Life of Macrina 1–5
Greek text: PG 46 (OCR by the Internet Archive; lines extracted for this site).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 1
1PG 46
Τὸ μὲν εἶδος τοῦ βιδλίου, ὅσον ἐν τῷ τῆς προγραφῆς τύπῳ, ἐπιστολὴ εἶναι δοκεῖ· τὸ δὲ πλῆθος ὑπὲρ τὸν ἐπιστολιμαῖον ὄρον ἐστὶν, εἰς συγγραφιχὴν χρηγορίαν παρατεινόμενον· ἀλλ᾽ ἀπολογεῖται ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἡ σύνθεσις, ἧς ἕνεκεν γράψαι παρεχελεύσω, πλείων οὖσα, ἣ κατ᾽ ἐπιστολῆς συμμετρίαν. Πάντως δὲ οὐκ ἀμνημονεῖς τῆς συντυχίας, ὅτε κατ᾽ εὐχὴν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις ἐπιφοιτᾷν μέλλων, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ τὰ σημεῖα τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου διὰ σαρκὸς ἐπιδημίας ἐν τοῖς τύποις ἰδεῖν, συνέδραμόν σοι, κατὰ τὴν ᾿Αντιόχου πόλιν, καὶ πᾶντοίων ἀναχινουμένων ἡμῖν λόγων· οὐδὲ γὰρ εἰκὸς ἣν ἐν σιωπῇ τὴν συντυχίαν εἶναι’ πολλὰς τῷ λόγῳ τὰς ἀφορμὰς τῆς σῆς συνέσεως ἐπιθαλλούσης. Οἷα ὃξ φιλεῖ πολλάκις ἐν τούτοις γίνεσθαι, εἰς μνῆΒ μὴν βίου τινὸς εὐδοκίμου προῆλθε ῥέων ὁ λόγος γυνὴ δὲ ἦν ἢ τοῦ διηγήματος ἀφορμή· εἴπερ γυνή ᾿ οὐκ οἷδα γὰρ εἰ πρέπον ἐστὶν ἐκ τῆς φύσεως αὑτὴν ὀνομάζειν, τὴν ἄνω γενομένην τῆς φύσεως, Τὸ δὲ διήγημα ἡμῖν οὐκ ἐξ ἀκοῆς ἑτέρων διηγημάτων τὸ πιστὸν εἶχεν· ἀλλ᾽ ὧν ἡ πεῖρα διδάσκαλος ἦν, ταῦτα δι᾿ ἀχριθείας ἐπεξήει ὁ λόγος, εἰς οὐδὲν ἀκοὴν ἀλλοπτρίαν ἐπιμαρτυρούμενος. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ξένη τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν ἡ μνημονευθεῖσα παρθένος, ὡς ἀνάγκην εἶναι δι᾿ ἑτέρων γινώσκειν τὰ κατʼ ἐκείνην θαύματα, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῶν αὑτῶν ἡμῖν γονέων, ὥσπερ τις ἀπαρχὴ καρπῶν, πρώτη τῆς μητρῴας νηδύος ἀναθλαστήσασα, Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐδοκίμασας φέρειν τι κέρδος τὴν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἱστορίαν ὡς ἂν μὴ λάθοι τὸν κατὰ ταῦτα χρόνον ὁ τοιοῦτος βίος, μηδὲ ἀνωφελὴς παραδράμοι διὰ σιωπῆς συγχαλυφθεῖσα ἡ πρὸς τὸν ἀκρότατον τῇς ἀνθρωπίνης ἀρετῆς ὄρον ἑαυτὴν διὰ φιλοσοφίας ἐπἀρασα, καλῶς ἂν ἔχειν ᾧῳήθην, σοί τε πεισῦτιναι, καὶ δι᾽ ὀλίγων, ὡς ἂν οἷός τε ὦ, τὰ κατ᾽ αὐτὴν ἱστορῆσαι, -Ξ καὶ ἁπλῷ διηγήματι. Μαχρίνα ἣν ὄνομα τῇ παρθένῳ εὐδόκιμος δέ τις πάλαι κατὰ τὸ γένος ἣν ἡ Μαχρίνα, μήτηρ τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν γεγενημένη, ταῖς ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ ὁμολογίαις τῷ καιρῷ τῶν διωγμῶν ἐναθλήσασα, ἣ ἐπωνομάσθη παρὰ τῶν γονέων ἡ παῖς. ᾿Αλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν ἣν ἐν φανερῷ τὸ ὄνομα, τὸ παρὰ τῶν γινωσκόντων ὀνομαξόμενον. Ἕτερον δὲ κατὰ τὸ λεληθὸς αὐτῇ ἐπεκέκλητο᾽ ὃ πρὶν ἐλθεῖν διὰ τῶν ὠδίνων εἰς φῶς, ἔκ τινος ἐπιφανείας ἐπωνομάσθη - ἦν γὰρ δὴ τοιαύτη, κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν καὶ ἡ μήτηρ, ὡς πανταχοῦ τῷ θείῳ βουλήματι χειραγω. - διαφερόντως δὲ τὴν καθαράν τε καὶ ἀχηλίτὸν τοῦ βίου διαγωγὴν ἡσπασμένη, ὡς μηδὲ τὸν γάμον ἑκουσίως ἑλέσθαι. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ὀρφανὴ μὲν ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων ἣν· ὑπερήνθει δὲ τῇ ὥρᾳ τοῦ σώματος· καὶ πολλοὺς ἡ φήμη τῆς εὐμορφίας πρὸς τὴν μνηστείαν συνήγειρε· κίνδυνος δὲ ἦν, εἰ μὴ κατὰ ἑκούσιόν τινι συναρμοσθείη, παθεῖν τι τῶν ἀδουλήτων ἐπηρείας, πρὸς ἁρπαγὰς παρεσχενασμένων τῶν ἐπι- Ὦ μεμηνότων τῷ χάλλετιʼ διὰ τοῦτο ἑλομένη τὸν ἐπὶ σεμνότῆτι βίου γνωριζόμενόν τε καὶ μαρτυρούμενον, ὥστε φύλακα κτήσασθαι τῆς ἰδίας ζωῆς, εὐθὺς ἐν ταῖς πρώταις ὠδῖσι, ταύτης γίνεται μήτηρ᾽ καὶ ἐπειδὴ παρῆν ὁ καιρὸς, καθ᾽ ὃν ἔδες λυθῆναι τὴν ὠδῖνα τῷ τόκῳ, εἰς ὕπνον τραπεῖσα, φέρειν ἐδόκει διὰ χειρὸς τὸ ὥς τι ὑπὸ τῶν σπλάγχνων περιεχόμενον· καί τινα ἐν εἴδει καὶ σχήματι μεγαλοπρεπεστέρῳ, ἣ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ἐπιφανέντα, προσειπεῖν τὴν βασταζομένην ἐκ τοῦ ὀνόματος θέχλην - Θέχλης ἐκείνης, ἧς πολὺς ἐν ταῖς παρθένοις ὁ λόγος. Ποιήσαντα δὲ τοῦτο καὶ μαρτυρούμενον εἰς τρὶς, μεταστῆναι: τῶν ὄψεων, καὶ δοῦναι τῇ ὠδῖνι τὴν εὐκολίαν, ὡς ὁμοῦ τε τοῦ ὕπνου αὐτὴν διαστῆναι, καὶ τὸ ἐνύπνιον ὕπαρ ἰδεῖν. Τὸ μὲν οὖν ὄνομα τὸ κεκρυμμένον ἐκεῖνο ἦν. Δοχεῖζ δέ μοι μὴ οσοῦτον πρὸς τὴν ὀνομαστιχὴν κλῆσιν ὁδηγῶν τὴν γειναμένην ὁ ἐπιφανεὶς τοῦτο προφθέγξασθαι· ἀλλὰ τὸν βίον προειπεῖν τῆς νέας, καὶ τὴν τῆς προχιρέσεως ὁμοιότητα διὰ τῆς ὁμωνυμίας ἐπιδείξασθαι.
To men eidos tou bidliou, hoson en tǭ tēs prographēs typǭ, epistolē einai dokei; to de plēthos hyper ton epistolimaion oron estin, eis syngraphichēn chrēgorian parateinomenon; all᾽ apologeitai hyper hēmōn hē synthesis, hēs heneken grapsai parecheleusō, pleiōn ousa, hē kat᾽ epistolēs symmetrian. Pantōs de ouk amnēmoneis tēs syntychias, hote kat᾽ euchēn en Hierosolymois epiphoitąn mellōn, eph᾽ hǭ ta sēmeia tēs tou Kyriou dia sarkos epidēmias en tois typois idein, synedramon soi, kata tēn ᾿Antiochou polin, kai pantoiōn anachinoumenōn hēmin logōn; oude gar eikos hēn en siōpę̄ tēn syntychian einai’ pollas tǭ logǭ tas aphormas tēs sēs syneseōs epithallousēs. Hoia hox philei pollakis en toutois ginesthai, eis mnēB mēn biou tinos eudokimou proēlthe rheōn ho logos gynē de ēn ē tou diēgēmatos aphormē; eiper gynē ᾿ ouk hoida gar ei prepon estin ek tēs physeōs hautēn onomazein, tēn anō genomenēn tēs physeōs, To de diēgēma hēmin ouk ex akoēs heterōn diēgēmatōn to piston eichen; all᾽ hōn hē peira didaskalos ēn, tauta di᾿ achritheias epexēei ho logos, eis ouden akoēn alloptrian epimartyroumenos. Oude gar xenē tou genous hēmōn hē mnēmoneutheisa parthenos, hōs anankēn einai di᾿ heterōn ginōskein ta katʼ ekeinēn thaumata, all᾽ ek tōn hautōn hēmin goneōn, hōsper tis aparchē karpōn, prōtē tēs mētrǭas nēdyos anathlastēsasa, Epei oun edokimasas pherein ti kerdos tēn tōn agathōn historian hōs an mē lathoi ton kata tauta chronon ho toioutos bios, mēde anōphelēs paradramoi dia siōpēs synchalyphtheisa hē pros ton akrotaton tę̄s anthrōpinēs aretēs oron heautēn dia philosophias eparasa, kalōs an echein hǭǭēthēn, soi te peisytinai, kai di᾽ oligōn, hōs an hoios te ō, ta kat᾽ autēn historēsai, -X kai haplǭ diēgēmati. Machrina hēn onoma tę̄ parthenǭ eudokimos de tis palai kata to genos hēn hē Machrina, mētēr tou patros hēmōn gegenēmenē, tais hyper Christou homologiais tǭ kairǭ tōn diōgmōn enathlēsasa, hē epōnomasthē para tōn goneōn hē pais. ᾿Alla touto men hēn en phanerǭ to onoma, to para tōn ginōskontōn onomaxomenon. Heteron de kata to lelēthos autę̄ epekeklēto᾽ ho prin elthein dia tōn ōdinōn eis phōs, ek tinos epiphaneias epōnomasthē - ēn gar dē toiautē, kat᾽ aretēn kai hē mētēr, hōs pantachou tǭ theiǭ boulēmati cheiragō. - diapherontōs de tēn katharan te kai achēliton tou biou diagōgēn hēspasmenē, hōs mēde ton gamon hekousiōs helesthai. ᾿All᾽ epeidē orphanē men ex amphoterōn hēn; hyperēnthei de tę̄ hōrą tou sōmatos; kai pollous hē phēmē tēs eumorphias pros tēn mnēsteian synēgeire; kindynos de ēn, ei mē kata hekousion tini synarmostheiē, pathein ti tōn adoulētōn epēreias, pros harpagas pareschenasmenōn tōn epi- Ō memēnotōn tǭ challetiʼ dia touto helomenē ton epi semnotēti biou gnōrizomenon te kai martyroumenon, hōste phylaka ktēsasthai tēs idias zōēs, euthys en tais prōtais ōdisi, tautēs ginetai mētēr᾽ kai epeidē parēn ho kairos, kath᾽ hon edes lythēnai tēn ōdina tǭ tokǭ, eis hypnon trapeisa, pherein edokei dia cheiros to hōs ti hypo tōn splanchnōn periechomenon; kai tina en eidei kai schēmati megaloprepesterǭ, hē kata anthrōpon epiphanenta, proseipein tēn bastazomenēn ek tou onomatos thechlēn - Thechlēs ekeinēs, hēs polys en tais parthenois ho logos. Poiēsanta de touto kai martyroumenon eis tris, metastēnai: tōn opseōn, kai dounai tę̄ ōdini tēn eukolian, hōs homou te tou hypnou autēn diastēnai, kai to enypnion hypar idein. To men oun onoma to kekrymmenon ekeino ēn. Docheiz de moi mē osouton pros tēn onomastichēn klēsin hodēgōn tēn geinamenēn ho epiphaneis touto prophthenxasthai; alla ton bion proeipein tēs neas, kai tēn tēs prochireseōs homoiotēta dia tēs homōnymias epideixasthai.
The form of this book, as far as the shape of its heading goes, seems to be a letter; but its length is beyond the measure of a letter, stretching out to the extent of a treatise. Yet the subject on which you bade me write is our defence, being greater than fits the proportions of a letter. You surely remember our meeting, when I was about to travel to Jerusalem in fulfilment of a vow, to see the signs of the Lord's sojourn in the flesh in the very places, and I met you in the city of Antioch; and all kinds of conversation were stirred up between us (for it was not likely that our meeting should be spent in silence, since your intelligence supplied the conversation with many starting points). As often happens in such talk, the conversation flowed on to the memory of a life held in honour. A woman was the occasion of the account; if indeed she was a woman, for I do not know whether it is fitting to name her from her nature, she who came to be above nature. The account did not rest its trustworthiness on what we had heard from others' accounts, but the conversation went through with exactness the things of which experience was the teacher, calling on no outside hearsay as witness for anything. For the virgin we mentioned was no stranger to our family, so that one would need to learn her wonders through others; she was born of the same parents as we, like a first-fruit of the crop, the first to spring up from our mother's womb. Since, then, you judged that the history of good things brings some gain, so that such a life should not be forgotten in later times, nor should she who raised herself by philosophy to the highest limit of human virtue pass by without profit, covered in silence, I thought it well both to obey you and to relate in a few words, as far as I can, what concerns her, in an artless and simple narrative.
The virgin's name was Macrina. There was a Macrina long ago in the family, held in honour, who had been our father's mother, who had contended in the confessions for Christ in the time of the persecutions; after her the child was named by her parents. But this was the name in public, by which she was called by those who knew her. Another name had been given her in secret, which, before she came to the light through the birth pangs, was given her through a vision. For her mother too was such in virtue that she was led by the hand by the divine will in everything, and especially had embraced the pure and spotless conduct of life, so that she did not choose marriage willingly. But since she was an orphan of both parents and was in the full bloom of bodily beauty, and the fame of her good looks gathered many suitors, and there was a danger that, unless she was joined to someone of her own will, she would suffer some unwelcome outrage from those who were mad for her beauty and ready to carry her off, for this reason she chose a man known and attested for the dignity of his life, so as to gain a guardian of her own life; and at her first labour she becomes mother of this child. When the time had come for the pangs to be released in childbirth, she fell asleep and seemed to be carrying in her hand what was still held in her womb; and a person in a form and appearance more majestic than human appeared and addressed the child she was carrying by the name Thecla, that Thecla who is much spoken of among virgins. Having done this and testified to it three times, he departed from her sight and gave her ease in her labour, so that at the same moment she awoke from sleep and saw the dream fulfilled in waking reality. This, then, was the hidden name. It seems to me that the one who appeared uttered it not so much to guide the mother in the choice of a name, as to foretell the young girl's life and to show by the sameness of name the likeness of her choice.
Notes and citation
Summary: Gregory explains that he writes at a friend's request after their meeting in Antioch, and tells of Macrina's grandmother, her mother's reluctant marriage, and the vision that gave the child the secret name Thecla.
- Key terms: φιλοσοφία "philosophy" (the ascetic life), ἀρετή "virtue", ἡ Μεγάλη "the Great One" (Gregory's title for Macrina). The addressee is unnamed in the text (traditionally the monk Olympius). Gregory's journey to Jerusalem and meeting at Antioch are dated after 379. Thecla is the virgin of the Acts of Paul and Thecla.
- Compared afterwards with the Fathers of the Church translation (FOTC 58), privately, for errors only.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin-column text leaked into the line): οχ ποῦ ριίοπο ὁρι- α Τὸ μὲν → Τὸ μὲν.
Extrabiblical texts: Acts Paul (Acts of Paul; allusion)
Topics: Persecution, Marriage
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Macr. 1 (PG 46; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/1
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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).
Chapter 2
2PG 46
᾿Τρέφεται τοίνυν τὸ παιδίον· οὔσης μὲν αὐτῷ καὶ τιθήνης ἰδίας, τὰ δὲ πολλὰ τῆς μητρὸς ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ ταῖς ἰδίαις τιθηνουμένης. Ὑπερθᾶσα δὲ τὴν τῶν νηπίων ἡλικίαν, εὐμαθὴς ἣν τῶν παιδικῶν μαθημάτῶν· καὶ πρὸς ὅπερ ἂν ἡ τῶν γονέων κρίσις ἦγε μάθημα, κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο ἡ φύσις τῆς νέας διέλαμπεν. Ἦν δὲ τῇ μητρὶ σπουδὴ, παιδεῦσαι μὲν τὴν παῖδα· μὲν τοι τὴν ἔξωθεν ταύτην καὶ ἐγκύκλιον παίδευσιν, ἣν, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ, διὰ τῶν ποιημάτων αἱ πρῶται τῶν παιδενομένων ἡλικίαι διδάσκονται. Αἰσχρὸν γὰρ ᾧετο, καὶ παντάπασιν ἀπρεπὲς, ἣ τὰ τραγικὰ πάθη, ὅσα ἐκ γυναικῶν τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ὑποθέσεις τοῖς ποιηταῖς ἔδωκαν, ἣ τὰς χωμῳδιχὰς ἀσχημοσύνας, ἀπαλὴν καὶ εὔπλαστον φύσιν μένην τρόπον τινὰ τοῖς ἀσεμνοτέροις περὶ τῶν γυναικείων διηγήμασιν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅσα τῆς θεοπνεύστου Γραφῆς ἀληπτότερα ταῖς πρώταις ἡλικίαις δοκεῖ, ταῦτα ἣν τῇ παιδὶ τὰ μαθήματα, καὶ μάλιστα ἡ τοῦ Σολομῶντος Σοφία· καὶ ταύτης πλέον, ὅτα πρὸς τὸν ἣθιχὺν ἡμῶν ἔφερε βίον. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ τῆς ψαλμῳδουμένης Γραφῆς οὐδ᾽ ὁτιοῦν ἠγνόει· καιροῖς ἰδίοις ἕκαστον μέρος τῆς ψαλμῳδίας διεξιοῦσα· τῆς τε κοίτης διανισταμένη, καὶ τῶν σπουδαίων ἁπτομένη τε καὶ ἀνακαὶ πρισιεμένη τροφὴν, καὶ βδιυάϊὰ δουϑάθγοι, εἶνε τραπέζης, καὶ ἐπὶ κοίτην ἰοῦσα, καὶ εἰς προσευχὰς διανισταμένη, πανταχοῦ τὴν Ῥαλμῳδίαν εἶχεν, οἷόν τινα σύνοδον ἀγαθὴν μηδενὸς ἀπολιμπανομένην χρόἐπικόπτει τὰς χρηστοτέρας ἐλπίδας, ἀναρπάσας αὐτὸν Τούτοις συναυξανομένη καὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις ἐπιτηδεύμασι, καὶ τὴν χεῖρα πρὸς τὴν ἐρουργίαν διαφερόντως ἀσχήσασα, πρόεισιν εἰς δωδέκατον ἔτος· μάλιστα τὸ τῆς νεότητος ἄνθος ἐκλάμπειν ἄρχεται. Ἔνθα δὴ καὶ θαυμάζειν ἄξιον, ὅπως οὐδὲ κεκρυμμένον τὸ κάλλος τῇς νέας ἐλάνθανεν. Οὐδέ τι κατὰ τὴν πατρίδα πᾶσαν ἐκείνην τοιοῦτον θαῦμα ἐδόκει, οἷον ἐν συγκρίσει τοῦ κάλλους ἐκείνου καὶ τῆς εὐμοροίας εἶναι· ὡς μηδὲ ζωγράφων χεῖρας ἐφικέσθαι δυνηθῆΒ ναι τῆς ὥρας· ἀλλὰ τὴν πάντα μηχανωμένην τέχνην, καὶ τοῖς μεγίστοις ἐπιτολμῶσαν, ὡς καὶ αὑτῶν τῶν στοιχείων τὰς εἰκόνας διὰ τῆς μιμήσεως ἀνατυποῦσθαι, τὴν τῆς μορφῆς ἐκείνης εὐκληρίαν μὴ ἰσχῦσαι δι᾿ ἀχριδείας μιμήσασθαι. Τούτου χάριν πολὺς ἐσμὸς τῶν μνηστευόντων τὸν γάμον αὐτῆς τοῖς γονεῦσι περιεκεῖτο. Ὁ ὃὲ πατὴρ (ἣν γὰρ δὴ σώφρων καὶ κρίνειν τὸ καλὸν ἐπεσχεμμένυς) εὐδόκιμόν τινα τῶν ἐκ γένους γνώριμον ἐπὶ σωφροσύνῃ, ἄρτι τῶν πα:τῶν λοιπῶν ἀποχρίνας, ἐχείχατεγγυᾶσθαι ἐγνώκει τὴν παῖδα, εἴπερ εἰς ἡλικίαν ἔλθοι. Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ ὁ μὲν ἐν ἐλπίσιν ἣν ταῖς καὶ καθάπερ τι τῶν χεχαρισμένων ἕδνων, τὴν διὰ τῶν λόγων εὐδοκίμησιν προσῆγε τῷ πατρὶ τῆς νέας, ἐν τοῖς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδικουμένων ἀγῶσι τὴν τῶν λόγων ἐπιδεικνύμενος δύναμιν. Ὁ δὲ φθόνος ἐκ τῆς ζωῆς ἐν ἐλεεινῇ τῇ νεότητι. Οὐκ ἡγνόει δὲ τὰ τῷ πατρὶ δεδογμένα ἧ κόρη. Αλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ τῷ θανάτῳ τοῦ νεανίου τὸ κεκριμένον ἐ π᾿ αὑτῇ διεχόπη· γάμον ὀνομάσασα τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς κρίσιν, ὡς γεγενημένου τοῦ κεκριμένου, μένειν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῆς τὸ λοιπὸν ἠξίου. Καὶ ἦν ἡ κρίσις τῆς ἡλικίας παγιωτέρα. Πολλάκις γὰρ αὐτῇ τοὺς περὶ τῶν γάμων προσαγαγόντων λόγους τῶν γεννησαμένων, διὰ τὸ πολλοὺς εἶναι τοὺς κατὰ φήμην τοῦ χάλλου; μνηστεύειν ἐθέλοντας, ἄτοπον εἶναι ἔλεγε καὶ παράνομὸν, μὴ στέργειν τὸν ἅπαξ ἐκ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτῇ χυρωθέντα γάμον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς ἕτερον ἀναγκάζεσθαι βλέπειν· ἑνὸς ὄντος ἐν τῇ φύσε: τοῦ γάμου, ὡς υἱα γένεσις, καὶ θάνατος εἷς τὸν δὲ συναρμοσθέντα Ὠ κατὰ τὴν τῶν γονέων κρίσιν μὴ τεθνάναι δ:ισχυρί: ζετο, ἀλλὰ τὸν τῷ Θεῷ ζῶντα, διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα τῇς ἀναστάσεως, ἐπόδημον κρίνειν, καὶ οὐ νεκρόν· ἄτοπον δὲ εἶναι τῷ ἐχδημοῦντι νυμφίῳ μὴ φυλάσσειν τὴν πίστιν. Τοῖ; τοιούτοις λόγοις ἀπωθουμένη τοὺς παραπείθειν ἐπιχειροῦντας, ἐν ἐδοκίμασεν ἑαυτῇ τῆς ἀγαθῆς κρίσεως φυλακτήριον, τὸ μηδέποτε τῆς ἰδίας μητρὸς, μηδὲ ἐν ἀκαρεῖ τοῦ χρόνου διαζευχθζιναιὡς πολλάκις τὴν μητέρα πρὸς αὐτὴν εἰπεῖν, ὅτι τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν τέκνων τεταγμένῳ τινὶ χρόνῳ ἐχυοφόρησεν, ἐκείνην δὲ διαπαντὸς φέρε! πάντοτε τρόπον κινὰ τοῖς σπλάγχνοις ἑαυτῆς περιέχουσα. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐκ ἣν ἐπίπονος, οὐδὲ ἀκερδὴς τῇ μετρὶ τῆς θυγατρὸς ἡ συυδιαγωγή. ᾿Αντὶ γὰρ πολλῶν αὐτῇ, θεραπαινίδων ἣν ἢ παρὰ τῆς θυγατρὸς θεραπεία· καὶ ἣν ἀντίδησίς τις;
᾿Trephetai toinyn to paidion; ousēs men autǭ kai tithēnēs idias, ta de polla tēs mētros en tais chersi tais idiais tithēnoumenēs. Hyperthasa de tēn tōn nēpiōn hēlikian, eumathēs hēn tōn paidikōn mathēmatōn; kai pros hoper an hē tōn goneōn krisis ēge mathēma, kat᾽ ekeino hē physis tēs neas dielampen. Ēn de tę̄ mētri spoudē, paideusai men tēn paida; men toi tēn exōthen tautēn kai enkyklion paideusin, hēn, hōs ta polla, dia tōn poiēmatōn hai prōtai tōn paidenomenōn hēlikiai didaskontai. Aischron gar hǭeto, kai pantapasin aprepes, hē ta tragika pathē, hosa ek gynaikōn tas archas kai tas hypotheseis tois poiētais edōkan, hē tas chōmǭdichas aschēmosynas, apalēn kai euplaston physin menēn tropon tina tois asemnoterois peri tōn gynaikeiōn diēgēmasin. ᾿All᾽ hosa tēs theopneustou Graphēs alēptotera tais prōtais hēlikiais dokei, tauta hēn tę̄ paidi ta mathēmata, kai malista hē tou Solomōntos Sophia; kai tautēs pleon, hota pros ton hēthichyn hēmōn ephere bion. ᾿Alla kai tēs psalmǭdoumenēs Graphēs oud᾽ hotioun ēgnoei; kairois idiois hekaston meros tēs psalmǭdias diexiousa; tēs te koitēs dianistamenē, kai tōn spoudaiōn haptomenē te kai anakai prisiemenē trophēn, kai bdiyaïa douϑathgoi, eine trapezēs, kai epi koitēn iousa, kai eis proseuchas dianistamenē, pantachou tēn Rhalmǭdian eichen, hoion tina synodon agathēn mēdenos apolimpanomenēn chroepikoptei tas chrēstoteras elpidas, anarpasas auton Toutois synauxanomenē kai tois toioutois epitēdeumasi, kai tēn cheira pros tēn erourgian diapherontōs aschēsasa, proeisin eis dōdekaton etos; malista to tēs neotētos anthos eklampein archetai. Entha dē kai thaumazein axion, hopōs oude kekrymmenon to kallos tę̄s neas elanthanen. Oude ti kata tēn patrida pasan ekeinēn toiouton thauma edokei, hoion en synkrisei tou kallous ekeinou kai tēs eumoroias einai; hōs mēde zōgraphōn cheiras ephikesthai dynēthēB nai tēs hōras; alla tēn panta mēchanōmenēn technēn, kai tois megistois epitolmōsan, hōs kai hautōn tōn stoicheiōn tas eikonas dia tēs mimēseōs anatypousthai, tēn tēs morphēs ekeinēs euklērian mē ischysai di᾿ achrideias mimēsasthai. Toutou charin polys esmos tōn mnēsteuontōn ton gamon autēs tois goneusi periekeito. Ho hoe patēr (hēn gar dē sōphrōn kai krinein to kalon epeschemmenys) eudokimon tina tōn ek genous gnōrimon epi sōphrosynę̄, arti tōn pa:tōn loipōn apochrinas, echeichatengyasthai egnōkei tēn paida, eiper eis hēlikian elthoi. En toutǭ de ho men en elpisin hēn tais kai kathaper ti tōn checharismenōn hednōn, tēn dia tōn logōn eudokimēsin prosēge tǭ patri tēs neas, en tois hyper tōn adikoumenōn agōsi tēn tōn logōn epideiknymenos dynamin. Ho de phthonos ek tēs zōēs en eleeinę̄ tę̄ neotēti. Ouk hēgnoei de ta tǭ patri dedogmena hē korē. All᾽ epeidē tǭ thanatǭ tou neaniou to kekrimenon e p᾿ hautę̄ diechopē; gamon onomasasa tēn tou patros krisin, hōs gegenēmenou tou kekrimenou, menein eph᾽ heautēs to loipon ēxiou. Kai ēn hē krisis tēs hēlikias pagiōtera. Pollakis gar autę̄ tous peri tōn gamōn prosagagontōn logous tōn gennēsamenōn, dia to pollous einai tous kata phēmēn tou challou? mnēsteuein ethelontas, atopon einai elege kai paranomon, mē stergein ton hapax ek tou patros autę̄ chyrōthenta gamon, alla kai pros heteron anankazesthai blepein; henos ontos en tę̄ physe: tou gamou, hōs huia genesis, kai thanatos heis ton de synarmosthenta Ō kata tēn tōn goneōn krisin mē tethnanai d:ischyri: zeto, alla ton tǭ Theǭ zōnta, dia tēn elpida tę̄s anastaseōs, epodēmon krinein, kai ou nekron; atopon de einai tǭ echdēmounti nymphiǭ mē phylassein tēn pistin. Toi? toioutois logois apōthoumenē tous parapeithein epicheirountas, en edokimasen heautę̄ tēs agathēs kriseōs phylaktērion, to mēdepote tēs idias mētros, mēde en akarei tou chronou diazeuchthzinaiōs pollakis tēn mētera pros autēn eipein, hoti ta loipa tōn teknōn tetagmenǭ tini chronǭ echyophorēsen, ekeinēn de diapantos phere! pantote tropon kina tois splanchnois heautēs periechousa. ᾿All᾽ ouk hēn epiponos, oude akerdēs tę̄ metri tēs thygatros hē syydiagōgē. ᾿Anti gar pollōn autę̄, therapainidōn hēn ē para tēs thygatros therapeia; kai hēn antidēsis tis?
The child, then, is brought up. She had her own nurse, but for the most part her mother nursed her in her own hands. When she had passed beyond the age of infancy she was quick to learn the lessons of childhood, and to whatever lesson the parents' judgment led her, in that the young girl's nature shone. Her mother was eager to educate the child, not, however, in this outside and general education which the first ages of those being educated mostly learn through the poems. For she thought it shameful and altogether unfitting that a tender and pliable nature should be taught either the tragic passions, which have given the poets their beginnings and subjects from women, or the indecencies of comedy, being … in a way by the less seemly tales about women. But whatever parts of the God-inspired Scripture seem more easily grasped by the first ages, these were the child's lessons, and especially the Wisdom of Solomon, and of this more particularly whatever bears on our moral life. Nor was she ignorant of any part of the Psalter, going through each part of the psalmody at its proper times: rising from bed, taking up her tasks and resting, taking food and rising from table, going to bed and rising for prayer, everywhere she had the psalmody, like a good travelling companion, missing no time …
Growing up with these and such pursuits, and having trained her hand especially in wool-work, she reaches her twelfth year, [at which age] the flower of youth most of all begins to shine. Here indeed it is worth wondering how the young girl's beauty did not escape notice even when hidden. Nothing in all that country seemed such a wonder as to bear comparison with that beauty and comeliness, so that not even the hands of painters could match her loveliness; that art which contrives everything and dares the greatest things, so as to model even images of the very elements by imitation, was not able to imitate exactly the good fortune of that form. For this reason a great swarm of suitors for her hand crowded around her parents. But her father (for he was a man of good sense and practised in judging what is good) chose from the rest a young man of the family, held in honour and known for his self-control, just [come from his studies], and decided to betroth the girl to him when she came of age. Meanwhile the young man was in the brightest hopes, and, like a welcome bride-gift, brought to the girl's father the good repute of his eloquence, showing the power of his words in contests on behalf of the wronged. But envy cut off the better hopes, snatching him from life at a pitiable youth.
The girl was not ignorant of what her father had decided. But when the decision about her was cut off by the young man's death, she named her father's decision a marriage, as though what had been decided had come to pass, and she resolved to remain by herself for the future. And her decision was firmer than her age. For when her parents often brought proposals of marriage to her, because many wished to woo her on account of the fame of her beauty, she said it was absurd and unlawful not to be content with the marriage once ratified for her by her father, but to be forced to look to another, since marriage is one by nature, as birth is one and death one. She insisted that the one joined to her by her parents' decision was not dead, but judged that the one who lives to God, because of the hope of the resurrection, was abroad and not a corpse; and that it was absurd not to keep faith with a bridegroom who was away from home. Repelling with such words those who tried to persuade her, she decided on one safeguard of her good decision for herself: never to be separated from her own mother, not even for a moment of time; so that her mother often said to her that she had carried the rest of her children in her womb for a fixed time, but carried her always, in a way holding her continually in her womb. But living with her daughter was neither burdensome nor unprofitable for the mother. For instead of many maidservants she had her daughter's service; and there was a kind of good exchange,
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Luke 20:38 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Macrina is educated in Scripture rather than pagan poetry, refuses all suitors after her betrothed dies, holding that marriage, like birth and death, is one, and stays always with her mother.
- Macrina's refusal of a second betrothal is translated as written: she calls her father's decision a marriage, holds that marriage is one by nature, "as birth is one and death one", and that the betrothed who lives to God in the hope of the resurrection is "abroad, not a corpse". This concerns a betrothal, not a completed marriage; she does not discuss remarriage in general.
- Words are lost in the scan after the list of poems (marked …) and at the end of the psalmody sentence; the scan's line order is disturbed around the young man's death (ὁ δὲ φθόνος … ἐπικόπτει τὰς χρηστοτέρας ἐλπίδας), restored here by sense. "Wisdom of Solomon" here is the deuterocanonical book.
- "Twelfth year" is the age of betrothal.
Extrabiblical texts: Wis (Wisdom of Solomon [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; allusion)
Topics: Marriage, Divorce and remarriage, Virginity and celibacy, Classical learning and education
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Macr. 2 (PG 46; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/2
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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).
Chapter 3
3PG 46
ἀγαθὴ παρ᾽ ἀμφοτέρων ἀλλήλαις ἀντιπληρουμένη. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ τὴν ψυχὴν τῆς νέας, ἡ δὲ τὸ σῶμα τῇς μητρὸς ἐθεράπενεν, ἕν τε τοῖς ἄλλοις πᾶσι τὴν ζητουμένην ὑπηρεσίαν ἀποπληροῦσα· καὶ ἐν τῷ ταῖς ἰδίαις χερσὶ πολλάκις τῇ μητρὶ παρασχενάζειν τὸν ἄρτον. Ὅπερ οὐ κατὰ τὸ προηγούμενον αὐτῇ διεσπουδάσθη. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ταῖς μυστικαῖς ὑπηρεσίαις τὰς χεῖρας ἑαυτῆς ἔχρισε, πρέπειν ἡγησαμένη τῷ ἐπιτηδεύματι τοῦ βίου τὴν περὶ τοῦτο σπουδὴν, ἐκ τοῦ περιόντος τῇ μητρὶ παρεχορήγει τὴν ἐκ τῶν οἰκείων πόνων τροφὴν. Καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσαν αὐτῇ συνδιῳχονόμει τὴν ἐπικειμένην φροντίδα. Τεσσάρων γὰρ υἱῶν ἣν μήτηρ, καὶ πέντε θυγατέρων, καὶ τρισὶν ἄρχουσιν ὑπετέλει, διὰ τὸ ἐν τοσούτοις ἔθνεσιν αὑτῆς κατεσπάρθαι τὴν κτῇσιν. Ποικίλως τοίνυν τῆς μητρὸς ταῖς φροντίσι διὰ τοῦτο μεριζομένης· ἤδη γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ ἐξεληλύθει τὸν βίον· ἐν πᾶσι τούτοις κοινωνὸς ἣν τῇ μητρὶ τῶν πόνων, συνδιαιρουμένη τὰς φροντίδας, γαὶ τὸ βαρὺ τῶν ἀλγηδόνων ἐπιχουφίζουσα· καὶ ὁμοῦ μὲν τῇ παιδαγωγίᾳ τῆς μητρὸς ἄμωμον διεφύλασσεν ἑαυτῇ τὸν βίον ἐν μητρῴοις ὀφθαλμοῖς διαπαντὸς εὐθυνὅμενόν τε καὶ μαρτυρούμενον· ὁμοῦ τε παρέσχε πρὸς τὺν ἴσον σχηπὸν, τὸν κατὰ φιλοσοφίαν λέγω, μεγάλην κῇ μητρὶ διὰ τοῦ βίου ἑαυτῆς τὴν ὑφήγησιν, κατ᾽ ὀλίγον αὐτὴν πρὸ; τὴν ἄῦλόν τε καὶ τελειοτέραν ζωὴν ἐφελκομένη. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ τὰ κατὰ τὰς ἀδελφὰς πρὸς πὸ δοκοῦν ἐκάστῃ μετ᾽ εὐσχημοσύνης ἡ μήτηρ ᾧκονομήσατο, ἐπάνεισιν ἐν τούτῳ τῶν παιδευτηρίων πολλῷ χρόνῳ προσασχηθεὶς τοῖς λόγοις, ὁ πολὺς Βασίλειος, ὁ ἀδελφὸς τῆς προειρημένης. Λαθοῦσα τοίνυν αὐτὸν ( ὑπερφυῶς ἐπηρμένον τῷ περὶ τοὺς λόγους φρονήματι, καὶ πάντα περιφρονοῦντα τὰ ἀξιώματα, καὶ ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἐν τῇ δυναστείᾳ λαμπροὺς ἐπηρμένον τῷ ὄγκῳ, τοπτούτῳ τάχει κἀκεῖνον πρὸς τὸν τῖςς φιλοσοφίας σκοπὸν ἐπεσπάσατο, ὥστε ἀποστάντα τῆς κοσμικῆς περιφανείας, καὶ ὑπεριδόντα τοῦ διὰ τὸν λόγον θαυμάζεσθαι, πρὸς τὸν ἐργατικὸν τουτονὶ καὶ αὐτόχειρα βίον αὐτομολῆσαι, διὰ τῆς τελείας ἀκτημοσύνης, ἀνεμπόδιστον ἑαυτῷ τὸν εἰς ἀρετὴν βίον παρασχευάζονῖα. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν ἐκείνου βίος, καὶ τὰ ἐφεξῆς ἐπιτηδεύματα, δι᾽ ὧν ὀνομαστὸς ἐν πάσῃ τῇ ὑφ᾽ ἥλιον γενόμενος, ἀπέκρυψε τῇ δόξῃ πάντας τοὺς ἐν ἀρετῇ διαλάμψαντας, μακρᾶς ἂν εἴη συγγραφῆς καὶ χρόνου πολλοῦ· ἐμοὶ δὲ πρὸς τὸ προκείμενον πάλιν ὁ λόγος πετράφθω. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πάσης ὑλωδεστέρας ζωῆς ὑπόθεσις ἤδη αὐτῆς περιχέχοπτο, πείθει τὴν μητέρα χαταλιποῦσαν τὸν ἐν ἔθει βίον, καὶ τὴν χομπωδεστέραν διαγωγὴν, καὶ τὰς ἐκ τῶν ὑποχειρίων θεραπείας, αἷς προείθιστο κατὰ τὸν ἔμπροσθεν χρόνον, ὁμότιμον γενέσθαι τοῖς πολλοῖς τῷ φρονήματι, καὶ χαταμῖξαι τὴν ἰδίαν ζωὴν τῇ μετὰ τῶν παρθένων διαγωγῇ ὅσας εἶχε μεθ᾽ ἑαυτῆς ἐκ δουλίδων, καὶ ὑποχειρίων ἀδελφὰς, καὶ ὁμοτίμους ποιησαμένη· μᾶλλον δὲ μικρόν βούλομα: παρενθεῖναι τῷ διηγήματι, καὶ μὴ παραδραμεῖν ἀνιστόρητον πρᾶγμα τοιοῦτον, δι᾽ οὗ μᾶλλον τὸ ὑψηλὸν τῆς παρθένου ἯΝν τῶν τεσσάρων ἀδελφῶν, ὁ δεύτερος μετὰ τὸν μέγαν Βασίλειον, Ναυχράτιος ὄνομα, φύσεως εὐχληκαὶ σώματος κάλλει, καὶ ῥώμῃ, καὶ τάχει, καὶ τῇ πρὺς πᾶν ἐπιτηδειότητι διαφέρων τῶν ἄλλων. Προελθὼν οὗτος εἰς δεύτερον ἔτος καὶ εἰχοστὺν, καὶ … δοὺς τῶν οἰκείων πόνων ἐπὶ δημοσίας ἀκοῆς τὰς ἀποδείξεις, ὥστε ἅπαν ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ σεισθῆναι τῶν ἀκουόντων τὸ θέατρον, θείᾳ τινὶ προμηθείᾳ τῶν ἐν χερσὶν ἀπάντων ὑπεριδὼν, πρὸς τὸν μονήρη καὶ ἀχτήμονα βίον ἀπῆλθεν ἐν μεγάλῃ τινὶ τῆς διανοίας ὁρμῇ, οὐδὲν ἐπαγόμενος μεθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ πλὴν ἑαυτοῦ· εἴπετο δέ τις αὐτῷ καὶ τῶν οἰκετῶν Χρυσάφιος τοὔνομα, τῷ τε πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔχειν ἐκεῖνον ἐπιτηδείως, καὶ τῷ τὴν αὐτὴν προαίρεσιν περὶ τὸν βίον ἐνστήσασθαι. Διῆγε τοίνυν καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἐσχατιάν τινα καταλαδὼν, πρὸς τῷ Ἴριδι. Ποταμὸς δὲ ὁ Ἷρις ἐστὶ, μέσον διαῤῥέων τὸν Πόντον· ὃς ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς τῆς ᾿Αρμενίας τὰς ἀρχὰς ἔχων, διὰ τῶν ἡ μετέρων τόπων, ἐπὶ τὸν Εὐξείνου Πόντον τὸ ῥεῖθρον ἐκδίδωσι. Περὶ τοῦτον εὑρών τινα τόπον ὁ νεανίας ὕλῃ βαθείᾳ κομῶντα, καὶ λόφον τινὰ τῆς ὑπερτεταμένης τοῦ ὄρους ῥαχίας ἐγκεκρυμμένον, ἐν αὐτῷ διῆγε, τῶν ἀστυχῶν θορύύων καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ στρατείας τε καὶ τῶν ἐν δικαστηρίοις ῥητορικῆς ἀσχολημάτων πόῤῥω γενόμενος. Καὶ πάντων τῶν περὶ τὸν βίον περιηχούντων τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ζωὴν ἑαυτὸν ἐλευθερώσας . τοὺς πρεσθύτας τινὰς πενίᾳ καὶ ἀῤῥωστίᾳ συζῶντας, ταῖς ἰδίαις χεροὶν ἐθεράπευε· πρέπειν δοκιμάσας τῷ ἰδίῳ βίῳ τὴν τοιαύτην ἀσχολίαν διὰ φροντίδος ἔχειν.
agathē par᾽ amphoterōn allēlais antiplēroumenē. Hē men gar tēn psychēn tēs neas, hē de to sōma tę̄s mētros etherapenen, hen te tois allois pasi tēn zētoumenēn hypēresian apoplērousa; kai en tǭ tais idiais chersi pollakis tę̄ mētri paraschenazein ton arton. Hoper ou kata to proēgoumenon autę̄ diespoudasthē. All᾽ epeidē tais mystikais hypēresiais tas cheiras heautēs echrise, prepein hēgēsamenē tǭ epitēdeumati tou biou tēn peri touto spoudēn, ek tou periontos tę̄ mētri parechorēgei tēn ek tōn oikeiōn ponōn trophēn. Kai ou touto monon, alla kai pasan autę̄ syndiǭchonomei tēn epikeimenēn phrontida. Tessarōn gar huiōn hēn mētēr, kai pente thygaterōn, kai trisin archousin hypetelei, dia to en tosoutois ethnesin hautēs katesparthai tēn ktę̄sin. Poikilōs toinyn tēs mētros tais phrontisi dia touto merizomenēs; ēdē gar ho patēr exelēlythei ton bion; en pasi toutois koinōnos hēn tę̄ mētri tōn ponōn, syndiairoumenē tas phrontidas, gai to bary tōn algēdonōn epichouphizousa; kai homou men tę̄ paidagōgią tēs mētros amōmon diephylassen heautę̄ ton bion en mētrǭois ophthalmois diapantos euthynomenon te kai martyroumenon; homou te paresche pros tyn ison schēpon, ton kata philosophian legō, megalēn kę̄ mētri dia tou biou heautēs tēn hyphēgēsin, kat᾽ oligon autēn pro? tēn aulon te kai teleioteran zōēn ephelkomenē. Kai epeidē ta kata tas adelphas pros po dokoun ekastę̄ met᾽ euschēmosynēs hē mētēr hǭkonomēsato, epaneisin en toutǭ tōn paideutēriōn pollǭ chronǭ prosaschētheis tois logois, ho polys Basileios, ho adelphos tēs proeirēmenēs. Lathousa toinyn auton ( hyperphyōs epērmenon tǭ peri tous logous phronēmati, kai panta periphronounta ta axiōmata, kai hyper tous en tę̄ dynasteią lamprous epērmenon tǭ onkǭ, toptoutǭ tachei kakeinon pros ton tiss philosophias skopon epespasato, hōste apostanta tēs kosmikēs periphaneias, kai hyperidonta tou dia ton logon thaumazesthai, pros ton ergatikon toutoni kai autocheira bion automolēsai, dia tēs teleias aktēmosynēs, anempodiston heautǭ ton eis aretēn bion parascheuazonia. ᾿All᾽ ho men ekeinou bios, kai ta ephexēs epitēdeumata, di᾽ hōn onomastos en pasę̄ tę̄ hyph᾽ hēlion genomenos, apekrypse tę̄ doxę̄ pantas tous en aretę̄ dialampsantas, makras an eiē syngraphēs kai chronou pollou; emoi de pros to prokeimenon palin ho logos petraphthō. Epeidē gar pasēs hylōdesteras zōēs hypothesis ēdē autēs perichechopto, peithei tēn mētera chatalipousan ton en ethei bion, kai tēn chompōdesteran diagōgēn, kai tas ek tōn hypocheiriōn therapeias, hais proeithisto kata ton emprosthen chronon, homotimon genesthai tois pollois tǭ phronēmati, kai chatamixai tēn idian zōēn tę̄ meta tōn parthenōn diagōgę̄ hosas eiche meth᾽ heautēs ek doulidōn, kai hypocheiriōn adelphas, kai homotimous poiēsamenē; mallon de mikron bouloma: parentheinai tǭ diēgēmati, kai mē paradramein anistorēton pragma toiouton, di᾽ hou mallon to hypsēlon tēs parthenou HēNn tōn tessarōn adelphōn, ho deuteros meta ton megan Basileion, Nauchratios onoma, physeōs euchlēkai sōmatos kallei, kai rhōmę̄, kai tachei, kai tę̄ prys pan epitēdeiotēti diapherōn tōn allōn. Proelthōn houtos eis deuteron etos kai eichostyn, kai … dous tōn oikeiōn ponōn epi dēmosias akoēs tas apodeixeis, hōste hapan ep᾽ autǭ seisthēnai tōn akouontōn to theatron, theią tini promētheią tōn en chersin apantōn hyperidōn, pros ton monērē kai achtēmona bion apēlthen en megalę̄ tini tēs dianoias hormę̄, ouden epagomenos meth᾽ heautou plēn heautou; eipeto de tis autǭ kai tōn oiketōn Chrysaphios tounoma, tǭ te pros auton echein ekeinon epitēdeiōs, kai tǭ tēn autēn proairesin peri ton bion enstēsasthai. Diēge toinyn kath᾽ heauton eschatian tina kataladōn, pros tǭ Iridi. Potamos de ho Hiris esti, meson diarrheōn ton Ponton; hos ap᾽ autēs tēs ᾿Armenias tas archas echōn, dia tōn hē meterōn topōn, epi ton Euxeinou Ponton to rheithron ekdidōsi. Peri touton heurōn tina topon ho neanias hylę̄ batheią komōnta, kai lophon tina tēs hypertetamenēs tou orous rhachias enkekrymmenon, en autǭ diēge, tōn astychōn thoryyōn kai tōn apo strateias te kai tōn en dikastēriois rhētorikēs ascholēmatōn porrhō genomenos. Kai pantōn tōn peri ton bion periēchountōn tēn anthrōpinēn zōēn heauton eleutherōsas . tous presthytas tinas penią kai arrhōstią syzōntas, tais idiais cheroin etherapeue; prepein dokimasas tǭ idiǭ biǭ tēn toiautēn ascholian dia phrontidos echein.
filled up mutually by both for each other. For the one cared for the young girl's soul, the other for her mother's body, fulfilling the service needed in all other things, and also often preparing bread for her mother with her own hands. This she did not make her principal concern; but since she had anointed her hands with the mystical services, thinking that care for this befitted the pursuit of her life, she supplied her mother over and above with food from her own labours. And not this only, but she also shared with her in managing all the care that lay upon her. For her mother was the mother of four sons and five daughters, and paid taxes to three governors, because her property was scattered among so many provinces. Since, then, her mother was divided among cares in various ways (for her father had already departed this life), in all these things she was her mother's partner in labours, dividing her cares and lightening the weight of her sorrows. At the same time, under her mother's training, she kept her life blameless, always guided and attested under her mother's eyes; and at the same time she gave her mother, by her own life, great guidance toward the same aim, I mean that of philosophy, drawing her little by little toward the immaterial and more perfect life.
When the mother had arranged the affairs of the sisters with seemliness according to what seemed good for each, there returned at this time from the schools, having been trained for a long time in letters, the great Basil, the brother of the one we are speaking of. She took him, then, exceedingly puffed up with pride in his eloquence, looking down on all dignities, and lifted up in self-importance above those who were brilliant in power, and drew him too so quickly to the aim of philosophy that he withdrew from worldly distinction, despised being admired for his eloquence, and deserted to this laborious life of working with one's own hands, preparing for himself by perfect poverty a life unhindered for virtue. But his life and the pursuits that followed, through which he became famous throughout the whole world under the sun and eclipsed by his glory all who had shone in virtue, would need a long treatise and much time; let my discourse turn back again to its subject. For since every occasion of a more material life had now been cut off for her, she persuades her mother to leave her accustomed way of life, the more ostentatious manner of living, and the services of subordinates to which she had been accustomed in earlier time, and to become equal in mind with the many, and to mingle her own life with the way of life of the virgins, making sisters and equals of all the slaves and subordinates whom she had with her. But I wish to insert a little into the narrative, and not to pass by without relating such a matter, by which the loftiness of the virgin [is shown] the more.
[There was among] the four brothers one, the second after the great Basil, Naucratius by name, who excelled the others in natural gifts, in beauty of body, in strength and speed and fitness for everything. When he had reached his twenty-second year and had given proofs of his own labours before a public audience, so that the whole theatre of hearers was shaken by him, by some divine providence he despised everything in his hands and went off to the solitary life without possessions, with a great impulse of mind, bringing nothing with him but himself. One of the servants followed him, Chrysaphius by name, both because he was devoted to him and because he had taken up the same choice of life. He lived by himself, then, having taken a remote spot on the Iris. The Iris is a river flowing through the middle of Pontus; having its source in Armenia itself, it sends its stream through our parts into the Euxine Sea. Near it the young man found a place thick with deep woods and a hill hidden in the overhanging ridge of the mountain, and lived there, far from the noises of the city and the occupations of military service and of rhetoric in the law courts. And having freed himself from everything that din about human life, he cared with his own hands for some old people who lived in poverty and sickness, judging that such an occupation fitted his own life.
Notes and citation
Summary: Macrina serves her widowed mother, draws her toward the ascetic life and wins back the proud young Basil to philosophy; Naucratius leaves a public career for solitude on the Iris.
- "Anointed her hands with the mystical services": probably that she baked the eucharistic bread (ταῖς μυστικαῖς ὑπηρεσίαις). The family: four sons and five daughters; property in three provinces. Naucratius's age is "his twenty-second year" in this text.
- The scan's leaked Latin-column text is removed by logged corrections; some words are lost before the Naucratius episode (marked …).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin-column text leaked into the line; Latin-column text leaked where words are lost; gap marked): Δ·Διὶ. Ουΐη αἰϊαπὶ Ἢ μὲν → Ἡ μὲν; διὰ Ωα Οτηι τοῦτο → διὰ τοῦτο; οχί {ἀπὶ ἰπσον! ἰαη Προελθὼν → Προελθὼν; καὶ γε Υἱὰ δὰ Ἰ)οαπὶ ρὸν αἰνί πᾶ νοϊα παι, ἀπά) δοὺς → καὶ … δοὺς.
Topics: Monastic life, Asceticism
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Macr. 3 (PG 46; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/3
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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).
Chapter 4
4PG 46
Θηρεύων τοίνυν ἰχθύας ἤγρενεν ὁ γεννάδας - καὶ διὰ τὸ πρὸ; πᾶν εἶδος θηρευτιχῆς ἐπινοίας ἐπιτηδείως ἔχειν, ἐπόριζε διὰ τῆς θήρας τοῖς στέργουσ! τὴν τροφήν· καὶ τὴν νεότητα τοῖς τοιούτοις ἅμα χατεδάμαξζε πόνοις· ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς μητρῴοις θελήμασιν, εἴ ποτέ τι παρʼ αὐτῆς προσταχθείη, προθύμως ὑπηρετῶν, δι᾿ ἀμφοτέρων κατώρθου τὸν βίον· τοῖς τε πόνοις χαταχρατῶν τῆς νεότητος, τῇ τε περὶ τὴν μητέρα σπουδῇ, διὰ νῶν θείων ἐντολῶν, πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν εὑὐοδούμενος. Πέμπτον διήγαγεν ἕτος τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον φιλοσοφῶν, καὶ μαχαριστὴν ποιῶν τὴν μητέρα τῇ ἰδίᾳ ξωῇ, οἷς τε κατεκόσμει διὰ σωφροσύνης τὴν οἰκίαν ζωὴν, οἷς τε παρεῖχε πᾶσαν τὴν δύναμιν ἑαυτοῦ τῷ θελήματι τῆς γεννησαμένης. Εἶτα βαρύ τι καὶ τραγικὸν πάθος ἐξ ἐπιδουλῇς, οἵμαι, τοῦ ἀντικειμένου τῇ μητρὶ συντυέχθη, ὃ παντὶ τῷ γένει πρὸς συμφοράν πε καὶ πένθος ἐπήρκεσεν. Αἰφνιδίως γὰρ ἐκ τῆς ζωῆς παρασχευάπαντος, οὐκ ἄλλου τοιούτου τινὸς τῶν συνἥθων καὶ γνωρίμων ἐπαγαγόντος τῷ νέῳ τὸν θάνατον· ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ θήραν ὁρμήσας, δι᾿ ἃς παρεῖχε τοῖς τὰ ἐπιτήδεια, νεκρὸς τῷ οἴκῳ αὖτοῦ ἐπανάγεται, αὑτός τε ἐκεῖνος, καὶ ὁ κοινωνὸς αὐτῷ τοῦ βίου Χρυσάφιος. Πόῤῥω δὲ ἣν τῶν γινομένων ἣ μήτηρ, τριῶν ἡμερῶν ὁδὸν ἀφεστῶσα τῆς συμφορᾶς. Καί τις ἀφίκετο παρ᾽ αὑτὴν μηνύων τὸ πάθος· ἡ δὲ τελεία μὲν τοῖς κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν ἅπασιν ἦν, πλὴν ἐκράτει κἀκείνης κατὰ τὸ ἶσον ἢ φύσις. Ὁχλάσατα ὙΥΧρ τὴν ψυχὴν, ἄπνους τε καὶ ἄφθογγος παραχρῖμα ἐγένετο, τοῦ λογισμοῦ τῷ πάθει παραχωρήσαντος. καὶ ἔκειτο ὁμοῦ τῇ προσθολῇ τῆς πονηρᾶς ἀκοῆς, καθάπερ τις ἀθλητὴς γενναῖος, ἀπροσδοκήτῳ χαταἀρετῇ· ὅπως τῷ πάθει ἑαυτήν τε ἄπτωτον διεφύλαξε, καὶ τῆς μητρικῆς ἀσθενείας ἔρεισμα γενομένη, πάλιν ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ τῆς λύπης αὐτὴν ἀνενεῴσατο᾽· τῷ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν στεῤῥῷ τε καὶ ἀνενδότῳ, καὶ τὴν τῆς μητρὸς ψυχὴν πρὸς Οὐκοῦν οὐ παρεσύρη πρὸς τὸ πάθος ἡ μήτηρ, οὐδὲ ἔπαθε δυσγενές τι καὶ γυναικεῖον, ὥστε βοῆσαι πρὸς τὸ κακὸν, ἣ περιῤῥήξασθαι τὸ ἱμάτιον, ἣ ἐπικωχῦσαι τῷ πάθει, ἣ ταῖς γοεραῖς μελῳδίαις ἀνακινῆσαι τοὺς θρήνους. ᾿Αλλὰ ἡσυχῇ διεκαρτέρει τοῖς λογισμοῖς, ταῖς τῆς φύσεως προσδολαῖς διωθουμένη, λογισμοῖς τε τοῖς ἰδίοις καὶ τοῖς παρὰ τῆς θυγαρὸς αὐτῇ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ κακοῦ θεραπείαν προσαγομένοις. Τότε γὰρ δὴ μάλιστα ὑψηλή τε καὶ ἐπηρμένη ἡ τῆς παρθένου ψυχὴ διεφάνη· ὅτι καὶ ἐν ἐκείνῃ μὲν ἡ φύσις τὸ᾽ ἴδιον ἔπασχεν· ἀδελφὸς γὰρ ἦν, καὶ ἀδελφῶν ὁ κεχαρισμένος, ὁ τῷ τοιούτῳ τρόπῳ τοῦ θανάτου ἀναρπασθείς. Ὅμως ὑψηλοτέρα γενομένη τῆς φύσεως, συνεπῆρε τοῖς ἰδίοις λογισμοῖς τὴν μητέρα, καὶ ὑπεράνω τοῦ πάθους ἔστησε· τῷ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν ὑποδείγματι, πρὸς ὑπομονὴν τε καὶ ἀνδρείαν παιδα· ἄλλως δὲ καὶ ὁ. βίος αὐτῆς ἀεὶ δι᾽ ἀρετῆς ὑψούμενος, οὐ παρεῖχε τῇ μητρὶ χαερὸν ἐπὶ τῷ λείποντι δυσχεραίνειν μᾶλλον, ἢ τῷ ὁρωμένῳ ἀγαθῷ , Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐπαύσατο τῇ μητρὶ, ἢ τε τῆς παιδοτροφίας φροντὶς καὶ ἡ τῆς παιδεύσεώς τε καὶ καταστάσεως τῶν τέκνων μέριμνα, καὶ αἱ πλείους τῆς ὑλωδεστέρας ζωῆς ἀφορμαὶ, εἰς τὰ τέκνα χατεμερίσθησαν᾽ τότε, καθὼς προείρηται, γίνεται σύμθουλος τῆς μητρὸς ἡ τῆς παρθένου ζωὴ πρὸς τὴν ἐμφιλόσοφον ταύτην καὶ ἄϊδλον τοῦ βίου διαγωγήν καὶ ἀποστήσασα τῶν ἐν συνηθείᾳ πάντων, πρὸς τὸ ἴδιον τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης μέτρον μετήγαγεν· ὁμότιμον αὐτὴν γενέσθαι τῷ πληρώματι τῶν παρθένων παρασκευάσασα, ὡς καὶ τραπέζης μιᾶς, καὶ κοίτης, καὶ πάντων τῶν πρὸς τὴν ζωὴν κατὰ τὸ ἴσον συμμετέχειν αὐταῖς, πάσης τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν διαφορᾶς ὑφαιρεθείσης αὐτῶν τῆς ζωῆς. Καὶ τοιαύτη τις ἦν ἡ τοῦ βίου τάξις, καὶ τοσοῦτον τὸ ὕψος τῆς φιλοσοφίας, καὶ ἡ σεμνὴ τῆς ζωῆς πολιτεία ἐν τῇ καθ᾽ Ἡμέραν τε καὶ νύκτα διαγωγῇ, ὡς ὑπερόαίνειν τὴν ἐκ τῶν λόγων ὑπογραφήν. Καθάπερ γὰρ αἱ διὰ θανάτου τῶν σωμάτων ἐχλυθεῖσαι ψυχαὶ, καὶ τῶν κατὰ τὸν βίον τοῦτον μεριμνῶν συνεχλύονται, οὕτως χεαὑτῶν ἡ ζωὴ, καὶ χῆς ματαιότητος, καὶ πρὸς μέμησιν τῆς τῶν ἀγγέλων ζωῆς ἐῤῥυθμίξετο. Ἔν οἷς γὰρ οὐ θυμὸς, οὐ φθόνος, οὐ μῖσος, οὐκ ὑπέροψία, οὐκ ἄλλο τι τῶν τοιούτων ἐνεωρᾶτο᾽ ἣ τε τῶν ματαίων ἐπιθυμία, τιμῆς τε καὶ δόξης, καὶ τύφου, καὶ ὑπερηφανίας, καὶ πάντων τῶν τοιούτων ἐχθεθλημένων. Τρυφὴ δὲ ἣν ἡ ἐγκράτεια, καὶ δόξα τὸ μὴ γινώσκεσθαι. Πλοῦτος δὲ ἦν ἢ ἀκτημοσύνη, καὶ τὸ πᾶσαν τὴν ὑλικὴν περιουσίαν, οἷόν τινα κόνιν τῶν σωμάτων, ἀποτινάξασθα!. Ἔργον δὲ τῶν κατὰ τὴν ζωὴν ταύτην σπουδαζομένων οὐδὲν, ὅτι μὴ πάρεργον. Μόνη δὲ -ἣ τῶν θείων μελέτη, καὶ τὸ τῆς προσευχῆς ἀδιάλειπτον, καὶ ἡ ἄπαυστο: ὑμνῳδία- κατὰ τὸ ἴσον συμπαρατεινομένη τῷ χρόνῳ, διὰ γυχτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας πάσης ᾿ ὥστε αὐταῖς καὶ ἔμ τον ᾿ρβῶγι πὶ εἶναι τοῦτο, καὶ ἔργον, ἀνάπαυσιν. Τὴν τοίνυν τοιαῦτὴν διαγωγὴν τίς ἂν ὑπ᾽ ὄψιν ἀγάγοι λόγος ἀνθρώ; Παρ᾽ οἷς μεθόριο: ἦν ἡ ζωὴ τῆς τε ἀνθρωπίνης καὶ τῆς ἀσωμάτου φύσεως. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἕλευΘερωθῆναι τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων παθημάτων τὴν φύσιν κρεῖττον ἣ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον ἧν᾽ τὸ δὲ ἐν σώματι φαίνεσθαι καὶ σχήματι περιειλῆφθαι, καὶ τοῖς αἰσθητιχοῖς ὀργάνοις συζῇν, ἐν τούτῳ τῆς ἀγγελικῆς τε καὶ ἀσωμάτου φύσεως τὸ ἔλαττον εἶχον. Τάχα δ᾽ ἄν τις τολμήσας εἴποι μηδὲ καταδεεστέραν τὴν παραλλαγὴν εἶναι· ὅτε σαρκὶ συζῶντες, καθ᾽ ὁμοιότητα τῶν ἀσωμάτων δυνάμεων, οὐκ ἐδαροῦντο τοῦ σώματος ᾿ ἀλλ᾽ ἀνωφερής τε καὶ μετέωρο;
Thēreuōn toinyn ichthyas ēgrenen ho gennadas - kai dia to pro? pan eidos thēreutichēs epinoias epitēdeiōs echein, eporize dia tēs thēras tois stergous! tēn trophēn; kai tēn neotēta tois toioutois hama chatedamaxze ponois; alla kai tois mētrǭois thelēmasin, ei pote ti parʼ autēs prostachtheiē, prothymōs hypēretōn, di᾿ amphoterōn katōrthou ton bion; tois te ponois chatachratōn tēs neotētos, tę̄ te peri tēn mētera spoudę̄, dia nōn theiōn entolōn, pros ton Theon heuyodoumenos. Pempton diēgagen hetos touton ton tropon philosophōn, kai macharistēn poiōn tēn mētera tę̄ idią xōę̄, hois te katekosmei dia sōphrosynēs tēn oikian zōēn, hois te pareiche pasan tēn dynamin heautou tǭ thelēmati tēs gennēsamenēs. Eita bary ti kai tragikon pathos ex epidoulę̄s, hoimai, tou antikeimenou tę̄ mētri syntyechthē, ho panti tǭ genei pros symphoran pe kai penthos epērkesen. Aiphnidiōs gar ek tēs zōēs parascheuapantos, ouk allou toioutou tinos tōn synēthōn kai gnōrimōn epagagontos tǭ neǭ ton thanaton; all᾽ epi thēran hormēsas, di᾿ has pareiche tois ta epitēdeia, nekros tǭ oikǭ autou epanagetai, hautos te ekeinos, kai ho koinōnos autǭ tou biou Chrysaphios. Porrhō de hēn tōn ginomenōn hē mētēr, triōn hēmerōn hodon aphestōsa tēs symphoras. Kai tis aphiketo par᾽ hautēn mēnyōn to pathos; hē de teleia men tois kat᾽ aretēn hapasin ēn, plēn ekratei kakeinēs kata to ison ē physis. Hochlasata HyYChr tēn psychēn, apnous te kai aphthongos parachrima egeneto, tou logismou tǭ pathei parachōrēsantos. kai ekeito homou tę̄ prostholę̄ tēs ponēras akoēs, kathaper tis athlētēs gennaios, aprosdokētǭ chataaretę̄; hopōs tǭ pathei heautēn te aptōton diephylaxe, kai tēs mētrikēs astheneias ereisma genomenē, palin ek tou bythou tēs lypēs autēn aneneǭsato᾽; tǭ kath᾽ heautēn sterrhǭ te kai anendotǭ, kai tēn tēs mētros psychēn pros Oukoun ou paresyrē pros to pathos hē mētēr, oude epathe dysgenes ti kai gynaikeion, hōste boēsai pros to kakon, hē perirrhēxasthai to himation, hē epikōchysai tǭ pathei, hē tais goerais melǭdiais anakinēsai tous thrēnous. ᾿Alla hēsychę̄ diekarterei tois logismois, tais tēs physeōs prosdolais diōthoumenē, logismois te tois idiois kai tois para tēs thygaros autę̄ pros tēn tou kakou therapeian prosagomenois. Tote gar dē malista hypsēlē te kai epērmenē hē tēs parthenou psychē diephanē; hoti kai en ekeinę̄ men hē physis to᾽ idion epaschen; adelphos gar ēn, kai adelphōn ho kecharismenos, ho tǭ toioutǭ tropǭ tou thanatou anarpastheis. Homōs hypsēlotera genomenē tēs physeōs, synepēre tois idiois logismois tēn mētera, kai hyperanō tou pathous estēse; tǭ kath᾽ heautēn hypodeigmati, pros hypomonēn te kai andreian paida; allōs de kai ho. bios autēs aei di᾽ aretēs hypsoumenos, ou pareiche tę̄ mētri chaeron epi tǭ leiponti dyscherainein mallon, ē tǭ horōmenǭ agathǭ , Epei oun epausato tę̄ mētri, ē te tēs paidotrophias phrontis kai hē tēs paideuseōs te kai katastaseōs tōn teknōn merimna, kai hai pleious tēs hylōdesteras zōēs aphormai, eis ta tekna chatemeristhēsan᾽ tote, kathōs proeirētai, ginetai symthoulos tēs mētros hē tēs parthenou zōē pros tēn emphilosophon tautēn kai aïdlon tou biou diagōgēn kai apostēsasa tōn en synētheią pantōn, pros to idion tēs tapeinophrosynēs metron metēgagen; homotimon autēn genesthai tǭ plērōmati tōn parthenōn paraskeuasasa, hōs kai trapezēs mias, kai koitēs, kai pantōn tōn pros tēn zōēn kata to ison symmetechein autais, pasēs tēs kata tēn axian diaphoras hyphairetheisēs autōn tēs zōēs. Kai toiautē tis ēn hē tou biou taxis, kai tosouton to hypsos tēs philosophias, kai hē semnē tēs zōēs politeia en tę̄ kath᾽ Hēmeran te kai nykta diagōgę̄, hōs hyperoainein tēn ek tōn logōn hypographēn. Kathaper gar hai dia thanatou tōn sōmatōn echlytheisai psychai, kai tōn kata ton bion touton merimnōn synechlyontai, houtōs cheautōn hē zōē, kai chēs mataiotētos, kai pros memēsin tēs tōn angelōn zōēs errhythmixeto. En hois gar ou thymos, ou phthonos, ou misos, ouk hyperopsia, ouk allo ti tōn toioutōn eneōrato᾽ hē te tōn mataiōn epithymia, timēs te kai doxēs, kai typhou, kai hyperēphanias, kai pantōn tōn toioutōn echthethlēmenōn. Tryphē de hēn hē enkrateia, kai doxa to mē ginōskesthai. Ploutos de ēn ē aktēmosynē, kai to pasan tēn hylikēn periousian, hoion tina konin tōn sōmatōn, apotinaxastha!. Ergon de tōn kata tēn zōēn tautēn spoudazomenōn ouden, hoti mē parergon. Monē de -hē tōn theiōn meletē, kai to tēs proseuchēs adialeipton, kai hē apausto: hymnǭdia- kata to ison symparateinomenē tǭ chronǭ, dia gychtos kai hēmeras pasēs ᾿ hōste autais kai em ton ᾿rbōgi pi einai touto, kai ergon, anapausin. Tēn toinyn toiautēn diagōgēn tis an hyp᾽ opsin agagoi logos anthrō? Par᾽ hois methorio: ēn hē zōē tēs te anthrōpinēs kai tēs asōmatou physeōs. To men gar heleuTherōthēnai tōn anthrōpinōn pathēmatōn tēn physin kreitton hē kata anthrōpon hēn᾽ to de en sōmati phainesthai kai schēmati perieilēphthai, kai tois aisthētichois organois syzę̄n, en toutǭ tēs angelikēs te kai asōmatou physeōs to elatton eichon. Tacha d᾽ an tis tolmēsas eipoi mēde katadeesteran tēn parallagēn einai; hote sarki syzōntes, kath᾽ homoiotēta tōn asōmatōn dynameōn, ouk edarounto tou sōmatos ᾿ all᾽ anōpherēs te kai meteōro?
So the noble youth hunted and caught fish; and because he was skilled in every kind of hunting device, he provided food for those he loved by his hunting, and at the same time subdued his youth with such labours. He also served his mother's wishes eagerly, whenever she gave him any command, and through both he set his life right: subduing his youth by labours, and through his care for his mother making a good journey to God by the divine commandments. He spent the fifth year living this philosophic life, making his mother blessed by his own life, both by adorning his home life with self-control and by putting all his strength at the will of the one who bore him. Then a heavy and tragic suffering befell the mother, by the plotting, I think, of the adversary, which sufficed to bring calamity and mourning on the whole family. For he was suddenly snatched from life …, no other such person of his companions and acquaintances having brought death on the young man; but having set out on a hunt, by which he provided necessities for those [he cared for], he is brought home dead, he himself and Chrysaphius, the partner of his life. His mother was far from what happened, three days' journey away from the calamity. Someone came to her reporting the misfortune. She was perfect in all the virtues, yet nature prevailed even over her equally. For, her soul giving way, she at once became breathless and speechless, her reason yielding to the passion; and she lay there at the very blow of the evil news, like a noble athlete [overthrown] by an unexpected [blow]. [Here Macrina's] virtue [was shown]: how in the passion she kept herself from falling and, becoming a support for her mother's weakness, raised her again from the depth of grief, [leading] her mother's soul too by her own firmness and steadfastness [to endurance]. So the mother was not swept away by the passion, nor suffered anything ignoble and womanish, so as to cry out at the evil, or tear her garment, or wail over the suffering, or stir up laments with mournful songs. But she endured quietly in her thoughts, thrusting off the assaults of nature both by her own thoughts and by those brought to her by her daughter for the healing of the evil. For then above all the virgin's soul appeared lofty and exalted: because nature in her too suffered what was its own; for he was her brother, and the dearest of her brothers, who was snatched away by such a manner of death. Nevertheless, becoming higher than nature, she raised her mother with her by her own thoughts and set her above the passion, [training her] by her own example to endurance and courage. And besides, her life, always raised up by virtue, did not give her mother occasion to be distressed at what was lacking more than to rejoice in the good that was seen.
When, then, the mother's care for the bringing up of children and her concern for the education and settling of the children had ended, and most of the occasions of the more material life had been divided among the children, then, as has been said, the virgin's life becomes her mother's counsellor toward this philosophic and immaterial manner of life; and having drawn her away from all that was customary, she brought her over to her own measure of humility, preparing her to become equal to the whole community of virgins, so that she shared with them on equal terms one table and bed and everything needed for life, every difference of rank having been removed from their life. And such was the order of their life, and so great the height of their philosophy, and so venerable the conduct of their life in their manner of living by day and night, that it surpasses description in words. For just as souls released from bodies by death are released at the same time from the cares of this life, so their life was separated from [all worldly] vanity and ordered in imitation of the life of the angels. For among them was seen no anger, no envy, no hatred, no arrogance, nor anything of the kind, the desire for vain things, honour and glory and vanity and pride and all such things, having been cast out. Their luxury was self-control, and their glory to be unknown; their wealth was poverty and having shaken off all material abundance like dust from their bodies. Of the things pursued in this life none was their work except as a by-work. Only the study of divine things, and unceasing prayer, and ceaseless hymnody, stretched out equally with time through every night and day, so that this was for them both work and rest from work. What human word could bring such a manner of life before the eyes? Their life was on the border between human and incorporeal nature. For that their nature was freed from human passions was more than human; but that they appeared in a body and were enclosed in a form and lived with the organs of sense, in this they had less than the angelic and incorporeal nature. Perhaps one might dare to say that the difference was not even lower, since, living with the flesh, they were not weighed down by the body, like the incorporeal powers, but their life was borne upward and aloft,
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Luke 20:36 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Thess 5:17 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Naucratius dies suddenly while hunting; Macrina's steadfastness keeps their mother from grief, and mother and daughter take up a common life with their former maids, living like the angels.
- Lines are lost in the scan describing the manner of Naucratius's death and Macrina's response (bracketed words supplied by sense). The scan reads τοῖς στέργουσι ("those he loved") for the old people Naucratius fed; the reading is uncertain.
- The community's life: one table and bed for all, "every difference of rank removed"; continual prayer and psalmody day and night.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin-column text leaked into the line): μητρικῇς εἰΐδπι πιδίγὶβ ἐπι ΠΏ δίχα βυιβιμματ, ἀσθενείας → μητρικῆς ἀσθενείας; ἀδελ- Ἔχϑί[ποῖυ8 [ἀδγᾶϊ }, ἑάπιοη Πδέιιγα δ}! πῖον [Δοία, φῶν → ἀδελφῶν.
Topics: Prayer, Monastic life, Asceticism
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Macr. 4 (PG 46; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/4
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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).
Chapter 5
5PG 46
αὐτῶν ἡ ζωὴ, ταῖς οὐρανίαις συμμετεωροποροῦσα δυνάμεσι· χρόνος ἣν τῆς τοιαύτης διαγωγῆς, οὐκ ὀλίγος· καὶ συνηύξετο τῷ χρόνῳ τὰ κατορθώματα, ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸ καθαρώτερον ταῖς τῶν ἐφευρισχομένων ἀγαθῶν προσθήκαις τῆς φιλοτοφίας ἐπιδιδούσης. Ἦν δὲ αὐτῇ, ὁ μάλιστα πρὸς τὸν μέγαν τοῦτον τοῦ βίου σκοπὸν ὑπηρετῶν, ἀδελφός τις ὁμογάστριος, Πέτρος ὄνομα αὑτῷ, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ ἔληξαν τῆς μητρὸς ἡμῶν αἱ ὠδῖνες. Οὗτος γὰρ ἦν ὁ τελευταῖος τῶν ὠδίνων βλαστός - ὃς ὁμοῦ τε υἱὸς, καὶ ὀρφανὸς ὠνομάσθη ἅμα γὰρ τῷ παρελθεῖν τοῦτον εἰς φῶς, καταλείπει ὁ πατὴρ τὸν βίον. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἡ πρεσδυτάτη τῶν ἀδελφῶν, περὶ ἧς ὁ λόγος, μικρὰ τῆς θηλῆς αὐτὸν παρὰ τὴν πρώτην γένεσιν μετασχόντα, εὐθὺς ἀποσπάσασα τῆς πιθηνουμένης, δι᾽ ἑαυτῆς ἀνατρέφει τε καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ὑψηλοτέραν Ἦγαγε παίδευσιν, τοῖς ἱεροῖς τῶν μαθημάτων ἐκ νηπίων αὐτὸν δοῦναι τῇ ψυχῇ σχολὴν πρός τι τῶν ματαίων ἔπικλιθῆναι. ᾿Αλλὰ πάντα γενομένη τῷ νέῳ,, πατὴρ, διδάσκαλος, παιδαγωγὸς, μήτηρ, ἀγαθοῦ παντὸς σύμὄουλος, τοιοῦτον αὐτὸν ἀπειργάσατο, ὡς πρὶν ἐξελθεῖν τὴν ἡλικίαν τῶν παίδων ἕτι ἐν μειρακίῳ, τῇ ἀπαλότητι τῆς ἡλικίας ἀνθοῦντα, πρὸς τὸν ὑψηλὸν τῆς φιλοσοφίας σκοπὸν ἐπαρθῆναι. Καί τινι φύσεως εὐχληρίᾳ πρὸς πᾶσαν τέχνην ἰδίαν τὴν διὰ χειρὸς ἐνεργουμένην ἐπιτηδείως ἔχειν, ὡς μηδενὸς καθηγουμένου, διὰ πάσης ἀχριθείας ἑκάστου τὴν ἐπιστήμην κατωρθωκέναι, ὧν χρόνῳ καὶ πόνῳ τοῖς πολλοῖς ἡ μάθησις γίνεται. Οὗτος τοίνυν τῆς περὶ τοὺς ἔξωθεν Ὁ τῶν λόγων ἀσχολίας ὑπεριδὼν, ἱκανὴν δὲ διδάσκαλον παντὸς ἀγαθοῦ μαθήματος τὴν φύσιν ἔχων, ἀεί τε πρὸς τὴν ἀδελφὴν βλέπων, καὶ σκοπὸν ἀγαθοῦ παντὸς ἐκείνην ποιούμενος, εἰς τοσοῦτον ἐπέδωκεν ἀρετῆς εἶδος, ὡς μηδὲν ἔλαττον τοῦ μεγάλου Βασιλείου δοκεῖν ἔχειν ἐν τοῖς κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν προτερήμασιν ἐν τῷ ϑετὰ ταῦτα βίῳ. Τότε δὲ ἀντὶ πάντων ἦν τῇ ἀδελφῇ καὶ τῇ μητρὶ, συνεργῶν αὑταῖς πρὸς τὴν ἀγγελικὴν Ὅς ποτε καὶ σιτολειψίας χαλεπῆς γεγενημένης, καὶ πολλῶν πανταχόθεν κατὰ φήμην τῆς εὐποιίας πρὸς τὴν ἐσχατιὰν, ἐν ἧ χκατῴχουν, ἐπιῤῥεόντων· τοσοῦτον δι᾽ ἐπινοιῶν τὰς τροφὰς ἐπλεόνασεν, ὡς τῷ πλήθει τῶν ἐπιφοιτώντων, πόλιν εἶναι τὴν ἐρημίαν δοκεῖν· ἐν τούτῳ εἰς γῆρας λιπαρὸν προελθοῦσσ μήτηρ, πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν μετανίστατο, ἐν ταῖς ἀμφοτέρων τῶν τέκνων χεροὶ τὸν βίον ἑαυτῆς ἀναπαύσασα. Ἧς ἄξιον τὴν τῆς εὐλογίας ἱστορῆσαι φωνὴν, ἧ ἐπὶ κῶν τέκνων ἐχρήσατο, τῶν τε μὴ παρόντων ἑκάστου κατὰ τὸ πρὸς φίλον ἐπιμνησθεῖτα, ὡς μηδὲ ἕνα γενέσθαι τῆς εὐλογίας ἀπόχληρον, καὶ διαφερόντως τοὺς παρόντας αὐτῇ τῷ Θεῷ διὰ προσευχΐς παραθεμένη. Παρακαθημένων γὰρ αὐτῇ κατὰ τὸ πλάγιον ἐφ᾽ ἑκάτερα τῆς κλίνης τῶν δύο τούτων, ἐκατέρᾳ χειρὶ ἐφαψαμένη τῶν τέκνων, ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν εἶπεν ἐν τελευταίαις φωναῖς· Σοὶ, Κύριε, καὶ ἀπάργομαι, καὶ ἀποδεκατῶ τὸν καρπὸν τῶν ὠδίνων. ᾿Απαρχή μοι ἣ πρωτότοκος αὕτη, καὶ ἐπιδέχατος οὗτος ἢ τελευταία ὠδίς. Σοὶ δὲ ἀφιέρωται παρὰ τοῦ νόμου ἑκάτερα, καὶ σά ἐστιν ἀναθήματα. Οὐκοῦν ἕλθοι ὁ ἁγιασμὸς ἐπί τε τὴν ἀρχήν μου ταύτην, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ ἐπιδέκατον τοῦτο δείξασα ταῖς ἐπιδειχτιξζαῖς φωναῖς τὴν θυγατέρα καὶ τὸν παῖδα. Ἡ μὲν οὖν τοῦ εὐλογεῖν παυσαμένη, καὶ τοῦ ζῇν ἐπαύσατο, τοῖς παισὶν ἐπισχήψασα τὸ τῇ πατρῴᾳ σορῷ καὶ τὸ ἐκείνὴς ἐναποθέσθαι σῶμα. Οἱ δὲ πληρώσαντες τὸ διατεταγμένον, ὑψηλότερον εἴχοντο τῆς φιλοσοφίας, ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον διαμιλλώμενοι βίον, καὶ τὰ φθάσαντα τῶν κατορθωμάτων τοῖς ἐφεξῆς ἀποἘν τούτῳ ὁ πολὺς ἐν ἁγίοις Βασίλειος τῆς μεγάλης Καισαρέων Ἐκκλησίας ἀνεδείχθη προστάτης· ἐπὶ τὸν κλῆρον τῆς ἐν τῷ πρεσθυτερείῳ ἱερωσύνης τὸν ἀδελφὸν ἄγει, ταῖς μυστικαῖς ἑαυτοῦ ἑερουργίαις ἀφιερώσας. Καὶ ἐν τούτῳ πάλιν αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ τὸ σεμνότερόν τε καὶ ἁγιώτερον προήε! ὁ βίος, τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ τῆς φιλοσοφίας ἐπαυξηθείσης. Ὀκτὼ δὲ μετὰ τοῦτο διαγενομένων ἐτῶν, τῷ ἐννάτῳ ἐνιαυτῷ, ὁ κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην ὀνομαστὸς Βασίλειος, ἐξ ἀνθρώπων πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν μετοιχίζεται, κοινὴ. πένθους ἀφορμὴ τῇ πατρίδι καὶ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ γενόμενος. Ἢ δὲ πόῤῥωθεν ἐκ φήμης ἀκούσασα τὴν συμφορὰν, ἔπαθε μὲν τὴν ψυχὴν ἐπὶ τῇ τοσαύτῃ ζημίᾳ (πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἔμελλεν ἅπτεσθαι κἀκείνης τὸ πάθος, οὗ καὶ οἱ ἐχθροὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπήσθοντο; )· καθάπερ δὲ τὴν τοῦ χρυσοῦ φασι δοκιμασίαν ἐν διαφόροις γίνεσθαι χωνευτηρίοις, ὡς εἴ. τι τὴν πρώτην διαφύγοι χωνείαν, ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ διακριθῆναι, καὶ πάλιν ἐν τῇ τελευταίᾳ πάντα τὸν ἐμμεμιγμένον ῥύπον τῇ ὕλῃ τὴν δὲ ἀχριδεστέραν εἶναι βάσανον Ὦ τοῦ δοκίμου χρυσοῦ, ἧ διὰ πάση: διεξελθὼν χωνείας μηδένα ῥύπον ἀποποιήσειε· τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ ἐπ’· ταῖς διαφόροις τῶν λυπηρῶν προσδολσῖς τῆς ὑψηλῆς διανοίας βασανισθείσης, πανταχόθεν ἀναδειχθῆναι τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ἀχιδδήλευτόν καὶ ἀταπείνωτον. Πρότερον μὲν ἐν τῇ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ ἄλλου μεταστάσει· μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ ἐν τῷ χωρισμῷ τῆς μιτρός· ἐκ τρίτου δὲ, ὅτε τὸ κοινὸν τῆς γενεᾶς καλὸν, ὁ μέγας Βασίλειος, τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ζωῆς ἔχωρίξετο.·Ἔμεινε τοίνυν, καθάπερ τις ἀθλητὴς ἀκαταγώνιοστος, οὐδαμοῦ τῇ προσδολῇ τῶν συμφορῶν ἀποἜΝννατος ἣν μετὰ τὸ πάθος τοῦτο μὴν, ἣ μικρὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦτο, καὶ σύνοδο: ἐπισκόπων κατὰ τὴν ᾿Αντιόχου πόλιν ἐθροίζετο, ἧς καὶ ἡμεῖς μετέσχομεν. Καὶ ἐπειξὴ πάλιν πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἔκαστος ἀπελύϑημεν, πρὶν τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν παρελθεῖν, ἐνθύμιον ἐμοὶ τῷ Γρητοιαύτη τις ἣν, ὡς ἀντὶ προσκεφαλαίου τῇ κεφαλῇ δαίνουσα, καὶ καταθυμίως ἀνέχουσα ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῆς τὸν γορίῳ γίνεται πρὸς αὑτὴν διαθῆναι. Πολὺς γὰρ ἧ ὁ διὰ μέσου χρόνος, ἐν ᾧ τὰς ἐπισχέψεις αἱ τῶν πειρασμῶν περιστάσεις ἐκώλυσαν, ἃς ὑπέμενον πανταχοῦ τῆς πατρίδος ὑπὸ τῶν τῆς αἱρέσεως ἐπιστα τούντων ἐξελαυνόμενος, Καὶ ἀριθμοῦντί μοι τὸν δ: μέσου χρόνον, ἐν ᾧ τὴν κατ᾽ ὀφθαλμοὺς συντυχίαν οἱ πειρασμοὶ διεχώλυσαν, οὐκ ὀλίγον ἐφαίνετο τὸ διάστημα ὀκτὼ μικροῦ δεῖν παραμετρούμφνον ἔτεσιν.
autōn hē zōē, tais ouraniais symmeteōroporousa dynamesi; chronos hēn tēs toiautēs diagōgēs, ouk oligos; kai synēuxeto tǭ chronǭ ta katorthōmata, aei pros to katharōteron tais tōn epheurischomenōn agathōn prosthēkais tēs philotophias epididousēs. Ēn de autę̄, ho malista pros ton megan touton tou biou skopon hypēretōn, adelphos tis homogastrios, Petros onoma hautǭ, eph᾽ hǭ elēxan tēs mētros hēmōn hai ōdines. Houtos gar ēn ho teleutaios tōn ōdinōn blastos - hos homou te huios, kai orphanos ōnomasthē hama gar tǭ parelthein touton eis phōs, kataleipei ho patēr ton bion. ᾿All᾽ hē presdytatē tōn adelphōn, peri hēs ho logos, mikra tēs thēlēs auton para tēn prōtēn genesin metaschonta, euthys apospasasa tēs pithēnoumenēs, di᾽ heautēs anatrephei te kai epi pasan tēn hypsēloteran Ēgage paideusin, tois hierois tōn mathēmatōn ek nēpiōn auton dounai tę̄ psychę̄ scholēn pros ti tōn mataiōn epiklithēnai. ᾿Alla panta genomenē tǭ neǭ,, patēr, didaskalos, paidagōgos, mētēr, agathou pantos symooulos, toiouton auton apeirgasato, hōs prin exelthein tēn hēlikian tōn paidōn heti en meirakiǭ, tę̄ apalotēti tēs hēlikias anthounta, pros ton hypsēlon tēs philosophias skopon eparthēnai. Kai tini physeōs euchlērią pros pasan technēn idian tēn dia cheiros energoumenēn epitēdeiōs echein, hōs mēdenos kathēgoumenou, dia pasēs achritheias hekastou tēn epistēmēn katōrthōkenai, hōn chronǭ kai ponǭ tois pollois hē mathēsis ginetai. Houtos toinyn tēs peri tous exōthen Ho tōn logōn ascholias hyperidōn, hikanēn de didaskalon pantos agathou mathēmatos tēn physin echōn, aei te pros tēn adelphēn blepōn, kai skopon agathou pantos ekeinēn poioumenos, eis tosouton epedōken aretēs eidos, hōs mēden elatton tou megalou Basileiou dokein echein en tois kat᾽ aretēn proterēmasin en tǭ ϑeta tauta biǭ. Tote de anti pantōn ēn tę̄ adelphę̄ kai tę̄ mētri, synergōn hautais pros tēn angelikēn Hos pote kai sitoleipsias chalepēs gegenēmenēs, kai pollōn pantachothen kata phēmēn tēs eupoiias pros tēn eschatian, en hē chkatǭchoun, epirrheontōn; tosouton di᾽ epinoiōn tas trophas epleonasen, hōs tǭ plēthei tōn epiphoitōntōn, polin einai tēn erēmian dokein; en toutǭ eis gēras liparon proelthouss mētēr, pros ton Theon metanistato, en tais amphoterōn tōn teknōn cheroi ton bion heautēs anapausasa. Hēs axion tēn tēs eulogias historēsai phōnēn, hē epi kōn teknōn echrēsato, tōn te mē parontōn hekastou kata to pros philon epimnēstheita, hōs mēde hena genesthai tēs eulogias apochlēron, kai diapherontōs tous parontas autę̄ tǭ Theǭ dia proseuchïs parathemenē. Parakathēmenōn gar autę̄ kata to plagion eph᾽ hekatera tēs klinēs tōn dyo toutōn, ekaterą cheiri ephapsamenē tōn teknōn, tauta pros ton Theon eipen en teleutaiais phōnais; Soi, Kyrie, kai apargomai, kai apodekatō ton karpon tōn ōdinōn. ᾿Aparchē moi hē prōtotokos hautē, kai epidechatos houtos ē teleutaia ōdis. Soi de aphierōtai para tou nomou hekatera, kai sa estin anathēmata. Oukoun helthoi ho hagiasmos epi te tēn archēn mou tautēn, kai epi to epidekaton touto deixasa tais epideichtixzais phōnais tēn thygatera kai ton paida. Hē men oun tou eulogein pausamenē, kai tou zę̄n epausato, tois paisin epischēpsasa to tę̄ patrǭą sorǭ kai to ekeinēs enapothesthai sōma. Hoi de plērōsantes to diatetagmenon, hypsēloteron eichonto tēs philosophias, aei pros ton idion diamillōmenoi bion, kai ta phthasanta tōn katorthōmatōn tois ephexēs apoEn toutǭ ho polys en hagiois Basileios tēs megalēs Kaisareōn Ekklēsias anedeichthē prostatēs; epi ton klēron tēs en tǭ presthytereiǭ hierōsynēs ton adelphon agei, tais mystikais heautou heerourgiais aphierōsas. Kai en toutǭ palin autois epi to semnoteron te kai hagiōteron proēe! ho bios, tę̄ hierōsynę̄ tēs philosophias epauxētheisēs. Oktō de meta touto diagenomenōn etōn, tǭ ennatǭ eniautǭ, ho kata pasan tēn oikoumenēn onomastos Basileios, ex anthrōpōn pros ton Theon metoichizetai, koinē. penthous aphormē tę̄ patridi kai tę̄ oikoumenę̄ genomenos. Ē de porrhōthen ek phēmēs akousasa tēn symphoran, epathe men tēn psychēn epi tę̄ tosautę̄ zēmią (pōs gar ouk emellen haptesthai kakeinēs to pathos, hou kai hoi echthroi tēs alētheias epēsthonto? ); kathaper de tēn tou chrysou phasi dokimasian en diaphorois ginesthai chōneutēriois, hōs ei. ti tēn prōtēn diaphygoi chōneian, en tę̄ deuterą diakrithēnai, kai palin en tę̄ teleutaią panta ton emmemigmenon rhypon tę̄ hylę̄ tēn de achridesteran einai basanon Ō tou dokimou chrysou, hē dia pasē: diexelthōn chōneias mēdena rhypon apopoiēseie; toiouton ti kai ep’; tais diaphorois tōn lypērōn prosdolsis tēs hypsēlēs dianoias basanistheisēs, pantachothen anadeichthēnai to tēs psychēs achiddēleuton kai atapeinōton. Proteron men en tę̄ tou adelphou tou allou metastasei; meta tauta de en tǭ chōrismǭ tēs mitros; ek tritou de, hote to koinon tēs geneas kalon, ho megas Basileios, tēs anthrōpinēs zōēs echōrixeto.;Emeine toinyn, kathaper tis athlētēs akatagōniostos, oudamou tę̄ prosdolę̄ tōn symphorōn apoENnnatos hēn meta to pathos touto mēn, hē mikron hyper touto, kai synodo: episkopōn kata tēn ᾿Antiochou polin ethroizeto, hēs kai hēmeis meteschomen. Kai epeixē palin pros tēn heautou ekastos apelyϑēmen, prin ton eniauton parelthein, enthymion emoi tǭ Grētoiautē tis hēn, hōs anti proskephalaiou tę̄ kephalę̄ dainousa, kai katathymiōs anechousa eph᾽ heautēs ton goriǭ ginetai pros hautēn diathēnai. Polys gar hē ho dia mesou chronos, en hǭ tas epischepseis hai tōn peirasmōn peristaseis ekōlysan, has hypemenon pantachou tēs patridos hypo tōn tēs haireseōs epista tountōn exelaunomenos, Kai arithmounti moi ton d: mesou chronon, en hǭ tēn kat᾽ ophthalmous syntychian hoi peirasmoi diechōlysan, ouk oligon ephaineto to diastēma oktō mikrou dein parametroumphnon etesin.
travelling aloft together with the heavenly powers. The time of such a manner of life was not short, and their achievements grew with time, their philosophy always advancing toward greater purity by the addition of goods discovered.
She had a brother of the same womb who served her most in this great aim of life, Peter by name, with whom our mother's childbearing ended. For he was the last shoot of her labours, who was named at once son and orphan; for as soon as he came into the light, his father left this life. But the eldest of the siblings, of whom this account speaks, took him from the nurse at once, when he had had a little of the breast at his first birth, and brought him up herself, and led him to all the higher education, [training him] from infancy in the sacred lessons, [so as not to give] his soul leisure to incline to anything vain. Becoming everything to the young man, father, teacher, tutor, mother, counsellor in every good, she made him such that before he passed out of the age of boyhood, while still a youth blooming in the tenderness of his age, he was raised to the lofty aim of philosophy. And by some good fortune of nature he was so apt for every art practised by hand that, with no one guiding him, he mastered with all exactness the skill of each of the things which most people learn with time and labour. He, then, despising occupation with outside learning, and having in his nature a sufficient teacher of every good lesson, and always looking to his sister and making her the aim of every good, advanced so far in every kind of virtue that in his later life he seemed to have nothing less than the great Basil in the excellences of virtue. But at that time he was everything to his sister and his mother, working with them toward the angelic [life]. Once, when a severe famine had come and many from everywhere flowed to the remote place where they lived because of the fame of their good works, he so multiplied the food by his contrivances that the wilderness seemed a city because of the crowd of those who came.
Meanwhile the mother, having come to a rich old age, departed to God, resting her life in the hands of both these children. It is worth recording the words of blessing that she used over her children, remembering each of those absent as was fitting, so that not one was left without a share in the blessing, and especially commending to God in prayer those who were present. For as these two sat beside her on either side of the bed, she took hold of the children with each hand and said these things to God in her last words: "To you, Lord, I offer both the first-fruits and the tithe of the fruit of my labours. This firstborn is my first-fruits, and this last child is the tithe. Both have been dedicated to you by the law, and they are your offerings. Let sanctification come, then, upon this first-fruit of mine and upon this tithe," pointing with her words to the daughter and the son. So, ceasing to bless, she ceased to live, having charged her children to lay her body in their father's tomb. And they, having fulfilled what was ordered, held to philosophy more loftily, always contending with their own life and [surpassing] by later achievements those that had gone before.
Meanwhile Basil, great among the saints, was appointed head of the great church of the Caesareans. He brings his brother to the clergy of the priesthood of the presbyterate, consecrating him by his own mystical rites. And in this their life again advanced to greater dignity and holiness, their philosophy being increased by the priesthood. When eight years had passed after this, in the ninth year Basil, famous throughout the whole world, moves from among men to God, becoming a common occasion of mourning for his country and for the world. When she heard of the calamity from afar by report, she suffered in soul at so great a loss (for how could the grief not touch her, when even the enemies of the truth felt it?); but as they say the testing of gold takes place in different furnaces, so that if anything escapes the first melting it is separated in the second, and again in the last all the dross mixed with the material [is purged], and the most exact test of proved gold is that which, having passed through every furnace, leaves no dross: something like this happened to her too; her lofty mind was tested by different assaults of grief, and the genuineness and unbowed spirit of her soul was shown on every side: first at the departure of her other brother, then at the separation from her mother, and a third time when the common glory of the family, the great Basil, was separated from human life. She remained, then, like an unconquered athlete, nowhere [overthrown] by the assault of calamities.
It was the ninth month or a little more after this suffering, and a synod of bishops was gathered in the city of Antioch, in which I too took part. And when we were released each to his own place, before the year had passed, it came into the mind of me, Gregory, to go to her. For the intervening time was long, during which the circumstances of trials had prevented visits, since I was driven everywhere from my country by those who presided over the heresy. And when I counted the intervening time during which the trials had prevented meeting face to face, the interval did not seem short, measuring nearly eight years.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Exod 22:29 (allusion, medium confidence) · Lev 27:30 (allusion, medium confidence) · Num 18:12 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Macrina raises her youngest brother Peter; their mother dies blessing them as first-fruits and tithe; Basil becomes bishop and ordains Peter, then dies; Gregory, after a synod at Antioch and eight years of exile, sets out to visit her.
- The mother's blessing applies the law of first-fruits and tithes to her firstborn and last-born (Exod 22:29; Lev 27:30). Peter is ordained presbyter by Basil ("the priesthood of the presbyterate"). Gregory's exile under the Arian party ("those who presided over the heresy") lasted nearly eight years in his count. The synod of Antioch is that of 379.
- Some words are lost in the scan (bracketed).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin-column text leaked into the line): ἀμφοτέ- Ἰηιοτῖπι δοποχ ρὼν → ἀμφοτέρων.
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Macr. 5 (PG 46; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/5
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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).