Poemata of the most honorable lord michael psellos to the emperor monomachos
Shining upon all those in darkness for it says clearly, they have pierced both my hands and my feet. and the twenty-third psalm, of the one of the
This prophet often fled from the one ruling tyrannically wherefore once, having also fled to a city of foreigners, which was named gath, and fearing
Of the lord, when everything was inhabited. but a psalm having confession inscribed has a declaration of thanksgiving and gladness for confession
Since indeed your love of learning, o crown-wearer, longs for the strange and varied explanation and knowledge of the song of songs to be interpreted,
A word which i loved from the midst of her soul. do you ever rest at midday, o bridegroom? for i am persuaded that you remain purely at midday, that i
About to recline royally in her, they prepare the bride, seemingly gilding her, so that when the king visits her, he will find her most ready for rest
Souls mixed up with life may have other cares of worldly matters, but i, having known the pleasure of my bridegroom, will engrave him upon the tablets
For since the groomsmen and friends of the bridegroom, as we have said above in the discourse concerning this, gilded her who was silvered with their
Not nourishing (for an herb does not nourish), but making itself brilliant with the beauty of its appearance. for the farmer needs to gain nothing fro
Saying these things to them, as you will find in sequence: his left hand is under my head, and his right hand will embrace me [2, 6]. the power of the
Further. behold, he stands behind our wall, peeping through the windows, glancing through the lattices [2, 9]. behold, he says, the word and bridegroo
Of commands? the old law legislates not to commit adultery, but the present one among us, that of the gospels, commands also to cut off all desire th
Having comprehended all things, when i arrived at the night of the divine mysteries, having fervently sought the word and bridegroom, i did not find h
Having become myrrh, so to speak, put to death with christ, it never otherwise becomes incense to the lord. behold the bed of solomon, sixty mighty me
To her, that is, the church: your eyes are a dove's [4, 1]. just as in a mortal's body there are many members, feet and hands and breasts and chest an
In these things he hints at the passion of the savior. for know the mountain of myrrh as the passions of the savior, and again know the hill of franki
You are, he says, o bride, enclosed, having the beauty of all good things in yourself, a fruitful olive tree and a sweet fig tree and again you are a
Eat, and drink my blood. then be drunk, he says, from gladness and receive forgetfulness of all worldly cares, as if becoming ecstatic from the intoxi
To the city, they struck me, they wounded me [5, 7]. o, the most beautiful progress of the bride and virgin. for behold, she has ascended even to the
Having scraped off wickedness from themselves, whence they are filled with good hopes. and again, know his belly as a box, the souls and hearts of all
Pay attention turn your eyes upon me, for the light of your eyes has given me wings and i have despised all earthly things. but he who fulfills the w
The word who formed this sought it out after it had long ago fallen and having found it and taken it upon his shoulders, the lord brought it up to he
By the logos, but an individual and one person with the hypostasis. but do not call the flesh the hypostasis of god, but call it enhypostatic, for the
While the divine justinian, the new lawgiver, was holding the scepters of the romans, and eutychius the wise was then patriarch. and one hundred and s
Divine scripture teaches and very many others everywhere in the sacred books have preached, taught, and clarified likewise. not having accepted this,
Of various ranks. for some drive them from the divine church. others only depose those who were ordained, others afflict them with the penalties of ex
The power of the so-called tenses. the present as standing, as being today the imperfect as extended (for i was striking has an unfinished meaning)
I will write but of the nouns that end in psi, again with one of these it forms the genitive, master for the pelops, of the pelops, of the ki
Having a consonant is never regularly disyllabic but since tetheika is trisyllabic in the middle voice, how could the middle exist? this is against
To glare fiercely. to be angry: to be enraged. a manger for cattle. to know how to fight: to understand the battle against one's betters. a javelin is
The boarding. foedera are the treaties. chelidonis is the step below the entrance. psairein is to touch, to move. psephaion is that which is dark. the
And chambers the hollows. hidden the secret things near the feet the footings arteries, iringes and the bones, pomegranate-like. scraped the shaven
A dispute whether a trial should take place, the issue is an objection, which you will divide thus: for one part of it is written, and the other is un
To refashion in different words, with various terms, varying and transposing first what is to be done, then its cause, then what has been omitted, the
To murder,” he introduced an objection negating the action but if someone should say, “even if you had to, but not in such a way,” he spoke a counter
When having cut a question into two parts, of which each is a precipice, you question certain enemies for you would either silence them, being unable
Two main points: the more foundational ones, which both lead the argument back to its beginning and tighten it, and again, further on, set out most be
(for they love man), properly but not properly, for the concept of philanthropy has another meaning and that which is said by similarity of word is s
Having summarized the discourse, i have made an easily graspable compilation of the laws. first, it must be explained to you how many parts the law ha
Again, it is tripartite, for of this law there is the twelve-table of the twelve oracles, the decrees of kings, the laws of the praetors. but it must
Concerning the division of common property, that concerning the peculium and that from a will, both the institutoria and the exercitoria, that against
Being formulated: let titius inherit my property but if he is unwilling, let primus inherit. one who has entered into an unlawful marriage is both
What has been paid does not have a subsequent claim for repetition, as was decided by the law. private agreements do not harm the public interest. the
To receive a book of the first lawsuit initiated and to add a deadline of twenty days. but the one who has obtained a second trial by recusal cannot r
Would kill it while grazing. this action is by nature also penal, and it is also utilis, and it is also directa if someone harms a body with a body,
The judge must decide the case being brought, if some are disputing with each other concerning possession. and one kind of possession is the natural h
It begins at the seventh hour of the night and has its precise completion by the sixth hour of the next night. an appeal is issued within ten days. af
In thirty years without claim it is both extinguished and destroyed, in no way further a personal action by this time limit, if the interval is not i
According to use in itself and according to ownership and the same reciprocity happens for the man. let the son who is sui iuris and dies childless g
Made. an adolescent is not a witness, nor any woman but if the event is such that it cannot accept the sight of a man, women testify. and a slave may
They fall into a specific class of contract, into sale, into letting, or also into partnership. but if perhaps it should remain unchangeable into some
Let him make a choice, he distinguished, he did not weave it into the word of paulus. manifest is in the presence of a multitude for it is necessa
He reasonably gives the property in question according to the laws but in the court of possession, my lord, the seller, having given double, is not r
But things for pleasure have by nature been spent of necessary things are the mole of the sea, and to plant a new plant, both a vine and trees, and f
Somehow public, these belonging to the community, the former to individuals. an indecent gift to a prostitute is confirmed according to the laws. but
Hear briefly the definitions of diseases and symptoms together. thrush is by nature a twofold ulcer in children for the one is easily cured, white-co
It empties the belly, bites the stomach, greatly enlarges the liver. twice-boiled cabbage is a binder of the belly, but once-boiled, mixed with salt,
The tower-sparrow is in all things similar to the aforementioned, but it has tougher flesh than the others. and the nature of the duck, the wood-pigeo
This is a kind of pulse: there are in all three dimensions in principle, length, width, and depth, the principles of bodies. so the three dimensions o
More briefly, then relaxing in tone and speed and contracting towards the end of its course, or even changing to the opposite. and again vary these fo
Called, the third into refined oil. but if it should take on a burnt color, it indicates spasm and immediate death but if it comes from the kidneys,
It would form, not having putrefied, but having putrefied, a kind of eating herpes. but the humor that is terrible and black in nature, if it contains
The fire of insatiability is wont to eat. nausea is naturally a surge of the stomach, with bad humors thus intertwined. hiccups are increased either b
Of the head, spirits and a shattering of the anterior cavities. but learn that epilepsy is of this sort. it is by nature a sudden clonus of the body,
Of this affliction blindness is the greatest extension of the evil. a chalazion is a certain hardening of fluid in the eyelid, suddenly compacted. a
Of inflammation with a twofold affection: for one has a stabbing pain, and a twofold cough, on the one hand only without sputum, showing that the dise
A natural pain of the colon indigestion and colic, obstructions of the stomach, and piercing pains of the sufferer. this is the division of this conn
But again, excessive cleansing is a sudden flow and again, a flow in women is a pneumatism of the uterus. an impassioned inflammation of the uterus i
Burning with a fiery heat the affected places in common. and every inflamed swelling is a phlegmon but what is properly called phlegmon arises from g
The substance of twins. the nature of hermaphrodites is quick to anger. 10 verses on leaven which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal a w
Is earth, moon, light-bringer, and soul and flesh here and mind appropriately so set one against one somehow, but reasonably, mind against sun, body
An image, the dignity of the mind, the delightful flower, the place of delight, the comely dwelling of the graces, she who alone had and bore all the
They flocked to orpheus with insatiable desire, and everyone who saw him stood astounded, looking and if some modesty had not hidden your appearance,
An old man, from there again wept in response even more, roaring from the depths like a lion and with his groans making a great sound, as if speaking
Keep the nightingale's mouth shut, it has the songs of orpheus do not comb through the braid of her hair you held a treasure, not a dead little body
Long ago which nothing is so strong to whiten as a broad hand of gifts and graces. then my old woman, alas, my mother, care for her in her old age an
Shown to you fittingly. hail, general and king of the whole earth, greatest, all-renowned, power of the empire for men assembled, who do not delight
With contrary inclinations, sleeps, pains, toils and pleasures. you were not of bronze, nor of iron in nature for christ hates excessive zeal. a grea
Blasphemies and though appointed a champion of the poor, you strip them naked even to their tunic boasting your zeal like a new elijah, you do not b
A new thing of life, foul-smelling dog, a serpent in wickedness o idle beast, a grievous burden of the earth o tongue quick to blasphemy and hand re
A murderer. did you then yield as one slow of speech by nature or running ahead did you seize not a ministry, but a completely foreign unutterable dee
In verse, but he gladly loved comedy. prol 22 verses of a certain monk jacob from the monastery of the synkellos against psellos o master zeus and fat
Unmixed wine. from the belly a cry of yours was heard, jacob, in the womb of the jar, and he who pours out the wine for you has hearkened to you, all-
Let us hang clusters of grapes gracefully, and let us hang wineskins around your neck, / and let us shout loudly, / he who drinks unceasingly is thus
God beautified and graced you with the beauties of your words. you were devoted to the divine scriptures, o holy one, and tracing the lives of the sai
Blessed one, you have departed to the lord, on the very day on which the renowned stephen is perfected / the holy martyr, with whom you were also glor
Of counsels, as initiating the friends as initiates, the body a soul-nourishing table, and he mixes the blood as nectar sweetening the mind. but appro
Of humility the master a type a type to the disciples showing, the master of humility and of a moderate spirit he who binds all things girds himself w
Of all ages, a beginning of ways, an unoriginate word of unknown things. he begets thus, then also creates again for works these things of those now b
31 of psellos, on saint george. how steadfast, how fearless, how beyond nature you courageously bore the pains of contest, most excellent george, glor
The glory of generals, of the other children of jesse he was the youngest in appearance plain, but beautiful in soul, most manly in judgment, strong
A medicine, the common health of souls, a collection of good things, salvation for men. for it removes and drives away every sickness of the soul, it
By counsel he tripped up a woman, but a woman cast him down by bearing god in the flesh, the redeemer of men, his destroyer, she who is blessed among
That the book of psalms is of david and of him alone, and that he himself composed all of them, both those having superscriptions and those without su
Of things written, these were referred to christ, and must be expressed in the dative. for christ in the scriptures is called the new david, for he wa
Is spoken in the voice of the hebrews. the lord is the one who is sung to, to whom we sing the hymns, a psalm is the composition, the melody is the ps
But the four regions of the world, through which the sound of the psalms was to advance. and seventy-two men constituted the choir and the matter sig
Of those prophesying who prefigured the glorious things of the new covenant, and the deep and obscure nature of the sayings, which is a characteristic
To the four hundred and the wretched aquila, being angry with the christians, produced a great corruption of the interpretation. aelius hadrian was r
About things that are going to happen after some time, and at other times he composes his words about present things. and he often altered the sequenc
The king, the wonderful and all-wise david the psalmist. who, as a prophet, clearly foresaw future events and those things that were accomplished many
A book. this too, my christ, is a sign of your providence for a man truly barbarous in language and manners made a great effort to find the book of d
He counts the impious wretched. on the 2nd psalm, why did they rage it prophesies concerning christ, and calls the nations to faith. this one reveal
Again: «behold, just as that one was in travail with injustice, he conceived trouble within, he brought forth lawlessness, and dug a deep grave, but h
He has spoken this prophecy of many. on the 14th psalm, lord, who shall sojourn in your tabernacle? a description of the saints who were perfected i
Greatest prophet, as if spoken by hezekiah, when that sennacherib campaigns against him, then is sent away empty, having been defeated. for the greate
Thirdly by the twelve tribes, just as we have found in the histories of the four kingdoms. on the 27th psalm, to you, o lord, will i cry an ode of t
He saved him from his enemies for he says, “i will bless the lord at all times.” on the 34th psalm, “judge, o lord, those who wrong me” a supplicatio
To obtain freedom from god. for “as the deer longs for the springs of water, so,” he says, “my soul longs to run to you. for i have thirsted to see yo
Introducing in its place the new. announcing the overthrow of the sacrifices of the law and the introduction of the new and recent covenant, the most
Alone, not bearing to see the superstition of the enemies. whence he says, i went far off, o lord, fleeing, and i lodged in the wilderness having fl
Of idumea? are you not by all means, christ, god, who has cast me off?” on the 60th psalm, “hear, o god, my prayer” it prophesies the calling of the g
Of the savior and the fall of the most cursed hebrews. for for my thirst, he says, they gave me vinegar to drink, and for my food they have given m
Through love for humanity, but then again he punishes because of sin, but nevertheless later coming to judgment with angels he will make those who hav
Reveals of the jews. but this one rebukes the most lawless judges, whom the greatest prophet also called gods. for he says thus to them in the person
And of the god-man word for he says the lord of all reigned. to the 93rd psalm, god of vengeances is the lord he foretells uprisings and persecut
Within me.” teaches how one must give thanks to the lord for all things. in this he again advises to honor the master. for “alleluia” wishes to signif
Of the pure virgin. for to my lord, he says, the lord said, sit at the right hand of my throne and of glory, until i make your enemies as your foot
Their war and that of their neighbors. however, each of the psalms of ascents has been most beautifully formed and somehow set to melody, as if by a c
May you eat and see your sons' sons begetting children.” on the 128th, “many a time have they fought against me” it speaks of the victory of the lord'
Wishing to build the temple of the lord from captivity, were often hindered by their neighbors, as they engaged them in war daily. for he says, unles
Unceasingly. to the 137th psalm, i will give thanks to you he gives thanks to the lord and prophesies the future. he wrote this in the person of the
To his saints» the prophet commands all to hymn god unceasingly. the prophet urges every breath and power and nature to the unceasing praise of the lo
In summer. and it surpasses the whole earth in size for the earth, as it seems, is cone-shaped. and you have set the moon to give light to the night
And there was the blameless and god-child mary, from the country of jesse and david the prophet. and joachim and anna bore the virgin. and for three y
The shedding of the blood cleansed adam and purified creation which had been greatly defiled. [.........] because of extreme compassion he fixed a [sw
A subtle theory. for one thing often refers to two, sometimes three, so that he who cuts up the divine oracles and improperly leaves behind some of th
An activity was connected to these. and from this, the transfer of the divine mysteries to the altar brings jesus’ entrance from bethany into jerusale
The joy of the tyrant and the affliction of sufferings and he who demonstrates this through good deeds asks for the lord’s “will to be done” he who
They deny the power of christ, saying, whence did he have leavened bread, when leaven was absent from the passover in those days because of what moses
That there are no leavened things in the venerable and all-honorable supper because of which moses threatened in the law, as we said above in the proo
He himself demonstrates, the master of the old and of the new, abolishing the one as unbelievable and not working for the salvation of mortals, but st
For this is also half of the modii. and finding another shape having the measure thus, one schoinos at the head and five at the foot, and on both side
Of the fort. it leaves on the right the rights of so-and-so and the oaks planted there in a row, among which a well-formed mark has been found, and ab
Setting down the mountainous nature of the place, or rough, or impassable, or even nomadic. but when others have measured with a ten-fathom rope, more
You will find the perimeter of the place being measured and thus you may hit the mark and you will not miss the measurement. 59 concerning the twelve
Bowels and intestines, belly the abdomen and call the small of the intestine for me the omentum. they call the veins around the heart *itides*. the p
Wanting to see the emperor's procession at the church of the holy apostles, he pitilessly beat me (alas for me) with a club, striking unsparingly shou
Passing by my wretched fortunes. o dearest wife, and more than light, very sweetness of my whole heart, anna my breath, light of my eyes, meadow of gr
The divine with labor, that he may grant to us a ransom for our errors and complete forgiveness for all our faults, before our material union is broke
He says, “we know in part, and we speak in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will be gone,” and for the most part he counts this one also
Borne of much love, even if it had some bite and some irony, a letter analogous to the one you sent me. but wishing to speak, yet not wanting to liste
That coming to you i no longer grind out words. do not, therefore, weary yourself, man, saying this and that begin concisely from his very own ancest
And at another time stoking the fires at the bath of makres kochalos, which is the official bath of the castle, adapting yourself by many arts and dev
Ends of the world, by whom he cast down the powerful and the wise and kings. for from these of low birth and of lowly fortune and those who seem insig
For while putting on airs of knowing the art of verses, you have corrected neither the accents nor your corresponding lines, nor have you harmonized t
Are you sleeping, writing to me with much boldness and the usual hateful, ignorant folly iambics of which you have never had any experience at all? go
77 on the ascension having come from the east to the west, you rose again towards the rays of the sun. for having come to earth with compassion, o mas
Every desire is a pain but if it is for a good youth, the pain is fourfold and if for one beloved, the pain is tenfold and if for more than a frien
about to recline royally in her, they prepare the bride, seemingly gilding her, so that when the king visits her, he will find her most ready for rest. For thus the friends of the bridegroom say to her: We will make you ornaments of gold with specks of silver, while the king is at his table [1, 11-12]. Since, they say, the king is about to recline in you, who purely seek and love him, come then, and you will be well prepared by us. For even if you do not shine like gold in virtues, O bride (for you still shine like silver from the dark of the moon), yet nevertheless we will make you gleam like gold and liken you to a cherubic and fiery and venerable throne; for the king, having come down, will recline upon you. Understand then this entire drama just described, the wondrous transformation of the bride and virgin—I mean her being changed from silver to gold, clearly by the friends of the Word and Bridegroom—as help and grace for the bride given worthily from the angels of God. For this is the custom of the friends of the bridegroom, that when they see a certain virgin soul hastening to return well to Christ, they encamp around her as her guardians, helping, arousing her to virtuous ways, until they show her to be worthy of the Master. But now let us proceed further with the discourse and see what the soul that has advanced by the graces of the friends says immediately, perhaps, to the friends. And in these very words she speaks thus to the angels: my nard has given its fragrance [1, 12]. See the fruit of the progress of the virtuous soul. For behold, the virgin who has advanced toward virtues, as if she has also drawn near to the desired Word, testifies that she has recognized the beauty of the bridegroom, yet only through a certain sense of smell. But for what reason, you ask, does she not mention another ointment, but remembers the nard perfuming the Master? First, because it is the foremost ointment of all others, and second, because it is by nature suited to have divine manifestations. For just as any person from this present life, even if he laboriously achieves all the virtues, if he has not put on Christ in divine baptism, he is truly benefited in nothing by all the virtues, in this way one may see inexpressibly in the nard prepared by one of the ointment-makers; for those who wish at any time to prepare nard, even if they put in many kinds of perfume ingredients for this purpose, if they do not also put in nard, which is an herb, perhaps the nard-makers have labored in vain. And besides, Christ, who is also the Bridegroom, having been invited to the supper of Simon the afflicted leper, was anointed with this ointment by a lustful harlot herself; the Word therefore appropriately mentions nard. But let us hear, then, the sayings that follow. For the bride, having become as if inspired by her progress, still loves to continue the discourse to the friends. For she says these things to them after the fragrance of the nard: A bundle of myrrh is my beloved to me, he will lodge between my breasts [1, 13]. It is a custom, as they say, for worldly maidens not only to adorn themselves outstandingly on the outside, so that they might quickly attract their lover, but even more, inside their garments they place preparations of fragrant perfumes. Since, then, the virginal soul has been made womanly for the Word of the Songs—and is masculine in her ways and, being led to marriage, is modestly composed in a bridal manner—it is fitting for her also to speak certain womanly words, even if they have a secret meaning deep within. Therefore she says this openly, as if being coy, that although some women carry other ointments inside their garments for a more ardent love, I, however, instead of any fragrant perfume, will possess that most beautiful bridegroom himself, as if a sachet of most fragrant myrrhs, beautifully suspended about my neck. Rather, she clearly hints at this in her speech, that although others
ἐπανακλιθησόμενος βασιλικῶς ἐν ταύτῃ, τὴν νύμφην εὐτρεπίζουσι, δῆθεν καταχρυσοῦντες, ἵν' ἐπειδὰν ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐπιδημήσῃ ταύτῃ,
εὑρήσει πρὸς ἀνάπαυσιν ταύτην ἑτοιμοτάτην. φασὶ γὰρ οὕτω πρὸς αὐτὴν οἱ φίλοι τοῦ νυμφίου· ὁμοιώματα χρυσοῦ ποιήσομέν σοι μετὰ
στιγμάτων τοῦ ἀργυρίου, ἕως οὗ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐν ἀνακλίσει αὐτοῦ [1, 11-12]. Ἐπεί, φασίν, ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀνακλιθῆναι μέλλει ἐν σοὶ
τῇ τοῦτον καθαρῶς ζητούσῃ καὶ φιλούσῃ, δεῦρο λοιπὸν καὶ παρ' ἡμῶν καλῶς ἑτοιμασθήσῃ. κἂν γὰρ οὐ λάμπῃς ὡς χρυσὸς ταῖς ἀρεταῖς,
ὦ νύμφη (ἀκμὴν γὰρ ἀργυρολαμπεῖς ἀπὸ τῆς σκοτομήνης), ἀλλ' ὅμως χρυσαυγήσομεν καὶ παρεικάσομέν σε χερουβικῷ καὶ φλογερῷ καὶ
σεβασμίῳ θρόνῳ· ὁ βασιλεὺς γὰρ κατελθὼν ἀνακλιθήσεταί σοι. Τὴν γοῦν ῥηθεῖσαν ἅπασαν ὧδε δραματουργίαν, τὴν θαυμαστὴν ἀλλοίωσιν
τῆς νύμφης καὶ παρθένου, τὴν ἐξ ἀργύρου πρὸς χρυσόν φημι γεγενημένην, παρὰ τῶν φίλων δηλαδὴ τοῦ λόγου καὶ νυμφίου, ὡς ἀρωγήν
μοι νόησον καὶ χάριν πρὸς τὴν νύμφην ἐκ τῶν ἀγγέλων τοῦ θεοῦ δοθεῖσαν ἐπαξίως. τοῦτο γὰρ ἔθος πέφυκε τοῖς φίλοις τοῦ νυμφίου,
ἵν' ἐπειδὰν ἀθρήσωσι ψυχήν τινα παρθένον ἐπειγομένην πρὸς Χριστὸν καλῶς ἐπαναλῦσαι, κύκλωθεν παρεμβάλλουσιν ὡς φύλακες ἐκείνης,
ἀρήγοντες, ἐγείροντες πρὸς ἐναρέτους τρόπους, μέχρις ἂν δείξωσιν αὐτὴν ἀξίαν τοῦ δεσπότου. Ἀλλ' ἤδη προχωρήσωμεν τοῦ λόγου
περαιτέρω καὶ τὴν προκόψασαν ψυχὴν ταῖς χάρισι τῶν φίλων ἴδωμεν τί φησιν εὐθὺς ὡς πρὸς τοὺς φίλους τάχα. φησὶ δ' αὐταῖς ταῖς
λέξεσιν οὕτω πρὸς τοὺς ἀγγέλους· νάρδος μου ἔδωκεν ὀσμὴν αὐτοῦ [1, 12]. Βλέπε καρπὸν τῆς προκοπῆς ψυχῆς τῆς ἐναρέτου. ἰδοὺ
γὰρ ἡ προκόψασα πρὸς ἀρετὰς παρθένος, ὥσπερ καὶ προσεγγίσασα τῷ ποθουμένῳ λόγῳ, ἐπεγνωκέναι μαρτυρεῖ τὸ κάλλος τοῦ νυμφίου,
πλὴν δι' αἰσθήσεώς τινος ὀσφραντικῆς καὶ μόνης. Τίνος δὲ χάριν, ἐρωτᾷς, οὐ λέγει μύρον ἄλλο, ἀλλὰ τοῦ νάρδου μέμνηται μυρίζειν
τὸν δεσπότην; τὸ μὲν ὅτι καὶ πρώτιστον τῶν ἄλλων πάντων μύρον, τὸ δ' αὖ ὅτι καὶ πέφυκεν ἐμφάσεις ἔχειν θείας. ὥσπερ γὰρ εἴ
τις ἄνθρωπος ἐκ τοῦ παρόντος βίου, κἂν πάσας φέρων κατορθοῖ τὰς ἀρετὰς ἐμπόνως, ἂν μὴ Χριστὸν ἐνδέδυται βαπτίσματι τῷ θείῳ,
οὐδὲν ὄντως ὀνίνησι ταῖς ἀρεταῖς ἁπάσαις, τοῦτον τὸν τρόπον ἴδῃ τις ἀρρήτως ἐν τῷ νάρδῳ παρά τινος τῶν μυρεψῶν κατασκευαζομένῳ·
οἱ γὰρ βουλόμενοί ποτε κατασκευάσαι νάρδον, κἂν εἴδη βάλλωσι πολλὰ μυρεψικὰ πρὸς τοῦτο, εἰ μὴ καὶ νάρδον βάλλωσιν, ἥτις ἐστὶ
βοτάνη, εἰς μάτην πεπονήκασιν οἱ ναρδεργάται τάχα. Ἄλλως τε δὲ καὶ προκληθεὶς Χριστὸς ὁ καὶ νυμφίος εἰς δεῖπνον Σίμωνος λεπροῦ
καταπεπονημένου τοῦτο τὸ μύρον ἤλειπται μαχλάδος αὐτὸς πόρνης· ὁ λόγος τοίνυν μέμνηται τοῦ νάρδου προσηκόντως. Ἀλλ' ἀκουσώμεθα
λοιπὸν καὶ τῶν ἑξῆς λογίων. ἡ νύμφη γὰρ ταῖς προκοπαῖς ὡς ἔνθους γενομένη ἔτι συνείρειν ἀγαπᾷ τὸν λόγον πρὸς τοὺς φίλους.
φησὶ γὰρ τάδε πρὸς αὐτοὺς μετὰ τὴν ναρδοσμίαν· ἀπόδεσμος στακτῆς ἀδελφιδός μου ἐμοί, ἀνὰ μέσον τῶν μαστῶν μου αὐλισθήσεται
[1, 13]. Ἔθος ἐστίν, ὡς λέγουσι, κόραις ταῖς φιλοκόσμοις μὴ μόνον ἔξωθεν αὑτὰς ἐξόχως καλλωπίζειν, ὡς ἐφελκύσωσιν αὐτῶν τὸν
ἐραστὴν ἐν τάχει, ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον ἔσωθεν αὐτῶν τῶν ἱματίων κατασκευὰς τιθέασιν ἀπὸ τῶν μυριπνόων. ἐπεὶ γοῦν γεγυναίκισται
τῷ λόγῳ τῶν Ἀισμάτων ἡ παρθενεύουσα ψυχὴ καὶ τρόποις ἀρρενόφρων καὶ νυμφικῶς συνέσταλται πρὸς γάμους ὑπηγμένη, λόγους τινὰς
γυναικικοὺς εἰκός ἐστι καὶ λέγειν, κἂν ἔχωσιν ἀπόρρητον τὸν λογισμὸν ἐν βάθει. τοῦτο γοῦν λέγει προφανῶς ὥσπερ ἀκκιζομένη,
ὅτι κἂν φέρωσί τινες γυναῖκες ἄλλα μύρα πρὸς ἔρωτα θερμότερον ἔνδον τῶν ἱματίων, ἀλλ' ἔγωγε μυρίσματος ἀντὶ παντὸς εὐώδους
αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον κτήσομαι τὸν κάλλιστον νυμφίον, ὥσπερ ἀπόδεσμόν τινα μύρων εὐωδεστάτων καλῶς ἐπαιωρήσασα περὶ τὸν τράχηλόν μου.
μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦτο καθαρῶς αἰνίττεται τῷ λόγῳ, ὅτι κἂν ἄλλαι
