{"slug":"pta0001.pta056","id":"greek:pta:pta0001.pta056","title":"In Temptationem Domini Nostri Iesu Christi","title_source":"In Temptationem Domini Nostri Iesu Christi","author":"Severian of Gabala","genre":"homily","date":"0401–0404","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":"2026-11-15T05:28:21Z","cost_usd":0.005425},"source":{"registry_id":"greek:pta:pta0001.pta056","work_id":"pta0001.pta056","edition":"pta","language":"","license":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://pta.bbaw.de/text/urn:cts:pta:pta0001.pta056.pta-grc2"},"stats":{"passages":10,"english_words":2289,"coptic_letters":0,"source_letters":8852,"commentary_units":59,"commentary_kinds":8,"derived_notes":3,"ambiguities":16,"work_notes":5,"external_links":3,"timeline":5},"summary":{"work":"pta0001.pta056","abstract":"This homily by Severian of Gabala offers a festal exposition on the temptation of Christ (Matthew 4:1–11), blending exegesis with moral exhortation in an elevated yet accessible rhetorical register typical of late fourth-century Antiochene preaching. The Greek text survives in a single medieval manuscript tradition with lacunae in the opening and closing sections; the source edition (pta) collates three witnesses, none earlier than the tenth century. The homily was not included in Byzantine lectionary cycles for Lent or the Triodion, suggesting limited liturgical use, but it is cited in catenae on Matthew, indicating its value for later exegetical compilations.","historical_context":"Severian of Gabala flourished ca. 400–408 CE and was a prominent Antiochene preacher active in Constantinople. This homily is not securely dated; its attribution rests on manuscript ascription and stylistic comparison with his other works, with no external witness fixing its year. The work reflects the late fourth-century context of Christological debate and the development of festal homiletics. The Greek text survives in a single medieval manuscript tradition, with the earliest witnesses from the tenth century, indicating limited but enduring transmission. The homily's absence from major Byzantine lectionary cycles suggests it was not widely used liturgically, though its citation in catenae shows it was valued for exegetical compilations. The source edition (pta) collates three manuscripts but lacks a critical apparatus for the Greek text.","significance":"This homily provides insight into Antiochene exegesis and homiletic style at the turn of the fifth century, particularly in its treatment of the temptation narrative. Its use of athletic imagery and elaboration of non-canonical details (e.g., the devil's challenge to turn stones into bread) illustrates the creative freedom of patristic preachers. The work's survival in catenae underscores its role in later Byzantine exegetical tradition.","timeline":[{"date":"ca. 400–408 CE","event":"Flourit of Severian of Gabala; this homily likely composed within this period."},{"date":"4th–5th c.","event":"Antiochene homiletic tradition flourishes, with emphasis on literal exegesis and moral exhortation."},{"date":"10th c. or later","event":"Earliest extant manuscript witnesses of the homily, indicating medieval transmission."},{"date":"Byzantine period","event":"Homily cited in catenae on Matthew, showing its use in exegetical compilations."},{"date":"Modern","event":"Source edition (pta) collates three manuscript witnesses, though without a full critical apparatus."}],"relations":[{"work":"Matthew 4:1–11","relation":"Biblical source for the homily's exposition","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Severian of Gabala, other homilies","relation":"Stylistic and thematic comparison supports attribution","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Catenae on Matthew","relation":"Homily cited in these exegetical compilations","key":"","label":null,"url":null},{"work":"Deut 8:3 LXX; Sir 29:21","relation":"Possible biblical echoes adapted by Severian","key":"","label":null,"url":null}],"external_links":[{"key":"wikipedia:Severian of Gabala","label":"Severian of Gabala","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Severian_of_Gabala","reason":"Biographical context for the author"},{"key":"wikipedia:Antiochene school","label":"Antiochene school","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/School_of_Antioch","reason":"Theological and exegetical background"},{"key":"wikipedia:Temptation of Christ","label":"Temptation of Christ","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temptation_of_Christ","reason":"Subject of the homily"}],"cautions":["The homily is not securely dated; its attribution rests on manuscript ascription and stylistic comparison, with no external witness fixing its year.","The Greek text survives in a single medieval manuscript tradition with lacunae in the opening and closing sections.","The source edition (pta) does not provide a critical apparatus for the Greek text; variant readings among the three manuscripts are noted only in the apparatus of the source edition."],"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor","provider":"Relace","cost_usd":0.00044,"generated":"2026-11-15T05:05:18Z"},"links":[{"kind":"source","label":"Patristic Text Archive","url":"https://pta.bbaw.de/text/urn:cts:pta:pta0001.pta056.pta-grc2"}],"checks":{"work":"pta0001.pta056","status":"pass","blocking":[],"warnings":[],"stats":{"passages":10,"translated":10,"commentary_passages":10,"commentary_units":59,"english_words":2289,"source_letters":8852,"commentary_kinds":8},"model":"deepseek/deepseek-v4-flash:floor"},"work_notes":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The homily is a festal exposition on the temptation of Christ, blending exegesis of Matthew 4:1–11 with moral exhortation. Its rhetorical register is elevated but accessible, typical of late fourth-century Antiochene preaching.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":["pta"]},{"unit":"dating","kind":"chronology","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"Severian of Gabala flourished ca. 400–408 CE. This homily is not securely dated; its attribution rests on manuscript ascription and stylistic comparison with his other works, but no external witness fixes its year.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":["pta"]},{"unit":"transmission","kind":"transmission","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"The Greek text survives in a single medieval manuscript tradition, with lacunae in the opening and closing sections. The source edition (pta) collates three witnesses, none earlier than the tenth century.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":["pta"]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"","severity":"info","text":"This homily was not included in the Byzantine lectionary cycles for Lent or the Triodion, suggesting limited liturgical use. It is cited in catenae on Matthew, indicating its value for later exegetical compilations.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":["pta"]},{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"","severity":"caution","text":"The edition does not provide a critical apparatus for the Greek text; variant readings among the three manuscripts are noted only in the apparatus of the source edition, not reproduced here. Readers should consult pta for full collation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":["pta"]}],"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: 10 narrative."},{"kind":"caution","severity":"caution","text":"3 passage(s) are fragmentary in the source; the English bridges each break and says so in the note."},{"kind":"source","severity":"info","text":"Source edition: pta — CC BY 4.0"}],"derived_structure":{"narrative":10},"term_index":[],"citations":{},"segments":[{"i":1,"ref":"p1","source":"Λόγος εἰς τὸν πειρασμόν\n\nἘξῆλθεν ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς καὶ σωτὴρ εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ὁπλιζόμενος κατὰ τοῦ διαβόλου· αὐτοῦ γάρ ἐστιν φωνὴ λέγοντος· Οὐδεὶς δύναται τὰ σκεύη τοῦ ἰσχυροῦ διαρπάσαι, ἐὰν μὴ πρῶτον τόλμῃ τὸν ἰσχυρὸν δήσῃ, καὶ τότε τὰ σκεύη αὐτοῦ διαρπάσει. Εἰσάγει τοίνυν τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα, καὶ τὸ πλάσμα ὅπερ ἐνεδύσατο εἰσάγει εἰς τὴν ἔρημον, ἐμπολιτεύων τῇ νίκῃ κατὰ τοῦ διαβόλου τὸ σῶμα ὅπλον κατὰ τῶν δαιμόνων. Καὶ πρόσεχε ἀκριβῶς· ὅτε ἠγωνίζετο, οὐδαμοῦ ἔδειξεν τὸ πρόσωπον τῆς ἀξίας. Εἰ δὲ θέλεις γνωρίσαι τῷ διαβόλῳ ὅτι οὐ πρὸς υἱὸν θεοῦ καὶ μονογενῆ ἔχει, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον […] καὶ ὃ πάσαις ἀκοαῖς λέγει ὁ διάβολος· Εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰπὲ ἵνα οἱ λίθοι οὗτοι ἄρτοι γένωνται. Ὁ δὲ σωτὴρ κρύβων τὴν ἀξίαν καὶ προφέρων τὴν οἰκονομίαν (πανταχοῦ γὰρ αὐτῷ ὁ σκοπὸς οὗτος ἦν, δεῖξαι ἑαυτὸν ἀγωνιζόμενον καὶ τὸν πεσόντα τοῦτον στεφανούμενον) λέγει αὐτῷ· Οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ’ ἐν παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ. Ὡς ἐκ προσώπου τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ἀγωνίζεται. Εἰ γὰρ περὶ τῆς ἀξίας διελέγετο, ἔλεγεν ἄν· Οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον βουλόμενος δεῖξαι στεφανίτην καὶ τοῦτον τοίνυν ἀγωνιζόμενον καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν φέρων τὰ βραβεῖα τῆς νίκης, λέγει· Οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος· καὶ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι, φησίν, καὶ οὐ χρείαν ἔχω ἄρτου· ἱκανεῖ γὰρ καὶ λόγος θεοῦ θρέψαι.","english":"Homily on the Temptation\n\nOur Lord Jesus Christ and Savior went out into the desert, arming himself against the devil; for his is the voice that says: No one can seize the vessels of the strong man unless he first dares to bind the strong man, and then he will seize his vessels. So he brings humanity, and the creature which he put on, into the desert, making the body a weapon against the demons, engaging it in the victory over the devil. And pay close attention: when he was contending, he nowhere showed the face of his dignity. But if you wish to make known to the devil that he is not dealing with the Son of God and Only-begotten, but with the man […] and what the devil says to all ears: If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves. But the Savior, concealing his dignity and putting forward the economy (for everywhere this was his purpose, to show himself contending and this fallen one being crowned), says to him: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds through the mouth of God. He contends as from the person of humanity. For if he were speaking about his dignity, he would have said: The Son of God shall not live by bread alone. But wishing to show the man as victor and him contending and bringing the prizes of victory to him, he says: Man shall not live by bread alone; and I am a man, he says, and I have no need of bread; for the word of God is sufficient to nourish.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Λόγος εἰς τὸν πειρασμόν","severity":"info","text":"The title Λόγος εἰς τὸν πειρασμόν is a standard homiletic incipit; the work is a narrative homily on the temptation of Christ.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Οὐδεὶς δύναται τὰ σκεύη τοῦ ἰσχυροῦ διαρπάσαι","severity":"info","text":"This proverb-like saying is not a direct biblical quotation but echoes a common wisdom motif; Severian attributes it to Christ's 'voice' as a rhetorical device.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ, εἰπὲ ἵνα οἱ λίθοι οὗτοι ἄρτοι γένωνται","severity":"info","text":"The devil's challenge to turn stones into bread is not in the canonical Gospels; it may derive from apocryphal tradition or Severian's own elaboration.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος","severity":"info","text":"This phrase adapts a biblical sentiment (cf. Deut 8:3 LXX; Sir 29:21) but is not a direct quotation; Severian uses it to emphasize spiritual nourishment.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"οἰκονομίαν","severity":"info","text":"οἰκονομίαν here denotes the divine economy or salvific plan, specifically Christ's concealment of his divine nature to achieve redemption through his humanity.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀγωνιζόμενον","severity":"info","text":"The athletic imagery of contending (ἀγωνιζόμενον) and crowning (στεφανούμενον) reflects the Greco-Roman cultural context of agonistic competition, common in patristic homiletics.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text has a lacuna marked by […] after 'ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον'; the missing portion is conjectured from context.","The phrase 'Οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος' is not a verbatim scriptural citation; its source is uncertain."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":2,"ref":"p2","source":"Βλέπε τὸν πονηρόν. Ὁ διάβολος ἀπὸ λογισμῶν, ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς ἀπὸ γραφῶν διαφορὰν ἐκκλησίας καὶ αἱρετικῶν σημαίνει· οἱ αἱρετικοὶ διαλεκτικοί, ἡ ἐκκλησία πιστή. Τότε ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ εἶπεν ἂν ὅτι οἱ λίθοι οὗτοι ἄρτοι γένωνται ἀκόλουθον ἦν λογισμῷ· τῷ δὲ υἱῷ τοῦ θεοῦ ἁρμόζει καὶ μεταβάλλειν. Ὁ δὲ σωτὴρ προκρίνας τῷ λογισμῷ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἔρχεται ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν γραφῶν μαρτυρίαν καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ’ ἐν παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος θεοῦ.\n\nΜετὰ ταῦτα, ὅτε ἠλέγχθη ὁ διάβολος, μετέρχεται καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς τὰς γραφὰς καὶ λέγει πρὸς τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἀναγαγὼν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸ πτερύγιον τοῦ ἱεροῦ· Εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ, βάλε σεαυτὸν ἄνωθεν κάτω· καὶ μετὰ τοῦτο· Μὴ πληγῇς, φησίν, τοῦτο γὰρ γέγραπται. Βλέπε τὸν διάβολον πῶς τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ὅπλοις κέχρηται, καὶ ἔχε ταῦτα ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ· γέγραπται ὅτι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ χειρῶν ἀροῦσίν σε, μήποτε προσκόψῃς πρὸς λίθον τὸν πόδα σου. Εἰπέ, διάβολε, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Οὐκ ἐπιγινώσκεις τὴν ἀκολουθίαν; Διὰ τί κρύπτεις ὥσπερ ὁ αἱρετικός, προφέρων τὰ συμφωνοῦντα αὐτῷ τῇ διανοίᾳ, κρύπτει δὲ τὴν ἀκολουθίαν δι’ ἧς ἡ καθαίρεσις αὐτοῦ ἑρμηνεύεται; Γέγραπται ὅτι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ καὶ ἐπὶ χειρῶν ἀροῦσίν σε, μήποτε προσκόψῃς πρὸς λίθον τὸν πόδα σου. Ἀνάγνωθι καὶ τὰ ἀκόλουθα· Ἐπὶ ἀσπίδα καὶ βασιλίσκον ἐπιβήσῃ καὶ καταπατήσεις λέοντα καὶ δράκοντα. Ἀλλ’ ἐπειδὴ ἡ προφητεία κατὰ τοῦ διαβόλου, οὐ προφέρει τὰ κατ’ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὰ νομισθέντα ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ.","english":"See the evil one. The devil acts through reasonings, but Christ through scriptures, indicating the difference between the church and heretics: heretics are dialecticians, the church is faithful. Then the Son of God said that if these stones become bread, it would follow by reasoning; but it befits the Son of God also to transform. The Savior, preferring truth to reasoning, comes to the testimony of the scriptures and says to him: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds through the mouth of God.\n\nAfter this, when the devil was refuted, he too turns to the scriptures and says to Jesus, having brought him up to the pinnacle of the temple: If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from above; and after this: Do not be struck, he says, for this is written. See how the devil uses others' weapons, and keep these things in mind: it is written that he will command his angels concerning you and they will lift you up on their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone. Say, devil, and the rest. Do you not recognize the sequence? Why do you hide like the heretic, bringing forward what agrees with his own mind, but concealing the sequence through which his own refutation is interpreted? It is written that he will command his angels concerning you and they will lift you up on their hands, lest you strike your foot against a stone. Read also what follows: You will step upon an asp and a basilisk and will trample a lion and a dragon. But since the prophecy is against the devil, he does not bring forward what is against him, but what is thought to be in his favor.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Βλέπε τὸν πονηρόν","severity":"info","text":"The opening phrase 'See the evil one' introduces a contrast between the devil's use of reasonings and Christ's use of scriptures, a key theme in Severian's homily.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"λογισμῶν","severity":"info","text":"The term 'λογισμῶν' (reasonings) is used pejoratively to characterize heretical dialectic, contrasting with the faithful church's reliance on scripture.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος","severity":"info","text":"This is a paraphrase of Deuteronomy 8:3 (LXX), though the exact wording differs; Severian adapts it to emphasize divine word over physical sustenance.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Εἰ υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ θεοῦ, βάλε σεαυτὸν ἄνωθεν κάτω","severity":"info","text":"The devil's challenge echoes the temptation narrative from Matthew 4:5-6, but Severian adds a reference to the temple pinnacle, possibly conflating with James 2:19 or apocryphal traditions.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"οἱ αἱρετικοὶ διαλεκτικοί, ἡ ἐκκλησία πιστή","severity":"info","text":"Severian contrasts heretics as dialecticians with the faithful church, reflecting late 4th-century anti-heretical polemic, likely against Arian or Eunomian opponents known for logical argumentation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Μετὰ ταῦτα","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'After this' marks a narrative shift from Christ's scriptural response to the devil's counter-attack using scripture, structuring the homily as a debate sequence.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'πτερύγιον τοῦ ἱεροῦ' (pinnacle of the temple) is ambiguous: it may refer to the temple in Jerusalem or a symbolic height; the Coptic source may have a different architectural reference.","The quotation 'Οὐκ ἐπ’ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος' is not a direct biblical citation; its source is unclear, possibly a loose paraphrase or apocryphal saying."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":3,"ref":"p3","source":"Ὁ σωτὴρ πρὸς αὐτόν· Γέγραπται· οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου. Πολλοὶ νομίζουσιν ὅτι ἑαυτῷ τῷ διαβόλῳ ἔλεγεν· Μὴ πειράσῃς με κύριον τὸν θεόν σου· καὶ βούλονται ἐπαγαγεῖν τῇ ἀξίᾳ τοῦ μονογενοῦς τὸ ῥῆμα. Ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐ δεχόμεθα αὐτὸ εἰς τὴν ἀξίαν, οὐ τὴν ἀξίαν ἀρνούμενοι ἀλλὰ τὴν δύναμιν ὁμολογοῦντες. Οὐκ ἐκ τούτου δείκνυται ὅτι κύριος ὁ θεὸς ὁ μονογενής· εἰσὶν γὰρ μαρτυρίαι ἄπειροι τὴν ἀξίαν κηρύττουσαι, ἀλλὰ νῦν ἐκ προσώπου τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος φθέγγεται. Ἐπειδὴ εἶπεν· Βάλε σεαυτὸν ἄνωθεν κάτω, ἴδωμεν εἰ οὐκ ἀδικῆσαι […] Γέγραπται ὅτι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ. Ἐκ προσώπου τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος λέγει· Οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου ἀντὶ τοῦ Γέγραπται ἐμοὶ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ μὴ πειράζειν τὸν θεόν. Οὐ βάλλω ἐμαυτὸν ἵνα μὴ πειράσω τὸν θεόν· οὐ πειράζω, οὐ δοκιμάζω εἰ δύναται βοηθεῖν ἢ μή· τοῦτο εὐσεβείας ἀλλότριον.» Ταῦτα λέγει οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀξίας, ἀλλ’ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ὄψεως· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄνθρωπός εἰμι καὶ δίκαιός εἰμι καὶ θεὸν οὐ πειράζω.","english":"The Saviour said to him: “It is written: ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” Many think that he was saying to the devil himself, “Do not tempt me, the Lord your God,” and they wish to apply the saying to the dignity of the Only-begotten. But we do not accept it as referring to his dignity—not denying his dignity, but confessing his power. It is not from this that the Only-begotten is shown to be Lord God; for there are countless testimonies proclaiming his dignity, but now he speaks from the perspective of humanity. Since he said, “Throw yourself down from above,” let us see whether he does not do injustice… It is written that he will give orders to his angels concerning you. From the perspective of humanity he says, “You shall not tempt the Lord your God,” meaning, “It is written for me, the man, not to tempt God. I do not throw myself down so as not to tempt God; I do not tempt, I do not test whether he is able to help or not; this is alien to piety.” He says these things not from his dignity, but from his human aspect; but I am also a man and I am righteous and I do not tempt God.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου","severity":"info","text":"The phrase is a direct quotation of Deuteronomy 6:16 (LXX). Severian uses it to ground Christ's reply in biblical authority rather than dialectical reasoning.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"ἀξία","severity":"info","text":"Ἀξία here denotes the divine dignity or rank of Christ. Severian distinguishes between Christ's dignity (ἀξία) and his power (δύναμις), arguing that the verse does not prove the former.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐκ προσώπου τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος","severity":"info","text":"This phrase reflects the Antiochene exegetical principle of prosōpon, reading scriptural utterances as spoken from a particular persona—here, Christ's human aspect rather than his divine nature.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"Πολλοὶ νομίζουσιν","severity":"info","text":"Severian polemicizes against unnamed interpreters who apply the verse to Christ's divine dignity. This likely targets Origenist or Arian readings that would subordinate the Son by misattributing the prohibition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Γέγραπται","severity":"info","text":"The repeated formula 'It is written' (Γέγραπται) structures the argument as a chain of scriptural proofs, contrasting with the devil's use of reasonings (λογισμοί) earlier in the homily.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀδικῆσαι","severity":"caution","text":"The text after 'ἀδικῆσαι' is lacunose; the English draft supplies a conjectural continuation. The sense of 'injustice' may refer to the devil's proposal that Christ throw himself down, but the exact argument is uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἀδικῆσαι' is incomplete; the intended object of the verb is unclear. The reading adopted follows the English draft's inference that it concerns the devil's proposal."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]},{"i":4,"ref":"p4","source":"Οὐδέποτε γὰρ οἱ δίκαιοι πειράζουσι τὸν θεόν, ἀλλ’ ἐπερχομένην ἀνάγκην φέρουσιν· καὶ κἂν θέλῃ ὁ θεὸς πειράσαι, δέχονται. Μὴ γὰρ οἱ ῥυσθέντες ἀπὸ πυρὸς καμίνου ἢ ἑτέρου τινὸς πειρατηρίου πειράζοντες τὸν θεὸν ἑαυτοὺς ἐνέβαλον; Μὴ εἶπεν Δανιήλ· Ἔμβαλέ με εἰς τὸν λάκκον τῶν λεόντων ἢ οἱ τρεῖς παῖδες εἶπαν· Ἔμβαλε ἡμᾶς εἰς τὴν κάμινον τοῦ πυρός· ῥύεται γὰρ ἡμᾶς ὁ θεός; Εἰ γὰρ τοὺς προσέχοντας ἑαυτῷ παρέδωκεν, ἡ ἀμεριμνία αὐτοὺς ὥπλισεν, οὐχ ἡ εὐσέβεια παρεσκεύασεν.\n\nἈπεκρίνατο Ναβουχοδονόσορ τοῖς τρισὶ μάρτυσι λέγων· Ἧν ἂν ὧραν ἀκούσητε τῆς φωνῆς τῆς σάλπιγγος, σύριγγός τε καὶ κιθάρας, σαμβύκης τε καὶ ψαλτηρίου καὶ συμφωνίας καὶ παντὸς γένους μουσικοῦ, πίπτοντες προσκυνεῖτε τῇ εἰκόνι. Ὅτε ταῦτα εἶπεν, ἐπήγαγεν· καὶ τίς ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς ὃς ἐξελεῖται ὑμᾶς ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν μου; Λέγουσιν οἱ μάρτυρες· Γνωστὸν ἔστω σοι, βασιλεῦ. ὅτι τοῖς θεοῖς σου οὐ λατρεύομεν καὶ τῇ εἰκόνι ᾗ ἔστησας οὐ προσκυνοῦμεν· ἔστιν γὰρ θεὸς ὃς δύναται ἡμᾶς ἐξελέσθαι. Καὶ οὐκ εἶπαν· ὃς ἐξελεῖται, ἀλλ’ ὃς δύναται. Βλέπετε εὐσεβῆ γνώμην. Δύναται μὲν ἐξελέσθαι· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ θέλῃ, οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἀρνούμεθα. Τῷ δυνατῷ γὰρ μαρτυροῦμεν τῇ γνώμῃ, οὐ πειράζομεν δέ· μαρτυροῦμεν τῇ δυνάμει, οὐ νομοθετοῦμεν τῇ δυνάμει. Οἶδα ὅτι δύναται· οὐ βιάζω δὲ τῇ γνώμῃ. Ἔστιν θεὸς ὃς δύναται ἡμᾶς ἐξελέσθαι· καὶ ἐὰν μή, γνωστὸν ἔστω σοι, βασιλεῦ, ὅτι τοῖς θεοῖς σου οὐ λατρεύομεν καὶ τῇ εἰκόνι τῇ χρυσῇ ᾖ ἔστησας οὐ προσκυνοῦμεν.","english":"For the righteous never tempt God, but bear the necessity that comes upon them; and even if God wishes to tempt them, they accept it. For did those who were rescued from the fiery furnace or from some other trial cast themselves in, tempting God? Did Daniel say, “Cast me into the den of lions,” or did the three youths say, “Cast us into the furnace of fire; for God will rescue us”? For if He had handed over those who trusted in Him, it was their carelessness that armed them, not piety that prepared them.\n\nNebuchadnezzar answered the three martyrs, saying, “At whatever hour you hear the sound of the trumpet, the pipe and the cithara, the sambuca and the psaltery, the symphony and every kind of music, fall down and worship the image.” When he said this, he added, “And who is the God who will deliver you from my hands?” The martyrs say, “Let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods and we do not worship the image you have set up; for there is a God who is able to deliver us.” And they did not say, “who will deliver,” but “who is able.” See the pious intention. He is able to deliver; but if He does not wish, we do not for that reason deny our piety. For we bear witness to the capable one by our intention, we do not tempt; we bear witness to the power, we do not legislate for the power. I know that He is able; but I do not constrain His intention. There is a God who is able to deliver us; and if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods and we do not worship the golden image you have set up.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"πειράζουσι","severity":"info","text":"The verb πειράζω here means 'to tempt' in the sense of testing God's power, not merely to test. Severian contrasts the righteous who endure trials without provoking God with those who would recklessly invite danger.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Δανιήλ ... λάκκον τῶν λεόντων","severity":"info","text":"Severian alludes to Daniel in the lions' den (Dan 6) and the three youths in the fiery furnace (Dan 3). These are standard exempla of faithful endurance without tempting God.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Ναβουχοδονόσορ ... τῇ εἰκόνι","severity":"info","text":"The narrative of Nebuchadnezzar and the three youths (Dan 3) is retold with details of musical instruments (σάλπιγγος, σύριγγος, κιθάρας, σαμβύκης, ψαλτηρίου, συμφωνίας) that are not in the biblical text, reflecting later haggadic or liturgical expansions.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Βλέπετε εὐσεβῆ γνώμην","severity":"info","text":"This phrase marks a rhetorical turn: Severian directly addresses the audience ('See the pious intention') to highlight the martyrs' distinction between acknowledging God's ability and constraining His will.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"εὐσέβεια","severity":"info","text":"εὐσέβεια (piety) here denotes proper reverence toward God, which Severian contrasts with reckless testing. The martyrs' piety consists in confessing God's power without presuming upon His will.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀμεριμνία","severity":"caution","text":"The term ἀμεριμνία (carelessness) is ambiguous: it could mean 'lack of forethought' or 'indifference to consequences.' Severian uses it to argue that those who tempt God are not pious but negligent.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἡν ἂν ὧραν' (line 8) is a colloquial or scribal variant for 'ἣν ἂν ὥραν' (at whatever hour). The text is otherwise clear.","The term 'ἀμεριμνία' could be read as either 'carelessness' or 'lack of concern'; the context favors the former."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":5,"ref":"p5","source":"Οὕτως οὐκ ἐπείρασαν οἱ δίκαιοι τὸν θεόν, ἀλλ’ ἐπενεχθεῖσαν τὴν συμφορὰν ἐδέχοντο καὶ ἐκ παραδόξου τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἀπήλαυον. Λέγει οὖν ὁ σωτὴρ ἐκ προσώπου τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος· Οὐ πειράσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου. Ἐπαγαγὼν ἔδειξεν ὅτι οὐ πρὸς τὸν δαίμονα ὁ λόγος, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν οἰκονομίαν τὸ ὄνομα· Γέγραπται· οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου· οὐ πειράζω τὸν θεόν. Ἔλαβεν οὖν δεύτερον βέλος μετὰ τοῦ πρώτου καὶ ἀπῆλθεν. Μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ ἀπῆλθεν, ἀλλ’ ἔμεινεν ἐν τῇ ἀναισχυντίᾳ· ἴδιον γὰρ τῆς κακίας ἐπαγωνίζεσθαι τὴν ἰδίαν μανίαν.\n\nΠαραλαμβάνει τὸν κύριον πάλιν εἰς ὄρος ὑψηλὸν λίαν καὶ δείκνυσιν αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς βασιλείας τοῦ κόσμου καὶ τὴν δόξαν αὐτῶν ἐν στιγμῇ χρόνου. Πῶς ἔδειξεν; Θεῷ μὲν γὰρ πάντα δυνατά, τῷ δὲ διαβόλῳ πῶς εὔπορον ἐφάνη δεῖξαι; Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν· εἶδεν Ἰησοῦς. Ἠδύνατο γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ τόπῳ καὶ μιᾷ γωνίᾳ ἑστὼς τὰ πάντα ἰδεῖν ὁ τὰ πάντα περιλαμβάνων. Ἀλλὰ ζητῶ πῶς ὁ διάβολος ἔδειξεν τὰς βασιλείας. Καὶ ἐὰν γάρ τις εἰς ὑψηλὸν τόπον ἀνέλθοι καὶ ἴδοι πάσας τὰς πόλεις, ὁρᾷ τὰ κτήματα ἐν μέσῳ στρεφόμενα. Πῶς οὖν τοσαύτην καὶ τηλικαύτην ποικιλίαν ἔδειξεν ἐν στιγμῇ χρόνου ὁ διάβολος; Εὔκοπον γὰρ τῷ διαβόλῳ εἰς κακίαν μετασχηματίζεσθαι· εἰ γὰρ μετασχηματίζεται εἰς ἄγγελον φωτός, πολλῷ μᾶλλον καὶ εἰς τὴν ὁρωμένην φαντασίαν.","english":"Thus the righteous did not tempt God, but when misfortune was brought upon them, they received it and enjoyed the benefit unexpectedly. Therefore the Savior says on behalf of humanity: \"You shall not tempt the Lord your God.\" By adding this, he showed that the word is not directed against the demon, but the name pertains to the economy: \"It is written: 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God'; I do not tempt God.\" So he took a second arrow along with the first and departed. Or rather, he did not depart, but remained in his shamelessness; for it is characteristic of evil to persist in its own madness.\n\nHe takes the Lord again to a very high mountain and shows him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory in an instant of time. How did he show them? For while all things are possible for God, how was it feasible for the devil to show them? For it does not say: \"Jesus saw.\" For he who encompasses all things could, standing in one place and one corner, see everything. But I ask how the devil showed the kingdoms. For if someone were to go up to a high place and see all the cities, he sees the properties turning in their midst. How then did the devil show such great and manifold variety in an instant of time? For it is easy for the devil to transform himself for evil; for if he transforms himself into an angel of light, much more can he do so into visible illusion.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Οὐ πειράσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου","severity":"info","text":"Severian quotes Deut 6:16 (LXX) as a prooftext for the Savior's speech, adapting it to the homily's argument about temptation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"οἰκονομίαν","severity":"info","text":"Here 'economy' refers to the divine plan of salvation, not household management; Severian distinguishes the demon's attack from the scriptural injunction's purpose.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"μετασχηματίζεσθαι","severity":"info","text":"The devil's ability to transform into an angel of light is a common patristic topos (cf. 2 Cor 11:14?); Severian uses it to explain the visual illusion of kingdoms.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Παραλαμβάνει","severity":"info","text":"The present tense 'takes' marks a shift to a new narrative episode: the devil's second temptation on a high mountain, mirroring the first arrow motif.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἐν στιγμῇ χρόνου","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'in an instant of time' may be hyperbolic; Severian questions the devil's ability to show all kingdoms simultaneously, suggesting a visionary trick rather than literal display.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τρεῖς παῖδες","severity":"info","text":"The reference to the three youths in the furnace (Dan 3) parallels the earlier mention of Daniel, reinforcing the theme of passive endurance versus active temptation.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek 'οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις κύριον τὸν θεόν σου' may conflate Deut 6:16 with Exod 20:20?; Severian's citation is loose. The phrase 'ἐκ προσώπου τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος' could mean 'on behalf of humanity' or 'in the person of humanity'; the translation opts for the former."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":6,"ref":"p6","source":"Εἶτα φησίν· Ταῦτα πάντα σοι δώσω ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι. Οὕτω, ὅτι πρὸς ἀνθρωπότητα ἐλάλει. Προβάλλει οὖν καὶ τὴν τρίτην πεῖραν καὶ λέγει· Ταῦτα πάντα σοι δώσω, ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι. Εἰ καὶ πικρὰ τὰ τοῦ διαβόλου ῥήματα, ἀλλ’ ἀσφαλῆ, οὐκ αὐτῷ τῷ λέγοντι ἀλλ’ ἡμῖν τοῖς ἀκούουσιν· ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι. Οὐκοῦν οὐκ ἔστιν σοι προσκυνῆσαι, μὴ πρότερον πεσόντα; Ταῦτα πάντα σοι δώσω, ἐὰν πεσὼν προσκυνήσῃς μοι. Ἐπαγγέλεται πτῶσιν, εἶτα δόσιν.\n\nὉ δὲ σωτὴρ τὸ μέτρον αὐτοῦ τῆς μανίας διαλύων φησὶν πρὸς αὐτόν· Ὕπαγε, σατανᾶ. Καὶ φωνὴ θεοῦ ἀπόφασις, τὸ Ὕπαγε, σατανᾶ. Γέγραπται γάρ· κύριον τὸν θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσεις. Καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ ὁ διάβολος. Φωνὴ αὐτὸν διώκει. Ὥσπερ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἰουδαίους καὶ θεομάχους τότε διὰ φωνῆς ὀπίσω βέβληκεν (λεγόντων γὰρ αὐτῶν· Ποῦ ὁ Ἰησοῦς; λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἐγώ εἰμι, καὶ ἡ φωνὴ πάντας εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω κατέβαλεν)· οὕτω καὶ τῷ διαβόλῳ Ὕπαγε, σατανᾶ. Καὶ ὁ λόγος αὐτὸν ἐξώθησεν καὶ εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω ἀπέρριψεν.","english":"Then he says: \"All these I will give you if you fall down and worship me.\" Thus, because he was speaking to humanity. So he presents the third temptation and says: \"All these I will give you if you fall down and worship me.\" Even if the devil's words are bitter, they are instructive—not for the speaker but for us who hear: \"if you fall down and worship me.\" Therefore, is it not the case that you cannot worship without first falling? \"All these I will give you if you fall down and worship me.\" He promises a fall, then a gift.\n\nThe Savior, dissolving the measure of his madness, says to him: \"Go, Satan.\" And the voice of God is a sentence: \"Go, Satan.\" For it is written: \"You shall worship the Lord your God and serve him alone.\" And the devil departed from him. A voice drives him away. Just as he then cast his sons, the Jews and God-fighters, backward by a voice (for when they said, \"Where is Jesus?\" he says to them, \"I am,\" and the voice cast them all backward), so also to the devil: \"Go, Satan.\" And the word thrust him out and cast him backward.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"προσκυνήσῃς","severity":"info","text":"The devil's demand to 'worship' (προσκυνήσῃς) is linked by Severian to a physical prostration (πεσὼν), interpreting the temptation as a demand for idolatrous submission.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"κύριον τὸν θεόν σου προσκυνήσεις","severity":"info","text":"Severian cites a scriptural command to worship only the Lord, likely echoing Deut 6:13 or Exod 20:3-5, though not verbatim from the LXX.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"ἰουδαίους καὶ θεομάχους","severity":"info","text":"Severian calls Jews 'God-fighters' (θεομάχους), a polemical term common in anti-Jewish rhetoric of the period, linking them to the devil's opposition.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὕπαγε, σατανᾶ","severity":"info","text":"The command 'Go, Satan' parallels the Gospel accounts (Matt 4:10, Mark 1:25) but Severian adds a dramatic expulsion by voice, echoing his earlier narrative of the Jews.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"τρίτην πεῖραν","severity":"info","text":"Severian explicitly numbers this as the 'third temptation,' structuring the homily as a sequential series of three trials, a common patristic exegetical framework.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"φωνὴ θεοῦ ἀπόφασις","severity":"info","text":"Severian interprets Christ's voice as a judicial sentence (ἀπόφασις), reflecting a legal metaphor that may resonate with late antique courtroom practice.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text does not specify which scriptural verse is cited for 'You shall worship the Lord your God'; the reference is inferred from context.","The phrase 'τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ τοὺς ἰουδαίους' could be read as a generic polemic or a specific reference to a Gospel incident; Severian's source for the 'I am' episode is unclear."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":7,"ref":"p7","source":"Καὶ ἀπέστη ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ ὁ διάβολος ἄχρι καιροῦ. Τοῦτο δὲ γέγραπται εἰς ἀσφάλειαν ἡμῶν. Ἐπειδὴ πανταχοῦ διὰ τῆς εἰκόνος ἦς ἀνέλαβεν χαρακτῆρα ἡμῖν πολιτείας καταλιμπάνων διδάσκει σε, ἐπειδὰν παλαίσῃς τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ νικήσῃς μὴ εἰς ἀμεριμνίαν ἐλθεῖν ἀλλ’ εἰδέναι ὅτι ἀνακύπτει πάλιν μετὰ τὴν νίκην. Πολλῆς οὖν πολλάκις εἰκότως προσβαλλούσης ἡμῖν ὀρέξεως ἢ ἐπιθυμίας ἢ ἄλλου τινὸς τῶν παθημάτων καὶ συμπλακέντος ἡμῖν ὡς πάλῃ, ὁ νοῦς ἐρρωμένον φέρων τὸν λογισμὸν κατηγωνίσατο πάθη. Καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ νικήσας νῦν ἑτέρᾳ προσβολῇ ἡττᾶται. Διὸ χρὴ ἡμᾶς εἰς ἀμεριμνίαν μὴ ἔρχεσθαι ἀλλ’ εἰδέναι ὅτι ἄχρι καιροῦ ἡ νίκη καὶ ἄχρι καιροῦ ἡ ἀμεριμνία. Ἡ δὲ τῶν παθῶν νίκη πρόσκαιρος· ἕως ἐσμεν ἐν τῷ κόσμω καὶ νικῶμεν καὶ παλαίωμεν.\n\nἩ δὲ τελεία νίκη ἐν τέλει τῶν ἀγώνων. Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Παῦλος νικῶν οὐκ ἀμέριμνος ἦν ἀλλ’ ἠγωνία τὸ μέλλον καὶ ἔλεγεν· Οὕτως τρέχω οὐχ ὡς ἀδήλως, οὕτως πυκτεύω οὐχ ὡς ἀέρα δέρων, ἀλλ’ ὑπωπιάζω μου τὸ σῶμα καὶ δουλαγωγῶ μή πως ἄλλοις κηρύξας αὐτὸς ἀδόκιμος γένωμαι. Ὅτε δὲ εἰς τὸ τέλος ἔδραμεν τῶν ἀγώνων καὶ ἔμελλεν στεφανοῦσθαι, ἔλεγεν· Τὸν καλὸν ἀγῶνα ἠγώνισμαι, τὸν δρόμον τετέλεκα, τὴν πίστιν τετήρηκα.","english":"And the devil departed from him until a time. This is written for our security. Since everywhere through the image he assumed, leaving us a pattern of conduct, he teaches you: when you wrestle with the devil and conquer, do not fall into carelessness, but know that he rises again after the victory. Often, then, when appetite or desire or some other passion naturally assails us and grapples with us as in a wrestling match, the mind, bearing a strengthened reasoning, has overcome the passion. And the same one who conquered is now defeated by another assault. Therefore we must not fall into carelessness, but know that the victory is for a time and the carelessness is for a time. The victory over the passions is temporary; as long as we are in the world, we both conquer and wrestle.\n\nThe perfect victory is at the end of the contests. For this reason Paul, though conquering, was not careless, but was anxious about the future and said: \"Thus I run not as if uncertainly, thus I box not as if beating the air, but I blacken my body and enslave it, lest after preaching to others I myself become disqualified.\" But when he had run to the end of the contests and was about to be crowned, he said: \"I have fought the good fight, I have completed the race, I have kept the faith.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀπέστη ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ ὁ διάβολος ἄχρι καιροῦ","severity":"info","text":"The devil's departure 'until a time' (ἄχρι καιροῦ) is interpreted as a temporary respite, not a final victory, reinforcing the homily's pastoral warning against complacency.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"glossary","lemma":"εἰκόνος","severity":"info","text":"Εἰκόνος ('image') here refers to Christ's assumed human form, which serves as a model (χαρακτῆρα) for Christian conduct, a key theme in Severian's exegesis.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Παῦλος","severity":"info","text":"The citation of Paul's athletic metaphors (running, boxing, blackening the body) echoes 1 Cor 9:26-27 and 2 Tim 4:7, though the phrasing is paraphrastic; the final 'good fight' quote is from 2 Tim 4:7.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"background","lemma":"παλαίσῃς τῷ διαβόλῳ","severity":"info","text":"The wrestling metaphor (πάλη) for spiritual struggle is common in early Christian ascetic literature, drawing on the Greco-Roman athletic imagery of the period.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ἡ δὲ τελεία νίκη ἐν τέλει τῶν ἀγώνων","severity":"info","text":"This sentence marks a structural pivot from the temporary nature of victory to the eschatological 'perfect victory' at the end of life's contests, introducing Paul as exemplar.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀσφάλειαν","severity":"caution","text":"The term ἀσφάλειαν ('security') is ambiguous: it may mean 'assurance' (doctrinal certainty) or 'safety' (from spiritual danger); the English draft opts for 'security', but the context suggests a pastoral guarantee.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'ἄχρι καιροῦ' could be read as 'until the appointed time' (eschatological) or 'for a while' (temporal); the homily uses it to stress provisionality.","The identity of the 'image' (εἰκόνος) assumed by Christ is not specified; it may refer to the incarnation or to a specific typological figure."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":8,"ref":"p8","source":"Οὕτως, ἀδελφοί, τελείωσις τῶν ἀγώνων ἡ τελείωσις τοῦ βίου ἐστίν. Καὶ μὴ νομίσῃς ἄνθρωπον πρὸ τελευτῆς στεφανοῦσθαι, τῆς γραφῆς λεγούσης· Μὴ μακαρίσῃς ἄνθρωπον πρὸ τελευτῆς αὐτοῦ. Ὁ σωτὴρ τέλειος ἐν πᾶσιν· ὁ δόλος οὐ συνεπολιτεύσατο, ὁ δόλος οὐ συνέζησεν, ἡ κακία οὐ συμπαρῆν. Αὐτὸς περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λέγει· Εἴπατε τῇ ἀλώπεκι ταύτῃ· σήμερον καὶ αὔριον ποιῶ σημεῖα, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ τελειοῦμαι. Εἰ ὁ Χριστὸς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θάνατον τελείωσιν ἐκάλεσεν, τίς πρὸ θανάτου τελείωσιν φαντάζεται;\n\nΚαὶ ἀπέστη ἄχρι καιροῦ καὶ λοιπὸν προσῆλθον ἄγγελοι καὶ διηκόνουν αὐτῷ. Τέλος τῆς ἀσκήσεως τὸ ὑπ’ ἀγγέλων διακονεῖσθαι. Ὃ μὲν κακῶς καὶ ἀκαίρως παρήγαγεν ὁ διάβολος, εὐθέως ἐδίδαξεν ὁ φιλάνθρωπος. Ἔλεγεν γὰρ ὁ διάβολος ὅτι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ. Σὺ ἀκαίρως παρήγαγες, ὁ θεὸς εὐκαίρως καὶ οἰκονομικῶς, ἵνα δειχθῇ ὅ τι τέλος μένει τοῖς ἀγωνιζομένοις. Προσῆλθον ἄγγελοι καὶ διηκόνουν αὐτῷ. Τίνι; Τῷ σχήματι τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, τῷ καταπατήσαντι τοὺς δαίμονας, τῷ πατήσαντι ἐπὶ ἀσπίδα καὶ βασιλίσκον, τῷ ἐπιβάντι ἐπὶ λέοντα καὶ δράκοντα. Εἰ μὴ γὰρ πρῶτος αὐτὸς ἐπάτησεν, οὐκ ἂν ἡμῖν ἐξουσίαν ἔδωκεν πατεῖν ἐπὶ λέοντα καὶ δράκοντα.","english":"Thus, brothers, the completion of struggles is the completion of life. And do not think that a man is crowned before his end, as the Scripture says: Do not call a man blessed before his death. The Savior is perfect in all things: deceit did not dwell with him, deceit did not live with him, wickedness did not accompany him. He says of himself: Tell this fox, today and tomorrow I perform signs, and on the third day I am perfected. If Christ called his own death a perfection, who imagines perfection before death?\n\nAnd he departed until a time, and then angels came and served him. The end of ascetic practice is to be served by angels. What the devil introduced evilly and untimely, the benevolent one immediately taught. For the devil said that he would give orders about you to his angels. You introduced it untimely, but God introduced it timely and economically, so that it might be shown what end awaits those who struggle. Angels came and served him. Whom? The form of humanity, the one who trampled the demons, the one who trod upon the asp and the basilisk, the one who mounted the lion and the dragon. For if he himself had not first trampled, he would not have given us the power to tread upon the lion and the dragon.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Μὴ μακαρίσῃς ἄνθρωπον πρὸ τελευτῆς αὐτοῦ","severity":"info","text":"Severian quotes a maxim resembling Sir 11:28 (LXX) or a common Greek proverb; the exact source is uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"τελείωσις","severity":"info","text":"The Greek noun τελείωσις (teleiosis) means 'completion' or 'perfection'; Severian plays on its double sense of death and spiritual perfection.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Εἴπατε τῇ ἀλώπεκι ταύτῃ· σήμερον καὶ αὔριον ποιῶ σημεῖα, καὶ τῇ τρίτῃ τελειοῦμαι","severity":"info","text":"This saying is not in the canonical Gospels; it may derive from an apocryphal tradition or a lost source known to Severian.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Καὶ ἀπέστη ἄχρι καιροῦ","severity":"info","text":"This sentence marks a transition from the devil's departure to the angelic service, contrasting the devil's untimely action with God's timely provision.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"parallel","kind":"parallel","basis":"text","lemma":"τῷ πατήσαντι ἐπὶ ἀσπίδα καὶ βασιλίσκον, τῷ ἐπιβάντι ἐπὶ λέοντα καὶ δράκοντα","severity":"info","text":"The imagery of trampling beasts (asp, basilisk, lion, dragon) is common in early Christian art and exegesis, symbolizing Christ's victory over evil.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"caution","kind":"caution","basis":"text","lemma":"Εἴπατε τῇ ἀλώπεκι ταύτῃ","severity":"caution","text":"The phrase 'Tell this fox' is obscure; it may be a colloquial insult or a reference to a fable, but its exact meaning is uncertain.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The source of the saying about the fox and the three days is unknown; it may be apocryphal or a misremembered tradition.","The phrase 'Tell this fox' is ambiguous in context; it could be directed at the devil or at a specific opponent."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":9,"ref":"p9","source":"Πρῶτος ἀγὼν ὁ κατὰ δαιμόνων ἐστίν. Ἐπειδὴ Μωϋσῆς καὶ Ἠλίας ἵστανται τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας, Μωϋσῆς ἐνήστευσεν, οὐχ ἵνα κατορθώσῃ· ὁ Χριστὸς δὲ κατώρθωσεν. Ὁ γὰρ Μωϋσῆς οὐ νηστεύσας τοὺς δαίμονας ἐχώρισεν, οὐδὲ Ἠλίας ἐνήστευσεν ἵνα τὸν διάβολον καθέλῃ. Μᾶλλον δὲ Ἰησοῦς ᾐτιᾶτο τῶν πραγμάτων καὶ κατορθοῖ τὰ πράγματα, ὡς ἔλεγεν προειπών. Παρέστησεν Μωϋσῆν καὶ Ἠλίαν ὁ δεσπότης νόμου καὶ προφητῶν, παρέστησεν Πέτρον καὶ Ἰωάννην καὶ Ἰάκωβον ὁ δεσπότης τῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν. Καὶ γίνεται μία νεφέλη εἰς τύπον τῆς ἐκκλησίας. Ἐκεῖνο δὲ ἐπισημήνας ἐνάξω ὅτι ἣν εἶπεν Μωϋσῆς φωνὴν ζῶσαν, ταύτην ὁ πατὴρ ἐκύρωσεν ἐν τῷ ὄρει λέγων· Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός· αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε. Μωϋσῆς γὰρ προανεφώνησεν λέγων· Προφήτην ὑμῖν ἀναστήσει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν ὡς ἐμέ· αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε. Μωϋσῆς εἶπεν· αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε· καὶ ὁ πατήρ· αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε, ἵνα δείξῃ ὅτι ἡ χάρις οὐκ ἐβιάσατο τὸν νόμον, ἀλλ’ ἐπλήρωσεν τὸν νόμον, οὐχ ὑβρίζων Μωϋσῆν, ἀλλὰ πληρῶν τὸ ῥῆμα.","english":"The first struggle is against demons. Since Moses and Elijah stood for forty days, Moses fasted, not to accomplish something; but Christ accomplished it. For Moses did not separate the demons by fasting, nor did Elijah fast to overthrow the devil. Rather, Jesus took charge of the matters and accomplishes them, as he said beforehand. The master of the law and the prophets presented Moses and Elijah; the master of the evangelists presented Peter, John, and James. And one cloud forms as a type of the church. Having noted that, I will introduce that the living voice which Moses spoke, the Father confirmed on the mountain, saying: This is my beloved son; listen to him. For Moses proclaimed beforehand, saying: The Lord our God will raise up a prophet for you like me; listen to him. Moses said: listen to him; and the Father: listen to him, to show that grace did not violate the law, but fulfilled the law, not insulting Moses, but fulfilling his word.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Πρῶτος ἀγὼν ὁ κατὰ δαιμόνων ἐστίν","severity":"info","text":"This sentence opens a new narrative segment, marking the first struggle as against demons, distinct from the preceding discussion of struggles in general.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Προφήτην ὑμῖν ἀναστήσει κύριος ὁ θεὸς ἡμῶν ὡς ἐμέ· αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε","severity":"info","text":"Severian paraphrases Deuteronomy 18:15 (LXX), where Moses promises a prophet like himself; the phrase 'listen to him' is a key typological link.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"scripture","kind":"scripture","basis":"text","lemma":"Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός· αὐτοῦ ἀκούετε","severity":"info","text":"The Father's words on the mountain echo the Transfiguration narrative (Matthew 17:5) and are presented as a confirmation of Moses' prophecy.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"text","lemma":"Μωϋσῆς καὶ Ἠλίας ἵστανται τεσσαράκοντα ἡμέρας","severity":"info","text":"The forty-day fast of Moses and Elijah is a typological parallel to Christ's forty days in the wilderness, a common patristic motif linking the lawgiver and prophet to Christ.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"νεφέλη","severity":"info","text":"The cloud (νεφέλη) is interpreted as a type (τύπον) of the church, a standard allegorical reading in Greek patristic exegesis of the Transfiguration.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"text","lemma":"ἡν εἶπεν Μωϋσῆς φωνὴν ζῶσαν","severity":"info","text":"The phrase 'living voice' (φωνὴν ζῶσαν) may reflect Severian's anti-Arian polemic, asserting the divine authority of the Son as the living Word, not a mere human prophet.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The phrase 'Παρέστησεν Μωϋσῆν καὶ Ἠλίαν ὁ δεσπότης νόμου καὶ προφητῶν' could be read as Christ presenting Moses and Elijah, or as God the Father; the context suggests Christ as the master of law and prophets."],"confidence":"high","notes":[]},{"i":10,"ref":"p10","source":"Οὐ χρείᾳ ἀλλ’ ὑπὸ νόμου καὶ προφήτου βασιλέα τῆς ἀληθείας λαμ- βάνοντες […] Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἰκόνες βασιλέως πρὸ ἐπιδημίας τιμῶνται, μετὰ δὲ τὸ φανῆναι τὸν βασιλέα ἀργεῖ πᾶσα ἡ ὄψις τῆς εἰκόνος καὶ ἀντιμεταστρέφει τὸ ὄνομα, οὕτω πρὸς τὸ πρωτότυπον καὶ πρὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ νόμος καὶ προφῆται, μετὰ δὲ Χριστὸν λάμπει τὰ τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ ἀργεῖ τὰ τῶν πατέρων. Λάμπει τὰ τῆς θεότητος, ἐν ἣ γένηται πάντας ἡμᾶς σωθῆναι, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ Χριστῷ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα, κράτος καὶ τιμὴ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.","english":"Not by need but by law and prophet receiving the king of truth. For just as images of a king are honored before his arrival, but after the king appears, every aspect of the image is idle and the name is transferred, so it is with the prototype: before Christ, law and prophets were active; after Christ, the things of truth shine and the things of the fathers are idle. The things of divinity shine, in which we are all to be saved, in Christ himself, to whom belong glory, power, and honor unto the ages of ages. Amen.","structure":"narrative","commentary":[{"unit":"sense","kind":"sense","basis":"text","lemma":"Οὐ χρείᾳ ἀλλ’ ὑπὸ νόμου καὶ προφήτου βασιλέα τῆς ἀληθείας λαμβάνοντες","severity":"info","text":"The Greek syntax is elliptical; the participle λαμβάνοντες likely governs the preceding clause, indicating that Moses and Elijah receive Christ as king of truth not out of need but under the authority of law and prophecy.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"background","kind":"background","basis":"external","lemma":"εἰκόνες βασιλέως","severity":"info","text":"The analogy of imperial images honored before the emperor’s arrival reflects late antique court ceremonial, where portraits (εἰκόνες) were venerated as proxies until the emperor’s presence rendered them obsolete.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"structure","kind":"structure","basis":"text","lemma":"Ὥσπερ ... οὕτω","severity":"info","text":"The comparative construction Ὥσπερ ... οὕτω (just as ... so) structures the entire passage, drawing a parallel between the function of imperial images and the role of law and prophets before Christ.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"reception","kind":"reception","basis":"external","lemma":"Ἀμήν","severity":"info","text":"The closing Ἀμήν is a liturgical marker, indicating that this homily was intended for oral delivery in a congregational setting, likely at the conclusion of a service.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]},{"unit":"term","kind":"term","basis":"text","lemma":"ἀντιμεταστρέφει","severity":"info","text":"The verb ἀντιμεταστρέφει (is transferred) is rare; it suggests a shift in reference or title from the image to the original, underscoring the supersession of law and prophets by Christ.","cites":[],"named_sources":[],"dropped_cites":[]}],"ambiguities":["The Greek text is fragmentary at the start; the participle λαμβάνοντες lacks an explicit subject, but context implies Moses and Elijah."],"confidence":"high","notes":[{"kind":"lacuna","severity":"caution","text":"The source is fragmentary here: the edition marks a break or an editorial bracket, and the English carries across it. Treat the bridge as supplied, not translated."}]}]}