Religious History 3
Greek text: PG 82.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 3
3PG 82
Μαρχιανὸν δὲ τὸν πάνυ πῶς ἂν ἀξίως θαυμάταιμεν; ἣ δῆλον ὅτι Ἡλίᾳ καὶ Ἰωάννῃ, καὶ τοῖς; κατ' ἐκείνους συντάττοντες, οἱ περιῆλθον ἐν μηλωταῖς, ἐν αἰγείοις δέρμασιν, ὑστερούμενοι, θλιθόμενο:, κακουχούμενοι, ὧν οὐκ ἣν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος οὗτος, ἐν ἐρημίαις πλανώμενοι, καὶ ὄρεσ!, καὶ σπηλαίοις, καὶ Ὁ ταῖς ὁπαῖς τῆς γῆς; Οὗτος γὰρ πατρίδα πάλαι μὲν ἔσχε τὴν Κῦρον, ἧς καὶ πρόσθεν ἐμνήσθην, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τὴν ἔρημον, καὶ ταύτην δὲ κἀκείνην καταλιπὼν, νῦν ἔχει τὸν οὐρανόν. Καὶ ἡ μὲν αὐτὸν ἐγέννησεν, ἡ δὲ ἔθρεψε καὶ νικηφόρον ἀπέφηνε, ὁ ἃ στεφανίτην ἐδέξατο. Τῆς γὰρ τοῦ γένους χαταφρ" νήσας περιφανείας, ἐξ εὐπατριδῶν γὰρ χατήγετο, καὶ τῆς ἐν βασιλείοις λαμπρότητος, ἐν ἐκείνοις ἤνθει, μέγεθος σώματος καὶ κάλλος παρὰ τοῦ λημιουργοῦ δεξάμενος τῆς φύσεως, καὶ ψυχὴν ἔχων ἀγχινοίᾳ κεκοσμημένην, εἷς Θεὸν καὶ τὰ θεοῦ τὸ φίλτρον μετέθηχε, καὶ πᾶσιν ἐῤῥῶσθαι φράσας, οἰκίσκον δειμάμενος, οὐδὲ τῷ σώματι σύμμετρον, Α καὶ ἄλλῳ τε σμικρῷ τινι χτὸ διηνεκῶς, πάσης μὲν συνουσίας ἀνθρωπίνης κεχωρισμένος, τῷ δὲ τῶν ὅλων Δεσπότῃ διαλεγόμενος, καὶ τῆς γλυκείας ἐκείνης ἐπαΐων φωνῆς. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ θείοις ἐντυγχάνων λογίοις, τῆς θείας φωνῇς ἀπολαύειν ἡγεῖτο" προσευχόμενος δὲ καὶ τὰς ἱκετείας “προσφέρων, αὐτὸς τὴν πρὸς τὸν Δεσπότην ἐποιεῖτο διάλεξιν. ἀ αἱ τοσαύτης ἀεὶ τρυφῆς ἀπολαύων χόρον λαδεῖν οὐκ ἐδηύλετο. "Ηκουσε γὰρ τοῦ θείου Πνεύματος διὰ τοῦ μεγάλου Δαδὶὃ ὑποψάλλοντος, « Ὡς ὁ μελετῶν ἐν νόμῳ Κυρίου ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτὸς, ἔσται ὡς τὸ ξύλον τὸ πεφυτευμένον παρὰ τὰς διεξόδους «κῶν ὑδάτων, ὃ τὸν καρπὸν αὐτοῦ δώσει ἐν καιρῷ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ φύλλον αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἀποῤῥυήσεται. ν» Τούτῶν τῶν καρπῶν ἐφιέμενος τὸν ἥδιστον τοῦτον ἢσπάζεῖο πόνον, καὶ τὴν μὲν προσευχὴν ἡ ψαλμῳδία, πὴν δὲ ψαλμῳδίαν ἡ προσευχὴ διεδέχετο, καὶ ἀμφότερα πάλιν ἡ τῶν θείων λογίων ἀνάγνωσις - Σιτίον δὲ ἣν αὐτῷ μόνος ἄρτος, καὶ οὗτος σταθμῷ προσφε- Ῥόμενος " τοσοῦτος δὲ ἦν ὁ σταθμὸς, ὡς μὴ παιδίῳ ἄρτι θηλῆς ἀπαλλαγέντι τὴν χρείαν πληροῦν" φασὶ γὰρ τοῦ ἄρτον τὴν λίτραν τετραχῆ διαιρουμένην ἡμέραις τέτταρσι διανέμεσθαι, καὶ ἡμέρᾳ ἑκάστῃ μίαν ἀπονέμεσθαι μοῖραν. Ἐχεχρίχει γὰρ ἑσπέρας «κατὰ μίαν ἐσθίειν ἡμέραν, χόρον δὲ μηδέποτε λαδεῖν" ἀλλ᾽ ἀεὶ μὲν πεινῇν, ἀεὶ δὲ διψῇν, προσφέρειν δὲ τῷ σώματι τὰ εἰς τὸ ζῇν ἀποχρῶντα. Ἔλεγε γὰρ ὡς; ὁ διὰ πλειόνων ἡμερῶν σιτίων μεταλαγχάνων, ἀσθενέστερον μὲν ἐν ταῖς τῆς ἀσιτίας ἡμέραις τὰς δεπο- 6 πικὰς λειτουργίας ἐπιτελεῖ“ ἐν ἦ δὲ πάλιν ἡμέρᾳ τῶν σιτίων μεταλαμδάνει, πλείονα, ὡς εἰκὸς, προσφερόμένος τὴν γαστέρα. φορτίζει, βαρυνομένη δὲ αὕτη ὠχνηροτέραν περὶ τὴν ἀγρυςνίαν καθίστησι τὴν ψυχήν. ΓΛἌμεινον τοίνυν ἔλεγε καθ᾽ ἡμέραν μεταλαμ- Θάνειν τροφῆς, χόρον δὲ ὑπομεῖναι μηδέποτε. ᾿Αληθὴς γὰρ νηστεία ἡ διηνεκὴς ἔνδεια, Ταῦτα νομοῦε- «πῶν διετέλει ὁ θεῖος οὗτος ἀνὴρ, καὶ σῶμα μέγιστον ἔχων, καὶ τῶν ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῦ πάντων ἀνθρώπων μέγιστος ὧν καὶ κάλλιστος, μικρῷ τοῦτο σιτίῳ Χρόνον δέ τινὸς διελθόντος δύ) συνοίκους ἐδέξατο, Ἐὐσέδιον, ὃς τῆς ἱερᾶς ἐκείνης καλύδης κληρονόμος ἐγένετο, καὶ ᾿Αγαπητὸν, ὃς τὴν ἀγγελικὴν ταύτην νομοθεσίαν εἰς τὴν ᾿Απαμέων μετεφύτευσε. Κώμη γάρ τίς ἐστι μεγίστη καὶ πολυάνθρωπος, Νιχέρται Ὁ δὲ ὄνομα ταύτῃ δύο τοίνυν φιλοσοφίας ἐν ταύτῃ ιφροντιστήρια κατεσκεύασε μέγιστα" τὸ μὲν τῆς αὐτοῦ προσηγορίας ἐπώνυμον, τὸ δὲ τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ Σνμεώγον, ὃς πεντήκοντα ἑτῶν ἀριθμὸν ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ φιλοσοφίᾳ διέλαμψεν. Ἕν τούτοις μέχρι καὶ τήμερον πλείους ἣ τετραχόσιοι διάγουσιν ἄνδρες, ἀρετῆς ἀθληταὶ, καὶ εὑσεδείας ἐρασταὶ, καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν τοῖς πόνοις ὠνούμενοι " θεσμοθέται δὲ ταύτης τῆς πολιτείας ᾿Αγαπητὸς καὶ Συμεώνης, παρὰ τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρχιανοῦ τοὺς νόμους δεξάμενοι. Ἐκ δὲ τούτων μυρία ἐφυτεύθη ἕτερα ἀσκητῶν καταγώγια, τουτοισὶ τοῖς νόμοις χρσμούμενα, ἃ οὐ. ῥάδιον ἀριθμεῖν. ᾿Αλλὰ φυτουργὸς τούτων ἁπάντων ὁ θεσπέσιος ἐκεῖνος ἀνήρ" ὁ γὰρ τὸ σπέρμα τὸ κάλλιστον παρασχὼν, οὗτος καὶ τῶν φύντων ἀγαθῶν αἴτιος ἂν εἰκότως κληθείη. Τὸ μὲν οὖν πρῶτον, ὡς ἔφην, μόνος τὴν ἔθελούσιον εἶχεν εἑρχτὴν ἐχείνην" ἔπειτα τοὺς δύο τούτοὺς ὁποδεξάμενος, οὐ συνοίκους εἶχεν“ οὐδὲ γὰρ αὐτῷ μόνῳ ὁ οἰχίσχος ἀπέχρη, σμικρὸς ὧν κομιδῇ, καὶ πολὺν αὐτῷ καὶ ἑστῶτι καὶ χαταχειμένῳ παρἐχὼν πόνον. Οὔτε γὰρ ἑστὼς ἀνορθοῦσθαι οἷός τε ἦν, τῆς ὁροφῆς καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν καὶ τὸν αὐχένα χαμπτούσης " οὔτε χαταχλινόμενος ἐκτείνειν τοὺς πόδας ἠδύνατο, ἰσόμετρον τῷ σώματι τοῦ οἴκου τὸ μῆκος οὐκ ἔχοντος. “Ἕτερον οὖν αὑτοῖς ἐπιτρέψας κατασκευάσαι, ἐν ἐκείνῳ διάγειν ἐκέλευσε, καὶ καθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς δὲ ὑμνεῖν, καὶ προσεύχεσθαι, καὶ τοῖς θείοις Β ἐντυγχάνειν λογίοις. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἔδει πλείονας τῆς ὠφελείας ταύτης μεταλαχεῖν, ἕτερον πόῤῥωθεν οἶχοδιάγειν τοὺς βουλομένους ἐκέλευεν. ᾿Ἡγεμόνευσε δὲ ὑτῶν ὁ Εὐσέδιος, τὴν τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρχιανοῦ διδασκαλίαν δισπορθμεύων. Ὁ δὲ θεῖο; ἐκεῖνος ᾿Αγαπητὸς παιδοτριδηθεὶς, ὡς ὅδει, καὶ γυμνασθεὶς, καὶ τὴν ἀθλητιχὴν ταύτην ἄριστα παιδευθεὶς, ἐπα» νῆχεν, ὡς ἔφην, καὶ ἃ παρὰ τῆς θείας ἐκείνης ψυχῆς ἐδέξατο, πατέσπειρε σπέρματα - οὕτω δὲ περιφανὴς ἐγένετο καὶ περίδλεπτος, ὡς καὶ τῆς ἀρχιερατικῆς προεδρίας ἀξιωθῆναι, καὶ ποιμενικὴν κηδεμονίαν, καὶ τῆς οἰκείας πατρίδος ἐμπιστευθῆναι τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν. Εὐσέδιος δὲ ὁ θαυμάσιος, τῆς συναθροιαθείσης προστατεύων ἀγέλης, καὶ τοῦ διδασκάλου τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν ἀνεδέδεχτο, καὶ μόνος εἰς καιρὸν αὐτῷ φοιτᾷν καὶ πυνθάνεσθαι μή τι βούλοιτο ἠξιοῦτο. Ἐϑελήσας δέ ποτε νύκτωρ ἰδεῖν ὅ τι πράττει, ἐτόλμησε τῇ φωταγωγῷ, βραχεῖα δὲ ἣν αὕτη, πελάσαι“ καὶ παρακύψας ὁρᾷ φῶς οὐ λυχνιαῖον, οὐδὲ χειροποίητον, ἀλλὰ θεόπδοτον, καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν χάριτος, τῆς τοῦ διδασκάλου κορυφῇς ἀπαστράπτον, καὶ τῶν θείων λογίων ὑποδειχνύον τὴν τῶν γραμμάτων σύνθεσιν. Καὶ γὰρ βιθλίον κατέχων ἐτύγχανε, καὶ τὸν ἄσυλον θησαυρὸν ἐπεζήτει τοῦ θείου θελήματος. Τοῦτο θεαπλατο, καὶ φρίκης μεστὸς ἐγίνετο, καὶ τὴν χαταχ’χυμένην τοῦ θείου θεράποντος ἐδιδάσκετο χάριν, καὶ «οὔ Θεοῦ τὴν περὶ τοὺς δούλους ἐμάνθανεν εὔνοιαν. Ἄλλοτε δὲ, ἐν τῷ προαυλίῳ τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρχιανοῦ, δράκων τις ἀνερπύσας εἰς τὸν πρὸς ἕω τετραμμένον τοῖχον, ἄνωθεν τοῦ τοίχου διέχυψε κεχηνώς τε ἅμα καὶ βλοσυρὸν βλέπων, καὶ ῃ τὴν ἐπιδουλὴν σημαίνων. Πόῤῥω δὲ ἑστὼς ὁ Εὐσέθδιος, καὶ τὸ φρεχῶδες ἐκεῖνο θέαμα δείσας, καὶ τὸν καὶ φυγεῖν ἀντιδολῶν. Ὁ δὲ ἐπιτιμήσας, καὶ τὴν δειλίαν ἐχδαλεῖν κελεύσας, πάθος γὰρ. εἶναι καὶ ταύτὴν ὀλέθριον, τὸ μὲν σημεῖον δακτύλῳ τοῦ σταυροῦ προετύπωσε, ἐνεφύσησε δὲ τῷ στόματι, καὶ τὴν παλαιὰν παρεδήλωσεν ἔχθραν. Ὁ δὲ, καϑάπερ. πυρί τινι τῷ τοῦ στόματος πνεύματι ἀναφθεὶς, καὶ οἱονεὶ ἐμπρησθεὶς, καλάμης δίκην χαταφλεχθείσης εἰς πολλὰ διελύθη. Ὅρα μοι τοίνυν εἰ μὴ τὸν Δεσπότην ὡς εὕνους οἰκέτης μεμίμηται. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ Δεσπότης, τῆς θαλάτφης ἐπιμανείσης ποτὲ τῷ σχάφει τῷ τῶν μα θητῶν, ἀγωνιῶντας τούτους θεασάμενος, οὐ πρότ: ὃν πῆς θαλάσσης τὴν ζάλην ἑστόρεσε, πρὶν ἢ τῶν μα- … ὁ θαυμάσιος οὗτος ταῦτα πεπαιδευμένος, πρῶτον τοῦ μαθητοῦ τὴν δειλίαν ἐξέλαδεν, εἶθ᾽ οὕτως τὸ θηρίον τιμωρίᾳ παρέδωκε, Τοιαύτη τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρχιανοῦ καὶ ἡ σοφία, καὶ ἡ θαυματουργία, καὶ ἡ πρὸς Θεὸν παῤῥησία. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅμως καὶ τοιαύτης χάριτος ἠξιωμένος, καὶ θαυματουργεῖν μεγάλα δυνάμενος, κρύπτειν ἐσπούξαζε τὴν ἰσχὺν, τοῦ λωποδύτου τῆς ἀρετῆς τὰ: μηχανὰς ὑφορώμενος. Τὸ γὰρ τῆς ἀλαζονείας ὑποσπείρων πάθος, «οὺς πόνῳ συλλεγέντας καρποὺς λῃστεύειν ἐπιχειρεῖ. Καὶ κρύπτειν δὲ τὴν δεδομένην προθυμούμενος χάριν, ἄκων ἐθαυματούργει, τῆς τῶν κατορθωμάτων αἴγλης ἀπαστραπτούσης, καὶ τὴν κεκρυμμένην δύναμιν παραγυμνούσης᾽ καὶ δήποτε τοιόνδε συνέδη γενέσθαι, ᾿Ανήρ τις τῶν εὐπατριδῶν, καὶ ἀρχὰς τῆς Συρίας ὁρμώμενος, τῆς θυγατρὸς ἐπὶ χρόνῳ πολλῷ, χορνδαντιώσης, καὶ ὑπὸ πονηροῦ δαίμονος μον, συνήθης μὲν ὧν τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρχιανοῦ, συνκεύξεσθαι δὲ αὑτῷ καὶ ἀντιδολῆσαι διὰ τὴν προτέραν δὲ τῆς ἐλπίδος, καὶ «ἧς θέας διαμαρτὼν τοῦ θείου θεράποντος, ἱκετεύει «τινὰ πρεπσδύτην, ὃς κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο καιροῦ τὴν τοῦ θείου ἐλαίου πλῆρες ὑποδέξασθαί τε καὶ παρ᾽ αὐτὴν θεῖναι «οὔ οἰχιδίου τὴν θύραν. Ὁ δὲ πρεσδύτης, πολλάκις μὲν τὴν ἐγχείρησιν ἀρνηθεὶς, πολλάκις δὲ πάλιν παρακληθεὶς, ἥττων τῆς ἱκεσίας ἐγένετο. Τοῦ δὲ κτύπου αἰσθόμενος ὁ μέγας Μαρχιανὸς, ἐπυνθάνετο τίς τε εἴη, ταὶ τέ δεόμενο; ἦκοι. Ὁ δὲ τὴν μὲν ἀληθῆ πρόφασιν ἔχρνπτεν, ἐσχήπτετα δὲ ἀφῖχθαι, ὡς μα- Ὑπὸ δὲ τὴν ἕω πάλιν τῆ; κόρης ὁ πατὴρ ἱκέτευεν ἀποδοθῆναι αὐτῷ τὸ ληχύθιον, ὁ δὲ δεδιὼς μὲν, ἀπῇει δ᾽ ὅμως ἡσυχῇ ἧ ἡδύνατο, καὶ τὴν χεῖρα προτείνας, καὶ τὸ ληχύθιαν λαδὼν, ἐπειρᾶτο λανθάνειν " ὁ δὲ πόλιν ἐπύθετο τί βουλόμενος ἦκοι. Ὧ; δὲ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔφη πρόφασιν, ἣν καὶ ἑσπέρας ἐδήλωσε, δυσχεράνας ὁ θεῖος ἀνὴρ, ἅτε δὴ παρὰ τὸ εἰωθὸς γεγενημένην, τοῦ πρεσθύτου τὴν ἄφιξιν, τἀληθῇ ἀπαγγέλλειν ἐχέλενεν. Ὁ δὲ δειμαίνων καὶ τρέμων, καὶ κρύπτειν κὸν τῆς θεία; χάριτο; ἀνάπλεων οὐ δυνάμενος, τίς τε ἧκοι ἔλεγε, καὶ τοῦ πάθους τὴν τραγῳδίαν ἐδίδασκε, καὶ τὸ ληχύθιον ἐπεδείχγυ. Ὁ δὲ ἠγανάκτει μὲν, ὡς εἰκὸς ἦν, δεικνύναι τὴν ἀρετὴν οὐ βουλόμενος, ἀπειλήσας δὲ ὅμως, ὡς εἰ αὖθις τοιαῦτα τολμήσειε, καὶ τῆς συνουσίας ἐκείνης στερηθήσεται, καὶ τὴν διακονίαν ἀφαιρεθήσεται " μεγίστη δὲ ἦν ἡ ζημία τοῖς τὸ κέρδος ἐπισταμένοις “ ἀπέπεμψεν ἀποδοῦναι «ῷ δεδωκότι κελεύσας. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ταῦτα ἐκέλευε, «“ἕτταρας δὲ σταθμοὺς ὁ δαίμων ἀφεστηχὼς τοῦ ἐξελαύνοντο; ἐδόα τὴν δύναμιν" καὶ Μαρχιανὸς ἐν Βεροίᾳ τὰ δικαστῶν εἰργάζετο δημίοις τισὶ κατὰ τοῦ δαίμονος χρώμενος, καὶ τὸν ἀλιτήριον ἐκεῖνον ἐξἐλαύνων, καὶ τὴν κόρην καθαρὰν τῆς ἐνεργείας ἀποφαίνων ἐκείνης. Καὶ τοῦτο μεμάθηκεν ἀχριδῶς ὁ τῆς χύρης πατὴρ - ἐπανιόντι γὰρ αὐτῷ, καὶ ὀλίγους ἡμέρας, καὶ τὸν καιρὸν ἀχριθῶς ἐξετάσας, ἐκεῖνον τοῦ ἄστεος σταδίους ἀπέχοντι, οἰκέτης τις ἀπίντησεν, εἰς ἀγρὸν ὑπὸ τῆς δεσποίνης ἀποσταλείς, Οὗτος τὸν δεσπότην θεασάμενος προσέφερε τῆς γεγενημένης θαυματουργίας τὰ Εὐαγγέλια, πρὸ τεττάρων ἡμερῶν λέγων γεγενῆσθα: τὸ θαῦμα, ᾿λριθμέσας τοίνυν τὰς εἶνα! μεμάθηκεν, ἐν ᾧ τὸ ληκύθιον ἐξεχόμισεν ὁ πρε- Ἐγὼ δὲ εἰς ἔννοιαν λαμβάνω, τί οὐκ ἂν ἔδρασεν ὁ μέγας οὗτος ἀνὴρ, εἰ θαυματουργεῖν ἐδούλετο. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ κρύπτειν ἑσπουδαχὼς ἣν ἐδέξατο χάριν, τοσαῦ. τὴν αἴγλην ἡφέει, ποίαν οὐκ ἂν τερατουργίαν ἐθελήσας εἰργάσατο; Οὕτω δὲ καὶ τὴν πνευματικὴν αὐτοῦ σοφίαν οὐκ ἅπασιν ἐδέλου, καὶ ταῦτα τὸ τελευταῖον, μετὰ τὴν τοῦ σωτηρίου πάθους καὶ τῆς δεσποτιχῆς ἀναστάσεως ἑορτὴν, εἰσιέναι τοὺς βουλομένους εἰ; δὰ Β αὐτὸν ἐπιτρέψας" ἀμέλει κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον ἅπαντες ὁρᾷν αὑτὸν ἑσπούδαζον τὸν καιρόν. Καὶ δή ποτε ἀφίκοντο πρὸς αὐτὸν συναχθέντες τῶν ἀρχιερέων οἱ πρῶτοι, Φλαδιανὸς ὁ μέγας τὴν ᾿Αντιοχέων ποιμαίνειν πεπιστευμένος, καὶ ὁ θεῖος ᾿Ακάκιος, οὗ καὶ πρόσθεν ἐμνήσθην, Εὐσέδιός τε ὁ τῇς Χαλχιδέων, καὶ Ἰπσίδωρος ὁ τότε τὴν Εὔρον χυδερνᾶν πεπιστευμένος, ἀρετῇ διαπρέποντες. Συνῆν δὲ αὐτοῖς καὶ Θεόδοτος τῆς Ἱεραπολιτῶν κατέχων τὰς ἡνίας, ἀσκήσει καὶ πραὁτητι λάμπων. Παρῆσαν δέ τινες καὶ τῶν ἐν τέλει καὶ ἀξιώμασι, τῆς πίστεως τὸ ξζώπυρον ἔχοντες. Πάντων τοίνυν σιγῇ καθημένων, καὶ τὴν ἱερὰν ἐχείνου προσδεχομένων φωνὴν, σιγῶν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ πολὺ καθῆστο, ἀργῶν μὲν τὴν γλῶτταν, ἐνεργὸν δὲ ἔχων τὴν ἀκοήν. Τότε τις τῶν καθημένων, συνήθης ὧν αὐτῷ διὰ τὴν «ἧς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλειαν, καὶ ἄλλως δὲ ἀξιώματι λάμπων" « Ἅπαντες, ἔφη, ὦ πάτερ, καὶ οἱ θεῖοι Πατέρὲς τῆς σῆς διψῶντες διδασκαλίας, τὰ ἔδιστά 500 προσμένουσι νάματα. Μετάδος τοίνυν τοῖς παροῦσιν ἅπασι τῆς ὠφελείας, καὶ μὴ κωλύσῃ ς τοὺς τῆς εὐεργεσίας χρουνούς.» Ὃ ὃὲ μέγα στενάξας, ὃ τῶν ὅλων, ἔφη ε Θεὸς καθ᾽ ἐκάστην ἡμέραν, καὶ διὰ τῆς κτίσεως φθέγγεται, καὶ διὰ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν διαλέγεται, καὶ παραινεῖ τὰ δέοντα, καὶ εἰστγεῖται τὰ συμφέροντα, καὶ ἀπειλαῖς δεδίττεται, καὶ προτρέπει ταῖς ὑποσχέσεσι, καὶ ὄνησιν οὐδεμίαν καρπούμεθα. Πῶς ὠφέλειαν μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἀποπεμπόμενος, καὶ ὄνησι» ἐκεῖθεν εὔρασθαι μὴ βουλόμενος; » Ἐντεῦθεν πολλοὶ μὲν παρὰ τῶν Πατέρων ἐκινήθησαν λόγοι, οὗὃς ἐνθεῖναι τῷ διηγήματι παρέλχον ἐνόμισα. ᾿᾽Ανα- 'στάντες δὲ καὶ προσευξάμενοι, καὶ τῆς ἱερωσύνης ᾿αὑτῷ τὴν χειροτονίαν ἐπιθεῖναι θελήσαντες, ἔδεισαν πάλιν τὴν ἐπιχείρησιν. Καὶ οὗτος ἐκείνῳ, ἐκεῖνος δὲ τούτῳ παρεκελεύετο“ πάντες δὲ ὁμοίως παραιτησμενο: τὴν ἐπάνοδον ἐποιήσαντο. ᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ βούλομαι καὶ ἄλλο τούτοις προσεῖναι διήγημα, τῆς θείας ὑπάρχον αὐτοῦ συνέσεως γνώρ!σμα. "Αὔιτός τις εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν ἔρημον τὴν ἄσχητιἐστὶ, καὶ μικρὸν πρὸς ξω χειμέντ;, κατὰ τὸν ἀταρτοῦ μεγάλου Μαρχιανοῦ καὶ χρόνῳ καὶ πόνῳ πρεσδύτερὸς ἦν, φιλόσοφος δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ, καὶ τῷ σκληρῷ βίῳ νὴν τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς καταμαθὼν ἀρετὴν, τῆς μικρᾶς ἡσυχίας νερδαλεωτέραν εἶναι τὴν τοιαύτην θέαν νενομιχὼς, ἔδραμε σπεύδων ἰδεῖν τὸν ποθούμενον. Μαθὼν δὲ αὑτοῦ τὴν ἄφιξιν ὁ μέγας Μαρχιανὸς, τὴν θύραν ἀνοίξας εἰσεδέξατο, Εὐσεδίῳ δὲ τῷ θαυμασίῳ παρηγγύησε, καὶ ὄσπριον ἐψῆσα:, καὶ λάχανον εἴπερἔχοι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῆς ἀλλήλων διαλέξεως ἐνεπλήσθησαν, καὶ τὴν ἀλλήλων κατέμαθον ἀρετὴν, κοινῇ τὴν τῆς Ἐννάτη: ἐπετέλεσαν λειτουργίαν. Ἧκε δὲ Εὐτέὅδιος τράπεζαν φέρων, καὶ ἄρτους προσφέρων. Ὁ δὲ μέγας Μαρχιανὸς τῷ θεσπεσίῳ ᾿Αδέτῳ᾽ « Δεῦρο, ἔφη, πάντων μοι προσφιλέστατε, καὶ ταύτης χοινωνήσωμεν νῆς τραπέζης. ν Ὁ δέ" ε Οὐκ οἶδα, ἔφη, πώποτε πρὸ τῆς ἑσπέρας σιτίων μεταλαδὼν, πολλάκις καὶ δύο καὶ τρεῖς κατὰ ταὐτὸν ἄσιτος ἡμέρας δια- “ελῶ. » Ὁ δὲ μέγας Μαρχιανός" ε Ἐμοῦ γοῦν εἵνεκα, ἔξη, σήμερον ἀμειδέσθω τὸ ἔθος " ἀσθενῶς γὰρ τὸ σῶμα διακείμενος προσμένειν τὴν ἑσπέραν οὐ δύναμαι. » Ὡς δὲ καὶ ταῦτα λέγων τὸν θαυμαστὸν “Αὔιτον οὐκ ἔπειθε, στενάξαι τε λέγεται καὶ φάναι" « ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐγώ τε ἀθυμῶ λίαν καὶ δάχνομαι τὴν ψυχὴν, ὅτι τοσοῦτον ὑπέμεινας πόνον, ἵνα τινὰ φιλόπονον καὶ φιλόσοφον ἴδης, καὶ τῆς ἐλπίδος ψευσθεὶς, χάπηλόν πινα καὶ ἄσωτον ἀντὶ φιλοσόφου τεθέασαι. » ᾽Ανιαθέντος δὲ πρὸς ταῦτα τοῦ θειοτάτου ᾿Αδίτου, καὶ φήσαντος, ὡς χρεῶν μεταλάδοι ἂν ἥδιον μᾶλλον, ἣ τούτων ἀκούοι, ὁ μέγας ἔφη Μαρχιανός " ε« Καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὦ φιλότης, τὸν αὐτόν σοι μέτιμεν βίον, καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἀσπαζόμεθα πολιτείαν, καὶ τῆς ἀναπαύλης Γ΄ προτιμῶμεν τοὺς πόνους, καὶ τὴν νηστείαν τῆ: τροφῇς προαιρούμεθα, καὶ νυκτὸς ἐπιγινομένης, τότε ταύτης μεταλαγχάνομεν" ἀλλ᾽ ἴσμεν ὅτι τῆς ἀγάπης τὸ χρῆμα τῆς νηστείας ἐστὶ τιμιώτερον. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ τῆς θείας ἔργον νομοθεσίας, τὸ δὲ τῆς ἡμῶν αὐτῶν ἐξουσία; προσήκει δὲ τοὺς θείους νόμους τῶν ἧμεπέρων πόνων πολλῷ νομίζειν τιμιωτέρους. » Τοιαῦτα πρὸς ἀλλήλους διαλεχθέντες, καὶ βραχείας μεταλαχόντες τροφῆς, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὑμνήσαντες, καὶ τρεῖς πάλιν ἀλλήλους ἐρῶντε; τῷ πνεύματι. Τίς τοίνυν οὐκ ἂν θαυμάσειε τοῦδε τοῦ ἀνδρὸς τὴν σοφίαν, ὑφ᾽ Ὡς; χυδερνώμενο; ἥδει μὲν νηστεία;, ἤδει δὲ φιλοσοφίας καὶ φιλαδελφίας καιρὸν, ἤδει δὲ καὶ τῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς μορίων τὸ διάφορον, καὶ ποῖον ποίῳ προσἠκτι παραχωρεῖν, καὶ τίνι κατὰ καιρὸν διδόναι τὰ Ἔχω δὲ καὶ ἄλλο διήγημα τῆς ἐν τοῖς θείοις αὐτοῦ τελειότητος γνώρισμα. ᾿Αφίκετο γὰρ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἡ ἀδελφὴ ἀπὸ τῇς πατρίδος σὺν τῷ νἱῷ, ἀνδρί τε ὄντι, καὶ τῆς Κύρου πρωτεύοντι, τὰς ἀναγκαίας αὐτῷ χρείας πλουσίως χομίζουσα, Ὁ δὲ τὴν μὲν ἀδελφὴν ἰδεῖν οὐκ ἠνέσχετο, τὸν δὲ ἀδελφιδοῦν εἰσἐδέξατο" τῆς γὰρ ὡρισμένης συντυχίας ἧν ὁ καιρός. Ὡς δὲ ἱκέτευον ὑποδεχθῆναι τὰ χομισθέντα " ε Διὰ πόσων, ἔφη, μοναστηρίων διήλθετε; τίσιν ἐχείνων ἐκ τούτων αὐτῶν μετεδώχατε; » Τοῦ δὲ εἰρηκότος ὡς οὐδενὶ ξιδωχότες εἶεν ε« Ἅπιτε, ἔφη, μεθ᾽ ὧν ἐκομίσατο. ἡμεῖς γὰρ τούτων νυδενὸς οὔτε δεόμενα, οὔτε εἰ δεοίμεθα, δεξοίμεθα. φυσικῆς γὰρ συγγενείας, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ θείας θεραπείας πεφροντιχότες τού- Εἰ γὰρ μὴ μόνην τοῦ γένους ἐνιμᾶτε τὴν ἀγχιστείαν, οὐκ ἡμῖν ἡ τὸν ἀδελφιδοῦν μετὰ τῆς ἀδελφῆς ἀπεπέμψατο, οὐδὲ … βραχύ τι τῶν παρ' αὐτῶν προσενεχθέντων χθῆναι κελεύσας. Οὕτως ἕξω τῆς φύσεως ἦν, καὶ εἰς τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν μεταδεδήχει πολιτείαν. Ποῖον γὰρ ἄν τις τούτου σαφέστερον παράσχοι παράδειγμα, ὅτι τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄξιος ἦν, κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θερῦ φωνὴν; « Ὁ μὴ καταλιμπάνων γὰρ, φησὶ, πατέρα, καὶ μητέρα, καὶ ἀδελφοὺς, καὶ ἀδελφὰς, καὶ γυναῖκα. καὶ τέχνα, οὐκ ἔστι μου ἄξιος. » Ἐξ δὲ ὁ μὴ καταλιμπάνων ἀνάξιος, ὁ καταλιμπάνων, χα τοσαύτῃ χρώμενος ἀχριδεῖ τελειότητι, δῆλον ὡς; ἀξιώτατος ἦν. Ἐγὼ δὲ πρὸς τούτοις θαυμάζω καὶ τὴν τῶν θείων αὐτοῦ δογμάτων ἀκρίδειαν. λύττετο μὲν γὰρ τὴν ᾿Αρείο" μανίαν ὑπὸ τῆς βασιλικῆς δυναστείας κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν καιρὸν ἑξαπτομένὴν " ἐμυσάττετο δὲ καὶ τὴν ᾿Απολιναρίου φρενοθλά» θειαν. Διεμάχετο δὲ γενναίως καὶ τοῖς τὰ Σαδελλίου φρηνοῦσι, καὶ τὰς τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις εἰς μίαν συνδὰ ἀγουσιν, ᾿Απεστρέφετο δὲ κομιδῇ καὶ τοὺς ὀνομαζο» ἐν μοναχιχῷ προσχήματι τὰ Μανιχαίων νοσοῦντας. Οὕτω δὲ θερμὸν εἶχε τὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν δογμάτων ζῆλον, ὅτι καὶ πρὸς ἄν" ρα θαυμάσιάν τε καὶ θεῖον δικαίαν ἀνεδέξατο μάχην, τις ἦν κατὰ τὴν ἔρημον ἐχείνην, πρεσδὺτης ἀνὴρ, πολιὰν μὲν ἔχων τὴν τρίχα, πολιώτερον δὲ τὸ φρόνημα, ἀρετῇ πάσῃ λάμπων, καὶ ἀναδλύζων ἀεὶ τὸ τῆς κατανύξεως δάκρυον. Οὗτος καταρχὰς ὑπό τινος ἁπλότητος ὑπαχθεὶς, τὸ πρῶτον ἐπιτελεῖν ἐνείχετο Πάσχα“ ἀγνοῶν μὲν, ὡς εἰκὸς, τὰ περὶ πούτου τοῖς Πατράσιν ἐν Νικαίᾳ νενομοθετημένα, ἔθει δὲ ἀρκαίῳ δουλεύειν αἱρούμενος. Πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ ἄλλοι κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο τοῦ καιροῦ ταύτην ἐἑνόσουν τὴν ἄγνοιαν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὁ μέγας Μαρχιανὸς, πολλοῖς μὲν πολλάκις χρησάμενος λόγοις, ἐπειράθη τὸν πρεσδύτην ᾿Αδραάμην" οὕτω γὰρ αὐτὸν οἱ ἐγχώριοι προσηγόν ρεένον, εἷς τὴν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μεταγαγεῖν συμφὼνίαν. ᾿Απειθοῦντα δὲ θεασάμενος, τῆς πρὸς αὑτὸν προφανῶς κοινωνίας ἀπέστη ᾿ ἀλλὰ χρόνου διελθόντος, ὁ θεσπέσιος ἐκεῖνος ἀνὴρ, ἀποῤῥίψας τὸν μῶμον, καὶ τῆς θείας ἑορτῆς ἀγαπήσας τὴν συμφωνίαν, ἔψαλλεν ἀληθεύων " ε Μακάριοι οἱ ἄμωμοι ἐν ὁδῷ, οἱ πορενόμενοι ἐν νόμῳ Κυρίου. » Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ τῆς τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρχιανοῦ διδασκαλίας κατόρθωμα. Τούτῳ πολλαὶ μὲν πολλαχοῦ σηκοὺς εὐκτηρίους Ζηνοδιανὴ δέ τις ἐν Χαλκίδι, καὶ γένει λάμπουσα, καὶ ἀρετῇ διαπρέπουσα, καὶ πλούτου περιουσίᾳ χομῶσα. Καὶ ἕτεροι δὲ οὐκ ὀλίγοι αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἕδρων, τὸν νικηφόρον ἐκεῖνον ἀθλητὴν ἀρπάσαι φιλονεικοῦντες. Τοῦτο γνοὺς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄνθρωπος, παρεχάλε! τὸ» θαυμάσιον ἐκεῖνον Εὐσέδιον, ὄρκου; αὐτῷ προ» ενεγκὼν δείματος παντὸς γέμοντας, ἐνἐχείνῳ τῷ χωρίῳ καταθεῖναι τὸ σῶμα, καὶ μηδένα διαγνῶναι τὸν τάφον, πλὴν δύο τῶν συνηθεστέρων συνοίχων, μέχρις ἂν διἔλθῃ πολὺς ἐτῶν ἀριθμός. Καὶ τοῦτον τὸν ὄρκον ὁὀθαυμάσιας ἐκεῖνος ἐπλήρωσεν ἄνθρωπος, Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἧκε τοῦ νικηφόρου τὰ τέλος, καὶ χορὸς ἀγγέλων τὴν ἱερὰν ἐκεί-. νὴν καὶ θείαν ψυχὴν εἰς τὰς ἐν οὐρανῷ μονὰς μετέθηκεν, οὐ πρότερον αὐτοῦ τὴν τελευτὴν χατεμήνυσεν, ἕως τὰ τῶν δύο τῶν γνωριμωτέρων τὸν τάφον ὀρύξας, καὶ τὸ σῶμα καταθεὶς, τῆς γῆς τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν ἔξωμάλισε. Καὶ πεντήκοντα διελθόντων ἐνιαυτῶν, ἣ χότων τὸ σῶμα, ἄδηλος ὁ τάφος μεμένηχεν. ᾿Επειδὴ δὲ ἕκαστος τῶν προειρημένων σηχῶν, ὁ μὲν ἀποτόλων, ὁ δὲ μαρτύρων ὑπεδέξατο λείψανα, θαῤῥήσαντες λοιπὸν οἱ πῆς ἐχείνου σχηνῆῇς καὶ διδαχῆς κληρονόμοι. πρὸ δύο τούτων ἑτῶν λάρνακα λιθίνην κατασκευάσαντες, ἐν ταύτῃ τοῦ τιμίου σώματος με- «ἐθηκαν τὰ λείψανα, ἑνὸς τὸν τάφον ὑποδείξαντος " οὗτος γὰρ μόνας ἐκ τῶν τριῶν περιῆν. Ζηλωτὴς δὲ γενόμενος τῆς ἐχείνου ἀρετῆς Εὐσέδιος ὁ θαυμάσιος, πλείοσι διετέλεσε πόνοις κατατρύχων τὸ σῶμα. Εἴκοσι γὰρ καὶ ἑκατὸν σιδήρου περικείμενος λίτρας, ἐπέθηκε μὲν ἑαυτῷ καὶ τὰς τοῦ δὲ καὶ τὰς τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρχιανοῦ ὀγδοήκοντα. Ἔσχε δὲ οἰκητήριον λάκκον τινὰ ὑδάτων ἀπηλλαγμένον, καὶ τριῶν ἐτῶν ἀριθμὸν τοῦτον διάγων τὸν τρόπον. Εἰς τούτους δὲ ἐξέδην τοὺς λόγου, δεῖξαι βουλόμενος ὅτοις καὶ ἄλλοις μεγάλων χατορθω- ο μάτων ὁ μέγας Μαρχιανὸς ἐγένετο πρόξενος. Τὰς «ούτου φιλοσοφίας ἀπώνατο καὶ Βασίλειος ὁ θαυμάσιος, ὁ πολλοῖς ὕστερον χρόνοις παρὰ τὴν Σελευχόθδηλον " πόλις δὲ αὕτη τῆς Συρίας " τὸ μοναχιχὸν δειμάμενος καταγώγιον, καὶ λάμψας μὲν ἐν πολλοῖς εἴδεσιν ἀρετῆς, λάμψας δὲ διαφερόντως ἐν τῷ θεοφιλεῖ «Ὡς ἀγάπης χτήματι, καὶ τῷ θείῳ. τῆς φιλοξενίας κατορθώματι. “σους δὲ καὶ οὗτος καρέστησε τῷ Θεῷ « ἐργάτας, ἀποστολικῶς εἰπεῖν, ἀνεπαισχύντους, ὀρθοτομοῦντας τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας, » τίς ἄν ῥᾳδίως ἀριθμήσειεν; Ἵνα γὰρ τοὺς ἄλλους ἐπὶ «τοῦ παρόντος παραλίπω, εὐφημίας μὲν ὄντας ἀξίους, μῆκος ὃὲ ἐμποιοῦντας τῷ διηγήματι, ἑνὸς τούτων καὶ μόνου μνησθήσομαι. Ἐγένετό τις τούτου φοιτητής, Σαδῖνον δὲ αὐτὸν προσηγόρευον, ὅς πόνοις μυρίοις τὸ σῶμα κατεδαπάνησεν. Οὔτε γὰρ ἄρτου, εὖτε ὄψου τινὸς μετελάμδανε " τροφὴ δὲ ἦν αὐτῷ πᾶσαν τοῦ μηνὸς τὴν τροφὴν," ὡς εὐρωτιᾷν, καὶ πολλὴν ἐκπέμπειν τὴν δυσωδίαν, Ἐδούλετο δὲ αὐτῷ ποῦτο τῆς τοιᾶσδε τροφῆς τὸ εἶδος ἁμδλύνειν τοῦ σώματος τὰς ὀρέξεις, καὶ τῇ δυσωδίᾳ τῆς τροφῆς μαραίνειν τὴν ἡδονήν. Οὕτω δὲ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν διάγων, εἴ ποτέ τις τῶν γνωρίμων ἀφίκετο, τῶν παρατιθεδὲ χάριν θεόθεν ἐδέξατο, ὡς γυναῖκά τινα τῶν ἐπισήμων, καὶ ἐπὶ γένει καὶ πλούτῳ σεμνυνομένων, ἀπὸ τῆς ᾿Αντιοχέων αὑτῷ προσδραμεῖν, καὶ ἰχετεῦσαι ἐπαμῦναι τῇ θυγατρὶ ὑπὸ δαίμονος πολεμουμένῃ. ἼὌοναρ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐθεασάμην τινὰ ἐνταῦθα δραμεῖν παρεγγνῶντα, καὶ ταῖς εὐχαῖς τοῦ τῆς μονῆς ἡγεμονεύοντος τῇ θυγατρὶ πορίσαι τὴν σωτηρίαν. “Ἔλεγε τοίνυν ὁ τὰς ἀποκρίσεις ποιούμενος, ὡς οὐκ εἴς ἔῆος τὸν προστατεύοντα γυναιξὶ διαλέγεσθαι " ὡς καὶ πικρῶς ποτνιωμένη, ἐξελήλυθε μὲν ὁ τῆς μονῆς ἡγούμενος «Ἔφασκε δὲ ἡ γυνὴ μὴ αὐτὸν εἶναι, ἕτερον δὲ αὐτῇ κατὰ τῶν παρειῶν ἔχοντα. Ὡς δὲ ἔγνωσαν τὸν ζηποὐμενον, τρίτος δὲ ἣν τῆς μονῆς, ἀλλ’ οὐ πρῶτος, πείσαντες αὐτὸν ἤγαγον τρὸς τὴν γυναῖκα, καὶ παραὐτίκα ἢ μὲν ἐπέγνω τὸ πρόσωπον, ὁ δὲ πονηρὸς Β δαίμων βοῆσας τὴν κόρην κατέλιπε. Τοιαῦτα τῶν τοῦ μεγάλου Μαρχιανοῦ φοιτητῶν τὰ χατορθώματχ' τοιαῦτα φυτὰ πανταχοῦ κατεφύτευσεν ὁ ἄριδτος φυτουργός. Ἐγὼ δὲ πάλιν τούτῳ τέλος τῷ διηγήματι δεδωκὼς, ἀντιδολῶ καὶ δέομαι διὰ τῆς τούτων πάν. πων πρεσθείας τῆς θείας ἐπικουρίας τυχεῖν.
Marchianon de ton pany pōs an axiōs thaumataimen? hē dēlon hoti Hēlią kai Iōannę̄, kai tois? kat' ekeinous syntattontes, hoi periēlthon en mēlōtais, en aigeiois dermasin, hysteroumenoi, thlithomeno:, kakouchoumenoi, hōn ouk hēn axios ho kosmos houtos, en erēmiais planōmenoi, kai ores!, kai spēlaiois, kai Ho tais hopais tēs gēs? Houtos gar patrida palai men esche tēn Kyron, hēs kai prosthen emnēsthēn, meta de tauta tēn erēmon, kai tautēn de kakeinēn katalipōn, nyn echei ton ouranon. Kai hē men auton egennēsen, hē de ethrepse kai nikēphoron apephēne, ho ha stephanitēn edexato. Tēs gar tou genous chataphr" nēsas periphaneias, ex eupatridōn gar chatēgeto, kai tēs en basileiois lamprotētos, en ekeinois ēnthei, megethos sōmatos kai kallos para tou lēmiourgou dexamenos tēs physeōs, kai psychēn echōn anchinoią kekosmēmenēn, heis Theon kai ta theou to philtron metethēche, kai pasin errhōsthai phrasas, oikiskon deimamenos, oude tǭ sōmati symmetron, A kai allǭ te smikrǭ tini chto diēnekōs, pasēs men synousias anthrōpinēs kechōrismenos, tǭ de tōn holōn Despotę̄ dialegomenos, kai tēs glykeias ekeinēs epaïōn phōnēs. Tois men gar theiois entynchanōn logiois, tēs theias phōnę̄s apolauein hēgeito" proseuchomenos de kai tas hiketeias “prospherōn, autos tēn pros ton Despotēn epoieito dialexin. a hai tosautēs aei tryphēs apolauōn choron ladein ouk edēuleto. "Ēkouse gar tou theiou Pneumatos dia tou megalou Dadio hypopsallontos, « Hōs ho meletōn en nomǭ Kyriou hēmeras kai nyktos, estai hōs to xylon to pephyteumenon para tas diexodous «kōn hydatōn, ho ton karpon autou dōsei en kairǭ autou, kai to phyllon autou ouk aporrhyēsetai. n» Toutōn tōn karpōn ephiemenos ton hēdiston touton ēspazeio ponon, kai tēn men proseuchēn hē psalmǭdia, pēn de psalmǭdian hē proseuchē diedecheto, kai amphotera palin hē tōn theiōn logiōn anagnōsis - Sition de hēn autǭ monos artos, kai houtos stathmǭ prosphe- Rhomenos " tosoutos de ēn ho stathmos, hōs mē paidiǭ arti thēlēs apallagenti tēn chreian plēroun" phasi gar tou arton tēn litran tetrachē diairoumenēn hēmerais tettarsi dianemesthai, kai hēmerą hekastę̄ mian aponemesthai moiran. Echechrichei gar hesperas «kata mian esthiein hēmeran, choron de mēdepote ladein" all᾽ aei men peinę̄n, aei de dipsę̄n, prospherein de tǭ sōmati ta eis to zę̄n apochrōnta. Elege gar hōs? ho dia pleionōn hēmerōn sitiōn metalanchanōn, asthenesteron men en tais tēs asitias hēmerais tas depo- 6 pikas leitourgias epitelei“ en ē de palin hēmerą tōn sitiōn metalamdanei, pleiona, hōs eikos, prospheromenos tēn gastera. phortizei, barynomenē de hautē ōchnēroteran peri tēn agrysnian kathistēsi tēn psychēn. GLAmeinon toinyn elege kath᾽ hēmeran metalam- Thanein trophēs, choron de hypomeinai mēdepote. ᾿Alēthēs gar nēsteia hē diēnekēs endeia, Tauta nomoue- «pōn dietelei ho theios houtos anēr, kai sōma megiston echōn, kai tōn ep᾽ autou pantōn anthrōpōn megistos hōn kai kallistos, mikrǭ touto sitiǭ Chronon de tinos dielthontos dy) synoikous edexato, Eusedion, hos tēs hieras ekeinēs kalydēs klēronomos egeneto, kai ᾿Agapēton, hos tēn angelikēn tautēn nomothesian eis tēn ᾿Apameōn metephyteuse. Kōmē gar tis esti megistē kai polyanthrōpos, Nichertai Ho de onoma tautę̄ dyo toinyn philosophias en tautę̄ iphrontistēria kateskeuase megista" to men tēs autou prosēgorias epōnymon, to de tou thaumastou Snmeōgon, hos pentēkonta hetōn arithmon en tautę̄ tę̄ philosophią dielampsen. Hen toutois mechri kai tēmeron pleious hē tetrachosioi diagousin andres, aretēs athlētai, kai heusedeias erastai, kai ton ouranon tois ponois ōnoumenoi " thesmothetai de tautēs tēs politeias ᾿Agapētos kai Symeōnēs, para tou megalou Marchianou tous nomous dexamenoi. Ek de toutōn myria ephyteuthē hetera askētōn katagōgia, toutoisi tois nomois chrsmoumena, ha ou. rhadion arithmein. ᾿Alla phytourgos toutōn hapantōn ho thespesios ekeinos anēr" ho gar to sperma to kalliston paraschōn, houtos kai tōn phyntōn agathōn aitios an eikotōs klētheiē. To men oun prōton, hōs ephēn, monos tēn ethelousion eichen heerchtēn echeinēn" epeita tous dyo toutous hopodexamenos, ou synoikous eichen“ oude gar autǭ monǭ ho oichischos apechrē, smikros hōn komidę̄, kai polyn autǭ kai hestōti kai chatacheimenǭ parechōn ponon. Oute gar hestōs anorthousthai hoios te ēn, tēs horophēs kai tēn kephalēn kai ton auchena champtousēs " oute chatachlinomenos ekteinein tous podas ēdynato, isometron tǭ sōmati tou oikou to mēkos ouk echontos. “Heteron oun hautois epitrepsas kataskeuasai, en ekeinǭ diagein ekeleuse, kai kath᾽ heautous de hymnein, kai proseuchesthai, kai tois theiois B entynchanein logiois. Epeidē de edei pleionas tēs ōpheleias tautēs metalachein, heteron porrhōthen oichodiagein tous boulomenous ekeleuen. ᾿Hēgemoneuse de hytōn ho Eusedios, tēn tou megalou Marchianou didaskalian disporthmeuōn. Ho de theio? ekeinos ᾿Agapētos paidotridētheis, hōs hodei, kai gymnastheis, kai tēn athlētichēn tautēn arista paideutheis, epa» nēchen, hōs ephēn, kai ha para tēs theias ekeinēs psychēs edexato, patespeire spermata - houtō de periphanēs egeneto kai peridleptos, hōs kai tēs archieratikēs proedrias axiōthēnai, kai poimenikēn kēdemonian, kai tēs oikeias patridos empisteuthēnai tēn epimeleian. Eusedios de ho thaumasios, tēs synathroiatheisēs prostateuōn agelēs, kai tou didaskalou tēn epimeleian anededechto, kai monos eis kairon autǭ phoitąn kai pynthanesthai mē ti bouloito ēxiouto. Eϑelēsas de pote nyktōr idein ho ti prattei, etolmēse tę̄ phōtagōgǭ, bracheia de hēn hautē, pelasai“ kai parakypsas horą phōs ou lychniaion, oude cheiropoiēton, alla theopdoton, kai tēs anōthen charitos, tēs tou didaskalou koryphę̄s apastrapton, kai tōn theiōn logiōn hypodeichnyon tēn tōn grammatōn synthesin. Kai gar bithlion katechōn etynchane, kai ton asylon thēsauron epezētei tou theiou thelēmatos. Touto theaplato, kai phrikēs mestos egineto, kai tēn chatach’chymenēn tou theiou therapontos edidasketo charin, kai «ou Theou tēn peri tous doulous emanthanen eunoian. Allote de, en tǭ proauliǭ tou megalou Marchianou, drakōn tis anerpysas eis ton pros heō tetrammenon toichon, anōthen tou toichou diechypse kechēnōs te hama kai blosyron blepōn, kai ę̄ tēn epidoulēn sēmainōn. Porrhō de hestōs ho Eusethdios, kai to phrechōdes ekeino theama deisas, kai ton kai phygein antidolōn. Ho de epitimēsas, kai tēn deilian echdalein keleusas, pathos gar. einai kai tautēn olethrion, to men sēmeion daktylǭ tou staurou proetypōse, enephysēse de tǭ stomati, kai tēn palaian paredēlōsen echthran. Ho de, kaϑaper. pyri tini tǭ tou stomatos pneumati anaphtheis, kai hoionei emprēstheis, kalamēs dikēn chataphlechtheisēs eis polla dielythē. Hora moi toinyn ei mē ton Despotēn hōs heunous oiketēs memimētai. Kai gar ho Despotēs, tēs thalatphēs epimaneisēs pote tǭ schaphei tǭ tōn ma thētōn, agōniōntas toutous theasamenos, ou prot: hon pēs thalassēs tēn zalēn hestorese, prin ē tōn ma- … ho thaumasios houtos tauta pepaideumenos, prōton tou mathētou tēn deilian exeladen, eith᾽ houtōs to thērion timōrią paredōke, Toiautē tou megalou Marchianou kai hē sophia, kai hē thaumatourgia, kai hē pros Theon parrhēsia. ᾿All᾽ homōs kai toiautēs charitos ēxiōmenos, kai thaumatourgein megala dynamenos, kryptein espouxaze tēn ischyn, tou lōpodytou tēs aretēs ta: mēchanas hyphorōmenos. To gar tēs alazoneias hypospeirōn pathos, «ous ponǭ syllegentas karpous lę̄steuein epicheirei. Kai kryptein de tēn dedomenēn prothymoumenos charin, akōn ethaumatourgei, tēs tōn katorthōmatōn aiglēs apastraptousēs, kai tēn kekrymmenēn dynamin paragymnousēs᾽ kai dēpote toionde synedē genesthai, ᾿Anēr tis tōn eupatridōn, kai archas tēs Syrias hormōmenos, tēs thygatros epi chronǭ pollǭ, chorndantiōsēs, kai hypo ponērou daimonos mon, synēthēs men hōn tou megalou Marchianou, synkeuxesthai de hautǭ kai antidolēsai dia tēn proteran de tēs elpidos, kai «hēs theas diamartōn tou theiou therapontos, hiketeuei «tina prepsdytēn, hos kat᾽ ekeino kairou tēn tou theiou elaiou plēres hypodexasthai te kai par᾽ autēn theinai «ou oichidiou tēn thyran. Ho de presdytēs, pollakis men tēn encheirēsin arnētheis, pollakis de palin paraklētheis, hēttōn tēs hikesias egeneto. Tou de ktypou aisthomenos ho megas Marchianos, epynthaneto tis te eiē, tai te deomeno? ēkoi. Ho de tēn men alēthē prophasin echrnpten, eschēpteta de aphichthai, hōs ma- Hypo de tēn heō palin tē? korēs ho patēr hiketeuen apodothēnai autǭ to lēchythion, ho de dediōs men, apę̄ei d᾽ homōs hēsychę̄ hē hēdynato, kai tēn cheira proteinas, kai to lēchythian ladōn, epeirato lanthanein " ho de polin epytheto ti boulomenos ēkoi. Hō? de tēn autēn ephē prophasin, hēn kai hesperas edēlōse, dyscheranas ho theios anēr, hate dē para to eiōthos gegenēmenēn, tou presthytou tēn aphixin, talēthę̄ apangellein echelenen. Ho de deimainōn kai tremōn, kai kryptein kon tēs theia? charito? anapleōn ou dynamenos, tis te hēkoi elege, kai tou pathous tēn tragǭdian edidaske, kai to lēchythion epedeichgy. Ho de ēganaktei men, hōs eikos ēn, deiknynai tēn aretēn ou boulomenos, apeilēsas de homōs, hōs ei authis toiauta tolmēseie, kai tēs synousias ekeinēs sterēthēsetai, kai tēn diakonian aphairethēsetai " megistē de ēn hē zēmia tois to kerdos epistamenois “ apepempsen apodounai «ǭ dedōkoti keleusas. Kai ho men tauta ekeleue, «“hettaras de stathmous ho daimōn aphestēchōs tou exelaunonto? edoa tēn dynamin" kai Marchianos en Beroią ta dikastōn eirgazeto dēmiois tisi kata tou daimonos chrōmenos, kai ton alitērion ekeinon exelaunōn, kai tēn korēn katharan tēs energeias apophainōn ekeinēs. Kai touto memathēken achridōs ho tēs chyrēs patēr - epanionti gar autǭ, kai oligous hēmeras, kai ton kairon achrithōs exetasas, ekeinon tou asteos stadious apechonti, oiketēs tis apintēsen, eis agron hypo tēs despoinēs apostaleis, Houtos ton despotēn theasamenos prosephere tēs gegenēmenēs thaumatourgias ta Euangelia, pro tettarōn hēmerōn legōn gegenēstha: to thauma, ᾿lrithmesas toinyn tas eina! memathēken, en hǭ to lēkythion exechomisen ho pre- Egō de eis ennoian lambanō, ti ouk an edrasen ho megas houtos anēr, ei thaumatourgein edouleto. Ei gar kai kryptein hespoudachōs hēn edexato charin, tosau. tēn aiglēn hēpheei, poian ouk an teratourgian ethelēsas eirgasato? Houtō de kai tēn pneumatikēn autou sophian ouk hapasin edelou, kai tauta to teleutaion, meta tēn tou sōtēriou pathous kai tēs despotichēs anastaseōs heortēn, eisienai tous boulomenous ei? da B auton epitrepsas" amelei kat᾽ ekeinon hapantes horąn hauton hespoudazon ton kairon. Kai dē pote aphikonto pros auton synachthentes tōn archiereōn hoi prōtoi, Phladianos ho megas tēn ᾿Antiocheōn poimainein pepisteumenos, kai ho theios ᾿Akakios, hou kai prosthen emnēsthēn, Eusedios te ho tę̄s Chalchideōn, kai Ipsidōros ho tote tēn Euron chydernan pepisteumenos, aretę̄ diaprepontes. Synēn de autois kai Theodotos tēs Hierapolitōn katechōn tas hēnias, askēsei kai praotēti lampōn. Parēsan de tines kai tōn en telei kai axiōmasi, tēs pisteōs to xzōpyron echontes. Pantōn toinyn sigę̄ kathēmenōn, kai tēn hieran echeinou prosdechomenōn phōnēn, sigōn kai autos epi poly kathēsto, argōn men tēn glōttan, energon de echōn tēn akoēn. Tote tis tōn kathēmenōn, synēthēs hōn autǭ dia tēn «hēs psychēs epimeleian, kai allōs de axiōmati lampōn" « Hapantes, ephē, ō pater, kai hoi theioi Pateres tēs sēs dipsōntes didaskalias, ta edista 500 prosmenousi namata. Metados toinyn tois parousin hapasi tēs ōpheleias, kai mē kōlysę̄ s tous tēs euergesias chrounous.» Ho hoe mega stenaxas, ho tōn holōn, ephē e Theos kath᾽ ekastēn hēmeran, kai dia tēs ktiseōs phthengetai, kai dia tōn theiōn Graphōn dialegetai, kai parainei ta deonta, kai eistgeitai ta sympheronta, kai apeilais dedittetai, kai protrepei tais hyposchesesi, kai onēsin oudemian karpoumetha. Pōs ōpheleian meta tōn allōn apopempomenos, kai onēsi» ekeithen eurasthai mē boulomenos? » Enteuthen polloi men para tōn Paterōn ekinēthēsan logoi, houos entheinai tǭ diēgēmati parelchon enomisa. ᾿᾽Ana- 'stantes de kai proseuxamenoi, kai tēs hierōsynēs ᾿hautǭ tēn cheirotonian epitheinai thelēsantes, edeisan palin tēn epicheirēsin. Kai houtos ekeinǭ, ekeinos de toutǭ parekeleueto“ pantes de homoiōs paraitēsmeno: tēn epanodon epoiēsanto. ᾿Alla gar boulomai kai allo toutois proseinai diēgēma, tēs theias hyparchon autou syneseōs gnōr!sma. "Auitos tis eis tēn heteran erēmon tēn aschētiesti, kai mikron pros xō cheiment?, kata ton atartou megalou Marchianou kai chronǭ kai ponǭ presdyteros ēn, philosophos de ho anēr, kai tǭ sklērǭ biǭ nēn tēn tou andros katamathōn aretēn, tēs mikras hēsychias nerdaleōteran einai tēn toiautēn thean nenomichōs, edrame speudōn idein ton pothoumenon. Mathōn de hautou tēn aphixin ho megas Marchianos, tēn thyran anoixas eisedexato, Eusediǭ de tǭ thaumasiǭ parēngyēse, kai osprion epsēsa:, kai lachanon eiperechoi. Epeidē de tēs allēlōn dialexeōs eneplēsthēsan, kai tēn allēlōn katemathon aretēn, koinę̄ tēn tēs Ennatē: epetelesan leitourgian. Hēke de Euteodios trapezan pherōn, kai artous prospherōn. Ho de megas Marchianos tǭ thespesiǭ ᾿Adetǭ᾽ « Deuro, ephē, pantōn moi prosphilestate, kai tautēs choinōnēsōmen nēs trapezēs. n Ho de" e Ouk oida, ephē, pōpote pro tēs hesperas sitiōn metaladōn, pollakis kai dyo kai treis kata tauton asitos hēmeras dia- “elō. » Ho de megas Marchianos" e Emou goun heineka, exē, sēmeron ameidesthō to ethos " asthenōs gar to sōma diakeimenos prosmenein tēn hesperan ou dynamai. » Hōs de kai tauta legōn ton thaumaston “Auiton ouk epeithe, stenaxai te legetai kai phanai" « ᾿All᾽ egō te athymō lian kai dachnomai tēn psychēn, hoti tosouton hypemeinas ponon, hina tina philoponon kai philosophon idēs, kai tēs elpidos pseustheis, chapēlon pina kai asōton anti philosophou tetheasai. » ᾽Aniathentos de pros tauta tou theiotatou ᾿Aditou, kai phēsantos, hōs chreōn metaladoi an hēdion mallon, hē toutōn akouoi, ho megas ephē Marchianos " e« Kai hēmeis, ō philotēs, ton auton soi metimen bion, kai tēn autēn aspazometha politeian, kai tēs anapaulēs G΄ protimōmen tous ponous, kai tēn nēsteian tē: trophę̄s proairoumetha, kai nyktos epiginomenēs, tote tautēs metalanchanomen" all᾽ ismen hoti tēs agapēs to chrēma tēs nēsteias esti timiōteron. To men gar tēs theias ergon nomothesias, to de tēs hēmōn autōn exousia? prosēkei de tous theious nomous tōn hēmeperōn ponōn pollǭ nomizein timiōterous. » Toiauta pros allēlous dialechthentes, kai bracheias metalachontes trophēs, kai ton Theon hymnēsantes, kai treis palin allēlous erōnte? tǭ pneumati. Tis toinyn ouk an thaumaseie toude tou andros tēn sophian, hyph᾽ Hōs? chydernōmeno? hēdei men nēsteia?, ēdei de philosophias kai philadelphias kairon, ēdei de kai tōn tēs aretēs moriōn to diaphoron, kai poion poiǭ prosēkti parachōrein, kai tini kata kairon didonai ta Echō de kai allo diēgēma tēs en tois theiois autou teleiotētos gnōrisma. ᾿Aphiketo gar pros auton hē adelphē apo tę̄s patridos syn tǭ niǭ, andri te onti, kai tēs Kyrou prōteuonti, tas anankaias autǭ chreias plousiōs chomizousa, Ho de tēn men adelphēn idein ouk ēnescheto, ton de adelphidoun eisedexato" tēs gar hōrismenēs syntychias hēn ho kairos. Hōs de hiketeuon hypodechthēnai ta chomisthenta " e Dia posōn, ephē, monastēriōn diēlthete? tisin echeinōn ek toutōn autōn metedōchate? » Tou de eirēkotos hōs oudeni xidōchotes eien e« Hapite, ephē, meth᾽ hōn ekomisato. hēmeis gar toutōn nydenos oute deomena, oute ei deoimetha, dexoimetha. physikēs gar syngeneias, all᾽ ou theias therapeias pephrontichotes tou- Ei gar mē monēn tou genous enimate tēn anchisteian, ouk hēmin hē ton adelphidoun meta tēs adelphēs apepempsato, oude … brachy ti tōn par' autōn prosenechthentōn chthēnai keleusas. Houtōs hexō tēs physeōs ēn, kai eis tēn tōn ouranōn metadedēchei politeian. Poion gar an tis toutou saphesteron paraschoi paradeigma, hoti tou Theou axios ēn, kata tēn autou tou Thery phōnēn? « Ho mē katalimpanōn gar, phēsi, patera, kai mētera, kai adelphous, kai adelphas, kai gynaika. kai techna, ouk esti mou axios. » Ex de ho mē katalimpanōn anaxios, ho katalimpanōn, cha tosautę̄ chrōmenos achridei teleiotēti, dēlon hōs? axiōtatos ēn. Egō de pros toutois thaumazō kai tēn tōn theiōn autou dogmatōn akrideian. lytteto men gar tēn ᾿Areio" manian hypo tēs basilikēs dynasteias kat᾽ ekeinon ton kairon hexaptomenēn " emysatteto de kai tēn ᾿Apolinariou phrenothla» theian. Diemacheto de gennaiōs kai tois ta Sadelliou phrēnousi, kai tas treis hypostaseis eis mian synda agousin, ᾿Apestrepheto de komidę̄ kai tous onomazo» en monachichǭ proschēmati ta Manichaiōn nosountas. Houtō de thermon eiche ton hyper tōn ekklēsiastikōn dogmatōn zēlon, hoti kai pros an" ra thaumasian te kai theion dikaian anedexato machēn, tis ēn kata tēn erēmon echeinēn, presdytēs anēr, polian men echōn tēn tricha, poliōteron de to phronēma, aretę̄ pasę̄ lampōn, kai anadlyzōn aei to tēs katanyxeōs dakryon. Houtos katarchas hypo tinos haplotētos hypachtheis, to prōton epitelein eneicheto Pascha“ agnoōn men, hōs eikos, ta peri poutou tois Patrasin en Nikaią nenomothetēmena, ethei de arkaiǭ douleuein hairoumenos. Polloi de kai alloi kat᾽ ekeino tou kairou tautēn heenosoun tēn agnoian. ᾿All᾽ ho megas Marchianos, pollois men pollakis chrēsamenos logois, epeirathē ton presdytēn ᾿Adraamēn" houtō gar auton hoi enchōrioi prosēgon reenon, heis tēn tēs Ekklēsias metagagein symphōnian. ᾿Apeithounta de theasamenos, tēs pros hauton prophanōs koinōnias apestē ᾿ alla chronou dielthontos, ho thespesios ekeinos anēr, aporrhipsas ton mōmon, kai tēs theias heortēs agapēsas tēn symphōnian, epsallen alētheuōn " e Makarioi hoi amōmoi en hodǭ, hoi porenomenoi en nomǭ Kyriou. » Kai touto de tēs tou megalou Marchianou didaskalias katorthōma. Toutǭ pollai men pollachou sēkous euktērious Zēnodianē de tis en Chalkidi, kai genei lampousa, kai aretę̄ diaprepousa, kai ploutou periousią chomōsa. Kai heteroi de ouk oligoi auto touto hedrōn, ton nikēphoron ekeinon athlētēn arpasai philoneikountes. Touto gnous ho tou Theou anthrōpos, parechale! to» thaumasion ekeinon Eusedion, orkou? autǭ pro» enenkōn deimatos pantos gemontas, enecheinǭ tǭ chōriǭ katatheinai to sōma, kai mēdena diagnōnai ton taphon, plēn dyo tōn synēthesterōn synoichōn, mechris an dielthę̄ polys etōn arithmos. Kai touton ton orkon hoothaumasias ekeinos eplērōsen anthrōpos, Epeidē gar hēke tou nikēphorou ta telos, kai choros angelōn tēn hieran ekei-. nēn kai theian psychēn eis tas en ouranǭ monas metethēken, ou proteron autou tēn teleutēn chatemēnysen, heōs ta tōn dyo tōn gnōrimōterōn ton taphon oryxas, kai to sōma katatheis, tēs gēs tēn epiphaneian exōmalise. Kai pentēkonta dielthontōn eniautōn, hē chotōn to sōma, adēlos ho taphos memenēchen. ᾿Epeidē de hekastos tōn proeirēmenōn sēchōn, ho men apotolōn, ho de martyrōn hypedexato leipsana, tharrhēsantes loipon hoi pēs echeinou schēnēę̄s kai didachēs klēronomoi. pro dyo toutōn hetōn larnaka lithinēn kataskeuasantes, en tautę̄ tou timiou sōmatos me- «ethēkan ta leipsana, henos ton taphon hypodeixantos " houtos gar monas ek tōn triōn periēn. Zēlōtēs de genomenos tēs echeinou aretēs Eusedios ho thaumasios, pleiosi dietelese ponois katatrychōn to sōma. Eikosi gar kai hekaton sidērou perikeimenos litras, epethēke men heautǭ kai tas tou de kai tas tou megalou Marchianou ogdoēkonta. Esche de oikētērion lakkon tina hydatōn apēllagmenon, kai triōn etōn arithmon touton diagōn ton tropon. Eis toutous de exedēn tous logou, deixai boulomenos hotois kai allois megalōn chatorthō- o matōn ho megas Marchianos egeneto proxenos. Tas «outou philosophias apōnato kai Basileios ho thaumasios, ho pollois hysteron chronois para tēn Seleuchothdēlon " polis de hautē tēs Syrias " to monachichon deimamenos katagōgion, kai lampsas men en pollois eidesin aretēs, lampsas de diapherontōs en tǭ theophilei «Hōs agapēs chtēmati, kai tǭ theiǭ. tēs philoxenias katorthōmati. “sous de kai houtos karestēse tǭ Theǭ « ergatas, apostolikōs eipein, anepaischyntous, orthotomountas ton logon tēs alētheias, » tis an rhądiōs arithmēseien? Hina gar tous allous epi «tou parontos paralipō, euphēmias men ontas axious, mēkos hoe empoiountas tǭ diēgēmati, henos toutōn kai monou mnēsthēsomai. Egeneto tis toutou phoitētēs, Sadinon de auton prosēgoreuon, hos ponois myriois to sōma katedapanēsen. Oute gar artou, eute opsou tinos metelamdane " trophē de ēn autǭ pasan tou mēnos tēn trophēn," hōs eurōtiąn, kai pollēn ekpempein tēn dysōdian, Edouleto de autǭ pouto tēs toiasde trophēs to eidos hamdlynein tou sōmatos tas orexeis, kai tę̄ dysōdią tēs trophēs marainein tēn hēdonēn. Houtō de kath᾽ heauton diagōn, ei pote tis tōn gnōrimōn aphiketo, tōn paratithede charin theothen edexato, hōs gynaika tina tōn episēmōn, kai epi genei kai ploutǭ semnynomenōn, apo tēs ᾿Antiocheōn hautǭ prosdramein, kai icheteusai epamynai tę̄ thygatri hypo daimonos polemoumenę̄. IOonar gar, phēsin, etheasamēn tina entautha dramein parengnōnta, kai tais euchais tou tēs monēs hēgemoneuontos tę̄ thygatri porisai tēn sōtērian. “Elege toinyn ho tas apokriseis poioumenos, hōs ouk eis eēos ton prostateuonta gynaixi dialegesthai " hōs kai pikrōs potniōmenē, exelēlythe men ho tēs monēs hēgoumenos «Ephaske de hē gynē mē auton einai, heteron de autę̄ kata tōn pareiōn echonta. Hōs de egnōsan ton zēpoumenon, tritos de hēn tēs monēs, all’ ou prōtos, peisantes auton ēgagon tros tēn gynaika, kai parautika ē men epegnō to prosōpon, ho de ponēros B daimōn boēsas tēn korēn katelipe. Toiauta tōn tou megalou Marchianou phoitētōn ta chatorthōmatch' toiauta phyta pantachou katephyteusen ho aridtos phytourgos. Egō de palin toutǭ telos tǭ diēgēmati dedōkōs, antidolō kai deomai dia tēs toutōn pan. pōn prestheias tēs theias epikourias tychein.
How could we worthily admire the celebrated Marcianus? Or is it plain that we must rank him with Elijah and John and those like them, who “went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, destitute, afflicted, ill-treated, of whom this world was not worthy, wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and the holes of the earth”? For this man had first as his homeland Cyrrhus, which I mentioned before, and afterwards the desert; and having left both the one and the other, he now has heaven. The first gave him birth; the second nourished him and made him victorious; and heaven received him crowned. For he despised the distinction of his family (for he was descended from nobles) and the splendor of the palace, in which he flourished, having received from the Creator of nature great stature and beauty of body, and a soul adorned with quickness of mind. He transferred his love to God and the things of God, bade farewell to everything, and built a little hut not even matching the size of his body, and … continually, separated from all human company, conversing with the Master of all and hearkening to that sweet voice. For when he read the divine oracles he thought he was enjoying the divine voice; and when he prayed and offered supplications, he himself was conversing with the Master. Though he always enjoyed such delight, he did not wish to reach satiety. For he had heard the divine Spirit singing through the great David: “He who meditates on the law of the Lord day and night shall be like the tree planted by the streams of waters, which will give its fruit in its season, and its leaf shall not fall.” Desiring these fruits, he embraced this sweetest labor: psalmody followed prayer, prayer followed psalmody, and the reading of the divine oracles followed both again. His food was bread alone, and this taken by weight; and the weight was so small that it would not satisfy the need of a child just weaned. For they say that a pound of bread was divided into four and distributed over four days, one portion being allotted to each day. For he had decided to eat in the evening every day, but never to reach satiety; to be always hungry and always thirsty, but to give the body what sufficed to live. For he used to say that one who takes food only after several days performs the services owed to the Master more feebly on the days of fasting, and on the day when he takes food again, taking more, naturally, he loads his stomach, and the stomach, weighed down, makes the soul more sluggish in keeping vigil. So he said it was better to take food every day but never to bear satiety; for true fasting is constant want. Laying down these rules, this divine man persevered, although he had a very large body and was the tallest and most handsome of all the men of his time, [sustaining] it with little food.
After some time he received two companions: Eusebius, who became the heir of that sacred hut, and Agapetus, who transplanted this angelic legislation to the territory of Apamea. For there is a very large and populous village, called Nikerte; in it he established two very large schools of philosophy, one named after himself, the other after the admirable Simeon, who shone in this philosophy for fifty years. In these, to this day, more than four hundred men live, athletes of virtue and lovers of true religion, buying heaven with their labors; and the lawgivers of this way of life were Agapetus and Simeon, who received the laws from the great Marcianus. From these countless other dwellings of ascetics have been planted, which use these same laws and are not easy to number. But the planter of all these is that inspired man; for the one who provided the finest seed may rightly be called the cause of the good things that grew from it. At first, as I said, he alone had that voluntary prison. Then, having received these two, he did not have them living with him, for the hut was not enough even for him alone, being very small and causing him much hardship both standing and lying down. For standing he could not straighten up, since the roof bent his head and neck; nor lying down could he stretch out his feet, as the length of the dwelling did not match his body. So he allowed them to build another and told them to live in it, to sing hymns, pray and read the divine oracles by themselves. But since more people had to share in this benefit, he told those who wished to build another dwelling at a distance and to live there; and Eusebius led them, conveying to them the teaching of the great Marcianus. The divine Agapetus, trained as he should be, exercised and excellently instructed in this athletic discipline, returned, as I said, and sowed the seeds he had received from that divine soul; and he became so famous and celebrated that he was counted worthy of the presidency of the high priesthood and was entrusted with the pastoral care of his own homeland.
The admirable Eusebius, presiding over the flock that had gathered, had also taken on the care of the teacher, and he alone was allowed to visit him at the proper time and ask whether he wanted anything. Once, wishing to see what he was doing at night, he ventured to approach the window (it was a small one); and peeping in, he saw a light not from a lamp nor made by hands, but given by God and from the grace above, flashing from his teacher's head and showing the letters of the divine oracles. For he happened to be holding a book and seeking the inviolable treasure of the divine will. When Eusebius saw this he was filled with awe, and was taught the grace poured out on the divine servant, and learned God's good will toward his servants. Another time, in the forecourt of the great Marcianus, a serpent crept up onto the wall facing east and peered over the top of the wall, gaping and glaring fiercely, and showing its hostile intent. Eusebius, standing at a distance and frightened by that dreadful sight, [cried out to his teacher], begging him to flee. Marcianus rebuked him and told him to cast out his cowardice, for this too, he said, is a deadly passion; he traced the sign of the cross with his finger, breathed on it with his mouth, and showed the ancient enmity. The serpent, as if set alight by fire from the breath of his mouth, and as it were burned up, was consumed like a straw and fell into many pieces. See, then, whether he did not imitate the Master like a loyal servant. For the Master too, when once the sea raged against the disciples' boat and he saw them in anguish, did not calm the storm of the sea until he had … the disciples … . So this admirable man, taught by this, first drove out the disciple's cowardice, and then gave the beast over to punishment. Such were the wisdom, the wonder-working and the freedom of speech toward God of the great Marcianus.
Yet though he was counted worthy of such grace and could work great wonders, he was eager to hide his power, suspecting the devices of the robber of virtue, who tries to plunder the fruits gathered by labor by sowing the passion of boasting. Though he was eager to hide the grace given him, he worked wonders against his will, since the splendor of his achievements shone out and laid bare the hidden power. Once something like this happened. A man of noble family, who came from the leading men of Syria, whose daughter had for a long time been raving and [troubled] by an evil demon … , was an acquaintance of the great Marcianus, but [could not] meet him and entreat him because of the [fixed rule] … ; failing in his hope and in the sight of the divine servant, he begged an old man, who at that time [had charge of serving him], to receive a little flask full of the divine oil and to set it beside the door of his cell. The old man refused the undertaking many times, but, being urged many times again, gave way to the entreaty. The great Marcianus heard the noise and asked who it was and what he had come for. The old man hid the true reason and pretended that he had come … . Toward dawn the girl's father again begged that the flask be given back to him. The old man, afraid, nevertheless went as quietly as he could, stretched out his hand, took the flask, and tried to escape notice; but Marcianus again asked what he had come for. When he gave the same pretext as he had given in the evening, the divine man, displeased that the old man had come against custom, ordered him to report the truth. Fearful and trembling, and unable to hide anything from one full of divine grace, he said who had come, told the tragic story of the affliction, and showed the flask. Marcianus was indignant, as was natural, since he did not wish to display his virtue; but after threatening that if he dared such a thing again he would be deprived of his company and removed from his service (a very great loss to those who knew the gain), he sent him away, telling him to return the flask to the one who had given it. And while he gave these orders, the demon, four stages away from the one driving him out, cried out his power; and Marcianus was doing the work of judges in Beroea, using certain executioners against the demon, and he drove out that guilty spirit and made the girl free of that possession. The girl's father learned this precisely. For as he was returning, and was a few stades from the city, a servant met him who had been sent by his mistress into the country. Seeing his master, the servant brought him the good news of the wonder that had happened, saying that the miracle had taken place four days before. Counting the days, then, and examining the time precisely, he learned that it was that [night] on which the old man had brought out the flask.
For my part, I consider what this great man would not have done if he had wished to work wonders. For if, though he was eager to hide the grace he had received, he sent out so great a splendor, what marvel would he not have worked had he wished? In the same way he did not show his spiritual wisdom to everyone either; and that although at the end of his life he allowed those who wished to come in to him after the feast of the saving passion and of the Lord's resurrection. Indeed, at that time all were eager to see him. Once there came to him together the first among the high priests: the great Flavian, who had been entrusted with shepherding Antioch, and the divine Acacius, whom I mentioned before, and Eusebius of Chalcis, and Isidore, who was then entrusted with governing Cyrrhus, men distinguished in virtue. With them was also Theodotus, who held the reins of Hierapolis, shining in asceticism and gentleness. Some of the officials and dignitaries were also present, who had the spark of faith. When all were sitting in silence and waiting for his sacred voice, he too sat silent a long while, keeping his tongue idle but his hearing active. Then one of those seated, who was familiar with him because of the care of his soul and was distinguished in rank besides, said: “Father, all of us, and the divine Fathers, thirsting for your teaching, are waiting for its sweetest streams. So share the benefit with all who are present, and do not stop the fountains of your beneficence.” He groaned deeply and said: “The God of all speaks every day through creation and converses through the divine Scriptures; he exhorts us to what we ought, proposes what is profitable, frightens us with threats and urges us on with promises; and we reap no benefit. How [could Marcianus benefit you], who along with the others sends away the benefit and does not wish to find profit from it?” After this the Fathers raised many topics, which I have thought it superfluous to include in the narrative. They rose and prayed, and wishing to lay on him the ordination of the priesthood, they feared the undertaking again. This one urged that one, and that one this one; and all alike excused themselves and made their way back.
But I wish to add another story to these, a token of his divine understanding. A certain Avitus … in the other desert, the ascetic one, … lying a little to the east … ; he was older than the great Marcianus in age and in labor, a philosopher, and … in the hard life. Learning of the man's virtue, and considering such a sight more profitable than a little quiet, he hastened to see the one he longed for. Learning of his arrival, the great Marcianus opened the door and received him, and told the admirable Eusebius to boil pulse and vegetables if he had any. When they had had their fill of converse with each other and had learned each other's virtue, they performed the service of the ninth hour together. Eusebius came carrying a table and bringing bread. The great Marcianus said to the inspired Avitus: “Come, dearest of all to me, let us share this table too.” He said: “I do not know that I have ever taken food before evening; often I spend two and three days together without food.” The great Marcianus said: “For my sake at least change your custom today; for I am weak in body and cannot wait until evening.” When even by saying this he did not persuade the admirable Avitus, he is said to have groaned and said: “I am very disheartened and stung in soul that you endured so much toil to see someone who loves labor and philosophy, and, cheated of your hope, have seen a huckster and a profligate instead of a philosopher.” The most divine Avitus was grieved at this and said that he would rather eat than hear such things; and the great Marcianus said: “We too, my friend, pursue the same life as you and embrace the same way of life; we prefer labors to rest, we choose fasting over food, and we take it only when night comes on. But we know that love is more precious than fasting. For the one is the work of the divine law, the other belongs to our own authority; and it is right to regard the divine laws as far more precious than our own labors.” Having talked thus with each other, taken a little food and sung hymns to God, and [spent] three [days together] again, loving each other in spirit, [they parted]. Who, then, would not admire the wisdom of this man? Guided by it he knew the time for fasting and the time for philosophy and brotherly love; he knew also the differences among the parts of virtue, which should give way to which, and to which, when the time is right, the first place should be given.
I have another story too, a token of his perfection in divine things. His sister came to him from his homeland with her son, a grown man and one of the leading men of Cyrrhus, bringing him necessities in abundance. He did not consent to see his sister, but received his nephew, for it was the time of the appointed meeting. When they begged him to accept what they had brought, he said: “How many monasteries have you passed through? To which of them have you given any of these things?” When the nephew said that they had given to none, he said: “Go away with what you brought. For we neither need any of these things nor, if we did need them, would we accept them; for you have taken thought for natural kinship, not for divine service. For if you did not honor only the bond of family, [you would have given to others as well] …” So he sent away his nephew together with his sister, not … ordering [even] a little of what they had offered to be accepted. So far was he beyond nature, and so fully had he passed over to the way of life of heaven. What clearer example could one give that he was worthy of God, according to the voice of God himself? “He who does not leave,” he says, “father and mother and brothers and sisters and wife and children, is not worthy of me.” If the one who does not leave them is unworthy, the one who leaves them, and that with such exact perfection, was plainly most worthy.
Besides this I admire the exactness of his divine doctrines. He detested the madness of Arius, which at that time was being inflamed by the imperial power; he loathed also the derangement of Apollinarius. He fought nobly against those who hold the views of Sabellius and run the three hypostases together into one. He utterly turned away also from those called [Euchites], who in the guise of monks are sick with the disease of the Manichaeans. So warm was his zeal for the doctrines of the Church that he undertook a just battle even against an admirable and divine man, who lived in that desert, an old man whose hair was gray but whose mind was grayer, shining in every virtue and always welling up with tears of compunction. This man, led at first by a certain simplicity, persisted in celebrating the Pascha in the earlier manner, not knowing, naturally, what had been laid down about it by the Fathers at Nicaea, and choosing to be bound by an ancient custom. Many others too at that time suffered from this ignorance. But the great Marcianus, often using many arguments, tried to bring the old man Abraham (for so the people of the country called him) over to the concord of the Church. Seeing that he would not be persuaded, he openly withdrew from communion with him. But after some time that inspired man cast off the fault, and, loving the concord of the divine feast, sang truthfully: “Blessed are the blameless in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.” This too was an achievement of the great Marcianus's teaching.
Many in many places [built] shrines of prayer for him … , among them a certain Zenobiana in Chalcis, distinguished by birth, eminent in virtue and abounding in wealth. And not a few others did the same, vying to seize that victorious athlete. Learning this, the man of God called on the admirable Eusebius, putting to him oaths full of every fear, to lay his body in that place … , and that no one should know the tomb except two of his closest companions, until a great number of years had passed. And that admirable man fulfilled this oath. For when the end of the victor came, and a choir of angels carried that sacred and divine soul to the dwellings in heaven, he did not announce his death until, with the two best-known disciples, he had dug the grave, laid the body in it, and leveled the surface of the ground. And when fifty years had passed … the body, the tomb remained unknown. But since each of the shrines mentioned before had received relics, one of apostles, another of martyrs, the heirs of his tent and teaching took courage at last, and two years ago made a stone coffin and moved the remains of the precious body into it, one man pointing out the tomb, for he alone of the three survived.
The admirable Eusebius, having become an emulator of his virtue, went on wearing down his body with greater labors. For he wore a hundred and twenty pounds of iron, placing on himself both the [fifty pounds] of … and the eighty of the great Marcianus. For his dwelling he had a dry cistern, and he spent three years living in this manner. I have digressed into this account wishing to show for what other great achievements the great Marcianus was responsible. The admirable Basil also enjoyed his philosophy; long afterwards he built a monastic dwelling near Seleucobelus (this is a city of Syria), and shone in many forms of virtue, but especially in the God-beloved possession of love and the divine achievement of hospitality. And how many “workers who have no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth,” to speak with the apostle, he too presented to God, who could easily number? Not to pass over the others at present, who are worthy of praise but would lengthen the narrative, I shall mention one of them only. There was a disciple of his whom they called Sabinus, who wore out his body with countless labors. He took neither bread nor any relish; his food was … all the month's food …, so that it grew moldy and gave off a great stench. He wished this kind of food to dull the appetites of the body, and to wither pleasure through the foul smell of the food. Living thus by himself, if any of his acquaintances ever came, … of what was set before him … . He received such grace from God that a woman of distinction, proud of her family and wealth, ran to him from Antioch and begged him to help her daughter, who was being attacked by a demon. “For in a dream,” she said, “I saw someone urging me to hasten here and obtain salvation for my daughter through the prayers of the head of the monastery.” The man who gave answers said that it was not [the custom] for the one presiding to converse with women; and as she lamented bitterly, the head of the monastery came out. But the woman said that it was not he, but another who had … on his cheeks. When they recognized the one sought (he was the third of the monastery, not the first), they persuaded him and brought him to the woman; at once she recognized his face, and the evil demon cried out and left the girl. Such were the achievements of the great Marcianus's disciples; such plants did this excellent planter plant everywhere. I too, having brought this narrative to an end, beg and pray to obtain the divine help through the intercession of them all.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Heb 11:37–38 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 1:2–3 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 8:23–26 (allusion, high confidence) · Matt 10:37 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 14:26 (allusion, medium confidence) · Ps 119:1 (118:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Tim 2:15 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Marcianus, a nobleman of Cyrrhus, lives enclosed in a tiny cell in the desert, founds a line of monasteries through his disciples, works miracles he tries to hide, puts love before fasting, defends Nicene doctrine, and is buried secretly.
- About 2% of the Greek is lost in the scan used here; gaps are marked “…” and nothing has been supplied. Words in square brackets supply what the sense plainly requires where a line is damaged. Larger losses: the end of the comparison with Christ calming the sea; part of the story of the oil flask (the father's affliction and the rule that kept him from Marcianus); the description of Avitus's desert; the end of Marcianus's words to his nephew; the name of the heretics “who in the guise of monks are sick with the disease of the Manichaeans” (probably the Messalians, also called Euchites); what the founders of the shrines did; whose fifty pounds of iron Eusebius added to Marcianus's eighty (probably Agapetus's); the description of Sabinus's food; and what the woman saw on the man's cheeks. A line of the serpent story (“first drove out the disciple's cowardice, then thus the beast”) is printed by the scan's OCR inside the oil-flask story; it has been moved back to its place (logged correction). In the same place the order of the lines about the servant who met the father is disturbed; they are translated in their natural order. Marcianus “was doing the work of judges in Beroea”: though far away, he punished the demon possessing the girl there. The Pascha dispute concerns Quartodeciman reckoning, settled at Nicaea in 325. “Philosophy” (φιλοσοφία) is the ascetic life. The miracle accounts are translated as Theodoret tells them. Quotations: Heb 11:37–38; Ps 1:2–3; Matt 10:37 (with Luke 14:26); Ps 119:1 (118:1 LXX); 2 Tim 2:15. Allusion: Matt 8:23–26. Migne's Latin column read as Greek letters and marginal references were removed (logged corrections).
Notes on the original text
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Cite (SBL): Theodoret, Hist. rel. 3 (PG 82; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/3). (abbreviation not yet checked)
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/theodoret-historia-religiosa/3
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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).