Panegyric orations

 To run against you from an opposing lot, he endured but the pentathlon was accomplished for you and the pancratium was completed with no one having c

 The votes, i imagine the divine judgment and i refer to the incorruptible tribunal. when i test you in elections, i admire your intelligence and your

 From afar it shines on those landing and extends a hand to those from the sea, escorting them to rome most painlessly. what in addition to these does

 Using it and bending and curving it towards the drooping jaw, i remember the indian's eyebrow at this, how he held it more than a cubit above his head

 And to a rival. let others, then, measure you against and compare you with whomever they wish, but i, though i seem to make a strange and dissimilar c

 In prose, not in meters and poems or perhaps many are present, but they have no account of the matter, as if it were of no account to them. and time

 The hegemony of his father, with kingdoms overthrown and not a few changes having occurred in both, those who, having exchanged their fortune for the

 He took counsel of opposing nations, but by making everything purchasable with gold and royal splendors, from this he gained the goodwill of all, and

 Opened, and flung wide the very gates of the soul, and associated with wicked and corrupt lives. for he did not at once know the whole line of the fam

 To work deeds of injustice for he was angry with those who did wrong and would punish them. but when he began to be sick and his body was wasting awa

 Not a magnificent spirit, not a musical and graceful speech, nothing else of the sort that knows how to beautify the soul and the nature of the body.

 Drives a sphere, and the other the superterrestrial one, so that the one might wind its own zone in a single cycle, and the other in twelve cycles, an

 Defining the virtues by its power, and practicing the higher geometry. for this, as proclus also says, has occupied the middle ground between the indi

 The power of the kingdom came to him, besides these the life of david among the flocks, the pursuit, those many dangers into which he fell but was not

 He locks up the monarchy into a tyranny, having exchanged one evil for another. justice is not quiet, it kindles the coals, it sends the arrow, the wi

 I call it his girdle-and he draws away no small cavalry and infantry force from old rome, he adds to these also the best army of the east, and no smal

 An angel wrought a more manifest victory. i have something more to say than those wonders there the cross was in types and images, a bronze serpent s

 You, o king the more abundantly you pour out benefits upon us, the more you increase by being filled. from this, no one has been left out of such wea

 With the eyes, then poured out and dissolved, but better and higher than all that is visible. but, o emperor—for i repeat the title to you and call it

 You fill the western beacon, neither grudging us your rays nor altering the color of your disk, but the more time increases the distances, the more be

 The rising of the sun, the land upon which it immediately rises, so that, if any of our people wished, having gone there he could, not with geometrica

 I am an unskillful chronicler of your deeds and erring in my timing, and i do not have a nature that strikes out in both directions at once. for you a

 To wish. for you both comprehend the present and conjecture the future and discover the unseen, discerning character from eyebrows and eyelids, so tha

 To speak? -unseemly even in his appearance, made of tin or dipped in bile and altogether counterfeit gold, but since he was in the midst of dangers, t

 With stones lying along each side, so that the conjoined may seem continuous and the well-fitted of one nature. behold for me the heights and beauties

 But here is a distinct hand divided into five rosy branches. but this is a most unerring testimony of that godlike soul. but do you wish to see some t

 Transcending substance and holding the principles of the forms folded together and least of all divided from the one. and you, being such, do you not

 The fountains of good deeds flowed, as if from a sheer rock, having received the impetus for their flowing these proclaimed you by reputation even be

 A guide, so also there an arbiter of the administrations, that i may suit you for both, both speaking your deeds and doing the words of your administr

 P]ortions are deprived of praise, but no one of all men has been suited to all words of praise. but to you so much is granted [against] all in all thi

 To bring to the highest point of keenness, or your soul which was not [shattered by] trials, but also most nobly endured through the magnitude of the

 And they were torn away, and their manner altered their nature [....], and they have remained, and after the separation, being both nourished and fatt

 But the love of art and the care concerning the divine sanctuaries, what demostheneses or the best of the writers could describe and praise? how beau

 Having surpassed in his heroic deeds him and the kings up to you, but in his plans he is recorded as being less than his accomplishments, winning in [

 Less, you have given the first place to reason over passion, and you have established the one like some foundation upon the acropolis, but the other y

 Having considered what is seen, but when i also behold the tomb of the queen, and i behold it often whenever i wish to console some hardship of fortun

 To comprehend in a speech. for to whom could the unattainable be attainable, even if he were rich in the homeric power for speeches, or the herodotan

 Admiring and in return is eager to make an image and someone already having constructed a stele for you inscribed the gentle one. therefore solomon

 Much praise and measured against all of time. how then could i summarize the whole in a few words? i will speak, therefore, a little of your virtues,

 Everyone rejoices and exults with the one who has taken up your encomiums and because i did not weave the words of praise sooner, he is rather vexed

 Gracefulness, the maturity of your thought, the symmetry of your greatness, the quick-wittedness, the stability of your mind, the unmarried life, the

 At once for us the lord and most skilled in command and pleasing to all, o most excellent foresight, o wise consideration, o most noble counsel, o div

 Of virtues? you, beyond any kings who ever were, honored justice and preferred philanthropy, and having attained the height of prudence, you appeared

 Accomplishments? o the arrows from heaven against the barbarians, o the unseen bowshots, o the angelic powers in the air, o the divine armies against

 The greatest part of character. for as many as have become of a civic disposition, if they have descended to this willingly, they seemed both prudent

 Of civil administration and of divine hearing. if therefore, being engaged in one, he also holds to the other, let this for now be a secret to many. b

 Of wise men going to ammon's shrine or being within the delphic tripod suddenly transferred their apparent wisdom to the more divine and greater, how

 We have taken starting points, and yet more absurd, if we render praises to the good and noble men who have died, for what they have said concerning w

 And not many months after the sowing, but immediately reaping the harvest and so that i might say what is from the gospel, the two were running toget

 If we should set about to build him up, this marvelous man, both in nature and in diligence, has received much contribution toward his eloquence from

 For having embraced one of these, they might neglect the rest, or putting ears before mind, they have an unintelligible tongue, or having drawn up spr

 Pleases the petty and the overly artful. therefore, of these enumerated wise men, the one now honored in this discourse wishes to imitate gregory, and

 I knew not only what the greeks knew, nor what the chaldeans or egyptians knew, but i had also condemned them, though not all of them, nor has my refu

 With magnanimity, he who was both namesake and like-minded with the great constantine, and who alone nobly contended against all, and taking his name-

 Regulates the state of the church, no less than moses who constructed the tabernacle below according to the pattern shown to him for whether melodies

 Concerning which things, before his high-priesthood, at a time when he did not even have many resources of money, he constructed brilliantly and accom

 And to impart to others. and perhaps he did not endure the waves of the sea, but in his toils on land he might in some way be compared to paul. and co

 One of two things happening, either god descending into the mind, or the mind ascending to god. but what is the place of god's rest, or by which of al

 Of a voice, nor were you instructed by any of the higher powers, to lay aside the symbols of the priesthood, and to transfer yourself to another life,

 Nothing unpleasant would happen to those handling these things but for you, who happen to be a philosopher, what harm will come from these affairs? j

 Of words but you, o king, will both speak publicly among the armies and bring an impulse with your speech and will rouse them together for the deed.

 May you be crowned on the head with glorious trophies. may you be adorned with deeds of valor against the barbarians, and be escorted by many victorie

 May you rend the sea and stop the river and vanquish amalek. may a cloud, giving shade over your head, take away your burning heat, and a pillar of li

with stones lying along each side, so that the conjoined may seem continuous and the well-fitted of one nature. Behold for me the heights and beauties of the temples and the fine proportion and symmetry in all things, and groves and meadows and shores and bays, possessing safety with their beauty. But you will not be wholly delighted by the eyes nor will you smile at everything you see. For the sacred bell will rouse you in the middle of the night and you will be set up on the holy ground, and now you will strike up the psalter's melody, using yourself as a psaltery stretched with ten strings—for so many are the general powers of the composite being—and now you will compose some other of the divine odes. After which you will not go to Pytho nor to the temple of Ammon nor to be trained in chariot-driving, but to a sacred hospice, where sickness is not philosophized about, perhaps, but is healed, and mutilation of the body is cleansed away and the paralyzed is strengthened and the lame man leaps and he who was near death feels no pain; for lying on a soft and high pallet instead of a bed on the ground, he gladly sips the cup of the end. There indeed I once beheld you. Your step was lofty, but the deed was utter emptying and condescension. But why does the blush flower up again for you? For those things which you yourself philosophize by doing and are not puffed up by hearing, for others these become inducements of zeal and a goad to like imitation. And do not block my hearing; for the whole will be told in brief. You imitated your Jesus; and with the cloak and the diadem, pressing your head to the feet of those being cared for in the hospital, with your tears you washed and wiped them, with the skin of your face removing the filth that lay upon them. But stand aside from these things, O spectator, and you, go up for me a little to the acropolis on high; but why, leaning forward, do you cry out that you are like a giant or like the light of Asteropaeus, while our stature is but as high as a man's knee? but you too will suffer these things when your turn comes. Do you see, O king, what you have made of a philosopher? For I wander among the spectacles concerning you, and having become wholly part of the events, I seem to be acting, not speaking. Whence I am restored again and lead the spectator around with my speech, not to the Thessalian Tempe nor to the outer courts of the Egyptians. For what have I to do with these, or with the Sphinx nailed up there? But where? And I hold my tongue. Again, therefore, I will ask; where? And behold, I am confounded, as you see. This is the third and fourth time, and my voice fails along with my speech. It is time then for a struggle, and I must be brave; and gathering a little breath, I will speak. Where, then, do I lead the spectator? To the queen's coffin; but how did I endure to say it, when I grew numb to see it? How did I name it a tomb, which I honored as a throne? For these things take away my lips, cut out my tongue, punish me as one who has blasphemed. But if you show philanthropy again, I too will rephrase the expression and change my course. Where, then, do I lead the spectator? To the divine palace, to the tabernacle of testimony, to the resting place of your ark, where the symbols of truth have been hung. To others, then, what is seen seems sufficient, and they are astonished at your goodwill and consider the recompense sufficient; but I think and say this, that for both of you—for you because of your pure and spiritual union with her, and for her because of her supernatural and heavenly excellence—these things are a small fraction and like images and types of true paradigms. But if anyone wishes to see something higher than a type, let him behold the rose-bush that has sprouted from unusual matter. For rocks have gushed forth streams and bitter waters have been changed into another quality, and a barren root has brought forth fruit and another piece of wood after being cut has sprouted against expectation, and waters are akin to stones, and for other materials to sprout and to blossom, but silver and bronze now for the first time and against all nature have burst forth without moisture into the pangs of flowering, and the manner is strange and the form stranger still. For in those cases, growth runs together with generation,

λίθοις κειμένοις παρ' ἑκάστην πλευράν, ἵνα συνεχὲς δόξῃ τὸ συνημμένον καὶ τὸ ἡρμοσμένον ὁμοφυές. ὅρα μοι καὶ ναῶν ὕψη καὶ κάλλη καὶ τὴν ἐν ἅπασιν εὐαρμοστίαν καὶ συμμετρίαν, ἄλση τε καὶ λειμῶνας καὶ ἀκτὰς καὶ κόλπους, μετὰ κάλλους τὸ ἀσφαλὲς ἔχοντας. Ἀλλ' οὐ πάντῃ τερφθήσῃ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς οὐδ' ἐφ' ὅλοις προσμειδιάσῃ τοῖς ὁρωμένοις. ἐξεγερεῖ γάρ σε μέσης νυκτὸς ὁ κώδων ὁ ἱερὸς καὶ τοῖς θείοις ἐνστηλωθήσῃ ἐδάφεσι, καὶ νῦν μὲν τὸ ψαλμικὸν ἀνακρούσῃ μέλος, ψαλτηρίῳ σαυτῷ χρησάμενος δέκα ἐντεταμένῳ χορδαῖς- τοσαῦται γὰρ αἱ γενικαὶ τοῦ συνθέτου δυνάμεις-νῦν δ' ἄλλο τι μουσουργήσεις τῶν θείων ᾠδῶν. μεθ' ἃ βαδίσεις οὐ Πυθῶδε οὐδὲ ἐς Ἄμμωνος οὐδὲ ἐς ἱππήλατον γυμνασόμενος, ἀλλ' ἐς ἱερὸν πολυάνδριον, ἔνθα νόσος οὐ φιλοσοφεῖται μὲν ἴσως, θεραπεύεται δέ, καὶ λώβη σώματος ἐκκαθαίρεται καὶ παρειμένος συσφίγγεται καὶ χωλὸς ἅλλεται καὶ ὁ πρὸς τῷ θανεῖν γενόμενος οὐκ ἀλγεῖ· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς χαμεύνης ἐπὶ στιβάδος κείμενος μαλακῆς τε καὶ ὑψηλῆς ἡδέως ἀπορροφεῖ τὸ τοῦ τέλους ποτήριον. ἐνταῦθα δή σέ ποτε τεθέαμαι. ἦν δέ σοι τὸ μὲν βῆμα μετέωρον, τὸ δὲ πρᾶγμα κένωσις ἄκρα καὶ συγκατάβασις. Ἀλλὰ τί σοι πάλιν ἐξανθεῖ τὸ ἐρύθημα; οἷς γὰρ αὐτὸς ποιῶν φιλοσοφεῖς καὶ ἀκροώμενος οὐ τετύφωσαι, ἑτέροις ταῦτα γίνεται ζήλου ἐπαγωγὰ καὶ κέντρον τῆς ὁμοίας μιμήσεως. καὶ μή μοι φράττε τὴν ἀκοήν· ἐν βραχεῖ γὰρ τὸ σύμπαν εἰρήσεται. ἐμιμήσω τὸν σὸν Ἰησοῦν· καὶ μετὰ τῆς χλαμύδος καὶ τῆς ταινίας τὴν κεφαλὴν προσερείδων τοῖς τῶν νοσοκομουμένων ποσὶν ὁμοῦ τοῖς δάκρυσι ἔπλυνες καὶ ἐξέματτες τῷ τοῦ προσώπου σου χρωτὶ τὸν ἐγκείμενον σπῖλον προσαφαιρούμενος. Ἀλλ' ἀπόστηθι μὲν τούτων ὁ θεατής, σὺ δέ μοι μικρὸν πρὸς τὴν ἐν ὕψει ἀκρόπολιν ἄνιθι· ἀλλὰ τί προκύψας βοᾷς, ὅτι σὺ μὲν γίγαντι ὅμοιος ἢ Ἀστεροπαίῳ φωτί, τὸ δὲ ἡμέτερον ὅσον ἐς γόνυ ἀνδρός; ἀλλὰ καὶ σὺ ταῦτα πείσῃ παρὰ μέρος γενόμενος. ὁρᾷς, ὦ βασιλεῦ, ὅ τι πεποίηκας ἄνδρα φιλόσοφον; πλανῶμαι γὰρ ἐν τοῖς περί σε θεάμασι, καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ὅλος γενόμενος, πράττειν ἀλλ' οὐ λέγειν δοκῶ. ὅθεν πάλιν ἀποκαθίσταμαι καὶ τὸν θεατὴν περιάγω τῷ λόγῳ, οὐκ ἐπὶ τὰ Θετταλικὰ Τέμπη οὐδ' ἐπὶ τὰ Αἰγυπτίων προτεμενίσματα. τί γάρ μοι καὶ τούτοις ἢ τῇ ἐκεῖθεν προσηλωμένῃ Σφιγγί; ἀλλὰ ποῖ; καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν ἐπέχομαι. πάλιν οὖν ἐρῶ· ποῖ; καὶ ἰδοὺ συγκέχυμαι, ὡς ὁρᾷς. τρίτον τοῦτο καὶ τέταρτον, καὶ συναπολήγει μοι τῷ λόγῳ καὶ ἡ φωνή. καιρὸς οὖν ἀγῶνος καὶ ἀνδριστέον μοι· καὶ βραχύ τι πνεῦμα συλλέξας ἐρῶ. Ποῖ γοῦν ἄγω τὸν θεατήν; ἐπὶ τὴν τῆς βασιλίδος σορόν· ἀλλὰ πῶς εἰπεῖν ἐκαρτέρησα, ἣν ἰδεῖν ἀπενάρκησα; πῶς δὲ τάφον ὠνόμασα, ὃν ὡς θρόνον ἐτίμησα; ἐπὶ τούτοις ἄφελε τὰ χείλη, τέμνε τὴν γλῶτταν, ὡς βλασφημήσαντα κόλασον. εἰ δὲ καὶ πάλιν φιλανθρωπεύῃ, κἀγὼ μεταρρυθμίζω τὴν λέξιν καὶ μεταβάλλομαι. Ποῖ τοίνυν ἄγω τὸν θεατήν; ἐπὶ τὸ θεῖον ἀνάκτορον, ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ μαρτυρίου σκηνήν, ἐπὶ τὴν κατάπαυσιν τῆς σῆς κιβωτοῦ, ἔνθα τὰ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀπῃώρηται σύμβολα. τοῖς μὲν οὖν ἄλλοις ἀποχρῶν δοκεῖ τὸ ὁρώμενον, καί σε τῆς εὐνοίας τεθήπασι καὶ αὐτάρκη τὴν ἀντίδοσιν ἥγηνται· ἐγὼ δὲ οὕτω φρονῶ καὶ οὕτω φημί, ὡς ἑκατέροις, σοί τε τῆς ἀκηράτου περὶ ἐκείνην καὶ νοερᾶς ἀνακράσεως κἀκείνῃ τῆς ὑπερφυοῦς καὶ οὐρανίας ἀκρότητος, πολλοστὰ ταῦτα καὶ οἷον εἰκόνες καὶ τύποι παραδειγμάτων ἀληθινῶν. ἢν δὲ βούληταί τις τύπου ἰδεῖν ὑψηλότερον, τὴν ἐξ ἀσυνήθους ὕλης βλαστήσασαν θεασάσθω ῥοδωνιάν. πέτραι μὲν γὰρ ἔβλυσαν νάματα καὶ πικρὰ ὕδατα εἰς ἑτέραν μετεβλήθη ποιότητα, ῥίζα τε ἄγονος καρπὸν ἀπεγέννησε καὶ ξύλον ἄλλο μετὰ τὴν τομὴν παρὰ δόξαν ἐβλάστησε, συγγενῆ δὲ καὶ τοῖς λίθοις τὰ ὕδατα ταῖς τε ἄλλαις ὕλαις τὸ βλαστάνειν καὶ ἐξανθεῖν, ἄργυρος δὲ καὶ χαλκὸς νῦν πρώτως καὶ παρὰ τὴν ὅλην φύσιν εἰς ὠδῖνας ἄνθους ἀνίκμως ἐρράγησαν, καὶ ὁ τρόπος παράδοξος καὶ τὸ σχῆμα παραδοξότερον. ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ σύνδρομος τῇ γεννήσει ἡ αὔξησις,