This book presents fresh, lively translations of fourteen such homilies, the majority for the first time in English. The homilies were delivered in some of the main cities of the Greek East of the later Roman Empire, by well-known figures such as Basil of Caesarea, Gregory of Nyssa and John Chrysostom, as well as the equally gifted preachers Asterius of Amasea and Hesychius of Jerusalem.'Let us die that we may live' offers an approachable, surprising, and not always reverent insight into the life of the Early Church. It reveals the full importance of the martyr homily in terms of style, treatment of its subject, and social and liturgical issues, in a way that will be useful across disciplines such as theology, classical studies, and religion.

Introduction Martyrium and Relics: the Centre of the Martyr Cult The Yearly Paneguris Martyr Homilies Approaching the Homilies: Possibilities and Limits Notes TEXTS I.Basil of Caesarea General Introduction A Homily on Martyr Gordius A Homily on the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste Notes II Gregory of Nyssa General Introduction A Homily on Theodore the Recruit First Homily on the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste Notes III John Chrysostom General Introduction A Homily on the Holy Martyrs A Homily on Julian the Martyr A HOmily on the Martyr Babylas A Homily on Pelagia, Virgin and Martyr Notes IV Asterius of Amasea General Introduction A Homily on Phocas Ecphrasis on the Holy MArtyr Euphemia A Homily on Stephen the First Martyr Notes V. Hesychius of Jerusalem General Introduction A Homily in Praise of Stephen the First Martyr A Homily in Praise of Saint Procopius Noties Bibliography Index