# Symposium (The Banquet of the Ten Virgins) - Author: [Methodius of Olympus](https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/authors/methodius-of-olympus/) - Latin title: *Symposium sive Convivium decem virginum* - Date: late 3rd century (disputed) - Source: G. Nathanael Bonwetsch, ed., Methodius, GCS 27 (Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1917) (Greek text: G. N. Bonwetsch, Methodius (GCS 27, 1917), digitized by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0) - Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator - Editions and translations: Herbert Musurillo and Victor-Henri Debidour, Méthode d'Olympe: Le Banquet, SC 95 (Paris: Cerf, 1963) - Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/ - Passages: 86 ## Symposium, prologue - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/0/#p-0 - Source: Bonwetsch, 3–7 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Gregorion begins to tell Euboulion how Theopatra and nine other virgins, guests of Arete (Virtue) in a garden like paradise, were each asked to give a speech in praise of virginity, beginning with Marcella. ### Greek text ΕΥΒΟΥΛΙΟΝ. Εὐκαιρότατα ἐπέστης, ὠ Γρηγόριον· ἔναγχός σε ἐζήτουν, βουλομένη μαθεῖν τὴν Μαρκέλλης συνουσίαν Θεοπάτρας καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν παρθένων τῶν τότε ἐν τῷ συνδείπνῳ παραγενομένων, περὶ τῶν τῆς ἀγνείας λόγων, τίνες ἠσαν. φασὶ γὰρ σφόδρα μεγαλοπρεπῶς οὕτως αὐτὰς καὶ ἰσχυρῶς ἠγωνίσθαι, ὡς μηδενὸς εἶναι τῶν εἰς τὸ προκείμενον ἀναγκαίων ἐπιδεεῖς. εἰ οὖν ἑτέρου τινὸς ἒνεκα ἠλθες, τοῦτο εἰσαῦθις ἀναβαλλομένη μὴ ὀκνήσῃς νῦν ὦν πυνθανόμεθά σου ἀκολούθως ἡμῖν ἂπαντα διελθεῖν. ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟΝ Ἤμβροτον, ὡς ἔοικε, τῆς ἐλπίδος, ἤδη περὶ ὧν ἐρωτᾷς. ἐγὼ γὰρ μηδέπω μηδὲν ἀκηκοέναι νομίσασά σε τῶν γεγονότων σφόδρα μέγα ἐφρόνουν ἐπὶ τούτῳ καὶ ἐκαλλωπιζόμην ὡς πρώτη σοι μέλλουσα ἐξαγγέλλειν. διὸ δὴ καὶ ἐσπούδαζον τάχιον δεῦρο ἐλθεῖν πρὸς ὑμᾶς, αὐτὀ δὴ τοῦτο τὸ μὴ προληφθῆναι ὑπὸ ἄλλου. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Θάρσει· καὶ γὰρ οὐδὲν ἀκριβῶς, ὦ μακαρία. τῶν γεγονότων. οὐ γὰρ ἔσχεν ὁ ἀναγγείλας ἀφηγήσασθαι πλέον ἢ ὅτι διάλογοι γεγένηντο· τίνες δὲ καὶ ὄπως, ἐπανερωτώμενος ηγνοει. ΓΡΗΓΟΡ. Οὐκοῦν βούλεσθε, ἐπειδὴ διʼ αὐτὸ ἐνταῦθα παρεγενόμην, ἁπάντων ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπακοῦσαι τῶν εἰρημένων; ἢ τὰ μὶν παραλείψω, τῶν δὲ ἐπιμηνσθῶ, ἄ καὶ ἀξιονημόνευτα ἡγοῦμαι τυγχάνειν; ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Οὔπω πάντως· ἀλλʼ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἡμῖν, ὦ Γρηγόριο·. πρῶτον εἰσήγησαι τήν τε συνέλευσιν ἔνθα ἐγενήθη καὶ τῶν ἐδεσμάτων τὰς παρασκευάς, σεαυτήν τε πῶς ᾠνοχόησας· αἱ δὲ χρυσέοις δεπάεσσιν δειδέχατʼ ἀλλήλας μέγαν οὐρανὸν εἰσορόωσαι. ΓΡΗΓΟΡ. Ἀεὶ δεινὸς ἐν ταῖς ὁμιλίαις καὶ φιλοπευστῶν, ὡ σφόδρα τυγχάνεις, ἅπαντας ἀτεχνῶς ἐξελέγχων. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Οὐκ ἄξιον περὶ τούτων, ὡ Γρηγόριον, νῦν σε φιλονεικεῖν· ἀλλʼ, ὅπερ ἐδεόμεθά σου, διήγησαι, ἡμῖν τὰ γεγονότα ἐξ ἀρχῆς καὶ μὴ ἄλλως ποίει. ΓΡΗΓΟΡ. Ἐγὼ δὴ πειράσομαι. πρῶτον δἐ μοι αὐτὴ ἀπόκριναι· γινώσκεις δήπου τὴν Θυγατέρα Θο΄πσπφίας Ἀρετήν; ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Τί οὐν; ΓΡΗΓΟΡ. Ταύτης εἰς τὸν κῆπον κληθεῖσαι τὸν κατʼ ἀνατολὰς ἀποκαρπεύσασθαι τῶν ὡραίων, ἐπορευόμεθα ἐγώ τε ἒφη μοι ἡ Θεοπάτρα· αὐτῆς γὰρ ἐπυνθανόμην) καὶ ἡ Πρόκιλλα καὶ ἡ Τυσιανή. ὡς τραχεῖαν καὶ δύσβατον ὡδεύσαμεν, ὠ Γρηγόριον, καὶ ἀνάντη τρίβον. ἐπειδὴ οὖν ἠγγίζομεν, ἡ Θεοπάτρα, ἢδη, ἒφη, τῷ χωρίῳ, μεγάλη τις καὶ εὐειδὴς ἡσυχῆ βαίνουσα καὶ εὐσχημόνως ὑπήντησεν ἡμῖν γυνή, στολὴν πάνυ ἒκλαμπρον ὥσπερ ἀπὸ χιόνος ἡμφιεσμένη· θεῖον δέ τι καὶ ἀμήχανον Μῶς ἃπασα κάλλος ἡν· αἰδὼς αἰδὼς αὐτῇ τῷ προσώπῳ πολλὴ μετὰ σεμνότητος ἐπήνθει, τό τε βλέμμα βλοσυρὸν μετὰ πραότητος ἱλαρῶς οὓτω κεκερασμένον οὐκ οὐκ ἴφη, ποτὲ θεασαμένη· πάντα γὰρ ἀκαλλώπιστος ἠν καὶ νόθον ἒφερεν οὐδέν. αὕτη οὐν προσελθοῦσα μετὰ πολλῆς χαρᾶς ἑκάστην ἡμῶν μήτηρ ὥσπερ διὰ πολλοῦ θεασαμένη περιεπτύσσετο καὶ κατεφίλει, θυγατέρες, σφόδρα μοι ποθούσῃ, λέγουσα, εἰς τὸν λειμῶνα τῆς ἀφθαρσίας ὑμᾶς εἰσαγαγεῖν, μόλις ἐληλύθατε, κατὰ τὴν ὁδὸν ἴσως ὑμᾶς ἐκφοβησάντων ἑρπετῶν. ἑώρων γὰρ ἀποσκοπεύουσα πολλάκις ἐκτρεπομένας, καὶ ἐδεδίειν μή πως ἀποπηδήσασαι κατολισθήητε διὰ κρημνῶν. ἀλλὰ χάρις ᾧ ἡρμοσάμην ὑμᾶς, ὡ τέκνα, νυμφίῳ, ἐπινεύσαντι πάντα τελεσιουργὰρ ταῖς εὐχαῖς. καὶ ἅμα ταῦτα λεγούσης εἰς τὸν περίβολον, ἔφη, φθάνομεν, ἀνεῳγμένων ἒτι τῶν θυρῶν, εἰσελθοῦσαί τε καταλαμβάνομεν ἤδη τὴν Θέκλαν καὶ τὴν Ἀγάθην καὶ τὴν Μάρκελλαν μελλούσας δειπνεῖν. εὐθέως οὖν τὴν Ἀρετὴν ἴφη φάναι· Δεῦτε δὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς παρὰ τὰς ὁμοτρόπους ὑμῖν ταυτασὶ ἐφεξῆς ἐνθάδε κατακλιθῆναι. ἦμεν ἠμεν ὡς οἶμαι, πᾶσαι τὸν ἀριθμὸν ἐκεῖ δαιτυ- μόνες, ἔφη μοι, δέκα. ἠν δὲ τὸ χωρίον περικαλλὲς ὑπερφυῶς καὶ πολλῆς ἀναπαύσεως πεπληρωμένον. ἀὴρ μὲν γὰρ ἐκέχυτο καθαραῖς φωτὸς βολαῖς ἀνακεκερασμένος κούφως μετὰ πολλῆς εὐταξίας, καὶ πηγὴ κατὰ τὸ μεσαίτατον ἡσύχως ἐλαίου δίκην ἀνέβρυε γλυκύτατον πόμα, αφʼ ἧς ὕδωρ διειδὲς καὶ καθαρὸν δέον ἐποίει κρήνας αἱ ποταμηδὸν ὑπερχεόμεναι ἐπότιζον ἃπαντα τὸν χῶρον, πλούσια παρέχουσαι νάματα. δένδρα γὰρ ἠν διάφορα νεαραῖς ὀπώραις πληθύνοντα ἐκεῖ, εἰς ἐν κάλλος τῶν καρπῶν ἀπαιωρουμένων ἰλαρῶς, καὶ λειμῶνες ἀειθαλεῖς, ἐμπνόοις ἂνθεσι καὶ ποικίλοις κατεστεμμένοι, ἀφʼ ὧν προσέβαλεν έβαλεν ἠπίως πνεῦμα πολλὴν εὐωδίαν φέρον. ἠν γὰρ ἐγγὺς ἂγνος δένδρον ὑψηλόν, ὑφʼ ᾧ ἀνεπαυόμεθα διὰ τὸ λίαν ἀμφιλαφὲς αὐτὸ καὶ σύσκιον τυγχάνειν. ΕΓΒΟΓΛ. Δεύτερον δοκεῖς μοι καταγώγιον, ὡ μακαρία, τοῦ παραδείσου χρησμῳδεῖν. ΓΡΗΓΟΡ̣ Ἀληθῆ προμηθεῖ. ὡς οὖν δαιτός τε παντοδαπῆς ἤδη καὶ εὐφροσύνης ποικίλης ἐτυγχάνομεν, ὡς μηδενὸς εἶναι τῶν τερπνῶν ἐπιδεεῖς, ἒφη τὸ μετὰ ταῦτα εἰσελθοῦσαν εἰσηγήσασθαι τὴν Ἀρετὴν τάδε· Ὠ νεάνιδες, ἐμῆς αὐχήματα μαγαλοφροσύνης, ὧ καλλιπάρθενοι τοὺς ἀνηρότους Χριστοῦ γεωργοῦσαι λειμῶνας ἀνυμφεύτοις χερσί, τροφῆς μὲν ἅλις ἤδη καὶ εὐωχίας· πάντα γὰρ πλήρη καὶ τὰ παρʼ ἡμῶν. τί οὖν ἐστιν, ὃ θέλω λοιπὸν ἢδη, καὶ τί προσδοκῶ; λόγον ἑκάστην ὑμῶν ἐγκωμιαστικὸν περὶ παρθενίας εἰπεῖν. καταρχέτω δὲ Μάρεκλλα, ἐπειδὴ καὶ πρώτη ἀνάκειται καὶ ἒστιν ἃμα πρεσβυτέρα. τὴν μέντοι καλῶς ἀγωνισαμένην, αἰσχυνοίμην ἂν ἐμαυτήν, ἐὰν μὴ ποιήσαιμι ζηλωτήν, τοῖς ἀμιάντοις τῆς σοφίας ἀναδήσασα πετάλοις. ### English translation (Claude) EUBOULION: You have come at the best possible moment, Gregorion. I was looking for you just now, wanting to learn about the gathering of Marcella, Theopatra, and the other virgins who were present then at the banquet, and what their speeches on chastity were. For they say that they contended so magnificently and so powerfully that they lacked nothing needful to the subject. So if you have come for some other reason, put that off till later, and do not hesitate now to go through for us in order everything we are asking you. GREGORION: It seems I have missed my hope, since you already know about what you are asking. For I thought you had not yet heard anything of what happened, and I was very proud of it and gave myself airs as the one who would be first to tell you. That is why I hurried to come here to you, precisely so as not to be forestalled by someone else. EUBOULION: Take heart, my dear; we know nothing precisely of what happened. The one who brought the news could not relate more than that there had been discussions; what they were and how they went, he did not know when questioned. GREGORION: Do you want, then, since I came here for this very purpose, to hear everything that was said from the beginning? Or shall I pass over some things and mention those I think worth remembering? EUBOULION: Not at all; but from the beginning, Gregorion. First describe for us the gathering, where it took place, and the preparation of the food, and how you yourself poured the wine: “and they pledged one another in golden cups, gazing up at the great heaven.” GREGORION: You are always clever in conversation and very curious, simply cross-examining everyone. EUBOULION: It is not worth arguing about these things now, Gregorion; but, as we asked you, tell us what happened from the beginning, and do not do otherwise. GREGORION: I will try. But first answer me this yourself: you surely know Arete, the daughter of Philosophy? EUBOULION: What of it? GREGORION: Invited by her into the garden toward the east to gather the fruits of the season, we went, “I myself,” Theopatra told me (for it was she I was questioning), “and Procilla and Tysiane. We travelled, Gregorion, a rough and hard road, and steep. When we were already near the place,” said Theopatra, “a tall and beautiful woman met us, walking quietly and gracefully, clothed in a robe as brilliant as snow. Her whole beauty was something divine and beyond description; great modesty bloomed on her face together with dignity, and her gaze was stern yet cheerfully blended with gentleness, as,” she said, “I have never seen. For she was entirely unadorned and wore nothing counterfeit. She came up to us with great joy and, like a mother seeing us after a long time, embraced and kissed each of us, saying: ‘Daughters, I have longed greatly to bring you into the meadow of incorruption; you have come at last, perhaps because creeping things frightened you on the way. For as I watched I saw you often turning aside, and I feared that you might spring away and slip over the cliffs. But thanks be to the Bridegroom, to whom I have betrothed you, children, who has granted all our prayers.’ And as she was saying this,” she said, “we reached the enclosure, the doors being still open, and going in we found Thecla, Agathe, and Marcella already about to dine. At once Arete,” she said, “said: ‘Come, you too, and recline here in order beside these who share your way of life.’ There were, I think, ten of us feasting there in all,” she told me. “The place was exceedingly beautiful and full of great rest. The air was spread about, lightly mingled with pure rays of light in fine order; and in the very middle a spring bubbled up quietly like oil, a most sweet drink, and from it clear and pure water flowed and formed fountains, which overflowed like rivers and watered the whole place, giving rich streams. For there were various trees there, laden with fresh fruit, the fruits hanging cheerfully in one beauty, and ever-green meadows garlanded with fragrant and many-coloured flowers, from which a breeze gently blew bearing much sweet scent. Near by was a tall chaste-tree, under which we rested, because it was very spreading and shady.” EUBOULION: You seem to me, my dear, to be describing a second dwelling of paradise. GREGORION: You guess rightly. “When, then,” she said, “we were enjoying a feast of every kind and varied delight, so that we lacked nothing pleasant, Arete came in after this and began thus: ‘Maidens, pride of my greatness of mind, fair virgins, who tend the unploughed meadows of Christ with unwedded hands: we have had enough food and feasting now; for all that we provide is plentiful. What is it, then, that I want now, and what do I expect? That each of you speak a speech in praise of virginity. Let Marcella begin, since she reclines first and is also the eldest. As for the one who contends well, I would be ashamed of myself if I did not make her envied, crowning her with the undefiled leaves of wisdom.’” ### Scripture references - Gen 2:8: echo, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Homer, Il. 4.3-4 (Homer, Iliad): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The dialogue is framed as a conversation between Euboulion and Gregorion; Gregorion reports what Theopatra told her. Arete (“Virtue”) is personified as the hostess. The verse Euboulion quotes adapts Homer, Iliad 4.3–4 (there the gods pledge one another while looking at the city of the Trojans). “Daughter of Philosophy” is the probable reading of a garbled word in the digital text (“Θο΄πσπφίας”). The chaste-tree (ἄγνος, agnus castus) plays on ἁγνός, “chaste.” ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. pref. (Bonwetsch, 3–7; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/0/#p-0). ## Symposium 1.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/0/#p-1-1 - Source: Bonwetsch, 7–9 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Marcella praises virginity as the church's finest flower, which needs a noble soul, constant study of Scripture as preserving salt, and inner as well as bodily purity. ### Greek text Τὴν μὲν οὖν Μάρκελλαν ἐντεῦθεν, ὡς οἶμαι, ἀρξαμένην εὐθέως ἒλεγεν εἰπεῖν ὅτι Μεγάλη τίς ἐστιν ὑπερφυῶς καὶ θαυμαστὴ καὶ ἒν δοξος ἡ παρθενία, καὶ εἰ χρὴ φανερῶς εἰπεῖν ἑπομένην ταῖς γραφαῖς, τὸ οὖθαρ τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ τὸ ἂνθος καὶ ἡ ἀπαρχὴ αὐτῆς τοῦτο τὸ ἂριστον καὶ κάλλιστον ἐπιτήδευμα μόνον τυγχάνει. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ κύριος εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν εἰσελάσαι τῶν οὐρανῶν τοὺς ἀποπαρθενεύσαντας ἐκείνους σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἐπαγγέλλεται, ἒνθα περὶ διαφορᾶς εὐνουχισμῶν ἐν εὐαγγελίοις παρεγγυᾷ. σπάνιον γὰρ πάνυ καὶ δυσεπίτευκτον ἀνθρώποις ἁγνεία, καὶ ὃσῳ κορυφαιότατον καὶ μεγαλοπρεπές, τοσούτῳ καὶ τοὺς κινδύνους μείζονας ἒχον. δεῖται οὐν ἐρρωμένων καὶ γενναίων φύσεων, οἵτινες ἀθρόως τὸ ῥεῦμα μετοχετεύσασαι τῆς ἡδυπαθείας ἄνω μετέωρον ἀπευθύνουσι τὸ ὅχημα τῆς ψυχῆς, ἀπολήγουσαι τοῦ σκοποῦ, ἔστʼ ἂν ὑπερπηδήσασαι κούφως τὸν κόσμον ὀξυτάτῳ διανοίας τάχει, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν οὐρανίαν ἀληθῶς ἀψῖδα σταθεῖσαι, αὐτὴν εῖλικρινῶς θεάσωνται τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν, ἀπὸ τῶν ἀμιάντων τοῦ παντοκράτορος ἀναπηδῶσαν κόλπων. τοῦτο τὸ πόμα γεννᾶν οὐκ ἐχώρησε γῆ· μόνος αὐτὸ πηγάζειν οἶδεν ὁ οὐρανός. παρθενίαν γὰρ βαίνειν μὲν ἐπὶ γῆς, ἐπιψαύειν δὲ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἡγτέον· ἦς δὴ ἐφιέμενοι καὶ πρὸς μόνον τὸ τέλος αὐτῆς ἀφορῶντές τινες. ἀνίπτοις ποσὶν ἀτελεῖς ὑπὸ βαναυσίας πρεσελθόντες, ἐκ μέσης ἀνεκαμψαν τῆς ὁδοῦ, οὐδὲν ἂξιον φρόνημα τοῦ ἐπιτηδεύματος ἐπανῃρημένοι. οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἄφθορα τὰ σώματα τηρεῖσθαι δεῖ, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ τοὺς ναοὺς κρείττονας ἀποφαίνεσθαι τῶν ἀγαλμάτων, ἀλλὰ τὰς ψυχὰς ἀγάλματα τῶν σωμάτων οὒσας θεραπεύεσθαι χρὴ κοσμουμένας δικαιοσύνῃ. θεραπεύονται δὲ καὶ ἀποσμήχονται τότε μπαλλον, ὁπόταν ἀόκνως κατακούειν τῶν θείων ἁμιλλώμεναι λόγων μὴ ἀπολήγωσι πρὶν αὐτοῦ ἐφάψασθαι ὃ ἐστιν ἀληθέσ, ἐπὶ σοφῶν ἀφικνούμεναι θύρας. ὣσπερ γὰρ ἅλατι τῶν κρεῶν οἱ ἰχῶρες ἐκτήκονται καὶ αἱ σηπεδόνες καὶ πάντα τὰ φθοροποιά, τὸν αὐτὸν δὴ τρόπον καὶ τῆς παρθένου αἱ ἂλογοι πᾶσαι τοῖς μαθήμασιν ἀποστύφονται τοῦ σώματος ἐπιθυμίαι. ἀνάγκη γὰρ τὴν μὴ πασσομένην δίκην ἂλατος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ταῖς φωναῖς ψυχὴν έπόζειν καὶ σκώληκας ποιεῖν, ὥσπερ ἀμέλει »ἐπώζεσαν καὶ ἐσάπησαν οἱ μώλωπές μου« μετὰ δακρύων ἐξομολογούμενος ὁ Δαυὶδ ἐν τοῖς ὂρεσιν ἒκραζεν ὁ βασιλεύς, ὃτι μὴ ἀπέστυψεν ἁλίσας τοῖς σωφρονισμοῖς ἑαυτόν, ἀλλὰ ῥᾳθυμήσας εἰς οἶστρον ὑπεσύρη καὶ ἐξώζεσε μοιχείαν. ταύτῃ πᾶν δῶρον ἐν τῷ Λευϊτικῷ, ἐὰν μὴ πρῶτον ἅλατι ἁλισθῇ, ἀπαγορεύεται εἰς ὀλοκάρπωμα προσφέρεσθαι κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ. ἃλας γὰρ ἡμῖν τὸ δηκτικὸν <καὶ> πρὸς ὠφέλειαν ἀποστῦφον πνευματικὴ πᾶσα τῶν γραφῶν ἐδόθη μελέτη, ἡς δὴ χωρὶς ἀδύνατον τῷ παντοκράτορι διὰ τοῦ λόγου προσενεχθῆναι ψυχήν· »ὑμεῖς« γάρ ἐστε τὸ ἃλας τῆς γῆς« ὁ κύριος τοῖς ἀποστόλοις ἒφη. χρὴ οὐν τὴν παρθένον ἀεὶ τῶν καλῶν ἐρᾶν καὶ τοῖς πρωτεύουσιν εἰς σοφίαν ἐμπρέπειν, καὶ μηδὲν ῥᾴθυμον μηδὲ μαλθακὸν ἔχειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄξια τῆς παρθενίας φρονεῖν, ἀποσμήχουσαν τῷ λόγῳ τοὺς ἀεὶ τῆς ἡδυπαθείας, μή πως λαθοῦσα βραχεῖα σηπεδὼν γεννήσῃ τὸν σκώληκα τῆς ἀκολασίας· »ἡ« γάρ »ἂγαμος μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κυρίου, πῶς ἀρέσει τῷ κυρίῳ, ἵνα ᾖ ἁγία καὶ σώματι καὶ πνεύματι«, ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος. πολλαὶ δὲ πάρεργον ἡγούμεναι τὴν ἀΚρόασιν νομίζουσι χαρίζεσθαι μεγάλα, ἐὰν κἂν τὸ βραχὺ παράσχωσι τὰς ἀκοάς· ἃς ἐκκριτέον· μικρολόγῳ γὰρ φύσει καὶ ταπεινῇ καὶ ἐπιμορφαζομένῃ σοφίαν οὐ χρὴ μαθημάτων θείων κοινωνεῖν. ἢ γὰρ οὐ γελοῖον ἐκείναις ἀδολεσχεῖν, αἳτινες ἐπὶ μὲν τοῖς μικροῦ ἀξίοις πάντα ποιεῖν συντείνονται, ὃτως ἀκριβέστατα ἓξουσι τὰ τελεσιουργούμενα, ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ἀναγκαίων, διʼ ῳν μᾶλλον αὐτὸς ὁ τῆς σωφροσύνης ἒρως αἲυξεται, μὴ μεγίστας ἡγεῖσθαι τὰς ἀκριβείας; ### English translation (Claude) Marcella, then, she said, began at once from this point and said: “Virginity is something exceedingly great and wonderful and glorious; and, to speak plainly and in keeping with the Scriptures, this best and most beautiful way of life alone is the richest part of the church, and its flower and its first-fruits. For this reason the Lord too promises to bring into the kingdom of heaven those who have kept themselves virgins, where in the Gospels he gives instruction about the different kinds of eunuchs. For chastity is very rare and hard for human beings to attain, and the more supreme and magnificent it is, the greater the dangers it involves. It needs strong and noble natures, which, turning aside the whole stream of pleasure, steer the chariot of the soul upward on high, not falling short of the goal, until, leaping lightly over the world with the swiftest speed of thought and standing truly upon the vault of heaven, they gaze purely upon incorruption itself, springing forth from the undefiled bosom of the Almighty. The earth could not produce this drink; heaven alone knows how to make it flow. For virginity must be thought of as walking on earth but touching the heavens. Some, longing for it and looking only to its end, came forward with unwashed feet, imperfect through vulgarity of mind, and turned back halfway along the road, having taken up no thought worthy of the way of life. For it is not only bodies that must be kept uncorrupted, just as temples should not be made more splendid than the images in them; rather, souls, which are the images of the bodies, must be cared for and adorned with righteousness. And they are cared for and cleansed most when, striving eagerly to listen to the divine words, they do not stop until they lay hold of what is true, coming to the doors of the wise. For as with salt the juices of meat are drawn out, and its putrefactions and everything that corrupts it, in the same way all the irrational desires of the body are dried out of the virgin by teachings. For a soul that is not sprinkled, like salt, with the words of Christ must necessarily stink and breed worms, just as David the king, confessing with tears, cried out in the mountains, ‘My wounds stank and festered,’ because he had not dried himself out by salting himself with discipline, but through carelessness was dragged into passion and reeked of adultery. That is why in Leviticus every offering, unless it is first salted with salt, is forbidden to be brought as a whole burnt offering to the Lord God. For all spiritual study of the Scriptures has been given to us as salt, which stings and dries out for our benefit; without it no soul can be offered through the Word to the Almighty. ‘For you are the salt of the earth,’ the Lord said to the apostles. The virgin, then, must always love what is noble and stand out among those foremost in wisdom, and have nothing careless or soft, but think thoughts worthy of virginity, always scouring away with the word the [stains] of pleasure, lest a small unnoticed putrefaction breed the worm of licentiousness. ‘For the unmarried woman,’ says blessed Paul, ‘is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord, that she may be holy in both body and spirit.’ But many, thinking listening a side matter, suppose they are doing a great favour if they lend their ears even briefly. Such women must be excluded; for a petty and low nature, which only pretends to wisdom, should not share in divine teachings. Is it not ridiculous to chatter with women who strain to do everything for things of little worth, so that what they complete may be most exact, but in necessary things, through which the love of self-control grows most, do not think exactness most important? ### Scripture references - Matt 19:12: allusion, high confidence - Ps 38:5 (37:6 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 2 Sam 11:4: allusion, high confidence - Lev 2:13: allusion, high confidence - Matt 5:13: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:34: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Plato, Phaedr. 246–247 (Plato (works)): echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Matt 19:12, Ps 38:5 (37:6 LXX), 2 Sam 11 (David's adultery), Lev 2:13, Matt 5:13, and 1 Cor 7:34. The chariot of the soul and the vault of heaven echo Plato, Phaedrus 246–247. A word seems to have dropped out after “scouring away” (“τοὺς ἀεὶ τῆς ἡδυπαθείας”); “[stains]” supplies the sense. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 1.1 (Bonwetsch, 7–9; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/0/#p-1-1). ## Symposium 1.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/0/#p-1-2 - Source: Bonwetsch, 9–11 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: God educated humanity by stages, from marriage of siblings, through monogamy and fidelity, to continence and finally virginity. ### Greek text Μεγάλῃ γὰρ ἀληθῶς ὑπερβολῇ τὸ τῆς παρθενίας ἀνθρώποις ἀπʼ οὐρανῶν κατεπέμφθη φυτόν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ταῖς πρώταις οὐχ άπεκαλύφθη γενεαῖς. ἒτι γὰρ ὁ ἂνθρωπος ὀλιγοστὸς ἦν, καὶ ἐχρῆν εἰς πλῆθος πρῶτον αὐτὸν αὐξήσαντα τελειωθῆναι. διὸ δὴ καὶ τὰς σφετέρας ἀδελφὰς οἱ παλαιοὶ λαμβάνοντες γυναῖκας οὐδὲν ἠσχημόνουν, μέχρι νόμος ἐλθὼν διεστείλατο καἰ τὸ πρότερον δοκοῦν εἶναι καλὸν ἀπαγορεύσας ἁμαρτίαν ἀπεφήνατο, » ἐπικατάρατον. « καλῶν »τὸν ἀποκαλύπτοντα τὴν άσχημοσύνην τῆς ἀδελφῆς αύτοῦ«, τοῦ θεοῦ κατὰ καιρὸν καὶ καιρὸν τὴν ἁρμόζουσαν ἡμῶν τῷ γένει σπουδαίως προσφέροντος φέροντος ὢσπερ δὴ καὶ οἱ πατέρες τοῖς υἱοῖς. οὐ γὰρ εὐθέως ἄνωθεν ἐπιστατοῦσι τοὺς παιδαγωγούς, ἀλλὰ τὴν παιδικὴν ἡλικίαν ἐάσαντες ἀθύρεσθαι μοσχαρίων δίκην, πρῶτον εἰς διδασκάλων συμψελλιζόντων ἀποστέλλουσιν, ἒστʼ ἂν ἀποβαλόντες τὴν μειρακιώδη τρίχα τοῦ νοῦ εἰς τὴν τῶν μειζόνων μαθημάτων ἄσκησιν παραπεμφθῶσι κἀκεῖθεν αὐθις εἰς τὴν τῶν ἔτι μειζόνων. ταύτῃ γὰρ καὶ θεὸν καὶ πατέρα τῶν ὃλων ἡγητέον προσηνέχθαι τοῖς πρὸ ἡμῶν. ἒτι γὰρ ὁ κόσμος ἀνθρώπων ἀπλήρωτος ὢν ὡς νήπιος ἠν, καὶ ἐχρῆν αὐτὸν εἰς πλῆθος πρότερον ἐκ τούτων ἀνδρωθέντα πληθυνθῆναι. ἀλλʼ ὅτε λοιπὸν ἀπὸ περάτων ἐπὶ πέρατα κατῳκίσθη, τῆς εἰς ἂπειρον κεχυμένης, οὐκέτι τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐπιμένειν τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐπέτρεπεν ὁ θεός, σκοπῶν ὅπως ἀπὸ τῶνδε εἰς μεταβαίνοντες πλησιαίτερον προκόπτωσιν ἔρχεσθαι τῶν μέχρις ἂν εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ μέγιστον μάθημα καὶ κορυφαιότατον τὴν παρθενίαν φθάσαντες τελειωθῶσιν, ἀπὸ τῆς ἀδελφομιξίας ὀδεύσαντες πρῶτον εἰς τὸ ὀθνείας ἐπάγεσθαι γαμετάς, κἀκεῖθεν εἰς τὸ μηκέτι πολλαῖς ἐπιβαίνειν τετράποδος νόμῳ, καθάπερ εἰς ὀχείαν γεγονότας, κἀντεῦθεν εἰς τὸ μὴ μοιχοὺς γεγονέναι, καὶ av πάλιν εἰς σωφροσύνην, καὶ ἀπὸ σωφροσύνης εἰς παρθενίαν, ἒνθα μελετήσαντες τῆς σαρκὸς ὐπερφρονεῖν εἰς τὸν τῆς ἀφθαρσίας εὒδιον ἀφόβως ὁρμίζονται χῶρον. ### English translation (Claude) “For truly it was by a great abundance that the plant of virginity was sent down to human beings from heaven; and for this reason it was not revealed to the first generations. For humanity was still very few, and it had first to grow to a multitude and then be perfected. That is why the men of old did nothing shameful in taking their own sisters as wives, until the law came, set the distinction, and, forbidding what had earlier seemed good, declared it sin, calling ‘accursed’ ‘the one who uncovers the nakedness of his sister’; for God was carefully bringing to our race, at each time, what suited it, just as fathers do with their sons. For they do not set tutors over them straight away from the beginning, but, letting the age of childhood frolic like calves, they first send them to teachers who lisp along with them, until, having cast off the youthful hair of the mind, they are passed on to the practice of greater studies, and from there again to still greater ones. In this way we must think that God, the Father of all, dealt with those before us. For the world, not yet filled with human beings, was like an infant, and it had first to grow to manhood from these beginnings and be multiplied. But when at last it had been settled from end to end, spread out without limit, God no longer allowed humanity to remain in the same practices, but considered how, passing from these to others, they might advance nearer to heaven, until, arriving at virginity itself, the greatest and most supreme teaching, they should be perfected: travelling first from marriage with sisters to taking wives from other families; and from there to no longer mounting many women by the law of four-footed beasts, as if born for breeding; and from there to not being adulterers; and again to continence, and from continence to virginity, where, having practised despising the flesh, they come fearlessly to anchor in the calm harbour of incorruption. ### Scripture references - Gen 1:28: echo, medium confidence - Deut 27:22: allusion, high confidence - Lev 20:17: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Gen 1:28 and Deut 27:22 with Lev 20:17 (the curse on uncovering a sister's nakedness). A word seems to be missing in “ἀπὸ τῶνδε εἰς … μεταβαίνοντες”; “nearer to heaven” renders the probable sense of a garbled phrase. This progression is Marcella's argument; the sections on marriage are translated exactly as she states them. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 1.2 (Bonwetsch, 9–11; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/0/#p-1-2). ## Symposium 1.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/0/#p-1-3 - Source: Bonwetsch, 11–12 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Circumcision ended marriage of siblings; the prophets and the Wisdom books then led from polygamy to one wife and on toward continence. ### Greek text Εἰ δέ τις ὡς ἀμάρτυρον τῶν γραφῶν αἰτιάσασθαι τολμήσει τὸν λόγον, φέρε δὴ παραθέντες καὶ τὰ τῶν προφητῶν ἀληθέστερα μᾶλλον ἀποδείξωμεν τὰ προειρημένα. ὁ γοῦν Ἀβραὰμ πρῶτος ἐν διδαθήκῃ τὴν περιτομὴν λαβὼν οὐδὲν ἕτερον αἰνίσσεσθαι δοκεῖ, τὸ περιτεμνόμενος τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ μέλος, ἢ τοῦτο, τὸ μηκέτι εἰς τὴν ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ αἳματος σάρκα δημιουργηθεῖσαν ἀπὸ τῆς ἰδίας ἕκαστον διδάσκων ἀδελφῆς οἷα σαρκὸς ἀποτέμνειν κατὰ συνουσίαν ἡδονήν. ὣστε τὸ πλησιάζειν καὶ ὁμεύνοις χρῆσθαι ταῖς σφῶν ἀδελφαῖς ἀπὸ τῶν τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ πέπαυται καιρῶν· τὸ δὲ πλειόνων συναλλαγαῖς ἁρμόζεσθαι γυναικῶν ἀπὸ τῶν προφητικῶν ἀναιρεῖται χρόνων. »ὀπίσω« γάρ »τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν σου« φησί »μὴ πορευθῇς καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀρέξεών σου κωλύου«· »οἶνος γὰρ καὶ γυναῖκες ἀποστήσουσι συνετούς«. καὶ ἐν ἑτέρῳ· »ἡ πηγή σου τοῦ ὓδατος ἒστω σοι ἰδία, καὶ συνευφραίνου μετὰ γυαικὸς τῆς ἐκ νεότητός σου«, δηλονότι παραιτούμενος ἤδη τὰς πολλάς. ὁ δὲ Ἱερεμίας »ἳππους θηλυμανεῖς« ἀναφανδὸν τοὺς εἰς διαφόρους μαργῶντας γυναῖικας καλεῖ· »πολύγονον« γάρ φησιν »ἀσεβῶν πλῆθος οὐ χρησιμεύσει, καὶ ἐκ νόθων μοσχευμάτων οὐ δώσει ῥίζαν εἰς βάρος( ἀλλὰ γάρ, ἕνα μὴ μακρηγορπωμεν ἐπὶ πολὺ τὰς προφητικὰς ἀναλεγόμενοι φωνάς, φέρε δὴ συστήσωμεν πάλιν ὅπως διαδέχεται τὴν ἐπὶ μιᾷ γυναικὶ συναλλαγὴν ἡ σωφροσύνηι μέχρις ἂν ἐκλύσῃ τελείως τὴν ἐκ τοῦ ἒθους ἐπὶ τὴν συνουσίαν καταφοράν, πρὸς ὀλίγον ἀφαιρουμένη τὰς τῆς σαρκὸς ἡδυ- παθείας. αὐτίκα γοῦν εἰσάγεταί τις ἐμφανῶς ἢδη λοιπὸν παραιτούμενος τουτονὶ τὸν περισπασμόν, »κύριε« λέγων »πάτερ καὶ δἐσποτα τῆς ζωῆς μου, μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς με έν βουλῇ αύτῶν· μετεωρισμὸν ὀφθαλμῶν ἂφελε ἀπʼ ἐμοῦ· καρδίας ὂρεξις καὶ συνουσιασμὸς μὴ καταλαβέτωσάν λαβέτωσάν με«. καὶ ἐν τῇ παναρέτῳ δὲ Σοφίᾳ γυμνῶς ἢδη τοὺς ἀκροατὰς εἰς ἐγκράτειαν ἐφελκόμενον καὶ σωφροσύνην τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἃγιον τοιαῦτα μελῳδεῖ, »κρεῖσσον ἀτεκνία μετʼ ἀρετῆς« κεκραγός· »ἀθανασία γάρ ἐστιν ἐν μνήμῃ αὐτῆς, ὅτι καὶ παρὰ θεῷ καὶ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις, παροῦσάν τε τιμῶσιν αὐτὴν καὶ ποθοῦσιν ἀπελθοῦσαν, καὶ ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι στεφανηφοροῦσα πομπεύει, τὸν τῶν ἀμιάντων ἄθλων ἀγῶνα νικήσασα«. ### English translation (Claude) “But if anyone dares to accuse this account of lacking support from the Scriptures, come, let us set out the words of the prophets as well and show what has been said to be even more true. Abraham, at any rate, who first received circumcision as a covenant, seems to signify nothing else, by being circumcised in a member of his flesh, than this: that one should no longer [go] to flesh formed from the same blood, teaching each person to cut off the pleasure of intercourse with his own sister, as with his own flesh. So lying with one's own sisters and having them as bedfellows ceased from the times of Abraham; and being joined in unions with several wives is abolished from the times of the prophets. For it says, ‘Do not go after your desires, and restrain yourself from your appetites,’ for ‘wine and women will lead astray men of understanding.’ And in another place: ‘Let your fountain of water be your own, and rejoice with the wife of your youth,’ clearly now forbidding many wives. And Jeremiah openly calls those who rage after various women ‘stallions mad for mares’; for ‘the prolific multitude of the ungodly,’ it says, ‘will be of no use, and from bastard slips it will not strike deep root.’ But, so as not to speak at length gathering the prophetic sayings, come, let us show again how continence succeeds the union with one wife, until it wholly loosens the inclination toward intercourse that comes from habit, taking away little by little the pleasures of the flesh. Straightway, indeed, someone is introduced who already plainly renounces this distraction, saying: ‘O Lord, Father and Master of my life, do not abandon me to their counsel; take from me the haughtiness of the eyes; let not the appetite of the belly and intercourse seize me.’ And in the all-virtuous Wisdom, the Holy Spirit, now openly drawing the hearers to self-control and continence, sings thus, crying out, ‘Better is childlessness with virtue; for immortality is in its memory, because it is known both with God and with men; they honour it when present and long for it when it has departed; and in eternity it marches crowned, having won the contest for undefiled prizes.’ ### Scripture references - Gen 17:10–14: allusion, high confidence - Prov 5:15–18: quotation, high confidence - Jer 5:8: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Sir 18:30 (Sirach): quotation, high confidence - Sir 19:2 (Sirach): quotation, high confidence - Wis 4:3 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence - Sir 23:4-6 (Sirach): quotation, high confidence - Wis 4:1-2 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The allusion is Gen 17:10–14. The quotations are Sir 18:30, Sir 19:2, Prov 5:15–18, Jer 5:8, Wis 4:3, Sir 23:4–6, and Wis 4:1–2. Sirach and Wisdom are cited by Marcella as Scripture; on this site they are listed among texts outside the 66-book canon. The digital text reads “καρδίας ὄρεξις” (“appetite of the heart”); Sirach has “κοιλίας” (“of the belly”), which the translation follows. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 1.3 (Bonwetsch, 11–12; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/0/#p-1-3). ## Symposium 1.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/0/#p-1-4 - Source: Bonwetsch, 12–13 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Virginity was reserved for Christ to teach: taking our form, he became the model by which humanity, made in God's image, may attain his likeness. ### Greek text Περὶ μὲν οὖν τῶν καιρῶν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, ὃπως ἀρξαμένη ἀπὸ τῆς ἀδελφομιξίας ὥδευσεν ἐπὶ τὴν ἐγκράτειαν, εἴρηται· τῆς παρθενίας λίπεται. ὅσον οὖν δυνατόν, πειρατέον φράσαι. πρῶτον ἐξεταστέον, διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν πολλῶν προφητῶν καὶ δικαίων πολλὰ καὶ καλὰ διδαξάντων καὶ ἐργασαμένων παρθενίαν οὐδεὶς οὓτε ἐνεκωμίασεν οὔτε εἳλετο. μόνῳ γὰρ ἄρα ἐφυλάσσετο τοῦτο πρεσβεῦσαι τὸ μάθημα τῷ κυρίῳ, ἐπεὶ καὶ μόνος παρελθὼν ἄνθρωπον ἐδιδαξε χωρεῖν εἰς θεόν. »ἒπρεπε γὰρ« τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ καὶ ἀρχιπροφήτῃ καὶ ἀρχαγγέλῳ τούτῳ καὶ ἀρχιπαρθένῳ προσαγορευθῆναι. τὸ δὲ παλαιὸν οὐδέπω τέλειος ὁ ἂνθρωπος ἦν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὸ τέλειον οὐδέπω χωρῆσαι, τὴν παρθενίαν, ἲσχυεν. ἒτι γὰρ ἒχρῃζε, »κατʼ εἰκόνα« θεοῦ γεγονώς, καὶ τὸ »καθʼ ὁμοίωσιν‘« ἀπολαβεῖν· ὃπερ τελεσιουργῆσαι καταπεμφθεὶς ὁ λόγος εἰς τὸν κόσμον, τὴν ἡμετέραν μορφὴν πρό- τερον ἀνέλαβε πολλοῖς ἁμαρτήμασι κατεστιγμένην, ἵνα δὴ τὴν ἡμεις, διʼ οὓς αὐτὸς ἐφόρεσε, πάλιν χωρῆσαι δυνηθῶμεν. καθʼ ὁμοίωσιν γὰρ ἀκριθβθῆναι τότε πάρεστι θεοῦ, ὁπότε δὴ τοὺς αὐτοὺς αὐτῷ χαρακτῆρα τῆς κατὰ ὒνθρωπον πολιτείας ζωγράφων δίκην ἐπιστημόνων ἐν ἑαυτοῖς <ὥσπερ> σανίσιν ἐντυπωσάμενοι ἀσινεῖς ἣν αὐτὸς ἐφανέρωσε μαθητεύοντες τρίβον. ταύτῃ γὰρ ᾐρετίσατο τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ἐνδύσασθαι σάρκα θεὸς ὤν, ὅπως ὥσπερ ἐν πίνακι θεῖον ἐκτύπωμα βίου βλέποντες ἒχωμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς τὸν γράψαντα μιμεῖσθαι. οὐ γὰρ ἓτερα φρονῶν ἒτερα ἐποίει· οὐδὲ μὴν ἕτερα νομίζων εἶναι τὰ καλὰ ἐδίδασκεν ἓτερα· ἀλλʼ ἃπερ ἦν ἀληθῶς ὠφέλιμα καὶ καλά, ταῦτα καὶ ἐδίδασκε καὶ ἐποίει. ### English translation (Claude) “About the stages of humanity, then, how, beginning from marriage between brothers and sisters, it travelled toward continence, enough has been said; virginity remains. As far as possible, then, we must try to speak of it. First we must examine why, when many prophets and righteous men taught and did many good things, none either praised or chose virginity. It was reserved, it seems, for the Lord alone to be the first to teach this doctrine, since he alone, coming among us, taught humanity to advance to God. For it was fitting that he, the chief priest and chief prophet and chief angel, should also be called chief virgin. In ancient times humanity was not yet perfect, and therefore it was not yet able to receive the perfect thing, virginity. For, having been made ‘in the image’ of God, it still needed to receive also what is ‘according to the likeness.’ To accomplish this the Word was sent down into the world and first took on our form, spotted with many sins, so that we, for whose sake he wore it, might in turn be able to receive his. For it is possible to be perfected according to the likeness of God when, like skilful painters, we imprint in ourselves, as on tablets, the same features of his human way of life, and remain unharmed as disciples of the path that he revealed. That is why, being God, he chose to put on human flesh, so that, seeing as on a tablet the divine model of life, we too might be able to imitate the one who painted it. For he did not think one thing and do another, nor, thinking one thing good, teach another; but what was truly profitable and good, that he both taught and did. ### Scripture references - Heb 2:10: echo, medium confidence - Gen 1:26: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Heb 2:10 (“it was fitting”), Heb 4:14, and Gen 1:26. Methodius distinguishes the “image” (given at creation) from the “likeness” (to be attained). “Our form … his” renders a slightly garbled clause (“ἵνα δὴ τὴν ἡμεις … χωρῆσαι”). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 1.4 (Bonwetsch, 12–13; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/0/#p-1-4). ## Symposium 1.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/0/#p-1-5 - Source: Bonwetsch, 13–14 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Christ is the chief virgin; Revelation's 144,000 virgins who follow the Lamb are few compared with the countless saints; Marcella hands over to Theophila. ### Greek text Τί οὖν ὁ κύριος, ἡ ἀλήθέια, τὸ φῶς, εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἐπραγματεύσατο κατελθών; ἂφθορον ἐφύλαξεν ἐν παρθενίᾳ τὴν σάρκα κοσμήσας. καὶ ἡμεῖς ἂρα, εἰ μέλλοιμεν »καθʼ ὁμοίωσιν« ἒσεσθαι θεοῦ, τοῦ χριστοῦ φιλοτιμώμεθα τὴν παρθενίαν τιμᾶν· ὁμοίωσις γὰρ θεῷ φθορᾶς ἀποφυγή. ὅτι· δὲ καὶ ἀρχιπάρθενος, ὃν τρόπον καὶ ἀρχιποιμὴν καὶ ἀρχιπροφήτης, γέγονεν ὁ λόγος ἐνανθρωπήσας τῆς ἐκκλησίας, καὶ ὁ χριστόληπτος ἡμῖν παρίστησιν ἐν βίβλῳ τῆς Ἀπακαλύψεως Ἰωάννης λέγων καὶ εἶδον, καὶ ἰδοὺ τὸ ἀρνίον ἑστὼς ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος Σιών, καὶ μετʼ αὐτοῦ ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα τέσσαρες χιλιάδες ἔχουσαι τὸ ὂνομα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ γεγραμμένον ἐπὶ τῶν μετώπων αὐτῶν. καὶ ἢκουσα φωνὴν ἐκ του οὐρανοῦ ὣς φωνὴν ὑδάτων πολλῶν καὶ ὡς φωνὴν βροντῆς μεγάλης· καὶ ἡ φωνὴ ἣν ἢδουσα, ὡς φωνὴ κιθαρῳδῶν κιθαριζόντων ἐν ταῖς κιθάραις αὐτῶν. καὶ ᾂδουσι ᾠδὴν καινὴν ἐνώπιον τοῦ θρόνου καὶ ἐνώπιον τῶν τεσσάρων ζῴων καὶ τῶν πρεβυτέρων· καὶ οὐδεὶς ἠδύνατο μαιεῖμ τὴν ᾠδήν, εἰ μὴ αἰ ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα τέσσαρες χιλιάδες, οἱ ἡγορασμένοι ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς. οὗτοί εἰσιν, οἳ μετὰ γυναικῶν οὐχ ἐμολύνθησαν· παρθένοι γάρ εἰσιν οὗτοι οἱ ἀκολουθήσαντες Τῷ ἀρνίῳ ὃπου ἂν ὑπάγῃ«, τοῦ χοροῦ τῶν παρθένων ἐξάρχοντα δεικνύων τὸν κύριον. ἐπίστησον δὲ πρὸς τούτοις, ὃπως τὸ ἀξίωμα τῆς παρθενίας μέγιστον παρὰ τῷ θεῷ. »οὑτοι ἠγοράσθησαν ἀπὸ τῶι ἀνθρώπων ἀπαρχὴ τῷ θεῷ καὶ τῷ ἀρνίῳ, καὶ ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν οὐχ εὑρέθη ψεῦδος· ἄμωμοί εἰσιν· ἀκολουθοῦσι« φησί »τῷ ἀρνίῳ ὃπου ἂν ὑπάγῃ«. σαφῶς ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐντεῦθεν διδάσκειν βούλεται, ὃτι ἐν ἀριθμῷ τοσούτῳ, τουτέστιν ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα καὶ τέσσαρσι χιλιάσιν, ἀπάνωθεν τὸ πλῆθος περιώριστο τῶν παρθένων, τῶν ἄλλων ἁγίων εἰς πλῆθος ἀόριστον ὁχλιζομένων. τί γὰρ παρεγγυᾷ καὶ περὶ τῶν λοιπῶν διαλεγόμενος, προσεκτέον· »καὶ εἶδον ἀπὸ πάσης λγώττης καὶ φυλῆς καὶ παντὸς ἒθνους πλῆθος πολύ, ὃ ἀριθμῆσαι αὐτὸ οὐδεὶς ἠδύνατο«. οὐκοῦν συνέστηκεν, ὡς ἒφην, ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων ἁγίων αὐτὸν πληθὺν ἂφατον εἰσάγειν, ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ἐν παρθενίᾳ βραχύτατον ἀριθμόν, ὡς πρὸς σύγκρισιν τῶν εἰς ἀναρίθμητον πλῆθος συντελούντων. Οὗτος, ὦ Ἀρετή, ὁ παρʼ ἐμοῦ σοι περὶ παρθενίας, ἒφη, λόγος εἰ δέ τι παρέλιπον, ἀναπληρούτω διαδεξαμένη με Θεοφίλα. ### English translation (Claude) “What, then, did the Lord, the Truth, the Light, accomplish when he came down into the world? He kept his flesh uncorrupted, adorning it with virginity. We too, then, if we are to be ‘according to the likeness’ of God, should strive to honour the virginity of Christ; for likeness to God is flight from corruption. And that the Word made man became the chief virgin of the church, as he became the chief shepherd and chief prophet, John too, who was possessed by Christ, shows us in the book of Revelation, saying: ‘And I looked, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand having his name and the name of his Father written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder; and the voice that I heard was like that of harpers playing on their harps. And they sing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one could learn the song except the hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been redeemed from the earth. These are the ones who were not defiled with women; for they are virgins, these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes’: showing the Lord as leader of the chorus of virgins. Notice besides how great is the dignity of virginity with God: ‘These were redeemed from among men as first-fruits for God and for the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found; they are blameless; they follow,’ it says, ‘the Lamb wherever he goes.’ Here too he clearly wants to teach us that the multitude of virgins was limited from the start to this number, that is, a hundred and forty-four thousand, while the other saints crowd together in an unlimited multitude. For we must attend to what he declares when speaking about the others: ‘And I saw from every tongue and tribe and nation a great multitude, which no one could number.’ So it is established, as I said, that for the other saints he introduces an unspeakable multitude, but for those in virginity a very small number, in comparison with those who make up a countless multitude. This, Arete,” she said, “is my speech to you on virginity. And if I have left anything out, let Theophila succeed me and fill it up.” ### Scripture references - Gen 1:26: allusion, high confidence - Rev 14:1–5: quotation, high confidence - Rev 7:9: quotation, high confidence - 1 Pet 5:4: echo, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Plato, Theaet. 176b (Plato (works)): echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Rev 14:1–5 and Rev 7:9. “Likeness to God” (ὁμοίωσις θεῷ) echoes Plato, Theaetetus 176b. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 1.5 (Bonwetsch, 13–14; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/0/#p-1-5). ## Symposium 2.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/2-1/#p-2-1 - Source: Bonwetsch, 15–16 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Theophila replies that virginity does not abolish childbearing: God is still creating human beings through procreation until their appointed number is complete. ### Greek text Εἰπεῖν οὖν ἴφη τὴν Θεοφίλαν, ὂτι Δοκεῖ μοι ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι, ἐπειδὴ καλῶς ἡ Μάρκελλα ὁρμήσασα ἐπὶ τὸν λόγον οὐχ ἱκανῶς ἐπλήρωσεν, ἐμὲ πειρᾶσθαι τέλος ἐπιθεῖναι τῷ λόγῳ. τὸ μὲν γὰρ εἰς παρθενίαν ἐκ προβάσεως προκόψαι τὸν ἂνθρωπον, τοῦ θεοῦ παρορμήσατος αὐτὸν κατὰ καιρὸν καὶ καιρόν, δοκεῖ μοι καλῶς διελέσθαι, τὸ δὲ μηκέτι χρῆναι λέγειν τοὐντεῦθεν τεκνογονεῖν οὐ καλῶς. ἐγὼ γὰρ καθεωρακέναι μοι δοκῶ σαφῶς ἀπὸ τῶν γραφῶν ὅτι παρθενίας ἐλθούσης ὁ λόγος οὐκ ἀνεῖλε πάντῃ τὴν τεκνογονίαν. οὐ γὰρ ἐπειδὴ τῶν ἄστρων ἡ σελήνη μείζων ἐστί, παρὰ τοῦτο τῶν ἄλλων ἀστέρων τὸ φῶς ἀναιρῖται. ἀρξώμεθα δὲ ἀπὸ τῆς Γενέσεως, ἴνα δὴ καὶ πρεσβεύωμεν μᾶλλον τὴν γραφήν. ἡ γὰρ ἀπόφασις τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τὸ διάταγμα τὸ ἐπὶ τῆς παιδοποιίας ὁμολογουμένως μέχρι καὶ νῦν συμπληροῦται, πλάσσοντος τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἒτι τοῦ δημιουργοῦ. τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ παντὶ καταφανές, ὡς ἄρα τὸν κόσμον ἀκμὴν ἐργίζεται ζωγραφῶν ὁ θεός, ὣσπερ δὴ καὶ ὁ κύριος ἐδίδαξεν, »ἓως ἂρτι ὁ πατήρ μου ἐργάζεται« λέγων. ἀλλʼ ὁπόταν οἱ ποταμοὶ ἤδη λωφήσωσιν εἰς τὸ τῆς θαλάσσης ἐμβάλλοντες ἀγγεῖον, καὶ τὸ φῶς ετλείως χωρισθῇ τοῦ σκότους (νῦν γὰρ ἒτι διαχωρίζεται) καὶ τοὺς καρποὺς μετὰ τῶν ἑρπετῶν καὶ τετραπόδων ἀναδιδόναι παύσηται λοιπὸν ἡ ξηρά, καὶ ὁ προωρισμένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀριθμὸς ἀναπληρωθῇ· τότε δὴ λοιπὸν καὶ τῆς παίδοποιίας ἀφεκτέον. νῶν γὰρ εἰς τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ θεοῦ τὸν ἄνθρωπον συνεστῶτος τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τεκταινμένου. »αὐξάνεσθε« γὰρ ἐλέχθη »καὶ πληθύνεσθε«. καὶ οὐ χρὴ τὸ διάταγμα βδελύττεσθαι τοῦ δημιουργοῦ, ἐξ οὑ δὴ καὶ αὐταὶ γεγόναμεν. ἀρχὴ γὰρ γενέσως ἀνθρώπων ἡ τοῦ σπέρματος εἰς τὰς αὓλακας τῆς μήτρας γίνεται καταβολή, ὃπως τὸ ἐκ τῶν ὀστέρων ὀστοῦν καὶ ἡ ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς σαρξ ἕτερος ἄνθρωπος άοράτῳ ληφθέντα δυνάμει πάλιν ὑπὸ τεχνίτου δημιουργηθῶσι. ταύτῃ γὰρ ἐκείνην ἡγητέον πληροῦσθαι τὴν φωνήν τοῦτο νῦν ὀστοῦν ἐκ τῶν ὀστέων μου καὶ σὰρξ ἐκ τῆς σαρκος μου«. ### English translation (Claude) Theophila, then, she said, spoke: “It seems to me necessary, since Marcella set out well on her speech but did not complete it sufficiently, that I should try to bring the argument to its end. That humanity advanced by stages to virginity, God urging it on at each season, she seems to me to have set out well; but that from then on one must no longer beget children, she did not say well. For I think I have clearly seen from the Scriptures that, when virginity came, the Word did not entirely abolish the begetting of children. For it is not the case that because the moon is greater than the stars, the light of the other stars is therefore abolished. Let us begin from Genesis, so as to give Scripture the precedence. For God's declaration and ordinance concerning the procreation of children is admittedly being fulfilled even now, since the Creator is still forming human beings. This is plain to everyone: God is still at work painting the world, as the Lord also taught, saying, ‘My Father is working until now.’ But when the rivers at last cease flowing into the basin of the sea, and the light is completely separated from the darkness (for it is still being separated now), and the dry land at last stops yielding its fruits together with creeping things and four-footed beasts, and the predetermined number of human beings is filled up, then indeed the begetting of children must cease. But now, while the world still stands and is being fashioned, [we must work with God in forming] the human being after the image of God; for it was said, ‘Increase and multiply.’ And we must not loathe the ordinance of the Creator, from which we ourselves have come into being. For the beginning of the generation of human beings is the depositing of the seed in the furrows of the womb, so that bone from bones and flesh from flesh, taken by an invisible power, may be fashioned again by the craftsman into another human being. In this way we must think that the saying is fulfilled, ‘This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.’ ### Scripture references - John 5:17: quotation, high confidence - Gen 1:28: quotation, high confidence - Gen 2:23: quotation, high confidence - Gen 1:4: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are John 5:17, Gen 1:28, and Gen 2:23; the allusions are Gen 1:4–24. The digital text lacks a main verb in “νῦν γὰρ … τεκταινμένου”; “[we must work with God in forming]” supplies the probable sense (compare ANF: “man must cooperate in the forming of the image of God”). Theophila's speech defends marriage and procreation; the passages on conception are translated exactly as written. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 2.1 (Bonwetsch, 15–16; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/2-1/#p-2-1). ## Symposium 2.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/2-1/#p-2-2 - Source: Bonwetsch, 16–17 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Adam's trance foreshadows the rapture of procreation; since God still forms each human being, it is rash to despise childbearing or forbid marriage. ### Greek text Τοῦτο γὰρ ἴσως ᾐνίσσετο καὶ ἡ κατὰ τὸν ἐπιβληθεῖσα τῷ πρωτοπλάστῳ, προδιατυπουμένη τὴν ἐπὶ τῆς φιλοτησίας θέλξιν τοῦ ἀνδρός, ὁπότε διψήσας τέκνων ἐξισταται παιδογόνοις ἐκθηλυνόμενος καθʼ ὕπνον ἡδοναῖς, ἴνα πάλιν τι τῶν ὀστῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς ἀποσπασθὲν ἕτερος ἄνθρωπος, ὡς ἔφην, ἀναπληρωθῇ. ἐκταρασσομένης γὰρ ἀρτῆς ἁρμονίας τῶν ἐν τοῖς κατὰ τὴν συνουσίαν ἐρεισμοῖς, ὡς οἱ τετελεσμένοι τὴν γαμήλιον ἡμᾶς διδάσκουσι τελετήν, πᾶν τὸ μυελῶσες τοῦ αἳματος καὶ γονιμώτατον, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὑγρὸν ὀστοῦν, ἐκ πάντων τῶν μελῶν, ἀφροποιῆσαν καὶ θρομβωθὲν διὰ τῶν παιδογόνων ὀργάνων εἰς τὴν ἒμψυχον τῆς θηλείας ἐξέσσυται γῆν. εἰκότως ἂρα ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλιπεῖν λέλεκται »τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν τότε πάντων ἀθρόως ἀμνημονήσας, ὅτε φιλοστόρηοις ἑνούμενος τῇ γυναικὶ συμπλοκαῖς κάτοχος ἐπιθυμίας γίνεται γεννητικῆς, παρέχων ἀφαιρεῖσθαι τῷ θείῳ τὴν πλευρὰν δημιουργῷ, ὃπως ἐξ υἱοῦ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ πατὴρ πάλιν ἐκφανῇ. οὐκοῦν εἰσέτι πλάσσοντος καὶ νῦν δὴ τὸν ἄνθρωπον τοῦ θεοῦ, πῶς οὐ τολμηρὸν τὸ βδελύσσεσθαι παιδουργίαν, ἣν αὐτὸς οὐκ ἐπαισχύνεται ταῖς ἀμιάντοις ὁ ἐργαζόμενος χερσί; »πρὸ τοῦ« γάρ με πλάσαι σε ἐν κοιλίᾳ μητρός, ἐπίσταμαί δε« τῷ Ἱερεμίᾳ φησί· τῷ δὲ Ἰώβ »μὴ σὺ λαβὼν πηλὸν ἒπλασας ζῷον καὶ λαλητὸν αὐτὸ ἒθου« ἒφη »ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς;« καὶ ὁ Ἰὼβ δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν εὐκτικῶς φέρεται λέγων τό »κἱ χεῖρές σου ἐποίησάν με καὶ ἒπλασάν με«. πῶς δὲ οὐκ ἄτοπον τὸ ἀπαγορεύεσθαι γάμων συναλλαγάς, προσδοκωμένων ἔτι καὶ μεθʼ ἡμᾶς ἔσεσθαι καὶ τῶν ἀντιτασσομένων τῷ πονηρῷ, διʼ οὓς δὴ καὶ τὰς τὰς ὁ λόγος ἐπηγγείλατο κολοβωθήσεσθαι; εἰ γὰρ φαῦλον, ὡς ἔφης, ἀπεντῦθεν νενόμισται τῷ θεῷ τὸ παιδοσπορεῖν, διʼ ἢν αἰτίαν οἱ παρὰ δόγμα φυόμενοι καὶ τὴν βουλὴν τὴν θείαν εὐάρεστοι δυνήσονται παραστῆναι τῷ δεῷ; ἀνάγκη γὰρ εἶναι κίβδηλον, ἀλλὰ μὴ θεοφιλὲς τὸ τεχθέν, εἰ παρὰ τὴν γνώμην καὶ τὸ διάταγμα δίκην παραχαράγματος πλάσσεται τῆς δυνάμεως, ἴνα δὴ καὶ ἀνθρώπους δύνασθαι δῶμεν ἀνθρωποπλαστεῖν; ### English translation (Claude) “For perhaps this was also hinted at by the trance cast on the first-formed man, foreshadowing the enchantment of the man in love, when, thirsting for children, he falls into a trance, relaxed as in sleep by the pleasures of begetting, so that again something drawn from his bones and flesh may be completed, as I said, as another human being. For when the harmony of the body is greatly disturbed in the thrusts of intercourse, as those initiated in the rite of marriage teach us, all the marrow-like and most fertile part of the blood, which is liquid bone, gathered from all the members, frothing and curdled, rushes out through the generative organs into the living soil of the woman. Rightly, then, for this reason a man is said to leave ‘his father and his mother’ …, being then all at once forgetful of everything, when, united with his wife in loving embraces, he is possessed by the desire to beget, offering his side to be taken by the divine Creator, so that the father himself may appear again in the son. Since, then, God is still forming the human being even now, is it not rash to loathe the begetting of children, which he himself, who works with undefiled hands, is not ashamed of? For ‘Before I formed you in your mother's womb, I knew you,’ he says to Jeremiah; and to Job he said, ‘Did you take clay and form a living creature and set it speaking upon the earth?’ And Job is recorded as saying to him in prayer, ‘Your hands made me and formed me.’ And is it not absurd to forbid the unions of marriage, when we still expect that there will be, even after us, those who will stand against the evil one, for whose sake the Word promised that the [days] would be shortened? For if, as you said, the begetting of children has from that time on been thought bad by God, for what reason will those born contrary to his decree and the divine will be able to stand acceptable before God? For what is born must be counterfeit and not dear to God if it is formed, like a forged coin, against the intention and ordinance of his power, unless we grant that human beings too can form human beings. ### Scripture references - Gen 2:21: allusion, high confidence - Gen 2:24: quotation, high confidence - Jer 1:5: quotation, high confidence - Job 38:14: quotation, high confidence - Job 10:8: quotation, high confidence - Matt 24:22: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Gen 2:21 (the “trance,” ἔκστασις, of the LXX) and Matt 24:22; the quotations are Gen 2:24, Jer 1:5, Job 38:14 (LXX), and Job 10:8. Words have fallen out of the digital text after “the trance” (κατὰ τὸν …), after “his mother” (the rest of Gen 2:24), and after “that the” (supplied as “[days]”). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 2.2 (Bonwetsch, 16–17; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/2-1/#p-2-2). ## Symposium 2.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/2-1/#p-2-3 - Source: Bonwetsch, 17–19 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Marcella objects: if God forms every child, is he at work even in children born of adultery? ### Greek text Καὶ ἡ Μάρκελλα ὑπολαβοῦσα, Ὧ Θεοφίλα, μέγα σφάλμα ἒφη, καὶ ἐναντίον οἷς εἶπας ἀναφαίνεται, καὶ οἲει λεληθέναι παρωσαμένη τηλικοῦτον νέφος; ἥκει γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ὁ λόγος, ὃν ἴσως ἀπαιτῶν σέ τις, ὠ σοφτάτη, λέξει· Περὶ τῶν ἐκ μοιχίας ἀνόμως φυομένων Τί φῄς; ἒδωκας γὰρ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὸν κόσμον ἀμήχανον εἶναι καὶ ἀδύνατον, μὴ χειραγωγηθέντα τῷ θελήματι τῆς μεγαλοσὐνης, κατασκευασθέντος αὐτοῦ τοῦ σκηνώματος πρὸς τοῦ θεοῦ. καὶ ἵνα μὴ καταφύγῃς ὥσπερ εἰς τειχίον, ἐχέγγυον λέγουσαν γραφήν »τέκνα δὲ μοιχῶν ἀτελεσφόρητα«, ἀποκρούσεταί σε πράως εἰπὼν ὃτι· Καὶ μὴν τελεσφόροις πολλαχῶς ὠδῖσιν ὥριμον καρπὸν τοὺς ἐκ παρανόμων συλληφθέντας ὡδε συναλλαγῶν ὁρῶμεν φυομένους. εἰ δʼ αὖ πάλιν σοφιζομένη φαίης· Ὦ οὗτος, ἐγὼ τὸ ἀτελεσφόρητον ἐπὶ τῶν μὴ τελειουμένων ἡγοῦμαι τάσσεσθαι τῇ χριστοδιδάκτῳ δικαιοσύνῃ, λελέξεται· Καὶ μήνι ὠ μακαρία, πλεῖστοι τεχθέντες ἔξ ἀδίκου σπορᾶς οὐδὲν ἡσσον οὐ μόνον τῇ ποίμνῃ καταξιοῦνται τῶν ἀδελφῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ προκαθηγεῖσθαι τούτων κληροῦνται πολλαχῶς. οὐκοῦν ὄντος φανεροῦ καὶ πάντων ἱστορούντων καὶ τὰ ἐκ μοιχείας φυόμενα τελεσιουργεῖσθαι, οὐ χρὴ νομίζειν συλλήψεων πέρι καὶ τοκετῶν τὸ πνεῦμα πεπροφητευκέναι, ἀλλʼ ἴσως περὶ τῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν μοιχωμένων, οἵτινες κλεψισόφοις νοθεύοντες δόγμασι τὰς γραφὰς ἀτελεσφόρητον γεννῶσι σοφίαν, τῇ θεοσεβίᾳ συγκιρνῶντες τὴν πλάνην. διὸ καὶ ταύτης σου τῆς προφάσεως ἐξῃρημένης ἴθι δή, εἰ καὶ τὰ ἐκ μοιχείας εὐδοκοῦντος, ἀπόκριναι, τοῦ θεοῦ. ἔφης γὰρ εἶναι ἀδύνατον ἀνθρώπου γονήν, μὴ μορφώσαντος αὐτὴν καὶ ἐμψυχώσαντος τοῦ κυρίου. ### English translation (Claude) And Marcella, taking her up, said: “Theophila, a great error, and one contrary to what you said, appears; and do you think you have escaped notice after pushing aside so great a cloud? For that argument arrives which someone perhaps will put to you, most wise, demanding: ‘What do you say about those born unlawfully of adultery?’ For you granted that it is impossible and unattainable to enter the world without being led by the hand by the will of the Majesty, the tent of the body being fashioned by God. And lest you flee, as behind a wall, to the Scripture that says with assurance, ‘The children of adulterers will not come to maturity,’ he will gently repel you, saying: ‘And yet we see those conceived from unlawful unions here growing through labours that often come to term into ripe fruit.’ And if again you argued cleverly, ‘My good man, I think “will not come to maturity” is said of those not perfected in the righteousness taught by Christ,’ it will be said: ‘And yet, blessed one, very many born of unrighteous seed are nonetheless not only counted worthy of the flock of the brothers, but often are even appointed to preside over them.’ Since, then, it is plain, and all report, that those born of adultery also come to maturity, we must not think that the Spirit prophesied about conceptions and births, but perhaps about those who commit adultery against the truth, who, adulterating the Scriptures with doctrines that steal wisdom, beget a wisdom that never matures, mixing error with piety. So, since this pretext of yours has been taken away, come, answer whether those born of adultery too are born with God's good pleasure. For you said that the birth of a human being is impossible unless the Lord forms it and gives it a soul.” ### Extrabiblical texts - Wis 3:16 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is Wis 3:16. Marcella's reading of it as spiritual “adultery against the truth” refers to false teachers. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 2.3 (Bonwetsch, 17–19; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/2-1/#p-2-3). ## Symposium 2.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/2-1/#p-2-4 - Source: Bonwetsch, 19–21 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Theophila answers with a parable: a hidden craftsman shapes all the clay brought to him, even clay wrongly put in another's opening, but punishes the one who put it there. ### Greek text Καὶ ἡ Θεοφίλα ὑπὸ γενναίου ὥσπερ ληφθεῖσα τῶν μέσων ἀνταγωνιστοῦ ἐσκο τοδινίασε, καὶ μάλα μόλις ἀναπνεύσασα ἴφη· Ἐρωτᾷς ἐρώτημα διὰ παραδείγματος, ὦ μακαρία, χρῇζον ἀποδειχθῆναι, ἵν ἒτι μᾶλλον Ἴδῃς ὡς διὰ πάντων ἡ ποιητικὴ δύναμις διοικοῦσα τοῦ πλέον εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένεσιν αὐτουργεῖ, αὒξουσα τὰ εἰς γὀνιμον φυτευόμενα γῆν. οὐ γἀρ τὸ σπειρόμενον αἰτιατέον, ἀλλὰ τὸν εἰς ἀλλοτρίαν ἄρουραν κλεψιγάμοις εὐναῖς, οἱα μισθωτὸν ὀλίγης ἡδονῆς, τὴν ἰδίαν ἀναισχύντως πιπράσκοντα σποράν. ἀπείκασον γὰρ τοιούτῳ τινὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν γέννεσιν εἰς τὸν βίον, οἱον οἴκῳ παρακειμένην ἔχοντι τὴν εἲσοδον ὂρεσιν ὑψηλοῖς· διήκειν δὲ τὸν ἐπὶ πολὺ κάτω μέχρι μακρὰν τῆς εἰσόδου, ἒχοντα πολλὰς ὀπὰς ἐκ τῶν ὀπίσω καὶ περιφερῆ κατὰ τοῦτο τὸ μέρος γεγονότα. Ἀπεικάζω, ἒφη ἡ Μάρκελλα. Οὐκοῦν ὑπόλαβε ἔνδον καθεζόμενον ἐργάζεσθαι πλάστην ἀνδριάντας῾ τούτῳ δʼ αὐ τὴν ὕλην τοῦ πηλοῦ διὰ τῶν ὀπῶν ἔξωθεν νόησον ὑπὸ πολλῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀνενδεῶς χορηγείσθαι, οὐδενὸς αὐτῶν ὁρῶντος τὸν τεχνίτην. δὸς δὲ κεκαλύφθαι τὸν οἶκον ὁμίκλῃ καὶ νεφέλαις καὶ μηδὲν αὐτοῖς ἒξωθεν εἶναι καταφανὲς ἢ μόνας τὰς ὀπάς. Δεδόσθω, ἔφη, κω τοῦτο. Εχειν τε ἓκαστον αὐτῶν τῶν συμπονούντων εἰς τὴν τοῦ πηλοῦ συγκομιδὴν ἀπονενεμημένην αὐτῷ μίαν ὀπήν, εἰς ἣν μόνην αὐτὸν φέροντα τὴν ἰδίαν ὕλην ἀποτίθεσθαι, μὴ ἁπτόμενον ἑτέρας. εἰ δʼ αὐ περιέργως ἀνοιγνύναι τὴν ἑτέρῳ κεκληρωμένην ἐπιχειροίη, πῦρ αὐτῷ καὶ μάστιγας ἀπειλητέον. † οὐκοῦν τὸ μετὰ ταῦτα λοιπὸν δὴ θεώρησον, ἒσωθεν τὸν πλάστην περιερχόμενον τὰς ὀπὰς καὶ τὸν εὑρισκόμενον ἐν ἑκάτστῃ πηλὸν κατʼ ἰδίαν λαμβάνοντα πλάττειν, καὶ μηνῶν περιόδοις ἀποπλάσαντα πάλιν ἀποδιδόναι τοῖς ἔξω διὰ τῆς αὐτῆς τὸν πλάστην ὀπῆς, ἔχοντα τοιαύτην ἐντολήν, πάντα τὸν δυνάμνον δημιουργηθῆναι πηλὸν ἀδιαφόρως ἐργάσζεσθαι, κἂν εἰς ἀλλοτρίαν ὑπό τινος εἰσοχετεύηται κακοτρόπως ὀπήν (οὐδὲν ἠδικηκέναι τὴν ὕλην· διὸ ὡς ἀναιτίαν μὲν δὴ χρῆναι πλάττεσθαι καὶ μορφοῦσθαι), τὸν δὲ παρὰ τὸ διάταγμα καὶ τὴν ἐντολὴν εἰς ἀλλοτρίαν αὐτὴν ἀποτιθέμενον ὀπήν, τοῦτον ὡς ἀλάστορά τε καὶ παραβάτην τιμωρεῖσθαι. οὐ γὰρ τὸν πηλὸν αἰτιατέον, ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνον τὸν παρὰ τὸ ὅσιον τοῦτο πεποιηκότα· ἀκρασίας γὰρ χάριν εἰς ἀλλοτρίαν ἀποκομίσας ὀπὴν ἀπέθετο λαθραίως ἢ βίᾳ. Ἀληθέστατα λέγεις. ### English translation (Claude) And Theophila, as though caught round the waist by a noble opponent, grew dizzy, and recovering her breath with great difficulty said: “You ask a question, blessed one, that needs to be shown by an example, so that you may see still more that the creative power, governing through all things, is itself chiefly at work in the generation of human beings, making grow what is planted in fertile soil. For what is sown is not to blame, but the one who, in beds of stolen wedlock, shamelessly sells his own seed into another's field, like a hireling of a little pleasure. Compare our birth into life to something like this: a house with its entrance lying against high mountains; and suppose it extends far down, a long way from the entrance, with many openings at the back, and rounded at that part.” “I am picturing it,” said Marcella. “Then suppose a modeller sitting inside at work on statues; and imagine the material of clay being supplied to him abundantly from outside through the openings by many people, none of whom sees the craftsman. Grant that the house is covered with mist and clouds and that nothing is visible to them from outside but the openings.” “Let this too be granted,” she said. “And that each of those who work together in bringing the clay has one opening assigned to him, into which alone he brings and deposits his own material, not touching another. And if he should meddlesomely try to open the one allotted to another, he is to be threatened with fire and scourges. … Then consider what follows: the modeller inside goes round the openings, takes the clay found in each and models it separately, and after a period of months, having finished modelling it, gives it back to those outside through the same opening. He has this command: to work without distinction all clay that can be fashioned, even if it is wrongly channelled by someone into another's opening (for the material has done no wrong, so it must be modelled and formed as blameless), but to punish as a villain and transgressor the one who, against the decree and command, deposited it in another's opening. For the clay is not to blame, but the one who did this against what is holy; for through incontinence he carried it to another's opening and deposited it secretly or by force.” “What you say is most true.” ### Translation notes - The dagger (†) in the Greek marks a doubtful reading at the start of “Then consider”; the sense is not affected. The parable is an image of conception and is translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 2.4 (Bonwetsch, 19–21; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/2-1/#p-2-4). ## Symposium 2.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/2-1/#p-2-5 - Source: Bonwetsch, 21–22 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The house is the hidden process of generation and the craftsman is God's creative power; seed, like any material, is not evil in itself, but adulterers who misuse it are to be punished. ### Greek text Οὐκοῦν λοιπὸν δὴ καιρὸς τούτων ἤδη προδιηνυσμένων ταύτην σε πᾶσαν προσάπτειν, ὠ σοφωτάτη, τὴν εἰκόνα τοῖς ἢδη ἒμπροσθεν εἰρημένοις, τὸν μὲν οἰκον ἀφομοιοῦσαν τῇ ἀοράτῳ τῆς γενέσεως ἡμῶν φύσει, τὴν δὲ προσκειμένην εἲσοδον τοῖς ὅρεσι τῇ ἀπὸ οὐρανῶν εἰς τὰ σώματα καταβάσει καὶ παραπομπῇ τῶν ψυχῶν, τὰς δὲ ὀπὰς τῷ θηλυκῷ καὶ γυναικείῳ γένει, τὸν δὲ πλάστην τῇ ποιητικῇ δυνάμει τοῦ θεοῦ, ἥτις ἐπικαλύμματι τῆς γενέσεως ἡμῶν ὡς ἒφην τῇ φύσει χρωμένη ἒνδον ἡμᾶς ἀοράτως ἀνθρωποπλαστεῖ, τὰ ἐνδύματα ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἐργαζομένη. τοὺς δὲ κομίζοντας τὴν ὕλην πηλοῦ τῷ ἀνδρείῳ καὶ ἀρρενικῷ παραβλητέον, ὁπότε διψήσαντες τέκνων εἰς τοὺς κατὰ φύσιν τῆς θηλείας φερόμενοι πόρους ἐγκαταβάλλουσι τὴν σποράν, ὥσπερ κἀκεῖ τὸν πηλὸν εἰς τὰς ὀπάς. θείας γάρ, ὡς ἔπος μοίρας τῆς δημιουργικῆς τὸ σπέρμα μεταλαμβάνον οὐκ αὐτὸ αἲτιον νομιστέον εἶναι τῶν τῆς ἀκολασίας ὑπεκκαυμάτων. ἡ μὲν γὰρ τέχνη τὴν ὑποκειμένην ὓλην ἀεὶ τεκταίνεται· οὐδὲν γὰρ αὐτό τι καθʼ ἑαυτὸ τῶν πραγμάτων ἡγητέον εἶναι κακόν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν ταῖν χρωμένων τοιοῦτο γίνεσθαι. κοσμίως μὶν γὰρ πραττόμενον καὶ σωφρόνως κόσμιον ἀπέβη, αἰσχρώς δὲ καὶ ἀσχημόνως αἰσχρόν. τί γὰρ ἠδίκησε σίδηρος γεωρικῆς χάριν καὶ τεχνῶν εὑρεθεὶς τοὺς εἰς ἀλληλοφόνους θήξαντας αὐτὸν μάχας; τί δὲ χρυσὸς ἢ ἄργυρος ἢ χαλκὸς καὶ συλλήβδην ἡ εὐέργαστος πᾶσα γῆ τοὺς πλημμελοῦντας ἀχαρίστως εἰς τὸν σφέτερον δημιουργὸν ἐν τῷ προστρέπεσθαι τὰ ἀπʼ αὐτῶν ποικιλλόμενα βρέτη; κἂν γὰρ ἀπὸ κλεψιμαίων τῇ ὑφαντικῇ παρέχοιτό τις ἔρια τέχνῃ, πρὸς ἓν τοῦτο ἡ τέχνη δημιουργεῖ τὴν ὑποκειμένην ὓλην, εἰ δέξεται τὴν κατασκευήν, οὐδὲν ἀποβαλλομένην τῶν ἑαυτῇ χρησίμων, ἐπεὶ μηδὲ αἲτιόν ἐστιν ἐνταῦθα τὸ κλαπέν, ἄψυχον ὄν. διὸ δὴ αὐτὸ μὲν καὶ κοσμητέον. τὸν δὲ ὑφελόμενον ἀδίκῳ φωρᾷ τιμωρητέον. ἀτὰρ δὴ καὶ τοὺς δηλήμονας τῶν γάμων καὶ διαρρήκτας τῆς εὐαρμοστίας τοῦ βίου, τῶν χορδῶν φέγ, αόμπμτας οἴστρῳ καὶ τὴν ὅρεξιν εἰς μοιχείαν ἐκκαλουμένους, αὐτοὺς μὲν βασανιστέον καὶ τιμωρητέον· ἀπʼ ἀλλοτρίων γὰρ κήπων τὰς παιδογόνους λυμαίνονται κλέπτοντες συμπλοκάς· τὴν δὲ σποράν, ὣσπερ δὴ κἀκεῖ τὰ ἒρια, μορφωτέον καὶ ἐμωυχωτἐον. ### English translation (Claude) “Now, then, since this has been set out, it is time for you, most wise, to apply this whole image to what was said before: likening the house to the invisible nature of our generation; the entrance lying against the mountains to the descent and conveyance of souls from heaven into bodies; the openings to the female sex, that of women; and the modeller to the creative power of God, which, using nature, as I said, as a veil over our generation, invisibly forms us as human beings within, making the garments for the souls. Those who bring the material of clay are to be compared to the male sex, when, thirsting for children, they go to the natural passages of the woman and deposit the seed, just as there the clay into the openings. For the seed, which shares, so to speak, in the divine creative portion, must not itself be thought the cause of the fires of licentiousness. For craft always works on the material that lies before it; no thing in itself is to be thought evil, but it becomes such through the action of those who use it. Done decently and chastely, it turns out decent; done shamefully and indecently, shameful. What wrong did iron, discovered for farming and the crafts, do to those who sharpened it for battles of mutual slaughter? What wrong did gold or silver or bronze, and in short all the workable earth, do to those who sin ungratefully against their own Creator by turning to the images wrought from them? Even if someone supplies wool from stolen goods to the art of weaving, the art works the material before it to this one end, whether it will take the making, rejecting nothing useful to itself, since the stolen thing, being lifeless, is not to blame here. So it must be made beautiful; but the one who took it by unjust theft must be punished. So too those who destroy marriages and break the harmony of life, [playing on] the strings with frenzy and provoking their appetite to adultery, must themselves be tried and punished; for they steal and defile the procreative embraces from other people's gardens. But the seed, like the wool there, must be formed and given life.” ### Translation notes - The words about the strings are garbled in the digital text (“φέγ, αόμπμτας”); “[playing on]” gives the probable sense. “The descent and conveyance of souls from heaven into bodies” belongs to the imagery of the parable. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 2.5 (Bonwetsch, 21–22; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/2-1/#p-2-5). ## Symposium 2.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/2-1/#p-2-6 - Source: Bonwetsch, 22–24 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: God himself forms every child in the womb; even children of adultery are given guardian angels and will accuse parents who exposed them. ### Greek text Καὶ τί χρὴ παραδείγμασι τοσούτοις καταχρωμένην μηκύνειν τὸν λόγον; ούδὲ γὰρ ἂν οὕτως ἐν ὀλόγῳ χρόνῳ τοσοῦτον ἄνευ κομιδῆς ἒργον ἐξήνυσε φύσις. τίς γὰρ ὀστέων ἔπηξεν ἄπηκτον τίς δὲ ξυνέδησεν ἐπιτείνεσθαι νεύροις καὶ ἀνίεσθαι περὶ τὰς ἁρμογὰς καμπτόμενα τὰ μέλη; ἢ τίς θεὸς ἐζύμωσε χυμὸν δεύσας αἳματι καὶ μαλθακὴν ἐκ χοὸς σάρκα ἢ μόνος ὁ ἀριστοτςεχνας, τὴν λογικωτάτην εἰκόνα καὶ ἔμψυχον τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἡμᾶς, ἑαυτοῦ τεκταινόμενος καὶ κηροπλαστῶν ἐξ ὑγρῶν καὶ βραχυτάτων σπερμάτων ἐν μήτρᾳ; τίς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ προμηθούμενος μὴ συμπνίγεσθαι τῷ ὑγρῷ καὶ τῇ συνοχῇ τῶν ἀγγείων ἐπικλυζόμενον ἔσω τὸ ἔμβρουν; ἢ τός ὁ μετὰ τὸ καὶ εἰς φῶς ἀνελθεῖν εἰς μέγεθος καὶ λάλλος καὶ ῥώμην ἐξ ἀσθενοῦς καὶ βραχέος μεταβάλλων, εἰ μὴ αὐτὸς οὑτος ὁ ἀριστοτέχνας, ὡς ἔφην, θεός, τῇ ποιητικῇ δυνάμει τῷ Χριστῷ μετασχηματίζων καὶ μεταζωγραφῶν τὰς ἰδέας; κλ ὅθεν δὴ καὶ τημελούχοις ἀγγέλοις, κἂν ἐκ μοιχείας ὦσι, τὰ ἀποτικτόμενα παραδίδοσθαι παρειλήφαμεν ἐν θεοπνεύστοις γράμμασιν. εἰ γὰρ παρὰ τὴν γνώμην ἐγίνοντο καὶ τὸν θεσμὸν τῆς μακαρίας ἐκείνης φύσεως τοῦ θεοῦ, πῶς ἀγγέλοις ταῦτα παρεδίδοτο τραφγσίνεβα μετὰ πολλῆς ἀναπαύσεως καὶ πῶς δὲ καὶ κτηγορήσοντα σφῶν αὐτῶν τοὺς γονεῖς εὐπαρρησιάσατως εἰς τὸ δικαστήριον ἐκίκλησκον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, »σὺ οὐκ ἐφθόνησας ἡμῖν, ὡ κύριε, τὸ κοινόν‘ λέγοντα »τοῦτο φῶς· οὗτοι δὲ εἰς θάνατον ἡμᾶς ἐξέθεντο, καταφρονήσαντες ἧς σῆς ἐντολῆς;« »ἐκ« γάρ ἀνόμων. φησίν »ὕπνων τέκνα γεννώμενα μάρτυρές εἰςι πονηρίας κατὰ γονέων έν ἐξετασμῷ«. ### English translation (Claude) “And why should I lengthen my speech by using so many examples? For nature could not have accomplished so great a work in so short a time without care. Who fixed the frame of the bones when it was not yet fixed? Who bound the limbs with sinews, to be tightened and relaxed as they bend at the joints? Or what god leavened the moisture, wetting it with blood, and made soft flesh from dust, except the only best craftsman, fashioning us, man, the most rational and living image of himself, and moulding us like wax from moist and tiny seeds in the womb? For who is it that takes care that the embryo, flooded within by the fluid and the pressure of the vessels, is not smothered? Or who, after it has come out into the light, changes it to size and beauty and strength from weak and small, if not this very best craftsman, God, as I said, reshaping and repainting its features after Christ by his creative power? That is why we have received in divinely inspired writings that the children born, even if they are from adultery, are handed over to guardian angels. For if they came into being contrary to the intention and ordinance of that blessed nature of God, how would they be handed over to angels to be nourished with much rest? And how would they, with great boldness, summon their own parents to the judgment seat of Christ to accuse them, saying, ‘You, O Lord, did not begrudge us this common light; but these exposed us to death, despising your commandment’? For ‘children born of unlawful beds,’ it says, ‘are witnesses of wickedness against their parents at their examination.’” ### Scripture references - Job 10:10–11: echo, medium confidence - Gen 1:26: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Cor 5:10: allusion, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Apoc. Pet. (Apocalypse of Peter): allusion, medium confidence - Clement of Alexandria, Ecl. 48-49 (Prophetic Extracts): echo, low confidence - Wis 4:6 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The “divinely inspired writings” about exposed infants entrusted to guardian angels are probably the Apocalypse of Peter (compare Clement of Alexandria, Prophetic Extracts 48–49). The last quotation is Wis 4:6. “After Christ” renders the dative τῷ Χριστῷ (“for Christ” or “into Christ”). The questions about the bones and sinews may echo Job 10:10–11. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 2.6 (Bonwetsch, 22–24; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/2-1/#p-2-6). ## Symposium 2.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/2-1/#p-2-7 - Source: Bonwetsch, 24–26 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: God alone gives the immortal soul; childbearing is good and virginity better, and the church, like a meadow, is adorned with both; Thalia rises to speak next. ### Greek text Καὶ τάχα μὲν οὐν δὴ χώραν ἓξει πιθανολογῶν τις ἐν οὐ κριτικοῖς καὶ φρονίμοις ἀνδράσι, τὸν χιτῶνα τῆς ψυχῆς τὸν σάρκινον τοῦτον ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων φυτευόμενον ἀυτοματὶ μορφοῦσθαι παρὰ τὴν ἀπόφασιν τοῦ θεοῦ· οὐ μὴν ἢδη καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν οὐσίαν μετὰ τοῦ θνητοῦ σπείρεσθαι διδάσκων πιστευθήσεται σώματος. τὸ γὰρ ἀθάνατον καὶ ἀγήρων μόνος ὁ παντοκράτωρ ἐμφυσᾷ, ᾐ καὶ μόνος τῶν ἀοράτων ἐστὶ καὶ ἀνωλέθρων ποιητής. »ἐνεφύσησε« γάρ εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ πνοὴν ζωῆς, καὶ ἐγένετο« φησίν »ὁ ἄνθρωπος εἰς ψυχὴν ζῶσαν.« ἀμέλει τοὺς χειροτέχνας τούτους αἰτιώμενος ὁ λόγος, ἐπὶ λύμῃ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰ ἀνδροείκελα κατασκευάζοντας ἀγάλματα, οὐχ αἰσθανομένους τὸν ἒδιον ποιητήν, ἐν τῇ παναρέτῳ Σοφίᾳ φησί· »σποδὸς ἡ καρδία αὐτῶν, καὶ γῆς εὐτελεστέρα ἡ ἐλπὶς αὐτῶν, πηλοῦ τε ἀτιμότερος ὁ βίος αὐτῶν, ὅτι ἡγνόησαν τὸν πλάσαντα αὐτοῦς καὶ τὸν ἐμπνεύσαντα αὐτοῖς ψυχὴν ἐνεργοῦσαν καὶ ἐμφυσήσαντα αὐτοῖς πνεῦμα ζωτικόν.« οὕτως ἐστὶ πάντων ἀνθρώπων ποιητὴς ὁ θεός. διὸ καὶ »πάντας ἀνθρώπους« κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον »σῴζεσθαια βούλεται καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν«. — καὶ ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο μόλις ἴσχε τέλος, λοιπὸν δὴ τὰ μετὰ ταῦτα λεκτέον. ὁπόταν γάρ τις τὴν θεωρίαν τῶν κατὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον συμβαινότων κατὰ φύσιν ἐκμάθῃ, εἴσεται μὴ βδελύσσεσθαι παιδοποιίαν, ἐπαινεῖν δὲ καὶ προτιμᾶν ἀγνείαν. οὐδὲ γάρ, ἐπειδὴ τῶν ἄλλων ἐστὶν ἡδύτερον καὶ τὸ μέλι, τὰ λοιπὰ δὴ ταύτῃ προσῆκε νομίζεσθαι πικρά, ὁπόσα δὴ τῇ ἐμφύτῳ γλυκασίᾳ κεέρασται τῶν ἀκροδρύων. καὶ τούτων μὲν ἐχέγγυον μάρτυρα παρέξομαι τὸν Παῦλον ὥστε καὶ ὁ γαμίζων« λέγοτα »τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρθένον καλῶς ποιεῖ, καὶ ὁ μὴ γεμίζων κρεῖσσον ποιεῖ«. οὐ γὰρ δὴ τῇ τοῦ κρείττονος καὶ γλυκυτέρου παραθέσει τὸ ἕτερον ἀτερον ἀπαγορεύσας ὁ λόγος, ἑκάστῳ τὸ οἰκεῖον καὶ λυσιτελὲς ἀπονέμων διαθεσμοθετεῖ. τοῖς μὲν γὰρ οὐδέπω συνεχώρησε παρθενίας τυχεῖν, τοὺς δὲ καὶ οὐκέτι βούλεται χραίνεσθαι φοινισσομένους ἐρεθισμοῖς, ἀλλὰ μελετᾶν ἀπεντεῦθεν ἤδη καὶ φαντάζεσθαι τὴν ἰσάγγελον μεταστοιχείωσιν τῶν σωμάτων, ἔνθα »οὔτε γαμοῦσιν οὔτε γαμίσκονται«, κατὰ τοὺς ἀψευδεῖς χρησμούς· ἐπεὶ μηδὲ πᾶσιν ὁ ἀμόλυντος καὶ παρεκτικὸς τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν εὐνουχισμὸς ἐμπιστεύεται, ἀλλὰ μόνοις ἐκείνοις δηλονότι τοῖς καὶ δυναμένοις τὸ ἀειθαλὲς ἂνθος καὶ ἄχραντον τῆς παρθενίας τηρῆσαι. ἀνθηροτάτῳ γὰρ ἀπεικάζεσθαι καὶ ποικιλωτάτῳ λειμῶνι λόγος ἔχει προφητικὸς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, οὐ μόνον τῆς ἀγνείας πεποικιλμένην καὶ κατεστεμμένην ἂνθεσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς τῆς τεκνογονίας καὶ τοῖς τῆς ἐγκρατείας. »ἐν κροσσωτοῖς« γάρ »χρυσοῖς πεποικιλμένη« »ἐκ δεξιῶν ἡ βασίλισσα« παρίσταται τοῦ νυμφίου. Ταῦτά σοι κατὰ δύναμιν κἀγὼ τὴν ἐμαυτῆς, ὧ Ἀρετή, εἰς τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀγνείας συμβάλλομαι λόγον. Εἰπούσης δὲ ταῦτα τῆς Θεοφίλας θόρυβον ἡδὺν ἐκ πασῶν ἡ Θεοπάτρα ἴφη γεγονέναι τῶν παρθένων ἐπαινουσῶν τὸν λόγον, ὡς δὲ ἡσύχασαν, σιωπῆς ἐπὶ πολὺ γεγενημένης ἀναστῆναι τὴν θάλειαν· ταύτῃ γὰρ ἐκ τρίτου ἐπετέτραπτο μετὰ τὴν Θεοφίλαν ἀγωνίζεσθαι. ### English translation (Claude) “And perhaps someone arguing plausibly among men who are neither critical nor sensible will find room to say that this fleshly tunic of the soul, planted by human beings, is formed of itself, apart from God's decree; but he will not be believed if he teaches that the substance of the soul too is sown along with the mortal body. For the immortal and ageless element the Almighty alone breathes in, since he alone is the maker of things invisible and indestructible. ‘For he breathed into his face the breath of life,’ it says, ‘and the man became a living soul.’ Indeed the Word, blaming those craftsmen who make images in human likeness for the ruin of human beings, not perceiving their own maker, says in the all-virtuous Wisdom: ‘Their heart is ashes, and their hope cheaper than earth, and their life of less worth than clay, because they did not know the one who formed them and inspired in them an active soul and breathed into them a living spirit.’ So God is the maker of all human beings. That is why, according to the apostle, he also ‘wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.’ And since this has at last reached its end, what follows must now be said. When someone has thoroughly learned the theory of what happens to human beings by nature, he will know not to loathe the begetting of children, but to praise and prefer chastity. For it is not the case that, because honey is sweeter than other things, all the other fruits, which are blended with a natural sweetness, must therefore be thought bitter. And of this I will offer Paul as a sure witness, who says, ‘So then he who gives his virgin in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage does better.’ For the Word, by setting the better and sweeter beside the other, did not forbid the other, but legislates, assigning to each what is proper and profitable. For to some he has not yet granted to attain virginity; others he no longer wishes to be stained by crimson provocations, but to practise from now on and to picture the angel-like transformation of bodies, where ‘they neither marry nor are given in marriage,’ according to the unerring oracles. For the undefiled eunuchhood that gains the kingdom of heaven is not entrusted to all, but clearly only to those who are able to keep the ever-blooming and undefiled flower of virginity. For the prophetic word likens the church to a most flowery and many-coloured meadow, adorned and crowned not only with the flowers of chastity but also with those of childbearing and of continence. For ‘the queen stands at the right hand’ of the Bridegroom, ‘adorned in gold-fringed garments.’ This, Arete, is my own contribution, as far as I am able, to the speech on behalf of chastity.” When Theophila had said this, Theopatra said, a pleasant murmur arose from all the virgins, praising the speech; and when they were quiet, after a long silence, Thalia rose; for to her it had been assigned to contend third, after Theophila. ### Scripture references - Gen 2:7: quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 2:4: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:38: quotation, high confidence - Matt 22:30: quotation, high confidence - Matt 19:12: allusion, high confidence - Ps 45:9 (44:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 45:13 (44:14 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Wis 15:10-11 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Gen 2:7, Wis 15:10–11, 1 Tim 2:4, 1 Cor 7:38, Matt 22:30, and Ps 45:9, 13 (44:10, 14 LXX); the allusion is Matt 19:12. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 2.7 (Bonwetsch, 24–26; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/2-1/#p-2-7). ## Symposium 3.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-1 - Source: Bonwetsch, 26–28 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Thalia, speaking third, argues that Paul reads the union of Adam and Eve as a figure of Christ and the church, not only of procreation. ### Greek text Ὑπολαβοῦσα οὐν ἐντεῦθεν. ὡς οἶμαι, ἤδη καὶ αὐτή, Σύ μοι δοκεῖς, ὡ Θεοφίλα, ἒφη, καὶ τῇ πράξει καὶ τῷ λόγῳ πασῶν κρατιστεύειν στεύειν καὶ σοφίας τὰ δεύτερα φέρεσθαι οὐδενός. οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν αἰτιάσεται σου τὸν λόγον, οὐδʼ εἰ παντάπασι φιλόνεικος εἲη καὶ ἀντιλογικός. πλὴν ἐκεῖνό με μόνον τῶν ἄλλων ὀρθῶς εἰρημίνων, ὡ μακαρία. δοκεῖ ταράττειν τε καὶ ἀνιᾶν, ἀναλογιζομένην ὡς οὐκ ἂν ὁ πνευματικώτατος καὶ σοφὸς ἀνήρ, τὸν Παῦλον λέγω, ματαίως ἀνέφερεν »εἰς Χριστὸν καὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν‘ τὴν σύνερξιν τοῦ πρωτοπλάστου καὶ τῆς γυναικός, εἰ μηδὲν ὑψηλότερον ἐφαντάζετο τῶν ῥητῶν καὶ τῆς ἱστορίας ἡ γραφή. εἰ γὰρ ὃλως εἰς τὸν περὶ συνελεύσεως ἀνδρός τε καὶ γυναικὸς δεὶ παραλαμβάνεσθαι τύπον φιλῶς τὴν γραφήν, τίνος δὴ χάριν ὁ ἀπόστολος τούτων ἐπιμνησθεὶς καὶ εἰς τὴν τοῦ πνεύματος ἡμᾶς, ὡς οἶμαι, χειρσγωγῶν ὁδόν, »εἰς Χριστὸν καὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν‘ ἀναφέρων ἀλληγορεῖ τὰ κατὰ τὴν Εὒαν καὶ τὸν Ἀδάμ; ἡ μὲν γὰρ λέξις τῆς Γενέσεως οὕτω φησί· »καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Ἀδάμ· τοῦτο νῦν ὀστοῦν ἐκ τῶν ὁστέων μου καὶ σὰρξ ἐκ τῆς σαρκός μου· αὓτη κληθήσεται γυνή, ὃτι ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς ἐλήφθη. ἕνεκεν τούτου καταλείψει ἄνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν καὶ προσκολληθήσεται τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δύο σάρκα μίαν«. ὁ δὲ ἀπόστολος εἰς αὐτὴν δὴ ταύτην ἐπισκεπτόμενος τὴν περικοπὴν οὐκέτι κατὰ τὸ κείμενον αὐτήν, ὡς ἔφην, ἐπὶ συνέρξεως βούλεται παραλαμβάνεσθαι γυναικός τε καὶ ἀνδρός, ὥσπερ δὴ καὶ σύ. σὺ γὰρ φυσικώτερον ἐπεργαζομένη τὸν λόγον λήψεων πέρι καὶ τοκετῶν ἒδωκας άποφαίνεσθαι μόνον τὴν γραφήν· ἳνα γὰρ τὸ ἀπὸ τῶν ὀστέων ὀστοῦν ἂνθρωπος ἓτερος ληφθὲν γεννηθῇ ταύτῃ συνεῖναι τὰ ζῷα σπαργῶντα καὶ ὠδίνοντα δένδρων ἂίκην ἐν ὥρᾳ τοῦ κυεῖν. ἐκεῖνος δὲ πνευματικώτερον εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν ἀναλαμβάνεσθαι τὸν λόγον διδάσκων οὕτως ἴφη· »ὁ ἀγαπῶν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα ἑαυτὸν ἀγαπᾷ. οὐδεὶς γάρ ποτε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα ἐμίσησεν, ἀλλʼ ἐκτρέφει καὶ θάλπει αὐτήν, καθὼς καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, ὃτι μέλη μέλη ἐσμὲν τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ. ἀντὶ τούτου καταλείψει ἂνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα καὶ προσκολληθήσεται τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἒσονται οἱ δύο εἰς σάρκα μίαν. τὸ μυστήριον τοῦτο μέγα ἐστίν· ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω εἰς Χριστὸν καὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν.« ### English translation (Claude) Taking up the argument from this point, I think, she said herself: “You seem to me, Theophila, to excel all of us in both deed and word, and to take second place to no one in wisdom. For no one will find fault with your speech, not even if he were utterly contentious and quarrelsome. Only one thing, blessed one, while the rest was rightly said, seems to me to trouble and distress me, when I consider that so spiritual and wise a man, I mean Paul, would not idly have referred the union of the first-formed man and the woman ‘to Christ and the church’ if Scripture had pictured nothing loftier than the words and the story. For if Scripture must be taken simply as a type of the union of man and woman, why does the apostle, when he mentions these things and leads us by the hand, I think, into the way of the Spirit, refer them ‘to Christ and the church’ and interpret the story of Eve and Adam allegorically? For the text of Genesis says this: ‘And Adam said, “This now is bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called woman, because she was taken out of her husband. Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.”’ But the apostle, looking at this very passage, no longer wants it taken according to the letter, as I said, of the union of woman and man, as you did. For you, working out the argument in a more natural way, took Scripture as speaking only of conceptions and births: that living creatures come together, swelling and in labour like trees in the season of bearing, so that bone taken from bones may be born as another human being. But he, teaching that the word is to be referred more spiritually to Christ, said this: ‘He who loves his own wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I speak concerning Christ and the church.’ ### Scripture references - Eph 5:32: quotation, high confidence - Gen 2:23–24: quotation, high confidence - Eph 5:28–32: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Eph 5:32, Gen 2:23–24, and Eph 5:28–32. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 3.1 (Bonwetsch, 26–28; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-1). ## Symposium 3.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-2 - Source: Bonwetsch, 28–29 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Paul's varied style moves from plain to lofty; the literal sense of Genesis stands, but its higher sense about Christ and the church must also be given. ### Greek text Μὴ κινείτω δέ σε, εἰ περὶ ἑτέρων διαλεγόμενος εἰς ἓτερα μεταπηδᾷ, ὣστε νομίζειν ἀνμιγνύναι καὶ παρεμβάλλειν αὐτὸν ἀνόμοια τοῖς προκειμένοις, παρεκβαίνοντα τοῦ σκἐμματος, ωοσλερ ὴ καὶ νῦν. τὸν περὶ τῆς ἁγνείας γὰρ ἐθελήσος, ὡς εἰκός, μεμελημένως αὐτῷ κρατυνθῆναι λόγον, προδιορθοῦται πρότερον τὴν ἐπιχείρησιν, τῷ λειοτέρῳ τῆς φράσεως ἀρχόμενος τύπῳ ὁ γάρ τοι χαρακτὴρ αὐτῷ τῶν λόγων, ποικιλώτατος ὢν καὶ κατὰ παραύξησιν ἐξειργασμένος, ἄρχεται μὲν ἐπιπολαιότερον, προχεῖται δὲ εἰς τὸ ὑφηλότερον καὶ μεγαλοπρεπἐς· εἶτʼ αὖθις εἰς βαθύτητα μεταβάλλων ὁτὲ μὲν εἰς τὸ ἁπλούστερον καὶ ἀφελές, ὁτὲ δὲ εἰς τὸ δεινότερον καταλήγει καὶ λεπτόν, οὐδὲν ἀλλότριον ἐπεισάγων τῶν κεφαλαίων ταῖς ἐξαλλαγαῖς, ἀλλὰ πάντα κατά τινα θαυμαστὴν οἰκειότητα συμχεριγράφων εἰς ἕν τὸ προκείμενον αὐτῷ σκέμμα τῆς ὑποθέσεως ἀπεργάζεται. ἀνδρειότερον γὰρ ἀνακαλύψαι τὸν νοῦν τῶν κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον ἐπιχειρημάτων, οὐδὲν τῶν ἒμπροστθεν ἐιρημένων ἀποκρουομένην. ἱκανῶς γὰρ κἀκεῖνά μοι διεξεληλυθέναι καὶ λαμπρῶς δοκεῖς, ἀκινδυνότερον, ὦ Θεοφίλα, τὰ ῥήματα τῆς γραφῆς, ὡς εἶχεν, ἐπεξεργασαμένη. σφαλερὸν γὰρ πάντῃ καταφρονεῖν τῶν κειμένων, ὡς εἲρηται, μάλιστα τῆς Γενέσεως ἒνθα ἀποφάσεις ἀπαράλλακτοι φέρονται τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς τὴν σύστασιν τοῦ παντός, αἷς ἡρμοσμένως εἰσέτι καὶ νῦν κάλλιστα κατὰ μέτρον τέλειον ἀπευθύνεται τελείως ὁ κόσμος, ἒστʼ ἂν αὐτὸν πάλιν αὐτὸς ὁ διακοσμήσας κοσμήσας ἀναστοιχειῶσαι ἀναστοιχειῶσαι βουληθεῖς ἑτέρῳ διατάγματι τοὺς πρώτους τῆς φύσεως ἀναλύσῃ θεσμούς. ἀλλ ἐπειδὴ οὐ χρὴ ἀνεξέλεγκτον καὶ ὣσπερ ἐξ ἡμισείας χωλὴν τὴν ἀπόδειξιν τοῦ λόγου καταλεῖψαι, φέρε δὴ καὶ τὴν κατʼ ἀναγωγὴν αὐτῷ συζυγίαν ἀποδῶμεν ἡμεῖς βαθύτερον ἐπισκεψάμεναι τὴν γραφήν. οὐ γὰρ <τοῦ Παύλου> καταφροντέον τοῦ ὑπεραναβαίνοντος τὸ ῥητὸν καὶ εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτὸ συντείνειν καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἀποφηναμενου. ### English translation (Claude) “Do not be disturbed if, while speaking of some things, he leaps to others, so that he seems to mix in and insert things unlike the subject, digressing from the inquiry, as he does here too. For, wishing, as is likely, to establish carefully his account of chastity, he first prepares the ground for his argument, beginning with a smoother kind of expression. For the character of his discourse, being most varied and worked up by amplification, begins more on the surface but flows out into what is loftier and magnificent; then again, turning to depth, it ends sometimes in what is simpler and plain, sometimes in what is more forceful and subtle, bringing in nothing foreign to the main points by its changes, but, drawing everything together by a wonderful affinity, he works the inquiry before him into a single subject. I must uncover more boldly the sense of the apostle's arguments, rejecting nothing of what was said before. For you seem to me, Theophila, to have gone through those things sufficiently and brilliantly, working out the words of Scripture as they stand, which is the safer course. For it is dangerous to despise the literal text entirely, as has been said, especially that of Genesis, where the unchangeable decrees of God concerning the constitution of the universe are recorded; in accordance with them the world is still governed even now most beautifully, in perfect measure, until he who ordered it, wishing to re-form it, dissolves the first laws of nature by another decree. But since the demonstration of the argument must not be left unexamined and, as it were, half lame, come, let us give it also its partner in the higher sense, examining Scripture more deeply. For we must not despise Paul, who rises above the letter and declares that it refers to Christ and the church. ### Scripture references - Eph 5:32: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - “Paul” is supplied by the editor in angle brackets in the Greek. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 3.2 (Bonwetsch, 28–29; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-2). ## Symposium 3.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-3 - Source: Bonwetsch, 29–30 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Objection: how can sinful, mortal Adam be a likeness of the sinless Son of God? ### Greek text Καὶ πρῶτον ἐξεταστέον — εἰκὸς γὰρ ἀντιπροσθεῖναί τινας ἄλλοτε ἂλλως —, πῶς ὁ Ἀδὰμ ἀπεικάζεσθαι δύναται τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐν τῷ παραπτώματι τῆς παραβάσεως εὑρεθεὶς καὶ ἀκούσας τό »γῆ εἶ, καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ‘. πῶς δὲ καὶ »πρωτότοκος πάσης τῆς κτίσεως‘ νομισθήσεται ὁ μετὰ τὴν γῆν καὶ τὸ στερέωμα πηλοπλαστούμενος; πῶς δὲ καὶ τὸ »ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς« αὐτὸς εἶναι συγχωρηθήσεται ὁ ἐκβαλλόμενος διὰ τὴν παράβασιν, »ἳνα μὴ πάλιν ἐκτείνας τὴν Χεῖρα καὶ φαγὼν ἀπʼ αὐτοῦ ζήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνας«; τὸ γὰρ ἀπεικαζόμενον ἐκείνῳ οὗ ἐστιν ἀπεικασία ὁμοιιοῦσθαι [αὐτῷ] καὶ κατὰ πολλὰ χρή. ἀλλὰ μὴ ἐκ τῶν ἐναντίων καὶ ἀνοικείων τὴν σύστασιν ἒχειν. οὐ γὰρ ἂν τὸ ἄνισον τῷ ἀρτίῳ ἢ τὴν ἁρμονίαν τῇ ἀναρμοστίᾳ τις ἐξισάσαι τολμῶν ὡς ἔμφρων ἀποδεχθήσεται, ἀλλὰ ἴσον τῷ φύσει ἴσῳ, κἂν ἐξ ὀλίγου ἲσον ᾐ, καὶ τὸ λευκὸν τῷ λευκῷ, κἂν αὐτὸ βραχύτατον καὶ με τρίως φαντάζοιτο τὴν λευκότητα ἐκείνου, διʼ ἣν δὴ καὶ αὐτὸ λέγεται λευκόν. ἲσον δὲ καὶ καὶ λαμπρὸν τὸ ἀναμάρτητον εἶναι καὶ ἀδιάφθορον ἀνενδοίάστως παντί που σαφὲς τὴν σοφίαν, ἀνάρτιον δὲ καὶ ἀναρμόνιον τὸ θνητὸν καὶ ἁμαρτωλὸν καὶ διὰ κατάγνωσιν ἐκβληθὲν καὶ ὑπὸ καταδίκην ἐληλυθός. ### English translation (Claude) “And first we must examine (for some are likely to object in one way or another) how Adam can be likened to the Son of God, when he was found in the fall of transgression and heard, ‘You are earth, and to earth you shall go.’ And how will he who was moulded from clay after the earth and the firmament be thought ‘the firstborn of all creation’? And how will it be granted that he himself is ‘the tree of life,’ who was cast out because of his transgression, ‘lest he again stretch out his hand and eat of it and live for ever’? For what is likened to that of which it is a likeness must resemble it in many respects, and not have its constitution from what is contrary and alien. For no one who dared to equate the unequal with the even, or harmony with discord, would be accepted as sensible; rather the equal is likened to what is equal by nature, even if it is equal only slightly, and white to white, even if it only very faintly and moderately shows the whiteness of that from which it too is called white. Now it is clear to anyone wise, beyond all doubt, that to be sinless and incorrupt is equal and bright, while what is mortal and sinful, cast out through condemnation and come under sentence, is uneven and discordant. ### Scripture references - Gen 3:19: quotation, high confidence - Col 1:15: quotation, high confidence - Gen 2:9: allusion, high confidence - Gen 3:22: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Gen 3:19, Col 1:15, and Gen 3:22; the allusion is Gen 2:9. The Greek has “we must reply” implied; this section states the objection that 3.4–3.7 answer. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 3.3 (Bonwetsch, 29–30; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-3). ## Symposium 3.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-4 - Source: Bonwetsch, 30–31 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Thalia argues that Christ is Adam himself, re-formed: the pre-existent Word united himself with the first man, born anew of a virgin as Adam was formed from virgin earth. ### Greek text Τὰ μὲν οὖν δὴ πρὸς τῶν πολλῶν ἀντισφαιριζόμενα σχεδὸν εἶναι τοιαῦτα δὴ νομίζω, ὅσοι δὴ μὴ θέλουσιν εἰς Χριστὸν τὸν πρῶτον ἄνθρωπον, καταφρονοῦντες τῆς συνέσεως, ὡς εἰκός, Παύλου. φέρε γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἐπισκεψώμεθα, πῶς ὀρθοδόξως ἀνήγαγε τὸν Ἀδὰμ εἰς τὸν Χριστόν, οὐ μόνον αὐτὸν τύπον ἡγούμενος εἶναι καὶ εἰκόνα, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο Χριστὸν καὶ αὐτὸν γεγονέναι διὰ τὸ τὸν πρὸ αἰώνων εἰς αὐτὸν ἐγκατασκῆψαι λόγον. ἥρμοζε γὰρ τὸ πρωτόγονον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πρῶτον βλάστημα καὶ μονογενὲς τὴν σοφίαν τῷ πρωτοπλάστῳ καὶ πρώτῳ καὶ πρωτογόνῳ τῶν ἀνθρώ- πων ἀνθρώπῳ κερασθεῖσαν ἐνηνθρωπηκέναι. τοῦτο γὰρ εἶναι τὸν Χριστόν, ἄνθρωπον ἀκράτῳ θεότητι καὶ τελείᾳ πεπληρωμένον καὶ θεὸν ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ κεχωρημένον· ἦν γὰρ πρεπωδέστατον τὸν πρεσβύτατον τῶν αἰώνων καὶ πρῶτον τῶν ἀρχαγγέλων, ἀνθρώποις μέλλοντα συννομιλεῖν, εἰς τὸν πρεσβύτατον καὶ πρῶτον τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ἄνθρωπον εἰσοικισθῆναι τὸν Ἀδάμ. ταύτῃ γὰρ τὰ ἐξ ὑπαρχῆς καὶ ἀναπλάσσων αὖθις ἐκ παρθένου καὶ πνεύματος τεκταίνεται τὸν αὐτόν, ἐπειδὴ καὶ κατʼ ἀρχάς, οὔσης παρθένου τῆς γῆς ἔτι καὶ ἀνηρότου, λαβὼν χοῦν τὸ λογικώτατον ἐπλάσατο ἀπʼ αὐτῆς ὁ θεὸς ἄνευ σπορᾶς. ### English translation (Claude) “These, then, I think, are roughly the objections returned by the many who do not want to refer the first man to Christ, despising, it seems, Paul's understanding. Come, let us consider how rightly he referred Adam to Christ, thinking him not only to be a type and image, but that he himself became this very Christ, because the Word who was before the ages descended into him. For it was fitting that God's firstborn, his first offshoot and only-begotten, Wisdom, should be blended with the first-formed man, first and firstborn of human beings, and become man. For this is Christ: a man filled with unmixed and perfect deity, and God contained in a man. For it was most fitting that the eldest of the ages and first of the archangels, being about to converse with human beings, should take up his dwelling in the eldest and first man of humanity, Adam. In this way, [renewing] what was from the beginning and forming him anew from a virgin and the Spirit, he fashions the same man, since at the beginning too, while the earth was still virgin and unploughed, God took dust and formed from it, without seed, the most rational creature. ### Scripture references - Col 1:15: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 1:24: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 2:7: allusion, high confidence - Luke 1:35: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Col 1:15, 1 Cor 1:24, Gen 2:7, and Luke 1:35. The identification of Christ's humanity with Adam himself, and the title “first of the archangels,” are distinctive of Methodius and are translated as written. A participle has fallen out after “what was from the beginning” (τὰ ἐξ ὑπαρχῆς); “[renewing]” gives the probable sense. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 3.4 (Bonwetsch, 30–31; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-4). ## Symposium 3.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-5 - Source: Bonwetsch, 31–32 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Like the potter's spoiled vessel, Adam was remade in the virgin's womb, united with the Word and made indestructible; the parable of the lost sheep teaches the same. ### Greek text Καί μοι ἐχέγγυος μάρτυς καὶ σαφὴς ὁ προφήτης Ἱερεμίας παρίτω, »καὶ κατέβην εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ κεραμέως« λέγων »καὶ ἰδοὺ αὐτὸς ἐποίει ἔργον ἐπὶ τῶν λίθων. καὶ διέπεσε τὸ ἀγγεῖον, ὃ ἐποίει ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτοῦ. καὶ πάλιν ἐποίησεν αὐτὸ ἀγγεῖον ἓτερον, καθὼς ἤρεσεν ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ τοῦ ποιῆσαι«. ἒτι γὰρ πηλουργούμενον τὸν Ἀδάμ, ὡς ἔστιν καὶ τηκτὸν ὄντα καὶ ὁδαρῆ, καὶ μηδέπω φθάσαντα δίκην ὀστράκου τῇ ἀφθαρσίᾳ κραταιωθῆναι καὶ ἀποπετρωθῆναι, ὕδωρ ὥσπερ καταλειβομένη καὶ καταστάζουσα διέλυσεν αὐτὸν ἡ ἁμαρτία. διὸ δὴ πάλιν ἄνωθεν ἀναδεύων καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν »εἰς τιμήν‘ ὁ θεός, ἐν τῇ παρθενικῇ κραταιώσας πρῶτον καὶ πήξας μήτρᾳ καὶ συνενώσας καὶ συγκεράσας τῷ λόγῳ, ἄτηκτον καὶ ἄθραυστον ἐξήγαγεν εἰς τὸν βίον, ἵνα μὴ πάλιν τῆς φθορᾶς ἔξωθεν ἐπικλυσθεὶς ῥεύμασιν τηκεδόνα γεννήσας διαπέσῃ. — καὶ ἐν τῇ περὶ τῆς ἀνευρέσως δὲ τοῦ προβάτου φαίνεται <τὰ αὐτὰ> διδάσκων ὁ κύριός μου παραβολῇ, ἒνθα φησὶ ρπὸς τοὺς παρεστηκότας· »τίς ἐστιν ἐξ ὑμῶν ἂνθρωπος, ὃς ἒχει ἑκατὸν πρόβατα, κἂν ἀπολέσῃ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν, οὐκ ἀφίησι τὰ ἐνενήκοντα ἐννέα ἐπὶ τοῖς ὄρεσι, καὶ πορευθεὶς ἐπὶ τὸ ἀπολωλὸς ζητεῖ αὐτὸ ἓως εὓρῃ; καὶ εὑρὼν ἐπιτίθησιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ὤμους αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐλθὼν εἰς οἶκον τοὺς φίλους καὶ τοὺς γείτονας, λέγων· συχάρητέ μοι. ὅτι εὑρέθη πρόβατόν μου τὸ ἀπολωλός.« ### English translation (Claude) “And let the prophet Jeremiah come forward as my sure and clear witness, saying: ‘And I went down to the potter's house, and behold, he was doing work on the stones. And the vessel he was making in his hands fell apart. And again he made it another vessel, as it pleased him to make it.’ For while Adam was still being moulded of clay, still, it seems, soft and moist, and had not yet been hardened and turned to stone like earthenware by incorruption, sin, like water trickling and dripping down on him, dissolved him. That is why God, moistening him afresh and making the same man ‘for honour,’ first hardened and set him in the virgin womb, united and blended him with the Word, and brought him out into life unmeltable and unbreakable, so that he might not again be flooded from outside by the streams of corruption, become soft, and fall apart. And in the parable of the finding of the sheep my Lord is clearly teaching the same thing, where he says to those standing by: ‘What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go after the lost one, seeking it until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, and coming home he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying, “Rejoice with me, for my lost sheep has been found.”’ ### Scripture references - Jer 18:3–4: quotation, high confidence - Rom 9:21: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 15:4–6: quotation, high confidence - Matt 18:12: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Jer 18:3–4 and Luke 15:4–6 (with Matt 18:12); the allusion is Rom 9:21. In the Greek of Luke 15:6 the verb “he calls together” has fallen out; it is supplied. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 3.5 (Bonwetsch, 31–32; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-5). ## Symposium 3.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-6 - Source: Bonwetsch, 32–33 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The Shepherd left the angelic hosts, the ninety-nine sheep, to recover man, and defeated the devil through the very man the devil had overcome. ### Greek text Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αὐτὸς ὡς ἀληθῶς ἠν τε καὶ ἒστιν, »ἐν ἀρχῇ« ὢν »πρὸς τὸν θεὸν. καὶ »θεὸς« ὤν, ὁ »ἀρχιστράτηγος« καὶ »ποιμἠν« τῶν κατʼ οὐρανόν, ᾠ πάντα πείθονται καὶ ὁμαρτοῦσι τὰ λογικά, καὶ ποιμαίνων εὐτάκτως καὶ ἀριθμῶν τὰ πλήθη τῶν μακαρίων ἀγγέλων,.. οὗτος γὰρ ἴσος καὶ τέλειος ἀριθμὸς ἀθανάτων ζῴων κατὰ γένη καὶ φῦλα διῃρημένων, συμπαραληφθέντος ἐνταῦθα τῇ ποίμηῃ καὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου· δεδημιούρητο γὰρ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς ἒξω φθορᾶς, ἳνα τὸν βασιλέα γεραίρῃ πάντων καὶ ποιητὴν ἀντίφθογγα μελῳδῶν ταῖς τῶν ἀγγέλων ἐξ οὐρανοῦ φερομέναις βοαῖς. ἀλλʼ ἐπεὶ συνέβη παρεληλυθότα τὴν ἐντολὴν ὀλέθριον πτῶμα καὶ δεινὸν πεσεῖν, εἰς θάνατον ἀνστοιχειωθέντα, διὰ τοῦτό φησιν ὁ κύριος ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὸν βίον ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐληλυθέναι, καταλελοιπότα τὰς τάξεις καὶ τὰ στρατόπεδα τῶν ἀγγέλων. ἀπεικονίστέον γὰρ τὰ μὲν ὄρη τοῖς τὰ δὲ ἐνενήκοντα πρόβατα καὶ ἐννέα ταῖς δυνάμεσι καὶ »ταῖς ἀρχαῖς καὶ ταῖς ἐξουσίαις«, ἃς καταλέλοιπεν ἀναζητῆσαι κατελθὼν τὸ ὁ στρατηγὸς καὶ ποιμήν. ἔλειπε γὰρ ἂνθρωπος εἰς ἐγκαταλεχθῆναι τούτων ἔτι καὶ τὸν ἀριθμόν, βασιτάσαντος αὐτὸν τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἀμφιεσαμένου, ἳνα δὴ μὴ πάλιν, ὡς ἒφην, ταῖς τρικυμίαις καὶ ταῖς ἀπάταις τῆς ἡδονῆς περικλυσθεὶς καταποντωθῇ. ταύτῃ γὰρ τὸν ἂνθρωπον ἀνείληφεν ὁ λόγος, ὅπως δὴ διʼ αὑτοῦ καταλύσῃ τὴν ἐπʼ ολέθρῳ γεγονυῖαν καταδίκην, ἡττήσας τὸν ὃφιν. ἥρμοζε γὰρ μὴ διʼ ἑτέρου νικηθῆναι τὸν πονηρόν, ἀλλὰ διʼ ὃν δὴ καὶ ἐκόμπαζεν ἀπατήσας αὐτὸν τετυραννηκέναι· ὅτι μὴ ἂλλως τὴν ἁμαρτίαν λυθῆναι καὶ τὴν κατάκρισιν δυνατὸν ἡν, εἰ μὴ πάλιν ὁ αὐτὸς ἐκεῖνος ἂνθρωπος, διʼ ὃν εἴρητο τό »γῆ εἶ καὶ εἰς ἀπελεύση«, ἀναπαλαίσας ἀνέλυσε τὴν ἀπόφασιν τὴν δέ αὐτὸν εἰς πάντας ἐξενηνεγμένην, ὅπως, καθὼς »ἐν τῷ Ἀδάμ« πρότερον »πάντες ἀποθνῄσκουσιν, οὓτω« δὴ πάλιν καὶ »ἐν τῷ« ἀνειληφότι »χριστω« τὸν Ἀδὰμ» πάντες ζῳοποιηθῶσιν«. ### English translation (Claude) “For since he truly was and is, being ‘in the beginning with God’ and being ‘God,’ the ‘chief captain’ and ‘shepherd’ of those in heaven, whom all rational beings obey and follow, and who tends in good order and numbers the multitudes of the blessed angels … (for this is the equal and perfect number of immortal living creatures, divided by kinds and tribes, man too being taken into the flock here; for he too had been created free of corruption, so that he might honour the King and Maker of all, singing in answer to the cries of the angels that came from heaven). But since it happened that he transgressed the commandment and suffered a ruinous and terrible fall, being resolved into death, for this reason the Lord says that he came from heaven into life, leaving the ranks and armies of the angels. For the mountains must be likened to the heavens, and the ninety-nine sheep to the powers and ‘the principalities and authorities,’ which the captain and shepherd left when he came down to seek the lost one. For man was still lacking to be enrolled in their number, the Lord having carried him and put him on, so that he might not again, as I said, be flooded and sunk by the great waves and the deceits of pleasure. For this reason the Word took up man, that through him he might undo the condemnation that had come for his ruin, having defeated the serpent. For it was fitting that the evil one should be conquered not through another, but through the very one whom he boasted he had deceived and tyrannized; because sin and condemnation could not be undone otherwise than if the same man, on whose account it was said, ‘You are earth, and to earth you shall go,’ wrestled again and undid the sentence brought upon all because of him, so that, as ‘in Adam’ first ‘all die, so’ again ‘in Christ,’ who took up Adam, ‘all shall be made alive.’ ### Scripture references - John 1:1: quotation, high confidence - Josh 5:14: allusion, medium confidence - John 10:11: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 15:4: allusion, high confidence - Col 2:10: quotation, medium confidence - Gen 3:19: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:22: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are John 1:1, Josh 5:14 (LXX, “chief captain”), Col 2:10 (Eph 3:10), Gen 3:19, and 1 Cor 15:22; the allusions are John 10:11 and Luke 15:4. The digital text has gaps: the sentence beginning “For since he truly was” lacks its main clause (marked “…”), and “heavens” and “one” (the lost sheep) are supplied where words have fallen out. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 3.6 (Bonwetsch, 32–33; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-6). ## Symposium 3.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-7 - Source: Bonwetsch, 33–35 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Man stands between life and death and becomes what he inclines to; in Christ he became a harmonious instrument on which the Lord sings the resurrection. ### Greek text Καὶ περὶ μὲν τοῦ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὄργανον γεγονότα καὶ ἒνδυμα τοῦ μονογενοῦς τοῦτο ἀπειρηάσθαι, ὅπερ ἦν αὐτὸς ὁ εἰς αὐτὸν εἰσοικισθείς, σχεδὸν ἤδη μοι δικεῖ τέλος ἒχειν· τὸ δὲ ὅτι μήτε ἀνισότης ἐστὶ μήτε μὴν ἀναρμοστία πάλιν ἐξ ἀρχῆς διὰ βραχέων ἐπισκεπτέον. τὸ γὰρ αὐτοφύσει καλὸν καὶ αὐτοφύσει δίκαιον καὶ ὅσιον, οὑ τὰ ἄλλα κατὰ μετοχὴν γίνεται καλά, τὴν σοφίαν ὁ λέγων τυγχάνειν μετὰ τὸν θεὸν ὀρθότατα λέγει, τὸ δὲ αὖ ἀ νόσιον καὶ ἂδικον καὶ πονηρὸν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. δύο γἀρ τὰ εἰς ἂκρον ἀλλήλοις ἐναντία ζωὴ καὶ θάνατος, ἀφθαρσία καὶ φθορά. ἰσότης μὲν γάρ ἐστιν ζωςη, ἀνισότης δὲ ἡ φθορά, καὶ ἁρμονία μὲν ἡ δικαιοσύνη καὶ ἡ φρόνησις, ἀναρμοστία δὲ ἡ ἀδικία καὶ ἡ ἀφροσύνη. ὁ δὲ δὲ τούτων ὢν μεταξύ, οὔτε αὐτὸ τοῦτο δικαιοσύνη οῦτε μήν ἐστιν ἀδικία· ἀλλὰ τῆς ἀφθαρσίας ἐν μέσῳ βεβηκὼς καὶ τῆς φθορᾶς, εἰς ὁποτέραν < ἂν> αὐτῶν νεύσας προσκλιθῇ, εἰς τὴν τοῦ κρατήσαν·τος μεταβάλλεσθαι λέγεται φύσιν. ἐκκλίνας μὲν γὰρ εἰς τὴν φθορὰν φθαρτὸς γίνεται καὶ θνητός, εἰς δὲ τὴν ἀνθαρσίαν ἄφθαρτος καὶ ἀθάνατος. μεθόριος γὰρ τοῦ τῆς ζωῆς« ξύλου κοὶ τοῦ γνωστοῦ καλοῦ τε καἰ πονηροῦ‘ τεθείς, οὗπερ ἀπεγεύσατο τῶν καρπῶν, εἰς τὴν τούτου καἰ μετεβλήθη μορφήν, οὒτε »τὸ τῆς ζωῆς ξύλον« « αὐτὸς ὢν οὒτε τὸ τῆς φθορᾶς, ἀλλὰ μετοχῇ μὲν καὶ παρουσίᾳ φθορᾶς θνητὸς φανείς, προσοικείωσει δὲ καὶ ἀλοιφῇ ζωῆς ἄφθαρτος πάλιν καὶ ἀθάνατος. ὥς καὶ Παῦλος ἐδίαξεν εἰπών· »οὐ γὰρ ἡ φθορὰ κληρονομήσει τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν«, οὐδὲ ὁ θάνατος τὴν ζωήν, φθορὰν μὲν καὶ θάνατον αὐτὸ τὸ φθεῖρον ὁρισάμενος εἰκότι λόγῳ καὶ τὸ ἀποκτεῖνον, ἀλλʼ οὐ τὸ φθειρόμενον καὶ τὸ θνῇσκον, αφθαρσίαν δὲ καὶ ζωὴν αὐτὸ τὸ ἀπαθανατίζον καὶ ζῳοποιοῦν, ἀλλʼ οὐ τὸ ἀπαθανατιζόμενον καὶ ζῳοποιούμενον. ὥστε οὔτε ἀναρμοστία καὶ ἀνισότης ὁ ἂνθρωπός ἐστιν οὔτε μὴν ἰσότης καὶ εὐαρμοστία· ἀλλʼ ὃτε μὲν ἐδέξατο τὴν ἀναρμοστίαν, ὃπερ ἐστὶ τὴν παράβασιν καὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, γέγονεν ἀνάρμοαστος καὶ ἀπρεπής· ὃτε δὲ τὴν ἁρμονίαν, τουτέστι τὴν δικαιοσύνην γέγονεν εὐάρμοστον ὄργανον καὶ εὐπρεπές, ὃπως ὁ κύριος, ἡ ἀφθαρσίαν νικήσασα τὸν θάνατον, εὐήχως τὴν ἀνάστασιν μελῳ- δήσῃ τῇ σαρκί, μὴ ἐάσας αὐτὴν κληρονομηθῆναι πάλιν ὑπὸ τῆς φθορᾶς. καὶ μὲν δὴ καὶ περὶ τούτων αὐτάρκως ἤδη λελέχθω. ### English translation (Claude) “That man, having become the instrument and garment of the Only-begotten, has been shown to be the very thing that he was who dwelt in him, seems to me now to have almost reached its end. But that there is neither inequality nor discord must again be briefly examined from the beginning. Whoever says that what is good by nature and just and holy by nature, by participation in which other things become good, is Wisdom, after God, speaks most rightly; and, on the other side, that what is unholy and unjust and evil is sin. For two things are opposed to each other in the extreme: life and death, incorruption and corruption. Equality is life, inequality corruption; harmony is righteousness and prudence, discord injustice and folly. But man, being between these, is neither righteousness itself nor injustice; standing in the middle between incorruption and corruption, to whichever of them he inclines and leans, he is said to be changed into the nature of the one that prevails. Turning toward corruption he becomes corruptible and mortal, toward incorruption incorruptible and immortal. For, placed on the border between ‘the tree of life’ and ‘the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,’ whose fruit he tasted, he was changed into its form, being himself neither ‘the tree of life’ nor that of corruption, but appearing mortal by participation in and the presence of corruption, and again incorruptible and immortal by association with and the anointing of life. So Paul too taught, saying, ‘For corruption will not inherit incorruption,’ nor death life, rightly defining corruption and death as that which corrupts and kills, not what is corrupted and dies, and incorruption and life as that which makes immortal and gives life, not what is made immortal and given life. So man is neither discord and inequality nor equality and harmony; but when he received discord, that is, transgression and sin, he became discordant and unseemly; and when he received harmony, that is, righteousness, he became a harmonious and seemly instrument, so that the Lord, the incorruption that conquered death, might sing the resurrection tunefully with the flesh, not letting it be inherited again by corruption. And about these things let enough now have been said. ### Scripture references - Gen 2:9: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:50: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:54–55: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is 1 Cor 15:50 (freely); the allusion is Gen 2:9. The first sentence is compressed in the Greek (“τοῦτο ἀπειρηάσθαι” is probably a slip). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 3.7 (Bonwetsch, 33–35; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-7). ## Symposium 3.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-8 - Source: Bonwetsch, 35–37 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Christ is the new Adam: from his side, in the trance of his passion, God forms the church, his bride, who through baptism and teaching bears new children to virtue. ### Greek text Προγεγύμνασται γὰρ μετὰ συστάσεων οὐκ εὐκαταφρονήτων ἐκ τῆς γραφῆς ὡς ἄρα ὁ πρωτόπλαστος οἰκείως εἰς αὐτὸν ἀναφέρεσθαι δύναται τὸν Χριστόν, οὐκέτι τύπος ὢν καὶ ἀπεικασία μόνον καὶ εἰκὼν τοῦ μονογενοῦς, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο σοφία γεγονὼς καὶ λόγος. δίκην γὰρ ὕδατος ὁ ἂνθρωος συγ κερασθεὶς τῇ σοφίᾳ καὶ τῇ ζωῇ τοῦτο γέγονεν, ὅπερ ἠν αὐτὸ τὸ εἰς αὐτὸν ἄκρατον φῶς. ὅθεν ὁ ἀπόστολος εὐθυβόλως εἰς Χριστὸν τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἀδάμ. οὓτως γὰρ ἂν μάλιστα ἐκ τῶν ὀστῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν συμφωνησαι γεγονέναι, ἡς δὴ χάριν καταλείψας τὸν πατέρα τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς κατῆλθεν ὁ λόγος προσκολληθησόμμενος τῇ γυναικὶ καὶ ὕπνωσε τὴν ἔκστασιν τοῦ πάθους, ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς ἀποθανών, »ὃπως αὐτὸς ἑαυτῷ παραστήσῃ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἔνδοξον καὶ ἂμωμον, καθαρίσας τῷ λουτρῷ« πρὸς τοῦ νοητοῦ καὶ μακαρίου σπέρματος, ὃ σπείρει μὲν αὐτὸς ὑπηχῶν καὶ καταφυτεύων ἐν τῷ βάθει τοῦ νοός, ὑποδέχεται δὲ καὶ μορφοῖ δίκην γυναικὸς ἡ ἐκκλησία εἰς τὸ γεννᾶν τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ ἐκτρέφειν. ταύτῃ γὰρ καὶ τό »αὐξάνσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε« πληροῦται προσηκόντως, εἰς μέγεθος καὶ κάλλος καὶ πλῆθος αὐξανομένης καθʼ ἡμέραν αὐτῆς διὰ τὴν σύνερξιν καὶ τὴν κοινωνίαν τοῦ λόγου συγκαταβαίνοντος ἡμῖν καὶ νῦν ἒτι καὶ ἐξισταμένου κατὰ τὴν ἀνάμνησιν τοῦ πάθους. οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἄλλως ἡ ἐκκλησία συλλαβεῖν τοὺς πιστεύοντας καὶ ἀναγεννῆσαι »διὰ τοῦ λουτροῦ« δύναιτο »τῆς παλιγγενεσίας«, ἐὰν μὴ καὶ διἰ αὐτοὺς ὁ Χριστὸς κενώσας ἑαυτόν, ἳνα χωρηθῇ κατὰ τὴν ἀνακεφαλαίωσιω, ὡς ἒφην, τοῦ πάθους, πάλιν ἀποθάνῃ καταβὰς ἐξ οὐρανῶν καὶ προσκολληθεὶς τῇ ἑαυτοῦ γυναικί, τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ, παράσχοι σχοι πλευρᾶς ἀφαιρεῖσθαι τῆς ἑαυτοῦ δύναμίν τινα, ὂπως αὐξηθῶσιν οἱ ἐν αὐτῷ οἰκοδομηθέντες ἀπαντες, οἱ γεγεννημένοι διὰ τοῦ λουτροῦ, ἐκ τῶν ὀστῶν καὶ ἐκ τῆς σαρκός. τουτέστιν ἐκ τῆς ἁγιωσύνης αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐκ τῆς δόξης προσειληφότες. ὀστᾶ ὀστᾶ γὰρ καὶ σάρκα σοφίας ὁ λέγων εἶναι σύνεσιν καὶ ἀρετὴν ὀρθότατα λέγει, πλευρὰν δὲ τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας« τὸ παράκλητον, ἀφʼ οὑ λαμβάνοντες εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν ἀναγεννῶνται προσηκόντως οἱ πεφωτισμένοι. άδύνατον δὲ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου μετασχεῖν τινα καὶ μέλος καταλεχθῆναι Χριοτοῦ, ἐὰν μὴ πρότερον καὶ ἐπὶ τούτου συγκατελὼν ὁ λόγος ἐκστῇ κοιμμηθείς, ἳνα τὴν ἀνανέωσιν καὶ τὸν ἀνακαινισμὸν συνεξαναστὰς τοῦ ὕπνου τοῦ κεκοιμημένου καὶ αὐτὸς μεταλαβεῖν δυνηθῇ, πνεύματος ἀναπλησθείς. τοῦτο γὰρ κυρίως ἂν ἡ πλευρὰ λέγοιτο τοῦ λόγου, »τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας« τὸ ἑπτάμορφον κατὰ τὸν προφήτην· ἀφʼ οὗ λαμβάνων ὁ θεὸς μετὰ τὴν ἒκστασιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὃ δή ἐστι μετὰ τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν καὶ τὸ πάθος, τὴν »βοηθὸν« αὐτῷ κατασκευάζει, λέγω δὴ τὰς ἡρμοσμένας αὐτῷ καὶ νενυμφευμένας ψυχάς. ἔστι γὰρ ὅτε πολλαχῶς αὐτὸ τὸ ἂθροισμα καὶ ἀγεληδὸν τῶν πεπιστευκότων ἐκκλησίαν οὕτως ὀνομάζουσιν αἱ τῶν τελειοτέρων κατὰ προκοπὴν εἰς ἓν πρόσωπον καὶ σῶμα τὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἀναγομένων. οἱ μὲν γὰρ κρείττονες καὶ τρανότερον σπάσαντες ἤδη τὴν ἀλήθειαν, οὗτοι διὰ τὴν τελείαν κάθαρσιν καὶ πίστιν ἀποστερωθέντες τῶν τῆς σαρκὸς ἀτοπημάτων ἐκκλησία γίνονται καὶ βοηθὸς‘ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, »παρθένος« ὣσπερ κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον αὐτῷ καθηρμοσμένοι τε καὶ νενυμφευμένοι, ἵνα τὴν καθαρὰν τῆς διδασκαλίας ὑποδεξάμενοι καὶ γόνιμον σπορὰν συνεργήσωσι βοηθοῦντες τῷ κρηύγματι πρὸς τὴν τῶν λοιπῶν λοιπῶν οἱ δὲ ἀτελεῖς ἔτι καὰ ἀπαρχόμενοι εἰς σωτηρίαν τῶν μαθημάτων ὠδίνονται μορφοῦνται ὥσπερ ὑπὸ μητράσι πρὸς τῶν τελειοτέρων, ἒστʼ ἂν ἀποκυηθέντες ἀναγεννηθπωσιν εἰς μέγεθος καὶ κάλλος ἀρετῆς, καὶ πάλιν αὖ κατὰ προκοπὴν ἐκκλησία καὶ οὑτοι γεγονότες εἰς ἑτέρων τόκον ὑπουργήσωσι τέκνων καὶ ἀνατροφήν, μήτρας δίκην ἐν τῷ δοχείῳ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ θέλημα τελεσφορήσαντες ἀλώβητον τοῦ λόγου. ### English translation (Claude) “For it has already been shown, with proofs from Scripture not to be despised, that the first-formed man can properly be referred to Christ himself, being no longer only a type and likeness and image of the Only-begotten, but having become this very thing, Wisdom and Word. For man, blended like water with wisdom and life, became that very thing which was the unmixed light that entered him. That is why the apostle aptly referred to Christ what concerns Adam. For in this way it would best agree that the church came into being from his bones and flesh; for her sake the Word left his Father in heaven and came down to be joined to his wife, and slept the trance of his passion, dying for her, ‘that he might present the church to himself glorious and blameless, having cleansed her by the washing’ for the spiritual and blessed seed, which he himself sows, whispering it and planting it in the depth of the mind, and which the church receives and forms, like a woman, so as to bring forth and nurture virtue. For in this way ‘Increase and multiply’ is also fittingly fulfilled, as she grows daily in size and beauty and number through the union and communion of the Word, who still even now comes down to us and falls into a trance in the remembrance of his passion. For otherwise the church could not conceive believers and give them new birth ‘through the washing of regeneration,’ unless Christ, emptying himself for them too, so that he might be contained, as I said, in the recapitulation of his passion, should die again, coming down from heaven, and, joined to his own wife, the church, should allow a certain power to be taken from his own side, so that all who are built up in him may grow, those born through the washing, having received of his bones and of his flesh, that is, of his holiness and of his glory. For whoever says that the bones and flesh of Wisdom are understanding and virtue speaks most rightly; and the side is ‘the Spirit of truth,’ the Paraclete, from whom the enlightened receive and are fittingly born again to incorruption. And it is impossible for anyone to share in the Holy Spirit and be enrolled as a member of Christ unless the Word first comes down for him too and falls asleep in a trance, so that he, rising with him from sleep, having been renewed and restored, may himself be able to share in it, filled with the Spirit. For this may properly be called the side of the Word, ‘the Spirit of truth,’ sevenfold according to the prophet; taking from him, after the trance of Christ, that is, after his becoming man and his passion, God fashions the ‘helper’ for him: I mean the souls joined and betrothed to him. For often the Scriptures name thus, church, the whole gathering and assembly of believers, the more perfect being brought up by progress into the one person and body of the church. For those who are better and have grasped the truth more clearly, having been freed from the absurdities of the flesh through perfect purification and faith, become the church and ‘helper’ of Christ, joined and betrothed to him, as the apostle says, like a ‘virgin,’ so that, receiving the pure and fruitful seed of the teaching, they may work together, helping the preaching, for the salvation of the rest. But those who are still imperfect and beginning in the teachings are brought to birth and formed, as in wombs, by the more perfect, until, being delivered, they are born again to the greatness and beauty of virtue; and these in turn, becoming the church by progress, may serve in the birth and nurture of other children, bringing to completion, like a womb, in the receptacle of the soul, the unblemished will of the Word. ### Scripture references - Gen 2:21–22: allusion, high confidence - Gen 2:24: allusion, high confidence - Eph 5:26–27: quotation, high confidence - Gen 1:28: quotation, high confidence - Titus 3:5: quotation, high confidence - Phil 2:7: allusion, high confidence - Eph 5:30: allusion, high confidence - John 14:17: quotation, high confidence - Isa 11:2: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 2:18: quotation, high confidence - 2 Cor 11:2: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Eph 5:27 (with 5:26), Gen 1:28, Titus 3:5, and John 14:17; the allusions are Gen 2:21–22, Gen 2:24, Eph 5:30, Phil 2:7, Isa 11:2 (the “sevenfold” Spirit), Gen 2:18, and 2 Cor 11:2. Words seem to have fallen out after “for the salvation of the rest.” ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 3.8 (Bonwetsch, 35–37; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-8). ## Symposium 3.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-9 - Source: Bonwetsch, 37–38 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Paul, born again through Ananias's baptism, became in turn a mother in labour with believers; so Adam and Eve figure Christ and the church. ### Greek text Ἐπισκέψασθαι γὰρ χρὴ καὶ τὰ περὶ τὸν ἀοίδιομον Παῦλον, ὃτι ὁπότε οὐδέπω »τέλειος« οὗτος ἠ »ἐν Χριστῷ«, γεννᾶται πρότερον καὶ γαλουχεῖται, εὐαγγελιζομένου καὶ ἀνακαινίζοντος αὐτὸν Ἀνανίου τῷ βαπτίσματι, καθὼς ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσιν ἡ ἱστορία περιέχει· ὂτε δὲ ἠνδρώθη καὶ ᾠκοδομήθη ἤδη εἰς τελειότητα πνευματικὴν ἀναπλασθεὶς καὶ »βοηθὸς« ἀπειρηάσθη καὶ »νύμφη« τοῦ λόγου, τὰ σπέρματα τῆς ζωῆς ὑποδεξάμενος καὶ συλλαβών, τὸ τηνικαῦτα ὁ πρότερον χρηματίσας παιδίον ἐκκλησία γίνεται καὶ μήτηρ, ὠδίνων καὶ αὐτὸς τοὺς διʼ αὐτοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ πεπιστευκότας, ἔστʼ ἂν καὶ ἐν τούτοις ὁ Χριστὸς ἀποτεχθῇ. »τεκνία« γάρ »μου« φησίν »οὓς πάλιν ὠδίνω, ἂχρις οὑ μορφωθῇ Χριστὸς έν ὑμῖν« καὶ πάλιν »ἐν γὰρ Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ διὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἒγὼ ὑμᾶς ἐγέννησα«. οὐκοῦν ταύτῃ συνέστηκεν εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν άναφέρεσθαι καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν τὸ κατὰ τὴν Εὺαν θεώρημα καὶ τὸν Ἀδάμ. τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ μέγα μυστήριον. ὠς ἀληθῶς καὶ ὑπερκόσμιον, ὃ ἐγὼ διʼ ἀδθένειαν καἰ ἀμβλύτητα νοὸς κατʼ ἀξίαν τε καὶ μέγεθος εἰπεῖν ἀδυνατῶ. ὅμως δʼ οὐν ἐπιχειρτέον· λέγειν γὰρ ἑπόμενον ἂν εἴη λοιπὸν δὴ καὶ τὰ καθεξῆς πρὸς ὑμᾶς. ### English translation (Claude) “For we must consider also the case of the renowned Paul: when he was not yet ‘perfect in Christ,’ he was first born and nursed with milk, Ananias preaching the gospel to him and renewing him by baptism, as the account in the Acts contains. But when he had come to manhood and been built up, re-formed into spiritual perfection, and was declared a ‘helper’ and ‘bride’ of the Word, having received and conceived the seeds of life, then he who had earlier been called a child becomes church and mother, himself in labour with those who through him believed in the Lord, until Christ should be brought to birth in them too. For he says, ‘My little children, with whom I am again in labour until Christ is formed in you,’ and again, ‘For in Christ Jesus I begot you through the gospel.’ So it is established in this way that the contemplation concerning Eve and Adam is referred to the church and to Christ. For this is the great mystery, truly beyond the world, which I, through weakness and dullness of mind, cannot speak of worthily and according to its greatness. Nevertheless I must attempt it; for it would follow now to tell you also what comes next. ### Scripture references - Col 1:28: allusion, medium confidence - Acts 9:17–18: allusion, high confidence - Gal 4:19: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 4:15: quotation, high confidence - Eph 5:32: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Gal 4:19 and 1 Cor 4:15; the allusions are Col 1:28, Acts 9:17–18, and Eph 5:32. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 3.9 (Bonwetsch, 37–38; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-9). ## Symposium 3.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-10 - Source: Bonwetsch, 38–39 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Paul applied Genesis to Christ and the church to deprive the licentious of their pretext, who used “increase and multiply” to excuse their lust. ### Greek text Ὁ γάρ τοι Παῦλος εἰς ἁγιασμὸν ἐκκαλούμενος πάντας καὶ σωφροσύνη, ταύτῃ τὸ κατὰ τὸν πρωτόπλαστον καὶ τὴν Εὒαν | κατὰ | δευτέραν ἐπαπόρησιν εἰς Χριστὸν ἀνηκόντισε καὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν πρὸς τὸ τοὺς ἀνεπιστήμονας κατασιγᾶσθαι γυμνουμένους προφάσεω. ἀκολασταίνοτες γὰρ διὰ τὰς ὑπερβαλλούσας ῥύσεις ἐν αὐτοῖς τῶν ἡδυπαειῶν παρὰ τὸν όρθόδοξον βιάζεσθαι τολμῶσι λογισμὸν τὰς γραφάς, ὣσπερ ἒρυμα προανατείνοντες ἀκρασίας τό τε »εἶπεν ὁ θεός· αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε« καὶ τό »ἓνεκεν τούτου καταλίψει ἂνθρωπος τὸν πατέρα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν μητέρα«, οὐδὲ αἰσχύνονται κατατρέχοντες τοῦ πνεύματος, ἀλλʼ ὥσπερ ἐπὶ ωσπερ ἐπὶ ἔτι καὶ ἐνθωεύοντα τὸν οἶστρον ἀναρριπίζουσιν ἐξάπτοντες ἐρεθισμοῖς. διὸ μάλα δριμέως τὰς ἐπικλόπους ταύτας αὐτῶν κακοφροσύνας τε καὶ πεποιημένος προφάσεις ἐκκόπτων, ἐλθὼν εἰς τὸ διατάξασθαι, πῶς δέοι προσφέρεσθαι τοὺς ἂνδρας ταῖς γυναιξί, καὶ ἀποφηνάμενος, ὅτι οὓτως ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τῇ παραδιδοὺς« ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς, »ἳνα αὐτὴν ἁγιάσῃ καὶ καθαρίσῃ τῷ λουτρῷ τοῦ ὓδατος ἐν ῥήματι«, ἀνέδραμεν εἰς τὴν Γἐνεσιν ἐπιμνησθεὶς τῶν περὶ τὸν πρωτόπλαστον ῥητῶν, ἐξοαλίζων εἰς τὸν προκείμενον αὐτῷ καὶ αὐτὰ νοῦν τῆς ὑποθέσεως, ὃπως μὴ παράσχῃ λαβὴν τοῖς κεφαλαίοις καταχρῆσθαι τούτοις τοὺς πρεσβεύοντας προφάσει τεκνογονίας σωμάτων παρατριβάς. ### English translation (Claude) “For Paul, calling everyone to holiness and self-control, in this way hurled what concerns the first-formed man and Eve toward Christ and the church, as a second question, so that the ignorant might be silenced, stripped of their pretext. For, being licentious because of the excessive flows of pleasure in them, they dare to force the Scriptures against orthodox reasoning, holding out as a bulwark for their incontinence both ‘God said, “Increase and multiply”’ and ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother’; nor are they ashamed to run down the Spirit, but … they fan the frenzy, kindling it with provocations. That is why, cutting off very sharply these stealthy follies and contrived pretexts of theirs, when he came to prescribe how husbands should behave toward their wives, and declared that they should do so just as Christ also did to the church, ‘giving himself up’ for her, ‘that he might sanctify and cleanse her by the washing of water with the word,’ he ran back to Genesis, recalling the words about the first-formed man, and he secured these too for the sense of the subject before him, so as not to give a hold to those who, under pretext of begetting children, advocate the friction of bodies, to misuse these chief texts. ### Scripture references - Gen 1:28: quotation, high confidence - Gen 2:24: quotation, high confidence - Eph 5:25–26: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Gen 1:28, Gen 2:24, and Eph 5:25–26. The text is garbled where “…” is marked (“ὥσπερ ἐπὶ ὥσπερ ἐπὶ ἔτι καὶ ἐνθωεύοντα”). Words have fallen out before “giving himself up” (Eph 5:25, “loved the church and”). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 3.10 (Bonwetsch, 38–39; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-10). ## Symposium 3.11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-11 - Source: Bonwetsch, 39–40 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Paul first sets out that it is good not to touch a woman, then allows marital relations to those who cannot control themselves, lest they fall into sexual immorality. ### Greek text Επισκέψασθε γὰρ ὅτι σωφρονεῖν, ὦ παρθένοι, κατὰ θέλων τοὺς πεπιστευκότας διὰ πολλῶν αὐτοῖς τεκμηρίων ὑπεμφαίνειν πειρᾶται τὸ ἀξίωμα τῆς ἁγνείας· ὁτὲ μέν περὶ δὲ ὡν ἐγράψατέ μοι« λέγων »καλὸν ἀνθρώπῳ γυναικὸς μὴ ἁπτεσθαι«, αὐτόθεν δείκνυσι ἤδη περιφανῶς τὸ μὴ προσψαύειν γυναικὸς καλόν, προτάξας αὐτὸ καὶ προεκθέμενος ἀπολελυμένως. εἶτα τὴν ἀσθένειαν αὐθις συνιδὼν καὶ τὴν ὑπέκκαυσιν τῶν ἀκρατωτέρων τὴν εἰς συνουσίαν, συνεχώρησε τοῖς μὴ δυναμίνοις ἄρχειν σαρκὸς χρῆσθαι ταῖς ἑαυτῶν ὁμεύνοις μᾶλλον ἢ παραπίπτοντας ἀσχημόνως ἐκχεῖσθαι πορνείας. ἀμέλει μετὰ τὸ ἐπιτρέψαι ταῦτα παρήγαγεν »εὐθέως τόδε »ἵνα μὴ πειράζῃ ὑμᾶς ὁ σατανᾶς διὰ τὴν ἀκρασίαν«, ὅπερ εἰ δὲ μὴ δύνασθε, ὦ οὗτοι, παντάπασι σωφρονεῖν διὰ τὴν ἀκρασίαν καὶ τὴν ὑγρότητα τῶν σωμάτων, ἐπέτρεψα μᾶλλον ταῖς σφῶν αὐτῶν κοινωνεῖν γαμεταῖς, καὶ ἵνα μὴ ἐγκράτειαν ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι νομιζόμενοι πειράσησθε συνεχῶς ὑπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ, εἰς ἀλλοτρίας ἐκφλεγόμενοι. ### English translation (Claude) “For consider, virgins, that, wishing believers to be chaste, he tries through many proofs to indicate to them the dignity of chastity: at one point saying, ‘Now concerning the things about which you wrote to me: it is good for a man not to touch a woman,’ he shows plainly from the outset that not to touch a woman is good, placing it first and setting it out absolutely. Then again, seeing the weakness and the burning of the more incontinent toward intercourse, he allowed those unable to rule the flesh to have relations with their own bedfellows rather than fall shamefully and pour themselves out in sexual immorality. Indeed, after permitting this he at once added, ‘so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control,’ which means: ‘But if you cannot, my friends, be entirely chaste because of your lack of self-control and the moistness of your bodies, I have permitted you rather to have relations with your own wives, so that you may not, while thought to profess continence, be continually tempted by the evil one, burning for other women.’ ### Scripture references - 1 Cor 7:1: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:2: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:5: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are 1 Cor 7:1 and 7:5; the allusion is 1 Cor 7:2. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 3.11 (Bonwetsch, 39–40; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-11). ## Symposium 3.12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-12 - Source: Bonwetsch, 40–42 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Paul's permission of marital relations is a concession, not a command; likewise he allows a widowed person to remarry only as better than burning, as a sick man may be allowed food on a fast day. ### Greek text Φέρε γὰρα αὐτὰ τὰ κείμενα διαγρήσωμεν ἐπιμελέστερον, ὅτι μὴ ἀπολελυμένως ὁ ἀπόστολος ἐπένευσε ταῦτα τοῖς πολλοῖς, ἀλλὰ προσθεὶς τὴν αἰτίαν πρότερον, διʼ ἢν εἰς τοῦτο παρήχθη. ἀποφηνάμενος γοῦν »καλὸν εἶναι ἀνθρώπῳ γυναικὸς μὴ ἅπτεσθαι« παρήγαγε »διὰ δὲ τὰς πορνείας ἕκαστος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γυναῖκα τουτέστι διὰ τὴν ἀνάγκην τῆς πορνείας, μὴ φέρετε κολάξειν τὴν ἡδονήν. »καὶ ἑκάστη γυνὴ τὸν ἴδιον ἂνδρα ἐχέτω. τῇ γυναικὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ τὴν ὀφειλὴν ἀποδιδότω, ὁμοίοις δὲ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ τῷ ἀνδρί. ἡ γυνὴ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος οὐκ ἐξουσιάζει, ἀλλʼ ὁ ἀνήρ· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ τοῦ ἰφςιου σώματος οὐκ ἐξουσιάζει, ἀλλʼ ἡ γυνή. μὴ ἀποστερεῖτε ἀλλήλους, εἰ μή τι ἂν ἐκ συμφώνου πρὸς καιρόν, ἳνα σχολάζητε τῇ προσευχῇ· καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ συνέρχεσθε, ἴνα μὴ πειράζῃ ὑμᾶς ὁ σατανᾶς διὰ τὴν ἀκρασίαν. τοῦτο δὲ λέγω κατὰ συγγνώμην, οὐ κατʼ ἐπιταγήν«· τεθεωρημένως δ·ὲ σφόδρα καὶ τοῦτο. »κατὰ συγγνώμην« γὰρ ἐπεσημήνατο συμβεβουλευκέναι νῦν, καὶ οὐ κατʼ ἐπιταγήν«, ἐπειδὴ τὴν μὲν ἐπιταγὴν ἐπὶ τῆς σωφροσύνης καὶ τοῦ μὴ ἃπτεσθαι γυναικὸς παραλαμβάνει. τὴν δὲ συγγνώμην ἐπὶ τῶν μὴ δυναμένων, ὠς ἔφην. κολάζειν τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν. καὶ περὶ μὲν οὖν μονογάμων τε καὶ μονογαμίδων, ὡν ἡ συζυγία ἕως ἒτι καὶ αὖθις ταῦτα νομοθετεῖ· περὶ δὲ τῶν ἀποβαλομένων ἤδη <τὰς< γαμετὰς ἀνδρῶν ἢ τοὺς σύζυγας πάλιν αὐτὴν ἀκριβῶς ἐξιχνευτέον τοῦ ἀποστόλου τὴν φωνήν, ὅ τί ποτε χρησμῳδεῖ. »λέγω δὲ τοῖς ἀγάμοις καὶ ταῖς χήραις· καλὸν αὐτοῖς, ἐὰν οὕτως μείνωσιν, ὡς καὶ ἐγώ. εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἐγκρατεύονται, γαμείτωσαν· κρεῖσσον γὰρ γαμῆσαι ἢ πυροῦσθαι.. ἐπέμεινε καὶ ἐνθάδε προκρίνων τὴν ἐγκράτειαν. ἑαυτὸν γὰρ παράδειγμα μέγιστον λαβὼν εἰς τὸ ζηλῶσαι τοὺς ἀκροατὰς προεκαλέσατο ταύτην τὴν ἔνστασιν, κρεῖττον εἶναι διδάξας τὸν ἐπὶ μιᾷ γαμετῇ συνεζευγμένον ἐφʼ ἑαυτῷ μένειν, ὣσπερ δὴ καὶ αὐτός. εἰ δʼ αὐ τοῦτο διὰ τὴν ἐκπύρωσιν καὶ τὴν ἀκμὴν τοῦ σώματος δυσκαόρθωτον εἴη τινί, εἰς δεύτερον κατὰ συγγνώμην παρελθεῖν τὸν οὕτως ἔχοντα γάμον, οὐκ αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὴν διγαμίαν ἀποφηνάμενος εἶναι καλόν, ἀλλʼ ἄμεινον κρίνας τῆς ἐκπυρώσεως. ὣσπερ γὰρ εἴ τις ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ πάσχα καὶ τῆς ἐῖσφαλῶς ἐπισφαλῶς νοσηλευομένῳ προσέφερε τροφὴν καὶ ἐκέλευε διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν ἀπογεύεσθαι τῶν προσφερομένων τούτων, λέγων· Ὡς ἄρα τὸ μὲν ἀληθῶς, ὦ οὗτος, καλὸν † ἐχρῆν ὣσπερ δὴ καὶ ἡμᾶς καὶ σὲ καρτερῶς διαμείναντα τῶν αὐτῶν.. μεταλαβεῖν (ἀπηγόρευται γὰρ σήμερον διαίτης ἐπιμνησθῆναι τὸ σύνολον)· ολον)· ἀλλʼ ἐπειδὴ νόσῳ προκατασχεθεὶς ἐξησθένησας καὶ οὐ δύνῃ φέρειν, ταύτῃ δὴ συγγνώμην ἀπονέμοντες συμβουλευόμεν σιτίων ἐπορέξασθαί σε. ἴνα μὴ παντάπασι διὰ τὴν νόσον οὐ δυνηθεὶς ἀντισχεῖν πρὸς τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς τροφῆς διαφθαρῇε· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος ἐνθάδε, πρότερον εἰπὼν ὅτι βούλοιτο πάντας καὶ σώφρονας, ὥσπερ δὴ καὶ αὐτός, τὸ μετὰ ταῦτα τοῖς νόσῳ τῶν παθῶν, ἵνα μὴ πορνεύσαντες πάντῃ λυμανθῶσιν, τῶν παιδογόνων μελῶν τοῖς γαργαλισμοῖς εἰς ἐπιμιξίας ὀθνείων σπερμάτων, ἐπέτρεφε τὴν διγαμίαν, μᾶλλον κρεῖσσον αὐτὴν εἶναι κρίνας τοῦ »πυροῦσθαι« καὶ ἀσχημονεῖν. ### English translation (Claude) “Come, let us go through the text itself more carefully: the apostle did not grant these things to the many absolutely, but first added the reason why he was led to it. Having declared, then, that ‘it is good for a man not to touch a woman,’ he added: ‘but because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife’ (that is, because of the compulsion of sexual immorality, if you cannot restrain pleasure) ‘and let each woman have her own husband. Let the husband render to the wife her due, and likewise also the wife to the husband. The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; and come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. But this I say by way of concession, not by command.’ And this too is said very thoughtfully. For he indicated that he had now given advice ‘by way of concession, and not by command,’ since he applies the command to self-control and not touching a woman, and the concession to those who, as I said, cannot restrain desire. These are his rules, then, about men married once and women married once, as long as their union [lasts]. But concerning men who have already lost their wives, or women their husbands, we must again trace precisely the apostle's voice and what it declares: ‘But I say to the unmarried and to the widows: it is good for them if they remain as I am. But if they are not practising self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn.’ Here too he persisted in preferring continence. For, taking himself as the greatest example for his hearers to imitate, he summoned them to this resolve, teaching that it is better for one who has been joined to one wife to remain by himself, just as he himself did. But if this should be hard for someone to achieve because of the burning and vigour of the body, he allows one in that state to go on, by concession, to a second marriage, not declaring second marriage itself to be good, but judging it better than burning. It is as if someone, on the day of the Pascha and of the [fast], brought food to a person dangerously ill and bade him, because of his illness, to taste what was brought, saying: ‘Truly, my friend, it would be good … for you, like us, to hold out firmly and partake of the same things (for today it is forbidden to think of food at all); but since you have been seized by illness beforehand and weakened and cannot bear it, we therefore grant you a concession and advise you to take some food, lest, being quite unable through illness to resist the desire for food, you perish.’ So also the apostle here: having first said that he wished all to be self-controlled, as he himself was, he then, for those sick with the passions, lest they be wholly corrupted by sexual immorality, the generative members being provoked by tickling to mingle with the seed of strangers, permitted second marriage, judging it better than ‘to burn’ and behave shamefully. ### Scripture references - 1 Cor 7:1–6: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:8–9: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are 1 Cor 7:1–6 and 7:8–9. Thalia reads 1 Cor 7:8–9 as concerning second marriage after the death of a spouse (διγαμία); the text is translated exactly as she argues it. The dagger (†) in the Greek marks a doubtful reading in the Paschal example. The digital text is defective in two places: “as long as their union [lasts]” (ὧν ἡ συζυγία ἕως ἔτι …) and “the Pascha and of the [fast]” (τοῦ πάσχα καὶ τῆς …); the bracketed words give the probable sense. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 3.12 (Bonwetsch, 40–42; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-12). ## Symposium 3.13 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-13 - Source: Bonwetsch, 42–44 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Paul permits marriage for virgins without sin, but only by human concession; his counsel as a whole leans toward virginity as freeing one to please the Lord. ### Greek text Καὶ περὶ μὲν ἐγκρατείας καὶ γάμων καὶ σωφροσύνης καὶ κοινωνίας ἀνδρῶν, καὶ ἐν τίνι τούτων τὸ ὠφέλιμόν ἐστιν εἰς δικαιοσύνης κατασκιυήνι σχεδὸν ἤδη μοι τέλος ἔχεν· περὶ δὲ εἰρῆσαθαι λείπεται λοιπόν, εἴ τι καὶ περὶ ταύτης ἄρα οὐκοῦν καὶ τούτων πέρι διαληπτέον. ἔχει γὰρ ὡδε· »περὶ τῶν παρθένων ἐπιταγὴν κυρίου οὐκ ἒχω· γνώμην δὲ δίδωμι, ὡς ἠλεημένος ὑπὸ κυρίου πιστὸς εἶναι. νομίζω οὖν τοῦτο καλὸν ὑπάρχειν χειν διὰ τὴν ἐνεστῶσαν ἀνάγκην, ὃτι καλὸν ἀνθρώπῳ οὓτως εἶναι. δέδεσαι γυναικί; μὴ ζήτει λύσιν. λέλυσαι ἀπὸ γυναικός; μὴ ζήτει γυναῖκα. ἐὰν δὲ καὶ λάβῃς, οὐχ ἣμαρτες, καὶ ἐὰν γήμῃ ἡ παρθένος, οὐχ ἤμαρτε· θλίψιν δὲ ἕξουσι τῇ σαρκὶ οἱ τοιοῦτοι. ἐγὼ δὲ ὑμῶν φείδομια.« λίαν εὐλαβῶς τὸν περὶ παρθενίας εἰσηγησάμενος λόγον καὶ μέλλων συμβουλεύειν γαμίζειν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρθένον ὃτῳ φίλον, ὅπως δὴ μηδὲν τῶν εἰς ἁγιασμὸν ἀναφερομένων κατʼ ἀνάγκην καὶ βίαν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ πρόθεσιν αὐτεξούσιον ψυχῆς (τοῦτο γὰρ πρόσφορον θῷ), οὐ βούλεται ἐξ αὐθεντίας αὐτῷ ταῦτα καὶ γνώμης λελέχθαι τοῦ κυρίου, τουτέστι τὸ γαμίζεσθαι τὴν παρθένον. ἀμέλει φήσας ἐὰν δὲ καὶ γήμῃ ἡ παρθένος, οὐχ ἣμαρτε« σχεδὸν πάλιν ὑπευλαβηθεὶς ἀνετάραξε τὴν συγκαταθεσιν, κατὰ συγγνώμκκκκην ἀνθρωπίνην ὑπεμφαίνων ταῦτα συμβεβουλευκέναι, ἀλλʼ οὐ κατὰ θείαν. εὐθέως γοῦν μετὰ τὸ εἰπεῖν »καὶ ἐὰν γήμῃ ἡ παρθένος, οὐχ ἣμαρτε« ἐπήγαγε τό »θλίψιν δὲ ἓξουσι τῇ σαρκὶ οἱ τοιοῦτοι. ἐγὼ δὲ ὑμῶν φείδομαι«, ὃ δή ἐστιν· ἐγὼ φειδόμενος ὑμῶν, ὦ οὗτοι, ταῦτα συνεθέμην, ἐπειδήπερ οὕτως αὐτοὶ φρονεῖν εἲλεσθε, ὂπως δὲ μὴ δόξω κατὰ βίαν ἐπισπέρχειν ὑμῶν εἰς τοῦτο καὶ καταναγκάζειν τινάς. ὅμως δὲ εἰ καὶ ταύτην φίλον ὑμῖν μᾶλλον τρέπεσθαι ἀποδυσπετήσαντας ἁγνείαν βασιτάσαι, καὶ οὕτως λυσιτελεῖν ἡγοῦμαι κρατεῖν ὐμᾶς τῶν τῆς σαρκὸς ἐρεθισμῶν, μὴ παραχρωμένους διὰ τὸ γεγεαμηκίναι τοῖς ἑαυτῶν σκεύεσιν εἰς ἀκαθαρσίαν. ἐπιφέρει γοῦν »τοῦτο δέ φημι, ἀδελφοί, ὁ καιρὸς λοιπὸν συνεσταλμένος ἐστίν, ἕνα καὶ οἱ ἒχοντες γυναῖκας ὡς μὴ ἒχοντες ὦσιν.« εἲτα αὐθις ἐπιμένων καὶ προκαλούμενος ἐπὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐπεξειργάσατο τὸν λόγον, ἰσχυρῶς κρατύνων τὴν ἒνστασιν τῆς παρθενίας. ῥητῶς γοῦν τὰ ἑξῆς ἐπισυνάψας τοῖς προειρημένοις ἐπεφώνησε »θέλω δὲ ἀμερίμνους ὑμᾶς εἶναι. ὁ ἄγαμος μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κυρίου, πῶς ἀρέσει τῷ κυρίω· ὁ δὲ γαμήσας μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου πῶς ἀρέσει τῇ γυναικί. καὶ μεμέρισται καὶ ἡ γυνὴ καὶ ἡ παρθένος. ἡ ἂγαμος μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κυρίου, ἳνα ᾖ ἁγία καὶ σώματι καὶ πνεύματι· ἡ δὲ γαμήσασα μεριμνᾷ τὰ τοῦ κόσμου, πῶς ἀρέσει τῷ ἀνδρί. α πᾶσι γὰρ ἀναμφισβητήτως ἐστὶ καταφανές, ὡς ἂρα μεριμνᾶν τὰ τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἀρέσκειν τῷ κυρίῳ πολλῷ ἄμεινον τοῦ μεριμνᾶν ἐστι τὰ τοῦ κόσμου καὶ ἀρέσκειν τῇ γυναικί. τίς γὰρ οὓτως ἠλίθιος καὶ πηρὸς τὰς ὄφεις, ὃς οὐκ αὐτόθεν αἲσθεται τὴν παραίνεσιν τοῦ Παύλου τὸ πλέον ῥέπουσαν εἰς ἀγνείαν; »τοῦτο γάρ« φησί πρὸς τὸ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν συμφέρον λέγω, οὐχ ἴνα βρόχον ὑμῖν ἐπιβάλω, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ εὒσχημον«. ### English translation (Claude) “About continence and marriage and self-control and the union of men and women, and in which of these lies what is profitable for the building up of righteousness, I have now nearly finished; it remains to speak about [virginity], whether he said anything about it too. So these things too must be discussed. The passage runs thus: ‘Concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord; but I give my opinion as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy. I think, then, that this is good because of the present distress, that it is good for a person to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Are you released from a wife? Do not seek a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such people will have trouble in the flesh, and I would spare you.’ Introducing the subject of virginity very cautiously, and being about to advise that whoever wishes may give his own virgin in marriage, so that nothing that concerns holiness should be done by compulsion and force, but by the free choice of the soul (for this is pleasing to God), he does not wish these words, that is, that the virgin be given in marriage, to be taken as spoken by the authority and judgment of the Lord. Indeed, having said, ‘and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned,’ he again, cautiously, almost unsettled his consent, indicating that he had given this advice by human concession, not by divine. At once, then, after saying, ‘and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned,’ he added, ‘Yet such people will have trouble in the flesh, and I would spare you,’ which means: ‘I, sparing you, my friends, have agreed to this, since you yourselves have chosen to think so, so that I may not seem to hurry and compel any of you to it by force. Nevertheless, even if you prefer, finding chastity hard to bear, to turn rather to this, I still think it profitable for you to master the provocations of the flesh, not misusing your own vessels for impurity because you have married.’ Indeed he adds: ‘This I say, brothers: the time from now on is short, so that those who have wives may be as though they had none.’ Then, persisting again and urging the same things, he worked out his argument further, strongly confirming the resolve of virginity. In express words, then, joining what follows to what was said before, he declared: ‘I want you to be free from anxiety. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about the things of the world, how to please his wife. And the wife and the virgin are divided. The unmarried woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy in both body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about the things of the world, how to please her husband.’ For it is beyond dispute and plain to all that to be anxious about the things of the Lord and to please the Lord is far better than to be anxious about the things of the world and to please one's wife. For who is so foolish and blind that he does not at once perceive that Paul's exhortation leans more toward chastity? ‘For this I say,’ he says, ‘for your own benefit, not to put a noose on you, but for what is seemly.’ ### Scripture references - 1 Cor 7:25–28: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:29: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:32–35: quotation, high confidence - 1 Thess 4:4: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are 1 Cor 7:25–28, 7:29, 7:32–34, and 7:35. “Virginity” is supplied where a word has fallen out of the digital text (“περὶ δὲ … λείπεται”). The reading of 1 Cor 7 is Thalia's and is translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 3.13 (Bonwetsch, 42–44; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-13). ## Symposium 3.14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-14 - Source: Bonwetsch, 44–45 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Virginity is God's gift; Paul permits those who cannot sustain it to marry, but those who freely keep it do better; Theopatra is next to speak. ### Greek text Ἐπίστησον δὲ πρὸς τοῖς εἰρημένοις ὃπως καὶ θεοδώρητον εἶναι τὸ τῆς παρθενίας ἐπιτήδευμα παρεγγυᾷ· ὃθεν τοὺς κατὰ πρόφασιν κενοδοξίας τῶν ἀκρατεστέρων ἐπὶ τοῦτο παρεληλυθτας ἀποβάλλεται συμβουλεύων γαμεῖν, ἵνα μὴ καιρῷ τῆς ἀκμῆς σφυγμοὺς φλεγμονὰς παρεχούσης αὐτοῖς τῆς σρκὸς ἀσχημονῶσιν οἰστρηλατούμενοι τὴν ψυχήν. τί γὰρ παραδίδωσιν ἐπισκεπτέον. »εἰ δέ τις ἀσχημομεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν παρθένον αὐτοῦ νομίζει« φησίν »ἐὰν ᾐ ὑπέρακμος, καὶ οὓτως ὀφείλει γενέσθαι, ὃ θέλει ποιείτω, οὐχ ἀμαρτάνει γαμείτωσαν«, οἰκείως ἐνταῦθα προκρίνων τὸν γάμον τῆς ἀσχημοσύνης ἐπὶ τῶν ἑλομένων μὲν παρθενεύειν, δυσανασχετούντων δὲ τὸ μετὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἀποκαμνόντων, καὶ λόγῳ μὲν διʼ αἰδῶ τὴν χρὸς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους αὐχούντων ἐπιμένειν, ἒργῳ δὲ οὐδὲ μακρότερον ἐνδιατρίψαι δυναμένων. τῷ μέντοι αὐτοκρατορικῇ καὶ αὐθαιρέτῳ κρίνοντι προθεσει »τηρεῖν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ« σάρκα »παρθένον« καὶ μὴ ἒχοντι »ἀνάγκην«, ὅπερ ἐστὶ πάθος ἐκκαλούμενον τὴν ὀσφῦν εἰς συνουσίαν (εἶναι γὰρ δὴ καὶ διαφοράς, ὡς εἰκός, σωμάτων), τούτῳ καὶ διαθλοῦντι καὶ σπουδαίως ἐπιμένοντι τῇ ἐπαγγελίᾳ, καὶ ταύτην ἄριστα διαπεραινομένῳ παρακελεύεται μένειν καὶ τηρεῖν, τῇ παρθενίᾳ τὰ πρωτεῖα νέμων. ὁ γὰρ δυνάμενος, φησί, καὶ φιλοτιμούμενος »τηρεῖν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ« σάρκα »παρθένον καρεῖττον ποιεῖ«, ὁ δὲ μὴ δυνάμενος, »τηρεῖν« δὲ νομίμως καὶ μὴ λαθροφθορῶν, »καλῶς«. καὶ περὶ μὲν τούτων αὐτάρκως. λαβέτω δὲ μετὰ χεῖρας ὁ βουλόμενος τὴν πρὸς Κορινθίους ἐπιστολήν, καὶ καθʼ ἕκαστον ὁμιλήσας τοῖς ἐγγεγραμμένοις, τότε καὶ τὰ ὑφʼ ἡμῶν λεγόμενα σκεψάσθω ἀντιπαραβάλλων, εἰ μὴ συμφωνίας πάσης ἒχονται καὶ ὁμοφροσύνης τῆς πρὸς αὐτά. Ταῦτά σοι κατὰ δύναμιν ὑπὲρ ἁγνείας, ὦ Ἀρετή, κἀγὼ συνεισφερω. ΕΥΒΟΤΛ. Σφόδρα διὰ πολλῶν, ὦ Γρηγόριον, μόλις εἰς τὸ προκείμενον ἀφίκετο, μακρότατον ἀναμετρησαμένη καὶ περαιωθεῖσα πέλαγος λόγων. ΓΡΗΓ. Ἒοικεν οὓτως ἒχειν· ἀλλʼ ἲθι καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἐφεξῆς μνημονεύσατες μιμητικώτατα διέλθωμεν, ὧν ἒτι ἒναυλον τὴν ἀκρόασιν ἔχειν μοι δοκῶ, πρὶν ἀποπτῆναι καὶ διαφυγεῖν· εὐεξάλειπτοι γὰρ νέων ἀκουσμάτων μνημαι γεροντων. ΕΓΒΟΓΛ. Ἀλλὰ λέγε· τούτων γὰρ καὶ ἐληλύθαμεν ἀσμένως ἀκουσόμενοι τῶν λόγων. ΓΡΗΓ. Καὶ μὲν δή, καθάπερ εἶπας, μετὰ τὸ καταχθῆναι τὴν Θάλειαν δρόμοις ἀκυμάντοις εἰς τὴν γῆν ἡ Θεοπάτρα ἐφεξῆς ὑπολαβοῦσαν ἑαυτὴν ἒφη εἰπεῖν τάδε. ### English translation (Claude) “Notice besides what has been said how he declares that the way of life of virginity is also a gift of God. That is why he rejects those among the more incontinent who have come to it on a pretext of vainglory, advising them to marry, lest, in the season of their prime, when the flesh gives them throbbing inflammations, they behave shamefully, their souls driven by frenzy. For we must consider what he teaches: ‘But if anyone thinks he is behaving shamefully toward his virgin,’ he says, ‘if she is past her prime, and it must be so, let him do what he wishes; he does not sin; let them marry.’ Here he fittingly prefers marriage to shameful conduct in the case of those who chose to remain virgins but afterwards find it hard to bear and grow weary, and who, out of shame before people, boast in word that they persevere, but in deed cannot hold out any longer. But the one who with sovereign and free choice decides ‘to keep his own’ flesh ‘virgin’ and has no ‘necessity,’ that is, a passion that calls the loins to intercourse (for there are, as is likely, differences of bodies), the one who contends and earnestly perseveres in his promise and carries it through excellently, him he urges to remain and keep it, giving virginity the first prize. For the one who is able, he says, and is ambitious ‘to keep his own’ flesh ‘virgin, does better’; and the one who is not able, but keeps [it] lawfully and does not secretly corrupt, ‘does well.’ About these things enough has been said. Let anyone who wishes take in hand the letter to the Corinthians and, having conversed with each thing written in it, then examine and compare what we have said, whether it does not hold in full agreement and harmony with it. This, Arete, is what I too contribute, as far as I can, on behalf of chastity.” EUBOULION: Through a great deal, Gregorion, she barely arrived at her subject, having measured out and crossed a very long sea of words. GREGORION: So it seems. But come, let us go through the rest in order, recalling it as faithfully as we can, while I think I still have the hearing ringing in my ears, before it flies away and escapes; for the memories of the old easily lose what they have newly heard. EUBOULION: Speak, then; for we have come gladly to hear these speeches. GREGORION: Well then, as you said, after Thalia had been brought to land on waveless courses, Theopatra said that she herself took up next and spoke as follows. ### Scripture references - 1 Cor 7:7: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:36–38: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are 1 Cor 7:36–38; the allusion is 1 Cor 7:7. Thalia reads “his virgin” as one's own flesh kept virgin, and the translation of 1 Cor 7:37–38 follows her reading. In “keeps [it] lawfully” the digital text repeats “keep” (τηρεῖν); ANF's text had “enters into marriage lawfully.” The Euboulion–Gregorion exchange resumes the frame dialogue. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 3.14 (Bonwetsch, 44–45; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/3-1/#p-3-14). ## Symposium 4.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-4-1 - Source: Bonwetsch, 45–46 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Theopatra, the fourth speaker, sets out to praise chastity as the brightest of Christ's gifts. ### Greek text Εἰ μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν αὐτῶν, ὠ παρθένοι, διεξόδων ἡ σοφία τῆς λογικῆς ἳστατο τέχνης καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἀεὶ διεπορεύετο τρίβον, ὀὐδεμία ἂν ὑπῆρχε μηχανὴ τοῦ οὐκ ἀποκναίειν ἐπιχειροῦσαν τοῖς ἢδη προηγωνισμένοις. εἰ δὲ μυρίαι μὲν λόγων ὁρμαὶ καὶ διέξοδιο, »πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως« ἐπεισπνέοντος ἡμᾶς τοῦ θεοῦ, τίς η ἀποκλήρωσις ἐγκαλύπτεσθαι καὶ δειλπιᾶν; οὐκ ἀνυπαίτιος γὰρ ὅτῳ μέτεστι χάριτος, ἐὰν τὰ καλὰ μὴ κοσμῇ λόγοις εὐχαριστηρίοις. διὸ φέρε καἰ ἡμεῖς ὑμνήσωμεν τῶν χαρισμάτων τὸ καλλιφεγγὲς ἄστρον καὶ τιμαλφέστατον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὴν ἁγνείαν. εὐρυτάτη γὰρ ἡ τοῦ πνεύματος αὕτη καὶ ἄφθονος ὁδός. πόθεν οὐν ἀπαρξάμεναι δὴ πρέποντα δόξομεν καὶ εἰκότα λέγειν τοῖς προκειμένοις, ἐντεῦθεν ἐπισκεπτέον. ### English translation (Claude) “If, virgins, the wisdom of the art of speaking stood always on the same lines of argument and always travelled the same path, there would be no way for one attempting to speak after those who have already contended not to be wearisome. But if there are countless impulses and courses of speech, God inspiring us ‘in many portions and in many ways,’ what reason is there to hide oneself and be afraid? For one who shares in grace is not blameless if he does not adorn good things with words of thanksgiving. So come, let us too sing of the most brightly shining and most precious star among Christ's gifts, chastity. For this is the broadest and most generous road of the Spirit. From what point, then, we should begin so as to seem to say what is fitting and suited to our subject, must now be considered. ### Scripture references - Heb 1:1: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is Heb 1:1. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 4.1 (Bonwetsch, 45–46; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-4-1). ## Symposium 4.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-4-2 - Source: Bonwetsch, 46–48 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: God sent chastity to anchor souls against the flood of corruption; as Pharaoh drowned the boys, the devil seeks to destroy the soul's rational offspring. ### Greek text Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἀκριβῶς ᾐσθῆσθαί μοι δοκῶ, ὅτι τῆς εἰς τὸν παράδεισον ἀποκαταστάσεως καὶ τῆς εἰς τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν μεταβολῆς καἰ τῆς πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καταλλαγῆς οὐδὲν αἴτιον οὕτως ἄλλο γέγονε καὶ σωτήριον ἀνθρώποις, τὸ στρατηγῆσαν ἡμᾶς εἰς ζωήν, ὡς ἁγνεία. πειράσομαι γὰρ ᾗ διανοοῦμαι περὶ τούτων ἐνδείξασθαι νῦν, ἴνα σαφῶς τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ προειρημένου χαρίσματος ἀκούσασαι, πόσων ἡμῖν παρεκτικὸν ἀγαθῶν ἐγενήθη γνῶτε. τὸ γοὺν ἀρχαῖον, μετὰ τὸ μετοικισθῆναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐκβληθέντα διὰ τὴν παράβασιν, τὸ ῥεῦμα τῆς φθορᾶς ἐπὶ πολὺ προσεχύθη καὶ φερόμενον σφοδρῶς συρμοῖς ἐξαισίοις οὐ μόνον ἔξωθεν ἀτάκτως παρεφέρετο ἀλλʼ ἤδη καὶ ἐπεισχεόμενον εἴσω κατέκλυζε τὰς ψυχάς. συνεχῶς τοῦτο πάσχουσαι κωφαὶ καὶ δουμαθεῖς ἐφέροντο, κυβερνᾶν ἀπαλλαγήσασαι τὰ σφέτερα σκάφη παρὰ τὸ μὴ ἔχειν βεβαίου τινός. αἱ γὰρ αἰσθήσεις τῆς ψυχῆς, ὡς οἱ τούτων ἒφασαν ἐπιστήμονες, ἐπειδὰν τῶν ἒξωθεν προσπιπτόντων παθῶν ἡττηθεῖσαι. προσδέξωνται τὰς ἐπιφορὰς τοῦ τῆς ἀνοίας ἐπικλύσαντος εἲσω κύματος, εὐθέως τῆς εὐθείας ὁρμῆς ἐμποδίζουσι σκοτωθεῖσαι τὸ πᾶν αὐτῆς εὐήνιον πορεύεσθαι κατὰ φύσιν κύτος. ὅθεν οὐν ὁ θεὸς οἰκτειρήσας ἡμᾶς ἡμᾶς οὕτως καἰ οὒτε ἀνασχεῖν οὒτε ἀνασφῆλαι δυναμένους κατεπερμψεν ἐξ οὐρανῶν τὸ ἄριστον καὶ εὐκλεέστατον βοήθημα, τὴν ἁγνείαν, ὅπως ἐξ αὐτῆς ἀποδήσαντες ἡμῶν τὰ πλοίων δίκην γαληναίως ἔχωμεν ὁρμισθέντες τῆς φθορᾶς, καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον μαρτυρεῖ. τοῦτο γὰρ ἐν τῷ ἑκατοστῷ κοστῷ φέρεται ψαλμῷ, ἔνθα ὕμνον εὐχαριστήριον ἱλαρῶς αἱ ψυκαὶ τῷ θεῷ, ὁπόσαι δὴ παραληφθεῖσαι καὶ καρατηθεῖσαι περιπολοῦσιν ἤδη μετὰ Χριστοῦ τὸν οὐρανόν, ὅτι ὑπὸ τῶν ὑλικῶν καὶ σωματικῶν ῥευμάτων. ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ καὶ τὸν Φαραώ φασι τύπον ἀπενέγκασθαι <τὸν> κατὰ τὴν τοῦ διαβόλου, ἐπειδὴ τὰ μὲν ἄρρενα ἀφειδῶς εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν ἐκέλευε ῥίπτεσθαι, τὰ δὲ θήλεα ζῳογονεῖσθαι. καὶ γὰρ καἰ ὁ διάβολος βασιλεύων »ἀπὸ Ἀδὰμ καὶ μέχρι Μωυσέως« τῆς μγεάλης Αἰγύπτου, τοῦ κόσμου, τὰ μὲν ἄρρενα καὶ νοητὰ τῆς ψυχῆς ἔκγονα ὑπὸ παραφέρεσθαι καὶ ἀναιρεῖσθαι παθῶν σπουδὴν ἒσχε, τὰ δὲ σαρκικὰ σαρκικὰ καὶ αἰσθητὰ αύξάνεσθαί τε καὶ πληθύνεσθαι γλίχεται. ### English translation (Claude) “For I think I have perceived precisely that nothing else has been so much the cause and means of salvation for human beings, of their restoration to paradise, their change to incorruption, and their reconciliation with God, nothing has so led us to life, as chastity. I will try to show now what I think about these things, so that, hearing clearly the power of this gift, you may know how many goods it has brought us. In ancient times, then, after man was cast out because of his transgression and removed, the stream of corruption poured over him abundantly, and, rushing violently in enormous surges, not only swept along outside in disorder, but already, pouring in, flooded the souls within. Suffering this continually, they were carried along deaf and senseless, having given up steering their own vessels, because they had nothing firm. For the senses of the soul, as those who know about these things say, when they are overcome by the passions that strike from outside and admit the onrush of the wave of folly that floods within, at once, darkened, hinder the whole vessel of the soul, which by nature is easily guided, from travelling on its straight course. For this reason God, taking pity on us, who were thus unable either to hold out or to recover, sent down from heaven the best and most glorious help, chastity, so that, having made our bodies fast by it like ships, we might lie calmly at anchor, safe from corruption; and the Holy Spirit bears witness to this. For this is found in the hundred and thirty-sixth Psalm, where the souls joyfully sing a hymn of thanksgiving to God, all those who have been taken up and now travel round heaven with Christ, [that they were not swept away] by the material and bodily streams. From this, indeed, they say that Pharaoh too bore the type of the devil, since he ordered the male children to be thrown pitilessly into the river and the female to be kept alive. For the devil too, reigning ‘from Adam until Moses’ over the great Egypt, the world, took pains that the male and rational offspring of the soul should be swept away by the passions and destroyed, while he longs for the fleshly and sensible to increase and multiply. ### Scripture references - Ps 137:1 (136:1 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Exod 1:22: allusion, high confidence - Rom 5:14: quotation, high confidence - Gen 1:28: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Ps 137 (136 LXX), Exod 1:22, Rom 5:14, and Gen 1:28. The Psalm number is garbled in the digital text (“ἑκατοστῷ κοστῷ”) and words have fallen out at the end of the sentence about it; “[that they were not swept away]” gives the probable sense. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 4.2 (Bonwetsch, 46–48; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-4-2). ## Symposium 4.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-4-3 - Source: Bonwetsch, 48–49 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: In Psalm 137 the pure souls hang their bodies, the “instruments,” on the willow of chastity so that the rivers of Babylon, this turbulent life, cannot sweep them away. ### Greek text Ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἵνα μὴ πα ρεκβαίνωμεν τοῦ προκειμένου, φέρε δὴ τὸν ψαλμὸν ἐν χερσὶν ἐξηγησώμεθα λαβοῦσαι τοῦτον, ὃν αἱ καθαραὶ καὶ ἀλώβητοι ψυχαὶ προσᾴδουσι τῷ θεῶ, »ἐπὶ τῶν ποταμῶν« λέγουσαι »Βαβυλῶνος, ἐκεῖ ἐκαθίσαμεν καὶ ἐκλαύσαμεν ἐν τῷ μνησθῆναι ἡμᾶς τῆς Σιών. ἐπὶ ταῖς ἰτέαις ἐν μέσῳ αὐτῆς ἐκεῖ ἐκρεμάσαμεν τὰ ὄργανα ἡμῶν«· ὄργανα καλοῦσαι τὰ σκηνώματα σαφῶς ἀνεκρέμασαν ἀπὸ τῶν πεισμάτων τῆς ἀγνέίας ἐξάψασαι τοῦ Μου ἳνα μὴ δυνηθῶσιν ἐξαρπασθεῖσαι πάλιν παρασυρῆναι τῷ ῥεύματι τῆς ἀκρασίας· Βαβυλὼν γάρ, τάραχος ἢ σύγχυσι ἑρμηνευομένη, τὸν περίρρυτον βίον δείκνυσι τοῦτον, οὗ ἐν μέσῳ καθεσθέντες περικλυζόμεθα καθʼ ὃν ἐσμὲν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ χρόνον, τῶν ποταμῶν τῆς κακίας ἐφορμώντων ἀεί. διὸ καὶ περιδεεῖς ἐσμεν καὶ κατολοφυρόμεθα καὶ βοῶμεν μετὰ κλαυθμοῦ πρὸς τὸν θεόν, ἴνα μὴ κατολισθήσωσιν ἡμῶν ἀπορρηχθέντα τοῖς κύμασι τῆς ἠδονῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ φυτοῦ ἦς ἠγνείας τὰ ὄργανα. ἐν τύπῳ γὰρ τῆς παρθενίας τὴν ἰτέαν πανταχοῦ παραλαμβάωουσιν αἱ θεῖαι γραφαί, ἐπειδήπερ τὸ ἄνθος αὐτῆς εἰς ἀποτριβέν, ἐὰν ποθῇ, πᾶν ὃσον εἰς ὀχείας ἀναζεῖ καὶ ἐρεθισμοὺς κατασβέννυσιν, ἔστʼ ἂν εἰς ἄρδην ἀποστειρώσῃ καὶ ἄγονον πᾶσαν τὴν ἐπὶ παιδοποιίαν φοράν· ὥσπερ δὴ καὶ Ὃμηρος ἐμήνυσε, διὰ τοῦτο καλέσας ὠλεσικάρπους τὰς ἰτέας. καὶ ἐν Ἠσαΐᾳ δὲ οἱ δίκαιοι ὡς ἰτέα λέγονται φύειν ἐπὶ παραρρέον ὕδωρ. εἰς ὕφος γὰρ τότε τὸ τῆς παρθενίας ἔργος μεγεθύνεται σφοδρῶς τε καὶ ὁπόταν ὁ δίκαιος καὶ ἐγκεχειρισμένος τηρεῖν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐργάζεσθαι τοῖς ἠπιωτάτοις τοῦ Χριστοῦ νάμασιν ἀρδεύῃ, σοφίᾳ καταψεκάζων. ὃν γὰρ τρόπον τὸ δένδρον τοῦτο χλοηφορεῖν πέφυκεν ὕδατι καὶ βλαστάνειν, οὕτως ἐπανθεῖν ἀεὶ καὶ ἐπακμάζειν πιαινομένη λόγοις πέφυκεν ἡ παρθενία, ἵνα δὴ καὶ ἀνακρεμάσαι τὸ ὄργανον ἀπ αὐτῆς ἑαυτοῦ δύνηταί τις. ### English translation (Claude) “But so as not to stray from our subject, come, let us take in hand and explain this Psalm, which the pure and unblemished souls sing to God, saying, ‘By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down and wept when we remembered Zion. On the willows in the midst of it, there we hung up our instruments.’ Calling their bodies ‘instruments,’ they clearly hung them up, fastening them by the cables of chastity to [the tree], so that they might not be snatched away and swept off again by the stream of incontinence. For Babylon, which is interpreted ‘tumult’ or ‘confusion,’ signifies this life flowing all round us, in the midst of which we sit and are flooded all the time we are in the world, as the rivers of wickedness constantly rush upon us. That is why we are terrified and lament and cry out with weeping to God, that our instruments may not be torn from the tree of chastity by the waves of pleasure and slip down. For the divine Scriptures everywhere take the willow as a type of virginity, since its flower, if ground up and drunk, quenches everything that boils up toward coupling and provocation, until it makes wholly barren and fruitless every impulse toward begetting children; as Homer too indicated, calling willows for this reason ‘fruit-losing.’ And in Isaiah the righteous are said to grow like willows by flowing water. For the plant of virginity grows greatly to its height when the righteous man, who has been entrusted to keep and tend it, waters it with the gentlest streams of Christ, sprinkling it with wisdom. For as this tree naturally grows green and sprouts with water, so virginity naturally flowers and flourishes always when enriched with words, so that one may hang his own instrument from it. ### Scripture references - Ps 137:1–2 (136:1-Ps LXX): quotation, high confidence - Isa 44:4: allusion, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Homer, Od. 10.510 (Homer, Odyssey): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is Ps 137:1–2 (136:1–2 LXX); the allusion is Isa 44:4. Homer calls willows “fruit-losing” (ὠλεσίκαρποι) in Odyssey 10.510. The words “fastening them … to [the tree]” render “ἐξάψασαι τοῦ Μου,” probably a misread word (perhaps ξύλου, “the tree”). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 4.3 (Bonwetsch, 48–49; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-4-3). ## Symposium 4.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-4-4 - Source: Bonwetsch, 49–50 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The willows are self-control; singing the Lord's song in a foreign land means profaning the gospel or reading the law in an earthly sense. ### Greek text Εἰ οὐν οἱ ποταμοὶ τῆς Βαβυλῶνος τὰ ἑρύματα τῆς ἠδυπαθείας εἰσίν, ὡς οἱ σοφοί φασι, τὰ συγχύνοντα καὶ ταράσσοντα τὴν ψυχήν, ἀνάγκη τὰς ἰτέας εἶναι τὴν σωφροσύνην, ἀφʼ ἡς ἀνακρεμῶντες ἀνέλκομεν τὰ ὅργανα τὰ παιδογόνα ταλαντούμενα κάτω καὶ βρίθοντα τὸν νοῦν, ἴνα μὴ κατενεχθέντα περὶ τοὺς ὀχετοὺς τῆς ἀκρασίας σκωλήκων δίκην εἰς τοὺς ἰχῶρας ἐγχρίμπτωνται καὶ τὰς σηπεδόνας. χρησιμωτάτην γὰρ καὶ ἐπίκουρον εἰς ἀφθαρσίας κτῆσιν τὴν παρθενίαν ὁ θεὸς ἐδωρήσατο, σύμμαχον ἀποστείλας τοῖς ὀριγνωμένοις καὶ ποθοῦσι, καθῶς ὁ ψαλμῳδὸς ὑφηγεῖται, τὴν Σιών, ὃ δή ἐστι τὴν ἔκλαμπρον ἀγάπην τὴν περὶ αὐτῆς ἐντολήν, ἐπειδήπερ ἡ Σιὼν ἐντολὴ σκοπιᾶς ἑρμηνεύεται. — ὧδε γὰρ ἀναλογισώμεθα πάλιν καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. τί δή ποτε ἐπηρωτῆσθαι πρὸς τῶν αἰχμαλωτιστῶν ὁμολογοῦσιν αἱ ψυχαὶ τὴν ᾠδὴν ἐπὶ γῆς ἀλλοτρίας ᾆσαι κυρίου ἢ πάντως, ὃτι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἰερὰν ᾠδὴν εἶναι καὶ ἀπόρρητον διδάσκουσιν, ἣν οἱ ἁμαρτάνοντες καὶ μοιχώμενοι τῷ πονηρῷ προσᾴδουσιν; ἐξέρχονται γὰρ τὰς ἐντολάς, τὸ θέλημα »τῶν πνευματικῶν« τελοῦντες »τῆς πονηρίας«, καὶ ῥίπτουσι »τὰ ἃγια τοῖς κυσὶ καὶ τοὺς μαργαρίτας ἒμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων«, ὅν τρόπον τρόπον κἀκεῖνοι περὶ ὠν ὁ δυσχεραίνων φησί· »καὶ ἀνέγνωσαν ἔξω νόμον.. οὐ γὰρ ὅτι πυλῶν ἔξω τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἢ ταῖν οἰκιῶν ἀνεγέιννσκον ἐξιόντες Ἰουδαῖοι τὸν νόμον, διὰ τοῦτο δὴ καὶ ὁ προφήτης ἰσχυρῶς αὐτῶν κατηγορεῖ καὶ ὑπευθύνους ἐγκλήματι βοᾷ γεγονέναι, ἀλλʼ ὅτι τὰς ἐντολὰς καὶ ἀσεβοῦντες εἰς τὸν θεὸν ἐπιμεμορφασμένως μὲν ἀνεγίωσκον δῆθεν ὡς εὐσεβεῖς τὰ προστάγματα, κατὰ ψυχὴν δὲ οὐκ ἐδέχοντο μετὰ πίστεως ἴσχοντες, ἀλλʼ ἀπέπτυον »ἔργοις ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ τὴν ᾠδὴν ἐπὶ γῆς ἀλλοτρίας ᾂδουσι κυρίου, ταπεινότερον περιέλκοντες καὶ ἐξηγούμενοι τὸν νόμον, βασιλείαν αἰσθητὴν προσδοκῶντες, καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς ταύτης τῆς αλλοτρίας, ἣν παρελεύσεσθαι λόγος, τιθέμενοι τὰς ἐλπίδας, ἒνθα οἱ αἰχμαλωτίζοντες δελεάζουσιν ἡδοναῖς λοχῶντες πρὸς ἀπάτην. ### English translation (Claude) “If, then, the rivers of Babylon are the torrents of pleasure, as the wise say, which confuse and disturb the soul, the willows must be self-control, from which we hang and draw up the generative instruments that swing downward and weigh down the mind, so that they may not be carried down to the channels of incontinence and, like worms, touch the discharges and putrefactions. For God gave virginity as most useful and helpful for gaining incorruption, sending it as an ally to those who reach out for and long for Zion, as the Psalmist teaches, that is, for the shining love that is the commandment concerning it, since Zion is interpreted ‘command of the watchtower.’ Let us now consider in this way what follows as well. Why do the souls confess that they were asked by their captors to sing the song of the Lord in a foreign land, if not because they teach that the gospel is a holy and secret song, which sinners and those who commit adultery sing to the evil one? For they depart from the commandments, doing the will of ‘the spiritual forces of wickedness,’ and throw ‘what is holy to the dogs and the pearls before swine,’ just like those of whom the prophet says in displeasure, ‘And they read the law outside.’ For it was not because the Jews went out and read the law outside the gates of Jerusalem or of their houses that the prophet strongly accuses them and cries out that they had become liable to charge, but because, while transgressing the commandments and acting impiously toward God, they read the precepts with a feigned show, as if pious, but did not receive them in their soul and hold them with faith, but spat them out ‘by their works.’ For this is how they sing the song of the Lord in a foreign land: dragging down the law and explaining it in a lower sense, expecting an earthly kingdom, and setting their hopes on this foreign land, which the word says will pass away, where the captors, lying in wait for deception, entice them with pleasures. ### Scripture references - Ps 137:3–4 (136:3-Ps LXX): allusion, high confidence - Eph 6:12: quotation, high confidence - Matt 7:6: quotation, high confidence - Titus 1:16: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 24:35: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Ps 137:1, 3–4 (136:1, 3–4 LXX), Eph 6:12, Matt 7:6, Titus 1:16, and Matt 24:35. The quotation “And they read the law outside” is unidentified (perhaps a free form of a prophetic text). “Zion” as “command of the watchtower” is a traditional etymology. The charge against Jewish readers of the law (reading it “in a lower sense” and expecting an earthly kingdom) is Theopatra's own polemic, translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 4.4 (Bonwetsch, 49–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-4-4). ## Symposium 4.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-4-5 - Source: Bonwetsch, 50–52 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The virgins, who set their hopes on heaven, are the heavenly Jerusalem that God promises to set first at the beginning of joy after the resurrection. ### Greek text Ἐοίκασι δὲ καὶ οἱ προσᾴδοντες τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἄφροσιν ἐπὶ γῆς ἀλλοτρίας« μελῳδεῖν »τὴν ᾠδὴν κυρίου«, ἧς μή ἐστιν ὁ Χριστὸς γεωργός. ἀλλʼ αἱ τὸ καθαρώτατον καὶ φαιδρὸν καὶ ἀμιγὲς καὶ εὐλαβὲς καὶ εὐπρεπὲς τῆς παρθενίας ὑποδῦσαι καὶ ἀναλάμψασαι κάλλος, καὶ στεῖραι καὶ ἄγονοι τῶν ῥευστῶν καὶ ἀλγεινῶν εὑρεθεῖσαι »ἐπὶ γῆς ἀλλοτρίας« οὐ μελῳδοῦσι »τὴν ᾠδήν«, ὃτι μὴ φέρονται τὰς ἐλπίδας τῇδε, μηδὲ προστετήκασι θνητῶν σωμάτων τρυφαῖς, μηδὲ ταπεινῶς κατασκέπτονται τὸν νοῦν τῶν ἐντολῶν, ἀλλʼ εὖ καὶ γεν- ναίως μετὰ φρονήματος ὑφηλοῦ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἄνω περιαθροῦσι, τὸν οὐράνιον διφῶσαι καὶ σύμφυτον τόπον. ὅθεν ἀγάμενος αὐτῶν ὁ θεὸς τὰ φρονήματα »μεθʼ ὁρκωμοσίας« ἐξαιρέτους ἐπαγγέλλεται διδόναι τιμάς, »ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς εὐφροσύνης« προανατάσσων καὶ προκαθιδρύων. λέγει γὰρ ὧδε »ἐὰν ἐπιλάθωμαί σου, Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἐπιλησεθείη ἡ δεξιάμου μου. κολληθείη ἡ γλῶσσά μου τῷ λάρυγγί μου, ἐὰν μή σου μνησθῶ, ἐὰν μὴ προανατάξωμαι τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ὡς ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς εὐφροσύνης μου«, Ἱερουσαλὴμ τὰς ἀμιάντους αὐτὰς δὴ ταύτας, ὡς ἔφην, ἀπήμονας ψυχὰς εἶναι λέγων, αἵτινες ἄτρυγον τὸ αὐστηρῶς ἀμολύντοις χείλεσι σπασάμεναι πόμα, »ἑνὶ ἀνδρὶ παρθένον ἁγνὴν« καθαρμόζονται »παραστῆσαι Χριστῷ« κατʼ οὐρανόν, »τὸν τῶν ἀμιάντων ἄθλων ἀγῶνα νικήσασαι«. ταύτῃ γὰρ καὶ Ἡσαΐας ὁ παρεγγυᾷ »φωτίζου, φωτίζου« λέγων »Ἱερουσαλήμ· ἣκει γάρ σου τὸ φῶς, καὶ ἡ δόξα κυρίου ἐπὶ σὲ ἀνατέταλκε«. ταῦτα δὲ τὰ ἐπαγγέλματα μετὰ τὴν ἐξανάστασιν τελεσιουργηθήσεσθαι δῆλον καὶ παντί. οὐ γὰρ περὶ τῆς πολυθρυλλήτου κατὰ Ἰουδαίαν πολίχνης τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἃγιον χρησμῳδεῖ, ἀλλὰ περὶ τῆς οὐρανοπόλεως ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐκείνης καὶ μακαρίας Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἣν δή φασιν αὐτὴν εἶναι τὸ ἄθροισμα τῶν ψυχῶν, ἃς προανατάξασθαι πρώτας »ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς εὐφροσύνης‘ τῶν καινῶν αἰώνων ἀνεπισφαλῶς ὁ θεὸς ἐπαγγέλλεται, εἰς καθαρὰν οἴκησιν ἀδύτων φώτων τῷ λευκοτάτῳ τῆς παρθενίας ἐστολισμένας κόσμῳ κατοικίζων, ὃτι μὴ ἐμνημόνευσαν τὸν κόσμον ἀποδύσασθαι τὸν νυμφικόν, τουτέστι χαυνῶσαι τὸν λογισμὸν φαντασίαις ἐκτόποις. ### English translation (Claude) “Those too who sing the gospel to the foolish seem to sing ‘the song of the Lord in a foreign land,’ of which Christ is not the husbandman. But those who have put on and shine with the most pure, bright, unmixed, reverent, and seemly beauty of virginity, and are found barren and fruitless of fleeting and painful things, do not sing ‘the song in a foreign land,’ because they do not carry their hopes here, nor cling to the delights of mortal bodies, nor look at the sense of the commandments in a low way, but well and nobly, with lofty mind, they gaze at the promises above, seeking the heavenly place that is akin to them. That is why God, admiring their thoughts, promises ‘with an oath’ to give them special honours, setting them first ‘at the beginning of joy’ and establishing them in the first seat. For he says thus: ‘If I forget you, O Jerusalem, may my right hand be forgotten. May my tongue cling to my throat if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem first as at the beginning of my joy’: calling Jerusalem these very undefiled and, as I said, unharmed souls, which, having drunk with undefiled lips the strictly pure, unfermented drink, are betrothed ‘to one husband, to present a pure virgin to Christ’ in heaven, ‘having won the contest for undefiled prizes.’ In this way Isaiah too exhorts, saying: ‘Shine, shine, Jerusalem; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.’ It is plain to everyone that these promises will be fulfilled after the resurrection. For the Holy Spirit does not prophesy about the much-talked-of little town in Judea, but about that truly heavenly city, the blessed Jerusalem, which they say is the assembly of the souls that God promises, without fail, to set first ‘at the beginning of joy’ of the new ages, making them dwell, arrayed in the whitest adornment of virginity, in a pure dwelling of unsetting lights, because they did not remember to put off the bridal adornment, that is, to slacken their reasoning with strange imaginings. ### Scripture references - Ps 137:4–6 (136:4-Ps LXX): quotation, high confidence - Heb 7:20: echo, medium confidence - 2 Cor 11:2: quotation, high confidence - Isa 60:1: quotation, high confidence - Gal 4:26: allusion, medium confidence - Heb 12:22: allusion, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Wis 4:2 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Ps 137:4–6 (136:4–6 LXX), 2 Cor 11:2, Wis 4:2, and Isa 60:1; “with an oath” echoes Heb 7:20–21. The allusions are Gal 4:26 and Heb 12:22. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 4.5 (Bonwetsch, 50–52; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-4-5). ## Symposium 4.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-4-6 - Source: Bonwetsch, 52 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The virgin's breast-band in Jeremiah is love of God, which binds the soul to chastity; Arete calls on Thallousa next. ### Greek text Ἀμέλει τὸ μὴ ἐπιλαθέσθαι νύμφην τὸν κόσμον, μηδὲ παρθένον τὴν στηθοδεσμέιδα αὐτῆς, λεγόμενον ἐν Ἱερεμίᾳ, τὸ μὴ ἐνδοῦναι καὶ χαλάσαι τὸν δεσμὸν τῆς σωφροσύνης ἀπάταις δηλοῖ καὶ περισπασμοῖς. στήθη γὰρ αἱ φρένες εἰκότι λόγῳ καὶ ὁ νοῦς ἡμῶν εἶναι νομίζεται· ἡ δὲ στηθοδεσμίς, ἡ συνδοῦσα ζώνη καὶ συσφίγγουσα τὴν πρόθεσιν τῆς ψυχῆς εἰς ἁγνείαν, ἐστὶν ἡ πρὸς θεὸν ἀγάπη, ἥν τε καὶ ὑμῖν ὁ στρατηγὸς ἡμῶν καὶ ποιμὴν Ἰησοῦς καἰ ἂρχων καὶ νυμφίος, ὦ καλλιπάρθενοι, ἄρρηκτόν τε καὶ ἐσφραγισμένην μέχρι »τέλους« τηρῆσαι παράσχοι. τούτου γὰρ τοῦ κτήματος τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἄμεινον βοήθημα οὐκ ἄν τις ῥᾳδίως ἓτερον λάβοι ἀρέσκον θεῷ καὶ προσφιλές. διὸ ἐγὼ χρῆναί φημι τὴν ἀγνείαν ἂπαντας τιμᾶν καὶ διαφεόντως ἀσκεῖν τε καὶ ἐγκωμιάζειν. Αὑταί σοι καὶ παρʼ ἡμῶν αἱ ἀπαρχαὶ τῶν λόγων ἀνακείσθωσαι· ὡ Ἀρετή, τὰ μὲν παιδιᾶς, τὰ δὲ καὶ σπουδῆς χάριν. Ἀλλὰ δέχομαι τὸ δῶρον, ἴφη φάναι τὴν Ἀρετήν, καὶ κελεύω μετὰ σὲ τὴν Θάλλουσαν λέγειν· δεῖ γάρ με παρὰ μιᾶς ἑκάστης ὑμῶν ἀποδέξασθαι τὸν λόγον. ### English translation (Claude) “Indeed, the saying in Jeremiah that a bride should not forget her adornment, nor a virgin her breast-band, signifies not to give way and loosen the band of self-control through deceits and distractions. For the breast is reasonably thought to be our heart and mind; and the breast-band, the girdle that binds and draws tight the soul's resolve toward chastity, is love toward God. May Jesus, our captain and shepherd and ruler and bridegroom, grant you, fair virgins, to keep it unbroken and sealed ‘to the end.’ For no one could easily find a better help for human beings than this possession, pleasing and dear to God. That is why I say that all must honour chastity, and especially practise it and praise it. Let these first-fruits of speech, then, be dedicated to you by me too, Arete, partly in play and partly in earnest.” “I accept the gift,” Arete said, she told me, “and I bid Thallousa speak after you; for I must receive a speech from each one of you.” ### Scripture references - Jer 2:32: allusion, high confidence - Matt 24:13: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Jer 2:32 and Matt 24:13. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 4.6 (Bonwetsch, 52; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-4-6). ## Symposium 5.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-1 - Source: Bonwetsch, 53 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Thallousa, the fifth speaker, argues that the “great vow” of Numbers 6 is virginity, the offering of oneself wholly to God. ### Greek text Τὴν οὖν Θάλλουσαν βραχὺ ἐπισχοῦσαν καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτήν τι σκεψαμένην εἰπεῖν ἔφη· Ἀλλʼ, ὦ Ἀρετή, συλλήπτειραν ἀξιῶ παραστῆναί σε κατὰ νοῦν, ὅπως πρῶτον μὲν σοῦ, καὶ τῶν παρόντων δὲ φανῶμεν ἂξια λέγειν. τὸ γὰρ μέγιστον καὶ ἐπιφανέστατον ἀνάθημα καὶ δῶρον, οὑ μηδὲν ἀντάξιον ἄλλο προσενέγκασθαι πάρεστιν ἀνθρώποις θεῷ, τὸν ἆθλον τῆς παρθενίας εἶναι πέπεισμαι διαρκῶς, ἀπὸ τῶν ἱερῶν ᾐσθημένη γραμμάτων. οὐ γὰρ ἄν, πολλὰ πολλῶν κατʼ εὐχὰς ἐν τῷ νόμῳ καλὰ κατεργασαμένων, μόνοι μεγάλην εὐχὴν ἐλέγοντο πληροῦν οἱ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς αὐθαιρέτῳ βουλῇ προσενέγκαντες θεῷ. ἔχει γὰρ τὸ ῥητὸν οὕτως· »καὶ ἐλάλησε κύριος πρὸς λέγων· λάλησον τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ερεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς· ἀνὴρ ἢ γυνή, ὃς ἂν μεγάλως εὒξηται εὐχὴν ἀφαγνίσασθαι ἁγνείαν κυρίῳ«. εὒχεται χρυσᾶ καὶ ἀργυρᾶ εἰς τὸν νεὼν σκεύη προσκομίσας ἀναθεῖναί τις, ἓτερος ἀναθεῖναι τὴν δεκάτην τῶν καρπῶν, ἂλλος τῆς οὐσίας, ἕτερος τὰ κράτιστα τῶν ποιμνίων, ἄλλος τὴν ὕπαρξιν καθιεροῖ, καὶ οὐδέπω μεγάλην εὐχὴν εὒξασθαι λέγεται τῷ κυρίῳ, ἀλλʼ ἐκεῖνος ὁ ἑαυτὸν ἀναθεὶς τῷ θεῷ ὁλοτελῶς. ### English translation (Claude) Thallousa, then, she said, having paused a little and considered something to herself, said: “Arete, I ask you to stand by me as a helper in my mind, so that we may appear to speak in a manner worthy first of you and then of those present. For I am fully persuaded, having learned it from the sacred writings, that the greatest and most splendid offering and gift, than which nothing of equal worth can be brought by human beings to God, is the contest of virginity. For, although many people did many good things by vows in the law, those alone who offered themselves to God by their own free will would not have been said to fulfil a great vow unless this were so. For the text runs thus: ‘And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them: A man or woman who vows a great vow, to consecrate chastity to the Lord.”’ One vows to bring golden and silver vessels to the temple and dedicate them; another to dedicate a tenth of his crops, another of his property, another the best of his flocks; another consecrates his possessions; and yet none of these is said to have vowed a great vow to the Lord, but only the one who dedicates himself wholly to God. ### Scripture references - Num 6:1–2: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is Num 6:1–2 (LXX), which speaks of the Nazirite vow. The word “Moses” has fallen out of the digital text and is supplied. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 5.1 (Bonwetsch, 53; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-1). ## Symposium 5.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-2 - Source: Bonwetsch, 53–55 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: One must dedicate oneself wholly; Abraham's three three-year-old animals and the three night watches of Luke 12 stand for keeping chaste through childhood, prime, and old age. ### Greek text Ἐπιχειρητέον γὰρ άληθεῖ λόγῳ πρὸς ὑμᾶς, ὦ παρθένοι, τὴν κατὰ τὸ πνεῦμα διάνοιαν δηλῶσαι τῆς γραφῆς. ὁ γὰρ κατά τι μόριον φυλασσόμενος καὶ προσέχων, κατά τι δὲ περισπώμενος καὶ πλημμελῶν ὃλος οὐκ ἀνάκειται θεῷ· χρῆν γὰρ τὸν τέλειον πάντα ἀναθεῖναι καὶ τὰ τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ τὰ τῆς σαρκός ὃπως ἂρτιος εἲη καὶ μὴ ελλιπής, ταύτῃ γὰρ δὴ καὶ τῷ Ἀβραὰμ ὁ θεὸς ὑφγηεῖται, λάβε μοι« λέγων »δάμαλιν τριετίζουσαν καὶ αἶγα τριετίζουσαν καὶ κριὸν τριετίζοντα, καὶ τρυγόνα καὶ περιστεράν«, ὃ ἐστιν εὐφήμως ἐπίστησον γὰρ ὅτι περὶ τούτων κἀκεῖνο παρεγγυᾷ)· προσένεγκέ μοι καὶ φύλαξον ἂζυγα καὶ ἀκάκωτόν σου τὴν ψυχὴν δαμάλεως δίκην, καὶ τὴν σάρκα καὶ τὸν λογισμόν, τὴν μὲν ὡς αἶγα, ἐπειδὴ τὰ μετέωρα καὶ κρημνώδη περιπολεῖ, τὸν δὲ ὡς κριόν, ἳνα μηδαμῶς ἀποσκιρτήσας ἐκπέσῃ καὶ ἐξολισθήσῃ τῆς ἀληθείας· οὓτω γὰρ ἐντελὴς ἴον καὶ ἀνεπίληπτος, ὦ Ἀβραάμ, ἀναθεὶς ἐμοὶ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ τὴν αἲσθησιν καὶ τὸν νοῦν· ἃ συμβολικῶς δάμαλιν ἴφη καὶ αἶγα καὶ κριὸν τριετίζοντα, οἱονεὶ τὴν γνῶσιν ἀκακέμφατον τῆς τριάδος ἐπανῃρημένα. τάχα δὲ καὶ τὴν πρώτην καὶ τὴν μέσην καὶ τὴν τελευταίαν τοῦ βίου τῆς ἡλικίας ἡμῶν αἰνίσσεται τρίβον, βουλόμενος, ὡς ἒνι μάλιστα, καὶ τὸν τῶν παίδων καὶ τὸν τῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ τὸν τῶν γεραιτέρων χρόνον σωφρόνως βιώσαντας αὐτῷ προσενέγκασθαι. καθʼ ὃν τρόπον καὶ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν ἐν εὐαγγελίοις παρακελεύεται Ἰησοῦς Χριστός, ὡδε νομοθετῶν· οἱ λύχνοι ὑμῶν‘« μὴ σβεννύσθωσαν, καὶ »αἱ ὀσφύες ὑμῶν μὴ λυέσθωσαν. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὐμεῖς ὃμοιοι γίνεσθε ἀνθρώποις προσδεχομένοις τὸν κύριον αὐτῶν, πότε ἀναλύσει ἐκ τῶν γάμων, ἳνα ἐλθόντι καὶ κρούσαντι αὐτῷ εὐθέως ἀνοίξωσι. μακάριοί ἐστε, ὁτι ἀνακλινεῖ ὑμᾶς καὶ παρελθὼν διακλονήσει· κἂν τῇ κἂν τῇ τρίτῃ, μακάριοί ἐστε.‘ ἐπισκέψασθε γὰρ ὄτι τρεῖς ὑποθέμενος φυλακὰς νυκτός, ἑσπερινὴν καὶ δευτέραν καὶ τρίτην, καὶ τρεῖς ἑαυτοῦ παρουσίας, ὦ παρθένοι, τὰς τρεῖς ἡμῶν τῆς ἡλικίας ᾐνἰξατο μεταβολάς, τὴν μειρακιώδη καὶ τὴν πρόσηβον καὶ τὴν πρεσβυτικήν, βουλόμενος, ἴνα κἂν τὴν πρώτην ἄγοντας ἡλικίαν, τουτέστι παῖδας ὄντας, ἐὰν ἔλθῃ παραληψόμενος <ἐκ> τοῦ κόσμου, ἑτοίμους καὶ καθαρούς, μηδὲν ἐπιτετηδευκότας σκαιόν, κὰν τὴν δευτέραν ὁμοίως, κἂν τὴν τρίτην. ἐσπερινὴ γὰρ φυλακὴ ὁ καιρός ἐστι τῆς ἀκμῆς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ἡ νεότης, καθʼ ἢν ἄρχεται ταράσσεσθαι τὸ ἡγεμονικόν, ἐπιθολούμενον ταῖς ἐξαλλαγαῖς τοῦ βίου, ἡβώσης αὐτοῦ τῆς σαρκὸς ἤδη καὶ τρεπομένης εἰς πάθη. δευτέρα δέ, ὁπηνίκα λοιπὸν »εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον« ἐλάσας ἄρχεται στάσιν καὶ βεβαιότητα τῶν θορύβων ὁ νοῦς προσλαμβάνειν καὶ τῆς οἰήσεως. τρίτη δέ ὅτε αἱ πλεῖσται φαντασίαι φθίνουσι τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν, ἀπομαραινομένης ἤδη τῆς σαρκὸς κα) εἰς γῆρας προκοπτούσης. ### English translation (Claude) “For I must try, virgins, to show you in a true account the spiritual sense of the Scripture. For whoever guards and attends in one part, but is distracted and errs in another, is not wholly dedicated to God. For the perfect man must dedicate everything, both what belongs to the soul and what belongs to the flesh, so that he may be complete and not lacking. In this way God instructs Abraham too, saying, ‘Take for me a heifer three years old, and a goat three years old, and a ram three years old, and a turtledove and a pigeon.’ That is (for notice that he enjoins this too, in a manner of good omen): ‘Offer to me and keep your soul unyoked and unharmed like a heifer, and your flesh and your reason, the one like a goat, since it ranges over the heights and cliffs, the other like a ram, so that it may never leap away and fall and slip from the truth. For so you will be perfect and blameless, Abraham, having dedicated to me your soul, your perception, and your mind.’ These he symbolically called a three-year-old heifer and goat and ram, as having taken up the blameless knowledge of the Trinity. And perhaps he also hints at the first, middle, and last course of our life's age, wishing, as far as possible, that we should offer ourselves to him having lived chastely through the time of childhood, manhood, and old age. In the same way our Lord Jesus Christ also exhorts in the Gospels, legislating thus: ‘Let your lamps’ not be quenched, and ‘your loins’ not be ungirded. ‘Therefore be like men waiting for their master, when he will return from the wedding, so that when he comes and knocks they may open to him at once. Blessed are you, for he will make you recline and will come and serve you; and if he comes in the second watch or in the third, blessed are you.’ For consider, virgins, that by supposing three watches of the night, the evening, the second, and the third, and three comings of his own, he hinted at the three changes of our age, youth, prime, and old age, wishing that, if he comes to take us out of the world while we are in the first age, that is, while we are children, we may be ready and pure, having practised nothing wrong; and likewise in the second, and in the third. For the evening watch is the time of a man's prime and youth, in which the ruling part of the soul begins to be troubled, clouded by the changes of life, as his flesh reaches maturity and turns to passions. The second is when, having advanced ‘to mature manhood,’ the mind begins to gain stability and firmness against its turmoils and conceit. The third is when most of the fancies of the desires waste away, as the flesh withers and advances into old age. ### Scripture references - Gen 15:9: quotation, high confidence - Luke 12:35–38: quotation, high confidence - Eph 4:13: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Gen 15:9 and Luke 12:35–38 (freely); the allusion is Eph 4:13. The Greek has “ἐντελὴς ἴον” for “ἔσῃ” (“you will be”). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 5.2 (Bonwetsch, 53–55; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-2). ## Symposium 5.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-3 - Source: Bonwetsch, 55–56 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Keep the lamp of faith lit and bear the yoke from youth, letting self-control rein in the senses; thus one is wholly dedicated to God. ### Greek text Διὸ προσῆκεν ἄσβεστον ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς πίστεως ἐξάψαντας τὸν λύχνον, καὶ τὴν ὀσφῦν ἀναζωσαμένους τῇ σωφροσύνῃ, ἐγρηγορέναι καὶ προσδοκᾶν ἀεὶ τὸν κύριον, ἵνα, κἄν ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ἡμῶν ἡλικίᾳ παραλαβεῖν ἡμῶν τινας βουληθῇ, κἂν ἐν τῇ δευτέρᾳ, κἂν ἐν τῇ τρίτῃ, ἐλθὼν καὶ εὑρὼν ἐτοιμοτάτους καὶ ἄ προσέταξεν ἐργαζο- μένους, ἀνακλίνῃ εἰς Ἀβραὰρ κόλπους καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακώβ. καὶ Ἱερεμίας δέ »ἀγαθόν« φησίν »ἀνδερί, ὅταν ἄρῃ ζυγὸν βαρὺν ἐν νεότητι αὐτοῦ‘ καὶ »ἀπὸ τοῦ κυρίου« οὐ μὴ »ἀποστῇ ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ.. ἀγαθὸν γὰρ ἐκ παίδων ὠς ἀληθῶς ὑποθέντα τὸν αὐχένα τῇ θείᾳ προσοχῇ μὴ ἀποσείσασθαι μέχρι γἠρως τὸν ἐπιβάτην καθαραῖς φρεσὶν ἐποχούμενον, άεὶ τὸν λογισμὸν εἰς τὰ χεἰρω καθέλκοντος τοῦ πονηροῦ. τίς γὰρ οὐ τὰς διʼ ὀμμάτων, τίς δʼ οὐ τὰς διʼ ὤτων, τίς δʼ οὐ τὰς διὰ γεύσεως ὀσφρήσεώς τε καὶ ἁφῆς ἡδονὰς καὶ τέρψεις ἀποδέχεται, τὸν ἡνίοχον μὴ φέρων, σωφροσύνην εἴργουσαν καὶ καθαιμάττουσαν τὸν ἵππον τῆς κακίας; ἕτερος ἔν οὖν εἰς ἔτερα ἐπιβλέψας ἄλλα δοξάσει, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀνατιθέναι λέγομεν τελείως ἑαυτὸν τῷ θεῷ, ὅς καὶ τὴν σάρκα ἄχραντον ἐκ παίδων φιλοτιμεῖται φυλάττειν, παρθενίαν ἀσκῶν. περισπουδάστους γὰρ καὶ μεγάλας ἐλπίδων δωρεὰς τοῖς ἐφιεμένοις αὐτῆς ταχέως φέρει, τὰ λυμαντήρια τῆς ψυχῆς ἀπομαρίνουσα πάθη καὶ ὑπεκκαύματα. — φέρε γὰρ εἰσηγήσωμαι, πῶς ἀνακείμεθα τῷ κυρίῳ. ### English translation (Claude) “That is why we ought to kindle in our heart the unquenchable lamp of faith, gird our loins with self-control, and keep awake and always wait for the Lord, so that, whether he wishes to take some of us in our first age, or in the second, or in the third, he may come and find us most ready and doing what he commanded, and make us recline in the bosom of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob. And Jeremiah says, ‘It is good for a man when he bears a heavy yoke in his youth,’ and his soul will not ‘depart from the Lord.’ For it is truly good to put one's neck from childhood under divine care and not to shake off, until old age, the rider mounted on a pure mind, while the evil one is always dragging our reasoning down toward what is worse. For who does not welcome the pleasures and delights that come through the eyes, through the ears, through taste and smell and touch, if he does not bear the charioteer, self-control, who restrains and bloodies the horse of vice? Another, then, looking at other things, will think otherwise; but we say that a person dedicates himself perfectly to God who strives to keep his flesh undefiled from childhood, practising virginity. For it quickly brings great and much-desired gifts of hope to those who long for it, withering the passions and sparks that ruin the soul. Come, let me explain how we are dedicated to the Lord. ### Scripture references - Luke 12:35: allusion, high confidence - Matt 8:11: allusion, medium confidence - Luke 16:22: allusion, medium confidence - Lam 3:27: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Plato, Phaedr. 254e (Plato (works)): echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is Lam 3:27 (attributed to Jeremiah); the words about the soul not departing from the Lord are not in Lamentations. The allusions are Luke 12:35 and Matt 8:11 (with Luke 16:22). The charioteer who bloodies the bad horse echoes Plato, Phaedrus 254e. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 5.3 (Bonwetsch, 55–56; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-3). ## Symposium 5.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-4 - Source: Bonwetsch, 56–58 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: True dedication means consecrating every member, mouth, tongue, eyes, ears, hands, feet, and heart, to the Lord; this is the great vow. ### Greek text Τὸ γοῦν »μεγάλως εὔξασθαι εὐχήν«, ἐν τοῖς Ἀριθμοῖς νομοθετούμενον, τοῦτο παρίστησιν, ὅπερ ἐπὶ πλέον ἐγὼ διηγησαμένη ἀποφανῶ, μεγάλην εὐχὴν εἶναι παρὰ πάσας εὐχὰς ἀποδεικνύουσα τὴν ἁγνείαν. τότε γὰρ ἀνάκειμαι προφανῶς πᾶσα τῷ κυρίῳ, ὁπότε μὴ μόνον τὴν σάρκα συνουσίας ἀνέπαφον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀτοπημάτων ἄσπιλον τηρεῖν ἀγωνίζομαι. »ἡ γὰρ ἄγαμος μεριμνᾷ. φησί τὰ τοῦ κυρίου, πῶς ἀρέσει τῷ κυρίῳ«. οὐ μόνον ἴνα μὴ χωλὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς κατά τι μόριον ἀπενέγκηται τὴν δόξαν, ἀλλʼ ἄμφω, κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον, καὶ ἐν τῷ πνεύματι καὶ ἐν τῷ σώματι« ἁγιάζηται, ἀναθεῖσα τὰ μέλη κυρίῳ. τί γάρ ἐστι τὸ ἀναθεῖναι τελείως ἑαυτὸν κυρίῳ, λεκτέον. ἐὰν ἐπὶ τῶνδε μὲν ἀνοίξω τὸ στόμα, ἐπὶ τῶνδε δὲ καταλείσω, οἶον ἀνοίξω μὲν περὶ τὰς ἐξηγήσεις τῶν γραφῶν εἰς τὸ ὀρθοδόξως ὑμνῆσαι καὶ μεγαλοπρεπῶς κατὰ δύναμιν τὸν θεόν, κατακλείσω δὲ » θύραν‘ αὐτῶ θεμένη καὶ φυλακὴν‘ <τπῦ > μάταια μὴ λαλεῖν, ἀγνεύει μου τὸ στόμα καὶ ἀνάκειται τῷ κυρίῳ, »ἡ γλῶσσά μου κάλαμος« γέγπμε. σοφίας ὄργανον· γράφει γὰρ διʼ αὐτῆς ἀριδήλοις ἀπὸ τοῦ βάθους καὶ τῆς δεινότητος τῶν γραφῶν φωτίζων τὸν νόμον τοῦ πνεύματος«, ὁ λόγος, ὁ κύριος, ὁ γραμματεὺς τῶν αἰώνων ὀξυγράφος, ὅτι ταχέως καὶ ὀξέως τὴν βουλὴν ἀνα- γράφεται μόνος καὶ πληροῖ τοῦ πατρός, »ὀξέως σκύλευσον‘ ἀκούων »ταχέως προνόμευσον‘. τούτου »κάλαμός« ἐστιν »ἡ γλῶσσά μου« τοῦ »γραμματέως«· ἡγνίσθη γὰρ αύτῷ καὶ άνάκειται κάλαμος ὤσπερ »ὡραῖος«, ὡραιότερα γράφων τῶν τὰ ἀνθρώπινα δόγματα κρατυνόντων ποιητῶν καὶ λογογράφων. ἐὰν ἐθίσω καὶ τὰς ὄφεις μὴ ἐπιθυμεῖν ὤρας σωμάτων, μηδὲ τέρπεσθαι θέαις ἀσχήμοσιν, ἀλλὰ τὰ ἄνω περισκοπεῖν, ἁγνεύουσι καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ καὶ ἀνάκεινται τῷ κυρίῳ. ἐὰν τὰ ὦτα φράξασα ἀπὸ δυσφημίας καὶ ψιθυρισμῶν ἀναπετάσω λόγῳ θεοῦ, φοιτῶσα παρὰ σοφοῖς, ἀντέθεικα καὶ τὰς ἀκοὰς τῷ κυρίῳ. ἐὰν ἀποσείσωμαι τὰς χεῖρας ἀπὸ καπηλείας, ἀπὸ μεταπράσεως, ἀπὸ φιλοχρημοσύνης, ἀπὸ πληκτισμοῦ, ἀγνεύουσι καὶ αἱ χεῖρες τῷ θεῷ. ἐὰν ἀφέφω τὸ πορευτικὸν διεστραμμἐνας ὁδοὺς πορεύεσθαι, ἀνατέθεικα καὶ τοὺς πόδας, οὐκ εἰς δικαστήρια κοὶ θιάσους παρερχομένη, ὅθι τ΄ ἄνδρες άλιτροδίκαι τελέθουσιν, ἀλλʼ εἰς τὸ κατορθῶσαι πλήρώσασά τι τῶν ἐντολῶν. τί μοι λοιπόν, ἐὰν διαγνεύω καὶ τὴν καρδίαν, πάσας τὰς διανοήσεις αὐτῆς ἀναθεῖσα κυρίῳ; φλαῦρον οὐδὲν ἐνθυμοῦμαι, κοσμικὸν οὐδὲν διαλογίζομαι, τῦφος οὐκ ἐμπολιτεύεται καὶ ὀργὴ παρʼ ἐμοί, τὸν νόμον καὶ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μελετῶ κυρίου καὶ ἐν νυκτί· καὶ τοῦτ΄ ἐστί »ὰγνείαν ὰγνεῦσαι, μεγάλην εύξάμενον εύχήν«. ### English translation (Claude) “The command in Numbers, then, to ‘vow a great vow’ shows this, which I will set forth by explaining it more fully, proving that chastity is a great vow beyond all vows. For I am plainly dedicated wholly to the Lord when I strive to keep my flesh not only untouched by intercourse but also unstained by other misdeeds. ‘For the unmarried woman,’ he says, ‘is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord’: not only so that she may not win a glory of virtue lame in some part, but that she may be sanctified in both, as the apostle says, ‘in spirit and in body,’ dedicating her members to the Lord. For we must say what it is to dedicate oneself perfectly to the Lord. If I open my mouth for some things and shut it for others, for example, open it for the explanation of the Scriptures, to praise God rightly and magnificently as far as I can, but shut it, setting ‘a door’ and ‘a guard’ on it so as not to speak vain things, my mouth is chaste and dedicated to the Lord, and ‘my tongue’ has become ‘a pen,’ an instrument of wisdom. For through it the Word, the Lord, the swift-writing scribe of the ages, writes in clear letters from the depth and power of the Scriptures, illuminating ‘the law of the Spirit’: swift-writing because he alone swiftly and keenly writes down and fulfils the will of the Father, hearing, ‘Swiftly despoil, quickly plunder.’ Of this ‘scribe’ ‘my tongue’ is the ‘pen’; for it has been made chaste for him and dedicated as a pen that is ‘fair,’ writing fairer things than the poets and prose-writers who establish human doctrines. If I accustom my eyes too not to desire the beauty of bodies, nor to take pleasure in shameful sights, but to look at the things above, my eyes too are chaste and dedicated to the Lord. If I stop my ears against slander and whispering and open them to the word of God, going to the wise, I have dedicated my hearing too to the Lord. If I shake my hands free from peddling, from reselling, from love of money, from striking, my hands too are chaste to God. If I keep my walking from going in crooked ways, I have dedicated my feet too, not going to law courts and revels, ‘where men who judge crookedly are,’ but to accomplish rightly the fulfilment of some one of the commandments. What remains for me, if I make my heart too wholly chaste, dedicating all its thoughts to the Lord? I think nothing base, I reason on nothing worldly, pride and anger have no citizenship in me, I meditate on the law of the Lord by day and by night; and this is ‘to consecrate chastity, having vowed a great vow.’ ### Scripture references - Num 6:2: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:34: quotation, high confidence - Ps 141:3 (140:3 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Ps 45:1 (44:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 45:2 (44:3 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Rom 8:2: quotation, medium confidence - Isa 8:3: quotation, high confidence - Col 3:2: echo, medium confidence - Ps 1:2: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations and allusions are Num 6:2, 1 Cor 7:34, Ps 141:3 (140:3 LXX), Ps 45:1–2 (44:2–3 LXX), Rom 8:2, Isa 8:3 (LXX; the name of Isaiah's son), Col 3:2, and Ps 1:2. The half-line “where men who judge crookedly are” is an unidentified verse quotation. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 5.4 (Bonwetsch, 56–58; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-4). ## Symposium 5.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-5 - Source: Bonwetsch, 58–60 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The Nazirite's abstinence from wine means that the virgin must shun the devil's vine, whose fruit is lust, violence, and every passion, and cling to Christ, the true vine. ### Greek text Πειράσομαι γὰρ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς ὑμῖν τούτων, ὠ παρθένοι, φράσαι τῶν διατάξεων, ἐπειδήπερ τῶν σφετέρων ἐξήρτηται καὶ αὐτὰ κατορθωμάτων, θεσμοὶ περὶ παρθενίας ὄντα καὶ χρησμοὶ διδάσκοντες ὧν ἀπέχεσθαι προσήκει καὶ ἀναγωγὸν εἶναι τὴν παρθένον. γὰρ οὕτως· καὶ ἐλάλησε κύριος πρὸς Μωυσῆν λέγων· λάλησον τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς· ἀνὴρ ἢ γυνή, ὅς ἂν μεγάλως εὔξηται εὐχὴν ἀφαγνισθῆναι κυρίῳ, ἀπὸ σίκερα καὶ οἴνου ἁγνισθήσεται, καὶ ὄζος ἐξ οἴνου καὶ ὄξος ἐκ σίκερα καὶ καὶ κατεργάζεται ἐκ σταφυλῆς οὐ πίεται, καὶ σταφυλὴν πρόσφατον καὶ σταφίδας οὐ φάγεται πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς εὐχῆς αὐτοῦ«, ὅπερ ἐστίν· ἀπὸ τοῦ φυτοῦ τῆς πονηρίας τῶν γεννωμένων ὁ κατεγγυήσας ἑαυτὸν τῷ καὶ ἀναθεὶς οὐ δρέψεται διὰ τὸ παρεκτικὸν ἀεὶ μέθης αὐτὸ xai ἐκστάσεως πεφυκέναι. δύο γὰρ ἀμπέλων διαφορὰς ἐκ τῶν γραφῶν ᾐσθήμεθα, αἳ χωρὶς ἀλλήλων γεγονέτην ἀνομοίως τε ἐχέτην. ἡ γὰρ ἀθανασίας τε καὶ δικαιοσύνης ἐστὶ παρεκτική, ἡ δὲ μανίας αὐ καὶ παραφοσύνης. ἄμπελος μὲν γὰρ νηφάλιος καὶ εὐφραντική, κλημάτων δίκην ἐκ τῶν μαθημάτων τοὺς βότρυς ἱλαρῶς ἀπαιωροῦσα τῶν χαρισμάτων καταστάζοντας ἀγάπην, ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς ὁ λέγων διαρρήδην τοῖς ἀποστόλοις »ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἀληθινή, ὑμεῖς τὰ κλήματα· ὁ δὲ πατήρ μου ὁ γεωργός«. ἀγρία δὲ κοὶ θανατηφόρος ὁ διάβολος, λύσσαν καὶ ἰὸν καὶ ὀργὴν ἀποστάζων, ὤσπερ δὴ καὶ Μωυσῆς ὑφηγεῖταιδιαγράφων περὶ αὐτοῦ· »ἐκγὰρ ἀμπέλου Σοδόμων« φησίν ἡ ἄμπελος αὐτῶν, καὶ ἡ κληματὶς αὐτῶν ἐκ Γομόρρας. ἡ σταφυλὴ αὐτῶν σταφυλὴ χολῆς βότρυς πικρίας αὐτῶν. θυμὸς δρακόντων ὁ οἶνος αὐτῶν, καὶ θυμὸς ἀσπίδων ἀνίατος‘. ἐκ ταύτης τρυγήσαντες οἱ Σοδόμων οἰκήτορες εἰς ἄκαρπον ἀρρένων ὄρεξιν οἰστρηλατήθησαν τραπῆναι »παρὰ φύσιν«. ἐντεῦτεν οἱ ἐπὶ Νῶε κραιπαλήσαντες εἰς ἀπιστίαν κατώλισθον καὶ ὑποβρύχιοι κατεποντώθησαν κατακλυσμῷ, ἐντεῦθεν ἀρυσάμενος ὁ Κάἵν τὰς μισαδέλφους ἐφοίνιξε χεῖρας καὶ ἔχρανε πρῶτος τὴν γῆν λύθρῳ συγγενικῷ, ἐντεῦθεν μεθυσκόμενα τὰ ἔθνη θήγουσιν ἑαυτῶν εἰς ἀλληλοφόνους μάχας τοὺς θυμούς. οὕτως γὰρ οὐκ ἐξίσταται ἄνθρωπος ἀπὸ οἴνου καὶ παραπαίει, ὤσπερ ἀπὸ ζήλου καὶ ὀργῆς· οὕτως οὐ μεθύσκεταί τις ἀπὸ οἴνου καὶ παραφρονεῖ, ὡς ἀπὸ λύπης, ὡς ἀπὸ ἔρωτος, ojg ἀπὸ ἀκρασίας. ἀπὸ ταύτης προστέτακται τῆς μὴ γεύσασθαι ἀμπέλου μὴ γεύσασθαι τὴν παρθένον, ἴνα νηφάλιος ἄὔπονς ἀπὸ μερίμνηγς βιωτικῆς ἔκλαμπρον τὴν λαμπάδα τοῦ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἐξάπτῃ τῷ λόπῳ. »προσέχετε« γάρ φησιν ὁ κύριος μήποτε βαρυνθῶσιν ὑμῶν αἱ καρδίαι κραιπάλῃ καὶ μέθῃ καὶ μερίμναις βιωτικαῖς καὶ ἐπιστῇ ἐφʼ ὑμᾶς ἡ ἡμέρα ἐκείνη ὠς παγίς«. ### English translation (Claude) “I will try, virgins, to explain to you also what follows in these ordinances, since they too depend on our own right conduct, being laws about virginity and oracles teaching what the virgin should abstain from and that she should be lifted upward. For it runs thus: ‘And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them: A man or woman who vows a great vow to consecrate himself to the Lord shall abstain from strong drink and wine; and he shall not drink vinegar made from wine or vinegar made from strong drink, or anything made from grapes, and he shall not eat fresh grapes or raisins all the days of his vow.”’ That is: one who has pledged and dedicated himself to [God] will not pluck from the plant of wickedness any of its produce, because by nature it always brings drunkenness and derangement. For we have learned from the Scriptures of two different vines, which have come to be separately and are unlike. One brings immortality and righteousness, the other madness and delirium. The sober and gladdening vine, which, like branches, cheerfully hangs from its teachings clusters of gifts dripping with love, is our Lord Jesus, who says plainly to the apostles, ‘I am the true vine, you are the branches, and my Father is the vinedresser.’ But the wild and deadly one is the devil, dripping rage and poison and wrath, just as Moses teaches, describing him: ‘For their vine,’ he says, ‘is from the vine of Sodom, and their tendrils from Gomorrah. Their grapes are grapes of gall, their cluster is bitter to them. Their wine is the rage of serpents and the incurable rage of asps.’ Harvesting from this, the inhabitants of Sodom were driven by frenzy to turn ‘against nature’ to a fruitless desire for males. From this those in the time of Noah, drunk, slid into unbelief and were sunk beneath the flood. From this Cain drew, and dyed his brother-hating hands red, and first defiled the earth with the gore of a kinsman. From this the nations, getting drunk, whet their anger for battles of mutual slaughter. For a man is not so deranged and senseless from wine as from jealousy and anger; one is not so drunk and out of his mind from wine as from grief, from lust, from lack of self-control. From tasting this vine the virgin has been commanded not to taste, so that, sober and awake from the cares of life, she may kindle the shining lamp of righteousness for the Word. ‘For take heed,’ says the Lord, ‘lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the cares of life, and that day come upon you like a snare.’ ### Scripture references - Num 6:1–4: quotation, high confidence - John 15:1: quotation, high confidence - John 15:5: quotation, high confidence - Deut 32:32–33: quotation, high confidence - Rom 1:26: allusion, high confidence - Gen 19:5: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 7:21: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 4:8: allusion, high confidence - Luke 21:34–35: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Num 6:1–4 (LXX), John 15:1, 5, Deut 32:32–33, and Luke 21:34–35; the allusions are Gen 19 and Rom 1:26 (Sodom), Gen 6–7 (Noah), and Gen 4:8 (Cain). “[God]” is supplied where a word has fallen out. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 5.5 (Bonwetsch, 58–60; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-5). ## Symposium 5.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-6 - Source: Bonwetsch, 60–61 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The virgin must avoid not only wine but everything intoxicating, including luxury and adornment; the chaste are God's golden altar of incense in the holy of holies. ### Greek text Οὐ μόνον δὲ τῶν ἐκ τῆς ἀμπέλου κατεργαζομένων ἐκείνης προστέτακται μηδαμῶς κατὰ μηδένα τρόπον προσψαύειν τὴν παρθένον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἀντιμίμων αὐτῆς καὶ παραπλησίων· σίκερα γὰρ πᾶς ὁ σκευαστὸς οἶνος καλεῖται καὶ νόθος, κἄν τε ἐκ τῶν φοινίκων καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἄλλων ἀκροδρύων σκευαζόμενος ᾐ. ἐπιστομίζουσι γὰρ ὄν τρόπον αἱ ἐξ οἴνου προποσίαι καὶ ταῦτα σφοδρῶς τὸν λογισμόν. καὶ εἰ χρὴ φάναι λόγῳ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀληθεῖ, πᾶν τὸ μέθην φέρον καὶ ἔκστασιν τῇ ψυχῇ μετὰ τὸν οιἶνον τὸν ἐξ ἀμπέλου σίκερα κικλήσκουσιν οἱ σοφοί. ὄπως οὐν δὴ μὴ μόνον τῶν γενικῶν ἁμαρτημάτων φυλασσομένη τῆς πονηρίας ὑπὸ τῶν ἀντιμίμων αὐτῆς χραίνηται καὶ ἀντιρρόπων, ἐτέρων μὲν κρατοῦσα, ὑφʼ ἑτέρων δὲ κρατουμένην, τουτέστιν ἱματίων διαφερόντων ὑφαῖς ἁβρυνομένη ἢ καὶ λίθοις καὶ χρυσῷ καὶ πλεονεξίᾳ καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς περὶ τὸ σῶμα καλλωπισμοῖς, ἃ δὴ καὶ αὐτὰ μεθύσκει τὴν ψυχήν· διὰ τοῦτο ταῦτα νομοθετεῖ, μὴ εἰς γυναικισμοὺς ἐκχέηται καὶ γέλωτας καὶ ἀπάτας ἀνασοβουμένη καὶ μωρολογίας, ἄ περιδινοῦσι καὶ κυκῶσι τὸν λογισμόν· ὥσπερ καὶ ἐν ἑτέροις ἐμήνυσεν, οὐ φάγεσθε τὴν ὕαιναν« εἰπών »καὶ τὰ ὅμοια αὐτῇ, καὶ τὴν γαλῆν καὶ τὰ ὅμοια <αὐτῇ>« αὕτη γὰρ ὀρθὴ πρὸς οὐρανὸν καὶ σύντομος ὸδοιπορία, τὸ μὴ μόνον ἐμπόδιον ἐφέλκεσθαί τι τῶν ἐκτραχηλιζόντων τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐπτοημένον περὶ τὰς ἡδυπαθείας καὶ τέρψεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἀντιμίμων αὐτοῖς· καὶ γὰρ θυσιαστήριον ἀναίμακτον εἶναι παρεδόδη θεοῦ τὸ ἄθροισμα τῶν ἁγνῶν. οὔτως μέγα τι χρῆμα καὶ ἔνδοξον ἡ παρθενία φαίνεται. διὸ δὴ ἄχραντον αὐτὴν καὶ καθαρὰν πάντῃ φυλακτέον, μηδὲν κοινωνοῦσαν ταῖς σαρκὸς ἀκαθαρσίαις, ἀλλʼ ἔσω κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ μαρτυρίου« σοφίᾳ κεχρυσωμένην εἰς τὰ ἄγια τῶν ἁγίων ἱδρύσθαι, τὴν εὐωδίαν τῆς άγάπης ἀναθυμιῶσαν κυρίῳ. »ποιήσεις« γάρ »μοι«, φησί, μετὰ τὸ θυσιαστήριον τὸ περικεχαλκωμένον (εἰς ὃ τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματα ἀνεκομίζοντο καὶ αἱ προσφοραί) ἄλλο »θυσιαστήριον ἐξ ἀσήπτων ξύλων., καὶ καταχρυσώσεις αὐτὸ χρυσίῳ‘, »καὶ δώσεις αὐτὸ ἀπέναντι τοῦ καταπετάσματος τοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς κιβωτοῦ τοῦ μαρτυρίου« κατὰ »πρόσωπον τοῦ ἱλαστηρίου«, ὄ ἐστιν » τῶν μαρτυρίων«, »ἐν οἶς γνωσθήσομαί σοι ἐκεῖ. καὶ θυμιάσει ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ Ἀαρὼν θυμίαμα κυρίῳ] ἀρωμάτων ἐν πρωί, ὄτε ἀγαθύνῃ τοὺς λύχνους· θυμιάσει ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ θυμίαμα διαπαντὸς ἔναντι κυρίου εἰς τὰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν. οὐκ ἀνοίσεται ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ θυμίαμα ἀλλότριον καὶ ὁλοκαύτωμα· θυσίαν καὶ σπονδὴν οὐ σπείσεται ἐπʼ αὐτοῦ. « ### English translation (Claude) “And the virgin has been commanded not only never in any way to touch what is made from that vine, but also what imitates it and resembles it. For all manufactured and counterfeit wine is called strong drink, even if it is made from dates or other fruits. For these too, like toasts of wine, violently muzzle the reasoning. And, to speak to you truly, the wise call ‘strong drink’ everything, besides wine from the vine, that brings drunkenness and derangement to the soul. So, in order that, while guarding against the chief sins of wickedness, she may not be stained by what imitates and counterbalances them, mastering some and being mastered by others, that is, delighting in clothes of fine weaving, or in stones and gold and greed and the other adornments of the body, which themselves also make the soul drunk: for this reason he lays down these laws, that she may not pour herself out in effeminacies and laughter and deceits, stirred up to foolish talk, which whirl about and confound the reasoning. As he indicated elsewhere too, saying, ‘You shall not eat the hyena and what is like it, nor the weasel and what is like it.’ For this is the straight and short road to heaven: not only to drag along no hindrance of those things that throw a person headlong when he is excited by pleasures and delights, but also none of what imitates them. For indeed the assembly of the chaste has been handed down as the bloodless altar of God. So great and glorious a thing virginity appears to be. That is why it must be kept undefiled and wholly pure, having no share in the impurities of the flesh, but, gilded with wisdom, set within, ‘before the testimony,’ in the holy of holies, sending up to the Lord the fragrance of love. For ‘You shall make for me,’ he says, after the altar overlaid with bronze (on which the burnt offerings and the offerings were brought), another ‘altar of incorruptible wood, and you shall overlay it with gold, and you shall set it before the veil that is over the ark of the testimony,’ before ‘the mercy seat,’ that is, [the mercy seat] ‘of the testimonies,’ ‘where I will make myself known to you there. And Aaron shall burn on it incense of spices to the Lord in the morning, when he trims the lamps; he shall burn incense on it continually before the Lord throughout your generations. He shall not offer on it strange incense or burnt offering; he shall not pour out sacrifice or drink offering on it.’ ### Scripture references - Lev 11:29: allusion, medium confidence - Exod 30:1–9: quotation, high confidence - Exod 27:1–2: allusion, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Barn. 10.7 (Epistle of Barnabas): echo, low confidence - Pol. Phil. 4.3 (To the Philippians): echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Exod 30:1–9 (LXX, freely); the prohibition of the hyena and the weasel adapts Lev 11:29 (compare Barn. 10.7). “The bloodless altar” echoes the tradition that the chaste (or the widows) are God's altar (compare Pol. Phil. 4.3). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 5.6 (Bonwetsch, 60–61; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-6). ## Symposium 5.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-7 - Source: Bonwetsch, 61–62 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The tabernacle was a shadow of the church, and the church is an image of the heavenly city, which we shall see face to face after the resurrection. ### Greek text Εἰ ὁ νόμος ἐστὶ κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον »πνευματικός«, τὰς εἰκόνας ἐμπεριέχων τῶν μελλόντων dyaQ-mvi-, φέρε δὴ ἀπαμφιάσασαι τὸ ἐπʼ αὐτῷ »κάλυμμα« τοῦ »γράμματος« ἐφηπλωμένον ἐπισκεψώμεθα γυμνῶς τὴν ἀκρίβειαν. μίμημα τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐκελεύοντο δαι- δάλλειν Ἑβραῖοι τὴν σκηνήν, ἵνʼ ἔχοιεν διὰ τῶν αἰσθητῶν »τὴν εἰκόνα« τῶν θείων προκαταγγέλλειν »πραγμάτων«. τὸ γὰρ ἐν ὄρει παράδειγμα παρενεχθέν, πρὸς ὄ Πέπων ἐτεκτήνατο τὴν σκηνὴν ὁ μωυσῆς, ἰδέα τις ἠν τῆς κατὰ τὸν οὐρανὸν οἰκήσεως ἀκριβής, ἣν ἡμεῖς τρανότερον μὲν ταῖν τύπων, ἀμαυρότερον δὲ τῆς άληθείας φεραπεύομεν νῦν. Με γὰρ ἀκραιφνὲς εἰς ἀνθρώπους ὡς πέφυκεν οὔπω τὸ ἀληθές, οἴ μηδὲ βαστάσσι φέρομεν ἄκρατον ἐνταῦθα θεάσασθαι σασθαι τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν, ὁπότε μηδὲ τὰς ἡλιακὰς ἀνέδην ἀκτῖνας. ἀλλʼ Ἰουδαῖοι μὲν τὴν »σκιὰν« τῆς εἰκόνος τρίτην ἀπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας κατηγγέλκασιν, ἡμεῖς δὲ τὴν εἰκόνα τῆς κατʼ οὐρανὸν διοικήσεως ἐναργῶς ἐκθειάζομεν. τὸ γὰρ ἀληθὲς ἀκριβῶς μετʼ ἀνάστασιν δηλωθήσεται, ὁπότε »πρόσωπον κατὰ πρόσωπον‘ τὴν ἁγίαν σκηνήν, τὴν πόλιν‘ τὴν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, »ἡς τεχνίτης καὶ δημιουργὸς ὁ θεός«, ἀλλʼ οὐ διʼ »αἰνιγμάτων« καὶ ἐκ μέρους‘ ἐποπτεύσομεν. ### English translation (Claude) “If the law is, according to the apostle, ‘spiritual,’ containing the images of the good things to come, come, let us strip off ‘the veil’ of ‘the letter’ spread over it and look at its exact meaning uncovered. The Hebrews were commanded to fashion the tabernacle as a copy of the church, so that through things perceptible they might proclaim beforehand ‘the image’ of divine ‘realities.’ For the pattern shown on the mountain, according to which Moses built the tabernacle, was an exact form of the dwelling in heaven, which we now serve more clearly than the types, but more dimly than the truth. For the truth has not yet come to human beings pure, as it is by nature; we who could not bear to see incorruption unmixed here, since we cannot even look freely at the sun's rays. The Jews proclaimed ‘the shadow’ of the image, third from the truth; but we clearly hold sacred the image of the heavenly order. For the truth will be shown precisely after the resurrection, when we shall behold ‘face to face’ the holy tabernacle, ‘the city’ in the heavens, ‘whose builder and maker is God,’ and not through ‘riddles’ and ‘in part.’ ### Scripture references - Rom 7:14: quotation, high confidence - Heb 10:1: allusion, high confidence - 2 Cor 3:14–16: allusion, high confidence - Exod 25:40: allusion, high confidence - Heb 8:5: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 13:12: quotation, high confidence - Heb 11:10: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Plato, Resp. 597e (Plato (works)): echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations and allusions are Rom 7:14, Heb 10:1, 2 Cor 3:6, 14–16, Exod 25:40 with Heb 8:5, 1 Cor 13:12, and Heb 11:10. The Greek is garbled in places (“dyaQ-mvi-” for ἀγαθῶν, “Πέπων,” “Με γάρ”); the sense is clear. “Serve” takes the garbled φεραπεύομεν as θεραπεύομεν (ANF's text had “perceive”), and “For the truth has not yet come” reads “Με γάρ” as οὐ γάρ. “Third from the truth” echoes Plato, Republic 597e. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 5.7 (Bonwetsch, 61–62; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-7). ## Symposium 5.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-8 - Source: Bonwetsch, 62–63 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The bronze altar is the elders and widows; the golden altar within is the virgins, pure as gold, whose prayers rise like incense. ### Greek text Ἰουδαῖοι μὲν γὰρ τὰ ἡμέτερα προανεφώνησαν, ἡμεῖς Τε τὰ οὐράνια προαγγέλλομεν, ἐπειδήπερ ἡ μὲν σκηνὴ σύμβολον ἠν τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ἡ δὲ ἐκκλησία τῶν οὐρανῶν. διὸ τούτων οὔτως ἐχόντων καὶ τῆς σκηνῆς ἐν τύπῳ τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ὡς ἔφην, λαμβανομένης χρὴ καὶ τὰ θυσιαστήρια σύνθημά τι τῶν κατὰ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν πραγμάτων φέρειν, καὶ τὸ μὲν περικεχαλκωμένον ἀπεικάζεσθαι τῇ γερουσίᾳ καὶ τῷ περιβόλῳ τῶν χηρῶν (θεοῦ γάρ εἰσιν ἔμψυχος βωμός, ἀνακομίζοντες τοὺς μόσχους καὶ τὰς δεκάτας καὶ τὰ ἑκούσια θυσίας τελοῦμεν κυρίῳ), τὸ δὲ περίχρυσον θυσιαστήριον ενδον ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις τῶν ἁγίων ἀνακείμενον κατὰ πρόσωπον τοῦ μαρτυρίου. εἰς ὃ θυσίαν καὶ σπονδὴν ἀναφέρεσθαι, ταῖς ἐν παρθενίᾳ παραβλητέον, τῷ ἀκηράτῳ χρυσῷ τὰ ἄσηπτα συνουσίας σώματα κατησφαλισμέναις. δύο γὰρ ἄ εἰς ἔπαινον θρυλλοῦνται χρυσοῦ,. ὅτι τε ἰὸν οὐ παραδέχεται καὶ τὴν χροιὰν ταῖς ὴλίου μετρίως παραπλησιάζειν φαντάζεται βολαῖς· σύμβολον δὲ εἰκότως ἄρα τοῦτο τῆς ἁγνείας τῆς μὴ προσιεμένης ἐστὶ κηλῖδα καὶ σπῖλον, ἀλλὰ τῷ φωτὶ καταστραπτομένης ἀεὶ τοῦ λόγου. διὸ καὶ ἔνδον εἰς τὰ ἄγια τῶν ἀγίων ἕστηκε πλησιέστερον καὶ ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ πετάσματος, ἀχράντοις χερσὶ θυμιαμάτων δίκην τὰς προσευχὰς ἀναπέμπουσα κυρίῳ, δεκτὰς εἰς »ὀσμὴν εὐωδίας«. καθὼς καὶ Ἰωάννης ἐμήνυσε, τὰ θυμιάματα τὰ ἐν ταῖς φιάλαις τῶν κἰκοσιτεσσάρων πρεσβυτέρων προσευχὰς ἁγίων εἶναι φράσας. Ταῦτά σοι ὡς ἐκ τοῦ παραχρῆμα κἀγὼ κατὰ δύναμιν ὑπὲρ ἁγνείας, ὦ Ἀρετή, συμβάλλομαι. ### English translation (Claude) “For the Jews foretold our things, and we foretell the heavenly things, since the tabernacle was a symbol of the church, and the church of the heavens. So, this being the case, and the tabernacle being taken, as I said, as a type of the church, the altars too must bear some sign of the realities of the church: the one overlaid with bronze must be likened to the body of elders and the company of widows (for they are God's living altar, to whom we bring calves and tithes and freewill offerings and so offer sacrifices to the Lord); and the golden altar, set within in the holy of holies before the testimony, on which no sacrifice or drink offering is brought, must be compared to those in virginity, whose bodies, untouched by intercourse, are secured with pure gold. For two things are celebrated in praise of gold: that it does not admit rust, and that in colour it appears somewhat like the rays of the sun. It is fittingly, then, a symbol of chastity, which admits no stain or spot, but always flashes with the light of the Word. That is why it too stands within, nearer the holy of holies and before the veil, sending up prayers to the Lord with undefiled hands like incense, acceptable as ‘a fragrant odour.’ So John too indicated, saying that the incense in the bowls of the twenty-four elders is the prayers of the saints. This, Arete, is my contribution, as far as I can, on the spur of the moment, on behalf of chastity.” ### Scripture references - Exod 30:1–6: allusion, high confidence - Eph 5:2: quotation, medium confidence - Rev 5:8: allusion, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Pol. Phil. 4.3 (To the Philippians): echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Exod 30:1–6, Eph 5:2 (Phil 4:18), and Rev 5:8. “Body of elders” renders γερουσία, which may mean the presbyters or older members of the church. The negative in “on which no sacrifice or drink offering is brought” has fallen out of the digital text and is supplied from Exod 30:9. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 5.8 (Bonwetsch, 62–63; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/4-1/#p-5-8). ## Symposium 6.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-6-1 - Source: Bonwetsch, 63–65 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Agathe, the sixth speaker, says that every soul is created beautiful, in the image of the Only-begotten, and that the devil and his angels seek to defile it. ### Greek text Εἰπούσης δὲ ταῦτα τῆς Θαλλούσης ἡ Θεοπάτρα ἔφη τῷ σκήπτρῳ τὴν Ἀρετὴν ψαῦσαι τῆς Ἀγάθης, τὴν δʼ αἰσθομένην εὐθέως ἀναστῆναι καὶ ἀποκρίνασθαι ἔτι ὅτι Μετὰ πολλῆς εὐτολμίας καὶ πειθοῦς καὶ τῆς τοῦ καλῶς εἰπεῖν ὑπολήψεως, ὦ Ἀρετή, σοῦ παρο- μαρτούσης πειράοομαι δὴ κατὰ δύναμιν κἀγὼ ιἰς τὸ προκίμινον Αἰσενέγκασθαί τι, κατʼ ἐμαυτὴν μέντοι καὶ οὐ πρὸς τὰ εἰρημένα. οὐ γὰρ ἂν δυναίμην ἐφάμιλλα τούτοις οὕοτω ποικίλως καὶ λαμχρῶς ἀπειργασμένοις φιλοσοφεῖν· δόξω γὰρ ἀποφέρεσθαι ψόγον ἀβελτηρίας, εἰ τοῖς κατὰ σοφίαν ἐξισάζεσθαι κρείττοοσι προπηδῴην. εἰ οὖν ἀνέ- ξεσθε καὶ τῶν ὅπως ἂν τευχθῇ ῥητορευόντων, ἐπιχειρῶ λέγειν, οὐδὲν προθυμίας καθυφειμένη. ἀρκτέον δὲ ἐντεῦθεν. Ἀμήχανον, ὦ παρθένοι, κάλλος καὶ συγγενὲς τῇ σοφίᾳ καὶ πρόσ φορον ἅπαντες εἰς τὸν κόσμον κεκτημένοι τοῦτον ἀφικνούμεθα. ἀπηκρίβωνται γὰρ αἱ ψυχαὶ τῷ γεννήσαντι τότε μάλιστα καὶ πλασα- μένῳ, ὁπότε τὴν »καθʼ ὁμοίωσιν« ἰδέαν ἄχραντον ἐκλάμπουσαι καὶ τοὺςω χαρακτῆρας τῆς ὄφεως ἐκείνης, πρὸς, )̀ν ἀφορῶν ὁ Μς ἀ8 áνατον μορφὴν καὶ όνώΜρον ἐχούσας αὐτὰς ἀπειργάςετο, τοιαῦται διαμί- νουσι. τὸ γὰρ ἀγέγνητον κάλλος καὶ ἀσώματον καὶ μή τε ἀρχόμενον μήτε φθῖνον, ἀλλʼ ἄτρεπτον καὶ ἀγήρων καὶ ἀπροσδεὲς αὐτὸ ἐν ὲαυτφ͂ καὶ [εἐς] αὐτὸ φῶς ἐν ἀφρáστοις καὶ ἀπροσίτοις ἐναπαυόμενον, ἐζουσίας περιουσίᾳ πάντα περιέχον καὶ κτίζον καὶ μετασκευάζον ἐτε- κτήνατο »xar εἰκόνα τῆς εἰκόνος ἑαυτοῦ τὴν φυχήν. οἷό xal λογικὴ καὶ ἀθáνατός ἐστι·, κατʼ εἰκόνα yaQ όημιουργηΜσa τοῦ μονογενοῦς, ὡς ἔφην, Ανυπέρβλητον ἔχει τὸ κάλλος. οἷο δὴ καὶ. τὰ χνευματικὰ τῆς πονηρίας. ἐρῶσιν αὐτῆς καὶ ἐφεόρεύουσι, χρᾶναι βιαζόμενα τὴν ΠΓοείκελον αἲτῆς ἐκείνην καὶ ἐπέραστον ἰδέαν, ωοσπερ όὴ καὶ ὁ προφή- της Ἱερεμίας παρίστησιν ὀνειδίζων Ἱερουσαλήμ »ὄψις πόρνης ἐγένετό σοι· ἀπηναισχύντησας ἀπέναντι τῶν ἐραστῶν σου«, τὴν παρασχοῦσαν ἑαυτὴν ταῖς ἀντικειμέναις δυνάμεσιν εἰς βεβήλωσιν λέγων. ἐρασταὶ γάρ εἰσιν ὁ διάβολος καὶ οἱ περὶ αὐτὸν ἄγγελοι, οἱ τὸ λογικὸν ἡμῶν καὶ διορατικὸν τῆς φρονήσεως κάλλος μιαλίνειν καὶ μολύνειν τῇ ἑαυτῶν ἐπιμιξίᾳ τεχναζόμενοι καὶ μοιχοὶ γενέσθαι πάσης τῆς τῷ κυρίῳ νενυμφευμένης ἐπιθυμοῦντες ψυχῆς. ### English translation (Claude) When Thallousa had said this, Theopatra said, Arete touched Agathe with her sceptre, and she, perceiving it, at once rose and answered: “With great confidence and persuasion, and with the hope of speaking well, Arete, since you accompany me, I too will try, as far as I can, to contribute something to the subject, but in my own way and not in answer to what has been said. For I could not philosophize on a level with these speeches, worked out so variously and brilliantly; I would seem to earn a reproach for foolishness if I leapt forward to make myself equal to those superior in wisdom. If, then, you will bear with those who make speeches however they can, I will attempt to speak, abating nothing of my eagerness. I must begin from here. Virgins, we all come into this world possessing an indescribable beauty, akin and suited to wisdom. For souls resemble most closely him who begot and formed them when, shining with the undefiled form ‘according to the likeness’ and the features of that countenance to which God looked when he made them, having an immortal and indestructible form, they remain such. For the unbegotten and incorporeal beauty, which neither begins nor fades, but is unchangeable and ageless and needs nothing, itself in itself, itself light, resting in unspeakable and unapproachable places, embracing and creating and re-shaping all things by the abundance of its power, made the soul ‘according to the image’ of its own image. That is why it is rational and immortal; for, created according to the image of the Only-begotten, as I said, it has an unsurpassable beauty. That is why ‘the spiritual forces of wickedness’ too love it and plot against it, forcing themselves to defile that godlike and lovely form of it, as the prophet Jeremiah shows when he reproaches Jerusalem: ‘You had the face of a harlot; you became shameless toward your lovers,’ speaking of the soul that gives itself up to the opposing powers to be profaned. For the lovers are the devil and his angels, who contrive to stain and defile by their intercourse the rational and clear-sighted beauty of our understanding, and desire to become adulterers of every soul betrothed to the Lord. ### Scripture references - Gen 1:26: quotation, high confidence - 1 Tim 6:16: allusion, high confidence - Eph 6:12: quotation, high confidence - Jer 3:3: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Gen 1:26 and Eph 6:12; the allusions are 1 Tim 6:16 and Jer 3:3 (LXX). The digital text of this section is badly damaged by OCR errors (Latin letters and apparatus mixed into the Greek); the translation follows the evident sense (e.g. “ὁ Μς ἀ8 áνατον” for “ὁ θεὸς ἀθάνατον,” “God … immortal”). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 6.1 (Bonwetsch, 63–65; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-6-1). ## Symposium 6.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-6-2 - Source: Bonwetsch, 65–66 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The soul's beauty is kept by virginity; the ten virgins of the parable are believers, the wise truly practising virginity and the foolish only professing it. ### Greek text Ἐὰν οὖν ἀμόλυντον τοῦτο τηρήσῃ τις τὸ κάλλος καὶ ἀσινὲς καὶ τοιοῦτον, ὁποῖον αὐτὸς ὁ συστησάμενος αὐτὸ καὶ ζωγραφήσας ἀπετύπωσε, τὴν αἰώνιον ἀπομιμησάμενος φύσιν καὶ νοητήν, ἧς καὶ χαρακτήρ ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος καὶ ἀπεικόνισμα, γεγονὼς οἶον ἄγαλμά τι περικαλλέστατον καὶ ἱερόν, ἐντεῦθεν μετενεχθεὶς εἰς τὴν μακάρων πόλιν τοὺς οὐρανούς, ὥσπερ ἐν ναῷ κατοικισθήσεται. ἄχραντον τὸ κάλλος ἡμῶν ἄριστα τηρεῖται τότε καὶ ἀσφαλῶς, ὁπόταν δὴ παρθενίᾳ σκεπόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ καύσωνος ἔξωθεν μὴ μελαίνηται τῆς φθορᾶς, ἀλλʼ αὐτὸ ἐφʼ ἑαυτοῦ μένον δικαιοσύῃ κοσμῆται, νυμφαγωγούμενον τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ θεοῦ· ὄν τρόπον δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς εἰσηγεῖται, χρῆναι παραινῶν ὥσπερ ἐν λαμπάσιν > ταῖς σφετέραις σαρξὶ τὸ φῶς ἄσβεστον ἀνακαίεσθαι τῆς ἡγνείας, ἐπειδήπερ ὁ τῶν δέκα παρθένων ἀριθμὸς τὰς εἰς Ἰησοῦν πεπιστευκυίας ἀναμετρεῖσθαι βούλεται ψυχάς, τῷ ݲ τὴν ἀπευθύνουσαν μό νην ὁδὸν εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ἀποτυπούμενος. ἀλλʼ αἱ μὲν πέντε ἔμφρονες ἐτύγχανον ἄρα καὶ σοφαί, αἱ δὲ πέντε »μωραὶ« καὶ ἄσοφοί τινες· οὐ γὰρ ἐπρομηθεύσαντο ἐλαίου σφῶν τὰ ἀγγεῖα πλήρη παρασκευάσαι, δικαιοσύνης ἀπομείνασαι κεναί. αἰνίσσεται γὰρ διὰ τούτων τὰς ἐπὶ πέρατα παρθενίας έπισπερχομένας ἐλθεῖν καὶ πάντα εἰς τὸ συμπληρωθῆναι τὸν ἔρωτα τοῦτον κοσμίως δρώσας καὶ σωφρόνως, καὶ τὰς ἐπαγγελλομένας μὲν καἰ σεμνυνομένας τοῦτο σκοπεῖν, ὀλιγωρούσας δὲ καὶ ἡττωμένας τοῦ κόσμου ταῖς ἐξαλλαγαῖς καὶ ὤσπερ σκιαγραφούσας μᾶλλον εἴδωλον ἀρετῆς ἢ αὐτὴν ἐργαζομένας ἔμπνουν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. ### English translation (Claude) “If, then, someone keeps this beauty unstained and unharmed, and such as he who formed and painted it moulded it, imitating the eternal and intelligible nature, of which man is the impress and likeness, becoming like a most beautiful and holy statue, he will be carried from here to the city of the blessed, the heavens, and will be made to dwell there as in a temple. Our beauty is best and most safely kept undefiled when, sheltered by virginity, it is not blackened by the scorching heat of corruption from outside, but, remaining by itself, is adorned with righteousness, being led as a bride to the Son of God. So he himself teaches, exhorting us to keep the unquenchable light of chastity burning in our own flesh as in lamps. For the number of the ten virgins signifies the souls that have believed in Jesus, representing by the letter iota [ten] the only road leading straight to the heavens. But five were prudent and wise, and five ‘foolish’ and unwise; for they did not take care to have their vessels filled with oil, and remained empty of righteousness. By these he hints at those who hasten to reach the goal of virginity and do everything decently and chastely to fulfil this love, and at those who profess and pride themselves on aiming at it, but are careless and overcome by the changes of the world, and are like people sketching an outline of virtue rather than working out its living truth. ### Scripture references - Matt 25:1–13: allusion, high confidence - Song 1:6: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Matt 25:1–13 and Song 1:6 (the bride darkened by the sun). The number ten is written as the letter iota (ι), which is also the initial of Jesus' name (Ἰησοῦς). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 6.2 (Bonwetsch, 65–66; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-6-2). ## Symposium 6.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-6-3 - Source: Bonwetsch, 66–67 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The five wise virgins are the five senses kept pure; the flesh is a five-lighted lamp carried to Christ at the resurrection, and the oil is wisdom and righteousness. ### Greek text Τὸ γὰρ λεγόμενον ὡμοιῶσθαι τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν ούρανῶν δέκα παρθένοις, αἵτινες« ἔλαβον »τὰς λαμπάδας ἑαυτῶν καὶ ἐξῆλθον« ἀπαντήσουσαι τῷ νυμφίῳ, σημαίνειν βούλεται τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ ἐπιτηδεύματος πάσας ἐπαανῃρημένας, διὰ τὴν ἔμφασιν τοῦ ιݲ ἐστείλαντο μὲν γὰρ αἱ > παραπλησίως ἑαυτὰς εἰς τοῦτο καθομολογήσασαι, καὶ ταύτῃ κικλήσκονται δέκα, ἐπειδὴ τὴν αὐτήν, ὡς ἔφην, εἴλοντο πρόθεσιν· οὐκέτι δὲ ὁμοίως ἐξῆλθον ὑπαντήσουσαι τῷ νυμφίῳ. αἱ μὲν γὰρ τροφὴν ἄφθονον καὶ εἰσαῦθις ἐπορίσαντο ταῖς ἐλαιοθρέπτοις λαμπάσιν, αἱ δὲ κατερρᾳθύμησαν, τοῦ παρόντος μόνον ἐπιμεληθεῖσαι. διὸ δὴ καὶ ἰσάριθμοι πρὸς πέντε διαιροῦνται, ἐπειδήπερ τὰς πέντε αἰσθήσεις οἱ μὲν αὐτῶν ἐφυλάξαντο καθαρὰς καὶ παρθένους ἁμαρτημάτων, ἃς οἱ πλεῖστοι σοφίας προσηγόρευσαν πύλας, αἱ δὲ τοὐναντίον πλήθεσιν ἀδικημάτων ἐλωβήσαντο φυράσασαι κακίᾳ. ὲγκρατευοάμεναι γὰρ καὶ ἁγνεύσασαι όικαιοσύνης εὐφόρησαν μa-λλον χαραπτώμασιν· ἐξ οὖ δὴ καὶ ουνέβη τῶν Μιων ἔξω περιβόλων ἀποκλεισθείσας όπarορευθῆναι. έίτε yaQ κατορθοῦμεν ἕτε πλημμε- λοῦμεν, διὰ τούτων ὲκάτερα καὶ τὰ ἀνόραγαθήματα κρατύνεται καὶ τὰ κακοπραγήματα. καὶ ωοσπερ ἡ Θάλλουσα καὶ ψαλμῶν ἁγνείαν ἔφη καὶ ὤτων εἶναι καὶ γλώσσης καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν καΜης αιΜητη- ρΙων, ουοτω όὴ καὶ ἐνταΜα τὴν πίστιν ἄσυλον ἡ φυλαξαμένη τῶν \ πέντε διόόων τῆς ἀρετῆς, ὁράσεως, γεύοεως, ὀσφρήσεως, ἁφῆς τε καὶ ἀκοῆς, πέντε προσαγορεύεται παρΜνοι, διὰ τὸ τàς πέντε τῆς αἰοkι- σεως ἁγνὰς ἀποκαταστῆσαι xcö Χριστῷ φαντασίας, ἀφ ἑκάστης αὐτῶν oia λαμπτὴρ τὴν ὁσιότητα λάμπουσa τρανῶς. ἡ γὰρ πεντάφωτος ἡμῶν ὡς dXtjd^ö^g λαμπὰς ἡ οάρξ ἐστιν, i]v ἡ ψυχὴ βαστάζουσα όᾳδὸς δίκην xcö νυμφίῳ καρίσταται Χριστῷ τῇ ἡμέραι τῆς ἀναστáσεως, χαραφαίνουσa διà πασῶν τῶν αιΜήσεων διΜρώσκουσαν λαμπρὰν τὴν ἐͅστιν· καθὼς αὐτὸς ἐδΛ́αξεν εἰπών. πῦρ ἦλθον βαλεῖν έͅς τὴν yjjv, καὶ τί ἤθελον εἰ ἤδη όνήφθη;‘ yl]v ἡμῶν τὰ σκηνώματα φράσας, εΙς α0 ἐβούλετο ταχέως ἀναφθῆναι τὴν ὀξυκίνητον τῆς όιόασκαλίας αὐτοῦ καὶ διáπυρον πρa-ζιν. τὸ γὰρ ἴλαιον τῇ σοφίᾳ καὶ τῇ δικαιο- σΜνν παραβλητέον· ἀνομβρούσης γὰρ ταῦτα τῆς ψυχῆς ἀφθόνως καὶ ἐπιχεούσης xä σώματι εἰς υοψος ἀναφλἐγεται τῆς όρετῆς ἄσβεοτον. τὸ φῶς, ἔμπροσθεp τῶν Μ̓ρώπωνι ἐκλάμπον τὰς πράξεις τὰς καλáς, ωοστε όοξασθῆναι. τὸν πατέρa‘. τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς‘. ### English translation (Claude) “For the saying that the kingdom of heaven is like ten virgins who ‘took their lamps and went out’ to meet the bridegroom means that all had taken up the same road of this way of life, as the ten [iota] indicates. For they all set out alike, having professed themselves to it, and in this respect they are called ten, since, as I said, they chose the same purpose; but they did not go out alike to meet the bridegroom. For some provided abundant food, and for later too, for their oil-fed lamps, while others were careless and cared only for the present. That is why they are divided equally into fives, since some of them kept pure and virgin from sins the five senses, which most have called the gates of wisdom, while the others, on the contrary, defiled them by kneading them with vice through a multitude of wrongs. For, though they practised continence and chastity, they bore more fruit of transgressions than of righteousness; and from this it came about that they were shut out of the divine enclosures and turned away. For whether we do right or do wrong, both our good deeds and our misdeeds are strengthened through these senses. And as Thallousa said that there is a chastity of the eyes and ears and tongue and the rest of the senses, so too here the one who has kept her faith inviolate through the five pathways of virtue, sight, taste, smell, touch, and hearing, is called five virgins, because she has restored to Christ the five images of perception pure, from each of them clearly shining holiness like a lamp. For our flesh is truly a lamp with five lights, which the soul carries like a torch and presents to the Bridegroom, Christ, on the day of the resurrection, showing through all the senses her faith shining brightly; as he himself taught, saying, ‘I came to cast fire on the earth, and how I wish it were already kindled!’, calling our bodies ‘earth,’ in which he wished the quick-moving and fiery practice of his teaching to be kindled speedily. For the oil must be compared to wisdom and righteousness; for when the soul pours these out abundantly and sheds them on the body, the light of virtue is kindled unquenchable on high, making good deeds shine ‘before men,’ so that ‘the Father in heaven’ may be ‘glorified.’ ### Scripture references - Matt 25:1: quotation, high confidence - Luke 12:49: quotation, high confidence - Matt 5:16: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Matt 25:1, Luke 12:49, and Matt 5:16. The digital text is heavily damaged by OCR here; words such as “divine” (ταῖν Μιων), “virgins,” “senses,” and “faith” are read from context. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 6.3 (Bonwetsch, 66–67; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-6-3). ## Symposium 6.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-6-4 - Source: Bonwetsch, 67–69 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The lamp of the old law gave way to the Sun of righteousness; the parable's delay, sleep, midnight, and cry signify the time before Christ's coming, death, the Antichrist's reign, and the resurrection trumpet. ### Greek text Τοιοῦτον ἔλαιον ἄρα κἀκεΙνοι προσέφερον ἐν τῷ Λευἰ·τικῶ, »ἄτρυγον ἔλαιον, Μαρόν, κεκομμένον καῦσαι λύχνον ὲ́ζω τοῦ κατα- πετάσματος ἔναντι κυρίου«. ἀλλʼ ἐκείνοις μὲν βραχύτατον φῶς προσετέτακτο θεραπεύειν »ἀφʼ ἑσπέρας εἰς ἕω«. ὁ γάρ τοι αὐτῶν ἔοικεν εἰκάζεσθαι τῷ λόγῳ τῷ προφητικῷ τὴν ἐπὶ σωφροσύνῃ φαίνοντι παρρησίαν, τρεφόμενος ἀπὸ τῶν πράξεων καὶ τῆς πίστεως τοῦ λαοῦ, ὁ δὲ ναὸς τῷ »σχοινίσματι τῆς κληρονομιας«, ἐπειδήπερ λύχνος περὶ οἶκον ἔνα μόνον δύναται φαίνειν. πρὸ τῆς ἡμέρας οὖν ἐχρῆν τοῦτον καίεσθαι τὸν λύχνον· »καύσουσι« γάρ φησιν »αὐτὸν ἕως πρωΐ«, τουτέστιν ἔως τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ Χριστοῦ. ὄτι τοῦ ὴλίου« τῆς ὰγνείας άνατείλαντος καὶ τῆς δικαιοσύνης. οὐ χρεία λύχνου. ὄσον μὲν οὖν ὁ λεὼς ἐκεῖνος χρόνον ἀπεθησαύριζε τὰ τρέφοντα τὸν λύχνον ἐπιχορηγῶν τὸ ἔλαιον διὰ τῶν ἔργων, ὁ λύχνος αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἔσβεστο τῆς σωφροσύνης, ἀλλʼ ἠν φαινόμενος ἀεὶ καὶ λάμπων ἐν τῷ »σχοινίσματι τῆς κληρονομίας.· ὄτε δὲ ἐπέλιπε τὸ ἔλαιον ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως εἰς ἀκολασίαν αὐτῶν ἐκτροπαλιζομένων, ὁ λύχνος ἄρδην ἀπεσβέσθη, ἴνα δὴ πάλιν ἐξαστράψωσι τὰς λαμπάδας ἐπαλλήλοις διαδοχαῖς ἄνωθεν αἱ παρθένοι τῷ κόσμῳ πυρσεύουσαι τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν. χορηγητέον οὖν δὴ τὸ ἄτρυγον ἔλαιον καὶ νῦν τῶν καλῶν ἔργων ἀδεῶς καὶ τῆς συνέσεως, πάσης κάτω βριθούσης ἀφυλισμένον φθορᾶς, ἴνα μὴ »χρονίσαντος τοῦ νυμφίου« σβεσθῶσιν ὁμοίως καὶ ἡμῶν αἱ λαμπάδες. ὁ γάρ τοι χρονισμός ἐστι τὸ πρὸ τῆς παρουσίας διάστημα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁ δὲ νυσταγμὸς καὶ ἡ κοίμλησις τῶν δέκα παρθένων ἡ ἔξοδος ἀπὸ τοῦ βίου, τὸ δὲ μεσονὐκτιον ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ ἀντιχρίστου, καθʼ ἤν ὁ ὀλοθρευτὴς ἄγγελος ἐπιπορεύεται τὰς οἰκίας. ἡ δὲ κραυγὴ ἡ γεγενημένη καὶ λέγουσα »ἰδοὺ ὁ νυμφίος ἔρκεται· ἐξέρχεσθε εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτοῦ‘ ἡ φωνή ἐστιν ἡ ἀπὸ τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ ἡ σάλπιγξ, ὁπότε πάντεσ ἐξαναστάντων αὐτοῖς οἱ ἄγιοι τῶν σωμάτων ἐπὶ νεφελῶν οἰχήσονται, »slg τὴν ἀπάντησιν‘ ἁρπα- σΜντες, τοῦ κυρίοὑ. προσεκτέον γὰρ ὅτι μετà τὴν κραυγὴν ἐγη- γέρθαι πάσας ὲ͂φη τὰς παρΜνους ό λόγος, τουτέστι μετὰ τὴν ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐνεχθεῖσαν βοὴν ἀναστήσεσθαι τοὺς νεκρούς· ωος που καὶ Παῦλος παρεΠυᾷ, ὅτι Ατὸς ὁ κύριοςσ λέγων ^ev κελεύσματιι ἐν φωνῇ ἀρχαrrέλου καὶ ἐν σάλπιrrι θεοῦ καταβήσεται ἀπ οὐρανοῦ. καὶ οὶ νεκροὶ ἐν Χριοτῷ ἀναστήσονται πρῶτον‘ (τουτέστι τὰ σκηνώ- ματα· ἐνεκρώθησαν γὰρ ἀπαμφιασΜντα τῶν ψυχῶν)· Π̓́πειτα ἡμεῖς οἱ ςῶντες ἅμα σὺν αὐτοῖς ἁρπαγησόμΑαa, τὰς ψυχὰς λέγων· ἡ μεὶς γὰρ κυρίως οἱ ςῶντές ἐσμεν αἱ φυχαί, αἵτινες μετὰ τῶν σωμáτων, ἀπειληφυῖαι ταῦται ἐν νεφέλαις ὑπαντησόμεθα τὰς λαμπάόας φἐρου- φέρουσαί κεκοσμημένας οὐκ ἀλλοτρίῳ καὶ κοσμικῷ κόσμω̣ τινί, ἀλλὰ xm φρονήσεως καὶ σωφροσύνης, ἄστρων όίκην ἀποστιλβόντων σέλας αὐγῆς αἰθερίου πεπληρωμένον. ### English translation (Claude) “Such oil, then, those in Leviticus too offered, ‘pure oil, clear, beaten, to burn a lamp outside the veil before the Lord.’ But they were commanded to tend a very small light, ‘from evening until morning.’ For their lamp seems to be likened to the prophetic word, which shows forth boldness for self-control, nourished by the deeds and the faith of the people; and the temple to ‘the allotted portion of the inheritance,’ since a lamp can give light only around one house. This lamp, then, had to burn before the day; ‘for they shall burn it,’ he says, ‘until morning,’ that is, until the coming of Christ. For when ‘the sun’ of chastity and ‘of righteousness’ has risen, there is no need of a lamp. As long, then, as that people stored up what fed the lamp, supplying the oil through their works, the lamp of self-control was not quenched for them, but was always shining and giving light in ‘the allotted portion of the inheritance.’ But when the oil failed, as they turned aside from faith to licentiousness, the lamp was utterly put out, so that the virgins might once more flash forth their lamps in successive relays from above, kindling incorruption for the world as a beacon. So now too we must supply without fear the pure oil of good works and understanding, strained of all corruption that weighs down, so that, ‘when the bridegroom is delayed,’ our lamps too may not likewise go out. For the delay is the interval before the coming of Christ; the drowsiness and sleep of the ten virgins is the departure from life; and the midnight is the reign of the Antichrist, during which the destroying angel goes through the houses. And the cry that arose saying, ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him,’ is the voice from heaven and the trumpet, when, all the saints having risen with their bodies, they will go on the clouds, caught up ‘to meet’ the Lord. For we must notice that the word says that after the cry all the virgins were awakened, that is, that after the shout brought from heaven the dead will rise; as Paul too declares, saying: ‘For the Lord himself, with a command, with the voice of an archangel and with the trumpet of God, will descend from heaven, and the dead in Christ will rise first’ (that is, the bodies, for they died when stripped of the souls); ‘then we who are living will be caught up together with them,’ meaning the souls. For we who are living are properly the souls, who, having received back these bodies, will meet him in the clouds, carrying our lamps adorned not with any foreign and worldly adornment, but with prudence and self-control, full of the brightness of heavenly radiance, gleaming like stars. ### Scripture references - Lev 24:2–3: quotation, high confidence - Exod 27:20–21: allusion, high confidence - Ps 105:11 (104:11 LXX): quotation, medium confidence - Mal 4:2 (3:20 LXX): allusion, high confidence - Rev 21:23: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 25:5–6: quotation, high confidence - Exod 12:23: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Thess 4:16–17: quotation, high confidence - Dan 12:3: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Lev 24:2–3 (with Exod 27:20–21), Ps 105:11 (104:11 LXX, “allotted portion of the inheritance”), Mal 4:2 (3:20 LXX), Matt 25:5–6, and 1 Thess 4:16–17; the allusions are Rev 21:23 and Exod 12:23. The digital text is damaged by OCR in the Pauline quotation; the sense is certain. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 6.4 (Bonwetsch, 67–69; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-6-4). ## Symposium 6.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-6-5 - Source: Bonwetsch, 69–70 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Agathe ends with the virgins' reward, betrothal to the Word and a place in Christ's heavenly chorus, and urges the young to fill their lamps and meet the Bridegroom. ### Greek text Ταῦτα τῶν ἡμετέρων, oj καλλιπάρθενοι, τὰ ὄργια μυστηρίων· αὖται τῶν ἐν παρΜνίᾳ μυσταγωγηΜντων αἱ τελεταί· ταῦτα τὰ ἐπίχειρα, τῶν ἀμιάντων ἄθλων‘ τῆς σωφροσύνης. νυμφεύομαι xcö λόγῳ καὶ τὸν ἀίδιον τῆς όφθαρσίας προῖκα λαμβόνω στέφανον καὶ πλοῦτον παρὰ τοῦ πατρός, καὶ 9ἐν τοῖς αἰῶσι οτεφανηφοροῦσα πομ- πεύὡ xd λαμπρὰ καὶ ἀμάραντα τῆς σοφίας ἄνΜι· συγχορεύω βρα- βεύοντι τῷ Χριστῷ κὰτ οὐρανὸν ἀμφὶ τὸν ἄναρχον καὶ όνώλεθρον βασιλέα ἀδύτων γἐγονα λαμπαδηφόρος φώτων κω ἐφυμνῶ τὸ καινὸν μετὰ τῆς ὁμηγύρεως ἆσμα τῶν ἀρχαγγέλων, τὴν καινὴν χáριν ἐζαγ- γέλλουσa τῆς ἐκκλησίας· ξυνέπεσθαι γὰρ ἀεὶ τὸν ὅμιλον τῶν παρ- Μνων τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ συνθιασωτεύειν ἔνθα ἂν έίη, λόγος ἠχεῖ. καὶ τοῦτο καὶ Ἰωάννης ἐν τῇ περὶ τῶν ἑκατὸν τεσσαράκοντα χιλιάδων καὶ τεσσάρων αἰνίσσεται μνήμῃ. ἴτε οὖν, ὦ νεολαία τῶν κανῶν αἰώνων, ἴτε τὰ ἀγγεῖα πληρώσατε σφῶν δικαιοσύνης· ὤρα γὰρ λοιπὸν ἐξεγείρεσθαι καὶ ὑπαντάζειν τῷ νυμφίῳ. ἴτε τὰς ἴϋγγας καὶ καὶ τὰ θέλγητρα κούφως παραμείψασαι τοῦ βίου τὰ περιδινοῦντα καὶ γοητεύοντα τὴν ψυχήν· τεύξεσθε γὰρ ταῖν ἐπαγγελμάτων, ναὶ "μὰ τὸν ἁμετέρας" ζωᾶς δείξαντνα κέλευθον. Σοὶ τόνοδε πλεκτὸν στέφανον ἐκ τῶν προφητικῶν λειμώνων, ὠ Ἀρετή, κἀγὼ κοσμήσασα προσφέρω. ### English translation (Claude) “These, fair virgins, are the rites of our mysteries; these the initiations of those initiated into virginity; these the rewards of ‘the undefiled prizes’ of self-control. I am betrothed to the Word, and receive as dowry from the Father the eternal crown of incorruption and wealth; and ‘in the ages I march crowned’ with the bright and unfading flowers of wisdom. I join the dance with Christ, who gives the prize in heaven, around the King without beginning and without end; I have become a torch-bearer of unsetting lights, and I sing the new song with the company of the archangels, proclaiming the new grace of the church. For the word declares that the company of virgins always follows the Lord and shares his festal company wherever he may be. John too hints at this in his mention of the hundred and forty-four thousand. Come, then, young people of the new ages, come, fill your vessels with righteousness; for it is now time to rise and go to meet the Bridegroom. Come, passing lightly by the spells and charms of life that whirl about and bewitch the soul; for you will obtain the promises, yes, by him who showed the path of our life. This woven crown from the prophetic meadows, Arete, I too have adorned and offer to you.” ### Scripture references - Rev 14:3–4: allusion, high confidence - Matt 25:6–7: allusion, high confidence - 1 Pet 5:4: echo, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Wis 4:2 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence - Carm. aur. 47 (Golden Verses (Pythagorean)): allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations and allusions are Wis 4:2, Rev 14:3–4, and Matt 25:6–7. The closing oath, in Doric Greek (“yes, by him who showed the path of our life”), parodies the Pythagorean oath “by him who gave the tetraktys to our soul” (Golden Verses 47). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 6.5 (Bonwetsch, 69–70; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-6-5). ## Symposium 7.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-1 - Source: Bonwetsch, 70–72 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Procilla, the seventh speaker, lets Christ himself be the witness to chastity, as the Bridegroom of the Song of Songs who praises the virgin soul as his bride, a sealed garden. ### Greek text Διαπεραναμένης οὖν ἄριστα καὶ Ἀγάθης, ἴφη, τὸν λόγον καὶ εὐδοκιμησάσης ἐφʼ οἶς ἰσηγόρησεν, πάλιν ἡ Ἀρετὴ τὴν Πρόκιλλαν ἐκέλευσε λέγειν. Ἡ δὲ ἀναστᾶσα καὶ ἔμπροσθεν παρελθοῦσα τῆς κλισιάδος ἔλεξε τοιάδε· Ἀπορρᾶθυμεῖν καὶ μετὰ τοσούτους οὐ θέμις μοι λόμους, CO Ἀρετή, ἀναμφισβητήτως πεπιστευκυῖαν τῇ »πολυποικίλῳ τοῦ θεοῦ σοφίᾳ«,, πλουσίως ἐχούσῃ διδόναι καὶ διαφόρως ὄτῳ βούλεται. καὶ γὰρ πελάγιοι πλωτῆρές φασι φέρεσθαι μὲν τοῖς ναυτιλλομένοις τὸ αὐτὸ πνεῦμα, ἄλλους δὲ τὰ περὶ τὸν πλοῦν ἀλλοίως αὐτῶν] μετα- χειριζομένους οὐκ εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν εἰσορμίσασθαι σπεύδειν· οἶς μὲν γὰρ τὸ πνεῦμα κατὰ πρύμναν οὔριον ἵσταται, τοὺς δὲ καὶ ἐξ φέρει, καὶ ὅμως ἑκατέροις ὁ πλοῦς ἀνύεται ῥᾷστα. ἀτὰρ δὴ τῆς σοφίας νοερὸν πνεῦμα καὶ ἃγιον καὶ μονογενές«, ἀπὸ πατρῴων ἄνωθεν πράως καταπνεόμενον θησαυρῶν, πάσαις ἡμῖν λιγυρὸν οὖρον πνεῦσαν γνώσεως ἐπαρκέσει τὸν δρόμον ἀλύπως ἀπευθῦναι τῶν λόγων· ἐμοὶ γὰρ καιρὸς ἤδη λέγειν. Εῖς τρόπος Μὴς ἐπαίνων οὑτός ἐστιν, ώ παρθένοι, καὶ σεμνός, ὁπόταν ὁ ἐπαινῶν τοῦ ἐπαινουμένου τῶν ἐπαίνων κρείττονα παρέχῃ μάρτυρα· πάρεστι γὰρ ἐντεῦθεν μαθεῖν ἀκριβῶς, ὄτι μὴ πρὸς χάριν μηδὲ ἐξ ἀνάγκης μηδὲ κατὰ δόξαν ἡ εὐφημία γίνεται τῶν λόγων, ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἀλήθειαν καὶ ἀθώπευτον κρίσιν. καὶ γὰρ οἱ πληρέ- στερον εἰσηγησάμενοι περὶ τοῦ πρὸ αἰώνων υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ προφῆται καὶ ἀπόστολοι καὶ μᾶλλον αὐτὸν τῶν ἄλλων θεολογήσαντες ἀνθρώπων οὐκ εἰς ἀγγελικὴν ἀνήγαγον αὐτῷ ῥῆσιν τοὺς ἐπαίνους, ἀλλ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν ἀνημμένον πάντων τὸ κῦρος καὶ τὸ κράτος· ἦν γὰρ ἐμπρεπὲς τὸν ἁπάντων μείζονα τῶν ἄλλων μετὰ τὸν πατέρα μόνῳ τῷ ἑαυτοῦ μείζονι πατρὶ χρήσασθαι μάρτυρι. καὶ δὴ καὶ τῆς ἁγνείας οὐκ εἰς ἀνθρωπίνην ἀνοίσω κάγὼ δόξαν τοὺς ἐπαίνους, ἀλλʼ εἰς αὐτόν, ᾦ μέλομεν καὶ ὅς τὸ πᾶν ἀνῄρηται, γεωργὸν αὐτῆς ἀποδεικνύουσα τοῦτον καὶ ἐραστὴν τῆς ὥρας ὄντα καὶ ἀξιόχρεω μάρτυρα. καὶ τοῦτο καὶ ἐν τῷ τῶν Ἀθσνλατωβ Ἄισματι πάρεστι διαθρῆσαι τῷ βουλομένῳ φανερῶς, ἔνθα αὐτὸς ὁ Χριστὸς τὰς ἐν παρθνίᾳ παγίως καταγεγενημένας ἐγκωμιάζων φησίν »ὡς κρίνον ἐν μέσῳ ἀκΜῶν, οὕτως ἡ πλησίον μου ἐν μέσῳ τῶν θυγατέρων«, κρίνῳ πρεικάζων διὰ τὸ καθαρὸν καὶ εὔπνουν καὶ ἡδὺ καὶ ἱλαρὸν τὸ χάρισμα τῆς ἁγνείας· ἐαρινὸν γὰρ ἡ ἁγνεία καὶ ἐπανθοῦν ἁβρῶς ἀεὶ λευκοῖς τοῖς κάλυξι τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν. ὅθεν δὴ καὶ ἐρᾶσθαι τοῦ κάλλους τῆς ἀκμῆς αὐτῆς ὁμολογεῖν οὐκ ἐπαισχύνεται, »ἐκαρδίωσας ἡμᾶς« ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς ἀδελφή μου νύμφη«, λέγων »ἐκαρδίωσας ἡμᾶς ἑνὶ ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν σου, ἐν μιᾷ, ἐνθέματι τραχήλου σου. ὅτι ἐκαλλιώθησαν θησαν μαστοί σου ἀπὸ οἴνου, καὶ ὀσμὴ ἱματίων σου ὑπὲρ πάντα τὰ ἀρώματ. κηρίον ἀποστάζουσι χείλη σου, νύμφη· μέλι καὶ γάλα ὑπὸ τὴν γλῶσσάν σου, καὶ ὀσμὴ ἱματίων σου ὡς ὀσμὴ λιβάνου. κῆπος κεκλεισμένος, ἀδελφή μου νύμφη, κῆπος κεκλεισμένος, πηγὴ ἐσφραγισμένη«. Χριστὸς Χριστὸς ταῖς ἐπὶ πέρατα παρθενίας ἐλθούσαις τὰ ἐγκώμια ψάλλει, πάσας ἑνὶ περιγράψας τῷ νύμφης ὀνόματι, ἐπειδὴ τὴν νύμφην ὴρμόσθαι μὲν δεῖ καὶ κατωνομάσθαι τῷ ἄχραντον δὲ ἔτι καὶ ἀμιγῆ τυγχάνειν, παράδεισον ὥσπερ ἐσφραγισμένην, ἐν ᾡ πάντα τῆς εὐωδίας τῶν οὐρανῶν φύει τὰ ἀρώματα, ἴνα μόνος ἐλθὼν αὐτὰ δρέψηται Χριστὸς ἀσωμάτοις βλαστήσαντα σποραῖς. ἐρᾷ γὰρ ὁ λόγος οὐδενὸς τῶν σαρκός, ὅτι μὴ πέφυκεν ἀποδέχεσθαί τι τῶν φθειρομένων, οἷον χεῖρας ἢ πρόσωπον ἢ πόδας, ἀλλʼ εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ ἄϋλον καὶ πνευματικὸν βλέπων εὐφραίνεται κάλλος, μὴ ἁπτόμενος τοῦ ὥρας. τῆς ὥρας. ### English translation (Claude) When Agathe too had finished her speech excellently, she said, and had won approval for what she had said in her turn, Arete again bade Procilla speak. She rose, came forward in front of the couch, and spoke as follows: “It is not right for me to lose heart, Arete, even after so many speeches, since I believe without doubt in ‘the manifold wisdom of God,’ which has the power to give richly and variously to whomever it wills. For seafarers say that the same wind blows on those who sail, yet some, handling their sailing differently, do not hasten to put in at the same harbour; for some have the wind standing fair astern, while for others it blows from the side, and yet for both the voyage is completed most easily. So too the ‘intelligent, holy, and only-begotten spirit’ of wisdom, blowing gently down from the Father's treasuries above, will blow as a clear, fair wind of knowledge on all of us and will suffice to direct the course of our speeches without trouble; for it is now my time to speak. This, virgins, is one excellent and dignified kind of praise: when the one who praises offers, for the praises, a witness greater than the one praised. For from this we can learn precisely that the words of praise are spoken not to please, nor from compulsion, nor for reputation, but in truth and with unflattering judgment. For the prophets and apostles, who spoke more fully about the Son of God who is before the ages and spoke of him as God more than other men, did not refer his praises to an angelic utterance, but to him who holds the sovereignty and power over all. For it was fitting that he who is greater than all others, after the Father, should have as witness only his own Father, who is greater than he. So I too will refer the praises of chastity not to human opinion, but to him to whom we belong and who has taken up the whole, showing that he is its husbandman, the lover of its beauty, and a trustworthy witness. Anyone who wishes can see this clearly in the Song of Songs, where Christ himself, praising those firmly established in virginity, says: ‘As a lily among thorns, so is my beloved among the daughters,’ comparing to a lily the gift of chastity for its purity, fragrance, sweetness, and cheerfulness. For chastity is like spring, always blooming delicately with incorruption in white buds. That is why he is not ashamed to confess that he loves the beauty of its bloom, saying in what follows: ‘You have ravished our heart, my sister, my bride, you have ravished our heart with one of your eyes, with one ornament of your neck. How beautiful are your breasts, more than wine, and the fragrance of your garments above all spices. Your lips drip honeycomb, O bride; honey and milk are under your tongue, and the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of frankincense. A garden locked, my sister, my bride, a garden locked, a fountain sealed.’ Christ sings these praises to those who have come to the goal of virginity, including them all under the one name of bride, since the bride must be betrothed and named after [the bridegroom], yet still be undefiled and untouched, like a sealed garden, in which all the spices of the fragrance of heaven grow, so that Christ alone may come and gather them, sprung from incorporeal seeds. For the Word loves nothing of the flesh, because by nature he does not accept anything corruptible, such as hands or face or feet; but he rejoices looking at the immaterial and spiritual beauty itself, not touching the bloom of the body. ### Scripture references - Eph 3:10: quotation, high confidence - Song 2:2: quotation, high confidence - Song 4:9–12: quotation, high confidence - John 14:28: echo, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Wis 7:22 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Eph 3:10, Wis 7:22, Song 2:2, and Song 4:9–12 (LXX). The title “Song of Songs” is garbled in the digital text (“Ἀθσνλατωβ Ἄισματι”), and “[the bridegroom]” is supplied where a word has fallen out. “Greater than he” reflects John 14:28. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 7.1 (Bonwetsch, 70–72; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-1). ## Symposium 7.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-2 - Source: Bonwetsch, 72–73 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Christ loves the soul's inner eye of understanding and its inner adornment of virtues, not bodily beauty or jewels. ### Greek text Ἐπισκέψασθε γὰρ ὅτι τὸ ἐκαρδίωσας ἡμᾶς‘, ὠ παρθένοι, τῇ νύμφῃ πρὸς αὐτοῦ λεγόμενον, ἑνὶ ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν σου. τὸν διορατικὸν τῆς φρονήσεως ὀφθαλμὸν δείκνυσιν, ὁπότε δὴ τοῦτον ὁ ἔσω σμήξας ἄνθρωπος καθαρῶς τρανότερον τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐποπτεύει· δισσὴν γὰρ ὄφεως δύναμιν εἶναι παντί που καταφανές, μίαν μὲν ψυχῆς, θατέραν δὲ σώματος. ἀλλʼ οὐχὶ τῆς τοῦ σώματος ὁ λόγος ἐρᾶν ὁμολογεῖ, ἀλλὰ τῆς κατὰ διάνοιαν μόνης, ἐν ἑνί« φάσκων »ἐκαρδίωσας ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ ὀφθαλμῶν σου, καὶ ἐν μιᾷ, ἐνθέματι τραχήλου σου«, ὅπερ ἐστίν· ὠ αὕτη, τῷ ἐπεράστῳ σου βλέμματι τῆς συνέσεως ἀνεπτέρωσας ἡμῶν τὴν καρδίαν εἰς πόθον, ἔδωθεν τὸν ἀρίηλον κόσμον ἐξαστράπτουσα τῆς σωφροσύνης. ἐνθέματα γὰρ τραχήλων καλεῖται τὰ περιδέραια, τὰ ἐκ τιμίων καὶ ποικίλων συντιθέμενα λίθων. ἀλλʼ αἱ μὲν σωμασκοῦσαι ψυχαὶ τὸν αἰσθητὸν τουτονὶ κόσμον ἀμφὶ τὸν τράχηλον τὸν ἔξω τῆς σαρκὸς περιτιθέασι πρὸς ἀπάτην τῶν θεωμένων, αἱ δὲ ἁγνεύουσαι ἔνδοθεν ἔμπαλιν τὸν ἐξάπτονται, τὸν ἀπὸ τῶν τιμίων καὶ ποικίλων ὡς Μῶς συγκείμενον λίθων τῆς ἐλευθερίας, τῆς μεγαλοφροσύνης, τῆς σοφίας, τῆς ἀγάπης, ὀλίγα φροντίσασαι τῶν τῇδε προσκαίρων ποοικιλμάτων, ἃ φύλλων δίκην πρὸς ὥραν θάλλοντα συναφαυαίνονται τοῦ σώματος ταῖς τροπαῖς. διπλοῦς γὰρ ὁ περὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον φαίνεται κόσμος, ὧν τὸν ἔνδον ὁ κύριος ἀποδέχεται, τὸν ἀκήρατον, »ἐν μιᾷ« λέγων τραχήλων ἐνθέματι« τῆς νύμφης κεκαρδιῶσθαι, οἱονεὶ τὸ τοῦ ἔσωθεν ἀνθρώπου τῆς καταστολῆς αἴγλην ἀποστίλβοντος ὠρέχθαι σημαίνων, ὥς που καὶ ὁ ψαλμῳδὸς μαρτυρεῖ, »πᾶσα« λέλων »ἡ δόξα τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ βασιλέως ἔσωθεν«. ### English translation (Claude) “For consider, virgins, that ‘you have ravished our heart … with one of your eyes,’ said by him to the bride, points to the clear-sighted eye of understanding, when the inner man, having cleansed it, sees the truth more clearly. For it is plain to everyone that the power of sight is twofold, one of the soul and the other of the body. But the Word does not profess to love that of the body, but only that of the mind, saying, ‘You have ravished our heart with one of your eyes, and with one ornament of your neck,’ which means: ‘You, by the lovely look of your understanding, have winged our heart to longing, flashing forth from within the bright adornment of self-control.’ For the ornaments of necks are what we call necklaces, made of precious and many-coloured stones. But souls that care for the body put this perceptible adornment around the outer neck of the flesh to deceive those who look at them, while chaste souls, on the contrary, fasten on within the adornment truly made of the precious and many-coloured stones of freedom, magnanimity, wisdom, and love, caring little for the passing ornaments of this world, which, like leaves, flourish for a season and wither together with the changes of the body. For the adornment of a human being appears twofold, and of these the Lord accepts the inner, undefiled one, saying that he has been ravished ‘by one ornament of the neck’ of the bride, as if signifying that he longs for the inner man, which gleams with the radiance of its attire, as the Psalmist too testifies, saying, ‘All the glory of the king's daughter is within.’ ### Scripture references - Song 4:9: quotation, high confidence - Rom 7:22: allusion, medium confidence - 1 Pet 3:3–4: echo, medium confidence - Ps 45:13 (44:14 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Song 4:9 and Ps 45:13 (44:14 LXX); the allusions are Rom 7:22 (the “inner man”) and 1 Pet 3:3–4. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 7.2 (Bonwetsch, 72–73; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-2). ## Symposium 7.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-3 - Source: Bonwetsch, 73–75 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: All believers will be rewarded in ranks, but the virgins, whose lifelong contest is like martyrdom, are the first rank, the one chosen dove of the Song among queens and concubines. ### Greek text Μὴ ὑπολαμβανέτω δέ τις ἀποκρούεσθαι τὸν ἕτερον ὅμιλον τῶν πεπιστευκότων, δόξας ἡμᾶς τὰς παρθένους μόνας εἰσηγεῖσθαι τευξομένας τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, οὐ συννοήσας ὅτι καὶ φυλαὶ καὶ πατριαὶ καὶ τάγματα »κατʼ ἀναλογίαν« ἑκάστων ἔσονται τῆς πίστεως( καὶ τοῦτο καὶ Παῦλος διαγράφει, ἄλλη δόξα ἡλίου, καὶ ἄλλη δόξα σελή- νης« λέγ(ον καὶ ἄλλη δόξα ἀστέρων· ἀστὴρ γὰρ ἀστέρος διαφέρει έν δόΞῃ. οὕτως καὶ ἡ ἀνάστασις τῶν νεκρῶν«. καὶ ὁ κύριος δὲ οὐ πᾶσι τὰς αὐτὰς ὁμολογεῖ διδόναι τιμάς, ἀλλʼ ἑτέρους μὲν ἐπὶ τὰ βασίλεια καταριθμεῖται τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἄλλοις κληρονομίαν ἐπαγγέλλεται γῆς, ἐτέροις οψεσθαι τὸν πατέρα. καὶ δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα πρῶτον τὸ τάγμα καὶ τὸν χορὸν τὸν ἄγιον αὐτῷ τῶν παρθένων ὥσπερ εἰς νυμφῶνα τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν τῶν καινῶν αἰώνων ἐφομαρτοῦντα συνεισελεύσεσθαι χρησμῳδεῖ. ἐμαρτύρησαν γὰρ οὐ κατά τι μόριον χρόνων ἐν βραχεῖ καρτερήσασαι σωμάτων ἀχθηδόνας, ἀλλὰ διὰ παντὸς ἔτλησαν τοῦ βίου μὴ άποδειλιάσασαι τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν Ὀλυμπιακὸν ἀληθῶς διαθλῆσαι τῆς ἁγνείας· βασάνοις τε γὰρ ἀγρίαις ἡδονῶν καὶ φόβοις καὶ λύπαις ἀντισχοῦσαι καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τῆς πονηρίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων κακοῖς, ἀποφέρονται τὰ γέρα πρῶται τῶν ἄλλων, εἰς τὸν ἀμείων τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐκτασσόμεναι χῶρον. ἀμέλει ταύτας μόνον ἐκλεκτὴν νύμφην τὰς ψυχὰς καὶ γνησίαν ὁ λόγος ἑαυτοῦ καλεῖ, τὰς δὲ λοιπὰς παλλακὰς καὶ νεανίδας καὶ θυγατέρας, λέγων ὡδε· »ἐξήκοντά εἰσι βασίλισσαι καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα παλλακαί, καὶ νεανίδες ὦν οὐκ δὲ ἀριθμός. μία ἐστὶ περιστερά μου, τελεία μου· ἐστὶ ἐστὶ τῇ μητρὶ αὐτῆς, ἐκλεκτὴ τῇ τεκούσῃ αὐτήν. εἴδοσαν αὐτὴν θυγατέρες, καὶ μακαριοῦσιν αὐτήν, βασίλισσαι καί γε παλλακαὶ αἰνοῦσιν αὐτήν‘. πολλῶν γὰρ οὐσῶν δηλονότι τῆς ἐκκλησίας τῶν θυγατέρων μία ἐστὶ μόνη ἐκλεκτὴ καὶ τιμιωτάτη ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτῆς ὑπὲρ πάσας, τὸ τάγμα τῶν παρθένων. ### English translation (Claude) “But let no one suppose that we reject the rest of the company of believers, thinking that we teach that the virgins alone will obtain the promise, not understanding that there will be tribes and families and ranks of each ‘in proportion to’ their faith. Paul too describes this, saying, ‘There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead.’ And the Lord does not profess to give the same honours to all, but counts some among the kingdom of heaven, promises others the inheritance of the earth, and others that they will see the Father. And indeed here he declares that the first rank, the holy chorus of the virgins, following him, will enter with him, as into a bridal chamber, into the rest of the new ages. For they bore witness, not enduring the burdens of the body for a short part of time, but throughout their whole life they endured, not shrinking from contending to the end in the truly Olympic contest of chastity. For, having held out against the savage tortures of pleasures, and fears, and griefs, and the other evils of human wickedness, they carry off the prizes first of all, being ranked in the better place of the promise. Indeed, the Word calls these souls alone his chosen and true bride, and the rest concubines and maidens and daughters, saying thus: ‘There are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and maidens without number. One is my dove, my perfect one; she is the only one of her mother, the chosen one of her who bore her. The daughters saw her and will call her blessed; the queens and the concubines will praise her.’ For though the daughters of the church are clearly many, one alone is chosen and most precious in her eyes above all, the rank of the virgins. ### Scripture references - Rom 12:6: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 15:41–42: quotation, high confidence - Matt 5:3–8: allusion, high confidence - Song 6:8–9: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Rom 12:6, 1 Cor 15:41–42, and Song 6:8–9; the allusion is Matt 5:3–8. “Bore witness” (ἐμαρτύρησαν) likens the virgins' lifelong struggle to martyrdom. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 7.3 (Bonwetsch, 73–75; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-3). ## Symposium 7.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-4 - Source: Bonwetsch, 75–76 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: In a higher sense, the queens are the righteous before the flood, the concubines the prophets after it, who conceived faith from the Word before the church, his bride. ### Greek text Ἐὰν δέ τῳ περὶ τούτων ἀμφισβήτησις ᾖ, ὡς οὐδέπω τῶν κεφαλαίων ἱκανῶς ἐπεξειργασμένων, καὶ ἔτι βούλοιτο κατʼ ἀναγωγὴν αὐτῶν πνευματικὴν διαρθρωθῆναι πληρέστερον, τίνες εἰσὶν αἱ βασίλισσαι καὶ αἰ παλλακαὶ καὶ αἱ νεάνιδες, λέξομεν δύνασθαι ταῦτα λελαλῆσθαι καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς κατὰ πρόβασιν χρόνων ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ διαπρεψάντων, οἷον τῶν πρὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ καὶ τῶν μετὰ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καθεξῆς· εἶναι γὰρ νύμφην μὲν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, βασιλίσσας δὲ τὰς βασιλικὰς ἐκείνας τὰς πρὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ ψυχάς, εὐαρέστους τῷ θεῷ γεγενημένας, τουτέστι τὰς ἀμφὶ τὸν Ἄβελ καὶ τὸν Σὴθ καὶ τὸν Ἐνώχ, παλλακὰς δὲ τὰς μετὰ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν τῶν προφητῶν, αἷς πρὸ τοῦ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἁρμοσθῆναι τῷ κυρίῳ παλλακίδων δίκην συγγινόμενος ἀληθεῖς ὑπέσπειρε λόγους ἐν ἀφθόνῳ καὶ καθαρᾷ φιλοσοφίᾳ, ἴνα γεννήσωσιν αὐτῷ συλλαβοῦσαι πίστιν, »πνεῦμα σωτηρίας‘. τοιαῦτα γὰρ ἀποβλαστήματα φύουσιν αἱ ψυχαί, ἀείμνηστον φέροντα κάλλος, ὁπόσαις ἂν ὁ Χριστὸς συνανακραθῇ. εἰ γὰρ βούλεσθε εἰς Μωσέως ἀποβλέψαι τὰς βίβλους ἢ Δαυὶδ ἢ Σολομῶνος ἢ Ἡσαΐου ἢ τῶν καθεξῆς προφητῶν, ὠ παρθένοι, εἴσεσθε οἷα καταλελοίπασιν ἑαυτῶν ἔκγονα τῷ βίῳ σωτήρια διὰ τὴν πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ θεοῦ κοινωνίαν. ὅθεν τεθεωρημένως παλλακὰς προσηγόρευσε τὰς ψυχὰς τὰς προφητικὰς ὁ λόγος, ὅτι μὴ φανερῶς αὐτὰς οὕτως ὥσπερ δὴ καὶ τὴν ἐκκληι1ίαν έπηγόγιιοι Διύι1 ας διʼ αὐτὴν. τὸν μόοχον τὸν οι- τιυτόνα. ### English translation (Claude) “But if anyone has a doubt about these things, as though the main points have not yet been worked out sufficiently, and wishes them to be set out more fully by a spiritual higher interpretation, namely who are the queens and the concubines and the maidens, we will say that these words can also be spoken of those who have excelled in righteousness from the beginning in the successive ages: for example, those before the flood, those after the flood, and those from Christ onward. The bride is the church; the queens are those royal souls before the flood who were pleasing to God, that is, those around Abel and Seth and Enoch; the concubines are the prophets after the flood, with whom, before the church was betrothed to the Lord, he consorted as with concubines and sowed true words in abundant and pure philosophy, so that, conceiving faith, they might bear for him ‘a spirit of salvation.’ For such are the offshoots that souls produce, bearing ever-remembered beauty, with which Christ is blended. For if you will look at the books of Moses, or of David, or of Solomon, or of Isaiah, or of the prophets after them, virgins, you will know what saving offspring they have left to life through their communion with the Son of God. That is why the Word thoughtfully called the prophetic souls concubines, because he did not openly [take them to himself] as he did the church, for whom he [killed] the fatted calf. ### Scripture references - Heb 11:4–5: allusion, medium confidence - Isa 26:18: quotation, high confidence - Luke 15:23: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Heb 11:4–5, Isa 26:18 (LXX, “a spirit of salvation”), and Luke 15:23. The end of the section is badly garbled in the digital text; “[take them to himself]” and “[killed]” give the probable sense. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 7.4 (Bonwetsch, 75–76; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-4). ## Symposium 7.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-5 - Source: Bonwetsch, 76–77 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The sixty queens are the righteous from Adam to Noah, close to the six days of creation, who knew God without further laws. ### Greek text ἐπαπορητίον δὲ καὶ τοῦτο πρὸς τούτοις, ἴνα μηδὲν ἡμᾶς τῶν ἀναγκΛων διαδρᾶναι όι·νηΔ́ῇ, τί όŕιποτε ιὰς fitv βασιλίοσας (̔Α-ικοντα Γφη, τὰς δὲ παλλαΛ-ιΓ̀ ιἰἴδιιŕιἶονται τὰς δὲ νεάνΛας τοοαύ- τας, οοσον ιΠγk̀ ἀριΔι μιΙΓΑιαι όιὰ τὴν πληθύν, τἰιν όὲ νύμφην μίαν. — καὶ πρῶτον 〈μὲνγ περὶ τῶν ὲξήγοντα λῖΑτέον. Ἁ̔ικοντα βασιλίσσac έντεῦΛ́εν, ὡς οί͂μαι, όὴ τοὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ π(ιωτοπλ͂άΓιτιιυ μέχρι Νῶε κατἀ όιαδοχὴν εὐα(ιεστγίσανῖας ἐκάλεσε τῷ Μιι. ἐ, ειδ·Μ́ερ ἑτέρων οὗτοι παραγ·ίὁλ-αιἴτων καὶ θεσμῶν Ας τὸ σωθῆναι χρείαν οὐκ ἐσΠ·ίκασιν. ἔτι προσφάτου τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἑξαήμερόν οἱ·σης αὐτοΙς τοῦ κόσμοἰ ο͂υοτάο͂εωC. ἐμέμνηντο γàρ οὗτοι ὡς ἐν ὲξ ἡμέραις ὁ Μ̀· - ἐτεκτŕι- νατο τὴν κτίσιν, τό τε ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ γεγονότa καὶ πῶς ό ἄνθρω- πος ἐντολὴν ἔχων μὴ ὸ́ψασθαι τοῦ φυτοῦ τῆς φρονήσεως ἐξώκειῖ-ενι ἀποβουκοΑ-ήσαντος αὐτὸν τοῦ τῆς κακίας σοφιστοῦ. ἐντεΜεν ουlν δὴ τὰς ἀπὸ τῆς συστόσεως εὐθέως τοῦ κόσμου κατὰ διαόοχὴν τὸν θεὸν ποθεῖν ἑλομένας ψυχὰς καὶ σχεόόν, εἰ χρὴ φάναι, τοῦ πρώτου οἰωνὸς οὔσας ἔκγονα καὶ γείτονας τῆς μεráλης ὲξαημἐρου ὲξήκοντα βασιλίσσας ὲ́φη συμβολικῶς, διὰ τὸ μετὰ τὴν ὲζαήμερον εὐθέως, ὡς ἔφην, γεγονέναι. μεγάλην γὰρ ἐσχήκασιν οὗτοι τιμήν, ἀΠέλοις ὁμιλή - σαντες καὶ τὸν θεὸν υοπαρ, οὐκ ὄναρ πολλάκις θεασáμενοι. ἐπι- σκέψασθε γὰρ ὅσην ἴσχε παρρησίαν ὁ Σὴθ πρὸς τὸν nεόν, οοσην ὁ Λ́βελ, ὅσην ό Ἐνώς, οοοην ό Ἐνώχ, ὅσην ὁ Μαθουσάλα, οοσην ὁ Νῶε, πρῶτοι δικαιοσύνης γεγονότες ἐρασταὶ καὶ πρῶτοι τῶν »πρωτοτοκων« τέκνων τῶν »άπογεγραμμένων ἐν ούρανοῖς« τῆς βασιλείας καταξιωθέντες, ὥσπερ ἀπαρχή τις τῶν φυτευομένων εἰς σωτηρίαν πρώϊμος τῷ θεῷ βλαστήσαντες καρπός. καὶ περὶ μὲν τούτων αὐτάρκως· άγκως· περὶ δὲ τῶν παλλακῶν πάλιν λεκτέον. ### English translation (Claude) “Besides this we must also ask, so that nothing necessary may escape us, why he says the queens are sixty, the concubines eighty, and the maidens so many that they cannot be counted because of their multitude, but the bride one. And first we must speak about the sixty. He called sixty queens, as I think, those who in succession from the first-formed man until Noah were pleasing to God, since these did not need other commands and laws in order to be saved, the creation of the world in six days being still recent for them. For they remembered that in six days God fashioned the creation, and what happened in paradise, and how man, having the command not to taste of the plant of understanding, ran aground, the sophist of wickedness having led him astray. From this, then, he symbolically called sixty queens the souls that, immediately from the establishment of the world, chose in succession to long for God, being, so to speak, offspring of the first age and neighbours of the great six days, because they came, as I said, immediately after the six days. For these had great honour, conversing with angels and often seeing God awake, not in dreams. Consider how much boldness toward God Seth had, how much Abel, Enos, Enoch, Methuselah, Noah, who were the first lovers of righteousness and the first of the ‘firstborn’ children ‘enrolled in heaven’ to be counted worthy of the kingdom, sprouting as an early fruit to God, a kind of first-fruits of those planted for salvation. Enough about these; we must speak next about the concubines. ### Scripture references - Song 6:8: allusion, high confidence - Gen 2:17: allusion, high confidence - Gen 3:23: allusion, high confidence - Heb 12:23: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is Heb 12:23; the allusions are Song 6:8, Gen 1–3, and Gen 5. The digital text of this section is badly damaged by OCR; the translation follows the evident sense throughout. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 7.5 (Bonwetsch, 76–77; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-5). ## Symposium 7.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-6 - Source: Bonwetsch, 77–78 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The eighty concubines are the prophets from Abraham, whose circumcision on the eighth day foretold the spiritual “eighth day” of resurrection; the countless maidens are the righteous multitudes. ### Greek text Τοῖς μετὰ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν ἀπωτέρω λοιπὸν ἡ γνῶσις ἠν τοῦ θεοῦ, καὶ ἔχρῃζον ἑτέρας διδαχῆς — ἑρπούσης ἤδη τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας — ἥτις αὐτοῖς αὐθις ἀλεξίκακος ἔσοιτο καὶ βοηθός. ὁ ούν θεός, ἴνα μὴ πάντῃ τὸ γένος τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀϊστθῇ λήθῃ τῶν καλῶν, τὸν ἴδιον παῖδα τοῖς προφήταις ἐκέλευσεν ὑπηχῆσαι τὴν ἐσομένην ἐατοῦ παρουσίαν διὰ σαρκὸς εἰς τὸν βίον, καθʼ ἣν ἡ τῆς πνευματικῆς ὀγδοάδος χαρὰ καὶ γνῶσις κηρυχθήσεται, ἀφέσεως ἁμαρτημάτων οὖσα καὶ ἀναστάσεως παρεκτική· περιτμηθήσεσθαι γὰρ δι αὐτῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰ πάθη καὶ τὴν φθοράν. καὶ κιὰ τοῦτο τὸν κατάλογον τῶν ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ προφητῶν, διὰ τὴν τῆς περιτομῆν πρεσβείαν τὸν ὀκτὼ περιεχούσης ἀριθμόν, ἡς ἐξήρτηται καὶ ὁ νόμος, ὀγδοήκοντα παλλακὰς ἐκάλεσεν, ὅτι πρῶτοι, πρὶν τὴν νύμφην τὴν ἐκκλησίαν κατεγγυηθῆναι τῷ λόγῳ, τὰ θεῖα συλλαβόντες σπέρματα, τῆς νοητῆς προεξήγγειλαν ὀγδοάδος τὴν περιτομήν. — νεάνιδας δὲ πάλιν εἰς ἀναρίθμητον συντελούσας ὅμιλον τὰ ὑπὸ τοῖς κρείττοσι δικαιοπραγήσαντα πλήθη καὶ νεανικῶς καὶ γενναίων διαθλήσαντα πρὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καλεῖ. ### English translation (Claude) “For those after the flood the knowledge of God was more remote, and they needed another teaching, now that idolatry was creeping in, which would again ward off evil and help them. So God, that the human race might not be utterly destroyed by forgetfulness of good things, commanded his own Son to announce through the prophets his future coming into life through the flesh, in which the joy and knowledge of the spiritual eighth day will be proclaimed, which brings forgiveness of sins and resurrection; for through it the passions and the corruption of human beings would be circumcised. And for this reason he called the list of prophets from Abraham onward eighty concubines, because of the dignity of circumcision, which contains the number eight, on which the law too depends; for they first, before the bride, the church, was betrothed to the Word, conceived the divine seeds and announced beforehand the circumcision of the spiritual eighth day. And the maidens, who make up a countless company, he calls the multitudes who, ranking below the better ones, did righteousness and contended youthfully and nobly against sin. ### Scripture references - Song 6:8: allusion, high confidence - Gen 17:12: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Song 6:8 and Gen 17:12 (circumcision on the eighth day). The “spiritual ogdoad” (eighth day) stands for the resurrection and the age to come. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 7.6 (Bonwetsch, 77–78; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-6). ## Symposium 7.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-7 - Source: Bonwetsch, 78 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The church, founded on the apostles, surpasses them all, for she has seen and heard what the prophets longed for. ### Greek text Ἀλλὰ τούτων οὔθʼ αἱ »βασίλισσαι« οὔθʼ αἱ »παλλακαὶ« οὔθʼ αἱ »νεάνιδες« συγκρίνονται τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ· ἡ γὰρ τι »τελεία« καἰ »ἐκλεκτὴ« παρὰ πάσας νομιζομένη αὐτάς, ἡ ἐκ πάντων συνεστῶσά τι καὶ συνημμένη τῶν ἀποστόλων, ἐστὶν ἡ ὑπερβάλλουσα νύμφη τῷ κάλλει τῆς ἀκμῆς καὶ τῆς παρθενίας πάσας. διὸ καὶ μακαρίζεται καὶ αἰνεῖται Πρὸς τῶν ἄλλων, ὅτι αὕτη καὶ εἶδε καἰ ἤκουσεν ἀφθόνως, ἃ ἐκεῖναι ἐπεπόθησαν κἂν ἐκ βραχέος θεάσασθαι καὶ οὐκ εἶδον, καὶ ἀκοῦσαι καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν. »μακάριοι« γάρ φησιν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ὑμῶν« ὁ κύριος τοῖς μαθηταῖς οἱ βλέποντες ἃ βλέπετε. λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν ὅτι πολλοὶ προφῆται ἐπεθύμησαν ἰδεῖν ἃ βλέπετε, καὶ οὐκ εἶδον, καὶ ἀκούσαι ἃ ἀκούετε, καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσαν‘. οὐκοῦν διὰ ταῦτα μακαρίξουσι ταύτην οἱ προφῆται καὶ θαυμάζουσιν, ὅτι ὧν αὐτοὶ μὴ ἐπέτυχον ἀκροαταὶ γενέσθαι καὶ θεάμονες ἡ ἐκκλησία κατηξιώθη καὶ μετείληφεν. »ἑξήκοντα« <γάρ> »εἰσι βασίλισσαι καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα καὶ νεάνιδες ὡς οὐκ ἔωστιν ἀριθμός. μία ἐστὶν ἡ περιστερά μου, τελεία μου.« ### English translation (Claude) “But neither the ‘queens’ nor the ‘concubines’ nor the ‘maidens’ of these are compared to the church. For the one thought ‘perfect’ and ‘chosen’ beyond them all, composed of all and joined together from the apostles, is the bride who surpasses all in the beauty of her bloom and of her virginity. That is why she is called blessed and praised by the others, because she saw and heard abundantly what they had longed to see even briefly and did not see, and to hear and did not hear. For ‘Blessed are your eyes,’ the Lord says to the disciples, ‘which see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.’ So the prophets call her blessed and admire her for this reason, because the church was counted worthy and shared in what they did not attain to hear and see. ‘For there are sixty queens and eighty concubines, and maidens without number. One is my dove, my perfect one.’ ### Scripture references - Song 6:8–9: quotation, high confidence - Matt 13:16–17: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Song 6:8–9 and Matt 13:16–17 (Luke 10:23–24). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 7.7 (Bonwetsch, 78; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-7). ## Symposium 7.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-8 - Source: Bonwetsch, 78–79 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Alternatively, the bride and dove is Christ's own sinless flesh, which he took up to the Father's right hand, the queen of Psalm 45. ### Greek text Δυνήσεται δέ τις καὶ ἑτέρως τὴν νύμφην φάναι τὴν σάρκα τὴν ἀμόλυντον εἶναι τοῦ κυρίου, ἧς χάριν καταλελίψας τὸν πατέρα κατῆλθεν ἐνταῦθα καὶ προσεκολλήθη καὶ ἐγκατέσκηψεν ἐναθρωπήσας εἰς αὐτήν. διὸ δὴ καὶ περιστερὰν αὐτὴν ἔφη τροπικῶς, ἐπειδὴ τιθασὸν τὸ ζῷον καὶ ὑπωρόφιον καὶ διαίτῃ τῇ μετὰ ἀνθρώπων ἀσμενίζον. μόνη γὰρ ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν ἄσπιλος καὶ ἀμίαντος εὑρέθη καὶ πάντας ὑπερέχουσα τῷ τῆς δικαιοσύνης κόσμῳ καὶ κάλλει, ὥστε μηδένα καὶ τῶν εἰς ἄκρον εὐαρεστησάντων τῷ θεῷ ταύτης δυνηῆναι πέλας ὡς πρὸς σύγκρισιν ἀρετῆς στῆναι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο κατηξιῶσθαι κοινωνὸν αὐτὴν γενέσθαι τῆς βασιλέιας τοῦ μονγενοῦς, αὐτῷ καθηρμοσμένην τε καὶ ἑνθωθεῖσαν. καὶ ἐν τῷ τεσσαρακοστῷ δὲ καὶ τετάρτῳ ψαλμῷ ἡ ἐκ τῶν πλειόνων παρισταμένη καὶ δεξιῶν βασίλισσα τοῦ θεοῦ μερῶν, ἡ τῷ διαχρύσῳ τῆς ἀρετῆς κόσμῳ κατεστολισμένη, ἡς ἐπεθύμησε τοῦ κάλλους« »ὁ βασιλεύς«, ἡ σάρξ ἐστιν, ὡς ἔφην, ἡ ἄχραντος ἐκείνη καὶ μακαρία, ἣν αὐτὸς ἀνακομίσας ὁ λόγος εἰς οὐρανοὺς »ἐκ δεξιῶν« παρέστησε τοῦ πατρός, »ἐν ἱματισμῷ διαχρύσῳ« κεκοσμημένην, ὃ δή ἐστι τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασι τῆς ἀφθαρσίας, ἃ συμβολικῶς ἔφησε »χρυσᾶ κροσσωτά«, ἐπειδήπερ ἐκ ποικίλων ποικίλλεται τοῦτο καὶ συγκαθυφαίνεται κατορθωμάτων τὸ ἔνδυμα, οἷον ἀγνείας, φρονήσεως, πίστεως, ἀγάπης, ὑπομονῆς καὶ τῶν λοιΠῶν Μῶν, ἃ δὴ κατακαλύπτοντα τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην τῆς σαρκὸς κοσμεῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον κόσμῳ χρυσῷ. ### English translation (Claude) “But one could also say in another way that the bride is the undefiled flesh of the Lord, for whose sake he left the Father and came down here, was joined to it, and, becoming man, dwelt in it. That is why he called it figuratively a dove, since the creature is tame, lives under the roof, and delights in living with human beings. For it alone, so to speak, was found spotless and undefiled, surpassing all in the adornment and beauty of righteousness, so that none even of those who pleased God most could stand near it in comparison of virtue; and for this reason it was counted worthy to become partner in the kingdom of the Only-begotten, betrothed and united to him. And in the forty-fourth Psalm too, the queen who stands out from the many at the right hand of God, arrayed in the gold-woven adornment of virtue, whose ‘beauty’ ‘the king desired,’ is, as I said, that undefiled and blessed flesh which the Word himself carried up into heaven and set ‘at the right hand’ of the Father, adorned ‘in gold-woven clothing,’ that is, with the practices of incorruption, which he symbolically called ‘gold fringes,’ since this garment is embroidered and woven together from various virtues, such as chastity, prudence, faith, love, patience, and the other good things, which, covering the shame of the flesh, adorn the human being with golden adornment. ### Scripture references - Eph 5:31: allusion, medium confidence - John 1:14: echo, medium confidence - Ps 45:9 (44:10 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 45:11 (44:12 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Ps 45:13 (44:14 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Mark 16:19: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Gen 2:24 (Eph 5:31) and Mark 16:19; the quotations are Ps 45:9, 11, 13 (44:10, 12, 14 LXX), which Procilla cites as the forty-fourth Psalm (LXX numbering). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 7.8 (Bonwetsch, 78–79; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-8). ## Symposium 7.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-9 - Source: Bonwetsch, 79–80 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Psalm 45 shows the virgins following the bride into the King's presence, second only to her. ### Greek text Ἔπειτα τί δὴ πάλιν καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς τοῦ ψαλμοῦ μετὰ τὸ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἐκ δεξιῶν‘ ἐνθρονισθῆναι τοῦ παντοκράτορος, ὃν ἀνείληφεν ὁ λόγος, τὸ πνεῦμα παραδίδωσιν, ἐπισκεπτέον. »ἀπευνχθήσονται τῷ βασιλεῖ παρθένοι« φησίν« »ὀπίσω αὐτῆς· αἱ πλησίον αὐτῆς ἀπενεχθήσονταί σοι. ἀπενεχθήσονται ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ καὶ ἀγαλλιάσει· ἀχθήσονται εἰς ναὸν βασιλέως.‘ πάνυ προφανῶς ἐνθάδε λοιπὸν ἔοικεν ἐγκωιμιάζειν τὸ πνεῦμα τὴν ἁγνείαν, μετὰ τὴν νύμφην, ὡς ἀποδεδώκαμεν, τοῦ κυρίου δευτέρας προσιέναι τῷ παντκράτορι »ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει καὶ εὐφροσύνῃ‘ τὰς παρθένους ἐπαγγελλόμενον, ὑπʼ ἀγγέλων δορυφορουμένας τε καὶ παραπεμπομένας. οὕτω γὰρ ἀπέραστόν τι τὸ τῆς παρθενίας ἐστὶν ὡς Μῶς καὶ τριπόθητον κλέος, ὥστε ὀπίσω τῆς βασιλίσσης, ἣν ἀνήγγαγεν ὁ κύριος ἀναμάρτητον ἀποτορνεύσας τῷ πατρί, τὸν χορὸν τῶν παρθενων καὶ τὸ τάγμα προσκομίζεσθαι, τὰ δυτερεῖα τῆς νύμφης κακληρωμένον. Ταῦτά σοι καὶ παρʼ ἡμῶν, ὠ Ἀρετή, τὰ γυμνάσματα τῶν λόγων ὑπὲρ ἀγνείας ἐστηλιτεύσθω. ### English translation (Claude) “Then we must consider what the Spirit teaches again in what follows in the Psalm, after the man whom the Word took up has been enthroned ‘at the right hand’ of the Almighty. ‘Virgins will be brought to the king after her,’ he says; ‘her companions will be brought to you. They will be brought with gladness and rejoicing; they will be led into the temple of the king.’ Here the Spirit seems now to praise chastity very plainly, promising that, after the bride of the Lord, as we have explained, the virgins will come second to the Almighty ‘with rejoicing and gladness,’ escorted and attended by angels. For the glory of virginity is so exceedingly lovely and thrice-desired that, after the queen whom the Lord, having fashioned her sinless, brought up to the Father, the chorus and rank of the virgins is brought, having received second place after the bride. Let these exercises of speech on behalf of chastity, Arete, be inscribed for you from me too.” ### Scripture references - Ps 45:14–15 (44:15-Ps LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is Ps 45:14–15 (44:15–16 LXX). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 7.9 (Bonwetsch, 79–80; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-7-9). ## Symposium 8.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-8-1 - Source: Bonwetsch, 80–82 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Thecla, the eighth speaker and a disciple of Paul, explains virginity as nearness to God, which gives the soul wings to rise above the world's seductions. ### Greek text Εἰπούσης δὲ ταῦτα τῆς προκίλλης, Ἐμὸς ὁ κλῆρος, ἡ Θέκλα ἴφη, μετὰ ταύτην ἐφεξῆς ἀγωνίζεσθαι, καὶ χαίρω ξυνέμπορον ἔχουσα κἀγὼ τὴν σοφίαν τῶν λόγων. αἰσθανομένη κιθάρας δίκην ἔσωθεν ἁρμοζομένην με καὶ παρασκευάζουσαν εἰς τὸ μεμελημένως εἰπεῖν καὶ εὐσχημόνως. ΑΡΕΤ. Ἄριστα, (6 θέκλα, τὴν προθυμίαν ἀπεδεξάμην, καὶ πιστεύω εἰς δύναμιν πρέποντας ἀποδοῦναί σε μοι τοὺς λόγους· φιλοσοφίας τε γὰρ τῆς ἐγκυκλίου καὶ παιδείας οὐδενὸς ὑστερήσεις· τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς τε αὐ καὶ θείας, τί χρὴ καὶ λέγειν, Jiagd Παύλῳ σεσοφισμενην; Οὐκοῦν λέγωμεν δὴ πρῶτον, αὐτόθεν ἀπʼ αὐτῆς ἀπαρξάμεναι τῆς ἐπωνυμίας, διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν ἐκλήθη παρθενία τοῦτο τὸ κορυφαιότατον καὶ μακάριον ἐπιτήδευμα, οἷόν τε ὂν τυγχάνειν καὶ δύναμιν ἣν ἔχει, καὶ εἰσύστερον, ὁποίους καρποὺς ἀποτελεῖ. κινδυνεύουσι γὰρ ὀλίγου ξύμπαντες αὐτὴν ἠγνονκέναι, καὶ μυρίων διαφέρουσαν τῶν ἄλλων τῆς ἀρετῆς πλεονεκτημάτων, ὁπόσα εἰς κάθαρσιν καὶ κόσμον διαπονούμεθα τῆς ψυχῆς. παρθεΐ γὰρ ἡ παρθενία κατὰ μίαν ὑπαλλαγὴν καλεῖται στοιχείου, ὡς δὴ μόνη τὸν ἔχοντα καὶ τετελεςμένον αὐτῆς τὰς ἀφθόρους τελετὰς θεῷ παρεικάζουσα, οὗ μεῖζον ἀγαθὸν ἀδύνατον εὑρεῖν, ἡδονῆς καὶ λύπης ἀπῳκισμένον· <ῇ> τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς καταρδόμενον ἀληθῶς αὔξεταί τε καὶ κουφίζεται πτέρωμα, τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἐξίπτασθαι καθʼ ἡμέραν ἐθιζόμενον σπουδασμάτων. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πανήγυριν τὸν βίον ἡμῶν σοφῶν παῖδες εἰρήκασιν εἶναι, ἡμᾶς δὲ τὸ δρᾶμα τῆς ἀληθείας τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἥκειν ὡς εἰς θέατρον ἐπιδειφομένους — ἀντιτεχνούντων ἡμῖν καὶ ἀνταγωνζομένων τοῦ διαβόλου καὶ τῶν δαιμόνων —, ἀνανεύοντας ἄνω δεῖ καὶ ἀνιπταμένους μετεωρίζεσθαι καὶ φεύγειν τὰ θέλγητρα τῆς καλλιφωνίας αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ σχήματα, ἔξωθεν φαντασίᾳ σωφροσύνης ἐπκκεχρωσμένα, ἢ τὰς Σειρῆνας μᾶλλον τὰς Ὁμηρικάς. κηλούμενοι γὰρ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς τῆς πλάνης πτερορρυοῦσι πολλοὶ καὶ βαρύνοται εἰς τὸν καθʼ ἡμᾶς ἥκοντες βίον, χαυνωθέντων αὐτοῖς καὶ χαλασθέντων τῶν τόνων, καθʼ οὓς ἡ τῶν πτερῶν τῆς σωφροσύνης συγκρατεῖται φύσις, κουφίζουσα τὰ κάτω νεύοντα περὶ τὴν φθορὰν τῶν σωμάτων. ὅθεν, ὡ Ἀρετή, εἴτε.. [διʼ ἑαυτὴν] εἴτε διὰ τὸ καὶ μετεωρίζειν πρὸς οὐρανὸν τὰς ψυχὰς ταύτην ἔσχηκας τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν, ἐπὶ λευκοτάτων ἀεὶ βαίνουσα φρενῶν, ἴθι μοι συναντιληψομένη τοῦ λόγου, ὃν αὐτὴ προσέταξας εἰπεῖν. ### English translation (Claude) When Procilla had said this, Thecla said: “It falls to me to contend next after her, and I rejoice that I too have the wisdom of words as my fellow traveller, for I feel it tuning me within like a lyre and preparing me to speak carefully and becomingly.” ARETE: I welcome your eagerness most gladly, Thecla, and I trust that you will render me speeches fitting to your ability. For you will fall short of no one in general philosophy and education; and what need is there to speak of the gospel and divine learning, you who were made wise by Paul? “Let us speak first, then, beginning from the name itself: for what reason this supreme and blessed way of life was called virginity, what it is, and what power it has, and afterwards what fruits it produces. For nearly everyone is in danger of being ignorant of it, though it differs by countless degrees from the other advantages of virtue that we labour at for the cleansing and adornment of the soul. For virginity (parthenia) is called, by the change of one letter, ‘nearness to God’ (partheia), since it alone makes the one who possesses it, and has been initiated into its incorruptible rites, like God, than whom no greater good can be found, being far removed from pleasure and pain. Watered by it, the wing of the soul truly grows and becomes light, being accustomed day by day to fly away from human pursuits. For since the sons of the wise have said that our life is a festival, and that we have come as into a theatre to perform the drama of truth, that is, righteousness, while the devil and the demons contrive against us and contend with us, we must look upward and, taking wing, soar aloft and flee the charms of their fine voices and their appearances, coloured on the outside with a show of self-control, more than the Sirens of Homer. For many, bewitched by the pleasures of error, lose their wings and grow heavy on coming into our life, when the sinews by which the nature of the wings of self-control is held together, lifting what inclines downward toward the corruption of bodies, have been slackened and loosened. So, Arete, whether … you have received this name, or because you also lift souls up to heaven, walking always on the whitest minds, come and help me with the speech which you yourself bade me make. ### Extrabiblical texts - Acts Paul (Acts of Paul): allusion, high confidence - Plato, Phaedr. 246c–248c (Plato (works)): echo, high confidence - Homer, Od. 12.39-54 (Homer, Odyssey): allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - Arete's “made wise by Paul” alludes to the Acts of Paul and Thecla. Thecla puns on παρθενία (“virginity”) and παρθεΐα (“beside God”), and perhaps on Ἀρετή and αἴρειν (“to raise up”). The wings of the soul echo Plato, Phaedrus 246c–248c; “life is a festival” is a saying ascribed to Pythagoras; the Sirens are from Homer, Odyssey 12. The text has a gap after “whether”; the editor deletes the words that follow, “for your own sake” (δι᾽ ἑαυτήν), which are therefore not translated. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.1 (Bonwetsch, 80–82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/6-1/#p-8-1). ## Symposium 8.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-2 - Source: Bonwetsch, 82–83 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Virgins, winged by their longing for the heavenly meadows, despise earthly goods and even torture, and at death angels escort them first to their reward. ### Greek text Οἱ γὰρ πτερορρυήσαντες καὶ πεσόντες εἰς τὰς ἡδονὰς οὐ πρότερον λήγουσι λύπης καὶ πόνων, ἔστʼ ἂν τῇ τοῦ πάθους ἐπιθυμίᾳ τὴν ἀνάγκην ἐκπληροῦντες τῆς ἀκρασίας ἀμύητοι καὶ ἀτελεῖς τοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀπομείνωσι δράματος, ἀντὶ τῆς μετʼ αἰδοῦς καὶ σωφροσύνης παιδοποιήσεως ἀγρίαις ἐρώτων λυττήσαντες ἡδοναῖς αἱ δὲ εὔπτεροι καὶ κοῦφαι εἰς τὸν ὑπερκόσμιον τόπον ὑπερκύψσαι τοῦ βίου καὶ ἰδοῦσαι μακρόθεν ἃ μὴ ἕτερος ἀνθρώπων ἐθεάσατο, τοὺς λειμῶνας αὐτοὺς τῆς ἀφθαρσίας, ἀμήχανα κάλλη καὶ ἄνθη φέροντας καὶ πεπληρωμένους, ἀεὶ πρὸς αὐτούς εἰσιν, ἀναπολοῦσαι τὰ ἐκεῖ θεάματα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μικρὰ ἡγοῦνται τὰ ἐνταῦθα νομιζόμενα καλά, πλούτους καὶ δόξας καὶ γένη καὶ γάμους, καὶ οὐδὲν ἔτι ἐκείνων περὶ πλείονος ποιοῦνται. ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴ τις αὐτῶν θηρίοις ἢ πυρὶ τὰ σώματα βούλοιτο παραδιδόναι καὶ τιμωρεῖσθαι, ἑτοίμως ἔχουσι τῶν ἀλγηδόνων ἀφροντιστεῖν διὰ τὸν ἐκείνων πόθον καὶ τὴν ἐκείνων ἔκπληξιν, ὥστε δοκεῖν αὐτὰς καὶ ἐν κόσμῳ οὔσας μὴ εἶναι ἐν κόσμῳ, ἀλλὰ τῷ φρονήματι καὶ τῇ ὁρμῇ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας εἰς τὴν ἄγυριν ἤδη τῶν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς τυγχάνειν. οὐ γὰρ θέμις ἐπὶ γῆς βρίθειν κατὰ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φύσιν τῷ τῆς παρθενίας πτερῷ, ἀλλ ἄνω φέρειν εἰς καθαρὸν αἰθέρα καὶ τὸν τῶν ἀγγέλων γείτονα βίον. ὅθεν καὶ πρῶται τῶν ἄλλων μετὰ τὴν ἀνάκλησιν καὶ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἐκδημίαν αἱ ὀρθῶς καὶ πιστῶς παρθενεύσασαι τῷ Χριστῷ τὰ νικητήρια φέρονται τῶν ἄθλων, τοῖς τῆς ἀφθαρσίας ἄνθεσι στεφθεῖσαι πρὸς αὐτοῦ· ἅμα γὰρ τῷ καταλεῖψαι τὸν κόσμον τὰς ψυχὰς λόγος ταῖς παρθένοις ὑπαντῶντας ἀγγέλους μετὰ πολλῆς εὐφημίας εἰς τοὺς προειρημένους παραπέμπειν λειμῶνας αὐτάς, εἰς οὓς καὶ πρόσθεν ἐλθεῖν ἐγλίχοντο, μακρόθεν αὐτοὺς φαντασιωθεῖσαι τότε, ὁπότε ἔτι ἐπενδημοῦσαι τοῖς σώυμασιν ἰνδάλλοντο τὰ θεῖα. ### English translation (Claude) “For those who have lost their wings and fallen into pleasures do not cease from grief and toil until, fulfilling the compulsion of incontinence by their passionate desire, they remain uninitiated and incomplete in the drama of truth, raging with the savage pleasures of lust instead of begetting children with modesty and self-control. But those who are well-winged and light, peering out from life into the place beyond the world and seeing from afar what no other human being has beheld, the very meadows of incorruption, which bear and are filled with indescribable beauties and flowers, are always turned toward them, recalling the sights there; and for this reason they think little of what are here thought good things, wealth, glory, birth, and marriage, and no longer value any of them more highly. Indeed, if anyone should wish to hand over their bodies to beasts or fire and punish them, they are ready to disregard the pains because of their longing for those things and their amazement at them, so that, though they are in the world, they seem not to be in the world, but already, in thought and in the impulse of desire, to be in the assembly of those in heaven. For it is not right that the wing of virginity should by its own nature be weighed down to earth, but it bears upward into the pure ether and the life that neighbours the angels. That is why, after the recall and departure from here, those who have kept their virginity rightly and faithfully for Christ are the first of all to carry off the prizes of victory, crowned by him with the flowers of incorruption. For the story is that as soon as their souls leave the world, angels meet the virgins with great acclamation and escort them to the meadows spoken of before, to which they had longed to come even earlier, having imagined them from afar at the time when, still living in their bodies, they glimpsed divine things. ### Scripture references - John 17:11: echo, medium confidence - John 17:16: echo, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Plato, Phaedr. 247c (Plato (works)): echo, high confidence - Acts Paul (Acts of Paul): allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - “The place beyond the world” echoes Plato, Phaedrus 247c. The readiness to face beasts and fire recalls Thecla's own trials in the Acts of Paul and Thecla. “In the world … not of the world” echoes John 17:11, 16. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.2 (Bonwetsch, 82–83; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-2). ## Symposium 8.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-3 - Source: Bonwetsch, 83–85 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: In heaven the virgins behold and eat from the living trees of the virtues themselves, as Adam once did in paradise. ### Greek text Ἐνταῦθα οὖν δὴ ἐλθούσας θαυμαστά τινα θεάσασθαι καὶ ἔκλαμπρα καὶ μακάρια κάλλη καὶ ὁποῖα ἐξειπεῖν εἰς ἀνθρώπους δυσχερές. εἶναι γὰρ αὐτὴν δικαιοσύνην καὶ αὐτὴν σωφροσύνην, ἀγάπην αὐτὴν ἐκεῖ καὶ ἀλήθειαν καὶ φρόνησιν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὡσαύτως ἐπιφανῆ τῆς σοφίας ἄνθη καὶ φυτά, ὧν ἡμεῖς ἐνθάδε σκιὰς μόνας φασματώδεις ὀνειρώσσοντες ἀπὸ τῶν πράξεων ἡγούμεα τῶν ἀνθρω- πίνων συνίστασθαι, ὅτι μὴ ἔστιν αὐτῶν δεῦρο μηδὲν εἴδωλον καταφανές, ἀλλʼ ἀπεικονίσματα μόνον ἀειδῆ, ἃ δὴ καὶ αὐτὰ σκοτεινῶς πολλάκις ἀπεικάζοντες αἰσθανόμεθα. οὐ γὰρ ἂν πώποτε δικαιοσύνης αὐτῆς ἢ συνέσεως ἢ εἰρήνης ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐθεάσατο τις μέγεθος ἢ σχῆμα ἢ κάλλος· ἐκεῖ δὲ ἐν τῷ ὄντι, ὡς εἰσίν, ὁλοτελῆ βλέπονται καὶ σαφῆ. εἶναι γὰρ δένδρον τι σωφροσύνης αὐτῆς, εἶναι ἀγάπης, εἶναι συνέσεως, ὥπερ καὶ τῶν ἐνθάδε τὰ φυτὰ καρπῶν. οἶον σταφυλῆς ἢ ῥόας ἢ μήλων. οὕτω δὴ κἀκείνων βλέπεσθαι μὲν καὶ ἐσθίεσθαι τοὺς καρπούς, οὐ μὴν ἀπόλλυσθαι καὶ φθίνειν, ἀλλʼ εἰς ἀθανασίαν αὔξειν καὶ θειότητα καὶ τοὺς δρεπομένους· καθὼς κἀκεῖνος, ἐξ οὑ πάντες ἐσμέν, πρὸ τοῦ παραπεσεῖν καὶ πηρωθῆναι τὰς ὅψεις ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ τυγχάνων ἀπεκαρπεύετο, τοῦ θεοῦ θεμιστεύοντος τὸν ἄνθρωπον τῶν τῆς σοφίας ἐργάτην τεθῆναι καὶ φύλακα φυτῶν. τοιούτους γὰρ ἠν καρποὺς πεπιστευμένος γεωργεῖν καὶ ὁ πρῶτος Ἀδάμ. καὶ ὁ Ἱερεμίας δὲ ταῦτα τυγχάνειν ἰδικῶς ἴν τινι τόπῳ καὶ ἀφεστῶτι μεγάλην ἀπόστασιν τῆς καθʼ ἡμᾶς οἰκουμένης οἶδεν, ἔνθα τοὺς ἐξολισθήσαντας τῶν αἰωνίων ἀγαθῶν κατοικτίζων λέγει »μέθετε ποῦ ἐστι φρόνησις, ποῦ ἐστιν ἰσχύς, ποῦ ἐστιν ἡ σύνεσις τοῦ γνῶναι, ἅμα ποῦ ἐστι μακροβίωσις καὶ ζωή, ποῦ ἐστι φῶς ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ εἰρήνη. τίς εὑρε τὸν τόπον αὐτῆς, ἢ τίς εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τοὺς αὐτῶν;‘ τούτων οὐν διελθούσας εἰς τοὺς θησαυροὺς ἀποκαρπεύεσθαι λόγος τῶν ἀρετῶν τὰς παρθένους, εὐτάκτοις φωσὶ καὶ πολλοῖς καταρδομένας, ἃ δίκην πηγῆς αὐταῖς ὁ θεὸς ἀνερεύγεται, καταλάμπων ἐκεῖνον τὸν αἰῶνα φωσὶν ἀδότοις. αἱ δὲ χορεύουσιν ἐμμελῶς γεραίρουσαι τὸν θεόν· περικέχυται τὰρ αὐταῖς ἀὴρ καθαρὸς καὶ μὴ καθιππευομενος ἡλίῳ. ### English translation (Claude) “When they have come there, they see wonderful, brilliant, and blessed beauties, such as are hard to express to human beings. For there is righteousness itself and self-control itself, love itself and truth and prudence, and likewise the other bright flowers and plants of wisdom, of which we here, dreaming, think that only phantom shadows arise from human actions, because there is no clear image of them here, but only formless likenesses, which we too often perceive dimly by comparing them. For no one has ever seen with his eyes the size or shape or beauty of righteousness itself, or of understanding, or of peace; but there, in what truly is, they are seen whole and clear, as they are. For there is a tree of self-control itself, a tree of love, a tree of understanding, just as here there are plants of fruits, such as grapes or pomegranates or apples. So too the fruits of those are seen and eaten, yet they do not perish and waste away, but make those who pluck them grow into immortality and divinity; just as he from whom we all come, before he fell and his eyes were blinded, was in paradise and plucked its fruits, God having ordained that the man be set as worker and guardian of the plants of wisdom. For the first Adam too had been entrusted with tending such fruits. And Jeremiah also knows that these things are in a particular place, far removed from our inhabited world, where, pitying those who have slipped away from eternal goods, he says: ‘Learn where prudence is, where strength is, where understanding is, to know at the same time where length of life and life are, where the light of the eyes and peace are. Who has found her place, or who has entered into her treasuries?’ Into their treasuries, then, the story goes, the virgins pass and gather the fruits of the virtues, watered by many well-ordered lights, which God pours forth for them like a spring, illuminating that age with unsetting lights. And they dance harmoniously, honouring God; for a pure air is poured around them, not ridden over by the sun. ### Scripture references - Gen 2:15: allusion, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Bar 3:14-15 (Baruch): quotation, high confidence - Plato, Phaedr. 247d (Plato (works)): echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is Bar 3:14–15, cited as Jeremiah; the allusion is Gen 2:15. The virtues “themselves” (αὐτὴ δικαιοσύνη etc.) and the “shadows” here echo Plato's doctrine of Forms (e.g. Phaedrus 247d). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.3 (Bonwetsch, 83–85; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-3). ## Symposium 8.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-4 - Source: Bonwetsch, 85–86 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Thecla urges the virgins to endure trials like the moon behind passing clouds, and introduces the vision of the woman and the dragon in Revelation 12. ### Greek text Νῦν οὐν, ὡ παρθενοι, σωφροσύνης ἀχράντου θυγατέρες, ὑπὲρ ζωῆς ἡμῖν ἀφθόνου καὶ βασιλείας οὐρανῶν ἡ σπουδή. εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν δόζαν τῆς ἁγνείας καὶ ὑπεῖς προθύμως ταῖς πρὸ ὑμῶν συμφρονήσατε, ὀλίγα φροντίσασαι <τοῦ> βίου· οὐ γὰρ μικρὸν εἰς ἀφθαρσίας ἁγνεία, ἀνωφερῆ τὴν σάρκα πρὸς ὕψος αἴρουσα καὶ τὸ κάθυγρον αὐτῆς ἀναξηραίνουσα καὶ πηλῶδες βάρος ὁλκῇ μείζονι. Μὴ βριθέτω τῆς ἀκοῆς ὁ ῥύπος ῥέπων εἰς τὴν γῆν, μηδὲ μετα κασμείτω λύπη τὴν χαράν, ἐκτήκουσα τὰς ἐπὶ τοῖς κρείττοσιν ἐλπίδας· ἀλλὰ ἀτρύχως αποσείεσθε τὰς ἐπισυμβαινούσας ὑμῖν συμφοράς, μὴ θολοῦσαι γόοις τὸν λογισμόν. νικάτω γὰρ ἡ πίστις πάντη, καὶ ἀπωθείσθω τὸ φῶς ἀυτῆς τὰ φερόμενα τοῦ πονηροῦ περὶ τὴν καρφίαν φάσματα. ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁπόταν ἡ σελήνη τὸν οὐρανὸν αἴγλης ἐκλάμψασα πληρώσῃ καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἀὴρ αἴθριος γτενηθῇ, ἄφνω δὲ νεφέλαι ποθὲν ἐκ δυσμῶν ὑποδραμοῦσαι βάσκανοι πρὸς ὀλίγον τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς ἐπισκιάζουσιν, οὐ μὴν ἀφαιμροῦνται, ἅτε εὐθέως τῇ ῥύμῃ τοῦ πενύματος ἐξωθόυμεναι· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ λάμπουσαι τὴν ἁγνείαν, ὑπὸ θλίψεων ὀχληθεῖσαι καὶ πόνων, ὦ παρθένοι, μὴ ὀκλάσητε πρὸς τὰς ἐλπίδας. ἐξωθοῦνται γὰρ τῷ πνεύματι τὰ ἐκ τοῦ πονηροῦ νέφη, ἐὰν ὥσπερ ἡ μήτηρ ὑμῶν καὶ ὑμεῖς, ἡ γεννῶσα τὸν ἄρσενα παρθένος ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, μὴ δειλιάσητε λοχῶντα καὶ ἐφεδρεύοντα τὸν ὄφιν· περὶ ἧς ἐγὼ πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἀμηγέπη διεξελεύσομαι δηλοῦσα· καιρὸς γὰρ τὰ νῦν. — καὶ ὤφθη μέγα σημεῖον ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ « τὴν Ἀποκάλυψιν ὁ Ἰωάννης ἐξηγούμενος λέγει γυνὴ περιβεβλημένη τὸν ἥλιον· καὶ ἡ σελήνη ὑποκάτω τῶν ποδῶν αὐτῆς· καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς στέφανος ἀστέρων δεκαδύο· καὶ ἐν γαστρὶ ἔχουσα κροάζει ὠδίνουσα καὶ βασανιζομένη τεκεῖν. καὶ ῶφθη ἄλλο σημεῖον έν τῷ οὐρανῷ· καὶ ἰδοὺ δράκων πυρρὸς μέγας, ἔχων χεφαλὰς ἑπτὰ καὶ κέρατα δέκα, καὶ ἐπὶ τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτοῦ ἐπτὰ διαδήματα· καὶ ἡ οὐρὰ αὐτοῦ σύρει τὸ τρίτον μέρος τῶν ἀστέρων τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, καὶ ἔβαλεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν γῆν· καὶ ὁ δράκων ἕστηκεν ἐνώπιον τῆς γυναικὸς τῆς μελλούσης ἐκτεκεῖν, ἵνα ὄταν τέκῃ τὸ τέκνον αὐτῆς καταφάγῃ. καὶ ἔτεκεν υἱὸν ἄρσενα, ὃς μέλλει ποιμαίνειν πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ἐν ῥάβδῳ σιδηρᾷ· καὶ ἡρπάσθη τὸ τέκνον αὐτῆς πρὸς τὸν Μιν καὶ πρὸς τὸν θρόνον αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἔφυγεν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, ὅπου ἔχει ἐκεῖ τόπον ἡτοιμασμένον ὑπὸ τοῦ θεοῦ, ἴνα ἐκεῖ τρέφωσιν αὐτὴν ἡμέρας χιλίας διακοσίας « καὶ τὰ μὲν οὖν περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς ἱστορούμενα καὶ τοῦ δράκοντος ὡς ἐν ἐπιτομῇ τέλος ἔχει· περὶ δὲ τοῦ τὴν ἐπίλυσιν αὐτῶν ἀνεύρασθαι καὶ εἰπεῖν μεῖζον ἢ καθʼ ἡμᾶς. ὅμως τολμητέον, πιστεύσασαν τῷ κελεύσαντι «τὰς γραφὰς« ἐρευνᾶν. εἰ οὖν καὶ σφῷν τὰ λεγόμενα συνδοκεῖ, χαλεπὸν οὐδὲν ἤδη τερίλασθαι· πάντως γὰρ συγγνώσεσθε, πρὸς τὴν ἀκρίβειαν τῆς γραφῆς ἐὰν μὴ δυνηθῶ διαρκέσαι. ### English translation (Claude) “Now, then, virgins, daughters of undefiled self-control, our zeal is for abundant life and the kingdom of heaven. You too, share eagerly in the same glory of chastity as those before you, caring little for this life. For chastity is no small thing for incorruption, lifting the flesh upward to the height and drying up its dampness and its muddy weight by a greater pull. Let not the filth of what is heard weigh you down, sinking toward the earth, nor let grief turn joy into sorrow, melting away the hopes of better things; but shake off unwearied the misfortunes that befall you, not clouding your reasoning with laments. Let faith conquer everywhere, and let its light drive away the phantoms of the evil one that hover round the heart. For just as, when the moon has shone out and filled the sky with radiance and the whole air has become clear, and suddenly envious clouds run up from somewhere in the west and overshadow her light for a little while, yet do not take it away, since they are at once driven off by the force of the wind; so you too, virgins, shining with chastity in the world, when troubled by afflictions and toils, do not sink down from your hopes. For the clouds from the evil one are driven away by the Spirit, if, like your mother, the virgin in heaven who bears the male child, you too do not fear the serpent that lies in wait and ambushes. About her I will now tell you in some fashion, for now is the time. ‘And a great sign appeared in heaven,’ says John, explaining the Revelation, ‘a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars; and being with child she cries out in labour and in pain to give birth. And another sign appeared in heaven; and behold, a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems; and his tail drags a third of the stars of heaven and threw them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. And she bore a male son, who is to shepherd all the nations with a rod of iron; and her child was caught up to God and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, that there they may nourish her for one thousand two hundred [and sixty] days.’ So much, in summary, for what is told about the woman and the dragon; but to find and state their interpretation is beyond us. Nevertheless we must dare, trusting him who commanded us to search ‘the Scriptures.’ If, then, what I say seems good to you both, it is no longer hard to undertake; for you will surely forgive me if I cannot fully match the precision of Scripture. ### Scripture references - Rev 12:1–6: quotation, high confidence - John 5:39: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Rev 12:1–6 and John 5:39; the number “[and sixty]” has fallen out of the digital text of Rev 12:6. “You both” (σφῷν) may be addressed to Arete and the virgins or be a slip. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.4 (Bonwetsch, 85–86; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-4). ## Symposium 8.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-5 - Source: Bonwetsch, 86–88 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The woman clothed with the sun is the church, our mother, the Jerusalem of Isaiah 60, clothed with the light of the Word and crowned with stars. ### Greek text Ἡ ὀφθεῖσα περιβεβλημένη τὸν ἥλιον ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ γυνὴ καὶ στέφανον ἐξ ἀστέρων περικειμένη δώδεκα, ἧς τὴν ἕδραν εἶχε ἡ σελήμνη πρὸς τοῖς ποσί, καὶ ὠδίνουσα καὶ βασανιζομένη τεκεῖν, αὔτη κυρίως ἐστὶ κατὰ τὸν ἀκριβῆ λόγον ἡ μήτηρ ἡμῶν, ὧ παρθένοι. δύναμίς τις οὖσα καθʼ ἑαυτῆν ἑτέρα τῶν τέκνων, ἣν ὁτὲ μὲν Ἱερουσαλὴμ οἱ προφῆται κατὰ τὴν σύνοψιν τῶν ἐπιφερομένων, ὁτὲ δὲ νύμφην, ὁτὲ δὲ Σιὼν ὄρος, ὁτὲ δὲ ναὸν καὶ σκηνὴν τοῦ θεοῦ κεκλήκασιν. ἡ γὰρ παρορμωμένη φωτίζεσθαι δύναμις ἐν τῷ Προφήτῃ, φωτίζου, φωτίζου« κεκραγότος αὐτῇ τοῦ πνεύματος »Ἱερουσαλήμ ἥκει γάρ σου τὸ φῶς, καὶ ἡ δόξα κυρίου ἐπὶ δὲ ἀνατέταλκεν. ἰδοὺ καλύψει σκότος καὶ γνόφος γῆν, καλύψει ἐπʼ ἔθνη· ἐπὶ δὲ σὲ φανήσεται κύριος, καὶ ἡ δόξα κυρίου ἐπὶ δὲ ὀφθήσεται. καὶ πορεύσονται βασιλεῖς ἐν τῷ φωτί σου καὶ ἔθνη ἐν τῇ λαμπρότητί σου. ἀνάβλεψον κύκλῳ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς σου καὶ ἴδε συνηγμένα τὰ τέκνα σου. ἥκασι πάντες οἱ υἱοί σου μαΚρόθεν, καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες σου ἐπʼ ὤμων ἀρθήσονται« ἔστιν ἡ ἐκκλησία, ἧς τὰ τέκνα πασσυδὶ ἐν τῷ βαπτίσματι μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν πάντοθεν πρὸς αὐτὴν ἥξει καταθέοντα αὐτῇ, δεχομένη τε τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀνέσπερον, τὴν λαμπρότητα στολῆς σχήματι περιβεβλημένη τοῦ λόγου, ἥδεται. ποίῳ γὰρ ἄλλῳ τιμαλφεστέρῳ κόσμῳ ἢ τιμιωτέρῳ τὴν βασίλισσαν ἔπρεπε κοσμηθεῖσαν νυμφαγωγηθῆναι τῷ κυρίῳ, φῶς ὡς ἱμάτιον‘ λαβοῦσαν, διʼ ὃ καὶ αὐτὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος ἀνακληθῆναι; ἴτε γὰρ ἀναβᾶσαι τῷ λόγῳ θεάσασθε ὥσπερ τὰς πρὸς γάμον παρθένους γυναῖκα μεγάλην, καθαρὸν καὶ ἄχραντον ὅλον καὶ μόνιμον κάλλος καὶ οὐδὲν ἐλαττούμενον τῆς λαμπρότητος τῶν φώτων ἀθοστίλβουσαν, καὶ ἀντὶ μὲν στολῆς αὐτὸ φῶς ἠμφιεσμένην, ἀντὶ δὲ λίθωι· τιμίων ἀστράσι φαιδροῖς τὴν κεραλὴν κεκοσμημένην. ὃ γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐσθής, τοῦτο ἐκείνῃ φῶς· ὃ δὲ ὴμῖν χρυσὸς ἢ διαφανεὶς λέθοι, τοῦτο ἐκείνῃ τὰ ἄστρα, ἄστρα δὲ οὐχ ὁποῖα ταῦτα τὰ έν τῷ ὁρατῷ κείμενα τόπῳ, ἀλλά τινα κρείττω καὶ εὐφεγγέστερα, ὥστε εἰκόνας ἐκείνων μᾶλλον νομίζεσθαι ταῦτα καὶ ἀπεικονίσματα. ### English translation (Claude) “The woman seen in heaven clothed with the sun and wearing a crown of twelve stars, who had the moon as the seat at her feet, and who was in labour and in pain to give birth, is properly, in the exact sense, our mother, virgins, being a power by herself distinct from her children, whom the prophets, according to the aspect of what they were describing, have called now Jerusalem, now bride, now Mount Zion, now temple and tabernacle of God. For the power that is urged to shine in the prophet, when the Spirit cries out to her, ‘Shine, shine, Jerusalem; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. Behold, darkness and gloom will cover the earth, it will cover the nations; but the Lord will appear upon you, and the glory of the Lord will be seen upon you. And kings will walk in your light, and nations in your brightness. Lift up your eyes round about and see your children gathered. All your sons have come from afar, and your daughters will be carried on shoulders’: this power is the church, whose children, in baptism, after the resurrection, will come running to her from all sides in their whole company, while she rejoices, receiving the light that knows no evening and clothed with the brightness of the Word in the form of a robe. For with what other adornment more precious or more honourable was it fitting that the queen should be adorned when led as a bride to the Lord, having received light ‘as a garment,’ for which reason she was also called by the Spirit? Come, go up in thought and behold, like virgins at a wedding, a great woman, wholly pure and undefiled, with enduring beauty, flashing with a radiance in no way less than that of the lights, clothed with light itself instead of a robe, her head adorned with shining stars instead of precious stones. For what clothing is to us, light is to her; and what gold or transparent stones are to us, the stars are to her; not stars such as those placed in the visible region, but better and brighter, so that these are rather thought to be their images and likenesses. ### Scripture references - Rev 12:1–2: allusion, high confidence - Isa 60:1–4: quotation, high confidence - Ps 104:2 (103:2 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Isa 60:1–4 and Ps 104:2 (103:2 LXX); the allusion is Rev 12:1–2. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.5 (Bonwetsch, 86–88; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-5). ## Symposium 8.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-6 - Source: Bonwetsch, 88–89 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The moon under the church's feet is the faith of the baptized; like a mother she gives new birth in baptism, and the newly baptized shine with new light each Pascha. ### Greek text Βεβηκέναι τε ἐπὶ τῆς σελήνης, σελήνην, ὡς ἡγοῦμαι, τροπικῶς τὶν πίστιν τῶν ἀποκαθαιρομένων τὴν φθορὰν τῷ λουτρῷ λουτρῷ διὰ τὸ προσεοικέναι τὸ φῶς αὐτῆς μᾶλλον ὔδατι χλιαρῷ καὶ πᾶσαν ἐξ αὐτῆς ἠρτῆσθαι τὴν ὑγρὰν οὐσίαν. ἐφέστηκεν οὐν ἐπὶ τῆς πίστεως καὶ προσλήψεως ἡμῶν ἡ ἐκκλησία κατὰ τὴν τῆς σελήνης σύνοψιν, μέχριπερ ἂν »εἰσέλθῃ τὸ πλήρωμα τῶν ἐθνῶν‘, ὠθίνουσα καὶ ἀναγεννῶσα τοὺς ψυχικοὺς εἰς πνευματκούς, καθʼ ὃν λόγον καὶ μήτηρ ἐστίν. ὥσπερ γὰρ σπορὰν ἀνδρὸς ἀμόρφωτον ὑποδεξαμένη γυνὴ περιοδοις χρόνων ἄνθρωπον ὁλόκληρον ἀποκύει, ταύτῃ δὴ καὶ τοὺς προσφεύγοντας τῷ λόγῳ φήσειεν ἄν τις συλλαβοῦσαν ἀεὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ τὴν καθʼ ὁμοίωσιν ἰδέαν αὐτοὺς καὶ μόρφωσιν μορφοῦσα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, περιόδοις χρόνων πολίτας τῶν μακαρίων ἐκείνων αἰώνων ἐργάζεσθαι. ὅθεν ἐξ ἀνάγκης αὐτὴν ἐφεστάναι δεῖ τῷ λουτρῷ τοὺς λουομένους γεννῶσαν· τούτῳ γὰρ καὶ σελήνη κέκληται τῷ τρόπῳ ἡ περὶ τὸ λουτρὸν αὐτῆς ἐνέργεια, ἐπειδὴ νέον σέλας ἀνανεασθέντες οἱ ἀναγεννώμενοι λάμπουσιν, ὅ ἐστι νέον φῶς, ὅθεν κὼ νεοφώτιστοι καλοῦνται περιφραστικῶς, τὴν πνευματικὴν αὐτοῖς πανσέληνον κατα τὴν περίοδον τοῦ πάθους καὶ τὴν ἀνάμνησιν νέαν ἀεὶ παραφαινούσης, ἴστʼ ἂν ἡ αὐγὴ καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ τέλειον ἀνατείλῃ τῆς μεγάλης ἡμέρας. ### English translation (Claude) “And she stands upon the moon: by the moon, I think, is meant figuratively the faith of those who are cleansed from corruption by the washing, because its light resembles lukewarm water more than anything, and all moist substance depends on it. The church, then, stands upon our faith and our reception, like the aspect of the moon, ‘until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,’ labouring and giving new birth to the natural as spiritual; and in this sense she is also a mother. For just as a woman, receiving a man's unformed seed, in the course of time brings forth a complete human being, so one might say that the church is always conceiving those who flee to the Word, and, forming them according to the likeness and form of Christ, in the course of time makes them citizens of those blessed ages. That is why she must stand over the washing, bearing those who are washed; for in this way her activity around the washing has also been called the moon, since those who are born again, being renewed, shine with a new gleam (selas), that is, a new light; and so they are also called, by a turn of phrase, ‘newly enlightened,’ the spiritual full moon always showing itself new to them in the yearly cycle of the passion and its remembrance, until the radiance and the perfect light of the great day rises. ### Scripture references - Rev 12:1: allusion, high confidence - Rom 11:25: quotation, high confidence - Titus 3:5: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is Rom 11:25; the allusions are Titus 3:5 and 1 Cor 15:44–46. Thecla links σελήνη (“moon”) with σέλας νέον (“new gleam”); “newly enlightened” (νεοφώτιστοι) was the term for the newly baptized, and the “cycle of the passion” refers to the annual Paschal feast. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.6 (Bonwetsch, 88–89; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-6). ## Symposium 8.7 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-7 - Source: Bonwetsch, 89–90 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The male child of Revelation is not Christ, already born long before, but the redeemed whom the church bears in baptism, as Isaiah's Zion bears a male. ### Greek text Ἐὰν δέ τις (οὐδὲν γὰρ χαλεπὸν ἔτι διαρρήδην εἰπεῖν) ἀγανακτήσας φράσῃ πρὸς τὰ εἰρημένα, Καὶ πῶς ὑμῖν ἡ ἐξήγησις ἔτι, ὠ παρθένοι, γίνεται κατὰ νοῦν τῆς γραφῆς, ὁπότε ἡ μὲν Ἀποκάλυψις ἄρσενα τὴν ἐκκλησίαν διορίζεται γειννᾶν, ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀπολουομένων παρειλήφατε τὰς τελεσφόρους ὠδῖνας αὐτῆς πληροῦσθαι λουομένας; λέξομεν, Ἀλλʼ, ὦ φιλαίτιε, ἀλλʼ οὐδέ σοι πάρεστιν ἀποδεῖξαι τὸν Χριστὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι τὸν γεννώμενον· πάλαι γὰρ πρὸ τῆς Ἀποκαλύψεως ἐπεπλήρωτο τὸ μυστήριον τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως τοῦ λόγου, ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης περὶ παρόντων καὶ μελλόντων θεσμῳδεῖ. ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς πάλαι κυηθεὶς οὐχ ἡρπάσθη ὁπότε ἔτέχθη πρὸς τὸν θρόνον τοῦ θεοῦ, φόβῳ τοῦ μὴ λυμήνασθαι αὐτὸν τὸν ὄφιν· ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο ἐγεννήθη καὶ κατῆλθεν αὐτὸς ἀπὸ τῶν θρόνων τοῦ πατρός. ἵνα τὸν δράκοντα χειρώσηται μείνας παοστρέχοντα τῇ σαρκί. ὥστε ἀνάγκη ὁμολογεῖν δὴ καὶ δὲ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν εἶναι τὴν ὠδίνουσαν καὶ γεννῶσαν τοὺς ἀπολυτρουμένους, ὥς που καὶ ἐν Ἡσαΐᾳ τὸ πνεῦμά φησι πρὶν τὴν ὠδίνουσαν τεκεῖν καὶ πρὶν ἐλθεῖν τὸν πόνον τῶν ὠδίνων, ἐξέφυγε καὶ ἔτεκεν ἄρσεν. τίς ἤκουσε τοιοῦτο; καὶ τίς ἑώρακεν οὕτως; εἰ ὤδινεν ἡ γῆ ἐν μιᾷ ἡμέρᾳ, εἰ δὲ καὶ τέκοι ἔθνος εἰσάπαξ, ὅτι ὠδίνησε Σιὼν καὶ ἔτεκεν ἄρσενα«. τίνα ἐξέφυγεν ἢ πάντως τὸν δράκοντα, ἵνα γεννήσῃ τὸν λαὸν ἡ νοητὴ Σιὼν τὸν ἄρσενα, τὸν τῶν γυναικείων παθῶν καὶ τῆς ἐκλύσεως εἰς τὴν ἑνότητα τοῦ κυρίου κατντήσαντα καὶ ἀπαρσενωθέντα τῇ σπουδῇ; ### English translation (Claude) “But if someone, indignant at what has been said (for nothing is hard now to say plainly), should say: ‘And how, virgins, is your explanation still in accord with the sense of Scripture, when the Revelation declares that the church bears a male child, while you have taken it that her fruitful labour pains are fulfilled in those who are washed?’ we will say: ‘But, fault-finder, neither can you show that the one born is Christ himself. For the mystery of the incarnation of the Word had been fulfilled long before the Revelation, and John prophesies about present and future things. And Christ, conceived long before, was not caught up to the throne of God when he was born, for fear that the serpent might harm him; rather, he was born and came down from the Father's thrones for this very purpose, that he might remain and overcome the dragon that assailed the flesh.’ So one must confess that it is the church that is in labour and gives birth to the redeemed, as the Spirit also says somewhere in Isaiah: ‘Before she who was in labour gave birth, and before the pain of labour came, she escaped and bore a male. Who has heard such a thing? And who has seen it thus? Did the earth labour in one day? Or would a nation be born at once? For Zion was in labour and bore a male.’ Whom did she escape, if not the dragon, so that the spiritual Zion might bear the male people, who have come from womanish passions and weakness to the unity of the Lord and have become manly by their zeal? ### Scripture references - Rev 12:5: allusion, high confidence - Isa 66:7–8: quotation, high confidence - Eph 4:13: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The allusion is Rev 12:5; the quotation is Isa 66:7–8; “the unity of the Lord” echoes Eph 4:13. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.7 (Bonwetsch, 89–90; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-7). ## Symposium 8.8 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-8 - Source: Bonwetsch, 90–91 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The church bears a “male” in that Christ is formed in each baptized believer, who thus becomes a “christ,” an anointed one, by the Spirit. ### Greek text Λέγωμεν οὐν πάλιν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπαναπολήσασαι, μέχριπερ ἂν καθεξῆς πρὸς τὸ τέλος ἔλθωμεν ἐξηγούμεναι τὰ εἰρημένα. σκόπει οὐν, ἐάν πως καὶ σοὶ δοκῇ πρὸς εὐδοξίαν ὁ λόγος πληροῦσθαι. ἐγὼ γὰρ τὸν ἄρσενα ταύτῃ γεννᾶν εἰρῆσθαι νομίζω τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, ἔπειδὴ τοὺς χαρακτῆρας καὶ τὴν ἐκτύπωσιν καὶ τὴν ἀρρενωπίαν εἰλικρινῶς τοῦ Χριστοῦ προσλαμβάνουσιν οἱ φωτιζόμενοι, τῆς καθʼ ὁμοίωσιν μορφῆς έν αὐτοῖς ἐκτυπουμένης τοῦ λόγου καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς γεννωμένης κατὰ τὴν ἀκριβῆ γνῶσιν καὶ πίστιν, ὥστε ἐν ἑκάστῳ γεννᾶσθαι τὸν Χριστὸν νοητῶς. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἡ ἐκκλησία σπαργᾷ καὶ ὠδίνει, μέχριπερ ἂν ὁ Χριστὸς‘ ἐν ἡμῖν μορφωθῇ‘ γεννηθείς, ὄπως ἕκαστος τῶν ἁγίων τῷ μετέχειν Χριστοῦ Χριστὸς γεννηθῇ· καθʼ ὃν λόγον καὶ ἔν τινι γραφῇ φέρεται τὸ μὴ ἅψησθε τῶν Χριστῶν μου, καὶ ἐν τοῖς παοφήταις μου μὴ πονηρεύησθε«, οἱονεὶ Χριστῶν γεγονότων τῶν κατὰ μετουσίαν τοῦ πνεύματος εἰς Χριστὸν βεβαπτισμένων, συμβαλλούσης ἐνταῦθα τὴν ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τράνωσιν αὐτῶν καὶ μεταμόρφωσιν τῆς ἐκκλησίας. βεβαιοῖ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ Παῦλος φανερῶς διδάσκων, ἔνθα φησί τούτου χάριν κάμπτω τὰ γόνατά μου πρὸς τὸν θεὸν καὶ πατέρα, ἐξ οὗ πᾶσα πατριὰ ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ γῆς ὀνομάζεται, ἵνα δῷ ὑμῖν κατὰ τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς χρηστότητος αὐτοῦ δυνάμει κραταιωθῆναι διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν ἴσω ἄνθρω- πον, κατοικῆσαι τὸν Χριστὸν διὰ τῆς πίστεως ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν‘. εἰς γὰρ τὰς ἀναγεννωμένων ψυχὰς ἀναγκαῖον ἐξομοργνύμενον ἐκτυποῦσθαι τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας. ### English translation (Claude) “Let us speak again, then, going back to the beginning, until we come in order to the end, explaining what was said. See, then, whether the argument seems to you too to be fulfilled creditably. For I think the church is said to bear a male child in this sense: that those who are enlightened receive purely the features, the impress, and the manliness of Christ, the form of the likeness of the Word being imprinted and born in them according to exact knowledge and faith, so that Christ is spiritually born in each one. And for this reason the church swells and is in labour until Christ, born, ‘is formed in us,’ so that each of the saints, by sharing in Christ, may be born a christ. In this sense it is said in a certain Scripture, ‘Do not touch my christs, and do my prophets no harm,’ as if those baptized into Christ had become christs by participation in the Spirit, the church contributing here their clear formation and transformation in the Word. Paul confirms this too, teaching plainly where he says: ‘For this reason I bow my knees to God and the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his goodness he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell through faith in your hearts.’ For the word of truth must be stamped and imprinted on the souls of those who are born again. ### Scripture references - Gal 4:19: quotation, high confidence - Ps 105:15 (104:15 LXX): quotation, high confidence - 1 Chr 16:22: quotation, medium confidence - Eph 3:14–17: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Gal 4:19, Ps 105:15 (104:15 LXX; also 1 Chr 16:22), and Eph 3:14–17. Thecla takes “my christs” (“my anointed ones”) of the baptized. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.8 (Bonwetsch, 90–91; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-8). ## Symposium 8.9 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-9 - Source: Bonwetsch, 91–92 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: “Today I have begotten you” means that the eternal Son is born in the world, and in each believer, when he becomes known; so the church always bears Christ in the baptized. ### Greek text Ἔοικε δὲ τοῖς εἰρημένοις καὶ τοῦτο μάλιστα προσεοικέναι καὶ συμφωνεῖν τὸ χρησμῳδούμενον ἄνωθεν ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ πατρὸς τῷ Χριστῷ ἐπὶ τὸν ἁγνισμὸν ἥκοντι τοῦ ὕδατος ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ μου εἶ σύ· ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά δε«. παρατηρητέον γὰρ ὅτι τὸ μὲν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ εἶναι ἀορίστως ἀπεφήνατο καὶ ἀχρόνως· »εἶ« γὰρ υἱός‘ αὐτῷ ἔφη, καὶ οὐ »γέγονας«, ἐμφαίνων μήτε πρόσφατον αὐτὸν τετυχηκέναι τῆς υἱοθεσίας, μήτε αὐ προϋπάρξαντα μετὰ ταῦτα ἐσχηκέναι, ἀλλὰ προγεννηθέντα καὶ ἔσεσθαι καὶ εἶναι τὸν αὐτόν. τὸ δέ »ἐγὼ σήμερον γεγέννηκά δε« ὅτι προόντα ἤδη πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων, λέγει, ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἐβουλήθην καὶ τῷ κόσμῳ γεννῆσαι, ὃ δή ἐστι πρόσθεν ἀγνοούμενον γνωρίσαι. ἀμέλει τοῖς μηδέπω τῶν ἀνθρώπων συνῃσθημένοις τὴν πολυποίκιλον σοφίαν »τοῦ θεοῦ« ὁ Χριστὸς γεγέννηται, ὅπερ ἐστὶν οὐδέπω ἐγνώσθη, οὐδέπω πεφανέρωται, οὐδέπω ἐφάνη. εἰ δὲ αἴσθοιντο καὶ οὗτοι τῆς χάριτος τὸ μυστήριον, τότε δὴ καὶ αὐτοῖς, ὁπότε ἐπέστρεψαν καὶ ἐπίστευσαν, κατὰ τὴν γνῶσιν καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν γεννᾶται. διὰ καὶ προσηκόντως ἐντεῦθεν ἡ ἐκκλησία τὸν ἄρσενα λόγον ἐν τοῖς ἁγνιζομένοις ἀεὶ μορφοῦν λέγεται καὶ γεννᾶν. — καὶ τὰ μὲν δὴ περὶ τῶν ὠδίνων αὐτῆς εἰς δύναμιν εἴρηται· τὰ δὲ περὶ τοῦ δράκοντος καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῇδε μεταληπτέον. οὐκοῦν πειρώμεθα πάλιν ἀμωσγέπως δληλοῦν, ὦ παρθένοι, μηθὲν ἀποδειλιᾶσαι πρὸς τὸ μέγεθος τῶν αἰνιγμάτων τῆς γραφῆς· εἰ δέ τι δύσκολον ἐμπίπτοι τοῖς λόγοις, ἐγὼ πάλιν ὑμᾶς ὥσπερ ποταμὸν διαβιβάσω. ### English translation (Claude) “And what was proclaimed from above by the Father himself to Christ when he came to the cleansing of the water in the Jordan seems especially to resemble and agree with what has been said: ‘You are my Son; today I have begotten you.’ For we must observe that he declared that he is his Son indefinitely and timelessly; for he said to him, ‘You are,’ not ‘You have become,’ showing that he had neither recently obtained sonship nor, having existed before, received it afterwards, but that, having been begotten before, he both will be and is the same. But ‘Today I have begotten you’ means: ‘You who already existed in the heavens before the ages, I willed to beget for the world too,’ that is, to make known what was previously unknown. Indeed, for those human beings who have not yet perceived ‘the manifold wisdom of God,’ Christ has not yet been born, that is, has not yet been known, not yet been revealed, not yet appeared. But if they too should perceive the mystery of grace, then, when they have turned and believed, he is born in them too according to knowledge and understanding. That is why the church is fittingly said from this always to form and bear the male Word in those who are being cleansed. So much, as far as I can, about her labour pains; now we must pass on to the dragon and the rest. Let us try again to explain them in some way, virgins, not shrinking at all from the greatness of the riddles of Scripture; and if anything difficult falls in the way of our words, I will again carry you across it like a river.” ### Scripture references - Ps 2:7: quotation, high confidence - Luke 3:22: allusion, high confidence - Eph 3:10: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is Ps 2:7, spoken at Jesus' baptism (as in some manuscripts of Luke 3:22), and Eph 3:10. Thecla stresses that “You are” shows the Son's timeless existence. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.9 (Bonwetsch, 91–92; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-9). ## Symposium 8.10 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-10 - Source: Bonwetsch, 92–93 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The dragon is the devil, who cannot seize the reborn, and the third of the stars he drags down are the heresies, each erring about one Person of the Trinity. ### Greek text Ὁ »δράκων« ὁ »μέγας«, ὁ »πυρρός«, ὁ πολύτροπος, ὁ πολυσχιδής, ὁ ἑπτακέφαλος, ὁ κερασφόρος, ὁ σύρων τὸ τρίτον τῶν ἀστέρων«, ὃς »ἕστηκεν« ἐφεδρεύων, ἴνα τὸ τέκνον‘ τῆς ὠδινούσης γυναικὸς »καταφάγῃ«, ὁ διάβολος οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ ἐνεδρεύων, ὁ λοχῶν λυμήνασθαι τῶν φωτισθέντων τὸν χριστόληπτον νοῦν καὶ τὴν ἐκτύπωσιν καὶ τράνωσιν τὴν ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀποτεχθεῖσαν τοῦ λόγου. ἀλλ ἀστοχεῖ καὶ σφάλλεται τῆς ἄγρας, ἄνω πρὸς ὕφος ἁρπαζομένων τῶν ἀναγεννωμένων πρὸς τὸν θρόνον τοῦ θεοῦ«· ὃ δή ἐστιν, ἄνω περὶ τὴν θείαν ἕδραν καὶ τὴν ἀσκανδάλιστον ὑπόβασιν τῆς ἀληθείας αἴρεται τὸ φρόνημα τῶν ἀνακαινισθέντων, τὰ ἐχεῖ βλέπειν καὶ τὰ ἐκεῖ φαντάζεσθαι παιδαγωγούμενον, ἴνα μὴ ἀπατηθῇ πρὸς τοῦ δράκοντος βρίθοντος κάτω· οὐ γὰρ αὐτῷ θέμις τοὺς ἄνω νεύοντας καὶ τοὺς ἄνω βλέποντας ἀφανίσαι. οἱ δὲ ἀστέρες εἰσίν, οὓς τῷ τῆς οὐ οὐρᾶς ἄκρῳ κατὰ κορυφῆς ἐφαπτόμενος εἰς τὴν γῆν κατασπᾷ, τῶν αἱρέσεων αἱ συστροφαί· ἀστέρας γὰρ σκοτεινούς, ἀμυδροὺς καὶ ταπεινοστρεφεῖς τὰς ἐπισυνόδους εἶναι τῶν ἑτεροδόξων φραστέον, ἐπειδὴ τῶν οὐρανίων ἐπιστήμονες εἶναι δὴ βούλονται καὶ αὐτοὶ καὶ εἰς Χριστὸν πεπιστευκέναι καὶ τὴν ἕδραν ἔχειν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ πλησιάζειν τοῖς ἄστροις ὡς φωτὸς τέκνα«. ἀλλὰ κατασύρονται τοῦ δράκοντος ἐκσεισθέντες ταῖς πλοκαῖς, ὅτι μὴ τῶν τριγώνων εἴσω τῆς εὐσεβείας ἔστησαν σχημάτων, πταίσαντες αὐτῆς περὶ τὴν ὀρθό- δοξον θρησκείαν, ὅθεν καὶ τρίτον τῶν ἀστέρων ἐκλήθησαν μέρος οἷον περὶ ἕνα τῶν ἀριθμῶν τῆς τριάδος διεσφαλμένοι, ὁτὲ μὲν τὸν τοῦ πατρός, ὡς Σαβέλλιος, αὐτὸν τὸν παντοκράτορα λέξας πεπονθέναι, ὁτὲ δὲ τὸν τοῦ υἱοῦ, ὡς Ἀρτεμᾶς καὶ οἱ δοκήσει αὐτὸν ἀποφηνάμενοι πεφηνέναι, ὁτὲ δὲ περὶ τὸν τοῦ πνεύματος, ὡς Ἐβιωναῖοι, ἐξ ἰδίας κινήσεως τοὺς προφήτας φιλονεικοῦντες λελαληκέναι· Μαρκίωνος γὰρ καὶ Οὐαλεντίνου καὶ τῶν περὶ τὸν Ἐλχασαῖον καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους καλὸν μηδὲ μνημονεῦσαι. ### English translation (Claude) “The ‘great,’ ‘red’ ‘dragon,’ the many-turning, the many-cleft, the seven-headed, the horned, which ‘drags a third of the stars’ and ‘stood’ lying in wait to ‘devour’ ‘the child’ of the woman in labour, is the devil, who lies in ambush and waits to ruin the mind of the enlightened that has been seized by Christ, and the impress and clear form of the Word born in them. But he misses and fails of his prey, since those who are born again are caught up on high ‘to the throne of God’: that is, the mind of the renewed is lifted up around the divine seat and the firm, unstumbling foundation of truth, being trained to see and to picture the things there, so that it may not be deceived by the dragon, who weighs downward; for it is not permitted to him to destroy those who incline upward and look upward. And the stars, which he touches at the top with the tip of his tail and drags down to the earth, are the bands of the heresies. For we must say that the assemblies of those of other opinions are dark, dim, and downward-turning stars, since they too wish to be knowers of heavenly things, to have believed in Christ, to have the seat of their soul in the heavens, and to draw near the stars as ‘children of light.’ But they are dragged down, shaken off by the dragon's coils, because they did not stand within the triangles of piety, having stumbled concerning orthodox worship. That is why they were called a third part of the stars, as having erred about one of the numbers of the Trinity: sometimes about that of the Father, like Sabellius, who said that the Almighty himself suffered; sometimes about that of the Son, like Artemas, and those who declared that he appeared in mere semblance; sometimes about that of the Spirit, like the Ebionites, who contend that the prophets spoke by their own impulse. As for Marcion and Valentinus and the followers of Elchasai and the others, it is better not even to mention them. ### Scripture references - Rev 12:3–5: quotation, high confidence - Col 3:1–2: echo, medium confidence - 1 Thess 5:5: quotation, high confidence - 2 Pet 1:21: echo, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations and allusions are Rev 12:3–5, Col 3:1–2, and 1 Thess 5:5; the Ebionites' view is set against 2 Pet 1:21. Artemas (Artemon) taught that Christ was a mere man; “those who declared that he appeared in mere semblance” are the Docetists. The account of the heresies is Thecla's own and is translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.10 (Bonwetsch, 92–93; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-10). ## Symposium 8.11 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-11 - Source: Bonwetsch, 93–96 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The church's wilderness is Arete's garden, and the 1,260 days are the knowledge of the Trinity: a thousand for the Father, two hundred for the Spirit, and sixty, from the perfect number six, for Christ. ### Greek text Ἡ δὲ γεννήσασα καὶ γεννῶσα τὸν ἀρρενωπὸν ἐν καρδίαις τῶν πιστευόντων λόγον, καὶ ἄχραντος καὶ ἀβλαβὴς ἀπὸ τοῦ θηρὸς τῆς ὀργῆς εἰς τὴν ἔρημον παραγεγενημένη, ἡ μήτηρ ἡμῶν ἐστιν, ὡς ἀποδεδώκαμεν, ἡ ἐκκλησία. ἡ δὲ ἔρημος εἰς ἣν ἐλθοῦσα τρέφεται τὰς χιλίας καὶ διακοσίας ἡμέρας καὶ ἑξήκοντα, ἡ κακῶν ἔρημος ἀληθῶς καὶ ἄγονος καὶ στείρα φρορᾶς καὶ δυσπρόσιτος καὶ δύσβατος τοῖς πολλοῖς, εὐκαρπος δὲ καὶ εὔβοτος καὶ εὐθαλὴς καὶ εὐεπίβατος ἁγίοις καὶ πλήθουσα σοφίας καὶ βλαστάνουσα ζωήν ἐστὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸ δὴ τῆς Ἀρετῆς τὸ κάλλιστον καὶ καλλίδενδρον καὶ καλλίπνουν χωρίον, ἔνθα »ἐξηγέρθη ὁ νότος καὶ διέπνευσεν ὁ βορρᾶς, καὶ ῥέουσι τὰ ἀρώματα« καὶ πάντα τῶν ἀμβροσίων πεπλήρωται δρόσων, ἀθα- νάτου ζωῆς βλάσταις ἀμαράντοις κατεστεμμένα, εἰς ὅ ἐσμεν ἡμεῖς ἀνθολογοῦσαι νῦν καὶ πλέκουσαι τῇ βασιλίσσῃ τὸν ἀλουργῆ στέφανον καὶ ἔκλαμπρον τῆς παρθενίας ἀθίκτοις δακτύλοις· Ἀρετῆς γὰρ κοσμεῖται καρποῖς ἡ νύμφη τοῦ λόγου. αἱ δὲ χίλιαι καὶ διακόσιαι ἡμέραι καὶ ἑξήκοντα, ἃς ἐνθάδε ἐσμὲν εἰς ἐπιδημίαν, ἡ περὶ τοῦ πατρός ἐστιν, ὠ παρθένοι, καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τοῦ πνεύματος κατʼ εὐθεῖαν ἀκριβὴς καὶ ἀρίστη σύνεσις, ᾗ γέγηθεν ἡμῶν ἡ μήτηρ αὐξανομένῃ καἰ ἀγάλλεται τουτονὶ τὸν χρόνον, μέχριπερ ἂν τῆς ἀποκαταστάσεως τῶν καινῶν αἰώνων εἰς τὴν ἄγυριν ἐλθοῦσα κατὰ τοὺς οὐρανοὺς μηκέτι διʼ ἐπιστήμης κατασκέψηται τὸ ὄν, ἀλλὰ τρανῶς ἐποπτεύσῃ Χριστῷ συνεισβᾶσα. τὰ γὰρ χίλια ἐν ἑκατοντάσι δεκαπλασιασθέντα τέλειον ἀριθμὸν καὶ πλήρη περιέχει, ὃ δή ἐστι σύμβολον αὐτοῦ τοῦ πατρὸς τοῦ ἀφʼ ἑαυτοῦ δημιουργήσαντος καὶ ἐν ἑαυτῷ συγκρατοῦντος τὸ πᾶν, τὰ δὲ διακόσια τὸν ἐκ δύο τελείων ἀριθμῶν συνεζευγμένον, ὃ δή ἐστι σύμβολον τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος, καθὸ τῆς γνώσεώς ἐστι τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦτο καὶ τοῦ πατρὸς παρεκτικόν. τὰ δὲ ἑξήκοντα τὸν ἐξ ἀριθμὸν ἐν δεκάσιν ἔχει, ὃ δή ἐστι σύμβολον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἐπειδήπερ ὁ τῶν ἓξ ἀπὸ μονάδος προϊὼν ἀριθμὸς ἐκ τῶν ἰδίων συντίθεται μερῶν, ὥστε μήτε λείπειν ἐν αὐτῷ τι μήτε πλεονάζειν· εἰς τὰ ἑαυτοῦ γὰρ μέρη ἀναλυόμενος συμπληροῦται, οἷον τῶν ἓξ εἰς ἔσα μέρη ἐξ ἴσων τεμνομένων μερῶν ἀνάγκη τὴν αὐτὴν ἐκ τῶν διαμερισθέντων τμημάτων πάλιν ποσότητα πληροῦσθαι. πρῶτον γὰρ μέρος κατὰ μέσον διαιρούμενος ποιεῖ τὸν τρία, εἶτα εἰς τρία διαιρούμενος μέρη ποιεῖ τὸν δύο, εἶτα εἰς ἓξ μερισθεὶς ποιεῖ τὸν ἕναι κοὶ συμπληροῦται πάλιν εἰς ἑ αυτόν· εἰς γὰρ δὶς τρία καὶ τρὶς δύο καὶ ἑξάκις ὲν διαιρούμενος, συντιθεμένων τῶν τριῶν καὶ τῶν δύο καὶ τοῦ ἑνός, πάλιν ἀναπληροῖ τὸν ἕξ. τέλειον δὲ πᾶν ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἐστὶ τὸ μήτε προσδεόμενον εἰς συμπλήρωσιν ἑτέρου μήτε πλεονάζον ἑαυτοῦ πώποτε. τῶν δὲ ἄλλων ἀριθμῶν οἱ μὲν ὑπερτέλειοί εἰσιν, ὡς ὁ δώδεκα (τὸ γὰρ ἴσον αὐτοῦ μέρος τὰ ἕξ, καὶ τὸ τρίτον τὰ τέσσαρα, καὶ τὸ τέταρτον τὰ τρία, καὶ τὸ ἔκτον τὰ δύο, καὶ τὸ δωδέκατον τὸ ἕν, εἰς ἃ δύναται μερίζεσθαι, συντεθέντα ὑπερβάλλουσι τὸν δώδεκα, οὐ τηρήσαντος ἑαυτὸν ἴσον τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μέρεσιν, ὡς ὁ ἕξ), οἱ δὲ ὑποτέλειοι, ὡς ὁ ὀκτώ. τὸ γὰρ ἥμισυ αὐτοῦ τὰ τέσσαρα, καὶ τὸ τέταρτον τὰ δύο, καὶ τὸ ὄγδοον τὸ ἴν, εἰς ἃ τέμνεται μέρη, συντεθέντα ποιεὶ τὸν ἑπτά, καὶ προσδεῖται μονάδος εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ συμπλήρωσιν, οὐχ ὡς ὁ ἓξ παντοίως ἑαυτῷ σύμφωνος ὤν. διὸ καὶ τὴν ἀναφορὰν εἰς τὸν υἱὸν ἀνείληφε τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀπὸ τοῦ πληρώματος »τῆς θεότητος« εἰς τὸν βίον ἐληυθότος· κενωθεὶς γὰρ καὶ τὴν »μορφὴν« τοῦ »δούλου« προσλαβὼν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ τελειότητα πόλιν ἀνεποληρώθη κοὶ τὴν ἀξιαν. αὐτὸς γὰρ ἐν ἑαυτῷ σμικρυνθείς, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μέρεσιν ἀναλυθείς, ἐκ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ σμικρότητος καὶ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ μερῶν εἰς τὴν συμπλήρωσιν πάλιν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τὸ μέγεθος κατέστη, οὐδέποτε τοῦ τέλειος εἶναι μειωθείς. ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ τοῦ κόσμου κτίσις ἐκ τούτου φαίνεται πᾶσα συγκειμένη τοῦ ἀριθοῦ καὶ τῆς ἁρμονίας, ἐν ἓξ ἡμέραις‘ ποιήσαντος τοῦ θεοῦ τόν τε οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆς καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς«, τῆς ποιητικῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ λόγου τὸν ἕξ ἐμπεριέχοντος ἀριθμόν, καθʼ ὃν ἡ τριὰς σωμάτων ἐστὶ ποιητική· μῆκος γὰρ καὶ πλάτος καὶ βάθος σῶμα ἐργάζεται, ὁ δὲ ἓς ἐκ τῶν τριγώνων ἐστὶ συγκείμενος. — καὶ περὶ μὲν τούτων οὐκ ἔστι καιρὸς πρέπων ἐν τῷ παρόντι διʼ ἀκριβείας διεξελθεῖν, ἵνα μὴ τὸ προκείμενον ἐάσαντες τὸ πάρεργον σκοπῶμεν. ### English translation (Claude) “And she who has borne and bears the manly Word in the hearts of believers, and has come into the wilderness undefiled and unharmed by the wrath of the beast, is, as we have explained, our mother, the church. And the wilderness into which she came and is nourished for the thousand two hundred and sixty days, truly a wilderness of evils, barren and sterile of corruption, hard of access and hard to travel for the many, but fruitful, rich in pasture, flourishing, and easy to travel for the saints, full of wisdom and sprouting with life, is this very place of Arete, most beautiful, with beautiful trees and beautiful breezes, where ‘the south wind has awakened and the north wind has blown through, and the spices flow,’ and everything is filled with ambrosial dew and crowned with unfading shoots of immortal life. In it we are now gathering flowers and weaving for the queen, with untouched fingers, the purple and shining crown of virginity; for the bride of the Word is adorned with the fruits of Arete. And the thousand two hundred and sixty days, which we spend here in our sojourn, are, virgins, the exact and excellent understanding, straight and true, of the Father and the Son and the Spirit, in which our mother rejoices as it grows and exults during this time, until at the restoration of the new ages she comes into the assembly in the heavens and no longer beholds what is through knowledge, but, having entered with Christ, sees it clearly. For the thousand, being a hundred multiplied by ten, contains a perfect and full number, which is a symbol of the Father himself, who created all things from himself and holds all things together in himself; the two hundred is the number joined from two perfect numbers, which is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, since he gives the knowledge of the Son and of the Father; and the sixty contains the number six in tens, which is a symbol of Christ, since the number six, proceeding from the unit, is composed of its own parts, so that nothing is lacking in it and nothing is in excess; for when resolved into its own parts it is completed. For example, when six is cut into equal parts, the same quantity must again be made up from the divided sections. For, divided first in half, it makes three; then divided into three parts it makes two; then divided into six it makes one; and it is again completed into itself. For when divided into twice three, three times two, and six times one, the three, the two, and the one, added together, again make up the six. And everything perfect necessarily neither needs another for its completion nor ever exceeds itself. Of the other numbers, some are more than perfect, like twelve (for its half, six, its third, four, its fourth, three, its sixth, two, and its twelfth, one, the parts into which it can be divided, when added together exceed twelve, since it does not keep itself equal to its parts as six does), and others less than perfect, like eight. For its half, four, its quarter, two, and its eighth, one, the parts into which it is cut, when added together make seven, and it needs a unit for its completion, not being in every way in harmony with itself like six. That is why the number six has been referred to the Son of God, who came into life from the fullness ‘of the deity.’ For, having emptied himself and taken ‘the form’ of ‘a servant,’ he was filled up again to his own perfection and dignity. For, having been made small in himself and resolved into his own parts, from his own smallness and his own parts he was restored again to his own completeness and greatness, never diminished from being perfect. And the whole creation of the world is seen to be composed from this number and harmony, God having made ‘in six days’ ‘the heaven and the earth and the things in them,’ the creative power of the Word containing the number six, by which the triad is productive of bodies; for length, breadth, and depth make a body, and six is composed of triangles. But there is no fitting time at present to go through these things precisely, lest, leaving our subject, we consider a side issue. ### Scripture references - Rev 12:6: allusion, high confidence - Rev 12:14: allusion, medium confidence - Song 4:16: quotation, high confidence - Col 2:9: quotation, high confidence - Phil 2:7: quotation, high confidence - Exod 20:11: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations and allusions are Rev 12:6, 14, Song 4:16, Col 2:9, Phil 2:7, and Exod 20:11. Six is a “perfect number” in Greek arithmetic because it equals the sum of its divisors (1 + 2 + 3); twelve is “abundant” and eight “deficient.” ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.11 (Bonwetsch, 93–96; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-11). ## Symposium 8.12 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-12 - Source: Bonwetsch, 96–97 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Winged by virginity, the church escapes the dragon; the virgins, armed with God's armour, should face the many-headed beast boldly, since Christ has already defeated it. ### Greek text Οὐκοῦν δεῦρο εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ἐλθοῦσα ταύτην καὶ ἄγονον κακῶν, καθὼς καὶ πρόσθεν εἰρήκαμεν, ἡ ἐκκλησία τρέφεται, πτερουμένη τοῖς οὐρανοπόροις τῆς παρθενίας πτεροῖς, ἃς ἀετοῦ μεγάλου πτέρυγας ὁ λόγος ἔφη, νικήσασα τὸν ὄφιν καὶ τῆς πληροσελήνου τῆς ἑαυτῆς τὰς νεφέλας τὰς δυσχειμέρους ἀπωσαμένη. τούτων γὰρ χάριν οἱ μεταξὺ πάντες οὗτοι παρηνέχθησαν λόγοι, διδάσκοντες ὑμᾶς ὠ καλλιπάρθενοι, κατὰ κράτος μιμεῖσθαι τὴν μητέρα, μὴ ἐπιθολοῦσθαι δὲ ταῖς ἀχθηδόσι καὶ τροπαῖς καὶ θλίψεσι τοῦ βίου, ἵνα συνεισέλθητε γαῦροι μετʼ αὐτῆς εἰς τὸν νυμφῶνα, παραφαίνουσαι τἀς λαμπάδας. μὴ οὖν ἀποδειλιάσητε πρὸς τὰς μεθοδείας« καὶ διαβολὰς τοῦ θηρός, ἀλλὰ καρτερῶς ἐνσκευάσασθε πρὸς τὴν μάχην, τὴν κόρυν »τοῦ σωτηρίου« καὶ »τὸν θώρακα« καὶ τὰς κνημῖδας ἐξωπλισμέναι. μυρίαν γὰρ αὐτῷ κατάπληξιν παρέξετε μετὰ πολλοῦ λήμματος καὶ εὐψυχίας προσβάλλουσαι, οὐδὲ στήσεται πάντως ἐκ τοῦ κρείττονος ὁρῶν τὰς ἀντιπάλους παρατεταγμένας, ἀλλʼ αὐτόθεν ἄρασθαι τῶν ἑπτὰ παλαισμάτων ὑμᾶς συγχωρήσει τὰ ἀριστεῖα ὁ πολυκέφαλος κοὶ πολυπρόσωπος θήρ, πρόσθε λέων, ὄπιθεν δὲ δράκων, μέσση δὲ Χίμαιρα. δεινὸν ἀποπνείουσα πυρὸς μένος αἰθομένοιο· καὶ τὴν μὲν κατέπεφνε πατρὸς τεράεσσι πιθήσας Χριστὸς ἄναξ· πολλοὺς γὰρ ἀπώλεσεν, οὐδέ τις ἔτλη λοίγιον ἐκ γενύων ἀφρὸν ἐρευγομέναν, εἰ μὴ πρότερον ἐκλύσας αὐτὴν κατειργάσατο καὶ ἀσθενῆ καὶ εὐκαταφρόνητον ἡμῖν παντελῶς ἐποίησε Χριστός. ### English translation (Claude) “So the church, coming here into this wilderness that is barren of evils, as we said before, is nourished, winged with the heaven-traversing wings of virginity, which the word called ‘the wings of the great eagle,’ having conquered the serpent and driven away the stormy clouds from her full moon. For the sake of these things all these intervening words have been brought in, to teach you, fair virgins, to imitate your mother with all your might, and not to be troubled by the vexations and changes and afflictions of life, so that you may enter proudly with her into the bridal chamber, showing forth your lamps. Do not, then, lose heart at the ‘schemes’ and slanders of the beast, but equip yourselves strongly for the battle, armed with the helmet ‘of salvation’ and ‘the breastplate’ and the greaves. For you will cause him countless terror if you attack him with great spirit and courage, and he will not stand at all, seeing his opponents drawn up from a stronger position; but at once the many-headed and many-faced beast will let you carry off the prizes of the seven bouts, the beast that is ‘in front a lion, behind a serpent, in the middle a Chimaera, breathing out the terrible might of blazing fire. And her Christ the king slew, trusting the signs of his Father.’ For she destroyed many, and no one endured her as she belched out deadly foam from her jaws, until Christ first loosened her and overcame her, and made her altogether weak and contemptible for us. ### Scripture references - Rev 12:14: quotation, high confidence - Eph 6:11: quotation, high confidence - Eph 6:14: allusion, high confidence - Eph 6:17: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Homer, Il. 6.181-183 (Homer, Iliad): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Rev 12:14 and Eph 6:11, 14, 17. The verses about the Chimaera adapt Homer, Iliad 6.181–183, substituting “Christ the king” and “his Father” for Bellerophon and the gods; the following half-line about the deadly foam is also in epic style (source uncertain). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.12 (Bonwetsch, 96–97; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-12). ## Symposium 8.13 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-13 - Source: Bonwetsch, 97–99 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The dragon's seven heads are vices to be conquered for seven crowns and its ten horns the sins against the ten commandments; humans are free and not ruled by the stars, and Thecla turns to refute astrology. ### Greek text Διὸ θυμὸν ἄρρενα λαβοῦσαι καὶ νήφοντα ἐναντία θέσθε τῷ θηρὶ σφριγῶντι τὰ ὅπλα, μηδὲ ὑποχωρήσητε τὸ σύνολον, ἐφʼ οἷς θρασύνεται ταραχθεῖσαι· μυρίον γὰρ ἕξετε κλέος, ἐὰν ἀφέλητε νικήσασαι τοὺς ἐπʼ αὐτῷ στεφάνους ἑπτά, διʼ οὓς ὁ ἀγὼν ἡμῖν πρόκειται καὶ ἡ πάλη κατὰ τὸν διδάσκαλον Παῦλον. ἡ γὰρ καταγωνισαμένη τὸν διάβολον πρότερον καὶ νεκρώσασα τὰς ἑπτὰ κεφαλὰς τῶν ἑπτὰ στεφάνων τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐγκρατὴς γίνεται, τοὺς ἑπτὰ μεγάλους ἀγῶνας διαθλήσασα τῆς ἁγνείας. κεφαλὴ γὰρ τοῦ δράκοντός ἐστιν ἡ ἀκρασία καὶ ἡ τρυφή· ὁ ταύτην θλάσας ἀναδεῖται τὸν στέφανον τῆς σωφροσύνης. κεφαλή ἐστι καὶ ἡ δειλία καὶ ἡ θρύφις· ὁ ταύτην πατήσας τὸν στέφανον ἀναιρεῖταιτοῦ μαρτυρίου. κεφαλή ἐστι καὶ ἡ ἀπιστία καὶ ἡ ἄνοια καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ὡσαύτως τῆς πονηρίας πλεονεκτήματα· ματα· ὁ ταῦτα κατεργασάμενος καὶ ἀνελὼν τὰς ἐπʼ αὐτοῖς τιμὰς ἀποφέρεται, πολυτρόπως ἐκκεραϊζομένης τοῦ δράκοντος τῆς ἰσχύος. καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὰ δέκα κέρατα καὶ κέντρα, ἅπερ ἐπὶ ταῖς κεφαλαῖς ἐλέχθη φέρειν, αἱ δέκα ἀντιθέσεις εἰσίν, ὦ καλλιπάρθενοι, τῆς δεκαλόγου, αἷς ἀνακερατίζειν εἴωθε καὶ βάλλειν τὰς τῶν πλείστων ψυχάς, τῇ »ἀγαπήσεις« ἐντολῇ »κύριον τὸν θεόν σου« τὰ ἐναντία φρονῶν καὶ τεκταινόμενος καὶ τοῖς ἑξῆς νομοθετήμασιν. ἰδὲ γὰρ κέρας αὐτοῦ διάπυρον καὶ πικρὸν τὴν πορνείαν, ᾧ τοὺς ἀκράτορας βάλλει, ἰδὲ τὴν μοιχείαν, ἰδὲ τὸ ψεῦδος, ἰδὲ τὴν φιλαργυρίαν, ἰδὲ τὴν κλοπὴν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τούτων ἀδελφὰ καὶ συγγενῆ, ὁπόσα ἐξισχύουσιν ἀμφὶ ταῖς κεφαλαῖς αὐτοῦ ταῖς ἀνθρωποκτόνοις πεφυκότα· ἃς ὑμεῖς συμμαχήσαντος μαχήσαντος Χριστοῦ ἐκκεραΐσασαι λήψεσθε, τοῖς κατὰ τοῦ δράκοντος κατανθεμοῦσαι στεφανώμασιν ὑμῶν τὰς θείας κεφαλάς. ἡμέτερον κροκρίνειν γὰρ τὰ κρείττω καὶ προτάσσειν πρὸ τῶν γηγενῶν, αὐτοκράτορα καὶ αὐτεξούσιον τὸν λογισμὸν εἰληφότας καὶ πάσης ἀνάγκης ἐκτὸς εἰς τὸ αὐτοδεσπότως αἱρεῖσθαι τὰ ἀρέσκοντα, οὐ δουλεύοντας εἱμαρμένῃ καὶ τύχαις... ὡς οὐκ ἄνθρωπος ἀλλʼ ὡς μακάριος ἔσοιτο καὶ ἀγαθός, εἰ [μὴ] τῷ ἀνθρωπίνῳ παραδείγματι χρώμενος τοῦ Χρι- στοῦ καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἑαυτὸν ζωγραφῶν κἀκεῖνον μιμούμενος βιώσει. πάντων γὰρ κακῶν μέγιστον ἔμφυτον τοῖς πολλοῖς τὸ τὰς αἰτίας τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων εἰς τὰς τῶν ἀστέρων κινήσεις ἀναφέρειν καὶ τὸν βίον ἡμῶν οἰακίζεσθαι τῆς εἱμαρμένης ταῖς ἀνάγκαις λέγειν, καθάπερ οἱ μετὰ ἀλαζονείας πολλῆς ἀστεροσκοπήσαντες· ὑπονοίᾳ γὰρ μᾶλλον ἢ τῷ φρονεῖν πεπιστευκότες, ὃ μεταξὺ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐστὶ καὶ τοῦ ψεύδους, πολὺ τῆς τῶν ὄντως ὄντων θέας ἐξηπατήθησαν. ὅθεν εἰ παρείης, ὦ Ἀρετή, πληρωθέντος ἤδη μοι τοῦ λόγου, ὃν αὐτὴ προσέταξας, δέσποινα, ῥηθῆναι, πειράσομαι δὴ συναγωνιζομένης σου καὶ συμπνεούσης πρὸς τοὺς χαλεπαίνοντας καὶ ἀμφισβητοῦντας, ὡς οὐκ ἀληθῆ λέγομεν αὐτεξούσιον εἶναι φάσκουσαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον, διευκρινήσασθαι ὅτι σφῇσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὑπέρμορον ἄλγεʼ ἔχουσιν, αἱρούμενοι τὰ ἡδέα πρὸ τῶν συμφερόντων. ΑΡΕΤΗ. Ἀλλὰ παρίημι καὶ συναγωνίζομαι· τελέως γὰρ ὁ λόγος κεκοσμήσεται καὶ τούτων προσαφθέντων. ### English translation (Claude) “Therefore, taking a manly and sober spirit, set your weapons against the swelling beast, and do not retreat at all, troubled at the things he boasts of. For you will have countless glory if, having conquered, you take away the seven crowns upon him, for which the contest and the wrestling lie before us, according to our teacher Paul. For she who has first fought down the devil and put to death his seven heads becomes master of the seven crowns of virtue, having contended through the seven great contests of chastity. For one head of the dragon is incontinence and luxury: whoever crushes it wears the crown of self-control. Another head is cowardice and softness: whoever tramples it takes the crown of martyrdom. Other heads are unbelief and folly and the other advantages of wickedness in the same way: whoever overcomes and destroys them carries off the honours for them, as the dragon's strength is in many ways de-horned. For the ten horns and stings, which he was said to carry on his heads, are, fair virgins, the ten contraries of the Decalogue, with which he is accustomed to gore and strike the souls of most people, thinking and contriving the opposite of the commandment ‘You shall love the Lord your God’ and of the laws that follow. See one horn of his, fiery and bitter, sexual immorality, with which he strikes the incontinent; see adultery, see falsehood, see love of money, see theft and the other things akin and related to these, which grow strong on his man-slaying heads. When you have de-horned these with Christ fighting at your side, you will take them, garlanding your divine heads with your crowns won against the dragon. For it is ours to prefer the better things and set them before earthly ones, having received a reason that is sovereign and free, beyond all compulsion, to choose by our own authority what is pleasing, not being slaves to fate and fortune … as not a man, but blessed and good he would be, if, using the human example of Christ, and painting himself after him and imitating him, he lives. For the greatest of all evils, innate in most people, is to refer the causes of sins to the movements of the stars and to say that our life is steered by the compulsions of fate, as those do who have studied the stars with great arrogance; for, trusting in supposition rather than understanding, which is something between truth and falsehood, they have been greatly deceived about the contemplation of what truly is. So, if you would allow me, Arete, now that the speech you bade me give is completed, my lady, I will try, with you contending alongside and inspiring me, to show clearly, against those who are angry and dispute with us, saying that we do not speak truly in declaring that man is free, that ‘by their own wickedness they have sorrows beyond their lot,’ choosing what is pleasant before what is profitable.” ARETE: I allow it and will contend alongside you; for the speech will be perfectly adorned when these things too have been added. ### Scripture references - Eph 6:12: allusion, medium confidence - Rev 12:3: allusion, high confidence - Deut 6:5: quotation, high confidence - Exod 20:13–17: allusion, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Homer, Od. 1.34 (Homer, Odyssey): quotation, high confidence - Plato, Resp. 477a–478d (Plato (works)): echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Eph 6:12, Rev 12:3, Deut 6:5 (Matt 22:37), and Exod 20:1–17. The quotation “by their own wickedness they have sorrows beyond their lot” is Homer, Odyssey 1.34. There is a gap in the Greek (marked “…”) after “fate and fortune,” and the editor brackets a “not” in the following clause. “Something between truth and falsehood” echoes Plato, Republic 477a–478d, on opinion. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.13 (Bonwetsch, 97–99; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-2/#p-8-13). ## Symposium 8.14 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-14/#p-8-14 - Source: Bonwetsch, 99–102 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Thecla describes the astrologers' spherical cosmos and zodiac and mocks its mythical origins: if the signs came from later myths, earlier people lived without any fate of birth. ### Greek text ΘΕΚΛΑ. Πάλιν οὖν δὴ πρῶτον περὶ τῶν τοιούτων εἰς δύναμιν εἴπωμεν, τὴν γοητείαν αὐτῶν, ἐφʼ ᾑ θρασύνονται, γυμνώ- σαντες, ὡς μόνοιν κατειληφότων ἐς οἵων ὁ οὐρανὸς κεόσμηται σχημάτων κατὰ τὰς Χαλδαϊκὰς ὑποθέσεις. φάσκουσι γὰρ ὥσπερ σφαίρας ἐντόρνου στροφαῖς ἀπεικάζεσθαι τὴν περιφέρειαν τοῦ κόσμου, τῆς γῆς κέντρου καὶ σημείου τόπον ἐχούσης. περιφορᾶς γὰρ οὔσης σφαι- ρικῆς, ἀνάγκη, φασί, κατὰ τὰς ὁμοίας διαστάσεις τῶν αὐτῶν ὄντων διαστημάτων μέσην τοῦ παντὸς τὴν γῆν τυγχάνειν, περὶ ἣν ὁ οὐρανὸς περιδινεῖται προγενεστέραν οὐσαν. εἰ γὰρ ἐκ σημείου καὶ κέντρου περιφέρεια συνέστηκεν, ὃ δὴ κύκλος εἶναι δοκεῖ, ἀδύνατον δὲ χωρὶς σημείου καταγραφῆναι κύκλον, κύκλον δʼ ἔσεσθαι ἀδύνατον ἄνευ σημείου, πῶς οὐ πρὸ πάντων ἡ γῆ, φασί, συνέστηκε καὶ τὸ κατʼ αὐτὴν χάος καὶ βάθος; εἰς χάος γὰρ ὄντως καὶ βάθος κατωλίσθησαν οἱ σχέτλιοι πλάνης, ὅτι »γνόντες τὸν θεὸν οὐχ ὡς θεὸν ἐδόξασαν ἢ ηὐχαρίστησαν, ἀλλʼ ἐματαιώθησαν ἐν τοῖς διαλογισμοῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐσκοτίσθη ἡ ἀσύνετος αὐτῶν καρδία«, καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τῶν παρʼ αὐτοῖς εἰρηκότων σοφῶν ὡς οὐδὲν Ὀλυμπίων ἐντιμότερον γηγενὲς καὶ πρεσβύτερον. ὅθεν οὐκ ἀεὶ παῖδες ὄντως οἱ Χριστὸν ἐγνωκότες, καθάπερ Ἕλληνες οἱ μύθοις μᾶλλον καὶ πλάσμασιν ἢ τέχνῃ τῶν λόγων τὴν ἀλήθειαν χώσαντες καὶ τοῖς οὐρανίοις τὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων προσαρμόσαντες συμφοράς, οὐδὲν αἰσχύνονται καταγράφοντες τὴν τῆς οἰκουμένης περιφορὰν γεωμετρικοῖς θεωρήμασι καὶ σχήμασι. καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν εἰδώλοις πτηνῶν καὶ νηκτῶν καὶ χερσαίων εἰσηγούμενοι κεκοσμῆσθαι καὶ τὰς ποιότητας τῶν ἀστέρων ἐκ τῶν περὶ τοὺς ἀρχαίους ἀνθρώπους συμφορῶν κατεσκευάσθαι, ὥστε τὰς τῶν πλανητῶν αὐτοῖς κινήσεις ἐκ τῶν τοιούτων ἡρτῆσθαι σωμάτων. εἱλίσσεσθαι γὰρ περὶ τὴν τῶν δώδεκα ζωδίων φύσιν φασὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας, ἑλκομένους τοῦ ζωδιακοῦ κύκλου τῇ φορᾷ, ὡς καὶ διὰ τῆς συγκράσεως αὐτῶν ὁρᾶσθαι τὰ ἀποβαίνοντα πολλοῖς κατὰ τὰς πρὸς ἀλλήλους αὐτῶν συναφείας τε καὶ ἀπορροίας, ἀνατολάς τε αὖ καὶ δύσεις. σφαιροειδὴς γὰρ ὑπάρχων πᾶς ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ κέντρῳ καὶ σημείῳ κατ αὐτοὺς τῇ γῇ χρώμενος, διὰ τὸ πάσας ἀπὸ τῆς περιφορᾶς τὰς προσπιπτούσας εὐθείας ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἔσας ἀλλήλαις εἶναι, ὑπὸ τῶν περιεχόντων αὐτὸν <ται> κύκλων· ὧν μείζων μὲν ὁ μεσημβρινὸς καὶ δεύτερος ὁ εἰς ἴσα τέμνων μέρη καλούμενος ὁρίζων, τρίτος δὲ ὁ τούτους ἐπιδιαιρῶν ἰσημερινός. παρʼ ἑκάτερα δὲ τούτου τροπικοὶ δύο, θερινὸς καὶ χειμερινός· καὶ ὁ μὲν πρὸς τοῖς ἀρκτίοις, ὁ δὲ πρὸς τοῖς νοτίοις. κατὰ δὲ τούτων ὁ λεγόμενος ἄζων, περὶ ὃν αἵ τε Αρκτοι, ὅ τε ἀνταρκτικὸς ἔξωθεν τῶν τροπικῶν. καὶ αἱ μὲν Ἄρκτοι περὶ αὑτὰς στρεφόμεναι καὶ βρίθουσαι τὸν διὰ τῶν πόλων ἄξονα τὴν τοῦ παντὸς ἀπεργάζονται κίνησιν κόσμου, κατὰ τὰς ἀλλήλων ἰξύας ἔχουσαι τὰς κεφαλὰς καὶ ἄχραντοι τοῦ καθʼ ἡμᾶς ὁρίζοντος οὖσαι, τῷ τὸν ζωδιακὸν κύκλον πάντων ἐφάπτεσθαι τῶν κύκλων, λοξὴν ποιούμενον τὴν κίνησιν· εἶναί τε ἐν αὐτῷ ζωδίων ἀριθμόν, ἃ καλεῖται δωδεκατημόρια δώδεκα, ἀπὸ Κριοῦ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔχοντα μέχρι τῶν Ἰχθύων· ἃ κατηστερίσθαι παριστᾶσιν ἐχεμύθοις αἰτίαις· τὸν μὲν Κριὸν φάσκοντες τὸν τὴν Ἕλλην εἶναι τὴν Ἀθάμαντος διακομίσαντα καὶ Φρίξον εἰς Σκύθας, τὸ δὲ Βούκρανον, εἰς τιμὴν Διός, τοῦ τὴν Εὐρώπην ταύρου διαπεραιώσαντος εἰς τὴν Κρήτην· καὶ τὸν καλούμενον δὲ Γαλαξίαν κύκλον, ὃς τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ συνδέσμου τῶν Ἰχθύων ἐπὶ τὸν Κριὸν Κριὸν ἐκ τῶν τῆς Ἥρας μαζῶν Ἡρακλεῖ προχυθῆναι λόγος Διὸς ταγαῖς. ὥστε κατʼ αὐτοὺς πρὸ τῆς Εὐρώπης καὶ Φρίξου καὶ τοῖν Διοσκούροιν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ζωδίων τῶν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων καὶ θηρίων καταστερισθέντων οὔπω γένεσις ἦν, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς γενέσεως ἐβίωσαν ἡμῶν οἱ παλαιότεροι. ἐπιχειρητέον γὰρ μή πως τὸ ψεῦδος ἰσχύσωμεν ὥσπερ ἰατροὶ φαρμάκοις τῶν λόγων ἀμβλύνοντες ἰατικοῖς σβέσαι, τῇδε σκοποῦσαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν. ### English translation (Claude) THECLA: “Let us speak first, then, as far as we can, about such people, stripping bare the sorcery in which they take pride, as though they alone had grasped with what figures the heaven is adorned, according to the Chaldean theories. For they say that the circuit of the world is like the turnings of a well-rounded sphere, the earth having the place of centre and point. For since the revolution is spherical, the earth, they say, must be in the middle of the whole, the distances being equal on all sides, and the heaven turns around it, since it is older. For if a circumference is formed from a point and centre, which is what a circle seems to be, and it is impossible for a circle to be drawn without a point, and a circle cannot exist without a point, how, they say, did not the earth, and the chaos and depth around it, exist before everything? For truly into chaos and depth these wretched people have slipped through error, because ‘knowing God, they did not glorify him as God or give thanks, but became futile in their reasonings, and their senseless heart was darkened’; and this, even though the wise among them have said that nothing earthborn is more honoured and older than the Olympians. That is why those who have come to know Christ are not truly always children, like the Greeks, who have buried the truth under myths and fictions rather than the art of reasoning, and who, fitting the misfortunes of human beings to the heavenly bodies, are not ashamed to describe the circuit of the world with geometrical theorems and figures, teaching that the heaven is adorned with images of birds and fish and land animals, and that the qualities of the stars were fixed from the misfortunes of men of old, so that the movements of the planets depend on such bodies. For they say that the stars revolve around the nature of the twelve signs of the zodiac, drawn along by the motion of the zodiacal circle, so that through their mingling what befalls many is seen, according to their conjunctions and separations with one another, and their risings and settings. For, according to them, the whole heaven, being spherical and using the earth as its centre and point, since all the straight lines falling from the circumference to the earth are equal to one another, is divided by the circles that surround it: of these the greatest is the meridian; the second, which divides it into equal parts, is called the horizon; the third, which divides these, is the equator. On either side of it are two tropics, the summer and the winter, one toward the north and the other toward the south. Beyond these is the so-called unzoned circle, around which are the Bears, and the antarctic outside the tropics. And the Bears, turning about themselves and weighing on the axis through the poles, produce the motion of the whole world, having their heads at each other's loins and not touching our horizon, while the zodiacal circle touches all the circles, making an oblique motion. And in it, they say, is a number of signs, called the twelve twelfths, beginning from the Ram and ending with the Fishes; and they present these as having been set among the stars for mythical reasons: saying that the Ram is the one that carried Helle, the daughter of Athamas, and Phrixus to the Scythians, and the Bull's head is in honour of Zeus, the bull that carried Europa across to Crete; and the circle called the Milky Way, which begins from the knot of the Fishes and runs to the Ram, is said to have poured from the breasts of Hera for Heracles by Zeus's command. So, according to them, before Europa and Phrixus and the Dioscuri and the other signs set among the stars from men and beasts, there was not yet any fate of birth, but our forefathers lived without a birth-fate. For we must try, like doctors using the healing drugs of arguments, to quench the falsehood if we can, examining the truth in this way. ### Scripture references - Rom 1:21: quotation, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Plato, Tim. 22b (Plato (works)): echo, high confidence - Aratus, Phaen. (Aratus, Phaenomena): echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is Rom 1:21. “Not always children, like the Greeks” echoes Plato, Timaeus 22b (“you Greeks are always children”). The constellation myths are the traditional Greek ones (compare Aratus, Phaenomena). “Fate of birth” renders γένεσις, the astrological horoscope; the saying about the Olympians is unidentified. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.14 (Bonwetsch, 99–102; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-14/#p-8-14). ## Symposium 8.15 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-14/#p-8-15 - Source: Bonwetsch, 102–104 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: If birth-fate came from later constellations, earlier people had none, yet lived better and longer; and stars that caused human evils would be more wretched than humans. ### Greek text Εἰ κρεῖσσον ἦν τὸ ὑπὸ γένεσιν εἶναι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ὠ σχέτλιοι, τοῦ μὴ εἶναι, διʼ ἣν αἰτίαν οὐκ αὐτόθεν, ἀφʼ οὗπερ τὸ γένος ἔφυ τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, γένεσις ἦν; εἰ δὲ ἦν, τίς χρεία τῶν ὑπόγυιον καταστερισθέντων, Λέοντος Καρκίνου, Διδύμων, Παρθένου, Ταύρου, Ζυγοῦ, Σκορπίου, Κριοῦ, Τοξότου, Ἰχθύων, Αἰγόκερω, Ὑδροχόου, Περσέως, Κασσιοπείας, Κηφέως, Πηγάσου, Ὕδρου, Κόρακος, Κρατῆρος, Λύρας. Δράκοντος, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων, ἐξ ὡν εἰσηγεῖσθε κατακοσμηθέντων τοὺς πολλοὺς κατειληφέναι τὴν μαθηματικὴν ταύτην, μᾶλλον δὲ καταθεματικήν, πρόγνωσιν; ἤτοι οὐν καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν γένεσις ἦν, καὶ μάταιος ἡ τούτων σύστασις, ἢ οὐκ ἦν, καὶ εἰς τὴν κρείσσονα κατάστασιν καὶ διαγωγὴν ὁ θεὸς τὸν βίον μετέστησε, τῶν ἔμπροσθεν χείρονα βιωσάντων χρόνον. ἀλλὰ κρείττους οἱ παλαιότεροι τῶν νῦν, ὅθεν καὶ χρυσοῦν ἐκλήθησαν γένος. οὐκ ἄραγένεσις. εἰ ὁ ἥλιος καθιππεύων τοὺς κύκλους καὶ ἐπιπορευόμενος ἐτησίοις τε ζώδια περιόδοις τὰς μεταβολὰς ἀποτελεῖ καὶ τὰς τροπὰς τῶν καιρῶν, οἱ πρὸ τοῦ καταστερισθῆναι τὰ ζώδια γεγονότες καὶ κοσμηθῆναι τούτοις τὸν οὐρανὸν πῶς διήρκεσαν, μηδέπω θέρους, μετοπώρου, χειμῶνος, ἔαρος διακεκριμένων, διʼ ὡν ἡ τοῦ σώματος αὔξεται καὶ συγκρατεῖται φύσις; ἀλλʼ ἐξήρκεσαν καὶ πολυχρονιώτεροι γεγόνασι καὶ ῥωμαλεώτεροι παρὰ τοὺς νῦν, ὁμοίως καὶ τότε διευθύναντος τοὺς καιροὺς τοῦ θεοῦ. οὐκ ἄρα ἐκ τοιούτων ὁ οὐρανὸς πεποίκιλται σχημάτων. εἰ ὁ »ἥλιος καὶ ἡ σελήνη καὶ« τὰ »ἄλλα ἄστρα«, τὰ εἰς διορισμὸν καὶ φυλακὴν ἀριθμῶν χρόνου γεγονότα καὶ κόσμον οὐρανοῦ καὶ τροπὰς καιρῶν, θεῖά ἐστι καὶ κρείττονα τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀνάγκη καὶ κρείττονα βίον καὶ μακάριον αὐτὰ καὶ εἰρηνικὸν καὶ πολλῷ τοῦ ἡμετέρου βίου διαλλάττοντα δικαιοσύνῃ καἰ ἀρετῇ διάγειν, κινούμενα κίνησιν εὔτακτον καὶ εὐδαίμονα. εἰ δὲ τἀς τῶν θνητῶν συμφορὰς καὶ κακοφροσύνας αὐτὰ τεκταίνεται καὶ ἐνεργεῖ, περὶ τὰς ἀσελγείας ἀσχολούμενα καὶ τὰς μεταβολὰς καὶ τροπὰς τοῦ βίου ἄρα ἀθλιώτερα τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐστίν, εἰς τὴν γῆν βλέποντα καὶ τὰς ἐπικήρους καὶ ἀθέσμους πράξεις καὶ μηδὲν κρεῖττον τῶν ἀνθρώπων διάγοντα, εἴ γε τῆς ἐκείνων ἀπορροίας καὶ κινήσεως ὁ ἡμέτερος ἤρτηται βίος. ### English translation (Claude) “If it was better, you wretches, for human beings to be under a birth-fate than not, why was there not a birth-fate from the very beginning, from when the human race came into being? And if there was, what need was there of those recently set among the stars, the Lion, the Crab, the Twins, the Virgin, the Bull, the Scales, the Scorpion, the Ram, the Archer, the Fishes, the Goat-horned, the Water-carrier, Perseus, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Pegasus, the Water-snake, the Raven, the Bowl, the Lyre, the Dragon, and the rest, from whose ordering you teach that the many have acquired this mathematical, or rather accursed, foreknowledge? Either, then, there was a birth-fate also for those before, and the establishment of these signs is vain; or there was not, and God changed life to a better state and way of living, since those before lived a worse time. But the men of old were better than those of today, which is why they were even called the golden race. So there is no birth-fate. If the sun, riding over the circles and travelling through the signs in yearly revolutions, brings about the changes and turnings of the seasons, how did those who lived before the signs were set among the stars and the heaven was adorned with them survive, when summer, autumn, winter, and spring were not yet distinguished, through which the nature of the body grows and is maintained? But they did survive, and were longer-lived and stronger than those of today, God directing the seasons then as now. So the heaven has not been embroidered with such figures. If ‘the sun and the moon and the other stars,’ which were made for the marking and keeping of the numbers of time, for the adornment of heaven, and for the changes of seasons, are divine and better than human beings, they must also live a better, blessed, and peaceful life, far excelling ours in righteousness and virtue, moving with an orderly and happy motion. But if they contrive and cause the misfortunes and follies of mortals, being busy with licentiousness and the changes and turns of life, then they are more wretched than human beings, looking at the earth and at perishable and lawless deeds, and living no better than human beings, if indeed our life depends on their emanation and movement. ### Scripture references - Gen 1:14–16: allusion, high confidence - Deut 4:19: quotation, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Hesiod, Op. 109-126 (Hesiod, Works and Days): allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Gen 1:14–16 and Deut 4:19. Thecla puns on “mathematical” (μαθηματική, the name for astrology) and “accursed” (καταθεματική). The “golden race” is from Hesiod, Works and Days 109–126. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.15 (Bonwetsch, 102–104; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-14/#p-8-15). ## Symposium 8.16 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-14/#p-8-16 - Source: Bonwetsch, 104–110 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: A series of arguments against astrological fate: the stars and God cause no evil, laws presuppose freedom, and blame and praise would be meaningless if fate made people what they are. ### Greek text Εἰ πᾶσα πρᾶξις χωρὶς ἐπιθυμίας οὐ γίνεται, οὐδὲ μὴν ἐπιθυμία χωρὶς ἐνδείας, ἀνενδεὲς δὲ τὸ θεῖον, ἀνεννόητον ἄρα πονηρίας. καὶ εἰ ἡ τῶν ἄστρων φύσις ἐγγυτέρω τέτακται τοῦ θεοῦ, κρείσσων οὐσα τῆς τῶν κρεισσόνων ἀνθρώπων ἀρετῆς, ἀνεννόητα κακίας ἐστὶ καὶ ἀνενδεῆ τὰ ἄστρα. καὶ ἄλλως· πᾶς ἡμῖν ὁμολογήσει τῶν πεπεισμένων τὸν ἥλιον καὶ ιὴν σελήνην καὶ τοὺς ἀστέρας εἶναι θεῖα καὶ μακρὰν ἀπῳκίσθαι κακίας καὶ τῶν γηγενῶν πράξεων ἀνεπίδεκτα πάθους ἡδονῆς ὄντα καὶ λύπης· οὐ γὰρ προσεῖναι τοῖς οὐρανίοις τοιαύτας ὀρέξεις βδελυκτάς. εἰ δὲ τούτων ἐκτὸς καὶ ἀνενδεῆ πεφύκασι, πῶς τοῖς ἀν θρώποις ἄ μὴ αὐτὰ βούλονται καὶ ὧν ἐκτός εἰσι τεκταίνονται; οἱ διοριζόμενοι μὴ εἶναι τὸν ἄνθρωπον αὐτεξούσιον, ἀλλʼ ἀνάγκαις ἀφύκτοις εἱμαρμένης λέγοντες οἰακίζεσθαι καὶ ἀγρά- φοις προστάγμασιν, εἰς αὐτὸν ἀσεβοῦσι τὸν θεόν, παρεκτικὸν τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων αὐτὸν κακῶν καὶ ποιητὴν εἰσηγούμενοι. εἰ γὰρ τὴν τῶν ἀστέρων ἅπασαν κυκλικὴν κίνησιν ἐμμελῶς αὐτὸς ἀφράκτῳ σοφίᾳ καὶ ἀνεννοήτῳ διέπει, κατευθύνων τὸν οἴακα τῆς οἰκουμένης, οἱ δὲ ἀστέρες τὰς ποιότητας τῆς κακίας καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐκτελοῦσι τῷ βίῳ, ἀνάγκης δεδμοῖς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἕλκοντες εἰς ταῦτα, αἴτιον τῶν κακῶν τὸν θεὸν ἀποφαίνονται καὶ δότην. ἀλλʼ ἀναίτιος πᾶσι πάσης βλάβης ὁ θεός. οὐκ ἄρα γένεσις. πᾶς ὅστις κἂν βραχὺ συνετὸς ὁμολογήσει τὸ θεῖον δίκαιον, ἀγαγόν, σοφόν, ἀληθές, ὠφέλιμον, ἀναίτιον κακῶν, ἀσύμπλοκον πάθους καὶ πᾶν ὅ τι τοιοῦτον. καὶ εἰ οἱ δίκαιοι κρείσσους εἰσὶ τῶν ἀδίκων καὶ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἀδικία βδελυκτή, χαίρει δὲ ὁ θεὸς τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ, δί- καιος ὤν, στυγητὴ δὲ αὐτῷ ἡ ἀδικία, ἐναντίον οὐσα καὶ ἐΜ·ὸν τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ, οὐκ ἄρα ἀδικίας αἴτιος ὁ θεός. — εἰ τὸ ὠφελοῦν πάντως ἐστὶν ἀγαθόν, ἀφέλιμον δὲ σωφροσύνῃ καὶ οἴκῳ καὶ βίῳ καὶ φίλοις. ἀγαθὸν ἄρα ἐστὶν ἡ σωφροσύνη. καὶ εἰ ἡ σψφροσύνη φύσει ἀγαθόν, ἀκολασία δὲ ἐναντίον σωφροσύνῃ, τὸ δὲ ἀναντίον τῷ ἀγαθῷ κακόν, κακὸν ἄρα ἡ ἀκολασία. καὶ εἰ ἡ ἀκολασία φύσει κακόν, κατὰ ἀκολασίαν δὲ μοιχεῖαι γίνονται καὶ κλοπαὶ καὶ ὀργαὶ καὶ φόνοι, φόνοι, φύσει κακόν ἐστιν ὁ ἀκόλαστος βίος· τὸ δὲ θεῖον παθῶν ἀσύμπλοκον. οὐκ ἄρα γένεσις. — εἰ οἰ σώφρονες βελτίους εἰσὶ τῶν ἀκρατῶν καὶ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἀκρασία βδελυκτή. χαίρει Τε ὁ θεὸς τῇ σωφροσύνῃ, παθῶν ἀνεννόητος ὤν, στυγητὴ ἄρα καὶ τῷ θεῷ ἡ ἀκρασία. ὅτι δὲ ἡ κατὰ σωφροσύνην πρᾶξις, ἀρετὴ οὖσα, κρείττων ἐστὶ τῆς κατὰ ἀκρασίαν, κακίας οὔσης, μαθεῖν ἔστιν ἀπὸ βασιλέων, ἀπὸ ἀρχόντων, ἀπὸ στρατηγῶν, ἀπὸ γυναικῶν, ἀπὸ τέκνων, ἀπὸ πολιτῶν, ἀπὸ δεσποτῶν, ἀπὸ οἰκετῶν, ἀπὰ παιδαγωγῶν, ἀπὸ διδασκάλων· ἕκαστος γὰρ τούτων καὶ ἑαυτῷ καὶ τῷ κοινῷ ὠφέλιμος σωφρονῶν, σωφρονῶν, ἀκολασταίνων δὲ καὶ ἑαυτῷ καὶ τῷ κοινῷ βλαβερός. καὶ εἰ ἴσαι διαφορά τις κιναίδων καὶ ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἀκολάστων καὶ σωφρόνων, καὶ ἔστι κρείσσων ἡ τῶν ἀνδρείων καὶ σωφρόνων, χείρων δὲ ἡ τῶν ἑναντίων, οἱ δὲ τῆς κρείσσονος ἐγγύς εἰσι καὶ φίλοι θεοῦ, οἱ δὲ τῆς χείρονος μακρὰν καὶ ἐχθροί, οἱ λέγοντες γένεσιν τὸ αὐτὸ τὴν ἀδικίαν εἶναι καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην διορίζονται, κιναιδίαν καὶ ἀνδρείαν, ἀδρασίαν καὶ σωφροσύνην, ὅπερ ἀδύνατον. εἰ γὰρ τῷ κακῷ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐναντίον, τὸ δὲ ἄδικον κακόν, τούτῳ δὲ ἐναντίον τὸ δίκαιον, τὸ δὲ δίκαιον ἀγαθόν, τὸ δὲ ἀγαθὸν ἐχθρὸν τοῦ κακοῦ ἀνόμοιον δὲ τὸ κακὸν τῷ ἀγαθῷ, ἕτερον ἄρα τὸ δίκαιον τοῦ ἀδίκου. οὐκ ἄρα αἵτιος κακῶν ὁ θεός, οὐ χαίρει τοῖς κακοῖς — ὡς συνέστησεν αὐτὸς ὁ λόγος — ἀγαθὸς ὤν. εἰ εἰσὶ δὲ πονηροί τινες, κατὰ ἔνδειαν φρενῶν εἰσιν οὗτοι πονηροὶ καὶ οὐ κατὰ γένεσιν, σφῇσιν ἀτασθαλίῃσιν ὑπέρμορον ἄλγεʼ ἔχοντες. εἰ τὸ ἀνελεῖν τινα καὶ φόνῳ τὰς χεῖρας αἱμάξαι γένεσις ἀργάζεται, τοῦτο δὲ νόμος κωλύει, κολάζων τοὺς ἀλάστορας καὶ διʼ ἀπειλῆς ἀπ[είργων τὰ τῆς γενέσεως δόγματα, οἷον τὸ ἀδικῆσαι, μοιχεύσασθαι, καέψαι, φαρμακεῦσαι, ἐναντίον ἄρα νόμος γενέσει. ὅσα μὲν γὰρ γένεσις ὥρικε, ταῦτα νόμος κωλύει, ὄσα δὲ νόμος κωλύει, ταῦτα γένεσις ποιρῖν βιάζεται. πολέμιον ἄρα γενέσει νόμος. εἰ δὲ πολέμιον, οὐκ ἄρα κατὰ γένεσιν οἱ νομοθέται νομοθέται· τὰ γὰρ ἐναντία δογματίζοντες ζοντες γενέσει γένεσιν λύουσιν. ἤτοι οὖν γένεσις ἔστι καὶ οὐκ ἐχρῆν εἶναι νόμους, ἢ εἰσὶ νόμοι, καὶ οὐκ εἰσὶ κατὰ γένεσιν. ἀλλὰ ἀμήχανον χωρὶς γενέσεως φῦναί τινα καὶ διαπλάσασθαί τι· οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸν δάκτυλου ἀξεῖναί φασι χωρὶς εἱμαρμένης κινῆσαί τινι. κατὰ γένεσιν ἄρα καὶ Μίνως καὶ Δράκων καὶ Λυκοῦργος καὶ Σόλων καὶ Ζάλευκος νομοθέται φύντες διεάξοντο τοὺς νόμους, ἀπαγορεύοντες μοιχείας, φόνους βίας, ἁρπαγάς, κλοπάς, ὡς οὐκ ὄντων τούτων καὶ γινομένων κατὰ γένεσιν. εἰ δὲ κατὰ γένεσιν καὶ ταῦτα, οὐ κατὰ γένεσιν οἱ νόμοι· οἳ γὰρ ἂν αὐτὴ ὑφʼ ἑαυτῆς ἀνῃρεῖτο γένεσις, αὐτὴ ἑαυτὴν ἀκυροῦσα καὶ αὐτὴ ἑαυτῇ μαχομένη, καὶ ἐνταῦθα μὲν ἀπαγορευτικοὺς μοιχείας καὶ φόνων νόμους τιθεμένη καὶ τιμωρουμένη καὶ ἀπεξερχομένη τοὺς κακούς, ἐνταῦθα δὲ φόνους καὶ μοιχείας ἐργαζομένη. ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἀδύνατον· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἀλλόκοτον αὐτὸ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸ ἑαυτῷ ἀπεχθανόμενον καὶ αὐτὸ ἑαυτὸ καταλύον καὶ ἀσύμφορον αὐτὸ ἑαυτῷ. οὐκ ἄρα γένεσις. — εἰ κατὰ γένεσιν πᾶν ὅ τί ποτʼ οὖν γίνεται καὶ ἔστι δίχα γενέσεως οὐδέν, ἀνάγκη καὶ τὸν νόμον γενέσει γεγονέναι. ἀλλὰ νόμος γένεσιν ἀναιρεῖ, διδακτήν διδάσκων τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ ἐξ ἐπιμελείας προσγινομένην, φευκτὴν δὲ τὴν κακίαν καὶ ἐξ ἀπαιδευσίας φυομένην. οὐκ ἄρα γένεσις. — εἰ τὸ ἀλλήλους ἀδικεῖν καὶ τὸ ὑπʼ ἀλλήλων ἀδικεῖσθαι γένεσις ποιεῖ, τίς χρεία νόμων; εἰ δὲ ἵνα τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας ἀμύνωνται, φροντίζοντος τοῦ θεοῦ τῶν ἀδικουμένων, ἄμεινον ἦν κακοὺς μὴ ποιῆσαι καθʼ εἱμαρμένην ἢ μετὰ τὸ ποιῆσαι νόμοις ἀπανορθοῦσαι. ἀλλʼ ἀγαθὸς ὁ θεὸς καὶ σοφὸς καὶ τὰ κρείσσω ποιῶν. οὐκ ἄρα γένεσις. — ἤτοι ἀνατροφαὶ καὶ τὰ ἔθη τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων εἰσὶν αἴτια, ἢ τὰ πάθη τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ αἱ διὰ σώ- ματος ἐπιθυμίαι. ὁπότερον δʼ ἂν τούτων ᾖ τὸ αἴτιον, ὁ θεὸς ἀναίτιος. — εἰ κρεῖσσόν ἐστι τὸ δίκαιον εἶναι τοῦ ἄδικον διὰ τί τοιοῦ- τος αὐτόθεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἀπὸ τῆς γενέσεως οὐ γίνεται; εἰ δὲ ὕστερον, ὅπως ἀμείνων γενηθῇ, σωφρονίζεται μαθήμασι καὶ νόμοις, ὡς αὐτεξούσιος ἄρα σωφρονίζεται καὶ οὐχ ὡς ἐκ φύσεως ὥν κακός. — εἰ οἱ πονηροὶ πονηροὶ κατὰ γένεσιν πεφύκασι προνοίας ταγαῖς, οὐκ εἰσὶ μεμπτοὶ καὶ ἄξιοι τιμωρίας τῆς ἐκ τῶν νόμων, ζῶντες κατὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν, ἐπεὶ μὴ δεδύνηνται μεταβληθῆναι. — καὶ ἄλλως· εἰ οἱ ἀγαθοὶ κατὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν ζῶντές εἰσιν ἐπαινετοί, τῆς γενέσεως οὔσης αἰτίας τοῦ εἶναι τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς ἀγαθούς, οὐδὲ οἱ πονηροὶ ἄραι κατὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν ζῶντες, αἰτιατέοι παρὰ δικαίῳ κριτῇ. καὶ εἰ χρὴ διαρρήδην εἰπεῖν, ὁ κατὰ τὴν προσοῦσαν αὐτῷ φύσιν ζῶν οὐδὲν ἁμαρτάνει· οὐ γὰρ ἑαυτὸν ἀποίησε τοιοῦτον, ἀλλʼ ἡ εἱμαρμένη, καὶ ζῇ κατὰ τὴν ταύτης κίνησιν ἀγόμενος ἀφύκτοις ἀνάγκαις. οὐδεὶς οὑν κακός. ἀλλʼ εἰσὶ κακοί, καὶ ἡ μὲν κακία ψεκτὴ καὶ ἐχθρὰ τῷ θεῷ, ὡς συνέστησεν ὁ λόγος ἡ δὲ ἀρετὴ προσφιλὴς καὶ ἐπαινετή, θεοῦ διατάξαντος νόμον τιμωρὸν τῶν κακῶν. οὐκ ἄρα εἱμαρμένη. ### English translation (Claude) “If no action happens without desire, nor desire without need, and the divine is without need, then it has no thought of wickedness. And if the nature of the stars is set nearer to God, being better than the virtue of the best human beings, the stars have no thought of evil and are without need. Again: everyone who is persuaded that the sun and the moon and the stars are divine will agree with us that they are far removed from evil and incapable of earthly actions, being free of the passion of pleasure and pain; for such loathsome appetites do not belong to heavenly beings. But if they are by nature outside these things and without need, how do they contrive for human beings what they themselves do not want and are outside of? Those who declare that man is not free, but say that he is steered by the inescapable compulsions of fate and unwritten decrees, are impious toward God himself, making him the provider and maker of human evils. For if he himself, with unfenced and inconceivable wisdom, harmoniously directs the whole circular motion of the stars, steering the rudder of the world, and the stars bring the qualities of vice and virtue into life, dragging human beings to them with bonds of compulsion, they declare God to be the cause and giver of evils. But God is not the cause of any harm to anyone. So there is no birth-fate. Everyone who has even a little understanding will agree that the divine is just, good, wise, true, beneficial, not the cause of evils, free from passion, and everything of that kind. And if the just are better than the unjust and injustice is loathsome to them, and God, being just, rejoices in righteousness, while injustice, being contrary and hostile to righteousness, is hateful to him, then God is not the cause of injustice. If what benefits is wholly good, and self-control benefits household and life and friends, then self-control is good. And if self-control is good by nature, and licentiousness is contrary to self-control, and what is contrary to the good is evil, then licentiousness is evil. And if licentiousness is evil by nature, and through licentiousness come adulteries, thefts, rages, and murders, then the licentious life is evil by nature; but the divine is free from passions. So there is no birth-fate. If the self-controlled are better than the incontinent and incontinence is loathsome to them, and God, being without thought of passions, rejoices in self-control, then incontinence is hateful to God too. That action according to self-control, which is virtue, is better than action according to incontinence, which is vice, can be learned from kings, rulers, generals, wives, children, citizens, masters, servants, tutors, and teachers; for each of these, when self-controlled, is beneficial to himself and to the community, but when licentious, harmful to himself and to the community. And if there is a difference between the effeminate and the manly, the licentious and the self-controlled, and the state of the manly and self-controlled is better and that of their opposites worse, and the former are near to God and his friends, the latter far from him and his enemies, then those who speak of a birth-fate declare that injustice and justice are the same, effeminacy and manliness, incontinence and self-control; which is impossible. For if the good is opposed to the evil, and the unjust is evil, and the just is opposed to it, and the just is good, and the good is hostile to the evil, and the evil unlike the good, then the just is different from the unjust. So God is not the cause of evils, and, being good, does not rejoice in evils, as the argument itself has established. And if there are some who are wicked, they are wicked through lack of sense and not through a birth-fate, ‘having by their own wickedness sorrows beyond their lot.’ If birth-fate brings it about that someone kills another and stains his hands with blood, but law forbids this, punishing the wicked and by threat restraining the decrees of birth-fate, such as to do injustice, commit adultery, steal, and poison, then law is opposed to birth-fate. For what birth-fate has decreed, law forbids, and what law forbids, birth-fate forces people to do. So law is hostile to birth-fate. And if hostile, then the lawgivers did not give laws according to birth-fate; for, decreeing what is contrary to birth-fate, they abolish birth-fate. Either, then, there is a birth-fate and there should have been no laws, or there are laws and they are not according to birth-fate. But, they say, it is impossible for anyone to be born or anything to be formed without a birth-fate; for they say that one cannot even move a finger without fate. Then Minos, Draco, Lycurgus, Solon, and Zaleucus were born lawgivers by birth-fate and laid down laws forbidding adulteries, murders, violence, robberies, and thefts, as if these did not exist and happen by birth-fate. But if these too happen by birth-fate, the laws are not by birth-fate; for otherwise birth-fate would be abolished by itself, invalidating itself and fighting against itself, in one place establishing laws forbidding adultery and murder, punishing and pursuing the wicked, in another working murders and adulteries. But this is impossible; for nothing is at odds with itself, hostile to itself, destructive of itself, and unprofitable to itself. So there is no birth-fate. If everything whatever that happens happens by birth-fate, and there is nothing apart from birth-fate, then law too must have come into being by birth-fate. But law destroys birth-fate, teaching that virtue can be taught and is acquired by diligence, and that vice is to be avoided and grows from lack of education. So there is no birth-fate. If birth-fate makes people wrong one another and be wronged by one another, what need is there of laws? And if they exist so that the wronged may defend themselves against sinners, God caring for the wronged, it would have been better not to make people wicked by fate than, after making them so, to correct them by laws. But God is good and wise and does what is better. So there is no birth-fate. Either upbringing and customs are the causes of sins, or the passions of the soul and the desires through the body. Whichever of these is the cause, God is not the cause. If it is better to be just than unjust, why is a human being not such from birth? And if afterwards, so that he may become better, he is corrected by teachings and laws, then he is corrected as being free, and not as being evil by nature. If the wicked are wicked by nature through birth-fate, by the decrees of providence, they are not blameworthy and deserving of punishment by the laws, since they live according to their own nature and have not been able to change. And again: if the good, living according to their own nature, are praiseworthy, birth-fate being the cause of the good being good, then neither are the wicked, living according to their own nature, to be blamed before a just judge. And, to speak plainly, one who lives according to the nature he has does no wrong; for he did not make himself such, but fate did, and he lives according to its motion, led by inescapable compulsions. So no one is evil. But there are evil people, and vice is blameworthy and hateful to God, as the argument has established, while virtue is dear and praiseworthy, God having ordained a law to punish the wicked. So there is no fate. ### Extrabiblical texts - Homer, Od. 1.34 (Homer, Odyssey): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation “having by their own wickedness sorrows beyond their lot” is Homer, Odyssey 1.34. Minos, Draco, Lycurgus, Solon, and Zaleucus were famous lawgivers of Crete, Athens, Sparta, and Locri. The editor's brackets in the Greek (“ἀπ[είργων”) mark a restored reading. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.16 (Bonwetsch, 104–110; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-14/#p-8-16). ## Symposium 8.17 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-14/#p-8-17 - Source: Bonwetsch, 110–112 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Thecla concludes that good and evil lie in our own choice; Gregorion and Euboulion praise her and recall her deeds among the martyrs, and turn to the last two speakers. ### Greek text Καὶ τί τοσοῦτον ἐπιδιατρίβουσα τοῖς ἀλέγχοις εἰς μῆκος ἐξάγω τὸν λόγον, τὰ ἀναγκαιότερα καὶ χρήσιμα πρὸς πειθὼ καὶ συγκατάθεσιν τοῦ συμφέροντος ἐκθεμένη καὶ πρόδηλον πᾶσι καὶ ἐξ ἀλί- γων τὴν διαφωνίαν τοῦ τεχνάσματος αὐτῶν ἐξεργασαμένη; ὥστε διορᾶν καὶ ἐπαισθάνεσθαι τὴν πλάνην ἤδη καὶ παιδίον, ὡς ἐφʼ ἡμῖν ἐστι τὸ διαπράξασθαι τὸ καλὸν ἢ τὸ κακὸν καὶ οὐκ ἐν τοῖς ἀστράσι. δύο γὰρ κινήσεε ἐν ἡμῖν ἐστόν· ἐπιθυμία πεφυκότε σαρκὸς καὶ ψυχῆς, διαφέρετον ἀλλήλοιν. ὅθεν καὶ δύο ἐλαβέτην ὀνόματε· ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἀρετῆς, ἡ δὲ κακίας. δεῖν δὲ τῇ καλλίστῃ καὶ χρυσῇ πείθεσθαι τῆς ἀρετῇς ἀγωγῇ, τὰ βέλτιστα πρὸ τῶν φαύλων αἱρουμένους. — ἀλλὰ περὶ τούτων ἅλις ἤδη, καὶ ἐφέξω τὸν λόγον. αἰδοῦμαι γὰρ μετὰ τοὺς τῆς ἁγνείας λόγους καὶ ἐγκαλύπτομαι, τὰς τῶν μετεωρολόγων ἢ ματαιοσκόπων ἀνθρώπων ἀναγκαζομένη δόξας εἰσηγεῖσθαι, οἳ τὸν τῆς ζωῆς μετʼ οἰήσεως καταναλίσκουσι χρόνον, οὐδενὶ ἢ μυθικοῖς ἐνδιατρίβοντες πλάσμασι. Ταῦτά σοι καὶ παρʼ ἡμῶν, ὦ δέσποινα Ἀρετή, ἀπὸ θεορρήτων συγκαθυφασμένα λόγων προσκομιζέσθω τὰ δῶρα. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Ὡς λίαν ἀγωνιστικῶς ἡ Θέκλα καὶ ἐνδόξως, ὦ Γρηγόριον. ΓΡΗΓΟΡ. Τί οὖν, εἰ αὐτῆς ἐκείνης ἀκηκόεις ῥύδην καὶ εὐτρόχῳ τῇ γλώττῃ μετὰ τὰ πολλῆς χάριτος καὶ ἡδονῆς διαλεγομένης; ὥστε ἀγασθῆναί τινα προσέχοντα, καὶ τῆς μορφῆς ἀπανθούσης τοῖς λόγοις, ὡς ἀνδιαθέτως καὶ τῷ ὄντι φανταζομένη περὶ οἷν ἀφηγεῖτο διετέλει, ὑπερυθραινομένης αὐτῇ τῆς ὄψεως αἰδοῖ· ὅλη γὰρ εἲναι πέφυκε λευκὴ καὶ σῶμα καὶ Ψυχήν. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Ὀρθῶς, ὡ Γρηγόριον τοῦτα φᾐς, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτῶν ψεῦδος. ἔγνων γὰρ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἀνδραγαθημάτων μῆτιν αὐτῆς, καὶ λέγειν ὅσα καὶ οἳα κατώρθωσεν, ὑπερβαλλούσης ἀπάπης ἐπίδειξιν ποιουμένη Χριστῷ, καὶ ὡς διαπρεπὴς πολλάκις ἐφάνη τοῖς μεγάλοις καὶ πρώτοις ἄθλοις ὑπαντῶσα τῶν μαρτύρων ἴσην τῇ προθυμίᾳ τὴν σπουδὴν κεκτημένη καὶ τῇ ἀκμῇ τῶν βουλευμάτων ιην ρωμην του οωματος. ΓΡΗΓΟΡ̣ Ἀληθέστατα καὶ σὺ φῄς· ἀλλὰ μὴ διατρίβωμεν. τούτων γὰρ πέρι καὶ αὐθις ἔσται πολλάκις ἡμᾶς διαλέξασθαι. νῦν δὲ πρῶτον καὶ τῶν ἑξῆς παρθένων ἀξαγγεῖλαί με δεῖ σοι τοὺς λόγους, καθὼς ὑπέστην, μᾶλλον δὲ Τυσιανῆς καὶ Δομνίνας· αὗται γὰρ ὔτι περιλείπονται. ### English translation (Claude) “And why do I lengthen the speech, dwelling so long on refutations, when I have set out the more necessary points, useful for persuasion and for assent to what is profitable, and have made plain to all, even from a few arguments, the inconsistency of their contrivance? So that even a child can now see through and perceive the error: that it is up to us, and not in the stars, to do good or evil. For there are two movements in us, desires natural to flesh and to soul, differing from each other. That is why they have also received two names, the one of virtue, the other of vice. And we must obey the most beautiful and golden guidance of virtue, choosing the best things before the base. But enough about these things; I will hold back my speech. For I am ashamed, after the speeches on chastity, and I cover my face at being forced to set out the opinions of star-gazers, or rather vain-gazers, who spend the time of their life in conceit, occupied with nothing but mythical fictions. Let these gifts too, woven together from divinely spoken words, be brought to you from me, my lady Arete.” EUBOULION: How very combatively and gloriously Thecla spoke, Gregorion! GREGORION: What then if you had heard her yourself, speaking fluently and with a ready tongue, with great grace and charm? So that anyone who attended would admire her, her appearance blooming along with her words, as she continued picturing, with deep feeling and as if they were really present, the things she described, her face flushed with modesty; for she is by nature wholly white, both in body and soul. EUBOULION: You speak rightly, Gregorion, and there is nothing false in what you say. For I have known her wisdom from her other brave deeds too, and could tell how many and what great things she accomplished, making a display of surpassing love for Christ, and how she often appeared distinguished in meeting the great and foremost contests of the martyrs, having zeal equal to her eagerness, and strength of body equal to the vigour of her resolves. GREGORION: You too speak most truly; but let us not linger, for we shall often talk of these things again. Now I must first report to you, as I undertook, the speeches of the remaining virgins, namely Tysiane and Domnina; for these are still left. ### Scripture references - Gal 5:17: echo, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Acts Paul (Acts of Paul): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The two conflicting desires echo Gal 5:17. Euboulion's reference to Thecla's contests among the martyrs alludes to the Acts of Paul and Thecla. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 8.17 (Bonwetsch, 110–112; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/8-14/#p-8-17). ## Symposium 9.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/9-1/#p-9-1 - Source: Bonwetsch, 112–115 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Tysiane, the ninth speaker, reads the feast of Tabernacles as a figure of the resurrection in the seventh millennium, when the faithful will rejoice with God in the new creation. ### Greek text Ὠς οὑν ἀπεπαύσατο καὶ ἡ φέκλα τοσαῦτα εἰποῦσα, ἴφη προστάξαι τὴν Ἀρετὴν ἡ Θεοπάτρα Ι τῇ Τυσιανῇ λέγειν· τὴν δὲ μειδιάσασαν ἀμπροσθεν αὐτῆς παρελθεῖν καὶ φάναι· Ὦ Ἀρετή, παρθενίας ἐρασταῖς ἀπέραστον καύχημα, κἀγὼ συναντιληψομένην μοι παραστῆναί σε παρακαλῶ, μή πως ἀπορήσω λόγων. ἅτε πολλῶν ἤδη καὶ παντοδαπῶν εἰρημἐνων. διὸ καὶ·παραιτοῦμαι τὰ προοιμιώδη ταῦτα καὶ προκατασκευαστικὰ τῶν λόγων, ἵνα δὴ μὴ χρονίζουσα προσήκοντα τούτοις ἐφαρμόττειν αὐτῶν ἐκπέσω τῶν προκειμένων· οὕτως ἔνδοξόν ἐστιν ἡ παρθενία καὶ τίμιον καὶ μεγαλοπρεπές. Ὁ θεὸς τὴν ἑορτὴν τῆς σκηνοπηγίας διδάσκων τῆς ἀληθινῆς τοὺς ἀληθινοὺς Ἰσραηλίτας, πῶς ἑορτάζειν δεῖ καὶ τιμᾶν ἐν τῷ Λευϊτικῷ παρίστησι μᾶλλον τῶν ἄλλων ἁγνείᾳ φάσκων δεῖν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σκηνὴν ἕκαστον κοσμεῖν. παραθήσομαι δὲ καὶ τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς γραφῆς, ἀφʼ ὧν ἀναμφισβητήτως δειχθήσεται πᾶσιν ὅσον καὶ θεῷ πρόσφορόν ἐστι καὶ προσφιλὲς τὸ κατόρθωμα τοῦτο τῆς ἁγνείας. »καὶ τῇ πεντεκαιδεκάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ μηνὸς τοῦ ἑβδόμου, ὅταν συντελέσητε τὰ γεννήματα τῆς γῆς, ἑορτάσετε κυρίῳ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας, καὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ὀγδόῃ ἀνάπαυσις ἔσται. καὶ λήφεσθε τῇ πρώτῃ ἡμέρᾳ καρπὸν ξύλου ὡραῖον καὶ κάλλυντρα φοινίκων καὶ κλάδους ξύλου ξύλου καὶ ἰτέας καὶ ἄγνου κλάδους ἐκ χειμάρρου, εὐφρανθῆναι ἔναντι κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ, νόμιμον αἰώνιον εἰς εἰς γενεὰς ὑμῶν. ἐν τῷ μηνὶ τῷ ἑβδόμῳ ἑορτάσετε αὐτήν· ἐν σκηναῖς κατοικήσετε ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας. πᾶς αὐτόχθων ἐν Ἰσραὴλ κατοικήσουσιν ἐν σκηναῖς, ὅπως ἴδωσιν αἱ γενεαὶ ὑμῶν ὅτι ἐν σκηναῖς κατῴκισα τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰσραὴλ ἐν τῷ ἐξαγαγεῖν με ὑμᾶς ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου. ἐγὼ κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὑμῶν.‘ πάντως ὑπολήψονται οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι — ψιλῷ τῆς γραψῆς τῷ γράμματι περιπετόμενοι, ὥσπερ καὶ τὰ καλούμενα ψυχία τῶν λαχάνων τοῖς φύλλοις, ἀλλὰ μὴ τοῖς ἄνθεσι καὶ καρποῖς ὡς ἡ μέ- λισσα — τούτους τοὺς λόγους καὶ ταύτας τὰς νομοθεσίας περὶ σκηνῆς τοιαύτης οἴας οὗτοι τεκταίνονται λελέχθαι, ὡς τοῦ θεοῦ χαίροντος ταῖς ἐξιτήλοις κατακοσμήσεσιν, αἳς αὐτοὶ κατακοσμοῦντες συσκευάζουσιν ἐκ τῶν ἀκροδρύων, οὐ συνησθημένοι τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν‘ τὸν πλοῦτον. ὡς αὔρα ταῦτα καὶ σκιαὶ φασματώδεις προεξαγγέλλουσαι τr̀ιν ἀνάστασιν καὶ πῆξιν τοῦ πεπτωκότος εἰς γῆν ἡμῶν σκηνώματος, ὄ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ χιλιονταετηρίδε χάλιν ἀθάνατον ἀπειληφότες ἑορτάσομεν τὴν μεγάλην ἑορτὴν τῆς ἀληθινῆς σκηνοπηγίας ἐν τῇ καινῇ καὶ ἀλύπῳ κτίσει, συντελεσθέντων τῶν τῆς γῆς καρπῶν καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων μηκέτι γεννώντων καὶ γεννωμένων, ἀλλὰ καταπαύσαντος ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων τῆς κοσμοποιίας τοῦ θεοῦ. ἀπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν ἔξ ἡμέραις ὁ θεὸς κατεσκεύασε τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ συνετέλεσε πάντα τὸν κόσμον καὶ »κατέπαυσε τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ ὧν ἐποίησε, καὶ εὐλόγησε τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν ἑβδόμην καὶ ἡγίασεν αὐτήν‘, ἐντεῦθεν συμβολικῶς τῷ μηνὶ τῷ ἑβδόμῳ, ὁπόταν ἤδη συντελεσθῶσιν οἱ καρποὶ τῆς γῆς, ἑορτάζειν προσ- τασσόμεθα τῷ κυρίῳ, ὄ δή ἐστιν, ὁπόταν ὁ κόσμος οὗτος συντελεσθῇ τῇ ἑβδόμῃ χιλιονταετηρίδι, ὅτε ὡς ἀληθῶς ὁ θεὸς συντελέσας τὴν οἰκουμένην ἀφʼ ἡμῖν »εὐφρανθήσεται«. νῦν γὰρ ἀκμὴν ἔτι πάντα δημιουργεῖται τῇ διαρκεῖ βουλήσει αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνεννοήτῳ δυνάμει, ἀναδιδούσης ἔτι τῆς γῆς τοὺς καρπούς, καὶ τῶν ὑδάτων συναγομένων »εἰς τὰς συναγωγάς«, καὶ τοῦ φωτὸς ἔτι διαχωριζομένου, καὶ τοῦ ἀριθμοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἔτι δημιουργουμένου, κοὶ τοῦ ἡλίου »εἰς ἀρχὰς« ἀνατέλλοντος »τῆς ἡμέρας« καὶ τῆς σελήνης εἰς ἀρχὰς« ἔτι τῆς νυκτός«, καὶ τῶν τετραπόδων καὶ θηρίων καὶ ἑρπετῶν ἐκ τῆς γῆς ἀναδιδομένων καὶ πτηνῶν καὶ νηκτῶν ἐκ τῆς ὑγρᾶς οὐσίας. τότε δὲ ὁπόταν συντελεσθῶσιν οἱ καιροὶ καὶ παύσηται ὁ θεὸς ἐργαζόμενος ταύτην τὴν κτίσιν, τῷ ἑβδόμῳ μηνί, τῇ μεγάλῃ τῆς ἀναστά- σεως ημερᾳ, ὲορτη συγκροτεῖται τῳ κυρίω της σκηνοπηγιας ημων, ἧς εἰσιν ἐν τῷ Λευϊτικῷ τὰ λεγόμενα σύμβολα καὶ τύποι, ἅ ἐξιχνεύοντας χρὴ νοεῖν τὴν ἀλήθειαν γυμνήν. »τῶν δέ« γάρ »ἀκούσας« φησί σοφὸς σοφώτερος ἔσται, νοήσει τε παραβολὴν καὶ σκοτεινὸν λόγον, ῥήσεις τε σοφῶν καὶ αἰνίγματα.« ὅθεν αἰσχυνέσθωσαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, τὰ βάθη τῶν γραφῶν μὴ συνῃσθημένοι καὶ πάντα σωματικὰ τὸν νόμον ἡγούμενοι καὶ τοὺς προφήτας εἰρηκέναι ἅτε τῶν κοσμικῶν ἐφιέμενοι καὶ τὸν ἔξωθεν πλοῦτον τοῦ περὶ ψυχὴν προ- κρίνοντες. διαιρουμένων γὰρ τῶν γραφῶν εἰς τὸν περὶ τῶν παρῳχηκότων καὶ μελλόντων τύπον, ἀποπηδήσαντες οἱ σχέτλιοι τῶν μελ- λόντων ὡς παρω̣χηκότων ἤδη τελοῦσι τοὺς τύπους, καράπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ προβάτου σφαγῆς, ἀνάμνησιν τῆς κατʼ Αἴγυπτον τῶν πατέρων αὐτῶν γεγενημένης σωτηρίας ἡγούμενοι μόνην εἰναι τὸ μυστήριον τοῦ προβάτου, ὁπότε πατασσομένων τῶν πρωτοτόκων τῆς Αἰγύπτου αὐτοὶ διεώθησαν, τὰς φλιὰς τῶν σφετέρων οἵκων φοινίξαντες τῷ αἵματι· οὐκέτι δὲ καὶ τῆς σφαγῆς τύπον ἡγήσαντο τοῦτο προδηλωτικὸν γεγονέναι Χριστοῦ, οὑ αἱ κατησφαλισμέναι τῷ αἵματι καὶ σφραγισθεῖσα ψυχαί, τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐκπυρουμένης καὶ τῶν πρωτοτόκων ὀλοθρευομένων τέκνων τοῦ Σατανᾶ, περισωθήσονται τῆς ὀργῆς, τῶν τιμωρητῶν ἀγγέλων ἐντραπησομένων τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος ἐπʼ αὑτοῖς ἐκτετυπωμένην σψραγῖδα. ### English translation (Claude) When Thecla had stopped after saying so much, Theopatra said that Arete bade Tysiane speak; and she, smiling, came forward before her and said: “Arete, lovely boast of the lovers of virginity, I too beg you to stand by me as my helper, so that I may not be at a loss for words, since many speeches of every kind have already been given. That is why I also decline these prefatory and preparatory parts of speeches, so that I may not, by spending time fitting them properly, fall away from the subject itself; so glorious, precious, and magnificent a thing is virginity. God, teaching the true Israelites the feast of the true Tabernacles and how they must celebrate and honour it, shows in Leviticus that each one must adorn his own tabernacle above all with chastity. I will set out the words of Scripture as well, from which it will be shown to all beyond dispute how pleasing and dear to God is this achievement of chastity: ‘And on the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have completed the produce of the land, you shall keep a feast to the Lord seven days, and on the eighth day there shall be rest. And on the first day you shall take the beautiful fruit of a tree, and branches of palm trees, and boughs of thick trees, and willows, and branches of chaste-tree from the brook, to rejoice before the Lord your God seven days of the year, a perpetual statute for your generations. In the seventh month you shall celebrate it; you shall dwell in booths seven days. Every native in Israel shall dwell in booths, that your generations may see that I made the sons of Israel dwell in booths when I brought you out of the land of Egypt. I am the Lord your God.’ The Jews will surely suppose, fluttering about the bare letter of Scripture, like the creatures called caterpillars about the leaves of vegetables and not, like the bee, about the flowers and fruits, that these words and these laws were spoken about a tabernacle such as they build, as though God rejoiced in the perishable decorations that they put together from the fruits of trees, not having perceived the wealth of ‘the good things to come.’ These things, like a breath and phantom shadows, foretell the resurrection and the setting up again of our tent that has fallen to the earth, when, having received it back immortal in the seventh millennium, we shall celebrate the great feast of the true Tabernacles in the new and painless creation, the fruits of the earth having been completed and human beings no longer begetting and being begotten, but God having rested from the works of creating the world. For since God made the heaven and the earth in six days and completed the whole world and ‘rested on the seventh day from his works which he had made, and blessed the seventh day and sanctified it,’ therefore we are commanded, symbolically, to keep a feast to the Lord in the seventh month, when the fruits of the earth have been completed: that is, when this world has been completed in the seventh millennium, when God, having truly completed the world, ‘will rejoice’ in us. For now all things are still being fashioned by his enduring will and inconceivable power: the earth still yields its fruits, the waters are gathered ‘into their gatherings,’ the light is still being separated, the number of human beings is still being fashioned, the sun rises ‘to rule the day’ and the moon still ‘to rule the night,’ and the four-footed beasts, wild animals, and creeping things are brought forth from the earth, and birds and swimming creatures from the moist substance. But when the times are completed and God ceases working this creation, in the seventh month, on the great day of the resurrection, the feast of our Tabernacles is celebrated to the Lord, of which the words in Leviticus are symbols and types. Tracing them out we must understand the naked truth. For ‘a wise man,’ it says, ‘hearing these things will become wiser, and will understand a parable and a dark saying, the words of the wise and riddles.’ So let the Jews be ashamed, not having perceived the depths of the Scriptures, and thinking that the law and the prophets spoke everything bodily, since they long for worldly things and prefer outward wealth to that of the soul. For since the Scriptures are divided into a type of things past and of things to come, these wretches, leaping away from the things to come, carry out the types as if they were already past: as in the case of the slaughter of the lamb, thinking that the mystery of the lamb is only a remembrance of the salvation of their fathers in Egypt, when, as the firstborn of Egypt were struck, they themselves were saved, having reddened the doorposts of their houses with the blood; but they no longer thought that this was also a type foreshadowing the slaughter of Christ, by whose blood the souls that have been secured and sealed will be saved from wrath, when the world is set on fire and the firstborn children of Satan are destroyed, the punishing angels turning away in awe before the seal of the blood imprinted on them. ### Scripture references - Lev 23:39–43: quotation, high confidence - Heb 10:1: quotation, high confidence - Gen 2:2–3: quotation, high confidence - Gen 1:9: quotation, high confidence - Gen 1:16: quotation, high confidence - Prov 1:5–6: quotation, high confidence - Exod 12:7: allusion, high confidence - Exod 12:23: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Lev 23:39–43, Heb 10:1, Gen 2:2–3, Gen 1:9, 16, and Prov 1:5–6; the allusion is Exod 12:7, 13, 22–23. The seventh millennium as the time of the resurrection and rest reflects the chiliast (millenarian) view held by Methodius; it is translated as written. The criticism of Jewish literal interpretation is the speaker's own polemic. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 9.1 (Bonwetsch, 112–115; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/9-1/#p-9-1). ## Symposium 9.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/9-1/#p-9-2 - Source: Bonwetsch, 115–116 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The law is a shadow, the gospel an image, and the resurrection the truth; God allowed death so that sin might die with the body, which will rise immortal. ### Greek text Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ὡς ἐπὶ παραδείγματος εἰρήσθω δεικνυούσης, ὅτι τὰ παρόντα τύπους ἡγούμενοι τῶν ἤδη γεγονότων οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τῆς ἐλπίδος τῶν μελλόντων« ἐξώκειλαν »ἀγαθῶν«, μηδὲ τοὺς τύπους τῶν εἰκόνων βουληθέντες εἶναι προκαταγγελτικούς, μηδὲ τὰς εἰκόνας τῆς ἀληθείας. ὁ μὲν γὰρ »νόμος« τῆς εἰκόνος ἐστὶ τύπος καὶ σκιά, τουτέστι τοῦ εὐαγγελίου, ἡ δὲ εἰκών, τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, αὐτῆς τῆς ἀληθείας. οἱ γὰρ παλαιότεροι καὶ ὁ νόμος τοὺς τῆς ἐκκλησίας προεξήγγειλαν ἡμῖν προφητεύοντες χαρακτῆρας, ἡ δὲ ἐκκλη- σία τοὺς τῶν καινῶν αἰώνων. ὅθεν ἡμεῖς οἱ τὸν εἰπόντα Χριστόν »ἐγώ εἰμι ἡ ἀλήθεια« δασάμενοι τὰς μὲν σκιὰς καὶ τοὺς τύπους ἴσμεν πεπαυμένους, ἐπὶ δὲ τὴν ἀλήθειαν σπεύδομεν, τὰς ἀναργεῖς αὐτῆς εἰκόνας προκαταγγέλλοντες. ἐκ μέρους γάρ« ἔτι καὶ ὡς »διʼ ἐσόπτρου. »γινώσκομεν«, ἐπεὶ μηδέπω τὸ τέλειον‘ ἡκεν, ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν καὶ ἡ ἀνάστασις, εἰς ἡμᾶς, ὅτε »καταργηθήσεται τὸ ἐκ μέρους«. τότε γὰρ αἱ σκηναὶ πήγνυνται πάντων ἡμῶν, ὁπότε τῶν ὀστῶν συγκολλωμένων καὶ συμπηγνυμένων ταῖς σαρξὶν ἁνίσταται σῶμα. τότε τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς χαρᾶς ἑορτάζομεν κυρίῳ εἰλικρινῶς, ὁπότε τὰς σκηνὰς αἰωνίους ἀποληψόμεθα, οὐκέτι θνηξομένας ἢ λυθησομένας εἰς γῆν χώματος. ἠν γὰρ ἡμῶν καὶ πρόσθεν ἄπτωτος ἡ σκηνή· ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν παράβασιν ἐσαλεύθη καὶ ἐκλίθη, τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ ἁμάρτημα λύσαντος θανάτῳ, ἴνα μὴ ἀθανάτως ἁμαρτωλὸς ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὤν, ζώσης ἐν αὐτῷ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, αἰωνίως κατάκριτος γενηθῇ. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τέθνηκεν, οὐ γενόμενος θνητὸς ἢ φθαρτός καὶ διεκρίθη τῆς σαρκὸς ἡ ψυχή, ἵνα νεκρωθῇ διὰ τοῦ θανάτου τὸ παράπτωμα, μηκέτι δυνάμενον ζῆν ἐν τῷ τεθνηκότι. Ὀθεν ἀποθανόντος τοῦ παραπτώματος καὶ διεφθαρμένου πάλιν ἀθάνατος ἀνίπταμαι, καὶ ὑμνῶ τὸν θεὸν τὸν διὰ θανάτου τὰ τέκνα ἐκ θανάτου σῴζοντα, καὶ ἑορτάζω νομίμως αὐτῷ, κοσμήσασα τὴν σκηνήν μου τὴν σάρκα τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς καλοῖς, ὥσπερ κἀκεῖ ταῖς πενταφώτοις αἱ παρθένοι λαμπάσιν. ### English translation (Claude) “Let this be said as an example, showing that the Jews, thinking present things to be types of what has already happened, have run aground from the hope of ‘the good things to come,’ not being willing that the types should foretell the images, nor the images the truth. For ‘the law’ is the type and shadow of the image, that is, of the gospel, and the image, the gospel, is the type of the truth itself. For the men of old and the law foretold to us, prophesying, the features of the church, and the church foretells those of the new ages. So we, who have received Christ, who said, ‘I am the truth,’ know that the shadows and the types have ceased, and we hasten toward the truth, foretelling its clear images. For we still know ‘in part’ and as ‘through a mirror,’ since ‘the perfect’ has not yet come to us, the kingdom of heaven and the resurrection, when ‘what is in part will be done away.’ For then the tabernacles of all of us are set up, when the body rises with the bones joined and fastened together with the flesh. Then we purely celebrate the day of joy to the Lord, when we receive back our tabernacles eternal, no longer to die or be dissolved into the dust of the earth. For our tabernacle was earlier unfallen; but through the transgression it was shaken and bent down, God dissolving the sin by death, so that man, being a sinner immortally, with sin living in him, should not be condemned eternally. And for this reason he died, though he had not been made mortal or corruptible, and the soul was separated from the flesh, so that the transgression might be put to death through death, being no longer able to live in what had died. So, the transgression having died and been destroyed, I fly up again immortal, and I sing to God, who through death saves his children from death, and I celebrate the feast to him lawfully, having adorned my tabernacle, my flesh, with good works, as the virgins there did with their five-lighted lamps. ### Scripture references - Heb 10:1: quotation, high confidence - John 14:6: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 13:9–12: quotation, high confidence - Ezek 37:7–8: echo, medium confidence - Gen 3:22: allusion, medium confidence - Matt 25:1–4: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Heb 10:1, John 14:6, and 1 Cor 13:9–12; the allusions are Ezek 37:7–8 and Gen 3:22. The five-lighted lamps recall Agathe's speech (6.3) on Matt 25. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 9.2 (Bonwetsch, 115–116; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/9-1/#p-9-2). ## Symposium 9.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/9-1/#p-9-3 - Source: Bonwetsch, 116–118 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The “beautiful fruit” of Tabernacles is not the citron but Christ, the tree of life, and faith in him; without it one cannot share the first resurrection. ### Greek text ἐξεταζομένη τῇ πρώτῃ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἡμέρᾳ εἰσφέρω τὰ προστεταγμένα, εἰ κεκόσμημαι τοῖς τῆς ἀρετῆς καρποῖς, εἰ τοῖς κλάδοις τῆς ἁγνείας κατασκιάζεται. νόει γάρ μοι τὴν ἀνάστασιν εἶναι τὴν σκηνοπηγίαν, νόει μοι καὶ τὰ εἰς τὴν σύνθεσιν παραλαμβανόμενα τῆς σκηνῆς τὰς πράξεις εἶναι τῆς δικαιοσύνης. λαμβάνω οὖν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ πρώτῃ τὰ ὑποτεταγμένα, οἱονεὶ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ᾑ κρίνομαι, εἰ τὴν σκηνὴν ἐκόσμησά μου τοῖς προστεταγμένοις, εἰ εὑρίσκονται ταῦτα ἐν αὐτῇ, ἅπερ ἐνταῦθα μὲν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ κτήσασθαι προστασσόμεθα, ἐκεῖ δὲ προσφέρειν τῷ θεῷ. — ἵτε γὰρ καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς ἐπισκεψώμεθα. καὶ λήψεσθε ἑαυτοῖς τῇ πρώτῃ« φησίν »ἡμέρᾳ καρπὸν ξύλου ὡραῖον καὶ κλάδους ξύλου δασεῖς <καὶ ἰτέας> καὶ κλάδους κλάδους ἐκ χειμάρρου, εὐφρανθῆναι ἐναντίον κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ ὑμῶν.« καρπὸν ὡραιότατον ξύλου οἱ τὴν »καρδίαν ἀπερίτμητοι« Ἰουδαῖοι διὰ τὸ μέγεθος τὸ κίτριον ἡγοῦνται τυγχάνειν, οὐδὲ ἐγκαλύπτονται κιτρίῳ τὸν θεὸν λέοντες τιμᾶσθαι, ᾧ »τὰ τετράποδα πάντα τῆς γῆς οὐκ εἰσὶν εἰς ὁλοκαύτωσιν ἱκανὰ καὶ ὀ λίβανος εἰς καῦσιν( καὶ ὅλως τἰ τὸ κίτριον. ὦ ἀτεράμονες, ὡραῖον, διὰ τί μὴ καὶ ἡ σταφυλὴ μᾶλλον ὡραία; διὰ τί μὴ καὶ ἡ ῥόα; διὰ τί μὴ καὶ τὸ μῆλον καὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἀκρόδρυα τὰ μᾶλλον διαφέροντα τοῦ κιτρίου; ἀμἐλει έν τῷ Ἄισματι τῶν ᾀσμά- των πάντων ὁ Σολομὼν τούτων ὡραίων μνημονεύσας τὸ κίτριον ἀπεσιώπησε μόνον. ἀλλὰ τούτων ἀπεβουκολήθησαν οἱ ἄφρονες μὴ νοήσαντες τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς«, ὅ πρόσθεν μὲν ὁ παράδεισος ἔφερε, νῦν δὲ πᾶσιν ἀνεβλάστησεν ἡ ἐκκλησία, τὸν ὡραῖον καὶ εὐπρεπῆ τῆς πίστεως ποιοῦν καρπόν. — τοιοῦτον ἐληλυθότας καρπὸν τῇ πρώτῃ τῆς ἑορτῆς ἡμέρᾳ εἰς τὸ δικαστήριον ἡμᾶς κομίζειν δεῖ Χριστοῦ. ἐὰν μὴ τοιοῦτον σχῶμεν καὶ ἡμεῖς καρπόν, οὐ δυνησόμεθα συνεορτάσαι τῷ θεῷ, οὐ τευξόμεθα κατὰ τὸν Ἰωάννην τῆς πρώτης ἀναστάσεως· τὸ γὰρ ξύλον ἐστὶν ἡ πρωτότοκος πάντων σοφία. »ξύλον ζωῆς ἐστι τοῖς ἀντεχομένοις αὐτῆς« φησὶν ὁ προφήτης »καὶ τοῖς ἐπερειδομένοις ἐπʼ αὐτὴν ὡς ἐπὶ κύριον ἀσφαλής·« »ξύλον παρὰ τὰς διεξόδους πεφυτευμένον τῶν ὑδάτων, ὅ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ δώσει ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ«, διδασκαλία καὶ ἀπάπη καὶ σύνεοίς ἐστιν, ἐν καιρῷ προσήκοντι τοῖς ἐπὶ τὰ ὕδατα τῆς ἀπολυτρώσεως ἀφικνουμένοις διδομένη. — ὁ μὴ πιστεύσας Χριστῷ, μηδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν αὐτὸν εἶναι, τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς, ᾑσθημένος, οὐκ ἔχων δεῖξαι τῷ θεῷ τῷ ὡραιοτέρῳ τῶν ὡραίων καρπῶν τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ κεκοσμημένην, πῶς ξορτάσει; πῶς εὐφρανθήσεται; θέλεις γνῶναι τὸν ὡραῖον ὡραῖον τοῦ ξύλου; ἐπίσκεψαι τοὺς λόγους τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, πῶς εἰσιν ὡραῖοι κάλλει »παρὰ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων«. ὡραῖος καρπὸς ἐβλάστησε διὰ διὰ Μωσέως ὁ νόμος· ἀλλʼ οὐχ οὕτως ἠν ὡραῖος, ὡς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον. ἀκεῖνος μὶν γὰρ τύπος τις ἠν καὶ σκιὰ τῶν μελλόντων πραγμάτων«, τοῦτο δὲ »ἀλήθεια« καὶ ζωῆς χάρις.. ὡραῖος ἦν τῶν προφητῶν ὁ καρπός, ἀλλʼ οὐχ οὕτως ὡραῖος, ὡς ὁ ἐξ αὐτοῦ γεωργούμενος τῆς ἀφθαρσίας. ### English translation (Claude) “Being examined on the first day of the resurrection, I bring what is commanded, whether I have been adorned with the fruits of virtue, whether I am shaded by the branches of chastity. For understand, I beg you, that the resurrection is the feast of Tabernacles, and understand that the things taken for the building of the tabernacle are the deeds of righteousness. So I take on the first day what is prescribed, as it were on the day on which I am judged, whether I have adorned my tabernacle with what is commanded, whether these things are found in it, which here in the world we are commanded to acquire, and there to offer to God. Come, let us consider what follows as well. ‘And you shall take for yourselves on the first day,’ it says, ‘the beautiful fruit of a tree, and thick branches of trees, and willows, and branches from the brook, to rejoice before the Lord your God.’ The Jews, ‘uncircumcised in heart,’ think that the most beautiful fruit of a tree is the citron, because of its size, and are not ashamed to say that God is honoured with a citron, for whom ‘all the four-footed beasts of the earth are not sufficient for a burnt offering, nor Lebanon for burning.’ And in general, you hard-hearted people, why is the citron beautiful? Why not rather the grape, or the pomegranate, or the apple, and the other fruits that excel the citron? Indeed, in the Song of Songs Solomon, mentioning all these beautiful fruits, passed over the citron alone in silence. But the fools were led astray from these things, not understanding ‘the tree of life,’ which paradise bore before, but which the church has now made to spring up for all, producing the beautiful and seemly fruit of faith. Having come with such fruit, we must bring it on the first day of the feast to the judgment seat of Christ. If we too do not have such fruit, we will not be able to celebrate the feast with God; we will not attain, as John says, the first resurrection. For the tree is Wisdom, the firstborn of all. ‘She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her,’ says the prophet, ‘and secure for those who lean on her as on the Lord.’ ‘A tree planted by the streams of waters, which will give its fruit in its season’: that is teaching and love and understanding, given in due season to those who come to the waters of redemption. Whoever has not believed in Christ, nor perceived that he is the beginning, the tree of life, and cannot show God his tabernacle adorned with the most beautiful of beautiful fruits, how will he celebrate the feast? How will he rejoice? Do you want to know the beautiful fruit of the tree? Consider the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, how they are beautiful in loveliness ‘beyond the sons of men.’ The law, sprouted through Moses, was a beautiful fruit, but not so beautiful as the gospel. For the former was a kind of type and ‘shadow of things to come,’ but this is ‘truth’ and the grace of life. The fruit of the prophets was beautiful, but not so beautiful as the fruit of incorruption cultivated from it. ### Scripture references - Lev 23:40: quotation, high confidence - Jer 9:26: allusion, medium confidence - Acts 7:51: allusion, medium confidence - Isa 40:16: quotation, high confidence - Gen 2:9: allusion, high confidence - Rev 20:5–6: allusion, high confidence - Prov 3:18: quotation, high confidence - Ps 1:3: quotation, high confidence - Ps 45:2 (44:3 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Heb 10:1: quotation, high confidence - John 1:17: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations and allusions are Lev 23:40, Jer 9:26 (Acts 7:51), Isa 40:16 (LXX), Gen 2:9, Rev 20:5–6, Prov 3:18, Ps 1:3, Ps 45:2 (44:3 LXX), Heb 10:1, and John 1:17. The polemic against Jewish interpretation is the speaker's own. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 9.3 (Bonwetsch, 116–118; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/9-1/#p-9-3). ## Symposium 9.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/9-1/#p-9-4 - Source: Bonwetsch, 118–119 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The branches of Tabernacles are faith, study of Scripture, love, righteousness, and above all chastity, which virgins bear in full and chaste married people in smaller measure. ### Greek text Καὶ λήψεσθε ἑαυτοῖς τῇ πρώτῃ ἡμέρᾳ καρπὸν ξύλου ὡραῖον καὶ κάλλυντρα φοινίκων‘ «, λέγων τὴν ἄσκησιν τῶν θείων μαθημάτων, οἷς ἀκκαθαίρεται καὶ κασμεῖται ψυχὴ ψυχὴ τὰ πάθη, ἀποσαρουμένων ἀπʼ αὐτῆς καὶ ἐκβαλλομένων τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων δεῖ γὰρ καθαροὺς καὶ κεκοσμημένους ἤσκειν εἰς τὴν ἑορτήν, ὥσπερ κοσμήτρῳ ταῖς ἀσκήσεσι καὶ μελέταις τῆς ἀρετῆς πεφιλοπονημένους· ὅτι μελέταις ἐπιπόνοις καὶ ἀσκήσεσι καθαιρόμενος ὁ νοῦς τῶν ἐπικαλυπτόντων αὐτὸν ἀλλοίων διανοημάτων ὀξυδερκεῖ πρὸ·ς τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καθάπερ καὶ ἡ χήρα τὸν κοδράντην ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις ἀνεύρατο μετὰ τὸ σαρῶσαι τὸν οἶκον καὶ ῥῖψαι τὰ κόπρια, τὰ ἐπισκοτοῦντα καὶ καλύπτοντα πάθη τὴν ψυχήν, τὰ ἀπὸ τῆς θρύψεως ἡμῶν καὶ τῆς ἀμελείας πληθύνοντα. καὶ τοίνυν ὁ σπουδάζων εἰς τὴν ἑορτὴν τῶν σκηνῶν ἐκείνων φθάσαι καὶ τοῖς ἀνίοις συγκαταλεχθῆναι πρῶτον τὸν ὡραῖον τὴν πίστιν κτησάσθω καρπόν, εἶτα τὰ κάλλυντρα, τὴν ἄσκησιν καὶ μελέτην τῶν γραφῶν· εἶτα τοὺς ἐριθηλέας ἐφεξῆς κλάδους τῆς ἀγάπης καὶ δασεῖς. οὓς καὶ μετὰ τὰ κάλλυντρα παρεγγυᾷ λαμβάνεσθαι, κλάδους δασεῖς εὐθυβολώτατα τὴν ἀπάπην φράσας· τὸ γὰρ δασὺ κατάκαρπον ὅλον ἐστὶ καὶ πυκνόν, μηδὲν ψιλὸν ἢ διάκενον ἔχον, ἀλλὰ πάντα πεπληρωμένα, καὶ τοὺς ὄρπηκας καὶ τὰ στελέχη. τοιοῦτον γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ἀπάπη, μηδαμόθεν ὑπόκενος ἢ ἄκαρπος οὐσα. ἦ γάρ, »ἐὰν πωλήσω τὰ ὑπάρχοντά μου καὶ δώσω πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἐὰν τὸ σῶμά μου πυρὶ παραδώσω, καὶ ἐὰν τοσαύτην πίστιν, ὥστε ὅρη μεθιστᾶν, κτήσωμαι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐδέν εἰμι.. ἡ ἀγάπη ἄρα τὸ κατάκαρπόν ἐστι καὶ δασύτατον ξύλον πάντων, ἡ γέμουσα καὶ πεπληρωμένη τῶν χαρισμάτων. — εἶτα τί παραλαμβάνεσθαι βούλεται καὶ ἔτερον; κλάδους ἰτείνους φησί, τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἰτείνους κικλήσκων κλάδους. ἀνθʼ ὧν οἱ δίκαιοι κατὰ τὸν προφήτην »ὡς ἀναμέσον ὕδατος ἀνατέλλουσι χόρτος καὶ ὡς ἰτέα ἐπὶ παραρρέον ὕδωρ«, θάλλοντες τῷ λόγῳ. καὶ ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοὺς ἀμείνους ἐπικοσμοῦντας τὴν σκηνὴν παρακελεύεται προσφέρεσθαι κλάδους διὰ τὸ φερώνυμον εἰναι τὸ δένδρον τῆς ἁ\γνείας, ᾡ κατακοσμεῖται τὰ προειρημένα. ἐρρέτωσαν οἱ ἀκολασταίνοντες νῦν καὶ διὰ τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἡδυπαθείας ἁγνείαν ἀποδιωθούμενοι. πῶς γὰρ εἰς τὴν ἑορτὴν συνεισελεύσονται Χριοτῶ̣, μὴ κοσμήσαντες ἑαυτῶν τὴν σκηνὴν κλάδοις ἁγνείας, τῷ θεοποιῷ καὶ μακαρίῳ φυτῷ; ᾧ τοὺς εἰς τὴν ἄγυριν σπεύδοντας ἐκείνην καὶ τὸν γάμον ἀναδήσασθαι δεῖ καὶ κατασκιάζεσθαι τὰς ἀσφύας. ἴτε γάρ, ὦ καλλιπάρθενοι, τὴν γραφὴν αὐτὴν ἐπισκέψασθε καὶ τὰς ἐντολάς, πῶς ὡς ἐπὶ συμπληρώματος τῶν προειρημένων κατορθωμάτων παρέλαβεν ὁ λόγος τὴν ἁγνείαν, διδάσκων ὄσον διαπρεπὴς καὶ τριπόθητος ἔσται τῇ ἀναστάσει καὶ ὅτι χωρὶς αὐτῆς οὐδεὶς τεύξεται τῶν ἐπαγγελμάτων. ἥν ἐξαιρέτως γεωργοῦμεν ἡμεῖς αἱ παρθενεύουσαι καὶ προσφέρομεν κυρίῳ. χρῶνται δὲ καὶ οἱ πρὸς τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἁγνεύ- οντες γαμετάς, καὶ ὥσπερ ἀμφὶ τὸ στέλεχος κλῶνας αὐτῆς φέρουσι βλαστήσαντας σωφροσύνην, τῶν ἄνω μὴ ἐφικνούμενοι καὶ μεγάλων αὐτῆς ἐπιφαῦσαι πλάδων καθάπερ ἡμεῖς· ὅμως, εἰ καὶ μικρούς, οὐδὲν ἧσσον προσφέρουσι δὴ καὶ αὐτοὶ κλῶνας ἁγνείας. οἱ δὲ οἰστρηλατούμενοι, κἂν μὴ πορνεύσωσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς μόνην τὴν ἔννομον ἀδιαστόλως ἀπιμίγνυσθαι θέλγωνται γαμετήν, πῶς ἑορτάσουσιν; πῶς εὐφρανθήσονται, μὴ κοομήσαντες τὴν σκηνὴν ἑαυτῶν, τὴν σάρκα, τοῖς κλάδοις τῆς ἄγνου, μηδὲ εἰσακούσαντες τοῦ εἰρημένου »ἵνα καὶ οἱ ἔχοντες γυναῖκας ὡς οἱ μὴ ἔχοντες ὦσιν‘; ### English translation (Claude) “‘And you shall take for yourselves on the first day the beautiful fruit of a tree and branches of palm trees,’ meaning the training in divine teachings, by which the soul is cleansed of its passions and adorned, as sins are swept out of it and cast away. For we must come to the feast clean and adorned, having laboured at the exercises and practices of virtue as with a broom; since the mind, cleansed by laborious practices and exercises of the strange thoughts that cover it, sees sharply toward the truth, just as the widow in the Gospels found her coin after sweeping the house and throwing out the refuse, the passions that darken and cover the soul, which multiply from our softness and carelessness. So let whoever is eager to arrive at the feast of those tabernacles and be enrolled with the saints first acquire the beautiful fruit, faith; then the palm branches, the training and study of the Scriptures; then next the flourishing and thick branches of love. He commands these to be taken after the palm branches, most aptly calling love ‘thick branches’; for what is thick is wholly laden with fruit and dense, having nothing bare or empty, but everything full, both shoots and stems. Such is love, being in no part empty or fruitless. For truly, ‘if I sell my possessions and give to the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, and if I acquire such faith as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.’ Love, then, is the most fruitful and thickest of all trees, full and filled with gifts. Then what else does he want taken? He says willow branches, calling righteousness willow branches; for which reason the righteous, according to the prophet, ‘spring up like grass among the water and like willows by flowing water,’ flourishing in the Word. And above all he commands that the better branches, which adorn the tabernacle, be brought, because the tree is named after chastity, with which the things mentioned before are adorned. Away, then, with the licentious now, who drive away chastity for the sake of their own pleasures. For how will they enter the feast with Christ, not having adorned their tabernacle with the branches of chastity, the deifying and blessed plant, with which those hastening to that assembly and wedding must be garlanded and their loins be shaded? Come, fair virgins, look at the Scripture itself and the commands, how the Word took chastity as the completion of the achievements mentioned before, teaching how conspicuous and thrice-desired it will be at the resurrection, and that without it no one will obtain the promises. We who live as virgins cultivate it in a special way and offer it to the Lord. Those too make use of it who are chaste toward their own wives, and they bear, as it were, around the stem, shoots of it that have sprouted, self-control, not reaching to its high and great branches as we do; nevertheless, even if small, they too offer shoots of chastity. But those who are driven by passion, even if they do not commit sexual immorality, but are charmed into having relations without restraint even with their lawful wife alone, how will they celebrate the feast? How will they rejoice, not having adorned their tabernacle, the flesh, with the branches of the chaste-tree, nor having listened to the saying, ‘that those who have wives may be as though they had none’? ### Scripture references - Lev 23:40: quotation, high confidence - Luke 15:8: allusion, high confidence - Mark 12:42: allusion, low confidence - 1 Cor 13:2–3: quotation, high confidence - Isa 44:4: quotation, high confidence - 1 Cor 7:29: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations and allusions are Lev 23:40, Luke 15:8 (the woman sweeping for the coin, here combined with the widow of Mark 12:42), 1 Cor 13:3, 2, Isa 44:4, and 1 Cor 7:29. “The tree named after chastity” is the chaste-tree (ἄγνος, agnus castus), which the LXX of Lev 23:40 includes. The passage on married life is translated exactly as the speaker states it. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 9.4 (Bonwetsch, 118–119; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/9-1/#p-9-4). ## Symposium 9.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/9-1/#p-9-5 - Source: Bonwetsch, 119–121 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: As Israel went from Egypt to the booths and then to the promised land, the faithful rise to celebrate the thousand-year rest with Christ and then pass into heaven; Domnina is called on last. ### Greek text Διὰ τοῦτο πάντων μάλιστα τοὺς τῶν ἀγώνων ἐφιεμένους καὶ μεγάλῃ φρονήσει χρωμένους τὴν ἁγνείαν ἀμελλητί φημι εῖν καὶ τιμᾶν ὡς ὠφελιμωτάτην καὶ ἐπίδοξον. ἐν γὰρ τῇ καινῇ καὶ ἀλύπῳ κτίσει, ὅς ἂν ἁγνείας μὴ εὑρεθῇ κλάδοις κέκοσμημένος, οὐ τεύξεται τῆς ἀναπαύσεως, μὴ πληρώσας τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ θεοῦ κατὰ τὸν νόμον, οὐδὲ εἰς τὴν γῆν ἐπιδημήσει τῆς ἀπαγγελίας, μὴ ἑορτάσας πρῶτον τὰς σκηνάς. οἱ γὰρ ἑορτάσαντας μόνοι τὴν σκηνοπηγίαν εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν καταίρουσαι γῆν, ἀπάραντες ἀπὸ τῶν καλουμένων σκηνῶν ἔστʼ ἂν εἰς τὸν νεὼν φθάσωσιν ἐλθεῖν καὶ τὴν πόλιν τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰς τὴν μείζονα καὶ ἐνδοξοτέραν προκόψαντες χαράν, καθὼς καὶ οἱ τύποι συνιστᾶσιν οἱ γεγονότες ἐπὶ Ἰουδαίων. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐξελθόντες τῶν ὅρων ἐκείνων τῆς Αἰγύπτου ὥδευσαν πρῶτον καὶ ἦλθον εἰς τὰς σκηνὰς κἀκεῖθεν ἀπάραντες πάλιν ἦλθον εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς. ὁδεύσασα γὰρ ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ἐξελθοῦσα κἀγὼ τῆς Αἰγύπτου τούτου τοῦ βίου, ἔρχομαι πρῶτον εἰς τὴν ἀνάστασιν, τὴν ἀληθινὴν σκηνοπηγίαν, κἀκεῖ τοῖς καρποῖς τῆς ἀρετῆς πήξασα τὴν σκηνήν μου κεκοσμημένην, τῇ πρώτῃ τῆς ἑορτῆς ἀναστάσεως ἡμέρᾳ τῇ κρίσει, συνεορτάζω τῷ Χριστῶ̣ τὴν χιλιονταετηρίδα τῆς άναπαύσεως, τὰς ἑπτὰ καλουμένας ἡμέρας, τὰ σάββατα τὰ ἀληθινά. εἶτα αὐθις ἑπομένη τῷ διεληλυθότι τοὺς οὐρανοὺς« Ἰησοῦ ἔρχομαι πάλιν καθάπερ κἀκεῖνοι μετὰ τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν τῆς σκηνοπηγίας εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, τοὺς οὐρανούς, ἐν σκηναῖς μὴ ἀπομείνασα, τουτέστι τοῦ σκηνώματός μου μὴ ἀπομείναντος τοιούτου, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τὴν χιλιονταετηρίδα μεταβληθέντος ἀπὸ τοῦ σχήματος τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου καὶ τῆς φθορᾶς εἰς ἀγγελικὸν μέγεθος καὶ κάλλος· ἔνθα λοιπὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ τῆς σκηνῆς, ὦ παρθένοι, τόπου μετὰ τὸ συμπερασθῆ- ναι τὴν ἑορτὴν τῆς ἀναστάσεως εἰς τὰ μείζω καὶ κρείττω διερχόμεθα, εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτὸν ἀναβαίνουσαι τὸν ὑπὲρ τοὺς οὐρανούς »τοῦ θεοῦ, ἐν φωνῇ ἀγαλλιάσεως καὶ ἐξομολογήσεως ἤχους ἑορτάζοντος«, καθώς φησιν ὁ ψαλμῳδός. Τούτῳ κἀγώ, ὦ Ἀρετή, κατὰ τὴν ἐμαυτῆς, δέσποινα, δύναμιν δωροῦμαί σε τῷ πέπλῳ. ΒΥΒΟΥΛ. Λίαν ἀγωνιῶ, ὦ Γρηγόριον, κατʼ ἐμαυτὴν ἐννοουμένη έν ὁποίῳ θορύβῳ νῦν ἄρα ἡ Δομνίνα ἦν, ταρασσομένης αὐτῇ τῆς καρδίας καὶ φοβουμένης μὴ ἀπορήσῃ λόγων καὶ ἐνδεέστερόν τι τῶν ἄλλων παρθένων ἀποφθέγξηται, τοσούτων ἤδη ῥηθέντων εἰς τὸ προκείμενον καὶ ποικίλων. εἰ οὐν εὔδηλος ἐγένετο κεκινημένη, φέρε καὶ τοῦτο περαίωσον· θαυμάζω γὰρ εἴ τι ἔσχεν εἰπεῖν τελευταῖα κεκληρωμένη. ΓΡΗΓΟΡ. Τεταράχθαι μὲν αὐτήν, ὠ Εὐβούλιον, καὶ σφόδρα, ἔφη μοι ἡ Θεοπάτρα, οὐ μὴν ἠπορηκέναι λόγων. μετὰ <δὲ> τὸ τὴν Τυᾶιανὴν ἡ Ἀρετὴ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν εἰς αὐτὴν ἐπιβαλοῦσα, Δεῦρο δὴ καὶ σὺ θύγατερ, ἔφη, τὸν λόγον ἀπόδος, ἴνα πληρώσωμεν ἐντελῆ την ευωχιαν. ### English translation (Claude) “For this reason I say that, above all, those who aim at the contests and use great prudence should without delay [embrace] and honour chastity as most beneficial and glorious. For in the new and painless creation, whoever is not found adorned with the branches of chastity will not obtain rest, not having fulfilled the commandment of God according to the law, nor will he come to live in the land of promise without first celebrating the Tabernacles. For only those who have celebrated the feast of Tabernacles come to the holy land, setting out from the so-called Tabernacles until they arrive at the temple and the city of God, advancing to the greater and more glorious joy, as the types that took place among the Jews also show. For as they, having gone out from the borders of Egypt, travelled first and came to the booths, and setting out from there came again to the land of promise, so also do we. For I too, having travelled from here and gone out of the Egypt of this life, come first to the resurrection, the true feast of Tabernacles; and there, having set up my tabernacle adorned with the fruits of virtue on the first day of the feast of the resurrection, the day of judgment, I celebrate with Christ the millennium of rest, the so-called seven days, the true Sabbaths. Then again, following Jesus, ‘who has passed through the heavens,’ I come, as they did after the rest of the feast of Tabernacles, into the land of promise, the heavens, not remaining in booths, that is, my tabernacle not remaining as it is, but, after the millennium, changed from human form and corruption to angelic greatness and beauty. There at last, virgins, after the feast of the resurrection has been completed, we pass from the wonderful place of the tabernacle to greater and better things, going up to the very house of God above the heavens, ‘with the voice of exultation and thanksgiving, the sound of those keeping festival,’ as the Psalmist says. With this robe, Arete, my lady, I too present you according to my ability.” EUBOULION: I am very anxious, Gregorion, thinking to myself in what a tumult Domnina must have been then, her heart troubled and afraid that she might be at a loss for words and say something inferior to the other virgins, so many and so varied speeches having already been given on the subject. If, then, she was visibly moved, come, finish this too; for I wonder whether she had anything to say, having been allotted the last place. GREGORION: Theopatra told me, Euboulion, that she was greatly troubled, but was not at a loss for words. After Tysiane, Arete, casting her eye on her, said: “Come, daughter, you too give your speech, so that we may complete the feast in full.” ### Scripture references - Rev 20:4–6: allusion, high confidence - Heb 4:14: quotation, high confidence - Ps 42:4 (41:5 LXX): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations and allusions are Rev 20:4–6, Heb 4:14, and Ps 42:4 (41:5 LXX). A verb seems to have fallen out after “without delay” (“φημι εῖν”); “[embrace]” gives the probable sense. The thousand-year rest with Christ before the passage to heaven reflects Methodius's chiliast eschatology; it is translated as written. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 9.5 (Bonwetsch, 119–121; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/9-1/#p-9-5). ## Symposium 10.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-10-1 - Source: Bonwetsch, 121–122 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Domnina, the last speaker, argues that chastity, taught by Christ, did what the law could not: it overthrew the devil's reign over humanity. ### Greek text Τὴν οὖν Δομνίναν ἐρυθριάσασαν ἐπιπολὺ μόλις ἀναπνεῦσαι καὶ εἰς εὐχὴν ἐξαναστᾶσαν τραπῆναι καὶ καλεῖν τὴν σοφίαν παραστῆναί οἱ βοηθόν. εὐξαμένῃ δὲ αὐτῇ θάρσος, φησίν, εὐθέως ἐγγίγνεται, γνεται, καί τις αὐτὴν θεία ἀνακωχὴ κατέλαβε, καὶ ἴφη, Ὦ Ἀρετή, κἀγὼ παραλείψασα τὰς μακρολογίας τῶν προεξηγημάτων εἰς αὐτὰ τὰ προκείμενα κατὰ δύναμιν εἰπεῖν πειράσομαι, ἴνα δὴ μὴ τῷ μηκύ- νεσθαι τὰ πάρεργα πλείονα χρόνον ὧν ἕνεκα λέγονται παράσχω· ἡγοῦμαι γὰρ μέγιστον μέρος φρονήσεως εἶναι τὸ μὴ μακροὺς ἐκ πε | - ριόδων πρὸ τῶν ἀπερωτηθέντων ποιεῖσθαι τοὺς λόγους κηλοῦντας τὰ ὦτα, ἀλλʼ αὐτόθεν εὐθέως περὶ ὅτου τὸ ἐπερώτημά ἐστιν ἄρχεσθαι. διὸ ἐνθένδε κἀγὼ κατάρξομαι· καιρὸς γάρ. Οὐδὲν οὕτως ὀνῆσαι δυνήσεται πρὸς τὸ καλὸν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ὠ καλλιπάρθενοι, ὡς ἁγνεία· τὸ γὰρ κάλλιστα καὶ ἄριστα διακυβερνηθῆναι τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ κηλίδων καὶ μιασμάτων καθαρὰν ἀπολου- θῆναι τοῦ κόσμου, μόνη ποιεῖ τοῦτο καὶ ἐργάζεται ἁγνεία. ἀφʼ οὑ γὰρ ὁ Χριστὸς ἐδίδασκεν αὐτὴν ἀσκεῖν ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐμήνυσεν ἡμῖν τὸ ἀνυπέρβλητον κάλλος αὐτῆς, ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ πονηροῦ καθῃρέθη, πρότερον ἀεὶ πάντας αἰχμαλωτίζοντος καὶ δουλουμένου, ὡς μὴ τῶν παλαιοτέρων εὐάρεστον γεγονέναι κυρίῳ τινά, ἀλλὰ πάντας ἐπικρατηθῆναι πταίσμασιν, οὐ σφόδρα τοῦ νόμου τῆς φθορᾶς ἀρκέσαντος ἐλευθερῶσαι τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα, μέχρις ἡ παρθενία διαδεξαμένη τὸν νόμον Χριστοῦ ταγαῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐβασίλευσεν. οὐ γὰρ ἂν οὕτως οἱ πρόσθεν εἰς μάχας καὶ φόνους καὶ ἔρωτας καὶ εἰδωλολατρείας συνελαύνοντο πολλάκις, εἰ ἦν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἐκ τῶν νόμων αὐτάρκης πρὸς σωτηρίαν δικαιοσύνη. νυνὶ δὲ τότε μὲν μεγάλαις καὶ πολλαῖς πολλάκις ἐνεφύροντο συμφοραῖς· ἀφʼ οὗ δὲ Χριστὸς ἐνηνθρώπησς καὶ παρθενίᾳ τὴν σάρκα κοσμήσας ὥπλισεν, ὁ ἀμοτύραννος ἄρχων τῆς ἀκρασίας ᾑρέθη καὶ εἰρήνη καὶ πίστις κροτεῖ, οὐκέτι τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὡσαύτως τρεπομένων εἰς εἰδωλολατρείαν ὥσπερ καὶ πάλαι. ### English translation (Claude) Domnina, then, she said, blushing deeply, could barely breathe; and she rose and turned to prayer, calling on Wisdom to stand by her as a helper. When she had prayed, she said, courage came to her at once, and a kind of divine calm took hold of her, and she said: “Arete, I too will leave out the long preliminaries and try, as far as I can, to speak to the subject itself, so that by lengthening side issues I may not give them more time than the things for which they are said. For I think it the greatest part of prudence not to make long, roundabout speeches that charm the ears before the question asked, but to begin at once with what the question is about. So I too will begin from here; for it is time. Nothing, fair virgins, can so profit a human being toward the good as chastity. For chastity alone does and brings about this: that the soul is steered most beautifully and best and is washed clean of the stains and defilements of the world. For from the time when Christ taught us to practise it and revealed to us its unsurpassable beauty, the kingdom of the evil one was overthrown, who before had always taken all captive and enslaved them, so that none of the men of old was pleasing to the Lord, but all were overpowered by stumbles, since the law was not able to free humanity from corruption, until virginity, succeeding the law, reigned over human beings by Christ's ordinances. For those before would not so often have been driven into battles and murders and lusts and idolatries if the righteousness that comes from the laws had been sufficient for their salvation. But then they were often embroiled in great and many misfortunes; whereas, since Christ became man and armed his flesh, adorning it with virginity, the savage tyrant, the ruler of incontinence, has been overthrown, and peace and faith prevail, human beings no longer turning to idolatry as they did of old. ### Scripture references - Rom 8:3: allusion, medium confidence - Gal 3:21: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are Rom 8:3 and Gal 3:21. The claim that none of the ancients pleased the Lord is the speaker's rhetorical statement; earlier speakers (e.g. 7.5) named righteous men before the flood. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 10.1 (Bonwetsch, 121–122; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-10-1). ## Symposium 10.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-10-2 - Source: Bonwetsch, 122–124 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Jotham's fable of the trees choosing a king foretells four stages of God's law: the fig for paradise, the vine for Noah, the olive for Moses, and the bramble for the apostles' teaching of chastity. ### Greek text Ἀλλʼ ἴνα μὴ δόξω τισὶ σοφίζεσθαι καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰκότων τεκμαίρεσθαι ταῦτα καὶ φληναφᾶν, ἐκ τῆς παλαιᾶς ὑμῖν, ὠ παρθένοι, κἀγὼ παρέζομαι διαθήκης ἔγγραφον προφητείαν, ὡς ἀληθῆ λέγω, τοὺς Κριτάς, ἔνθα φανερῶς ἡ βασιλεία τῆς ἁγνείας ἤδη προκατήγγελτο. φησὶ γάρ πορευόμενα ἐπορεύθησαν τὰ ξύλα τοῦ χρίσαι ἐφ ἑαυτῶν βασιλέα, καὶ εἶπαν τῇ ἐλαίᾳ· βασίλευσον ἐφʼ ἠμᾶς. καὶ εἷπεν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἐλαία· ἀφεῖσα τὴν πιότητά μου, ἥν ἐδόξασεν ὁ θεὸς καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι, πορευθῶ ἄρχειν τῶν φύλων; καὶ εἶπαν τὰ ξύλα πάντα τῇ συκῇ· δεῦρο βασίλευσον ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἡ συκῆ· ἀφεῖσα τὴν γλυκύτητά μου καὶ τὸ γέννημά μου τὸ ἀγαθὸν πορευθῶ ἄρχειν τῶν ξύλων; καὶ εἶπαν τὰ ξύλα τῇ ἀμπέλῳ· βασίλευσον ἐφ ἡμᾶς. καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ἡ ἄμπελος· ἀφεῖσα τὸν οἶνόν μου, τὴν εὐφρο- σύνην τῶν ἀυθρώπων, πορευθῶ ἄρχεῖν τῶν ξύλων; καὶ εἶπαν τὰ ξύλα πρὸς τὴν ῥάμνον· δεῦρο βασίλευσον ἐφʼ ἡμᾶς. καὶ εἶπεν ἡ ῥάμνος πρὸς τὰ ξύλα· εἰ ἐν ἀλησίᾳ χρίετέ με ὑμεῖς εἰς βασιλέα βασιλέἂ ὑμᾶς, δεῦτε πεποίθατε ἐν τῇ σκέπῃ μου· εἰ μή, ἐξέλθῃ πῦρ ἐκ τῆς ῥάμνου καὶ καταφάγῃ τὰς κέδρους τοῦ Λιβάνου.« ταῦτα δὲ ὅτι μὴ περὶ ξύλων τῶν ἐκ τῆς φυομένων ἐλέχθη, σαφές· οὐ οὐ ἄν ἑαυτοῖς τὰ δἐνδρα τὰ ἄψυχα χειροτονήσοντα βασιλέα συνήρχοντο, ταῖς ῥίζαις εἰς τὴν γῆν κατεστηλωμἐνα. ἀλλὰ πάντως περὶ ψυχῶν ἱστορεῖται ταῦτα, αἵ, πρὸ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως τοῦ Χριστοῦ καθυλομανήσασαι τοῖς παραπτώμασιν,, προσίασιν, οἶκτον αὐτῶν ἀξιοῦσαι λαβεῖν τὸν θεὸν καὶ βασιλεῦσαι τὸν ἔλεον ἐπʼ αὐτὰς ἤδη καὶ τὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν, ἥν ἐλαίας τύπῳ παρέλαβεν ἡ γραφὴ διὰ τὸ ἀρωγὰν τὸ ἔλαιον σωμάτων εἶναι καὶ λυτήριον καμάτων καὶ πόνων, φωτός τε παρεκτικόν. ἐλαίῳ γὰρ καταρδόμενον πᾶν τὸ λυχνιαῖον αὔξεται σέλας· λυτήριοι δὲ καὶ οἱ τοῦ θεοῦ πάντως οἰκτιρμοὶ θανάτου καὶ ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ ἀρωγοὶ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος καὶ τοῦ τῆς καρδίας φωτὸς θρεπτικοί. καὶ ἐπισκέψασθε μήποτε τὰς ἀπὸ τοῦ πρωτοπλάστου μέχρι τοῦ Χριστοῦ καθεξῆς ἡ γραφὴ νομοθεσίας δηλοῖ, ὧν ὁ διάβολος ἀντιμίμοις ἐξηπάτησε πλάσμασι τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος· τὴν μὲν οὖν συκῆν ἀπεικάζουσα τῇ κατὰ τὸν παράδεισον δοθείσῃ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐντολῇ, ἐπειδὴ τὴν γύμνωσιν ἀπατηθεὶς οὗτος πετάλοις ἐπεκάλυψε συκῆς, τὴν δὲ ἄμπελον τῇ ἐπὶ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ τῷ Νῶε διὰ τὸ οἴνῳ κοιμηθέντα χλευασθῆναι, τὴν δὲ ἐλαίαν τῇ κατὰ τὴν ἔρημον τῷ Μωσεῖ, ἐπειδὴ τὸ χάρισμα τὸ προφητικόν, τὸ ἕλειον τὸ ἅγιον, ἀνομησάντων αὐτῶν ἐκλελοίπει τῆς κληρονομίας, τὴν δὲ ῥάμνον τῇ ἐπὶ τῇ σωτηρίᾳ τοῦ κόσμου τοῖς ἀποστόλοις, ἐπειδήπερ διʼ αὐτῶν ἐδιδάχθημεν ἁγνείαν, ἧς ἀπατηλὸν μόνης εἴδωλον οὐκ ἴσχυσεν ὀ διάβολος σκευάσαι. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ εάαγγέλια τέσσαρα παραδέδοται, τετρά- κις εὐαγγελισαμένου τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα καὶ παιδαγωγήσαντος τέσσαρσι νόμοις, ὧν οἱ καιροὶ σαφῶς ἀπὸ τῆς διαφορότητος δηλοῦνται διὰ] τῶν καρπᾶν. ἡ μὶν γὰρ συκῆ συκῆ τὴν γλυκασίαν γαὶ τὸν ὡραϊσμὰν τὴν τρυφὴν τὴν πρὸ τῆς παραβάσεως ἐν παραδείσῳ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παρίστησι γεγενημένην· ἔστι γὰρ ὅτε δὴ καὶ σφόδρα πολλαχῶς τῆς συκῆς τὸν καρπὸν τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπὶ τοῦ κρείττονος λαμβάνει, καθὼς ἀποδείξομεν ὕστερον. ἡ δὲ ἄμπελος, διὰ τὴν ἱλαρότητα τὴν ἐκ τοῦ οἴνου καὶ τὴν εὐφροσύνην τῶν περισωθέντων τῆς ὀργῆς καὶ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ, τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ φόβου καὶ τῆς φροντίδος τὴν] εἰς τὴν χαρὰν αὐτῶν μεταβολὴν αἰνίσσεται. ἡ δὲ ἐλαία διὰ τὸν καρπὸν τοῦ ἐλαίου τὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν τοῦ θεοῦ μηνύει, πάλιν ἀνεξικακήσαντος τοῦ θεοῦ μετὰ τὸν κατακλυσμόν, τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐκτραπέντων εἰς ἀθεότητα, δοῦναι νόμον καὶ ἐμφανισθῆναί τισιν καὶ ὥσπερ ἀποσβεννυμένην ἤδη τὴν αὐγὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐλαίω λιπᾶναι. ### English translation (Claude) “But so that I may not seem to some to be sophistical, drawing these conclusions from mere probabilities and talking nonsense, I too, virgins, will set before you from the Old Testament a written prophecy, to show that I speak the truth: from Judges, where the kingdom of chastity was already clearly foretold. For it says: ‘The trees went forth to anoint a king over themselves, and they said to the olive tree, “Reign over us.” And the olive tree said to them, “Shall I leave my fatness, which God and men have glorified, and go to rule over the trees?” And all the trees said to the fig tree, “Come, reign over us.” And the fig tree said to them, “Shall I leave my sweetness and my good fruit and go to rule over the trees?” And the trees said to the vine, “Reign over us.” And the vine said to them, “Shall I leave my wine, the gladness of men, and go to rule over the trees?” And the trees said to the bramble, “Come, reign over us.” And the bramble said to the trees, “If in truth you anoint me king over you, come, trust in my shelter; but if not, let fire come out of the bramble and devour the cedars of Lebanon.”’ That this was not said of trees growing from the earth is plain; for lifeless trees, fixed in the earth by their roots, would not come together to elect a king for themselves. Rather, this is certainly told of souls which, before the incarnation of Christ, had run wild with transgressions and approach God, asking him to take pity on them and to let his mercy and compassion now reign over them, which Scripture has represented by the type of the olive tree, because oil helps bodies, relieves toil and pains, and provides light. For every flame of a lamp grows when fed with oil; and God's mercies surely relieve death and sins, help humanity, and nourish the light of the heart. And consider whether Scripture does not indicate the successive laws from the first-formed man to Christ, which the devil imitated with counterfeit fictions to deceive the human race. It likens the fig tree to the commandment given to man in paradise, since, deceived, he covered his nakedness with fig leaves; the vine to that given to Noah at the flood, because he was mocked when he fell asleep from wine; the olive to that given to Moses in the wilderness, since the prophetic gift, the holy oil, had failed from the inheritance when they transgressed; and the bramble to that given to the apostles for the salvation of the world, since through them we were taught chastity, of which alone the devil was not able to fashion a deceptive counterfeit. And for this reason four Gospels have been handed down, since God proclaimed good news to humanity four times and educated it by four laws, whose times are clearly shown by the difference of the fruits. For the fig tree, by its sweetness and ripeness, represents the delight that man had in paradise before the transgression; for the Holy Spirit often takes the fruit of the fig in the better sense, as we will show later. The vine, because of the cheerfulness that comes from wine and the gladness of those saved from the wrath and the flood, hints at their change from fear and anxiety to joy. And the olive, by the fruit of its oil, shows the compassion of God, who again patiently endured, after the flood, when human beings had turned to godlessness, to give a law, to appear to some, and, as it were, to feed with oil the light of virtue that was already going out. ### Scripture references - Judg 9:8–15: quotation, high confidence - Gen 3:7: allusion, high confidence - Gen 9:20–22: allusion, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Irenaeus, Irenaeus, Haer. 3.11.8 (Irenaeus, Against Heresies): echo, low confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is Judg 9:8–15 (LXX); the allusions are Gen 3:7, Gen 9:20–22, and Exod 3–4. The connection of the four Gospels with four covenants recalls Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.11.8. The digital text reads “φύλων” (“tribes”) for “ξύλων” (“trees”) in the olive's reply; “trees” is translated. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 10.2 (Bonwetsch, 122–124; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-10-2). ## Symposium 10.3 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-10-3 - Source: Bonwetsch, 124–126 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The bramble, the same plant as the chaste-tree, stands for chastity; Elijah found refuge under it, and the earlier laws given to Adam and Noah failed to save humanity. ### Greek text Ἡ δὲ ῥάμνος τὴν ἁγνείαν συνίστησι· τὸ γὰρ αὐτὸ δένδρον ῥάμνος καὶ ἄγιος ἐστίν, ὑφʼ ὦν μὲν ῥάμνος καλούμενον, ὑφʼ ὧν δὲ ἄγνος. καὶ τάχα διὰ τὸ συγγενὲς τὸ φυτὸν τοῦτο τῇ παρθενίᾳ πεφυκέναι, ταύτῃ ῥάμνος καὶ ἄγνος προσηγορεύθη, ῥάμνος μὲν παρὰ τὸ στερέμνιον καὶ καρτερὸν πρὸς τὰς ἡδονάς, ἄγνος δὲ παρὰ τὸ διὰ παντὸς ἁγνεύειν. ὅθεν καὶ τὸν Ἡλίαν, ἐκ προσώπου τῆς Ἰεζάβελ γυναικὸς φεύγοντα, λόγος ὑπὸ ῥάμνον ἐλθεῖν πρῶτον, καὶ εἰσακουσθέντα ἐνισχῦσαι καὶ λαβεῖν τροφήν, ὅτι τῶν φευγόντων τὸν οἶστρον καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα τὴν ἡδονὴν τὸ καταγώγιον καὶ ἡ σκέπη τὸ τῆς ἁμνείας ἐβλάστησε ξύλον, ἀπὸ τῆς παρουσίας τοῦ ἀρχιπαρθένου Χρι- στοῦ βασιλεῦσαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων. τῶν γὰρ πρώτων ἀδυνατησάντων σῶσαι νουθετημάτων τὸν ἄνθρωπον, τῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ καὶ τοῦ Νῶε καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ Μωσέως, ἡ κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ἔσωσε μόνη νομοθεσία πάντας. — ἡ γὰρ συκῆ ταύτῃ λέγεται μὴ βασιλεῦσαι — τῶν ξύλων τῶν ἀνθρώπων νοουμένων, συκῆς δὲ τῆς ἐντολῆς —, ἀνθʼ ὧν ὁ ἄνθρωπος μετὰ τὸ πεσεῖν ἤθελε πάλιν ὑπὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς βασιλεύεσθαι καὶ τῆς ἀφθαρσίας τοῦ παραδείσου τῆς τρυφῆς μὴ ἀποβληθῆναι, ἀλλʼ ἀπεκρούσθη παραβὰς καὶ ἀπεβλήθη μακρόν, ὡς μὴ δυνάμενος ὑπὸ τῆς ἀφθαρσίας ἔτι μηδὲ χωρῶν βασιλεύεσθαι. καὶ πρῶτον αὑτῷ τὸ κήρυγμα μετὰ τὴν παράβασιν πέμπεται τὸ διὰ Νῶε, ἵνʼ ἐὰν πρόσσχῃ κἂν σωθῆναι σωθῆναι τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐσχύσῃ, ἀνάπαυσιν ἐπαγγελλόμενον τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν κακῶν καὶ εὐφροσύνην, εἰ ἀσκήσαιεν αὐτὸ κατὰ κράτος, ὥσπερ καὶ τὸν οἶνον ἡ ἄμπελος ἐπαγγέλλεται γεννᾶν τοῖς ἀσκοῦσιν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐργαζομένοις. ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο οὐΚ ἐβασίλευσε τὸ νομοθέτημα τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, ὅτι μὴ ἐπείσθησαν αὐτῷ κηρυσσομένῳ σπουδαίως πρὸς τοῦ Νῶε. ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ τὸ συνίχεσθαι ἤδη καὶ πνίγεσθαι τοῖς ὕδασιν ἤρξαντο μετανοεῖν καὶ ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι παρέχειν ἑαυτοὺς πεισθησομένους ταῖς ἐντολαῖς. ὅθεν καὶ ὑπερηφανοῦνται βασιλεύεσθαι, τουτέστιν ὑπὸ τοῦ κηρύγματος ὑπερηφανοῦνται βοηθεῖσθαι τῆς ἐντολῆς, ἀνταποκρινομένου τοῦ πνεύ- ματος αὐτοῖς καὶ ὀνειίζοντος, οὄπερ κατέλειψαν οἱς ἐκέλευσεν ὁ θεὸς ἀνθρώποις, ὦ ἀτεράμονες, βοηθεῖν μὲν καὶ σῴζειν τούτους καὶ εὐφραί- νειν οἷον τὸν Νῶι καὶ τοὺς σὺν αὐτῷ· ἔλθω βοηθῆσαι τοῖς φρονήσεως ὑμῖν ἀκάρποις καἰ ξύλων ξηρῶν οὐδὲν ἀπεοικόσι, πρότερον μὴ πιστεύσασί μοι κηρύσσοντι φύξιν τῶν παρόντων; ### English translation (Claude) “And the bramble represents chastity; for the bramble and the chaste-tree are the same tree, called bramble (rhamnos) by some and chaste-tree (agnos) by others. And perhaps because this plant is by nature akin to virginity it was called both bramble and chaste-tree: bramble from its firmness and strength against pleasures, chaste-tree from always being chaste. That is why the story says that Elijah, fleeing from the face of the woman Jezebel, first came under a bramble and, being heard, was strengthened and received food; because for those who flee frenzy and the woman, pleasure, the tree of chastity sprang up as refuge and shelter, which from the coming of Christ, the chief virgin, has reigned over human beings. For since the first admonitions, those in the time of Adam and of Noah and of Moses, were unable to save humanity, the law according to the gospel alone saved all. For this is why the fig tree is said not to have reigned (the trees being understood as human beings, and the fig as the commandment): because man, after his fall, wished to be ruled again by virtue and not to be cast out from the incorruption of the paradise of delight, but he was repelled for having transgressed and cast far away, as no longer able or fit to be ruled by incorruption. And first the preaching through Noah was sent to him after the transgression, so that, if he paid heed, he might even be able to be saved from sin, promising rest and gladness from evils if they practised it with all their might, just as the vine promises to produce wine for those who tend and work it. But this law too did not reign over humanity, because they did not obey it, though it was earnestly preached by Noah. Yet after they were already seized and drowning in the waters they began to repent and to promise to give themselves up to obey the commandments. That is why they are also scorned as subjects, that is, the preaching of the commandment scorns to help them, the Spirit answering and reproaching them because they deserted those whom God commanded to help, save, and gladden them, like Noah and those with him: ‘You hard-hearted ones, shall I come to help you, who are fruitless of understanding and no different from dry wood, who did not believe me before when I preached escape from what was coming?’ ### Scripture references - 1 Kgs 19:4–8: allusion, high confidence - Gen 6:13–14: allusion, medium confidence - 2 Pet 2:5: allusion, medium confidence - Judg 9:12–13: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The allusions are 1 Kgs 19:3–8 (Elijah under the tree; 3 Kingdoms in the LXX), Gen 6–7, and 2 Pet 2:5. The end of the section is garbled in the digital text (“οὄπερ κατέλειψαν οἱς ἐκέλευσεν”); the translation gives the evident sense (they “deserted” those God sent to help them, like Noah), and the Spirit's reply is modelled on the vine's in Judg 9:13. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 10.3 (Bonwetsch, 124–126; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-10-3). ## Symposium 10.4 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-10-4 - Source: Bonwetsch, 126 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: When the Mosaic law also failed, God sent chastity as the fourth and final law; after it comes only judgment and fire. ### Greek text Καὶ δὴ καὶ τούτων οὕτως ἀπαξιωθέντων τῆς θείας κηδεμονίας καὶ πάλιν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος εἰς πλάνην κεχυμένης αὐθις ὁ θεὸς ἀπέστειλε βασιλεύσοντα νόμον καὶ ὑπομνήσοντα δικαιοσύνην ἐπὶ Μωσέως. οἱ δὲ μακρὰν καὶ τούτῳ χαίρειν φράσαντες εἰς εἰδωλολατρείαν μετέστησαν. ὅθεν ὁ θεὸς εἰς ἀλληλοφονίας καὶ δρασμοὺς καὶ αἰχμαλωσίας παρέδωκε καὶ τούτους ἀποδοξήσαντος αὐτοὺς σᾠζειν τοῦ νόμου, οἳ μετὰ τὸ συνελαθῆναι τοῖς κακοῖς ποτνιώμενοι πάλιν ἀπηγγέλλοντο πειθαρχεῖν ταῖς ἐντολαῖς, μέχρις ὁ θεὸς τέταρτον κατελεήσας τὸν ἄνθρωπον τὴν ἁγνείαν ἀπέστειλε βασιλεῦσαι, ἥν ῥάμνον ἀκολούθως ἐκάλεσεν ἡ γραφή· ἥτις καταναλώσασα τὰς ἡδονὰς καὶ ἀπειλήσασα λοιπόν, εἰ μὴ αὐτῇ πείθοιντο πάντες ἀνενδοιάστως καὶ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ προσέρχοιντο, πυρὶ καταδαπανῆσαι πάντας· οὐκέτι γὰρ μετὰ ταύτην ἔσεσθαι νόμον ἢ διδασκαλίαν ἑτέραν, ἀλλὰ κρίσιν καὶ πῦρ. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο λοιπὸν ἀπεντεῦθεν δικαιοπραγεῖν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἤρξατο καὶ πιστεύειν βεβαίως τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἀποσχίζεσθαι τοῦ διαβόλου. οὕτως ὠφελιμώτατον καὶ ἀρωγὸν κατεπέμφθη τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἁγνεία· μόνης γὰρ αὐτῆς ἀντίμιμον οὐκ ἴσχυσεν ἐργάσασθαι πρὸς ἀπάτην ὁ διάβολος, ὥσπερ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων νομοθετημάτων. ### English translation (Claude) “And when these too had thus been counted unworthy of divine care, and humanity had again poured itself into error, God again sent a law to reign and to remind them of righteousness, in the time of Moses. But they too bade it a long farewell and turned to idolatry. So God handed them over to mutual slaughter, flights, and captivities, the law despairing of saving them; and when, driven together by evils, they lamented, they again professed that they would obey the commandments, until God, taking pity on humanity for the fourth time, sent chastity to reign, which Scripture fittingly called the bramble. It consumed pleasures and threatened thereafter that, unless all obeyed it without hesitation and came to it in truth, it would consume all with fire; for after it there would no longer be another law or teaching, but judgment and fire. And for this reason from then on man began to act righteously, to believe firmly in God, and to split away from the devil. So beneficial and helpful was chastity sent down to human beings; for of it alone the devil was not able to make a counterfeit for deception, as he did of the other laws. ### Scripture references - Judg 9:15: allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The allusion is Judg 9:15 (the fire from the bramble). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 10.4 (Bonwetsch, 126; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-10-4). ## Symposium 10.5 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-10-5 - Source: Bonwetsch, 126–128 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: The devil counterfeited the fig and the vine, but under the reign of chastity the true vine (Christ) and fig (the Spirit) bear fruit, as Joel, Isaiah, Paul, and Micah show. ### Greek text Τῆς γὰρ συκῆς, διὰ ἔφην, διὰ τὴν γλυκασίαν τοῦ καρποῦ καὶ τὸν ὡραϊσμὸν ἐν τύπῳ τῆς ἐν παραδείσῳ τρυφῆς παραληφθείσης, τοῖς ἀντιμίμοις αὐτῆς ἀποβουκολήσας τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὁ διάβολος ἠγρευσε, τὴν γύμνωσιν καλύψαι πείσας τοῦ σώματος πετάλοις συκῆς, ὅ ἐστι διὰ τὸ κνησμῶδες τρυφῇ φιληδόνῳ τοὺς δὲ περισωθέντας αὖθις ἐκ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ διὰ τὴν τῆς πνευματικῆς εὐφροσύνης ἄμπελον ἀντιμίμῳ πόματι μεθύσας κατεχλεύασε πάλιν ἀπογυμνώσας τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀρετῆς. ἔσται δὲ σαφέστερον μᾶλλον ἐντεῦθεν ὄ λέγω. ἡ ἀντικειμένη· δύναμις ἀεὶ μιμεῖται τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ τῆς δι καιοσύνης τὰ σχήματα, οὐ πρὸς ἄσκησιν κατὰ ἀλήθειαν, ἁλλὰ πρὸς ἀπάτην καὶ ὑπόκρισιν. ἵνα γὰρ δελεάσῃ πρὸς θάνατον τοὺς φεύγοντας τὸν θάνατον, ἀθανασίας ἔξωθεν καλλωπίζεται σχηματισμοῖς, καὶ ταύτῃ συκῆ βούλεται νομίζεσθαι καὶ ἄμπελος, καὶ γλυκύτητα καὶ εὐφροσύνην γεννᾶν, »εἰς ἀγγελον« μετασχηματιζομένη »φωτὸς« καὶ προσχήματι θεοσεβείας δελεάζουσα πολλούς. δύο γὰρ εἶναι διαφθορὰς συκέων καὶ ἀμπέλων εὑρίσκομεν ἐν ταῖς γραφαῖς, σῦκα τὰ χρηστά, »χρηστὰ λίαν, καὶ σῦκα τὰ πικρά, πικρὰ λίαν‘, »οἶνον εὐφραίνοντα καρδίαν ἀνθρώπων«, καὶ »οἶνον θυμὸν δρακόντων καὶ θυμὸν ἀσπίδων ἀνίατον«. ἀλλʼ ἀφʼ οὗ λοιπὸν ἐβασίλευσεν <ἡ> ἁγνεία ἀνθρώπων, ἠλέγχθη ἡ πλάνη καὶ νενίκηται, τοῦ ἀρχιπαρθένου Χριστοῦ καταστρέψαντος αὐτήν, καὶ ἡ ἀληθινὴ δὲ ἐλαία καὶ] ἡ ἀληθινὴ συκῆ καὶ ἡ ἀληθινὴ ἄμπελος καρποφοροῦσι μετὰ τὸ κρατῆσαι πάντων ἁγνείαν, καθάπερ καὶ Ἰωὴλ ὁ προφήτης εὐαγγελίζεται, θάρσει, γῆ«. λέγων »καὶ χαῖρε καὶ εὐφραίνου, ὅτι ἐμεγάλυνε κύριος τοῦ ποιῆσαι. θαρσεῖτε, κτήνη τοῦ πεδίου, ὅτι βεβλάστηκε τὰ πεδία τῆς ἐρήμου, ὅτι ξύλον ἤνεγκε τὸν καρπὸν οὐτοῦ· ἄμπελος καὶ συκῆ ἔδωκαν τὴν ἰσχὺν αὐτῶν. καὶ τὰ τέκνα Σιὼν χαίρετε καὶ εὐφραίνεσθε ἐπὶ κυρίῳ θεῷ ὑμῶν, διότι ἔδωκεν ὑμῖν βρῶσιν εἰς δικαιοσύνην«, ἄμπελον καὶ συκῆν δένδρα καρποὺς εἰς δικαιοσύνην βλαστήσαντα τοῖς τέκνοις τῆς νοητῆς Σιὼν τὰς ἔμπροσθεν νομοθεσίας καλῶν, ἅ μετὰ τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν ἐκαρποφόρησαν τοῦ λόγου ὁπότε ἐβασίλευσεν ἡμῶν ἡ ἁγνεία, πρόσθεν ἀποκρατήσαντα καὶ ἀπομύσανα τὰς βλαστὰς διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ τὴν πολλὴν πλάνην. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἠδύνατο τὴν εἰς ζωὴν ἀναδιδομένην ἡμῖν παρασχεῖν τροφὴν ἡ ἄμπελος ἡ ἁληθινὴ καὶ ἡ συκῆ ἡ ἀληθινή, ἔτι τῆς συκῆς τῆς μὴ ἀληθινῆς καὶ πρὸς ἀπάτην πεποικιλμένης ἀνθούσης. ἀλλʼ ὅτε κατεξήρανεν ὁ κύριος τὰ νόθα καὶ ἀντίμιμα τῶν ἀληθινῶν, ἀποφηνάμενος τῇ κικροφόρῳ συκῇ, τό μηκέτι γένηται καρπὸς ἐκ σοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα«, τότε τὰ ὄντως ἀνέθαλε καρποφόρα καὶ ἐβλάστησε »βρῶσιν εἰς δικαιοσύνην«. ἔστι δὲ καὶ ὅτε εἰς αὐτὸν ἀναφέρεται τὸν κύριον ἡ ἄμπελος πολλαχῶς, εἰς δὲ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἡ συκῆ, ὡς τοῦ μὲν κυρίου τὰς καρδίας ἱλαρύνοντος τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τοῦ δὲ πνεύματος ἰωμένου. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο προστάσσεται πρῶτον Ἐζεκίας παλάθῃ καταπλασθῆναι σύκων, ὅ δὴ ἐστι τῷ καρπῷ τοῦ πνεύματος, ἵνα θεραπαθῇ οἱονεὶ κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον τῇ ἀγάπῃ. »ὁ« γάρ καρπός. φησί »τοῦ πνεύματος ἀγάπη, χαρά, εἰρήνη, μακροθυμία, χρηστότης, πίστις, πραότης, ἀγκράτεια«, ὅν διὰ τὴν πολλὴν γλυκύτητα σῦκα ὁ προφήτης ἐκάλεσε. καὶ ὁ Μιχαίας δέ καὶ ἀναπαύσεται ἕκαστος« φησίν »ὑπὸ τὴν ἄμπελον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔκαστος ὑποκάτω τῆς συκῆς αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ὁ ἐκφοβῶν«. δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι οἱ ὑπὸ τὴν τοῦ πνεύματος προσφυγόντες καὶ ἐπαναπαυσάμενοι καὶ τὴν τοῦ λόγου σκέπην οὐ δειλιάσουσιν οὐδὲ πτυρήσονται τὸν ταράσσοντα τὰς καρδίας. ### English translation (Claude) “For the fig tree, as I said, having been taken as a type of the delight in paradise because of the sweetness of its fruit and its ripeness, the devil led man astray by its counterfeits and caught him, persuading him to cover the nakedness of his body with fig leaves, that is, with pleasure-loving luxury, because of their itching. And those saved from the flood he again made drunk with a counterfeit drink in place of the vine of spiritual gladness, and mocked them, again stripping man bare of virtue. What I mean will be clearer from this. The opposing power always imitates the forms of virtue and righteousness, not for real practice, but for deception and hypocrisy. For, to lure to death those who flee death, it adorns itself outwardly with the appearance of immortality, and in this way wishes to be thought a fig tree and a vine and to produce sweetness and gladness, disguising itself ‘as an angel of light’ and luring many with a show of piety. For we find in the Scriptures two kinds of figs and of vines: good figs, ‘very good,’ and bad figs, ‘very bad’; ‘wine that gladdens the heart of man,’ and ‘wine that is the rage of serpents and the incurable rage of asps.’ But since chastity has reigned over human beings, error has been exposed and conquered, Christ the chief virgin having overthrown it; and the true olive and the true fig and the true vine bear fruit after chastity has prevailed over all, as the prophet Joel too proclaims the good news, saying: ‘Take heart, O land, and rejoice and be glad, for the Lord has done great things. Take heart, beasts of the field, for the plains of the wilderness have sprouted, for the tree has borne its fruit; the vine and the fig tree have given their strength. And you children of Zion, rejoice and be glad in the Lord your God, for he has given you food for righteousness,’ calling the former laws a vine and a fig tree, trees that sprouted fruits for righteousness for the children of the spiritual Zion, which bore fruit after the incarnation of the Word, when chastity reigned over us, having before held back and closed up their shoots because of sin and much error. For the true vine and the true fig tree could not give us the food that yields life while the fig tree that was not true, decked out for deception, was still in flower. But when the Lord withered the counterfeit imitations of the true, declaring to the fruitless fig tree, ‘May no fruit ever come from you again,’ then those truly fruitful flourished and sprouted ‘food for righteousness.’ And sometimes the vine is often referred to the Lord himself, and the fig tree to the Holy Spirit, since the Lord gladdens the hearts of human beings and the Spirit heals. That is why Hezekiah is first commanded to be plastered with a cake of figs, that is, with the fruit of the Spirit, so that he might be healed, as it were, according to the apostle, by love. For ‘the fruit of the Spirit,’ he says, ‘is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, faith, gentleness, self-control,’ which the prophet called figs because of its great sweetness. And Micah says: ‘And each shall rest under his vine and each under his fig tree, and there shall be none to make them afraid.’ For it is plain that those who have fled to the shelter of the Spirit and of the Word and rested there will not fear or be frightened by the one who troubles hearts. ### Scripture references - Gen 3:7: allusion, high confidence - Gen 9:21: allusion, high confidence - 2 Cor 11:14: quotation, high confidence - Jer 24:3: quotation, high confidence - Ps 104:15 (103:15 LXX): quotation, high confidence - Deut 32:33: quotation, high confidence - Joel 2:21–23: quotation, high confidence - Mark 11:14: quotation, high confidence - Isa 38:21: allusion, high confidence - Gal 5:22–23: quotation, high confidence - Mic 4:4: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations and allusions are Gen 3:7, Gen 9:21, 2 Cor 11:14, Jer 24:3, Ps 104:15 (103:15 LXX), Deut 32:33, Joel 2:21–23, Mark 11:14 (Matt 21:19), Isa 38:21 (2 Kgs 20:7), Gal 5:22–23, and Mic 4:4. The digital text reads “διαφθοράς” (“corruptions”), probably for “διαφοράς” (“kinds”), and “κικροφόρῳ” for a word meaning “fruitless.” A bracket after “the true olive and” in the digital text may mark these words as doubtful; the olive is not in the Joel quotation, and ANF's text lacked it. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 10.5 (Bonwetsch, 126–128; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-10-5). ## Symposium 10.6 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-10-6 - Source: Bonwetsch, 128–129 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Zechariah's two olive trees are Christ and the Holy Spirit, whose branches are the law and the prophets; chastity now lets us receive their full fruit and frees from the sentence of death. ### Greek text Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἡ ἐλαία τὴν ἐπὶ Μωσέως αἰνίσσεται νομοθεσίαν ὁ Ζαχαρίας παρίστησιν οὕτω λέγων· »καὶ ἀπέστρεψεν ὁ ἄγγελος ὁ λαλῶν ἐν ἐμοί, καὶ ἐξήγειρέ με ὂν τρόπον ὅταν ἐξεγερθῇ ἄνθρωπος ἐξ ὕπνου αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἶπε πρός με· τί σὺ βλέπεις; καὶ εἶπα· ἑώρακα, καὶ ἰδοὺ λυχνία χρυσῆ ὅλη καὶ τὸ λαμπάδιον ἐπάνω αὐτῆς, καὶ δύο ἐλαῖαι, μία ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ λαμπαδίου αὐτῆς καὶ μία ἐξ εὐωνύμων«. καὶ μετʼ ἀλίγα· »καὶ τίνες εἰσίν« ἐρομένου αἱ ἀλαῖαι« τοῦ προφήτου »αἱ ἐκ δεξιῶν τῆς λυχνίας καὶ αἱ ἐξ εὐωνύμων‘ καὶ οἱ δύο κλάδοι τῶν ἐλαιῶν οἱ ἐν ταῖς χερσὶ τῶν δύο μυξωτήρων;‘ ἀπεκρίθη καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἄγγελος »οὗτοι οἱ δύο υἱοὶ τῆς πιότητος, οἳ παρεστήκασι τῷ κυρίῳ πάσης τῆς γῆς«, τὰς δύο λέγων ἀρχεγόνους δυνάμεις εἶναι τὰς δορυφορούσας τὸν θεόν, αἳ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ περὶ τὸ σχοίνισμα διὰ τῶν κλάδων ἐπιχορηγοῦσαι τὸ πνευματικὸν ἔλαιον τοῦ θεοῦ, ἵνα φῶς ἔχῃ θείας γνώσεως. οἱ γὰρ δύο κλάδοι τῶν δύο ἐλαιῶν ὁ νόμος εἰσὶ καὶ οἱ προφῆται οἱ περὶ τὸ σχοίνισμα τῆς κληρονομίας ἀπικληθέντες, οὓς ἐβλάτησεν ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, οὔπω δυναμένων ἡμῶν χωρῆσαι τὸν καρπὸν ὅλον καὶ τὸ μέγεθος τῶν φυτῶν τούτων, πρὶν ἄρξαι τοῦ κόσμου καὶ βασιλεῦσαι τὴν ἁγνείαν· ἀλλὰ τοὺς κλάδους αὐτῶν μόνους·τὸν νόμον οἱονεὶ καὶ τὴν προφητείαν πρόσθεν ἐγεωργήσαμεν, καὶ ταῦτα μετρίως, πολλάκις διολισθήσαντες. τίς γὰρ Χριστὸν ἢ τὸ πνεῦμα τέλειον ἴσχυσε χωρῆσαί ποτε, μὴ καθαρεύσς πρῶτον; ἡ γὰρ πρὸς εὐδοξίαν ἐπιθυμητήν τε καὶ ἐραστὴν ἐκ παίδων ἐργαζομένη τὴν ψυχὴν ἄσκησις, καὶ τὸν κόσμον αὐτῇ τοῦτον μετὰ ῥᾳστώνης ἀβασάνιστον ἐκεῖ διακομίζουσα, καὶ μικρῶν αἱρουμένη πόνων μεγάλας ἀλπίδας, ἐστὶν ἡ ἀθανατοπιὸς τῶν σωμάτων ἡμῶν Ι ἁγνεία, ἥν δεῖ πάντας ἀσμένως ἀνθρώπους προτιμᾶν καὶ αἰνεῖν, τοὺς μὲν ὅτι διʼ αὐτὴν ἀνυμφαγωγήθησαν τῷ λόγῳ παρθενίαν ἀσκήσαντες, τοὺς δὲ ὅτι πρὸς αὐτῆς ἠλευθερώθησαν τῆς »γῆ εἶ καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ« κατακρίσεως. Οὗτος, ὦ Ἀρετή καὶ ὁ παρʼ ἐμοῦ σοι, καθʼ ὅσον ἐγὼ δύναμαι, λόγος ὑπὲρ ἁγνείας, ὂν ἀξιῶ, κἂν μέτριος ᾖ, δέσποινα, καὶ ὀλίγος, προθυμότατά σε δέξασθαι παρʼ ἐμοῦ τελευταίαν εἰπεῖν ᾑρημένην. ### English translation (Claude) “And that the olive tree hints at the legislation in the time of Moses, Zechariah shows, saying thus: ‘And the angel who talked with me returned and woke me, as a man is woken from his sleep, and said to me, “What do you see?” And I said, “I have looked, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, and the bowl on top of it, and two olive trees, one on the right of its bowl and one on the left.”’ And a little later, when the prophet asked, ‘What are these olive trees on the right of the lampstand and on the left, and the two branches of the olive trees that are beside the two golden spouts?’ the angel answered and said, ‘These are the two sons of fatness, who stand by the Lord of all the earth’: meaning the two primordial powers that attend God, which in his house, around the allotted portion, supply through the branches God's spiritual oil, so that it may have the light of divine knowledge. For the two branches of the two olive trees are the law and the prophets, which surround the allotted portion of the inheritance, and which Christ and the Holy Spirit caused to sprout, since we could not yet receive the whole fruit and greatness of these plants before chastity ruled and reigned over the world; but formerly we cultivated only their branches, the law and prophecy, and that only moderately, often slipping. For who could ever receive Christ or the Spirit perfectly without first being purified? For the discipline that from childhood makes the soul desirous and loving of good repute, and carries this adornment easily and without torment there, choosing great hopes for small labours, is chastity, which makes our bodies immortal. All human beings must gladly prefer and praise it: some because through it they were led as brides to the Word, having practised virginity; others because by it they were freed from the condemnation ‘You are earth, and to earth you shall go.’ This, Arete, is my speech to you on behalf of chastity, as far as I am able; though it is modest and brief, my lady, I ask you to receive it most kindly from me, who have been chosen to speak last.” ### Scripture references - Zech 4:1–3: quotation, high confidence - Zech 4:11–14: quotation, high confidence - Gen 3:19: quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotations are Zech 4:1–3, 11–14 (LXX) and Gen 3:19. The words “sons of fatness” render the LXX literally (“anointed ones”). ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 10.6 (Bonwetsch, 128–129; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-10-6). ## Symposium 11.1 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-11-1 - Source: Bonwetsch, 129–131 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Arete judges that true chastity governs every member and the heart, not only the body, and crowns all the speakers, giving Thecla the greater crown. ### Greek text Ἀλλὰ δέχομαι, τὴν Ἀρετὴν ἡ Θεοπάτρα ἔφη φάναι, καὶ πάσας ἐπαινῶ· κράτιστα γὰρ δή, κἂν οὕτω μὴ φανερῶς, ἀλλὰ μετὰ σπουδῆς τὰ λεχθέντα δεχομένη διεξελήλυθας, οὐ γλυκυμυθίαν πρὸς τέρψιν· τῶν ἀκουόντων συσκευασαμένη, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν ὑπόμνημα καὶ νῆψιν. προτάττειν γὰρ τῶν ἐμῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων ἁγνείαν ὁ λέγων δεῖν καὶ ἀσπάζεσθαι πρώτην τῶν ἄλλων ὀρθῶς παρακελεύεται· ἥν τιμᾶν μὲν νομίζουσι καὶ θεραπεύειν πολλοί, τιμῶσι δʼ αὐτὴν ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν ὀλίγοι. οὐ γὰρ ὁπόταν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα τῆς κατὰ συνουσίαν ἄγευστον ἡδονῆς φιλοτιμῆται τηρεῖν ἄνθρωπος, τῶν ἄλλων μὴ κρατῶν, ἁγνείαν τιμᾷ· ἀτιμάζει μὲν οὖν αὐτὴν μᾶλλον οὐχ ἥκιστα βαναύσοις ἐπιθυμίαις, ἡδονὰς ἀντικαταλλασσόμενος ἡδοναῖς. οὐδέ γε ὁπόταν πρὸς τὰς ἔξω μὲν ἐπιθυμίας διαπονῇ καρτερῶν, ὑπεραίρηται δὲ φυσιούμενος, αὐτῷ δὴ τούτῳ τῷ δύνασθαι τῶν τῆς σαρκὸς ὑπεκκαυμάτων κρατεῖν, καὶ πάντας ὡς οὐδὲν ἐξουδενῶν ἡγῆται, ἁγνείαν τιμᾷ· ἀτιμάζει γὰρ αὐτὴν ὑβρίζων ὑψηλοφροσύνῃ, τῷ τὸ μὲν ἕξωθεν τοῦ πίνακος καθαίρειν καὶ τῆς παροψίδος, τὴν σάρκα, τὸ σῶμαι τὴν Τε καρδίαν τύφῳ σίνεσθαι καὶ φιλοδρατίᾳ. οὐδέ γε ὁπότε ἀναβρύνεταί τις χρήμασι, τιμᾶν αὐτὴν σπουδάζει· ἀτιμάζει μὲν οὑν παντὸς μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ οὑτος, προκρίνων αὐτῆς ὀλίγον κέρδος, ἡς οὐδὲν ἀντάξιον τῶν ἐν τῷ τιμίων· »πᾶς« γὰρ πλοῦτος πλοῦτος ἐνώπιον αὐτῆς καὶ »χρυσὸς« ὡς »ψάμος ἀλίγη«. οὐδέ γε ὁ ἑαυτὸν ὑπερφυῶς ὑγούμενος φιλεῖν καὶ τὸ ἑαυτῷ μόνῳ συμφέρον σπουδάζων σκοπεῖν, ἄφροντις δὲ τῶν πλησίων, ἁγνείαν τιμᾷ· ἀτιμάζει μὲν οὖν αὐτὴν καὶ οὗτος· πολὺ γὰρ λείπεται τῶν κατʼ ἀξίαν ὁμιλούντων αὐτῇ. τῷ τὴν ἀγάπην αὐτῆς καὶ τὸ συμπαθητικὸν καὶ τὸ φιλάνθρωπον λωβήσασθαι. οὐ γὰρ τῇδε μὲν ἁγνεύοντας παρθενεύειν δεῖ, τῇδε δὲ κακοπραγοῦντας χραίνεσθαι καὶ ἀκολασταίνειν, οὐδὲ τῇδε μὲν ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι καθαρεύειν καὶ σωφρονῖν, τῇδε δὲ μολύνεσθαι καὶ ἁμαρτάνειν, οὐδʼ αὖ τῇ μὲν ὁμολογεῖν μὴ πεφροντικέναι τῶν κοσμικῶν, τῇ δὲ κτᾶσθαι καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐξετέζεσθαι., ἀλλὰ πάντα τὰ μέλη φθορᾶς ἀκοινώνητα καὶ ἀμιγῆ τηρεῖν, οὐ μόνον τὰ κνησμώδη καὶ συνουσιαστικά, ἀλλʼ ἤδη καὶ τὰ τούτων ἐνεργέστερα. χλεύη γὰρ τὰ μὲν τῆς παιδοποιήσεως ὄργανα τηρεῖν παρθένα, τὴν δὲ γλῶτταν μὴ τηρεῖν, ἢ τὴν γλῶσσαν μὲν τηρεῖν παρθένον, τὴν δὲ ὅρασιν ἢ τὴν ἀκοὴν ἢ τὰς χεῖρας μὴ τηρεῖν, ἢ ταῦτα μὲν ἔχειν κοὶ τηρεῖν παρθένα, τὴν καρδίαν δὲ μὴ τηρεῖν, ἀλλʼ ἑταιρίζεσθαι τύφῳ καὶ θυμῷ. δεῖ γὰρ πάντως τὸν μέλλοντα μὴ ἁμαρτήσεσθαι περὶ τὴν ἄσκησιν τῆς ἁγνείας τὰ μέλη πάντα καὶ τὰ αἰσθητήρια τηρεῖν ἑαυτοῦ καθαρὰ καὶ συνεσφιγμένα καθάπερ δὴ καὶ πλοίων ὧν] οἱ κυβερνῆται τὰς ἁρμογὰς σφίγγουσι, πρὸς τὸ μὴ σχεῖν ἔσω δίοδον τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐπεισχεομένην. τοῖς γὰρ μεγάλοις ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἐπιτηδεύμασι μεγάλα καὶ τὰ πταίσματα συμβαίνει, καὶ τῷ ὄντι τῷ ἀγαθῷ μᾶλλον ἐναντιώτερον τὸ κακὸν ἢ τῷ μὴ ἀγαθῷ. πολλοὶ οὖν δοξάζοντες τὸ περὶ τὰς οἰστρώδεις μᾶλλον καρτερεῖν ἐπιθυμίας εἶναι τὴν ἁγνείαν, τῶν ἄλλων ἀμελήσαντες αὐτῆς ἔπταισαν καὶ τοῖς ὀρθῶς πρὸς αὑτὴν ὡρμημένοις προσῆψαν φόγους, οὕς ὑμεῖς ἀλέγξατε, νόμος διὰ πάντων, αὐταὶ γὰρ] παρθενεύσασαι καὶ ἔργῳ καὶ λόγῳ. καὶ τὰ μὲν δὴ τῆς παρθένου, ποταπὴν εἶναι προσῆκε, διεγράφη· ὐμᾶς δὲ διαρκῶς ἀγωνισαμένας τῷ λόγῳ αὐτήκοος γενομένη πάσας αποφαίνομαι νικᾶν καὶ στέφω, Θέκλαν Ι δὲ τῷ μείζονι στεφάνῳ καὶ δασυτέρῳ ὡς πρώτην ὑμῶν καὶ μεγαλοπρεπέστερον ἐκλάμψασαν. ### English translation (Claude) “I accept it,” Theopatra said Arete replied, “and I praise you all. For you, Domnina, even if not so strikingly, have gone through excellently and earnestly what you undertook, not putting together sweet talk for the pleasure of the hearers, but a reminder for correction and sobriety. For whoever says that chastity must be placed first among my pursuits and embraced before the others commands rightly. Many think they honour and serve it, but, so to speak, few honour it. For it is not when a person strives to keep his own flesh untasting of the pleasure of intercourse, but does not master the other things, that he honours chastity; rather he dishonours it, not least by vulgar desires, exchanging pleasures for pleasures. Nor, when he labours hard against outward desires but is puffed up with pride at this very ability to master the fires of the flesh, and regards everyone as nothing, does he honour chastity; for he dishonours it by insulting it with arrogance, cleaning the outside of the cup and the dish, the flesh, the body, while harming his heart with conceit and love of power. Nor does one who prides himself on wealth take care to honour it; rather this man too dishonours it more than anything, preferring a little gain to that to which nothing precious in the world is equal in worth; for ‘all’ wealth before it, and ‘gold,’ is ‘like a little sand.’ Nor does one who loves himself beyond measure and takes care to look only to what benefits himself, careless of his neighbours, honour chastity; this man too dishonours it, for he falls far short of those who keep company with it worthily, by maiming its love, its compassion, and its kindness. For one must not be chaste and virgin in one respect, but defiled and licentious in another by evil deeds; nor profess purity and self-control in one respect, but be stained and sin in another; nor again confess in one respect that one has no care for worldly things, but acquire them and be engrossed in them in another; but one must keep all the members unshared with corruption and unmixed, not only those that itch and serve intercourse, but also those more active than these. For it is a mockery to keep the organs of procreation virgin but not the tongue, or to keep the tongue virgin but not the sight or the hearing or the hands, or to have and keep these virgin but not keep the heart, and let it play the harlot with conceit and anger. For whoever does not intend to sin in the practice of chastity must keep all his members and senses pure and tightly bound, just as pilots tighten the joints of ships, so that sin may have no passage to pour in. For great failings necessarily happen to great pursuits, and evil is more opposed to what is truly good than to what is not good. Many, then, thinking that chastity is rather enduring against frenzied desires, neglected its other parts, stumbled, and brought reproaches on those who have rightly set out toward it; these you have refuted, being a law in all things, since you have lived as virgins in both deed and word. So the kind of person the virgin ought to be has been described. And, having been an ear-witness of you all contending sufficiently in speech, I declare you all victors and crown you; and Thecla with the greater and thicker crown, as first among you and shining more magnificently.” ### Scripture references - Matt 23:25–26: allusion, high confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Wis 7:9 (Wisdom of Solomon): quotation, high confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is Wis 7:9; the allusion is Matt 23:25–26. Brackets in the digital text are the editor's. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 11.1 (Bonwetsch, 129–131; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-11-1). ## Symposium 11.2 - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-11-2 - Source: Bonwetsch, 131–137 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: Led by Thecla, the virgins sing an alphabetical hymn to Christ the Bridegroom, with the refrain “I keep myself pure for you,” recalling chaste figures from Abel to Mary and ending in praise of the Father. ### Greek text Ταῦτα οὖν εἰποῦσαν ἔφη κελεῦσαι πάσας ἀναστῆναι τὴν Ἀρετὴν ἡ Θεοπάτρα, καὶ στάσας ὑπὸ τὴν ἄγνον εὐχαριστήριον πρεπόντως ὕμνον ἀναπέμψαι τῷ κυρίῳ, ἐξάρχειν δὲ τὴν Θέκλαν καὶ προϋφηγεῖσθαι. ὡς οὖν ἀνέστησαν, τὴν Θέκλαν μέσην μὲν τῶν παρθένων ἔφη, ἐκ δεξιῶν δὲ τῆς Ἀρετῆς στᾶσαν κοσμίως ψάλλειν, τὰς δὲ λοιπὰς ἐν κύκλῳ καθάπερ ἐν χοροῦ σχῆματι συστάσας ὑπακούειν αὐτῇ. Ὑπακοή. ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. Ψαλμός. Ἄνωθεν, παρθένοι, βοῆς ἀγερσίνεκρος ἀχος ἠλθε νυμφίῳ λέγων πασσυδὶ ὑπαντάνειν λευκαῖσιν ἐν στολαῖς καὶ λαμπάσι πρὸς ἀντολάς· ἔγρεσθε πρὶν φθάσῃ μολεῖν εἴσω θυρῶν ἄναξ. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Βροτῶν παλυστένακτον ὄλβον ἐκφυγοῦσα βίου τρυφῆς ἁδονὰς ἔρωτα, σαῖς ὑπʼ ἀγκάλαις ζωηφόροις ποθῶ σκέπεσθαι καὶ βλέπειν τὸ σὸν κάλλος διηνεκῶς, μάκαρ. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Γάμων λιποῦσα θνητὰ λέκτρα καὶ.. ἄναξ, διὰ σὲ πολύχρυσον, ἠλθον ἀσπίλοις ἐν εἴμασιν, ὅπως φθάσω κἀγὼ πανολβίων θαλάμων εἴσω σὺν σοὶ μολεῖν. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ φαεσφόρους φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Δόλους δράκοντος <ἠλθον> ἐκψυγοῦσα μυρίους, μάκαρ, θελδτηρίους· ἔτλην δὲ καὶ πυρὸς φλόγα καὶ θηρίων ἀνημέρων ὁρμὰς βροτοφθόρους, σὲ προσμένουσʼ ἀπʼ οὐρανῶν. <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ἐλαθόμην πάτρας, ποθοῦσα σὴν χάριν, ἐλαθόμην <καὶ> παρθένων ὁμηλίκων χορούς, μητρός τε καὶ γένους φρύαγμα· πάντα γὰρ σύ μοι αὐτὸς σύ, Χριστἐ, τυγχάνεις. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> > Ζωῆς Χριστέ, τυγχάνεις, ] χαῖρε φῶς ταύτην δέδεξο τὴν βοήν· χορός σε παρθένων προσεννέπει, τέλειον ἄνθος, ἀγάπη, χαρά, φρόνησις, σοφία, λόγε. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ἠνοιγμέναις θύραις, ἄνασσα φαιδρόκοσμε, ἐδέξω θαλάμων εἴσω χʼ ἠμᾶς, ἀχραντόσωμε, Καλλίνικε νύμφα, καλλίπνου· ὁμόστολοι παρήμεθα Χριστῷ, πανόλβιον μέλπουσαι σὸν γάμον, θάλος. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Θρηνοῦσι νῦν βαρύστονοι κόραι πυλῶν νυμφῶνος ἔξω καὶ βοῶσι γοερῶς, ὅτι τὸ λαμπάδων ἀποοβέσασαι φῶς οὐκ ἔφθασαν χαρᾶς ταμεῖον εἰσιδεῖν. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ φαεσφόρους φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ἱρᾶς ὁδοῦ γὰρ ἐκτραπεῖσαι πρὸς βίου κτήσασθʼ ἔλαιον ἠμέλησαν ἄθλιαι πλέον· νεκρὰς δὲ φλογεροῦ πυρὸς φέρουσαι λαμπάδας στένουσιν ἔνδον ἐκ φρενῶν. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Κροτῆρες ἁδυπληθέες πρόκεινται νέκταρος· πίνωμεν· οὐράνιόν ἐστι πόμα, παρθένοι, ὁ νυμφίος ὅπερ τέθεικε τοῖς μετʼ ἀξίας εἰς τὸν γάμον κεκλημένοις. <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Λαμπρῶς σου τὸν <φονὸν> Ἄβελ ἔλεξεν αὑματοσταγὴς βλέπων εἰς οὐρανόν. ἀνηλεῶς με συγγόνου τετρωμένον χειρὶ δέξαι, λιτάζομαι, λόγε. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ φαεσξόρους φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Μέγιστον ἀθλον ὁ κάρτερος σου παῖς, λόγε, Ἰωσὴφ ἀνείλετο· γυνὴ γὰρ αὐτὸν εἰς ἄθεσμα λέκτρα βιαίως εἷλκε φλογωμένη πόθοις, ὁ δʼ οὐδὲν ἐντραπεὶς ἔφευγε γυμνὸς ἐκβοῶν· <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Νεοσφαγῆ ὁ Ἰεφθάε κόρην ἀνῆγε θυσίαν θεῷ, ἄπειρον ἄπειρον ἀμφὶ βωμὸν ἀμνάδος δίκην ἡ δʼ εὐγενῶς σου τὸν τύπον τῆς σαρκός, ὦ μάκαρ, τελοῦσʼ ἔκραζε καρτερῶς· <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντόνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ξένων στρατηλάταν ὄχλων εὔτολμος εὐστόχοις Ἰουδὴθ δόλοις καρατόμησε, κάλλεος τύποις θέλξασα τοῦτον, οὐ χράναντα σώματος μέλη, νικαφόροις δʼ ἔφη βοαῖς· <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ὁρῶντες εἶδος εὐπρεπὲς ὑφῆς δύο Σουσάννας, ἐμμανεῖς ἔρωτι λέξαν· ὠ γύναι, κρυπτῶν [σου] γάμων λέχη ποθοῦντες ἥκομεν, φίλα. ἡ δʼ ἐντρόμοις ἴφη βοαῖς· <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Πολλῷ με κατθανεῖν ἄμεινόν ἐστιν ἢ λέχη προδοῦσαν, ὠ γυναιμανεῖς, ὑμῖν αἰωνίαν δίκην ὑπ΄ ἐμπύροις θεοῦ τιμωρίαις παθεῖν· σῶσόν με, Χριστέ, τῶνδε νῦν. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόροις νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ῥοαῖς καθαρσίοις λούων πλήθη βροτῶν ὁ πρόδρομος ἀνόμως κακοῦ πρὸς ἀνδρὸς εἰς σφαγὴν ἤχθη διʼ ἁγνείαν, λύθρῳ δὲ φοινίω̣ κόνιν δεύων ἔκραζέ σοι, μάκαρ· <῾Υπ> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ φαεσφόρους φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Σοῦ καὶ ζωητόκος χάρις ἄθικτος, ] ἄτεγκτος, ἀσπίλους τὰς σὰς γονὰς ἐν ἀσπόρῳ φέρουσα νηδύι, μορφὴν ὑπέσχεν ὡς προδοῦσα λέκτρα παρθένος· ἔλεξε δʼ ἔγκυος, μάκαρ· <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Τὴν σήν, μάκαρ, γαμήλιον ποθοῦντες ἁμέραν ἰδεῖν, ὅσους ἄνωθεν αὐτὸς ἀγγέλων ἅναξ κέκληκας, ἥκουσιν μέγιστα δῶρά σοι, λόγε, φέροντες ἀσπίλοις στολαῖς. <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καἰ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ὑμνοις, μάκαιρα θεόνυμφε, θαλαμηπόλοι αἱ σαὶ γεραίρομεν σὲ νῦν, ἄθικτα παρθένε, ἐκκλησία χιονόσωμε, κυανοβόστρυχε, σῶφρον, ἄμωμ΄, ἀρασμία. <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Φθορὰ πέφευγε καὶ νόσων πόνοι δακρυσταγεῖς, θάνατος ᾐρέθη, ὄλωλε πᾶσα ἀφροσύνη, λύπη τέθνηκε τηξίφρων, ἔλαμψε δʼ ἠ τοῦ] θεοῦ Χριστοῦ] χαρὰ βροτοῖς ἄφνω πόλιν. <῾Υπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Χῆρος ὁ] βροτῶν παράδεισός ἐστιν πάλιν γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐκ θείας ὤσπερ τὸ πρὶν ταγῆς οἰκεῖ τέχναις ὁ ποικίλαις δράκοντος ἐκπεσών, ἄφθαρτος ἄφοβος, μάκαρ. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ψάλλων τὸ καινὸν ᾆσμα νῦν χορός σε καθιστάνει πρὸς οὐρανούς, ἄνασσα, φῶς ὅλη, ἐστεμμένος λευκοῖς κρίνων κάλυξι καὶ φλόγας χερσὶ σελασφόρους φέρων. <Ὑπ.> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. <Ψ.> Ὠ τὰς ἀχράντους οὐρανοῦ, μάκαρ, ναίων ἄναρχε, πάντα συγκροτῶν αἰωνίῳ κράτει, δέξαι σὺν παιδὶ σῷ, πάρεσμεν, ἔνδον εἰς ζωῆς πύλας, πάτερ, καὶ ὴμέας. <> ἁγνεύω σοι καὶ λαμπάδας φαεσφόρους κρατοῦσα, νυμφίε, ὑπαντάνω σοι. ### English translation (Claude) When she had said this, Theopatra said, Arete bade them all rise, stand under the chaste-tree, and fittingly send up a hymn of thanksgiving to the Lord, with Thecla leading and going first. When they had risen, she said, Thecla stood in the middle of the virgins, at the right hand of Arete, and sang with decorum, while the rest, standing in a circle as in the figure of a chorus, responded to her. Refrain: I keep myself pure for you, and holding shining lamps, O Bridegroom, I come to meet you. (Α) From above, virgins, the sound of a cry that wakes the dead has come, bidding us go all together to meet the Bridegroom in white robes and with lamps toward the east. Awake, before the King has come within the doors. Refrain: I keep myself pure for you, and holding shining lamps, O Bridegroom, I come to meet you. (Β) Fleeing the much-lamented happiness of mortals and the love of life's luxury and pleasures, I long to be sheltered in your life-giving arms and to behold your beauty for ever, blessed one. Refrain. (Γ) Leaving the mortal beds of marriage and my [house] rich in gold, O King, for your sake I have come in spotless robes, that I too may enter with you into the all-blessed bridal chambers. Refrain. (Δ) I have come, blessed one, escaping the countless enchanting wiles of the dragon; I have endured the flame of fire and the man-destroying rushes of savage beasts, waiting for you from heaven. Refrain. (Ε) I have forgotten my homeland, longing for your grace; I have forgotten the choruses of virgins of my own age, and the pride of mother and family; for you yourself, O Christ, are all things to me. Refrain. (Ζ) [Giver] of life, O Christ, hail, light without evening; receive this cry. The chorus of virgins addresses you, perfect flower, love, joy, understanding, wisdom, Word. Refrain. (Η) With opened doors, O Queen of bright adornment, you have received us too within the bridal chambers, O bride of undefiled body, gloriously victorious, fragrant; in like robes we stand beside Christ, singing your all-blessed marriage, O young shoot. Refrain. (Θ) Now the girls weep, groaning heavily outside the gates of the bridal chamber, and cry out in lamentation, because, having let the light of their lamps go out, they did not come in time to see the chamber of joy. Refrain. (Ι) For, turning aside from the holy road to the things of life, the wretched ones neglected to acquire more oil; and carrying lamps dead of blazing fire, they groan from their hearts within. Refrain. (Κ) Bowls brimming with sweet nectar are set before us; let us drink; it is a heavenly drink, virgins, which the Bridegroom has set out for those worthily called to the wedding. Refrain. (Λ) Abel, dripping with blood, told clearly of your slaughter, looking up to heaven: “Receive me, I beg you, O Word, wounded without pity by a brother's hand.” Refrain. (Μ) Your steadfast servant Joseph, O Word, won the greatest prize of all; for a woman, burning with desire, dragged him by force to a lawless bed, but he, not turning aside at all, fled naked, crying out: Refrain. (Ν) Jephthah offered up his daughter, newly slain, as a sacrifice to God, a maiden who had not known man, like a lamb beside the altar; and she, nobly fulfilling the type of your flesh, blessed one, cried out steadfastly: Refrain. (Ξ) Bold Judith, by well-aimed wiles, beheaded the general of the foreign hosts, charming him with the forms of her beauty without defiling the members of her body, and she said with victorious cries: Refrain. (Ο) Seeing the comely form of Susanna, two men, mad with lust, said: “Woman, we have come longing for the bed of a secret union, dear one.” And she said with trembling cries: Refrain. (Π) “It is far better for me to die than to betray my bed to you, you who are mad for women, and to suffer eternal punishment under the fiery vengeance of God. Save me, O Christ, from these men now.” Refrain. (Ρ) The forerunner, who washed multitudes of mortals in cleansing streams, was lawlessly led to slaughter by an evil man because of chastity; and, wetting the dust with crimson gore, he cried out to you, blessed one: Refrain. (Σ) Your life-bearing grace too, untouched and unstained, bearing your spotless offspring in a womb without seed, the virgin, was suspected of having betrayed her bed; and, being with child, she said, blessed one: Refrain. (Τ) Longing to see your wedding day, blessed one, all whom you yourself, King of angels, have called from above have come, O Word, bringing you the greatest gifts in spotless robes. Refrain. (Υ) With hymns, blessed bride of God, we your bridesmaids now honour you, untouched virgin, O church of snow-white body, dark-haired, chaste, blameless, lovely. Refrain. (Φ) Corruption has fled, and the tearful pains of diseases; death has been taken away, all folly has perished, heart-consuming grief has died, and the joy of God, Christ, has suddenly shone upon mortals again. Refrain. (Χ) Paradise is no longer bereft of mortals; for by divine ordinance, as before, the one who fell by the many-coloured arts of the dragon dwells in it again, incorruptible and without fear, blessed one. Refrain. (Ψ) Singing the new song, the chorus now sets you toward heaven, O Queen, all light, crowned with the white cups of lilies and carrying light-bearing flames in its hands. Refrain. (Ω) O blessed one, without beginning, who dwell in the undefiled places of heaven and hold all things together by eternal power, receive us too, Father, together with your Son, within the gates of life; we are here. Refrain: I keep myself pure for you, and holding shining lamps, O Bridegroom, I come to meet you. ### Scripture references - Matt 25:1–13: allusion, high confidence - Ps 45:10 (44:11 LXX): allusion, medium confidence - Col 3:11: echo, medium confidence - Matt 22:1–14: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 4:8–10: allusion, high confidence - Heb 12:24: allusion, medium confidence - Gen 39:7–12: allusion, high confidence - Judg 11:34–40: allusion, high confidence - Mark 6:17–29: allusion, high confidence - Matt 1:18–19: allusion, high confidence - Song 1:5: allusion, medium confidence - Rev 21:4: allusion, medium confidence - Rev 14:3: allusion, medium confidence ### Extrabiblical texts - Jdt 13:1-10 (Judith): allusion, high confidence - Sus 22-23 (Susanna): allusion, high confidence - Acts Paul (Acts of Paul): allusion, high confidence ### Translation notes - The hymn is an alphabetical acrostic of 24 stanzas (Α–Ω), marked here by the Greek letters, with a refrain after each; after the first, the refrain is abbreviated as in the manuscripts. The allusions include Matt 25:1–13 (the ten virgins), Ps 45:10, Col 3:11, Matt 22:1–14, Gen 4:8–10 with Heb 12:24 (Abel), Gen 39:7–12 (Joseph), Judg 11:34–40 (Jephthah's daughter), Judith 13 and Susanna (texts outside the 66 books), Mark 6:17–29 (John the Baptist), Matt 1:18–19 (Mary), Song 1:5, Rev 21:4, and Rev 14:3. Stanza Δ, with its fire and wild beasts, recalls Thecla's trials in the Acts of Paul and Thecla. The beginning of stanza Ζ and a word in Γ (“my house”) are damaged in the digital text and supplied, in brackets, from the evident sense. In stanza Ο the editor deletes “your” (σου) after “secret.” ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 11.2 (Bonwetsch, 131–137; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/10-1/#p-11-2). ## Symposium, epilogue - URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/12/#p-12 - Source: Bonwetsch, 137–141 - Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27 Summary: In the closing dialogue, Euboulion argues against Gregorion that the soul that feels desire and masters it is better than one that never feels it; they agree to continue another day. ### Greek text ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Ἀξίως ἀπηνέγκατο τὰ πρῶτα τῶν ἄθλων ἡ Θέκλα, ὠ Γρηγόριον. ΓΡΗΓ. Ἀξίως μὲν οὖν. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Τί δαί; ἡ Τελμησιακὴ ξένη, εἰπέ μοι, κἂν ἀξωθεν οὐκ ἐπηκροᾶτο; θαυμάζω γὰρ εἰ ἡσυχίαν εἶχεν ἐκείνη μαθοῦσα τὸ συσσίτιον τοῦτο, καὶ οὐκ εὐθέως ὥσπερ ὄρνεον ἐπὶ τροφὴν ἐφίπτατο τῶν λεγομένων ἀκουσομένη. ΓΡΗΓ. Οὐ· λόγος γὰρ αὐτὴν Μεθοδίῳ συμπαραγεγονέναι αὐτὰ δὴ ταῦτα τὴν Ἀρετὴν πυνθανομένῳ. ἀλλὰ καλὸν καὶ μακάριον τοι. αύτῃ διδασκάλῳ χρήσασθαι καὶ ὁδηγῷ, τῇ Ἀρετῇ. ΕΥΒΟΓΛ. Ἀτάρ, ὦ Γρηγόριον, ποτέρους ἀμείνους λέγομεν, τοὺς μὴ ἐπιθυμοῦντας μέν, κρατοῦντας δὲ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας, ἢ τοὺς ἐπιθυμοῦντας καὶ παρθενεύοντας; ΓΡΗΙ. Τοὺς μὴ ἐπιθυμοῦντας καὶ παρθενεύοντας > ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὴν διάνοιαν οὗτοι καὶ τὴν αἴσθησιν ἀμόλυντον κέκτηνται καί εἰσιν ὁλοτελῶς ἀδιάφθοροι, κατὰ μηδὲν ἀξημαρτηκότες. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Εὐγε νὴ τὴν σωφροσύνην, ὠ Γρηγόριον, καὶ συνετῶς. ἀτὰρ μή τι κωλύω, ἐὰν ἀντιλαμβάνωμαι τῶν λόγων, ἵνα ἐρρωμενέστερον μάθω καὶ σηθεὶς ἐξελέγξῃ με ἔτι; ΓΡΗΓ. Ἀλλʼ ἀντιλαμβάνου, ὅπῃ καὶ θέλεις· ἐγὼ γὰρ ἱκανῶς, ὠ Εὐβούλιον, διδάξαι σε ἔχω, ὅτι τοῦ ἐπιθυμοῦντος ὁ μὴ ἐπιθυμῶν χρείσσων ἐστί, καὶ οὐδεὶς οὐ μή σε ἐλέγξῃ. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Βαβαί· χαίρω τάρ, ὅτι μοι μεγαλοφρόνως ἀποκρίνῃ καὶ δεικνύεις ὅσον πεπλούτηκας ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ. ΓΡΗΓ. Κωτίλος τις ὡς ἔοικεν ἄνθρωπος εἶναι δοκεῖς, ὠ Εὐβούλιον. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Τίνος δὴ χάριν; ΓΡΗΓ. Ὅτι τωθαζομένη με ταῦτα λέγεις μᾶλλον ἢ ἀληθεύουσα. ΕΥΒΟΓΛ. Εὐφήμησον, ὦ μακαρία· θαυμάζω γὰρ σφόδρα σου τὸ συνετὸν καὶ μεγαλόδοξον. ἐγὼ τοῦ το ἔφην, ὄτι περὶ ὡν πολλοὶ πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς πολλάκις ἀμφισβητοῦσι σοφοί, ταῦτα οὐ μόνον ἐπίστασθαι σὺ λέγεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ διδάσκειν ἑτέρους σεμνύνῃ. ΓΡΗΓ. Σὺ γὰρ ἐξ ἀληθείας, εἰπέ μοι, δυσχεραίνεις, εἰ διαφέρουσιν ὅλως οἱ μὴ ἐπιθυμοῦντες τῶν ἐπιθυμούντων τε καὶ ἐγκρατευομένων; ἢ πάντως ἐμοῦ ταῦτα προσπαίζεις; ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Καὶ πῶς ἀποπειρωμένη, ἥ ὁμολογῶ μὴ εἰδέναι; ἀλλʼ ἴθι φράσον ἐμοί, ὠ σοφωτάτη, τίνι διαφέρουσιν οἱ μὴ ἀπιθυμοῦντες καὶ ἁγνεύοντες τῶν ἐπιθυμούντων τε καὶ παρθενευόντων. ΓΡΗΓ. Ὅτι πρῶτον μὲν καθαρὰν ἔχουσιν αὐτὴν τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ ἀεὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἄλγιον ἐν αὐτῇ κατοικεῖ, μὴ περιελκομένης αὐτῆς καὶ ἐπιθολουμενης φαντασίαις καὶ λογισμοῖς ἀκρασίας, ὥστε καὶ διὰ τῆς ἐνθυμήσεως ἐπιλωβηθῆναί ποτε· ἀλλʼ εἰσὶν ἀνεπίδεκτοι πάντῃ καὶ κατὰ τὴν σάρκα καὶ κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν οὗτοι τῆς ἐπιθυμίας, γαλήνην ἄγοντες τῶν παθημάτων. οἱ δὲ διὰ τῆς οψεως ἔξωθεν δελεαζόμενοι ταῖς φαντασίαις καὶ ἐπεισρέουσαν δεχόμενοι τὴν ἐπιθυ- μίαν δίκην ῥεύματος εἰς τὴν καρδίαν οὐδὲν ἧσσον μολύνονται πολλάκις, κἂν νομίζωσιν ἀντιφιλονεικεῖν καὶ μάχεσθαι πρὸς τὰς ἡδονάς, ἡττώμενοι τὸν λογισμόν. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Οὐκοῦν γαλήνην τοὺς ἄγοντας καὶ μὴ διοχλουμένους ὑπὸ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας λέξομεν καθαρούς; ΓΡΗΓ. Καὶ σφόδρα. τούτους γὰρ τοιούτους ὁ καὶ θεοὺς διὰ τῶν μακαρισμῶν ἀπεργαζόμενος τοὺς ἀνενδοιάστως αὐτῷ πιστεύοντας θεὸς »ὄψεσθαι« μετὰ παρρησίας ἀποφθέγγεται τὸν θεόν‘, ὅτι μηδὲν ἐπισκοτοῦν ἢ συνταράσσον τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν τῆς Ψυχῆς πρὸς τὴν θείαν ἐπιφέρονται θεωρίαν, ἀλλʼ ἐκτὸς γεγονότες τῶν ὀρέξεων πάντῃ τῶν κοσμικῶν τὴν σάρκα καθαρὰν οὐ μόνον, ὡς ἔφην, μίξεως τηροῦσιν, ἀλλʼ ἤδη καὶ τὴν καρδίαν ἀνεπίδεκτον λογισμῶν ἀκρασίας, ἐν ᾗ μέλιστα καὶ τὸ ἅγιον ὡς ἐν ναῷ κατοικοῦν ἀναπαύεται πνεῦμα. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Ἔχε δὴ οἶμαι γὰρ ἐπὶ τὴν εὕρεσιν τῶν ὄντως κρειτ- τόνων ὀρθότερον ἡμᾶς ἐντεῦθεν διελθεῖν) καί μοι φράσον· καλεῖς τινα κυβερνήτην ἀγαθόν; ΓΡΗΓ. Ἔγωγε. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Πότερον τὸν ἐν μεγάλαις καὶ ἀμηχάνοις περισώσαντα ζάλαις τὸ σκάφος ἢ τὸν ἐν γαλήνῃ καὶ νηνεμέᾳ; ΓΡΗΓ. Τὸν ἐν μεγάλαις καὶ ἀμηχάνοις. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ψυχὴν τὴν περιαντλουμένην ταῖς τρικυ- μίαις τῶν παθημάτων καὶ μὴ ἀποκάμνουσαν ἢ ἐκλυομένην, ἀλλὰ τὸ σκάφος, τὴν σάρκα, γενναίως εἰς λιμένα τὸν τῆς σωφροσύνης ἀπευθύνουσαν λέξομεν τῆς ἐν εὐδίᾳ πλοϊζομένης κρείττονα καἰ δοκιμωτεραν; ΓΡΗΓ. Λέξομεν. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Τὸ γὰρ ἁρμόζεσθαι πρὸς τὰς ἐμβολὰς τῶν καταφυσημάτων τοῦ πονηροῦ πνεύματος καὶ μὴ ἀπορρίπτεσθαι ἢ νικᾶσθαι, ἀλλὰ πάντα πρὸς Χριστὸν ἀνανεύοντα καρτερῶς μάχεσθαι ταῖς ἡδοναῖς μείζονα τὸν ἔπαινον φέρει τοῦ μετὰ ῥᾳστώνης ἀχειμαστὶ παρθενεύοντος. ΓΡΗΓ. Ἐοικεν. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Τί δαὶ καὶ ὁ κύριος; οὐ δοκεῖ δεικνύναι διαφέρειν τὸν ἐπιθυμοῦντα μᾶλλον καὶ ἐγκρατευόμενον τοῦ μὴ ἐπιθυμοῦντός τε καὶ παρθενεύοντος; ΓΡΗΓ. Ποῦ δή; ΕΥΒΟΓΛ. Ἐνθα τὸν φρόνιμον παραβάλλων οἰκίᾳ τεθεμελιωμένῃ καλῶς ἄπτωτον αὐτὸν ἀποφαίνεται, μὴ δυνάμενον ὑπὸ τῆς βροχῆς καὶ τῶν ποταμῶν καὶ τῶν ἀνέμων καταβληθῆναι, ταῖς μὲν ἐπιθυ- μίαις ὡς ἔοικέν ἀπεικάζων τοὺς χειμῶνας, τῇ δὲ πέτρᾳ τὴν ἀκίνητον ἔνστασιν καὶ ἀδιάπτωτον τῆς ψυχῆς περὶ τὴν ἁγνείαν. ΓΡΗΓ. Ἀληθῆ λέγειν δόξαις. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Τί δαὶ καὶ ἰατρόν; οὐ τὸν ἐπὶ μεγάλαις ἤδη δεδοκιμασμένον νόσοις καὶ πολλοὺς ἰασάμενον ἄριστον καλεῖς; ΓΡΗΓ. Ἕγωγε. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Τὸν δὲ μηδὲν μηδέπω διαπραξάμενον, μηδὲ νοσοῦντας ὅλως ἐν χερσὶν ἐσχηκότα οὐ πάντως ἀδοκιμώτερον ἔτι; ΓΡΗΓ. Ναί. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Οὐκοῦν καὶ Ψυχὴν τὴν ἀνεχομένην ὑγροτέρου σώματος καὶ τὰς περὶ τὰς ἡδονὰς αὐτοῦ νόσους καταπραϋνουσαν σωφρο- σύνης φαρμάκοις ἰατρικωτέραν λεκτέον τῆς ὑγιεινὸν διοικεῖν κεκληρωμένης σῶμα καὶ ἀπαθές; ΓΡΗΓ. Λεκτέον γάρ. ΕΥΒΟΓΛ. Τί δαὶ καὶ ἐν πάλῃ; πότερον παλαιστὴς ἀμείνων ὁ ἀνταγωνιστὰς ἔχων μεγάλους καὶ ἰσχυρούς, καὶ προσπαλαίων ἀεὶ καὶ μὴ καθαιρούμενος, ἢ ὁ μὴ ἔχων ἀνταγωνιστάς; ΓΡΗΓ. Δῆλον ὡς ὁ ἔχων. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Καὶ ἐν πάλῃ ἄρα δοκιμώτερος ἀθλητὴς ὁ τοὺς ἀνταγωνιστας ἔχων; ΓΡΗΓ. Ἀνάγκη. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Οὐκοῦν καὶ ψυχὴν ἀνάγκη πᾶσα τὴν μηχανωμένην πρὸς τὰς ἐφόδους τῆς ἐπιθυμίας καὶ μὴ κατασπωμένην, ἀλλʼ ἀνθέλκουσαν καὶ ἀντιτασσομένην, ἰσχυροτέραν φαίνεσθαι τῆς μὴ ἐπιθυμούσης; ΓΡΗΓ. Ἀληθῆ. ΕΓΒΟΥΛ. Τί δαὶ τὸ καρτερῶς ἔχειν πρὸς τὰς ὁρμάς, Γρηγόριον, τῶν φαύλων ὀρέξεων; δοκεῖ σοι μᾶλλον ἀνδρείας εἶναι; ΓΡΗΓ. Καὶ σψόδρα. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Ἡ δὲ ἀνδρεία αὕτη δύναμις ἀρετῆς; ΓΡΗΓ. Δῆλον. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Οὐκοῦν εἰ δύναμις ἀρετῆς ἐστιν ἡ ὑπομονή, ἡ διοχλουμένη ἄρα ψυχὴ καὶ καρτεροῦσα πρὸς τὰς ἐπιθυμίας δυνατωτέρα φαίνεται τῆς μὴ ὀχλουμένης; ΓΡΗΓ. Ναί. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Εἰ δὲ δυνατωτέρα, καὶ κρείσσων; ΓΡΗΓ. Ναί. ΕΥΒΟΥΛ. Κρείσσων ἄρα ἡ ἐπιθυμοῦσα καὶ ἐγκρατευομένη τῆς μὴ ἐπιθυμούσης ἐστὶν ἐκ τῶν προωμολογημένων καὶ ἐγκρατευομενης. ΓΡΗΓ. Ἀληθῆ λέγεις, καὶ ἐπιθυμήσω πληρέστερον ἔτι περὶ τούτων διαλεχθῆναί σοι. εἰ οὖν σοι φίλον, αὔριον ἀφίξομαι πάλιν ἀκουσομένη τούτων. νῦν γάρ, ὡς ὁρᾷς, ὥρα λοιπὸν τραπέσθαι καὶ περὶ τὸ τοῦ ἔξωθεν ἀσχολεῖν ἡμᾶς ἀνθρώπου. ### English translation (Claude) EUBOULION: Thecla deservedly carried off the first of the prizes, Gregorion. GREGORION: Deservedly indeed. EUBOULION: What about the stranger from Telmessus? Tell me, was she not listening even from outside? For I wonder whether she kept quiet on learning of this banquet, and did not at once fly, like a bird to food, to hear what was being said. GREGORION: No; for the story is that she was present with Methodius, who was questioning Arete about these very things. But it is a fine and blessed thing to have such a teacher and guide as Arete. EUBOULION: But, Gregorion, which shall we say are better: those who do not feel desire but master desire, or those who feel desire and remain virgins? GREGORION: Those who do not feel desire and remain virgins, since these have their mind and their perception undefiled and are wholly uncorrupted, having sinned in nothing. EUBOULION: Well said, by self-control, Gregorion, and wisely. But I am not hindering you, am I, if I take up your words, so that I may learn more firmly, and no one may refute me hereafter? GREGORION: Take them up wherever you like; for I am well able, Euboulion, to teach you that one who does not desire is better than one who desires, and no one will refute you. EUBOULION: Bravo! I rejoice that you answer me so grandly and show how rich you have become in wisdom. GREGORION: You seem to be a chattering sort of person, Euboulion. EUBOULION: Why so? GREGORION: Because you say these things mocking me rather than speaking the truth. EUBOULION: Hush, my dear; I greatly admire your understanding and high repute. I said this because you say that you not only know, but even pride yourself on teaching others, things about which many wise people often dispute among themselves. GREGORION: Tell me truly: are you really in doubt whether those who do not desire differ at all from those who desire and practise continence? Or are you just teasing me? EUBOULION: How could I be testing you in what I confess I do not know? But come, tell me, most wise, in what way those who do not desire and are chaste differ from those who desire and remain virgins. GREGORION: First, in that they have the soul itself pure, and the Holy Spirit always dwells in it, since it is not dragged about and clouded by imaginings and thoughts of incontinence, so as ever to be harmed even through thought; but these are wholly incapable of receiving desire in both flesh and heart, enjoying calm from the passions. But those who are lured from outside by imaginings through the sight, and receive desire flowing like a stream into the heart, are often no less defiled, even if they think they are contending and fighting against pleasures, being defeated in their thoughts. EUBOULION: Shall we say, then, that those who enjoy calm and are not troubled by desire are pure? GREGORION: Most certainly. For God, who by the beatitudes makes even gods of those who believe in him without hesitation, declares boldly that such people ‘will see God,’ because they bring nothing that darkens or disturbs the eye of the soul to the divine contemplation, but, having got wholly outside worldly appetites, they keep not only the flesh pure of intercourse, as I said, but also the heart incapable of receiving thoughts of incontinence, in which above all the Holy Spirit dwells and rests as in a temple. EUBOULION: Wait (for I think we shall go more rightly from here toward finding out who are truly better), and tell me: do you call someone a good pilot? GREGORION: I do. EUBOULION: The one who has brought the ship safely through great and desperate storms, or the one who has done so in calm and still weather? GREGORION: The one in great and desperate storms. EUBOULION: Shall we not say, then, that a soul that is flooded by the waves of the passions and does not grow weary or faint, but nobly steers its ship, the flesh, into the harbour of self-control, is better and more approved than one that sails in fair weather? GREGORION: We shall. EUBOULION: For to be ready for the onsets of the blasts of the evil spirit, and not to be cast away or overcome, but, looking up to Christ in everything, to fight steadfastly against pleasures, earns greater praise than to remain a virgin easily and without storm. GREGORION: So it seems. EUBOULION: And what of the Lord? Does he not seem to show that one who desires and practises continence excels one who does not desire and remains a virgin? GREGORION: Where? EUBOULION: Where, comparing the prudent man to a house well founded, he declares it cannot fall, being unable to be thrown down by the rain and the rivers and the winds; likening, it seems, the storms to the desires, and the rock to the unmoved and unfailing resolve of the soul for chastity. GREGORION: You seem to speak the truth. EUBOULION: And what of a doctor? Do you not call the best the one already proved in great diseases, who has healed many? GREGORION: I do. EUBOULION: And the one who has done nothing yet, and has never had the sick in his hands at all, is surely still less approved? GREGORION: Yes. EUBOULION: Must we not say, then, that a soul that bears with a moister body and calms its diseases concerning pleasures with the drugs of self-control is more skilled in healing than one that has been allotted a healthy and passionless body to govern? GREGORION: We must say so. EUBOULION: And what about wrestling? Is the better wrestler the one who has great and strong opponents and is always wrestling without being thrown, or the one who has no opponents? GREGORION: Clearly the one who has them. EUBOULION: In wrestling, then, the athlete who has opponents is more approved? GREGORION: Necessarily. EUBOULION: Then, necessarily, a soul that contrives against the attacks of desire and is not dragged down, but pulls against it and opposes it, appears stronger than one that does not desire? GREGORION: True. EUBOULION: And what about holding out steadfastly against the impulses of base appetites, Gregorion? Does it seem to you to belong rather to courage? GREGORION: Very much so. EUBOULION: And this courage is a power of virtue? GREGORION: Clearly. EUBOULION: Then, if endurance is a power of virtue, the soul that is troubled and holds out against desires appears more powerful than the one that is not troubled? GREGORION: Yes. EUBOULION: And if more powerful, also better? GREGORION: Yes. EUBOULION: Then, from what has been agreed, the soul that desires and practises continence is better than the one that does not desire and practises continence. GREGORION: What you say is true, and I shall want to discuss these things with you still more fully. So, if you like, I will come again tomorrow to hear about them. For now, as you see, it is time to turn at last to caring for the outer man. ### Scripture references - Matt 5:8: quotation, high confidence - Matt 7:24–25: allusion, high confidence - 1 Cor 6:19: allusion, medium confidence ### Translation notes - The quotation is Matt 5:8; the allusions are Matt 7:24–25 and 1 Cor 6:19. “The stranger from Telmessus” and the mention of Methodius as present are the author's own playful self-reference (Methodius was traditionally associated with Olympus in Lycia). The epilogue's question-and-answer form imitates the Socratic dialogues of Plato. ### Citation (SBL) Methodius, Symp. 12 (Bonwetsch, 137–141; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/methodius-symposium/12/#p-12).