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entangled in the nets of beast-slayers. I do not long for the leaps of fables, nor for a lovely company for all, nor indeed for prosperity, 1387 Not the marketplaces of cities, not groves, nor baths, Nor all the flowers of this deceitful life. For these things were not dear to me even before, since I embraced Christ, rising far from earthly things. But I lament that the life-giving eye of the great Christ has left me, for whom I was a care, if ever I was, Who honored me even in the womb of my pure mother, and rescued me from the chilling sea, and from sufferings. I lament having thrown down the reins of the God-minded people, Not having cast them away, but not bearing them in my hands; Who before rejoiced in our words, when from my tongue a threefold light shone. But now, as a weaned infant in its mother's arms has drawn on a dry nipple 1388 with thirsty lips, and the mother has cheated its longing, So indeed my people hang upon my tongue, longing for the spring that once flowed for many, from which now their ears receive not even a little drop. Others pour forth a sweet stream, but those who hear are grieved; for they do not have the word of their own father. Where for me is the station of all-night songs, in which, leaning my feet firmly, I stood like a breathing stone. Or being with Christ alone, or with a congregation, having the delight of sacred antiphonal songs? Where is the sweet toil of bending knees, which before I performed shedding hot tears, gathering my mind from darkness? And where are the hands that tend the poor, attending to sickness? Where has the wasting of my feeble limbs gone? 1389 No longer do I raise my hands in pure sacrifices, joining myself to the great sufferings of Christ. No longer do I set up the beloved choir for the victors, honoring their precious blood with words of praise. And mold is on my books, and my discourses are unfinished; to which what man, thinking kind thoughts, will give an end? All things have died for me while I live; and my life is dim, weaker than a ship which its joinings have left; But still, even if you, heavy-groaning demon, drive me, never will I bend to you the knees of my heart; But unwounded, unbent, I will sink into my mother earth; may the worm have the serpent's meal. Strike my skin, but my soul is unwounded; the divine image which I received I will present to Christ, O murderer. 1390 For you also shackled the great Job before, but you were defeated, as the great prize-giver crowned him, And made his victory renowned by His proclamation, and gave him to have double all that you had scattered. Such is the law of Christ's gentleness; but command me, though late, to be made whole; Your word is a cure. I am a new Lazarus among the dead, but cry out, "Arise," and let the dead man live by Your words. I am a new limb-loosened paralytic, but cry out, "Be made firm," and I will walk, carrying my bed on high. With my hands I steal a cure from Your tassels, but check quickly the flow of blood in my wasting flesh. And I bend before You, Your portion, like the Canaanite woman, having a bent body, but raise me up, O Lord. 1391 The sea is high, and a sweet sleep is upon You; but awaken quickly, and let the surge be still at Your words. I do have pain, and a sickness that has seized my joints. For we are not at all without our share of mortal things, neither I, nor anyone else, since God so commands, That no one should raise an eyebrow higher than heaven, but that all, looking to the help of the great God, should have need as a greater goad to piety. But still I do not lament so much on account of my sickness, (For sickness has a certain cleansing for the intelligent, Which all need, even he who is very strong; for a bond to mortals also carries something dark;) As much as I am concerned for the lowly, suffering pains, lest anyone should stumble because of our woes. 1392 Few indeed are the strong-minded mortals, who readily accept from God every visitation, Both pleasant and painful, and know the reason in all things, even if it holds the hidden depth of His wisdom. But many attack the weak pious, as if they have no reward from their worship of God; Or they even set up in their breasts a completely dishonorable thought, that all this has its structure by chance, And that God the ruler does not govern all mortal affairs; for otherwise He would not bring such rudders to us. Remember these things, and protect Your servant, O greatest One, and do not put a shameful end to my life. I am this servant of Yours, and I stretch out my hands for Your gifts, and for the heads of those who bow down,

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ἐμπλεχθεὶς ἄρκυσι θηροφόνων. Οὐ μύθων ποθέω σκιρτήματα, οὐκ ἐρατεινὴν Πᾶσιν ὁμηλικίην, οὔτε μὲν εὐθαλίην, 1387 Οὐκ ἀγορὰς πολίων, οὐκ ἄλσεα, οὐδὲ λοετρὰ, Οὐδ' ὅσα τοῦ δολεροῦ ἄνθεα τοῦδε βίου. Ταῦτα γὰρ οὐδὲ πάροιθεν ἐμοὶ φίλα, ἐξότε Χριστὸν Ἀγκασάμην, χθονίων τῆλ' ἀπανιστάμενος. Αἰάζω δ' ὅτι με Χριστοῦ μεγάλοιο λέλοιπεν Ὄμμα ζωοφόρον, ᾧ μέλον, εἴποτ' ἔην, Ὅς με καὶ ἐν σπλάγχνοισιν ἁγνῆς κύδηνε τεκούσης, Καὶ πόντου κρυεροῦ ῥύσατο, καὶ παθέων. Αἰάζω λαοῖο θεόφρονος ἡνία ῥίψας, Οὐ μὲν ἀποῤῥίψας, οὔτι δὲ χερσὶ φέρων· Ὃς πρόσθεν μύθοισιν ἀγάλλετο ἡμετέροισιν, Ἡνίκ' ἀπὸ γλώσσης τρισσὸν ἔλαμπε σέλας. Νῦν γε μὲν, ὡς λιπόμαστος ἐν ἀγκαλίδεσσι τεκούσης Νηπίαχος θηλὴν ἔσπασεν αὐαλέην 1388 Χείλεσι διψαλέοισι, πόθον δ' ἐψεύσατο μήτηρ, Ὣς ἄρ' ἐμῆς γλώσσης λαὸς ἀποκρέμαται, Ἰσχανόων πηγῆς πολλοῖς τὸ πάροιθε ῥεούσης, Ἧς νῦν οὐδ' ὀλίγην ἰκμάδα οὔατ' ἔχει. Ἄλλοι μὲν προχέουσι γλυκὺν ῥόον, οἱ δ' ἀΐοντες Ἄχνυντ'· οὐ γὰρ ἑοῦ πατρὸς ἔχουσι λόγον. Ποῦ μοι παννυχίων μελέων στάσις, οἷς ὑπερείδων Τοὺς πόδας βεβαὼς, ἔμπνοος ὥστε λίθος. Ἢ μοῦνος Χριστῷ ξυνούμενος, ἢ σὺν ὁμίλῳ, Τέρψιν ἔχων ἱερῶν ἀντιθέτων μελέων; Ποῦ καμπτῶν γονάτων γλυκερὸς πόνος, ὃν προπάροιθε ∆άκρυα θερμὰ χέον, νοῦν σκοτίην συνάγων; Ποῦ δὲ πενητοκόμοι παλάμαι, περὶ νοῦσον ἕπουσαι; Ποῦ τῆξις μελέων οἴχεται ἀδρανέων; 1389 Οὐκέτι μὲν θυέεσσιν ἁγνοῖς ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἀείρω, Τοῖς μεγάλοις Χριστοῦ μιγνύμενος πάθεσιν. Οὐκέτι δ' ἀθλοφόροισι φίλην ἵστημι χορείην, Εὐφήμοισι λόγοις τίμιον αἷμα σέβων. Εὐρὼς δ' ἀμφὶ βίβλοισιν ἐμαῖς, μῦθοι δ' ἀτέλεστοι, Οἷς τίς ἀνὴρ δώσει τέρμα, φίλα φρονέων; Πάντ' ἔθανε ζώοντι· βίος δέ μοί ἐστιν ἀφαυρὸς, Νηὸς ἀκιδνότερος, τὴν λίπον ἁρμονίαι· Ἀλλ' ἔμπης εἰ καί με, βαρύστονε δαῖμον, ἐλαύνεις, Οὔ ποτέ σοι κάμψω γούνατ' ἐμῆς χραδίης· Ἀλλ' ἄτρωτος, ἄκαμπτος, ἐμὴν ἐς μητέρα γαῖαν ∆ύσομ'· ἔχοι σκώληξ τὴν ὄφεως δαπάνην. Τύπτε δορὴν, ψυχὴ δ' ἄρ' ἀνούτατος· εἰκόνα θείην Παρστήσω Χριστῷ, τὴν λάχον, ἀνδροφόνε. 1390 Καὶ γὰρ πρόσθε πέδησας Ἰὼβ μέγαν, ἀλλ' ἐδαμάσθης, Ὥς μιν ἀεθλοθέτης ἐστεφάνωσε μέγας, Καὶ θῆκεν περίβωτον ἑῷ κηρύγματι νίκην, Πάντα δ' ἔδωκεν ἔχειν διπλᾶ, τά οἱ κέδασας. Τοῖος ἐνηείης Χριστοῦ νόμος· ἀλλά μ' ἄνωχθι Ὀψέ περ ἀρτεμέειν· σὸς λόγος ἐστὶν ἄκος. Λάζαρος ἐν νεκύεσσιν ἐγὼ νέος, ἀλλὰ βόησον, Ἔγρεο, καὶ ζήτω σοῖσι λόγοισι νέκυς. Λυσιμελὴς νέος εἰμὶ ὁ λέκτριος, ἀλλὰ βόησον, Πήγνυσο, καὶ κλίνην βήσομαι ὕψι φέρων. Σῶν κλέπτω θυσάνων παλάμαις ἄκος, ἀλλὰ ῥέεθρον Αἵματος ἴσχε τάχος σαρξὶ μαραινομέναις. Σοὶ δ' ὑποκάμπτομ' ἔγωγε, τεὸν λάχος, ὡς Χαναναία, Γυρὸν ἔχουσα δέμας, ἀλλ' ἀνάειρέ μ', Ἄναξ. 1391 Πόντος ἄνω, σοὶ δ' ὕπνος ἔπι γλυκύς· ἀλλὰ τάχιστα Ἔγρεο, καὶ στήτω σοῖσι λόγοισι σάλος. Ἔστι μὲν ἄλγος ἔμοιγε, καὶ ἅψεα νοῦσος ἔχουσα. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ βροτέων πάμπαν ἀμοιρέομεν, Οὔτ' ἐγὼ, οὔτε τις ἄλλος, ἐπεὶ Θεὸς ὧδε κελεύει, Μή τιν' ὕπερθε φέρειν ὀφρὺν ἐπουρανίου, Πάντας δ' ἐς μεγάλοιο Θεοῦ λεύσσοντας ἀρωγὴν, Χρειοῖ κέντρον ἔχειν πλεῖον ἐπ' εὐσεβίῃ. Ἀλλ' ἔμπης οὐ τόσσον ὀδύρομαι εἵνεκα νούσου, (Νοῦσος γὰρ νοερῷ καί τινα ῥύψιν ἔχει, Ἧς πάντες χατέουσι, καὶ ὃς μάλα καρτερός ἐστι· ∆εσμὸς γὰρ θνητοῖς καί τι μέλαν φορέει·) Ὁσσάτιον χθαμαλῶν περικήδομαι, ἄλγεα πάσχων, Μή τις ὀλισθήσῃ πήμασιν ἡμετέροις. 1392 Παῦροι μὲν μερόπων κρατερόφρονες, οἵ ῥα Θεοῖο ∆έχνυντ' ἀσπασίως πᾶσαν ἐπιστασίην, Τερπνῶν τε λυπρῶν τε, λόγον δ' ἐπὶ πᾶσιν ἴσασιν, Εἰ καὶ κρυπτὸν ἑῆς βένθος ἔχει σοφίης. Πολλοὶ δ' εὐσεβέεσσιν ἐπιθρώσκουσιν ἀκιδνοῖς. Ὡς θεολατρείης οὐδὲν ἔχουσι γέρας· Ἢ καὶ πάμπαν ἄτιμον ἐνὶ στήθεσσι νόημα Ἵσταντ', αὐτομάτην πᾶν τόδε πῆξιν ἔχειν, Οὐδὲ Θεὸν μεδέοντα βροτήσια πάντα κυβερνᾷν· Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν τοίους οἴακας ἄμμι φέρειν. Τῶν μνῆσαι, καὶ ἄλαλκε τεῷ θεράποντι, μέγιστε, Μηδ' ἐπὶ λωβητὸν τέρμα βάλῃς βιότου. Σὸς λάτρις οὗτος ἔγωγε, τεοῖς δ' ἐπὶ χεῖρας ἰάλλω ∆ώροις, καὶ κεφαλαῖς τῶν ὑποκλινομένων,