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
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 him there at all, for he was not naturally there; and again I called him, but he did not hear me. Truly the virgin dramatizes the words. For every pure soul, even if it should reach the angels and enter within the ineffable holy of holies, let it not suppose that it has seen the divine essence. Since, then, when she sought she did not find the bridegroom, let us hear what she wants. For she speaks thus again: I will arise and go about the city, in the markets and in the squares, and I will seek him whom my soul has loved. I sought him and I did not find him [3, 2]. I will arise, she says, and I will feel for him and I will go around every supercosmic nature, which the word of the Song of Songs named a city, just as it called the festivals above a marketplace. So when I arose, she says, in search of him and with purpose and reasoning I searched out all the natures of the angels with much toil, hoping to apprehend him among the angels- as I was therefore feeling for him among the angels, so that I might learn who he is and of what sort he happens to be and whence he has his beginning and in what he ends, the guards of the city, of Zion which is highest, saw me wandering about the city and seeking. For she speaks thus in order as if narrating: the watchmen found me, who go about in the city [3, 3]. Then, she says, I asked the angels these things: have you seen him whom my soul has loved? [3, 3]. For I hoped truly that the Word and bridegroom was comprehensible and accessible even to the angels; but when I knew that they understood nothing, I passed on from them again, she says, being at a loss. When I had passed a little from them, until I found him whom my soul has loved [3, 4]. So when I passed a little from the angels, she says, having believed by reasoning in the incomprehensibility of the almighty Christ and God-man Word, I found him truly among the incomprehensible things. For the divine nature of the Word and bridegroom happens to be comprehensible by not being comprehended. I held him and would not let him go, until I had brought him into my mother's house and into the chamber of her who conceived me [3, 4]. Since I found him incomprehensible, she says, I held him within and in the midst of my heart and I knew him to be co-eternal with the Father. For we are houses and temples and especially chambers of the Spirit, according to the great Paul, who both begot us and nourishes us as he knows how. But the bride, feeling for better progress, again entreats them, for she says these things to them: I adjure you, O daughters of Jerusalem, by the powers and by the strengths of the field, that you stir not up, nor awaken love, until it please [3, 5]. Having arrived at this passage, we have spoken its meanings; therefore we must consider the following passages as possible. Who is this that comes up from the wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with myrrh and frankincense, from all the powders of the merchant? [3, 6]. The friends say these things simply to the friends, but the purpose of the words is this, as I think. The bride was previously exalted by her virtues, by faith, by meekness and by righteousness; but when she passed to another form of virtue, of fasting, vigils and all-night prayer, and changed her form through excessive sleeping on the ground, the friends were astonished at the bride's progress and somehow pretending, as it were, not to know, they want to ask one another about the bride, who is this, they say, who ran up from the wilderness to the heavens like pillars of smoke, sending forth the scent of myrrh and of wonderful frankincense? For every soul wishing to become frankincense, that is, a pleasing incense to the king of all, unless it first mortifies all its members and
πάντων καταλαβοῦσα, ὅταν πρὸς νύκτα πέφθακα τῶν θείων μυστηρίων, θερμῶς ἀναζητήσασα τὸν λόγον καὶ νυμφίον οὐχ εὗρον τοῦτον
οὐδαμῶς ἐκεῖσε πεφυκότα· καὶ πάλιν τοῦτον κέκληκα, πλὴν οὐχ ὑπήκουσέ μου. ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐκτραγῳδεῖ τοὺς λόγους ἡ παρθένος. ψυχὴ
γὰρ πᾶσα καθαρά, κἂν πρὸς ἀγγέλους φθάσῃ καὶ τῶν ἀδύτων ἔσωθεν εἰσέλθῃ τῶν ἀρρήτων, μὴ νομιζέτω κατιδεῖν τὴν θεϊκὴν οὐσίαν.
Ἐπεὶ γοῦν ὡς ἐζήτησεν οὐχ εὗρε τὸν νυμφίον, ἀκούσωμεν τί βούλεται. φησὶ γὰρ οὕτω πάλιν· ἀναστήσομαι δὴ καὶ κυκλώσω ἐν τῇ πόλει,
ἐν ἀγοραῖς καὶ ἐν ταῖς πλατείαις, καὶ ζητήσω ὃν ἠγάπησεν ἡ ψυχή μου. ἐζήτησα αὐτὸν καὶ οὐχ εὗρον αὐτόν [3, 2]. Ἐξαναστήσομαι,
φησί, καὶ ψηλαφήσω τοῦτον καὶ πᾶσαν ὑπερκόσμιον περικυκλώσω φύσιν, ἣν πόλιν ἐπωνόμασεν ὁ λόγος τῶν Ἀισμάτων, καθώσπερ εἶπεν
ἀγορὰν τὰς ἄνω πανηγύρεις. ὡς γοῦν ἀνέστην δή, φησίν, εἰς ζήτησιν ἐκείνου καὶ τῷ σκοπῷ καὶ λογισμῷ τὰς τῶν ἀγγέλων φύσεις
ἁπάσας ἐξηρεύνησα μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ πόνου, ἐλπίζουσα καταλαβεῖν αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς ἀγγέλοις- ὡς ἐψηλάφουν τοιγαροῦν αὐτὸν ἐν τοῖς
ἀγγέλοις, ὅπως ἂν μάθω τίς ἐστι καὶ ποδαπὸς τυγχάνει καὶ πόθεν ἔχει τὴν ἀρχὴν καὶ τίνι καταλήγει, οἱ φύλακες τῆς πόλεως, Σιὼν
τῆς ἀνωτάτω, περινοστοῦσαν εἶδόν με τὴν πόλιν καὶ ζητοῦσαν. Φησὶ γὰρ οὕτω καθεξῆς ὥσπερ ἀφηγουμένη· εὕροσαν με οἱ τηροῦντες,
οἱ κυκλοῦντες ἐν τῇ πόλει [3, 3]. Εἶτα, φησίν, ἠρώτησα πρὸς τοὺς ἀγγέλους τάδε· μὴ ὃν ἠγάπησεν ἡ ψυχή μου εἴδετε; [3, 3].
Ἤλπιζον γὰρ ὡς ἀληθῶς κἂν τοῖς ἀγγέλοις εἶναι καταληπτὸν καὶ προσιτὸν τὸν λόγον καὶ νυμφίον· ἐπεὶ δὲ τούτους ἔγνωκα μηδὲν
ἐπισταμένους, παρῆλθον αὖθις ἀπ' αὐτῶν, φησίν, ἐξαποροῦσα. ὡς μικρὸν ὅτε παρῆλθον ἀπ' αὐτῶν, ἕως οὗ εὗρον ὃν ἠγάπησεν ἡ ψυχή
μου [3, 4]. Ὡς γοῦν παρῆλθον δή, φησί, μικρὸν ἐκ τῶν ἀγγέλων, πιστεύσασα τῷ λογισμῷ τὴν ἀκαταληψίαν τοῦ παντοκράτορος Χριστοῦ
καὶ θεανθρώπου λόγου, εὗρον αὐτὸν ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐν τοῖς ἀκαταλήπτοις. ἡ φύσις γὰρ ἡ θεϊκὴ τοῦ λόγου καὶ νυμφίου τῷ μὴ καταλαμβάνεσθαι
καταληπτὴ τυγχάνει. ἐκράτησα αὐτὸν καὶ οὐκ ἀφῆκα αὐτόν, ἕως οὗ εἰσήγαγον αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκον μητρός μου καὶ εἰς ταμεῖον τῆς συλλαβούσης
με [3, 4]. Ἐπείπερ ἀκατάληπτον, φησίν, αὐτὸν ἐφεῦρον, ἔνδον αὐτὸν ἐκράτησα καὶ μέσον τῆς καρδίας καὶ τῷ πατρὶ συνάναρχον ἐγνώρισα
τυγχάνειν. ἡμεῖς γὰρ οἶκοι καὶ ναοὶ καὶ μάλιστα ταμεῖα τοῦ πνεύματος τυγχάνομεν, κατὰ τὸν μέγαν Παῦλον, τοῦ καὶ γεννήσαντος
ἡμᾶς καὶ τρέφοντος ὡς οἶδεν. Ἀλλὰ τὴν κρείττω προκοπὴν ἡ νύμφη ψηλαφῶσα πάλιν αὐτοὺς ἐκδυσωπεῖ, φησὶ γὰρ τούτοις τάδε· ὥρκισα
ὑμᾶς, θυγατέρες Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἐν ταῖς δυνάμεσι καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἰσχύσεσι τοῦ ἀγροῦ, ἐὰν ἐγείρητε καὶ ἐξεγείρητε τὴν ἀγάπην, ἕως οὗ
θελήσῃ [3, 5]. Τοῦ λόγου τούτου φθάσαντες εἴπομεν τὰς ἐμφάσεις· λόγους λοιπὸν ὡς δυνατὸν τοὺς ἐφεξῆς σκεπτέον. τίς αὕτη ἡ
ἀναβαίνουσα ἀπὸ τῆς ἐρήμου ὡς στελέχη καπνοῦ τεθυμιαμένου σμύρναν καὶ λίβανον ἀπὸ πάντων κονιορτῶν μυρεψοῦ; [3, 6]. Ταῦτα
μὲν λέγουσιν ἁπλῶς οἱ φίλοι πρὸς τοὺς φίλους, ὁ τῶν ῥημάτων δὲ σκοπὸς οὗτός ἐστιν, ὡς οἶμαι. ἡ νύμφη μὲν καὶ πρότερον ταῖς
ἀρεταῖς ὑψώθη, τῇ πίστει, τῇ πραότητι καὶ τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ· ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ πρὸς ἀρετῆς ἄλλο μετέβη σχῆμα, νηστείας ἀγρυπνίας τε
καὶ προσευχῆς παννύχου, καὶ τὴν μορφὴν ἠλλάξατο ταῖς ἄγαν χαμευνίαις, οἱ φίλοι κατεπλάγησαν τῆς προκοπῆς τῆς νύμφης καί πως
ὑποκρινόμενοι δῆθεν ὡς ἀγνοοῦντες, περὶ τῆς νύμφης θέλουσιν ἐπερωτᾶν ἀλλήλους, τίς αὕτη, λέγοντες, ἐστίν, ἥτις ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου
πρὸς οὐρανοὺς ἀνέδραμεν ὥσπερ καπνοῦ στελέχη, σμύρνης ὀσμὴν ἐκπέμπουσα καὶ θαυμαστοῦ λιβάνου; ψυχὴ γὰρ πᾶσα θέλουσα λίβανον
τελεσθῆναι, ἤγουν τερπνὸν θυμίαμα τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν ὅλων, ἂν μὴ νεκρώσῃ πρότερον πάντα τὰ μέλη ταύτης καὶ
