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they obtained, but the iron failed; How desire, going to one thing, drives one nearer to Christ, Who desires the one desiring, and has seen the one seeing, He has seen the one seeing, and meets the one approaching. As much as one desires and sees, so much has one beheld. So much does one also desire; a virtuous circle unfolds. Desiring Him, I left this life, nor was I able 565 to cast my eye elsewhere; a sweet bond holds me back, restraining me by the beauty that terrified my mind, as I behold it; and upon me he shook his all-shining torch, and made me wholly beautiful and radiant. For he alone gathers the portion of desires and beauty from the beloved for the one who desires; and blessed is he who has received it. But you cherish another desire in your breast, and you think that you are drawing nearer to heavenly things, on account, you say, of children and possessions and parents, as if they were light things, but for the wise, desire for light things is profitless, a small ship, a short passage, and a light profit 566 of things that do not last. But for you this voyage is of boundless things, and crossing the strait, you boasted you would sail the sea with sails filled, through the Ionian swell. The breeze bears these things, and it is better, if one is stronger; but if it is contrary, it is a small fate to die here. But the voyage of the soul and of the good spirit is great. Trembling all over for this, I have grasped Christ the more; not only so, but I desire, even when the weather is fine, my Christ, a pure desire, which is constant for those who desire. But whoever in his need looks to the hand of God, thinking not to be in need, has quickly abandoned the desire of the moment. 567 For if Christ from above should pierce your mind with an arrow, and wound it in its midst with a refreshing dart, you, seeing both loves from either side, would know how much sweeter is the goad of the Lord. What more? Parents become young again in their sons who tend their old age, and a husband in his wife, and a wife in her spouse. Common are the joys, and the pains and cares are lighter, and for one who limps, someone standing firm is a great support. But for me, my parents are those who taught me what is good, and my children, those whom I have taught. And as my only spouse I have received Christ, who embraces the unmarried especially beyond others, even if he was fixed for all, and raised the cross over all. 568 In whom I exult, and if he casts discouragements upon me, I rejoice, and he makes me lighter even in sorrow, like gold being purified of its dross in the crucible. And of the chastity which marriage and its bond prevent for you, for it I have made not the flesh, but the Word my helper, and desire, which, being strong, has cast out what is alien, like a lion standing over lighter beasts. For fleshly beings are of one mind in their passions; for this reason they also know how to show some grace to one another. Your table is laden, but a little morsel has nourished me, just as great Christ once nourished thousands in the desert places. Your drink is from cultivated vines, but my rich wine is always, springs, and rivers, and deep wells that flow. 569 You have glistening faces, and shining garments, my adornment is unkempt hair, and sorry garments. I wear a garment shaken with golden tassels, Christ, the hidden, all-beautiful adornment of my soul. Your bed is soft, but for me my covers are sackcloth, and a pallet on the ground, and earth wet with tears. For you honored gold, for me lovely dust. You are prouder than a calf, I have bowed my head in dejection. You laugh out loud, I have never relaxed my cheek. You long for glory, but my fame is not on earth. But when you have considered and seen these things, consider also the hardships of marriage for the servants of the flesh. A husband is purchased by his wife, and worse than this, 570 often not even a good one, and a wife is purchased by her spouse, often also a hateful one; a crafted evil, not to be sent away. For if they are good and of one mind, going as one the voyage of life is lighter and the breeze is mixed. But if they are bad, there is toil at home by the hearth, unceasing enmity. Let us suppose they are neither bad, and of one mind; but a heavy fate has often come upon even the newly-wedded yoke. A bridegroom, then a corpse; a bridal chamber, a tomb; mixed with joys are sorrows; a brief song, the good before the grievous. One lit the wedding torch, another extinguished it. One a child has called father, another is childless 571 suddenly, like a sapling shaken by the wind. Just now a maiden, then a wife, and then a widow.

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ἐτύχησαν, ὁ δ' ὡμάρτησε σίδηρος· Ὡς πόθος εἰς ἓν ἰὼν, Χριστοῦ πλέον ἐγγὺς ἐλαύνει, Ὃς ποθέει ποθέοντα, καὶ εἰσορόωντα δέδορκεν, Εἰσορόωντα δέδορκε, καὶ ἀντιάει προσιόντι. Ὅσσον τις ποθέει, καὶ δέρκεται, ὅσσον ὄπωπεν. Τόσσον καὶ ποθέει· κύκλος ἀνελίσσεται ἐσθλός. Τὸν μὲν ἐγὼ ποθέουσα, λίπον βίον, οὐδὲ δυνάσθην 565 Ὄμμα βαλεῖν ἑτέρωσε· γλυκὺς δέ με δεσμὸς ἐρύκει Κάλλεος ἰσχανόωσαν, ὅ μευ φρένας ἐπτοίησε ∆ερκομένης, ἐπ' ἐμοὶ δὲ τινάξατο παμφανόωντα Πυρσὸν, ὅλην καλήν τε καὶ αἰγλήεσσαν ἔθηκε. Μοῦνος γάρ τε πόθων καὶ κάλλεος αἶσαν ἀγείρει Ἐξ ἐρατοῦ ποθέοντι· ὁ δ' ὄλβιος, ὅστις ἔδεκτο. Ἀλλὰ σὺ καὶ πόθον ἄλλον ἐνὶ στήθεσσιν ἀέξεις, Καὶ φρονέεις, ὡς μᾶλλον ἐπ' οὐρανίαις πελάουσα, Εἵνεκα, φὴς, τεκέων καὶ κτήσιος ἠδὲ τοκήων, Ὡς ἐλαφρῶν, ἐλαφρῶν δὲ σοφῇ πόθος ἐστὶν ἀκερδὴς, Νηῦς ὀλίγη, βαιός τε πόρος, καὶ κέρδος ἐλαφρὸν 566 Τῶν οὐχ ἱσταμένων. Σοὶ δὲ πλόος οὗτος ἀπείρων, Καὶ πορθμὸν περόωσα, ἐπεύχεο ποντοπορεύειν Ἱστία κολπώσασα δι' οἴδματος Ἰονίοιο. Πνοιὴ ταῦτα φέρει, καὶ βέλτερον, εἴ τις ἀρείων· Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀντιόωσα, μικρὸς μόρος ἐνθάδε θνήσκειν. Ψυχῆς δὲ πλόος ἐστὶ μέγας καὶ πνεύματος ἐσθλοῦ. Τῇ ῥα περιτρομέουσα, πλέον Χριστοῖο δέδραγμαι· Οὐκ οἶον, ποθέω δὲ καὶ εὐδιόωσά περ ἔμπης Χριστὸν ἐμὸν, πόθον ἁγνὸν, ὃς ἔμπεδός ἐστι ποθεῦσιν. Ὅς τις δ' αὖ χατέων λεύσσει πρὸς χεῖρα Θεοῖο, Οὐ χατέειν δοκέων, καιροῦ πόθον αἶψα λέλοιπεν. 567 Εἰ γὰρ δϊστεύσειε τεὴν φρένα Χριστὸς ἄνωθεν, Καὶ μεσάτην τρώσειεν ἀναψύχοντι βελέμνῳ, Ἀμφοτέρους κεν ἔρωτας ἐποπτεύουσ' ἑκάτερθεν, Γνοίης κέντρον ἄνακτος ὅσον γλυκερώτερόν ἐστι. Τί πλέον; υἱήεσσιν ἀναχλοάζουσι τοκῆες Γηροκόμοις, ἀλόχῳ τε πόσις, ἄλοχός τε ἀκοίτῃ. Ξυναὶ δ' εὐφροσύναι τε, καὶ ἄλγεα καὶ μελεδῶναι Κουφότεραι, σκάζοντι δέ τις βεβαὼς μέγ' ἔρεισμα. Αὐτὰρ ἐμοὶ τοκέες μὲν, ὅσοι καλὸν ἐξεδίδαξαν, Παῖδες δ', οὓς ἐδίδαξα. Ὁμόζυγα δ' οἶον ἐδέγμην Χριστὸν, ὃς ἀζυγέας προσπτύσσεται ἔξοχον ἄλλων, Εἰ καὶ πᾶσι πάγη, σταυρόν τ' ἐπὶ πάντας ἄειρεν. 568 Ὧ καὶ καγχαλόωσα, καὶ ἢν ἀποθύμια βάλλῃ, Χαίρω, καί με τίθησιν ἐλαφροτέρην καὶ ἀνίῃ, Ὡς χρυσὸν χοάνοισι καθαιρόμενον ῥυπόωντα. Σωφροσύνης δ' ἥν σοί γε γάμος καὶ δεσμὸς ἐέργει, Τῆς μὲν ἐγὼν οὐ σάρκα, Λόγον δ' ἐπίκουρον ἔθηκα, Καὶ πόθον, ὃς κρατέων ἀλλότριον ἐκτὸς ἔθηκεν, Ὥς τις ἐλαφροτέροισι λέων θήρεσσιν ἐπιστάς. Σάρκες γὰρ τελέθουσιν ὁμόφρονες ἐν παθέεσσι· Τοὔνεκα καί τιν' ἴσασι φέρειν χάριν ἀλλήλῃσι. Σοὶ βέβριθε τράπεζα, τρύφος δ' ἐμὲ μικρὸν ἔθρεψεν, Ὡς καὶ χιλιάδας Χριστὸς μέγας ἔν ποτ' ἐρήμοις. Σοὶ ποτὸν ἡμερίδων, τὸ δ' ἐμὸν μέθυ πλούσιον αἰεὶ, Κρῆναι, καὶ ποταμοὶ, καὶ φρείατα μακρὰ νάουσι. 569 Σοὶ λιπόωντα πρόσωπα, καὶ εἴματα σιγαλόεντα, Κόσμος ἐμοὶ ῥυπόωσα κόμη, καὶ εἵματα λυπρά. Εἷμα φέρω χρυσοῖσι τινασσόμενον θυσάνοισι Χριστὸν, ἐμῆς ψυχῆς κρυπτὸν περικαλλέα κόσμον. Εὐνή σοι μαλακὴ, τὰ δὲ ῥήγεα σάκκος ἔμοιγε, Καὶ στιβὰς ἐν δαπέδῳ, καὶ δάκρυσι δευομένη χθών. Σοὶ τιμήεις χρυσὸς, ἐμοὶ κόνις ἱμερόεσσα. Μόσχου γαυροτέρη σὺ, κατηφιόωσα νένευκα. Καγχάζεις γελόωσα, παρήϊον οὔ ποτ' ἔλυσα. Κύδεος ἱμείρεις, τὸ δ' ἐμὸν κλέος οὐκ ἐπὶ γαίης. Αὐτὰρ ἐπὴν δὴ ταῦτα διαθρήσῃς καὶ ἴδηαι, Ἄθρει καὶ τὰ γάμοιο προσάντεα λάτρισι σαρκός. Ὤνιός ἐστι δάμαρτι πόσις, καὶ τοῦδε χέρειον 570 Πολλάκις οὐδ' ἀγαθὸς, καὶ ὤνιος εὖνις ἀκοίτῃ Πολλάκι καὶ στυγερή· τυκτὸν κακὸν, οὐδ' ἀπόπεμπτον. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐσθλοὶ καὶ ὁμόφρονες, εἰς ἓν ἰόντων Κουφότερος βιότοιο πλόος καὶ μικτὸς ἀήτης. Εἰ δὲ κακοὶ, πόνος ἔνδον ἐφέστιος, ἔχθος ἄπαυστον. Θήσομεν οὔτε κακοὺς, καὶ ὁμόφρονας· ἀλλὰ βαρεῖα Πολλάκι καὶ νεόνυμφον ἐπὶ ζυγὸν ἤλυθε μοίρη. Νυμφίος, εἶτα νέκυς· θάλαμος, τάφος· ἄμμιγα τερπνοῖς Ἄλγεα· μικρὸν ἄεισμα, παροίτερον ἐσθλὸν ἀνιγροῦ. Ἄλλος πυρσὸν ἀνῆψε γαμήλιον, ἔσβεσεν ἄλλος. Ἄλλον τις δ' ὀνόμηνε πάϊς πατέρ', ἄλλος ἄτεκνος 571 Ἐξαπίνης, ὅρπηξ τις ὅπως ἀνέμοιο τιναχθείς. Ἄρτι κόρη, μετέπειτα γυνὴ, μετέπειτα δὲ χήρη.