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gave me a share, no one sympathetic, no one merciful, no one grieving with me.” And I am a wanderer and a servant. Oh, the calamity! No one pitied the woman nor lightened her poverty, but the king’s wife served for hire and was exposed to the open air. It seems to me they also considered her to be some kind of lawless person because of her misfortune. “‘Homeless, cityless, houseless I wander,’ she says, ‘through the city, not even finding servitude nor being able to get hired service itself with ease; I wait at others’ doors as if striving to teach everyone my misfortunes. It is not possible to conceal the shame of my poverty in a single house, but I must be paraded and made an example everywhere. How much more grievous is this misfortune than the death of the children! Everywhere I go about as a teacher of evils.’” And what I said from the beginning, that for this reason God allowed a long time to pass, so that after the change the misfortune would not be disbelieved, and for this reason he was exposed to the open air, so that all might see, this can also be said of his wife: so that, when they see her changed and become better and blessed with good and many children, those who had even given her wages for her toils might not disbelieve her former misfortune. 46 2,9dβ going, he says, from place to place and from house to house, 9dξ waiting for the sun to set,- naturally, for the woman had been brought up as a free person. 2,9dδ that I may rest from my toils and from the pains that surround me, 9dε which now afflict me. He means the great toil and the wandering and the servitude. 2,9e But say a word against the Lord, and die. See, after narrating the tragedy in detail, then she brings in the shameless counsel, not daring to say these things before this, but first making the advice seem somewhat plausible, then she injects the poison, and not even that openly. She did not say, ‘Blaspheme,’ but, ‘Say a word against the Lord, and die.’ “‘For what reason? Do you know that the matter is death? And what comfort is there for you from my death? What consolation?’” For those who give evil counsel do not dare to introduce the counsel unveiled, but with obscurity they cloak the evil of the advice. “‘That which you did not dare to advise, this you advise me to endure? For why do you not say what word?’” “‘From every side the harbors have been blocked up for you, the children have been destroyed, the wife fares more pitiably than all, the body is in such a state as you yourself see; one comfort is left, one way of deliverance, to say something against God.’" “‘What are you saying, woman? When it is necessary to propitiate, necessary to be reconciled, you advise rather to provoke? For if God has done these things, one must beseech him, not blaspheme; but if not he, not even so should one blaspheme. Why do you intensify the addition of my terrible things for me through the release from my terrible things? How do you think? For how is it clear that I will both speak and die? And what if after speaking I am again encompassed by greater terrors?’” But he said none of these things. But how did she not say to him, ‘Destroy yourself,’ but advises and counsels that which the devil most desired? 47 As formerly through the serpent, so now through the woman. “‘If I accuse God,’ he says, ‘he does not accept the counsel. I raise up the terrible things. Pity me.’” And what comfort from the terrible things will you have when he is gone? What consolation? Will it not rather be intensified? For now it is possible to hope for something good, but then no longer, but inconsolable widowhood. It seems to me she is also ashamed. Whom would these things not have disturbed? Whom would the things being said not have made dizzy? What then of this noble and God-loving man? 2,10a But looking at her he said. And well did he say: looking at her. He revealed his anger through his gaze, his words not being sufficient to rebuke her. And see how moderately; he uttered no word of anger or displeasure; he both recognized the woman and did not accept the counsel. He did not say, ‘You are foolish and senseless,’ but what? 2,10b Why have you spoken like one of the foolish women? that is: ‘nothing worthy of yourself nor of your upbringing and of the instruction from me

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μετέδωκεν, οὐδεὶς συμπαθής, οὐδεὶς ἐλεήμων, οὐδεὶς συναλγῶν». καὶ ἐγὼ πλανῆτις καὶ λάτρις. ὢ τῆς συμφορᾶς· οὐδεὶς ἠλέει τὴν γυναῖκα οὐδὲ τὴν πενίαν ἐπεκούφιζεν, ἀλλ' ἐθήτευε καὶ αἴθριος ἦν ἡ τοῦ βασιλέως σύνοικος. ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ καὶ παράνομόν τινα αὐτὴν ἀπὸ τῆς συμφορᾶς ἐνόμιζον εἶναι. «ἀνέστιος, ἄπολις, ἄοικος πλανῶμαι», φησίν, «κατὰ τὴν πόλιν οὐδὲ δουλείας εὐποροῦσα οὐδὲ τὴν θητείαν αὐτὴν ἐξ εὐκολίας δυναμένη λαβεῖν· ταῖς ἑτέρων προσεδρεύω θύραις καθάπερ φιλονεικοῦσα πάντας τὰς ἐμαυτῆς διδάξαι συμφοράς. οὐδὲ ἐν οἰκίᾳ μιᾷ καταστεῖλαι τῆς πενίας τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην ἔστιν, ἀλλὰ πανταχοῦ με δεῖ ἐκπομπεύεσθαι καὶ παραδειγματίζεσθαι. πόσῳ αὕτη τῆς τῶν παίδων τελευτῆς ἡ συμφορὰ χαλεπωτέρα· πανταχοῦ περίειμι διδάσκαλος τῶν κακῶν.» ὅπερ δὲ ἐξ ἀρχῆς εἶπον, ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο καὶ χρόνον πολὺν συνεχώρησεν ὁ θεὸς γενέσθαι, ἵνα μὴ μετὰ τὴν μεταβολὴν ἀπιστηθῇ ἡ συμφορά, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο αἴθριος, ἵνα πάντες ὁρῶσιν, τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γυναικὸς ἔστιν εἰπεῖν· ἵνα, ὅταν ἴδωσιν αὐτὴν μεταβαλλομένην καὶ βελτίω γεγενημένην καὶ εὔπαιδα καὶ πολύπαιδα, μὴ ἀπιστῶσιν αὐτῆς τῇ προτέρᾳ συμφορᾷ οἱ καὶ μισθὸν αὐτῇ τῶν μόχθων παρεσχηκότες. 46 2,9dβ τόπον, φησίν, ἐκ τόπου περιερχομένη καὶ οἰκίαν ἐξ οἰκίας, 9dξ προσδεχομένη τὸν ἥλιον πότε δύσῃ,- εἰκότως, ἐλευθερίως γὰρ ἦν ἀνατραφεῖσα ἡ γυνή. 2,9dδ ἵνα ἀναπαύσωμαι τῶν μόχθων μου καὶ τῶν περιεχουσῶν με ὀδυνῶν, 9dεαἵ με νῦν συνέχουσιν. τὸν πολὺν πόνον φησὶ καὶ τὴν πλάνην καὶ τὴν λατρείαν. 2,9e ἀλλ' εἶπόν τι ῥῆμα πρὸς κύριον καὶ τελεύτα. ὅρα, μετὰ τὸ τὴν τραγῳδίαν ἀκριβῶς διηγήσασθαι τότε τὴν ἀναίσχυντον ἐπάγει συμβουλὴν οὐ τολμήσασα πρὸ τούτου ταῦτα εἰπεῖν, ἀλλὰ πρότερον δείξασα πιθανήν τινα τὴν παραίνεσιν, τότε τὸ δηλητήριον ἐνίησι καὶ οὐδὲ αὐτὸ φανερῶς. οὐκ εἶπεν· «βλασφήμησον», ἀλλ' εἶπόν τι ῥῆμα πρὸς κύριον καὶ τελεύτα. «τίνος ἕνεκεν; ἆρα οἶδας, ὅτι τελευτὴ τὸ πρᾶγμά ἐστιν; ποία δέ σοι παραμυθία ἀπὸ τῆς ἐμῆς τελευτῆς; τίς παραψυχή;» οἱ γὰρ τὰ πονηρὰ συμβουλεύοντες οὐ τολμῶσιν ἀνακεκαλυμμένην εἰσάγειν τὴν συμβουλήν, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἀσαφείᾳ περιστέλλουσι τὸ πονηρὸν τῆς παραινέσεως. «ὅπερ οὐκ ἐτόλμησας συμβουλεῦσαι, τοῦτό με ὑπομεῖναι παραινεῖς; διὰ τί γὰρ μὴ λέγεις, ποῖον ῥῆμα;» «πανταχόθεν σοι προσεχώσθησαν οἱ λιμένες, τὰ παιδία ἀνῄρηται, ἡ γυνὴ πάντων ἐλεεινότερον πράττει, τὸ σῶμα οὕτω διάκειται, ὥσπερ αὐτὸς ὁρᾷς· μία ὑπολέλειπται παραμυθία, εἷς ἀπαλλαγῆς τρόπος, εἰπεῖν τι πρὸς τὸν θεόν.» «τί λέγεις, ὦ γύναι; δέον ἐξιλεώσασθαι, δέον καταλλάξαι παροξῦναι μᾶλλον παραινεῖς; εἰ γὰρ ὁ θεὸς ταῦτα ἐποίησεν, παρακαλέσαι αὐτόν, οὐ βλασφημῆσαι δεῖ, εἰ δὲ οὐκ αὐτός, οὐδὲ οὕτω βλασφημεῖν. τί μοι τὴν τῶν δεινῶν ἐπιθήκην ἐπιτείνεις διὰ τῆς τῶν δεινῶν λύσεως; πῶς οἴει; πόθεν γὰρ δῆλον, ὅτι καὶ ἐρῶ καὶ τελευτήσω; ἂν δὲ μετὰ τὸ εἰπεῖν πάλιν μείζοσι περιβάλλωμαι δεινοῖς;» ἀλλ' οὐδὲν τούτων εἶπεν. πῶς δὲ οὐκ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· «διάχρησαι σαυτόν», ἀλλ' ὃ μάλιστα ἐπεθύμει ὁ διάβολος, τοῦτο συμβουλεύει καὶ παραινεῖ; 47 ὥσπερ διὰ τοῦ ὄφεως πρότερον, οὕτω διὰ τῆς γυναικὸς νῦν. «ἂν κατηγορήσω τοῦ θεοῦ», φησίν, «οὐ δέχεται τὴν συμβουλήν. ἐπαίρω τὰ δεινά. ἐμὲ ἐλέησον.» καὶ ποία σοι τῶν δεινῶν παραμυθία ἀπελθόντος τούτου; τίς παραψυχή; οὐχὶ δὲ μᾶλλον ἐπιταθήσεται; νῦν μὲν γὰρ ἐλπίσαι ἔστι τι χρηστόν, τότε δὲ οὐκέτι, ἀλλὰ χηρεία ἀπαραμύθητος. ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ καὶ αἰσχύνεσθαι αὐτήν. τίνα οὐκ ἂν ἐθορύβησε ταῦτα; τίνα οὐκ ἂν ἰλιγγιάσαι ἐποίησε τὰ λεγόμενα; τί οὖν ὁ γενναῖος οὗτος καὶ φιλόθεος ἀνήρ; 2,10a ὁ δὲ ἐμβλέψας αὐτῇ εἶπεν. καὶ καλῶς εἶπεν· ἐμβλέψας αὐτῇ. τὸν θυμὸν ἐνέφηνε διὰ τῆς ὄψεως οὐκ ἀρκούντων τῶν ῥημάτων αὐτῆς καθάψασθαι. καὶ ὅρα, πῶς μεμετρημένως· οὐδὲν χαλεπαίνοντος οὐδὲ δυσχεραίνοντος ῥῆμα προήκατο· καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα ἐπέγνω καὶ τὴν συμβουλὴν οὐκ ἐδέξατο. οὐκ εἶπεν· «ἄφρων εἶ καὶ ἀνόητος», ἀλλὰ τί; 2,10b ἵνα τί ὥσπερ μία τῶν ἀφρόνων γυναικῶν οὕτως ἐλάλησας; τουτέστιν· «οὐδὲν ἄξιον σαυτῆς οὐδὲ τῆς ἀνατροφῆς καὶ τῆς παρ' ἐμοῦ παιδεύσεως