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for precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints; and his relics, though divided into many places, preserve everywhere the entire praise of the thrice-blessed one. Thus indeed also in the ruling city, the head of Italy and queen of the world, there is for the martyr a universal escort and honor, and a renowned house, adorned in beauty. No less do the Romans venerate Phocas than Peter and Paul. Therefore also, as the account teaches, they zealously acquired the head of the martyr, adopting a purpose opposite to that of the abominable Herodias. For she, thirsting for 9.124 righteous blood, demanded a precious head for insolent treatment; but they, for the sake of honor and their own benefit, worthily obtained a martyr's head. And sailors and mariners everywhere, not only those sailing across the Euxine sea, but also those who cut through the Adriatic and are borne over the Aegean and all who sail the western ocean and voyage in the eastern gulfs, have changed the customary commands by which they relieve the labor of the voyage into a new praise of the martyr; and Phocas is entirely on their lips, chanted by them, since he also provides clear signs of his help. For he has often been seen, at one time at night when a storm is expected, waking up the helmsman who was nodding off at the rudder; at another time again tightening the ropes and taking care of the sail and from the prow watching out for the reefs. Whence it also became a custom for sailors to have Phocas as a messmate. And since it is impossible for one who is now bodiless to be a messmate and a sharer of the table, learn how a pious reasoning devised a way around the impossibility. For each day they allot to the martyr the portion of the provisions, in equal share with those eating. And one of the diners, buying this portion, puts down the money, and on the next day another, and at another time someone else; and this lot for the purchase, going around to all, provides the buyer of the portion each day. And whenever a harbor receives them and they arrive on land, the money is divided among the hungry; and this is the portion of Phocas, a benefaction for the poor. Kings also have marvelled at this most steadfast and God-loving man, and with lavish treasures they adorn the temple of the renowned poor man. And their successors strive to surpass their elders. And it is not yet astonishing if men of the Roman dominion, pious and brought up with ordinances and laws, are so reverent toward the servant of Christ, since the wonder has even reached the barbarians; and all the most savage Scythians, those who inhabit the continent opposite the Euxine sea, neighbors of the Maeotian lake and the river Tanais, and those who dwell by the Bosporus and extend as far as the river Phasis, all these act as a bodyguard for the gardener; and though differing from us in all customs and practices, in this one thing alone they become of one mind, the savagery of their ways 9.126 being tamed by the truth. At least one ruler and king from there, setting aside the crown from his head, gleaming with gold and the flowers of gems, and taking off his war-cuirass, which had the materials of wealth—for the panoply of the barbarians is arrogant and effeminate—sent both as offerings to God through the martyr, having consecrated the sources of his power and rank. For it is clear that the crown was a thank-offering for his kingship, and the cuirass for his strength in wars. But the benefactions continually occurring in addition to these, through visions in dreams and through the healings which the sick enjoy, how could anyone even recount, since it is impossible for the account to touch upon the workings of each one? We, therefore, stopping here, will offer glory to God the Savior, whose faithful servants were deemed worthy of so much grace, that for every need and circumstance they might benefit their fellow servants according to the gift given to them. And this after their departure from here and the separation from the body; whose memory with their work through

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γὰρ ἐναντίον Κυρίου ὁ θάνατος τῶν ὁσίων αὐτοῦ· καὶ πολλαχοῦ μερισθέντα τὰ λείψανα ὁλόκληρον πανταχοῦ τῷ τρισμακαρίῳ σώζει τὴν εὐφημίαν. Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ κατὰ τὴν βασιλεύουσαν πόλιν, τὴν κορυφὴν Ἰταλίας καὶ βασιλίδα τοῦ κόσμου, ἔστι τῷ μάρτυρι δορυφορία πάνδημος καὶ τιμή, οἶκος τε περιφανής, ἠσκημένος εἰς κάλλος. Οὐχ ἧττον δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι τὸν Φωκᾶν θεραπεύουσιν ἢ Πέτρον καὶ Παῦλον. ∆ιὸ καί, ὡς ὁ λόγος διδάσκει, τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ μάρτυρος ἐσπουδασμένως ἐκτήσαντο ἀντίστροφον τῆς μιαρᾶς Ἡρωδιάδος ἑλόμενοι γνώμην. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ αἵματος διψῶσα 9.124 δικαίου, κεφαλὴν τιμίαν εἰς ὕβριν ἐξῄτησεν· οἱ δέ, τιμῆς χάριν καὶ ὠφελείας τῆς ἑαυτῶν, μαρτυρικὴν ἀξίως κεφαλὴν περιεποιήσαντο. Ναῦται δὲ καὶ πλωτῆρες οἱ πανταχοῦ, οὐχ οἱ τὸν Εὔξεινον διαπλέοντες πόντον, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ τὸν Ἀδρίαν τέμνοντες καὶ ὑπὲρ Αἰγαίου φερόμενοι καὶ ὅσοι τὸν ὠκεανὸν πλέουσι τὸν ἑσπέριον καὶ τοῖς ἐῴοις κόλποις ἐνθαλαττεύουσι, τὰ συνήθη κελεύσματα οἷς τοῦ πλοῦ πόνον προσανα παύουσιν, εἰς καινὴν τοῦ μάρτυρος μετέβαλον εὐφημίαν· καὶ διὰ γλώσσης ἐστὶν ὅλως ὁ Φωκᾶς αὐτοῖς ὑπᾳδόμενος, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἐναργῆ παρέχει τῆς βοηθείας τὰ σύμβολα. Πολλάκις γὰρ ὤφθη, νῦν μὲν νύκτωρ προσδοκωμένου χειμῶνος διεγείρων τὸν κυβερνήτην τῷ πηδαλίῳ ἐπινυστάξαντα· ἄλλοτε δὲ πάλιν τοὺς κάλως διατείνων καὶ τῆς ὀθόνης ἐπιμελούμενος καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς πρώρας προοπτεύων τὰ βράχη. Ὅθεν καὶ νόμος ἐγένετο ναύταις Φωκᾶν ἔχειν συνεστιάτορα. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ τὸν νῦν ἀσώματον σύσσιτον εἶναι καὶ κοινωνὸν τραπέζης ἀμήχανον, μάθετε πῶς ἄρα φιλευσεβὴς λογισμὸς ἐσοφίσατο τὸ ἀδύνατον. Καθ' ἑκάστην γὰρ τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν τῶν ὄψων μερίδα πρὸς ἰσομοιρίαν τῶν ἐσθιόντων ἀποκληροῦσι τῷ μάρτυρι. Ταύτην δὲ εἷς τῶν δαιτυμόνων ἐξωνούμενος τὸ ἀργύριον κατατίθεται, καὶ τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ἄλλος καὶ ἄλλοτε ἕτερος· καὶ οὗτος ὁ κλῆρος τῆς ἀγορασίας περιϊὼν ἅπαντας δίδωσι καθ' ἡμέραν τῆς μερίδος τὸν ὠνητήν. Ἐπειδὰν δὲ ὅρμος αὐτοὺς ὑποδέξηται καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀφίκωνται, μερίζεται τὸ ἀργύριον τοῖς πεινῶσι· καὶ τοῦτο ἡ μερὶς τοῦ Φωκᾶ, πενήτων εὐεργεσία. Τεθήπασι τοῦτον καὶ βασιλεῖς τὸν καρτερικώτατον καὶ φιλόθεον καὶ φιλοτίμοις κειμηλίοις κατακοσμοῦσι τοῦ περιβλέπτου πένητος τὸν ναόν. Φιλονεικοῦσι δὲ οἱ ἐπιγινόμενοι τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ὑπερβαλέσθαι. Καὶ οὔπω θαυμαστόν, εἰ τῆς Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμονίας ἄνδρες φιλευσεβεῖς, θεσμοῖς καὶ νόμοις σύντροφοι, οὕτως εὐλαβῶς ἔχουσι περὶ τὸν θεράποντα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁπότε καὶ εἰς βαρβάρους ἔφθη τὸ θαῦμα· καὶ πάντες οἱ ἀγριώτατοι Σκύθαι, ὅσοι δὴ τὴν ἀντιπέρας τοῦ Εὐξείνου πόντου ἤπειρον νέμονται, Μαιώτιδος λίμνης καὶ ποταμοῦ Τανάϊδος πρόσοικοι, ὅσοι τε τὸν Βόσπορον οἰκοῦσι καὶ ἄχρι Φάσιδος ποταμοῦ παρατείνονται, πάντες οὗτοι δορυφοροῦσι τῷ κηπουρῷ· τοῖς δὲ πᾶσιν ἔθεσι καὶ ἐπιτηδεύμασι διεστῶτες ἡμῶν εἰς τοῦτο μόνον ὁμογνώμονες γίνονται τὴν ἀγριότητα τῶν τρόπων 9.126 ὑπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐξημερούμενοι. Εἷς γοῦν ἄρχων ἐκεῖθεν καὶ βασιλεὺς τὸν στέφανον τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀποθέμενος, χρυσῷ καὶ ἄνθεσι λίθων περιλαμπόμενον, καὶ τὸν θώρακα τὸν πολεμικὸν ἀποδύς, ὕλας ἔχοντα πλούτου ἀλαζονικὴ γὰρ καὶ θρυπτομένη τῶν βαρβάρων ἡ πανοπλία ἔπεμψεν ἀμφότερα ἀναθήματα διὰ τοῦ μάρτυρος τῷ Θεῷ καὶ δυνάμεως καὶ ἀξιώματος καθιερώσας τὰς ἀφορμάς. Πρόδηλον γάρ, ὡς ὁ μὲν στέφανος τῆς βασιλείας ἦν χαριστήριον, ὁ δὲ θώραξ τῆς κατὰ πολέμους ἰσχύος. Τὰς δὲ συνεχῶς ἐπὶ τούτοις συμβαινούσας εὐεργεσίας διὰ τῶν ἐν ὀνείρασιν ὄψεων καὶ διὰ τῶν θεραπειῶν, ὧν οἱ κάμνοντες ἀπολαύουσι, πῶς ἄν τις καὶ διηγήσαιτο ἀδυνάτου καθεστῶτος ταῖς καθ' ἕκαστον ἐνεργείαις ἐπαφεῖναι τὸν λόγον; Ἡμεῖς τοίνυν ἐνταῦθα λήξαντες δόξαν τῷ Σωτῆρι Θεῷ προσοίσομεν, οὗ δοῦλοι πιστοὶ τοσαύτης ἠξιώθησαν χάριτος, ὥστε πρὸς πᾶσαν χρείαν καὶ περίστασιν κατὰ τὴν δοθεῖσαν αὐτοῖς δωρεὰν τοὺς ὁμοδούλους εὐεργετεῖν. Καὶ ταῦτα μετὰ τὴν ἐνθένδε ἄφιξιν καὶ τὸν τοῦ σώματος χωρισμόν· ὧν ἡ μνήμη μετὰ τοῦ ἔργου καθ'