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Life of St Porphyry, Bishop of Gaza

Mark the Deacon, tr. Hill, 1913

Chapter 33

And the most holy Porphyry answered and said unto him: ‘I call thee to witness before the unseen God,¹ and by our hope which is Jesus Christ the Lord of all creation, and the Holy Ghost which we worship and which giveth life to all things, neglect not my petition, that the destruction of countless souls be not imputed unto us. But I pray thee, Father, to take ship with me unto the Imperial City, that we may petition the Emperors, if the King of Heaven consent, to overturn the temples of the idols.’ But the blessed John said unto him: ‘My son, thy prayer is just, but the time is not fitting, for the season² groweth worse towards the winter solstice.’ And the blessed Porphyry answered: ‘If God will that we should be saved and convert the multitudes of Gaza, he is able to preserve us even in winter. But do thou, Father, take courage in his mercy and be willing, and we shall have a fair voyage.’ The blessed John saith unto him: ‘The will of Christ be done.’

Notes

I call thee to witness before the unseen God. Reading μαρτύρομαί σε with H, for μαρτυροῦμαί σε.
for the season. ἡ γὰρ χειμέριος τροπὴ λοιπὸν ἐπιλαμβάνεται, the winter solstice is yet to come, the weather is getting worse. Nuth quotes Friedländer, Sittengesch. ii⁵, p. 20 sq., showing that from November 11 to March 5 practically all navigation ceased.