Gregory of Nazianzus De Spiritu Sancto (Orat. 31) 33

Arthur James Mason (Translator)

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De Spiritu Sancto (Orat. 31). Gregory of Nazianzus. Arthur James Mason (Translator). Germany. 2014.

Sponsored by University of Leipzig.

Funding provided by European Social Fund Saxony.

Current edition First1KGreek

De Spiritu Sancto (Orat. 31) (Greek) (Gregory of Nazianzus. The Five Theological Orations. Mason, Arthur James, translator. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1899.)

Notes on the current edition

De Spiritu Sancto (Orat. 31)

1. 1 σχεθεισα] χεθεισα ῾El.’ 33. 6 τουτο] τουτω ag ‘tres Colb.’ || 11 ἐννοητέον] cetera desunt in a
2. 1. ὑπολαβοῦσα] ῾assuming,’ ῾catching.’
3. ib. διὰ τοῦ ἐν μ. ἀέρος] ῾by means of the intervening air.’ Ace. Gr.’s theory, it is the air the water and the wall which communicates to the sunbeam the motion of the water. Cp. ii 12, 13, 22.
4. ib. σχεθεῖσσ τῷ ἀντ’.] ῾arrested by the resisting substance.’ Cp. ii 26 ἀντιτυπούμεναι.
5. 2. παλμὸς ἐγ. καἰ παράδ.] ῾becomes (gnom. aor.) α quivering that quite surprises you.’
6. ib. ἄττει] = ἀίσσει, ῾vibrates.’
7. 33. It is α misleading comparison. We do best to content ourselves with the few words given us by revelation for our guidance, and so to press on through life, endeavouring to bring all to join in worshipping Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, in one Godhead.
8. 6. θέσθαι] ῾to lay down as my own.’
9. 7. τὴν μὲν τὸ κ.] ῾it is very clear what moves the sumbeam.’ contrasted phrase would strictly have run θεὸν δὲ οὐδὲν κινεῖ οὐδόν ἐστι τὸ κινοῦν).
10. 10. τῶν αὐτῶν ὑπ’.] ῾there is a suspicion (or perh. a notion) of the same things.’ things’ as in the case former illustrations.
11. ib. χύσεως] might seem to be in favour of Elias’ reading above. But the point of the illustration there does not lie in that word, whether χεθ. be read, or σχέθ’. Χύσις represents the ῾shedding,’ whether of light or of water, which implies dissipation.
12. 11. ἀστάτου] repeats the στάσιν οὐκ ἔχουσαν of § 31. Cp. Poem. iii 64 οὔτε τις ἐξ ὑδάτων κινήμασιν ἡλιακοῖσι μαρμαρυγή, τοίχοισι περίτρομος, ἀστατέουσα, πρὶν πελάσαι φεύγουσα, πάρος φυγέειν πελάουσα. οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄστατός ἐστι θεοῦ φύσις, ἠὲ μούσα ἠὲ πάλιν συνιοῦσα· τὸ δ’ ἐμπεδόν ἐστι θεοῖο.
13. 12. τὴν διάνοιαν ἵστησιν] ῾nothing to satisfy my mind (lit. which brings it to a stop) when I contemplate illustrations the image which I form.’
14. 8 διαπορεύεσθαι] διαπορθμεύεσθαι e || 9 om διατέμνοντα ῾tres Colb.’ : τεμνοντα d1 (ut videtur) || 11 καὶ] + βασίλειαν καὶ ῾Reg. a’ || 12 om αἰώνων ce
15. 1. ὑπ’ εὐγνωμοσύνης] The rhythm is in favour of joining these words to those which follow ; ῾have the good sense to throw the rest away.’ For the use of the prep. cp. iv 7.
16. 4. τῆς ἅλ’. πλ. ἀποδεούσας] ῾quite inadequate to express the truth.’
17. ib. τῆς ἐύς. ἐνν. ἐχόμενον] ῾clinging to the most reverent of views.’ Cp. iv 15 sub fin.
18. 5. ἐπ’ ὀλίγων ῥ’. ἴστ’.] ῾satisfied with a few (not with few) words. The clause is contrasted with ἵστησιν ἐπὶ τῶν ὑποδειγμάτων θ. above. ῾A few words’ of Scripture are all that we have to go upon.
19. 6. ἐντεῦθεν] = ἀπὸ τοῦ πνεύματος.
20. 8. διαπ. διατέμνοντα] ῾to journey through this world, cleaving my way as I go? There is a ref. to the usual expression τέμνειν ὁδόν. Gr. alludes to the difficulties that beset a faith which will not acquiesce in poor substitutes for knowledge.