Homilies 1.1–1.4
Greek text: PG 40.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 1
1.1PG 40:165
Α΄. Ὁμιλίω ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ Λουκᾶν Εὐαγγειίου, εἰς τὸν πιούσιον καὶ εἰς τὸν Λάζαρον. Οὐ τοῖς ἀποφατιχοῖς καὶ δογματιχοῖς μόνον θεσπέσμασιν ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν καὶ Σωτὴρ παιδεύει τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ὥστε μισεῖν χαχίαν καὶ ἀγαπᾷν ἀρετήν" ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐναργέσι τῶν ὑποδειγμάτων, σαφῆ παραδίδωσι τὰ τῆς ἀγαθῆς πολιτείας μαθήματα, ἔργοις ὁμοῦ καὶ λόγοις προσθιθάζων ἡμᾶς τῇ χαταλήψει τῆς ἀγαθῇς καὶ φιλοθέου ζωῆς. Οὕτω τοι καὶ νῦν πολλαχοῦ" προειρηχὼς ἡμῖν, διά τε προφητιχῶν καὶ εὐαγγελιχῶν στομάτων, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ οἰχείας φωνῆς, ἀποστρέφεσθαι μὲν τὸν ὑπερήφανον καὶ ὑψαύχενα πλοῦτον, ἀγαπᾷν δὲ γνώμην φιλάνθρωπον, καὶ τὴν μετὰ διχαιοσύνης πενίαν, ἵνα τὴν τοῦ χαλοῦ συμβουλὴν βεδαιοτέραν ἐργάσηται, τεχμηριοῖ τὸν λόγον ν πραχτιχοῖς ὑποδείγμασι, καὶ γράφει τῇ διηγήσει τὸν πλούσιον καὶ τὸν πένητα" καὶ τοῦ μὲν τὴν φιλότιμον ἀπόλαυσιν" τοῦ δὲ, τὴν τεθλιμμένην ζωὴν ὑποδείχνυσι, καὶ τὸ τέλος ἀμφοτέρων τοῦ βίου εἰς ὅ τι χατέληξεν᾽ ἵνα τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ἐπιτηδεύμασι σχεψάμενοι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, σώφρονες γενώμεθα τῶν ἰδίων βίων χριταί. Ἄγθρωπος ἦν πλούσιος, καὶ ἐνεδιδύσκπκετο πορφύραν καὶ βύσσον. Διὰ δύο συντόμων ὀνομάτων, ὁ λόγο; σχώπτει καὶ χωμῳδεῖ τὴν πλαδῶσαν καὶ ἄμετρον τῶν χαχῶς πλουτούντων διάχυσιν. Τῆς μὲν γὰρ πορφύρας τὸ χρῶμα, πολυδάπανον καὶ περίεργον" τῆς ὃὲ βύσσου, οὐχ ἀναγκαία ἡ χρῆσις. Τῶν δὲ τὴν εὐπολίτευτον ζωὴν αἱρουμένων καὶ ἀπερίεργον, οἰκεῖον καὶ φίλον τὸ τῇ χρείᾳ τῶν ἀναγκαίων τὴν χρῆσιν μετρεῖν’ φεύγειν δὲ τῆς ματαίου χενοδοξίας τὸν συρφετὸν, καὶ τὴν πλάνον ᾿ διαγωγὴν, ὡς καχίας μη- «τέρα. Καὶ ἵνα σαφέστερον αὐτοῦ τούτου τοῦ λεγομένου τὴν δύναμιν χαταμάθωμεν, ἡ τῶν ἐνδυμάτων πρώτη διαγνωσθήτω χρῆσις, μέχρι πόσου καὶ τίνος παραληφθήσεται, ὅροις καὶ χανόσι περιλαμδανομένη σώφροσι. Τί τοίνυν ὁ τοῦ δικαίου νόμος φησίν’ Πρόθατον ὁ Θεὸς ἔχτισεν εὔχομον τὴν δορὰν, καὶ τοῖς δοὺς ὑφαντιχῇ τέχνῃ τὴν ὕλην, χιτῶνα σαυτῷ καὶ ἐμάτον χατασχεύασον, ὅπως ἂν διαφεύγης χειμῶνος ταλαιπωρίαν, καὶ τῆς ζεούσης ἀχτῖνος βλάδην ὃ. Εἰ δέ σοι καὶ χουφοτέρας ἐσθῆτος χρεία χατὰ τὴν ὥραν τοῦ θέρους, ἔδωχεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ λίνου τὴν χρῆσιν εἰς πλατυτέραν ἀπόλαυσιν' καί σοι ῥᾷστον ἐχεῖθεν κτή- Β σασθαι σχέπην εὐσχήμονα, ἀμφιεννῦσαν ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀναψύχουσαν τῇ χουφότητι. Καὶ τούτων ἀπολαύων, ὁμολόγει τῷ χτίστῃ τὴν χάριν, ὑπὲρ ὧν οὐχ ἐποίησεν μόνον ἡμᾶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς πρὸς τὸ ζῇν ἀσφαλείας ἐφρόντισεν. ἂν δὲ χαταλιμπάνων τὸ πρόθατον καὶ τὸ ἔριον, καὶ τὴν ἀναγκαίαν τοῦ δημιουργοῦ τῶν ὅλων παρασχενὴν, ταῖς ματαίαις ἐπινοίαις, καὶ ταῖς ἐμπλήχτοις ἐπιθυμίαις ἐχδιαιτώμενος, τὴν βύσσον ἐπιζητῇς, καὶ συνάγῃης τὰ τῶν Περσιχῶν σχωλήχων γήματα, ἱστὸν δὲ ἀράχνης ἀνεμαῖον ὑφαίνῃς" καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἀνθόδαφον ἐρχόμενος, μισθοὺς τελεῖς δαψιλεῖς, ἵνα τὸν χόχλον ἐχ θαλάσσης θηρεύσας, τῷ αἴματι τοῦ ζώου χρίσῃ τὸ ἔνδυμα, τοῦτο ὑπερμαζῶντός ἐστιν ἀνθρώπου, παραχρωμένου τῇ χτήσει, οὐχ ἔχοντος ὅπου τὸ περιττεῦον ἐχχέῃ. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὁ τοιοῦτος μαστίζεται, παρὰ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ᾿κατηγορούμενος, ὡς; βλὰξ καὶ θηλυδρίας, χόσμοις ἀθλίων χορασίων χαλλωπιζόμενος. ΚΑλλοι πάλιν χατὰ τὴν γνώμην τῆς ὁμοίας ματαιότῆῖος ἐρασταί" μᾶλλον δὲ, πρὸς τὸ πλέον τὴν χαχίαν ἀσχήσαντες, οὐδὲ μέχρι τῶν εἰρημένων ἔστησαν τῆς μωρᾶς ἐπινοίας τοὺς ὄρους" ἀλλά τινα χενὴν ὑὕφαντιχὴν ἐξευρόντες καὶ περίεργον, ἥτις τῇ πλοχῇ τοῦ τὴν δύναμιν, καὶ πάντων ζώων τοῖς πέπλοις τὰς μορφὰς ἐνσημαίνεται, τὴν ἀνθινὴν καὶ μυρίοις εἰδώλοις πεποιχιλμένην φιλοτεχνοῦσιν ἐσθῆτα, ἑαυτοῖς τε καὶ γυναιξὶ, καὶ παισίν" παίζοντες λοιπὸν, οὐ σπουδάζοντες χατὰ τῆς ἀμετρίας τοῦ πλούτου παραχρώμενοι ἡ. τῷ βίῳ, οὐ χρώμενοι, ἀντινομοθετοῦντες τῷ Παύλῳ, καὶ μαχόμενοι ταῖς θεοπνεύστοις φωναῖς, οὐ γράμμᾶσιν, ἀλλὰ πράγμασιν. “Ἃ γὰρ ἐχεῖνος ἀπεχήρυξε λόγῳ, ταῦθ᾽ οὗτοι χρατοῦσι καὶ χυροῦσι τοῖς ἔργοις. Ὅταν οὖν ἐνδυσάμενοι φανῶσιν, ὡς τοῖχοι γεγρᾶμ.μένοι παοὰ τῶν συντυγχανόντων ὁρῶνται. Καί πον καὶ τὰ παιδία αὑτοὺς περιίστανται μειδιῶντα πρὸς ἄλληλα, καὶ δαχτυλοδειχνοῦντα τὴν ἐν τοῖς ἱματίοις γραφήν: βαδίζουσι δὲ παρεπόμενα, οὐχ ἀναχωροῦντα σει. ἰδεῖν
A΄. Homiliō ek tou kata Loukan Euangeiiou, eis ton piousion kai eis ton Lazaron. Ou tois apophatichois kai dogmatichois monon thespesmasin ho theos hēmōn kai Sōtēr paideuei tous anthrōpous, hōste misein chachian kai agapąn aretēn" alla kai tois enargesi tōn hypodeigmatōn, saphē paradidōsi ta tēs agathēs politeias mathēmata, ergois homou kai logois prosthithazōn hēmas tę̄ chatalēpsei tēs agathę̄s kai philotheou zōēs. Houtō toi kai nyn pollachou" proeirēchōs hēmin, dia te prophētichōn kai euangelichōn stomatōn, ou mēn alla kai dia oicheias phōnēs, apostrephesthai men ton hyperēphanon kai hypsauchena plouton, agapąn de gnōmēn philanthrōpon, kai tēn meta dichaiosynēs penian, hina tēn tou chalou symboulēn bedaioteran ergasētai, techmērioi ton logon n prachtichois hypodeigmasi, kai graphei tę̄ diēgēsei ton plousion kai ton penēta" kai tou men tēn philotimon apolausin" tou de, tēn tethlimmenēn zōēn hypodeichnysi, kai to telos amphoterōn tou biou eis ho ti chatelēxen᾽ hina tois allotriois epitēdeumasi schepsamenoi tēn alētheian, sōphrones genōmetha tōn idiōn biōn chritai. Agthrōpos ēn plousios, kai enedidyskpketo porphyran kai bysson. Dia dyo syntomōn onomatōn, ho logo? schōptei kai chōmǭdei tēn pladōsan kai ametron tōn chachōs ploutountōn diachysin. Tēs men gar porphyras to chrōma, polydapanon kai periergon" tēs hoe byssou, ouch anankaia hē chrēsis. Tōn de tēn eupoliteuton zōēn hairoumenōn kai aperiergon, oikeion kai philon to tę̄ chreią tōn anankaiōn tēn chrēsin metrein’ pheugein de tēs mataiou chenodoxias ton syrpheton, kai tēn planon ᾿ diagōgēn, hōs kachias mē- «tera. Kai hina saphesteron autou toutou tou legomenou tēn dynamin chatamathōmen, hē tōn endymatōn prōtē diagnōsthētō chrēsis, mechri posou kai tinos paralēphthēsetai, horois kai chanosi perilamdanomenē sōphrosi. Ti toinyn ho tou dikaiou nomos phēsin’ Prothaton ho Theos echtisen euchomon tēn doran, kai tois dous hyphantichę̄ technę̄ tēn hylēn, chitōna sautǭ kai ematon chatascheuason, hopōs an diapheugēs cheimōnos talaipōrian, kai tēs zeousēs achtinos bladēn ho. Ei de soi kai chouphoteras esthētos chreia chata tēn hōran tou therous, edōchen ho Theos tou linou tēn chrēsin eis platyteran apolausin' kai soi rhąston echeithen ktē- B sasthai schepēn euschēmona, amphiennysan homou kai anapsychousan tę̄ chouphotēti. Kai toutōn apolauōn, homologei tǭ chtistę̄ tēn charin, hyper hōn ouch epoiēsen monon hēmas, alla kai tēs pros to zę̄n asphaleias ephrontisen. an de chatalimpanōn to prothaton kai to erion, kai tēn anankaian tou dēmiourgou tōn holōn paraschenēn, tais mataiais epinoiais, kai tais emplēchtois epithymiais echdiaitōmenos, tēn bysson epizētę̄s, kai synagę̄ēs ta tōn Persichōn schōlēchōn gēmata, histon de arachnēs anemaion hyphainę̄s" kai pros ton anthodaphon erchomenos, misthous teleis dapsileis, hina ton chochlon ech thalassēs thēreusas, tǭ aimati tou zōou chrisę̄ to endyma, touto hypermazōntos estin anthrōpou, parachrōmenou tę̄ chtēsei, ouch echontos hopou to peritteuon echcheę̄. Kai dia touto ho toioutos mastizetai, para tou Euangeliou ᾿katēgoroumenos, hōs? blax kai thēlydrias, chosmois athliōn chorasiōn challōpizomenos. KAlloi palin chata tēn gnōmēn tēs homoias mataiotēios erastai" mallon de, pros to pleon tēn chachian aschēsantes, oude mechri tōn eirēmenōn estēsan tēs mōras epinoias tous orous" alla tina chenēn hyyphantichēn exeurontes kai periergon, hētis tę̄ plochę̄ tou tēn dynamin, kai pantōn zōōn tois peplois tas morphas ensēmainetai, tēn anthinēn kai myriois eidōlois pepoichilmenēn philotechnousin esthēta, heautois te kai gynaixi, kai paisin" paizontes loipon, ou spoudazontes chata tēs ametrias tou ploutou parachrōmenoi hē. tǭ biǭ, ou chrōmenoi, antinomothetountes tǭ Paulǭ, kai machomenoi tais theopneustois phōnais, ou grammasin, alla pragmasin. “Ha gar echeinos apechēryxe logǭ, tauth᾽ houtoi chratousi kai chyrousi tois ergois. Hotan oun endysamenoi phanōsin, hōs toichoi gegram.menoi paoa tōn syntynchanontōn horōntai. Kai pon kai ta paidia hautous periistantai meidiōnta pros allēla, kai dachtylodeichnounta tēn en tois himatiois graphēn: badizousi de parepomena, ouch anachōrounta sei. idein
Homily 1. From the Gospel according to Luke, on the rich man and on Lazarus. Not only by prohibitions and doctrinal oracles does our God and Saviour train people to hate vice and love virtue; he also hands down clear lessons of the good way of life through vivid examples, bringing us by deeds and words together to the grasp of the good and God-loving life. So now too: he had told us beforehand in many places, through the mouths of prophets and evangelists, and indeed with his own voice, to turn away from proud and high-necked wealth and to love a humane disposition and poverty joined with righteousness; and in order to make his counsel of the good more firm, he confirms the word with practical examples. In the narrative he portrays the rich man and the poor man, and shows the ostentatious enjoyment of the one and the afflicted life of the other, and where the life of each ended; so that, having seen the truth in the practices of others, we may become sober judges of our own lives. “There was a rich man, and he was clothed in purple and fine linen.” By two short words the passage mocks and satirizes the bloated and immoderate dissipation of those who are rich in a bad way. For the colour of purple is costly and superfluous, and the use of fine linen is not necessary. But for those who choose a well-ordered and unfussy life it is proper and dear to measure use by the need for necessities, and to flee the rubbish of vainglory and a wandering way of life as the mother of vice. And that we may learn more clearly the force of this very saying, let the first use of clothing be distinguished: how far and for what it is to be taken, bounded by sober limits and rules. What, then, does the law of the righteous One say? “God created the sheep with a fleece of good wool; and having given the material to the art of weaving, make yourself a tunic and a cloak, so that you may escape the hardship of winter and the harm of the burning sun. And if you need lighter clothing in the summer season, God has given the use of flax for wider enjoyment; and from it it is very easy for you to get a seemly covering, which clothes you and at the same time cools you by its lightness. And enjoying these things, confess your thanks to the Creator, for he not only made us but also took thought for our safety in living.” But if you leave the sheep and the wool and the necessary provision of the Maker of all things, and, living abnormally by vain inventions and frenzied desires, you seek fine linen, and collect the threads of the Persian worms, and weave the airy web of the spider; and, going to the dyer of flowered stuffs, you pay lavish wages so that he may hunt the shellfish from the sea and smear the garment with the creature’s blood: this belongs to a man wanton with plenty, who misuses his possessions and has nowhere to pour out the surplus. And for this reason such a man is scourged, accused by the Gospel as a fool and effeminate, beautifying himself with the finery of wretched girls. Others again, lovers of the same vanity in disposition, or rather having practised vice further, did not set the limits of their foolish invention even at what has been mentioned. They have found an empty and over-elaborate kind of weaving, which by the interlacing of … the power, and imprints the forms of all living creatures on robes; and with great pains they make flowered clothing, embroidered with countless figures, for themselves, their wives and their children. They are playing, then, not in earnest; through the excess of their wealth they misuse life rather than use it; they legislate against Paul and fight the God-inspired words, not in writing but in deeds. For what he proscribed in word, these men hold and ratify in deeds. Whenever, then, they appear dressed, they are looked at like painted walls by those who meet them. And perhaps the children too stand around them, smiling at one another and pointing with their fingers at the picture on the garments; and they walk along behind them, not going away …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Luke 16:19 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 2:9 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Asterius opens his homily on the rich man and Lazarus by attacking luxurious clothing, purple, fine linen, silk, and robes woven with pictures.
- The scan's OCR of Migne PG 40 interleaves lines and loses some; gaps are marked “…”, and leaked fragments of Migne's Latin column were removed by logged corrections. The OCR's frequent χ for κ is left in the Greek where no other correction touches it. “The law of the righteous One” introduces a paraphrase of what God's provision teaches, not a quotation of Scripture. Paul's “word” is the rule on women's dress (1 Tim 2:9). “Persian worms” are silkworms; the “shellfish” is the purple murex.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (leaked Latin and margin letter splitting a word; leaked fragment of Migne's Latin column; leaked fragment of Migne's Latin column splitting a word; stray margin marks splitting a word): συμδου- Γαιϊΐοπο ἀθβογὶῖ!; 86 [1108 φυϊάθηι Δι θἐ (0585 νο- Π λὴν → συμβουλὴν; οἱ- ᾿- Ὁ χεῖον → οἰκεῖον; χρῇ- Α 86 [τυξὶ, ργορτίυπι Ἃς σιν → χρῆσιν; ἰρίογργ. χτίσει, οὐη Γού δι: τάδε ογέαδ 1 γἱ, 51. → .
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Asterius, Hom. 1.1 (PG 40:165; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/1-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/1-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 40, archive.org OCR; divisions are the staging's, not Migne's); re-read against the Greek, since no public-domain English exists.
1.2PG 40:168
καὶ ταῦροι, καὶ χύνες" ὕλαι, καὶ πέτραι, καὶ ἄνδρες θηροχτόνοι, καὶ πᾶσα ἡ νῆς γραφικῆς ἐπιτήδευσις μιμουμένη τὴν φύσιν. "Ἔδει γὰῤ μὴ τοὺς τοίχους αὐτῶν μόνον, ὡς ἔοιχεν, καὶ τὰς αἰχέας χοσμεῖσθαι" «ἀλλὰ ἤδη καὶ τοὺς χιτῶνας, καὶ τὰ ἐν ἐχείνοις ἱμάτια. : Ὅσοι δὲ καὶ ὅται τῶν πλουτούντων [ὲν ὑμῖν] εὖ. λαθέστεροι, ἀναλεξάμενοι τὴν εὐαγγελιχὴν ἱστορίαν, τοῖς ὑφανταῖς παρέδωχαν' αὐτὸν λέγω τὸν Χριστὸν ἡμῶν μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν ἁπάντων" καὶ τῶν θαυμασίων ἕχαστον, ὡς ἡ διήγησις ἔχει. "Ὄψει τὸν γάμον τῆς Γαλιλαίας, καὶ τὰς ὑδρίας" τὸν παραλντικχὸν, τὴν χλίνην ἐπὶ τῶν ὥμων φέροντα᾽ τὸν τυφλὸν τῷ τᾶχῷ θεραπευόμενον' τὴν αἱμοῤῥοοῦσαν τοῦ κρασπέδου πὸν Χρισνὲν ἐν ἱματίοις, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τὴν τῶν ἀνα- ᾿Αρχεῖ γὰρ αὑτῷ ἡἣ μία τῆς ἐνσωματῴσεως ταπείσοῦ προσπίπτουσαν' τὸν Λάζαρον ἐχ τοῦ τάφον πρὸς πὴν ζωὴν ὑποστρέφοντα. Καὶ ταῦτα ποιοῦντες, εὐσεδεῖν νομίζουσι, καὶ ἱμάτια χεχαρισμένα τῷ Θεῷ ἀμκωλέσαντες, τὰς ζώσας εἰκόνας τοῦ Θεοῦ τιμησάτωσαν. Μὴ γράφε τὸν Χριστὸν (ἀρχεῖ γὰρ αὐτῷ ἡ μία τὴς ἐνσωματώσεως ταπεινοφροσύνη, ἦν αὐθαιρέτως δι᾽ ἡμᾶς κατεδέξατο), ἐπὶ δὲ τῆφ ψυχῆς σου, βαστάξων νοηνῶς τὸν ἀσώματον Αόγον περίφερε. Μὴ τοῖς ἱματίοις ὄχε τὸν παραλυτιχόν᾽ ἀλλὰ τὸν χείμεγον μοῤῥοοῦδαν" ἀλλὰ χήραν θλιδομένην ἐλέησον. Μὴ τὴν ἁμαρτωλὸν γυναῖχα ἐπιμελῶς ὄρα γονυπετοῦσαν τὸν Κύριον" ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τοῖς αὐτοῦ πλημμελήμασν βενος, πυχνὸν ἔχχεον τὸ δάχρυον. Μῆ τὸν Λάζαρον ἐγειρόμενον ἐχ νεχρῶν σχιαγράφει" ἀλλὰ τῆς σῆς ἀναστάσεως ἀγαθὴν τὴν ἀπολογίαν εὐτρέπιζε. Μὴ τὸν τυφλὸν ἐπὶ τῆς ἐσθῆτος περίφερε' ἀλλὰ τὸν ζῶντα, καὶ τῶν ὄψεων ἀφῃρημένον ταῖς εὐποιίαις παραμυθοῦ. Μὴ τοὺς χοφίνους ζωγράφει τῶν λειψάνων ἀλλὰ τρέφε τοὺς πεινῶντας. Μὴ τὰς ὑδρίας ἐπὶ τῶν ἱμακίων βάσταξε, ἃς ἐν Κανᾷ Ἑαλιλαίας ἐπλήρωσεν" ἀλλὰ τιξε τὸν διψῶντα. Ἐπὶ ταῦτα ἡμᾶς ὠφέλησε τὸ ὑπερήφανον ἔνδυμα τοῦ πλουδίου" οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τὰ ἑξῆς περιοπτέον. Εροστέθειχε γὰρ τῇ πορφύρᾳ καὶ τῇ βύσσῳ, τὸ τρυφᾷν χαδ' ἡμέραν λαμπρῶς" πάντως δὲ τῆς μιᾶς γνώμης ἀμφότερα, τὸ καὶ τῇ ἀχρήστῳ φιλοτιμίᾳ τῶν ἐσθημάτων ἐγχαλλωπίξεσθαι, καὶ τῇ Ὁ γαστρὶ καὶ τῇ φάρυγγι δουλεύειν ἡδυπαθῶς. Τρυφὴ ποίνυν ἐστὶν πρᾶγμα πολέμιον φιλαρέτου ζωῆς" βλαχείας δὲ καὶ διαχύσεως δουλούσης" ἀπολαύσεως ἀμέτρου, καὶ ἀνδραπσδώδους συνηϑείας. Καὶ λεγόμενον μὲν τὸ πρᾶγμα ἕν τι φαίνεται" ἐξεταζό- Α μενον δὲ χατὰ μέρος καὶ χατηγορούμενον, ἐχ ποιχίλῆς καὶ πλείονος καὶ πολυχεφάλου χαχίας ἔχει τὴν σύστασιν. Τρυφὴ γὰρ οὐχ ἂν γένοιτο, μὴ πολλαῖς αὐξηθεῖσα ταῖς ὕλαις. Ὕλας δὲ πλούτου σωρεῦσαι ἀναμαρτήτως, ἀμήχανον’ πλὴν εἰ μὴ τινι, χατὰ τὸ σπάνιον, ὡς τῷ Ἰὼδ, συμθαίη, καὶ πλουτεῖν δαψιλῶς, καὶ ζῇν κατὰ τὸ δίχαιον ἀχριδῶς. Δεῖ τοένυν τῷ τρυφῶντι, πρῶτον μὲν οἰχίας πολυτελοῦς, ψήφῳ καὶ λίθοις καὶ χρυσῷ χατὰ τὰς νύμφας χεχοσμημένης" πρὸς δὲ τὰς ἐξαλλαγὰς τῶν ὡρῶν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐπιτηδείως ἐχούσης. Ζητεῖται γὰρ θερμὴ, ἀλεεινὴ μὲν. ἡ τοῦ χειμῶνος, καὶ τετραμμένη πρὸς τὴν ἀχτῖνα τῆς μεσημόδρίας" ἀναπεπταμένη δὲ πρὸς τὴν ἄρχτον, θερινή᾽ ἵνα λεπταῖς ὁμοῦ καὶ ψυχραῖς ταῖς αὔραις ταῖς … λοῦς ἐσθῆτος τῆς μελλούσης ἀμφιέννυσθαι τὰ βάθρα, τὰς χλίνας, τὰς στιδάδας, τὰς θύρας. Πάντα γὰρ καρ᾽ ἐχείνοις ἐπιμελῶς ἐνδύεται καὶ τὰ ἄψυχα, ἔλεειγῶς τῶν πενήτων ἐχδυομένων. Πρόσθες ἑξῆς τούτοις καὶ λόγισαι τὸν ἐν σχεύεσιν ἄργυρον, τὸν χρυσὸν, οἴνου τοῦ Φοίνιχος, ὃν αἱ ἄμπελοι Τύρου πολὺν τοῖς πλουσίοις καὶ τίμιον ἀποῤῥέουσι" πᾶσαν τὴν ἄλλην τῆς ἀπολαύσεως παρασχευὴν, ἣν αὐτῶν τῶν χρωμένων ἐστὶν ἐπιμελῶς ὀνομάσαι. Δὔξουσα γὰρ καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ἐπὶ τὸ περιεργότερον ἣ τρυφὴ, ἤδη καὶ τῶν ἐξ Ἱνδιχῆς ἀρωμάτων παρεγχέει τοῖς ὄψοις" καὶ μᾶλλον τῶν ἰατρῶν οἱ μυροπῶλαι τοῖς μαγείροις ὑπηρετοῦσιν. ᾿Εντεῦθεν ἐννόησον τὸ δορυφοριχὸν τῆς καὶ τοὺς τούτων ἀφηγουμένους μουσιχούς" μουσιχὰς, σίτους, τὸν ἀχόλουθον τῆς ματαιότητος συρφετόν. Ταῦτα ἵνα χτηθῇ, πόσοι πένητες ἀδιχοῦνται ἱ πόσοι δὲ ὀρφανοὶ χονδυλίζονται! πόσαι δὲ χῆραι δαχρύουσιν πόσοι σφοδρῶς σπαραττόμενοι σπεύδουσιν πρὸς ἀγχόνην! Ἧ δὲ τῶν τοιούτων ψυχὴ, ὥσπερ Ληθαίου τινὸς ὕδατος γευσαμένη, ἑαυτῆς ἀμνημονεῖ καθάπαξ, ' τίς ἐστιν, καὶ τίνι συνέζευχται, καὶ ὅτι ποτὲ τῆς συζυγίας ταύτης λυθήσεται, καὶ πάλιν ἀναχτισθέντι συνοιχήσει τῷ σώματι. Ἐλθόντος δὲ χαιροῦ τοῦ χαθήχοντος, καὶ τοῦ ἀπαραιτήτου προστάγματος τῆς πρὸς τὸ σῶμα χοινωνίας ἀποσπῶντος αὐτὴν, ἀναλο- Ὑισμὸς εἰσέρχεται τῶν βεδιωμένων, καὶ ἀνωφελὴς μετάνοια, χατόπιν γινομένη τῆς χρείας. Τότε γὰρ ὀνίνησι μεταμέλεια, ὅταν ὁ μεταθουλευόμενος ἕξουσίαν ἔχῃ τῆς διορθώσεως" ἀναιρεθείσης δὲ τῆς ἕνερ- Ὑγείας τοῦ χατορθοῦν, ἀχρεῖος ἡ λύπη, καὶ μάταιος Πτωχὸς δέ τις ἦν ὀνόματι Λάζαρος. Οὐ πένητα ἁπλῶς ὑπογράφει ὁ λόγος, τῆς δαπάνης καὶ τῇ, χρεία; τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἑστερημένον" ἀλλὰ νὰρ καὶ …
kai tauroi, kai chynes" hylai, kai petrai, kai andres thērochtonoi, kai pasa hē nēs graphikēs epitēdeusis mimoumenē tēn physin. "Edei gar mē tous toichous autōn monon, hōs eoichen, kai tas aicheas chosmeisthai" «alla ēdē kai tous chitōnas, kai ta en echeinois himatia. : Hosoi de kai hotai tōn ploutountōn [en hymin] eu. lathesteroi, analexamenoi tēn euangelichēn historian, tois hyphantais paredōchan' auton legō ton Christon hēmōn meta tōn mathētōn hapantōn" kai tōn thaumasiōn hechaston, hōs hē diēgēsis echei. "Opsei ton gamon tēs Galilaias, kai tas hydrias" ton paralntikchon, tēn chlinēn epi tōn hōmōn pheronta᾽ ton typhlon tǭ tachǭ therapeuomenon' tēn haimorrhoousan tou kraspedou pon Chrisnen en himatiois, alla mallon tēn tōn ana- ᾿Archei gar hautǭ hēē mia tēs ensōmatǭseōs tapeisou prospiptousan' ton Lazaron ech tou taphon pros pēn zōēn hypostrephonta. Kai tauta poiountes, eusedein nomizousi, kai himatia checharismena tǭ Theǭ amkōlesantes, tas zōsas eikonas tou Theou timēsatōsan. Mē graphe ton Christon (archei gar autǭ hē mia tēs ensōmatōseōs tapeinophrosynē, ēn authairetōs di᾽ hēmas katedexato), epi de tēph psychēs sou, bastaxōn noēnōs ton asōmaton Aogon periphere. Mē tois himatiois oche ton paralytichon᾽ alla ton cheimegon morrhooudan" alla chēran thlidomenēn eleēson. Mē tēn hamartōlon gynaicha epimelōs ora gonypetousan ton Kyrion" all᾽ epi tois autou plēmmelēmasn benos, pychnon echcheon to dachryon. Mē ton Lazaron egeiromenon ech nechrōn schiagraphei" alla tēs sēs anastaseōs agathēn tēn apologian eutrepize. Mē ton typhlon epi tēs esthētos periphere' alla ton zōnta, kai tōn opseōn aphę̄rēmenon tais eupoiiais paramythou. Mē tous chophinous zōgraphei tōn leipsanōn alla trephe tous peinōntas. Mē tas hydrias epi tōn himakiōn bastaxe, has en Kaną Healilaias eplērōsen" alla tixe ton dipsōnta. Epi tauta hēmas ōphelēse to hyperēphanon endyma tou ploudiou" ou mēn oude ta hexēs periopteon. Erostetheiche gar tę̄ porphyrą kai tę̄ byssǭ, to tryphąn chad' hēmeran lamprōs" pantōs de tēs mias gnōmēs amphotera, to kai tę̄ achrēstǭ philotimią tōn esthēmatōn enchallōpixesthai, kai tę̄ Ho gastri kai tę̄ pharyngi douleuein hēdypathōs. Tryphē poinyn estin pragma polemion philaretou zōēs" blacheias de kai diachyseōs doulousēs" apolauseōs ametrou, kai andrapsdōdous synēϑeias. Kai legomenon men to pragma hen ti phainetai" exetazo- A menon de chata meros kai chatēgoroumenon, ech poichilēs kai pleionos kai polychephalou chachias echei tēn systasin. Tryphē gar ouch an genoito, mē pollais auxētheisa tais hylais. Hylas de ploutou sōreusai anamartētōs, amēchanon’ plēn ei mē tini, chata to spanion, hōs tǭ Iōd, symthaiē, kai ploutein dapsilōs, kai zę̄n kata to dichaion achridōs. Dei toenyn tǭ tryphōnti, prōton men oichias polytelous, psēphǭ kai lithois kai chrysǭ chata tas nymphas chechosmēmenēs" pros de tas exallagas tōn hōrōn tou eniautou epitēdeiōs echousēs. Zēteitai gar thermē, aleeinē men. hē tou cheimōnos, kai tetrammenē pros tēn achtina tēs mesēmodrias" anapeptamenē de pros tēn archton, therinē᾽ hina leptais homou kai psychrais tais aurais tais … lous esthētos tēs mellousēs amphiennysthai ta bathra, tas chlinas, tas stidadas, tas thyras. Panta gar kar᾽ echeinois epimelōs endyetai kai ta apsycha, eleeigōs tōn penētōn echdyomenōn. Prosthes hexēs toutois kai logisai ton en scheuesin argyron, ton chryson, oinou tou Phoinichos, hon hai ampeloi Tyrou polyn tois plousiois kai timion aporrheousi" pasan tēn allēn tēs apolauseōs parascheuēn, hēn autōn tōn chrōmenōn estin epimelōs onomasai. Dyxousa gar kath᾽ hēmeran epi to periergoteron hē tryphē, ēdē kai tōn ex Hindichēs arōmatōn parencheei tois opsois" kai mallon tōn iatrōn hoi myropōlai tois mageirois hypēretousin. ᾿Enteuthen ennoēson to doryphorichon tēs kai tous toutōn aphēgoumenous mousichous" mousichas, sitous, ton acholouthon tēs mataiotētos syrpheton. Tauta hina chtēthę̄, posoi penētes adichountai hi posoi de orphanoi chondylizontai! posai de chērai dachryousin posoi sphodrōs sparattomenoi speudousin pros anchonēn! Hē de tōn toioutōn psychē, hōsper Lēthaiou tinos hydatos geusamenē, heautēs amnēmonei kathapax, ' tis estin, kai tini synezeuchtai, kai hoti pote tēs syzygias tautēs lythēsetai, kai palin anachtisthenti synoichēsei tǭ sōmati. Elthontos de chairou tou chathēchontos, kai tou aparaitētou prostagmatos tēs pros to sōma choinōnias apospōntos autēn, analo- Huismos eiserchetai tōn bediōmenōn, kai anōphelēs metanoia, chatopin ginomenē tēs chreias. Tote gar oninēsi metameleia, hotan ho metathouleuomenos hexousian echę̄ tēs diorthōseōs" anairetheisēs de tēs hener- Hygeias tou chatorthoun, achreios hē lypē, kai mataios Ptōchos de tis ēn onomati Lazaros. Ou penēta haplōs hypographei ho logos, tēs dapanēs kai tę̄, chreia? tōn anankaiōn hesterēmenon" alla nar kai …
… and bulls and dogs, woods and rocks and hunters of wild beasts, and all the pursuit of the painter's art imitating nature. For it was necessary, it seems, that not only their walls and houses be adorned, but now also their tunics and the cloaks over them. But those of the rich who are more devout have gathered up the gospel story and handed it over to the weavers: I mean our Christ himself with all the disciples, and each of the miracles as the narrative has it. You will see the wedding of Galilee and the water jars; the paralytic carrying his bed on his shoulders; the blind man healed with the clay; the woman with the flow of blood … the hem; … falling down [at his feet]; Lazarus returning from the tomb to life. And in doing this they think they are pious and wear garments pleasing to God. … let them honour the living images of God. Do not paint Christ (for the one humility of the incarnation, which he accepted of his own will for our sake, is enough for him), but bear the bodiless Word spiritually in your soul and carry him about. Do not have the paralytic on your garments, but [seek out] the one lying [sick]. … the woman with the flow of blood, but have pity on a widow in distress. Do not gaze attentively at the sinful woman kneeling before the Lord, but … for your own offences, pour out abundant tears. Do not sketch Lazarus being raised from the dead, but prepare a good defence for your own resurrection. Do not carry the blind man about on your clothing, but comfort the living one, deprived of sight, with good deeds. Do not paint the baskets of leftovers, but feed the hungry. Do not carry on your garments the water jars which he filled in Cana of Galilee, but give the thirsty a drink. So far the rich man's proud garment has profited us; yet what follows must not be overlooked either. For to the purple and fine linen the passage has added “feasting sumptuously every day”; and both belong wholly to one disposition: to pride oneself on the useless show of clothes, and to serve the belly and the gullet voluptuously. Luxury, then, is a thing hostile to a life that loves virtue; it belongs to an enslaving softness and dissipation, to immoderate enjoyment and slavish habit. When named, the thing seems to be one; but when it is examined part by part and accused, it is found to be composed of varied, manifold and many-headed vice. For luxury could not exist unless it were increased by many materials. And to heap up the materials of wealth without sin is impossible; unless it should happen to someone, rarely, as to Job, both to be abundantly rich and to live strictly by righteousness. The man of luxury needs, first, an expensive house, adorned like a bride with mosaic, stones and gold, and suited to the changes of the seasons of the year. For a warm winter house is sought, sunny and turned to the midday sun; and a summer house open to the north, so that with light and cool breezes … of the clothing that is to cover the benches, the couches, the mattresses, the doors. For with them even lifeless things are carefully clothed, while the poor are pitiably stripped. Add next to these and reckon up the silver in vessels, the gold, the Phoenician wine which the vines of Tyre pour out in plenty and at great price for the rich; all the other provision for enjoyment, which only those who use it could name exactly. For luxury, growing every day toward greater elaborateness, now even pours spices from India into the dishes; and perfumers, more than physicians, wait on the cooks. Then think of the escort of … and the musicians who lead them; female musicians, parasites, the following rubbish of vanity. To acquire these things, how many poor people are wronged! How many orphans are beaten! How many widows weep! How many, cruelly torn apart, hurry to the noose! And the soul of such people, as though it had tasted some water of Lethe, forgets itself altogether: who it is, to what it is yoked, and that one day it will be released from this union and will dwell again with the body when it has been created anew. But when the appointed time comes, and the inexorable command tears it from its partnership with the body, a reckoning of the life lived comes in, and a useless repentance that comes after the time of need. For regret is of use when the one who changes his mind has the power to correct; but when the possibility of setting things right has been taken away, grief is useless and vain. “And there was a poor man named Lazarus.” The passage does not describe simply a poor man, deprived of means and of the necessities of life; but …
John 2:1–11 (allusion, high confidence) · Mark 2:12 (allusion, high confidence) · John 9:6–7 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 9:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 7:37–38 (allusion, high confidence) · John 11:43–44 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 14:20 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 16:19 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 16:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 1:1–3 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Asterius urges the devout rich to do the deeds shown in the gospel scenes on their garments rather than wear them, and describes the many vices that luxury requires.
- The opening animals continue the list of figures woven on garments from 1.1. In the central passage on gospel scenes woven into clothing the scan's OCR interleaves two lines and loses words (marked “…”); the translation follows the legible text and supplies nothing. Asterius says, translated exactly: “Do not paint Christ (for the one humility of the incarnation … is enough for him)”, and urges honouring “the living images of God”, the poor, instead. “Parasites” renders σίτους, read as the end of παρασίτους (uncertain). Leaked Latin was removed by logged corrections. Gospel scenes: John 2:1–11; Mark 2:12; John 9:6–7; Matt 9:20; Luke 7:38; John 11:43–44; Matt 14:20.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (leaked fragment of Migne's Latin column; leaked fragment of Migne's Latin column; the Greek between is lost): ταῖς (φιοα νὰ] (6 ΓΆΓΙΠΙ) ἰἅγρθ δ᾽ πη! ἀἰν θη 6586, 56411λοῦς → ταῖς … λοῦς; ἰπδηϊΐπιαία, οὐ ᾿π τὶ πὴ ρϑιροῦθ 5. 1180 ΓΔ Ὀἐ 6 Γ γονι! → ….
Topics: Ethics, Christology
Cite (SBL): Asterius, Hom. 1.2 (PG 40:168; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/1-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/1-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 40, archive.org OCR; divisions are the staging's, not Migne's); re-read against the Greek, since no public-domain English exists.
1.3PG 40:168
τὸ σῶμα, ἄοιχον, ἄνεστιον, ἀθεράπευτον, τῇ πύλῃ τοῦ πλουσίου προσεῤῥιμμένον. Καὶ λίαν ἐπιμελῶς τῇ διηγήσει τὰς συμφορὰς ἐπὶ τέλει ἐχτραγῳδεῖζ τοῦ πτωχοῦ, ἵνα τὴν τοῦ μὴ ἐλεοῦντος στηλιτεύσῃ σχληρότητα. Ὁ γὰρ πρὸς λιμὸν καὶ νόσον μηδὲν πάσχων ἐλεεινὸν ἣ συμπαθὲς, θηρίον ἐστὶν ἄλογον, χαχῶς εἰς ἀνθρώπου μορφωθὲν σχῆμα, ψευδόμενον τῇ προαιρέσει τὴν φύσιν " μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν μένου, ἕλχονται πρός τινα λυπηρὰν αἴσθησιν οἱ χοῖροι, καὶ τῷ νεοῤῥύτῳ αἴματι ἀνιαρὰ ἐπιτρύζουσι" περιίστανται δὲ τοῦ ταύρου τὸν φόνον οἱ βόες, ἐμπαθεῖ μυχηθμῷ τὴν ἀλγὴν σημαίνοντες. ᾿Αγέλαι δὲ γεράνων, μιᾶς τῶν συννόμων περιπεσούσης θηρά- Β τροῖις, περιίπτανται τὴν χρατουμένην, καί τινος φυλον ζητοῦσαι καὶ σύννομον. ΓΑνθρωπον δὲ, τὸ λογιχὸν ζῶον καὶ ἥμερον, καὶ χαθ᾽ ὁμοιότητα Θεοῦ τὴν ἀγαθότητα παιδευόμενον, μιχρὸν οὕτω φροντίζειν τῶν συγγενῶν ἐν ταῖ; ὀδυνηραῖΐῖς τῶν συμφορῶν περιστάσεσιν! Ἔχειτο τοίνυν ὁ πολυώδυνος καὶ εὐχάριστος πένης, πόδας οὐχ ἔχων (ἢ γὰρ αὐτὸν ἀλάστορα καὶ ὑπερήφανον ἔφυγεν, ἕτερον τόπον ἐχλεξάμενος ἀντὶ τῆς ξενοχτόνου πύλης, τῆς χεχλεισμένης τοῖς πένησιν), χειρῶν ἀφηρημένος, καὶ οὐδὲ παλάμην ἔχων προτείνειν εἰς αἴτησιν, ἐμφραχθεὶς αὐτὰ τὰ ὄργανα τῆς φωνῆς, καί τινα βραγχῶσαν καὶ τραἐχρωτηριασμένος τοῖς μέλεσιν, νόσου πονηρᾶς λείψανον, ἐλεεινὸν ὑπόδειγμα τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἀσθεγείας. ᾿Αλλ ὅμως οὐδὲ τοσοῦτος χατάλογος συμφορῶν ἔχλινεν πρὸς ἐπίσχεψιν τὸν ὑψαύχενα " παρήει δὲ ὡς λίθον τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἀπροφάσιστον τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐπιτελῶν.Οὐ γὰρ εἶχεν ἐγκαλούμενος λέγειν ταῦτα τὰ κοινὰ καὶ εὐπρόσωπα" Οὐκ ἔγνων, Οὐχ ἥδειν" “λαθέν με ποτνιῶν ὁ πτωχός" ὃς ἔχειτο πρὸ τῆς πύλης, εἰσιόντος καὶ ἐξιόντος θέαμα, ἵνα ἀπαραίτητον ἐρκαὶ τῶν ψιχίων τῆς τραπέζης, καὶ οὐδὲ τούτων ἐτύγχανεν" ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν τῇ πλησμονῇ διεῤῥήγνυτο" ὁ δὲ, ὑπὸ τῆς ἐνδείας ἐτήχετο. Καλὸν οὖν ἦν καὶ Ὁ δίχαιον τὴν Χαναναίαν ἐχείνην τὴν Φοίνισσαν διδάσχαλον ἐπιστῆσαι τῷ μισανθρώπῳ πλουσίῳ, λέγουσαν ἐχεῖνα τὰ γεγραμμένα" ὅτι, Ὦ ἀλάστορ καὶ ὑπερήφανε, καὶ τὰ κυνάρια ἐσθίει ἀπὸ τῶν γιχίων τῶν πιπτόντων ἀπὸ τῆς τραπέζης τῶν κυρίων αὑτῶν" σὺ ὃὲ τὸν ἀδελφόν σον, τὸν ὁμόφυλον, ταύτη: τῆς δωρεᾶς οὐχ ἰξίωσας; ᾿Αλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν χυνες ἐπιμελῶς ἐτρέφοντο, χατ᾽ ἰδίαν οἱ φύλαχες, χωρὶς οἱ θηρευταξ" καὶ στέγης ἐξιοῦντο καὶ χλίνης, καὶ θεραπευτὰς εἶχον ἀποχεχληρωμένους χατὰ σπουδὴν" ἔῤῥιπτο δὲ χαμαὶ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰχὼν ἀμελουμένη καὶ πατουμένη, ἣν ἰδίᾳ χειρὶ ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἀριπτοτέχνης καὶ δημιουργὸς διεπλάσατο" εἴ τῳ. τὴν γένεσιν. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐτελεύτησεν μέχρι τούτου τὸ τοῦ Λαξζάρου διήγημα, καὶ οὕτως εἶχε τῶν πραγμάτων ἣ φύσις, ὡς τῇ ἀνωμαλίᾳ τοῦ βίου τούτου τὴν ζωὴν ἡμῶν περιγράφεσθαι, μεγάλας ἂν ἀφῆχα σχετλιάζων φωνάς " ἐφ᾽ οἷς οἱ χτισθέντες ὁμοτίμως, οὕτως ἀνίσως μετὰ τῶν ὁμοφύλων διάγομεν" ἐπειδὴ δὲ χαλὰ τὰ λειπόμενα πρὸς ἀχρόασιν. ἐν τοῖς παρελθοῦσι στενάξας, ὁ πένης, ἐν τοῖς ἀχολούθο:ς εὐθύμῆσον, μαθὼν τοῦ συμπτώχου σου τὴν μακαρίαν ἀπόλαυσιν. Εὑρήσεις γὰρ δικαίου χριτοῦ ἀχριθὲς διχαστύήριον, ἐν ᾧ στενάζει ὁ ἠδυπαθήσας, καὶ τρυφᾷ ὁ μοχθήσας" ἑχάτερος δὲ χομίζεται τὰ πρὸς ἀξίαν ἐπίχειρα. Ἐγένετο δὲ ἀποθαγεῖν τὸν πτωχὸν, καὶ ἀπἐγεχθῆναι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέϊζων εἰς τὸν κόλπον Ἀδραάμ. Ὃ ρᾷς τοὺς διαχονιστὰς τοῦ δικαίου καὶ πένητος, καὶ τοὺς ὑπηρέτας τῆς μεταστάσεως; "Αγ. γελοι γὰρ ἐδορυφόρουν, γαληνόν τε καὶ πρᾶον εἰς αὐτὸν βλέποντες, καὶ τῷ σχήματι προδηλοῦντες τὴν ἀναμένουσαν αὐτὸν θεραπείαν καὶ ἄνεσιν. Ἐνετέθη δὲ χομισθεὶς τοῖς χόλποις τοῦ πατριάρχου" ὃ καὶ διαπορήίξσεως ἀφορμὴν παρέχει τοῖς ἡδέως τὰ βάθη τῶν Γραφῶν βασανίζουσιν. Εἰ γὰρ πᾶς τελευτῶν δίχαιος πρὸς τὸν αὐτὸν χομίζοιτο τόπον, πολύς τις ἂν εἴη καὶ ἐπ᾽ ἄπειρον ἀνηπλωμένος ὁ χόλπος, εἴ γε μέλλοι γωρητιχὸς ἔσεσθαι τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ὁσίων παντός. Εὶ δὲ τοῦτο παντελῶς ἀμήχανον (χόλπος γὰρ χοιλανθεὶς ἄνδρα μὲν καὶ ἕνα δυσχερῶς, μόλις δὲ δύο περιστέλλει βρέφη), θεωρία τις ἡμᾶς ἐχδέχεται, τῇ εἰχόνε τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ χόλπου, πρὸς νοητὴν τινα κραγματείαν χειραγωγοῦσα. Τί γάρ ἔστι τὸ λεγόμενον Ὁ ᾿Αὐραὰμ, φησὶν, ἀποδέχεται τοὺς τὸν εὐπολίτευτον ζήσαντας βίον; Εἰπὲ τοίνυν, ὦ θεσπέσιε Λουχᾶ (ὡς πρὸς παρόντα γάρ σε καὶ ὁρώμενον διαλέξομαι), διὰ τέ πολλῶν ὄντων δικαίων καὶ στέρων τὴν τιμὴν ἀπεχλήρωσας, σιωπήσας τὸν Ἐνὼχ, τὸν Νῶε, καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος χατὰ τὸν βίον τούτοις ἀχόλουθος; ᾿Αλλά σου τάχα συνίημι, καὶ οὐκ ἔξω βάλλει τοῦ σχοποῦ ἃ λογίζομαι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ ᾿Αδραὰμ θεράπων Χριστοῦ, καὶ διαφερόντως οὗτος ἀνθρώπων τὰ τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπιφανείας ἐδέξατο, καὶ τὸ τῆς Τριάδος μυστήριον ἑχανῶς ἡμῖν ἐν τῇ σχηνῇ τοῦ γέροντος τούτον διετυπώθη, ἥνιχα τοὺς τρεῖς ἀγγέλους ὡς ἄνδρας ὁδοιπόρους ἑξένισε " καὶ ἁπλῶς ἐχ πολλῶν μυστιχῶν αἰνιγμάτων οἰχεῖος ἄνθρωπος οὗτος γεγένηται τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦ χρόνοις ὕστερον ἀμφιεσαμένου τὴν σάρχα, καὶ διὰ μέσου τοῦ λήσαντος τοῖς ἀνθρώποις" διὰ τοῦτο, τὸν χόλπον αὐτοῦ οἷον εὔδιόν τινα λιμένα καὶ ἄχλυστον πΐ ἡμῶν ἡ σωτηρία καὶ ἡ ἀπεχδοχὴ τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος, τῷ ἐχ τῆς σαρχὸς τοῦ ᾿Αδραὰμ χατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπιχὴν ἀχολουθίαν βλαστήσαντι. Καί μοι δοχεξ ἡ περὶ τὸν γέροντα τοῦτον τιμὴ εἰς τὸν Σωτῆρα τὴν ἀναφορὰν ἔχειν, τὸν χριτὴν ὄντα καὶ μισθαποδότην τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ τῇ θεραπευτιχῆῇ φωνῇ προσχαλούμενον τοὺς δικαίους, καὶ λέγοντα " Δεῦτε, οἱ τοῦ Πατρός μου" κληρογνομήσωτε τὴν ἡτοιμα- Ἐγένετο δὲ ἀποθανεῖν τὸν πτωχόν. Διπλῇ τις ἐστὶν ἢ περὶ τὸν πτωχὸν σημασία" ἡ μὲν δηλοῦσα τῶν ἀναγκαίων τὴν ἔνδειαν “ ἡ δὲ τὴν μετριοφρο"» σύνην καὶ τοῦ ἤθους τὴν ταπεινότητα. Μὴ τοίνυν ὁ τῶν ὑλῶν ἀπόρως ἔχων, καὶ πενόμενος ἀργυρίου, ἠμφιεσμένος δὲ τὴν ἐλεεινὴν ἐφεστρίδα, τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν ἕπαινον, μηδὲ νομιζέτω ἀρχέσειν αὐτῷ τὴν ἔνδειαν πρὸς σωτηρίαν. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ χατ᾽ ἀνάγκην πενόμενος ἐπαινεῖται" ἀλλ᾽ ὁ τὴν γνώμην αὐθαιρέτως μετριάζων θαυμάζεται. Ἐπεὶ τοῖς ἀπορουμένοις ἁπλῶς, ἔχουσι δὲ τὸν τρόπον ἀδιαγώπονηρῶν τολμημάτων ἡ πρὸς ἀνάγχην ἀχτημοσύνη.
to sōma, aoichon, anestion, atherapeuton, tę̄ pylę̄ tou plousiou proserrhimmenon. Kai lian epimelōs tę̄ diēgēsei tas symphoras epi telei echtragǭdeiz tou ptōchou, hina tēn tou mē eleountos stēliteusę̄ schlērotēta. Ho gar pros limon kai noson mēden paschōn eleeinon hē sympathes, thērion estin alogon, chachōs eis anthrōpou morphōthen schēma, pseudomenon tę̄ proairesei tēn physin " mallon de kai autōn tōn menou, helchontai pros tina lypēran aisthēsin hoi choiroi, kai tǭ neorrhytǭ aimati aniara epitryzousi" periistantai de tou taurou ton phonon hoi boes, empathei mychēthmǭ tēn algēn sēmainontes. ᾿Agelai de geranōn, mias tōn synnomōn peripesousēs thēra- B troiis, periiptantai tēn chratoumenēn, kai tinos phylon zētousai kai synnomon. GAnthrōpon de, to logichon zōon kai hēmeron, kai chath᾽ homoiotēta Theou tēn agathotēta paideuomenon, michron houtō phrontizein tōn syngenōn en tai? odynēraiïis tōn symphorōn peristasesin! Echeito toinyn ho polyōdynos kai eucharistos penēs, podas ouch echōn (ē gar auton alastora kai hyperēphanon ephygen, heteron topon echlexamenos anti tēs xenochtonou pylēs, tēs chechleismenēs tois penēsin), cheirōn aphērēmenos, kai oude palamēn echōn proteinein eis aitēsin, emphrachtheis auta ta organa tēs phōnēs, kai tina branchōsan kai traechrōtēriasmenos tois melesin, nosou ponēras leipsanon, eleeinon hypodeigma tēs anthrōpinēs asthegeias. ᾿All homōs oude tosoutos chatalogos symphorōn echlinen pros epischepsin ton hypsauchena " parēei de hōs lithon ton anthrōpon, aprophasiston tēn hamartian epitelōn.Ou gar eichen enkaloumenos legein tauta ta koina kai euprosōpa" Ouk egnōn, Ouch hēdein" “lathen me potniōn ho ptōchos" hos echeito pro tēs pylēs, eisiontos kai exiontos theama, hina aparaitēton erkai tōn psichiōn tēs trapezēs, kai oude toutōn etynchanen" all᾽ ho men tę̄ plēsmonę̄ dierrhēgnyto" ho de, hypo tēs endeias etēcheto. Kalon oun ēn kai Ho dichaion tēn Chananaian echeinēn tēn Phoinissan didaschalon epistēsai tǭ misanthrōpǭ plousiǭ, legousan echeina ta gegrammena" hoti, Ō alastor kai hyperēphane, kai ta kynaria esthiei apo tōn gichiōn tōn piptontōn apo tēs trapezēs tōn kyriōn hautōn" sy hoe ton adelphon son, ton homophylon, tautē: tēs dōreas ouch ixiōsas? ᾿All᾽ hoi men chynes epimelōs etrephonto, chat᾽ idian hoi phylaches, chōris hoi thēreutax" kai stegēs exiounto kai chlinēs, kai therapeutas eichon apochechlērōmenous chata spoudēn" errhipto de chamai hē tou Theou eichōn ameloumenē kai patoumenē, hēn idią cheiri ho tōn holōn ariptotechnēs kai dēmiourgos dieplasato" ei tǭ. tēn genesin. Ei men oun eteleutēsen mechri toutou to tou Laxzarou diēgēma, kai houtōs eiche tōn pragmatōn hē physis, hōs tę̄ anōmalią tou biou toutou tēn zōēn hēmōn perigraphesthai, megalas an aphēcha schetliazōn phōnas " eph᾽ hois hoi chtisthentes homotimōs, houtōs anisōs meta tōn homophylōn diagomen" epeidē de chala ta leipomena pros achroasin. en tois parelthousi stenaxas, ho penēs, en tois acholoutho:s euthymēson, mathōn tou symptōchou sou tēn makarian apolausin. Heurēseis gar dikaiou chritou achrithes dichastyērion, en hǭ stenazei ho ēdypathēsas, kai tryphą ho mochthēsas" hechateros de chomizetai ta pros axian epicheira. Egeneto de apothagein ton ptōchon, kai apegechthēnai hypo tōn angeïzōn eis ton kolpon Adraam. Ho rąs tous diachonistas tou dikaiou kai penētos, kai tous hypēretas tēs metastaseōs? "Ag. geloi gar edoryphoroun, galēnon te kai praon eis auton blepontes, kai tǭ schēmati prodēlountes tēn anamenousan auton therapeian kai anesin. Enetethē de chomistheis tois cholpois tou patriarchou" ho kai diaporēixseōs aphormēn parechei tois hēdeōs ta bathē tōn Graphōn basanizousin. Ei gar pas teleutōn dichaios pros ton auton chomizoito topon, polys tis an eiē kai ep᾽ apeiron anēplōmenos ho cholpos, ei ge melloi gōrētichos esesthai tou plēthous tōn hosiōn pantos. Ei de touto pantelōs amēchanon (cholpos gar choilantheis andra men kai hena dyscherōs, molis de dyo peristellei brephē), theōria tis hēmas echdechetai, tę̄ eichone tou aisthētou cholpou, pros noētēn tina kragmateian cheiragōgousa. Ti gar esti to legomenon Ho ᾿Auraam, phēsin, apodechetai tous ton eupoliteuton zēsantas bion? Eipe toinyn, ō thespesie Loucha (hōs pros paronta gar se kai horōmenon dialexomai), dia te pollōn ontōn dikaiōn kai sterōn tēn timēn apechlērōsas, siōpēsas ton Enōch, ton Nōe, kai ei tis allos chata ton bion toutois acholouthos? ᾿Alla sou tacha syniēmi, kai ouk exō ballei tou schopou ha logizomai. Epeidē gar ho ᾿Adraam therapōn Christou, kai diapherontōs houtos anthrōpōn ta tēs tou Christou epiphaneias edexato, kai to tēs Triados mystērion hechanōs hēmin en tę̄ schēnę̄ tou gerontos touton dietypōthē, hēnicha tous treis angelous hōs andras hodoiporous hexenise " kai haplōs ech pollōn mystichōn ainigmatōn oicheios anthrōpos houtos gegenētai tou Theou, tou chronois hysteron amphiesamenou tēn sarcha, kai dia mesou tou lēsantos tois anthrōpois" dia touto, ton cholpon autou hoion eudion tina limena kai achlyston pï hēmōn hē sōtēria kai hē apechdochē tou mellontos aiōnos, tǭ ech tēs sarchos tou ᾿Adraam chata tēn anthrōpichēn acholouthian blastēsanti. Kai moi dochex hē peri ton geronta touton timē eis ton Sōtēra tēn anaphoran echein, ton chritēn onta kai misthapodotēn tēs aretēs, kai tę̄ therapeutichēę̄ phōnę̄ proschaloumenon tous dikaious, kai legonta " Deute, hoi tou Patros mou" klērognomēsōte tēn hētoima- Egeneto de apothanein ton ptōchon. Diplę̄ tis estin ē peri ton ptōchon sēmasia" hē men dēlousa tōn anankaiōn tēn endeian “ hē de tēn metriophro"» synēn kai tou ēthous tēn tapeinotēta. Mē toinyn ho tōn hylōn aporōs echōn, kai penomenos argyriou, ēmphiesmenos de tēn eleeinēn ephestrida, tēs aretēs ton hepainon, mēde nomizetō archesein autǭ tēn endeian pros sōtērian. Ou gar ho chat᾽ anankēn penomenos epaineitai" all᾽ ho tēn gnōmēn authairetōs metriazōn thaumazetai. Epei tois aporoumenois haplōs, echousi de ton tropon adiagōponērōn tolmēmatōn hē pros ananchēn achtēmosynē.
… the body, homeless, hearthless, untended, flung down at the rich man's gate. And very carefully, at the end, the narrative dramatizes the poor man's misfortunes, in order to pillory the hardness of the one who does not pity. For whoever feels nothing of pity or sympathy before hunger and disease is an irrational beast, badly shaped into the form of a man, belying his nature by his choice; or rather [worse] even than the … pigs are drawn to some feeling of pain and grunt mournfully over freshly flowing blood; oxen stand around the slaughter of a bull, showing their pain with emotional lowing. Flocks of cranes, when one of their companions falls into the hunters' snares, fly around the captive, … seeking … and companion. But that man, the rational and gentle animal, trained in goodness after the likeness of God, should care so little for his kin in the painful circumstances of misfortune! There lay, then, the poor man, full of pains and full of thanks, without feet (for perhaps they fled from the accursed and proud man, choosing another place instead of the gate that killed strangers and was shut to the poor), deprived of hands, and without even a palm to stretch out in begging, the very organs of his voice blocked, [uttering] something hoarse and … , mutilated in his limbs, the remnant of an evil disease, a pitiable example of human weakness. Yet not even such a catalogue of misfortunes inclined the high-necked man to visit him; he passed by the man as if he were a stone, committing a sin without excuse. For when accused he could not say these common and plausible things: “I did not know; I was not aware; the poor man escaped my notice”: he who lay before the gate, a spectacle to everyone going in and out, so that … inexorable … even the crumbs of the table, and did not obtain even these; but the one was bursting with surfeit, the other wasting away with want. It would have been fine and just, then, to set that Canaanite, the Phoenician woman, as teacher over the man-hating rich man, saying those written words: “O wretch and proud man, even the little dogs eat of the crumbs that fall from their masters' table; and you did not think your brother, your kinsman, worthy of this gift?” But the dogs were carefully fed, the watchdogs separately, the hunting dogs apart; they were thought worthy of a roof and a bed, and had attendants zealously assigned to them; while the image of God lay flung on the ground, neglected and trampled, the image which the supreme craftsman and Maker of all things formed with his own hand; … the origin. If, then, the story of Lazarus had ended at this point, and the nature of things were such that our life were bounded by the unevenness of this life, I would have let out loud cries of complaint, that we who were created of equal honour live so unequally with our kin. But since what remains is good to hear, you poor man who groaned at what went before, take heart at what follows, learning the blessed enjoyment of your fellow poor man. For you will find the exact court of a just judge, in which the one who lived in pleasure groans and the one who toiled lives in delight; and each receives the wages his worth deserves. “And it came to pass that the poor man died, and was carried away by the angels into Abraham's bosom.” Do you see the attendants of the righteous poor man, and the servants of his departure? For angels escorted him, looking on him calmly and gently, and by their bearing showing beforehand the care and relief that awaited him. Carried there, he was laid in the patriarch's bosom; and this gives occasion for perplexity to those who gladly probe the depths of the Scriptures. For if every righteous man at his death were carried to the same place, the bosom would be large and spread out to infinity, if it is to hold the whole multitude of the holy. But if this is altogether impossible (for a hollowed bosom holds one man with difficulty, and scarcely two infants), a contemplation awaits us, leading us by the hand through the image of a bodily bosom to a spiritual matter. For what is being said? Does Abraham, it says, receive those who have lived the well-ordered life? Tell me, then, divine Luke (for I will speak with you as if you were present and seen), why, when there are many righteous men, and older ones, you allotted the honour [to him], passing over Enoch, Noah, and anyone else who followed them in his life? But perhaps I understand you, and what I reason does not fall wide of the mark. Since Abraham was a servant of Christ, and received the [signs] of Christ's appearing beyond other men, and the mystery of the Trinity was sufficiently outlined for us in this old man's tent, when he entertained the three angels as men on a journey; and, in short, by many mystical riddles this man became an intimate of God, who in later times put on flesh, and through … to men; for this reason his bosom [was appointed] as a calm and waveless harbour … our salvation and the expectation of the age to come, through the one who sprang from Abraham's flesh in the human line of descent. And it seems to me that the honour paid to this old man refers to the Saviour, who is the judge and rewarder of virtue, and calls the righteous with his gracious voice, saying: “Come, you [blessed] of my Father, inherit the [kingdom] prepared …” “And it came to pass that the poor man died.” The word “poor” has a double meaning: one signifies the lack of necessities, the other moderation and humility of character. Let not, then, the man who is without means and short of money, and dressed in a pitiable cloak, [claim] the praise of virtue, nor think that his want will suffice him for salvation. For it is not the one who is poor by necessity who is praised, but the one who of his own will keeps his mind moderate who is admired. Since for those who are simply in want, but have a character [that is] … of wicked daring is poverty forced on them by necessity.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Luke 16:20–21 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 15:27 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 1:26–27 (allusion, medium confidence) · Gen 2:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 16:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 18:1–8 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 25:34 (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 5:24 (allusion, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Asterius describes Lazarus's sufferings and the rich man's hardness, explains Abraham's bosom as an image pointing to Christ, and says that poverty is praised only when joined to humility.
- Lines are lost in several places in the scan's OCR (marked “…”). The words put in the Canaanite woman's mouth adapt Matt 15:27 into a rebuke. Asterius reads Abraham's entertaining of the three angels (Gen 18) as an outline of the mystery of the Trinity, translated as written. “Did not think worthy” renders ἠξίωσας (OCR ἰξίωσας).
Topics: Ethics, Eschatology, Trinity
Cite (SBL): Asterius, Hom. 1.3 (PG 40:168; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/1-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/1-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 40, archive.org OCR; divisions are the staging's, not Migne's); re-read against the Greek, since no public-domain English exists.
1.4PG 40:170
Καὶ πάντας ἐγὼ τοὺς τοιχωρύχους καὶ ἀνδραποδιστὰς, ἔτι μὴν λωποδύτας, καὶ χλέπτας, καὶ τοὺς ἀνδροφόνους αὐτοὺς, εἴ ποτε παρέδαλον χριτηρίῳ, πένητας ἐθεασάμην, ἀγνώστους, ἀνεστίους. Ὥς ἐχ τούτου πρόδηλον εἶναι, ὅτι μαχαρίξει νῦν ἡ Γραφὴ τὸν πτωχὸν ἐχεῖνον τὸν φιλοσόφῳ Ψυχῇ τοὺς μόχθους βαστάζοντα " χαρτεροῦντα δὲ γενναίως πρὸς τὰς περιστάσεις τοῦ βίου, καὶ οὐδὲν χαχουργοῦντα πονηρὸν, ἵνα τῇ σαρχὶ χαρίσηται τῆς τρυφῆς τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν. Ὃν καὶ σαφέστερον διαγράφει ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ τῶν μαχαρισμῶν ὃ Κύριος, λέγων " Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πγεύματι. Οὔτε οὖν πᾶς πτωχὸς δίχαιος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐχεῖνος οἷος ὁ Λάζαρος" οὔτε πᾶς πλούσιος ἀπεγνωσμένος, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μετὰ τοιαύτης ζῶν προαιρέσεως, οἵαν εἶχεν ὁ τοῦ Λαζάρου σύγχρονος, καὶ τούτου οἱ διὰ τῆς πείρας τοῦ βίου μάρτυρες πρόδηλοι. Τί γὰρ τοῦ θείου Ἰὼδ πλουσιώτερον; ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως ἡ εἰς ἄγαν εὐπορία τὸν ἄνδρα, οὔτε τῆς διχαιοσύνης ἣλλοτρίωσεν, οὔτε, συλλήδδην εἰπεῖν, τῆς ἀρετῆς ἑξώρισεν. Τί τοῦ Ἰσχαριώτου πενέστερον; Οὐδὲν ἀπώνατο τῆς … φιλοσόφοις συνδιαιτώμενος, καὶ αὑτῷ γε τῷ Κυρίῳ, τῷ δι᾽ ἡμᾶς αὐθαιρέτως πτωχεύσαντι, καχίᾳ προαιρέσεως εἰς φιλαργυρίαν παρενεχθεὶς, ἐχεῖθεν καὶ ἤΑξιον δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐχφορὰν ἑχατέρου τῶν τεθνηχότων συνετῶς δοχιμάσαι. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πτωχὸς χοιμηθεὶς ἀγγέλους εἶχεν δορυφόρους καὶ θεραπευτὰς, ἄγοντας αὐτὸν μετὰ χαλῆής τῆς ἐλπίδος εἷς τὸν τόπον τῆς ἀναπαύσεως" ὁ δὲ πλούσιος ἀποθανὼν, φησὶν, ἐτάφη. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οἷον αὐτῇ χρήσασθαι τῇ λέξει τῇ γραφιχῇ, ἱκανῶς διὰ μιᾶς λέξεως ἑρμηνενούσῃ τὴν ἄτιμον τοῦ «λουσίου χατάλυσιν. Ὁ γὰρ ἁμαρτωλὸς τελευτῶν, ὄντως θάπτεται, χθόνιος ὧν τὸ σῶμα, γήινος δὲ καὶ τὴν ψυχήν" καὶ τὸ φυσιχὸν ἐχείνης ἀξίωμα τῇ συμπαθείᾳ τῆς σαρχὸς πρὸς τὴν ὕλην χαταγαγὼν, οὐδὲν χρηστὸν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ζωῆς χαταλιμπάνων ὑπόβνημα, λήθῃ δὲ ἀτίμῳ χαλυπτόμενος, καὶ τὸν τῶν βοτχημάτων θάνατον τελευτῶν. Τάφος μὲν γὰρ ἔχει τὸ σῶμα ἄδης δὲ τὴν ψυχήν " δύο σχοτεινὰ δεσμωτήρια, μεριζόμενα τοῦ πονηροῦ τὴν τιμωρίαν. Καὶ τὶς οὖχ ἂν τῆς ἀδουλίας τὸν ἄθλιον χαταμέμψαιτο: Ἦνιχα μὲν ὑπὲρ γἧῇς ἣν γαυροῦντα, νον, πάντων ὑπερφρονοῦντα τῶν συζώντων καὶ ὁμοφύλων, καὶ μονονουχὶ μύρμηχας καὶ σχώληχας ἀποχαλοῦντα τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας, χενῷ δὲ φρονήματι τῆς ὀλιγοχρονίου δόξης διαῤῥηγνύμενον " ἡνίχα δὲ ἀπεσπάσθη τοῦ βίου, καὶ ὡς μαστιγίας δοῦλος ἀφτρέθη τῶν ἀλλοτρίων, ὧν ἐξ ἀνοίας ἐνόμιζεν εἶναι δεσπότης, εἰς ἀντίῤῥοπον τῆς ὑπερηφανείας ρέται ταπεινότητα, καὶ γραὸς θρηνούσης ὀδυρμοὺς προδαλλόμενος, μαχρὰ καὶ ἀνόνητα τὸν πατριάρχην ἀποχαλεῖται, λέγων" [Πάτερ ᾿Αδραὰμ, ἐλέησόν με, καὶ πέμψρον Λάζαρον, ἵνα βάψῃ τὸ ἄχρον τοῦ δασάν μου, ὅτι ὀδυνῶμαι ἐν τῇ φ.1ογὶ ταύτῃ" ] ζητῶν ἔλεον, ὃν οὐχ ἔδωχεν, ἡνίκα τοῦ εὐεργετεῖν πρόχειρον εἶχεν τὴν ἐξουσίαν " ἀξιῶν δὲ αὐτῷ βοηθὸν χατὰ τοῦ πυρὸς ἀφιχέσθαι τὸν Λάζαρον " εὐχόμενος ἀπομυξζῆσαι τοῦ λεπροῦ τὸν δάχτυλον, ὀλίγον νενοτισμένον ὕδατι. Τοιαῦται τῶν φιλοσωμάτων ἀθουλίαι" τοῦτο τῶν φιλοπλούτων καὶ φιληδόνων τὸ τέλος. Καὶ προσήχει τὸν συνετὸν καὶ προμηθῇ τοῦ μέλλοντος, οἷον φάρμαχόν τι προφυλαχτιχὸν νοσήματος τὴν παραβηλὴν ἡγησάμενον, φυγεῖν τῶν ὁμοίων χαχῶν τὴν πεῖραν" πὸ συμπαθὲς καὶ φιλάνθρωπον, ὡς αἰτίαν τῆς ζωῆς τῆς μελλούσης, ἀσχήσαντα. γὰρ ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος τὴν νουθεσίαν ἐπὶ προσώπων ὡρισμένων ἐξέθετο, ἵνα ἐμψύχω; καὶ δειχτιχῶς παιδευθέντες τῆς ἀγαθῆς πολιτείας τὸν νόμον, μηδέποτε χαταφρονήσωμεν τῶν τῆς Γραφῆς παραγγελμάτων, ὡς ἄχρι λόγου μόνον φοδούντων, οὐ μὴν τὴν ἀπειλὴν προαγόντων εἷς τιμωρίαν. Οἶδα γὰρ, ὡς οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ταῖς τοιαύταις ὑπονοίαις δελεαζόμενοι, ἀχώλυτον ἑαυτοῖς τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν τὴν ἐξουσίαν χαρίζονται. Πᾶν δὲ τοὐναντίον παρὰ τῆς προχειμένης Γραφῆς διδασχόμεθα, ὡς οὐδὲ συγγνώμη τις τῆς ἐχεῖ χρίσεως ἐπελαφρύνει τὴν χόλασιν, οὐδὲ ἐλαττοῖ τὴν ὡρισμένην τιμωρίαν φιλανθρωπία" εἴγε δεῖ ταῖς φωναῖς τοῦ πατριάρχου τεχμηριῶσαι τὸν λόγαν. ΠΟΛλὰ γὰρ ἱχετευθεὶς “παρὰ τοῦ πλουσίου, καὶ μυρίων ἐλεεινῶν ἑπαχούσας φωνῶν, οὔτε τοῖς ὀδυρμοῖς ἐπεχλάσθη, οὔτε τῆς ὀδύνης ἐξείλετο τὸν πιχρῶς μαστιζόμενον᾽ αὐστηρῷ δὲ τῷ φρονήματι τὴν δικαίαν χρίσιν ἐχύρωσεν, εἰπὼν, ὅτι πρὸς ἀξίαν ἑχάστῳ διε- “΄ σαντι χατὰ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων συμφορῶν, δίχη τοῦ πλημμελήματος ἐπετέθη, ἃ πάσχεις " τῷ δ᾽ ἐχεῖ τῆς ἐνσάρχου ζωΐς, γλυχεῖά τις καὶ εὐφραίνουσα ἣ ἐνθάδε ἀπενεμήθη χατάστασις. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις, καὶ χάσμα μέγα εἶναί φησιν τὸ χωλύον αὐτοὺς τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐπιμιξίαν, καὶ διεῖργον τοὺς τιμωρουμένους ἀπὸ τῶν τιμωμένων, ἵνα εὐχρινῶς διάγωσιν ἀπ᾽ ἀλλήλων ἀμφότεροι, ἀσύγχυτον ἔχοντες τῶν ἀγαθῶ" καὶ τῶν χαχῶν τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν. Οἶμαι δὲ τὴν αἰσθῃ τὴν παραθολὴν νοητῆς εἶναι θεωρίας αἴνιγμα. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ τάφρον ὄντως ἐννοήσωμεν ἐχεῖ πρὸς τῶν ἀγγέλων διορυχθεῖσαν, οἷάπερ ἐν τοῖς στρατοπέδοις υίνεται τὰ τῶν πολεμίων μεταίχμια " ἀλλὰ τὸν χωεἰσὶ χεχωρισμένοι, οἵ τε χατ᾽ ἀρετὴν, καὶ οἱ ἑτέρως ζήσαντες, ὑπέθετο τὴν εἰχόνα τοῦ χάσματος. Ἕπισφραγίζεται τὴν διάνοιαν ἡμῖν ταύτην καὶ Ἡσαῖας, οὕτω πως λέγων’ Μὴ οὐχ ἰσχύδι ἡ χεὶρ Κυρίου τοῦ σῶσαι, ἣ ἐδάρυγε τὸ οὗς αὐτοῦ τοῦ μὴ ἀκοῦσαι; ᾿Α.1.1ὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ἡμῶν διιστῶσιν ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ Θεοῦ.
Kai pantas egō tous toichōrychous kai andrapodistas, eti mēn lōpodytas, kai chleptas, kai tous androphonous autous, ei pote paredalon chritēriǭ, penētas etheasamēn, agnōstous, anestious. Hōs ech toutou prodēlon einai, hoti macharixei nyn hē Graphē ton ptōchon echeinon ton philosophǭ Psychę̄ tous mochthous bastazonta " charterounta de gennaiōs pros tas peristaseis tou biou, kai ouden chachourgounta ponēron, hina tę̄ sarchi charisētai tēs tryphēs tēn apolausin. Hon kai saphesteron diagraphei en tǭ prōtǭ tōn macharismōn ho Kyrios, legōn " Makarioi hoi ptōchoi tǭ pgeumati. Oute oun pas ptōchos dichaios, all᾽ echeinos hoios ho Lazaros" oute pas plousios apegnōsmenos, all᾽ ho meta toiautēs zōn proaireseōs, hoian eichen ho tou Lazarou synchronos, kai toutou hoi dia tēs peiras tou biou martyres prodēloi. Ti gar tou theiou Iōd plousiōteron? ᾿All᾽ homōs hē eis agan euporia ton andra, oute tēs dichaiosynēs hēllotriōsen, oute, syllēddēn eipein, tēs aretēs hexōrisen. Ti tou Ischariōtou penesteron? Ouden apōnato tēs … philosophois syndiaitōmenos, kai hautǭ ge tǭ Kyriǭ, tǭ di᾽ hēmas authairetōs ptōcheusanti, kachią proaireseōs eis philargyrian parenechtheis, echeithen kai ēAxion de kai tēn echphoran hechaterou tōn tethnēchotōn synetōs dochimasai. Ho men gar ptōchos choimētheis angelous eichen doryphorous kai therapeutas, agontas auton meta chalēēs tēs elpidos heis ton topon tēs anapauseōs" ho de plousios apothanōn, phēsin, etaphē. Ouden gar hoion autę̄ chrēsasthai tę̄ lexei tę̄ graphichę̄, hikanōs dia mias lexeōs hermēnenousę̄ tēn atimon tou «lousiou chatalysin. Ho gar hamartōlos teleutōn, ontōs thaptetai, chthonios hōn to sōma, gēinos de kai tēn psychēn" kai to physichon echeinēs axiōma tę̄ sympatheią tēs sarchos pros tēn hylēn chatagagōn, ouden chrēston tēs heautou zōēs chatalimpanōn hypobnēma, lēthę̄ de atimǭ chalyptomenos, kai ton tōn botchēmatōn thanaton teleutōn. Taphos men gar echei to sōma adēs de tēn psychēn " dyo schoteina desmōtēria, merizomena tou ponērou tēn timōrian. Kai tis ouch an tēs adoulias ton athlion chatamempsaito: Ēnicha men hyper gēę̄s hēn gaurounta, non, pantōn hyperphronounta tōn syzōntōn kai homophylōn, kai mononouchi myrmēchas kai schōlēchas apochalounta tous entynchanontas, chenǭ de phronēmati tēs oligochroniou doxēs diarrhēgnymenon " hēnicha de apespasthē tou biou, kai hōs mastigias doulos aphtrethē tōn allotriōn, hōn ex anoias enomizen einai despotēs, eis antirrhopon tēs hyperēphaneias retai tapeinotēta, kai graos thrēnousēs odyrmous prodallomenos, machra kai anonēta ton patriarchēn apochaleitai, legōn" [Pater ᾿Adraam, eleēson me, kai pempsron Lazaron, hina bapsę̄ to achron tou dasan mou, hoti odynōmai en tę̄ ph.1ogi tautę̄" ] zētōn eleon, hon ouch edōchen, hēnika tou euergetein procheiron eichen tēn exousian " axiōn de autǭ boēthon chata tou pyros aphichesthai ton Lazaron " euchomenos apomyxzēsai tou leprou ton dachtylon, oligon nenotismenon hydati. Toiautai tōn philosōmatōn athouliai" touto tōn philoploutōn kai philēdonōn to telos. Kai prosēchei ton syneton kai promēthę̄ tou mellontos, hoion pharmachon ti prophylachtichon nosēmatos tēn parabēlēn hēgēsamenon, phygein tōn homoiōn chachōn tēn peiran" po sympathes kai philanthrōpon, hōs aitian tēs zōēs tēs mellousēs, aschēsanta. gar hēmin ho logos tēn nouthesian epi prosōpōn hōrismenōn exetheto, hina empsychō? kai deichtichōs paideuthentes tēs agathēs politeias ton nomon, mēdepote chataphronēsōmen tōn tēs Graphēs parangelmatōn, hōs achri logou monon phodountōn, ou mēn tēn apeilēn proagontōn heis timōrian. Oida gar, hōs hoi polloi tōn anthrōpōn tais toiautais hyponoiais deleazomenoi, achōlyton heautois tou hamartanein tēn exousian charizontai. Pan de tounantion para tēs procheimenēs Graphēs didaschometha, hōs oude syngnōmē tis tēs echei chriseōs epelaphrynei tēn cholasin, oude elattoi tēn hōrismenēn timōrian philanthrōpia" eige dei tais phōnais tou patriarchou techmēriōsai ton logan. POLla gar hicheteutheis “para tou plousiou, kai myriōn eleeinōn hepachousas phōnōn, oute tois odyrmois epechlasthē, oute tēs odynēs exeileto ton pichrōs mastizomenon᾽ austērǭ de tǭ phronēmati tēn dikaian chrisin echyrōsen, eipōn, hoti pros axian hechastǭ die- “΄ santi chata tōn allotriōn symphorōn, dichē tou plēmmelēmatos epetethē, ha pascheis " tǭ d᾽ echei tēs ensarchou zōïs, glycheia tis kai euphrainousa hē enthade apenemēthē chatastasis. Pros de toutois, kai chasma mega einai phēsin to chōlyon autous tēn pros allēlous epimixian, kai dieirgon tous timōroumenous apo tōn timōmenōn, hina euchrinōs diagōsin ap᾽ allēlōn amphoteroi, asynchyton echontes tōn agathō" kai tōn chachōn tēn apolausin. Oimai de tēn aisthę̄ tēn paratholēn noētēs einai theōrias ainigma. Ou gar dē taphron ontōs ennoēsōmen echei pros tōn angelōn diorychtheisan, hoiaper en tois stratopedois uinetai ta tōn polemiōn metaichmia " alla ton chōeisi chechōrismenoi, hoi te chat᾽ aretēn, kai hoi heterōs zēsantes, hypetheto tēn eichona tou chasmatos. Hepisphragizetai tēn dianoian hēmin tautēn kai Hēsaias, houtō pōs legōn’ Mē ouch ischydi hē cheir Kyriou tou sōsai, hē edaryge to hous autou tou mē akousai? ᾿A.1.1a ta hamartēmata hēmōn diistōsin ana meson tou Theou.
And whenever I attended a court, I saw that all the housebreakers and kidnappers, and also the clothes-stealers and thieves, and the murderers themselves, were poor, unknown, homeless. So from this it is plain that Scripture now calls blessed that poor man who bore his toils with a philosophic soul, enduring the circumstances of life nobly and doing no evil deed in order to gratify the flesh with the enjoyment of luxury. The Lord describes him more clearly in the first of the Beatitudes, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Neither, then, is every poor man righteous, but one such as Lazarus; nor is every rich man condemned, but the one who lives with such a choice as Lazarus's contemporary had; and the witnesses to this, from the experience of life, are plain. For who was richer than the divine Job? Yet his very great prosperity neither estranged the man from righteousness nor, in a word, banished him from virtue. Who was poorer than Iscariot? He gained nothing from … living with philosophers, and with the Lord himself, who for our sake became poor of his own will; carried away into love of money by the wickedness of his choice, from there also … And it is worth examining wisely the funeral of each of the dead men too. For the poor man, when he fell asleep, had angels as escorts and attendants, leading him with good hope into the place of rest; but the rich man, it says, “died and was buried.” There is nothing like using the very word of Scripture, which by one word sufficiently interprets the rich man's dishonourable end. For the sinner, when he dies, is truly buried, being of the earth in body and earthly in soul too; having dragged down the soul's natural dignity to matter through its sympathy with the flesh, leaving behind no good memorial of his life, covered with dishonourable oblivion, and dying the death of cattle. For the tomb holds the body, and Hades the soul: two dark prisons, which divide between them the punishment of the wicked. And who would not blame the wretch for his folly? When he was above ground, he was haughty, … looking down on all who lived with him and on his kin, and all but calling those who met him ants and worms, bursting with the empty pride of short-lived glory. But when he was torn from life and, like a slave fit for the whip, was deprived of what belonged to others, of which in his folly he thought himself master, he is brought down to a humiliation that balances his pride; and, putting forth the laments of a wailing old woman, he calls on the patriarch at length and uselessly, saying: “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger [in water and cool my tongue], for I am in anguish in this flame”: asking for mercy which he did not give when he had the power of doing good at hand; asking that Lazarus come to him as a helper against the fire; praying to suck the leper's finger, moistened with a little water. Such is the folly of the lovers of the body; this is the end of the lovers of wealth and pleasure. And it befits the prudent man, who takes forethought for the future, to treat the parable as a medicine that protects against disease, and to flee the experience of like evils, practising compassion and love of humankind as the cause of the life to come. For the passage set out its admonition to us in particular persons, so that, being taught the law of the good life in a living and demonstrative way, we may never despise the commands of Scripture, as though they frighten only so far as words and do not carry the threat forward into punishment. For I know that most people, enticed by such suspicions, grant themselves unhindered licence to sin. But we are taught the complete opposite by the Scripture before us: that no pardon at the judgment there lightens the punishment, nor does kindness lessen the appointed penalty, if indeed we must prove the point by the words of the patriarch. For though he was much entreated by the rich man and heard countless pitiable cries, he was neither softened by the laments nor did he deliver from pain the one who was bitterly scourged; but with a stern mind he confirmed the just judgment, saying that to each [a lot] was distributed according to worth: … against the misfortunes of others, the penalty for your offence has been laid on you: what you suffer; but to the other, in return for his life in the flesh, a sweet and gladdening state has been assigned here. Besides this, he says that there is a great chasm which prevents them from mingling with one another and separates those being punished from those being honoured, so that both may live distinctly apart from each other, having the enjoyment of good things and of evils unconfused. But I think the sensible picture of the parable is a riddle of spiritual contemplation. For let us not think that a ditch has really been dug there by the angels, like the no-man's-lands between enemies in military camps; but the … by which those who lived by virtue and those who lived otherwise are separated, he set forth as the image of the chasm. Isaiah too seals this meaning for us, speaking somewhat as follows: “Is the hand of the Lord not strong to save, or has he made his ear heavy so as not to hear? But our sins stand between us and God.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 5:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 1:1–3 (allusion, high confidence) · John 12:6 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Cor 8:9 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 16:22 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 16:24 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 16:25–26 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 59:1–2 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Asterius explains that only the humble poor are blessed, contrasts the funerals of Lazarus and the rich man, and teaches from Abraham's refusal and the great chasm that punishment after death is not lessened.
- Words are lost in the scan's OCR (marked “…”); a leaked footnote reference and Latin fragments were removed by logged corrections. Judas's “philosophers” are the apostles. The chasm is read as an image of the moral separation between the righteous and the wicked, with Isa 59:1–2 (quoted loosely).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (leaked Latin fragment and margin letter; leaked Latin fragment; Greek lost; leaked footnote reference): ἐνπρο 05 φιλοσόφοις → … φιλοσόφοις; 10} (ογ. νι, 9. → ; Α δερμίίμς εἰ. → .
Topics: Ethics, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Asterius, Hom. 1.4 (PG 40:170; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/1-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/1-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek (PG 40, archive.org OCR; divisions are the staging's, not Migne's); re-read against the Greek, since no public-domain English exists.