{photizou photizou, he nea Hierousalem}, 78 The Great Collect-- 80 {hyper tes anothen eirenes}, 81 The Litany of the Deacon-- {kyrie eleeson}, 84 Hymns from the Early Greek Poets-- 87 St. Methodius, 88 {anothen, parthenoi, boes egersinekros echos}, 89 St. Gregory, 92 {ater arches, aperanton}, 93 {tauta soi hemeteroio thalysia, Christe}, 95 {se kai nyn eulogoumen}--(Evening Hymn), 97 {orthrios didomi to theo mou dexias}--(Morning Hymn), 98 {epseusamen se ten aletheian, loge}--(Evening Hymn), 99 Synesius, 102 {soi nyx me pherei ton aoidon, anax}, 103 {lypais d' astiptos psycha}, 104 {age moi psycha}, 105 {autos phos ei pagaion}, 106 INTRODUCTION I. Thirty-eight years ago, Dr. John Mason Neale published his _Hymns of the Eastern Church_ , and for the first time English readers were introduced to the priceless gems of Greek hymnody. At the close of his preface he throws out a challenge which, as far as the present writer is aware, has not yet been taken up. He says: 'And while fully sensible of their imperfections, I may yet, by way of excuse rather than of boast, say, almost in Bishop Hall's words-- "I first adventure: follow me who list, And be the second Eastern Melodist."' It would be presumptuous to believe that the translations which follow are in any particular a worthy answer to that challenge; but the translator can honestly say that they are a very earnest attempt to acquaint English readers still further with the valuable praise literature which lies buried in the service-books of the Greek Church, and they constitute the first real attempt in that direction since Dr. Neale issued his collection in 1862. II. The renderings contained in this volume are the product of many happy hours during the past five years. No method was adopted in the work. As the translator waded through the closely printed pages of the Greek offices, what appeared at first sight to be lines worthy of translation were taken up and examined, sometimes to be cast aside again because of some unremovable blemish, at other times to be moulded to the form which they now bear. Of the forty-seven pieces, thirty-five appear for the first time in English verse.