Humanitext Reader

Gregory of Nazianzus · The Suffering Christ §1.1688-1.1771

Judas's Fate, Ruin of the Homeland, and Promise of Salvation

Passage 22 of 32 · Greek

Summary

Joseph and John (or another disciple) converse about Judas's grim fate and the prophesied destruction of the unfaithful Judean people. They discuss Christ's descent into Hades, the resurrection, and the promise of eternal salvation for those who remain faithful, as John reveals the source of his divine wisdom.

§1.1688οὐδέν τι μαθὼν τῶν θεοπρόπων ἄπο, §1.1689αὐτοὺς δὲ μᾶλλον πάντα διδάξας τάδε.
without learning anything from the interpreters of the divine will, but rather having himself taught them all these things.
§1.1690Οὗτος δ’ ἃ μέλλει πήματ᾿ ἐκπλήσειν, φράσω, §1.1691ἀπεμπολητὴς αἰσχρὸς ἐξ ὀπαόνων.
And what sufferings he is to fulfill, I shall tell, that shameful betrayer from among his followers.
§1.1692Αὐτὸς μὲν εἶπας, ὡς μανεὶς ἄλγους ὕπο §1.1693βρόχοις κρεμαστοῖς ὑπέβαλε τὴν δέρην· §1.1694πεσὼν δ’ ἔπειτα δίχα λακίσει τάλας §1.1695ἴδῃ τε δεινὸν ἦμαρ· οὐδὲ παύσεται §1.1696κακῶν ὁ τλήμων οὐδὲ τὸν καταιβάτην §1.1697ᾄδην διαβὰς ἥσυχος γενήσεται, §1.1698στένων ἄληκτα καὶ βοῶν σφοδροῖς πόνοις, §1.1699καὶ νᾶμα πυρὸς τόνδε δ’ ὑποδέξεται.
You yourself said how, driven mad by pain, he placed his neck in hanging nooses; and falling then, the wretched one will tear in two, and see a terrible day; nor will he cease from evils, the unhappy one, nor having crossed the downward Hades will he find peace, groaning without end and crying out in severe pains, and a stream of fire will receive him.
§1.1700Ὦ φίλος, ὡς εἰς δεινὰ φὴς ἐλθεῖν κακὰ §1.1701πάντας, κἄμ’ αὐτὸν συγγόνους τ᾿ ἄρδην ἐμούς· §1.1702κἀγὼ δ’ ὁ τλήμων βαρβάρους ἀφίξομαι;
O friend, how terrible are the evils you say will come upon everyone, and upon me myself and my siblings utterly; shall I too, the wretched one, come to barbarians?
§1.1703ἢ ποῖ τράπωμαι πατρίδος πορθουμένης;
Or whither should I turn, with my fatherland being plundered?
§1.1704Ὦ πάμμεγ’ ἐμπνέουσα βαρβάροις ποτὲ §1.1705πόλις, τὸ κλεινὸν οὔνομ’ ἀφαιρῇ τάχα.
O city once breathing great might against barbarians, you shall soon be stripped of your glorious name.
§1.1706Χαῖρ’, ὦ μέλαθρον, χαῖρε, πατρῴα πόλις· §1.1707λίπω λίπω σε, δυστυχῶς δοῦλος γεγὼς, §1.1708αἰχμαῖς ἁλωτός· βαρβάρων δ’ ἴδω πέδον, §1.1709εἰ μὴ γέροντ᾿ ὄντα με προφθάσει πότμος, §1.1710ὃν εἴθ᾿ ἴδοιμι πατρίδος μένων πέδω· §1.1711συνῆκα γὰρ, θέσφατον ὡς οὕτως ἔχει.
Farewell, O palace, farewell, ancestral city; let me leave, let me leave you, having unfortunately become a slave, captured by spears; and let me see the soil of barbarians, unless death should overtake me while I am old, which would that I might see while remaining on the soil of my fatherland; for I have understood that the oracle is so.
§1.1712Τὸ μὲν σὸν εὐδόκιμον, εὐσεβὲς γέρον· §1.1713ὁ δ’ ἐγγενής σοι λαὸς ἐκτίσει δίκην, §1.1714ὡς ἀξίαν μὲν λίαν, ἀλγεινὴν δ’ ὅμως· §1.1715αὐτὸς δ’ ἑαυτὸν αἰτιάσθω τῆς δίκης.
Your resolve is highly esteemed and pious, old man; but your kindred people shall pay the penalty, one that is very deserved, yet painful nonetheless; let them blame themselves for the penalty.
§1.1716Οὐ γάρ τι λέξει πρὸς πρόφασιν, ὡς τάχα §1.1717οὐκ ἦλθεν, οὐκ ἤμυνεν οὐδ’ ἐπεστράφη, §1.1718εὐεργετῶν πάλαι τε καὶ νῦν εὐτρόπως.
For they shall say nothing by way of excuse, as if perhaps he did not come, did not defend, nor turn to help, though he had done good of old and now in a fitting way.
§1.1719Τίνας γὰρ οὐκ ἔστειλε κήρυκας πάλαι;
For what heralds did he not send of old?
§1.1720οἵων δὲ δώρων οὐκ ἔπλησε νιν ξένων, §1.1721ὃν ἐξαγαγὼν καὶ πικρᾶς τυραννίδος §1.1722ἐθνῶν ἄνακτ᾿ ἔθηκε πανσθένως μέγαν, §1.1723ὅτ᾿ ἀμφὶ Βασὰν τήν τ᾿ Ἀμορραίων χθόνα §1.1724ἐθνῶν ἀρίστοις ἐμπεσὼν κατὰ στόμα §1.1725ἔρρηξε πέλτην, τῷ δὲ δουλώσας στρατὸν §1.1726παρέσχεν· ὧνπερ λακτίσας πολλὴν χάριν §1.1727προὔδωκεν αὐτὸν εἰς φόνον μιαιφόνοις· §1.1728ὃς ὕστερον μὲν ἦλθεν, εἰς καιρὸν δ’ ὅμως· §1.1729θεοπρόποι γὰρ καὶ νόμος πολλοῖς χρόνοις §1.1730ἱδροῦντες, αἰχμάζοντες οὐχ εὗρον πέρας, §1.1731Χριστῷ δὲ φῶς ἒν ἡλίου καταρκέσει §1.1732ᾄδου δόμους πέρσαντι θἠτέρᾳ πάλιν §1.1733πρὸς γαῖαν ἐλθεῖν, συντεμόντ᾿ ἄλγη βροτῶν· §1.1734τῶν γὰρ ἕκητι πτωχικὴν λαβὼν στολὴν §1.1735εἴσεισιν ᾅδην· πολλὰ δὴ κεῖθεν σκῦλα §1.1736ἄρας φανεῖται νερτέρων ἐπίσκοπος §1.1737κτανών τε φρουροὺς καὶ παραστάτας πυλῶν §1.1738ἐκεῖθεν ἔλθῃ πᾶσί τε γνωσθήσεται §1.1739ἀρωγὸς, αὐτόριζος ὢν εὐεργέτης, §1.1740ὃν ἐγγενὴς ἔκτεινε λαὸς ἐν φθόνῳ.
And with what strange gifts did he not fill them, whom having led out also from bitter tyranny he made a great ruler of nations in all strength, when around Bashan and the land of the Amorites falling upon the best of the nations face to face he shattered the shield, and having enslaved their army to them he provided it; kicking against whose great gratitude they betrayed him to murder by blood-stained killers; who came later, but yet in due season; for the prophets and the law over many times sweating and fighting did not find the end, but for Christ one light of the sun will suffice to destroy the halls of Hades and on the other hand to come back to earth, cutting short the pains of mortals; for whose sake taking a beggar's garb he will enter Hades; and having taken many spoils from there he will appear as the guardian of those below, and having slain the guards and the attendants of the gates he will come from there and will be known to all as a helper, being a benefactor from the very roots, whom the kindred people slew in envy.
§1.1741Οἱ δ’ οὐδὲν αὐτῷ συγγενεῖς πεφυκότες §1.1742κτηθέντες αὐτῷ τοὶ μὲν ἐν χωστοῖς τάφοις, §1.1743οἵδ’ ἔν τ᾿ ὄρει τε καὶ σπέει καὶ γῆς βάθει §1.1744ψυχρὰν ἄησιν δίψιόν τε πῦρ Θεοῦ §1.1745μενοῦσι καρτεροῦντες, οὐκ ἐν δεμνίοις §1.1746οὐδ’ ἐν χιτῶσι τρυφεροῖς ἐγκείμενοι, §1.1747οὐδ’ ἐν ζαχρύσοις δώμασιν κοιμώμενοι, §1.1748τοὶ δ᾿ ἐν μαχαίραις καὶ σπάθῃ τε καὶ ξίφει §1.1749πίπτοντες ἐμφανοῦσι πίστιν ἀσφαλῆ, §1.1750οὐχ ἣν ὁ πράτης καὶ σφαγεῖς εὐεργέτου, §1.1751οὓς ἐκτῖσαι δίκαιόν ἐστι τὴν δίκην.
But those who are by nature not at all akin to him, being acquired by him, some in heaped tombs, others in mountains, caves, and the depth of the earth will endure the cold blast and the thirsty fire of God, waiting steadfastly, not lying on beds nor wrapped in delicate tunics, nor sleeping in golden halls, but others falling by daggers, broadswords, and swords will display a secure faith, not that of the betrayer and the slaughterers of the benefactor, whom it is just to pay the penalty.
§1.1752Σὲ δ’ ἐξαναστὰς εὐχερῶς ἐκρύσεται, §1.1753ὃν εὐπρεπῶς τέθεικας ἐν καινῷ τάφῳ, §1.1754καὶ μακάρων ἐς αἶαν ἐγκαθιδρύσει, §1.1755σάλπιγγος ἠχῇ νεκρέγερτον δεικνύων.
And having risen again he will easily rescue you, whom you have fitly placed in a new tomb, and will establish you in the land of the blessed, showing you raised from the dead by the sound of the trumpet.
§1.1756Δεῖ γάρ σε τὴν φονῶσαν ἐκλιπεῖν πόλιν §1.1757καὶ πραέων οἰκεῖν σε δάπεδον, μάκαρ, §1.1758θεὸν φανέντα, φθιτὸν ἀμείψαντα σε §1.1759πάχος βρότειον τ᾿ ἀποβαλόντα φθορᾶς, §1.1760ἣν ἐξ ἀπάτης ἔσχες, ὡς θνητὸς γεγώς.
For you must leave the murderous city and dwell in the land of the gentle, blessed man, with him appearing as God, and you having exchanged your mortal state and cast off the mortal thickness of corruption, which you possessed from deceit, as one born mortal.
§1.1761Τῶνδ’ οὐδὲν ᾔδειν ἐκ λόγων θεοπρόπων, §1.1762Διδασκάλου δ’ ἔγνωκα τοῖς στέρνοις κλιθείς· §1.1763οὕτως ἔσεσθαι τοὺς Θεῷ φιλουμένους §1.1764ἐγὼ συνῆκα Δεσπότου στέρνοις πεσὼν, §1.1765ὥστ᾿ ἐξ ἀβύσσου πόλλ’ ἀπαντλήσας σοφά.
Of these things I knew nothing from the words of the prophets, but I have known them from the Teacher, having leaned upon his chest; that it would be so for those beloved of God I understood, falling upon the chest of the Master, so that drawing out much wisdom from the abyss.
§1.1766Σοφοῦ παρ’ ἀνδρὸς χρὴ σοφόν τι μανθάνειν.
From a wise man one must learn something wise.
§1.1767Πέποιθας αὐτὸν δ’ αὖθις ἰδεῖν ἐν χθονί;
Do you believe that you will see him again on earth?
§1.1768Πέποιθα· δείξει τοὐπιὸν σέλας Θεοῦ· §1.1769μίαν μόνην μεῖναί με δεῖ τὴν αὔριον.
I believe so; the coming light of God will show it; I must remain only one day, tomorrow.
§1.1770Ἡμῖν μὲν ὡς μέγας τις ἥκων ἐκ Θεοῦ, §1.1771ἁπλῶς τε θανὼν, ὡς βροτὸς τυμβεύεται
To us indeed, as one great coming from God, having simply died, like a mortal he is entombed.

Notes

  1. 1.1688οὐδέν τι μαθὼν τῶν θεοπρόπων ἄπο — The participle μαθὼν (and the following διδάξας) modifies the subject "one from God" (ἐκ Θεοῦ) in the preceding verses §1.1686-1687. This creates a contrast that denies any passive learning from the interpreters of divine will (θεοπρόποι, prophets) and emphasizes Christ's own active teaching.
  2. 1.1716Οὐ γάρ τι λέξει πρὸς πρόφασιν — The subject of the verb λέξει (third-person singular future) is the collective singular noun ὁ ἐγγενής λαός (the kindred people) from §1.1713. The phrase πρὸς πρόφασιν is an adverbial expression meaning "by way of excuse," introducing the noun clause governed by ὡς in §1.1716.
  3. 1.1731Χριστῷ δὲ φῶς ἒν ἡλίου καταρκέσει — The dative of advantage Χριστῷ is governed by the future verb καταρκέσει ("will suffice"), with the dative participle πέρσαντι (§1.1732) agreeing with it, and the infinitive ἐλθεῖν (§1.1733) depending on it. It expresses that the harrowing of Hades and the resurrection are accomplished in the extremely short duration of a single sun's light (φῶς ἒν ἡλίου).
  4. 1.1758θεὸν φανέντα, φθιτὸν ἀμείψαντα σε — A complex passage regarding accusative participle agreement. While φανέντα ("having appeared") modifies the accusative θεὸν ("God", referring to Christ), the subsequent participles ἀμείψαντα ("having exchanged") and ἀποβαλόντα (§1.1759) modify the accusative pronoun σε ("you", referring to Joseph).
  5. 1.1762Διδασκάλου δ’ ἔγνωκα τοῖς στέρνοις κλιθείς — A line based on the description of the beloved disciple leaning on Jesus' chest in John 13:23. The genitive Διδασκάλου can be interpreted either as a possessive genitive modifying the dative τοῖς στέρνοις ("chest") or as a genitive of association/source with the passive participle κλιθείς ("having leaned").

Cite this passage

Gregory of Nazianzus, The Suffering Christ §1.1688-1.1771. Humanitext Reader, https://reader.humanitext.ai/en/text/urn:cts:greekLit:tlg2022.tlg003.humanitext-grc1:1.1688-1.1771

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