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Pro viribus acta monodia

OF JOHN ANAGNOSTES A monody, as best I can, on the capture of Thessalonica.

Who, knowing how to match lamentations to sufferings, would worthily bewail the city of the Thessalonians? For by as much as this city surpassed others in good fortune by a great measure, showing itself brilliant and desirable from all sides, so now has it fared most unluckily and is set forth as a subject for all lamentation. For to those to whom it happened to enjoy her good things for even some small time, it occurs to say nothing else about her than soul, all such things as cast one into despondency and prepare springs of tears to be poured forth from the eyes. For it surpassed many cities in beauty and position, and many in size and abundance of good things beyond all telling. And the things in which it once prided itself, in its goods and renowned wealth, now, would that it were not so, have all vanished and been grievously plundered. Oh, how in the manner of a lodestone it drew all to itself, and did not allow them to depart in any way! For it held them with such things with which it welcomed them arriving from all sides, and bound them with unbreakable bonds of friendship, so that all chose it instead of their native land and no longer even remembered their return. Alas! but now not only those from foreign lands, who were able, as I said, to enjoy her charms, but also those whom she bore, 72 she has prepared to flee with all eagerness and to fear and tremble at her as if another Charybdis. O time, what things you bring forth suddenly and what changes you work in affairs. Well has the race of the wise, looking to your fickle nature, named you a wheel; for you turn and spin all things upside down. O city, you who once sailed like a ship with a fair wind, but then, when a terrible storm arose, were badly shattered and cast off and lost your stored-up wealth, not one of those attached to you would ever willingly come to forgetfulness, unless he had completely lost his senses. I, therefore, become tearful when remembering you and, to say the prophetic word, "a thin darkness covers me," and seeking consolation I find that others suffer the same as I. Oh, how your former good order has been taken away and your splendor has been extinguished and you compel those who see you to be downcast.

For your whole surrounding order has been thrown into confusion, and the beauty with which you used to adorn yourself has suddenly perished. For you were formerly a happy spectacle, but now you have become a loathsome sight to all, and you drive out even against their will those who chose to live in you, as they cannot bear to see you in such misfortune. For those who know you as a nurse and mother, do things similar to those mourning for a departed mother and all make you the tale of their dejection. O you who are present, whenever I, and the others, come to the memory of the city, of its many and great things which no account is sufficient to narrate, I am filled with dizziness and am not able to contain myself from despondency; but whenever I also consider the most beautiful ornament which she has lost, divine temples, I say, and in every part of her the dwellings of venerable men, I am seen almost speechless by those present and with difficulty I recover myself from the suffering. For these were, so to speak, the glances and pupils of the city's eyes, and now having fallen asleep they have made her 74 completely dark.

And why should I not say what is better? One might aptly compare this city to heaven and earth; for the one above its inhabitants shining in virtue formerly

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Pro viribus acta monodia

ΙΩΑΝΝΟΥ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΟΥ Κατὰ δύναμιν μονῳδία ἐπὶ τῇ ἁλώσει τῆς

Θεσσαλονίκης.

Τίς ἂν εἰδὼς πάθεσι θρήνους ἐξισοῦν τὴν Θεσσαλονι κέων ἀξίως πόλιν ὠδύρετο; πόλις γὰρ αὕτη τὰς ἄλλας ὅσον ἐν εὐτυχίᾳ πολλῷ τῷ μέτρῳ παρήνεγκε, πανταχόθεν αὑτὴν λαμπρὰν καὶ ποθεινὴν δεικνῦσα, τοσοῦτο νῦν ἀτυ χέστατα πέπραγε καὶ θρηνῳδίας ἁπάσης ὑπόθεσις πρό κειται. Οἷς γὰρ τῶν ἀπ' αὐτῆς καλῶν καὶ μικρὸν γοῦν τινα χρόνον ἀπόνασθαι γέγονε, λέγειν οὐδὲν ἔπεισιν ἄλλο ταύ της γε πέρι ἢ ψυχήν, ὅσαπερ ἐς ἀθυμίαν ἐμβάλλει πηγάς τε δακρύων ἐξ ὀμμάτων προχεῖσθαι παρασκευάζει. Πολ λὰς μὲν γὰρ κάλλει καὶ θέσει, πολλὰς δὲ μεγέθει καὶ τῇ τῶν καλῶν ἀφθονίᾳ μηδ' ὅσον εἰπεῖν ὑπερέβαλε πόλεις. Καὶ ἃ πρὶν μὲν ἐκόμα τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς καὶ πλούτῳ τῷ θρυ λουμένῳ, νυνὶ δέ, ὡς μὴ ὤφελε, φροῦδα γεγένητο πάντα καὶ κακῶς ἀνεσκεύαστο. Ὤ, πῶς μαγνήτιδος τρόπον εἰς ἑαυτὴν ἅπαντας εἷλκεν, ἀποστῆναί τε τούτους οὐδ' ὁπωσ τοιοῦν συνεχώρει! Τοσούτῳ καὶ γὰρ κατεῖχεν, οἷς αὐτοὺς πανταχόθεν ἀφικνουμένους ἐδεξιοῦτο, δεσμοῖς τ' ἀλύτοις φιλίας συνέδει, ὡς ἀντὶ τῆς ἐνεγκαμένης αὐτὴν πάντας αἱρεῖσθαι καὶ μηδ' ἐπανόδου μεμνῆσθαι μηκέτι. Φεῦ! ἀλλ' ἤδη μὴ τοὺς ἐξ ἀλλοδαπῆς μόνον, οἷς ὑπῆρξεν, ὡς ἔφην, τῶν αὐτῆς ἀπολελαυκέναι χαρίτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ οὓς ἤνεγκε, 72 φεύγειν ὅλῃ παρεσκεύασε προθυμίᾳ καὶ Χάρυβδιν, ὥσπερ ἑτέραν, δεδοικέναι καὶ τρέμειν. Ὦ χρόνε, οἷα τίκτεις ἐξαίφνης καὶ μεταβολὰς οἵας ἐναπεργάζῃ τοῖς πράγμασι. Καλῶς σε, πρὸς τὸ παλίντροπον ἀπιδόντες, τροχὸν τὸ τῶν σοφῶν ὠνομάκασι γένος· πάντα γὰρ ἄνω καὶ κάτω μετα τίθης καὶ περιφέρεις. Ὦ πόλις, ἡ πρὶν μὲν ὥσπερ ναῦς ἐξ οὐρίας πλέουσα, ἔπειτα δὲ καταιγίδος δεινῆς ἐγερθείσης κακῶς συντριβεῖσα καὶ τὸν ἐναποκείμενον πλοῦτον ἀπο βαλοῦσα καὶ ἀπολέσασα, οὐδ' ἂν εἷς τῶν σοι προσόντων ἀφίκοιτό ποτ' εἰς λήθην ἑκών, εἰ μὴ τῶν φρενῶν ἐξέστηκεν ὅλως. Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν καὶ σύνδακρυς σοῦ μεμνημένος καθί σταμαι καὶ τὸ προφητικὸν εἰπεῖν, «σκότος λεπτόν με κα λύπτει» καὶ παραμυθίαν ζητῶν ταὐτά μοι πάσχειν καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους εὑρίσκω. Ὤ, πῶς σου τὴν πρὶν εὐκοσμίαν ἀφῄρησαι καὶ ἡ λαμπρότης ἀπέσβη καὶ τοὺς ὁρῶντας κα τηφιᾶν ἀναγκάζεις.

Συγκέχυται γάρ σοι κόσμος ὁ περι κείμενος ἅπας, καὶ τὸ κάλλος, ᾧ σαυτὴν κοσμεῖν εἶχες, ἐξαίφνης ἀπόλωλε. Θέατρον γὰρ πρότερον μὲν εὔδαιμον ἦς, νυνὶ δὲ θέα πᾶσι γέγονας ἀπευκταία καὶ τοὺς ἐνοικεῖν ἑλομένους σοι καὶ ἄκοντας ἀπελαύνεις, ὁρᾶν σε μὴ φέ ροντας ἐν δυστυχίᾳ τοιαύτῃ. Οἳ γάρ σε τροφὸν οἴδασι καὶ μητέρα, τοῖς ἐπὶ μητρὶ κοπτομένοις ἀποιχομένῃ τὰ παρα πλήσια δρῶσι καὶ κατηφείας σε πάντες ποιοῦνται διήγημα. Ὦ παρόντες, ἐγὼ μὲν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων, ὅταν εἰς μνήμην ἥκω τῆς πόλεως, πολλῶν ὄντων καὶ μεγάλων καὶ ὧν λόγος οὐδεὶς ἐξαρκεῖ πρὸς διήγησιν, ἰλίγγου πληροῦμαι καὶ ἐμαυτὸν ὑπ' ἀθυμίας κατέχειν οὐχ οἷός τε γίνομαι, ἡνίκα δ' ἂν καὶ τὸν κάλλιστον, ὃν ἀποβέβληκε, κόσμον λογίσωμαι, νεώς, φημί, θείους καὶ τὰ κατὰ πᾶν αὐτῆς μέρος σεμνῶν ἀνδρῶν καταγώγια, μικροῦ καὶ ἄφωνος τοῖς παροῦσιν ὁρῶμαι καὶ μόλις ἐμαυτὸν ἀνακτῶμαι τοῦ πάθους. Ὀφθαλμῶν γὰρ εἰπεῖν ἦσαν οὗτοι βολαί τε καὶ γλῆναι τῇ πόλει καὶ νῦν κατακοιμηθεῖσαι ζοφερὰν αὐτὴν ἀπειρ 74 γάσαντο πάντῃ.

Καὶ τί μὴ λέγω τὸ κρεῖττον; Οὐρανῷ τε καὶ γῇ ταύτην εἴκασεν ἄν τις τὴν πόλιν εὐστόχως· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἄνω τοὺς ἐν ἀρετῇ διαλάμποντας οἰκήτορας πρότερον