Panegyric orations
To run against you from an opposing lot, he endured but the pentathlon was accomplished for you and the pancratium was completed with no one having c
The votes, i imagine the divine judgment and i refer to the incorruptible tribunal. when i test you in elections, i admire your intelligence and your
From afar it shines on those landing and extends a hand to those from the sea, escorting them to rome most painlessly. what in addition to these does
Using it and bending and curving it towards the drooping jaw, i remember the indian's eyebrow at this, how he held it more than a cubit above his head
And to a rival. let others, then, measure you against and compare you with whomever they wish, but i, though i seem to make a strange and dissimilar c
In prose, not in meters and poems or perhaps many are present, but they have no account of the matter, as if it were of no account to them. and time
The hegemony of his father, with kingdoms overthrown and not a few changes having occurred in both, those who, having exchanged their fortune for the
He took counsel of opposing nations, but by making everything purchasable with gold and royal splendors, from this he gained the goodwill of all, and
Opened, and flung wide the very gates of the soul, and associated with wicked and corrupt lives. for he did not at once know the whole line of the fam
To work deeds of injustice for he was angry with those who did wrong and would punish them. but when he began to be sick and his body was wasting awa
Not a magnificent spirit, not a musical and graceful speech, nothing else of the sort that knows how to beautify the soul and the nature of the body.
Drives a sphere, and the other the superterrestrial one, so that the one might wind its own zone in a single cycle, and the other in twelve cycles, an
Defining the virtues by its power, and practicing the higher geometry. for this, as proclus also says, has occupied the middle ground between the indi
The power of the kingdom came to him, besides these the life of david among the flocks, the pursuit, those many dangers into which he fell but was not
He locks up the monarchy into a tyranny, having exchanged one evil for another. justice is not quiet, it kindles the coals, it sends the arrow, the wi
I call it his girdle-and he draws away no small cavalry and infantry force from old rome, he adds to these also the best army of the east, and no smal
An angel wrought a more manifest victory. i have something more to say than those wonders there the cross was in types and images, a bronze serpent s
You, o king the more abundantly you pour out benefits upon us, the more you increase by being filled. from this, no one has been left out of such wea
With the eyes, then poured out and dissolved, but better and higher than all that is visible. but, o emperor—for i repeat the title to you and call it
You fill the western beacon, neither grudging us your rays nor altering the color of your disk, but the more time increases the distances, the more be
The rising of the sun, the land upon which it immediately rises, so that, if any of our people wished, having gone there he could, not with geometrica
I am an unskillful chronicler of your deeds and erring in my timing, and i do not have a nature that strikes out in both directions at once. for you a
To wish. for you both comprehend the present and conjecture the future and discover the unseen, discerning character from eyebrows and eyelids, so tha
To speak? -unseemly even in his appearance, made of tin or dipped in bile and altogether counterfeit gold, but since he was in the midst of dangers, t
With stones lying along each side, so that the conjoined may seem continuous and the well-fitted of one nature. behold for me the heights and beauties
But here is a distinct hand divided into five rosy branches. but this is a most unerring testimony of that godlike soul. but do you wish to see some t
Transcending substance and holding the principles of the forms folded together and least of all divided from the one. and you, being such, do you not
The fountains of good deeds flowed, as if from a sheer rock, having received the impetus for their flowing these proclaimed you by reputation even be
A guide, so also there an arbiter of the administrations, that i may suit you for both, both speaking your deeds and doing the words of your administr
P]ortions are deprived of praise, but no one of all men has been suited to all words of praise. but to you so much is granted [against] all in all thi
To bring to the highest point of keenness, or your soul which was not [shattered by] trials, but also most nobly endured through the magnitude of the
And they were torn away, and their manner altered their nature [....], and they have remained, and after the separation, being both nourished and fatt
But the love of art and the care concerning the divine sanctuaries, what demostheneses or the best of the writers could describe and praise? how beau
Having surpassed in his heroic deeds him and the kings up to you, but in his plans he is recorded as being less than his accomplishments, winning in [
Less, you have given the first place to reason over passion, and you have established the one like some foundation upon the acropolis, but the other y
Having considered what is seen, but when i also behold the tomb of the queen, and i behold it often whenever i wish to console some hardship of fortun
To comprehend in a speech. for to whom could the unattainable be attainable, even if he were rich in the homeric power for speeches, or the herodotan
Admiring and in return is eager to make an image and someone already having constructed a stele for you inscribed the gentle one. therefore solomon
Much praise and measured against all of time. how then could i summarize the whole in a few words? i will speak, therefore, a little of your virtues,
Everyone rejoices and exults with the one who has taken up your encomiums and because i did not weave the words of praise sooner, he is rather vexed
Gracefulness, the maturity of your thought, the symmetry of your greatness, the quick-wittedness, the stability of your mind, the unmarried life, the
At once for us the lord and most skilled in command and pleasing to all, o most excellent foresight, o wise consideration, o most noble counsel, o div
Of virtues? you, beyond any kings who ever were, honored justice and preferred philanthropy, and having attained the height of prudence, you appeared
Accomplishments? o the arrows from heaven against the barbarians, o the unseen bowshots, o the angelic powers in the air, o the divine armies against
The greatest part of character. for as many as have become of a civic disposition, if they have descended to this willingly, they seemed both prudent
Of civil administration and of divine hearing. if therefore, being engaged in one, he also holds to the other, let this for now be a secret to many. b
Of wise men going to ammon's shrine or being within the delphic tripod suddenly transferred their apparent wisdom to the more divine and greater, how
We have taken starting points, and yet more absurd, if we render praises to the good and noble men who have died, for what they have said concerning w
And not many months after the sowing, but immediately reaping the harvest and so that i might say what is from the gospel, the two were running toget
If we should set about to build him up, this marvelous man, both in nature and in diligence, has received much contribution toward his eloquence from
For having embraced one of these, they might neglect the rest, or putting ears before mind, they have an unintelligible tongue, or having drawn up spr
Pleases the petty and the overly artful. therefore, of these enumerated wise men, the one now honored in this discourse wishes to imitate gregory, and
I knew not only what the greeks knew, nor what the chaldeans or egyptians knew, but i had also condemned them, though not all of them, nor has my refu
With magnanimity, he who was both namesake and like-minded with the great constantine, and who alone nobly contended against all, and taking his name-
Regulates the state of the church, no less than moses who constructed the tabernacle below according to the pattern shown to him for whether melodies
Concerning which things, before his high-priesthood, at a time when he did not even have many resources of money, he constructed brilliantly and accom
And to impart to others. and perhaps he did not endure the waves of the sea, but in his toils on land he might in some way be compared to paul. and co
One of two things happening, either god descending into the mind, or the mind ascending to god. but what is the place of god's rest, or by which of al
Of a voice, nor were you instructed by any of the higher powers, to lay aside the symbols of the priesthood, and to transfer yourself to another life,
Nothing unpleasant would happen to those handling these things but for you, who happen to be a philosopher, what harm will come from these affairs? j
Of words but you, o king, will both speak publicly among the armies and bring an impulse with your speech and will rouse them together for the deed.
May you be crowned on the head with glorious trophies. may you be adorned with deeds of valor against the barbarians, and be escorted by many victorie
May you rend the sea and stop the river and vanquish amalek. may a cloud, giving shade over your head, take away your burning heat, and a pillar of li
of a voice, nor were you instructed by any of the higher powers, to lay aside the symbols of the priesthood, and to transfer yourself to another life, whence have you become so obstinate about the need to take off the ankle-length tunic? Because your body needs rest, and to be delivered from the many toils and labors which you have brought upon the rational flock? But not this; God wills that for a certain time we practice virtue and increase the talent, and then to change our aim and cease from the forward course and the continuous effort, but to be ever-moving towards the good, until we come to the fount of the splendors here below, said a certain wise man, admired also by you, and we stand still both from our desire and from our ascent. But as long as such a fount is unseen, we shall receive light by light, and a clearer one for a dimmer; for this too is from the same mixing bowl. But we must not deliberately dull our eyes, nor turn back from our journey, so that from a greater light we might behold a lesser, and from the uttermost ends we might retrace our steps to the noonday zone, nor is serving as a priest such a thing as wrestling, or the pancration, or boxing, that when one is seen to be past his prime, he should cease from the practice. For virtue does not need much from the hands, and movement of the feet, but little from the tongue, and much from the movement of the mind and the ascent to God, for this is to serve God, for the mind to enter in and see through itself the mysteries in the inner sanctuary. So that if, being well in body, you bid farewell to your duties, and shun your occupation among the many, you transgress a commandment, and despise sacred laws. But if your body has failed you for the labors in the high priesthood, no reason compels you to hold to the same intensity, any more than if I were to compel those with a fever to ride horses and go forth and risk their lives for the cities. Then you have also planned the opposite of what you have done; for having gathered the scattered flock, and with many toils and labors brought it into the same fold, you then attempt to scatter and divide what has been joined, and to drive away to mountains and deserts and chasms from which you have gathered it. And you do the same thing, as if some general, having walled a city and fortified it so that it might suffer nothing from an attack, then leaving it, should go to another, unwalled city; but, O blessed one, I would say to him, are you not then afraid that the wall might be more quickly pulled down when its protector is not there? I utter the same voice also to you, that immediately your buttress on which you have labored much will fall apart, and the enclosure will be broken through, and the city will become easy to capture. But if your flock was like that of many sacred cities, small and easy to count, and this sick, and in need besides of pasture and folds, not even so should you have abandoned it, nor cast away the shepherd's rod, nor broken the pipe, but you should have healed what was sick and called back what was wandering, and gathered what was scattered. But since your flock is large, and the fold is wide, and the pasture is abundant, I do not know in what way you have decided, letting go of the best things, to exchange them for what is worse. But you seem to me to think that the life of quietude is in itself both communion with God and attainment of better things, and an elevation or repose of thoughts. That such a grace does indeed come to those who live in quiet, I would not deny, but to some, and not even to these always, nor for long, but like a lightning flash that has both shone and passed away is the vision, and so much for the peace, but the remaining part of life is dangers. But for the high priest there are often troubles, but the greater part is peace of soul and stability; and that I may speak precisely, if a philosophic mind presides over all affairs,
φωνῆς, οὔτε παρά του τῶν κρειττόνων ἐχρηματίσθης δυνάμεων, τὰ τῆς ἱερωσύνης μὲν ἀποθέσθαι σύμβολα, ἐπ' ἄλλον δὲ σαυτὸν βίον
μετενεγκεῖν, πόθεν οὕτως ἰσχυρογνώμων περὶ τοῦ δεῖν ὑποδύσασθαι τὸν ποδήρη καθέστηκας; ὅτι δεῖ σοι τῷ σώματι ἀναπαύσεως, καὶ
τῶν πολλῶν ἀπηλλάχθαι πόνων τε καὶ καμάτων ὧν τοῖς λογικοῖς εἰσενήνεξαι θρέμμασιν; ἀλλ' οὐ τοῦτο· θεὸς βούλεται μέχρι μέν
τινος ἐργάζεσθαι ἡμᾶς ἀρετὴν καὶ ἐπαυξάνειν τὸ τάλαντον, εἶτα δὴ μετατίθεσθαι τοῦ σκοποῦ καὶ ἵστασθαι τοῦ προσωτέρου δρόμου
καὶ τῆς συνεχοῦς συντονίας, ἀλλ' ἀεικινήτους εἶναι πρὸς τὸ καλόν, ἄχρις ἂν πρὸς τὴν πηγὴν ἔλθωμεν τῶν τῇδε ἀπαυγασμάτων, ἔφησέ
τις σοφὸς καὶ παρά σοι θαυμαζόμενος, καὶ στῶμεν καὶ τῆς ἐφέσεως καὶ τῆς ἀναβάσεως. ἕως δ' ἂν ἀθέατος ἡ τοιαύτη πηγή, φωτὶ
προσληψόμεθα φῶς, καὶ ἀμαυροτέρῳ τρανότερον· καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ τοῦ αὐτοῦ κρατῆρος. ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀμβλυντέον ἡμῖν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐξεπίτηδες,
οὐδὲ τὴν πορείαν ἀναλυτέον, ἵν' ἀπὸ φωτὸς μείζονος ἔλαττον θεασώμεθα, ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἄκρων περάτων ἐς τὴν μεσημβρινὴν ζώνην ἀναποδίσωμεν,
ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τὸ ἱερατεύειν τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν, ὁποῖον δὴ τὸ παλαίειν, ἢ τὸ παγκρατιάζειν, ἢ ἀκροχειρίζεσθαι, ἵν' ἐπειδὰν παρηκμακώς
τις ὀφθείη, παύσοιτο τοῦ ἐπιτηδεύματος. οὐ γὰρ τὰ πολλὰ χειρῶν τῇ ἀρετῇ δεῖ, καὶ ποδῶν κινήσεως, ἀλλ' ὀλίγα μὲν γλώττης, τὰ
πολλὰ δὲ κινήσεως νοῦ καὶ τῆς πρὸς θεὸν ἀναβάσεως, τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ θεῷ λειτουργεῖν, τὸ τὸν νοῦν ὑποδύεσθαι καὶ ὁρᾷν δι'
αὐτοῦ τὰ ἐν τοῖς ἀδύτοις μυστήρια. ὥστ' εἰ μὲν εὖ ἔχων σώματος, ἐρρῶσθαι φράσας τοῖς πράγμασι, τὴν μετὰ τῶν πολλῶν ἐκκλίνεις
διατριβήν, ἐντολὴν ἀθετεῖς, καὶ νόμων καταφρονεῖς ἱερῶν. εἰ δ' ἀπηγόρευκέ σοι τὸ σῶμα πρὸς τοὺς ἐν τῇ ἀρχιερωσύνῃ καμάτους,
οὐδεὶς λόγος σε ἀναγκάζει τῆς αὐτῆς ἔχεσθαι συντονίας, οὐ μᾶλλόν γε εἰ καὶ τοὺς πυρέττοντας ἀναγκάσαιμι ἱππάζεσθαί τε καὶ
προϊέναι καὶ προκινδυνεύειν τῶν πόλεων. Ἔπειτα καὶ οἷς πεποίηκας τἀναντία βεβούλευσαι· συναγαγὼν γὰρ διεσπαρμένον τὸ ποίμνιον,
καὶ πολλοῖς καμάτοις καὶ πόνοις εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν μάνδραν εἰσαγαγών, εἶτα διασπείρειν ἐπιχειρεῖς καὶ διαιρεῖν τὸ συνημμένον, καὶ
ἀπελαύνειν εἰς ὄρη καὶ ἐρημίας καὶ βάραθρα ἀφ' ὧν συνηγήοχας. καὶ ταὐτὸν ποιεῖς, ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις στρατηγὸς τειχίσας πόλιν
καὶ περιφράξας ἵνα μηδὲν ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς πάθῃ, ἔπειτα ταύτην ἀφείς, ἐφ' ἑτέραν βαδίζοι ἀτείχιστον· ἀλλ', ὦ μακάριε, εἴποιμ' ἂν
ἐγὼ πρὸς αὐτόν, εἶτ' οὐ δέδιας μὴ θᾶττον τὸ τεῖχος καθαιρεθείη οὐκ ὄντος τοῦ περιέποντος; τὴν αὐτὴν δὴ καὶ πρὸς σὲ φωνὴν ἀφίημι,
ὅτι σοι αὐτίκα καὶ τὸ ἔρεισμα διαπεσεῖται ἐφ' ᾧ δὴ πολλὰ πεπόνηκας, καὶ ἡ περιβολὴ διαιρεθήσεται, καὶ ἁλώσιμος ἡ πόλις γενήσεται.
Ἀλλ' εἰ μὲν ἦν σοι τὸ ποίμνιον ὁποῖον δὴ τὸ τῶν πολλῶν ἱερὸν πόλεων, ὀλίγον καὶ εὐαρίθμητον, καὶ τοῦτο νοσοῦν, πρὸς δὲ καὶ
πόας καὶ μάνδρας δεόμενον, ἀλλ' οὐδ' οὕτως ἀποστατέον ἦν σοι τούτου, οὐδὲ τὴν ποιμαντικὴν ῥάβδον ἀπορριπτέον, οὐδὲ διαθραυστέον
τὴν σύριγγα, ἀλλ' ἔδει καὶ τὸ νενοσηκὸς ἰάσασθαι καὶ τὸ πεπλανημένον ἀνακαλέσασθαι, καὶ τὸ διεσπαρμένον συναγαγεῖν. ἐπεὶ δέ
σοι καὶ ἡ ποίμνη πολλή, καὶ ἡ μάνδρα πλατεῖα, καὶ ἡ νομὴ δαψιλής, οὐκ οἶδα ὅντινα δὴ τρόπον βεβούλευσαι, τῶν καλλίστων ἀφέμενος,
τὰ χείρω τούτων ἀλλάξασθαι. ἔοικας δέ μοι οἴεσθαι τὸν ἐφ' ἡσυχίας βίον αὐτόχρημα ὁμιλίαν τε πρὸς θεὸν εἶναι καὶ ἐπιτυχίαν
κρειττόνων, καὶ λογισμῶν ἔπαρσιν ἢ ἀνάπαυσιν. ὅτι μὲν οὖν καὶ χάρις τοιαύτη τοῖς ἡσυχάζουσι γίνεται, οὐκ ἂν ἀρνηθείην, ἀλλ'
ἐνίοις, καὶ οὐδὲ τούτοις ἀεί, οὐδ' ἐπὶ πολύ, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἀστραπὴ ὁμοῦ τε ἔλαμψε καὶ παρελήλυθε τὸ φανέν, καὶ τοσοῦτον μὲν ἡ
εἰρήνη, τὸ δὲ λειπόμενον μέρος τῆς ζωῆς οἱ κίνδυνοι. τῷ δ' ἀρχιερεῖ ἔστι μὲν πολλάκις καὶ πράγματα, τὰ δὲ πλείω εἰρήνη ψυχῆς
καὶ κατάστασις· καὶ ἵνα τ' ἀκριβὲς εἴποιμι, ἢν νοῦς ἐπιστατῇ φιλόσοφος πᾶσι πράγμασιν,
