Standing Before Kings

Τοῖς ἐπὶ γῆς βασιλεῦσιν, οἱ μεν ἄοπλοὶ τινες, καὶ γυμνοὶ, οἱ δὲ ῥάβδους κατέχοντες, οἱ δε θυρεοὺς, οἱ δὲ μαχαίρας παρίστανται· πολλὴ δὲ τις ἡ διαφορὰτῶν πρωτευόντων παρὰ τοὺς ἐσχάτους καὶ ἀσύγκριτος. Οὕτοι γὰρ καὶ συγγενεῖς κυρίως, καὶ οἱκεῖοι τοῦ βασιλέως εἶναι πεφύκασι. Καὶ ταυτᾶ μὲν ἐν τούτοις· φέρε δὴ λοιπὸν καὶ ἡμεῖς ἴδωμεν πῶς τὴν ἡμετέραν παράστασιν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν καὶ βασιλέα ποιούμεθα, ἕν τε ταῖς ἑσπεριναῖς, καὶ ἡμεριναῖς, καὶ νυκρεριναῖς παραστάσεσι καὶ εὐχαῖς. Τινὲς μεν γὰρ ὲν᾽τῇ ἑσπερινῇ διανυκτερεύσει ἄϋλοι, καὶ γυμνοὶ πάσης φροντίδος, ἐπὶ προσευχὴν τὰς χεῖρας ἐκτείνουσιν· ἕτεροι δὲ, μετὰ ψαλμιῳδίας ἐν ταύταις παρίστανται· ἀλλοι, τῇ ἀναγνώσει μάλλον προσκαρτεροῦσι· τινὲς δὲ, διὰ τοῦ ἔργου τῶν χειρῶν ἐξ ἀσθενείας ἀνδρείως τῷ ὕπνῳ μάχονται· ἄλλοι, τῇ τοῦ θανάτου ἐννοίᾳ προσασχολοὺμενοι, διὰ ταύτης κατά νυξιν προσλαβέσθαι βούλονται. Τούτων πάντων οἱ πρῶτοι καὶ ἔσχατοι θεοφιλεῖ προσκαρτερουσῖ διανυκτερεύσει· οἱ δὲ δεύτεροι, μοναχικῇ· οἱ δὲ τρίτοι ἐσχατωτέραν βαδίζουσιν ὁδόν· πλὴν κατὰ τὸν λογισμὸν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν ὁ Θεὸς τὰ δῶρα δέχεται καὶ λογίζεται. Ἅγιος Ἰωάννης τῆς Κλίμακος, Λόγος K', ἡ Κλίμαξ Source: Migne PG 88.940c-d

Among those who stand before kings of the earth, some are without arms, and some hold staves, and some shields, and some swords. The first are much superior to the latter, and do not mix, for they are usually personal relations of the king and members of the royal household. So it is with them. Now let us see how we stand before God our King, when we stand at our prayers in the evening, or during the day and night. For some at their evening all-night vigil stretch out their hands in prayer as if they were stripped of all care. Others stand at that time singing psalms. Others are occupied in reading. And some out of weakness courageously fight against sleep by working with their hands. Others attend to the thought of death, hoping thus to advance through the night. And of all these, the first and the last take to all-night vigil for the love of God; the second do what befits a monk; while the third walk the lowest way. Yet God accepts and values the offerings of each according to their intention and power. Saint John Climacus, from Step 20, The Ladder