Hermas, The Shepherd of Hermas, 3.8

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[1] When, therefore, I ceased asking her all these¹ things, she said to me: Would you like to see something else? I was anxious to see it, and rejoiced greatly at the prospect.

[2] She looked at me and smiled and said to me: Do you see seven women round the tower? Yes, I said; I see them. This tower is being supported by them according to the commandment of the Lord.

[3] Hear now their qualities. The first of them who² is clasping her hands is called Faith. Through her the chosen of God are saved.

[4] The second, who is girded and looks like a man, is called Continence; she is the daughter of Faith. Whosoever then shall follow her becomes blessed in his life, because he will abstain from all evil deeds, believing that if he refrains from every evil lust he will inherit eternal life.

[5] But who are the others. Lady? They are daughters one of the other, and their names are Simplicity, Knowledge, Innocence, Reverence, and Love. When therefore you perform all the deeds of their mother, you can live.

[6] I would like,³ Lady, said I, to know what are their several powers.⁴ Listen, she said, to the powers which they have.

[7] Their powers are supported one by the other, and they follow one another according to their birth. From Faith is born Continence, from Continence Simplicity, from Simplicity Innocence, from Innocence Reverence, from Reverence Knowledge, from Knowledge Love. Their works therefore are pure and reverent and godly.

[8] Whosoever then serves them, and has the strength to lay hold of their works, shall have his dwelling in the tower with the saints of God.

[9] And I began to ask her⁵ about the times, if the end were yet. But she cried out with a loud voice saying, Foolish man, do you not see the tower still being built? Whenever therefore the building of the tower has been finished, the end comes. But it will quickly be built up; ask me nothing more. This reminder and the renewal of your spirits is sufficient for you and for the saints.

[10] But the revelation was not for you alone, but for you to explain it to them all,

[11] after three days, for you must understand it first. But I charge you first, Hermas, with these words, which I am going to say to you, to speak them all into the ears of the saints, that they may hear them and do them and be cleansed from their wickedness, and you with them.

The Shepherd of Hermas. Hermas. . 1913.

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Current edition Perseus

Hermas (English) (Hermas. The Apostolic Fathers with an English translation by Kirsopp Lake. In Two Volumes. Vol. II. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd. 1913)

Editions (1)

Ποιμὴν First1KGreek (Hermas. The Apostolic Fathers, Vol 2. Lake, Kirsopp, editor. London: William Heinemann; New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1917.) — 3.8 focus

[1] Ὅτε οὖν ἐπαυσάμην ἐρωτῶν αὐτὴν περὶ πάντων τούτων, λέγει μοι: Θέλεις ἄλλο ἰδεῖν; κατεπίθυμος ὢν τοῦ θεάσασθαι περιχαρὴς ἐγενόμην τοῦ ἰδεῖν.

[2] ἐμβλέψασά μοι ὑπεμειδίασεν καὶ λέγει μοι: Βλέπεις ἑπτὰ γυναῖκας κύκλῳ τοῦ πύργου; Βλέπω, φημί, κυρία. Ὁ πύργος οὗτος ὑπὸ τούτων βαστάζεται κατ̓ ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ κυρίου.

[3] ἄκουε νῦν τὰς ἐνεργείας αὐτῶν. ἡ μὲν πρώτη αὐτῶν, ἡ κρατοῦσα τὰς χεῖρας, Πίστις καλεῖται: διὰ ταύτης σώζονται οἱ ἐκλεκτοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ.

[4] ἡ δὲ ἑτέρα, ἡ περιεζωσμένη καὶ ἀνδριζομένη, Ἑγκράτεια καλεῖται: αὕτη θυγάτηρ ἐστὶν τῆς Πίστεως. ὃς ἂν οὖν ἀκολουθήσῃ αὐτῇ, μακάριος γίνεται ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ, ὅτι πάντων τῶν πονηρῶν ἔργων ἀφέξεται, πιστεύων ὅτι, ἐὰν ἀφέξηται ¹ πάσης ἐπιθυμίας πονηρᾶς, κληρονομήσει ² ζωὴν αἰώνιον.

[5] Αἱ δὲ ἕτεραι, κυρία, τίνες εἰσίν; Θυγατέρες ἀλλήλων εἰσίν καλοῦνται δὲ ἡ μὲν Ἁπλότης, ἡ δὲ Ἐπιστήμη, ἡ δὲ Ἀκακία, ἡ δὲ Σεμνότης, ἡ δὲ Ἀγάπη. ὅταν οὖν τὰ ἔργα τῆς μητρὸς αὐτῶν πάντα ποιήσῃς, δύνασαι ζῆσαι.

[6] Ἤθελον, φημί, γνῶναι, κυρία, τίς τίνα δύναμιν ἔχει αὐτῶν. Ἄκουε, φησίν, τὰς δυνάμεις, ἃς ἔχουσιν.

[7] κρατοῦνται δὲ ὑπ̓ ἀλλήλων αἱ δυνάμεις αὐτῶν καὶ ἀκολουθοῦσιν ἀλλήλαις, καθὼς καὶ γεγεννημέναι εἰσίν. ἐκ τῆς Πίστεως γεννᾶται Ἐγκράτεια, ἐκ τῆς Ἐγκρατείας Ἁπλότης, ἐκ τῆς Ἁπλότητος Ἀκακία, ἐκ τῆς Ἀκακίας Σεμνότης, ἐκ τῆς Σεμνότητος Ἐπιστήμη, ἐκ τῆς Ἐπιστήμης Ἀγάπη. τούτων οὖν τὰ ἔργα ἁγνὰ καὶ σεμνὰ καὶ θεῖά ἐστιν.

[8] ὃς ἂν οὖν δουλεύσῃ ταύταις καὶ ἰσχύσῃ κρατῆσαι τῶν ἔργων αὐτῶν, ἐν τῷ πύργῳ ἕξει τὴν κατοίκησιν μετὰ τῶν ἁγίων τοῦ θεοῦ.

[9] ἐπηρώτων δὲ αὐτὴν περὶ τῶν καιρῶν, εἰ ἤδη συντέλειά ἐστιν. ἡ δὲ ἀνέκραγε φωνῇ μεγάλῃ λέγουσα: Ἀσύνετε ἄνθρωπε, οὐχ ὁρᾷς τὸν πύργον ἔτι οἰκοδομούμενον; ὡς ἐὰν οὖν συντελεσθῇ ὁ πύργος οἰκοδομούμενος, ἔχει τέλος. ἀλλὰ ταχὺ ἐποικοδομηθήσεται. μηκέτι με ἐπερώτα μηδέν: ἀρκετή σοι ἡ ὑπόμνησις αὕτη καὶ τοῖς ἁγίοις καὶ ἡ ἀνακαίνωσις τῶν πνευμάτων ὑμῶν.

[10] ἀλλ̓ οὐ σοὶ μόνῳ ταῦτα ἀπεκαλύφθη, ἀλλ̓ ἵνα πᾶσιν δηλώσῃς αὐτά,

[11] μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας, νοῆσαί σε γὰρ δεῖ πρῶτον. ἐντέλλομαι δέ σοι πρῶτον, ³ Ἑρμᾶ, τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα, ἅ σοι μέλλω λέγειν, λαλῆσαι αὐτὰ πάντα εἰς τὰ ὦτα τῶν ἁγίων, ἵνα ἀκούσαντες αὐτὰ καὶ ποιήσαντες καθαρισθῶσιν ἀπὸ τῶν πονηριῶν αὐτῶν καὶ σὺ δὲ μετ̓ αὐτῶν.

Notes on the current edition

The Shepherd of Hermas

1. The vision of the seven women

2. The explanation

3. The powers of the Virtues

4. Here also (cf. Vision III. iv. 3. powers probably is almost equivalent to meaning or signification.

5. The end

Hermas The Shepherd of Hermas 3.8

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