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Gregory the Theologian Bilingual Anthology

PRINCIPLES OF THEOLOGY

from the First theological oration (27), * §§ 3-9
 translated by C. G. Browne, J. E. Swallow. Greek Fonts / Gregory Theologian Home Page


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Page 7

But when we have put away from the conversation those who are strangers to it, and sent the great legion on its way to the abyss into the herd of swine, the next thing is to look to ourselves, and polish our theological self to beauty like a statue. The first point to be considered is-What is this great rivalry of speech and endless talking? What is this new disease of insatiability? Why have we tied our hands and armed our tongues? We do not praise either hospitality, or brotherly love, or conjugal affection, or virginity; nor do we admire liberality to the poor, or the chanting of Psalms, or nightlong vigils, or tears. We do not keep under the body by fasting, or go forth to God by prayer; nor do we subject the worse to the better-I mean the dust to the spirit-as they would do who form a just judgment of our composite nature; we do not make our life a preparation for death; nor do we make ourselves masters of our passions, mindful of our heavenly nobility; nor tame our anger when it swells and rages, nor our pride that bringeth to a fall, nor unreasonable grief, nor unchastened pleasure, nor meretricious laughter, nor undisciplined eyes, nor insatiable ears, nor excessive talk, nor absurd thoughts, nor aught of the occasions which the Evil One gets against us from sources within ourselves; bringing upon us the death that comes through the windows, as Holy Scripture saith; that is, through the senses. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἀπεσκευασάμεθα τοῦ λόγου τὸ ἀλλότριον͵ καὶ εἰς τὴν ἀγέλην τῶν χοίρων ἀπεπεμψάμεθα τὸν πολὺν λεγεῶνα κατὰ βυθῶν χωρήσαντα͵ ὃ δεύτερόν ἐστι͵ πρὸς ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς ἴδωμεν͵ καὶ ξέσω μεν εἰς κάλλος͵ ὥσπερ ἀνδριάντα͵ τὸν θεολόγον. ἐκεῖνο δὲ πρῶτον λογισώμεθα͵ τίς ἡ τοσαύτη περὶ τὸν λόγον φιλοτιμία καὶ γλωσσαλγία; τίς ἡ καινὴ νόσος αὕτη καὶ ἀπληστία; τί τὰς χεῖρας δήσαντες τὰς γλώσσας ὡπλίσαμεν; οὐ φιλοξενίαν ἐπαινοῦμεν; οὐ φιλαδελφίαν͵ οὐ φιλανδρίαν͵ οὐ παρθενίαν͵ οὐ πτωχοτροφίαν θαυμάζομεν; οὐ ψαλμῳδίαν͵ οὐ πάννυχον στάσιν͵ οὐ δάκρυον; οὐ τὸ σῶμα νηστείαις ὑποπιέζομεν; οὐ δι΄ εὐχῆς πρὸς θεὸν ἐκδημοῦμεν; οὐ τῷ κρείττονι τὸ χεῖρον ὑποζεύγνυμεν͵ τὸν χοῦν λέγω τῷ πνεύματι͵ ὡς ἂν οἱ τῷ κράματι δικαίως δικάζοντες; οὐ μελέτην θανάτου τὸν βίον ποιούμεθα; οὐ τῶν παθῶν δεσπόται καθιστάμεθα͵ μεμνημένοι τῆς ἄνωθεν εὐγενείας; οὐ θυμὸν τιθασσεύομεν ἐξοιδοῦντα καὶ ἀγριαίνοντα; οὐκ ἔπαρσιν καταβάλλουσαν͵ οὐ λύπην ἀλόγιστον͵ οὐχ ἡδονὴν ἀπαίδευτον͵ οὐ γέλωτα πορνικόν͵ οὐκ ὄψιν ἄτακτον͵ οὐκ ἀκοὴν ἄπληστον͵ οὐ λόγον ἄμετρον͵ οὐ διάνοιαν ἔκτοπον͵ οὐχ ὅσα παρ΄ ἡμῶν ὁ πονηρὸς καθ΄ ἡμῶν λαμβάνει͵ τὸν διὰ τῶν θυρίδων͵ ὡς ἡ γραφή φησιν͵ εἴτουν αἰσθητηρίων͵ εἰσάγων θάνατον;
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