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The Discourse on the Holy Theophany

Hippolytus

Section 1

About this work

Author: Hippolytus

1. Good, yea, very good, are all

the

works

of

our

God

and

Saviour

—

all

of

them

that

eye

seeth

and

mind

perceiveth

,

all

that

reason

interprets

and

hand

handles

,

all

that

intellect

comprehends

and

human

nature

understands

.

For

what

richer

beauty

can

there

be

than

that

of

the

circle

of

heaven

?

And

what

form

of

more

blooming

fairness

than

that

of

earth’s

surface

?

And

what

is

there

swifter

in

the

course

than

the

chariot

of

the

sun

?

And

what

more

graceful

car

than

the

lunar

orb

?

And

what

work

more

wonderful

than

the

compact

mosaic

of

the

stars

?

And

what

more

productive

of

supplies

than

the

seasonable

winds

?

And

what

more

spotless

mirror

than

the

light

of

day

?

And

what

creature

more

excellent

than

man

?

Very

good

,

then

,

are

all

the

works

of

our

God

and

Saviour

.

And

what

more

requisite

gift

,

again

,

is

there

than

the

element

of

water

?

For

with

water

all

things

are

washed

and

nourished

,

and

cleansed

and

bedewed

.

Water

bears

the

earth

,

water

produces

the

dew

,

water

exhilarates

the

vine

;

water

matures

the

corn

in

the

ear

,

water

ripens

the

grapecluster

,

water

softens

the

olive

,

water

sweetens

the

palm

-

date

,

water

reddens

the

rose

and

decks

the

violet

,

water

makes

the

lily

bloom

with

its

brilliant

cups

.

And

why

should

I

speak

at

length

?

Without

the

element

of

water

,

none

of

the

present

order

of

things

can

subsist

.

So

necessary

is

the

element

of

water

;

for

the

other

elements

took

their

places

beneath

the

highest

vault

of

the

heavens

,

but

the

nature

of

water

obtained

a

seat

also

above

the

heavens

.

And

to

this

the

prophet

himself

is

a

witness

,

when

he

exclaims

,

“

Praise

the

Lord

,

ye

heavens

of

heavens

,

and

the

water

that

is

above

the

heavens

.

”

Notes

1
δίσκου.
2
σεληνιακοῦ στοιχείου.
3
πολυπηγήτου τῶν ἄστρων μουσίου.
4
φύσεως.
5
στοιχεῖα.
6
Ps. cxlviii. 4. [Pindar (῞Αριστον μὲν ὕδωρ, Olymp., i. 1), is expounded and then transcended.]