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

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 and Benefactor of our souls!  O Maker and Transformer in due time of all things68    Amos v. 8 (LXX.). by Thy designing Word,69    Ps. xxxiii. 6. according to the knowledge of the depth of Thy wisdom and providence! do Thou now receive Cæsarius, the firstfruits of our pilgrimage; and if he who was last is first, we bow before Thy Word, by which the universe is ruled; yet do Thou receive us also afterwards, in a time when Thou mayest be found,70    Ib. xxxii. 6. having ordered us in the flesh as long as is for our profit; yea, receive us, prepared and not troubled71    Ib. cxix. 60 (LXX.). by Thy fear, not departing from Thee in our last day, nor violently borne away from things here, like souls fond of the world and the flesh, but filled with eagerness for that blessed and enduring life which is in Christ Jesus, our Lord, to whom be glory, world without end.  Amen.

Ὦ δέσποτα πάντων καὶ ποιητὰ καὶ διαφερόντως τοῦδε τοῦ πλάσματος, ὦ Θεὲ τῶν σῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ πάτερ καὶ κυβερνῆτα, ὦ ζωῆς καὶ θανάτου κύριε, ὦ ψυχῶν ἡμετέρων ταμία καὶ εὐεργέτα, ὦ ποιῶν τὰ πάντα καὶ μετασκευάζων τῷ τεχνίτῃ Λόγῳ κατὰ καιρὸν καὶ ὡς αὐτὸς ἐπίστασαι τῷ βάθει τῆς σῆς σοφίας καὶ διοικήσεως, νῦν μὲν δέχοιο Καισάριον ἀπαρχὴν τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀποδημίας: εἰ δὲ τὸν τελευταῖον πρῶτον, συγχωροῦμεν τοῖς σοῖς λόγοις, οἷς τὸ πᾶν φέρεται: δέχοιο δὲ καὶ ἡμᾶς ὕστερον ἐν καιρῷ εὐθέτῳ, οἰκονομήσας ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ ἐφ' ὅσον ἂν ᾖ συμφέρον: καὶ δέχοιό γε διὰ τὸν σὸν φόβον ἑτοιμασθέντας, καὶ οὐ ταρασσομένους, οὐδὲ ὑποχωροῦντας ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τελευταίᾳ, καὶ βίᾳ τῶν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποσπωμένους, ὃ τῶν φιλοκόσμων ψυχῶν πάθος καὶ φιλοσάρκων, ἀλλὰ προθύμως πρὸς τὴν αὐτόθεν ζωὴν τὴν μακραίωνά τε καὶ μακαρίαν, τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.