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6

immediately again appeared from their own storerooms, channeled by the commands of the just one. Those who had obtained this, also begged that the former color be restored to their daughters' tresses. They say that he yielded to this also, but sought the girls who had received that lesson, and, since they did not come, he let the punishment stand, as a lesson in modesty and a ground for good order and a perpetual and clear reminder of the divine power. 1.5 Such was the miracle of this new Moses, not worked by the blow of a rod, but receiving its power from the sign of the cross. But in addition to the miracle-working, I greatly admire also his meekness. For not like the great Elisha did he hand over those shameless girls to flesh-eating bears, but using a certain harmless lesson which involved a small disorder, he taught piety and good order together. And I have said these things, not accusing the prophet of cruelty—may I not be so mad—but showing that, while possessing that power, he performed what was fitting with the meekness of Christ and the new covenant. 1.6 On another occasion, seeing a Persian judge use an unjust vote, he cursed a very large stone lying nearby, and commanded it to be shattered and scattered, and by this to refute that man's unjust vote. Immediately the stone was divided into ten thousand pieces, and those present were terrified; and the judge, becoming full of dread, rescinded the former, and brought in another, just vote. And here too he emulated his own Master, who, wishing to show that he willingly endures his passion and could easily have punished the sinners if he had wished, did not bring punishment upon them, but by withering the lifeless fig tree with a word, he showed his own power. He himself also, imitating this love for mankind, did not punish the unjust judge, but by the blow to the stone he taught that man righteousness. 1.7 Excelling in these things and being beloved by all, and being on everyone's lips, he is drawn to the ministry of the high priesthood and obtains the leadership of his fatherland. But having exchanged that mountain sojourn and choosing the city life not according to his own judgment, he changed neither his food nor his clothing; but while he changed his locations, his way of life did not accept a change. His labors received an increase and became many times more than the former ones; for to his fasting and sleeping on the ground and wearing of sackcloth were added the constant cares for those in need; the care of widows, I say, and the guardianship of orphans, and the reproofs of those who do wrong and the just assistance of those who are wronged. And why must I relate in detail to those who know everything, the things which surround those who have undertaken this providence? But he especially embraced such labors, since he especially both loved and feared the lord of the sheep. 1.8 And the more wealth of virtue he collected, the greater grace of the all-holy Spirit he enjoyed. And once, as he was departing for a certain village or city—for I cannot say precisely the place—some poor men approached, having laid out one of their companions as if dead and begging to receive some necessities for his burial. And he yielded to their entreaties; and to God he offered a prayer as for one dead, asking him to forgive the sins committed in his life and to deem him worthy of the choir of the just. And as these things were being said, the soul of the one who until then had been feigning death flew away. And the coverings were provided for the body; and when the divine man had gone on a little way, those who had composed the drama ordered the one lying there to get up; but when they saw that he did not hear, but that the pretense had become reality and upon his face the

6

παραυτίκα πάλιν ἐκ τῶν οἰκείων ἀνεφαίνετο ταμιείων, τοῖς τοῦ δικαίου μετοχετευόμενα νεύμασιν. Οἱ δὲ τούτου τετυχηκότες, καὶ τοῖς πλοκάμοις τῶν θυγατέρων τὴν προτέραν ἠντιβόλουν χρόαν ἀποδοθῆναι. Τὸν δὲ εἶξαι μὲν καὶ τοῦτό φασιν, ἐπιζητῆσαι δὲ τὰς κόρας, τὰς τὴν παιδείαν ἐκείνην δεξαμένας καί, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἀφίκοντο, ἐᾶσαι τὴν τιμωρίαν, δίδαγμα σωφροσύνης καὶ εὐκοσμίας ὑπόθεσιν καὶ τῆς θείας δυνάμεως ὑπόμνημα διηνεκές τε καὶ ἐναργές. 1.5 Τοιοῦτον τοῦ νέου τούτου Μωϋσέως τὸ θαῦμα, οὐ πληγῇ ῥάβδου γενόμενον, ἀλλὰ τῷ τοῦ σταυροῦ σημείῳ δεξάμενον τὴν ἐνέργειαν. Ἐγὼ δὲ πρὸς τῇ θαυματουργίᾳ κομιδῇ θαυμάζω καὶ τὴν πρᾳότητα. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὡς ὁ μέγας Ἐλισσαῖος ἄρκοις ὠμοβόροις τὰς ἀναιδεῖς ἐκείνας παρέδωκε κόρας, ἀλλ' ἀβλαβεῖ τινι παιδείᾳ καὶ σμικρὰν ἀκοσμίαν ἐχούσῃ χρησάμενος, εὐσέβειαν ὁμοῦ καὶ εὐκοσμίαν ἐδίδαξεν. Καὶ ταῦτα ἔφην, οὐκ ἀπήνειαν τοῦ προφήτου κατηγορῶν -μὴ οὕτω μανείην-, ἀλλὰ δεικνὺς ὡς ἐκείνην ἔχων τὴν δύναμιν, τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πρᾳότητι καὶ τῇ καινῇ διαθήκῃ ἐπετέλει τὰ πρόσφορα. 1.6 Οὗτος ἄλλοτέ ποτε δικαστὴν πέρσην ἀδίκῳ ψήφῳ χρησάμενον θεασάμενος, λίθῳ τινὶ μεγίστῳ παρακειμένῳ ἐπαρασάμενος, συντριβῆναι καὶ σκεδασθῆναι, καὶ τούτῳ διελέγξαι τὴν ἄδικον ἐκείνου παρηγγύησε ψῆφον. Παραυτίκα δὲ τοῦ λίθου εἰς μυρία μόρια μερισθέντος, ἐξεδειματώθησαν οἱ παρόντες· φρίκης δὲ ἀνάπλεως ὁ δικαστὴς γενόμενος, ἀνεκαλέσατο μὲν τὴν προτέραν, ἑτέραν δὲ δικαίαν ἐπήνεγκε ψῆφον. Κἀνταῦθα δὲ τὸν οἰκεῖον δεσπότην ἐζήλωσεν, ὃς δεῖξαι βουληθεὶς ὡς ἑκὼν ὑπομένει τὸ πάθος καὶ ῥᾳδίως ἂν ἐθελήσας τοὺς ἀλιτηρίους ἐκόλασεν, οὐκ αὐτοῖς ἐπήνεγκε τιμωρίαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἄψυχον συκῆν λόγῳ ξηράνας, τὴν οἰκείαν ἔδειξε δύναμιν. Ταύτην καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν μιμούμενος, οὐ τὸν ἄδικον ἐκόλασε δικαστήν, ἀλλὰ τῇ τοῦ λίθου πληγῇ δικαιοσύνην ἐκεῖνον ἐδίδαξεν. 1.7 Ἐν τούτοις διαπρέπων καὶ πᾶσιν ἐπέραστος ὤν, καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἁπάντων περιφερόμενος γλώτταις, εἰς τὴν τῆς ἀρχιερωσύνης ἕλκεται λειτουργίαν καὶ τῆς πατρίδος λαγχάνει τὴν προστασίαν. Ἐναλλάξας δὲ τὴν ὄρειον ἐκείνην διατριβὴν καὶ τὴν ἐν ἄστει διαγωγὴν οὐ κατὰ γνώμην ἑλόμενος, οὔτε τὴν τροφὴν οὔτε τὴν ἀμπεχόνην ἐνήλλαξεν· ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν χωρία ἠμείβετο, ἡ δὲ πολιτεία μεταβολὴν οὐκ ἐδέχετο. Οἱ δὲ πόνοι προσθήκην ἐλάμβανον καὶ πολλαπλάσιοι τῶν προτέρων ἐγίνοντο· τῇ γὰρ ἀπαστίᾳ καὶ χαμευνίᾳ καὶ τῇ τοῦ σάκκου περιβολῇ ἐπεισῄεσαν αἱ δι' ὅλου τῶν δεομένων φροντίδες· χηρῶν, φημι, ἐπιμέλειαι καὶ ὀρφανῶν κηδεμονίαι καὶ τῶν τε ἀδικούντων οἱ ἔλεγχοι τῶν τε ἀδικουμένων ἡ δικαία ἐπικουρία. Καὶ τί δεῖ πρὸς εἰδότας ἅπαντα κατα λέγειν, ἃ τοὺς ταύτην ἀναδεδεγμένους περιστοιχίζει τὴν πρόνοιαν; ∆ιαφερόντως δὲ ἐκεῖνος τοὺς τοιούτους πόνους ἠσπάζετο, ἅτε δὴ διαφερόντως καὶ ποθῶν καὶ δεδιὼς τῶν προβάτων τὸν κύριον. 1.8 Ὅσῳ δὲ πλείονα τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν πλοῦτον συνέλεγε, τοσούτῳ μείζονος καὶ τῆς τοῦ παναγίου πνεύματος ἀπέλαυε χάριτος. Καὶ δήποτε εἴς τινα κώμην αὐτῷ ἢ πόλιν ἀπαίροντι -οὐ γὰρ ἔχω λέγειν ἀκριβῶς τὸ χωρίον-προσίασί τινες πένητες, ἕνα τινὰ τῶν συνόντων ὡς τεθνεῶτα προτεθηκότες καί τινα πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνου ταφὴν ἐπιτήδεια λαβεῖν ἱκετεύοντες. Ὁ δὲ εἶξεν ἀντιβολοῦσιν· τῷ θεῷ δὲ ὡς ὑπὲρ τεθνεῶτος τὴν ἱκετείαν προσέφερεν, ἀφεῖναί οἱ παρακαλῶν τὰ κατὰ τὸν βίον πλημμεληθέντα καὶ τοῦ τῶν δικαίων ἀξιῶσαι χοροῦ. Τούτων δὲ λεγομένων, ἀφίπτατο τοῦ τέως σκηπτομέ νου τὸν θάνατον ἡ ψυχή. Ἐχορηγεῖτο δὲ τῷ σώματι τὰ καλύμματα· ὡς δὲ μικρὸν προῆλθεν ὁ θεσπέσιος ἄνθρωπος, ἀναστῆναι τὸν κείμενον ἐκέλευον οἱ τὸ δρᾶμα συντεθηκότες· ὡς δὲ ἑώρων οὐκ ἐπαΐοντα, ἀλλ' ἀλήθειαν τὸ σχῆμα γεγενη μένον καὶ εἰς πρόσωπον τὸ