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having cast a draught into the sea, and approaching your divinity with a lofty mind, I put the flesh aside, and law was my guide: to master all things, and above all things to cut through the ether with golden wings; this stirred up terrible envy against me, and bound me with evils and with most inescapable pains. 1275 Your glory it raised on high, but your glory it also cast to the earth. Always, O Lord, you are angry at great prides. But hear this, and write it for those to come, both peoples and leaders, hostile and friendly: I did not despise the beloved throne of my great Father; it is not possible, nor is it seemly, to wrestle with the decrees of God. The decree gave it to him; and I placed a young hand under an aged hand, and yielded to my father's prayers, my Father, whom he honored, and who, though very far from the fold, revered both his gray hair and the contemporary splendor of the Spirit. But when it also pleased the commander of our life, that I reveal the Word and Spirit to others, 1276 to strangers, to rugged, thorn-bearing fields, I am a small drop, but I have stirred up a great people. And this again it pleased him to send me back here, suddenly wasted by a hateful disease and by grievous cares. And care is a poison to a man. For a short time I was helping my limbs, having given them the shepherd's pipe, a good helper, lest some enemy, coming upon my unmarked sheep, should fill his shameless belly with fodder. But when the leaders were shaken, and the people were shaken with longing for their leader, and by destructive beasts, who, having a senseless heart, shape God without mind, fixed in human entrails, 1277 many, unbelieving, murmured at my sufferings, and said, or thought, that I was dishonoring the God-fearing people with insolence. To God, at least, I showed my pain. Many again judged me by nightly dreams, of which desire was the painter, sketching many toys; or God revealed it, granting me a good end, so that I might not be overcome by harsh hopes, putting on the final evil of life. For this reason I bent my neck, and under your mighty hand I come as a captive; let justice be a care to others. There is no profit for me in a life that is judged. 1278 Now then, O Christ, carry me where you will. I have been bent by pains. I am a prophet worn out in the belly of the whale. To you I offer this remnant of life. But have mercy on one still breathing a little. Why do you drive me with so many pains? You did not die for the good alone, O God, when you came to earth (truly a great wonder, God a mortal, sprinkling our souls and bodies with blood), nor am I the worst alone. You have given glory to many who are worse. In your books three tax-collectors are renowned, great Matthew, and the one who left tears in the temple, and Zacchaeus with them; may I myself be the fourth. And three with loosened limbs, the one on the bed, and the one at the spring, and her whom the spirit bound; may I myself be the fourth. 1279 And three saw the light from the dead for you, as you commanded: the ruler's daughter, the widow's son, and from the tomb half-rotted Lazarus; may I myself be the fourth. And now may I have pain-killing remedies, and afterwards an unchanging life, O good one, rejoicing in your great glory. I have led a god-minded flock. If I should be released, may these obtain a better shepherd; or if one like me, one lesser in sufferings, O most blessed one; for it is not fitting for the driver-away of diseases to struggle with evil pains.

20. Prayer of one who is sick, to Christ. Make me firm, O Christ; how has your servant been loosened?

The hymning tongue is idle. How do you bear this? But fit me together, do not abandon your sacrificer. I long to stand again and to become a herald of salvation, 1280 and to purify the people; You are my strength, I beg you, do not forsake me. If I betrayed you in the storm, may I be cast out yet.

21. Against the evil one. Snatch, snatch me, O imperishable one, from a foreign hand;

May I not toil at evil works, nor Pharaoh wear me out, nor may your adversary, O Christ, hold me captive to his spear, and lead me to rocky Babylon, afflicted with curses. But in the temple

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ἀφυσγετὸν εἰς ἅλα ῥίψας, Καὶ νόον ὑψιβιβάντα τεῇ θεότητι πελάζων, Σαρκὸς νόσφιν ἔθηκα, νόμος δέ μοι ἡγεμόνευε· Πάντων μὲν κρατέειν. πάντων δ' ὕπερ αἰθέρα τέμνειν Χρυσείαις πτερύγεσσι· τό μοι φθόνον αἰνὸν ἄγειρε, Καί με κακοῖς ἐπέδησεν, ἀφυκτοτάτῃσί τ' ἀνίαις. 1275 Σὸν κλέος ὑψόσ' ἄειρε, κλέος δὲ σὸν ἐς χθόν' ἔθηκεν. Αἰὲν ἀγηνορίῃσιν, ἄναξ, κοτέεις μεγάλῃσι. Κεῖνό γε μὴν ἀΐοιτε, καὶ ἐσσομένοισι γράφοιτε, Λαοί θ' ἡγεμόνες τε, ἀπεχθέες, εὐμενέες τε, Πατρὸς ἐμοῦ μεγάλοιο φίλον θρόνον οὐκ ἀθέριξα· Οὐκ ἔστ', οὐδ' ἐπέοικε, Θεοῦ θεσμοῖσι παλαίειν. Κείνῳ θεσμὸς ἔδωκεν· ἐγὼ δέ τε χειρὶ γεραιῇ Χεῖρα νέην ὑπέρεισα, πατρὸς δ' ὑπόειξα λιτῇσι, Πατρὸς ἐμοῦ, τὸν ἔτισε, καὶ ὃς μάλα τηλόθι μάνδρης Ἀζόμενος πολιήν τε καὶ ἥλικα πνεύματος αἴγλην. Αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ ζωῆς σημάντορι καὶ τόδ' ἔαδεν Ἡμετέρης, ἄλλοις με Λόγον καὶ Πνεῦμ' ἀναφῆναι, 1276 Ξείνοις, τρηχαλέοισιν, ἀκανθοφόροισιν ἀρούραις, Βαιὴ μὲν ψεκάς εἰμι, πολὺν δέ τε λαὸν ἐπῆρσα. Καὶ τόδε γ' αὖθις ἔαδε παλίμπορον ἐνθάδε πέμψαι Νούσῳ τε στυγερῇ, καὶ ἀργαλέαις μελεδώναις Τηχθέντ' ἐξαπίνης. Ἰὸς δέ τε ἀνδρὶ μέριμνα. Βαιὸν δὲ χρόνον ἔσκον ἐμοῖς μελέεσσιν ἀρηγῶν, Ποιμενικὴν σύριγγα, βοηθόον ἐσθλὸν ὀπάσσας, Μή τις ἐμοῖς μήλοισιν ἀσημάντοισιν ἐπελθὼν Ἐχθρὸς, ἑὴν πλήσειεν ἀναιδέα γαστέρα φορβῆς. Αὐτὰρ ἐπεὶ δονέοντο ἀγοὶ, δονέοντο δὲ λαοὶ Ἡγεμόνος τε ποθῇ, καὶ θήρεσιν οὐλομένοισιν, Οἳ Θεὸν ἀνδρομέοισιν ἐνὶ σπλάγχνοισι παγέντα, 1277 Ἔκνοον ἦτορ ἔχουσι νόου δίχα μορφώσαντες, Πολλοὶ μὲν τρύζεσκον ἐμοῖς παθέεσσιν ἄπιστοι, Καί μ' ὑπεροπλίῃσι θεουδέα λαὸν ἀτίζειν, Ἢ φάσαν, ἢ νόος εἶχε. Θεῷ γ' ἐμὸν ἄλγος ἔφαινον. Πολλοὶ δ' αὖ νυχίοισιν ἐμὲ κρίνεσκον ὀνείροις, Ζωγράφος ὧν πόθος ἦεν, ἀθύρματα πολλὰ χαράσσων· Ἢ Θεὸς ἐξεκάλυπτεν, ἐμοὶ τέλος ἐσθλὸν ὀπάζων, Ὄφρα κε μὴ χαλεπῇσι σὺν ἐλπωρῇσι δαμείην, Ἐξοδίην κακότητα ἐφεσσάμενος βιότοιο. Τοὔνεκεν αὐχέν' ἔκαμψα, τεὴν δ' ὑπὸ χεῖρα κραταιὴν ∆έσμιος ἔρχομ' ἔγωγε· δίκη δ' ἄλλοισι μεμήλοι. Οὐδὲν ὄνειαρ ἔμοιγε δικαζομένης βιότητος. 1278 Τῇ νῦν, Χριστὲ, φέροις με, ὅποι φίλον. Ἄλγεσι κάμφθην. Κητείαις λαγόεσσι τετρυμένος εἰμὶ προφήτης. Σοὶ παρέχω ζωῆς τόδε λείψανον. Ἀλλ' ἐλέαιρε Μικρὸν ἔτι πνείοντα. Τί μ' ἄλγεσι τόσσον ἐλαύνεις; Οὔτ' ἀγαθοῖσι μόνοισι θάνες, Θεὸς, εὖτ' ἐπὶ γαῖαν Ἤλυθες (ἦ μέγα θαῦμα, Θεὸς βροτὸς αἵματι ῥαίνων Ψυχὰς ἡμετέρας καὶ σώματα), οὔτε κάκιστος Μοῦνος ἐγώ. Πολλοῖσι χερείοσι κῦδος ὄπασσας. Τρεῖς βίβλοισι τεῇσι μεγακλέες εἰσὶ τελῶναι, Ματθαῖός τε μέγας, νηῷ τ' ἔνι δάκρυα λείψας, Ζακχαῖός τ' ἐπὶ τοῖσιν· ὁ τέτρατος αὐτὸς ἔοιμι. Τρεῖς δ' ἄρα λυσιμελεῖς, ὅ τε λέκτριος, ὅς τ' ἐπὶ πηγῇ, Ἥν τε πνεῦμ' ἐπέδησεν· ὁ τέτρατος αὐτὸς ἔοιμι. 1279 Τρεῖς δέ σοι ἐκ νεκύων φάος ἔδρακον, ὡς γὰρ ἄνωγας· Ἄρχοντος θυγάτηρ, χήρης πάϊς, ἐκ δὲ τάφοιο Λάζαρος ἡμιδάϊκτος· ὁ τέτρατος αὐτὸς ἔοιμι. Καὶ νῦν φάρμακ' ἔχοιμ' ὀδυνήφατα, καὶ μετέπειτα Ζωὴν ἄτροπον, ἐσθλὲ, τεῷ μέγα κύδεϊ γαίων. Ποίμνης ἡγεμόνευσα θεόφρονος. Εἰ δὲ λυθείην, Ποιμένος οἵδε τύχοιεν ἀρείονος· εἰ δ' ἄρ' ὁμοίου, Ἥσσονος ἐν παθέεσσι, μακάρτατε· οὐ γὰρ ἔοικε Τὸν νούσων ἐλατῆρα κακοῖς ἀχέεσσι παλαίειν.

Κʹ. Νοσοῦντος εὐχὴ πρὸς Χριστόν. Πῆξόν με, Χριστέ· πῶς ἐλύθη σὸς λάτρις;

Ὑμνῳδὸς ἀργεῖ γλῶσσα. Πῶς φέρεις τόδε; Ἀλλ' ἅρμοσόν με, μὴ πρόῃ τὸν σὸν θύτην. Ποθῶ πάλιν στῆναί τε καὶ σωτηρίας 1280 Κῆρυξ γενέσθαι, καὶ λαὸν καθαγνίσαι· Σὺ τὸ σθένος μου, λίσσομαι, μή μ' ἐκλίπῃς. Εἴ σ' ἐν ζάλῃ προύδωκα, βαλοίμην ἔτι.

ΚΑʹ. Εἰς τὸν πονηρόν. Ἅρπασον, ἅρπασον, ἄφθιτέ, με Χειρὸς ἀπ' ἀλλοτρίης·

Μηδ' ἔργοις μογέοιμι κακοῖς, Καὶ Φαραώ με τρυχοῖ, Μηδέ με δουριαλῆ κατέχοι, Χριστὲ, σὸς ἀντίπαλος, Εἰς Βαβυλῶνά τ' ἄγοι κραναὴν, Ἄγεσι τειρόμενον. Ἐν νηῷ δὲ