Bibliotheca Polyglotta

Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ ἐρημίτης εἶπεν· Εἰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ζητεῖς, ὦ βασιλεῦ, πόθεν μοι γέγονε τῶν προσκαίρων μὲν ὑπεριδεῖν, ὅλον δὲ ἐμαυτὸν ταῖς αἰωνίοις ἐπιδοῦναι ἐλπίσιν, ἄκουσον. ἐν ἡμέραις ἀρχαίαις, ἔτι κομιδῇ νέος ὑπάρχων, ἤκουσά τι ῥῆμα ἀγαθὸν καὶ σωτήριον, καί με κατ' ἄκρας ἡ τούτου δύναμις εἷλε, καί, ὥσπερ (20,1) τις θεῖος σπόρος, ἡ τούτου μνήμη, τῇ ἐμῇ φυτευθεῖσα καρδίᾳ, ἀχώριστος εἰς ἀεὶ διετηρήθη ὡς καὶ ῥιζωθῆναι, καὶ ἐκβλαστῆσαι, καὶ ὃν ὁρᾷς καρπὸν ἐνεγκεῖν ἐν ἐμοί. ἡ δὲ τοῦ ῥήματος δύναμις τοιαύτη τις ἦν· Ἔδοξε, φησί, τοῖς ἀνοήτοις τῶν ὄντων μὲν καταφρονεῖν ὡς μὴ ὄντων, τῶν μὴ ὄντων δὲ ὡς ὄντων ἀντέχεσθαί τε καὶ περιέχεσθαι·¹ ὁ μὴ γευσάμενος οὖν τῆς τῶν ὄντων γλυκύτητος, οὐ δυνήσεται τῶν μὴ ὄντων καταμαθεῖν τὴν φύσιν· μὴ καταμαθὼν δέ, πῶς αὐτῶν ὑπερόψεται; ὄντα μὲν οὖν ἐκάλεσεν ὁ λόγος τὰ αἰώνια καὶ μὴ σαλευόμενα μὴ ὄντα δὲ τὸν ἐνταῦθα βίον καὶ τὴν τρυφὴν καὶ τὴν ψευδομένην εὐημερίαν· οἷς, ὦ βασιλεῦ, κακῶς φεῦ, ἡ σὴ προσήλωται καρδία. κἀγὼ δέ ποτε τούτων ἀντειχόμην· ἀλλ' ἡ τοῦ ῥήματος δύναμις, νύττουσά μου τὴν ψυχὴν ἀδιαλείπτως, ἐξήγειρε τὸν ἡγεμόνα νοῦν εἰς ἐκλογὴν τοῦ κρείττονος· ὁ δὲ νόμος τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ἀντιστρατευόμενος τῷ νόμῳ τοῦ νοός μου, καὶ ὥς τισι σιδηροπέδαις δεσμῶν με, τῇ προσπαθείᾳ τῶν παρόντων αἰχμάλωτον κατεῖχεν. Ὅτε δὲ εὐδόκησεν ἡ χρηστότης καὶ ἀγαθοσύνη τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Θεοῦ ἐξελέσθαι με τῆς χαλεπῆς ἐκείνης αἰχμαλωσίας, ἐνίσχυσέ μου τὸν νοῦν περιγενέσθαι τοῦ νόμου τῆς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ διήνοιξέ μου τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς διακρίνειν τὸ φαῦλον ἀπὸ τοῦ κρείττονος. τότε δή, τότε κατενόησα καὶ εἶδον, καὶ ἰδοὺ πάντα τὰ παρόντα ματαιότης καὶ προαίρεσις πνεύματος, καθά που καὶ Σολομῶν ὁ σοφώτατος ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῦ ἔφη συγγράμμασι· τότε περιῃρέθη τῆς καρδίας μου (22,1) τὸ κάλυμμα τῆς ἁμαρτίας, καὶ ἡ ἐκ σωματικῆς παχύτητος ἐπικειμένη τῇ ψυχῇ μου ἀμαύρωσις διεσκεδάσθη, καὶ ἔγνων εἰς ὃ γέγονα καὶ ὅτι δεῖ με πρὸς τὸν δημιουργὸν ἀναβῆναι, διὰ τῆς τῶν ἐντολῶν (4) ἐργασίας. ὅθεν, πάντα καταλιπών, αὐτῷ ἠκολούθησα καὶ εὐχαριστῶ τῷ Θεῷ διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἐρύσατό με τοῦ πηλοῦ καὶ τῆς πλινθείας, καὶ τοῦ ἀπηνοῦς καὶ ὀλεθρίου ἄρχοντος τοῦ σκότους τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου, καὶ ἔδειξέ μοι ὁδὸν σύντομον καὶ ῥᾳδίαν, δι' ἧς δυνήσομαι ἐν τῷ ὀστρακίνῳ τούτῳ σώματι τὴν ἀγγελικὴν ἀσπάσασθαι πολιτείαν, ἥνπερ φθάσαι ζητῶν, τὴν στενὴν καὶ τεθλιμμένην εἱλόμην βαδίζειν ὁδόν, πάνυ καταγνοὺς τῆς τῶν παρόντων ματαιότητος καὶ τῆς ἀστάτου φορᾶς τούτων καὶ περιφορᾶς, καὶ μὴ πειθόμενος ἄλλο τι καλὸν ὀνομάζειν πρὸ τοῦ ὄντος καλοῦ, οὗπερ σὺ ἐλεεινῶς, ὦ βασιλεῦ, διερράγης τε καὶ διέστης. ὅθεν καὶ ἡμεῖς διέστημέν σου καὶ διῃρέθημεν, διὰ τὸ εἰς σαφῆ καὶ ὡμολογημένην σέ τε καταπίπτειν ἀπώλειαν καὶ πρὸς ἴσον κατενεχθῆναι καὶ ἡμᾶς κίνδυνον ἀναγκάζειν. ἕως μὲν γὰρ περὶ μόνην τὴν κοσμικὴν στρατείαν ἐξηταζόμεθα, οὐδὲν τῶν δεόντων ἡμεῖς ἐνελίπομεν· μαρτυρήσεις μοι καὶ αὐτὸς ὅτιπερ οὐδὲ ῥᾳθυμίαν τινὰ οὐδὲ ἀμέλειάν ποτε ἐνεκλήθημεν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸ τῶν καλῶν τὸ κεφάλαιον ἀφελέσθαι ἐφιλονείκησας ἡμᾶς, τὴν εὐσέβειαν, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ζημιῶσαι τὴν ἐσχάτην ταύτην ζημίαν, τιμῶν τε διὰ τοῦτο καὶ φιλοτιμίας ἀναμιμνήσκεις, πῶς οὐκ ἀμαθῶς ἔχειν σε τοῦ καλοῦ δικαίως ἂν εἴποιμι, ὅτι καὶ παραβάλλεις ὅλως (24,1) αὐτὰ πρὸς ἄλληλα, εὐσέβειάν φημι πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν καὶ φιλίαν ἀνθρωπίνην καὶ δόξαν τὴν ἴσα παραρρέουσαν ὕδατι; πῶς δέ σοι καὶ κοινωνοὶ ἐσόμεθα ἐπὶ τούτῳ, καὶ οὐχί, τοὐναντίον, καὶ φιλίαν, καὶ τιμήν, καὶ στοργὴν τέκνων καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο μεῖζον ἦν, ἀρνησόμεθα;

Respondens autem eremita (448d,1) dixit: Si intelligere cupis, o rex, unde hoc primum mihi animo injectum fuerit, ut caducas res contemnerem, ac me totum sempiternarum rerum spei traderem, audi. Olim, cum adhuc juvenili aetate essem, bonum ac salutare verbum audivi, cujus vis majorem in modum me rapuit, ipsiusque memoria, divini cujusdam seminis instar, pectori meo insita ita permansit, ut nunquam a me divelli potuerit; adeo ut et radices egerit, et germen ediderit, ac maturo tempore fructum in me tulerit. Hujus autem verbi haec vis erat: Excordes, inquiebat ille, ac stolidi homines, animo ita comparati sunt, ut ea quae sunt, perinde ac si non sint, aspernentur; ea autem quae non sunt, perinde (449a,1) ac si sint, amplectantur, ac mordicus retineant. Qui autem eorum quae sunt dulcedinem minime degustavit, is eorum quae non sunt naturam perfectam habere non poterit. Hanc porro nisi exploratam habuerit, quonam modo ea contemnet ac pro nihilo putabit? Porro per ea quae sunt, haec oratio sempiternas res, atque a jactatione alienas intelligebat: per ea autem quae non sunt, hanc vitam et delicias, ac mendacem prosperitatem: quibus, o rex, heu! cor tuum male affixum est; egoque item quondam ea complectebar. Verum hujus sermonis vis, animum meum sine ulla intermissione vellicans, mentem, quae mei principatum tenet, ad id quod melius erat, eligendum excitabat. Caeterum lex peccati, cum mentis meae lege pugnans, ac velut quibusdam compedibus me (449b,1) vinciens, per affectum erga res praesentes captivum tenebat. Cum autem Salvatoris nostri benignitati ac bonitati me ex hac acerba captivitate vindicare placuit, atque ipse menti meae ad superandam peccati legem robur addidit, oculosque meos aperuit, ut mali ac boni delectum haberem; tum scilicet, tum, inquam, animadverti ac vidi, praesentia omnia vanitatem et afflictionem spiritus esse (Eccli. I), quemadmodum etiam sapientissimus Salomon quodam loco dixit. Tum peccati velamen e corde meo sublatum est, atque obscuritas ea quae ex corporis crassitie animo meo incumbebat discussa et dissipata, atque cujusnam rei causa procreatus sum agnovi; mihique faciendum esse ut per mandatorum observationem ad summum (449c,1) illum rerum omnium effectorem ascendam. Quapropter relictis omnibus rebus, eum secutus sum. Gratiasque Deo per Jesum Christum Dominum nostrum ago, quod me ex luto et lateritio labore, ac crudeli et pestifero tenebrarum hujus saeculi principe liberarit, viamque mihi compendiariam et proclivem ostenderit, per quam in hoc fictili corpore angelicam vitae rationem amplexari possim. Cujus adipiscendae studio, arctam hanc et angustam viam ingrediendam mihi duxi (Matth. VII), sic videlicet animo constitutus, ut praesentium rerum vanitatem atque instabilem earum jactationem et conversionem vehementer improbem, neque adduci possim ut credam aliud quidquam praeter id quod vere bonum est bonum appellandum esse. A quo tu, o rex, misere (449d,1) te abrupisti ac sejunxisti. Eaque de causa nos etiam a te disjuncti ac distracti sumus, quoniam tu in perspicuum et indubitatum exitium ruis, ac nos in idem periculum praecipites ferri cogis. Nam quandiu in sola mundi militia censebamur, nullam officii partem praetermittebamus. Ac tu quoque optimus testis eris, nos nec negligentiae, nec socordiae nomine unquam esse notatos ac reprehensos. Posteaquam autem id quoque, quod omnium bonorum caput est, hoc est pietatem, nobis extorquere, Deique detrimento (quod detrimentorum omnium extremum ac gravissimum est) nos afficere studuisti, nobisque interim honores ob eam causam in nos collatos atque amplissima beneficia in memoriam revocas, (450a,1) qui fieri potest ut non optimo jure te veri boni inscitia laborare dicam, ut qui omnino haec inter se componas, pietatem scilicet erga Deum cum humana amicitia et gloria instar aquae defluente? Quonam item modo in hac re socii tibi futuri sumus, ac non contra tum amicitiam, tum honorem, tum liberorum amorem, et si quid aliud majus esset, aspernabimur,

The hermit answered and said, “O king, if thou askest the cause how I came to despise things temporal, and to devote my whole self to the hope of things eternal, hearken unto me. In former days, when I was still but a stripling, I heard a certain good and wholesome saying, which, by its three took my soul by storm; and the remembrance of it, like some divine seed, being planted in my heart, unmoved, was preserved ever until it took root, blossomed, and bare that fruit which thou seest in me. Now the meaning of that sentence was this: ‘It seemed good to the foolish to despise the things that are, as though they were not, and to cleave and cling to the things that are not, as though they were. So he, that hath never tasted the sweetness of the things that are, will not be able to understand the nature of the things that are not. And never having understood them, how shall he despise them?’ Now that saying meant by ‘things that are’ the things eternal and fixed, but by ‘things that are not’ earthly life, luxury, the prosperity that deceives, whereon, O king, thine heart alas! is fixed amiss. Time was when I also clung thereto myself. But the force of that sentence continually goading my heart, stirred my governing power, my mind, to make the better choice. But ‘the law of sin, warring against the law of my mind,’ and binding me, as with iron chains, held me captive to the love of things present. “But ‘after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour’ was pleased to deliver me from that harsh captivity, he enabled my mind to overcome the law of sin, and opened mine eyes to discern good from evil. Thereupon I perceived and looked, and behold! all things present are vanity and vexation of spirit, as somewhere in his writings saith Solomon the wise. Then was the veil of sin lifted from mine heart, and the dullness, proceeding from the grossness of my body, which pressed upon my soul, was scattered, and I perceived the end for which I was created, and how that it behoved me to move upward to my Creator by the keeping of his Commandments. Wherefore I left all and followed him, and I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord that he delivered me out of the mire, and from the making of bricks, and from the harsh and deadly ruler of the darkness of this world, and that he showed me the short and easy road whereby I shall be able, in this earthen body, eagerly to embrace the Angelic life. Seeking to attain to it the sooner, I chose to walk the strait and narrow way, renouncing the vanity of things present and the unstable changes and chances thereof, and refusing to call anything good except the true good, from which thou, O king, art miserably sundered and alienated. Wherefore also we ourselves were alienated and separated from thee, because thou wert falling into plain and manifest destruction, and wouldst constrain us also to descend into like peril. But as long as we were tried in the warfare of this world, we failed in no point of duty. Thou thyself will bear me witness that we were never charged with sloth or heedlessness. “But when thou hast endeavoured to rob us of the chiefest of all blessings, our religion, and to deprive us of God, the worst of deprivations, and, in this intent, dost remind us of past honours and preferments, how should I not rightly tax thee with ignorance of good, seeing that thou dost at all compare these two things, righteousness toward God, and human friendship, and glory, that runneth away like water? And how, in such ease, may we have fellowship with thee, and not the rather deny ourselves friendship and honours and love of children, and if there be any other tie greater than these?

Sa hinn goðe guðs vinr svaraðe. Ef þer spyrið herra konongr at upphave hvi ec firirleit þessa heims luti oc hvi ec stneromzt allr til eilifrar vonar. þa lyð mer. I blome alldrs mins. er œska min visaðe mer mart at forvitna. þa kom til œyrna mer ælskulegt orð. er sva rotfeste sitt sæðe i hiartta minu. at nu er auðsynt her at avoxtr a er orðenn. En þesse er kraptr þessa orðz: Sva synizt ovitrum monnum at þeir skolu firirlita þa luti er iafnan ero sva sem þeir se ekki. en þa luti sem ekki ero taka þeir sem þat se æ oc æ. en engi ma skilia þeirra luta natturu sem ekki ero. nema þeir menn sem fa ælsku þeirra luta sœtleiks er alldri verðr ender a. En heilog ritning kallar þa luti er iafnan ero eiliva dyrð. en þa luti er ekki ero kallar hon heimsins hegoma bratt liðannde. er þer herra oc aðrer þvilikir vsyniu of miok ælskeð. En meðan ec var i œskobloma alldrs mins var ec miok til veralldarennar viliaðr. en þa var æ sem nokkor lutr skortte oc hellde mik fra þvi at være eptir minum vilia. oc þa er guði þotte (6,1) timi til at, visa mer rettan veg til sins rikiss oc vilia. þa hugleidda ec með mer. at maðrenn er enskiss verðr. en allt veralldar glys oc goðenndi ero a litlu augabragðe a brotto sem þat se allt sionhuerfingar eða draumar. oc af þui firirlet ek allan heimsins hegoma a bak mer oc gek ec retta gatu. eptir þvi sem hinn visazte leiðsagumaðr visaðe mer. Kaus ec ðenna bunað. er þer herra miok lasteð. En hitt er miok harmande. er þer dyrleger herrar oc kurteisir skoluð tapazt i sva ubærelego livi. oc firir þvi herra stneromzt ec oc marger aðrer fra yðarre samvist. er bæðe er haskasamleg yðr oc morgum oðrum þeim sem þinni reglu fylgia.

Hin gode Gudsven svarede. “Dersom I, Herre Konge, spörger om Oprindelsen til, at jeg forsmaaede denne Verdens Ting, og hvorfor jeg ganske hengav mig til det evige Haab, da hör mig! I min blomstrende Alder, da min Ungdom ansporede mig til at granske efter Meget, da kom mig for Ören et elsketigt Ord, der saaledes rodfæstede sit Frö i mit Hjerte, at det nu her klart viser sig, at det har baaret Frugt. Men dette Ords Betydning er denne: Saa forekommer det uforstandige Mennesker, at de bör forsmaa de Ting, der altid ere, som om de ikke vare; men de Ting, der ikke ere, optage de som om de vare altid og evig. Men Ingen kan begribe de Tings Væsen, som ikke ere, uden de Mennesker, der fatte Kjærlighed til de Tings Deilighed, som der aldrig bliver Ende paa. Og den hellige Skrift kalder de Ting, som altid ere, evig Herlighed, men de Ting, som ikke ere, kalder den Verdens hastigt svindende Tant, hvilken I, Herre, og andre Deslige desværre allfor meget elske. Medens jeg nu var i min Alders Ungdomsflor, var jeg meget hengiven til Verden; men da var det altid, som om nogen Ting manglede og hindrede mig fra, at det gik mig efter Önske, og da Gud fandt der var Tid til at vise meg den rette Vei til sit Rige og sin Vilje, da betænkte jeg hos mig selv, at Mennesket er Intet værd, men al Verdens Glimmer og Herlighed ere i et lidet Öieblik forsvundne, som om det Alt var Synsforblindelser eller Drömme. Og derfor lod (10,1) jeg Verdens hele Tant bag mig og gik den rette Vei, efter som den viseste Förer anviste mig. Jeg valgte denne Dragt, som I, Herre, höiligen laster. Men det er meget sörgeligt, at I, dyrebare og höviske Herrer, skulle fortabes i saa utilbörligt Levnet; og derfor, Herre, vendte jeg og mange Andre os fra Eders Samfund, der er farligt baade for Eder og for de mange Andre, som fölge din Leveregel.

ὁρῶντές σε μᾶλλον, ὦ βασιλεῦ, ἀγνωμονοῦντα πρὸς τὸν Θεόν, τὸν καὶ αὐτό σοι τὸ εἶναι καὶ τὸ ἀναπνεῖν παρεχόμενον, ὅς ἐστι Χριστὸς Ἰησοῦς, ὁ Κύριος τῶν ἁπάντων, ὃς συνάναρχος ὢν καὶ συναΐδιος τῷ Πατρὶ καὶ τοὺς οὐρανοὺς τῷ λόγῳ καὶ τὴν γῆν ὑποστήσας, τὸν ἄνθρωπόν τε χερσὶν οἰκείαις ἐδημιούργησε καὶ ἀθανασίᾳ τοῦτον ἐτίμησε, καὶ βασιλέα τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς κατεστήσατο, καθάπερ τινὰ βασίλεια τὸ κάλλιστον ἁπάντων ἀποτάξας αὐτῷ, τὸν παράδεισον.

cum te, o rex, in Deum scelerate gerere conspiciamus, qui tibi ipsum esse et spiritum ducere praebuit, qui est Christus Jesus omnium Dominus: qui cum principio careat, ejusdemque cum Patre aeternitatis sit, coelosque ac terram sermone procrearit, hominem tamen 246 suismet manibus effinxit, eumque immortalitate coornavit, regemque omnium rerum quae in terra sunt constituit, eique quod omnium rerum (450b,1) praestantissimum erat, hoc est paradisum, tanquam regiam quamdam aulam attribuit.

When we see thee, O king, the rather forgetting thy reverence toward that God, who giveth thee the power to live and breathe, Christ Jesus, the Lord of all; who, being alike without beginning, and coeternal with the Father, and having created the heavens and the earth by his word, made man with his own hands and endowed him with immortality, and set him king of all on earth and assigned him Paradise, the fairest place of all, as his royal dwelling.

þu hatar þann er ollum lutum veitir hiolp. þar sem at upphave heimsins hafðe guð sua sœmelega sett mannenn sem hann være konongr yuir allre skepnu. en hann kunni þetta len eigi betr i hanndum at hava. en hann fylgði fianndans boðe er hann sveik. en hann tyndi oc tapaðe þvi boðorðe er sa bauð honom er allt gott villdi honom. eptir þetta var hann at verðleikum or sinni sælo kœyrðr af sinni vlyðni. Oc firir þvi at guð ælskððe sina skepnu mannenn. þa miskunnaðe hann sva haleitlega mannkyninu. at hann toc a sik manndom sannr guð. vskaddum sinum blæzaða guðdome. ekki af sinu tapande nema sina skepnu aptr kallannde með vtalulegre miskunn sinni. Oc með þui at sa kom at hialppa folkkeno er betri er. þa villdi hann eigi at eins aptr bœta varn skaða. nema helldr varn hag i myklu haleitare sælo fœra. En þu ambunar honom sva sinar valgernningar. er hann litillætte sik at þola dauða firir varar saker. at þu svivirðir hans blæzat nafn oc þann hinn hælga kross. er hann þolde dauða a ollum oss til eilifrar sælo oc fagnabar. ovan a þat at þer pinið oc dœyðit alla þa er sik vilia til eilifs fagnaðar fœra oc fra vfagnaðe skilia.¹

Du hader den, som opholder alle Ting. Thi ved Verdens Begyndelse havde Gud sat Manden i en saa hæderlig Stilling, som om han var Konge over hele Skabningen; men han kunde ikke bedre bevare denne Forlening, end, at han fulgte Djævelens Bud, som sveg ham, og han tilintetgjorde og bortkastede det Bud, som den gav ham, der vilde ham alt Godt. Derefter blev han efter Fortjeneste dreven ud af sit Eden for sin Ulydighed. Og fordi Gud elskede sin Skabning Mennesket, da forbarmede han sig saa herligen over Menneskeslægten, at han, sand Gud, paatog sig menneskelig Natur uden Skaar i sin velsignede guddommelige Natur, Intet mistende af Sit, men kaldende sin Skabning tilbage med sin usigelige Barmhjertighed. Og fordi den kom at hjælpe Menneskene, som er bedre end de, da vilde han ikke alene gjenoprette vor Skade, men endog före os til en langt höiere Saligheds Tilstand. Men du gjengjælder ham saaledes hans Velgjerning idet han ydmygede sig til at lide Döden for vor Skyld, at du vanærer hans velsignede Navn og det hellige Kors, paa hvilket han led Döden til evig Salighed og Lykke for os Alle, foruden at I pine og dræbe alle dem, der ville stræbe efter evig Salighed og befrie sig fra Usalighed.

ὁ δέ, φθόνῳ κλαπεὶς καὶ ἡδονῇ (φεῦ μοι) δελεασθείς, ἀθλίως τούτων ἐξέπεσε πάντων· καὶ ὁ πρὶν ζηλωτὸς ἐλεεινὸς ὡρᾶτο καὶ δακρύων διὰ τὴν συμφορὰν ἄξιος. ὁ πλάσας τοίνυν ἡμᾶς καὶ δημιουργήσας φιλανθρώποις πάλιν ἰδὼν ὀφθαλμοῖς τὸ τῶν οἰκείων χειρῶν ἔργον, τὸ Θεὸς εἶναι μὴ μεταβαλών, ὅπερ ἦν ἀπ' ἀρχῆς, ἐγένετο δι' ἡμᾶς ἀναμαρτήτως ὅπερ ἡμεῖς, καὶ σταυρὸν ἑκουσίως καὶ θάνατον ὑπομείνας, τὸν ἄνωθεν τῷ ἡμετέρῳ γένει βασκαίνοντα κατέβαλε πολέμιον, καί, ἡμᾶς τῆς πικρᾶς ἐκείνης αἰχμαλωσίας ἀνασωσάμενος, τὴν προτέραν ἀπέδωκε φιλαγάθως ἐλευθερίαν, καί, ὅθεν διὰ τὴν παρακοὴν ἐκπεπτώκαμεν, ἐκεῖ πᾶλιν διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν ἡμᾶς ἐπανήγαγε, μείζονος ἡμᾶς ἢ πρότερον τιμῆς ἀξιώσας. Τὸν δὴ τοιαῦτα δι' ἡμᾶς παθόντα καὶ τοιούτων ἡμᾶς πάλιν καταξιώσαντα, τοῦτον αὐτὸς ἀθετεῖς (26,1) καὶ εἰς τὸν ἐκείνου σταυρὸν ἀποσκώπτεις; ὅλος δὲ τῇ τρυφῇ τοῦ σώματος καὶ τοῖς ὀλεθρίοις προσηλωμένος πάθεσι, θεοὺς ἀναγορεύεις τὰ τῆς ἀτιμίας καὶ αἰσχύνης εἴδωλα; οὐ μόνον σεαυτὸν τῆς τῶν οὐρανίων ἀγαθῶν συναφείας ἀλλότριον κατεσκεύασας, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντας τοὺς πειθομένους τοῖς σοῖς προστάγμασι ταύτης ἤδη ἀπέρρηξας, καὶ ψυχικῷ κινδύνῳ παρέδωκας. ἴσθι τοίνυν ὡς ἔγωγε οὐ πεισθήσομαί σοι, οὔτε μὴν κοινωνήσω σοι τῆς τοιαύτης εἰς τὸν Θεὸν ἀχαριστίας, οὐδὲ τὸν ἐμὸν εὐεργέτην καὶ Σωτῆρα ἀρνήσομαι, εἰ καὶ θηρίοις ἀναλώσεις, εἰ ξίφει καὶ πυρὶ παραδώσεις με, ἃ τῆς σῆς ἐξουσίας ἐστίν. οὔτε γὰρ θάνατον δέδοικα, οὔτε ποθῶ τὰ παρόντα, πολλὴν αὐτῶν καταγνοὺς τὴν ἀσθένειαν καὶ ματαιότητα. τί γὰρ αὐτῶν χρήσιμον, ἢ μόνιμον, ἢ διαρκές; καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ εἶναι πολλὴ συνυπάρχει αὐτοῖς ἡ ταλαιπωρία, πολλὴ ἡ λύπη, πολλὴ καὶ ἀδιάσπαστος ἡ μέριμνα. τῇ γὰρ εὐφροσύνῃ αὐτῶν καὶ ἀπολαύσει πᾶσα συνέζευκται κατήφεια καὶ ὀδύνη· ὁ πλοῦτος (5) αὐτῶν πτωχεία ἐστί, καὶ τὸ ὕψος αὐτῶν ταπείνωσις ἐσχάτη. καὶ τίς ἐξαριθμήσει τὰ τούτων κακά; ἅπερ δι' ὀλίγων ῥημάτων ὑπέδειξέ μοι ὁ ἐμὸς θεολόγος. φησὶ γάρ· Ὁ κόσμος ὅλος ἐν τῷ πονηρῷ κεῖται· καί, Μὴ ἀγαπᾶτε τὸν κόσμον, μηδὲ τὰ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ὅτι πᾶν τὸ ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῆς σαρκὸς καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, καὶ ἡ ἀλαζονία τοῦ βίου· καί, ὁ κόσμος παράγεται καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία αὐτοῦ· ὁ δὲ ποιῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ μένει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. τοῦτο ἐγὼ ζητῶν τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ἀγαθόν, ἀφῆκα πάντα, καὶ ἐκολλήθην τοῖς τὸν (28,1) αὐτὸν κεκτημένοις πόθον καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν ἐκζητοῦσι Θεόν· ἐν οἷς οὐκ ἔστιν ἔρις ἢ φθόνος, λύπαι τε καὶ μέριμναι, ἀλλὰ πάντες τὸν ἴσον τρέχουσι δρόμον, ἵνα καταλάβωσι τὰς αἰωνίας μονάς, ἃς ἡτοίμασεν ὁ Πατὴρ τῶν φώτων τοῖς ἀγαπῶσιν αὐτόν. τούτους ἐγὼ γεννήτορας, τούτους ἀδελφούς, τούτους φίλους καὶ γνωστοὺς ἐκτησάμην· τῶν δέ ποτέ μου φίλων καὶ ἀδελφῶν Ἐμάκρυνα φυγαδεύων, καὶ ηὐλίσθην ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ προσδεχόμενος τὸν Θεόν, τὸν σώζοντά με ἀπὸ ὀλιγοψυχίας καὶ ἀπὸ καταιγίδος.

At ille invidia deceptus, et in fraudem inductus, et voluptatis illecebris delinitus (Gen. III; Sap. III), his omnibus misere dejectus est; et qui prius beatus censebatur, miserum spectaculum praebebat, lacrymisque ob acceptam calamitatem dignus erat. Verum enimvero is qui nos effinxerat ac procreaverat, benignis rursum oculis manuum suarum opus conspicatus, nullam divinitatis suae mutationem suscipiens, nostrae salutis causa, id quod nos sumus citra peccatum, factus est, atque crucem et mortem sponte subiens, hostem eum qui jam inde ab initio generi nostro invidebat prostravit, nosque acerba illa captivitate liberatos in priorem libertatem, pro sua erga nos bonitate, restituit, (450c,1) eoque rursum unde nos inobedientia exturbaverat, ob suam erga nos humanitatem, reduxit, majoreque quam antea honore prosecutus est. Hunc igitur qui nostra causa tot cruciatus pertulit, tantisque rursum nos beneficiis affecit, hunc, inquam, ipse rejicis, atque ejus crucem dicteriis insectaris, totusque corporis deliciis, ac perniciosis affectibus affixus, ignominiosa ac turpitudinis plena simulacra deos appellas. Nec teipsum duntaxat a coelestium bonorum conjunctione abstraxisti; verum etiam omnes, qui tuis imperiis obtemperant, ab ea removes, atque in animae periculum conjicis. Quocirca velim noscas me minime commissurum ut tibi paream, in eademque tecum erga Deum ingratitudine verser; atque eum qui praeclare de me meritus (450d,1) est, mihique salutem attulit, abjurem, etiamsi feris me lacerandum et absumendum objicias, aut gladio, aut igni me addicas, quae quidem in tua potestate sita sunt. Neque enim mortem exstimesco, nec praesentia expeto, quippe quae perquam imbecilla et vana esse compertum habeam. Quid enim in ipsis utilitatis est? quid quod stabile sit ac diuturnum? Neque id solum, verum etiam, tum quoque cum adsunt, ingens ipsis aerumna conjuncta est, ingens moeror, ingens et perpetua sollicitudo, siquidem eorum voluptati ac perceptioni nihil non moestitiae ac doloris adnexum est: ipsorum divitiae, paupertas sunt; ipsorum sublimitas, extrema dejectio. Quisnam autem eorum mala enumerando consequi possit? Quae (451a,1) quidem paucis verbis theologus meus mihi demonstravit, his verbis utens: Totus mundus in maligno positus est (I Joan. V et II). Ac rursum: Nolite diligere mundum, neque ea quae in mundo sunt. Quoniam omne quod in mundo est, aut est concupiscentia carnis, aut concupiscentia oculorum, aut superbia vitae. Et mundus transit, et concupiscentia ejus. Qui autem facit voluntatem Dei, manet in aeternum. Hanc igitur ego bonam Dei voluntatem quaerens, omnia pro derelicto habui, cum iisque me conjunxi qui eadem cupiditate tenentur, atque eumdem Deum expetunt. Inter quos non simultas est, non livor, non moerores et curae; sed omnes idem curriculum obeunt, ut ad sempiternas eas mansiones perveniant, quas luminum Pater iis a quibus amatur (451b,1) praeparavit (Jac. I; I Cor. II). Hos ego pro parentibus, hos pro fratribus, hos pro amicis et familiaribus habeo. Ab iis autem qui quondam amici mei ac fratres erant elongavi fugiens, et mansi in solitudine (Psal. LXII), Deum exspectans, qui salvum me fecit a pusillanimitate spiritus, et tempestate.

But man, beguiled by envy, and (wo is me!) caught by the bait of pleasure, miserably fell from all these blessings. So he that once was enviable became a piteous spectacle, and by his misfortune deserving of tears. Wherefore he, that had made and fashioned us, looked again with eyes of compassion upon the work of his own hands. He, not laying aside his God-head, which he had from the beginning, was made man for our sakes, like ourselves, but without sin, and was content to suffer death upon the Cross. He overthrew the foeman that from the beginning had looked with malice on our race; he rescued us from that bitter captivity; he, of his goodness, restored to us our former freedom, and, of his tender love towards mankind, raised us up again to that place from whence by our disobedience we had fallen, granting us even greater honour than at the first. “Him therefore, who endured such sufferings for our sakes, and again bestowed such blessings upon us, him dost thou reject and scoff at his Cross? And, thyself wholly riveted to carnal delights and deadly passions, dost thou proclaim the idols of shame and dishonour gods? Not only hast thou alienated thyself from the commonwealth of heavenly felicity but thou hast also severed from the same all others who obey thy commands, to the peril of their souls. Know therefore that I will not obey thee, nor join thee in such ingratitude to God-ward; neither will I deny my benefactor and Saviour, though thou slay me by wild beasts, or give me to the fire and sword, as thou hast the power. For I neither fear death, nor desire the present world, having passed judgement on the frailty and vanity thereof. For what is there profitable, abiding or stable therein? Nay, in very existence, great is the misery, great the pain, great and ceaseless the attendant care. Of its gladness and enjoyment the yoke-fellows are dejection and pain. Its riches is poverty; its loftiness die lowest humiliation; and who shall tell the full tale of its miseries, which Saint John the Divine hath shown me in few words? For he saith, ‘The whole world lieth in wickedness’; and, ‘Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. For all that is in the world is the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof, but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.’ Seeking, then, this good will of God, I have forsaken everything, and joined myself to those who possess the same desire, and seek after the same God. Amongst these there is no strife or envy, sorrow or care, but all run the like race that they may obtain those everlasting habitations which the Father of lights hath prepared for them that love him. Them have I gained for my fathers, my brothers, my friends and mine acquaintances. But from my former friends and brethren ‘I have got me away far off, and lodged in the wilderness’ waiting for the God, who saveth me from faintness of spirit, and from the stormy tempest.”

En þer er til veralldarennar stunndit oc vilið þar til allan yðarn hug festa, þa vitið sannlega. at þer eroð fra þeim fagnaðe skildir er guð hevir sinum vinum til boðet. Nu vit þat vrugglega at enskisskonar þinsl ne dauði með þinum ognom oc grimleik ma mik fra skilia mins lavarðar vilia.

Men (11,1) I, som længes efter Verden, og ville fæste hele Eders Sind dertil, I skulle sandelig vide, at I ere fjernede fra den Salighed, som Gud har forjættet sine Venner. Vid nu for vist, at intet Slags Pinsel eller Död med dine Trusler og din Grumhed kan fjerne mig fra min Herres Vilje!”

Τούτων εὐκαίρως οὕτω καὶ ἡδέως τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀνθρώπῳ ὑπαγορευθέντων, ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκινεῖτο μὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ θυμοῦ, καὶ πικρῶς αἰκίζειν τὸν ἅγιον ἠβούλετο, ὤκνει δὲ πάλιν καὶ ἀνεβάλλετο, τὸ αἰδέσιμον αὐτοῦ καὶ περιφανὲς εὐλαβούμενος. ὑπολαβὼν δὲ ἔφη πρὸς αὐτόν.

Haec cum ita commode ac jucunde a Dei homine dicta essent, rex iracundia quidem impellebatur, ac sanctum virum acerbis suppliciis excruciare cupiebat; rursum autem se reprimebat, atque id aggredi cunctabatur, venerandam ipsius dignitatem ac splendorem veritus. Sermonem vero excipiens, his eum verbis est allocutus:

When the man of God had made answer thus gently and in good reason, the king was stirred by anger, and was minded cruelly to torment the saint; but again he hesitated and delayed, regarding his venerable and noble mien. So he answered and said:

Oc sem konongr hœyrði hans fagru oc hin stniallu orð. oc reðo honom þat hans riddarar at pina hann. oc þar um hugsaðe hann miok at lata pina hann grimlega með allzskonar pinslum. en þo hellt honom ifra hans ælska hin fyrri oc su kurteisi oc mannan. ætt oc gafugleikr oc ælskugi. er hann minntizt a þat sem hann hafðe honom fyrr þionat. oc tok þa konongr tit orðz.

8. Og da Kongen hörte hans skjönne og veltalende Ord, og hans Riddere raadede, til at pine ham, og han tænkte meget paa at lade ham grusomt martre med alle Slags Pinsler, men dog afholdtes derfra ved sin forrige Kjærlighed og hans Höviskhed og Dannelse, Herkomst og Gjævhed og Kjærlighed, idet han mindedes, hvorledes han för havde tjent ham, da tog Kongen saa til Orde:

1. This corresponds to a Buddhist saying expressing the same idea.

1. This paragraph has few similarities with the corresponding part of the Greek, but seems to be intended as a summary, if not following the Greek text to any extent.

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