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With such laws they fought for virtue; But we, in turn, have set up a prize for wickedness. O death! What singer skilled in dirges could bewail these things? Hold back, friends; let us cease toiling in recklessness. May God at last be honored with pure sacrifices. 1243 If we were to obey, we would benefit; but if the gray hair and the audacity of the young were to hide my word, or like a destructive cloud of jackdaws croaking at me in their folly, I call to witness the hand of immortal God, and that dark Day, which feeds on the light, last matter with fire, I am certainly not of one throne with them, nor a co-worker, Nor a fellow counselor, nor a fellow sailor, nor a fellow traveler. But let them go on their own way; but I seek Noah's ark, so that I may escape a dreadful fate. And then may I flee, remaining far from evils, And the fiery, bitter, and unspeakable rain of Sodom, Whose bond holds this wandering mind, having gathered it within, 1244 Entirely looking inward, laughing at the storms of life, Which shamefully defile the faces even of the prudent, And ever engraving divine thoughts in my heart, Unmixed with hands, translucent, drawing near to the light of the thrice-radiant Godhead, with pressing longings may I come to the gracious throne of immortal God; Where all things are manifest, and the more so, equally balanced then, when the scale is in the hands of the righteous-judging God.

XIV. To himself, and to those who envy him, and the acrostic is thus. Of Gregory

the trifles and groans of a priest. Rejoice, you to whom it is dear, in our sufferings. 1245 This foolish talk of ours has something elegant. From iambics another meter is born. Come to the acrostics, and you will know clearly. I am an old man, and experienced in many evils. For a wrinkle is experience of affairs, Which for the most part produces wisdom. But my old age has not yet seen so great an evil As this present one, in a long time. And it would be easiest to learn in a short speech. The leaders of the people stood unlawfully opposite, Fenced in with arms and anger and envy, Seething with insolence, like a savage fire, They stood, and the whole world was rent apart. 1246 But I, the refined one (for I did not think small thoughts), I had no way to strike the wicked with a staff; (Indeed, know you, I would have bought this at any price, even now;) But what was possible, I did; I held to the two stones, Imitating the Savior, the cornerstone. But, as they say, for lions or bristling swine Managing my temper, in the midst of the clash, I did not stop the insolence, and I was crushed. For it is easier to suffer than to do any of the noble things. A witness, indeed; growing weary of suffering more I was very quickly delivered from a double danger. But it is not possible to bear insolence easily, Always present, a very long day. 1247 Whoever does not know these things, is not near us. One task for them, the double plots against us. Let them stand as one. If I departed from the thrones, What is greater than this? But if I was cast out unwillingly, Of what are those who dared these things worthy? Now I am enthroned, but tomorrow dethroned. Could anyone find even a false account of this? Christ, I dare to say something of what is in my heart. They bewitch my contests and my stones; Perhaps the Spirit is being struck, I bear it clearly, The Spirit (hear ye!), as God, I say again. To me you are God, and a third time I cry out, God. This is it: Throw, aim well with your stones. 1248 I have stood as an unswerving target of the truth, Spitting out the whizzing of words and darts. The Father for us is the root and source of good things; From Him is the begotten light, Son and Word, Seal of the unoriginate; and the Spirit, timeless nature; God, my God, and God, a threefold unity. There is no one who will prevent me from saying these things. Let my Trinity know; time will not change the word. Let all things be shaken; may God not be turned for me. For it is the same to dishonor one thing, as to dishonor all. I have a voice, you have cities and brilliant thrones. I stop my tongue; (O beautiful tyranny!) May I shine, a lamp placed upon a lampstand. 1249 May I illumine the whole inhabited world. Now these things; a little later, new thrones, And a lawful order of first and second. Or misfortune here would have been dreadful, If God were not later turning the dice. I think it unworthy to be attached to the good things here, You may make a libation to this world, but I to God, So that I might bear unpleasant things with ease. Night hides all things, day is illumined. Indeed many

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τοίοισι νόμοις ἀρετῆς προμάχιζον· Ἡμεῖς δ' αὖ κακίῃ γέρα θήκαμεν· ὢ θανάτοιο! Τίς τάδε θρηνήσειε γόων πολύϊδρις ἀοιδός; Σχέσθε, φίλοι· λήξωμεν ἀτασθαλίῃ μογέοντες· Ὀψέ ποτ' εὐαγέεσσι Θεὸς τίοιτο θυηλαῖς. 1243 Εἰ μὲν δὴ πεπίθοιμεν, ὀνησόμεθ'· εἰ δὲ καλύπτοι Μῦθον ἐμὸν πολιήν τε νέων θράσος, ἠὲ κολοιῶν Οὖλον ἐπικρώζοντες ἐμοὶ νέφος ἀφραδίῃσι, Μαρτύρομ' ἀθανάτοιο Θεοῦ χέρα, καὶ τὸ κελαινὸν Ἦμαρ, ὃ τὴν κούφην πυρὶ βόσκεται ὕστατον ὕλην, Οὐ μὲν ἐγὼ κείνοισιν ὁμόθρονος, οὐχ ὁμοεργὸς, Οὐδέ τι συμφράδμων, οὐ σύμπλοος, οὐ συνοδίτης. Ἀλλ' οἱ μὲν περόῳεν ἑὴν ὁδόν· αὐτὰρ ἔγωγε Ζητῶ Νῶε κιβωτὸν, ὅπως μόρον αἰνὸν ἀλύξω. Αὐτὰρ ἔπειτα φύγοιμι, κακῶν ἄπο τηλόθι μίμνων, Καὶ Σοδόμων πυρόεντα πικρὸν καὶ ἀθέσφατον ὄμβρον, Ὦν ὅδε δεσμὸς ἔχει πλάγκτην νόον ἔνδον ἀγείρας, 1244 Εἴσω πᾶς ὁρόων, γελόων βιότοιο θυέλλας, Αἵ ῥά τε καὶ πινυῶν αἰσχρῶς κονίουσι πρόσωπα, Αἰεί τε πραπίδεσσι νοήματα θεῖα χαράσσων, Χείροσιν οὐκ ἐπίμικτα, διαυγέα, φωτὶ πελάζων Τρισσοφαοῦς θεότητος, ἐπειγομένοισι πόθοισιν Ἵλαον ἀθανάτοιο Θεοῦ πρὸς θῶκον ἱκοίμην· Ἔνθα τε πάντ' ἀναφανδὰ, τὸ δὲ πλέον ἰσοτάλαντον Τῆμος ὅτ' ἐν χείρεσσι Θεοῦ ζυγὸν ὀρθοδίκοιο.

Ι∆ʹ. Εἰς ἑαυτὸν, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς φθονοῦντας, ἡ δὲ ἀκροστιχὶς οὕτως. Γρηγορίου

ἱερῆος ἀθύρματά τε στοναχαί τε. Τέρπεσθ', οἷσι φίλον, πήμασιν ἡμετέροις. 1245 Ἔχει τι κομψὸν ἡμῖν ἡ ληρῳδία. Ἐκ τῶν ἰάμβων ἄλλο μέτρον τίκτεται. Ἀκροστίχοις πρόσελθε, καὶ γνώσῃ σαφῶς. Γέρων μέν εἰμι, καὶ κακῶν πολλῶν ἴδρις. Ῥυτὶς γάρ ἐστι πραγμάτων ἐμπειρία, Ἣ δὴ φρόνησιν ὡς τὰ πόλλ' ἐργάζεται. Γῆρας δὲ τοὐμὸν οὐδέπω τόσον κακὸν, Ὅσον τονῦν, εἰσεῖδεν ἐν μακρῷ χρόνῳ. Ῥᾷστον δ' ἂν εἴη καὶ μαθεῖν βραχεῖ λόγῳ. Ἵσταντ' ἀθέσμως ἀντίοι λαοῦ πρόμοι, Ὄπλοις χόλῳ τε καὶ φθόνῳ πεφραγμένοι, Ὕβρει ζέοντες, ἀγρίου πυρὸς δίκην, Ἵστανθ', ὅλη δὲ συσχιδὴς οἰκουμένη. 1246 Ἐγὼ δ' ὁ κομψὸς (οὐ γὰρ ἐφρόνουν μικρὰ), Ῥάβδῳ μὲν εἶχον οὐδαμῶς πλήσσειν κακούς· (Ἦ παντὸς ἂν τόδ', ἴστε, καὶ νῦν ἐπριάμην·) Ὃ δ' ἦν, ἔπραττον· εἰχόμην ἀμφοῖν λίθοιν, Σωτῆρα τὸν ἀκρόγωνον ἐκμιμούμενος. Ἀλλ', ὡς λέουσιν ἢ συσὶ πεφρικόσι Θυμὸν διαιτῶν, ἐν μέσῳ συῤῥήξεως, Ὕβριν τε οὐκ ἔπαυσα, καὶ συνετρίβην. Ῥᾷον παθεῖν γὰρ, ἤ τι τῶν καλῶν δράσαι. Μάρτυς μὲν, ἀκμὴ τοῦ παθεῖν κάμνων πλέον Ἀπηλλάγην τάχιστα δισσοῦ κινδύνου. Τὴν δ' ὕβριν οὐκ ἔνεστιν εὐπετῶς φέρειν, Ἀεὶ παροῦσαν ἡμέραν μηκιστάτην. 1247 Ταῦθ' ὅστις οὐκ ἐπίστατ', οὐδ' ἡμῶν πέλας. Ἓν ἔργον αὐτοῖς, αἱ καθ' ἡμῶν διπλόαι Στήτωσαν εἰς ἕν. Εἰ μὲν ἐξέστην θρόνων, Τούτου τί μεῖζον; εἰ δ' ἀπεῤῥίφην ἄκων, Οἱ ταῦτα τολμήσαντες οἵων ἄξιοι; Νῦν ἐνθρονίζομ', αὔριον δ' ἀπόθρονος. Ἄρ' ἄν τις εὕροι τοῦδε καὶ ψευδῆ λόγον; Χριστὲ, φράσαι τολμῶ τι τῶν ἐν καρδίᾳ. Ἀγῶσι βασκαίνουσι καὶ λίθοις ἐμοῖς· Ἴσως τὸ Πνεῦμα βάλλεται, φέρω σαφῶς, Τὸ Πνεῦμ' (ἀκούσαθ'), ὡς Θεὸς, πάλιν λέγω. Ἐμοὶ Θεὸς σὺ, καὶ τρίτον βοῶ, Θεὸς Τοῦτ' ἔστι, Βάλλετ', εὐστοχεῖτε τοῖς λίθοις. 1248 Ἕστηκ' ἄτρεπτος τῆς ἀληθείας σκοπὸς, Ῥοῖζον λόγων τε καὶ βελῶν διαπτύων. Πατὴρ μὲν ἡμῖν ῥίζα καὶ πηγὴ καλῶν· Ἐκ τοῦδε φῶς γεννητὸν, Υἱὸς καὶ Λόγος, Σφράγισμ' ἀνάρχου· Πνεῦμά τ' ἄχρονος φύσις· Θεὸς, Θεός μου, καὶ Θεὸς, τρισσὴ μονάς. Οὐκ ἔστιν ὅς με ταῦτα κωλύσει λέγειν. Ἴστω Τριάς μου· καιρὸς οὐ τρέψει λόγον. Σείοιτο πάντα· μὴ τρέποιτ' ἐμοὶ Θεός. Ἴσον γὰρ ἕν τι, καὶ τὸ πᾶν ἀτιμάσαι. Φωνὴν ἔχω, πόλεις σὺ καὶ λαμπροὺς θρόνους. Ἵστημι γλῶσσαν· (ὢ καλῆς τυραννίδος!) Λάμποιμι λύχνος λυχνίας ὑπερτεθείς. 1249 Ὅλην καταστράπτοιμι τὴν οἰκουμένην. Νῦν ταῦτα· μικρὸν ὕστερον καινοὶ θρόνοι, Πρώτων τε δευτέρων τε τάξις ἔννομος. Ἢ δεινὸν ἦν ἂν ἡ τῇδε δυσπραξία, Μὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ στρέφοντος ὕστερον κύβους. Ἀπαξιῶ τοῖς τῇδε προσκεῖσθαι καλοῖς, Σπένδῃ σὺ κόσμῳ τῷδε, τῷ Θεῷ δ' ἐγὼ, Ἵν' εὐκόλως φέροιμι τὰς ἀηδίας. Νὺξ πάντα κρύπτει, ἡμέρα φωτίζεται. Ἦ πόλλ'