102

“For those who do wrong”: Note what he says follows those who wish to wrong or benefit someone, even if they did not carry out to action what they planned.

“Attempting”: Namely those whom they chose to wrong or benefit, they did not, he says, treat them in every way as they wished. It is clear, however, that the one is against the will of those being benefited, and the other on account of the inactivity of those doing wrong.

(15∆_448> “Both here and there”: That the just not only in the age to come, but also in this present life are attendants of good angels, that is, followers, and fellow travelers.

“The greatest of all goods”: That the greatest of all goods is to be always with God.

“Both here, and after death”: That sinners are punished both in this life and in the one to come, being condemned to be with the demons by their own passions which they preferred.

“I will remember”: Note the vision of the holy Carpus, with how much horror and consolation it is filled.

§ 6. “Once when I was”: A beautiful narrative, that one must not curse those who sin, even if they offend against God. Therefore, the story should be noted, containing the ineffable compassion of our Lord Jesus Christ, and concerning those who repent. It also speaks of the holiness of the divine Carpus. And this is the Carpus whom the Apostle mentions in the second Epistle to Timothy.

“According to the preliminary prayers”: The Athenians called the prayers with sacrifices before marriages 'proteleia'; for they called marriage a 'telos', as perfecting a person for life; and it is possible to show this from many comic poets. Indeed, they considered marriage a mystery. And they said 'protelizesthai' also for being initiated beforehand, and, as it were, being purified in preparation for a mystery, as, for instance, Cratinus in the play *Pylaia*. For they especially called the mysteries of one of their falsely-named gods 'tele' and 'teletas', as perfecting and leading to perfection those being initiated. At any rate, what was said among the impious Greeks, the great Dionysius applied to the mystery of truth, and he called the most perfect supplications before the life-giving mystery 'preliminary prayers', for purification and un-condemned partaking of the most perfect and perfecting gift of the sacrifices. And "he offered hospitality" instead of, he welcomed as a guest.

(15∆_450> “Still during the days of the Hilaria”: There were certain days for the idolaters which they called Hilaria; and some were private and festive, as when someone married or acquired a son, while others were called common and public hilaria, as when a king was proclaimed, he provided the public Hilaria. And it was not permitted to wear mourning garments during these days, but also public spectacles and sacrifices were held each day, and the dying paused and watched, and they spent the appointed days for such Hilaria in unceasing feasts. There was also the Hilaria, a particular Roman festival in honor of the mother of their gods, or rather of demons, as Demophilus says in "On the Sacrifices and Festivals among the Ancients".

“For all of life”: That is, as long as the things of this present life exist. And it must be noted that those who love God must admonish the erring for all of life, and draw them to the knowledge of truth. Therefore, note this; for some ignorantly say the opposite, using the apostolic saying that says: "A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject," not understanding the power of what was said, which is especially clarified by the following sayings. For then the rejection after the first and second admonition is reasonable, when the teacher comes to the rejection, knowing that such a one is subverted, and is in error, being

102

«Οἱ μέν γάρ ἀδικεῖν»: Σημείωσαι οἷά φησιν ἐπακολουθεῖν τοῖς ἀδικεῖν ἤ εὐεργετεῖν τινας βουλομένους, κἄν μή πρός ἔργον ἤνεγκαν ἃ ἐβουλεύσαντο.

«Ἐπιχειροῦντες»: Ἐκείνους δηλαδή οὕς προῃρέθησαν ἀδικῆσαι ἤ εὐεργετῆσαι, οὐ πάντως, φησί, διέθηκαν, καθώς ἐβουλήθησαν. Πρόδηλον δέ, ὅτι τό μέν ἀβούλητον τῶν εὐεργετουμένων, τό δέ παρά τό ἀδρανές τῶν ἀδικούντων.

(15∆_448> «Καί ἐνθάδε καί ἐκεῖ»: Ὅτι οἱ δίκαιοι οὐ μόνον ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι, ἀλλά καί ἐν τῷ νῦν βίῳ ἀγγέλων ἀγαθῶν ὀπαδοί, ἤγουν ἀκόλουθοι, καί συνοδοιπόροι εἰσί.

«Τό πάντων ἀγαθῶν μέγιστον»: Ὅτι τό πάντων τῶν ἀγαθῶν μέγιστόν ἐστι τό ἀεί εἶναι μετά Θεοῦ.

«Καί ἐνθάδε, καί μετά θάνατον»: Ὅτι οἱ ἁμαρτωλοί καί ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ, καί ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι τιμωροῦνται, μετά τῶν δαιμόνων εἶναι κατακρινόμενοι ὑπό τῶν ἰδίων παθῶν ἃ προετίμησαν.

«Ἐπιμνησθήσομαι»: Σημείωσαι τήν ὅρασιν τοῦ ἁγίου Κάρπου, πόσης φρίκης καί παρακλήσεως γέμει.

§ 6. «Γενόμενόν μέ ποτε»: ∆ιήγημα ὡραῖον, ὅτι οὐ χρή τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν, εἰ καί πρός Θεόν πταίουσιν, ἐπαρᾶσθαι. Σημειωτέον οὖν τήν ἱστορίαν, περιέχουσαν ἀνεκλάλητον εὐσπλαγχνίαν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, καί περί μετανοούντων. Λέγει δέ καί περί τῆς ἁγιότητος τοῦ θείου Κάρπου. Ἔστι δέ οὗτος ὁ Κάρπος οὗ μέμνηται ὁ Ἀπόστολος ἐν τῇ β' πρός Τιμόθεον Ἐπιστολῇ.

«Κατά τάς προτελείους εὐχάς»: Προτελείας μέν ἐκάλουν Ἀθηναῖοι τάς πρό τῶν γάμων μετά τῶν θυσιῶν εὐχάς· τόν γάρ γάμον τέλος ἐκάλουν, ὡς τελειοῦν τά πρός τόν βίον τόν ἄνθρωπον· καί τοῦτο ἐκ πολλῶν κωμωδίας ποιητῶν δεικνύναι δυνατόν. Μυστήριον γοῦν εἶχον τόν γάμον. Ἔλεγον δέ προτελίζεσθαι καί τό προμυεῖσθαι, καί οἱονεί προκαθαίρεσθαι εἰς ἑτοιμασίαν μυστηρίου, ὡς Κρατῖνος δηλαδή ἐν Πυλαίᾳ δράματι. Μάλιστα γάρ τά μυστήριά τινος τῶν ψευδωνύμων αὐτῶν θεῶν τέλη καί τελετάς ἐκάλουν, ὡς τελειούσας καί εἰς τό τέλειον ἀγούσας τούς τελουμένους. Τό γοῦν παρ' Ἕλλησιν ἀσεβῶν λεγόμενον εἰς τό τῆς ἀληθείας μυστήριον ὠνόμασεν ὁ μέγας ∆ιονύσιος, καί προτελείους εἶπεν εὐχάς τάς πρό τοῦ ζωοποιοῦ μυστηρίου τελειοτάτας δεήσεις ὑπέρ καθάρσεως καί ἀκατακρίτου μεταλήψεως τοῦ τελειοτάτου καί τελειοποιοῦ τῶν θυσιῶν δώρου. «Ἐξεναγώγησε» δέ ἀντί τοῦ, ὡς ξένον ἐδεξιώσατο.

(15∆_450> «Ἔτι τῶν Ἱλαρίων ἡμερῶν»: Ἦσαν τινές ἡμέραι τοῖς εἰδωλολάτραις, ἃς Ἱλαρίας ἐκάλουν· καί αἱ μέν ἦσαν ἴδιαι καί ἱλάριοι, ὡς ὅταν τις ἔγημεν ἤ υἱόν ἐκτᾶτο, αἱ δέ κοιναί καί δημόσιαι ἱλάριαι ἐκαλοῦντο, ὡς ὅταν βασιλεύς ἀναγορευόμενος, τάς δημοσίας Ἱλαρίας παρεῖχε. Καί οὔτε πένθιμα ἐν ταύταις φορεῖν ἐξῆν, ἀλλά καί θέαι καί θυσίαι καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν διετελοῦντο δημόσιαι, καί οἱ πεθνοῦντες ἐπαύοντο καί ἐθεώρουν, καί ἐν εὐωχίαις ἀπαύστοις διῆγον τάς ὡρισμένας ἡμέρας ταῖς τοιαύταις Ἱλαρίαις. Ἦν δέ καί Ἱλαρία, ἑορτή ἰδική Ῥωμαίων εἰς τιμήν τῆς μητρός τῶν θεῶν αὐτῶν, μᾶλλον δέ δαιμόνων, ὥς φησι ∆ημόφιλος ἐν τῷ «Περί τῶν παρ' ἀρχαίοις θυσιῶν καί ἑορτῶν».

«∆ιά βίου παντός»: Τουτέστι μέχρι τά τῆς παρούσης ἐνέστηκε ζωῆς. Σημειωτέον δέ ὅτι δεῖ τούς θεοφιλεῖς διά βίου παντός νουθετεῖν τούς πεπλανημένους, καί εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἕλκειν. Σημείωσαι οὖν αὐτο· τινες γάρ ἀμαθῶς τό ἐναντίον λέγουσι, κεχρημένοι τῷ ἀποστολικῷ ρητῷ τῷ λέγοντι· «Αἱρετικόν ἄνθρωπον μετά πρώτην καί δευτέραν νουθεσίαν παραιτοῦ», μή νοοῦντες τῶν εἰρημένων τήν δύναμιν, ἐκ τῶν ἐπομένων ρητῶν μάλιστα σαφηνιζομένην. Τότε γάρ εὔλογος ἡ μετά πρώτην καί δευτέραν νουθεσίαν παραίτησις, ὅταν ὁ διδάσκων πρός τήν παραίτησιν ἔλθῃ, εἰδώς ὅτι ἐξέστραπται ὁ τοιοῦτος, καί λανθάνει, ὤν