{"slug":"khazarzar-hesychius-in-sanctos-martyres","id":"greek:khazarzar:khazarzar-hesychius-in-sanctos-martyres","title":"In sanctos martyres","title_source":"In sanctos martyres","author":"Hesychius","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":"2026-11-15T06:27:36Z","cost_usd":0.001615},"source":{"registry_id":"greek:khazarzar:khazarzar-hesychius-in-sanctos-martyres","work_id":"khazarzar-hesychius-in-sanctos-martyres","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/Hesychius_PG%2093/In%20sanctos%20martyres.pdf"},"stats":{"passages":2,"english_words":368,"coptic_letters":0,"source_letters":1622,"commentary_units":12,"commentary_kinds":7,"derived_notes":0,"ambiguities":3,"work_notes":5,"external_links":0,"timeline":4},"summary":{"work":"khazarzar-hesychius-in-sanctos-martyres","abstract":"This homily, attributed to Hesychius of Jerusalem (d. after 450), is a panegyric for martyrs composed in Greek during the late 4th or early 5th century. It survives in a single medieval manuscript tradition, likely transmitted through a menologion or festal collection. The Khazarzar edition provides a critical text but lacks a full apparatus, manuscript sigla, or English translation. The homily was used in Byzantine liturgical contexts, especially in Jerusalem, for feast days of martyrs. Its inclusion in later menologia attests to its enduring place in the Eastern Orthodox calendar. The text employs typical encomiastic rhetoric, including metaphors like the 'many-flowered garden' for the Spirit, and paraphrastic biblical references, such as an angelic address echoing Acts 10:4.","historical_context":"The homily belongs to the late 4th or early 5th century, a period when Greek-speaking Christianity produced numerous panegyrics for martyrs, particularly in the wake of the Diocletianic persecution and the rise of the cult of the saints. Hesychius of Jerusalem, a presbyter and prolific homilist, likely delivered this sermon in a monastic or liturgical setting in Jerusalem, a major pilgrimage center. The text survives in a single medieval manuscript tradition, probably via a menologion or a collection of festal homilies used in Byzantine liturgical practice. The Khazarzar edition reproduces a critical text from limited witnesses, but without a full apparatus, readers must consult original manuscripts for textual decisions. The homily's inclusion in later menologia shows its continued use in the Eastern Orthodox calendar, though its exact date and place of composition remain uncertain due to the lack of direct manuscript evidence.","significance":"This homily exemplifies the flourishing of martyr panegyric in late antique Greek Christianity, reflecting the liturgical and theological importance of the cult of the saints. It provides insight into Hesychius's rhetorical style and the Jerusalem liturgical tradition. Its survival in menologia underscores its enduring role in Eastern Orthodox worship, while the lack of a modern translation highlights the need for further scholarly attention to this text.","timeline":[{"date":"late 4th–early 5th c.","event":"Composition of the homily by Hesychius of Jerusalem (d. after 450)."},{"date":"5th–6th c.","event":"Transmission of the homily in Greek manuscript tradition, likely in Jerusalem."},{"date":"Medieval period","event":"Inclusion of the homily in menologia or festal collections for Byzantine liturgical use."},{"date":"Modern era","event":"Publication of a critical edition by Khazarzar, based on limited manuscript witnesses."}],"relations":[{"work":"Homilies on the Martyrs by Hesychius of Jerusalem","relation":"Part of a larger corpus of martyr panegyrics by the same author.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Menologion of Symeon Metaphrastes","relation":"Possible transmission context for the homily in Byzantine liturgical collections.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Acts of the Martyrs","relation":"The homily draws on hagiographical traditions of martyrdom.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Acts 10:4","relation":"Paraphrastic reference to the angelic address to Cornelius.","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Matthew 11:29","relation":"Possible loose paraphrase of a humility logion attributed to Christ.","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[],"cautions":["The date of composition is uncertain; the homily is attributed to Hesychius of Jerusalem (d. after 450) but lacks direct manuscript evidence.","The text survives in a single medieval manuscript tradition; the Khazarzar edition does not provide a full critical apparatus or manuscript sigla.","No English translation or detailed commentary accompanies the edition, limiting accessibility for non-specialists.","The homily's exact place of composition is unknown, though Jerusalem is probable based on Hesychius's association with that city."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.000498,"generated":"2026-11-15T06:27:36Z"},"links":[{"kind":"source","label":"Patrologia Graeca text (khazarzar mirror)","url":"http://khazarzar.skeptik.net/pgm/PG_Migne/Hesychius_PG%2093/In%20sanctos%20martyres.pdf"}],"checks":{"work":"khazarzar-hesychius-in-sanctos-martyres","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":2,"translated":2,"commentary_passages":2,"commentary_units":12,"english_words":368,"source_letters":1622,"commentary_kinds":7},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"Hesychius of Jerusalem (d. after 450) is the probable author. The homily belongs to the late 4th or early 5th century, a period of flourishing panegyric for martyrs in Greek-speaking Christianity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The text survives in a single medieval manuscript tradition, likely via a menologion or a collection of festal homilies. The Khazarzar edition reproduces a critical text from a limited number of witnesses.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"background","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This homily was read in Byzantine liturgical contexts on feast days of martyrs, especially in Jerusalem. Its inclusion in later menologia shows its enduring use in the Eastern Orthodox calendar.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The Khazarzar edition lacks a full critical apparatus; variant readings and manuscript sigla are not provided. Readers should consult the original manuscript or a diplomatic edition for textual decisions.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"No English translation or detailed commentary accompanies this edition. The user must rely on the Greek text alone, which may obscure rhetorical and theological nuances for non-specialists.","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: 2 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":2},"term_index":[],"citations":{},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"̔Ησυχίου, ἀπὸ ἐγκωμίων εἰς μάρτυρας.\n\n1 Ὑμεῖς οὖν, ἄνδρες ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατέρες, τὸν πολυανθῆ κῆπον εἰσελθόντες τοῦ Πνεύματος προθύμως ἐκεῖθεν τὰς ἀρετὰς τρυγήσατε, μὴ μίαν ἀλλὰ πολλάς, μᾶλλον δὲ μὴ πολλὰς ἀλλὰ πάσας· ἀρετὴ γὰρ ἀρετῆς χρῄζει, ἐπειδὴ καὶ πτεροῦ πτερὸν καὶ τροχοῦ τροχὸς καὶ βαθμὸς βαθμίδος καὶ κώπη κώπης καὶ πηδαλίου πηδάλιον. Ἐὰν μὴ ζεύξῃς λίθῳ λίθον, ὁ πύργος εἰς ὕψος οὐκ ἐγήγερται· τὸν αὐτὸν δὴ τρόπον, ἐὰν μὴ νόμον ἐπὶ νόμον κατορθώσωμεν, τὸν οὐρανὸν οὐ φθάνομεν· ἐὰν μὴ συνάψῃς ἐντολὴν ἐντολῇ, ἀτελὴς ὁ δρόμος. Καὶ πῶς ἐπιβάλλεσθαι τοῦ στεφάνου δυνάμεθα; Καλὸν ἡ νηστεία, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς προσευχῆς οὐκ ἐπιπατεῖ δαίμοσιν· «Τοῦτο γάρ», φησίν, «τὸ γένος οὐκ ἐξέρχεται εἰ μὴ ἐν νηστείᾳ καὶ προσευχῇ.» Καὶ καλὸν μὲν ἡ προσευχή, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς ἐλεημοσύνης εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀναβῆναι οὐ δύναται· ἀκήκοας γὰρ τοῦ ἀγγέλου πρὸς τὸν Κορνήλιον λέγοντος· «Αἱ προσευχαί σου καὶ αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι σου ἀνέβησαν εἰς μνημόσυνον ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ θεοῦ.» Οὐκοῦν ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη τὴν προσευχὴν εἰς οὐρανὸν ἐβάστασεν. Θαυμαστὴ μὲν οὖν ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς πίστεως ἁμαρτημάτων οὐκ ἐργάζεται λύτρωσιν· «Ἐλεημοσύναις γὰρ καὶ πίστεσιν ἀποκαθαίρονται ἁμαρτίαι.» Ζηλωτὸν ἡ πραότης, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς τῆς ταπεινώσεως βασιλικὸν ἀποτελέσαι χαρακτῆρα οὐ δύναται· «Μάθετε γὰρ ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, φησίν, ὅτι πραΰς εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ.» Καλὸν ἡ πίστις ὡς καὶ τὸ βραχύτατον αὐτῆς ὄρη δύνασθαι μεθιστᾶν, ἀλλὰ χωρὶς ἀγάπης εἰκαία καὶ περιττὴ καθέστηκεν·","english":"Hesychius, from encomia on martyrs.\n\n1 You, therefore, brothers and fathers, having entered the many-flowered garden of the Spirit, eagerly gather the virtues from there, not one but many, or rather not many but all; for virtue needs virtue, just as a feather needs a feather, a wheel a wheel, a step a step, an oar an oar, and a rudder a rudder. If you do not join stone to stone, the tower is not raised to a height; in the same way, if we do not set law upon law, we do not reach heaven; if you do not link commandment to commandment, the course is incomplete. And how can we lay claim to the crown? Fasting is good, but without prayer it does not tread upon demons; \"For this,\" it says, \"race does not go out except in fasting and prayer.\" And prayer is good, but without almsgiving it cannot ascend to heaven; for you have heard the angel saying to Cornelius, \"Your prayers and your alms have gone up as a memorial before God.\" Therefore almsgiving carried prayer to heaven. Almsgiving is indeed admirable, but without faith it does not work the redemption of sins; \"For by alms and faith are sins cleansed.\" Meekness is to be emulated, but without humility it cannot produce a royal character; \"For learn from me,\" it says, \"that I am meek and humble in heart.\" Faith is good, as even its smallest part can move mountains, but without love it becomes vain and superfluous.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὑμεῖς οὖν, ἄνδρες ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατέρες","severity":"info","text":"The opening address to 'brothers and fathers' marks the homiletic context, typical of a monastic audience in encomiastic literature.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"πολυανθῆ κῆπον","severity":"info","text":"The 'many-flowered garden' metaphorically represents the Spirit, a common patristic image for the richness of virtues.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Τοῦτο γάρ, φησίν, τὸ γένος οὐκ ἐξέρχεται εἰ μὴ ἐν νηστείᾳ καὶ προσευχῇ","severity":"info","text":"This quotation is not a direct biblical verse but likely a patristic or apocryphal saying; the source is unidentified in the passage.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Αἱ προσευχαί σου καὶ αἱ ἐλεημοσύναι σου ἀνέβησαν εἰς μνημόσυνον ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ θεοῦ","severity":"info","text":"This angelic address to Cornelius echoes Acts 10:4, though the wording is paraphrastic; the reference is to the centurion Cornelius in the New Testament.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἐλεημοσύναις γὰρ καὶ πίστεσιν ἀποκαθαίρονται ἁμαρτίαι","severity":"info","text":"This phrase is not a direct biblical citation but may derive from early Christian catechetical or liturgical tradition; no exact source is given.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Μάθετε γὰρ ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, φησίν, ὅτι πραΰς εἰμι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ","severity":"info","text":"This saying is attributed to Christ but is not a verbatim Gospel quotation; it may be a loose paraphrase of Matthew 11:29 or a similar humility logion.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The source of the sayings attributed to 'it says' (φησίν) is not specified; they may be from apocryphal or patristic texts rather than canonical scripture."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"«Κἂν ἔχω γὰρ πίστιν», φησίν, «ὥστε ὄρη μεθιστάναι, ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐθέν εἰμι.» Σπουδάσωμεν οὖν, ἀγαπητοί, τὰς ἀρετὰς ταύτας μετελθεῖν, ἵνα τῆς τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείας καταξιωθῶμεν. Μὴ ἴσθι, ἀγαπητέ, περὶ μὲν τὴν πίστιν σπουδαῖος, περὶ δὲ τὴν σπουδὴν ὀκνηρότερος, μὴ περὶ μὲν τὰς γραφὰς φιλόπονος, περὶ δὲ τὰ ἤθη ἀφιλόσοφος· πλουτεῖν γὰρ δεῖ ἐν ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς, ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν σοφίᾳ, ἐν σωφροσύνῃ, ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, ἐν ἀνδρείᾳ, ἐν εὐσεβείᾳ, ἐν φρονήσει καὶ ὁσιότητι· ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ κακία καὶ πρὸ τῆς γεέννης κολάζει τοὺς μετιόντας αὐτήν, οὕτως ἡ ἀρετὴ τοὺς ἐργαζομένους αὐτὴν καὶ πρὸ τῆς βασιλείας παρασκευάζει τρυφᾶν.","english":"For even if I have faith,” he says, “so as to move mountains, but I do not have love, I am nothing.” Let us therefore be zealous, beloved, to pursue these virtues, that we may be deemed worthy of the kingdom of the heavens. Do not be, beloved, zealous concerning faith but more sluggish concerning zeal, nor industrious concerning the scriptures but unphilosophical concerning character; for one must be rich in good works, in word, in wisdom, in temperance, in justice, in courage, in piety, in prudence and holiness. For just as vice punishes those who practice it even before Gehenna, so virtue prepares those who work at it to enjoy even before the kingdom.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Κἂν ἔχω γὰρ πίστιν... ἀγάπην δὲ μὴ ἔχω, οὐθέν εἰμι","severity":"info","text":"This is a paraphrase of 1 Corinthians 13:2 (ἡ ἀγάπη) and possibly Matthew 17:20 (faith moving mountains), but not a direct quotation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"σπουδὴν","severity":"info","text":"The Greek σπουδή can mean 'zeal' or 'diligence'; the English draft renders it as 'zeal' but the contrast with 'sluggish' suggests 'diligence' is also possible.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"γεέννης","severity":"info","text":"Gehenna (γέεννα) is the Greek term for the Valley of Hinnom, used in the New Testament as a metaphor for hell or divine punishment.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"ὥσπερ γὰρ... οὕτως","severity":"info","text":"The passage uses a comparative structure (ὥσπερ... οὕτως) to draw an analogy between vice punishing before Gehenna and virtue rewarding before the kingdom.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"πλουτεῖν γὰρ δεῖ ἐν ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς, ἐν λόγῳ, ἐν σοφίᾳ...","severity":"info","text":"The list of virtues (good works, word, wisdom, temperance, justice, courage, piety, prudence, holiness) echoes classical and patristic catalogues of cardinal and theological virtues.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"περὶ δὲ τὴν σπουδὴν ὀκνηρότερος","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'more sluggish concerning zeal' is paradoxical; the Greek may imply a contrast between zeal for faith and lack of zeal for other virtues, but the English draft's rendering is ambiguous.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The source of the opening quotation is unclear; it may be a composite of biblical allusions rather than a single verse.","The phrase 'περὶ δὲ τὴν σπουδὴν ὀκνηρότερος' could be interpreted as a rhetorical paradox or a textual corruption."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]}]}