wrapped in linens and myrrh, appearing from a mortal mother; for it was necessary for the one born from her to die.
§1.1774Εἰ δ’ ὡς Θεὸς νῦν κυριεύσει καὶ μόρου, §1.1775ἔσται τολοιπὸν, ὡς Θεοῦ Παῖς καὶ μόνος, §1.1776ἅπασι σεπτὸς τοῖσιν εἰδόσιν Θεὸς·
But if as God he shall now hold dominion also over death, he shall be hereafter, as the Son of God and unique, a God to be revered by all those who know God.
But let a brief mourning for him who came from a mortal mother be laid; for it was a necessity for the one from her to die.
§1.1779Ἡμῖν μὲν οὕτως νῦν τετίμηται φίλος· §1.1780ὃς δ’ εἴ τι πράσσειν ὡς Θεὸς θέλων σθένει, §1.1781καιρὸς πάρεστι· φῶς γὰρ ἡμέρας τρίτης §1.1782οὐ μακράν ἐστι, καὶ τὸ πᾶν φανήσεται.
For us indeed, our friend has been thus honored now; but if he, wishing to do something as God, has the power, the time is at hand; for the light of the third day is not far off, and the whole shall be revealed.
I trust that the third ray of the sun will bring again a day of freedom.
May I see, may I see this sweet day; would that, friend, I might see this wonder.
§1.1787Νῦν δ' ἀπίωμεν, Νικόδημ' εὐεργάτα· §1.1788στείχωμεν ἡμεῖς, φίλε, κἀξαιτ; μεθα §1.1789ὑπέρ τε λαοῦ, καίπερ ὄντος ἀγρίου, §1.1790ὑπέρ τε πάτρης τὸν Θεὸν μηδὲν νέον §1.1791δρᾶν, κἄν ἕως πάρεσμεν ἄμφω τῷ βίῳ.
But now let us depart, Nicodemus our benefactor; let us go, friend, and let us pray, both on behalf of the people, though they are savage, and on behalf of our fatherland, that God may do nothing new of harm, as long as we both remain in this life.
§1.1792Καὶ σὺ δὲ, φίλε παρθένε, ξὺν παρθένῳ §1.1793πρὸς ταῦτα συνάρηξον ἡμῖν τοῖς φίλοις, §1.1794ναὶ καὶ σὺ συνάρηγε καὶ θρηνοῦσά περ, §1.1795δέσποινα, μῆτερ τοῦ διφυοῦς, ὡς λόγος §1.1796τοῦ παρθένου πείθει με μύστου σοῦ Τέκνου.
And you too, beloved virgin, together with the Virgin, help us, your friends, in these matters, yes, you too help, even though lamenting, Lady, mother of Him of double nature, as the word of the virgin initiate of your Child persuades me.
§1.1797Ἄπιθι καὶ δύναμιν ἄγγελε βροτοῖς §1.1798σὺν Νικοδήμῳ νυκτέρῳ μύστῃ πάρος, §1.1799τανῦν δὲ σὺν σοὶ παμφανεστάτῳ φίλῳ.
Go, and announce his power to mortals, along with Nicodemus, who was formerly a secret initiate by night, but is now with you a most manifest friend.
§1.1800χαίροντες ἴτε μήτι που πτοούμενοι.
Go rejoicing, by no means terrified.
§1.1801Ὁ βίοτος γὰρ τῆς καλῆς ἡσυχίας §1.1802καὶ τῆς ἀκραιφνοῦς ἀγάπης καὶ φιλίας §1.1803τό τε φρονεῖν εὐ σωφρονεῖν τ’ ἐν τῷ βίῳ §1.1804τηρεῖ τὰ πάνθ’, ὡς ἀσάλευτα προσμένειν· §1.1805Θεὸς γὰρ οἶδε πάντα καὶ σοφῶς κρίνει.
For a life of beautiful quietness, of pure love and friendship, and thinking well and acting temperately in life, preserves all things, so that they remain unshaken; for God knows all things and judges wisely.
You indeed persuade me, and I trust your words, and keeping my post I shall go free of fear.
Go; for he seems to care for all things concerning his friends, and you yourselves will come to recognize my words.
§1.1810Ὑμεῖς δ’ ἕπεσθε νῦν, κόραι, σὺν μητρί μου, §1.1811ἕπεσθε, Χριστὸν καρδίαις ὡπλισμέναι §1.1812πτοούμεναί τε μηδὲν, ἀλλ’ ἕπεσθέ μοι· §1.1813δείξω γὰρ οἶκον, ἔνθα νυχεῦσαι δέον.
And you, maidens, follow now with my mother, follow, armed in your hearts with Christ, and being not at all terrified, but follow me; for I shall show the house where we must pass the night.
§1.1814Οὐκοῦν ὅδ’ ἐνδέξιος οἶκος· ἐνθάδε §1.1815τανῦν καταυλίσθητε· καὶ γὰρ εὐφρόνης §1.1816οὐ βραχὺ ταρῴχηκεν, ὡς ὁρῶ, §1.1817ἐγγὺς δ’ ἕως πάρεστιν, ἐκρέει κνέφας.
So this is the suitable house on the right; here take shelter for now; for of the night no small part has passed, as I see, and dawn is near, and darkness is flowing away.
§1.1818Ἰώ μοι·
Woe is me!
ἰώ·
Woe!
§1.1819ψυχῆς μελούσης, καρδίας παχνουμένης.
My soul is anxious, my heart is chilled.
§1.1820ὕπνος βλεφάροις τοῖς ἐμοῖς πῶς ἐμπέσῃ;
How shall sleep fall upon my eyelids?
§1.1821οἴμοι, Τέκνον μου, σῆς σφαγῆς πανταδίκου· §1.1822ὤμοι ταλαίνῃ δραμάτων ἀντιστρόφων· §1.1823οὐ γὰρ συνῳδὰ ταῦτα τοῖς ἠλπισμένοις, §1.1824κἂν συνᾴδωσι τοῖς προηγορευμένοις.
Alas, my Child, for your utterly unjust slaughter; alas for me, wretched one, for these reversals of events; for these are not in harmony with what was hoped for, even if they harmonize with what was foretold.
§1.1825Ἔτλην μεγίστας συμφορὰς καὶ πρὶν, Τέκνον, §1.1826ἀρχῆς ἀπ’ ἄκρης σῶν ξένων γενεθλίων· §1.1827ἀλλ’ εἵπετ᾿ εὐθὺς συμφοραῖς θυμηδία, §1.1828σοῦ συμπαρόντος καὶ λύοντος ἀνίας· §1.1829νῦν δ’ ἄλγος ἀφέρτατον, οἴμοι, πῶς φέρω;
I endured greatest calamities even before, Child, from the very beginning of your wondrous birth; but joy followed immediately upon the calamities, when you were present and dissolving my griefs; but now, an unbearable pain, alas, how shall I bear it?
§1.1830Τί γοῦν, τί δράσω νῦν παθοῦσ’ ἀμήχανα;
What then, what shall I do now, having suffered helpless things?
§1.1831θέλξει δ’ ἕδραν ὄμματος ὕπνος πῶς ἄρα;
How indeed shall sleep soothe the seat of my eye?
§1.1832Ἄμμες μὲν, ὦ δέσποινα, χαμαιστρωτίᾳ §1.1833ἀνεκλίθημεν, σώμασιν παρειμέναι, §1.1834νέαι, παλαιαὶ, παρθένοι τ᾿ ἔτ᾿ ἄζυγες, §1.1835ἄλλαι πρὸς ἄλλων ἐρείσασαι Κᾶρας.
We indeed, O Lady, on a bed of ground have reclined, with our bodies exhausted, young and old, and virgins yet unmarried, leaning our heads one against another.
§1.1836αἵδ’ ἐν παρειαῖς ὑποβαλοῦσαι χέρας, §1.1837καὶ βαιὸν ἡρπάσαμεν ὕπνου βραχύ τι· §1.1838σὺ δ’ οὐχ ὑπνώσας οὐδ’ ἀνέκλινας δέμας, §1.1839παννύχιον στένουσα κὠδυνημένη· §1.1840πάσῃ γὰρ ἄγρυπνον εὐφρόνῃ στρέφεις.
Some of us, placing our hands under our cheeks, snatched also a brief moment of sleep; but you, without sleeping or reclining your body, were groaning and suffering through the whole night; for you toss awake through all the night.
And how long will you remain sitting by, sleepless, closing your eye not at all?
§1.1843Ἠὼς, ἰδοὺ, πέφηνε, καὶ λεωφόρον §1.1844περιτρέχουσι δῆμος ἄνω καὶ κάτω· §1.1845γῆς τ’ ἀναδραμὼν ἥλιος φαεσφόρος §1.1846ἀκτῖνας ἐξίησι θερμαίνων χθόνα.
Dawn, look, has appeared, and on the highway the people are running up and down; and the light-bearing sun, having risen from the earth, sends out its rays, warming the ground.
§1.1847Υἱὸν τεθέντα νεκρὸν ἰδοῦσαν τάφῳ §1.1848οὐ δεῖ με θρηνεῖν καὶ στένειν καὶ δακρύειν, §1.1849ἕως ἴδοιμι ζῶντα πάλιν ἐκ τάφου;
Having seen my Son placed dead in a tomb, must I not lament and groan and weep, until I see him living again from the tomb?
§1.1850ὕπνος δ’ ἄρα μου πῶς βλεφάροις ἐμπέσῃ;
And how indeed shall sleep fall upon my eyelids?
§1.1851Κἀγὼ μελούσῃ καρδίᾳ λήγουσ’ ὕπνου §1.1852κεῖμαι, πεδοστιβὴς γε χαμαιστρωτίᾳ §1.1853κοὔτ᾿ ἔβρισ᾿ οὔτ᾿ ἐκοίμισα, σφοδρῶν γόων §1.1854σῶν, παρθένε, κλύουσα καὶ στεναγμάτων.
I too, with an anxious heart, ceasing from sleep lie here, treading the ground on a bed of earth, neither slumbering nor sleeping, because of your vehement wailings, O Virgin, and your groans.
§1.1855Ἔγρεσθ᾿ ἔγρεσθε·
Awake, awake!
τί, γυναῖκες, μέλλετε. ,
Why, women, do you delay?
§1.1856ἔξιτ᾿, ἄπιτε βαιὸν ὡς πρὸς τὴν πόλιν,
Go out, depart a little toward the city,