The little book of Matthew and John
Book 1. On how man turned aside into a cheap and low life, and on his captivity into sin, and together on the calling and the return that come by a change of mind, and the climb back toward what is better.
Cyril said: There is no need, I think, to ask where you are going, or from where you have come. You would say at once, I am quite sure, that you have come from home, and to us.
Palladius said: True.
Cyril: And this little book in your hands — what is it?
Palladius: A gospel book, the writing of Matthew and of John.
Cyril: And do you think it ought to be carried about anywhere, and to anyone? You would hardly go out rehearsing it in the streets, Palladius. The work spent on this is sweeter at home, and in study.
Palladius: You speak well. I have come to confer with you. And I bring the holy book; for after toiling over a vast amount I still cannot see what our Lord Jesus Christ means when he says, in Matthew, 'Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For amen I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, one iota or one stroke shall by no means pass from the Law until all things have come to be.'
Greek
ΛΟΓΟΣ ΠΡΩΤΟΣ Περὶ τῆς εἰς φαυλότητα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παρατροπῆς, καὶ αἰχμαλωσίας, τῆς εἰς ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ ὁμοῦ περὶ κλήσεως καὶ ἐπιστροφῆς, τῆς κατὰ μετάγνωσιν, καὶ τῆς εἰς τὸ ἄμεινον ἀναδρομῆς.
Ποῖ δὴ καὶ πόθεν ἔρεσθαι μὲν δὴ, περιττὸν οἶμαί που. Φαίης γὰρ ἂν, εὖ οἶδ' ὅτι, μελλήσας οὐδὲν, ὡς οἴκοθέν τε καὶ ὡς ἡμᾶς.
{ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟΣ.} Ἀληθές.
{ΚΥΡΙΛΛΟΣ.} Δέλτιον δὲ δή σοι τουτὶ τὸ ἐν χεροῖν, ὅ τι;
{ΠΑΛΛ.} Βίβλος Εὐαγγελικὴ, Ματθαίου τε καὶ Ἰωάννου συγγραφή.
{ΚΥΡ.} Οἴει δὲ αὐτὴν ὅποι τε καὶ ὅτῳ διακομίζεσθαι δεῖν; Οὐ γάρ που θυραῖός γε ἰὼν ἐκμελετῴης ἂν, ὦ Παλλάδιε. Πόνοι τε μᾶλλον οἱ ἐπὶ τῷδε γλυκεῖς, οἴκοι τε καὶ ἐν σχολῇ.
{ΠΑΛΛ.} Εὖ λέγεις. Ἐντευξόμενος δὲ ἀφῖγμαί σοι. Καὶ δέλτον ἄγω τὴν ἱεράν· μυρία γὰρ ὅσα πεπονηκὼς, οὐδὲν ὅ τι μᾶλλον ἔχω νοεῖν τί ἂν γένοιτο δηλοῦν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦς Χριστὸς, ἐπὶ μὲν τῷ Ματθαίῳ, λέγων· «Μὴ νομίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον, ἢ τοὺς προφήτας. Οὐκ ἦλθον καταλῦσαι, ἀλλὰ πληρῶσαι. Ἀμὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑμῖν· ἕως ἂν παρέλθῃ ὁ οὐρανὸς καὶ ἡ γῆ, ἰῶτα ἓν, ἢ μία κεραία οὐ