72

having redeemed us with blood, we who were sold under sin. To him be the glory and praise for ever. Amen. But when the king was seized with both astonishment and anger, on the one hand at the intelligence of his son and his irrefutable words, and on the other because he did not cease to slander the gods and to mock and ridicule his whole way of life, he did not receive the brightness of his words because of the thickness of the darkness within, and being unable to punish him or treat him badly due to his natural affection, and having completely despaired of persuading him with threats, fearing lest, by provoking more arguments with him, as he spoke freely and lampooned and mocked the things of the gods, he might be kindled to greater anger and do something adverse to him, rising up in anger, he withdrew, saying, “Would that you had not been born at all, nor come forth into the light, since you were destined to be such a person, a blasphemer against the gods and an apostate from paternal affection and counsel. But you shall not mock the invincible gods to the end, nor shall your adversaries rejoice for long, nor shall their sorceries prevail. For if you will not be obedient to me and well-disposed to the gods, after first delivering you to many 366 and various punishments, I will put you to a miserable death, dealing with you not as a son, but as some enemy and apostate.” χχῃ When his father had made these threats and withdrawn in anger, the son entered his own chamber, and raising his eyes to his own awarder of the prize, “Lord, my God,” he cried out from the depth of his heart, “sweet hope and unfailing promise, the mighty refuge of those who are devoted to you, behold the contrition of my heart with a gracious and benevolent eye, and do not abandon me, nor depart from me; but, according to your unfailing promise, be with me, the unworthy and lowly; for I know and confess you as the maker and provider of all creation. You, therefore, strengthen me to remain in this good confession until my last breath; look upon me and have mercy on me, and stand by me, keeping me unharmed from every satanic working; look, O King; for my soul is strongly inflamed with longing for you, and it is parched as in thirst from the heat in a waterless place, longing for you, the fount of immortality. Do not deliver to the beasts a soul that confesses you; do not forget the soul of your poor one forever; but grant to me, a sinner, to suffer all things throughout my whole life for your name and your 368 confession, and to offer my whole self as a sacrifice to you; for with you strengthening, even the weak will prevail, for you alone are an invincible ally and a merciful God, whom all creation blesses, who is glorified for ever. Amen.” Having prayed thus, he felt a divine consolation visiting his heart, and filled with courage he continued praying the whole night. But the king, having conferred with his friend Araches about the boy, and having declared his abrupt boldness and unchangeable opinion, Araches proposes a friendly counsel to make his conversation with him as much as possible both friendly and soothing, hoping perhaps to win him over with flattery. Therefore on the next day he comes to the son; and sitting down, he called him nearer. Then embracing him, he kissed him, approaching him gently and mildly, having said, “O most desired and beloved child, honor the grey hairs of your father, and, having heard my plea, approach and offer sacrifice to the gods. For thus you will have them well-disposed, and you will receive from them length of days, all glory and an untroubled kingdom and a share of all good things, and you will be pleasing to me, your father, for all your life, and to all men honored and

72

αἵματι ἐξαγοράσας ἡμᾶς τοὺς πεπραμένους ὑπὸ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. αὐτῷ ἡ δόξα καὶ αἴνεσις εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ἀμήν. Τοῦ δὲ βασιλέως ἐκπλήξει τε ἅμα καὶ ὀργῇ ληφθέντος, τὸ μὲν ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ παιδὸς συνέσει καὶ τοῖς ἀναντιρρήτοις αὐτοῦ ῥήμασι, τὸ δὲ ἐφ' ᾧ ἐκείνου οὐ διέλιπεν ἐνδιαβάλλων θεοὺς καὶ ὅλον αὐτοῦ μυκτηρίζων καὶ χλευάζων τὸν βίον, τὸ μὲν τοῦ λόγου φαιδρὸν διὰ τὴν ἔνδον οὐκ ἐδέξατο τοῦ σκότους παχύτητα, τιμωρήσασθαι δὲ αὐτὸν ἢ κακῶς τι διαθέσθαι τῇ φυσικῇ μὴ δυνάμενος στοργῇ, τὸ δὲ μεταπείσειν αὐτὸν ἀπειλαῖς πάντη ἀπογνούς, φοβηθεὶς μή, πλείονας κινήσας πρὸς αὐτὸν λόγους, ἐκείνου παρρησιαζομένου καὶ τὰ τῶν θεῶν διακωμῳδοῦντος καὶ χλευάζοντος, εἰς πλείονα θυμὸν ἐξαφθείς, τῶν ἐναντίων εἰς αὐτόν τι διαπράξοιτο, μετ' ὀργῆς ἀναστάς, ὑπεχώρησεν, Εἴθε μηδόλως ἐγεννήθης, εἰπών, μήτ' εἰς φῶς προῆλθες, τοιοῦτος μέλλων ἔσεσθαι, βλάσφημος εἰς τοὺς θεοὺς καὶ τῆς πατρικῆς ἀποστάτης φιλίας τε καὶ νουθεσίας. ἀλλ' οὐκ εἰς τέλος τῶν ἀηττήτων καταμωκήσῃ θεῶν, οὐδ' ἐπὶ πολὺ χαρήσονται οἱ ὑπεναντίοι, οὐδ' αἱ τούτων ἰσχύσουσι γοητεῖαι. εἰ μὴ γὰρ εὐήκοος γενήσῃ μοι καὶ τοῖς θεοῖς εὐγνώμων, πολλαῖς πρότερον ἐκδώσας σε 366 καὶ ποικίλαις τιμωρίαις, κακηγκάκως θανατώσω, οὐχ ὡς υἱῷ σοι διατεθείς, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐχθρῷ τινι καὶ ἀποστάτῃ. χχῃ Ταῦτα τοῦ πατρὸς ἀπειλησαμένου καὶ μετ' ὀργῆς ὑποχωρήσαντος, εἰς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ κοιτῶνα ὁ υἱὸς εἰσελθών, καὶ πρὸς τὸν οἰκεῖον ἀγωνοθέτην τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀνατείνας, Κύριε, ὁ Θεός μου, ἐκ βάθους ἀνέκραξε τῆς καρδίας, γλυκεῖα ἐλπὶς καὶ ἀψευδὴς ἐπαγγελία, ἡ κραταιὰ καταφυγὴ τῶν σοὶ προσανακειμένων, ἴδε μου τὴν συντριβὴν τῆς καρδίας ἱλέῳ καὶ εὐμενεῖ ὄμματι, καὶ μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς με, μηδὲ ἀποστῇς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ· ἀλλά, κατὰ τὴν ἀψευδῆ σου ὑπόσχεσιν, γενοῦ μετ' ἐμοῦ τοῦ ἀναξίου καὶ εὐτελοῦς· σὲ γὰρ γινώσκω καὶ ὁμολογῶ ποιητὴν καὶ προνοητὴν πάσης κτίσεως. αὐτὸς οὖν με ἐνίσχυσον ἐν ταύτῃ τῇ καλῇ ὁμολογίᾳ μέχρι τελευταίας διαμεῖναι ἀναπνοῆς· ἐπίβλεψον ἐπ' ἐμὲ καὶ ἐλέησόν με, καὶ παράστηθι ἐκ πάσης διατηρῶν με σατανικῆς ἐνεργείας ἀλώβητον· ἐπίβλεψον, βασιλεῦ· διαπέφλεκται γὰρ ἰσχυρῶς ἡ ψυχή μου τῷ σῷ πόθῳ, καὶ ἐκκέκαυται ὡς ἐν δίψῃ καύματος ἐν ἀνύδρῳ, σὲ ἐπιποθοῦσα τὴν πηγὴν τῆς ἀθανασίας. μὴ παραδῴης τοῖς θηρίοις ψυχὴν ἐξομολογουμένην σοι· τῆς ψυχῆς τοῦ πτωχοῦ σου μὴ ἐπιλάθῃ εἰς τέλος· ἀλλὰ παράσχου μοι τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ παρ' ὅλην μου τὴν ζωὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ σοῦ ὀνόματος καὶ τῆς σῆς 368 ὁμολογίας πάντα παθεῖν, καὶ ὅλον ἐμαυτόν σοι καταθῦσαι· σοῦ γὰρ ἐνδυναμοῦντος καὶ οἱ ἀσθενεῖς ὑπερισχύσουσιν, ὅτι μόνος εἶ σύμμαχος ἀήττητος καὶ Θεὸς ἐλεήμων, ὃν εὐλογεῖ πᾶσα κτίσις τὸν δεδοξασμένον εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. ἀμήν. Οὕτως εὐξάμενος θείας ᾔσθετο παρακλήσεως τῇ αὐτοῦ ἐπιφοιτησάσης καρδίᾳ, καὶ θάρσους ἐμπλησθεὶς εὐχόμενος ὅλην διετέλεσε τὴν νύκτα. ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς Ἀραχῇ τῷ φίλῳ κοινολογησάμενος τὰ περὶ τοῦ παιδός, καὶ τὴν ἀπότομον αὐτοῦ παρρησίαν ἀμετάθετόν τε δηλώσας γνώμην, βουλὴν τίθεται φίλιον ὁ Ἀραχὴς ὅτι μάλιστα καὶ θεραπευτικὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ποιήσασθαι τὴν ὁμιλίαν, ταῖς κολακείαις ἐλπίζων ἴσως ἐφελκύσασθαι. ἔρχεται τοιγαροῦν τῇ ἐπαύριον πρὸς τὸν υἱόν· καὶ καθίσας ἐγγύτερον τοῦτον προσεκαλέσατο. εἶτα περιπλακεὶς κατεφίλει, πράως ὑπερχόμενος καὶ ἠπίως, Ὦ τέκνον ποθεινότατον, εἰρηκώς, καὶ φιλούμενον, τίμησον τὴν τοῦ σοῦ πατρὸς πολιάν, καί, τῆς ἐμῆς ἀκούσας δεήσεως, προσελθὼν θυσίαν τοῖς θεοῖς προσάγαγε. οὕτω γὰρ ἐκείνους τε εὐμενεῖς ἕξεις, καὶ μακρότητα ἡμερῶν, δόξης τε πάσης καὶ βασιλείας ἀνεπηρεάστου καὶ παντοίων ἀγαθῶν μετουσίαν παρ' αὐτῶν ἀπολήψῃ, ἐμοί τε τῷ πατρὶ ἔσῃ κεχαρισμένος διὰ βίου παντός, καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις τίμιός τε καὶ