5

For that painting is useless. But this one has profit; for this painting requires no money, nor expense, nor any art, but instead of all these things it is enough to use zeal and a noble and sober mind, and through this, as through some most excellent hand, to sketch their punishments.

Let us paint, therefore, in our soul those lying on frying pans, and those stretched over hot coals, and those plunging headlong into cauldrons, and those being sunk in the sea, others being scraped, others being bent upon the wheel, others being thrown from a cliff; and those boxing with wild beasts, and those being led to the pit, and those, as each happened to end their life; so that by the variety of this painting, having prepared our house to be splendid, we may make a suitable lodging for the King of the heavens. For if He should see such paintings in our mind, He will come with the Father, and will make His dwelling with us, together with the Holy Spirit; and our mind will henceforth be a royal house, and no improper thought will be able to enter, since the memory of the martyrs, like some brilliant painting, is always stored within us, and sending forth a great radiance, and with God the King of all dwelling continually within us.

Thus, having received Christ here, we shall be able, after our departure from here, to be received into the eternal dwellings, which may it be granted to all of us to attain by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom and with whom to the Father be glory, together with the Holy and life-giving Spirit, unto ages of ages. Amen.

5

μὲν γὰρ ἡ ζωγραφία ἀνόνητος. αὕτη δὲ κέρδος ἔχουσα· οὐ δεῖται γὰρ χρημάτων, οὐδὲ δαπάνης, οὐδὲ τέχνης τινὸς αὕτη ἡ γραφὴ, ἀλλ' ἀντὶ πάντων ἀρκεῖ προθυμίᾳ χρήσασθαι καὶ λογισμῷ γενναίῳ καὶ νήφοντι, καὶ διὰ τούτου καθάπερ διά τινος χειρὸς ἀρίστης ὑπογράψαι τὰς τιμωρίας αὐτῶν.

Ζωγραφῶμεν τοίνυν ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ τοὺς μὲν ἐπὶ τηγάνων κειμένους, τοὺς δὲ ὑπὸ ἀνθράκων τεταμένους, τοὺς δὲ εἰς λέβητας κυβιστῶντας, τοὺς δὲ εἰς θάλασσαν καταποντιζομένους, ἑτέρους ξεομένους, ἄλλους ἐπὶ τροχὸν καμπτομένους, ἄλλους εἰς κρημνὸν ῥιπτομένους· καὶ τοὺς μὲν θηρίοις πυκτεύοντας, τοὺς δὲ ἐπὶ τὸ βάραθρον ἀγομένους, τοὺς δὲ, ὡς ἕκαστος ἔτυχεν καταλύσας τὸν βίον· ἵνα τῇ ποικιλίᾳ τῆς γραφῆς ταύτης λαμπρὰν τὴν ἡμετέραν κατασκευάσαντες οἰκίαν, ἐπιτήδειον τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν οὐρανῶν ποιήσωμεν καταγώγιον. Ἂν γὰρ ἴδῃ τοιαύτας ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ τὰς γραφὰς, ἥξει μετὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ μονὴν ποιήσει παρ' ἡμῖν σὺν τῷ Πνεύματι τῷ ἁγίῳ· καὶ βασιλικὸς ἔσται λοιπὸν οἶκος ἡ διάνοια ἡμῶν, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἄτοπος λογισμὸς ἐπιβῆναι δυνήσεται, τῆς τῶν μαρτύρων μνήμης ὥσπερ τινὸς ἀνθηρᾶς ζωγραφίας διαπαντὸς ἡμῖν ἐναποκειμένης, καὶ πολλὴν ἐναφιείσης τὴν μαρμαρυγὴν, καὶ τοῦ βασιλέως τῶν ὅλων Θεοῦ συνεχῶς ἡμῖν ἐνδιαιτωμένου.

Οὕτω δὲ ἐνταῦθα Χριστὸν ὑποδεξάμενοι, δυνησόμεθα μετὰ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίαν εἰς τὰς σκηνὰς ὑποδεχθῆναι τὰς αἰωνίους, ὧν γένοιτο πάντας ἡμᾶς ἐπιτυχεῖν χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, δι' οὗ καὶ μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ δόξα, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ καὶ ζωοποιῷ Πνεύματι, εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.