1. CHRIST IS BORN, glorify ye Him.  Christ from heaven, go ye out to meet Him.  Christ on earth; be ye exalted.  Sing unto the Lord all the whole earth;^{a} and that I may join both in one word, Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad, for Him Who is of heaven and then of earth.  Christ in the flesh, rejoice with trembling and with joy; with trembling because of your sins, with joy because of your hope. Christ of a Virgin; O ye Matrons live as Virgins, that ye may be Mothers of Christ.  Who doth not worship Him That is from the beginning?Who doth not glorify Him That is the Last?

  Α. Χριστὸς γεννᾶται͵ δοξάσατε· Χριστὸς ἐξ οὐρανῶν͵ ἀπαντήσατε· Χριστὸς ἐπὶ γῆς͵ ὑψώθητε. ῎ᾳσατε τῷ Κυρίῳ͵ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ· καὶ͵ ἵν΄ ἀμφότερα συνελὼν εἴπω͵ Εὐφραινέσθωσαν οἱ οὐρανοὶ͵ καὶ ἀγαλλιάσθω ἡ γῆ͵ διὰ τὸν ἐπουράνιον͵ εἶτα ἐπί ^36.313 γειον. Χριστὸς ἐν σαρκὶ͵ τρόμῳ καὶ χαρᾷ ἀγαλ λιᾶσθε· τρόμῳ͵ διὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν· χαρᾷ͵ διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα. Χριστὸς ἐκ Παρθένου· γυναῖκες παρθε νεύετε͵ ἵνα Χριστοῦ γένησθε μητέρες. Τίς οὐ προσ κυνεῖ τὸν ἀπ΄ ἀρχῆς; τίς οὐ δοξάζει τὸν τελευ ταῖον;

2. Again the darkness is past; again Light is made; again Egypt is punished with darkness; again Israel is enlightened by a pillar.^{a} The people that sat in the darkness of ignorance, let it see the Great Light of full knowledge.^{b} Old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.^{g} The letter gives way, the Spirit comes to the front.  The shadows flee away, the Truth comes in upon them.  Melchisedec is concluded.^{d} He that was without Mother becomes without Father (without Mother of His former state, without Father of His second). The laws of nature are upset; the world above must be filled.  Christ commands it, let us not set ourselves against Him.  O clap your hands together all ye people,^{e} because unto us a Child is born, and a Son given unto us, Whose Government is upon His shoulder (for with the Cross it is raised up), and His Name is called The Angel of the Great Counsel of the Father.^{z} Let John cry, Prepare ye the way of the Lord:^{h} I too will cry the power of this Day.  He Who is not carnal is Incarnate; the Son of God becomes the Son of Man, Jesus Christ the Same yesterday, and today, and for ever.^{q} Let the Jews be offended, let the Greeks deride;^{k} let heretics talk till their tongues ache.  Then shall they believe, when they see Him ascending up into heaven; and if not then, yet when they see Him coming out of heaven and sitting as Judge.

Β. Πάλιν τὸ σκότος λύεται͵ πάλιν τὸ φῶς ὑφίσταται͵ πάλιν Αἴγυπτος σκότῳ κολάζεται͵ πάλιν Ἰσραὴλ στύλῳ φωτίζεται. Ὁ λαὸς͵ ὁ καθήμενος ἐν σκότει τῆς ἀγνοίας͵ ἰδέτω φῶς μέγα τῆς ἐπι γνώσεως. Τὰ ἀρχαῖα παρῆλθεν· ἰδοὺ γέγονε τὰ πάντα καινά. Τὸ γράμμα ὑποχωρεῖ͵ τὸ πνεῦμα πλεονεκτεῖ͵ αἱ σκιαὶ παρατρέχουσιν͵ ἡ ἀλήθεια ἐπεισ έρχεται. Ὁ Μελχισεδὲκ συνάγεται· ὁ ἀμήτωρ͵ ἀπάτωρ γίνεται· ἀμήτωρ τὸ πρότερον͵ ἀπάτωρ τὸ δεύτερον. Νόμοι φύσεως καταλύονται. Πληρωθῆναι δεῖ τὸν ἄνω κόσμον. Χριστὸς κελεύει· μὴ ἀντι τείνωμεν. Πάντα τὰ ἔθνη͵ κροτήσατε χεῖρας͵ ὅτι παιδίον ἐγεννήθη ἡμῖν͵ υἱὸς καὶ ἐδόθη ἡμῖν͵ οὗ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου αὐτοῦ (τῷ γὰρ σταυρῷ συνεπαίρεται)͵ καὶ καλεῖται τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ͵ με γάλης βουλῆς͵ τῆς τοῦ Πατρὸς͵ Ἄγγελος. Ἰωάν νης βοάτω· Ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν Κυρίου. Κἀγὼ βοήσομαι τῆς ἡμέρας τὴν δύναμιν· Ὁ ἄσαρκος σαρ κοῦται͵ ὁ Λόγος παχύνεται͵ ὁ ἀόρατος ὁρᾶται͵ ὁ ἀνα φὴς ψηλαφᾶται͵ ὁ ἄχρονος ἄρχεται͵ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς ἀνθρώπου γίνεται͵ Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς͵ χθὲς καὶ σήμερον͵ ὁ αὐτὸς καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἰου δαῖοι σκανδαλιζέσθωσαν͵ Ἕλληνες διαγελάτωσαν͵ αἱρετικοὶ γλωσσαλγείτωσαν. Τότε πιστεύσουσιν͵ ὅταν ἴδωσιν εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνερχόμενον· εἰ δὲ μὴ τότε͵ ἀλλ΄ ὅταν ἐξ οὐρανῶν ἐρχόμενον͵ καὶ ὡς κριτὴν καθεζόμενον.

3. Of these on a future occasion; for the present the Festival is the Theophany or Birthday, for it is called both, two titles being given to the one thing.  For God was manifested to man by birth.  On the one hand Being, and eternally Being, of the Eternal Being, above cause and word, for there was no word before The Word; and on the other hand for our sakes also Becoming, that He Who gives us our being might also give us our Well-being, or rather might restore us by His Incarnation, when we had by wickedness fallen from wellbeing.  The name Theophany is given to it in reference to the Manifestation, and that of Birthday in respect of His Birth.

Γ. Ταῦτα μὲν ὕστερον. Τὰ δὲ νῦν Θεοφάνια͵ ἡ πανήγυρις͵ εἴτουν Γενέθλια· λέγεται γὰρ ἀμφότερα͵ δύο κειμένων προσηγοριῶν ἑνὶ πράγματι. Ἐφάνη γὰρ Θεὸς ἀνθρώποις διὰ γεννήσεως· τὸ μὲν ὢν͵ καὶ ἀεὶ ὢν ἐκ τοῦ ἀεὶ ὄντος͵ ὑπὲρ αἰτίαν καὶ λόγον (οὐδὲ γὰρ ἦν τοῦ Λόγου λόγος ἀνώτερος)· τὸ δὲ͵ δι΄ ἡμᾶς γενόμενος ὕστερον͵ ἵν΄ ὁ τὸ εἶναι δοὺς͵ καὶ τὸ εὖ εἶναι χαρίσηται· μᾶλλον δὲ͵ ῥεύσαντας ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ εὖ εἶναι διὰ κακίαν͵ πρὸς αὐτὸ πάλιν ἐπα ναγάγῃ διὰ σαρκώσεως. Ὄνομα δὲ͵ τῷ φανῆναι μὲν͵ Θεοφάνια· τῷ δὲ γεννᾶσθαι͵ Γενέθλια.

4. This is our present Festival; it is this which we are celebrating today, the Coming of God to Man, that we might go forth,^{l} or rather (for this is the more proper expression) that we might go back to God - that putting off the old man, we might put on the New; and that as we died in Adam, so we might live in Christ, being born with Christ and crucified with Him and buried with Him and rising with Him. For I must undergo the beautiful conversion, and as the painful succeeded the more blissful, so must the more blissful come out of the painful.  For where sin abounded Grace did much more abound;and if a taste condemned us, how much more doth the Passion of Christ justify us?  Therefore let us keep the Feast, not after the manner of a heathen festival, but after a godly sort; not after the way of the world, but in a fashion above the world; not as our own but as belonging to Him Who is ours, or rather as our Master's; not as of weakness, but as of healing; not as of creation, but of re-creation.

^36.316 Δ. Τοῦτό ἐστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πανήγυρις͵ τοῦτο ἑορτά ζομεν σήμερον͵ ἐπιδημίαν Θεοῦ πρὸς ἀνθρώπους͵ ἵνα πρὸς Θεὸν ἐνδημήσωμεν͵ ἢ ἐπανέλθωμεν (οὕτω γὰρ εἰπεῖν οἰκειότερον)͵ ἵνα τὸν παλαιὸν ἄν θρωπον ἀποθέμενοι͵ τὸν νέον ἐνδυσώμεθα· καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν τῷ Ἀδὰμ ἀπεθάνομεν͵ οὕτως ἐν τῷ Χριστῷ ζή σωμεν͵ Χριστῷ καὶ συγγεννώμενοι͵ καὶ συσταυ ρούμενοι͵ καὶ συνθαπτόμενοι͵ καὶ συνανιστά μενοι. Δεῖ γάρ με παθεῖν τὴν καλὴν ἀντιστροφήν· καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκ τῶν χρηστοτέρων͵ ἦλθε τὰ λυπηρὰ͵ οὕτως ἐκ τῶν λυπηρῶν͵ ἐπανελθεῖν τὰ χρηστότερα. Οὗ γὰρ ἐπλεόνασεν ἡ ἁμαρτία͵ ὑπερεπερίσσευ σεν ἡ χάρις· καὶ εἰ ἡ γεῦσις κατέκρινε͵ πόσῳ μᾶλλον τὸ Χριστὸν παθεῖν ἐδικαίωσεν; Τοιγαροῦν ἑορτάζωμεν͵ μὴ πανηγυρικῶς͵ ἀλλὰ θεϊκῶς· μὴ κοσμικῶς͵ ἀλλ΄ ὑπερκοσμίως· μὴ τὰ ἡμέτερα͵ ἀλλὰ τὰ τοῦ ἡμετέρου͵ μᾶλλον δὲ τὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου· μὴ τὰ τῆς ἀσθενείας͵ ἀλλὰ τὰ τῆς ἰατρείας· μὴ τὰ τῆς πλάσεως͵ ἀλλὰ τὰ τῆς ἀναπλάσεως.

5. And how shall this be?  Let us not adorn our porches, nor arrange dances, nor decorate the streets; let us not feast the eye, nor enchant the ear with music, nor enervate the nostrils with perfume, nor prostitute the taste, nor indulge the touch, those roads that are so prone to evil and entrances for sin; let us not be effeminate in clothing soft and flowing, whose beauty consists in its uselessness, nor with the glittering of gems or the sheen of gold^{d} or the tricks of colour, belying the beauty of nature, and invented to do despite unto the image of God; Not in rioting and drunkenness, with which are mingled, I know well, chambering and wantonness, since the lessons which evil teachers give are evil; or rather the harvests of worthless seeds are worthless.  Let us not set up high beds of leaves, making tabernacles for the belly of what belongs to debauchery.  Let us not appraise the bouquet of wines, the kickshaws of cooks, the great expense of unguents.  Let not sea and land bring us as a gift their precious dung, for it is thus that I have learnt to estimate luxury; and let us not strive to outdo each other in intemperance (for to my mind every superfluity is intemperance, and all which is beyond absolute need),--and this while others are hungry and in want, who are made of the same clay and in the same manner.

Ε. Ἔσται δὲ τοῦτο πῶς; Μὴ πρόθυρα στεφανώ σωμεν͵ μὴ χοροὺς συστησώμεθα͵ μὴ κοσμήσωμεν ἀγυιὰς͵ μὴ ὀφθαλμὸν ἑστιάσωμεν͵ μὴ ἀκοὴν καταυ λήσωμεν͵ μὴ ὄσφρησιν ἐκθηλύνωμεν͵ μὴ γεῦσιν κα ταπορνεύσωμεν͵ μὴ ἁφῇ χαρισώμεθα͵ ταῖς προχεί ροις εἰς κακίαν ὁδοῖς͵ καὶ εἰσόδοις τῆς ἁμαρτίας͵ μὴ ἐσθῆτι μαλακισθῶμεν͵ ἁπαλῇ τε καὶ περιῤῥεούσῃ͵ καὶ ἧς τὸ κάλλιστον ἀχρηστία͵ μὴ λίθων διαυγείαις͵ μὴ χρυσοῦ περιλάμψεσι͵ μὴ χρωμάτων σοφίσμασι ψευδομένων τὸ φυσικὸν κάλλος͵ καὶ κατὰ τῆς εἰκόνος ἐξευρημένων· μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις͵ οἷς κοίτας καὶ ἀσελγείας οἶδα συνεζευγμένας· ἐπειδὴ κακῶν διδασκάλων κακὰ τὰ μαθήματα͵ μᾶλλον δὲ πονηρῶν σπερμάτων πονηρὰ τὰ γεώργια. Μὴ στιβάδας ὑψηλὰς πηξώμεθα σκηνοποιοῦντες τῇ γαστρὶ τὰ τῆς θρύ ψεως. Μὴ τιμήσωμεν οἴνων τοὺς ἀνθοσμίας͵ ὀψο ποιῶν μαγγανείας͵ μύρων πολυτελείας. Μὴ γῆ καὶ θάλασσα τὴν τιμίαν ἡμῖν κόπρον δωροφορείτωσαν· οὕτω γὰρ ἐγὼ τιμᾷν οἶδα τρυφήν. Μὴ ἄλλος ἄλλον ἀκρασίᾳ νικᾷν σπουδάζωμεν. Ἀκρασία γὰρ ἐμοὶ͵ πᾶν τὸ περιττὸν καὶ ὑπὲρ τὴν χρείαν· καὶ ταῦτα πεινώντων ἄλλων καὶ δεομένων͵ τῶν ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ πηλοῦ τε καὶ κράματος

6. Let us leave all these to the Greeks and to the pomps and festivals of the Greeks, who call by the name of gods beings who rejoice in the reek of sacrifices, and who consistently worship with their belly; evil inventors and worshippers of evil demons.  But we, the Object of whose adoration is the Word, if we must in some way have luxury, let us seek it in word, and in the Divine Law, and in histories; especially such as are the origin of this Feast; that our luxury may be akin to and not far removed from Him Who hath called us together.  Or do you desire (for to day I am your entertainer) that I should set before you, my good Guests, the story of these things as abundantly and as nobly as I can, that ye may know how a foreigner can feed^{a} the natives of the land, and a rustic the people of the town, and one who cares not for luxury those who delight in it, and one who is poor and homeless those who are eminent for wealth?

. . Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν Ἕλλησι παρῶμεν͵ καὶ Ἑλ ληνικοῖς κόμποις͵ καὶ πανηγύρεσιν· οἳ καὶ θεοὺς ὀνομάζουσι κνίσσαις χαίροντας͵ καὶ ἀκολούθως τὸ θεῖον τῇ γαστρὶ θεραπεύουσι͵ πονηροὶ πονηρῶν δαιμόνων͵ καὶ πλάσται͵ καὶ μυσταγωγοὶ͵ καὶ μύ σται τυγχάνοντες. Ἡμεῖς δὲ͵ οἷς Λόγος τὸ προσ κυνούμενον͵ κἄν τι δέῃ τρυφᾷν͵ ἐν λόγῳ ^36.317 τρυφήσωμεν͵ καὶ θείῳ νόμῳ͵ καὶ διηγήμασι͵ τοῖς τε ἄλλοις͵ καὶ ἐξ ὧν ἡ παροῦσα πανήγυρις· ἵν΄ οἰκεῖον ᾖ τὸ τρυφᾷν͵ καὶ μὴ πόῤῥω τοῦ συγκαλέσαντος. ῍Η βούλεσθε (καὶ γὰρ ἐγὼ σήμερον ἑστιάτωρ ὑμῖν) ἐγὼ τὸν περὶ τούτων παραθῶ λόγον τοῖς καλοῖς ὑμῖν δαιτυμόσιν͵ ὡς οἷόν τε δαψιλῶς τε καὶ φιλοτίμως͵ ἵν΄ εἰδῆτε͵ πῶς δύναται τρέφειν ὁ ξένος τοὺς ἐγχωρίους͵ καὶ τοὺς ἀστικοὺς ὁ ἄγροι κος͵ καὶ τοὺς τρυφῶντας ὁ μὴ τρυφῶν͵ καὶ τοὺς περιουσίᾳ λαμπροὺς͵ ὁ πένης τε καὶ ἀνέστιος;

We will begin from this point; and let me ask of you who delight in such matters to cleanse you mind and your ears and your thoughts, since our discourse is to be of God and Divine; that when you depart, you may have had the enjoyment of delights that really fade not away.  And this same discourse shall be at once both very full and very concise, that you may neither be displeased at its deficiencies, nor find it unpleasant through satiety.

  Ἄρξομαι δὲ ἐντεῦθεν· καί μοι καθήρασθε͵ καὶ νοῦν͵ καὶ ἀκοὴν͵ καὶ διάνοιαν͵ ὅσοι τρυφᾶτε τὰ τοιαῦτα· ἐπειδὴ περὶ Θεοῦ͵ καὶ θεῖος ὁ λόγος· ἵν΄ ἀπέλθητε τρυφήσαντες ὄντως τὰ μὴ κενούμενα. Ἔσται δὲ ὁ αὐτὸς πληρέστατός τε ἅμα καὶ συντομώτατος· ὡς μήτε τῷ ἐνδεεῖ λυπεῖν͵ μήτε ἀηδὴς εἶναι διὰ τὸν κόρον.

7. God always was,^{b} and always is, and always will be.  Or rather, God always Is.  For Was and Will be are fragments of our time, and of changeable nature, but He is Eternal Being.  And this is the Name that He gives to Himself when giving the Oracle to Moses in the Mount.  For in Himself He sums up and contains all Being, having neither beginning in the past nor end in the future; like some great Sea of Being, limitless and unbounded, transcending all conception of time and nature, only adumbrated by the mind, and that very dimly and scantily ... not by His Essentials, but by His Environment; one image being got from one source and another from another, and combined into some sort of presentation of the truth, which escapes us before we have caught it, and takes to flight before we have conceived it, blazing forth upon our Master-part, even when that is cleansed, as the lightning flash which will not stay its course, does upon our sight

Ζ. Θεὸς ἦν μὲν ἀεὶ͵ καὶ ἔστι͵ καὶ ἔσται· μᾶλλον δὲ ἔστιν ἀεί. Τὸ γὰρ ἦν͵ καὶ ἔσται͵ τοῦ καθ΄ ἡμᾶς χρόνου τμήματα͵ καὶ τῆς ῥευστῆς φύσεως· ὁ δὲ ὢν ἀεὶ͵ καὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ὀνομάζει͵ τῷ Μωϋσεῖ χρη ματίζων ἐπὶ τοῦ ὄρους. Ὅλον γὰρ ἐν ἑαυτῷ συλ λαβὼν͵ ἔχει τὸ εἶναι͵ μήτε ἀρξάμενον͵ μήτε παυσό μενον͵ οἷόν τι πέλαγος οὐσίας ἄπειρον καὶ ἀόρι στον͵ πᾶσαν ὑπερεκπῖπτον ἔννοιαν͵ καὶ χρόνου καὶ φύσεως· νῷ μόνῳ σκιαγραφούμενος͵ καὶ τοῦτο λίαν ἀμυδρῶς καὶ μετρίως͵ οὐκ ἐκ τῶν κατ΄ αὐτὸν͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐκ τῶν περὶ αὐτὸν͵ ἄλλης ἐξ ἄλλου φαν τασίας συλλεγομένης͵ εἰς ἕν τι τῆς ἀληθείας ἴνδαλμα͵ πρὶν κρατηθῆναι͵ φεῦγον͵ καὶ πρὶν νοηθῆναι͵ διαδι δράσκον· τοσαῦτα περιλάμπον ἡμῶν τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν͵ καὶ ταῦτα κεκαθαρμένον͵ ὅσα καὶ ὄψιν ἀστραπῆς τάχος οὐχ ἱσταμένης.

and by that part of It which we cannot comprehend to move our wonder,

and as an object of wonder to become more an object of desire,

and being desired to purify,

τῷ δὲ ἀλήπτῳ θαυμάζηται͵

 θαυμαζόμενον δὲ ποθῆται πλέον͵

ποθούμε νον δὲ καθαίρῃ͵

The Divine Nature then is boundless and hard to understand; and all that we can comprehend of Him is His boundlessness; even though one may conceive that because He is of a simple nature He is therefore either wholly incomprehensible, or perfectly comprehensible.  For let us further enquire what is implied by "is of a simple nature."  For it is quite certain that this simplicity is not itself its nature, just as composition is not by itself the essence of compound beings.

Ἄπειρον οὖν τὸ θεῖον καὶ δυσθεώρητον· καὶ τοῦτο πάντη κατα ληπτὸν αὐτοῦ μόνον͵ ἡ ἀπειρία· κἄν τις οἴηται τῷ ἁπλῆς εἶναι φύσεως͵ ἢ ὅλον ἄληπτον εἶναι͵ ἢ τελέως ληπτόν. Τί γὰρ ὃς ἁπλῆς ἐστι φύσεως͵ ἐπι ζητήσωμεν. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ τοῦτο φύσις αὐτῷ ἡ ἁπλό ^36.320 της· εἴπερ μηδὲ τοῖς συνθέτοις͵ μόνον τὸ εἶναι συν θέτοις.

8. And when Infinity is considered from two points of view, beginning and end (for that which is beyond these and not limited by them is Infinity), when the mind looks to the depth above, not having where to stand, and leans upon phenomena to form an idea of God, it calls the Infinite and Unapproachable which it finds there by the name of Unoriginate.  And when it looks into the depths below, and at the future, it calls Him Undying and Imperishable.  And when it draws a conclusion from the whole it calls Him Eternal{aiwnios}. For Eternity [aiwn] is neither time nor part of time; for it cannot be measured.  But what time, measured by the course of the sun, is to us, that Eternity is to the Everlasting, namely, a sort of time-like movement and interval co-extensive with their existence. This, however, is all I must now say about God; for the present is not a suitable time, as my present subject is not the doctrine of God, but that of the Incarnation.  But when I say God, I mean Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  For Godhead is neither diffused beyond these, so as to bring in a mob of gods; nor yet is it bounded by a smaller compass than these, so as to condemn us for a poverty-stricken conception of Deity; either Judaizing to save the Monarchia, or failing into heathenism by the multitude of our gods.  For the evil on either side is the same, though found in contrary directions.  This then is the Holy of Holies,^{b} which is hidden even from the Seraphim, and is glorified with a thrice repeated Holy,^{a} meeting in one ascription of the Title Lord and God, as one of our predecessors has most beautifully and loftily pointed out.

Η. Διχῆ δὲ τοῦ ἀπείρου θεωρουμένου͵ κατά τε ἀρχὴν καὶ τέλος (τὸ γὰρ ὑπὲρ ταῦτα͵ καὶ μὴ ἐν τού τοις͵ ἄπειρον)͵ ὅταν μὲν εἰς τὸν ἄνω βυθὸν ὁ νοῦς ἀποβλέψῃ͵ οὐκ ἔχων ὅποι στῇ καὶ ἀπερείσηται ταῖς περὶ Θεοῦ φαντασίαις͵ τὸ ἐνταῦθα ἄπειρον καὶ ἀνέκβατον͵ ἄναρχον προσηγόρευσεν· ὅταν δὲ εἰς τὰ κάτω καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς͵ ἀθάνατον καὶ ἀνώλεθρον· ὅταν δὲ συνέλῃ τὸ πᾶν͵ αἰώνιον. Αἰὼν γὰρ͵ οὔτε χρό νος͵ οὔτε χρόνου τι μέρος· οὐδὲ γὰρ μετρητόν· ἀλλ΄ ὅπερ ἡμῖν ὁ χρόνος͵ ἡλίου φορᾷ μετρούμενος͵ τοῦτο τοῖς ἀϊδίοις͵ αἰὼν͵ τὸ συμπαρεκτεινόμενον τοῖς οὖσιν͵ οἷόν τι χρονικὸν κίνημα͵ καὶ διάστημα. Ταῦτά μοι περὶ Θεοῦ πεφιλοσοφήσθω τανῦν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὑπὲρ ταῦτα καιρὸς͵ ὅτι μὴ θεολογία τὸ προκείμενον ἡμῖν͵ ἀλλ΄ οἰκονομία. Θεοῦ δὲ ὅταν εἴπω͵ λέγω Πατρὸς͵ καὶ Υἱοῦ͵ καὶ ἁγίου Πνεύματος· οὔτε ὑπὲρ ταῦτα τῆς θεότητος χεομένης͵ ἵνα μὴ δῆμον θεῶν εἰσαγά γωμεν· οὔτε ἐντὸς τούτων ὁριζομένης͵ ἵνα μὴ πενίαν θεότητος κατακριθῶμεν͵ ἢ διὰ τὴν μοναρχίαν Ἰου δαΐζοντες͵ ἢ διὰ τὴν ἀφθονίαν Ἑλληνίζοντες. Τὸ γὰρ κακὸν ἐν ἀμφοτέροις ὅμοιον͵ κἂν ἐν τοῖς ἐναντίοις εὑρίσκηται. Οὕτω μὲν οὖν τὰ Ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων͵ ἃ καὶ τοῖς σεραφὶμ συγκαλύπτεται͵ καὶ δοξάζεται τρισὶν ἁγιασμοῖς͵ εἰς μίαν συνιοῦσι κυριότητα καὶ θεότητα· ὃ καὶ ἄλλῳ τινὶ τῶν πρὸ ἡμῶν πεφι λοσόφηται κάλλιστά τε καὶ ὑψηλότατα.

9. But since this movement of self-contemplation alone could not satisfy Goodness, but Good must be poured out and go forth beyond Itself to multiply the objects of Its beneficence, for this was essential to the highest Goodness, He first conceived the Heavenly and Angelic Powers.  And this conception was a work fulfilled by His Word, and perfected by His Spirit.  And so the secondary Splendours came into being, as the Ministers of the Primary Splendour; whether we are to conceive of them as intelligent Spirits, or as Fire of an immaterial and incorruptible kind, or as some other nature approaching this as near as may be.  I should like to say that they were incapable of movement in the direction of evil, and susceptible only of the movement of good, as being about God, and illumined with the first rays from God--for earthly beings have but the second illumination; but I am obliged to stop short of saying that, and to conceive and speak of them only as difficult to move because of him,^{b} who for his splendour was called Lucifer, but became and is called Darkness through his pride; and the apostate hosts who are subject to him, creators of evil^{g} by their revolt against good and our inciters.

Θ. Ἐπεὶ δὲ οὐκ ἤρκει τῇ ἀγαθότητι τοῦτο͵ τὸ κινεῖσθαι μόνον τῇ ἑαυτῆς θεωρίᾳ͵ ἀλλ΄ ἔδει χεθῆναι τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ ὁδεῦσαι͵ ὡς πλείονα εἶναι τὰ εὐεργε τούμενα (τοῦτο γὰρ τῆς ἄκρας ἦν ἀγαθότητος)͵ πρῶ τον μὲν ἐννοεῖ τὰς ἀγγελικὰς δυνάμεις καὶ οὐρανίους· καὶ τὸ ἐννόημα ἔργον ἦν͵ Λόγῳ συμπλη ρούμενον͵ καὶ Πνεύματι τελειούμενον. Καὶ οὕτως ὑπέστησαν λαμπρότητες δεύτεραι͵ λειτουργοὶ τῆς πρώτης λαμπρότητος· εἴτε νοερὰ πνεύματα͵ εἴτε πῦρ οἷον ἄϋλον καὶ ἀσώματον͵ εἴτε τινὰ φύσιν ἄλλην͵ ὅτι ἐγγυτάτω τῶν εἰρημένων͵ ταύτας ὑπο ^36.321 ληπτέον. Βούλομαι μὲν εἰπεῖν͵ ὅτι ἀκινήτους πρὸς τὸ κακὸν͵ καὶ μόνην ἐχούσας τὴν τοῦ καλοῦ κίνησιν͵ ἅτε περὶ Θεὸν οὔσας͵ καὶ τὰ πρῶτα ἐκ Θεοῦ λαμπο μένας· τὰ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα͵ δευτέρας ἐλλάμψεως Πείθει δέ με͵ μὴ ἀκινήτους͵ ἀλλὰ δυσκινήτους͵ καὶ ὑπο λαμβάνειν ταύτας͵ καὶ λέγειν͵ ὁ διὰ τὴν λαμπρότητα Ἑωσφόρος͵ σκότος διὰ τὴν ἔπαρσιν καὶ γενόμενος͵ καὶ λεγόμενος͵ αἵ τε ὑπ΄ αὐτὸν ἀποστατικαὶ δυνάμεις͵ δημιουργοὶ τῆς κακίας͵ τῇ τοῦ καλοῦ φυγῇ͵ καὶ ἡμῖν πρόξενοι.

10. Thus, then, and for these reasons, He gave being to the world of thought, as far as I can reason upon these matters, and estimate great things in my own poor language.  Then when His first creation was in good order, He conceives a second world, material and visible; and this a system and compound of earth and sky, and all that is in the midst of them--an admirable creation indeed, when we look at the fair form of every part, but yet more worthy of admiration when we consider the harmony and the unison of the whole, and how each  part fits in with every other, in fair order, and all with the whole, tending to the perfect completion of the world as a Unit.  This was to shew that He could call into being, not only a Nature akin to Himself, but also one altogether alien to Himself.  For akin to Deity are those natures which are intellectual, and only to be comprehended by mind; but all of which sense can take cognisance are utterly alien to It; and of these the furthest removed are all those which are entirely destitute of soul and of power of motion.  But perhaps some one of those who are too festive and impetuous may say, What has all this to do with us?  Spur your horse to the goal.  Talk to us about the Festival, and the reasons for our being here to-day.  Yes, this is what I am about to do, although I have begun at a somewhat previous point, being compelled to do so by love, and by the needs of my argument.

Ι. Οὕτω μὲν οὖν ὁ νοητὸς αὐτῷ͵ καὶ διὰ ταῦτα ὑπέστη κόσμος͵ ὡς ἐμὲ γοῦν περὶ τούτων φιλοσο φῆσαι͵ μικρῷ λόγῳ τὰ μεγάλα σταθμώμενον. Ἐπεὶ δὲ τὰ πρῶτα καλῶς εἶχεν αὐτῷ͵ δεύτερον ἐννοεῖ κό σμον ὑλικὸν καὶ ὁρώμενον· καὶ οὗτός ἐστι τὸ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς͵ καὶ τῶν ἐν μέσῳ σύστημά τε καὶ σύγκριμα͵ ἐπαινετὸν μὲν τῆς καθ΄ ἕκαστον εὐφυΐας͵ ἀξιεπαινετώτερον δὲ τῆς ἐξ ἁπάντων εὐαρμοστίας καὶ συμφωνίας͵ ἄλλου πρὸς ἄλλο τι καλῶς ἔχοντος͵ καὶ πάντων πρὸς ἅπαντα͵ εἰς ἑνὸς κόσμου συμπλή ρωσιν· ἵνα δείξῃ͵ μὴ μόνον οἰκείαν ἑαυτῷ φύσιν͵ ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντη ξένην ὑποστήσασθαι δυνατὸς ὤν. Οἰκεῖον μὲν γὰρ θεότητος͵ αἱ νοεραὶ φύσεις͵ καὶ νῷ μόνῳ ληπταί· ξένον δὲ παντάπασιν͵ ὅσαι ὑπὸ τὴν αἴσθησιν͵ καὶ τούτων αὐτῶν ἔτι ποῤῥωτέρω͵ ὅσαι παντελῶς ἄψυχοι καὶ ἀκίνητοι· Ἀλλὰ τί τούτων ἡμῖν͵ τάχα ἂν εἴποι τις τῶν λίαν φιλεόρτων καὶ θερμοτέρων; Κέντει τὸν πῶλον περὶ τὴν νύσ σαν. Τὰ τῆς ἑορτῆς ἡμῖν φιλοσόφει͵ καὶ οἷς προκα θεζόμεθα σήμερον. Τοῦτο δὴ καὶ ποιήσω͵ καὶ εἰ μι κρὸν ἄνωθεν ἠρξάμην͵ οὕτω τοῦ πόθου καὶ τοῦ λόγου βιασαμένων.

11. Mind, then, and sense, thus distinguished from each other, had remained within their own boundaries, and bore in themselves the magnificence of the Creator-Word, silent praisers^{a} and thrilling heralds of His mighty work.  Not yet was there any mingling of both, nor any mixtures of these opposites, tokens of a greater Wisdom and Generosity in the creation of natures; nor as yet were the whole riches of Goodness made known.  Now the Creator-Word, determining to exhibit this, and to produce a single living being out of both--the visible and the invisible creations, I mean--fashions Man; and taking a body from already existing matter, and placing in it a Breath taken from Himself^{b} which the Word knew to be an intelligent soul and the Image of God, as a sort of second world.  He placed him, great in littleness^{g} on the earth; a new Angel, a mingled worshipper, fully initiated into the visible creation, but only partially into the intellectual; King of all upon earth, but subject to the King above; earthly and heavenly; temporal and yet immortal; visible and yet intellectual; half-way between greatness and lowliness; in one person combining spirit and flesh; spirit, because of the favour bestowed on him; flesh, because of the height to which he had been raised; the one that he might continue to live and praise his Benefactor, the other that he might suffer, and by suffering be put in remembrance, and corrected if he became proud of his greatness.  A living creature trained here, and then moved elsewhere; and, to complete the mystery, deified by its inclination to God.  For to this, I think, tends that Light of Truth which we here possess but in measure, that we should both see and experience the Splendour of God, which is worthy of Him Who made us, and will remake us again after a loftier fashion.

ΙΑ. Νοῦς μὲν οὖν ἤδη καὶ αἴσθησις͵ οὕτως ἀπ΄ ἀλλήλων διακριθέντα͵ τῶν ἰδίων ὅρων ἐντὸς εἱστήκεισαν͵ καὶ τὸ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ Λόγου μεγαλεῖον ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἔφερον͵ σιγῶντες ἐπαινέται τῆς μεγα λουργίας͵ καὶ διαπρύσιοι κήρυκες. Οὔπω δὲ ἦν κρᾶμα ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων͵ οὐδέ τις μίξις τῶν ἐναντίων͵ σο φίας μείζονος γνώρισμα͵ καὶ τῆς περὶ τὰς φύσεις πολυτελείας· οὐδὲ ὁ πᾶς πλοῦτος τῆς ἀγαθότητος γνώριμος. Τοῦτο δὴ βουληθεὶς ὁ τεχνίτης ἐπιδεί ξασθαι Λόγος͵ καὶ ζῶον ἓν ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων͵ ἀοράτου τε λέγω καὶ ὁρατῆς φύσεως͵ δημιουργεῖ τὸν ἄνθρω πον· καὶ παρὰ μὲν τῆς ὕλης λαβὼν τὸ σῶμα ἤδη προϋποστάσης͵ παρ΄ ἑαυτοῦ δὲ πνοὴν ἐνθεὶς (ὃ δὴ νοερὰν ψυχὴν καὶ εἰκόνα Θεοῦ οἶδεν ὁ λόγος)͵ ^36.324 οἷόν τινα κόσμον δεύτερον͵ ἐν μικρῷ μέγαν͵ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἵστησιν͵ ἄγγελον ἄλλον͵ προσκυνητὴν μικτὸν͵ ἐπόπτην τῆς ὁρατῆς κτίσεως͵ μύστην τῆς νοουμένης͵ βασιλέα τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς͵ βασιλευόμενον ἄνωθεν͵ ἐπί γειον καὶ οὐράνιον͵ πρόσκαιρον καὶ ἀθάνατον͵ ὁρα τὸν καὶ νοούμενον͵ μέσον μεγέθους καὶ ταπεινότητος· τὸν αὐτὸν͵ πνεῦμα καὶ σάρκα· πνεῦμα διὰ τὴν χάριν͵ σάρκα διὰ τὴν ἔπαρσιν· τὸ μὲν͵ ἵνα μένῃ καὶ δο ξάζῃ τὸν εὐεργέτην· τὸ δὲ͵ ἵνα πάσχῃ͵ καὶ πά σχων ὑπομιμνήσκηται καὶ παιδεύηται τῷ μεγέθει φιλοτιμούμενος· ζῶον ἐνταῦθα οἰκονομούμενον͵ καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ μεθιστάμενον͵ καὶ πέρας τοῦ μυστηρίου τῇ πρὸς Θεὸν νεύσει θεούμενον. Εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ ἐμοὶ φέρει τὸ μέτριον ἐνταῦθα φέγγος τῆς ἀληθείας͵ λαμπρότητα Θεοῦ καὶ ἰδεῖν καὶ παθεῖν͵ ἀξίαν τοῦ καὶ συνδήσαντος͵ καὶ λύσοντος͵ καὶ αὖθις συνδήσον τος ὑψηλότερον.

12. This being He placed in Paradise, whatever the Paradise may have been, having honoured him with the gift of Free Will (in order that God might belong to him as the resuit of his choice, no less than to Him who had implanted the seeds of it), to till the immortal plants, by which is meant perhaps the Divine Conceptions, both the simpler and the more perfect; naked in his simplicity and in-artificial life, and without any covering or screen; for it was fitting that he who was from the beginning should be such.  Also He gave him a Law, as a material for his Free Will to act upon.  This Law was a Commandment as to what plants he might partake of, and which one he might not touch.  This latter was the Tree of Knowledge; not, however, because it was evil from the beginning when planted; nor was it forbidden because God grudged it to us ... Let not the enemies of God wag their tongues in that direction, or imitate the Serpent ... But it would have been good if partaken of at the proper time, for the tree was, according to my theory, Contemplation, upon which it is only safe for those who have reached maturity of habit to enter; but which is not good for those who are still somewhat simple and greedy in their habit; just as solid food is not good for those who are yet tender, and have need of milk.^{a} But when through the Devil's malice and the woman's caprice, to which she succumbed as the more tender, and which she brought to bear upon the man, as she was the more apt to persuade, alas for my weakness!  (for that of my first father was mine), he forgot the Commandment which had been given to him;^{b} he yielded to the baleful fruit; and for his sin he was banished, at once from the Tree of Life, and from Paradise, and from God; and put on the coats of skins ... that is, perhaps, the coarser flesh, both mortal and contradictory.  This was the first thing that he learnt--his own shame;^{g} and he hid himself from God.  Yet here too he makes a gain, namely death, and the cutting off of sin, in order that evil may not be immortal.  Thus his punishment is changed into a mercy; for it is in mercy, I am persuaded, that God inflicts punishment.

ΙΒ. Τοῦτον ἔθετο μὲν ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ͵ ὅστις ποτὲ ἦν ὁ παράδεισος οὗτος͵ τῷ αὐτεξουσίῳ τιμήσας͵ ἵν΄ ᾖ τοῦ ἑλομένου τὸ ἀγαθὸν οὐχ ἧττον ἢ τοῦ παρα σχόντος τὰ σπέρματα͵ φυτῶν ἀθανάτων γεωργὸν͵ θείων ἐννοιῶν ἴσως͵ τῶν τε ἀπλουστέρων καὶ τῶν τελεωτέρων͵ γυμνὸν καὶ ἁπλότητι καὶ ζωῇ τῇ ἀτέχνῳ͵ καὶ δίχα παντὸς ἐπικαλύμματος καὶ προβλήματος. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἔπρεπεν εἶναι τὸν ἀπ΄ ἀρχῆς. Καὶ δί δωσι νόμον͵ ὕλην τῷ αὐτεξουσίῳ. Ὁ δὲ νόμος ἦν ἐντολὴ͵ ὧν τε μεταληπτέον αὐτῷ φυτῶν͵ καὶ οὐ μὴ προσαπτέον. Τὸ δὲ ἦν τὸ ξύλον τῆς γνώσεως͵ οὔτε φυτευθὲν ἀπ΄ ἀρχῆς κακῶς͵ οὔτε ἀπαγορευθὲν φθονε ρῶς (μὴ πεμπέτωσαν ἐκεῖ τὰς γλώσσας οἱ θεομάχοι͵ μηδὲ τὸν ὄφιν μιπείσθωσαν)· ἀλλὰ καλὸν μὲν εὐκαί ρως μεταλαμβανόμενον (θεωρία γὰρ ἦν τὸ φυτὸν͵ ὡς ἡ ἐμὲ θεωρία͵ ἧς μόνοις ἐπιβαίνειν ἀσφαλὲς τοῖς τὴν ἕξιν τελεωτέροις)͵ οὐ καλὸν δὲ τοῖς ἁπλουστέροις ἔτι͵ καὶ τὴν ἔφεσιν λιχνοτέροις͵ ὥσπερ οὐδὲ τροφὴ τελεία λυσιτελὴς τοῖς ἁπαλοῖς ἔτι καὶ δεομένοις γά λακτος. Ἐπεὶ δὲ φθόνῳ διαβόλου͵ καὶ γυναικὸς ἐπη ρείᾳ͵ ἥν τε ἔπαθεν ὡς ἁπαλωτέρα͵ καὶ ἢν προσήγα γεν ὡς πιθανωτέρα (φεῦ τῆς ἐμῆς ἀσθενείας ἐμὴ γὰρ ἡ τοῦ προπάτορος)͵ τῆς μὲν ἐντολῆς ἐπελάθετο τῆς δοθείσης͵ καὶ ἡττήθη τῆς πικρᾶς γεύσεως· ὁμοῦ δὲ τοῦ τῆς ζωῆς ξύλου͵ καὶ τοῦ παραδείσου͵ καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ͵ διὰ τὴν κακίαν ἐξόριστος γίνεται͵ καὶ τοὺς δερματίνους ἀμφιέννυται χιτῶνας͵ ἴσως τὴν παχυτέ ραν σάρκα͵ καὶ θνητὴν͵ καὶ ἀντίτυπον· καὶ τοῦτο πρῶτον γινώσκει τὴν Ἰδίαν αἰσχύνην͵ καὶ ἀπὸ Θεοῦ κρύπτεται. Κερδαίνει μέν τι κἀνταῦθα· τὸν θά νατον͵ καὶ τὸ διακοπῆναι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν͵ ἵνα μὴ ἀθάνατον ᾖ τὸ κακόν· καὶ γίνεται φιλανθρωπία ἡ τιμωρία. Οὕτω γὰρ ἐγὼ πείθομαι κολάζειν Θεόν.

13. And having been first chastened by  many means (because his sins were many, whose root of evil sprang up through divers causes and at sundry tithes), by word, by law, by prophets, by benefits, by threats, by plagues, by waters, by fires, by wars, by victories, by defeats, by signs in heaven and signs in the air and in the earth and in the sea, by unexpected changes of men, of cities, of nations (the object of which was the destruction of wickedness), at last he needed a stronger remedy, for his diseases were growing worse; mutual slaughters, adulteries, perjuries, unnatural crimes, and that first and last of all evils, idolatry and the transfer of worship from the Creator to the Creatures.  As these required a greater aid, so also they obtained a greater.  And that was that the Word of God Himself--Who is before all worlds, the Invisible, the Incomprehensible, the Bodiless, Beginning of Beginning,^{a} the Light of Light, the Source of Life and Immortality, the Image of the Archetypal Beauty, the immovable Seal, the unchangeable Image, the Father's Definition^{b} and Word, came to His own Image, and took on Him flesh for the sake of our flesh, and mingled Himself with an intelligent soul for my soul's sake, purifying like by like; and in all points except sin was made man. Conceived by the Virgin,^{g} who first in body and soul was purified by the Holy Ghost^{d} (for it was needful both that Childbearing should be honoured, and that Virginity should receive a higher honour), He came forth then as God with that which He had assumed, One Person in two Natures, Flesh and Spirit, of which the latter deified the former.^{e} O new commingling; O strange conjunction; the Self-Existent comes into being, the Uncreate is created, That which cannot be contained is contained, by the intervention of an intellectual soul, mediating between the Deity and the corporeity of the flesh.       

^36.325 ΙΓ. Πολλοῖς δὲ παιδευθεὶς πρότερον͵ ἀντὶ πολλῶν τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων͵ ὧν ἡ τῆς κακίας ῥίζα ἐβλάστησε κατὰ διαφόρους αἰτίας καὶ χρόνους͵ λόγῳ͵ νόμῳ͵ προφήταις͵ εὐεργεσίαις͵ ἀπειλαῖς͵ πληγαῖς͵ ὕδασιν͵ ἐμπρησμοῖς͵ πολέμοις͵ νίκαις͵ ἥτταις͵ ση μείοις ἐξ οὐρανοῦ͵ σημείοις ἐξ ἀέρος͵ ἐκ γῆς͵ ἐκ θαλάττης͵ ἀνδρῶν͵ πόλεων͵ ἐθνῶν ἀνελπίστοις με ταβολαῖς͵ ὑφ΄ ὧν ἐκτριβῆναι τὴν κακίαν τὸ σπουδαζόμενον ἦν. Τέλος ἰσχυροτέρου δεῖται φαρμά κου ἐπὶ δεινοτέροις τοῖς ἀῤῥωστήμασιν͵ ἀλληλοφο νίαις͵ μοιχείαις͵ ἐπιορκίαις͵ ἀνδρομανίαις͵ τὸ πάντων ἔσχατον τῶν κακῶν καὶ πρῶτον͵ εἰδω λολατρείαις͵ καὶ τῇ μεταθέσει τῆς προσκυνήσεως ἀπὸ τοῦ πεποιηκότος ἐπὶ τὰ κτίσματα. Ταῦτα ἐπειδὴ μείζονος ἐδεῖτο τοῦ βοηθήματος͵ μείζονος καὶ τυγ χάνει. Τὸ δὲ ἦν αὐτὸς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος͵ ὁ προαιώνιος͵ ὁ ἀόρατος͵ ὁ ἀπερίληπτος͵ ὁ ἀσώματος͵ ἡ ἐκ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἀρχὴ͵ τὸ ἐκ τοῦ φωτὸς φῶς͵ ἡ πηγὴ τῆς ζωῆς καὶ τῆς ἀθανασίας͵ τὸ ἐκμαγεῖον τοῦ ἀρ χετύπου κάλλους͵ ἡ μὴ κινουμένη σφραγὶς͵ ἡ ἀπαράλλακτος εἰκὼν͵ ὁ τοῦ Πατρὸς ὅρος καὶ λόγος· ἐπὶ τὴν ἰδίαν εἰκόνα χωρεῖ͵ καὶ σάρκα φορεῖ διὰ τὴν σάρκα͵ καὶ ψυχῇ νοερᾷ διὰ τὴν ἐμὴν ψυχὴν μίγνυται͵ τῷ ὁμοίῳ τὸ ὅμοιον ἀνακαθαίρων. Καὶ πάντα γίγνεται͵ πλὴν τῆς ἁμαρτίας͵ ἄνθρω πος· κυηθεὶς μὲν ἐκ τῆς Παρθένου͵ καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σάρκα προκαθαρθείσης τῷ Πνεύματι (ἔδει γὰρ καὶ γέννησιν τιμηθῆναι͵ καὶ παρθενίαν προτιμηθῆναι)· προελθὼν δὲ Θεὸς μετὰ τῆς προσλήψεως͵ ἓν ἐκ δύο τῶν ἐναντίων͵ σαρκὸς καὶ Πνεύματος· ὧν͵ τὸ μὲν ἐθέωσε͵ τὸ δὲ ἐθεώθη. Ὢ τῆς καινῆς μίξεως ὢ τῆς παραδόξου κράσεως ὁ ὢν γίνεται͵ καὶ ὁ ἄκτιστος κτίζεται͵ καὶ ὁ ἀχώρητος χωρεῖται͵ διὰ μέσης ψυχῆς νοερᾶς μεσιτευούσης θεότητι͵ καὶ σαρκὸς παχύτητι.

14. To this what have those cavillers to say, those bitter reasoners about Godhead, those detractors of all that is praiseworthy, those darkeners of light, uncultured in respect of wisdom, for whom Christ died in vain, those unthankful creatures, the work of the Evil One?  Do you turn this benefit into a reproach to God?  Wilt thou deem Him little on this account, that He humbled Himself for thee; because the Good Shepherd,^{a} He who lays down His life for His sheep, came to seek for that which had strayed upon the mountains and the hills, on which thou wast then sacrificing, and found the wanderer; and having found it,^{b} took it upon His shoulders--on which He also took the Wood of the Cross; and having taken it, brought it back to the higher life; and having carried it back, numbered it amongst those who had never strayed.  Because He lighted a candle--His own Flesh --and swept the house, cleansing the world from sin; and sought the piece of money, the Royal Image that was covered up by passions.  And He calls together His Angel friends on the finding of the coin, and makes them sharers in His joy,^{g} whom He had made to share also the secret of the Incarnation?  Because on the candle of the Forerunner there follows the light that exceeds in brightness; and to the Voice the Word succeeds; and to the Bridegroom's friend the Bridegroom; to him that prepared for the Lord a peculiar people, cleansing them by water in preparation for the Spirit?  Dost thou reproach God with all this?  Dost thou on this account deem Him lessened, because He girds Himself with a towel and washes His disciples' feet, and shows that humiliation is the best road to exaltation?  Because for the soul that was bent to the ground He humbles Himself, that He may raise up with Himself the soul that was tottering to a fall under a weight of sin?  Why dost thou not also charge upon Him as a  crime the fact that He eats with Publicans and at Publicans' tables,^{a} and that He makes disciples of Publicans, that He too may gain somewhat ... and what?  ... the salvation of sinners. If so, we must blame the physician for stooping over sufferings, and enduring evil odours that he may give health to the sick; or one who as the Law commands bent down into a ditch to save a beast that had fallen into it.^{b}

^36.328 ΙΔ. Πρὸς ταῦτα τί φασιν ἡμῖν οἱ συκοφάνται͵ οἱ πικροὶ τῆς θεότητος λογισταὶ͵ οἱ κατήγοροι τῶν ἐπαινουμένων͵ οἱ σκοτεινοὶ περὶ τὸ φῶς͵ οἱ περὶ τὴν σοφίαν ἀπαίδευτοι͵ ὑπὲρ ὧν Χριστὸς δωρεὰν ἀπέ θανε͵ τὰ ἀχάριστα κτίσματα͵ τὰ τοῦ Πονηροῦ πλά σματα; Τοῦτο ἐγκαλεῖς Θεῷ͵ τὴν εὐεργεσίαν; Διὰ τοῦτο μικρὸς͵ ὅτι διὰ σὲ ταπεινός; Ὅτι ἐπὶ τὸ πλα νώμενον ἦλθεν ὁ ποιμὴν ὁ καλὸς͵ ὁ τιθεὶς τὴν ψυχὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων͵ ἐπὶ τὰ ὄρη καὶ τοὺς βουνοὺς͵ ἐφ΄ ὧν ἐθυσίαζες͵ καὶ πλανώμενον εὗρε· καὶ εὑρὼν͵ ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων ἀνέλαβεν͵ ἐφ΄ ὧν καὶ τὸ ξύλον· καὶ λαβὼν͵ ἐπανήγαγεν ἐπὶ τὴν ἄνω ζωήν· καὶ ἀναγαγὼν͵ τοῖς μένουσι συνηρίθμησεν; Ὅτι λύχνον ἧψε τὴν ἑαυτοῦ σάρκα͵ καὶ τὴν οἰκίαν ἐσάρωσε͵ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὸν κόσμον ἀποκαθαίρων͵ καὶ τὴν δραχμὴν ἐζήτησε͵ τὴν βασιλικὴν εἰκόνα συγκεχωσμένην τοῖς πάθεσι͵ καὶ συγκαλεῖ τὰς φίλας αὐτῷ δυνάμεις ἐπὶ τῇ τῆς δραχμῆς εὑρέσει͵ καὶ κοινωνοὺς ποιεῖται τῆς εὐφροσύνης͵ ἂς καὶ τῆς οἰκονομίας μύστιδας πεποίητο; Ὅτι τῷ προδρόμῳ λύχνῳ τὸ φῶς ἀκο λουθεῖ τὸ ὑπέρλαμπρον͵ καὶ τῇ φωνῇ ὁ Λόγος͵ καὶ τῷ νυμφαγωγῷ ὁ νυμφίος͵ κατασκευάζοντι Κυρίῳ λαὸν περιούσιον͵ καὶ προκαθαίροντι ἐπὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα διὰ τοῦ ὕδατος; Ταῦτα ἐγκαλεῖς τῷ Θεῷ; Διὰ ταῦτα ὑπολαμβάνεις χείρονα͵ ὅτι λεντίῳ διαζών νυται͵ καὶ νίπτει τοὺς πόδας τῶν μαθητῶν͵ καὶ δείκνυσιν ἀρίστην ὁδὸν ὑψώσεως͵ τὴν ταπείνωσιν; ῞οτι διὰ τὴν συγκύπτουσαν χαμαὶ ψυχὴν τα πεινοῦται͵ ἵνα καὶ συνανυψώσῃ τὸ κάτω νεῦον ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας; Ἐκεῖνο δὲ πῶς οὐ κατηγορεῖς͵ ὅτι καὶ μετὰ τελώνων ἐσθίει͵ καὶ παρὰ τελώναις͵ καὶ μαθητεύει τελώνας͵ ἵνα καὶ αὐτός τι κερδάνῃ; Τί τοῦτο; Τὴν τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν σωτηρίαν· εἰ μὴ καὶ τὸν ἰατρὸν αἰτιῷτό τις͵ ὅτι συγκύπτει ἐπὶ τὰ πάθη͵ καὶ δυσωδίας ἀνέχεται͵ ἵνα δῷ τὴν ὑγίειαν τοῖς κάμνουσι· καὶ τὸν ἐπικλινόμενον βόθρῳ διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν͵ ἵνα τὸ ἐμπεπτωκὸς κτῆνος͵ κατὰ τὸν νόμον͵ ἀνασώσηται.

15. He was sent, but as man, for He was of a twofold Nature; for He was wearied, and hungered, and was thirsty, and was in an agony, and shed tears, according to the nature of a corporeal being.  And if the expression be also used of Him as God, the meaning is that the Father's good pleasure is to be considered a Mission, for to this He refers all that concerns Himself; both that He may honour the Eternal Principle, and because He will not be taken to be an antagonistic God.  And whereas it is written both that He was betrayed, and also that He gave Himself up^{g} and that He was raised up by the Father, and taken up into heaven; and on the other hand, that He raised Himself and went up; the former statement of each pair refers to the good pleasure of the Father, the latter to His own Power.  Are you then to be allowed to dwell upon all that humiliates Him, while passing over all that exalts Him, and to count on your side the fact that He suffered, but to leave out of the account the fact that it was of His own will?  See what even now the Word has to suffer.  By one set He is honoured as God, but is confused with the Father,^{d} by another He is dishonoured as mere flesh^{a} and severed from the Godhead.  With which of them will He be most angry, or rather, which shall He forgive, those who injuriously confound Him or those who divide Him?  For the former ought to have distinguished, and the latter to have united Him; the one in number, the other in Godhead.  Stumblest Thou at His flesh?  So did the Jews.  Or dost thou call Him a Samaritan, and ... I will not say the rest.  Dost thou disbelieve in His Godhead?  This did not even the demons, O thou who art less believing than demons and more stupid than Jews.  Those did perceive that the name of Son implies equality of rank; these did know that He who drove them out was God, for they were convinced of it by their own experience.  But you will admit neither the equality nor the Godhead.  It would have been better for you to have been either a Jew or a demoniac (if I may utter an absurdity), than in uncircumcision and m sound health to be so wicked and ungodly in your attitude of mind.

ΙΕ. Ἀπεστάλη μὲν͵ ἀλλ΄ ὡς ἄνθρωπος· διπλοῦς γὰρ ἦν· ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐκοπίασε͵ καὶ ἐπείνησε͵ καὶ ἐδί ψησε͵ καὶ ἠγωνίασε͵ καὶ ἐδάκρυσε νόμῳ σώμα τος· εἰ δὲ καὶ ὡς Θεὸς͵ τί τοῦτο; Τὴν εὐδοκίαν τοῦ Πατρὸς͵ ἀποστολὴν εἶναι νόμισον͵ ἐφ΄ ὃν ἀνα φέρει τὰ ἑαυτοῦ͵ καὶ ὡς ἀρχὴν τιμῶν ἄχρονον͵ καὶ τοῦ μὴ δοκεῖν εἶναι ἀντίθεος. Ἐπεὶ καὶ παρα δεδόσθαι λέγεται͵ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑαυτὸν παραδεδωκέναι γέγραπται· καὶ ἐγηγέρθαι παρὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς͵ καὶ ἀνειλῆφθαι͵ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑαυτὸν ἀνεστακέναι͵ καὶ ἀνε ληλυθέναι πάλιν. ἐκεῖνα τῆς εὐδοκίας͵ ταῦτα τῆς ἐξουσίας. Σὺ δὲ τὰ μὲν ἐλαττοῦντα λέγεις͵ τὰ ^36.329 ὑψοῦντα δὲ παρατρέχεις· καὶ ὅτι μὲν ἔπαθε͵ λο γίζῃ· ὅτι δὲ ἑκὼν͵ οὐ προστίθης. Οἷα πάσχει καὶ νῦν ὁ Λόγος Ὑπὸ μὲν τῶν͵ ὡς Θεὸς͵ τιμᾶται καὶ συναλείφεται· ὑπὸ δὲ τῶν͵ ὡς σὰρξ͵ ἀτιμά ζεται καὶ χωρίζεται. Τίσιν ὀργισθῇ πλέον; Μᾶλλον δὲ τίσιν ἀφῇ; Τοῖς συναιροῦσι κακῶς͵ ἢ τοῖς τέ μνουσι; Καὶ γὰρ κἀκείνους διαιρεῖν ἔδει͵ καὶ τού τους συνάπτειν· τοὺς μὲν τῷ ἀριθμῷ͵ τοὺς δὲ τῇ θεότητι. Προσκόπτεις τῇ σαρκί; Τοῦτο καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι. ῍Η καὶ Σαμαρείτην ἀποκαλεῖς; καὶ τὸ ἑξῆς σιω πήσομαι. Ἀπιστεῖς τῇ θεότητι; Τοῦτο οὐδὲ οἱ δαί μονες. Ὦ δαιμόνων ἀπιστότερε͵ καὶ Ἰουδαίων ἀγνωμονέστερε Ἐκεῖνοι τὴν τοῦ Υἱοῦ προσηγορίαν͵ ὁμοτιμίας φωνὴν ἐνόμισαν· οὗτοι τὸν ἐλαύνοντα Θεὸν ᾔδεσαν. Ἐπείθοντο γὰρ ἐξ ὧν ἔπασχον. Σὺ δὲ͵ οὐδὲ τὴν ἰσότητα δέχῃ͵ οὐδὲ ὁμολογεῖς τὴν θεό τητα. Κρεῖττον ἦν σοι περιτετμῆσθαι καὶ δαιμονᾷν͵ ἵν΄ εἴπω τι καὶ γελοίως͵ ἢ ἐν ἀκροβυστίᾳ καὶ ὑγιείᾳ διακεῖσθαι πονηρῶς καὶ ἀθέως.

16. A little later on you will see Jesus submitting to be purified in the River Jordan for my Purification, or rather, sanctifying the waters by His Purification (for indeed He had no need of purification Who taketh away the sin of the world) and the heavens cleft  asunder, and witness borne to him by the Spirit That is of one nature with Him;^{a} you shall see Him tempted and conquering and served by Angels,^{b} and healing every sickness^{g} and every disease,^{d} and giving life to the dead (O that He would give life to you who are dead because of your heresy), and driving out demons,^{e} sometimes Himself, sometimes by his disciples; and feeding vast multitudes with a few loaves;^{z} and walking dryshod upon seas;^{h} and being betrayed and crucified, and crucifying with Himself my sin; offered as a Lamb, and offering as a Priest; as a Man buried in the grave, and as God rising again; and then ascending, and to come again in His own glory.  Why what a multitude of high festivals there are in each of the mysteries of the Christ; all of which have one completion, namely, my perfection and return to the first condition of Adam.

Ι. Μικρὸν μὲν οὖν ὕστερον ὄψει καὶ κα θαιρόμενον Ἰησοῦν ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ τὴν ἐμὴν κάθαρσιν· μᾶλλον δὲ ἁγνίζοντα τῇ καθάρσει τὰ ὕδατα (οὐ γὰρ δὴ αὐτὸς ἐδεῖτο καθάρσεως͵ ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου)͵ καὶ σχιζομένους τοὺς οὐρανοὺς͵ καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ συγγενοῦς Πνεύματος μαρτυρούμενον͵ καὶ πειραζόμενον͵ καὶ νικῶντα͵ καὶ ὑπὸ ἀγγέλων ὑπηρετούμενον͵ καὶ θεραπεύοντα πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν μαλακίαν͵ καὶ ζωοποιοῦντα νεκροὺς (ὡς ὄφελόν γε καὶ σὲ τῇ κακοδοξίᾳ νενεκρω μένον)͵ καὶ δαίμονας ἀπελαύνοντα͵ τὰ μὲν δι΄ ἑαυτοῦ͵ τὰ δὲ διὰ τῶν μαθητῶν͵ καὶ ἄρτοις ὀλίγοις τρέφοντα μυριάδας͵ καὶ πεζεύοντα πέλαγος͵ καὶ προδιδόμενον͵ καὶ σταυρούμενον͵ καὶ συσταυροῦντα τὴν ἐμὴν ἁμαρ τίαν· ὡς ἀμνὸν προσαγόμενον͵ καὶ ὡς ἱερέα προσ άγοντα͵ ὡς ἄνθρωπον θαπτόμενον͵ καὶ ὡς Θεὸν ἐγειρόμενον͵ εἶτα καὶ ἀνερχόμενον͵ καὶ ἥξοντα μετὰ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ δόξης. Πόσαι μοι πανηγύρεις καθ΄ ἕκα στον τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ μυστηρίων Ὧν ἁπάντων κε φάλαιον ἓν͵ ἡ ἐμὴ τελείωσις καὶ ἀνάπλασις͵ καὶ πρὸς τὸν πρῶτον Ἀδὰμ ἐπάνοδος.

17. Now then I pray you accept His Conception, and leap before Him; if not like John from the womb,^{q} yet like David, because of the resting of the Ark.^{i} Revere the enrolment on account of which thou wast written in heaven, and adore the Birth by which thou wast loosed from the chains of thy birth,^{k} and honour little Bethlehem, which hath led thee back to Paradise; and worship the manger through which thou, being without sense, wast fed by the Word.  Know as Isaiah bids thee, thine Owner, like the ox, and like the ass thy Master's crib;^{l} if thou be one of those who are pure and lawful food, and who chew the cud of the word and are fit for sacrifice.  Or if thou art one of those who are as yet unclean and uneatable and unfit for sacrifice, and of the gentile portion, run with the Star, and bear thy Gifts with the Magi, gold and frankincense and myrrh,^{m} as to a King, and to God, and to One Who is dead for thee.  With Shepherds glorify Him;^{n} with Angels join in chorus; with Archangels sing hymns.  Let this Festival be common to the powers in heaven and to the powers upon earth.^{x} For I am persuaded that the Heavenly Hosts join in our exultation and keep high Festival with us to-day^{o} ... because they love men, and they love God just like those whom David introduces after the Passion ascending with Christ^{p} and coming to meet Him, and bidding one another to lift up the gates.

ΙΖ. Νυνὶ δέ μοι δέξαι τὴν κύησιν͵ καὶ προσ κίρτησον· εἰ καὶ μὴ ὡς Ἰωάννης ἀπὸ γαστρὸς͵ ἀλλ΄ ὡς Δαβὶδ ἐπὶ τῇ καταπαύσει τῆς κιβωτοῦ. Καὶ τὴν ἀπογραφὴν αἰδέσθητι͵ δι΄ ἣν εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἐγρά φης· καὶ τὴν γέννησιν σεβάσθητι͵ δι΄ ἣν ἐλύ θης τῶν δεσμῶν τῆς γεννήσεως· καὶ τὴν Βηθ ^36.332 λεὲμ τίμησον τὴν μικρὰν͵ ἥ σε πρὸς τὸν παράδεισον ἐπανήγαγε· καὶ τὴν φάτνην προσκύνησον͵ δι΄ ἣν ἄλογος ὢν͵ ἐτράφης ὑπὸ τοῦ Λόγου. Γνῶθι͵ ὡς βοῦς͵ τὸν κτησάμενον͵ Ἡσαΐας διακελεύεταί σοι͵ καὶ͵ ὡς ὄνος͵ τὴν φάτνην τοῦ κυρίου αὐτοῦ· εἴτε τῶν καθαρῶν τις εἶ͵ καὶ ὑπὸ τὸν νόμον͵ καὶ μηρυ κισμὸν ἀναγόντων τοῦ λόγου͵ καὶ πρὸς θυσίαν ἐπι τηδείων· εἴτε τῶν ἀκαθάρτων τέως͵ καὶ ἀβρώτων͵ καὶ ἀθύτων͵ καὶ τῆς ἐθνικῆς μερίδος. Μετὰ τοῦ ἀστέρος δράμε͵ καὶ μετὰ Μάγων δωροφόρησον͵ χρυσὸν͵ καὶ λίβανον͵ καὶ σμύρναν͵ ὡς βασιλεῖ͵ καὶ ὡς Θεῷ͵ καὶ ὡς διὰ σὲ νεκρῷ. Μετὰ ποιμένων δόξα σον͵ μετὰ ἀγγέλων ὕμνησον͵ μετὰ ἀρχαγγέλων χό ρευσον. Ἔστω κοινὴ πανήγυρις οὐρανίων καὶ ἐπι γείων δυνάμεων. Πείθομαι γὰρ κἀκείνας συναγάλ λεσθαι καὶ συμπανηγυρίζειν σήμερον· εἴπερ εἰσὶ φιλάνθρωποι καὶ φιλόθεοι͵ ὥσπερ ἃς Δαβὶδ εἰσάγει μετὰ τὸ πάθος συνανιούσας Χριστῷ͵ καὶ προσυπαν τώσας͵ καὶ διακελευομένας ἀλλήλαις τὴν τῶν πυλῶν ἔπαρσιν.

18. One thing connected with the Birth of Christ I would have you hate ... the murder of the infants by Herod.^{a} Or rather you must venerate this too, the Sacrifice of the same age as Christ, slain before the Offering of the New Victim.  If He flees into Egypt,^{b} joyfully become a companion of His exile.  It is a grand thing to share the exile of the persecuted Christ.  If He tarry long in Egypt, call Him out of Egypt by a reverent worship of Him there.  Travel without fault through every stage and faculty of the Life of Christ.  Be purified; be circumcised; strip off the veil which has covered thee from thy birth.  After this teach in the Temple, and drive out the sacrilegious traders.^{g} Submit to be stoned if need be, for well I wot thou shalt be hidden from those who cast the stones; thou shalt escape even through the midst of them, like God.^{d} If thou be brought before Herod, answer not for the most part.^{e} He will respect thy silence more than most people's long speeches.  If thou be scourged,^{z} ask for what they leave out.  Taste gall for the taste's sake;^{h} drink vinegar;^{q} seek for spittings; accept blows, be crowned with thorns,^{i} that is, with the hardness of the godly life; put on the purple robe, take the reed in hand, and receive mock worship from those who mock at the truth; lastly, be crucified with Him, and share His Death and Burial gladly, that thou mayest rise with Him, and be glorified with Him and reign with Him.  Look at and be looked at by the Great God, Who in Trinity is worshipped and glorified, and Whom we declare to be now set forth as clearly before you as the chains of our flesh allow, in Jesus Christ our Lord, to Whom be the glory for ever. Amen.

ΙΗ. Ἓν μίσησον τῶν περὶ τὴν Χριστοῦ γένναν͵ τὴν Ἡρώδου παιδοκτονίαν· μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ταύτην αἰδέσθητι͵ τὴν ἡλικιῶτιν Χριστοῦ θυσίαν͵ τοῦ και νοῦ σφαγίου προθυομένην. Ἂν εἰς Αἴγυπτον φεύγῃ͵ προθύμως συμφυγαδεύθητι. Καλὸν τῷ Χριστῷ συμφεύγειν διωκομένῳ. Ἂν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ βραδύνῃ͵ κάλεσον αὐτὸν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου͵ καλῶς ἐκεῖ προσκυνού μενον. Διὰ πασῶν ὅδευσον ἀμέμπτως τῶν ἡλι κιῶν Χριστοῦ καὶ δυνάμεων͵ ὡς Χριστοῦ μαθητής. Ἁγνίσθητι͵ περιτμήθητι͵ περιελοῦ τὸ ἀπὸ γενέσεως κάλυμμα. Μετὰ τοῦτο δίδαξον ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ͵ τοὺς θεοκα πήλους ἀπέλασον· λιθάσθητι͵ ἂν τοῦτο δέῃ παθεῖν· λήσῃ τοὺς βάλλοντας͵ εὖ οἶδα͵ φεύξῃ καὶ διὰ μέσου αὐτῶν͵ ὡς Θεός. Ὁ Λόγος γὰρ οὐ λιθάζεται. Ἂν Ἡρώδῃ προσαχθῇς͵ μηδὲ ἀποκριθῇς τὰ πλείω. Αἰδεσθήσεταί σου καὶ τὴν σιωπὴν πλέον ἢ ἄλλων τοὺς μακροὺς λόγους. Ἂν φραγελλωθῇς͵ καὶ τὰ λειπόμενα ζήτησον. Γεῦσαι χολῆς͵ διὰ τὴν γεῦσιν· ὄξος ποτίσθητι͵ ζήτησον ἐμπτύσματα͵ δέξαι ῥαπίσματα͵ κολαφίσματα· ἀκάνθαις στεφανώθητι͵ τῷ τραχεῖ τοῦ κατὰ Θεὸν βίου· περιβαλοῦ τὸ κόκκινον͵ δέξαι κάλαμον͵ προσκυνήθητι παρὰ τῶν παιζόντων τὴν ἀλήθειαν· τέλος συσταυρώθητι͵ συν ^36.333 νεκρώθητι͵ συντάφηθι προθύμως͵ ἵνα καὶ συνανα στῇς͵ καὶ συνδοξασθῇς͵ καὶ συμβασιλεύσῃς͵ Θεὸν ὁρῶν ὅσον ἐστὶ͵ καὶ ὁρώμενος͵ τὸν ἐν Τριάδι προσκυνούμενόν τε καὶ δοξαζόμενον͵ ὃν καὶ νῦν τρανοῦσθαι ἡμῖν εὐχόμεθα͵ ὅσον ἐφικτὸν τοῖς δεσμίοις τῆς σαρκὸς͵ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν͵ ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.

THE LIFE of ANTONY
(Chapters 1-7: Antony the young ascetic)

Youth and

Family

 
ANTIRRHETIKOS: PROLOGUE
 

THE LIFE of ANTONY

THE LIFE of ANTONY

THE LIFE of ANTONY

THE LIFE of ANTONY

TEACHER,
DISCIPLE, and 
INSTRUCTOR
 

TEACHER,
DISCIPLE, and 
INSTRUCTOR
 

TEACHER,
DISCIPLE, and 
INSTRUCTOR
 

TEACHER,
DISCIPLE, and 
INSTRUCTOR