English: Roberts-Donaldson translation. Greek: “Pastor” ser. Die apostolischen Väter I. Der Hirt des Hermas Akademie-Verlag (Berlin, 1967) pp. 1-98

 09_Parable

NINTH PARABLE

⁷⁸t.^{1 1}Παραβολὴ θ¹

the great mysteries in the building of the militant and triumphant church,

CHAPTER I

After I had written down the commandments and Parables of the Shepherd, the angel of repentance, he came to me and said, “I wish to explain to you what the HOly Spirit that spake with you in the form of the Church showed you, for that Spirit is the Son of God. For, as you were somewhat weak in the flesh, it was not explained to you by the angel. When, however, you were strengthened by the Spirit, and your strength was increased, so that you were able to see the angel also, then accordingly was the building of the tower shown you by the Church. In a noble and solemn manner did you see everything as if shown you by a virgin; but now you see [them] through the same Spirit as if shown by an angel. You must, however, learn everything from me with greater accuracy. For I was sent for this purpose by the glorious angel to dwell in your house, that you might see all things with power, entertaining no fear, even as it was before.” And he led me away into Arcadia, to a round hill; and he placed me on the top of the hill, and showed me a large plain, and round about the plain twelve mountains, all having different forms. The first was black as soot; and the second bare, without grass; and the third full of thorns and thistles; and the fourth with grass half-withered, the upper parts of the plants green, and the parts about the roots withered; and some of the grasses, when the sun scorched them, became withered. And the fifth mountain had green grass, and was ragged. And the sixth mountain was quite full of clefts, some small and others large; and the clefts were grassy, but the plants were not very vigorous, but rather, as it were, decayed. The seventh mountain, again, had cheerful pastures, and the whole mountain was blooming, and every kind of cattle and birds were feeding upon that mountain; and the more the cattle and the birds ate, the more the grass of that mountain flourished. And the eighth mountain was full of fountains, and every kind of the Lord’s creatures drank of the fountains of that mountain. But the ninth mountain [had no water at all, and was wholly a desert, and had within it deadly serpents, which destroy men. And the tenth mountain ] had very large trees, and was completely shaded, and under the shadow of the trees sheep lay resting and ruminating. And the eleventh mountain was very thickly wooded, and those trees were productive, being adorned with various sons of fruits, so that any one seeing them would desire to eat of their fruits. The twelfth mountain, again, was wholly white, and its aspect was cheerful, and the mountain in itself was very beautiful.

Μετὰ τὸ γράψαι με τὰς ἐντολὰς καὶ παραβολὰς τοῦ ποιμένος͵ τοῦ ἀγγέλου τῆς μετανοίας͵ ἦλθε πρός με καὶ λέγει μοι· Θέλω σοι δεῖξαι͵ ὅσα σοὶ ἔδειξε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον τὸ λαλῆσαν μετὰ σοῦ ἐν μορφῇ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας· ἐκεῖνο ^78.2 γὰρ τὸ πνεῦμα ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἀσθενέστερος τῇ σαρκὶ ἦς͵ οὐκ ἐδηλώθη σοι δι΄ ἀγγέλου. ὅτε οὖν ἐνεδυναμώθης διὰ τοῦ πνεύματος καὶ ἴσχυσας τῇ ἰσχύι σου͵ ὥστε δύνασθαί σε ἄγγελον ἰδεῖν͵ τότε μὲν οὖν ἐδη λώθη σοι διὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἡ οἰκοδομὴ τοῦ πύργου· καλῶς καὶ σεμνῶς πάντα ὡς ὑπὸ παρθένου ἑώρακας. νῦν δὲ ὑπὸ ἀγγέλου βλέπεις͵ διὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ ^78.3 μὲν πνεύματος· δεῖ δέ σε ἀκριβέστερον ὑπ΄ ἐμοῦ πάντα ἰδεῖν. εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ἐδόθην ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐνδόξου ἀγγέλου εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου κατοικῆσαι͵ ἵνα ^78.4 δυνατῶς πάντα ἴδης͵ μηδὲν δειλαινόμενος ὡς καὶ τὸ πρότερον. καὶ ἀπή γαγέ με εἰς τὴν Ἀρκαδίαν͵ εἰς ὄρος τι μαστῶδες͵ καὶ ἐκάθισέ με ἐπὶ τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ ὄρους͵ καὶ ἔδειξέ μοι πεδίον μέγα͵ κύκλῳ δὲ τοῦ πεδίου ὄρη ^78.5 δώδεκα͵ ἄλλην καὶ ἄλλην ἰδέαν ἔχοντα τὰ ὄρη. τὸ πρῶτον ἦν μέλαν ὡς ἀσβόλη· τὸ δὲ δεύτερον ψιλόν͵ βοτάνας μὴ ἔχον· τὸ δὲ τρίτον ἀκανθῶν καὶ ^78.6 τριβόλων πλῆρες· τὸ δὲ τέταρτον βοτάνας ἔχον ἡμιξήρους͵ τὰ μὲν ἐπάνω τῶν βοτανῶν χλωρά͵ τὰ δὲ πρὸς ταῖς ῥίζαις ξηρά· τινὲς δὲ βοτάναι͵ ὅταν ὁ ἥλιος ^78.7 ἐπικεκαύκει͵ ξηραὶ ἐγίνοντο· τὸ δὲ πέμπτον ὄρος ἦν τραχὺ λίαν͵ βοτάνας δὲ εἶχε χλωράς. τὸ δὲ ἕκτον ὄρος ὅλον σχισμῶν ἔγεμεν͵ ἃς μὲν μεγάλας͵ ἃς δὲ μικράς· εἶχον δὲ βοτάνας αἱ σχισμαί͵ οὐ λίαν δὲ ἦσαν εὐθαλεῖς αἱ βοτάναι͵ μᾶλλον ^78.8 δὲ ὡς μεμαραμμέναι ἦσαν. τὸ δὲ ἕβδομον ὄρος εἶχεν βοτάνας ἱλαράς͵ καὶ ὅλον τὸ ὄρος εὐθηνοῦν ἦν͵ καὶ πᾶν γένος κτηνῶν καὶ ὀρνέων ἐνέμετο εἰς τὸ ὄρος ἐκεῖνο· καὶ ὅσον ἐβόσκετο τὰ κτήνη καὶ τὰ πετεινά͵ μᾶλλον καὶ μᾶλλον αἱ βοτάναι τοῦ ὄρους ἐκείνου ἔθαλλον. τὸ δὲ ὄγδοον ὄρος πηγῶν πλῆρες ἦν͵ καὶ πᾶν γένος τῆς κτίσεως τοῦ κυρίου ἐποτίζετο ἐκ ^78.9 τῶν πηγῶν τοῦ ὄρους ἐκείνου. τὸ δὲ ἔνατον ὄρος ὅλως ὕδωρ οὐκ εἶχεν καὶ ὅλον ἐρημῶδες ἦν͵ εἶχεν δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ θηρία ἑρπετὰ θανάσιμα͵ διαφθείροντα ἀνθρώπους. τὸ δὲ δέκατον ὄρος εἶχε δένδρα μέγιστα͵ καὶ ὅλον κατάσκιον ἦν͵ καὶ ὑπὸ τὴν σκέπην τῶν δένδρων πρόβατα κατέκειντο ἀναπαυόμενα καὶ μαρυ ^78.10 κώμενα. τὸ δὲ ἑνδέκατον ὄρος λίαν σύνδενδρον ἦν͵ καὶ τὰ δένδρα ἐκεῖνα κατάκαρπα ἦν͵ ἄλλοις καὶ ἄλλοις καρποῖς κεκοσμημένα͵ ἵνα ἰδών τις αὐτὰ ἐπιθυμήσῃ φαγεῖν ἐκ τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν. τὸ δὲ δωδέκατον ὄρος ὅλον ἦν λευκόν͵ καὶ ἡ πρόσοψις αὐτοῦ ἱλαρὰ λίαν· καὶ εὐπρεπέστατον ἦν ἐν αὑτῷ τὸ ὄρος.

CHAPTER II

And in the middle of the plain he showed me a large white rock that had arisen out of the plain. And the rock was more lofty than the mountains, rectangular in shape, so as to be capable of containing the whole world: and that rock Was old, having a gate cut out of it; and the cutting out of the gate seemed to me as if recently done. And the gate glittered to such a degree under the sunbeams, that I marvelled at the splendour of the gate; and round about the gate were standing twelve virgins. The four who stood at the corners seemed to me more distinguished than the others--they were all, however, distinguished--and they were standing at the four parts of the gate; two virgins between each part. And they were clothed with linen tunics, and gracefully girded, having their right shoulders exposed, as if about to bear some burden. Thus they stood ready; for they were exceedingly cheerful and eager. After I had seen these things, I marvelled in myself, because I was beholding great and glorious sights. And again I was perplexed about the virgins, because, although so delicate, they were standing courageously, as if about to carry the whole heavens. And the Shepherd said to me “Why are you reasoning in yourself, and perplexing your mind, and distressing yourself? for the things which you cannot understand, do not attempt to comprehend, as if you were wise; but ask the Lord, that you may receive understanding and know them. You cannot see what is behind you, but you see what is before. Whatever, then, you cannot see, let alone, and do not torment yourself about it: but what you see, make yourself master of it, and do not waste your labour about other things; and I will explain to you everything that I show you. Look therefore, on the things that remain.”

^79.1 Εἰς μέσον δὲ τοῦ πεδίου ἔδειξέ μοι πέτραν μεγάλην λευκὴν ἐκ τοῦ πεδίου ἀναβεβηκυῖαν. ἡ δὲ πέτρα ὑψηλοτέρα ἦν τῶν ὀρέων͵ τετράγωνος δέ͵ ὥστε ^79.2 δύνασθαι ὅλον τὸν κόσμον χωρῆσαι. παλαιὰ δὲ ἦν ἡ πέτρα ἐκείνη πύλην ἐκκεκομμένην ἔχουσα· ὡς πρόσφατος δὲ ἐδόκει μοι εἶναι ἡ ἐκκόλαψις τῆς πύλης. ἡ δὲ πύλη οὕτως ἔστιλβεν ὑπὲρ τὸν ἥλιον͵ ὥστε με θαυμάζειν ἐπὶ τῇ ^79.3 λαμπηδόνι τῆς πύλης. κύκλῳ δὲ τῆς πύλης εἱστήκεισαν παρθένοι δώδεκα. αἱ οὖν τέσσαρες αἱ εἰς τὰς γωνίας ἑστηκυῖαι ἐνδοξότεραί μοι ἐδόκουν εἶναι· καὶ αἱ ἄλλαι δὲ ἔνδοξοι ἦσαν. εἱστήκεισαν δὲ εἰς τὰ τέσσαρα μέρη τῆς πύλης͵ ^79.4 ἀνὰ μέσον αὐτῶν ἀνὰ δύο παρθένοι. ἐνδεδυμέναι δὲ ἦσαν λινοῦς χιτῶνας καὶ περιεζωσμέναι ἦσαν εὐπρεπῶς͵ ἔξω τοὺς ὤμους ἔχουσαι τοὺς δεξιοὺς ὡς μέλλουσαι φορτίον τι βαστάζειν. οὕτως ἕτοιμαι ἦσαν· λίαν γὰρ ἱλαραὶ ^79.5 ἦσαν καὶ πρόθυμοι. μετὰ τὸ ἰδεῖν με ταῦτα ἐθαύμαζον ἐν ἐμαυτῷ͵ ὅτι μεγάλα καὶ ἔνδοξα πράγματα ἔβλεπον. καὶ πάλιν ἠπορούμην ἐπὶ ταῖς παρθένοις͵ ὅτι τρυφεραὶ οὖσαι οὕτως ἀνδρείως εἱστήκεισαν ὡς μέλλουσαι ^79.6 ὅλον τὸν οὐρανὸν βαστάζειν. καὶ λέγει μοι ὁ ποιμήν· Τί ἐν σεαυτῷ διαλογίζῃ καὶ ἀπορῇ καὶ σεαυτῷ λύπην ἐπισπᾶσαι; ὅσα γὰρ οὐ δύνῃ νοῆσαι͵ μὴ ἐπιχείρει ὡς συνετὸς ὤν͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐρώτα τὸν κύριον͵ ἵνα λαβὼν σύνεσιν ^79.7 νοήσῃς αὐτά. τὰ ὀπίσω σου ἰδεῖν οὐ δύνῃ͵ τὰ δὲ ἔμπροσθέν σου βλέπεις. ἃ οὖν ἰδεῖν οὐ δύνῃ͵ ἔασον͵ καὶ σεαυτὸν μὴ στρέβλου· ἃ βλέπεις δέ͵ ἐκείνων κατακυρίευε͵ καὶ περὶ τῶν λοιπῶν μὴ περιεργάζου· πάντα δέ σοι ἐγὼ δηλώσω͵ ὅσα ἐάν σοι δείξω. ἔμβλεπε οὖν τοῖς λοιποῖς.

CHAPTER III

I saw six men come, tall, and distinguished, and similar in appearance, and they summoned, a multitude of men. And they who came were also tall men, and handsome, and powerful; and the six men commanded them to build a tower above the rock. And great was the noise of those men who came to build the tower, as they ran hither and thither around the gate. And the virgins who stood around the gate told the men to hasten to build the tower. Now the virgins had spread out their hands, as if about to receive something from the men. And the six men commanded stones to ascend out of a certain pit, and to go to the building of the tower. And there went up ten shining rectangular stones, not hewn in a quarry. And the six men called the virgins, and bade them carry all the stones that were intended for the building, and to pass through the gate, and give them to the men who were about to build the tower. And the virgins put upon one another the ten first stones which had ascended from the pit, and carried them together, each stone by itself.

^80.1 Εἶδον ἓξ ἄνδρας ἐληλυθότας ὑψηλοὺς καὶ ἐνδόξους καὶ ὁμοίους τῇ ἰδέᾳ· ἐκάλεσαν δὲ πλῆθός τι ἀνδρῶν. κἀκεῖνοι δὲ οἱ ἐληλυθότες ὑψηλοὶ ἄνδρες καὶ λίαν καλοὶ καὶ δυνατοὶ ἦσαν· καὶ ἐκέλευσαν αὐτοὺς οἱ ἓξ ἄνδρες οἰκοδομεῖν ἐπάνω τῆς πέτρας πύργον τινά. ἦν δὲ μέγας θόρυβος τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐκείνων τῶν ἐληλυθότων οἰκοδομεῖν τὸν πύργον͵ ὧδε κἀκεῖ περιτρεχόντων κύκλῳ ^80.2 τῆς πύλης· αἱ δὲ παρθένοι ἑστηκυῖαι περὶ τὴν πύλην ἔλεγον τοῖς ἀνδράσι σπεύδειν δεῖν οἰκοδομηθῆναι τὸν πύργον. ἐκπεπετάκεισαν δὲ τὰς χεῖρας αἱ ^80.3 παρθένοι ὡς μέλλουσαί τι λαμβάνειν παρὰ τῶν ἀνδρῶν. οἱ δὲ ἓξ ἄνδρες ἐκέλευον ἐκ βυθοῦ τινος λίθους ἀναβαίνειν καὶ ὑπάγειν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου. ἀνέβησαν δὲ λίθοι ι τετράγωνοι λαμπροί͵ μὴ λελατομημένοι. ^80.4 οἱ δὲ ἓξ ἄνδρες ἐκάλουν τὰς παρθένους καὶ ἐκέλευσαν αὐτὰς τοὺς λίθους πάντας τοὺς μέλλοντας εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ὑπάγειν τοῦ πύργου βαστάζειν καὶ διαπορεύεσθαι διὰ τῆς πύλης͵ καὶ ἐπιδιδόναι τοῖς ἀνδράσι τοῖς μέλλουσιν ^80.5 οἰκοδομεῖν τὸν πύργον. αἱ δὲ παρθένοι τοὺς δέκα λίθους τοὺς πρώτους τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ ἀναβάντας ἐπετίθουν ἀλλήλαις καὶ κατὰ ἕνα λίθον ἐβά σταζον ὁμοῦ.

CHAPTER IV

And as they stood together around the gate, those who seemed to be strong carried them, and they stooped down under the corners of the stone; and the others stooped down under the sides of the stones. And in this way they carried all the stones. And they carried them through the gate as they were commanded, and gave them to the men for the tower; and they took the stones and proceeded with the building. Now the tower was built upon the great rock, and above the gate. Those ten stones were prepared as the foundation for the building of the tower. And the rock and gate were the support of the whole of the tower. And after the ten stones other twenty [five] came up out of the pit, and these were fired into the building of the tower, being carried by the virgins as before. And after these ascended thirty-five. And these in like manner were fitted into the tower. And after these other forty stones came up; and all these were cast into the building of the tower, [and there were four rows in the foundation of the tower, ] and they ceased ascending from the pit. And the builders also ceased for a little. And again the six men commanded the multitude of the crowd to bear stones from the mountains for the building of the tower. They were accordingly brought from all the mountains of various, colours, and being hewn by the men were given to the virgins; and the virgins carried them through the gate, and gave them for the building of the tower. And when the stones of various colours were placed in the building, they all became white alike, and lost their different colours. And certain stones were given by the men for the building, and these did not become shining; but as they were placed, such also were they found to remain: for they were not given by the virgins, nor carried through the gate. These stones, therefore, were not in keeping with the others in the building of the tower. And the six men, seeing these unsuitable stones in the building, commanded them to be taken away, and to be carried away down to their own place whence they had been taken; [and being removed one by one, they were laid aside; and] they say to the men who brought the stones, “Do not ye bring any stones at all for the building, but lay them down beside the tower, that the virgins may carry them through the gate, and may give them for the building. For unless,” they said, “they be carried through the gate by the hands of the virgins, they cannot change their colours: do not toil, therefore,” they said, “to no purpose.”

^81.1 Καθὼς δὲ ἐστάθησαν ὁμοῦ κύκλῳ τῆς πύλης͵ οὕτως ἐβάσταζον αἱ δοκοῦσαι δυναταὶ εἶναι͵ καὶ ὑπὸ τὰς γωνίας τοῦ λίθου ὑποδεδυκυῖαι ἦσαν· αἱ δὲ ἄλλαι ἐκ τῶν πλευρῶν τοῦ λίθου ὑποδεδύκεισαν͵ καὶ οὕτως ἐβάσταζον πάντας τοὺς λίθους· διὰ δὲ τῆς πύλης διέφερον αὐτούς͵ καθὼς ἐκελεύσθησαν͵ καὶ ἐπεδίδουν τοῖς ἀνδράσιν εἰς τὸν πύργον· ἐκεῖνοι δὲ ἔχοντες τοὺς λίθους ^81.2 ᾠκοδόμουν. ἡ οἰκοδομὴ δὲ τοῦ πύργου ἐγένετο ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν τὴν μεγάλην καὶ ἐπάνω τῆς πύλης. ἡρμόσθησαν οὖν οἱ ι λίθοι ἐκεῖνοι͵ καὶ ἐνέπλησαν ὅλην τὴν πέτραν. καὶ ἐγένοντο ἐκεῖνοι θεμέλιος τῆς οἰκο δομῆς τοῦ πύργου. ἡ δὲ πέτρα καὶ ἡ πύλη ἦν βαστάζουσα ὅλον τὸν ^81.3 πύργον. μετὰ δὲ τοὺς ι λίθους ἄλλοι ἀνέβησαν ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ κε λίθοι· καὶ οὗτοι ἡρμόσθησαν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου͵ βασταζόμενοι ὑπὸ τῶν παρθένων καθὼς καὶ οἱ πρότεροι. μετὰ δὲ τούτους ἀνέβησαν λε· καὶ οὗτοι ὁμοίως ἡρμόσθησαν εἰς τὸν πύργον. μετὰ δὲ τούτους ἕτεροι ἀνέβησαν λίθοι μ· καὶ οὗτοι πάντες ἐβλήθησαν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου· ἐγέ ^81.4 νοντο οὖν στοῖχοι τέσσαρες ἐν τοῖς θεμελίοις τοῦ πύργου. καὶ ἐπαύσαντο ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ ἀναβαίνοντες· ἐπαύσαντο δὲ καὶ οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες μικρόν. καὶ πάλιν ἐπέταξαν οἱ ἓξ ἄνδρες τῷ πλήθει τοῦ ὄχλου ἐκ τῶν ὀρέων παραφέρειν ^81.5 λίθους εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου. παρεφέροντο οὖν ἐκ πάντων τῶν ὀρέων χρόαις ποικίλαις λελατομημένοι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ ἐπεδίδοντο ταῖς παρθένοις· αἱ δὲ παρθένοι διέφερον αὐτοὺς διὰ τῆς πύλης καὶ ἐπεδίδουν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου. καὶ ὅταν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ἐτέθησαν οἱ λίθοι οἱ ^81.6 ποικίλοι͵ ὅμοιοι ἐγένοντο λευκοὶ καὶ τὰς χρόας τὰς προτέρας ἤλλασσον. τινὲς δὲ λίθοι ἐπεδίδοντο ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνδρῶν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομήν͵ καὶ οὐκ ἐγίνοντο λαμπροί͵ ἀλλ΄ οἷοι ἐτέθησαν͵ τοιοῦτοι καὶ ἦσαν· οὐ γὰρ ἦσαν ἀπὸ τῶν παρθένων ἐπιδεδομένοι οὐδὲ διὰ τῆς πύλης παρενηνεγμένοι. οὗτοι οὖν οἱ ^81.7 λίθοι ἀπρεπεῖς ἦσαν ἐν τῇ οἰκοδομῇ τοῦ πύργου. εἶδον δὲ οἱ ἓξ ἄνδρες τοὺς λίθους τούτους ἀπρεπεῖς ἐν τῇ οἰκοδομῇ καὶ ἐκέλευσαν αὐτοὺς ἀρθῆναι καὶ ^81.8 ἀπενεχθῆναι κάτω εἰς τὸν ἴδιον τόπον ὅθεν ἠνέχθησαν. καὶ λέγουσι τοῖς ἀνδράσι τοῖς παρεμφέρουσι τοὺς λίθους· Ὅλως ὑμεῖς μὴ ἐπιδίδοτε εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν λίθους· τίθετε δὲ αὐτοὺς παρὰ τὸν πύργον͵ ἵνα αἱ παρθένοι διὰ τῆς πύλης παρενέγκωσιν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐπιδιδῶσιν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομήν. ἐὰν γάρ͵ φασίν͵ διὰ τῶν χειρῶν τῶν παρθένων τούτων μὴ διενεχθῶσι διὰ τῆς πύλης͵ τὰς χρόας αὐτῶν ἀλλάξαι οὐ δύνανται· μὴ κοπιᾶτε οὖν͵ φασίν͵ εἰς μάτην.

CHAPTER V

And on that day the building was finished, but the tower was not completed; for additional building was again about to be added, and there was a cessation in the building. And the six men commanded the builders all to withdraw a little distance, and to rest, but enjoined the virgins not to withdraw from the tower; and it seemed to me that the virgins had been left to guard the tower. Now after all had withdrawn, and were resting themselves, I said to the Shepherd, “What is the reason that the building of the tower was not finished? “The tower,” he answered, “cannot be finished just yet, until the Lord of it come and examine the building, in order that, if any of the stones be found to be decayed, he may change them: for the tower is built according to his pleasure.” “I would like to know, sir,” I said, “what is the meaning of the building of this tower, and what the rock and gate, and the mountains, and the virgins mean, and the stones that ascended from the pit, and were not hewn, but came as they were to the building. Why, in the first place, were ten stones placed in the foundation, then twenty-five, then thirty-five, then forty? and I wish also to know about the stones that went to the building, and were again taken out and returned to their own place? On all these points put my mind at rest, sir, and explain them to me.” “If you are not found to be curious about trifles,” he replied, “you shall know everything. For after a few days [we shall come hither, and you will see the other things that happen to this tower, and will know accurately all the Parables.” After a few days ] we came to the place where we sat down. And he said to me, “Let us go to the tower; for the master of the tower is coming to examine it.” And we came to the tower, and there was no one at all near it, save the virgins only. And the Shepherd asked the virgins if perchance the master of the tower had come; and they replied that he was about to come to examine the building.

^82.1 Καὶ ἐτελέσθη ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἡ οἰκοδομή͵ οὐκ ἀπετελέσθη δὲ ὁ πύργος· ἔμελλε γὰρ πάλιν ἐποικοδομεῖσθαι· ἐγένετο δὲ ἀνοχή τις τῆς οἰκοδομῆς. ἐκέλευσαν δὲ αὐτοὺς οἱ ἓξ ἄνδρες τοὺς οἰκοδομοῦντας ἀναχωρῆσαι καὶ ὡσεὶ ἀναπαῆναι· ταῖς δὲ παρθένοις ἐπέταξαν ἀπὸ τοῦ πύργου μὴ ἀναχωρεῖν. ἐδόκει δέ μοι τὰς παρθένους καταλελεῖφθαι τοῦ φυλάσσειν τὸν πύργον. ^82.2 μετὰ δὲ τὸ ἀναχωρῆσαι πάντας καὶ ἀναπαῆναι λέγω τῷ ποιμένι· Τί ὅτι͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ οὐ συνετελέσθη ἡ οἰκοδομὴ τοῦ πύργου; Οὔπω͵ φησί͵ δύναται ἀποτελεσθῆναι ὁ πύργος͵ ἐὰν μὴ ἔλθῃ ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ καὶ δοκιμάσῃ τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ταύτην͵ ἵνα ἐάν τινες λίθοι σαπροὶ εὑρεθῶσιν͵ ἀλλάξῃ αὐτούς· πρὸς ^82.3 γὰρ τὸ ἐκείνου θέλημα οἰκοδομεῖται ὁ πύργος. ῎Ηθελον͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ τούτου τοῦ πύργου γνῶναι τί ἐστιν ἡ οἰκοδομὴ αὕτη͵ καὶ περὶ τῆς πέτρας καὶ πύλης καὶ τῶν ὀρέων καὶ τῶν παρθένων͵ καὶ τῶν λίθων τῶν ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ ἀναβεβηκότων καὶ μὴ λελατομημένων͵ ἀλλ΄ οὕτως ἀπελθόντων εἰς ^82.4 τὴν οἰκοδομήν. καὶ διατί πρῶτον εἰς τὰ θεμέλια ι λίθοι ἐτέθησαν͵ εἶτα κε͵ εἶτα λε͵ εἶτα μ͵ καὶ περὶ τῶν λίθων τῶν ἀπεληλυθότων εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν καὶ πάλιν ἠρμένων καὶ εἰς τόπον ἴδιον ἀποτεθειμένων· περὶ πάν ^82.5 των τούτων ἀνάπαυσον τὴν ψυχήν μου͵ κύριε͵ καὶ γνώρισόν μοι αὐτά. Ἐάν͵ φησί͵ κενόσπουδος μὴ εὑρεθῇς͵ πάντα γνώσῃ. μετ΄ ὀλίγας γὰρ ἡμέρας ἐλευ σόμεθα ἐνθάδε͵ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ὄψει τὰ ἐπερχόμενα τῷ πύργῳ τούτῳ καὶ πάσας ^82.6 τὰς παραβολὰς ἀκριβῶς γνώσῃ. καὶ μετ΄ ὀλίγας ἡμέρας ἤλθομεν εἰς τὸν τόπον οὗ κεκαθίκαμεν͵ καὶ λέγει μοι· Ἄγωμεν παρὰ τὸν πύργον· ὁ γὰρ αὐθέντης τοῦ πύργου ἔρχεται κατανοῆσαι αὐτόν. καὶ ἤλθομεν πρὸς τὸν ^82.7 πύργον· καὶ ὅλως οὐθεὶς ἦν πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰ μὴ αἱ παρθένοι μόναι. καὶ ἐπ ερωτᾷ ὁ ποιμὴν τὰς παρθένους εἰ ἄρα παραγεγόνει ὁ δεσπότης τοῦ πύργου. αἱ δὲ ἔφησαν μέλλειν αὐτὸν ἔρχεσθαι κατανοῆσαι τὴν οἰκοδομήν.

CHAPTER VI

And, behold, after a little I see an array of many men coming, and in the midst of them one man of so remarkable a size as to overtop the tower. And the six men who had worked upon the building were with him, and many other honourable men were around him. And the virgins who kept the tower ran forward and kissed him, and began to walk near him around the tower. And that man examined the building carefully, feeling every stone separately; and holding a rod in his hand, he struck every stone in the building three times. And when he struck them, some of them became black as soot, and some appeared as if covered with scabs, and some cracked, and some mutilated, and some neither white nor black, and some rough and not in keeping with the other stones, and some having Every many] stains: such were the varieties of decayed stones that were found in the building. He ordered all these to be taken out of the tower, and to be laid down beside it, and other stones to be brought and put in their stead. [And the builders asked him from what mountain he wished them to be brought and put in their place. ] And he did not command them to be brought from the mountains, [but he bade them be brought from a certain plain which was near at hand. ] And the plain was dug up, and shining rectangular stones were found, and some also of a round shape; and all the stones which were in that plain were brought, and carried through the gate by the virgins. And the rectangular stones were hewn, and put in place of those that were taken away; but the rounded stones were not put into the building, because they were hard to hew, and appeared to field slowly to the chisel; they were deposited, however, beside the tower, as if intended to be hewn and used in the building, for they were exceedingly brilliant.

^83.1 Καὶ ἰδοὺ μετὰ μικρὸν βλέπω παράταξιν πολλῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐρχομένων· καὶ ^83.2 εἰς τὸ μέσον ἀνήρ τις ὑψηλὸς τῷ μεγέθει͵ ὥστε τὸν πύργον ὑπερέχειν. καὶ οἱ ἓξ ἄνδρες οἱ εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ἐφεστῶτες ἐκ δεξιῶν καὶ ἀριστερῶν περιεπάτησαν μετ΄ αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ πάντες οἱ εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ἐργασάμενοι μετ΄ αὐτοῦ ἦσαν͵ καὶ ἕτεροι πολλοὶ κύκλῳ αὐτοῦ ἔνδοξοι. αἱ δὲ παρθένοι αἱ τηροῦσαι τὸν πύργον προσδραμοῦσαι κατεφίλησαν αὐτόν͵ καὶ ἤρξαντο ἐγγὺς ^83.3 αὐτοῦ περιπατεῖν κύκλῳ τοῦ πύργου. κατενόει δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ ἐκεῖνος τὴν οἰκοδο μὴν ἀκριβῶς͵ ὥστε αὐτὸν καθ΄ ἕνα λίθον ψηλαφᾶν. κρατῶν δέ τινα ῥάβδον ^83.4 τῇ χειρὶ κατὰ ἕνα λίθον τῶν ᾠκοδομημένων ἔτυπτε. καὶ ὅταν ἐπάτασσεν͵ ἐγένοντο αὐτῶν τινες μέλανες ὡσεὶ ἀσβόλη͵ τινὲς δὲ ἐψωριακότες͵ τινὲς δὲ σχισμὰς ἔχοντες͵ τινὲς δὲ κολοβοί͵ τινὲς δὲ οὔτε λευκοὶ οὔτε μέλανες͵ τινὲς δὲ τραχεῖς καὶ μὴ συμφωνοῦντες τοῖς ἑτέροις λίθοις͵ τινὲς δὲ σπίλους πολλοὺς ἔχοντες· αὗται ἦσαν αἱ ποικιλίαι τῶν λίθων τῶν σαπρῶν εὑρεθέντων εἰς ^83.5 τὴν οἰκοδομήν. ἐκέλευσεν οὖν πάντας τούτους ἐκ τοῦ πύργου μετενεχθῆναι καὶ τεθῆναι παρὰ τὸν πύργον͵ καὶ ἑτέρους ἐνεχθῆναι λίθους καὶ ἐμβληθῆναι ^83.6 εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῶν. καὶ ἐπηρώτησαν αὐτὸν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦντες͵ ἐκ τίνος ὄρους θέλει ἐνεχθῆναι λίθους καὶ ἐμβληθῆναι εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῶν. καὶ ἐκ μὲν τῶν ὀρέων οὐκ ἐκέλευσεν ἐνεχθῆναι͵ ἐκ δέ τινος πεδίου ἐγγὺς ὄντος ^83.7 ἐκέλευσεν ἐνεχθῆναι. καὶ ὠρύγη τὸ πεδίον͵ καὶ εὑρέθησαν λίθοι λαμ προὶ τετράγωνοι͵ τινὲς δὲ καὶ στρογγύλοι. ὅσοι δέ ποτε ἦσαν λίθοι ἐν τῷ πεδίῳ ἐκείνῳ͵ πάντες ἠνέχθησαν͵ καὶ διὰ τῆς πύλης ἐβαστάζοντο ὑπὸ τῶν ^83.8 παρθένων. καὶ ἐλατομήθησαν οἱ τετράγωνοι λίθοι καὶ ἐτέθησαν εἰς τὸν τόπον τῶν ἠρμένων· οἱ δὲ στρογγύλοι οὐκ ἐτέθησαν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομήν͵ ὅτι σκληροὶ ἦσαν εἰς τὸ λατομηθῆναι αὐτούς͵ καὶ βραδέως ἐγένετο. ἐτέ θησαν δὲ παρὰ τὸν πύργον͵ ὡς μελλόντων αὐτῶν λατομεῖσθαι καὶ τίθεσθαι εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομήν· λίαν γὰρ λαμπροὶ ἦσαν.

CHAPTER VII

The glorious man, the lord of the whole tower, having accordingly finished these alterations, called to him the Shepherd, and delivered to him all the stones that were lying beside the tower, that had been rejected from the building, and said to him, “Carefully clean all these stones, and put aside such for the building of the tower as may harmonize with the others; and those that do not, throw far away from the tower.” [Having given these orders to the Shepherd, he departed from the tower ], with all those with whom he had come. Now the virgins were standing around the tower, keeping it. I said again to the Shepherd, “Can these stones return to the building of the tower, after being rejected?” He answered me, and said, “Do you see these stones?” “I see them, sir,” I replied. “The greater part of these stones,” he said, “I will hew, and put into the building, and they will harmonize with the others.”

^84.1 Ταῦτα οὖν συντελέσας ὁ ἀνὴρ ὁ ἔνδοξος καὶ κύριος ὅλου τοῦ πύργου προσε καλέσατο τὸν ποιμένα͵ καὶ παρέδωκεν αὐτῷ τοὺς λίθους πάντας τοὺς παρὰ τὸν πύργον κειμένους͵ τοὺς ἀποβεβλημένους ἐκ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς͵ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· ^84.2 Ἐπιμελῶς καθάρισον τοὺς λίθους τούτους καὶ θὲς αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου͵ τοὺς δυναμένους ἁρμόσαι τοῖς λοιποῖς· τοὺς δὲ μὴ ἁρμόζοντας ^84.3 ῥῖψον μακρὰν ἀπὸ τοῦ πύργου. ταῦτα κελεύσας τῷ ποιμένι ἀπῆλθεν ἀπὸ τοῦ πύργου μετὰ πάντων ὧν ἐληλύθει. αἱ δὲ παρθένοι κύκλῳ τοῦ πύργου εἱστή ^84.4 κεισαν τηροῦσαι αὐτόν. λέγω τῷ ποιμένι· Πῶς οὗτοι οἱ λίθοι δύνανται εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου ἀπελθεῖν ἀποδεδοκιμασμένοι; ἀποκριθείς μοι λέγει· Βλέπεις͵ φησί͵ τοὺς λίθους τούτους; Βλέπω͵ φημί͵ κύριε. Ἐγώ͵ φησί͵ τὸ πλεῖστον μέρος τῶν λίθων τούτων λατομήσω καὶ βαλῶ εἰς τὴν οἰκο ^84.5 δομήν͵ καὶ ἁρμόσουσι μετὰ τῶν λοιπῶν λίθων.

“How, sir,” I said, “can they, after being cut all round about, fill up the same space?” He answered, “Those that shall be found small will be thrown into the middle of the building, and those that are larger will be placed on the outside, and they will hold them together.” Having spoken these words, he said to me, “Let us go, and after two days let us come and clean these stones, and cast them into the building; for all things around the tower must be cleaned, lest the Master come suddenly? and find the places about the tower dirty, and be displeased, and these stones be not returned for the building of the tower, and I also shall seem to be neglectful towards the Master.” And after two days we came to the tower, and he said to me, “Let us examine all the stones, and ascertain those which may return to the building.” I said to him, “Sir, let us examine them!”

Πῶς͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ δύναν ται περικοπέντες τὸν αὐτὸν τόπον πληρῶσαι; ἀποκριθεὶς λέγει μοι· Ὅσοι μικροὶ εὑρεθήσονται͵ εἰς μέσην τὴν οἰκοδομὴν βληθήσονται͵ ὅσοι δὲ μείζονες͵ ^84.6 ἐξώτεροι τεθήσονται καὶ συγκρατήσουσιν αὐτούς. ταῦτά μοι λαλήσας λέγει μοι· Ἄγωμεν καὶ μετὰ ἡμέρας δύο ἔλθωμεν καὶ καθαρίσωμεν τοὺς λίθους τούτους͵ καὶ βάλωμεν αὐτοὺς εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομήν· τὰ γὰρ κύκλῳ τοῦ πύργου πάντα καθαρισθῆναι δεῖ͵ μήποτε ὁ δεσπότης ἐξάπινα ἔλθῃ καὶ τὰ περὶ τὸν πύργον ῥυπαρὰ εὕρῃ καὶ προσοχθίσῃ͵ καὶ οὗτοι οἱ λίθοι οὐκ ἀπε λεύσονται εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου͵ κἀγὼ ἀμελὴς δόξω εἶναι παρὰ τῷ ^84.7 δεσπότῃ. καὶ μετὰ ἡμέρας δύο ἤλθομεν πρὸς τὸν πύργον͵ καὶ λέγει μοι· Κατανοήσωμεν τοὺς λίθους πάντας καὶ ἴδωμεν τοὺς δυναμένους εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ἀπελθεῖν. λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε͵ κατανοήσωμεν.

CHAPTER VIII,

And beginning, we first examined the black stones: And such as they had been taken out of the building, were they found to remain; and the Shepherd ordered them to be removed out of the tower, and to be placed apart. Next he examined those that had scabs; and he took and hewed many of these, and commanded the virgins to take them up and cast them into the building. And the virgins lifted them up, and put them in the middle of the building of the tower. And the rest he ordered to be laid down beside the black ones; for these, too, were found to be black. He next examined those that had cracks; and he hewed many of these, and commanded them to be carried by the virgins to the building: and they were placed on the outside, because they were found to be sounder than the others; but the rest, on account of the multitude of the cracks, could not be hewn, and for this reason, therefore, they were rejected from the building of the tower. He next examined the chipped stones, and many amongst these were found to be black, arid some to have great crocks. And these also he commanded to be laid down along with those which had been rejected. But the remainder, after being cleaned and hewn, he commanded to be placed in the building. And the virgins took them up, and fitted them into the middle of the building of the tower, for they were somewhat weak. He next examined those that were half white and half black, and many of them were found to be black. And he commanded these also to be taken away along with those which had been rejected. And the rest were all taken away by the virgins; for, being white, they were fitted by the virgins themselves into the building. And they were placed upon the outside, because they were found to be sound, so as to be able to support those which were placed in the middle, for no part of them at all was chipped. He next examined those that were rough and hard; and a few of them were rejected because they could not be hewn, as they were found exceedingly hard. But the rest of them were hewn, and carried by the virgins, and fitted into the middle of the building of the tower; for they were somewhat weak. He next examined those that had stains; and of these a very few were black, and were thrown aside with the others; but the greater part were found to be bright, and these were fitted by the virgins into the building, but on account of their strength were placed on the outside.

^85.1 Καὶ ἀρξάμενοι πρῶτον τοὺς μέλανας κατενοοῦμεν λίθους. καὶ οἷοι ἐκ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς ἐτέθησαν͵ τοιοῦτοι καὶ εὑρέθησαν. καὶ ἐκέλευσεν αὐτοὺς ὁ ^85.2 ποιμὴν ἐκ τοῦ πύργου μετενεχθῆναι καὶ χωρισθῆναι. εἶτα κατενόησε τοὺς ἐψωριακότας͵ καὶ λαβὼν ἐλατόμησε πολλοὺς ἐξ αὐτῶν͵ καὶ ἐκέλευσε τὰς παρθένους ἆραι αὐτοὺς καὶ βαλεῖν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομήν. καὶ ἦραν αὐτοὺς αἱ παρθένοι καὶ ἔθηκαν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου μέσου. τοὺς δὲ λοι ποὺς ἐκέλευσε μετὰ τῶν μελάνων τεθῆναι· καὶ γὰρ καὶ οὗτοι μέλανες εὑρέ ^85.3 θησαν. εἶτα κατενόει τοὺς τὰς σχισμὰς ἔχοντας· καὶ ἐκ τούτων πολλοὺς ἐλατόμησε καὶ ἐκέλευσε διὰ τῶν παρθένων εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ἀπενεχθῆναι· ἐξώτεροι δὲ ἐτέθησαν͵ ὅτι ὑγιέστεροι εὑρέθησαν. οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν σχισμάτων οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν λατομηθῆναι· διὰ ταύτην οὖν τὴν αἰτίαν ἀπε ^85.4 βλήθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς τοῦ πύργου. εἶτα κατενόει τοὺς κολοβούς͵ καὶ εὑρέθησαν πολλοὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς μέλανες͵ τινὲς δὲ σχισμὰς μεγάλας πεποιη κότες· καὶ ἐκέλευσε καὶ τούτους τεθῆναι μετὰ τῶν ἀποβεβλημένων. τοὺς δὲ περισσεύοντας αὐτῶν καθαρίσας καὶ λατομήσας ἐκέλευσεν εἰς τὴν οἰκο δομὴν τεθῆναι. αἱ δὲ παρθένοι αὐτοὺς ἄρασαι εἰς μέσην τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ ^85.5 πύργου ἥρμοσαν· ἀσθενέστεροι γὰρ ἦσαν. εἶτα κατενόει τοὺς ἡμίσεις λευκούς͵ ἡμίσεις δὲ μέλανας· καὶ πολλοὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν εὑρέθησαν μέλανες. ἐκέ λευσε δὲ καὶ τούτους ἀρθῆναι μετὰ τῶν ἀποβεβλημένων. οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ πάντες ἤρθησαν ὑπὸ τῶν παρθένων· λευκοὶ γὰρ ὄντες ἡρμόσθησαν ὑπ΄ αὐτῶν τῶν παρθένων εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομήν· ἐξώτεροι δὲ ἐτέθησαν͵ ὅτι ὑγιεῖς εὑρέθησαν͵ ὥστε δύνασθαι αὐτοὺς κρατεῖν τοὺς εἰς τὸ μέσον τεθέντας· ὅλως γὰρ ἐξ ^85.6 αὐτῶν οὐδὲν ἐκολοβώθη. εἶτα κατενόει τοὺς τραχεῖς καὶ σκληρούς͵ καὶ ὀλίγοι ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀπεβλήθησαν διὰ τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι λατομηθῆναι· σκληροὶ γὰρ λίαν εὑρέθησαν. οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ αὐτῶν ἐλατομήθησαν καὶ ἤρθησαν ὑπὸ τῶν παρθένων καὶ εἰς μέσην τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου ἡρμόσθησαν· ἀσθενέστε ^85.7 ροι γὰρ ἦσαν. εἶτα κατενόει τοὺς ἔχοντας τοὺς σπίλους͵ καὶ ἐκ τούτων ἐλάχιστοι ἐμελάνησαν͵ καὶ ἀπεβλήθησαν πρὸς τοὺς λοιπούς. οἱ δὲ περισ σεύοντες λαμπροὶ καὶ ὑγιεῖς εὑρέθησαν· καὶ οὗτοι ἡρμόσθησαν ὑπὸ τῶν παρ θένων εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομήν· ἐξώτεροι δὲ ἐτέθησαν διὰ τὴν ἰσχυρότητα αὐτῶν.

CHAPTER IX

He next came to examine the white and rounded stones, and said to me, “What are we to do with these stones? “How do I know, sir? “I replied. “Have you no intentions regarding them? “Sir,” I answered, “I am not acquainted with this art, neither am I a stone-cutter, nor can I tell.” “Do you not see,” he said, “that they are exceedingly round? and if I wish to make them ractangular, a large portion of them must be cut away; for some of them must of necessity be put into the building.” “If therefore,” I said, “they must, why do you torment yourself, and not at once choose for the building those which you prefer, and fit them into it?” He selected the larger ones among them, and the shining ones, and hewed them; and the virgins carried and fitted them into the outside parts of the building. And the rest which remained over were carded away, and laid down on the plain from which they were brought. They were not, however, rejected, “because,” he said, “there remains yet a little addition to be built to the tower. And the lord of this tower wishes all the stones to be fitted into the building, because they are exceedingly bright.” And twelve women were called, very beautiful in form, clothed in black, and with dishevelled hair. And these women seemed to me to be fierce. But the Shepherd commanded them to lift the stones that were rejected from the building, and to carry them away to the mountains from which they had been brought. And they were merry, and carded away all the stones, and put them in the place whence they had been taken. Now after all the stones were removed, and there was no longer a single one lying around the tower, he said, “Let us go round the tower and see, lest there be any defect in it.” So I went round the tower along with him. And the Shepherd, seeing that the tower was beautifully built, rejoiced exceedingly; for the tower was built in such a way, that, on seeing it, I coveted the building of it, for it was constructed as if built of one stone, without a single joining. And the stone seemed as if hewn out of the rock; having to me the appearance of a monolith.

^86.1 Εἶτα ἦλθε κατανοῆσαι τοὺς λευκοὺς καὶ στρογγύλους λίθους͵ καὶ λέγει μοι· Τί ποιοῦμεν περὶ τούτων τῶν λίθων; Τί͵ φημί͵ ἐγὼ γινώσκω͵ κύριε; ^86.2 Οὐδὲν οὖν ἐπινοεῖς περὶ αὐτῶν; Ἐγώ͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ ταύτην τὴν τέχνην οὐκ ἔχω͵ οὐδὲ λατόμος εἰμί͵ οὐδὲ δύναμαι νοῆσαι. Οὐ βλέπεις αὐτούς͵ φησί͵ λίαν στρογγύλους ὄντας; καὶ ἐὰν αὐτοὺς θελήσω τετραγώνους ποιῆσαι͵ πολὺ δεῖ ἀπ΄ αὐτῶν ἀποκοπῆναι· δεῖ δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐξ ἀνάγκης τινὰς ^86.3 εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τεθῆναι. Εἰ οὖν͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ ἀνάγκη ἐστί͵ τί σεαυτὸν βασανίζεις καὶ οὐκ ἐκλέγῃ εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν οὓς θέλεις͵ καὶ ἁρμόζεις εἰς αὐτήν; ἐξελέξατο ἐξ αὐτῶν τοὺς μείζονας καὶ λαμπρούς͵ καὶ ἐλατόμησεν αὐτούς· αἱ δὲ παρθένοι ἄρασαι ἥρμοσαν εἰς τὰ ἐξώτερα μέρη τῆς οἰκοδομῆς. ^86.4 οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ οἱ περισσεύσαντες ἤρθησαν καὶ ἀπετέθησαν εἰς τὸ πεδίον͵ ὅθεν ἠνέχθησαν· οὐκ ἀπεβλήθησαν δέ͵ Ὅτι͵ φησί͵ λείπει τῷ πύργῳ ἔτι μικρὸν οἰκοδομηθῆναι. πάντως δὲ θέλει ὁ δεσπότης τοῦ πύργου τούτους ἁρμοσθῆ ^86.5 ναι τοὺς λίθους εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομήν͵ ὅτι λαμπροί εἰσι λίαν. ἐκλήθησαν δὲ γυναῖκες δώδεκα͵ εὐειδέσταται τῷ χαρακτῆρι͵ μέλανα ἐνδεδυμέναι͵ περιεζω σμέναι καὶ ἔξω τοὺς ὤμους ἔχουσαι͵ καὶ τὰς τρίχας λελυμέναι. ἐδοκοῦ σαν δέ μοι αἱ γυναῖκες αὗται ἄγριαι εἶναι. ἐκέλευσε δὲ αὐτὰς ὁ ποιμὴν ἆραι τοὺς λίθους τοὺς ἀποβεβλημένους ἐκ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς καὶ ἀπενεγκεῖν αὐτοὺς ^86.6 εἰς τὰ ὄρη͵ ὅθεν καὶ ἠνέχθησαν. αἱ δὲ ἱλαραὶ ἦραν καὶ ἀπήνεγκαν πάντας τοὺς λίθους καὶ ἔθηκαν͵ ὅθεν ἐλήφθησαν. καὶ μετὰ τὸ ἀρθῆναι πάντας τοὺς λίθους καὶ μηκέτι κεῖσθαι λίθον κύκλῳ τοῦ πύργου͵ λέγει μοι ὁ ποιμήν· Κυκλώσωμεν τὸν πύργον καὶ ἴδωμεν͵ μή τι ἐλάττωμά ἐστιν ἐν ^86.7 αὐτῷ. καὶ ἐκύκλευον ἐγὼ μετ΄ αὐτοῦ. ἰδὼν δὲ ὁ ποιμὴν τὸν πύργον εὐπρεπῆ ὄντα τῇ οἰκοδομῇ͵ λίαν ἱλαρὸς ἦν· ὁ γὰρ πύργος οὕτως ἦν ᾠκο δομημένος͵ ὥστε με ἰδόντα ἐπιθυμεῖν τὴν οἰκοδομὴν αὐτοῦ· οὕτω γὰρ ἦν ᾠκοδομημένος͵ ὡσὰν ἐξ ἑνὸς λίθου͵ μὴ ἔχων μίαν ἁρμογὴν ἐν ἑαυτῷ. ἐφαί νετο δὲ ὁ λίθος ὡς ἐκ τῆς πέτρας ἐκκεκολαμμένος· μονόλιθος γάρ μοι ἐδόκει εἶναι.

CHAPTER X

And as I walked along with him, I was full of joy, beholding so many excellent things. And the Shepherd said to me, “Go and bring unslacked lime and fine-baked clay, that I may fill up the forms of the stones that were taken and thrown into the building; for everything about the tower must be smooth.” And I did as he commanded me, and brought it to him. “Assist me,” he said, “and the work will soon be finished.” He accordingly filled up the forms of the stones that were returned to the building, and commanded the places around the tower to be swept and to be cleaned; and the virgins took brooms and swept the place, and carried all the dirt out of the tower, and brought water, and the ground around the tower became cheerful and very beautiful. Says the Shepherd to me, “Everything has been cleared away; if the lord of the tower come to inspect it, he can have no fault to find with us.” Having spoken these words, he wished to depart; but I laid hold of him by the wallet, and began to adjure him by the Lord that he would explain what he had showed me. He said to me, “I must rest a little, and then I shall explain to you everything; wait for me here until I return.” I said to him, “Sir, what can I do here alone?” “You are not alone,” he said, “for these virgins are with you.” “Give me in charge to them, then,” I replied. The Shepherd called them to him, and said to them, “I entrust him to you until I come,” and went away. And I was alone with the virgins; and they were rather merry, but were friendly to me, especially the four more distinguished of them.

^87.1 Κἀγὼ περιπατῶν μετ΄ αὐτοῦ ἱλαρὸς ἤμην τοιαῦτα ἀγαθὰ βλέπων. λέγει δέ μοι ὁ ποιμήν· Ὕπαγε καὶ φέρε ἄσβεστον καὶ ὄστρακον λεπτόν͵ ἵνα τοὺς τύπους τῶν λίθων τῶν ἠρμένων καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν βεβλημένων ἀνα ^87.2 πληρώσω· δεῖ γὰρ τοῦ πύργου τὰ κύκλῳ πάντα ὁμαλὰ γενέσθαι. καὶ ἐποίησα καθὼς ἐκέλευσε͵ καὶ ἤνεγκα πρὸς αὐτόν. Ὑπηρέτει μοι͵ φησί͵ καὶ [ἐγγὺς τὸ ἔργον τελεσθήσεται]. ἐπλήρωσεν οὖν τοὺς τύπους τῶν λίθων τῶν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ἀπεληλυθότων καὶ ἐκέλευσε σαρωθῆναι τὰ κύκλῳ τοῦ ^87.3 πύργου καὶ καθαρὰ γενέσθαι· αἱ δὲ παρθένοι λαβοῦσαι σάρους ἐσάρωσαν καὶ πάντα τὰ κόπρια ἦραν ἐκ τοῦ πύργου͵ καὶ ἔρραναν ὕδωρ͵ καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ ^87.4 τόπος ἱλαρὸς καὶ εὐπρεπέστατος τοῦ πύργου. λέγει μοι ὁ ποιμήν· Πάντα͵ φησί͵ κεκάθαρται· ἐὰν ἔλθῃ ὁ κύριος ἐπισκέψασθαι τὸν πύργον͵ οὐκ ἔχει ^87.5 ἡμᾶς οὐδὲν μέμψασθαι. ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἤθελεν ὑπάγειν· ἐγὼ δὲ ἐπελαβό μην αὐτοῦ τῆς πήρας καὶ ἠρξάμην αὐτὸν ὁρκίζειν κατὰ τοῦ κυρίου͵ ἵνα μοι ἐπιλύσῃ͵ ἃ ἔδειξέ μοι. λέγει μοι· Μικρὸν ἔχω ἀκαιρεθῆναι καὶ πάντα ^87.6 σοι ἐπιλύσω· ἔκδεξαί με ὧδε ἕως ἔρχομαι. λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε͵ μόνος ὢν ὧδε ἐγὼ τί ποιήσω; Οὐκ εἶ͵ φησί͵ μόνος· αἱ γὰρ παρθένοι αὗται μετὰ σοῦ εἰσι. Παράδος οὖν͵ φημί͵ αὐταῖς με. προσκαλεῖται αὐτὰς ὁ ποιμὴν καὶ λέγει ^87.7 αὐταῖς· Παρατίθεμαι ὑμῖν τοῦτον ἕως ἔρχομαι· καὶ ἀπῆλθεν. ἐγὼ δὲ ἤμην μόνος μετὰ τῶν παρθένων· ἦσαν δὲ ἱλαρώτεραι καὶ πρὸς ἐμὲ εὖ εἶχον· μάλιστα [δὲ] αἱ δ αἱ ἐνδοξότεραι αὐτῶν.

CHAPTER XI

The virgins said to me, “The Shepherd does not come here today.” “What, then,” said I, “am I to do?” They replied, “Wait for him until he comes; and if he comes he will converse with you, and if he does not come you will remain here with us until he does come.” I said to them, “I will wait for him until it is late; and if he does not arrive, I will go away into the house, and come back early in the morning.” And they answered and said to me, “You were entrusted to us; you cannot go away from us.” “Where, then,” I said, “am I to remain? “You will sleep with us,” they replied, “as a brother, and not as a husband: for you are our brother, and for the time to come we intend to abide with you, for we love you exceedingly!” But I was ashamed to remain with them. And she who seemed to be the first among them began to kiss me. [And the others seeing her kissing me, began also to kiss me], and to lead me round the tower, and to play with me. And I, too, became like a young man, and began to play with them: for some of them formed a chorus, and others danced, and others sang; and I, keeping silence, walked with them around the tower, and was merry with them. And when it grew late I wished to go into the house; and they would not let me, but detained me. So I remained with them during the night, and slept beside the tower. Now the virgins spread their linen tunics on the ground, and made me lie down in the midst of them; and they did nothing at all but pray; and I without ceasing prayed with them, and not less than they. And the virgins rejoiced because I thus prayed. And I remained there with the virgins until the next day at the second hour. Then the Shepherd returned, and said to the virgins, “Did you offer him any insult? “Ask him,” they said. I said to him, “Sir, I was delighted that I remained with them.” “On what,” he asked, “did you sup? “I supped, sir,” I replied, “on the words of the Lord the whole night.” “Did they receive you well?” he inquired. “Yes, sir,” I answered. “Now,” he said, “what do you wish to hear first?” “I wish to hear in the order,” I said, “in which you showed me from the beginning. I beg of you, sir, that as I shall ask you, so also you will give me the explanation.” “As you wish,” he replied, “so also will I explain to you, and will conceal nothing at all from you.”

^88.1 Λέγουσί μοι αἱ παρθένοι· Σήμερον ὁ ποιμὴν ὧδε οὐκ ἔρχεται. Τί οὖν͵ φημί͵ ποιήσω ἐγώ; Μέχρις ὀψέ͵ [φασίν͵] περίμεινον αὐτόν. καὶ ἐὰν ἔλθῃ͵ λαλήσει μετὰ σοῦ͵ ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἔλθῃ͵ μενεῖς μεθ΄ ἡμῶν ὧδε ἕως [ἔρχεται.] ^88.2 λέγω αὐταῖς· Ἐκδέξομαι αὐτὸν ἕως ὀψέ· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ ἔλθῃ͵ ἀπελεύσομαι εἰς τὸν οἶκον καὶ πρωῒ ἐπανήξω. αἱ δὲ ἀποκριθεῖσαι λέγουσί μοι· Ἡμῖν παρε ^88.3 δόθης· οὐ δύνασαι ἀφ΄ ἡμῶν ἀναχωρῆσαι. Ποῦ οὖν͵ φημί͵ μενῶ; Μεθ΄ ἡμῶν͵ φασί͵ κοιμηθήσῃ ὡς ἀδελφός͵ καὶ οὐχ ὡς ἀνήρ. ἡμέτερος γὰρ ἀδελ φὸς εἶ͵ καὶ τοῦ λοιποῦ μέλλομεν μετὰ σοῦ κατοικεῖν· λίαν γάρ σε ἀγαπῶμεν. ^88.4 ἐγὼ δὲ ᾐσχυνόμην μετ΄ αὐτῶν μένειν. καὶ ἡ δοκοῦσα πρώτη αὐτῶν εἶναι ἤρξατό με καταφιλεῖν καὶ περιπλέκεσθαι· αἱ δὲ [ἄλλαι] ὁρῶσαι ἐκείνην περιπλεκομένην μοι καὶ αὐταὶ ἤρξαντό με καταφιλεῖν καὶ περιάγειν κύκλῳ ^88.5 τοῦ πύργου καὶ παίζειν μετ΄ ἐμοῦ. κἀγὼ ὡσεὶ νεώτερος ἐγεγόνειν καὶ ἠρξάμην καὶ αὐτὸς παίζειν μετ΄ αὐτῶν· αἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐχόρευον͵ αἱ δὲ ὠρ χοῦντο͵ αἱ δὲ ᾖδον· ἐγὼ δὲ σιγὴν ἔχων μετ΄ αὐτῶν κύκλῳ τοῦ πύργου περιεπά ^88.6 τουν καὶ ἱλαρὸς ἤμην μετ΄ αὐτῶν. [ὀψίας] δὲ γενομένης ἤθελον εἰς τὸν οἶκον ὑπάγειν· αἱ δὲ οὐκ ἀφῆκαν͵ ἀλλὰ κατέσχον με. καὶ ἔμεινα μετ΄ αὐτῶν ^88.7 τὴν νύκτα͵ καὶ ἐκοιμήθην παρὰ τὸν πύργον. ἔστρωσαν γὰρ αἱ παρθένοι τοὺς λινοῦς χιτῶνας ἑαυτῶν χαμαί͵ καὶ ἐμὲ ἀνέκλιναν εἰς [τὸ μέσον αὐτ]ῶν͵ καὶ οὐδὲν ὅλως ἐποίουν εἰ μὴ προσηύχοντο· κἀγὼ μετ΄ αὐτῶν ἀδιαλείπτως προσηυχόμην καὶ οὐκ ἔλασσον ἐκείνων. καὶ [ἔχαιρον] αἱ παρθένοι οὕτω μου προσευχομένου. καὶ ἔμεινα ἐκεῖ μέχρι τῆς αὔριον ἕως ὥρας δευτέρας μετὰ ^88.8 τῶν παρθένων. εἶτα παρῆν ὁ ποιμήν͵ καὶ λέγει ταῖς παρθένοις· Μή τινα αὐτῷ ὕβριν πεποιήκατε; Ἐρώτα͵ φασίν͵ αὐτόν. λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε͵ εὐφράν θην μετ΄ αὐτῶν μείνας. Τί͵ φησίν͵ ἐδείπνησας; Ἐδείπνησα͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ ῥήματα κυρίου ὅλην τὴν νύκτα. Καλῶς͵ φησίν͵ ἔλαβόν σε; Ναί͵ φημί͵ κύριε. ^88.9 Νῦν͵ φησί͵ τί θέλεις πρῶτον ἀκοῦσαι; Καθώς͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ ἀπ΄ ἀρχῆς ἔδει ξας· ἐρωτῶ σε͵ κύριε͵ ἵνα καθὼς ἄν σε ἐπερωτήσω͵ οὕτω μοι καὶ δηλώσῃς. Καθὼς βούλει͵ φησίν͵ οὕτω σοι καὶ ἐπιλύσω͵ καὶ οὐδὲν ὅλως ἀποκρύψω ἀπὸ σοῦ.

CHAPTER XII

“First of all, sir,” I said, “explain this to me: What is the meaning of the rock and the gate?” “This rock,” he answered, “and this gate are the Son of God.” “How, sir?” I said; “the rock is old, and the gate is new.” “Listen,” he said, “and understand, O ignorant man. The Son of God is older than all His creatures, so that He was a fellow-councillor with the Father in His work of creation: for this reason is He old.” “And why is the gate new, sir?” I said. “Because,” he answered, “He became manifest in the last days of the dispensation: for this reason the gate was made new, that they who are to be saved by it might enter into the kingdom of God. You saw,” he said, “that those stones which came in through the gate were used for the building of the tower, and that those which did not come, were again thrown back to their own place? “I saw, sir,” I replied. “In like manner,” he continued, “no one shall enter into the kingdom of God unless he receive His holy name. For if you desire to enter into a city, and that city is surrounded by a wall, and has but one gate, can you enter into that city save through the gate which it has?” “Why, how can it be otherwise, sir?” I said. “If, then, you cannot enter into the city except through its gate, so, in like manner, a man cannot otherwise enter into the kingdom of God than by the name of His beloved Son. You saw,” he added, “the multitude who were building the tower?” “I saw them, sir,” I said. “Those,” he said, “are all glorious angels, and by them accordingly is the Lord surrounded. And the gate is the Son of God. This is the one entrance to the Lord. In no other way, then, shall any one enter in to Him except through His Son. You saw,” he continued, “the six men, and the tail and glorious man in the midst of them, who walked round the tower, and rejected the stones from the building? “I saw him, sir,” I answered. “The glorious man,” he said, “is the Son of God, and those six glorious angels are those who support Him on the right hand and on the left. None of these glorious angels,” he continued, “will enter in unto God apart from Him. Whosoever does not receive His name, shall not enter into the kingdom of God.”

^89.1 Πρῶτον͵ φημί͵ πάντων͵ κύριε͵ τοῦτό μοι δήλωσον· ἡ πέτρα καὶ ἡ πύλη τίς ἐστιν; Ἡ πέτρα͵ φησίν͵ αὕτη καὶ ἡ πύλη ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστι. Πῶς͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ ἡ πέτρα παλαιά ἐστιν͵ ἡ δὲ πύλη καινή; Ἄκουε͵ φησί͵ καὶ ^89.2 σύνιε͵ ἀσύνετε. ὁ μὲν υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ πάσης τῆς κτίσεως αὐτοῦ προγε νέστερός ἐστιν͵ ὥστε σύμβουλον αὐτὸν γενέσθαι τῷ πατρὶ τῆς κτίσεως αὐτοῦ· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ παλαιὰ ἡ πέτρα. Ἡ δὲ πύλη͵ φημί͵ διατί καινή͵ κύριε; ^89.3 Ὅτι͵ φησίν͵ ἐπ΄ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν τῆς συντελείας φανερὸς ἐγένετο͵ διὰ τοῦτο καινὴ ἐγένετο ἡ πύλη͵ ἵνα οἱ μέλλοντες σώζεσθαι δι΄ αὐτῆς εἰς ^89.4 τὴν βασιλείαν εἰσέλθωσι τοῦ θεοῦ. εἶδες͵ φησίν͵ τοὺς λίθους τοὺς διὰ τῆς πύλης εἰσεληλυθότας εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου βεβλημένους͵ τοὺς δὲ μὴ εἰσεληλυθότας πάλιν ἀποβεβλημένους εἰς τὸν ἴδιον τόπον; Εἶδον͵ φημί͵ κύριε. Οὕτω͵ φησίν͵ εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ οὐδεὶς εἰσελεύσεται͵ ^89.5 εἰ μὴ λάβοι τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ. ἐὰν γὰρ εἰς πόλιν θελήσῃς εἰσελ θεῖν τινα͵ κἀκείνη ἡ πόλις περιτετειχισμένη κύκλῳ καὶ μίαν ἔχῃ πύλην͵ μήτι δύνῃ εἰς ἐκείνην τὴν πόλιν εἰσελθεῖν͵ εἰ μὴ διὰ τῆς πύλης ἧς ἔχει; Πῶς γάρ͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ δύναται γενέσθαι ἄλλως; Εἰ οὖν εἰς τὴν πόλιν οὐ δύνῃ εἰσελ θεῖν εἰ μὴ διὰ τῆς πύλης ἧς ἔχει͵ οὕτω͵ φησί͵ καὶ εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ ἄλλως εἰσελθεῖν οὐ δύναται ἄνθρωπος εἰ μὴ διὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ υἱοῦ ^89.6 αὐτοῦ τοῦ ἠγαπημένου ὑπ΄ αὐτοῦ. εἶδες͵ φησί͵ τὸν ὄχλον τὸν οἰκοδομοῦντα τὸν πύργον; Εἶδον͵ φημί͵ κύριε. Ἐκεῖνοι͵ φησί͵ πάντες ἄγγελοι ἔνδοξοί εἰσι· τούτοις οὖν περιτετείχισται ὁ κύριος. ἡ δὲ πύλη ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν· αὕτη μία εἴσοδός ἐστι πρὸς τὸν κύριον. ἄλλως οὖν οὐδεὶς εἰσελεύσεται πρὸς ^89.7 αὐτὸν εἰ μὴ διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ. εἶδες͵ φησί͵ τοὺς ἓξ ἄνδρας καὶ τὸν μέσον αὐτῶν ἔνδοξον καὶ μέγαν ἄνδρα τὸν περιπατοῦντα περὶ τὸν πύργον καὶ τοὺς ^89.8 λίθους ἀποδοκιμάσαντα ἐκ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς; Εἶδον͵ φημί͵ κύριε. Ὁ ἔνδο ξος͵ φησίν͵ ἀνὴρ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστι͵ κἀκεῖνοι οἱ ἓξ οἱ ἔνδοξοι ἄγγελοί εἰσι δεξιὰ καὶ εὐώνυμα συγκρατοῦντες αὐτόν. τούτων͵ φησί͵ τῶν ἀγγέλων τῶν ἐνδόξων οὐδεὶς εἰσελεύσεται πρὸς τὸν θεὸν ἄτερ αὐτοῦ· ὃς ἂν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ μὴ λάβῃ͵ οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ.

CHAPTER XIII

“And the tower,” I asked, “what does it mean? “This tower,” he replied, “is the Church.” “And these virgins, who are they?” “They are holy spirits, and men cannot otherwise be found in the kingdom of God unless these have put their clothing upon them: for if you receive the name only, and do not receive from them the clothing, they are of no advantage to you. For these virgins are the powers of the Son of God. If you bear His name but possess not His power, it will be in vain that you bear His name. Those stones,” he continued, “which you saw rejected bore His name, but did not put on the clothing of the virgins.” “Of what nature is their clothing, sir?” I asked. “Their very names,” he said, “are their clothing. Every one who bears the name of the Son of God, ought to bear the names also of these; for the Son Himself bears the names of these virgins. As many stones,” he continued, “as you saw [come into the building of the tower through the hands ] of these virgins, and remaining, have been clothed with their strength. For this reason you see that the tower became of one stone with the rock. So also they who have believed on the Lord through His Son, and are clothed with these spirits, shall become one spirit, one body, and the colour of their garments shall be one. And the dwelling of such as bear the names of the virgins is in the tower.” “Those stones, sir, that were rejected,” I inquired, “on what account were they rejected? for they passed through the gate, and were placed by the hands of the virgins in the building of the tower.” “Since you take an interest in everything,” he replied, “and examine minutely, hear about the stones that were rejected. These all,” he said, “received the name of God, and they received also the strength of these virgins. Having received, then, these spirits, they were made strong, and were with the servants of God; and theirs was one spirit, and one body, and one clothing. For they were of the same mind, and wrought righteousness. After a certain time, however, they were persuaded by the women whom you saw clothed in black, and having their shoulders exposed and their hair dishevelled, and beautiful in appearance. Having seen these women, they desired to have them, and clothed themselves with their strength, and put off the strength of the virgins. These, accordingly, were rejected from the house of God, and were given over to these women. But they who were not deceived by the beauty of these women remained in the house of God. You have,” he said, “the explanation of those who were rejected.”

^90.1 Ὁ δὲ πύργος͵ φημί͵ τίς ἐστιν; Ὁ πύργος͵ φησίν͵ οὗτος ἡ ἐκκλησία ^90.2 ἐστίν. Αἱ δὲ παρθένοι αὗται τίνες εἰσίν; Αὗται͵ φησίν͵ ἅγια πνεύματά εἰσι· καὶ ἄλλως ἄνθρωπος οὐ δύναται εὑρεθῆναι εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ͵ ἐὰν μὴ αὗται αὐτὸν ἐνδύσωσι τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτῶν· ἐὰν γὰρ τὸ ὄνομα μόνον λάβῃς͵ τὸ δὲ ἔνδυμα παρὰ τούτων μὴ λάβῃς͵ οὐδὲν ὠφελήσῃ· αὗται γὰρ αἱ παρθένοι δυνάμεις εἰσὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ. ἐὰν τὸ ὄνομα φορῇς͵ τὴν δὲ δύνα ^90.3 μιν μὴ φορῇς αὐτοῦ͵ εἰς μάτην ἔσῃ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ φορῶν. τοὺς δὲ λί θους͵ φησίν͵ οὓς εἶδες ἀποβεβλημένους͵ οὗτοι τὸ μὲν ὄνομα ἐφόρεσαν͵ τὸν δὲ ἱματισμὸν τῶν παρθένων οὐκ ἐνεδύσαντο. Ποῖος͵ φημί͵ ἱματισμὸς αὐτῶν ἐστι͵ κύριε; Αὐτὰ τὰ ὀνόματα͵ φησίν͵ ἱματισμός ἐστιν αὐτῶν. ὃς ἂν τὸ ὄνο μα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ φορῇ͵ καὶ τούτων ὀφείλει τὰ ὀνόματα φορεῖν· καὶ γὰρ ^90.4 αὐτὸς ὁ υἱὸς τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν παρθένων τούτων φορεῖ. ὅσους͵ φησί͵ λίθους εἶδες εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου εἰσεληλυθότας͵ ἐπιδεδομένους διὰ τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν καὶ μείναντας εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομήν͵ τούτων τῶν παρ ^90.5 θένων τὴν δύναμιν ἐνδεδυμένοι εἰσί. διὰ τοῦτο βλέπεις τὸν πύργον μονό λιθον γεγονότα μετὰ τῆς πέτρας· οὕτω καὶ οἱ πιστεύσαντες τῷ κυρίῳ διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐνδιδυσκόμενοι τὰ πνεύματα ταῦτα͵ ἔσονται εἰς ἓν πνεῦμα͵ ἓν σῶμα͵ καὶ μία χρόα τῶν ἱματίων αὐτῶν. τῶν τοιούτων δὲ τῶν φορούντων τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν παρθένων ἐστὶν ἡ κατοικία εἰς τὸν πύργον. ^90.6 Οἱ οὖν͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ ἀποβεβλημένοι λίθοι διατί ἀπεβλήθησαν; διῆλθον γὰρ διὰ τῆς πύλης͵ καὶ διὰ τῶν χειρῶν τῶν παρθένων ἐτέθησαν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου. Ἐπειδὴ πάντα σοι͵ φησί͵ μέλει͵ καὶ ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάζεις͵ ἄκουε ^90.7 περὶ τῶν ἀποβεβλημένων λίθων. οὗτοι͵ φησί͵ πάντες τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ ἔλαβον͵ ἔλαβον δὲ καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τῶν παρθένων τούτων. λαβόντες οὖν τὰ πνεύματα ταῦτα ἐνεδυναμώθησαν καὶ ἦσαν μετὰ τῶν δούλων τοῦ θεοῦ͵ καὶ ἦν αὐτῶν ἓν πνεῦμα καὶ ἓν σῶμα καὶ ἓν ἔνδυμα· τὰ γὰρ αὐτὰ ἐφρό ^90.8 νουν καὶ δικαιοσύνην εἰργάζοντο. μετὰ οὖν χρόνον τινὰ ἀνεπείσθησαν ὑπὸ τῶν γυναικῶν ὧν εἶδες μέλανα ἱμάτια ἐνδεδυμένων͵ τοὺς ὤμους ἔξω ἐχουσῶν καὶ τὰς τρίχας λελυμένας καὶ εὐμόρφων. ταύτας ἰδόντες ἐπεθύμη σαν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐνεδύσαντο τὴν δύναμιν αὐτῶν͵ τῶν δὲ παρθένων ἀπεδύσαντο ^90.9 τὸ ἔνδυμα καὶ τὴν δύναμιν. οὗτοι οὖν ἀπεβλήθησαν ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐκείναις παρεδόθησαν· οἱ δὲ μὴ ἀπατηθέντες τῷ κάλλει τῶν γυναικῶν τούτων ἔμειναν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ θεοῦ. ἔχεις͵ φησί͵ τὴν ἐπίλυσιν τῶν ἀποβεβλημένων.

CHAPTER XIV

“What, then, sir,” I said, “if these men, being such as they are, repent and put away their desires after these women, and return again to the virgins, and walk in their strength and in their works, shall they not enter into the house of God? “They shall enter in,” he said, “if they put away the works of these women, and put on again the strength of the virgins, and walk in their works. For on this account was there a cessation in the building, in order that, if these repent, they may depart into the building of the tower. But if they do not repent, then others will come in their place, and these at the end will be cast out. For all these things I gave thanks to the Lord, because He had pity on all that call upon His name; and sent the angel of repentance to us who sinned against Him, and renewed our spirit; and when we were already destroyed, and had no hope of life, He restored us to newness of life.” “Now, sir,” I continued, “show me why the tower was not built upon the ground, but upon the rock and upon the gate.” “Are you still,” he said, “without sense and understanding? “I must, sir,” I said, “ask you of all things, because I am wholly unable to understand them; for all these things are great and glorious, and difficult for man to understand.” “Listen,” he said: “the name of the Son of God is great, and cannot be contained, and supports the whole world. If, then, the whole creation is supported by the Son of God, what think ye of those who are called by Him, and bear the name of the Son of God, and walk in His commandments? do you see what kind of persons He supports? Those who bear His name with their whole heart. He Himself, accordingly, became a foundation to them, and supports them with joy, because they are not ashamed to bear His name.”

^91.1 Τί οὖν͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ ἐὰν οὗτοι οἱ ἄνθρωποι͵ τοιοῦτοι ὄντες͵ μετανοήσωσι καὶ ἀποβάλωσι τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῶν γυναικῶν τούτων͵ καὶ ἐπανακάμψωσιν ἐπὶ τὰς παρθένους καὶ ἐν τῇ δυνάμει αὐτῶν καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτῶν πορευ ^91.2 θῶσιν͵ οὐκ εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὸν οἶκον τοῦ θεοῦ; Εἰσελεύσονται͵ φησίν͵ ἐὰν τούτων τῶν γυναικῶν ἀποβάλωσι τὰ ἔργα͵ τῶν δὲ παρθένων ἀναλάβωσι τὴν δύναμιν καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτῶν πορευθῶσι. διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς ἀνοχὴ ἐγένετο͵ ἵνα͵ ἐὰν μετανοήσωσιν οὗτοι͵ ἀπέλθωσιν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου. ἐὰν δὲ μὴ μετανοήσωσι͵ τότε ἄλλοι εἰσελεύσονται͵ ^91.3 καὶ οὗτοι εἰς τέλος ἐκβληθήσονται. ἐπὶ τούτοις πᾶσιν ηὐχαρίστησα τῷ κυ ρίῳ͵ ὅτι ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐπὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἐπικαλουμένοις τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐξαπέστειλε τὸν ἄγγελον τῆς μετανοίας εἰς ἡμᾶς τοὺς ἁμαρτήσαντας εἰς αὐτὸν καὶ ἀνεκαίνισεν ἡμῶν τὸ πνεῦμα καὶ ἤδη κατεφθαρμένων ἡμῶν καὶ ^91.4 μὴ ἐχόντων ἐλπίδα τοῦ ζῆν ἀνενέωσε τὴν ζωὴν ἡμῶν. Νῦν͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ δήλωσόν μοι͵ διατί ὁ πύργος χαμαὶ οὐκ ᾠκοδόμηται͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐπὶ τὴν πέτραν καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν πύλην. Ἔτι͵ φησίν͵ ἄφρων εἶ καὶ ἀσύνετος; Ἀνάγκην ἔχω͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ πάντα ἐπερωτᾶν σε͵ ὅτι οὐδ΄ ὅλως οὐδὲν δύναμαι νοῆσαι· τὰ γὰρ ^91.5 πάντα μεγάλα καὶ ἔνδοξά ἐστι καὶ δυσνόητα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. Ἄκουε͵ φησί· τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ μέγα ἐστὶ καὶ ἀχώρητον͵ καὶ τὸν κόσμον ὅλον βαστάζει. εἰ οὖν πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ βαστάζεται͵ τί δοκεῖς τοὺς κεκλημένους ὑπ΄ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ὄνομα φοροῦντας τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ ^91.6 καὶ πορευομένους ταῖς ἐντολαῖς αὐτοῦ; βλέπεις οὖν ποίους βαστάζει; τοὺς ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας φοροῦντας τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. αὐτὸς οὖν θεμέλιος αὐτοῖς ἐγέ νετο καὶ ἡδέως αὐτοὺς βαστάζει͵ ὅτι οὐκ ἐπαισχύνονται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ φορεῖν.

CHAPTER XV.

“Explain to me, sir,” I said, “the names of these virgins, and of those women who were clothed in black raiment.” “Hear,” he said, “the names of the stronger virgins who stood at the comers. The first is Faith, the second Continence, the third Power, the fourth Patience. And the others standing in the midst of these have the following names: Simplicity, Innocence, Purity, Cheerfulness, Truth, Understanding, Harmony, Love. He who bears these names and that of the Son of God will be able to enter into the kingdom of God. Hear, also,” he continued, “the names of the women who had the black garments; and of these four are stronger than the rest. The first is Unbelief, the second: Incontinence, the third Disobedience, the fourth Deceit. And their followers are called Sorrow, Wickedness, Wantonness, Anger, Falsehood, Folly, Backbiting, Hatred. The servant of God who bears these names shall see, indeed, the kingdom of God, but shall not enter into it.” “And the stones, sir,” I said, “which were taken out of the pit and fitted into the building: what are they?” “The first,” he said, “the ten, viz, that were placed as a foundation, are the first generation, and the twenty-five the second generation, of righteous men; and the thirty-five are the prophets of God and His ministers; and the forty are the apostles and teachers of the preaching of the Son of God.” “Why, then, sir,” I asked, “did the virgins carry these stones also through the gate, and give them for the building of the tower?” “Because,” he answered, “these were the first who bore these spirits, and they never departed from each other, neither the spirits from the men nor the men from the spirits, but the spirits remained with them until their falling asleep. And unless they had had these spirits with them, they would not have been of use for the building of this tower.”

^92.1 Δήλ[ωσόν μοι͵] φημί͵ κύριε͵ τῶν παρθέ[νων τ]ὰ ὀνόματα καὶ τῶν γυναι κῶν τῶν τὰ μέλανα ἱμάτια ἐνδεδυμένων. Ἄκουε͵ φησί͵ τῶν παρθένων τὰ ^92.2 ὀνόματα τῶν ἰσχυροτέρων͵ τῶν εἰς τὰς γωνίας σταθεισῶν. ἡ μὲν πρώτη Πίστις͵ ἡ δὲ δευτέρα Ἐγκράτεια͵ ἡ δὲ τρίτη Δύναμις͵ ἡ δὲ τετάρτη Μακρο θυμία· αἱ δὲ ἕτεραι ἀνὰ μέσον τούτων σταθεῖσαι ταῦτα ἔχουσι τὰ ὀνόματα· Ἁπλότης͵ Ἀκακία͵ Ἁγνεία͵ Ἱλαρότης͵ Ἀλήθεια͵ Σύνεσις͵ Ὁμόνοια͵ Ἀγά πη. ταῦτα τὰ ὀνόματα ὁ φορῶν καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ δυνήσεται ^92.3 εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσελθεῖν. ἄκουε͵ φησί͵ καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα τῶν γυναικῶν τῶν τὰ ἱμάτια μέλανα ἐχουσῶν. καὶ ἐκ τούτων τέσσαρές εἰσι δυνατώτεραι· ἡ πρώτη Ἀπιστία͵ ἡ δευτέρα Ἀκρασία͵ ἡ δὲ τρίτη Ἀπείθεια͵ ἡ δὲ τετάρτη Ἀπάτη. αἱ δὲ ἀκόλουθοι αὐτῶν καλοῦνται Λύπη͵ Πονηρία͵ Ἀσέλγεια͵ Ὀξυχολία͵ Ψεῦδος͵ Ἀφροσύνη͵ Καταλαλιά͵ Μῖσος. ταῦτα τὰ ὀνόματα ὁ φορῶν τοῦ θεοῦ δοῦλος τὴν βασιλείαν μὲν ὄψεται τοῦ θεοῦ͵ εἰς ^92.4 αὐτὴν δὲ οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται. Οἱ λίθοι δέ͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ οἱ ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ ἡρ μοσμένοι εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τίνες εἰσίν; Οἱ μὲν πρῶτοι͵ φησίν͵ οἱ ι οἱ εἰς τὰ θεμέλια τεθειμένοι͵ πρώτη γενεά· οἱ δὲ κε δευτέρα γενεὰ ἀνδρῶν δικαίων· οἱ δὲ λε προφῆται τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ διάκονοι αὐτοῦ· οἱ δὲ μ ἀπόστολοι καὶ ^92.5 διδάσκαλοι τοῦ κηρύγματος τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ. Διατί οὖν͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ αἱ παρθένοι καὶ τούτους τοὺς λίθους ἐπέδωκαν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύρ ^92.6 γου͵ διενέγκασαι διὰ τῆς πύλης; Οὗτοι γάρ͵ φησί͵ πρῶτοι ταῦτα τὰ πνεύ ματα ἐφόρεσαν͵ καὶ ὅλως ἀπ΄ ἀλλήλων οὐκ ἀπέστησαν͵ οὔτε τὰ πνεύματα ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων οὔτε οἱ ἄνθρωποι ἀπὸ τῶν πνευμάτων͵ ἀλλὰ παρέμει ναν τὰ πνεύματα αὐτοῖς μέχρι τῆς κοιμήσεως αὐτῶν. καὶ εἰ μὴ ταῦτα τὰ πνεύματα μετ΄ αὐτῶν ἐσχήκεισαν͵ ο[ὐκ ἂν] εὔχρηστοι γεγόνεισαν τῇ οἰ κοδομῇ τοῦ πύργου τούτου.

CHAPTER XVI

“Explain to me a little further, sir,” I said. “What is it that you desire?” he asked. “Why, sir,” I said, “did these stones ascend out of the pit, and be applied to the building of the tower, after having borne these spirits? “They were obliged,” he answered, “to ascend through water in order that they might be made alive; for, unless they laid aside the deadness of their life, they could not in any other way enter into the kingdom of God. Accordingly, those also who fell asleep received the seal of the Son of God. For,” he continued, “before a man bears the name of the Son of God s he is dead; but when he receives the seal he lays aside his deadness, and obtains life. The seal, then, is the water: they descend into the water dead, and they arise alive. And to them, accordingly, was this seal preached, and they made use of it that they might enter into the kingdom of God.” “Why, sir,” I asked, “did the forty stones also ascend with them out of the pit, having already received the seal?” “Because,” he said, “these apostles and teachers who preached the name of the Son of God, after falling asleep in the power and faith of the Son of God, preached it not only to those who were asleep, but themselves also gave them the seal of the preaching. Accordingly they descended with them into the water, and again ascended. [But these descended alive and rose up again alive; whereas they who had previously fallen asleep descended dead, but rose up again alive. ] By these, then, were they quickened and made to know the name of the Son of God. For this reason also did they ascend with them, and were fitted along with them into the building of the tower, and, untouched by the chisel, were built in along with them. For they slept in righteousness and in great purity, but only they had not this seal. You have accordingly the explanation of these also.”

^93.1 Ἔτι μοι͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ δήλωσον. Τί͵ φησίν͵ ἐπιζητεῖς; Διατί͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ οἱ λίθοι ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ ἀνέβησαν καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου ἐτέθη ^93.2 σαν͵ πεφορηκότες τὰ πνεύματα ταῦτα; Ἀνάγκην͵ φησίν͵ εἶχον δι΄ ὕδατος ἀναβῆναι͵ ἵνα ζωοποιηθῶσιν· οὐκ ἠδύναντο γὰρ ἄλλως εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ͵ εἰ μὴ τὴν νέκρωσιν ἀπέθεντο τῆς ζωῆς αὐτῶν τῆς ^93.3 προτέρας. ἔλαβον οὖν καὶ οὗτοι οἱ κεκοιμημένοι τὴν σφραγῖδα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ· πρὶν γάρ͵ φησί͵ φορέσαι τὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ͵ νεκρός ἐστιν· ὅταν δὲ λάβῃ ^93.4 τὴν σφραγῖδα͵ ἀποτίθεται τὴν νέκρωσιν καὶ ἀναλαμβάνει τὴν ζωήν. ἡ σφραγὶς οὖν τὸ ὕδωρ ἐστίν· εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ οὖν καταβαίνουσι νεκροὶ καὶ ἀναβαίνουσι ζῶντες. κἀκείνοις οὖν ἐκηρύχθη ἡ σφραγὶς αὕτη καὶ ἐχρήσαντο ^93.5 αὐτῇ͵ ἵνα εἰσέλθωσιν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ. Διατί͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ καὶ οἱ μ λίθοι μετ΄ αὐτῶν ἀνέβησαν ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ͵ ἤδη ἐσχηκότες τὴν σφραγῖδα; Ὅτι͵ φησίν͵ οὗτοι οἱ ἀπόστολοι καὶ οἱ διδάσκαλοι οἱ κηρύξαντες τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ͵ κοιμηθέντες ἐν δυνάμει καὶ πίστει τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ ἐκήρυξαν καὶ τοῖς προκεκοιμημένοις καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔδωκαν αὐτοῖς τὴν σφραγῖδα τοῦ ^93.6 κηρύγματος. κατέβησαν οὖν μετ΄ αὐτῶν εἰς τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ πάλιν ἀνέβησαν· ἀλλ΄ οὗτοι μὲν ζῶντες κατέβησαν καὶ ζῶντες ἀνέβησαν· ἐκεῖνοι δὲ οἱ προκε ^93.7 κοιμημένοι νεκροὶ κατέβησαν͵ ζῶντες δὲ ἀνέβησαν. διὰ τούτων οὖν ἐζωο ποιήθησαν καὶ ἐπέγνωσαν τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ συναν έβησαν μετ΄ αὐτῶν͵ καὶ συνηρμόσθησαν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου͵ καὶ ἀλατόμητοι συνῳκοδομήθησαν· ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ γὰρ ἐκοιμήθησαν καὶ ἐν με γάλῃ ἁγνείᾳ· μόνον δὲ τὴν σφραγῖδα ταύτην οὐκ εἶχον. ἔχεις οὖν καὶ τὴν τούτων ἐπίλυσιν. Ἔχω͵ φημί͵ κύριε.

CHAPTER XVII

“I understand, sir,” I replied. “Now, sir,” I continued, “explain to me, with respect to the mountains, why their forms are various and diverse.”

^94.1 Νῦν οὖν͵ κύριε͵ περὶ τῶν ὀρέων μοι δήλωσον· διατί ἄλλαι καὶ ἄλλαι εἰσὶν αἱ ἰδέαι καὶ ποικίλαι;

“Listen,” he said: “these mountains are the twelve tribes, which inhabit the whole world. The Son of God, accordingly, was preached unto them by the apostles.” “But why are the mountains of various kinds, some having one form, and others another? Explain that to me, sir.” “Listen,” he answered: “these twelve tribes that inhabit the whole world are twelve nations. And they vary in prudence and understanding. As numerous, then, as are the varieties of the mountains which you saw, are also the diversities of mind and understanding among these nations. And I will explain to you the actions of each one.” “First, sir,” I said, “explain this: why, when the mountains are so diverse, their stones, when placed in the building, became one colour, shining like those also that had ascended out of the pit.” “Because,” he said, “all the nations that dwell under heaven were called by hearing and believing upon the name of the Son of God. Having, therefore, received the seal, they had one understanding and one mind; and their faith became one, and their love one, and with the name they bore also the spirits of the virgins. On this account the building of the tower became of one colour, bright as the sun. But after they had entered into the same place, and became one body, certain of these defiled themselves, and were expelled from the race of the righteous, and became again what they were before, or rather worse.”

Ἄκουε͵ φησί. τὰ ὄρη ταῦτα δώδεκά εἰσι φυλαὶ αἱ κατοικοῦσαι ὅλον τὸν κόσμον. ἐκηρύχθη οὖν εἰς ταύτας ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ ^94.2 τῶν ἀποστόλων. Διατί δὲ ποικίλα καὶ ἄλλη καὶ ἄλλη ἰδέα ἐστὶ τὰ ὄρη͵ δήλω σόν μοι͵ κύριε. Ἄκουε͵ φησίν. αἱ δώδεκα φυλαὶ αὗται αἱ κατοικοῦσαι ὅλον τὸν κόσμον δώδεκα ἔθνη εἰσί· ποικίλα δέ εἰσι τῇ φρονήσει καὶ τῷ νοΐ· οἷα οὖν εἶδες τὰ ὄρη ποικίλα͵ τοιαῦταί εἰσι καὶ τούτων αἱ ποικιλίαι τοῦ νοὸς τῶν ^94.3 ἐθνῶν καὶ ἡ φρόνησις. δηλώσω δέ σοι καὶ ἑνὸς ἑκάστου τὴν πρᾶξιν. Πρῶ τον͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ τοῦτο δήλωσον͵ διατί οὕτω ποικίλα ὄντα τὰ ὄρη͵ εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ὅταν ἐτέθησαν οἱ λίθοι αὐτῶν͵ μιᾷ χρόᾳ ἐγένοντο λαμπροί͵ ^94.4 ὡς καὶ οἱ ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ ἀναβεβηκότες λίθοι; Ὅτι͵ φησί͵ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τὰ ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν κατοικοῦντα͵ ἀκούσαντα καὶ πιστεύσαντα ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνό ματι ἐκλήθησαν τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ. λαβόντες οὖν τὴν σφραγῖδα μίαν φρό νησιν ἔσχον καὶ ἕνα νοῦν͵ καὶ μία πίστις αὐτῶν ἐγένετο καὶ μία ἀγάπη͵ καὶ τὰ πνεύματα τῶν παρθένων μετὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος ἐφόρεσαν· διὰ τοῦτο ἡ ^94.5 οἰκοδομὴ τοῦ πύργου μιᾷ χρόᾳ ἐγένετο λαμπρὰ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος. μετὰ δὲ τὸ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ γενέσθαι ἓν σῶμα͵ τινὲς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐμίαναν ἑαυτοὺς καὶ ἐξεβλήθησαν ἐκ τοῦ γένους τῶν δικαίων͵ καὶ πάλιν ἐγένοντο͵ οἷοι πρότεροι ἦσαν͵ μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ χείρονες.

CHAPTER XVIII

“How, sir,” I said, “did they become worse, after having known God?” “He that does not know God,” he answered, “and practises evil, receives a certain chastisement for his wickedness; but he that has known God, ought not any longer to do evil, but to do good. If, accordingly, when he ought to do good, he do evil, does not he appear to do greater evil than he who does not know God? For this reason, they who have not known God and do evil are condemned to death; but they who have known God, and have seen His mighty works, and still continue in evil, shall be chastised doubly, and shall die for ever. In this way, then, will the Church of God be purified. For as you saw the stones rejected from the tower, and delivered to the evil spirits, and cast out thence, so [they also shall be cast out, and ] there shall be one body of the purified; as the tower also became, as it were, of one stone after its purification. In like manner also shall it be with the Church of God, after it has been purified, and has rejected the wicked, and the hypocrites, and the blasphemers, and the waverers, and those who commit wickedness of different kinds. After these have been cast away, the Church of God shall be one body, of one mind, of one understanding, of one faith, of one love. And then the Son of God will be exceeding glad, and shall rejoice over them, because He has received His people pure.” “All these things, sir,” I said, “are great and glorious.

^95.1 Πῶς͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ ἐγένοντο χείρονες͵ θεὸν ἐπεγνωκότες; Ὁ μὴ γινώσ κων͵ φησί͵ θεὸν καὶ πονηρευόμενος ἔχει κόλασίν τινα τῆς πονηρίας αὐτοῦ͵ ὁ ^95.2 δὲ θεὸν ἐπιγνοὺς οὐκέτι ὀφείλει πονηρεύεσθαι͵ ἀλλ΄ ἀγαθοποιεῖν. ἐὰν οὖν ὁ ὀφείλων ἀγαθοποιεῖν πονηρεύηται͵ οὐ δοκεῖ πλείονα πονηρίαν ποιεῖν παρὰ τὸν μὴ γινώσκοντα τὸν θεόν; διὰ τοῦτο οἱ μὴ ἐγνωκότες θεὸν καὶ πονηρευό μενοι κεκριμένοι εἰσὶν εἰς θάνατον͵ οἱ δὲ τὸν θεὸν ἐγνωκότες καὶ τὰ μεγαλεῖα αὐτοῦ ἑωρακότες καὶ πονηρευόμενοι δισσῶς κολασθήσονται καὶ ἀποθανοῦνται ^95.3 εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. οὕτως οὖν καθαρισθήσεται ἡ ἐκκλησία τοῦ θεοῦ͵ ὡς εἶδες ἐκ τοῦ πύργου τοὺς λίθους ἠρμένους καὶ παραδεδομένους τοῖς πνεύμασι τοῖς πονηροῖς καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ἐκβληθέντας· καὶ ἔσται ἓν σῶμα τῶν κεκαθαρμένων. ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ πύργος ἐγένετο ὡς ἐξ ἑνὸς λίθου γεγονὼς μετὰ τὸ καθαρισθῆναι αὐτόν͵ οὕτως ἔσται καὶ ἡ ἐκκλησία τοῦ θεοῦ μετὰ τὸ καθαρισθῆναι αὐτὴν καὶ ἀποβληθῆναι τοὺς πονηροὺς καὶ ὑποκριτὰς καὶ βλασφήμους καὶ διψύ ^95.4 χους καὶ πονηρευομένους ποικίλαις πονηρίαις. μετὰ τὸ τούτους ἀπο βληθῆναι ἔσται ἡ ἐκκλησία τοῦ θεοῦ ἓν σῶμα͵ μία φρόνησις͵ εἷς νοῦς͵ μία πίστις͵ μία ἀγάπη· καὶ τότε ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἀγαλλιάσεται καὶ εὐφραν θήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀπειληφὼς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ καθαρόν. Μεγάλως͵ φημί͵ ^95.5 κύριε͵ καὶ ἐνδόξως πάντα ἔχει.

“Moreover, sir,” I said, “explain to me the power and the actions of each one of the mountains, that every soul, trusting in the Lord, and hearing it, may glorify His great, and marvellous, and glorious name.” “Hear,” he said, “the diversity of the mountains and of the twelve nations.

Ἔτι͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ τῶν ὀρέων ἑνὸς ἑκάστου δήλωσόν μοι τὴν δύναμιν καὶ τὰς πράξεις͵ ἵνα πᾶσα ψυχὴ πεποιθυῖα ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον ἀκούσασα δοξάσῃ τὸ μέγα καὶ θαυμαστὸν καὶ ἔνδοξον ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. Ἄκουε͵ φησί͵ τῶν ὀρέων τὴν ποικιλίαν καὶ τῶν δώδεκα ἐθνῶν.

CHAPTER XIX

“From the first mountain, which was black, they that believed are the following: apostates and blasphemers against the Lord, and betrayers of the servants of God. To these repentance is not open; but death lies before them, and on this account also are they black, for their race is a lawless one. And from the second mountain, which was bare, they who believed are the following: hypocrites, and teachers of wickedness. And these, accordingly, are like the former, not having any fruits of righteousness; for as their mountain was destitute of fruit, so also such men have a name indeed, but are empty of faith, and there is no fruit of truth in them. They indeed have repentance in their power, if they repent quickly; but if they are slow in so doing, they shall die along with the former.” “Why, sir,” I said, “have these repentance, but the former not? for their actions are nearly the same.”

^96.1 Ἐκ τοῦ πρώτου ὄρους τοῦ μέλανος οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν· ἀπο στάται καὶ βλάσφημοι εἰς τὸν κύριον καὶ προδόται τῶν δούλων τοῦ θεοῦ. τούτοις δὲ μετάνοια οὐκ ἔστι͵ θάνατος δὲ ἔστι͵ καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ μέλανές ^96.2 εἰσι· καὶ γὰρ τὸ γένος αὐτῶν ἄνομόν ἐστιν. ἐκ δὲ τοῦ δευτέρου ὄρους τοῦ ψιλοῦ οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν· ὑποκριταὶ καὶ διδάσκαλοι πονηρίας. καὶ οὗτοι οὖν τοῖς προτέροις ὅμοιοί εἰσι͵ μὴ ἔχοντες καρπὸν δικαιοσύνης· ὡς γὰρ τὸ ὄρος αὐτῶν ἄκαρπον͵ οὕτω καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι οἱ τοιοῦτοι ὄνομα μὲν ἔχουσιν͵ ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς πίστεως κενοί εἰσι καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐν αὐτοῖς καρπὸς ἀληθείας. τούτοις οὖν μετάνοια κεῖται͵ ἐὰν ταχὺ μετανοήσωσιν· ἐὰν δὲ βραδύνωσι͵ ^96.3 μετὰ τῶν προτέρων ἔσται ὁ θάνατος αὐτῶν. Διατί͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ τούτοις μετάνοιά ἐστι͵ τοῖς δὲ πρώτοις οὐκ ἔστι; παρά τι γὰρ αἱ αὐταὶ αἱ πράξεις αὐτῶν εἰσι.

“On this account,” he said, “have these repentance, because they did not blaspheme their Lord, nor become betrayers of the servants of God; but on account of their desire of possessions they became hypocritical, and each one taught according to the desires of men that were sinners. But they will suffer a certain punishment; and repentance is before them, because they were not blasphemers or traitors.

Διὰ τοῦτο͵ φησί͵ τούτοις μετάνοια κεῖται͵ ὅτι οὐκ ἐβλασφή μησαν τὸν κύριον αὐτῶν οὐδὲ ἐγένοντο προδόται τῶν δούλων τοῦ θεοῦ· διὰ δὲ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τοῦ λήμματος ὑπεκρίθησαν καὶ ἐδίδαξεν ἕκαστος κατὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων. ἀλλὰ τίσουσι δίκην τινά· κεῖται δὲ αὐτοῖς μετάνοια διὰ τὸ μὴ γενέσθαι αὐτοὺς βλασφή μους μηδὲ προδότας.

CHAPTER XX

“And from the third mountain, which had thorns and thistles, they who believed are the following. There are some of them rich, and others immersed in much business. The thistles are the rich, and the thorns are they who are immersed in much business. Those, [accordingly, who are entangled in many various kinds of business, do not ] cleave to the servants of God, but wander away, being choked by their business transactions; and the rich cleave with difficulty to the servants of God, fearing lest these should ask something of them. Such persons, accordingly, shall have difficulty in entering the kingdom of God. For as it is disagreeable to walk among thistles with naked feet, so also it is hard for such to enter the kingdom of God.

^97.1 Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ τρίτου τοῦ ἔχοντος ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους οἱ πιστεύ σαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν· ἐξ αὐτῶν οἱ μὲν πλούσιοι͵ οἱ δὲ πραγματείαις πολ λαῖς ἐμπεφυρμένοι. οἱ μὲν τρίβολοί εἰσιν οἱ πλούσιοι͵ αἱ δὲ ἄκανθαι οἱ ἐν ταῖς ^97.2 πραγματείαις ταῖς ποικίλαις ἐμπεφυρμένοι. οὗτοι οὖν͵ οἱ ἐν πολλαῖς καὶ ποικίλαις πραγματείαις ἐμπεφυρμένοι͵ οὐ κολλῶνται τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ͵ ἀλλ΄ ἀποπλανῶνται πνιγόμενοι ὑπὸ τῶν πράξεων αὐτῶν· οἱ δὲ πλούσιοι δυσκόλως. κολλῶνται τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ͵ φοβούμενοι μή τι αἰτισθῶσιν ὑπ΄ αὐτῶν· οἱ τοιοῦτοι οὖν δυσκόλως εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν ^97.3 τοῦ θεοῦ. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τριβόλοις γυμνοῖς ποσὶ περιπατεῖν δύσκολόν ἐστιν͵ οὕτω καὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις δύσκολόν ἐστιν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσελ ^97.4 θεῖν.

But to all these repentance, and that speedy, is open, in order that what they did not do in former times they may make up for in these days, and do some good, and they shall live unto God. But if they abide in their deeds, they shall be delivered to those women, who will put them to death.

ἀλλὰ τούτοις πᾶσι μετάνοιά ἐστι͵ ταχινὴ δέ͵ ἵν΄ ὃ τοῖς προτέροις χρόνοις οὐκ εἰργάσαντο͵ νῦν ἀναδράμωσιν ταῖς ἡμέραις καὶ ἀγαθόν τι ποιή σωσιν. ἐὰν οὖν μετανοήσωσι καὶ ἀγαθόν τι ποιήσωσι͵ ζήσονται τῷ θεῷ· ἐὰν δὲ ἐπιμείνωσι ταῖς πράξεσιν αὐτῶν͵ παραδοθήσονται ταῖς γυναιξὶν ἐκείναις͵ αἵτινες αὐτοὺς θανατώσουσιν.

CHAPTER XXI

“And from the fourth mountain, which had much grass, the upper parts of the plants green, and the parts about the roots withered, and some also scorched by the sun, they who believed are the following: the doubtful, and they who have the Lord upon their lips, but have Him not in their heart. On this account their foundations are withered, and have no strength; and their words alone live, while their works are dead. Such persons are [neither alive nor ] dead. They resemble, therefore, the waverers: for the wavering are neither withered nor green, being neither living nor dead. For as their blades, on seeing the sun, were withered, so also the wavering, when they hear of affliction, on account of their fear, worship idols, and are ashamed of the name of their Lord. Such, then, are neither alive nor dead. But these also may yet live, if they repent quickly; and if they do not repent, they are already delivered to the women, who take away their life.

^98.1 Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ τετάρτου ὄρους τοῦ ἔχοντος βοτάνας πολλάς͵ τὰ μὲν ἐπάνω τῶν βοτανῶν χλωρά͵ τὰ δὲ πρὸς ταῖς ῥίζαις ξηρά͵ τινὲς δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου ξηραινόμεναι͵ οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν· οἱ μὲν δίψυχοι͵ οἱ δὲ ^98.2 τὸν κύριον ἔχοντες ἐπὶ τὰ χείλη͵ ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν δὲ μὴ ἔχοντες. διὰ τοῦτο τὰ θεμέλια αὐτῶν ξηρά ἐστι καὶ δύναμιν μὴ ἔχοντα͵ καὶ τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν μόνα ζῶσι͵ τὰ δὲ ἔργα αὐτῶν νεκρά ἐστιν. οἱ τοιοῦτοι οὔτε ζῶσιν οὔτε τεθνήκασιν. ὅμοιοι οὖν εἰσι τοῖς διψύχοις· καὶ γὰρ οἱ δίψυχοι οὔτε χλωροί ^98.3 εἰσιν οὔτε ξηροί· οὔτε γὰρ ζῶσιν οὔτε τεθνήκασιν. ὥσπερ γὰρ αὗται αἱ βοτάναι ἥλιον ἰδοῦσαι ἐξηράνθησαν͵ οὕτω καὶ οἱ δίψυχοι͵ ὅταν θλῖψιν ἀκού σωσι͵ διὰ τὴν δειλίαν αὐτῶν εἰδωλολατροῦσι καὶ τὸ ὄνομα ἐπαισχύνονται τοῦ ^98.4 κυρίου αὐτῶν. οἱ τοιοῦτοι οὖν οὔτε ζῶσιν οὔτε τεθνήκασιν. ἀλλὰ καὶ οὗτοι ἐὰν ταχὺ μετανοήσωσιν͵ δυνήσονται ζῆσαι· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ μετανοήσω σιν͵ ἤδη παραδεδομένοι εἰσὶ ταῖς γυναιξὶ ταῖς ἀποφερομέναις τὴν ζωὴν αὐτῶν.

CHAPTER XXII.

“And from the fifth mountain, which had green grass, and was rugged, they who believed are the following: believers, indeed, but slow to learn, and obstinate, and pleasing themselves, wishing to know everything, and knowing nothing at all. On account of this obstinacy of theirs, understanding departed from them, and foolish senselessness entered into them. And they praise themselves as having wisdom, and desire to become teachers, although destitute of sense. On account, therefore, of this loftiness of mind, many became vain, exalting themselves: for self-will and empty confidence is a great demon. Of these, accordingly, many were rejected, but some repented and believed, and subjected themselves to those that had understanding, knowing their own foolishness. And to the rest of this class repentance is open; for they were not wicked, but rather foolish, and without understanding. If these therefore repent, they will live unto God; but if they do not repent, they shall have their dwelling with the women who wrought wickedness among them.

^99.1 Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ πέμπτου τοῦ ἔχοντος βοτάνας χλωρὰς καὶ τραχέος ὄντος οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσι· πιστοὶ μέν͵ δυσμαθεῖς δὲ καὶ αὐθάδεις καὶ ἑαυτοῖς ἀρέσκοντες͵ θέλοντες πάντα γινώσκειν͵ καὶ οὐδὲν ὅλως γινώσ ^99.2 κουσι. διὰ τὴν αὐθάδειαν αὐτῶν ταύτην ἀπέστη ἀπ΄ αὐτῶν ἡ σύνεσις͵ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς αὐτοὺς ἀφροσύνη μωρά. ἐπαινοῦσι δὲ ἑαυτοὺς ὡς σύνεσιν ἔχον ^99.3 τας καὶ θέλουσιν ἐθελοδιδάσκαλοι εἶναι͵ ἄφρονες ὄντες. διὰ ταύτην οὖν τὴν ὑψηλοφροσύνην πολλοὶ ἐκενώθησαν ὑψοῦντες ἑαυτούς· μέγα γὰρ δαι μόν[ιόν ἐστ]ιν [ἡ αὐθάδει]α [καὶ ἡ κενὴ πεποίθησις·] ἐκ τούτων οὖν πολλοὶ ἀπεβλήθησαν͵ τινὲς δὲ μετενόησαν καὶ ἐπίστευσαν καὶ ὑπέταξαν ἑαυτ[οὺς ^99.4 τοῖς] ἔχουσι σύν[εσιν͵ γνόντες τὴν] ἑαυτῶν ἀφροσύνην. καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς δὲ τοῖς τοιούτοις κεῖται μετάνοια· οὐκ ἐγένοντο γὰρ πονηροί͵ μᾶλλον δὲ [μωροὶ καὶ ἀσύνετοι. οὗτοι οὖν ἐὰν] μετανοήσωσι͵ ζήσονται τῷ θεῷ· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ μετανοήσωσι͵ κατοικήσουσι μετὰ τῶν γυναικῶν τῶν πονηρευομένων εἰς αὐτούς.

CHAPTER XXIII.

“And those from the sixth mountain, which had clefts large and small, and decayed grass in the clefts, who believed, were the following: they who occupy the small clefts are those who bring charges against one another, and by reason of their slanders have decayed in the faith. Many of them, however, repented; and the rest also will repent when they hear my commandments, for their slanders are small, and they will quickly repent. But they who occupy the large clefts are persistent in their slanders, and vindictive in their anger against each other. These, therefore, were thrown away from the tower, and rejected from having a part in its building. Such persons, accordingly, shall have difficulty in living. If our God and Lord, who rules over all things, and has power over all His creation, does not remember evil against those who confess their sins, but is merciful, does man, who is corruptible and full of sins, remember evil against a fellow-man, as if he were able to destroy or to save him? I, the angel of repentance, say unto you, As many of you as are of this way of thinking, lay it aside, and repent, and the Lord will heal your former sins, if you purify yourselves from this demon; but if not, you will be delivered over to him for death.

^100.1 Οἱ δὲ ἐκ τ[οῦ ὄρους τοῦ] ἕκτου τοῦ ἔχοντος σχισμὰς μεγάλας καὶ μικρὰς καὶ ἐν ταῖς σχισμαῖς βοτάνας μεμαραμμένας πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν. ^100.2 οἱ μὲν τὰς σχισμὰς τὰς μικρὰς ἔχοντες͵ οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ κατ΄ ἀλλήλων ἔχοντες͵ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν καταλαλιῶν ἑαυτῶν μεμαραμμένοι εἰσὶν ἐν τῇ πίστει· ἀλλὰ μετενό[ησαν] ἐκ τούτων πολλοί. καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ δὲ μετανοήσουσιν͵ ὅταν ἀκούσωσί μου τὰς ἐντολάς· μικραὶ γὰρ αὐτῶν εἰσιν αἱ καταλαλιαί͵ καὶ ταχὺ ^100.3 μετανοήσουσιν. οἱ δὲ μεγάλας ἔχοντες σχισμάς͵ οὗτοι παράμονοί εἰσι ταῖς καταλαλιαῖς αὐτῶν καὶ μνησίκακοι γίνονται μηνιῶντες ἀλλή[λοις·] οὗτοι οὖν ἀπὸ τοῦ πύργου ἀπερρίφησαν καὶ ἀπεδοκιμάσθησαν τῆς οἰκοδομῆς ^100.4 αὐτοῦ. οἱ τοιοῦτοι οὖν δυσκόλως ζήσονται. εἰ ὁ θεὸς καὶ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν ὁ πάντων κυριεύων καὶ ἔχων πάσης τῆς κτίσεως αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐξουσίαν οὐ μνησικακεῖ τοῖς ἐξομολογουμένοις τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐ[τῶν]͵ ἀλλ΄ ἵλεως γίνεται͵ ἄνθρωπος φθαρτὸς ὢν καὶ πλήρης ἁμαρτιῶν ἀνθρώπῳ μνη ^100.5 σικακεῖ ὡς δυνάμενος ἀπολέσαι ἢ σῶσαι αὐτόν; λέγω δ[ὲ ὑ]μ[ῖν͵ ὁ] ἄγγε λος τῆς μετανοίας· ὅσοι ταύτην ἔχετε τὴν αἵρεσιν͵ ἀπόθεσθε αὐτὴν καὶ μετανοήσατε͵ καὶ ὁ κύριος ἰάσεται ὑμῶν τὰ πρότερ[α ἁμαρτήματα͵] ἐὰν κα θαρίσητε ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ τούτου τοῦ δαιμονίου· εἰ δὲ μή͵ παραδοθήσεσθε αὐτῷ εἰς θάνατον.

CHAPTER XXIV.

“And those who believed from the seventh mountain, on which the grass was green and flourishing, and the whole of the mountain fertile, and every kind of cattle and the fowls of heaven were feeding on the grass on this mountain, and the grass on which they pastured became more abundant, were the following: they were always simple, and harmless, and blessed, bringing no charges against one another, but always rejoicing greatly because of the servants of God, and being clothed with the holy spirit of these virgins, and always having pity on every man, and giving aid from their own labour to every man, without reproach and without hesitation. The Lord, therefore, seeing their simplicity and all their meekness, multiplied them amid the labours of their hands, and gave them grace in all their doings. And I, the angel of repentance, say to you who are such, Continue to be such as these, and your seed will never be blotted out; for the Lord has made trial of you, and inscribed you in the number of us, and the whole of your seed will dwell with the Son of God; for ye have received of His Spirit.

^101.1 Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ἑβδόμο[υ ὄρους͵ ἐν ᾧ βοτάναι] χλωραὶ [καὶ] ἱλαραί͵ καὶ ὅλον τὸ ὄρος εὐθηνοῦν͵ καὶ πᾶν γένος κτηνῶν καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐνέ μοντο τὰς βοτ[άνας ἐν τούτῳ τῷ] ὄρει͵ καὶ αἱ βοτάναι͵ ἃς ἐνέμοντο͵ μᾶλλον ^101.2 εὐθαλεῖς ἐγίνοντο͵ οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσι· πάντοτε ἁπλοῖ [καὶ ἄ]κακοι [καὶ μακάριοι ἐ]γίνοντο͵ μηδὲν κατ΄ ἀλλήλων ἔχοντες͵ ἀλλὰ πάντοτε ἀγαλλιώμενοι ἐπὶ τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐνδεδυμένοι [τὸ] πνεῦμα [τὸ ἅγιον τούτων τῶν πα]ρθένων καὶ πάντοτε σπλάγχνον ἔχοντες ἐπὶ πάντα ἄνθρωπον͵ καὶ ἐκ τῶν κόπων αὐτῶν παντὶ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐχορήγησαν ἀνονει ^101.3 δίστως καὶ ἀδιστάκτως. [ὁ οὖν] κύριος ἰδὼν τὴν ἁπλότητα αὐτῶν καὶ πᾶσαν νηπιότητα ἐπλήθυνεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς κόποις τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν καὶ ^101.4 ἐχαρίτωσεν αὐτοὺς ἐν πάσῃ πράξει αὐτῶν. λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν τοῖς τοιούτοις οὖσιν ἐγὼ ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς μετανοίας· διαμείνατε τοιοῦτοι͵ καὶ οὐκ ἐξαλειφθή σεται [τὸ σ]πέρμα ὑμῶν ἕως αἰῶνος· ἐδοκίμασε γὰρ ὑμᾶς ὁ κύριος καὶ ἐνέγραψεν ὑμᾶς εἰς τὸν ἀριθμὸν τὸν ἡμέτερον͵ καὶ ὅλον τὸ σπέρμα ὑμῶν κατοικήσει μετὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ· ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ ἐλάβετε.

CHAPTER XXV.

“And they who believed from the eighth mountain, where were the many fountains, and where all the creatures of God drank of the fountains, were the following: apostles, and teachers, who preached to the whole world, and who taught solemnly and purely the word of the Lord, and did not at all fall into evil desires, but walked always in righteousness and truth, according as they had received the Holy Spirit. Such persons, therefore, shall enter in with the angels.

^102.1 Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ ὀγδόου͵ οὗ ἦσαν αἱ πολλαὶ πηγαὶ καὶ πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις ^102.2 τοῦ κυρίου ἐποτίζετο ἐκ τῶν πηγῶν͵ οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν· ἀπό στολοι καὶ διδάσκαλοι οἱ κηρύξαντες εἰς ὅλον τὸν κόσμον καὶ οἱ διδάξαντες σεμνῶς καὶ ἁγνῶς τὸν λόγον τοῦ κυρίου καὶ μηδὲν ὅλως νοσφισάμενοι εἰς ἐπιθυμίαν πονηράν͵ ἀλλὰ πάντοτε ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ πορευθέν τες͵ καθὼς καὶ παρέλαβον τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον. τῶν τοιούτων οὖν ἡ πάροδος μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἐστίν.

CHAPTER XXVI.

“And they who believed from the ninth mountain, which was deserted, and had in it creeping things and wild beasts which destroy men, were the following: they who had the stains as servants, who discharged their duty ill, and who plundered widows and orphans of their livelihood, and gained possessions for themselves from the ministry, which they had received. If, therefore, they remain under the dominion of the same desire, they are dead, and there is no hope of life for them; but if they repent, and finish their ministry in a holy manner, they shall be able to live. And they who were covered with scabs are those who have denied their Lord, and have not returned to Him again; but becoming withered and desert-like, and not cleaving to the servants of God, but living in solitude, they destroy their own souls. For as a vine, when left within an enclosure, and meeting with neglect, is destroyed, and is made desolate by the weeds, and in time grows wild, and is no longer of any use to its master, so also are such men as have given themselves up, and become useless to their Lord, from having contracted savage habits. These men, therefore, have repentance in their power, unless they are found to have denied from the heart; but if any one is found to have denied from the heart, I do not know if he may live. And I say this not for these present days, in order that any one who has denied may obtain repentance, for It is impossible for him to be saved who now intends to deny his Lord; but to those who denied Him long ago, repentance seems to be possible. If, therefore, any one intends to repent, let him do so quickly, before the tower is completed; for if not, he will be utterly destroyed by the women. And the chipped stones are the deceitful and the slanderers; and the wild beasts. which you saw on the ninth mountain, are the same. For as wild beasts destroy and kill a man by their poison, so also do the words of such men destroy and ruin a man. These, accordingly, are mutilated in their faith, on account of the deeds which they have done in themselves; yet some repented, and were saved. And the rest, who are of such a character, can be saved if they repent; but if they do not repent, they will perish with those women, whose strength they have assumed.

^103.1 Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ ἐνάτου τοῦ ἐρημώδους͵ τοῦ [τὰ] ἑρπετὰ καὶ θηρία ἐν αὐτῷ ἔχοντος τὰ διαφθείροντα τοὺς ἀνθρώπους͵ οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί ^103.2 εἰσιν· οἱ μὲν τοὺς σπίλους ἔχοντες διάκονοί εἰσι κακῶς διακονήσαντες καὶ διαρπάσαντες χηρῶν καὶ ὀρφανῶν τὴν ζωὴν καὶ ἑαυτοῖς περιποιησάμενοι ἐκ τῆς διακονίας ἧς ἔλαβον διακονῆσαι· ἐὰν οὖν ἐπιμείνωσι τῇ αὐτῇ ἐπιθυ μίᾳ͵ ἀπέθανον καὶ οὐδεμία αὐτοῖς ἐλπὶς ζωῆς· ἐὰν δὲ ἐπιστρέψωσι καὶ ἁγνῶς ^103.3 τελειώσωσι τὴν διακονίαν αὐτῶν͵ δυνήσονται ζῆσαι. οἱ δὲ ἐψωριακότες͵ οὗτοι οἱ ἀρνησάμενοί εἰσι καὶ μὴ ἐπιστρέψαντες ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον ἑαυτῶν͵ ἀλλὰ χερσωθέντες καὶ γενόμενοι ἐρημώδεις͵ μὴ κολλώμενοι τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ ^103.4 θεοῦ͵ ἀλλὰ μονάζοντες ἀπολλύουσι τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχάς. ὡς γὰρ ἄμπελος ἐν φραγμῷ τινι καταλειφθεῖσα ἀμελείας τυγχάνουσα καταφθείρεται καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν βοτανῶν ἐρημοῦται καὶ τῷ χρόνῳ ἀγρία γίνεται͵ καὶ οὐκέτι εὔχρη στός ἐστι τῷ δεσπότῃ ἑαυτῆς͵ οὕτω καὶ οἱ τοιοῦτοι ἄνθρωποι ἑαυτοὺς ^103.5 ἀπεγνώκασι καὶ γίνονται ἄχρηστοι τῷ κυρίῳ ἑαυτῶν ἀγριωθέντες. τούτοις οὖν μετάνοια γίνεται͵ ἐὰν μὴ ἐκ καρδίας εὑρεθῶσιν ἠρνημένοι· ἐὰν δὲ ἐκ ^103.6 καρδίας εὑρεθῇ ἠρνημένος τις͵ οὐκ οἶδα͵ εἰ δύναται ζῆσαι. καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ εἰς ταύτας τὰς ἡμέρας λέγω͵ ἵνα τις ἀρνησάμενος μετάνοιαν λάβῃ· ἀδύνατον γάρ ἐστι σωθῆναι τὸν μέλλοντα νῦν ἀρνεῖσθαι τὸν κύριον ἑαυτοῦ· ἀλλ΄ ἐκείνοις τοῖς πάλαι ἠρνημένοις δοκεῖ κεῖσθαι μετάνοια. εἴ τις οὖν μέλλει με τανοεῖν͵ ταχινὸς γενέσθω πρὶν τὸν πύργον ἀποτελεσθῆναι· εἰ δὲ μή͵ ὑπὸ τῶν ^103.7 γυναικῶν καταφθαρήσεται εἰς θάνατον. καὶ οἱ κολοβοί͵ οὗτοι δόλιοί εἰσι καὶ κατάλαλοι· καὶ τὰ θηρία͵ ἃ εἶδες εἰς τὸ ὄρος͵ οὗτοί εἰσιν. ὥσπερ γὰρ τὰ θηρία διαφθείρει τῷ ἑαυτῶν ἰῷ τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἀπολλύει͵ οὕτω καὶ τῶν τοιούτων ἀνθρώπων τὰ ῥήματα διαφθείρει τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ ἀπολ ^103.8 λύει. οὗτοι οὖν κολοβοί εἰσιν ἀπὸ τῆς πίστεως αὐτῶν διὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν ἣν ἔχουσιν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς· τινὲς δὲ μετενόησαν καὶ ἐσώθησαν. καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ οἱ τοιοῦτοι ὄντες δύνανται σωθῆναι͵ ἐὰν μετανοήσωσιν· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ μετανοή σωσιν͵ ἀπὸ τῶν γυναικῶν ἐκείνων͵ ὧν τὴν δύναμιν ἔχουσιν͵ ἀποθανοῦνται.

CHAPTER XXVII.

“And from the tenth mountain, where were trees which overshadowed certain sheep, they who believed were the following: bishops given to hospitality, who always gladly received into their houses the servants of God, without dissimulation. And the bishops never failed to protect, by their service, the widows, and those who were in want, and always maintained a holy conversation. All these, accordingly, shall be protected by the Lord for ever. They who do these things are honourable before God, and their place is already with the angels, if they remain to the end serving God.

^104.1 Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ δεκάτου͵ οὗ ἦσαν δένδρα σκεπάζοντα πρόβατά τινα͵ ^104.2 οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν· ἐπίσκοποι καὶ φιλόξενοι͵ οἵτινες ἡδέως εἰς τοὺς οἴκους ἑαυτῶν πάντοτε ὑπεδέξαντο τοὺς δούλους τοῦ θεοῦ ἄτερ ὑπο κρίσεως· οἱ δὲ ἐπίσκοποι πάντοτε τοὺς ὑστερημένους καὶ τὰς χήρας τῇ δια κονίᾳ ἑαυτῶν ἀδιαλείπτως ἐσκέπασαν καὶ ἁγνῶς ἀνεστράφησαν πάντοτε. ^104.3 οὗτοι οὖν πάντες σκεπασθήσονται ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου διαπαντός. οἱ οὖν ταῦτα ἐργασάμενοι ἔνδοξοί εἰσι παρὰ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἤδη ὁ τόπος αὐτῶν μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἐστίν͵ ἐὰν ἐπιμείνωσιν ἕως τέλους λειτουργοῦντες τῷ κυρίῳ.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

“And from the eleventh mountain, where were trees full of fruits, adorned with fruits of various kinds, they who believed were the following: they who suffered for the name of the Son of God, and who also suffered cheerfully with their whole heart, and laid down their lives.” “Why, then, sir,” I said, “do all these trees bear fruit, and some of them fairer than the rest? “Listen,” he said: “all who once suffered for the name of the Lord are honourable before God; and of all these the sins were remitted, because they suffered for the name of the Son of God. And why their fruits are of various kinds, and some of them superior, listen. All,” he continued, “who were brought before the authorities and were examined, and did not deny, but suffered cheerfully--these are held in greater honour with God, and of these the fruit is superior; but all who were cowards, and in doubt, and who reasoned in their hearts whether they would deny or confess, and yet suffered, of these the fruit is less, because that suggestion came into their hearts; for that suggestion--that a servant should deny his Lord--is evil. Have a care, therefore, ye who are planning such things, lest that suggestion remain in your hearts, and ye perish unto God. And ye who suffer for His name ought to glorify God, because He deemed you worthy to bear His name, that all your sins might be healed. [Therefore, rather deem yourselves happy], and think that ye have done a great thing, if any of you suffer on account of God. The Lord bestows upon you life, and ye do not understand, for your sins were heavy; but if you had not suffered for the name of the Lord, ye would have died to God on account of your sins. These things I say to you who are hesitating about denying or confessing: acknowledge that ye have the Lord, lest, denying Him, ye be delivered up to prison. If the heathen chastise their slaves, when one of them denies his master, what, think ye, will your Lord do, who has authority over all men? Put away these counsels out of your hearts, that you may live continually unto God.

^105.1 Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ ἑνδεκάτου͵ οὗ ἦσαν δένδρα καρπῶν πλήρη͵ ἄλλοις ^105.2 καὶ ἄλλοις καρποῖς κεκοσμημένα͵ οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν· οἱ παθόντες ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὀνόματος τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ͵ οἳ καὶ προθύμως ἔπαθον ^105.3 ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας καὶ παρέδωκαν τὰς ψυχὰς αὐτῶν. Διατί οὖν͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ πάντα μὲν τὰ δένδρα καρποὺς ἔχει͵ τινὲς δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν καρποὶ εὐειδέστε ροί εἰσιν; Ἄκουε͵ φησίν· ὅσοι ποτὲ ἔπαθον διὰ τὸ ὄνομα͵ ἔνδοξοί εἰσι παρὰ τῷ θεῷ͵ καὶ πάντων τούτων αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἀφῃρέθησαν͵ ὅτι ἔπαθον διὰ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ. διατί δὲ οἱ καρποὶ αὐτῶν ποικίλοι εἰσίν͵ τινὲς δὲ ^105.4 ὑπερέχοντες͵ ἄκουε. ὅσοι͵ φησίν͵ ἐπ΄ ἐξουσίαν ἀχθέντες ἐξητάσθησαν καὶ οὐκ ἠρνήσαντο͵ ἀλλ΄ ἔπαθον προθύμως͵ οὗτοι μᾶλλον ἐνδοξότεροί εἰσι παρὰ τῷ κυρίῳ· τούτων ὁ καρπός ἐστιν ὁ ὑπερέχων. ὅσοι δὲ δειλοὶ καὶ ἐν δισταγμῷ ἐγένοντο καὶ ἐλογίσαντο ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν͵ πότερον ἀρνή σονται ἢ ὁμολογήσουσι͵ καὶ ἔπαθον͵ τούτων οἱ καρποὶ ἐλάττους εἰσίν͵ ὅτι ἀνέβη ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτῶν ἡ βουλὴ αὕτη· πονηρὰ γὰρ ἡ βουλὴ αὕτη͵ ^105.5 ἵνα δοῦλος κύριον ἴδιον ἀρνήσηται. βλέπετε οὖν ὑμεῖς οἱ ταῦτα βουλευό μενοι͵ μήποτε ἡ βουλὴ αὕτη διαμείνῃ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑμῶν καὶ ἀποθάνητε τῷ θεῷ. ὑμεῖς δὲ οἱ πάσχοντες ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματος δοξ[άζειν] ὀφείλετε τὸν θεόν͵ ὅτι ἀξίους ὑμᾶς ἡγήσατο ὁ θεός͵ ἵνα τοῦτο τὸ ὄνομα βαστάζητε καὶ ^105.6 πᾶσαι ἡμῶν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἰαθῶσιν. [οὐκοῦν μακα]ρίζετε ἑαυτούς· ἀλλὰ δοκεῖτε ἔργον μέγα πεποιηκέναι͵ ἐάν τις ὑμῶν διὰ τὸν θεὸν πάθῃ. ζωὴν ὑμῖν ὁ κύριος χαρίζεται͵ καὶ οὐ νοεῖτε· αἱ γὰρ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν κατεβάρησαν͵ καὶ εἰ μὴ πεπόνθατε ἕνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματος κυρίου͵ διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας ὑμῶν τεθνή ^105.7 κειτε [ἂν] τῷ θεῷ. ταῦτα ὑμῖν λέγω τοῖς διστάζουσι περὶ ἀρνήσεως ἢ ὁμολογήσεως· ὁμολογεῖτε ὅτι κύριον ἔχετε͵ μήποτε ἀρνούμενοι [πα]ρα ^105.8 δοθ[ήσησθε] εἰς δεσμωτήριον. εἰ τὰ ἔθνη τοὺς δούλους αὐτῶν κολάζουσιν͵ ἐάν τις ἀρνήσηται τὸν κύριον ἑαυτοῦ͵ τί δοκεῖτε ποιήσει ὁ κύριος ὑμῖν͵ ὃς [ἔχει] πάντων τὴν ἐξουσίαν; ἄρατε τὰς βουλὰς ταύτας ἀπὸ τῶν καρδιῶν ὑμῶν͵ ἵνα διαπαντὸς ζήσητε τῷ θεῷ.

CHAPTER XXIX.

“And they who believed from the twelfth mountain, which was white, are the following: they are as infant children, in whose hearts no evil originates; nor did they know what wickedness is, but always remained as children. Such accordingly, without doubt, dwell in the kingdom of God, because they defiled in nothing the commandments of God; but they remained like children all the days of their life in the same mind. All of you, then, who shall remain stedfast, and be as children, without doing evil, will be more honoured than all who have been previously mentioned; for all infants are honourable before God, and are the first persons with Him. Blessed, then, are ye who put away wickedness from yourselves, and put on innocence. As the first of all will you live unto God.”

^106.1 Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ δωδεκάτου τοῦ λευκοῦ οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν· ὡς νήπια βρέφη εἰσίν͵ οἷς οὐδεμία κακία ἀναβαίνει ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν οὐδὲ [ἔγνω]σαν͵ τί ἐστι πονηρία͵ ἀλλὰ πάντοτε ἐν νηπιότητι διέμειναν. ^106.2 οἱ τοιοῦτοι οὖν ἀδιστάκτως κατοικήσουσιν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τοῦ θε[οῦ͵ ὅτι] ἐν οὐδενὶ πράγματι ἐμίαναν τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ θεοῦ͵ ἀλλὰ μετὰ νηπιότητος διέ ^106.3 μειναν πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζωῆς αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ φρονήσει. ὅσοι οὖν διαμενεῖτε͵ φησί͵ καὶ ἔσεσθε ὡς τὰ βρέφη͵ κακίαν μὴ ἔχοντες͵ πάντων τῶν προειρημένων ἐνδοξότεροι ἔ[σε]σθε· πάντα γὰρ τὰ βρέφη ἔνδοξά ἐστι παρὰ τῷ θεῷ καὶ πρῶτα παρ΄ αὐτῷ. μακάριοι οὖν ὑμεῖς͵ ὅσοι ἂν ἄρητε ἀφ΄ ἑαυτῶν τὴν πονηρίαν͵ ἐνδύσησθε δὲ τὴν ἀκακίαν· πρῶτοι πάντων ζήσεσθε ^106.4 τῷ θεῷ.

After he had finished the Parables of the mountains, I said to him, “Sir, explain to me now about the stones that were taken out of the plain, and put into the building instead of the stones that were taken out of the tower; and about the round stones that were put into the building; and those that still remain round.”

μετὰ τὸ συντελέσαι αὐτὸν τὰς παραβολὰς τῶν ὀρέων λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε͵ νῦν μοι δήλωσον περὶ τῶν λίθων τῶν ἠρμένων [ἐκ] τοῦ πεδίου καὶ εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τεθειμένων ἀντὶ τῶν λίθων τῶν ἠρμένων [ἐκ] τοῦ πύργου͵ καὶ τῶν στρογγύλων τῶν τεθέντων εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν καὶ τῶν ἔτι στρογγύλων ὄντων.

CHAPTER XXX.

“Hear,” he answered, “about all these also. The stones taken out of the plain and put into the building of the tower instead of those that were rejected, are the roots of this white mountain. When, therefore, they who believed from the white mountain were all found guileless, the Lord of the tower commanded those from the roots of this mountain to be cast into the building of the tower; for he knew that if these stones were to go to the building of the tower, they would remain bright, and not one of them become black. But if he had so resolved with respect to the other mountains, it would have been necessary for him to visit that tower again, and to cleanse it. Now all these persons were found white who believed, and who will yet believe, for they are of the same race. This is a happy race, because it is innocent.

^107.1 Ἄκουε͵ φησίν͵ καὶ περὶ τούτων πάντων. οἱ λίθοι οἱ ἐκ τοῦ πεδίου ἠρμέ νοι καὶ τεθειμένοι εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου ἀντὶ τῶν ἀποβεβλημένων ^107.2 αἱ ῥίζαι εἰσὶ τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ λευκοῦ τούτου. ἐπεὶ οὖν οἱ πιστεύσαντες ἐκ τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ λευκοῦ πάντες ἄκακοι εὑρέθησαν͵ ἐκέλευσεν ὁ κύριος τοῦ πύργου τούτους ἐκ τῶν ῥιζῶν τοῦ ὄρους τούτου βληθῆναι εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύρ γου· ἔγνω γὰρ ὅτι͵ ἐὰν ἀπέλθωσιν εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου οἱ λίθοι ^107.3 οὗτοι͵ διαμενοῦσι λαμπροί͵ καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτῶν μελανήσει. quodsi de ceteris  montibus adiecisset, necesse habuisset rursus uisitare eam turrem  atque purgare. hi autem omnes candidi inuenti sunt, [οἱ πιστεύσ]αντες κ[αὶ μέλλοντες] πιστεύει[ν· ἐκ τοῦ] αὐτοῦ γὰρ γέν[ους εἰσίν]. μακάριον τὸ ^107.4 [γένος τοῦτ]ο ὅτι ἄκακόν [ἐστι.

Hear now, further, about these round and shining stones. All these also are from the white mountain. Hear, moreover, why they were found round: because their riches had obscured and darkened them a little from the truth, although they never departed from God; nor did any evil word proceed out of their mouth, but all justice, virtue, and truth. When the Lord, therefore, saw the mind of these persons, that they were born good, and could be good, He ordered their riches to be cut down, not to be taken s away for ever, that they might be able to do some good with what was left them; and they will live unto God, because they are of a good race. Therefore were they rounded a little by the chisel, and put in the building of the tower.

ἄκου]ε νῦν καὶ περ[ὶ τῶν λίθω]ν τῶν στρογ[γύλων καὶ λαμ]πρῶν. καὶ αὐ[τοὶ πάντες ἐκ τ]οῦ ὄ[ρους [τοῦ λευκοῦ εἰσιν.] ^108.3-⁴ καλόν ἐστι κρατεῖν τὴν

CHAPTER XXXI.

“But the other round stones, which had not yet been adapted to the building of the tower, and had not yet received the seal, were for this reason put back into their place, because they are exceedingly round. Now this age must be cut down in these things, and in the vanities of their riches, and then they will meet in the kingdom of God; for they must of necessity enter into the kingdom of God, because the Lord has blessed this innocent race. Of this race. therefore, no one will perish; for although any of them be tempted by the most wicked devil, and commit sin, he will quickly return to his Lord.

I deem you happy, I, who am the messenger of repentance, whoever of you are innocent as children, because your part is good, and honourable before God.

Moreover, I say to you all, who have received the seal of the Son of God, be clothed with simplicity, and be not mindful of offences, nor remain in wickedness. Lay aside, therefore, the recollection of your offences and bitternesses, and you will be formed in one spirit. And heal and take away from you those wicked schisms, that if the Lord of the flocks come, He may rejoice concerning you. And He will rejoice, if He find all things sound, and none of you shall perish. But if He find any one of these sheep strayed, woe to the shepherds! And if the shepherds themselves have strayed, what answer will they give Him for their flocks? Will they perchance say that they were harassed by their flocks? They will not be believed, for the thing is incredible that a shepherd could suffer from his flock; rather will he be punished on account of his falsehood. And I myself am a shepherd, and I am under a most stringent necessity of rendering an account of you.

CHAPTER XXXII.

“Heal yourselves, therefore, while the tower is still building. The Lord dwells in men that love peace, because He loved peace; but from the contentious and the utterly wicked He is far distant. Restore to Him, therefore, a spirit sound as ye received it. For when you have given to a fuller a new garment, and desire to receive it back entire at the end, if, then, the fuller return you a torn garment, will you take it from him, and not rather be angry, and abuse him, saying, ‘I gave you a garment that was entire:

why have you rent it, and made it useless, so that it can be of no use on account of the rent which you have made in it?’ Would you not say all this to the fuller about the rent which you found in your garment? If, therefore, you grieve about your garment, and complain because you have not received it entire, what do you think the Lord will do to you, who gave you a sound spirit, which you have rendered altogether useless, so that it can be of no service to its possessor? for its use began to be unprofitable, seeing it was corrupted by you. Will not the Lord, therefore, because of this conduct of yours regarding His Spirit, act in the same way, and deliver you over to death? Assuredly, I say, he will do the same to all those whom He shall find retaining a recollection of offences. Do not trample His mercy under foot, He says, but rather honour Him, because He is so patient with your sins, and is not as ye are. Repent, for it is useful to you.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

“All these things which are written above, I, the Shepherd, the messenger of repentance, have showed and spoken to the servants of God. If therefore ye believe, and listen to my words, and walk in them, and amend your ways, you shall have it in your power to live: but if you remain in wickedness, and in the recollection of offences, no sinner of that class will live unto God. All these words which I had to say have been spoken unto you.”

^110.1 ... ἐγὼ ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς μετανοίας ἔδειξα καὶ ἐλάλησα τῷ δούλῳ τοῦ θεοῦ. ἐὰν πεισθῆτε [ἐν] αὐτοῖς καὶ ἀκούσητε τῶν ῥημάτων μου καὶ πορευ θῆτε ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ κατορθώσητε τὰς ὁδοὺς ὑμῶν͵ ζῆσαι δύνασθε. ἐὰν δὲ παραμείνητε τῇ δολιότητι καὶ μνησικακίᾳ͵ οὐδεὶς τῶν τοιούτων ζήσει ^110.2 τῷ θεῷ. ταῦτα πάντα λελάληται ὑμῖν τὰ ῥήματα.

The Shepherd said to me,” Have you asked me everything?” And I replied, “Yes, sir.” “Why did you not ask me about the shape of the stones that were put into the building, that I might explain to you why we filled up the shapes?” And I said, “I forgot, sir.” “Hear now, then,” he said, “about this also. These are they who have now heard my commandments, and repented with their whole hearts. And when the Lord saw that their repentance was good and pure, and that they were able to remain in it, He ordered their former sins to be blotted out. For these shapes were their sins, and they were levelled down, that they might not appear.”

λέγει μοι ὁ ποιμήν· Πάντα με ἐπηρώτησας; Ναί͵ φημί͵ κύριε. Τί ὅτι͵ φησίν͵ οὐκ ἐπηρώτησάς με περὶ τῶν τύπων τῶν λίθων τῶν ἀπεληλυθότων εἰς ^110.3 τὴν οἰκοδομήν͵ ὧν ἐξεπληρώσαμεν; Ἐπελαθόμην͵ φημί͵ κύριε. Ἄκουε νῦν͵ φησί͵ περὶ αὐτῶν· οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ νῦν ἀκούσαντες τῶν ἐντολῶν μου καὶ μετανοήσαντες ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας αὐτῶν͵ καὶ ἐπεῖδεν ὁ θεὸς τὴν μετάνοιαν αὐτῶν καλὴν καὶ καθαρὰν καὶ δυναμένους παραμεῖναι ἐν μετανοίᾳ αὐτῶν. ἐκέλευσεν οὖν τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν τὰς προτέρας ἐξαλειφθῆναι. οἱ γὰρ τύποι οὗτοι αἱ ἁμαρτίαι αὐτῶν ἦσαν. ἐξωμαλίσθησαν οὖν εἰς τὸ μηκέτι φαίνεσθαι αὐτάς.

10_Parable

TENTH PARABLE

concerning repentance and alms-giving.

CHAPTER I.

After I had fully written down this book, that messenger who had delivered me to the Shepherd came into the house in which I was, and sat down upon a couch, and the Shepherd stood on his fight hand. He then called me, and spoke to me as follows: “I have delivered you and your house to the Shepherd, that you may be protected by him.” “Yes, sir,” I said. “If you wish, therefore, to be protected,” he said, from all annoyance, and from all harsh treatment, and to have success in every good work and word, and to possess all the virtues of righteousness, walk in these commandments which he has given you, and you will be able to subdue all wickedness. For if you keep those commandments, every desire and pleasure of the world will be subject to you, and success will attend you in every good work. Take unto yourself his experience and moderation, and say to all that he is in great honour and dignity with God, and that he is a president with great power, and mighty in his office. To him alone throughout the whole world is the power of repentance assigned. Does he seem to you to be powerful? But you despise his experience, and the moderation which he exercises towards you.”

CHAPTER II.

I said to him, “Ask himself, sir, whether from the time that he has entered my house I have done anything improper, or have offended him in any respect.” He answered, “I also know that you neither have done nor will do anything improper, and therefore I speak these words to you, that you may persevere. For he had a good report of you to me, and you will say these words to others, that they also who have either repented or will still repent may entertain the same feelings with you, and he may report well of these to me, and I to the Lord.” And I said, “Sir, I make known to every man the great works of God: and I hope that all those who love them, and have sinned before, on heating these words, may repent, and receive life again.” “Continue, therefore, in this ministry, and finish it. And all who follow out his commands shall have life, and great honour with the Lord. But those who do not keep his commandments, flee from his life, and despise him. But he has his own honour with the LOrd. All, therefore, who shall despise him, and not follow his commands, deliver themselves to death, and every one of them will be guilty of his own blood.

But I enjoin you, that you obey his commands, and you will have a cure for your former sins.

CHAPTER III.

“Moreover, I sent you these virgins, that they may dwell with you. For I saw that they were courteous to you. You will therefore have them as assistants, that you may be the better able to keep his commands: for it is impossible that these commandments can be observed without these virgins. I see, moreover, that they abide with you willingly; but I will also instruct them not to depart at all from your house: do you only keep your house pure, as they will delight to dwell in a pure abode. For they are pure, and chaste, and industrious, and have all influence with the Lord. Therefore, if they find your house to be pure, they will remain with you; but if any defilement, even a little, befall it, they will immediately withdraw from your house. For these virgins do not at all like any defilement.” I said to him, “I hope, sir, that I will please them, so that they may always be willing to inhabit my house. And as he to whom you entrusted me has no complaint against me, so neither will they have.” He said to the Shepherd, “I see that the servant of God wishes to live, and to keep these commandments, and will place these virgins in a pure habitation.” When he had spoken these words he again delivered me to the Shepherd, and called those virgins, and said to them, “Since I see that you are willing to dwell in his house, I commend him and his house to you, asking that you withdraw not at all from it.” And the virgins heard these words with pleasure.

CHAPTER IV

The angel then said to me, “Conduct yourself manfully in this service, and make known to every one the great things of God, and you will have favour in this ministry. Whoever, therefore, shall walk in these commandments, shall have life, and will be happy in his life; but whosoever shall neglect them shall not have life, and will be unhappy in this life. Enjoin all, who are able to act rightly, not to cease well-doing; for, to practise good works is useful to them. And I say that every man ought to be saved from inconveniences. For both he who is in want, and he who suffers inconveniences in his daily life, is in great torture and necessity. Whoever, therefore, rescues a soul of this kind from necessity, will gain for himself great joy. For he who is harassed by inconveniences of this kind, suffers equal torture with him who is in chains. Moreover many, on account of calamities of this sort, when they could not endure them, hasten their own deaths. Whoever, then, knows a calamity of this kind afflicting a man, and does not save him, commits a great sin, and becomes guilty of his blood. Do good works, therefore, ye who have received good from the Lord; lest, while ye delay to do them, the building of the tower be finished, and you be rejected from the edifice: there is now no other tower a-building. For on your account was the work of building suspended. Unless, then, you make haste to do rightly, the tower will be completed, and you will be excluded.”

After he had spoken with me he rose up from the couch, and taking the Shepherd and the virgins, he departed. But he said to me that he would send back the Shepherd and the virgins to my dwelling. Amen.