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though he was, he slept in his bed, in the arms of his nurse, gleaming with beauty and graces; and the maiden gazed upon her beloved child, though newly born in the house, who rules over all mortals and immortals; for indeed a mighty wonder had been wrought; for he seemed not to be the child of a mortal man, but of a god.

10 Concerning John the Baptist.

But when indeed the year of the revolving seasons came, late, late-fulfilled, whose fame shall never perish, before, the good one fled, but one much better, descending from heaven, pursued him; and he shall have him for all his days, both glory and splendor and profit, watching over the insolence of men and their good order. And indeed his herald, a little older than he, who was the most beautiful of mortal men, who knew things that are, and that will be, and that have been before, who was of his own age; but he was dear to his heart, being wise; for his father and other elders sent him forth to proclaim to the assembly and the long-haired Achaeans. Proclaiming, he shouted, with good will in his heart, that a man would come, clothed in great strength, who would be a defender from evil for all the Danaans; and whose light is the sharpest to behold. "A son boasts to be of the race of a good father, a protector of strangers, who especially is indignant at evil deeds. To them are entrusted great heaven and Olympus, and the lotus-bearing plains and the rich works of the fields, the shadowy mountains and the resounding sea; therefore let no man now be altogether lawless. But you yourselves, be roused and all follow me, lest the immortals, indignant at evil deeds, turn away, and they again be wind-like, as before, whom you know to suffer the greatest misery, adorned with gold and electrum and ivory, whom Hephaestus made with his knowing mind. But come, as I shall say, let us all obey." So speaking, he roused the spirit and heart of each. He went to go to the assembly, and with him followed a great crowd, but I could not tell of nor name them all. And swiftly the assemblies and seats were filled with mortals. And when they were gathered and assembled together, the loud-voiced herald, standing in their midst, addressed them: "Hear, you countless tribes of men dwelling around. He is revered, inspiring awe, who sent me forth to learn; him I fear and revere in my heart; and he will speak no falsehood; for he is very wise. But you also obey, since it is better to obey; for if any other of the earth-born had commanded me, we might call it a lie and turn away rather; but now—for I myself have heard the god and seen him face to face— and he commanded me each thing, and he seemed wondrous, he who rules over all mortals and immortals. He told me that all these things would be accomplished hereafter; for I know this well in my mind and in my heart, that at the waning of one month, and the beginning of the next, one will come here clothed in great strength, who is mightier than I to understand and to judge. And he might know who are just and who are lawless, or who are hospitable, and whose mind is god-fearing. But immediately upon his coming, they will devise evils against him hereafter, foolish rustics, thinking thoughts of a day, the dear sons of men, who here are the best." So he spoke, and they all became hushed in silence. And they nurtured and cherished him well in their own homes, and taking hand in hand, each one made a pledge. And they cleansed themselves of defilement and cast the filth into the sea, as many as were leaders and rulers of the Danaans.

11 Concerning the divine baptism.

But when he had reached the measure of glorious youth, he went to go, like a princely youth

resembling one all-tender, such as are the children of kings, to rescue the race of all men

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περ, εὕδεσκ' ἐν λέκτροισιν, ἐν ἀγκαλίδεσσι τιθήνης, κάλλεϊ καὶ χάρισι στίλβων· θηεῖτο δὲ κούρη παῖδα φίλον γεγαῶτα νέον περ ἐόντ' ἐνὶ οἴκῳ, ὃς πᾶσι θνητοῖσι καὶ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀνάσσει· καὶ γὰρ θαῦμ' ἐτέτυκτο πελώριον· οὐ γὰρ ἐῴκει ἀνδρός τε θνητοῦ πάις ἔμμεναι, ἀλλὰ θεοῖο.

10 Περὶ Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ.

Ἀλλ' ὅτε δή ῥ' ἔτος ἦλθε περιπλομένων ἐνιαυτῶν ὄψιμον, ὀψιτέλεστον, ὅου

κλέος οὔποτ' ὀλεῖται, πρόσθε μὲν ἐσθλὸς ἔφευγε, δίωκε δέ μιν μέγ' ἀμείνων οὐρανόθεν καταβάς· ἕξει δέ μιν ἤματα πάντα ἀμφότερον, κῦδός τε καὶ ἀγλαΐη καὶ ὄνειαρ, ἀνθρώπων ὕβριν τε καὶ εὐνομίην ἐφορῶντα. καὶ μέν οἱ κῆρυξ, ὀλίγον προγενέστερος αὐτοῦ, ὃς δὴ κάλλιστος γένετο θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὃς ᾔδη τά τ' ἐόντα τά τ' ἐσσόμενα πρό τ' ἐόντα, ὅς οἱ ὁμηλικίην μὲν ἔην· κεχάριστο δὲ θυμῷ κεδνὸς ἐών· πρὸ γὰρ ἧκε πατὴρ ἄλλοι τε γέροντες κηρύσσειν ἀγορὴν δὲ καρηκομόωντας Ἀχαιούς. κηρύσσων βοάασκε, φίλα φρονέων ἐνὶ θυμῷ, ἄνδρ' ἐπελεύσεσθαι μεγάλην ἐπιειμένον ἀλκήν, ἥτις ἀλεξίκακος πᾶσιν ∆αναοῖσι πέληται· οὗ τε καὶ ὀξύτατον πέλεται φάος εἰσοράασθαι. «πατρὸς δ' ἐξ ἀγαθοῦ γένος εὔχεται ἔμμεναι υἱός, ξεινίου, ὅστε μάλιστα νεμεσσᾶται κακὰ ἔργα. τοῖς ἐπιτέτραπται μέγας οὐρανὸς Οὔλυμπός τε καὶ πεδία λωτεῦντα καὶ ἀγρῶν πίονα ἔργα οὔρεά τε σκιόεντα θάλασσά τε ἠχήεσσα· τῷ νῦν μή τις πάμπαν ἀνὴρ ἀθεμίστιος εἴη. αὐτοὶ δ' ὀτρύνεσθε ἅμα τ' ἐμοὶ πάντες ἕπεσθε, μήτι μεταστρέψωσι νεμεσσάμενοι κακὰ ἔργα ἀθάνατοι, οἱ δ' αὖτ' ἀνεμώλιοι, ὡς τὸ πάρος περ, οὕστινας ὑμεῖς ἴστε μάλιστ' ὀχέοντας ὀιζύν, χρυσῷ τ' ἠλέκτρῳ τε κεκασμένοι ἠδ' ἐλέφαντι, οὓς Ἥφαιστος ἔτευξεν ἰδυίῃσι πραπίδεσσιν. ἀλλ' ἄγεθ', ὡς ἂν ἐγὼν εἴπω, πειθώμεθα πάντες.» ὣς εἰπὼν ὤτρυνε μένος καὶ θυμὸν ἑκάστου. βῆ ῥ' ἴμεν εἰς ἀγορήν, ἅμα δ' ἕσπετο πουλὺς ὅμιλος, πάντας δ' οὐκ ἂν ἐγὼ μυθήσομαι οὐδ' ὀνομήνω. καρπαλίμως δ' ἔμπληντο βροτῶν ἀγοραί τε καὶ ἕδραι. οἱ δ' ἐπεὶ οὖν ἤγερθεν ὁμηγερέες τ' ἐγένοντο, στὰς ἐν μέσσοισι προσεφώνεεν ἠπύτα κῆρυξ· «κέκλυτε, μυρία φῦλα περικτιόνων ἀνθρώπων. αἰδοῖος, νεμεσητός, ὅ με προέηκε πυθέσθαι· τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ δείδοικα καὶ αἰδέομαι περὶ κῆρι· ψεῦδος δ' οὐκ ἐρέει· μάλα γὰρ πεπνυμένος ἐστίν. ἀλλὰ πίθεσθε καὶ ὔμμες, ἐπεὶ πείθεσθαι ἄμεινον· εἰ μὲν γάρ τίς μ' ἄλλος ἐπιχθονίων ἐκέλευε, ψεῦδός κεν φαῖμεν καὶ νοσφιζοίμεθα μᾶλλον· νῦν δ'-αὐτὸς γὰρ ἄκουσα θεοῦ καὶ ἐσέδρακον ἄντην- καί μοι ἕκαστ' ἐπέτελλεν, ἔικτο δὲ θέσκελον αὐτῷ, ὃς πᾶσι θνητοῖσι καὶ ἀθανάτοισιν ἀνάσσει. ὅς μοι ἔφη τάδε πάντα τελευτήσεσθαι ὀπίσσω· εὖ γὰρ ἐγὼ τόδε οἶδα κατὰ φρένα καὶ κατὰ θυμόν, τοῦ μὲν φθίνοντος μηνός, τοῦ δ' ἱσταμένοιο ἐνθάδ' ἐλεύσεσθαι μεγάλην ἐπιειμένον ἀλκήν, ὅς μευ φέρτερός ἐστι νοῆσαί τε κρῖναί τε. γνοίη δ', οἵτινές εἰσιν ἐναίσιμοι ἠδ' ἀθέμιστοι ἠὲ φιλόξεινοι, καί σφιν νόος ἐστὶ θεουδής. οἱ δέ οἱ αὐτίκ' ἰόντι κακὰ φράσσονται ὀπίσσω νήπιοι ἀγροιῶται, ἐφημέρια φρονέοντες, τῶν ἀνδρῶν φίλοι υἷες, οἳ ἐνθάδε γ' εἰσὶν ἄριστοι.» ὣς ἔφαθ', οἱ δ' ἄρα πάντες ἀκὴν ἐγένοντο σιωπῇ. καί μιν σφοῖσι δόμοισιν ἔυ τρέφον ἠδ' ἀτίταλλον, χειρὶ δὲ χεῖρα λαβόντες ἐπιστώσαντο ἕκαστος. οἱ δ' ἀπελυμαίνοντο καὶ εἰς ἅλα λύματ' ἔβαλλον, ὅσσοι ἄρ' ἡγεμόνες ∆αναῶν καὶ κοίρανοι ἦσαν.

11 Περὶ τοῦ θείου βαπτίσματος.

Αὐτὰρ ἐπεί ῥ' ἥβης ἐρικυδέος ἵκετο μέτρον, βῆ ῥ' ἰέναι, κούρῳ αἰσυητῆρι

ἐοικὼς παναπάλῳ, οἷοί τε ἀνάκτων παῖδες ἔασιν, πάντων ἀνθρώπων ῥῦσθαι γενεήν