On the Three Young Men
De tribus pueris
The Triumph of Falsehood and the Resilience of the Three Youths§1
1theater
The statue is made well-proportioned and symmetrical, so that either by its size or by the beauty of its composition it might overcome truth, having been forced, by means of falsehood. The art indeed shone, the gold gleamed, the herald shouted, the tyrant threatened, and the furnace was blazing; and along with all these things, the sounds of the musical instruments most terribly drove the foolish into impiety, and the fantasy of what is seen entirely stole the attention of all who were watching.
Yet the provocation of impiety was even more dominant than that of the saints. For all, as it were to say, like being swept by a violent torrent of deception into the cliff of idolatry, these three fine youths, having placed themselves faithfully upon the rock of piety, were not swept away. They were swept away by the stream of injustice. For it is right to say to them: 'If the Lord had not been with us (Psalm 124:1), then the living would have overwhelmed us. If their anger had been kindled against us (Psalm 124:3), then the water would have submerged us.' Our soul passed through a torrent; thus our soul passed through the unsubstantial water. But they were neither submerged by the stream, nor were they caught by the snares, but escaping well into piety, and having used the high wing of faith, they were saved, according to the Proverb-maker: 'Like a dove from the snares, and like an eagle from the trap' (Proverbs 1:17). And only when seeing the devil's nets spread against all humanity did the pious voice grow louder, according to the Hymnographer, saying: 'The sinners shall fall into a pit' (Psalm 70:1). And these three captives did not look away from their own brevity, even while being pursued by so many, but they knew precisely that even the smallest spark of piety is sufficient to consume and vanish all impiety. Because of this, even though they were three, they strengthened one another and bound themselves together. For they knew that the narrow and pressed way is...
Greek · §1
De tribus pueris (olim sub auctore Joanne Chrysostomo) Εἰς τοὺς τρεῖς παῖδας, καὶ εἰς τὴν Βαβυλωνίαν κάμινον, Λόγος. αʹ. Καινὸν, ὡς ἀληθῶς, καὶ μέγιστον εὐσεβείας θέατρον ἡ τῶν τριῶν παίδων συνεστήσατο χορεία, ἐν Βαβυλῶνι μὲν τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν καλὸν ἠγωνισμένη, κατὰ πᾶσαν δὲ τὴν οἰκουμένην συγκροτοῦσα τὸ θαῦμα τοῦ μαρτυρίου. Οὐ γὰρ περιγράφεται τόπῳ ἡ τῶν ἁγίων δόξα, οὐδὲ περιορίζεται χρόνοις ἡ τῶν δικαίων μνήμη· Εἰς μνημόσυνον γὰρ αἰώνιον ἔσται δίκαιος. Ὅθεν εἰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς παλαιοτάτοις χρόνοις ἐτελειώθη τὸ μαρτύριον, ἀλλ' εἰς πάντα τὸν αἰῶνα τῆς ὑπομονῆς ᾄδεται τὸ στρατήγημα. Οἴδαμεν διὰ τῶν ἀναγνωσμάτων τὰ πράγματα, οἴδαμεν διὰ τῆς μνήμης τὴν ἱστορίαν, οἴδαμεν ὡς ἐν εἰκόνι τῷ λόγῳ καὶ τοῦ τυράννου τὴν παρανομίαν, καὶ τῶν ἁγίων 56.594 τὴν ὁμολογίαν, καὶ φλεγομένην μὲν τῷ πυρὶ τὴν κάμινον, ἀντιλάμπουσαν δὲ τῷ θυμῷ τοῦ τυράννου, καὶ τῇ ἀπειλῇ τοῦ πυρὸς ἄσβεστον τὴν τῶν μαρτύρων ὁμολογίαν ἐπιδεικνυμένην· μᾶλλον δὲ τί τὸ κωλύον ἄνωθεν ἀναλαβόντας τῶν θεοφιλῶν ὡς ἀληθῶς καὶ τρισμακαρίων τοὺς ἀγῶνας εἰπεῖν; Ναβουχοδονόσορ ὁ βασιλεὺς, μᾶλλον δὲ ὁ τύραννος (τοῦτο γὰρ οἰκεῖον ὄνομα τῷ παρανόμῳ), ἐκράτει μὲν τῆς Βαβυλωνίας· ἦν δὲ καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ βάρβαρος, καὶ τὸν τρόπον ἀνήμερος. Οὗτος ἀδικίᾳ πολλῇ καὶ πλούτῳ καὶ ἀσεβείᾳ μεθύων ἠγνόησε μὲν τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φύσιν, καὶ οὐδὲ ἄνθρωπον ἑαυτὸν ὑπονοήσας, ὡς Θεὸς προσκυνεῖσθαι προσεδόκησεν. Ἔθρεψαν δὲ αὐτῷ τὴν ὑπέρογκον ἀλαζονείαν ἥ τε σύντροφος αὐτοῦ μανία, 56.595 καὶ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ μακροθυμία, φέρουσα μὲν ἀνεξικάκως τοὺς ἀσεβοῦντας, συγχωροῦσα δὲ πάντα γενέσθαι πρὸς γυμνασίαν τῶν εὐσεβούντων. Ἐποίησε δὲ ὁ παράνομος εἰκόνα χρυσῆν, τουτέστιν ἀνδριάντα χρυσοῦν, καὶ τοὺς κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ γενομένους προσκυνεῖν ἠνάγκαζεν ἣν ἐποίησεν εἰκόνα. Πολλῇ δὲ τῇ φιλοτιμίᾳ χρησάμενος, ὕψος μὲν αὐτῇ δίδωσι πηχῶν ἑξήκοντα, εὖρος δὲ πηχῶν ἕξ· εὐάρμοστον δὲ καὶ εὔρυθμον τὸ ἄγαλμα κατασκευάζει, ἵνα ἢ τῷ μεγέθει, ἢ τῷ κάλλει τῆς συνθέσεως ἐκνικήσῃ τὸ ψεῦδος, βιασάμενον τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ἔστιλβε μὲν οὖν ἡ τέχνη, ἔλαμπεν ὁ χρυσὸς, ὁ κήρυξ ἐβόα, ὁ τύραννος ἠπείλει, ἡ κάμινος ἐφλέγετο, καὶ πρὸς τούτοις πᾶσι τὰ λεγόμενα τῆς μουσικῆς ὄργανα τοὺς ἄφρονας δεινῶς εἰς ἀθεΐαν ἐξεβάκχευε, καὶ ὅλως πάντων ἔκλεπτε τῶν ὁρώντων τὴν ἔννοιαν ἡ φαντασία τῶν ὁρωμένων. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔμελλε καὶ τῶν ἁγίων ἐπικρατέστερον εἶναι τὸ τῆς ἀσεβείας πρόσταγμα· πάντων δὲ, ὡς εἰπεῖν, ὥσπερ ὑπό τινος χειμάῤῥου τοῦ σφοδροῦ τῆς ἀπάτης ῥεύματος εἰς τὸν τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας κρημνὸν κατασυρομένων, οἱ τρεῖς οὗτοι καὶ καλοὶ νεανίαι ὥσπερ ἐπί τινα πέτραν τὴν εὐσέβειαν πιστῶς ἑαυτοὺς ἐπερείσαντες, οὐχ ὑπεσύρησαν ἴσ. ὑπεσυρήσαντο τῷ ῥεύματι τῆς ἀδικίας. Ἔπρεπε γὰρ λέγειν αὐτοῖς· Εἰ μὴ ὅτι Κύριος ἦν ἐν ἡμῖν, ἄρα ζῶντας ἂν κατέπιον ἡμᾶς. Ἐν τῷ ὀργισθῆναι τὸν θυμὸν αὐτῶν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς, ἄρα τὸ ὕδωρ ἂν κατεπόντισεν ἡμᾶς. Χείμαῤῥον διῆλθεν ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν· ἄρα διῆλθεν ἡ ψυχὴ ἡμῶν τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ἀνυπόστατον. Ἀλλ' οὔτε τῷ ῥεύματι κατεποντίσθησαν, οὔτε τοῖς βρόχοις ἑάλωσαν, ἀλλὰ καλῶς δραμόντες εἰς εὐσέβειαν, καὶ ὑψηλῷ τῷ πτερῷ τῆς πίστεως κεχρημένοι διεσώζοντο, κατὰ τὸν παροιμιαστὴν, Ὥσπερ δορκὰς ἐκ βρόχων, καὶ ὥσπερ ὄρνεον ἐκ παγίδος. Καὶ μονονουχὶ τὰ τοῦ διαβόλου δίκτυα κατὰ πάσης ἡπλωμένα τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ὁρῶντες, τὴν εὐσεβῆ φωνὴν ἐδευτέρουν κατὰ τοῦ ὑμνογράφου λέγοντες· Πεσοῦνται ἐν ἀμφιβλήστρῳ αὐτῶν οἱ ἁμαρτωλοί. Καὶ οὐκ ἀπέβλεψαν εἰς τὴν ἑαυτῶν βραχύτητα οἱ τρεῖς αἰχμάλωτοι, καὶ ὑπὸ τοσούτων ἐλαυνόμενοι, ἀλλ' ᾔδεισαν ἀκριβῶς, ὅτι καὶ ὁ βραχύτατος τῆς εὐσεβείας σπινθὴρ ἱκανός ἐστιν ἅπασαν τὴν ἀσέβειαν καταφλέξαι καὶ ἀφανίσαι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καίτοι τρεῖς ὄντες, ἀλλήλοις ἐστερεοῦντο καὶ συνεσφίγγοντο. Ἤδεισαν γὰρ, ὅτι Στενὴ καὶ τεθλιμμένη ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ
The Pride of Man and the Patience of God§2
2Leading into life, and few are those finding it. They remembered the patriarch Abraham, that being alone in all the land a worshiper of God, he did not follow the multitude of the impious, but a law of piety and righteousness was to him a struggle; whence it is appropriate that from him, like from some good root, these fruits of piety have grown. For from him also came patriarchs, and the lawgiver Moses, and the prophets, and all the theologians; and from him previously also that salvation and immortal flower of righteousness, the incarnation of the Savior; and from that root also these three children did not deny their nobility. They remembered also Lot, dwelling in Sodoms, but being far removed from its ways; and they took to mind also Joseph, alone in Egypt, practicing self-control, and being a guardian of piety.
Wherefore also these, threatened by so many myriads, seeing the many, thought that the way leading to destruction is wide and spacious (Matthew 7:13), and many are those finding it; but looking again at themselves and the furnace, they remembered also the wisdom saying here, that just as gold is tested in a furnace, so God chooses hearts. Because of this, neither the war-sounding trumpet-blast frightened them, nor the lyre, delighting the ears with the tones of piety, dissolved their resolve, nor indeed did all the rest of the musical harmony dissolve the beautiful and harmonious harmony of piety, but they set the beautiful confession against the beautiful harmony. And that wicked-minded and impious tyrant, as it was foretold concerning those disobeying the command of iniquity, being pressed by the diabolical blindness, and having, so to speak, taken upon it the face of the ruler of evil, calls to them, he says: 'If truly, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you do not worship my gods, and do not worship the golden image which I have set up?' (Daniel 3:12). He deemed piety to be a mere form, and asks if they truly dare to oppose royal commands, they who profess piety; but it was about to be taught through this trial, that the men of God do not only endure the threats of the tyrant, but also the intensity of the fire.
They will trample by the power of impiety. Now, so that when you hear the sound of the trumpet, and the pipe and lyre, and the cymbals and psaltery, and the symphony, and every kind of musical instrument, falling down you worship the golden image which I have set up.
4. You have rightly interpreted the worship of the demons: 'Falling down, worship.' It is impossible for those worshiping demons not to fall either into destruction or to fall away from the truth. But if not, he says, you will be thrown at that very hour into the furnace of fire that burns. Certainly, if it is a furnace, it is evident that it is fire; and if it is fire, it is evident that it is burning. But he enlarges and widens the threat, in order to bend the mind of impiety: 'At that very hour you will be thrown into the furnace of fire that burns.' And the things of arrogance are indeed portable until this point; but see what he adds after this: 'And who is the god who will deliver you from my hands?' Another is this Pharaoh; for he also says to Moses: 'Who is the Lord, that I should obey him?' (Exodus 5:2). 'I do not know,' says the impious one, 'the Lord, and I will not send the people.' Oh, the much pride of men! Oh, the great patience of God! A man speaks, and God endures; the clay speaks, and the Maker endures; a fleshly tongue speaks, and the Master of the incorporeal angels is moved to compassion. He who makes his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. It is timely in this to remember Isaiah saying: 'Why does the earth and dust act insolently?' (Isaiah 41:20). Do you wish to marvel at God's patience? Consider the insolence that has happened to you; how you have been thought to be beyond reproach. Someone is often insulted by a servant, and immediately, putting forward the insolence of liberty, he demands justice for the audacity, punishing the one insulting him with necessary death; someone is insulted again by a trivial and private person, while he himself is being examined in the affairs of the world; and immediately, being bitten by the insolence, he hastens toward punishment, not regarding common nature and the equal value of all things, but rejecting the surrounding dignity, the removal of which is the only way to see the equal value of the race, that we were all fashioned from earth, and into earth we are dissolved; but there is one way into life, and the exit is the same. From clay, he says, you were preserved.
Greek · §2
ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ζωὴν, καὶ ὀλίγοι εἰσὶν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτήν. Ἐμέμνηντο τοῦ πατριάρχου Ἀβραὰμ, ὅτι μόνος ὣν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ προσκυνητὴς τοῦ Θεοῦ, οὐκ ἠκολούθησε τῷ πλήθει τῶν ἀσεβούντων, ἀλλὰ νόμος ἦν αὐτῷ εὐσεβείας καὶ δικαιοσύνης ἔπαθλον· ὅθεν εἰκότως ἐξ αὐτοῦ τε οἷον ἔκ τινος ῥίζης ἀγαθῆς ἐβλάστησαν οὗτοι οἱ τῆς εὐσεβείας καρποί. Ἐξ αὐτοῦ γὰρ καὶ πατριάρχαι, καὶ ὁ νομοθέτης Μωϋσῆς, καὶ οἱ προφῆται, καὶ πάντες οἱ θεολόγοι· ἐξ αὐτοῦ δὲ προηγουμένως καὶ τὸ σωτήριον ἐκεῖνο καὶ ἀθάνατον τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἄνθος, ἡ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἀνανθρώπησις· ἐξ ἐκείνης καὶ οἱ τρεῖς παῖδες οὗτοι οὐκ ἠρνήσαντο τὴν εὐγένειαν· ἐμέμνηντο καὶ τοῦ Λὼτ παροικοῦντος μὲν ἐν Σοδόμοις, μακρὰν δὲ τοῖς τρόποις ἀπῳκισμένου· ἐλάμβανον ἐν νῷ καὶ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ μόνον ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ σωφροσύνης ἀντιποιούμενον, καὶ εὐσεβείας ὄντα φροντιστήριον. Ὅθεν καὶ οὗτοι ἐν τοσαύταις μυριάσιν ἀπειλημμένοι τοὺς πολλοὺς μὲν ὁρῶντες ἐλογίζοντο, ὅτι Πλατεῖα καὶ εὐρύχωρος ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ ἀπάγουσα εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν, καὶ πολλοί εἰσιν οἱ εὑρίσκοντες αὐτήν· πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς δὲ πάλιν βλέποντες καὶ τὴν κάμινον, ἐμέμνηντο καὶ τῆς σοφίας ὧδέ που λεγούσης, ὅτι Ὥσπερ δοκιμάζεται ἐν καμίνῳ χρυσὸς, οὕτως ἐκλέγεται καρδίας ὁ Θεός. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὔτε σάλπιγξ αὐτοὺς τὸ πολεμικὸν ἠχοῦσα μέλος ἐφόβησεν, οὔτε λύρα τὰς ἀκοὰς θέλγουσα τοὺς τόνους τῆς εὐσεβείας διέλυσεν, οὔτε μὴν ἡ λοιπὴ πᾶσα συμφωνία τῆς μουσικῆς τὴν καλὴν καὶ ἐναρμόνιον τῆς εὐσεβείας συμφωνίαν διέλυσεν, ἀλλ' ἀντέστησαν τῇ καλῇ συμφωνίᾳ τὴν καλὴν ὁμολογίαν. Ὁ δὲ κακόφρων ἐκεῖνος καὶ δυσσεβὴς τύραννος, ὡς προηγγέλθησαν οἱ περὶ τὸν Ἀνανίαν ἀπειθοῦντες τῷ 56.596 προστάγματι τῆς ἀνομίας, διαβολικῷ τύφῳ τὴν ψυχὴν πεπιεσμένος, καὶ αὐτὴν, ὡς εἰπεῖν, τοῦ ἄρχοντος τῆς κακίας τὴν ὄψιν ἀναλαβὼν, προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτούς φησιν· Εἰ ἀληθῶς, Σιδρὰχ, Μισὰχ, καὶ Ἀβδεναγὼ, τοῖς θεοῖς μου οὐ λατρεύετε, καὶ τῇ εἰκόνι τῇ χρυσῇ ᾗ ἔστησα οὐ προσκυνεῖτε; Ἐνόμισε σχῆμα εἶναι τὴν εὐσέβειαν, καὶ ἐρωτᾷ εἰ ἀληθῶς βασιλικοῖς προστάγμασιν ἀντιπίπτειν τολμῶσιν οἱ τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἐπαγγελλόμενοι· ἔμελλε δὲ παρ' αὐτῆς τῆς πείρας διδάσκεσθαι, ὅτι οἱ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄνθρωποι οὐ μόνον τοῦ τυράννου τὰς ἀπειλὰς διαπτύουσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν ἀκμὴν τῇ δυνάμει τῆς εὐσεβείας καταπατήσουσι. Νῦν οὖν ὡς ἂν ἀκούσητε τῆς φωνῆς τῆς σάλπιγγος, σύριγγός τε καὶ κιθάρας, σαμβύκης τε καὶ ψαλτηρίου, καὶ συμφωνίας, καὶ παντὸς γένους μουσικῶν, πίπτοντες προσκυνεῖτε τῇ εἰκόνι χρυσῇ, ᾗ ἔστησα. βʹ. Καλῶς ἡρμήνευσε τὴν τῶν δαιμόνων προσκύνησιν, Πεσόντες προσκυνεῖτε. Ἀμήχανον τοὺς δαίμονας προσκυνοῦντας μὴ πεσεῖν μὲν εἰς ὄλεθρον, ἐκπεσεῖν δὲ τῆς ἀληθείας. Ἐὰν δὲ μὴ, φησὶ, προσκυνήσητε, αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐμβληθήσεσθε εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν καιομένην. Πάντως εἰ κάμινός ἐστι, δῆλον ὅτι πῦρ ἐστιν· εἰ δὲ πῦρ ἐστιν, δῆλον καὶ καιομένη· ἀλλὰ μεγαλύνει καὶ πλατύνει τὴν ἀπειλὴν, ἵνα κάμψῃ τὴν γνώμην τῆς εὐσεβείας· Αὐτῇ τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐμβληθήσεσθε εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν καιομένην. Καὶ φορητὰ μὲν μέχρι τούτου τὰ τῆς ἀλαζονείας· ὅρα δὲ τί μετὰ ταῦτα προστίθησιν· Καὶ τίς ἐστι θεὸς, ὃς ἐξελεῖται ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν μου; Ἄλλος οὗτος Φαραώ· καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος πρὸς τὸν Μωϋσῆν φησι· Τίς ἐστι θεὸς, οὗ ἐπακούσομαι; Οὐκ οἶδα, φησὶν ὁ δυσσεβὴς, τὸν Κύριον, καὶ τὸν λαὸν οὐκ ἐξαποστελῶ. Ὢ τῆς πολλῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀλαζονείας! ὢ τῆς μεγάλης τοῦ Θεοῦ μακροθυμίας! Φθέγγεται ἄνθρωπος, καὶ ἀνέχεται Θεός· λαλεῖ ὁ πηλὸς, καὶ μακροθυμεῖ ὁ πλαστουργός· φθέγγεται γλῶσσα σαρκίνη, καὶ σπλαγχνίζεται ὁ τῶν ἀσωμάτων ἀγγέλων ∆εσπότης. Ὁ ποιῶν τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ πνεύματα, καὶ τοὺς λειτουργοὺς αὐτοῦ πυρὸς φλόγα. Εὔκαιρον ἐπὶ τούτου μνησθῆναι τοῦ Ἡσαΐου λέγοντος, Τί ἀλαζονεύεται γῆ καὶ σποδός; Θέλεις θαυμάσαι Θεοῦ μακροθυμίαν; Ἐννόησον τὴν εἰς σὲ γενομένην ὕβριν· πῶς ἀφόρητός σοι εἶναι νενόμισται. Ὑβρίζεταί τις πολλάκις ὑπὸ οἰκέτου, καὶ εὐθέως τῆς ἐλευθερίας τὴν ὕβριν προβαλλόμενος, δίκην ἀπαιτεῖ τοῦ τολμήματος, ἀπαραιτήτῳ θανάτῳ κολάζων τὸν ὑβρίζοντα· ὑβρίζεται πάλιν τις ὑπὸ εὐτελοῦς καὶ ἰδιώτου, αὐτὸς ἐν ταῖς τοῦ κόσμου πολιτείαις ἐξεταζόμενος· καὶ εὐθέως ὑπὸ τῆς ὕβρεως δακνόμενος ἐπὶ τιμωρίαν σπεύδει, εἰς μὲν τὴν κοινὴν φύσιν καὶ τὸ πάντων ἰσότιμον οὐκ ἀφορῶν, εἰς δὲ τὴν περικειμένην ἀξίαν ἀποβλέπων, ἧς περιαιρεθείσης μίαν ἔστιν ἰδεῖν τὴν τοῦ γένους ἰσοτιμίαν, ὅτι πάντες ἐκ γῆς ἐπλάσθημεν, καὶ εἰς γῆν διαλυόμεθα· μία δὲ ἡ ὁδὸς ἡ εἰς τὸν βίον, ἔξοδός τε ἴση. Ἐκ πηλοῦ, φησὶ, διήρτησαι
The Refinement of the Three Youths§3
3You, just as I. But the potter demands such superiority from his equals; but God, surpassing all in both nature and law, and being so much higher—to the extent that one must think of the Maker of all things as being higher—is blasphemed and despised by the ignorant. He is not provoked, for he is impassive; but he punishes those who persist in folly a little later, because he is the judge of truth and the unbribable critic.
In order that all who sin might not be destroyed all at once, he delays the punishment and offers forbearance, so that he might draw them toward repentance. But let us return to what was before. A man, surrounded by flesh, dared to say: 'Who is this god who will deliver you from my hands?' (Psalm 2:3). But these three blessed children, having heard this, were not startled by the blasphemy; for they themselves were companions of God's patience. Instead, taking up the voice of faith against the words of unbelief, they answered back to the tyrant, undoing lawlessness by law, and overcoming the threat of injustice with the freedom of righteousness, saying: 'Know this, O king: we do not worship your gods, nor do we bow down to the golden image which you have set up.'
'Cease your folly, man; feel shame for the insulting worship of the image. For if you set up the image, how can you worship those whom you have made? Who ought to be the creators: men of God, or a god of men? For if they are truly gods, the honor of being a creator is fitting for them; but as we have often said, if art had not been present to men, the Greeks would not have had gods. Rather, let us grant even to that, that if there were any perception in the idols, it was fitting for men, the workers of them, to worship them. For by the laws of nature, the creature worships the Creator, not the maker submitting to his own creation. Therefore we, being companions of piety and following divine law, say: We do not worship your gods, nor do we bow down to the golden image which you have set up; but God is in heaven, who will deliver us from your hands.'
Then, so that they might not either dare to test God or hope to be saved from being cast down into the fire, they are immediately brought to trial; and if not, that is, even if...
It is not saved, but rather let our bodies be consumed by the fire; yet even so we are not deprived of piety, for we do not worship God for reward, but we confess the truth with good intention. When the tyrant heard this promise of faith, he was all the more inflamed with rage and commanded the furnace to be heated sevenfold; for it was necessary that the most tested silver be purified sevenfold. For the words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in the earth and purified sevenfold; therefore the furnace was heated sevenfold, so that the saints might be purified sevenfold.
Because the men of God are called silver, remember what Wisdom says: 'The tongue of the righteous is like refined silver.' And listen to the prophet Jeremiah, speaking concerning those rejected from piety: 'Call them rejected silver, because God has rejected them.' If the unrefined are rejected silver, but those who are perfected are clearly the most tested silver; for just as the furnace was heated, so much was the passion for the testimony brightened.
For these three holy children, having entered with faith, trod upon the flame, breathing a thin air and a veil amidst the heights of the fire. For He who does all things and transforms, blunted the heat of the fire and cut short its caustic energy, as that hymn of praise confirms it: 'The voice of the Lord cutting through the flame of fire.' The fire had indeed settled within, becoming calm, but the holy children were dancing, enjoying alone that promise which God, through the prophet Isaiah, promises to every soul filled with piety and faith: 'Even if you walk through fire,' He says, 'I am with you, and the flame shall not burn you.'
And one could see the promise advancing through works. For the fire did not touch the members of the saints; it did not scorch the eyes, which were looking rightly toward piety and recognizing the Creator through the order of those things seen; it did not wrong the ears that had fulfilled the divine law; it did not approach the mouth, nor touch the lips, while disfiguring their hymns and their hymn-writing tongues. Each of the saints had his own sanctuary: the hands, the ecstasy of the prayers, and the...
Greek · §3
σὺ, ὡς κἀγώ. Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν πηλὸς τοιαύτην ἀπαιτεῖ παρὰ τῶν ὁμοτίμων τὴν ὑπεροχήν· ὁ δὲ Θεὸς πάντων ὑπερέχων, καὶ φύσει, καὶ νόμῳ, καὶ τοσοῦτον ἀνώτερος ὢν, ὅσον ὑψηλότερον δεῖ νοεῖν τὸν ποιητὴν τῶν ποιημάτων, βλασφημούμενος καὶ ἐξουθενούμενος παρὰ τῶν ἀγνωμόνων, οὐ παροξύνεται μέν· ἀπαθὴς γάρ· τιμωρεῖται δὲ μικρὸν ὕστερον τοὺς ἐπιμένοντας τῇ ἀφροσύνῃ, διότι δικαστής ἐστιν ἀληθείας καὶ κριτὴς ἀδυσώπητος. Ἵνα μὴ ἀθρόως ἅπαντες οἱ ἁμαρτάνοντες ἐξολοθρεύωνται, ὑπερτίθεται τὴν τιμωρίαν, καὶ προσφέρει τὴν ἀνεξικακίαν, ἵνα ἐφελκύσηται πρὸς μετάνοιαν. Ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον ἐπανέλθωμεν. Ἐτόλμησεν εἰπεῖν ἄνθρωπος σάρκα περικείμενος. Τίς ἐστι θεὸς, ὃς ἐξελεῖται ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν μου; Οἱ δὲ τρισμακάριοι παῖδες τούτων ἀκούσαντες οὐκ ἐξανέστησαν ἐν τῇ βλασφημίᾳ· σύντροφοι γὰρ ἦσαν καὶ αὐτοὶ τῆς Θεοῦ μακροθυμίας· ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὰ τῆς ἀπιστίας ῥήματα πίστεως φωνὴν ἀναλαβόντες ἀντεφθέγγοντο τῷ τυράννῳ, νόμῳ τὴν ἀνομίαν ἐκλύοντες, καὶ ἐλευθερίᾳ δικαιοσύνης τὴν ἀπειλὴν τῆς ἀδικίας ἐκνικῶντες, Γνωστόν σοι ἔστω, βασιλεῦ, λέγοντες, ὅτι τοῖς θεοῖς σου οὐ λατρεύομεν, καὶ τῇ εἰκόνι τῇ χρυσῇ, ᾗ ἔστησας, οὐ 56.597 προσκυνοῦμεν. Παῦσαι τῆς ἀνοίας, ἄνθρωπε· αἰδέσθητι τὴν ἐφύβριστον τῆς εἰκόνος προσκύνησιν. Εἰ γὰρ σὺ τὴν εἰκόνα ἔστησας, πῶς προσκυνεῖς οἷς ἐποίησας; τίνες τίνων ὀφείλουσιν εἶναι δημιουργοί; ἄνθρωποι Θεοῦ, ἢ Θεὸς ἀνθρώπων; Εἰ γὰρ ἀληθῶς θεοὶ, αὐτοῖς ἁρμόττει τὸ τῆς δημιουργίας ἀξίωμα· ἀλλ' ὅπερ πολλάκις ἔφθημεν εἰπόντες, εἰ τέχνη μὴ προσῆν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, Ἕλληνες θεοὺς οὐκ ἂν εἶχον· μᾶλλον δὲ κἀκείνῳ προσχῶμεν, ὅτι εἴ τις αἴσθησις ἦν τοῖς εἰδώλοις, αὐτοῖς ἔπρεπε προσκυνεῖν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοὺς ἐργαζομένους αὐτά. Νόμοι γὰρ φύσεως, τὸ ποίημα προσκυνεῖν τὸν πεποιηκότα, οὐ τὸν δημιουργὸν ὑποκύπτειν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ δημιουργίᾳ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἡμεῖς οἱ σύντροφοι τῆς εὐσεβείας θείῳ νόμῳ ἑπόμενοι, Τοῖς θεοῖς σου οὐ λατρεύομεν, καὶ τῇ εἰκόνι τῇ χρυσῇ ᾗ ἔστησας, οὐ προσκυνοῦμεν· ἀλλ' ἔστιν ὁ Θεὸς ἐν οὐρανῷ, ὃς ἐξελεῖται ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν σου. Εἶτα ἵνα μὴ δόξωσιν ἢ τὸν Θεὸν πειράζειν, ἢ ἐλπίδι τοῦ ῥυσθήσεσθαι καταθαῤῥεῖν τοῦ πυρὸς, εὐθέως ἐπάγουσι· Καὶ ἐὰν μὴ, τουτέστι, κἂν μὴ ῥύσηται, ἀλλὰ συγχωρήσῃ κατακαῦσαι τὰ σώματα ἡμῶν τῷ πυρὶ, οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀφιστάμεθα τῆς εὐσεβείας· οὐ γὰρ ἐπὶ μισθῷ θεοσεβοῦμεν, ἀλλ' εὐγνωμόνως τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὁμολογοῦμεν. Ὡς δὲ ταύτης ἤκουσε τῆς πίστεως τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, πυροῦται μᾶλλον ὁ τύραννος, καὶ κελεύει τὴν κάμινον ἑπταπλασίως ἐξαφθῆναι· ἔδει γὰρ τὸ ἀργύριον τὸ δοκιμώτατον ἑπταπλασίως καθαρθῆναι· Τὰ γὰρ λόγια Κυρίου λόγια ἁγνὰ, ἀργύριον πεπυρωμένον δοκίμιον τῇ γῇ, καὶ κεκαθαρισμένον ἑπταπλασίως· διὸ ἑπταπλασίως ἡ κάμινος ἐξεκαύθη, ἵνα ἑπταπλασίως οἱ ἅγιοι καθαρθῶσιν. Ὅτι δὲ ἀργύριον κέκληνται οἱ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἄνθρωποι, μνημόνευε τῆς Σοφίας λεγούσης· Ἄργυρος πεπυρωμένος γλῶσσα δικαίου· καὶ τοῦ προφήτου Ἱερεμίου ἄκουσον, λέγοντος περὶ τῶν ἀποδοκιμαζομένων ἀπὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας· Ἀργύριον ἀποδεδοκιμασμένον καλέσατε αὐτοὺς, ὅτι ἀπεδοκίμασεν αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεός. Εἰ δὲ οἱ ἀτελεῖς ἀργύριον ἀδόκιμον, οἱ δὲ τετελειωμένοι δηλονότι ἀργύριόν εἰσι δοκιμώτατον· ὅσον γὰρ ἡ κάμινος ἐξήπτετο, τοσοῦτον ὁ τοῦ μαρτυρίου πόθος ἐλαμπρύνετο. Εἰσελθόντες γὰρ οἱ ἅγιοι τρεῖς οὗτοι παῖδες μετὰ πίστεως κατεπάτουν τὴν φλόγα, λεπτὸν ἀέρα καὶ ἔνδροσον ἐν αὐταῖς μέσαις ταῖς ἀκμαῖς τοῦ πυρὸς ἀναπνέοντες. Ὁ γὰρ πάντα ποιῶν καὶ μετασκευάζων ἤμβλυνε τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν θερμότητα, καὶ τὴν καυστικὴν αὐτοῦ ἐνέργειαν περιέκοψεν, ἐπαληθευούσης τῷ θαύματι τῆς ὑμνῳδίας ἐκείνης· Φωνὴ Κυρίου διακόπτοντος φλόγα πυρός. Κεκοίμιστο μὲν τὸ πῦρ ἔνδον ἠρεμοῦν, οἱ δὲ ἅγιοι παῖδες ἐχόρευον, μονονουχὶ τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐκείνης ἀπολαύοντες, ἣν διὰ τοῦ προφήτου ὁ Θεὸς Ἡσαΐου ἐπαγγέλλεται πάσῃ ψυχῇ εὐσεβείας γεμούσῃ καὶ πίστεως, ὅτι Κἂν διαβαίνῃς, φησὶ, διὰ πυρὸς, μετὰ σοῦ εἰμι, καὶ φλὸξ οὐ κατακαύσει σε. Καὶ ἦν ἰδεῖν τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν δι' ἔργων προχωροῦσαν. Οὐ γὰρ ἥψατο τῶν μελῶν τῶν ἁγίων τὸ πῦρ· οὐκ ἔφλεξεν ὀφθαλμοὺς, τοὺς ὀρθῶς βλέποντας πρὸς εὐσέβειαν, καὶ διὰ τῆς εὐκοσμίας τῶν ὁρωμένων τὸν κοσμοποιὸν ἐπιγνόντας· οὐκ ἠδίκησεν ἀκοὰς τὰς θείου νόμου πεπληρωμένας· οὐ προσῆλθε τῷ στόματι, οὐδὲ τῶν χειλέων ἥψατο, τὰς ὑμνῳδοὺς αὐτῶν καὶ ὑμνογράφους γλώσσας δυσωπούμενον. Ἕκαστον τῶν ἁγίων μέλος εἶχε τὸ ἑαυτοῦ φυλακτήριον· αἱ χεῖρες τὴν τῶν εὐχῶν ἔκστασιν, καὶ τὴν τῆς
Divine Providence vs. Pagan Idolatry§4
4The distribution of alms; the breasts, the power of piety dwelling in them; the belly and the lower members, the exercise of temperance; the feet, the course of virtue. And what must be said regarding each part? For even the fire did not dare to consume the hairs, because they were more properly covered by piety as a diadem; and thus it also spared the garment because of the modesty of the saints. What then? On this, the God of the Chaldeans exhorts one to seize the fire, so that, not thinking the energy of the fire to be magic, they might not dim the glory of the martyrs and slander the wonder of the truth; for this reason, some were at rest within, while the fire was presented to the Chaldeans without, so that it might safely convince those watching that upon the saints He did not ignore His own nature, but honored piety; just as the lions protected Daniel in the pit. In this way, they truly established an angelic choir, and the three-times-blessed children brought God, and all creation, both the unseen and the seen, into one choir of hymnody.
It is necessary, however, not to leave that thing unexamined: for whose sake did not all equally hymn the creation, but the work was set forth in parts. It is sufficient, indeed, to say how much was said toward the truth: 'Bless the Lord, all His works, God' (Psalm 148:1). But since in the land of the ungodly this great theater of piety was being performed, it was necessary for the Babylonians to be instructed: who the works are, and who is the Maker of all things. And they begin from angels and conclude with men. They were thought to be gods; and among the Greeks, it is mythologized that these, they say, whom we worship as gods, are angels of the great God. In order that the foolish might be instructed that the angels are not those being worshipped, but those who worship, for this reason they cry out: 'Bless the Lord, O angels of the Lord' (Psalm 148:2). The sun and the moon and the whole choir of the stars were worshipped. For this reason, they also take these into the worship of the hymns. 'Bless, they say, O sun and moon; bless, O stars of the heaven, the Lord' (Psalm 148:3). Then after these, 'All rain and dew, the Lord' (Psalm 148:8). What then does the phrase 'All rain...' want to say?
It is good to observe the rain and the frost, and all the winds. Many times there are cloudless days and untimely, violent winds. But those of falsehood always love to attribute everything to some material thing or to an evil disorder, not knowing that nothing is unmanaged or has happened in vain, but that God manages all these things for the discipline of humans and for the avoidance of impiety. For the order of the created things is accustomed to proclaim the Creator, while disorder demands the worship of creatures. For if the rain or the winds were something divine and venerable, they would not be disordered; for the divine does not accept disorder. Because of this they say: 'Every rain, and frost, and all the winds are the Lord.'
Rains and winds were worshipped, some as nourishers, others as farmers of the earth's fruits; and the earth was worshipped, and its fruits were dedicated to various demons; saying the vine is a gift of Dionysus, and the olive of Athena; and others to other fruits. And this same word of truth, being made firm, says: 'Bless the Lord, all things growing in the earth' (Psalm 145:9). For He himself is the Creator and Master of all things growing and to be grown.
Then after this, the mountains and the hills. Are then the mountains and the hills outside of God? By no means; but because in the hills the defilements of the demons were constructed, and there idols were worshipped, because of this it says: 'Bless the Lord, mountains and hills.' But nonetheless, having remembered the hills, He remembers also the springs and the rivers and the sea; for these too were made gods; and they called the springs Nymphs, Poseidon the sea, and certain Sirens and Nereids; and that even rivers were worshipped is testified by those in Egypt even unto here; they offered incense at the rising of the Nile, not marveling at Him as a God by nature, but treating the water itself as a god by worshiping it. Because of this they also call rivers and springs and the sea into the hymnody.
Then the winged things of heaven and the cattle; for these too are not exempt from making gods; for the eagle was worshipped, and the hawk; and the wild beasts and the cattle the Egyptians have honored by the names of gods; and so much did the error prevail.
Greek · §4
ἐλεημοσύνης μετάδοσιν· τὰ στήθη τὴν ἐνοικοῦσαν αὐτοῖς δύναμιν τῆς εὐσεβείας· κοιλία καὶ τὰ ὑπογάστρια μέλη τὴν τῆς σωφροσύνης ἄσκησιν· οἱ πόδες τὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς δρόμον. Καὶ τί δεῖ τὰ καθ' ἕκαστον λέγοντα διατρίβειν; Οὐδὲ γὰρ τριχῶν κατετόλμησε τὸ πῦρ, διὰ τὸ μᾶλλον αὐτὰς εὐσεβείᾳ κεκαλύφθαι τιάρας· ἐφείσατο δὲ ἄρα καὶ τῆς ἐσθῆτος διὰ τὴν τῶν ἁγίων εὐσχημοσύνην. Τί οὖν; Ἐπὶ τούτοις παρακελεύεται ὁ Θεὸς τῶν Χαλδαίων ἐπιλαβέσθαι τὸ πῦρ, καὶ ἵνα μὴ μαγείαν νομίσαντες ἀμαυροῦσθαι τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν ἐνέργειαν, ἀμβλύνωσι τὴν δόξαν τῶν μαρτύρων, καὶ συκοφαντήσωσι τὸ θαῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας, διὰ τοῦτο οἱ μὲν ἔνδον ἠρέμουν, τὸ δὲ πῦρ ἔξω τοὺς Χαλδαίους προσενέμετο, ἵνα ἀσφαλῶς πείσῃ τοὺς ὁρῶντας, ὅτι ἐπὶ τῶν ἁγίων οὐ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φύσιν ἠγνόησεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἐτίμησεν· ὥσπερ οἱ λέοντες ἐπὶ τοῦ λάκκου τὸν ∆ανιήλ. Οὕτως ἐντεῦθεν ἀγγελικὴν χορείαν ἀληθῶς συνεστήσαντο, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὕμνουν οἱ τρισμακάριοι παῖδες, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν, τήν τε ὑπερκόσμιον, 56.598 καὶ τὴν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς θεωρουμένην, εἰς ἕνα χορὸν ὑμνῳδίας συνήγαγον. γʹ. Ἀναγκαῖον δὲ μηδ' ἐκεῖνο παραλιπεῖν ἀνεξέταστον, τίνος ἕνεκεν μὴ πᾶσαν ὁμοίως ἐμήνυσαν τὴν κτίσιν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ μέρος ἐξέθεντο τὴν δημιουργίαν. Ἤρκει γοῦν εἰπεῖν ὅσον εἰς ἀλήθειαν· Εὐλογεῖτε, πάντα τὰ ἔργα Κυρίου, τὸν Θεόν· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἐν χώρᾳ τῶν ἀσεβῶν τὸ μέγα τοῦτο θέατρον τῆς εὐσεβείας συνεκροτεῖτο, ἔδει παιδευθῆναι τοὺς Βαβυλωνίους, τίνα μέν εἰσι τὰ ποιήματα, τίς δὲ ὁ ποιητὴς τῶν ἁπάντων. Καὶ ἄρχονται μὲν ἀπὸ ἀγγέλων, καταλήγουσι δὲ εἰς ἀνθρώπους. Ἐνομίσθησαν ἄγγελοι θεοί· καὶ παρ' Ἕλλησι μυθεύεται, ὅτι Τούτους, φησὶν, οὓς προσκυνοῦμεν θεοὺς, ἄγγελοί εἰσι τοῦ μεγάλου Θεοῦ. Ἵνα γὰρ παιδευθῶσιν οἱ ἄφρονες, ὅτι οὐ τῶν προσκυνουμένων, ἀλλὰ τῶν προσκυνούντων εἰσὶν οἱ ἄγγελοι, διὰ τοῦτο βοῶσιν· Εὐλογεῖτε, ἄγγελοι Κυρίου, τὸν Κύριον. Προσεκυνήθη ἥλιος καὶ σελήνη καὶ πᾶς ὁ τῶν ἀστέρων χορός. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ τούτους παραλαμβάνουσιν εἰς τὴν τῶν ὕμνων προσκύνησιν. Εὐλογεῖτε, φησὶν, ἥλιος, καὶ σελήνη· εὐλογεῖτε, ἄστρα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, τὸν Κύριον. Εἶτα μετὰ ταῦτα, Πᾶς ὄμβρος καὶ δρόσος τὸν Κύριον. Τί οὖν βούλεται τὸ, Πᾶς ὄμβρος καὶ δρόσος, καὶ πάντα τὰ πνεύματα, καλὸν ἂν εἴη σκοπῆσαι. Γίνονται πολλάκις ἀνομβρίαι καὶ πνευμάτων βίαι ἄκαιροι· φιλοῦσι δὲ ἀεὶ οἱ τοῦ ψεύδους εὑρέται, καὶ τῇ ματαιότητι χαίροντες, ὕλῃ τινὶ καὶ κακίᾳ ἀταξίας πάντα ἐπιγράφειν, οὐκ εἰδότες ὅτι οὐδὲν ἀδέσποτον, οὐδὲ ματαίως γεγενημένον, ἀλλ' ὅτι ταῦτα πάντα οἰκονομεῖ ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ πρὸς παιδείαν ἀνθρώπων καὶ πρὸς ἀποφυγὴν ἀσεβείας. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ εὐταξία τῶν ποιημάτων τὸν ∆ημιουργὸν εἴωθε κηρύττειν, ἡ δὲ ἀταξία τὴν προσκύνησιν τῶν κτισμάτων ἀπαιτεῖ. Εἰ γὰρ ἦν θεῖόν τι καὶ σεβάσμιον ὁ ὄμβρος, ἢ τὰ πνεύματα, οὐκ ἂν ἠτάκτουν· τὸ γὰρ θεῖον ἀταξίαν οὐκ ἐπιδέχεται. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο λέγουσι· Πᾶς ὄμβρος, καὶ δρόσος, καὶ πάντα τὰ πνεύματα τὸν Κύριον. Προσεκυνήθησαν καὶ ὄμβροι, καὶ ἄνεμοι, οἱ μὲν ὡς τροφεῖς, οἱ δὲ ὡς γεωργοὶ τῆς γῆς τῶν καρπῶν· προσεκυνήθη δὲ ἡ γῆ, καὶ οἱ ταύτης καρποὶ διαφόροις δαίμοσι προσεκληρώθησαν· τὴν μὲν ἄμπελον εἰπόντες δῶρον ∆ιονύσου, τὴν δὲ ἐλαίαν τῆς Ἀθηνᾶς· καὶ ἄλλῳ ἄλλοι καρποί. Καὶ τοῦτο ὁ αὐτὸς λόγος τῆς ἀληθείας ἀσφαλιζόμενός φησιν, Εὐλογεῖτε, πάντα τὰ φυόμενα ἐν τῇ γῇ, τὸν Κύριον. Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστι πάντων τῶν φυέντων καὶ τῶν φυομένων ∆ημιουργὸς καὶ ∆εσπότης. Εἶτα μετὰ τοῦτο, ὄρη καὶ βουνοί. Ἆρ' οὖν ἐκτός εἰσι τὰ ὄρη καὶ οἱ βουνοί; Οὐδαμῶς· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἐν τοῖς βουνοῖς τὰ τῶν δαιμόνων μιαρὰ κατεσκεύαστο, κἀκεῖ τὰ ἀγάλματα προσεκυνεῖτο, διὰ τοῦτό φησιν· Εὐλογεῖτε, ὄρη καὶ βουνοὶ, τὸν Κύριον. Ἀλλ' ὅμως μνημονεύσας τῶν βουνῶν, μέμνηται καὶ τῶν πηγῶν καὶ ποταμῶν καὶ θαλάσσης· καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐταὶ ἐθεοποιήθησαν· καὶ Νύμφας ἐκάλεσαν τὰς πηγὰς, Ποσειδῶνα τὴν θάλασσαν, Σειρῆνάς τινας καὶ Νηρηΐδας· ὅτι δὲ καὶ ποταμοὶ προσεκυνήθησαν, μαρτυρεῖ τὰ ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ μέχρι τῆς δεῦρο· ἔθυον τῇ ἀναβάσει τοῦ Νείλου, οὐ Θεὸν αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῇ φύσει θαυμάζοντες, ἀλλ' αὐτὸ τὸ ὕδωρ ὡς θεὸν θεραπεύοντες. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ποταμοὺς καὶ πηγὰς καὶ θάλασσαν εἰς τὴν ὑμνῳδίαν καλοῦσιν. Εἶτα τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τὰ κτήνη· οὐδὲ γὰρ ταῦτα θεοποιίας ἐκτός· καὶ γὰρ ἀετὸς προσεκυνεῖτο, καὶ ἱέραξ· καὶ τὰ θηρία καὶ τὰ κτήνη καὶ τῇ τῶν θεῶν προσηγορίᾳ τετιμήκασιν Αἰγύπτιοι· καὶ τοσοῦτον ἴσχυσεν ἡ πλάνη,
The Distinction of Humanity§5
5For even from the worshipped animals they named the cities; and it is said among them to be Dogs and Sheep and Wolves and Lions. But after all these things he brings forward the human race. Bless, he says, O sons of men, the Lord (Psalm 146:1).
Lastly the human race is arranged, not according to its worth, but because of the creation. Bless, O Israel, the Lord (Psalm 135:1). Which was an exceptional race of the men upon the earth, this indeed he brings forward, and so many differences he sets out within the nation, and he brings forward the priests of the Lord for the reproof of the priests of the false gods. He says then: Slaves of the Lord.
Then, so that those who preceded this dance might not be counted as strangers by those living, they count them before God, saying: Bless, spirits and souls of the righteous, the Lord; then, O holy ones and humble in heart, the Lord (Luke 1:46-47). Why are there holy ones and humble ones?
Greek · §5
ὅτι καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν προσκυνουμένων ζώων καὶ τὰς πόλεις ὠνόμασαν· καὶ λέγεται παρ' αὐτοῖς Κυνῶν καὶ Προβάτων καὶ Λύκων καὶ Λεόντων. Ἀλλὰ μετὰ ταῦτα πάντα παράγεται λοιπὸν τὸ ἀνθρώπινον γένος. Εὐλογεῖτε, φησὶν, υἱοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τὸν Κύριον. Τελευταῖον τάσσεται τὸ ἀνθρώπινον γένος, οὐ κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν δημιουργίαν. Εὐλογεῖτε, Ἰσραὴλ, τὸν Κύριον. Ὅπερ ἦν τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀνθρώπων ἐξαίρετον γένος, τοῦτο τοίνυν παράγει, καὶ τὸ τηνικαῦτα ἐν τῷ ἔθνει πολλὰς ἐκτίθεται διαφορὰς, καὶ παράγει τοὺς ἱερέας τοῦ Κυρίου εἰς ἔλεγχον τῶν ἱερέων τῶν ψευδωνύμων θεῶν. Εἶτά φησι· ∆οῦ56.599 λοι Κυρίου. Εἶτα ἵνα μὴ δόξωσιν οἱ προελθόντες ταύτης τῆς χορείας ἀλλότριοι εἶναι, μετὰ τῶν ζώντων αὐτοὺς ἀριθμοῦσι παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ, λέγοντες· Εὐλογεῖτε, πνεύματα καὶ ψυχαὶ τῶν δικαίων, τὸν Κύριον· εἶτα, Ὅσιοι καὶ ταπεινοὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, τὸν Κύριον. ∆ιὰ τί ὁσίων καὶ ταπεινῶν
The Fire of God and the Three Youths§6
6Does he remember? In order to show that God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble, He burned the arrogant outside the furnace, but preserved those who are humble in the midst of the fire. Therefore also the fire continued with the saints; for even among all things, the Creator was commanded to praise even the fire: 'Bless, fire and burning, the Lord' (Ps 148:8). This is so that the Babylonian magicians, by whom fire is honored, might be instructed, because this fire is not of those being worshiped, but of those worshiping. But nevertheless, coming to the last part, let us rest the word. 'Bless, says Ananias, Azarias, Mishael, the Lord' (Dan 3:24). What was the need for so many ranks to be listed before their final name? For were they not themselves among the sons of Israel blessing?
Greek · §6
μέμνηται; Ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι Ὁ Θεὸς ὑπερηφάνοις ἀντιτάττεται, τοῖς δὲ ταπεινοῖς χάριν δίδωσι, τοὺς ἀλαζόνας ἔξω τῆς καμίνου κατέφλεγε, τοὺς ὁσίους καὶ ταπεινοὺς ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ πυρὸς διεφύλαξεν. ∆ιὸ καὶ συνεχόρευσε τοῖς ἁγίοις τὸ πῦρ· μετὰ γὰρ πάντων καὶ αὐτὸ ὑμνεῖν προσετάχθη τὸν ∆ημιουργόν· Εὐλογεῖτε, πῦρ καὶ καῦμα, τὸν Κύριον· ἵνα παιδεύωνται οἱ Βαβυλώνιοι μάγοι, παρ' οἷς τιμᾶται τὸ πῦρ, ὅτι τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστι τῶν προσκυνουμένων, ἀλλὰ τῶν προσκυνούντων. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐπὶ τὸ τελευταῖον ἐλθόντες καταπαύσωμεν τὸν λόγον. Εὐλογεῖτε, φησὶν, Ἀνανία, Ἀζαρία, Μισαὴλ, τὸν Κύριον. Τίς ἦν χρεία τοσούτων ταγμάτων ἠριθμημένων τῷ τελευταίῳ αὐτοὺς ὀνόματι προστεθῆναι; αὐτοὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἦσαν ἐν τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραὴλ εὐλογήσαντες; αὐτοὶ
The Purpose of the Blessing§7
7They were not included among the slaves of the Lord when they were saying, 'Bless, slaves of the Lord, the Lord'; nor, when they were called 'Holy and humble in heart,' were they counted among the holy ones. So what is the purpose of the deposition, 'Bless, Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, the Lord'? But because the wonder was superabundant, because it was against human nature (for having entered the furnace in body, they trod upon it), so that none of the fallen would dare to call them godsecause of the strange wonder, and so that they might worship more justly, rather than the fire consuming those surrounded by the fire, so that those seeing might not suffer such a thing; for this reason they signal their own slavery and confess the worship, saying, 'Bless, Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, the Lord.' And it is said that God did not allow Daniel to continue into the...
Greek · §7
οὐκ ἦσαν τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ Κυρίου συνηριθμημένοι, ὅτε ἔλεγον, Εὐλογεῖτε, δοῦλοι Κυρίου, τὸν Κύριον; ἢ ὅτε, Ὅσιοι καὶ ταπεινοὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, οὐ ἐν τοῖς ὁσίοις ἠριθμημένοι; τί οὖν βούλεται τὸ ἐκ προσ56.600 θήκης, Εὐλογεῖτε, Ἀνανία, Ἀζαρία, Μισαὴλ, τὸν Κύριον; Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ὑπερφυὲς ἦν θαῦμα, ἐπειδὴ παρὰ φύσιν ἀνθρωπίνην (ἐν σώματι γὰρ τὴν κάμινον εἰσελθόντες κατεπάτησαν), ἵνα μή τις τῶν πεπλανημένων διὰ τὸ ξένον τοῦ θαύματος θεοὺς αὐτοὺς προσειπεῖν τολμήσειε, καὶ προσκυνεῖν οὕτω μᾶλλον δικαίως, ἢ τὸ πῦρ, τοὺς τοῦ πυρὸς περιγεγονότας, ἵνα μηδὲν τοιοῦτο πάθωσιν οἱ βλέποντες, διὰ τοῦτο μηνύουσι τὴν ἑαυτῶν δουλείαν, καὶ ὁμολογοῦσι τὴν προσκύνησιν, λέγοντες, Εὐλογεῖτε, Ἀνανία, Ἀζαρία, Μισαὴλ, τὸν Κύριον. Λέγεται δὲ, ὅτι τὸν ∆ανιὴλ ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τοῦτο οὐ συνεχώρησεν εἰς τὸ
The Integrity of the Miracle§8
8This testimony was received. For since the king's dream was interpreted, and he was worshiped by this king as a god, and he was called Belteshazzar by the name of the god among the Persians (Dan 5:13), so that it might not be thought—because of the name of Belteshazzar being attached to him—that the fire's energy had ceased, God manages that Daniel not be brought into the middle, so that the wonder might be pure in its piety. And these things indeed are to this much; but may it be for us, through the prayers and intercessions of those who bore witness, to take up the same zeal, to be worthy of the same praises, and to obtain the same kingdom, by the grace and philanthropy of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom the glory and the power belong unto the ages of ages. Amen.
Greek · §8
μαρτύριον τοῦτο παραληφθῆναι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸ ὄναρ τοῦ βασιλέως ἡρμήνευσε, καὶ ὡς θεὸς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ βασιλέως προσεκυνήθη, καὶ ἐκλήθη Βαλτασὰρ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ παρὰ Πέρσαις, ἵνα μὴ νομισθῇ διὰ τὸ ἐνεγκάμενον αὐτῷ ὄνομα τοῦ Βαλτασὰρ πεπαῦσθαι τοῦ πυρὸς τὴν ἐνέργειαν, οἰκονομεῖ Θεὸς μὴ προαχθῆναι τὸν ∆ανιὴλ εἰς μέσον, ἵνα ἀκέραιον ᾖ τῆς εὐσεβείας τὸ θαῦμα. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν εἰς τοσοῦτον· εἴη δ' ἡμᾶς, εὐχαῖς καὶ πρεσβείαις τῶν μαρτυρησάντων, τὸν αὐτὸν ζῆλον ἀναλαβόντας, τῶν αὐτῶν ἐπαίνων ἀξιωθῆναι, καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς βασιλείας τυχεῖν, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.