Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Gregory the Miracle-Worker 905C-908D
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https://caesarea-maritima.org/testimonia/391

Caesarea Maritima is indirectly attested at Gregory of Nyssa, Life of Gregory the Miracle-Worker 905C-908D. This passage was written ca. 380-385 C.E. possibly in Pontus. 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.

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.

[Ed. Migne 1863] [Rev. Heil 1990]

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.

[Adapted from Slusser 1998]

Works Cited

[...] 905C-908D
[...] 21-23 50

Additional Bibliography

[...]

[Gregory the Miracle-Worker, Panegyric to Origen 5.76-112]

[Caesarea Mazaca

Cappadocia

Pontus]

[Firmilian

Gregory the Miracle-Worker

Origen]

[Christianity

Economy and Commerce

Education (sacred)

Roman History

Society and Culture

Travel]