30a
MESO-PENTECOST.991st ed. only, p. 30-32.
10,6,6,10,8,10
Andrew of Crete (~660-732)
[The day which halves the distance between Easter and Pentecost,
is a feast of no small dignity in the Oriental Church; and the Canon at lauds
is the composition of our present poet. I will try a portion of it in
rhymeless lyric meter, which, to my own mind, gives the truest representation
of the original.]
32a
Glory.
Both now.
Catavasia.
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Exult, ye Gentiles! mourn, ye Hebrews! CHRIST,
Giver of Life, hath burst
The fetters of the Tomb:
And raised the dead again, and healed the sick.
This is our GOD, Who giveth health
To every soul believing on His Name.
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31a
Marvel of marvels! Thou, O LORD, didst turn
The water into wine,
As once Thou spak’st the word
To Egypt’s river, and forthwith ‘twas blood.
All praise to Thee, O LORD, Who now
By laying down Thy glory, man renew’st!
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O overflowing stream of truest life,
Our Resurrection, LORD!
Thou for our sakes didst toil,
Thou for our sakes—so Nature willed—didst thirst:
And resting Thee by Sichar’s well,
Of the Samaritan didst seek to drink.
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Thou blessest bread, Thou multipliest fish,
Incomprehensible!
Thou freely feed’st the crowd,
And givest Wisdom’s spring to thirsting men.
Thou art our SAVIOUR, O our GOD!
Giver of Life to them that trust in Thee!
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Three co-eternal, co-enthroned, I laud:
The unbegotten SIRE,
And Co-existant SON,
And SPIRIT, co-eternal with the Twain:
Tri-hypostatic Essence! One
In might and majesty and Godhead sole.
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Mother of GOD! Thou only didst contain
The Uncontainable;
And brought’st the Infant forth,
Ineffable in Thy Virginity.
Hence without ceasing, O most pure,
Vouchsafe to call down blessing on Thy flock!
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Thou turned’st the sea to land, when Thou didst whelm
Pharoah and all his host,
His chariot and his horse:
And ledd’st Thy people to the Holy Mount.
Sing we, said they, to Thee our GOD,
Mighty in War, this Ode of Victory!
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