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The end of the speech; and I dare, and receive my word: If I am nothing, my Christ, what is this creation? If I am precious to you, how am I driven by so many things?

32. Concerning the vanity and faithlessness of life, and the common end of all.

I would wish to be either a swift-winged dove or a swallow, so that I might flee the life of mortals, or to dwell 1301 in some desert, sharing a home with wild beasts (for they are more faithful than men), and to drag out a life of a day, without sorrow, without revenge, without care; to have this one thing alone as my treasure, a mind knowing divinity, heaven-roaming, so that in a serene life I might ever gather light. Or, having been lifted up above some airy peak, I would shout with a voice of thunder to all who dwell on earth: O mortal men, a fleeting race, being nothing, we who live in death, are puffed up in vain. For how long, being played with by deceitful and day-long dreams, playing, do you wander in vain upon the earth? Observe then with your mind, going over all men, as I do; for God has made me greatly skilled in things both good and hateful, and my mind is carried over all things. 1302 This man was flourishing and strong, the boast of his companions, walking proudly, blooming with vigorous limbs. This one was beautiful, a morning star, drawing the eyes of all, a flower of spring among men. This one was glorious in contests; this one was warlike in his armor; this one was the best of beast-slayers in the stadiums, and roused his strength on the mountains. And this one again, who cared for banquets and feasts, feeding his belly from the land, the seas, and the air, is now shriveled and weak (for all has withered). Old age has come on, and his beauty has flown away; the things of the belly are dead. A short time yet among men; but the greater part, in Hades. And this one again, breathing great things in all sorts of speeches; and this one, a nobleman, priding himself on great tombs, or possessing newly written blood on a few tablets. 1303 This one, strong-willed, greatest in the cities, acclaimed by the mouths of all the people; this one possessing immeasurable wealth, some of it in hand, some of it he is increasing in his mind. And this one rejoices in the scales of high-throned justice. And this one, with bloody rag and a band on his head, holding the power of the earth, and dishonors heaven itself, a mortal, raised up by hopes not mortal. Now these things are, but in a little while, dust, and all are alike, slaves, scepter-bearers, laborers, those priding themselves on wealth. One darkness, one house; this much more for the proud, to obtain a more famous lamentation and tomb, and to leave a mournful funereal name on stones; late, but nevertheless, the lot is equal for all mortals. 1304 All are feeble bones, grinning, bare heads. Pride has ceased. Toil has left poverty; sickness is vanished, hatred, recklessness, desire for more, unyielding insolence, all have died together with the dead, and all is silent, until it comes from thence as a companion to those who are awakened. Therefore, seeing these things, be persuaded by my words, my children (for you are children, inasmuch as I have drawn breath longer), come now, casting aside the whole world and all that wanders here, the evils of the earthly king, the plunderer of others' goods, the destructive murderer, wealth, good repute, thrones, family, untrustworthy fortune, let us flee headlong to heaven, where many 1305 gleaming beauties are around the threefold, ineffable light. But may the others, like game pieces, fall here and there, and take pleasure in the rolling of the pieces, or, with a dark dizziness lying upon their eyes, grope for walls and go against one another.

33. To Christ. Alas, I am weary, my Christ, breath of mortals! Alas for the battle and

and the storm of my yoke-fellow! Alas for my long life and sojourning, For the struggles from within and from without, By which the beauty of the image is destroyed! What oak bears such violence of winds? What ship has been shattered by so many waves? 1306 I am worn out by toil and the onslaughts of affairs. I did not willingly accept my paternal house. But when I undertook it, I saw it scattered. Friends have bent me down, sickness has worn me out. I was received with stones as another is with flowers. I am bereft of the people, in whom the Spirit established me. Of my children, some I have left behind, and of the others

31

Πέρας λόγου· τολμῶ δὲ, καὶ δέχου λόγον· Εἰ μηδέν εἰμι, Χριστέ μου, τίς ἡ πλάσις; Εἰ τίμιός σοι, πῶς τόσοις ἐλαύνομαι;

ΛΒʹ. Περὶ τῆς τοῦ βίου ματαιότητος καὶ ἀπιστίας, καὶ κοιποῦ πάντων τέλους.

Ἤθελον ἠὲ πέλεια τανύπτερος, ἠὲ χελιδὼν Ἔμμεναι, ὥς κε φύγοιμι βροτῶν βίον, ἤ τιν' ἔρημον 1301 Ναιετάειν θήρεσσιν ὁμέστιος (οἱ γὰρ ἔασι Πιστότεροι μερόπων), καὶ ἠμάτιον βίον ἕλκειν, Νηπενθῆ, νήποινον, ἀκηδέα· ἓν τόδ' ἄθηρον Μοῦνον ἔχειν, θεότητος ἴδριν νόον, οὐρανοφοίτην, Ὥς κε γαληνιόωντι βίῳ φάος αἰὲν ἀγείρων. Ἤ τινος ἠερίης σκοπιῆς καθύπερθεν ἀερθεὶς, Βρονταῖον πάντεσσιν ἐπιχθονίοισιν ἀΰσω· Ἄνθρωποι θνητοὶ, ῥοιῆς γένος, οὐδὲν ἐόντες, Οἳ θανάτῳ ζώοντες, ἐτώσια φυσιόωμεν, Μέχρι τίνος ψεύστῃσι καὶ ἠματίοισιν ὀνείροις Παιζόμενοι, παίζοντες, ἐπὶ χθονὶ μὰψ ἀλάλησθε; Ἄθρει δὴ πραπίδεσσι τεαῖς, ἐπὶ πάντας ὁδεύων, Ὡς καὶ ἐγώ· δὴ γάρ με Θεὸς μέγαν ἴδριν ἔθηκεν Ἐσθλῶν τε, στυγερῶν τε, νόος δ' ἐπὶ πάντα φορεῖται. 1302 Οὗτος ἔην θαλερός τε καὶ ἄλκιμος, εὖχος ἑταίρων, Ὑψιβιβὰς, μελέεσσιν ἐριζώοισι τεθηλώς. Οὗτος κάλλιμος ἦεν, ἑωσφόρος, ὄμματα πάντων Ἕλκων, εἴαρος ἄνθος ἐν ἀνδράσιν. Οὗτος ἀγῶσι Κύδιμος· ἔντεσιν οὗτος Ἀρήϊος· οὗτος ἄριστος Θηροφόνων σταδίοισι, καὶ οὔρεσι κάρτος ἐγείρων. Οὗτος δ' αὖ θαλίῃσι καὶ εἰλαπίνῃσι μεμηλὼς, Γαίῃ, καὶ πελάγεσσι, καὶ ἠέρι γαστέρα φέρβων, Νῦν ῥικνὺς, καὶ ἄναλκις (ἀπήνθησεν γὰρ ἅπαντα) Γῆρας ἔβη, τὸ δὲ κάλλος ἀπέπτατο· νεκρὰ τὰ γαστρός. Βαιὸν ἔτ' ἐν μερόπεσσι· τὸ δὲ πλέον, εἰν ἀΐδαο. Οὗτος δ' αὖ μύθοις πνείων μέγα παντοδαποῖσιν· Οὗτος δ' εὐγενέτης τύμβοις φρονέων μεγάλοισιν, Ἢ δέλτοις ὀλίγῃσι νεόγραφον αἷμα λελογχώς. 1303 Οὗτος καρτερόμητις, ἐνὶ πτολίεσσι μέγιστος, Πανδήμοις στομάτεσσι βοώμενος· οὗτος ἄμετρον Πλοῦτον, τὸν μὲν ἔχων, τὸν δὲ φρεσὶν ἔνδον ἀέξων. Οὗτος δ' ὑψιθρόνοιο δίκης πλάστιγξι γέγηθεν. Οὗτος δ' αἱματόεντι ῥάκει, δεσμῷ τε καρήνου Γαίης κάρτος ἔχων, καὶ οὐρανὸν αὐτὸν ἀτίζει Θνητὸς, ἐν οὐ θνητῇσι μετήορος ἐλπωρῇσι. Νῦν τάδε, μικρὸν ἔπειτα κόνις, καὶ πάντες ὁμοῖοι, ∆μῶες, σκηπτροφόροι, θῆτες, πλούτῳ κομόωντες· Εἷς ζόφος, εἷς δὲ δόμος· τόσσον πλέον ὀφρυόεσσιν, Ὅσσον κλεινοτέροιο γόου, τύμβου τε τυχῆσαι, Οὔνομά τ' ἐν λάεσσι λιπεῖν ἐπικήδειον οἰκτροῖς· Ὀψὲ μὲν, ἔμπα δὲ πᾶσιν ἴσον θνητοῖσι τάλαντον. 1304 Ὀστέα πάντες ἀφαυρὰ, σεσηρότα, γυμνὰ κάρηνα. Λῆξε τύφος. Πενίην δὲ μόγος λίπε· νοῦσος ἄϊστος, Ἔχθος, ἀτασθαλίη, πλεόνων πόθος, ὕβρις ἀτειρὴς, Πάντ' ἔθανε φθιμένοισιν ὁμοῦ, καὶ πάντα μέμυκεν, Ἄχρις ἂν ἐγρομένοισι συνέμπορα ἔνθεν ἵκηται. Ταῦτ' οὖν εἰσορόωντες, ἐμοῖς πείθεσθ' ἐπέεσσι, Παῖδες ἐμοὶ (παῖδες γὰρ, ὅσον πλέον εἴρυσα πνεῦμα), ∆εῦρ' ἄγε, κόσμον ἅπαντα, καὶ ὁππόσα τῇδ' ἀλάληται, Ῥίψαντες, κακότητας ἐπιχθονίου βασιλῆος, Ἅρπαγος ἀλλοτρίων, δηλήμονος ἀνδροφόνοιο, Πλοῦτον, ἐϋκλείην, θώκους, γένος, ὄλβον ἄπιστον, Προτροπάδην φεύγωμεν ἐς οὐρανὸν, ᾗχί τε πολλὰ 1305 Κάλλεα μαρμαίροντα φάος περὶ τρισσὸν ἄφραστον. Οἱ δ' ἄλλοι πεσσοῖσιν ἐοικότες ἔνθα καὶ ἔνθα Πίπτοιεν, πεσσῶν τε κυλίσματι τέρψιν ἔχοιεν, Ἢ δνοφερὴν σκοτόμαιναν ἑοῖς ἐπικείμενοι ὄσσοις, Τοίχους ἀμφαφόωντες, ἐπ' ἀλλήλοισι δ' ἴοιεν.

ΛΓʹ. Πρὸς Χριστόν. Οἴμοι κέκμηκα, Χριστέ μου, πνοὴ βροτῶν! Οἴμοι μάχης τε

καὶ ζάλης τοῦ συζύγου! Οἴμοι μακρᾶς ζωῆς τε καὶ παροικίας, Τῶν τ' ἔνδοθεν, τῶν τ' ἔκτοθεν παλαισμάτων, Ὑφ' ὧν τὸ κάλλος φθείρεται τῆς εἰκόνος! Τίς δρῦς τοσαύτην πνευμάτων φέρει βίαν; Τίς ναῦς τοσούτοις κύμασι συνεῤῥάγη; 1306 Πόνῳ τέτρυμμαι, πραγμάτων τ' ἐπιδρομαῖς. Οἶκον πατρῷον οὐχ ἑκὼν ἐδεξάμην. Ἐπεὶ δ' ὑπέστην, εἶδον ἐσκεδασμένον. Φίλοι μ' ἔκαμψαν, νοῦσος ἐτρύχωσέ με. Λίθοις ἐδέχθην ὥς τις ἄλλος ἄνθεσι. Λαοῦ κεχήρωμ', ᾧ τὸ Πνεῦμ' ἐνίδρυσε. Τέκνων τὰ μὲν λέλοιπα, τῶν δ'