Homilies 10.1–10.6
Greek text: PG 40.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 10
10.1PG 40:419
Τ΄. ᾿Εγχώμιον εἰς τοὺς ἁγιους μάρτυρας. Ἔστιν, ὡς ἔοιχεν, καὶ παρὰ τῶν σφόδρα δυσμενῶν Χ, δ᾽ ἥ τοῦτο δείχνυσιν, ἢ τε ἄλλη τοῦ βίου πεῖρα, καὶ τὰ ἀρτίως τελούμενα. Εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἐδίωξεν Χριστιανοὺς ὃ διάδολος, καὶ τὸν χατὰ τῆς Ἐχχλησίας ἤρατο πόλεμον, οὐχ ἂν εἴχομεν μάρτυρας " μαρτύρων δὲ μὴ ὄντων, σχυθρωπὸς ἡμῶν ὁ βίος ἐγίνετο καὶ ἀνέορτος. Τί γὰρ ἀντάξιον τούτων τῶν πανηγύρεων; τί δὲ οὔτως σεμνὸν καὶ πάγχαλον, ὡς τὸ πόλιν ὅλην ἰδεῖν, παγγενῇ ἐχφοιτῶσαν τοῦ ἄστεος, ἱερὸν δὲ τόπον χαθαρὰ μυστήρια, Εὐσέῤεια δὲ ἀληθὴς, τὸ προσχυνεῖν τε καὶ τιμᾷν τοὺς δι᾽ ἐχεῖνον πάθη χαρτερῶς ἐνεγχόντας, καὶ παρατεταγμένους πρὸς τὸν ἔσχατον τοῦ θανάτου χίνδυνον " ὧν χορυφαῖοι καὶ προστάται τυγχάνουσιν οἱ σήμερον ἡμᾶς δημαγωγήσαντες" ἄνδρες ζωῆς, ζῶντες ἀεί τοῦ αἵματος τὴν βασιλείαν ἀλλαξάμένοι, καὶ τὴν ἐπίδουλον σάρχα εὐεργέτην τῆς ψυχῆς ἀποφήναντες. Οὕτως προαίρεσις ἀγαθὴ, ὅταν ἡνιόχου δίχην ἐφεστῶσα ἢ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ" ὑποζεύξῃ δὲ αὑτῇ τὰς ὁρμὰς πάπας καὶ τὰ χινῆματα, καὶ προσεχόντως ὡς ἡνίας διατείνῃ τοὺς λογισμοὺς, ἀργίαν νύττουσα, καὶ ὀξύτητα ἄμετρον ἀναστέλλουσα" οὐχ οἷόν τε ἄταχτον ἣ ἐπιχίνδυνον γενέσθαι τοῦ βίου τὸν δρόμον. … Ἔχομεν τοίνυν τοὺς μάρτυρας, οὐ διδασχάλους μόνον ἀγαθῆς πολιτείας, ἀλλὰ καὶ χατηγόρους τῆς 0 ἁμαρτίας. Πῶς δ᾽ ἂν γένοιτο μάρτυς χατήγορος, ἄχουσον." Εἰ ἐχεῖνος ἐνίχησε φλόγα πυρὸς τῇ χαρτεροἷᾳ, σὺ πῶς πορνείαν οὐ δαμάζεις τῇ σωφροσύνῃ; Εἰ ὁ μάρτυς οὐχ ἐλέησε πλοῦτον ὃν ἠφίει καὶ χρήματα, διὰ τί σὺ ὀλίγου οὐ καταφρονεῖς ἀργυρίου ὑπὲρ διχαιοσύνης; Εἰ ὁ μάρτυς γένος Θεοῦ οὗ προετίμησεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπεζεύχθη γυναιχὸς, παίδων, φιλτάτων " πῶς σὺ οὗ χολάζεις τὴν προσπάθειαν, διὰ δὲ πρόσωπα, τυχὸν σχέσιν πρὸς σὲ οἰχειότητος ἔχοντα, ὑπερπηδᾷς τὸ δίχαιον, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν φόδον παραλογίζῃ; Εἰ ὁ μάρτυς τὸ σῶμα διὰ Θεὸν ἐξεδύσατο, πῶς αὑτὸς ἑνὸς οὐ καταφρονεῖς “ττωνίσχου εἰς σχέπην γυμνοῦ; Ταῦτα ἀλλήλοις ἀντεξεταζόμενα τὴν ἡμετέραν δυστροπίαν ἐλέγχει. Ἢ τοίνυν ὡς διδασχάλους τοὺς ἁγίους αἰδεσθῶμεν, ἣ ὡς χατηγόρους φοθηθῶμεν " λουθον " πεισθῶμεν ὃὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς οὕτως Θεῷ, ὡς οἱ ἅγιοι ταῖς ἐντολαῖς ἐπειθάρχησαν, καὶ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ᾿λγαθὴ γὰρ σφόδρα διδασχαλος ἀνδρείας καὶ χαρπερίας ἡ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τῶν νοητῶν ἐλπίς " ἥτις ὡς ἐνέχυρον ἀξιόπιστον καὶ ἀῤῥαθὼν ἀσφαλὴς ἐγχειμένη τοῖς λογισμοῖς, πάντα χελεύεται χίνδυνον ὁρᾷν ἀχαταπλήχτως, καὶ φέρειν ἐν τῇ πείρᾳ γενναίως " καὶ τοῦτο ἀχολούθως συμθαίνει. Φύσει γάρ πὼς ἐλάχομὲν ἄνθρωποι μαλαχίζεσθαι ἂν καὶ χαυνοῦσθαι τοὐναντίον ἐχείνων ἀντιλαμδάνεσθαι, ὧν ἄθλα καὶ τιμαὶ τέλος εἰσίν. Διὸ πάντες μάρτυρες τῷ εὐαγγε-, λικῷ γράμματι προσέχοντες τὸν νοῦν, ἐν ᾧ προτρέ- “τῶν τοὺς ἱεροὺς ἀθλητὰς καὶ φιλοθέους ὁ Κύριος λέγει. Ἐάν τις ὁμολογήσει με ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώκχων, ὁμολογήσω αὐτὸν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Πατρός μου. Ὑπὲρ ταύτης τῆς ὁμολογίας ἤνεγχαν ἁτρέπτοις «οἷς λογισμοῖς σίδηρον τεθηγμένον, καὶ πυρχαϊᾶς ἐπέδησαν, καὶ θηρίων στόμασιν ἔχδοτον τὸ σῶμα παρέσχον, καὶ τοὺς νῶτας ἔχαστος ὑπέθηχαν μάστιξι, καὶ ταῖς ἀχμαῖς τῶν ὀνύχων τὰς πλευρὰς ἐταράχθησαν ὃ, δεσμῶν τῶν διὰ σιδήρου ἠνέσχοντο, καὶ δεσμωτηρίων ἤνεγχαν σχοτεινὰ χαταγώγια" ἐπιέσθη ταν δὲ λιμῷ, καὶ δίψει: κατεξηράνθησαν " παρέθηχαν δὲ ἦ "δ λίθους τὰ πρόσωπα τοῖς ῥαπίζουσιν " ἤχουσαν «τὧν ὕὈδρεων ὡς κωφοί" ἐσιώπησαν πρὸς τοὺς ὀνειδίζοντας καὶ λοιδορουμένους ὡς ἄλαλοι" δήμοις καὶ ἀμφόδοις ἐν ὁλογύμνοις τοῖς σώμασιν" οὐχ ἄνδρες μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ γυναῖχες, τὸ σχετλιώτατον. Αλλοι “ποιχίλοις τρόποις τὰς ἀριστείας ἡμῖν χατεμερίσαντο, Διὰ τοῦτο τὰ εὐσεδῇ σώματα σεμνῶς περιστεῖλαντες, τὰ σκεύη τῆς ἐχλογῆς, τὰ τῶν μαχαρίων ψυχῶν ὄργανα, τὰς οἰκίας τῶν φιλοσόφων ἐνοίχων, φρουροῦμεν δὲ αὐτοῖς ὡς ἡμετέροις πλεονεχτήμασιν, … ὁπλίταις γενναίοις, καὶ πάνδημοι πανηγύρεις ἀθροίζονται, καὶ τῆς θυμηδείας τῶν ἑορτῶν ἀπολαύομεν.
T΄. ᾿Enchōmion eis tous hagious martyras. Estin, hōs eoichen, kai para tōn sphodra dysmenōn Ch, d᾽ hē touto deichnysin, ē te allē tou biou peira, kai ta artiōs teloumena. Ei mē gar ediōxen Christianous ho diadolos, kai ton chata tēs Echchlēsias ērato polemon, ouch an eichomen martyras " martyrōn de mē ontōn, schythrōpos hēmōn ho bios egineto kai aneortos. Ti gar antaxion toutōn tōn panēgyreōn? ti de outōs semnon kai panchalon, hōs to polin holēn idein, pangenę̄ echphoitōsan tou asteos, hieron de topon chathara mystēria, Eusereia de alēthēs, to proschynein te kai timąn tous di᾽ echeinon pathē charterōs enenchontas, kai paratetagmenous pros ton eschaton tou thanatou chindynon " hōn choryphaioi kai prostatai tynchanousin hoi sēmeron hēmas dēmagōgēsantes" andres zōēs, zōntes aei tou haimatos tēn basileian allaxamenoi, kai tēn epidoulon sarcha euergetēn tēs psychēs apophēnantes. Houtōs proairesis agathē, hotan hēniochou dichēn ephestōsa ē tǭ anthrōpǭ" hypozeuxę̄ de hautę̄ tas hormas papas kai ta chinēmata, kai prosechontōs hōs hēnias diateinę̄ tous logismous, argian nyttousa, kai oxytēta ametron anastellousa" ouch hoion te atachton hē epichindynon genesthai tou biou ton dromon. … Echomen toinyn tous martyras, ou didaschalous monon agathēs politeias, alla kai chatēgorous tēs 0 hamartias. Pōs d᾽ an genoito martys chatēgoros, achouson." Ei echeinos enichēse phloga pyros tę̄ charteroią, sy pōs porneian ou damazeis tę̄ sōphrosynę̄? Ei ho martys ouch eleēse plouton hon ēphiei kai chrēmata, dia ti sy oligou ou kataphroneis argyriou hyper dichaiosynēs? Ei ho martys genos Theou hou proetimēsen, all᾽ apezeuchthē gynaichos, paidōn, philtatōn " pōs sy hou cholazeis tēn prospatheian, dia de prosōpa, tychon schesin pros se oicheiotētos echonta, hyperpēdąs to dichaion, kai tou Theou ton phodon paralogizę̄? Ei ho martys to sōma dia Theon exedysato, pōs hautos henos ou kataphroneis “ttōnischou eis schepēn gymnou? Tauta allēlois antexetazomena tēn hēmeteran dystropian elenchei. Ē toinyn hōs didaschalous tous hagious aidesthōmen, hē hōs chatēgorous phothēthōmen " louthon " peisthōmen hoe kai hēmeis houtōs Theǭ, hōs hoi hagioi tais entolais epeitharchēsan, kai tas epangelias ᾿lgathē gar sphodra didaschalos andreias kai charperias hē tōn agathōn tōn noētōn elpis " hētis hōs enechyron axiopiston kai arrhathōn asphalēs encheimenē tois logismois, panta cheleuetai chindynon horąn achataplēchtōs, kai pherein en tę̄ peirą gennaiōs " kai touto acholouthōs symthainei. Physei gar pōs elachomen anthrōpoi malachizesthai an kai chaunousthai tounantion echeinōn antilamdanesthai, hōn athla kai timai telos eisin. Dio pantes martyres tǭ euange-, likǭ grammati prosechontes ton noun, en hǭ protre- “tōn tous hierous athlētas kai philotheous ho Kyrios legei. Ean tis homologēsei me emprosthen tōn anthrōkchōn, homologēsō auton emprosthen tou Patros mou. Hyper tautēs tēs homologias ēnenchan hatreptois «hois logismois sidēron tethēgmenon, kai pyrchaïas epedēsan, kai thēriōn stomasin echdoton to sōma pareschon, kai tous nōtas echastos hypethēchan mastixi, kai tais achmais tōn onychōn tas pleuras etarachthēsan ho, desmōn tōn dia sidērou ēneschonto, kai desmōtēriōn ēnenchan schoteina chatagōgia" epiesthē tan de limǭ, kai dipsei: katexēranthēsan " parethēchan de ē "d lithous ta prosōpa tois rhapizousin " ēchousan «tōn hyOdreōn hōs kōphoi" esiōpēsan pros tous oneidizontas kai loidoroumenous hōs alaloi" dēmois kai amphodois en hologymnois tois sōmasin" ouch andres monon, alla kai gynaiches, to schetliōtaton. Alloi “poichilois tropois tas aristeias hēmin chatemerisanto, Dia touto ta eusedę̄ sōmata semnōs peristeilantes, ta skeuē tēs echlogēs, ta tōn machariōn psychōn organa, tas oikias tōn philosophōn enoichōn, phrouroumen de autois hōs hēmeterois pleonechtēmasin, … hoplitais gennaiois, kai pandēmoi panēgyreis athroizontai, kai tēs thymēdeias tōn heortōn apolauomen.
Homily 10. Encomium on the holy martyrs. There is, it seems, [some benefit] even from bitter enemies …; both the rest of life's experience and what is being celebrated now show this. For if the devil had not persecuted Christians and raised war against the Church, we would not have martyrs; and if there were no martyrs, our life would be gloomy and without feasts. For what is worth as much as these festivals? What is so solemn and fine as to see a whole city, with every household, going out of the town … a holy place, pure mysteries? And true godliness is to venerate and honour those who for his sake steadfastly bore sufferings and stood in battle line against the last danger, death. Their leaders and chiefs are the ones who have drawn us together today: men of life, living for ever, who exchanged their blood for the kingdom, and proved that the treacherous flesh could be the benefactor of the soul. So it is with a good choice: when it stands over a man like a charioteer, yokes to itself all his impulses and movements, and holds his thoughts attentively like reins, goading idleness and checking immoderate eagerness, the course of his life cannot become disorderly or dangerous. … We have the martyrs, then, not only as teachers of a good life, but also as accusers of sin. Hear how a martyr can become an accuser. If he conquered the flame of fire by endurance, how is it that you do not subdue sexual immorality by self-control? If the martyr had no pity for the wealth and money he gave up, why do you not despise a little silver for the sake of justice? If the martyr did not prefer his family to God, but was parted from wife, children and those dearest to him, how is it that you do not chastise your attachment, but for the sake of persons, perhaps related to you, leap over justice and disregard the fear of God? If the martyr stripped off his body for God's sake, how is it that you do not part with one little tunic to cover the naked? Set side by side, these things convict our perversity. Let us, then, either respect the saints as teachers or fear them as accusers; … and let us too obey God as the saints obeyed his commandments and [believed] his promises. For the hope of spiritual goods is a very good teacher of courage and endurance: lying in the thoughts as a trustworthy pledge and a secure earnest, it bids us look on every danger undaunted and bear it nobly when it comes; and this follows naturally. For by nature we humans are inclined to grow soft and slack …, but, on the contrary, to lay hold of those labours whose end is prizes and honours. That is why all the martyrs attended to the word of the Gospel in which the Lord, exhorting his sacred and God-loving athletes, says: “If anyone confesses me before men, I will confess him before my Father.” For this confession they bore the sharpened iron with unmoved thoughts, mounted the pyres, gave their bodies over to the mouths of beasts, each set his back under the whips, and had their sides torn by the points of the claws; they endured bonds of iron and bore the dark lodgings of prisons; they were pressed by hunger and dried up by thirst; they set their faces like stones before those who struck them; they heard insults as though deaf; they kept silent like the dumb before those who reproached and reviled them; … through peoples and streets with completely naked bodies; and not men only, but women too, which is most grievous of all. Others distributed their valiant deeds among us in various ways. For this reason we wrap the godly bodies reverently, the vessels of election, the instruments of the blessed souls, the houses of philosophic indwellers, and we guard them … as our own advantages …, as noble hoplites; public festivals are gathered, and we enjoy the gladness of the feasts.
Matt 10:32 (quotation, high confidence) · Heb 11:34–37 (echo, medium confidence) · Isa 50:6–7 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 38:13–14 (37:14-Ps LXX) (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 9:15 (allusion, medium confidence) · Matt 25:36 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Asterius says the devil's persecution gave the Church its martyrs and their feasts, presents the martyrs as teachers and accusers of our sins, and lists the torments they endured for confessing Christ.
- Asterius calls it true godliness “to venerate and honour” the martyrs (προσκυνεῖν τε καὶ τιμᾶν), and describes the reverent burial and guarding of their bodies, translated exactly as written; in 10.3 he distinguishes this honour from worship. Leaked Latin was removed by logged corrections; lost words are marked “…”. References: Matt 10:32; Isa 50:6–7; Ps 38:13–14 (LXX 37:14–15); Acts 9:15; 2 Cor 4:7; Matt 25:36.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (leaked fragment of Migne's Latin column; Greek lost): ληϑ πο ηἀ τηΔρ]8ι} δἰηΐ, δὰ αυἱ οἰΐδην Τυπὶ ἃ ροσυπίαγυ, 4085 αἰπι (6 θαϊ, Γαι οη θην 118 - → … ; [ἀδγυηὶ σοπ!θιι5ιῖ!, Δ} Πἰ εἴ 5. σοὶι οὐ γ σιιθγιηι, νὰ → … .
Topics: Martyrdom, Persecution
Cite (SBL): Asterius, Hom. 10.1 (PG 40:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/10-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/10-1
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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.
10.2PG 40:419
Οἱὃὲ ταῖς ἀνθρωπιχαῖς περιστάσεσιν ἣ συμφοραῖς “πιεζόμενοι, ὡς ἐπί τι χρησφύγετον τὰς ἀναπαύσεις τοὺς τῶν εὐχῶν καὶ αἰτημάτων, διὰ τὸ ὑπερδάλλον πῆς παῤῥησίας, ποιοῦμεν. Ἐντεῦθεν πενίαι λύονται, ζονται - πασῶν δὲ τῶν ταραχῶν καὶ χειμώνων τοῦ βίου λιμένες εἰσὶν εὔδιοι, οἱ ἱεροὶ τῶν μαρτύρων. Οὕτως πατὴρ, ἣ μήτηρ ἀραμένη τὸν ἄῤῥωστον παῖδα, καὶ περιστείλασα ταῖς ἀγχάλαις, παρατρέχει μὲν ἰατρεῖα καὶ ἱατροὺς, ἐπὶ δὲ ἄτεχνον καταφεύγει Ὁ βοήθειαν" καὶ πρὸς ἕνα τῶν μαρτύρων ἐλθοῦσα, δι᾽ ἐχείνου τῷ Δεσπότῃ προσάγει τὴν αἴτησιν, τοιαύταις χεχρημένη πρὸς τὸν μεσίτην φωναῖς " ε« Παθὼν διὰ Χριστὸν, πρέσδευσον ὑπὲρ πάλους καὶ νόσου. Ἔχων παῤῥησίαν, χρῆσον λόγον τοῖς ὁμοδούλοις. Εἰ καὶ τὸν ἡμέτερον βίον ἀπέλιπες, ἀλλὰ γοῦν οἷδας τὰ πάθη τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος " παρεχάλεσας καὶ σύ ποτε μάρτυρας πρὶν γενέσθαι μάρτυς. Τότε ζητῶν ἑλάμθανες, νῦν ἔχων χάρισαι. Εἷς τὸ γέρας τὸ σὸν, αἴτησον τὸ χέρδος ἡμῖν. Ἰαθείημεν τῷ σῷ μώλωπι, ὡς τῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὁ χόσμος. » Αλλος ἐπὶ γάμον σπεύδων, προοίμιον ποιεῖται τῶν θαλάμων τὴν ἐν μαρτυρίοις … τῆς νεὼς λύει τὰ πείσματα, πρὶν ἂν τὸν τῆς θαλάσ-.οης Δεσπότην διὰ τῶν μαρτύρων ἐπιχαλέσηται", πτωχῶν δὲ φυλαὶ καὶ πενήτων ἑσμοὶ χοινὴν ἑστίαν χέχτηνται τὴν τῶν μαρτύρων ἀνάπαυσιν " ἄδονται δὲ πανταχοῦ γῆς καὶ θαλάττης οἱ μάρτυρες. Εἰχότως, καὶ πρὸς ἀξίαν. Οὐ γὰρ, ὡς πολλοὶ, τὴν διχαιοσύνην χατώρθωσαν αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ σώματι τὸν σταυρὸν ἐδά-στασαν" οὐ χρήματα ἑσχόρπισαν, ἀλλ᾽ αἷμα ἐξἔχεον " οὐ πένητα οἴχτειραν, ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς οὐχ ἡλέησαν" οὐχ ἐν δεσμωτηρίῳ τὸν χεχαχωμένον ἐψαντο, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτοὶ τὰς ἁλύσεις ἐφόρεσαν. Διὰ τοῦτο τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ τῆς χαχώσεως ἀντίῤῥοπον τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν τιμὴν ἐχαρπώσαντο. Οἱ μὲν οὖν μάρτυρες οὕτω " οἱ δὲ τούτων τύραννοι καὶ φονεῖς ποῦ, οὗ τὰ ὑψηλὰ φρονήσαντες, καὶ τὰ ὑπερήφανα ἀπειλήσαντες, οἱ ἐπὶ θρόνων μετεώρων χαθήμενοι, καὶ τὸν ἑαυτῶν ἄρχοντα μὴ γνωρίσαντες : Ἐθδρυχήῆσαντο ὑπὲρ τοὺς λέοντας, ἔδραμον ὑπὲρ τὰς παρδάλεις, ἑσπάραξαν ὑπὲρ τὰς ἄρχτους, ἐξέχεαν αἴματα χατὰ τοὺς λύχους, ἐχαχούργησαν ὡς αἱ ἀλώπεχες. Κεῖνται τῶν ὄντων νεχρῶν μυσαρώτεροι, λήθῃ ἐχάλυψαν τὴν ζωὴν αὐτῶν " ἔχουσι δὲ τάφον τὸν ἄδην, καὶ στήλην τὴν ἀσέθδειαν, καὶ μνήμην τὴν ἀτιμίαν" μετανοοῦσιν ἀνόνητα, στένουσιν ἄπραχτα. Τοὺς δὲ παρὰ τούτων αἰκισθέντας διεδέξατο μνήμη ἄληχτος, ἀγήρως ἔπαινος. Τὰ γὰρ διηγήματα καὶ τὰς τιμὰς οἱ μεθηλιχέστεροι παρὰ τῶν πρεσδυτέρων ὑποδεχόμενοι, καὶ πάππος ἐγγόνῳ, ἢ πατὴρ παιδὶ παραδιδόντες τὴν εἰς αὐτοὺς θεραπείαν, ἀθάνατον ποιοῦσι τὸν ἔπαινον’ καὶ ὥσπερ τινὰ χληρονομίαν ἄσυλον τὰς ἑορτὰς ταύτας ἐν διαδοχαῖς σώζει ὁ βίος, ἣ μᾶλλον καὶ χληρονομίας τιμιώτατον δ χρῆμα. Κληρονομίας μὲν γὰρ τὰ χαλὰ, ἣ λῃστὴς ἀφείλετο, ἣ πολέμιος λάφυρον ἕλαδεν, ἣ περίστασις πραγμάτῶν ἔχένωσεν “ ἁγίων δὲ ἀνδρῶν ἑορτὴν οὐδεὶς ἐχχόψει ἐνιαυτὸς, μέχρις ἂν ὦσιν ἐνιαυτοὶ, καὶ χρόνος ποέχει, οὐρανὸς ἔχῃ τὸν ἥλιον, καὶ γῆ βόσχει τὰ ἴδια ξῶα, καὶ θάλασσα τὰ ἐξαίρετα. Τὸ δὲ ἀληθὲς εἰπεῖν, καὶ τῶν στοιχείων παυσαμένων τούτων, χἄν τισι δοχεῖ, μαρτύρων καὶ δικαίων οὐ σδεσθήσεται δόξα, οὐδὲ συναποθνήξει τῇ δημιουργίᾳ τὰ χατ᾽ ἐχείνους " τον ζωὴν μεταχοσμηθείσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος. Ἔξεστιν δὲ τοῖς ἀπίστοις, καὶ περὶ τῆς μελλούσης ἐλπίδος ἡμῶν ἀμφιδάλλουσιν, ἀπὸ τῶν ἐν τῷδε τῷ βίῳ πραττομένων, τῆς ἀγαθῆς προσδοχίας ἡμῶν λαθεῖν βέθαια τὰ ἐνέχυρα. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ πεπλήρωται παρὰ τῆς οἰχουμένης χύχλος τῶν ἀθλητῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ πᾶς τόπος ἔχει τῶν ἁγίων τὴν μνήμην᾽ πάντες δὲ χαιροὶ χρείττονα τῶν ἀπὸ γῆς δώρων καὶ βλαστημάτων, τὰ τῶν ἀγωνιστῶν τοῖς ἑορτάζουσι χαρίζονται διηγήματα, Ὥς εἴ τις ἦν σπουδαῖος τῶν μαρτύρων φίλος͵, ἔθετο δὲ φροντίδα τοῖς τῶν ὅλων πανηγυρίζειν πάθεσιν, οὐχ ἂν ἡμέραν παρῆλθεν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἀνέορτον. Πᾶσαι γὰρ ἔχουσι χρείττονα τοῦ ἡλιαχοῦ χύχλου χόσμον, τὰ τῶν γενναίων ἀνδραγαθήματα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ τοῖς χαλοῖζς σφοδρὸν πρὸς τὸ μυστήριον Χριστιανῶν ἐπηρίσατο, πάντας δὲ πάσσων τῇ χόνει, τοῖς ἰδίοις φρονήμασι χωννύειν ἐσπούδαζεν, καὶ μάτην ἐνασχολεῖν τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασι τοῦ πηλοῦ " ἀρίστων ἀνδρῶν πλῆθος ὁ Θεὸς ἀλείψας τοῖς παραγγέλμασι, καὶ παιδοτριδήσας πρὸς καρτερίαν καὶ δύναμιν, ἀντέστησεν τῷ ἀναιδεΐ καὶ ἐπιδούλῳ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος. Οὗτοι δὲ χαινὸν ἐγωνίσαντο, καὶ οὐ τὸν συνήθη ἀγῶνα. Οὐ γὰρ τύπτοντὲες ἣ ῥηγνύντες ἐχράτησαν “ ἀλλὰ πάσχοντες Καὶ ποῖον, ἐρεῖς, ὁ ἀχροατὴς, χράτος πολέμου;
Hoioe tais anthrōpichais peristasesin hē symphorais “piezomenoi, hōs epi ti chrēsphygeton tas anapauseis tous tōn euchōn kai aitēmatōn, dia to hyperdallon pēs parrhēsias, poioumen. Enteuthen peniai lyontai, zontai - pasōn de tōn tarachōn kai cheimōnōn tou biou limenes eisin eudioi, hoi hieroi tōn martyrōn. Houtōs patēr, hē mētēr aramenē ton arrhōston paida, kai peristeilasa tais anchalais, paratrechei men iatreia kai hiatrous, epi de atechnon katapheugei Ho boētheian" kai pros hena tōn martyrōn elthousa, di᾽ echeinou tǭ Despotę̄ prosagei tēn aitēsin, toiautais chechrēmenē pros ton mesitēn phōnais " e« Pathōn dia Christon, presdeuson hyper palous kai nosou. Echōn parrhēsian, chrēson logon tois homodoulois. Ei kai ton hēmeteron bion apelipes, alla goun hoidas ta pathē tēs anthrōpotētos " parechalesas kai sy pote martyras prin genesthai martys. Tote zētōn helamthanes, nyn echōn charisai. Heis to geras to son, aitēson to cherdos hēmin. Iatheiēmen tǭ sǭ mōlōpi, hōs tǭ tou Christou ho chosmos. » Allos epi gamon speudōn, prooimion poieitai tōn thalamōn tēn en martyriois … tēs neōs lyei ta peismata, prin an ton tēs thalas-.oēs Despotēn dia tōn martyrōn epichalesētai", ptōchōn de phylai kai penētōn hesmoi choinēn hestian chechtēntai tēn tōn martyrōn anapausin " adontai de pantachou gēs kai thalattēs hoi martyres. Eichotōs, kai pros axian. Ou gar, hōs polloi, tēn dichaiosynēn chatōrthōsan autǭ de tǭ sōmati ton stauron eda-stasan" ou chrēmata heschorpisan, all᾽ haima execheon " ou penēta oichteiran, all᾽ heautous ouch hēleēsan" ouch en desmōtēriǭ ton chechachōmenon epsanto, all᾽ autoi tas halyseis ephoresan. Dia touto tēs hypomonēs kai tēs chachōseōs antirrhopon tēn doxan kai tēn timēn echarpōsanto. Hoi men oun martyres houtō " hoi de toutōn tyrannoi kai phoneis pou, hou ta hypsēla phronēsantes, kai ta hyperēphana apeilēsantes, hoi epi thronōn meteōrōn chathēmenoi, kai ton heautōn archonta mē gnōrisantes : Ethdrychēēsanto hyper tous leontas, edramon hyper tas pardaleis, hesparaxan hyper tas archtous, exechean aimata chata tous lychous, echachourgēsan hōs hai alōpeches. Keintai tōn ontōn nechrōn mysarōteroi, lēthę̄ echalypsan tēn zōēn autōn " echousi de taphon ton adēn, kai stēlēn tēn asethdeian, kai mnēmēn tēn atimian" metanoousin anonēta, stenousin aprachta. Tous de para toutōn aikisthentas diedexato mnēmē alēchtos, agērōs epainos. Ta gar diēgēmata kai tas timas hoi methēlichesteroi para tōn presdyterōn hypodechomenoi, kai pappos engonǭ, ē patēr paidi paradidontes tēn eis autous therapeian, athanaton poiousi ton epainon’ kai hōsper tina chlēronomian asylon tas heortas tautas en diadochais sōzei ho bios, hē mallon kai chlēronomias timiōtaton d chrēma. Klēronomias men gar ta chala, hē lę̄stēs apheileto, hē polemios laphyron heladen, hē peristasis pragmatōn echenōsen “ hagiōn de andrōn heortēn oudeis echchopsei eniautos, mechris an ōsin eniautoi, kai chronos poechei, ouranos echę̄ ton hēlion, kai gē boschei ta idia xōa, kai thalassa ta exaireta. To de alēthes eipein, kai tōn stoicheiōn pausamenōn toutōn, chan tisi dochei, martyrōn kai dikaiōn ou sdesthēsetai doxa, oude synapothnēxei tę̄ dēmiourgią ta chat᾽ echeinous " ton zōēn metachosmētheisēs tēs anthrōpotētos. Exestin de tois apistois, kai peri tēs mellousēs elpidos hēmōn amphidallousin, apo tōn en tǭde tǭ biǭ prattomenōn, tēs agathēs prosdochias hēmōn lathein bethaia ta enechyra. Idou gar peplērōtai para tēs oichoumenēs chychlos tōn athlētōn tou Christou, kai pas topos echei tōn hagiōn tēn mnēmēn᾽ pantes de chairoi chreittona tōn apo gēs dōrōn kai blastēmatōn, ta tōn agōnistōn tois heortazousi charizontai diēgēmata, Hōs ei tis ēn spoudaios tōn martyrōn philos͵, etheto de phrontida tois tōn holōn panēgyrizein pathesin, ouch an hēmeran parēlthen tou eniautou aneorton. Pasai gar echousi chreittona tou hēliachou chychlou chosmon, ta tōn gennaiōn andragathēmata. Epeidē gar ho tois chaloizs sphodron pros to mystērion Christianōn epērisato, pantas de passōn tę̄ chonei, tois idiois phronēmasi chōnnyein espoudazen, kai matēn enascholein tois epitēdeumasi tou pēlou " aristōn andrōn plēthos ho Theos aleipsas tois parangelmasi, kai paidotridēsas pros karterian kai dynamin, antestēsen tǭ anaideï kai epidoulǭ tēs anthrōpotētos. Houtoi de chainon egōnisanto, kai ou ton synēthē agōna. Ou gar typtontees hē rhēgnyntes echratēsan “ alla paschontes Kai poion, ereis, ho achroatēs, chratos polemou?
And we who are hard pressed by human circumstances or misfortunes make the resting places [of the martyrs] a kind of refuge for our prayers and petitions, because of their surpassing boldness [before God]. From there poverty is relieved, … ; the sacred [shrines] of the martyrs are calm harbours from all the troubles and storms of life. So a father, or a mother, taking up a sick child and wrapping it in her arms, runs past the clinics and the physicians and flees for refuge to help that needs no art; and coming to one of the martyrs, she brings her petition to the Master through him, using such words to the mediator as these: “You who suffered for Christ, intercede for suffering and disease. You have boldness: lend a word to your fellow servants. Even though you have left our life, you still know the sufferings of humanity; you too once called on martyrs before you became a martyr. Then you asked and received; now that you have, give. In return for your reward, ask a gain for us. May we be healed by your bruise, as the world was by Christ's.” Another, hastening to his wedding, makes [prayer] in the martyrs' shrines the prelude to the bridal chamber … [no sailor] loosens the ship's cables before he has called on the Master of the sea through the martyrs; tribes of the poor and swarms of the needy have the resting place of the martyrs as a common hearth; and the martyrs are sung of everywhere on land and sea. Fittingly and deservedly. For they did not practise righteousness as many do; they carried the cross with their very bodies. They did not scatter money; they poured out blood. They did not pity a poor man; they did not spare themselves. They did not visit the afflicted in prison; they wore the chains themselves. That is why they reaped glory and honour equal to their endurance and affliction. So it is with the martyrs. But where are their tyrants and murderers, who thought high things and made arrogant threats, who sat on lofty thrones and did not know their own Ruler? They roared beyond lions, ran beyond leopards, tore beyond bears, shed blood like wolves, did mischief like foxes. They lie more loathsome than the dead that are; they have covered their life with oblivion; they have Hades as their tomb, impiety as their monument, and dishonour as their memory; they repent to no purpose and groan in vain. But those whom they tortured have been granted unceasing memory and ageless praise. The younger receive the stories and the honours from the elders, grandfather handing on to grandson, or father to son, the service paid to the martyrs, and so they make the praise immortal; and life keeps these feasts in succession like an inviolable inheritance, or rather like something more precious than an inheritance. For the goods of an inheritance a robber has taken away, or an enemy has taken as spoil, or a turn of affairs has emptied; but no year will ever cut off the feast of holy men, as long as there are years and time runs on, as long as heaven has the sun, and the earth feeds its own creatures, and the sea its special ones. To tell the truth, even when these elements cease, if some think they will, the glory of the martyrs and the righteous will not be quenched, nor will what belongs to them die with creation; … life, humanity having been transformed. Unbelievers, and those who doubt our hope of what is to come, can take firm pledges of our good expectation from what is done in this life. For behold, the circle of the world has been filled with the athletes of Christ, and every place holds the memory of the saints; and all the seasons give to those who keep feast the stories of the contestants, better than the gifts and growths of the earth. So if someone were a zealous friend of the martyrs and took care to celebrate the sufferings of them all, he would not pass a day of the year without a feast. For all the days have an adornment better than the circle of the sun: the valiant deeds of the noble. For since the enemy of good things waged fierce war against the mystery of Christians, and, sprinkling everyone with dust, strove to bury them with his own way of thinking and to busy them vainly with the pursuits of clay, God anointed a multitude of excellent men with his commands, trained them for endurance and strength, and set them against the shameless plotter against humanity. They fought a new contest, not the usual one. For they did not conquer by striking or breaking, but by suffering. “And what kind of victory in war is this,” you will say, my hearer,
Isa 53:5 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Pet 2:24 (echo, medium confidence) · Matt 25:36 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 89:36–37 (88:37-Ps LXX) (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Asterius describes Christians bringing their troubles, sick children, weddings and voyages to the martyrs' shrines as intercessors, contrasts the martyrs' lasting honour with the oblivion of their persecutors, and says every day of the year has its martyrs.
- Asterius describes prayers addressed to the martyrs as mediators who intercede with the Master (“You who suffered for Christ, intercede…”), translated exactly as written. Leaked Latin was removed by logged corrections; lost words are marked “…”. References: Isa 53:5; 1 Pet 2:24; Matt 25:36; Ps 22:13 (LXX 21:14).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (leaked fragment of Migne's Latin column; Greek lost; leaked variant note; stray margin letter): «υδιηάδπηι ᾿μΓο θην, 8866 βϑου 9 αἰ για. 68 → … ; "0 ἴσ, τιμιώτερον. → ; ὅλων Α πανηγυρίζειν → ὅλων πανηγυρίζειν.
Topics: Martyrdom, Prayer, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Asterius, Hom. 10.2 (PG 40:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/10-2). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/10-2
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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.
10.3PG 40:420
τίς ὃὲ εὐδοχίμησις αὕτη, τὸ στρεθλωθῆναι καὶ μαστιχθῆναι, καὶ πρός γε διὰ πυρὸς, ἣ ξίφους, ἣ χαχώσεως δεσμωτηρίων χαταλῦσαι τὸν βίον; ᾿Αλλὰ μάθε, ὡς οἱ ὑπὲρ εὐσεδείας πόλεμοι, ἀπεναντίου χατορθοῦνται τῶν ἄλλων. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐν τῷ φονεῦσαι τὴν ἀριστείαν ἔχουσι " οἱ δὲ, διὰ τοῦ παθεῖν καὶ πεσεῖν ἐνεργοῦνται τὴν νίχην. Παῤῥησία δὲ δικαίων ᾿ ἐχτελεῖ τὰς ὑπὲρ τοῦ χόσμου πρεσθείας " καὶ ἔλαθεν ὁ ἐχθρὸς τοῖς ἐναντίοις περιπεσὼν, ἣ ἐδούλετο. Ὅσους γὰρ ἔσφαξεν μαρτυρήσαντας, τοσούτους ἀνθρώπων βοηθοὺς παρεσχεύασεν. Καὶ ἐπὶ πάσης δὲ πράξεως τοῦτο πάσχων εὑρίσχεται " ὅθεν ἐμποδίζειν πὴν αὔξησιν. Τῷ γὰρ μωρῷ καὶ ἄφρονι, εἰς τοὐνανπίον ὁ σοφὸς Θεὸς περιίστησι τὰ βουλεύματα. Καὶ ἔουτο τοῖς πράγμασιν ἑχάστου χαιροῦ παραχολουθοῦντες εὑρίσχομεν, τὴν ἔχθεσιν τοῦ Μωῦσέως, τὴν πράσιν τοῦ Ἰωσήφ. Εὐθὺς ἐν ἀρχῇ τὸν δεύτερον ἄνθρωπὸν τὸν “Αδελ ἐφόνευσεν, ἵνα τῶν εὐσεδῶν ἐχχόψῃ τὸ σπέρμα, καὶ τοὔμπαλιν ἐγένετο. "Ἔχτοτε γὰρ ἀνδροφόνοι μισοῦνται σφοδρῶς, ἐξ οὗ Κάϊν παρὰ «οὔ Θεοῦ χατηράθη. Τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅτι ἐνήργησεν εἰς Ἰουδαίους ὁ Σατανᾶς, ἵνα σταυρώσωσιν αὐτόν. Τὸ αὑτὸ δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς μάρτυσι πέπονθεν, ὧν χααὑτῶν τὸ ἀξίωμα. Οὐχ ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν; οὐχ ἐδαπανήθη τὸ σῶμα; οὐχ ἐν ὀλίγοις λειψάνοις, καὶ τούτοις ἐγχεχωσμένοις, αὐτῶν ἡ μνήμη; Μάλιστα δὴ καῦτα Ἕλληνες καὶ Εὐνομιανοί φασιν" εἴπωμεν δὲ “«ρὸς ἀμφοτέρους. Ἡμεῖς μάρτυρας οὐ προσχυνοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ τιμῶμεν, ὡς γνησίους προσχυνητὰς Θεοῦ" οὗ σέδομεν ἀνθρώπους, θαυμάζομεν δὲ τοὺς ἐν χαιρῷ πειρασμῶν χαλῶς σεθασθέντας Θεῷ. Ἐν θήχαις φιλοχάλοις ἀποτιθέμεθα, καὶ οἴχους τῆς ἀναπαύσεως ἐγείρομεν, πἃς τῶν χαλῶς τελευτησάντων τιμάς " οὐχ ἄμισθον δὲ τὴν εἰς αὐτοὺς σπουδὴν ἐπιδειχνύμεθα, ἀλλὰ τῆς προστασίας αὑτῶν τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν ἀπολαύομεν … Θεὸν ἐν καιρῷ ἀνάγχης καὶ συμφορᾶς (ἡ γὰρ δέησις ἡμῶν οὐ παράχλησίς ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ ἀμαρτημάτων ὑπόμνησις), διὰ τοῦτο τοῖς ἀγαπωμένοις παρὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου ὁμοδούλοις προσφεύγομεν, ἵνα ἐχεῖνοι ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις χατορθώμασι τὰ ἡμέτερα θεραπεύσωσι μελήματα. Ποῖον οὖν ἔγχλημα, ὅτι τιμῶντες μάρτυρας καὶ αὐτοὶ σπουδάξομεν ἀρέσκειν Θεῷ; τίς χατηγορία προστάταις προσρεύγειν; ᾿Ἐξετάσωμεν λοιπὸν καὶ τὰ σὰ, εἰ τοῦ ἐγχλήματος ὁ χατήγορος καθαρεύεις. Καὶ πῶς, ὅς γε μυρίους τῶν τεθνεώτων ἀνθρώπων οὐ τιμᾷς, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς θεοὺς προσχυνεῖς:; Οὐ σὺ Δήμητραν καὶ Κόρην ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνοίας σαυποῦ ἐθέωσας ἐδείμω δὲ δύο γυναίους ναοὺς, καὶ θυσίαις ταύτας τιμᾷς, καὶ παντοίαις προσχυνεῖς θεραπείαις; Οὐ χεφάλαιον τῆς σῆς θρησχείας τὰ ἐν Ἐλευσῖνι μυστήρια, καὶ δῆμος ᾿Αττιχὸς, καὶ ἡ Ἑλλὰς πᾶσα συναίρει, ἵνα τελέσῃ ματαιότητα; Οὐχ ἐχεῖ τὸ χαταθδάσιον τὸ σχοτεινὸν, καὶ αἱ σεμναὶ τοῦ ἱεροφάντου πρὸς τὴν ἱέρειαν συντυχίαι, μόνου πρὸς μόνην; Οὐχ αἱ λαμπάδες σόέννυνται, καὶ ὁ πολὺς καὶ ἀναρίθμητος δῆμος τὴν σωτηρίαν αὐτῶν εἶναι νομίζουσι τὰ ἐν τῷ σχότῳ παρὰ τῶν δύο πραττόμενα; Οὐ σὺ ὁ τὸν Θηδαῖον Διόνυσον ὡς θεὸν προσχυνῶν (λέγω γὰρ τὴν πατρίδα, ἵνα γνωρίσῃς τὸν ἄνθρωπον), ἄνδρα γεωργὸν ἀμπέλων καὶ φίλοινον, χωμαστὴν πάροινῦν, δήμον ἐπισυρόμενον ἀσχημονοῦντα τῇ μέθῃ, λασταίνοντας, μεθύοντα δὲ μετὰ τοῦ γέροντος τοῦ τώμενον, καὶ ἱστορίαν μέθης ὄντα τῷ βίῳ; Οὐ σὺ ὁ τῷ ἀνδρὶ Ἡρακλεῖ, ὡς θεῷ, τὰς θυσίας προσάγων, ἀνθρώπῳ ῥωμαλαίῳ, σῶμα λαχόντι δυνατὸν καὶ ἀνδρεῖον, καὶ σέδεις ἐχεῖνον, ἐπειδὴ ἐν πολλοῖς ἡρίστεν σεν, καὶ θηρίων περιεγένετο; Τί δὲ πάλιν τὸν ᾿Ασχληπιὸν τὸν ἐν τῷ νάρθηχι πολλὰ καὶ τῇ σιδηροθήχῃ περινοστήσαντα, οὐ σέδεις καὶ τέθηπας;᾿ Καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἀρνηθείης, ὡς οὐ τοῦτο ποιεῖς, Οἱ γὰρ πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰχουμένης ναοὶ, τὰ ᾿Ασχληπιεῖα λέγω, καὶ τὰ Ἡρά-χλεια, καὶ τὰ Διονύσια ἔλεγχοι ἑστᾶσιν τῆς σῆς ματαιότητος " καὶ οὕτως ἐγὼ μὲν ἀθῶος ἀπελεύσομαι τοῦ ἐγχλήματος (οὐ γὰρ προσχυνὼ μάρτυρας, οὐδὲ νομίζω θεούς) σὺ δὲ πέφηνας ἐνεχόμενος τοῖς ἐγχλήμᾶσιν, καὶ ταῦτα χατηγορῶν ἑτέρων ὥσπερ οἱ διὰ ᾿Ανθρώπους γὰρ, οὐ θεοὺς προσχυνῶν ἀποδέδειξαι.
tis hoe eudochimēsis hautē, to strethlōthēnai kai mastichthēnai, kai pros ge dia pyros, hē xiphous, hē chachōseōs desmōtēriōn chatalysai ton bion? ᾿Alla mathe, hōs hoi hyper eusedeias polemoi, apenantiou chatorthountai tōn allōn. Hoi men gar en tǭ phoneusai tēn aristeian echousi " hoi de, dia tou pathein kai pesein energountai tēn nichēn. Parrhēsia de dikaiōn ᾿ echtelei tas hyper tou chosmou prestheias " kai elathen ho echthros tois enantiois peripesōn, hē edouleto. Hosous gar esphaxen martyrēsantas, tosoutous anthrōpōn boēthous parescheuasen. Kai epi pasēs de praxeōs touto paschōn heurischetai " hothen empodizein pēn auxēsin. Tǭ gar mōrǭ kai aphroni, eis tounanpion ho sophos Theos periistēsi ta bouleumata. Kai eouto tois pragmasin hechastou chairou paracholouthountes heurischomen, tēn echthesin tou Mōyseōs, tēn prasin tou Iōsēph. Euthys en archę̄ ton deuteron anthrōpon ton “Adel ephoneusen, hina tōn eusedōn echchopsę̄ to sperma, kai toumpalin egeneto. "Echtote gar androphonoi misountai sphodrōs, ex hou Kaïn para «ou Theou chatērathē. To tou Christou, hoti enērgēsen eis Ioudaious ho Satanas, hina staurōsōsin auton. To hauto dē kai epi tois martysi peponthen, hōn chaautōn to axiōma. Ouch anthrōpos estin? ouch edapanēthē to sōma? ouch en oligois leipsanois, kai toutois enchechōsmenois, autōn hē mnēmē? Malista dē kauta Hellēnes kai Eunomianoi phasin" eipōmen de “«ros amphoterous. Hēmeis martyras ou proschynoumen, alla timōmen, hōs gnēsious proschynētas Theou" hou sedomen anthrōpous, thaumazomen de tous en chairǭ peirasmōn chalōs sethasthentas Theǭ. En thēchais philochalois apotithemetha, kai oichous tēs anapauseōs egeiromen, pas tōn chalōs teleutēsantōn timas " ouch amisthon de tēn eis autous spoudēn epideichnymetha, alla tēs prostasias hautōn tēs pros Theon apolauomen … Theon en kairǭ ananchēs kai symphoras (hē gar deēsis hēmōn ou parachlēsis estin, alla amartēmatōn hypomnēsis), dia touto tois agapōmenois para tou Despotou homodoulois prospheugomen, hina echeinoi en tois idiois chatorthōmasi ta hēmetera therapeusōsi melēmata. Poion oun enchlēma, hoti timōntes martyras kai autoi spoudaxomen areskein Theǭ? tis chatēgoria prostatais prosreugein? ᾿Exetasōmen loipon kai ta sa, ei tou enchlēmatos ho chatēgoros kathareueis. Kai pōs, hos ge myrious tōn tethneōtōn anthrōpōn ou timąs, all᾽ hōs theous proschyneis:? Ou sy Dēmētran kai Korēn hypo tēs anoias saupou etheōsas edeimō de dyo gynaious naous, kai thysiais tautas timąs, kai pantoiais proschyneis therapeiais? Ou chephalaion tēs sēs thrēscheias ta en Eleusini mystēria, kai dēmos ᾿Attichos, kai hē Hellas pasa synairei, hina telesę̄ mataiotēta? Ouch echei to chatathdasion to schoteinon, kai hai semnai tou hierophantou pros tēn hiereian syntychiai, monou pros monēn? Ouch hai lampades soennyntai, kai ho polys kai anarithmētos dēmos tēn sōtērian autōn einai nomizousi ta en tǭ schotǭ para tōn dyo prattomena? Ou sy ho ton Thēdaion Dionyson hōs theon proschynōn (legō gar tēn patrida, hina gnōrisę̄s ton anthrōpon), andra geōrgon ampelōn kai philoinon, chōmastēn paroinyn, dēmon episyromenon aschēmonounta tę̄ methę̄, lastainontas, methyonta de meta tou gerontos tou tōmenon, kai historian methēs onta tǭ biǭ? Ou sy ho tǭ andri Hēraklei, hōs theǭ, tas thysias prosagōn, anthrōpǭ rhōmalaiǭ, sōma lachonti dynaton kai andreion, kai sedeis echeinon, epeidē en pollois hēristen sen, kai thēriōn periegeneto? Ti de palin ton ᾿Aschlēpion ton en tǭ narthēchi polla kai tę̄ sidērothēchę̄ perinostēsanta, ou sedeis kai tethēpas?᾿ Kai ouk an arnētheiēs, hōs ou touto poieis, Hoi gar pantachou tēs oichoumenēs naoi, ta ᾿Aschlēpieia legō, kai ta Hēra-chleia, kai ta Dionysia elenchoi hestasin tēs sēs mataiotētos " kai houtōs egō men athōos apeleusomai tou enchlēmatos (ou gar proschynō martyras, oude nomizō theous) sy de pephēnas enechomenos tois enchlēmasin, kai tauta chatēgorōn heterōn hōsper hoi dia ᾿Anthrōpous gar, ou theous proschynōn apodedeixai.
“and what good repute is this, to be racked and scourged, and even to end one's life by fire or sword or the affliction of prisons?” But learn that the wars for godliness are won in the opposite way to all others. In the others, prowess lies in killing; these win their victory by suffering and falling. The boldness of the righteous carries out the intercessions for the world; and the enemy, without knowing it, fell into the opposite of what he wished. For as many as he slew as martyrs, so many helpers of men he provided. In every undertaking he is found suffering the same; … to hinder the growth. For the wise God turns the plans of the foolish and senseless round to the opposite. We find this by following the events of each age: the exposure of Moses, the sale of Joseph. Right at the beginning he murdered the second man, Abel, to cut off the seed of the godly, and the opposite happened; for from then on murderers have been fiercely hated, ever since Cain was cursed by God. So with Christ: Satan worked in the Jews to crucify him. He has suffered the same with the martyrs too, … their dignity. “Is he not a man? Was his body not consumed? Is not their memory in a few relics, and those buried?” Greeks and Eunomians especially say these things; let us answer both. We do not worship martyrs; we honour them as true worshippers of God. We do not revere human beings; we admire those who in the time of trials revered God well. We lay them in beautiful tombs and raise houses of rest for them, [paying] the honours due to those who died well; and we do not show our zeal for them without reward, but enjoy their patronage before God … God in the time of need and misfortune (for our prayer is not an entreaty [that persuades], but a reminder of our sins), and therefore we flee to our fellow servants who are loved by the Master, so that they, by their own good deeds, may heal our troubles. What crime is it, then, that in honouring martyrs we too strive to please God? What is the charge in fleeing to patrons? Let us now examine your own case too, and see whether you, the accuser, are clean of the charge. How could you be, you who do not honour countless dead men but worship them as gods? Did you not in your folly deify Demeter and Kore, build temples to two women, honour them with sacrifices and worship them with every kind of service? Is not the chief point of your religion the mysteries at Eleusis, where the Attic people and all Greece join together to perform vanity? Is not the dark descent there, and the solemn meetings of the hierophant with the priestess, he alone with her alone? Are not the torches put out, and does not the vast, countless crowd think that their salvation lies in what is done in the dark by the two? Do you not worship the Theban Dionysus as a god (I name his homeland so that you may recognize the man): a vine-grower and wine-lover, a drunken reveller, dragging along a crowd disgraced by drunkenness, … getting drunk with the old man …, and his life a history of drunkenness? Do you not offer sacrifices as to a god to the man Heracles, a strong man who was allotted a powerful and manly body, and revere him because he excelled in many things and overcame wild beasts? And again, do you not revere and stand in awe of Asclepius, who went about a great deal with his reed-case and his box of iron instruments? You cannot deny that you do this. For the temples throughout the world, I mean the Asclepieia, the Heracleia and the Dionysia, stand as proofs of your vanity. And so I will go away innocent of the charge (for I do not worship martyrs, nor think them gods); but you have been shown to be liable to the charges, and that while accusing others, like those who … For you have been shown to worship men, not gods.
Gen 50:20 (echo, medium confidence) · Exod 2:3 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 37:28 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 4:8–12 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 22:3 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Asterius explains that the martyrs conquer by suffering and become helpers of mankind, answers pagans and Eunomians that Christians honour but do not worship the martyrs, and turns the charge back on pagans who worship dead men as gods.
- Asterius answers the charge of “Greeks and Eunomians” that Christians worship dead men: “We do not worship martyrs; we honour them as true worshippers of God”, and Christians seek their patronage and intercession before God, translated exactly as written. His account of the Eleusinian mysteries (the dark descent, the meeting of hierophant and priestess) is polemical. A leaked block of Latin was removed by a logged correction; lost words are marked “…”. References: Exod 2:3; Gen 37:28; Gen 4:8–12; John 13:2, 27; Luke 22:3.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (leaked fragment of Migne's Latin column; Greek lost): δῖυ το ἢ 26. ἱηδηο οοπϑὶϊα ἰῃ σοηιγαγίυπι νοῦ, Δυβυπιρὶ! δυηϊ. [π ἰοου} 8 δ. δαρυϊογὶβ ρυ εἶ γ οἰδδ ἢ → … .
Topics: Martyrdom, Heresy, Prayer
Cite (SBL): Asterius, Hom. 10.3 (PG 40:420; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/10-3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/10-3
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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.
10.4PG 40:420
Ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν ἐθνιχὸν ἐχ πολλῶν ὀλίγα. Οἱ ὃΣ τῆς νέας στάσεως Ἰουδαῖοι, τί θαυμαστὸν εἰ μάρτυρας ἀτιμάζετε, Χριστὸν ἀθετοῦντες, καὶ τῆς ὁμοιότητος τῆς πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις λόγοις χωρίζοντες, φυλαττόμενοι δὲ τοὺς τόπους, ὡς βεδήλους, ἐν οἷς σώματα ἅγια ἀναπέπανται; ᾿Αλλ᾽ οἵ μὴ εἰς ἔννοιαν ἔλθετε τοῦ γινομένου, φοδήθητε Χριστιανοὶ λεγόμενοι, μετὰ δὲ Ἑλλήνων μισοῦντες μάρτυρα:. Οὐχ ἴστε, ὡς ἀρχιμάρτυς Χριστὸς, πρῶτος παθὼν, καὶ τοῖς δούλοις τὸν ζῆλον ἀφείς; Εἶτα μετ᾽ Α ᾿ ἐχεῖνον Στέφανος, ὁ φερωνύμως τῆς χατὰ Θεὸν εὐδοξίας ἀγωνιστῆς " πάντες οἱ ἑξῆς μαθηταὶ καὶ ἀπόστολοι. Καὶ ἐπίσχεψαι, διὰ μιᾶς ὕδρεως ὅσους ἀτιμάζεις - Ἰωάννην τὸν Βαπτιστὴν, Ἰάχωδον τὸν λεγόμενον ἀδελφὸν τοῦ Κυρίου, Πέτρον, Παῦλον, θωμᾶν (τούτους ὡς προστάτας ὀνομάζω τῶν μαρτύρων)" ἔπειτα τὸ ἄπειρον πλῆθος τῶν ἀποθανόντων ὑπὲρ τῆς ζωῆς. Μὴ μιχρόν σοι τούτοις προσχρούειν; μὴ ὀλίγος τῆς ἔχθρας ὁ χίνδυνος; Τούτων ἔχαστος τὸν διάδολον μετὰ τῆς φρατρίας τῶν δαιμόνων ἐνίχησεν, ἀγγέλοις δὲ ἐνεγράφη, καὶ τηρεῖται ὡς εὐδόχιμος ἀθλητὴς τῇ ἀναῤῥήσει τῆς ἀναστάσεως " παραστῆσεται δὲ τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, ἀνοΐγων ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ τὸ στόμα, ἐπευφραινόμενος τῇ θέᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων, τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ Θεοῦ μαχαρίζων ἑαυτὸν, τῶν μαστίγῳν, τῶν δεσμῶν, τῶν στρεδλώσεων, τῆς ἐπιχερδοῦς τελευτῆς " ὅτι τῇς ἀτελευτήτου ζωῆς αὐτῷ γεγένηται πρόξενος. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅταν τούτων ἀχούσῃς, οἶδα ἃ φρονεῖς, καὶ λέγεις" Δεχτιχὸς χἀγὼ τῶν ὁμοίων. ᾽ν ζήσω χατ᾽ ἀρετὴν, οὐ χείρων, οὐδ᾽ ἀτιμότερος τῶν νῦν θαυμαζομένων ἔσομαι. Μάλιστα μὲν οὖν, ἀλαζόνος ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα, διχαιοῦντος ἑαυτὸν χατὰ τὸν μεγάλαυχον Φαρισαῖον, καὶ πάσης ταπεινότητος ξένα. Πρόδηλον δὲ, ὡς ὁ μὴ πρότερον ταπεινωθεὶς, εἷς ὕψος οὐχ ἀναὀιίνει. ἀπόφασις γάρ ἔστι Δεσποτιχή. Ἵνα δέ τίς σοι ἐνεχυρίζῃ, ὅτι γενήσῃ τοιοῦτος, οὐ θέλεις, εἶπέ μοι, αἰδεσθῆναι τοὺς τὴν ὁδόν σοι τῆς εὐσεδείας νηντας, τοὺς ὁδηγοὺς τῶν χαλῶν, τοὺς διδασχάλους -ἧς ἀρετῆς, τοὺς παιδεύσαντάς σε χαρτερίαν καὶ θανάτου χαταφρόνησιν; Παρὰ τῶν μαθητῶν τοῦ βίου τούτου εὐγνωμοσύνην διδάχθητι, ὅτι ὅμοιοι γινόμενοι τῶν διδαξάντων, καὶ οὐδὲν τῆς τέχνης ἑλλείποντες, ὅμως τῶν διδασχόντων φιλοῦσι τὰ στήθη, αἰδοῦνται, σιν ὡς πατέρας. Πολλὰ καὶ τελευτήσαντες ἅγιοι δύνανται, καὶ ἀπελθόντες τοῦ βίου εὐεργετοῦσιν ἀνθρώφοὺς" καὶ μάρτυς τῶν λεγομένων ὁ Ἐλισσαῖος, πάλαι μὲν ἀπελθὼν τοῦ βίου καὶ χοιμηθεὶς, ἀθάνατον δὲ καὶ ἀχώριστον τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριν λαδὼν, τῷ χώματι παρεδρεύουσαν καὶ τοῖς ἀψύχοις ὀστέοις. Οἶδας γὰρ, ὁ φιλόπονος τῶν Γραφῶν μαθητῆς, ὅτι νεχρός τις παρὰ τῶν οἰχείων εἰς τὴν ἐχφορὰν χομιζόμενος, λῃστῶν ἀθρόον ἣ πολεμίων χαταλαθόντων, οἷα φιλεῖ τάφῳ τοῦ τρισμαχαρίου προφήτου, ἀθρόον ἐψυχώθη, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ζῶντας ἀνέλυσεν. Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν πρὸς τὸ γενόμενον; Μὴ αἴσθησιν εἶχε τῶν πραττομένων ὁ δίκαιος; μὴ εὐχὴν ἀνέπεμψεν, ὡς ὑπὲρ τοῦ παιδαρίου τῆς Σαμαρίτιδος ""; ᾿Αλλ’ οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον δίδωσιν ἡμῖν ἐννοεῖν ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀλήθεια. : ἔχειτο γὰρ πρὸ πολλῶν τῶν χρόνων ὁ δίχαιος, ἀνααυθέντος τοῦ σώματος πρὸς τὸν συγγενῆ χοῦν καὶ τὴν ᾿ὀμόφυλον χόνιν. Πρόδηλον δὲ χαθέστηχεν, ὡς δοξάξων ὁ θεὸς ἀεὶ καὶ μετὰ τέλος τοὺς ἰδίους ἀνθρώπους, … θαυματουργεῖ τὰ παράδοξχ" ἵνα οἱ ζῶντες ἀεὶ καὶ μεθηλιχέστεροι, ἐνέχυρον ἔχοντες. τῆς ἀρίστης πολιτείας, ἐξανύωσι βίον. Ὡσαύτως καὶ Ἡλίας ὁ τοῦ προφήτου τούτου χαθηγεμὼν, μετὰ τοὺς φλογώδεις ἵππους καὶ τὸ πύρινον ἅρμα ἐν ἄλλῃ βιωτεύων ζωῇ, καὶ ἀπελθὼν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων εἰς τὸν χῶρον ὃν ἔλαχεν, ἱχανὸν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμεως σύμδολον ἀφῆχεν τὴν μηλωτήν. Καίτοι πόσου τινὸς ἀξία ὑπῆρχεν ἐχείνη; οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἄλλο τι, ἣ δέρμα νεχρὸν καὶ φαῦλον ἐκ παλαιότητος. Ὅμως δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἰορδάνης αὐτὴν ὑπεστέλλετο, καὶ δίχα τὸ ὕδωρ ἑτέμνετο, καὶ διαχεχριμένον εἰστήχει, ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ τὸ παλαιὸν, ὃς ἣν τύπος τοῦ μέλλοντος. Παρῆν δὲ καὶ ἀπὼν ὁ Θεσθίτης, καὶ τὸ ἔνδυμα τοῦ φιλοσόφου ἐδεξιοῦτο τὸν μαθητὴν, τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας, καὶ τὰ ἐνδύματα τῶν ἁγίων τιμώσης, ὡς ἔμψυχα. Καὶ ἵνα δειχθῇ χαθαρῶς, ὅτι τὸ περὶ τὸν ποταμὸν θαυματούργημα, οὐ διὰ τὴν αἰτίαν ἐγένετο τοῦ πλήττοντος τὸ ὕδωρ, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν τιμὴν τοῦ οἰχομένου καὶ ἀναληφθέντος " πατάξαντος τὸ ὕδωρ τοῦ Ἐλισσαίου, ἔῤῥει τὸ ὕδωρ συνἦθως, οὐδὲν πεπονθὸς καινόν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀποτυχὼν ἐπεδόησεν, Ποῦ δή ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς Ἡλίου, καὶ βοΐ" σας, ἐκ δευτέρου χαθίχετο, εὐθὺς ὁ ποταμὸς διασχὼν τὸ ῥεῖθρον, γυμνὴν ἔδειξε τὴν ξηρὰν, καὶ πεζεύσας ὁ προφήτης εἰς τὸ πέραν ἀφίχετο.
Tauta pros ton ethnichon ech pollōn oliga. Hoi hoS tēs neas staseōs Ioudaioi, ti thaumaston ei martyras atimazete, Christon athetountes, kai tēs homoiotētos tēs pros ton Patera en tois idiois logois chōrizontes, phylattomenoi de tous topous, hōs bedēlous, en hois sōmata hagia anapepantai? ᾿All᾽ hoi mē eis ennoian elthete tou ginomenou, phodēthēte Christianoi legomenoi, meta de Hellēnōn misountes martyra:. Ouch iste, hōs archimartys Christos, prōtos pathōn, kai tois doulois ton zēlon apheis? Eita met᾽ A ᾿ echeinon Stephanos, ho pherōnymōs tēs chata Theon eudoxias agōnistēs " pantes hoi hexēs mathētai kai apostoloi. Kai epischepsai, dia mias hydreōs hosous atimazeis - Iōannēn ton Baptistēn, Iachōdon ton legomenon adelphon tou Kyriou, Petron, Paulon, thōman (toutous hōs prostatas onomazō tōn martyrōn)" epeita to apeiron plēthos tōn apothanontōn hyper tēs zōēs. Mē michron soi toutois proschrouein? mē oligos tēs echthras ho chindynos? Toutōn echastos ton diadolon meta tēs phratrias tōn daimonōn enichēsen, angelois de enegraphē, kai tēreitai hōs eudochimos athlētēs tę̄ anarrhēsei tēs anastaseōs " parastēsetai de tę̄ epiphaneią tou Theou kai Sōtēros hēmōn, anoïgōn en parrhēsią to stoma, epeuphrainomenos tę̄ theą tōn angelōn, tę̄ doxę̄ tou Theou macharizōn heauton, tōn mastigǭn, tōn desmōn, tōn stredlōseōn, tēs epicherdous teleutēs " hoti tę̄s ateleutētou zōēs autǭ gegenētai proxenos. ᾿All᾽ hotan toutōn achousę̄s, oida ha phroneis, kai legeis" Dechtichos chagō tōn homoiōn. ᾽n zēsō chat᾽ aretēn, ou cheirōn, oud᾽ atimoteros tōn nyn thaumazomenōn esomai. Malista men oun, alazonos tauta ta rhēmata, dichaiountos heauton chata ton megalauchon Pharisaion, kai pasēs tapeinotētos xena. Prodēlon de, hōs ho mē proteron tapeinōtheis, heis hypsos ouch anaoiinei. apophasis gar esti Despotichē. Hina de tis soi enechyrizę̄, hoti genēsę̄ toioutos, ou theleis, eipe moi, aidesthēnai tous tēn hodon soi tēs eusedeias nēntas, tous hodēgous tōn chalōn, tous didaschalous -hēs aretēs, tous paideusantas se charterian kai thanatou chataphronēsin? Para tōn mathētōn tou biou toutou eugnōmosynēn didachthēti, hoti homoioi ginomenoi tōn didaxantōn, kai ouden tēs technēs helleipontes, homōs tōn didaschontōn philousi ta stēthē, aidountai, sin hōs pateras. Polla kai teleutēsantes hagioi dynantai, kai apelthontes tou biou euergetousin anthrōphous" kai martys tōn legomenōn ho Elissaios, palai men apelthōn tou biou kai choimētheis, athanaton de kai achōriston tēn tou Theou charin ladōn, tǭ chōmati paredreuousan kai tois apsychois osteois. Oidas gar, ho philoponos tōn Graphōn mathētēs, hoti nechros tis para tōn oicheiōn eis tēn echphoran chomizomenos, lę̄stōn athroon hē polemiōn chatalathontōn, hoia philei taphǭ tou trismachariou prophētou, athroon epsychōthē, kai pros tous zōntas anelysen. Ti oun eroumen pros to genomenon? Mē aisthēsin eiche tōn prattomenōn ho dikaios? mē euchēn anepempsen, hōs hyper tou paidariou tēs Samaritidos ""? ᾿All’ ouden toiouton didōsin hēmin ennoein hē tōn pragmatōn alētheia. : echeito gar pro pollōn tōn chronōn ho dichaios, anaauthentos tou sōmatos pros ton syngenē choun kai tēn ᾿omophylon chonin. Prodēlon de chathestēchen, hōs doxaxōn ho theos aei kai meta telos tous idious anthrōpous, … thaumatourgei ta paradoxch" hina hoi zōntes aei kai methēlichesteroi, enechyron echontes. tēs aristēs politeias, exanyōsi bion. Hōsautōs kai Hēlias ho tou prophētou toutou chathēgemōn, meta tous phlogōdeis hippous kai to pyrinon harma en allę̄ biōteuōn zōę̄, kai apelthōn ex anthrōpōn eis ton chōron hon elachen, hichanon tēs heautou dynameōs symdolon aphēchen tēn mēlōtēn. Kaitoi posou tinos axia hypērchen echeinē? ou gar ēn allo ti, hē derma nechron kai phaulon ek palaiotētos. Homōs de kai ho Iordanēs autēn hypestelleto, kai dicha to hydōr hetemneto, kai diachechrimenon eistēchei, hōsper epi tou Iēsou to palaion, hos hēn typos tou mellontos. Parēn de kai apōn ho Thesthitēs, kai to endyma tou philosophou edexiouto ton mathētēn, tou Theou philanthrōpias, kai ta endymata tōn hagiōn timōsēs, hōs empsycha. Kai hina deichthę̄ chatharōs, hoti to peri ton potamon thaumatourgēma, ou dia tēn aitian egeneto tou plēttontos to hydōr, alla dia tēn timēn tou oichomenou kai analēphthentos " pataxantos to hydōr tou Elissaiou, errhei to hydōr synēthōs, ouden peponthos kainon. Epeidē de apotychōn epedoēsen, Pou dē estin ho Theos Hēliou, kai boï" sas, ek deuterou chathicheto, euthys ho potamos diaschōn to rheithron, gymnēn edeixe tēn xēran, kai pezeusas ho prophētēs eis to peran aphicheto.
These few things out of many I say to the pagan. And you, the Jews of the new faction, what wonder is it if you dishonour martyrs, since you reject Christ and in your own words separate him from likeness to the Father, and avoid as profane the places where holy bodies rest? You who will not come to understand what is happening, be afraid, since you are called Christians and yet hate martyrs along with the Greeks. Do you not know that Christ is the chief martyr, who suffered first and left the zeal to his servants? Then after him Stephen, the contestant for the glory that is according to God, true to his name; then all the disciples and apostles who followed. Consider how many you dishonour with one insult: John the Baptist, James called the brother of the Lord, Peter, Paul, Thomas (I name these as leaders of the martyrs); then the countless multitude of those who died for the sake of life. Is it a small thing to offend these? Is the danger of their enmity slight? Each of them conquered the devil with his company of demons, was enrolled among the angels, and is kept, as an approved athlete, for the proclamation at the resurrection. He will stand at the appearing of our God and Saviour, opening his mouth with boldness, rejoicing at the sight of the angels, and in the glory of God counting himself blessed for the whips, the bonds, the rackings and the gainful death, because it brought him endless life. But when you hear these things, I know what you think, and you say: “I too am capable of the like. If I live by virtue, I will be no worse and no less honoured than those who are admired now.” These words are above all a braggart's, of one who justifies himself like the boastful Pharisee, and they are foreign to all humility. It is plain that one who has not first been humbled does not ascend to the height; for it is the Master's sentence. But suppose someone guaranteed you that you will become such a man: tell me, will you not respect those who [paved] the road of godliness for you, the guides to good things, the teachers of virtue, who trained you in endurance and contempt of death? Learn gratitude from the pupils of this life: though they become like those who taught them and lack nothing of the art, they still kiss their teachers' breasts, respect them, and [honour] them as fathers. The saints can do much even after death, and having departed this life they still benefit people. A witness to this is Elisha, who departed life and fell asleep long ago, but received the immortal and inseparable grace of God, which stayed by his burial mound and his lifeless bones. For you know, diligent student of the Scriptures, that when a dead man was being carried to burial by his relatives, and robbers or enemies suddenly came upon them, as is wont to happen, [he was thrown into] the tomb of the thrice-blessed prophet, was suddenly given life again, and returned to the living. What, then, shall we say of what happened? Did the righteous man perceive what was being done? Did he send up a prayer, as he did for the Shunammite woman's boy? But the truth of the facts allows us to think no such thing. For the righteous man had lain there for many years, his body dissolved into its kindred dust and the earth of which it was made. It is plain, then, that God, always glorifying his own people even after their end, works wonders [through their tombs], so that the living, and those who come after, may always have a pledge of the best way of life and so complete their lives. So too Elijah, the master of this prophet, after the fiery horses and the fiery chariot, living in another life, and departing from men to the place allotted to him, left behind his sheepskin mantle as a sufficient token of his power. Yet how much was that worth? It was nothing but a dead skin, shabby with age. Still the Jordan yielded to it; the water was cut in two and stood divided, as it once did for Joshua, who was a type of what was to come. The Tishbite, though absent, was present, and the philosopher's garment welcomed the disciple, for God's love for mankind honours even the garments of the saints as if they were alive. And to show plainly that the wonder at the river did not happen because of the one who struck the water, but for the honour of the one who had gone and been taken up: when Elisha struck the water, the water flowed as usual and nothing new happened to it. But when, having failed, he cried out, “Where is the God of Elijah?”, and, having cried out, struck a second time, at once the river divided its stream and showed the dry ground bare, and the prophet crossed over to the other side on foot.
Acts 7:59–60 (allusion, high confidence) · Gal 1:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Titus 2:13 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 18:11–14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 13:20–21 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:32–35 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 2:11 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 2:13–14 (allusion, high confidence) · Josh 3:14–17 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Asterius rebukes the Eunomians, who dishonour the martyrs and avoid their shrines, reminds them that Christ, Stephen and the apostles are martyrs, and argues from Elisha's bones and Elijah's mantle that God works wonders through the saints after their death.
- “The Jews of the new faction” are the Eunomians, whom Asterius calls Jews because they deny the Son's likeness to the Father; this polemical label is translated as written. Asterius argues that the saints “can do much even after death”, and that God works wonders through their remains and garments (2 Kgs 13:20–21; 2 Kgs 2:13–14), translated exactly as written. “The Shunammite woman” renders the OCR's τῆς Σαμαρίτιδος, probably for Σωμανίτιδος (2 Kgs 4:32–35). Elisha's first, unsuccessful stroke follows the Greek Bible (LXX 4 Kgdms 2:14). A leaked block of Latin was removed by a logged correction; lost words are marked “…”. References: Acts 7:59–60; Gal 1:19; Luke 18:11–14; Josh 3:14–17; 2 Kgs 2:11.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (leaked fragment of Migne's Latin column splitting a word): θυ] 9 ργοοηΐο ἐδ γϑη ι.5 ἰπ Γϑϑιιγγαοιίοη 8 56 Γἀΐι ἴθ θαι! ὈΓΟρ] οί βορυϊοτυπὶ 2 ὦ → … θαυμα.
Cite (SBL): Asterius, Hom. 10.4 (PG 40:420; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/10-4). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/10-4
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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.
10.5PG 40:420
Ὁ δὲ Ἰωσὴφ τὸν Ἰαχὼδ τελευτησαντα, οὐχ ὡς πατέρα τοσοῦτον ἰδιαζόντως ἀγαπῶν...... «κοῦ ἔθνους πατριάρχην τιμῶν, μετὰ τῆς πολυθρυλλήτου θεραπείας ἐχείνης ἀπήγαγεν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου τὸ λείψανον, ὥστε τὸν Μωῦσέα μετὰ τῆς τοῦ χόσμου γένέσεως καὶ τῆς λοιπῆς ἱστορίας, ἀνάγραπτον δοῦναι καὶ τοῦτο τῷ βίῳ διήγημα. Ἰωσὴφ δὲ πάλιν ὕπαρ παρὰ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ὁδεύοντος ἐχ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, ἐχλάπη ὁ Φαραώ" πανταχοῦ δὲ συμπαρὴν τῷ λαῷ τὸ σῶμα, καὶ ἤγετο μετ᾽ ἐπιμελείας, ὡς ἀγαθόν τι καὶ ἀλεξίχαχον φυλαχτήριον ἀσφαλὲς τῶν ἑξήχοντα μυριάδων. Καὶ τοσαύτην εἶχον τὴν αἰδῶ περὶ τὴν λάρναχα τοῦ προπάτορος, ὅσην περὶ τὴν ἁγίαν χιδωτὸν, ἣ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμον ἐδάσταζεν. Διὸ καὶ Δαδὶδ παραχαλῶν που τὸν Θεὸν, ἵλεων εἶναι καὶ εὐμενῆ τῷ λαῷ, καὶ … ἐχῃ καὶ ἐπάλληλον τῶν συμφορῶν στήδας πληγὴν, πάλιν ἐν ἀγαθῇ προνοίᾳ διοιχῇ τὴν ᾿ΙἹερουσαλὴμ, ὡς τὸ πρότερον, οὕτω φησί" Ὁ ποιμαίνων τὸν πρόσχες" ὁ ὁδηγῶν ὡσεὶ πρόθατον τὸν ᾿Ιωσήφ. Δυσωπεῖ γὰρ τὸν Θεὸν τοῖς τῶν ἀγαπητῶν καὶ φίλων ὀνόμασιν, καὶ λίαν εὐμηχάνως τὴν ἱχετηρίαν μεταχειρίζεται, τοῦ δυσσεδήσαντος πλήθους τὰς ἁμαρτίας οἷον ἐγχρύπτων καὶ σκέπων ταῖς τῶν ἀγίων Πατέρων προσηγορίαις. Τοῦτον ἡμῖν ὑπαγορεύει τὸν νοῦν καὶ ὁ περὶ τὰ Σόδομα σωζόμενος λόγος. ᾿ΑΔδραὰμ, γὰρ Σοδομίτας παραιτούμενος, ἡνίχα δυσμεναίνων αὑτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς μετὰ προῤῥήδεως ἐπήγαγεν τὴν χόλασιν, τῇ φειδοῖ τῶν δικαίων ἠξίου σωθῆναι τὸν σύμπαντα δῆμον. ᾿Δρξάμενος γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν πεντήχοντα, εἰς τοὺς δέχα χατέληξεν" καὶ πρὸς- τὴν ἱχεσίαν εὐθέως ἔνευσεν ὁ Θεὸς, ὥσπερ ἐπί τινος ζυγοῦ καὶ πλαστίγγων ταῖς μυριάσι τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν, τὸ τῶν δέχα δικαίων ἀντιατῆσας. ἵνα δὲ ἐπὶ πλέον ἐνδείξηται πᾶσιν ἡμῖν, ὅτι καὶ εἷς δίκαιος τίμιον πρᾶγμα καὶ Θεῷ φίλον, ἐπειδὴ ὁ μὲν δέχατος ἐξέλιπεν ἀριθμὸς, καὶ εὑρέθη ταύτης τῆς ὀλιγότητος τῶν ὁσίων τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ὁ δῆμος πενόμενος, ἐχρὴν δὲ τοὺς παρανομήσαντας δοῦναι θρασύτητος δίχην, σφοδρῶς ἐλαύνεται τῶν χαταδιχασθέντων τόπων ὁ Λὼτ, καὶ σώζεται παγγενεὶ, εἰς τὸ γέρας τῆς διχαιοσύνης καὶ τοὺς οἰχείους ἅπαντας παρὰ τοῦ θεοῦ προσλαθών. Μέγα οὖν χτῆμα δίχαιος: πρῶτον ὄφελος ἑαυτῷ, ἔπειτα τοῖς τοῦ γένους ἑξῆς θησαυρὸς διαρχής" ἀγνοούμενος τῇ θέχ, καὶ ἀεὶ συμπαρὼν, χαι παιδεύων τοὺς ἄλλους πράγμασι" πάλαι χείμενος, καὶ ζῶν ταῖς εὐδοχιμήσεσιν. ᾿Αγαθὴ τῶν παίδων χληρονομία, καὶ ἄσυλος" ἣν χρόνος οὐ δαπανᾷ, καὶ λῃστὴς οὐχ ἀφαιρεῖται. ᾿Ασώματος γάρ ἐστι καὶ ἄῦλος, ἀσωμάτοις ἐμπολιτευομένη ψυχαῖς. Ορᾷς, ὡς καὶ οἱ ἔνδοξοι καὶ ἀοίδιμοι Ἰσραηλῖται, πάντων ἀφῃρημένοι, καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς γῆς ἐχπεσόντες τῆς πατριχῆῇς, τῆς σεμνῆς προσἡγορίας οὐχ ἀφηρέθησαν, οὐδὲ ἐγομνώθησαν τοῦ χαλεῖσθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ φιλοθέου προπάτορος" ἀλλὰ καὶ βαρ- ᾿ θάροις δουλεύοντες, διὰ τὴν διχαιοσύνην τῶν πατέρων ἠλευθερώθησαν καὶ ἐν ἐρήμῳ διαζῶντες, διὰ τὴν εὐδοχίμητστιν τῶν γεννησάντων ἑτράφησαν᾽ καὶ ἁμαρτάνοντες συνεχῶς, καὶ βλασφημοῦντες πολλάχις, καὶ ἄξιοι νομισθέντες τῆς ὁλοθρενούσης χολάσεως, διὰ τὸν ᾿Αδραὰμ φειδοὺς ἐξιώθησαν, καὶ διὰ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἔτυχον συγγνώμης, θρασυχάρδιοι παῖδες εἰς τὰ γέρα τῶν πατέρων σωζόμενοι. Καὶ οἷδάς γε, ὁ φιλομαθὴς, ὡς ἐν πρώτοις ὁ Θεὸς, ἡνέκα ἐχ τῆς ποιμαντιχῇῆς ἐπὶ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν τῶν λαῶν ἐχάλει τὸν Μωῦσῆν, εὐθὺς ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν δοῦλόν φησιν" ᾿Εγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός σου, ὁ Θεὸς Ἁδραὰμ, καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώδ. Καὶ μικρὸν πρόσω τοῦ λόγου γενόμενος, ταῦτα προστίθησιν" Συγνάγαγε τὴν γερουσίαν τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴ.,, καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὑτούς" Κύριος θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν ὧπεαί μοι, ὁ θεὸς ᾿Αδραὰμ, καὶ ὁ θεὸς ἸΙσαὰχ, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ᾿Ιαχὠδ. Καὶ οὕτως ἐν προοιμίοις ὁ Θεὸς τῷ ὀνόματι τῶν δικαίων πατέρων, οἷον σημάντρῳ τινὶ «ποὺς ἀπογόνους σφραγίζεται" χαλὸν εἰδὼς καὶ συμφέρον τὸ ἀπ᾽ ἐχείνων γνωρίζεσθαι. Χρόνου. δὲ προελθόντος, ἐπειδὴ εἰς ὕόριν τοῦ εὐεργέτου ὥρμησεν ὁ λαὺς, καὶ χαταφρόνησιν τοῦ Σωτῆρος, προσέχοψαν ὃξ τῇ εἰδωλοποιήσει τοῦ μόσχου, καὶ προσεχύνουν χοανίον ἄψυχον, τὴν ἔμψυχον καὶ λογιχὴν φρόντσιν ἀπολέσαντες" οὐκ ἔχων ὃ Μωῦσῆς τηνιχαῦτα ὅπως: ὑπὲρ τῶν μαθητῶν ἐξιλεώσηται τὸν Δεσπότην, ὁ παιδαγωγὸς ὁ πολύμοχθος, χαταφεύγει πρὸς τὴν μνήμὴν τῶν πατέρων, καὶ μετ᾽ ἐχείνων τὴν ἱκετηρίαν προὀάλλεται" φησὶν δὲ οὕτως Ἷ}ἋῺΔεὡς γενοῦ ἐπὶ τῇ κακίᾳ τοῦ «αοῦ, μνησθεὶς Ἀδραὰμ, καὶ Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ Ἰακχὼδ τῶν σοῦ οἰκετῶν 51, οἷο ὥμοσας κατὰ σεαῦὺτοῦ, πληθῦναι τὸ σπέρμα αὑτῶν ὡς τὰ ἄστρα τοῦ οὐραγοῦ. Μεγάλη ἡ ὀργὴ, καὶ ὁ θυμὸς ἀπαραίτητος" ἀλλ᾽ ὁ σοφὸς καὶ εὐμήχανος ἱχέτης, τὰ προσωπεῖα περιθέμενος τῶν ἁγίων, καὶ τὰς πολλὰς τῶν γερόντων διὰ τῆς μνήμης τῷ Θεῷ ἀποῤῥίψας "δ...
Ho de Iōsēph ton Iachōd teleutēsanta, ouch hōs patera tosouton idiazontōs agapōn...... «kou ethnous patriarchēn timōn, meta tēs polythryllētou therapeias echeinēs apēgagen ex Aigyptou to leipsanon, hōste ton Mōysea meta tēs tou chosmou geneseōs kai tēs loipēs historias, anagrapton dounai kai touto tǭ biǭ diēgēma. Iōsēph de palin hypar para tou Israēl hodeuontos ech tōn ophthalmōn, hōs an eipoi tis, echlapē ho Pharaō" pantachou de symparēn tǭ laǭ to sōma, kai ēgeto met᾽ epimeleias, hōs agathon ti kai alexichachon phylachtērion asphales tōn hexēchonta myriadōn. Kai tosautēn eichon tēn aidō peri tēn larnacha tou propatoros, hosēn peri tēn hagian chidōton, hē ton tou Theou nomon edastazen. Dio kai Dadid parachalōn pou ton Theon, hileōn einai kai eumenē tǭ laǭ, kai … echę̄ kai epallēlon tōn symphorōn stēdas plēgēn, palin en agathę̄ pronoią dioichę̄ tēn ᾿HiIerousalēm, hōs to proteron, houtō phēsi" Ho poimainōn ton prosches" ho hodēgōn hōsei prothaton ton ᾿Iōsēph. Dysōpei gar ton Theon tois tōn agapētōn kai philōn onomasin, kai lian eumēchanōs tēn hichetērian metacheirizetai, tou dyssedēsantos plēthous tas hamartias hoion enchryptōn kai skepōn tais tōn agiōn Paterōn prosēgoriais. Touton hēmin hypagoreuei ton noun kai ho peri ta Sodoma sōzomenos logos. ᾿ADdraam, gar Sodomitas paraitoumenos, hēnicha dysmenainōn hautois ho Theos meta prorrhēdeōs epēgagen tēn cholasin, tę̄ pheidoi tōn dikaiōn ēxiou sōthēnai ton sympanta dēmon. ᾿Drxamenos gar apo tōn pentēchonta, eis tous decha chatelēxen" kai pros- tēn hichesian eutheōs eneusen ho Theos, hōsper epi tinos zygou kai plastingōn tais myriasi tōn hamartōlōn, to tōn decha dikaiōn antiatēsas. hina de epi pleon endeixētai pasin hēmin, hoti kai heis dikaios timion pragma kai Theǭ philon, epeidē ho men dechatos exelipen arithmos, kai heurethē tautēs tēs oligotētos tōn hosiōn tōn hamartōlōn ho dēmos penomenos, echrēn de tous paranomēsantas dounai thrasytētos dichēn, sphodrōs elaunetai tōn chatadichasthentōn topōn ho Lōt, kai sōzetai pangenei, eis to geras tēs dichaiosynēs kai tous oicheious hapantas para tou theou proslathōn. Mega oun chtēma dichaios: prōton ophelos heautǭ, epeita tois tou genous hexēs thēsauros diarchēs" agnooumenos tę̄ thech, kai aei symparōn, chai paideuōn tous allous pragmasi" palai cheimenos, kai zōn tais eudochimēsesin. ᾿Agathē tōn paidōn chlēronomia, kai asylos" hēn chronos ou dapaną, kai lę̄stēs ouch aphaireitai. ᾿Asōmatos gar esti kai aulos, asōmatois empoliteuomenē psychais. Orąs, hōs kai hoi endoxoi kai aoidimoi Israēlitai, pantōn aphę̄rēmenoi, kai autēs tēs gēs echpesontes tēs patrichēę̄s, tēs semnēs prosēgorias ouch aphērethēsan, oude egomnōthēsan tou chaleisthai apo tou philotheou propatoros" alla kai bar- ᾿ tharois douleuontes, dia tēn dichaiosynēn tōn paterōn ēleutherōthēsan kai en erēmǭ diazōntes, dia tēn eudochimētstin tōn gennēsantōn hetraphēsan᾽ kai hamartanontes synechōs, kai blasphēmountes pollachis, kai axioi nomisthentes tēs holothrenousēs cholaseōs, dia ton ᾿Adraam pheidous exiōthēsan, kai dia ton Israēl etychon syngnōmēs, thrasychardioi paides eis ta gera tōn paterōn sōzomenoi. Kai hoidas ge, ho philomathēs, hōs en prōtois ho Theos, hēneka ech tēs poimantichę̄ēs epi tēn hēgemonian tōn laōn echalei ton Mōysēn, euthys tauta pros ton doulon phēsin" ᾿Egō eimi ho Theos tou patros sou, ho Theos Hadraam, kai ho theos Isaak, kai ho Theos Iakōd. Kai mikron prosō tou logou genomenos, tauta prostithēsin" Sygnagage tēn gerousian tōn huiōn Israē.,, kai ereis pros hautous" Kyrios theos tōn paterōn hymōn hōpeai moi, ho theos ᾿Adraam, kai ho theos IIsaach, kai ho Theos ᾿Iachōd. Kai houtōs en prooimiois ho Theos tǭ onomati tōn dikaiōn paterōn, hoion sēmantrǭ tini «pous apogonous sphragizetai" chalon eidōs kai sympheron to ap᾽ echeinōn gnōrizesthai. Chronou. de proelthontos, epeidē eis hyorin tou euergetou hōrmēsen ho laus, kai chataphronēsin tou Sōtēros, prosechopsan hox tę̄ eidōlopoiēsei tou moschou, kai prosechynoun choanion apsychon, tēn empsychon kai logichēn phrontsin apolesantes" ouk echōn ho Mōysēs tēnichauta hopōs: hyper tōn mathētōn exileōsētai ton Despotēn, ho paidagōgos ho polymochthos, chatapheugei pros tēn mnēmēn tōn paterōn, kai met᾽ echeinōn tēn hiketērian prooalletai" phēsin de houtōs Hi}HaŌDeōs genou epi tę̄ kakią tou «aou, mnēstheis Adraam, kai Isaak, kai Iakchōd tōn sou oiketōn 51, hoio hōmosas kata seauytou, plēthynai to sperma hautōn hōs ta astra tou ouragou. Megalē hē orgē, kai ho thymos aparaitētos" all᾽ ho sophos kai eumēchanos hichetēs, ta prosōpeia perithemenos tōn hagiōn, kai tas pollas tōn gerontōn dia tēs mnēmēs tǭ Theǭ aporrhipsas "d...
Joseph, when Jacob died, loving him not so much as his own father …, honouring the patriarch of the [whole] nation, carried the remains out of Egypt with that celebrated care, so that Moses, along with the creation of the world and the rest of the history, put this story too in writing for all time. And Joseph in turn: while Israel was journeying, Pharaoh was robbed, as one might say, before his very eyes; and everywhere the body went with the people and was carried with care, like a good, evil-averting and secure amulet for the six hundred thousand. They had as much reverence for the coffin of their forefather as for the holy ark that carried the law of God. That is why David too, entreating God somewhere to be gracious and kind to the people, and … , having stopped the repeated blows of misfortune, to govern Jerusalem again with good providence as before, says this: “You who shepherd [Israel], attend; who lead Joseph like a sheep.” For he moves God by the names of his beloved and his friends, and handles his supplication very skilfully, as though hiding and covering the sins of the impious multitude with the names of the holy Fathers. The account preserved about Sodom also suggests this meaning to us. For Abraham, interceding for the Sodomites when God, being hostile to them, brought on the punishment after announcing it, asked that the whole people be saved by sparing them for the sake of the righteous. Beginning from fifty, he ended at ten; and God at once assented to the supplication, setting the ten righteous against the myriads of sinners as on a balance and scales. And to show all of us still more that even one righteous man is a precious thing and dear to God: since even the number ten was lacking, and the people of sinners was found to be poor even in this small number of holy men, and the transgressors had to pay the penalty for their audacity, Lot was urgently driven out of the condemned places and saved with his whole household, receiving from God all his kin besides as the reward of his righteousness. A righteous man, then, is a great possession: first a benefit to himself, then a lasting treasure for those of his family after him; unseen by the eye and yet always present, teaching others by his deeds; lying dead long ago, yet living in his good repute. It is a good and inviolable inheritance for his children, which time does not consume nor robber take away; for it is bodiless and immaterial, dwelling in bodiless souls. You see how even the glorious and celebrated Israelites, deprived of everything and fallen from their ancestral land, were not deprived of their solemn name, nor stripped of being called after their God-loving forefather; but when they were slaves of barbarians, they were set free for the righteousness of their fathers; when they lived in the desert, they were fed for the good repute of their forebears; and though they sinned continually, blasphemed often, and were judged worthy of destroying punishment, they were spared for Abraham's sake and pardoned for Israel's: bold-hearted children saved for the honours of their fathers. You know, lover of learning, how at the very beginning God, when he called Moses from shepherding to lead the peoples, at once said this to his servant: “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” And going a little further in the discourse he adds: “Gather the council of the elders of the sons of Israel, and you will say to them: The Lord God of your fathers has appeared to me, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.” So at the outset God seals the descendants with the name of the righteous fathers as with a seal, knowing that it is good and profitable for them to be known by their descent from them. As time went on, when the people rushed into insult of their benefactor and contempt of the Saviour, stumbled into making the calf, and worshipped a lifeless molten image, having lost their living and rational mind, Moses, the much-toiling tutor, not knowing how else to propitiate the Master for his disciples, took refuge in the memory of the fathers, and put forward his supplication together with them. He speaks thus: “Be merciful to the wickedness of the people, remembering Abraham, Isaac and Jacob your servants, to whom you swore by yourself to multiply their seed as the stars of heaven.” Great was the anger, and the wrath inexorable; but the wise and resourceful suppliant, putting on the masks of the saints, and through remembrance casting before God the many … of the old men …
Gen 50:4–14 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 13:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 12:37 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 80:1 (79:2 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Gen 18:23–32 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 19:15–16 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 3:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 3:16 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 32:4 (allusion, high confidence) · Exod 32:12–13 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Asterius shows from Jacob's and Joseph's remains, David's prayer, Abraham's intercession for Sodom, and Moses' appeal to the patriarchs that God honours and spares people for the sake of the righteous dead.
- Asterius describes Joseph's body as “a good, evil-averting and secure amulet” for Israel and the patriarchs' names as a cover for the people's sins, as part of his argument for honouring the saints, translated exactly as written. Leaked footnotes and Latin were removed by logged corrections; lost words are marked “…”. References: Gen 50:4–14; Exod 13:19; Exod 12:37; Ps 80:1 (LXX 79:2); Gen 18:23–32; Gen 19:15–16; Exod 3:6, 16; Exod 32:4–14.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (leaked footnote references; Greek lost; leaked fragment of Migne's Latin column; leaked fragment of Migne's Latin column and margin letter): δ ῚῪ ας. τι, 14. "1 θη, χχ, 39. "5 Εχοιί. χη, 19, δΥ Ναϊ. 1, 40. → … ; αιπιάοπι Πα πον 8 βοηβοπι Βυρροῦῖ!, φῆ (6 → ; ἢ μὲ, δέις Αϑναδΐαπι, εἰ θεῖς Ϊεααος, εἰ θοω5 ζα → ; δι᾿ (οηος,, ουπὶ π 8} ἰΐς ΔΙΟγΘΙ δυρροίαγοι,, 10 Α → .
Topics: Prayer
Cite (SBL): Asterius, Hom. 10.5 (PG 40:420; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/10-5). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/10-5
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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.
10.6PG 40:420
ἔσδεσεν ὡς φλόγα τὴν τιμωρίαν πατριχῷ ἐλαίῳ τῶν μανέντων υἱῶν θεραπεύσας τὰ τραύματα. Β τῶν Βασιλέων μετάθηθι. Ὅψει γὰρ χἀχεῖ παῖδα φειδοῦς ἀξιούμενον, διότι γέννημα ἣν φιλοθέου πατρός. Σολομὼν δέ ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ πολυθρύλλητος" ὃς ἐπειδὴ προϊόντος τοῦ χρόνου οὐχ ἦν τῶν παθῶν αὐτοχράτωρ, δοῦλος δὲ μᾶλλον, καὶ ἀχρατέστερος ἐραστὴς διὰ τὴν ἀπροσεξίαν τοῦ βίου, μετέδαλεν καὶ τὴν πατρῴαν εὐσέδειαν, εἴδωλα μορφώσας τὰ τοῦ νόμου προσχόμματα" φησὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Θεός" Διαῤ(' ἡσων διαῤῥήξω τὴν βασιείαν σου, καὶ δώσω αὖ τὴ» τῷ δούιλῳ σου" π.ϊὴν» ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις σου οὗ ποιήσω ταῦτα διὰ Δαδὶδ τὸν πατέρα σου: ἐκ χειρὸς τοῦ υἱοῦ σου «1ήφομαι αὑτήν. Ταῦτα ἡμᾶς ἡ ἱστορία παϊδεύει" διδάσκει δὲ καὶ ᾧδὴ τῶν Ἡαλμῶν τὰ ὅμοια. Νεώτερος ἤμην" καὶ γὰρ ἐγής βάσα' καὶ οὐκ εἶδον δίκαιον οὐδὲ τὸ σπέρμα αὑτοῦ ζητοῦν ἄρτους. ᾿Αλλ᾽, ἧ ἔοικεν, ἐπειδὰν ἅπαξ ψυχὴ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀντὶ τοῦ ζῇν ἐν τάξει προδέδληται, οὐδὲν αὐτὴν ἐπιστρέφειν ἑχανὸν εἰς τὴν εὐθεῖαν καὶ τεταγμένην ὁδόν" ἐνδαχοῦσα δὲ τὸν χαλινὸν, ὥσπερ τις πῶλος δυσήνιος φέρεται πρὸς τὸ βάραθρον, νικῶσα τὸν ἀναδάτην νοῦν τῇ πρὸς τὴν χαχίαν ὁρμῇ ὥσπερ δὴ καὶ τοὺς Εὐνομιανοὺς τούτους ἔστιν ἰδεῖν. Οὕτως γὰρ φιλοῦσι χαλεῖσθαι μᾶλλον, ἣ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἄνθρωποι, θεὼν βλασφημοῦντες, τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀτιμάζον.τες, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐντρεπόμενοι τὰς, τῶν ἁγίων ἀναπαύσεις, ἣ οἱ σωφρονοῦντες τοὺς βωμοὺς, καὶ τοὺς βεθήλους καὶ τοὺς μεμιασμένους τῶν τόπων. Ἐχρῆν τοὺς τῆς ἀπονοίας ἐχείνους ἀσχητὰς, καὶ τὸ χατὰ ““άντων θράσος ἀρετὴν νομίζοντας, τὰς γοῦν τῶν δαιμόνων αἰδεσθῆναι φωνὰς, χραξζόντων καὶ βοώντων λαμπρῶς τῶν μαρτύρων τὴν δύναμιν, καὶ ὀνόμασι χαλούντων ἕχαστον, ὡς παρεστῶτα, καὶ ἀπελαύνοντα, καὶ φυγαδεύοντα τῶν τυραννουμένων ἀνθρώπων. Εἴτε δὲ τὰ συστήματα τῶν ἀθλητῶν τῆς ἐθέλοι τις ἐνεργεῖν χατὰ τῶν ἀκαθάρτων πνευμάτων, εἴτε ἀγγέλους εἰς τιμὴν τῶν ἀναπεπαυμένων παρεδρεύοντας τοῖς ἁγίοις τηχοῖς, οὐδὲν διαφέρει" ὁπότερὸν γὰρ ἂν λέγηται, δόξα τῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰ Χριστὸν ἀγάπης ἐστὶ παθόντων. Πρόδηλον ὃδὲ φαίνονται χαῦἡμέραν αἱ κῶν μαρτύρων εὐεργεσίαι, ἄλλαι τε ἄλλαι καὶ τοῖς ἀδιηγήτοις τῆς μανίας ποτὲ χαχοῖς ἐνεχόμενοι, νῦν σωφρονοῦντες ὁρῶνται, καὶ τῆς πρεσθείας τῶν ἁγίων τὴν παῤῥησίαν παρ᾽ αὐτῶν βλέπομεν τῶν πραγμάτων μαρτυρουμένην. Καὶ ὥσπερ τῆς τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν δυνάμεως ἀναμφίθολα δείγματα ἐν μέσῳ τῶν Ἑδραίων περιενόστουν, οἵ τε τῆς λέπρας ἀποξεσθέντες, καὶ οἱ τὰς ὕψεις. ἰαθέντες τυφλοὶ, καὶ εἴ τις παραλυτιχὸς; τὰς τῶν μελῶν ἁρμονίας δυναμωβθεὶς ἀχωλύτως ἐδάδιζεν" οὕτω; καὶ νῦν οἱ τὸν σταυρὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ σταυρωθέντος βαστάσαντες, τῇς παρὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου χάριτος ἐναργεῖς τὰς ἀποδείξεις παρέχον - «ας, ποιχίλως καὶ διαφόρως τοὺς πόνους τῶν ὁμοδούλων ἰώμενοι. Καὶ Παῦλος μὲν, καὶ Πέτρος, ὁ μὲν διώξας τὸ τοῦ Πύθωνος δαιμόνιον, ὁ δὲ τὸν χωλὸν ἀναστήσας τῶν τοῦ ναοῦ προπυλαίων, ἐχ πραχτιχῶν δυνάμεων Ἑδραίους καὶ Ἕλληνας πρὸς τὴν ὑπαχοὴν τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἐπέστρεψαν" αἱρετιχῶν δὲ πονηρὸν σύνταγμα, τῶν νῦν χαχῶς διοχλούντων τὴν ἡμετέραν ζωὴν, οὐδὲ τῇ μεγαλουργίξ τῶν θαυμάτων αἱδεῖται «οὺς μάρτυρας" πολνάνδρια δὲ καὶ τάφους τὰς χοσμήσεις αὐτῶν ὀνομάζουσι, καὶ τὰς εἰσόδους αὐτὰς ἐχείνου τοῦ θεσπεσίου λογίου τοῦ παρὰ παντὸς ἀδομένοῦ στόματος μνημονεύοντες, ὅτι" Τίμιος ἐναντίον Κυρίου ὁ θάνατος τῶν ὁσίων αὐτοῦ. Ἐὐξώμεθα τοίνυν Θεῷ, παραχαλέσωμεν δὲ μάρτυρα:, τὸν χοινὸν δυσωπῆῇσαι Δεσπότην, ἵνα δοθῇ πνεῦμα χκατανύξεως τοῖς παρὰ τῆς αἱρετιχῇῆς πλάνης ἐνεργουμένοις, λυθείσης δὲ τῆς διχονοίας, ὥσπερ μεσοτοίχου τινὸς ἣ φραγμοῦ, εἰς ἀδελφιχὴν οἱ πάντες συνέλθωμεν ἕνωσιν’ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ πρέπει ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ᾿Αμήν.
esdesen hōs phloga tēn timōrian patrichǭ elaiǭ tōn manentōn huiōn therapeusas ta traumata. B tōn Basileōn metathēthi. Hopsei gar chachei paida pheidous axioumenon, dioti gennēma hēn philotheou patros. Solomōn de estin houtos ho polythryllētos" hos epeidē proïontos tou chronou ouch ēn tōn pathōn autochratōr, doulos de mallon, kai achratesteros erastēs dia tēn aprosexian tou biou, metedalen kai tēn patrǭan eusedeian, eidōla morphōsas ta tou nomou proschommata" phēsi pros auton ho Theos" Diar(' hēsōn diarrhēxō tēn basieian sou, kai dōsō au tē» tǭ douilǭ sou" p.ïēn» en tais hēmerais sou hou poiēsō tauta dia Dadid ton patera sou: ek cheiros tou huiou sou «1ēphomai hautēn. Tauta hēmas hē historia païdeuei" didaskei de kai hǭdē tōn Hēalmōn ta homoia. Neōteros ēmēn" kai gar egēs basa' kai ouk eidon dikaion oude to sperma hautou zētoun artous. ᾿All᾽, hē eoiken, epeidan hapax psychē tēs alētheias anti tou zę̄n en taxei prodedlētai, ouden autēn epistrephein hechanon eis tēn eutheian kai tetagmenēn hodon" endachousa de ton chalinon, hōsper tis pōlos dysēnios pheretai pros to barathron, nikōsa ton anadatēn noun tę̄ pros tēn chachian hormę̄ hōsper dē kai tous Eunomianous toutous estin idein. Houtōs gar philousi chaleisthai mallon, hē tou Christou anthrōpoi, theōn blasphēmountes, tous anthrōpous tou Theou atimazon.tes, mallon de entrepomenoi tas, tōn hagiōn anapauseis, hē hoi sōphronountes tous bōmous, kai tous bethēlous kai tous memiasmenous tōn topōn. Echrēn tous tēs aponoias echeinous aschētas, kai to chata ““antōn thrasos aretēn nomizontas, tas goun tōn daimonōn aidesthēnai phōnas, chraxzontōn kai boōntōn lamprōs tōn martyrōn tēn dynamin, kai onomasi chalountōn hechaston, hōs parestōta, kai apelaunonta, kai phygadeuonta tōn tyrannoumenōn anthrōpōn. Eite de ta systēmata tōn athlētōn tēs etheloi tis energein chata tōn akathartōn pneumatōn, eite angelous eis timēn tōn anapepaumenōn paredreuontas tois hagiois tēchois, ouden diapherei" hopoteron gar an legētai, doxa tōn hyper tēs ei Christon agapēs esti pathontōn. Prodēlon hode phainontai chauēmeran hai kōn martyrōn euergesiai, allai te allai kai tois adiēgētois tēs manias pote chachois enechomenoi, nyn sōphronountes horōntai, kai tēs prestheias tōn hagiōn tēn parrhēsian par᾽ autōn blepomen tōn pragmatōn martyroumenēn. Kai hōsper tēs tou Sōtēros hēmōn dynameōs anamphithola deigmata en mesǭ tōn Hedraiōn perienostoun, hoi te tēs lepras apoxesthentes, kai hoi tas hypseis. iathentes typhloi, kai ei tis paralytichos? tas tōn melōn harmonias dynamōbtheis achōlytōs edadizen" houtō? kai nyn hoi ton stauron hyper tou staurōthentos bastasantes, tę̄s para tou Despotou charitos enargeis tas apodeixeis parechon - «as, poichilōs kai diaphorōs tous ponous tōn homodoulōn iōmenoi. Kai Paulos men, kai Petros, ho men diōxas to tou Pythōnos daimonion, ho de ton chōlon anastēsas tōn tou naou propylaiōn, ech prachtichōn dynameōn Hedraious kai Hellēnas pros tēn hypachoēn tou Euangeliou epestrepsan" hairetichōn de ponēron syntagma, tōn nyn chachōs diochlountōn tēn hēmeteran zōēn, oude tę̄ megalourgix tōn thaumatōn haideitai «ous martyras" polnandria de kai taphous tas chosmēseis autōn onomazousi, kai tas eisodous autas echeinou tou thespesiou logiou tou para pantos adomenou stomatos mnēmoneuontes, hoti" Timios enantion Kyriou ho thanatos tōn hosiōn autou. Euxōmetha toinyn Theǭ, parachalesōmen de martyra:, ton choinon dysōpēę̄sai Despotēn, hina dothę̄ pneuma chkatanyxeōs tois para tēs hairetichę̄ēs planēs energoumenois, lytheisēs de tēs dichonoias, hōsper mesotoichou tinos hē phragmou, eis adelphichēn hoi pantes synelthōmen henōsin’ en Christǭ Iēsou tǭ Kyriǭ hēmōn, hǭ prepei hē doxa eis tous aiōnas. ᾿Amēn.
… he quenched the punishment like a flame, healing the wounds of the maddened sons with the oil of their fathers. … pass over to [the history] of the Kings. For there too you will see a son judged worthy of being spared because he was the offspring of a God-loving father. This is the celebrated Solomon. As time went on, he was no longer master of his passions but rather their slave, a lover without restraint through the carelessness of his life, and he changed even his father's godliness, fashioning idols, the stumbling-blocks of the law. God says to him: “I will surely tear your kingdom away and give it to your servant; but in your days I will not do these things, for the sake of David your father; I will take it from the hand of your son.” This is what history teaches us; and an ode of the Psalms teaches the like: “I was young, and indeed I have grown old, and I have not seen a righteous man [forsaken], nor his seed begging bread.” But, as it seems, once a soul has thrown away the truth instead of living in good order, nothing can turn it back to the straight and ordered road; it bites the bridle and, like an unruly colt, is carried toward the pit, overpowering the mind that rides it by its rush toward evil. One can see this in these Eunomians (for that is what they love to be called, rather than men of Christ): they blaspheme God, dishonour the men of God, and turn away from the resting places of the saints more than sober people do from altars and from profane and polluted places. Those practitioners of folly, who think audacity against everyone a virtue, ought at least to respect the voices of the demons, which cry and shout out plainly the power of the martyrs, and call each of them by name as though he were present, driving them out and putting them to flight from the people they tyrannize. Whether one supposes that the companies of the athletes act against the unclean spirits, or that angels attend the holy tombs in honour of those who rest there, makes no difference; whichever is said, it is to the glory of those who suffered for love of Christ. The benefactions of the martyrs plainly appear every day, one after another; those once held by the indescribable evils of madness are now seen in their right minds, and we see the boldness of the saints' intercession attested by the facts themselves. And as undoubted proofs of our Saviour's power went about among the Hebrews (those scraped clean of leprosy, the blind healed in their sight, and any paralytic strengthened in the joints of his limbs and walking without hindrance), so now too those who carried the cross for the Crucified provide clear proofs of the grace given by the Master, healing the pains of their fellow servants in various and different ways. Paul and Peter, the one driving out the spirit of Python, the other raising the lame man at the porches of the temple, turned Hebrews and Greeks to obedience to the Gospel through works of power. But the wicked band of heretics, which now badly troubles our life, does not respect the martyrs even for the greatness of their wonders; they call the martyrs' adorned shrines mass graves and tombs, and … their very entrances, … remembering that divine oracle sung by every mouth: “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his holy ones.” Let us pray to God, then, and call on the martyrs to entreat our common Master, that a spirit of compunction may be given to those who are worked upon by heretical error, and that, the discord being dissolved like a dividing wall or fence, we may all come together into brotherly union; in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory to the ages. Amen.
1 Kgs 11:4–10 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 11:11–12 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 37:25 (36:25 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 11:5 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 16:16–18 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 3:1–8 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 116:15 (115:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 2:14 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Asterius cites Solomon, spared for David's sake, then denounces the Eunomians for despising the martyrs' shrines despite the demons' confessions and the healings that happen there, and prays for their return to unity.
- Asterius appeals to exorcisms and healings at the martyrs' tombs, the demons naming the martyrs, and the intercession of the saints, and asks the congregation to call on the martyrs to entreat God for the heretics, translated exactly as written. Two words lost before “remembering” make it uncertain whether the heretics are said to forget the oracle. Lost words are marked “…”. References: 1 Kgs 11:4–13; Ps 37:25 (LXX 36:25); Matt 11:5; Acts 16:16–18; Acts 3:1–8; Ps 116:15 (LXX 115:6); Eph 2:14.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (stray margin letters splitting a word): ἀνα- Βα στήσας → ἀναστήσας.
Topics: Martyrdom, Heresy, Prayer
Cite (SBL): Asterius, Hom. 10.6 (PG 40:420; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/10-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/asterius-amasea-homiliae/10-6
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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.