2

crowns. And heaven has been commanded to guard these things, awaiting their enjoyment there, but the earth for now holds them. But heaven and .... received of brightness. It had lamps of fire, the stars; the earth had a multitude of saints, as that one has angels giving glory. These blessed martyrs, punished for Christ's sake, tortured, given over to wild beasts, consumed by fire and sword, are now attended as by a bodyguard, are honored, are glorified, reign in heaven, entreat God, help sinners, guard the world, sanctify cities, populate deserts, bless lands, assemble peoples, turn back barbarians .... with the relics being distributed. And this is clear from the ark deposited today, which holds the manna, the ark that conquers foreigners, the ark safer than Noah's; for the one, floating upon the waters, was saved, but the other, being borne in death itself, redeems; for because of this it is also buried in the bosom of the earth, leading and comforting the souls of men submerged in Hades. Such today is our treasure, such wealth has the house of the martyrs received, such grace has the place acquired.

Here, then, the myrrh of holiness springs forth, here the streams of the healing of passions flow through, from here the channels of healings flow, from here a hungry city rejoices, from here thirsty flocks are satisfied, from here a people running together is sanctified, from here Christ has compassion, being glorified. Consider how many also mar 305 bound on the crown of martyrdom: for some were scourged, some were shut up in prison, some were bound in chains, some were cast out from their homeland, some lost their substance, some were removed to exile, some were slaughtered, some in trial, and some in will; for indeed with spears being bared and swords being sharpened and threats being made each day and those in authority breathing out wrath and voices being raised in myriads of ways, both of punishments and torments, they did not yield nor give in, but they stood immovable upon the rock, choosing to do and to suffer all things so as not to partake in the lawlessness of those who had dared such things, not only men, but also women; for women too stripped for this contest and in many places acted more courageously than men. And not only women, but also youths and young boys, of whom may it be .... to whom be glory with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages; amen.

338 Justifiably I am distressed, being held by the bonds of cowardice, how shall I satisfy the thirst of your love of hearing, what table of discourse shall I set forth, what shall I become, welcoming so great a people, for whom Christ alone will suffice for a feast. At the doors, then, is the joy of the world, the harbor of the Lord's resurrection draws near. again is the senseless nation 339 of the Jews thrown into confusion, again the dogs bark against the shepherd, again the servants rebel against the master, again the workers of darkness plot against the light, again Judas meditates the lawless deed, again the Jews prepare pieces of silver, that they might send to Hades the one free among the dead and learn of death taken captive, that tombs might be shaken and the dead be winged for rising, again a disciple sells, but the learned in the law buy, and a robber on a cross theologizes. But let us remember the voice of the traitor: "What will you give me," he says, "and I will deliver him to you." What do they want to give [you], Judas? The rope for hanging, the outer darkness, the alienation from the kingdom, the separation from the saints, the fall from which there is no rising, these are for you the profits from your transaction with the Jews. ["What will you give me?"] What can they give you of such a kind as you are about to lose, you all-wicked one? And why do you sell for so little the architect of heaven and earth, the one who bears all things in his palm? when you saw your master being honored, you the most precious

2

στέφανοι. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ὁ οὐρανὸς φυλάττειν προστέτακται περιμένων αὐτῶν ἐκεῖ τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν, κατέχει δὲ τούτους τέως ἡ γῆ. Ὁ οὐρανὸς δὲ καὶ .... παρελήφθη φαιδρότητος. Ἔσχε λαμπάδας πυρὸς τοὺς ἀστέρας, ἔσχε πλῆθος ἁγίων ἡ γῆ, ὡς ἐκεῖνος ἀγγέλων ἔχει δοξολογοῦντας. Οὗτοι οἱ μακάριοι μάρτυρες διὰ Χριστὸν κολασθέντες, στρεβλωθέντες, θηρίοις παραδοθέντες, πυρὶ καὶ ξίφει ἀναλωθέντες νῦν δορυφοροῦνται, τιμῶνται, δοξάζονται, ἐν οὐρανοῖς βασιλεύουσι, τὸν Θεὸν δυσωποῦσιν, ἁμαρτωλοῖς βοηθοῦσι, τὴν οἰκουμένην φυλάττουσι, πόλεις ἁγιάζουσιν, ἐρήμους πολίζουσιν, εὐλογοῦσι τὰς χώρας, λαοὺς συγκροτοῦσι, βαρβάρους ἀποστρέφουσι .... λειψάνοις μεριζομένης. ∆ῆλον δὲ τοῦτο ἐκ τῆς κατατεθείσης σήμερον κιβωτοῦ ἐχούσης τὸ μάννα, κιβωτοῦ τῆς ἀλλοφύλους νικώσης, κιβωτοῦ τῆς ἀσφαλεστέρας τοῦ Νῶε· ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἐπάνω τῶν ὑδάτων νηχομένη διεσώζετο, ἡ δὲ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ θανάτῳ φερομένη λυτροῦται· διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ ἐν τοῖς κόλποις αὕτη τῆς γῆς καταχώννυται ψυχαγωγοῦσα καὶ τοὺς ἐν Ἅδῃ βυθιζομένους ἀνθρώπους. Τοιοῦτος σήμερον ὁ ἡμέτερος θησαυρός, τοιοῦτον ὁ οἶκος τῶν μαρτύρων ἐδέξατο πλοῦτον, τοιαύτην ὁ τόπος ἐκτήσατο χάριν.

Ἐνταῦθα τῆς ἁγιωσύνης λοιπὸν τὸ μύρον πηγάζει, ἐνταῦθα τῆς τῶν παθῶν θεραπείας διοδεύει τὰ ῥεῖθρα, ἔνθεν οἱ ὀχετοὶ τῶν ἰάσεων ῥέουσιν, ἔνθεν πόλις εὐφραίνεται πεινῶσα, ἔνθεν ποίμνια διψῶντα κορέννυται, ἔνθεν λαὸς συντρέχων ἁγιάζεται, ἔνθεν Χριστὸς σπλαγχνίζεται δοξαζόμενος. Ἐννόησον ὅσοι καὶ μαρ 305 τυρίου στέφανον ἀνεδήσαντο· οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐμαστίχθησαν, οἱ δὲ εἰς δεσμωτήριον ἐνεκλείσθησαν, οἱ δὲ ἁλύσεσι περιέκειντο, οἱ δὲ πατρίδος ἐξέπεσαν, οἱ δὲ οὐσίαν ἀπέβαλον, οἱ δὲ πρὸς τὴν ὑπερορίαν μετῳκίσθησαν, οἱ δὲ ἐσφάγησαν, οἱ μὲν καὶ τῇ πείρᾳ, οἱ δὲ καὶ τῇ γνώμῃ· καὶ γὰρ δοράτων γυμνουμένων καὶ ξιφῶν ἠκονημένων καὶ ἀπειλῶν καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν γιγνομένων καὶ τῶν ἐν ἀρχαῖς θυμοῦ πνεόντων καὶ φωνῶν ἐπανατεινομένων μυρία εἴδη καὶ κολάσεων καὶ τιμωριῶν οὐκ εἶξαν οὐδὲ ἐνέδωκαν, ἀλλ' ἔστησαν ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας ἀκίνητοι πάντα ποιῆσαι καὶ παθεῖν αἱρούμενοι ὥστε μὴ κοινωνῆσαι τῇ παρανομίᾳ τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα τετολμηκότων, οὐκ ἄνδρες μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ γυναῖκες· καὶ γὰρ καὶ γυναῖκες πρὸς τὸν ἀγῶνα ἀπεδύσαντο τοῦτον καὶ ἀνδρῶν πολλαχοῦ μᾶλλον ἠνδρίσαντο. Οὐ γυναῖκες δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ νέοι καὶ μειράκια κομιδῆ, ὧν γένοιτο .... ᾧ ἡ δόξα σὺν τῷ πατρὶ καὶ τῷ ἁγίῳ πνεύματι νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων· ἀμήν.

338 Εἰκότως ἀγωνιῶ τοῖς τῆς δειλίας δεσμοῖς συνεχόμενος, πῶς ἐμπλήσω τὸ δίψος τῆς ὑμετέρας φιληκοΐας, ποίαν προθήσω τοῦ λόγου τὴν τράπεζαν, τίς γένωμαι λαὸν τοσοῦτον δεξιούμενος, ᾧ μόνος Χριστὸς ἐπαρκέσει πρὸς ἑστίασιν. ἐπὶ θύραις λοιπὸν ἡ τοῦ κόσμου χαρά, πλησιάζει ὁ λιμὴν τῆς δεσποτικῆς ἀναστάσεως. πάλιν θορυβεῖται 339 τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὸ ἀλόγιστον ἔθνος, πάλιν κατὰ τοῦ ποιμένος ὑλακτοῦσιν οἱ κύνες, πάλιν κατὰ τοῦ δεσπότου στασιάζουσιν οἱ δοῦλοι, πάλιν βουλεύονται κατὰ τοῦ φωτὸς οἱ τοῦ σκότους ἐργάται, πάλιν Ἰούδας μελετᾷ τὴν παράνομον πρᾶσιν, πάλιν ἑτοιμάζουσιν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀργύρια, ἵνα τῷ ᾅδῃ παραπέμψωσι τὸν ἐν νεκροῖς ἐλεύθερον καὶ μάθωσιν αἰχμαλωτιζόμενον θάνατον, ἵνα τιναχθῶσι τάφοι καὶ νεκροὶ πτερωθῶσι πρὸς ἔγερσιν, πάλιν μαθητὴς πιπράσκει, νομομαθεῖς δὲ ἀγοράζουσι καὶ λῃστὴς ἐπὶ σταυροῦ θεολογεῖ. Ἀλλὰ τῆς τοῦ προδότου φωνῆς μνημονεύσωμεν· «τί μοι θέλετε δοῦναι», φησίν, «κἀγὼ ὑμῖν παραδώσω αὐτόν». τί [σοι] θέλουσι δοῦναι, Ἰούδα; τὸ τῆς ἀγχόνης σχοινίον, τὸ ἐξώτερον σκότος, τῆς βασιλείας τὴν ἀλλοτρίωσιν, τὸν χωρισμὸν τῶν ἁγίων, τὸ ἀνέγερτον πτῶμα, ταῦτά σοι ἐκ τοῦ συναλλάγματος τοῦ πρὸς Ἰουδαίους τὰ κέρδη. [«τί μοι θέλετε δοῦναι;»] τί σοι δύνανται δοῦναι τοιοῦτον ὅσον μέλλεις ἀπολεῖν, παμπόνηρε; ἱνατί δὲ οὕτως ὀλίγου πιπράσκεις τὸν οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς ἀρχιτέκτονα, τὸν ἐν παλάμῃ τὰ σύμπαντα φέροντα; ὅτε τὸν δεσπότην σου ἐθεάσω τιμώμενον, σὺ τὸ πολυτίμητον