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labor of the throat with strain, unceasing song, a contrite spirit; thus opening with an angel-like vision he divinely illuminates the onlookers with radiant light; saying nothing useless for laughter, but what is beneficial for the stranger, and fleeing these things: to speak at length to the point of satiety. If then you are able, you run to these things for salvation, but if not, may you flee together to the life of the living, in which you more abundantly make your struggles glorious.

95 To one living well

Most excellent is the prudent man, who lives in the fear of God. Purification of the soul is better than flowing wealth. 96 To monks, dactylic and elegiac

[Hail, excellent men, above Achilles; for he slew the mighty, sword-bearing Hector, but you, having armed yourselves with the monastic way of life, taking in hand the sword of pious obedience, have slain Belial, the great-boasting mind of darkness; whence you have departed to heaven as prize-winners, having cast off here only the dead skin.]

97 Epigram to himself Humble soul,

come to me, receive my word. Time is swift like a runner coursing through, the end is near, and it is not possible to pass by. Let us not then grow weary with vain cares, truly drawing water into a perforated jar, combing into fire, as it is ridiculous; but if anything is divine, if anything is salvific, considering these things and pursuing them with desire, so that we may stand with boldness before the Judge and Master of all, having fled the fire of Gehenna, as it is written, and running toward the all-ineffable light.

98 Epigram in the prison of Chalcites

He has appeared a stranger to God, whoever does not hold all things here as strange in relation to things above; for thus he will be seen somehow as master of the things below. 99 In the same prison You have held me, O cell, the stranger, unexpectedly; but I have found you a most dear sojourning. The city of Byzantium strikes me even here, secretly it draws out affections in this way.

100 In the same guardhouse

For me, the body alone is a prison; and every place is given equally; for it belongs entirely to God, whose sojourner I happen to be.

101 In the same confinement Hour by hour consider the end of life, and may you see despondency far from you; for it is of the demons to say: How long? and not to resolve to die daily.

102 Epigram on the lanterns

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κόπον λαιμοῦ τόνῳ, ᾠδὴν ἄπαυστον, πνεῦμα συντετριμμένον· οὕτως ἀνοίγων ἀγγελοπρεπεῖ θέᾳ ἀκτινολαμπεῖ τοὺς ὁρῶντας ἐνθέως· λέγων μὲν οὐδὲν τῶν ἀχρήστων εἰς γέλως, ἀλλ' ὅπέρ ἐστιν ὠφελεῖσθαι τὸν ξένον, καὶ ταῦτα φεύγων· μακρορημεῖν εἰς κόρον. Ἂν οὖν δύνῃ, πρὸς ταῦτα σωστικῶς τρέχεις, εἰ μὴ δέ, φεύγοις εἰς βίον ζώντων ἅμα, ἐν ᾧ πλειόνως τοὺς ἀγῶνας λαμπρύνεις.

95 Εἰς εὖ βιοῦντα

Σώφρων κράτιστος, ὃς Θεοῦ βιοῖ φόβῳ. Ψυχῆς κάθαρσις κρείσσων ἢ πλοῦτος

ῥέων. 96 Εἰς μοναχούς, δακτυλικὸς καὶ ἐλεγεῖοσ

[Χαίρετε ἄνδρες ἀριστέες, τοῦ Ἀχιλῆος ὕπερθεν· κτεῖναι μὲν Ἕκτορα οὗτος

κρατερὸν ξιφέρη, οἱ δέ, μοναζόντων θωρηξάμενοι πολιτείαν, χεῖρε λαβόντες ἄορ εὐπειθοῦς τῆς ὅσιας, σφάξατε τὸν Βελίαρ, σκότεος μεγαλαύχεα νοῦα· ἔνθεν ἀπήρκατε εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀθλοφόρως, δερματίδα προσαφέντες τἀνθάδε τὴν νεκρὰν μόνον.]

97 Ἐπίγραμμα εἰς ἑαυτόν Ψυχὴ ταπεινή,

δεῦρό μοι, δέξαι λόγον. Ὁ καιρὸς ὀξὺς ὡς δρομεὺς διατρέχων, ἐγγὺς τὸ

τέρμα, καὶ παρελθεῖν οὐκ ἔνι. Μὴ δὴ κάμοιμεν ταῖς ματαίαις φροντίσιν, ἀντλοῦντες ὄντως εἰς πίθον τετρημένον, ξαίνοντες εἰς πῦρ, ὡς γελοιωδῶς ἔχει· ἀλλ' εἴ τι θεῖον, εἴ τι σωστικὸν πέλει, ταῦτα σκοποῦντες καὶ διώκοντες πόθῳ, ὡς ἂν παρασταίημεν ἐν παρρησίᾳ τῷ τῶν ἁπάντων καὶ Κριτῇ καὶ ∆εσπότῃ, τὸ πῦρ φυγόντες τῆς Γεέννης, ὡς γράφει, καὶ προστρέχοντες τῷ παναρρήτῳ φάει.

98 Ἐπίγραμμα ἐν τῇ φυλακῇ τῆς Χαλκίτου

Ξένος Θεοῦ πέφηνεν, ὅστις οὐ ξένα ἔχει τὰ τῇδε πάντα τῶν ἄνω σχέσει· οὕτω

γὰρ ὀφθῇ δεσπότης πως τῶν κάτω. 99 Ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ φυλακῇ Ἔσχες με, κέλλα, τὸν ξένον, παρ' ἐλπίδα· εὗρον δ' ἐγώ σε φιλτάτην παροικίαν. Βυζαντὶς ἡ πόλις με βάλλει κἀνθάδε, λαθοῦσα ταύτη προσπαθείας ἐξάγει.

100 Ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ φρουρᾷ

Ἐμοὶ τὸ σῶμα φρουρὰ καὶ μόνον πέλει· τόπος δὲ πᾶς τις ἐξ ἴσου δεδωμένος·

πάμπαν Θεοῦ γάρ, οὗ πάροικος τυγχάνω.

101 Ἐν τῇ αὐτῇ εἱρκτῇ Ὥραν καθ' ὥραν τοῦ βίου τέλος σκόπει, καὶ μακρὰν ἐκ σοῦ τὴν ἀκηδίαν

βλέποις· τῶν δαιμόνων γὰρ τὸ λέγειν· Ἕως πότε; καὶ μὴ τὸ δόξαι τεθνάναι καθ' ἡμέραν.

102 Ἐπίγραμμα εἰς τὰς φάνασ