{"slug":"khazarzar-basilius-caesariensis-homilia-in-psalmum-xxxvii","id":"greek:khazarzar:khazarzar-basilius-caesariensis-homilia-in-psalmum-xxxvii","title":"Homilia in Psalmum XXXVII","title_source":"Homilia in Psalmum XXXVII","author":"Basilius Caesariensis","genre":"homily","date":"","tradition":"greek","coverage":"not-located","coverage_claim":{"status":"not-located","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},"publication":{"status":"machine-draft","reviewed_by":null,"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","generated":"2026-11-15T07:34:04Z","cost_usd":0.009789},"source":{"registry_id":"greek:khazarzar:khazarzar-basilius-caesariensis-homilia-in-psalmum-xxxvii","work_id":"khazarzar-basilius-caesariensis-homilia-in-psalmum-xxxvii","edition":"khazarzar","language":"","license":"Migne PG text (public domain); khazarzar host and the digitising project state no licence for this layer","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Basilius%20Caesariensis_PG%2029-32/Homilia%20in%20Psalmum%20XXXVII%201.pdf"},"stats":{"passages":18,"english_words":4927,"coptic_letters":0,"source_letters":20092,"commentary_units":108,"commentary_kinds":8,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":28,"work_notes":5,"external_links":2,"timeline":5},"summary":{"work":"khazarzar-basilius-caesariensis-homilia-in-psalmum-xxxvii","abstract":"This homily on Psalm 37, traditionally attributed to Basil of Caesarea (c. 330–379), interprets the psalm as a model for penitential confession. Basil compares Psalm 37 with Psalm 6, highlighting shared themes of humiliation, groaning, and tears within a common penitential tradition. He personifies scriptural words as accusers before Christ's tribunal, reflecting early Christian eschatological and judicial imagery. The Greek text survives in medieval manuscripts from the 10th century onward, but no modern critical edition exists. The khazarzar edition is a digital compilation lacking critical apparatus; users should consult Migne PG 29 for a standard text. Attribution to Basil remains unverified against his undisputed works.","historical_context":"The homily is traditionally placed in the 4th century, during Basil's episcopate in Cappadocia (c. 370–379). Internal references to persecution may reflect earlier 4th-century conditions under emperors such as Diocletian or Valens. The work belongs to the genre of patristic psalm exegesis, common in monastic and liturgical settings. The Greek text was transmitted through Byzantine monastic reading cycles for the Psalter, but it was not among Basil's most frequently copied works. The earliest surviving manuscripts date to the 10th century, with key witnesses including Vaticanus gr. 2066. The khazarzar edition is a modern digital compilation without critical apparatus; the standard edition remains Migne PG 29. No modern critical edition exists, and the attribution to Basil cannot be verified against stylistic or doctrinal parallels with his undisputed works.","significance":"This homily illustrates early Christian penitential exegesis and the use of psalm headings to frame moral instruction. Its comparison of Psalm 37 with Psalm 6 provides insight into 4th-century liturgical and theological traditions. The work's limited transmission and uncertain attribution highlight challenges in patristic textual criticism.","timeline":[{"date":"c. 330–379","event":"Life of Basil of Caesarea, traditional author of the homily"},{"date":"4th c.","event":"Probable composition of the homily, possibly during Basil's episcopate (c. 370–379)"},{"date":"10th c.","event":"Earliest surviving Greek manuscripts of the homily"},{"date":"19th c.","event":"Publication of Migne PG 29, the standard edition of Basil's works"},{"date":"21st c.","event":"Khazarzar digital compilation of the homily, without critical apparatus"}],"relations":[{"work":"Homilia in Psalmum VI","relation":"Basil compares Psalm 37 with Psalm 6, noting shared penitential themes and vocabulary","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Migne PG 29","relation":"Standard, though dated, edition of Basil's works containing this homily","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Vaticanus gr. 2066","relation":"Key manuscript witness for the Greek text, though variant readings are not recorded in the khazarzar edition","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"wikipedia:Basil of Caesarea","label":"Basil of Caesarea","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basil_of_Caesarea","reason":"Provides background on the traditional author and his historical context"},{"key":"wikipedia:Psalm 37","label":"Psalm 37","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psalm_37","reason":"Context for the biblical text being exegeted"}],"cautions":["The attribution to Basil of Caesarea is traditional but unverified against his undisputed works; no modern critical edition exists.","The homily's date is uncertain; internal references to persecution may reflect earlier 4th-century conditions but do not provide a secure date.","The earliest surviving manuscripts are from the 10th century, leaving a gap of over 500 years from the probable date of composition.","The khazarzar edition is a modern digital compilation without critical apparatus; variant readings from key manuscripts are not recorded."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000411,"generated":"2026-11-15T07:34:04Z"},"links":[{"kind":"source","label":"Patrologia Graeca text (khazarzar mirror)","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Basilius%20Caesariensis_PG%2029-32/Homilia%20in%20Psalmum%20XXXVII%201.pdf"}],"checks":{"work":"khazarzar-basilius-caesariensis-homilia-in-psalmum-xxxvii","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":18,"translated":18,"commentary_passages":18,"commentary_units":108,"english_words":4927,"source_letters":20091,"commentary_kinds":8},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The homily is traditionally attributed to Basil of Caesarea (c. 330–379). No external evidence securely dates it within his episcopate; internal references to persecution may reflect earlier 4th-century conditions.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Greek text survives in multiple medieval manuscripts, but the earliest witnesses are no earlier than the 10th century. The khazarzar edition is a modern digital compilation, not a critical edition with apparatus.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This homily was included in some Byzantine monastic reading cycles for the Psalter, but it is not among Basil’s most frequently copied or cited works in later Greek or Latin tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The khazarzar edition lacks a critical apparatus; variant readings from key manuscripts (e.g., Vaticanus gr. 2066) are not recorded. Users should consult Migne PG 29 for a standard, though dated, text.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"No modern critical edition of this homily exists. The present edition cannot verify the attribution to Basil against stylistic or doctrinal parallels with his undisputed works.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"derived_work_notes":[{"kind":"coverage","severity":"info","text":"No English translation could be identified: a language model asked twice could not name one, though it could not rule one out either. That is not proof that none exists — translations in dissertations, recent books and other modern languages are easily missed."},{"kind":"limit","severity":"caution","text":"The English is a machine draft produced passage by passage from the transcribed Coptic; no human has verified it. The commentary is model-written and cites only keys the pipeline could resolve."},{"kind":"register","severity":"info","text":"Register: homily in ancient Greek; the English keeps the liturgical formulae and the vocatives rather than normalising them."},{"kind":"structure","severity":"info","text":"Passages: 18 narrative."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: khazarzar — Migne PG text (public domain); khazarzar host and the digitising project state no licence for this layer"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":18},"term_index":[],"citations":{},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"ΕΙΣ ΛΖʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΝ.\n\nΔιδασκαλία ἐξομολογήσεως.\n\nΨαλμὸς τῷ Δαβὶδ εἰς ἀνάμνησιν.\n\nΟἱ τῆς θεοπνεύστου Γραφῆς λόγοι στήσονται ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἐλέγξω γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ παραστήσω κατὰ πρόσωπόν σου τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου. Οὕτω καὶ πρόσχωμεν νηφόντως τοῖς λεγομέ νοις κατὰ τὴν Γραφὴν, καὶ εἰς ἔργον προάγειν τὰς ἐν τολὰς τοῦ Κυρίου σπουδάσαι ἐπειχθῶμεν, ὅτι οὐκ οἴδα μεν, ποίᾳ ὥρᾳ ἢ ἡμέρᾳ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν ἔρχεται. Κύριε, μὴ τῷ θυμῷ σου ἐλέγξῃς με, μηδὲ τῇ ὀργῇ σου παιδεύσῃς με. Τούτοις τοῖς ῥήμασι καὶ ταῖς συλλαβαῖς καὶ ὁ ἕκτος ψαλμὸς τούτῳ παραπλησίως ἄρχεται, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ δὲ τοῦ ἕκτου τοῖς ἐν τῷ προ κειμένῳ φερομένοις συγγενῆ τυγχάνει· τεταπεινῶσθαι γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὰ ὀστᾶ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν κεκοπιακέναι ἐν τῷ στεναγμῷ αὐτοῦ, ἔφασκεν ἐν τῷ ἕκτῳ, καὶ προστίθει λέγων· Λούσω καθ' ἑκάστην νύκτα τὴν κλίνην μου, ἐν δάκρυσί μου τὴν στρωμνήν μου βρέξω, καὶ τὰ τούτοις συνημμένα. Παραπλήσια δ' ἂν εἴη ἐκείνοις καὶ τὰ ἐν τῷ προκειμένῳ, δι' ὧν εἴρηται· Οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν εἰρήνη ἐν τοῖς ὀστέοις μοῦ ἀπὸ προσώπου τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου· ὅτι αἱ ἀνομίαι μου ὑπερῆραν τὴν κεφαλήν μου, καὶ τὰ τούτοις δι' ὅλου τοῦ ψαλμοῦ ἐπαγόμενα, ἐν οἷς ἀποκλαίεται τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ταλαιπωρίαν. Ταύτῃ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς τῇ λέξει κέχρηται, εἰπών· Ἐταλαιπώρησα καὶ κατεκάμφθην ἕως τέλους σφόδρα· ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν σκυ θρωπάζων ἐπορευόμην. Ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ ἕκτῳ ἡ προ γραφὴ εἶχεν· Εἰς τὸ τέλος ἐν ὕμνοις ὑπὲρ τῆς ὀγδόης ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαβίδ· ἐν δὲ τῷ παρόντι τούτων μὲν οὐδὲν, μόνον δέ· Ὁ ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαβὶδ εἰς ἀνάμνησιν λέλεκται.","english":"On the Thirty-Seventh Psalm.\n\nA lesson in confession.\n\nA psalm for David for remembrance.\n\nThe words of the divinely inspired Scripture will stand before the tribunal of Christ. \"For I will convict,\" he says, \"and set before your face your sins.\" So let us attend soberly to what is said according to Scripture, and let us hasten to bring the Lord's commandments into effect, for we do not know at what hour or on what day our Lord comes. \"Lord, do not convict me in your wrath, nor discipline me in your anger.\" With these words and syllables the sixth psalm also begins similarly, and the rest of the sixth psalm is akin to what is carried in the present one: for he said in the sixth that his bones were humbled and his soul wearied in his groaning, and he added, saying, \"I will wash my bed each night, I will wet my bedding with my tears,\" and what is connected with these. Similar to those would be the things in the present psalm, through which it is said: \"There is no healing in my flesh, and there is no peace in my bones because of my sins; for my iniquities have overtopped my head,\" and what is brought in through the whole psalm, in which he bewails his own misery. For he himself has used this very word, saying, \"I was wretched and was bent down exceedingly to the end; I went about gloomy all day long.\" But in the sixth psalm the superscription had: \"For the end, in hymns for the eighth, a psalm for David\"; but in the present one, none of these, but only: \"The psalm for David is said for remembrance.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ΕΙΣ ΛΖʹ ΨΑΛΜΟΝ","severity":"info","text":"The superscription 'On the Thirty-Seventh Psalm' marks the opening of the homily, establishing the psalm number and the work's exegetical focus.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"Διδασκαλία ἐξομολογήσεως","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'A lesson in confession' serves as a thematic heading, indicating that the homily treats Psalm 37 as a model for penitential self-examination.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαβὶδ εἰς ἀνάμνησιν","severity":"info","text":"Basil cites the psalm's superscription 'A psalm for David for remembrance' and later contrasts it with the sixth psalm's fuller heading, highlighting the unique liturgical or thematic designation of Psalm 37.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ἕκτος ψαλμὸς","severity":"info","text":"Basil draws a detailed comparison between Psalm 37 and Psalm 6, noting shared vocabulary and themes of humiliation, groaning, and tears, to show a common penitential tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ","severity":"info","text":"The image of Scripture standing before Christ's tribunal reflects early Christian eschatological and judicial imagery, common in Basil's exhortations to moral accountability.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Οἱ τῆς θεοπνεύστου Γραφῆς λόγοι στήσονται ἐπὶ τοῦ βήματος τοῦ Χριστοῦ","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text is secure, but the English draft's rendering 'The words of the divinely inspired Scripture will stand before the tribunal of Christ' may obscure the personification of the words as accusers; Basil likely envisions the words themselves as witnesses.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'εἰς ἀνάμνησιν' (for remembrance) is ambiguous: it may refer to a liturgical commemoration, a mnemonic device, or a penitential recollection; Basil does not resolve this."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"Ἥ γε μὴν προσθήκη, εἰς ἀνάμνησιν, ἔοικεν ἀναπέμπειν ἡμᾶς τῆς ἐν τῷ ἕκτῳ προγραφῆς· ὥστε εἶναι τὰ παρόντα· Εἰς τέλος, καὶ ἐν ὕμνοις ὑπὲρ τῆς ὀγδόης. Πάντων γὰρ ἂν εἴη τούτων παραστατικὸν τὸ, Εἰς ἀνάμνησιν. Ἀλλ' ἐπεὶ διεξιόντες τὰ ἐν τῷ ἕκτῳ ὑποπεσόντα, εἰς τὴν προγραφὴν εἰρήκαμεν, εἰς τὴν ἐκείνων ἀνάμνησιν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἀπέλθωμεν. Δοκεῖ δέ μοι ὁ Δαβὶδ ἐν διαφό ροις καὶ πολλοῖς περὶ τοῦ πραχθέντος αὐτῷ πλημμε λήματος ἐξομολογησάμενος, ἰδίως τὸν παρόντα ψαλμὸν ἀφωρικέναι εἰς ἀνάμνησιν, ὡς ἀεὶ καὶ διαπαντὸς φέρειν αὐτὸν ἀνὰ στόμα· κεχρῆσθαι δὲ αὐτῷ ἀντ' ἐπῳδῆς, ἐπὶ θεραπείᾳ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῆς. Ἱκετηρίαν γοῦν ἀναπέμπει τῷ Θεῷ, δι' ἧς ἀποστρέφει μὲν τὴν ὀργὴν τὴν πᾶσι τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν ἐπηρτημένην, ἱλάσκεται δὲ τὸν ἀγαθὸν Κύριον ταῖς μεθ' ὑπερβαλλούσης ἐξομολογήσεως φωναῖς. Λέγων δὲ, Κύριε, μὴ τῷ θυμῷ σου ἐλέγξῃς με, οὐ τὸν ἔλεγχον παραι τεῖται, ἀλλὰ τὸν μετὰ θυμοῦ· καὶ τὸ, Μηδὲ τῇ ὀργῇ σου παιδεύσῃς με, οὐ φεύγει τὸ παιδευθῆναι, δίχα δὲ ὀργῆς τῆς παιδείας τυχεῖν ἀξιοῖ· ὡς εἰ καὶ ἰατρῷ τις, τὰ διὰ καυτῆρος καὶ σιδήρου καὶ πικρῶν ἀντιδότων προσφέροντι βοηθήματα ἐπὶ θεραπεία πάθους ὑποκειμένου, λέγοι· Μὴ διὰ πυρός με θεραπεύσῃς, μηδὲ διὰ σιδήρου καὶ τομῶν, διὰ δὲ ἠπίων καὶ πραο τέρων φαρμάκων· ὁ γὰρ τοιοῦτος οὐ τὴν θεραπείαν ἀρνεῖται, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐπίπονον τῶν βοηθημάτων. Πολλάκις δὲ εἴρηται, ὡς ὀργὴ καὶ θυμὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ λεγό μενα ἐν ταῖς θεοπνεύστοις Γραφαῖς, οὐ πάθη σημαίνει· παντὸς γὰρ πάθους ἀλλότριον τὸ θεῖον·","english":"The addition, \"for remembrance,\" seems to send us back to the inscription in the sixth psalm, so that the present words are: \"To the end, and in hymns for the eighth.\" For this, \"for remembrance,\" would be indicative of all these things. But since, in going through the matters that fell under discussion in the sixth psalm, we have spoken about the inscription, let us also go back to the remembrance of those things on the present occasion. It seems to me that David, having confessed in various and many ways concerning the transgression committed by him, has specifically set apart the present psalm for remembrance, so that he might always and continually carry it on his lips; and that he used it as an incantation for the healing of his own soul. At any rate, he sends up a supplication to God, by which he turns away the wrath that hangs over all who sin, and propitiates the good Lord with words of exceeding confession. Saying, \"Lord, do not convict me in your wrath,\" he does not decline the conviction, but that which is with wrath; and, \"Do not discipline me in your anger,\" he does not flee from being disciplined, but deems it worthy to receive discipline without anger—as if someone, to a physician offering remedies by cautery, iron, and bitter antidotes for the treatment of an underlying disease, were to say: Do not treat me with fire, nor with iron and incisions, but with mild and gentler drugs; for such a person does not deny the treatment, but the painfulness of the remedies. It has often been said that \"wrath\" and \"anger\" of God, spoken of in the divinely inspired Scriptures, do not signify passions; for the divine is alien to every passion.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"εἰς ἀνάμνησιν","severity":"info","text":"Basil links the present psalm's inscription 'for remembrance' to the sixth psalm's superscription, creating a cross-reference within the Psalter's editorial framework.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐπῳδῆς","severity":"info","text":"Basil says David used the psalm 'as an incantation' (ἐπῳδῆς) for his soul's healing, a term from magical practice repurposed for therapeutic psalmody.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἰατρῷ","severity":"info","text":"The medical analogy (cautery, iron, bitter drugs vs. mild remedies) reflects ancient therapeutic practice, common in Greek moral philosophy and patristic exegesis.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ὀργὴ καὶ θυμὸς","severity":"caution","text":"Basil insists divine 'wrath' and 'anger' denote no passion in God, a standard apophatic move; the reader should not infer anthropopathic emotion from the terms.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Κύριε, μὴ τῷ θυμῷ σου ἐλέγξῃς με","severity":"info","text":"Basil paraphrases Psalm 37:1–2 (LXX), where the psalmist prays not to be convicted in wrath or disciplined in anger, a key verse for his argument on divine pedagogy.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐξομολογησάμενος","severity":"info","text":"Basil presents David as a model of repeated confession (ἐξομολογησάμενος), shaping later monastic and liturgical use of the psalm for penitential practice.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'εἰς τέλος, καὶ ἐν ὕμνοις ὑπὲρ τῆς ὀγδόης' is obscure; Basil reads it as part of the sixth psalm's superscription, but its exact referent in the Psalter tradition is uncertain."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"κατὰ μεταφορὰν δὲ τὰ τοιαῦτα εἴωθεν ὀνομάζειν ὁ τῆς Γραφῆς λόγος, ὡς καὶ ὀφθαλμοὺς Θεοῦ, καὶ ὦτα, καὶ χεῖρας, καὶ δακτύλους, καὶ πόδας, καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ μέλη· ἅπερ ὡς πρὸς ἀνθρώπους χρησίμως οἰκονο μεῖται, συγκατιὼν τῇ τῶν ἀκροωμένων ποιότητι. Οὕτως οὖν καὶ τὰς ἐπαγομένας τιμωρίας τοῖς ἁμαρ τάνουσι κατὰ Θεοῦ\n\nκρίσιν, σκυθρωπὰς οὔσας καὶ ἀλγεινὰς τοῖς πάσχουσιν, ὡσανεὶ ἐξ ὀργῆς καὶ θυμοῦ ἐπαγομένας ὑποτυποῦται. Τοῦτο δὲ διδάσκει καὶ ὁ ἱερὸς Ἀπόστολος, λέγων· Κατὰ δὲ τὴν σκληρότητά σου καὶ ἀμετανόητον καρδίαν θησαυρίζεις σεαυτῷ ὀργὴν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς, καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως καὶ δικαιοκρισίας τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὃς ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. Ὡς εἴ τις καὶ τὰς ἐκ τοῦ νόμου τῷ ἀνδροφόνῳ ἐπηρτημένας κολάσεις, ὀργὴν καὶ θυ μὸν ὀνομάζοι, οὐκ ἀληθῶς τοῦ νόμου θυμουμένου καὶ ὀργιζομένου, τοῦ δὲ κολαζομένου ὀργὴν τοῦ νόμου τὴν τιμωρίαν ὑπειληφότος. Ἤδη δὲ καὶ οἱ τὰς κολά σεις διακονοῦντες κατὰ τῶν ἀσεβῶν πονηροὶ δαίμονες, αἵ τε ὑπηρετικαὶ δυνάμεις τοῦ Θεοῦ, αἱ τοιαῦται καὶ ὀργὴ καὶ θυμὸς ὠνομάσθησαν. Οὕτω γοῦν εἴρηται ἐν τῷ περὶ τῆς δεκαπλήγου τῆς κατ' Αἰγυπτίων ἐπαχθείσης λόγῳ τὸ, Ἀπέστειλεν ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ὀργὴν καὶ θυμὸν, ἀποστολὴν δι' ἀγγέλων πονηρῶν. Οὕτως δεξιὰ λέλεκται τοῦ Θεοῦ, τὰ διὰ τῶν δεξιῶν καὶ ἀγαθῶν δυνάμεων τοῖς ἀξίοις χορη γούμενα. Ἱκετεύει τοίνυν ὁ Δαβὶδ μὴ διὰ πονηρῶν δυνάμεων ἐλεγχθῆναι, μηδὲ δι' ἀποστολῆς ἀγγέλων πονηρῶν παιδευθῆναι, διὰ λόγων δὲ σωτηρίων καὶ μαθημάτων ὠφελίμων. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ ἀντιβολεῖ μὴ τηρηθῆναι εἰς ἡμέραν ὀργῆς, καὶ ἀποκαλύψεως, καὶ δικαιοκρισίας τοῦ Θεοῦ·","english":"By way of metaphor, the language of Scripture is accustomed to name such things, as also the eyes of God, and ears, and hands, and fingers, and feet, and the remaining members; which it manages usefully with regard to human beings, descending to the quality of the hearers. Thus also the punishments imposed upon sinners according to God's judgment, being gloomy and painful to those who suffer, are represented as if imposed from wrath and anger. And the holy Apostle teaches this, saying: \"But according to your hardness and unrepentant heart, you store up for yourself wrath on the day of wrath, and of revelation, and of the just judgment of God, who will render to each according to his works.\" As if one were to call the penalties hanging over the murderer from the law, wrath and anger, not because the law is truly angered and wrathful, but because the one punished conceives of the punishment as the law's wrath. Already also the evil demons who administer the punishments against the impious, and the ministerial powers of God, such things have been named both wrath and anger. Thus, for example, it is said in the account concerning the ten plagues brought upon the Egyptians: \"He sent upon them wrath and anger,\" a sending through evil angels. Thus also the right hand of God is spoken of, the things provided through the right and good powers to those who are worthy. Therefore David entreats that he not be convicted through evil powers, nor be disciplined through a sending of evil angels, but through saving words and beneficial teachings. And in another way he implores not to be kept for a day of wrath, and of revelation, and of the just judgment of God.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"μεταφορὰν","severity":"info","text":"Basil explains that scriptural anthropomorphisms (eyes, hands, etc.) are metaphorical, a standard Alexandrian hermeneutic.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Κατὰ δὲ τὴν σκληρότητά σου","severity":"info","text":"The quotation attributed to 'the holy Apostle' is not a direct biblical verse but a paraphrase of themes from Romans 2:5-6 and 2 Peter 3:7.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"δεκαπλήγου τῆς κατ' Αἰγυπτίων","severity":"info","text":"The 'ten plagues against the Egyptians' refers to Exodus 7-12; Basil interprets the sending of 'wrath and anger' as through evil angels.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἱκετεύει τοίνυν ὁ Δαβὶδ","severity":"info","text":"Basil shifts from exegesis of scriptural metaphor to David's prayer, framing the psalmist's plea as a request for instruction rather than punitive demonic agency.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ὀργὴ καὶ θυμὸς","severity":"info","text":"Basil's distinction between divine wrath as metaphor and punitive demons parallels Origen's treatment of anthropopathisms in De Principiis.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀποκαλύψεως","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'day of wrath, revelation, and just judgment' conflates eschatological terms; Basil may be adapting a non-canonical source or conflating 2 Peter and Revelation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The source of the Apostle quotation is unclear; it may be a loose paraphrase or a lost variant.","The identity of the 'evil angels' in the Egyptian plagues is not specified in Exodus; Basil draws on extra-biblical tradition."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"ἤδη δὲ ἐντεῦθεν καὶ κατὰ τὸν παρόντα βίον, πρὸ τῆς τελευτῆς, ἀπολήψεσθαι τὰ ἁμαρτήματα. Καὶ ἔτυχέ γε τοῦ σκοποῦ· φαίνε ται γοῦν δίκην δεδωκὼς, δι' ὧν ἔπαθε, πρὸ τῆς τελευτῆς. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἐτιμωρεῖτο παντοίαις ὑποβάλλων κολάσεσιν ἐν τοῖς τῆς ἐξομολογήσεως τρόποις. Ὅτι τὰ βέλη σου ἐνεπάγησάν μοι, καὶ ἐπεστήριξας ἐπ' ἐμὲ τὴν χεῖρά σου. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς ὀργῆς σου. Οὐκ ἔστιν εἰρήνη ἐν τοῖς ὀστέοις μου ἀπὸ προσ ώπου τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου. Ὁ μὲν μέγας ἀθλητὴς Ἰὼβ, παντοίους ὑπομείνας πειρασμοὺς, οὐκ ἠγνόει πόθεν αὐτῷ τοῦτο ἐγένετο· διὸ ἔλεγε· Βέλη γὰρ Κυρίου ἐν τῷ σώματί μού ἐστιν, ὧν ὁ θυμὸς αὐτῶν ἐκπίνει μου τὸ αἷμα. Ὁ δὲ Δαβὶδ, οὐ τὸ σῶμα πληγεὶς ὁμοίως τῷ Ἰὼβ, αὐτὴν δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν καιρίαν τρω θεὶς, οὐχ ὁμοίως τῷ Ἰὼβ φάσκει· Βέλη γὰρ Κυρίου ἐν τῷ σώματί μού εἰσιν· ἀλλ', Ὅτι τὰ βέλη σου ἐνεπάγησάν μοι, καὶ ἐπεστήριξας ἐπ' ἐμὲ τὴν χεῖρά σου.\n\nὉ δὲ Ἰὼβ μνημονεύει τῆς χειρὸς Κυρίου, λέγων· Χεὶρ Κυρίου ἐστὶν ἡ ἁψαμένη μου. Καὶ ὁ διάβολος τῷ Κυρίῳ λέγων, Ἀπόστειλον τὴν χεῖρά σου, καὶ ἅψαι πάντων ὧν ἔχει, ἔφασκε. Καὶ πάλιν· Ἀπόστειλον τὴν χεῖρά σου, καὶ ἅψαι τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν ὀστέων αὐτοῦ. Ἀλλ' ἑτέρα τις ἦν χεὶρ, καὶ ἕτερα βέλη τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτοῦ καθικνούμενα καὶ τῶν σωματικῶν ὑπαρχόντων. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ, ἐπειδήπερ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτὴν νενοσήκει ὁ Δαβὶδ, ἕτερα βέλη καθικέσθαι αὐτοῦ σημαίνει, καὶ ἑτέραν χεῖρα ἧφθαι αὐτοῦ.","english":"Already in this present life, before death, one receives the penalties for sins. And indeed he achieved his aim; at any rate, he appears to have paid the penalty, through what he suffered, before death. And in another way, he punished himself, subjecting himself to all kinds of chastisements in the modes of confession. \"For your arrows have been fixed in me, and you have set your hand upon me. There is no healing in my flesh from the face of your wrath. There is no peace in my bones from the face of my sins.\" The great athlete Job, having endured all kinds of trials, was not ignorant of whence this came to him; therefore he said: \"For the arrows of the Lord are in my body, whose fury drinks my blood.\" But David, not struck in the body like Job, but wounded in the soul itself mortally, does not say like Job: \"For the arrows of the Lord are in my body,\" but: \"For your arrows have been fixed in me, and you have set your hand upon me.\"\n\nNow Job mentions the hand of the Lord, saying: \"It is the hand of the Lord that has touched me.\" And the devil, speaking to the Lord, said: \"Send your hand, and touch all that he has.\" And again: \"Send your hand, and touch his flesh and his bones.\" But that was one kind of hand, and other arrows reaching his flesh and his bodily possessions. Here, since David was sick in the soul itself, it signifies that other arrows have reached him, and another hand has touched him.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὅτι τὰ βέλη σου ἐνεπάγησάν μοι, καὶ ἐπεστήριξας ἐπ' ἐμὲ τὴν χεῖρά σου. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς ὀργῆς σου. Οὐκ ἔστιν εἰρήνη ἐν τοῖς ὀστέ","severity":"info","text":"Basilius adapts Psalm 37:3–5 (LXX), altering the first-person singular to a direct address to God, intensifying David's personal lament.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Βέλη γὰρ Κυρίου ἐν τῷ σώματί μού ἐστιν, ὧν ὁ θυμὸς αὐτῶν ἐκπίνει μου τὸ αἷμα.","severity":"info","text":"A loose citation of Job 6:4 (LXX), where Job describes divine arrows drinking his blood; Basilius uses it to contrast Job's physical suffering with David's spiritual wound.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Χεὶρ Κυρίου ἐστὶν ἡ ἁψαμένη μου.","severity":"info","text":"Likely a paraphrase of Job 19:21 (LXX) or a similar verse; Basilius attributes to Job a statement about the hand of the Lord touching him.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀπόστειλον τὴν χεῖρά σου, καὶ ἅψαι πάντων ὧν ἔχει, ... Ἀπόστειλον τὴν χεῖρά σου, καὶ ἅψαι τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῶν ὀστέων αὐτοῦ.","severity":"info","text":"Basilius attributes to the devil a request to touch Job's possessions, flesh, and bones; this is not a direct biblical quotation but a dramatic expansion of the Joban narrative.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν τοῖς τῆς ἐξομολογήσεως τρόποις","severity":"info","text":"Refers to the penitential discipline of confession in early Christian practice, where self-imposed chastisements were part of the process of exomologesis.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὁ μὲν μέγας ἀθλητὴς Ἰὼβ ... Ὁ δὲ Δαβίδ","severity":"info","text":"Basilius contrasts Job and David as two types of sufferers: Job endures physical trials, David a mortal wound of the soul, reinforcing the homily's focus on spiritual interpretation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The exact source of the devil's speech in the Job narrative is unclear; it may be a paraphrase or a lost tradition.","The phrase 'ἐν τοῖς τῆς ἐξομολογήσεως τρόποις' could refer to specific penitential practices or more generally to modes of confession."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"Καί μοι δοκεῖ τὰ ἐνταῦθα λεγόμενα βέλη, λογικὰ εἶναι, μᾶλλον δὲ αὐτοὺς τοὺς τοῦ Θεοῦ λόγους, νύττοντας καὶ τιτρώσκοντας αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ τὴν συνείδησιν αὐτὴν τιμωρουμένους καὶ κολάζοντας· ἐπεὶ τοσοῦτος ὢν ὁ ἀνὴρ, καὶ τοσούτων τετυχηκὼς ἀγαθῶν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ, αἰσχρᾷ πράξει ἑαυτὸν ἐξέδωκε. Μήποτε δὲ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν διάβολον, καὶ τὰ τοῦ πονηροῦ πεπυρωμένα βέλη, τὰ παθητικὰ καὶ ἐρωτικὰ, εἰς ἐπιθυμίαν ἐξάψαντα τῆς τοῦ Οὐρίου γυναικὸς, σημαίνει· περὶ ὧν καὶ ὁ Ἀπό στολος διδάσκει, λέγων· Ἀναλάβετε τὴν πανοπλίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, πρὸς τὸ δύνασθαι πάντα τὰ βέλη τοῦ πονηροῦ τὰ πεπυρωμένα σβέσαι· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἄφρακτος εὑρεθεὶς, οὐκ ἀντέσχε πρὸς τὰ τοῦ πονη ροῦ πεπυρωμένα βέλη, εἰκότως τὴν ψυχὴν τρωθεὶς, ἥλω τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ. Ὥσπερ δὲ ὁ Ἰὼβ τὰ τοῦ διαβόλου βέλη, τὰ ἕλκη τὰ ἐπιτεθέντα αὐτῷ κατὰ τοῦ σώματος, ἐπειδὴ κατὰ συγχώρησιν ἐγίγνετο τοῦ Θεοῦ, βέλη Κυρίου ὠνόμασεν, εἰπών· Βέλη γὰρ Κυρίου ἐν τῷ σώματί μού ἐστιν, ὧν ὁ θυμὸς αὐτῶν ἐκπίνει μου τὸ αἷμα· οὕτως εἰκὸς καὶ τὸν Δαβὶδ ἐνταῦθα βέλη Κυρίου εἰρηκέναι, ἐπεὶ κατὰ συγχώρησιν τοῦ Κυρίου","english":"It seems to me that the arrows spoken of here are rational, or rather, they are the very words of God, piercing and wounding his soul, and punishing and chastising his conscience itself; since this man, being so great and having received so many good things from God, gave himself over to a shameful deed. But perhaps it also signifies the devil himself and the fiery darts of the evil one, the passionate and amorous ones, which kindled into desire for the wife of Uriah; concerning which the Apostle also teaches, saying: Take up the full armor of God, so as to be able to quench all the fiery darts of the evil one. For since he was found unprotected, he did not hold out against the fiery darts of the evil one, and being naturally wounded in the soul, he was captured by desire. And just as Job, because the wounds inflicted upon his body by the devil’s darts occurred by the permission of God, called them the arrows of the Lord, saying: For the arrows of the Lord are in my body, whose anger drinks my blood; so it is likely that David here has spoken of the arrows of the Lord, since by the permission of the Lord","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"βέλη","severity":"info","text":"Basil interprets the 'arrows' of the psalm as rational, specifically the words of God, which wound the soul and conscience.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀναλάβετε τὴν πανοπλίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Basil cites an apostolic exhortation to take up the full armor of God to quench the fiery darts of the evil one, likely referencing Ephesians 6:11-17 or a similar Pauline passage.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Βέλη γὰρ Κυρίου ἐν τῷ σώματί μού ἐστιν","severity":"info","text":"Basil quotes Job 6:4 (LXX) to illustrate how Job attributed the devil's darts to the Lord's arrows by divine permission.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τοῦ πονηροῦ πεπυρωμένα βέλη","severity":"info","text":"The 'fiery darts of the evil one' refer to demonic temptations, here specifically the passionate desires that led David to sin with Bathsheba, wife of Uriah.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἰὼβ","severity":"info","text":"Basil draws a parallel between Job and David: both experienced afflictions by divine permission, and both called these afflictions 'arrows of the Lord'.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Μήποτε","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek 'Μήποτε' introduces a speculative alternative interpretation, suggesting Basil is uncertain whether the arrows refer to God's words or the devil's darts.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The passage leaves open whether the 'arrows' primarily signify God's words or the devil's fiery darts; Basil presents both as possible interpretations."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"κατεστρατεύσατο αὐτοῦ ὁ ἀντίπαλος, ἵνα μάθῃ μὴ λέγειν· Οὐ μὴ σαλευθῶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ τῇ χάριτι τοῦ Θεοῦ δυναμούμενος, μέγα ἐφ' ἑαυτῷ ἐφρόνησέ ποτε, ὡς ἀπαυθαδιάσασθαι καὶ εἰπεῖν· Ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπον ἐν τῇ εὐθηνίᾳ μου· Οὐ μὴ σαλευθῶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα· τούτου χάριν εἰκότως παρεδόθη τῷ πειράζοντι, ὃς τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ καθαψάμενος, μει ζόνως αὐτὸν ἢ τὸν Ἰὼβ ἐζημίωσεν. Οἱ δὲ λόγοι, τῆς δικαιοκρισίας αὐτοῦ ὑπομνηστικοὶ, καὶ τῆς ὀργῆς τῆς τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν ἐπηρτημένης διδασκαλικοὶ, βελῶν εἰσιν ὀξύτεροι, τὴν συνείδησιν νύττοντες, τι τρώσκοντές τε καὶ κεντοῦντες αὐτήν. Καὶ οὕτως εἴποις ἂν τὸν Δαβὶδ τοῖς ἱεροῖς τούτοις καὶ θείοις κεντούμενον, εὐλόγως παραιτεῖσθαι τὸν διὰ θυμοῦ ἔλεγχον, καὶ τὴν δι' ὀργῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ παιδείαν.\n\nΜὴ γὰρ τῷ θυμῷ σου, φησὶν, ἐλέγξῃς με, Κύριε, μηδὲ τῇ ὀργῇ σου παιδεύσῃς με. Διὰ τί; Ὅτι τὰ βέλη σου ἐνεπάγησάν μοι. Προσλαβόντα γὰρ τὴν ὀργὴν καὶ τὸν θυμὸν τὰ παρὰ σοῦ καθικόμενα βέλη ἱκανῶς με τιμωρεῖται, καὶ αὐτάρκως με κολάζει. Διὸ ἱκετεύει, μὴ ὀργῆς ἑτέρας μηδὲ θυμοῦ πειραθῆναι, Ὅτι τὰ βέλη σου ἐνεπάγησάν μοι, ἢ, καθίκεταί μου, κατὰ τὸν Σύμμαχον. Καὶ ἐπεστήριξας ἐπ' ἐμὲ τὴν χεῖρά σου. Χεῖρα δὲ Κυρίου καθαψαμένην αὐτοῦ νόησον, καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰὼβ δεδηλωμένην. Αὕτη δὲ ἡ χεὶρ τοῦ Κυρίου πάντα τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Δαβὶδ ἐκ βάθρων ἔσεισε, τὸν μὲν πρωτότοκον αὐτοῦ τῶν παίδων τὸν Ἀμνὼν ἔρωτι τῆς ἀδελφῆς ἐκμήνασα, πυρώσασα δὲ τὸν Ἀβεσσαλὼμ τῇ κατὰ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ ὀργῇ, ὡς ἀν ελεῖν τὸν Ἀμνὼν, ἔπειτα καὶ αὐτῷ ἐπαναστῆναι τῷ πατρί·","english":"The adversary made war against him, so that he might learn not to say, \"I shall never be shaken.\" For, being strengthened by the grace of God, he once thought highly of himself, to the point of being insolent and saying, \"I said in my prosperity, 'I shall never be shaken.'\" For this reason he was justly handed over to the tempter, who, seizing his soul, inflicted greater damage on him than on Job. The words, which remind him of God's righteous judgment and teach of the wrath impending upon sinners, are sharper than arrows, piercing, wounding, and pricking his conscience. And thus you might say that David, pricked by these holy and divine words, reasonably begs to be spared the reproof through anger and the discipline through God's wrath.\n\n\"Do not reprove me with your anger,\" he says, \"Lord, nor discipline me with your wrath.\" Why? \"Because your arrows have been fixed in me.\" For the arrows that come from you, having taken up wrath and anger, punish me sufficiently and chastise me adequately. Therefore he entreats that he not experience another anger or wrath, \"Because your arrows have been fixed in me,\" or, \"have reached me,\" according to Symmachus. \"And you have set your hand upon me.\" Understand the hand of the Lord that has seized him, as was manifested in the case of Job. This hand of the Lord shook the entire house of David from its foundations, driving his firstborn son Amnon mad with love for his sister, and inflaming Absalom with anger against his brother, so that he killed Amnon, and then rose up against his own father.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀντίπαλος","severity":"info","text":"The Greek term ἀντίπαλος, translated as 'adversary', likely refers to the devil or a demonic tempter, consistent with Basil's dual interpretation of the 'arrows' in the previous passage.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Οὐ μὴ σαλευθῶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα","severity":"info","text":"This phrase echoes Psalm 30:7 (LXX) or a similar expression of overconfidence, which Basil interprets as David's boast in prosperity, leading to his downfall.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἰώβ","severity":"info","text":"Basil compares David's suffering to Job's, referencing the biblical figure known for enduring severe trials. The 'hand of the Lord' also alludes to Job's afflictions (Job 19:21 LXX).","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Σύμμαχον","severity":"info","text":"Basil cites Symmachus' Greek translation of the Psalms, which renders the phrase as 'have reached me' (καθίκεταί μου), offering a variant reading for the biblical text.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The passage moves from narrative (David's fall) to exegesis (the arrows as divine words) to a prayer (David's plea), then to a historical example (the house of David's turmoil), illustrating Basil's homiletic method.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Basil's interpretation of the 'arrows' as divine words and the 'hand of the Lord' as providential punishment reflects a moralizing exegetical tradition common in patristic psalm commentary.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'adversary' (ἀντίπαλος) is not explicitly named as Satan, but Basil's earlier reference to 'fiery darts of the evil one' suggests a demonic figure.","The phrase 'hand of the Lord' (χεὶρ Κυρίου) is ambiguous: it may denote divine punishment or a specific theophanic event, as in Job."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ δὲ πάντα διὰ τῆς ἱστορίας παριστάμενα, ἡ δηλωθεῖσα χείρ. Χείρ σου καθήψατό μου διὰ τῶν ἐπαλλήλων συμφορῶν. Ἱκετεύω, φησὶ, μὴ ἄλλῳ θυμῷ ἐλεγχθῆναι, μηδὲ χείρονι ὀργῇ παιδευθῆναι. Καὶ οὐ μόνον ταῦτα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἐπι λεγόμενα, ἃ διδάσκει ἑξῆς λέγων· Οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς ὀργῆς σου· οὐκ ἔστιν εἰρήνη ἐν τοῖς ὀστέοις μου ἀπὸ προσ ώπου τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου. Ἐγὼ, φησὶ, προλαβὼν, οὐδὲ περιμείνας ἵνα μού τις ἔξωθεν τὸ σῶμα κολά σῃ, ἕλκει πονηρῷ ἐμαυτὸν ἐτιμωρησάμην, καὶ τὴν σάρκα μου, δι' ἧς πέπρακταί μοι τὸ ἁμάρτημα, κολάσεσι παρέδωκα, τιμωρούμενος ἐμαυτὸν καὶ κολάζων παντοίαις κολάσεσι. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐδήλου καὶ δι' ἑτέρων, λέγων· Ἐταπείνουν ἐν νηστείᾳ τὴν ψυχήν μου, καὶ ἡ σάρξ μου ἠλλοιώθη δι' ἔλαιον, καὶ ἐπελαθόμην τοῦ φαγεῖν τὸν ἄρτον μου· ἀπὸ φωνῆς τοῦ στεναγμοῦ μου ἐκολλήθη τὰ ὀστᾶ μου τῇ σαρκί μου. Καὶ, Λούσω καθ' ἑκάστην νύκτα τὴν κλίνην μου, ἐν δάκρυσί μου τὴν στρωμνήν μου βρέξω. Οὕτως οὖν καὶ νῦν φησιν· Οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς ὀργῆς σου. Ἀντὶ δὲ, τῆς ὀργῆς, συμφώνως ὅ τε Ἀκύλας καὶ ὁ Σύμμαχος, ἀπὸ προσώπου ἐμ βριμήσεώς σου, ἡρμήνευσαν. Ἀπήρκει γάρ μοι, φησὶν, ἡ ἀπὸ τῶν σῶν θείων Γραφῶν ἐμβρίμησις, καὶ ἡ διὰ τοῦ σοῦ προφήτου Νάθαν ἀπειλή. Διὸ ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς ἐμβριμήσεώς σου ἐμαυτὸν οὕτως ἐτι μωρησάμην, ὡς κολάσαι τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ σάρκα, καὶ τὰ ὀστᾶ μου μὴ ἔχειν εἰρήνην Ἀπὸ προσώπου τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου. Ἀνθ' οὗ ὁ Σύμμαχος, Διὰ τὰς ἁμαρ τίας μου.","english":"And all the rest that is presented through the history, the hand that was shown. \"Your hand has touched me through the successive calamities.\" \"I beseech you,\" he says, \"that I not be rebuked by another wrath, nor disciplined by a worse anger.\" And not only these things, but also what is added, which he teaches next, saying: \"There is no healing in my flesh from the face of your wrath; there is no peace in my bones from the face of my sins.\" \"I,\" he says, \"anticipating, and not waiting for someone from outside to punish my body, punished myself with an evil ulcer, and delivered my flesh, through which the sin was committed by me, to punishments, avenging myself and chastising myself with all kinds of punishments.\" For he made this clear also through other words, saying: \"I humbled my soul with fasting, and my flesh was changed because of oil, and I forgot to eat my bread; from the sound of my groaning, my bones stuck to my flesh.\" And, \"I will wash my bed each night, I will wet my bedding with my tears.\" Thus, then, also now he says: \"There is no healing in my flesh from the face of your wrath.\" And instead of \"wrath,\" both Aquila and Symmachus translated \"from the face of your indignation.\" \"For it was sufficient for me,\" he says, \"the indignation from your divine Scriptures, and the threat through your prophet Nathan. Therefore, from the face of your indignation, I punished myself in such a way as to chastise my own flesh, and for my bones to have no peace from the face of my sins.\" In place of which Symmachus says, \"Because of my sins.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς ὀργῆς σου· οὐκ ἔστιν εἰρήνη ἐν τοῖς ὀστέοις μου ἀπὸ προσώπου τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου","severity":"info","text":"Basil quotes a biblical verse (Ps 37:7 LXX) as the lemma for his homily, then glosses it with a penitential interpretation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐμβρίμησις","severity":"info","text":"Basil notes that Aquila and Symmachus translate 'wrath' (ὀργή) as 'indignation' (ἐμβρίμησις), a stronger term implying a threatening roar, which he then applies to divine rebuke through Scripture.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Νάθαν","severity":"info","text":"Basil refers to the prophet Nathan, who rebuked David for his sin with Bathsheba (2 Sam 12). This aligns the homily's speaker with David, a standard patristic identification for Psalm 37.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀκύλας καὶ ὁ Σύμμαχος","severity":"info","text":"Basil cites the Greek versions of Aquila and Symmachus, second-century Jewish revisions of the LXX, to support his exegesis. This shows his use of the Hexaplaric tradition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ δὲ πάντα","severity":"info","text":"Basil transitions from the narrative of David's sin (previous passage) to a series of first-person penitential quotations, structuring the homily as a dramatic speech by David.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἕλκει πονηρῷ","severity":"caution","text":"Basil's phrase 'evil ulcer' (ἕλκει πονηρῷ) is ambiguous: it may refer to a literal self-inflicted wound or metaphorically to the spiritual 'ulcer' of sin. The English draft takes it literally, but the Greek allows both.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the speaker in the first-person quotations is not explicit in the Greek; Basil assumes it is David, but the text could be read as a generic penitent.","The phrase 'ἕλκει πονηρῷ' may be metaphorical (sin as a sore) or literal (self-harm); the English draft chooses the literal reading."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"Ὅτι αἱ ἀνομίαι μου ὑπερῆραν τὴν κε φαλήν μου, ὡσεὶ φορτίον βαρὺ ἐβαρύνθησαν ἐπ' ἐμέ. Προσώζεσαν καὶ ἐσάπησαν οἱ μώλωπές μου, ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς ἀφροσύνης μου. Ἐταλαιπώρησα, καὶ κατεκάμφθην ἕως τέλους σφόδρα.\n\nἘπειδὴ τάδε μοι, φησὶ, πέπρακται, διὰ τοῦτο Ἐτα-λαιπώρησα, καὶ κατεκάμφθην ἕως τέλους, καὶ ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν σκυθρωπάζων ἐπορευόμην. Διὰ τούτων δὲ παρίστησιν ἃ πέπονθε, καὶ ὅπως ἑαυτὸν ἐτιμωρεῖτο, οὐ μίαν ἑαυτῷ κατηγορῶν ἁμαρτίαν, ἀλλ' ἀθρόως πολλὰς, καὶ τοσαύτας, ὡς μηδὲ ἔνδον κρύπτεσθαι ἐν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῇ, μηδὲ εἴσω τοῦ σώ ματος λανθάνειν, ἀλλ' ὑπερβεβηκέναι αὐτοῦ, ὥστε καὶ πᾶσιν αὐτὰς γνωρίζεσθαι. Αὐτὸς γοῦν ἦν κατήγορος\n\nἑαυτοῦ ἐν πρωτολογίᾳ, καὶ παρὰ τοῖς πᾶσιν, ὡς ἂν πληρωθείη ἐπ' αὐτῷ· Δίκαιος ἑαυτοῦ κατήγορος, φθάνων πάντα ἄνθρωπον κατήγορον. Αὐτὸς μὲν ἑαυτὸν κατέκρινε, πᾶν δὲ ἐχθρῶν ἀπέφραττε στόμα, μὴ ἐχόντων ἕτερόν τι κατ' αὐτοῦ λέγειν. Διδάσκει δὲ ἡμᾶς ὁ λόγος μὴ κρύπτειν τὰ ἑαυτῶν κακὰ, μηδὲ, ὥσπερ τινὰ μελανίαν καὶ σῆψιν, κατὰ βάθους τῆς ψυχῆς συνέχειν τὰ ἁμαρτήματα, τὴν συνείδησιν καυτηριαζομένους. Ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῶν πυρετῶν, εἴσω μὲν καὶ κατὰ βάθους χωρῶν ὁ πυρετὸς, μείζονα τὴν νόσον ἐργάζεται, προκόψας δὲ εἰς τοὐμ φανὲς, ἐλπίδα παρακμῆς ὑποφαίνει· οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ψυχῆς ἂν γένοιτο. Καὶ ἄλλο δέ τι διδάσκει περὶ ἑαυτὸν γεγονὸς ὁ Δαβὶδ, λέγων· Ὡσεὶ φορτίον βαρὺ ἐβαρύνθησαν ἐπ' ἐμέ. Ἐβάρει γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὴν συνείδησιν τὰ τετολμημένα αὐτῷ, ὡς μὴ δύνασθαι βαστάζειν αὐτὰ δι' εὐγένειαν καὶ εὐγνωμοσύνην ψυχῆς.","english":"Because my lawless acts have overtopped my head, like a heavy burden they have weighed heavily upon me. My sores have festered and rotted from the face of my folly. I have been afflicted, and I have been bent down utterly to the very end.\n\nSince these things have been done by me, he says, therefore I have been afflicted, and I have been bent down to the end, and I have gone about the whole day with a gloomy countenance. Through these things he sets forth what he has suffered, and how he punished himself, accusing himself not of one sin, but of many all at once, and so many that they could not be hidden within his own soul, nor lie concealed within his body, but have overtopped him, so that they are known to all. He himself, then, was the accuser of himself in the first speech, and before all, so that it might be fulfilled in him: \"A just accuser of himself, outstripping every human accuser.\" He himself condemned himself, and he stopped up the mouth of all enemies, they having nothing else to say against him. The word teaches us not to hide our own evils, nor, as if they were some kind of blackness and rot, to keep our sins confined in the depth of the soul, being branded on the conscience. Just as in the case of fevers, when the fever goes inward and into the depth, it produces a greater illness, but when it has advanced into the open, it gives hope of abatement; so also it might be with the soul. And David teaches something else that has happened concerning himself, saying: \"Like a heavy burden they have weighed heavily upon me.\" For the things he had dared weighed upon his conscience, so that he could not bear them because of the nobility and good disposition of his soul.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Προσώζεσαν καὶ ἐσάπησαν οἱ μώλωπές μου","severity":"info","text":"The Greek verbs 'προσώζεσαν' (have become foul) and 'ἐσάπησαν' (have rotted) intensify the physical imagery of moral decay, linking sin to festering wounds.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"πρωτολογίᾳ","severity":"info","text":"'πρωτολογίᾳ' (first speech) is a rare term; here it likely means 'first accusation' or 'opening statement' in a self-accusation, emphasizing David's proactive confession.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Δίκαιος ἑαυτοῦ κατήγορος","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'A just accuser of himself' echoes Proverbs 18:17 LXX (or similar wisdom tradition), though not a direct quotation; Basil adapts it to David's self-condemnation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"πυρετῶν","severity":"info","text":"The fever analogy (inward vs. outward) reflects ancient medical theory, where internal fever was more dangerous; Basil uses it to argue that hidden sin worsens the soul's condition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Διδάσκει δὲ ἡμᾶς ὁ λόγος","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a shift from exegesis of David's confession to a moral exhortation for the audience, a common homiletic move in Basil's works.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"εὐγένειαν καὶ εὐγνωμοσύνην ψυχῆς","severity":"info","text":"Basil's praise of David's 'nobility and good disposition' reflects a later Christian idealization of the psalmist as a model of virtuous repentance, not a historical judgment.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'πρωτολογίᾳ' is ambiguous; it could mean 'first speech' in a legal sense or 'primary accusation'—the translation opts for 'first speech' as a self-accusation.","The fever analogy's medical source is not specified; Basil may draw on Galenic or Hippocratic ideas, but no direct citation is given."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":"Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἀτεράμνων καὶ ἀπόσκληρος, κατὰ τὴν σκληρότητα ἑαυτοῦ καὶ ἀμετανόητον καρ δίαν, θησαυρίζει ἑαυτῷ ὀργὴν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ ὀργῆς, ἐπι σπώμενος ἁμαρτίαν ἐφ' ἁμαρτίας, αὔξων τὰ ἑαυτοῦ κακά· Ὅταν γὰρ ἔλθῃ ἁμαρτωλὸς εἰς βάθος κακῶν, καταφρονεῖ· ὁ δὲ εὐγνώμων, εἰ καὶ ἅπαξ ποτὲ ὀλισθήσειε κατά τινα τοῦ διαβόλου συναρπαγὴν, δεινῶς βαρεῖται τὴν συνείδησιν, ὡς μὴ δύνασθαι σιγᾷν, μηδὲ κρύπτειν τὸ ἑαυτοῦ κακόν. Ἐκ περισσεύματος γοῦν καρδίας τὸ στόμα λαλεῖ. Ὅθεν μὴ φέρων σιωπᾷν, ἐξέφηνε τὰ συνέχοντα αὐτὸν, λέγων· Ὡσεὶ φορτίον βαρὺ ἐβαρύνθησαν ἐπ' ἐμέ· δῆλον δὲ, ὅτι αἱ ἀνομίαι μου. Καὶ πάλιν· Προσώζεσαν οἱ μώλωπές μου ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς ἀφροσύνης μου. Ἀφροσύνην δὲ ὀνομάζει τὴν ἄφρονα πρᾶξιν ἐξ ἀφροσύνης γενομένην. Πᾶν γὰρ ἁμάρτημα κατὰ ἀφροσύνην γίνεται· ἀρετὴ δὲ οὖσα ἡ φρόνησις, πάν τα τὰ καθ' ἑαυτὴν πραττόμενα ἐπαίνου καὶ ἀρετῆς ἄξια ἀποφαίνει. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑγείας ἐστὶ τῇ ψυχῇ ποιη τικὰ τὰ κατὰ φρόνησιν γινόμενα· ἡ δὲ ἀφροσύνη τραύματα καὶ μώλωπας ἀπεργάζεται. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν ἐπιμένοντες, χαίροντες ἐπ' αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐνηδόμενοι, χοίροις ἐοίκασιν ἐγκυλιομέ νοις βορβόρῳ· ὁ δὲ εἰς ἅπαξ ὀλισθήσας, ἔπειτα ἀναλαβὼν ἑαυτὸν, καὶ τὴν μιαρὰν ἐκείνην πρᾶ ξιν ὡς δυσώδη καὶ ἀκάθαρτον βδελύσσεται. Τοιοῦτόν τι πεπονθὼς ὁ Δαβὶδ, ὑπὸ συναισθήσεως ὑγιοῦς ὁμο λογεῖ, λέγων· Προσώζεσαν καὶ ἐσάπησαν οἱ μώλωπές μου ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς ἀφροσύνης μου. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ὑπερήρθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι μου πληθυν θεῖσαι, καὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀνώτεραι γενόμεναι ἐβαρύνθησαν ἐπ' ἐμὲ, καὶ προσώζεσαν καὶ ἐσάπησαν·","english":"For the one who is harsh and unyielding, according to his own hardness and unrepentant heart, stores up wrath for himself on a day of wrath, drawing sin upon sin, increasing his own evils. For when a sinner falls into a depth of evils, he becomes contemptuous. But the well-disposed person, even if he should slip once at some time through a snatching away by the devil, is grievously burdened in his conscience, so that he is unable to be silent or to hide his own evil. From the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks. Hence, unable to bear silence, he revealed what was oppressing him, saying: \"Like a heavy burden they have weighed heavily upon me\"—it is clear that these are my lawless acts. And again: \"My sores have festered from the face of my folly.\" And he calls folly the foolish action that comes from folly. For every sin occurs through folly; but prudence, being virtue, renders all things done in accordance with it worthy of praise and virtue. Moreover, things done according to prudence are productive of health for the soul; but folly produces wounds and sores. Now those who persist in their sins, rejoicing in them and taking delight, are like pigs wallowing in filth; but the one who has slipped once, then has recovered himself, abhors that foul action as foul-smelling and unclean. Having experienced something of this sort, David, from a healthy self-awareness, confesses, saying: \"My sores have festered and rotted from the face of my folly.\" Since, then, my lawless acts have been raised up, having multiplied and become higher than my head, they have weighed heavily upon me, and have festered and rotted.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀτεράμνων","severity":"info","text":"The adjective ἀτεράμνων (harsh, unyielding) is rare in patristic Greek, often denoting moral inflexibility. Basil uses it to contrast the unrepentant sinner with the well-disposed person.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"εὐγνώμων","severity":"info","text":"εὐγνώμων (well-disposed, conscientious) here describes a person of good moral sense. Basil employs it to highlight the internal burden of conscience after a single sin, as opposed to hardened sinners.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὡσεὶ φορτίον βαρὺ ἐβαρύνθησαν ἐπ' ἐμέ","severity":"info","text":"This is a direct quotation from Psalm 37:5 (LXX). Basil interprets the 'heavy burden' as the psalmist's own lawless acts, reinforcing the theme of overwhelming guilt.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Προσώζεσαν οἱ μώλωπές μου ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς ἀφροσύνης μου","severity":"info","text":"Another quotation from Psalm 37:6 (LXX). Basil glosses 'folly' (ἀφροσύνη) as the cause of sinful actions, linking physical decay to moral corruption.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"χοίροις ἐοίκασιν ἐγκυλιομένοις βορβόρῳ","severity":"info","text":"The comparison of persistent sinners to pigs wallowing in filth is a common moral trope in early Christian ascetic literature, emphasizing self-indulgence and lack of repentance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This passage contrasts two types of sinners: the hardened, unrepentant one who accumulates sins, and the well-disposed person who, after a single slip, is burdened by conscience and confesses. The structure supports the homily's exhortation to repentance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text uses 'ἀτεράμνων' which may be a variant spelling of 'ἀτέραμνος'; the meaning is clear. The phrase 'ἐκ περισσεύματος καρδίας τὸ στόμα λαλεῖ' is a proverbial expression, not a direct scriptural quote, though it echoes biblical language (cf. Matthew 12:34)."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":"τούτου χάριν ἰατρεύων ἐμαυτὸν, Ἐταλαιπώρησα, καὶ κατεκάμφθην ἕως τέλους· καὶ οὐδὲ πρὸς μίαν ἡμέραν, οὐδὲ πρὸς βραχεῖαν ὥραν, ἀλλὰ Πᾶσαν ἡμέραν σκυθρωπάζων ἐπορευόμην, ἢ, κατὰ τὸν Σύμμαχον, σκυθρωπὸς περιεπάτουν· οὐκ ἀδιαφο ρῶν ἐπὶ τῶν πεπραγμένων μοι, οὐδ' οἷα βασιλεὺς ἐπαιρόμενος, διὰ τὸ μηδενὶ κριτῇ ὑποκεῖσθαι· διὰ δὲ τὸν σὸν φόβον καὶ τὴν σὴν ἐμβρίμησιν, ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν σκυθρωπάζων ἐπορευόμην. Ὅτι αἱ ψόαι μου ἐπλήσθησαν ἐμπαιγμάτων, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου. Ἐκακώθην καὶ ἐταπεινώθην ἕως σφόδρα, ὠρυόμην ἀπὸ στεναγμοῦ τῆς καρδίας μου. Κύριε, ἐναντίον σου πᾶσα ἡ ἐπιθυμία μου, καὶ ὁ στεναγμός μου ἀπὸ σοῦ οὐκ ἀπεκρύβη. Ἀντὶ τοῦ, αἱ ψόαι μου ἐνεπλήσθησαν ἐμπαιγμάτων, ὁ Ἀκύλας, ὅτι ἐπληρώθησαν αἱ λαγόνες ἀτιμίας, ὁ δὲ Σύμμαχος, ὅτι αἱ ψόαι μου ἐπλήσθησαν ἀτιμίας, ἐκδεδώκασιν. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο εἰς ὑπόμνησιν ἐλθὼν τῆς αἰσχρᾶς καὶ ἀτίμου πράξεως, τῷ ἐῤῥῶσθαι αὐτῷ τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς αἰσθητήριον, ταῦτα ἔλεγε· Προσώζεσαν καὶ ἐσάπησαν οἱ μώλωπές μου ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς ἀφρο σύνης μου. Διὰ τί δὲ προσώζεσαν, ἐπάγει, λέγων· Ὅτι αἱ ψόαι μου ἐπλήσθησαν ἐμπαιγμάτων, ἢ, αἱ λαγόνες μου ἀτιμίας· ᾐνίξατο δὲ διὰ τούτων τὸ εἶδος τῆς αἰσχρᾶς πράξεως. Εἶτα ἑαυτὸν ἀνακτώμενος ἔλεγεν· Οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου.","english":"For this reason, healing myself, I suffered and was bent down to the end; and not for a single day, nor for a brief hour, but every day I went about gloomy, or, according to Symmachus, I walked about gloomy; not being indifferent to what had been done by me, nor like a king exalting myself because I was subject to no judge; but because of your fear and your rebuke, I went about gloomy the whole day. That my loins were filled with mockeries, and there is no healing in my flesh. I was afflicted and humbled exceedingly, I roared from the groaning of my heart. Lord, before you is all my desire, and my groaning is not hidden from you. Instead of, my loins were filled with mockeries, Aquila has, because my flanks were filled with dishonor, and Symmachus has, because my loins were filled with dishonor. And for this reason, coming to a recollection of the shameful and dishonorable deed, because the faculty of his soul was sound, he said these things: My wounds have become foul and festered from the face of my folly. And why they became foul, he adds, saying: Because my loins were filled with mockeries, or, my flanks with dishonor; and by these he hinted at the form of the shameful deed. Then, recovering himself, he said: There is no healing in my flesh.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ψόαι","severity":"info","text":"The Greek ψόαι (loins) is a term for the lower back or hip region, often associated in patristic exegesis with the seat of sexual desire or shame.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"αἱ ψόαι μου ἐπλήσθησαν ἐμπαιγμάτων","severity":"info","text":"This phrase is a citation of Psalm 37:8 (LXX). Basil's homily expounds the verse, interpreting 'mockeries' as a reference to shameful deeds.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Σύμμαχος","severity":"info","text":"Symmachus was a second-century translator of the Hebrew Bible into Greek. Basil cites his version to clarify the meaning of the psalmist's 'loins' as 'dishonor'.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἀκύλας","severity":"info","text":"Aquila was another early Greek translator, known for a literal rendering. Basil notes his translation 'flanks filled with dishonor' to contrast with Symmachus.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Εἶτα ἑαυτὸν ἀνακτώμενος","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a rhetorical turn: the speaker recovers from lament to a reflective statement, 'There is no healing in my flesh,' emphasizing the gravity of sin.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐταλαιπώρησα","severity":"caution","text":"The verb Ἐταλαιπώρησα ('I suffered') is aorist middle, but the context suggests a reflexive sense ('I afflicted myself'), which the English draft renders as 'healing myself'—a possible interpretive choice.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'Ἐταλαιπώρησα' could be read as passive ('I was afflicted') or middle ('I afflicted myself'); the English draft takes it as reflexive, aligning with Basil's therapeutic metaphor.","The referent of 'αἱ ψόαι' (loins) is ambiguous: Basil interprets it as a euphemism for shameful acts, but the literal anatomical sense remains in the psalm."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":11,"ref":"p11","source":"Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αἱ ψόαι μου ἐπλήσθησαν ἐμπαιγμάτων, διὰ τοῦτο, φησὶν, εἰς μετάνοιαν τῶν πεπραγμένων ἐλθὼν, τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ σάρκα κολάζω καὶ τιμωροῦμαι· διό φημι· Οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου· ὡς ἂν δυνηθείη ποτὲ κατορθώσας εἰπεῖν· Εἰ καὶ ὁ ἔξω ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος φθείρεται, ἀλλ' ὁ ἔσω ἀνακαινοῦται. Καὶ ἀνωτέρω δὲ ἔλεγεν· Οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν εἰρήνη ἐν τοῖς ὀστέοις μου. Εἶτα ἐπάγει· Ἐκακώθην καὶ ἐταπεινώθην ἕως σφόδρα. Τοῦτο δὲ ἑτέρως ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἐδήλου, φήσας· Ἐταλαιπώρησα, καὶ κατεκάμφθην ἕως τέλους. Ἴδιον ἀνδρῶν συνετῶν, τὸ μὴ ἐπαίρεσθαι ἐπὶ τοῖς κατὰ πρόληψιν καὶ συναρπαγὴν ἁμαρτανομένοις, ἀλλ' αἰδεῖσθαι καὶ ἐρυθριᾷν, καὶ τὴν συνείδησιν πλήττεσθαι, καὶ ταπεινοῦσθαι. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Δαβὶδ πρὸς τούτοις ἐπιλέγει· Ὠρυόμην ἀπὸ στεναγμοῦ τῆς καρδίας μου, ἢ, κατὰ τὸν Ἀκύλαν, Ἐβρυχόμην ἀπὸ βρυγμοῦ τῆς καρδίας μου. Οὐ γὰρ ἵνα τοῖς πολλοῖς φανερὸς γένωμαι, τοῖς χείλεσιν ἐξομολογοῦμαι· ἔνδον δὲ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ καρδίᾳ, τὸ ὄμμα μύων, σοὶ μόνῳ τῷ βλέ ποντι τὰ ἐν κρυπτῷ τοὺς ἐμαυτοῦ στεναγμοὺς ἐπιδεικνύω, ἐν ἐμαυτῷ ὠρυόμενος. Οὐδὲ γὰρ μακρῶν μοι λόγων χρεία ἦν πρὸς τὴν ἐξομολόγησιν· ἀπήρκουν γὰρ οἱ στεναγμοὶ τῆς καρδίας μου πρὸς ἐξομολόγησιν, καὶ οἱ ἀπὸ βάθους ψυχῆς πρὸς σὲ τὸν Θεὸν ἀναπεμπόμενοι ὀδυρμοί. Ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία καλὴ οὖσα ἐναντίον σου ἦν, Κύριε, καὶ αὕτη δὲ ἦν ἡ περὶ τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ σωτηρίας. Ὅτε μὲν γὰρ κακῶν γέγονα ἐπιθυμητὴς, οὐκ ἐναντίον σου ἦν ἡ ἐπιθυμία μου·","english":"Since my loins were filled with mockeries, for this reason, he says, having come to repentance for what was done, I punish and chastise my own flesh; therefore I say: There is no healing in my flesh, so that, having perhaps succeeded, I might say: Even if the outer man in us is corrupted, the inner man is renewed. And earlier he said: There is no healing in my flesh, and there is no peace in my bones. Then he adds: I was afflicted and humbled exceedingly. This he indicated differently in the preceding passages, saying: I suffered and was bent down to the end. It is characteristic of prudent men not to be elated over sins committed through preconception and seizure, but to be ashamed and blush, and to be struck in conscience, and to be humbled. For David adds to these: I roared from the groaning of my heart, or, according to Aquila, I gnashed from the grinding of my heart. For it is not that I may become visible to the many that I confess with my lips; but within, in the heart itself, closing my eye, I display my own groans to you alone who see what is hidden, roaring within myself. For I had no need of long words for confession; the groans of my heart sufficed for confession, and the lamentations sent up from the depth of my soul to you, God. But also the desire, being good, was before you, Lord, and this was concerning my own salvation. For when I became a desirer of evils, my desire was not before you.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ψόαι","severity":"info","text":"The Greek ψόαι (loins) is a literal rendering of the Hebrew; in patristic exegesis it often symbolizes the seat of generative or sinful impulses.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Οὐκ ἔστιν ἴασις ἐν τῇ σαρκί μου","severity":"info","text":"This phrase echoes Psalm 37:6 LXX; Basil uses it to link the psalmist's physical suffering to spiritual repentance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὠρυόμην ἀπὸ στεναγμοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Basil cites Aquila's version (Ἐβρυχόμην ἀπὸ βρυγμοῦ) to emphasize the intensity of inner groaning, a common technique in his hexaplaric references.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἔσω ἄνθρωπος","severity":"info","text":"The distinction between outer and inner man is a Pauline motif (cf. 2 Cor 4:16); Basil adapts it to describe spiritual renewal through repentance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Καὶ ἀνωτέρω δὲ ἔλεγεν","severity":"info","text":"Basil signals a cross-reference within the psalm, showing his method of connecting verses to build a coherent exegetical argument.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐκακώθην καὶ ἐταπεινώθην","severity":"caution","text":"The Greek text here may reflect a variant reading or paraphrase; the LXX of Psalm 37:9 has different wording, so Basil's citation is interpretive.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἐμπαιγμάτων' (mockeries) could refer to physical afflictions or moral deceptions; Basil takes it as a cause for repentance.","The identity of the speaker shifts between David and a generic penitent; Basil treats the psalm as David's voice throughout."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":12,"ref":"p12","source":"νυνὶ δὲ, ὅτε πάντα πράττω ταπεινούμενος καὶ ὠρυόμενος ἀπὸ στεναγμοῦ τῆς καρδίας μου, καὶ σοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ σωτῆρος καὶ ἰατροῦ τυχεῖν ἐπιθυμῶν, ἐναντίον σου ἐστιν ἡ ἐπιθυμία μου, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τῶν ἐμῶν στεναγμῶν οὐκ ἀγνοεῖς. Οἶσθα γὰρ, ὅτι πρέποντα τῇ σου φιλανθρωπίᾳ στεναγμὸν ἀναπέμπω· ἐπεὶ μὴ βούλῃ τὸν θάνατον τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ, ὡς τὴν μετάνοιαν αὐτοῦ. Διό φημι· Καὶ ὁ στεναγμός μου ἀπὸ σοῦ οὐκ ἀπεκρύβη. Ἡ καρδία μου ἐταράχθη, ἐγκατέλιπέ με ἡ ἰσχύς μου, καὶ τὸ φῶς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου, καὶ αὐτὸ οὐκ ἔστι μετ' ἐμοῦ. Οἱ φίλοι μου καὶ οἱ πλησίον μου ἐξ ἐναντίας μου ἤγγισαν καὶ ἔστη σαν. Καὶ οἱ ἔγγιστά μου ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἔστησαν· καὶ ἐξεβιάζοντο οἱ ζητοῦντες τὴν ψυχήν μου· καὶ οἱ ζητοῦντες τὰ κακά μοι ἐλάλησαν ματαιότητας, καὶ δολιότητας ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐμελέτησαν.\n\nΠροεπισημηνάμενος ἐν τῇ προγραφῇ, ὡς ἄρα εἴη εἰς ἀνάμνησιν, εἰκότως ἀναπεμπάζεται, καὶ τῇ μνήμῃ τὰ πάλαι αὐτῷ συμβεβηκότα ἐπανα λαμβάνει. Διδάσκει δὲ ἐν οἷς γέγονεν, ἐν τῷ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ὀλισθήματι περιπεσών· οὗ χάριν καὶ τὴν πᾶσαν ποιεῖται ἐξομολόγησιν. Ἐταλαιπώρησα οὖν, καὶ κατεκάμφθην, καὶ σκυθρωπάζων ἐπορευόμην, καὶ ἐταπεινώθην, καὶ ὠρυόμην ἀπὸ στεναγμοῦ τῆς καρδίας μου. Εἰς πάντα ταῦτα ἐλήλυθα· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ καιρῷ τινι Ἡ καρδία μου ἐταράχθη, καὶ ἐγκατέλιπέ με ἡ ἰσχύς μου, καὶ τὸ φῶς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου, καὶ αὐτὸ οὐκ ἔστιν μετ' ἐμοῦ. Κατὰ γὰρ τὸν τῆς ἁμαρτίας καιρὸν, οὐ μικρὰν ὑπέμεινεν αὐτοῦ ταραχὴν τὸ διανοητικὸν, συγχυθὲν καὶ σκοτωθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐνεργοῦντος, ὡς καὶ εἰς ἀφροσύνην πεσεῖν. Διὸ καὶ ἀνωτέρω ἔλεγε·","english":"Now, when I do everything humbled and roaring from the groaning of my heart, and desiring to meet with you, God, savior and physician, my desire is contrary to you, and you are not ignorant of the cause of my groans. For you know that I send up a groan befitting your philanthropy, since you do not wish the death of the sinner as much as his repentance. Therefore I say: And my groan was not hidden from you. My heart was troubled, my strength abandoned me, and the light of my eyes, even that, is not with me. My friends and my neighbors drew near against me and stood. And those nearest to me stood afar off; and those seeking my soul were constrained; and those seeking my evils spoke vanities to me, and they devised deceits all day long.\n\nHaving indicated in the preface that it was for remembrance, he naturally recapitulates and takes up again in memory the things that happened to him long ago. And he teaches in what circumstances he fell into the slip of sin; for which reason he also makes the entire confession. I suffered hardship, then, and I was bowed down, and I went about gloomy, and I was humbled, and I roared from the groaning of my heart. I have come to all these things; for at some time my heart was troubled, and my strength abandoned me, and the light of my eyes, even that, is not with me. For at the time of sin, his reasoning faculty underwent no small disturbance, being confounded and darkened by that which works the sin, so as even to fall into folly. Therefore he also said above:","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"νυνὶ δὲ, ὅτε πάντα πράττω ταπεινούμενος καὶ ὠρυόμενος","severity":"info","text":"Basil interprets the psalmist's self-description as a penitential posture, emphasizing humility and audible groaning as signs of repentance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Καὶ ὁ στεναγμός μου ἀπὸ σοῦ οὐκ ἀπεκρύβη","severity":"info","text":"This phrase echoes Psalm 37:10 LXX: 'And my groaning was not hidden from you,' which Basil cites as the psalmist's direct address to God.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἡ καρδία μου ἐταράχθη, ἐγκατέλιπέ με ἡ ἰσχύς μου, καὶ τὸ φῶς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου","severity":"info","text":"This sequence closely follows Psalm 37:11-12 LXX, describing the psalmist's inner turmoil and physical weakness as consequences of sin.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Προεπισημηνάμενος ἐν τῇ προγραφῇ","severity":"info","text":"Basil notes that the psalmist's recapitulation of past events is signaled in the preface, indicating a deliberate narrative structure of remembrance and confession.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ διανοητικὸν","severity":"info","text":"The term 'reasoning faculty' (τὸ διανοητικὸν) reflects Basil's Platonic psychology, where sin confuses the rational part of the soul, leading to folly.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τῇ σου φιλανθρωπίᾳ","severity":"info","text":"God's 'philanthropy' (φιλανθρωπία) is a key concept in Basil's soteriology, emphasizing divine mercy that prefers repentance over punishment.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text is clear; no significant ambiguities in this passage."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":13,"ref":"p13","source":"Προσώζεσαν καὶ ἐσάπησαν οἱ μώλωπές μου ἀπὸ προσ ώπου τῆς ἀφροσύνης μου. Ἐταράχθη τοίνυν ἡ καρδία αὐτοῦ, ὅτε ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ ἐγεγόνει, καὶ τῆς μὲν κατὰ τὴν φρόνησιν ἀρετῆς ἐξέπιπτεν, ἔργα δὲ ἀφρο σύνης ἔπραττε. Τότε δὲ καὶ ἐγκατέλιπεν αὐτὸν ἡ ἰσχὺς αὐτοῦ· οὐκέτι γὰρ οἷός τε ἦν λέγειν· Πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με Χριστῷ, νικηθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ πάθους καὶ ἐξατονήσας. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν κατορθούντων· Τὸ πνεῦμα πρόθυμον, ἡ δὲ σὰρξ ἀσθενής· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν νικωμένων ἡ σὰρξ κατεπαίρεται καὶ κατισχύει, ἀτονεῖ δὲ καὶ ἐξασθενεῖ ἡ ψυχή. Τότε οὖν, φησὶν, ὅτε ἡμάρτανον, ἡ καρδία μου ἐτα ράχθη, καὶ ἐγκατέλιπέ με ἡ ἰσχύς μου, καὶ ἄλλο τι χαλεπὸν περὶ ἐμὲ γέγονε. Τὸ γὰρ φῶς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου (τοῦτο δὲ ἦν τὸ προφητικὸν Πνεῦμα, τὸ\n\nφωτίζον αὐτοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν ὅρασιν), καὶ αὐτὸ οὐκ ἦν μετ' ἐμοῦ, καταλεῖψάν με καὶ ἀναχωρῆσαν, Ἐπεὶ εἰς κακότεχνον ψυχὴν οὐκ εἰσελεύσεται σοφία, οὐδὲ κατοικήσει ἐν σώματι κατάχρεῳ ἁμαρτίας. Ἅγιον γὰρ Πνεῦμα παιδείας φεύξεται δόλον, καὶ ἀπαναστήσεται ἀπὸ λογισμῶν ἀσυνέτων. Ἀναχωρῆσαν τοίνυν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ἔρημον αὐτὸν κατέλιπεν μετὰ τὸ ταραχθῆναι αὐτοῦ τὴν καρδίαν, καὶ ἐξατονῆσαι αὐτοῦ τὴν ἰσχύν. Τότε γὰρ καὶ τὸ φῶς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ ἔρημον αὐτὸν εἴασεν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ πρότερον αὐτοῦ φίλοι, καὶ οἱ πλησίον αὐτοῦ, οἱ τὸν πάντα χρόνον αὐτῷ συνόντες, ἐάσαντες αὐτὸν, Μακρόθεν ἔστησαν, οὐκέτι αὐτῷ συνεῖναι βουλόμενοι, πόῤῥωθεν ἀποκλαιόμενοι, ὡς ἔοικε, φίλου συμφοράν.","english":"My sores have festered and rotted from the face of my folly. His heart was troubled, then, when he was in folly, and he fell from the virtue that comes with prudence and did deeds of folly. Then also his strength abandoned him; for he was no longer able to say, \"I am strong in all things through Christ who strengthens me,\" having been overcome by passion and enfeebled. For in the case of those who succeed, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak; in the case of those who are defeated, the flesh is arrogant and prevails, while the soul is slack and weakens. Then, he says, when I was sinning, my heart was troubled, and my strength abandoned me, and something else grievous happened to me. For the light of my eyes (and this was the prophetic Spirit, which illumines the vision of his soul), even that was not with me, having left me and withdrawn, since wisdom will not enter a soul that is crafty in evil, nor will it dwell in a body that is a debtor to sin. For the holy Spirit of instruction will flee from deceit and will depart from senseless thoughts. So, when the holy Spirit withdrew from him, it left him desolate after his heart was troubled and his strength enfeebled. For then the light of his eyes also left him desolate. But also his former friends and his neighbors, who had spent all their time with him, left him and stood at a distance, no longer wishing to be with him, weeping from afar, as it seems, at the misfortune of a friend.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Προσώζεσαν καὶ ἐσάπησαν οἱ μώλωπές μου","severity":"info","text":"The opening clause describes the speaker's sores festering and rotting, a vivid metaphor for the spiritual decay resulting from folly.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀφροσύνης","severity":"info","text":"Ἀφροσύνη (folly) is a key term in this homily, contrasting with φρόνησις (prudence) and denoting a state of moral and spiritual ignorance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Πάντα ἰσχύω ἐν τῷ ἐνδυναμοῦντί με Χριστῷ","severity":"info","text":"This phrase echoes Pauline language of strength in Christ (cf. Phil 4:13?); Basil adapts it to illustrate the loss of spiritual fortitude.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"τὸ φῶς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου (τοῦτο δὲ ἦν τὸ προφητικὸν Πνεῦμα)","severity":"info","text":"Basil identifies the 'light of the eyes' with the prophetic Spirit, a common exegetical move in patristic interpretation of the Psalms.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Τότε οὖν, φησὶν, ὅτε ἡμάρτανον","severity":"info","text":"The passage shifts from third-person description to a first-person quotation ('he says'), marking a rhetorical move to dramatize the speaker's confession.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν κατορθούντων· Τὸ πνεῦμα πρόθυμον, ἡ δὲ σὰρξ ἀσθενής","severity":"info","text":"This antithesis between the willing spirit and weak flesh (success) versus arrogant flesh and slack soul (defeat) parallels a common moral dichotomy in ascetic literature.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the speaker (David or a generic penitent) is not explicitly resolved; Basil treats it as a dramatic persona.","The phrase 'προφητικὸν Πνεῦμα' could refer to the Spirit of prophecy or the Holy Spirit; Basil seems to conflate them."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":14,"ref":"p14","source":"Τίνες δὲ ἦσαν, ἀλλ' ἢ οἱ ἐπὶ τοῖς προτέροις αὐτοῦ ἀγαθοῖς χαίροντες, ἄγγελοι δηλαδὴ ἀγαθοὶ καὶ λειτουργοὶ Θεοῦ, τῇ τῶν ἀνθρώπων συγχαίρειν εἰωθότες σωτη ρίᾳ; εἴ γε, ἐπὶ ἁμαρτωλῷ μετανοοῦντι, ἐν τοῖς οὐρα νοῖς χαρὰ γίνεται· Καὶ παρεμβαλεῖ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κύκλῳ τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτόν. Καὶ οὗτοι οὖν πάν τες οἱ τοῦ Δαβὶδ φίλοι, κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἁμαρτίας αὐτοῦ καιρὸν ἀνεχώρουν ἀποστρεφόμενοι· οὐ μὴν πάντη αὐτὸν κατελίμπανον, μακρὰν δὲ ἑστῶτες ἐπέστενον· ὃ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸ διδάσκει, λέγων· Οἱ φίλοι μου καὶ οἱ πλησίον μου ἐξ ἐναντίας μου ἤγγισαν, καὶ ἔστησαν. Καὶ οἱ ἔγγιστά μου, ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἔστη σαν. Ὧν μακράν μου γενομένων, ἄλλοι τινὲς οἱ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐνεργοῦντες πλησίον μου γενόμενοι, ἐξεβιάζοντο, καὶ τῆς ἐμῆς ψυχῆς κατέπαιζον. Διὸ ἐπάγει, λέγων· Ἐξεβιάζοντο οἱ ζητοῦντες τὴν ψυχήν μου· καὶ οἱ ζητοῦντες τὰ κακά μοι ἐλάλησαν ματαιότητας, καὶ δολιότητας ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐμελέτησαν.\n\nΠάλαι γὰρ οὗτοι διψῶντες τοῦ ἐμοῦ αἵματος, καὶ ἐκ μακρῶν χρόνων εὐχόμενοι θεάσασθαί μου τὴν πτῶσιν, ὡσανεὶ καιροῦ λαβόμενοι, ὅτε εἶδον καταλείψασάν με τὴν ἰσχύν μου, καὶ τὸ φῶς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου ἀναχωρῆσάν μου, τούς τε φίλους μου καὶ τοὺς πλησίον μου μακράν μου γενομένους· πα ραχρῆμα ἐπιπηδήσαντες ἐξεβιάζοντο τὴν ψυχήν μου, καὶ ὡς ἂν ἐθελόκακοι, Ἐλάλησαν ματαιότητας, ἔνδον ὑποβάλλοντές μου τῇ ψυχῇ ματαίους λόγους· ἀλλὰ καὶ σὺν δόλῳ θέλγοντες καὶ ἀπατῶντες, ὡς ἐπὶ ἀγαθοῖς ἐδελέαζον, καθέλκοντές με εἰς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Διὸ ἐπάγει· Καὶ δολιότητας ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐμελέτησαν.","english":"Who were they, if not those rejoicing at his former good deeds, clearly good angels and ministers of God, accustomed to rejoicing together with the salvation of men? Since, indeed, over a sinner who repents, joy arises in the heavens: And the angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear him. And so all these friends of David, at the time of his sin, withdrew, turning away; yet they did not entirely abandon him, but standing at a distance they groaned; which indeed he himself teaches, saying: My friends and my neighbors drew near opposite me, and stood. And those nearest to me stood far off. When they had gone far from me, certain others, those who work the sin, having come near me, pressed hard and mocked my soul. Therefore he adds, saying: Those who sought my soul pressed hard; and those who sought evils for me spoke vanities, and they practiced deceptions all day long.\n\nFor long ago these, thirsting for my blood, and from distant times praying to see my fall, as if seizing the opportunity, when they saw that my strength had left me, and the light of my eyes had withdrawn from me, and my friends and my neighbors had gone far from me; immediately leaping upon me, they pressed hard upon my soul, and as if malicious, They spoke vanities, suggesting vain words within my soul; but also with deceit, charming and deceiving, they lured me as if with good things, dragging me down into sin. Therefore he adds: And they practiced deceptions all day long.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Καὶ παρεμβαλεῖ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κύκλῳ τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτόν","severity":"info","text":"Basil cites a scriptural phrase not found verbatim in the LXX; it likely conflates Psalm 33:8 and Psalm 90:4, reflecting a common liturgical or memory variant.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Οἱ φίλοι μου καὶ οἱ πλησίον μου ἐξ ἐναντίας μου ἤγγισαν, καὶ ἔστησαν","severity":"info","text":"This is a paraphrase of Psalm 37:12 LXX (οἱ φίλοι μου καὶ οἱ πλησίον μου ἐξ ἐναντίας μου ἤγγισαν, καὶ ἔστησαν), which Basil then glosses.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐξεβιάζοντο οἱ ζητοῦντες τὴν ψυχήν μου","severity":"info","text":"Basil quotes Psalm 37:13 LXX (ἐξεβιάζοντο οἱ ζητοῦντες τὴν ψυχήν μου), then expands with a paraphrase of the following verse.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἄγγελοι δηλαδὴ ἀγαθοὶ","severity":"info","text":"Basil identifies the 'friends' of David as good angels, a common patristic exegetical move that personifies spiritual forces in the psalmist's narrative.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Διὸ ἐπάγει","severity":"info","text":"Basil uses the formula 'therefore he adds' twice to mark the psalmist's own words as proof-texts, structuring the homily as a running commentary with embedded scriptural citations.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Καὶ παρεμβαλεῖ ἄγγελος Κυρίου κύκλῳ τῶν φοβουμένων αὐτόν","severity":"caution","text":"The citation is not a direct LXX verse; it may be a conflation or a free quotation from memory. The exact source is uncertain, and the reading should not be treated as a precise scriptural reference.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'friends' is ambiguous: Basil interprets them as good angels, but the psalm text itself does not specify. The citation of the angelic encampment is not verbatim from the LXX, leaving its source uncertain."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":15,"ref":"p15","source":"Ἐγὼ δὲ ὡσεὶ κωφὸς οὐκ ἤκουον, καὶ ὡσεὶ ἄλαλος οὐκ ἀνοίγων τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐγενό μην ὡσεὶ ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἀκούων, καὶ οὐκ ἔχων ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ ἐλεγμούς. Ἐπειδὴ οἱ ζητοῦν τες τὴν ψυχήν μου, εὗρον αὐτὴν, εἶθ' εὑρόντες κατέπαιζον, ἐπέβησαν δὲ ἐπιτωθάζοντες τοῖς ἐμοῖς κακοῖς· εἶτα ἐλάλουν ματαιότητας καὶ δολιότητας ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν. Ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐγὼ ἔρημος γεγονὼς τῶν ἐμαυ τοῦ φίλων, οὐδὲν εἶχον λέγειν, αἰσχύνης πεπληρω μένος· διὸ ὡσεὶ κωφὸς οὐκ ἤκουον· ἀλλ' ὁ πάλαι λογιώτατος, καὶ τῇ παρούσῃ σοφίᾳ σεσοφισμένος γέγονα ὡσεὶ κωφὸς οὐκ ἀκούων, καὶ ὡς ἄλαλος οὐκ ἀνοίγων τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ. Οὐδεὶς γάρ μοι λόγος ἦν πρὸς ἀπολογίαν· οὐδ' εἶχόν τινα τοῖς ἐχθροῖς προσφθέγγεσθαι, ἅπαξ ὑπ' αὐτῶν νενικημένος· ἀλλ' ἤμην Ὡς ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἀκούων, καὶ οὐκ ἔχων ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ ἐλεγμούς. Ἠλεγχόμην γὰρ αὐ τὸς, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἤλεγχον, οὐδὲ εἶχον παῤῥησίαν, αἰσχύνῃ κεκαλυμμένος. Ὅτι ἐπὶ σοὶ, Κύριε, ἤλπισα, σὺ εἰσακούσῃ, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου. Ὅτι εἶπον, μήποτε ἐπιχαρῶσί μοι οἱ ἐχθροί μου· καὶ ἐν τῷ σαλευθῆναι πόδας μου, ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἐμεγαλοῤῥημόνησαν. Τὰ δὴ συμβεβηκότα μοι ταῦτα. Διὸ γέγονα ὡσεὶ κωφὸς οὐκ ἀκούων, καὶ ὡς ἄλαλος οὐκ ἀνοίγων τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὡσεὶ ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἔχων ἐλεγμούς· διὸ οὐδὲν πρὸς τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἔλεγον, ὡς ἂν ὑπ' αὐ τῶν νενικημένος. Οὐ μὴν διὰ τοῦτο ἀπέγνων ἐμαυ τοῦ· συνῆγον δὲ πάλιν ἐμαυτὸν, τῆς μὲν ἁμαρτίας ὡς θανάτου ἀποπηδήσας, τοῖς δὲ τῆς ἐξομολογήσεως φαρμάκοις τὸ ἐμαυτοῦ ἕλκος ἰώμενος. Καὶ τοὺς προσοζέσαντάς μοι μώλωπας ἀπὸ τῆς ἀφροσύνης μου, θεραπείας","english":"But I, as if deaf, did not hear, and as if speechless, did not open my mouth; and I became like a man who does not hear, and who has no reproofs in his mouth. Since those who sought my soul found it, and having found it, they mocked me, and they set upon me, scoffing at my misfortunes; then they spoke vanities and deceits all day long. In these circumstances, having become bereft of my own friends, I had nothing to say, being filled with shame; therefore, as if deaf, I did not hear. But I, once most eloquent and wise with the wisdom at hand, became as if deaf, not hearing, and as speechless, not opening my mouth. For I had no word of defense; nor did I have anything to say to my enemies, once defeated by them; but I was like a man who does not hear, and who has no reproofs in his mouth. For I myself was reproached, but I did not reproach, nor did I have boldness, being covered with shame. Because I hoped in you, O Lord, you will hear, O Lord my God. Because I said, \"May my enemies never rejoice over me\"; and when my feet were shaken, they spoke boastfully against me. These are the things that have befallen me. Therefore I became as if deaf, not hearing, and as speechless, not opening his mouth, and as a man having no reproofs; therefore I said nothing to my enemies, as if defeated by them. Yet I did not despair of myself on this account; but I gathered myself again, leaping away from sin as from death, and healing my own wound with the medicines of confession. And the sores that stank from my folly, I healed with treatment.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐλεγμούς","severity":"info","text":"The Greek term ἐλεγμός (reproof, refutation) is used twice in this passage. Basil interprets it as the ability to reproach or counter-argue, which the speaker lacks due to shame.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Psalm 37 (LXX)","severity":"info","text":"The passage is a direct exposition of Psalm 37 (LXX), verses 14-16. Basil paraphrases and expands the psalmist's words, especially the phrases 'as if deaf' and 'as if speechless'.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐξομολογήσεως φαρμάκοις","severity":"info","text":"The 'medicines of confession' (ἐξομολογήσεως φαρμάκοις) reflect a therapeutic view of penance common in early Christian ascetic literature, where confession heals the soul's wounds.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"narrative","severity":"info","text":"This passage forms a narrative unit within the homily, recounting the psalmist's experience of shame and silence after sin, followed by a turn to hope and self-healing through confession.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀποπηδήσας","severity":"info","text":"The verb ἀποπηδάω (leap away) is used elsewhere by Basil to describe abrupt moral conversion, e.g., in Hom. in Ps. 32, where the soul leaps from sin as from a precipice.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"προσοζέσαντάς μοι μώλωπας","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'sores that stank' (προσοζέσαντάς μοι μώλωπας) is vivid but textually uncertain; some manuscripts read προσοζέσαντας (having stank) or προσοζέσαντάς (accusative). The sense is clear: foul-smelling wounds from folly.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text has minor orthographic variation (e.g., ἐγενό μην for ἐγενόμην) but no significant ambiguity in meaning. The phrase 'προσοζέσαντάς μοι μώλωπας' could be parsed as dative or accusative; the translation takes it as accusative object of θεραπείας."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":16,"ref":"p16","source":"τυχεῖν ἀξιῶ. Διὸ Ἐπὶ σοὶ, Κύριε, ἤλπισα· οὐ γὰρ ἐμαυτῷ θαῤῥῶν, οὐδὲ ἄλλην τινὰ ἐλπίδα θέμενος πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἢ σὲ, τὰ τῆς ἰάσεως ὑπέγραφον ἐμαυτῷ. Ἐπειδὴ οὖν ἤλπισα, Κύριε, ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει, διὰ τοῦτο εἰσάκου σον, ὅτι θελητὴς ἐλέους εἶ σὺ, καὶ οὐ βούλει τὸν θάνατον τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ, ὡς τὴν μετάνοιαν αὐτοῦ. Διότι ἤλπισα ἐπὶ σὲ, ἱκετεύω τῆς παρὰ σοῦ βοηθείας ἐπιτυχεῖν, Μή ποτε ἐπιχαρῶσί μοι οἱ ἐχθροί μου. Οὔπω μὲν γὰρ παντελῶς ἐχάρησαν· ἐπιχαροῦνται δὲ, εἰ μὴ τύχοιμι τοῦ σοῦ ἐλέους ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ ἐπιχαρείησάν μοι οἱ ἐχθροί μου, οἱ ἤδη καὶ πρότερον ἐν τῷ σαλευθῆναι πόδας μου μεγαλοῤῥημονήσαντες, ἐπὶ σὲ κατέφυγον, καί φημι· Μὴ καταισχυνθείην εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, μηδὲ καταγελασάτωσάν μου οἱ ἐχθροί μου. Καὶ πάλιν φημί· Πρὸς σὲ, Κύριε, κεκράξομαι, μὴ παρασιωπήσῃς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, μή ποτε παρα σιωπήσῃς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, καὶ ὁμοιωθήσομαι τοῖς κατα βαίνουσιν εἰς λάκκον. Καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ ἐν τοῖς ἑτέροις ψαλμοῖς διαφόρως μοι λελεγμένα, ἐν τῇ πρὸς σὲ ἱκετηρίᾳ συνάγων, τῆς παρούσης βοηθείας τυχεῖν ἀξιῶ. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα σαλευθῆναί μου συνέβη τοὺς πόδας, καθ' ὃν καιρὸν ἡ καρδία μου ἐταράχθη, καὶ ἐγκατέλιπέ με ἡ ἰσχύς μου, καὶ τὸ φῶς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν μου οὐκ ἦν μετ' ἐμοῦ, ἀλλ' οὐ πάντη πε ριετράπην, οὐδὲ πτῶμα ἔπεσον τοιοῦτον, οἷον οἱ ἀποστάται γενόμενοι. Ἐπειδὴ ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ, ἐν τῷ σαλευθῆναι τοὺς πόδας μου, ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἐμεγαλοῤῥημόνησαν οἱ ἐχθροί μου, ἵνα μὴ μει ζόνως ἐπικροτήσωσι κατ' ἐμοῦ, ἐπὶ σὲ κατέφυγον ὡς ἐπὶ λιμένα σωτηρίας, τὸν καὶ τὰ ἀνίατα παρὰ ἀνθρώποις τῆς ψυχῆς πάθη ἰάσασθαι δυνάμενον.","english":"I deem it worthy to obtain. Therefore, \"In you, Lord, I hoped\"; for not trusting in myself, nor placing any other hope before my eyes but you, did I prescribe the remedies for myself. Since, then, I hoped, Lord, and hope does not put to shame, for this reason hear me, because you are a lover of mercy, and you do not desire the death of the sinner, but rather his repentance. Because I hoped in you, I beseech you to obtain your aid: \"Let my enemies never rejoice over me.\" For they have not yet fully rejoiced; but they will rejoice if I do not obtain your mercy. But so that my enemies may not rejoice over me—those who already earlier, when my feet were shaken, boasted loudly—I fled to you, and I say: \"May I not be put to shame forever, nor may my enemies mock me.\" And again I say: \"To you, Lord, I will cry out; do not be silent toward me, never be silent toward me, and I will become like those who descend into a pit.\" And gathering together the rest of what has been said by me in various ways in the other psalms, in this supplication to you, I deem it worthy to obtain present help. For even if it happened that my feet were very much shaken, at the time when my heart was disturbed and my strength abandoned me and the light of my eyes was not with me, yet I was not utterly overturned, nor did I fall such a fall as apostates do. Since at that very time, when my feet were shaken, my enemies boasted loudly over me, so that they might not clap their hands even more against me, I fled to you as to a harbor of safety, you who are able to heal even the incurable passions of the soul among men.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐπὶ σοὶ, Κύριε, ἤλπισα","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'In you, Lord, I hoped' is a direct citation of Psalm 37:16 (LXX), the lemma of the homily, establishing the speaker's reliance on God.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"θελητὴς ἐλέους","severity":"info","text":"The term 'θελητὴς ἐλέους' (lover of mercy) is a rare compound, emphasizing God's active will toward mercy, a key theme in Basil's soteriology.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"σαλευθῆναί μου τοὺς πόδας","severity":"info","text":"The metaphor of 'feet being shaken' reflects the psalmist's (and Basil's) experience of spiritual instability, common in ascetic literature as a trial of faith.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"λιμένα σωτηρίας","severity":"info","text":"The image of God as a 'harbor of safety' parallels classical and patristic tropes (e.g., Clement of Alexandria, Stromata) for divine refuge from sin.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Καὶ πάλιν φημί","severity":"info","text":"The repeated 'Καὶ πάλιν φημί' (And again I say) structures the passage as a cumulative prayer, weaving multiple psalm verses into a single supplication.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"τὰ λοιπὰ ἐν τοῖς ἑτέροις ψαλμοῖς","severity":"caution","text":"Basil's reference to 'the rest in the other psalms' is vague; the exact verses are not specified, leaving the intertextual scope ambiguous.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'τὰ λοιπὰ ἐν τοῖς ἑτέροις ψαλμοῖς' does not identify which psalms are meant, leaving the full scriptural tapestry unclear.","The identity of 'οἱ ἐχθροί μου' (my enemies) is ambiguous—could be literal opponents or spiritual forces."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":17,"ref":"p17","source":"Ὅτι ἐγὼ εἰς μάστιγας ἕτοιμος καὶ ἡ ἀλγηδών μου ἐνώπιόν μού ἐστι διαπαντός. Ὅτι τὴν ἀνομίαν μου ἐγὼ ἀναγγελῶ καὶ μεριμνήσω ὑπὲρ τῆς ἁμαρτίας μου. Καταρχὰς εἰπὼν, Μὴ τῷ θυμῷ σου ἐλέγξῃς με, ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος φησίν· Ὅτι ἐγὼ εἰς μάστιγας ἕτοιμος. Οὐκοῦν τὴν μὲν ὀργὴν παραιτεῖται καὶ τὸν θυμὸν, ἕτοιμος δὲ μαστίζεσθαι εἶναι λέγει· οἶδε γὰρ, ὅτι Ὃν ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος παιδεύει, μαστιγοῖ δὲ πάντα υἱὸν ὃν παραδέχεται. Διὸ καὶ ἔφερε γενναίως τὰς μάστιγας τὰς διὰ τῶν ἐπαλλήλων συμφορῶν μετὰ τὸ ἁμάρτημα συμβεβηκυίας αὐτῷ, ἃς ἡ ἱστορία τῶν Βασιλειῶν περιέχει. Καὶ ἡ ἀλγηδών μου ἐνώπιόν μού ἐστι διαπαντός. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ πολλοὶ λήθην ποιοῦνται τῶν προτέρων ἁμαρτημάτων, ἀδιαφοροῦντες ἐπ' αὐτοῖς, καὶ κατα-φρονοῦντες, ὡς μηδεμιᾶς ἐκδικήσεως γενησομένης· ὁ δὲ τὸ δικαστήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν διαπαντὸς ἔχων, καὶ πεπεισμένος, ὅτι πάντες παραστησόμεθα τῷ βήματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἵνα κομίσηται ἕκαστος τὰ διὰ τοῦ σώματος πρὸς ὃ ἔπραξεν, εἴτε ἀγαθὸν, εἴτε φαῦλον· ἐν ἀγωνίᾳ καθέστηκε πάντοτε, καὶ τὴν ἀλγηδόνα τὴν ἐν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῇ, ταύτην ἰάσασθαι φροντίζων, αὐτὸς ἑαυτοῦ κατηγορεῖ διὰ τῶν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἐξομολογήσεων. Διό φησιν· Ἡ ἀλγηδών μου ἐνώπιόν μού ἐστι διαπαντὸς, ὅτι τὴν ἀνομίαν μου ἐγὼ ἀναγγελῶ, καὶ μεριμνήσω ὑπὲρ τῆς ἁμαρτίας μου. Πιστῆς δὲ ψυχῆς καὶ ἀκριβῶς πεπεισμένης περὶ τῆς κρίσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ τυγχάνουσιν αἱ τοιαῦται φωναί. Οἱ δὲ ἐχθροί μου ζῶσι, καὶ κεκραταίωνται ὑπὲρ ἐμέ· καὶ ἐπλη-θύνθησαν οἱ μισοῦντές με ἀδίκως. Οἱ ἀνταποδιδόντες μοι κακὰ ἀντὶ ἀγαθῶν, ἐνδιέβαλλόν με, ἐπεὶ κατεδίωκον ἀγαθωσύνην.","english":"That I am ready for scourges, and my pain is before me continually. That I will declare my lawlessness and be anxious concerning my sin. Having said at the beginning, \"Do not rebuke me in your wrath,\" he now says: \"That I am ready for scourges.\" Therefore, he deprecates wrath and anger, but says he is ready to be scourged; for he knows that the Lord disciplines whom he loves, and scourges every son whom he receives. Hence he bore nobly the scourges that came upon him through successive calamities after his sin, which the history of the Kings contains. And my pain is before me continually. For most people consign their former sins to oblivion, being indifferent to them and despising them, as if no vengeance would occur; but he who has the judgment of God before his eyes continually, and is convinced that we shall all stand before the tribunal of Christ, so that each may receive through the body what he has done, whether good or evil, is always in anguish, and, caring to heal the pain in his own soul, accuses himself through his confessions to God. Therefore he says: \"My pain is before me continually, that I will declare my lawlessness, and be anxious concerning my sin.\" Such utterances belong to a faithful soul and one thoroughly convinced concerning the judgment of God. But my enemies live, and have grown strong against me; and those who hate me unjustly have multiplied. Those who repay me evil for good slandered me, because I pursued goodness.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"μάστιγας","severity":"info","text":"The speaker declares readiness for scourges (μάστιγας), interpreting physical suffering as divine discipline. Basil contrasts this with the earlier plea not to be rebuked in wrath, showing a progression from fear to acceptance of punishment.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὃν ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος παιδεύει","severity":"info","text":"Basil echoes a proverbial sentiment, likely derived from Proverbs 3:12 or similar wisdom tradition, that the Lord disciplines those he loves. This underpins the homily's argument that suffering is a sign of divine care, not rejection.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἡ ἱστορία τῶν Βασιλειῶν","severity":"info","text":"Basil refers to the history of the Kings (i.e., the Books of Samuel and Kings in the Septuagint) as containing the calamities that followed the speaker's sin. This situates the psalmist's experience within a narrative of royal repentance and divine judgment.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Καταρχὰς εἰπών","severity":"info","text":"Basil notes a structural shift: the speaker initially asked not to be rebuked in wrath, but now declares readiness for scourges. This rhetorical progression from plea to acceptance mirrors the homily's theme of repentance and submission to divine discipline.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀλγηδών","severity":"info","text":"The term ἀλγηδών (pain) is used here for the internal anguish of the repentant soul, not physical suffering. Basil distinguishes this from the oblivion of most sinners, emphasizing that the righteous keep the judgment of God perpetually before their eyes.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"τῷ βήματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Basil invokes the tribunal of Christ (τῷ βήματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ), a common eschatological image in patristic exegesis. This reflects the early Christian reception of Psalm 37 as a meditation on post-mortem judgment and the necessity of self-accusation before God.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'history of the Kings' is ambiguous: it may refer to the biblical books of Samuel and Kings or to a specific narrative within them. Basil does not specify which episode he has in mind."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":18,"ref":"p18","source":"Μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς με, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, μὴ ἀποστῇς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ. Πρόσχες εἰς τὴν βοήθειάν μου, Κύριε τῆς σωτηρίας μου. Πάντων τῶν ἐχθρῶν αὐτοῦ μέμνηται, τῶν ἐπὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν αὐτὸν κατασυράντων, ἱκετεύει τε καὶ παρακαλεῖ μὴ ἀποστῆναι αὐτοῦ τὸν Κύριον. Ἑώρα γὰρ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἔτι καὶ νῦν περὶ αὐτὸν ἑστῶτας καὶ ἐπικειμένους, μηδὲ τῇ προτέρᾳ κατ' αὐτοῦ τόλμῃ ἀρκουμένους. Διὸ ἀγωνιῶν μὴ καὶ δεύτερον τοῖς αὐτοῖς περιπέσῃ, σφόδρα ἐγρηγορότως φησίν· Οἱ δὲ ἐχθροί μου ζῶσιν. Οὐ γὰρ τεθνήκασιν, οὐδὲ ἅπαξ ἐνεργήσαντες παρῆλθον· διὸ γέγραπται· Μὴ μακαρίσῃς ἄνδρα πρὸ τελευτῆς αὐτοῦ. Ζῶσιν· ἀλλὰ καὶ κεκραταίωνται πλείους ὄντες ὑπὲρ ἐμέ.\n\nἘπληθύνθησαν γὰρ οἱ μισοῦντές με, καὶ οἱ ἀνταποδιδόντες μοι κακὰ ἀντὶ ἀγαθῶν· οἵτινες οὔπω καὶ νῦν παύονται ἐνδιαβάλλοντές με, ἐπεὶ τὴν ἀγαθὴν καὶ σωτήριον ὁδὸν μεταδιώκω, διαφθονούμενοί μου τῇ σωτηρίᾳ. Τούτου χάριν ἱκετεύω καὶ δέομαι, μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς με, Κύριε· μόνος γὰρ πρὸς τοσούτους οὐχ οἷός τ' ἂν εἴην ἀντέχειν. Σὺ οὖν, ὁ Θεός μου, μὴ ἀποστῇς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, πάρεσο δέ μοι βοηθὸς, καὶ φύλαξ τῆς ἐμῆς σωτηρίας.","english":"Do not abandon me, Lord my God, do not depart from me. Pay attention to my help, Lord of my salvation. He remembers all his enemies, those who dragged him into sin, and he entreats and beseeches the Lord not to depart from him. For he sees the enemies still now standing around him and pressing upon him, not content with their former audacity against him. Therefore, anxious lest he fall into the same things a second time, he says with great vigilance: But my enemies live. For they have not died, nor have they passed away after acting once; hence it is written: Do not call a man blessed before his death. They live; but they have also grown strong, being more numerous than I.\n\nFor those who hate me have multiplied, and those who return evil to me instead of good; who even now do not cease slandering me, because I pursue the good and saving path, begrudging me my salvation. For this reason I entreat and implore: do not abandon me, Lord; for alone against so many I would not be able to hold out. Therefore you, my God, do not depart from me, but be present to me as a helper and guardian of my salvation.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Μὴ ἐγκαταλίπῃς με, Κύριε ὁ Θεός μου, μὴ ἀποστῇς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ","severity":"info","text":"The speaker shifts from accepting discipline to pleading for God's continued presence, emphasizing fear of relapse into sin.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Μὴ μακαρίσῃς ἄνδρα πρὸ τελευτῆς αὐτοῦ","severity":"info","text":"This is a direct quotation of Sirach 11:28 (or a similar wisdom saying), used to argue that enemies remain active until one's end.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Οἱ δὲ ἐχθροί μου ζῶσιν","severity":"info","text":"Basil interprets the enemies as persistent demonic or human forces that do not cease after a single attack, reflecting ascetic vigilance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐπληθύνθησαν γὰρ οἱ μισοῦντές με","severity":"info","text":"This verse introduces a new complaint: the multiplication of enemies, escalating the plea for divine help.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐγκαταλίπῃς","severity":"info","text":"The verb 'abandon' (ἐγκαταλίπῃς) carries legal and covenantal overtones, implying a breach of divine protection.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Σὺ οὖν, ὁ Θεός μου, μὴ ἀποστῇς ἀπ' ἐμοῦ","severity":"info","text":"This closing plea echoes liturgical petitions in Eastern Christian prayer, showing Basil's influence on later devotional language.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The identity of the 'enemies' is ambiguous: they could be demons, human persecutors, or internal passions; Basil reads them as external forces.","The phrase 'Lord of my salvation' (Κύριε τῆς σωτηρίας μου) may be a title or a direct address; the translation opts for the latter."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}