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all standing by at His nod, the devil put to shame, demons bowing down, the righteous being crowned, each one giving an account of their sins, receiving the rewards for their right actions, the state of another life coming into being. For no longer death, and sickness, and old age, no longer poverty, and insults, and plots, no longer dwellings, and cities, and crafts, and seafaring, no longer clothing, and foods, and drinks, and roofs, and beds, and tables, and lamps, no longer plots, and battles, and courts of law, no longer marriages, and birth-pangs, and childbirths; but all these things are destroyed like dust shaken off, and another, better state of life is given, with incorruption, immortality, and great power being graciously granted to the body. Which Paul also, making it clear, said: For the fashion of this world passes away. But if you disbelieve what has been said, because you do not see them present, from present things take the proof for the things to come. Go through in your mind the whole inhabited world, the land, the sea, Greece, the barbarian land, the inhabited, the uninhabited, the cities on the land, the islands in the sea, the mountains, and the valleys, and seeing everywhere the power of Christ shining through, 55.274 and all proclaiming the precious name, reckon to yourself, that he who was able to do such great things, this one also promised the things to come. But if you would also wish to take proof from a part, consider for what reason the whole inhabited world runs together to see a tomb that has no body; what power draws those from the ends of the earth, so that they might see where he was born, and where he was buried, and where he was crucified; consider the cross itself, of how much power it is a sign. For this cross before this was an accursed death, a shameful death, the most disgraceful death of all. But behold, now it has become more precious than life itself, and more brilliant than diadems, and we all wear it upon our foreheads, not only not being ashamed, but also glorying in it. Not only private citizens, but also those themselves who wear diadems bear it upon their forehead above the diadems, and very rightly so; for it is better than ten thousand diadems. For the diadem adorns the head, but the cross secures the mind. This is a defense against demons, this is the diadem that destroys diseases of the soul; this is an unconquerable weapon, this an invincible wall; this an unassailable security; dissolving not only the incursions of barbarians, not only the raids of enemies, but also the phalanxes of the savage demons themselves. In the splendors of the saints. Another. In the comeliness of a saint. Another, In the glory of saints. He still discusses the day, both the present and the future one. But here he calls the beauty of the saints splendor. What is more splendid than Paul? What more illustrious than Peter? Who ran about the inhabited world, shining more brightly than the sun, sowing the seeds of piety? For as angels descending from heaven, so were they inaccessible to all. The one who composed the book of Acts, showing this, said, that No one dared to join them. For their garments were full of much grace, and the shadows of their bodies demonstrated great power. But if they were such here, consider for me on that day, when they receive incorruptible bodies, when immortal, when gleaming beyond all visible splendor, what sort will these be, and those like them, prophets and apostles, and righteous men, and martyrs, and confessors, and all who have been distinguished in the best way of life in the faith in Christ. Consider for me those crowds, the torches, the rays, the glory, the comeliness, the brightness, the festive assembly. Who shall describe these things? No word can; but experience alone will clearly teach those who are worthy to be part of this spectacle, that splendor. For I think it the same

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νεύματι παρισταμένους ἅπαντας, διάβολον καταισχυνόμενον, δαίμονας κάτω κύπτοντας, δικαίους στεφανουμένους, ἕκαστον εὐθύνας διδόντα τῶν πεπλημμελημένων, τὰ βραβεῖα λαμβάνοντα τῶν κατορθωμάτων, ἑτέρας ζωῆς κατάστασιν γινομένην. Οὐκέτι γὰρ θάνατος, καὶ νόσος, καὶ γῆρας, οὐκέτι πενία, καὶ ἐπήρειαι, καὶ ἐπιβουλαὶ, οὐκέτι οἰκήματα, καὶ πόλεις, καὶ τέχναι, καὶ ναυτιλίαι, οὐκέτι ἱματίων περιβολὴ, καὶ σῖτα, καὶ ποτὰ, καὶ ὄροφοι, καὶ κλῖναι, καὶ τράπεζαι, καὶ λυχνίαι, οὐκέτι ἐπιβουλαὶ, καὶ μάχαι, καὶ δικαστήρια, οὐκέτι γάμοι, καὶ ὠδῖνες, καὶ τόκοι· ἀλλὰ ταῦτα πάντα ὥσπερ κόνις ἀποσοβουμένη καταλύεται, καὶ ἑτέρα τις ἀμείνων ζωῆς κατάστασις δίδοται, ἀφθαρσίας, ἀθανασίας, δυνάμεως πολλῆς τῷ σώματι χαριζομένης. Ἅπερ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δηλῶν, ἔλεγε· Παράγει γὰρ τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου. Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς τοῖς εἰρημένοις, ἐπειδὴ μὴ ὁρᾷς αὐτὰ παρόντα, ἀπὸ τῶν παρόντων εἰς τὰ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων λάμβανε τὴν ἀπόδειξιν. Ἔπελθε τῷ λόγῳ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἅπασαν, τὴν γῆν, τὴν θάλασσαν, τὴν Ἑλλάδα, τὴν βάρβαρον, τὴν οἰκουμένην, τὴν ἀοίκητον, τὰς ἐν τῇ γῇ πόλεις, τὰς ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ νήσους, τὰ ὄρη, καὶ τὰς νάπας, καὶ ἰδὼν πανταχοῦ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ διαλάμπουσαν, 55.274 καὶ πάντας τὸ τίμιον ὄνομα ἀνακηρύττοντας, ἀναλογίζου πρὸς ἑαυτὸν, ὅτι ὁ τοσαῦτα δυνηθεὶς, οὗτος καὶ τὰ μέλλοντα ἐπηγγείλατο. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ μέρους ἐθέλοις λαμβάνειν ἀπόδειξιν, ἐννόησον τίνος ἕνεκεν ἡ οἰκουμένη συντρέχει ἅπασα τάφον ἰδεῖν σῶμα οὐκ ἔχοντα· ποία δύναμις ἕλκει τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς, ὥστε ἰδεῖν ποῦ μὲν ἐτέχθη, ποῦ δὲ ἐτάφη, ποῦ δὲ ἐσταυρώθη· ἐννόησον αὐτὸν τὸν σταυρὸν, ὅσης δυνάμεώς ἐστι σημεῖον. Ὁ γὰρ σταυρὸς οὗτος πρὸ τούτου θάνατος ἦν ἐπάρατος, θάνατος ἐπονείδιστος, θάνατος ὁ πάντων αἴσχιστος. Ἀλλ' ἰδοὺ νῦν τῆς ζωῆς αὐτῆς τιμιώτερος γέγονε, καὶ διαδημάτων λαμπρότερος, καὶ πάντες ἐπὶ μετώπου αὐτὸν περιφέρομεν, οὐ μόνον οὐκ αἰσχυνόμενοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐγκαλλωπιζόμενοι τούτῳ. Οὐ μὲν ἰδιῶται μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ τὰ διαδήματα περικείμενοι ἐπὶ τοῦ μετώπου ὑπὲρ τὰ διαδήματα αὐτὸν βαστάζουσι, καὶ μάλα εἰκότως· μυρίων γὰρ διαδημάτων ἀμείνων. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ διάδημα καλλωπίζει κεφαλὴν, ὁ δὲ σταυρὸς ἀσφαλίζεται διάνοιαν. Τοῦτο δαιμόνων ἀμυντήριον, τοῦτο τὸ διάδημα νοσημάτων ψυχῆς ἀναιρετικόν· τοῦτο ὅπλον ἀχείρωτον, τοῦτο τεῖχος ἄμαχον· τοῦτο ἀσφάλεια ἀκαταγώνιστος· οὐ βαρβάρων ἐφόδους, οὐ πολεμίων μόνον καταδρομὰς, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν ἀγρίων δαιμόνων διαλύον τὰς φάλαγγας. Ἐν ταῖς λαμπρότησι τῶν ἁγίων. Ἕτερος. Ἐν ἁγίου εὐπρεπείᾳ. Ἄλλος, Ἐν δόξῃ ἁγίων. Ἔτι περὶ τῆς ἡμέραςδιαλέγεται τῆς τε παρούσης τῆς τε μελλούσης. Λαμπρότητα δὲ ἐνταῦθα τὸ κάλλος φησὶ τῶν ἁγίων. Τί μὲν λαμπρότερον Παύλου; τί δὲ περιφανέστερον Πέτρου; οἳ τὴν οἰκουμένην περιέτρεχον, ὑπὲρ τὸν ἥλιον λάμποντες, τὰ σπέρματα τῆς εὐσεβείας καταβάλλοντες; Ὡς γὰρ ἐξ οὐρανῶν ἄγγελοι καταβάντες, οὕτως ἦσαν πᾶσιν ἀπρόσιτοι. Τοῦτο δεικνὺς ὁ τὸ βιβλίον τῶν Πράξεων συνθεὶς, ἔλεγεν, ὅτι Οὐδεὶς ἐτόλμα κολλᾶσθαι αὐτοῖς. Καὶ γὰρ τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν πολλῆς ἔγεμε χάριτος, καὶ αἱ σκιαὶ τῶν σωμάτων πολλὴν ἐπεδείκνυντο δύναμιν. Εἰ δὲ ἐνταῦθα τοιοῦτοι, ἐννόησόν μοι κατὰ τὴν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην, ὅταν ἄφθαρτα σώματα λάβωσιν, ὅταν ἀθάνατα, ὅταν ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν ὁρωμένην λαμπρότητα ἀποστίλβοντα, τίνες ἔσονται οὗτοί τε καὶ οἱ τούτοις ἐοικότες προφῆται καὶ ἀπόστολοι, καὶ δίκαιοι, καὶ μάρτυρες, καὶ ὁμολογηταὶ, καὶ πάντες οἱ κατὰ τὴν ἀρίστην πολιτείαν διαπρέψαντες ἐν τῇ πίστει τῇ εἰς τὸν Χριστόν. Ἐννόησόν μοι τοὺς δήμους ἐκείνους, τὰς λαμπάδας, τὰς ἀκτῖνας, τὴν δόξαν, τὴν εὐπρέπειαν, τὴν φαιδρότητα, τὴν πανήγυριν. Τίς ταῦτα παραστήσει; Λόγος μὲν οὐδείς· ἡ δὲ πεῖρα μόνη σαφῶς διδάξει τοὺς ἀξίους ταύτης γενέσθαι τῆς θεωρίας, τὴν λαμπρότητα ἐκείνην. Ταυτὸν γὰρ οἶμαι