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Having arrived at the place of Phocas, I am filled with the memory of all the stories told about him together; I see the gardener by trade, the artless in soul, the hospitable, the excellent one of the seacoast, the benefactor of the inland, the holy among the holy and more glorious than those glorified for Christ’s sake. 9.3.1 For sacred and divine is the entire catalogue of noble martyrs, who by suffering rendered grace for the one beyond suffering, and by blood fulfilled their recompense for blood to the Savior of all. Yet among these very ones, the glory of all is not one, nor have equal rewards been allotted to all by one measure, but not even the catalogue of the saints escapes the first and second place. The reason for this, I think, is the exceeding exactitude and impartiality of the judge. 9.3.2 For he oversees both the greatness of the punishments and the instances of endurance, and by scrutinizing the contest he distributes to the athletes rewards according to their worth. And it is in no way strange if justice is so honored by God, since even among us generals and administrators of games do not treat the champions or the contestants equally, but indeed for each according to the measure of his achievement they proclaim corresponding gifts. 9.4.1 I have recounted these things to show that he who today has provided us with the occasion for this assembly is more illustrious than his companions and fellow contestants. For the others are not all known by all, nor do they have a celebrated valor; but Phocas, there is no one who does not know. but just as the ray of the sun has spread over all eyes, so also the fame of this martyr has resounded in every ear; and to speak concisely, as many as have known the Lord Christ, these also have known his faithful servant; or rather, if you please, leaving aside the encomiums common to the others, I will recount to you, lovers of martyrs, the exceptional stories of the martyr. Therefore, the holy man, the great benefit of Christians, was brought forth by neighboring Sinope, an ancient and well-known city, rich in steadfast and philosophical men. For let no one now consider the difference in religion, but whether it was shown to be altogether a nurse and mother of excellent men. And his occupation in life was the cultivation and care of a garden, which he possessed somewhere before the gate of the city at the mouth of the Isthmus, and he worked it diligently, as a comfort in life for himself and for those in need. 9.5.2 And he opened his small and poor hearth very eagerly to strangers. And dwelling on the public road, he set forth his possessions as common to visitors; and he was a new Lot, not of the Sodomites, but of the Sinopeans. And as time went on, he found the commandment not without reward; for from his hospitality he gained the occasion of life-giving death; whence and how, listen, as I take up the story briefly. 9.6.1 When the word of our piety was announced and the divine preaching went forth to every ear, making known Christ and his mysteries, the nations raged, according to the psalm, and the kings and rulers gathered together for the same purpose; and the peoples of error were angered that Jesus reigned. And every Christian was sought as an evildoer, and he who was near was punished, and he who was far away was tracked down. 9.6.2 Therefore, neither the humbleness of his occupation nor the fact that he was a gardener concealed Phocas, but he too was informed against as a most genuine initiate of Christ. And indeed there came against him those who had been ordered to lead him away from this wretched and fleeting life, untried and without a defense. For the crime was such that the noble man confessed it with a clear voice; and with no one asking he showed it by his deeds, and when asked he joyfully cried it out. 9.7.1 So when the executioners of his punishment and the causes of our festival came, they lodged with the very man they were seeking, neither knowing him nor being known by him. And for the time being they kept the reason for their visit a secret, so that, having first learned from those outside the city who Phocas was and where he was living, they might suddenly come upon him and seize him, as the Hebrews once did in the garden with Judas to the

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Φωκᾶ καταλαβὼν ἐκ τοῦ τόπου πληροῦμαι τῆς μνήμης πάντων ὁμοῦ τῶν ἐπ' αὐτῷ λεγομένων διηγημάτων· βλέπω τὸν κηπουρὸν τὸ ἐπιτήδευμα, τὸν ἄπλαστον τὴν ψυχήν, τὸν φιλόξενον, τὸν τῆς παραλίας ἐξαίρετον, τὸν τῆς μεσογείου εὐεργέτην, τῶν ἁγίων τὸν ἅγιον καὶ τῶν δεδοξασμένων διὰ Χριστὸν ἐνδοξότερον. 9.3.1 Ἱερὸς μὲν γὰρ καὶ θεσπέσιος ἅπας ὁ τῶν γενναίων μαρτύρων κατάλογος, πάθει τὴν ὑπὲρ πάθους ἀποδοὺς χάριν, αἵματι δὲ τὴν ὑπὲρ αἵματος τῷ Σωτῆρι τῶν ὅλων ἀμοιβὴν ἐκπληρώσας. Πλὴν ἐν αὐτοῖς τούτοις οὐ μία τῶν πάντων ἡ δόξα, οὐδὲ πρὸς ἓν μέτρον ἴσα τὰ γέρα τοῖς ὅλοις ἀποκεκλήρωνται, ἀλλὰ τὸ πρῶτον καὶ δεύτερον οὐδὲ ὁ τῶν ἁγίων ἐκφεύγει κατάλογος. Αἴτιον δὲ οἶμαι τούτου τὸ λίαν ἀπηκριβώμενον τοῦ κριτοῦ καὶ ἀπρόσκλιτον. 9.3.2 Ἐφορᾷ γὰρ καὶ τιμωριῶν μεγέθη καὶ καρτερίας ἐνστάσεις, καὶ βασανίζων τὸ ἀγώνισμα τὰς πρὸς ἀξίαν ἀμοιβὰς διανέμει τοῖς ἀθληταῖς. Καὶ παράδοξον οὐδαμῶς εἰ παρὰ Θεοῦ οὕτως τιμᾶται τὸ δίκαιον, ὁπότε καὶ παρ' ἡμῖν στρατηγοὶ καὶ ἀγωνοθέται οὐκ ἴσοι γίνονται τοῖς ἀριστεῦσιν ἢ τοῖς ἀγωνισταῖς, ἀλλὰ δὴ ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τοῦ κατορθώματος τὰς δωρεὰς ἀναλογούσας ἐπιφημίζουσιν. 9.4.1 Ταῦτα δὲ διῆλθον, ἵνα δείξω ὡς ὁ σήμερον ἡμῖν παρασχὼν τοῦ συλλόγου τὴν ἀφορμὴν τῶν ἑταίρων καὶ συναγωνιστῶν ἐστι περιφανέστερος. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλοι οὐ πάντες παρὰ πᾶσι γνωρίζονται, οὐδὲ βεβοημένην ἔχουσι τὴν ἀνδραγαθίαν· Φωκᾶν δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἀγνοεῖ· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἡ ἀκτὶς τοῦ ἡλίου πᾶσιν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐφήπλωται, οὕτως καὶ ἡ τοῦ μάρτυρος τούτου φήμη πᾶσαν ἀκοὴν περιήχησε· καὶ ἵνα συνελὼν εἴπω, ὅσοι τὸν ∆εσπότην ἐγνώρισαν Χριστόν, οὗτοι καὶ τὸν πιστὸν δοῦλον ἐγνώρισαν· μᾶλλον δέ, εἰ δοκεῖ, τῶν κοινῶν πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους ἐγκωμίων ἀφέμενος τὰ ἐξαίρετα τοῦ μάρτυρος διηγήματα ὑμῖν τοῖς φιλομάρτυσι διηγήσομαι. Ἤνεγκε τοίνυν τὸν ἅγιον ἄνδρα, τὸ μέγα χριστιανῶν ὄφελος, ἡ γείτων Σινώπη, πόλις ἀρχαία καὶ γνώριμος, εὔπορος καρτερῶν καὶ φιλοσόφων ἀνδρῶν. Μὴ γάρ μοί τις λογιζέσθω νῦν τὸ τῆς θρησκείας διάφορον, ἀλλ' εἰ σπουδαίων ὅλως ἀνδρῶν τροφὸς καὶ μήτηρ ἐδείχθη. Ἐπιτήδευμα δὲ αὐτῷ τοῦ βίου κήπου γεωργία καὶ ἐπιμέλεια, ὅνπερ αὐτοῦ που πρὸ τῆς πύλης τοῦ ἄστεος ἐπὶ τοῦ στόματος τοῦ Ἰσθμοῦ κεκτημένος ἤσκει φιλοπόνως, ἑαυτῷ καὶ τοῖς δεομένοις παραμυθίαν τοῦ βίου. 9.5.2 Ἤνοιγε δὲ καὶ τοῖς ξένοις μάλα προθύμως τὴν μικρὰν καὶ πενομένην ἑστίαν. Ἐποικῶν δὲ τῇ λεωφόρῳ κοινὰ τοῖς ἐπιδημοῦσι προετίθει τὰ ὄντα· καὶ νέος ἦν Λώτ, οὐ Σοδομιτῶν, ἀλλὰ Σινωπέων. Τοῦ δὲ χρόνου προελθόντος τὴν ἐντολὴν εὗρεν οὐκ ἄμισθον· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς φιλοξενίας ἐκέρδανε τοῦ ζωοποιοῦ θανάτου τὴν πρόφασιν· ὅθεν δὲ καὶ ὅπως μικρὸν ἀναλαβόντος ἀκούσατε. 9.6.1 Τοῦ λόγου τῆς εὐσεβείας ἡμῶν καταγγελθέντος καὶ τοῦ θεσπεσίου κηρύγματος πρὸς πᾶσαν ἀκοὴν ἐξελθόντος, γνωρίζοντος δὲ Χριστὸν καὶ τὰ ἐκείνου μυστήρια, ἐφρύαξαν ἔθνη, κατὰ τὸν ψαλμόν, καὶ οἱ βασιλεῖς καὶ ἄρχοντες συνήγοντο ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό· καὶ οἱ τῆς πλάνης λαοὶ ὠργίζοντο τοῦ Ἰησοῦ βασιλεύσαντος. Ἐζητεῖτο δὲ πᾶς χριστιανὸς ὡς κακοῦργος καὶ ὁ ἐγγὺς ἐκολάζετο καὶ ὁ μακρὰν ἀνιχ νεύετο. 9.6.2 ∆ιὸ καὶ Φωκᾶν οὔτε ἡ εὐτέλεια τοῦ ἐπιτηδεύματος καὶ ὁ κηπουρὸς ἔκρυψεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ οὗτος ὡς γνήσιος μάλιστα τοῦ Χριστοῦ μύστης ἐμηνύθη. Καὶ δὴ καὶ ἦλθον ἐπ' αὐτὸν οἱ τοῦ δυστήνου τοῦδε βίου καὶ ῥέοντος κελευσθέντες ἀπαγαγεῖν ἄκριτον, ἀναπολόγητον. Καὶ γὰρ ἦν τὸ ἔγκλημα τοιοῦτον, ὃ λαμπρᾷ τῇ φωνῇ ὁ γεννάδας καθωμολόγει· καὶ μηδενὸς ἐρωτῶντος ἔργοις ἐδείκνυε, πυνθανομένου δὲ περιχαρῶς ἐξεβόα. 9.7.1 Ἐλθόντες γ' οὖν οἱ τῆς ἐκείνου τιμωρίας δήμιοι καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἑορτῆς αἴτιοι παρ' αὐτῷ τῷ ζητουμένῳ κατέλυσαν, οὔτε γινώσκοντες οὔτε γινωσκόμενοι. Ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ δὲ τέως εἶχον τῆς ἐπιδημίας τὴν πρόφασιν, ἵνα πρότερον ἐκδιδαχθέντες παρὰ τῶν ἔξω τῆς πόλεως τίς ὁ Φωκᾶς καὶ ὅποι διάγων, ἀθρόον ἐπιστάντες συλλάβωσιν, ὡς οἱ Ἑβραῖοι ποτε ἐν τῷ κήπῳ μετὰ Ἰούδα τὸν