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in the ruling city, the summit of Italy and queen of the world, he has a great escort and honor and a conspicuous house, adorned for beauty. The Romans serve Phocas no less than Peter and Paul. And, as the story teaches, they eagerly acquired the head of the martyr, choosing a purpose opposite to that of the vile Herodias. For she, thirsting for righteous blood, sought a head for insult; but they acquired it for their own honor and benefit. Sailors and mariners everywhere, not only those who sail across the Euxine sea, but those who cut through the Adriatic and are carried over the Aegean and as many as sail the western ocean and voyage in the eastern gulfs, have changed the customary commands by which they relieve the toil of the voyage, into a new theme for the praise of the noble one; and the thrice-blessed is on their tongue, since he also provides clear proofs of his help. 9.11.2 For he has often been seen at night, when a storm was expected, waking the helmsman who had nodded off at the rudder; and again at other times stretching a rope and taking care of the sail and from the prow watching for the shoals. It has therefore become a custom for sailors to have Phocas as a messmate. And since it is impossible to have one who is now bodiless as a companion in life, learn how by pious reasoning they contrived the impossible. Each day they set aside the martyr's portion of the provisions in equal share with those who are eating. 9.11.3 One of the diners buys this portion and puts down the money, and on the next day another, and at another time another; and so the lot of the purchase, being distributed among all, provides a buyer for the portion each day. But when a harbor receives them and they disembark on land, the money is divided among the hungry; and this is the portion for Phocas, a benefaction for the poor. 9.12.1 Kings also are amazed at this most steadfast and God-loving man and adorn the palace of God with costly treasures. And their successors strive to surpass their predecessors. And it is not yet astonishing if the men who hold the rule of the Romans, pious men, familiar with institutions and laws, are so reverent towards the servant of Christ, when the wonder has even reached the barbarians; 9.12.2 and all the most savage Scythians, who inhabit the continent opposite the Euxine sea, neighbors of the Maeotic lake and the river Tanais, and those who dwell by the Bosporus and extend as far as the river Phasis, all these are bodyguards to the gardener; and though differing from us in all customs and practices, in this alone they become of one mind, their savage ways being tamed by the truth. 9.12.3 Therefore one ruler and king from there, laying aside the crown from his head, gleaming with gold and the blossoms of stones, and taking off his war-cuirass, which had the materials of wealth—for the panoply of the barbarians is arrogant and effeminate—sent both as votive offerings through the martyr to God, having consecrated the sources of his power and rank. For it is clear that the crown was a thank-offering for his kingship, and the cuirass for his strength in wars. 9.13.1 But the workings that continually happen in these matters through visions in dreams and the cures which the sick enjoy, how could one even recount, it being impossible to apply the account to each particular working? Yet it is possible to say this much to those who worship the polytheistic error, that one servant of Christ and our fellow-servant fulfills the workings of many of the gods esteemed among you. 9.13.2 And let the oracles be silent, just as they have indeed been silenced, being overcome by the prophecies of the righteous one among us. And let the workshops of medicine be idle, and let Asclepius not be worshipped; and let the Dioscuri not be thought to contend alongside sailors; for those who sail know the helper in dangers. Where is the Pythia, a woman, a false prophetess of ambiguous

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κατὰ τὴν βασιλεύουσαν πόλιν, τὴν κορυφὴν Ἰταλίας καὶ βασιλίδα τοῦ κόσμου, ἔστιν αὐτῷ πολλὴ δορυφορία τε καὶ τιμὴ καὶ οἶκος περιφανής, ἠσκημένος εἰς κάλλος. Οὐχ ἧττον δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι τὸν Φωκᾶν θεραπεύουσιν ἢ Πέτρον καὶ Παῦλον. Καί, ὡς ὁ λόγος δι δάσκει, τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ μάρτυρος ἐσπουδασμένως ἐκτήσαντο ἀντί στροφον τῆς μιαρᾶς Ἡρωδιάδος προελόμενοι γνώμην. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ αἵματος διψῶσα δικαίου κεφαλὴν εἰς ὕβριν ἐζήτησεν· οἱ δὲ εἰς τιμὴν καὶ ὠφέλειαν ἑαυτῶν περιεποιήσαντο. Ναῦται δὲ καὶ πλωτῆρες οἱ πανταχοῦ, οὐχ οἱ τὸν Εὔξεινον μόνον διαπλέοντες πόντον, ἀλλ' οἱ τὸν Ἀδρίαν τέμνοντες καὶ ὑπὲρ Αἰγαίου φερόμενοι καὶ ὅσοι τὸν ὠκεανὸν πλέουσι τὸν ἑσπέριον καὶ τοῖς ἐῴοις κόλποις ἐνθαλαττεύουσι, τὰ συνήθη κελεύσματα οἷς τὸν τοῦ πλοῦ πόνον προσαναπαύουσιν, εἰς καινὴν ὑπόθεσιν δι' εὐφημίας τοῦ γενναίου μετέ βαλον· καὶ διὰ γλώττης ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς ὁ τρισμακάριος, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἐναργεῖς παρέχει τῆς βοηθείας τὰς πείρας. 9.11.2 Πολλάκις γ' οὖν ὤφθη νύκτωρ προσδοκωμένου χειμῶνος διεγείρων τὸν κυβερνήτην τῷ πηδαλίῳ ἐπι νυστάξαντα· καὶ ἄλλοτε πάλιν κάλω διατείνων καὶ τῆς ὀθόνης ἐπιμε λόμενος καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς πρώρας προοπτεύων τὰ βράχη. Νόμος γ' οὖν ἐγένετο ναύταις Φωκᾶν ἔχειν συνεστιάτορα. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ τὸν νῦν ἀσώματον τοῦ βίου κοινωνὸν ἔχειν ἀμήχανον, μάθετε ὅπως εὐσεβεῖ λογισμῷ ἐσοφίσαντο τὸ ἀδύνατον. Καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν τῶν ὄψων τὴν μερίδα πρὸς ἰσομοιρίαν τῶν ἐσθιόντων ἀποκληροῦσι τῷ μάρτυρι. 9.11.3 Ταύτην δὲ εἷς τῶν δαιτυμόνων ἐξωνούμενος τὸ ἀργύριον κατατίθεται, καὶ τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ἄλλος καὶ ἄλλοτε ἕτερος· καὶ οὕτως ὁ κλῆρος τῆς ἀγορασίας πάντας ἐπινεμόμενος δίδωσι καθ' ἡμέραν τῆς μερίδος τὸν ὠνητήν. Ἐπειδὰν δὲ ὅρμος αὐτοὺς ὑποδέξηται καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀποβῶσι, μερίζεται τὸ ἀργύριον τοῖς πεινῶσι· καὶ τοῦτο ἡ μερὶς τῷ Φωκᾷ, πενήτων εὐεργεσία. 9.12.1 Τεθήπασι τοῦτον καὶ βασιλεῖς τὸν καρτερικώτατον καὶ φιλόθεον καὶ φιλοτίμοις κειμηλίοις κατακοσμοῦσι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ἀνάκτορον. Φιλο νεικοῦσι δὲ οἱ ἐπιγινόμενοι τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ὑπερβαλέσθαι. Καὶ οὔπω θαυμαστόν, εἰ οἱ τῆς Ῥωμαίων κρατοῦντες ἡγεμονίας ἄνδρες εὐσεβεῖς, θεσμοῖς τε καὶ νόμοις σύντροφοι, οὕτως εὐλαβῶς ἔχουσι περὶ τὸν θεράποντα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁπότε καὶ εἰς βαρβάρους ἔφθη τὸ θαῦμα· 9.12.2 καὶ πάντες οἱ ἀγριώτατοι Σκύθαι, ὅσοι δὴ τὴν ἀντιπέρας τοῦ Εὐξείνου πόντου ἤπειρον νέμονται, Μαιώτιδος λίμνης καὶ ποταμοῦ Τανάϊδος πρόσοικοι, ὅσοι τε Βόσπορον οἰκοῦσι καὶ ἄχρι Φάσιδος ποταμοῦ παρα τείνονται, πάντες οὗτοι δορυφοροῦσι τῷ κηπουρῷ· τοῖς δὲ πᾶσιν ἔθεσιν καὶ ἐπιτηδεύμασιν διεστῶτες ἡμῶν εἰς τοῦτο μόνον ὁμογνώμονες γίνονται τὴν ἀγριότητα τῶν τρόπων ὑπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐξημερούμενοι. 9.12.3 Εἷς γ' οὖν ἄρχων ἐκεῖθεν καὶ βασιλεὺς τὸν στέφανον τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀποθέμενος, χρυσῷ καὶ ἄνθεσι λίθων περιλαμπόμενον, καὶ τὸν θώρακα τὸν πολεμικὸν ἀποδύς, ὕλας ἔχοντα πλούτουἀλαζονικὴ γὰρ καὶ θρυπτομένη τῶν βαρβάρων ἡ πανοπλίαἔπεμψεν ἀμφότερα ἀναθήματα διὰ τοῦ μάρ τυρος τῷ Θεῷ καὶ δυνάμεως καὶ ἀξιώματος καθιερώσας τὰς ἀφορμάς. Πρόδηλον γάρ, ὡς ὁ μὲν στέφανος τῆς βασιλείας ἦν χαριστήριον, ὁ δὲ θώραξ τῆς κατὰ πολέμους ἰσχύος. 9.13.1 Τὰς δὲ συνεχῶς ἐπὶ τούτοις συμβαινούσας ἐνεργείας διὰ τῶν ἐν ὀνείρασιν ὄψεων καὶ τῶν θεραπειῶν, ὧν οἱ κάμνοντες ἀπολαύουσι, πῶς ἄν τις καὶ διηγήσαιτο ἀδυνάτου καθεστῶτος ταῖς καθ' ἕκαστον ἐνεργείαις ἐπαφεῖναι τὸν λόγον; Πλὴν τοσοῦτον ἔξεστιν εἰπεῖν πρὸς τοὺς τὴν πολύθεον πλάνην θρησκεύοντας, ὡς εἷς δοῦλος Χριστοῦ καὶ ἡμέτερος ὁμόδουλος πολλῶν τῶν παρ' ὑμῖν νομιζομένων θεῶν ἐνεργείας πληροῖ. 9.13.2 Καὶ σιωπάτω τὰ μαντεῖα, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ κατεσιγάσθη ταῖς παρ' ἡμῖν προρρήσεσι τοῦ δικαίου νικώμενα. Ἀργείτω δὲ ἰατρικῆς ἐργασ τήρια καὶ Ἀσκληπιὸς μὴ προσκυνείσθω· ∆ιόσκουροι δὲ μὴ νομιζέσθωσαν ναύταις συναγωνίζεσθαι· ἴσασι γὰρ οἱ πλέοντες τὸν τῶν κινδύνων ἐπίκουρον. Ποῦ ἡ Πυθία, γυνὴ ψευδόμαντις λοξὰς