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was lifted up, and now is eminent among pious women, with Susanna and Mary and Annas, a buttress of women. 8.29 Heracles, Empedotimus, Trophonius, give way from your myths, and you too, faithless brow of empty-boasting Aristaeus; you were mortals and not blessed in your passions; but Nonna with a manly spirit, having cut the path of life, Christ-bearer, servant of the cross, despising the world, leapt to the heavenly chariot-rail, as she longed, thrice-blessed, having put off her body in the temple. 8.30 Shouting "Gregory" you met us in the flowery gardens, my mother, as we were coming from a foreign land, and spreading out your dear hands to your dear children, shouting "Gregory." And the mother's blood boiled for both her children, but most of all for the nursling of her breast; for this reason I have honored you, mother, with so many epigrams. 8.31 One woman is renowned for her household labors, another for her graces and good sense, another for works of piety and afflictions of the flesh, for tears, for prayers, for hands that tend the poor; but Nonna is celebrated in all these things; and if it is right to call this an end, she died while praying. 8.32 Child of my breast, sacred shoot, how I long for you, I am gone to the heavenly life, Gregory; for you labored much tending to my old age and your father's, things which the great book of Christ also holds. But, my dear, follow your parents, and very soon we will receive you kindly into our light. 8.33 The winged soul of Nonna went to heaven, and her body from the temple we laid beside the Martyrs. O Martyrs, receive this great offering, the much-suffering flesh that followed your blood, your blood, since by its long labors it broke the great power of the destroyer of souls. 8.34 Not a shadowy sacrifice of calves nor of goats nor of firstborn did Nonna offer to God; these things were the law for those before, when there were types; but she gave her whole self; learn this from her life and from her death. 8.35 Praying aloud beside the most holy tables Nonna was released, and the voice was bound and the beautiful lips of the aged woman. What is the wonder? God wished her hymning tongue to place a key upon its words of praise; and now from heaven she prays greatly for mortals. 8.36 With her prayers godly Nonna calmed the sea for her dear children, and gathered them from the ends of the east and west, a great glory, when they did not expect it, a mother's love; and by her prayers she drove away her husband's bitter sickness, and the wonder is, she left her life inside the temple. 8.37 Many times from sickness and grievous dins and chilling earthquakes and the wildly surging swell of the sea you saved me, since you had God propitious; but save me now too, father, with your great prayers, and you, my mother, blessed one, who died in prayers. 8.38 I, the tomb, hold Nonna, who rejoices in the heavenly lights and is an ever-green shoot of a sacred root, the spouse of Gregory the priest and by her wisdom the mother of holy children. 8.39 Dear prayers and groans and sleepless nights and the floor of the temple wetted with tears granted you, Nonna, such a holy end to your life, to receive the decree of death in the temple. 8.40 Only your voice was left to you, shining Nonna, having placed all things at once in the great wine-presses, a pure offering from a pure heart; but then even it, your last, you left in the temple as you were lifted up. 8.41 Nor did Nonna die outside the fragrant temple, but Christ the King snatched her voice first as she was praying; for she longed to finish this life in prayers, a purer offering than any sacrifice. 8.42 Holy Nonna, you, having stretched out your whole life to God, gave your soul as a last, pure sacrifice; for here, praying, you left your life; and the altar, my mother, gave glory to your death. 8.43 My father was a great servant of this altar, and my mother, praying at its feet, ceased from life, Gregory and Nonna, greatly renowned. I pray to the King that I may meet with such a life and end. 8.44 "O beloved altar, many of Nonna's tears you have received; receive also her soul, the final sacrifice," she said, and her heart flew from her limbs; and one thing only, her child, she longed for, the one of her children still remaining. 8.45 There once, as she was praying, the mind of Nonna flew so high, until her soul followed it as it was lifted up, and the body of her praying lay beside the holy altar. O pious ones, write down this wonder for those to come. 8.46 Who has died as Nonna died, beside the holy altars of

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ἀέρθη, καὶ νῦν θηλυτέρῃσι μεταπρέπει εὐσεβέεσσι, Σουσάννῃ Μαριάμ τε καὶ Ἄνναις, ἕρμα γυναικῶν. 8.29 Ἥρακλες, Ἐμπεδότιμε, Τροφώνιε, εἴξατε μύθων, καὶ σύ γ', Ἀρισταίου κενεαυχέος ὀφρὺς ἄπιστε· ὑμεῖς μὲν θνητοὶ καὶ οὐ μάκαρες παθέεσσι· θυμῷ δ' ἄρρενι Νόννα βίου τμήξασα κέλευθον, χριστοφόρος, σταυροῖο λάτρις, κόσμοιο περίφρων, ἥλατ' ἐπουρανίην εἰς ἄντυγα, ὡς ποθέεσκεν, τρὶς μάκαρ ἐν νηῷ σῶμ' ἀποδυσαμένη. 8.30 Γρηγόριον βοόωσα παρ' ἀνθοκόμοισιν ἀλωαῖς ἤντεο, μῆτερ ἐμή, ξείνης ἄπο νισσομένοισι, χεῖρας δ' ἀμπετάσασα φίλας τεκέεσσι φίλοισι, Γρηγόριον βοόωσα· τὸ δ' ἔζεεν αἷμα τεκούσης ἀμφοτέροις ἐπὶ παισί, μάλιστα δὲ θρέμματι θηλῆς· τοὔνεκα καὶ σὲ τόσοις ἐπιγράμμασι, μῆτερ, ἔτισα. 8.31 Ἄλλη μὲν κλεινή τις ἐνοικιδίοισι πόνοισιν, ἄλλη δ' ἐκ χαρίτων ἠδὲ σαοφροσύνης, ἄλλη δ' εὐσεβίης ἔργοις καὶ σαρκὸς ἀνίαις, δάκρυσιν, εὐχωλαῖς, χερσὶ πενητοκόμοις· Νόννα δ' ἐν πάντεσσιν ἀοίδιμος· εἰ δὲ τελευτὴν τοῦτο θέμις καλέειν, κάτθανεν εὐχομένη. 8.32 Τέκνον ἐμῆς θηλῆς, ἱερὸν θάλος, ὥς σε ποθοῦσα, οἴχομαι εἰς ζωήν, Γρηγόρι', οὐρανίην· καὶ γὰρ πόλλ' ἐμόγησας ἐμὸν κομέων πατέρος τε γῆρας, ἃ καὶ Χριστοῦ βίβλος ἔχει μεγάλη. ἀλλά, φίλος, τοκέεσσιν ἐφέσπεο, καί σε τάχιστα δεξόμεθ' ἡμετέροις φάεσι προφρονέως. 8.33 Ψυχὴ μὲν πτερόεσσα πρὸς οὐρανὸν ἤλυθε Νόννης, σῶμα δ' ἄρ' ἐκ νηοῦ Μάρτυσι παρθέμεθα. Μάρτυρες, ἀλλ' ὑπόδεχθε θύος μέγα, τὴν πολύμοχθον σάρκα καὶ ὑμετέροις αἵμασιν ἑσπομένην, αἵμασιν ὑμετέροισιν, ἐπεὶ ψυχῶν ὀλετῆρος δηναιοῖσι πόνοις κάρτος ἔπαυσε μέγα. 8.34 Οὐ μόσχων θυσίην σκιοειδέα οὐδὲ χιμάρρων οὐδὲ πρωτοτόκων Νόνν' ἀνέθηκε Θεῷ· ταῦτα νόμος προτέροισιν, ὅτ' εἰκόνες· ἡ δ' ἄρ' ἑαυτὴν δῶκεν ὅλην· βιότῳ μάνθανε καὶ θανάτῳ. 8.35 Εὐχομένη βοόωσα παρ' ἁγνοτάτῃσι τραπέζαις Νόννα λύθη, φωνὴ δ' ἐδέθη καὶ χείλεα καλὰ γηραλέης. τί τὸ θαῦμα; Θεὸς θέλεν ὑμνήτειραν γλῶσσαν ἐπ' εὐφήμοισι λόγοις κληῖδα βαλέσθαι· καὶ νῦν οὐρανόθεν μέγ' ἐπεύχεται ἡμερίοισιν. 8.36 Εὐχωλαῖς καὶ πόντον ἐκοίμισε Νόννα θεουδὴς οἷς τεκέεσσι φίλοισι, καὶ ἐκ περάτων συνάγειρεν ἀντολίης δύσιός τε, μέγα κλέος, οὐ δοκέοντας μητρὸς ἔρως· νοῦσόν τε πικρὴν ἀποέργαθεν ἀνδρὸς λισσομένη, τὸ δὲ θαῦμα, λίπεν βίον ἔνδοθι νηοῦ. 8.37 Πολλάκις ἔκ με νόσων τε καὶ ἀργαλέων ὀρυμαγδῶν σεισμῶν τε κρυερῶν καὶ ἄγρια κυμαίνοντος οἴδματος ἐξεσάωσας, ἐπεὶ Θεὸν ἵλαον εἶχες· ἀλλὰ σάω καὶ νῦν με, πάτερ, μεγάλῃσι λιτῇσι καὶ σύ, τεκοῦσα, μάκαιρα, ἐν εὐχωλῇσι θανοῦσα. 8.38 Νόνναν, ἐπουρανίοισιν ἀγαλλομένην φαέεσσι καὶ ῥίζης ἱερῆς πτόρθον ἀειθαλέα, Γρηγορίου ἱερῆος ὁμόζυγα καὶ πραπίδεσσιν εὐαγέων τεκέων μητέρα, τύμβος ἔχω. 8.39 Εὐχαί τε στοναχαί τε φίλαι καὶ νύκτες ἄυπνοι καὶ νηοῖο πέδον δάκρυσι δευόμενον σοί, Νόννα, ζαθέην τοίην βιότοιο τελευτὴν ὤπασαν, ἐν νηῷ ψῆφον ἑλεῖν θανάτου. 8.40 Μούνη σοὶ φωνὴ περιλείπετο, Νόννα φαεινή, πάντ' ἄμυδις ληνοῖς ἐνθεμένη μεγάλῃς, ἐκ καθαρῆς κραδίης ἁγνὸν θύος· ἀλλ' ἄρα καὶ τὴν ὑστατίην νηῷ λεῖπες ἀειρομένη. 8.41 Οὐδὲ θάνεν νηοῖο θυώδεος ἔκτοθι Νόννα, φωνὴν δὲ προτέρην ἥρπασε Χριστὸς ἄναξ λισσομένης· πόθεεν γὰρ ἐν εὐχωλῇσι τελέσσαι τόνδε βίον πάσης ἁγνότερον θυσίης. 8.42 Νόνν' ἱερή, σὺ δὲ πάντα Θεῷ βίον ἀντείνασα ὑστάτιον ψυχὴν δῶκας ἁγνὴν θυσίην· τῇδε γὰρ εὐχομένη ζωὴν λίπες· ἡ δὲ τράπεζα, μῆτερ ἐμή, τῷ σῷ δῶκε κλέος θανάτῳ. 8.43 Τῆσδε πατὴρ μὲν ἐμὸς λάτρις μέγας ἦε τραπέζης, μήτηρ δ' εὐχομένη πὰρ ποσὶ λῆξε βίου, Γρηγόριος Νόννα τε μεγακλέες. εὔχομ' ἄνακτι τοῖαν ἐμοὶ ζωὴν καὶ τέλος ἀντιάσαι. 8.44 «Πολλά, τράπεζα πίλη, Νόννης καὶ δάκρυ' ἐδέξω· δέχνυσο καὶ ψυχήν, τὴν πυμάτην θυσίην,» εἶπε, καὶ ἐκ μελέων κέαρ ἔπτατο· ἓν δ' ἄρα μοῦνον, παῖδ', ἐπόθει, τεκέων τὸν ἔτι λειπόμενον. 8.45 Ἔνθα ποτ' εὐχομένης τόσσον νόος ἔπτατο Νόννης, μέσφ' ὅτε καὶ ψυχὴ ἕσπετ' ἀειρομένῳ, εὐχομένης δὲ νέκυς ἱερῇ παρέκειτο τραπέζῃ, γράψατ' ἐπερχομένοις θαῦμα τόδ', εὐσεβέες. 8.46 Τίς θάνεν, ὡς θάνε Νόννα, παρ' εὐαγέεσσι τραπέζαις τῶν