Gregory the Miracle-Worker, Panegyric to Origen 6.1-6.11

https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/326

Context

Theodore, who later became known as Gregory the Miracle-Worker (ὁ Θαυματουργός), was a Christian convert from a leading family of Pontic Neocaesarea who became an influential theologian and bishop during the middle decades of the 3rd century. As a wealthy youth traveling with his brother to study law at Berytus in ca. 231, he escorted his sister to Caesarea, where her husband was called to serve as legal attaché to the governor. There Theodore entered the training of Origen for seven years, at the end of which he delivered an eloquent valedictory lauding the integration of classical and Christian intellectualism. In this passage he describes in poetic terms how Origen captivated him and his brother and drew them under his tutelage.

Text

Ὁ δ’ ὑποδεξάμενος ἐξ ἡμέρας τῆς πρώτης, τῆς ὄντως ἐμοὶ πρώτης, τῆς τιμιωτάτης πασῶν, εἰ δεῖ λέγειν, ἡμερῶν, ὅτε μοι πρῶτον ὁ ἀληθινὸς ἀνατέλλειν ἥλιος ἤρξατο, πρῶτον μέν, ὥσπερ θῆράς τινας ἀγρίους ἢ ἰχθύας ἤ τινας ὄρνεις, ἐμπεσόντας μὲν εἰς τὰς ἄρκυς ἢ εἰς τὰς σαγήνας, ἐξολισθαίνειν δὲ καὶ ἀποδιδράσκειν πειρωμένους, ἀναχωρεῖν τε ἀπ’ αὐτοῦ βουλομένους ἐπὶ τὴν Βηρυτὸν ἢ ἐπὶ τὴν πατρίδα, συνδήσασθαι πάντα τρόπον ἐμηχανήσατο· πάντας λόγους στρέφων καὶ πάντα κάλων (τοῦτο δὴ τὸ τοῦ λόγου) κινῶν καὶ πάσας τὰς δυνάμεις αὐτοῦ προχειριζόμενος … 1

Textual Note

Ed. Crouzel 1969

Translation

And from the very first day (Origen) received us—which was truly my first day, the most precious of all days, if I may say, whereas then for the first time the true Sun began to rise upon me—at the start we, like some wild creatures of the field or fish, or some birds that had fallen into the traps or nets, attempting to slip out again and escape, wanted to leave him for Berytus or our homeland. But he maneuvered in every way to tie us to him, contriving all kinds of arguments and moving all the ropes (as the saying goes) and applying all his powers … 2

Translation Note

Adapted from Salmond 1886

Works Cited

1 Gregory the Miracle-Worker, Remerciement à Origène, suivi de la Lettre d’Origène à Grégoire., ed. Henri Crouzel, Sources chrétiennes 148 (Paris: Éditions du Cerf, 1969), section: 6, line: 1-11.
2 Gregory the Miracle-Worker, The Oration and Panegyric Addressed to Origen, in Gregory Thaumaturgus, Dionysius the Great, Julius Africanus, Anatolius and Minor Writers, Methodius, Arnobius, trans. S. D. F. Salmond, American edition, vol. 6, 10 vols., The Ante-Nicene Fathers: Translations of the Writings of the Fathers down to A.D. 325 (Buffalo: The Christian Literature Publishing Company, 1886), 50–91

How to Cite This Entry

Joseph L. Rife, “Gregory the Miracle-Worker, Panegyric to Origen 6.1-6.11,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published June 30, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/326.

Bibliography:

Joseph L. Rife, “Gregory the Miracle-Worker, Panegyric to Origen 6.1-6.11.” In Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, edited by Joseph L. Rife., edited by Joseph L. Rife. Caesarea City and Port Exploration Project, 2023. Entry published June 30, 2023. https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/326.

About this Entry

Entry Title: Gregory the Miracle-Worker, Panegyric to Origen 6.1-6.11

Authorial and Editorial Responsibility:

Joseph L. Rife, general editor, Vanderbilt University
Joseph L. Rife, editor, Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia
David A. Michelson, Daniel L. Schwartz, and William L. Potter, technical editor, “Gregory the Miracle-Worker, Panegyric to Origen 6.1-6.11”
Joseph L. Rife, entry contributor, “Gregory the Miracle-Worker, Panegyric to Origen 6.1-6.11”

Additional Credit:

TEI encoding by William L. Potter
Electronic text added by Joseph L. Rife
Testimonia identified by Joseph L. Rife

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