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Iambi de variis argumentis

Of our holy father and confessor Theodore, abbot of Stoudios, iambics on various subjects

On the relics of the holy martyrs Divine grace gushing forth in the relics everyone will plunder with the faith of the woman with the issue of blood

bringing; for touching them, as she the hem, he would strengthen his body and sanctify his soul.

2 On the cell of our father Mourn me, cell, having a sluggish worker, the only and worst of those whom you have ever had

as owners. I do not illumine you with the light of prayers; indeed, I do not enrich you with the flow of tears; nor again do I purify you with ways of purity. But you, O Savior, Creator, Light of all, arouse, awaken me to Your fear, let me taste the longing for Your love, give me wings to be lifted above the passions, while there is time for good work, so that I might offer glory, thanksgiving to You Who wills salvation for all.

3 On those renouncing the world Mortal men, let us flee from the world's

deceit. Christ calls, let us run; for the life is a smooth voyage of the storm, of cares and tossings

sailing beyond. For this is the sole care for the monk: to reach that calm harbor, in which all pain of sorrows has ceased. Oh how all-praised is the strange life of these men! And what prudent merchant gains profit? He who, having left all, would choose to bear the cross.

4 On an abbot

Seeing what height of presidency, approach the rank worthily

trembling; for you have chosen a work full of many dangers, of much anxiety and no small care. Watch, take thought watchfully for those whom you lead out; lest one of your flock be somehow plundered through inexperience. Having set yourself as an example of good ways for you will know that you will render an account, when Christ shall be seated for the judgment of all.

5 On one in obedience

Come here, boxer, come here to me, stand fervent, bowing your neck

readily hearing, wholly humble, being dead in your own will, revealing every thought of your heart, so that you may remain perfectly in the stadium. Let neither the desert nor the pillar frighten you, nor another order of God-run lives; you surpass all, as it is written by God; for you are accomplishing the threshold of the first of martyrs.

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Iambi de variis argumentis

Τοῦ ὁσίου πατρὸς ἡμῶν καὶ ὁμολογητοῦ Θεοδώρου, ἡγουμένου τῶν Στουδίου, ἴαμβοι εἰς διαφόρους ὑποθέσεισ

Εἰς τὰ λείψανα τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων Χάριν βρύουσαν θείαν ἐν τοῖς λειψάνοις πᾶς τις συλήσει πίστιν αἱμόρρου

φέρων· ψαύων γὰρ αὐτῶν, ὡς ἐκείνη κρασπέδου, ῥώσειε σῶμα καὶ ψυχὴν ἁγιάσει.

2 Εἰς τὴν κέλλαν τοῦ πατρὸς ἡμῶν Θρήνει με, κέλλα, σχοῦσα νωθρὸν ἐργάτην, μόνον κάκιστον, ὧνπερ ἔσχες

κτητόρων. Οὐ λαμπρύνω σε τῶν προσευχῶν τῷ φάει· οὐ δὴ πιαίνω τῇ ῥοῇ τῶν δακρύων· οὐδ' αὖ καθαίρω τῆς ἁγνείας τοῖς τρόποις. Ἀλλ' οὖν σύ, Σῶτερ, Κτίστα, Φωστὴρ τῶν ὅλων, ἔγειρον, ἐξύπνισον εἰς τὸν σὸν φόβον, πρόσγευσον εἰς ἔρωτα τῆς σῆς ἀγάπης, πτέρωσον ἀρθῆναί με τῶν παθῶν ἄνω, ἕως πάρεστι καιρὸς εἰς εὐπραξίαν, ἵνα προσοίσω δόξαν, εὐχαριστίαν σοὶ τῷ θέλοντι πᾶσι τὴν σωτηρίαν.

3 Εἰς ἀποτασσομένουσ Ἄνδρες βροτοί, φύγωμεν ἐκ κόσμου

πλάνου Χριστὸς καλεῖ, δράμωμεν· εὔπλους γὰρ βίος ζάλης, μεριμνῶν καὶ στροφῶν

ὑπερπλέων. Φροντὶς γὰρ αὕτη τῷ μοναστῇ καὶ μόνον τυχεῖν ἐκείνου τοῦ γαληνοῦ λιμένος, ἐν ᾧ πέπαυται τῶν λυπηρῶν πᾶς πόνος. Ὢ πῶς πάνυμνος ὁ ξένος τούτων βίος! Καὶ τίς φρόνιμος πραγματευτὴς κερδάνων; Ὃς πάντ' ἀφεὶς ἕλοιτο τὸν σταυρὸν φέρειν.

4 Εἰς ἡγούμενον

Οἷόνπερ ὕψος τῆς προεδρίας βλέπων κατ' ἀξίαν πρόσβαινε τῷ βαθμῷ

τρέμων· εἵλου γὰρ ἔργον κινδύνων πολλῶν γέμον, πολλῆς μερίμνης οὐδὲ μικρᾶς φροντίδος. Σκόπει, προμηθοῦ γρηγόρως οὓς ἐξάγεις· μή σου συληθῇ θρέμμα πως ἀπειρίᾳ. Σαυτὸν τεθεικὼς εἰς τύπον καλῶν τρόπων εἴσῃ γὰρ εἰδώς, ὡς ὑφέξεις τὸν λόγον, ὅτ' ἂν καθεσθῇ Χριστὸς εἰς πάντων κρίσιν.

5 Εἰς ὑποτακτικόν

∆εῦρ' ἐλθέ, πύκτα, δεῦρό μοι, στῆθι ζέων, τοὺς αὐχένας σου κλίνων

εὐεπηκόως, ὅλος ταπεινός, νεκρὸς ὢν ἐν τῷ θέλειν, πᾶν ἐνθύμημα φανερῶν τῆς καρδίας, ὡς ἂν τελείως ἐμμένῃς τῷ σταδίῳ. Μή σ' ἐκφοβείτω μήτ' ἔρημος, μὴ στύλος, μήτ' ἄλλο τάγμα τῶν Θεοδρόμων βίων· προὔχεις ἁπάντων, ὡς Θεογράφως ἔχει· τοῦ μαρτύρων πρώτου γὰρ οὐδόν ἀνύεις.