DEATH OF THE MOTHER

[974A] It was about this time that the mother died, honoured by all, and went to God, yielding up her life in the arms of her two children. It is worth while to give the words of blessing which she used over her children, mentioning each of the absent ones in loving remembrance, so that no single one was deprived of the blessing, and commending especially to God in her prayers those who were present with her.

For as these two sat by her on each side of the bed, she touched them with her hands, and uttered these prayers to God with her dying words----

"To Thee, O Lord, I give the fruit of my womb as both first-fruits and tenths. For this my eldest is the first-fruits and this my last-born is the tenth. Each is sanctified to Thee by the Law, and they are votive offerings to Thee. Therefore let Thy sanctification [974B] descend on this my first and this my tenth."

As she spoke she indicated by gestures her daughter and son. Then, having ceased to bless, she ceased to live, having first bidden her children lay her body in their father's grave. But they, having fulfilled the command, clave to philosophy with still loftier resolve, even striving against their own life and eclipsing their previous record by their subsequent successes.

Ἐν τούτῳ εἰς γῆρας λιπαρὸν προελθοῦσα ἡ μήτηρ πρὸς τὸν θεὸν μετανίστατο, ἐν ταῖς ἀμφοτέρων τῶν τέκνων χερσὶ τὸν βίον ἑαυτῆς ἀναπαύσασα. Ἧς ἄξιον τὴν τῆς εὐλογίας ἱστορῆσαι φωνήν, ᾗ ἐπὶ τῶν τέκνων ἐχρήσατο, τῶν τε μὴ παρόντων ἑκάστου κατὰ τὸ πρόσφορον ἐπιμνησθεῖσα, ὡς μηδένα γενέσθαι τῆς εὐλογίας ἀπόκληρον, καὶ διαφερόντως τοὺς παρόντας αὐτῇ τῷ θεῷ διὰ προσευχῆς παραθεμένη. Παρακαθημένων γὰρ αὐτῇ κατὰ τὸ πλάγιον ἐφ' ἑκάτερα τῆς κλίνης τῶν δύο τούτων ἑκατέρᾳ χειρὶ ἐφαψαμένη τῶν τέκνων ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν θεὸν εἶπεν ἐν τελευταίαις φωναῖς: «Σοί, κύριε, καὶ ἀπάρχομαι καὶ ἀποδεκατῶ τὸν καρπὸν τῶν ὠδίνων. Ἀπαρχή μοι ἡ πρωτότοκος αὕτη καὶ ἐπιδέκατος οὗτος, ἡ τελευταία ὠδίς. Σοὶ δὲ ἀφιέρωται παρὰ τοῦ νόμου ἀμφότερα καὶ σά ἐστιν ἀναθήματα. Οὐκοῦν ἔλθοι ὁ ἁγιασμὸς ἐπί τε τὴν ἀπαρχήν μου ταύτην καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ ἐπιδέκατον τοῦτο», δείξασα ταῖς δεικτικαῖς φωναῖς τὴν θυγατέρα καὶ τὸν παῖδα. Ἡ μὲν οὖν τοῦ εὐλογεῖν παυσαμένη καὶ τοῦ ζῆν ἐπαύσατο, τοῖς παισὶν ἐπισκήψασα τὸ τῇ πατρῴᾳ σορῷ καὶ τὸ ἐκείνης ἐναποθέσθαι σῶμα. Οἱ δὲ πληρώσαντες τὸ διατεταγμένον ὑψηλότερον εἴχοντο τῆς φιλοσοφίας, ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον διαμιλλώμενοι βίον καὶ τὰ φθάσαντα τῶν κατορθωμάτων τοῖς ἐφεξῆς ἀποκρύπτοντες.