Orestes

ON ST. ORESTES, MARTYR AT TYANA IN CAPPADOCIA,

AT AN UNCERTAIN TIME

PRELIMINARY COMMENTARY

Orestes, martyr at Tyana in Cappadocia (S.)

BY H. D.

[1] The cult of St. Orestes near Tyana. Tyana, a city of Cappadocia at the foot of Mount Taurus, now Kilise Hisar, was made the metropolis of Cappadocia Secunda under the emperor Valens, who divided the province in two. And when the rights of the church too were divided, this was the occasion of the quarrel between St. Basil and the new metropolitan Anthimus, who was trying to collect the revenues of the Taurus and the income of Saint Orestes: τὸν ἅγιον Ὀρέστην ἐκκαρποῦσθαι μέγα ἐτίθετο. So Gregory Nazianzen in the funeral oration on St. Basil [BHG. 244, chapter 68. On these things also the same Gregory in letter 50, P. G., volume XXXVII, p. 101 – 104.]. And this indeed is the most ancient and most certain indication of the cult paid to St. Orestes [On the name, read N. A. Bees, Die Inschriften-aufzeichnung des Kodex Sinaïticus graecus 508 (976), (Berlin-Wilmersdorf, 1922), p. 36 – 37.] in the places where he suffered. For he is said to have consummated his martyrdom ἐν χώρῳ τινὶ ἐπιχωρίως καλουμένῳ Βάτῳ, ἀπὸ Τυάνων μίλια εἔκοσι Passion II, n. 12; Passion I, n. 9., whence he is commonly called Ὀρέστης ὁ ἐν τῇ Βάτῳ Synax. Eccl. CP., p. 210.. To the basilica of Saint Orestes there was beyond doubt attached a monastery, of which that Acacius seems to have been a monk who subscribed to the council of Nicaea of the year 787 as Ἀκάκιος μοναχὸς τοῦ ἁγίου Ὀρέστου Hardouin, Concilia, volume IV, p. 284 C..

[2] the earlier recension of the Passion; Of the Passion of St. Orestes a twofold recension has been preserved.

The earlier we have found in these six codices.

A 1 = Codex Parisiensis of the National library graec. 1519, written in the eleventh century Catal. Gr. Paris., p. 211.. Menology of the month of November from the 1st to the 13th day. The Passion of St. Orestes, p. 316 – 22, is proposed for reading on the 10th day.

A 2 = Codex Vindobonensis Historicus graec. 5, written in the eleventh century Catal. Gr. Germ., p. 42.. Menology from the 1st to the 18th day of November. At the 10th day, fol. 65 – 67v: Passion of St. Orestes.

A 3 = Codex of the Vatican library graec. 1669, of the tenth century, written in the monastery τῶν Στουδίου [Catal. Gr. Vatic., p. 158. Compare P. Batiffol, L'abbaye de Rossano (Paris, 1891), p. 80.]. Menology of November from the 1st to the 15th day. Fol. 172 – 175: Passion of St. Orestes.

A 4 = Codex of the Vatican library graec. 866, written in the twelfth century Catal. Gr. Vatic., p. 83., filled with very many Lives and Passions of saints, of which the first, fol. 1v – 2, is of St. Orestes, not entire and hard to read. We received a photograph of this and the following codex from the very distinguished Pio Franchi de' Cavalieri.

A 5 = Codex Vaticanus Barberinianus III 37, written in the twelfth – thirteenth century Anal. Boll., volume XIX, p. 81.. Passions of various months, among which is, fol. 162v – 165v: Passion of St. Orestes.

A 6 = Codex Bruxellensis 8155 – 62, written in the seventeenth century Catal. Gr. Germ., p. 199.. Collectanea Bollandiana for the month of November. Fol. 26 – 28v: Passion of St. Orestes copied from codex A 2.

It seemed good to note the readings of codices A 1, 2, 3, the rest being set aside.

the other recension. Of the other Passion only one codex seems to survive: B = Venetus, of the library of Saint Mark graec. 349, written in the eleventh – twelfth century Anal. Boll., volume XXIV, p. 175.. Menology from the 1st to the 17th of November. On the 10th day, fol. 125 – 130: Μετάφρασις τῆς ἀθλήσεως ἤτοι ὁμολογίας τοῦ ἁγίου Ὀρέστου μαρτυρήσαντος ἐν Τυάνοις τῆς Καππαδοκῶν ἐπαρχίας. It is certainly a metaphrasis, yet not one of those which that Symeon the logothete wrote. For the Passion of St. Orestes was not received into his menology Synopsis Metaphrastica, in BHG2., p. 269 – 292..

[3] The later Passion is more copious than the earlier in words, but not in matter. It cuts away small things here and there, such as the mention of the Acts sent to Diocletian (A, n. 10), and what the writer of the Passion asserts he saw with his own eyes (ἐθεασάμεθα), it says the faithful beheld: ὑπὸ τῶν παρατυχόντων πιστῶν ἐθεάθη. I do not doubt that that metaphrast, a most close follower of his exemplar, read the matter so in the codex he was using. For it is certain that, as usually happens Les Passions des martyrs et les genres littéraires, p. 365 – 423., there existed several recensions of the same Passion A, of which one alone has survived the ages. We should also detect the traces of another lost exemplar if the Greek Acts of SS. Ananias, Peter and companions, of which only Latin versions survive [BHL. 397, 398, 399. We have an epitome of the Greek Acts in Synax. Eccl. CP., p. 426.], were available. For he who patched them together shamelessly accommodated the Passion of St. Orestes A to his purpose, as will be plain to one who compares its chapters 3 (from my boyhood I learned to sacrifice, etc.), 4, 6 – 8 (to receive the crown of your glory) with chapters 3 – 7 of this one. From this too he has that the martyr breathed upon the images of the gods, and they were at once reduced to dust. Καὶ εἰπὼν ταῦτα ὁ ἅγιος ἐνεφύσησε τοῖς εἰδώλοις, so of Orestes (chapter 6). But Ananias had first fortified himself with the sign of the cross (chapter 7). And what is wanting in our recension was read in the codex which the synaxarist used when he wrote the epitome of the Passion of St. Orestes at the 9th day of July: καὶ τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ σφραγῖδα ποιήσας Synax. Eccl. CP., p. 810.. Some recensions of the booklet, then, have perished, yet, to confess the truth, with small loss to hagiographical matters.

[4] The summary of the Passion. For this is the summary of the Passion of St. Orestes. Under the emperor Diocletian the prefect Maximus was sent into the parts of Cilicia and Cappadocia. Coming to Tyana, he heard of a certain Christian physician, named Orestes, who was turning the citizens away from the worship of the gods, and he ordered him to be brought before him, and exhorted him in vain to abandon the Christian religion. Then, led away into the temple of the gods, since he remained immovable in the profession of the faith, Orestes, by order of the governor, was beaten with scourges so long that his bowels flowed out on the ground; burning plates too were applied to his back, and the wounds rubbed with salt and vinegar. Meanwhile he was asking God to confound the impious. Presently he breathed upon the images, and they fell down, and the temple itself collapsed. Led into prison, after seven days without food he was called back before the judge. He ordered his feet and side first to be pierced with bronze nails, then that he be tied to the feet of an untamed horse. And the martyr, dragged along a rough road, at the twenty-fourth milestone, in the place which is called Βάτος, gave up his spirit. His sacred body, by order of the governor, was thrown into the river Biphus; but a man clothed in a splendid garment was seen to gather the relics and lay them on a mountain next to Tyana, in which place many are healed of diseases. Further, apart only from those things which refer to the knowledge of places, there is hardly anything in the Passion of St. Orestes which you have not read a hundred times in similar booklets, nor can anything be detected in it which was handed down by contemporary witnesses. Nor does that ἐθεασάμεθα, brought in in passing (chapter 10), stand in the way, since the rhetorical art does not shrink from lies of this kind.

[5] On St. Orestes of Arauraca. At Arauraca in Cappadocia the commemoration of another Orestes, with Eustratius, Auxentius, Eugenius and Mardarius, on the 13th day of December under the name of the Five martyrs, whose Acts have been published BHG. 646., was most celebrated. We have said another Orestes, although I should not easily deny that the Tyanean himself, held in veneration at Arauraca with the other four martyrs, was joined to them by the hagiographer as a companion in their passion. Since, however, the matter is not proved by sure arguments, we shall meanwhile grant that there were two namesakes in Cappadocia. In the Hieronymian martyrology at the fourth day before the Ides of November you will look for Orestes in vain. Yet I judge that he was formerly inscribed in these fasti in that very place, and transferred to another day, namely the fifth day before the Nones of July, by a strange error indeed, namely from the vigil of St. Martin, which was kept on the 10th of November, to the vigil of St. Martin, which was kept on the 3rd of July. At Constantinople there was a church sacred to St. Orestes, in which his feast on the 10th day of November was held with celebrity: τελεῖται δὲ ἡ αὐτοῦ σύναξις ἐν τῷ ναῷ αὐτοῦ τῷ ὄντι πλησίον τοῦ Λεομακελλίου Synax. Eccl. CP., p. 210.. On the 9th of the month of July he is commemorated again in the synaxaria, with this clause: τελεῖται δέ ἡ αὐτοῦ σύναξις ἐν τῷ σεπτῷ ἀποστολείῳ τοῦ ἁγίου Ἱωάννου πλησίον τῆς μεγάλης ἐκκλησίας [Ibid., p. 810. Leontius Macheras writes that St. Orestes is venerated εἰς τὴν Κορφίνου (otherwise Κοφήνου, Kophino) in the island of Cyprus. Miller-Sathas, Chronique de Chypre, volume I (Paris, 1882), p. 19. But to me it does not seem certain that this Orestes is the martyr of Tyana and not rather a Cypriot bishop.]. And in this church on the 13th day of December the synaxis of the five martyrs of Arauraca was celebrated. In the calendars and synaxaria of the Greeks, with almost unanimous consent, the 10th day of November is assigned as the natal day of St. Orestes [Synax. Eccl. CP., p. 204; Dmitrijevskij, Τυπικά (Kiev, 1895), p. 22; , Nov. 1 – 12 (St Petersburg, 1897), p. 344; I. Martinov, Annus ecclesiasticus graeco-slavicus, in Act. SS., Oct. volume XI, p. 274.]. The usage of the Studites, however, is opposed, who recall him on the day before, as is shown by their calendar Cod. Paris. 382, of the tenth century, fol. 197. and by the menology or Vatican codex 1669, our A 3 Above, num. 1.. And from this the Passion of St. Arestas (so, in place of Orestes), made into Latin, was received among the Lives of the Saints of Luigi Lippomano Volume VII, fol. 230v – 231v., and from there our saint first passed into the fasti of the Latins; for in the first edition of the Roman martyrology there is written at the 9th day of November: At Tyana in Cappadocia, the passion of St. Arestes under the emperor Diocletian. The genuine reading Orestes was admitted afterwards. In the Roman countryside at the foot of Mount Soracte there is a village whose name today is Sant' Oreste, which however it by no means obtained from our martyr. For the ancient church in this place was dedicated not indeed to St. Orestes, St. Orestes different from St. Edistus, but to St. Hedistus or Edistus. And from an old stone In Grisar, Analecta Romana, p. 15, plate III. and the Salzburg itinerary De Rossi, Roma Sotterranea, volume I, p. 182. it is established that long ago the name Aristus was commonly used in place of Edistus, whence the usage gained strength of calling the village of Saint Edistus first of Saint Aristus and gradually of Saint Orestus or Orestes [F. Savio, S. Edisto od Oreste e compagni martiri di Laurento, in Römische Quartalschrift, volume XXIX (1915), pp. 29 – 53, 250 – 259.]. In no way, then, in ancient times was St. Orestes venerated there, but St. Edistus, whose anniversary day, the 12th of October, is still recalled Act. SS., Auctarium to volume VI of October, p. 10 – 112.. Meanwhile the memory of the interchange of names was wiped out, and the persuasion gained strength that St. Orestes was other than Edistus. Wherefore they also obtained for themselves relics of St. Orestes, and began to celebrate his feast, not, however, under the name of the Tyanean but of the Arauracene, namely on the 12th of the month of December, the day before the commemoration of the holy Five martyrs, which coincides with the feast of St. Lucy Savio, volume cited, p. 259.. It will be useful to note that St. Orestes, whose body is kept at Rome in the church of Sant' Apollinare, is also reputed to be that Arauracene, since they suppose that he was brought here together with SS. Eustratius, Auxentius, Mardarius and Eugenius. There are, however, those who judge that he is St. Edistus himself, and that the others are by no means Cappadocian martyrs but his four companions brought together into the City from the suburban church We have discussed these things in Anal. Boll., volume XLI, p. 315 – 19..

I. THE EARLIER PASSION OF ST. ORESTES

Greek text only in the Acta; the English here is translated from the Greek.

Orestes, martyr at Tyana in Cappadocia (S.)

From the codices Parisiensis of the National library graec. 1519 (= A 1), Vindobonensis Hist. graec. 5

(= A 2), Vatican graec. 1669 (= A 3). Compare the Preliminary Commentary, num. 2.

Ἄθλησις μαρτύριον A 2, 3. τοῦ ἁγίου καὶ ἐνδόξου μεγαλομάρτυρος τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ ἐνδόξου-Χριστοῦ) omits A 3. Ὀρέστου.

Contest of the holy and glorious great martyr of Christ Orestes.

[1] Having received power from Diocletian, Βασιλεύοντος Διοκλητιανοῦ τοῦ ἀσεβεστάτου καὶ παρανόμου (τοῦ ἀσ. κ. παρανόμου) omits A 3. , ἐγένετο διωγμὸς μέγας τῶν χριστιανῶν καθ᾽ ὅλης τῆς οἰκουμένης (καθ᾽ - οἰκουμένης) omits A 3. . Ἐξαπέστειλεν ἀπέστειλεν A 3. γὰρ εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν ὑποτεταγμένην αὐτῷ βασιλείαν ἄρχοντας, πρόσταγμα δοὺς (πρ. δοὺς) omits A 3. ὥστε ἀναιρεῖσθαι τοὺς χριστιανούς. Εἷς δέ τις ἄρχων omits A 3. ὀνόματι Μάξιμος προσῆλθεν τῷ Βασιλεῖ τῷ β. προσῆλθεν A 3. λέγων· &ldquogr;Θειότατε κοσμοκράτορ, ὁδηγὲ τῆς φανερώσεως τῆ φανερώσει A 3. τῶν θεῶν καὶ σοφὲ μυσταγωγὲ τῶν θείων αὐτῶν μυστηρίων, δέομαι τῆς σῆς θειότητος καὶ (θειότητος καὶ) omits A 3. φιλανθρωπίας, κέλευσόν μοι με A 3. διελθεῖν τὰ μέρη τῆς Κιλικίας καὶ Καππαδοκίας πρὸς τὸ ἀπολέσαι τὸ γένος τῶν χριστιανῶν, οὓς συλλαβόμενος ἐγὼ (συλλ. έγὼ) omits A 3. πολλαῖς τε τε omits A 3. καὶ ποικίλαις τιμωρίαις ὑποβαλὼν πυρὶ καταναλώσω καὶ ἐν τοῖς ὕδασι ῥίψω αὐτούς.&rdquogr;

[1] When Diocletian, the most impious and lawless, was reigning, there was a great persecution of the Christians throughout the whole inhabited world. For he sent out rulers into all the kingdom subject to him, having given a command that the Christians should be put to death. And a certain ruler named Maximus came to the king, saying: "Most divine ruler of the world, guide of the manifestation of the gods and wise mystagogue of their divine mysteries, I beseech your divinity and love of men, order me to go through the parts of Cilicia and Cappadocia to destroy the race of the Christians, whom, having seized them and subjected them to many and various punishments, I will consume with fire and cast into the waters."

Ὁ δὲ Διοκλητιανὸς ἀκούσας ταῦτα ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα Δ A 3. εἶπεν αὐτῷ· &ldquogr;Ἔχε ἐξουσίαν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ βασιλειᾳ μου πρὸς καθαίρεσιν τῆς ἀσεβοῦς θρησκείας τῶν χριστιανῶν, ὅπως omits A 3. φανεροὺς ποιήσῃς δὲ ποιήσεις A 3. τοὺς δεσπότας θεοὺς τοὺς πάσης τῆς (τ. π. τ.) τῆς πάσης A 3. οἰκουμένης εὐεργέτας.&rdquogr;

And Diocletian, hearing these things, said to him: "Have authority in all my kingdom for the overthrow of the impious religion of the Christians, so that you may make manifest the lord gods, the benefactors of the whole inhabited world."

[2] Λαβὼν δὲ ὁ Μάξιμος τὸ πρόσταγμα παρὰ τοῦ βασιλέως, ἐξῆλθε μετὰ πολλῆς φαντασίας ὣσπερ λέων βορὰν βορρὰν A 3. εὑρών. he pursues the Christians. Καὶ ποιήσας ἑαυτῷ omits A 3. σπλάγχνα ἀνελεῆ ἀνελεήμονα A 2. , ὣρνησεν ἐπὶ τοὺς τοῦ A 3. ὅρους τῆς adds A 2. Καππαδοκίας ἐν πόλει καλουμένῃ Τυάνῃ τοιάνη A 3. . Καὶ εἰσελθὼν ἐν αὐτῇ (καὶ - αὐτῆ omits A 3. μηνύεται δὲ adds A 3. αὐτῷ ὑπὸ τῶν πολιτῶν ὅτι ἰατρός τις ὀνόματι Ὀρέστης καθημέραν ἀναπείθει πᾶσαν τὴν πόλιν σέβεσθαι καὶ πιστεύειν εἰς ἕνα κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν [κατηχηθεὶς ὑπὸ τῶν γονέων αὐτοῦ λεγόντων μὴ εἶναι θεοὺς εἰ μὴ μόνον ἐν οὐρανοῖς κατοικοῦντα Θεὸν ἀληθινὸν καὶ κύριον Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν adds A 3.] . Orestes the physician

[2] And Maximus, having received the command from the king, went out with much pomp, like a lion that has found prey. And, making his bowels merciless, he rushed to the borders of Cappadocia, to a city called Tyana. And when he had entered it, it is reported to him by the citizens that a certain physician named Orestes daily persuades the whole city to worship and believe in one Lord Jesus Christ.

Ἀκούσας δὲ ταῦτα ὁ Μάξιμος, ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος παραστῆναι καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ. &ldquogr; Ποίας ἐξουσίας τυγχάνεις; Οὐ γὰρ μικρῶς κινούμεθα κατὰ σοῦ. Μετὰ πάσης οὖν παρρησίας καὶ τὸ ὄνομά σου φράσον ἡμῖν καὶ τὸ γένος.&rdquogr; Ὁ ἅγιος Ὀρέστης εἶπεν. &ldquogr;Ἡ παρρησία μου ὁ Χριστός ἐστιν, δι᾽ ὃν καὶ παρρησιαζόμενος λαλήσω ὅτι χριστιανός εἰμι καὶ κέκλημαι Ὀρέστης omits A 3. .”

Hearing this, Maximus ordered him to be set before the tribunal and says to him: "Of what authority are you? For we are moved not slightly against you. With all boldness, then, tell us both your name and your race." The holy Orestes said: "My boldness is Christ, through whom, speaking boldly, I will say that I am a Christian and am called Orestes."

[3] questioned Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν · &ldquogr;Ἐπειδὴ προέφθασας σεαυτὸν χριστιανὸν ἀποκαλέσαι καὶ Χριστὸν ὁμολογεῖς εἶναι Θεόν, θῦσον τοῖς θεοῖς πρὸ τῶν βασάνων, ἐπεὶ κακῶς μέλλεις ἀπόθνήσκειν (ἐπεὶ - ἀποθνήσκειν) omits A 3. .” Ὁ ἅγιος Ὀρέστης εἶπεν · &ldquogr; Θεοὶ οἳ τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν οὐκ ἐποίησαν ἀπολέσθωσαν. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐκ νεαρᾶς ἡλικίας θύειν μεμάθηκα θυσίαν αἰνέσεως ἀνάμαικτον A. 3. τῷ ζῶντι Θεῷ, ᾧτινι αὐτῶ A 3. καὶ προσεύχομαι ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ. Κωφοῖς δὲ καὶ κιβδήλοις θεοῖς [(κωφοῖς - θεοῖς) κιβδήλοις δὲ θεοῖς καὶ ματαίοις δαίμοσι τοῖς ὑπὸ σοῦ λεγομένοις A 3.] οὐ προσκυνῶ ποτε omits A 3. .”

[3] Maximus the governor said: "Since you have gone so far as to call yourself a Christian, and you confess Christ to be God, sacrifice to the gods before the tortures, since you are going to die miserably." The holy Orestes said: "Let the gods who did not make heaven and earth perish. For from a youthful age I have learned to sacrifice a sacrifice of praise to the living God, to whom I also pray with a pure heart. But to deaf and counterfeit gods I will never bow down."

Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν · &ldquogr;Θεωρῶ σε τῇ ἡλικίᾳ κεκοσμημένον καὶ λόγοις φρονίμοις φρονήσεως A 3. σεσοφισμένον καὶ τὸ εὔσχημον καὶ εὐπρεπὲς τῆς ἰατρικῆς ἐπιστάμενον τέχνης, καὶ φείδομαί σου ὡς τέκνου ὅθεν οὖν adds A 3. . Φράσον τοίνυν omits A 3. ἡμῖν τ ὸ ὄνομά σου καὶ τῶν γονέων τὴν θρησκείαν.&rdquogr; Ὁ ἅγιοσ Ὀρέστησ εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Εἰ ζητεῖς τὸ ὄνομά μου μαθεῖν, γίνωσκε ὅτι τίμιόν ἐστιν παρὰ Θεῷ. Οἱ γὰρ κατὰ σάρκα γονεῖς μου Ὀρέστην με ἐπωνόμασαν ἐπ. με A 3. , ὥστε κἀμὲ με A 3. ἀρέσαι Θεῷ καὶ ἀνθρώποις [So he thought that the name Orestes was derived from ἀρέσκειν. By this interpretation perhaps those were moved who preferred to call the saint Arestes. Preliminary Commentary, num. 5.] διὰ τῆς ὁμολογίας τοῦ κυρίου μου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ διὰ τῆς θεραπείας τῶν σαρκικῶν παθημάτων. Eccli. 45, 1. ”

Maximus the governor said: "I see you adorned in age and made wise with prudent words, and skilled in the seemly and comely art of medicine, and I spare you as a child. Tell us, then, your name and the religion of your parents." The holy Orestes said: "If you seek to learn my name, know that it is honoured with God. For my parents according to the flesh named me Orestes, so that I too might please God and men through the confession of my Lord Jesus Christ and through the healing of the passions of the flesh."

[4] he answers freely Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν · &ldquogr;Ἀπονενοημένε καὶ ἀθλιώτατε, μὴ κελευόμενος προπετῶς φθέγγῃ καὶ φρεναπατᾷς ἑαυτόν, ἕνα Θεὸν ὁμολογῶν τὸν Χριστὸν εἶναι omits A 3. , ὅντινα οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐσταύρωσαν ὡς κακοῦργον.&rdquogr; Ὁ ἅγιος Ὀρέστης εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Ὦ ἡγεμών (ὦ ἡγεμ.) omits A 3. , εἰ ᾔδεις τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ σταυρωθέντος, κατέλιπες ἂν τὴν ματαίαν πλάνην τῶν εἰδώλων καὶ αὐτὸν προσεκύνεις τὸν ὄντως ὄντα Θεὸς ἐκ Θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ καὶ ἀόρατου ἐξ ἀοράτον, ὃς τῇ ἰδίᾳ βουλῇ ἐν τῇ θεότητι αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην φύσιν ἑνώσας τῆς πλάνης ἡμᾶς ἠλευθέρωσεν τοῦ διαβόλου.&rdquogr;

[4] Maximus the governor said: "Mad and most wretched man, unbidden you speak rashly and deceive yourself, confessing Christ to be one God, whom the Jews crucified as an evildoer." The holy Orestes said: "O governor, if you knew the power of the crucified one, you would abandon the vain error of the idols and adore him who truly is, God from true God and invisible from invisible, who by his own counsel, uniting human nature in his divinity, freed us from the error of the devil."

Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν λέγει· &ldquogr;Πολλοῖς ῥήμασιν καὶ ἀπατηλοῖς περιαντλεῖς μου τὰς ἀκοάς, ὥστε οἴεσθαί σε δύνασθαι πείθειν με (οἴεσθαι - με) δυναμένου μου A 3. καταλιπεῖν τοὺς θεοὺς καὶ σέβεσθαι τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον· ὅπερ οὐ ποιῶ, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον σὺ προσελθὼν (ὅπερ - προσελθὼν) ὥστε πρόσελθε καὶ A 3. θῦσον τοῖς θεοῖς, εἰδὼς ὅτι τοῦτο ἐὰν ποιήσῃς, ἐπὶ τῆς ἡγεμονίας μου δεξιὸς καθίσεις.&rdquogr; Ὁ ἅγιος Ὀρέστης εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Ἐγὼ τὸν ἀεὶ καὶ πάντοτε εὐεργέτην Θεὸν καὶ adds A 3. τὸν κύριόν μου Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν σέβομαι καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ omits A 3. δουλεύω, δαιμονίων δὲ γὰρ A 3. μέτοχος καὶ λάτρης (κ. λ.) omits A 3. οὐκ ἂν γένωμαί ποτε omits A 3. .”

Maximus the governor says: "With many and deceitful words you drench my ears, so that you think you can persuade me to abandon the gods and worship the crucified one; which I do not do; but rather do you come forward and sacrifice to the gods, knowing that if you do this you will sit on the right of my governorship." The holy Orestes said: "I worship God, the benefactor ever and always, my Lord Jesus Christ, and serve him alone; but a partaker and worshipper of demons I would never become."

[5] he is led to the temple;Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Προσαγάγετε αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν ναὸν τῶν θεῶν.&rdquogr; Ὁ δὲ ναὸς ἦν κεκοσμημένος χρυσῷ καὶ ἀργύρῳ καὶ εἰδώλοις πολλοῖς (εἰδ. πολλοῖς) πεπληρωμένος εἰδώλων A 3. . Τοῦ δὲ ἐλθόντος (τοῦ δ. ἐλθ.) Μάξιμος A 3. , λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἡγεμών (ὸ ἠγ.) omits A 3. . &ldquogr;Θῦσον τοῖς θεοῖς, Ὀρέστα, ἵνα ἵλεοί σου γενήσωνται (ἵνα - γενήσωνται) omits A 3. .” Ὁ δὲ ἅγιος εἶπεν (ὁ δὲ - εἶπεν) omits A 2. . &ldquogr;Πλανᾶσαι, ἡγεμών, μὴ εἰδὼς τὸ συμφέρον· οὗτοι γὰρ χαλκὸς καὶ σίδηρός εἰσι, κεκοσμημένοι χρυσῷ καὶ ἀργύρῳ πρὸς τὸ πλανᾶσθαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους· οὔτε γὰρ βλέπουσιν, οὔτε ἀκούουσιν, ἔργα χειρῶν omits A 3. ἀνθρώπων ὑπάρχοντες, οὐδὲ γὰρ adds A 3. ἑαυτοῖς βοηθῆσαι δύνανται τὸ σύνολον, οὐδὲ ἀμείψασθαι τοὺς ἀμειβομένους αὐτούς αὐτοῖς A 1. . Ps. 134, 15, 16.”

[5] Maximus the governor said: "Bring him into the temple of the gods." And the temple was adorned with gold and silver and many idols. And when he had come, the governor says to him: "Sacrifice to the gods, Orestes, that they may become propitious to you." And the saint said: "You are in error, governor, not knowing what is profitable; for these are bronze and iron, adorned with gold and silver to lead men astray; for they neither see nor hear, being works of the hands of men, nor can they help themselves at all, nor repay those who repay them."

Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Θύεις, ἢ ἅπτομαι τῶν μελῶν σου εἰς ἀφανισμόν.&rdquogr; Ὁ ἅγιος Ὀρέστης εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Ἔοιχας ἐκφοβεῖν με ταῖς ἀπειλαῖς (ταῖς ἀπ.) omits A 3. . Μὴ οὖν ἀναβάλλου νόμιζε A 3. τοῦτο ποιεῖν (τ. ποιεῖν) ἐκφοβεῖν με) A 3. , ἀλλὰ συντόμως πρᾶττε ὃ βούλει. Ἀγνοεῖς γὰρ τὸν παρεστῶτα καὶ ἀντιλαμβανόμενόν μου μοι A 3. κύριον με κύριον μου A 2. Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν.&rdquogr; Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Τοῖς τέως A 2, 3. ῥάβδοις αὐτὸν τύφατε, he is beaten with rods; λέγοντες αὐτῷ· Μὴ μώριζε.&rdquogr; Ῥαβδιζόμενος δὲ ὁ ἅγιος ἐπὶ πολύ (ῥαβδ. - πολύ) ῥαβδιζωμένου A 3. , ἁπλώσας τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου (Κύριε - μου) omits A 3. , ἔπιδε ἔφιδε ὁ θεὸς A 3. ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καὶ βοήθησον τῷ δούλῳ σου. Ps. 79, 15.”

Maximus the governor said: "Do you sacrifice, or do I lay hold of your limbs to their destruction?" The holy Orestes said: "You seem to frighten me with threats. Do not put off doing this, then, but do quickly what you will. For you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ, who stands by me and upholds me." Maximus the governor said: "Beat him with the rods, saying to him: Do not play the fool." And the saint, being beaten for a long time, spreading out his hands to heaven, said: "Lord my God, look down from heaven and help your servant."

Ὁ δὲ ἡγεμὼν (ὁ δὲ ἡγ.) omits A 3. ἐκέλευσεν δὲ adds A 3. αὐτὸν ἐπιπλεῖον ῥαβδίζεσθαι ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον (ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον) omits A 3. ἕως οὗ ἠλλάγησαν (ἠλλάξαντες) A 3. τεσσαράκοντα κεντυρίονες, ὥστε καὶ τὰ σχοινία καὶ τοὺς λώρους καὶ τὰ νεῦρα συντελεσθῆναι. Καὶ omits A 2. μὴ ἀρκεσθεὶς ἐν τούτοις ὁ παράνομος ἡγεμών, πάλιν (καὶ - πάλιν) τότε A 3. ἐκέλευσεν τύπτεσθαι αὐτὸν σφοδρότερον, ὥστε καὶ τὰ ἔνδον τῶν σπλάγχνων αὐτοῦ ἀποσπασθῆναι καὶ θαυμάζειν πάντας τὴν καρτερίαν τοῦ ἀνδρός.

And the governor ordered him to be beaten further, so long until forty centurions had been relieved, so that the ropes and the thongs and the sinews were used up. And, not content with these things, the lawless governor again ordered him to be beaten more vehemently, so that even the inner parts of his bowels were torn out and all marvelled at the endurance of the man.

[6] he is tortured with fire, salt, vinegar;Μετὰ δὲ τὸ ἱκανῶς (δὲ τὸ ἱκ.) οὖν τὸ A 3. ῥαβδισθῆναι αὐτὸν ὁ ἡγεμὼν λέγει αὐτῷ· &ldquogr;Θῦσον τοῖς θεοῖς καὶ ἀπολύω σε.&rdquogr; Ὁ δὲ ἅγιος Ὀρέστης οὐδ᾽ ὅλως ἀπεκρίθη (Ὀρέστης - ἀπεκρίθη) οὐκ ἀπεχρίνατο A 3. αὐτῷ. Τότε omits A 3. θυμωθεὶς ὁ παράνομος (ὁ παρ.) δὲ ὁ A 3. ἡγεμὼν ἐκέλευσεν ὀβελίσκους πυρωθῆναι καὶ τὸν νῶτον αὐτοῦ διακαῆναι καὶ ὄξει ὄξω A 3. δριμυτάτῳ καὶ ἅλατι ἀνατρίβειν αὐτόν. Καὶ τούτου γενομένου μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ τάχους καὶ τοῦ ἁγίου μάρτυρος ἐγκαρτεροῦντος ταῖς βασάνοις (καὶ τούτου - βασάνοις) ///// ὁ δὲ μάρτυς A 3. , ἀναβλέψας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ὁ δίκαιος (ὁ δίκ.) omits A 3. εἶπεν· Gen. 2; Jon. 3. &ldquogr;Κύριε ὁ Θεός (κύριε ὁ θεός) omits A 3. , ὁ τῶν Σοδομιτῶν τὰς πόλεις πυρὶ καταναλώσας καὶ τὴν Νινευῒ Νινευὴ A 1, 3. δικαιώσας διὰ μετανοίας ἐν τῇ σῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ καὶ δυνάμει, δός μοι τελείως τὸν ἀγῶνα τοῦτον ὑπομεῖναι (τελείως - ὑπομεῖναι) τὸ σημεῖον σου κύριε ἐν τῶ προσώπω μου A 3. καὶ ποίησον μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ σημεῖον εἰς ἀγαθόν· καὶ ἰδέτωσαν οἱ μισοῦντές με καὶ αἰσχυνθήτωσαν. Ps. 85, 17.”

[6] And after he had been sufficiently beaten, the governor says to him: "Sacrifice to the gods and I release you." But the holy Orestes did not answer him at all. Then the lawless governor, angered, ordered spits to be made red-hot and his back burned through, and that he be rubbed with sharpest vinegar and salt. And when this had been done with much speed, and the holy martyr persevered in the tortures, the righteous one, looking up to heaven, said: "Lord God, who consumed the cities of the Sodomites with fire, and justified Nineveh through repentance in your love of man and power, grant me to endure this contest perfectly, and work with me a sign for good; and let those who hate me see and be ashamed."

Καὶ εἰπὼν ταῦτα ὁ ἅγιος ἐνεφύσησε τοῖς εἰδώλοις καὶ ἐλικμήθησαν παραχρῆμα καὶ ἐγένοντο 〈εἰς〉 omits A 1, 2, 3. κονιορτόν κονιορτός A 2, 3. . Καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν ἡγεμόνα ὁ μάρτυς· &ldquogr;Ποῦ ἐστιν (ὁ μ. π. ἐ.) ποῦ οὖν A 3. ἡ ἰσχὺς τῶν θεῶν σου; μὴ ἠδυνήθησαν ἑαυτοῖς βοηθῆσαι.&rdquogr; Ἐξελθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ, παραχρῆμα καὶ omits A 3. ὁ οἶκος συνετελέσθη καὶ κατέπεσεν (κ. κ.) omits A 3. .

And having said these things, the saint breathed on the idols, and they were at once winnowed away and became dust. And the martyr said to the governor: "Where is the strength of your gods? They were not able to help themselves." And as he went out of the temple, at once the house too was brought to its end and fell down.

[7] he is thrust into prison;Τότε θυμωθεὶς omits A 3. ὁ ἡγεμὼν κελεύει κελ. ὁ ἡγ. A 3. ἀπενεχθῆναι αὐτὸν omits A 3. ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ τῇ ἐσωτέρᾳ, παραγγείλας τῷ δεσμοφύλακι μήτε ἄρτον μήτε ὕδωρ ἐπιδοθῆναι αὐτῷ. Ὁ δὲ ἅγιος

[7] Then the governor, angered, orders him to be carried off into the inner prison, having charged the jailer that neither bread nor water should be given him. And the holy

μάρτυς τοῦ Χριστοῦ omits A 3. Ὀρέστης ἀπῄει χαίρων ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ καὶ ἐκτείνας τὰς χεῖρας εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν εἶπε· &ldquogr;Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ ὁ ἐκ νεαρᾶς ἡλικίας τὰ νόμιμά σου κελεύσας με ἐκδιδαχθῆναι καὶ ἀπορρίψας ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ πᾶσαν ἐπιθυμίαν ἀπάτης, ὁ ποιήσας τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ omits A 2. τὴν γῆν καὶ πάντα τὰ ἐν αὐτοῖς, ὁ στηρίξας τὴν θάλασσαν τῷ λόγῳ σου, ἵνα ἐξ οἰκείων πόνων παρέχῃ τὴν χρῆσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, ὁ τοὺς ἁγίους, σου ἀναπαύσας Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακώβ, μή με ἐγκαταλίπῃς, ὅτι ὅλος σοι σὺ A 3. ἀνάκειμαι, ἀλλὰ omits A 3. συμμέτοχόν με ποίησον τῶν προτελειωθέντων ἁγίων σου μαρτύρων καὶ συγκληρονόμον, ὅτι δεδόξασται τὸ πανάγιον ὄνομά σου (τὸ - σου) σου τὸ ὄνομα A 3. εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας· ἀμήν.”

martyr of Christ Orestes went away rejoicing into the prison, and, stretching out his hands to heaven, said: "Lord Jesus Christ, who from a youthful age commanded me to be taught your ordinances and cast away from me every desire of deceit, who made the heaven and the earth and all things in them, who established the sea by your word, so that out of its own labours it might furnish its use to men, who gave rest to your saints Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, do not forsake me, for I am wholly devoted to you, but make me a partaker and co-heir of your holy martyrs who were perfected before me, for your all-holy name is glorified for ever; amen."

[8] he is led back to the tribunal;Ταῦτα τοίνυν δὲ αὐτοῦ A 3. προσευξαμένου τοῦ ἁγίου (τ. ἁ.) omits A 3. καὶ ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας ποιήσαντος ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ, τῇ ὀγδόῃ ἡμέρᾳ προκαθίσας ὁ ἡγεμών, ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν παραστῆναι καὶ εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν (π. α.) omits A 3. . &ldquogr;Ἀνόσιε καὶ ἀσεβέστατε καὶ τῆς τῶν θεῶν εὐμενείας ἐχθρέ, τί ἐτόλμησας μωρὰ καὶ ψυχρὰ λαλεῖν; μὴ διότι (μ. δ.) ὅτι A 3. πρώην ἐπιεικῶς σοι διελέχθην διηλέχθην A 3. ; θέλησον οὖν omits A 2. κἂν νῦν τὸ εὐμενὲς πρᾶξαι καὶ θῦσον τοῖς θεοῖς. Εἰ δὲ μὴ πεισθῇς μοι (καὶ θ. - μοι) ἐὰν γὰρ μὴ πεισθῆς μοι καὶ θύσης τοῖς θεοῖς A 3. , χαλεπωτέρας σοι βασάνους ἐπινοήσω τῶν πρώην (τ. π.) omits A 3. καὶ κακιγκάκως κακὴν κακῶς A 1; κακινκάκως A 2. σε τοῦ ζῆν ἀπαλλάξω καὶ τὸ σῶμά σου κελεύσω ἐν ὕδατι ῥιφῆναι.&rdquogr;

[8] So when the saint had prayed these things and had spent seven days in the prison, on the eighth day the governor, presiding, ordered him to be presented and said to him: "Unholy and most impious man, enemy of the goodwill of the gods, why did you dare to speak foolish and frigid things? Was it because I conversed with you mildly before? Be willing, then, even now to act graciously and sacrifice to the gods. But if you are not persuaded by me, I will devise for you tortures harsher than the former, and will rid you of life most miserably, and will order your body to be thrown into water."

Ὁ δὲ omits A 3. ἅγιος μάρτυς τοῦ Χριστοῦ (μ. τ. Χ.) omits A 3. Ὀρέστης ἀποκριθεὶς omits A 3. εἶπεν τῷ ἡγεμόνι (τ. ἡγ.) αὐτῶ A 2. . &ldquogr;Ὦ πάσης ἀνομίας πεπληρωμένε (τῶ - πεπλ.) omits A 3. , ἰδοὺ ἕτοιμός εἰμι πρὸς πᾶσαν πεῖαν βασάνων (ἕτοιμος - βασάνων) omits a 3. . Πρόσφερέ πρόφερε A 3. σου τὰ βασανιστήρια καὶ ποίει ὃ βούλει εἰς ἐμέ (καὶ - ἐμέ) ἕτοιμος γάρ εἰμι πρὸς ταῦτα A 3. . ἔχων γὰρ omits A 3. τὴν σφραγῖδα τοῦ κυρίου μου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ, οὐ προοῦμαί σου τὰς ἀπειλάς (οὐ - ἀπειλάς) μου A 3. .”

And the holy martyr of Christ Orestes, answering, said to the governor: "O you who are filled with all lawlessness, behold, I am ready for every trial of tortures. Bring on your instruments of torture and do what you will to me; for, having the seal of my Lord Jesus Christ in my heart, I take no account of your threats."

Τότε ὁ ἡγεμὼν σφόδρα (ὁ ἡγ. σφ.) omits A 3. ὀργισθεὶς καὶ θυμοῦ πολλοῦ omits A 3. πλησθεὶς ὁ ἡγεμὼν adds A 3. ἐκέλευσεν ἐνεχθῆναι ἥλους ἔχοντας τὸ μῆκος ἀνὰ σπιθαμῆς καὶ τούτους ἡλωθῆναι κατὰ τῶν πλευρῶν πτερνῶν A 3. αὐτοῦ. he is pierced with nails; Τούτου δὲ γενομένου (τ. δ. γ.) omits A 3. , ἐγένοντο αἱ πλευραὶ αὐτοῦ ὡς ἱμάτιον διερρωγὸς καὶ (αἱ πλ. - καὶ) δὲ οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ A 3. ὡσεὶ κρηπίδες στρατιωτικαί.

Then the governor, exceedingly angered and filled with much rage, ordered nails to be brought, each a span in length, and these to be nailed into his sides. And when this was done, his sides became like a torn garment and like soldiers' boots.

[9] he is tied to an untamed horse.Ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ παράνομος καὶ (παρ. καὶ) omits A 3. ἀσεβέστατος ἡγεμὼν τὴν γενναίαν καὶ σταθερὰν σταθηρὰν A 2. αὐτοῦ καρτερίαν καὶ ὑπομονὴν καὶ (τὴν γεν. - καὶ) omits A 2. ὅτι οὐ δύναται αὐτὸν μεταπεῖσαι ἐκ τῆς εἰς τὸν ζῶντα Θεὸν ἀληθινῆς ὁμολογίας (μεταπ. - ὁμολ.) ὑποτάξαι τοῦ διαβόλου ἐμβεβληκότος αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν καρδίαν A 3. , ἐπινοεῖ κατὰ τοῦ ἁγίου ἑτέραν μηχανήν, ὥστε αὐτὸν συντόμως ἀνελεῖν.

[9] And the lawless and most impious governor, seeing his noble and steadfast endurance and patience, and that he could not persuade him away from his true confession of the living God, devises another contrivance against the saint, so as to kill him quickly.

Καὶ δὴ κελεύει τῇ τάξει ἐνεχθῆναι ἵππον ἀγριώτατον πάνυ (ἀγρ. π.) φοβερώτατον A 3. καὶ δεθῆναι τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ἁλύσεσι καὶ οὕτως τὰς ἁλύσεις προσδεθῆναι ὑπὸ τῶν μηρῶν τοῦ ἵππου καὶ ἐλασθῆναι τὸ ζῷον βίᾳ πολλῇ, ὅπως τὸ τέλος τοῦ βίου ἀποδώσῃ ἀποδῶ A 1. πικρῶς. Οἱ δὲ δήμιοι ἐποίησαν ἐπ. δὲ οἱ δ. A 3. τὸ προσταχθὲν αὐτοῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡγεμόνος καὶ ἤγαγον αὐτὸν αὐτὸ A 2. ἀπὸ Τυάνων μίλια εἴκοσι τέσσαρα· καὶ εὐθέως ἐν αὐτῶ A 3. ἀπέδωκεν τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ (αὐτ. τ. κ.) omits A 3. .

And he orders the staff to bring a very wild horse, and his hands to be bound with chains, and so the chains to be tied under the thighs of the horse, and the animal to be driven with much violence, so that he might render the end of his life bitterly. And the executioners did what had been commanded them by the governor and dragged him twenty-four miles from Tyana; and at once he gave up his spirit to the Lord.

[10] The relics sunk in the riverἘμηνύθη δὲ παραχρῆμα omits A 3. Μαξίμῳ τῷ ἡγεμόνι ὅτι ὁ χριστιανὸς Ὀρέστης ἀπέδωκε παρέδωκε A 2. τὸ πνεῦμα αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἀκούσας (κ. ἀ.) ἀκούσας δὲ A 3. ταῦτα ὁ ἡγεμὼν ἐκέλευσεν τὸ τίμιον omits A 3. λείψανον αὐτοῦ ῥιφῆναι ἐν Φίφῳ βίφω A 1. τῷ ποταμῷ ἄντικρυς τοῦ ὄρους [The name of this river has nowhere been found. I rather think the passage of Ammianus Marcellinus, Rerum Gest. XXIII, 6, 19, may aptly be referred here: "At the temple of Jupiter Asbamaeus also in Cappadocia, where that most eminent philosopher Apollonius is reported to have been born, near the town of Tyana, a spring is seen flowing out of a pool, which, swollen by the greatness of its waters and sucking itself back, never swells beyond its margins."] . Καὶ τούτου γενομένου, are gathered by an angel. ἐθεασάμεθα ἄνθρωπόν τινα (καὶ τούτου - τινα) ἄνθρωπον δέ τινα ἐθεασάμεθα A 3. , ὃς τὴν ἰδέαν εἶχεν λαμπρὰν ὡς ὁ ἥλιος, δεξάμενον τὸ τίμιον omits A 3. λείψανον τοῦ ἁγίου μάρτυρος· ὅστις καὶ κατέθετο αὐτὸ ἐν τῷ παρακειμένῳ ὄρει τῇ πόλει Τυάνων.

[10] And it was at once reported to Maximus the governor that the Christian Orestes had given up his spirit. And hearing this, the governor ordered his precious relic to be thrown into the river Phiphus, opposite the mountain. And when this had been done, we beheld a certain man, whose appearance was bright like the sun, receiving the precious relic of the holy martyr; who also laid it on the mountain adjacent to the city of Tyana.

Ταῦτα δὲ πράξας ὁ ἀσεβέστατος καὶ παράνομος (ἀσεβ. - παράνομος) omits A 3. ἡγεμὼν Μάξιμος adds A 3. ἀπέστειλεν τὰ ὑπομνήματα τοῦ ἁγίου μάρτυρος Ὀρέστου ἐν Ἀντιοχείᾳ, ὥσπερ τι μέγα ἆθλον καὶ κατόρθωμα (ὥσπερ - κατ.) omits A 3. πρὸς Διοκλητιανὸν τὸν βασιλέα.

And having done these things, the most impious and lawless governor sent the records of the holy martyr Orestes to Antioch, to Diocletian the king, as some great prize and achievement.

Ἐτελειώθη δὲ ἡ μαρτυρία τοῦ ἁγίου ἀθλοφόρου Χριστοῦ omits A 3. καὶ μάρτυρος Ὀρέστου μηνὶ νοεμβρίῳ ι᾽ θ᾽ A 3. ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν omits A 2. αἰώνων· ἀμήν.

And the martyrdom of the holy prize-bearer of Christ and martyr Orestes was consummated in the month of November on the 10th, in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be glory and might to the ages of ages; amen.

II. THE SECOND PASSION OF ST. ORESTES

Greek text only in the Acta; the English here is translated from the Greek.

Orestes, martyr at Tyana in Cappadocia (S.)

From the Venetian codex of the Marciana library graec. 369 (= B). Compare the Preliminary Commentary, num. 2.

Μετάφρασις τῆς ἀθλήσεως ἤτοι ὁμολογίας τοῦ ἁγίου μάρτυρος Ὀρέστου μαρτυρήσαντος ἐν Τυάνοις τῆς Καππαδοκῶν ἐπαρχίας.

Metaphrasis of the contest or confession of the holy martyr Orestes, who was martyred at Tyana of the province of the Cappadocians.

[1] Under Diocletian, to the judgeΔιοκλητιανὸς ὁ παράνομος, τὴν βασίλειον ἐξουσίαν τυραννικῶς διαρπάσας, τυραννικώτερον τὸν τρόπον καὶ κατὰ πάντων μὲν τῶν ὺπηκόων ἐκέκτητο, ἐξαιρέτως δὲ τῂ κατὰ χριστιανῶν ἀποτομίᾳ μανικώτερον χρησάμενος, τὸν κατ᾽ αὐτῶν βαρύτατον καὶ χαλεπώτατον διωγμὸν ἐδογμάτισεν, κατὰ πᾶσαν ἐξαποστείλας ἐπαρχίαν καὶ πόλιν ἡγεμόνας καὶ δικαστάς, οὓς ἂν ἐδοκίμασεν ἀπηνεστέρους τῶν ἄλλων ὄντας καὶ τοὺς πολλοὺς ὠμότητι ὑπερβάλλοντας, πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀρέσκειαν καὶ κακότροπον βούλησιν σύνδρομον ἔχοντας τὴν σπουδὴν καὶ διέγερσιν· ἐξ ὧν καὶ Μάξιμος ἦν, τὸ ἐξαίρετον ἐν πάσῃ πονηρίᾳ καὶ ῥᾳδιουργίᾳ ἀπενεγκάμενος ὄνομα.

[1] Diocletian the lawless, having tyrannically seized the royal authority, held a still more tyrannical manner towards all his subjects, but, using his severity against the Christians most especially and most madly, he decreed against them the heaviest and harshest persecution, sending out into every province and city governors and judges whom he had proved to be harsher than the others and to exceed the many in cruelty, having zeal and arousal running together with his own pleasure and evil-mannered will; of whom Maximus too was one, who had carried off the pre-eminent name in all wickedness and knavery.

Οὗτος τὴν ἡγεμονίαν πάσης τῆς Κιλικίας καὶ Καππαδοκίας παραλαβὼν καὶ τὴν ἐξουσίαν λαβὼν κατὰ παντὸς τοῦ τῶν χριστιανῶν γένους ἐξῆλθεν καθάπερ τις θὴρ ἀνήμερος, μετὰ πολλῆς ἀπειλῆς ὠρυόμενος καὶ ζητῶν τίνα καταπίῃ τῶν εἰς Χριστὸν τὸν ἀληθῆ Θεὸν πεπιστευκότων. 1 Pet. 5, 8.

He, having taken over the governorship of all Cilicia and Cappadocia and received authority against the whole race of the Christians, went out like some untamed beast, roaring with much threatening and seeking whom he might devour of those who had believed in Christ the true God.

[2] he is denouncedΚαταλαβόντι τοιγαροὺν αὐτῷ τὴν τῶν Τυανέων μητρόπολιν, καταμηνύεται παρὰ τῶν ὑπασπιστῶν τῆς ἀσεβείας τὰ περὶ τῆς πολιτείας τοῦ μακαριωτάτου θεράποντος Χριστοῦ Ὀρέστου, λεγόντων τῶν ἐνδιαβαλόντων· &ldquogr;Ὅτι πέρ ἐστί τις ἐνταῦθα νεανίσκος, τοὔνομα μὲν Ὀρέστης, τὴν θρησκείαν δὲ χριστιανὸς καὶ τὴν ἐπιστήμην ἰατρός, ὅστις, οὐ παύεται καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἀναπείθων πάντας τοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει μὴ τοῖς θεοῖς θυσίαν προσφέρειν, ἀλλ᾽ ἕνα μόνον εἰδέναι Θεὸν τὸν λεγόμενον Χριστὸν κἀκείνῳ πιστεύειν καὶ προσκυνεῖν.

[2] When, then, he had reached the metropolis of the Tyaneans, there is reported to him by the shield-bearers of impiety the conduct of the most blessed servant of Christ Orestes, the slanderers saying: "There is a certain young man here, by name Orestes, a Christian by religion and a physician by profession, who does not cease every day persuading all who are in the city not to offer sacrifice to the gods, but to know one God only, him who is called Christ, and to believe in him and worship him.

Orestes the physician; Ταύτην γὰρ εἶχε τὴν θρησκείαν πατροπαράδοτον, ὑπὸ τῶν οἰκείων γονέων κατηχηθεὶς καὶ διδαχθεὶς τὰ τῶν χριστιανῶν μυστήρια· ἅπερ παραλαβὼν ὡς βέβαια τυγχάνοντα καὶ ἀναντίρρητα, οὐκ αὐτὸς μόνον ἀσφαλῶς παραφυλάττει, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντας ἐπιμελῶς ἐκδιδάσκει τὰ αὐτὰ φρονεῖν τε καὶ ποιεῖν.&rdquogr;

For he had this religion handed down from his fathers, having been instructed by his own parents and taught the mysteries of the Christians; which, having received them as sure and indisputable, he not only guards securely himself, but also carefully teaches all to think and do the same."

Ὡς οὖν κατήκοος γέγονε τούτων ὁ Μάξιμος, ἀποστείλας παρευθὺ στρατιώτας μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ταχυτῆτος, τὸν ἅγιον παρέστησε πρὸ τοῦ βήματος καί φησι πρὸς αὐτόν· &ldquogr;Τί σοί ἐστιν ὄνομα; Τί δὲ ἐπιτήδευμα; Ὁποῖόν τε τὸ γένος καὶ τὸ σέβας καὶ ὁποίας ὥρμησαι πατρίδος καὶ τύχης, συντόμως ἀπάγγειλον· οὐ γὰρ μικρῶς κεκινήμεθα κατὰ σοῦ, τὰ περὶ σοῦ ἀκούσαντες. Μετὰ πάσης οὖν παρρησίας πάντα τὰ κατά σε σαφήνισον ἡμῖν.&rdquogr;

When, then, Maximus had heard these things, sending soldiers at once with much speed, he set the saint before the tribunal and says to him: "What is your name? And what your occupation? Of what sort are your race and worship, and from what homeland and fortune you have come, announce briefly; for we have been moved not slightly against you, having heard the things about you. With all boldness, then, make plain to us everything concerning you."

Ὁ ἅγιος Ὀρέστης εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Ἡ ἐμὴ παρρησία καὶ ἐλπὶς καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα τὰ κατ᾽ ἐμέ, ἅπερ αὐτὸς ἐπερωτᾷς, Χριστός ἐστιν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος· ἀντὶ πάντων γάρ μοι μόνος αὐτός ἐστι καὶ πατρὶς καὶ τύχη καὶ σέβας καὶ ὄνομα. Ἐν αὐτῷ οὖν παρρησιαζόμενος, ἀνεπαισχύντως σύν ἀληθείᾳ πάσῃ παρέστηκά σοι σήμερον, τὴν καλὴν ὁμολογίαν ἀπαγγέλλων ἀπαγγέλων M. ὅτι χριστιανός ἀληθινὸς καὶ ἤμην ἀπὸ προγόνων καὶ μέχρι τοῦ παρόντος εἰμὶ καὶ ἕως αἰῶνος ἔσομαι.”

The holy Orestes said: "My boldness and hope and all the other things concerning me, which you yourself ask about, are Christ, the Son of the living God; for in place of all things he alone is to me homeland and fortune and worship and name. Speaking boldly in him, then, I stand before you today unashamed, with all truth, announcing the good confession, that I was a true Christian from my forefathers, and am until the present, and shall be for ever."

[3] who with the greatest freedomὉ ἡγεμὼν ἀπεκρίνατο· &ldquogr;Ἐπειδὴ προπετείᾳ περιττῇ παρρησιασάμενος, προέφθασας ἑαυτὸν ἀποκαλέσαι χριστιανὸν καὶ Χριστὸν ὁμολογῆσαι μόνον Θεόν, ἐκ προοιμίων ἤδη τοῖς καταδικάζουσι νόμοις τοὺς ἀπειθεῖς ὑπεύθυνος γέγονας. Ἀνασφήλας οὖν ἐκ τῆς προσπεσούσης σοι ἀπειθείας καὶ τὸ συνοῖσον ἀναλογισάμενος, πειθήνιον ἀνελέσθαι θέλησον φρόνημα καὶ σέβας ὀφειλόμενον ἀπονεῖμαι τοῖς ἀθανάτοις θεοῖς, μήπως ἐπιμένων ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἐπιπλείων M. τῇ ματαίᾳ πεισμονῇ ταύτῃ, διὰ πολυτρόπων κολαστηρίων κακιγκάκως τοῦ ζῆν ἀπαλλαγῇς. &rdquogr;

[3] The governor answered: "Since, speaking boldly with excessive rashness, you have gone so far as to call yourself a Christian and to confess Christ as the only God, from the very preface you have already become liable to the laws that condemn the disobedient. Recovering, then, from the disobedience that has befallen you, and reckoning what is profitable, be willing to take up an obedient mind and render the due worship to the immortal gods, lest, persisting further in this vain obstinacy, you be rid of life most miserably through manifold punishments."

Ὁ ἅγιος Ὀρέστης εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Ἐμοὶ καύχημα μέγα καὶ κλέος περίδοξον πέφυκεν ἡ παρρησία αὕτη τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ καλῆς ὁμολογίας, ἣν ἢ M. σὺ προπέτειαν ἀναιδῶς ἀπεκάλεσας· τῶν δὲ παρὰ σοῦ προσαγορευομένων θεῶν ἡ θυσία ὡς μίασμα καὶ βδέλυγμά μοι λογίζεται. Θύειν γὰρ ἐγὼ ἐκ νεαρᾶς ἡλικίας μεμάθηκα Θεῷ τῷ ζῶντι θυσίαν καθαράν, τὴν λογικὴν λατρείαν, ἐν πνεύματι συντετριμμένῳ καὶ τεταπεινωμένῃ καρδίᾳ· κιβδήλοις δὲ θεοῖς καὶ κωφοῖς ξοάνοις ὑπὸ χειρῶν ἀνθρώπων κατασκευασθεῖσιν οὐκ ἀνέξομαί ποτε θυσίαν προσενεγκεῖν ἢ προσκύνησιν ἀπονεῖμαι, περὶ ὧν ἐν ἡμετέραις ἱεραῖς γραφαῖς γέγραπται· θεοὶ οἳ τὸν οὐρανὸν καὶ τὴν γῆν οὐκ ἐποίησαν, ἀπολέσθωσαν ἀπὸ προσώπου πάσης τῆς γῆς. Jer. 10, 11.”

The holy Orestes said: "To me this boldness of the good confession in Christ, which you have shamelessly called rashness, is a great boast and a most glorious renown; but the sacrifice to those whom you call gods is reckoned by me as a pollution and abomination. For from a youthful age I have learned to sacrifice to the living God a pure sacrifice, the reasonable worship, in a contrite spirit and humbled heart; but to counterfeit gods and deaf wooden images made by the hands of men I will never endure to offer sacrifice or render worship, concerning whom it is written in our holy scriptures: The gods who did not make heaven and earth, let them perish from the face of all the earth."

[4] he professes the faith;Ὁ ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Ὁρῶ σε τῇ μὲν ἡλικίᾳ κεκοσμημένον, τῇ δὲ τῆς δὲ τῆς ὥρας εὐπρεπείᾳ κεκαλλωπισμένον, λόγοις τε φρονήσεως σεσοφισμένον ἐν συνέσει καὶ τῇ τῆς ἰατρικῆς ἐμπειρίας ἐπιστήμῃ κατηρτισμένον, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα φείδομαί σου, κηδόμενος ὥσπερ ἰδίου τέκνου. Ὀφείλεις οὖν καὶ αὐτὸς εὐσυνέτῳ

[4] The governor said: "I see you adorned in age and beautified with the comeliness of your bloom, made wise in understanding with words of prudence, and equipped with the science of medical experience, and for these reasons I spare you, caring for you as for my own child. You too, then, ought, with a sensible

τάξει καὶ ἀκολουθίᾳ χρώμενος, πρὸς τὰ ἐπερωτώμενα ποιεῖσθαι καὶ τὴν ἀπόκρισιν, καὶ ὡς πατρὶ τέκνον τὴν προσήκουσαν αἰδῶ μοι προσνέμειν. Φράσον οὖν ἡμῖν τὴν τοῦ σοῦ ὀνόματος προσηγορίαν τήν τε τοῦ ἐπιτηδεύματος μέθοδον καὶ τὴν τῶν σῶν γεννητόρων θρησκείαν.&rdquogr;

order and sequence, to make your answer too to what is asked, and, as a child to a father, to render me the fitting respect. Tell us, then, the designation of your name and the method of your occupation and the religion of your parents."

Ὁ ἅγιος Ὀρέστης εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Ἐγὼ μὲν ἤδη δι᾽ ὀλίγων ῥημάτων, ὦ δικαστά, τὴν ἀναγκαίαν πᾶσαν ἀπόκρισιν ἐποιησάμην πρὸς σέ. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ μαθεῖν ἐπιζητεῖς ἔτι σαφέστερον τίς μὲν ἡ ἐμὴ προσηγορία καὶ ἐπιστήμη, τίς δὲ τῶν ἐμῶν γεννητόρων ἡ φρόνησις καὶ θρησκεία, καὶ περὶ τούτων αὖθις ἀπολογήσομαι, ὡς ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἐκ προγόνων χριστιανοὶ τυγχάνοντες καὶ τὰ χριστιανῶν ὀρθῶς φρονοῦντες χριστιανικῷ τρόπῳ καὶ βίῳ κἀμὲ παιδοτριβήσαντες παιδόθεν, Ὀρέστην προσωνόμασαν, ἀρεστὸν ὡς ἄν τις εἴπῃ εἴποι M. παρωνύμως τιθέμενοι Above, p. 394, note 1. , ὡς ἂν διὰ μὲν τῆς θεόθεν δοθείσης μοι θεραπευτικῆς ἐπιστήμης ἀρρωστίαν ἀρωστίαν M. πᾶσαν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἄρω, διὰ δὲ τῆς ἐπιχορηγουμένης μοι χάριτι θείᾳ συνέσεως ἀρέσαι σπουδάσω Θεῷ ζῶντι καὶ ἀληθινῷ, ἀνεξάρνητον τὴν ὁμολογίαν τοῦ κυρίου μοῦ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ μέχρι τέλους διατηρήσας.

The holy Orestes said: "I have already, O judge, made in a few words all the necessary answer to you. But since you seek to learn still more clearly what is my designation and science, and what the mind and religion of my parents, I shall answer again about these things too: that they, being Christians from their forefathers and thinking rightly the things of the Christians, having trained me too from childhood in the Christian manner and life, named me Orestes, giving it, as one might say, by derivation from pleasing, so that through the healing science given me by God I might take away every sickness from men, and through the understanding furnished me by divine grace I might strive to please the living and true God, keeping undenied to the end the confession of my Lord Jesus Christ.

Ὅπερ οὖν βούλει ποιεῖν κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ τάχιον ποίησον. Ἐγὼ γὰρ δοῦλός εἰμι τοῦ δεσπότου μου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ αὐτὸν μόνον ἐπίσταμαι Θεὸν ἀληθινὸν καὶ τὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ θάνατον πάσης ζωῆς καὶ τρυφῆς καὶ ἡδονῆς ἡδύτερον ἀποδέχομαι.”John 13, 27.

What, then, you wish to do against me, do more quickly. For I am a servant of my Master Jesus Christ, and I know him alone as true God, and I accept death for him as sweeter than all life and luxury and pleasure."

[5] the judge's flatteries Μάξιμος ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Ἀπονενοημένε καὶ πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀθλιώτατε, πῶς οὕτως προπετῶς ἀποφθέγγῃ, φρεναπατῶν σεαυτὸν ἐν τῷ κηρύττειν Θεὸν τὸν Χριστόν, ὃν Ἰουδαίων παῖδες ὡς κακοῦργον σταυρῷ κατεδίκασαν;&ldquogr; Ὁ ἅγιος Ὀρέστης εἶπεν· John 4, 10. &ldquogr;Εἰ ᾕδεις τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ σταυρωθέντος Χριστοῦ, κατέλειπες ἂν τὴν πολύθεον πλάνην καὶ σαθρὰν θρησκείαν τῶν εἰδώλων, καὶ αὐτὸν μόνον προσεκύνεις τὸν ὄντως ὄντα Θεὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἀληθινοῦ, ἀόρατον 〈ἐξ omits M. 〉 ἀοράτου καὶ ἀΐδιον ἐξ ἀἳδίου, ὃς τῇ ἰδίᾳ ἀγαθότητι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ χρώμενος τὴν ἡμετέραν φύσιν ἀφράστῳ τρόπῳ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ θεότητι ἥνωσεν, τῆς ἀπατηλῆς πλάνης ἐλευθερώσας τοῦ διαβόλου.&rdquogr;

[5] Maximus the governor said: "Mad and most wretched of all men, how do you speak out so rashly, deceiving yourself in proclaiming as God Christ, whom the children of the Jews condemned to the cross as an evildoer?" The holy Orestes said: "If you knew the gift of God and the power of the crucified Christ, you would abandon the polytheistic error and rotten religion of the idols, and would worship him alone who truly is, God from true God, invisible 〈from〉 invisible and eternal from eternal, who, using his own goodness and love of men, united our nature in an ineffable manner to his own divinity, setting it free from the deceitful error of the devil."

Ὁ ἡγεμὼν εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Ὁρᾷς εἰς ὅσον ἀλαζονείας ἤλασας θράσος, ὥστε τολμῆσαι καταγοητεύειν τὰς ἐμὰς ἀκοὰς πολυπλόκοις ἀπάτης ἀποφθέγμασιν, τοῦ καταλιπεῖν με τοὺς ἀθανάτους θεοὺς καὶ προσελθεῖν τῷ ἐσταυρωμένῳ; ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐπιτεύξῃ τῆς δολιοτήτος ταύτης· οὐ γὰρ εὐριπίστῳ τινὶ καὶ κούφῳ πρὸς ἐξαπάτην ἐνέτυχες. Χαίρειν οὖν εἰπὼν πάσαις σου ταύταις ταῖς περιττολογίαις, θῦσον προσελθὼν τοῖς ἀθανάτοις θεοῖς, ὅπως τὸ πρόσταγμα τῶν κρατούντων πληρώσας τιμῆς μεγάλης ἀξιωθήσῃ, συκάθεδρος δεξιὸς ἐπὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἠγεμονίας γινόμενος.&rdquogr;

The governor said: "Do you see to what audacity of boasting you have driven on, so as to dare to bewitch my ears with intricate sayings of deceit, that I should abandon the immortal gods and come over to the crucified one? But you will not succeed in this guile; for you have not met someone easily swayed and light for deception. Bidding farewell, then, to all these superfluities of talk of yours, come forward and sacrifice to the immortal gods, so that, fulfilling the command of the rulers, you may be deemed worthy of great honour, becoming a fellow assessor on the right in our governorship."

Ὁ ἅγιος Ὀρέστης εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Ἐγώ, δικαστά, πολλάκις εἶπον ἤδη καὶ νῦν λέγω, καὶ λέγων οὐδέποτε παύσομαι, ὅτιπερ τὸν ἐμόν εὐεργέτην καὶ δεσπότην ἐπιγινώσκω Χριστὸν μόνον ἀληθῆ Θεὸν καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ προσκυνῶ καὶ λατρεύω· δαιμονίοις δὲ καὶ ἰνδάλμασιν εἰδωλικοῖς, μή μοι γένοιτό ποτε τοσοῦτον μανῆναι, ὥστε λατρείαν προσενεγκεῖν ἢ προσκύνησιν.”

The holy Orestes said: "I, judge, have already said many times, and now I say, and I shall never cease saying, that I acknowledge my benefactor and master Christ as the only true God, and him alone I worship and serve; but as for demons and idol phantoms, may it never befall me to be so mad as to offer them service or worship."

[6] he is led into the temple of the gods; Ὁ δὲ πεπλανημένος ἠγεμὼν τοῖς παρεστῶσι τῆς ἀσεβείας ὑπηρέταις προσέταξεν εἰπών· &ldquogr;Προσαγάγετέ μοι τοῦτον ἐν τῷ ναῷ τῶν θεῶν πορευομένῳ, ὅπως ἰδὼν τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ κάλλη καὶ τὴν λαμπρότητα, μετὰ τῆς πρεπούσης προθυμίας προσελθὼν θυσίαν προσενέγκῃ.&rdquogr; Ἦν δὲ ἅπας ὁ εἰδωλικὸς δόμος ἐκεῖνος ἰνδαλμάτων πολλῶν πεπληρωμένος χρυσῷ τε καὶ ἀργύρῳ περικεκοσμημένος.

[6] And the deluded governor gave command to the attendants of impiety who were standing by, saying: "Bring this man to me as I go into the temple of the gods, so that, seeing the beauties and the splendour in it, he may come forward with fitting eagerness and offer sacrifice." And that whole idol-house was filled with many phantoms and adorned round about with gold and silver.

Ἔνθα τοῦ μάρτυρος εἰσενεχθέντος, λέγει πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἡγεμών· &ldquogr;Θῦσον τοῖς μεγίστοις θεοῖς, Ὀρέστα, τοῖς τὴν οἰκουμένην κυβερνῶσιν.&rdquogr; Ὁ ἅγιος Ὀρέστης εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Πεπλάνησαι, ὦ ἡγεμών, εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν ἐμπεσών, ὥστε μὴ δύνασθαι κατανοεῖν τὸ συμφέρον καὶ διακρίνειν τὸ κρεῖττον ἀπὸ τοῦ χείρονος. Οὗτοι γὰρ ὡς ὁρᾷς, οὓς θεοὺς καλεῖν οὐκ αἰσχύνῃ, ἀνδριάντας ἀψύχους πρὸς ἐξαπάτην τῶν ἀνοήτων ἀνθρώπων χερσὶ τεχνιτῶν κατεσκευασμένους, χαλκὸς μὲν καὶ ἄργυρος καὶ σίδηρός ἐστι τὸ βλεπόμενον, τὸ δὲ νοούμενον δαίμονες ἀλάστορες οἱ δι᾽ αὐτῶν λατρευόμενοι· οἷς ὀφθαλμοὶ μὲν καὶ στόμα, χεῖρές τε καὶ πόδες μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων αἰσθητηρίων περίκεινται, οὐδεμία δὲ πρόσεστι τούτοις ἐνέργεια (πῶς γάρ;) ἐξ ἀψύχων ὑλῶν συγκειμένοις, τοῖς μηδέποτε δεδεγμένοις δύναμιν αἰσθήσεως ζωτικῆς.

There, the martyr having been brought in, the governor says to him: "Sacrifice to the greatest gods, Orestes, who steer the inhabited world." The holy Orestes said: "You are deceived, O governor, having fallen into a reprobate mind, so as not to be able to perceive what is profitable and to distinguish the better from the worse. For these, as you see, whom you are not ashamed to call gods, soulless statues fashioned by the hands of craftsmen for the deception of foolish men — what is seen is bronze and silver and iron, but what is understood is the avenging demons who are worshipped through them; about them eyes and mouth, hands and feet are set, with the other organs of sense, but no operation belongs to them (for how could it?), put together as they are out of soulless materials, which have never received the power of living sense.

Πῶς δὲ καὶ κυβερνήτας οἰκουμένης ἀφρόνως ἀσεβῶν ἐπιγράφῃ τοὺς τοῖς M. μὴ μόνον ἑτέροις ἑταίροις M. , ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ἑαυτοῖς ἐκεχειρίαν τινὰ παρασχεῖν ἐξισχύοντας, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον τῆς ὑμετέρας μᾶλλον ἐπικουρίας δεομένους δεομένοις M. ;”

And how do you, foolishly and impiously, inscribe as steersmen of the inhabited world those who are able to furnish some respite not only not to others but not even to themselves, but on the contrary rather need your help?"

[7] he answers the judge fearlessly; Πρὸς ταῦτα διαπορούμενος ἀντειπεῖν, ὁ ἡγεμὼν λέγει τῷ μάρτυρι· &ldquogr;Τὰς μὲν περιττὰς ταύτας ἀντιθέσεις καὶ συζητήσεις ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος καταλιπόντες, ἄλλοις παραχωρήσωμεν, ἡμεῖς δὲ τῶν προσκειμένων ἀναγκαίων ὡς ἀπαραιτήτων ἔργων ἐχώμεθα.

[7] At a loss to answer this, the governor says to the martyr: "Leaving for the present these superfluous antitheses and disputations, let us yield them to others, and let us hold to the necessary works that lie before us as unavoidable.

Δύο τοιγαροῦν ἐν ταὐτῷ προτεινομένων σοι σήμερον, τιμῆς καὶ ἀτιμίας, δωρεῶν καὶ κολαστηρίων, καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον τούτων, ζωῆς καὶ θανάτου, ὡς νουνεχὴς καὶ φρόνιμος τὰ χαριέστερα καὶ γλυκύτερα μᾶλλον τῶν λυπηρῶν καὶ πικραινόντων προτιμῆσαι βουλήθητι· καὶ προσελθὼν προθύμως θῦσον τοῖς θεοῖς, μήπως ἀπαναινόμενος τοῦτο πρᾶξαι, πρόξενος σεαυτῷ γενήσῃ πολυτρόπων στρεβλωτηρίων καὶ βασανιστηρίων ἀνυποίστων τῶν εἰς βίαιον θάνατον παραπεμπόντων.&rdquogr;

Since, then, two things are set before you today together, honour and dishonour, gifts and punishments, and, the last of these, life and death, be willing, as a sensible and prudent man, to prefer the more gracious and sweeter to the painful and embittering; and come forward eagerly and sacrifice to the gods, lest, refusing to do this, you become the procurer for yourself of manifold racks and unbearable tortures, which send one on to a violent death."

Ὁ ἅγιος Ὀρέστης ἀπεκρίνατο· &ldquogr;Ἔοικας, ὦ ἡγεμών, ὥσπερ ἄνανδρόν τινα καὶ δειλὸν καταπτοεῖν με τούτοις τοῖς ῥήμασιν· μὴ τοίνυν μελλήσῃς ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἀναβαλλόμενος, ἀλλὰ τὸ παριστάμενον τῷ σκοπῷ τῆς ματαίας βουλῆς σου πρᾶττε συντομώτερον, ὅπως γνῷς διὰ τῆς πείρας αὐτῆς τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐνδυναμοῦντός με δεσπότου μου Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ.”

The holy Orestes answered: "You seem, O governor, to be trying to terrify me with these words as someone unmanly and cowardly; do not, then, delay by putting it off further, but do more quickly what lies before the aim of your vain counsel, so that you may know through trial itself the power of my Master Jesus Christ, who strengthens me."

[8] he is beaten with scourges; Τότε δὴ θυμοῦ πολλοῦ πλησθεὶς ὁ ἡγεμών, ῥοπάλοις τύπτεσθαι τὸν μάρτυρα προσέταξεν ἀπηνῶς, τῶν δημίων ἐπιβοώντων· &ldquogr;Μὴ μώραινε βλασφημῶν κατὰ τῶν ἀθανάτων θεῶν, ἀλλὰ πειθάρχει τοῖς προστάγμασι τῶν αὐτοκρατόρων.&rdquogr;

[8] Then indeed the governor, filled with great rage, ordered the martyr to be beaten harshly with clubs, the executioners shouting: "Do not play the fool, blaspheming against the immortal gods, but obey the commands of the emperors."

Ἀνηλεῶς δὲ ῥαδβιζόμενος ὁ καρτερικὸς ἀδάμας ἐπὶ πολύ, τὸ ὄμμα διάρας πρὸς οὐρανόν, τὴν ἐκεῖθεν βοήθειαν μεγάλαις ἐπεκαλεῖτο κραυγαῖς· αἷς ὁ παράνομος ἡγεμὼν ἐπὶ πλέον μαινόμενος σφοδρότερον προσέταττε τοῦτον ῥαβδίζεσθαι κατά τε τοῦ νώτου καὶ τῆς κοιλίας καὶ παντὸς τοῦ σώματος, ἐν παραλλαγῇ πλειόνων κεντυριώνων ῥοπάλοις ἁδροῖς χρωμένων, μέχρις ἂν τῇ ἀλλεπαλλήλῳ τῶν ῥάβδων πυκνότητι καὶ καταφορᾷ τὰ σπλάγχνα αὐτοῦ διαρραγέντα πρὸς γῆν διεσκορπίζετο.

And the enduring adamant, being beaten mercilessly for a long time, raising his eye to heaven, called with loud cries for the help from there; at which the lawless governor, raging the more, commanded him to be beaten more vehemently on the back and the belly and the whole body, with a succession of several centurions using stout clubs, until, by the continual frequency and descent of the rods, his bowels burst and were scattered on the ground.

Καὶ ἦν ἰδεἱν τὸν καρτερόψυχον ἐκεῖνον ἀδάμαντα τῆς ὑπομονῆς καθάπερ ἄψυχον ἀνδριάντα τὰς ἀνηκέστους αἰκίας ἐκείνας ὑπέχοντα καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν ἀλλοτρίῳ σώματι τὴν τιμωρίαν ὑπομένοντα.

And one could see that strong-souled adamant of endurance undergoing those incurable outrages like a soulless statue, and enduring the punishment as though in another's body.

[9] Μετὰ δὲ ταύτην τὴν μιαιφονίαις ἀνάπλεων κόλασιν, he suffers monstrous torments. ἀνεθῆναι τὸν ἀθλητὴν μικρὸν προστάξας ὁ μιαρὸς δικαστὴς ἐπειρᾶτο πάλιν δολίοις λόγοις πρὸς ἄρνησιν ὁ ἀνόητος τὸν ἐχέφρονα προτρεπόμενος. Ὁ δὲ πολὺς ἐν συνέσει καὶ σοφὸς ἐν φρονήσει, τῇ παραινέσει τοῦ παροιμιαστοῦ πειθόμενος μὴ ἀποκρίνασθαι ἄφρονι κατὰ τὴν ἀφροσύνην αὐτοῦ παρεγγυῶντος, οὐδεμίαν ἀπόκρισιν δέδωκε τῷ τυράννῳ· Prov. 26, 4. ὃς τῷ ἐμφύτῳ θυμῷ μακινώτερον ἀναφλεγεὶς ἐκέλευσεν ὀβελίσκοις πεπυρακτωμένοις τὸν νῶτον αὐτοῦ καταφλεχθῆναι, καὶ ὄξει δριμυτάτῳ σὺν ἅλατι κεκραμένῳ τὰς καταφλεχθείσας σάρκας ἐπιρραίνεσθαι τριχίνοις τε ῥάκεσι τὰς πληγὰς εὐτόνως ἀνατρίβεσται.

[9] And after this punishment full of bloodshed, the defiled judge, having ordered the athlete to be relieved a little, tried again, the senseless one, with crafty words, urging the sensible one to denial. But he, great in understanding and wise in prudence, obeying the exhortation of the writer of Proverbs, who charges not to answer a fool according to his folly, gave no answer to the tyrant; who, inflamed more madly by his innate rage, ordered his back to be burned with red-hot spits, and the burned flesh to be sprinkled with sharpest vinegar mixed with salt, and the wounds vigorously rubbed with hair-cloth rags.

Ἐν ταύταις οὖν ταῖς πολυωδύνοις βασάνοις γενναίως ὁ γεννάδας ἐγκαρτερῶν ἦρεν πρὸς οὐρανὸν τὰ ὄμματα καὶ προσηύξατο πρὸς Κύριον οὕτως εἰπών· &ldquogr;Κύριε ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν, ὁ τὴν σὴν δυναστείαν δείξας κατὰ τῶν ἀπειθησάντων τοῖς σοῖς προστάγμασι, καὶ τῶν μὲν Σοδομιτῶν τὰς πόλεις καταναλώσας πυρί, τῶν δὲ ἀγνωμόνων Ἰουδαίων τὰ κῶλα καταστρώσας ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, Heb. 3, 17. ὁ τὴν σὴν κραταιὰν βοήθειαν ἐξαποστείλας ἐξ ὕψους ἁγίου σου, καὶ σώσας τοὺς σοὺς θεράποντας ἐξ ἀναγκῶν καὶ κινδύνων, πυρός τε καὶ θηρίων ἀνημέρων, αὐτὸς καὶ νῦν, δέσποτα, πρόσσχες εἰς τὴν ἀντίληψιν τοῦ δούλου σου καὶ ποίησον μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ σημεῖον εἰς ἀγαθόν· Ps. 85, 17. καὶ ἰδέτωσαν οἱ μισοῦντές με καὶ αἰσχυνθήτωσαν καὶ ἀπολέσθωσαν καὶ γνώτωσαν ὅτι σὺ κύριος μόνος ὕψιστος ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν.” Ps. 82, 18.

In these very painful tortures, then, the noble one, persevering nobly, raised his eyes to heaven and prayed to the Lord, speaking thus: "Lord God of our fathers, who showed your might against those who disobeyed your commands, and consumed the cities of the Sodomites with fire, and laid low the limbs of the ungrateful Jews in the desert, who sent forth your mighty help from your holy height and saved your servants from straits and dangers, from fire and from untamed beasts, do you now too, Master, give heed to the succour of your servant and work with me a sign for good; and let those who hate me see and be ashamed and perish, and let them know that you alone are Lord, most high over all the earth."

Μετὰ δὲ ταύτην τὴν προσευχὴν ἐνεφύσησεν εἰς τὰ πρόσωπα τῶν ἀκαθάρτων εἰδώλων καὶ παραχρῆμα πεσόντα συνετρίβησαν ὡσεὶ κονιορτὸς γινόμενα κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον· ὃν ἐκρίπτει ἄνεμος ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς. The idols fall. Ps. 1, 4.

And after this prayer he breathed upon the faces of the unclean idols, and at once, falling, they were shattered, becoming like dust, according to what is written: which the wind casts out from the face of the earth.

[10] Καὶ τούτου τοῦ μεγίστου θαύματος γεγενημένου, λέγει ὁ ἅγιος πρὸς τὸν ἀσύνετον ἡγεμόνα· &ldquogr;Ποῦ ἐστιν ἡ δύναμις τῶν θεῶν σου, δικαστά; Βλέπεις πῶς οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν βοηθῆσαι αὑτοῖς, ἀλλ᾽ ἀθρόον ἄρδην ἐξηφανίσθησαν ἅπαντες;&rdquogr;

[10] And this greatest wonder having come to pass, the saint says to the senseless governor: "Where is the power of your gods, judge? Do you see how they could not help themselves, but were all at once utterly made to vanish?"

Ὁ δὲ τὸ ἀναιδὲς πρόσωπον ὑπὸ προφανοῦς αἰσχύνης ὅλως ἠλλοιώμενον ἐμφαίνων, ὡσεὶ κωφὸς οὐκ ἀκούων διέμεινεν ἀχανής.

And he, showing his shameless face wholly changed by manifest shame, remained gaping, like a deaf man who does not hear.

Οὐ τοῦτο γὰρ μόνον γέγονεν τὸ ξένον τεράστιον ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἀγαλμάτων συντριβῇ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτερον παραδοξότερον ἐπισυμβέβηκεν. Ἅμα γὰρ τῷ ἐξελθεῖν τὸν ἀθλητὴν ἐκ τοῦ εἰδωλικοῦ σηκοῦ ἐκείνου, παραχρῆμα καταρραγὲν ἅπαν τὸ οἴκημα, κατεπτώθη καὶ γέγονεν εἰς ἐρήμωσιν ἐξάπινα.

For not only did this strange portent take place at the shattering of the statues, but another, more marvellous, followed besides. For as soon as the athlete went out of that idol-enclosure, at once the whole building, bursting down, collapsed and suddenly became a desolation.

Ὁ δὲ παράνομος ἡγεμὼν μὴ βουληθεὶς καταπλαγῆναι τὸ μέγεθος τῆς θείας δυνάμεως, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον ἀλλοίωσιν ἀλλοιωθείς, λύττῃ χαλεπωτέρᾳ κατὰ τοῦ μάρτυρος ἐξεμαίνετο· τὸν καιρὸν δὲ τῆς τιμωρίας πρὸς τὸ μέλλον ταμιευσάμενος προσέταξε τέως ἐν ἀσφαλεστέρᾳ φρουρᾷ παραφυλάττεσθαι τοῦτον, He is cast into prison; τροφῆς καὶ ποτοῦ παντελῶς παρορώμενον ἄγευστον.

And the lawless governor, unwilling to be struck with amazement at the greatness of the divine power, but changed with the change for the worse, raged against the martyr with a harsher frenzy; and, storing up the time of the punishment for the future, he commanded him meanwhile to be guarded in more secure custody, left altogether untasting of food and drink.

Ἐφ᾽ ὅλαις οὖν ἡμέραις ἑπτὰ φρουρούμενος ἄσιτος, ἐν ἀγαλλιάσει καρδίας διετέλει δεήσεσιν ἀδιαλείπτοις καὶ προσευχαῖς προσκαρτερῶν πίστει τε μόνῃ ζῶν καὶ ταῖς χρησταῖς ἐλπίσι τρεφόμενος κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον· ὁ δὲ δίκαιος ἐκ πίστεως ζήσεται· Heb. 10, 38. καὶ πάλιν· οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι διὰ στόματος ἐκπορευομένῳ Θεοῦ. Luke 4, 4.

Guarded, then, for seven whole days without food, he continued in gladness of heart, persevering in unceasing supplications and prayers, living by faith alone and nourished by good hopes, according to what is written: but the just shall live by faith; and again: not by bread alone shall man live, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

Διὰ πάσης μέντοι νυκτὸς καὶ ἡμέρας οὐκ ἐνέλειπεν τῷ τῶν ὅλων σωτῆρι τὴν συνήθη δοξολογίαν προσάγων Χριστῷ, εὐχαριστῶν μὲν ὑπὲρ ὧν ἤδη διετηρήθη, θείῳ σθένει δυναμωθείς, ἀνάλωτος ταῖς ἐπινοίαις πάσαις τῶν τυραννούντων ἐχθρῶν, ἐξαιτούμενος δὲ καὶ τὴν μέχρι τέλους ὑπομονὴν καὶ καρτερίαν ἀνένδοτον.

Through all the night and day, however, he did not fail to offer the accustomed doxology to Christ, the Saviour of all, giving thanks for what had already been preserved, strengthened as he was by divine strength and uncaptured by all the devices of the tyrannizing enemies, and asking also for endurance to the end and unyielding perseverance.

[11] he is pierced with nails; Ὃν τῇ ὀγδόῃ ἡμέρᾳ προκαθίσας ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος ὁ τῆς ἀσεβείας ἡγεμὼν καὶ παραστησάμενος ἔμπροσθεν αὑτοῦ, καταπληκτικῇ κραυγῇ χρησάμενος, φησὶ πρὸς αὐτόν· &ldquogr;Ἀνόσιε πάντων ἀνθρώπων καὶ θεῶν ἐχθρὲ δυσμενέστατε, πῶς ἐτόλμησας κατ᾽ αὐτῶν ἐξερεύξασθαι ῥήματα τοιαῦτα βλάσφημα, τῇ προτεραίᾳ ἐπὶ τοῦ ναοῦ προκαθημένης τῆς ἐμῆς ἐξουσίας; ἦ πάντως εἰς ἀπόνοιαν ἐπήρθης ἀκάθεκτον, βλέπων τὴν ἡμετέραν εὐμένειαν ἐπιεικῶς πρός σε διατεθειμένην. Εἰ τοίνυν βούλει τὸ μέγα τοῦτο τόλμημα παῤ ἡμῶν συγχωρηθῆναί σοι, ὑπήκοος γενέσθαι θέλησον τοῖς βασιλικοῖς προστάγμασι καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς θυσίαν προσάγαγε· ἐπεί, ἐὰν μὴ τοῦτο πρᾶξαι βουληθείης, χαλεπωτέρας τῶν προτέρων τιμωρίας ὑποστήσῃ, κακιγκάκως βιαίῳ θανάτῳ τῆς ζωῆς ἀποστερούμενος.&rdquogr;

[11] Him, on the eighth day, the governor of impiety, presiding on the tribunal and setting him before himself, using an astounding cry, addresses: "Most unholy of all men and most hostile enemy of the gods, how did you dare to belch out such blasphemous words against them the day before in the temple, while my authority presided? Surely you were lifted up into unrestrained madness, seeing our goodwill mildly disposed towards you. If, then, you wish this great audacity to be pardoned you by us, be willing to become obedient to the royal commands, and offer sacrifice to the gods; since, if you should not wish to do this, you will undergo punishments harsher than the former, deprived of life most miserably by a violent death."

Ὁ ἅγιος Ὀρέστης εἶπεν· &ldquogr;Μὴ ταῖς ποικίλαις ἀπειλαῖς καταπτοεῖν με νόμιζε, δυσμενέστατε τύραννε, ἀλλὰ τὰ χαλεπά σου βασανιστήρια θᾶττον προσάγαγε

The holy Orestes said: "Do not think to terrify me with your various threats, most hostile tyrant, but bring on your harsh instruments of torture more quickly

καὶ πάντα τὰ τῆς μανίας σου βέλη κίνησον κατ᾽ ἐμοῦ· πρὸς ἅπερ ἅπαντα ἀντικαταστῆναι στερρῶς ἕτοιμός εἰμι, ἔχων ἀεὶ μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ τὸν ἐνισχύοντά με Χριστόν.”

and set in motion against me all the darts of your madness; against all of which I am ready to stand firmly, having always with me Christ who strengthens me."

[12] Τούτοις τοῖς πεπαρρησιασμένοις ῥήμασι τὸν ἔμφυτον θυμὸν ἀναφλέξας ἀσχέτως ὁ μανικὸς δικαστὴς ἐκέλευσε τοῖς ὑπηρέταις ἥλους σιδηροῦς εὐμήκεις ἐνεχθῆναι καὶ τούτους ἐμπαγῆναι κατά τε τῶν πλευρῶν καὶ τῶν ποδῶν τοῦ μάρτυρος.

[12] By these bold words the mad judge, inflaming his innate rage beyond restraint, ordered the attendants to bring long iron nails and to drive them into the sides and the feet of the martyr.

Καὶ τούτου θᾶττον ἢ λόγος γεγενημένου, ἦν ἰδεῖν τοὺς πόδας αὐτοῦ ὡσεὶ κρηπῖδας στρατιωτικὰς πεπερονημένας πάντοθεν, ἐξ ὧν ῥύακες μὲν ποταμηδὸν ἀπέρρεον αἵματος, ὀδύναι δὲ δριμεῖαι, μέχρι καρδίας αὐτῆς διἳκνούμεναι, τὸ καρτερικὸν σαρκίον συνέθλιβον· ἐν οἷς ἀριδήλως ἐδείκνυτο πᾶσι καὶ τὸ μεγαλόψυχον τοῦ καρτερόφρονος μάρτυρος καὶ τὸ τῆς ἄνωθεν προνοίας μεγαλοδύναμον.

And when this had been done quicker than a word, one could see his feet like soldiers' boots pierced through on every side, from which streams of blood flowed away like rivers, while sharp pains, reaching to the very heart, crushed the enduring little body; in which there was clearly shown to all both the magnanimity of the strong-minded martyr and the great might of the providence from above.

Ἐν οἷς ἀπαγορεύσας ὁ τῆς κακίας εὑρετὴς τῆς οἰκείας προσδοκίας καὶ μανικώτερον, ἢ μᾶλλον θηριωδέστερον εἰπεῖν, διατεθείς, εἰς ἐπίνοιαν πικροτέρας τιμωρίας ἐκτρέπεται.

In these things the inventor of wickedness, despairing of his own expectation and disposed more madly, or rather, to speak more truly, more bestially, turns aside to the devising of a more bitter punishment.

Καὶ σκοπεῖτε τῆς ὠμότητος τὴν ὑπερβολὴν ὅση, καὶ τῆς βασάνου τὸ εἶδος, ὡς καὶ μόνον ἀκουόμενον [ἀκούομεν M; ἀκουόμενον P. Nikitin in Mem. de l'Academie des sciences de Saint-Petersbourg, VIIIe S., volume I, p. 58.] φρίκης ἔμπλεων.

And consider how great was the excess of the cruelty, and the form of the torture, so that even when only heard it is full of horror.

he is tied to an untamed horse. Ἵππου γὰρ ποσὶν ἀγρίου ὁ τὴν γνώμην καὶ θηρίου θηρίων M. ἀγριώτερος ἁλύσεσι σιδηραῖς συνδήσας ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν τὸν μάρτυρα, μετὰ σφοδροτάτης ταχυτῆτος ἐλαύνεσθαι τὸ ζῷον μάστιξι τυπτόμενον ὑπὸ στρατιωτῶν παρακελεύεται.

For he who in his mind was wilder than a wild beast, binding the martyr by the hands with iron chains to the feet of a wild horse, orders the animal, beaten with whips by the soldiers, to be driven with the most vehement speed.

Ἐπὶ μήκιστον ἀφεστηκὸς τόπου διάστημα σταδίους σχεδόν που ρπ᾽ ἀπὸ πόλεως Τυανέων μέχρι χώρου τινὸς ἐπιχωρίως καλουμένου Βάτου, ἔνθα συρμῷ βιαιοτάτῳ τῷ τοῦ ἀγριωτάτου ἵππου δρόμῳ παρουσιάσας, εἰς χεῖρας Θεοῦ ζῶντος παρατίθησι τὸ πνεῦμα.

Over a very long distance of ground, about one hundred and eighty stadia from the city of the Tyaneans, as far as a certain place called in the local speech Batos, where, having arrived by the most violent dragging in the course of the wildest horse, he commits his spirit into the hands of the living God.

[13] The relics Ὁ δὲ δύστροπος καὶ μανιώδης Μάξιμος thrown into the river μηδὲ μετὰ τὴν τελευτὴν τῆς ἀτόπου λύττης λήξας τῆς κατὰ τοῦ γενναιοτάτου μάρτυρος Ὀρέστου, προστάττει ῥιφῆναι τὸ πολύαθλον λείψανον αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ βυθῷ Φίβου Above, p. 395, note 1. τοῦ παραρρέοντος ποταμοῦ καταντικρὺ τοῦ ὄρους· ὅπερ ὑπὸ τῶν παρατυχόντων πιστῶν ἐθεάθη προφανῶς χερσὶν ἀνδρὸς λαμπροφοροῦντος ἀνακομιζόμενον ἐντίμως ἐκ τῶν ποταμίων ῥευμάτων καὶ κατατιθέμενον ἐν τῷ παρακειμένῳ ὄρει τῇ τῶν Τυανέων μητρηπόλει, are gathered. ἐν ᾧ τόπῳ παμπληθεῖς ἰάσεις ἐπιτελοῦνται μέχρι τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ μέχρι τῆς συντελείας τοῦ αἰῶνος οὐδέποτε τελούμεναι λήξουσιν. 1 Kings 2, 30.

[13] And the perverse and frenzied Maximus, not ceasing even after his death from his monstrous rage against the most noble martyr Orestes, orders his much-contending relic to be thrown into the depth of the Phibus, the river that flows by opposite the mountain; which was plainly seen by the faithful who were present being honourably carried up out of the river's streams by the hands of a man clad in brightness and laid on the mountain adjacent to the metropolis of the Tyaneans, in which place very many healings are accomplished to this present day, and indeed will never cease being accomplished until the consummation of the age.

Ἀψευδὴς γὰρ ὄντως ἐστὶν ὁ εἰπών· ὅτι τοὺς δοξάζοντάς με δοξάσω, οὓς ἀληθῶς δοξάζει καὶ μεγαλύνει Χριστὸς ἡ ἀλήθεια· ἐνταῦθα μὲν ἀμυδρότερον, εἰ καὶ μεγάλοις σημείοις τούτους λαμπρύνει καὶ τέρασιν, ἐκεῖθεν δὲ τε M. λαμπρότερόν τε καὶ ὑψηλότερον ἀναδείξειεν ὡς φαεινοὺς φωστῆρας ὑπὲρ τὸν ἥλιον λάμποντας· μεθ᾽ ὧν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀξιοθείημεν μετασχεῖν τῆς θείας ἐλλάμψεως, λιταῖς αὐτῶν εὐπροσδέκτοις συγκροτούμενοι καὶ συμπαθείας τῶν ἐπταισμένων καταξιούμενοι ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ θέλοντι πάντας ἀνθρώπους σωθῆναι καὶ εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἐλθεῖν ἀληθείας, 1 Tim. 2, 4. ὅτι αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων· ἀμήν.

For truly he does not lie who said: those who glorify me I will glorify; whom Christ, the truth, truly glorifies and magnifies: here more dimly, even if he makes them brilliant with great signs and wonders, but there he will show them more brilliantly and loftily, as shining luminaries gleaming beyond the sun; with whom may we too be deemed worthy to share in the divine illumination, aided by their acceptable prayers and deemed worthy of compassion for our faults, in Christ Jesus, who wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, for to him is the glory and the might to the ages of ages; amen.