Third Passion

THE THIRD PASSION OF ST. DEMETRIUS THE MARTYR, BY SYMEON METAPHRASTES

CHAPTER I.

^A 1. Maximian Herculius was wielding the Roman scepter, breathing heavily against the Christians and driven by fury; a cloud of idolatrous error covered the entire earth under the heavens, even if those who suffered for Christ shone forth, scattered amidst it like bright stars. Among these, at that time, the admirable Demetrius was acknowledged—Demetrius, who was renowned for his faith in Christ and famous for the wonders he performed in Christ. He was brought forth by the great city of Thessalonica; as for his lineage, he was prominent, and intracing his descent back to the ancient Macedonians, he was most illustrious.

^B 2. But he was not shining so much by the splendor of his ancestors as by his own ornament of virtue. For he surpassed those who were famous for nobility of soul just as much as he surpassed in bodily beauty those who prided themselves on their appearance. By nature, he was capable of grasping instruction and good at gathering together and blending his character toward a more gracious disposition; his very charming countenance also revealed the nobility of his soul. From his boyhood even until the age of puberty, he was superior to all his peers; and there was nothing among those things that are truly good in which he did not excel the others by a wide margin; it was clear from the beginning what a most delightful tree he was, and how abundant and good a fruit he was going to bring forth.

^C 3. When he reached manhood, he demonstrated the strength of his nature; he practiced courage and vigor, and he labored at learning the arts of war, adorned with good character and that modesty and moderation which blossomed in him most sweetly; the very fact that his fame was noised abroad to all made the man well-known even to the emperor. The emperor, therefore, having observed Demetrius, possessing such a brilliant and noble character, immediately raised him to great glory, and appointed him proconsul of Greece, as also, at the same time, giving him consular^D

^A insignia. But he (for he was most capable of perceiving what was necessary, and most worthy of dignity in choosing what was better) paid little attention to these things, but was exceptionally occupied with those things that lead to the service of God. And for this reason, he despised all the pleasures here equally, but was possessed by love for this one thing alone: piety, and he thirsted for death for Christ’s sake, and the blessedness that proceeds from it.

4. He preached, therefore, not with any fear or hesitation, but most boldly and freely, the saving name of God; and there was nothing on his lips but Christ. The bread of life, which we know to be the Word of truth, he distributed religiously to all the needy who were in want of piety, bringing forward proofs from the divine Scriptures, and teaching that for man, who had fallen from that blessed way of life in paradise and had been reduced to the servitude of sin, the Word Himself, who is co-eternal with the Father—neither departing from His divinity, nor having taken flesh from a Virgin, and having voluntarily assumed the form of a servant—made him worthy of a more divine way of living, and granted him his former freedom. Teaching these and other things, and interpreting them, he explained them to them, and as it were provided ^B opportunities and seeds for them to both become and be called sons of God, and to be deemed worthy of the life that is hidden in Christ.

5. From this, many who enjoyed that sweetest teaching of the martyr withdrew from the bitter darkness of deceit and attached themselves to the sweet light of truth. But he, conceiving a great love for Christ and insatiably desiring the salvation of men, considered it a very great loss if he were unable to rescue all from the hands of the enemy, and he did not think he was accomplishing anything at all. The matter, therefore, proceeded according to his desires, and fame sent the man everywhere, preaching the Trinity, not only to those in Greece and Thessalonica, but even to those who lived far away who heard of him. While he was in this state, and pouring out that beautiful stream of teaching, there came to him certain men whose task it was to search for Christians and to acquire for themselves the favor of the emperor through their betrayal.

6. But Demetrius, as we have already indicated, not practicing Christianity in corners, nor being a nocturnal disciple of Christ, but rather a teacher of the truth, and openly confessing piety, is seized by them, and the facts concerning him are made ^C known to the king, that he was promoting the cause of the Christians, while, as they said, clearly treating the affairs of our gods with laughter and mockery. Now Maximian was then in Thessalonica, who had indeed emerged great from the war waged against. ^D

That which is asserted here concerning the dignity of the proconsul of Greece, to which the Saint was promoted by the emperor Maximian, appears more certain, as is likewise evident from the place in the preliminary commentary, cited at the preceding letter. For it is most probable, to say nothing more, that Demetrius labored diligently in preaching the faith of Christ. Refer again to the preliminary commentary, number [—] and the three following.

At that time he had with him a man who was great in the war against the Sarmatians and Scythians, but who was known to be far greater still in his cruelty toward the pious. When the emperor straightway heard these things, he was affected in every way at once: he was struck with astonishment, grief, fear, and anger. ^A He was struck by the novelty of what he heard; he grieved for the loss of such a man; he feared that, being such as he was, he might draw others to his religion; and he was angered because he had shown no regard for the honor bestowed upon him. But since he could not believe his ears entirely—being, as he was, unable to bear the loss of such a man (for what one is unwilling to accept, one cannot easily believe)—he wished to take his eyes also as witnesses of what he had heard. He therefore orders the man to be brought before him.

7. But he, ^B standing before him, neither shuddered at the magnitude of the imperial power, nor did he shrink from the expected torments, nor did he fear the savagery of the judge; but, considering this cruelty a material for showing more openly his love for God, he went straight into the contest like a lion, looking and speaking with nothing soft or effeminate, but by his own words rather confirming what the tyrant had previously heard of him: that he was indeed a soldier of Christ and a worshiper of Him alone. For he was so far from honoring the gods called upon and worshiped by them, that he openly mocked and loathed them; and that as for the torments they threatened, he would only suffer and grieve when he saw his torturers inflicting them more mercifully or sparingly than he desired. "But your honors, O king," he said, ^C "and the good things you give to those who obey you, how could they entice one who even despises and dishonors that very kingship of yours, with its riches and treasures—that object of envy—no more than a fine dust? And if you should even bring death upon me, then know that you are doing for me that which is most to be desired, as you would be sending me on to true life and to Christ, whom I desire more than life itself."

8. When Maximian heard these words, spoken with a steadfast spirit, a noble bearing, and a free tongue, he immediately deferred the torment, acting rather with cunning than with kindness. For he wished to instill repentance in him and to allow the passage of time to abate his vehement constancy; and for this reason, he ordered for the present that Demetrius be taken into custody in the vaults of the furnaces of the nearby public bath. Maximian, ^D having entered the theater, which he was preparing at that very hour, and having gathered the athletes and assembled the people, and having arranged the contests, sat himself upon the lofty judgment seat.

9. The martyr, however, as he was being led away to prison,

^A rejoiced and yet was distressed; he rejoiced because he was soon to be deemed worthy of martyrdom, but he was distressed that he did not see his tormentors approaching him and dragging him off to the tortures and to death. So great was Demetrius’s struggle to die for Christ, as was Maximian’s passion to win the man back to the better way. Having reached the prison, therefore, the martyr said: "O God, look upon my help; O Lord, make haste to help me. For thou art my endurance, O Lord, my hope from my youth. Upon thee I was supported from the womb; from my mother's womb thou art my protector. In thee is my praise always. I will sing to my God as long as I exist. Therefore my lips shall rejoice when I sing to thee, and my tongue shall meditate upon thy righteousness all the day long."

10. And when his prayer was finished, he saw a scorpion crawling along the ground, its sting raised, about to strike his foot. But he, having signed himself with the cross and having invoked Him who gave His own creation the power to tread upon serpents and scorpions, immediately brought death to that creature—or rather, to the intelligible scorpion that was lurking within it. And immediately a divine angel appeared, placed a crown upon his head, and said to him: "Peace to thee, athlete of Christ; be strong and act like a man." Thus the Lord, who is swift to console those who fear Him, ^B even as the prison closed upon the athlete, comforted him very gently for the present and filled him with alacrity for the future. And thus Demetrius was held in custody.

CHAPTER II. Lyæus is killed by Nestor; Maximianus, enraged by this, orders the execution of Nestor and Demetrius, and the latter becomes famous for miracles and is honored as a saint.

11. Maximianus was holding a spectacle of gladiators, and all the games of the pentathlon were being performed. He sat on a lofty observation platform, judging it a most delightful pastime to engage in watching the contest. For he took pleasure, as it seems, in seeing human blood shed. ^C There was a certain man, a barbarian, one of those close to Maximian, strong of hand and valiant in wrestling, and in stature exceeding all measure; and because of this he was highly valued by him and held in great esteem. Lyæus was the man's name, and his native land was Vandal.

12. This man, boasting that he was superior to all in bodily strength, stood at that time on a raised platform so that he was visible to the whole theater, and he challenged anyone who wished to

^A to the contest. Now, a circus had been constructed by Maximian, enclosed with numerous boards, into which those who were about to compete in single combat would enter, and would commence the pancration and wrestling. Since, therefore, Lyæus ^B was overcoming everyone by the strength of his body, and whoever came into his hands was immediately seen lying on the ground, or else, having instantly met death, provided as much pleasure to the tyrant by the falling of those who grappled with him, as the sorrow which was not long after to overwhelm him would be great.

13. For a certain man, by name Nestor, quite young in age—just bearing the down of youth appearing upon his face—most pleasant to behold, and most distinguished in beauty, who was known to the renowned martyr Demetrius, seeing Maximian thus disposed toward the barbarian and offering many prizes in addition to the rewards of the contest; partly loathing the pride of Lyæus, and partly observing the miracles which were being performed by the divine martyr, and how very many, approaching him, were being taught piety in Christ, and desiring that this also might be one of Demetrius’s miracles—that he, being armed by those prayers, might break the audacity of Lyæus and cast down the haughtiness of that barbarian—he runs to the martyr. Falling before his holy feet, he says: "Servant of God, Demetrius, I am ready, and my soul is eager within me to engage in conflict with Lyæus, if only you will arm me with your prayers, and through them provide a powerful hand to aid me."

14. What then did divine Demetrius do? Just as if he himself had been the one asking rather than the one asked, he virtually anticipated the petition in its fulfillment. And having quickly placed the sign of Christ upon his forehead and his heart, he sent him away, saying: "Both Lyæus you shall conquer, and for Christ you shall be a martyr." Which was the same as to say: "Both the manifest adversary and the hidden one you shall conquer." Thus, he not only infused courage into his soul, but also spoke most assuredly concerning the future. ^C Immediately, therefore, Nestor, arriving at the stadium and having leaped down through the steps, lays aside his tunic and presents himself clearly to the emperor. Maximian, however, astonished at that great audacity of the youth, and supposing it to be something other than an exhibition of valor, commands him to be brought nearer, and says, counseling him: "O youth, I know that the lack of money has compelled you to be driven to such audacity, so that, if you were to win, you might acquire for yourself sudden wealth; or if you were to fail, you might escape poverty, an implacable enemy, along with life itself. But I, pitying your age and the beauty shining upon you, will provide you sufficient and fitting wealth for your daring alone." ^D

^A And receiving this, go away and enjoy both life and wealth. But do not by any means set yourself against Lyaeus, for he has relieved many of life who were far stronger than you." Hearing these things, Nestor neither snatched at the emperor’s generosity, nor again did he tremble at the praise of Lyaeus. To the emperor he said, "I do not desire wealth, nor for that reason have I entered into this contest; but rather, desiring glory, I wish to appear better than Lyaeus. For it is hateful to me not only to be wealthy, but also to live itself, if I should yield to Lyaeus and concede the victory to him." These things being spoken thus provoked both the emperor and all who were present around him to anger; for, not knowing how he was armed and in whom he trusted that he spoke thus, they supposed his words to be merely arrogance and vain conceit. The emperor himself was very much involved in inciting Lyaeus to the contest, sharpening his mind, which was full of impetuosity and courage.

^B 16. But the courage of Nestor was the words of Demetrius and Christ, toward whom he raised his eyes and said: "God of Demetrius, grant me, who am in age a small David, to confound Lyaeus as another Goliath. For trusting in You, I have entered upon this contest in the midst of many, so that Your name, of You who alone are the truly God, may be glorified, and for those who put their strength in You, You send aid from the sanctuary." Thus he spoke, and at the same time drawing his sword, and leaping into the stadium, the struggle having already begun, he struck the barbarian fatally in the heart; and he immediately destroyed him, ^C and almost Maximian too, with the grief he received from it: but much more he afflicted with death the error itself, and with it the author of this, the hidden one, I say, Maximian.

17. However, the emperor Maximian could no longer sit, but immediately arose full of anger and sadness, and went away into the royal court, mulling over grave things in himself, and wishing, as an impious man, to cast shadows upon the splendor of the truth, and to obscure the victory of Nestor and through him the worship of Christ, calling the matter sorcery out of great folly. For he said that otherwise a man who had performed such glorious deeds would not have been killed. Therefore, having summoned the noble Nestor, as if the matter were certain and in need of no investigation, he said: "Tell me, young man, what magic spells did you use, or what helpers did you have, that you killed Lyaeus, a man of such stature?" To these things Nestor, nothing daunted, but trusting entirely that He who gave him to destroy that proud and insolent man would Himself also give the fitting defense to be made about him, said: ^D "Nothing of the sort, O emperor, is useful either to me or to any other Christian. No man was a helper to me in this thing, except only the God of Demetrius, the God, O emperor, of the Christians."

^A Manifest was that struggle, the death of Lyaeus, whom with a strong hand and an uplifted arm—and Sihon and Og, and countless others far more than Lyaeus, he easily removed from the midst, not only individuals, but even those surrounded by a great multitude. But why do I not speak of those things which are truly worthy of him alone, whose work is heaven and earth, and all that is in them? The base hearing of Maximian did not endure these things, but brings upon him death by the sword as a reward for his fine words and the prize of his victory. Thus, then, Nestor attained a blessed end for the sake of Christ, and received the mortal stroke by the sword, as Maximian commanded, so that perhaps he too might be sanctified by martyr's blood, while Minutianus the protector acted as the minister of the execution. And so he is sent forth to Christ, whom he loved, from whom he shall also receive the crowns of ^B double victory.

19. From this point, accusations against Demetrius were again stirred up, and more plausible ones, that he himself was the cause of Lyaeus' death. Immediately, then, Maximian, having become exceedingly wrathful, and at the same time portending that it would not be a good omen for him if Demetrius were to encounter him as he went up to the stadium, to which there was access through the bath, orders the martyr to be slain with spears in the very chambers where he was being guarded. And this indeed comes to pass. And O noble Demetrius, in all things thou who art most devotedly attached to the Master, like unto Him thy side is pierced, and thou findest in this an occasion and a path for thine arrival unto Him; blessed indeed in thy life, but more blessed in thy death and thy crowns, and in thy eternal cohabitation with Him whom thou didst desire. ^C

20. Thus these things were, and the body of the martyr was cast upon the ground, and no regard was had for it for some time. But it was certainly neither holy nor worthy of God to overlook that sacred body for which he had suffered. Therefore, it was not overlooked. But some of those who loved Christ, coming by his instigation that night, took up the altogether precious body that was lying in an ignoble manner, and piously composed it. Then, having also cast dust upon it, they buried it piously and religiously in that very place where he had been brought to his end. Now one of the servants of the saint, standing near him when he underwent that blessed slaughter, and as he was able, having collected that divine blood into the ^D martyr's superhumeral, and having taken the ring which he wore on his hand, and having stained it with the martyr's blood, he performed many wonders through it. And there was no such thing among diseases, nor among evil spirits, that was so strong, so as to…

come to experience it and not be immediately overcome and put to flight, so that the whole city of the Thessalonians was filled with such fame of these miracles. Whence it was not likely that these things could either escape Maximian or that he could endure the envy. And for this reason, the servant who was the procurator of these goods was seized immediately and killed. The place of the execution was called the Tribunal. Lupus was the name of that good servant. As time went on and the signs from the place where the martyr's body lay hidden spread abroad, not only to Macedonia but also to Thessaly, and the gloom of idolatry was changed into perfect serenity, a certain man named Leontius, illustrious in glory and very ardent in faith toward Christ, who was at that time the ^B prefect of the Illyrians, was struck with a severe illness while traveling to the land of the Dacians. This illness pressed upon him so heavily that he could neither eat nor drink; and he thought death, which is shunned by all, to be a thing very much to be desired, and the only liberation from the evil that was tormenting him.

22. Since, therefore, physicians were openly overcome by the disease, and the presence of friends for the consolation of his pain was considered a vain labor, and there was no manifest hope that he would be freed from the malady, in this grievous and inescapable storm, a certain sacred anchor became the prefect’s refuge: the divine temple of the martyr. And having been brought in bed and laid down in the place where that sacred body had been hidden under the earth (O divine visitation! O most strange occurrence!), it would have been enough to provide a clear proof of Demetrius’s grace and power if, having been placed there for a time and having prayed most fervently, he had felt some help. But now this is the most novel thing, this is the most delightful of his miracles, that all these things coincided at once: the depositing of the sick man in the temple, the invocation of the martyr through his lips, and the easy casting off of the disease. Thus, having obtained so swift a cure, Leontius himself also, as he was able, paid back a swift recompense.

23. And the small, dilapidated, and narrow hovel which held the martyr’s sacred body, hemmed in by the enclosures of the bath and the stadium, he destroyed ^C and built from its very foundations a temple in the city of Thessalonica itself: which even now is seen standing most beautifully in the middle between the public bath and the stadium.

^A And it yields to no others among those things that move the eyes to wonder and pleasure, whether in beauty or in size. But this pious man, intending to journey to Illyricum, and wishing to take some portion of the holy body, so that he might also build a temple there for the glorious martyr, did not obtain the consent of the saint, who prevented him from this undertaking through nocturnal apparitions. On account of this, on his second voyage, as it is called, he took the martyr's chlamys, which had been stained with his venerable blood, and also a piece of his superhumeral—what is commonly called an orarium—and having placed them in a precious chest—truly a thing of great price—he thus satisfied the martyr’s desire and secured the greatest safety for himself.

^B Now, as winter was approaching during his return to Illyricum, he was attending to certain serious matters and hastening to Sirmium, and had already arrived at the banks of the Ister. Since the river had risen, and was carrying along a great flood, it could not be crossed by anyone at all; and although much time had passed, the current did not subside in the least, but continued to forbid passage to those who wished to cross. The man was therefore troubled in his thoughts and was gripped by despair. Then the divine Demetrius appeared to him and said: "Cast away all despair and unbelief from your soul, and, carrying with your hands that which you are bearing, cross the river without hesitation."

^C The prefect obeyed him who had appeared, and in the morning, having boarded a vehicle, he set out across the river, bearing the casket in his hands, and with his soul also keeping his eyes raised upward. The stream quietly receded and yielded to invisible motions, which do not fall under sight; a crossing worthy of wonder, and, because of the faith which he had in the martyr, not an unworthy one to undergo. Having thus crossed over unharmed and arrived at Sirmium, he deposited that sacred casket ^D with the treasure he was guarding in a newly built temple there. It happened to be near the temple of the glorious martyr Anastasia, so that, just as martyrs have their tabernacles near martyrs above and below, so too they might have neighboring dwellings. Many, indeed, were the miracles and cures that occurred even along the way, while that sanctifying chlamys was being carried; and very many obtained grace and power from Christ our true God, to whom is due all glory, honor, and adoration, now and unto the endless ages of ages. Amen.