Life of Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza 1–24 (Life of Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza)

Marcus the Deacon

Life of Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza 1–24

Marcus the Deacon · Life of Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza · ca. 420-430 · Gaza · 14 passages

Authorship disputed: The Greek text claims Marcus the Deacon, an eyewitness, as author. Some scholars argue that it is a later (sixth-century) composition; the question is open.

Greek text: Teubner 1895.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).

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Chapter 1

1Teubner, 1

ΒΙΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΠΟΡΦΥΡΙΟΥ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΥ ΓΑΖΗΣ Τών άγίιυν ανδρών χουσ δθλους και τόν θεϊκόν αυτών ίήλόν τ€ και πόθον καλόν έοτιν χοισ όφθαλμοΐσ θειυρεΐν (όρώμενα γάρ άΣιοφίλητα γίνεται), φέρεχ δέ δμιυς ώφέλειαν ού μετρίαν και τα διηγήματα παρά τών άκριβώς είδότιυν ταΐσ ψυχαϊσ τών άκουόντων ύπειεερχόμενα. πιοτοτίρα μέν άκοής ή θέα, πείθει δέ και ακοή έάν υπό άΕιοπίετων εϊη τα λεγόμενα, εΐ μέν οΰν άρᾳ6ιούργητος ίμβνεν ή τών ωφελίμων διήγηας και μή τή άληθειᾳ τό ψευδος ένεεπείρετο, περιττόν ην τό σύγγραμμα τών τοιούτων, Ικανής οδεης πρός οίκοδομήν τής άληθείας έκ διαδοχής άει ένεπειρομένης ταΐσ άκοαϊσ τών έπιγινομένυJν ανθρώπων \έπεώή δέ ό χρόνος παραφθείρει [εϊτε διαφθείρεις] εϊτε δχα τής λήθης εϊτε δια τής βᾳ6ιουργίας, άναγκαίως έπι τό παρόν σύγγραμμα έλήλυθα, ϊνα μή τψ μακρφ χρόνιμ λήθη τις γενηται τοιούτου αγίου ανδροσ, λέγω δέ\ Πορφυρίου του οσιου. το γαρ μνημονευσαι των αύτοΟ κατορθωμάτων φάρμακον άλεΗητή-

BIOS TOU AGIOU PORPhYRIOU EPISKOPOU GAZĒS Tōn agiiyn andrōn chous dthlous kai ton theïkon autōn iēlon t€ kai pothon kalon eotin chois ophthalmoïs theiyreïn (orōmena gar aSiophilēta ginetai), pherech de dmiys ōpheleian ou metrian kai ta diēgēmata para tōn akribōs eidotiyn taïs psychaïs tōn akouontōn ypeieerchomena. piototira men akoēs ē thea, peithei de kai akoē ean ypo aEiopietōn eïē ta legomena, eï men oÿn arą6iourgētos imbnen ē tōn ōphelimōn diēgēas kai mē tē alētheią to pseudos eneepeireto, peritton ēn to syngramma tōn toioutōn, Ikanēs odeēs pros oikodomēn tēs alētheias ek diadochēs aei enepeiromenēs taïs akoaïs tōn epiginomenyJn anthrōpōn \epeōē de o chronos paraphtheirei [eïte diaphtheireis] eïte dcha tēs lēthēs eïte dia tēs bą6iourgias, anankaiōs epi to paron syngramma elēlytha, ïna mē tps makrph chronim lēthē tis genētai toioutou agiou andros, legō de\ Porphyriou tou osiou. to gar mnēmoneusai tōn autoO katorthōmatōn pharmakon aleĒētē-

[Title:] Life of Saint Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza. The contests of holy men, and their divine zeal and longing, are good to behold with one's own eyes (for things seen become worthy of love); yet the accounts given by those who know them accurately also bring no small benefit, as they steal into the souls of those who hear them. Sight is more trustworthy than hearing, but hearing too persuades, if what is said comes from trustworthy people. Now if the account of beneficial things had remained untampered with, and falsehood were not sown into the truth, a written record of such things would be superfluous, since the truth, handed on by succession and ever sown into the ears of each new generation, would suffice for edification. But since time corrupts, whether through forgetfulness or through tampering, I have of necessity come to the present writing, so that in the long course of time no forgetfulness may befall so holy a man, I mean the holy Porphyry. For to recall his achievements becomes a protective remedy

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: Mark explains why he writes down the life of Porphyry: time and forgetfulness corrupt the memory of holy men.

The Life presents itself as the eyewitness account of Mark, Porphyry's deacon at Gaza (bishop ca. 395–420). Its authorship and date are disputed: many scholars hold that the Greek text in its present form was composed or reworked in the sixth century, partly from a source shared with the Georgian version, so details of the narrative should be used with caution.
The editor's square brackets mark εἴτε διαφθείρεις ('or corrupts') as a deletion; it is left out. The OCR of this edition is noisy (accents and some letters unreliable); a few readings are translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR misreading): ΒιΟΣ ΤΟΤ ΑΓιΟΤ ΠΟΡΦΤΡιΟΤ ΕιΠΣΚΟΠΟΤ ΓΑΖΗΣ → ΒΙΟΣ ΤΟΥ ΑΓΙΟΥ ΠΟΡΦΥΡΙΟΥ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΥ ΓΑΖΗΣ.

Cite (SBL): Marcus the Deacon, V. Porph. 1 (Teubner, 1; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/1). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/1

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of the Teubner edition (Leipzig, 1895; OCR, corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 2

2Teubner, 2

ριον γίνεται τοϊσ άκούουσιν. άτοπον γάρ έοτιν ποιητάς τραγψδοποιούς και έίλλους τοιούτους ευγγραφ^ας [τό] εις γΑωτα και γραώδεις μύθους καταναλώσαι τούς λόγους, ήμας δέ περιώεΐν λήθη παραδώομ^νους άγίους έΐνδρας και άζιομνημονεύτους. ποίαν ουκ δν δικαίως παραέχω δίκην μή παραδιδούς συγγραφή βίον τοιούτου θεοφιλοΟε άνδρός, βίον φιλοσοφίας δώάεκαλον του τήν έν ούρανφ πολιτείαν έίηλωκότος. πολέμους τε αύτοΟ κα\ άντιετάεεις ίετορήεομεν ού μόνον πρός τούς τής ε'ώωλομανίας άρχηγούς τε και προστάτας, άλλα και πρός δήμον όλόκληρον πάσης μανίας πεπληρωμένον. έμνημόνευεν γάρ των τοΟ μακαρίου άποστόλου ^ητών δ\* ών φησιν * αναλάβετε τήν πανοπλίαν τοΟ θεού, ϊνα δυνηθήτε άντιστήναι έν τή ήμέρᾳ τη φοβερςί και άπαντα κατεργαεάμενοι στήναι'. ταύτην τήν πανοπλίαν ένδυσάμενος εις τούς άγώνας εισήλθεν ό είρημένος άπόστολος, άλλα και τοιούτους και τηλικούτους έχων τούς άντιπάλους ό τήν όμοίαν &μιλλαν κεκτημένος τφ άποετόλψ Πορφύριος ϊσην κα\ τήν νίκην άνεδήσατο και τρόπαιον ήγειρεν έε με'σον τής Γαίαίων, τήν τοίνυν κτισθεΐσαν υπ* αύτου άγίαν του Χριστου έκκλησίαν. παρεϊχεν δέ αύτφ τήν νίκην ούχ ή ανθρωπεία φύςις, άλλ' ή γνώμη τήν θείαν χάριν έφελκομένη* έραστής γάρ θερμότατος γενόμενος του ΧριετοΟ πάντα παθεϊν και δρSσατ ήνέσχετο. πόσας πολέμων προσβολάς τοιουτος άνηρ υπό τών δέ* έναντίας έδ^Ηατο, πόσας συσκευάς και μυκτηριεμούς ύπέμεινεν. αλλ* έπεώή πάντα τα κατά

rion ginetai toïs akouousin. atopon gar eotin poiētas tragpsdopoious kai eillous toioutous eungraph^as [to] eis gAōta kai graōdeis mythous katanalōsai tous logous, ēmas de periōeïn lēthē paradōom^nous agious eïndras kai aziomnēmoneutous. poian ouk dn dikaiōs paraechō dikēn mē paradidous syngraphē bion toioutou theophiloOe andros, bion philosophias dōaekalon tou tēn en ouranph politeian eiēlōkotos. polemous te autoO ka\ antietaeeis ietorēeomen ou monon pros tous tēs e'ōōlomanias archēgous te kai prostatas, alla kai pros dēmon oloklēron pasēs manias peplērōmenon. emnēmoneuen gar tōn toO makariou apostolou ^ētōn d\* ōn phēsin * analabete tēn panoplian toO theou, ïna dynēthēte antistēnai en tē ēmerą tē phobersi kai apanta katergaeamenoi stēnai'. tautēn tēn panoplian endysamenos eis tous agōnas eisēlthen o eirēmenos apostolos, alla kai toioutous kai tēlikoutous echōn tous antipalous o tēn omoian &millan kektēmenos tph apoetolps Porphyrios ïsēn ka\ tēn nikēn anedēsato kai tropaion ēgeiren ee me'son tēs Gaiaiōn, tēn toinyn ktistheïsan yp* autou agian tou Christou ekklēsian. pareïchen de autph tēn nikēn ouch ē anthrōpeia physis, all' ē gnōmē tēn theian charin ephelkomenē* erastēs gar thermotatos genomenos tou ChrietoO panta patheïn kai drSsat ēnescheto. posas polemōn prosbolas toioutos anēr ypo tōn de* enantias ed^Ēato, posas syskeuas kai myktēriemous ypemeinen. all* epeōē panta ta kata

for those who hear. For it is absurd that poets, writers of tragedy and other such authors should spend their words on things to laugh at and on old wives' tales, while we stand by and let holy and memorable men be handed over to oblivion. What penalty would I not justly pay, if I did not hand down in writing the life of so God-loving a man, a life that teaches true philosophy, the life of one who strove after the citizenship in heaven? We shall relate his wars and his battles, not only against the leaders and champions of idol-madness, but also against a whole populace filled with every kind of madness. For he kept in mind the words of the blessed apostle, in which he says: "Take up the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against them on the fearful day, and having accomplished everything, to stand." Clothed in this armor the apostle we have named entered his contests; and Porphyry too, who had a contest like the apostle's and opponents of such a kind and such strength, crowned himself with an equal victory and raised a trophy in the midst of Gaza, namely the holy church of Christ that he built. It was not human nature that gave him the victory, but his resolve, which drew down the divine grace; for having become a most ardent lover of Christ, he endured to suffer and to do all things. How many assaults of war such a man received from his opponents, how many plots and sneers he endured! But since it is not possible to tell everything about

Eph 6:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 6:11 (quotation, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Mark will record Porphyry's spiritual warfare against the idolaters of Gaza, fought in the armor of God like Paul's.

Eph 6:11, 13, quoted freely ('the fearful day' for 'the evil day'). The editor's square brackets mark τό as a deletion. The OCR of this edition is noisy (accents and some letters unreliable); a few readings are translated by sense.

Cite (SBL): Marcus the Deacon, V. Porph. 2 (Teubner, 2; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/2). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/2

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of the Teubner edition (Leipzig, 1895; OCR, corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 3

3Teubner, 3

τον άοίδιμον άνδρα ου δυνατόν έΗειπεϊν, πολλά τε όντα καΐ τοϊσ πολλοΐσ δοκουντα είναι άπιστα, βραχέα έκθήσομαι δτινα και έμνημόνευσα ευνοικήεας αιπτ^ πλεϊστον χρόνον και άπολαύσας τής μακαρίας και φοβερας εκείνης ψυχής της μετά άγγέλιυν ευμπολιτευομίνης. τούτον ούν τόν παν εJδοσ άρετής είληφότα τίς ουκ δν δικαίως έπαινέσειεν; οϊδα μέν όυν ώε τής άρετής του τοιούτου άνδρός ούδεις αν έφίκοιτο λόγος* δμως γε έγχειρητίον» θαρεουντός μου ταϊσ άγίαις αύτου εύχαϊσ. ευγγράψω δε τήν εκείνου εύφημίαν οό κομπψ λόγψ• ούτε γάρ ή καλλιλεεία τόν βίον τών τοιούτων κοσμεϊν εϊωθεν, άλλ' ή αρετή τών έργων και αυτήν τήν φράσιν μεγαλύνει. δθεν κάγώ θαρρών εις τάς άγίας εύχάς του ειρημίνου όσίου άνδρός προεέρχομαι τφδε τώ συγγράμματι, αϊτούμενος δι* αυτών τήν παρά του κυρίου ΊηεοΟ ΧριετοΟ χάριν τε και βοήθειαν εΐε τό δυνηθηναι οιqτ δήποτε προφάσει τήν άρετήν του άγιου άνδρός διηγήεαεθαιαιτώ δέ τούς έντυγχάνοντας τφδε τψ συγγράμματι μή άπιστεΐν τοΐσ λεγομενοις* αύτόπτης γάρ τής άρετής του ανδροσ έγενόμην ουνοικήοας και ουμπλεύοας και ουγκακουχηθεΐ€ αύτιϋ ζυjσ της τελευταίας ήμέρας τής ένθάδε αύτοΟ ζιυής. ένθεν δέ αρχή μοι γένηται του τής διηγήεειυς λόγου.

ton aoidimon andra ou dynaton eĒeipeïn, polla te onta kaï toïs polloïs dokounta einai apista, brachea ekthēsomai dtina kai emnēmoneusa eunoikēeas aipt^ pleïston chronon kai apolausas tēs makarias kai phoberas ekeinēs psychēs tēs meta angeliyn eumpoliteuominēs. touton oun ton pan eJdos aretēs eilēphota tis ouk dn dikaiōs epaineseien? oïda men oun ōe tēs aretēs tou toioutou andros oudeis an ephikoito logos* dmōs ge encheirētion» thareountos mou taïs agiais autou euchaïs. eungrapsō de tēn ekeinou euphēmian oo kompps logps• oute gar ē kallileeia ton bion tōn toioutōn kosmeïn eïōthen, all' ē aretē tōn ergōn kai autēn tēn phrasin megalynei. dthen kagō tharrōn eis tas agias euchas tou eirēminou osiou andros proeerchomai tphde tō syngrammati, aïtoumenos di* autōn tēn para tou kyriou IēeoO ChrietoO charin te kai boētheian eïe to dynēthēnai oiqt dēpote prophasei tēn aretēn tou agiou andros diēgēeaethaiaitō de tous entynchanontas tphde tps syngrammati mē apisteïn toïs legomenois* autoptēs gar tēs aretēs tou andros egenomēn ounoikēoas kai oumpleuoas kai ounkakouchētheï€ autiÿ zyjs tēs teleutaias ēmeras tēs enthade autoO ziyēs. enthen de archē moi genētai tou tēs diēgēeeiys logou.

the celebrated man, since they are many and seem to most people beyond belief, I shall set out briefly the things I remember, having lived with him a very long time and having enjoyed that blessed and awe-inspiring soul, which now shares the citizenship of the angels. Who then would not justly praise this man, who had taken hold of every form of virtue? I know indeed that no speech could reach up to the virtue of such a man; yet the attempt must be made, for I take courage from his holy prayers. I shall write his praise, not in boastful speech; for elegance of style is not what usually adorns the life of such men; rather the virtue of their deeds magnifies even the telling. So I too, taking courage from the holy prayers of the said holy man, approach this writing, asking through them grace and help from the Lord Jesus Christ, so that I may be able in some fashion to narrate the virtue of the holy man. I ask those who come upon this writing not to disbelieve what is said; for I was an eyewitness of the man's virtue, since I lived with him, sailed with him and suffered hardship with him until the last day of his life here. From this point let the beginning of my narrative be made.

Notes and citation

Summary: Mark claims to write as an eyewitness who lived with Porphyry until his death, and asks readers to believe him.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (leaked line number of the printed edition): αϊτού2ο μενος → αϊτούμενος.

Cite (SBL): Marcus the Deacon, V. Porph. 3 (Teubner, 3; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/3). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/3

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-marcus-vita-porphyrii-3) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of the Teubner edition (Leipzig, 1895; OCR, corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 4

4Teubner, 4

Γάζα πόλις έστιν τής Παλαιστίνης έν μεθορίψ της Αιγύπτου ύπάρχουσα, ουκ δεημος δέ αυτή τυγχάνουσα, άλλα και πολύανδρος και των εμφανών πόλεων οΰσα* ήκμαζεν δέ έν αίηη κατ' έκεϊνο καιρού ή περί τα είδωλα των ανθρώπων μανία, ταύτης την ιερωσύνην άπεδέζατο ό παρ* ημών εύφημούμενος Πορφύριος. πατρίδα μέν ?εχεν τήν έπουράνιον Ίερουσαλήμ (εις ταύτην γαρ και άπεγράψατο), τήν δέ έπίγειον τήν θεεεαλονικέων, γένος δέ ήν αύτου έπίσημον. τούτψ θεϊος έρως ύπεισήλθεν καταλεϊψαι πατρίδα και λαμπρότητα γένους και πλούτν άπειρον και άσπάσασθαι τον μονήρη βίν, και πλεύεας έκ τής θεεοαλονικέων καταλαμβάνει τήν Αϊγυπτον. εύθέως δέ ώρμησεν έπι τήν Οκήτιν και άίιουται μετ' όλίγας ήμέρας του τιμίου προοχήματος. και ευνδιατρίψας έκεϊ τοϊσ άγίοις πατράσιν πενταετή χρόνον, πάλιν δλλος θεΐος έρως αύτψ ύπεισήλθεν προσκυνήσαι τούς άγίους και εεβαεμίους του θεού τόπους, και γενόμενος έκεϊσε και προσκυνήσας, άπελθών εις τα μέρη του Ιορδανού οϊκηεεν έν σπηλαίω, δμοίως κάκεϊ διατρίψας έτη πέντε μετά πολλής κακουχίας. έκ δέ τής πολλής Ηηρότητρε και άνωμαλίας τών τόπων εκείνων περιέπεεεν μετάλη νόοψ. ορών δέ αυτόν έν έοχάτψ κινδύνψ κατ* οικονομίαν παρακαλεί τίνα τών γνωρίμων άναλαβεϊν αυτόν εlσ τα Ίεροσόλυμα* τό δέ πάθος ήν ήπατος οκίριυμα μετά πυρετού συνεχους λεπτότατου, του γοΟν τοιούτου πάθους έπικρατουντος και νύττοντος άπαύστως τα ένδόεθια και του σώματος τηκομένου αύτός ουκ επαύετο καθ' ήμίραν περιερχόμενος τούς άγίους τόπους κεκυφώς και μή Ισχύων άνορβώεαι τήν αύτου ήλικιαν, άλλα βάβδψ έπερει5όμενος. κατ* εκείνον δέ τόν καιρόν συνέβη κάμε έκ της Άσίας καταπλευεαι χάριν του προσκυνήσαι τούς εεβαομίους τόπους, και γενόμενος έν αύτοϊσ διέτριψα πολύν χρόνον, τρεφόμενος έκ του έμου εργόχειρου' είχον γαρ τήν του καλλιγράφου τέχνην. θεωρών δέ τόν δειον πορευόμενον συνεχώς εις τήν του Χριστου Άνάστασιν και εις τά άλλα ευκτήρια έθαύμαίον, δτι έν τοσαύτη άσθενείᾳ σώματος ουκ όκνεΐ ουτως εκύλλεεθαι. έν μιςί

Gaza polis estin tēs Palaistinēs en methorips tēs Aigyptou yparchousa, ouk deēmos de autē tynchanousa, alla kai polyandros kai tōn emphanōn poleōn oÿsa* ēkmazen de en aiēē kat' ekeïno kairou ē peri ta eidōla tōn anthrōpōn mania, tautēs tēn ierōsynēn apedezato o par* ēmōn euphēmoumenos Porphyrios. patrida men ?echen tēn epouranion Ierousalēm (eis tautēn gar kai apegrapsato), tēn de epigeion tēn theeealonikeōn, genos de ēn autou episēmon. toutps theïos erōs ypeisēlthen kataleïpsai patrida kai lamprotēta genous kai ploutn apeiron kai aspasasthai ton monērē bin, kai pleueas ek tēs theeoalonikeōn katalambanei tēn Aïgypton. eutheōs de ōrmēsen epi tēn Okētin kai aiioutai met' oligas ēmeras tou timiou proochēmatos. kai eundiatripsas ekeï toïs agiois patrasin pentaetē chronon, palin dllos theïos erōs autps ypeisēlthen proskynēsai tous agious kai eebaemious tou theou topous, kai genomenos ekeïse kai proskynēsas, apelthōn eis ta merē tou Iordanou oïkēeen en spēlaiō, dmoiōs kakeï diatripsas etē pente meta pollēs kakouchias. ek de tēs pollēs Ēērotētre kai anōmalias tōn topōn ekeinōn periepeeen metalē noops. orōn de auton en eochatps kindynps kat* oikonomian parakalei tina tōn gnōrimōn analabeïn auton els ta Ierosolyma* to de pathos ēn ēpatos okiriyma meta pyretou synechous leptotatou, tou goOn toioutou pathous epikratountos kai nyttontos apaustōs ta endoethia kai tou sōmatos tēkomenou autos ouk epaueto kath' ēmiran perierchomenos tous agious topous kekyphōs kai mē Ischyōn anorbōeai tēn autou ēlikian, alla babdps eperei5omenos. kat* ekeinon de ton kairon synebē kame ek tēs Asias katapleueai charin tou proskynēsai tous eebaomious topous, kai genomenos en autoïs dietripsa polyn chronon, trephomenos ek tou emou ergocheirou' eichon gar tēn tou kalligraphou technēn. theōrōn de ton deion poreuomenon synechōs eis tēn tou Christou Anastasin kai eis ta alla euktēria ethaumaion, dti en tosautē astheneią sōmatos ouk okneï outōs ekylleethai. en misi

Gaza is a city of Palestine lying on the border of Egypt; it is not insignificant, but populous and one of the notable cities. At that time the madness of its people for idols was at its height. The priesthood of this city was received by Porphyry, whom we are praising. His homeland was the heavenly Jerusalem (for there he had his name enrolled), and his earthly homeland was the city of the Thessalonians; his family was distinguished. A divine longing came over him to leave homeland, the splendor of his family and boundless wealth, and to embrace the solitary life; and having sailed from Thessalonica he reached Egypt. He set out at once for Scetis, and after a few days he was deemed worthy of the honored habit. After living there five years with the holy fathers, another divine longing came over him, to venerate the holy and august places of God; and having gone there and venerated them, he went away to the region of the Jordan and lived in a cave, spending five years there too in great hardship. From the great dryness and the harshness of those places he fell into a serious illness. Seeing himself in extreme danger, by God's providence he asked one of his acquaintances to take him to Jerusalem. The illness was a hardening of the liver with a continual low fever. Though this illness held him fast and pricked his innards ceaselessly and his body was wasting away, he did not cease going round the holy places every day, bent over and unable to straighten his body, leaning on a staff. At that time I too happened to sail from Asia in order to venerate the august places; and being there I stayed a long time, supporting myself by the work of my hands, for I had the craft of a calligrapher. Seeing the godly man constantly going to Christ's Anastasis and to the other houses of prayer, I marveled that in such bodily weakness he did not shrink from putting himself to such trouble. One

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry, a wealthy Thessalonian, becomes a monk in Scetis and then near the Jordan, falls gravely ill, and in Jerusalem meets Mark, a calligrapher from Asia.

'Priesthood' (ἱερωσύνη) here means the episcopate, as often in this work. 'Christ's Anastasis' is the Church of the Resurrection in Jerusalem. The OCR of this edition is noisy (accents and some letters unreliable); a few readings are translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR misreading): Γαία Ι πόλΐ€ → Γάζα πόλις.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Marcus the Deacon, V. Porph. 4 (Teubner, 4; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/4). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/4

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of the Teubner edition (Leipzig, 1895; OCR, corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 5

5Teubner, 5

δι τών ήμερων συναντήσας αύτφ έν τοΐσ άναβαθμοϊε του μαρτυρίου του κτισθέντος ύπό του μακαρίου Κωνααντίνου του βασιλέως μή δυνάμενον τψ ποΜ προβήναι, διαδραμών δέ και προτείνας αύτώ τήν έμήν χείρα παρεκάλουν αυτόν ταύτη έπερείδεσθαι και άναβαίνειν τούς άναβαθμούς. δ δέ ούκ ήθελν λέγων Ουκ ίστιν δίκαιον έμέ τόν πορευόμενον αΐτήσαι συγχώρησιν αμαρτιών έπερείδεσθαι χεροιν δλλου* άλλ' lασον, αδελφέ, τόν θεόν ιδεϊν τόν κόπον μου, ϊνα κατά τήν δφατον αύτου εύσπλαγχνίαν κάμε έλεήση. έπορεύετο οΰν και τών θείιυν λογίων ήκροατο τοϊσ διδασκαχοισ ύποτιθεις τά ώτα, και τής μυστικής τραπείης άει μεταλαμβάνων έπανήρχετο είς τό καταγώγιον τό αύτου. όποιον μέν βίον Κη δήλον ήν. του γάρ πάθους τοσουτον κατεφρόνει ώε νομίίειν αυτόν έν άλλοτρίψ σώματι τήν νοσον έχειν ή γάρ του θεού έλπις ταύτην έ2 αύτου

di tōn ēmerōn synantēsas autph en toïs anabathmoïe tou martyriou tou ktisthentos ypo tou makariou Kōnaantinou tou basileōs mē dynamenon tps poM probēnai, diadramōn de kai proteinas autō tēn emēn cheira parekaloun auton tautē epereidesthai kai anabainein tous anabathmous. d de ouk ētheln legōn Ouk istin dikaion eme ton poreuomenon aïtēsai synchōrēsin amartiōn epereidesthai cheroin dllou* all' lason, adelphe, ton theon ideïn ton kopon mou, ïna kata tēn dphaton autou eusplanchnian kame eleēsē. eporeueto oÿn kai tōn theiiyn logiōn ēkroato toïs didaskachois ypotitheis ta ōta, kai tēs mystikēs trapeiēs aei metalambanōn epanērcheto eis to katagōgion to autou. opoion men bion Kē dēlon ēn. tou gar pathous tosouton katephronei ōe nomiiein auton en allotrips sōmati tēn noson echein ē gar tou theou elpis tautēn e2 autou

day I met him on the steps of the Martyrium built by the blessed Emperor Constantine; he could not go forward on his feet, so I ran up, held out my hand to him and urged him to lean on it and go up the steps. But he would not, saying: "It is not right that I, who am going to ask forgiveness of my sins, should lean on another's hands. Rather let God see my toil, brother, so that in his ineffable compassion he may have mercy on me too." So he went on, listened to the divine oracles, lending his ears to the teachers, and always partaking of the mystical table, returned to his lodging. What kind of life he led was plain to see. For he so despised his illness that he seemed to have the disease in someone else's body; for hope in God lightened it from him.

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry, though crippled by illness, refuses Mark's arm on the steps of the Martyrium so that God may see his toil.

The Martyrium is Constantine's basilica at the Holy Sepulchre. 'The mystical table' is the Eucharist.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (leaked line number of the printed edition; stray mark): προ2ο βήναι → προβήναι; δίκαιον Ι έμέ → δίκαιον έμέ.

Topics: Eucharist

Cite (SBL): Marcus the Deacon, V. Porph. 5 (Teubner, 5; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/5). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/5

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of the Teubner edition (Leipzig, 1895; OCR, corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 6

6Teubner, 6

άπεφόρτου. τούτο δέ μόνον αύ έλύπει και έδακνεν τό διαμεϊναι τήν περιουσίαν και μή κατά τόν εύαγγελικόν λόγον διαπραθήναι και διανεμηθήναι τοΐσ πτιυχοΐο. αϊτιον δέ τούτου του έμποδιεμου γέγονεν τό είναι τούς άδελφούς αύτου παϊδας τυγχάνοντας ήνίκα έΗεδήμηοεν τής ιδιασ πατρίδος. άνιώμενος οδν έπι τούτψ αϊτεϊ με ήδη συνήθη αύτψ όντα (έζυπηρετούμην γάρ αύτφ δια τήν αύτου άσθένειαν) πλεΟεαι εις θεεεαλονίκην και διανεϊμαι τήν ούσίαν μετά τών αύτου αδελφών, και δούς μοι βιβλίον έντολής και παραθέμενός με τφ κυρίψ άττέλυεεν, παρασχών έλάχιστα δαπανήματα' ούτε γάρ ήυπόρει τότε. εύθίως κατελθών εις *Αεκάλωνα και εύρων πλοϊον άνήχθην και δι' ήμερων δέκα τριών εύπλοήεαντεε έγενόμεθα εισ θεοοαλονίκην και έμφανίοας την ίγγραφόν εντολν διίνειμον τά πράγματα μετά ταιν αύτου αδελφών, διαπέπρακα δέ αύτοϊσ τά λαχόντα μοι κτήματα χρυσdυν τρισχιλίων, τά δέ έοθήματα και άργυρώματα ήγαγον μεθ* έαυτου και άλλους χρυσους χιλίους τετραδ κοσιουσ, και συναγαγών πάντα δια μηνών τριών έπανέπλευοα φθάσας δι' ήμερων δέκα δύς εΐο τό έμπόριον *Αεκάλιυνο€, κάκεΐθεν μιεθιυοάμενος κτήνη και ταύτα φορτώεας άνήλθον εΐ€ τήν άγίαν πόλιν. εύθέως δι υ)σ έθεάσατό με ό τριεμακάριος, περιεπτύΗατό με μετά χαρας και δακρύων (δύναται και χαρά κινήσαι δάκρυς ν), έγώ δέ αυτόν ουκ έγνιυν εΐχεν γάρ τό σώμα έρριυμένον σφόδρα και τήν δψιν έρυθράν. άνεκύλιον δέ τούς έμούς όφθαλμούς πυκνώς αύτώ ενορν, αύτός δέ νοήσας και υ ύπομειδιάσας χαριίντυϋε ίφη* Μή θαυμάσης, αδελφέ

apephortou. touto de monon au elypei kai edaknen to diameïnai tēn periousian kai mē kata ton euangelikon logon diaprathēnai kai dianemēthēnai toïs ptiychoïo. aïtion de toutou tou empodiemou gegonen to einai tous adelphous autou païdas tynchanontas ēnika eĒedēmēoen tēs idias patridos. aniōmenos odn epi toutps aïteï me ēdē synēthē autps onta (ezypēretoumēn gar autph dia tēn autou astheneian) pleOeai eis theeealonikēn kai dianeïmai tēn ousian meta tōn autou adelphōn, kai dous moi biblion entolēs kai parathemenos me tph kyrips attelyeen, paraschōn elachista dapanēmata' oute gar ēuporei tote. euthiōs katelthōn eis *Aekalōna kai eurōn ploïon anēchthēn kai di' ēmerōn deka triōn euploēeantee egenometha eis theooalonikēn kai emphanioas tēn ingraphon entoln diineimon ta pragmata meta tain autou adelphōn, diapepraka de autoïs ta lachonta moi ktēmata chrysdyn trischiliōn, ta de eothēmata kai argyrōmata ēgagon meth* eautou kai allous chrysous chilious tetrad kosious, kai synagagōn panta dia mēnōn triōn epanepleuoa phthasas di' ēmerōn deka dys eïo to emporion *Aekaliyno€, kakeïthen miethiyoamenos ktēnē kai tauta phortōeas anēlthon eï€ tēn agian polin. eutheōs di y)s etheasato me o triemakarios, perieptyĒato me meta charas kai dakryōn (dynatai kai chara kinēsai dakrys n), egō de auton ouk egniyn eïchen gar to sōma erriymenon sphodra kai tēn dpsin erythran. anekylion de tous emous ophthalmous pyknōs autō enorn, autos de noēsas kai y ypomeidiasas chariintyÿe iphē* Mē thaumasēs, adelphe

This alone grieved him and gnawed at him, that his property still remained and had not been sold and distributed to the poor according to the word of the gospel. The cause of this hindrance was that his brothers were children when he left his own homeland. Distressed about this, he asked me, who was by now close to him (for I was serving him because of his illness), to sail to Thessalonica and divide the property with his brothers; and giving me a written commission and commending me to the Lord, he sent me off, providing very little for expenses, for he was not well off at that time. I went straight down to Ascalon, found a ship and set sail, and after a good voyage of thirteen days we reached Thessalonica. I showed the written commission and divided the property with his brothers; I sold to them the estates that fell to my share for three thousand gold pieces, and I brought the clothing and the silver plate with me, together with another one thousand four hundred gold pieces. Having gathered everything within three months I sailed back, reaching the port of Ascalon in twelve days; from there I hired pack animals, loaded them and went up to the holy city. As soon as the thrice-blessed man saw me, he embraced me with joy and tears (for joy too can move tears); but I did not recognize him, for his body was very strong and his face ruddy. I kept looking him over again and again, gazing at him; and he understood, smiled and said graciously: "Do not marvel, brother

Matt 19:21 (allusion, medium confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Mark sells Porphyry's inheritance in Thessalonica and returns to find him wholly restored to health.

Cite (SBL): Marcus the Deacon, V. Porph. 6 (Teubner, 6; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/6). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/6

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of the Teubner edition (Leipzig, 1895; OCR, corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 7

7Teubner, 7

Μάρκε, ορών με υγιή και έρρωμένον, αλλά μάθε τήν αΐτίαν τής ύγείας και τότε ύπερθαύμαεον τήν άφατον φιλανθρωπίαν του Χριστου, πώς τά άπηλπιεμένα τοΐσ άνθρώποις παρ' αύτφ εύδιόρθιυτα τυγχάνει. έγώ δέ παρεκάλουν αυτόν είπεϊν μοι τήν αιτίαν τής ύγείας και πώς τοιούτο πάθος περιέγραψεν. δ δέ μοι άπεκρίνατο* Πρό ήμερων περί που τεσσαράκοντα έμου δντος έν τή άγρυπνίᾳ τής άγίας κυριακής κατέσχεν με άφατος οδύνη του ήπατος, και μή φίριυν τήν άλγηδόνα άπελ

Marke, orōn me ygiē kai errōmenon, alla mathe tēn aïtian tēs ygeias kai tote yperthaumaeon tēn aphaton philanthrōpian tou Christou, pōs ta apēlpiemena toïs anthrōpois par' autph eudiorthiyta tynchanei. egō de parekaloun auton eipeïn moi tēn aitian tēs ygeias kai pōs toiouto pathos periegrapsen. d de moi apekrinato* Pro ēmerōn peri pou tessarakonta emou dntos en tē agrypnią tēs agias kyriakēs kateschen me aphatos odynē tou ēpatos, kai mē phiriyn tēn algēdona apel

Mark, at seeing me healthy and strong; but learn the cause of my health, and then marvel all the more at the ineffable love of Christ for mankind, how things that men have despaired of are easily set right by him." I begged him to tell me the cause of his health and how he had been rid of so great an illness. He answered me: "About forty days ago, when I was at the vigil of the holy Lord's Day, an unspeakable pain of the liver seized me; and not bearing the pain I went

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry begins to tell Mark how he was healed.

The digital text here repeats a passage that belongs to §§8–9 (it stands in full in ref 9); the repetition is removed by a logged correction. The account continues in ref 9.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (duplicated passage in the digitization (the same text stands in full later); leaked line number of the printed edition): τής ύγείας ζο και → τής ύγείας και; τροφής και διαλύων τά έν αύτη διαπορούμενα εΐ και τισ δλλος (άλλ* ουδέ τής έΗωθεν παώείας ήν δμοιρος), απαντών και άποοτομίΣων άνθρώπους άπίστους και κακοπίαους, φιλότττιυχος, ουμπαθητικός, έγγυς έχιυν τό δάκρυον, γέροντας τιμών ώο πατέρας, νεωτερους ώο άδελφούς, παι5ία ώς τέκνα, ήπιον και ταπεινόν ίχιυν τό ♦ τfιοσ κα\ τόν λόγον ούκ έν προσποιήσει <άλλ' έν πίστει> και άληθείᾳ (οδτ€ γαρ ήν δοχοσ έν αύτώ), οωφρονέσιατοσ ώο αυτόν φβάοαι τήν τελείαν άπάθειαν, άόρΤητος, άμνηακακος, μή συγχωρών τόν ήλιον δοναι έπι τφ παροργιομφ αύτου, πάντα έχων τά πάθη νεκρά πλην του θυμού δν έκίνει κατά τών έχθρων τής πίοτειυς. λαβών δέ παρ' έμοΟ τά χρήματα και τά άλλα & ήνεγκα → .

Cite (SBL): Marcus the Deacon, V. Porph. 7 (Teubner, 7; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/7). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/7

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of the Teubner edition (Leipzig, 1895; OCR, corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 9

9Teubner, 9

θών άνεκλίθην πλησίον του αγίου κρανίου και έκ τής πολλής όδύνης έγενόμην τδσ έν έκστάσει, και όρώ τόν ςιυτήρα καθηλωμένον έν οταυρψ και ζνα τών ληαών σον αύτψ κρεμάμενον έν δλλψ σταυρώ, και δρχομαι κράίειν και λέγειν την φιυνήν του ληστου ' * μνήσθητί μου, κύρις, δταν έλθης έν τή βαειλείςι εου'. και άποκριθει<: ό ειυτήρ λέγει τψ κρεμαμένψ ληστη' Κάτελθε έκ του εταυροΟ και εψεον έκεϊνόν τόν άνακείμενον ώοπερ και ευ έοώθης. και κατελθών ό ληστής έκ του εταυροΟ περιέλαβέν με και κατεφίλησεν και προτείνας την δεζιάν άνέστησέν με λέγων Έλθέ πρός τόν σωτήρα. και εύθέως άνέστην κα\ έδραμον πρός αυτόν, καΐ όρώ αυτόν καταβάντα έκ του σταυρου καΐ λέγοντα μοΓ Λάβε το Ηύλον τούτο και φύλαζον και λαβών τό αυτό τίμιον εύλον και βαστάσας εύθέιυς ήλθον εις έμαυτόν άπό τής έκετάεειυς, και έΗ αύτης τής ώρας ούκέτι μοι οδύνη έγένετο, ουδέ ό τόπος του πάθους δήλός έστιν. έγώ δέ ταύτα άκούσας ύπερεθαύμαεα και ιδοιασα τόν θεόν τόν άεΐ έλεος ποιουντα τοϊσ έπικαλουμένοις αυτόν, πολλφ δέ πλέον τοΐσ γνησίως και είλικρινώς δεομένοις αύτου• έ2 εκείνου δέ περισσότερον οίκονομήθην εις τόν άνδρα (δντιυς γαρ αυτόν είχον δουλον θεού), κα\ άποκαταετήεας αύτψ πάντα δσα ένήνοχα έμεινα παρ' αύτφ έΗυπηρετούμενος αύτώ και απολαύων τών πνευματικών αύτου λόγων • δντως γαρ ήν δμεμπτος δνθρωπος, πραότατος, ελεήμων, έχων και τό διακριτικόν τής θείας γραφής και διαλύιυν τά έν αύτη διαπορούμενα εΐ καί τισ dχχοσ (αλλ* ουδέ τής ίΗιυθεν παιδειασ ήν δμοιρος), απαντών και άποοτομίίων άνθρώττους άττίοτους και κακουιστουσ, φιλόπτιυχος, ουμπαθητικός, έγγύς έχων τό δακρυον, γέροντας τιμών ώο πατέρας, νειυτερους υ)σ άδελφους, παιδία ώο τέκνα, ήπιν και ταπεινόν έχων τό ήθος και τόν λόγον ουκ έν προσποιήσει <(άλλ' έν πίστει^ και όληθείςι (οδτ€ γάρ ήν δό\οσ έν αυτιϋ), οωφρονέετατος ώο αυτόν φθάσαι τήν τελείαν άπάθειαν, άόργητος, άμνησ(κακοσ, μη ευγχιυρών τόν ήλιον δοναι έπι τψ παροργιομφ αύτου, πάντα έχων τά πάθη νεκρά πλην του θυμού δν έκίνει κατά τών έχθρων τής πίστεως. λαβών δέ παρ* έμου τά χρήματα και τά άλλα & ήνεγκα καΐ πωλήσας τά τε έεθήματα και ποιήσας τό πλεϊστον του αργυρίου τίμια σκεύη τά λοιπά εϊσω ολίγου χρόνου &έ5ιυκεν τοϊσ δεομένοις, ου μόνον έν τή αfισf. πόλει, άλλα και έν άλλαις πόλεσι και κώμαις και μοναετηρίοις, μάλιστα τοϊ€ ουσιν έν Αιγύπτψ• πολύ γάρ ήν πτωχά τά έκεΐος μοναστήρια. αλλά και τοΐσ Ηένοις τοϊσ ένδημοΟειν δεύτερος *Αβραάμ έγένετο. δθεν και βραχυτάτου χρόνου πασαν τήν περιουσίαν αύτου διέ5ωκεν, ώο αυτόν δεηθήναι τη€ εφήμερου τροφής. έπέδωκεν ουν εαυτόν εις τήν του οκυτοτόμου τέχνην, πλύνων βύροας καΐ ^άπτων, εlσ πάντα μιμησάμενος τον θείον εκείνον άπόστολον τον μη βουληθέντα δωρεάν φαγεΐν δρτον, καίτοι δυνάμενος έε δλλου εργόχειρου τήν τροφν υορισασοαι, άλλ' εις πάντα ήβουλήθη μιμητης γενεσθαι του ειρημίνου άοώιμου ανδροσ fν τε κακουχία^ και πόνοις και διωγμοϊσ και κινδυνοισ θαλάσσης και έπαναοτάεεειν εθνών, κάγώ δέ παρεκάλουν αυτόν κοινόν βίον ζήν άμα έμοί (ήν γάρ μοι και περισσεία εκ του έμου έπιτηδεύματος), δ δέ ουκ ήνέσχετο λίγων ^ ουδέν είοηνέγκαμεν εις τον κόσμον, ούδέ'έεενεγκεϊν τι δυνάμεθα'. και πάλιν έλεγεν *εϊ τισ ουκ εργάζεται, μηδέ έοθιέτιυ*. έγώ δε παρρηοιαοθεις είπον πρός αυτόν Δια τί οδν δτε ήυπόρεις ουκ είργάΣου ούτε έμοι ευνεχώρεις έργάζεσθαι; δ δε μοι άπεκρίθη* Τό πρότερον δ ειργαίόμην μείζον fjν και πολυΐδπλάειον του νΟν έργου* τό μεν γάρ νυν ζνα ή δεύτερον τρέφει, τό δέ πρότερον μυριάδας ίτρεφεν, ου μόνον δέ τα πλήθη εκείνα, άλλα και πνευματικήν τροφήν τη ψυχή τη έμή έχορήγει.

thōn aneklithēn plēsion tou agiou kraniou kai ek tēs pollēs odynēs egenomēn tds en ekstasei, kai orō ton siytēra kathēlōmenon en otaurps kai zna tōn lēaōn son autps kremamenon en dllps staurō, kai drchomai kraiein kai legein tēn phiynēn tou lēstou ' * mnēsthēti mou, kyris, dtan elthēs en tē baeileisi eou'. kai apokrithei<: o eiytēr legei tps kremamenps lēstē' Katelthe ek tou etauroO kai epseon ekeïnon ton anakeimenon ōoper kai eu eoōthēs. kai katelthōn o lēstēs ek tou etauroO perielaben me kai katephilēsen kai proteinas tēn dezian anestēsen me legōn Elthe pros ton sōtēra. kai eutheōs anestēn ka\ edramon pros auton, kaï orō auton katabanta ek tou staurou kaï legonta moG Labe to Ēulon touto kai phylazon kai labōn to auto timion eulon kai bastasas eutheiys ēlthon eis emauton apo tēs eketaeeiys, kai eĒ autēs tēs ōras ouketi moi odynē egeneto, oude o topos tou pathous dēlos estin. egō de tauta akousas yperethaumaea kai idoiasa ton theon ton aeï eleos poiounta toïs epikaloumenois auton, pollph de pleon toïs gnēsiōs kai eilikrinōs deomenois autou• e2 ekeinou de perissoteron oikonomēthēn eis ton andra (dntiys gar auton eichon doulon theou), ka\ apokataetēeas autps panta dsa enēnocha emeina par' autph eĒupēretoumenos autō kai apolauōn tōn pneumatikōn autou logōn • dntōs gar ēn dmemptos dnthrōpos, praotatos, eleēmōn, echōn kai to diakritikon tēs theias graphēs kai dialuiyn ta en autē diaporoumena eï kai tis dchchos (all* oude tēs iĒiythen paideias ēn dmoiros), apantōn kai apootomiiōn anthrōttous attiotous kai kakouistous, philoptiychos, oumpathētikos, engys echōn to dakryon, gerontas timōn ōo pateras, neiyterous y)s adelphous, paidia ōo tekna, ēpin kai tapeinon echōn to ēthos kai ton logon ouk en prospoiēsei <(all' en pistei^ kai olētheisi (odt€ gar ēn do\os en autiÿ), oōphroneetatos ōo auton phthasai tēn teleian apatheian, aorgētos, amnēs(kakos, mē eunchiyrōn ton ēlion donai epi tps parorgiomph autou, panta echōn ta pathē nekra plēn tou thymou dn ekinei kata tōn echthrōn tēs pisteōs. labōn de par* emou ta chrēmata kai ta alla & ēnenka kaï pōlēsas ta te eethēmata kai poiēsas to pleïston tou argyriou timia skeuē ta loipa eïsō oligou chronou &e5iyken toïs deomenois, ou monon en tē afisf. polei, alla kai en allais polesi kai kōmais kai monaetēriois, malista toï€ ousin en Aigyptps• poly gar ēn ptōcha ta ekeïos monastēria. alla kai toïs Ēenois toïs endēmoOein deuteros *Abraam egeneto. dthen kai brachytatou chronou pasan tēn periousian autou die5ōken, ōo auton deēthēnai tē€ ephēmerou trophēs. epedōken oun eauton eis tēn tou okytotomou technēn, plynōn byroas kaï ^aptōn, els panta mimēsamenos ton theion ekeinon apostolon ton mē boulēthenta dōrean phageïn drton, kaitoi dynamenos ee dllou ergocheirou tēn trophn yorisasoai, all' eis panta ēboulēthē mimētēs genesthai tou eirēminou aoōimou andros fn te kakouchia^ kai ponois kai diōgmoïs kai kindynois thalassēs kai epanaotaeeein ethnōn, kagō de parekaloun auton koinon bion zēn ama emoi (ēn gar moi kai perisseia ek tou emou epitēdeumatos), d de ouk ēnescheto ligōn ^ ouden eioēnenkamen eis ton kosmon, oude'eeenenkeïn ti dynametha'. kai palin elegen *eï tis ouk ergazetai, mēde eothietiy*. egō de parrēoiaotheis eipon pros auton Dia ti odn dte ēuporeis ouk eirgaSou oute emoi eunechōreis ergazesthai? d de moi apekrithē* To proteron d eirgaiomēn meizon fjn kai polyïdplaeion tou nOn ergou* to men gar nyn zna ē deuteron trephei, to de proteron myriadas itrephen, ou monon de ta plēthē ekeina, alla kai pneumatikēn trophēn tē psychē tē emē echorēgei.

and lay down near the holy Cranion, and from the great pain I fell as it were into a trance; and I see the Savior nailed on the cross and one of the robbers hanging with him on another cross; and I begin to cry out and say the robber's words: "Remember me, Lord, when you come in your kingdom." And the Savior answered and said to the robber hanging there: "Come down from the cross and save that man lying there, as you too were saved." The robber came down from the cross, embraced me and kissed me, and stretching out his right hand raised me up, saying: "Come to the Savior." At once I rose and ran to him, and I see him coming down from the cross and saying to me: "Take this wood and guard it." And taking that same precious wood and carrying it, I at once came to myself out of the trance, and from that very hour I have had no more pain, nor is the place of the disease to be seen." When I heard this I marveled greatly and glorified God, who always shows mercy to those who call on him, and much more to those who entreat him genuinely and sincerely. From then on I was still more devoted to the man (for I truly held him to be a servant of God); and having handed over to him all that I had brought, I stayed with him, serving him and enjoying his spiritual words. For he was truly a blameless man, most gentle, merciful, with discernment in the divine Scripture and able to resolve its difficulties as well as anyone (nor was he without a share in outside learning), meeting and silencing faithless and ill-believing men; a lover of the poor, compassionate, quick to tears, honoring old men as fathers, the young as brothers, children as his own children; gentle and humble in character and in speech, not in pretense but in faith and truth (for there was no guile in him); so self-controlled that he attained perfect freedom from passion; slow to anger and bearing no grudge, not letting the sun go down on his anger; having all the passions dead except anger, which he stirred up against the enemies of the faith. Taking from me the money and the other things I had brought, he sold the clothing and made most of the silver into precious vessels, and within a short time he gave the rest to the needy, not only in the holy city but also in other cities, villages and monasteries, especially those in Egypt, for the monasteries there were very poor. To the strangers staying in the city he became a second Abraham. So in a very short time he distributed his whole property, so that he himself came to need his daily food. He gave himself, then, to the shoemaker's craft, washing hides and stitching, imitating in all things that divine apostle who would not eat bread without paying, although he could have provided his food from another's handiwork; but in all things he wished to become an imitator of that celebrated man, in hardship and toils and persecutions and dangers of the sea and uprisings of the nations. I urged him to share a common life with me (for I had more than enough from my trade), but he would not consent, saying: "We brought nothing into the world, nor can we take anything out." And again he said: "If anyone does not work, let him not eat." Speaking freely, I said to him: "Why then, when you were well off, did you not work, nor allow me to work?" He answered me: "The work I did before was greater and many times larger than my present work; for the present one feeds one or two, but the former fed tens of thousands; and not only those multitudes, but it also supplied spiritual food to my own soul."

Luke 23:42 (quotation, high confidence) · Eph 4:26 (allusion, high confidence) · John 1:47 (echo, low confidence) · Gen 18:1–8 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Thess 3:8 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Cor 11:26 (allusion, medium confidence) · 1 Tim 6:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Thess 3:10 (quotation, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: In a vision at Golgotha the crucified Christ hands Porphyry the wood of the cross and heals him; he gives away his wealth and supports himself as a leather-worker.

This ref begins with the end of §7 (its start is in ref 7) and contains Teubner §§8–9; their section numerals were not read in the digitization and are not marked. A duplicated copy of part of §9 at the start of the staged text is removed by a logged correction. The Cranion is Golgotha.
Luke 23:42 (the robber's words); Eph 4:26; 1 Tim 6:7; 2 Thess 3:10 and 3:8 (Paul would not eat bread without paying); 2 Cor 11:23–27 (Paul's hardships). 'A second Abraham' alludes to Abraham's hospitality (Gen 18).

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (duplicated passage in the digitization (the same text stands in full later); leaked line number of the printed edition; stray mark): καΐ πιυλήοας τά τε έοθηματα και ποιήσας τό πλεϊστον του αργυρίου τίμια σκεύη τά λοιπά εϊσω ολίγου χρόνου ^έδυ)κεν τοϊσ δεομένοις, ου μόνον έν τή άγίᾳ πόλει, άλλα και έν άλλαις πόλεσι και κώμαις και μοναοτηρίοις, μάλιστα τοϊσ οSσιν έν Αιγύπτψ• πολύ γάρ ν πτωχά τά έκεϊος μοναστήρια. άλλα και τοϊσ Ηένοις τοισ ένδημουοιν ^εύτεροσ 'Αβραάμ έγένετο. δθεν και βραχυτάτου χρόνου π&αν τήν περιουσίαν αύτου διέδωκεν, ώο αυτόν δεηθήναι τή€ εφήμερου τροφής. έπέδωκεν οΰν εαυτόν είς τήν του οκυτοτόμου τέχνην, πλύνιυν βύρςας και ^άπτιυν, → ; θών Ι άνεκλίθην → θών άνεκλίθην; χρόνου ζο πασαν → χρόνου πασαν.

Cite (SBL): Marcus the Deacon, V. Porph. 9 (Teubner, 9; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/9). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/9

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of the Teubner edition (Leipzig, 1895; OCR, corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 10

10Teubner, 10

τούτων ουτως εχόντων άκούσας του ονόματος και τής πολιτείας του όσίου Πορφυρίου ό τήν ίερωσύνην έχων τήν των αγίων τόπων Πραυλιος μεταπεμψάμενος αυτόν μετά πολλής άνάγκης έχειροτόνηεεν εις τήν του πρεσβυτέρου τά2ιν, ου μήν άλλα και τήν παραφυλακήν του τιμίου ζύλου του σταυρου ένεπίετευεεν αυτώ. τότε ίγνωμεν δτι άπεβη αύτψ τά έν τή έκστάσει, δτε έώρακεν τον κύριον έν τψ οταυρψ και τον ληστήν συν αύτιϋ, τον δεσπότην δέ λέγοντα* Λάβε, φύλαΗόν μοι τούτο το Ηύλον. fjν δέ ό μακάριος Πορφύριος δτε την χειροτονίαν ^λαβεν dδσ ετών τεσσαράκοντα πέντε. άΗιωθεΐ€ δ ουν ταύτης τής τιμής ουκ ένήλλαΕεν τό πρότερον έθος άλλ' έμεινν έν τή άοκητική κακοπαθείᾳ, έν νηστείαις και άγρυπνίαις. ή δέ τροφή fjν αύτψ δρτο€ βυπαρός και λάχανα, και ταύτα μετά δυσιν ήλιου, ταϊσ δέ έλλαις άγίαις ήμέραις ?κτην ώραν ήσθιεν λαμβάνων και ελαίου και τυρού και βρεκτών όσπρίων μετελάμβανεν δέ καΐ ένός ποτηριού ρϊνου κεκεραεμένου, και τούτο διά τήν κακοπραγίαν τών σπλάγχνων. ταύτην τήν διαγωγήν και τον κανόνα ίμεινεν φυλάττων τόν πάντα χρόνον τής αύτου ίωής. μετά δέ τριετή χρόνον του χειροτονηθήναι αυτόν

toutōn outōs echontōn akousas tou onomatos kai tēs politeias tou osiou Porphyriou o tēn ierōsynēn echōn tēn tōn agiōn topōn Praulios metapempsamenos auton meta pollēs anankēs echeirotonēeen eis tēn tou presbyterou ta2in, ou mēn alla kai tēn paraphylakēn tou timiou zylou tou staurou enepieteueen autō. tote ignōmen dti apebē autps ta en tē ekstasei, dte eōraken ton kyrion en tps otaurps kai ton lēstēn syn autiÿ, ton despotēn de legonta* Labe, phylaĒon moi touto to Ēulon. fjn de o makarios Porphyrios dte tēn cheirotonian ^laben dds etōn tessarakonta pente. aĒiōtheï€ d oun tautēs tēs timēs ouk enēllaEen to proteron ethos all' emeinn en tē aokētikē kakopatheią, en nēsteiais kai agrypniais. ē de trophē fjn autps drto€ byparos kai lachana, kai tauta meta dysin ēliou, taïs de ellais agiais ēmerais ?ktēn ōran ēsthien lambanōn kai elaiou kai tyrou kai brektōn ospriōn metelambanen de kaï enos potēriou rïnou kekeraemenou, kai touto dia tēn kakopragian tōn splanchnōn. tautēn tēn diagōgēn kai ton kanona imeinen phylattōn ton panta chronon tēs autou iōēs. meta de trietē chronon tou cheirotonēthēnai auton

Matters being so, Praylius, who held the priesthood of the holy places, heard the name and the way of life of the holy Porphyry, sent for him and, under much compulsion, ordained him to the rank of presbyter; moreover he also entrusted to him the guarding of the precious wood of the cross. Then we understood that what he had seen in the trance had come to pass for him, when he saw the Lord on the cross and the robber with him, and the Master saying: "Take this wood and guard it for me." The blessed Porphyry was about forty-five years old when he received ordination. Though deemed worthy of this honor he did not change his former habit, but remained in ascetic hardship, in fasts and vigils. His food was coarse bread and vegetables, and these after sunset; on the holy days he ate at the sixth hour, taking also oil, cheese and soaked pulses; he also took one cup of mixed wine, and this because of the poor state of his stomach. He kept this way of life and this rule for the whole of his life. Three years after his ordination

Notes and citation

Summary: Bishop Praylius of Jerusalem ordains Porphyry presbyter and makes him keeper of the relic of the cross; Porphyry keeps his ascetic rule.

Praylius was bishop of Jerusalem; 'the priesthood of the holy places' is his see. The OCR of this edition is noisy (accents and some letters unreliable); a few readings are translated by sense.

Topics: Church office, Fasting

Cite (SBL): Marcus the Deacon, V. Porph. 10 (Teubner, 10; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/10). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/10

BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-marcus-vita-porphyrii-10) · Report an error

Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of the Teubner edition (Leipzig, 1895; OCR, corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 11

11Teubner, 11

συμβαίνει τόν έπίσκοπον τής προλελεγμένης πόλειυς ΓάΖης έΗελθεϊν τοΟ βίου* Αινείας ήν οΰτος, έλάχιστον χρόνον έπιοκοπήεας. πρό δέ Αινείου είρηνίιυν ήν, δε και αύτός ουμπολίτης γέγονεν τών αγγελικών δυνάμεων ου τούς έπαίνους αδύνατον έν παρεκβάσει γραφήναι, άλλ* Ιδικής έχρήν πραγματείας εΐε τό ευντάΕαι τόν βίον του είρημένου άοιδίμου €Ιρηνίωνος, άλλοις δέ ευγγραφευειν παραχωρουμεν τοϊσ άκριβώς έπισταμένοις τόν εκείνου βίον. κοιμηθέντος ουν του προλεχθέντος όσίου ανδροσ ουναθροιοθέντες ο\ τότε δντες Χριστιανοί, ολίγοι και ευ αριθμητοί τυγχάνοντες, μετά τών άπό του κλήρν και βουλευσάμενοι έπι φανεράς ήμέρας τίνι έγχειρίοαι τήν έπιοκοττην ουδέν ήνυον, φιλονεικίας κρατηοάοης έν αύτοϊσ, τών μέν βουλομένων τινάς του κλήρου, δλλων δέ τών λαϊκών κατά γάρ τον αληθή λόγον ήσάν τινες και έν τοΐσ λαϊκοϊσ βίψ και σεμνότητι κεκοσμημένοι. πολλής ουν συγχύσεως γινομένης και μηδενός εις ίργον προβαίνοντος τέλος €υνέ5οΗεν πέντε τών κληρικών και τοσούτους τών λαϊκών εμφανών έΕελθεϊν πρός τον μητροπολίτην αρχιερέα καΐ αΐτησαι αυτόν έπίσκοπον, 8ν δSν

symbainei ton episkopon tēs prolelegmenēs poleiys GaZēs eĒeltheïn toO biou* Aineias ēn oÿtos, elachiston chronon epiokopēeas. pro de Aineiou eirēniiyn ēn, de kai autos oumpolitēs gegonen tōn angelikōn dynameōn ou tous epainous adynaton en parekbasei graphēnai, all* Idikēs echrēn pragmateias eïe to euntaEai ton bion tou eirēmenou aoidimou €Irēniōnos, allois de eungrapheuein parachōroumen toïs akribōs epistamenois ton ekeinou bion. koimēthentos oun tou prolechthentos osiou andros ounathroiothentes o\ tote dntes Christianoi, oligoi kai eu arithmētoi tynchanontes, meta tōn apo tou klērn kai bouleusamenoi epi phaneras ēmeras tini encheirioai tēn epiokottēn ouden ēnyon, philoneikias kratēoaoēs en autoïs, tōn men boulomenōn tinas tou klērou, dllōn de tōn laïkōn kata gar ton alēthē logon ēsan tines kai en toïs laïkoïs bips kai semnotēti kekosmēmenoi. pollēs oun synchyseōs ginomenēs kai mēdenos eis irgon probainontos telos €yne5oĒen pente tōn klērikōn kai tosoutous tōn laïkōn emphanōn eEeltheïn pros ton mētropolitēn archierea kaï aïtēsai auton episkopon, 8n dSn

it happened that the bishop of the aforementioned city of Gaza departed this life. This was Aeneas, who had been bishop for a very short time. Before Aeneas was Irenion, who himself became a fellow citizen of the angelic powers; his praises cannot be written in a digression, but a treatise of its own would be needed to compose the life of the said celebrated Irenion, and we leave it to others, who know his life accurately, to write it. When the aforementioned holy man had fallen asleep, the Christians then in Gaza, who were few and easily counted, gathered with the clergy and deliberated for several days whom they should entrust with the episcopate, but they accomplished nothing, because contention prevailed among them, some wanting one of the clergy, others one of the laity; for in truth there were some among the laity too who were adorned with a good life and dignity. As there was great confusion and nothing came to effect, they finally resolved that five of the clergy and as many of the notable laymen should go to the metropolitan archbishop and ask him for a bishop, whomever

Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.

Notes and citation

Summary: After the death of Bishop Aeneas the divided Christians of Gaza send a delegation to the metropolitan to ask for a bishop.

'For several days' renders a corrupt phrase (ἐπὶ φανερὰς ἡμέρας in the digital text) by sense. The OCR of this edition is noisy (accents and some letters unreliable); a few readings are translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (leaked line number of the printed edition): δυνάμεων ζο ου → δυνάμεων ου.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Marcus the Deacon, V. Porph. 11 (Teubner, 11; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/11). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/11

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of the Teubner edition (Leipzig, 1895; OCR, corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 12

12Teubner, 12

αποκάλυψη αύτι& τό πνεύμα τό δγιον. ήν δέ την άρχιεριυεύνην τό τηνικαυτα έγκεχειρισμένος Ιωάννης, άνήρ και αύτός δόκιμθ€ και πάση αρετή κεκοομημένοα ώο ούν παρεγένοντο πρός αυτόν οΐ Γαίαΐοι, παρεκάλουν αυτόν δοοναι αύτοϊσ Ιερέα δυνατόν ίργψ και λόγιυ άντιτάεαοθαι τοϊσ είδωλολάτραις. όκουεας δέ ευθέως έκήρυΕε νηστείαν, και μετά τρεϊσ ήμέραα άπεκάλυψεν αύτώ κύριος περί του μακαρίου Πορφυρίου, και γράφει έπιστολήν τφ μνημονευθέντι όείψ Πραϋλίψ τφ έπιεκόπιμ Ίεροεολύμιυν τόν μακάριον Πορφύριον πέμψαι πρός αυτόν χάριν ίητήματός τινος τής γραφής όφείλοντος ύπ* αύτου έπιλυθήναι* ήν γάρ Ικανός μακάριος πάν νομιίόμενον εΐναι δυσχερές τών τής θείας γραφής έπιλυσαι, τούτο δέ εΤχεν άπό χαρίσματος πνεύματος άγιου. και πιστευσασ χοισ γράμμασιν του μακαρίου Ιωάννου θεοφιλής Πραυλιος τούτον άπέλυσεν, παραγγείλας αύτψ περαιτέρω επτά ήμερων μή χρονίεαι. άκούσας δέ

apokalypsē auti& to pneuma to dgion. ēn de tēn archieriyeunēn to tēnikauta enkecheirismenos Iōannēs, anēr kai autos dokimth€ kai pasē aretē kekoomēmenoa ōo oun paregenonto pros auton oï Gaiaïoi, parekaloun auton doonai autoïs Ierea dynaton irgps kai logiy antitaeaothai toïs eidōlolatrais. okoueas de eutheōs ekēryEe nēsteian, kai meta treïs ēmeraa apekalypsen autō kyrios peri tou makariou Porphyriou, kai graphei epistolēn tph mnēmoneuthenti oeips Praÿlips tph epiekopim Ieroeolymiyn ton makarion Porphyrion pempsai pros auton charin iētēmatos tinos tēs graphēs opheilontos yp* autou epilythēnai* ēn gar Ikanos makarios pan nomiiomenon eïnai dyscheres tōn tēs theias graphēs epilysai, touto de eTchen apo charismatos pneumatos agiou. kai pisteusas chois grammasin tou makariou Iōannou theophilēs Praulios touton apelysen, parangeilas autps peraiterō epta ēmerōn mē chronieai. akousas de

the Holy Spirit should reveal to him. The one then entrusted with the archpriesthood was John, himself an approved man adorned with every virtue. When the Gazans came to him, they begged him to give them a priest able in deed and word to oppose the idolaters. On hearing this he at once proclaimed a fast, and after three days the Lord revealed to him about the blessed Porphyry; and he writes a letter to the aforementioned holy Praylius, the bishop of Jerusalem, to send the blessed Porphyry to him on account of a certain question of Scripture that was to be resolved by him; for the blessed man was able to resolve everything in the divine Scripture that was thought to be difficult, and he had this from a gift of the Holy Spirit. Trusting the letter of the blessed John, the God-loving Praylius sent him off, charging him not to stay away longer than seven days. When the blessed Porphyry heard

Notes and citation

Summary: John, metropolitan of Caesarea, after a fast, is shown that Porphyry should be bishop and summons him on the pretext of a question about Scripture.

John was metropolitan bishop of Caesarea in Palestine; 'archpriesthood' is his see.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (leaked line number of the printed edition): έπι2δ λυσαι → έπιλυσαι.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Marcus the Deacon, V. Porph. 12 (Teubner, 12; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/12). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/12

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of the Teubner edition (Leipzig, 1895; OCR, corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 13

13Teubner, 13

μακάριθ€ Πορφύριος τήν δύναμιν των γραφόντων υπό του όαωτάτου Ιωάννου τό μέν πρώτον έθορυβήθη, μετά δέ ταύτα εΐπεν* Τό θέλημα του θεού γ^νηθήτω. και προεκαλεεάμενΟ€ με έν τή έσπέρᾳ εκείνη λέγει μοΓ 'Αδελφέ Μάρκε, πορευθώμεν και προσκυνήσωμεν τούς άγίους τόπους και τον τίμιον σταυρόν πολύς γάρ χρόνος έχει παρελθεϊν ζως οΰ πάλιν προσκυνήσομεν. έγώ δέ εϊπον* Διά τί ούτω λέγεις, πάτερ; δ δέ άποκριθεις εΐπεν • Τη παρελθούεη νυκτι εΤδον τον σωτηρα λέγοντα μοι• Τήν παραθήκην ήν παρεθέμην σοι άποκατάστησον. ΣεΟΕαι γάρ οε θέλω γυναικι ταπεινή μέν άλλ' εύτρόπψ, εύ δε λαμβάνων αυτήν κόομηεον, ϊνα έπιλάθηται τής προτέρας αύτής πτωχείας. ει γάρ και ταπεινή τυγχάνει, άλλ' ουκ Ιστιν μου άλλοτρία, αλλά γνησία μου αδελφή, ευ δέ παραφύλαΕαι ϊνα μή ώε ίχων γυναίκα και φροντίδων οϊκου έΗ άδικίας ή βίας ή παραγομίας ευναγάγης, έπει κάμε παρώργισας κάκείνην λυπεΐε* άπαρέεκεται γάρ

makarith€ Porphyrios tēn dynamin tōn graphontōn ypo tou oaōtatou Iōannou to men prōton ethorybēthē, meta de tauta eïpen* To thelēma tou theou g^nēthētō. kai proekaleeamenO€ me en tē esperą ekeinē legei moG 'Adelphe Marke, poreuthōmen kai proskynēsōmen tous agious topous kai ton timion stauron polys gar chronos echei pareltheïn zōs oÿ palin proskynēsomen. egō de eïpon* Dia ti outō legeis, pater? d de apokritheis eïpen • Tē parelthoueē nykti eTdon ton sōtēra legonta moi• Tēn parathēkēn ēn parethemēn soi apokatastēson. SeOEai gar oe thelō gynaiki tapeinē men all' eutropps, eu de lambanōn autēn koomēeon, ïna epilathētai tēs proteras autēs ptōcheias. ei gar kai tapeinē tynchanei, all' ouk Istin mou allotria, alla gnēsia mou adelphē, eu de paraphylaEai ïna mē ōe ichōn gynaika kai phrontidōn oïkou eĒ adikias ē bias ē paragomias eunagagēs, epei kame parōrgisas kakeinēn lypeïe* apareeketai gar

the force of what the most holy John had written, he was at first troubled, but afterwards he said: "The will of God be done." And calling me that evening he says to me: "Brother Mark, let us go and venerate the holy places and the precious cross; for a long time will pass before we venerate them again." I said: "Why do you speak so, father?" He answered: "Last night I saw the Savior saying to me: 'Return the deposit I entrusted to you. For I wish to join you to a wife, lowly but of good character; and you, taking her, adorn her, so that she may forget her former poverty. For though she is lowly, she is no stranger to me, but my own true sister. But take care that, as one who has a wife and the cares of a household, you do not gather from injustice or violence or lawlessness, lest you provoke me to anger and grieve her; for

Matt 6:10 (echo, low confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry foresees that he must leave Jerusalem: Christ in a dream tells him to return the relic and take a lowly bride, the church of Gaza.

The 'wife' of the dream is the church of Gaza, to which the bishop is joined. The section numerals 14–23 were not read in the digitization; that text is in ref 20 (and ref 24), and the numerals are not marked.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Marcus the Deacon, V. Porph. 13 (Teubner, 13; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/13). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/13

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of the Teubner edition (Leipzig, 1895; OCR, corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 20

20Teubner, 13

και αύτη τοϊσ τοιούτοις. ευ δέ μόνον ?χε προθυμίαν άγαθήν, και πάντα εοι χορηγηθήεεται δθεν ου προεδοκqισ ταυτά μοι ό δεσπότης Χριστός έδήλωσεν έν τή παρελθούεη νυκτί, και φοβούμαι μή πως θέλων έζιχασασοαι ρασ έμάς άμαρτιας έ^ιλάοωμαι και δλλυυν πολλών, άλλ' δμιυς ουκ έοτιν άντειπεΐν τψ βουλήματι του θεου. ταύτα ειπών έπορεύθη, κάγώ δέ συν αύτιΐμ, καΐ προσκυνήσαντες τούς άγίουα τόπους καΐ τον τίμιον δ σταυρόν και πολλά εύΗάμενος και δακρύοας έθηκεν έν τψ χρυοφ γλωοοοκόμψ τον τίμιον και Σωοποιόν σταυρόν και άσφαλισάμενος έΗήλθεν, και άπελθών πρός τον μακάριον ΠραΟλιον τον έπίσκοπον παρεδιυκεν αύτψ τάς κλεϊσ και λαβών εύχήν μετά παραθέοειυα έΗήλθεν. έλθόντες δέ εΐο το καταγώγιον εύτρεπιίόμεθα. μιοθωεάμενοι δε κτήνη τρία και λαβόντεα τά ένό5ια έΕήλθομεν τά δέ ένόδια ήν πάντα τά έν τΟμ οϊκψ. ήμεν δέ έν ττ ό5ψ πέντε, αυτός τε μακάριος κάγώ και δύς όνηλάται και αλλθ€ ύπηρέτης νεώτερος ονόματι Βαρωχας, δντινα εΰρεν ό μακάριος προ ολίγου χρόνου έρριμμένον έν τη πλατείᾳ όντα έν έοχάτψ κινδύνψ και λαβών συνήγαγεν, και άναλώοας πολλά εις αυτόν τή βοηθείᾳ του ΧριετοΟ τούτον υγιή έποίησεν. έΕ εκείνου ούν ίμεινεν παρ' αύτφ έΗυπηρετούμενο€ αύτφ δμα έμοί. τά δέ κατά τόν θεοσεβή Βαρωχαν του λόγου προϊόντος φράεω. όδεύσαντες δέ τή ήμέρᾳ εκείνη γ τη έΗής ήλθομεν εις Καισάρειαν. διεδόθη δέ είς πασαν τήν πόλιν ή παρουσία [τής εισόδου] ημών ήν γάρ όνομαοτόα ό μακάριος δια τό εΤναι αυτόν φιλόπτιυχον. ώρμήεαμεν δέ εις τόν έκεϊ Ηενώνα. άκούσασ δέ μακάριος Ίωάννης άρχιεπίςκοπος ^ρομαΐος παρεγένετο πρός ήμας, και άςπασάμενοι αλλήλους και βύεάμενοι μικρόν έκάθκαν. εϊπεν ί)έ αύτφ ό άρχιεπίοκοπος* Άνάστα, αδελφέ, δια τόν κύριον και γευσαι μετ* βμου, ϊνα ταχέιυς άναστώμεν εΐε την άγρυπνίαν τής άγίας Κυριακής. όψέ γαρ εαββάτψ ειεήλθομεν. δέ μακάριος ΤΓορφύριος παρε κάλει αυτόν ςυγχωρήςαι αύτψ τήν έςπέραν δια τόν κόπον τής όδου* έλεγεν δέ μετά τόν πρώτον υπνον άνίςταςθαι εΐε τήν άγρυπνίαν. ώς δέ ουκ έπείςθη άρχιεπίεκοπος, άναςτάς μακάριος ςυνεπορεύθη αύτιϋ λαβών κάμε (τόν γάρ άδελφόν Βαρωχαν βιάςαμεν εν τι& Ηενώνι εγγύς τών ιματίων), και προτραπέντες παρ* αύτου έδειπνήςαμεν. πολλά δέ όμιλήοαντες πνευματικά και μικρόν ύπνώεαντες άνεστημεν εις υ τήν άγρυπνίαν. τη δέ νυκτι εκείνη μεταπε'μπεται μακάριος Ιωάννης τους ΓαΖαίους και λέγει αύτοϊς* 'Έτοιμοι ^ςεςθε έπι τήν κοδον ςήμερον γάρ τόν Ιερέα υμών λαμβάνετε, fινδρα δν άπέδειΗεν ό κύριος, δμεμπτον, θεοφιλή, ίέοντα τή πίστει. πρωίας δι γενομένης άρπάσαντες τόν μακάριον έχειροτόνηςαν έπίςκοπον Γάίης. ττολλά δι έδάκρυςεν και ούκ ήν κόρος τών δακρύων αύτου '"έλεγεν γάρ εαυτόν άνάΗιον εΤναι της τοιαύτης Ιεραιςύνης. μόλις δέ παρακληθείς παρά τε τών ΓαΖαίων και τών έκεΐ ευρεθέντων Χριστιανών ήςύχαςεν. ποιήσαντεσ δέ την άγίαν λειτουργίαν τής κυριακήα πάλιν προετράπημεν γεύσασθαι μετά του άρχιεπιοκόπου. επέτρεψν δέ ήμΐν τήν ταχίστην έΕελθεΐν, και ποιήσαντες δλλην μίαν ήμε'ραν έΕήλθομεν. έκοιμήθημεν δέ εΐε Διόοπολιν κάκεΐθεν νυκτερεύοαντες όψέ βράδιον εΐοήλθομεν εις ΓάΖαν πολλά κοπωθέντεε και θλιβίντεε. ή δέ αιτία τής θλίψεως αυτή έτύγχανεν. πλησίον Γάίης κώμαι τυγχάνουσι παρά τήν όδον αϊτινες ύπάρχουσι τής είδωλομανίας. έκ συνθήματος οδν ο\ τούτων οικήτορεσ κατέετρωεαν πασαν την οδον ακάνθων και οκολόπιυν, &σ τινας μή δύνασθαι παρελθεΐν, έΕέχεαν δέ βόρβορον και έκάπνιΖον άλλα δυσώδη, ώστε ήμας έκ τής δυευϋδίας πνίγεεθαι και περί την δραειν κινδυνεύειν. μόλις οδν διαεΐϋθέντεε περί τρίτην ώραν νυκτερινην ειεήλθομεν εις τήν πόλιν. τούτο δέ τό δυσχερές άπό προσβολής δαιμονικής ύπήντηοεν τψ μακαρίψ. άλλ* ουκ έδυοχέρανεν. ένόμισεν γάρ τήν ένίδραν του διαβόλου δτι ήθέλησεν έκ τής αύτου εΐσόδου άποστρέψαι τόν δίκαιον, ώρμήοαμεν δέ εις τό έπιοκοπεϊον, δ έκτισεν ό προονομαοθεις έν άγίοις €ιρηνίιυν ό έπίσκοπος μετά και τής άγίας έκκλησίας τής καλουμένης €ίρήνης. τό δέ όνομα λέγουσιν αυτήν ίχειν κατά δύς τρόποΰσ. φασιν γάρ οι άπό ΓάΖης δτε παρελήφθη ή πόλις υπό ^ΑλεΗάνδρου του Μακεδόνος κατά τίνα σύμβολον έκεϊ καταπαυεαι τόν πόλεμν, και ζδέΕ εκείνου καλεϊσθαι τόν τόπον €1ρήνην. τούτον τόν τόπον εύρων μακάριος €ιρηνίΐϋν τιμώμενον υπό τών ΓαΖαίιυν έν αύτψ έκτισεν την έκκλησίαν. €Ϊτ€ οδν δια τα προλελεγμενα εϊτε δια τό δνομα του κτίστου έμεινεν οΰτου καλούμενη ?ιjυσ του νυν. έκεϊ οΰν ώρμήοαμεν εις τό παρ' αύτου κτισθέν μικρότατον έπιοκοπεΐον. τψ δέ ένιαυτφ έκείνψ συμβαίνει άνομβρίαν γενέςθαι και έπε'τραφον πάντες οΐ άπό τής πόλεως τό πράγμα τή εΐε06ιυ του μακαρίου, λέγοντες ότι '€χρηματίεθη ήμΐν υπό του Μάρνα, δτι κακοπόόινός έοτιν ό Πορφύριοσ τή πόλει. ιδσ δέ έπέμενεν μή βρέχιυν ό θεός τόν τταρ' αύτοΪ€ πρώτον μήνα καλούμενον Δίον, έτι όέ κα\ τόν δεύτερον Άπελλαϊον, πάντεσ έθλίβοντο. ευναχθίντεε ί>έ οι τής είδωλομανίας είς τό Μαρνεϊον, πολλάς θυσίας και εύχάς έποίουν τούτου ένεκεν έλεγον γαρ τόν Μάρναν κύριον εΤναι τών δμβριυν, τόν δέ Μάρναν λίγουαν €Ϊναι τόν Δία. ώε δέ έπέμενον ήμίρας επτά λέγοντες ΰμνους και εξερχόμενοι ?Ηω τής πόλειυς εις τόπον καλούμενον προσευχής, όλιγωρήεαντεε άνεχώρησαν έπι τα ϊδια έργα μηδέν άνύοαντεε. τούτων ουτως γενομένων €υναχθε'ντεε οι Χριστιανοι μετά ανδρών και γυναικών και παιδίων τόν αριθμόν διακόσιοι όγδοήκοντα παρεκάλουν τόν δειον Πρρφύριον δμα αυτοϊσ έΗελθεϊν εις προσευχήν και λιτανευεαι περί του καταπεμφθήναι τούς δμβρους* ήδη γάρ λιμός έγένετο, και πολλψ γε πλέον ότι έπέγραφον τη εΐεόδψ του μακαρίου τήν άνομβρίαν

kai autē toïs toioutois. eu de monon ?che prothymian agathēn, kai panta eoi chorēgēthēeetai dthen ou proedokqis tauta moi o despotēs Christos edēlōsen en tē parelthoueē nykti, kai phoboumai mē pōs thelōn ezichasasoai ras emas amartias e^ilaoōmai kai dllyyn pollōn, all' dmiys ouk eotin anteipeïn tps boulēmati tou theou. tauta eipōn eporeuthē, kagō de syn autiïm, kaï proskynēsantes tous agioua topous kaï ton timion d stauron kai polla euĒamenos kai dakryoas ethēken en tps chryoph glōoookomps ton timion kai Sōopoion stauron kai asphalisamenos eĒēlthen, kai apelthōn pros ton makarion PraOlion ton episkopon parediyken autps tas kleïs kai labōn euchēn meta paratheoeiya eĒēlthen. elthontes de eïo to katagōgion eutrepiiometha. miothōeamenoi de ktēnē tria kai labontea ta eno5ia eEēlthomen ta de enodia ēn panta ta en tOm oïkps. ēmen de en tt o5ps pente, autos te makarios kagō kai dys onēlatai kai allth€ ypēretēs neōteros onomati Barōchas, dntina eÿren o makarios pro oligou chronou errimmenon en tē plateią onta en eochatps kindynps kai labōn synēgagen, kai analōoas polla eis auton tē boētheią tou ChrietoO touton ygiē epoiēsen. eE ekeinou oun imeinen par' autph eĒupēretoumeno€ autph dma emoi. ta de kata ton theosebē Barōchan tou logou proïontos phraeō. odeusantes de tē ēmerą ekeinē g tē eĒēs ēlthomen eis Kaisareian. diedothē de eis pasan tēn polin ē parousia [tēs eisodou] ēmōn ēn gar onomaotoa o makarios dia to eTnai auton philoptiychon. ōrmēeamen de eis ton ekeï Ēenōna. akousas de makarios Iōannēs archiepiskopos ^romaïos paregeneto pros ēmas, kai aspasamenoi allēlous kai byeamenoi mikron ekathkan. eïpen i)e autph o archiepiokopos* Anasta, adelphe, dia ton kyrion kai geusai met* bmou, ïna tacheiys anastōmen eïe tēn agrypnian tēs agias Kyriakēs. opse gar eabbatps eieēlthomen. de makarios TGorphyrios pare kalei auton synchōrēsai autps tēn esperan dia ton kopon tēs odou* elegen de meta ton prōton ypnon anistasthai eïe tēn agrypnian. ōs de ouk epeisthē archiepiekopos, anastas makarios syneporeuthē autiÿ labōn kame (ton gar adelphon Barōchan biasamen en ti& Ēenōni engys tōn imatiōn), kai protrapentes par* autou edeipnēsamen. polla de omilēoantes pneumatika kai mikron ypnōeantes anestēmen eis y tēn agrypnian. tē de nykti ekeinē metape'mpetai makarios Iōannēs tous GaZaious kai legei autoïs* 'Etoimoi ^sesthe epi tēn kodon sēmeron gar ton Ierea ymōn lambanete, findra dn apedeiĒen o kyrios, dmempton, theophilē, ieonta tē pistei. prōias di genomenēs arpasantes ton makarion echeirotonēsan episkopon Gaiēs. ttolla di edakrysen kai ouk ēn koros tōn dakryōn autou '"elegen gar eauton anaĒion eTnai tēs toiautēs Ieraisynēs. molis de paraklētheis para te tōn GaZaiōn kai tōn ekeï eurethentōn Christianōn ēsychasen. poiēsantes de tēn agian leitourgian tēs kyriakēa palin proetrapēmen geusasthai meta tou archiepiokopou. epetrepsn de ēmïn tēn tachistēn eEeltheïn, kai poiēsantes dllēn mian ēme'ran eEēlthomen. ekoimēthēmen de eïe Dioopolin kakeïthen nyktereuoantes opse bradion eïoēlthomen eis GaZan polla kopōthentee kai thlibintee. ē de aitia tēs thlipseōs autē etynchanen. plēsion Gaiēs kōmai tynchanousi para tēn odon aïtines yparchousi tēs eidōlomanias. ek synthēmatos odn o\ toutōn oikētores kateetrōean pasan tēn odon akanthōn kai okolopiyn, &s tinas mē dynasthai pareltheïn, eEechean de borboron kai ekapniZon alla dysōdē, ōste ēmas ek tēs dyeuÿdias pnigeethai kai peri tēn draein kindyneuein. molis odn diaeïÿthentee peri tritēn ōran nykterinēn eieēlthomen eis tēn polin. touto de to dyscheres apo prosbolēs daimonikēs ypēntēoen tps makarips. all* ouk edyocheranen. enomisen gar tēn enidran tou diabolou dti ēthelēsen ek tēs autou eïsodou apostrepsai ton dikaion, ōrmēoamen de eis to epiokopeïon, d ektisen o proonomaotheis en agiois €irēniiyn o episkopos meta kai tēs agias ekklēsias tēs kaloumenēs €irēnēs. to de onoma legousin autēn ichein kata dys tropoÿs. phasin gar oi apo GaZēs dte parelēphthē ē polis ypo ^AleĒandrou tou Makedonos kata tina symbolon ekeï katapaueai ton polemn, kai zdeE ekeinou kaleïsthai ton topon €1rēnēn. touton ton topon eurōn makarios €irēniïÿn timōmenon ypo tōn GaZaiiyn en autps ektisen tēn ekklēsian. €Ït€ odn dia ta prolelegmena eïte dia to dnoma tou ktistou emeinen oÿtou kaloumenē ?ijys tou nyn. ekeï oÿn ōrmēoamen eis to par' autou ktisthen mikrotaton epiokopeïon. tps de eniautph ekeinps symbainei anombrian genesthai kai epe'traphon pantes oï apo tēs poleōs to pragma tē eïe06iy tou makariou, legontes oti '€chrēmatiethē ēmïn ypo tou Marna, dti kakopooinos eotin o Porphyrios tē polei. ids de epemenen mē brechiyn o theos ton ttar' autoÏ€ prōton mēna kaloumenon Dion, eti oe ka\ ton deuteron Apellaïon, pantes ethlibonto. eunachthintee i>e oi tēs eidōlomanias eis to Marneïon, pollas thysias kai euchas epoioun toutou eneken elegon gar ton Marnan kyrion eTnai tōn dmbriyn, ton de Marnan ligouan €Ïnai ton Dia. ōe de epemenon ēmiras epta legontes ÿmnous kai exerchomenoi ?Ēō tēs poleiys eis topon kaloumenon proseuchēs, oligōrēeantee anechōrēsan epi ta ïdia erga mēden anyoantee. toutōn outōs genomenōn €ynachthe'ntee oi Christianoi meta andrōn kai gynaikōn kai paidiōn ton arithmon diakosioi ogdoēkonta parekaloun ton deion Prrphyrion dma autoïs eĒeltheïn eis proseuchēn kai litaneueai peri tou katapemphthēnai tous dmbrous* ēdē gar limos egeneto, kai pollps ge pleon oti epegraphon tē eïeodps tou makariou tēn anombrian

these things displease her too. Only have a good readiness, and everything will be supplied to you.' This, which I did not expect, the Master Christ revealed to me last night; and I fear that, wishing to wipe out my own sins, I may take on those of many others as well; yet it is not possible to contradict the will of God." Having said this he went, and I with him; and having venerated the holy places and the precious cross, having prayed much and wept, he placed the precious and life-giving cross in its golden case, secured it and went out; and going to the blessed bishop Praylius he handed him the keys, received a blessing with a farewell and went out. Coming to our lodging we made ready. We hired three pack animals, took provisions for the road and set out; the provisions were everything that was in the house. We were five on the road: the blessed man himself, I, two donkey-drivers, and another, younger servant named Barochas, whom the blessed man had found a short time before thrown down in the street in extreme danger; he took him in, spent much on him, and with Christ's help made him well. From then on he stayed with him, serving him together with me. What concerns the God-fearing Barochas I shall tell as the narrative proceeds. Having traveled that day and the next we came to Caesarea. Our arrival spread through the whole city, for the blessed man was well known for his love of the poor. We made for the hostel there. Hearing of it, the blessed John the archbishop came running to us; we greeted one another, prayed and sat a little. The archbishop said to him: "Get up, brother, for the Lord's sake, and eat with me, so that we may rise early for the vigil of the holy Lord's Day." For we had arrived late on the Sabbath. The blessed Porphyry begged him to excuse him for the evening because of the fatigue of the journey, and said he would rise for the vigil after his first sleep. But since the archbishop was not persuaded, the blessed man rose and went with him, taking me too (for we had left brother Barochas in the hostel beside the clothes), and at his urging we dined. After much spiritual conversation and a little sleep we rose for the vigil. That night the blessed John sends for the Gazans and says to them: "Be ready for the road; for today you receive your priest, a man whom the Lord has shown, blameless, God-loving, fervent in faith." When morning came they seized the blessed man and ordained him bishop of Gaza. He wept much, and there was no end to his tears; for he said that he was unworthy of such a priesthood. With difficulty, comforted by the Gazans and by the Christians who were there, he grew calm. After celebrating the holy liturgy of the Lord's Day we were again urged to eat with the archbishop. He permitted us to leave very soon, and after spending one more day we set out. We slept at Diospolis, and having passed the night there we entered Gaza late in the evening, much fatigued and distressed. The cause of the distress was this. Near Gaza there are villages beside the road that belong to idol-madness. By agreement their inhabitants strewed the whole road with thorns and stakes, so that some could not get through, and they poured out filth and burned other foul-smelling things, so that we were choked by the stench and in danger of losing our sight. Having got through with difficulty, we entered the city about the third hour of the night. This hardship befell the blessed man from a demonic assault. But he was not vexed; for he judged that the devil's ambush wished to turn the righteous man back from his entrance. We made for the bishop's house, which the aforementioned Irenion, now among the saints, built together with the holy church called Irene. They say it has this name for two reasons. The people of Gaza say that when the city was taken by Alexander the Macedonian, the war came to an end there by some agreement, and from then on the place was called Irene, that is, Peace. Finding this place honored by the Gazans, the blessed Irenion built the church on it. Whether for the reasons given or because of its builder's name, it has remained so called to this day. There, then, we made for the very small bishop's house that he had built. In that year it happened that there was a drought, and all the people of the city blamed the matter on the entrance of the blessed man, saying: "It has been revealed to us by Marnas that Porphyry is ill-omened for the city." When God continued to send no rain during the month they call the first, Dios, and also during the second, Apellaios, everyone was distressed. The adherents of idol-madness gathered in the Marneion and made many sacrifices and prayers on this account; for they said that Marnas was lord of the rains, and they say that Marnas is Zeus. When they had continued seven days singing hymns and going out of the city to a place called 'of prayer', they lost heart and went back to their own work, having achieved nothing. Things being so, the Christians gathered, men, women and children, two hundred and eighty in number, and begged the godly Porphyry to go out with them to prayer and to make a litany for the rains to be sent down; for famine had already begun, and all the more because they blamed the drought on the entrance of the blessed man.

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry leaves Jerusalem, is ordained bishop of Gaza at Caesarea against his will, enters Gaza through pagan harassment, and is blamed by the pagans for a drought.

This ref contains text of Teubner §§14–20 or thereabouts; the numerals were not read and are not marked. The editor's square brackets mark τῆς εἰσόδου ('of the entrance') as a deletion. Marnas was the chief god of Gaza; Dios and Apellaios are the first two months of the Gazan calendar (late autumn). 'Be ready for the road' renders κοδον by sense (ὁδόν). The OCR of this edition is noisy (accents and some letters unreliable); a few readings are translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (leaked critical apparatus of the printed edition; leaked line number of the printed edition): του lι θεου → του θεου; δντινα ΐδ εΰρεν → δντινα εΰρεν; αΰτη Β κατέοτροοαν Β f. τίνα σl. 41, → ; παρεκά2ο λουν → παρεκάλουν.

Topics: Church office

Cite (SBL): Marcus the Deacon, V. Porph. 20 (Teubner, 13; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/20). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/20

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of the Teubner edition (Leipzig, 1895; OCR, corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.

Chapter 24

24Teubner, 17

πεΐσθεις δέ ό δειος και κηρύΗας νηστείαν έκέλευσεν πάντας αφ' έσπερας συναχθήναι εlσ την άγίαν έκκλησίαν^ ϊνα έκεΐ τήν άγρυπνίαν έπιτελέσωμεν. έποιήσαμεν δέ δέ' δλης τής νυκτός εύχάς τριάκοντα και τοσαύτας γονυκχισιασ έκτός χορών και των άναγνιυομάτΐϋν. πριυίας δέ δ τενομένη€ λαβόντες τό σημεϊον του τιμίου οταυροΟ, προηγουμένου ημών έζήλθομεν μετά ύμνων έπι την άρχαίαν έκκληααν τήν άπό δυσμών τής πόλεως, ήν λε'γουα κτίζειν τον άγιώτατον και μακαριώτατον Άσκληπαν τόν έπίσκοπον τόν πολλούς διωγμούς ύπομείναντα υπέρ της όρθο5όΗου πίστεως, οΰτινος βίος και τα έργα άναγέγραπται έν τψ παραδείοψ τής τρυφής. γενόμενοι ούν έν τη ειρημενη έκκλησία κάκεϊ εύχάς τοσαύτας έποιήσαμεν, κάκεϊθεν έΗελθόντεα έπορεύθημεν έπι τό άγιον μαρτύριον του ένδόΗου μάρτυρος Τιμοθέου, έν φ άπόκείνται κα\ άλλα λείψανα Μαΐουρος μάρτυρος και θεής όμολογητρίας, κάκεϊ τοσαύτας εύχάς και γονυκλιείας ποιήσαντες ύπεετρέψαμεν εΐε τήν πόλιν, ποιήσαντεσ έν τη ό6ψ τρεϊσ εύχάς και τρεϊσ γονυκλιείας. γενόμενοι δέ περί τήν πόλιν ευραμεν αυτήν κεκλειεμένην (ήν δέ ώρα ένατη)• οΐ γάρ τής ειδωλομανίας βουλόμενοι διαεκεδάεαL τόν λαν τούτο πεποιήκασιν» ϊνα μή πληρώσωμεν τήν λιτάνειον. ώο δέ έμείναμεν ώρας δύς πρό τής πύλης και ούδεις ό άνοίγων, ορών θεός τήν ύπομονήν τοΟ λάου και τάς οιμωγάς και τα άφατα δάκρυα, μάλιστα του όσίου ανδροσ, σπλαγχνισθεις ώε έπι του μεγάλου ^Ηλίου του προφήτου κινεί δνεμον νότον, και γίνεται ουννεφής οορανοσ και άρχονται άστραπαι και βρονται f ίνεοθαι δμα τψ δοναι τόν ήλιον κα\ καταφέρεται πολύς δμβρος, ώο νομίίεοθαι σταγόνας μή είναι, άλλα χάλαΖαν άπ' ουρανού καταφέρεεθαι. ήμεΐσ δέ άπό πολλής χαρας σχεδον ουκ ήοθόμεθα• άλλήλους γαρ ήμεν περιπτυΗάμενοι. τινέ€ δέ των ΐλλήνων θεασάμενοι δσα έποίησεν ήμϊν ό θεός θαύματα, πιστεύσαντες ήνοιΗαν την πύλν και ουνεμίγηοαν ήμΐν βοώντεα* Ό Χριοτός μόνος θεός, αυτός μόνος ένίκησεν. συνήλθον δέ ήμΐν εΐε τήν άγίαν έκκλησίαν, κάκεϊθεν άπέλυσεν αύτούς ό μακάριος μετ* €ΐρήνης σφραγίσας τή του Χριστου σφραγϊδι. fjσαν δε τόν αριθμόν ρκζ, δνδρες ώε οη και γυναϊκεσ λε και παιδία ιδ, έ2 ών fjσαν κόραι ε. ήμεϊσ δέ ποιήσαντεσ τήν τελείαν βύχαριετίαν άνεχωρήσαμεν έκαστος μετά χαράς και ειρήνης εις τά ϊ5ια εαυτών, τοσουτος δέ δμβρος κατηνε'χθη τη νυκτι εκείνη και έν τη άλλη ήμε'ρᾳ, ώστε πάντας φοβηθήναι ϊνα μή συμπτώματα οϊκων γ^νηται* τά <τάρ> ττλεϊετα έτύγχανεν άπό ώμοπλίνθου. έποίησεν δέ βράχων κύριος ημών Ίησους Χριστός άπαύστως άπό τής όγ&όης Αύδυναίου μέχρι τής δεκάτης. ίστιν δέ <ό> παρ* αύτοΐσ Αύ6υναϊος Ίανουάριος μήν κατά 'Ρωμαίους, πε'ντε δέ ήμέρας προάγουσιν οι κατ* αύτούς μήνεσ τούς 'Ρωμαϊκούς. τή δέ ενδέκατη έπετελέσαμεν τήν ήμε'ραν τών θεοφανίυϋν του δεσπότου Ίησου Χριστου μετά χαρδε ύμνουντες και ευχαριστουντες έπι πασιν οισ έποίησεν ήμΐν ή αύτου φιλανθρωπία, προσετέθησαν δέ τη του χριστος ποίμνη έν αύτψ τψ ένιαυτψ πρός τοϊσ ρκζ και άλλοι ρε. οι δέ τής ειδυϋλομανίας ουκ έπαύοντο ένεδρεύοντες τψ τε μακαρίψ και τοΐσ λοιποϊσ Χριστιανοΐ€. δτε γαρ έδράεοοντο δρχοντος ''€λληνο€, ύπειςήρχοντο αύτψ, εϊτε δια χρημάτων εϊτε δια τής άθεου αυτών θρηοκείαα, κακώσαι τού€ Χριετιανούα, και έκ τούτου ούχ ή τυχουσα θλίψις ςυνέβαινεν τψ μακαριωτάτψ. ουνεχώα ούν νύκτωρ τε και μεθ* ήμέραν έδέετο του φιλάνθρωπου θεοΟ, ϊνα αύτούς έπιστρέψη έκ τής πλάνης εις την αύτου άλήθειαν. επειδή δε άνωτε'ρω έμνησθην του μακαρίου Βαρωχα, τα λοιπά περί αύτου διηγήσομαι. οΰτος εσχεν ζήλον θεϊκόν ώε ει καί τις άλλος' πολλά γάρ ύπέμεινεν χαλεπά παρά των ειδωλολατρών. ποτέ γάρ άπελθόντος αύτου ?νεκα έκκληειαετικοΟ κανόνος εΐε κώμην ούκ δπωθεν τής πόλεως, fjν δέ ό τον κανόνα χρεωοτών ει5ωλολά τρης, άπαιτούμενος δε και βουλόμενος διαεΰραι εις ύπίρθεειν, του θεοσεβους Βαρωχα μη άνασχομένου, έκ τούτου έρεσχελίας γενομένης μεταΕύ αυτών προσκαλεϊται ό άνόσιος γεωργός τινας όμοίους αύτου ευγκωμήτας, και άρχονται τύπτειν ^οπάλοις τον μακάριον Βαρωχαν και βαστάσαντεσ αυτόν ήμιθανή έρριψαν ?Ηιυ ήμεΪ€ δε θεασάμενοι την πολλήν σύγχυσιν βαστάσαντες τόν θεοφιλή Βαριυχαν άνεχωρήσαμεν εlσ τήν άγίαν έκκληε(αν. ώο δέ έθεασάμεθα αυτόν έτι εμπνέοντα, έποιήσαμεν αύτφ θεραπείας. ήν δέ υπέρ αύτου δια τής έσπέρας και τή€ νυκτός ευχή έκτενήα* συνήχθηςαν γαρ πάντες οΐ αδελφοί. δέ Sσιοσ έπίσκοπος ουκ έπαύσατο δακρύων και δεόμενος του θεού περί αύτου' ηπιότατο γαρ όποιον εΐχεν ζήλον θεϊκόν. ώο όέ ειόεν ό θεός τα δάκρυα του όσίου ίερέιυς και τάς όεήοεις του λάου (δεύτερον γαρ Φινεές εΤχον αυτόν κατά τών ειδωλολατρών), έτάχυνεν αύτψ τό ?λες€ αύτου, και τη νυκτι εκείνη ανοίγει τού€ όφθαλμούς αύτου, και άρχεται λαλεΐν και αιτεϊν ποτόν δοθήναι αύτψ. έγώ δέ παρακαθήμενο€ αύτψ εύθέωα έδραμον άπαγγεϊλαι τψ μακαρίψ έπιεκόπψ • έκ της πολλής γαρ χαράς έληομόνηεα δούναι αύτφ ποτόν, παθών κάγώ τό τής παιδίσκης τή€ έπι του μακαρίου Πέτρου του άποστόλου, δτε άκούσασα τής φιυνής του αγίου Πέτρου έκ τής χαράς ουκ ήνοιΗεν την θύραν, άλλα έάοαοα αυτόν πρώτον άνήγγειλεν τοϊσ έν τψ οϊκψ. τοιούτον τι κάγώ ύπέστην. άκούσας δέ ό μακάριος έπίσκοπος ούκ έκινηθη υπό του πάθους, άλλ' ίμεινεν άντεχόμενος τών προσευχών, ήμεΐσ δέ νοήεαντε€ τό στερρόν και άκλινές αύτου έάσαντεσ αυτόν άπήλθομεν, έγώ τε και ό θεοφιλής Κορνήλιος ό διάκονος* σύν έμοι γαρ παρεκάθητο τψ μακαρίψ ΒαρωχςΙ. ώο δε έπλήρυjσεν τάς ευχασ και πασαν την άκολουθίαν ό όοιώτατος έπίσκοπος, και αύτός αμα ήμϊν καGισασ έπηρώτα τον θε0εεβή Βαρωχάν πώς έδ αρχής ίπαθεν, αύτός δέ πάντα ήμϊν διηγήςατο. έν δέ τψ ήμας βουλεύεσθαι τί χρή

peïstheis de o deios kai kēryĒas nēsteian ekeleusen pantas aph' esperas synachthēnai els tēn agian ekklēsian^ ïna ekeï tēn agrypnian epitelesōmen. epoiēsamen de de' dlēs tēs nyktos euchas triakonta kai tosautas gonykchisias ektos chorōn kai tōn anagniyomatïÿn. priuias de d tenomenē€ labontes to sēmeïon tou timiou otauroO, proēgoumenou ēmōn ezēlthomen meta ymnōn epi tēn archaian ekklēaan tēn apo dysmōn tēs poleōs, ēn le'goua ktizein ton agiōtaton kai makariōtaton Asklēpan ton episkopon ton pollous diōgmous ypomeinanta yper tēs ortho5oĒou pisteōs, oÿtinos bios kai ta erga anagegraptai en tps paradeiops tēs tryphēs. genomenoi oun en tē eirēmenē ekklēsia kakeï euchas tosautas epoiēsamen, kakeïthen eĒelthontea eporeuthēmen epi to agion martyrion tou endoĒou martyros Timotheou, en ph apokeintai ka\ alla leipsana Maïouros martyros kai theēs omologētrias, kakeï tosautas euchas kai gonyklieias poiēsantes ypeetrepsamen eïe tēn polin, poiēsantes en tē o6ps treïs euchas kai treïs gonyklieias. genomenoi de peri tēn polin euramen autēn kekleiemenēn (ēn de ōra enatē)• oï gar tēs eidōlomanias boulomenoi diaekedaeaL ton lan touto pepoiēkasin» ïna mē plērōsōmen tēn litaneion. ōo de emeinamen ōras dys pro tēs pylēs kai oudeis o anoigōn, orōn theos tēn ypomonēn toO laou kai tas oimōgas kai ta aphata dakrya, malista tou osiou andros, splanchnistheis ōe epi tou megalou ^Ēliou tou prophētou kinei dnemon noton, kai ginetai ounnephēs ooranos kai archontai astrapai kai brontai f ineothai dma tps donai ton ēlion ka\ katapheretai polys dmbros, ōo nomiieothai stagonas mē einai, alla chalaZan ap' ouranou kataphereethai. ēmeïs de apo pollēs charas schedon ouk ēothometha• allēlous gar ēmen periptyĒamenoi. tine€ de tōn ïllēnōn theasamenoi dsa epoiēsen ēmïn o theos thaumata, pisteusantes ēnoiĒan tēn pyln kai ounemigēoan ēmïn boōntea* O Chriotos monos theos, autos monos enikēsen. synēlthon de ēmïn eïe tēn agian ekklēsian, kakeïthen apelysen autous o makarios met* €ïrēnēs sphragisas tē tou Christou sphragïdi. fjsan de ton arithmon rkz, dndres ōe oē kai gynaïkes le kai paidia id, e2 ōn fjsan korai e. ēmeïs de poiēsantes tēn teleian bycharietian anechōrēsamen ekastos meta charas kai eirēnēs eis ta ï5ia eautōn, tosoutos de dmbros katēne'chthē tē nykti ekeinē kai en tē allē ēme'rą, ōste pantas phobēthēnai ïna mē symptōmata oïkōn g^nētai* ta <tar> ttleïeta etynchanen apo ōmoplinthou. epoiēsen de brachōn kyrios ēmōn Iēsous Christos apaustōs apo tēs og&oēs Audynaiou mechri tēs dekatēs. istin de <o> par* autoïs Au6ynaïos Ianouarios mēn kata 'Rōmaious, pe'nte de ēmeras proagousin oi kat* autous mēnes tous 'Rōmaïkous. tē de endekatē epetelesamen tēn ēme'ran tōn theophaniyÿn tou despotou Iēsou Christou meta charde ymnountes kai eucharistountes epi pasin ois epoiēsen ēmïn ē autou philanthrōpia, prosetethēsan de tē tou christos poimnē en autps tps eniautps pros toïs rkz kai alloi re. oi de tēs eidyÿlomanias ouk epauonto enedreuontes tps te makarips kai toïs loipoïs Christianoï€. dte gar edraeoonto drchontos ''€llēno€, ypeisērchonto autps, eïte dia chrēmatōn eïte dia tēs atheou autōn thrēokeiaa, kakōsai tou€ Chrietianoua, kai ek toutou ouch ē tychousa thlipsis synebainen tps makariōtatps. ounechōa oun nyktōr te kai meth* ēmeran edeeto tou philanthrōpou theoO, ïna autous epistrepsē ek tēs planēs eis tēn autou alētheian. epeidē de anōte'rō emnēsthēn tou makariou Barōcha, ta loipa peri autou diēgēsomai. oÿtos eschen zēlon theïkon ōe ei kai tis allos' polla gar ypemeinen chalepa para tōn eidōlolatrōn. pote gar apelthontos autou ?neka ekklēeiaetikoO kanonos eïe kōmēn ouk dpōthen tēs poleōs, fjn de o ton kanona chreōotōn ei5ōlola trēs, apaitoumenos de kai boulomenos diaeÿrai eis ypirtheein, tou theosebous Barōcha mē anaschomenou, ek toutou ereschelias genomenēs metaEu autōn proskaleïtai o anosios geōrgos tinas omoious autou eunkōmētas, kai archontai typtein ^opalois ton makarion Barōchan kai bastasantes auton ēmithanē erripsan ?Ēiy ēmeÏ€ de theasamenoi tēn pollēn synchysin bastasantes ton theophilē Bariychan anechōrēsamen els tēn agian ekklēe(an. ōo de etheasametha auton eti empneonta, epoiēsamen autph therapeias. ēn de yper autou dia tēs esperas kai tē€ nyktos euchē ektenēa* synēchthēsan gar pantes oï adelphoi. de Ssios episkopos ouk epausato dakryōn kai deomenos tou theou peri autou' ēpiotato gar opoion eïchen zēlon theïkon. ōo oe eioen o theos ta dakrya tou osiou iereiys kai tas oeēoeis tou laou (deuteron gar Phinees eTchon auton kata tōn eidōlolatrōn), etachynen autps to ?les€ autou, kai tē nykti ekeinē anoigei tou€ ophthalmous autou, kai archetai laleïn kai aiteïn poton dothēnai autps. egō de parakathēmeno€ autps eutheōa edramon apangeïlai tps makarips epiekopps • ek tēs pollēs gar charas elēomonēea dounai autph poton, pathōn kagō to tēs paidiskēs tē€ epi tou makariou Petrou tou apostolou, dte akousasa tēs phiynēs tou agiou Petrou ek tēs charas ouk ēnoiĒen tēn thyran, alla eaoaoa auton prōton anēngeilen toïs en tps oïkps. toiouton ti kagō ypestēn. akousas de o makarios episkopos ouk ekinēthē ypo tou pathous, all' imeinen antechomenos tōn proseuchōn, ēmeïs de noēeante€ to sterron kai aklines autou easantes auton apēlthomen, egō te kai o theophilēs Kornēlios o diakonos* syn emoi gar parekathēto tps makarips BarōchsI. ōo de eplēryjsen tas euchas kai pasan tēn akolouthian o ooiōtatos episkopos, kai autos ama ēmïn kaGisas epērōta ton the0eebē Barōchan pōs ed archēs ipathen, autos de panta ēmïn diēgēsato. en de tps ēmas bouleuesthai ti chrē

The godly man was persuaded; he proclaimed a fast and ordered everyone to gather in the evening in the holy church, so that we might keep the vigil there. Through the whole night we made thirty prayers and as many genuflections, besides the chants and the readings. At dawn, taking the sign of the precious cross to lead us, we went out with hymns to the ancient church on the west side of the city, which they say was built by the most holy and blessed Asclepas the bishop, who endured many persecutions for the orthodox faith, whose life and deeds are recorded in the paradise of delight. Arriving at that church we made as many prayers there, and going out from there we went to the holy shrine of the glorious martyr Timothy, in which other relics also lie, those of the martyr Maior and of Thea the confessor; and having made as many prayers and genuflections there we returned toward the city, making on the way three prayers and three genuflections. When we came to the city we found it shut (it was the ninth hour); for the adherents of idol-madness had done this, wishing to scatter the people, so that we might not complete the litany. When we had waited two hours before the gate and no one opened, God, seeing the patience of the people, their groans and unspeakable tears, especially those of the holy man, had compassion, as in the days of the great prophet Elijah, and stirs up a south wind; the sky becomes cloudy, lightnings and thunders begin at sunset, and heavy rain pours down, so that it seemed not drops but hail were falling from heaven. For great joy we hardly noticed it, for we were embracing one another. Some of the pagans, seeing what wonders God had done for us, believed, opened the gate and joined us, crying out: "Christ alone is God; he alone has conquered." They came with us into the holy church, and from there the blessed man dismissed them in peace, sealing them with the seal of Christ. They numbered 127: 78 men, 35 women and 14 children, of whom 5 were girls. Having made the full thanksgiving, we went off each to our own homes with joy and peace. So much rain fell that night and the next day that all feared houses might collapse, for most of them were of unbaked brick. Our Lord Jesus Christ made it rain without ceasing from the eighth of Audynaios to the tenth. Audynaios among them is the month of January among the Romans, and their months run five days ahead of the Roman ones. On the eleventh we celebrated the day of the Theophany of the Lord Jesus Christ with joy, singing hymns and giving thanks for all that his love for mankind had done for us. In that same year another 105 were added to Christ's flock, besides the 127. But the adherents of idol-madness did not cease plotting against the blessed man and the other Christians. Whenever they got hold of a pagan governor, they would win him over, either with money or through their godless religion, to harm the Christians, and from this no small affliction befell the most blessed man. Night and day he continually besought God, the lover of mankind, to turn them from error to his truth. Since I mentioned the blessed Barochas above, I shall relate the rest about him. He had divine zeal like no one else; for he suffered many hard things from the idolaters. Once he went to a village not far from the city on account of a rent due to the church; the man who owed the rent was an idolater, and when asked for it he wanted to put off payment. The God-fearing Barochas would not put up with this; a quarrel arose between them, and the impious farmer called some fellow villagers like himself, and they began beating the blessed Barochas with clubs, and carrying him half-dead they threw him out. We saw the great commotion, carried the God-loving Barochas and withdrew into the holy church. When we saw that he was still breathing, we treated him. There was earnest prayer for him through the evening and the night, for all the brothers had gathered. The holy bishop did not cease weeping and beseeching God for him, for he knew what divine zeal he had. When God saw the tears of the holy priest and the petitions of the people (for they held him to be a second Phinehas against the idolaters), he hastened his mercy toward him; that night he opens his eyes, begins to speak and asks to be given a drink. I, who was sitting beside him, at once ran to tell the blessed bishop; for from great joy I forgot to give him a drink, suffering the same as the maidservant in the days of the blessed apostle Peter, when on hearing holy Peter's voice she did not open the door for joy, but left him there and first ran to tell those in the house. Something of the kind happened to me. The blessed bishop heard it but was not moved by emotion; he went on holding to his prayers. We, perceiving his firmness and steadiness, left him and went away, I and the God-loving Cornelius the deacon, for he had been sitting with me beside the blessed Barochas. When the most holy bishop had completed the prayers and the whole office, he too sat with us and asked the God-fearing Barochas how it had all happened from the beginning, and he told us everything. While we were deliberating what we should

1 Kgs 18:45 (allusion, high confidence) · Num 25:7–13 (allusion, medium confidence) · Acts 12:13–14 (allusion, high confidence)

Notes and citation

Summary: Porphyry's night vigil and procession bring rain after the pagans' prayers to Marnas failed; many pagans believe; Barochas is beaten nearly to death by a pagan farmer and recovers.

This ref contains Teubner §§21–24 or thereabouts; the numerals were not read and are not marked. 'Recorded in the paradise of delight' is literal; it probably means that Asclepas's deeds are written in heaven (uncertain). The numerals are Greek letters in the text: ρκζ (127, misread ρκ2 by the OCR), 78 men (οη), 35 women, 14 children. Audynaios 11 in the Gazan calendar is 6 January, the Theophany.
Elijah's rain (1 Kgs 18:41–45); Phinehas (Num 25:7–13); Rhoda at the door (Acts 12:13–14). The OCR of this edition is noisy; some readings are translated by sense.

Notes on the original text

Digital text corrected (OCR misreading; leaked line number of the printed edition): τήν άγίαν ία έκκλησίαν → τήν άγίαν έκκλησίαν; οΰτος εσχεν ΐδ ζήλον → οΰτος εσχεν ζήλον; ρκ2, → ρκζ,.

Topics: Prayer, Fasting

Cite (SBL): Marcus the Deacon, V. Porph. 24 (Teubner, 17; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/24). (abbreviation not yet checked)

Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/marcus-vita-porphyrii/24

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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of the Teubner edition (Leipzig, 1895; OCR, corrections logged). No public-domain English translation exists and no FOTC volume covers this work, so each batch was re-read against the Greek.