De Cibis

Methodius of Olympus (260–311)

De cibis (On the distinction between foods)

Text translated into English from Old Slavonic by Ralph Cleminson, commissioned and edited by Roger Pearse, who then released it into the public domain. [Additional Sources: archive.org ]

By the same. On the distinction between foods, and on the heifer mentioned in Leviticus, with the ashes of which sinners were sprinkled.

[I. 1.] We ought finally to have been content with these homilies, the remembrances spoken previously (for they are many), overwhelmed as we are by many temptations, and we have not yet found any deliverance from this . For you know, O Phrenope, having laboured with us and having been a partaker in our work by prayer and fasting, how many trials I had in every homily, how much Satan made me to be ill after I had finished my homily on virginity, how much annoyance he caused me, preventing me from finishing my homily on the resurrection. [2.] He raised up waves (of trouble, I mean) like impassable mountains, so that I despaired even of life, such things were happening to me; and even more the people nowadays – they love slander and abomination and lying, and would rather listen to evil things than good things said about…

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• More works by Methodius of Olympus

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