94

from his belly will flow leaping water into eternal life." But a man who has died is gone, and a mortal, having fallen, is no more. Pay attention, lest perhaps this fits with 'withdraw from him, that he may be at peace' and the things said regarding it, in this way: for if his friends were saying that he was afflicted because of sins, it was fitting 372 that he said 'withdraw from him' instead of 'grant a remission of evils, so that from this may come peace, that is, for the soul to become virtuous in tranquility.' Then next, as if an objection followed, that 'why not long ago, but now do you repent, having long been held by sin?' he adds 'For there is hope for a tree' and the things that follow, to which he placed what follows: 'But a man who has died is gone' and what comes after it, showing that as long as one remains in this life, like the shoot and the tree, he has the expectation of repentance; but when he dies, he hears: 'Now you repent, when it is not the time for repentance,' so that it might be similar to 'do not take me away in the midst of my days.' For not like those 'who have hoped in this life only' does the saint think his duration is only until the things here, saying in what follows: 'I will wait, until I am made again.' But in time the sea fails, and a river, being desolate, is dried up. Pay attention, if these things also fit with the preceding thought 373 a way of refuting those who say wordlessly: 'For what sins are you paying the penalty, why then do you say that "For there is hope for a tree"?' For they do not think that such a rush of wickedness can be stopped, in response to which, wishing to show that even those held in many evils are able to come to repentance, he added: 'But in time the sea fails.' For the manner and character which is like the sea and the unsteadiness of the surge ... a state ... by reason, likewise also a river, which signifies the fluid matters of life, being deprived of what makes it flow is dried up, the teaching word doing this. But a man, having fallen asleep, will not rise, until the heaven is not sewn together, and they will not be awakened from their sleep. If only you had guarded me in Hades, and had hidden me, until your wrath should cease, and you would set me a time, in which #6you would make mention of me. It is an emphasis signifying from the preceding things the magnitude of the afflictions, from which he presents 374 to his friends a notion of the cause of the things brought upon him, as they supposed that such a great punishment would not have happened to one who had not sinned. And he shows that he was excessively afflicted, from the sojourn and guard in Hades being more preferable, not that according to punishment, but for those ... to be hidden there, 'until your wrath passes by,' with God promising to remember him, so that it might be, speaking more clearly, that to await the time of resurrection in Hades ... him rather than to endure so many pains. And indeed, a just man being in Hades in every respect during the time before the advent of Christ lives better, since he is freed from his mortal and sickly body, being about to receive it back incorruptible. For the Savior alone, as a man, was not subject to being in Hades, even though he was there for the sake of others. For it is said from his person: 'I became as a man without help, free among the dead.' And for 375 angels as guides of light lead away the saints, but dark ones lead away the wicked. But the Savior had no need of angels, being free and their master and being served and led by them. He said, at least: 'No one takes my soul from me, but I lay it down of myself.' But also in the Song of Songs, calling death 'myrrh' through symbols, he says, showing his own freedom: 'I will go to the mountain of myrrh.' But also 'of the nations there is no man with me' shows his self-sufficiency, even as a man. Instead of this, from another interpreter is brought 'I alone drank the small cup.' But also when Peter said, 'I will lay down my soul for you,' he said in rebuke: 'Will you lay down your soul for me? Before the rooster

94

κοιλίας αὐτοῦ ῥεύσουσιν ὕδατος ἁλλομένου εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον." ἀνὴρ δὲ τελευτήσας ᾤχετο, πεσὼν δὲ βροτὸς οὐκέτι ἐστίν. ἐπίστησον, μὴ ἄρα πρὸς τὸ "ἀπόστα ἀπ' αὐτοῦ, ἵνα ἡσυχάσῃ" καὶ τὰ εἰς αὐτὸ εἰρημένα τοῦτο ἁρμόζει οὕτως· εἰ γὰρ δι' ἁμαρτίας οἱ φίλοι ἔφασκον αὐτὸν ἀνιᾶσθαι, εἰκότως 372 τὸ "ἀπόστα ἀπ' αὐτοῦ" ἔλεγεν α᾿̣ντὶ τοῦ «ἔνδοσιν πονη̣ρῶν χ̣α´̣ρισαι, ἵν' ἐκ το̣ύτου γέν̣ηται̣ τὸ ἡσυχάσαι̣, τουτέστιν τὸ ἐν γαλήνῃ ἐνάρετον γε̣νέσθαι τὴν ψυχήν». εἶτα ἑξ̣ῆς ω῾̣ς ἀ`̣ν εἰ ἀντίθεσις ἠκολο̣ύθε̣ι ὅτ̣ι «διὰ τ̣ί μὴ πάλαι, ἀλλὰ νυ῀̣ν μεταγιγνώσκεις πάλ̣αι ἁμαρτίᾳ̣ ἐνεχόμενος;» ἐπι̣φέρ̣ει το`̣ "ἔστιν γὰρ δένδρῳ ἐλπὶς" καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς, οἷς̣ ε῾̣π̣όμενον ἔθηκεν· "ἀνὴρ δὲ τελευτήσας ᾤχετο" καὶ τὸ μετ' αὐτὸ δη̣λῶν̣, ὅτι̣ ἑ´̣ως ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ δι̣αμέν̣ε̣ι, κ̣ατὰ τὸν ῥάδαμνον κ̣αὶ τὸ δ̣ένδρον ἔχει τὴν προσδο̣κ̣ίαν τῆς μετανοίας̣· ἐπὰν δ̣ε`̣ τ̣ε̣λευτήσῃ, ἀκούει· "νῦν μετανοεῖς, ὅτε οὐκ ἔστιν καιρὸς μετανοίας," ἵν' ᾖ ὅμοιον τῷ "μὴ ἀναγάγῃς με ἐν ἡμίσει ἡμερῶν μου". οὐ γὰρ κατὰ τοὺς "ἐν τῇ ζωῇ ταύτῃ ἠλπικότας μόνον" καὶ ἄχρι τῶν ἐνταῦθα οἴεται εἶναι τὴν διαμονὴν ὁ ἅγιος ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς λέγων· "ὑπομενῶ, ἕως πάλιν γένωμαι." χρόνῳ δὲ σπανίζεται θάλασσα, ποταμὸς δὲ ἐρημωθεὶς ἐξηράνθη. πρόσσχες, εἰ καὶ ταῦτα τῇ φθασάσῃ διανοίᾳ ἁρμό373 ζει τ̣ρόπ̣ον α᾿̣λέξοντα ἀναύδως ει᾿̣π̣όντω̣ν· «ἕνεκα ἁμαρ τημάτων τίν̣ων δίκας, τί δὴ λέγε̣ι̣ς ὅτ̣ι "ἔστιν γὰρ δένδρῳ ἐλπίς";» οὐ γὰρ οἰ´̣ονται τὴν τοσαύτη̣ν τῆς κακίας ἀναστῆναι φοράν, πρὸς ὃ δεῖξαι βουλόμενος, ὅτι καὶ οἱ ἐν πολλοῖς κ̣ακοῖς ἐνεχόμενοι δυνατοί εἰσιν εἰς μετάνοιαν ἐλθεῖν, ἐπήγαγεν· "χρόνῳ δὲ σπανίζεται θάλασσα." ὁ γὰρ τρόπος κα̣ὶ τὸ ἦθ̣ος τὸ θαλάσσῃ καὶ τῷ α᾿̣στάτῳ τοῦ κλύδωνος ἐοικὸς ·····τ̣····τ̣ε κατάστασιν ····ι̣ου···νον λόγῳ, ὡσαύτω̣ς κ̣αὶ ποταμός, ὃς δηλοῖ τὰ ῥευσ̣τὰ τοῦ βίου πράγματα, ἐρημωθεὶς̣ τοῦ ἐνεργοῦντος ξηραίνεται τοῦτο ποιοῦντος τοῦ διδασκαλικοῦ λόγου. ἄνθρωπος δὲ κοιμηθεὶς οὐ μὴ ἀναστῇ, ἕως ἂν ὁ οὐρανὸς οὐ μὴ συνραφῇ, καὶ οὐκ ἐξυπνισθήσονται ἐξ ὕπνου αὐτῶν. εἰ γὰρ ὄφελον ἐν ᾅδῃ με ἐφύλαξας, ἔκρυψας δέ με, ἕως ἂν παύσηταί σου ἡ ὀργὴ καὶ τάξῃ μοι χρόνον, ἐν ὧι #6μνείαν μου ποιήσῃ. ἔμφασίς ἐστιν δηλουμένη ἐκ τῶν προκειμένων τοῦ μεγέθους τῶν ἀνιαρῶν, ἐξ οὗ παρίστη374 σιν τοῖς φίλοις ἐπ̣ίνο̣ιαν τῆς αι᾿̣τίας τῶν ἐπαγομένων οἰομένοις, ὅτι το̣σαύτη ἐπ̣ιτιμία οὐκ ἐγίγνετο μὴ ἁμαρτ̣όντι. δείκνυσιν δέ, ὅτι ὑπερβολικῶς ἠνιάθη, ἐκ τοῦ αἱρε̣τωτ̣έραν τὴν ἐν ᾅδῃ διατρ̣ιβὴν καὶ φυλακήν, οὐ τὴν κατὰ κόλασιν, ἀλ̣λ' ἐπὶ τῶν φυλ̣······α······αι κρυφθησόμενον ε᾿̣ντα̣υ῀̣θα̣, "ἕως ἂν παρε´̣λθῃ ἡ ὀργή", ἐπ̣αγ̣ γελλομένου̣ θεοῦ μνημον̣εύειν αὐτοῦ, ἵν' ᾐ῀̣ σαφ̣έστερο̣ν λέγων, ὅτι το`̣ν τῆς ἀν̣αστάσε̣ως καιρὸν ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ μᾶλλον ἐκδέξασθαι ·οιη̣··· αὐτὸν ἢ τοσαύτας ὑπ̣ομεῖναι ἀλγηδόνας. κα̣ὶ γὰρ τῷ ὄντι̣ ἐν ᾅδῃ τυγχάνων καθ' ἕκαστα δίκαιος κατὰ τὸν π̣ρὸ τῆς ἐπιδημίας τοῦ Χριστοῦ χρόνον βέλτιον διάγει ἅτε τοῦ ἐπ̣ικήρου καὶ νοσώδους ἀπηλλαγμένος σώματος μέλλων αὐτὸ ἄφθαρτον ἀπολαβεῖν. μόνος γὰρ ὁ Σωτὴρ κατὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον οὐχ ὑπέκειτο τῶι ἐν ᾅδῃ εἶναι, εἰ καὶ ἐκεῖ γέγονε δι' ἄλλους. εἴρηται γὰρ ἐκ προσώπου αὐτοῦ· "ἐγενήθην ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἀβοήθητος ἐν νεκροῖς ἐλεύθερος." καὶ γὰρ 375 τοὺς μὲν ἁγίους φωταγωγοὶ ἀπάγουσιν ἄγγελοι, τοὺς δὲ φαύλους σκότι̣οι. ὁ δὲ Σωτὴρ οὔτ̣ι ἀγγέλων ἐδεήθη ἐλεύθερος ὢν καὶ δεσπότης αὐτῶν καὶ παρ' αὐτῶν διακονούμενος καὶ χειραγωγούμενος. εἶπεν γοῦν· "οὐδεὶς αἴρει τὴν ψυχήν μου ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, ἀλλ' ἐγὼ τίθημι αὐτὴν ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ." ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ Ἄσματι τῶν ᾀσμάτων διὰ συμβόλων τὸν θάνατον σμύρναν καλῶν φησιν δεικνὺς ἑαυτοῦ τὸ ἐλεύθερον· "πορεύσομαι ἐμαυτῷ πρὸς τὸ ὄρος τῆς σμύρνης." ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ "τῶν ἐθνῶν οὐδείς ἐστιν ἀνὴρ μετ' ἐμοῦ" δείκνυσιν αὐτοῦ καὶ κατὰ τὸν ἄνθρωπον τὸ ἀπροσδεές. φέρεται ἀντὶ τούτου ἑτέρου ἑρμηνευ τοῦ "ἐγὼ μόνος ἐξέπιον τὸ κεραμύλλιον". ἀλλὰ καὶ Πέτρου λέγοντος· "ὑπὲρ σοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν θήσω" ἐπιτιμῶν εἶπεν· "ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν θήσεις; πρὶν ἀλέκτορα