Religious History 1
Greek text: PG 82.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 1
1PG 82
Μωὺῦσῆς ὁ θεῖος ὁ νομοθέτης, ὁ τῆς θαλάττης τὸν χαταχλύσας, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα θαυματουργήσπας, πῶν πάλαι γεγενημένων ἀγίων τὴν πολιτείαν συνἔγραψεν, οὐ τῇ σοφίᾳ χρησάμενος, ἣν παρὰ τῶν Αἱ- Ὑὐπτίων μεμάθηκεν, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἄνωθεν» χάριτος τὴν αἴγλην δεξάμενος. Πόθεν γὰρ ἂν ἔμαθεν ἄλλοθεν τοῦ κΑθελ τὴν ἀρετὴν, καὶ τοῦ Ἐνὼχ τὸ φιλόθεον, καὶ ποῦ Νῶε τὸ δίκαιον, καὶ τὴν εὐσεδῇ τοῦ Μελχισεδὲκ ἱερωσύνην, καὶ τοῦ ᾿Αδραὰμ τὴν κλῆσιν, τὴν πίστιν, τὴν καρτερίαν, τὴν ἐπιμελῇ φιλοξενίαν, τὴν πολυθρύλλητον τοῦ παιδὸς ἱερουργίαν, καὶ τὸν τῶν ἄλλων κατορθυμάτων κατάλογον, καὶ συντόμως εἰ- - πεῖν, τῶν θεσπεσίων ἐκείνων ἀνδρῶν τοὺς ἀγῶνας, αἱ νίκας, τὰς ἀναῤῥήσει;, εἰ μὴ τοῦ νοεροῦ καὶ θείου Πνεύματος τὰς ἀκτῖνας ἐδέξατο; Ταύτης ἐπὶ ποῦ παρόντος κἀμοὶ δεῖ τῆς συνεργίας, τῶν ὀλίγον “πρὸ ἡμῶν καὶ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν ὃὲ λαμψάντων ἁγίων τὸν βίον πειρωμένῳ συγγράψαι, καὶ οἷόν τινα νομοθεσίαν τοῖς ξεηλοῦν ἐθέλουσ! βουλομένῳ προτεῖναι. Τὰς «τούτων τοίνυν προσευχὰς ἐπιχλητέαν, καὶ τῆς διηγή" σεως ἀρκτέον. Νίσισίς ἔστι πόλις ἐν μεθορίῳ τῆς Ῥωμαίων καὶ Περσῶν βασιλείας, ἣ πάλαι μὲν Ῥωμαίοις ἐδασμοφόρει, καὶ ὑπὸ τὴν τούτων ἡγεμονίαν ἐτέλε:. Ἐκ ταύτης ὁρμώμενος ὁ μέγας Ἰάχωδος, τὸν ἐρημικὸν καὶ ἡσύχιον ἠσπάσατο βίον, καὶ τὰς τῶν ὑψηλοτάτῶν ὁρῶν χαταλαδὼν κορυφὰς, ἐν ἐκείναις διῆγεν" ἐν ἔχρι μὲν, καὶ θέρε:, καὶ μετοπώρῳ ταῖς λόχμαις χρώμενος, καὶ ὄροφον ἔχων τὸν οὐρανόν" τὸν δὲ τοῦ χΞϑιμῶνος καιρὸν ἄντρον αὐτὸν ὑπεδέχετο, βραχεῖαν σκέπην παρέχον. Τροφὴν δὲ εἶχεν, οὐ τὴν μετὰ πόνου σπειρομένην καὶ φυομένην, ἀλλὰ τὴν αὐτομάτως στάνουπαν. Τῶν γὰρ ἀγρίων δένδρων τοὺς αὐτοφνεῖς ἀπο, συλλέγων καρποὺς, καὶ τῶν βοτανῶν τὰ; ἐδωδίμους καὶ λαχανώδεις, ἐκ τούτων ἐδίδου τῷ σώματι τὰ εἰς τὸ ζῇν ἀποχρῶντα, τὴν τοῦ πυρὸς χρείαν. Περιττὴ δὲ ἣν αὐτῷ καὶ τῶν ἐρίων ἡ χρῆσφ᾽ αἱ γὰρ τραχύτατοι τῶν αἰγῶν τρίχες τὰ ἐχείνων ἐπλήρουν. Ἔχ τούτων αὐτῷ καὶ χιτὼν ἐγένετο, καὶ «ὃ ἁπλοῦν περιδόλαιον. Οὕτω τὸ σῶμα χατατρύχων, καὶ τὴν πνευματικὴν τροφὴν διηνεκῶς προσέφερε τῇ ψυχῇ, καὶ τὸ τῆς διανοίας ὀπτιχὸν ἐκχαθαίρων, καὶ κάτοπτρον διαφανὲς τοῦ θείου κατασκευάζων Πνεύμᾶτος, ἀνακεκαλυμμένῳ προσώπῳ, κατὰ τὸν θεῖον ᾿Απόστολον, « Τὴν δόξαν Κυρίου χατοπτριζόμενος, τὴν αὐτὴν εἰκόνα μετεμορφοῦτο ἀπὸ δόξης εἰς δόξαν, καθάπερ ἀπὸ Κυρίου Πνεύματος. ν᾿ ὕντεῦθεν ἡ πρὸ; τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῷ παῤῥησίχ καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ηὔξετο τὴν ἡμέραν, καὶ αἰτῶν ἃ τὸν Θεὸν αἰτεῖν ἔδει, παραυτίκα ἐλάμθανεν. 'Εντεῦθεν καὶ τὰ ἐσόμενα προφητικῶς προεώρα, καὶ δύναμιν εἰς θαυματουργίαν ἐκ τῆς τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐδέξατο χάριτος. Τούτων ὀλίγα διηγήσομαι, καὶ τῆς ἀποστηλιχῆ; αὐτοῦ λαμπηδόνος τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσι τὴν ἀκτῖνα δηλώσω. ἜἬνχμαζε κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν ἣ περὶ τὰ εἴδωλι τῶν ἀνθρώπων μανία, καὶ τὰ μὲν ἄψυχα ξόανα τὸ θεῖον σέδας ἐσφετερίζετο, ἡ δὲ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεραπείι ὑπὸ τῶν πλείστων χατημελεῖτο" εὐκαταφρόνητοι δὲ ἦσαν οἱ κοινωνεῖν μὲν οὐκ ἐθέλοντες ἐκείνοις τς μέθης, ἀχριθῇ δὲ, ἅτε δὴ χαθεστηκχότες, τὴν τῶν ὄντων διάκρισιν ἔχοντες, καὶ τὴν μὲν τῶν εἰδώλων γελῶν Β τες ἀσθένειαν, τὸν τῶν ὅλων δὲ προσκυνοῦντες δημιουργόν. Κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν τὴν Περσίδι χατέλαθε, τὰ φυτὰ τῆς εὐσεδείας ὀψόμενος, καὶ τὴν προσήκουσαν αὐτοῖς θεραπείαν προσοίσων᾽ πηγὴν δὲ αὐτοῦ τινα διιόντος, κόραι τινὲς πλυνοῖς σαι, καὶ ἱμάτια τοῖς ποσὶν ἀποῤῥύπτουσαι, οὐδὲ τῷ σχήματος τὸ καινοπρεπὲς χατηῃδέσθησαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀναιδέσιν ὀφθαλμοῖς τὸν θεῖον ἄνθρωπον ἐθεώρουν, οὔτε τὰς κεφαλὰς συγκαλύπτουσαι, οὐδὲ τὰ ἀνεζωσμένα χαλῶσαι ἱμάτια. Τοῦτο δυσχεράνας ὁ τοῦ θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ δεῖξαι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν δύναμιν εἰς χαιἐλευθερώσῃ, ἐπηράσατο μὲν τῇ πηγῇ, καὶ φροῦδν παραυτίκα τὸ ῥεῖθρον ἐγένετο" ἐπηράσατο δὲ ταῖς μείραξι, καὶ τὴν ἀναίσχυντον αὐτῶν νεότητα προὼρφ ἐκόλασε πολιᾷ, καὶ εἵπετο τῷ λόγῳ τὸ ἔργον᾽ καὶ τὸ μέλαν τῶν τριχῶν ἐνηλλάττετο, καὶ εἰώχεσαν νευφύτοις δένδροις ἐν ἕαρι μετοπωρινὰ φύλλα περιχειμένοις. Οὕτως αἱἰσθόμεναι τῆς τιμωρίας" τῆς τί γὰρ πηγῆς ἀπέδρα τὰ νάματα, καὶ τὰς ἀλλήλων θεώμεναι κεφαλὰς, ἑώρων τὴν ἀθρόαν ἐχείνην μεταθολήν " ἔδραμον εἰς τὴν πόλιν τὸ συμθὰν ἀπαγγέλλουσαι. Οἱ δὲ δραμόντες, καὶ τὸν μέγαν τὴν ὀργὴν, καὶ λῦσαι τὴν τιμωρίαν. Ὁ δὲ μηδὲ βραχὺ μελλήσας, προσέφερε μὲν τῷ Δεσπότῃ τὴν ἱκεσίαν, ἐκέλευε δὲ πάλιν ἀναθλῦσαι τὰ νάματα' τὰ δὲ παρᾶ" τίκα πάλιν ἐκ τῶν οἰκείων ἀνεφαίνετο ταμιείων, τοῖς τοῦ δικαίου μετοχετευόμενα νεύμασιν. Οἱ δὲ τοῦτῶν τετυχηχότες, καὶ τοῖς πλοχάμοις τῶν θυγατέρων τὴν προτέραν ἠντιδόλουν χρόαν ἀποδοθῆναι. Τὸν δὲ εἶξαι μὲν καὶ τοῦτό φασιν, ἐπιζητῆσαι δὲ τὰς κόρας, τὰς τὴν παιδείαν ἐχείνην δεξαμένας" καὶ ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἀφίκοντο, ἐᾶσαι τὴν τιμωρίαν, δίδαγμα σωφροσύνη, καὶ εὐχοσμίας ὑπόθεσιν, καὶ τῆς θείας δυνάμεως ὑπόμνημα διηνεκές τε καὶ ἐναργές. Τοιοῦτον το νέου τούτου Μωῦϊσέως τὸ θαῦμα, οὐ πληγῇ ῥάδδο" γενόμενον, ἀλλὰ τῷ τοῦ σταυροῦ σημείῳ δεξάμενον τὴν ἐνέργειαν. Ἐγὼ δὲ πρὸς τῇ θαυματουργίᾳ Χο’ μιδῇ θαυμάξω καὶ τὴν πραότητα. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὡς ὁ μέγας Ἐλισσαῖος ἄρχοις αἱμοδόροις τὰς ἀναιδεῖς ἐκείνας παρέδωκε κόρας" ἀλλ᾽ ἀδλαδεὶ τῖινε πᾶι" ξείᾳ, καὶ σμιχρὰν ἐχούσῃ τὴν ἀκοσμίαν χρησάμενον εὐσέδειαν ὁμοῦ καὶ εὐκοσμίαν ἐδίδαξε. Καὶ ταῦτα Α πίδηι !), 56] τ ἔφην, οὐκ ἀπήνειαν τοῦ προφήτου κατηγορῶν, μὴ οὕτω μανείην' ἀλλὰ δεικνὺς ὡς ἐχείνην ἔχων τὴν δύνάμιν, τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πραότητι, καὶ τῇ Καινῇ Διαθήκῃ ἐπετέλει τὰ πρόσφορα. Οὗτος ἄλλοτέ ποτε δικαστὴν Πέρσην ἀδίκῳ Ψήφῳ χρησάμενον θεασάμενος, λίθῳ τινὶ μεγίστῳ παρακειμένῳ ἐπαρασάμενος, συντριδῆναι καὶ σχεδασθῆναι, καὶ τούτῳ διελέγξαι τὴν ἄδικον ἐχείνου. παρηγγύησε ψῆφον. Παραυτίκα δὲ τοῦ λίθου εἰς μυρία μόρια μερισθέντος, ματώθησαν οἱ παρόντες" φρίκης δὲ ἀνάπλεως ὁ δικαστὴς γενόμενος, ἀνεκαλέσατο μὲν τὴν προτέραν, «ἑτέραν δὲ δικαίαν ἐπήνεγκε ψῆφον᾽ κἀνταῦθα τὸν οἰκεῖον Δεσπότην ἐζήλωσεν" ὃς δεῖξαι βουληθεὶς: ὡς ἐχὼν ὑπομένει τὸ πάθος, καὶ ῥᾳδίως ἂν ἐθελήσας τοὺς ἀλιτηρίους ἐκόλασεν, οὐκ αὐτοῖς ἐπήνεγκε τιμωρίαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἄψυχον συκῆν λόγῳ ξηράνας, τὴν οἰκείαν ἔδειξε δύναμιν. Ταύτην καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν μιμούμενος, οὐ τὸν ἄδικον ἐκόλασε διχαττὴν, ἀλλὰ τῇ τοῦ λίθου πληγῇ δικαιοσύνην αὑτὸν ἐδίδαξεν. Ἕν τούτοις διαπρέπων καὶ πᾶσιν ἐπέραστος ὧν, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἁπάντων περιφερόμενο; γλώσσαις, εἰς τὴν τῆς ἀρχιερωσύνης ἔρχεται λειτουργίαν, καὶ τῆς πατρίδος λαγχάνει τὴν προστασίαν. Ἑναλλάξας δὲ τὴν ὄρειον ἐχείνην διατριδὴν, καὶ τὴν ἐν ἄστει διαχωγὴν οὐ κατὰ γνώμην ἑλόμενος, οὔτε τὴν τροφὴν, οὔτε τὴν ἀμπεχόνην ἐνήλλαξεν" ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν χωρία ἡμείδετο, ἡ δὲ πολιτεία μεταθολὴν οὐκ ἐδέχετο. Οἱ δὲ πόνοι προσθήκην ἐλάμθανον, καὶ πολλαπλάσιοι τῶν προτέρων ἐγένοντο, Τῇ γὰρ νηστείᾳ καὶ χαμευνίᾳ, καὶ τῇ τοῦ σάκκου περιβολῇ, ἐπεισήεσαν αἱ δι᾽ ὅλου τῶν δεομένων φροντίδες “χηρῶν, φημὶ, ἐπιτων οἱ ἔλεγχο!, τῶν δὲ ἀδικουμένων ἡ δικαία ἐπικουρία. Καὶ τί δεῖ πρὺς εἰδότας ἅπαντα χαταλέγεσθαι, ἃ τοὺς ταύτην ἀναδεδεγμένους περιστοιχίζει τὴν πρόνοιαν; Διαφερόντιυς δὲ ἐκεῖνος τοὺς τοιούτους πόνους ἡσπάξετο, ἅτε δὴ διαφερόντως καὶ ποθῶν καὶ δεδιὼς τὸν τῶν προθάτων Κύριον. “Ὅσῳ δὲ πλείονα τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν πλοῦτον συνέλεγε, τοσούτῳ μειζόνω; καὶ τῆς τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος ἀπήλανε χάριτος. Καὶ δῆ ποτε εἴς τινα κώμην αὐτῷ ἣ πόλιν ἀπαίροντι" οὐ γὰρ ἔχω λέγειν ἀχριθῶς τὸ χωρίον " προσίασ' τινες πένητες, ἕνα τινὰ τῶν συνόντων ὡς τεθνεῶτα προτεθειχότες, καί τινα πρὸς τὴν ἐχείνου ταφὴν ἐπιτήδεια λαθεῖν ἱκετεύοντες, Ὃ δὲ εἶξεν ἀυτιδολοῦσ: “ τῷ Θεῷ δὲ ὡς ὑπὲρ τεθνεῶτος τὴν ἱκεσίαν προσέφερεν, ἀφεῖναι παρακαλῶν τὰ κατὰ «ὃν βίον πλημμεληθέντα, καὶ τοῦ τῶν δικαίων ἀξιῶσαι χοροῦ. Τούτων λεγομένων, ἀφίπτατο τοῦ τέως σκηπτομένου τὸν θάνατον ἡ ψυχὴ, ἐχορηγεῖτο δὲ τῷ σώματι τὰ καλύμματα " ὡς δὲ μικρὸν προῆλθεν ὁ θεσπέτιος ἄνθρωπος, ἀναστῆναι τὸν κείμενον ἐκέλευον οἱ τὸ δρᾶμα τοῖτο συντεθειχότες " ὡς δὲ ἑώρων οὐκ ἑπαῖοντα, ἀλλ᾽ ἀλήθειαν νὸ σχῆμα γεγενημένον, καὶ εἰς πρόσωπον τὸ προσωπεῖον μεταδληθὲν, μενοι δὲ καὶ τῶν ποδῶν προχαλινδόμενοι, καὶ τοῦ τολμηθέντος δράματος αἰτίαν εἶναι λέγοντες τὴν πενίαν ἱκέτευον λῦσαι σφίσιν αὐτοῖς τὴ) πλημμέλειαν, καὶ ἀποδοῦναι τῷ κειμένῳ τὴν ἀφαιρεθεῖσαν ψυχήν. Τὴν Δεσποτικὴν τοίνυν φιλανθρωπίαν μιμούμενος, … ουργίαν ἐπεδείξατο, τὴν ὑπὴ τῆς εὐχῆς σαν ζωὴν διὰ τῆς εὐχῆς ἀποδοὺς τῷ κειμένῳ, Τοῦτο δὲ ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ τῇ τοῦ μεγάλου Πέτρον ἐοικέναι' θαυματουργίᾳ" ὃς τὸν ᾿Ανανίαν καὶ τὴν Σάπφειραν … Καὶ γὰρ ὡσαύτως τὴν ἀλήθειαν χεχλοφότα, καὶ τῷ Ψεύδει χρησάμενον ἀφείλετο τὴν ζωήν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν γνοὺς τὴν κλοπὴν, ἀπεκάλυψε γὰρ ἡ τοῦ Πνεύματος χάρις, τὴν δίκην ἐπήγαγεν " ὁ δὲ τοῦ δράματος ἀγνοῶν τὴν ὑπόθεσιν, προσήνεγκε μὲν τὴν εὐχὴν, ἔστησε δὲ τῷ πεπλασμένῳ τοῦ βίου τὸν δρόμον " καὶ Β μὲν θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος οὐκ ἔλυσε τοῖς τεθνηχόσι τὴν γματος τὰ προοίμια)" ὁ δὲ τῆς ἀποστολικῇς ὑπάρχων ἀνάπλεως χάριτος, καὶ ἐκόλασεν εἰς καιρὸν, καὶ ἔλυσε ταχέως τὴν κόλασιν " τούτῳ γὰρ ἔδει χερδαγεῖν τοὺς πταίσαντας. ᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ ἄλλα ἱτέον, καὶ συντόμως κἀκεῖνα ἐξηγη τέον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ Αρειος, ὁ τῆς κατὰ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς καὶ τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος θλασφημίας πατὴρ καὶ δημιουργὸς, κατὰ τοῦ πεποιηκότος τὴν γλῶτταν ἐνέπλησε τὴν Αἴγυπτον θορύθου καὶ τα- Κωνσταντῖνος δὲ ὀνμέγιστος βασιλεὺς, ἡ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀγέλης Ζοροδάδελ' κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον γὰρ τὴν τῶν εὐσεθῶν αἰχμαλωσίαν ἐκ τῆς ὑπερορίας ἅπασαν ἀνήγαγε, καὶ τοὺς θείους νεὼς εἰς ἔδαφος ἐῤῥιμμένους εἰς ὕψος ἀνήγειρεν. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν οὗτος πάντας τοὺς Ο τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν προέδρους κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν σὺνεἰς τὴν Νίκαιαν, ἀφίκετο μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ ὁ δογμάτων, καὶ πρόμαχος ἁπάσης τῆς φάλαγγος. Τῆς Ῥωμαίων γὰρ ἡγεμονίας τηνικαῦτα ὑπῆρχεν ἡ Ἐν τοίνυν τῇ μεγάλῃ συνόδῳ, πολλῶν μὲν εὖ καὶ καλῶς, πολλῶν δὲ καὶ ἄλλως εἰρημένων" ἦσαν γὰρ ὀλίγοι τινὲς, οἵ τἀναυτία μὲν ἐφρόνουν, γυμνοῦν … τοῖς δὲ ἀχριδέδι τῆς ἀληθείας μύσταις καὶ μάλα μὲν ἡ κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος γρατοῦσά τε καὶ κηρυττον ᾿ἰ- μένη τῆς πίστεως ὁμολογία " ὑπεσημήναντο ἃ Ρ ἅπαντες, καὶ τῇ χειρὶ καὶ τῷ καλάμῳ οὕτω πιστεύειν καὶ φρονεῖν ὡμολόγησαν " ἀλλ᾽ οἱ πλείους μὲν ἄσμενοι τοῦτο ἐποίουν " ἑπτὰ δέ τινες τῆς "Αρείου βλασφημίας συνήγοροι, τῇ μὲν γλώττῃ καὶ τῇ χειρὶ συν δὲ τῇ γλώττῃ τὴν …" εΟὗτος ὁ λαὸς τοῖς χείλεσί με τιμᾷ, τῇ δὲ καρδίᾳ πόῤῥω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ" » καὶ κατὰ τῇ» τ Θιμα πποίεἰς ἰπο υδὶ αν μἷβ νϑυθὶβ : Ἔν τοίνυν τῇ μεγάλῃ συνόδῳ δά νατγα ρ. 4{Π0. ὅπλῳ τῇ γλώττῃ μιὰ Ἱερεμίου φωνὴν τὴν διαῤῥήδην βοῶσαν " « Ἐγγὺς εἶ δὺ τοῦ στόματος αὑτῶν, καὶ πόῤῥω ἀπὸ τῶν νεφρῶν αὐτῶν.» Σύμφωνα δὲ τούτοις περὶ τούτων καὶ ὁ μακάριος ἔφη Δαδίδ᾽ « Τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν ηὐλόγουν, καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῶν χατηρῶντο. » Καὶ πάλιν’ ε Ἡπαλύνθησαν οἱ λόγοι αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ ἔλαιον, καὶ αὐτοί εἰσι βολίδες. » Οὗτο: τὸν τῆς ᾿Αλεξανδρέων ἐπίσκοπον τὸν μέγαν ᾿Αλέξανδρον παρεκάλουν, οἷκτεῖραι τὸν “Αρειον ὑπὸ πάσης ἐκείνης ἀποχηρυχθέντα τῆς φάλαγγος " τοῦ δὲ καὶ τὸ τούτων ὕπουλον εἰδότος, καὶ τὴν ἐχείνου πονηρίαν ὑφορωμένου, καὶ τούτου χάριν οὐ δεχομένου τὴν αἴτησιν " ἄλλοι τινὲς τῶν ἁπλότητι συνεζηκότων, πολλὰς τῆς φιλανθρωπίας διεξήεσαν εὐφημίας, ταύτῃ καίρειν λέγοντες καὶ τὸν τῶν ὅλων Θεόν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ μέγας ᾿Αλέξανδρος τὴν ἄδικον περὶ ἕνα φιλανθρωπίαν ἀπανθρωπίαν ὠνόμαζε, Β πολλῶν οὖσαν λυμαντιχὴν, καὶ λώδης πρόφασιν ἔσεσθαι τοῖ; ποιμνίοις ἅπασιν ἔλογε " παρήνει πᾶσιν ὁ θεῖος Ἰάχωδος, τῇ μὲν τῆς νηστείας χρήσασθαι κακουχίᾳ, ἑπτὰ δὲ κατὰ ταὐτὸν ἡμέρας τὴν Θεὸν ἱκετεῦσαι τὸ ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις συνοῖσον Δεξαμένων δὲ ἁπάντων τοῦ θείου ἀνδρὸς τὴν εἰσήγησιν ἔδεισαν γὰρ. αὐτὸν ἀποστολικοῖς χαρίσμασι λάμποντα ἐχεράννυτο μὲν ἡ νηστεία τῇ προσευχῇ " ἐψηφίζετο δὲ ταῖς Ἐκκλησίαις ὁ τούτων χυύε τὸ συμφέρον. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἀπήντησεν ἡ Κυριακὴ, καθ᾽ ἣν ἤλπιζον οἱ πλείους τὸν ἁλιτήριον εἰσδεχθήσεσθαι, καὶ τῆς θείας λειτουργίας ἔφθασεν ὁ καιρὸς, καὶ προσέμενον ἅπαντες ἰδεῖν τὸν ἀντίθεον ἐλεούμενον, τηνικαῦτα ίνεται θεῖον ὄντως καὶ παράδοξον θαῦμα. Ἔν βδελυχτοῖς γὰρ καὶ δυσώδεσι χωρίοις ὁ ἀλάστωρ ἐκεῖνος τῆς ἀπλήστου τροφῆς ἐχχρίνων τὰ περιττώματα, καὶ τὰ τούτων μετὰ τούτων ἐξέχρινε δοχεῖχ. Οὕτω δὲ τῶν σπλάγχων αὐτοῦ διαλυθέντων, καὶ σὺν τῇ κόπρῳ χεχωρηχότων, ἐξέπεσεν ὁ δείλαιος παραχρῆμα, καὶ τὸν αἴσχιστον ἐκεῖνον ὑπέμεινε θάνατον, τῆς δυσώδους αὐτοῦ βλασφημίας ἐν δυσώδεσι χωρίοις εἰσπραχθεὶς τὰς εὐθύνας, καὶ διὰ τῆς Ἰαχώθου τοῦ μεγάλου γλώττης δεξάμενος τὴν σφαγήν. Θαυμάξει μὲν οὖν ἡ θεία Γραφὴ Φινεὲς τὸν ἱερέα, καὶ εἰκότως θαυμάξει, ὅτι τὸν ὁλέθρου λαῷ γινόμενὸν ποόξενον κατέσφαξε, τὸν Ζαμθρή διὸ καὶ ψάλλων ὁ μακάριος ἔλεγε Δαδίδ " « Ἔστη Φινεὲς καὶ ἐξιλάσατο, καὶ ἐκόπασεν ἡ θραῦσις - καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην, εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεὰν ἕως τοῦ αἱῶνο:.ν ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως ἐκεῖνος ὅπλῳ πολεμιχῷ μένος, τὴν δικαίαν καὶ πολυθρύλλητον ἐχείνην εἰργάσατο σφαγὴν " τούτῳ δὲ ἤρκεσεν ἀντὶ δόρατος καὶ ξίφους ἡ γλῶττα, καὶ ἀνεῖλε τὸν ἀσεθῃ, ἵνα μὴ ἴδῃ τὴν δόξαν Κυρίου. ᾿Ἀπόχρη δὲ τοῦτο μόνον τῶν τῆς ᾿Αρείου δυσσεδείας κληρονόμων διελέγξαι τὴν ἄνοιαν. Ὃ γὰρ τοσοῦτος ἀνὴρ, τῶν μὲν ὑφ᾽ ἡμῶν πρεσδευομένων δογμάτων κήρυξ ἣν καὶ συνήγορος " οὕτω δὲ κομιδῇ τὴν τούτων ἀσέθειαν ὅτι καὶ τὸν αὐτῆς πατέρα χατηχόντισεν, ὅπλῳ τῇ υλώττῃ χρησάμενος. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ " ὁ σύλλογος ὁ ἱερὸς διελύθη, καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν οἰκίαν χατέλαθεν ἔκαστος, εἰς ἐπανῖχε καὶ οὗτος οἷά τις ἀριστεὺς καὶ γιχηφόρος τοῖς τῆς εὐσεδείας τροπαίοις ἐπαγαλλόμενος. Χρόνου δὲ διελθόντος ὁ μὲν μέγας ἐκεῖνος καὶ. θαυμάσιος βασιλεὺς μετὰ τῶν τῆς εὐσεδείας στεφάνων ὑκεξήει τὸν βίον" οἱ δὲ ἐχείνου παῖδες τῆς οἰκουμένης τὴν ἡγεμονίαν ἐχληρονόμουν. Τότε ὁ Περσῶν βασιλεὺς, Σαπώρης ὄνομα τούτῳ ἦν, καταφρονήσας τῶν παίδων, ὡς οὐ τὰ αὐτὰ τῷ πατρὶ δυναμένων, ἐππαμπόλλην δὲ πεζὴν στρατιάν " εἶχε δὲ καὶ ἐλέφαντας ὅτι πλείστους. Καὶ διελὼν ὡς εἰς πολιορκίαν τὴν στρατιὰν, περιεχάθισε Χχύχλῳ, καὶ μηχανήματα ἵστη, νὺς, καὶ τὰ μέσα τούτων φορμηδὸν περιφράττων τοῖς κλάδοις, ἐκέλευςε προσχοῦν τοῖς στρατιώταις, καὶ πύργους ἀντεγείρειν τοῖς πύργοις. Εἶτα ἐκεῖ τοὺς τοξότας ἀναδιδάζων, καὶ ἀφιέναι κατὰ τῶν ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους ἐστηκότων τὰ βέλη κελεύων, ἄλλοις κάτωθεν ὑπορύττειν τὸ τεῖχος ἐκέλευεν. Ὡς δὲ ἄπρακτα πάντα ἐγίνετο, τῇ τοῦ θεσπεσίου ἀνδρὸς διαλυόμενα προσευχῇ, τέλος τοῦ παραῤῥέοντος ποταμοῦ τὸ ῥεῦμα τῇ πολυχειρίᾳ κωλύσας, καὶ τῇ ἀποτειχίδει χεχιυλυμένον τοῦ ποταμοῦ ὅτι πλεῖστον συναθροίσας, ἐπαφῆχεν ἀθρόον κατὰ τοῦ τείχους, οἷόν τινι μηχᾶνήματι τούτῳ σφοδροτάτῳ χρησάμενος. Τὸ δὲ οὐκ ἤνεγκε τὴν τοῦ ὕδατος ἐμθολὴν " ἀλλὰ τῇ ῥύμῃ κατασεισθεὶς, ἄρδην ἅπαν τὸ κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο μέρος κατέπεσεν. Οἱ δὲ μέγα ἐθόων, ὡς εὐαλώτου γενομένου τοῦ ς ἄστεος. Τὸ γὰρ μέγα τεῖχος τῶν ἐνοικούντων ἡγνόὁρῶντες ὑπὸ τῶν ὑδάτων γενομένην τὴν πόλιν. Πόῤῥω τοίνυν ὑποχωρήσαντες, ὡς τοῦ πόνον σφίσι λωφήσαντος, αὐτοί τε διανεπαύοντο, καὶ τοὺς ἵππους ἐθεράπευον. Οἱ δὲ τὴν πόλιν οἰκοῦντες εἰς ἱχετείας σφοδροτέρας ἐτρέποντο, πρεσδευτὴν ἔχοντες τὸν μόγαν Ἰάχωθον " οἱ δὲ ἐν ἡλικίᾳ πάντες ἀνῳχοδόμουν σπουδῇ, οὔτε κάλλους οὔτε ἁρμονίας ἐπιμελούμενοι" ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ τυχὸν ἄπαντα συντιθέντες, καὶ λίθους, καὶ πλίνθους, καὶ ὃ τι ἄν τὶς ἐχόμιζε καὶ ἐν μιᾷ νυκτὶ προῦδη τὸ ἔργον, καὶ τοσοῦτον ἔλαθεν ὕψος, ὅσον ἀπόχρη διαχωλῦσαι καὶ τῶν ἵππων τὸν δρόμον, καὶ τῶν ἀνδρῶν τὴν ἄνευ κλιμάχων ἐπίδασιν. Τότε πάντες ἱχετεύουσι τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄνθρωπον φανῆναι ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους, καὶ ἀραῖς κατατοξεῦσαι τοὺς πολεμίους. Ὁ δὲ πεισθεὶς ἀνήει, καὶ τὰς πολλὰς αὑτῶν θεασάμενος μυριάδας, σχνιφῶν αὐτοῖς καὶ κωνώπων ἐπιπέμψαι νέφος ἱκέτευσε τὸν Θεόν. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἔλεγεν, ὁ δὲ ἔπεμπε, Μωῦσῇ παραπλησίως πειθόμενος " καὶ οἵ τε ἄνδρες τοῖς θείοις χατετιτρώσχοντο βέλεσιν᾽ οἴ τε ἵπποι καὶ οἱ ἐλέφαντες τὰ δεσμὰ διαῤῥήξαντε; ἐδραπέτευον τῇδε κἀκεῖσε σχεδαννύμενο:, καὶ φέρειν ἐκείνας οὐ δυνάμενοι τὰς ἀκίδας. Θεασάμενος τοίνυν ὁ δυσσεδὴς βασιλεὺς τὰ μηχανήματα πάντα ὄνησιν οὐδεμίαν παρεσχηχότα, καὶ τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὴν προῦτ δολὴν ἀνόνητον γεγενημένην “ τὸ γὰρ χαταπεῖὸν ἀνῳχοδόμητο τεῖχος " καὶ τὴν στρατιὰν πᾶσαν, καὶ τοῖς πόνοις ταλσιπωρουμένην, καὶ ὑπαίθριον κακο» παθοῦσαν, καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς γῆς " ἰδὼν δὲ καὶ τὸν θεῖον ἄνθρωπον ἐπὶ τοῦ τείχους βαδίζοντα, καὶ τοπάσας αὐτὸν ἐφεστάναι τῷ ἔργῳ τὸν βασιλέα, ἁλουργίδα γὰρ καὶ διάδημα περικείμενος ἑωρᾶτο, ἠγανάκτει μὲν κατὰ τῶν ἐξαπατησάντων καὶ στρατεῦσαι πεισάντων, καὶ τὸν βασιλέα μὴ παρεἶναι φησάντων. Θανάτου δὲ ψῆφον κατὰ τούτων ἐξεἐνεγχὼν, ἔλυσε τὸ στράτευμα, καὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα βασίλεια κατέλαδεν ὅτι τάχιστα. Τοιαῦτα καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦδε τοῦ Ἑζεχίου τεθαυματούργηχεν ὁ Θεὸς, οὐ μείονα ἐχείνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ μείζονα, ὡς ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ. Τὸ γὰρ καὶ «τοῦ τείχους χαταπεσόντος μὴ ἁλῶναι τὴν πόλιν, ποίαν θαύματος ὑπερθολὴν καταλείπει; Ἐγὼ δὲ πρὸς τούτῳ κἀκεῖνο ἄγαν θαυμάζω, ὅτι καὶ ἀραῖς χρηγοὺς, ὅπερ Ἠλίας ὁ μέγας ἐκεῖνος ἐποίησεν, ἡνίχα πρὸς αὐτὸν πεντηχόνταρχος ἑκάτερος μετὰ τῆς πεντηκοστύος ἀφίκετο, Ἤκουσε γὰρ τοῦ Κυρίου πρὸς Ἰάχωδον καὶ Ἰωάννην τοὺς τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ πειραθέντας ποιῆσαι διαῤῥήδην εἰπόντος " « Οὐκ οἴδατε ποίου πνεύματός ἔστε; » Διὰ τοῦτο οὐ χᾶναι αὐτοῖς τὴν γῆν ἤτησεν, οὐδὲ πυρὶ παραδοθῆναι τὴν φάλαγγα παρεκάλεσεν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ζωῦφίοις ἐκείνοις χατατρωθῆναι, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ διαγνόντας τὴν δύναμιν ὀψέ ποτε μεταμαθεῖν τὴν εὐσέδειαν. Τοσαύτην εἶχεν ὁ θεῖος οὗτος ἄνθρωπος πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν παῤῥησίαν " τοσαύτης ἄνωθεν ἀπήλανε χάριτος. Ἔν τούτοις διατελῶν, καὶ καθ᾽ ἐκάστην ἐν τοῖς θείοις αὐξανόμενος ἡμέραν, μετὰ τῆς μεγίστης εὐκλείας τόνδε τὸν βίον ἀπέθετο, καὶ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίαν ἐστείλατο. Χρόνου δὲ διελθόντος, καὶ τοῦδε τοῦ ἄστεος ὑπὸ τοῦ τηνικαῦτα κρατοῦντος τῇ Περσιχῇ βασιλείᾳ παραδοθέντος, ἐξήεσαν μὲν ἅπαντες οἱ τὴν πόλιν οἰκοῦντες, ἔφερον δὲ τοῦ προμάχου τὸ σῶμα, ἀσχάλλοντες μὲν καὶ ὀλοφυρόμενοι τὴν μετοικίαν, ἄδοντες δὲ τοῦ νιχηφόρου ἀριστέως τὴν δύναμιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐκείνου περιόντος ὑπὸ βαρδάροις ἐγένοντο. Ταῦτα περὶ τοῦδε τοῦ. θείου διεξελθὼν, εἰς ἑτέραν διήγησιν μεταδήσομαι, τῆς τούτον μεταλαχεῖν εὐλογίας ἀντιθδολῶν.
Mōyysēs ho theios ho nomothetēs, ho tēs thalattēs ton chatachlysas, kai ta alla panta thaumatourgēspas, pōn palai gegenēmenōn agiōn tēn politeian synegrapsen, ou tę̄ sophią chrēsamenos, hēn para tōn Hai- Hyyptiōn memathēken, alla tēs anōthen» charitos tēn aiglēn dexamenos. Pothen gar an emathen allothen tou kAthel tēn aretēn, kai tou Enōch to philotheon, kai pou Nōe to dikaion, kai tēn eusedę̄ tou Melchisedek hierōsynēn, kai tou ᾿Adraam tēn klēsin, tēn pistin, tēn karterian, tēn epimelę̄ philoxenian, tēn polythryllēton tou paidos hierourgian, kai ton tōn allōn katorthymatōn katalogon, kai syntomōs ei- - pein, tōn thespesiōn ekeinōn andrōn tous agōnas, hai nikas, tas anarrhēsei?, ei mē tou noerou kai theiou Pneumatos tas aktinas edexato? Tautēs epi pou parontos kamoi dei tēs synergias, tōn oligon “pro hēmōn kai eph᾽ hēmōn hoe lampsantōn hagiōn ton bion peirōmenǭ syngrapsai, kai hoion tina nomothesian tois xeēloun ethelous! boulomenǭ proteinai. Tas «toutōn toinyn proseuchas epichlētean, kai tēs diēgē" seōs arkteon. Nisisis esti polis en methoriǭ tēs Rhōmaiōn kai Persōn basileias, hē palai men Rhōmaiois edasmophorei, kai hypo tēn toutōn hēgemonian etele:. Ek tautēs hormōmenos ho megas Iachōdos, ton erēmikon kai hēsychion ēspasato bion, kai tas tōn hypsēlotatōn horōn chataladōn koryphas, en ekeinais diēgen" en echri men, kai there:, kai metopōrǭ tais lochmais chrōmenos, kai orophon echōn ton ouranon" ton de tou chXϑimōnos kairon antron auton hypedecheto, bracheian skepēn parechon. Trophēn de eichen, ou tēn meta ponou speiromenēn kai phyomenēn, alla tēn automatōs stanoupan. Tōn gar agriōn dendrōn tous autophneis apo, syllegōn karpous, kai tōn botanōn ta? edōdimous kai lachanōdeis, ek toutōn edidou tǭ sōmati ta eis to zę̄n apochrōnta, tēn tou pyros chreian. Perittē de hēn autǭ kai tōn eriōn hē chrēsph᾽ hai gar trachytatoi tōn aigōn triches ta echeinōn eplēroun. Ech toutōn autǭ kai chitōn egeneto, kai «ho haploun peridolaion. Houtō to sōma chatatrychōn, kai tēn pneumatikēn trophēn diēnekōs prosephere tę̄ psychę̄, kai to tēs dianoias optichon ekchathairōn, kai katoptron diaphanes tou theiou kataskeuazōn Pneumatos, anakekalymmenǭ prosōpǭ, kata ton theion ᾿Apostolon, « Tēn doxan Kyriou chatoptrizomenos, tēn autēn eikona metemorphouto apo doxēs eis doxan, kathaper apo Kyriou Pneumatos. n᾿ hynteuthen hē pro? ton Theon autǭ parrhēsich kath᾽ hekastēn ēuxeto tēn hēmeran, kai aitōn ha ton Theon aitein edei, parautika elamthanen. 'Enteuthen kai ta esomena prophētikōs proeōra, kai dynamin eis thaumatourgian ek tēs tou hagiou Pneumatos edexato charitos. Toutōn oliga diēgēsomai, kai tēs apostēlichē? autou lampēdonos tois agnoousi tēn aktina dēlōsō. EĒnchmaze kat᾽ ekeinon ton kairon hē peri ta eidōli tōn anthrōpōn mania, kai ta men apsycha xoana to theion sedas espheterizeto, hē de tou Theou therapeii hypo tōn pleistōn chatēmeleito" eukataphronētoi de ēsan hoi koinōnein men ouk ethelontes ekeinois ts methēs, achrithę̄ de, hate dē chathestēkchotes, tēn tōn ontōn diakrisin echontes, kai tēn men tōn eidōlōn gelōn B tes astheneian, ton tōn holōn de proskynountes dēmiourgon. Kat᾽ ekeinon ton kairon tēn Persidi chatelathe, ta phyta tēs eusedeias opsomenos, kai tēn prosēkousan autois therapeian prosoisōn᾽ pēgēn de autou tina diiontos, korai tines plynois sai, kai himatia tois posin aporrhyptousai, oude tǭ schēmatos to kainoprepes chatēę̄desthēsan, alla tēn anaidesin ophthalmois ton theion anthrōpon etheōroun, oute tas kephalas synkalyptousai, oude ta anezōsmena chalōsai himatia. Touto dyscheranas ho tou theou anthrōpos, kai deixai tou Theou tēn dynamin eis chaieleutherōsę̄, epērasato men tę̄ pēgę̄, kai phroudn parautika to rheithron egeneto" epērasato de tais meiraxi, kai tēn anaischynton autōn neotēta proōrph ekolase polią, kai heipeto tǭ logǭ to ergon᾽ kai to melan tōn trichōn enēllatteto, kai eiōchesan neuphytois dendrois en heari metopōrina phylla pericheimenois. Houtōs haiisthomenai tēs timōrias" tēs ti gar pēgēs apedra ta namata, kai tas allēlōn theōmenai kephalas, heōrōn tēn athroan echeinēn metatholēn " edramon eis tēn polin to symthan apangellousai. Hoi de dramontes, kai ton megan tēn orgēn, kai lysai tēn timōrian. Ho de mēde brachy mellēsas, prosephere men tǭ Despotę̄ tēn hikesian, ekeleue de palin anathlysai ta namata' ta de para" tika palin ek tōn oikeiōn anephaineto tamieiōn, tois tou dikaiou metocheteuomena neumasin. Hoi de toutōn tetychēchotes, kai tois plochamois tōn thygaterōn tēn proteran ēntidoloun chroan apodothēnai. Ton de eixai men kai touto phasin, epizētēsai de tas koras, tas tēn paideian echeinēn dexamenas" kai epeidē ouk aphikonto, easai tēn timōrian, didagma sōphrosynē, kai euchosmias hypothesin, kai tēs theias dynameōs hypomnēma diēnekes te kai enarges. Toiouton to neou toutou Mōyïseōs to thauma, ou plēgę̄ rhaddo" genomenon, alla tǭ tou staurou sēmeiǭ dexamenon tēn energeian. Egō de pros tę̄ thaumatourgią Cho’ midę̄ thaumaxō kai tēn praotēta. Oude gar hōs ho megas Elissaios archois haimodorois tas anaideis ekeinas paredōke koras" all᾽ adladei tiine pai" xeią, kai smichran echousę̄ tēn akosmian chrēsamenon eusedeian homou kai eukosmian edidaxe. Kai tauta A pidēi !), 56] t ephēn, ouk apēneian tou prophētou katēgorōn, mē houtō maneiēn' alla deiknys hōs echeinēn echōn tēn dynamin, tę̄ tou Christou praotēti, kai tę̄ Kainę̄ Diathēkę̄ epetelei ta prosphora. Houtos allote pote dikastēn Persēn adikǭ Psēphǭ chrēsamenon theasamenos, lithǭ tini megistǭ parakeimenǭ eparasamenos, syntridēnai kai schedasthēnai, kai toutǭ dielenxai tēn adikon echeinou. parēngyēse psēphon. Parautika de tou lithou eis myria moria meristhentos, matōthēsan hoi parontes" phrikēs de anapleōs ho dikastēs genomenos, anekalesato men tēn proteran, «heteran de dikaian epēnenke psēphon᾽ kantautha ton oikeion Despotēn ezēlōsen" hos deixai boulētheis: hōs echōn hypomenei to pathos, kai rhądiōs an ethelēsas tous alitērious ekolasen, ouk autois epēnenke timōrian, alla tēn apsychon sykēn logǭ xēranas, tēn oikeian edeixe dynamin. Tautēn kai autos tēn philanthrōpian mimoumenos, ou ton adikon ekolase dichattēn, alla tę̄ tou lithou plēgę̄ dikaiosynēn hauton edidaxen. Hen toutois diaprepōn kai pasin eperastos hōn, kai en tais hapantōn peripheromeno? glōssais, eis tēn tēs archierōsynēs erchetai leitourgian, kai tēs patridos lanchanei tēn prostasian. Henallaxas de tēn oreion echeinēn diatridēn, kai tēn en astei diachōgēn ou kata gnōmēn helomenos, oute tēn trophēn, oute tēn ampechonēn enēllaxen" alla ta men chōria hēmeideto, hē de politeia metatholēn ouk edecheto. Hoi de ponoi prosthēkēn elamthanon, kai pollaplasioi tōn proterōn egenonto, Tę̄ gar nēsteią kai chameunią, kai tę̄ tou sakkou peribolę̄, epeisēesan hai di᾽ holou tōn deomenōn phrontides “chērōn, phēmi, epitōn hoi elencho!, tōn de adikoumenōn hē dikaia epikouria. Kai ti dei prys eidotas hapanta chatalegesthai, ha tous tautēn anadedegmenous peristoichizei tēn pronoian? Diapherontiys de ekeinos tous toioutous ponous hēspaxeto, hate dē diapherontōs kai pothōn kai dediōs ton tōn prothatōn Kyrion. “Hosǭ de pleiona tēs aretēs ton plouton synelege, tosoutǭ meizonō? kai tēs tou panagiou Pneumatos apēlane charitos. Kai dē pote eis tina kōmēn autǭ hē polin apaironti" ou gar echō legein achrithōs to chōrion " prosias' tines penētes, hena tina tōn synontōn hōs tethneōta protetheichotes, kai tina pros tēn echeinou taphēn epitēdeia lathein hiketeuontes, Ho de eixen autidolous: “ tǭ Theǭ de hōs hyper tethneōtos tēn hikesian prosepheren, apheinai parakalōn ta kata «hon bion plēmmelēthenta, kai tou tōn dikaiōn axiōsai chorou. Toutōn legomenōn, aphiptato tou teōs skēptomenou ton thanaton hē psychē, echorēgeito de tǭ sōmati ta kalymmata " hōs de mikron proēlthen ho thespetios anthrōpos, anastēnai ton keimenon ekeleuon hoi to drama toito syntetheichotes " hōs de heōrōn ouk hepaionta, all᾽ alētheian no schēma gegenēmenon, kai eis prosōpon to prosōpeion metadlēthen, menoi de kai tōn podōn prochalindomenoi, kai tou tolmēthentos dramatos aitian einai legontes tēn penian hiketeuon lysai sphisin autois tē) plēmmeleian, kai apodounai tǭ keimenǭ tēn aphairetheisan psychēn. Tēn Despotikēn toinyn philanthrōpian mimoumenos, … ourgian epedeixato, tēn hypē tēs euchēs san zōēn dia tēs euchēs apodous tǭ keimenǭ, Touto de emoige dokei tę̄ tou megalou Petron eoikenai' thaumatourgią" hos ton ᾿Ananian kai tēn Sappheiran … Kai gar hōsautōs tēn alētheian chechlophota, kai tǭ Pseudei chrēsamenon apheileto tēn zōēn. ᾿All᾽ ho men gnous tēn klopēn, apekalypse gar hē tou Pneumatos charis, tēn dikēn epēgagen " ho de tou dramatos agnoōn tēn hypothesin, prosēnenke men tēn euchēn, estēse de tǭ peplasmenǭ tou biou ton dromon " kai B men theios ᾿Apostolos ouk elyse tois tethnēchosi tēn gmatos ta prooimia)" ho de tēs apostolikę̄s hyparchōn anapleōs charitos, kai ekolasen eis kairon, kai elyse tacheōs tēn kolasin " toutǭ gar edei cherdagein tous ptaisantas. ᾿Alla gar kai epi ta alla hiteon, kai syntomōs kakeina exēgē teon. Epeidē gar Areios, ho tēs kata tou Monogenous kai tou panagiou Pneumatos thlasphēmias patēr kai dēmiourgos, kata tou pepoiēkotos tēn glōttan eneplēse tēn Aigypton thorythou kai ta- Kōnstantinos de onmegistos basileus, hē tēs hēmeteras agelēs Zorodadel' kat᾽ ekeinon gar tēn tōn eusethōn aichmalōsian ek tēs hyperorias hapasan anēgage, kai tous theious neōs eis edaphos errhimmenous eis hypsos anēgeiren. Epeidē toinyn houtos pantas tous O tōn Ekklēsiōn proedrous kat᾽ ekeinon ton kairon syneis tēn Nikaian, aphiketo meta tōn allōn kai ho dogmatōn, kai promachos hapasēs tēs phalangos. Tēs Rhōmaiōn gar hēgemonias tēnikauta hypērchen hē En toinyn tę̄ megalę̄ synodǭ, pollōn men eu kai kalōs, pollōn de kai allōs eirēmenōn" ēsan gar oligoi tines, hoi tanautia men ephronoun, gymnoun … tois de achridedi tēs alētheias mystais kai mala men hē kata pasan tēn oikoumenēn epi tou parontos gratousa te kai kērytton ᾿i- menē tēs pisteōs homologia " hypesēmēnanto ha R hapantes, kai tę̄ cheiri kai tǭ kalamǭ houtō pisteuein kai phronein hōmologēsan " all᾽ hoi pleious men asmenoi touto epoioun " hepta de tines tēs "Areiou blasphēmias synēgoroi, tę̄ men glōttę̄ kai tę̄ cheiri syn de tę̄ glōttę̄ tēn …" eOutos ho laos tois cheilesi me timą, tę̄ de kardią porrhō apechei ap᾿ emou" » kai kata tę̄» t Thima ppoieis ipo ydi an mib nϑythib : En toinyn tę̄ megalę̄ synodǭ da natga r. 4{P0. hoplǭ tę̄ glōttę̄ mia Hieremiou phōnēn tēn diarrhēdēn boōsan " « Engys ei dy tou stomatos hautōn, kai porrhō apo tōn nephrōn autōn.» Symphōna de toutois peri toutōn kai ho makarios ephē Dadid᾽ « Tǭ stomati autōn ēulogoun, kai tę̄ kardią autōn chatērōnto. » Kai palin’ e Hēpalynthēsan hoi logoi autōn hyper elaion, kai autoi eisi bolides. » Houto: ton tēs ᾿Alexandreōn episkopon ton megan ᾿Alexandron parekaloun, hoikteirai ton “Areion hypo pasēs ekeinēs apochērychthenta tēs phalangos " tou de kai to toutōn hypoulon eidotos, kai tēn echeinou ponērian hyphorōmenou, kai toutou charin ou dechomenou tēn aitēsin " alloi tines tōn haplotēti synezēkotōn, pollas tēs philanthrōpias diexēesan euphēmias, tautę̄ kairein legontes kai ton tōn holōn Theon. Epeidē de ho megas ᾿Alexandros tēn adikon peri hena philanthrōpian apanthrōpian ōnomaze, B pollōn ousan lymantichēn, kai lōdēs prophasin esesthai toi? poimniois hapasin eloge " parēnei pasin ho theios Iachōdos, tę̄ men tēs nēsteias chrēsasthai kakouchią, hepta de kata tauton hēmeras tēn Theon hiketeusai to tais Ekklēsiais synoison Dexamenōn de hapantōn tou theiou andros tēn eisēgēsin edeisan gar. auton apostolikois charismasi lamponta echerannyto men hē nēsteia tę̄ proseuchę̄ " epsēphizeto de tais Ekklēsiais ho toutōn chyye to sympheron. Kai epeidē apēntēsen hē Kyriakē, kath᾽ hēn ēlpizon hoi pleious ton halitērion eisdechthēsesthai, kai tēs theias leitourgias ephthasen ho kairos, kai prosemenon hapantes idein ton antitheon eleoumenon, tēnikauta inetai theion ontōs kai paradoxon thauma. En bdelychtois gar kai dysōdesi chōriois ho alastōr ekeinos tēs aplēstou trophēs echchrinōn ta perittōmata, kai ta toutōn meta toutōn exechrine docheich. Houtō de tōn splanchōn autou dialythentōn, kai syn tę̄ koprǭ chechōrēchotōn, exepesen ho deilaios parachrēma, kai ton aischiston ekeinon hypemeine thanaton, tēs dysōdous autou blasphēmias en dysōdesi chōriois eisprachtheis tas euthynas, kai dia tēs Iachōthou tou megalou glōttēs dexamenos tēn sphagēn. Thaumaxei men oun hē theia Graphē Phinees ton hierea, kai eikotōs thaumaxei, hoti ton holethrou laǭ ginomenon pooxenon katesphaxe, ton Zamthrē dio kai psallōn ho makarios elege Dadid " « Estē Phinees kai exilasato, kai ekopasen hē thrausis - kai elogisthē autǭ eis dikaiosynēn, eis genean kai genean heōs tou haiōno:.n ᾿All᾽ homōs ekeinos hoplǭ polemichǭ menos, tēn dikaian kai polythryllēton echeinēn eirgasato sphagēn " toutǭ de ērkesen anti doratos kai xiphous hē glōtta, kai aneile ton asethę̄, hina mē idę̄ tēn doxan Kyriou. ᾿Apochrē de touto monon tōn tēs ᾿Areiou dyssedeias klēronomōn dielenxai tēn anoian. Ho gar tosoutos anēr, tōn men hyph᾽ hēmōn presdeuomenōn dogmatōn kēryx hēn kai synēgoros " houtō de komidę̄ tēn toutōn asetheian hoti kai ton autēs patera chatēchontisen, hoplǭ tę̄ ylōttę̄ chrēsamenos. Epeidē de " ho syllogos ho hieros dielythē, kai tēn oikeian oikian chatelathen ekastos, eis epaniche kai houtos hoia tis aristeus kai gichēphoros tois tēs eusedeias tropaiois epagallomenos. Chronou de dielthontos ho men megas ekeinos kai. thaumasios basileus meta tōn tēs eusedeias stephanōn hykexēei ton bion" hoi de echeinou paides tēs oikoumenēs tēn hēgemonian echlēronomoun. Tote ho Persōn basileus, Sapōrēs onoma toutǭ ēn, kataphronēsas tōn paidōn, hōs ou ta auta tǭ patri dynamenōn, eppampollēn de pezēn stratian " eiche de kai elephantas hoti pleistous. Kai dielōn hōs eis poliorkian tēn stratian, periechathise Chchychlǭ, kai mēchanēmata histē, nys, kai ta mesa toutōn phormēdon periphrattōn tois kladois, ekeleuse proschoun tois stratiōtais, kai pyrgous antegeirein tois pyrgois. Eita ekei tous toxotas anadidazōn, kai aphienai kata tōn epi tou teichous estēkotōn ta belē keleuōn, allois katōthen hyporyttein to teichos ekeleuen. Hōs de aprakta panta egineto, tę̄ tou thespesiou andros dialyomena proseuchę̄, telos tou pararrheontos potamou to rheuma tę̄ polycheirią kōlysas, kai tę̄ apoteichidei chechiylymenon tou potamou hoti pleiston synathroisas, epaphēchen athroon kata tou teichous, hoion tini mēchanēmati toutǭ sphodrotatǭ chrēsamenos. To de ouk ēnenke tēn tou hydatos emtholēn " alla tę̄ rhymę̄ kataseistheis, ardēn hapan to kat᾽ ekeino meros katepesen. Hoi de mega ethoōn, hōs eualōtou genomenou tou s asteos. To gar mega teichos tōn enoikountōn hēgnoorōntes hypo tōn hydatōn genomenēn tēn polin. Porrhō toinyn hypochōrēsantes, hōs tou ponon sphisi lōphēsantos, autoi te dianepauonto, kai tous hippous etherapeuon. Hoi de tēn polin oikountes eis hicheteias sphodroteras etreponto, presdeutēn echontes ton mogan Iachōthon " hoi de en hēlikią pantes anǭchodomoun spoudę̄, oute kallous oute harmonias epimeloumenoi" alla pros to tychon apanta syntithentes, kai lithous, kai plinthous, kai ho ti an tis echomize kai en mią nykti proudē to ergon, kai tosouton elathen hypsos, hoson apochrē diachōlysai kai tōn hippōn ton dromon, kai tōn andrōn tēn aneu klimachōn epidasin. Tote pantes hicheteuousi ton tou Theou anthrōpon phanēnai epi tou teichous, kai arais katatoxeusai tous polemious. Ho de peistheis anēei, kai tas pollas hautōn theasamenos myriadas, schniphōn autois kai kōnōpōn epipempsai nephos hiketeuse ton Theon. Kai ho men elegen, ho de epempe, Mōysę̄ paraplēsiōs peithomenos " kai hoi te andres tois theiois chatetitrōschonto belesin᾽ oi te hippoi kai hoi elephantes ta desma diarrhēxante? edrapeteuon tę̄de kakeise schedannymeno:, kai pherein ekeinas ou dynamenoi tas akidas. Theasamenos toinyn ho dyssedēs basileus ta mēchanēmata panta onēsin oudemian pareschēchota, kai tou potamou tēn prout dolēn anonēton gegenēmenēn “ to gar chatapeion anǭchodomēto teichos " kai tēn stratian pasan, kai tois ponois talsipōroumenēn, kai hypaithrion kako» pathousan, kai hypo tēs gēs " idōn de kai ton theion anthrōpon epi tou teichous badizonta, kai topasas auton ephestanai tǭ ergǭ ton basilea, halourgida gar kai diadēma perikeimenos heōrato, ēganaktei men kata tōn exapatēsantōn kai strateusai peisantōn, kai ton basilea mē pareinai phēsantōn. Thanatou de psēphon kata toutōn exeenenchōn, elyse to strateuma, kai ta oikeia basileia kateladen hoti tachista. Toiauta kai epi toude tou Hezechiou tethaumatourgēchen ho Theos, ou meiona echeinōn, alla kai meizona, hōs emoige dokei. To gar kai «tou teichous chatapesontos mē halōnai tēn polin, poian thaumatos hypertholēn kataleipei? Egō de pros toutǭ kakeino agan thaumazō, hoti kai arais chrēgous, hoper Ēlias ho megas ekeinos epoiēsen, hēnicha pros auton pentēchontarchos hekateros meta tēs pentēkostyos aphiketo, Ēkouse gar tou Kyriou pros Iachōdon kai Iōannēn tous tout᾽ auto peirathentas poiēsai diarrhēdēn eipontos " « Ouk oidate poiou pneumatos este? » Dia touto ou chanai autois tēn gēn ētēsen, oude pyri paradothēnai tēn phalanga parekalesen, alla tois zōyphiois ekeinois chatatrōthēnai, kai tou Theou diagnontas tēn dynamin opse pote metamathein tēn eusedeian. Tosautēn eichen ho theios houtos anthrōpos pros ton Theon parrhēsian " tosautēs anōthen apēlane charitos. En toutois diatelōn, kai kath᾽ ekastēn en tois theiois auxanomenos hēmeran, meta tēs megistēs eukleias tonde ton bion apetheto, kai tēn enteuthen apodēmian esteilato. Chronou de dielthontos, kai toude tou asteos hypo tou tēnikauta kratountos tę̄ Persichę̄ basileią paradothentos, exēesan men hapantes hoi tēn polin oikountes, epheron de tou promachou to sōma, aschallontes men kai olophyromenoi tēn metoikian, adontes de tou nichēphorou aristeōs tēn dynamin. Ou gar an ekeinou periontos hypo bardarois egenonto. Tauta peri toude tou. theiou diexelthōn, eis heteran diēgēsin metadēsomai, tēs touton metalachein eulogias antithdolōn.
Moses, the divine lawgiver, who overwhelmed [the Egyptian army] in the sea and worked all the other wonders, wrote the way of life of the saints of old, not by using the wisdom he had learned from the Egyptians, but by receiving the radiance of grace from above. For from where else could he have learned the virtue of Abel, and the love of God of Enoch, and the righteousness of Noah, and the devout priesthood of Melchizedek, and Abraham's call, his faith, his endurance, his careful hospitality, the far-famed sacrifice of his son, and the list of his other achievements, and, to put it briefly, the contests, the victories and the proclamations of those inspired men, had he not received the rays of the spiritual and divine Spirit? I too need this cooperation in the present work, as I try to write the life of the saints who shone a little before us and in our own time, and wish to set before those who are willing to emulate them a kind of law. So I must call upon their prayers and begin the narrative.
Nisibis is a city on the border between the empire of the Romans and that of the Persians; formerly it paid tribute to the Romans and was under their rule. Setting out from this city, the great James embraced the solitary and quiet life. He took possession of the peaks of the highest mountains and lived on them: in spring, summer and autumn he used the thickets and had the sky for a roof, and in the winter season a cave received him, providing scant shelter. His food was not what is sown and grown with toil, but what springs up of itself. Gathering the fruits that grow wild on the wild trees, and the edible herbs that are like vegetables, he gave his body from these what sufficed for life, [refusing] the use of fire. The use of wool too was superfluous to him, for the roughest goats' hair supplied its place; from this he had a tunic and a simple cloak. Wearing out his body in this way, he constantly offered spiritual food to his soul, cleansing the eye of his mind and making it a clear mirror of the divine Spirit; and with unveiled face, in the words of the divine apostle, “beholding the glory of the Lord as in a mirror, he was being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, as from the Lord, the Spirit.” From this his freedom of speech toward God increased every day; and asking God for what one ought to ask, he received it at once. From this, too, he foresaw the future like a prophet, and received from the grace of the Holy Spirit the power to work wonders. I shall relate a few of these, and show those who do not know it a ray of his apostolic splendor.
At that time the madness of men concerning idols was at its height: lifeless wooden images claimed divine worship, while the service of God was neglected by most. Those who would not share in that drunkenness were despised, though they were perfectly sober and had an exact discernment of what truly is, laughing at the weakness of the idols and worshiping the Creator of all things. At that time James went into Persia to see the plants of true religion and to give them the care they needed. As he was passing a spring, some girls who were washing clothes, treading them with their feet, were not abashed by the strangeness of his dress, but looked at the man of God with shameless eyes, neither covering their heads nor letting down their tucked-up garments. The man of God was displeased at this, and wishing to show the power of God at an opportune time … , he cursed the spring, and at once the stream vanished; he cursed the girls, and punished their shameless youth with premature gray hair; and the deed followed the word. The black of their hair was changed, and they looked like young trees in spring wearing autumn leaves. When they perceived the punishment (for the waters had fled from the spring, and looking at one another's heads they saw that sudden change), they ran to the city to report what had happened. Those who ran out … the great man [to lay aside] his anger and to lift the punishment. Without the least delay he offered supplication to the Master and ordered the waters to gush out again; and at once they appeared again from their own storehouses, channeled by the nod of the righteous man. Having obtained this, they also begged that the former color be restored to their daughters' locks. They say that he yielded in this too, but asked for the girls who had received that correction; and when they did not come, he let the punishment stand, as a lesson in modesty, an occasion of good conduct, and a lasting and plain reminder of the divine power. Such was the miracle of this new Moses, worked not by the stroke of a rod but receiving its efficacy from the sign of the cross. For my part, besides the wonder-working I greatly admire his gentleness also. For he did not, like the great Elisha, hand those shameless girls over to bloodthirsty bears, but by using a harmless correction, one that brought only a slight disfigurement, he taught at once reverence and good conduct. I say this not to accuse the prophet of harshness (may I never be so mad), but to show that James, having that same power, accomplished what was fitting with the gentleness of Christ and in the manner of the New Covenant.
On another occasion he saw a Persian judge give an unjust verdict. He cursed a very large stone lying nearby, commanding it to be shattered and scattered and so to expose the injustice of the verdict. At once the stone was broken into countless pieces, and those present were struck with amazement; the judge, filled with dread, revoked his former verdict and gave another, just one. Here too James emulated his own Master, who, wishing to show that he endured his passion willingly and could easily have punished the guilty had he wished, did not inflict punishment on them, but showed his power by withering the lifeless fig tree with a word. Imitating this love for humankind, James did not punish the unjust judge, but taught him justice by the blow to the stone.
Being distinguished in these things, beloved by all and on everyone's lips, he came to the ministry of the high priesthood and was given the charge of his native city. But though he exchanged that mountain life for life in the town, not by his own choice, he changed neither his food nor his clothing: the place changed, but his way of life admitted no change. His labors increased and became many times greater than before. For to fasting, sleeping on the ground and wearing sackcloth were added the constant cares for those in need: for widows, I mean, … the rebukes of those who do wrong, and just help for those who are wronged. And why should I list to those who know them all the cares that surround those who have taken up this charge? He embraced such labors with exceptional zeal, since he loved and feared the Lord of the sheep exceptionally. And the more he gathered the wealth of virtue, the greater the grace of the all-holy Spirit he enjoyed.
Once, as he was going to some village or city (for I cannot say exactly which place), some poor men approached him. They had laid out one of their company as if dead, and begged to receive what was needed for his burial. He yielded to their entreaty, and offered supplication to God as for a dead man, asking him to forgive the sins committed in his life and to count him worthy of the choir of the righteous. As these words were spoken, the soul of the man who had been feigning death flew away, and the coverings were provided for the body. When the inspired man had gone on a little, those who had put on this play told the man lying there to get up. When they saw that he did not hear, but that the pretense had become truth and the mask had been changed into a face, … falling at his feet and saying that their poverty was the cause of the play they had dared to stage, they begged him to forgive them their offense and to give back to the dead man the soul that had been taken from him. Imitating, then, the Master's love for humankind, he displayed his wonder-working power: the life that had been taken by his prayer he restored to the dead man through his prayer. This seems to me to resemble the wonder of the great Peter, who … Ananias and Sapphira … For in the same way he took away the life of the man who had stolen the truth and used a lie. But Peter, knowing of the theft (for the grace of the Spirit revealed it), brought the punishment; James, not knowing what lay behind the play, offered his prayer and ended the course of the pretender's life. The divine apostle did not lift the punishment from the dead … the beginnings of the proclamation; but James, being full of apostolic grace, both punished for a time and quickly lifted the punishment, for so the offenders were to gain from it. But I must go on to the other things too, and recount them briefly.
When Arius, the father and author of the blasphemy against the Only-begotten and the all-holy Spirit, filled Egypt with confusion and … against the one who made his tongue, Constantine, the greatest of emperors, the Zerubbabel of our flock (for at that time he brought back from exile all the captivity of the devout and raised up the divine temples that had been thrown to the ground), [summoned] all the presidents of the churches at that time to Nicaea. Among the others came also … , [James, champion] of the doctrines and front-line fighter of the whole phalanx; for [Nisibis] was at that time under Roman rule. At that great council many things were said well and rightly, and many otherwise. For there were a few who held contrary views, … , but to those who were precise initiates of the truth the confession of faith that now prevails and is proclaimed throughout the whole world [was clear]. All signed, and with hand and pen confessed that they believed and thought so; most did this gladly, but seven, advocates of the blasphemy of Arius, agreed with their tongue and their hand, but … with their tongue … : “This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me”; and, as the voice of Jeremiah cries out plainly, “You are near in their mouth, and far from their kidneys.” In agreement with these, the blessed David also said of such men: “With their mouth they blessed, and with their heart they cursed”; and again: “Their words were smoother than oil, and they are darts.” These men begged Alexander, the great bishop of the Alexandrians, to have pity on Arius, who had been condemned by that whole phalanx. He knew their hidden deceit and suspected Arius's wickedness, and for that reason did not grant the request. Some others who lived in simplicity went through many praises of mercy, saying that the God of all delights in it. But since the great Alexander called mercy unjustly shown to one man inhumanity, as it would bring ruin on many, and said it would be an occasion of harm to all the flocks, the divine James urged them all to use the hardship of fasting, and for seven days together to beseech God for what would benefit the churches. All accepted the inspired man's proposal (for they feared him, shining as he did with apostolic gifts), and fasting was joined with prayer, and the Lord of these things decreed what was beneficial for the churches. When the Lord's Day came, on which most hoped the guilty man would be received, and the time of the divine liturgy had arrived, and all were waiting to see the enemy of God shown mercy, then there took place a truly divine and astonishing miracle. That accursed man, emptying the residue of his insatiable feeding in a foul and stinking place, emptied out with it the vessels that held it. When his bowels had thus dissolved and passed out with the excrement, the wretch at once fell down and suffered that most shameful death, paying the penalty for his foul-smelling blasphemy in a foul-smelling place, and receiving his death-blow through the tongue of the great James. The divine Scripture admires Phinehas the priest, and rightly admires him, because he slew Zimri, who was becoming the cause of destruction to the people; which is why the blessed David said in his psalm: “Phinehas stood up and made atonement, and the plague ceased; and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, from generation to generation for ever.” Yet he, [arming himself] with a weapon of war, carried out that just and famous slaying, whereas for James his tongue sufficed in place of spear and sword, and he removed the ungodly man, that he might not see the glory of the Lord. This alone is enough to expose the folly of the heirs of Arius's impiety. For so great a man was a herald and advocate of the doctrines we hold in honor, and he so utterly [rejected] the impiety of theirs that he struck down even its father, using his tongue as a weapon. When the sacred assembly was dissolved and each returned to his own home, he too went back to his own city like a champion and victor, exulting in the trophies of true religion.
After some time, that great and wonderful emperor departed this life crowned with the crowns of true religion, and his sons inherited the rule of the world. Then the king of the Persians (his name was Sapor), despising the sons as not equal in strength to their father, [led an army against Nisibis with] a very great [force of cavalry] and infantry; he also had a great many elephants. Dividing the army as for a siege, he surrounded the city in a circle and set up engines … , and fencing the spaces between them with branches like wickerwork, he ordered the soldiers to heap up earth and to raise towers against the towers. Then he made the archers climb up there and ordered them to shoot their arrows at those standing on the wall, and ordered others to undermine the wall from below. When all this came to nothing, undone by the prayer of the inspired man, he finally stopped the current of the river that flows past the city by the labor of many hands, collected as much as possible of the river held back by the dam, and released it all at once against the wall, using this as a most violent engine. The wall did not withstand the onrush of the water, but, shaken by its force, the whole of that part fell down completely. The Persians raised a great shout, thinking the city was now easy to take. For they did not know … seeing that the city had been made [defenseless] by the waters. So they withdrew a good distance, as though their toil had ended, and rested themselves and tended their horses. The inhabitants of the city turned to more fervent supplications, with the great James as their intercessor, while all who were of age rebuilt with haste, taking no care for beauty or proportion, but putting together whatever came to hand, stones, bricks and anything anyone brought. In one night the work was done, and it reached a height sufficient to stop the charge of the horses and to prevent men from climbing without ladders. Then all begged the man of God to appear on the wall and to shoot the enemy with curses. He was persuaded and went up, and seeing their many tens of thousands, he begged God to send a cloud of gnats and mosquitoes upon them. He spoke, and God sent it, obeying him as he had obeyed Moses. The men were wounded by the divine darts, and the horses and the elephants broke their tethers and ran away, scattering this way and that, unable to bear those stings. The impious king saw that all his engines had brought no benefit, that the attack of the river had proved useless (for the wall that had fallen had been rebuilt), and that his whole army was worn out by the labors, suffering from exposure, and from the earth … ; he also saw the divine man walking on the wall and supposed that it was the emperor himself in charge of the work, for he was seen wearing purple and a diadem. He was angry with those who had deceived him, persuaded him to make the campaign, and said that the emperor was not present. He passed a sentence of death on them, broke up the army, and returned to his own palace as quickly as he could. Such wonders God worked in the case of this Hezekiah too, not less than those of old but, as it seems to me, even greater. For that the city was not taken even when the wall had fallen, what excess of wonder does that leave? For my part, besides this I greatly admire that, using curses, he … what the great Elijah did when each captain of fifty came to him with his fifty. For he had heard the Lord say plainly to James and John when they tried to do this very thing, “You do not know of what spirit you are.” That is why he did not ask for the earth to open for them, nor beg that the army be given over to fire, but only that they be wounded by those little creatures, so that, recognizing the power of God, they might at last learn true religion. Such was the freedom of speech this divine man had toward God; such was the grace he enjoyed from above. Continuing in these things, and growing daily in divine things, he laid aside this life with the greatest renown and set out on his departure from here. After some time, when this city was handed over to the ruler of the Persian kingdom by the then emperor, all the inhabitants went out of the city carrying the body of their champion, grieving and lamenting their removal, but singing the power of the victorious champion; for had he been alive, they would not have come under the barbarians. Having related this of the divine man, I shall pass to another narrative, begging to share in his blessing.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Heb 11:4–19 (echo, low confidence) · 2 Cor 3:18 (quotation, high confidence) · Exod 14:27–28 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 2:23–24 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 21:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Acts 5:1–11 (allusion, high confidence) · Isa 29:13 (quotation, high confidence) · Jer 12:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 62:4 (61:5 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 55:21 (54:22 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Num 25:7–8 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 106:30–31 (105:30-Ps LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 26:10 (allusion, medium confidence) · Exod 8:16–17 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 19:35 (allusion, medium confidence) · 2 Kgs 1:9–12 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 9:54–55 (quotation, high confidence) · Ezra 3:2 (echo, low confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: James of Nisibis lives as a mountain hermit, works miracles in Persia, becomes bishop of Nisibis, attends Nicaea, prays for the death of Arius, and by his prayer saves Nisibis from the Persian siege.
- About 2% of the Greek is lost in the scan used here; gaps are marked “…” and nothing has been supplied. Words in square brackets supply what the sense requires where a line is damaged ([the Egyptian army], [refusing], [summoned], [James, champion], [Nisibis], [led an army against Nisibis with], [force of cavalry], [defenseless], [arming himself], [rejected], [to lay aside]). Notable gaps: the purpose clause after “at an opportune time”; the account of those who ran to James; the list of his episcopal cares after “for widows”; the reference to Ananias and Sapphira and the sentence on the apostle's beginnings of the proclamation; what Arius did “against the one who made his tongue”; the sentence on the seven who agreed only outwardly; what the Persians did not know; and the contrast with Elijah's deadly curses. Theodoret here places the death of Arius in connection with Alexander “bishop of the Alexandrians” and the council of Nicaea; other ancient accounts (including Theodoret's own Church History 1.14) place it later at Constantinople under Alexander of Constantinople. The miracle accounts are translated as Theodoret tells them. Nisibis was ceded to Persia in 363. Quotations: 2 Cor 3:18; Isa 29:13; Jer 12:2; Ps 62:4 (61:5 LXX); Ps 55:21 (54:22 LXX); Ps 106:30–31 (105:30–31 LXX); Luke 9:55. Allusions: Exod 14; 2 Kgs 2:23–24; Matt 21:19; Acts 5:1–11; Num 25:7–8; Isa 26:10; Exod 8:16–17; 2 Kgs 19:35; 2 Kgs 1:9–12; Ezra 3:2. Migne's Latin column read as Greek letters and marginal references were removed (logged corrections).
Notes on the original text
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Topics: Heresy
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. rel. 1 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/1
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Translation: Translated by Claude (Opus) from the Greek as printed in Migne PG 82 (archive.org OCR); no public-domain English exists, so every section was re-read against the Greek (Lives 1-11 in a separate review pass).