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the sons of men, we have presented. Aquila, then, interpreted this in this way, In beauty you were made beautiful beyond the sons of men; but Symmachus: In beauty you are beautiful beyond the sons of men; so that the first parts of the ode are spoken as a prelude. For as the prophetic choir is about to announce the word concerning the Beloved, and to utter the ode for him, it uses a prelude, establishing the prelude up to: My tongue is the pen of a swift writer. Thenceforth it begins the ode to the person of the Beloved; and it cries out to him: You are fair in beauty, you are beautiful, or in beauty you were made beautiful, or in beauty you were made fair, O Beloved, beyond the sons of men. For even if you especially have become one of the sons of men, and were counted among those who have lived on earth; yet it is not possible to compare another to your beauty. And it is clear that this is according to virtue; for in this way Isaiah will not seem to say things contrary to these when he says: And we saw him, and he had no form nor beauty; but his form was dishonored, failing beyond the sons of men. For those things proclaimed beforehand the cross and the passion, which were full of drunken insolence and hubris; for which reason the prophet also added: A man in affliction, and knowing how to bear weakness, he was dishonored and not esteemed. But the psalm calls his beauty, as has been said, not that of the body, but that of virtue, which has not received the stain of sin. After these things it is said: Grace is poured out on your lips; therefore God has blessed you for 23.397 ever. Moses, then, found a certain grace; and Noah again found a certain grace before God; and each of the righteous partook of grace. But since all the paternal grace was poured out into the Beloved; for the Father was speaking in the Son; whence she who ministered to his coming to men was called "full of grace." For in him all the fullness of the Godhead was pleased to dwell bodily, wherefore all the saints have received from his fullness. And you will also consider it in this way: The first work of the Beloved is the grace poured out on his lips, according to the meaning given; and in another way, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. Since he did all things graciously, forgiving the sins of some, healing the diseases and infirmities of others, and bestowing the Holy Spirit on others. For which reason it was fittingly said to him: Grace is poured out on your lips. After these things, those who previously lamented and subscribed to their own slavery under their enemies, opportunely beseech the Beloved to hasten and come to them, fortified with the weapons of war because of the pressing enemies, so that having routed them, he might lead them out from their captivity under them. Therefore they say: Gird your sword upon your thigh, O mighty one; for you are fair and beautiful, but in addition to your fairness and your beauty, take up your full armor for us your suppliants; and put a sword on your thigh, and thus taking up your power, bend your bow. Then striking the enemies, prosper and reign. And understand the sword of the Beloved to be the power that overthrows and punishes the enemies. For the word of God is living and active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. And in another way the prophet Ezekiel also mentions the sword of God, speaking thus: Thus says the Lord Adonai: Say: A sword, a sword, be sharpened and be angry, that you may slay victims; be sharpened, that you may be ready for polishing, for paralysis; and again: Cry out and wail, son of man; for it has come among my people; it is among the leaders of Israel; and what follows: Appoint for yourself two ways for the sword of the king of Babylon to enter; they shall go forth from one land; and the things that follow these, through which he calls the sword of Nebuchadnezzar, which was brought against the people, the sword of the Lord. And you have also in the

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τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, παρεθήκαμεν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Ἀκύλας τοῦτον ἡρμήνευσε τὸν τρόπον, Κάλλει ἐκαλλιώθης ἀπὸ υἱῶν ἀνθρώπων· ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος· Κάλλει καλὸς εἶ παρὰ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων· ὥστε εἶναι τὰ πρῶτα τῆς ᾠδῆς ἀντὶ προοιμίου λελεγμένα. Μέλλων γὰρ εὐαγγελίζεσθαι τὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ἀγαπητοῦ λόγον, καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ προφέρειν ᾠδὴν ὁ προφητικὸς χορὸς, προοιμίῳ κέχρηται, στήσας τὸ προοίμιον ἕως τοῦ· Ἡ γλῶσσά μου κάλαμος γραμματέως ὀξυγράφου. Ἐντεῦθεν δὲ λοιπὸν ἀπάρχεται τῆς εἰς πρόσωπον τοῦ Ἀγαπητοῦ ᾠδῆς· ἀναφωνεῖ τε πρὸς αὐτόν· Ὡραῖος εἶ κάλλει, καλὸς εἶ, ἢ κάλλει ἐκαλλιώθης, ἢ κάλλει ὡραιώθης, ὦ Ἀγαπητὲ, παρὰ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα εἷς τις γέγονας καὶ αὐτὸς υἱῶν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ κατηριθμήθης τοῖς ἐπὶ γῆς πολιτευσαμένοις· ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔστι παραβάλλειν τῷ κάλλει σου ἕτερον. ∆ῆλον δὲ, ὅτι κατὰ τὴν ἀρετήν· οὕτω γὰρ οὔτε δόξει ἐναντία τούτοις Ἡσαΐας λέγειν φήσας· Καὶ ἴδομεν αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐκ εἶχεν εἶδος οὐδὲ κάλλος· ἀλλὰ τὸ εἶδος αὐτοῦ ἄτιμον, ἐκλεῖπον παρὰ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Ἐκεῖνα γὰρ τὸν σταυρὸν καὶ τὸ πάθος προανεφώνει, ἃ παροινίας καὶ ὕβρεως ὑπῆρχε μεστά· διὸ δὴ καὶ ἐπήγαγεν ὁ προφήτης· Ἄνθρωπος ἐν πληγῇ ὢν, καὶ εἰδὼς φέρειν μαλακίαν, ἠτιμάσθη καὶ οὐκ ἐλογίσθη. Ὁ δὲ ψαλμὸς κάλλος αὐτοῦ καλεῖ, καθ' ἃ εἴρηται, οὐ τὸ τοῦ σώματος, ἀλλὰ τὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἁμαρτίας οὐ δεξάμενον σπῖλον. Τούτοις ἑξῆς εἴρηται· Ἐξεχύθη ἡ χάρις ἐν χείλεσί σου· διὰ τοῦτο εὐλόγησέ σε ὁ Θεὸς εἰς 23.397 τὸν αἰῶνα. Μωϋσῆς μὲν οὖν εὗρε μίαν τινὰ χάριν· καὶ Νῶε πάλιν εὗρέ τινα χάριν ἐνώπιον τοῦ Θεοῦ· καὶ ἕκαστος τῶν δικαίων χάριτος μετέσχεν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ τοῦ Ἀγαπητοῦ πᾶσα ἡ πατρικὴ εἰς αὐτὸν ἐκενώθη χάρις· ἦν γὰρ ὁ Πατὴρ λαλῶν ἐν Υἱῷ· ἔνθεν καὶ ἡ διακονησαμένη τὴν εἰς ἀνθρώπους αὐτοῦ πάροδον κεχαριτωμένη ἐλέχθη. Ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ εὐδόκησε πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς θεότητος κατοικῆσαι σωματικῶς διὸ πάντες οἱ ἅγιοι ἐκ τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ εἰλήφασιν. Ἐπιβαλεῖς δὲ καὶ οὕτως· Τὸ πρῶτον ἔργον τοῦ Ἀγαπητοῦ ἡ χάρις ἡ ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν αὐτοῦ κεχυμένη, κατὰ τὴν ἀποδοθεῖσαν διάνοιαν· καὶ καθ' ἕτερον δὲ τρόπον, ἡ χάρις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια διὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγένετο. Ἐπειδὴ πάντα χαριζόμενος ἔπραττε τοῖς μὲν ἀφιεὶς τὰς ἁμαρτίας, τῶν δὲ τὰς νόσους καὶ τὰς μαλακίας ἰώμενος, τοῖς δὲ τὸ ἅγιον Πνεῦμα δωρούμενος. ∆ι' ὃ πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰκότως εἴρητο· Ἐξεχύθη ἡ χάρις ἐν χείλεσί σου. Τούτοις ἑξῆς οἱ πρόσθεν ἀποκλαυσάμενοι, καὶ τὴν ὑπὸ τοῖς πολεμίοις δουλείαν ἑαυτῶν ὑπογράψαντες, εὐκαίρως τὸν Ἀγαπητὸν ἱκετεύουσι σπεῦσαι καὶ μέχρις αὐτῶν ἐλθεῖν, φραξάμενον ὅπλοις πολεμικοῖς διὰ τοὺς ἐπικειμένους ἐχθροὺς, ὡς ἂν τροπωσάμενος αὐτοὺς, τὴν ὑπ' αὐτοῖς αἰχμαλωσίαν ὑπεξαγάγοι. ∆ιό φασι· Περίζωσαι τὴν ῥομφαίαν σου ἐπὶ τὸν μηρόν σου, δυνατέ· ὡραῖος μὲν γὰρ εἶ καὶ καλὸς, πλὴν ἀλλὰ πρὸς τῇ ὡραιότητί σου καὶ πρὸς τῷ κάλλει σου ἀνάλαβε τὴν σαυτοῦ πανοπλίαν δι' ἡμᾶς τοὺς σοὺς ἱκέτας· ῥομφαίαν τε περίθου τῷ σαυτοῦ μηρῷ, καὶ οὕτω τὴν σὴν δύναμιν ἀναλαβὼν, ἔντεινόν σου τὰ τόξα. Ἔπειτα βαλὼν τοὺς ἐχθροὺς, κατευοδοῦ καὶ βασίλευε. Ῥομφαίαν δὲ τοῦ Ἀγαπητοῦ νόει τὴν δύναμιν τὴν τῶν ἐχθρῶν καθαιρετικὴν καὶ κολαστήριον. Ζῶν γὰρ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐνεργὴς, καὶ τομώτερος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν μάχαιραν δίστομον. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ ῥομφαίας Θεοῦ ὁ προφήτης μέμνηται Ἰεζεκιὴλ ὧδε λέγων· Τάδε λέγει Ἀδοναῒ Κύριος· Εἶπον· Ῥομφαία, ῥομφαία, ὀξύνου καὶ θυμώθητι, ὅπως σφάξῃς σφάγια· ὀξύνου, ὅπως γένῃ εἰς στίλβωσιν ἑτοίμη εἰς παράλυσιν· καὶ πάλιν· Ἀνάκραγε καὶ ὀλόλυξον, υἱὲ ἀνθρώπου· ὅτι αὐτὴ ἐγένετο ἐν τῷ λαῷ μου· αὕτη ἐν τοῖς ἀφηγουμένοις τοῦ Ἰσραήλ· καὶ ἑξῆς· ∆ιάταξον σεαυτῷ δύο ὁδοὺς τοῦ εἰσελθεῖν ῥομφαίαν βασιλέως Βαβυλῶνος· ἐκ χώρας μιᾶς ἐξελεύσονται· καὶ τὰ τούτοις ἀκόλουθα, δι' ὧν ῥομφαίαν τοῦ Κυρίου λέγει τὴν ῥομφαίαν τοῦ Ναβουχοδονόσορ τὴν ἐπαχθεῖσαν τῷ λαῷ. Ἔχεις δὲ καὶ ἐν τοῖς