Oration VII. Panegyric on His Brother S. Cæsarius.

 1.  It may be, my friends, my brethren, my fathers (ye who are dear to me in reality as well as in name) that you think that I, who am about to pay th

 2.  The parents of Cæsarius, to take first the point which best becomes me, are known to you all.  Their excellence you are eager to notice, and hear

 3.  His father was well grafted out of the wild olive tree into the good one, and so far partook of its fatness as to be entrusted with the engrafting

 4.  His mother was consecrated to God by virtue of her descent from a saintly family, and was possessed of piety as a necessary inheritance, not only

 5.  I have entered into these details, not from a desire to eulogize them, for this, I know well, it would be difficult worthily to do, if I made thei

 6.  Bred and reared under such influences, we were fully trained in the education afforded here, in which none could say how far he excelled most of u

 7.  What branch of learning did he not master, or rather, in what branch of study did he not surpass those who had made it their sole study?  Whom did

 8.  But when, after gathering into his single soul every kind of excellence and knowledge, as a mighty merchantman gathers every sort of ware, he was

 9.  Well, among the noble traits of Cæsarius’ character, we must not fail to note one, which perhaps is in others’ eyes slight and unworthy of mention

 10.  Among physicians he gained the foremost place with no great trouble, by merely exhibiting his capacity, or rather some slight specimen of his cap

 11.  Such was the philosophy of Cæsarius, even at court:  these were the ideas amidst which he lived and died, discovering and presenting to God, in t

 12.  However, that I may dwell awhile upon this point, and luxuriate in my story as men do who are eyewitnesses in some marvellous event, that noble m

 13.  Didst thou not fear for Cæsarius, lest aught unworthy of his zeal should befall him?  Nay, be ye of good courage.  For the victory is with Christ

 14.  This victory I esteem far more sublime and honourable than the Emperor’s mighty power and splendid purple and costly diadem.  I am more elated in

 15.  Again another wonder concerning him is a strong argument for his parents’ piety and his own.  He was living in Bithynia, holding an office of no

 16.  This, Cæsarius, is my funeral offering to thee, this the firstfruits of my words, which thou hast often blamed me for withholding, yet wouldst ha

 17.  Such is my offering if it be slight and inferior to his merit, God loveth that which is according to our power.   Part of our gift is now comple

 18.  What now remains?  To bring the healing of the Word to those in sorrow.  And a powerful remedy for mourners is sympathy, for sufferers are best c

 19.  Such, my brethren, is our existence, who live this transient life, such our pastime upon earth:  we come into existence out of non-existence, and

 20.  Let us not then mourn Cæsarius but ourselves, knowing what evils he has escaped to which we are left behind, and what treasure we shall lay up, u

 21.  Is this inadequate for our consolation?  I will add a more potent remedy.  I believe the words of the wise, that every fair and God-beloved soul,

 22.  But now, laying aside lamentation, I will look at myself, and examine my feelings, that I may not unconsciously have in myself anything to be lam

 23.  Would that I might mortify my members that are upon the earth, would that I might spend my all upon the spirit, walking in the way that is narrow

 24.  Yea, would that what we hope for might be, according to the great kindness of our bountiful God, Who asks for little and bestows great things, bo

 O Lord and Maker of all things, and specially of this our frame!  O God and Father and Pilot of men who are Thine!  O Lord of life and death!  O Judge

6.  Bred and reared under such influences, we were fully trained in the education afforded here,13    Here, at Nazianzus. in which none could say how far he excelled most of us from the quickness and extent of his abilities—and how can I recall those days without my tears showing that, contrary to my promises, my feelings have overcome my philosophic restraint?  The time came when it was decided that we should leave home, and then for the first time we were separated, for I studied rhetoric in the then flourishing schools of Palestine; he went to Alexandria, esteemed both then and now the home of every branch of learning.  Which of his qualities shall I place first and foremost, or which can I omit with least injury to my description?  Who was more faithful to his teacher than he?  Who more kindly to his classmates?  Who more carefully avoided the society and companionship of the depraved?  Who attached himself more closely to that of the most excellent, and among others, of the most esteemed and illustrious of his countrymen?  For he knew that we are strongly influenced to virtue or vice by our companions.  And in consequence of all this, who was more honoured by the authorities than he, and whom did the whole city (though14    Though, etc.  The Ben. ed. translates “Although his teaching was exceedingly sublime and abstruse.” all individuals are concealed in it, because of its size), esteem more highly for his discretion, or deem more illustrious for his intelligence?

Ὑπὸ δὴ τοιούτοις ἤθεσι τραφέντες καὶ παιδευθέντες καὶ τοῖς ἐνταῦθα μαθήμασιν ἱκανῶς ἐνασκηθέντες, ἐν οἷς ἐκεῖνος τάχει τε καὶ μεγέθει φύσεως οὐδ' ἂν εἴποι τις ὅσον ὑπὲρ τοὺς πολλοὺς ἦν (ὢ πῶς ἀδακρυτὶ τὴν τούτων παρέλθω μνήμην, καὶ μή με ἀφιλόσοφον ἐλέγξῃ τὸ πάθος παρὰ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν;), ἀλλ' ἐπειδή γε ἀποδημίας καιρὸς ἐδόκει, καὶ τότε πρῶτον ἀπ' ἀλλήλων ἐσχίσθημεν, ἐγὼ μὲν τοῖς κατὰ Παλαιστίνην ἐγκαταμείνας παιδευτηρίοις, ἀνθοῦσι τότε, κατὰ ῥητορικῆς ἔρωτα, ὁ δὲ τὴν Ἀλεξάνδρου πόλιν καταλαβών, παντοίας παιδεύσεως καὶ τότε καὶ νῦν οὖσάν τε καὶ δοκοῦσαν ἐργαστήριον.

Τί πρῶτον, ἢ τί μέγιστον εἴπω τῶν ἐκείνου καλῶν; τί δὲ παρεὶς μὴ τῷ μεγίστῳ ζημιώσω τὸν λόγον; τίς μὲν ἐκείνου διδασκάλοις πιστότερος; τίς δὲ ἥλιξι προσφιλέστερος; τίς μὲν μᾶλλον ἀπέφυγε τὴν τῶν μοχθηρῶν ἑταιρίαν καὶ ὁμιλίαν; τίς δὲ τῇ τῶν βελτίστων ἑαυτὸν προσέθηκε πλεῖον, ἄλλοις τε καὶ τῶν ἐκ τῆς πατρίδος τοῖς εὐδοκιμωτάτοις καὶ γνωριμωτάτοις; εἰδὼς οὐδὲ τοῦτο φέρειν μικρὸν εἰς ἀρετὴν ἢ κακίαν, τὰς συνουσίας. Ἐξ ὧν, τίς μὲν ἄρχουσιν ἐκείνου τιμιώτερος; τίς δὲ τῇ πόλει πάσῃ, καίτοι γε διὰ τὸ μέγεθος πάντων ἐγκρυπτομένων, ἢ ἐπὶ σωφροσύνῃ γνωριμώτερος, ἢ ἐπὶ συνέσει περιφανέστερος;