Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Gregory the Miracle-Worker 905C-908D
https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/391
Context
Gregory of Nyssa was a learned theologian of the 4th century venerated
as one of the so-called Cappadocian Fathers. Raised in a prominent Christian family in
Pontus, he became bishop of Nyssa in Cappadocia in 372, while his famous brother Basil
was metropolitan at Caesarea Mazaca. Among his many writings was a biography of Gregory
the Miracle-Worker, who was remembered as the founder of the Christian community at
Pontic Neocaesarea, the home of Gregory’s family, over a century earlier. The author
shows little knowledge of the writings of his subject but seems to rely on local
tradition, which in places gives an incomplete or distorted historical picture. In
comparison to other sources on Gregory the Miracle-Worker’s experience as a student of
Origen at Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa highlights Firmilian’s key role as Gregory’s
companion in spiritual instruction, and places Gregory’s commitment to God before his
tutelage under Origen.
Text
Ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν προοίμιον τοῦ βίου, τοιοῦτον. Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ βίος τίς; Ἐπειδὴ
πᾶσαν παίδευσιν τῆς ἔξω σοφίας ἐπιδραμὼν, ἐνέτυχε Φιρμιλιανῷ τινι τῶν εὐπατριδῶν
Καππαδόκῃ, ὁμοιοτρόπῳ κατὰ τὸ ἦθος, ὡς ἔδειξεν ἐκεῖνος τῷ μετὰ ταῦτα βίῳ, κόσμος τῆς
Ἐκκλησίας τῶν Καισαρέων γενόμενος, καὶ τόν τε σκοπὸν τοῦ φρονήματος καὶ ἰδίου βίου
φανερὸν τῷ φίλῳ ἐποίησεν, ὡς εἴη πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν βλέπων, καὶ τὴν ἐκείνου σπουδὴν ἔγνω περὶ
τὴν αὐτὴν ἐπιθυμίαν συμβαίνουσαν, καταλιπὼν πᾶσαν τὴν περὶ τῆς ἔξω φιλοσοφίας σπουδὴν,
προσφοιτᾷ μετ’ ἐκείνου τῷ κατὰ τὸν χρόνον ἐκεῖνον τῆς τῶν Χριστιανῶν φιλοσοφίας
καθηγουμένῳ (Ὠριγένης δὲ οὗτος ἦν, οὗ πολὺς ἐπὶ τοῖς συγγράμμασι λόγος), δεικνὺς καὶ διὰ
τούτου, οὐ μόνον τὸ φιλομαθὲς καὶ φιλόπονον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ κατεσταλμένον ἐν τῷ ἤθει καὶ
μέτριον· τοσαύτης γὰρ σοφίας ἀνάπλεος ὢν ἑτέρῳ χρήσασθαι διδασκάλῳ πρὸς τὰ θεῖα τῶν
μαθημάτων οὐκ ἀπηξίωσεν, καὶ διαγαγὼν παρὰ τῷ διδασκάλῳ χρόνον τοῖς μαθήμασι σύμμετρον,
πολλῶν ὄντων τῶν παρακαλούντων καὶ κατεχόντων αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τῆς ἀλλοδαπῆς, καὶ παρ’ αὐτοῖς
ἀξιούντων μένειν, πάντων προτιμοτέραν τὴν ἐνεγκοῦσαν αὐτὸν ποιησάμενος, ἐπὶ τὴν πατρίδα
πάλιν ἐπάνεισιν, τὸν παντοδαπὸν πλοῦτον τῆς σοφίας τε καὶ τῆς γνώσεως ἐπαγόμενος, ὃν
καθάπερ τις ἔμπορος ἐν ταῖς ἔξω σπουδαῖς πᾶσι καθομιλῶν τοῖς εὐδοκίμοις
ἐνεπορεύσατο.
1
Textual Note
Ed. Migne 1863Textual Note
Rev. Heil 1990Translation
But such is the prologue to his life. What of the life itself? After
having dashed through the entire curriculum of worldly wisdom, he met a certain
Firmilian from the elite in Cappadocia, a man of comparable character, as he
demonstrated later in life, who became the jewel of the Church of Caesarea (Mazaca).
(Gregory) made clear to his friend the focus of his thought and his very life, that he
was looking to God, and he realized that (Firmilian’s) devotion aligned with the same
desire. He abandoned all devotion to worldly philosophy and travelled with (his friend)
to the preeminent teacher of Christian philosophy at that time—it was Origen, whose
great fame rested on his writings. Thus he displayed not only his love of learning and
hard work, but also the restraint and balance of his character. Since he was filled with
so much wisdom, he did not deign to employ another teacher for the study of divinity.
When he had spent the period of time with his teacher appropriate to his studies,
although there were many people inviting him and retaining him abroad, and thinking it a
good idea (for him) to stay with them, he decided that he preferred the land that bore
him above all others, and returned home. He brought in his manifold wealth and
knowledge, which he imported like a merchant in all world pursuits who conducts business
with a celebrated clientele.
2
Translation Note
Adapted from Slusser 1998Works Cited
- 1 Gregory of Nyssa, De vita b. Gregorii Thaumaturgi, in S. P. N. Gregorii episcopi Nysseni opera quae reperiri potuerunt omnia, tomus tertius, ed. J.-P. Migne, vol. 3, 3 vols., Patrologiae cursus completus, series Graeca 46 (Paris: J.-P. Migne, 1863), 893–958, col: 905C-908D.
- 2 Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Gregory the Wonderworker, in St. Gregory Thaumaturgus: Life and Works, trans. Michael Slusser, The Fathers of the Church: A New Translation 98 (Washington, D.C.: Catholic University of America Press, 1998), 41–90, ch: 21-23, p: 50.
Additional Bibliography
- Gregory of Nyssa, De vita Gregorii Thaumaturgi, in Gregorii Nysseni sermones. Pars II, ed. Gunther Heil, Gregorii Nysseni opera, 10.1 (Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1990), 3–57
How to Cite This Entry
Joseph L. Rife, “Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Gregory the Miracle-Worker 905C-908D,” in Caesarea Maritima: A Collection of Testimonia, entry published June 30, 2023, https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/391.
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Bibliography:
Joseph L. Rife, “Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Gregory the Miracle-Worker 905C-908D.” 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/391.About this Entry
Entry Title: Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Gregory the Miracle-Worker 905C-908D
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 of Nyssa, Life of Gregory the Miracle-Worker 905C-908D”
- Joseph L. Rife, entry contributor, “Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Gregory the Miracle-Worker 905C-908D”
Additional Credit:
- TEI encoding by William L. Potter
- Electronic text added by Joseph L. Rife
- Testimonia identified by Joseph L. Rife