Gregory's sister, Gorgonion

His sister, Gorgonion, is probably one of the siblings for whom Gregory wrote the poem we know as 8.99. This comes in at the tail end of the long-ish sequence he composed for his favourite brother, Caesarius. Gregory wrote three other poems specifically in memory of Gorgonion. Here are versions of them, made fresh today.

101

On Gorgonion, his sister

Of Gregory and Nonna the dear child,

I lie within, Gorgonion, received

Into the mysteries of Heavenly life.

102

On Gorgonion

Gorgonion left nothing upon earth,

Only her bones; all else she stored on high,

Up with you Martyrs who have won the prize.

103

On the same, and on Alypius, her husband

For Christ she offered up her whole estate,

Namely her flesh and bones; and her one loss

Was parting from her husband; nor indeed

Was she without him for so very long,

But suddenly Christ snatched him too away,

Famous Alypius. Ah, you lucky man,

And wife the luckiest: for in the streams

You have sloughed off the filth of mortal life,

And now you have been born again, anew.