16.  O remarkable and wonderful disaster!  O injury more noble than security!  O prophecy, “He hath smitten, and He will bind us up, and revive us, and after three days He will raise us up,”13    Hos. vi. 1, 2. portending indeed, as it did, a greater and more sublime event, yet no less applicable to Gorgonia’s sufferings!  This then, notorious to all, even to those afar off, for the wonder spread to all, and the lesson was stored up in the tongues and ears of all, with the other wonderful works and powers of God.  But the following incident, hitherto unknown and concealed from most men by the Christian principle I spoke of, and her pious shrinking from vanity and display, dost thou bid me tell, O best14    O best, &c.  Faustinus, bishop of Iconium, must have been present, and S. Gregory, having asked his permission to relate the incident, looks towards him awaiting some sign of his assent. and most perfect of shepherds, pastor of this holy sheep, and dost thou further give thy assent to it, since to us alone has this secret been entrusted, and we were mutual witnesses of the marvel, or are we still to keep our faith to her who is gone?  Yet I do think, that as that was the time to be silent, this is the time to manifest it, not only for the glory of God, but also for the consolation of those in affliction.

Ι#2ʹ. Ὢ συμφορᾶς ἐπαινουμένης καὶ θαυμασίας! Ὢ πάθους ἀπαθείας ὑψηλοτέρου! Ὢ τοῦ, Πατάξει καὶ μοτώσει, καὶ ὑγιάσει, καὶ μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἀναστήσει, φέροντος μὲν εἰς μεῖζον καὶ μυστικώτερον, ὥσπερ οὖν ἤνεγκεν, οὐχ ἧττον δὲ τοῖς ταύτης ἁρμόζοντος πάθεσι! Τοῦτο μὲν οὖν, ὃ πᾶσι πρόδηλον καὶ τοῖς πόῤῥωθεν, ἐπεὶ καὶ εἰς πάντας τὸ θαῦμα διῆλθε, καὶ ἐν ταῖς πάντων κεῖται γλώσσαις καὶ ἀκοαῖς τὸ διήγημα μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων τοῦ Θεοῦ θαυμασίων τε καὶ δυνάμεων. Τὸ δὲ μέχρι νῦν ἀγνοούμενον τοῖς πολλοῖς καὶ κρυπτόμενον δι' ἣν εἶπον φιλοσοφίαν, καὶ τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἄτυφόν τε καὶ ἀκαλλώπιστον, εἴπω κελεύεις, ὦ ποιμένων ἄριστε καὶ τελεώτατε, ὁ τοῦ ἱεροῦ προβάτου ἐκείνου ποιμὴν, καὶ τοῦτο νεύεις λοιπόν; Ἐπειδὴ καὶ μόνοι τὸ μυστήριον ἐπιστεύθημεν, καὶ μάρτυρες ἀλλήλοις ἐσμὲν τοῦ θαύματος: ἢ ἔτι τῇ ἀπελθούσῃ τὴν πίστιν φυλάξωμεν; Ἀλλά μοι δοκεῖ, ὥσπερ τότε καιρὸς εἶναι τῆς σιωπῆς, οὕτω νῦν τῆς ἐξαγορεύσεως, οὐ μόνον εἰς τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ δόξαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς παράκλησιν τῶν ἐν θλίψεσιν.