E00719: Basil of Caesarea delivers his Homily 23 on *Mamas (martyr of Caesarea, S00436) on the martyr’s festival at his shrine in Kaisareia/Caesarea (central Asia Minor), mentioning various miracles; the feast coincides with the New Lord’s Day (first Sunday after Easter). Written in Greek in Caesarea in the 370s.

Basil of Caesarea, Homily 23, On Mamas (CPG 2868, BHG 1020)

ΟΜΙΛΙΑ ΚΓ’
Εἰς τὸν ἅγιον μάρτυρα Μάμαντα

‘Homily 23. On the holy martyr Mamas’
 
Οὐκ ἀγνοῶ τὸ μέγεθος τῶν ὑπὸ τῆς πανηγύρεως ἐγκωμίων· ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ τοῦτο ἐπίσταμαι, οὕτω καὶ τῆς ἀσθενείας τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ ἐπαισθάνομαι. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ὑπόθεσις ἀπαιτεῖ ἄξιόν τι ῥηθῆναι τῶν συνελθόντων καὶ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἧς ἔχουσιν ἐφ’ ἡμῖν, καὶ τῆς ὑποθέσεως. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῇ μεγίστῃ τῶν μαρτύρων ἄγομεν τὴν μνήμην σήμερον, ὀρθὴ πᾶσα διάνοια καὶ ἐμπαράσκευος ἀκοὴ, εἰπεῖν τι ἄξιον τοῦ μάρτυρος προσδοκῶσα, καὶ πόθῳ τῷ περὶ αὐτὸν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἐπάγει. Καὶ γὰρ εὐγνώμονες παῖδες μεγάλα ἀπαιτοῦσι τὰ τῶν πατέρων ἐγκώμια, καὶ οὐκ ἂν καταδέξαιντο ἐν μικρότητι τοῦ λέγοντος κινδυνεύειν τῶν ἐγκωμιαζομένων τὸ μέγεθος. Ὥστε ὅσῳ μείζων ἡ προθυμία, τοσούτῳ μέγας ὁ κίνδυνος. Τί οὖν ποιήσομεν; Πῶς δὲ καὶ τὰς ὑμετέρας ἐπιθυμίας ἀποπληρώσομεν, καὶ αὐτοὶ μὴ ἀπέλθωμεν ἀσυντελεῖς τῶν παρόντων; Παρακαλέσομεν ἑκάστην ψυχὴν, ἃ ἔχουσα ἦλθεν ἐν τῇ μνήμῃ, ταῦτα ἀνακαινήσασαν τῇ διανοίᾳ, οἴκοθεν ἐπισιτισαμένην, τοῖς οἰκείοις ἐφοδίοις ἑαυτὴν εὐφράνασαν ἀπελθεῖν. Μνήσθητέ μοι τοῦ μάρτυρος, ὅσοι δι’ ὀνείρων αὐτοῦ ἀπηλαύσατε· ὅσοι, περιτυχόντες τῷ τόπῳ τούτῳ, ἐσχήκεσαν αὐτὸν συνεργὸν εἰς προσευχήν· ὅσοις, ὀνόματι κληθεὶς, ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων παρέστη· ὅσους ὁδοιπόρους ἐπανήγαγεν· ὅσους ἐξ ἀῤῥωστίας ἀνέστησεν· ὅσοις παῖδας ἀπέδωκεν ἤδη τετελευτηκότας· ὅσοις προθεσμίας βίου μακροτέρας ἐποίησεν. Πάντα μοι συναγαγόντες, ἐγκώμιον ἐκ κοινοῦ ἐράνου πονήσατε. Ἀλλήλοις διάδοτε, ἃ οἶδεν ἕκαστος, τῷ μὴ εἰδότι· ἃ μὴ οἶδε, λαμβανέτω παρὰ τοῦ εἰδότος, καὶ οὕτως ἐκ συνεισφορᾶς ἀλλήλους συνεστιάσαντες, ἡμῶν τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ σύγγνωτε. Ταῦτα γὰρ ἐγκώμια μάρτυρος, ὁ πλοῦτος τῶν πνευματικῶν χαρισμάτων. Οὐ γὰρ ἔχομεν αὐτὸν κατὰ τὸν νόμον τῶν ἔξωθεν ἐγκωμίων ἀποσεμνύνειν· οὐκ ἔχομεν λέγειν πατέρας καὶ προγόνους περιφανεῖς. Αἰσχρὸν γὰρ ἀλλοτρίοις κόσμοις κοσμεῖσθαι τὸν τῇ οἰκείᾳ ἀρετῇ διαφανῆ. Συνηθείας γὰρ νόμοις τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐν τοῖς ἐγκωμίοις παραλαμβάνουσιν. Ἐπεὶ ὅ γε τῆς ἀληθείας ἴδια ἑκάστου ἀπαιτεῖ τὰ ἐγκώμια. Οὔτε γὰρ ἵππον ταχὺν ποιεῖ ἡ τοῦ πατρὸς περὶ τὸν δρόμον εὐμοιρία, οὔτε κυνὸς ἐγκώμιον τὸ ἐκ ταχυτάτων φῦναι. Ἀλλ’ ὥσπερ ἄλλων ζώων ἡ ἀρετὴ ἐν αὐτῷ θεωρεῖται ἑκάστῳ, οὕτω καὶ ἀνδρὸς ἴδιος ἔπαινος ὁ ἐκ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐτῷ κατορθωμάτων μαρτυρούμενος. Τί πρὸς τὸν παῖδα ἡ τοῦ πατρὸς περιφάνεια; Οὕτως οὐκ ἔλαβεν ἑτέρωθεν τὸ περιφανὲς ὁ μάρτυς· ἀλλ’ αὐτὸς τῷ ἐφεξῆς βίῳ λαμπτῆρα εὐκλείας ἀνῆψεν. Ἀπὸ Μάμαντος οἱ λοιποὶ, οὐκ ἀφ’ ἑτέρων Μάμας. Παῖδες οἱ παρὰ τούτου τὴν εὐσέβειαν διδαχθέντες τούτῳ σεμνυνέσθωσαν. Αὐτὸς γὰρ οἴκοθεν βρύει τὴν ἀρετήν. Οὐκ ἔστιν ὥσπερ χείμαῤῥος ἀλλοτρίᾳ συῤῥοίᾳ σεμνυνόμενος, ἀλλὰ πηγή ἐστιν ἀπὸ τῶν οἰκείων λαγόνων προχέουσα τὸ κάλλος. Θαυμάσωμεν τὸν ἄνδρα μὴ ἀλλοτρίῳ κόσμῳ κοσμούμενον, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἰδίῳ ἀποσεμνυνόμενον. Ὁρᾷς τοὺς λαμπροὺς ἱπποτρόφους; ὁρᾷς τὰ λευκὰ αὐτῶν μνήματα; πῶς λίθοι εἰσὶ παρατρεχόμενοι; Μνήμῃ δὲ μάρτυρος καὶ πᾶσα μὲν χώρα κεκίνηται, πᾶσα δὲ πόλις πρὸς ἑορτὴν μεταπεποίηται. Οὐδὲ οἱ συγγενεῖς τῶν πρὸς τοὺς τῶν πατέρων ἀποτρέχουσι τάφους, ἀλλὰ πάντες ἐπὶ τὸν τόπον τῆς εὐσεβείας. Πατέρα τοῦτον τὸν ἀρχηγὸν τῆς ἀληθείας, ἀλλ’ οὐχὶ πατέρας καὶ σωμάτων ἀρχηγοὺς ὀνομάζουσιν. Ὁρᾷς πῶς ἀρετὴ τιμᾶται, καὶ οὐχὶ πλοῦτος; (……) Ὥστε, εἴ τις μέμνηται τοῦ ποιμένος, μὴ θαυμαζέτω τὸν πλοῦτον. Συνήλθομεν γὰρ ἐπαινέσαι οὐχὶ πλούσιον ὄντα· μὴ ἀπέλθῃς πλούσιον θαυμάζων, ἀλλὰ πενίαν μετ’ εὐσεβείας. Ποιμὴν οὐδὲν μέγα, οὐδὲ σοφὸν ἐπιτήδευμα. Οὐκ ἂν, ὀργισθεὶς, ἀντὶ ὀνείδους εἶπες τῷ παροξύναντί σε· Ποιμὴν εἶ; Ποιμὴν οὐδὲν πλέον τῆς ἐφημέρου τροφῆς κεκτημένος, πήραν ἀνημμένος, καὶ κορύνην φέρων, καὶ τὰ πρὸς ἡμέραν ἐφόδια, οὐδεμίαν μέριμναν περὶ τῆς αὔριον ἔχων. Θηρίοις πολέμιος, ἡμερωτάτων ζώων σύννομος, φεύγων ἀγορὰν, φεύγων δικαστήρια, οὐ γνωρίζων συκοφάντας, οὐ γνωρίζων ἐμπορίαν, οὐκ εἰδὼς πλοῦτον, οὐκ ἔχων ἰδίαν σκέπην, ὑπὸ τὴν κοινὴν τοῦ κόσμου διαιτώμενος, ἐν νυκτὶ πρὸς οὐρανὸν ἀναβλέπων, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἀστέρων ἀναγινώσκων τὸ θαῦμα τοῦ πεποιηκότος. Ποιμήν. Μὴ ἐπαισχυνώμεθα τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Μὴ τοὺς ἔξωθεν μυθοποιοὺς μιμώμεθα, μὴ περιστέλλωμεν τὴν ἀλήθειαν εὐπρεπείᾳ ῥημάτων. Γυμνὴ ἡ ἀλήθεια, ἀσυνηγόρητος, αὐτὴ ἑαυτὴν δεικνῦσα. Πλείονι λόγῳ τὸ ταπεινόν· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον θαυμάσεις τῷ ἐγκωμίῳ. Ποιμὴν καὶ πένης, ταῦτα τῷ Χριστιανῷ τὰ σεμνολογήματα. Ἐὰν τοὺς ἀρχηγοὺς τοῦ διδασκαλείου τοῦ κατ’ εὐσέβειαν ζητήσῃς, ἁλιεῖς τε καὶ τελῶναι· ἐὰν τοὺς μαθητὰς, σκυτοτόμοι πένητες. Οὐδεὶς πλούσιος, οὐδαμοῦ περιφάνεια. Ταῦτα πάντα μετὰ τοῦ κόσμου κατήργηται. Ἰδοὺ τοίνυν τίνος ἡμέραν ἑορτάζομεν, ἐπὶ τίνι φαιδροὶ πάντες ἐσμὲν, ἐπὶ τίνι βίος μεταπεποίηται. Ἐπειδὴ ὑπεμνήσθημεν τοῦ ποιμένος, μὴ καταφρόνει τῆς προσηγορίας.


‘I am not unaware of the importance of the panegyrics given on this festal gathering. But as much as I know that, even so do I realise my own weakness. The occasion demands us to say something that will stand up to the expectations the congregation has from us, and to the occasion itself. Since today we commemorate the greatest of the martyrs’ feasts, every mind is up and every ear is prepared, expecting us to say something worthy of the martyr, and joins the assembly with fervent love for him. Indeed, grateful children demand great lauds for their fathers, and would not suffer the greatness of the honour to be jeopardised by the insufficiency of the speaker. So the greater your fervour is, the greater my danger. What shall we do then? How shall we both satisfy your desires, and avoid departing having contributed nothing with regard to the current affairs? We shall urge every soul to refresh in its mind the memories it came with to this memorial service, and to leave having feasted with its own means, having eaten the food it has brought from home. Do remember the martyr as many of you as had the pleasure of seeing him in dreams; as many of you as had him as a helper in their prayers, while visiting this place; as many as he visited in their works, after being invoked by name; as many travellers as he brought back home; as many as he raised from their illness; to as many as he gave back children that had almost died; for as many as he prolonged the limits of their life. Do gather everything together and produce an encomium from a general collection. Distribute to one another, whatever each one knows to the person that does not know. Whatever one does not know, let them receive from one that knows, and thus, having treated each other by your mutual contributions, do forgive our weakness.

These are indeed eulogies fitting for a martyr, namely the bounty of spiritual giving. For we cannot praise him according to the rules of secular eulogies. We have no illustrious fathers and ancestors to talk about. It would indeed be shameful to honour by the honours of others a man conspicuous by his own virtue. In secular eulogies, they devise these things by the laws of custom. The law of truth, however, demands that eulogies be unique and individual for each person. The success of its father in the race does not make a horse fast, nor does a dog get praised for having very fast ancestors. But, just like virtue in other animals is assessed for each one of them individually, similarly praise must be individual for a man, as attested by his own achievements. What difference does the father’s fame make for his child? Accordingly, the martyr did not get his fame from others, but he himself lit a beacon of glory for posterity. It is the rest that receive from Mamas, not Mamas from others. Let the children that have been taught piety from him feel honoured. For he gushes with virtue from his house. He is not like a stream which grows by the confluence of others, but he is a spring which pours around its beauty from its own guts. Let us admire the man that is not honoured by the honours of others, but by his own. Can you see the brilliant sponsors of horse races? Can you see their white graves? That they are mere stones everyone passes by? But on the memory of the martyr the whole land has been raised and the entire city has been prepared for a festival. Relatives do not rush to the graves of their fathers, but everyone comes to this place of piety. They call father this leader of truth, not the fathers and leaders of mortal bodies. Can you see that it is virtue that is honoured, and not wealth? (……)

So if one keeps the memory of the shepherd, let him not admire wealth. For we have gathered to praise a man who was not rich; do not depart admiring the rich man, but poverty joined with piety. To be a shepherd is neither a great nor learned profession. In your anger, would you not tell the man that has annoyed you ‘Are you a shepherd?’ A shepherd possesses nothing but his daily food; he puts on a leathern pouch and carries a stick and the necessary provisions for the day, with no care for tomorrow. An enemy of wild beasts and a companion in pasture of the tamest of animals, he keeps away from the agora, keeps away from the courts, knows no sycophants, knows no trade, has no idea about wealth; he has no roof of his own, but lives under the common roof of the world, looking up at the sky at night, and reading in the stars the splendour of the Creator.

A shepherd. Let us not be embarrassed by truth. Let us not imitate worldly fable makers. Let us not reduce truth by beautifying our words: let the truth be naked, without advocate, exposing itself by itself. Humility is worthy of greater praise, but you will rather develop admiration through eulogies. A shepherd and poor man: these are titles of honour for a Christian. If you look for the chief tutors of the true religion, they were fishermen and publicans; their disciples were poor leather workers. There is no rich man, nowhere is there prominence. Behold then whose day we are celebrating, for whom we are all rejoicing, for whom our life has changed. Since we have kept the memory of the shepherd, do not disdain his title.'

The most important biblical figures from Abel to the Apostles are poor men of humble professions. Christ describes himself as the good s