A The Getic land towards the Tauric region proceeded, those of whom you hear; if you were able to learn to encourage Metaphrastes’ fruit-bearing George of Nicomedia to be near his neighbors, recording the acts of the martyrs. Michael Cellarius, who lived in ascetic communion, having been perfected in the pursuit of death, found in the citadel of the West. If therefore it was not possible concerning the holy Michael, Symeon the Metaphrastes, or Cellarius, what sort of force could one snatch from there? B 33. From then on, of those innovating, etc. Al. 33, 34. EL. 33. A type for the holy martyrs to be fittingly established, and for those living in the present time to dispose toward the enemies of the true faith, which is nowhere mentioned in discourses. And to the holy men who have peered into it, E. 37. And from the West; etc. Al. 37. EL. 37. Of Nauplius, of Blachernae of Tryphonius; virgins simply are those who have been fortunate to communicate with the holy Demetrius. With whom is Anna the Theotokos. E. 39. And in Busabarum in the Vigil; etc. Al. 39. EL. 39. Of Neophytus, of Amas of Trikala; virgins who dwell in Magdala for the saints. E. 40. A. 43. And from the April martyrdom of his Neophytus; etc. Al. 40. EL. 40. The Great Beginning of George’s martyrdom. Unwounded. The portion of George, of the youngest martyr; for the two Georges, that it be said of this in his memory to be taken between; except for the elder George being concealed within themselves. Martyr of the April martyrdom of Neophytus. E. 43. And from those into the Baptist, etc. Al. 43. EL. 43. Of Nauplius, of Blachernae of Tryphonius; of Tryphaena and Tryphonius; of Tryphaena in Daphnusia. E. 43. And from Nauplius, etc. Al. 43. EL. 43. Of Eleutherius, the life of this saint, seek November, etc. E. 45. And on the day of November, etc. Al. 45. EL. 45. The life of this, seek November, etc. E. 45. And on the day, etc. Al. 45. EL. 45. Of Eleutherius, of Rhodane; Eleutherius and Rhodane the mother of Eleutherius; seek for his September. E. 45. Plac and Antiochus. Their lives are not seek November. etc. E. 47. And among the saints, etc. Al. 47. EL. 47. John the Baptist arrives. E. 47. And on the twentieth of August, etc. Al. 47. EL. 47. Of Susanna of the Baptist. And on the same day, etc. Al. 49. EL. 49. Of the Baptist Theodorus. E. 49. Life etc. And on the twentieth, etc. Al. 49. EL. 49. The life of this, seek November, etc. E. 51. And on the twentieth, etc. Al. 51. EL. 51.
A preamble. A discourse of salutation, or thanksgiving, to the most holy Theotokos.
It is acknowledged that all compilation of panegyrics is preeminent. On the glorious martyr of Christ, Barbara. C The present assembly is bright and marvelous, and for those who love feasts. A discourse to the most holy Theotokos, when she was offered to the temple at three years of age. The subject of the present feast is bright. The martyrdom of the holy and glorious forty-two martyrs of Christ. The propylaea of the feast are bright. On the all-venerable feast of the Hypapante. The flowers of the three-day tomb are bright indeed. A discourse on the Resurrection of the Lord. The watchword of the present feast is bright. A panegyric, on the restoration of the most holy Theotokos in the temple, and the dedication to God according to the history. Bring to me now the priestly priests. For it is the hour of victors’ discourses. On the Ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. Bring again into the midst the Evangelist John. On the four-day-dead Lazarus. I love the places of the Church, this spiritual one for me. A discourse on the four-day-dead Lazarus. The mysteries of the present array are fearful. On the Passion of the Lord, on the holy and great Friday. A fearful and incomprehensible wonder, and profitable to the inhabited world. The miracles of Gregory of the city of Agrigentum of the province of the Sicilians. Let a voice of exultation introduce today. A discourse on the standing of the immaculate Theotokos at the tomb, and a thanksgiving for the super-brilliant Resurrection. Shine, shine, Jerusalem; for your light sounds. D A discourse on the veneration of the life-giving Cross, on the mid-feast. [114] X The present assembly is a subject of joy. A discourse on the holy and all-glorious Resurrection of Christ. Rejoice greatly, daughter of Sion; preach, daughter of Jerusalem. On the universal feast of the Palms. Rejoice greatly, favored daughter of Sion. A discourse on the Palms. Rejoice, this short and great [discourse] of the word to me. O I rejoice today, celebrating my joy; I rejoice, celebrating my gladness. A discourse on the Annunciation of the most holy Theotokos. Yesterday, after the Lord, Lazarus feasted us, setting before us that which was his own. A discourse on the Palms. Yesterday to us was the discourse against the heretical struggle. A discourse concerning the serpent according to Moses, which he crucified in the desert, and the immaculate and all-holy Trinity. Yesterday to us Lazarus, confirming the common resurrection. A discourse on the blessed Lazarus, and on the feast of the Palms. Christ appeared to the world, and adorned the unadorned world. On the holy Theophany. We honor the feast of Christ. A discourse on the Hypapante. Ω O Mother of God, for I think it is good and very graceful. A discourse on the all-venerable Dormition of our most holy Lady Theotokos. How lovely are your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts, says the blessed David in the Spirit. A panegyric on the holy and wonder-working unmercenary ones, Cosmas and Damian. How lovely are your tabernacles, O Lord of hosts. On the first Sunday of the Fasts, and on the restoration of the holy and venerable icons. So that the discourse might not be unfitted for the narration, the mysteries of wisdom. So that I might be able to reveal the labors of the struggle of Cyril our holy martyr, the most powerful athlete and brave soldier, to those who do not yet know the struggle of victory. How sweet and divine a thing. A discourse on the entrance of the Fasts. [115] As truly holy and good for those who rejoice. A discourse on the holy protomartyr Stephen. How beautiful is the sequence of good things. A panegyric on the holy protomartyr Stephen. How great is the multitude of your goodness, O Lord. For which cause, on the first Saturday of the holy Fasts, we celebrate the memory of the holy great martyr
Theodore the Recruit. And on fasts and almsgiving. And that I too [may be] with the patriarch Jacob. On the holy Transfiguration of the Savior. O fearful mystery to all creation. A discourse on the holy and great Sabbath. As the boundless abyss pours forth the springs of waters abundantly. On the Palms. As when a level is applied, the crooked wood is detected. On the betrayal of Christ on Holy Thursday. As the sun sends forth the rays of its light everywhere on the earth. A discourse on the holy Stephen. As those who rule on earth [honor] those who fought bravely for them in battles. On the blessed Job. As there is no Jew bound to the Lord. On the holy and victorious great martyrs Cyricus and Julitta. As the forms of all bodies are not similar. On the holy and all-praised apostle Mark. As some man a lover of solitude. A discourse on the beheading of the Forerunner. A And that I may say something concerning this part and use a discourse somewhat digressive, I am not unaware that to the majority of those who use a more sophistic veil of language, and nevertheless also to those who have studied the sciences, and even to those for whom the natural sciences are a matter of great study, the writings of the man are not studied with great care; because neither the elegance of the mixing of the ideas is present in them, nor the configurations of the discourses are manifest, nor some difficulty of nature and its resolution, nor linear demonstrations with burdensome terminology, nor philosophical concepts talking high of the subject matter. For those who are superfluous desire all things to have been written for the sake of display, not for profit and the correction of character. B I, however, do not say that the man's writings are deprived of any of these; but since his usage is not one of display, he does not present these things to him frequently, nor from the introductions immediately, nor everywhere, nor to all, but wherever the matter gives him sufficient cause, having used however much is necessary for the discourse, he returns immediately to the proposed goal. His discourse looks neither to sophistry, nor to marketplace elegance, nor to technology and the understanding of nature, nor yet to linear theory, or the more superfluous intelligence in numbers; but not even the movement of the heavens is studied by him, nor how the C fixed world is destined to meet with the planets, or anything of the symphonies or harmonies; but not even of the melodies upon these. For this reason these things are passed over as superfluous. There is a time, however, when he even uses those as occasion arises. Yet he holds fast everywhere to the truth and to truthful narration. He knew many modes of expression. And he used one that is sufficient for the hearing of both the learned and the many, and it sufficed for both parts at the same time. For by rhythm and by the beauty of the wording he drew the learned listener to himself, and charmed [him] sufficiently with the lures of grace; and by the clear and palatable [style], he attached the unlearned ears to his own voice. And he led both on D turn by his conciseness and persuasiveness. For I, that I may say nothing less than the truth, having concealed nothing, [know] many of the characters of the discourses, and not better ones—I mean [those] of the perfect.
As the sun shines for those who see, so is the discourse concerning the blessed [ones] for those who hear. Martyrdom of St. Theodore, prefect of the soldiers (militum præfectus). Varus, being present, wrote it: I, however, was present, Varus the scribe [and] notary, seeing the torments with records. And hearing his inward sighing, having cast down the records, I rolled on the ground crying at his feet. And my lord, the advocate of Christ, Theodore, with a small voice says to me: "Varus, do not abandon your work, and do not break off your narrations concerning me. Endure, and write my arrival and the struggles and the day of my perfection." And at the end he says to Varus: "Do not neglect to record the day of my perfection. And lay my remains in Euchaita in my ancestral estate. And when you have placed [the end of your life], fall asleep at my left." In other manuscript codices, [it reads] Augarus.
As fearful is this place, co-transcending. As fortunate, and in all things blessed. On the day of the memory of the great trophy-bearer, and the miracle which has now occurred against the barbarians.
nor to those who use the ornament of language too rhetorically, nor to those who have set their study upon the disciplines, nor even to those who have studied the contemplation of nature; for neither would a mixing of the genres of discourse shine forth in these, nor are there figures of discourse scattered throughout, nor any resolution of natural questions, nor demonstrations of lines with troublesome names, nor the opinions of philosophers which might lift the subject matter into the heights. For they who are prone to wisdom beyond measure wish everything to be written for temptation, not for the correction of morals. I, however, say that the writings of this man are not deprived of any of these; but since his writing was not prepared for display, it is not set forth A frequently, nor immediately from the beginning, nor everywhere, nor among all, B but when the situation gives occasion, then the use of those things which the discourse requires returns to the proposed goal. For his discourse does not look to sophistic boasting or courtroom display, nor to the artificial investigation of natural things, nor to the contemplation of numbers, or a more curious understanding of them. Nor is it his study to consider the movement of the sphere, or how the inerrant world proceeds around the wandering stars; nor does he have a care for consonants or semivowels, nor for the harmony made through them. Therefore he dismisses these things as superfluous; yet sometimes he uses them, according to the time. But he adheres to the truth, and his narration is alien to falsehood. He knew many ways of diction: but he used the one that sufficed for the hearing of both good and evil, and was satisfying to both sides at once; for by the number and beauty of his diction, he thus attracted the learned listener, and charmed sufficiently with the allurements of grace; and because his discourse was clear and lucid, he made the ears of the learned hang upon his voice. He led both before him concisely and probably.
I, however, lest I say nothing, hiding what is less than true, know well that there are many very beautiful kinds of speaking; of the more perfect, I say, of Orators, whose model is not proposed to the common sort for imitation on account of the sound and number of the discourse; but I do not know if anyone of all those who were to compose such writings has adapted a more excellent form of discourse; for and if anyone of those who excel both in diction and in thought had undertaken arguments of this kind, he would have made a more accurate and elaborate discourse, but I do not say one that was equally appropriate and fitting for the listeners. For his beginning of his discourses immediately touches the subject, and proceeding a little, he shows the goal of his writing, and in some discourses, when he recapitulates the whole argument in summary, he immediately divides it into parts. But he adapts himself to persons and times; and while there is for all the same color of discourse, and one quality of diction, the change of morals is varied. C And as for those who do not even stand as a model for the many, with the resonance of rhythm—I do not know if anyone at all has composed a more accurate form D for the writings he chose. But even if anyone of those excessive ones had chosen both the phrasing and the thought for such a subject, they might have worked out the discourse more laboriously, yet I do not say more appropriately and fittingly for all listeners. For the introductions of his discourses, touching the subject immediately, and proceeding a little, reveal the goal of the writing; and having summarized the whole subject in some of the discourses, he immediately cuts it into parts, and adapts himself to persons and times, and the color of the discourse is the same for all, and the quality of the phrase is one, but the change of character is varied, and as one might say, it is technical, not changing things through the art, but interpreting each of the approaching things and persons with its own. As if gazing upon the archetypes of the older things, he does not depart from them, so as not to seem to be doing something else; and beside the model, he reshapes the whole idea, not changing the matter, but correcting the mistaken aspects, nor innovating in the thoughts, but transposing the figure of the word.
His discourse falls into irregularities of narratives and changes of subject matter, and it is not composed, nor is it troubled; but like a most excellent helmsman, although his ship is being swamped, he remains steady, using the rudder most technically. There are times when he even geographizes the lands of those being praised, cutting them away from the whole earth and bringing them into one of the portions. And then he speaks somewhat about rivers, and naturalizes their sources, and about the convenience of cities, and the mixture of climates, and the harmony of the seasons, even if those who are truly hard of hearing do not understand what is said of them. But he also touches in many ways upon the parts of the discourse; some things more agonistically, others more gently. For who of all men would dispute with him concerning the grace of his narratives? Or the composition, or the rest of his rhythms, or his appropriate harmony in all things? I wish, therefore, that he not dispute beyond the babbler for him. I find that his discourses do not lack even this grace, but where they have what is superfluous, in the majority they have the solemn and the respectable. Setting these two paths for him, the martyrdom contest and the ascetic endurance, he runs upon both stadiums, not with swiftness of feet, but with sharpness of thought. And especially when he traverses the ascetic course, he becomes more intense and more competitive than himself. He fattens, then, my hearing when his discourse ascends to the mountains, and descends to the caves; he seats the ascetic under a pine or some oak, and designs for him food from herbs, and drink from springs. For he garlands such narratives with words that bloom with beauty, and varies them with the roses of figures, and shows the things that were done at that time as if they were being seen. I therefore emulate the man, both for such eloquence and grace, and no less for the usefulness of his subjects. et
as one might say, artificial, not produced by artifice, but by interpreting what was fitting for each individual thing and person that occurred. For as if looking toward archetypal patterns for the more ancient things, he does not depart from them, lest he should appear to be doing something else; and he transfers the whole form of discourse to the exemplar, not making the subject matter different, but correcting what was a mistake in the manner of speaking; and neither innovating in sentiments, but converting the figure of diction. And his discourse, falling into a diversity of narrations and a variety of arguments, is not confounded or perturbed, but, as an excellent helmsman when his ship is agitated by the waves, he stands quiet, holding the tiller most artfully. A Furthermore, in some orations he also describes the fatherland of those who are praised, separating it from the whole earth and bringing it to one side; then he also speaks something about rivers and their sources, discoursing naturally, and about the convenience of cities, and the tempering of spring-time, and the turning of the seasons, even if those who are in truth somewhat slower of hearing do not grasp what is said. He also treats parts of the oration in many ways, some indeed with greater contention, others more briefly and sedately. But in the grace of narrations, who among all could compete with him? Who in composition? Who in the sweetness of numbers? Who in consistency concurring in all things? And while I would not contend that his oration is not ample and grand, I find nevertheless that this grace is not lacking in his orations, but that in some places they are indeed ample and redundant, while in most they are grave and composed. B Since he had proposed to himself these two paths: the constancy of the martyrs and the monastic tolerance in discipline, he runs indeed in both stadiums, not with the fleetness of feet, but with the speed of oration. But most of all, when running through the monastic curriculum, he emerges more robust and stronger than himself; indeed, he truly strikes the ears when his oration rises up to the mountains, yet enters into caves, and under some pine or oak tree collects the exercitant, and offers him vile and unlabored food from herbs and drink from fountains. He adorns such orations with beautifully blossoming auditiones and various roses of figures, and he subjects to the eyes, as it were, those things which were happening then. I indeed praise the man on account of such eloquence and grace; C but no less because he treated the subject beautifully. We now possess the Metaphrast; we hear him speaking; therefore, those things which he did not utter, at least some of them, must be rejected from his yield. Which will succeed by easy labor if we weigh in our mind what Psellus wrote, and compare them with other genuine writings of the same Metaphrast. Let there be, therefore, a second table of those things whose unlike oration and style do not wish to acknowledge the Metaphrast as their parent; and even if the style wished it, the very wings of the writer do not allow it, so that briefly for your sake, where