Religious History 21
Greek text: PG 82.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 21
21PG 82
Ἐπειδὴ τῶν ἀναῤῥηθέντων τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀθλητῶν τοὺς ἀγῶνας διεξήλθομεν, ἐν κεφαλαίῳ διηγησάμενοι καὶ τοὺς ἐν τῇ μελέτῃ πόνους, καὶ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς: [ὶ ἀγῶσιν ἱδρῶτας, καὶ τὰς λαμπροτάτας καὶ περιλῃδἰ} γεγο ἰπὶεἱ φανεστάτας νίκας, φέρε καὶ τῶν ἔτι περιόντων, καὶ μεγαλοπρεπῶς ἀγωνιζομένων, καὶ φιλονειχούντων νικῆσαι τοῖς ἱδρῶσι τοὺς προλαδόντας, τὴν πολιτείαν ὀνησιφόρον μνήμην. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τῶν πάλαι ποτὲ διαπρεψάντων ἁγίων ἡ πολιτεία τοῖς ἔπειτα μεγίστην ὠφέλειαν ἐκόμισεν, οὕτως ἀρχέτυπα τοῖς μεθ᾽ ἡμᾶς τὰ τούτων γενήσεται διηγήματα. ᾿Αρχὴν τούτων ποιήσομαι τὸν μέγαν Ἰάκωδον - οὗτος γὰρ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ τῷ χρόνῳ, καὶ τῷ πόνῳ πρωτεύει, καὶ τοῦτον ζηλώσαντες, τὰ θαυμαστὰ. καὶ παράδοξα δρῶσι. Συνέδη δὲ οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως, καὶ τῶν ἀπελθόντων, καὶ τῶν ἔτι περιόντων, τοῦτο πρωτεῦται τὸ ὄνομα. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὴν ἐχείνων πολιτείαν διηγησάμενος, ἀρχὴν τὸν θεῖον ἐκεῖνον ἐποιησάμην Ἰάχωυτὃς τὴν Περσιχὴν ἐχείνην στρατείαν ἐσχέδασε προσευχῇ, καὶ τῶν τοῦ ἄστεως περιθόλων σόντων, οὔτε τὴν πόλιν ἀλῶναι συνεχώρησε, καὶ τοὺ; καταστρατεύσας, καὶ χώνωπας. Ὁ ἐκείνου τοίνυν ὁμότιμος, καὶ ὁμότροπος, τῆς τῶν ἔτι περιόντων ἀγωνιστῶν προτευέτω συμμορίας " οὐκ ἐπειδὴ τῆς προσηγορίας ἐστὶ κοινωνὸς, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ τὴν ἐχείνου ἐζήλωσεν ἀρετὴν, καὶ παράδειγμα φιλοσοφίας αὐτὸ; «οἷς ἄλλοις ἐγένετο. Μάρωνι γὰρ ἐκείνῳ τῷ πάν συγγενόμενος, καὶ τῆς θείας αὐτοῦ διδασχαλί: μεταλαχὼν, τοῖς μείζοσι πόνοις ἀπέκρυψε τὸν διδά" σχαλον. Ὃ μὲν γὰρ καὶ περίβολον εἶχε τῆς παλαιᾶς πλάνης τὸ τέμενος, καὶ σκηνὴν ἐκ δέῤῥεων ἐπήξατο, καὶ ταύτῃ χρώμενος, τὰς τὸῦ ὑετοῦ καὶ νιφετοῦ διέφυγε προσδολάς. Οὗτος δὲ πᾶσι τούτοις; ἐῤῥῶσθαι φράσα;, καὶ σκηνῇ, καὶ χαλύδῃ, καὶ περιδόλῳ, ὄροφον ἔχει τὸν οὐρανὸν, πάσα; τοῦ ἀέρο; τὰς ἐναντίας δεχόμενος προσθολάς. Καὶ νῦν μὲν καὶ μενός τε καὶ ἐμπιπράμενος, καὶ πρὸς ἅπαντα χαρπτερῶν καὶ ὡς ἐν ἀλλοτρίῳ ἀγωνιζόμενος σώματι, καὶ φιλυνειχῶν τῇ προθυμίᾳ νικῆσαι τὴν τοῦ σώματὸς φύσιν. Θνητὸν γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ παθητὸν περικείμενος, ὡς ἐν ἀπαθεῖ πολιτεύετα:, καὶ τὴν ἀσώματον ζωὴν ἐν σώματι μελετῶν, μετὰ τοῦ θεσπεσίου Παύλου βοᾷ" « Ἐν σαργὰὶ περιπατοῦντες οὐ κατὰ σάρκα στρατευόμεθα " τὰ γὰρ ὅπλα ἡ μῶν οὐ σαρκικὰ, ἀλλὴ δυνατὰ τῷ Θεῷ πρὸς καθαίρεσιν ὀχυρωμάτων - λογι- σμοὺς καθαιροῦντες, καὶ πᾶν ὕψωμα ἐπαιρόμενον κατὰ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ " καὶ αἰχμαλωτίζοντες πᾶν νόημα εἰς τὴν ὑπακοὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ. » ᾿Αλλὰ τούτους τοὺς ὑπὲρ φύσιν ἀγῶνας ἐν μείοτιν ἐμελέτὴσε πόνοις. Ἐν οἰκίσκῳ γάρ τινι βραχεῖ πρότερον ἑαυτὸν καθείρξας, καὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν θορύθων ἑλευθερώτας, καὶ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ μνήμῃ προτηλώσας τὸν νοῦν. οὕτω τὴν τῆς ἐντελοῦς ἀρετῆς ἐποιεῖτο μελέτην, Γυμναπάμενος δὲ ἄριστα, χοαὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν πόνων ἐθάδα τὴν ψυχὴν ἀποφήνας, τῶν μειζόνων κατετόλμησεν ἄθλων " καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ὄρος καταλαδὼν, ὃ τοῦδε τοῦ ἄστεως τριάκοντα σταδίοις ἀφέστηκεν, ἐπίσημον ἀπέφηνε καὶ σεθάσμιον, ἄσημον ὃν πάλαι καὶ ἄκαρπον παντελῶς, Τοσαύτην δὲ νῦν εὐλογίαν δεδέχθα: πεπίστευται, ὡς τὴν ἐπικειμένην δαπανᾶσθαι γῆν, Β τῶν πάντοθεν ἀφικνουμένων εἰς ὠφέλειαν ταύτην κομιζομένων. Ἐν τούτῳ διαιτώμενος, ὑπὸ τῶν παραγινομένων ἁπάντων θεωρεῖται οὐκ ἄντρον ἔχων, ὡς ἔφην, οὐ σκηνὴν, οὐ καλύδην, οὐ θριγχίον, μένος ὅρᾶται, καὶ διαναπαυόμενος, καὶ ἑστὼς, καὶ καθήμενος,. καὶ ὑγιαίνων, καὶ ἀῤῥωστίᾳ τινὶ κατἐχόμενος" ὡς διηνεκῶς ὑπὸ θεαταῖς ἀγωνίξεσθαι, καὶ τὰς ἀνάγκας τῆς φύσεως ἀποκρούεσθαι. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀνθρώποις, ἐν ἐλευθερίᾳ βραχείᾳ τεθραμμένοις, ξένων παρόντων, εὐπετὲς τὰς τῶν τὴν ἄκραν φιλοσοφίαν ἐξησχημένῳ. Καὶ ταῦτα λέγω, οὐ παρ᾽ ἄλλου τοῦτο μαθὼν, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἀὐτόπτης γεγενημένος. Πρὸ τεσσάρων γὰρ καὶ δέκα ἐνιαυτῶν, νόσος αὐτῷ χαλεπὴ προσπε- ᾽ σοῦσα, διέθηχεν ὡς ἦν εἰκὸς τὴν θνητὴν ἔχοντα φύσιν. Θέρος γὰρ ἣν ἀκμάζον, καὶ σφοδρότερον ἔξήπτετο τῆς ἀκτῖνος ἡ φλὸξ, τῶν μὲν ἀνέμων κεκοιμημένων, ἀκινήτου δὲ μένοντὸς τοῦ ἀέρος. Τὸ δὲ πάθος ἣν πλημμύρα χολῆς φερομένης ἐπὶ τὰ κάτω, καὶ δαχνούσης τὸ ἔντερον, καὶ συνωθούσης, καὶ τρέχειν ἐπὶ τὰ ἔξω βιαζομένης. Τότε τὴν πολλὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καρτερίαν ἐθεασάμην. Παμπόλλων γὰρ χωρίων συναθροισθέντων, ἀρπασομένων τὸ σῶμα τὸ νικηφόρον, καθῆστο διχόθεν βαλλόμενος. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ φύσις ἱέναι ἐπὶ τὴν ἔχχρισιν ἡ δὲ τῆς παρεστηχυίας πληθύος αἰδὼς μένειν ἐπὶ σχήματος ἐδιάζετο. Ἐγὼ δὲ τοῦτο γινώσκων, πολλὰς μὲν τοῖς συνελθοῦσι παραινέσεις προσήνεγχα, περιττωμάτων ἐκκρίσεις ποιεῖσθαι, μήτι γε ἀνδρὶ πολλὰς δὲ καὶ ἀπειλὰς, ἀπιέναι κελεύων, Ἴστερον δὲ καὶ τὰ τῆς ἱερωσύνης αὑτοῖς δεσμὰ περιτέθειχα, καὶ σὺν πόνῳ πολλῷ δείλης ὀψίας ἀπεπεμψάμην. Ὁ δὲ θεῖος ἀνὴρ, οὐδὲ τούτων ἀπελθόντων, ἡττήθη πἧς φύσεως " ἀλλ᾽ ἔμεινε καρτερῶν, ἕως νὺξ ἐπ:γινομένη βαθεῖα πάντας ἀπελθεῖν οἴκαδε χατηνάγχλσε, Πάλιν δὲ τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ πρὸς αὑτὸν ἀφικόμενος, ὡς εἶδον φλογμὸν σφοδρότερον γεγενημένον, καὶ τὸν ἐπικείμενον αὐτῷ πυρετὸν τῷ ἔξιυδεν πυρὶ τρεβενοξ δυσχεραίνειν ἔλεγον τῆ; ἀκτῖνο: τὴν προσθυ ἣν, καὶ παρεκάλουν βραχεῖάν μοί τι"α παρ᾽ πος υἱ σκιάν" καὶ ἐπειδὴ προσέταξε, «αλάμους τρεῖς πήξαντες, καὶ δύο τούτοις περιθέντες ἐσοφισάμεθα τὴν σκιάν " κελεύοντος δέ μοι εἴτω ἱέναι "« Αἰσχρὸν, ἔφην, ὦ πάτερ, ἐμὲ "μὲν, καὶ νέον ὄντα, καὶ ἐῤῥωμένον, τῆσδε τῆς ψυχαγωγίας τυχεῖν" σὲ δὲ πυρετῷ κατεχόμενον λαύρῳ, καὶ τῆς τοίαύτης παραψυχῆς δεόμενον, ἕξω καθῆσθαι δεχόμενον τῆς ἡλιακῆς ἀκτῖνος τὴν προσδολήν. Εἰ τοίνυν, ἔφην, ἐθέλεις με τῆς σκιᾶς ἀπολαῦσαι, γενοῦ μον κοινωνὸς τῆς βραχείας ταύτης σκηνῆς. ΠΡροσμεῖναι γὰρ σοι βούλομαι μὲν, ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς ἀκτῖνος χωλύομαι. ν, Εἶξε τοίνυν τούτων ἀκούσας τῶν λόγων, καὶ τὸν ἐμὴν θεραπείαν προείλετο. Ἐπεὶ δὲ κοινῇ τῆς σκιᾶς ἀπηλαύομεν, ἠρξάμην πάλιν ἑτέρου λόγον, καὶ ἔψην ὅτι δεῖ μοι κατακλίσεως, τοῦ ἰσχίου τὴν καθέδραν ἀλύπως μὴ φέροντος. ᾿Αλλὰ πάλιν ἠξίου μέν με καθήμενον αὐτὸν ὁρῶντι προσχλίνεσθαι. « Εἰ τοίνυν, ἔφην, ἐθέλεις με καὶ ταύτης ἐναπολαῦσαι τῆς ἀναπαύλης, κοινῇ προσχλιθῶμεν, ὦ πάτερ οὐ γὰρ αὑτοῦ τὴν καρτερίαν κατασοφισάμενος, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀναχλίσεως αὑτῷ παραψυχὴν εἰσενήνοχα " ἐπὶ δὲ τοῦ ἐδάφους ἐῤῥιμμένῳ προσέφερον λόγους χι- 'ρων. Εἴσω δὲ τοῦ ἱματίου τὴν χεῖρα βαλὼν, ἔπειρώμην μετρίως ἀποτρίδειν τὰ νῶτα, τότε τοῦ σιδήρου τὸ πολὺ φορτίον ἐθεασάμην, ὃ καὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν ἐδέσμει, καὶ τὸν αὐχένα. Καὶ ἕτεραι δὲ ἀλύσεις ἀπὸ ποῦ περὶ τὸν αὐχένα κύκλου, δύο μὲν ἔμπροσθεν, δύο δὲ ὅπιεθεν, εἰς τὸν κάτω κύκλον ἐγχάρσιαι διἔχουσαι, καὶ τοῦ Χ στοιχείου τὸ σχῆμα ποιοῦσαι, ἔμπροσθέν τε καὶ ὄπισθεν, τοὺς δύο κύκλους ἀλλή“ λοις συνέδεον" καὶ ἑτέρους δὲ αἱ χεῖρες ἕνδον περὶ τοὺς ἀγχῶνας εἶχον τοιούτους δεσμούς. Τὸ πολυτάλαντον οὖν τοῦτο θεασάμενος φορτίον, ἑκέτενον ἐπ᾿’ χουρῆσαι τῷ σώματι κάμνοντι, καὶ φέρειν οὐ δυναμένῳ κατὰ ταὐτὸν, καὶ τὰ ἐθελούσια φορτία, καὶ τὴν ἀκούσιον ἀῤῥωστίαν. ε« Νῦν μὲν γὰρ, ἔφη), ὦ πάτερ, ὁ πυρετὸς τὰ τοῦ σιδήρου ποεῖ" ὅταν δὲ οὗτος λωφήσῃ, τηνικαῦτα τῷ σώματι τὸν ἐκ πάλιν ἐπιϑήσομεν φόρτον. ν» Εἴξε καὶ εἰς τοῦτο πολλαῖς τοιαύταις καταθελχθεὶς ἐπιρδαῖς. ᾿Αλλὰ τότε μὲν ὀλίγας ἀῤῥωστήσας ἡμέρας, ῥχδίως Χρόνῳ δὲ ὕστερον χαλεπωτέρᾳ περιέπισε νότῳ, Πολλῶν δὲ πολλαχόθεν συνεληλυθότων, ὡς ἀρπσόμενοι τὸ σῶμα, πυθὕμενοι οἱ τοῦ ἄστεως συνέδο:μὸν ἅπαντες, καὶ στρατιῶται, καὶ ἰδιῶται, οἱ μὲν οἱ δὲ ὅποι; ἐμάχοντο, καὶ βέλη ἀφιέντες, οὐκ ὡς πλήξοντες, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς φοδήσοντες μόνον " καὶ οὕτω τοὺς περιοίχοὺς ἐξελάσαντες, τῇ κλίνῃ τὸν πένταθλον ἀγωνιστὴν ἐπιθέντες, τῶν γινομένων οὐδαμῶς οὐδὲ γὰρ τῆς κόμης αὐτοῦ τιλλομένης ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγροίκων ἐπήσθετο, ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ἴεσαν “ εἰς δὲ τὸν προφητικὸν ἀφικόμενοι σηκὸν, εἰς τὸ τοῖξῳ φροντιστήοιον τὴν κλίνην ἀπέλεντο. χε δέ τις εἰς τὴν Βέῤῥοιαν, ἐκεῖ γὰρ ὧν ἐτύγχανον, τὰ γεγέη γημένα σημαίνων, καὶ τῆς τελευτῇ; κομίζων τὴν ἀγγελίαν. Τοιγάρτοι παραυτίκα δραμὼν, καὶ τὴν νύκτα πᾶσαν εἰς ὁδοιπορίαν χαταναλώσας, χατἔλαθον μετὰ χὴν ἕω τὸν θεῖον ἄνθρωπον, οὔτε φθεγγύμενον, οὔτε τινὰ τῶν παρόντων ἐπιγινώσκειν δυνάμενον " ὡς; δέ γὲ προσεῖπον, καὶ τὸν μέγαν ᾿Ακάκιον προσφθέγγέσθαι αὑτὸν ἔφην, ἀνέῳξε παραχρῆμα τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, καὶ ὅπως ἔχω ἤρετο, καὶ πότε εἴην ἐληλυθὼς ἐπυνθάνετο " ἐμοῦ δὲ πρὸς ταῦτα ἀποκριναμένου, πάλιν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἕμυσε. Τριῶν δὲ διελθουσῶν ἡμερῶν, ἤρετο ὅποι εἴη " μαθὼν δὲ λίαν ἤχθετο, καὶ ἠξίου παραυτίκα εἰς τὸ ὄρος ἀποχομίζεσβαι. Θεραπεύειν δὲ αὐτὸν διὰ πάντων ἐθέλων, εὐθὺς τὴν κλίνην παρηγγύησα φέρειν, καὶ εἰς τὸ ποθούμενον χωρίον ᾿ἀποχομίζειν. Τότε τῆς σεθχλσμίας ἐμοὶ κεφαλῆς τὸ ἀφιλότιμον εἶδον. Τῇ γὰρ Β ψύξας " θερμοῦ γὰρ οὐδενὸς μεταλαγχάνειν ἠνείχετο, παντελῶς τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν χρείαν ἀπαρνησάμενος. Ἐπεὶ δὲ μεταλαμδάνειν οὐκ ἤθελε " « Πᾶσιν ἡμῖν, ἔφην, ὦ πάτερ, μετάδος φειδοῦς " κοινὴν γὰρ σωτηρίαν τὴν αὴἣν ὑγιείαν ἡγούμεθα. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον ὧφελείας ἀρχέτυπον πρόκεισαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ προσευχόμενος; ἐπαμύνεις, καὶ τὴν θείαν ἡμῖν εὐμένειαν προξενεῖς. ΕἸ δέ σε ἀποχναίει τὸ ἄηθες, καὶ τοῦτο, ἔφην, ὦ πάτερ, χαρτέρησον" εἶδος γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο φιλοσοφίας. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὑγιαίνων τροφῆς ἐριέμενος τῇ καρτερίᾳ τὴν ἔφεσιν " οὕτω νῦν ἥκχιστα μενος, τὴν τῆς μεταλήψεως καρτερίαν ἐπίδειξαι. ν Ταῦτά μοι λέγοντι συμπαρῆν καὶ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄνθρω- αὶ πὸς Πολυχρόνιος;, ὃς τῷ λόγῳ συναγωνιζόμενος, αὑτὺς πρῶτος μεταλαμθάνειν ἤθελε τῆς τροφῆς, καὶ ταῦτα ὄρθρου ὄντος, ὃ: πολλάκις δι᾽ ἑπτὰ ἡμερῶν τὸ σῶμα διέτρεφεν, Ἠττηθεὶς τοίνυν τῷ λόγῳ, ψατο χύλιχα, ὅπερ ποιεῖν ἐπὶ τῶν πικρῶν ποτίμων εἰώθαμεν. Ἐπειδὴ ὃὲ καὶ τοὺς πόδας, τὸ βαδίζειν προῦργον νομίζω καὶ ταύτην αὐτοῦ τὴν φιλοσοφίαν γυμνῶσαι. ]ρέχειτο μὲν γὰρ πλησίον ὁ σκύφος", ἐπειράλη δέ τις τῶν διακονούντων φορμῷ τινι τοῦτον συγχαλύψαι, ὡς μὴ δῆλος εἴη τοῖς παρ᾽ αὑτὸν ἀφικνουμένοις. Ὃ δέ" « Τί χαλύπτεις, ἔφη, τὸν σχύφον;» Τοῦ ὃὲ εἰρηκότος " « Ὡς μὴ παράχοιτο τοῖς ἀφιχνου- " μένοις εἰς θεωρίαν. ν --- επαγε, ἔφη, ὦ παῖ, μὴ χρύπὶ ἀνθρώποις τὰ τῷ ϑεῷ τῶν ὅλων δεδηλωμένα. Ἐκείνῳ γὰρ ζῇν μόνῳ βουλόμενος, τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης οὐ πεφρόντικα δόξτς. Τί γὰρ ὄφελος, εἰ οὗτοι μέν μοι πλείονα συγγνοῖεν ἄσκησιν, ὁ δὲ Θεὸς μείονα; τοῦ γὰρ ὑπὲρ τῶν πόνων μισθοῦ οὐκ οὗτοι δοτῆρες, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Θεὺς χορηγός.» Τίς τοίνυν οὐκ ἄν ὑπεραγασθείη καὶ τοὺς λόγους, καὶ τὸν τοὺς λόγους γεννήσαντα νοῦν, οὕτω δόξης ἀνθρωπίνης γεγενημένον ὑπέρτερον; Τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ ἄλλοτε γεγενημέναν μεμάθηκα. Ἑσπέρα ἦν, καὶ ἑσπέρα βαθεῖα, καὶ τῆς τροφῆς ὁ καιρός. Λαδὼν τοίνυν τὸ παρακείμενον ὄστρακον, ταύτην γὰρ εἶχε τὴν τροφήν. Ἧκε δέ τις ἀπὸ τοῦ ἄστεως, εἴσπραξίν τινὰ στρατιωτικὴν ἐμπεπιστευμένος, Ὃ δὲ καὶ πόῤῥωθεν αὑτὸν θεασάμενος, οὐκ ἀπέθετο τὸν φακὸν, ἀλλὰ συνήθως παρεπέμπετο τροφῆν. Δαίμονος δὲ φαντασίαν ὑπολαδὼν, λόγοις βάλλων ἀπήλαυνεν ὡς πολέμιον " καὶ δεικνὺς ὡς οὐ δέδιε, μεταξὺ τῷ στόμᾶτι προσέφερε τὸν φακόν, Ἱχέτευς δέ γε ὁ ταῖς λοιδορίαις βαλλόμενος, καὶ ἄνθρωπος ἔφασκεν εἶναι, καὶ ὡς ὄρκῳ τινὶ προσληφθεὶς πρὸ ἑσπέρας ἀπαίρειν «ἧς πόλεως, κατὰ τοῦτον ἀτφίχοιτο τὸν καιρόν, Ὁ δέ᾽ « Θάρσει, ἔφη, καὶ μὴ δείσῃς, ἀλλὰ προτευξάμενχ ἄπιθι. Γενοῦ δέ μοι καὶ σύσσιτος, καὶ τῆς τροφῆς μοι χοινώνησον.» Καὶ ἅμα ταῦτα λέγων, ἐπλέρον τὴν δεξιὰν, καὶ τοῦ φαχοῦ μετεδίδου. Οὕτω τῆς κενῆς δόξης τὸ πάθος μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων τῆς διανοίας ἀπήλασε, Περὶ δέγε καρτερίας περιττὸν. καὶ λέγειν, μαρτυρούσης τῆς ὄψεως. Τρεῖς γὰρ πολλάκις ἡνέ' ρα; καὶ τοσαύτας νύκτας χιόνο;ς κχατενεχθείστς, οὕτω χατεχώσθη πρηνὴς κείμενος, καὶ τὸν θεὸν ἱκετεύων, ὡς μηδὲ βραχύ τι τῶν περικειμένων αὐτῷ ῥαχίων ὁρᾶσθαι. Πολλάκις δὲ καὶ ἅμαις χρώμενι καὶ μαχέλλαις οἱ γειτονεύοντες, καὶ τούτῳ τῷ τρόπῳ τὴν περικειμένην ἀποσύροντες χιόνα, ἀνασπῶσί τι Κἀγὼ δὲ πολλάκις τῆς τούτου ἐπικουρίας ἀπήλαυσα" μιᾶς δὲ, ἢ δύο μνησθήσομαι Ἐκ τούτων τῶν πόνων τὰ τῆς θείας χάριτος ἐδρέ" μᾶῆνοι. Τῇ γὰρ ἐκείνου εὐλογίᾳ, πολλοὶ μὲν ἐσδέσθησάν τε καὶ σδεννύονται πυρετοῖ πολλοὶ δὲ ἡ πίσλκ ἐλώφησάν τε, καὶ παντελῶς: ὑπεχώρησαν" πολλοὶ δὲ φεύγειν ἠναγκάσθησαν δαίμονες" καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ὑτὸ τῆς ἐχείνου δεξιᾶς εὐλογούμενον ἀλεξίχαχον φάρμακον γίνεται. Τίς ἀγνοεῖ τοῦ τεθνηκότος παιδίου τὴν ὁ ἃ «ἧς τούτον προσευχῆς γενομένην ἀνάστασιν; ἕν γὰρ τοῖς τῆς πόλεως προαστείοις οἱ τούτου εἰσὶ γεν’ νήτορες, οἵ πολλῶν μὲν παιδῶν ἐγένοντο πατέρες, πάντας δὲ ἀώρους τῷ τάφῳ παρέπεμψαν. Ὅτε τόν! ποῦτο τὸ τελευταῖον ἐγεννήθη παιδίον, ἔδραμὲν ὁ πατὴρ πρὸς τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄνθρωτρν, μακρᾶς αὐτῷ ζωῆς μεταλαχεξ ἣν ἐχετεύων, καὶ ὑπ᾿ πισχνούμενος τῷ Θεῷ ἀναθήσειν, εἰ ζήσεις. Τέσσαρα τοίνυν ἔτη Θιῶσαν, ἐδέξατο τοῦ βίου τὸ τέλος. ᾿Απῆν δὲ ὁ πατέρ᾽ ἀφικόμενος δὲ ἐξαίφνης, ὁρᾷ τοῦτο λοιπὸν ἐχφερίμε" νον, καὶ ἁρπάσας ἀπὸ τῆς κλίνης" « Προσέχει, ἔζτ, πληρῶσαί με τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν, καὶ τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνθρώπῳ καὶ τεθνεὸς ἀποδοῦνα!. ν» Καὶ ἀπεχόμισιν ὦ; προξίρηχε, καὶ τέθηχε πρὸ τῶν ἀγίων ἐχείνων πυδῶν. λέγων ἐκεῖνα ἃ καὶ τοῖς οἰχείοες εἰρήκει. Ὁ δὲ θεῖος ἄνθριυπο; προτεθειχὼς τὸ παιδίον, καὶ τὰ γύναι κλίνας, ἔχειτη πρηνὴς, τὸν ζωῆς καὶ θανάτον τὴν παρακαλῶν. Δείλης δὲ ὀψίας ἀφῆκε τὸ παιδίον φωνὴν, καὶ τὸν πατέρα ἐκάλεσεν. Οὕτως αἰσθόμτνο; ὁ θεσπέσιος ἐκεῖνος ἀνὴρ, ὡς τὴν ἱκετείαν ὁ τῆς ἐδέξατο; καὶ τὴν ζωὴν ἐχορήγησεν, ἀνέστη. τοὶ προσκυνήσας τὸν ποιοῦντα τὸ θέλημα τῶν φοδουμέ" νον αὑτὸν, καὶ τῆς δεήσεως αὐτῶν εἰσαχούονταν συνεπέρανε τὴν ἱκετείαν, καὶ τῷ φύσαντι τὸ παιδὸν ἀπέδωκε. Τοῦτο κἀγὼ ἐθεασάμην, καὶ τοῦ ταῖρὸς τὸ θαῦμα διηγησχμένου ἀκήκοα, καὶ πολλοῖς Πρ)" ἤνεγκα τὸ διήγημα ἀποστολικὸν, εἰδὼς καὶ ποὶλλῖς » λίαν ἡγούμενος ἄγ» μὸν εἶναι, σιγῇ παραδοῦναι καὶ μὴ διδάξαι τῆς εὐεργεσίας τὰ εἴδη. Τὰ 680. Μαρκίων ὁ βδελυρὸς πολλὰς ἀσεθείας ἀκάνθας εἰ: τὴν χώραν τῆς Κύῤῥου κατέσπειρε πόλεως, Ταύτης πάντα χάλων, λεγύμενου, ἐχένουν, γαὶ πάσῃ μηχανῇ χρώμενος δι" ἐτέλουν. Οἱ ὃὲλ τῆς δι᾿ ἐμοῦ θτοαπείας «ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀγαπᾷν με,» προφητιγῶς εἰπεῖν, « ἐν- διέβαλλόν με, καὶ ἔθεντο κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ κακὰ ἀντὶ ἀγαθῶν, καὶ μῖσο; ἀντὶ τῆς ἀγαπήσεώς μου" » καὶ καὶ δαίμοσι πονηροῖ; συνεργοῖς κεχρημένοι, ἀοράτως: πολεμεῖν ἔπει. ρῶντο. Καί ποτε νύκτωρ ἧκέ τι; βοῶ, ἀλιτήριο; δαίμων, καὶ τῇ Σύρᾳ κεχρημένος φωνῇ" « Τί πολεμεῖς, ὁδεῖνα, Μαρχίωνι; τί δήποτε δὲ τὴν πρὸς τοῦτον ἀναδέδεξαι μάχην; τί σο: λυπηρὸν εἰργάσατο πώποτε: ᾿ πῇ πείρᾳ μαθῆτει ὅτην καλὸν ἥτυχία. Εὖ ἴσθι γὰρ, ὡς πάλαι ἄν σ: χαττχόντισα, εἰ μὴ, τὸν τῶν μαρτύ- Ἤκουσα τούτων ἐγὼ, καί τινι τῶν γνωρίμων πλησίον καθεύδοντι " « ᾿Ακούεις, ἔφην, ὁ δεῖνα, τῶν λεγομένων; ν Ὁ δέ " « Πάντων, εἶπεν, ἐπήκουσα " καὶ διαναστῆναι βουλόμενος, καὶ διαχύψαι, καὶ γνῶναι «τἰς ὁ φθεγγόμενος, σοῦ χάριν ἡσυχίαν ἦγον, καθεύδεῖν σε τοπάσας. ν ᾿Αναστάντες τοίνυν, ἄμφω τε διεχύπτομεν, καὶ οὐδένα οὔτε κινούμενον, οὔτε φθεγγόμενον ἡχούομεν" τῶν δὲ ῥημάτων ἐχείνων καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι ἡμῶν ἐπήχουσαν σύνοικοι. Συνῆκα τοίνυν, ὡς χορὸν μὲν μαρτύρων ἔλεγε τὸ τοῦ ἐλαίου τῶν μαρτύρωνληχύθιον, ὃ παρὰ πολλῶν μαρτύρων συνειλεγμένὴ" ἔχον τὴν εὐλογίαν, παρχτὴν ἐμὴν ἐξήρτητο κλίνήν᾽ καὶ τῇ κεφαλῇ δὲ μου ὑπέχειτο τοῦ μεγάλοῦ Ἰαχώθου τὸ παλαιὸν περιθόλαιον, παντὸς ἕρχους «ἰνου ἰσχυρότερόν μοι γεγενημένον. Καὶ ἡνίκα δὲ τῇ μεγίστῃ τούτων κώμῃ προσθδάλλειν ἔμελλον, εἴτα πολλά τινα ἐν μέσῳ γινόμενα τὴν ἔξοδον διεχώλυεν, ἔπεμψα παρὰ τὸν ἐμὸν ᾿Ησαΐαν, τῆ: θεία: συμμαχίας ἀντιδολῶν ἀπολαῦσαι. Ὁ δὲ - ε Θάῤῥει, ἔλεγε" πάντα γὰρ ἐκεῖνα δίκην ἀραχνῶν διαλέλυται τὰ κωλύματα᾽ καὶ τοῦτό μὲ νύκτωρ ἐδίδαξεν ὁ Θεὸς, σὺκ ὄναρ σχιαγραφήσας, ἀλλ᾽ ὕπαρ ἐπιδείξας. 'Εώρων γὰρ, ἔλεγε, τῆς ὑμνῳδίας ἀρξάμενος, κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο τὸ μέρος, ἐν ᾧ τὰ χωρία ἐκεῖνα διάκειται, ὄφιν τινὰ πυροειδῆ, ἀπὸ τῆ: ἑσπέρας ἐπὶ τὴν ξω, ἐρπύζοντα, καὶ διὰ μέσου τοῦ ἀέρος φερόμενον. Τρεῖς δὲ εὐχὰς ἐξανύσας, πάλιν ἐθεασάμην ἐπιχαμφθέντα, καὶ τὸ κυκλοτερὲς χκέρχον. Ὄκτὼ δὲ πάλιν προσευχὰς συμπεράνας, ἐθεασάμην διχῇ τμηθένια, καὶ εἰς καπνὸν διαλυθέντα.» Ταῦτα αὐτὸς μὲν οὕτω προεῖδεν - ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐθεασάμεθα συνομολογοῦσαν τῇ προῤῥήσει τὴν ἔχδασιν. ἜἝωθεν μὲν γὰρ, ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀρχεχάχον ὄφεως στρατηγούμενοι, οἱ πάλαι μὲν τῆς Μαρκίωνος συμμορίας, νῦν δὲ τῇς ἀποστολικῆς γενόμενοι φάλαγγο;, γυμνὰ ἡμῖν ἀπὸ τῆς. ἑσπέρας ὁρμῶντες τὰ ξίφη ἐδείκνυον. Περὶ δὲ τρίτην ὥραν τῆς ἡμέρας σνοπειραθέντες, τῆς οἰκείας ἐφρόντιζον φυλακῆς, καθάπερ ὁ ὄφις τῇ χέρχῳ τὴν κεφαλὴν συνεχάλυπτεν. Ὀγδόῃ δὲ ὥρᾳ σχεδασθέντες, χώραν ἡμῖν ἔδωκαν τῆς εἰς τὴν κώμην εἰσόδου - καὶ παραυτίκα εὕρομεν ὄφιν ἐξ ὕλης χαλκοῦ πεποιημένον, καὶ ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνων προσ- Χυνούμενον. Τὸν γὰρ κατὰ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ καὶ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων προφανῶς ἀναδεξάμενον πόλεμον, τὸν Ποσιν ἐσπούδαζον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἰς τὴν τῶν θείων ἀποκαλύψεων εἰσῆλθεν ὁ λόγο: διήγησιν, φέρε ἃ παρὰ τῆς Διηγήσατο δὲ οὐ φιλοτιμούμενος, πόῤῥω γὰρ γαὶ τοῦτον τοῦ πάθους ἡ θεία ψυχὴ, ἀλλά τινος χρείας βιλσαμένης εἰπεῖν ἃ κρύπτειν ἡ δούλετο. Ἱκέτευον αὐτὸν ἀντιθολῆσαι τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεὸν, καθαρόν μοι ζιζανίων ἀποφῆναι τὸ λήϊον, καὶ τῶν αἱρετιχῶν σπερμάτων πάμπαν ἐλευθερῶσαι. Ἡνία γάρ με κομιδῇ ἡ τοῦ βδελυροῦ Μαρκίωνος ἐπὶ πλεῖστον διαχρατήτατι πλάνη. Ἔφη τοίνυν λιπαρούμενο; " « Οὔτ᾽ ἐμοῦ, οὔτε ἄλλου δεῖ σο! πρὸς αὐτὸν πρεσδευτοῦ. Ἔχει; γὰρ Ἰωάννην τὸν πάνυ, τὴν τοῦ Λόγου φωνὴν, τοῦ Δεσητότου τὸν πρόδρομον, ταύτην ὑπὲρ σοῦ τὴν ἱχεδιὰ παντὸς προσχημίξοντα. » Ἑ μοὺ δὲ λέγον- τος, ὡς καὶ ταῖς τούτου πιστεύω προσευχαΐ:, καὶ ταῖς τῶν ἄλλων ἁγίων ἀποστόλων καὶ προφητῶν, ἐν ὡς Ἰωάννην ἔχεις τὸν Βαπτιστήν. ν» ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲ οὕτω σιγὴν ἔχειν ἠνειχόμην " πολλῷ δὲ πλέον ἐπεχείμην πυνθανόμενος, καὶ μαθεῖν ἐφιέμενος, τί δὴ πούτου μᾶλλον ἐμνήσθη, Ὁ δέ ε Περιπτύξασθαι, ἔφη, ἐδουλόμην αὑτοῦ τὰ ἐπέραστα λείψανα. ) Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔλεγον" ε Οὐκ οἴσω ᾿ ταῦτα, εἰ μὴ ἐρεῖν ὑπόσχοιτο ἃ θεασάμενος εἴη, » αὑτὸ; μὲν ὑπέσχετο' ἐγὼ δὲ τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ἐχόμισα τὰ ποθούμενα, καὶ πάντας πόῤῥω κελεύσας γενέσθαι, ἐμοὶ μόνῳ διηγήσατο «καῦτα. ᾿ ἡ εἰ Ἡνίχα, ἔφη, τοὺς πολιούχους τούτους ἀπὸ τῆς Φοινίκης καὶ τῆς Παλαιστίνης ἀφικομένους, μετὰ τῆς Δαυιτιχῆς ὑπεδέξω χορείας ἔννοιά μοί τις γέ: γονεν, εἰ τῷ ὄντι ταῦτα Ἰωάννου τοῦ πάν» λείψανι καὶ μὴ ἄλλου τοῦ μάρτυρος ὁμωνύμου, Μετὰ μὲν τοίνυν ἡμέραν, ἐγὼ μὲν ἐπὶ τὴν ὑμνῳδίαν ἀνέτιτ) νύκτωρ " ὁρῶ δέ τινα λευχειμονοῦντα, καὶ, «᾿Αδελζε,, Ἰάχωθε, λέγοντα, εἰπὲ, τί δήποτε ἀφιχομένοις ἐμὶν οὐκ ὑπήντησας:» Ἐμοῦ δὲ ἐρομένου, τίνες ποτὲ εἶεν͵ ἀπεχρίνατο λέγων" «Οἱ ἀπὸ Φοινίκης καὶ Παλαιστίνης τῇ προτεραίᾳ ἐληλυθότες " καὶ πάνον ἡμᾶς ὑποδεξαμένων προθύμως, καὶ τοῦ ποιμένος, καὶ τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ ἀστῶν, καὶ χωρητιχῶν, σὺ μόν; οὐκ ἐχοινώνησας τῆς τιμῆτ. ν» ἨἩνίττετο δὲ τὴν γένο" μένην ἀμφιθολίαν. Εἰπεῖν τοίνυν ἔφη πρὸς ταῦτα, ὑπ « Καὶ ἀπόντων ὑμῶν τε καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων προσκυνῶ τῷ Θεῷ. » Πάλιν δὲ τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ κατὸ τὸν αὐτὸν καιρὸν, αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος ἐπιφανεί; " « Ὅρα, ἔφη, ἀδελφὲ “Ἰάχωθε, τὸν ἐκεῖθεν ἑστῶτα, οὗ ἡ μὲν ἐσθϊ! χ'όνι κατὰ τὴν χροιὰν ἀπείκασται, χλίδανο; δὲ αὐτοῦ πυρὸς πρόκειται.ν Ἐμοῦ δὲ τὰς ὄψεις ἐκεῖσε μεταθέντος, καὶ τὸν Βαπτιστὴν Ἰωάννην ὑποτοτάσαντος, καὶ γὰρ τὴν στολὴν περιθέδλητο, καὶ τὴν ὃν ὑπέλαδες εἶναι" » καὶ ἄλλοτε δὲ᾽ « ἹΙνίχα, ἔν, εἰς τὴν πρώτην νύκτωρ ἀπῇεις κώμην, παιδεύσω! ὡς στασιαστὰς, σπουδαιοτέραν τῷ Θεῷ προσενεγκεῖν εὐχὴν παρεγγυήσας, ἄγρυπνος διετέλεσα τὸν Δεστό- « Μηδὲν δείσῃς, Ἰάχωδε " ὁ γὰρ μέγας Ἰωάννης ὁ τὸν τῶν ὅλων ϑιόν᾽ πολὺς γὰρ ὃν ἐγεγόνει φόνος, εἰ ἢ ταῖς ἐκείνου Ταῦτά μοι διτγησάμενος, παρεγγύησε μόνον εἰδέναι, καὶ μὴ λαθεῖν ἄλλους συνίστορας. Ἐγὼ δὲ ὠφελείας ἕνεκεν, οὐ “μόνον πολλοῖς προσήνεγχα τὸ διήγημα, ἀλκὰ καὶ συγγραφῇ παραδίδωμι. Καὶ Ἰωσὴφ δὲ τὸν πατριάρχτη" θεάσασθαι ἔφη. καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν πολιὸν χα! τὸ γένειον, καὶ ἐν γήρᾳ τῆς ὥρας ἀφιέντα τὴν αἴγλην, καὶ ἐν ἀρετῆς ἀκρότητι ἔσχατον ἑαυτὸν τῶν ἁγίων ὀνομάζοντα. ε Ἐμοῦ γὰρ͵ φησὶ, πρῶτον λένοντος τῶν τῆς θήκης αὐτῷ κοινωνούντων, αὑτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἔσχατον ὠνόμαζε. ν Διηγήσατο δὲ μοι καὶ τὰς γεγενημένα: αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τῶν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων παντοδαπὰς προσδολάς. « Εὐθὺς μὲν γὰρ. ἔλεγε, ταύτης μοι τῆς πολιτείας ἀρξαμένῳ γυμνὸς ἑωρᾶτό τις, Αἰθίοπος ἔχων τὸ εἴδυς, πῦρ ἐκ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἀφιείς. ᾿Εγὼ δὲ ὁρῶν, δέους τε ἐνεπιμλάμην, καὶ εἰς εὐχὴν ἐτρεπόμην, καὶ μεταλιθεῖν οὐκ οἰ νειχόμτν τῆς τροφῆς " κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον γὰρ ἐπεφαίνετο τὸν καιρόν. Ὡς δὲ ἑπτὰ, καὶ ὀκτὼ, καὶ ἑέκα διῆλθον ἡμέραι, καὶ ἄσιτος διετέλουν, τέλος τῆς πονηρᾶς ἐφόδου καταφρονήσα:, καθήμενος τῆς τροφῆς μετελάμθανον. Ὁ δὲ ταύτην μου τὴν μεγαλοφροσύνην οὐκ ἐνεγκὼν, ῥάδδῳ παίειν ἠπείλει.» Ἐγὼ δὲ, ἔφη, ἔλεγον " « Εἰ μὲν ἐπιτέτραψαι παρὰ τοῦ τῶν ὅλων Δεσπότου, παῖς, καὶ δέξομαι μεθ᾽ ἡδονῆς τὴν πληγὴν: ὡς ὑπ᾽ ἐχείνου᾽ παιόμενος " εἰ δὲ μὴ ἐπ- Τούδιετέλει λυττῶν, Τὸ γὰρ δίς μοι τῆς ἑδδομάδος χάτθεν κομιζόμενον ὕδωρ, ἀπαντῶν τῷ χομέζοντι, καὶ τὸ ἐμὸν εἶδος μιμούμενος, ἐλάμθανε, καὶ ἀπιέναι χε- ᾿ λεύων ἐκεῖνον ἐξέχει τὸ νᾶμα. Καὶ τοῦτο οὐ δὶς μόνου, ἀλλὰ καὶ τρὶς ποιήσας, τὸ τοῦ δίψους μοι ἐπἐστράτευσς πάθος. Σφόδρα δὲ ἀνιαθεὶς, ἢρόμην τὸν εἰωθότα κομίζειν᾽ « Τί δή ποτε πέντε καὶ δέκα διελθουτῶν ἡμερῶν οὐκ ἐχόμισας ὕδωρ; » Ὁ δὲ τρὶς ἔλενε καὶ τετράκις χεχομιχέναι, καί με τοῦτο δεδέχθαι. « Καὶ ποῦ τοῦτο, ἔφην, ἐγὼ παρὰ σοῦ φέροντος ἐδεξάμην; » Ὥς δὲ τὸν τόπον ὑπέδειξε " «Κἂν μυριάκις, ἔφην, ἐκεῖ με θεάσῃ παραγινόμενον, μὴ δῷς τὸ ἀγγεῖον, ἕως εἰς τοῦτον ἀφίκῃ τὸν τόπον. » Οὕτω καὶ ταύτην αὑτοῦ τὴν ἐπιδουλὴν αὖθις ἑτέρας ἐπειράθη. Βοῇ γὰρ νύκτωρ χρησάμενος ἔφη, ὅτι « ΣῈ τοσαύτης δυσωδία: ἐμπλήσω, καὶ τοταύθεν θεάσασθα: ἄνθρωπον. » Ἐγὼ δὲ, ἔφη, ἐρὸς ταῦτα ἀπεκρινάμην, ὅτι ε Σοι χάριν ὁμολογήσω" ἄκων γὰρ εὐεργετέσεις τὸν δυσμενῖ,, πλέον ἐντρυφᾶν τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ μνήμῃ παρασκευάζων. Σχολῆς γὰρ πλείονο; ἀπολαύων, ἔργον σχήσω διηνεκὲς τοῦ θείου κάλλους τὴν φαντασίαν. » Ὁλίγων τοίνυν διελθουσῶν ἡμερῶν, μετούσης ἡμέρας τὴν εἰωθυῖαν λειτουργίαν ἐπιτελῶν, ὁρῶ, ἔφη, δύο ἐκ τοῦ ὄρους χατιούσας γυναῖκας. Ἐγὼ ὃξ τὸ ἄηθες δυσχεράνας, χ καὶ λίθοις βαλεῖν ἐπικαὶ ταύτην ὑπέλαδον εἶναι τὴν δύσχλειαν. Ἕφθην «οἶνυν βοήσα;, ὡς εἰ καὶ τοῖς ὥμοις ἐπικαθίσαιεν, οὐ βαλῶ τοῖς λίθοις, οὐ διώξω, μόνῃ δὲ χρήσομαι. τῇ προσευχῖ. Ταῦτα ἔφην, αἱ δὲ φρονδοι ἐγένοντο, καὶ τῷ λόγῳ συνεπληροῦτο τῆς θέας ἡ φαντασία. γ Μετὰ ταῦ. τὰ πάλιν" « Νύκτωρ ἐγὼ μὲν, ἔφη, προσηυχόμην, ματος δὲ κτύπος ἐφέρετο, καὶ ἡνιόχου βοὴ, καὶ ἵπποιν χρεμετιζόντων᾽ ἐμὲ ὃὲ τοῦ πράγματος τὸ καινὸν ἐθυρύθησεν. Ἑνενόουν γὰρ ὡς οὔτε ἄρχων ἐπεδήμει τότε τῇ πόλει, οὔτε ὀχήμάσιν ἡ ὁδὸς ἦν, οὔτε ὁ χαιρὶς τοῖς ὀχήμασιν ἐπιτήδειος. Ἔ μοῦ δὲ ταῦτα λογιξομένου, θύρυδός τις πλήθους ἠκούετο προσπελάζοντος " καί τινες νοντες ἐκ τοῦ μέσου τοὺς πλείους, καὶ εὐτῥεπῇ ποιοῦντὲς τῷ ἡγουμένῳ τὴν πάροδον. Ὡς δὲ σφόδρα μοι πελάζειν ἔδοξε, εἶπον, ἔφη" «Τίς εἶ; καὶ πόθεν ἧκεις; καὶ τίνος δεόμενος κατὰ τοῦτον ἐλήλυθας τὸν καιρόν; μέχρ' τίνος παίζεις, ὦ ταλαίπωρε, καὶ τῆς θείας μακροθυμίας καταφρονεῖς; » Τοῦτο ἐγὼ μὲν ἔλεγον πρὸς ἕω τετραμμένος, καὶ τῷ Θεῷ τὴν ἱκετείαν προσφέρων. Ὁ δὲ; ὦσε μὲν, χαταθαλεῖν δὲ οὐκ ἴσχυσεν. ἡ γὰρ θεία χάρις ἀντέσχεν, καὶ παραυτίκα φρυῦδα πάντα ἐγέγοντο. » “Ἔλεγε δὲ καὶ κατὰ τὸν τῶν ἀλιτηρίων ᾿ ἐχείνων λῃστῶν καιρὸν, ὅτε ἐξ ἸΙσαυρίας ὁρμώμενοι τῆς ἕω τὰ πλεῖστα ἐμπρήσαντες ἐλτίῖδαντο, δεδιέναι σφόδρα, οὐ τὴν σφαγὴν, οὐ γὰρ οὕτω φιλοσώματος ἦν, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἀνδραποδισμὸν, καὶ τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν, καὶ τῆς ἀσεδείας καὶ παρανομίας τὴν θεωρίαν. Τούσου τοῦ δέους αἰσθόμενος ὁ διάδηλος " ἤκουσε γὰρ αὐτοῦ πολλάκις πρὸς τοὺς γνωρίμους ἐχφήναντος" μιμεῖται νύκτωρ ὁλολογὴν γυναικῶν. ε Ἐγὼ δὲ, ἔφη, ἀκούειν ἐδόκουν ὡς ἤχοιεν οἱ πολέμιοι, καὶ ὡς πὺρ ταῖς κώμαις ἐμθάλλοιεν. Εὐθὺς τοίνυν διχῇ τῆ; σ κεφαλῆς διακρίνας τὰς κώμας͵, καὶ τὰς μὲν ἐκ δεξιῶν, τὰς δὲ ἐξ εὐωνύμων. διὰ τῶν ὥμων ἐπὶ τὸ στῆθος μετενεγκὼν, εὐτρεπῆ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ξίφους τομὴν τὸν αὐχένα ἑποίουν, ἵνα σύντομον δεξάμενος τὴ πληγὴν, τῆς ἀπευχτῆς ἐκείνης ἀπαλλαγῶ θεωρίας. Οὕτω πᾶσαν ἐχείνην διατελέσας τὴν νύκτα, καὶ διἡνεκῶς τὴν ἐχείνων ἔφοδον προσδεχόμενος, ἐπειδὴ ἡμέρα ἐγένετο, καὶ ἧχόν τινες, ἐπυθόμην τί περὶ τῶν Ἰσαύρων εἶεν ἀκηκοότες" οἱ δὲ ἔλεγον, μηδὲν ἐν ταύταις ἐγνωκέναι ταῖς ἡμέραις. Καὶ οὕτω, φησὶν, ἐπέγνων διαδολιχὴν κἀκείνην εἶναι τὴν φαντασίαν. μειδιῶν ἅμα καὶ παίζων ἐγὼ δὲ, ἔφη, τῷ θυμῷ Ὁ νεν ἐταιρικὸν βλέπων, καὶ τῷ τὲ μειδιάματι, τῷ τὶ φθέγματι, ἡδονὴν ἀναθλύζων, Τότε τοίνυν πλέον τὸν θυμὸν παραθήξὰάς" «ε Πῶς ἰσχύεις, ἔλεγον, πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην περινοστεῖν, καὶ πᾶσι τοιαύτας προῦφέρειν ἐπιδουλάς; Ὃ δὲ ἔλεγε μὴ μόνος εἶναι, ἀλλὰ πλῆθὸς δαιμόνων κατὰ πᾶσαν ἐσχεδάσθαι τὴν οἶκουμένην, τοιαῦτα παιζόντων ὁμοῦ καὶ σπουδαζόντων. Τῇ γὰρ δοκούσῃ παιδιᾷ σπουδάζουσι πᾶσαν ἀφανίσ: τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν φύσιν. ε᾿Αλλά γε σὺ ἄπιθι, ἔφην, ποῦ Χριστοῦ σοι κελεύοντος, τοῦ λέγεῶνα ὅλην διὰ τῶν χοίρων τῷ βυθῷ παραπέμψαντος. » Ἥχονεν ἅμα καὶ ἔφευγεν, οὔτε τῆς Δεσποτικῆς προσηγορίας τὴν δύναμιν φέρων, οὔτε τῆς οἰχετικῇς φιλοσοφίας τὴν αἴγλην βλέπειν δυνάμενος. ν Καὶ ἄλλα δὲ πλείονα εἰδὼς τούτων διηγήματα, συγγράφειν, οὐ βούλομαι, πρόφασις. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ὁρῶσι τὸν θεῖον ἄνθρωπον οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον λεγόμενον ἀπίθανον καταφαίνεται, «ἧς ὁρωμένης ἀρετῆς βεθαιούσης τὰ λεγόμενα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ εἰς τοὺς ὕστε,“» ἐσομένους τὸ τοῦ τοῖς πολλοῖς τὰ ὦτα τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, τῇ ἀσθενείχ τῶν ἀκουόντων μετρήσομεν τὴν διήγησιν. Τούτῳ τοίνυν ᾧκοδόμησαν μὲν καὶ ἄλλοι σηκὸν μέγιότον ἐν τῇ πελαζούση κώμῃ, οὐ πολλοῖς ἀφεστῶτα σταδίοις " κατεσχεύασα δὲ χἀγὼ θήχῃην ἐν τῷ τῶν ἀποστόλων καλλινίχων σηχῷ. ᾿Αλλὰ τοῦτο μαθὼν ὁ θεῖος ἄνθρωπος, πολλά με πολλάκις ἐλιπάρησεν, ἐν᾽ ἐκείνῳ. πῷ ὄρει ταφῇ παραδοῦναι τὸ σῶμα. Ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπον πολλάκις, ὡς οὐ προσήκει τὸν τῆς παρούσης ζωΐς ἀμελήσαντα, ταφῆς ποιήσασθαι πρόνοιαν. Ὡς δὲ τοῦτο αὐτῷ καταθύμιον εἶδον, ἐπένευσά τε, καὶ συνεὐέμην, καὶ τὴν λάρνακα τμηθῆναί τε, καὶ χομισθῆναι ἄνω πεποίηκα. Ἐπεὶ δὲ τὸν λίθον ὑπὸ τῆς πάχνης φθειρόμενον εἶδον, μικρὸν οἰκίσκον ἐπέτρεψα γενέσθαι τῇ λάρνακι. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐκέλευσε, καὶ τὴν « Οὐκ ἀνέξομα:, ἔφη, τοῦτον ᾿Ιαχώδου καλεῖσθαι τάφον, ἀλλὰ βούλομαι τῶν καλλινίχων μαρτύρων τοῦτον γενέσθαι σηκὸν, ἐμὲ δὲ οἷά τινα μέτοικον εἰς ἑτέραν κεῖσθαι θήχην, παροικεῖν αὑτοῖς ἠξιωμένον.» Καὶ ταῦτα οὐ μόνον εἵπεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔδρασε. Καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν προφήτας, πολλοὺς δὲ ἀποστόλους, πλείστους δὲ ὅτι μάρτυρας, πανταχόθεν συναγαγὼν, ἐν μιᾷ τὸ πλῆθος ἀπιστίας γένηται τέθειχς λάρνακι, τῷ τῶν ἁγίων δήμῳ συνοικεῖν ἐθελήσας, καὶ σὺν αὐτοῖς ἀναστῆναι, καὶ τῆς θεωρίας ἁ ἀξιωθῆναι ποθήσας. ᾿Ικανὸν δὲ τοῦτο τεχμηριῶσαι τὴν τοῦ φρονήματος μετριότητα. Ὁ γὰρ τοσοῦτον πλοῦτον συνειλοχὼς, ὡς; ἐσχάτῃ πενίᾳ συζῶν, τῇ τῶν εὐπόρων συμμορίᾳ παροικεῖν ἐπεθύμησεν. Ὁποῖοι μὲν οὖν τῆς σεδασμίας ἐμοὶ χεφαλῆῇς οἱ πόνοι, καὶ οἱ ἀγῶνες ἡλίκο:, καὶ ὅσης θεόθεν ἀπἐλανσέ χάριτος, καὶ ὅσας νίκας νενίκηκε, καὶ οἵοις στεφάνοις καταχεχόσμηται, ἀπόχρη καὶ ταῦτα διδάξαι. Ἐπειδὴ δέ τινες δυσκολίαν ἤθους ἐπαιτιῶνται, καὶ δυσχεραίνουσι τὸ φιλέρημον καὶ ἡσύχιον, ὀλίγα περὶ τούτων εἰπὼν, πέρας ἐπιθήσω τῷ διηγήματι" Πρόχειται πᾶσιν, ὡς ἔφην, εἰς θεωρίαν, οὔτε θριγκίῳ πεφραγμένος, οὔτε χαλύδῃ τινὶ ἣ σκηνῇ χαλυπτόμενος. Ἕκαστος δὲ τῶν ἀφικνουμένων, ὑπ᾽ οὐδενὸς λέγεσθα: βούλεται. Τοῖς δὲ ἄλλοις ταυτησὶ τῆς φιλοσοφίας ἐρασταῖς καὶ θριγχία καὶ θύραι εἰσὶ, καὶ ἡσυχίας ἀπόλαυσις, καὶ ἀνοίγνυσιν ἐθελήσας ὁ χαθεἰργμένος, καὶ ἀναδάλλεται ὅσον βούλεται, καὶ τῆς θείας ἐμφορεῖται θεωρίας ὅσον ἐθέλει. ᾽᾿Ενταῦθα δὲ τούτων οὐδέν. Διὸ μάλιστα δυσχεραίνει τοὺς παρ᾽ αὐτὸν τῆς προσευχῆς τὸν καιρὸν ἐνοχλοῦντας. Κἂν μὲν κελεύσαντος εὐθὺς ἀπίοιεν, πάλιν ἔχεται τῆς προσευχῆς. Εἰ δὲ ἐπιμένοιεν ὀχλοῦντες, καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς παρεγγυήσας μὴ πείσειε, τηνικαῦτα δυσχεράνας ἐπιτιμῶν ἀποπέμπεται. Ἐμοὶ δὲ περὶ τούτου πρὸς αὐτὸν γεγένηνται λόγοι " καί τινας ἔφην ἀσχάλλειν ἐξελαθέντας, καὶ εὐλογίας μὴ μετασχόντας " καὶ ὅτι πρέπον εἴη, τοὺς τούτου χάριν ἀφικνουμένους, καὶ πολλῶν ἡμερῶν ὁδὸν ἐξανύοντας, μὴ οὐχοὐτνους, καὶ τοῖς τῆς σῆς φιλοσοφία; διηγήμασιν ἑστιῶντας τοὺς ἀγνοοῦντας. Ὁ δὲ, « Οὐκ ἄλλου χάριν, ἔφη, ἀλλ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ τὸ ὄρος κατείληφα. Καὶ πολλὰ λίαν ἁμαρτημάτων περικείμενος ἕλκη, πολλῆς δέομαι θεραπείας. Καὶ τούτου εἵνεκα τὸν ἡμέτερον ἱκετεύω Δεσπότην, ὀρέξαι μοι τὰ τῆς κακίας ἀλεξιφάρμακα. Πῶς τοίνυν οὐκ ἄτοπον, καὶ λίαν ἀνόηπον, διακόψαι μὲν τὸν τῆς ἱχετείας εἱρμὸν, μεταξὺ δὲ διάλεξιν πρὸς ἀνθρώπους ποιήσασθαι; Εἰ γὰρ οἰκέτης ἀνθρώπου ὁμοφυοῦς ἐτύγχανον, ἐν δὲ τῷ τῆς δεσποτικῆς διακονίας χαιρῷ, καταλιπὼν τὸ προσενεγκεῖν εἰς καιρὸν ἣ σιτία ἢ ποτὰ, πρός τινα τῶν ὁμ»δούλων ἐποιησάμην διάλεξιν, πόσας οὐκ ἂν δικαίως ἐδεξάμην πληγάς; Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἄρχοντι προσελθὼν, καὶ ἣν ὑπομένω παρά τινος διηγούμενος ἀδικίαν, δι» ἐχοψα μὲν ἐν μέσῳ τὴν διάλεξιν, ἄλλους δὲ λόγους τινὰς πρός τινας τῶν παρόντων ἐποιησάμην, οὔ σοι δοκεῖ δυσχερᾶναι τὸν δικαστὴν, καὶ τῆς μὲν ἐπικουρίας ἀποστερῆσαι, προσθεῖναι δὲ καὶ μάστιγας, καὶ τῶν χιγχλίδων ἀπελάσαι; Πῶς τοίνυν ὅσιον, δεσπότῃ μὲν τὸν οἰκέτην, καὶ δικαστῇ τὸν ἱκέτην, προσηκόντως προσφέρεσθαι" ἐμὲ δὲ τῷ Θεῷ, τῷ καὶ αἰωνίῳ Δεσπότῃ, καὶ δικαστῇ δικαιοτάτῳ, καὶ βασιλεῖ τῶν ἁπάντων προσιόντα, μηδὲ τούτοις παραπλησίως ποιεῖσθαι τὴν πρόσοδον, ἀλλὰ μεταξὺ προσευχόμενον πρὸς τοὺς ὁμοδούλους τρέπεσθαι, καὶ μακρὰν ποιεῖσθαι διάλεξιν; » Ταῦτα καὶ ἤκουσα, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς δυσχεράναντας διεπόρθμευσα. Καὶ εὖ μοι καὶ καλῶς εἰρηκέναι δοκεῖ. Πρὸς γὰρ αὖ τοῖς εἰρημένοις, καὶ ἴδιον τῶν ἐρώντων, πάντων μὲν τῶν ἄλλων ὑπερορᾷν, ἐκείνῳ δὲ προστετηκέναι, ὃν φιλοῦσι καὶ στέργουσι" καὶ τοῦτον νύκτωρ ὀνειροπολεῖν, καὶ μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν φαντάζεσθαι. Διὰ τοῦτό μοι δυσχεραίνειν δοκεῖ, ἐν τῇ ποθουμένῃ μὲν θεωρίᾳ γενόμενος, ἐμπλησθῆναι δὲ τοῦ ἑπεράστου κωλυόμενος κάλλους. Ταῦτα διηγηματιχῶς συνεγράψαμεν, κομιδῇ τῆς συντομίας φρυντίσαντες, ἵνα μὴ τῷ μήκει τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας ἀποχναίσωμεν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐπιδιῴη τῷδε τῷ διηγήματι χρόνον, καὶ ἄλλα μυρία δήπουθεν κατορθώματα τοῖς προτέροις προσθήσει, καὶ συγγράψουσι κἀκεῖνα ἕτεροι. Ἡμῖν γὰρ τῆς ἐντεῦθεν ἐκδημίας πόθος πολύς. Ὁ δὲ τῶν τῆς εὐσεδείας ἀθλητῶν ἀγωνοθέτης καὶ τούτῳ δώσει τέλος τῶν ἀγώνων ἐπάξιον, καὶ τοῦ δρόμου τὸ λειπόμενον παράσχοι τῷ προτέρῳ συμ’ βαῖνον, ἵνα νικηφόρος χαταλάδοι τὴν νύσσαν, καὶ «ἣν ἡμετέραν ἀσθένειαν ταῖς τούτου προσευχαῖς ὑπερείσειεν" ὅπως ἀναῤῥω“θέντες, τὰς πολλὰς ἡμῶν βναπαλαίσωμεν ἧττας, καὶ μετὰ νίκης τὸν βίον ἐξέλθωμεν.
Epeidē tōn anarrhēthentōn tēs aretēs athlētōn tous agōnas diexēlthomen, en kephalaiǭ diēgēsamenoi kai tous en tę̄ meletę̄ ponous, kai tous en tois: [i agōsin hidrōtas, kai tas lamprotatas kai perilę̄di} gego ipiei phanestatas nikas, phere kai tōn eti periontōn, kai megaloprepōs agōnizomenōn, kai philoneichountōn nikēsai tois hidrōsi tous proladontas, tēn politeian onēsiphoron mnēmēn. Hōsper gar tōn palai pote diaprepsantōn hagiōn hē politeia tois epeita megistēn ōpheleian ekomisen, houtōs archetypa tois meth᾽ hēmas ta toutōn genēsetai diēgēmata. ᾿Archēn toutōn poiēsomai ton megan Iakōdon - houtos gar tōn allōn kai tǭ chronǭ, kai tǭ ponǭ prōteuei, kai touton zēlōsantes, ta thaumasta. kai paradoxa drōsi. Synedē de ouk oid᾽ hopōs, kai tōn apelthontōn, kai tōn eti periontōn, touto prōteutai to onoma. Kai gar kai tēn echeinōn politeian diēgēsamenos, archēn ton theion ekeinon epoiēsamēn Iachōytos tēn Persichēn echeinēn strateian eschedase proseuchę̄, kai tōn tou asteōs peritholōn sontōn, oute tēn polin alōnai synechōrēse, kai tou? katastrateusas, kai chōnōpas. Ho ekeinou toinyn homotimos, kai homotropos, tēs tōn eti periontōn agōnistōn proteuetō symmorias " ouk epeidē tēs prosēgorias esti koinōnos, all᾽ hoti kai tēn echeinou ezēlōsen aretēn, kai paradeigma philosophias auto? «hois allois egeneto. Marōni gar ekeinǭ tǭ pan syngenomenos, kai tēs theias autou didaschali: metalachōn, tois meizosi ponois apekrypse ton dida" schalon. Ho men gar kai peribolon eiche tēs palaias planēs to temenos, kai skēnēn ek derrheōn epēxato, kai tautę̄ chrōmenos, tas tou hyetou kai niphetou diephyge prosdolas. Houtos de pasi toutois? errhōsthai phrasa?, kai skēnę̄, kai chalydę̄, kai peridolǭ, orophon echei ton ouranon, pasa? tou aero? tas enantias dechomenos prostholas. Kai nyn men kai menos te kai empipramenos, kai pros hapanta charpterōn kai hōs en allotriǭ agōnizomenos sōmati, kai philyneichōn tę̄ prothymią nikēsai tēn tou sōmatos physin. Thnēton gar touto kai pathēton perikeimenos, hōs en apathei politeueta:, kai tēn asōmaton zōēn en sōmati meletōn, meta tou thespesiou Paulou boą" « En sargai peripatountes ou kata sarka strateuometha " ta gar hopla hē mōn ou sarkika, allē dynata tǭ Theǭ pros kathairesin ochyrōmatōn - logi- smous kathairountes, kai pan hypsōma epairomenon kata tēs gnōseōs tou Theou " kai aichmalōtizontes pan noēma eis tēn hypakoēn tou Christou. » ᾿Alla toutous tous hyper physin agōnas en meiotin emeletēse ponois. En oikiskǭ gar tini brachei proteron heauton katheirxas, kai tōn exōthen thorythōn heleutherōtas, kai tę̄ tou Theou mnēmę̄ protēlōsas ton noun. houtō tēn tēs entelous aretēs epoieito meletēn, Gymnapamenos de arista, choai tōn agathōn ponōn ethada tēn psychēn apophēnas, tōn meizonōn katetolmēsen athlōn " kai touto to oros kataladōn, ho toude tou asteōs triakonta stadiois aphestēken, episēmon apephēne kai sethasmion, asēmon hon palai kai akarpon pantelōs, Tosautēn de nyn eulogian dedechtha: pepisteutai, hōs tēn epikeimenēn dapanasthai gēn, B tōn pantothen aphiknoumenōn eis ōpheleian tautēn komizomenōn. En toutǭ diaitōmenos, hypo tōn paraginomenōn hapantōn theōreitai ouk antron echōn, hōs ephēn, ou skēnēn, ou kalydēn, ou thrinchion, menos horatai, kai dianapauomenos, kai hestōs, kai kathēmenos,. kai hygiainōn, kai arrhōstią tini katechomenos" hōs diēnekōs hypo theatais agōnixesthai, kai tas anankas tēs physeōs apokrouesthai. Oude gar tois allois anthrōpois, en eleutherią bracheią tethrammenois, xenōn parontōn, eupetes tas tōn tēn akran philosophian exēschēmenǭ. Kai tauta legō, ou par᾽ allou touto mathōn, all᾽ autos autoptēs gegenēmenos. Pro tessarōn gar kai deka eniautōn, nosos autǭ chalepē prospe- ᾽ sousa, diethēchen hōs ēn eikos tēn thnētēn echonta physin. Theros gar hēn akmazon, kai sphodroteron exēpteto tēs aktinos hē phlox, tōn men anemōn kekoimēmenōn, akinētou de menontos tou aeros. To de pathos hēn plēmmyra cholēs pheromenēs epi ta katō, kai dachnousēs to enteron, kai synōthousēs, kai trechein epi ta exō biazomenēs. Tote tēn pollēn tou andros karterian etheasamēn. Pampollōn gar chōriōn synathroisthentōn, arpasomenōn to sōma to nikēphoron, kathēsto dichothen ballomenos. Hē men gar physis hienai epi tēn echchrisin hē de tēs parestēchuias plēthyos aidōs menein epi schēmatos ediazeto. Egō de touto ginōskōn, pollas men tois synelthousi paraineseis prosēnencha, perittōmatōn ekkriseis poieisthai, mēti ge andri pollas de kai apeilas, apienai keleuōn, Isteron de kai ta tēs hierōsynēs hautois desma peritetheicha, kai syn ponǭ pollǭ deilēs opsias apepempsamēn. Ho de theios anēr, oude toutōn apelthontōn, hēttēthē pēs physeōs " all᾽ emeine karterōn, heōs nyx ep:ginomenē batheia pantas apelthein oikade chatēnanchlse, Palin de tę̄ hysteraią pros hauton aphikomenos, hōs eidon phlogmon sphodroteron gegenēmenon, kai ton epikeimenon autǭ pyreton tǭ exiyden pyri trebenox dyscherainein elegon tē? aktino: tēn prosthy hēn, kai parekaloun bracheian moi ti"a par᾽ pos hui skian" kai epeidē prosetaxe, «alamous treis pēxantes, kai dyo toutois perithentes esophisametha tēn skian " keleuontos de moi eitō hienai "« Aischron, ephēn, ō pater, eme "men, kai neon onta, kai errhōmenon, tēsde tēs psychagōgias tychein" se de pyretǭ katechomenon laurǭ, kai tēs toiautēs parapsychēs deomenon, hexō kathēsthai dechomenon tēs hēliakēs aktinos tēn prosdolēn. Ei toinyn, ephēn, etheleis me tēs skias apolausai, genou mon koinōnos tēs bracheias tautēs skēnēs. PRrosmeinai gar soi boulomai men, hypo de tēs aktinos chōlyomai. n, Eixe toinyn toutōn akousas tōn logōn, kai ton emēn therapeian proeileto. Epei de koinę̄ tēs skias apēlauomen, ērxamēn palin heterou logon, kai epsēn hoti dei moi katakliseōs, tou ischiou tēn kathedran alypōs mē pherontos. ᾿Alla palin ēxiou men me kathēmenon auton horōnti proschlinesthai. « Ei toinyn, ephēn, etheleis me kai tautēs enapolausai tēs anapaulēs, koinę̄ proschlithōmen, ō pater ou gar hautou tēn karterian katasophisamenos, tēn apo tēs anachliseōs hautǭ parapsychēn eisenēnocha " epi de tou edaphous errhimmenǭ prosepheron logous chi- 'rōn. Eisō de tou himatiou tēn cheira balōn, epeirōmēn metriōs apotridein ta nōta, tote tou sidērou to poly phortion etheasamēn, ho kai tēn osphyn edesmei, kai ton auchena. Kai heterai de alyseis apo pou peri ton auchena kyklou, dyo men emprosthen, dyo de hopiethen, eis ton katō kyklon encharsiai diechousai, kai tou Ch stoicheiou to schēma poiousai, emprosthen te kai opisthen, tous dyo kyklous allē“ lois synedeon" kai heterous de hai cheires hendon peri tous anchōnas eichon toioutous desmous. To polytalanton oun touto theasamenos phortion, heketenon ep᾿’ chourēsai tǭ sōmati kamnonti, kai pherein ou dynamenǭ kata tauton, kai ta ethelousia phortia, kai tēn akousion arrhōstian. e« Nyn men gar, ephē), ō pater, ho pyretos ta tou sidērou poei" hotan de houtos lōphēsę̄, tēnikauta tǭ sōmati ton ek palin epiϑēsomen phorton. n» Eixe kai eis touto pollais toiautais katathelchtheis epirdais. ᾿Alla tote men oligas arrhōstēsas hēmeras, rhchdiōs Chronǭ de hysteron chalepōterą periepise notǭ, Pollōn de pollachothen synelēlythotōn, hōs arpsomenoi to sōma, pythymenoi hoi tou asteōs synedo:mon hapantes, kai stratiōtai, kai idiōtai, hoi men hoi de hopoi? emachonto, kai belē aphientes, ouk hōs plēxontes, all᾽ hōs phodēsontes monon " kai houtō tous perioichous exelasantes, tę̄ klinę̄ ton pentathlon agōnistēn epithentes, tōn ginomenōn oudamōs oude gar tēs komēs autou tillomenēs hypo tōn agroikōn epēstheto, epi tēn polin iesan “ eis de ton prophētikon aphikomenoi sēkon, eis to toixǭ phrontistēoion tēn klinēn apelento. che de tis eis tēn Berrhoian, ekei gar hōn etynchanon, ta gegeē gēmena sēmainōn, kai tēs teleutę̄? komizōn tēn angelian. Toigartoi parautika dramōn, kai tēn nykta pasan eis hodoiporian chatanalōsas, chatelathon meta chēn heō ton theion anthrōpon, oute phthengymenon, oute tina tōn parontōn epiginōskein dynamenon " hōs? de ge proseipon, kai ton megan ᾿Akakion prosphthengesthai hauton ephēn, aneǭxe parachrēma tous ophthalmous, kai hopōs echō ēreto, kai pote eiēn elēlythōs epynthaneto " emou de pros tauta apokrinamenou, palin tous ophthalmous hemyse. Triōn de dielthousōn hēmerōn, ēreto hopoi eiē " mathōn de lian ēchtheto, kai ēxiou parautika eis to oros apochomizesbai. Therapeuein de auton dia pantōn ethelōn, euthys tēn klinēn parēngyēsa pherein, kai eis to pothoumenon chōrion ᾿apochomizein. Tote tēs sethchlsmias emoi kephalēs to aphilotimon eidon. Tę̄ gar B psyxas " thermou gar oudenos metalanchanein ēneicheto, pantelōs tou pyros tēn chreian aparnēsamenos. Epei de metalamdanein ouk ēthele " « Pasin hēmin, ephēn, ō pater, metados pheidous " koinēn gar sōtērian tēn aēēn hygieian hēgoumetha. Ou gar monon hōpheleias archetypon prokeisan, alla kai proseuchomenos? epamyneis, kai tēn theian hēmin eumeneian proxeneis. EI de se apochnaiei to aēthes, kai touto, ephēn, ō pater, charterēson" eidos gar kai touto philosophias. Hōsper gar hygiainōn trophēs eriemenos tę̄ karterią tēn ephesin " houtō nyn hēkchista menos, tēn tēs metalēpseōs karterian epideixai. n Tauta moi legonti symparēn kai ho tou Theou anthrō- ai pos Polychronios?, hos tǭ logǭ synagōnizomenos, hautys prōtos metalamthanein ēthele tēs trophēs, kai tauta orthrou ontos, ho: pollakis di᾽ hepta hēmerōn to sōma dietrephen, Ēttētheis toinyn tǭ logǭ, psato chylicha, hoper poiein epi tōn pikrōn potimōn eiōthamen. Epeidē hoe kai tous podas, to badizein prourgon nomizō kai tautēn autou tēn philosophian gymnōsai. ]recheito men gar plēsion ho skyphos", epeiralē de tis tōn diakonountōn phormǭ tini touton synchalypsai, hōs mē dēlos eiē tois par᾽ hauton aphiknoumenois. Ho de" « Ti chalypteis, ephē, ton schyphon?» Tou hoe eirēkotos " « Hōs mē parachoito tois aphichnou- " menois eis theōrian. n --- epage, ephē, ō pai, mē chrypi anthrōpois ta tǭ ϑeǭ tōn holōn dedēlōmena. Ekeinǭ gar zę̄n monǭ boulomenos, tēs anthrōpinēs ou pephrontika doxts. Ti gar ophelos, ei houtoi men moi pleiona syngnoien askēsin, ho de Theos meiona? tou gar hyper tōn ponōn misthou ouk houtoi dotēres, all᾽ ho Theus chorēgos.» Tis toinyn ouk an hyperagastheiē kai tous logous, kai ton tous logous gennēsanta noun, houtō doxēs anthrōpinēs gegenēmenon hyperteron? Toiouton ti kai allote gegenēmenan memathēka. Hespera ēn, kai hespera batheia, kai tēs trophēs ho kairos. Ladōn toinyn to parakeimenon ostrakon, tautēn gar eiche tēn trophēn. Hēke de tis apo tou asteōs, eispraxin tina stratiōtikēn empepisteumenos, Ho de kai porrhōthen hauton theasamenos, ouk apetheto ton phakon, alla synēthōs parepempeto trophēn. Daimonos de phantasian hypoladōn, logois ballōn apēlaunen hōs polemion " kai deiknys hōs ou dedie, metaxy tǭ stomati prosephere ton phakon, Hicheteus de ge ho tais loidoriais ballomenos, kai anthrōpos ephasken einai, kai hōs orkǭ tini proslēphtheis pro hesperas apairein «hēs poleōs, kata touton atphichoito ton kairon, Ho de᾽ « Tharsei, ephē, kai mē deisę̄s, alla proteuxamench apithi. Genou de moi kai syssitos, kai tēs trophēs moi choinōnēson.» Kai hama tauta legōn, epleron tēn dexian, kai tou phachou metedidou. Houtō tēs kenēs doxēs to pathos meta tōn allōn tēs dianoias apēlase, Peri dege karterias peritton. kai legein, martyrousēs tēs opseōs. Treis gar pollakis hēne' ra? kai tosautas nyktas chiono?s kchatenechtheists, houtō chatechōsthē prēnēs keimenos, kai ton theon hiketeuōn, hōs mēde brachy ti tōn perikeimenōn autǭ rhachiōn horasthai. Pollakis de kai hamais chrōmeni kai machellais hoi geitoneuontes, kai toutǭ tǭ tropǭ tēn perikeimenēn aposyrontes chiona, anaspōsi ti Kagō de pollakis tēs toutou epikourias apēlausa" mias de, ē dyo mnēsthēsomai Ek toutōn tōn ponōn ta tēs theias charitos edre" maēnoi. Tę̄ gar ekeinou eulogią, polloi men esdesthēsan te kai sdennyontai pyretoi polloi de hē pislk elōphēsan te, kai pantelōs: hypechōrēsan" polloi de pheugein ēnankasthēsan daimones" kai to hydōr to hyto tēs echeinou dexias eulogoumenon alexichachon pharmakon ginetai. Tis agnoei tou tethnēkotos paidiou tēn ho ha «hēs touton proseuchēs genomenēn anastasin? hen gar tois tēs poleōs proasteiois hoi toutou eisi gen’ nētores, hoi pollōn men paidōn egenonto pateres, pantas de aōrous tǭ taphǭ parepempsan. Hote ton! pouto to teleutaion egennēthē paidion, edramen ho patēr pros ton tou Theou anthrōtrn, makras autǭ zōēs metalachex hēn echeteuōn, kai hyp᾿ pischnoumenos tǭ Theǭ anathēsein, ei zēseis. Tessara toinyn etē Thiōsan, edexato tou biou to telos. ᾿Apēn de ho pater᾽ aphikomenos de exaiphnēs, horą touto loipon echpherime" non, kai harpasas apo tēs klinēs" « Prosechei, ezt, plērōsai me tēn hyposchesin, kai tǭ tou Theou anthrōpǭ kai tethneos apodouna!. n» Kai apechomisin ō? proxirēche, kai tethēche pro tōn agiōn echeinōn pydōn. legōn ekeina ha kai tois oicheioes eirēkei. Ho de theios anthriypo? protetheichōs to paidion, kai ta gynai klinas, echeitē prēnēs, ton zōēs kai thanaton tēn parakalōn. Deilēs de opsias aphēke to paidion phōnēn, kai ton patera ekalesen. Houtōs aisthomtno? ho thespesios ekeinos anēr, hōs tēn hiketeian ho tēs edexato? kai tēn zōēn echorēgēsen, anestē. toi proskynēsas ton poiounta to thelēma tōn phodoume" non hauton, kai tēs deēseōs autōn eisachouontan syneperane tēn hiketeian, kai tǭ physanti to paidon apedōke. Touto kagō etheasamēn, kai tou tairos to thauma diēgēschmenou akēkoa, kai pollois Pr)" ēnenka to diēgēma apostolikon, eidōs kai poillis » lian hēgoumenos ag» mon einai, sigę̄ paradounai kai mē didaxai tēs euergesias ta eidē. Ta 680. Markiōn ho bdelyros pollas asetheias akanthas ei: tēn chōran tēs Kyrrhou katespeire poleōs, Tautēs panta chalōn, legymenou, echenoun, gai pasę̄ mēchanę̄ chrōmenos di" eteloun. Hoi hoel tēs di᾿ emou thtoapeias «anti tou agapąn me,» prophētigōs eipein, « en- dieballon me, kai ethento kat᾽ emou kaka anti agathōn, kai miso? anti tēs agapēseōs mou" » kai kai daimosi ponēroi? synergois kechrēmenoi, aoratōs: polemein epei. rōnto. Kai pote nyktōr hēke ti? boō, alitērio? daimōn, kai tę̄ Syrą kechrēmenos phōnę̄" « Ti polemeis, hodeina, Marchiōni? ti dēpote de tēn pros touton anadedexai machēn? ti so: lypēron eirgasato pōpote: ᾿ pę̄ peirą mathētei hotēn kalon hētychia. Eu isthi gar, hōs palai an s: chattchontisa, ei mē, ton tōn marty- Ēkousa toutōn egō, kai tini tōn gnōrimōn plēsion katheudonti " « ᾿Akoueis, ephēn, ho deina, tōn legomenōn? n Ho de " « Pantōn, eipen, epēkousa " kai dianastēnai boulomenos, kai diachypsai, kai gnōnai «tis ho phthengomenos, sou charin hēsychian ēgon, katheudein se topasas. n ᾿Anastantes toinyn, amphō te diechyptomen, kai oudena oute kinoumenon, oute phthengomenon hēchouomen" tōn de rhēmatōn echeinōn kai hoi alloi hēmōn epēchousan synoikoi. Synēka toinyn, hōs choron men martyrōn elege to tou elaiou tōn martyrōnlēchythion, ho para pollōn martyrōn syneilegmenē" echon tēn eulogian, parchtēn emēn exērtēto klinēn᾽ kai tę̄ kephalę̄ de mou hypecheito tou megalou Iachōthou to palaion peritholaion, pantos herchous «inou ischyroteron moi gegenēmenon. Kai hēnika de tę̄ megistę̄ toutōn kōmę̄ prosthdallein emellon, eita polla tina en mesǭ ginomena tēn exodon diechōlyen, epempsa para ton emon ᾿Ēsaïan, tē: theia: symmachias antidolōn apolausai. Ho de - e Tharrhei, elege" panta gar ekeina dikēn arachnōn dialelytai ta kōlymata᾽ kai touto me nyktōr edidaxen ho Theos, syk onar schiagraphēsas, all᾽ hypar epideixas. 'Eōrōn gar, elege, tēs hymnǭdias arxamenos, kat᾽ ekeino to meros, en hǭ ta chōria ekeina diakeitai, ophin tina pyroeidē, apo tē: hesperas epi tēn xō, erpyzonta, kai dia mesou tou aeros pheromenon. Treis de euchas exanysas, palin etheasamēn epichamphthenta, kai to kykloteres chkerchon. Oktō de palin proseuchas symperanas, etheasamēn dichę̄ tmēthenia, kai eis kapnon dialythenta.» Tauta autos men houtō proeiden - hēmeis de etheasametha synomologousan tę̄ prorrhēsei tēn echdasin. HeEōthen men gar, hypo tou archechachon opheōs stratēgoumenoi, hoi palai men tēs Markiōnos symmorias, nyn de tę̄s apostolikēs genomenoi phalango?, gymna hēmin apo tēs. hesperas hormōntes ta xiphē edeiknyon. Peri de tritēn hōran tēs hēmeras snopeirathentes, tēs oikeias ephrontizon phylakēs, kathaper ho ophis tę̄ cherchǭ tēn kephalēn synechalypten. Ogdoę̄ de hōrą schedasthentes, chōran hēmin edōkan tēs eis tēn kōmēn eisodou - kai parautika heuromen ophin ex hylēs chalkou pepoiēmenon, kai hyp᾽ ekeinōn pros- Chynoumenon. Ton gar kata tou Dēmiourgou kai tou tōn holōn prophanōs anadexamenon polemon, ton Posin espoudazon. Epeidē de eis tēn tōn theiōn apokalypseōn eisēlthen ho logo: diēgēsin, phere ha para tēs Diēgēsato de ou philotimoumenos, porrhō gar gai touton tou pathous hē theia psychē, alla tinos chreias bilsamenēs eipein ha kryptein hē douleto. Hiketeuon auton antitholēsai ton tōn holōn Theon, katharon moi zizaniōn apophēnai to lēïon, kai tōn hairetichōn spermatōn pampan eleutherōsai. Hēnia gar me komidę̄ hē tou bdelyrou Markiōnos epi pleiston diachratētati planē. Ephē toinyn liparoumeno? " « Out᾽ emou, oute allou dei so! pros auton presdeutou. Echei? gar Iōannēn ton pany, tēn tou Logou phōnēn, tou Desētotou ton prodromon, tautēn hyper sou tēn hichedia pantos proschēmixonta. » He mou de legon- tos, hōs kai tais toutou pisteuō proseuchaï:, kai tais tōn allōn hagiōn apostolōn kai prophētōn, en hōs Iōannēn echeis ton Baptistēn. n» ᾿All᾽ oude houtō sigēn echein ēneichomēn " pollǭ de pleon epecheimēn pynthanomenos, kai mathein ephiemenos, ti dē poutou mallon emnēsthē, Ho de e Periptyxasthai, ephē, edoulomēn hautou ta eperasta leipsana. ) Epeidē de elegon" e Ouk oisō ᾿ tauta, ei mē erein hyposchoito ha theasamenos eiē, » hauto? men hypescheto' egō de tę̄ hysteraią echomisa ta pothoumena, kai pantas porrhō keleusas genesthai, emoi monǭ diēgēsato «kauta. ᾿ hē ei Hēnicha, ephē, tous poliouchous toutous apo tēs Phoinikēs kai tēs Palaistinēs aphikomenous, meta tēs Dauitichēs hypedexō choreias ennoia moi tis ge: gonen, ei tǭ onti tauta Iōannou tou pan» leipsani kai mē allou tou martyros homōnymou, Meta men toinyn hēmeran, egō men epi tēn hymnǭdian anetit) nyktōr " horō de tina leucheimonounta, kai, «᾿Adelze,, Iachōthe, legonta, eipe, ti dēpote aphichomenois emin ouk hypēntēsas:» Emou de eromenou, tines pote eien͵ apechrinato legōn" «Hoi apo Phoinikēs kai Palaistinēs tę̄ proteraią elēlythotes " kai panon hēmas hypodexamenōn prothymōs, kai tou poimenos, kai tou laou, kai astōn, kai chōrētichōn, sy mon? ouk echoinōnēsas tēs timēt. n» HēĒnitteto de tēn geno" menēn amphitholian. Eipein toinyn ephē pros tauta, hyp « Kai apontōn hymōn te kai tōn allōn hapantōn proskynō tǭ Theǭ. » Palin de tę̄ hysteraią kato ton auton kairon, autos ekeinos epiphanei? " « Hora, ephē, adelphe “Iachōthe, ton ekeithen hestōta, hou hē men esthï! ch'oni kata tēn chroian apeikastai, chlidano? de autou pyros prokeitai.n Emou de tas opseis ekeise metathentos, kai ton Baptistēn Iōannēn hypototasantos, kai gar tēn stolēn perithedlēto, kai tēn hon hypelades einai" » kai allote de᾽ « HiInicha, en, eis tēn prōtēn nyktōr apę̄eis kōmēn, paideusō! hōs stasiastas, spoudaioteran tǭ Theǭ prosenenkein euchēn parengyēsas, agrypnos dietelesa ton Desto- « Mēden deisę̄s, Iachōde " ho gar megas Iōannēs ho ton tōn holōn ϑion᾽ polys gar hon egegonei phonos, ei ē tais ekeinou Tauta moi ditgēsamenos, parengyēse monon eidenai, kai mē lathein allous synistoras. Egō de ōpheleias heneken, ou “monon pollois prosēnencha to diēgēma, alka kai syngraphę̄ paradidōmi. Kai Iōsēph de ton patriarchtē" theasasthai ephē. kai tēn kephalēn polion cha! to geneion, kai en gērą tēs hōras aphienta tēn aiglēn, kai en aretēs akrotēti eschaton heauton tōn hagiōn onomazonta. e Emou gar͵ phēsi, prōton lenontos tōn tēs thēkēs autǭ koinōnountōn, hautos heauton eschaton ōnomaze. n Diēgēsato de moi kai tas gegenēmena: autǭ hypo tōn ponērōn daimonōn pantodapas prosdolas. « Euthys men gar. elege, tautēs moi tēs politeias arxamenǭ gymnos heōrato tis, Aithiopos echōn to eidys, pyr ek tōn ophthalmōn aphieis. ᾿Egō de horōn, deous te enepimlamēn, kai eis euchēn etrepomēn, kai metalithein ouk oi neichomtn tēs trophēs " kat᾽ ekeinon gar epephaineto ton kairon. Hōs de hepta, kai oktō, kai heeka diēlthon hēmerai, kai asitos dieteloun, telos tēs ponēras ephodou kataphronēsa:, kathēmenos tēs trophēs metelamthanon. Ho de tautēn mou tēn megalophrosynēn ouk enenkōn, rhaddǭ paiein ēpeilei.» Egō de, ephē, elegon " « Ei men epitetrapsai para tou tōn holōn Despotou, pais, kai dexomai meth᾽ hēdonēs tēn plēgēn: hōs hyp᾽ echeinou᾽ paiomenos " ei de mē ep- Toudietelei lyttōn, To gar dis moi tēs heddomados chatthen komizomenon hydōr, apantōn tǭ chomezonti, kai to emon eidos mimoumenos, elamthane, kai apienai che- ᾿ leuōn ekeinon exechei to nama. Kai touto ou dis monou, alla kai tris poiēsas, to tou dipsous moi epestrateuss pathos. Sphodra de aniatheis, ēromēn ton eiōthota komizein᾽ « Ti dē pote pente kai deka dielthoutōn hēmerōn ouk echomisas hydōr? » Ho de tris elene kai tetrakis chechomichenai, kai me touto dedechthai. « Kai pou touto, ephēn, egō para sou pherontos edexamēn? » Hōs de ton topon hypedeixe " «Kan myriakis, ephēn, ekei me theasę̄ paraginomenon, mē dǭs to angeion, heōs eis touton aphikę̄ ton topon. » Houtō kai tautēn hautou tēn epidoulēn authis heteras epeirathē. Boę̄ gar nyktōr chrēsamenos ephē, hoti « SE tosautēs dysōdia: emplēsō, kai totauthen theasastha: anthrōpon. » Egō de, ephē, eros tauta apekrinamēn, hoti e Soi charin homologēsō" akōn gar euergeteseis ton dysmeni,, pleon entryphan tę̄ tou Theou mnēmę̄ paraskeuazōn. Scholēs gar pleiono? apolauōn, ergon schēsō diēnekes tou theiou kallous tēn phantasian. » Holigōn toinyn dielthousōn hēmerōn, metousēs hēmeras tēn eiōthuian leitourgian epitelōn, horō, ephē, dyo ek tou orous chatiousas gynaikas. Egō hox to aēthes dyscheranas, ch kai lithois balein epikai tautēn hypeladon einai tēn dyschleian. Hephthēn «oinyn boēsa?, hōs ei kai tois hōmois epikathisaien, ou balō tois lithois, ou diōxō, monę̄ de chrēsomai. tę̄ proseuchi. Tauta ephēn, hai de phrondoi egenonto, kai tǭ logǭ syneplērouto tēs theas hē phantasia. g Meta tau. ta palin" « Nyktōr egō men, ephē, prosēuchomēn, matos de ktypos ephereto, kai hēniochou boē, kai hippoin chremetizontōn᾽ eme hoe tou pragmatos to kainon ethyrythēsen. Henenooun gar hōs oute archōn epedēmei tote tę̄ polei, oute ochēmasin hē hodos ēn, oute ho chairis tois ochēmasin epitēdeios. E mou de tauta logixomenou, thyrydos tis plēthous ēkoueto prospelazontos " kai tines nontes ek tou mesou tous pleious, kai eutrhepę̄ poiountes tǭ hēgoumenǭ tēn parodon. Hōs de sphodra moi pelazein edoxe, eipon, ephē" «Tis ei? kai pothen hēkeis? kai tinos deomenos kata touton elēlythas ton kairon? mechr' tinos paizeis, ō talaipōre, kai tēs theias makrothymias kataphroneis? » Touto egō men elegon pros heō tetrammenos, kai tǭ Theǭ tēn hiketeian prospherōn. Ho de? ōse men, chatathalein de ouk ischysen. hē gar theia charis anteschen, kai parautika phryyda panta egegonto. » “Elege de kai kata ton tōn alitēriōn ᾿ echeinōn lę̄stōn kairon, hote ex IIsaurias hormōmenoi tēs heō ta pleista emprēsantes eltiidanto, dedienai sphodra, ou tēn sphagēn, ou gar houtō philosōmatos ēn, alla ton andrapodismon, kai tēn aichmalōsian, kai tēs asedeias kai paranomias tēn theōrian. Tousou tou deous aisthomenos ho diadēlos " ēkouse gar autou pollakis pros tous gnōrimous echphēnantos" mimeitai nyktōr holologēn gynaikōn. e Egō de, ephē, akouein edokoun hōs ēchoien hoi polemioi, kai hōs pyr tais kōmais emthalloien. Euthys toinyn dichę̄ tē? s kephalēs diakrinas tas kōmas͵, kai tas men ek dexiōn, tas de ex euōnymōn. dia tōn hōmōn epi to stēthos metenenkōn, eutrepē pros tēn tou xiphous tomēn ton auchena hepoioun, hina syntomon dexamenos tē plēgēn, tēs apeuchtēs ekeinēs apallagō theōrias. Houtō pasan echeinēn diatelesas tēn nykta, kai diēnekōs tēn echeinōn ephodon prosdechomenos, epeidē hēmera egeneto, kai hēchon tines, epythomēn ti peri tōn Isaurōn eien akēkootes" hoi de elegon, mēden en tautais egnōkenai tais hēmerais. Kai houtō, phēsin, epegnōn diadolichēn kakeinēn einai tēn phantasian. meidiōn hama kai paizōn egō de, ephē, tǭ thymǭ Ho nen etairikon blepōn, kai tǭ te meidiamati, tǭ ti phthegmati, hēdonēn anathlyzōn, Tote toinyn pleon ton thymon parathēxaas" «e Pōs ischyeis, elegon, pasan tēn oikoumenēn perinostein, kai pasi toiautas proupherein epidoulas? Ho de elege mē monos einai, alla plēthos daimonōn kata pasan eschedasthai tēn oikoumenēn, toiauta paizontōn homou kai spoudazontōn. Tę̄ gar dokousę̄ paidią spoudazousi pasan aphanis: tōn anthrōpōn tēn physin. e᾿Alla ge sy apithi, ephēn, pou Christou soi keleuontos, tou legeōna holēn dia tōn choirōn tǭ bythǭ parapempsantos. » Hēchonen hama kai epheugen, oute tēs Despotikēs prosēgorias tēn dynamin pherōn, oute tēs oichetikę̄s philosophias tēn aiglēn blepein dynamenos. n Kai alla de pleiona eidōs toutōn diēgēmata, syngraphein, ou boulomai, prophasis. Tois men gar horōsi ton theion anthrōpon ouden toiouton legomenon apithanon kataphainetai, «hēs horōmenēs aretēs bethaiousēs ta legomena. Epeidē de kai eis tous hyste,“» esomenous to tou tois pollois ta ōta tōn ophthalmōn, tę̄ astheneich tōn akouontōn metrēsomen tēn diēgēsin. Toutǭ toinyn hǭkodomēsan men kai alloi sēkon megioton en tę̄ pelazousē kōmę̄, ou pollois aphestōta stadiois " katescheuasa de chagō thēchę̄ēn en tǭ tōn apostolōn kallinichōn sēchǭ. ᾿Alla touto mathōn ho theios anthrōpos, polla me pollakis eliparēsen, en᾽ ekeinǭ. pǭ orei taphę̄ paradounai to sōma. Egō de eipon pollakis, hōs ou prosēkei ton tēs parousēs zōïs amelēsanta, taphēs poiēsasthai pronoian. Hōs de touto autǭ katathymion eidon, epeneusa te, kai syneuemēn, kai tēn larnaka tmēthēnai te, kai chomisthēnai anō pepoiēka. Epei de ton lithon hypo tēs pachnēs phtheiromenon eidon, mikron oikiskon epetrepsa genesthai tę̄ larnaki. Epei de ekeleuse, kai tēn « Ouk anexoma:, ephē, touton ᾿Iachōdou kaleisthai taphon, alla boulomai tōn kallinichōn martyrōn touton genesthai sēkon, eme de hoia tina metoikon eis heteran keisthai thēchēn, paroikein hautois ēxiōmenon.» Kai tauta ou monon heipen, alla kai edrase. Kai pollous men prophētas, pollous de apostolous, pleistous de hoti martyras, pantachothen synagagōn, en mią to plēthos apistias genētai tetheichs larnaki, tǭ tōn hagiōn dēmǭ synoikein ethelēsas, kai syn autois anastēnai, kai tēs theōrias ha axiōthēnai pothēsas. ᾿Ikanon de touto techmēriōsai tēn tou phronēmatos metriotēta. Ho gar tosouton plouton syneilochōs, hōs? eschatę̄ penią syzōn, tę̄ tōn euporōn symmorią paroikein epethymēsen. Hopoioi men oun tēs sedasmias emoi chephalēę̄s hoi ponoi, kai hoi agōnes hēliko:, kai hosēs theothen apelanse charitos, kai hosas nikas nenikēke, kai hoiois stephanois katachechosmētai, apochrē kai tauta didaxai. Epeidē de tines dyskolian ēthous epaitiōntai, kai dyscherainousi to philerēmon kai hēsychion, oliga peri toutōn eipōn, peras epithēsō tǭ diēgēmati" Procheitai pasin, hōs ephēn, eis theōrian, oute thrinkiǭ pephragmenos, oute chalydę̄ tini hē skēnę̄ chalyptomenos. Hekastos de tōn aphiknoumenōn, hyp᾽ oudenos legestha: bouletai. Tois de allois tautēsi tēs philosophias erastais kai thrinchia kai thyrai eisi, kai hēsychias apolausis, kai anoignysin ethelēsas ho chatheirgmenos, kai anadalletai hoson bouletai, kai tēs theias emphoreitai theōrias hoson ethelei. ᾽᾿Entautha de toutōn ouden. Dio malista dyscherainei tous par᾽ auton tēs proseuchēs ton kairon enochlountas. Kan men keleusantos euthys apioien, palin echetai tēs proseuchēs. Ei de epimenoien ochlountes, kai hapax kai dis parengyēsas mē peiseie, tēnikauta dyscheranas epitimōn apopempetai. Emoi de peri toutou pros auton gegenēntai logoi " kai tinas ephēn aschallein exelathentas, kai eulogias mē metaschontas " kai hoti prepon eiē, tous toutou charin aphiknoumenous, kai pollōn hēmerōn hodon exanyontas, mē ouchoutnous, kai tois tēs sēs philosophia? diēgēmasin hestiōntas tous agnoountas. Ho de, « Ouk allou charin, ephē, all᾽ emautou to oros kateilēpha. Kai polla lian hamartēmatōn perikeimenos helkē, pollēs deomai therapeias. Kai toutou heineka ton hēmeteron hiketeuō Despotēn, orexai moi ta tēs kakias alexipharmaka. Pōs toinyn ouk atopon, kai lian anoēpon, diakopsai men ton tēs hicheteias heirmon, metaxy de dialexin pros anthrōpous poiēsasthai? Ei gar oiketēs anthrōpou homophyous etynchanon, en de tǭ tēs despotikēs diakonias chairǭ, katalipōn to prosenenkein eis kairon hē sitia ē pota, pros tina tōn hom»doulōn epoiēsamēn dialexin, posas ouk an dikaiōs edexamēn plēgas? Ei de kai archonti proselthōn, kai hēn hypomenō para tinos diēgoumenos adikian, di» echopsa men en mesǭ tēn dialexin, allous de logous tinas pros tinas tōn parontōn epoiēsamēn, ou soi dokei dyscheranai ton dikastēn, kai tēs men epikourias aposterēsai, prostheinai de kai mastigas, kai tōn chinchlidōn apelasai? Pōs toinyn hosion, despotę̄ men ton oiketēn, kai dikastę̄ ton hiketēn, prosēkontōs prospheresthai" eme de tǭ Theǭ, tǭ kai aiōniǭ Despotę̄, kai dikastę̄ dikaiotatǭ, kai basilei tōn hapantōn prosionta, mēde toutois paraplēsiōs poieisthai tēn prosodon, alla metaxy proseuchomenon pros tous homodoulous trepesthai, kai makran poieisthai dialexin? » Tauta kai ēkousa, kai pros tous dyscheranantas dieporthmeusa. Kai eu moi kai kalōs eirēkenai dokei. Pros gar au tois eirēmenois, kai idion tōn erōntōn, pantōn men tōn allōn hyperorąn, ekeinǭ de prostetēkenai, hon philousi kai stergousi" kai touton nyktōr oneiropolein, kai meth᾽ hēmeran phantazesthai. Dia touto moi dyscherainein dokei, en tę̄ pothoumenę̄ men theōrią genomenos, emplēsthēnai de tou heperastou kōlyomenos kallous. Tauta diēgēmatichōs synegrapsamen, komidę̄ tēs syntomias phryntisantes, hina mē tǭ mēkei tous entynchanontas apochnaisōmen. Ei de kai epidiǭē tǭde tǭ diēgēmati chronon, kai alla myria dēpouthen katorthōmata tois proterois prosthēsei, kai syngrapsousi kakeina heteroi. Hēmin gar tēs enteuthen ekdēmias pothos polys. Ho de tōn tēs eusedeias athlētōn agōnothetēs kai toutǭ dōsei telos tōn agōnōn epaxion, kai tou dromou to leipomenon paraschoi tǭ proterǭ sym’ bainon, hina nikēphoros chataladoi tēn nyssan, kai «hēn hēmeteran astheneian tais toutou proseuchais hypereiseien" hopōs anarrhō“thentes, tas pollas hēmōn bnapalaisōmen hēttas, kai meta nikēs ton bion exelthōmen.
Since we have gone through the contests of the athletes of virtue already mentioned, recounting in summary the labours of their training, the sweat of their contests, and their most brilliant and conspicuous victories, come, let us also make a profitable record of the way of life of those still alive, who contend magnificently and strive to surpass their predecessors by their sweat. For as the life of the saints who were distinguished long ago brought the greatest benefit to those after them, so the stories of these men will be archetypes for those after us. I shall begin with the great James; for he is first among the others both in time and in labour, and those who emulate him do wonderful and extraordinary things. It has happened, I do not know how, that this name stands first both among the departed and among those still alive; for in telling the life of those too I began with that divine James, who scattered that Persian army by prayer and, when the city walls [were falling], did not let the city be taken, and [sent against] those who had marched against it … and gnats. Let his equal in honour and in manner, then, lead the company of the contestants still alive; not because he shares his name, but because he emulated his virtue and became a model of philosophy for the others. Having lived with that all-[praised] Maron and shared his divine teaching, he outshone his teacher by greater labours. Maron had the precinct of the old error as an enclosure, and pitched a tent of skins, and by using it escaped the assaults of rain and snow. But this man bade farewell to all these, tent, hut and enclosure, and has the sky for his roof, receiving all the opposite assaults of the air: now … and now burnt and scorched, enduring everything, contending as though in another’s body, and striving by his zeal to overcome the nature of the body. For, clothed in this mortal and passible body, he lives as though in one free from passions, and, practising the bodiless life in the body, he cries out with the godly Paul: ‘Though we walk in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh; for the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly but powerful to God for the destruction of strongholds, destroying arguments and every height raised up against the knowledge of God, and taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.’ But he first practised these contests beyond nature with lesser labours. He shut himself up in a small cell, freed himself from outside commotion, and nailed his mind to the remembrance of God; in this way he practised perfect virtue. Having trained excellently and accustomed his soul to good labours, he ventured on greater contests; and taking possession of this mountain, which is thirty stades from this town, he made it famous and venerable, though it was once obscure and wholly barren. It is now believed to have received such a blessing that its soil is being used up, carried away for their benefit by those who come from every side. Living there, he is seen by all who come, having no cave, as I said, no tent, no hut, no enclosure; … he is seen resting and standing, sitting, in health and when held by some sickness, so that he contends continually before spectators and fends off the necessities of nature. For not even for other people, brought up with a little freedom, is it easy to empty the bowels when strangers are present, still less for a man trained in the highest philosophy. I say this not having learned it from another but as an eyewitness myself. Fourteen years ago a grievous illness fell on him and affected him as was natural for one who has a mortal nature. It was the height of summer, and the flame of the sun blazed more fiercely, the winds being asleep and the air motionless. The illness was a flood of bile carried downwards, biting the intestine, pressing it and forcing it to run outwards. Then I saw the man’s great endurance. A great many villages had gathered to seize the victorious body, and he sat assailed from two sides: nature was forcing him to go and relieve himself, and respect for the crowd standing by forced him to keep his posture. Knowing this, I gave many exhortations to those who had come, and many threats too, telling them to leave; later I even put on them the bonds of the priesthood, and with great labour sent them away late in the evening. But the divine man, even when they had gone, was not defeated by nature, but remained enduring, until deep night came on and forced everyone to go home. The next day I came to him again, and when I saw that the heat had grown fiercer and that the fever upon him [was being fed] by the fire outside, I said that [he was suffering] from the assault of the sun, and begged him [to let me make] a little shade beside him; and when he consented, we fixed three reeds in the ground, laid two across them, and contrived some shade. When he told me to go inside it, I said: ‘It is shameful, father, for me, young and healthy, to have this comfort, while you, held by a violent fever and needing such relief, sit outside receiving the assault of the sun. So if you want me to enjoy the shade, share this little tent with me. I want to stay with you, but the sun prevents me.’ Hearing these words, he yielded and accepted my care. When we were enjoying the shade together, I began another argument, and said that I needed to lie down, since my hip could not bear sitting without pain. Again he urged me to lie down while I watched him sitting. ‘If, then,’ I said, ‘you want me to enjoy this rest too, let us lie down together, father.’ So, outwitting his endurance, I brought him the comfort of reclining; and as he lay stretched on the ground I offered him words … Putting my hand inside his garment and trying gently to rub his back, I then saw the great load of iron, which bound both his loins and his neck. Other chains, from the circle round his neck, two in front and two behind, ran crosswise to the lower circle, making the shape of the letter X, and bound the two circles together in front and behind; and his arms too had such bonds inside, round the elbows. Seeing this load of many talents, I begged him to lighten [it] for his body, which was suffering and could not bear at the same time both the voluntary loads and the involuntary sickness. ‘For now, father,’ I said, ‘the fever does the work of the iron; when it abates, then we will put the load back on the body.’ He yielded to this too, charmed by many such incantations. That time he was ill for a few days and easily [recovered].
Some time later he fell into a more grievous illness. Many came together from many places to seize his body; when the people of the town learned of it, they all ran together, soldiers and private persons, some … others fought with whatever [came to hand], shooting arrows not to hit but only to frighten; and so, having driven off the people of the neighbourhood, they placed the pentathlete contestant on a bier (he was quite unaware of what was happening, for he did not even notice his hair being plucked out by the peasants) and went to the city; and when they reached the shrine of the prophet, they set the bier down in the hermitage by the wall. Someone came to Beroea (for I happened to be there) reporting what had happened and bringing news of his death. So I ran at once, spent the whole night on the road, and after dawn found the divine man neither speaking nor able to recognise any of those present. But when I greeted him and said that the great Acacius sent him greetings, he at once opened his eyes, asked how I was, and enquired when I had come; and when I had answered, he closed his eyes again. After three days he asked where he was; learning it, he was much displeased and asked to be carried back to the mountain at once. Wishing to serve him in every way, I immediately ordered the bier to be lifted and taken back to the place he longed for. Then I saw the lack of ambition of that head so venerable to me. For … chilled; for he would not take anything hot, having entirely renounced the use of fire. When he would not take [food], I said: ‘Spare us all, father; we regard your health as our common salvation. For you are set before us not only as an archetype of benefit, but you also help us by praying and win the divine favour for us. If the unaccustomed thing wears you down, endure this too, father; for this too is a form of philosophy. As when healthy you [checked] your desire for food by endurance, so now … show the endurance of taking it.’ While I was saying this, the man of God Polychronius was with me, and, supporting my argument, he wished himself to be the first to take food, and that at dawn, though he often fed his body only once in seven days. Defeated by the argument, he [touched] the cup, as we do with bitter drinks. Since [the illness had made] his feet … for walking, I think it useful to lay bare this philosophy of his too. A pot lay near, and one of the attendants tried to cover it with a mat, so that it should not be visible to those who came to him. He said, ‘Why are you covering the pot?’ The attendant said, ‘So that it does not lie in view of those who come to see you.’ ‘Stop, my boy,’ he said; ‘do not hide from men what is plain to the God of all. Wishing to live for him alone, I have taken no thought for human glory. What profit is it if these people credit me with more asceticism, but God with less? For they are not the givers of the reward for labours; God is the one who bestows it.’ Who then would not greatly admire both the words and the mind that gave birth to the words, so far above human glory?
I learned that something similar happened at another time too. It was evening, late evening, and the time for food. He took the earthenware dish lying beside him (for this was his food). Someone came from the town who had been entrusted with collecting a military levy … seeing him from a distance, he did not put down the lentils but took his food as usual. Supposing it to be an apparition of a demon, he drove him off with words as an enemy, and to show that he was not afraid, he kept putting the lentils to his mouth all the while. The man pelted with abuse begged him, saying that he was a human being, and that, being bound by an oath to leave the city before evening, he had arrived at this time. He said: ‘Take courage and do not be afraid, but pray and go. But first be my table-companion and share my food.’ And as he said this, he filled his right hand and gave him some of the lentils. So he drove the passion of vainglory from his mind along with the others.
About his endurance it is superfluous even to speak, since the eye bears witness. Often, when snow has fallen for three days and as many nights, he has been so buried, lying prostrate and supplicating God, that not even a little of the rags about him could be seen. Often the neighbours, using shovels and mattocks and in this way scraping away the snow around him, draw [him] out … I too have often enjoyed his help; I shall mention one or two instances. From these labours he has reaped the fruits of divine grace. By his blessing many fevers have been quenched and are being quenched, many shiverings have abated and entirely withdrawn, many demons have been forced to flee; and water blessed by his right hand becomes a remedy against evil. Who does not know of the resurrection of the dead child that came about through his prayer? Its parents live in the suburbs of the city; they had been fathers of many children but had sent them all untimely to the tomb. When this last child was born, the father ran to the man of God, begging that it might receive long life, and promising to dedicate it to God if it lived. It lived four years and then reached the end of its life. The father was away; arriving suddenly, he saw it already being carried out to burial, snatched it from the bier and said: ‘I must fulfil my promise and give it back to the man of God, even dead.’ He carried it off, as he had said, laid it before those holy feet, and repeated what he had said to his household. The divine man set the child before him, bent his knees, and lay prostrate, imploring the Lord of life and death. Late in the evening the child uttered a sound and called its father. Perceiving this, that godly man, knowing that the Lord had received his supplication and granted life, rose, worshipped him who does the will of those who fear him and hears their prayer, finished his supplication, and gave the child back to its father. I saw this myself, and heard the father tell of the miracle, and I have told the apostolic story to many, knowing that it [benefits] many, and thinking it very wrong to consign it to silence and not to teach the kinds of his benefactions.
… The loathsome Marcion sowed many thorns of impiety in the territory of the city of Cyrrhus. Against these I let out every rope, as the saying is, and used every means. But those healed through me, ‘instead of loving me’, to speak in the prophet’s words, ‘slandered me, and returned me evil for good and hatred for my love’; and using wicked demons as allies, they tried to wage war on me invisibly. Once by night a wicked demon came shouting, and in the Syrian tongue: ‘Why do you war against Marcion, so-and-so? Why ever have you taken up the fight against him? What harm has he ever done you? … learn by experience how good it is to keep quiet. Know well that I would long ago have shot you down, if [the choir] of the martyrs [and James had not been guarding you].’ I heard this and said to one of my acquaintances sleeping nearby: ‘Do you hear what is being said, so-and-so?’ He said: ‘I heard everything. I wanted to get up and look out and find out who was speaking, but I kept quiet for your sake, supposing you were asleep.’ So we both got up and looked out, but we heard no one moving or speaking; yet the others who lived with us also heard those words. I understood, then, that by the choir of martyrs he meant the flask of the martyrs’ oil, which, holding the blessing gathered from many martyrs, hung beside my bed; and under my head lay the old cloak of the great James, which had proved stronger for me than any rampart. And when I was about to attack the largest of their villages, and then many things that happened in the meantime prevented my setting out, I sent to my Isaiah, begging to enjoy the divine alliance. He said: ‘Take courage; all those obstacles have been dissolved like spiders’ webs. God taught me this by night, not sketching it in a dream but showing it to me awake. For,’ he said, ‘when I had begun the hymn-singing, I saw, in the region where those villages lie, a fiery serpent crawling from west to east and borne through the middle of the air. When I had completed three prayers, I saw it again bent and coiled into a circle. When I had finished eight more prayers, I saw it cut in two and dissolved into smoke.’ This he foresaw; and we saw the outcome agree with the prediction. At dawn, led by the serpent, the author of evil, those who were once of Marcion’s company, but have now joined the apostolic phalanx, rushing from the west, showed us bare swords. About the third hour of the day, after testing us, they turned to their own defence, as the serpent had covered its head with its tail. At the eighth hour they dispersed and gave us room to enter the village; and at once we found a serpent made of bronze, worshipped by them. For [they honoured] the serpent which had openly taken up war against the Creator of the universe … they were eager …
Since my story has entered on the account of divine revelations, come, [let me tell] what [I heard] from his … He told it not out of ambition (that divine soul is far from this passion too), but because some need forced him to say what he wished to hide. I begged him to entreat the God of all to make my field clear of tares and to free it entirely from heretical seeds; for the error of the loathsome Marcion, which had prevailed so long, grieved me greatly. When pressed, he said: ‘You need neither me nor anyone else as an envoy to him; you have the all-great John, the voice of the Word, the forerunner of the Master, offering this supplication for you everywhere.’ When I said that I trust in his prayers and in those of the other holy apostles and prophets, [he said: ‘But trust especially,] since you have John the Baptist [here].’ But I could not keep silent even so; I pressed him much more with questions, wishing to learn why he had mentioned him rather than another. He said: ‘I wished to embrace his lovely relics.’ When I said, ‘I will not bring them unless you promise to tell what you have seen’, he promised; and the next day I brought what he longed for, and, telling everyone to stand far off, he told this to me alone. ‘When,’ he said, ‘you received these guardians of the city, arriving from Phoenicia and Palestine, with the dancing of David, a thought came to me whether these were really relics of the all-great John and not of another martyr of the same name. The next day I rose by night for the hymn-singing, and I saw someone dressed in white saying: “Brother James, tell me, why did you not come to meet us when we arrived?” When I asked who they were, he answered: “Those who came from Phoenicia and Palestine the day before; and when everyone received us eagerly, the shepherd and the people, citizens and country people, you alone did not share in the honour.” He was hinting at the doubt that had arisen. To this,’ he said, ‘I replied: “Even without you and all the others, I worship God.” Again, the next day at the same time, he appeared and said: “See, brother James, the one standing over there, whose garment is like snow in colour and whose cloak is of fire.” When I turned my eyes there and supposed it to be John the Baptist, for he wore the robe and …, [he said: “That is] the one you took him to be.”’ Another time he said: ‘When you went by night to the first village … to instruct them as rebels, having urged me to offer a more earnest prayer to God, I stayed awake [imploring] the Master … “Fear nothing, James; for the great John [is entreating] the God of all; for there would have been much bloodshed, had it not been for his [intercessions].”’ Having told me this, he urged me to keep it to myself alone and not to take others into my confidence. But for the sake of the benefit I have not only told the story to many but also commit it to writing. He said that he had also seen the patriarch Joseph, his head and beard white, radiating the splendour of youth in old age, and, at the summit of virtue, calling himself the last of the saints. ‘For when I said that he was the first of those sharing the tomb with him, he called himself the last.’ He also told me of the various assaults made on him by the wicked demons. ‘As soon as I began this way of life,’ he said, ‘someone appeared to me naked, having the form of an Ethiopian and shooting fire from his eyes. Seeing him, I was filled with fear and turned to prayer, and could not bring myself to take food; for he appeared at that time. When seven, eight and ten days had passed and I had continued without food, at last I despised the wicked assault, sat down and took food. He, unable to bear this high-mindedness of mine, threatened to strike me with a rod.’ ‘I said,’ he went on, ‘“If you have been permitted by the Master of the universe, strike, and I will gladly receive the blow as struck by him; but if not …” … he went on raging. The water that was brought up to me twice a week from below he would take, meeting the man who carried it and imitating my appearance, and, telling him to go away, he would pour out the water. Doing this not twice only but three times, he brought the torment of thirst against me. Greatly distressed, I asked the man who usually brought it, “Why ever have you brought no water for fifteen days?” He said that he had brought it three and four times, and that I had received it. “And where,” I said, “did I receive it from you?” When he showed me the place, I said, “Even if you see me coming there ten thousand times, do not give up the vessel until you reach this place.” So [I defeated] this plot of his too. He tried again in another way. Shouting by night, he said: “I will fill you with such a stench that you will not be able to look at a human being.” I answered him: “I shall be grateful to you; for you will unwillingly benefit your enemy, making me delight more in the remembrance of God. Enjoying more leisure, I shall have the picturing of the divine beauty as my constant work.” A few days later,’ he said, ‘while I was performing the usual liturgy at midday, I saw two women coming down from the mountain. Vexed at the unusual sight, … and [I was about] to pelt them with stones, [but I realised] that this too was the [demon’s] annoyance. So I quickly cried out that even if they sat on my shoulders I would not throw stones nor chase them, but would use only prayer. As I said this, they vanished, and with the word the apparition of that sight was ended.’ After this he told me again: ‘By night I was praying, and the clatter of a [carriage] reached me, and the shout of a driver, and horses neighing; the strangeness of the thing disturbed me. For I reflected that no governor was then visiting the city, that the road was not one for vehicles, and that the hour was not suitable for vehicles. While I was reckoning this, the noise of a crowd coming near was heard, and some [men] … clearing most people from the way and preparing the passage for the one in front. When he seemed to come very close to me, I said: “Who are you? Where do you come from? What do you want, coming at this hour? How long will you play, wretch, and despise the divine long-suffering?” I said this turned to the east and offering supplication to God. He pushed, but could not throw me down; for the divine grace held firm, and at once everything vanished.’ He also said that at the time of those accursed brigands, when they set out from Isauria and burned and plundered most of the East, he was greatly afraid, not of slaughter (he was not so fond of his body), but of enslavement and captivity and of seeing impiety and lawlessness. The devil perceived this fear (for he had heard him often express it to his acquaintances) and by night imitated the wailing of women. ‘I seemed to hear,’ he said, ‘that the enemy had come and were setting fire to the villages. At once I parted the hair of my head in two, brought the locks on the right and on the left over my shoulders onto my chest, and made my neck ready for the cut of the sword, so that by receiving a quick blow I might be spared that dreaded sight. Having spent that whole night like this, constantly expecting their attack, when day came and some people arrived, I asked what they had heard about the Isaurians; they said they had learned nothing of them in those days. So,’ he said, ‘I recognised that this apparition too was the devil’s.’ … smiling and joking at once … ‘I,’ he said, ‘[looked at him] with anger, … seeing his wanton look, his smile, …, his voice, bubbling with pleasure. Then, sharpening my anger further, I said: “How are you able to roam the whole world and bring such plots against everyone?” He said that he was not alone, but that a multitude of demons was scattered through the whole world, playing such games and at the same time in earnest; for by what seems play they are eager to destroy the whole nature of mankind. “But go away,” I said, “as Christ commands you, who sent a whole legion through the pigs into the deep.” He heard, and at once fled, unable to bear the power of the Master’s name or to look upon the radiance of the servant’s philosophy.’ Though I know more stories besides these, I do not wish to write them down, lest they become a pretext for unbelief to many. For those who see the divine man, nothing of this kind that is told seems incredible, since his virtue, which they see, confirms what is told. But since [the story will reach] those who will live later too, and [since] for most people the ears [are less trusted] than the eyes, we shall measure the story by the weakness of the hearers.
Others have built a very large shrine for him in the neighbouring village, not many stades away; and I too prepared a tomb for him in the shrine of the triumphant apostles. But when the divine man learned this, he often pressed me hard to commit his body to burial on that mountain. I said many times that it was not fitting for one who had neglected the present life to take thought for burial. But when I saw that this was his heart’s desire, I nodded assent and joined in his wish, and had the coffin cut and brought up. When I saw the stone being damaged by the frost, I had a small building put up over the coffin. When he ordered … ‘I will not allow,’ he said, ‘this to be called the tomb of James; I want it to become a shrine of the triumphant martyrs, and myself, like a resident alien, to lie in another tomb, counted worthy to dwell beside them.’ He not only said this but did it. Gathering many prophets, many apostles and very many martyrs from everywhere, he placed the multitude in one coffin, wishing to live with the people of the saints, and longing to rise with them and be counted worthy of the vision. This is enough to show the modesty of his mind; for he who had gathered such wealth, while living in utmost poverty, desired to dwell beside the company of the rich.
What the labours of that head so venerable to me are, how great his contests, how much grace he has enjoyed from God, how many victories he has won, and with what crowns he is adorned, these things suffice to teach. But since some find fault with a harshness of character, and are vexed by his love of solitude and stillness, I shall say a little about this and then put an end to the story. He lies open to all, as I said, to be seen, neither fenced by a wall nor covered by a hut or a tent. Each of those who come, hindered by nothing, wants to be addressed by him. The other lovers of this philosophy have walls and doors and the enjoyment of stillness: the one enclosed opens when he wishes, puts it off as long as he wishes, and fills himself with divine contemplation as much as he wishes. Here there is none of this. Therefore he is especially vexed with those who trouble him at the time of prayer. If they leave at once when he tells them, he returns to his prayer; but if they persist in troubling him, and he does not persuade them after urging them once and twice, then he is vexed and sends them away with a rebuke. I have talked with him about this. I said that some were aggrieved at being driven away without sharing in the blessing, and that it would be fitting not [to send away] those who came for this and travelled a road of many days, … [but to refresh] them and to regale those who do not know with the stories of your philosophy. He said: ‘I have occupied the mountain for no one else’s sake but my own. Covered with very many wounds of sins, I need much treatment; and for this reason I beg our Master to hold out to me the remedies against wickedness. How then is it not absurd and very foolish to break off the course of supplication and in the middle hold a conversation with men? If I were the servant of a man of my own nature, and at the time of serving my master I left off bringing food or drink at the right time and held a conversation with one of my fellow slaves, how many blows would I not justly receive? And if I approached a governor and, while telling him of the wrong I was suffering from someone, broke off my speech in the middle and addressed other words to some of those present, do you not think the judge would be vexed, deprive me of help, add lashes besides, and drive me from the bar? How then is it holy that a servant should approach his master, and a suppliant a judge, fittingly, while I, approaching God, the eternal Master, the most just Judge, and King of all, should not even approach him as they do, but in the middle of praying turn to my fellow slaves and hold a long conversation?’ I heard this and conveyed it to those who were vexed. He seems to me to have spoken well and rightly. Besides what has been said, it is characteristic of lovers to disregard everything else and cling to the one they love and cherish, to dream of him by night and picture him by day. That is why, I think, he is vexed when, having entered the contemplation he longs for, he is prevented from being filled with the beauty he loves.
We have written this in the form of a narrative, taking great care to be brief, so as not to weary readers with length. If he survives this account for some time, he will doubtless add countless other achievements to the former ones, and others will write of those too; for we have a great longing for departure from here. May the President of the games of the athletes of piety give him too an end of his contests worthy of them, and grant that the rest of his course may match what went before, so that he may reach the turning-post victorious; and may he support our weakness by his prayers, so that, strengthened, we may make good our many defeats and depart this life with victory.
2 Cor 10:3–5 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 145:19 (144:19 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 109:4–5 (108:4-Ps LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Mark 5:13 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Sam 6:14 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 3:4 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: James of Cyrrhestica lives without any shelter on a mountain near Cyrrhus, endures illness under the eyes of crowds, raises a dead child, supports Theodoret against the Marcionites by prayer and visions, sees John the Baptist and the patriarch Joseph, resists the devil's apparitions, and explains why he will not break off prayer to talk with visitors.
- The scan of this long chapter is damaged: Latin debris from Migne's parallel column is removed by logged corrections; lost or garbled Greek words are marked '…' and not supplied. In two places the OCR moved a line out of place: 'to empty the bowels … still less for a man' and 'lest they become a pretext for unbelief' are translated where the sense shows they belong.
- The first James is James of Nisibis (Life 1), whose prayer defended Nisibis against the Persians (the plague of gnats is told there). This James is James of Cyrrhestica, a disciple of Maron (Life 16), still alive when Theodoret wrote.
- 2 Cor 10:3–5 is quoted. 'Him who does the will of those who fear him and hears their prayer' quotes Ps 145:19 (144:19 LXX). 'Instead of loving me … hatred for my love' quotes Ps 109:4–5 (108:4–5 LXX). The legion sent into the pigs: Mark 5:9–13.
- 'The bonds of the priesthood': Theodoret threatened the crowd with excommunication. 'The great Acacius' is Acacius, bishop of Beroea (Aleppo).
- Theodoret's campaign against the Marcionite villages of his diocese is told as he gives it, with the bronze serpent found in the village; the account of the hostile villagers is his own.
- The relics of John the Baptist and of prophets, apostles and martyrs are described as Theodoret reports them; 'with the dancing of David' alludes to 2 Sam 6:14. The vision of John 'wearing the robe and …' alludes to Matt 3:4 (the word after 'robe' is lost).
- 'The time of those accursed brigands … from Isauria': the Isaurian raids of the early fifth century.
Notes on the original text
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Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. rel. 21 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/21). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/21
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 82 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every section was re-read against the Greek (Lives 1-11 in a separate review pass).