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they provided for themselves, they prepared with their own mercies the provisions; the hungry were fed, and the lamps were made bright; the poor gave thanks, and the 59.529 bridegroom was pleased; almsgiving was sown, and the expected reward was prepared. And the wise virgins cried out the words of David: We were prepared, and we were not troubled; but the foolish, holding their lamps without oil, were seen far from the bridegroom. How did they hold to one good deed? how did they acquire chastity, but reject philanthropy? how did they obtain passionlessness for the body, but did not show compassion for those in need? how did they love prudence, but turn away from hospitality?

What then was the end? So, as the bridegroom was delayed, he says, they all grew drowsy, and slept. But those who had stored up the oil beforehand had the security that their lamps would not be extinguished; but the foolish were awaiting the time of need. Why then do I not speak briefly? The hour came, the time arrived, the sounds began, the trumpets sounded, the elements were shaken, man was agitated, the heaven was bent, the firmament trembled, the stars were loosed, the powers were troubled, angels ran before, lightnings went forth, creation was in great tumult. For not in the day, but at midnight the judge arrives. Then what? A cry is made calling to the meeting: Behold, the bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him. What then happens? All the virgins rose up, shook off their sleep, and took their lamps; but some were burning, and others were not shining. Those of the wise were supplied with the oil of good works, but those of the foolish were being extinguished. Truly the matter was pitiable. Inescapable necessity surrounded the women; their failure had no occasion for comfort. Then, approaching the wise, they sought what they could not receive. Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. They should have imitated them long ago, and not be supplicating now; for they should have bought the oil from those who sell it. Give us oil, they say. In vain do you beseech the wise, O lazy ones; the festival of life has already been dissolved, the theatre of this life has passed away; now is not the time for transactions; now the demonstration of works is sought. You should have foreseen the danger of the present age; you should have taken thought for this meeting; you should have considered that lamps cannot give light without oil. You say, Give us some of your oil. No one is adorned with the works of others; each one reaps what he has sown. "Give us oil." What then did the wise say to them? Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to those who sell, and buy. If even a little time is still left, run, labor; the bridegroom has not yet arrived; hurry before the doors are shut, go to those who sell. And who, O wise ones, are the sellers? Tell us; for these do not know, not having acquired the habit of such a transaction. Who are the sellers? The poor who sit by the doors of the churches, the rational swallows, who announce the rational spring of souls, the venerable mediators with the Master, the invincible orators on the day of judgment. And while they were going to buy the oil, the bridegroom came, and the doors were shut. O injurious laziness! O incurable pain! O inconsolable loss! O comfortless grief. And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came. The expected joy came, the boast of the righteous came, the light came at midnight. The wise met him, they entered with the bridegroom, and the doors were shut.

2. I shudder, remembering what happened; I tremble, narrating the misfortune that befell the women

narrating the misfortune. They desired to see the dreadful bridal chamber; for on account of it

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ἐπορίσαντο, ἐσκεύασαν μεθ' ἑαυτῶν τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τὰ ἐφόδια· οἱ πεινῶντες ἐτρέφοντο, καὶ αἱ λαμπάδες ἐφαιδρύνοντο· οἱ πτωχοὶ ηὐχαρίστουν, καὶ ὁ 59.529 νυμφίος ἐτέρπετο· ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη ἐσπείρετο, καὶ ὁ προσδοκώμενος μισθὸς ηὐτρεπίζετο. Καὶ αἱ φρόνιμοι τὰ τοῦ ∆αυῒδ ἐβόων· Ἡτοιμάσθημεν, καὶ οὐκ ἐταράχθημεν· αἱ δὲ μωραὶ τὰς λαμπάδας κρατοῦσαι χωρὶς ἐλαίου πόῤῥωθεν ἀπὸ τοῦ νυμφίου ἐβλέποντο. Πῶς εἴχοντο ἑνὶ κατορθώματι; πῶς τὴν μὲν ἁγνείαν ἐκτήσαντο, τὴν δὲ φιλανθρωπίαν ἀπώσαντο; πῶς ἀπάθειαν μὲν τῷ σώματι περιεποιήσαντο, συμπάθειαν δὲ περὶ τοὺς δεομένους οὐκ ἐπεδείξαντο; πῶς τὴν μὲν σωφροσύνην ἠγάπησαν, τὴν δὲ φιλοξενίαν ἀπεστράφησαν;

Τί οὖν τὸ πέρας; Χρονίζοντος γοῦν τοῦ νυμφίου, φησὶν, ἐνύσταξαν πᾶσαι, καὶ ἐκάθευδον. Ἀλλ' αἱ μὲν προαποθέμεναι τὸ ἔλαιον, εἶχον τὸ ἀσφαλὲς, ὅτι αἱ λαμπάδες αὐτῶν οὐ σβεσθήσονται· αἱ δὲ μωραὶ τὸν τῆς ἀνάγκης καιρὸν ἐξεδέχοντο. Τί οὖν συντόμως οὐ λέγω; Ἐπέστη ἡ ὥρα, ἔφθασεν ὁ καιρὸς, οἱ κτύποι κατήρξαντο, ἤχουν αἱ σάλπιγγες, ἐδονοῦντο τὰ στοιχεῖα, ὁ ἀνὴρ ἐκλονεῖτο, ἐκλίνετο ὁ οὐρανὸς, ἔτρεμε τὸ στερέωμα, ἀστέρες ἐλύοντο, ἐταράττοντο αἱ δυνάμεις, προέτρεχον ἄγγελοι, ἀστραπαὶ προεβάδιζον, μέγαν εἶχεν ἡ κτίσις τὸν θόρυβον. Οὐ γὰρ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ, ἀλλ' ἐν μεσονυκτίῳ ὁ δικαστὴς παραγίνεται. Εἶτα τί; Γίνεται κραυγὴ καλοῦσα πρὸς τὴν ἀπάντησιν· Ἰδοὺ ὁ νυμφίος ἔρχεται, ἐξέλθετε εἰς ἀπάντησιν αὐτοῦ. Τί οὖν τὸ γινόμενον; Ἐξανέστησαν πᾶσαι αἱ παρθένοι, ἀπετινάξαντο τὸν ὕπνον, ἐπελάβοντο τῶν λαμπάδων· ἀλλ' αἱ μὲν ἐκαίοντο, αἱ δὲ οὐκ ἔφαινον. Αἱ τῶν φρονίμων τῷ ἐλαίῳ τῆς εὐποιίας ἠρδεύοντο, αἱ δὲ τῶν μωρῶν ἀπεσβέννυντο. Ὄντως ἐλεεινὸν ἦν τὸ πρᾶγμα. Ἄφευκτος ἐκύκλωσεν ἀνάγκη τὰ γύναια· οὐκ εἶχεν ἡ ἀποτυχία ἀφορμὴν παρακλήσεως. Τότε οὖν προσελθοῦσαι ταῖς φρονίμοις ἐπεζήτουν, ὅπερ λαβεῖν οὐκ ἠδύναντο. ∆ότε γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐκ τοῦ ἐλαίου ὑμῶν, ὅτι αἱ λαμπάδες ἡμῶν σβέννυνται. Ἔδει οὖν πάλαι αὐτὰς μιμήσασθαι, καὶ μὴ νῦν ἱκετεύειν· ἔδει γὰρ παρὰ τῶν πωλούντων ἀγοράσαι τὸ ἔλαιον. ∆ότε ὑμεῖς ἔλαιον, φασὶν, ἡμῖν. Μάτην παρακαλεῖτε τὰς φρονίμους, ὦ ῥᾴθυμοι· ἔφθασε λυθῆναι τῆς ζωῆς ἡ πανήγυρις, παρῆλθε τοῦ βίου τὸ θέατρον· οὐκ ἔστι νῦν συναλλαγμάτων καιρός· νῦν ἡ τῶν ἔργων ἐπιζητεῖται ἐπίδειξις. Ἔδει προθεωρεῖν τὸν κίνδυνον τοῦ παρόντος αἰῶνος· ἔδει ταύτης φροντίσαι τῆς ἀπαντήσεως· ἔδει ἐνθυμηθῆναι, ὅτι αἱ λαμπάδες χωρὶς ἐλαίου φωτίζειν οὐ δύνανται. Λέγετε, ∆ότε ἡμῖν ἐκ τοῦ ἐλαίου ὑμῶν. Οὐδεὶς ἀλλοτρίοις ἐγκαλλωπίζεται ἔργοις· ἕκαστος θερίζει ὅπερ ἔσπειρε. «∆ότε ὑμεῖς ἡμῖν ἔλαιον.» Τί οὖν πρὸς αὐτὰς αἱ φρόνιμοι; Μήποτε οὐκ ἀρκέσῃ ἡμῖν καὶ ὑμῖν· πορεύεσθε δὲ μᾶλλον πρὸς τοὺς πωλοῦντας, καὶ ἀγοράσατε. Ἔτι κἂν μικρά τις ὑπολέλειπται ὥρα, δράμετε, κάμετε· οὔπω ἐφέστηκεν ὁ νυμφίος· σπεύσατε πρὸ τοῦ κλεισθῆναι τὰς θύρας, πρὸς τοὺς πωλοῦντας ἀπέλθετε. Καὶ τίνες, ὦ φρόνιμοι, οἱ πωλοῦντες; εἴπατε· ἀγνοοῦσι γὰρ αὗται μὴ κτησάμεναι συναλλάγματος τοιούτου συνήθειαν. Τίνες οἱ πωλοῦντες; Οἱ ταῖς θύραις τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν παρακαθήμενοι πένητες, αἱ λογικαὶ χελιδόνες, αἱ τῶν ψυχῶν εὐαγγελιζόμεναι λογικὸν ἔαρ, οἱ αἰδέσιμοι πρὸς τὸν ∆εσπότην μεσῖται, οἱ ἀήττητοι ῥήτορες ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς διαγνώσεως. Ἀπερχομένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἀγοράσαι τὸ ἔλαιον, ἦλθεν ὁ νυμφίος, καὶ ἐκλείσθησαν αἱ θύραι. Ὢ τῆς ἐπιβλαβοῦς ῥᾳθυμίας· ὢ τῆς ἀθεραπεύτου ὀδύνης· ὢ τῆς ἀπαραμυθήτου ζημίας· ὢ πένθους ἀπαρακλήτου. Ἀπερχομένων δὲ αὐτῶν ἀγοράσαι, ἦλθεν ὁ νυμφίος. Ἦλθεν ἡ προσδοκωμένη χαρὰ, ἦλθε τῶν δικαίων τὸ καύχημα, ἦλθε μεσονυκτίῳ τὸ φῶς. Ἀπήντησαν αἱ φρόνιμοι, συνεισῆλθον τῷ νυμφίῳ, καὶ ἐκλείσθησαν αἱ θύραι.

βʹ. Φρίττω, τὸ γενόμενον ἐνθυμούμενος· τρέμω, τὸ συμβὰν τοῖς γυναίοις

ἀστόχημα διηγούμενος. Τὴν παστάδα τὴν φοβερὰν ἰδεῖν ἐπεθύμουν· δι' αὐτὴν γὰρ