Religious History 14–20
Greek text: PG 82.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 14
14PG 82
Οἷδα μὲν ὡς; ἄλλοι πολλοὶ παρὰ τὴν ᾿Αντιόχου τι οἱ εἰ ρο- Πλῃ). κ ὁ μέγας, καὶ ὁ Αἰγύπτιος Πέτρος, καὶ Εὐτύχιος "᾿, καὶ Κύριλλος, Μωῦσῆς τε, καὶ Μάλχος, καὶ ἕτερο: πλεῖστοι τὴν αὐτὴν πορείαν ὁδεύσαντες. ᾿Αλλ᾽ εἰ τὴν ἁπάντων πολιτείαν συγγράψαι πειραθείημεν, ἅπας ἡμῖν οὐκ ἀρκέσειε" ὁ χρόνος " ἄλλως τε δὲ, καὶ κροσχορὴς τοῖς πολλοῖς ἡ τῶν πλειόνων ἀνάγνωσις. Ἐκ τῶν συγγραφέντων τοίνυν καὶ τὸν τῶν παρατες, καὶ ζηλούτωσαν, καὶ τὴν ὠφέλειαν καρπούσθωσαν. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐπὶ τοὺς τῆς Κύρου λειμῶνας διαδήσομαι, καὶ τῶν ἐν τούτοις εὐωδῶν τε καὶ εὐειδῶν ἀνθέων ὀλίγων ὡς ἕνι μάλιστα παραδηλώστω «ἣν ὥραν... Ἐγένετό τις Μαισυμᾶς ἐν τοῖς πρὸ ἡμῶν χρόνοις, Σύρος μὲν τὴν φωνὴν, ἐν ἀγροικίᾳ δὲ τεθραμμένος, οὐ πᾶν δὲ εἶδος ἀρετῆς ἐπιδεδειγμένος. Διαλάμψας δὲ ἐν τῷ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν βίῳ, κώμης τινὸς ἐνεχειρίσθη τὴν͵ ἐπιμέλειαν. Ἱερουργῶν δὲ, καὶ τὰ θεῖα πρόδατα νέμων, ἐκεῖνα ἔλεγέ τε καὶ ἔπραττεν, ἅπερ ὁ θεῖος διηγόρευϑε νόμος. Φασὶ δὲ αὐτὸν μήτε χιτῶνα, μῆτε τὴν σισύραν ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἀμεῖψαι, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῦτον αὐτὸν τὸν τρόπον θεραπεύειν τὸ γῆρας. Τῆς ἂλ τῶν ξένων καὶ πενήτων ἐπιμελείας οὕτως ἐπεμεπαγνύναι τὰς θύρας. Δύο δὲ πίθους ἐσχηκέναι λέγεται, τὸν μὲν σίτον, τὸν δὲ ἐλαίου. ἘΧ τούτων ἐχορήγει μὲν ἅπασι τοῖς δοομένοις ἀεὶ, πλήρεις δὲ εἶχεν Ὁ ἀδὶ, τῆς τῇ Σαραφθίᾳ χήρᾳ δοθείσης εὐλογίας καὶ ἐπὶ τούτους ἐνεχθείσης τοὺς πίθους. Ὁ γὰρ αὐτὸς Κύριος πάντων, πλουτῶν εἰς πάντας τοὺς ἐπικαλουμένους αὐτόν" καὶ ὥσπερ τὴν ὑδοίαν ἐχείνην, χα νίας σπερμάτων παρέχων τὰ δράγματα οὕτω χα: τῷδε τῷ θαυμαπίῳ δέδωκε τῆς προθυμίας τὴν χορπαρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων ἐδέξατο χάριν. Ἑνὸς δὲ ἡ δύο θαυμάτων μνησθήσυμαι, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ παρήσω, ἐπὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐλθεῖν ἐπειγόμενος. Γυνή τις, καὶ γένει καὶ πίστει κοσμουμένη, τὸν υἱὸν ὀῤῥωστίᾳ περιπεσόντα (κομιδῇ δὲ ἦν νέος) πολλοῖς αι προὔθηχεν ἰατροῖς. ᾿ττηθείσης δὲ τῆς τέχνης, καὶ ὧν ἰατρῶν ἀπειρτχότων, καὶ τεθνήξεσθαι τὸ παιδίον διαῤῥήδην εἰπόντων, οὐκ ἀπέῤῥιψεν ἡ γυνὴ τὰς χρηστοτέρας ἐλπίδας - ἀλλὰ τὴν Σουμανῖτιν ἐχείνην ζηλώσασα, ἐπιτίθησι ταῖς ἡμιόνοις τὴν καμάραν. Ταύτῃ δὲ ἑαυτὴν καὶ τὸ παιδίον ἐνθεῖσα, «ἂν θεῖον ἐκεῖνον χατέλαδεν ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ὀλοφυρομένη, καὶ τῆς φύσεως ἐπιδειχνύουσα τὸ πάθος, ἐπαμῦναι ἱκέ- “εὐεν. Ὁ δὲ λαδὼν τὸ παιξίον ταῖν χεροῖν, καὶ τῇ τοῦ θυτιαστηρίον κρηπῖδι πελάσας, ἔκειτο πρηνὴς τὸν πὧν ψυχῶν καὶ σωμάτων ἀντιθολῶν ἰατρόν " καὶ λαὀὼν τὴν αἴτησιν, ἀπέδωκεν ἐῤῥωμένον τῇ μητρὶ τὸν υἱόν. ᾿γὼ δὲ τοῦτο παρ' αὐτῆς ἀκήκοα τῆς τὸ θαῦμα θεασαμένης, καὶ τοῦ παιδὸς δεξαμέντς τὴν σωτηρίαν. Φασὶ δὲ καὶ τὸν τῆς κώμης ἐκείνης δεσπότην ἀφικόμενόν ποτε. Λητώϊος "Ὑ δὲ ἦν οὗτος (-ἧς μὲν ᾿Αντιοχέων βουλῆς τὰ πρωτεῖα ἔχων, δυσσεδείας δὲ κατεχόμενος ζόφῳ), σφοδρότερον ἣ ἔδει τοὺς γηπόνους εἰσπράττεσθαι τοὺς καρπούς " τὸν δὲ θεῖον ἐκεῖνον ἄνθρωπον περὶ φιλανθρωπίαν εἰσηγεῖσθα! τε καὶ παραινεῖν, καὶ τοὺς περὶ ἐλέους καὶ οἴκτου διἐξιέναι λόγους " τὸν δὲ μεῖναι μὲν ἀμείλιχτον, τῇ πείρᾳ δὲ γνῶναι τῆς ἀπειθίας τὴν βλάδην. ᾿Επειδὴ γὰρ ἀπαίρειν ἕδει, καὶ τὸ ζεῦγος ἣν εὑτρεπὲς, καὶ καθίσας ἐκέλευε τῷ ἡνιόχῳ παροτρῦναι τὰς ἢμιόνους, αἱ μὲν εἶλκον παντὶ σθένει βιαζόμεναι, καὶ ἕλκειν τὸν ῥυμὸν ἐπειγόμεναι, οἱ δὲ τροχοὶ σιδήρῳ ᾿Ἐπειδὴ δὲ δαὶ τῶν ἀγροίκων τὸ πλῆθος μοχλοῖς τοὺς τρηχοὺς “ἰς τῷ Λητωΐῳ παρεδεύων, τὴν αἰτίαν σημαίνει, τὸν ἱερξα τὸν πρεσθύτην ἐπαρᾶσθαι λέγων, καὶ ὡς προσήκει τοῦτον εὐμενῆ καταστῆσαι. Τοιγαροῦν πηδήσας ἀπὸ τοῦ ζεύγους, ἱκέτευε ὅν διέπτυσε " καὶ τῶν ποδῶν προχαλινδούμενος, καὶ τὰ πιναρὰ ῥάχια δὲ τὴν ἱκετείαν δεξάμενος, καὶ ταύτην τῷ Δεσπότῃ προσενεγκὼν, ἔλυσε τῶν τροχῶν τοὺς ἀοράτους δε-σμοὺς, καὶ φέρεσθαι συνήθως τὸ ὄχημα παρεσκεύασε. Πολλὰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα περὶ τῆς θείας ἐχείγη; κεφαλῆς διηγοῦνται. Ἔστι δὲ καὶ -ἐκ τούτων καταμαθεῖν, ὡς ἥκιστα λωύθᾶται τοῖς φιλοσοφεῖν προαιρουμένοις ἡ ἐν ἄστεδι καὶ κώμαις διατριθή. δειξε γὰρ οὗτός τε καὶ οἱ κατ᾽ αὐτὸν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φροντισταὶ θεραπείας, ὡς δυνατὸν καὶ ἐν μέσῳ πολλῶν στρεφομένους, αὐτῆς ἐφικέσθαι τῆς τῶν ἀρετῶν κορυφῆς. Ἧς ἐγὼ τῆς γοῦν ὑπωρείας μικρὸν ἄνω γενοίμην ταῖς τούτων προσευχαῖς βοηθούμενος.
Hoida men hōs? alloi polloi para tēn ᾿Antiochou ti hoi ei ro- Plę̄). k ho megas, kai ho Aigyptios Petros, kai Eutychios "᾿, kai Kyrillos, Mōysēs te, kai Malchos, kai hetero: pleistoi tēn autēn poreian hodeusantes. ᾿All᾽ ei tēn hapantōn politeian syngrapsai peiratheiēmen, hapas hēmin ouk arkeseie" ho chronos " allōs te de, kai kroschorēs tois pollois hē tōn pleionōn anagnōsis. Ek tōn syngraphentōn toinyn kai ton tōn parates, kai zēloutōsan, kai tēn ōpheleian karpousthōsan. Egō de epi tous tēs Kyrou leimōnas diadēsomai, kai tōn en toutois euōdōn te kai eueidōn antheōn oligōn hōs heni malista paradēlōstō «hēn hōran... Egeneto tis Maisymas en tois pro hēmōn chronois, Syros men tēn phōnēn, en agroikią de tethrammenos, ou pan de eidos aretēs epidedeigmenos. Dialampsas de en tǭ kat᾽ auton biǭ, kōmēs tinos enecheiristhē tēn͵ epimeleian. Hierourgōn de, kai ta theia prodata nemōn, ekeina elege te kai epratten, haper ho theios diēgoreuϑe nomos. Phasi de auton mēte chitōna, mēte tēn sisyran epi pleiston ameipsai, alla tois en autois touton auton ton tropon therapeuein to gēras. Tēs al tōn xenōn kai penētōn epimeleias houtōs epemepagnynai tas thyras. Dyo de pithous eschēkenai legetai, ton men siton, ton de elaiou. ECh toutōn echorēgei men hapasi tois doomenois aei, plēreis de eichen Ho adi, tēs tę̄ Saraphthią chērą dotheisēs eulogias kai epi toutous enechtheisēs tous pithous. Ho gar autos Kyrios pantōn, ploutōn eis pantas tous epikaloumenous auton" kai hōsper tēn hydoian echeinēn, cha nias spermatōn parechōn ta dragmata houtō cha: tǭde tǭ thaumapiǭ dedōke tēs prothymias tēn chorpara tou Theou tōn holōn edexato charin. Henos de hē dyo thaumatōn mnēsthēsymai, ta de loipa parēsō, epi tous allous elthein epeigomenos. Gynē tis, kai genei kai pistei kosmoumenē, ton huion orrhōstią peripesonta (komidę̄ de ēn neos) pollois ai prouthēchen iatrois. ᾿ttētheisēs de tēs technēs, kai hōn iatrōn apeirtchotōn, kai tethnēxesthai to paidion diarrhēdēn eipontōn, ouk aperrhipsen hē gynē tas chrēstoteras elpidas - alla tēn Soumanitin echeinēn zēlōsasa, epitithēsi tais hēmionois tēn kamaran. Tautę̄ de heautēn kai to paidion entheisa, «an theion ekeinon chateladen anthrōpon, kai olophyromenē, kai tēs physeōs epideichnyousa to pathos, epamynai hike- “euen. Ho de ladōn to paixion tain cheroin, kai tę̄ tou thytiastērion krēpidi pelasas, ekeito prēnēs ton pōn psychōn kai sōmatōn antitholōn iatron " kai laoōn tēn aitēsin, apedōken errhōmenon tę̄ mētri ton huion. ᾿gō de touto par' autēs akēkoa tēs to thauma theasamenēs, kai tou paidos dexaments tēn sōtērian. Phasi de kai ton tēs kōmēs ekeinēs despotēn aphikomenon pote. Lētōïos "Hy de ēn houtos (-hēs men ᾿Antiocheōn boulēs ta prōteia echōn, dyssedeias de katechomenos zophǭ), sphodroteron hē edei tous gēponous eisprattesthai tous karpous " ton de theion ekeinon anthrōpon peri philanthrōpian eisēgeistha! te kai parainein, kai tous peri eleous kai oiktou diexienai logous " ton de meinai men ameilichton, tę̄ peirą de gnōnai tēs apeithias tēn bladēn. ᾿Epeidē gar apairein hedei, kai to zeugos hēn heutrepes, kai kathisas ekeleue tǭ hēniochǭ parotrynai tas ēmionous, hai men eilkon panti sthenei biazomenai, kai helkein ton rhymon epeigomenai, hoi de trochoi sidērǭ ᾿Epeidē de dai tōn agroikōn to plēthos mochlois tous trēchous “is tǭ Lētōïǭ paredeuōn, tēn aitian sēmainei, ton hierxa ton presthytēn eparasthai legōn, kai hōs prosēkei touton eumenē katastēsai. Toigaroun pēdēsas apo tou zeugous, hiketeue hon dieptyse " kai tōn podōn prochalindoumenos, kai ta pinara rhachia de tēn hiketeian dexamenos, kai tautēn tǭ Despotę̄ prosenenkōn, elyse tōn trochōn tous aoratous de-smous, kai pheresthai synēthōs to ochēma pareskeuase. Polla de kai alla toiauta peri tēs theias echeigē? kephalēs diēgountai. Esti de kai -ek toutōn katamathein, hōs hēkista lōythatai tois philosophein proairoumenois hē en astedi kai kōmais diatrithē. deixe gar houtos te kai hoi kat᾽ auton tēs tou Theou phrontistai therapeias, hōs dynaton kai en mesǭ pollōn strephomenous, autēs ephikesthai tēs tōn aretōn koryphēs. Hēs egō tēs goun hypōreias mikron anō genoimēn tais toutōn proseuchais boēthoumenos.
I know that there were many others besides around the city of Antiochus … the great, and Peter the Egyptian, and Eutychius, and Cyril, Moses and Malchus, and very many others who travelled the same road. But if we tried to write the life of them all, all our time would not suffice; and besides, reading about too many is tiresome to most people. From those whose lives have been written, then, [let readers learn the way of life of] those passed over too …, and let them emulate it and reap the benefit. I shall cross over to the meadows of Cyrrhus, and point out, as far as I can, a few of the fragrant and lovely flowers that grow in them.
In the times before us there was a certain Maesymas, Syrian in speech and brought up in the countryside, … who displayed every kind of virtue. Having shone out in his way of life, he was entrusted with the care of a village. Serving as priest and pasturing the divine sheep, he said and did what the divine law prescribes. They say that for a very long time he changed neither his tunic nor his cloak, but … in this way to tend their old age. He cared for strangers and the poor so much … to fasten the doors. He is said to have had two jars, one of wheat and one of oil. From these he always supplied all who asked, and yet kept them always full, the blessing given to the widow of Zarephath having been carried over onto these jars too. For the same Lord is Lord of all, rich to all who call on him; and as he gave that widow … the sheaves of the seeds, so to this admirable man too he gave the … of his zeal … received grace from the God of all. I will mention one or two of his miracles and leave the rest, hurrying to come to the others.
A woman, adorned both by birth and by faith, entrusted her son, who had fallen ill (he was quite young), to many doctors. When the art had been defeated, and the doctors had given up and said plainly that the child would die, the woman did not throw away better hopes, but, emulating that Shunammite woman, put the covered carriage on the mules, placed herself and the child in it, came to that divine man, and, lamenting and showing the suffering of nature, begged him to help. He took the child in his hands, went up to the step of the altar, and lay there prostrate, imploring the Physician of souls and bodies; and having received his request, he gave the son back to his mother in health. I heard this from the woman herself, who saw the miracle and whose child received that salvation.
They also say that the owner of that village once came there. This was Letoius (he held the first place in the council of Antioch, but was held in the darkness of impiety), and he exacted the produce from the farmers more harshly than he should. That divine man advised and exhorted him to humanity and went through the arguments for mercy and pity; but he remained unsoftened, and learned by experience the harm of disobedience. When it was time to leave and the carriage was ready, he sat down and told the driver to urge on the mules; they pulled with all their strength, straining and hastening to draw the pole, but the wheels, as if by iron … When the crowd of peasants [tried] the wheels with levers … one of those attending on Letoius indicated the reason, saying that the old priest had cursed him and that he must make him favourable. So he leapt down from the carriage and begged the man he had despised, rolling at his feet and … his dirty rags. [The old man] accepted the supplication and offered it to the Master, loosed the invisible bonds of the wheels, and made the vehicle move as usual. They tell many other such stories about that divine head. From these too one can learn that life in town and villages does no harm at all to those who choose to live philosophy. For this man and those like him showed that the … devoted to the service of God can, even while living in the midst of many, reach the very peak of the virtues. May I rise at least a little above its foothills, helped by their prayers.
Rom 10:12 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 17:14 (allusion, high confidence) · 2 Kgs 4:24 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: After naming other ascetics of the Antioch region, Theodoret turns to Cyrrhus and tells of Maesymas, a village priest whose jars never ran empty, who healed a dying child, and whose curse halted a harsh landlord's carriage.
- The scan of this chapter is damaged: Latin debris from Migne's parallel column is removed by logged corrections; lost or garbled Greek words are marked '…' and not supplied. The names at the opening are partly lost ('… the great').
- 'The same Lord is Lord of all, rich to all who call on him' quotes Rom 10:12. The jars recall the widow of Zarephath (1 Kgs 17:14–16); the mother 'emulating that Shunammite woman' recalls 2 Kgs 4:18–37.
- Letoius: a leading member of the city council of Antioch and a pagan ('held in the darkness of impiety').
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin debris and a marginal letter from Migne's page, read as Greek letters by the OCR; Latin debris from Migne's parallel column, read as Greek letters by the OCR): ἴῃ σοιηονε 8 ἃ] 06 06 ἰῃ- Πα τν οἱ ες (66 115 δύμας φίδιῖβ τοῦθ ἙοΟμΠὶ οἰ δία πὶ τη → ; Α πιοάϊεῖ5 συγ βάσιν ΟὈϊυΪΓαὶ : « → ; ταὶ δὰ δῖ1ο, θη ΐ ρΓοβίγδιι!5 8: ϑ γι σογρογιθᾳυ6 πιὸτ βιοἱ! : οὐκί ἀδίοιμ "ἢν ἰη ογη4556, μογιλι πη] 6586, ἃς ἀδ ἡ πα δ Εἰ θυ ἱπιρθι!θυς αἰ} ρτοίοογεῖ, (Δ μν} Πα οἱ ἰὰαὐὸ ἀδ το οἷπὶ οἱ ᾿ς 'ρ56, δὲ αυὶΐ 6}}}5 δἰ πο [)ε} εὐ ηὶ πᾶ → .
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. rel. 14 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/14). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/14
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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).
Chapter 15
15PG 82
᾿Αχεψιμᾶς κατὰ τὸν αὐτὸν γέγονε χρόνον, οὗ κλέος εὑρὺ κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν ἽΒω. Οὗτος ἐν οἰκίσκῳ καθείρξας ἑαυτὸν, ἑξήκοντα διετέλεσεν ἔτη, μῆτε ὁρώμενος, μῆτε φθεγγόμενος, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἑαυτὸν νεύων, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν φανταζόμενος, πᾶσαν ἐκεῖθεν ψυχαγωγίαν ἐδέχετο, κατὰ τὴν προφητείαν τὴν λέγουσαν « Κατατρύφησον «οὐ Κυρίου, καὶ δῴη σοι τὰ αἰτήματα τῆς καρδίας σου.» Διά τινος δὲ βραχέος ὀρύγματος τὴν χεῖρα προτείἵνα μὴ πρόκειται τοῖς ὁρᾷν βουλομένοις, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγχάρσιον ἣν ἑλικοειδῶς χατεσχενασμένον. Τροφὴ δὲ αὐτῷ ἐκομίζετο φαχὸς διάδροχος ὕδατι " ἅπαξ δὲ τῆς ἐδδο. μάδος νύκτωρ ἐξιὼν, τὸ ἀρκοῦν ὕδωρ ἀπὸ τῆς πελαζούσης ἀνιμᾶτο πηγῆς. Καί ποτέ τις πόῤῥωθεν προ» Θατεὺς θρέμματα νέμων, σκότους ὄντος, κινούμενον θεασάμενος, καὶ λύκον ὑποτοπάσας, δόνην ὡς λίθον ἀχοντίσων ἐχίνησε. Τῆς δὲ χειρὸς ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ἀκινήτου μενούσης, καὶ ἀφιέναι τὸν λίθον οὐ δυναμένης, ἕως ἐκεῖνος ὁ θεῖος ἀνὴρ τὸ ὕδωρ ἀρυσάμενος ἑπανῆχεν, αἴσθησιν τῆς ἀγνοίας ἐδέξατο, καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἕω καταλαμδάνει τὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς φροντιστήριον, καὶ διηγεῖται τὸ γεγονὸς, καὶ συγγνώμην αἰτεῖ, καὶ λαμθάνει τῆς πλημμελείας τὴν ἄφεσιν, οὐ φωνῆς φθεγξαμένης ἀκούσας, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν τῆς χει" ρὺς κινη μάτων καταμαθὼν τὴν εὐμένειαν. ἴΛλλος δέ τις, καχοήθει πολυπραγμοσύνῃ χρησάμενος, καὶ γνῶναι ποθήσας τί δρῶν ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον διετέλει, εἰς τὴν παρὰ τῷ θριγχίῳ πεφυτευμένην πλάτανον ἀναθῆναι τετόλμηκεν " ἀλλὰ παραυτίκα τῆς τόλμτς ἐδρέψατο τοὺς καρπούς. Τὸ γὰρ ἥμισυ τοῦ σώματος ἀπ᾿ ἄκρα: κορυφῆς μέχρι τῶν ποδῶν λυμανθεὶς, ἱκέτης ἐγένετο τῆς ἁμαρτάδος κατηγορῶν. Ὁ ὃὲ τῇ τομῇ τῆς πλατάνου τὴν ὑγείαν ἔσεσθαι προεμήνυσεν. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ καὶ ἕτερος τὰ ἴσα δράσας ὑδτομείνη τὰ ἴσα, τμηθῆναι παραυτέχα τὸ δένδρον ἐχέλευσεν. Εἷ-᾿ πετο δὲ τῇ τομῇ καὶ τῆς τιμωρίας ἡ λύσις. Τοσαύτῃ μὲν οὖν οὗτος ὁ θεσπέσιος ἐχρήσατο τῇ καρτερίᾳ, τοσαύτην δὲ παρὰ τοῦ ἀγιυνοθέτου τὴν χάριν ἐδέξατο, Ἡνίκα δὲ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίαν ἐστέλλετο, προ ἐσήμανεν ὡς μετὰ πεντήκοντα ἡμέρας δέξεται τοῦ βίου τὸ τέλος " ὑπεδέξατο δὲ ἅπαντας τοὺς ἰδεῖν θελήσαντας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ὁ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἀφίκετο τέρου τὴν ζεύγλην, ε Οἷδα, λέγων, ὦ Πάπε, καὶ τῆς σῆς φιλοσοφίας τὸ ὕψος, καὶ τῆς ἐμῆς πενίας τὴν ὑπερδολήν. ᾿Αλλὰ τῆς ἀρχιερωσύνης τὴν οἶκονομίαν πεπιστευμένος, ταύτῃ τὰς χειροτονίας, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐκείνῃ προδάλλομαι. Δέξαι τοίνυν, ἔφη, τῆς ἱερωσύνης τὸ δῶρον, τῆς μὲν ἐμῆς δεξιᾶς ὑπουργοῦσῆς, τῆς ὃὲΣ τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος τοῦτο χάριτος χορηγούσης. » Πρὺς ταῦτα φάναι λέγεται" « Ὅτι μετ᾽ ὀλίγας ἐντεῦθεν ἐχδημήσω ἡμέρας, ἥκιστα περὶ τούτων ζυγομαχήσω " εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἔμελλον ἐπὶ πλεῖστον βιώσεσθαι, πάμπαν ἔφυγον τὸ βαρὺ τοῦτο καὶ φοδερὸν τῆς ἱερωσύνης φορτίον, τῆς παρακαταθήκης ὀῤῥωδῶν τὰς εὐθύνας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐκ εἰς μα’ χρὰν ἀπελεύσομαι καταλιπὼν τὰ τῇδε, εὐπειθῶς τὸ κελευόμενον δέξομα!. » Αὐτίκα τοίνυν, οὐδενὸς ἄγον. τος, ὁ μὲν τὰ γόνατα κάμπτων τὴν χάριν ἀνέμενεν, ὁ δὲ τὴν χεῖρα ἐπιτιθεὶς ὑπούργει τῷ Πνεύματι, Τῇ δὲ ἱερωσύνῃ ὀλίγας ἐπιδιώσας ἡμέρας, βίου βίον ἠλλάξατο, καὶ τὸν ἀγήρω καὶ ἄλυπον ἀνξὶ τοῦ πολυφρόντιδος ἕλαδεν. ᾿Αρπάξειν δὲ πάντων βουληθέντων πὸ σῶμα, καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἑκάστῳ κώμην ἀποχομίζειν προαιρουμένων, μηνύσας τις τοῦ ἁγίον τοὺς ὄρκους, τὴν ἔριν διέλυσεν, ᾿θ:χῶτα: γὰρ αὐτὴν ὺ ᾿ 1115 ἔφησεν, ἐν ἑκείνῳ τῷ χωρίῳ παραδοῦναι τοῦτο τα- τίφῇ. Οὕτω καὶ τῆς μετὰ θάνατον εὐτελείας ἔπεμελοῦντο τῶν οὐρανῶν οἱ πολῖται" καὶ οὔτε πωιριόντες μέγα φρονεῖν ἢνέσχοντο πώποτε, καὶ τελευτήσαντες τὸ παρὰ ἀνθρώπων οὐκ ἐπεσπάσαντο γέρας " ἀλλὰ τὸ φῇλττρον ἅπαν εἰς τὸν νυμφίον μετέθεσαν, κατὰ τὰς σωφρονούσας γυναῖκας, αἱ παρὰ μόνων τῶν ὁμοζύγων καὶ φιλεῖσθαι καὶ ἐπαινεῖσθαι σπόυδάζουσι, τῆς παρ᾽ ἄλλων εὐφημίας. χαταφρονοῦσαι. Τούτου χάριν αὑτοὺς ὁ νυμφίος καὶ μὴ βουλομένους ἀοιδίμους ἀπέφηνε, καὶ τῆς παρ᾽ ἀνθρώποις εὖκλείας ἐκ περιουσίας μετέδωκεν. Ὅταν γάρ τις τὰ θεῖα μετιὼν αἰτῇ τὰ οὐράνια, προστίθησι μετ᾽ ἐχείγων καὶ ἕτερα πάμπολλα, πολλαπλασία: τὰς αἰτήσεις δωρούμενο;. Τοῦτο γοῦν καὶ νομοθετῶν ἔλεγεν " «Αἰτεῖτε τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τὴν διχαιοσύ- νὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ πάντα προστεθήσεται ὑμῖν. » Καὶ πάλιν" « Ὁ καταλιμπάνων πατέρα, καὶ μητέρα, κκαὶ ἀδελφοὺς, καὶ γυναῖκα, καὶ τέχνα ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ καὶ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου μου, καὶ ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ ἑκατονταπλασίονα λήψεται, καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσει. » Ταῦτα εἴρηκε, καὶ πεποίηκεν. Ἡμᾶς δὲ εἴη, καὶ λόγῳ παιδευομένους, καὶ ταῖς
᾿Achepsimas kata ton auton gegone chronon, hou kleos heury kata pasan tēn HiBō. Houtos en oikiskǭ katheirxas heauton, hexēkonta dietelesen etē, mēte horōmenos, mēte phthengomenos, all᾽ eis heauton neuōn, kai ton Theon phantazomenos, pasan ekeithen psychagōgian edecheto, kata tēn prophēteian tēn legousan « Katatryphēson «ou Kyriou, kai dǭē soi ta aitēmata tēs kardias sou.» Dia tinos de bracheos orygmatos tēn cheira proteiina mē prokeitai tois horąn boulomenois, all᾽ encharsion hēn helikoeidōs chateschenasmenon. Trophē de autǭ ekomizeto phachos diadrochos hydati " hapax de tēs eddo. mados nyktōr exiōn, to arkoun hydōr apo tēs pelazousēs animato pēgēs. Kai pote tis porrhōthen pro» Thateus thremmata nemōn, skotous ontos, kinoumenon theasamenos, kai lykon hypotopasas, donēn hōs lithon achontisōn echinēse. Tēs de cheiros epi pleiston akinētou menousēs, kai aphienai ton lithon ou dynamenēs, heōs ekeinos ho theios anēr to hydōr arysamenos hepanēchen, aisthēsin tēs agnoias edexato, kai meta tēn heō katalamdanei to tēs aretēs phrontistērion, kai diēgeitai to gegonos, kai syngnōmēn aitei, kai lamthanei tēs plēmmeleias tēn aphesin, ou phōnēs phthenxamenēs akousas, alla dia tōn tēs chei" rys kinē matōn katamathōn tēn eumeneian. iLllos de tis, kachoēthei polypragmosynę̄ chrēsamenos, kai gnōnai pothēsas ti drōn hapanta ton chronon dietelei, eis tēn para tǭ thrinchiǭ pephyteumenēn platanon anathēnai tetolmēken " alla parautika tēs tolmts edrepsato tous karpous. To gar hēmisy tou sōmatos ap᾿ akra: koryphēs mechri tōn podōn lymantheis, hiketēs egeneto tēs hamartados katēgorōn. Ho hoe tę̄ tomę̄ tēs platanou tēn hygeian esesthai proemēnysen. Hina gar mē kai heteros ta isa drasas hydtomeinē ta isa, tmēthēnai parautecha to dendron echeleusen. Hei-᾿ peto de tę̄ tomę̄ kai tēs timōrias hē lysis. Tosautę̄ men oun houtos ho thespesios echrēsato tę̄ karterią, tosautēn de para tou agiynothetou tēn charin edexato, Hēnika de tēn enteuthen apodēmian estelleto, pro esēmanen hōs meta pentēkonta hēmeras dexetai tou biou to telos " hypedexato de hapantas tous idein thelēsantas. Epeidē de kai ho tēs Ekklēsias aphiketo terou tēn zeuglēn, e Hoida, legōn, ō Pape, kai tēs sēs philosophias to hypsos, kai tēs emēs penias tēn hyperdolēn. ᾿Alla tēs archierōsynēs tēn oikonomian pepisteumenos, tautę̄ tas cheirotonias, all᾽ ouk ekeinę̄ prodallomai. Dexai toinyn, ephē, tēs hierōsynēs to dōron, tēs men emēs dexias hypourgousēs, tēs hoeS tou panagiou Pneumatos touto charitos chorēgousēs. » Prys tauta phanai legetai" « Hoti met᾽ oligas enteuthen echdēmēsō hēmeras, hēkista peri toutōn zygomachēsō " ei men gar emellon epi pleiston biōsesthai, pampan ephygon to bary touto kai phoderon tēs hierōsynēs phortion, tēs parakatathēkēs orrhōdōn tas euthynas. Epeidē de ouk eis ma’ chran apeleusomai katalipōn ta tę̄de, eupeithōs to keleuomenon dexoma!. » Autika toinyn, oudenos agon. tos, ho men ta gonata kamptōn tēn charin anemenen, ho de tēn cheira epititheis hypourgei tǭ Pneumati, Tę̄ de hierōsynę̄ oligas epidiōsas hēmeras, biou bion ēllaxato, kai ton agērō kai alypon anxi tou polyphrontidos heladen. ᾿Arpaxein de pantōn boulēthentōn po sōma, kai eis tēn oikeian hekastǭ kōmēn apochomizein proairoumenōn, mēnysas tis tou hagion tous orkous, tēn erin dielysen, ᾿th:chōta: gar autēn y ᾿ 1115 ephēsen, en hekeinǭ tǭ chōriǭ paradounai touto ta- tiphę̄. Houtō kai tēs meta thanaton euteleias epemelounto tōn ouranōn hoi politai" kai oute pōiriontes mega phronein ēneschonto pōpote, kai teleutēsantes to para anthrōpōn ouk epespasanto geras " alla to phę̄lttron hapan eis ton nymphion metethesan, kata tas sōphronousas gynaikas, hai para monōn tōn homozygōn kai phileisthai kai epaineisthai spoudazousi, tēs par᾽ allōn euphēmias. chataphronousai. Toutou charin hautous ho nymphios kai mē boulomenous aoidimous apephēne, kai tēs par᾽ anthrōpois eukleias ek periousias metedōken. Hotan gar tis ta theia metiōn aitę̄ ta ourania, prostithēsi met᾽ echeigōn kai hetera pampolla, pollaplasia: tas aitēseis dōroumeno?. Touto goun kai nomothetōn elegen " «Aiteite tēn basileian tou Theou, kai tēn dichaiosy- nēn autou, kai ta loipa panta prostethēsetai hymin. » Kai palin" « Ho katalimpanōn patera, kai mētera, kkai adelphous, kai gynaika, kai techna heneken emou kai tou Euangeliou mou, kai en tǭ aiōni toutǭ hekatontaplasiona lēpsetai, kai en tǭ mellonti zōēn aiōnion klēronomēsei. » Tauta eirēke, kai pepoiēken. Hēmas de eiē, kai logǭ paideuomenous, kai tais
Acepsimas lived at the same time; his fame is wide throughout the East. He shut himself up in a small house and continued for sixty years neither seen nor speaking; turned in on himself and picturing God, he received from that all his delight, according to the prophecy that says: ‘Delight in the Lord, and he will give you the requests of your heart.’ Through a small hole he stretched out his hand … so that he might not be exposed to those who wished to see him, but it was made slanting, in a spiral. The food brought to him was lentils soaked in water; and once a week he went out by night and drew enough water from the nearby spring. Once a shepherd grazing his flock some way off saw him moving in the darkness, supposed he was a wolf, and swung his sling as though to throw a stone. But his hand stayed motionless for a very long time and could not let the stone go, until that divine man had drawn the water and gone back; then he realised his mistake, and after dawn he went to that school of virtue, told what had happened, asked forgiveness, and received pardon for the offence, not by hearing a voice speak, but by learning his goodwill from the movements of his hand. Another man, indulging an ill-natured curiosity and longing to know what he was doing all the time, dared to climb the plane tree planted by the wall; but at once he reaped the fruits of his daring. Half of his body, from the top of his head to his feet, was crippled, and he became a suppliant, accusing his own sin. He foretold that healing would come with the felling of the plane tree; for, so that no one else might do the same and suffer the same, he ordered the tree to be cut down at once. And with the felling came release from the punishment. Such endurance did this godly man show, and such grace did he receive from the president of the games.
When he was preparing for his departure from here, he indicated beforehand that after fifty days he would reach the end of his life; and he received all who wished to see him. When the [bishop] of the Church also came … the yoke of the presbyterate, saying: ‘I know, Father, both the height of your philosophy and the extremity of my poverty. But as one entrusted with the stewardship of the high priesthood, it is by that, and not by this, that I confer ordinations. So accept,’ he said, ‘the gift of the priesthood: my right hand serves, but it is the grace of the all-holy Spirit that bestows it.’ To this he is said to have replied: ‘Since I am going to depart from here in a few days, I will not struggle against this at all. If I were going to live long, I would have fled entirely from this heavy and fearful burden of the priesthood, dreading to give account for the trust. But since I shall soon go away and leave the things here, I will obediently accept what is commanded.’ So at once, with no one leading him, he bent his knees and waited for the grace, and the other laid on his hand and served the Spirit. He lived only a few days after receiving the priesthood, then exchanged life for life, receiving the ageless and painless life instead of the one full of cares. When everyone wanted to seize his body, each choosing to carry it off to his own village, someone made known the saint’s oaths and settled the dispute; for he said that he had bound … by oath to bury it in that place …
So even after death the citizens of heaven took care to be of no account. While living they never allowed themselves to think highly of themselves, and when dead they did not seek honour from men; they transferred all their love to the Bridegroom, like chaste wives who are eager to be loved and praised by their husbands alone and despise the praise of others. For this reason the Bridegroom made them famous even against their will, and gave them a share of good repute among men in abundance. For when someone pursuing divine things asks for heavenly things, he adds very many others to them, granting the requests many times over. This at least he said when giving his law: ‘Ask for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all the rest will be added to you.’ And again: ‘Whoever leaves father and mother and brothers and wife and children for my sake and for my Gospel will receive a hundredfold in this age, and in the age to come will inherit eternal life.’ He said these things and did them. May we, taught both by word and by …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Ps 37:4 (36:4 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 6:33 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 19:29 (quotation, high confidence) · Mark 10:29 (quotation, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Acepsimas lives sixty years enclosed and silent, miraculously restrains a shepherd and punishes a spy, accepts ordination as presbyter only because he is about to die, and is buried where he had sworn.
- The scan of this chapter is damaged: Latin debris from Migne's parallel column is removed by logged corrections; lost Greek words are marked '…' and not supplied. The end of the chapter is lost in the scan; some closing words that may belong to it are displaced into the text of Life 16 (see the note there).
- Ps 37:4 (36:4 LXX) is quoted. 'Ask for the kingdom of God' follows Theodoret's wording (Matt 6:33 has 'seek'). The second saying combines Matt 19:29 with Mark 10:29–30.
- The bishop who ordains Acepsimas is not named in the surviving text; the words 'bishop' and the verb with 'the yoke of the presbyterate' are lost or damaged.
- 'President of the games' (ἀγωνοθέτης) is Theodoret's usual image for God as the one who sets the contest and awards the prize.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin debris and a marginal letter from Migne's page, read as Greek letters by the OCR; Latin debris from Migne's parallel column, read as Greek letters by the OCR): ἢ. ἰπι 8 « Βεϊεοίαγα ἴῃ Ὠομείπο, εἱ ἀδϑὶλ εἰμὶ ρει οη 69 μοϑὶ δὺς Τὸ δὲ πον, βιπθ!α 6. 3 Π6 841 Ὑἱ Γι} }5 ΘΥ̓Β ἢ 5. Πη} Γονόος δι, Βρά ἐκ πιδηπ5 "οἰοηΐυυ 5 θα πονο δ Ρἰϑἰάπιν πλαοουΐϑα σοι εἰ υ πὶ οϑὶ ἢν} 08 δ 6 → ; τοὶ, (εεἰ!. Εἰ εὐ εἰ (ἀπ! θα! ον. τ ητοί. → ; Α πιογίοιη 5ἰ Πρ! Μᾶς : αὶ ποχια ἰπ υἷα 4{105. ερὶ → ; 108 6 5βογαι μα 8η}, οἵ πον! ἃν Βοπι θυ 5. ἃ ᾿οπι!οὐ οὐ! ἡϊεϊδηιιν υοἱβ ἢ; ν οἱ Γυτβυ8: «ε Οἱ γα! πδγὶι ράοἱ ἰῇ ἴος δβθδου ο → ; Β οθηϊρίυπι δοείρίεί͵ οἱ ἴῃ ας Γ0 νἱ → .
Topics: Church office
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. rel. 15 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/15). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/15
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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).
Chapter 16
16PG 82
Μάρωνος μετὰ τούτων μνησθήσομαι" καὶ γὰρ οὗτος τὸν θεῖον τῶν ἁγίων χορὸν κατεκόσμησε. Τὸν ὕπαιθρον γὰρ ἀσπασάμενος βίον, κορυφήν τινα καττὸ ἐν αὐτῇ τῶν δαιμόνων τέμενος τῷ Θεῷ χαθοσιώσας, ἐν αὑτῷ διέτοιψε, σκηνήν τινα βραχεῖαν πηξάμένος, ὀλιγάκις δὲ ταύτῃ χρησάμενος. Πόνοις οὐ τοῖς εἰωθόσιν ἐχρήσατο μόνοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑτέρους ἐπενόει, πἧς φιλοσοφίας συναθροίζων τὸν πλοῦτον. Ὃ δὲ ἀγωνοθέτης τοῖς πόνοις τὴν χάριν ἑἐπεμέτρησεν. Οὕτω γὰρ αὐτῷ πλουσίως ὁ μεγαλόδωρος τὸ τῶν ἰαμάτων ἐδωρήσατο χάρισμα, ὡς πανταχοῦ μὲν τούτου τὸ κλέος διαδραμεῖν, πάντας δὲ πάντοθεν ἐφέλχεσθα!:, αὶ τῇ πείρᾳ διδάξαι τῆς φήμης τὸ ἀληθές, ἯΝν γὰρ ἰδεῖν, καὶ πυρετοὺς σδεννυμένους τῇ δρόσῳ τῆς εὐλογίας, καὶ φρίκην παυομένην, καὶ δαίμονας δραπετεύοντας, καὶ παντοδαπὰ καὶ ποικίλα νοσήματα ἑνὶ φαρμάκῳ θεραπευόμενα. Ἰατρῶν μὲν γὰρ φάρμακον " ἡ δὲ τῶν ἁγίων προσευχὴ κοινόν ἔστι παθῶν ἀλεξιφάρμακον. Οὐ μόνον δὲ τὰς σωματικὰς ἀῤῥωστίας ἰᾶτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῖς ψυχαῖς τὴν πρόσφόρον θεραπείαν προσέφερε, τούτου μὰν τὴν πλεονεξίαν, ἐχείνου δὲ τὸν θυμὸν ἰατρεύων " καὶ τούτῳ μὲν τὴν περὶ σωφροσύνης διδασκαλίαν προσφέρων, ἐκείνῳ δὲ “ροστιθεὶ; τὰ τῆς δικαιοσύνης παιδεύματα" χαι τοῦ μὲν τὴν ἀκολαστίαν παιδεύων, τοῦ δὲ τὸ νωθρὸν “διεγείρων. Ταύτῃ χρώμενος τῇ γεωργίᾳ, ἄνω κλήσεως, ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰητοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ "᾽ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς ᾧ --- ἀμην, τήμερον ὠφέλειαν καρποῦνται, δημοτελεῖ πανηγύρει ἀπόντες τὴν εὐλογίαν καρπούμεθα - ἀρκεῖ γὰρ ἡμῖν πολλὰ φυτὰ ψιλοτυγΐα; ἀπέφηνε, καὶ τὸν νῦν ἐν τὴ Κύρου χώρᾳ τεθηλότα παράδεισον αὐτὸς τῷ θεῷ χατεφύιτευσε. Τῆς τούτου φυτουργίας ἔργον ὁ μέγα: Ἰάκωνδος, εἰς ὃν εἰκότως ἄν τις ἑλκύσειε τὴν προφητικὴν ἐχείνην φωνήν " ε Δίκαιος ὡς φοίνιξ ἀνθήσέ!, ὡσεὶ κέδρος ἡ ἐν τῷ Λιδάνῳ πληθυνθήσεται, ν καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι δὲ ἅπαντες, ὧν ἰδίᾳ σὺν Θεῷ φάναι μνησθήσομαι. Οὕτω δὲ τῆς θείας γεωργίας ἐπιμελούμενος, καὶ ψυχὰς ὁμοῦ θεραπεύων καὶ σώματα, ἀῤῥωστίαν ὑπομείνας βραχεῖαν, ἵνα καὶ τῆς φύσεως τὴν ἀσϑένειαν, χα! τῆς προαιρέσεως καταμάθωμεν τὴν ἀνδρείαν, αὑτὸς μὲν ὑπεξῆλθε τὸν βίον. Πόλεμος δὲ περὶ τοῦ σώματος τοῖς γειτονεύουσι συνέστη σφοδρός. Κώμη δέ τις τῶν ὁμόρων πολυάνθρωπος πανδημὶ παραγενομένη, τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους ἐσχέδατε, τὸν δὲ τριπόθητον ἐκεῖνον ἥρπασε θησαυρὸν, καὶ σηχὴν οἰχοδομησάμενοι μέγιστον, τὴν ἐκεῖθεν μέχρι χα: τὸν νικηφόρον ἐκεῖνον γεραίροντες. Ἡμεῖς δὲ καὶ ἀντὶ τῆς θήκης ἡ μνήμη
Marōnos meta toutōn mnēsthēsomai" kai gar houtos ton theion tōn hagiōn choron katekosmēse. Ton hypaithron gar aspasamenos bion, koryphēn tina katto en autę̄ tōn daimonōn temenos tǭ Theǭ chathosiōsas, en hautǭ dietoipse, skēnēn tina bracheian pēxamenos, oligakis de tautę̄ chrēsamenos. Ponois ou tois eiōthosin echrēsato monois, alla kai heterous epenoei, pēs philosophias synathroizōn ton plouton. Ho de agōnothetēs tois ponois tēn charin heepemetrēsen. Houtō gar autǭ plousiōs ho megalodōros to tōn iamatōn edōrēsato charisma, hōs pantachou men toutou to kleos diadramein, pantas de pantothen ephelchestha!:, ai tę̄ peirą didaxai tēs phēmēs to alēthes, HēNn gar idein, kai pyretous sdennymenous tę̄ drosǭ tēs eulogias, kai phrikēn pauomenēn, kai daimonas drapeteuontas, kai pantodapa kai poikila nosēmata heni pharmakǭ therapeuomena. Iatrōn men gar pharmakon " hē de tōn hagiōn proseuchē koinon esti pathōn alexipharmakon. Ou monon de tas sōmatikas arrhōstias iato, alla kai tais psychais tēn prosphoron therapeian prosephere, toutou man tēn pleonexian, echeinou de ton thymon iatreuōn " kai toutǭ men tēn peri sōphrosynēs didaskalian prospherōn, ekeinǭ de “rostithei? ta tēs dikaiosynēs paideumata" chai tou men tēn akolastian paideuōn, tou de to nōthron “diegeirōn. Tautę̄ chrōmenos tę̄ geōrgią, anō klēseōs, en Christǭ Iētou tǭ Kyriǭ hēmōn, hǭ "᾽ hē doxa eis tous hǭ --- amēn, tēmeron ōpheleian karpountai, dēmotelei panēgyrei apontes tēn eulogian karpoumetha - arkei gar hēmin polla phyta psilotygïa? apephēne, kai ton nyn en tē Kyrou chōrą tethēlota paradeison autos tǭ theǭ chatephuiteuse. Tēs toutou phytourgias ergon ho mega: Iakōndos, eis hon eikotōs an tis helkyseie tēn prophētikēn echeinēn phōnēn " e Dikaios hōs phoinix anthēse!, hōsei kedros hē en tǭ Lidanǭ plēthynthēsetai, n kai hoi alloi de hapantes, hōn idią syn Theǭ phanai mnēsthēsomai. Houtō de tēs theias geōrgias epimeloumenos, kai psychas homou therapeuōn kai sōmata, arrhōstian hypomeinas bracheian, hina kai tēs physeōs tēn asϑeneian, cha! tēs proaireseōs katamathōmen tēn andreian, hautos men hypexēlthe ton bion. Polemos de peri tou sōmatos tois geitoneuousi synestē sphodros. Kōmē de tis tōn homorōn polyanthrōpos pandēmi paragenomenē, tous men allous eschedate, ton de tripothēton ekeinon hērpase thēsauron, kai sēchēn oichodomēsamenoi megiston, tēn ekeithen mechri cha: ton nikēphoron ekeinon gerairontes. Hēmeis de kai anti tēs thēkēs hē mnēmē
After these I will mention Maron; for he too adorned the divine choir of the saints. Embracing life in the open air, he [occupied] a peak …, consecrated to God the precinct of demons that was on it, and lived there, having pitched a small tent which he seldom used. He practised not only the usual labours but devised others as well, heaping up the wealth of philosophy. The president of the games measured out grace in return for the labours. So richly did the bountiful Giver grant him the gift of healings that his fame ran everywhere, drew everyone from every side, and taught by experience the truth of the report. One could see fevers quenched by the dew of his blessing, shivering stopped, demons fleeing, and diseases of every sort and kind cured by one medicine. For doctors [apply a different] medicine [to each disease]; but the prayer of the saints is a common remedy for all sufferings. He healed not only the sicknesses of bodies but also applied fitting treatment to souls, curing this man’s greed and that man’s anger, offering to one teaching on self-control and setting before another the lessons of justice, correcting one man’s licentiousness and rousing another’s sloth. Using this husbandry, he raised many plants of philosophy, and it was he who planted for God the garden that now flourishes in the region of Cyrrhus. A product of his planting was the great James, to whom one might fittingly apply that prophetic saying: ‘The righteous will flourish like a palm; like a cedar in Lebanon he will be multiplied’; and so were all the others, whom, God willing, I shall mention one by one. So, while caring for the divine husbandry and healing souls and bodies alike, he endured a short illness (so that we might learn both the weakness of nature and the courage of his will) and departed this life. A fierce war broke out among the neighbours over his body. A populous village nearby came out in full force, scattered the others, and carried off that thrice-longed-for treasure; and having built a very large shrine, they reap the benefit from it to this day, honouring that victor with a public festival. We, though absent, reap the blessing; for in place of his tomb the memory suffices us.
[Displaced in the scan:] … the upward call, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen.
Ps 92:12 (91:13 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 3:14 (allusion, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Maron, living in the open on a mountain top, heals bodies and souls, founds the ascetic movement of the Cyrrhus region, and after his death is fought over by neighbouring villages.
- The scan of this chapter is damaged and its lines are out of order: Latin debris and a footnote from Migne's page are removed by logged corrections; lost Greek words are marked '…'. The end of the chapter ('they reap the benefit from it to this day … the memory suffices us') appears in the scan in the middle of the chapter and is translated in its place at the end.
- The closing words '… the upward call, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be the glory for ever. Amen' (cf. Phil 3:14) appear in the scan inside this chapter; they probably belong to the lost end of Life 15 (uncertain) and are given here at the end, marked as displaced.
- Ps 92:12 (91:13 LXX) is quoted. 'The great James' is James of Cyrrhestica, the subject of Life 21.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin debris and a marginal letter from Migne's page, read as Greek letters by the OCR; Latin debris from Migne's parallel column, read as Greek letters by the OCR; Migne's marginal letter B; footnote and Latin debris from Migne's page, read as Greek letters by the OCR): τ δι. νι, δὅ. 5 Μϑδιιίν. χιχ. 33, ἰπ ἴῃ δϑοι ἃ. → ; οἱ εἷς ὙΙΔτὴ οἷ πὶ 50} ἀΐο ἴῃ 60 ἢ διαὶ, ει, αἱ ΟΠΊΠ65 ἴῃ οἱ ἀπ: πιοη68 ἱπ Μη ς : → ; ἀῦβυηι ἃ} Πεγνοιὶ με εἰν οἱ πὶ οἱ τ τα → ; [25 ποῦ οδὶ 60 Νά [τᾶς "θυ. αὶ σι νοσ βοῦς δά μα ον 68, [οτί ἴῃ ͵ ͵ Α → ; τὸν Β δὲ τριπόθητον → τὸν δὲ τριπόθητον.
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. rel. 16 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/16). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/16
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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).
Chapter 17
17PG 82
Οὐδὲ ᾿Δέραάμον τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ τὴν μνήμην πὰραλιπεῖν εὐαγὲ;, προφάσει χρωμένους, ὅτε μετὰ τὸν μονήρη βίον τὴν Πολλῷ γὰρ δήπουθεν τούτου γε ἕνεκα ἀξιομνημονευτότερος εἰκότως ἂν εἴη, ὅτι τὴν πολιτείαν βιασθεὶς ἐναλλάξαι τὸν βίον οὐκ ἤμειψεν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τῆς ἀσιητιχῆς μετέδη κακοπαθείας, καὶ κατὰ ταὐτὸν μονα- ᾿ς νος φροντίσι, τοῦ βίου τὸν δρόμον ἐξήνυσε. Καὶ οὗτος Ο δὲ τῆς Κύρου χώρας καρπός. Ἕν ταύτῃ γὰρ χδὶ τεχθεὶς καὶ τραφεὶς τῆς ἀσχητιχῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν τον συνέλεξε. Τοσαύτῃ γὰρ αὐτόν φασιν οἱ συγγεγονότες ἀγρυπνίᾳ, καὶ στάσει, καὶ νηστείᾳ, χχταδαμάσαι τὸ σῶμα, ὡς ἀκίνητον ἐπὶ πλεῖστον διαμεῖνσι χρόνον, ἕχιστα βαδίζειν δυνάμενον. Θεί δὲ προμηθείᾳ τῆς ἀσθενείας ἐκείνης ἀπαλλαγεὶς, κινδύνους εἰσενεγκεῖν ἀντὶ τῆς θείας χάριτος ἠβουλήθη, καὶ χαταλαμθάνει τὸν Λίόανον᾽ κώμην τινὰ μεγίστην, κατέχεσθαν τῷ τῆς ἀσεθείας ζόφῳ μεμαθηκώς᾽ καὶ κρύψας, καὶ θυλάχους μετὰ τῶν συνόντων ἐπιφεηόμενος, ὡς δῆθεν ὠνησόμενος κάρυα, τοῦτον γάρ ἡ κώμη διαφερόντως ἔφερε τὸν καρπὸν, καὶ οἰκίαν ῦ μισθωσάμενος, καὶ ὀλίγα χρήματα τοῖς κεκτημένοις προδεδωχὼς, τρεῖς μὲν καὶ τέσσαρας ἡμέρας χίαν ἦγεν. Εἶτα κατὰ μικρὸν τῆς θείας ἥψατο }ε! πουργία;, μετρίᾳ φωνῇ κεχρημένος. Ἐπειδὴ ὃὲ τῆς ψαλμῳδίας ἐπήσθοντο, ὁ μὲν κήρυξ ἐδόα καὶ συνεχά ει πάντας ᾿ συνελέγοντο δὲ καὶ ἄνδρες, καὶ γυναΐκες, καὶ τὰς θύρας ἀνοιχοδομήσαντες, ἄνωθεν ἀπὸ Ὡς δὲ ἑώρων ἀποπνιγομένους καὶ χωννυμένους, 00" δὲν οὔτε δρᾷν, οὔτε λέγειν βέλοντας, εὐχὴν δὲ μόνην τῷ Θεῷ προσχομίξοντας, τῶν ἑτέρων ὑποθεμένων, τῆς μανία; ἐπαύταντο. Εἶτα τὰς θύρας ἀνοίξαντε;, καὶ τοῦ χώματος: ἐκέλευον. ᾿Αλλὰ κατ᾿ αὐτὸν τὸν καιρὸν πράκτορες Α' καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἐδέσμουν, τοὺς δὲ ἠχίζοντο. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὁ θεῖος ᾿ ἐχεΐῖνος ἀνὴρ, οὐδενὸς ἐχείνων τῶν εἰς αὐτὺν γεγενημένων ἀναμνησθεὶς, τὸν δὲ Δεσπότην μιμούμενος, ὃς τῷ σταυρῷ πῤοσηλωμένος τῶν τοῦτο δεδραχότων ἐκήδετο, τοὺς πράκτορας ἐκείνους ἱκέτευεν ἡμέρως ποιεῖσθαι τὴν εἴσπραξιν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ ἐγγυητὰς ἐπεζήτησαν, ἐθελοντὶ τὴν πρόσχλησιν ὑπεδέξατο, καὶ χρυσίνους ἑκατὸν μετ᾽ ὀλίγας δώσειν ἡμέρας ὑπέσχετο. 'Ἵπεραγασθέντες δὲ οἱ τὰ δεινὰ ἐκεῖνα ἐργασάμε-. νοι τῆς φιλανθρωπίας τὸν ἄνδρα, αἰτοῦσι μὲν ὑπὲρ τῶν τετολμημένων συγγνώμην, προστάτην δὲ αὐτὸν γενέσθαι παρακαλοῦσιν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶχεν ἣ κῴμη δεσπότὴν αὐτοὶ δὲ ἦσαν καὶ γεωργοὶ, καὶ δεσπόται. Τοὺς μὲν οὖν ἑκατὸν χρυσίνους ἀφικόμενος εἰς τὴν πόλιν" Β “Ἔμισχ δὲ ἣν αὕτη " καὶ γνωρίμους τινὰς εὑρὼν, ποιεῖται δάνεισμα, Εἶτα τὴν κώμην χαταλαδὼν, κατὰ τὴν κυρίαν πληροῖ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν. Ταύτην αὐτοῦ τὴν αὐτῷ τὴν παράκλησιν, Τοῦ δὲ τοῦτο δρᾷν ὑποσχομένου, εἰ ἐκκλησίαν οἰκοδομεῖν ἐπαγγείλαιντο, εὐθὺς ἐπιχειρεῖν ἱκέτευον " καὶ περιῆγον τὸν μακάριον ἄνδρᾶ, τοὺς ἐπιτηδειοτέρους τόπους ἐπιδεικνύντες. Καὶ ὁ μὲν τοῦτον, ὁ δὲ ἐκεῖνον ἐπήνει " προελόμενος δὲ πὸν ἀμείνω, καὶ τὰ θεμέλια χαταπήξας, ἐν ὀλίγῳ : χρόνῳ τὸν ὅροφον ἐπιτέθειχε. Καὶ τῆς οἰκοδομίας δεξαμένης τὸ πέρας, ἱερέα δέξασθαι παρηγγύα. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἔλεγον ὡς ἕτεροι οὐκ ἂν ἕλοιντο, αὐτὸν δὲ καὶ πατέρα καὶ ποιμένα λαθεῖν ἱκέτενον, δέχεται τῆς ἱερωσύνης τὴν χάριν. Καὶ τρία συγγενόμενος αὐτοῖς ἔτη, καὶ πρὸς τὰ θεῖα ποδηγήσας καλῶς, ἕτερον ἀντ᾽ πάλιν τὸ μοναχιχὸν χατέλχθΞ καταγώγιον. Καὶ ἵνα μὴ πάντα τὰ ἐκείνον διηγούμενος; μακρὸν ἐργάσωμαι τὸ διήγημα, ἐν τούτοι: διαλάμψας, τὴν Κάρων ὑποδέχεται προέδρίαν. Πόλις δὲ αὕτη τῆς δυσσεδείας περικειμένη τὴν μέθην, καὶ τῇ τῶν δαιμόνων ἑαυτὴν ἐχδεδωχυΐα βαχχείᾳ. ᾿Αλλὰ τῆς τούτου γεωργίας ἀξιωθεῖσα, καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ διδασκαλίας δεξαμένη τὸ πῦρ, τῶν μὲν προτέρων ἀκανθῶν ἐλευθέρα διέμεινε, ὡρίμων τῷ Θεῷ προσφέρουσα δράγματα. Αλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀπόνως ὁ θεῖος ἀνὴρ τὴν θείαν ταύτην γεωργίαν εἰργάσατο᾽ πόνοις δὲ μυρίοις χρησάμενος, καὶ τῶν τὰ σώματα θεραπεύειν πεπιστευμένων τὴν τέχνην μιμούμενος, τὰ μὲν παρακλήσει γλυκαίνων, ὃὲ ὅπου καὶ τέμνων, καὶ καίων, τὴν ὑγείαν εἰργάσατο. Τῇ δὲ διδασχαλίχ, καὶ τῇ ἄλλῃ ἐπιμελείᾳ, καὶ ᾿αἷ τοῦ βίου λαμπηδόνες συνηγόρουν. Ἑκείναι: γὰρ φωτιζόμενοι, καὶ τῶν λεγομένων ὑπήκουον, καὶ ἄσμενοι τὰ δρώμενα κατεδέχοντο. Πάντα γὰρ τῆς προ-. εδρίας τὸν χρόνον, περιττὸς μὲν ἣν αὐτῷ ὁ ἄρτος, περιττὸν δὲ τὸ ὕδωρ, ἄχρηστος δὲ ἡ κλίνη, περιττὴ δὲ ἡ τοῦ πυρὸς χρεία. Τεσσαράχοντα μὲν γὰρ νύκτωρ “πὰς ἀντιφθεγγομένας ὑμνῳδίας ἐπλήρου, τῶν διὰ μέδου γινομένων προσευχῶν διπλασιάζων τὸ μέτρον" τὸ δὲ λειπόμενον τἧς νυκτὸς; ἐπὶ θρόνου καθῆστο, βραχύ τι διαναπαύεσθαι παραχωρῶν τοῖς βλεφάροις. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος, κομᾷ δὲ νῦν τοῖς ληΐοις τοῦ Πνεύματως, ἀσταχύων ἔφη μὲν Μωῦσῃς ὁ νομοθέτης, ἀπεμνημήνευσα δὲ τῆς φωνῆς ὁ Δεσπότης, τοῦ διχδήλου “ἣν πρόσχλησιν παραιτούμενος. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἄνευ ὕδατος διαδιῶναι τῶν δυνατῶν, οὐδαμοῦ τῇ; θείας Γραφῆς ἐπαιδεύθημεν. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ τοσοῦτος Ἤλίας πρῶτον μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ χειμάῤῥου τὴν χρείαν ἐπλήρου" ἔπειτα δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν Σαραφθίαν χήραν παραγενόμενος, ὕδωρ αὑτῷ πρῶτον χομισθῆναι προσέταξεν, εἶθ᾽ οὕτω τὸν ἄρτον ἐπήγγειλεν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὁ θαυμαστὸς οὗτος; ἀνὴρ, οὔτε ἄρτου κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀρχιερωσύνης μετέλαξε χρόνον, οὔτε ὀτπρίων, οὔτε λαχάνων ὁμιλησάντων πυρὶ, οὐκ ὕδατος, ὃ τῶν τεττάρων στοιχείων πρῶτον παρὰ τοῖς τὰ τοιαῦτα δεινοῖς εἶναι δόξασιν διὰ τὴν χρείαν" ἀλλὰ θριδαχίνα:, καὶ σέρεις, καὶ σέλινα, καὶ ὅτα τοιαῦτα, καὶ τροφὴν ἐποιξῖτο, καὶ πόμα, ἁρτοποιῶν καὶ ὀψοποιῶν περιττὰς ἀποταίνιον τὰς τέχνας. Ἕν δὲ τῇ ὥρᾳ τῆς ὀπώρας, ἔκείνῃ τὴν χρείαν ἐπλήρου " καὶ τούτων δὲ μετὰ τὴν ἑἐσπερινὴν μετελάμβανε λειτουργίαν. Τοιούτοις δὲ πόνοις χατὰτήχων τὸ σῶμα, ἄπληστον τοῖς ἄλλοις προσέτερεν ἐπιμέλειαν, Τοῖς γὰρ ἀφικομένοι; ξένοις, καὶ στιδὰ; ἣν εὐτρεπῆς, καὶ ἄρτοι λαμπροί τε καὶ ἔχχριτοι προσεφέροντο, καὶ οἶνος ἀνθοσμίας, καὶ ἰχθύες, καὶ λάχανα, καὶ τἄλλα ὅσα τούτοις συνέζευκται. Παρεμοίρας ἑκάστῳ τινὰς τῶν παρακειμένων προτφέρων, καὶ τὰς κύλικας πᾶσι διδοὺς καὶ πίνειν παρεγγυῶν᾽ καὶ τὸν ὁμώνυμον ἐκεῖνον μιμούμενος, τὸν πατριάρχὴν φημὶ, ὃς τοῦ; ξένοις διηχόγει μὲν, οὐ συνειστιᾶτο δέ. Ἐν δὲ ταῖς τῶν ξυγομαχούντων δίκαις διημετοὺς δὲ χατηνάγχαζε ταῖς ἡμέροις διδασχαλίτις μὴ πειθομένους ποιεῖν τὸ δίκαιον. Οὐδεὶς δὲ τῶν ἀδίκων θρασύτητι τὸ δίκαιον ἀπῆλθε νενιχηχώς. Τῷ γὰ} ἀδιχουμένῳ τὴν τοῦ δικαίου μοῖραν ἀεὶ προστιθεὶς ἄμαχον ἐδείκνυ, καὶ τοῦ ἀδικεῖν ἐθέλοντος κρείττονα. Καὶ ἐχτρῷ ἀρίστῳ ἐῴκει, τῶν χυμῶν ἀεὶ τὸ πλεονάζειν ἐπα ὕλαις. Τοῦτο: καὶ τὴν θέαν γὰρ ἡ φήμη, πάντα ῥᾳδίως καὶ τὰ χαλὰ καὶ τὰ χείρω μηνύουσχ᾽ καὶ πρὸς αὑτὸν ἐκάλει, καὶ ἀφιχνυύμενον οἰκίας. ἁλουργίδος τιμιωτέραν ἡγεῖτο. Καὶ ὁ τῶν βασιλέδων δὲ χορὸς, καὶ χειρῶν ἥπτοντο, καὶ γονάτων, καὶ ἱχέτενον ἄνδρα; οὐδὲ ἐπαῖειν τῆς ᾿Ελλάδο; ἐπι- Ὁ στάμενον γλώσσης. Οὕτω καὶ βασιλεῦσι καὶ πϑσιν ἀνθρώποις αἰδοὺς ἄξιόν ἐστι χρῆμα φιλοσοφίτ" καὶ τελευτήσαντες δὲ οἱ ταύτης ἐρασταὶ καὶ φρυντι5: αἱ μεέξονος εὐκλείας τυγχάνουσι. Καὶ τοῦτο πολλαχόθεν μὲν ἔστ: καταμαθεῖν, οὐκ ἤκιστα δὲ καὶ ἐκ τῶν κατὰ τόνδε τὸν θεσπέσιον ἄνθρωπον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐτελεύπησε, καὶ τοῦτο ἔμαθεν ὁ βασιλεὺς, ἠδουλήθη μὲν ἕν τινι τῶν ἱερῶν αὐτὸν καταθέσθαι σηκῶν. Μαθὼν ἃ ὡς ὅσιον εἴη τοῖς ποιμνίοις ἀποδοθῆναι τοῦ ποιμένος πὸ σῶμα, καὶ αὐτὸς προύπεμπεν ἡγούμενος, καὶ ὁ τὲς, καὶ ἀρχόμενοι, στρατιῶται καὶ ἰδιῶται. Μιτὰ ταύτης αὐτὸν τῆς σπουδῆς καὶ ἡ ᾿Αντιόχον' ὑπεῖές ξατο πόλις, καὶ αἱ μετὰ ταύτην, ἕω; εἰς τὸν μέγαν ἐκεῖνον ἀφίκετο ποταμόν. Παρὰ ὁὲ τοῦ Εὐφράτου τὴν ὄχθην, συνέθεον μὲν ἀστοὶ, συνέθεον δὲ ξένοι, καὶ αὶ ορητιχοὶ πάντες, καὶ ὅμοροι δὲ τῆς εὐλογίας ἀπολαύειν ἠπείγοντο" ῥαθδοφόρο! δὲ πολλοὶ τῇ κλίνῃ παρείποντο, τοὺς γυμνοῦν τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἐσθῆτος πει-, ὡς παίοντες δεδιττόμενοι, Καὶ ἦν ἀχούςιν, τῶν μὲν ψαλλόντων, τῶν δὲ θρηνῳδούντων. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ὁδυρομένη προστάτην ἐκάλει, ἡ δὲ τροφέα, ἡ δὲ ποιμένα τε καὶ διδάσκαλον" καὶ ὁ μὲν δακρύων πατέρα ὠνόμαζεν, ὁ δὲ ἐπίκουρον καὶ κηδεμόνα, Μετὰ τοιούτων εὐφημιῶν τε καὶ θρήνων τῷ τάφῳ τὸ ἅγιον ἐκεῖνο καὶ ἱερὸν παρέδωκαν σῶμα. Ἐγὼ δὲ θαυμάσας, ὅτι τὴν πολιτείαν ἀμείψας, τὸν βίον οὐ συμμετέθαλεν, οὐδὲ ἀνειμένην ἐν τῇ προεὸρίᾳ ἠγάπησε δίαιταν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀσχητιχοὺς ἐπηύξητε πόνους, ἐν τῇ τῶν μοναχῶν αὐτὸν ἱστορίᾳ χατέλεξα, καὶ τῆς ἀγαπηθείδης ἢ ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ συμμορίας οὐκ ἐχώρισα, ὡς τῆς ἐντεῦθεν ἐφιέμενος εὐλογίας. -
Oude ᾿Deraamon tou thaumastou tēn mnēmēn paralipein euage?, prophasei chrōmenous, hote meta ton monērē bion tēn Pollǭ gar dēpouthen toutou ge heneka axiomnēmoneutoteros eikotōs an eiē, hoti tēn politeian biastheis enallaxai ton bion ouk ēmeipsen, alla meta tēs asiētichēs metedē kakopatheias, kai kata tauton mona- ᾿s nos phrontisi, tou biou ton dromon exēnyse. Kai houtos O de tēs Kyrou chōras karpos. Hen tautę̄ gar chdi techtheis kai trapheis tēs aschētichēs aretēs ton ton synelexe. Tosautę̄ gar auton phasin hoi syngegonotes agrypnią, kai stasei, kai nēsteią, chchtadamasai to sōma, hōs akinēton epi pleiston diameinsi chronon, hechista badizein dynamenon. Thei de promētheią tēs astheneias ekeinēs apallageis, kindynous eisenenkein anti tēs theias charitos ēboulēthē, kai chatalamthanei ton Lioanon᾽ kōmēn tina megistēn, katechesthan tǭ tēs asetheias zophǭ memathēkōs᾽ kai krypsas, kai thylachous meta tōn synontōn epipheēomenos, hōs dēthen ōnēsomenos karya, touton gar hē kōmē diapherontōs ephere ton karpon, kai oikian y misthōsamenos, kai oliga chrēmata tois kektēmenois prodedōchōs, treis men kai tessaras hēmeras chian ēgen. Eita kata mikron tēs theias hēpsato }e! pourgia?, metrią phōnę̄ kechrēmenos. Epeidē hoe tēs psalmǭdias epēsthonto, ho men kēryx edoa kai synecha ei pantas ᾿ synelegonto de kai andres, kai gynaïkes, kai tas thyras anoichodomēsantes, anōthen apo Hōs de heōrōn apopnigomenous kai chōnnymenous, 00" den oute drąn, oute legein belontas, euchēn de monēn tǭ Theǭ proschomixontas, tōn heterōn hypothemenōn, tēs mania? epautanto. Eita tas thyras anoixante?, kai tou chōmatos: ekeleuon. ᾿Alla kat᾿ auton ton kairon praktores A' kai tous men edesmoun, tous de ēchizonto. ᾿All᾽ ho theios ᾿ echeïinos anēr, oudenos echeinōn tōn eis autyn gegenēmenōn anamnēstheis, ton de Despotēn mimoumenos, hos tǭ staurǭ prosēlōmenos tōn touto dedrachotōn ekēdeto, tous praktoras ekeinous hiketeuen hēmerōs poieisthai tēn eispraxin. Epei de kai engyētas epezētēsan, ethelonti tēn proschlēsin hypedexato, kai chrysinous hekaton met᾽ oligas dōsein hēmeras hypescheto. 'Hiperagasthentes de hoi ta deina ekeina ergasame-. noi tēs philanthrōpias ton andra, aitousi men hyper tōn tetolmēmenōn syngnōmēn, prostatēn de auton genesthai parakalousin. Ou gar eichen hē kǭmē despotēn autoi de ēsan kai geōrgoi, kai despotai. Tous men oun hekaton chrysinous aphikomenos eis tēn polin" B “Emisch de hēn hautē " kai gnōrimous tinas heurōn, poieitai daneisma, Eita tēn kōmēn chataladōn, kata tēn kyrian plēroi tēn hyposchesin. Tautēn autou tēn autǭ tēn paraklēsin, Tou de touto drąn hyposchomenou, ei ekklēsian oikodomein epangeilainto, euthys epicheirein hiketeuon " kai periēgon ton makarion andra, tous epitēdeioterous topous epideiknyntes. Kai ho men touton, ho de ekeinon epēnei " proelomenos de pon ameinō, kai ta themelia chatapēxas, en oligǭ : chronǭ ton horophon epitetheiche. Kai tēs oikodomias dexamenēs to peras, hierea dexasthai parēngya. Epei de elegon hōs heteroi ouk an helointo, auton de kai patera kai poimena lathein hiketenon, dechetai tēs hierōsynēs tēn charin. Kai tria syngenomenos autois etē, kai pros ta theia podēgēsas kalōs, heteron ant᾽ palin to monachichon chatelchthX katagōgion. Kai hina mē panta ta ekeinon diēgoumenos? makron ergasōmai to diēgēma, en toutoi: dialampsas, tēn Karōn hypodechetai proedrian. Polis de hautē tēs dyssedeias perikeimenē tēn methēn, kai tę̄ tōn daimonōn heautēn echdedōchyïa bachcheią. ᾿Alla tēs toutou geōrgias axiōtheisa, kai tēs autou didaskalias dexamenē to pyr, tōn men proterōn akanthōn eleuthera diemeine, hōrimōn tǭ Theǭ prospherousa dragmata. All᾽ ouk aponōs ho theios anēr tēn theian tautēn geōrgian eirgasato᾽ ponois de myriois chrēsamenos, kai tōn ta sōmata therapeuein pepisteumenōn tēn technēn mimoumenos, ta men paraklēsei glykainōn, hoe hopou kai temnōn, kai kaiōn, tēn hygeian eirgasato. Tę̄ de didaschalich, kai tę̄ allę̄ epimeleią, kai ᾿hai tou biou lampēdones synēgoroun. Hekeinai: gar phōtizomenoi, kai tōn legomenōn hypēkouon, kai asmenoi ta drōmena katedechonto. Panta gar tēs pro-. edrias ton chronon, perittos men hēn autǭ ho artos, peritton de to hydōr, achrēstos de hē klinē, perittē de hē tou pyros chreia. Tessarachonta men gar nyktōr “pas antiphthengomenas hymnǭdias eplērou, tōn dia medou ginomenōn proseuchōn diplasiazōn to metron" to de leipomenon tēs nyktos? epi thronou kathēsto, brachy ti dianapauesthai parachōrōn tois blepharois. Hoti men oun ouk ep᾽ artǭ monǭ zēsetai anthrōpos, komą de nyn tois lēïois tou Pneumatōs, astachyōn ephē men Mōysę̄s ho nomothetēs, apemnēmēneusa de tēs phōnēs ho Despotēs, tou dichdēlou “hēn proschlēsin paraitoumenos. Hoti de kai aneu hydatos diadiōnai tōn dynatōn, oudamou tę̄? theias Graphēs epaideuthēmen. Kai gar ho tosoutos Ēlias prōton men apo tou cheimarrhou tēn chreian eplērou" epeita de epi tēn Saraphthian chēran paragenomenos, hydōr hautǭ prōton chomisthēnai prosetaxen, eith᾽ houtō ton arton epēngeilen. ᾿All᾽ ho thaumastos houtos? anēr, oute artou kata ton tēs archierōsynēs metelaxe chronon, oute otpriōn, oute lachanōn homilēsantōn pyri, ouk hydatos, ho tōn tettarōn stoicheiōn prōton para tois ta toiauta deinois einai doxasin dia tēn chreian" alla thridachina:, kai sereis, kai selina, kai hota toiauta, kai trophēn epoixito, kai poma, hartopoiōn kai opsopoiōn perittas apotainion tas technas. Hen de tę̄ hōrą tēs opōras, ekeinę̄ tēn chreian eplērou " kai toutōn de meta tēn heesperinēn metelambane leitourgian. Toioutois de ponois chatatēchōn to sōma, aplēston tois allois proseteren epimeleian, Tois gar aphikomenoi? xenois, kai stida? hēn eutrepēs, kai artoi lamproi te kai echchritoi prosepheronto, kai oinos anthosmias, kai ichthyes, kai lachana, kai talla hosa toutois synezeuktai. Paremoiras hekastǭ tinas tōn parakeimenōn protpherōn, kai tas kylikas pasi didous kai pinein parengyōn᾽ kai ton homōnymon ekeinon mimoumenos, ton patriarchēn phēmi, hos tou? xenois diēchogei men, ou syneistiato de. En de tais tōn xygomachountōn dikais diēmetous de chatēnanchaze tais hēmerois didaschalitis mē peithomenous poiein to dikaion. Oudeis de tōn adikōn thrasytēti to dikaion apēlthe nenichēchōs. Tǭ ga} adichoumenǭ tēn tou dikaiou moiran aei prostitheis amachon edeikny, kai tou adikein ethelontos kreittona. Kai echtrǭ aristǭ eǭkei, tōn chymōn aei to pleonazein epa hylais. Touto: kai tēn thean gar hē phēmē, panta rhądiōs kai ta chala kai ta cheirō mēnyousch᾽ kai pros hauton ekalei, kai aphichnyymenon oikias. halourgidos timiōteran hēgeito. Kai ho tōn basiledōn de choros, kai cheirōn hēptonto, kai gonatōn, kai hichetenon andra? oude epaiein tēs ᾿Ellado? epi- Ho stamenon glōssēs. Houtō kai basileusi kai pϑsin anthrōpois aidous axion esti chrēma philosophit" kai teleutēsantes de hoi tautēs erastai kai phrynti5: hai meexonos eukleias tynchanousi. Kai touto pollachothen men est: katamathein, ouk ēkista de kai ek tōn kata tonde ton thespesion anthrōpon. Epeidē gar eteleupēse, kai touto emathen ho basileus, ēdoulēthē men hen tini tōn hierōn auton katathesthai sēkōn. Mathōn ha hōs hosion eiē tois poimniois apodothēnai tou poimenos po sōma, kai autos proupempen hēgoumenos, kai ho tes, kai archomenoi, stratiōtai kai idiōtai. Mita tautēs auton tēs spoudēs kai hē ᾿Antiochon' hypeies xato polis, kai hai meta tautēn, heō? eis ton megan ekeinon aphiketo potamon. Para hoe tou Euphratou tēn ochthēn, synetheon men astoi, synetheon de xenoi, kai ai orētichoi pantes, kai homoroi de tēs eulogias apolauein ēpeigonto" rhathdophoro! de polloi tę̄ klinę̄ pareiponto, tous gymnoun to sōma tēs esthētos pei-, hōs paiontes dedittomenoi, Kai ēn achousin, tōn men psallontōn, tōn de thrēnǭdountōn. Hē men gar hodyromenē prostatēn ekalei, hē de trophea, hē de poimena te kai didaskalon" kai ho men dakryōn patera ōnomazen, ho de epikouron kai kēdemona, Meta toioutōn euphēmiōn te kai thrēnōn tǭ taphǭ to hagion ekeino kai hieron paredōkan sōma. Egō de thaumasas, hoti tēn politeian ameipsas, ton bion ou symmetethalen, oude aneimenēn en tę̄ proeorią ēgapēse diaitan, alla tous aschētichous epēuxēte ponous, en tę̄ tōn monachōn auton historią chatelexa, kai tēs agapētheidēs ē hyp’ autou symmorias ouk echōrisa, hōs tēs enteuthen ephiemenos eulogias. -
Nor is it right to pass over the memory of the admirable Abraham, on the pretext that after the solitary life he [exchanged it for] the … For he would surely be all the more worth remembering for this very reason, that though forced to change his station he did not change his way of life, but passed over [to the new one] together with his ascetic hardship, and completed the course of his life with the cares of a solitary and of a [bishop] at once. He too is a fruit of the region of Cyrrhus; for it was there that he was born and brought up and gathered the … of ascetic virtue. Those who lived with him say that he so subdued his body by vigils, standing and fasting that it remained motionless for a very long time and could hardly walk. Freed from that weakness by divine providence, he wished to undergo dangers in return for the divine grace, and went to the Lebanon, having learned that a very large village there was held in the darkness of impiety. He concealed … and carrying sacks with his companions as though he meant to buy nuts (for the village produced this crop above all), he rented a house, gave a little money in advance to the owners, and for three or four days kept quiet. Then little by little he began the divine liturgy, using a moderate voice. When they heard the psalmody, the herald cried out and called everyone together; men and women gathered, and blocking up the doors with masonry, they [heaped earth] from above … When they saw them choking and being buried, yet wishing neither to do nor to say anything, but only offering prayer to God, at the suggestion of some they stopped their madness. Then they opened the doors and told them [to come out] of the heap of earth … But at that very time tax-collectors [arrived] … and bound some and maltreated others. But that divine man, remembering nothing that had been done to him, and imitating the Master, who when nailed to the cross cared for those who had done it, begged those collectors to make the collection gently. When they demanded sureties, he willingly accepted the summons, and promised to give a hundred gold pieces in a few days. Those who had done those dreadful things admired the man’s humanity exceedingly, asked forgiveness for what they had dared, and begged him to become their patron; for the village had no master: they were themselves both farmers and masters. So he went to the city (this was Emesa), found some acquaintances, and raised a loan of the hundred gold pieces. Then he returned to the village and fulfilled his promise on the appointed day. This … their request to him. When he promised to do it if they would undertake to build a church, they begged him to begin at once, and they led the blessed man round, showing him the most suitable places. One praised this one, another that; he chose the better one, laid the foundations, and in a short time put on the roof. When the building was finished, he urged them to receive a priest. But when they said they would choose no one else and begged to receive him as father and shepherd, he received the grace of the priesthood. He stayed with them three years, and having guided them well toward divine things, [appointed] another in his place and returned again to his monastic dwelling.
Not to make the story long by telling everything about him: having shone in these things, he received the presidency of Carrhae. This city was drunk with impiety and had given itself up to the Bacchic frenzy of the demons. But, counted worthy of his husbandry and having received the fire of his teaching, it remained free of its former thorns, and offers God ripe sheaves; it is now thick with the crops of the Spirit, [laden] with ears. Yet the divine man did not carry out this divine husbandry without toil. With countless labours, imitating the art of those entrusted with healing bodies, sweetening some things with encouragement and here and there cutting and burning, he worked its health. The brilliance of his life supported his teaching and his other care; illumined by it, they both obeyed what was said and gladly accepted what was done. For the whole time of his episcopate bread was superfluous to him, water superfluous, a bed useless, and the use of fire superfluous. By night he completed forty antiphonal hymns, doubling the measure of the prayers in between; and for the rest of the night he sat on a chair, allowing his eyelids a little rest. That man shall not live by bread alone, Moses the lawgiver said, and the Master recalled this saying when he refused the summons of the devil. But that one can live even without water we have nowhere been taught in the divine Scripture. Even the great Elijah first supplied his need from the brook; then, coming to the widow of Zarephath, he ordered water to be brought to him first, and only after that asked for bread. But this admirable man, during the time of his high priesthood, took no bread, no pulses, no vegetables that had been near the fire, not even water, which those clever in such matters held to be the first of the four elements because of its usefulness; but lettuces, chicory, celery and the like he made both his food and his drink, showing the arts of bakers and cooks to be superfluous. In the fruit season he met his needs with fruit; and he took even these only after the evening liturgy.
While wasting his body with such labours, he lavished unstinted care on others. For strangers who came a bed was ready, and bread, bright and choice, was served, and fragrant wine, fish, vegetables and everything that goes with these. He gave each his share, setting before him some of the dishes laid out, handing cups to all and urging them to drink, imitating his namesake (I mean the patriarch), who served the strangers but did not eat with them. In the lawsuits of those in dispute he … and those who would not be persuaded by his gentle teaching he compelled to do what was just. No one went away having defeated justice by unjust audacity; for he always added the portion of justice to the wronged party and made him invincible and stronger than the one who wished to do wrong. He was like an excellent physician, always [reducing] the excess of the humours … For rumour easily reports everything, both good and bad; and [the emperor] summoned him to himself, and when he came … and he held his … more precious than the purple. And the chorus of empresses clasped his hands and knees and supplicated a man who did not even understand the Greek language. So worthy of reverence, to emperors and to all people, is philosophy; and its lovers and students win still greater fame when they have died. One can learn this from many sources, not least from the story of this godly man. When he died and the emperor learned of it, he wished to lay him in one of the sacred shrines. But when he learned that it was right for the shepherd’s body to be given back to his flocks, he escorted it himself, going in front, and the empresses …, rulers and ruled, soldiers and private persons. With the same zeal the city of Antiochus received him, and the cities after it, until he reached that great river. On the bank of the Euphrates citizens and strangers ran together, and all the …, and the neighbours too hastened to enjoy the blessing; many staff-bearers walked beside the bier, frightening off with blows those who were trying to strip the body of its clothing. One could hear some singing psalms and others lamenting. One woman in her grief called him her patron, another her nurse, another her shepherd and teacher; one man in tears named him father, another helper and protector. With such praises and laments they committed that holy and sacred body to the tomb. I admired that, though he changed his station, he did not change his way of life with it, and in his episcopate did not love a relaxed regime but increased his ascetic labours; so I have included him in the history of the monks, and have not separated him from the company he loved, desiring the blessing that comes from it.
Luke 23:34 (allusion, high confidence) · Deut 8:3 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 4:4 (allusion, high confidence) · 1 Kgs 17:10 (allusion, high confidence) · Gen 18:8 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Abraham, an ascetic of the Cyrrhus region, converts a pagan village in the Lebanon by patience and generosity, later becomes bishop of Carrhae while keeping his ascetic diet and hospitality, and is honoured by the emperor at his death.
- The scan of this chapter is damaged: Latin debris from Migne's parallel column is removed by logged corrections; lost Greek words are marked '…' and not supplied. The words 'it is now thick with the crops of the Spirit, [laden] with ears' stand out of place in the scan (before the quotation of Deut 8:3) and are translated where the sense shows they belong.
- Abraham became bishop of Carrhae (Harran) in Mesopotamia, a city known for its paganism; he died ca. 422 at Constantinople. The emperor is Theodosius II; the 'chorus of empresses' are probably Pulcheria and her sisters (uncertain).
- 'Imitating the Master, who when nailed to the cross cared for those who had done it' alludes to Luke 23:34. 'Man shall not live by bread alone' is Deut 8:3, quoted by Jesus in Matt 4:4. Elijah at the brook and at Zarephath: 1 Kgs 17:4–11. The patriarch who served the strangers without eating: Gen 18:8.
- 'The first of the four elements': an allusion to the Greek philosophers (Thales) who held water to be the first principle.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin debris and a marginal letter from Migne's page, read as Greek letters by the OCR; Latin debris from Migne's parallel column, read as Greek letters by the OCR): οἰ ἢ ταηΐ, Υἱ γῇ δ ἢ) προσ. βοῦς (ου}} δεῖ, γι πὶ 58 Πὶ ρον εκ. Εταϊ δπΐίοηι θη → ; Αἱ δὺ Ρᾶ- [μ ο ] οί ἀγα ἢ] ργδοίιηι ἰπ 5611 σου 5 165 Α → ; ἰϑίς τρία, οἱ 4] 1 ᾿νὰ]υδηλοι ὶ οἷ] νὸοἱ οὐ ἐπι εὐ δά Νες ρανίδα ς οἱ ταντησὶ → ; γα8 οδὶ ρ οβορ να : {πε Γ΄ ἴῃ αἰ άυα εἴ οἴ} 60 50056εἴ 50] 181, τατῃ τ 1168, (στ) Θα ρογι6 8. πος ἔπ βιυάϊο οἱ οἰν! 8 Αποοίαπα,, οἱ οί ογα → .
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. rel. 17 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/17). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/17
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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).
Chapter 18
18PG 82
Τοῖς προειρημένοις ἁγίοις προσθήσω καὶ τὸν μέγᾶν Εὐσέδιον, ὃ; οὐ πρὸ πολλοῦ μὲν ἐτελεύτησε χρόνου, πάμπολλα δὲ ἔτη βεδιωχὼς, ἰσόμετρον τῷ χρόνῳ τὸν πόνον ὑπέμεινεν, ἰσόμετρον δὲ τῷ πόνῳ συνέλεξεν ἀρετὴν, πολλαπλάσιον δὲ τὸ ἐντεῦθεν ἀπεἐνέγχατο κέρδος. Ὁ γὰρ ᾿Αγωνοθότης τῇ φιλοτιμίᾳ τῶν ἀντιδόσεων ὑπερθαίνει τοὺς ἄθλους. Οὗτος τοίνυν ἄλλοις τὰ πρῶτα τὴν οἰκείαν χαταπιστεύσας ἐπιμέλειαν, ἤγετο ἧ ἂν ἐκεῖνοι ἦγον. Ἄνδρες γὰρ ἦσαν καὶ αὐτοὶ θεῖο';, καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀθληταΐ τε καὶ γυμνασταί. Χρόνον δὲ τινα τούτοι; συνδιατρίψας, ο καὶ εὖ καὶ καλῶς τῆς φιλοσοφίας τὴν ἐπιστήμην παραλαθὼ", τὸν μονήρη βίον ἡσπάσατο, καί τινα ῥαχείαν ὄρους χαταλαδὼν, ἐπίκειται δὲ αὐτῇ κώμη μεγίστη. ᾿Ασιχᾶν δὲ αὑτὴν ὀνομάζουσι, θριγχίῳ μόνῳ χρησάμενος, καὶ τοὺς λίθους οὐδὲ πηλῷ συνβίων, ἐσθῆτι μὲν δὲ καὶ κυάμοις ὕδατι δευομένοις τρεφόμενος. Καὶ σώματος «τὴν ἀσθένειαν οὕτω πειρώμενος. Καὶ εἰς γῆρας δ᾽ ἐλάσας βαθὺ, ὡς καὶ τῶν ὀδόντιυν τοὺς πλείους ἀποθαλείν͵ οὔτε τὴν τροφὴν οὔτε τὴν οἴκησιν Ἐμειψεν" ἀλλὰ κκαὶ ἐν χειμῶνι πηγνύμενος, καὶ ἐν θέρει φλεγόμενος, ἔφερ: χαρατερῶς τὰς ἐναντίας τοῦ ἀέρος ποιότητας, ἐριχνωμένον μὲν ἔχων τὸ πρόσωπον, τεταριχευμένα δὲ ἅπαντα τὰ μέλη τοῦ σώματος. Οὕτω δὲ τοῖς πολλοῖς πόνοις τὸ σῶμα χατἐδαπάνησεν, ὡς μηδὲ τὴν ξώνην ἐπὶ τῆς ἰξύος μένειν, ὀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τὰ κάτω χωρεῖν. Οὐ γὰρ ἦν ὅ τι κωλύσειε, χατηνάλωντο δὲ καὶ γλουτοὶ, καὶ ἰσχία, καὶ παρεῖχον τῇ ζώνῃ ῥᾳδίαν τὴν ἐπὶ τὰ κάτω φοράν. Τοιγάρτο: τῷ χιτῶν: τὴν ζώνην προσέῤῥαψεν, οὕτω τὴν στάσιν αὐτῇ σοφισάμενος. Κομιδῇ δὲ αὐτὸν ἀπἐχναιεν ἡ πρὸς τοὺς πολλοὺς ὁμιλία " τὴν θείαν γὰρ διηνεκῶς φανταζόμενος θεωρίαν, ἕλκειν ἐκεῖθεν οὐκ ἐΘγύλετο τὴν διάνοιαν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως καὶ θερμὸν ἔχων οὔτω τὸν ἔρωτα, ὀλίγοις τῶν γνωρέμων τὴν θύρην καὶ εἴσω διαβαίνειν ἐπέτρεπε καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν θείων λογίων διδασκαλίαν προσφέρων, ἀπιόντας ἐκέλευε τῇ θύρᾳ τὸν πηλὸν ἐπιθεῖ-. Καὶ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς ὀλίγους δὲ συντυχίαν φυ- ΠῚ ἄμεινον ἡγησάμενος, ἀπετείχισε τὴν εἴσοδον παντελῶς, τῇ θύρᾳ ἐκείνῃ λίθον μέγιστον συναρμόσας. Διά τινος δὲ ὀρύγματος ὀλίγοις τῶν συνήθων διελέγετο μὲν, οὐκ ἑωρᾶτο δέ " οὕτω γὰρ ἐμεμηχάνητο " ἐκεῖθεν δὲ εἰσεδέχετο καὶ τὴν ὀλίγην ἐχείνην τροφήν. Πάλιν δὲ τὴν πρὸς ἅπαντας ἀπαγορεύσας διᾶ λεξιν, ἐμὲ μόνον τῆς γλυκείας ἐκείνης καὶ Θεῷ φίλης ἠξίον φωνῇς " καὶ ἀπιέναι βουλόμενον ἐπιπλεῖστον κατεῖχε περὶ τῶν οὐρανίων πραγμάτων διαλεγόμενος. Πολλῶν δὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἀφικνουμένων, καὶ τῆς εὐλογίας ἀπαιτούντων τὸ δῶρον, σφόδρα᾽ ποῦτον δυσχεράνας τὸν θόρυδον, οὔτε τὸ γῆρας εἰς νοῦν λαδὼν, οὔτε τὴν ἐπικειμένην ἀσθένειαν λογιοὐδὲ τοῖς μάλα σφριγῶσι " καὶ τὴν πελάζουσαν τῶν ἀσκητῶν χρῷ παρὰ τὴν τοῦ τοίχου γωνίαν χρησάμενος, μετὰ τῶν συνήθων ἠγωνίζετο πόνων. Ὃ δὲ ταύτης προτατεύων τῆς ποίμνης, ἀνὴρ πάσης μεστὸς ὧν ἀρετῆς, ἰσχάτιν αὑτὸν ἔφη πεντεκαίδεκα χοησάμενον, τὰς ἑπτὰ τῆς ἁγίας νηστείας διελθεῖν ἑδδομάδας. Καὶ τοῦπον ἠγωνίσατο τὸν ἀγῶνα πλείονα μὲν ὃ ἐννενήύχοντα ἔτη ῥεθιωχὼς, ἀσθενείᾳ δὲ δυσδιηγήτῳ τετρυχωμένος,. ἀλλὰ τῆς ἀσθενείας ἦν κρείττων ἡ προθυμία, καὶ ὁ θεῖος πόθος εὐμαρῆ πάντα διεδείχνυ καὶ ῥάδια. Τούποις καὶ οὗτος τοῖς ἱδρῶσι περιῤῥεόμενος, χατέλαόδς τοῦ δρόμου τὴν νύσσαν, καὶ τὸν ἀγωνοθέτην ὁρῶν, καὶ τοὺς στεφάνους ποθῶν. Ἐγὼ δὲ τῆς πρεσθδείας ἐκείνης τυχεῖν ἀξιῶ, ἧς ἔτι περιόντος; ἀπήλαυνον. Ζἢ» γὰρ αὐτὸν πιστεύω, καὶ καθαρωτέραν ἔχειν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν παῤῥησίαν.
Tois proeirēmenois hagiois prosthēsō kai ton megan Eusedion, ho? ou pro pollou men eteleutēse chronou, pampolla de etē bediōchōs, isometron tǭ chronǭ ton ponon hypemeinen, isometron de tǭ ponǭ synelexen aretēn, pollaplasion de to enteuthen apeenenchato kerdos. Ho gar ᾿Agōnothotēs tę̄ philotimią tōn antidoseōn hyperthainei tous athlous. Houtos toinyn allois ta prōta tēn oikeian chatapisteusas epimeleian, ēgeto hē an ekeinoi ēgon. Andres gar ēsan kai autoi theio'?, kai tēs aretēs athlētaï te kai gymnastai. Chronon de tina toutoi? syndiatripsas, o kai eu kai kalōs tēs philosophias tēn epistēmēn paralathō", ton monērē bion hēspasato, kai tina rhacheian orous chataladōn, epikeitai de autę̄ kōmē megistē. ᾿Asichan de hautēn onomazousi, thrinchiǭ monǭ chrēsamenos, kai tous lithous oude pēlǭ synbiōn, esthēti men de kai kyamois hydati deuomenois trephomenos. Kai sōmatos «tēn astheneian houtō peirōmenos. Kai eis gēras d᾽ elasas bathy, hōs kai tōn odontiyn tous pleious apothalein͵ oute tēn trophēn oute tēn oikēsin Emeipsen" alla kkai en cheimōni pēgnymenos, kai en therei phlegomenos, epher: charaterōs tas enantias tou aeros poiotētas, erichnōmenon men echōn to prosōpon, tetaricheumena de hapanta ta melē tou sōmatos. Houtō de tois pollois ponois to sōma chatedapanēsen, hōs mēde tēn xōnēn epi tēs ixyos menein, oll᾽ epi ta katō chōrein. Ou gar ēn ho ti kōlyseie, chatēnalōnto de kai gloutoi, kai ischia, kai pareichon tę̄ zōnę̄ rhądian tēn epi ta katō phoran. Toigarto: tǭ chitōn: tēn zōnēn proserrhapsen, houtō tēn stasin autę̄ sophisamenos. Komidę̄ de auton apechnaien hē pros tous pollous homilia " tēn theian gar diēnekōs phantazomenos theōrian, helkein ekeithen ouk eThgyleto tēn dianoian. ᾿All᾽ homōs kai thermon echōn outō ton erōta, oligois tōn gnōremōn tēn thyrēn kai eisō diabainein epetrepe kai tēn apo tōn theiōn logiōn didaskalian prospherōn, apiontas ekeleue tę̄ thyrą ton pēlon epithei-. Kai tēn pros tous oligous de syntychian phy- PI ameinon hēgēsamenos, apeteichise tēn eisodon pantelōs, tę̄ thyrą ekeinę̄ lithon megiston synarmosas. Dia tinos de orygmatos oligois tōn synēthōn dielegeto men, ouk heōrato de " houtō gar ememēchanēto " ekeithen de eisedecheto kai tēn oligēn echeinēn trophēn. Palin de tēn pros hapantas apagoreusas dia lexin, eme monon tēs glykeias ekeinēs kai Theǭ philēs ēxion phōnę̄s " kai apienai boulomenon epipleiston kateiche peri tōn ouraniōn pragmatōn dialegomenos. Pollōn de pros auton aphiknoumenōn, kai tēs eulogias apaitountōn to dōron, sphodra᾽ pouton dyscheranas ton thorydon, oute to gēras eis noun ladōn, oute tēn epikeimenēn astheneian logioude tois mala sphrigōsi " kai tēn pelazousan tōn askētōn chrǭ para tēn tou toichou gōnian chrēsamenos, meta tōn synēthōn ēgōnizeto ponōn. Ho de tautēs protateuōn tēs poimnēs, anēr pasēs mestos hōn aretēs, ischatin hauton ephē pentekaideka choēsamenon, tas hepta tēs hagias nēsteias dielthein heddomadas. Kai toupon ēgōnisato ton agōna pleiona men ho ennenēuchonta etē rhethiōchōs, astheneią de dysdiēgētǭ tetrychōmenos,. alla tēs astheneias ēn kreittōn hē prothymia, kai ho theios pothos eumarē panta diedeichny kai rhadia. Toupois kai houtos tois hidrōsi perirrheomenos, chatelaods tou dromou tēn nyssan, kai ton agōnothetēn horōn, kai tous stephanous pothōn. Egō de tēs presthdeias ekeinēs tychein axiō, hēs eti periontos? apēlaunon. Zē» gar auton pisteuō, kai katharōteran echein pros ton Theon parrhēsian.
To the saints already mentioned I shall add the great Eusebius, who died not long ago. He lived very many years, endured labour equal in measure to his time, gathered virtue equal in measure to his labour, and carried off from it a gain many times greater; for the President of the games outdoes the contests by the generosity of his rewards. At first he entrusted his care to others and was led wherever they led him; for they too were divine men, athletes and trainers in virtue. Having spent some time with them and learned the science of philosophy well and nobly, he embraced the solitary life and took possession of a mountain ridge above which lies a very large village (they call it Asikha). He used only a wall, without even joining the stones with mud; … clothing … and he fed on … and beans soaked in water … the weakness of his body … Though he reached a deep old age, so that he lost most of his teeth, he changed neither his food nor his dwelling; frozen in winter and scorched in summer, he bore steadfastly the opposite qualities of the air, his face wrinkled and every limb of his body dried up. He so wasted his body with his many labours that his belt would not stay on his loins but slipped down; for there was nothing to stop it, since his buttocks and hips had wasted away and gave the belt an easy way down. So he sewed the belt to his tunic, contriving in this way to keep it in place.
Conversation with the many wore him out completely; for, constantly picturing the divine contemplation, he did not wish to drag his mind away from it. Yet, though his love was so ardent, he allowed a few acquaintances [to open] the door and come inside, and offered them teaching from the divine oracles … he told those leaving to put mud on the door. Then, thinking it better to avoid meeting even the few, he walled off the entrance completely, fitting a very large stone into that door. Through a hole he talked with a few of his familiars, but was not seen (it had been contrived so); and through it he also received that scanty food. Again, renouncing conversation with everyone, he granted me alone that sweet and God-beloved voice; and when I wished to leave he would keep me for a long time, talking about heavenly things. When many came to him and demanded the gift of his blessing, he was greatly vexed at the commotion, and without taking his old age into account or reckoning the weakness that lay upon him … not even to those in the prime of strength; and making use of the nearby … of the ascetics, by the corner of the wall, he continued his contests with his usual labours. The man who presides over this flock, a man full of every virtue, said that he got through the seven weeks of the holy fast on fifteen dried figs. He fought this contest when he had lived more than ninety years and was worn down by a weakness hard to describe; but his zeal was stronger than his weakness, and divine longing made everything easy and light. Bathed in these sweats, he too reached the turning-post of the course, seeing the President of the games and longing for the crowns. I ask to obtain the intercession that I enjoyed while he was still alive; for I believe that he lives and has a purer boldness before God.
Notes and citation
Summary: Eusebius of Asikha lives into his nineties in a roofless enclosure, wasting his body, walls himself in, and speaks to almost no one but Theodoret.
- The scan of this chapter is damaged: Latin debris and a footnote from Migne's page are removed by logged corrections; lost Greek words are marked '…' and not supplied (notably the description of his clothing and diet, and his move near the ascetics' dwelling).
- 'The seven weeks of the holy fast' is Lent. 'The man who presides over this flock' is the head of the neighbouring ascetic community (not named here).
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin debris and a marginal letter from Migne's page, read as Greek letters by the OCR; Latin debris from Migne's parallel column, read as Greek letters by the OCR; footnote variant from Migne's page run into the text by the OCR): [{. ἐῤῥυσω-} → ; σευ θογι πὶ ποι ἀεἰαγγθηίοβ. Π] δα το ϑιιη} ογαὶ ὑπ οὔθ αυθῖν ἀδπιαγαὶ πο δα υπχὶ, εἱ αυΐ οἱ του! ἰρι απ ὶ πὰ 6 δὶ δο τί αην 800 ἀΐο τοι υ πὶ δ πρὶ, ΠΟΓρΡΟΥΪ 8 ἀ 1} Π 816 500] να γο ἰδ ς ται 0Π 6 ἰοὐο ἢ 81}, αι ᾶ ϑὶ ἴδῃ ποῖα οὐ πα 1} - Πα γεϊ δ}, οἰ Ρὲγ ἐπίῃ Α → ; νος 8 τς (ΟπΠἤυδγαηΐ πε ἰ, ἃς 8} Πα Ια. γϑιίοπθ, πο ἀγθαιίθην ἔπη θ6 οἰ νοεῖς αυΐδυο 8 πὶ ἰπδι}- ὌΝ → ; ᾿ α βοὰ οδ νίοπο οὔτι δ᾽ δι, 605 δυ ηγηδιϊ πὶ 56 πο] υδὶ1, πος οϑίϊο Γϑ οι, πος [δηρρίγα. δά Ὁ οδῖ, νοῦ ἢ, γι 68 δἀ- → .
Topics: Fasting
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. rel. 18 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/18). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/18
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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).
Chapter 19
19PG 82
"Αδικεῖν νομίσας τὴν ἀρετὴν, εἰ καὶ Σαλαμάνου τοῦ θαυμασίου τὸν βίον τοῖς δεομένοις μὴ γνωρέίσαιμι, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ τῆς λήθης χωννυμένην περιίδοιμι, ἐν κεφαλαίῳ ποιήσομαι τὴν διήγησιν. Κώμη τίς ἐστι τοῦ Εὐφράτου ποταμοῦ πρὸς ἑσπέραν, αὑτῇ ἐπικειμένη τῇ ὄχθῃ, Καπερσανᾷ καλουμένη. Ἐκ ταύτης οὗτος ὁρμώμενο:, καὶ τὸν ἡσύχιον ἀσπαζόμενος βίον, ἐν ᾿ τῇ πέραν κώμῃ σμικρὸν οἰκίσκον εὑρὼν, χαθεῖρξεν ἑαυτὸν, οὔτε θύραν, οὔτε θυρίδα καταλιπών. ἔωκη: δὲ τοῦ ἔτους παρὰ τὴν γῆν ὀρύττων, παντὸς ἔτους ὑπεδέχετο τὴν τροφὴν, οὐδενί ποτε τ διαλεγόμενος. Καὶ τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον οὖκ ὀλίγον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι μάλιστα πλεῖστον διετέλεσε χρόνον. Καὶ ὁ τῆς πόλεως δὲ ἀρχιερεὺς, ἧς ἣν ἡ κώμη, τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς μαθὼν ἀρετὴν, ἀφίκετο τῆς ἱερωσύνης αὐτῷ δοῦνα: τὸ δῶρον βουλόμενος" καὶ διαῤῥήξας τοῦ οἱχίσχου τι μέρος εἰσελήλυθε’ καὶ τὴν χεῖρα ἐπέθηκε, καὶ τὴν εὐχὴν ἐπετέλεσε, καὶ πολλὰ μὲν πρὸς αὖτὸν ἔφη, καὶ τὴν ἐπιγενομένην ἐμήνυσε χάριν. Οὐ-. δεμιᾶς δὲ φωνῆς ἀκούσας ἀπελήλυθεν, ἀνοικοδομηθῆναι κελεύσας τὸ ὄρυγμα. λλλοτε δὲ πάλιν, οἱ τῆς κώμης ἐκείνης, ἀφ᾽ ἧς ὥρμητο, νύκτωρ τοῦ ποταμοῦ τὸν πόρον διαπεράσαντες, καὶ τὸ οἴχτ μα διαῤῥήξαντες, λαθόντες αὐτὸν, οὔτε ἀντιτείνοντα, οὗτε κελεύοντα, εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν κώμην φοράδην ἐχόμισαν " ᾿ καὶ τωοῦτον ἕωθεν οἰκίσκον δειμάμενοι, παραυτίκα χαθεῖρξαν. Ὃ ὃὲ ὁμοίως ἡσυχίαν ἦγεν, οὐδὲν πρὸς ᾿μηδένα διαλεγόμενος. Μετ᾿ ὀλίγας δὲ πάλιν ἡμέρας, οἱ τῆς ἀντιπέρα. κώμης, νύχτω, ἐπελθόντες, καὶ τὸ οἴκῃμα διαῤῥήξαντες, πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἀπῆγον, οὐκ ἀντιλέγοντα, οὐδὲ μένειν βιαζόμενον, οὐδ᾽ αὖ πάλιν προθύμως ἀπαίροντα. Οὕτω νεκρὸν ἑαυτὸν παντελῶς τῷ βίῳ κατέστησε, καὶ τὴν ἀποστολικὴν ἐχείνην φωνὴν ἀληθεύων ἐφθέγξατο ε« Χριστῷ συνεσταύρωμαι, ζῶ δὲ οὐκ ἔτι ἐγὼ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστὸς " ὃ δὲ νῦν ζῶ ἐν σαρκὶ, ἐν πίστει ζῶ τῇ τοῦ ΥἹοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀγαπήσαντός με, καὶ δόντος ἑαυτὸν ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ. ν» Τοιοῦτος καὶ οὗτος ἐγένετο. ᾿Αρκεῖ γὰρ καὶ ταῦτα διδάξαι τὴν πᾶταν τοῦ βίου προαίρεσιν. Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν χαρπωσάμενος εὐλογίαν, ἃ εἰ τὴν τῶν ἄλλων διήγησιν μεταδήσομαι.
"Adikein nomisas tēn aretēn, ei kai Salamanou tou thaumasiou ton bion tois deomenois mē gnōreisaimi, all᾽ hypo tēs lēthēs chōnnymenēn periidoimi, en kephalaiǭ poiēsomai tēn diēgēsin. Kōmē tis esti tou Euphratou potamou pros hesperan, hautę̄ epikeimenē tę̄ ochthę̄, Kapersaną kaloumenē. Ek tautēs houtos hormōmeno:, kai ton hēsychion aspazomenos bion, en ᾿ tę̄ peran kōmę̄ smikron oikiskon heurōn, chatheirxen heauton, oute thyran, oute thyrida katalipōn. eōkē: de tou etous para tēn gēn oryttōn, pantos etous hypedecheto tēn trophēn, oudeni pote t dialegomenos. Kai touton ton tropon ouk oligon, all᾽ hoti malista pleiston dietelese chronon. Kai ho tēs poleōs de archiereus, hēs hēn hē kōmē, tēn tou andros mathōn aretēn, aphiketo tēs hierōsynēs autǭ douna: to dōron boulomenos" kai diarrhēxas tou hoichischou ti meros eiselēlythe’ kai tēn cheira epethēke, kai tēn euchēn epetelese, kai polla men pros auton ephē, kai tēn epigenomenēn emēnyse charin. Ou-. demias de phōnēs akousas apelēlythen, anoikodomēthēnai keleusas to orygma. lllote de palin, hoi tēs kōmēs ekeinēs, aph᾽ hēs hōrmēto, nyktōr tou potamou ton poron diaperasantes, kai to oicht ma diarrhēxantes, lathontes auton, oute antiteinonta, houte keleuonta, eis tēn oikeian kōmēn phoradēn echomisan " ᾿ kai tōouton heōthen oikiskon deimamenoi, parautika chatheirxan. Ho hoe homoiōs hēsychian ēgen, ouden pros ᾿mēdena dialegomenos. Met᾿ oligas de palin hēmeras, hoi tēs antipera. kōmēs, nychtō, epelthontes, kai to oikę̄ma diarrhēxantes, pros heautous apēgon, ouk antilegonta, oude menein biazomenon, oud᾽ au palin prothymōs apaironta. Houtō nekron heauton pantelōs tǭ biǭ katestēse, kai tēn apostolikēn echeinēn phōnēn alētheuōn ephthenxato e« Christǭ synestaurōmai, zō de ouk eti egō, zę̄ de en emoi Christos " ho de nyn zō en sarki, en pistei zō tę̄ tou HuIou tou Theou tou agapēsantos me, kai dontos heauton hyper emou. n» Toioutos kai houtos egeneto. ᾿Arkei gar kai tauta didaxai tēn patan tou biou proairesin. Egō de kai tēn enteuthen charpōsamenos eulogian, ha ei tēn tōn allōn diēgēsin metadēsomai.
Thinking that I would wrong virtue if I did not make known the life of the admirable Salamanes to those who need it, but allowed it to be buried by forgetfulness, I shall tell it in summary. There is a village to the west of the river Euphrates, lying on the very bank, called Capersana. Setting out from this village and embracing the life of stillness, he found a small cell in the village on the other side and shut himself in, leaving neither door nor window. Once a year, digging by the ground, he received his food for the whole year, never speaking to anyone. He continued in this way not for a short time but for a very long time. The high priest of the city to which the village belonged, learning of the man’s virtue, came wishing to give him the gift of the priesthood; he broke through part of the cell, went in, laid on his hand and completed the prayer, said much to him and made known the grace that had come upon him. But he heard no word in reply and went away, ordering the opening to be built up again. Another time the people of the village from which he had come crossed the river by night, broke into the dwelling, and without his either resisting or consenting, carried him off bodily to their own village; and at dawn they built a similar cell and at once shut him in. He kept his stillness just the same, speaking not a word to anyone. A few days later the people of the village opposite came by night, broke into the dwelling and took him back to themselves, while he neither objected, nor forced them to let him stay, nor again went away eagerly. So completely did he make himself dead to life, and he spoke truly that apostolic word: ‘I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.’ Such was this man too. These things are enough to teach the whole purpose of his life. Having reaped the blessing from it, I shall pass on to the story of the others.
Gal 2:20 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Salamanes lives walled in and silent beside the Euphrates, does not respond even to his ordination, and lets himself be carried back and forth between two rival villages.
- Latin debris from Migne's parallel column is removed by logged corrections. 'Once a year' renders a damaged word (ἔωκη:, probably ἅπαξ).
- Gal 2:20 is quoted.
- Salamanes is ordained presbyter by the bishop of the city to which the village belonged (not named); the chapter reports that he made no response.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin debris and a marginal letter from Migne's page, read as Greek letters by the OCR; Latin debris from Migne's parallel column, read as Greek letters by the OCR): Α πος συπιγλἀ! ςοπί6π), 40} → ; δίῃ [η ἰδ δά → .
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. rel. 19 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/19). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/19
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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).
Chapter 20
20PG 82
Ὁμήρον κώμη τίς ἐστι παρ᾽ ἡμῖν ἀαχδυμένννν: παρὰ ταύτην οἰχίδιον οἰκοδομήσας βραχὺ Μάρις ὁ θεσπέτιος, ἑπτὰ καὶ τριάκοντα ἐν αὐτῷ χαθειργμένος διετέλεσεν ἔέη.- Πολλὴν δὲ ἐκ τοῦ παρακειμένον ὅρους ὑπεδέξατο τὴν νοτίδα, καὶ λιδάδας ζινὰς ὑδάτῶν ἀνέόλυζεν. “Ὅση δὲ τοῖς σώμασιν ἐντεῦθεν ἐπιγίνεται βλάθη, ἴσασι καὶ ἀστοὶ καὶ χωρητικοί " καὶ γὰρ τοῖς ἀγροίκοις δῆλα τὰ παθήματα ἐντεῦθεν φυόμενα. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως οὐδὲ ταῦτα ἔπεισε τὴν ἱερὰν ἐχείνην κεφαλὴν τὸν οἰκίσκον ἀμεῖψαι " ἀλλὰ διέμεινε καρτερῶν" ἕως τὸν δρόμον ἐξήνυσε. Καὶ τὸν πρότερον δὲ βίον μετὰ τῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς διώδευσε πόνων. Ὅθεν καὶ τῷ σώματι τὴν ἀγνείαν καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ διετήρησε. Καὶ τοῦτό μοι σαφῶ; αὐτὸς χατεμῆννσεν, ἄφθορον αὐτῷ διαμεῖναι τὸ σῶμα διδάξας, καὶ οἷον ἀπὸ τῆς μητρῴας ἐξελήλυθε μήτρας, Καὶ ταῦτα πολλὰς μὲν ᾿ ἐκ μαρτύρων πανηγύρεις ἐπιτελέσας, ἡνίχα νέος ἐτύγλων γὰρ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον διετέλεσε χρόνον᾽, ὥρᾳ τε σώματος λάμπων. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως οὔτε τοῦ σώματος τὸ κάλλος, οὔτε τῆς φωνῆς ἡ λαμπρότης, οὐκ ἡ τῶν πολλῶν ἐπιμιξία, τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐλυμήνατρ κάλλος " «ἧς οἰκείας ἐπεμελεῖτο ψυχῆς " ηὔξησε δὲ τὴν ἀρετὴν τοῖς τῆς χαθείρξεως πόνοις. Τούτου πολλάκις τῆς συνουσίας ἀπήλαυσα. ᾿Αποφράττειν γάρ μοι τὴν θύραν ἐκέλευε " καὶ εἰσιόντα δὲ περιεπτύσσετο, καὶ μακροὺς περὶ φιλοσοφίας ἐξέτεινε λόγους, Απλότητι δὲ καὶ οὗτος διέλαμ πε, καὶ τὰ ποικίλα 4θη παντάπασιν ἐδδελύττετο " τὴν πενίαν δὲ ὑπὲρ πὴν ἄκραν εὐπορίαν ἠγάπησεν. ᾿Εννενήκοντα ᾿ἔτη ἱματίοις ἐχρῆτο. ΓΆρτος δὲ καὶ ἄλες ὀλίγοι τῆς τροφῆς αὐτῷ τὴν χρείαν ἐπλήρουν. Ποθήσας δὲ διὰ γρόνου μακροῦ τὴν πνευματικὴν καὶ μυστικὴν θυοἰαν προσφερομένην ἰδεῖν, ἤἥτησεν ἐκεῖ γενέσθαι τὴν τοῦ θείου δώρου προσχομιδήν. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἀσμένως ὑπίχουσα, καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ σχεύη χομισθῆναι παρασκευάσας, οὐ πόῤῥωθεν γὰρ ἦν τὸ χωρίον, καὶ ταῖς τῶν διακόνων χερσὶν ἀντὶ θυσ'αστη οίου χρησάμενος, τὴν μυστικὴν καὶ θείαν καὶ σωτήριον θυσίαν προσφιλοσοφίαν προθείην εἰς μίμησιν. Καὶ νῦν τοῦνῦν πέρας ἐπιθήσω τῷ διηγήματι. ἤνεγκα. Ὁ δὲ πάσης ἡδονῆς ἐνεφορεῖτο πνευματικῇς, καὶ αὐτὸν ὁρᾶν τὸν οὐρανὸν ὑπελάμθανε, καὶ ἔφα- Ἐγὼ δὲ θερμῶς λίαν ὑπ᾽ αὑτοῦ φιληθεὶς, ἀδικήσειν χήσειν δὲ τοὺς ἄλλους, εἰ μὴ τὴν ἀρίστην ταύτην τῆς πορ' αὑτοῦ τυχεῖν ἐπικουρίας ἀντιδολήσας,
Homēron kōmē tis esti par᾽ hēmin aachdymennnn: para tautēn oichidion oikodomēsas brachy Maris ho thespetios, hepta kai triakonta en autǭ chatheirgmenos dietelesen eeē.- Pollēn de ek tou parakeimenon horous hypedexato tēn notida, kai lidadas zinas hydatōn aneolyzen. “Hosē de tois sōmasin enteuthen epiginetai blathē, isasi kai astoi kai chōrētikoi " kai gar tois agroikois dēla ta pathēmata enteuthen phyomena. ᾿All᾽ homōs oude tauta epeise tēn hieran echeinēn kephalēn ton oikiskon ameipsai " alla diemeine karterōn" heōs ton dromon exēnyse. Kai ton proteron de bion meta tōn tēs aretēs diōdeuse ponōn. Hothen kai tǭ sōmati tēn agneian kai tę̄ psychę̄ dietērēse. Kai touto moi saphō? autos chatemēnnsen, aphthoron autǭ diameinai to sōma didaxas, kai hoion apo tēs mētrǭas exelēlythe mētras, Kai tauta pollas men ᾿ ek martyrōn panēgyreis epitelesas, hēnicha neos etyglōn gar epi pleiston dietelese chronon᾽, hōrą te sōmatos lampōn. ᾿All᾽ homōs oute tou sōmatos to kallos, oute tēs phōnēs hē lamprotēs, ouk hē tōn pollōn epimixia, to tēs psychēs elymēnatr kallos " «hēs oikeias epemeleito psychēs " ēuxēse de tēn aretēn tois tēs chatheirxeōs ponois. Toutou pollakis tēs synousias apēlausa. ᾿Apophrattein gar moi tēn thyran ekeleue " kai eisionta de perieptysseto, kai makrous peri philosophias exeteine logous, Aplotēti de kai houtos dielam pe, kai ta poikila 4thē pantapasin eddelytteto " tēn penian de hyper pēn akran euporian ēgapēsen. ᾿Ennenēkonta ᾿etē himatiois echrēto. GArtos de kai ales oligoi tēs trophēs autǭ tēn chreian eplēroun. Pothēsas de dia gronou makrou tēn pneumatikēn kai mystikēn thyoian prospheromenēn idein, hēētēsen ekei genesthai tēn tou theiou dōrou proschomidēn. Egō de asmenōs hypichousa, kai ta hiera scheuē chomisthēnai paraskeuasas, ou porrhōthen gar ēn to chōrion, kai tais tōn diakonōn chersin anti thys'astē oiou chrēsamenos, tēn mystikēn kai theian kai sōtērion thysian prosphilosophian protheiēn eis mimēsin. Kai nyn tounyn peras epithēsō tǭ diēgēmati. ēnenka. Ho de pasēs hēdonēs enephoreito pneumatikę̄s, kai auton horan ton ouranon hypelamthane, kai epha- Egō de thermōs lian hyp᾽ hautou philētheis, adikēsein chēsein de tous allous, ei mē tēn aristēn tautēn tēs por' hautou tychein epikourias antidolēsas,
There is a village near us called Omeros. Beside it the godly Maris built a small cell and continued shut up in it for thirty-seven years. It received much moisture from the neighbouring mountain, and springs of water bubbled up in it. How much harm comes to bodies from this, citizens and country people know; for even to peasants the ailments that grow from it are plain. Yet not even this persuaded that sacred head to change his cell; he remained, enduring, until he completed his course. His earlier life too he travelled with the labours of virtue; so he kept purity in body and in soul. He told me this plainly himself, explaining that his body had remained uncorrupted, just as it had come from his mother’s womb; and this though he had taken part in many festivals of martyrs when he was young … for he continued a very long time …, radiant with bodily beauty. Yet neither the beauty of his body, nor the brilliance of his voice, nor mixing with the many harmed the beauty of his soul; he cared for his own soul, and increased his virtue by the labours of enclosure. I often enjoyed his company; for he would tell me to break open the door, and when I came in he embraced me and extended long discussions about philosophy. He too shone with simplicity and loathed intricate characters altogether; he loved poverty above the greatest wealth. For ninety years he used … garments; a little bread and salt met his need of food. After a long time, longing to see the spiritual and mystical sacrifice offered, he asked that the offering of the divine gift be made there. I gladly agreed, had the sacred vessels brought (for the place was not far off), and using the hands of the deacons in place of an altar, I offered the mystical, divine and saving sacrifice. He was filled with all spiritual delight, supposed that he was seeing heaven itself, and said … I, who was loved by him very warmly, [thought that I would wrong him], and wrong the others too, if I did not set this excellent philosophy before them for imitation. And now I shall put an end to the story, having begged to obtain help from him.
Notes and citation
Summary: Maris lives thirty-seven years in a damp cell near Omeros, keeps his virginity, and at his request Theodoret celebrates the Eucharist in his cell, using the deacons' hands as an altar.
- The lines of this short chapter are out of order in the scan: the closing sentence ('… set this excellent philosophy before them for imitation. And now I shall put an end to the story') stands in the middle of the account of the Eucharist and is translated at the end, where the sense shows it belongs. Latin debris from Migne's parallel column is removed by logged corrections; lost words are marked '…'.
- 'Festivals of martyrs': the damaged context suggests Maris sang at martyrs' festivals as a young man with a fine voice ('the brilliance of his voice'); the exact wording is lost.
- Theodoret, as bishop of Cyrrhus, celebrates the Eucharist ('the mystical, divine and saving sacrifice') in the recluse's cell, with the deacons holding the vessels in place of an altar.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin debris from Migne's parallel column, read as Greek letters by the OCR; Latin debris, a number and a marginal letter from Migne's page, read as Greek letters by the OCR): Αἰ αἰν ἰμ ἰΐς πον το ἰπ → ; 16 Διο πὶ δρί γι (4}} γε δγίιι8 νοϊαρία! 6, οἰ πὶ ἰρβιμν Α → ; ἢ 0115. → .
Topics: Eucharist
Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. rel. 20 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/20). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/20
BibTeX · RIS · CSL-JSON (whole work; this passage's key: sophiascriptura-theodoret-historia-religiosa-20) · Report an error
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).