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May I remain steadfast in you, a hymn-writer; And let no fiery shower of Sodom strike me from above. And with a mighty hand overshadow me, driving away all woes. 1281

22. Supplication. Christ, light of mortals, fiery pillar for Gregory's soul,

wandering through the bitter wilderness of life, restrain evil-counselling Pharaoh, the shameless taskmasters; And draw me out from the unbound clay and from heavy Egypt, having subdued my enemies with unseemly plagues, and grant a smooth road. And if the enemy overtakes me in haste, may you part for me even the Red Sea, and may I cross the firm sea, hastening to the divine land, my portion, as you have promised; And may you stop the countless rivers, and turn aside the impetuous, unenviable spear of foreigners. And if I should set foot on the holy land, I will sing to you in everlasting hymns. Christ, Lord, why have you bound me in these nets of the flesh? Why in a chilling life, and in a muddy pit, 1282 if I am truly a god, and your portion, as I have heard? Strength has perished from my limbs, nor do my knees follow; but time has undone me, and grievous sickness, and wasting care, and friends who think unfriendly thoughts. And sins are not willing to yield, but rather they trample on me who am weak, and as dogs surround a cowering hare or a young deer, eager to be sated. Either stop my wickedness and be merciful, or receive me who has struggled for a long time, and let there be a measure to my pains, or let a goodly cloud of forgetfulness cover my mind.

21. On the retirement. Some of those dear to God sail well, and others

sail with difficulty, being in no way worse. Who knows the reasons for these things, except you, O Word? Is not the path that is steep and rough better than walking an easier path? 1283 Nevertheless, I will speak my mind, as I am. Both are best, to run, and to run towards the good. But if it is not possible, I embrace the labours before an inglorious and evil salvation. Since I too must bear many things towards God, weary in flesh and by the incursions of affairs. What must I suffer, not attaining both my friends? Prepare yourself as quickly as possible, giving wings to your precious soul for heaven by the word; Nothing superfluous, but having cast off every burden of a vain life and of the evils here. I am an attendant of the mystical table; I purify the people, whom I offer to you, 1284 in the bloodless and perfect doctrines. O gushing brightness and spring of light, as I myself know, being in need of purifications, it is a terrible thing to cleanse the defilements of mire. Consider and tremble, you shepherds of the people.

24. A morning prayer. At dawn I give my right hands to my God, Nothing dark either

to do or to praise, But rather to sacrifice the day to you, Remaining unshaken, and master of my passions. I am ashamed of my old age, if I am most wicked, And of the table of which I am an attendant. This is my impulse, my Christ; but do you grant success. 1285

25. A lament towards evening. I have been false to you, the Truth, O Word, having consecrated the present day to you. Night did not receive me wholly bright. And yet I both prayed and thought so; but in some ways my feet also stumbled. For a darkness came, envious of my salvation. Shine your light for me, O Christ, appearing again.

26. A prayer to Christ on the morrow. I have lost yesterday, O Christ.

Anger came upon me, and stole me away all at once. May I receive today as a day of light. 1286 Remember yourself; do not forget you see God. You have sworn; remember your salvation.

27. Lament. Alas, alas for my passions! Why have I sinned? Or am I alone the one who touches your pure sacrifices unworthily? Do you try me with fiery passions, O purifier, or do you restrain the arrogance of others,

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μένοιμι τεῷ Ἔμπεδος, ὑμνοπόλος· Μηδέ μέ τις πυρόεις Σοδόμων Ὄμβρος ὕπερθε βάλοι. Χειρὶ δ' ἐπισκιάοις κρατερῇ Πήματα πάντ' ἐλάων. 1281

ΚΒʹ. Ἱκετήριον. Χριστὲ, φάος μερόπων, πυρόει στύλε Γρηγορίοιο Ψυχῇ,

πλαζομένῃ πικρῆς βιότου δι' ἐρήμης, Σχὲς Φαραὼ κακόμητιν, ἀναιδέας ἐργοδιώκτας· Καὶ πηλοῦ μ' ἀδέτοιο, καὶ Αἰγύπτοιο βαρείης Ἐξερύσαις, πληγῇσιν ἀεικελίῃσι δαμάσσας ∆υσμενέας, λείην δὲ πόροις ὁδόν. Ἢν δὲ κίχῃσιν Ἐχθρὸς ἐπισπέρχων, σὺ δέ μοι καὶ πόντον ἐρυθρὸν Τμήξειας, στερεὴν δὲ διεκπεράοιμι θάλασσαν, Σπεύδων ἐς χθόνα δῖαν, ἐμὸν λάχος, ὥσπερ ὑπέστης· Καὶ ποταμοὺς στήσειας ἀπείρονας, ἀλλοφύλων τε Κλίναις θούριον ἔγχος, ἀγάστονον. Εἰ δ' ἐπιβαίην Γῆς ἱερῆς, μέλψω σε διηνεκέεσσιν ἐν ὕμνοις. Χριστὲ ἄναξ, τί με σαρκὸς ἐν ἄρκυσι ταῖσδ' ἐνέδησας; Τίπτε βίῳ κρυόεντι, καὶ ἰλυόεντι βερέθρῳ, 1282 Εἰ ἐτεὸν θεός εἰμι, λάχος δὲ σὸν, ὥσπερ ἄκουσα; Ἐκ μέν μοι μελέων σθένος ὤλετο, οὐ δέ τι γοῦνα Ἕσπεται· ἀλλά μ' ἔλυσε χρόνος, καὶ νοῦσος ἀνιγρὴ, Τηκεδάνη τε μέριμνα, φίλοι τ' ἄφιλα φρονέοντες. Εἴκειν δ' οὐκ ἐθέλουσιν ἁμαρτάδες, ἀλλ' ἔτι μᾶλλον Στείβουσ' ἀδρανέοντα, κύνες δ' ὡς πτῶκα λαγωὸν, Ἢ κεμάδ' ἀμφὶς ἔχουσι, λιλαιόμενοι κορέσασθαι. Ἢ στῆσον κακότητα καὶ ἵλαθι, ἤ μ' ὑποδέξαι ∆ηρὸν ἀεθλεύοντα, καὶ ἄλγεσι μέτρον ἐπέστω, Ἢ λήθης νέφος ἐσθλὸν ἐμὰς φρένας ἀμφικαλύπτοι.

ΚΙʹ. Εἰς τὴν ἀναχώρησιν. Ἄλλοι μὲν εὐπλοοῦσι τῶν Θεῷ φίλων, Ἄλλοι δὲ

δυσπλοοῦσιν οὐδὲν χείρονες. Τίς οἶδε τούτων τοὺς λόγους, πλὴν σοῦ, Λόγε; Μὴ τοῦ βαδίζειν εὐκολωτέραν τρίβον, 1283 Τὸ τὴν προσάντη καὶ τραχεῖαν ᾖ πλέον; Ὅμως δ' ἔγωγε τοὐμὸν, ὡς ἔχω, φράσω. Κρεῖσσον μὲν ἄμφω, καὶ τρέχειν, καὶ πρὸς καλόν. Εἰ δ' οὐκ ἔνεστι, τοὺς πόνους ἀσπάζομαι Πρὸ τῆς ἀδόξου καὶ κακῆς σωτηρίας. Ὡς πολλὰ δὴ δεῖ καί με πρὸς Θεὸν φέρειν, Κάμνοντα σαρκὶ, πραγμάτων τ' ἐπιδρομαῖς. Τί χρὴ παθεῖν με μὴ τυχόντ' ἀμφοῖν φίλοιν; Σκεύαζε σαυτὸν ὡς τάχος, πρὸς οὐρανὸν Ψυχὴν πτερώσας τῷ λόγῳ τὴν τιμίαν· Μηδὲν περισσὸν, ἀλλὰ πᾶν ῥίψας βάρος Βίου ματαίου, καὶ κακῶν τῶν ἐνθάδε. Ἐγὼ τραπέζης μυστικῆς παραστάτης· Ἐγὼ καθαίρω λαὸν, ὅν σοι προσφέρω, 1284 Ἐν τοῖς ἀναίμοις καὶ τελείοις δόγμασιν. Ὦ λαμπρότης βλύζουσα, καὶ πηγὴ φάους, Ὡς αὐτὸς οἶδα, δεόμενος καθαρσίων, ∆εινὸν καθαίρειν βορβόρου μολύσματα. Σκοπεῖτε καὶ τρέμοιτε, λαῶν ποιμένες.

Κ∆ʹ. Εὐχὴ ἑωθινή. Ὄρθρος δίδωμι τῷ Θεῷ μου δεξιὰς, Μηδὲν σκοτῶδες ἢ

δράσειν ἢ αἰνέσειν, Ἀλλ' ὡς μάλιστά σοι θύσειν τὴν ἡμέραν, Μένων ἄσειστος, καὶ παθῶν αὐτοκράτωρ. Αἰσχύνομαι τὸ γῆρας, ἂν κάκιστος ὦ, Καὶ τὴν τράπεζαν ἧς παραστάτης ἐγώ. Ὁρμὴ μὲν αὕτη, Χριστέ μου· σὺ δ' εὐόδου. 1285

ΚΕʹ. Πρὸς ἑσπέραν θρῆνος. Ἐψευσάμην σε. τὴν ἀλήθειαν, Λόγε, Σοὶ τὴν

παροῦσαν ἡμέραν καθαγνίσας. Οὐ πάντα φωτεινόν με νὺξ ἐδέξατο. Ἦ μὴν προσηυξάμην τε καὶ τοῦτ' ᾠόμην· Ἀλλ' ἔστιν οὗ μοι καὶ προσέπταισαν πόδες. Ζόφος γὰρ ἦλθε βάσκανος σωτηρίας. Λάμποις τὸ φῶς μοι, Χριστὲ, καὶ πάλιν φανείς.

Κς. ∆έησις πρὸς Χριστὸν τῇ ἐπαύριον. Ἐζημίωμαι, Χριστὲ, τὴν χθὲς ἡμέραν.

Χόλος προσῆλθε, καί μ' ἔκλεψεν ἀθρόον. Τὴν σήμερον λάβοιμι φωτὸς ἡμέραν. 1286 Μέμνησο σαυτοῦ· μὴ λάθῃς Θεὸν βλέπων. Ὀμώμοκας· μέμνησο τῆς σωτηρίας.

ΚΖʹ. Θρῆνος. Αἲ αἲ τῶν παθέων! Τίπτ' ἤλιτον; ἢ ἄρα μοῦνος Σῶν καθαρῶν

θυέων ἅπτομαι οὐχ ὁσίως; Ἦ με πυροῖς παθέεσσι, καθάρσιε, ἢ τύφον ἄλλων Ἴσχεις,