Life of Macrina 10–12
Greek text: PG 46 (OCR by the Internet Archive; lines extracted for this site).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 10
10PG 46
Ὡς δὲ ἡμεῖς ἐν τούτοις ἥμεν, καὶ αἱ ψαλμῳδίαι τῶν παρθένων τοῖς θρήνοις καταμιχθεῖσαι περιήχουν τὸν τόπον, οὐκ οἵδ᾽ ὅπως ἐν κύκλῳ πανταχόθεν ἀθρόως τὸν τόπον συνέῤῥεον· ὡς μηκέτι τὸ προαύλιον ἱκανὸν εἶναι χωρεῖν τοὺς συντρέχοντας. Τῆς οὖν παννυχίδος, περὶ αὐτὴν ἐν ὑμνῳδίαις, καθάπερ ἐπὶ μαρτύρων πανηγύρεως, τελεσθείσης· ἐπειδὴ ὄρθρος ἐγένετο, πὸ μὲν πλῆθος τῶν ἐκ πάσης τῆς περιοικίδος συῤῥυέντῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ γυναικῶν, ἐπεθορύῦδει πάϊς οἰ μῶν γαῖς τὴν ψαλμῳδίαν· ἐγὼ δὲ, καίτοι κακῶς τὴν ψὺχὴν ὑπὸ τῆς συμφορᾶς διακείμενος, ὅμως ἐκ τῶν ἐνόντων ἔπενόουν, εἰ δυνατὸν, μηδὲν τῶν ἐπὶ τοιαύτῃ κηδείᾳ πρεπόντων παραλειφθῇῆναι. ᾿Αλλὰ διαστήσας κατὰ γένος τὸν συῤῥέοντα λαὸν, καὶ τὸ ἐν γυναιξὶ πλῆθος τῷ τῶν παρθένων συγκαταμίξας χορῷ, τὸν δὲ τῶν ἀνδρῶν δῆμον τῷ τῶν μοναζόντων τάγματι· μίαν ἐξ ἑκατέρων εὕὔρυθμόν τε καὶ ἐναρμόνιον, καθάπερ ἐν χοροστασίᾳ, τὴν ψαλμῳδίαν γενέσθαι παρἐσκεύασα, διὰ τῆς κοινῆς πάντων συνῳδίας εὐχόσμως κατ᾽ ὀλίγον ἡ ἡμέρα, καὶ ἐστενοχωρεῖτο πᾶς ὁ τῆς ἐσχατιᾶς τόπος τῷ πλήθει τῶν παραστάντων , ὁ τῶν τόπων ἐκείνων διὰ τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς προεστὼς (᾿Αράξιος ὄνομα αὐτῷ· παρῆν τὰρ σὺν παντὶ τῷ τῆς ἱερωσύνης πληρώματι) παρἀγειν ἡρέμα παρεκάλει τὸ σκήνωμα· ὡς πολλοῦ τε ὄντος τοῦ μεταξὺ διᾳστήματος, καὶ τοῦ πλήθους πρὸς τὴν ὀξυτέραν κίνησιν ἐμποδὼν γενησομένου· καὶ ἅμα ταῦτα λέγων προσεκαλεῖτο πάντας τοὺς τῆς ἱεαὐτῷ συμμετέχοντας, ὡς ἂν δι᾽ ἐκείνων Ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῦτο ἐδέδοχτο, καὶ ἐν χερσὶν ἦν ἡ σπουδή· ὑποδὰς τὴν κλίνην ἐγὼ, κἀκεῖνον ἐπὶ τὸ ἕτερον μέρος προσκαλεσάμενος· ἄλλων τε δύο τῶν ἐν τῷ κλήρῳ δόντων, ἥειν τοῦ πρόσω ἐχόμενος, βάδην, ὡς εἰκὸς, καὶ κατ᾽ ὀλίγον ἡμῖν γινομένης τῆς κινήσεως. Τοῦ γὰρ λαοῦ περὶ τὴν κλίνην πεπυχνωμένου, καὶ πάντων ἀπλήστως ἐχόντων τοῦ ἱεροῦ ἐκείνου θεάματος, οὐκ ἦν ἐν εὐκολίᾳ τὴν πορείαν ἡμῖν διανύεσθαι· προηγεῖτο δὲ καθ᾽ ἑκάτερον μέρος διακόνων τε καὶ ὑπηρετῶν οὐκ ὀλίγον πλῆθος, στοιχηδὸν τοῦ σκηνώματος προπομπεῦον, τὰς ἐκ κηροῦ λαμπάδας ἔχοντες πάντες· καὶ ἦν τις μυστικὴ πομπὴ τὸ γινόμενον, ὁμοφώνως τῆς ψαλμῳδίας ἀπ᾽ ἄκρων ἐπὶ ἐσχάτους, καθἀπερ ἐν τῇ τῶν τριῶν παίδων ὑμνῳδίᾳ, μελῳδουμένης. Ἑπτὰ δὲ ὄντων, ἣ ὀκτὼ τῶν ἐν μέσῳ σταδίων ἀπὸ τῆς ἐσχατιᾶς ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν ἁγίων Μαρτύρων οἷκον, ἐν ᾧ καὶ τὰ τῶν γονέων ἀπέκειτο σώματα· διὰ πάσης σχεδὸν τῆς ἡμέρας μόλις τὴν ὁδὸν διηνύσαμεν. Οὐ γὰρ εἴα τὸ πλῆθος, τό τε συνερχόμενον καὶ τὸ ἀεὶ προσγινόμενον, κατὰ γνώμην τὴν πρόοδον γενέ σθαι. Ἐπειδὴ οὖν ἐντὸς τοῦ οἴκου κατέστημεν, ἀποθέμενοι τὴν κλίνην, τὰ πρῶτα εἰς προσευχὴν ἔτρεπόμεθα- ἡ δὲ εὐχὴ, θρήνων γίνεται ἀφορμὴ τῷ λαῷ. Τῆς γὰρ ψαλμῳδίας κατασιγασθείσης· ἐπειδὴ τὸ ἱερὸν ἐκεῖνο πρόσωπον αἱ παρθένοι προσέδλεψαν· Ἰ καὶ ἡ σορὸς ἤδῃ τῶν γονέων ἀπεκαλύπτετο, ἐν ἦ καταθέσθαι δεδογμένον ἦν’ μιᾶς τινος ἀτάκτως βοησάσης, ὅτι οὐκέτι μετὰ τὴν ὥραν ταύτην τὸ θεοειδὲς τοῦτο προσθλέψομεν πρόσωπον- ὡς καὶ αἱ λοιπαὶ παρθένοι τὸ ἴσον μετ᾽ αὐτῆς ἐξεδόησαν, σύγχυσις ἄτακτος τὴν εὔτακτον ἐκείνην καὶ ἱεροπρεπῇ ψαλμῳδίαν διέχεε, πάντων πρὸς τὴν τῶν παρθένων οἷ· μωγὴν ἐπιχλασθέντων. Μόγις δέ ποτε ἡμῶν τὴν σιωπὴν διανευόντων, καὶ τοῦ κήρυκος εὐχὴν ὑφηγουμένου, καὶ τὰς συνήθεις ἐχδοῶντος τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ φωγὰς, κατέστη πρὸς τὸ σχῆμα τῆς εὐχῆς ὁ λαός.
Hōs de hēmeis en toutois hēmen, kai hai psalmǭdiai tōn parthenōn tois thrēnois katamichtheisai periēchoun ton topon, ouk hoid᾽ hopōs en kyklǭ pantachothen athroōs ton topon synerrheon; hōs mēketi to proaulion hikanon einai chōrein tous syntrechontas. Tēs oun pannychidos, peri autēn en hymnǭdiais, kathaper epi martyrōn panēgyreōs, telestheisēs; epeidē orthros egeneto, po men plēthos tōn ek pasēs tēs perioikidos syrrhyentōn andrōn kai gynaikōn, epethoryydei païs oi mōn gais tēn psalmǭdian; egō de, kaitoi kakōs tēn psychēn hypo tēs symphoras diakeimenos, homōs ek tōn enontōn epenooun, ei dynaton, mēden tōn epi toiautę̄ kēdeią prepontōn paraleiphthę̄ēnai. ᾿Alla diastēsas kata genos ton syrrheonta laon, kai to en gynaixi plēthos tǭ tōn parthenōn synkatamixas chorǭ, ton de tōn andrōn dēmon tǭ tōn monazontōn tagmati; mian ex hekaterōn heuyrythmon te kai enarmonion, kathaper en chorostasią, tēn psalmǭdian genesthai pareskeuasa, dia tēs koinēs pantōn synǭdias euchosmōs kat᾽ oligon hē hēmera, kai estenochōreito pas ho tēs eschatias topos tǭ plēthei tōn parastantōn , ho tōn topōn ekeinōn dia tēs episkopēs proestōs (᾿Araxios onoma autǭ; parēn tar syn panti tǭ tēs hierōsynēs plērōmati) paragein hērema parekalei to skēnōma; hōs pollou te ontos tou metaxy diąstēmatos, kai tou plēthous pros tēn oxyteran kinēsin empodōn genēsomenou; kai hama tauta legōn prosekaleito pantas tous tēs hieautǭ symmetechontas, hōs an di᾽ ekeinōn Epei de touto ededochto, kai en chersin ēn hē spoudē; hypodas tēn klinēn egō, kakeinon epi to heteron meros proskalesamenos; allōn te dyo tōn en tǭ klērǭ dontōn, hēein tou prosō echomenos, badēn, hōs eikos, kai kat᾽ oligon hēmin ginomenēs tēs kinēseōs. Tou gar laou peri tēn klinēn pepychnōmenou, kai pantōn aplēstōs echontōn tou hierou ekeinou theamatos, ouk ēn en eukolią tēn poreian hēmin dianyesthai; proēgeito de kath᾽ hekateron meros diakonōn te kai hypēretōn ouk oligon plēthos, stoichēdon tou skēnōmatos propompeuon, tas ek kērou lampadas echontes pantes; kai ēn tis mystikē pompē to ginomenon, homophōnōs tēs psalmǭdias ap᾽ akrōn epi eschatous, kathaper en tę̄ tōn triōn paidōn hymnǭdią, melǭdoumenēs. Hepta de ontōn, hē oktō tōn en mesǭ stadiōn apo tēs eschatias epi ton tōn hagiōn Martyrōn hoikon, en hǭ kai ta tōn goneōn apekeito sōmata; dia pasēs schedon tēs hēmeras molis tēn hodon diēnysamen. Ou gar eia to plēthos, to te synerchomenon kai to aei prosginomenon, kata gnōmēn tēn proodon gene sthai. Epeidē oun entos tou oikou katestēmen, apothemenoi tēn klinēn, ta prōta eis proseuchēn etrepometha- hē de euchē, thrēnōn ginetai aphormē tǭ laǭ. Tēs gar psalmǭdias katasigastheisēs; epeidē to hieron ekeino prosōpon hai parthenoi prosedlepsan; I kai hē soros ēdę̄ tōn goneōn apekalypteto, en ē katathesthai dedogmenon ēn’ mias tinos ataktōs boēsasēs, hoti ouketi meta tēn hōran tautēn to theoeides touto prosthlepsomen prosōpon- hōs kai hai loipai parthenoi to ison met᾽ autēs exedoēsan, synchysis ataktos tēn eutakton ekeinēn kai hieroprepę̄ psalmǭdian diechee, pantōn pros tēn tōn parthenōn hoi; mōgēn epichlasthentōn. Mogis de pote hēmōn tēn siōpēn dianeuontōn, kai tou kērykos euchēn hyphēgoumenou, kai tas synētheis echdoōntos tę̄ Ekklēsią phōgas, katestē pros to schēma tēs euchēs ho laos.
While we were thus engaged, and the psalmody of the virgins mingled with laments was ringing round the place, the news somehow spread suddenly through all the surrounding country, and all those who lived around began to flow together to the place, so that the forecourt was no longer large enough to hold those who ran together. When the all-night vigil around her had been completed with hymns, as at a festival of martyrs, and dawn came, the crowd of men and women who had flowed together from the whole neighbourhood disturbed the psalmody with their wailing. But I, although my soul was in a bad state from the calamity, nevertheless contrived from what was available that, if possible, nothing fitting for such a funeral should be left out. I divided the people who flowed together by sex, mingling the multitude of women with the choir of virgins and the crowd of men with the order of monks, and arranged that the psalmody should be one from both, rhythmic and harmonious, as in a choir, through the common singing of all in good order. [When] the day had [advanced] little by little, and the whole place of the remote spot was crowded by the multitude of those present, the one who presided over those places as bishop (Araxius by name; he was present with the whole body of the priesthood) urged that the bier be carried forward slowly, since the distance between was great and the crowd would hinder quicker movement. And as he said this he summoned all those who shared the priesthood with him, so that it might be carried [by them].
When this had been decided and the task was in hand, I went under the bier and, calling him to the other side, and two others of the clergy taking [the back], I went forward, slowly, as was to be expected, our movement being gradual. For as the people were packed around the bier, and all were insatiable of that holy sight, it was not easy for us to make the journey. On either side went ahead no small number of deacons and attendants, escorting the bier in rows, all holding wax tapers; and what happened was a kind of mystical procession, the psalmody being sung with one voice from the first to the last, as in the hymn of the three young men. Though there were seven or eight stades between the remote place and the house of the holy martyrs, in which the bodies of our parents too were laid, we barely completed the way in almost the whole day. For the crowd, both those who came with us and those who kept joining, did not let the procession go as we wished.
When we had come inside the house, we set down the bier and first turned to prayer; and the prayer becomes an occasion of laments for the people. For when the psalmody fell silent, and the virgins looked at that holy face, and our parents' tomb was already being uncovered, in which it had been decided to lay her, one of them cried out in disorder that after this hour we shall no longer look on this godlike face; and as the rest of the virgins cried out the same with her, a disorderly confusion broke up that orderly and sacred psalmody, all being broken down by the wailing of the virgins. When at last we had with difficulty signalled for silence, and the herald was leading the prayer and crying out the customary words to the assembly, the people settled into the posture of prayer.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Notes and citation
Summary: Crowds gather for an all-night vigil; Gregory arranges the singing, and with bishop Araxius carries the bier in a candle-lit procession to the church of the martyrs where their parents lie.
- The scan reads ἠρέμα ("slowly") for the bishop's instruction to move the bier; the clause that follows (the distance and the crowd) suggests haste, and the reading may be corrupt. The hymn of the three young men is the Greek addition to Dan 3 (Pr Azar 28–68).
- Some words are lost in the scan (bracketed).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin-column text leaked into the line): Πιπότα ἀοδίἀογαγοίυνγ : κηδείᾳ → κηδείᾳ; πάν- ἃ ργορτγεάϊεοι τες → πάντες.
Extrabiblical texts: Pr Azar (Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Young Men [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; allusion)
Topics: Hymns and singing, Death and burial
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Macr. 10 (PG 46; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/10
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae-10) · Report an error
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 11
11PG 46
Καὶ ἐπειδὴ τὸ πρέπον ἡ εὐχὴ πέρας ἔλαθεν, φόβος μέ τις τῆς θείας ἐντολῆς εἰσέρχεται, τῆς κωλυούσης πατρὸς ἣ μητρὸς ἀνακαλύπτειν ἀσχημοσύνην. ε Καὶ πῶς, ἔφην ἐγὼ, ἔξω τοῦ τοιούτου γενήσομαι χρίμαὃς, ἐν τοῖς τῶν γονέων σώματι βλέπων τὴν κοινὴ· τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως ἀσχημοσύνην· διαπεπτωχότων, ὡς εἰκὸς, καὶ διαλελυμένων, καὶ εἰς εἰδεχθῇ δυσάντητον ἀμορφίαν μεταδλτθέντων; Ταῦτα δέ μοι λογιζομένῳ, καὶ τῆς τοῦ Νῶε κατὰ τοῦ παιδὸς ἀγαπραχτέον ἡ ἱστορία τοῦ Νῶε. Ἐπεχαλύφθη γὰρ σινδόνι καθαρᾷ, πρὶν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν γενέσθαι τὰ σώματα τῇ τοῦ πώματος ἐπάρσει, καθ᾽ ἑκάτερον ἄκρον τῆς σινδόνος ἀντεισιούσης· καὶ οὕτως ὑποχρυφθέννων τῇ σινδόνι τῶν σωμάτων ἀράμενοι τῆς κλίνης τὸ ἱερὸν ἐκεῖνο σῶμα, ἐγώ τε καὶ ὁ μνημονευθεὶς τῶν τόπων ἐπίσκοπος, τῇ μητρὶ παραχατεχλίναμεν, κοινὴν ἀμφοτέραις πληροῦντες εὐχήν. Τοῦτο γὰρ παρὰ πᾶσαν τὴν ζωὴν συμφώνως ἀμφότεραι τὸν Θεὸν ἡτοῦντο, ἀνακραθῆναι μετὰ τὸν θάνατον ἀλλήλαις τὰ σώματα, καὶ τὴν κατὰ τὸν βίον ἐν τῇ ζωῇ κοινωνίαν μηδὲ ἐν τῷ θανάτῳ Ἐπεὶ δὲ πάντα ἡμῖν τὰ ἐν τῇ χηδείχ νενομισ μένα πεπλήρωτο, καὶ ἔδει πάλιν τῆς ἐπανόδου γενέσθαι, ἐπιπεσὼν τῷ τάρῳ, καὶ τὴν κόνιν ἀσπασάμενος, εἰχόμην πάλιν τῆς ὁδοῦ κατηφής τε καὶ δεδαχρυμένος, λογιζόμενος, ὅσου ἀγαθοῦ διεζεύχθη ὁ βίο:. Κατὰ δὲ πὴν ὁδὸν ἀνήρ τις τῶν ἐν στρατείᾳ λαμπρῶν, στρατιωτικὴν ἡγεμονίαν ἔχων τῶν ἐν πολίχνῃ τινὶ τῶν κατὰ τὸν Πόντον, ἧ Σεδαστόπολις ὄνομα, μετὰ τῶν ὑπηκόων ἐνδιαιτώμενος:, ἀπήντησέ τε φιλοφρόνως κατ᾽ αὐτὴν γενομένῳ, καὶ τὴν συμφορὰν ἀκούσας, καὶ χαλεπῶς ἐνεγκὼν (ἣν γὰρ δὴ τῶν ἐκ γένους ἡμῖν οἰκείων τε καὶ ἐπιτηδείων), προσέθηκέ μοί τι διήγημα τοῦ κατ᾽ αὐτὴν θαύματος, ὃ δὴ καὶ μόνον ἐγγράψσς τῇ ἱστορίᾳ, καταπαύσω τὴν συγγραφήν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐπαυσάμεθα τῶν δακρύων, καὶ εἰς ὁμιλίαν κατἔστημεν, ἴλχουε, φησὶ, πρός με λέγων ἐκεῖνος, οἷον, καὶ ὅσον ἀγαθὸν τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης μετέστη ζωῆς. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν, οὕτως ἄρχεται τοῦ διηγήματος· Ἐγένετό τις ἡμῖν ἐπιθυμία ποτὲ τῇ γαμετῇ καὶ ἐμοὶ καταλαθεῖν, κατὰ σπουδὴν, τὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς φροντιστήριον, Οὕτω γὰρ οἶμαι χρῆναι, φησὶ, ε τὸν χῶρον ἐκεῖνον χατονομάξεσθαι, ἐν ᾧ τὴν διαγωγὴν εἶχεν ἡ μακαρία ψυχή· συνῆν δὲ ἡμῖν καὶ τὸ θυγάτριον, ἐν ᾧ τις ἐκ λοιμώδους ἀῤῥωστίας συνέδη περὶ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν συμφορά· καὶ ἣν θέαμα εἰδεχθὲς, καὶ ἐλεεινὸν, παχυνθέντος τοῦ περὶ τὴν κόρην χιτῶνος, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ πάθους ὑπολευχαίνοντος. Ὡς δὲ ἐντὸς ἦμεν τῆς θείας ἐκείνης διαγωγῆς, διελόμενοι κατὰ γένος τὴν ἐπίσκεψιν τῶν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ φιλοσοφούντων, ἐγώ τε καὶ ἡ ὁμόζυγος· ἐγὼ μὲν ἐν τῷ ἀνδρῶνι ἔμτν, ὧν καθηγεῖτο Πέτρος ὁ σὸς ἀδελφός· ἡ δὲ τοῦ παρθενῶνος ἐντὸς γενομένη τῇ ᾿Αγίᾳ συνῆν ᾿ συμμέτρου δὲ διαγενομένου ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ διαστήματος, εἶναι τοῦ ἀποχωρεῖν τῆς ἐσχατιᾶς πάλιν ἐκρίναμεν· καὶ ἤδη πρὸς τοῦτο ἦν ἡμῶν ἡ ὁρμὴ, σύμφωνος δὲ παρ᾽ ἑκατέρων ἡ περὶ ἡμᾶς φιλοφροσύνη ἐγένετο. Ἐμοι τε καὶ ὁ σὸς ἀδελφὸς μένειν ἐνεχελεύετο, καὶ μετασχεῖν τῆς φιλοσόφου τραπέζης· ἢ τε μακαρία τὴν ἐμὴν γαμετὴν οὐ μεθίει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν κόλποις ἔχουσα τὸ θυγάτριον, οὐ πρότερον ἔλεγεν ἀποδώσειν, πρὶν τράπεζαν αὐταῖς παραστήσασθαι, καὶ τῷ τῆς φιλοσοφίας δεξιώσασθαι πλούτῳ’ φιλοῦσα δὲ, οἷα εἰκὸς, τὸ παιδίον, καὶ προσάγουσα τὸ στόμα τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, ἐπειδὴ εἶδε τὸ περὶ τὴν κόρην πάθος, Ἐάν μοι, φησὶ, δῶτε τὴν χάριν, καὶ τῆς τραπέζης ἡμῖν χοινωνήσητε, ἀντιδώσω μισθὸν ὑμῖν τῆς τοιαύτης τιμῆς οὐκ ἀνάξων. Τίνα δὴ τοῦτον, εἰπούσης τῆς τοῦ παιδίου μητρός ; Ἔστι μοι φάρμακον, ἡ Μεγάλη φησὶν, ὃ δυνατῶς ἔχει τὸ κατὰ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ἰάσασθαι πάθος. ᾿Επὶ δὲ εἶθ, βραι απ σγ ὨΟπΟΓΟ ποη τούτοις ; δηλώματός μοι παρὰ τῆς γυναικωνίτιδος ἥκοντος ὑπὸ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν ἐκείνην χαταμηνύσαντος, ἄσμενοι παρεμείναμεν· μικρὰ φροντίσαντες τῆς ἐπειγούσης ἡμᾶς πρὸς τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν ἀνάγκης.
Kai epeidē to prepon hē euchē peras elathen, phobos me tis tēs theias entolēs eiserchetai, tēs kōlyousēs patros hē mētros anakalyptein aschēmosynēn. e Kai pōs, ephēn egō, exō tou toioutou genēsomai chrimaos, en tois tōn goneōn sōmati blepōn tēn koinē; tēs anthrōpinēs physeōs aschēmosynēn; diapeptōchotōn, hōs eikos, kai dialelymenōn, kai eis eidechthę̄ dysantēton amorphian metadltthentōn? Tauta de moi logizomenǭ, kai tēs tou Nōe kata tou paidos agaprachteon hē historia tou Nōe. Epechalyphthē gar sindoni katharą, prin en ophthalmois hēmōn genesthai ta sōmata tę̄ tou pōmatos eparsei, kath᾽ hekateron akron tēs sindonos anteisiousēs; kai houtōs hypochryphthennōn tę̄ sindoni tōn sōmatōn aramenoi tēs klinēs to hieron ekeino sōma, egō te kai ho mnēmoneutheis tōn topōn episkopos, tę̄ mētri parachatechlinamen, koinēn amphoterais plērountes euchēn. Touto gar para pasan tēn zōēn symphōnōs amphoterai ton Theon hētounto, anakrathēnai meta ton thanaton allēlais ta sōmata, kai tēn kata ton bion en tę̄ zōę̄ koinōnian mēde en tǭ thanatǭ Epei de panta hēmin ta en tę̄ chēdeich nenomis mena peplērōto, kai edei palin tēs epanodou genesthai, epipesōn tǭ tarǭ, kai tēn konin aspasamenos, eichomēn palin tēs hodou katēphēs te kai dedachrymenos, logizomenos, hosou agathou diezeuchthē ho bio:. Kata de pēn hodon anēr tis tōn en strateią lamprōn, stratiōtikēn hēgemonian echōn tōn en polichnę̄ tini tōn kata ton Ponton, hē Sedastopolis onoma, meta tōn hypēkoōn endiaitōmenos:, apēntēse te philophronōs kat᾽ autēn genomenǭ, kai tēn symphoran akousas, kai chalepōs enenkōn (hēn gar dē tōn ek genous hēmin oikeiōn te kai epitēdeiōn), prosethēke moi ti diēgēma tou kat᾽ autēn thaumatos, ho dē kai monon engrapsss tę̄ historią, katapausō tēn syngraphēn. Epeidē gar epausametha tōn dakryōn, kai eis homilian katestēmen, ilchoue, phēsi, pros me legōn ekeinos, hoion, kai hoson agathon tēs anthrōpinēs metestē zōēs. Kai tauta eipōn, houtōs archetai tou diēgēmatos; Egeneto tis hēmin epithymia pote tę̄ gametę̄ kai emoi katalathein, kata spoudēn, to tēs aretēs phrontistērion, Houtō gar oimai chrēnai, phēsi, e ton chōron ekeinon chatonomaxesthai, en hǭ tēn diagōgēn eichen hē makaria psychē; synēn de hēmin kai to thygatrion, en hǭ tis ek loimōdous arrhōstias synedē peri ton ophthalmon symphora; kai hēn theama eidechthes, kai eleeinon, pachynthentos tou peri tēn korēn chitōnos, kai ek tou pathous hypoleuchainontos. Hōs de entos ēmen tēs theias ekeinēs diagōgēs, dielomenoi kata genos tēn episkepsin tōn en tǭ topǭ philosophountōn, egō te kai hē homozygos; egō men en tǭ andrōni emtn, hōn kathēgeito Petros ho sos adelphos; hē de tou parthenōnos entos genomenē tę̄ ᾿Agią synēn ᾿ symmetrou de diagenomenou en tǭ metaxy diastēmatos, einai tou apochōrein tēs eschatias palin ekrinamen; kai ēdē pros touto ēn hēmōn hē hormē, symphōnos de par᾽ hekaterōn hē peri hēmas philophrosynē egeneto. Emoi te kai ho sos adelphos menein enecheleueto, kai metaschein tēs philosophou trapezēs; ē te makaria tēn emēn gametēn ou methiei, all᾽ en kolpois echousa to thygatrion, ou proteron elegen apodōsein, prin trapezan autais parastēsasthai, kai tǭ tēs philosophias dexiōsasthai ploutǭ’ philousa de, hoia eikos, to paidion, kai prosagousa to stoma tois ophthalmois, epeidē eide to peri tēn korēn pathos, Ean moi, phēsi, dōte tēn charin, kai tēs trapezēs hēmin choinōnēsēte, antidōsō misthon hymin tēs toiautēs timēs ouk anaxōn. Tina dē touton, eipousēs tēs tou paidiou mētros ? Esti moi pharmakon, hē Megalē phēsin, ho dynatōs echei to kata ton ophthalmon iasasthai pathos. ᾿Epi de eith, brai ap sg ŌOpOGO poē toutois ? dēlōmatos moi para tēs gynaikōnitidos hēkontos hypo tēn hyposchesin ekeinēn chatamēnysantos, asmenoi paremeinamen; mikra phrontisantes tēs epeigousēs hēmas pros tēn hodoiporian anankēs.
And when the prayer had come to its fitting end, a [fear] came over me of the divine commandment that forbids uncovering the shame of father or mother. "And how," I said, "shall I escape such a judgment if I look on the common shame of human nature in the bodies of our parents, fallen apart, as is likely, and dissolved, and changed into a loathsome and repulsive unsightliness?" As I thought about this, and [feared] the anger of Noah against his son, the history of Noah [taught me] what had to be done. For before the bodies came before our eyes when the lid was raised, they were covered with a clean linen cloth, carried in at either end of the cloth; and so, the bodies being hidden under the cloth, I and the bishop of those places whom I mentioned lifted that holy body from the bier and laid it beside her mother, fulfilling a prayer common to both. For throughout their whole life both had asked God with one accord that after death their bodies should be mingled with each other, and that the fellowship they had in life should not be broken even in death.
When all that is customary at a funeral had been completed for us, and it was time to return, I fell on the tomb and kissed the dust, and took the road again, downcast and in tears, reckoning of how great a good life had been deprived. On the road a man distinguished in military service, holding military command over a small town in Pontus named Sebastopolis and living there with those under him, met me in a friendly way as I came near it, and on hearing of the calamity was grievously affected (for he was one of our relatives and intimates by family); and he added for me an account of a wonder concerning her, which alone I will write into the history and then end the treatise. When we had stopped our tears and had settled into conversation, he said to me: "Hear what and how great a good has departed from human life." And having said this, he begins his account thus:
"My wife and I once had a desire to visit in haste that school of virtue (for so I think one must name that place in which the blessed soul spent her life). Our little daughter was with us, on whom a misfortune had come in the eye from a pestilential illness; and she was a loathsome and pitiable sight, the membrane around the pupil having thickened and grown whitish from the disease. When we were inside that divine dwelling, my wife and I divided the visit to those who practised philosophy there by sex: I was in the men's quarters, whose superior was Peter your brother; she went into the virgins' quarters and was with the holy one. When a reasonable interval had passed, we decided that it was time to leave the remote place again; and our setting out was already in hand, but the kindness of both sides toward us was in accord. Your brother bade me stay and share the philosophic table; and the blessed one would not let my wife go, but holding the little girl in her bosom said she would not give her back before she had set a table before them and entertained them with the wealth of philosophy. Kissing the child, as was natural, and putting her mouth to her eyes, when she saw the disease about the pupil, she said, 'If you do me the favour and share our table, I will give you in return a reward not unworthy of such an honour.' When the child's mother said, 'What is this?', the Great One said, 'I have a medicine that is able to heal the disease of the eye.' Then, when a message came to me from the women's quarters announcing that promise, we gladly stayed, caring little for the necessity that was pressing us on our journey.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Lev 18:7 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 9:20–25 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Mindful of the command not to uncover a parent's shame, Gregory covers the parents' remains before laying Macrina beside her mother; on the way home an officer of Sebastopolis tells how Macrina promised to heal his daughter's eye.
- Gregory applies Lev 18:7 (not uncovering the shame of father or mother) and Noah's anger at Ham (Gen 9:20–25) to the opening of the parents' tomb.
- Some words are lost in the scan (bracketed).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin-column text leaked into the line): (πίογυπι οοηνοηΐίοηίον (Δεῖ ῥγεοδπὰϊ ἢπθ πὸ α Καὶ → Καὶ; φήθος διι πὰ σδ] δηλ αἱα, μέ τις → φόβος μέ τις.
Topics: Death and burial, Miracles
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Macr. 11 (PG 46; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/11). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/11
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae-11) · Report an error
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 12
12PG 46
Ὡς δὲ τέλος εἶχεν ἡ εὐωχία, καὶ πλήρης ἣν ἡμῖν ἢ εὐχὴ, τοῦ μὲν μεγάλου Πέτρου ταῖς οἰκείαις χερσὶν εὐωχοῦντος ἡμᾶς, καὶ φαιδρύνοντος, τῆς δὲ ἁγίας Μαχρίνης, διὰ πάσης εὐπρεποῦς θυμηδίας τὴν ὁμό: ξυγον ἡ μῖν ἀνιείσης· οὕτω φαιδρύνοντες καὶ γεγηθότες, τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδὸν ἐπανήειμεν, διήγημα τῷ ἑτέρῳ τὰ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἑκάτερος ἐν τῇ ὁδοιπορίᾳ ποιούμενοι· κἀγὼ μὲν διεξήειν τὰ ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρῶνος, ὅσα τε εἶδον, καὶ ὅσα ἤκουσα- ἐκείνη δὲ τὰ καθ᾽ ἕκαστον ἐχδιηγουμένη, καθάπερ ἐφ᾽ ἱστορίας, οὐδὲν ᾧετο δεῖν, οὐδὲ τῶν μικρῶν, παραλανθάνεινʼ ἀκολούθως δὲ πάντα καθάπερ ἐπὶ συζυγίᾳ τῆς συγγραφῆς διεξιοῦσα· ὡς κατὰ τὸ μέρος γέγονεν ἐκεῖνο, ἐν ᾧ ἡ ὑπόσχεσις ἣν τῆς τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ θεραπείας, ἐχχόψασα τὴν διήγησιν, Τί τοῦτο, φησὶ, πεπόνθαμεν; Πῶς τῆ: ὑποσχέσεως ρίῳ φάρμακον ; Κἀμοῦ συνδυσχεραίνοντος ἐπὶ τῇ ἀμελείᾳ, καί τινα διὰ τάχους ἐχδραμεῖν ἐπὶ τὸ φάρμακον ἐγχελευσαμένου, βλέπει κατὰ τὸ συμδὰν πρὸς τὴν μητέρα ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν ὃν τῆς τιθηνουμένης τὸ νήπιον, καὶ ἡ μήτηρ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τοῦ νηπίου φησὶ, δυσχεραίνων ἐπὶ τῇ , ἀμελείᾳ. Μεγάλῃ τοῦτο φωνῇ ὑπὸ χαρᾶς ἅμα καὶ ἐχπλέξεως λέγουσα. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐλλέλειπται ἡμῖν τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων· ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἐκείνης φάρμάκον, τὸ τῶν παθημάτων ἰατρικὸν, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἡ ἂκ τῶν εὐχῶν θεραπεία, καὶ ἔδωκε, καὶ ἐνεργὸν ἤδη γέγονε, καὶ ὑπολέλειπται τῆς κατὰ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν ἀῤῥωστίας οὐδοτιοῦν, τῷ θείῳ ἐκείνῳ φαρμάκῳ κεκαθαρμένον. Καὶ ἅμα ταῦτα διεξιοῦσα, αὐτή τε τὸ παιδίον ἐνηγκαλίζετο, καὶ ταῖς ἐμαῖς ἐνετίθει χερσί. Κἀγὼ τότε τὰ ἀπιστούμενα κατὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον θαύματα, τῇ διανοίᾳ λαθὼν, Τέ μέγα, εἶπον, διὰ χειρὸς Θεοῦ τυφλοῖς τὰς ὄψεις ἀποχαθίσασθαι· ὁπότε νῦν ἡ δούλη αὐτοῦ, τὰς ἰάσεις ἐκείνας κατορθοῦσα τῇ εἰς αὐτὸν πίστει, κατείργασται πρᾶγμα οὐ πολὺ τῶν θαυμάτων ἐκείνων ἀπολειπόμενον; ν Ταῦτα λέγων μεταξὺ λυγμῷ τὴν φωνὴν ἐνεχόπτετο, τῶν δακρύων ἐπιῤῥυέντων τῷ διηγήματι. Τὰ μὲν οὖν παρὰ τοῦ στρατιώτου, ταῦτα. Ὅσα δὲ καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα παρὰ τῶν συνεζηχότων αὐτῇ, καὶ δι᾽ ἀχριδείας τὰ κατ᾽ αὐτὴν ἐπισταμένων ἠκούσαμεν, οὐκ ἀσφαλὲς οἶμαι προσθεῖναι τῷ διηγήματι. Οἱ γὰρ πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων πρὸς τὰ ἑαυτῶν μέτρα τὸ πιστὸν ἐν τοῖς λεγομένοις κρίνουσι᾽ τὸ δὲ ὑπερβαῖνον τὴν τοῦ ἀκούοντος δύναμιν, ὡς ἔξω τῆς ἀληθείας, ταῖς τοῦ ψεύδους ὑπονοίαις ὑδρίζουσι. Δι) παρἴημι τὴν ἄπιστον ἐκείνην ἐν τῷ λιμῷ γεωργίαν· πῶς ἐχθαλλόμενος ὁ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν σἴτος, οὐδεμίαν αἴσθησιν ἐποίει τῆς ὑφαιρέσεως, ἐν τῷ ὁμοίῳ διαμέγων ὄγκῳ, καὶ πρὶν διαδοθῇ ταῖς τῶν αἰτούντων χρείαις· καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἄλλα τούτων παραδοξόπτερα· παθῶν ἰάσεις, καὶ δαιμονώντων καθάρσεις, καὶ ἀψευδεῖς προῤῥήσεις τῶν ἐχδησομένωνʼ ἅπαντα τοῖς μὲν δι᾽ ἀχριθείας ἐγνωκόσιν, ἀληθῆ εἶναι πιστεύεται, κἂν ὑπὲρ πίστιν ἦ· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν σαρχωδεστέρων, ἔξιυ τοῦ ἐνδεχομένου νομίζεται, οἵ οὐκ ἴσασιν, ὅτι κατὰ τὴν ἀναλογίαν τῆς πίστεως, καὶ ἡ τῶν χαρισμάτων διανομὴ παραγίνεται· μικρὰ μὲν ὀλιγοπίστοις, μεγάλη δὲ τοῖς πολλὴν ἔχουσιν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς τὴν εὑρυχωρίαν τῆς πίστεως. Ὡς ἂν. οὖν μὴ βλαδεῖεν οἱ ἀπιστότεροι, ταῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ δωρεαῖς ἀπιστοῦντες· τούτου ἕνεκεν καθεξῆς ἱστορεῖν περὶ τῶν ὑψηλοτέρων θαυ-᾿ μάτων παρῃτησάμην, ἀρχεῖν ἡγούμενος τοῖς εἰρημένοῖς περιγράψαι τὴν περὶ αὑτῆς ἱστορίαν.
Hōs de telos eichen hē euōchia, kai plērēs hēn hēmin ē euchē, tou men megalou Petrou tais oikeiais chersin euōchountos hēmas, kai phaidrynontos, tēs de hagias Machrinēs, dia pasēs euprepous thymēdias tēn homo: xygon hē min anieisēs; houtō phaidrynontes kai gegēthotes, tēn autēn hodon epanēeimen, diēgēma tǭ heterǭ ta kath᾽ heauton hekateros en tę̄ hodoiporią poioumenoi; kagō men diexēein ta ek tou andrōnos, hosa te eidon, kai hosa ēkousa- ekeinē de ta kath᾽ hekaston echdiēgoumenē, kathaper eph᾽ historias, ouden hǭeto dein, oude tōn mikrōn, paralanthaneinʼ akolouthōs de panta kathaper epi syzygią tēs syngraphēs diexiousa; hōs kata to meros gegonen ekeino, en hǭ hē hyposchesis hēn tēs tou ophthalmou therapeias, echchopsasa tēn diēgēsin, Ti touto, phēsi, peponthamen? Pōs tē: hyposcheseōs riǭ pharmakon ? Kamou syndyscherainontos epi tę̄ ameleią, kai tina dia tachous echdramein epi to pharmakon encheleusamenou, blepei kata to symdan pros tēn mētera en tais chersin hon tēs tithēnoumenēs to nēpion, kai hē mētēr tois ophthalmois tou nēpiou phēsi, dyscherainōn epi tę̄ , ameleią. Megalę̄ touto phōnę̄ hypo charas hama kai echplexeōs legousa. Idou gar ouden elleleiptai hēmin tōn epēngelmenōn; alla to alēthinon ekeinēs pharmakon, to tōn pathēmatōn iatrikon, hoper estin hē ak tōn euchōn therapeia, kai edōke, kai energon ēdē gegone, kai hypoleleiptai tēs kata ton ophthalmon arrhōstias oudotioun, tǭ theiǭ ekeinǭ pharmakǭ kekatharmenon. Kai hama tauta diexiousa, autē te to paidion enēnkalizeto, kai tais emais enetithei chersi. Kagō tote ta apistoumena kata to Euangelion thaumata, tę̄ dianoią lathōn, Te mega, eipon, dia cheiros Theou typhlois tas opseis apochathisasthai; hopote nyn hē doulē autou, tas iaseis ekeinas katorthousa tę̄ eis auton pistei, kateirgastai pragma ou poly tōn thaumatōn ekeinōn apoleipomenon? n Tauta legōn metaxy lygmǭ tēn phōnēn enechopteto, tōn dakryōn epirrhyentōn tǭ diēgēmati. Ta men oun para tou stratiōtou, tauta. Hosa de kai alla toiauta para tōn synezēchotōn autę̄, kai di᾽ achrideias ta kat᾽ autēn epistamenōn ēkousamen, ouk asphales oimai prostheinai tǭ diēgēmati. Hoi gar polloi tōn anthrōpōn pros ta heautōn metra to piston en tois legomenois krinousi᾽ to de hyperbainon tēn tou akouontos dynamin, hōs exō tēs alētheias, tais tou pseudous hyponoiais hydrizousi. Di) pariēmi tēn apiston ekeinēn en tǭ limǭ geōrgian; pōs echthallomenos ho pros tēn chreian sitos, oudemian aisthēsin epoiei tēs hyphaireseōs, en tǭ homoiǭ diamegōn onkǭ, kai prin diadothę̄ tais tōn aitountōn chreiais; kai meta touto kai alla toutōn paradoxoptera; pathōn iaseis, kai daimonōntōn katharseis, kai apseudeis prorrhēseis tōn echdēsomenōnʼ hapanta tois men di᾽ achritheias egnōkosin, alēthē einai pisteuetai, kan hyper pistin ē; epi de tōn sarchōdesterōn, exiy tou endechomenou nomizetai, hoi ouk isasin, hoti kata tēn analogian tēs pisteōs, kai hē tōn charismatōn dianomē paraginetai; mikra men oligopistois, megalē de tois pollēn echousin en heautois tēn heurychōrian tēs pisteōs. Hōs an. oun mē bladeien hoi apistoteroi, tais tou Theou dōreais apistountes; toutou heneken kathexēs historein peri tōn hypsēloterōn thau-᾿ matōn parę̄tēsamēn, archein hēgoumenos tois eirēmenois perigrapsai tēn peri hautēs historian.
"When the feast was over and our prayer complete, the great Peter having entertained and cheered us with his own hands, and the holy Macrina having sent my wife away to us with all becoming gladness, we went back by the same road, cheerful and rejoicing, each of us telling the other what had happened to him on the journey. I went through what happened in the men's quarters, all that I had seen and heard; and she, relating each thing as in a history, thought she should leave out nothing, not even small things, going through everything in order as if in a narrative; and when she came to that part where the promise of the cure of the eye was, she broke off her account and said, 'What has happened to us? How did we forget the promise, the medicine?' And as I too was vexed at the neglect and ordered someone to run back quickly for the medicine, the child, who was in the arms of her nurse, happened to look toward her mother; and the mother, looking at the child's eyes, said to me, who was vexed at the neglect, crying out with joy and astonishment at once: 'Stop being vexed at the neglect. For see, nothing of what was promised has been left undone for us; but that true medicine of hers, which heals diseases, that is, the cure that comes from prayers, she both gave and it has already become effective, and nothing at all is left of the illness of the eye, which has been cleansed by that divine medicine.' And as she said this she took the child in her arms and put her into my hands. And then, taking in my mind the wonders of the Gospel that are disbelieved, I said, 'What great thing is it for the blind to have their sight restored by the hand of God, when now his handmaid, achieving those healings by faith in him, has done something not far short of those wonders?'" As he said this, his voice was broken by a sob between his words, tears flowing into his account.
So much for the soldier's account. Whatever other such things we heard from those who lived with her and knew her affairs exactly, I do not think it safe to add to the narrative. For most people judge the credibility of what is said by their own measure; and what surpasses the hearer's capacity they insult with suspicions of falsehood, as being outside the truth. For this reason I pass over that incredible farming in the famine: how the grain given out for need gave no sense of being diminished, remaining in the same bulk both before it was distributed to the needs of those who asked and afterwards; and other things more extraordinary than these: healings of diseases, cleansings of the possessed, and truthful predictions of what was to come. All are believed to be true by those who knew them exactly, even if they are beyond belief; but among the more fleshly they are thought to be outside what is possible, by those who do not know that the distribution of gifts too comes according to the proportion of faith, small for those of little faith, great for those who have much spaciousness of faith in themselves. So that those more inclined to disbelieve may not be harmed by disbelieving the gifts of God, for this reason I declined to relate in order the loftier wonders, thinking it enough to bring the history about her to its close with what has been said.
Matt 9:27–30 (allusion, medium confidence) · John 9:1–7 (allusion, medium confidence) · Rom 12:6 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 17:14–16 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The officer's wife discovers on the road home that their daughter's eye has been healed by Macrina's prayer; Gregory ends by declining to record her further miracles for fear of unbelief.
- "According to the proportion of faith" echoes Rom 12:6. The multiplied grain in the famine recalls 1 Kgs 17:14–16.
- This is the end of the Life. The staged sections 13–16 are not part of it: they are Gregory's Letter 1, to Flavian, on his reception by Helladius of Caesarea, and have not been translated here.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin-column text leaked into the line): Ταῦτα ποῖα Μδουγίηδ οἱ τὶ σον θη} [σου μα} νοὶ δυάϊνογαπ), γΓΘοθηβοθᾶπὶ; οἱ υἱ οἰ βς᾽ πὶ ἴδηλέγων → Ταῦτα λέγων; ηὐᾶ ἀϊουπίιγ, μέτρα → μέτρα; ὑπερ. Γαδ γα, πθς ἀυτῃ ἀπ γα γαῖ, θαῖνον → ὑπερβαῖνον.
Cite (SBL): Gregory of Nyssa, Macr. 12 (PG 46; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/12). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae/12
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-gregory-nyssa-vita-macrinae-12) · Report an error
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).