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has been sealed on his flesh with the precious marks of ascetics by both prayer and many labors, By which things the ancient taste wore me out, turning me to earth, my lowly mother, 1209 Both with cold, with hunger, and with tight rags, Longing to receive incorruptibility as a garment, And he shamed the belly's insolence with scant food, mindful of dying each day. For he knows the food of angels to be simply God. This man is poor now, but there was a time when he was very rich; But he loved casting it away, and sails lightly, having cast his cargo to the poor, not to the deep. This man, having fled both cities and the applause of the people, And the squall which turns everything in its midst, has attuned the beauty of his mind to God, alone with things divine and communing with the Only One. This man his beautiful body (for how is the body of the best not beautiful? 1210) enclosed with pearls, with iron bonds, a secret ornament, binding himself though he had done no wrong, so that he might never act insolently being free, And binding perception along with its wandering. To him the Spirit showed the depths of scripture, loosing things sealed in the minds of many. Such are his beauties; and you, tell me yours: A house, a vigorous wife, a line of little children, Possessions, foremen, agents, shouts, lawsuits, All things full of cares and business. A table swelling with things not to be sung of, with the intricacies of cooks and cup-bearers, 1211 of the earth and sea bearing fruit for the entrails (From which the mind is submerged, and has no breadth), with perfumes, laughter, gatherings for songs, which require cymbals and the stamping of feet. And others, full of congenital madness, sick, swollen, polished for women, recently bridegrooms, in moderation, not yet having left the marriage chamber, or even still living with unyoked desires, Before they have even covered their cheek with the hair of a man's ornament, completely with the first down, young in body, younger in manner, or even of old days, full of evils; Then they are leaders of fleshless children, which the Spirit bears, estranged from the flesh. 1212 having learned to honor passions, by which they have suffered, advocates for themselves in the evils of others. Giving, just as they receive, authority. These men are thus; and perhaps even becoming better than themselves, they are hindered by their thrones. For to rule makes a foolish man worse. But the temperate man stands dishonored, bowing down, looking to God alone, content with the place of a disciple, of whom perhaps this present teacher is not even a worthy disciple. If indeed ruling is not known by place. Such things the Evil One has the strength to do among us! Thus he contrives with well-aimed wickednesses, whenever he wishes to strike a certain people, or a city. In addition to the ways he tempts each person, he also gives a short 1213 law of wickedness: the leader. Then bronze clothed in gold, Or even a chameleon's changing of color, A beard, a downcast character, a bowing of the neck, a soft voice, a contrived piety, a slow gait, wise in all things except in mind, The first among the first of the present good things, the holy ephod, or Samuel's double-robe, a low stool, not bound at all, The things around his head, with the ornament of virgins, binding it with linen and wrapping it in sackcloth, the symbols of prayer set forth. 1214 How can I not utter some word foreign to me? I could not help but also bear some throw of anger. Give up either the luxury, or the hair. Why do you seek to have both what is not yours, and what is yours? Separate are the boundaries of the Mysians and Phrygians. Separate are the streams of Marah and Siloam. For the one is not even to be tasted; but by the other diseases were defeated at first, when it was stirred by an angel. You plant a twofold vineyard, and you sow twofold seeds; and the garment is woven from two things; And things not yoked alike you join together. And it was forbidden, if you know, by the law 1215, the interwoven thing, shunning the double way. One is the adornment of women, another of men. One is the height of jackdaws, another of eagles; It is shameful, the imitation of great things by the very small; For it is petty. Let the magicians of Pharaoh clearly persuade you, as they are recorded in history. But if you have been zealous to be one of the wise, do not for me turn only the rod into a serpent; I seek all things, and to be the great Aaron; But if you are ranked with the magicians of the Egyptians, If it is good, practice it all immediately; No one envies you for a good imitation; If it is bad, away with it

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σαρκῶν ἐσφράγισται τιμίοις Ἐσκληκότων εὐχῇ τε καὶ πολλοῖς πόνοις, Οἷς ἡ παλαιὰ γεῦσις ἐτρύχωσέ με Εἰς γῆν στραφέντα τὴν ταπεινὴν μητέρα, 1209 Ῥίγει τε, πείνῃ, καὶ στενοῖς ῥακώμασι Ποθῶν λαβεῖν ἔνδυμα τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν, Καὶ γαστρὸς ὕβριν ἐνδεεῖ καθύβρισε Τροφῇ, τὸ θνήσκειν μνώμενος καθ' ἡμέραν. Τροφὴν γὰρ οἶδεν ἀγγέλων ἁπλῆν Θεόν. Οὗτος πένης νῦν, ἦ δ' ὅτε ζάπλουτος ἦν· Ἀλλ' ἐκβολὴν ἔστερξε, καὶ κοῦφος πλέει, Ῥίψας πένησιν, οὐ βυθῷ, τὸ φορτίον. Οὗτος φυγὼν πόλεις τε καὶ δήμου κρότους, Καὶ τὴν ζάλην, ἣ πάντα τἀν μέσῳ στρέφει, Τοῦ νοῦ τὸ κάλλος τῷ Θεῷ συνήρμοσε, Μόνος τὰ θεῖα καὶ μόνῳ κοινούμενος. Οὗτος τὸ καλὸν σῶμα (πῶς γὰρ οὐ καλὸν 1210 Τὸ τῶν ἀρίστων) μαργάροις συνέκλεισε, ∆εσμοῖς σιδηροῖς, λαθρίῳ κοσμήματι, Σφίγξας ἑαυτὸν οὐδὲν ἠδικηκότα, Ὡς μήποθ' ὑβρίσειεν ὢν ἐλεύθερος, Καὶ συνδέων αἴσθησιν αὐτῷ τὴν πλάνην. Τούτῳ τὸ Πνεῦμ' ἔδειξε γράμματος βάθη, Λῦσαν τὰ πολλῶν ἐσφραγισμένα φρεσί. Τοιαῦτα κάλλη καὶ σύ μοι φράζειν τὰ σά· Οἶκος, γυνὴ σφριγῶσα, τεκνίων ὁδὸς, Κτῆσις, κελευσταὶ, πράκτορες, βοαὶ, δίκαι, Ἅπαντα μεστὰ φροντίδων καὶ πραγμάτων. Τράπεζα φλεγμαίνουσα τῶν ἀοιδίμων Ταῖς ὀψοποιῶν καὶ κερασμάτων πλοκαῖς, 1211 Γῆς καὶ θαλάσσης καρποφορούντων ἐντέροις (Ἐξ ὧν ὁ νοῦς βαπτίζετ', οὐδ' ἔχει πλάτος), Μύροις, γέλωσι, ψαλμάτων συνουλίαις, Οἷς κυμβάλων δεῖ καὶ ποδὸς ψοφημάτων. Ἄλλοι δὲ λύσσης ἔμπλεοι τῆς συμφύτου, Νοσοῦντες, οἰδαίνοντες, ἐστιλβωμένοι Γυναιξὶν, ἄρτι νυμφίοι, τὸ μέτριον, Οὔπω λύσαντες παστάδας γαμηλίους, Ἣ καὶ πόθοις συζῶντες ἀζύγοις ἔτι, Πρὶν καὶ παρειὰν, ἀνδρικῷ κοσμήματι, Θριξὶν καλύψαι, παντελῶς ἀρτίχνοοι, Νέοι τὸ σῶμα, τὸν τρόπον νεώτεροι, Ἢ καὶ παλαιῶν ἡμερῶν, πλήρεις κακῶν· Ἔπειτ' ἀσάρκων εἰσὶ τέκνων προστάται, Ἃ πνεῦμα τίκτει σαρκὸς ἐξενωμένον. 1212 Τιμᾷν πάθη μαθόντες, οἷς πεπόνθασι, Συνήγοροι σφῶν ἐν κακοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις. ∆ιδόντες, ὥσπερ λαμβάνουσ', ἐξουσίαν. Οὗτοι μὲν οὕτως· καὶ τάχ' ἂν καὶ βελτίους Αὑτῶν γενόμενοι, κωλύονται τοῖς θρόνοις. Τὸ γὰρ κρατεῖν τὸν ἄφρονα ποιεῖ χείρονα. Ὁ δ' ἐγκρατὴς ἕστηκεν ἠτιμωμένος, Κάτω νενευκὼς, πρὸς Θεὸν μόνον βλέπων, Στέργων μαθητοῦ χώραν, οὗ μηδ' ἄξιος Ἴσως μαθητὴς, οὗτος ὁ νῦν διδάσκαλος. Εἴπερ τὸ κρατεῖν οὐ τόπῳ γνωρίζεται. Τοιαῦτ' ἐν ἡμῖν ἰσχύειν τὸν βάσκανον! Οὕτω σοφίζετ' εὐστόχοις πονηρίαις, Ὅταν δῆμόν τιν', ἢ πόλιν πλῆξαι θέλῃ. Πρὸς οἷς ἑκάστου πειρᾶται, καὶ σύντομον 1213 Νόμον δίδωσι πονηρίας τὸν προστάτην· Ἔπειτα χαλκὸς χρυσὸν ἠμφιεσμένος, Ἢ καὶ χαμαιλέοντος ἔκστασις χρόας, Πώγων, κατηφὲς ἦθος, αὐχένος κλάσις, Φωνὴ βραχεῖα, πιστὸς ἐσκευασμένος, Νωθρὸν βάδισμα, πάντα, πλὴν φρενὸς, σοφὸς, Τὸ πρῶτον ἐν πρώτοις τε τῶν νυνὶ καλῶν, Ἐφοὺδ τὸ σεπτὸν, ἢ Σαμουὴλ διπλοῒς, Σκίμπους ταπεινὸς, οὐδ' ὅλως δεσμούμενος, Τὰ πρὸς κάρηνον παρθένων κοσμήματι Λίνῳ περισφίγγων τε καὶ σακκούμενος, Τὰ πρόσθεν εὐχῆς σύμβολα προκείμενα. 1214 Πῶς μή τι ῥήξω ῥῆμα τῶν ἐμοὶ ξένων; Οὐκ ἂν δυναίμην μή τι καὶ θυμοῦ φέρειν Κύβευμ'. Ἐπίσχες, ἢ τρυφὴν, ἢ τὰς τρίχας. Τί καὶ τὰ μὴ σὰ, καὶ τὰ σὰ ζητεῖς ἔχειν; Χωρὶς τὰ Μυσῶν καὶ Φρυγῶν ὁρίσματα. Χωρὶς τὰ Μεῤῥᾶς καὶ Σιλωὰμ ῥεύματα. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲ γευστά· τῶν δὲ καὶ νόσοι Ἡττῶντο πρῶτον ἀγγέλῳ κινουμένων. ∆ιπλοῦν φυτεύεις ἀμπελῶνα, δισσὰ δὲ Σπείρεις· τὸ δ' ἔνδυμ' ἐκ δυοῖν ὑφασμένον· Τὰ δ' οὐχ ὁμοζυγοῦντα συζυγῆ τιθεῖς. Ἀπηγόρευτο δ', εἴπερ οἶσθα, τῷ νόμῳ 1215 Τὸ πλεκτὸν, ἐκκλίναντι τὸν δισσὸν τρόπον Ἄλλος γυναικῶν κόσμος, ἄλλος ἀῤῥένων. Ἄλλο κολοιῶν ὕψος, ἄλλο δ' αἰετῶν· Αἰσχρὸν μεγάλων μίμησις ἐν μικροῖς λίαν· Μικροπρεπὲς γάρ. Οἱ Φαραὼ φαρμακοὶ Σαφῶς σε πειθέτωσαν ἱστορούμενοι. Ἀλλ' εἴ τις εἶναι τῶν σοφῶν ἐσπούδακας, Μή μοι μόνην τὴν ῥάβδον εἰς ὄφιν τρέπειν· Ζητῶ τὰ πάντα, κ' εἶναι τὸν μέγαν Ἀαρών· Εἰ δ' ἐντέταξαι σὺν μάγοις Αἰγυπτίων, Εἰ καλὸν, ἐξάσκησον εὐθέως ὅλον· Οὐδεὶς φθόνος σοι τῆς καλῆς μιμήσεως· Εἰ φαῦλον, ἐκτὸς