blood? Who does not know the great man's disposition toward the flesh, how he was opposed to it, always throwing it, like a runaway slave, in the bonds of reasoning, and through the utmost hardship and self-control lashing and racking that slave deserving the whip, the body, like an inexorable master, giving the prisoner no relief? To try to dignify one so disposed toward the flesh by a bodily benefit would be most unreasonable. For how will he now be honoured by what he was ashamed of in life? Likewise the mention of his native land is thrown out along with the account of his family. For one who set himself above the whole world, and was as it were cramped in the whole perceptible nature of the elements, so as not to bear even the heaven lying above him, but went out in his soul to what is beyond, and, peering over the perceptible enclosure of the world, always entered on intelligible things and travelled aloft with the divine powers, in no way hindered in the mind's journey by the burden of the body, when would he accept to name himself
Deut 34:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Gal 1:16 (echo, low confidence) · 1 Cor 9:27 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Like Moses, Basil left no tomb of wealth; Gregory declines a conventional encomium of his family and homeland, since Basil despised the flesh and rose above the whole world.
- Allusions: Deut 34:6 (Moses' unknown tomb); Gal 1:16 (flesh and blood); 1 Cor 9:27 (disciplining the body).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR stray mark; OCR stray marks splitting a word): στοιχείων' → στοιχείων; ἐμποδ:- ζόμενος → ἐμποδιζόμενος.
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Bas. 813 (PG 46:813–814; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-in-basilium/813). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-in-basilium/813
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 815
815PG 46:815–816
ἐπονομάζειν, καὶ διὰ τῆς τοῦ τόπου εὐφυΐας ἑαυτῷ τοὺς ἐπαίνους συνερανίζεσθαι; Ὕβρις γὰρ ἂν εἴη καὶ τῶν ἀληθινῶν ἐπαίνων ἐλάττωσις, εἰ τῆς ἀρετῆς προκειμένης τῇ θεωρίᾳ, ὕδωρ, καὶ φύλλα, καὶ βῶλος, καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα θαυμάζοιτο. ῎Αλλως τε πᾶν ὁ μὴ προαιρέσεως γίνεται κτῆμα, κἂν ὅτι μάλιστα καλὸν ᾖ, οὐδεμίαν εὐφημίαν ἐκείνῳ φέρει, ᾧ κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ συνηνέχθη. Οὐκοῦν σιωπάσθω πατρὶς καὶ γένος, καὶ πᾶν τὸ τοιοῦτον, ὃ τῇ αὐτομάτῳ συντυχίᾳ τοῖς ἐπιτυχοῦσι συμφέρεται. Ἐκείνης δ' ἄν τις εἰκότως ἐπ᾿ αὐτοῦ μνησθείη πατρίδος τε καὶ εὐγενείας, ἢ διὰ προαιρέσεως τοῖς ἐσπουδακόσι προσγίνεται. Τις οὖν ἡ Βασιλείου εὐγένεια; Καὶ τίς ἡ πατρίς; Γένος μὲν αὐτῷ ἡ πρὸς τὸ Θεῖον οἰκείωσις· πατρὶς δὲ, ἡ ἀρετή. Ὁ γὰρ τὸν Θεὸν δεξάμενος, καθώς φησι τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον, ἐξουσίαν ἔχει τέκνον Θεοῦ γενέσθαι. Τί δὲ τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν συγγενείας εὐγενέστερον ἄν τις ἐπιζητήσειεν; Ὁ δὲ ἐν τῇ ἀρετῇ ὢν, καὶ ταύτην γεωργῶν, καὶ ἐκ ταύτης προσοδευόμενος, πατρίδα πάντως ἑαυτοῦ ποιεῖται τοῦτο ᾧ ἐμβιοτεύει. Σωφροσύνη ἦν αὐτῷ τὸ ἐφέστιον, σοφία τὸ κτῆμα δικαιοσύνη δὲ καὶ ἀλήθεια καὶ καθαρότης, τὰ λαμπρὰ καὶ περίβλεπτα τῶν οἰκοδομημάτων κάλλη· οἷς ἐνδιαιτώμενος ἐπηγάλλετο πλέον, ἢ ὅσον οἱ τοῖς μαρμαρίνοις τε καὶ χρυσοπάστοις οἴκοις ἐναβρυνόμενοι. Εἴ τις ἀπὸ τοιαύτης αὐτὸν ἐγκωμιάζοι πατρίδος, καὶ ἀπὸ τοιούτου σεμνύνοι γένους, ἀληθῆ τε λέξει, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν κεχαρισμένων αὐτῷ τοὺς ἐπαίνους ποιήσεται· γῆν δὲ, καὶ αἷμα, καὶ σάρκα, καὶ πλοῦτον, καὶ δυναστείας, καὶ τὰς ἐν τούτοις περιφανείας προσμαρτυρείτωσαν οἱ βουλόμενοι τοῖς τοῦ κόσμου φίλοις. Εἰ οὖν ἀχώρητον τῷ ἡμετέρῳ λόγῳ τὸ ἁρμόζον ἐκείνῳ ἐγκώμιον, παραιτητέον ἂν εἴη τὰς τοιαύτας σπουδὰς, καὶ παραγράφεσθαι τῶν ἐγκωμίων τὰς τέχνας. Πῶς οὖν τὴν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ μνήμην ἀγάγωμεν, ἴσως ἐρεῖ τις, εἰ μὴ μετ' ἐγκωμίων τοῦτο ποιήσομεν; Πῶς ὁ νόμος τῆς Γραφῆς πληρωθήσεται, ὅς φησι, τὴν μνήμην τῶν δικαίων μετ' ἐγκωμίων δεῖ γενέσθαι, εἰ τὸν μὲν διὰ τῶν ἀληθῶν ἐπαίνων τὸν λόγον προσάγειν ἐστὶν ἀμήχανον, τὸ ὡς διὰ τῶν κοινοτέρων ἐφύβριστον; ᾿Αλλ' ἔστιν ἴσως οὐκ ἀπορῆσαί τινος ἐπινοίας, ὡς μὴ πάντη τῶν ἡμετέρων αὐτὸν ἐπαίνων καταλειφθῆναι ἀγέραστον. Τίς οὖν ἐστιν ἡ ἐπίνοια; Τίς οὐκ οἶδεν, ὅτι πᾶς λόγος τῶν ἔργων διεζευγμένος, μάταιος καθ' ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀνυπόστατος; Ἡ δὲ τῶν ἔργων φύσις ἐν ὑποστάσει καὶ ἀληθείᾳ τὸ λεγόμενον δείκνυσιν. Οὐκοῦν προτιμότερος ἂν εἴη τοῦ λόγου ὁ διὰ τῶν ἔργων πληρούμενος ἔπαινος. Τοῦτο δὲ ἐστι τί; Τὸ διὰ τῆς μνήμης ἐκείνου τὸν βίον ἡμῖν γενέσθαι τῆς συν-
eponomazein, kai dia tēs tou topou euphyïas heautǭ tous epainous syneranizesthai? Hybris gar an eiē kai tōn alēthinōn epainōn elattōsis, ei tēs aretēs prokeimenēs tę̄ theōrią, hydōr, kai phylla, kai bōlos, kai ta toiauta thaumazoito. ᾿Allōs te pan ho mē proaireseōs ginetai ktēma, kan hoti malista kalon ę̄, oudemian euphēmian ekeinǭ pherei, hǭ kata to auto synēnechthē. Oukoun siōpasthō patris kai genos, kai pan to toiouton, ho tę̄ automatǭ syntychią tois epitychousi sympheretai. Ekeinēs d' an tis eikotōs ep᾿ autou mnēstheiē patridos te kai eugeneias, ē dia proaireseōs tois espoudakosi prosginetai. Tis oun hē Basileiou eugeneia? Kai tis hē patris? Genos men autǭ hē pros to Theion oikeiōsis; patris de, hē aretē. Ho gar ton Theon dexamenos, kathōs phēsi to Euangelion, exousian echei teknon Theou genesthai. Ti de tēs pros Theon syngeneias eugenesteron an tis epizētēseien? Ho de en tę̄ aretę̄ ōn, kai tautēn geōrgōn, kai ek tautēs prosodeuomenos, patrida pantōs heautou poieitai touto hǭ embioteuei. Sōphrosynē ēn autǭ to ephestion, sophia to ktēma dikaiosynē de kai alētheia kai katharotēs, ta lampra kai periblepta tōn oikodomēmatōn kallē; hois endiaitōmenos epēgalleto pleon, ē hoson hoi tois marmarinois te kai chrysopastois oikois enabrynomenoi. Ei tis apo toiautēs auton enkōmiazoi patridos, kai apo toioutou semnynoi genous, alēthē te lexei, kai apo tōn kecharismenōn autǭ tous epainous poiēsetai; gēn de, kai haima, kai sarka, kai plouton, kai dynasteias, kai tas en toutois periphaneias prosmartyreitōsan hoi boulomenoi tois tou kosmou philois. Ei oun achōrēton tǭ hēmeterǭ logǭ to harmozon ekeinǭ enkōmion, paraitēteon an eiē tas toiautas spoudas, kai paragraphesthai tōn enkōmiōn tas technas. Pōs oun tēn ep᾿ autǭ mnēmēn agagōmen, isōs erei tis, ei mē met' enkōmiōn touto poiēsomen? Pōs ho nomos tēs Graphēs plērōthēsetai, hos phēsi, tēn mnēmēn tōn dikaiōn met' enkōmiōn dei genesthai, ei ton men dia tōn alēthōn epainōn ton logon prosagein estin amēchanon, to hōs dia tōn koinoterōn ephybriston? ᾿All' estin isōs ouk aporēsai tinos epinoias, hōs mē pantē tōn hēmeterōn auton epainōn kataleiphthēnai ageraston. Tis oun estin hē epinoia? Tis ouk oiden, hoti pas logos tōn ergōn diezeugmenos, mataios kath' heauton kai anypostatos? Hē de tōn ergōn physis en hypostasei kai alētheią to legomenon deiknysin. Oukoun protimoteros an eiē tou logou ho dia tōn ergōn plēroumenos epainos. Touto de esti ti? To dia tēs mnēmēs ekeinou ton bion hēmin genesthai tēs syn-
after some part of the earth, and to collect praises for himself from the fine nature of a place? For it would be an insult and a lessening of true praises if, with virtue set before us for contemplation, water and leaves and a clod of earth and such things were admired. Besides, everything that is not a possession of free choice, however fine it may be, brings no praise to the one to whom it happened to fall. So let native land and family and everything of that kind which comes by chance to those it falls on be passed over in silence. But one might fittingly mention in his case that native land and noble birth which come by free choice to those who have striven for them. What, then, is Basil's noble birth? And what is his native land? His family is kinship with the Divine; his native land is virtue. For whoever has received God, as the Gospel says, has power to become a child of God. What nobler thing could one look for than kinship with God? And whoever is in virtue, cultivating it and drawing his income from it, surely makes his native land that in which he lives. Self-control was his hearth, wisdom his possession; and righteousness and truth and purity were the splendid and admired beauties of his buildings, living in which he exulted more than those who pride themselves on houses of marble and gold leaf. If anyone praises him from such a native land and dignifies him from such a family, he will both speak truly and make his praises from what was pleasing to him; but earth and blood and flesh and wealth and powers and the distinctions in these, let those who wish attribute to the friends of the world. If, then, the praise fitting to him cannot be contained by our speech, one should decline such efforts and rule out the arts of encomia. How then, someone may say, shall we keep his memory, if we do not do it with praises? How will the law of Scripture be fulfilled, which says the memory of the righteous must be with praises, if bringing the speech forward through true praises is impossible, and through more common ones insulting? But perhaps one need not be at a loss for some device, so as not to leave him wholly without the honour of our praise. What, then, is the device? Who does not know that every word separated from deeds is vain in itself and without substance? But the nature of deeds shows what is said in substance and truth. So praise fulfilled by deeds would be preferable to speech. And what is this? That through remembering him our life should become better than our
John 1:12 (allusion, high confidence) · Prov 10:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Jas 4:4 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil's true family is kinship with God and his homeland is virtue; since words cannot praise him fittingly, the best praise is to make our own lives better by remembering him.
- A displaced OCR line (“σμένων αὐτῷ τοὺς ἐπαίνους ποιήσεται· γῆν”) is restored to the word κεχαρι-σμένων, where the sense requires it, by logged corrections.
- Allusions: John 1:12; Prov 10:7 LXX (“the memory of the righteous is with praises”); Jas 4:4 (friends of the world).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (OCR letter error; OCR split word; displaced OCR line removed (restored above in its place); displaced OCR line restored to its place): προαι ρέσεως → προαιρέσεως; προσγίνετσι → προσγίνεται; ἀπὸ τῶν κεχαρι γῆν δὲ → ἀπὸ τῶν κεχαρισμένων αὐτῷ τοὺς ἐπαίνους ποιήσεται· γῆν δὲ; δείκνυσιν. σμένων αὐτῷ τοὺς ἐπαίνους ποιήσεται· γῆν Οὐκοῦν → δείκνυσιν. Οὐκοῦν.
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Bas. 815 (PG 46:815–816; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-in-basilium/815). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-in-basilium/815
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.
Chapter 817
817PG 46:817–818
ηθείας βελτίονα. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ δακτυλίου σφενδόνης, καλλίστης τινὸς ἐν γλυφίδι προφαινομένης μορφῆς, ὁ ἐντυπωθεὶς τῇ σφραγίδι κηρὸς εἰς ἑαυτὸν τὸ ἐγκείμενον τῇ γλυφίδι κάλλος μετήνεγκεν, ὅλον τὸν χαρακτῆρα τῆς σφραγίδος ἰδίοις τύποις ἀναμαξάμενος· καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις οὕτω διὰ τοῦ λόγου τὴν εὐδιάθετον τῆς γλυφῆς ὥραν εἰς ὑπογραφὴν ἀγάγοι, ὡς ἐπὶ τοῦ κηροῦ δεικνύων μεμορφωμένων τὸ κάλλος τὸν αὐτὸν τρόπον, εἰ ὁ μὲν λόγῳ ψιλῷ τοῦ διδασκάλου τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀποσεμνύνοι, ἕτερος δὲ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ βίον καλλωπίζοι, διὰ τῆς πρὸς ἐκεῖνον μιμήσεως ἐνεργότερος ἂν εἴη τοῦ ὑψηλοῦ λόγου, ὁ διὰ τοῦ βίου πληρούμενος ἔπαινος. Οὕτως οὖν, ἀδελφοὶ, καὶ ἡμεῖς μιμησάμενοι τῇ σωφροσύνῃ τὸν σώφρονα, οἷς ποιοῦμεν, κατ' ἀξίαν τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐπαινέσωμεν, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα ὡσαύτως τὸ θαῦμα τοῦ σοφοῦ ἐν τῇ μετουσίᾳ τῆς σοφίας πληρούσθω· ὁ τῆς ἀκτημοσύνης ἔπαινος, ἐν τῷ καὶ ἡμᾶς γενέσθαι τῆς ὑλικῆς περιουσίας ἀκτήμονας· ἡ ὑπεροψία τοῦ κόσμου τούτου μὴ λεγέσθω μόνον, ὅτι ἐστί τις ἐπαινετὴ καὶ ἐπίδοξος· ἀλλὰ μάρτυς τῆς ὑπεροψίας τῶν κατὰ τὸν κόσμον σπουδαζομένων ὁ βίος ἔστω. Μὴ λέγε μόνον ὅτι τῷ Θεῷ ἐκεῖνος ἀνέκειτο, ἀλλὰ ἀνάθες καὶ σὺ σεαυτὸν τῷ Θεῷ· μήθ' ὅτι μόνον ἦν αὐτῷ κτῆμα ἡ ἐλπιζομένη ἀνάπαυσις, ἀλλὰ καὶ σὺ θησαύρισον σεαυτῷ τοῦτον τὸν πλοῦτον ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνος· ἔξεστι γάρ· μετέθηκεν ἐκεῖνος ἀπὸ γῆς εἰς οὐρανὸν τὸ πολίτευμα, μετάθες καὶ σύ. Τοῖς ἀσύλοις τοῦ οὐρανοῦ θησαυροφυλακείοις τὸν ἴδιον ἐναπέθετο πλοῦτον· μίμησαι διὰ τούτων καὶ σὺ τὸν διδάσκαλον. Κατηρτισμένος γὰρ ἔσται μαθητὴς ὡς ὁ διδάσκαλος αὐτοῦ. Καὶ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς λοιποῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασιν, ὁ ἰατρῷ μαθητεύσας, ἢ γεωμέτρῃ, ἢ ῥήτορι, ἀναξιόπιστος ἐπαινέτης τῆς τοῦ διδασκάλου τέχνης γενήσεται, εἰ τῷ μὲν λόγῳ θαυμάζοι τοῦ καθηγητοῦ τὴν ἐπιστήμην, ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ δὲ δεικνύοι μηδὲν τοῦ θαύματος ἄξιον. Ἐρεῖ γάρ τις πρὸς αὐτόν· Πῶς λέγεις ἰατρὸν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ διδάσκαλον, αὐτὸς ἀνιάτρευτος ὧν; Ἢ πῶς μαθητὴν σεαυτὸν τῷ γεωμέτρῃ λέγεις, ἀπείρως τῆς γεωμετρίας ἔχων; ᾿Αλλ' εἴ τις ἐν ἑαυτῷ δείκνυσι τὴν τέχνην ᾗ ἐμαθήτευσε, σεμνύνει τῇ καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἐπιστήμῃ τὸν τῆς τέχνης, καθηγησάμενον. Οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς οἱ Βασίλειον αὐχοῦντες διδάσκαλον, τῷ βίῳ δείξωμεν τὴν μαθητείαν, ἐκεῖνο γινόμενοι, ὅπερ αὐτὸν ὀνομαστόν τε καὶ μέγαν Θεῷ καὶ ἀνθρώποις ἐποίησεν, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν
ētheias beltiona. Kathaper gar epi daktyliou sphendonēs, kallistēs tinos en glyphidi prophainomenēs morphēs, ho entypōtheis tę̄ sphragidi kēros eis heauton to enkeimenon tę̄ glyphidi kallos metēnenken, holon ton charaktēra tēs sphragidos idiois typois anamaxamenos; kai ouk an tis houtō dia tou logou tēn eudiatheton tēs glyphēs hōran eis hypographēn agagoi, hōs epi tou kērou deiknyōn memorphōmenōn to kallos ton auton tropon, ei ho men logǭ psilǭ tou didaskalou tēn aretēn aposemnynoi, heteros de ton heautou bion kallōpizoi, dia tēs pros ekeinon mimēseōs energoteros an eiē tou hypsēlou logou, ho dia tou biou plēroumenos epainos. Houtōs oun, adelphoi, kai hēmeis mimēsamenoi tę̄ sōphrosynę̄ ton sōphrona, hois poioumen, kat' axian tēn aretēn epainesōmen, kai ta alla panta hōsautōs to thauma tou sophou en tę̄ metousią tēs sophias plērousthō; ho tēs aktēmosynēs epainos, en tǭ kai hēmas genesthai tēs hylikēs periousias aktēmonas; hē hyperopsia tou kosmou toutou mē legesthō monon, hoti esti tis epainetē kai epidoxos; alla martys tēs hyperopsias tōn kata ton kosmon spoudazomenōn ho bios estō. Mē lege monon hoti tǭ Theǭ ekeinos anekeito, alla anathes kai sy seauton tǭ Theǭ; mēth' hoti monon ēn autǭ ktēma hē elpizomenē anapausis, alla kai sy thēsaurison seautǭ touton ton plouton hōsper ekeinos; exesti gar; metethēken ekeinos apo gēs eis ouranon to politeuma, metathes kai sy. Tois asylois tou ouranou thēsaurophylakeiois ton idion enapetheto plouton; mimēsai dia toutōn kai sy ton didaskalon. Katērtismenos gar estai mathētēs hōs ho didaskalos autou. Kai gar en tois loipois epitēdeumasin, ho iatrǭ mathēteusas, ē geōmetrę̄, ē rhētori, anaxiopistos epainetēs tēs tou didaskalou technēs genēsetai, ei tǭ men logǭ thaumazoi tou kathēgētou tēn epistēmēn, eph᾽ heautou de deiknyoi mēden tou thaumatos axion. Erei gar tis pros auton; Pōs legeis iatron ton heautou didaskalon, autos aniatreutos hōn? Ē pōs mathētēn seauton tǭ geōmetrę̄ legeis, apeirōs tēs geōmetrias echōn? ᾿All' ei tis en heautǭ deiknysi tēn technēn hę̄ emathēteuse, semnynei tę̄ kath' heauton epistēmę̄ ton tēs technēs, kathēgēsamenon. Houtōs kai hēmeis hoi Basileion auchountes didaskalon, tǭ biǭ deixōmen tēn mathēteian, ekeino ginomenoi, hoper auton onomaston te kai megan Theǭ kai anthrōpois epoiēsen, en Christǭ Iēsou tǭ Kyriǭ hēmōn, hǭ hē doxa kai to kratos, eis tous aiōnas tōn
usual one. For just as with the bezel of a ring, when a very beautiful figure appears in the engraving, the wax impressed by the seal transfers to itself the beauty in the engraving, taking off the whole stamp of the seal in its own impression; and no one could describe in words the well-composed beauty of the engraving as well as by showing the beauty formed on the wax; in the same way, if one man dignifies the teacher's virtue with bare words, while another adorns his own life by imitating him, the praise fulfilled through life would be more effective than lofty speech. So, brothers, let us too, imitating the self-controlled man in self-control, praise his virtue worthily by what we do; and in all other things likewise let the wonder of the wise man be fulfilled in sharing his wisdom. Let the praise of his poverty be in our too becoming without material possessions; let contempt for this world not only be spoken of as something praiseworthy and glorious, but let our life be the witness of contempt for the things pursued in the world. Do not say only that he was devoted to God, but devote yourself to God too; nor only that his one possession was the rest hoped for, but treasure up this wealth for yourself as he did; for you may. He moved his citizenship from earth to heaven; move yours too. He deposited his wealth in the inviolable treasuries of heaven; imitate the teacher in these things too. For the disciple will be perfected as his teacher. In other pursuits too, one who has studied under a physician or a geometer or an orator will be an untrustworthy praiser of his teacher's art if he admires his master's knowledge in words but shows in himself nothing worthy of admiration. For someone will say to him: “How can you call your teacher a physician when you yourself are uncured? Or how can you call yourself a disciple of the geometer when you have no experience of geometry?” But if anyone shows in himself the art he studied, he does honour by his own knowledge to the one who led him in the art. So let us too, who boast of Basil as our teacher, show our discipleship by our life, becoming what made him famous and great before God and men, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and power to the ages of the ages.
Phil 3:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 6:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 6:40 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: As wax takes the seal's image, true praise of Basil is to imitate him in self-control, poverty, devotion to God, and heavenly citizenship; disciples honour their teacher by showing his art in themselves.
- Allusions: Phil 3:20 (citizenship in heaven); Matt 6:20 (treasures in heaven); Luke 6:40 (“the disciple will be perfected as his teacher”). The scan text ends in “τῶν”; the doxology is translated as the sense completes it.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Bas. 817 (PG 46:817–818; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-in-basilium/817). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-in-basilium/817
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-in-basilium-817) · Report an error
Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 46 (Bavarian State Library OCR); compared afterwards with FOTC 58 (private check) where it exists, otherwise re-read against the Greek.