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 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. And where it is the time for loosing arrows, you will immediately draw your bow, where for the javelin, you will hurl it, where for the spear, grasping it most powerfully you will cast it into the bodies of the opponents. And where there is need of a speech, you will orate brilliantly, not adapting the cleverness of Demosthenes, but kindling the graces of Nestor of Pylos; where there is necessity of locked shields and formation, you will stand both at the front and at each of the two wings, and you will outflank and you will wheel the phalanx and you will change the companies and you will transform the battle order and with a general's roar you will strike terror into the barbarian. But my discourse leads me also to the empress, whom I have been able not only to praise, but also to admire. O you who have conceived so great a good, O you who have thought of so great a benefit. You have fortified our cities, you have broken down the walls of the barbarians, you have adorned the Roman dominion, you have exalted yourself, you have guarded the empire for your children, through one thought and one deed you have brought together all good things into one; but from eagerness and joy I almost want to dance along with you. Now in truth is a conjunction of luminaries, now heaven and earth rejoice together, and all things leap and exult, and the time is truly for a festival. And since my speech requires a comparison, I shall say a paradoxical thing, but a most true one: you indeed, O king, though holding the prize of victory over all men, have been defeated by the empress alone, or should I say, by our lady; and you, O empress, though shown to be incomparable to all women, not to mention to all men, take second place, and this willingly, to the reigning emperor. O you who have conquered all men and you who have conquered all women, and who conquer each other and receive defeat from each other; O you who are the glory of men, and you the venerable praise of women. 19 To the same, as in the guise of an encomium Where are you departing, O most brilliant sun, the great luminary of truth? And how do you endure leaving behind the moon of the world, by whom you were illuminated and whom you illuminate more brilliantly? Or is it entirely the love for us and your desire for the queen of cities to be free, or rather the entire subject realm, from the invasion of the barbarians, that persuades you to disdain body and soul and your dearest ones? O fervent soul, O fiery heart, O noble spirit, the luxury and enjoyment of the empire did not enchant your mind; the adornment of rule and the other vestments, and the beauty of the diadem, did not hold back your soul. But as if having received the empire from God for this purpose, that we might live in luxury and exult, while you care for us, distressed by all toils and all anxieties, at the same time as your head was adorned with the diadem, you also sharpened your spear point against the enemies. O what daring, O what spirit! You did not wait for the change of the season, but in the middle of winter, with the sun covered by clouds, with the air being most gloomy, like some adamant able to bear every blow and divided by none, amid a harsh winter and much rain and terrible frost, you depart from the queen of cities, and proceed against the tyranny of the enemies. It was fitting for us from the beginning to receive such a king, so noble, so brave, so gentle, so full of courage; how extraordinary are all your qualities: your lineage, your character, your life, the comeliness of your body, the greatness of your soul, your longing for God, your vehement love for us, your noble mind, your generous hand, your ungrudging right hand, the fountain of graces. But O our delight, that we have been so fortunate in such an emperor. O the countervailing sorrow, that we see you our sun moving away as if to another world. And since we cannot hold you back, we send you on your way with prayers and tears. May you be strengthened against every foe and enemy, and

λέξεων· σὺ δὲ βασιλεῦ, καὶ δημηγορήεις ἐν τοῖς στρατεύμασι καὶ ὁρμὴν ἐπενέγκῃς τῷ λόγῳ καὶ συνεξορμήσεις τῷ πράγματι. καὶ οὗ μὲν καιρὸς ἀφέσεως βελῶν, αὐτίκα τὸ τόξον ἐντενεῖς, οὗ δὲ ἀκοντίου, ἀκοντιεῖς, οὗ δὲ δόρατος, ἀγκαλισάμενος ἐρρωμενέστατα ἐμβαλεῖς τοῖς τῶν ἀντιτεταγμένων σώμασι. καὶ οὗ μὲν χρεία λόγου, ῥητορεύσεις λαμπρῶς, οὐ τὰς ∆ημοσθένους δεινότητας ἁρμοσάμενος, ἀλλὰ τὰς τοῦ Πυλίου Νέστορος χάριτας ἀναψάμενος· οὗ δὲ ἀνάγκη συνασπισμοῦ καὶ συντάξεως, καὶ κατὰ μέτωπον στήσῃ καὶ ἑκατέρω τὼ κέρα, καὶ ὑπερφαλαγγίσεις καὶ περιελίξεις τὴν φάλαγγα καὶ ἐξαλλάξεις τοὺς λόχους καὶ μετασχηματίσεις τὴν τάξιν καὶ στρατηγικῷ ἐμβριμήματι καταπλήξεις τὸ βάρβαρον. Ἀλλ' ἐξάγει με καὶ πρὸς τὴν βασιλίδα ὁ λόγος, ἣν οὐ μόνον ἐγκωμιᾶσαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ θαυμᾶσαι δεδύνημαι. ὦ τοσοῦτον ἐνθυμηθεῖσα καλόν, ὦ τοσοῦτον ἀγαθὸν ἐννοήσασα. ὠχύρωσας τὰς πόλεις ἡμῶν, τὰ τῶν βαρβάρων τείχη διέρρηξας, ἐκόσμησας τὴν τῆς Ῥώμης ἀρχήν, σαυτὴν ὕψωσας, τοῖς παισὶ τὴν βασιλείαν ἐφύλαξας, δι' ἑνὸς ἐνθυμήματος καὶ μιᾶς πράξεως εἰς ταὐτὸ τὰ χρηστὰ πάντα συνήνεγκας· ἀλλ' ὑπὸ προθυμίας τε καὶ χαρᾶς μικροῦ καὶ συνορχήσασθαι βούλομαι. Νῦν τῷ ὄντι φωστήρων σύνοδος, νῦν οὐρανὸς καὶ γῆ συνευφραίνεται, καὶ πάντα σκιρτᾷ καὶ ἀγάλλεται, καὶ ὁ καιρὸς ὡς ἀληθῶς πανηγύρεως. ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ συγκρίσεως δεῖ τῷ λόγῳ, παράδοξον μὲν ἐρῶ λόγον, ἀληθέστατον δέ· σὺ μέν, ὦ βασιλεῦ, κατὰ πάντων ἔχων τὰ νικητήρια, μόνης τῆς βασιλίδος, εἴπω δὲ καὶ δεσπότιδος, ἥττησαι· σὺ δέ, ὦ βασιλίς, πάσαις ὀφθεῖσα ἀσύγκριτος, ἵνα μὴ λέγω καὶ πᾶσι, τὰ δευτερεῖα φέρεις, καὶ τοῦτο ἑκοῦσα, τοῦ βασιλεύοντος. ὦ καὶ πάντας νικήσας καὶ πάσας νικήσασα, καὶ ἀλλήλους νικῶντες καὶ ὑπ' ἀλλήλων τὴν ἧτταν λαμβάνοντες· ὦ σὺ μὲν ἀρρένων ἄγαλμα, σὺ δὲ θηλειῶν σεμνολόγημα. 19 Τῷ αὐτῷ ὡς ἐν ἐγκωμίῳ προσχήματι Ποῦ ποτε ἀπαίρεις ὁ λαμπρότατος ἥλιος, ὁ μέγας τῆς ἀληθείας φωστήρ; πῶς δὲ καὶ καρτερεῖς τὴν τοῦ κόσμου σελήνην ἀπολιπών, ὑφ' ἧς ἐφωτίσθης καὶ ἣν φωτίζεις λαμπρότερον; ἢ πάντως ὁ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἔρως καὶ τὸ βούλεσθαί σε ἐλευθέραν εἶναι τὴν βασιλίδα τῶν πόλεων, μᾶλλον δὲ σύμπασαν τὴν ὑπήκοον, τῆς τῶν βαρβάρων ἐπιδρομῆς, πείθει σε καὶ σώματος καὶ ψυχῆς καὶ τῶν φιλτάτων καταφρονεῖν; ὢ ζεούσης ψυχῆς, ὢ καρδίας ἐμπύρου, ὢ γενναίου φρονήματος, οὐκ ἔθελξέ σου τὴν γνώμην ἡ τῆς βασιλείας τρυφὴ καὶ ἀπόλαυσις· οὐ κατέσχε σου τὴν ψυχὴν ὁ τῆς ἀρχῆς κόσμος καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ περιβλήματα, καὶ τὸ κάλλος τοῦ διαδήματος. ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τούτῳ τὴν βασιλείαν παρὰ θεοῦ εἰληφώς, ἵνα ἡμεῖς μὲν τρυφῶμεν καὶ ἀγαλλώμεθα, σὺ δὲ φροντίζῃς περὶ ἡμῶν πᾶσι πόνοις καὶ πάσαις μερίμναις ταλαιπωρούμενος, ὁμοῦ τε τῷ διαδήματι κατεκοσμήθης τὴν κεφαλήν, καὶ τὴν αἰχμὴν ἠκόνησας κατ' ἐχθρῶν. ὢ τολμήματος, ὢ φρονήματος· οὐκ ἔμεινας τοῦ καιροῦ τὴν μεταβολήν, ἀλλὰ μέσου χειμῶνος, τοῦ ἡλίου καλυπτομένου τοῖς νέφεσι, κατηφεστάτου τοῦ ἀέρος τυγχάνοντος, ὥσπερ τις ἀδάμας πᾶσαν πληγὴν φέρειν δυνάμενος καὶ μηδεμιᾷ διαιρούμενος, ὑπὸ χειμῶνι σφοδρῷ καὶ ὄμβρῳ πολλῷ καὶ κρύει δεινῷ, τῆς βασιλίδος ἀπαίρεις τῶν πόλεων, καὶ κατὰ τῆς τῶν ἐχθρῶν τυραννίδος χωρεῖς. Τοιοῦτον ἡμῖν ἔπρεπεν ἐξ ἀρχῆς βασιλέα λαβεῖν, οὕτω μὲν καλόν, οὕτω δὲ γενναῖον, οὕτω πρᾷον, οὕτω τόλμης μεστόν· ὡς ὑπερφυῆ πάντα τὰ σά· τὸ γένος, ὁ τρόπος, ὁ βίος, ὁ κόσμος τοῦ σώματος, τὸ μέγεθος τῆς ψυχῆς, ὁ πρὸς θεὸν πόθος, ὁ σφοδρὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἔρως, ἡ εὐγενὴς γνώμη, ἡ φιλότιμος χείρ, ἡ ἄφθονος δεξιά, ἡ τῶν χαρίτων πηγή. ἀλλ' ὢ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἡδονῆς, ὅτι τοιοῦτον εὐτυχήσαμεν αὐτοκράτορα. ὢ τὴς ἀντιθέτου ὀδύνης, ὅτι σε τὸν ἡμέτερον ἥλιον ὥσπερ εἰς ἑτέραν οἰκουμένην ὁρῶμεν μεταχωροῦντα. καὶ ἐπεί σε κατασχεῖν οὐ δυνάμεθα, εὐχαῖς σε καὶ δάκρυσι παραπέμπομεν. ∆υναμωθείης ἐπὶ πάντα ἐχθρὸν καὶ πολέμιον, καὶ