full of grace, the Lord is with you, he thus brings her the good news: Hail, full of grace. For you do things worthy of true joy; since you are clothed in the spotless tunic, and you wear the belt of chastity. Hail, full of grace, being a vessel of heavenly gladness. Hail, full of grace; for through you joy is awarded to all creation, and the race of men receives back its ancient dignity. Hail, full of grace; because in your arms the creator of all things is about to be carried. But she was troubled at this saying; for she happened to be unaccustomed to all conversations with men; and she embraced quiet, as the mother of chastity and purity, being a pure, and unblemished, and undefiled image, she did not fear the angelic vision, as most [or many] of the prophets did; since true virginity is indeed kinship and equality with angels.

For the holy Virgin, diligently guarding the lamp of her virginity, took great care that it not be extinguished or stained. And just as one clothed in a splendid garment takes great care lest any defilement or stain should come upon it from anywhere; so the holy Mary reasoned within herself, and said: Does this greeting perhaps hold some contrivance or flattery? Will this 'hail' not become a cause of sorrow for me, as long ago for our foremother Eve the serpent-demon's accomplice, the acceptance of the fine-sounding promise of deification? Has the author of evil, the demon, again transformed himself into an angel of light, and envying my betrothed for his extreme chastity, and having confronted him perhaps with fair speech, and not being able to deceive the man, as he has a steadfast mind, has he come to me as one more gentle and adorned in thought, and utters a 'hail' that is later graceless? Was this blessing and salutation perhaps made in irony? Is there some poison hidden in the honey? Is it the word of one bringing good news, but the purpose of one plundering? For whom he does not know, whence will he greet her? These things she pondered in herself, and said.

Then again the archangel addresses her, foretelling a joy faithful and undivided for all, and saying to her: Fear not, Mary [or an undivided joy, and says: Fear not, Mary], for you have found grace with God. You have a concise proof of what has been said. For not only do I hint to you to fear nothing, but also the manner of your fearlessness. For through me all the heavenly powers greet you, the holy Virgin; but rather he himself who rules over all the heavenly powers, from all creation, has chosen you, the holy and all-worldly one; and through your holy and pure, and clean, and undefiled womb, the illuminating pearl comes forth for the salvation of the whole world; since of all human nature [or creation], you, the holy one, were born more glorious, and purer, and holier; having a mind brighter than snow, and a body more purified than any 10.1160 most-tested gold; and a womb such as Ezekiel saw, and which he described, saying thus: The likeness of the living creatures was over their heads, like a firmament, and like the appearance of terrible crystal, and a likeness of a throne upon them, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and above the throne, as the likeness of a man, and as the appearance of amber; and within it, as the appearance of fire, round about. Clearly the prophet saw in a type the one born of the holy Virgin; whom you, holy Virgin [or blessed Virgin], would not have been able to bear, if you had not at that time shone forth with all glory and virtue [or his throne]. With what words of praise then shall we describe the virginal worth? With what nods and proclamations of praise shall we hymn the spotless character? With what spiritual hymns and words shall we glorify her who is most glorious among angels? She, planted in the house of God, like a fruitful olive tree, on whom the Holy Spirit overshadowed [or overshadows]; through whom he has called us sons and heirs of the kingdom of Christ.

κεχαριτωμένη, ὁ Κύριος μετὰ σοῦ, αὐτῇ εὐαγγελίζεται οὕτως· Χαῖρε, κεχα ριτωμένη. Σὺ γὰρ τὰ τῆς ὄντως χαρᾶς πράττεις ἄξια· ἐπειδὴ σὺ τὸν ἄσπιλον χιτῶνα ἐνδέδυσαι, καὶ τὴν ζώνην τῆς σωφροσύνης περίκεισαι. Χαῖρε, κεχα ριτωμένη, δοχεῖον τῆς ἐπουρανίου εὐφροσύνης τυγ χάνουσα. Χαῖρε, κεχαριτωμένη· διὰ σοῦ γὰρ ἡ χαρὰ πάσῃ τῇ κτίσει βραβεύεται, καὶ τὸ γένος τῶν ἀνθρώ πων ἀπολαμβάνει τὸ ἀρχαῖον ἀξίωμα. Χαῖρε, κεχα ριτωμένη· ὅτι ἐν ταῖς ἀγκάλαις σου ὁ κτίστης τῶν ἁπάντων μέλλει βαστάσεσθαι. Ἡ δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ διεταράχθη· ἀήθης γὰρ πρὸς πάσας τὰς δια λέξεις τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐτύγχανεν· καὶ τὴν ἡσυχίαν, ὡς μητέρα σωφροσύνης καὶ ἁγνείας, ἠσπάζετο, κα θαρὸν ὑπάρχουσα, καὶ ἀκέραιον, καὶ ἀμόλυντον ἄγαλμα, αὕτη τὴν ἀγγελικὴν ὄψιν οὐκ ἐδειλίασεν, ὡς οἱ πλείονες [ἄλ. πολλοὶ] τῶν προφητῶν· ἐπειδὴ καὶ παρθενία ἀληθὴς πρὸς ἀγγέλους συγγένεια τυγχάνει, καὶ ἰσομοιρία.

Ἐπιμελῶς γὰρ ἡ ἁγία Παρθένος τὴν λαμπάδα τῆς παρθενίας φυλάττουσα, καὶ πολλὴν τοῦ μὴ σβεσθῆναι, ἢ σπιλωθῆναι, πρόνοιαν εἶχε. Καὶ καθάπερ ἄν τις λαμπρὰν στολὴν περιβε βλημένος, πολὺν ποιεῖται λόγον, μή τις μολυσμὸς, ἢ ῥύπος πόθεν προσγένηται· οὕτως ἡ ἁγία Μαρία ἐν ἑαυτῇ διενοεῖτο, καὶ ἔλεγεν· Μή τινα ἆρα κατα σκευὴν ἢ θωπείαν ἡ θεραπεία κέκτηται; Μὴ τὸ χαῖρε τοῦτο λύπης αἴτιον μοι γενήσεται, καθὼς πάλαι τῇ προμήτορι Εὔᾳ ἡ ὀφεοδαίμονος συνέργητος παρα δοχὴ τῆς χρηστολόγου ὑποσχέσεως τῆς θεώσεως; Μὴ πάλιν εἰς ἄγγελον φωτὸς μετασχηματισθεὶς ὁ ἀρ χέκακος δαίμων, καὶ τῷ ἐμῷ μνήστορι φθονῶν τῆς ἄγαν σωφροσύνης, καὶ τούτῳ προβαλὼν δι' ὁμιλίας τάχα χρηστῆς, καὶ μὴ ἰσχύσας ὡς στεῤῥὸν νοῦν, τὸν ἄνδρα ἀπατῆσαι, ἐμοὶ προσῆλθεν ὡς ἁπαλωτέρᾳ κε κοσμημένῃ τῇ διανοίᾳ, καὶ τὸ χαῖρε ἐπιφωνεῖ τὸ ἐς ὕστερον ἄχαρι; Μὴ ἄρα ὁ μακαρισμὸς καὶ ἀσπασμὸς ἐν εἰρωνείᾳ· γέγονε; Μή τις ἰὸς ἐν τῷ μέλιτι κέκρυ πται; Μὴ λόγος μὲν εὐαγγελιζομένου, σκοπὸς δὲ συ λοῦντος; Ἣν γὰρ οὐκ οἶδεν αὐτὸς, πόθεν ἀσπάσεται; Ταῦτα ἐν ἑαυτῇ διηπόρει, καὶ ἔλεγεν.

Τότε πάλιν ὁ ἀρχάγγελος προσφωνεῖ αὐτῇ χαρὰν τοῖς πᾶσι πιστὴν, καὶ ἀδιαίρετον, προμηνύων καὶ λέγων αὐτῇ· Μὴ φοβοῦ, Μαριὰμ [ἄλ. χαρὰν ἀδιαίρετον, καὶ λέγει· Μὴ φοβοῦ, Μαριὰμ], εὗρες γὰρ χάριν παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ. Ἔχεις σύντομον τὴν τῶν ῥηθέντων ἀπόδειξιν. Οὐ μόνον γάρ σοι, τὸ μηθὲν φοβεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἀφοβίας τὸν τρόπον αἰνίττομαι. ∆ι' ἐμοῦ γὰρ πᾶσαι αἱ οὐράνιαι δυνάμεις, σὲ τὴν ἁγίαν Παρθένον ἀσπά ζονται· αὐτὸς δὲ μᾶλλον ὁ κυριεύων πασῶν τῶν οὐ ρανίων δυνάμεων, ἀπὸ πάσης τῆς κτίσεως, σὲ τὴν ἁγίαν καὶ παγκόσμιον ἐκλέλεκται· καὶ διὰ τῆς ἁγίας καὶ ἁγνῆς, καὶ καθαρᾶς, καὶ ἀμιάντου σου γαστρὸς, ὁ φωτιστικὸς μαργαρίτης προέρχεται εἰς σωτηρίαν πάσης τῆς οἰκουμένης· ἐπειδὴ πάσης ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως [ἄλ. κτίσεως], καὶ σὺ ἡ ἁγία, ἐνδοξοτέρα, καὶ καθαρωτέρα, καὶ ὁσιωτέρα γεγέννησαι· λαμπρο τέραν μὲν ὑπὲρ χιόνα ἔχουσα τὴν διάνοιαν, παντὸς 10.1160 δὲ χρυσίου δοκιμωτέρου κεκαθαρμένον τὸ σῶμα· γα στέρα δὲ, οἵαν ὁ Ἰεζεκιὴλ ἐθεάσατο, καὶ ποίαν δὲ ἱστόρησεν, τοιάδε λέγων· Ὁμοίωμα ζώων ὑπὲρ κε φαλῆς, ὡσεὶ στερέωμα, καὶ ὡς ὅρασις κρυστάλ λου φοβεροῦ, καὶ ὁμοίωμα θρόνου ἐπ' αὐτῶν, ὡς ὅρασις λίθου σαπφείρου· καὶ ἐπάνω τοῦ θρόνου, ὡς ὁμοίωμα ἀνθρώπου, καὶ ὡς ὅρασις ἠλέκτρου· καὶ ἔσωθεν αὐτοῦ, ὡς ὅρασις πυρὸς, κύκλῳ. Σα φῶς δὲ τὸν ἐκ τῆς ἁγίας Παρθένου τεχθέντα ὁ προ φήτης τυπικῶς ἐθεάσατο· ὃν σὺ, ἁγία Παρθένε [ἄλ. μακαρία Παρθένε], φέρειν οὐκ ἴσχυες, εἰ μὴ πάσης δόξης, καὶ ἀρετῆς κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ἐκεῖνον [ἄλ. τὸν θρόνον ἐκείνου] ἐξήστραπτες. Ποίοις οὖν ἐγκωμίων ῥήμασι τὴν παρθενικὴν διαγράψωμεν ἀξίαν; Ποίοις ἐπαίνων νεύμασι καὶ κηρύγμασι τὸν ἄσπιλον ἀνυμνή σωμεν χαρακτῆρα; Ποίαις πνευματικαῖς ὑμνῳδίαις καὶ λέξεσι δοξάσωμεν τὴν ὑπερένδοξον ἐν ἀγγέλοις; Αὕτη ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τοῦ Θεοῦ πεφυτευμένη, ὡς κατά καρπος ἐλαία, ἐν ᾗ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐπεσκίασε [ἄλ. ἐπισκιάζει]· δι' ἧς υἱοὺς καὶ κληρονόμους ἡμᾶς κέκληκεν τῆς τοῦ Χριστοῦ βασιλείας.