Heracleon on joint joy of sower and reaper
Heracleon explains “so that sower and reaper may rejoice together” this way: the sower rejoices that he sows and that some of his seed is already gathered; the reaper rejoices that he reaps.
Yet both could not start at once: first must come sowing, then harvest.
Greek
Ὁ δὲ Ἡρακλέων τό· Ἵνα ὁ σπείρων ὁμοῦ χαίρῃ καὶ ὁ θερίζων· οὕτω διηγήσατο· χαίρει μὲν γάρ, φησίν, ὁ σπείρων ὅτι σπείρει, καὶ ὅτι ἤδη τινὰ τῶν σπερμάτων αὐτοῦ συνάγεται· χαίρει δὲ καὶ ὁ θερίζων ὅτι θερίζει.
ἀλλ’ οὐκ ἐδύναντο ἀμφότεροι ἅμα ἄρξασθαι· ἔδει γὰρ πρῶτον σπαρῆναι, εἶθ’ ὕστερον θερισθῆναι.
About this text
Origen’s Commentary on John, Book 13 (later tomoi). Complete on this page: §§1–64.
English follows Preuschen, Origenes Werke IV (GCS 10, 1903). Heine FOTC was not used as wording. This page is Book 13 §§1–64 of the later books (13, 19, 20, 28, 32).
Witnesses
- Copy-text Preuschen, Origenes Werke IV = GCS 10 (1903) (Greek · Book 13 §§1–64)
English is newly prepared for study from the stated edition. Open Greek on each section for the source text. This is not a complete critical edition.