on the holy Nun-Martyr Theodosia: copied from a Codex Vatican. Constantine that one, near to the sepulcher of the Saint inhabiting houses, and with great by her, both in his own and in his son-in-law's person, affected benefits, for these are given the done and written about the end of cent. 13 this her laudation publicly to be recited composed: such as we found in a Ms. Vatican, we understand moreover at Vienna also in the Caesarean Library to be extant, and here first Greek-Latin we exhibit: but before we ask, who Constantine this was, and at what time he lived. To this to investigate himself to us suggests, a son-in-law to himself to have been Emperor by a daughter, of the reigning sister; by Constantine Acropolita the Great Logothete, which of Constantinopolitan history skilled easily understand to of Michael Palaeologus, and of his son Andronicus the elder times so to be fitted, that to no other equally can they be accommodated. Began moreover to reign Michael in the year MCCLX; and his son Andronicus, by marriage of Anna daughter of the King of Pannonia joined, he took as of his Empire a consort in the year MCCLXXII, he himself moreover died at the end of the year MCCLXXXI. His and his son's deeds with accurate commentaries pursued George Pachymeres, [whose daughter about the year 1295 married a grandson of Michael Emperor by his daughter Anna] not long ago to Latinity given by our Peter Possinus, and Greek-Latin edited at Rome with most magnificent and plainly royal types Barberini. From it we learn, that the daughters to Michael were three, even named by Christodulus in the epistle prefatory to the history of John Cantacuzene; Irene namely, Eudocia, and Anna. Irene married Asan the Younger, King of Bulgaria; Eudocia, to the Prince of the Lazi placed, the husband dead into a monastery herself betook; Anna, to the son of the Cral of Servia the King betrothed indeed, but joined never, in the year MCCLXXVIII to Michael her kinsman marrying, brought to him the title of Despot: and to this could have been given the Principality of the Colchians, that from that marriage born the daughter of Constantine the Logothete, about whom to us at present is the question.
[10] Leo Allatius, in his on the Georges Diatribe edited after George Acropolita's history, Not he himself in the year 1273 a legate went to Rome, among the Legates by Michael sent to Gregory X, in the year MCCLXXIII, named finding in Pachymeres book 5 chapter 17, from the Senatorial order, the first Great Logothete Acropolita; doubts, whether this place to be understood is about the aforesaid George, (whom also of great Logothete to have borne the office it is established) or about Constantine, whose several orations on the Saints' festivities the time has not begrudged: in the Diatribe moreover on the Simeons' writings, besides this on S. Theodosia, three of them by himself beheld he numbers, on S. Neophytus, on S. Theodore Tiro, and on S. John Damascene. But the doubt himself his own to solve seems Allatius, but his father George: when from Pachymeres aforepraised he alleges a place, where is said Andronicus Palaeologus, after the death of his father, before others to have used Muzolo Theodore, whom his father into the of Great Logothete Acropolita's deceased place had subrogated: namely George's: for Constantine ours lived with Andronicus, as already above said it is.
[11] [by whom to Michael the Emperor commended as a boy, but more grown deprived of favor;] Nay even of that George the son to have been Constantine, plainly is gathered from book 6 chapter 26 where is narrated, how Michael Constantine Acropolita, whom from his Father the Great Logothete received he had educated with himself, and to be instructed in the best arts had cared, on account of his pertinacity in the Schism, deprived of the place of favor which before he had had, and from his familiarity removed: which done in the antepenultimate of the Empire year. But quickly with the son Andronicus recovered Constantine, what with Michael he had lost: as also Theodore, for the same cause from the rank of Logothete removed: who when the same from Andronicus he had received, under his son Andronicus in the year 1294 he seems made Logothete, in it persevered, with the Protovestiary title besides augmented, even to the year MCCXCIV, in which he died; and in the very Logothete office a successor had the aforesaid George's son Constantine, by Imperial affinity soon, as above we said, honored. How long this one afterward lived I find not: one thing probably I seem to be able to say, the Encomium of S. Theodosia, by him to have been written before the year MCCCVI, otherwise not would he have omitted that most celebrated miracle which book 5 on Andronicus chapter 32 narrated by Pachymeres below we shall give, and which in the same happened year. by the family name called Acropolita. It is moreover of the Great Logothete the proper office, as says Codinus in the book on the Offices, the royal mandates and golden bulls to Kings, Sultans, Satraps to expedite: and he by the same Codinus is numbered in the order of the Palatine Officials twelfth. Nor other besides to be noted about these occurs, than the Acropolita appellation, not to have been of the fatherland, but of the family George and his son Constantine Constantinopolitans to have been: but other of gentile such surnames, in those ages used examples, which by no means can be believed the fatherland, as otherwise would seem, to note, see in Leo Allatius, in the aforecited on the Georges Diatribe, where about Acropolita he treats.
[12] The place of the Martyrdom at the ox, Thus far about the author and time of the written Encomium. About the place of the Martyrdom by S. Theodosia endured a word one here to be premised remains. Constantine num. 29 in the Shambles dragged the Saint says: the Synaxaria, namely from older Acts, πρὸς τὸν βοῦν, to the Ox. This place whether formerly, or at least in Constantine's age, the Shambles to itself joined had, and on that occasion of slaughtered animals the horns there to hand were; or whether that Constantine by the license of conjecturing thus wrote, I divine not: about the Ox I know from John Tzetzes among the fora public to have been named. βοὸς ἀγορὰν, ἤτοι βοῦν τὸν τόπον; the Ox's forum, or the place which Ox is called: from Codinus indeed on the origins, it to have been not very remote from the Palace: for among the four porticoes, with which the city adorned Eubulus, two he numbers, from Chalce through the Milion and the Forum even to the Taurus and the Ox and the Hexakyonium led: afterward indeed of Statues treating: in the place, says he, whence so called? named the Ox, the greatest was a furnace, an Ox's head having in which malefactors were punished: wherefore also Julian many Christians in it burned. There was indeed that furnace, into the figure of an ox formed to Phocas, but Heraclius it melted down, of folles (of brazen money a kind it was) to be coined for the sake. Tortured this place Codinus's interpreter John Leunclavius, because for, ἐχωνεύθη it was melted down, in the Ms. was read, ἐφονεύθη it was slaughtered: which if a metaphor not it is to the brazen ox fitted, a slip it is of the copyists; he moreover that not having noticed thus rendered. Entire moreover remained that furnace even to the times of Phocas the tyrant, who the last of all by Heraclius in it burned. Codinus on it illustrated. This about Phocas's death no one hitherto has dreamed, nor even through a shadow to be extorted from these words can it, ἦν δὲ ἡ κάμινος ἕως Φωκᾶ· ἀλλὰ ὑπὸ Ἡρακλείου ἐφονεύθη λόγῳ φολεῶν: whence thou seest how little we can to interpreters too much in a work hastening trust. It is yet true, that in the Chronicle Constantinopolitan, Alexandrian wrongly called, p. 876 is read, of a certain Phocas and Leo the Sacellarius the bodies, mutilated and long dragged, to the Ox carried at length and burned to have been. More about the Ox in Cange see in Constantinople Christian book 1 chapter 24; where about the Fora public num. XI, many things to read and to know most worthy thou wilt find.
Annotations* Gr. four hundred fifteen
ENCOMIUM
By the Author Constantine Acropolita, Great Logothete. By the Interpreter R. P. Daniel Cardonus S. J.
From the Vatican Library Codex 800 fol. 91.
Theodosia, Martyr at Constantinople (S.)
BY CONST. ACROPOL. FROM A MS.
PROLOGUE.
Γυναῖκα μὲν ἀνδρείαν ποῦ τις ἂν
καὶ ὅπως εὕροι, ὁ σοφὸς ἠπόρησε Σολομῶν. Καὶ μάλα γε εἰκότως ἠπόρησε. Πρὸ γὰρ τῆς χάριτος ἀσθενοῦς καθάπαξ τὴς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως πεφηνυῖας διὰ τὴν τοῦ δυσμενοῦς ἡμῖν ἐξαπάτην σατὰν, καὶ τὴν τῆς δεσποτικῆς παράβασιν ἐντολῆς, τοσαύτης ἦν ἀδρανέστερον, ἐξ ἀκολουθίας ἐξίτηλον. Ἀφ᾽ οὗ δὲ Θεὸς γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τὴν πεπτωκυῖαν ἀνώρθωσε, καὶ τὸν τέως καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἰσχύοντα καταβέβληκε, καὶ χάριτι κατ᾽ αὐτοῦ κοινῇ πάντες τὴν νικῶσαν ἐλάχομεν· οὐχ ὅτι γε ἄνδρες κρείττους ἀνεδείχθησαν φύσεως, καὶ ὑπὲρ φύσιν ἠρίστευσαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἤδη καὶ γυναῖκες ὑπερφυεῖς τινες ἀνεφάνησαν, καὶ τοῖς ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς ἡμιλλήθησαν ἀγγελικῶς ἐπὶ γῆς ταῖς ἀληθείαις πολιτευσάμεναι, καὶ τῶν τῇδε καὶ γεηρῶν ὅσα δὴ καὶ ὑπέρτεραι φύσεις ὑπεριδοῦσαι, καὶ ὡς ἀσώματοι τὸ σῶμα περιφρονήσασαι. Συχναὶ μὲν οὖν γυναικῶν, μετὰ τὸ μέγα καὶ φρικτὸν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος μυστήριον, ἀνδρεῖον πρὸς τοὺς κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν ἄθλους ἐνεδείξαντο φρόνημα, γενναῖόν τε ψυχῆς πρὸς τοὺς ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ καὶ κατὰ Χριστὸν ἀγῶνας παράστημα· ἣ δὲ νῦν ἡμῖν ἤδη προβεβλημένη πρὸς εὐφημίας ὑπόθεσιν, τὸ φερωνύμως θεόσδοτον ἀγαθὸν, Θεοδοσία, ἡ ἐν Ὁσίαις πυρίπιστος, καὶ ἐν Μάρτυσι περιβόητος, ταῖς μὲν τῶν πρὸ αὐτῆς ἡμιλλήθη, τῶν δ᾽ οὐ πάμπαν ἀπελείφθη, τὰς δὲ λαμπρῶς ὑπερήλασε, τὼν, δὲ μεθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν ἁπασῶν πρόβολός τις ἄτρεστος ὡς ἀληθῶς ἀνεδείχθη, καὶ ἀκαταγώνιστος πρόμαχος· τοῦτο μὲν νουθετοῦσα καὶ καλῶς καταρτίζουσα, τοῦτο δὲ ὑπαλείφουσα, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς κατὰ Θεὸν ἀγῶνας ἐπαίρουσα, καὶ τὰ εἰκότα ὑπερασπίζουσα, ἢ μᾶλλον σπινθήρ τις εὐσεβείας εὑρέθη ὡς ἐν σποδιᾷ τῇ τότε κατεχούσῃ σκοτομένῃ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τὸ πλήρωμα· ὃς πρὸς μὲν μικρὸν, ὅ, τι διέλαθεν ἤρθη δ᾽ εὐθὺς, εἰς πυρσὸν καὶ τοὺς μὴ τυφλώττοντας ἑκοντὶ καθωδηγήκει πρὸς τὰ σωτήρια. Ἀλλὰ τούτων μὲν ἅλις· Τὸ δ᾽ εἰωθὸς προσφθεγξαμένῳ καὶ νῦν, ὡς εἴη μοι τοῦ προκειμένου συλλήπτωρ Θεὸς, ἐγχειρητέον ἄγε τοῖς τῆς Μακαρίας ἀγῶσι, καὶ τοῖς κατὰ Θεὸν ταύτης ἐπιβλητέον παλαίσμασιν.
[1] A woman valiant where one of lands and by what reason easily could find, Human nature through the demon and sin corrupted, not a little doubted the most wise Solomon. Prov. 3:11 Nor that indeed undeservedly. For before that with the more abundant of divine grace abundance from heaven to us to use it was conceded, and at what time human nature, both on account of the never not hostile to us satan's notable frauds, and on account of the mandates divine's prevarication continual, by its own much strengths was failed; nothing indeed wonderful, if into daily and more it was corrupted. But indeed after that man's nature God to assume, and it miserably indeed held again to raise, nay even him, whom as hostile, so by far also to us to be more powerful by a sad experience we felt, grievously to wound did not doubt; and all, by the grace of the Saviour restored, with common and sufficient against the demon grace furnished, victory to hope could; then indeed not men only, who a more robust have obtained nature, the same illustriously to demonstrate undertook, even above nature's limits themselves raising; but of the weaker also sex virgins certain and matrons stood illustrious, who against those, whose strengths than ours by far are superior, with a mind more than womanly to contend were not afraid, an Angelic, if the truth we say, on earth life leading, the sex even the more fragile to brave things he strengthens, and as from on high despising whatsoever in this world are not, but seem to be made much of: souls indeed than themselves higher made, who when their bodies everywhere they carried about, so yet as if outside their bodies, without any of them care, they were. Of these therefore, which just now I was saying, women not a few, after that vast and with a sacred certain horror most full of God and of our Saviour, our flesh assuming, secret, vast to of virtues however arduous exercise to be undergone spirits, and a virile certain of mind robustness and purpose in those combats showed, From which not a few came forth illustrious, which for Christ and by the example of Christ they sustained. But she who is to be praised, today to us is proposed, and as a most beautiful certain gift by God to mortals conceded, not from the matter's truth alien obtained a name, Theodosia, and among other Virgins most holy of most fervent faith by the prerogative notable, and among Martyrs most celebrated, but especially Theodosia with these all which before herself existed beautifully contended about victory. For of these to some nothing at all of glory to have conceded, others even not without illustrious her own praise seemed to have surpassed; to all indeed, which her either followed already had or further will follow, the president of the combats most strong, and an unconquerable was made champion; partly to bravely contending, To all for God's cause contending an example impelling by words and beautiful into the battle strengths affording; partly to more closely with the enemy engaging and bravely for God daring, by things instructing and by discourses inciting, and even now those contending herself for the merits of each by her aid fostering and protecting; unless to say thou shouldst prefer of a spark certain the reason to have had Theodosia. Which if thou shouldst say, as by a caliginous certain night, at that of time was covered: which indeed a little before lying hid, and a leader proposed, and then suddenly excited, into a flame burst most clear, that with her leader as many as not altogether were blind, into the right of the most beautiful salvation path of their own accord were led back. But about these now enough: therefore moreover these to be premised I judged, that of the work undertaken a helper to me God may be present. Now therefore the B. Martyr's in the combats fortitude, and in the arena for her God gloriously fighting constancy let us exhibit.
CHAPTER I.
S. Theodosia's birth, adolescence, monastic life.
Ἀλλ᾽ ἵν᾽ ἁρξώμεθα, ὅθέν ποθεν ἡ τέχνη, τοῖς τῆς φύσεως τάχα κατακολουθοῦσα θεσμοῖς, παρέδωκεν ἄρχεσθαι, ἐκ τῶν κάτω καὶ καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς, ὅθεν καὶ τὴν ἁρχὴν πάντες ἔχομεν, τῆς γενέσεως τὴν ἁπαρχὴν ποιησόμεθα. Ταύτῃ πατρὶς μὲν ἡ Κωνστατίνου, τὸ περλάλητον Αὐσόνων βασίλειον, τὸ παλαιὸν τῆς οἰκουμένης ἁρχεῖον, τὸ μέχρι περάτων τῆς γῆς διαβόητον ὄνομα, ἥν, μυρίοις καθ᾽ αὐτὴν εὐθηνουμένην ἁγαθοῖς, οὑδὲν οὕτως ἐκόσμησε καὶ εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς ἔχει κοσμεῖν, ὡς ὁ ταύτης πολιστής τε καὶ παλυοῦχος, Κωνσταντῖνος ὁ μέγας, τοῖς κατὰ Θεὸν ἁριστεύμασιν ἡ τῶν κατὰ Χριστὸν ὡς ἀληθῶς βασιλέων βάσις, τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἔρεισμα, τὸ τῆς πίστεως στήριγμα, ὁ μετὰ τοὺς Ἀποστόλους Ἀπόστολος. Τοιαύτης ἡ Μακαρία πατρίδος ἔτυχε, τοιούτῳ πολιστῇ καὶ πολυούχῳ σεμνήνεσθαι ἔλαχεν· ἐρῶ δὲ, καὶ τάχα γε εἰκότως ἐρῶ, τοιοῦτον ἔσχε τὸν πρόγονον, τοιούτῳ διδασκάλῳ, τοιούτῳ γε ὁδηγῷ πρὸς τὴν ὀρθὴν περὶ Θεοῦ δόξαν ἐχρήσατο.
[3] Ἀλλὰ ποθεῖ τις ἴσως μαθεῖν καὶ ὁποίων ηὐμοιρήκει τῶν ἁρχηγετῶν τῆς γενέσεως, καὶ ὁποῖοίπερ οὗτοι τὰ πρὸς Θεὸν ὄντες ἐτύγχανον; Εὐσεβέστατοι, καὶ φιλόθεοι, καὶ τῶν τοῦ ἐντολῶν Θεοῦ ἀκριβεῖς φύλακες. Τί δεῖ πολλὰ λέγειν; ἐῶ γὰρ ὡς ἐκόμων πλούτῳ, καὶ δόξης ἀπήλαβον· ἐν βραχεῖ δέ φημι, γεννήτορες τοιούτου τῷ ὄντι γεννήματος ἀξιόχρεῳ. Ἀλλ᾽ οὔπω τελείας γέγονεν ἡλικίας, καὶ ἀπορφάνισται τοῦ πατρὸς, ἑπταέτης ἔτι τυγχάνουσα, καὶ πολλῆς ἔτι δεομένη τῆς προμηθείας, ὡς ἁμέμπτως τὸ ζῇν ἐκμετρήσειε, καὶ τῶν παγίδων ἀνωτέρα γενομένη τοῦ δυσμενοῦς, ὡς τῷ Θεῷ βουλητὸν τὸν τοῦ βίου δρόμον ἀνύσειεν· ἀλλὰ ταύτης οὔμενουν οὐκ ἠμοίρησεν. Ὁ γὰρ εἰδὼς τὰ πάντα πρὸ τῆς τούτων γενέσεως, ὁ ἀφορίζων ἐκ κοιλιῶν μητρικῶν ἄνδρας τε καὶ γυναῖκας ὁμοῦ, καὶ ἐκλογὴν ἀεὶ περιποιούμενος ἑαυτῷ, καὶ τῆς Μακαρίας ταύτης, ὅσα καὶ πατὴρ, προυνοήσατο. Ἅμα τε γὰρ ὁ πατὴρ τὸν βίον μετήλλαξε, καὶ ἅμα γε ἡ μήτηρ κόσμῳ καὶ τοῖς ἐν κόσμῳ χαίρειν εἰποῦσα, ἑαυτὴν καὶ τὴν ἑαυτῆς παῖδα σεμνείῳ τὲ περιέκλεισε, καὶ σεμνῶς βιοῦν προυξένησεν ἐκπαιδεύεσθαι.
[4] Τρεῖς τε γὰρ ὅλους ἐνιαυτοὺς αὐτῇ συνασκήσασα, καὶ πᾶν εἴτι συμπραξαμένη καλὸν καὶ θεάρεστον, κατέλυσε τὸν βίον, κᾀκ τῶν γηΐνων μετέστη πρὸς τὰ οὐράνια, πλοῦτον ὁρατὸν αὐτῇ καταλιποῦσα, ὅσος γε ὑπελείφθη καὶ μήπω διαδοθεὶς ἕφθη τοῖς πένησι, καὶ πρός γε τὸν κρείττω καὶ ἀληθέστατον, ὃς καὶ περιοῦσι σύνεστι, καὶ μεθισταμένοις συνάπεισιν, ὃς οὐχὶ κατὰ τὸν ὁμώνυμον αὐτῷ τυφλώττει, ἀλλὰ καὶ λίαν ὁξυδορκεῖ, καὶ τὸ δὴ μεῖζον πρὸς τὴν κατὰ Θεὸν πορείαν καθοδηγεῖ, καὶ πρὸς τὴν εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἄγουσαν, ἀπρόσκοπτα βαδίζειν ποιεῖν. Τί γοῦν ἡ Μακαρία, πῶς τοῖς διαφόροις αὐτοῖς κλήροις ἐχρήσατο, μῶν, ὡς ἀτελής; μῶν, ὡς ἀνῆλιξ; πολλοῦ γε καὶ δεῖ. Τὸν μὲν γὰρ φθειρόμενον πλοῦτον παραυτὰ σκορπίζει τοῖς πένησι, τοσοῦτον παρ᾽ ἑαυτῇ κατασχοῦσα, ὁπόσον εἰς θείους ἀποχρήσειν τύπους ἐνόμισε. Δι᾽ οὗ καὶ τρεῖς εἰκόνας ἐκτήσατο, τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὴν τῆς πανάγνου τοῦδε Μητρὸς, καὶ πρός γε τὴν τῆς πολυάθλου Μάρτυρος Ἀναστασίας, ἣν ἐκ τῆς δοθείσης ταύτῃ πέρὶ αὐτὰ χάριτος, Φαρμακολυτρίαν ὁ Χριστώνυμος κατονομάζειν οἶδε λεώς.
[5] Ἀλλ᾽ οὕτω μὲν περὶ τούτου διενοήθη καὶ διεπράξατο. Περὶ δὲ τοῦ λοιποῦ πλούτου, τοῦ ὡς ἀληθῶς πλούτου, καὶ μὴ διαψευδομένου τὴν κλῆσιν, πῶς, ἄρα ζητεῖ τις, ἐσκέψατο; Λίαν συνετῶς. Καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἄλλως ἐχρῆν. Οὐ δὲ γὰρ ἠνέσχετο μὴ παραυτὰ φιλοσοφῆσαι τελεώτερόν τε καὶ ὑψηλότερον, καὶ ἀποστὲρξαι μὲν τὰ τῇδε, περὶ δὲ πλείστου τὰ ἐκεῖσε ποιήσασθαι, ἀμέλειτος καὶ ὡσεὶ τελείας οὖσα τῆς ἡλικίας· καὶ ὡς ἄκρον ἐληλακυῖα φρονήσεως, τῆς κατ᾽ ἀρετὴν συντονίας οὐ καθυφῆκεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῶν ἀρχεειδεστάτων ἀρξαμένη, τῶν ἀκροτάτων μέχρι ἀφείκετο, οὐδὲν οὐδόλως παραποδισθεῖσα. Οὐ δ᾽ ὃ καὶ τελείους κατὰ καιροὺς ἔσφηλε περὶ τὰ μέσα· καὶ ἃ δὴ τοῖς πολλοῖς ὑπὲρ τὰ ἄκρα νενόμισται φθάσασα, μεῖζόν τι περὶ ἑαυτῆς ἐφαντάσθη· ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν δεσποτικὴν διὰ παντὸς προσταγὴν, ἀχρείαν ἑαυτὴν δούλην ἐνόμιζε, καὶ ὡς οὐδὲν οὐδαμῶς τῶν ὀφειλημένων ἐκπλήσασαν ἐταλάνιζε· Κατά τε τὴν τοῦ μακαρίου Παύλου θείαν καὶ σωτήριον ὑποθήκην, ἐπιλανθανομένη τῶν ὄπισθεν, ἐπεκτείνεσθαι τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἔσπευδεν, ἐγκρατείᾳ τὸ σῶμα μαραίνουσα, ἀγρυπνίαις ἀδιαλείπτως ἐμμένουσα, διηνεκεῖς τὰς πρὸς Θεὸν ἱκετηρίας ποιουμένη, καὶ ὅλη καθάπαξ γινομένη τοῦ κρείττονος.
[6] Ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν πρὸς τὸ θεῖον καὶ τὰ θεῖα οὕτως ἦν ἐνεργὴς, οὕτως ἦν σύντονος· πρὸς δὲ τὰς συνασκουμένας αὐτῇ μοναχὰς, ὅπως ἐ͂ιχεν; ὅπως διέκειτο; Ἆρά γε ἐκ τοῦ ὑπερέχοντος ὡμίλει; ἆρά γε ὑπερετίθη σφῶν ἔν τισιν ἑαυτὴν; Οὕμενουν οὐδαμῶς. Ὡς γάρ τις ἀμελὴς, ὡς τῶν ἐπηγγελμένων ἐκπληροῦσα μηδὲν, μετ᾽ αἰδοῦς ἁπάσας προσῄει, ὅτε δήποτε τῶν πρὸς Θεὸν
ἐντεύξεων ἦγε σχολὴν, καὶ πάσας ἑαυτῆς ὑπερφέρειν ἡγεῖτο, καὶ ηὐδαιμόνιζε. Τὸ δὲ μεῖζον, οὕτω φρονοῦσα, οὕτω διαλογιζομένη περὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, οὐδὲ μιᾷ τούτων ἐφρόνησε, πρὸς οὐδεμίαν ἐξηλοτύπησεν· ἀλλ᾽ ἠγάπα πάσας καὶ ἔστεργε· καὶ ὥσπέρ τις ἀρτιπαγὴς, ὡς τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν πορείας ἀήθης, ἐζήτει παρ᾽ ἑκάστης ποδηγεῖσθαι, καὶ πρὸς ἀρετὴν παρ᾽ ἑκάστῃ ἱθύνεσθαι. Οὕτω τε πνεῦμα τεταπεινωμένον, καὶ καρδίαν συντετριμμένην ἐκέκτητο, ἃ μὴ ἐξουθενοῦν τὸν Θεὸν, φθάνει μεμαρτυρικὼς ὁ Δαυΐδ.
[7] Ἀμέλειτο τῷ θυμικῷ ἔχουσα ἐφ᾽ οὐκ τῆς ψυχῆς, ὅτῳπερ ἂν χρήσαιτο, ὅλον κατὰ τοῦ ἀρχεκάκου τὸν θυμὸν ἐξέχεε σατανᾶ, πόῤῥωθεν αὐτὸν ἀπερύκουκα πόῤῥωθεν ἐκδιώκουσα, καὶ μὴ παραχωροῦσα τὸ παράπαν προσεγγίσαι, μὴ δ᾽ ὅ φασιν ἐξ ἀγχωμάλου συμπλέκεσθαι. Οὐ γὰρ ὅτι γε πρὸς βολαῖς ἀκροβολίζειν οὐκ ἐνεδίδου τὸν πολυμήχανον, οὐ δ᾽ εἰς πάλην ὅλως ἀνίει χωρεῖν καὶ ξυμπλέκεσθαι· ἀλλ᾽ εὖ μάλα πόῤῥωθεν ἐ͂ιργε, καὶ ὡσεί τις ἄριστος στρατηγὸς, ὡσεί τις δεξιὸς ἀνταγωνιστὴς, ἐκ τῶν ἀπωτάτων κατηγωνίζετο φθάνουσα. Μηδενὶ δ᾽ ἀσχολουμένη τῶν ἐνταυθοῖ, μηδενὸς ἐπιστρεφομένη τῶν κόσμου τερπνῶν, ὅλον τὸ ἐπιθυμητικὸν ἀνέτεινε πρὸς Θεὸν, καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ κατάκρως ἀγάπης ἑάλωκεν, ὅλη Θεοῦ καὶ τῶν θείων ἱμειρομένη ψυχῇ. Οὕτως ἐκ πρώτης, ὅ φασιν, ἡ Μακαρία τριχὸς, πᾶσα μὲν καὶ ἐτολὴν ἐπλήρου δεσποτικὴν, μέχρι κεραίας καὶ ἐνὸς ἰῶτα, τὰ τοῦ θείου νόμου φυλάττειν, ὡς αὐτὸς ὑπέθετο, σπεύδουσα. Ἀλλὰ τὸ μεῖζον, ἀλλὰ τὸ μέγιστον, ἐρῶν ἔρχομαι.
[2] And that thence we may take the beginning of the discourse, whence the art of speaking (which also itself by the sanctions set by nature religiously obeys) prescribes beginning to be made, Constantinople the royal city, from those things which on earth are placed, and from which a beginning all we draw; from the place, I say, and the other of being-born adjuncts, a beginning also we will make of speaking. Of her nativity therefore the place obtained Theodosia, the very of great Constantine city, celebrated so the Ausonian Emperors' seat royal, of the whole formerly world the embraced empire, of which to the four world parts extreme fame and name renowned spread; which with innumerable abounding goods, nothing so to posterity adorned, or ever is about to adorn, than he himself who it founded, Theodosia being born, and by his presence and safeguard propped, Great Constantine; with beautiful in God's cause labors to the end brought to be remembered, and of Kings all Christian by far the first, the firm of religion and piety prop, of our faith most holy a bulwark indeed strong, and after those chief Apostles himself also to be called an Apostle. With such therefore a native soil that blessed Virgin came forth, with such of her city the fatherland's she rejoiced as Prince and grew illustrious as Patron. I shall say indeed, and what the matter is I shall say; the same that one, whom just now I described, she herself had as Progenitor, the same of instructing life the Preceptor, the same to the true, which in God and from God is, glory the leader.
[3] Is there moreover one who that also to know perhaps desires, of parents very pious, what kind Theodosia and how great by a happy lot obtained parents? with what toward God faith and religion? So indeed let him have it; the supreme of God majesty with a special certain cult and love to have followed; and indeed with the highest accuracy all of the same God's mandates ever to have fulfilled. What need of more? With how great they flowed round riches, and with how great glory, in silence I pass over; briefly I pronounce, with offspring so holy and so illustrious most worthy. She moreover, when a tender still little maiden the seventh of her age year not yet had passed beyond; and when to this that without reprehension this life mortal she might run through, and the cacodemon's snares made superior to, that of living institute, which to God especially had seemed, she might seize, of her father still the counsel and providence to need she seemed, first of her father at seven she is bereaved; of the same she was bereaved. But nor so of the necessary for instituting rightly life safeguards was she destitute. The same indeed that one who all our things, long even before than this light we enter, knows; who to us thence about to befall, from that even time in which the maternal still womb we are confined, according to his wisdom best disposes; and whom he wills with a special certain care, whether of males or of females, to be fostered chooses; he, I say, his paternal providence toward the tender still virgin to be missed did not suffer. and in a monastery placed, For at once the parent of Theodosia this life with death or a better rather life exchanged, at once also the mother to the frail of the world things, and to the world itself a message sending back, of the secret and religious house's enclosure herself and her daughter enclosed, where to life beautifully to be led with most beautiful precepts her took care to be imbued.
[4] three years after also she is deprived of her mother. Three altogether years together with her daughter spent in that place and exercise, nothing which of praise worthy or to God pleasing she recognized omitting, the pious of Theodosia mother, of living an end made, and the earthly relinquished dwelling into the heavenly herself habitation transferred. So great moreover of those which here are seen to her Daughter left of riches, as much as from the pious into the needy bestowals to her remained: those namely better and truer she judged to be wealth, which both here to those living never not are present, and hence to those emigrating their possessors by no means desert; which those, who them possess, not according to that which they have of name, to blind, but to most acutely seeing the eyes to open to them can and are wont; which finally for the most part their to God lovers by a straight path lead through, and, when the very into the heavens way without error they demonstrate, into the same also without impediment any that one may arrive they effect. with goods to the poor distributed, What therefore B. Theodosia? By what, you think, reason the riches, by her parents' death to her left, did she use? Whether imperfectly? Whether without fruit? By no means indeed. The goods namely to corruption and loss obnoxious to the poor she distributed all, only for herself merely from them reserving, as much as to the sacred images to be purchased necessary would be she judged: of which three for herself especially she procured, the first of the Lord and our Saviour Jesus Christ, of the most pure Mother of God the other, one besides of holy Martyr Anastasia, so many for God's cause labors having suffered, whom on account of a singular divinely received grace, the people Christian to surname is wont the Sorceries-dissolver a.
[5] And these are what about those which I said riches Theodosia for herself to be done, both in mind conceived, to the study of virtue she attends, and in reality executed. But the goods those which truly are, nor by a false nomenclature are called goods; how her mind she intended, does anyone ask? Wisely indeed, nor otherwise than those to use it is fitting. For not to be deferred to herself any more she esteemed but that, according to the highest and most perfect wisdom's pleasures, of those herself all which to the world pertain goods she should despoil, that more and better thence she might obtain. Then indeed care all and solicitude not necessary casting away, thus as if to a perfect now she had arrived age, and to the highest of prudence all called she had been to a peak, from a continuous to virtue effort so not did she withdraw, that rather from the most beautiful of the same beginnings even herself taking a beginning, to the highest at length of perfection summit she attained. Nothing meanwhile in of virtues the course having found impediment, of humility especially. nor about the last of her life times to those which before she had done a stain any to be inflicted suffering, who by many even then was thought to the highest each by the course to have arrived, great nothing about herself to herself persuaded; nay rather according to that which from the Lord to be inculcated well she knew, a handmaid herself she esteemed useless; and as if nothing at all which to her profit might make she had performed, wretched herself and of good works needy she reputed; and also, according to the divine and salutary Paul's admonition, the things which behind were forgetting to the things before herself extended; and by abstinence her body emaciating, and never not with vigils herself exercising, and assiduous to God prayers offering, continually she profited in better. Luke 17:10, Phil. 3:14.
[6] and holily among the Monks she converses, As to God therefore and divine things regards already by the said reason she was laborious and assiduous. With those moreover virgins which in the same monastery sacred with her exercises were at leisure, God immortal! in what manner did she bear herself? in what manner did she converse? in what manner the rest all of her of spiritual gifts abundance did she render partakers? Besides than them several she had herself inferior; nor that only, but as if of good things careless, and to all she were useless, and of the divine mandates none not she neglected, with an ingenuous certain shame of her own accord she approached all, because in of holy with God conversation's zeal by all herself to be surpassed she judged, wretched herself and unhappy calling. And what by far is greater, when so great to her was inherent prudence, and so illustrious of acting a reason, among of the same companionship the comrades, no of a more elated mind she showed signs, none of her comrades with envy she followed, but with love all and benevolence she embraced with a singular. Not otherwise also than if in divine obedience she had been or unaccustomed, from single ones she sought to be instructed, and into the right of virtue path, if perchance to err it happened to be led back. So a spirit she herself had humbled, and a heart contrite, which two to despise God by no means is wont, as the holy testifies David.
[7] All of mind haughtiness and motion more vehement plainly she had put off, when nothing happened which the Virgin holy to wrath could provoke; that only she had retained of zeal and animosity, which on the demon to pour out not without glory she could. Far therefore him from herself to drive, far fleeing to pursue, nor at all of approaching, or from the even, as they say, of engaging with herself occasion to permit. Ps. 50:19 For not against the enemy's most cunning attacks even from afar her to try strengths she wished, Diabolic frauds excellently she eludes, nor into the arena at all did she sustain to descend and at close quarters with him to engage; but with a far better counsel afar him from herself bidding to be off, of an excellent indeed soldier and antagonist's parts all she fulfilled, while from afar and as if fleeing her enemy cautiously she attacked. To none of those things which here we admire intent, by no of the world this pleasures entangled, God earnestly she loves. all her vows and desires in one God to fix she was wont: of him alone she was captured by love, with whole mind day and night to God and to things divine intending. So from the first, as they say, little nails the Virgin that most blessed the prescribed by God to men of living laws fulfilled all, that solicitously caring, that not a point even one or one apex of the divine law unguarded should slip, as the Lord himself it to be done constituted. But now a greater something, nay the greatest, I undertake to say. Matt. 5:18
ANNOTATIONS.
name by the Greeks 22 December, whether she is to be distinguished from the Roman one of that appellation, the wife of Probus, a most noble Martyr under Diocletian, we shall see, if not before, certainly at 25 December. Codinus on the Origins says surnamed Pharmacus: whether this is the first occasion of the surname, or of her against Pharmaca that is sorceries to be invoked, elsewhere can be inquired.
CHAPTER II.
Leo the Isaurian, about to abolish the Images, the public Gymnasium with the Masters opposing him by fire destroys.
Ἦν μὲν οὕτως ἡ μακαρία διάγουσα ἀρετῆς ἐπιμελομένη, ἑαυτῆς τῇ μονῇ περικλείουσα, καὶ μόνῳ Θεῷ διὰ παντὸς προσανέχουσα. Ἀλλ᾽ ἔως τὰ καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἐ͂ιχε καλῶς, καὶ περὶ Θεοῦ καὶ τῶν θείων φρονοῦντες ἦμεν ὀρθὰ, τὸ εἰς κληρονομίαν ἰδιωθὲν αὐτῷ σχοίνισμα, ὁ νέος Ἰσραὴλ, ὁ περιούσιος λαὸς καὶ ἐξαίρετος. Ἐπεὶ δ᾽ ὁ ἄνωθεν βασκαίνων ἡμῖν, πολλαῖς πολλάκις καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἐχρήσατο μηχαναῖς (Οὐδὲν δ᾽ ὅτι καὶ ἤνυσε) κᾀντεῦθεν ἐξηπορήθη καὶ ἡμηχάνισε, πάντα μὲν, ὅ φασι, καλὸν κινήσας, κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας Θεοῦ, μηδὲν δ᾽ ἐκπλῆσαι δυνηθεὶς τῶν πρὸς βούλησιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλατὺν ὁφλήσας κατάγελων, ὅλος ἑαυτῷ γίνεται καὶ καινότερόν τι τεχνάζεται. Οὐ γάρ τι τῶν θέιων παραποιῆσαι δογμάτων ἐπαίρει· διὰ γὰρ πάντων ἐπιχειρήσας, διὰ πάντων καὶ ἀποκέκρουσται. Τί οὖν ὃ σκαιωρεῖ; τί μηχανᾶται ὁ πολυμήχανος; Τὰς θείας εἰκόνας, τὰ ἱερὰ καὶ πάνσεπτα ἐκτυπώματα, ἐκ μέσου, ὡς ἱκανοῖς ταῦτ᾽ ἐνεργῆσαι διέγνωκε, ποιήσασθαι ὑποτίθεται· καὶ ἡ ὑποθήκη, τὸ δοκοῦν, δεξιὰ, δεξιὰ δ᾽ ὁποίαν ἐκκλίνειν ὡς δοκοῦσαν, ἀλλὰ μὴ οὖσαν, καὶ πάντα φέρουσαν ἐπαρίστερα, ὁ σοφὸς ὑπέθετο Σολομῶν. Εἴδωλα νομίζειν ὑπέβαλε, καὶ τὴν περὶ ταῦτα σπουδὴν τῆς παλαιᾶς ἐ͂ιναι πλάνης, καὶ τῆς ἀρχαίας ἐκείνης τερθρείας ἀπᾶδον πάντη πεφηνέναι χριστιανοῖς λείψανον. Βαβαὶ τῆς τόλμης! βαβαὶ τῆς σκαιότητος! φεῦ τῶν μηχανῶν τοῦ ἀλάστορος! Νῦν μὲν οὕτως, νῦν δ᾽ ἑτέρως ἐπιχειρεῖ, κᾀκ τῶν δεξιῶν βάλλει, κᾀκ τῶν ἀριστερῶν, ὁ περὶ τὸ κακουργεῖν ἀμφοτεροδέξιος. Τίνες δ᾽ οὕς καὶ ἐν έκρινε, καὶ τίσιν ὑπηρέταις ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐχρήσατο, ὅτε δὴ τὴν βασιλείαν Θεοῦ παραχωρήσει σφετερισάμενος; Λέων ὁ ἐξ Ἰσαύρων, ὁ ἄγριος αὐτόχρημα θὴρ καὶ ἀτίθασσος, ὃς κατὰ τῆς ποίμνης εὐθὺς Θεοῦ δεινὸν ἐβρυχήσατο, καὶ κατὰ μέσης αὐτῆς καθά τις ὠμηστὴς ἥλατο· καὶ ὁ κατ᾽ ἀντίφρασιν Ἀναστάσιος, ὁ μετὰ τὸν μακάριον Γεμανὸν ἐπὶ κακῷ τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐπεισφρήσας Θεοῦ, καὶ πολλοῖς ὅτι θανάτου καὶ ἀπωλείας γενόμενος αἴτιος. Ἀλλὰ πῶς ἂν πρὸς ἀξίαν ἐκτραγῳδήσαιμι τὰ τότε δεινὰ; τὰς τῶν Ἀρχιερέων ὑπερορίας; τὰς τῶν Ἱερέων καθείρξεις; τὰς τῶν ἐν τέλει ζημίας ἅμα καὶ ἀτιμίας; τὰς τῶν ὁσίων ἀνδρῶν τε καὶ γυναικῶν, ἔκ τε τῶν ἀσκητηρίων ἀπελάσεις καὶ ἐπὶ πλατειῶν δημεύσεις; τὰς ἀνυποίστους τούτων κολάσεις; τὰ δεσμὰ; τὰς στρεβλώσεις; τοὺς βιαίους θανάτους; τὰ χείρω θανάτου βασανιστήρια. Ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα μᾶλλον τὸ τῆς μακαρίας γενναῖον καὶ ἄτρεστον παραστήσαιμι φρόνημα, ἔν τι τῆς βασιλικῆς ἀπηνείας, τἄλλα τοῖς βουλομένοις ἔνθεν ἀφεὶς συνορᾶν, διηγήσομαι.
[10] Πρὸς τῶν ἄνω Βασιλέων, οἳ καὶ τὴν κλῆσιν ἠλήθευσαν, ὡς ἐνὸν διὰ βίου συνέχοντές τε καὶ στηρίζοντες τὸ ὑπήκοον, καὶ τῇ φιλοκαλίαι τὴν ἀρχὴν κατεκόσμησαν, ἅπαν ὁ ταύτην εὐκλεεστέραν καθίστησι, διὰ σπουδῆς αὔξειν ποιούμενοι· πρὸς οὖν τῶν μεγαλουργῶν ἐκείνων ἀνδρῶν, διδασκαλεῖα ἐν ταύτῃ δὴ τῇ μεγαλοπόλει δεδόμηται, διηρημένα πως καὶ συνημμένα τυγχάνοντα· διηρημένα μὲν τοῖς οἰκήμασι, τῇ δ᾽ ἀλληλουχίᾳ καὶ τῷ κοινῷ περιβόλῳ εἰς ἓν δήπουθεν συναγόμενα, ὡς ἕνα γε δοκεῖν οἶκον τοῖς ἔξωθεν ποικίλον καὶ πολυόροφον· καὶ διδάσκαλοι ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς, ὅσα δὴ ταῦτα δυοκαίδεκα δ᾽ ἦν, εἰς ἀεὶ καθιδρύοντο, καὶ ἐπὶ τούτων ὁ τῶν ὅλων κατὰ πᾶν ἐ͂ιδος παιδείας ὑπερφέρων, καὶ ταῖς ἐστιστήμαις ἐπισημότερος, ὃς καὶ οἰκουμενικὸς διδάσκαλος ἤκουε· ταύτην γὰρ τὴν τιμὴν πρὸς τοῦ Βασιλέως ἐλάμβανε, καὶ τὴν ἐφορείαν μυσταγωγῶν ὁμοῦ καὶ μυστῶν ἐπετέτραπτο. Ἦν μὲν οὖν οὕτω τοῦτο διενεργούμενον ἄνωθεν, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἔνθεν ἐ͂ιχεν αὐξάνεσθαι, καὶ τὸ κατὰ φύσιν ἀνθρώπῳ πρὸς τοῦ αὐτολόγου, πρὸς τῆς αὐτοσοφίας αὐτῆς, ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς γενέσεως ἐγκατασπαρὲν, καὶ ὃ δυνάμει πᾶσι κοινῶς ἔνεστι, πρὸς τὴν κατ᾽ ἐπιτηδειότητα διήρετο κίνησιν, καὶ πολλοῖς εἰς ἐνέργειαν, εἰ καὶ μὴ πᾶσι προήγετο, τῇ τε καλὼς διοικεῖν εἰδύιᾳ φιλοσοφίᾳ, καὶ πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον τὰ καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς μεταφέρειν καὶ ὑψηλότερον, καὶ βασιλεία πεπαιδαγώγητο, καὶ πολιτεία κατήρτιστο, καὶ τὸ δημῶδες καὶ ὡς ἐπίπαν ἀστάθμητον, ὡς ἐνὸν ἐῤῥύθμιστο καὶ συνέσταλτο.
[11] Ἦν μὲν οὖν ἐκ μακροῦ τοῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχον· Κατ᾽ ἐκεῖνο δέ γε καὶροῦ ἄνδρες ἀριπρεπεῖς καὶ διάσημοι τοὺς παρὰ τὰς σπουδὰς θρόνους ἐπὶ κόσμῳ σφῶν ἔλαχον, καὶ μᾶλλον ὁ τῶν ἄλλῶν πρωτεύων, καὶ τὴν τιμὴν ὕπατος. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ τὰ ἐκτὸς οὗτοι καὶ θήραθεν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἔνδον καὶ θεῖα φιλοσοφεῖν ἤθελον, ἀμέλειτοι καὶ θεῖα ἤσκηντο δόγματα, καὶ παραδώσεις ἐκκλησιαστικὰς ἠκριβώκεσαν· ἐ͂ιχον τότε τούτων καὶ περιείχοντο, κᾀπὶ ταύταις πάντας συντηρεῖν ἔργον πεποίηντο, ὅθεν καὶ διὰ τιμῆς πάσης, διὰ πολλοῦ τε σεβάσματος ἐ͂ιχον σφᾶς ἅπαντες. Οὗ δὴ καὶ Βασιλεὺς εἵνεκα τούτους πρὸ πάντων ἄλλων ὁμόφρονάς τε καὶ ὁμογνώμονας σχεῖν ἐπειράσατο· ἐνόμισε γὰρ ὡς εἴπερ ὁμοδόξους αὐτοὺς κτήσαιτο, ἔξει σχεδὸν πάντας ὁμόφρονας. Ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἴσχυσεν οὐδένα σφῶν μεταστῆσαι, οὐ πρῶτον, οὐκ ἔσχατον, οὐ μέσον· πᾶσι μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ τῷδε τρόποις ἐχρήσατο, οὐδὲν δ᾽ ὅ, τι καὶ ἤνυσε. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ πρῶτα μετὰ πολλῆς ὅτι πραότητος τὰ τῆς γνώμης ἐξήγγελε, καὶ οἷ σύμφρονας σχεῖν ἤθελεν. Ὧς δ᾽ ἐλέγχοντας ἐ͂ιδεν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀπόνοιαν, καὶ μὴ δ᾽ ἂν, εἴτι καὶ γένοιτο, τὴν τῶν ἁγίων εἰκόνων διισχυριζομένους ἀθετῆσαι προσκύνησιν, πρὸς ἀπειλὰς καὶ ὕβρεις ἐχώρησεν.
[12] Ὡς δ᾽ οὐ δὲ οὕτω μετέπειθε, πάντων ἀπογνοὺς ἄλλων, ὅλος τῆς ἀπηνείας ἑαυτοῦ γίνεται, ὅθεν καὶ χώραν δοὺς αὐτοῖς σκέψεως, πέμπει τοὺς αὐτοῖς οἰκήμασι κατακαύσοντας. Καὶ οἳ τὴν ὥραν τηρήσαντες, ὅτε καὶ οἱ πρὸς τὸν κοινὸν ἁπάντων δυνάστην ἀντιβαίνοντες ὕπνον, ἡττῶνται τούτου καὶ ἀνακλίνονται, ἄλλος ἄλλοθεν περιελθόντες, πῦρ ὑπανάπτουσι, καὶ τὸ τῆς σοφίας ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐνδιαίτημα, τῇ φλογὶ πανταχόθεν περιλαμβάνουσί, καὶ πᾶσαν τοῖς ἔνδον ἀποκλείουσιν ἔξοδον. Ἐν οὖν πάνυ βραχεῖ τῷ παμφάγῳ πάντες πυρὶ, αὐταῖς βίβλοις, αὐταῖς οἰκίαις κατανάλωνται· ὢ πάθους, ὢ ζημίας! ἣν ὑποσταίη μὲν τὸ δοκοῦν ἡ Κωνσταντίνου, ταῖς δ᾽ ἀληθείαις γένος ἅπαν Ῥωμαίων, καὶ οἱ τὴν σοφίαν ζητοῦντες ἀνέκαθεν Ἕλληνες, ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ θεῖος Παῦλος διεμαρτύρατο, οὐ γὰρ ὅτι γε τοιούτων ἀνδρῶν ἐστέρηται, ἀλλὰ καὶ σοφῶν ἀνδρῶν συγγραμμάτων πλείστων τε καὶ καλλίστων συναπεστέρηται. Ἀλλὰ τούτῳ μὲν ὡς ἔφθην, εἰπὼν ἕν τι τῶν τοῦ Βασιλέως καθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἔργον, ἕν τι τῶν τότε δεινῶν, καὶ τῆς μελλούσης ὡς εἰπεῖν κακίας προοίμιον· τὰ λοιπὰ δ᾽ εἰ βούλοιτό τις μαθεῖν, τῇ περὶ αὐτῶν ἱστορίᾳ περιτυχέτω.
[8] This most beautiful indeed of living reason held Theodosia, Of the Demon against the just of virtue by the study continually intending, in the of Virgins sacred monastery enclosed, and with mind in God ever erect. Known moreover it is, how when all our things safe still were and unharmed, and about God and divine things rightly all we felt, we were a people eximious and elect, who as a new Israel, to him properly fell in the cord of his inheritance. But after that from heaven cast the of pride spirit his into men envy into the open began to bring forth, with many and various frequently engines our minds to assault he undertook. But when against those a little he prevailed, and from this part of profiting anything hope all and the engines he cast away useless, by another then reason all upside-down, as we say, to turn, and the very of God Church to assail he resolved. and the Church universal having attempted And when again nothing of those things which singly he had conceived to effect he was able, nay even with poured-out laughter he merited to be received, to his own arts himself wholly he turned, and a new plainly counsel to devise began. For not one any of the divine dogmas to suspicion of falsity obnoxious to render he undertook, but against all together rising, into them his rage all he attempted to pour out. What therefore of evil did he contrive? what machinations did he employ the worst genius? The venerable of God and of the Saints images, at length against the Images sacred he is turned. those sacred and with all honor most worthy effigies, as those which to many not a little to rightly acting he judged to profit, he resolved from the midst to himself to be removed. And a way indeed to this he stretched, straight in appearance: but straight, such as to be declined warned the wise Solomon, as one which such may seem, but is not, but to lower things leads. Prov. 14, He suggests, them to be esteemed idols, and all about them zeal, of an old to be error and of an ancient superstition an evanid vestige, among Christians left. Vah the audacity of the worst demon and impious stupidity! vah the insane contrivances! Now namely this, now that of destroying men reason he enters: from the right and from the left the wretches he attacks, ambidextrous to inflicting harm.
[9] But who moreover were those whom he judged fit? or whom did he use of the matter as administrators, when by God's permission the kingdom to himself was about to vindicate? Leo it was, from Isauria called, a most savage without doubt beast, and the same indomitable: who against the Lord's flock continually to roar undertaking, into it not otherwise than also he who by antiphrasis was called Anastasius; for after B. Germanus into God's Church to the great of the same evil introduced, Leo the Isaurian Emp. and Anastasius the Patriarch as administrators using. death to not a few and destruction brought. But by what at length reason for the matter's dignity, whatsoever of that time wretched happened and bitter, in words shall I bring forth? The Bishops' exiles, apprehensions of Priests, of men chief calamities at once and ignominies, of holy men and of virgins sacred from monasteries violent expulsions, and publicly appointed of the same proscriptions, vexations not to be borne, bonds, torments, violently brought deaths, and worse than deaths torments? But that of this holy Virgin the illustrious plainly and intrepid greatness of mind more clearly into the midst I may bring, one any of cruelty royal an example I will set forth, the rest to those by whom it shall have been pleasing to be inspected more deeply leaving.
[10] In the times of the former Kings, when those who of the kingdoms governed the reins, He the founded by the Emperors prior gymnasium for that they bore to themselves dominion from the even and just administered and propped, of things only honorable
love and pursuit adorning their Principate, and whatsoever the same to posterity more illustrious could render with great zeal promoting to increase. Of these, I say, Kings in the times several for delivering disciplines places were built up, which by a certain reason separated were from each other, and the same conjoined; separated indeed by places and buildings, but by a mutual certain conjunction and common portico into one as it were building coalescing; so that, although by of exterior form variety and number they were distinguished, not more however, but one only house could be said. In these furthermore buildings, which twelve altogether were reckoned, where through twelve classes distributed masters under one Gymnasiarch, never not placed were preceptors, and among them one some, who all the others of all disciplines by skill should surpass. He, as in every of sciences kind the rest among plainly eminent, universal also Master to be called was wont: but that by that name for honor's sake he should be called, from the very King namely he had received, and both upon those who to sacred things to be initiated, and who to them initiated already were, his authority to exercise could. The matter moreover so was disposed from the beginning, that there of reasoning might be augmented the faculty; and what to man from which into the world he is born by nature commonly is implanted, that by intellect to discourse and to be wise through himself he may be able, to a congruous, as need would be, motion might be excited; and to many, if not to all, might be given the convenience of rightly philosophizing; so that both the empire there might be educated, and the civil state might be ordered, and the very people, although inconsiderate and vague, as it can be done might be ordered and composed.
[11] By this therefore, which I said, reason the matter itself had anciently. the disciplines also sacred they handled, In the same indeed times men illustrious plainly and famous those which through studies for honor's sake are obtained seats into the greatest of themselves received ornament, but especially he who than the rest all both was and was held more excellent, and who with Consular shone dignity. For not external only and secular Philosophy they, but the interior also of our religion handled, and themselves with leisure with divine dogmas exercised, and with great diligence the traditions scrutinized Ecclesiastical. To these they intended, with their study wholly were occupied, and none of them that it should be neglected by their cares and their vigilance effected; whence also that followed, that according to all of honesty and religion laws a life they led. Such since they were, nothing prior had the Emperor than that them into his opinion he should draw; so to himself namely persuading, that if those men to his impiety he should have consenting, of others also the minds with easy business he would conquer. But indeed of them none, not the first, not the lowest, in vain having attempted the masters to pervert, not the middle from sound doctrine and right of living institute to lead he was able; and although manners all and ways he had tried, nothing yet at all he effected. At the beginning indeed when with all gentleness and modesty his to them mind to be declared he made, that them of his opinion the associates and suffragators to have greatly he desired. But when by them his madness sharply to be incused he perceived, nor, by whatsoever at length fortune or peril proposed, to be induced the men could that of the holy the cult of Images and veneration to be rejected they should say, to threats and contumelies he turned.
[12] And when this also way among men brave nothing he profited, with them to be burned he makes. and other nothing whereby them he might compel to remain he observed; to his own ferocity himself to be hurried wholly he gave; and granted to them of deliberating a space, he submitted those who to their houses flames should throw. These opportune most observing the time, when the most wise men, who to much of the night against of all the conqueror sleep bravely to fight wont were, to the same also to succumb were compelled, and to lie down for a while themselves had betaken; others other of the houses' parts going round, fire to scatter, and the very most true of wisdom itself dwelling with flames everywhere to involve began; all to those within remaining the exit shutting up. With a moderate therefore space of time all the devouring all flames drawn and consumed were, together with the books and the very houses. O disaster, but indeed the nation Roman sustained the whole, and the very gentiles, as many as, by the testimony of Paul, wisdom from the beginning sought. For not of such men only was made the loss, but also of more and most beautiful books, which the most wise men wrote a. But hither I have come, to say wishing one of our Emperor's deed, and as a proem of that which would follow the calamity; the rest if anyone to know desire, the very which about them is written, history b. let him consult.
ANNOTATIONS.
on those especially, who by sanctity and doctrine shone: so that the Schools together with the sacred doctrine fell, which from the age of S. Constantine the Great even to those times had flourished.
nor elsewhere cited we find: wondrous moreover would it be that it in the author's age existed, now to be unknown; wherefore to Theophanes's chronography or some like work the reader here to be referred I esteem.
CHAPTER III.
The Spatharius, about to cast down Christ's image, Theodosia hurls down, and of her faith the reason to the tyrant renders.
Ἀλλ᾽ οὖν οὕτω δεινῶν οὕτως ἀνυποίστων ἐπαγομένων κατὰ τῶν τὰς ἱερὰς εἰκόνας προσκυνούντων τιμωριῶν, ἀμαυρουμένων δὲ τῶν θείων ἐκτυπωμάτων, καὶ ὡς εἰπεῖν κατερειπωθέντων πάντων ἀπανταχῆ, τῶν τις σπαθαρίων, καὶ κατὰ τῆς θείας εἰκόνος τοῦ σωτῆρος Χριστοῦ, τῆς ἱσταμένης ἐπὶ τῆς οὕτω καλουμένης Χαλκῆς, ὥρμησεν ἀπελθεῖν, ἐφῷ γε ταύτην καταβαλεῖν. Ἀλλ᾽ ἀνηγγέλη τοῦτο τῇ μακαρίᾳ, καὶ ἣ ζῆλον παραυτὰ Φινεὲς, ζῆλον ἀνέλαβεν Ἡλιοῦ, τῷ τοι καὶ γυναῖκας, κόσμου καὶ τῶν κοσμικῶν ἀποῤῥαγείσας ὁλοσχερῶς καὶ προσκολληθείσας ὅλας Θεῷ, μεθ᾽ ἑαυτῆς λαμβάνει, καὶ ὄλῳ κατὰ τοῦ σπαθαρίου κινεῖται θυμῷ. Τάγμα τοῦτο τῶν περὶ τὸν Βασιλέα σπαθηφόρων, οὐ πελεκυφόρων, ὡς καὶ ἡ κλῆσις δηλοῖ, δευτερεῖα μὲν φέρον τῶν ἐπωμίους ἀνεχόντων τοὺς πελέκεις, συντηροῦν δὲ σφίσι τὰ τῶν Βασιλέων ὀπίσθια, συμπαραμένον τοῖς ἀνακτόροις, καὶ τοὺς βασιλείους νοκτὸς θαλάμους περιπολοῦν, κᾀν ταῖς προόδοις τὸν βασιλέα περικοκλοῦν. Κατὰ δὴ τούτου γενναίῳ πάνυ καὶ ἀπτοήτῳ βαίνει φρονήματι.
[14] Τί μὲν οὐ διαλογιζομένη τῶν πρὸς τὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ Θεοῦ ζῆλον ἐπαιρόντων; τί δὲ τῶν πρὸς δυσώπησιν ἱκανῶν οὐ διαλεγομένη Θεῷ; τί δὲ οὐ νουθετοῦσα ταῖς σὺν αὐτῇ καὶ περὶ αὐτὴν ἀδελφαῖς, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας ἆθλον ἀλείφουσα; Πρὸς μὲν γὰρ ἑαυτὴν, τοιαῦτα δή τινα διεννοεῖτο καὶ διεσκέπτετο· Ἔδει μὲν ὃν εἱλόμην βίον τηρῆσαι διὰ παντός· Τοῦτο γὰρ προυθέμην, τοῦτ᾽ ἐπηγγειλάμην, Θεοῦ καὶ ἀνθρώπων ἐπίπροσθεν, ἐμαυτῇ μόνῃ προσλαλεῖν καὶ Θεῷ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ δ᾽ ἐπιστρέφεσθαι μηδενός· ἐπεὶ δ᾽ ὁ βασκαίνων ἡμῖν ἄνωθεν καὶ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν τεκταίνων ἀεὶ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν Θεοῦ διετάραξε, καὶ δεινὸν ἐπήγειρεν αὐτῇ κλύδωνα· ἄγε δὲ προἳτέον, τὴν ἡσυχίαν παρορατέον, ψυχῆς ἀφειδητέον ἅμα καὶ σώματος, ὑπὲρ τοῦ προαγαγόντος ἡμᾶς καὶ προνοουμένου τῶν καθ᾽ ἡμᾶς, καὶ τὰς τῶν πρακτέων ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτων ἀμοιβὰς ἡμῖν ταμιεύοντος.
[15] Τῷ δέ γε σωτῆρι Θεῷ ἐκεῖνά πως τῶν ψαλμῶν ἀναλεξαμένη καὶ ὑπαλλάξασα, ἀνθωμολογεῖτο καὶ διελέγετο· Δίκασον, Κύριε τοὺς ἀδικοῦντας σε, πολέμησον τοὺς πολεμοῦντάς σε. Ἐπιλαβοῦ ὅπλου καὶ θυρεοῦ, καὶ ἀνάστηθι εἰς τὴν βοήθειαν τῆς κληρονομίας σου. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ, ᾗραν οἱ ἀνομοῦντες κατ᾽ αὐτῆς κεφαλὴν, καὶ τῶν σῶν θυσιαστηρίων κατορχοῦνται οἱ ἀναιδεῖς, καὶ τὰ ἅγιά σου βεβηλοῦσιν οἱ παναγέστατοι. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπίσκεψαι ἡμᾶς ἐν τῷ σωτηρίῳ σου, τοῦ ἰδεῖν ἐν τῇ χρηστότητι τῶν ἐκλεκτῶν σου, τοῦ εὐφρανθῆναι ἐν τῇ εὐφροσύνῃ τοῦ ἔθνους σου. Εὐφροσύνη δέ σου τῷ λάχει ἡ τῶν σῶν σεβασμίων εἰκόνῶν προσκύνησις, ἡ πρὸς τὴν ἀρχαίαν αὖθις τῶν θείων ναῶν εὐπρέπειαν ἀναμόρφωσις. Κᾀμοὶ νῦν καὶ ταῖς ὁμογνώμοσι ταύταις ἐμοὶ καὶ ὀμόφροσι, πρὸς τὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν σῶν θείων εἰκόνων ἆθλον χωρούσαις, καὶ τῆς σῆς παναμώμου μητρὸς, τῶν τε ὑπέρ σου κατὰ διαφόρους καὶροὺς καταπροεμένων τὸ ζῇν, καὶ τῶν ἄλλως σοι εὐαρεστησάντων, χεῖρα βοηθείας ἐξ ἁγίου σου κατοικητηρίου κατάπεμψον· ἐνίσχυσον, μόνε δυνατὲ, τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀσθένειαν, δὸς ἡμῖν δύναμιν καὶ κραταίωσιν.
[16] Ταῖς δέ γε σὺν αὐτῇ καὶ περὶ αὐτὴν τοιαῦτα δήπουθεν προηγόρευε· Νῦν καιρὸς εὐπρόσδεκτος, νῦν ἡμέρα σωτηρίας· ἐνδυσώμεθα ὅπλα τοῦ φωτὸς, κατὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τῆς ἀληθείας χωρήσωμεν. Θάνατος ἡμῖν πρόκειται, μὴ φιλοψυχήσωμεν· βάσανοι πρὸ θανάτου καὶ κολαστήρια, μὴ δειλιάσωμεν, μὴ δὲ φοβηθῶμεν τοὺς τὸ σῶμα μὲν ἀποκτεῖναι, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν μὴ παραβλάψαι δυναμένους, ὡς προσετάχθημεν. Ἢ γὰρ οὐ τῆς ἡμετέρας φύσεως ἐτύγχανον οὖσαι αἱ ἄνωθεν καὶ ἀπ᾽ αὐτῆς τῆς πρὸς ἀνθρώπους ἐπιδημίας Θεοῦ, ὑπὲρ Θεοῦ καὶ τῶν θείων θεσμῶν διαθλήσασαι; Ἴσμεν τοὺς, τῆς πρωτομάρτυρος Θέκλης ἀγῶνας καὶ τὰ παλαίσματα. Οὐκ ἀγνοοῦμεν τοὺς τῆν μακαρίας ἄθλους Βαρβάρας, τοὺς τῆς γενναίας Εἰρήνης, τοὺς τῆς μεγαλόφρονος ἐκείνης Μαρίνης, ἢ καὶ τυράννοις ἀντέστη, καὶ δαίμοσι προσεπάλαισε, καὶ λαμπρὰ καθ᾽ ἑκατέρων ἔστησε τρόπαια.
[17] Μικρὸν μὲν ίσως δοκεῖ τισι τὸ τολμώμενον· ἀλλ᾽ ἴστε μέγα κακὸν, τὸ παρὰ τοὺς τῆς Ἐκκλησίας θεσμοὺς ἁπανταχῆ νῦν ἐνεργούμενον. Τὸ γάρ τοι τὰς θείας ἀπαλείφειν εἰκόνας, καὶ τοὺς ἱεροὺς νεὼς ἀχρειοῦν, ὅλην ἁπλῶς παραποιεῖ τὴν εὐσέβειαν, ὅλον ἀθετεῖ τὸ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος μυστήριον. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐι καὶ μικρὸν ἦν, ὅποσόν ἐστι, τὸ καὶ μικρόν τι νόμου παραβῆναι καὶ ἐντολῆς, ὁ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν καὶ Δεσπότης ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις ἐδίδαξεν, εἰς ἓν ἱῶτα καὶ μίαν κεραίαν τὸ τέλειον περιγεγραφώς· ἡλίκην τε φέρει τὴν εὔκλειαν τὸ μὴ ἀθετῆσαι τῶν τεθεσπισμένων βραχύ. Οἱ γενναῖοι πάλαι Μακαβαῖοι, καὶ πρός γε ἡ μακαρία τούτων μήτηρ, παρέστησαν, καίπως ὑπόδειγμα τοῖς ἐσαῦθις ἀκρβοῦς φυλακῆς τῶν νομίμων καταλελοίπεσαν· ὑείου κρέως ἀπογεῦσαι μόνον ἀναγκαζόμενοι, οὔμενουν οὐ κατένευσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μυρίας ὑπὲρ τοῦδε βασάνους ὑπέστηασν, καὶ πυρὶ γὰρ καὶ σιδήρῳ παραδοθέντες, καὶ πᾶν ὑπενεγκόντες δεινὸν, διέμειναν ἀπερίτρεπτοι. Τοῦτοι δὴ ἐν νῷ βαλλόμεναι καὶ ἡμεῖς, ἄγε πρὸς τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἆθλον, μετὰ θάρσους ἀποδυσώμεθα, σπεύσωμεν φθάσαι τὸν κατεπιχειρῆσαι βουλόμενον, τῆς θείας τοῦ Σωτῆρος εἰκόνος Σπαθάριον.
[18] Ταῦτ᾽ ἔφη, καὶ ᾗ τάχος παρὰ τὴν Χαλκῆν γέγονεν. Ἀλλ᾽ ὢ γενναίου ψυχῆς παραστήματος! Αὐτίκα τῷ παραγενέσθαι, μὴθ᾽ ἑνὸς ἐπιστραφεῖσα, πάντας ὁμοῦ παραβλέψασα, τῆς κλίμακος δράττεται, καὶ ταῖς σὺν αὐτῇ συνεπιλάβεσθαί οἱ διακελεύεται. Καὶ γοῦν ὁ μετέωρος τολμητὴς, πρὶν ἤτι τῆς θείας εἰκόνος λωβήσασθαι, εἰς ᾅδου βάραθρον κατανήνεκται· πίπτεται καὶ γὰρ, καὶ ὁ τέως γαυριῶν, καὶ τὸ στόμα εἰς οὐρανὸν θέμενος, καὶ
τὸν ὑπερουράνιον ἄντικρυς βλασφησμῶν, πτῶμα δύστηνον γέγονε, μὴ δ᾽ ἐκφορᾶς ἀξιούμενος· ὁ γὰρ ἀπρόοπτος θάνατος τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸν διεθρόησε, καὶ ἄλλον ἀλλαχοῦ διεσκέδασε, τήν τε Μακαρίαν, καὶ τὰς σὺν αὐτῇ πάσας ἐλευθέρως ἀνῆκε τὴν ἐπ᾽ οἴκου πορεύεσθαι.
[19] Ἀλλ᾽ ἤσθετο τοῦ γενομένου ὁ θηριώνυμος Βασιλεὺς, καὶ μέγα τι καὶ ἄγριον κατ᾽ αὐτῶν εὐθὺς ἐβρυχήσατο. Συναγηοχὼς γὰρ, ἵν᾽ οὕτω φαίην το, ἐπισκύνιον· Οὐ μὰ τὴν ἐμὴν, εἴρηκε, κεφαλὴν, τοῦτο δὴ τὸ εἰς ὅρκον τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν ὡς ἐπὶ πολὺ προφερόμενον, οὔ τινά με φιλεῖν ὑμῶν ἠγήσομαι, εἰ τῶν τις τις κακούργων τουτωνὶ γυναίων, χεῖρας τὰς ἐμὰς διαφύγοι, καὶ μὴ διὰ τάχους ἐκ τῶν σκοτίων σφῶν οἰκημάτων συναθροισθεῖσαι, δίκας τοῦ τολμήματος τίσειαν. Ταῦτ᾽ ἔφη, καὶ οἳ παρευθὺς, ἄλλος ἀλλαχοῦ, διαμερισθέντες, τὰ τῆς πόλεως σεμνεῖά τε καὶ φροντιστήρια διειλήφεσαν. ἀναζητοῦντες μὲν καὶ τὰς ἄλλας, ὅσαι γε τοῦ Σπαθαρίου κατεπεχείρησαν, πρὸ δ᾽ ἄλλων ἁπασῶν τὴν μακαρίαν ταύτην Θεοδοσίαν, οὐκ ὀλίγα καὶ γὰρ ἰδιαίτατα φθαίη σφίσι περὶ αὐτῆς ἐπισκήψας ὁ Βασιλεὺς, πρωτουργὸν ἅτε μεμαθηκὼς καὶ τὸ πᾶν δι᾽ αὐτῆς γενέσθαι διεγνωκώς. Καὶ δὴ ταύτας συλλέξαντες, εἰς ἓν ἁπάσας συνήθροισαν, σὺν ἁπάσαις τὴν ὑπέρ ἁπάσας καὶ ἡλίου δίκην ἀστέρας τὰς ἄλλας ὑπεραυγάζουσαν, μέσον αὐτῶν ἔστησαν, καὶ τῷ βασιλεῖ συμπαρέστησαν.
[20] Ὁ δὲ καὶ πρὸς μὲν τὰς ἄλλας, βλοσσυρὸν ἔβλεψε, καὶ, Ἵνα τί, φησι, δύστηνα γύναια εἰς τοσοῦτον ἤκετε τόλμης, ὡς καὶ προσταγῆς ἐμῆς ἀλογῆσαι, καὶ τὸν ἐμὸν σπαθάριον, οὐχ ὅτι γε τοῦ ἔργου παραποδίσαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ βιαίῳ θανάτῳ παραπέμψαι; Πρὸς δὲ τὴν μακαρίαν ταύτην Θεοδοσίαν ἐπιστραφεὶς, Οὐκ ἐλαθές μοι, κακοῦργον, ἔφη, καὶ μιαρώτατον γύναιον, οὐκ ἠγνόησά σου τὸ ἀλόγιστον θράσος, οὐ τὴν παράβολον τόλμαν, οὐχ ὃ περὶ τὸν σπαθάριον ἔδρασας, καὶ ὡς ἀνεῖλες τῷ ἐμῷ προστάγματι ὑπηρετούμενον· ἔμοι γε ἀντῇρας, κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ τὰς χεῖρας ἐκίνησας· τοιγάρτοι διαναστὰς ἔγω γε, τὰς ὑπὲρ ἐμαυτοῦ δίκας ἀπαιτήσω, καὶ δικαίως ὅτι λήψομαι, καὶ τὰ εἰκότα σε τὴν ἀλάστορα τίσομαι, ὥς μὴ τὸν βουλόμενον τῶν βασιλευόντων εἰς νέωτα κατεπαίρεσθαι, μὴ δ᾽ οὕτω κατὰ τῆς ἀρχῆς αὐθαδιάζεσθαι. Ἀλλ᾽ ἔνεστι μεταβουλευσαμένῃ καὶ πεισθείση συμβουλεύοντι πλέον, ἣ ὡς βασιλεῖ σοι προστάσσοντι, περισωθῆναι μὲν τῇδε καὶ διαβιῶσαι περιφανέστατα, ἐκεῖ δὲ γενομένῃ τῆς μακαρίας ἐκείνης τυχεῖν λήξεως.
[21] Ἀλλὰ πῶς ἂν ἀξίως παραστήσαιμι λόγῳ, τὴν μετὰ πολλῆς ὅτι συνέσεως τῆς Μάρτυρος ἀπόκρισιν πρὸς τὸν τύραννον; ποίαν λόγου πεπλουτηκὼς δύναμιν; ἢ μᾶλλον ποίαν εἰληχὼς ἐπίπνοιαν ἄνωθεν, δι᾽ ἧς αὕτη καὶ σοφῶς ἀπεκρίνατο, καὶ νουνεχῶς ἐπεστόμισε, τὸν βλοσσυρὸν τὴν ὀφρῦν, τὸν τὴν γλῶτταν πολὺν, τὸν ἄντικρυς καταπιεῖν αὐτὴν βρενθυόμενον κατὰ τὸν ἐνοικοῦντά οἱ, τὸν τὴν γῆν καὶ θάλασσαν ἐξαλείφειν ἐπαιρόμενον, ὡς ἐνόν μοι ταῦτα διεννοήσομαι; καὶ ὡς ἐξ εἰκότων ἐρῶ. Ἔγω γέ φησι, βασιλεῦ, ἐκ παιδὸς εὐθὺς τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἐπόθησα, καὶ τὴν ἐμὴν σωτηρίαν ἐζήτησα, καὶ οὐδέν με τῶν τοῦ κόσμου τερπνῶν, Θεοῦ συναραμένου, τῆς προθέσεως μεταστῆσαι κατίσχυσε· καὶ νῦν ἵσθι τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγάπης τῶν ἁπάντων οὐδὲν ἀποστήσειν. Ὃ γοῦν ἂν εἴη σοι βουλομένῳ μὴ κατοκνήσας, ἄγε δὴ πέρανον σάρκες ἰδοὺ, ξαίνειν αὐτὰς πρόσταττε ἁρμονίας μελῶν διασπᾷν, ἀστᾶ συνθλάττειν, κεφαλῇ τὴν τομὴν ἐπενεγκεῖν, ἐν βραχύ φημι τῆς ἐνθάδε ζωῆς στέρησον, ὡς ἄν με θᾶττον τῇ αἰωνίῳ καὶ κρείττονι παραπέμψειας.
[22] Τούτοις ὁ τύραννος ἐξαπορηθεὶς, καὶ πρὸς τὰς λοιπὰς τὸν λόγον τρεψάμενος, Ἀλλ᾽ ὑμεῖς γέ φησι μὴ, τῇ ματαιόφρονι ταύτῃ κατακολουθήσετε, μὴ δ᾽ ἐς τοσοῦτον μανίας ἔλθητε, ὡς καὶ τῶν ἐταῦθα ἡδέων στερηθῆναι, καὶ τῶν ἐκεῖσε οὐχ ἧττον εἰ μὴ μᾶλλον ἀμοιρῆσαι τερπνῶν, καὶ πρός γε καταδικασθῆναι θάνατον τὸν ἀθάνατον. Αἳ δὲ, ὡς καλῆς διδασκάλου καλαὶ τῷ ὄντι μαθήτριαι· Μὴ γένοιτο ἡμᾶς, φασι, τῇ θεοπνεύστῳ ἡμῶν ἐναντία φρονῆσαι μυσταγωγῷ μὴ ταῖς σαῖς ὑπεῖξαι θωπείαις, μὴ θροηθῆναι ταῖς ἀπειλαῖς· ταύτης ἐσμὲν ὁπαδοὶ, ταύτης καὶ συνταγῆναι ποιούμεθα δι᾽ εὐχῆς· ἃ γοῦν παρὰ ταύτης ἀκήκοας, ταῦτ᾽ ἄντικρυς καὶ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ἀκηκοὼς γίνωσκε. Θυμοῦ πλησθεὶς ἐπὶ τούτοις ὁ τύραννος, μεταστήσατέ φησι τὰς ἀπονενοημένας ἐξ ἐμοῦ διὰ ταχέος, ἣ μᾶλλον ἐκ τοῦ βίου τὰ κάκιστα ποιήσατε γύναια, βιαίῳ θανάτῳ παράδοτε, ὡς ἂν αἱ τῆς αὐτῆς ἀπονοίας, μή τοῦ λοιποῦ κατατολμῶεν τὰ παραπλήσια.
[13] When therefore so grave and so intolerable punishments were inflicted on those venerating the sacred Images, By one of the Spatharii but these were being abolished, and utterly so to speak extirpated; one of the Spatharii also against the Saviour Christ's divine effigy, standing in that gate which from the Brazen statue is called, his to exercise fury, and it to the ground to prostrate undertook. But this when to blessed Theodosia was announced, Phinees soon her zeal and Elias's seized. Several then religious matrons, against the one having attempted to cast down Christ's image, who the world and the world's ornaments all from themselves had removed, with whole mind to God alone adhering, as companions to herself joining, with a holy certain fury against the man the Virgin is borne. Of their this was the order, who with a sword, not an axe, equipped the King attend, which order is in order of the bodyguards, as indicates b. the name, the later; the King moreover guards, and from behind following and from the Emperor nowhere departing, Theodosia about to oppose herself, the royal by night chamber keeps, and the Prince into public going forth surrounds. Against a man of this kind, with a generous plainly and intrepid mind, the Virgin advances.
[14] But with what discourses she the of those hearing minds, that zeal of God they should conceive, excited? first herself to dare she excites, with what God himself by words she addressed, that his just against men wrath she might appease? what generous to her accompanying Sisters she put on spirits, and to the beautiful for truth combat to be undergone how bravely she animated? So indeed with herself she thought, so she reasoned: It behooved indeed me, that which of my own accord I undertook, the reason of living whole and entire to preserve. This for before God and men to do I proposed, to this by an oath myself I bound, with God alone and with myself that I should be, but of the rest of men the society to flee by every effort I should strive. But after that of the human race the hater most keen, and at no time snares for us framing, the Church of God began to disturb, and a grave so against it to excite tempest, then indeed to come forth also we ought, the quiet for a while of life to be laid aside; not life to be spared, not the body; of him especially for the sake, who and who us and our things not less well than providently governs, and of our works the reward to us to the last keeps laid up.
[15] These said, certain selected from of the Psalms book sentences setting forth, and the divine help she implores; by alternate chant to God the Saviour thus she sang and confessed: Judge Lord those harming me, conquer those assailing me; take hold of arms and shield, and rise into the aid of thy inheritance. Ps. 34. For behold of thy law the prevaricators against thee have lifted up the head, have profaned with impious dancings thy altars, and thy holy things men impure and wicked have polluted. But look upon us in thy salvation, that we may see in the goodness of thy elect, that we may exult in the joy of thy nation. Joy furthermore thy in this is placed, that with cult and veneration all most worthy, thy sacred and of thy Saints be adored images, and that according to that which anciently was decency the temples with the same be adorned. Now therefore to me, and to all my companions, one with me and the same feeling, and which for the sacred Images, for thy mother most pure, for those who at various times their life for thy sake and blood poured out, for others finally who in whatever way pleasing to thee stood by an honor, the combat with me to undergo by no means refuse; to us, I say, all of thy aid the right hand from thy dwelling holy stretch forth; our infirmity, who alone canst, confirm; bestow strength and fortitude.
[16] Thence to her companions turned, with these them words she addressed: Now the time, sisters, acceptable, now truly the days are of salvation. 2 Cor. 6:2, Rom. 13:12. then her companions she animates to the contempt of death, Let us put on the arms of light, and against the enemies of truth let us advance. Death to us is proposed: of life therefore the love none let us prefer. Torments death will precede and punishments, but let us not be terrified, nor let us fear those who to the body indeed death can bring, but our soul to harm by no reason can; just as it is enjoined to us. by the example of the Martyrs For are not of our nature consorts those sublime souls, which with the heavenly ones now dwell, and which from the very of God into the earth coming, for God and divine laws contended? Of Thecla, among the Martyrs the first, the agonies and combats we know: not of most blessed Barbara, not of generous Irene, not of magnanimous that Marina to demons opposed, a glorious over both trophy set.
[17] Of small perhaps moment to some it may seem that of the nefarious men machination: and by the proposed combat's beauty, but you by far better instructed, that very well know, not moderate to be an evil, which against the old of the Church sanctions the impious everywhere now have undertaken. The divine for Images, with lime smeared, from the eyes to remove, and the sacred temples shapeless and useless to render, what else is it than piety, than religion all to overturn utterly, and the whole of the Incarnation divine mystery void to render and null? But let us make small what they attempt. Of how great yet that to be made it is, that even a moderate something of the law divine and the mandates be infringed, our Saviour and Lord in the most holy Gospels taught, the way of perfection by one iota and by one apex's rigor circumscribing. Matt. 5:18 Now indeed how glorious it will be, if of the divine laws not even the least part to infringe we sustain. The illustrious once Maccabees, and also the most blessed of them mother, present assist: what to them an example of observing the law to those likewise about to contend they left? Pork flesh only that they should taste, by the Tyrant compelled, not only him not they obeyed, but innumerable also therefore torments they sustained; and to fire and iron delivered, and however grave bearing torments, unshaken persevered. that the zeal of the Maccabees they may imitate. Now therefore also we, an illustrious so example in mind and spirit revolving, to the beautiful for religion combat to be undergone confidently girt let us betake ourselves, and let us hasten the Spatharius that one, who impure hands on the divine of our Saviour image prepares to throw, to restrain from the crime.
[18] Soon the Spatharius from the ladder she dislodges: This she, and forthwith to the Chalce she approaches: and (o notable of mind confidence) soon as she was in
the place, by no one of mortals to be hindered herself suffering, nay even with a confident countenance all the present beholding, the ladders herself of all first seizes, and to her companions, that the same they themselves should do, bravely commands. He therefore in of the ladders the summit now almost stood the impious, the sacred effigy before he seized, by them shaken off, into the deep of hell fell: cast down for he was: and who a little before insolently himself boasting, his mouth into heaven to open, and the Higher than all heavens to attack with a blasphemous tongue had dared, a pitiable before the eyes of all corpse lay, of burial even the honor deprived. whom by the fall slain, The sudden indeed of the nefarious man punishment all, who at the spectacle were present, astonished rendered, and one from another made to withdraw; so to B. Theodosia, and to all who with her were Virgins, home themselves to bring safe it was allowed.
[19] But what had been done, to be hidden by no means could from the most ferocious King, The Emperor all ordered to be apprehended rebukes, who with great soon rage against the sacred to God Virgins stirred, raged. Whatever therefore he had of haughtiness, so to speak, into one gathering: By my head, he says (this namely to Kings long ago was the usual of swearing manner), I should not indeed believe of you any to love me, if even one some of those criminal women my hands should escape, or not all forthwith, from the hidden of their houses into public dragged, of audacity so great the penalties should pay. This scarcely had declared the Emperor, when of his ministers very many, through other other of the city places dispersed, of the religious Virgins the houses and of the city all the monasteries to search undertook; seeking indeed also all others, whatsoever to throw on the Spatharius hands had dared, but blessed Theodosia especially to apprehend desiring. For not moderate certain or vulgar against her to meditate to his own had seemed the King, whom of all the first the crime to have undertaken he had learned, and of the matter all to have been the cause. Apprehended therefore all into public likewise they drag: but also with all her too, who excelling all, as the sun the stars, the others surpassed in splendor, of them in the midst, before the Emperor they place.
[20] He indeed, on the others indeed all torvely looking; Why, he says, unhappy little women, to so great have you advanced of audacity, that not my only mandates to despise, but my also Spatharius from the same mandates' execution to prohibit; Theodosia especially, nor that only, but with a funereal even death to destroy you were not afraid? To blessed then Theodosia turned: Not, he said, to be hidden from me couldst thou, criminal and of women all the worst: not to me was unknown that thy unbridled boasting, not the audacity notable. I know indeed whatever against my satellite, with thee the exhortress and leader, was done, and by what reason the minister obeying the royal mandates to slay by no means thou didst doubt. With me in that manner thou hast dared to oppose, thy against myself hands by thee to have been compelled to be ignorant thou canst not. Now therefore by a not indeed unjust against thee fury rising, for the crime's magnitude penalties I will demand again; nor less justly in reality I will take a punishment at once and a vengeance, that no one to the royal commands himself henceforth to oppose, or in another manner may dare against the Prince to raise himself. Thou canst yet (if thou wilt change thy mind, and to one persuading, or rather, as a King it befits, commanding obey) here indeed be saved and most splendidly live, in the other moreover age blessed to enjoy rest.
[21] whom with milder then words to pervert he strives. By what now I with of speaking faculty the most wise of the Martyr to the Tyrant response into the midst shall set forth? by what of words and sentences abundance instructed, or rather by what from heaven inspiration moved? by which namely she both prudently answered, and to be dumb made him, in eyebrow ferocious and in mouth turgid; him, like devour her boasting, and the earth and sea himself to be able to abolish presuming; how such things to me I should believe comprehensible to be, or them fittingly shall I be able to express? I, answered Theodosia, already from the first age of a quieter and from all of men noise more remote life by desire was kindled, But she more generously answering, O Emperor, nor less of obtaining my salvation studious; but neither of those things anything, which the world in its goods and joys has, from the undertaken counsel to recall me, God being well propitious, was able. Now also this to thee is to be known, of things all none to be found, which from God's charity can me by manner any lead away. If therefore so to thee it seems, come, no interposed delay, death bring: I exhibit body mine to the punishments: with stripes it bid to be torn, of the members also all the frame to be dissolved, to be broken the bones; of the head the cutting-off command, and, that briefly I may say, of this life the enjoyment to be deprived me bid; that more quickly to the immortal and better life through thee I may be transmitted.
[22] By this response to the highest of counsel want brought the Tyrant, The other Virgins in vain too he tempts, the Virgins other with this again discourse addresses: You certainly do not to this insane woman pertinaciously adhere, and to so great of madness to advance, that you both of those things which here are goods bereft to be, and which in the other life are found, of equal certainly, if not greater, pleasures to be deprived, nay even to death to be condemned eternal, suffer. They moreover, as of an excellent mistress disciples it befitted not less excellent: Far be it, they say, that with the divinely inspired Mother and Mistress ours not the same we should feel, that to thy we should comply blandishments, that by threats we be terrified. Of her we the institutes and morals follow, from her that we be not separated, and at once all to death he condemns. with obsecration we ask. Whatsoever therefore from her to thee were said, the same by us said to thee think. With immense to these words fury filled the Tyrant: The insane, he cries out, women from my sight as quickly as possible drag away, or rather, as they deserve, with a cruel death destroy, that if any of that perhaps still are of madness, similar things to perpetrate they may shudder.
ANNOTATIONS.
κλῆσις? I suspect not so much the name to be indicated, to which such a notion by no means by itself is conjoined; as the matricula of the Palace, or the nomenclature of the Offices, such as everywhere was in hand, and indicated of office of each the order, to be observed as often as into public went forth the Emperor, in those which προκένσους they called, we Processions would say.
CHAPTER IV.
S. Theodosia's after the slaughter of her companions cruel martyrdom and glory in heaven.
Καὶ ὁ μὲν ταῦτ᾽ ἔφη. Οἵ δ᾽ εὐθὺς, πῦρ ὕλης ὥσπερ δραξάμενον, τήν τε ἁγίαν μεθιστᾶσι καὶ τὰς σὺν αὐτῇ συναπάγουσι, τῶν τριχῶν ἕλκοντες, κατὰ παρειῶν τύπτοντες, διὰ πλατειῶν σύροντες. Ἀλλὰ τὰς μὲν ἄλλας εὐθὺς σφάττουσι, καὶ θύματα ταύτας τίμια τῷ ὄντι γε καὶ σεβάσμια προσήνεγκαν τῷ Θεῷ, οἱ, τῆς ἐσχάτης πρὸς τῇ ἀνυπερβλήτῳ αἰσχύνῃ καταδίκης ἐπ᾽ ἐσχάτῳ καὶ ὑπεύθυνοι· τὴν δέ γε μακαρίαν ταύτην Θεοδοσίαν, ἧς πέρι καὶ τῷ Βασιλεῖ λόγος ὅτι πολὺς ἦν, εἰς δευτέραν ἐταμίευσαν τὴν ἐξέτασιν, καὶ εἰς λόγους αὖθις ἦλθον αὐτῇ, καὶ ὑπὲρ ὅτου τοσαύτην ποιεῖται τὴν ἔνστασιν, πυνθάνεσθαι ἤθελον.
[24] Καὶ ἢ μάλα συνετῶς, μάλα γενναίως πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἔφησεν· Ἀλλ᾽ ὑμεῖς γε ὦ λῶστοι πυνθάνομαι, τίνος με εἵνεκα καταδικάζετε θάνατον, ὅτι προσκυνεῖν ἐθέλω τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ δι᾽ ἐμὲ κατ᾽ ἐμὲ γεγονότος Θεοῦ; πρὸς δέ γε τῆς ἀχράντως τοῦτον τεκούσης; τῶν κηρυξάντων αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς πέρασι; τῶν ὑπεραθλησάντων αὐτοῦ; τῶν ἄλλος εὐηρεστησάντων αὐτῷ; Καὶ πῶς οὐκ ἔξω γενοίμην νοῦ καὶ φρενῶν, τοῖς αὐτόχρημα παραπλῆξιν ὑμῖν συμφρονήσασα, ἢ καὶ καθάπαξ πεισθεῖσα, τοιαῦτα καταναγκάζουσι. Πῶς δ᾽ ἀνασχοίμην, τὰς θείας καὶ σεπτὰς εἰκόνας χλευαζόντων ὑμῶν, καὶ καλούντων αὐτὰς εἴδωλα; Τὰ γὰρ εἴδωλα ἀνυποστάτων καὶ ψιλῇ διατυπουμένων ἐπινοίᾳ πλάσματά τε καὶ εἰκάσματα διεγνώκαμεν, οὐ δ᾽ ἀληθῆ τὰ πρωτότυπα καὶ τίμια καθ᾽ αὑτὰ καὶ σευάσμια, τῆς αὐτῆς καὶ αἱ εικόνες ἐκ τοῦ εἰκότος τιμῆς καθεστήκασιν ἄξια.
[25] Ὡς οὖν ἔγνωσαν οὐ λόγοις πεῖσαι ταύτην δυνάμενοι, οὕτω τοι στεῤῥῶς ἀποκρινομένην ὁρῶντες καὶ συνετῶς αὐτὴν περιτρέπουσαν, ἀνηλεῶς μαστίζειν προήχθησαν, καὶ ὁ μὴ φθαῖεν δυνηθέντες πειθοῖ, βίᾳ κατισχύσαι διενοήθησαν. Ἀλλ᾽ ἀπέτυχον τοῦ σκοποῦ, ἀλλὰ διήμαρτον τῆς ἐλπίδος· πρὸς μὲν γὰρ μικρὸν αὐτὴ θέλξασα, βροτῶν ἀφρονεστάτους, κατὰ τὸν εἰπόντα, διήλεγξεν· οἱ μὲν γὰρ τοὺς τύπτοντας ἐπέστησαν καὶ τὰς μάστιγας διηυτρέπησαν· ἡ δ᾽ οὐδένα λόγον σφῶν ποιησαμένη, ὡς εἰς λόγους αὖθις ἔγνω χωρεῖν μέλλοντας, Ὃ βούλεσθέ, φησιν, μὴ μέλλετε διαπράττεσθαι· ἴστε τῆς, ἔχομαι γνώμης, ἐκστησομένην οἰδέποτε· οὐ γὰρ μέ τις πτοήσει, τῶν ἀποκτεῖναι μὲν τὸ σῶμα δυναμένων, λυμῄνσθαι δὲ μηδοπωσοῦν ἰσχυόντων μου τῇ ψυηῇ, ὡς ὁ καὶ ψυχὴν πρὸς τῷ σώματι δυνάμενος ἀπολέσαι, ἅ τε δημιουργὸς ὢν ἀμφοῖν καὶ δεσπότης ὑπέθετο.
[26] Πῶς οἴεσθε ταῦτ᾽ ἀκούσαντες διετέθησαν· πῶς οἱ τὴν ὀφρὺν ἐκ τοῦ βασιλείου κράτους αὐχοῦντες, τὴν τοσαύτην σφῶν περιφρόνησιν ἤνεγκαν; βέλει κατά τινι τὴν καρδίαν ἐβλήθησαν, τοίνυν καὶ συνεχύθησαν τῷ θυμῷ, καὶ ἐκμανεῖς ἐγεγόνεισαν, κᾀκ τοῦ ἔργου, τοῦτο παρέστησαν· οὐ γὰρ ὅτι γυνὴ, οὐ δ᾽ ὅτι τὸν βίον ὁσίως τε καὶ ἀμέμπτως διήνυσεν, εἰς νοῦν ὅλως ἔβαλον, ἀλλ᾽ ὡσεί τινα ληστὴν, ὡσεί τινα κακοῦργαν, ἢ καί τι τῶν ἐξωλεστάτων ἄλλως γυναίων ῥιπτοῦσι κατὰ γῆς, μαστίζουσιν ἀπηνῶς. Ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν ἔτυπτον, καὶ ὅση γε ἰσχὺς ἔτυπτον, ἡ δ᾽ εἰς οὐρανὸν τὸν νοῦν ἀνατείνασα, καὶ ὅλη γενομένη τοῦ κρείττονος, εὖγε τοῦ θάρσους! εὖγε τῆς εἰς Θεὸν ποιθήσεως! ὑπέρευγε ταύτῃ τῆς γενναιότητος! ὑπέψαλλε κειμένη· Κύριος στερέωμά μου καὶ καταφυγή μου, καὶ ῥυστής μου· ὁ Θεός μου βοηθός μου, κέρας σωτηρίας μου, καὶ ἀντιλήπτωρ μου, ὃν ἐπικαλουμένη σωθήσομαι, καὶ τεῖχος· ἐν ἀυτῷ ὑπερβῄσομαι τὸ τῆς κακοδοξίας τοῦτο διάφραγμα, ὃ διατεχίζει μὲν Θεοῦ, διατειχίζει δὲ καὶ τῆς ἀφράστου ἐκείνης καὶ ἀλλήκτου μακαριότητος.
[27] Ἦν οὖν ἰδεῖν αἱμάτων ἐκ διαφόρων τοῦ σώματος μερῶν προχεομένους κρουνοὺς, ἔδαφος φοινισσόμενον, κέρματα σαρκῶν ἄλλοθὲν ἄλλα διασκιδνάμενα, σῶμα καθάπαξ καταξανθὲν, σῶμα καταβληθὲν, καὶ πρὸ τῆς φθορᾶς μικροῦ φάναι διαφθαρὲν, ψυχὴν δ᾽ ἀπαθῆ, καὶ ὄντως οὐρανοβάμονα· τὴν γάρ τοι κεφαλὴν ἡ μακαρία διάρασα, Τύπτετε ὡς ἰσχὺς ὑμῖν ἔφη, τύπτετε, ἐμὲ γὰρ εὖ ἴστε, τῆς προθέσεως οὐδόλως ἐκστήσετε, οὐ δὲ τοῖς ὑμετέροις θελήμασιν ὑποκλῖναι δυνήσεσθε. Ἄρ᾽ οὐκ ἐμφιλοσοφώτατα τὸ τοῦ Ἀναξάρχου διενοήσατο; ἄρ᾽ οὐ
[23] Such things when had said the tyrant, forthwith the ministers of him, as fire wood seizing, the Saint they remove from his sight; and the others likewise with her they lead away, drag by the hair, the cheeks they strike, through the streets they drag insolently. And these indeed without delay cruelly they slaughter, The others slaughtered and venerable indeed victims, for religion's cause slaughtered, to the Numen supreme they present men nefarious, of the final condemnation in the last of the world time, not without notable their shame, future as the accused: Blessed indeed Theodosia, of whom much to the King had been the discourse, for another reserving questioning, again with her to speak they began; and wherefore pertinaciously so to those things which were commanded she contradicted, to inquire.
[24] But indeed the blessed Martyr, with highest wisdom and highest of mind fortitude thus them addressed: again questioned Theodosia for the images speaks: I also this, O good ones, from you ask, what at length to be can in the cause, why to torments and death me you designate? Whether therefore because religiously to venerate I have studied his image, who when God he was, for my sake, was born a man, like to me? or of him who God and man without any of his virginity stain bore? or of those who the Saviour's coming to the whole world announced? or finally of those who their for Christ's doctrine poured blood, and who by another also reason the divine to themselves friendship to conciliate attempted? How indeed not with the best reason foolish me they would call and insane, if your indeed deliria I also to be delirious into the mind should bring? or by those to be persuaded to me I should allow, who to absurd things so to drag me attempt? But this by what at length reason should I be able to bear, that the sacred and venerable Images of hatred to you be and of mockery, and for idols be held. Idols certainly we know to be simulacra of things not subsisting, and by clever industry represented figments: whose prototypes since true not they are, neither by themselves of esteem any or of price, it is consequent, that the very images by no greater veneration are worthy.
[25] When therefore by words nothing against her to be effected to be able they recognized, with stripes atrociously she is received. whom with so great of mind firmness answering, and so wisely the errors confuting they had heard, immensely her to beat they began; and what by discourse to persuade they could not, by of stripes atrocity to extort they undertook. But what they intended not only not did they obtain, but also of all utterly fell their hope, which a little deceiving them, proved them to be, as says that one, the most foolish of men. Prov. 30:2 They indeed beating instructed and directed their blows: she indeed nothing them making, when she saw from stripes to words again to come prepared; What, she says, to do you wish without delay perform. You know me from that which now I have mind to depart never. Nor indeed any me shall terrify of those, who the body indeed that can slay, but to my soul any molestation to bring cannot, just as can he who the soul together to destroy is able with the body, and again of the purpose the firmness having professed, because as much of this as of that the maker is and creator.
[26] By what reason affected to have been you think these hearing? In what manner so great of themselves contempt to have received they, immensely she is scourged; who for the given to them by the cruel Emperor power, raised the eyebrow? Was transfixed their heart as by a dart certain, and wholly they were confounded for fury, and were made rabid, and through wrath did all things. For not at all into mind to themselves to come they suffered, either that a woman she was, or that so religiously and inculpably she had lived; but, as a malefactress and of women all the last and most wicked, to the ground they cast and inclemently scourged. Beating those, and beating with strengths all; she indeed with mind in heaven fixed, and greater and better things all thinking (o notable of mind fortitude! to be praised generosity!) on the ground although prostrate, these from the Psalms sweetly sang: The Lord my firmament and my refuge, and my liberator. Ps. 70:3, Ps. 17:3. My God, my helper, the horn of my salvation, and my upholder, whom invoking I shall be saved. In him I shall transgress the wall; the wall, I say, of this perversity, which separates from God and from the eternal and ineffable in heaven beatitude. Ps. 17:30.
[27] and she is torn apart; To discern therefore it was, rivers as of blood from various of the virginal little body parts flowing forth, the ground empurpled, of flesh pieces in one place in another scattered, a body utterly torn, a body dissolved, and before death as though pre-dead; while the soul meanwhile of perturbation void in the very as it were heaven to dwell seemed. For with head lifted somewhat; Beat, she said, as much as you can, nay even all into the stripes bring your strengths; you know for, from the pristine of mind sentence by no manner me to be removed; nor to your ever desires
me to subject shall you be able. Is it not therefore that which in Anaxarchus the Philosopher was most illustrious notably she held? did she not better than he, by so much than Anaxarchus the Philosopher more worthy of praise for nobility celebrated, and for wisdom most illustrious, her body despised? For if a woman being soft nothing, nothing she felt or said womanly, nor revered anyone; more sublimely indeed than he philosophized she, and more generously acted. He namely for a small only time with stripes bruised, to the spectators was eager how in the theatre conspicuous he might be; and of men only the praise pursuing, bravely did; when namely the present were stupefied at himself twisting on his side, which no one her worthy thought, and they who him bruised with moved minds the same wondered at. Blessed indeed her, both who struck, and who struck beheld, not only not pitied, but with most hostile also followed hatred; and madness to her objected, on account of which her they thought unhappy.
[28] Indeed after that of God above nature all placed incarnation, although above nature she suffered, to those also who under nature are above nature to act many things and to suffer was conceded. Nor that undeservedly; for nature all superior, and of nature the maker God; and beyond nature's laws born a man, and many things above his strengths to effect able; to nature also gave some things above its strengths to endure, just as in this Blessed one he did. For in what manner could a woman, weak in sex, by penances exhausted, in body with stripes so lacerated, and as it were torn apart, such things amid the middle torments to feel and to declare? Indeed so I think, the divine Theodosia, by the Maccabees' example, of corporeal all affections the mistress to have constituted reason, Cast into prison, truly invincible, truly insuperable. For the rest, when so bravely and so constantly the torments most bitter by her to be sustained they saw who them inflicted, partly indeed because by a woman conquered themselves they were ashamed, partly against their own depravity acting, and into a rage in a certain way driven, what then one remained, into prison sent her to prison troubles they deliver, so her to fatigue wishing, and to the royal at length to subject will.
[29] Not few then having elapsed days, when of her again trial they made, and a little after to death adjudged, and the same as before to persist they found, and of the same to recognize to remain the sentence, death of her they decree. Soon some by the hands her taking, others by the head's veil dragging, by others others of the body's members her dragging, as cattle a certain, they led, to the slaughter the innocent of God heifer, of the same stall and pasture the consort, nor from them to be torn ever herself suffering. There were not lacking meanwhile who her struck, and inclemently beat; for the rest who her with abuses, from a full (as is said) wagon sought, loaded I omit to say. But after they came to where they had decreed an end to make to those things which they intended; they had decreed moreover that to do in the shambles b., that as both for the contumely of her, to the shambles she is dragged and slaughtered. and for of others the same with her feeling the mockery; after, as I said, they came whither they wished, of the executioners one a new something and unusual devised: that which by the head's cutting-off or the sword's thrust is performed, death bitter indeed to befall, yet tolerable he judged. Seized therefore that which in the public way perchance was offered c. a horn, the Virgin holy he prostrates on the ground; and by the hair her seizing, with great force into the throat d. the horn he drives, and broken the then occurring vertebrae, with most bitter of pain sense the spirit from the Martyr and life took away.
[30] Who into the heavens gloriously borne up, And these indeed by that which has been said reason their fury fulfilled, Theodosia indeed by her vows and desires entirely possessed. For of the heavenly geniuses preceding and following the company surrounded, not without a notable of praises proclamation, from the earth into heaven was led. But while she ascended, she could to the Principalities and Powers thus confidently speak; Exalted is my horn in my God; for him being propitious, my enemies I have winnowed with the horn; and behold now to him I set out, him himself who for me was made a man, the veil removed about to adore, and of his Mother most holy about to enjoy the sight, and about to salute the others who either for Christ suffered or according to his precepts lived, and from their conversation no small about to take joy. I go, she said, of those Images, which with a religious ever cult I have venerated, myself about to behold the prototypes. Depart from me therefore all who work iniquity. By this therefore manner Theodosia's matters thus were, by this reason into heaven she came forth. Now moreover, who her preceded, who accompanied, and who followed the Angels, the Angels applauding, what to have done or by what to have walked manners do we judge? For indeed if over one sinner penance doing, just as the Lord himself testified, so great to them is joy; with how great them joy, with how great gladness shall we say to have been filled, on account of her who from the first of her life years to him pleased through of the mandates his observation? Luke 15:7
[31] As to me regards, with no less her applause and joy received, nor fewer of praises and thanks hymns to God for man humanated sung to have been I judge, than then when the Protomartyr Thecla's e. soul led the Angels. She indeed to Paul into the third even heaven rapt, and the arcana not to be revealed taught, a disciple adhered, from whom when not a few about things heavenly she had learned, she is compared to S. Thecla. to the martyrdom's stadium alacritously to be run egregiously indeed was instructed. But what Theodosia? not Paul, or to Paul like; or even of those one who long indeed after Paul's times lived, as a preceptor obtained: but what of more to be esteemed, when very many f. of the Christians openly to the contrary part drew, the right yet way she held, and for truth to die she chose. She constancy held over a matter, to the imperfect equally as the perfect undoubted; Theodosia, for that which by many was called into controversy, by the imperfect namely, who many and great to the contrary reasons had found, as they said, remained unshaken; in the rest indeed with equal to the Protomartyr perseverance nothing than she less did bravely. That furthermore of how great to be esteemed it is, that several of the same combat she made companions, whom to a similar zeal for God she excited, and by her example into the heavenly kingdom's inheritance she sent in? This therefore, just now rejoiced the Angels, of the Saints indeed and of the Martyrs the troops, some from one place advancing to meet, the Saint at once and Martyr met, as was fitting, and to their each part desired their own to vindicate. God moreover, by whose aid and for whose cause she had contended, with both conversing, made that with both the reward she might enjoy eternal.
ANNOTATIONS.
τὴν αὐχῆνα in the neck: for who knows not the vertebrae in the neck, not in the throat to be?
f. Because τῶν ὁμογνωμόνων of the same opinion, of faith about Christ only to be understood here it ought, of Christians to be rendered.
CHAPTER V.
Miracles at S. Theodosia's invocation wrought.
Ἐν μὲν οὐρανῷ τοιαῦτά τοι τῇ Μακαρίᾳ τῆδε συνήντηκεν, ὅσα γε ἐκ τῶν εἰκότων ἔστι στοχάσασθαι· τοὺς δ᾽ ἐπὶ γῆς εὑρισκομένους ἡμᾶς καὶ τὸ ἱερὸν αὐτῆς κατέχοντας λέιψανον, τί ποιεῖν ἄρα χρὴ, καὶ ὅπως δεῖ διακεῖσθαι, σκοπήσμεν, καὶ ταῦθ᾽ ὀσημέραι τῶν θαυμάτων αὐτῆς ἀπολαβόντας, τοὺς τέως παρειμένους τὴν ὁλομέλειαν τῆς σφῶν διαρτίας ὁρῶντας αὖθις αὖ ἀπολαβόντας, κωφοὺς καὶ ἀλάλους, φωνοῦντάς τε καὶ ἀκούοντας ἐφηδύνεσθαι, πάντως ταῖς θαυματουργίαις εὐχαριστεῖν τῷ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν τοιαῦτα διενεργοῦντι Θεῷ, καὶ τὴν δι᾽ ἦς ταῦτ᾽ ἐνεργούμεθα τὴν δεδοξασμένην ταύτην ἐν οὐρανοῖς, καὶ οὕτω μεγάλα ἰσχύουσαν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, τὰ εἰκότα καὶ γεραίρειν καὶ εὐφημεῖν· πλεῖστα μὲν οὖν ἡ Ἁγία ὁσημέραι τερατουργεῖ, ἀλλ᾽ οὗπερ αὐτόπτης ἐγενόμην οὐκ ἀνήσω μὴ διηγήσασθαι.
[33] Παιδίον την ἡλικίαν ἤδη πρόσηβον ὄν, πατρὶς τῷδε τῶν περὶ τὸν Ρὑνδακὸν ποταμὸν μία κωμῶν, τῆς προενεγκούσης μεταναστὰν, τὸ δ᾽ ὅπως λέγειν οὐ φορητὸν, ἀσεβῶν τὰ κύκλω καταδραμόντων Ἀγαρηνῶν, καὶ παρὰ τὴν Κωνσταντίνου γενόμενον, τῇδε κᾀκεῖσε τῆς πόλεως ἁλώμενον ἦν, ἀλλ᾽ ὢ τῆς ἀνέκαθεν τοῦ ἀρχεκάκου πρὸς ἡμᾶς δυσμενείας! σκότου καὶ δίνης μιᾶς πληροῦται τῶν ἡμερῶν. Μεσημβρίας ἦν ὁ καιρὸς, ὅτε δὴ καὶ ὁ θεῖος ἔφη Δαυῒδ, τοῖς μὴ κατοικοῦσιν ἐν βοηθείᾳ τοῦ ὁψίστου, μὴ δ᾽ ἐν τῇ σκέπῃ τοῦ Θεοῦ αὐλιζομένοις, τὰ δαιμονιώδη συμπίπτειν φαντάσματα· παθὸν οὖν οὕτω καὶ τὸν λογισμὸν οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ὀλίγον συνταραχθὲν, τὰς ἰγνύας συνεστραμμένας αἴφνης ἔχον εὑρέθη, τοῖς μηροῖς τὰς κνήμας συμπεφηκυίας, ὁποῖα τῶν ἐκ γενετῆς ἀμβλωμάτων συχνὰ παρὰ τὰς πλατείας τῆς πόλεως ἔῤῥιπτε, τὸν τῶν παριόντων ἔλεον ἐκδεχόμεθα· ἀλλ᾽ ἦν ὡς ἐπίπαν ἀπόπληκτον τὸ παιδάριον, καὶ μὴ δ᾽ ὅτι πεπόνθει, συνεῖναι τὸ παράπαν δυνάμενον. Ἐπεὶ δ᾽ ἡ φύσις πρὸς ἅπερ εἴωθε κατηνάγκασε, τότ᾽ ἔγνωκεν ἀκριβῶς οὗ κακοῦ γέγονεν (ἑρπυστικὸν γὰρ κατέστη τὸ τέως βαδιστικὸν) χερσὶ μὲν ἴσα καὶ ποσὶ χρώμενον, τοῖς δὲ γόνασιν οὐχ ὅπως γε προβαῖνον, ἀλλὰ συρόμενον, νοῦν οὕτως ἔχων ἐπιπολὺ, τὰ πρὸς χρείας ἐξ αἰτήσεως ποριζόμενον. Ἕρπον τε τῇδε κᾳκεῖσε καὶ κυλινδούμενον, ἡ τοιαύτη γε μὴν ἄλλη τούτου, καὶ παρὰ τὴν ἐμὴν οἰκίαν γενέσθαι πεποίηκε, καί μοι πρὸς ὄψιν ἦλθεν, οὐ χωλεῦον, οὐκ ὀκλάζον, ἀλλὰ σαφῶς ἕρπον, κᾀπὶ τῷ στήθει καὶ τῇ κοιλίᾳ κατὰ τὴν παλαιὰν ἑκείνην κατάραν τοῦ ὄφεως πορευόμενον.
[43] Ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πάνυ γε συχναὶ παρῆλθον τῶν ἡμερῶν, καὶ βαδίζων αὖθις πρὸς ἡμᾶς ὁ παῖς γέγονε, βαίνων ἀπρόσκοπα, ἐπεί τε τοῖν ποδοῖν ἀμφοῖν σκηριπτόμενος, καὶ ἱστάμενος ὄρθιος, ὥς γε δὴ πάντες οἱ διὰ πλάσεως εὖ ἔχοντες, τέρας τοῦτο τοῖς προἳδοῦσιν ἅπασιν ἔδοξε, καὶ ἄλλος ἄλλον εὐθὺς μετεκαλεῖτο, καὶ ἕτερος ἑτέρου περὶ αὐτῷ ἐπυνθάνετο, Οὐχ οὗτος ἐκεῖνος, λέγων, ὁ πρὸ μικροῦ μεταφορητός; οὐχ οὗτος ὁ χθὲς ἔχων καὶ πρότριτα συγκεκαμμένα τὰ γόνατα; καὶ ἐπὶ πολύ πως διηπορούμεθα, εἰ ἐπαληθεύοντά εἰσιν ἡμῖν τὰ τῆς ὅψεως, ἕως αὐτὸς ἐγω γέ ἐγγύτερον ἀγαγὼν ὅπως τε ᾑρώμην, καὶ πότε ὑγιεῖς οὕτω τοὺς πόδας ἐγένετο. Καὶ ὃς, ἐξῆλθον, ἔφη, τῶν
[32] And of this kind nearly were those things which to the Saint in heaven befell, as fittingly to conjecture it is allowed; we indeed who on earth placed her sacred Relics happily possess, At the sepulcher of Theodosia famous for miracles what at length to do, or by what reason affected to be it behooves, let us consider; especially since so many of her admirable works on no not day we experience; and we see men, of the body's use and strengths destitute, hitherto of their members the right to obtain conformation; the deaf and dumb, recovered of the ears and tongue the use, on account of notable so miracles with joy to exult, and to God, who so great toward men works, thanks to render; and her on account of whose merits so much of benefits we receive, and who with so great in heaven glory, with so great on earth power prevails, with due of honors and praises titles, as is fitting, to follow. Many are indeed which the Saint daily does admirable, but which with these very eyes to see I have merited, I cannot not narrate.
[35] A boy a certain was in age to puberty's years now advanced, from of those villages one some, which in Phrygia at the river a. Rhyndacus are, sprung, but from his paternal soil a stranger. He, an adolescent wandering, which to say abominable, of the wandering Agarenes the impiety followed, and to Constantinople coming, here there through the city wandered. Behold moreover, o the rage of the demon, of all against us evils the author! on a day a certain he is filled with darkness and vertigo. Midday namely was the time, when also David says, to those not dwelling in the aid of the Most High, and in God's tabernacle not abiding, demoniac imaginations to assail. When therefore so he was agitated, and his reason to him not a little was disturbed, suddenly also with contorted thus he was found knees, that the shins to the thighs adhered, [to whom with stupor of mind coming a contraction the faculty of walking had taken away,] and to the abortive those not dissimilar he appeared, whom for the of those passing by to provoke commiseration in the streets exposed frequently we behold; nay even apoplectic wholly he was, nor plainly to understand could what he suffered. Psalm 90. But when nature compelled to those things to which it was accustomed, then sufficiently recognizing what of evil it was (a reptile for he was made, who hitherto was wont with the feet to walk) with hands equally as with feet using, above his knees himself not he advanced, but dragged, that far at least of reason possessed, that food he sought by begging. So here and there creeping and himself rolling (nor for otherwise could he) to my also house him it happened to come, and to me into sight to come, not in gait weak, not limping, but manifestly creeping and walking upon the breast and belly, according to the old malediction of the serpent.
[34] and whom on the ground creeping the author himself had seen Not many thence had flowed days, when again to our house the same adolescent betook himself, without all impediment and all inconvenience advancing, on each firmly standing foot, and with body into the height erect, just as are wont those to whom in every part complete of members all the conformation befell. A prodigy this to all who were present not moderate seemed: and some forthwith others, as happens, calling, about that adolescent many things from each other inquired: Is not, they said, that this one, who not from much time hither to us was brought? Is not the same himself from yesterday and the day before contracted having his knees? by an unknown man brought Much therefore we doubted, whether true were what we saw with eyes; until I myself nearer to him approaching, to inquire began, by what at length reason, or at what time of the feet health he had obtained. But he; Not so long ago, says he, hence to the shore I went out, that from those passing by of alms something by asking I might obtain; when behold of those crossing one some (nor for who he was I know, who before never the man had seen, and afterward not beheld any more) an unusual to me alms conferred; while seized me and onto his shoulders raised, and above the tomb left, he set down at the Saint: by this name indeed blessed Theodosia to be called, in this great city has made the of miracles multitude: I think moreover so also in other everywhere cities to be named; everywhere for the grace divinely to her conferred she unfolds; wherefore also from everywhere flow together those ill having, and depart of health the restoration having obtained.
[35] of mind and body health he receives. And so the Saint also the boy this calling without a proper name. Above his, he says, tomb me placing he, and from above of the hanging lamp the oil anointing, prayed and departed. I indeed left, what I should do knew not: for neither to advance nor to depart thence could I, but useless like things destitute wretched. Three had passed days, when to me a certain of mind concussion happened, not such as before a small time supervening to me my knees contracted, and even by the sole recollection of itself horror to me strikes; but the mind filling with tranquility, and best composing; whence, as if to one sleeping only had been offered the of the feet impediment, so me sound springing up I found, and stood on my feet erect, and a little advanced I. Then indeed into myself returned, and whence the aid to me had come understanding, to the Saint's sepulcher I ran; and to her sacred image poured down, when her with an embrace frequent I had strained, I went out as you see, the miracle in me done celebrating. The fourth indeed now day it is, from which the city this all sound I walk about, and whithersoever of places it shall have been pleasing without impediment I go.
[36] A youth noble, the author's son-in-law, But what mine are, as though if mine not they were, to pass over I ought not; lest if in a deep them silence I bury, of ingratitude to the mark I be subjected, that not even by a discourse slight worthy them I have been, in which by a beneficial work prevented I was when I was infirm. But what afterward happened, of it first the discourse I will institute. A son-in-law to me through my daughter is noble and illustrious, as being a nephew of him who now piously the Empire moderates; of him indeed the son, who from the legitimate of parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents succession of Colchis the Principate by inheritance held; for whom this of the Emperor deceased the daughter by matrimony's law to himself joined, of him whom about I speak the mother stood. Him, when toward evening from the hall Imperial home himself with his own brought back, a desire came of the horse himself to exercise, and on it somewhat himself to exhilarate, just as frequently are wont of age that youths, in the first especially puberty, such as he himself was. Those moreover who about him were, and with much and great effort to dissuade it attempted, untimely to be suggesting, despising, in the opinion wholly he remained; this only them commanding, that the swine, who along the public way were feeding, they should drive away. They did as they had been ordered: he indeed in manifold ways the horse trying was carried, the horse having slipped until namely the swine driven off, thrice or four times returning, under the very horse's feet to roll began, and him to impede. The horse for, as often as under his feet were the swine, as of design it doing, falling at once and rising, at length so fell, that to rise it could not; the rider moreover, shaken off as from a sling, immediately on the ground lay prone beside the horse, little indeed distant from a dead one, except that a faint a certain of the artery pulse, by the physicians detected, him still among the living to be numbered suggested.
[37] Not far from the palace these things happened, in that namely place, which the Round Pool is called. But, just as those things are wont which by fame are borne, suddenly everywhere it was spread, for dead held, to have died from the unhappy riding the youth. Then indeed some; O unhappy they cry out, the chance! o the misfortune! Others; How, they say, suddenly that happened! how unexpected he fell! To me also straightway someone ran, of tears full, and desiring indeed that which had happened to announce, but with a voice by no fewer continuous sobs than by much panting impeded, from the sole of the cast-down to the ground countenance sadness, and of commiseration which he showed by the affection, sad to me something seemed to signify. And I not what at length of misfortune has happened? Thy, he answered, son-in-law on a horse was borne, with which together to the ground fell; and even now the unhappy one lies without speech and sense. These narrated I go out from the house: nor other to hear along the way to me it happened, than, O how that will he understand, how will he see his father-in-law! Here there groans and of hands clappings were heard; when I to the place where he lay coming, and his hand seizing and his arms surrounding; What sufferest thou, I said, what grievest thou? dearest son: come indicate: he indeed nothing more heard what I said than if lifeless altogether he had been.
[38] And now that night had passed, nothing omitting the physicians of those things which on this occasion that they be done, the art medical prescribes: of each hand were opened the veins, other tried remedies all, all moved up and down, as they say, and nothing not applied of effort, that to his senses might be restored the adolescent: and at length to be delirious found, who nothing yet better thence had, but in the same utterly manner lay of sense all void. Passed also that which the night already said had followed day, and he in the same even state to remain seemed; when behold toward evening certain, as if forced, nor distinct enough words, or rather deliriums, to bring forth he began; thence indeed broken certain things he spoke, other than what he was asked answering. By the daytime for the most part hours, but especially the nocturnal, now this, now that saying, nothing certain to indicate or to express manifestly he could. Clamors thereupon he uttered immense, as if intolerable something he were compelled to bear, and vehemently indeed he lamented.
[39] We meanwhile, who the care of him bore, grievously, as was fitting, were anguished: a fear indeed to us was struck, lest perpetually delirious, or for whole life out of mind he should persevere. not without a just suspicion of maleficium, But nor good anything we presaged from the swine: for them we thought demons, who also of old from the Lord this asked, that into
ἐνταυθοῖ παρὰ τὸν αἰγιαλὸν γέγονα, ὡς τῶν μαριόντων αἰτοίμην ὡς τοῦ παρ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐλέους τυγχάνοιμι· ἀλλά τις τῶν ὁδιτῶν, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως τις, οὐ γὰρ ἐώρακα πρότερον, οὐ μετὰ ταῦτα τοὐτον τεθέαμαι, καινότερον ἐπ᾽ ἐμοὶ πεποίηκεν ἔλεον, ἄρας με, καὶ γὰρ ἐπωμάδιον παρὰ τὴν Ἁγίαν φέρων κατέθετο, οὕτω γὰρ καλεῖσθαι τὴν μακαρίαν ταύτην Θεοδοσίαν ἡ τῶν θαυμάτων συνέχεια, παρά γε τῇ μεγαλοπόλει ταύτῃ πεποίηκεν, οἶμαι δὲ καὶ τῶν πόλεων πανταχῆ, πανταχῆ γὰρ ἐξαπλοῖ τὴν χάριν, ὅτι καὶ πανταχόθεν ξυῤῥέοντες οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες, τῶν ἰάσεων ἐπανίασιν ἀπολαβόντες· τοίνυν καὶ ἀνωνύμως οὕτω τὸ παιδάριον ἀπεκάλεσεν.
[35] Καὶ δή με ὑποθεὶς, ἔφη, τῇ ταύτης σορῷ, ἐλαίῳ τε χρίσας τῆς ἐπῃωρημένης φωταγωγοῦ ἐξιὼν εὔχετο, ἐγὼ δ᾽ ἐναποληφθεὶς ἐν ἀμηχάνῳ γεγένημαι· οὐ γὰρ προβαίνειν ὅλως, οὐ μεταβαίνειν ἡδυνάμην, ἀλλ᾽ ὥς τι παρεῤῥίμην ἄχθος καὶ τῶν πρὸς χρείαν ἐστερόμην ὁ δείλαιος. Τρεῖς τῶν ἡμερῶν παρεῥῥύησαν, καί μοι ζάλη τις περὶ τὸν λογισμὸν γέγονεν, οὐχ οἵαπερ ἐκείνη ἡ πρὸ μικροῦ ξυμπεσοῦσα, καὶ τὰ γόνατα παραρθρώσασα, φρίκην μοι καὶ μόνης ἀπὸ μνήμης ἐκείνης ποιεῖ, γαλήνης δὲ τὴν καρδίαν πληροῦσα, καὶ πρὸς τὸ εὔθυμον μεταβάλλουσα, ὅθεν καὶ ὡς ἐν ὕπνῳ πεπεδημένος ἐ͂ιναι δόξας, ὑγιὴς ἀναθορῶν εὕρημαι, ἔστην τε ἐπὶ πόδας, καὶ προέβην ἐπὶ μακρὸν, ἐν ἑαυτῳ τε γενόμενος, καὶ ὅθεν ἧκέ μοι συνἰδὼν ἡ βοήθεια, τῇ τῆς Ἁγίας προσδεδραμήκειν σορῷ, καὶ τῇ ταύτης περιφὺς εἰκόνι, καὶ συχνὰ ταύτην περιπτυξάμενος, ἐξῆλθον ὡς ὁρᾶτε τοῦ ἐπ᾽ ἐμοὶ δοξάζων θαυματουργήματος, καὶ νῦν ἡμέραι τέτταρες ἤδη ἐξ οὗ τὴν πόλιν περινοστῶ, ἐλευθέρως ὅποι καὶ βούλομαι πορευόμενος.
[36] Ἀλλὰ μὴ δὲ τὰ ἐμὰ ὅτιπερ ἐμὰ παραληπτέον ἐμοὶ, ὡς μὴ καὶ αὐτὰ λήθης παραπεμφθεῖεν βυθῷ, κᾀγὼ μέμψει δικαίᾳ καθυποβληθείην ἀχαριστίας, μὴ δὲ λόγῳ ψιλῷ παραδοῦναι προθυμηθεὶς, ἅπερ εὖ τοῖς ἔργοις ἔφθην παθών· περὶ δὲ τοῦ δευτέρου τὸν λόγον ποιήσομαι πρότερον. Γαμβρὸς ἐμὸς ἐπὶ θυγατρὶ, τῶν εὐγενῶν οὗτος καὶ περιβλέπτων, ἀδελφιδοὺς γὰρ τοῦ νῦν εὐσεβῶς ἡμῶν βασιλεύοντος, παῖς δὲ τοῦ τὴν τῆς Κολχίδος ἀρχὴν ἔκ τε πατέρων, πάππων, καὶ ἐπιπάππων κληρωσαμένου, τούτῳ γὰρ ἡ τοῦ προβεβασιλευκότος θυγάτηρ γάμου νόμου συναφθεῖσα, μήτηρ τοῦδε γεγένηται· οὗτος δὴ πρὸς ἐσπέραν τῶν ἀνακτόρων ἐξῄει, καὶ τὴν ἐπ᾽ οἴκου σὺν τοῖς περὶ αὐτὸν ἐπορεύετο· οἷα δὲ τὰ τῶν νέων ἔτι τὴν ἡλικίαν, καὶ μάλιστα τῶν ἐφήβων, ὀποῖος οὗτος ἐτύγχανεν ὢν, ἱππηλατῆσαί οἱ ἐπῆλθεν, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ γε διαχυθῆναι μικρόν. Τοὺς οὖν ἀμφ᾽ αὐτὸν συχννᾶ καὶ ταῦτα κωλύοντας, καὶ τὴν ἀωρίαν προἳσχομένους περιἳδὼν, ὅλως τοῦ πρὸς θέλησιν γέγονε, τοῦτο μόνον σφίσιν ἐγκελευσάμενος, Ἄπιτε, τοὺς σῦας ἀπώσατε, τῆς γὰρ λεωφόρου πλησίον ἦσαν οὗτοι νεμόμενοι. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ὡς προσετάγησαν πεποιήκεσαν, ὁ δ᾽ εὐθὺς συχνὰ μυωπάζων ἐφέρετο, ἀλλ᾽ ἐφέρετο ἔως οἱ ἀπελθέντες δίς τε συστραφέντες καὶ τρὶς, τοῖς τοῦ ἵππου ποσὶν ὤφθησαν κυλινδουμενοί τε καὶ συμποδίζοντες. Ὅ τε γὰρ ἵππος ὁσάκις οἰ σύες περιεσκέλιζον, ἔργον ὥσπερ τοῦτο ποιούμενοι, πίπτων ἄμα καὶ ἐγειρόμενος, τέλος εἰπεῖν, ἀνήγερτα πέπτωκε· καὶ ὀ ἀναβάτης ἐκτιναχθεὶς, καὶ ὥσπερ ἀποσφενδονηθεὶς, εὕρηται κείμενος παρευθὸς, ἄγχιστά που τοῦ ἵππου πρηνὴς, μηδὲν ὅλως νεκροῦ διενηνοχὼς, πλὴν ὅσον σφυγμὸς ἀμυδρὸς, καὶ πνεῦμα τοῖς περιεργαζομένοις λεπτὸν, τοῖς περιοῦσιν ἔτι συγκαταλέγειν τοῦτον ὑπέβαλεν.
[37] Οὐκ ἄπο ταῦτα τῶν ἀνακτόρων ξυμβέβηκε, τόπος γὰρ ἐν ᾧ ὁ οὑτωσί πως Γυρολίμνη καλούμενος· ἀλλ᾽ οἷα δὴ τὰ τῆς φήμης ἐν ἀκαρεὶ διαπεφήμισται πανταχῆ, ὡς τέθνηκεν ὁδεεῖνα ἱππηλατῶν, καὶ οἰ μὲν, Ὤ τοῦ συμβάματος! ὢ τῆς δεινῆς ταύτης ἔλεγον συμφορᾶς! οἵ δ᾽, Ὤ οἷον αἴφνης γέγονεν! ὢ οἷον ἀπροσδοκήτως συνέπεσε! Καί μοι τίς ἐφίσταται δακρύων ὐπόπλεος, θέλων μὲν ἀλλεῖλαι τὸ γεγονὸς, τὴν δὲ φωνὴν οὐχ ἧττον τοῖς στεναγμοῖς ἢ τοῖς ἄσθμασιν ἐγκοπτόμενος, ἐκ μόνης τῆς τοῦ προσώπου κατηφείας, καὶ τῆς πρός με συμπαθείας, ἣν ὐπενέφαινεν ἐμὴν γνωρίζων τὴν συμφορὰν ἔμοι γε, κᾀγὼ διαταραχθεὶς, Τίνι τῶν ἐμῶν ξυνέπεσε τὸ δεινὸν, καὶ τίπερ ὃ πέπονθε; διεπυνθανόμην εὐθύς· καὶ ὃς, Ὁ σὸς ἰππηλάτει γαμβρὸς, καὶ οἰ συμπέπτωκεν ὀ ἵππος, καὶ εἰς ἔτι κεῖται, μηδέν τι λέγων, μηδενὸς αἰσθανόμενος· ἐξείειν αὐτίκα τοῦ διηγουμένου, καί μοι παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν οὐδὲν, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ τοῦτο μόνον ἡκούετο, Ὤ οἷον ἀκούσεται; ὣ οἷον ὁ κηδεστὴς τοῦδε θεάσεται; στεναγμοί τε τῇδε κακεῖσε, καὶ χειρῶν πάταγοι. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπέστην οὗπερ ἦν κείμενος, καὶ λαβόμενος τῆς χειρὸς, καὶ περιθεὶς αὐτὸν ταῖς ἀγκάλαις, τι πάσχεις ἔφην; τί ὀδυνᾷ; δήλωσόν μοι παῖ φίλτατε, οὐ δ᾽ οὐδέν τι κρεῖττον ἀψύχου τῶν λεγομένων ἦν ἐπαΐων.
[38] Παρῆλθεν ἡ νὺξ ἐκείνη τῶν Ἀσκληπιαδῶν οὐδὲν οὐδαμῶς παριέντων, ὅσαπερ ἐπὶ τοῖσδε πράττειν ἡ τέχνη παρεγγυᾶ, φλέβας δηλαδὴ τεμνόντων ἀμφοτέρων χειρῶν, καὶ βοηθοῦντων ἄλλοθεν ἄλλως, κάτω τὰ ἄνω κινούντων, ὅ φασιν οὗτοι, καὶ πάντα τρόπον μηχανομένων ὡς εἰς αἴσθησιν ἀγαγεῖν, ὃ δ᾽ οὐδὲν ἄμεινον ἐ͂ιχεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὁμοίως ἀναισθητῶν ἦν. Παῤῥερύη καὶ τὸ τῆς διαδειξαμένης ἡμέρας διάστημα, καὶ οὗτος ὀ αὐτὸς ἦν· Ὄψε δὲ καὶ πρὸς ἐσπέραν ἐφθέγξατο, βίαιόν τι καὶ ἀδιάρθρωτον, ἢ μᾶλλον εἰπεῖν παρεφθέγξατο. Καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ, παρακεκομμένα λαλῶν ἦν, ἄλλα μὲν ἐρωτώμενος, ἄλλα δ᾽ ἀποκρινόμενος πλειστάκις τῆς ἡμέρας παραφρονῶν, καὶ οὐχ ἥκιστα τῆς νυκτὸς, νῦν μὲν τοῦτο, νῦν δ᾽ ἐκεῖνο φθεγγόμενος, μηδὲν δ᾽ ὅτι καὶ παριστάνων, μὴ δὲ δηλοποιῶν, μεταξύ τε βοῶν γεγονὼς, καὶ ὡς πεπονθώς τι τῶν ἀνηκέστων, μέγα κράζων αἴφνης καὶ ὀδυρόμενος.
[39] Ἠσχάλλομεν οὖν ὥς τὸ εἰκὸς, ἐδυσφοροῦμεν οἰ κηδεσταὶ, δέος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐπῄει μὴ μείνῃ διὰ παντὸς οὕτω παραληρῶν, καὶ τὰς φρένας εἴη διὰ βίου παράκοπος. Οὐ γὰρ δήπως εἰς ἀγαθὸν καὶ τὸ τῶν χοίρων ἐξελαμβάνομεν, τοὺς ἐξαιτησαμένους τὸν Κύριον ἐμβληθῆναι χοίροις διενθυμούενοι, τοὺς ἡμῖν ἀρχῆθεν ἐπιβουλεύοντας δαίμονας, καὶ μάλιστα μαθόντες ὡς διωχθέντες ὑπέστρεψαν οἱ χοῖροι, καὶ ὡς οὐχ ἄπαξ εἰσιόντες τε καὶ ἐξιόντες, προσβάλλοντες· ὥσπερεὶ καὶ ἡττώμενοι, τελευταῖον θρασύτερον ἐπιτεθέντες κατέβαλον. Ὅτι δ᾽ οὐ πόῤῥω τῆς ἀληθείας ἐστοχαζόμεθα, αὐτὸς ὁ ταῦτα παθὼν, μετὰ τὴν τοῦ πάθους ἀπαλλαγὴν, σαφῶς ἡμῖν διεδήλωσεν. Εἴρηκε καὶ γὰρ ὡς ἔδοξεν ἄνδρα ὁρᾶν, μέλανα τὴν χροιὰν, ἄγριον τὴν ὄψιν, ὑπερμεγέθη τὸ σῶμα, σχοίνοις περιἳσχημένους τοὺς σῦας, ἐφέλκοντα τοῖς τοῦ ἵππου ποσίν· ἐκφεύγειν τε τούτους βιαζομένους, πρὸς δὲ βίαν ἀπαγομένους, ἕως συμποδισθέντος πεσὼν, οὐ μέμνηται ὅτι καὶ πέπονθεν.
[40] Ἐφ᾽ ἰκαναῖς οὖν ἦμεν οὕτω διαπορούμενοι, ὅπως τοῦ ἀνυποίστου πάθους αὐτὸν ἀπαλλάξαιμεν, ὅπως ἑαυτοὺς τῆς ἐπὶ τῷδε φροντίδος τὲ καὶ λύπης ἐλευθερώσαιμεν· Ἀλλ᾽ εἰς νοῦν μόγις ἐβάλομεν τὰ τῇ Ἁγἰᾳ καθεκάστην τερατουργούμενα, καὶ ὡς ἐκ ζάλης εἰς λιμένα παραυτὰ καθωρμίσθημεν, καὶ πρὸς τὸ εὐθυμότερον εὐθὺς ἐπανείημεν, καὶ ὥσπερ ἑαυτῶν ἐγεγόνειμεν, οἱ πρὸ μικροῦ σχεδὸν ἐξεστηκότες, και τινα τρόπον τῷ πεπονθότι συμπάσχοντες. Πάντων οὖν ἄλλων αὐτίκα ἠλογηκότες παρά γε τῇ σορῷ τῆς Ἁγίας γινόμεθα, καὶ ῥιπτοῦμεν ἐπ᾽ ἐδάφους αὐτὸν· καὶ ὁ νεωκόρος τοῦ κιβωτοῦ τὸν ἱερὸν ἐξενεγκὼν θησαυρὸν, τὸν ζῶντα ταῖς ἐνεργείαις ὄντως νεκρὸν, ὅλῳ ἐπιστηρίζει τῷ σώματι, κεφαλῆς αὐτῆς ἀπαρξάμενος, χρίει τε λαβὼν ἔλαιον τῆς φωταγωγοῦ σταυρωειδῶς τῷδε τὸ πρόσωπον, καὶ πρός γε στέρνα τε καὶ μετάφρενα. Καὶ, ὣ θαυμασίων Θεοῦ! ὢ δόξης, ἧς ἀπήλαυσαν ψυχαὶ μετὰ σωμάτων ὑπεραθλήσασαι τοῦ Θεοῦ, ψυχαὶ κατὰ Θεὸν τοῖς σώμασι συμβιώσασαι· ὡς οὐδὲν πεπονθὼς, ὡς οὔ ποτέ τι παραφθεγξάμενος, ἐξήει ῥώμης εὖ ἔχων καὶ τῶν φρενῶν ἀπρόσκοπα ὁμιλῶν, καὶ τῶν λεγομένων ἐν συνέσει γινόμενος· ἐῶ γὰρ ὡς καὶ προκόπτειτο ἀπὸ τοῦδε, οὐχ ἧττον ἢ τῇ ἡλικίᾳ ψυχικοῖς τε καὶ σωματικοῖς προτερήμασιν, ὃ θείας σαφῶς ἐπισκοπῆς ἤγημαι, ὃ μείζονος θαυματουργίας λογίζομαι.
[41] Ἀλλ᾽ οὐ δὲ τὸ ἐπ᾽ ἐμοὶ παραδραμοῦμαι τῆς Ἁγίας τεράστιον. Ἐπλήγην πόδα τὸν δεξιὸν, πρὸ χρόνων ὅτι σοχνῶν, ἡ δὲ πληγὴ, ἵππος ἐπὶ κνήμης λὰξ ἔτυψεν, ὃ πρὸς τὸ παρὸν εὐπεριφρόνητον ἔδοξεν, ἀλλά μοι μετὰ τὴν τετάρτην ὀδύναι γεγόνεισαν οὐδοπωσοῦν φορηταὶ, οὐκ ἐφ᾽ ᾧ γε ἐπεπλήγην μέρει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ σφυροῖς, ἐπὶ δακτύλοις, ἐφ᾽ ὅλῳ τῷ ταρσῷ καὶ τῲ πέλματι· ἦν οὖν πονήρως ἔχων ἐφ᾽ ἱκαναῖς, καὶ τοῦ πάθους λωφήσαντος, χωλεύων αὖθις ἐπὶ πολὺ, καὶ οὐκ εὖ ἐπιστηριζόμενος τῷ πεπονθότι ποδὶ, δύο τῶν ἐνιαυτῶν παρεῤῥύησαν, καὶ πόδα τὸν αὐτὸν ἤλγησα, καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ μοι κατέτος ὥς τι τῶν ἐκ περιόδου ξυναντᾷν εἰωθότων νοσημάτων, τὸ τῶν ποδῶν ἄλγος ἀνέσκηπτε, μετὰ δὲ χρόνους οὐ πάνυ πολλοὺς δὶς τοῦ ἔτους ξυνέβαινέ μοι τὸ πάθος καὶ τρίς. Καί μοι δέος ἔνδεν εἰσήει, μή πως προἳόντος τοῦ χρόνου καὶ τοῦ κακοῦ· ἐκ γὰρ φιλοζωΐας οἶμαι πᾶς τις ὡς κᾀγὼ φαντάζεται τὸ μακρόβιον, καὶ μᾶλλον εἰ κατ᾽ ἐμὲ προστετηκὼς εἴη τοῖς γηΐνοις τοῖσδε καὶ κηλοῦσι τὴν αἴσθησιν· φόβος οὖν μοι γεγόνει μὴ χεῖράς τε παραλυθείην καὶ πόδας, ἣ καὶ τὸ σύμπαν ἐξαρθρωθείην, καὶ καθάπαξ κατασταίην κλινοπετὴς· ἐπὶ δὲ μᾶλλον ἐφόβουν οἱ τῶν ἰατρῶν δοκιμώτεροι, ξυνήθεις ὄντες ἐμοὶ καὶ ἡλικιῶται, μηδέν πως ἰσχύειν πρὸς τὴν νόσον τὴν τέχνην ἰσχυριζόμενοι.
[42] Τί γοῦν ἐπεπόνθειν, ὅθεν μοι δι᾽ ἐλπίδος ἦν ἡ βοήθεια, λαβὼν ἐκεῖθεν τὴν ἀπαγόρευσιν, ἀθυμίᾳ κατεσχέθην, καὶ ὡς τὸ εἰκὸς ἠκηδίασα· ἀλλ᾽ ἐμνήσθην κατὰ τὴν Δαυιδικὴν εἰσήγησιν τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ θυμηδίας ἐπλήσθην εὐθὺς, ἐν γὰρ αὐτῷ, καὶ γὰρ ἔφην, εἰ καὶ ἡ νόσος ἰσχυρὰ καὶ τὴν τέχνην νικᾶ, ἀλλ᾽ ἡττήσεται τῆς κραταιᾶς ἰσχύος Θεοῦ· ὡς γὰρ πεπιστεύκαμεν, καὶ τὰ ἀδύνατα Θεῷ δυνατὰ, καὶ οὐδὲν ὄτι τῆς αὐτοῦ δυνάμεως ὑπερκείσεται. Καί γε ἐνενοησάμην, ὅπως τε ἡ πάναγνος αὐτοῦ Μήτηρ κοινῆ τε καὶ καθέκαστα ἡμῶν κηδομένη, πάντων ὑπερεντυγχάνει διηνεκῶς, Ἁγίους τε καὶ Ἁγίας ἀνελογισάμην, οἷς καὶ τῆδε χάρις ὅτι μεγίστη πρὸς τοῦ ἐν οὐρανοῖς δοξάσαντος δίδοται, ὡς καὶ θεραπεύειν ἀνήκεστα καὶ ἰᾶσθαι ἀνίατα δύνασθαι· Δημήτριόν φημι τὸν ἐν μάρτυσι διαβόητον, τὸν ἱεράρχα μέγα Νικόλαον, Εὖπλον τὸν πολύτλαν καὶ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τῷ ὄντι διάκονον· ἐπὶ δὲ τούτοις καὶ μετὰ τούτων τὴν Ὁσίαν ταύτην καὶ Μάρτυρα, ἧς ἐγγειτόνων ὢν τῇ σορῷ, τὰς ὁσημέραι τε καὶ ὁσῶραι θαυματουργίας ἐπὶ τοιοῖς δέ τισιν ἐπυνθανόμεν τελουμένας καὶ χείροσι. Τοῖς οὖν ἰατροῖς αὐτίκα χαίρειν καὶ αὐτοῖς φαρμάκοις εἰπὼν, τούτους μόνους προυστησάμεν τῆς νόσου
swine they should be cast: those who to us from the beginning plotted demons; and especially having learned that driven off returned the swine, and that not once entering and going out, attacking; as if also conquered, at last more boldly assailing they cast him down. But that not far from the truth we conjectured, he himself who these things suffered, after the of the affliction deliverance, plainly to us declared. He has said for that he seemed a man to see, black in color, savage in appearance, of immense size in body, with ropes girt about the swine, dragging to the horse's feet; and to escape these forcing, but by force led away, until tripped up having fallen, he remembers not that also he suffered.
[40] For enough therefore we were so doubting, how the intolerable affliction him we might free, how ourselves from the about this care and grief we might free; but into mind scarcely we cast the to the Saint daily wrought wonders, and as from a storm into a harbor straightway we put in, and to the more cheerful straightway we returned, and as ourselves we became, who a little before almost were beside ourselves, and in a certain manner with the sufferer suffering together. Of all therefore others forthwith having taken no account beside indeed the sepulcher of the Saint we come, and we cast on the ground him; and the keeper of the chest the sacred bringing out treasure, the living in works indeed dead one, on his whole leans the body, from her head beginning, anoints and taking oil of the lamp in a cross-shape on him the face, and besides on the breast and back. And, souls with bodies having striven for God, souls according to God with the bodies having lived together; as nothing having suffered, as never anything having spoken amiss, he went out of strength well having and of mind without offense conversing, and of the things said in understanding becoming; I omit for that also he advanced from this, not less than in age, in psychic and bodily endowments, which of a divine plainly visitation I have judged, which of a greater miracle-working I reckon.
[41] But neither the in me I will pass over of the Saint prodigy. I was struck in foot the right, before years that many, but the blow, the present easily-to-be-despised seemed, but to me after the fourth pains there were by no means bearable, not in which I had been struck part, but in the ankles, in the toes, in the whole of the instep and of the sole; I was therefore badly having for enough, and the affliction having abated, limping again for much, and not well leaning on the suffering foot, two of the years flowed by, and the foot the same I was pained, and for the rest to me every year as a certain of those by period to meet wont diseases, the of the feet pain broke out, and after times not very many twice of the year happened to me the affliction and thrice. And to me a fear thence entered, lest somehow the time advancing and the evil; for from love-of-life I think everyone as I also imagines the long-lived, and the more if according to me attached he be to the earthly these and bewitching the sense; a fear therefore to me there was lest in hands I be paralyzed and feet, or also the whole I be disjointed, and utterly I be made bed-ridden; but more frightened me those of the physicians more approved, familiar being to me and of the same age, nothing to avail against the disease the art asserting.
[42] What therefore I had suffered, whence to me by hope was the aid, having received thence the refusal, by despondency I was held, and as is fitting I was weary; but I remembered according to the Davidic suggestion of God, and of gladness I was filled forthwith, for in him, and for I said, even if the disease strong and the art conquers, but it will be conquered of the mighty strength of God; for as we have believed, also the impossible to God are possible, and nothing than of his power shall be set above. And I considered, how the all-pure his Mother in common and each of us caring, of all intercedes continually, and Saints and holy women I reckoned, to whom also here a grace that greatest from him who in the heavens glorified is given, so as both to cure incurable and to heal uncurable things to be able; Demetrius I say the among martyrs renowned, the hierarch great Nicholas, Euplus the much-suffering and of the Gospel indeed a deacon; and besides these and with these this Nun and Martyr, of whom a near-neighbor being to the sepulcher, the daily and hourly miracles upon such certain ones I learned to be wrought and worse. To the physicians therefore forthwith to bid farewell and to their medicines saying, these only I set forth of the disease
θεραπευτάς.
[43] Πῶς τοίνυν παραστήσω, πῶς τὸν ἔλεον, ὃν ἐνεδείξατό μοι τῷ ἀχρείῳ τούτου δούλῳ Θεὸς, διὰ τῶν εὐηρεστηκότων αὐτῷ, διὰ βραχέος ἐρῶ; Χρόνοις ἐν ὀλίγοις ἐξαρθρωθῆναι προσδόκιμος ὢν, πλείστους ἤδη παρήμειψα, καὶ διαρτίας εὖ ἔχων μελῶν, καὶ βαδίζω, ὡς ὅτε ἦν εἰκοσιέτης ἐβάδιζον, καί μοι ἐλευθέρως αἱ χεῖρες, ὅποι τε βουλητὸν ἐμοὶ, καὶ τὸ ψυχικὸν πνεῦμα κινεῖ, φέρονταί τε καὶ μεταφέρονται. Τοιαῦθ᾽ ὁρῶμεν τῇ Ἁγίᾳ τελούμενα, τοιαῦθ᾽ ὁσημέραι τερατουργούμενα. Τί γοῦν δὴ τὰ πάλαι καταλέγειν, ἢ παραδιδόναι τὰ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν συγγραφῆ; μηδεμίαν σφῶν λαμβανόντων διέχειαν, κυμάτων τε δίκην ἕτερον ἑτέρου καταλαμβάνοντος· καὶ γάρ πως παραπλήσιον ἂν παθεῖν δόξειεν ὁ ταῦτα συγγράφειν πειρώμενος, τοῖς ἐπ᾽ ἀφροσύνῃ διαβωήτοις ἔκεινοις, ὧν οἱ μὲν ἀριθμεῖν προήχθησαν κύματα, οἱ δ᾽ ἀστέρας, οἵ δ᾽ ἄλλῳ τινὶ τῶν ἀδυνάτων ἐπιχειρήσαντες, ἐνεπαίχθησαν.
physicians of the disease the curers.
[43] How therefore shall I set forth, how the mercy, which showed to me to the useless of him servant God, through those well-pleasing to him, in brief I shall tell? In a few years to be disjointed expected being, very many now I have passed by, and with frame well having of members, and I walk, as when I was twenty years old I walked, and to me freely the hands, whither it is willed to me, and the psychic spirit moves, are borne and transferred. Such things we see by the Saint accomplished, such things daily wrought as wonders. Why therefore the things of old to recount, or to hand down the things in our time by writing? since they take no intermission, and like waves one upon another overtaking; for in a way like to suffer would seem he who these things to write attempts, to those for folly renowned ones, of whom some to number were led the waves, others the stars, others to some other of the impossible things having undertaken, were mocked.
[32] And of this kind nearly were those things which to the Saint in heaven befell, as fittingly to conjecture it is allowed; we indeed who on earth placed her sacred Relics happily possess, At the sepulcher of Theodosia famous for miracles what at length to do, or by what reason affected to be it behooves, let us consider; especially since so many of her admirable works on no not day we experience; and we see men, of the body's use and strengths destitute, hitherto of their members the right to obtain conformation; the deaf and dumb, recovered of the ears and tongue the use, on account of notable so miracles with joy to exult, and to God, who so great toward men works, thanks to render; and her on account of whose merits so much of benefits we receive, and who with so great in heaven glory, with so great on earth power prevails, with due of honors and praises titles, as is fitting, to follow. Many are indeed which the Saint daily does admirable, but which with these very eyes to see I have merited, I cannot not narrate.
[33] A boy a certain was in age to puberty's years now advanced, from of those villages one some, which in Phrygia at the river a. Rhyndacus are, sprung, but from his paternal soil a stranger. He, an adolescent wandering, which to say abominable, of the wandering Agarenes the impiety followed, and to Constantinople coming, here there through the city wandered. Behold moreover, o the rage of the demon, of all against us evils the author! on a day a certain he is filled with darkness and vertigo. Midday namely was the time, when also David says, to those not dwelling in the aid of the Most High, and in God's tabernacle not abiding, demoniac imaginations to assail. When therefore so he was agitated, and his reason to him not a little was disturbed, suddenly also with contorted thus he was found knees, that the shins to the thighs adhered, [to whom with stupor of mind coming a contraction the faculty of walking had taken away,] and to the abortive those not dissimilar he appeared, whom for the of those passing by to provoke commiseration in the streets exposed frequently we behold; nay even apoplectic wholly he was, nor plainly to understand could what he suffered. Psalm 90. But when nature compelled to those things to which it was accustomed, then sufficiently recognizing what of evil it was (a reptile for he was made, who hitherto was wont with the feet to walk) with hands equally as with feet using, above his knees himself not he advanced, but dragged, that far at least of reason possessed, that food he sought by begging. So here and there creeping and himself rolling (nor for otherwise could he) to my also house him it happened to come, and to me into sight to come, not in gait weak, not limping, but manifestly creeping and walking upon the breast and belly, according to the old malediction of the serpent.
[34] and whom on the ground creeping the author himself had seen Not many thence had flowed days, when again to our house the same adolescent betook himself, without all impediment and all inconvenience advancing, on each firmly standing foot, and with body into the height erect, just as are wont those to whom in every part complete of members all the conformation befell. A prodigy this to all who were present not moderate seemed: and some forthwith others, as happens, calling, about that adolescent many things from each other inquired: Is not, they said, that this one, who not from much time hither to us was brought? Is not the same himself from yesterday and the day before contracted having his knees? by an unknown man brought Much therefore we doubted, whether true were what we saw with eyes; until I myself nearer to him approaching, to inquire began, by what at length reason, or at what time of the feet health he had obtained. But he; Not so long ago, says he, hence to the shore I went out, that from those passing by of alms something by asking I might obtain; when behold of those crossing one some (nor for who he was I know, who before never the man had seen, and afterward not beheld any more) an unusual to me alms conferred; while seized me and onto his shoulders raised, and above the tomb left, he set down at the Saint: by this name indeed blessed Theodosia to be called, in this great city has made the of miracles multitude: I think moreover so also in other everywhere cities to be named; everywhere for the grace divinely to her conferred she unfolds; wherefore also from everywhere flow together those ill having, and depart of health the restoration having obtained.
[35] of mind and body health he receives. And so the Saint also the boy this calling without a proper name. Above his, he says, tomb me placing he, and from above of the hanging lamp the oil anointing, prayed and departed. I indeed left, what I should do knew not: for neither to advance nor to depart thence could I, but useless like things destitute wretched. Three had passed days, when to me a certain of mind concussion happened, not such as before a small time supervening to me my knees contracted, and even by the sole recollection of itself horror to me strikes; but the mind filling with tranquility, and best composing; whence, as if to one sleeping only had been offered the of the feet impediment, so me sound springing up I found, and stood on my feet erect, and a little advanced I. Then indeed into myself returned, and whence the aid to me had come understanding, to the Saint's sepulcher I ran; and to her sacred image poured down, when her with an embrace frequent I had strained, I went out as you see, the miracle in me done celebrating. The fourth indeed now day it is, from which the city this all sound I walk about, and whithersoever of places it shall have been pleasing without impediment I go.
[36] A youth noble, the author's son-in-law, But what mine are, as though if mine not they were, to pass over I ought not; lest if in a deep them silence I bury, of ingratitude to the mark I be subjected, that not even by a discourse slight worthy them I have been, in which by a beneficial work prevented I was when I was infirm. But what afterward happened, of it first the discourse I will institute. A son-in-law to me through my daughter is noble and illustrious, as being a nephew of him who now piously the Empire moderates; of him indeed the son, who from the legitimate of parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents succession of Colchis the Principate by inheritance held; for whom this of the Emperor deceased the daughter by matrimony's law to himself joined, of him whom about I speak the mother stood. Him, when toward evening from the hall Imperial home himself with his own brought back, a desire came of the horse himself to exercise, and on it somewhat himself to exhilarate, just as frequently are wont of age that youths, in the first especially puberty, such as he himself was. Those moreover who about him were, and with much and great effort to dissuade it attempted, untimely to be suggesting, despising, in the opinion wholly he remained; this only them commanding, that the swine, who along the public way were feeding, they should drive away. They did as they had been ordered: he indeed in manifold ways the horse trying was carried, the horse having slipped until namely the swine driven off, thrice or four times returning, under the very horse's feet to roll began, and him to impede. The horse for, as often as under his feet were the swine, as of design it doing, falling at once and rising, at length so fell, that to rise it could not; the rider moreover, shaken off as from a sling, immediately on the ground lay prone beside the horse, little indeed distant from a dead one, except that a faint a certain of the artery pulse, by the physicians detected, him still among the living to be numbered suggested.
[37] Not far from the palace these things happened, in that namely place, which the Round Pool is called. But, just as those things are wont which by fame are borne, suddenly everywhere it was spread, for dead held, to have died from the unhappy riding the youth. Then indeed some; O unhappy they cry out, the chance! o the misfortune! Others; How, they say, suddenly that happened! how unexpected he fell! To me also straightway someone ran, of tears full, and desiring indeed that which had happened to announce, but with a voice by no fewer continuous sobs than by much panting impeded, from the sole of the cast-down to the ground countenance sadness, and of commiseration which he showed by the affection, sad to me something seemed to signify. And I not what at length of misfortune has happened? Thy, he answered, son-in-law on a horse was borne, with which together to the ground fell; and even now the unhappy one lies without speech and sense. These narrated I go out from the house: nor other to hear along the way to me it happened, than, O how that will he understand, how will he see his father-in-law! Here there groans and of hands clappings were heard; when I to the place where he lay coming, and his hand seizing and his arms surrounding; What sufferest thou, I said, what grievest thou? dearest son: come indicate: he indeed nothing more heard what I said than if lifeless altogether he had been.
[38] And now that night had passed, nothing omitting the physicians of those things which on this occasion that they be done, the art medical prescribes: of each hand were opened the veins, other tried remedies all, all moved up and down, as they say, and nothing not applied of effort, that to his senses might be restored the adolescent: and at length to be delirious found, who nothing yet better thence had, but in the same utterly manner lay of sense all void. Passed also that which the night already said had followed day, and he in the same even state to remain seemed; when behold toward evening certain, as if forced, nor distinct enough words, or rather deliriums, to bring forth he began; thence indeed broken certain things he spoke, other than what he was asked answering. By the daytime for the most part hours, but especially the nocturnal, now this, now that saying, nothing certain to indicate or to express manifestly he could. Clamors thereupon he uttered immense, as if intolerable something he were compelled to bear, and vehemently indeed he lamented.
[39] We meanwhile, who the care of him bore, grievously, as was fitting, were anguished: a fear indeed to us was struck, lest perpetually delirious, or for whole life out of mind he should persevere. not without a just suspicion of maleficium, But nor good anything we presaged from the swine: for them we thought demons, who also of old from the Lord this asked, that into swine they should be cast: those who to us from the beginning plotted demons; and especially having learned that driven off returned the swine, and that not once entering and going out, attacking; as if also conquered, at last more boldly assailing they cast him down. But that not far from the truth we conjectured, he himself who these things suffered, after the of the affliction deliverance, plainly to us declared. He has said for that he seemed a man to see, black in color, savage in appearance, of immense size in body, with ropes girt about the swine, dragging to the horse's feet; and to escape these forcing, but by force led away, until tripped up having fallen, he remembers not that also he suffered.
[40] For enough therefore we were so doubting, how the intolerable affliction him we might free, how ourselves from the about this care and grief we might free; but into mind scarcely we cast the to the Saint daily wrought wonders, and as from a storm into a harbor straightway we put in, and to the more cheerful straightway we returned, and as ourselves we became, who a little before almost were beside ourselves, and in a certain manner with the sufferer suffering together. Of all therefore others forthwith having taken no account beside indeed the sepulcher of the Saint we come, and we cast on the ground him; and the keeper of the chest the sacred bringing out treasure, the living in works indeed dead one, on his whole leans the body, from her head beginning, anoints and taking oil of the lamp in a cross-shape on him the face, and besides on the breast and back. And, souls with bodies having striven for God, souls according to God with the bodies having lived together; as nothing having suffered, as never anything having spoken amiss, he went out of strength well having and of mind without offense conversing, and of the things said in understanding becoming; I omit for that also he advanced from this, not less than in age, in psychic and bodily endowments, which of a divine plainly visitation I have judged, which of a greater miracle-working I reckon.
[41] But neither the in me will I pass over of the Saint prodigy. I was struck in foot the right, before years that many; but the blow, the present easily-to-be-despised seemed, but to me after the fourth pains there were by no means bearable, not in which I had been struck part, but in the ankles, in the toes, in the whole of the instep and of the sole; I was therefore badly having for enough, and the affliction having abated, limping again for much, and not well leaning on the suffering foot, two of the years flowed by, and the foot the same I was pained, and for the rest to me every year as a certain of those by period to meet wont diseases, the of the feet pain broke out, and after times not very many twice of the year happened to me the affliction and thrice. And to me a fear thence entered, lest somehow with the time advancing also the evil grow; for from love-of-life I think everyone as I also imagines the long-lived, and the more if according to me attached he be to these earthly things and bewitching the sense; a fear therefore to me there was lest in hands I be paralyzed and feet, or also the whole I be disjointed, and utterly I be made bed-ridden; but more frightened me those of the physicians more approved, familiar being to me and of the same age, nothing to avail against the disease the art asserting.
[42] What therefore I had suffered, whence to me by hope was the aid, having received thence the refusal, by despondency I was held, and as is fitting I was weary; but I remembered, according to the Davidic suggestion, of God, and of gladness I was filled forthwith, for in him, and for I said, even if the disease be strong and the art conquers, but it will be conquered of the mighty strength of God; for as we have believed, also the impossible to God are possible, and nothing than of his power shall be set above. And I considered, how the all-pure his Mother in common and each of us caring, of all intercedes continually, and Saints and holy women I reckoned, to whom also here a grace that greatest from him who in the heavens glorified is given, so as both to cure incurable and to heal uncurable things to be able; Demetrius I say the among martyrs renowned, the hierarch great Nicholas, Euplus the much-suffering and of the Gospel indeed a deacon; and besides these and with these this Nun and Martyr, of whom a near-neighbor being to the sepulcher, the daily and hourly miracles upon such certain ones I learned to be wrought and worse. To the physicians therefore forthwith to bid farewell and to their medicines saying, these only I set forth of the disease the curers.
[43] How therefore shall I set forth, how the mercy, which showed to me to the useless of him servant God, through those well-pleasing to him, in brief shall I tell? In a few years to be disjointed expected being, very many now I have passed by, and with frame well having of members, and I walk, as when I was twenty years old I walked, and to me freely the hands, whither it is willed to me, and the psychic spirit moves, are borne and transferred. Such things we see by the Saint accomplished, such things daily wrought as wonders. Why therefore the things of old to recount, or to hand down the things in our time by writing? since they take no intermission, and like waves one upon another overtaking; for in a way like to suffer would seem he who these things to write attempts, to those for folly renowned ones, of whom some to number were led the waves, others the stars, others to some other of the impossible things having undertaken, were mocked.
THE END.
they were driven against the swine, and from the beginning they have not ceased to lie in wait for us; especially when we heard how, driven from the road, they had returned into the same; and that not simply by going out and coming back, but as it were leaping forward and giving way, and at length more boldly rushing in, they had overthrown the young man. And that our conjecture was not far from the truth of the matter, the very man who suffered these things, after he was afterward freed from his evil, most plainly declared. For he asserted that there had appeared to him a man, of swarthy color, of stern countenance, of unusual bodily size, who drove swine bound with ropes beneath the very feet of the horse. The swine, however, were first compelled to flee, then by another force were sent again upon the horse, until, the horse being thus hindered and collapsed, he suffered those things of which he no longer has any memory.
[40] by the touch of the relics of St. Theodosia, Not without reason therefore were we anxious, how we might rescue the youth from so great an evil, and free ourselves from grief and solicitude. But scarcely had we begun to revolve in our mind the wonders which St. Theodosia daily works, when behold, as if borne from a tempest into a harbor, we straightway took greater courage, and were as it were suddenly restored to ourselves, who a little before, destitute of counsel, were beside ourselves, and were tormented in a certain manner with the same pains as the youth. Setting aside therefore all other things, we proceed to the Saint's sepulchre, and place him on the pavement of the temple. Then the sacristan began to bring forth the sacred treasure from the reliquary, and with these to sign the whole body of the man—breathing indeed, but whom, on account of the failure of his natural powers, one would have judged half-dead—beginning from the head; and with oil received from the lamp to anoint in the manner of a Cross the face, breast, and back of him as he lay. But behold (O wondrous works of God! O the greatness of that distinguished glory which souls enjoy in heaven, souls which strove for God's sake in their bodies, souls which lived according to God with their bodies), as if he had never suffered any evil, nor spoken anything contrary to reason, he went forth with the faculties of body and mind whole, speaking readily, and understanding the things he was speaking. I forbear to say how much from that time he advanced, no less than in age, in the prerogatives of spirit and body; which I truly seem able to attribute to some singular providence of God toward him, and to hold in the place of no lesser a miracle.
[41] But neither did I think that another benefit which the same Saint bestowed on me, worthy of wonder, should be passed over in silence. The author himself, gravely afflicted in the feet, Not a short time ago my leg was greatly afflicted, from a wound which a kicking horse had dealt, nor did it seem at the outset to be of great moment. But after four whole days had elapsed, I was oppressed with unbearable pains, not only in that part of the body in which I had been hurt, but also in the very sole of the foot, the toes, the heel. Most wretchedly therefore was it long with me: and although that pain was somewhat lessened, I yet limped vehemently, nor could I lean upon the afflicted leg without great trouble. Two years I had spent in that torment, with no relief of the evil I was suffering, and in each successive year, just as certain diseases are wont to recur at certain seasons, the pain of my feet also increased. And again not long after that time, in the space of a single year the same evil held me twice or thrice. There was fear lest, with increasing age, the pains should likewise receive increase. (For it comes about, from a certain immoderate love of life, that all men everywhere, and I above all, promise ourselves here many years, the evil recurring yearly and more often, and that especially, if, like me, one be addicted to the vain things of this world, which too much draw our senses to themselves.) There was fear therefore lest, with hands and feet and even the whole body dissolved by paralysis, I should lie wholly fixed to my bed. The most excellent of the physicians themselves, moreover, who by character and age and familiarity were nearer to me, were held by no small fear, since no effort of the medical art could avail to effect anything against my evils.
[42] What kind of things therefore do you believe I suffered, when I was forbidden to expect better things from that source whence all hope of certain aid to come to me had been? Now I had cast away my courage, and, as is consequent, I languished inertly; when, according to the Davidic teaching, of the Mother of God and the Saints, I was mindful of God, and was suddenly delighted; for in Him, I said, though the disease from which I labor be most strong, and superior to every art of healers, yet it shall be subdued by His mighty power. Ps. 76:4. For as soon as we firmly resolve to believe and hope in Him, straightway the things which seemed unable to be done become possible to God, nor is there anything which surpasses His divine power. I also began to recall to memory, how the most pure Mother of God, daily busying herself not a little about our affairs, ceases not to implore divine mercy for all. I thought also of those holy men and holy women, to whom from God most high in the heavens so much grace was here granted, that they could cure incurable diseases and heal unhealable evils: Demetrius b I mean, that man most celebrated among the Martyrs, and also the great Bishop Nicholas, c and Euplus d, who once endured so many and so bitter things for God's sake, chiefly, the aid of Theodosia being invoked, he is healed; and the most true deacon of the sacred Gospel. Besides these, and together with these, that holy Martyr, not far from whose tomb I was dwelling, and who by perpetual and wondrous works, not only from day to day, but even from hour to hour, can drive away not only diseases like mine, but even far graver ones, I called to my aid. And so, bidding the aid of physicians and drugs farewell, these alone I set forth as curers of the disease.
[43] and other infinite miracles take place. But now by what reasoning shall I set forth what things were done? in what manner shall I be able briefly to explain the mercy which God, through His Saints, bestowed on me, His useless servant? I, who a little before seemed about to be dissolved in all my members through paralysis, have now passed many years; and using firm coherence of the whole body, I walk thus as I walked when I was but twenty years old: my hands too are borne freely and are moved wherever it has pleased the mind, or the vital spirit impels. So great things we see done by the Saint, and daily wonderfully accomplished. But what does it avail to commemorate old things, or to commit to writing those which now befall among us: since they themselves grant no respite to themselves, but as wave follows wave, so one succeeds another by following? For indeed, whoever should wish to embrace all those things in writing, would seem to me not unlike those who, some attempting to number the waves of the sea, others the stars, some I know not what other of those things which cannot be done, not without folly undertaking to accomplish, have presented themselves as objects of laughter to all.
ANNOTATIONS.
EPILOGUE.
Ἀλλ᾽ ὅπερ ἔφην, τί γε δέον ἡμᾶς ποιεῖν τοιαῦθ᾽ ὁρῶντας, τοιούτων παρ᾽ αὐτῆς ἀπολαβόντας, χαίρειν μὲν χαρὰν ἔνθεον, πρέσβιν δὲ ποιεῖσθαι πρὸς Κύριον, καὶ δεξιοῦσθαι μὲν εἰς δύναμιν ἔκαστον, προστάτιν δ᾽ ἀφιλονείκως ἰδιοῦσθαι πάντα καὶ σφετερίζεσθαι. Καὶ μάλα γὰρ εἰκότως· ἵνα γὰρ ἐάσω τὰ κρείττω καὶ ὑψηλότερα, ὧν παρ᾽ αὐτῆς ἢ δι᾽ αὐτῆς ἀπελάβομεν, ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν εἰς ἀείδιον τυγχανούσης Θεῷ, καὶ ἐξιλεουμένης συχνὰ πλημμελοῦσι καὶ παροργίζουσιν. Ἀλλ᾽ εἴπερ ἰατρὸν ἀνιάτων νοσημάτων μόνον ηὐχοῦμεν αὐτὴν, πόσους ἐχρῆν αὐτῇ καταβάλλεσθαι τοὺς μισθούς; πόσης γε τιμῆς ἀξιοῦν; Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ σωμάτων νόσους ἰᾶται, καὶ ψυχῶν θεραπεύει νοσήματα, ἄγε δὴ ὡς ἰσχὺς ἕκαστος ἀποτιννύτω μετ᾽ εὐγνωμοσύνης τὸ ὄφλημα, καὶ πρὸς ἅπαν πάθος ἐπικεκλήσθω καὶ νόσημα.
[45] Ὃ δὴ κᾀγὼ ποιεῖν εἰωθὼς, οὐκ ἐάσω μὴ ποιῆσαι καὶ νῦν εἰς ἐπήκοον· ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ τε τὴν ἱκετηρίαν καὶ τῶν ἐμῶν θέμενος, τύπον ὡσπερεὶ δώσω τὰ παραπλήσια λιπαρεῖν, καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ δήπουθεν τὴν Ἁγίαν ἐδυσωπεῖν· Ἡ καὶ σῶμα καὶ ψυχὴν ἐκ παιδὸς παραθεμένη Θεῷ, καὶ σῶμα μὲν ἀσκήσει χρονίᾳ τήξασα, ψυχὴν δὲ τῶν ἐνταῦθα καὶ πρὸ διαλύσεως μεταστήσασα, καὶ τέλος ἄμφω προεμένη, καὶ τοῦ μηδενὸς ἄξια κρίνασα, ὑπὲρ τοὺ ἐξ ὅλης σοι ψυχῆς ἐξ ὅλης σοι διανοίας πεποθημένου Θεοῦ· βλάβης ἡμῖν ἁπάσης καὶ ἄμφω πρὸς τὸ παρὸν ἀνώτερα διατήρει, ἅπαν διανόημα πονηρὸν τῶν ψυχῶν ἀπελαύνουσα, καὶ τὸν νοῦν ἡμῶν πρὸς Θεὸν ἀεὶ μεταφέρουσα, καὶ τὸ σύμπαν εἰπεῖν, βίον τε καὶ λόγον ἡμῖν πρὸς τὸ τῷ Θεῷ δοκοῦν ἴθυνε, καὶ τὸν συμπαθῆ Θεὸν ἐξιλέου, ὡς εὐμαρῶς τε καὶ ἀπροσκόπως τὴν τοῦ βίου τρίβον ὁδεύοιμεν, πάσης περιστάσεως ἐξαιρούμενοι, καὶ δεινοῦ παντὸς ἀνώτεροι συντηρούμενοι· τῶν δ᾽ ἐνταῦθα μεταστάντων πρόστηθι, θερμῶς πρόστηθι, ἱκέτευσον λιπαρῶς, δυσώπησον ἐκτενῶς, ὡς τῆς καταδίκης ῥυσθείημεν, καὶ τῆς θείας ἐκείνης καὶ ἀφραστου μακαριότητος τύχοιμεν, ἧς γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς τυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ πρέπει πᾶσα δόξα, τιμὴ, καὶ προσκύνησις, σὺν τῷ ἀνάρχῳ αὐτοῦ Πατρὶ, καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ καὶ ὁμοφυεῖ αὐτοῦ Πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τούς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.
[44] The author exhorts his hearers to take the Saint as their Patroness, But, as I was saying even before, what is it at last fitting for us to do, who see such great things, who have received such great benefits through the Saint? With the greatest joy assuredly we ought to exult, to employ her as mediatrix with the Lord, to receive each thing with thanksgiving, to summon her without delay as Patroness in all things and to claim her for ourselves: and that with great reason. For, to omit setting forth all the best and most excellent things which we have received from her and through her, she wearies God with assiduous supplications on our behalf, and great compassion for us seizes her, who provoke the divine majesty to anger against us by so many transgressions. But if we both implore and feel her healing hand alone in the gravest diseases, how great a reward do you think is to be rendered to her? with what honor is she to be deemed worthy? But since she heals not only the infirmities of bodies, but ceases not also to take away the diseases of souls; come then, let each according to his strength pay his debt with gratitude, and invoke her against all evils and diseases.
[45] Which since I have never not been wont to do, now also I will not omit to do that very thing: but instituting supplications for myself and mine, he prescribes the form of invoking her. I will prescribe also to others a form of beseeching like things for themselves, and demanding the same things from the Saint. O thou who from the first years of thy age didst will thy little body to be sacred to God, and this indeed thou didst attenuate by long-continued exercise; thy mind, moreover, even before it departed from this life, thou didst keep most estranged from all created things;
and at length both this and that thou didst generously despise and make little of, for the sake of Him, namely, whom from thy whole soul and whole mind thou didst desire; our mind, I pray, and our soul keep pure from every stain now also, and he invokes her, since thou existest in heaven; warding off every perverse thought from our souls and transferring our minds to God, and (to embrace all things briefly) direct the whole reckoning of our life and speech according to the divine good pleasure. Render the merciful God appeased toward us, that we may rightly and without stumbling set the course of our life, removed from all peril of stain, and superior to all evils; and for us as we depart from this life intercede fervently, supplicate instantly, entreat laboriously, that, exempted from the severe judgment, we may obtain some part of that divine and ineffable blessedness: which may it befall us all, through the grace and benignity of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ, to whom is owed all glory, honor, and adoration, with Him who is without beginning, the Father, and the Holy Spirit of the same nature, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
APPENDIX
From George Pachymeres, On Andronicus, book 5, chapter 32.
Translated by Pierre Poussines, S.J.
Theodosia, Martyr at Constantinople (S.)
[46] In the XXIV year of the Emperor Andronicus the Elder, the year of Christ MCCCVI, when Athanasius had received back by postliminy the Patriarchate which he had of his own accord abdicated, To this St. Theodosia seems to pertain and was in it for this second time conducting the III year; a thing happened at Constantinople, which Pachymeres judged should be inserted into his History, and we think this pertains; although the Author does not express whether he wishes it understood of Theodosia of Caesarea, or of Constantinople. For that I rather incline toward the latter, the miracles noted beforehand in the preceding Encomium do: which since we have already demonstrated to be wholly of this time, it seems consequent that this miraculous cure also, which we subjoin, be believed to have been obtained by the patronage of the same Saint. Receive the matter in the very words of the Translator Poussines, though somewhat more prolix than the Greek text requires. Among these things was wrought a prodigious miracle of the holy Martyr Theodosia, which I indeed, having professed to hand down in writing the history of these times, should, not without peril of reproof, and the fault of unbecoming silence, omit to relate distinctly in this place: which Pachymeres relates since assuredly the works of God are worthy to be made known, and to be celebrated in writings and discourses: nor should posterity be defrauded of the knowledge of a matter most useful to know, which, unless it heard me narrating it, it would be affected with no small detriment. The same, moreover, when promulgated, will demonstrate by a sure argument, that divine Providence keeps watch over human affairs; and will give us assurance, by a kind of present pledge, that we are a care to God.
[47] of a deaf and mute youth A certain youth at Constantinople was for not a few years deaf and mute: by which very misery, being prohibited from procuring his livelihood otherwise, he lived by serving for hire, and that not constantly remaining with one master, but frequently changing masters. He hired out his labor among others to a certain man named Pegonites, dwelling close to the conspicuous temple of God's heralds the Apostles. While the mute youth was lodging with this man, the holy Martyr and Virgin appeared to him from above through sleep, and offered herself: and bade him by all means set out to her own sacred shrine with wax and incense. Awaking, he by nod and gesture, as he could, set forth the vision to the household, so that they perceived it sufficiently. who, admonished by the vision, approaches the Saint Wherefore having received from them the things which the holy Virgin had commanded to be brought, with these he hastened to the temple; and there having venerated the Saint for a long enough space, and being anointed with the oil of the lamp, falling down beneath her feet, according to custom, he becomes a suppliant to the Martyr. Then as he was returning, something I know not what was troublesomely itching in the inmost part of his ear. Wherefore, when, his forefinger being repeatedly thrust in there, he did not refrain from scratching; behold, thence most unexpectedly fell out a certain form of an insect, alive, as it appeared, and furnished with wings. he draws a fly out of his ear; Which when he, wondering, had eagerly handled, and presently, indulging the natural hatred by which we are carried against noxious things, was preparing to avenge himself on the harmful little beast by crushing it, that, whatever it was, straightway vanished from his eyes. Yet it was a consolation, that the troublesome itching, by which he had a little before been importunely pricked in the inmost caverns of the little ear, seemed either to have plainly subsided, or to disturb him more remissly. By which experience his mind, by a certain augury of a happier outcome, was excited into hope of full cure.
[48] then he recovers speech In this joy, yet deaf as before, having entered the master's house, he is admonished, by the signs with which they were accustomed, by those set over the household service, that he should kindle a fire for baking bread; for the meal was now being brought by the baker, soon to be kneaded into dough. He, flying to the hearth, in his zeal to obey, was blowing shrilly on the coals:
But neither does the crackling flame flash, nor does the fire blaze. The smoke alone gathers itself in dense murk.
While the labor is thus drawn out in vain at length, the youth, offended by the obstinacy of the fire, at the so frequently and intensely blown murmurs of the persisting deaf one; changes his breath into words, and bursts forth into voices, declaring by the usual formula of the indignant the wrath inwardly conceived. For he curses the hearth, and with a great cry from vehemence of feeling; May a flame never be able to arise from thee, he pronounces sonorously. and hearing The vociferation was heard with vast astonishment by the household. And they at first scarcely believing their ears, saw that of two things one must necessarily be admitted, that either the voice which they had heard was uttered by the fire, or articulated by that man, whom they had hitherto known with the most certain knowledge to be mute. Therefore from afar they cry out: Whose voice is this? who is speaking these things? Then indeed he who had ceased to be mute, also declared that he was no longer deaf. For having heard the things which were being cried out from a distance, he aptly and intelligibly replied; that he himself, who had perceived by hearing the things which had been spoken to him, was also the author of the voice whose sound they had before perceived; with which voice, namely, in the heat of impatient anger, with his own mouth and tongue he had cursed the hearth.
[49] Straightway therefore all running up in rivalry, submit that prodigious miracle to the present senses, and spread it through the neighborhood and the city. which being known, he institutes a public thanksgiving to the Saint. Whence in a moment the matter, made common, came also to the Emperor's notice. To him, thus straightway commanding it to be done, the Patriarch also being present, is led he who had been deaf and mute. And he, being questioned, narrated with his own mouth from the very first beginning the whole matter, as it had happened. The Emperor, by no means deeming it just that so wonderful an event be pressed down with silence, immediately deals with the Patriarch, that a vigil of a whole night, to be spent in hymns and thanksgivings at the temple of the holy Virgin, the author of the miracle, be proclaimed. Nor was the Emperor absent therefrom. Indeed, moreover, that he might the more abundantly show with how prolix a mind he was discharging the office, so justly owed, of congratulating and venerating the wondrous Martyr, others being permitted to be carried by vehicle or horse to her temple, if it pleased them, he himself, under the twilight of the impending night, the whole Senate and the Patriarch accompanying him, going on foot, came to the temple, and there presented himself to the holy Martyr.