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to endure all things, moths the things of moths. Hold fast the image. From there you will have the servant also complete.

72. On the departure. The flowers have passed, the season of summer has drawn near. And my hair is white,

and the threshing floor calls for the ear of grain. The unripe grape is gone, and the harvest is near. The winepress of my evils is already being trodden. Alas for me, for the evil day! Where can I flee it? 1420 And what shall I become? How I fear sin! A fear of thorns, and of Gomorrah's clusters, to appear full, when Christ the judge, God, gives to gods what is according to their worth, a place of light for each as his vision allows. My one hope is to retrace my short days by your guidance, O Blessed one.

73. A Supplication. The contest of life is near; I have crossed a harsh sea, and now

I see the penalty of hateful wickedness, misty Tartarus, the flame of fire, deep night, the shame of things now hidden being exposed. But, O Blessed one, have mercy, even though it be late, may you grant a good, kindly remnant of our life. 1421 I have suffered much, and I have a terror in my mind, lest the dread scales of your justice have begun to pursue me, O Lord. I myself will bear my own fate, journeying from here, having yielded readily to soul-devouring woes. But to you who are to come I command: There is no profit in this life. Life has an end of living.

74. To Christ. What is this tyranny? I came into life; good. But why am I tossed by life's triple waves? I will speak a word, a bold one, but I will speak it nonetheless. If I were not yours, I have been wronged, O my Christ. We are born, we are unstrung, we are filled up, I am drowsy, I sleep, I am awake, I journey, 1422 we are sick, we are well, pleasures, pains. To share in the seasons of the sun, these things of the earth, to die, for the flesh to decay; these things belong also to cattle, which are inglorious, but nonetheless without accountability. What then is more for me? Nothing, except God. If I were not yours, I have been wronged, O my Christ.

75. A Lament to Christ. Woe is me! I am straitened by life; and the greater part of life has passed, I know, and I breathe out death; but wickedness does not wish to be crushed with me. Either add something to my time, O breath of mortals, or draw me from my evils; this is goodness. 1423 But if you do not wish it, I am dead. And what more is there for you? Unless even the fire that awaits me is philanthropic.

76. Another Lament. Woe is me! I am straitened by my life and by its end. Here are sins, but from there comes justice. I stand in the midst of fears of the river of fire. In you, Christ, I trust more than in the struggles of life. For if there were even a little to be cleansed, this would be best. But if evils are ever more, it is time to be released, before it takes me in a worse state.

77. A Prayer to Christ. I am dead to this miserable life, 1424 which

is borne up and down, like the Euripus, having nothing certain, not even for a day. But a longing possesses me to live that long life, which is set as a prize for those who have contended well. For these things, farewell, you to whom the things of this life are dear; but I, rejoicing, will see the Master. I dare to say something, O Blessed one; I cast before you this body, your own, the creation of your hand; how slight, how fragrant, how faint it is! Behold, it lies before you, look, we have failed. And now be present, give your hand, or release me from life, before some worse end befalls me. What need is there again of evils and of purifications? 1425 I am undone, I am undone by misfortunes, and for you I am undone. For you are my God; you release the gloom of evils for one breathing out death a small or sorrowful life.

78. To his own soul. You have a task, O soul, and a great one, if you wish it. Examine yourself, who you are, and where you are turning, whence you came, and where you must stand; whether this life you live is living, or something more. You have a task, O soul, by these things purify your life. Perceive God for me and

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ὡς τὰ πάντα καρτερεῖν, Σῆτες τὰ σητῶν. Συγκράτει τὴν εἰκόνα. Ἐκεῖθεν ἕξεις καὶ τὸν δοῦλον ἄρτιον.

ΟΒʹ. Εἰς τὴν ἔξοδον. Παρῆλθον ἄνθη, καιρὸς ἤγγικεν θέρους. Λευκὴ δέ μοι

θρὶξ, ἡ δ' ἅλως καλεῖ στάχυν. Ἀπῆλθεν ὄμφαξ, ἡ τομὴ δὲ πλησίον. Ληνὸς πατεῖται τῶν ἐμῶν ἤδη κακῶν. Φεῦ ἡμέρας μοι τῆς κακῆς! ἣν ποῦ φύγω; 1420 Καὶ τίς γένωμαι; ὡς δέος μ' ἁμαρτίας! ∆έος δ' ἀκανθῶν, καὶ Γομόῤῥας βοτρύων, Πλήρη φανῆναι, Χριστὸς ἡνίκα κρίνων Θεὸς θεοῖς δίδωσι τὰ πρὸς ἀξίαν, Χώραν ἑκάστῳ φωτὸς ὡς ὄψις φέρει. Ἐλπὶς μία μοι τὰς βραχείας ἡμέρας Παλινδρομῆσαι τῇ ποδηγίᾳ, Μάκαρ.

ΟΓʹ. Παρακλητικόν. Ἐγγὺς ἀγὼν βιότοιο· κακὸν πλόον ἐξεπέρησα, Ἤδη καὶ

στυγερῆς τίσιν ὁρῶ κακίης, Τάρταρον ἠερόεντα, πυρὸς φλόγα, νύκτα βαθεῖαν, Τῶν νῦν κρυπτομένων, αἶσχος ἐλεγχόμενον. Ἀλλὰ, Μάκαρ, ἐλέαιρε, καὶ ὀψέ περ, ἐσθλὸν ὀπάζοις Ζωῆς ἡμετέρης λείψανον εὐμενέων. 1421 Πολλὰ πάθον, καὶ τάρβος ἔχω φρενὶ, μή με διώκειν Τῆς σῆς ἤρξατ', Ἄναξ, αἰνὰ τάλαντα δίκης. Οἴσω μὲν τὸν ἐμὸν καὐτὸς μόρον, ἔνθεν ὁδεύσας Εἴξας προφρονέως πήμασι θυμοβόροις. Ὑμῖν δ' ἐσσομένοις ἐπιτέλλομαι· Οὐδὲν ὄνειαρ Τοῦδε βίου. Ζωὴ λύσιν ἔχει βιότου.

Ο∆ʹ. Πρὸς Χριστόν. Τίς ἡ τυραννίς; ἦλθον εἰς βίον· καλῶς. Τί δὲ στροβοῦμαι ταῖς βίου τρικυμίαις; Ἐρῶ λόγον, θρασὺν μὲν, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐρῶ. Εἰ μὴ σὸς εἴην, ἠδίκημαι, Χριστέ μου. Γεννώμεθ', ἐκλυόμεθ', ἐκπληρούμεθα, Ὑπνῶ, καθεύδω, γρηγορῶ, πορεύομαι, 1422 Νοσοῦμεν, εὐεκτοῦμεν, ἡδοναὶ, πόνοι. Ὡρῶν μετασχεῖν ἡλίου, τούτων ἃ γῆς, Θανεῖν, σαπῆναι σάρκα· ταῦτα καὶ βοτῶν, Ἃ δυσκλέα μὲν, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἀνεύθυνα. Τί οὖν ἐμοὶ τὸ πλεῖον; οὐδὲν, ἢ Θεός. Εἰ μὴ σὸς εἴην, ἠδίκημαι, Χριστέ μου. ΟΕʹ. Θρῆνος πρὸς Χριστόν. Οἴμοι! στενοῦμαι τῷ βίῳ· καὶ τὸ πλέον Ζωῆς παρῆλθεν, οἶδα, καὶ νεκρὸν πνέω· Συνεκτριβῆναι δ' οὐ θέλει πονηρία. Ἢ τῷ χρόνῳ τι πρόσθες, ὦ πνοὴ βροτῶν, Ἢ τῶν κακῶν ὑπόσπα· τοῦτο χρηστότης. 1423 Εἰ δ' οὐ θέλεις, τέθνηκα. Καὶ τί σοι πλέον; Εἰ μὴ φιλάνθρωπόν με καὶ τὸ πῦρ μένει.

Οςʹ. Ἕτερος θρῆνος. Οἴμοι! στενοῦμαι τῷ βίῳ καὶ τῷ τέλει. Ἐνθάδε ἁμαρτὰς, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖθεν ἡ δίκη. Μέσος φόβων ἕστηκα πυρωποτάμου. Σοὶ, Χριστὲ, πλεῖον ἢ βίου θαῤῥῶ πάλαις. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἦν τι καὶ καθήρασθαι βραχὺ, Τοῦτ' ἦν ἄριστον. Εἰ δ' ἀεὶ πλείω κακὰ, Καιρὸς λυθῆναι, πρὶν λάβῃ με χείρονα.

ΟΖʹ. Προσευχὴ εἰς Χριστόν. Τέθνηκα τῷδε τῷ ταλαιπώρῳ βίῳ, 1424 Ὃς

φέρετ' ἄνω κάτω τε, Εὐρίπου δίκην, Βέβαιον οὐδὲν, οὐδ' ἐφ' ἡμέραν, ἔχων. Ζῆσαι δ' ἐκείνῳ τῷ μακρῷ πόθος μ' ἔχει, Ὃς ἆθλα κεῖται τοῖς κάλ' ἠγωνισμένοις. Πρὸς ταῦτα χαίρεθ', οἷς φίλα τὰ τοῦ βίου· Ἐγὼ δὲ χαίρων ὄψομαι τὸν ∆εσπότην. Τολμῶ τι λέξαι, ὦ Μάκαρ· τὸ σῶμά σοι Τὸ σὸν τὸ τῆς σῆς πλάσμα προσρίπτω χερός· Ὡς λεπτὸν, ὡς ὀδωδὸς, ὡς παρειμένον! Ἰδοὺ πρόκειται, βλέψον, ἐκλελοίπαμεν. Καὶ νῦν πάρει, δὸς χεῖρα, ἢ λῦσον βίου, Πρὶν καί τι χεῖρον συμπεσεῖν ἐμοὶ τέλος. Τί δεῖ πάλιν κακῶν τε, καὶ καθαρσίων; 1425 Ὄλωλ', ὄλωλα συμφοραῖς, σοὶ δ' ὄλλυμαι. Σὺ γὰρ Θεός μου· σὺ ζόφον λύεις κακῶν Νεκρῷ πνέοντι μικρὸν, ἢ λυπρὸν βίον.

ΟΗʹ. Εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν. Ἔργον ἔχεις, ψυχὴ, καὶ μέγα, ἢν ἐθέλῃς. Ἐρεύνα σαυτὴν ἥτις ᾖ, καὶ πῆ στρέφῃ, Ὅθεν προῆλθες, καὶ ὅπη στῆναι σὲ δεῖ· Εἰ ζῇν ὅπερ ζῇς τοῦτο, ἤ τι καὶ πλέον. Ἔργον ἔχεις, ψυχὴ, τοῖσδε κάθαιρε βίον. Θεὸν νόει μοι καὶ