And he draws with his hands from the spring, and anointed his head, as it seems, so that he may have purification.
§1.1095Ἔοικεν Ἄναξ πολλὰ τῇδ’ ἐν ἡμέρᾳ §1.1096κακὰ ξυνάπτειν ἐνδίκως μιαιφόνοις· §1.1097αὐτούς γε μέντοι, μὴ φίλους, δράσειε τι §1.1098ἔκδικον ὄμμα Δεσπότου παντεργάτου.
It seems that the Lord on this day is justly linking many evils to the murderers; yet upon them themselves, who are not friends, may the avenging eye of the all-working Lord work some retribution.
Let justice go, let it go openly, bearing the sword and bearing fire, most quickly upon the murderers.
§1.1101Ἔστι γὰρ ὄντως θαῦμα φρικτὸν εἰσορᾶν· §1.1102ὁ μὲν γὰρ ὦσε κατὰ πλευρᾶς που δόρυ, §1.1103πλευρᾶς νενυγμένης δὲ θαυμαστὸν νᾶμα §1.1104ἔσταξεν εὐθὺς αἷμά τ᾿ οὐ πεφυρμένον, §1.1105φρικτὸν θέαμα, καὶ τρόμος μ᾿ ὁρᾶν ἔχει.
For indeed, it is a terrible wonder to look upon; for one thrust a spear somewhere near his side, and from the pierced side a wonderful stream and unmixed blood dripped immediately, a terrible sight, and trembling holds me as I look.
§1.1106Διδάσκαλον φέρω γὰρ αὐτὴν τὴν κτίσιν, §1.1107γῆς γεῖσσα σαλευθέντα, ῥαγείσας πέτρας §1.1108τάφους τε νεκρῶν ἄφαρ ἠνεῳγμένους· §1.1109αὐτὸς δ’ ὁ νύξας ἔντρομος πεσὼν θίγει.
For I take creation itself as my teacher, the shaken edges of the earth, the shattered rocks, and the tombs of the dead opened suddenly; and he who pierced him, falling in trembling, touches him.
§1.1110Ὠ τέκνον, ὠ φίλτατον, ὠ θεῖον κάρα, §1.1111οὕτως ἐφάνης πᾶσι, καὶ τοῖς μὴ φίλοις, §1.1112σφόδρα ποθεινὴ δακρύοισι συμφορά· §1.1113κενοῖς τε καθάρσιον αἷμα τοῦ γένους· §1.1114καὶ δυσμενεῖς φρίττουσιν, ἀθροῦντες ξένα, §1.1115Θεοῦ τε κεκράγασι τρανῶς σ’ Υἱέα· §1.1116πάντα τρέμουσιν, ἅτε μὴ γνώμην ἔχειν,
O child, O dearest one, O divine head, thus you appeared to all, even to those who are not friends, a disaster greatly yearned for amid tears; and as cleansing blood for those of the race who are empty; and the hostile ones tremble, beholding strange things, and they cry out clearly that you are the Son of God; all things tremble, as if having no understanding.
§1.1117οἱ δ’ ἐγγενεῖς σ’ ἔκτειναν ἀλόγῳ φθόνῳ, §1.1118ἐξ ὧν σ’ ἐχρῆν στέφανον ἐς κάραν λαβεῖν, §1.1119οὐχ οἷον ἐμπαίζοντες ἔστεψάν σέ πως· §1.1120οἵδ’ οὐδὲ φροντίζουσι σ’ ἐνθεῖναι τάφῳ.
But your kinsmen killed you in senseless envy, from whom you ought to have received a crown upon your head, not such a one as they in mockery somehow crowned you with; and they do not even care to place you in a tomb.
§1.1121Πῶς οὖν ἐγώ σε τοῦ ξύλου καταγάγω:
How then shall I bring you down from the wood?
§1.1122ποίῳ δὲ τύμβῳ καταθείμην σὸν δέμας;
In what kind of tomb shall I lay your body?
§1.1123οἵοις τε πέπλοις κατακαλύψω νέκυν;
And with what kind of robes shall I cover the corpse?
§1.1124πῶς καὶ τἀπιχώρια μέλψω σοι μέλη;
How also shall I sing the customary songs for you?
§1.1125τίνος σε κηδεύσουσιν, ὦ Τέκνον, χέρες;
By whose hands, O Child, will you be cared for?
§1.1126οἴμοι, τί δράσω;
Alas, what shall I do?
τίς γένωμαι
What will become of me?
§1.1127Τί ταῦτ᾿ ἀλύω;
Why do I rave thus?
πειστέον τοῖς σοῖς λόγοις §1.1128ἔργοις θ’, ὅσ’ ὑπέδειξας εἰς μαρτυρίαν, §1.1129ὡς ἔστιν ἅπαν σοι θελητὸν δυνατόν.
I must obey your words and deeds, as many as you showed for a testimony, since everything wished for is possible for you.
§1.1130Πολλῶν ταμίας ἐστὶν ἀέλπτων Θεὸς, §1.1131πολλά τ᾿ ἀέλπτως πολλάκις κραίνει Θεὸς, §1.1132τὰ δ’ αὖ δοκηθέντ’ οὐκ ἐφεῦρε καὶ τέλος· §1.1133σὺ δ’ ἀδοκήτων αὐτὸς εὕροις μοι πόρον.
God is the dispenser of many unexpected things, and often God accomplishes many things unexpectedly, while things expected did not come to pass and ended; may you yourself find for me a way out of the unexpected.
And look, Joseph here in haste of foot walks, having perhaps some new matter to tell.
§1.1136Ἀτὰρ τόδ’ ἄλλο θαῦμα καὶ παρ’ ἐλπίδα, §1.1137μύστην νύχιον τῷδε συντρέχοντα πως, §1.1138σκεύη φέροντα προσφυᾶ τῇ καθόδῳ.
But here is another wonder and contrary to expectation, the disciple of the night running together with him somehow, bearing vessels suitable for the descent.
§1.1139Ὠ μάκαρ, ὃς τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ μυστήρια §1.1140εἰδὼς ἁγιστεύει θ’ ἑαυτοῦ βιοτὰν §1.1141καὶ θιασεύεται καθαρμοῖσί ψυχὰν §1.1142δέμας τε παντὸς ἀνατινάσσων ῥύπου §1.1143κύκλῳ τε πασῶν ἀρετῶν στέφων κάραν §1.1144ἀεὶ θεραπεύειν θοάζει τὸν Θεὸν.
O blessed is he who, knowing the mysteries of God, hallows his own life, and initiates his soul with purifications, shaking his body free from all defilement, and crowning his head with a circle of all virtues, always hastens to worship God.
§1.1145Τὸ σωφρονεῖν γὰρ καὶ σέβειν τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ §1.1146κάλλιστον, οἶμαι δ’ αὐτὸ καὶ σοφώτατον §1.1147θνητοῖσιν εἶναι χρῆμα τοῖσι χρωμένοις.
For to be temperate and to revere the things of God is most beautiful, and I think it is also the wisest thing for mortals who practice it.
§1.1148Ὠ φίλταθ’, ὡς σὴν γῆρυν ᾐσθόμην κλύων, §1.1149σοφὴν σοφοῦ παρ’ ἀνδρός· ἐκ μακρᾶς ὁδοῦ §1.1150ἥκω δ’ ἕτοιμος τήνδ’ ἔχων σκευὴν τάχει, §1.1151ὅπως νέκυν θάψαιμι τὸν πεφιλμένον.
O dearest one, how I perceived your voice, hearing it, a wise voice from a wise man; from a long journey I have come ready, having this equipment in haste, so that I may bury the beloved corpse.
For it is necessary to revere him who even before was a venerable friend, as far as lies in us, also now as this corpse.
How should we bring him down, and how carry him to the tomb, and wrap him in robes?
Νῦν ἡγοῦ σύ μοι §1.1156νέος γέροντι, παρθένος, σὺ γὰρ σοφός· §1.1157ὡς οὐ κάμοιμ’ ἂν, εἴθ’ ἕως εἴθ᾿ §1.1158ἕως νέκυν θήσοιμι καινῷ μου τάφῳ· §1.1159ὅσον δέον γὰρ μὴ γένους κοινωνίαν §1.1160ἔχοντι μύστῃ, τοῦτον οἰκτείρω κἀγώ.
Now guide me, youth for an old man, and virgin, for you are wise; so that I may not grow weary, until I lay the corpse in my new tomb; for as much as is fitting for a disciple who has no kinship, I too pity and honor him.
He himself will guide you without labor and gives all facility into your hands.
§1.1163Ὦ χρῆμα καγκαλὲς Θεοῦ, δέσποιν’ §1.1164τί Παῖδα πρὸς σὸν τήνδ’ ἄγουσ’ ἐρημίαν §1.1165ἕστηκας, αὐτῷ θρεομένη σαυτῆς λυγρά;
O most beautiful creature of God, queen, why do you stand near your Child, bringing yourself to this solitude, lamenting your own bitter griefs to him?
§1.1166καί σοι μόνος πάρεστι μύστης παρθένος, §1.1167λιπὼν ἀδελφὸν ἐν χορῷ μυστηπόλων, §1.1168ἄλλοι δ’ ὀπαδοὶ τῶν γόων πεπλησμένοι §1.1169φεύγουσι, πολλῷ τῷ φόβῳ πεφρικότες, §1.1170οὐδ’ εἶδον οὐδὲν τῶν νεωτέρων κακῶν, §1.1171σὺ δ’ οὐ πέφρικας δυσμενῶν ἀβουλίαν.
And only one virgin disciple is present with you, having left his brother in the band of fellow-disciples, while the other followers, filled with laments, are fleeing, shuddering with much fear, nor did they see any of these newer evils; but you do not shudder at the folly of the hostile ones.
§1.1172Ἐγὼ δέδοικα, μή τι βουλεύσῃ νέον §1.1173ὅμιλος ἐχθρὸς, δυσμενὴς, μιαιφόνος· §1.1174βαρεῖα γὰρ φρὴν οὐδ’ ἀνέξεται κλύειν, §1.1175κἂν νεκρὸν ἢν δοίημεν ἐντίμῳ ταφῇ.
I fear lest some new plot be planned by the hostile, malicious, murderous crowd; for their heavy heart will not even endure to hear of it, even if we should give the corpse to an honorable burial.