Homilies

Homiliae

Asterius of Amasea · c. 375–405 AD · PG 40

The Law of the Righteous and the Vanity of Luxury§1

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1Our God and Savior does not instruct men by decisive and dogmatic decrees alone, so as to hate evil and love virtue, but He also provides clear lessons of the good life through vivid examples, advancing us through both deeds and words to the grasp of a good and God-loving life.

In this same way, even now, having warned us often through prophetic and evangelical mouths, and not only so but also through a familiar voice, to turn away from the proud and exalted wealth, and to love a philanthropic mind and a poverty lived with justice, so that the good counsel might be more firmly established, He proves the word with practical examples and writes through the narrative the rich man and the poor man (Luke 16:19-31).

He shows the one the enjoyment of ambition and the other the distressed life, and the end of both lives in that to which they arrived, so that, having considered the truth for the benefit of others, we might become prudent judges of our own.

A certain man was rich and was clothed in purple and fine linen. Through two concise names, the word examines and mocks the sprawling and immoderate dissipation of those who wealthily live badly. For the color of the purple is costly and elaborate, but the use of the fine linen is not necessary. For those choosing a prosperous life, it is simple, familiar, and friendly to measure the use of necessary things according to need, and to flee from the vain emptiness of the one dragged by and the many-layered diversion as the mother of evil.

And so that we may learn the power of this said thing more clearly, let the use of clothing be first recognized, to what extent and by what limits it will be received, encompassing prudence. What then...

The law of the righteous says: God created the sheep with an easy nature, whose wool grows straight. Taking this ready material, give to the weaver's art the substance, and fashion for yourself a tunic and a garment, so that you may escape the hardship of winter and the harm of the scorching ray.

If you also have need of lighter clothing during the season of summer, God gave the use of linen for a wider enjoyment; and it is easy for you to acquire from there a beautiful covering, simultaneously wearing and refreshing through its lightness. And enjoying these things, one confesses to the Creator the grace for which He provided not only us, but also the security for living.

But if, leaving behind the sheep and the wool and the necessary preparation of the Creator of all things, one, dividing the fine fabric through vain thoughts and reckless desires, seeks the fine fabric and gathers the threads of the Persian worms, weaving a spider-like web, and coming toward the flower-colored dye, pays a lavish wage, so that having hunted the murex from the sea, he may anoint the garment with the blood of the animal—this is a man exceeding in excess, being colored by his possessions, having no place to pour out the surplus. And because of this, it is reasonable that such a person is scourged by the Gospel, being accused as foolish and effeminate, being mocked by the worlds of brave maidens.

Others again are lovers of the same vanity; rather, having practiced more evil, they have not even set the limits of foolish thought at what has been said, but having discovered some empty and curious weaving, which imitates the power of the saffron garment in its chest-fold toward the crocus, and marks the forms of all animals with its veils, having loved the art of making garments for themselves, for women, and for children, being multicolored with flowers and myriad images; they are playing, not striving.

Greek · §1

Homiliae Τοῦ ἐν ἁγίοις πάτρος ἡμῶν Ἀστερίου ἐπισκόπου Ἀμασείας ὁμιλία ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ Λουκᾶν εὐαγγελίου εἰς τὸν πλούσιον καὶ εἰς τὸν Λάζαρον 1.1.1 Οὐ τοῖς ἀποφατικοῖς καὶ δογματικοῖς μόνον θεσπίσμασιν ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν καὶ σωτὴρ παιδεύει τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ὥστε μισεῖν κακίαν καὶ ἀγαπᾶν ἀρετήν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἐναργέσι τῶν ὑποδειγμάτων σαφῆ παραδίδωσι τὰ τῆς ἀγαθῆς πολιτείας μαθήματα, ἔργοις ὅμου καὶ λόγοις προσβιβάζων ἡμᾶς τῇ καταλήψει τῆς ἀγαθῆς καὶ φιλοθέου ζωῆς. 1.1.2 Οὕτω τοι καὶ νῦν πολλαχοῦ προειρηκὼς ἡμῖν διά τε προφητικῶν καὶ εὐαγγελικῶν στομάτων, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ οἰκείας φωνῆς, ἀποστρέφεσθαι μὲν τὸν ὑπερήφανον καὶ ὑψαύχενα πλοῦτον, ἀγαπᾶν δὲ γνώμην φιλάνθρωπον καὶ τὴν μετὰ δικαιοσύνης πενίαν, ἵνα τὴν τοῦ καλοῦ συμβουλὴν βεβαιοτέραν ἐργάσηται, τεκμηριοῖ τὸν λόγον πρακτικοῖς ὑποδείγμασι καὶ γράφει τῇ διηγήσει τὸν πλούσιον καὶ τὸν πένητα, 1.1.3 καὶ τοῦ μὲν τὴν φιλότιμον ἀπόλαυσιν, τοῦ δὲ τὴν τεθλιμμένην ζωὴν ὑποδείκνυσι καὶ τὸ τέλος ἀμφοτέρων τοῦ βίου εἰς ὅ τι κατέληξεν, ἵνα τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ἐπιτηδεύ μασι σκεψάμενοι τὴν ἀλήθειαν σώφρονες γενώμεθα τῶν ἰδίων κριταί. 1.2.1 Ἄνθρωπός τις ἦν πλούσιος καὶ ἐνεδιδύσκετο πορφύραν καὶ βύσσον. ∆ιὰ δύο συντόμων ὀνομάτων ὁ λόγος σκώπτει καὶ κωμῳδεῖ τὴν πλαδῶσαν καὶ ἄμετρον τῶν κακῶς πλουτούντων διάχυσιν. Τῆς μὲν γὰρ πορφύρας τὸ χρῶμα πολυδάπανον καὶ περίεργον· τῆς δὲ βύσσου οὐκ ἀναγκαία ἡ χρῆσις. Τῶν δὲ τὴν εὐπολίτευτον ζωὴν αἱρουμένων καὶ ἀπερίεργον οἰκεῖον καὶ φίλον τὸ τῇ χρείᾳ τῶν ἀναγκαίων τὴν χρῆσιν μετρεῖν, φεύγειν δὲ τῆς ματαίου κενοδοξίας τὸν συρφετὸν καὶ τὴν πολύπλαδον διαγωγὴν ὡς κακίας μητέρα. 1.2.2 Καὶ ἵνα σαφέστερον αὐτοῦ τούτου τοῦ λεγομένου τὴν δύναμιν καταμάθωμεν, ἡ τῶν ἐνδυμάτων πρώτη διαγνωσθήτω χρῆσις, μέχρι πόσου καὶ τίνος παραληφθήσεται ὅροις καὶ κανόσι περιλαμβανομένη σώφροσιν. Τί τοίνυν ὁ τοῦ δικαίου νόμος φησίν; Πρόβατον ὁ Θεὸς ἔκτισεν εὔκομον τὴν δορὰν καὶ τοῖς μαλλοῖς εὐθηνούμενον· τοῦτο λαβὼν ἀπόκειρον καὶ δὸς ὑφαντικῇ τέχνῃ τὴν ὕλην, χιτῶνα σαυτῷ καὶ ἱμάτιον κατασκεύασον, ὅπως ἂν διαφεύγῃς χειμῶνος ταλαιπωρίαν καὶ τῆς ζεούσης ἀκτῖνος τὴν βλάβην. 1.2.3 Εἰ δέ σοι καὶ κουφοτέρας ἐσθῆτος χρεία κατὰ τὴν ὥραν τοῦ θέρους, ἔδωκεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ λίνου τὴν χρῆσιν εἰς πλατυτέραν ἀπόλαυσιν· καί σοι ῥᾷστον ἐκεῖθεν κτήσασθαι σκέπην εὐσχήμονα ἀμφιεννῦσαν ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀναψύχουσαν τῇ κουφότητι. Καὶ τούτων ἀπολαύων ὁμολόγει τῷ κτίστῃ τὴν χάριν ὑπὲρ ὧν οὐκ ἐποίησεν μόνον ἡμᾶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς πρὸς τὸ ζῆν ἀσφαλείας ἐφρόντισεν. 1.2.4 Ἂν δὲ καταλιμπάνων τὸ πρόβατον καὶ τὸ ἔριον καὶ τὴν ἀναγκαίαν τοῦ δημιουργοῦ τῶν ὅλων παρασκευὴν ταῖς ματαίαις ἐπινοίαις καὶ ταῖς ἐμπλήκτοις ἐπιθυμίαις ἐκδιαιτώμενος τὴν βύσσον ἐπιζητῇς καὶ συνάγῃς τὰ τῶν περσικῶν σκωλήκων νήματα, ἱστὸν δὲ ἀράχνης ἀνεμιαῖον ὑφαίνῃς, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἀνθόβαφον ἐρχόμενος μισθοὺς τελῇς δαψιλεῖς, ἵνα τὸν κόχλον ἐκ θαλάσσης θηρεύσας τῷ αἵματι τοῦ ζῴου χρίσῃ τὸ ἔνδυμα, τοῦτο ὑπερμαζῶντος ἐστιν ἀνθρώπου παραχρωμένου τῇ κτήσει, οὐκ ἔχοντος ὅπου τὸ περιττεῦον ἐκχέῃ. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο εἰκότως ὁ τοιοῦτος μαστίζεται παρὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου κατηγορούμενος ὡς βλὰξ καὶ θηλυδρίας, κόσμοις ἀθλίων κορασίων καλλωπιζόμενος. 1.3.1 Ἄλλοι πάλιν κατὰ τὴν γνώμην τῆς ὁμοίας ματαιότητος ἐρασταί· μᾶλλον δὲ πρὸς τὸ πλέον τὴν κακίαν ἀσκήσαντες οὐδὲ μέχρι τῶν εἰρημένων ἔστησαν τῆς μωρᾶς ἐπινοίας τοὺς ὅρους, ἀλλά τινα κενὴν ὑφαντικὴν ἐξευρόντες καὶ περίεργον, ἥτις τῇ πλοκῇ τοῦ στήμονος πρὸς τὴν κρόκην 1 τῆς γραφικῆς μιμεῖται τὴν δύναμιν καὶ πάντων ζῴων τοῖς πέπλοις τὰς μορφὰς ἐνσημαίνεται, τὴν ἀνθίνην καὶ μυρίοις εἰδώλοις πεποικιλμένην φιλοτεχνοῦσιν ἐσθῆτα ἑαυτοῖς τε καὶ γυναιξὶ καὶ παισίν· παίζοντες λοιπόν, οὐ σπουδάζοντες· κατὰ

The Deception of Luxury§2

2By misusing the immeasurable wealth of life, not using it, and acting lawlessly against Paul, they fight not with letters but with deeds. For he proclaimed with word what these hold and rule with works. When they appear clothed, they are seen like walls painted by passers-by. Even children stand around them, laughing at one another and pointing to the writing on the garments; and they walk past, not stopping for long.

There are lions and leopards, bears and bulls and dogs; woods and rocks, and men beast-slayers, and all the skill of painting imitating nature. For it was necessary not only their walls, as it seems, and their houses to be decorated, but already also their tunics and the clothes upon them.

As for those who are more pious than the wealthy ones, having reviewed the Gospel history, they handed it over to the weavers; I say the Christ our Lord meeting with the disciples, each miracle as the narrative has it: the wedding in Galilee and the water; the paralytic carrying the bed on his shoulders (Mark 2:1-12); the blind man being healed with mud (Matthew 8:1-4); the woman bleeding being taken by the edge of the garment (Luke 8:43); the sinful woman falling at the feet of Jesus (Luke 7:36-50); Lazarus returning to life from the tomb (John 11:1-44).

And doing these things, they think they are being pious and putting on garments graced by God. But if they accept counsel, let them, having sold those things, honor the living icons of God. Do not paint Christ; for it is enough for Him the one part of the incarnation, humility, which He freely received through us, but carry the incorporeal Word mentally upon your soul. Do not have the paralytic on your garments, but seek the one lying sick. Do not constantly recount the woman bleeding, but have mercy on the grieving widow. Do not look carefully at the sinful woman prostrating herself before the Lord, but let the tear flow thick, being crushed by his own faults. Do not sketch Lazarus being raised from the dead, but prepare a good defense for your own resurrection. Do not carry the blind man on your clothing, but the living one deprived of sight.

Encourage with acts of goodness. Do not paint the remains of the dead in a flattering way, but nourish those who hunger. Do not carry the water-skins upon the garments, which He filled in Cana of Galilee (John 2:7), but give drink to the thirsty.

Regarding these things, the proud clothing of the richman benefited us, and not only that, but also what follows. For luxury was added to the purple and the fine linen daily and brilliantly; yet, in both respects, it is of one single mind: to be adorned by useless vanity in delicacies, and to serve the palate and the throat with pleasant sensations.

Luxury, therefore, is a thing hostile to a virtuous life, signifying emptiness and dissipation, excessive enjoyment and a slave-like habit. And while the thing appears to be one, when examined in parts and accused, its composition consists of a diverse, greater, and manifold evil. For luxury could not exist unless increased by many materials. But as for accumulating the materials of wealth, one might without sin fail to lose nothing, unless, perhaps, according to the small measure, as with Job (Job 1:10), it should happen to one both to prosper abundantly and to live strictly according to justice.

Therefore, it is necessary for one living in luxury, first, to have a costly house, decorated with votes, stones, and gold according to the patterns, and to have it conveniently suited to the changes of the seasons of the year. For warmth is sought; the winter is wretched and turned away from the midday sun, having risen toward the North, while the summer is warm, so that it may be breathed upon by thin and cold northern breezes. After this, there is the need for costly clothing for the beds, the couches, the mattresses, and the doors that are about to be clothed. For everything, even the inanimate things, is carefully clothed by those, as the wretched are stripped of their belongings.

Add to these also and consider the silver in the vessels, the gold, the expensive purchase of birds from Phasais, and the wine of the Phoenician, which the vines of Tyre pour out much and precious to the rich; and all the preparation of the rest of enjoyment, which those using it have carefully named. For luxury, increasing daily toward the more curious, already pours out the scents from India upon the faces, and more so, the perfumers serve the cooks rather than the physicians.

Greek · §2

τῆς ἀμετρίας τοῦ πλούτου παραχρώμενοι τῷ βίῳ, οὐ χρώμενοι, ἀντινομοθετοῦντες τῷ Παύλῳ καὶ μαχόμενοι ταῖς θεοπνεύστοις φωναῖς, οὐ γράμμασιν ἀλλὰ πράγμασιν. 1.3.2 Ἃ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἀπεκήρυξε λόγῳ, ταῦθ' οὗτοι κρατοῦσι καὶ κυροῦσι τοῖς ἔργοις. Ὅταν οὖν ἐνδυσάμενοι φανῶσιν, ὡς τοῖχοι γεγραμμένοι παρὰ τῶν συντυγχα νόντων ὁρῶνται. Καί που καὶ τὰ παιδία αὐτοὺς περιίστανται μειδιῶντα πρὸς ἄλληλα καὶ δακτυλοδεικτοῦντα τὴν ἐν τοῖς ἱματίοις γραφήν· βαδίζουσι δὲ παρεπόμενα, οὐκ ἀναχωροῦντα μέχρι πολλοῦ. 1.3.3 Ἐκεῖ λέοντες καὶ παρδάλεις, ἄρκτοι καὶ ταῦροι καὶ κύνες· ὕλαι καὶ πέτραι, καὶ ἄνδρες θηροκτόνοι καὶ πᾶσα ἡ τῆς γραφικῆς ἐπιτήδευσις μιμουμένη τὴν φύσιν. Ἔδει γὰρ μὴ τοὺς τοίχους αὐτῶν μόνον, ὡς ἔοικεν, καὶ τὰς οἰκίας κοσμεῖσθαι, ἀλλ' ἤδη καὶ τοὺς χιτῶνας καὶ τὰ ἐπ' ἐκείνοις ἱμάτια. 1.4.1 Ὅσοι δὲ καὶ ὅσαι τῶν πλουτούντων εὐλαβέστεροι, ἀναλεξάμενοι τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν ἱστορίαν τοῖς ὑφανταῖς παρέδωκαν· αὐτὸν λέγω τὸν Χριστὸν ἡμῶν μετὰ τῶν μαθητῶν ἁπάντων, καὶ τῶν θαυμασίων ἕκαστον ὡς ἡ διήγησις ἔχει. Ὄψει τὸν γάμον τῆς Γαλιλαίας καὶ τὰς ὑδρίας· τὸν παραλυτικὸν τὴν κλίνην ἐπὶ τῶν ὤμων φέροντα· τὸν τυφλὸν τῷ πηλῷ θεραπευόμενον· τὴν αἱμορροοῦσαν τοῦ κρασπέδου λαμβανομένην· τὴν ἁμαρτωλὸν τοῖς ποσὶν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ προσπίπτουσαν· τὸν Λάζαρον ἐκ τοῦ τάφου πρὸς τὴν ζωὴν ὑποστρέφοντα. 1.4.2 Καὶ ταῦτα ποιοῦντες εὐσεβεῖν νομίζουσι καὶ ἱμάτια κεχαρισμένα τῷ Θεῷ ἀμφιέννυσθαι. Ἐμὴν δὲ εἰ δέχονται συμβουλήν, ἐκεῖνα πωλήσαντες τὰς ζώσας εἰκόνας τοῦ Θεοῦ τιμησάτωσαν. Μὴ γράφε τὸν Χριστόν ἀρκεῖ γὰρ αὐτῷ ἡ μία τῆς ἐνσωματώσεως ταπεινοφροσύνη, ἣν αὐθαιρέτως δι' ἡμᾶς κατεδέξατο, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς σου βαστάζων νοητῶς τὸν ἀσώματον Λόγον περίφερε. Μὴ τοῖς ἱματίοις ἔχε τὸν παραλυτικόν, ἀλλὰ τὸν κείμενον ἄρρωστον ἐπιζήτησον. Μὴ ἱστόρει συνεχῶς τὴν αἱμορροοῦσαν, ἀλλὰ χήραν θλιβομένην ἐλέησον. 1.4.3 Μὴ τὴν ἁμαρτωλὸν γυναῖκα ἐπιμελῶς ὅρα γονυπετοῦσαν τὸν Κύριον, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τοῖς αὑτοῦ πλημμελήμασι συντριβόμενος πυκνὸν ἔκχει τὸ δάκρυον. Μὴ τὸν Λάζαρον ἐγειρόμενον ἐκ νεκρῶν σκιαγράφει, ἀλλὰ τῆς σῆς ἀναστάσεως ἀγαθὴν τὴν ἀπολογίαν εὐτρέπιζε. Μὴ τὸν τυφλὸν ἐπὶ τῆς ἐσθῆτος περίφερε, ἀλλὰ τὸν ζῶντα καὶ τῶν ὄψεων ἀφῃρημένον ταῖς εὐποιΐαις παραμυθοῦ. Μὴ τοὺς κοφίνους ζωγράφει τῶν λειψάνων, ἀλλὰ τρέφε τοὺς πεινῶντας. Μὴ τὰς ὑδρίας ἐπὶ τῶν ἱματίων βάσταζε, ἃς ἐν Κανᾷ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἐπλήρωσεν, ἀλλὰ πότιζε τὸν διψῶντα. 1.4.4 Ἐπὶ ταῦτα ἡμᾶς ὠφέλησε τὸ ὑπερήφανον ἔνδυμα τοῦ πλουσίου, οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τὰ ἑξῆς παροπτέον. Προσέθηκε γὰρ τῇ πορφύρᾳ καὶ τῇ βύσσῳ τὸ τρυφᾶν καθ' ἡμέραν λαμπρῶς· πάντως δὲ τῆς μιᾶς γνώμης ἀμφότερα, τὸ καὶ τῇ ἀχρήστῳ φιλοτιμίᾳ τῶν ἐσθημάτων ἐγκαλλωπίζεσθαι καὶ τῇ γαστρὶ καὶ τῇ φάρυγγι δουλεύειν ἡδυπαθῶς. 1.5.1 Τρυφὴ τοίνυν ἐστὶν πρᾶγμα πολέμιον φιλαρέτου ζωῆς, βλακείας δὲ καὶ διαχύσεως δηλούσης, ἀπολαύσεως ἀμέτρου καὶ ἀνδραποδώδους συνηθείας. Καὶ λεγόμενον μὲν τὸ πρᾶγμα ἕν τι φαίνεται· ἐξεταζόμενον δὲ κατὰ μέρος καὶ κατηγορούμενον, ἐκ ποικίλης καὶ πλείονος καὶ πολυ κεφάλου κακίας ἔχει τὴν σύστασιν. Τρυφὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἂν γένοιτο μὴ πολλαῖς αὐξηθεῖσα ταῖς ὕλαις. Ὕλας δὲ πλούτου σωρεῦσαι ἀναμαρτήτως ἀμή χανον, πλὴν εἰ μή τινι κατὰ τὸ σπάνιον, ὡς τῷ Ἰώβ, συμβαίη καὶ πλουτεῖν δαψιλῶς καὶ ζῆν κατὰ τὸ δίκαιον ἀκριβῶς. 1.5.2 ∆εῖ τοίνυν τῷ τρυφῶντι 1.5.2 πρῶτον μὲν οἰκίας πολυτελοῦς, ψήφῳ καὶ λίθοις καὶ χρυσῷ κατὰ τὰς νύμφας κεκοσμημένης· πρὸς δὲ τὰς ἐξαλλαγὰς τῶν ὡρῶν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἐπιτηδείως ἐχούσης. Ζητεῖται γὰρ [θερμή,] ἀλεεινὴ μὲν ἡ τοῦ χειμῶνος καὶ τετραμμένη πρὸς τὴν ἀκτῖνα τῆς μεσημβρίας, ἀναπεπταμένη δὲ πρὸς τὴν ἄρκτον 2 θερινή, ἵνα λεπταῖς ὁμοῦ καὶ ψυχραῖς ταῖς αὔραις ταῖς βορει ναῖς καταπνέηται. Μετὰ ταύτην χρεία πολυτελοῦς ἐσθῆτος τῆς μελλούσης ἀμφιέννυσθαι τὰ βάθρα, τὰς κλίνας, τὰς στιβάδας, τὰς θύρας. Πάντα γὰρ παρ' ἐκείνοις ἐπιμελῶς ἐνδύεται καὶ τὰ ἄψυχα, ἐλεεινῶς τῶν πενήτων ἐκδυομένων. 1.5.3 Πρόσθες ἑξῆς τούτοις καὶ λόγισαι τὸν ἐν τοῖς σκεύεσιν ἄργυρον, τὸν χρυσόν, τὴν πολυδάπανον ἀγορασίαν τῶν ἐκ Φάσιδος ὀρνίθων, οἴνου τοῦ Φοίνικος, ὃν αἱ ἄμπελοι Τύρου πολὺν τοῖς πλουσίοις καὶ τίμιον ἀπορρέουσι· πᾶσαν τὴν ἄλλην τῆς ἀπολαύσεως τὴν παρασκευήν, ἣν αὐτῶν τῶν χρωμένων ἐστὶν ἐπιμελῶς ὀνομάσαι. Αὔξουσα γὰρ καθ' ἡμέραν ἐπὶ τὸ περιεργότερον ἡ τρυφὴ ἤδη καὶ τῶν ἐξ Ἰνδικῆς ἀρωμάτων παρεγχέει τοῖς ὄψοις, καὶ μᾶλλον τῶν ἰατρῶν οἱ μυροπῶλαι τοῖς μαγείροις ὑπηρετοῦσιν. 1.5.4 Ἐντεῦθεν

The Poverty and Misery of Lazarus§3

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3Consider the crowd of attendants at a banquet: the table-preparers, the wine-pourers, the stewards, and those who lead them, the musicians, dancers, flute-players, comedians, flatterers, and parasites, following the trail of vanity. To acquire these, how many poor are wronged! How many orphans are crushed! How many widows weep! How many, being violently torn apart, rush toward strangulation. The soul of such a person, having tasted some water of Lethe, completely forgets who she is and with whom she is joined, and that she will one day be released from this union and, having been resurrected, will dwell again with the body. But when the time of the necessary and appointed command comes, which severs her from the fellowship with the body, a calculation of what has been lived enters, and a useless repentance occurs after the need has arisen. For regret is only a sorrow when the one reconsidering still has the power to correct; but when the activity of the one doing right has been taken away, sorrow is worthless and the change of mind is vain.

There was once a man named Lazarus (Luke 16:20). The word does not describe him as a mere poor man, but as one deprived of the necessities of spending and need, and also being tormented by painful sickness and having a body broken, homeless, unsupported, untreated, thrown at the gate of the rich. And with great care in the narration, he brings the misfortunes of the poor to a tragic climax, so as to expose the hardness of the one who does not show mercy. For he who suffers nothing from hunger or disease is an irrational beast, pitiless or sympathetic, a form badly shaped into a human, falsely pretending nature by his intention; rather, he is even more unsympathetic than the beasts themselves; for even pigs, when one is being slaughtered, are drawn to a certain sad sensation and trouble the butcher with their blood; but oxen stand by such a slaughter, empathizing with a sound, signaling the pain. And herds of sheep, when one of the flock falls into the clutches of wild beasts, fall into a state where the one held is being sought, and some mournful sound fills the air, seeking its kind and companion. But a human, the rational animal, who is day-by-day being educated in goodness according to the likeness of God, cares so little...

Oh, the relatives in the painful circumstances of misfortunes! Thus lay the much-painful and blessed poor man, not having feet, for he would have fled the insolent and proud one, having changed to another place; instead of the murderous gate, being deprived of hands by the closed hands of the poor, and not even having a palm to stretch out for a request, being obstructed by those very organs of the voice and producing a certain hoarse and rough sound of the sternum, simply maimed in all his limbs, leaving behind a wicked disease, a pitiful example of human weakness.

But nevertheless, not even such a list of misfortunes turned the Exalted toward a visit; rather, He leaves the man like a stone, unresolving the sin being perfected. For he did not have the common and respectable things to say to accuse: 'I did not know, I did not realize; the poor man eluded me, my mistress.' He lay before the gate, a spectacle of entering and exiting, so that he might work out the necessary judgment of the proud one. He desired even the crumbs of the table and did not even obtain these; but one was bursting from abundance, and the other was melting from want.

It was indeed good and just for that Canaanite, that Phoenician woman, to teach the wealthy misanthrope, saying those things written: 'O insolent and proud one, and the dogs eat from the crumbs falling from the table of their masters (Luke 16:21); but you did not deserve this gift for your brother, your kindred?'

But the dogs were carefully fed, especially the watchdogs; and they were worthy of a roof and a bed and had attendants appointed with haste, but the image of God was thrown down, neglected and trampled, which the Master Artist and Creator fashioned with His own hand, if Moses is reliable to demonstrate the origin of men.

If, then, the account of Lazarus ended thus, and such was the nature of things, as to describe our life by the irregularity of this life, I would have left great voices babbling, through which the created ones pass similarly, thus unequally among their kindred. Since, however, the things remaining are beautiful for listening, in the...

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Greek · §3

ἐννόησον τὸ δορυφορικὸν τῆς τραπέζης πλῆθος, τραπεζοποιούς, οἰνοχόους, ταμιείας καὶ τοὺς τούτων ἀφηγουμένους μουσικούς, μουσικάς, ὀρχηστρίδας, αὐλητάς, γελωτο ποιούς, κόλακας, παρασίτους, τὸν ἀκόλουθον τῆς ματαιότητος συρφετόν. Ταῦτα ἵνα κτηθῇ, πόσοι πένητες ἀδικοῦνται! πόσοι δὲ ὀρφανοὶ κονδυλίζονται! πόσαι χῆραι δακρύουσιν! πόσοι σφοδρῶς σπαραττόμενοι σπεύδουσιν πρὸς ἀγχόνην! 1.5.5 Ἡ δὲ τῶν τοιούτων ψυχὴ ὥσπερ Ληθαίου τινος ὕδατος γευσαμένη ἑαυτῆς ἀμνημονεῖ καθάπαξ, τίς ἐστιν καὶ τίνι συνέζευκται, καὶ ὅτι ποτὲ τῆς συζυγίας ταύτης λυθήσεται καὶ πάλιν ἀνακτισθέντι συνοικήσει τῷ σώματι. Ἐλθόντος δὲ καιροῦ τοῦ καθήκοντος καὶ τοῦ ἀπαραιτήτου προστάγματος τῆς πρὸς τὸ σῶμα κοινωνίας ἀπο σπῶντος αὐτήν, ἀναλογισμὸς εἰσέρχεται τῶν βεβιωμένων καὶ ἀνωφελὴς μετάνοια, κατόπιν γινομένη τῆς χρείας. Τότε γὰρ ὀνίνησι μεταμέλεια, ὅταν ὁ μεταβουλευόμενος ἐξουσίαν ἔχῃ τῆς διορθώσεως· ἀναιρεθείσης δὲ τῆς ἐνεργείας τοῦ κατορθοῦν ἀχρεῖος ἡ λύπη καὶ μάταιος ἡ μετάγνωσις. 1.6.1 Πτωχὸς δέ τις ἦν ὀνόματι Λάζαρος. Οὐ πένητα ἁπλῶς ὑπογράφει ὁ λόγος τῆς δαπάνης καὶ τῆς χρείας τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐστερη μένον, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ ἀρρωστίᾳ ὀδυνηρᾷ συνεχόμενον καὶ διερρυηκότα τὸ σῶμα, ἄοικον, ἀνέστιον, ἀθεράπευτον, τῇ πύλῃ τοῦ πλουσίου προσερριμένον. Καὶ λίαν ἐπιμελῶς τῇ διηγήσει τὰς συμφορὰς ἐπὶ τέλει ἐκτραγῳδεῖ τοῦ πτωχοῦ, ἵνα τὴν τοῦ μὴ ἐλεοῦντος στηλιτεύσῃ σκληρότητα. 1.6.2 Ὁ γὰρ πρὸς λιμὸν καὶ νόσον μηδὲν πάσχων ἐλεεινὸν ἢ συμπαθὲς θηρίον ἐστὶν ἄλογον, κακῶς εἰς ἀνθρώπου μορφωθὲν σχῆμα, ψευδόμενον τῇ προαιρέσει τὴν φύσιν· μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν θηρίων ἀσυμπαθέστερον, εἴ γε χοίρου μὲν σφαζομένου ἕλκονται πρός τινα λυπηρὰν αἴσθησιν οἱ χοῖροι καὶ τῷ νεορρύτῳ αἵματι ἀνιαρὰ ἐπιτρύζουσι· περιίστανται δὲ τοῦ ταύρου τὸν φόνον οἱ βόες ἐμπαθεῖ μυκηθμῷ τὴν ἄλγιδα σημαίνοντες. Ἀγέλαι δὲ γεράνων, μιᾶς τῶν συννόμων περιπεσούσης θηράτροις, περιίπτανται τὴν κρατουμένην καί τινος ὀδυρτικῆς κλαγγῆς τὸν ἀέρα πληροῦσιν, τὴν ὁμόφυλον ζητοῦσαι καὶ σύννομον. 1.6.3 Ἄνθρωπον δέ, τὸ λογικὸν ζῷον καὶ ἥμερον καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν Θεοῦ τὴν ἀγαθότητα παιδευόμενον, μικρὸν οὕτω φροντίζειν τῶν συγγενῶν ἐν ταῖς ὀδυνηραῖς τῶν συμφορῶν περι στάσεσιν! 1.7.1 Ἔκειτο τοίνυν ὁ πολυώδυνος καὶ εὐχάριστος πένης πόδας οὐκ ἔχων, ἦ γὰρ ἂν τὸν ἀλάστορα καὶ ὑπερήφανον ἔφυγεν, ἕτερον τόπον ἀλλαξάμενος ἀντὶ τῆς ξενοκτόνου πύλης τῆς κεκλεισμένης τοῖς πένησιν χειρῶν ἀφῃρημένος καὶ οὐδὲ παλάμην ἔχων προτείνειν εἰς αἴτησιν, ἐμφραχθεὶς αὐτὰ τὰ ὄργανα τῆς φωνῆς καί τινα βραγχῶσαν καὶ τραχεῖαν τῶν στέρνων ἠχὴν προϊέμενος, πᾶσιν ἁπλῶς ἠκρωτηριασμένος τοῖς μέλεσιν, νόσου πονηρᾶς λείψανον, ἐλεεινὸν ὑπόδειγμα τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ἀσθενείας. 1.7.2 Ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδὲ τοσοῦτος κατάλογος συμφορῶν ἔκλινεν πρὸς ἐπίσκεψιν τὸν ὑψαύχενα· παρῄει δὲ ὡς λίθον τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀπροφάσιστον τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐπιτελῶν. Οὐ γὰρ εἶχεν ἐγκαλούμενος λέγειν ταῦτα τὰ κοινὰ καὶ εὐπρόσωπα· Οὐκ ἔγνων, οὐκ ᾔδειν· ἔλαθεν με ποτνιῶν ὁ πτωχός· ὃς ἔκειτο πρὸ τῆς πύλης εἰσιόντος 3 καὶ ἐξιόντος θέαμα, ἵνα ἀπαραίτητον ἐργάσηται τοῦ ὑπερηφάνου τὴν καταδίκην. Ἐπεθύμει καὶ τῶν ψιχίων τῆς τραπέζης καὶ οὐδὲ τούτων ἐτύγχανεν· ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν τῇ πλησμονῇ διερρήγνυτο, ὁ δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς ἐνδείας ἐτήκετο. 1.7.3 Καλὸν οὖν ἦν καὶ δίκαιον τὴν Χαναναίαν ἐκείνην τὴν Φοίνισσαν διδάσκαλον ἐπιστῆσαι τῷ μισανθρώπῳ πλουσίῳ, λέγουσαν ἐκεῖνα τὰ γεγραμμένα ὅτι Ὦ ἀλάστορ καὶ ὑπερήφανε, καὶ τὰ κυνάρια ἐσθίει ἀπὸ τῶν ψιχίων τῶν πιπτόντων ἀπὸ τῆς τραπέζης τῶν κυρίων αὐτῶν· σὺ δὲ τὸν ἀδελφόν σου, τὸν ὁμόφυλον, ταύτης τῆς δωρεᾶς οὐκ ἠξίωσας; 1.7.4 Ἀλλ' οἱ μὲν κύνες ἐπιμελῶς ἐτρέφοντο, κατ' ἰδίαν οἱ φύλακες, χωρὶς οἱ θηρευτικοί· καὶ στέγης ἠξιοῦντο καὶ κλίνης καὶ θεραπευτὰς εἶχον ἀποκεκληρωμένους κατὰ σπουδήν, ἔρριπτο δὲ χαμαὶ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰκὼν ἀμελουμένη καὶ πατουμένη, ἣν ἰδίᾳ χειρὶ ὁ τῶν ὅλων ἀριστοτέχνης καὶ δημιουργὸς διεπλάσατο, εἰ τῷ Μωϋσῆς ἀξιόπιστος τεκμηριῶσαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν γένεσιν. 1.8.1 Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐτελεύτησεν μέχρι τούτου τὸ τοῦ Λαζάρου διήγημα καὶ οὕτως εἶχε τῶν πραγμάτων ἡ φύσις, ὡς τῇ ἀνωμαλίᾳ τοῦ βίου τούτου τὴν ζωὴν ἡμῶν περιγράφεσθαι, μεγάλας ἂν ἀφῆκα σχετλιάζων φωνάς, ἐφ' οἷς οἱ κτισθέντες ὁμοτίμως οὕτως ἀνίσως μετὰ τῶν ὁμοφύλων διάγομεν. 1.8.2 Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καλὰ τὰ λειπόμενα πρὸς ἀκρόασιν, ἐν τοῖς

The true meaning of poverty and the example of Lazarus§4

4The poor man passes by sighing, having learned through his companions the blessed enjoyment of your fellow-sufferer. For you will find a precise judgment-court of the righteous Judge, in which the one who enjoyed pleasure sighs, and the one who lived in luxury is distressed; and each is carried to what is due to him.

And it happened that the poor man died and was carried by the angels into the bosom of Abraham (Luke 16:22). Do you see the ministers of the righteous and the poor, and the servants of the transfer? For angels were bearing him, looking at him calmly and gently, and by their appearance foretelling the healing and relief awaiting him. And he was placed, having been carried to the bosoms of the patriarch, which provides a starting point for the pleasureless to torture the depths of the Scriptures.

For if every dying person were carried to the same place, someone great would be a boundless bosom, capable of containing the multitude of the holy ones. But if this is utterly impossible, for a bosom, having been hollowed out, barely contains one man or with difficulty two, some divine vision receives us by the image of the sensible bosom, guiding us toward some intelligible reality.

For what is it that is being said? Abraham, it is said, receives those who have lived a prosperous life. Tell me then, O law-giver Luke, as if to one present and visible, I will discourse with you: why, being among many righteous ones and elders of Abraham, did you allot this honor to the drunkard, remaining silent about Enoch, Noah, and if anyone else who was not following these during his life? But perhaps I understand you, and what I consider does not cast you out from your purpose.

Since Abraham is a servant of Christ, and this man received the manifestations of Christ differently from men, and the mystery of the Trinity was sufficiently expressed to us in the tent of this old man, when he welcomed the three angels as traveling companions; and simply, from many mystical enigmas, this man has become a familiar man of God, having later clothed himself in flesh and having clearly spoken to men through this human veil, therefore his bosom is like a pleasant harbor and an unshakeable rest.

He says it is the portion of the righteous. For in Christ is the salvation and the hope and the expectation of the coming age of all of us, through him having sprung from the flesh of Abraham according to the human lineage. And it seems to me that the honor concerning the old man has a reference to the Savior, who is also judge and rewarder of virtue, and with the therapeutic voice calling the righteous and saying: 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you' (Matt 25:34).

And the poor man came to die. There is a double significance concerning the poor man: one declaring the need of the necessary things, the other the moderation and the humility of character. Therefore, let him who lacks the things of the material world and labors for silver, being clothed in the garment of pity, claim the praise of virtue, and let him not consider the lack to be sufficient for salvation. For he who labors by necessity is not praised, but he who moderates his will freely is marveled at. Since for those who are destitute, if they have a way of life that is uneducated or uncontrolled, necessity becomes a supply for many and wicked daring acts. And I myself, all the wall-scrapers and men who walk on toes, and moreover looters and thieves and even murderers, if they ever passed by an official judgment, I have seen them as poor, unknown, destitute, and unhospitable.

From this it is evident that the Scripture now blesses that poor man who bears the hardships with a philosophical soul, enduring bravely toward the circumstances of life and doing no evil deed, so that he might be granted the enjoyment of luxury in the flesh. Whom the Lord also describes more clearly in the first of the beatitudes, saying: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit' (Matt 5:3). Therefore, not every poor man is righteous, but he who is like Lazarus; nor is every rich man rejected, but he who lives with such a choice of will as he who was contemporary with Lazarus; and of this, those who are witnesses through the trial of life are evident. For what is wealthier than the divine Job? And yet the extreme poverty did not alienate the man from righteousness, nor can one say it isolated him from virtue. What of the...

Greek · §4

παρελθοῦσι στενάξας, ὁ πένης, ἐν τοῖς ἀκολούθοις εὐθύμησον μαθὼν τοῦ συμπτώχου σου τὴν μακαρίαν ἀπόλαυσιν. Εὑρήσεις γὰρ δικαίου κριτοῦ ἀκριβὲς δικαστήριον, ἐν ᾧ στενάζει ὁ ἡδυπαθήσας καὶ τρυφᾷ ὁ μοχθήσας· ἑκάτερος δὲ κομίζεται τὰ πρὸς ἀξίαν ἐπίχειρα. 1.9.1 Ἐγένετο δὲ ἀποθανεῖν τὸν πτωχὸν καὶ ἀπενεχθῆναι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀγγέλων εἰς τὸν κόλπον Ἀβραάμ. Ὁρᾷς τοὺς διακονιστὰς τοῦ δικαίου καὶ πένητος καὶ τοὺς ὑπηρέτας τῆς μεταστάσεως; Ἄγγελοι γὰρ ἐδορυφόρουν, γαληνόν τε καὶ πρᾶον εἰς αὐτὸν βλέποντες καὶ τῷ σχήματι προδηλοῦντες τὴν ἀναμένουσαν αὐτὸν θεραπείαν καὶ ἄνεσιν. Ἐνετέθη δὲ κομισθεὶς τοῖς κόλποις τοῦ πατριάρχου, ὃ καὶ διαπορήσεως ἀφορμὴν παρέχει τοῖς ἡδέως τὰ βάθη τῶν Γραφῶν βασανίζουσιν. 1.9.2 Εἰ γὰρ πᾶς τελευτῶν δίκαιος πρὸς τὸν αὐτὸν κομίζοιτο τόπον, πολύς τις ἂν εἴη καὶ ἐπ' ἄπειρον ἀνηπλωμένος ὁ κόλπος, εἴ γε μέλλοι χωρητικὸς ἔσεσθαι τοῦ πλήθους τῶν ὁσίων παντός. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο παντελῶς ἀμήχανον κόλπος γὰρ κοιλανθεὶς ἄνδρα μὲν καὶ ἕνα δυσχερῶς, μόλις δὲ δύο περιστέλλει βρέφηθεωρία τις ἡμᾶς ἐκδέχεται τῇ εἰκόνι τοῦ αἰσθητοῦ κόλπου πρὸς νοητήν τινα πραγματείαν χειραγωγοῦσα. 1.9.3 Τί γάρ ἐστι τὸ λεγόμενον; Ὁ Ἀβραάμ, φησίν, ἀποδέχεται τοὺς τὸν εὐπολίτευτον ζήσαντας βίον. Εἰπὲ τοίνυν, ὦ θεσπέσιε Λουκᾶ ὡς πρὸς παρόντα γάρ σε καὶ ὁρώμενον διαλέξομαι διὰ τί πολλῶν ὄντων δικαίων καὶ πρεσβυτέρων τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ταύτην τῷ μεθηλικεστέρῳ τὴν τιμὴν ἀπεκλήρωσας, σιωπήσας τὸν Ἑνώχ, τὸν Νῶε καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος κατὰ τὸν βίον τούτοις ἀκόλουθος; Ἀλλά σου τάχα συνίημι καὶ οὐκ ἔξω βάλλει τοῦ σκοποῦ ἃ λογίζομαι. 1.9.4 Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ Ἀβραὰμ θεράπων 1.9.4 Χριστοῦ καὶ διαφερόντως οὗτος ἀνθρώπων τὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπιφανείας ἐδέξατο, καὶ τὸ τῆς Τριάδος μυστήριον ἱκανῶς ἡμῖν ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ τοῦ γέροντος τούτου διετυπώθη, ἡνίκα τοὺς τρεῖς ἀγγέλους ὡς ἄνδρας ὁδοιπόρους ἐξένισε, καὶ ἁπλῶς ἐκ πολλῶν τῶν μυστικῶν αἰνιγμάτων οἰκεῖος ἄνθρωπος οὗτος γεγένηται τοῦ Θεοῦ, τοῦ χρόνοις ὕστερον ἀμφιε σαμένου τὴν σάρκα καὶ διὰ μέσου τοῦ ἀνθρωπικοῦ τούτου παραπετάσματος ἐναργῶς ὁμιλήσαντος τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, διὰ τοῦτο τὸν κόλπον αὐτοῦ οἷον εὔδιόν τινα λιμένα καὶ ἄκλυστον ἀναπαυτήριον εἶναι τῶν δικαίων φησίν. 1.9.5 Ἐν Χριστῷ γὰρ πάντων ἡμῶν ἡ σωτηρία καὶ ἡ ἐλπὶς καὶ ἡ ἀπεκδοχὴ τοῦ μέλλοντος αἰῶνος, τῷ ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπικὴν ἀκολουθίαν βλαστήσαντι. Καί μοι δοκεῖ ἡ περὶ τὸν γέροντα τοῦ λόγου τιμὴ εἰς τὸν Σωτῆρα τὴν ἀναφορὰν ἔχειν, τὸν καὶ κριτὴν ὄντα καὶ μισθαποδότην τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ τῇ θεραπευτικῇ φωνῇ 4 προσκαλούμενον τοὺς δικαίους καὶ λέγοντα· ∆εῦτε, οἱ εὐλογημένοι τοῦ πατρός μου, κληρονομήσατε τὴν ἡτοιμασμένην ὑμῖν βασιλείαν. 1.10.1 Ἐγένετο δὲ ἀποθανεῖν τὸν πτωχόν. ∆ιπλῆ τις ἐστὶν ἡ περὶ τὸν πτωχὸν σημασία· ἡ μὲν δηλοῦσα τῶν ἀναγκαίων τὴν ἔνδειαν, ἡ δὲ τὴν μετριοφροσύνην καὶ τοῦ ἤθους τὴν ταπεινότητα. Μὴ τοίνυν ὁ τῶν ὑλῶν ἀπόρως ἔχων καὶ πενόμενος ἀργυρίου, ἠμφιεσμένος δὲ τὴν ἐλεεινὴν ἐφεστρίδα, οἰκειούσθω τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν ἔπαινον, μηδὲ νομιζέτω ἀρκέσειν αὐτῷ τὴν ἔνδειαν πρὸς σωτηρίαν. 1.10.2 Οὐ γὰρ ὁ κατ' ἀνάγκην πενόμενος ἐπαινεῖται, ἀλλ' ὁ τὴν γνώμην αὐθαιρέτως μετριάζων θαυμάζεται. Ἐπεὶ τοῖς ἀπορουμένοις ἁπλῶς, ἔχουσι δὲ τὸν τρόπον ἀπαιδαγώγητον ἢ ἀκατόρθωτον, ἐφόδιον γίνεται πολλῶν καὶ πονηρῶν τολμημάτων ἡ πρὸς ἀνάγκην ἀκτημοσύνη. Καὶ πάντας ἐγὼ τοὺς τοιχωρύχους καὶ ἀνδρα ποδιστάς, ἔτι μὴν λωποδύτας καὶ κλέπτας καὶ τοὺς ἀνδροφόνους αὐτούς, εἴ ποτε παρέβαλον ἀρχοντικῷ κριτηρίῳ, πένητας ἐθεασάμην, ἀγνώστους, ἀοίκους, ἀνεστίους. 1.10.3 Ὡς ἐκ τούτου πρόδηλον εἶναι, ὅτι μακαρίζει νῦν ἡ Γραφὴ τὸν πτωχὸν ἐκεῖνον τὸν φιλοσόφῳ ψυχῇ τοὺς μόχθους βαστάζοντα, καρτεροῦντα δὲ γενναίως πρὸς τὰς περιστάσεις τοῦ βίου καὶ οὐδὲν κακουργοῦντα πονηρόν, ἵνα τῇ σαρκὶ χαρίσηται τῆς τρυφῆς τὴν ἀπό λαυσιν. Ὃν καὶ σαφέστερον διαγράφει ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ τῶν μακαρισμῶν ὁ Κύριος λέγων· Μακάριοι οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι. Οὔτε οὖν πᾶς πτωχὸς δίκαιος, ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνος οἷος ὁ Λάζαρος, οὔτε πᾶς πλούσιος ἀπεγνωσμένος, ἀλλ' ὁ μετὰ τοιαύτης ζῶν προαιρέσεως, οἵαν εἶχεν ὁ τοῦ Λαζάρου σύγχρονος· καὶ τούτου οἱ διὰ τῆς πείρας τοῦ βίου μάρτυρες πρόδηλοι. 1.10.4 Τί γὰρ τοῦ θείου Ἰὼβ πλουσιώτερον; Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἡ εἰς ἄγαν εὐπορία τὸν ἄνδρα οὔτε τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἠλλοτρίωσεν, οὔτε συλ λήβδην εἰπεῖν, τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐξώρισεν. Τί τοῦ

The Poverty of Judas and the Fate of the Rich§5

5Was he more wretched than Judas Iscariot? And he gained nothing from his poverty toward salvation, but while dining with the eleven poor ones and with the philosophers, and even with the Lord himself, who through us became voluntarily poor, he was driven there by a bad intention toward the love of money, and from there he contrived the betrayal.

It is also worthy to test the departure of another of the dead. For the poor man, having fallen asleep, had angels as guards and attendants, leading him with good hope to the place of rest; but the rich man, having died, is said to have been buried (Luke 16:22). For there is nothing like using that scriptural word, which through a single word sufficiently interprets the dishonorable dissolution of the rich.

For the sinner finishing his life is truly being buried, the body being earthly and of the soil, and the soul, having drawn its nature toward the flesh's longing for matter, leaving behind no useful memorial of his own life, and being covered shamefully and finishing the death of the pastures. For the body has a tomb, but the soul has Hades; two dark prisons being divided for the punishment of the evil creature.

And who would not reproach the wretched one for his thoughtlessness? Whenever he was upon the earth, boasting, acting great, thinking himself above all the living and of the same nature and...

Greek · §5

Ἰσκαριώτου πενέστερον; Καὶ οὐδὲν ἀπώνατο τῆς ἐνδείας εἰς σωτηρίαν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἕνδεκα πένησι καὶ φιλοσόφοις συνδιαιτώμενος καὶ αὐτῷ γε τῷ Κυρίῳ, τῷ δι' ἡμᾶς αὐθαιρέτως πτωχεύσαντι, κακίᾳ προαιρέσεως εἰς φιλαργυρίαν παρενεχθεὶς ἐκεῖθεν καὶ τὴν προδοσίαν ἐρᾳδιούργησεν. 1.11.1 Ἄξιον δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐκφορὰν ἑκατέρου τῶν τεθνηκότων συνετῶς δοκιμάσαι. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πτωχὸς κοιμηθεὶς ἀγγέλους εἶχεν δορυφόρους καὶ θεραπευτάς, ἄγοντας αὐτὸν μετὰ καλῆς τῆς ἐλπίδος εἰς τὸν τόπον τῆς ἀναπαύσεως· ὁ δὲ πλούσιος ἀποθανών, φησίν, ἐτάφη. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οἷον αὐτῇ χρήσασθαι τῇ λέξει τῇ γραφικῇ, ἱκανῶς διὰ μιᾶς λέξεως ἑρμηνευούσῃ τὴν ἄτιμον τοῦ πλουσίου κατάλυσιν. 1.11.2 Ὁ γὰρ ἁμαρτωλὸς τελευτῶν ὄντως θάπτεται, χθόνιος ὢν τὸ σῶμα, γήινος δὲ καὶ τὴν ψυχήν, καὶ τὸ φυσικὸν ἐκείνης ἀξίωμα τῇ συμπαθείᾳ τῆς σαρκὸς πρὸς τὴν ὕλην καταγαγών, οὐδὲν χρηστὸν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ζωῆς καταλιμπάνων ὑπόμνημα, λήθῃ δὲ ἀτίμῳ καλυπτόμενος καὶ τὸν τῶν βοσκημάτων θάνατον τελευτῶν. Τάφος μὲν γὰρ ἔχει τὸ σῶμα, ᾅδης δὲ τὴν ψυχήν· δύο σκοτεινὰ δεσμωτήρια μεριζόμενα τοῦ πονηροῦ ζῴου τὴν τιμωρίαν. 1.11.3 Καὶ τίς οὐκ ἂν τῆς ἀβουλίας τὸν ἄθλιον καταμέμψαιτο; ἡνίκα μὲν ὑπὲρ γῆς ἦν γαυριῶντα, μεγαλαυχούμενον, πάντων ὑπερφρονοῦντα τῶν συζώντων καὶ ὁμοφύλων καὶ

The Folly of the Flesh-Lovers§6

6Only once does he call those who encounter him ants and worms, torn apart by the fleeting wisdom of temporary glory; but when he is snatched away from life and, like a slave of lashes, is deprived of those things of which through ignorance he thought himself a master, humility is imposed upon him in response to his pride. Like a goat putting forward the wails of a mourning woman, he calls upon the patriarch from afar and ignorantly, saying: 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus, so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am suffering in this flame' (Luke 16:24), seeking a mercy which was not given when it was easy for him to do good because he possessed the authority; and demanding that Lazarus arrive to help against the fire, praying to suck the finger of the leper slightly moistened with water. Such are the follies of the flesh-lovers; this is the end of the lovers of wealth and the lovers of pleasure.

And it is fitting for the prudent and the provident of the future, having taken as a parable something like a preventative medicine for a disease, to flee the experience of such evils, regarding compassion and philanthropy as the cause of life.

Greek · §6

μονονουχὶ μύρμηκας καὶ σκώληκας ἀποκαλοῦντα τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας, κενῷ δὲ φρονήματι τῆς ὀλιγοχρονίου δόξης διαρρηγνύμενον· ἡνίκα δὲ ἀπεσπάσθη τοῦ βίου καὶ ὡς μαστιγίας δοῦλος ἀφῃρέθη τῶν ἀλλοτρίων, ὧν ἐξ ἀνοίας ἐνόμιζεν εἶναι δεσπότης, εἰς ἀντίρροπον τῆς ὑπερηφανίας καταφέρεται ταπεινότητα, καὶ γραὸς θρηνούσης ὀδυρμοὺς προβαλλόμενος μακρὰ καὶ ἀνόνητα τὸν πατριάρχην ἐπικαλεῖται λέγων· 1.11.4 « Πάτερ Ἀβραάμ, ἐλέησον με καὶ πέμψον Λάζαρον, ἵνα βάψῃ τὸ ἄκρον τοῦ δακτύλου αὐτοῦ ὕδατος καὶ καταψύξῃ τὴν γλῶσσαν μου, ὅτι ὀδυνῶμαι ἐν τῇ φλογὶ ταύτῃ», ζητῶν ἔλεον, ὃν οὐκ ἔδωκεν ἡνίκα τοῦ εὐεργετεῖν πρόχειρον εἶχεν τὴν ἐξουσίαν· ἀξιῶν δὲ αὐτῷ βοηθὸν κατὰ τοῦ πυρὸς ἀφικέσθαι τὸν Λάζαρον· εὐχόμενος ἀπομυζῆσαι τοῦ λεπροῦ τὸν δάκτυλον ὀλίγον νενοτισμένον 5 ὕδατι. Τοιαῦται τῶν φιλοσωμάτων αἱ ἀβουλίαι, τοῦτο τῶν φιλοπλούτων καὶ φιληδόνων τὸ τέλος. 1.12.1 Καὶ προσήκει τὸν συνετὸν καὶ προμηθῆ τοῦ μέλλοντος, οἷον φάρμακόν τι προφυλακτικὸν νοσήματος τὴν παραβολὴν ἡγησάμενον, φυγεῖν τῶν ὁμοίων κακῶν τὴν πεῖραν, τὸ συμπαθὲς καὶ φιλάνθρωπον ὡς αἰτίαν τῆς ζωῆς

The Severity of Divine Judgment§7

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7Regarding the discipline that is to come, having practiced it. For the word has dramatically set out the admonition upon specific persons, so that, having been taught the law of the good citizenship with life and demonstration, we might never despise the commands of the Scripture, fearing them only as far as a word, and not indeed leading the threat toward punishment.

For I know how many of men, being enticed by such insinuations, grant themselves the power to sin unhindered. But on the contrary, we are taught by the present Scripture that no forgiveness lightens the penalty of that judgment, nor does philanthropy diminish the appointed punishment, if it is necessary for the voices of the patriarch to confirm the word.

For having heard many supplications from the rich and a myriad of pitying voices, he was neither moved by the wailings nor did the pain depart from the one bitterly flogged, but with strict wisdom he ratified the righteous judgment, saying that God has allotted to each according to his worth; and to you, since you have lived in luxury according to the others...

Greek · §7

τῆς μελλούσης ἀσκήσαντα. ∆ραματικῶς γὰρ ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος τὴν νουθεσίαν ἐπὶ προσώπων ὡρισμένων ἐξέθετο, ἵνα ἐμψύχως καὶ δεικτικῶς παιδευθέντες τῆς ἀγαθῆς πολιτείας τὸν νόμον, μηδέποτε καταφρονήσωμεν τῶν τῆς Γραφῆς παραγγελμάτων ὡς ἄχρι λόγου μόνον φοβούντων, οὐ μὴν τὴν ἀπειλὴν προαγόντων εἰς τιμωρίαν. 1.12.2 Οἶδα γάρ, ὡς οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ταῖς τοιαύταις ὑπονοίαις δελεαζόμενοι ἀκώλυτον ἑαυτοῖς τοῦ ἁμαρτάνειν τὴν ἐξουσίαν χαρίζονται. Πᾶν δὲ τοὐναντίον παρὰ τῆς προκειμένης Γραφῆς διδασκόμεθα ὡς οὐδὲ συγγνώμη τις τῆς ἐκεῖ κρίσεως ἐπελαφρύνει τὴν κόλασιν, οὐδ' ἐλαττοῖ τὴν ὡρισμένην τιμωρίαν φιλανθρωπία, εἴ γε δεῖ ταῖς φωναῖς τοῦ πατριάρχου τεκμηριῶσαι τὸν λόγον. 1.12.3 Πολλὰ γὰρ ἱκετευθεὶς παρὰ τοῦ πλουσίου καὶ μυρίων ἐλεεινῶν ἐπακούσας φωνῶν οὔτε τοῖς ὀδυρμοῖς ἐπεκλάσθη οὔτε τῆς ὀδύνης ἐξείλετο τὸν πικρῶς μαστιζόμενον, ἀλλ' αὐστηρῷ δὲ τῷ φρονήματι τὴν δικαίαν κρίσιν ἐκύρωσεν εἰπών, ὅτι πρὸς ἀξίαν ἑκάστῳ διεκλήρωσεν ὁ Θεός· καὶ σοὶ μὲν ἐπὶ τοῦ βίου τρυφήσαντι κατὰ τῶν ἀλλο

The Chasm and the Separation of Good and Evil§8

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8The justice of the trespass has been imposed upon you through three afflictions; but to the one there, having been toiled and trodden down and being vexed by the bitterness of the fleshly life, a certain sweet and rejoicing state has been distributed here.

Moreover, he says there is a great chasm, which prevents them from intermingling with one another, and it separates those punishing from those being punished, so that both may clearly distinguish themselves from one another, having an unmixed enjoyment of the good and the evil. I think the sensory parable is an enigma of an intellectual theory. For let us not truly suppose a ditch actually dug there among the angels, like the trenches that happen in military camps, but Luke describes to us the separation of those who are divided from one another, both those according to virtue and those who lived otherwise, setting forth the image of the chasm (Luke 16:26).

And Isaiah, saying something like this, seals our mind: Is not the hand of the Lord too weak to save, or has his ear become heavy so as not to hear? (Isaiah 59:1). But your sins divide you from one another and from God.

Greek · §8

τρίων συμφορῶν δίκη τοῦ πλημμελήματος ἐπετέθη ἃ πάσχεις· τῷ δ' ἐκεῖ μοχθήσαντι καὶ πατηθέντι καὶ πικρᾶς ἀνασχομένῳ τῆς ἐνσάρκου ζωῆς γλυκεῖα τις καὶ εὐφραίνουσα ἡ ἐνθάδε ἀπενεμήθη κατάστασις. 1.12.4 Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ χάσμα μέγα εἶναι φησιν, τὸ κωλύον αὐτοὺς τὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἐπιμιξίαν καὶ διεῖργον τοὺς τιμωρουμένους ἀπὸ τῶν τιμωμένων, ἵνα εὐκρινῶς διάγωσιν ἀπ' ἀλλήλων ἀμφότεροι ἀσύγχυτον ἔχοντες τῶν ἀγαθῶν καὶ τῶν κακῶν τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν. Οἶμαι δὲ τὴν αἰσθητὴν παραβολὴν νοητῆς εἶναι θεωρίας αἴνιγμα. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ τάφρον ὄντως ἐννοήσωμεν ἐκεῖ πρὸς τῶν ἀγγέλων διορυχθεῖσαν, οἷάπερ ἐν τοῖς στρατοπέδοις γίνεται τὰ τῶν πολεμίων μεταίχμια, ἀλλὰ τὸν χωρισμὸν ἡμῖν ὁ Λουκᾶς ὑπογράφων ὃν ἀπ' ἀλλήλων εἰσὶ κεχωρισμένοι, οἵ τε κατ' ἀρετὴν καὶ οἱ ἑτέρως ζήσαντες, ὑπέθετο τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ χάσματος. 1.12.5 Ἐπισφραγίζεται δὲ τὴν διάνοιαν ἡμῶν ταύτην καὶ Ἡσαΐας οὕτω πως λέγων· Μὴ οὐκ ἰσχύει ἡ χεὶρ Κυρίου τοῦ σῶσαι ἢ ἐβάρυνε τὸ οὖς αὐτοῦ τοῦ μὴ ἀκοῦσαι; Ἀλλὰ τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ὑμῶν διιστῶσιν ἀνὰ μέσον ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ Θεοῦ.

The Steward as Sojourner§9

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9The same homily from the Gospel according to Luke concerning the steward of unrighteousness.

Many times I have said to you, while conversing, that a certain molded and false notion falling upon men multiplies sins and diminishes good things, which each of us ought to practice according to our own way of life. And this is to think that all things which we have in the use of life we have acquired as masters and lords. And because of this assumption, we contend fiercely on their behalf, and we fight, and we judge, and we are consumed to the extreme as if we were owners of possessions.

But the truth is not so, but rather strongly contrary. For all things of which we have received, they are not ours; nor indeed are we as owners and lords of this life, as if we were settled in our own house, but we are led as resident aliens and sojourners and migrants to where we do not want and when we do not expect. And we are deprived of the things that exist, when it seems good to the Lord, of the possession.

Therefore also the life of this wicked one is a changeable thing; and he who is glorious today is tomorrow wretched, worthy of pity and lamentation and help; he who is now prosperous and well-provided with the materials of wealth, a poor man after a little while, not even having the bread from his own house which is brought to life. And in this especially our God excels the dead, by being always the same and likewise to have and to have acquired life and glory and power without being taken away.

Wherefore then, how I came to this beginning of the word, it perhaps is already known to those having understanding and to lovers of learning. Luke, having reshaped a parable for us, clearly presented, in which he describes the steward of others' things being squeezed and distressed, because, as one who is cut and costly, he heard from the master of the goods and possessions: 'Give an account of your management and depart; for I will not allow you to occupy myself with mine as if they were your own.' This, however, is not an explanation of a thing having happened, but a shaping...

A rebuke to those covered by the words, training moral virtue. Therefore, let each man know that he is a manager of someone else's property, and having cast from his soul the pride of authority, let him take up the humble and reverent role of the one responsible and the steward, always awaiting his lord and with trembling writing his account.

For he is a resident alien, having received permission for a short use and a temporary stay. But if you doubt the well-known things, learn from what happens and be instructed by the unerring teacher, experience.

Whether you have acquired a field, having received it from your fathers or having become master through association with someone. Calculate then in your memory and count, if you are able, all those who possessed it before you; and impose upon the future time the mind to consider how many will rule over it after you. Tell me, then, whose lordship is distinct and exceptional: those who possessed it, those who have it, or those who are going to have it? For if anyone were to gather everyone by a mechanism, those who have possessed it would be found more numerous than the oxen.

Rather, if you truly wish to see what our life is like, remember once when traveling in summer, I saw a spreading tree, extending greatly in width and length, sufficient to fill the need of a house with its shade. Having been delighted by this, you went under it and, as far as it was possible, remained there.

And since it was necessary again to depart, while you were deliberating your arrival, another traveler appeared. You indeed had your baggage, the cloak, but he was cleaning his own and receiving all your things in a collection: the straw, the fire, the shade of the tree, the running water. And he had the reclining, while you had the walking; he was delighted there also, then he left; and the one tree in a single day became by chance a short-term lodging for ten strangers; and all that happened was for the one who is truly the Lord. So also are the possessions of the life spent here.

Greek · §9

2.t.1 Τοῦ αὐτοῦ ὁμιλία ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ Λουκᾶν εὐαγγελίου εἰς τὸν οἰκονόμον τῆς ἀδικίας 2.1.1 Πολλάκις ὑμῖν εἶπον διαλεγόμενος, ὅτι πεπλασμένη τις καὶ ψευδὴς ἔννοια τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐμπεσοῦσα πληθύνει τὰ ἁμαρτήματα καὶ ἐλαττοῖ τὰ ἀγαθά, ἅπερ ἕκαστος ὀφείλομεν ἐπὶ τῆς ἑαυτῶν πολιτείας ἀσκεῖν. Αὕτη δέ ἐστιν τὸ νομίζειν, ὅτι πάντα ὅσα ἔχομεν ἐν τῇ χρήσει τοῦ βίου ὡς κύριοι κεκτήμεθα καὶ δεσπόται. Καὶ ταύτης ἕνεκεν τῆς ὑπολήψεως σφοδρῶς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν διαμαχόμεθα καὶ πολεμοῦμεν καὶ δικαζόμεθα καὶ εἰς ἄκρον αὐτῶν περιεχόμεθα ὡς ἐξαιρέτων κτημάτων. 2.1.2 Ἡ δὲ ἀλήθεια οὐχ οὕτως ἔχει, ἀλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα ἐναντίως. Πάντα γὰρ ὧν ἀπελάβομεν, οὐχ ἡμέτερα· οὔτε μὴν ἡμεῖς ὡς αὐθένται καὶ κύριοι τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ ὡς ἡμετέρᾳ οἰκίᾳ ἐνῳκίσθημεν, ἀλλ' ὡς πάροικοι καὶ ἐπήλυδες καὶ μετα νάσται ἀγόμεθα ὅπου οὐ θέλομεν καὶ ἡνίκα οὐ προσεδοκῶμεν. Ἀφαιρού μεθα δὲ τῶν ὄντων, ὅταν δόξῃ τῷ Κυρίῳ, τῆς κτήσεως. 2.1.3 ∆ιὸ καὶ εὐμετάβολον χρῆμα ἐστιν τὸ τῆς ἐπικήρου ταύτης 6 ζωῆς· καὶ ὁ σήμερον ἔνδοξος αὔριον ἐλεεινὸς, οἴκτου καὶ βοηθείας ἄξιος· ὁ νῦν εὔπορος καὶ εὐθηνούμενος ταῖς ὕλαις τοῦ πλούτου πένης μετὰ μικρόν, οὐδὲ τὸν ἄρτον οἴκοθεν ἔχων, ὃν προσφέρηται εἰς ζωήν. Καὶ τούτῳ μάλιστα ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν τῶν θνήτων ὑπερέχει, τῷ ἀεὶ ὁ αὐτὸς εἶναι καὶ ὡσαύτως ἔχειν καὶ ἀναφαίρετον κεκτῆσθαι ζωὴν καὶ δόξαν καὶ δύναμιν. 2.2.1 Πόθεν οὖν εἰς ταύτην ἦλθον τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ λόγου, ἦ τάχα γνώριμον ἤδη τυγχάνει τοῖς νοῦν ἔχουσι καὶ φιλολόγοις. Ὁ Λουκᾶς ἡμῖν παραβολὴν ἀναπλάσας ὑπανέγνω ἀρτίως, ἐν ᾗ τὸν οἰκονόμον τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ὑπογρά φει στενούμενον καὶ θλιβόμενον, ἐπειδὴ ὡς σπαθητὴς καὶ πολυδάπανος ἤκουσεν παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου τῶν χρημάτων καὶ τῶν κτημάτων, ὅτι ∆ὸς τὸν λόγον τῆς διοικήσεως καὶ μετάστηθι· οὐ γάρ σε τοῖς ἐμοῖς ὡς ἰδίοις ἐντρυφᾶν ἀνέξομαι. 2.2.2 Τοῦτο δέ ἐστιν οὐ γενομένου πράγματος ἐξήγησις, ἀλλὰ πλάσις παραβολῆς τοῖς ἐπεσκιασμένοις τῶν λόγων ἠθικὴν ἀρετὴν ἐκπαιδεύουσα. Γνῶθι τοίνυν ἕκαστος, ὡς ἀλλοτρίων εἶ διοικητής, καὶ ῥίψας ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς σου τῆς αὐθεντίας τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν τὸ τοῦ ὑπευθύνου καὶ οἰκονόμου ἀνάλαβε ταπεινὸν καὶ εὐλαβές, ἀεὶ τὸν κύριον σου ἀναμένων καὶ μετὰ δειλίας συγγράφων τῆς ἀπολογίας τὸ λογοθέσιον. 2.2.3 Πάροικος γὰρ εἶ, ὀλιγοχρονίου χρήσεως καὶ παροδικῆς λαβὼν συγχώρησιν. Εἰ δὲ ἀμφιβάλλεις ἐπὶ τοῖς γνωρίμοις, κατάμαθε τὰ γινόμενα καὶ τῇ ἀψευδεῖ διδασκάλῳ, τῇ πείρᾳ, παιδεύθητι. 2.3.1 Κέκτησαι χωρίον, ἢ παρὰ πατέρων λαβὼν ἢ ἀπό τινος συναλλάγ ματος κύριος γεγονώς. Ἀναλόγισαι οὖν τῇ μνήμῃ καὶ ἀπαρίθμησαι πάντας, εἰ δύνασαι, τοὺς πρὸ σοῦ κατεσχηκότας αὐτό· ἐπίβαλλε δὲ καὶ τῷ μέλλοντι χρόνῳ τὸν νοῦν καὶ πόσοι αὐτοῦ κυριεύσουσι μετὰ σὲ κατανόησον. Φράσον δέ μοι τίνος ἡ δεσποτεία καὶ τίσι κατ' ἐξαίρετον διαφέρουσα, τοῖς ἐσχηκόσι, τοῖς ἔχουσιν ἢ τοῖς μέλλουσιν; Εἰ γάρ τις ἐκ μηχανῆς πάντας ἀθροίσειεν, εὑρεθήσονται πλείους τῶν βώλων οἱ κεκτημένοι. 2.3.2 Μᾶλλον δέ, εἴπερ ἀκριβῶς βούλει κατιδεῖν τίνι παρόμοιος ὁ βίος ἡμῶν, μνημόνευσον εἴποτε ὥρᾳ θέρους ὁδοιπορῶν ἐθεάσω δένδρον ἀμφιλαφές, ἐπὶ πολὺ τοῦ πλάτους καὶ τοῦ μήκους διῆκον, ἱκανὸν τῇ σκιᾷ οἰκίας πληρῶσαι χρείαν. Τούτῳ τερφθεὶς ὑπῆλθες καί, ἐφ' ὅσον ἐξῆν, ἐκεῖσε κατέμεινες. 2.3.3 Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἔδει πάλιν ἀπᾶραι καὶ σοῦ βουλευομένου τὴν ἄφιξιν, ἕτερος ὁδοιπόρος ἐπέστη. Καὶ σὺ μὲν ἐφόρτους τὴν ἀποσκεύην, ὁ δὲ τὴν ἰδίαν καθῄρει καὶ πάντα τὰ σὰ ἀθρόον διεδέξατο, τὴν στιβάδα, τὸ πῦρ, τὴν τοῦ δένδρου σκίαν, τὸ παραρρέον ὕδωρ. Καὶ ὁ μὲν εἴχετο τῆς ἀνακλίσεως, σὺ δὲ τοῦ περιπάτου, Ἐτέρφθη κἀκεῖνος, εἶτα ἀφῆκεν· καὶ τὸ ἓν δένδρον ἐπὶ μιᾶς ἡμέρας ἐγένετο τυχὸν δέκα ξένων ὀλιγοχρόνιον καταγώγιον· καὶ τὸ πάντων γενόμενον ἑνὸς ἦν τοῦ ὄντως κυρίου. 2.3.4 Οὑτωσὶ δὲ καὶ αἱ περιουσίαι τῆς ἐνταῦθα διαγωγῆς

The Governance of the Senses§10

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10Many things please and nourish, but lordship belongs only to God, who possesses life incorruptibly and imperishably. I saw an inn, where a traveler stayed; he took many things from there without owning any: a bed, a table, vessels, a plate, and other various utensils. No one has ever used them for self-sufficiency, but rather someone comes, becomes greedy, acts impetuously, plunders the inn, and seeks what belongs to others as if it were his own.

Such is our life, brothers, and if anything of what has been said is more temporary. I marvel at those who say, 'my place' or 'my house,' so that they in vain claim ownership of what does not belong to them, and they embrace foreign things with three deceptive elements. Just as the masks of those performing wonders belong to no one in particular, but all the actors in the plays wear them, so others clothe themselves with the earth and its materials from others as if they were garments.

Tell me, is there anything more powerful than a kingdom? Yet search the kingdoms; seek royal robes, and you will find them sufficient, though they have clothed many kings. Likewise, the crowns, the purple robes, and the belts—all are an unstable inheritance, a common use passing from those traveling to those staying.

What of the value of the possessor—the tent, the silver chariot, the golden reed? The possessor does not always have these, nor always the same, except for a short time for each. Just as the bed of the journey receives different bodies at different times, so the symbols of rulers change for those using them.

From this, the apostle cried out many instructive voices regarding this mindset: he presents the form of this world, namely, 'as having nothing and possessing all' (1 Tim 6:7), and 'those using as if not using' (1 Cor 7:31). For all these tend toward one aim: that it was fitting for us to live as sojourners, remembering the covenant of the exodus.

And so that you may learn accurately that you are subject to laws and masterly canons, according to which it is fitting for you to live accurately, first understand from yourself that both your body and your soul are subject everywhere to the commands of virtue, and you are not even master of yourself; rather, it is fitting for you to manage both word and deed and all...

The movement of your life. You received a body from the Creator, composed of many parts and being managed by five senses for the needs of life. But even these are not free and autonomous, but each is a slave to laws.

And first, the eye hears; look at nature and behold what is beautiful to see: the sun, lighting the whole inhabited world; the moon, illuminating the dark and gloomy night; the other stars, which are not many, nor sufficient for us, providing the light from themselves, except for the beauty they reflect. Behold the earth, adorned with all kinds of plants and herbs; the sea lying flat like a level plain, when it is in a pure calm. To these and such things you have been accustomed to seeing; but the other sights, as many as introduce harm to the soul through sight, flee from them and run away, and impose a covering upon yourself so that you may not see. For it is better to darken the sense when it holds the cause of the works of darkness. For this reason, the Lord said to us yesterday through Matthew: 'Every man who looks at a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart' (Matthew 5:28); and it is better to cut it off when it looks disordered and with injury.

Hearing also has prohibitive commands against bad listening. For it is necessary that when it hears of certain good things, it should be uplifted and send the sense to the soul through the beneficial words. But if a companion of wickedness, a plague and a corruption, approaches it, it must repel the filth of sin like a venomous beast.

Let the tongue also be temperate with the mouth; let it speak the righteous things; and let it abstain from the forbidden: reviling, slandering, unjust accusation, backbiting against brothers, and blasphemy against God. But let it utter whatever is well-spoken, whatever is pious, whatever has the counsel of good deeds; and let every man say the things of the Psalmist: 'I said: I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue' (Psalm 119:11); and that, 'Their tongues were a stumbling block' (Psalm 57:4); and that, 'What boasts a strong man in wickedness, the power of lawlessness?' (Psalm 73:4). All the day your tongue reckoned injustice; you made a snare like a sharpened razor.

Let the taste be of those things which benefit the stomach. Let the nose also be temperate, not always smelling luxury, nor the vapors of expensive myrrh.

Greek · §10

τέρπουσι μὲν πολλοὺς καὶ τρέφουσι, τῆς δεσποτείας μόνῳ τῷ Θεῷ προσηκούσης τῷ ἄφθαρτον καὶ ἀνώλεθρον ἔχοντι τὴν ζωήν. Ἐθεάσω καὶ πανδοχεῖον, ἐφ' οὗ πάντως ὁδεύων κατέλυσας· ἔλαβες δὲ ἐκεῖθεν πολλὰ βαστάζων μηδέν, κλίνην, τράπεζαν, ἐκπώματα, πίνακα, ἄλλα σκεύη παντοδαπά. Οὐδέπω δέ που πρὸς αὐτάρκειαν χρησαμένου ἧκεν ἄλλος πνευστιῶν, κεκονιμένος, κατεπείγων σε καὶ ἐξείργων τοῦ πανδοχείου καὶ ζητῶν τὰ ἀλλότρια ὡς ἐξαίρετα. 2.4.1 Τοιοῦτος ἡμῶν ὁ βίος, ἀδελφοί, καὶ εἴ τι τῶν λεχθέντων παροδικώ τερον. Ἐγὼ δὲ θαυμάζω τοὺς λέγοντας· τὸ χωρίον μου· καί, ἡ οἰκία μου· ὅπως ματαίῳ συλλαβῇ ἐξοικειοῦνται τὰ μὴ προσήκοντα καὶ τρισὶ στοιχείοις ἀπατηλοῖς ἐναγκαλίζονται τὰ ἀλλότρια. Ὡς γὰρ τὰ τῶν θαυματοποιῶν προσωπεῖα ἔχει μὲν οὐδεὶς κατ' ἐξαίρετον, πάντες δὲ ἐπίθενται οἱ τῶν δραμάτων ὑποκριταί, οὕτως τὴν γῆν καὶ τὰς ἀπ' ἐκείνης ὕλας ἄλλοι ἐξ ἄλλων ὡς ἱμάτια μετενδύονται. 2.4.2 Μή τι βασιλείας, εἰπέ μοι, δυνατώτερον; ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐρεύνησον τὰ βασίλεια· ζήτησον χλανίδας βασιλικάς· εὑρήσεις δὲ ταύτας ἱκανάς, αἳ πολλῶν βασιλέων ἐνέδυσαν σώματα. Ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τοὺς στεφάνους καὶ 7 τὰς πόρπας καὶ τὰς ζώνας, πάντα κληρονομίαν ἄστατον, χρῆσιν κοινὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ὁδευόντων εἰς τοὺς μένοντας ἀποβαίνουσαν. 2.4.3 Τί δὲ τῆς τῶν ὑπάρχων ἀξίας ἡ σκηνή, τὸ ἀργυροῦν ὄχημα, ἡ καλαμὶς ἡ χρυσῆ; οὐκ ἀεὶ ταῦτα ἔχει τὸν ὕπαρχον καὶ οὐδέποτε τὸν αὐτόν, εἰ μὴ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἕκαστον; Ὡς γὰρ ἡ κλίνη τῆς ἐκφορᾶς ἄλλοτε ἄλλα δέχεται σώματα, οὕτως καὶ τῶν ἀρχῶν τὰ σύμβολα τοὺς χρωμένους ἀμείβει. 2.4.4 Ἐντεῦθεν καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος ἡμῖν ἐβόα πλείστας φωνὰς ταύτης τῆς διανοίας παιδευτικάς· Παράγει γὰρ τὸ σχῆμα τοῦ κόσμου τούτου· καὶ τό, Ὡς μηδὲν ἔχοντες καὶ πάντα κατέχοντες· καὶ τό, Οἱ χρώμενοι ὡς μὴ παραχρώμενοι. Πάντα γὰρ ταῦτα πρὸς ἕνα τείνει σκοπόν, ὅτι προσῆκεν ὡς ἐφημέρους ἡμᾶς διαζῆν ἀναμένοντας τῆς ἐξόδου τὸ σύνθημα. 2.5.1 Καὶ ἵνα καταμάθῃς ἀκριβῶς, ὅτι νόμοις ὑπόκεισαι καὶ κανόσι δεσποτικοῖς, καθ' οὕς σε προσῆκεν ζῆν ἀκριβῶς, ἀπὸ σαυτοῦ πρῶτον κατανόησον, ὅτι καὶ τὸ σῶμα σου καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πανταχόθεν τοῖς τῆς ἀρετῆς ὑπόκειται παραγγέλμασι καὶ οὐδὲ σαυτοῦ κύριος εἶ· ἀλλὰ προσῆκεν σε οἰκονομεῖν καὶ λόγον καὶ πρᾶξιν καὶ πᾶν τῆς ζωῆς σου κίνημα. 2.5.2 Ἔλαβες σῶμα παρὰ τοῦ κτίσαντος, ἐκ πολλῶν μορίων συγκείμενον καὶ πέντε αἰσθήσεσιν εἰς τὰς τῆς ζωῆς χρείας οἰκονούμενον. Εἰσὶ δὲ οὐδὲ αὗται ἐλεύθεροι καὶ αὐτόνομοι, ἀλλ' ἑκάστη δούλη νόμων ἐστίν. Καὶ πρῶτος ἀκούει ὀφθαλμός· βλέπε φύσιν καὶ θεώρει ἃ βλέπειν καλόν· ἥλιον, πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην φωτίζοντα· σελήνην, τὸ σκυθρωπὸν καὶ ζοφῶδες τῆς νυκτὸς καταυγάζουσαν· τοὺς ἄλλους ἀστέρας, οὐ πολὺ μέν, οὐδὲ αὔταρκες ἡμῖν τὸ παρ' ἑαυτῶν φῶς χορηγοῦντας, πλὴν τὸ κάλλος ὃ ἔλαχον ἀποστίλβοντας. 2.5.3 Θεώρει γῆν, φυτοῖς παντοδαπέσι καὶ βοτάνοις κομῶσαν· θάλασσαν ἡπλωμένην ὡς πεδίον ὁμαλές, ὅταν εἰς καθαρὰν γαλήνην παγῇ. Εἰς ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα κατακέχρησο τῷ ὁρᾶν· τὰς δὲ ἄλλας θέας, ὅσαι διὰ τῆς ὄψεως τὴν βλάβην ἐπεισάγουσι τῇ ψυχῇ, φεῦγε καὶ παράτρεχε καὶ ἐπιτίθει σαυτῷ κάλυμμα, ἵνα μὴ βλέπῃς. Βέλτιον γὰρ σκοτίσαι τὴν αἴσθησιν, ὅταν τῶν ἔργων τοῦ σκότους τὴν αἰτίαν παρ έχῃ. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο χθὲς ἔλεγεν ἡμῖν ὁ Κύριος διὰ Ματθαίου· Πᾶς ὁ βλέπων γυναῖκα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι, ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ· καὶ βέλτιον ἐκκόπτειν αὐτόν, ὅταν ἄτακτα βλέπῃ καὶ ἐπιζήμια. 2.5.4 Ἔχει καὶ ἡ ἀκοὴ παραγγέλματα κωλυτικὰ κακῆς ἀκροάσεως. Χρὴ γὰρ αὐτήν, ὅταν μὲν ἀγαθῶν τινων ἀκούῃ, ἀναπεπταμένην εἶναι καὶ δι' ἑαυτῆς τῇ ψυχῇ παραπέμπειν τῶν συμφερόντων λόγων τὴν αἴσθησιν. Εἰ δέ τις κακίας ἑταῖρος καὶ λοιμὸς καὶ φθόρος πλησιάσας αὐτῇ ἐπαντλεῖν μέλλει τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὸν βόρβορον, δεῖ φεύγειν αὐτὸν ὡς ἰοβόλον θηρίον. 2.5.5 Σωφρονείτω καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα μετὰ τοῦ στόματος· λαλείτω τὰ δίκαια· τῶν δὲ ἀπηγορευμένων ἀπεχέσθω, λοιδοριῶν, συκοφαντιῶν, κατηγορίας ἀδίκου, καταλαλιᾶς τῆς κατὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, βλασφημίας τῆς πρὸς Θεόν· φθεγγέσθω δὲ ὅσα εὔφημα, ὅσα εὐσεβῆ, ὅσα πράξεων ἀγαθῶν ἔχει τὴν συμβουλήν· καὶ λεγέτω πᾶς ἄνθρωπος τὰ τοῦ ἱεροψάλτου· Εἶπα· Φυλάξω τὰς ὁδούς μου, τοῦ μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν με ἐν γλώσσῃ μου· καὶ τό, Ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν· καὶ τό, Τί ἐγκαυχᾷ ἐν κακίᾳ, ὁ δυνατὸς ἀνομίαν; Ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἀδικίαν ἐλογίσατο ἡ γλῶσσα σου· ὡσεὶ ξυρὸν ἠκονημένον ἐποίησας δόλον. 2.5.6 Γευέσθω τῶν ὠφελούντων τὸ στόμα. Σωφρω νείτω καὶ ἡ ῥὶς μὴ τρυφὴν ἀεὶ ὀσφραινομένη, μήδε μύρων πολυτελῶν ἀτμοὺς

The Folly of Waste and the Stewardship of Death§11

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11lifting up the fragrance to the head. For of such things even Isaiah is a severe accuser. Let the hand of the commandments also be remembered, so that it may not touch all things without restraint. Let it stretch out toward almsgiving, not toward plunder; let it keep its own, not gather the things of others; let it touch the weak and injured bodies through good visitation, not those trembling and occupied with fornication.

The word showed us how we are not masters of ourselves, but stewards. For everything subject to laws and commands is a slave and obedient to the Lawgiver. If even the members of our body are not free by their own power, but are regulated toward activities by a masterly will, what would anyone say regarding those who claim to have unrestrained ownership of gold and silver and earth and other things?

Nothing, man. You are a slave and all that is yours belongs to the Lord. For a slave does not have free property. For you were made naked unto this light; you received what you have according to the law of your Lord; either inheriting from a father, since thus God ordained—for parents, he says, divide things among children like dogs—or having acquired prosperity from marriage, and marriage and that which is upon it are ordained by God, or from commerce and agriculture and other opportunities, God having worked through them.

Behold then, it was shown that you received things that are not yours. Let us see then what else has been commanded to you and what kind of management is required over those things. Give to the hungry, clothe the naked, heal the injured, do not leave behind the destitute, the one cast out in the crossroads. Do not worry about yourself, nor care how you will live in the future. Even if you work these things, he says, you shall be honored by the Lawgiver; but if you disobey the commandment, you shall be punished bitterly.

I do not see these things as belonging to one who is self-willed or one living with absolute authority, but on the contrary, many and continuous commands show me a man reigning strongly and requiring accountability through masterly laws and the established constitution as a duty.

As for us, how we, having life as something irrational, look around at the wretched and the laboring being finished by misfortunes, yet we spend money willingly on vanities, feeding a multitude of the useless...

And they are drawn to the company of evil spirits; and again they scatter wealth on beast-fights and wild beasts, showing no pity even toward those in the hippodromes; and again they spend their prosperity on wonder-workers and imitators and the following destructive things!

We suffer a thing that is empty and near to madness. For where the expenditure brings in immeasurable profit and immortal salvation, we hold the silver very tightly, as if we would not let even a few obols fall from the hand; but where the loss becomes the sin of sinners and the cause of myriads of punishments and of that very punishment through fire, we flow out by our own command. And ambition anticipates the request; and having opened all doors, we let the wealth go out to those outside. This mindset is not that of slaves waiting for the master, but of profligate, drunken, and dissolute youths.

If you wish, listener, to see the fear of a steward managing what was entrusted with sober piety, unfold the book of David; seek those words where the man of many deeds says to God concerning his own end: 'O Lord, make known to me my end, and who is the number of my days, so that I may know what I am lacking' (Psalm 39:4). See how the disposition of the one who has made a vow is viewed through the word as if in an image: that he is bound, and he foresees the future and awaits the judgment, and he examines the appointed time, so that the unexpected arrangement might not seize him at the moment of departure; and having calculated, he seeks to see what the deficiency of his sojourn is, so that having hurried, he might make up for it before the one leading out comes.

For truly, the end of each of us is an image of a steward, if we were to compare one another's individual matters: what the dying man suffers, and what the one being cast out of the stewardship endures. Likewise, the one who is finishing also hands over the administration to others, just as a steward hands over the keys; that one is cast out of a field, this one of the whole world as if of a single village. The steward withdraws, having suffered for his own labors, such as vineyards, gardens, and houses; so what do you think the one who is finishing suffers? Does he not grieve for his possessions? Does he not look with pity upon his substance, as he is being torn away from it without choice, far from treasures?

Greek · §11

εὐωδίας ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀνέλκουσα. Τῶν γὰρ τοιούτων καὶ ὁ Ἡσαΐας σφοδρῶς ἐστιν κατήγορος. Μεμνήσθω καὶ ἡ χεὶρ τῶν ἐντολῶν, ἵνα μὴ πάντων ἀκωλύτως ἅπτηται. Ἐκτεινέσθω πρὸς ἐλεημοσύνην, μὴ πρὸς ἁρπαγήν· τηρείτω τὰ ἴδια, μὴ συναγέτω τὰ ἀλλότρια· ἁπτέσθω σωμάτων νωθρῶν καὶ κεκακωμένων δι' ἀγαθῆς ἐπισκέψεως, μὴ τῶν σφριγώντων καὶ ταῖς πορνείαις ἐσχολακότων. 2.6.1 Ἔδειξεν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος, ὡς καὶ αὐτοὶ ἑαυτῶν οὐ δεσπόται ἐσμέν, ἀλλ' οἰκονόμοι. Πᾶν γὰρ τὸ νόμοις ὑποκείμενον καὶ προστάγμασιν δοῦλον τοῦ νομοθέτου ἐστὶν καὶ ὑπήκοον. Εἰ 8 δὲ τὰ μόρια τοῦ σώματος ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐλεύθερα ἐξουσίαν, ἀλλὰ δεσποτικῷ βουλήματι πρὸς τὰς ἐνεργείας κανονιζόμενα, τί ἂν εἴποι τις πρὸς τοὺς οἰομένους χρυσοῦ καὶ ἀργύρου καὶ γῆς καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀνεύθυνον ἔχειν τὴν κτῆσιν; 2.6.2 Οὐδὲν σόν, ἄνθρωπε. Σὺ δοῦλος καὶ τὰ σὰ τοῦ Κυρίου. ∆οῦλος γὰρ ἐλεύθερον πεκούλιον οὐκ ἔχει. Γυμνὸς γὰρ ἤχθης εἰς τοῦτο τὸ φῶς· ἔλαβες ἃ ἔχεις κατὰ νόμον τοῦ Κυρίου σου· ἢ κληρονομήσας πατέρα, ἐπειδὴ οὕτως ὁ Θεὸς διετάξατοΓονεῖς γὰρ τέκνοις, φησί, μεριοῦσι σκύλα, ἢ ἀπὸ γάμου τὴν εὐπορίαν κτησάμενοςγάμος δὲ καὶ τὰ ἐπ' ἐκείνῳ παρὰ Θεοῦ διατέτακται, ἢ ἀπὸ ἐμπορίας καὶ γεωργίας καὶ τῶν ἄλλων προφάσεων Θεοῦ πρὸς ἐκεῖνα συμπράξαντος. 2.7.1 Ἰδοὺ τοίνυν, ἐδείχθη ὅτι ἔλαβες τὰ μὴ σά. Ἴδωμεν τοίνυν λοιπὸν τί σοι ἐπετάχθη καὶ οἵα ἐπ' ἐκείνοις διοίκησις. ∆ὸς τῷ πεινῶντι, ἔνδυσον τὸν γυμνόν, θεράπευσον τὸν κεκακωμένον, μὴ περιίδῃς τὸν ἄπορον, τὸν ἐρριμμένον ἐν ταῖς τριόδοις. Σὺ περὶ σαυτοῦ μὴ μεριμνήσῃς, μηδὲ φροντίσῃς πῶς διάξεις ἐπὶ τῆς ὑστεραίας. Κἂν ταῦτα, φησίν, ἐργάσῃ, τιμηθήσῃ παρὰ τοῦ νομοθέτου· ἂν δὲ παρακούσῃς τῆς ἐντολῆς, κολασθήσῃ πικρῶς. 2.7.2 Ταῦτα ἐγὼ οὐ βλέπω τοῦ αὐτεξουσίου οὐδὲ τοῦ ζῶντος μετ' αὐθεντείας, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον, τὰ πολλὰ καὶ συνεχῆ προστάγματα ὑποδείκνυσί μοι ἄνθρωπον βασιλευόμενον ἰσχυρῶς καὶ νόμοις δεσποτικοῖς ὑπεύθυνον καὶ τὴν κεκανονισμένην πολιτείαν ἀπαιτούμενον ὡς χρέος. 2.7.3 Ἡμεῖς δὲ πῶς ὡς ἀλογίστευτον ἔχοντες τὸν βίον τοὺς μὲν ἀθλίους καὶ πενομένους περιορῶμεν ἐντελευτῶντας ταῖς συμφοραῖς, δαπανώμεθα δὲ φιλοτίμως ταῖς ματαιότησιν, κολάκων πλῆθος ἀσώτων τρέφοντες καὶ φρατρίας κακοδαιμόνων παρασίτων ἐπισυρόμενοι· καὶ αὖθις θηριομάχοις καὶ θηρίοις σκορπίζοντες τὸν πλοῦτον κἀν ταῖς ἱπποτροφίαις οὐδενὸς τῶν ὄντων φειδόμενοι καὶ πάλιν θαυματοποιοῖς καὶ μίμοις καὶ τοῖς ἑξῆς ὀλεθρίοις δαπανῶντες τὴν εὐπορίαν! 2.7.4 Καὶ πρᾶγμα πάσχομεν κενὸν καὶ μανίας ἐγγύς. Ἔνθα μὲν γὰρ ἡ δαπάνη φέρει τὸ κέρδος ἀνάριθμον καὶ σωτηρίαν ἀθάνατον, συνέχομεν σφοδρῶς τὸ ἀργύριον, ὡς μηδὲ ὀλίγους ὀβολοὺς τῆς χειρὸς ἐκπεσεῖν· ὅπου δὲ ἁμαρτωλῶν γίνεται τὸ ἀνάλωμα καὶ μυρίων κολάσεων αἴτιον καὶ αὐτῆς γε τῆς διὰ πυρὸς τιμωρίας, αὐτοκέλευστοι ῥέομεν. Καὶ ἡ φιλοτιμία προλαμβάνει τὴν αἴτησιν· καὶ πάσας θύρας ἀνοίξαντες ἀφίεμεν τὸν πλοῦτον πρὸς τοὺς ἔξω χωρεῖν. Τοῦτο δὲ τὸ φρόνημα οὐκ ἔστι δούλων ἀναμενόντων τὸν κύριον, ἀλλὰ νέων ἀσώτων, κωμαστῶν, ἀκολάστων. 2.8.1 Εἰ δὲ θέλεις, ὁ ἀκροατής, ἰδεῖν οἰκονόμου φόβον μετὰ τῆς σώφρονος εὐλαβείας διοικοῦντος τὰ πιστευθέντα, ἀνάπτυξον τὴν βίβλον τοῦ ∆αβίδ· ζήτησον ἐκείνους τοὺς λόγους ἔνθα φησὶν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ὁ ἀνὴρ πολυ πραγμονῶν τοῦ ἰδίου τέλους τὴν προθεσμίαν· Γνώρισόν μοι, Κύριε, τὸ πέρας μου καὶ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἡμέρων μου τίς ἐστιν, ἵνα γνῶ τί ὑστερῶ ἐγώ. 2.8.2 Ὁρᾷς ὅπως ὡς ἐν εἰκόνι θεωρεῖται τῷ λόγῳ ἡ τοῦ εὐξαμένου διάθεσις, ὅτι περιδεής ἐστι καὶ προορᾷ τὸ μέλλον καὶ ἀναμένει τὴν κρίσιν καὶ τὴν προθεσμίαν περιεργάζεται, ἵνα μὴ τὸ ἀπαράσκευον αὐτὸν καταλάβῃ τῆς ἐξόδου τὸ σύνθημα· καὶ ζητεῖ λογισάμενος κατιδεῖν τί τὸ τῆς παροικίας ὑστέρημα, ἵνα σπεύσας ἀναπληρώσῃ πρὶν ἐλθεῖν τὸν ἐξάγοντα. 2.8.3 Ἀληθῶς γάρ ἐστιν εἰκὼν οἰκονόμου ἡ ἑκάστου ἡμῶν τελευτή, ἂν τὰ καθ' ἕκαστον ἀλλήλοις ἀντεξετάσωμεν, τί μὲν πάσχει ὁ ἀποθνήσκων, τί δὲ ὑπομένει ὁ τῆς οἰκονομίας ἐκβαλλόμενος. 2.9.1 Ὁμοίως γὰρ καὶ ὁ τελευτῶν ἄλλοις μεταπαραδίδωσι τὴν διοίκησιν, ὡς ὁ οἰκονόμος τὰς κλεῖδας· ἐκεῖνος ἐκβάλλεται ἀγροῦ, οὗτος τοῦ κόσμου παντὸς ὡς ἑνὸς χωρίου. Περιπαθῶν ἀναχωρεῖ ὁ οἰκόνομος τῶν ἰδίων πόνων οἷον ἀμπέλων, κήπων, οἰκιῶν· τί οὖν δοκεῖ σοι καὶ ὁ τελευτῶν πάσχειν; 2.9.2 Οὐκ ὀδύρεται τὰ κτήματα; οὐκ ἐλεεινὸν περιβλέπει τὴν οὐσίαν, μετὰ τοσαύτην προσπάθειαν ἀπροαιρέτως αὐτῆς ἀποσπώμενος, πόρρω θησαυρῶν,

The Stewardship of the Soul§12

12Will they be treasuries? And when he arrives at the allotted place, hearing, 'Render the account of your stewardship; show how you heard the commandments, how you dealt with fellow-slaves, either kindly and philanthropically or, on the contrary, greedily and tyrannically, striking, beating, and depriving them of the grain-measure of alms.'

If he is able to make the master appeased by proving himself a good servant, it would be well for him; but if on the contrary, there are no longer whips and rods there, nor dark mills and iron pedals, but unquenchable fire and eternal darkness never illuminated by light, and the gnashing of teeth, which the gospel has clearly revealed to us (Matt 25:30).

Therefore, if he never casts out from here as if they were strangers, let him waste the world and let pleasure remain unhindered according to every sense. But if these things will be accomplished, even if we do not enjoy them for long, let us fear, brothers, the transfer from this place, and let us live in the time of sojourning as the Lord commanded; let us not be carried away as debtors, but let us walk free, being led by a good conscience, carrying the books of the life's citizenship unsearchably.

That rich man was a bad steward of this life, whose land was fruitful, because regarding the abundance of fruits, man did not counsel anything good, but opening the desire of the stomach and the wide and insatiable bellies of greed, he allotted everything to his own enjoyment, saying, 'I will pull down my barns and build greater, and I will say to my soul: You have many good things laid up, rest, eat, drink, rejoice' (Luke 12:19-20). And while he was speaking, the one taking him arrived. A terrible fellow-slave came to snatch him away from the stewardship; and what is the profit of a love-of-money plan?

And these things were written vividly for our instruction. But what is the experience of life? Not every single day do these things cry out through works; I showed us the one healthy in the middle of the day becoming dead before the onset of evening; and the one strengthening himself in the evening, not grasping the morning ray; and another perishing in the midst of eating and living. Who then is so foolish, as not to realize that every day another comes of this place...

Are we being moved from our stewardship? But the good and faithful steward, having trusted in his own management, has a will such as Paul had. For he, when the Lord was not hurrying, hastened to him and desired the dismissal and was willing to relinquish the stewardship, saying in one way: 'Wretched am I a man, who will rescue me from this body of death?' (Rom 7:24) and again: 'For to me it is good to be dissolved and to be with Christ' (Phil 1:23). But the earthly man, whose mindset is truly kin to the oxen, laments such things helplessly at the transition, like this man in the parable: 'What shall I do, since my lord is taking the stewardship from me? I am not able to dig, and I am ashamed to beg' (Luke 12:48).

His grief is that of the idle and the lover of pleasure. For to wail at the departure is a reproach of having been added to the estate and of lamenting the passionate enjoyments of the flesh, while the inability toward the work of an idle life and a fallen state is an accusation. For if he had had a habit of love for labor, he would not have feared digging.

If we take the parable allegorically toward the spiritual, after this transition, there is neither working nor having time for increase. And because of this, let no one say: 'I am not able to dig.' For even if he is able, no one forgives. This life holds the agriculture of the commandments, while the one coming holds the enjoyment. So if you worked nothing here, the vines remained, and you care excessively about the spade; nor will you benefit yourself by having time.

And of this, a clear pattern is given to us by the foolish virgins; who, being in want of oil, shamelessly asked of the wise, but they gained nothing, but turned away uselessly; the Word showing that no one has used a different oil in the presence of the bridegroom, that is, a different oil to achieve for oneself private enjoyment. For each has wrapped his own conduct like a garment, whether bright and precious or cheap and resembling the rags of a pauper. And it is not possible to strip it off, nor to exchange it and change to another, nor to be beautified and adorned from a loan or use at the time of judgment. But each remains as he is in the truth, whether...

Greek · §12

ταμιείων; καὶ ὅταν ἀφίκηται πρὸς τὸν κληρωθέντα τόπον ἀκούων· Ἀπόδος τὸν 9 λόγον τῆς οἰκονομίας σου, δεῖξον ὅπως ἤκουσας τῶν ἐντολῶν, ὅπως διετέθης πρὸς τοὺς ὁμοδούλους, ἢ χρηστῶς καὶ φιλανθρώπως ἢ τοὐναντίον ἐπαχθῶς καὶ τυραννικῶς, παίων, κονδυλίζων, ἀποστερῶν τὸ τῆς ἐλεημοσύνης σιτηρέσιον. 2.9.3 Κἂν μὲν δυνηθῇ ἵλεω καταστῆσαι τὸν δεσπότην ἀγαθὸν δοῦλον ἑαυτὸν ἀποδείξας, εὖ ἂν ἔχοι· εἰ δὲ τοὐναντίον, οὐκ ἔτι μάστιγες ἐκεῖ διὰ ῥάβδων, οὐδὲ μύλων σκοτεινὸς καὶ πέδαι σιδηραῖ, ἀλλὰ πῦρ ἄσβεστον καὶ σκότος αἰώνιον οὔποτε φωτὶ καταυγαζόμενον, καὶ ὁ βρυγμὸς τῶν ὀδόντων, ὃν σαφῶς ἡμῖν τὸ εὐαγγέλιον προεδήλωσεν. 2.9.4 Εἰ μὲν οὖν οὐδέποτε τῶν ἐνταῦθα ὡς ἀλλοτρίων ἐκβάλλει, κατατρύφησον τοῦ κόσμου καὶ κατὰ πάσης αἰσθήσεως ἀκώλυτον ἄφες τὴν ἡδονήν. Εἰ δὲ συντελεσθήσεται ταῦτα κἂν οὐκ ἐπὶ μακρὸν αὐτῶν ἀπολαύσωμεν, φοβηθῶμεν, ἀδελφοί, τὴν ἐνθένδε μετάστασιν καὶ ζήσωμεν ἐν τῷ καίρῳ τῆς παροικίας ὡς ὁ Κύριος ἐνετείλατο· μὴ ἀπαχθῶμεν δεσμῶται μετὰ χρεῶν, ἀλλ' ὁδεύσωμεν ἐλεύθεροι καὶ εὐπαρρησίαστον τὸ συνειδὸς ἐπαγόμενοι, ἀκατάγνωστα φέροντες τὰ τῆς τοῦ βίου πολιτείας βιβλία. 2.10.1 Κακὸς ἦν οἰκονόμος τῆς ἐνθάδε ζωῆς ὁ πλούσιος ἐκεῖνος, οὗ ἡ χώρα ηὐφόρησεν, ἐπειδὴ τῇ εὐθηνίᾳ τῶν καρπῶν οὐδὲν ὁ ἄνθρωπος χρηστὸν ἐβουλεύσατο, ἀλλ' ἀνοίξας γαστρὸς ἐπιθυμίαν καὶ τοὺς πλατεῖς καὶ ἀχωρήτους τῆς πλεονεξίας κόλπους πάντα ἀπεκλήρου τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἀπολαύσει λέγων· 2.10.2 Καθελῶ μου τὰς ἀποθήκας καὶ μείζονας οἰκοδομήσω καὶ ἐρῶ τῇ ψυχῇ μου· Ἔχεις πολλὰ ἀγαθὰ κείμενα, ἀναπαύου, φάγε, πίε, εὐφραίνου· καὶ μεταξὺ λαλοῦντος ὁ ἀπάγων ἐπέστη. Ἦλθε φοβερὸς σύνδουλος ἀνάσπαστον ἐκ τῆς οἰκονο μίας ἀπάξων· καὶ τί τὸ ὄφελος τῆς φιληδόνου βουλῆς; Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐμψύχως ἐγράφη εἰς νουθεσίαν ἡμῶν· 2.10.3 Ἡ δὲ πεῖρα τοῦ βίου ποταπή; Οὐ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ταῦτα διὰ τῶν ἔργων βοᾷ, δείκνυσα ἡμῖν τὸν ἐν μέσῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ὑγιαίνοντα πρὸ τῆς ἐπιτολῆς τοῦ ἑσπέρου νεκρόν· καὶ τὸν ἐρρωμένον ἐν τῇ ἑσπέρᾳ τὴν ἀκτῖνα τὴν ἐωθινὴν οὐ καταλαμβάνοντα· καὶ ἄλλον μεταξὺ τοῦ ἐσθίειν τοῦ ζῆν ἀπολήγοντα; 2.10.4 Τίς δὲ οὕτως ἠλίθιος, ὡς μὴ συνορᾶν ὅπως καθ' ἡμέραν ἄλλος ἄλλοτε τῆς ἐνθάδε οἰκονομίας ἀποκινούμεθα; Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν ἀγαθὸς καὶ πιστὸς οἰκέτης καὶ πεποιθὼς τῇ ἑαυτοῦ διοικήσει οὕτως ἔχει γνώμης ὡς εἶχε Παῦλος. Ἐκεῖνος γὰρ τοῦ Κυρίου μὴ κατεπείγοντος ἔσπευδε πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ τὴν ἀνάλυσιν ἐπόθει καὶ παρῃτεῖτο ἑκὼν τὴν οἰκονομίαν, πῇ μὲν λέγων· 2.10.5 Ταλαίπωρος ἐγὼ ἄνθρωπος, τίς με ῥύσεται ἐκ τοῦ σώματος τοῦ θανάτου τούτου, καὶ πάλιν· Ἐμοὶ δὲ καλὸν ἀνα λῦσαι καὶ σὺν Χριστῷ εἶναι. Ὁ δὲ γήινος τὸ φρόνημα καὶ τῶν βώλων ἀληθῶς συγγενὴς τοιαῦτα ὀδύρεται ἀμηχανῶν ἐπὶ τῇ μεταστάσει, οἷα οὗτος ὁ τῆς παραβολῆς ἄνθρωπος· Τί ποιήσω, ὅτι ὁ κύριος μου ἀφαιρεῖται τὴν οἰκονομίαν ἀπ' ἐμοῦ; Σκάπτειν οὐκ ἰσχύω, ἐπαιτεῖν αἰσχύνομαι. 2.10.6 Ἀργοῦ καὶ φιληδόνου ἡ λύπη. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ τῇ ἀναχωρήσει θρηνεῖν ἔλεγχός ἐστιν τοῦ προστετηκέναι τῷ χωρίῳ καὶ τὰς ἐμπαθεῖς τῆς σαρκὸς ἀπολαύσεις ὀδύρεσθαι, τὸ δὲ ἀδυνατεῖν πρὸς ἔργον ἀργοῦ βίου καὶ ἀναπεπτωκότος ἐστὶ κατηγόρημα. Εἰ γὰρ εἶχεν πρὸς φιλοπονίαν συνήθειαν, οὐκ ἂν ἐφοβεῖτο το[ῦ] σκάπτειν. 2.11.1 Εἰ δὲ ἀλληγορικῶς τὴν παραβολὴν ἐπὶ τὸ νοητὸν ἐκλάβοιμεν, μετὰ τὴν ἐνθένδε μετάστασιν οὔτε τοῦ ἐργάζεσθαι οὔτε τοῦ προσαιτεῖν καιρός. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μηδεὶς λεγέτω· Σκάπτειν οὐκ ἰσχύω. Κἂν γὰρ δύνηται, οὐδεὶς συγχωρεῖ. Ὁ βίος οὗτος ἔχει τῶν ἐντολῶν τὴν γεωργίαν, ὁ δὲ μέλλων τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν. Ὥστε εἰ μηδὲν εἰργάσω ἐνταῦθα, ἀπέμειναν αἱ ἄμπελοι καὶ περιττῶς φροντίζεις περὶ τῆς σκαπάνης· οὔτε δὲ προσαιτῶν ὠφελήσεις τι σαυτόν. 2.11.2 Καὶ τούτου σαφὲς ἡμῖν ὑπόδειγμα παραδέδοται τὸ τῶν μωρῶν παρθένων· αἵτινες ἀπορίᾳ καταστᾶσαι τοῦ ἐλαίου ἀναιδῶς ᾔτησαν παρὰ τῶν φρονίμων· ὤνησαν δὲ οὐδέν, ἀλλ' ἀπεστράφησαν ἄπρακτοι· δεικνύντος τοῦ λόγου, ὅτι ἀλλοτρίῳ ἐλαίῳ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ νυμφίου οὐδεὶς κέχρηται, τουτέστιν ἀλλοτρίῳ 10 κατορθώ ματι εἰς ἰδίαν ἀπόλαυσιν. 2.11.3 Ἕκαστος γὰρ τὴν ἰδίαν πολιτείαν ὡς ἱμάτιον περιβέβληται, εἴτε λαμπρὸν καὶ τίμιον εἴτε φαῦλον καὶ τῆς πτωχικῆς ἐφεστρίδος ὅμοιον. Ἐκδύσασθαι δὲ αὐτὸ οὐκ ἔστιν, οὔτε ὑπαλλάξαι καὶ διαμείψασθαι πρὸς ἕτερον, οὔτε ἐκ δάνους ἢ χρήσεως ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς κρίσεως καλλωπίσασθαι καὶ κοσμηθῆναι. Μένει δὲ ἕκαστος οἷος ἐπὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐστίν, εἴτε

The Purpose of Festivities and the Call to Virtue§13

13Whether poor or rich. And these things are only to this extent.

What could we say regarding the forgiveness of debts Luke 7:41, which the steward of injustice used as a consolation for himself among the evil ones, negotiating with his fellow slaves? For it is not easy to transform the written word into a consistent allegory. But what appeared to me after much observation is this: All people, as many as we negotiate with regarding the remission that is coming to us, by giving or forgiving what is foreign, we find ourselves acquiring profit. But I say 'foreign' refers to the things of the Master. For nothing is our own, but all are the possessions of His lordship.

Therefore, whenever anyone, sensing the end and the transfer from this place, lightens the burden of sins through small acts of kindness, or by forgiving debts to debtors or providing prosperity to the needy, giving the things of the Master, he acquires many friends who are to bear witness to his goodness before the Judge, and through their testimony, he prepares a welcome for his arrival. For those who have suffered well are said to bear witness before the Judge, not with voices as if teaching those who are ignorant, but as those who exclude the sinners from the punishment of the deed done against them. In the same way as the blood of Abel was said to cry out to God Genesis 4:10, so also the good work shall be said to bear witness to the one who has done well in Christ Jesus our Lord; to whom be the glory through the ages of ages. Amen.

Regarding the same man according to greed: Christian men and men who are partakers of a heavenly calling; you, the separated people, and all who have come out of the cities to sit together for the present harmonious feast; for I encompass you all in a general proclamation. Did each of you, having set his mind upon it, realize and understand for whose sake we have been gathered? Instead of being honored as witnesses by the magnificent decorations of houses and by these annual assemblies, and for what purpose we look...

Having seen these things, our fathers established a rule; and did they leave the law strong for those who follow?

Or was this expressed to us with a little more density in the mind, so that through our zeal for piety, these festivities are gathered as a common instruction for souls, so that honoring the witnesses, we might imitate the endurance of the martyrs for piety; so that, placing the ear of those gathered as students, we might learn something useful, which we did not know before, whether the security of a dogma, or the solution of a perplexing Scripture, or some word restoring the state of morals? (3.1.2)

But you seem to me to be abandoning the care of virtue and fleeing from the diligence concerning the soul, to turn all your concern toward the service of Mammon and the busyness of worldly affairs; some mingling with others, and some having run off to foreign things, and some recording those striving at the marketplaces, so that they might slander one another. (3.1.3)

But redirect your desire toward the Church; leave behind the love of silver, the marketplace, and the frenzied woman. Turn away from her as an unseemly companion who has attached herself to the crowd, beautifying herself with foreign materials and the flowers of the apothecary. Love this divine and soberly-sently ordered one, who looks on with dignity and without distraction. (3.1.4)

For thus Solomon says in the book of Proverbs: Do not abandon her, and she will endure for you. Love her and she will keep you. Do not pass by her in contempt, nor consider the things set before us at this table to be worthless, because it is possible for you to acquire possessions easily; but rather desire more, for we do not sit as shopkeepers carrying a yoke or a basket, but we seek one profit: the salvation of the disciple. (3.1.5)

There was read to us from the Acts of Paul a word to Festus and Agrippa, from Paul, the faithful apostle and wise orator. You have certainly seen, O listener, if... (3.2.1)

Greek · §13

πένης ἀγαθῶν εἴτε πλούσιος. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον. 2.12.1 Τί δ' ἂν εἴποιμεν περὶ τῆς συγχωρήσεως τῶν χρεῶν, ἣν ἐπενόησεν ὁ οἰκονόμος τῆς ἀδικίας παραμυθίαν ἑαυτῷ τῶν κακῶν πρὸς τοὺς ὁμο δούλους πραγματευσάμενος; Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν εὔκολον εἰς ἀλληγορίαν ἀκόλουθον μετασκευάσαι τῷ γεγραμμένῳ. Ὃ δέ μοι πολλὰ σκοπησαμένῳ παρέστη, τοιοῦτον τυγχάνει· 2.12.2 Πάντες ἄνθρωποι ὅσοι τὴν μέλλουσαν ἑαυτοῖς ἄνεσιν πραγματευόμεθα ἀλλότρια διδόντες ἢ συγχωροῦντες, οἰκεῖον ποριζόμεθα κέρδος. Ἀλλότρια δὲ λέγω τὰ τοῦ ∆εσπότου. Οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστιν ἡμέτερον, ἀλλὰ πάντα τῆς ἐκείνου δεσποτείας κτήματα. 2.12.3 Ὅτε ἂν οὖν τις αἰσθόμενος τῆς τελευτῆς καὶ τῆς ἐνθένδε μεταστάσεως εὐποιίαις κουφίσῃ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν τὸ φορτίον, ἢ χρεωσταῖς συγχωρήσας ὀφλήματα ἢ τοῖς πενομένοις χορηγήσας τὴν εὐπορίαν τὰ τοῦ ∆εσπότου διδούς, φίλους κτᾶται πολλοὺς τοὺς μέλλοντας αὐτῷ προσμαρτυρεῖν παρὰ τῷ κριτῇ τὴν ἀγαθοσύνην καὶ διὰ τῆς μαρτυρίας εὐτρεπίζειν ἀναψύξεως καταγώγιον. 2.12.4 Μαρτυρεῖν δὲ λέγονται οἱ εὖ παθόντες παρὰ τῷ κριτῇ, οὐ φωναῖς ὡς ἀγνοοῦντα διδάσκοντες, ἀλλ' ὡς τῆς περὶ αὐτοὺς πράξεως τῆς τιμωρίας τοὺς ἁμαρτήσαντας ἐξαιρουμένης. Ὃν γὰρ τρόπον τὸ αἷμα τοῦ Ἄβελ ἐλέγετο βοᾶν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν, ὁμοίως καὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἔργον λεχθήσεται μαρτυρεῖν τῷ κατωρθωκότι ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν· ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. 3.t.1 Τοῦ αὐτοῦ κατὰ πλεονεξίας 3.1.1 Ἄνδρες χριστιανοὶ καὶ κλήσεως ἐπουρανίου μέτοχοι ἄνδρες· ὑμεῖς ὁ χωρικὸς δῆμος καὶ πάντες ὅσοι τῶν πόλεων ἐκφοιτήσαντες πρὸς τὴν παροῦσαν συμφώνως ἑορτὴν συνεδράμετε γενικῷ γὰρ ὑμᾶς πάντας περιλαμβάνω κηρύγματι ἆρα ἕκαστος ὑμῶν ἐνεβάλετο τῇ διανοίᾳ φροντίδα, συνεῖδεν δὲ καὶ κατενόησεν ὑπὲρ τίνος ἠθροίσθημεν; ἀνθ' ὅτου δὲ τιμῶνται μάρτυρες οἴκων περιφανῶν κατασκευαῖς καὶ τοῖς ἐνιαυσίοις τούτοις συλλόγοις, καὶ πρὸς τίνα σκοπὸν βλέποντες οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν ἐνομοθέτησαν τὰ ὁρώμενα καὶ ἰσχυρὸν ἀφῆκαν τὸν νόμον τοῖς μετέπειτα; 3.1.2 Ἢ πρόδηλον τῷ καὶ μικρὸν πυκνώσαντι τὴν διάνοιαν, ὡς ζήλῳ ἡμῖν εὐσεβείας ταῦτα διετυπώθη καὶ κοινὰ παιδαγωγεῖα τῶν ψυχῶν αἱ πανηγύρεις συνάγονται, ἵνα μάρτυρας τιμῶντες τὸ τῶν μαρτύρων ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας καρτερὸν μιμησώμεθα· ἵνα τοῖς συναγομένοις παιδευταῖς ὑποθέντες τὸ οὖς μάθωμεν τι χρηστόν, ὃ πρὸ βραχέος οὐκ ἐγινώσκομεν, ἢ δόγματος ἀσφάλειαν ἢ λύσιν ἀπορουμένης Γραφῆς ἤ τινα λόγον τὴν τῶν ἠθῶν ἐπανορθοῦντα κατάστασιν; 3.1.3 Ὑμεῖς δέ μοι δοκεῖτε τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐπιμέλειαν ἀφέντες καὶ τῆς περὶ τὴν ψυχὴν σπουδῆς ἐκλαθόμενοι ὅλην ἑαυτῶν μετατεθεικέναι τὴν μέριμναν πρὸς τὸν συρφετὸν τοῦ μαμμωνᾶ καὶ τὴν ἀσχολίαν τῶν πρατηρίων· οἱ μὲν αὐτοὶ συναλλάττοντες, οἱ δὲ κεχηνότες εἰς τὰ ἀλλότρια καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ τοῖς ὠνίοις φιλονεικοῦντας ἱστοροῦντες, ὅπως τὰ ἀλλήλων ἐπευωνίζουσιν. 3.1.4 Ἀλλὰ μετάθετέ μοι τὸν πόθον ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν· καταλείψατε τὴν φιλαργυρίαν, τὴν ἀγόραιον, τὴν μαινάδα. Ἀποστράφητε αὐτὴν ὡς ἄκοσμον ἑταιρίδα προσγελῶσαν τῷ πλήθει, ταῖς ἀλλοτρίαις ὕλαις καλλωπιζομένην καὶ τοῖς ἄνθεσι τοῦ 11 φαρμακοπώλου. Ἐράσθητε ταύτης τῆς θείας καὶ σώφρονος ἐσταλμένης κοσμίως, σεμνὸν καὶ ἀμετεώριστον βλεπούσης. 3.1.5 Οὕτως γὰρ Σολομὼν ἐν τῇ παροιμιακῇ βίβλῳ φησίν· Μὴ ἐγκαταλείπῃς αὐτὴν καὶ ἀνθέξεται σου. Ἐράσθητι αὐτῆς καὶ τηρήσει σε. Μὴ παρέλθῃς καταφρονήσας μηδὲ τὰ παρ' ἡμῖν ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης ταύτης προκείμενα διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὰ νομίσῃς ἄτιμα, ἐπειδὴ προῖκά σε ἔξεστιν τὴν κτῆσιν περιποιήσασθαι· ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον ἐπιθύμησον, ὅτι οὐ καθήμεθα κάπηλοι ζυγὸν ἢ τρυτάνην μεταφέροντες· ἓν δὲ κέρδος ζητοῦμεν, τὴν τοῦ μαθητοῦ σωτηρίαν. 3.2.1 Ἀνεγνώσθη ἡμῖν ἐκ τῶν Πράξεων Παύλου λόγος πρὸς Φῆστον καὶ Ἀγρίππαν, Παύλου τοῦ πιστοῦ ἀποστόλου καὶ σοφοῦ δημηγόρου. Εἶδες πάντως, ὁ ἀκροατής, εἰ

The Consequences of Greed§14

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14You have applied the mind so that it does not surrender the truth out of cowardice, but by winning the difficult criterion through bold speech in the healing of Agrippa, it softens it toward goodness, like beasts watching the handling of the Word.

3.2.2 Zechariah has prophesied and even now opens the door to us of the great mysteries of the Only-Begotten through the stone, having the sevenfold vision, by means of the golden lampstand, upon which are the seven lamps and the two olive branches (cf. Zech 4). Many of the following Scriptures possess a rich treasure of benefit, to all of which I wished to come and show you the straightness of the spiritual festival.

3.2.3 The promise of the former work hastens me toward the construction of this debt. For having begun to be overwhelmed by many accusations of greed, lest we failed to strip vanity of it, we have set the refutation of the accusation toward the present day. Listen therefore and become discerning judges of the truth, since you judge not by other things, but by your own salvation, and you carry all the condemning votes upon the responsible party, each having driven his own soul away like a house or a city.

3.3.1 Greed, therefore, is not only to covet silver along with other possessions and to desire to join to what is present that which does not belong, but, to speak more generally, to desire to have more in every matter than what is owed and what is required.

3.3.2 And indeed this overflow first suffered the devil, being an archangel and having been appointed over the most excellent life and order, yet conceiving tyranny and rebellion against the Divinity, the fool; then, having been cast down, having fallen into this surrounding air, he became an evil neighbor to our life.

3.3.3 For he did not grasp that which he pursued, the Divinity; and he lost that which he possessed, the archangelhood; an unfaithful slave who, through small acts of audacity, turned into a robber; a dog deprived of the myth and the meat among the Greeks, and having snatched not even the shadow, for how could he grasp an ungraspable thing?

3.3.4 After this, the first man, being enticed by pleasure, lost immortality through forbidden food, just as Esau later lost the firstborn things because of lentil stew (Gen 25:34). And these dialects and the many of the...

A love for more has introduced the voices of men into life. For those having overstepped with human arrogance, expecting to make heaven a path for themselves and making a ridiculous tower upon that vain ascent, they made the same-minded men into foreign-tongued men; and seeking the more which they had, they themselves were continued in this and left the human race to suffer in the hearing of senseless voices and the seeking of interpretations.

What then of Pharaoh? From where did he fall into diverse and varied scourges? Was it not because of greed and the desire to be lord over a foreign people and to not allow anything belonging to that kingdom from anywhere? And because of this, not having released the strangers, he destroyed his own: some in the plague of the firstborn, others in the pursuit by the sea. For I allow rivers to flow into blood, and an immeasurable generation of frogs, and filth of lice, and an outbreak of flies, and the death of the four-footed, and all the evils, by which Egypt was judged because of the greed of the ruler.

But elsewhere again we learned the end of sin: an incurable leprosy poured out upon the greedy one. Remind me also, if anyone is a lover of stories and a friend to the righteous Elisha, how the Syrian Naaman was cleansed of leprosy after washing in the Jordan, but how the disease passed to the child Gehazi, a greedy and unphilosophical youth, having sold the spiritual gift and the free healing of the teacher.

How then did Absalom become a rebel, the son of the gentle father, a flaming and impudent youth? Was it not by seeking the inheritance of the kingdom before the time, leaping upon others as a robber? And Judas, why did he cast out the remnant of the disciples, and instead of an apostle, he made himself a traitor? Was it not first acting as a thief in the treasury, and then the acquisition of dishonorable glory? Why do the Acts lament Ananias and Sapphira among the apostles? Was it not because they became thieves of their own and sacrilegious of the household's devoted things?

Perhaps even today the day will leave off counting the servants of greed. Leaving the old history, let us examine the experience following in life; for greed knows a beast, and whatever it takes, it is always at its peak and not...

Greek · §14

τὸν νοῦν ἐπέστησας, ὅπως καὶ τὴν ἀλή θειαν οὐ προδίδωσιν ἐκ δειλίας καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸν Ἀγρίππαν θεραπείαν τῇ παρρησίᾳ κεράσας τὸ τραχὺ κριτήριον ἐκμαλάσσει πρὸς ἀγαθότητα, ὥσπερ θηρία τινὰ κατεπᾴδων ταῖς τοῦ λόγου μεταχειρήσεσιν. 3.2.2 Προε φήτευσεν καὶ σήμερον Ζαχαρίας τῶν μεγάλων ἡμῖν μυστηρίων τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ὑπανοίγων τὴν θύραν διὰ τοῦ λίθου τὰς ἑπτὰ βολὰς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν κεκτημένου, διὰ τῆς χρυσῆς λυχνίας, ἐφ' ἧς οἱ ἑπτὰ λύχνοι καὶ τὰ δύο στελέχη τῶν ἐλαιῶν. Πολλαὶ αἱ ἑξῆς Γραφαὶ πλούσιον τὸν θησαυρὸν τῆς ὠφελείας ἔχουσαι, αἷς ἐβουλόμην πάσαις ἐπελθεῖν καὶ δεῖξαι ὑμῖν τὴν τῆς πνευματικῆς πανηγύρεως εὐθηνίαν. 3.2.3 Ἐπείγει δέ με πρὸς τὴν ἔκτισιν τοῦ χρέους ἡ τῆς προτεραίας ὑπόσχεσις. Ἀρξάμενοι γὰρ πολλαῖς κατηγορίαις τῆς πλεονεξίας καθάπτεσθαι, ἐπειδὴ μὴ ἔφθημεν αὐτῆς γυμνῶσαι τὴν ματαιότητα, εἰς τὴν παροῦσαν ἡμέραν τὸν ἔλεγχον τῆς κατηγορίας ὑπερεθέμεθα. Ἀκούσατε οὖν καὶ γένεσθε εὐγνώμονες τῆς ἀληθείας κριταί ἐπειδὴ μήτε ἄλλοις τισίν, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίᾳ δικάζετε, καὶ πάσας τὰς κατακρινούσας ψήφους ἐπὶ τὴν ὑπεύθυνον φέρετε, ἕκαστος τῆς ἰδίας ψυχῆς ὥσπερ οἰκίας ἢ πόλεως αὐτὴν ἀπελάσαντες. 3.3.1 Πλεονεξία τοίνυν ἐστὶν οὐ μόνον τῷ ἀργυρίῳ σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις κτήμασιν ἐπιμαίνεσθαι καὶ βούλεσθαι τοῖς παροῦσι τὰ μὴ προσόντα συνάπτειν, ἀλλά, γενικώτερον εἰπεῖν, τὸ ἐπὶ παντὸς πράγματος πλέον ἔχειν βούλεσθαι τοῦ ὀφειλομένου καὶ ἐπιβάλλοντος. 3.3.2 Καὶ δὴ τοῦτο τὸ πλημμέλημα πρῶτος ἔπαθεν ὁ διάβολος, ἀρχάγγελος μὲν ὢν καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς καλλίστης ζωῆς καὶ τάξεως τεταγμένος, τυραννίδα δὲ καὶ ἐπανάστασιν κατὰ τῆς θεότητος ἐννοήσας, ὁ ματαιόφρων· εἶτα καταβλη θεὶς καὶ εἰς τὸν περίγειον τοῦτον ἀέρα καταπεσὼν κακὸς γείτων τῆς ἡμετέρας ζωῆς. 3.3.3 Οὔτε γοῦν κατέλαβεν ὃ ἐδίωκεν, τὴν θεότητα· καὶ ἀπώλεσεν ὃ ἐκέκτητο, τὸ ἀρχάγγελον· δοῦλος ἄπιστος ταῖς κατὰ μικρὸν τόλμαις εἰς λῃστὴν ἐξελθών· κύων τοῦ παρ' Ἕλλησιν μύθου καὶ τοῦ κρέως στερηθεὶς καὶ τῆς σκιᾶς οὐ δραξάμενος πῶς γάρ; ἀκαταλήπτου πράγματος. 3.3.4 Μετὰ τοῦτον ὁ πρῶτος ἄνθρωπος εἰς ἡδυπάθειαν δελεασθεὶς ἀπηγορευμένῃ βρώσει τὴν ἀθανασίαν ἀπώλεσεν, ὡς Ἡσαῦ ὕστερον διὰ φακὸν τὰ πρωτοτόκια. Καὶ τὰς διαλέκτους δὲ ταύτας καὶ τὰς πολλὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων φωνὰς ἔρως τοῦ πλείονος εἰς τὸν βίον εἰσήγαγεν. Οἱ γὰρ τῇ ἀνθρωπικῇ εὐθηνίᾳ ὑπερμαζήσαντες, βατὸν δὲ ἑαυτοῖς ἔσεσθαι τὸν οὐρανὸν προσδοκήσαντες καὶ πύργον γελοῖον ἐπὶ τὴν ἐκείνου ματαιοποιοῦντες ἀνάβασιν, οὗτοι τοὺς ὁμοφώνους ἀνθρώπους ἑτερογλώσσους ἐποίησαν· καὶ τὸ πλέον οὗ εἶχον ζητοῦντες αὐτοί τε συνεχέθησαν καὶ τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων κατέλιπον κάμνειν ἐν ἀκοαῖς ἀσήμων φωνῶν καὶ ἑρμηνειῶν ζητήσει. 3.3.5 Τί δὲ ὁ Φαραώ; Πόθεν ταῖς διαφοραῖς καὶ ποικίλαις περιέπεσε μάστιξιν; οὐ διὰ πλεονεξίαν καὶ τὸ βούλεσθαι κύριος εἶναι ξένου λαοῦ καὶ μηδαμόθεν τῇ ἐκείνου βασιλείᾳ προσήκοντος; Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τοὺς ἀλλοτρίους οὐκ ἀφιεὶς τοὺς ἰδίους ἀπώλεσεν· τοὺς μὲν ἐν πληγῇ τῶν πρωτοτόκων, τοὺς δὲ ἐν τῇ διώξει τῇ κατὰ θάλασσαν. Ἀφίημι γὰρ ποταμοὺς εἰς αἷμα ῥυέντας καὶ βατράχων ἄπλετον γένεσιν καὶ βρούχου λύμην καὶ φλυκταινῶν ἐξάνθησιν καὶ τῶν τετραπόδων τὸν θάνατον καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν κάκωσιν, 12 ἣν Αἴγυπτος κατεδικάσθη διὰ τὴν πλεονεξίαν τοῦ ἄρχοντος. 3.3.6 Ἀλλαχοῦ πάλιν τέλος τῆς ἁμαρτίας κατέμαθον λέπραν ἀθρόον τῷ πλεονέκτῃ περιχεθεῖσαν. Καί μοι συνδιαμνημόνευσον, εἴ τις φιλοΐστωρ καὶ τῶν κατορθωμάτων Ἐλισσαίου φιλήκοος, ὅπως μὲν ὁ Σύρος Νεαιμὰν ἐκαθαρίσθη τῆς λέπρας ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ λουσάμενος, ὅπως δὲ μετῆλθεν τὸ πάθος εἰς Γιεζεῖ τὸ παιδάριον, νεάνισκον πλεονέκτην καὶ ἀφιλόσοφον, πνευματικὸν πωλήσαντα χάρισμα καὶ τὴν ἄμισθον ἰατρείαν τοῦ διδασκάλου. 3.3.7 Πόθεν ὁ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ πατραλοίας ἐγένετο, ὁ τοῦ πράου πατρὸς φλεγμαίνων καὶ θρασὺς νεάνισκος; οὐ πρὸ καιροῦ ζητήσας τὴν κληρονομίαν τῆς βασιλείας, ἐπιπηδήσας δὲ ἀλλοτρίοις ὡς ἅρπαξ; Τὸν Ἰούδα δὲ πάλιν, τί τοῦ καταλόγου τῶν μαθητῶν ἐξέβαλεν, ἐποίησεν δὲ προδότην ἀντ' ἀποστόλου; οὐ τὸ γαζοφυλάκιον πρῶτον ῥᾳδιουργούμενον, εἶτα ἡ κτῆσις τῆς ἀτίμου τιμῆς; Ἀνανίαν καὶ Σάπφειραν διὰ τί τραγῳδοῦσιν τῶν ἀποστόλων αἱ Πράξεις; οὐκ ἐπειδὴ τῶν ἰδίων ἐγένοντο κλέπται καὶ τῶν οἰκείων ἀναθημάτων ἱερόσυλοι; 3.3.8 Ἐπιλείψει με τάχα καὶ ἡ ἡμέρα τοὺς τῆς πλεονεξίας ὑπηρέτας ἀπαριθμούμενον. Ἀφέντες δὲ τὴν παλαιὰν ἱστορίαν τὴν πεῖραν ἐξετάσωμεν τὴν παρακο λουθοῦσαν τῷ βίῳ· οἷον οἶδεν θηρίον τὴν πλεονεξίαν καὶ ὧν ἂν λάβηται δυσαπάλλακτον, ἀκμάζον ἀεὶ καὶ οὐ

The Greed of the Sick and the Weather-Watchers§15

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15Wasting away, joining with those who are sinking and going to an end. 3.4.1 Lust, the lover of bodies, even if it rages through desires for a long time, or even having reached priestly age itself or having grown old having seen what is desired and having cast off its bloom, finds a standing place for the disease. The stomach's lust withdraws, either having filled the belly or having become weak from digestive particles and having ceased the heightened appetite. The glory-seeker destroys himself with many flattering appearances of vanity. 3.4.2 And the disease of greed is an evil that is inseparable; and just like this ivy, the lush plant and evergreen, it climbs strongly and entwines itself around the trees upon which it intends to cling, and it does not withdraw, neither having suffered nor having dried up, unless someone cuts its coils with iron like a dragon; in this way, it is not easy to free the soul from such a thing, whether the body is being refreshed or having diminished, unless a sober thought comes and like a knife cuts the disease. 3.5.1 To those at home, the greedy man is unpleasant, to servants heavy, to friends useless, to strangers difficult to deal with, to neighbors a nuisance, to a cohabiting wife a burden, to children stingy and a meager provider, a bad overseer of himself, caring only by night, becoming thick during the day, reasoning with himself according to those who have strayed or are deviating; he is always complaining and groaning as if in need, not enjoying those present and seeking those absent, not using what is his own, but coveting what belongs to others. 3.5.2 The flock of such a man is a great burden, narrowing the enclosures upon which it is penned, covering the pastures in which it grazes; even if a fleshy sheep appears to be approaching, having left his own flock, he approaches with desire toward the one and the other. The same happens with the oxen, similarly with the horses, and no differently with the earth. Everything narrows the house and nothing is useful in use; for the insatiable one is not even enjoyable, but his house is near a tomb. For behold, even tombs are often filled with silver and gold, but the inhabitants do not possess them. The body is not nourished, no profit is found for the soul; for almsgiving does not prosper from the right hand.

What is the end of toil? Let someone warned by such a disease teach this. I know many, having learned through experience, that even in sickness they love money more than health; if a doctor suggests a way of treatment through some substance, such as celery, thyme, or anise, of which supply is inexhaustible, they obey the advice readily; but if some medicine is required that is varied and complex, and they are commanded to go to the druggist or the perfumer, they are more ready to let go of their soul or to loosen their purse. For being earthly, they consider the prudence of possessing earthly goods to be life itself.

These are greatly distressed by common good fortunes, but circumstances bring them joy. They pray that tax-free decrees may come so that they may increase their silver through interest; they desire to see those distressed by lenders, so that they may acquire the field or the vessel or the animal being cast off easily out of necessity. And they constantly look up toward the sky after the philosophers, those attentive to the things in the air, not seeking a command from a star, nor peering to see if any house belongs to one of the planets, but rather attending to the busy state of the air, if the appearing signs promise a flow of rain or hail. Even if they see something difficult approaching for the many, they rejoice in the misfortune of others.

They gather everything into storerooms, marking it securely and fastening it with two locks; they count haphazardly while measuring. And when the greedy one is occupied with such a hope, and finally dreams of becoming rich in the shadow-sketch of ideas, if a deep cloud occurs, he fears it as being dangerous. If light sprinkles the earth, he begins to tear up; but if even rain occurs sufficient to end the hail, it is a matter of complete mourning.

He therefore wanders about, scrutinizing everything regarding the grain as if a son were in danger, asking what shall heal, what machine is needed, so that for a long time it may suffice for many, so that it may escape the blight of the crops. Even if he feels a heat, as doctors have spread him out to differentiate it, he divides and cools himself, settling his toil, a shelter according to the midday.

Greek · §15

μαραινόμενον, συγγηράσκον δὲ τοῖς ἁλοῦσι καὶ εἰς τέλος συνόν. 3.4.1 Ὁ λάγνος καὶ σωμάτων ἐραστής, κἂν ἐπὶ πολὺ ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις λυσσήσῃ, ἢ αὐτὸς εἰς πρεσβυτικὴν ἡλικίαν ἐλθὼν ἢ τὸ ποθούμενον ἑωρακὼς παλαιωθὲν καὶ τὸ ἄνθος ἀποβαλόν, στάσιν εὑρίσκει τῆς νόσου. Ὁ γαστρί μαργος ἀναχωρεῖ καὶ αὐτὸς τῆς φιληδονίας, ἢ τοῦ κόρου πληρώσαντος ἢ τῶν πεπτικῶν μορίων ἀσθενησάντων καὶ παυσάντων τὴν ἐπιτεταμένην ὄρεξιν. Ὁ φιλοδόξος πολλαῖς ἐγκομπάσας περιφανείαις τοῦ φανητιᾶν ἀπολήγει. 3.4.2 Ἡ δὲ τῆς πλεονεξίας νόσος κακόν ἐστιν δυσαπάλλακτον· καὶ ὥσπερ ὁ κίσσος οὗτος, τὸ εὐθαλὲς φυτὸν καὶ ἀείφυλλον, ἐπὶ τὰ παραπε φυκότα τῶν δένδρων ἀνέρπον ἰσχυρῶς περιελίττεται τοῖς ξύλοις ὧνπερ ἂν δράξηται, καὶ οὔτε πεπονθότων οὔτε ξηρανθέντων ἀναχωρεῖ, εἰ μή τις αὐτοῦ σιδήρῳ καθάπερ δράκοντος διατέμει τοὺς ἑλιγμούς, οὕτως οὐδὲ τοιούτου ψυχὴν ἐλευθερῶσαι ῥᾴδιον, εἴτε νεάζοντος τοῦ σώματος εἴτε καὶ ὑπομαρανθέντος, ἐὰν μή τις νηφάλαιος λογισμὸς ἐπελθὼν ὡς μάχαιρα διακόψῃ τὴν νόσον. 3.5.1 Τοῖς οἰκείοις ὁ πλεονέκτης ἐστὶν ἀηδής, οἰκέταις βαρύς, φίλοις ἄχρηστος, ξένοις δυσέντευκτος, γείτοσιν ὀχληρός, γυναικὶ μοχθηρὸς σύνοικος, παιδῶν φειδωλὸς καὶ μικρολόγος τροφεύς, ἑαυτοῦ κακὸς ἐπιστάτης, νύκτωρ φροντίζων, μεθ' ἡμέραν πεπυκνωμένος, διαλεγόμενος ἑαυτῷ κατὰ τοὺς ἐξεστηκότας ἢ παραφέροντας· πάντων εὐθηνούμενος καὶ στένων ὡς ἐνδεής, τῶν παρόντων οὐκ ἀπολαύων καὶ τὰ ἀπόντα ζητῶν, τοῖς ἰδίοις οὐ κεχρήμενος, ἐποφθαλμιῶν δὲ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις. 3.5.2 Πολύαρνον τοῦ τοιούτου τὸ ποίμνιον στενοῦν τοὺς σηκοὺς ἐφ' ὧν κατακλείεται, καλύπτον πεδιάδας ἐν αἷς νέμεται· κἂν εὔσαρκον ὀφθῇ τοῦ προσοίκου πρόβατον, ἀφεὶς τὴν ἰδίαν ἀγέλην τῷ ἑνὶ καὶ ἀλλοτρίῳ τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ προσκάθηται. Τὸ αὐτὸ ἐπὶ τῶν βοῶν, ὁμοίως ἐπὶ τῶν ἵππων, οὐκ ἄλλως ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Πάντα στενοχωρεῖ τὴν οἰκίαν καὶ οὐδὲν ἐν τῇ χρήσει· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀπολαυστικὸν οἷον τε εἶναι τὸν ἄπληστον, ἀλλ' ἔστιν αὐτοῦ ἡ οἰκία τάφου παραπλησία. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ καὶ οἱ τάφοι γέμουσι πολλάκις ἀργύρου καὶ χρυσοῦ, ἀλλ' αἱ ὕλαι τοὺς χρωμένους οὐκ ἔχουσιν. Τὸ σῶμα οὐ τρέφεται, ψυχῆς οὐκ εὑρίσκεται κέρδος· οὐκ εὐθηνεῖ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς δεξίας ἐλεημοσύνη. 3.5.3 Τί τὸ τέλος τοῦ μόχθου, διδαξάτω μέ τις τῶν ταύτῃ προειλημμένων τῇ νόσῳ. Οἶδα δὲ πολλοὺς ἐγώ, γνωρίσας ἐπὶ τῆς πείρας, ὡς καὶ ἐν νόσοις μᾶλλον τῆς ὑγιείας ἀγαπῶσι τὰ χρήματα· κἂν μὲν ὁ ἰατρὸς διά τινος ὕλης εὐώνου τὸν τῆς θεραπείας εἰσηγήσηται τρόπον, οἷον διὰ σελίνου ἢ θύμου ἢ ἀνήθου, ὧν ἡ εὐπορία ἀδάπανος, εὐπειθῶς τῆς συμβουλῆς ὑπακούοντας· ἂν δέ τινος φαρμάκου γένηται μνήμη τῶν οἷα τὰ ποικίλα 13 καὶ πολυσύνθετα, καὶ ἐλθεῖν πρὸς τὸν φαρμακοπώλην ἢ τὸ μυροπώλιον κελευσθῶσιν, θᾶττον τὴν ψυχὴν ἀφίεντας ἢ λύοντας τὸ βαλάντιον. Γήϊνοι γὰρ ὄντες τὸ φρόνημα τὴν κτῆσιν τῶν γηΐνων ὑλῶν νομίζουσι τὴν ζωήν. 3.6.1 Τούτους λυποῦσιν ἄγαν καὶ αἱ κοιναὶ εὐπραγίαι, εὐφραίνουσι δὲ αἱ 3.6.1 περιστάσεις. Εὔχονται καὶ φόρων ἀνυποΐστων φοιτᾶν ἐπιτάγματα, ἵνα τόκοις πλεονάσωσι τὸ ἀργύριον· ἐπιθυμοῦσι βλέπειν τοὺς παρὰ τῶν δανειστῶν ἀγχομένους, ἵνα κτήσωνται τὸν ἀγρὸν ἢ τὸ σκεῦος ἢ τὸ ζῷον εὐώνως ἐκ τῆς ἀνάγκης ῥιπτούμενον. 3.6.2 Συνεχῶς δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβλέπουσι κατὰ τοὺς φιλοσόφους, τοὺς τὰ μετέωρα φροντιστάς, οὐκ ἀστέρος ἐπιτολὴν ζητοῦντες, οὐδὲ τίς οἶκος ἕνα τῶν πλανητῶν ἔχει περισκοπούμενοι, ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ ἀέρος πολυπραγμονοῦντες κατάστασιν, εἰ τὰ προφαινόμενα σημεῖα ὄμβρων ἐπιρροὴν ἢ αὐχμὸν ἐπαγγέλλεται. Κἂν ἴδωσί τι τοῖς πολλοῖς δυσχερὲς προσδοκώμενον, εὐφραίνονται τῇ τῶν ἄλλων κακώσει. 3.6.3 Πάντα συνάγουσιν ἐν τοῖς ταμιείοις ἀσφαλῶς κατασημαίνοντες καὶ δισσοῖς κλείθροις κατασφαλίζονται· διαμετροῦντες ἀλήκτως ψηφίζουσιν. Ἀσχολουμένου δὲ τοῦ πλεονέκτου περὶ τὴν τοιαύτην ἐλπίδα καὶ τέως ὄναρ πλουτοῦντος ἐν τῇ σκιαγραφίᾳ τῶν ἐννοιῶν, ἐὰν ἐπιγένηται νέφος βαθύ, φοβεῖται ὡς κινδυνεύσων. Ἂν ψεκάδες τὴν γῆν ἐπιρραίνωσιν, ὑποδακρύειν ἄρχεται· ἂν δὲ καὶ ὑετὸς ἐπιγένηται ἀρκῶν τὸν αὐχμὸν ἐξιάσασθαι, πένθος τέλειον τὸ πρᾶγμα. 3.6.4 Περινοστεῖ λοιπὸν πᾶσι συσκοπούμενος περὶ τοῦ σίτου ὡς υἱοῦ κινδυνεύοντος, τίς ἴασις, τίς μηχανή, ἵνα πρὸς πολὺν αὐταρκέσῃ χρόνον, ἵνα τῶν σητῶν διαφύγῃ τὸ πάθος. Κἂν αἴσθηται καύσωνος, ὡς ἰατροὶ τοὺς διαφορουμένους διαπλώσας αὐτόν, καταμερίζει καὶ καταψύχει, μοχθῶν προσκαθέζεται, σκέπην κατὰ τὴν μεσημβρίαν

The Perils of Inheritance and the Example of Lazarus§16

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16He acts like a wise man, stripping away the shadows of night, so that he may be lulled by the night breezes. Poverty stands by this man while he is toiling, seeking from the endangered grain and not giving; or if he does give, he gives grudgingly, and is himself barely covered by a half-measure of grain. Therefore, I urge you, such a person, not to engage in endless toil and hardship.

For both the luxurious covetous man, who limits his life to the stomach and other pleasures, thinking this to be the end of humanity, is worthy of pity. But the small-minded and short-spoken man has no measure of his wretchedness, taking the portion of many and not giving to himself, bringing his haste to nothing.

For who does not know that nothing of the things happening, except virtues, happens by itself, but we do something else in order that we may achieve something else? No one sails more by the act of sailing itself, nor does a farmer live by his labors for the sake of farming alone; but it is evident that both proceed with painful endurance, one to reap the fruitfulness of the earth, the other to carry off the wealth of maritime commerce. And you, say what your end is. Is it to gather things together? And what kind of end is this, to see having heaped up useless matter?

He says, 'The sight even delights me.' Has your own sickness not changed? For it is possible to soothe desire even with the money of others. If the glitter of silver delights you, sitting before the silversmiths, looking at the dense and shining light, or taking pleasure in various vessels, both those that carry food and those that pour; for the sight is easy and unhindered for you.

See also the silver-experts at the tables, constantly feeling and counting the coins; rather, having been persuaded, I will advise you: change your mind through something good. For correction is easy, since greed is not a necessity of nature, but an impulse of choice, which is not difficult to change for those choosing what is profitable.

Peer with your thought into the time hereafter, when you will not be, when a little earth will lie over you, your body folded up and senseless; and a few flakes of ash will cover the remains. Where then will the wealth and the gathered treasures be? Who will be the heir of those left behind? For not all...

That person will be the successor you expect. If you leave children, they might happen to stumble, and a greedy person like you might drive them away from the father's house while they are mourning. Even if you are poor and send the inheritance to some friends, do not treat the will as an unshakeable law, as an irrefutable and strong thing. A little haste makes the writing void. Do you not see those constantly struggling in the courts against wills, where lawyers lead various schemes, bringing in legal experts to strike against them, bringing in terrible rhetoricians as helpers, nurturing false witnesses, and corrupting the courts?

For this reason, regarding those things you see happening, instruct those who come after you. If you have wealth justly, use it properly, like the blessed Job; if unjustly, distribute it to those who were plundered, like a prisoner of war; or take what you received along with an addition, like Zacchaeus. If you do not have it, do not acquire it wickedly. For sin will follow you as a bitter provision on a necessary journey, and the enjoyment of what was acquired will be left to those you do not know. Then you will marvel at David saying, 'He stores up, but does not know to whom he will gather it' (Ps 69:8). And you will know the rich man, the opposite of Lazarus, who has been fully read to us from the Gospels, not composed as a myth for astonishment, but handed down as an exact type of what is to come.

The deep has been spread out, the kingdom has passed to another, the luxuries have been abolished; sin from those things has emigrated along with them like a shadow remaining to a walking body. And because of this, after the luxury of banquets and the elegant table, a thin drop of water is sought, departing from a finger thin from disease; and he calls the poor man the healer of punishment, who perhaps does not even have hands when he rushes to the gate; for he would have driven away the dogs that were licking the wounds. And he desires to mingle with Lazarus, who is seen from afar, but is divided by the trench or the chasm; not a pit truly dug or a trench made, as one sees the battle line of war on the plains, but the obstacle, I think, of the...

Greek · §16

σοφίζεται, τὰς σκιὰς νυκτὸς ἀπογυμνοῖ, ἵνα ταῖς αὔραις ταῖς νυκτεριναῖς ὑποπνέηται. 3.7.1 Ταῦτα αὐτῷ ταλαιπωροῦντι ὁ πένης παρίσταται, ζητῶν ἐκ τοῦ κινδυνεύοντος σίτου, καὶ οὐ δίδωσιν· ἢ δούς, φειδωλῶς χαρίζεται καὶ ἡμίθνητος τοῦ σίτου σφόδρα περιεχόμενος. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀπέραντα μόχθει καὶ χαλέπα, ὁ τοιοῦτος, παρακαλῶ. Ἐλέου μὲν γὰρ ἄξιος καὶ ὁ τρυφῶν πλεονέκτης, ὁ τῇ γαστρὶ καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις ἡδοναῖς περιορίζων τὸν βίον, τοῦτο τέλος νομίζων τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος. Ὁ δὲ μικροπρεπὴς καὶ σμικρολόγος οὐδὲ μέτρον ἔχει τῆς ἀθλιότητος, λαμβάνων τὰ τῶν πολλῶν καὶ ἑαυτῷ μὴ διδούς, εἰς οὐδὲν δὲ καταλήγων τῆς σπουδῆς ἀποτέλεσμα. 3.7.2 Τίς γὰρ οὐκ οἶδεν, ὡς οὐδὲν τῶν γινομένων, πλὴν τῶν ἀρετῶν, αὐτὸ δι' ἑαυτὸ γίνεται, ἀλλ' ἕτερόν τι πράττομεν, ἵν' ἄλλο κατορθώσωμεν; Οὐδεὶς πλέων δι' αὐτὸ τὸ πλεῖν θαλαττεύει, οὐδὲ γεωργῶν δι' αὐτὸ τὸ γεωργεῖν τοῖς πόνοις συζῇ· ἀλλὰ πρόδηλον, ὡς τοῖς λυπηροῖς ἐγκαρτε ροῦσιν ἀμφότεροι, ὁ μὲν ἵνα τὴν ἐπικαρπίαν τῆς γῆς, ὁ δὲ ἵνα τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς ναυτικῆς ἐμπορίας κομίσηται. Σὺ δέ, τί τὸ σὸν πέρας εἰπέ. Ἵνα συναγάγῃς; Καὶ ποῖον τοῦτο τέλος, τὸ ἄχρηστον ὕλην σωρεύσαντα βλέπειν; 3.7.3 Τέρπει με, φησί, καὶ ἡ θέα. Οὐκοῦν ἄλλως τὸ σαυτοῦ νόσημα μέτελθε. Ἔξεστιν γὰρ καὶ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις χρήμασι προσαναπαύειν τὸν πόθον. Εἰ εὐφραίνει σε τὸ στιλπνὸν τοῦ ἀργυρίου, προσκαθήμενος τοῖς ἀργυροχόοις ἀπόβλεπε πρὸς τὴν πυκνὴν καὶ στίλβουσαν αὐγήν, ἢ καὶ τὰ πρατήρια καταλαμβάνων τέρπου τοῖς ποικίλοις σκεύεσιν, ὀψοφόροις τε καὶ προχόοις· προῖκα γάρ σοι καὶ ἀκώλυτον ἡ θέα. 3.7.4 Ὅρα καὶ τοὺς ἀργυρογνώμονας τοὺς ἐπὶ τῶν τραπεζῶν ψηλαφῶντας καὶ ἀριθμοῦντας συνεχῶς τὰ νομίσματα· μᾶλλον δὲ παραινέσει πεισθεὶς ἀγαθῇ μετάθου τῆς γνώμης. Εὔκολος γὰρ ἡ διόρθωσις, ἐπειδὴ μὴ φύσεώς ἐστιν ἀνάγκη πλεονεξία, ὁρμὴ δὲ προαιρέσεως, ἣν μεταβαλεῖν τοῖς τὸ συμφέρον ἐπιλογιζομένοις οὐ χαλεπόν. 3.8.1 Ὑπέρκυψον τῷ λογισμῷ εἰς τὸν ἑξῆς χρόνον, ὅτε οὐκ ἔσῃ, ὅτε μικρὰ γῆ καθέξει σοῦ διηπλωμένον τὸ σῶμα ἀναίσθητον· πλὰξ δὲ ὀλίγων σπιθαμῶν καλύψει τὸ λείψανον. Ποῦ τότε ὁ πλοῦτος καὶ τὰ συναχθέντα κειμήλια; Τίς ὁ τῶν 14 καταλειφθέντων κληρονόμος; Οὐ γὰρ πάντως ἐκεῖνος ἔσται διάδοχος, ὃν σὺ προσδοκᾷς. 3.8.2 Ἂν παῖδας καταλείπῃς, τυχὸν κονδυλισθήσονται καὶ ὁμότροπός σου πλεονέκτης θρηνοῦντας αὐτοὺς τῆς οἰκίας τῆς πατρικῆς ἀπελάσει. Κἂν ἄπαις ὢν ἐπί τινα τῶν φίλων παραπέμψῃς τὸν κλῆρον, μὴ πρόσεχέ σου τῇ διαθήκῃ ὡς ἀκινήτῳ νόμῳ, ὡς πράγματι ἀναντιρρήτῳ καὶ ἰσχυρῷ. Ὀλίγη σπουδὴ ἄκυρον ποιεῖ τὴν γραφήν. Ἢ οὐχ ὁρᾷς τοὺς συνεχῶς ἐν τοῖς δικαστηρίοις κατὰ τῶν διαθηκῶν ἀγωνιζομένους, ὅπως αὐτὰς ποικίλοις ἐγχειρήμασι παρα κρούονται τοὺς τῶν νόμων τεχνίτας προϊστάμενοι συνηγόρους, τοὺς δεινοὺς ῥήτορας ἐπαγόμενοι βοηθοῦς, ψευδομάρτυρας τρέφοντες, δικαστή ρια διαφθείροντες; 3.8.3 Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐξ ὧν ὁρᾷς ζῶν, περὶ τῶν μελλόντων τῶν μετὰ σὲ παιδεύου. Εἰ δίκαιον ἔχεις τὸν πλοῦτον, εἰς δέον χρῆσαι, ὡς ὁ μακάριος Ἰώβ· εἰ ἄδικον, ἀνάλυσον αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τοὺς βιασθέντας κυρίους, ὡς αἰχμάλωτον ἐκ πολέμου· ἢ αὐτὸν ὃν ἔλαβες ἢ μετὰ προσθήκης, ὡς ὁ Ζακχαῖος. Εἰ μὴ ἔχῃς, μὴ κτήσῃς κακῶς. Σοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἀκολουθήσει πικρὸν ἐφόδιον ἡ ἁμαρτία τὴν ἀναγκαίαν πορευομένῳ πορείαν· ἡ δὲ ἀπόλαυσις τῶν κτηθέντων οἷς οὐ γινώσκεις καταλειφθήσεται. 3.8.4 Καὶ τότε τὸν ∆αβὶδ θαυμάσεις λέγοντα· θησαυρίζει καὶ οὐ γινώσκει τίνι συνάξει αὐτά. Γνωρίσῃς δὲ καὶ τὸν πλούσιον τὸν ἀντίθετον τοῦ Λαζάρου, τὸν ἀρτίως ἡμῖν ἐκ τῶν εὐαγγελίων ἀναγνωσθέντα, οὐ μῦθον συγκείμενον εἰς κατάπληξιν, ἀλλὰ τύπον ἀκριβῆ παραδοθέντα τοῦ μέλλοντος. 3.9.1 Ἡ βύσσος ἐσάπη, ἡ βασιλεία μετῆλθεν εἰς ἕτερον, αἱ τρυφαὶ κατηργήθησαν· ἡ ἀπ' ἐκείνων ἁμαρτία συνεξεδήμησεν ὡς σκιὰ παρα μένουσα βαδίζοντι σώματι. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μετὰ τὴν πολυτέλειαν τῶν συμποσίων καὶ τὴν ἁβροδίαιτον τράπεζαν ὕδατος ῥανίδα ζητεῖ δακτύλου λεπροῦ ἀποστάζουσαν· καὶ καλεῖ τὸν πτωχὸν τῆς τιμωρίας θεραπευτήν, τὸν οὐδὲ χεῖρας ἔχοντα τάχα, ἡνίκα τῷ πυλῶνι προσέρριπτο· ἦ γὰρ ἂν τοὺς κύνας ἀπεσόβησεν τοὺς ἐπιλειχομένους τὰ τραύματα. 3.9.2 Ἐπιθυμεῖ δὲ συμμίξαι τῷ Λαζάρῳ ἐκ τοῦ κατάντικρυ βλεπομένῳ καὶ μέσῳ διείργεται τῷ ὀρύγματι ἢ τῷ χάσματι· οὐ βόθρου τινὸς ὄντως ὠρυγμένου οὐδὲ τάφρου πεποιημένης, ὡς ἐπὶ τῶν στρατοπέδων ἔστιν ἰδεῖν τὸ τοῦ πολέμου μεταίχμιον, ἀλλὰ τὸ κώλυμα, οἶμαι, τῶν

Greed as the Root of Evil§17

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17The word demonstrates the sins, which to the one known for his approach toward the righteous, held him back. And for me, the interpretation of the prophet Isaiah is sealed regarding a foolish people, heavily reproving and saying: 'Is not the hand of the Lord too short to save? Or has his ear become heavy so as not to hear?' (Isa 59:1). But your sins divide among yourselves and between God. If God knows sins to separate men, nothing would be more grasping than that which, even by the truthful voice of Paul, the herald of truth, is called idolatry and is the root and mother of all evils.

For where did those who were once of the Christian party and partakers of the mysteries get drawn toward the worship of demons? Was it not by a love of possessing much and becoming masters of others' things? Having received promises from the atheists and the ungodly, either of a royal life or of wealth from the royal treasuries, they quickly changed their religion like a garment. And the memory and hearing of the former days of our life saved and taught.

But there is that which even our own life has delivered to trial. For when that king, having cast off the mask of the Christian continuously, and having stripped the comic drama which he had played for a long time, himself shamelessly offered sacrifices to demons and for those wishing to do this, he set many fees before them, how many, having left the church, ran to the altars? And how many, having accepted the bait of offices, followed after him with the hook of transgression? And accusers go about the cities, hated; being pointed out, traitors...

These men are Christ's for a little silver; they are outcasts from the Christian discourse, just as Judas was among the apostles. They are known by the sign of the runaway, like horses from their stalls, having been drawn only into the most difficult of all sins and having immediately followed the initiator of unholy and impure impiety.

Thus then, according to the apostle, greed and idolatry occur and are the root of all evils, having produced unsearchable wickedness from themselves (1 Timothy 6:10). For just as those searching for gold from the depths of the earth say that gold lies hidden safely in the earth at its beginning and its sovereign generation, but from there it flows out like certain veins here and there for a long distance and extends in many directions, like the roots of trees that pass through the soil, so also here I find many natures bound together by a single root, by greed.

And indeed, the word found no difficulty in using the example of gold for greed. From this I see the man daring to strike the head of the mother who gave birth, feeling no shame for either the closeness or the paternal dignity, but being weighed down by the desire for a longer life for the old man. For seeing everything abundant in the house and not having authority over what is seen, but desiring to be master of them and of the property, he is constricted by paternal authority.

And first he keeps silent and holds the disease in the depths; but with time, the desire increasing and the soul having been filled, he bursts forth with wickedness without restraint, like water through pipes. And so it is incomprehensible to the elder, only not...

Greek · §17

ἁμαρτημάτων ὁ λόγος ἐνδείκνυται, ὃ τῷ κατεγνωσμένῳ τὴν πρὸς τὸν δίκαιον πάροδον ἀπετείχισεν. 3.9.3 Καί μου τὴν ἑρμηνείαν Ἠσαΐας ὁ προφήτης ἐπισφραγίζεται πρὸς λαὸν ἄφρονα βαρέως ἀποτεινόμενος καὶ λέγων· Μὴ οὐκ ἰσχύει ἡ χεὶρ Κυρίου διασῶσαι; ἢ ἐβάρυνεν τὸ οὖς αὐτοῦ τοῦ μὴ ἀκοῦσαι; Ἀλλ' αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ὑμῶν διιστῶσιν ἀνὰ μέσον ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνὰ μέσον τοῦ Θεοῦ. Εἰ δὲ ἁμαρτήματα ἀνθρώπους χωρίζειν οἶδεν Θεοῦ, οὐδὲν ἂν πλεονεξίας ἁμαρτωλότερον γένοιτο, ἣ καὶ παρὰ τῆς ἀψευδοῦς φωνῆς Παύλου, τοῦ τῆς ἀληθείας κήρυκος, εἰδωλολατρεία προσαγορεύεται καὶ πάντων τῶν κακῶν ῥίζα καὶ μήτηρ. 3.10.1 Πόθεν γὰρ οἱ τῆς μερίδος ὄντες ποτε τῶν χριστιανῶν καὶ κοινωνοὶ τῶν μυστηρίων πρὸς τὴν τῶν δαιμόνων λατρείαν εἱλκύσθησαν; Οὐκ ἔρωτι τοῦ πολλὰ κτήσασθαι καὶ κύριοι γένεσθαι τῶν ἀλλοτρίων; Λαβόντες δὲ ὑποσχέσεις παρὰ τῶν ἀθέων καὶ ἀσεβῶν ἢ ζωῆς ἀρχοντικῆς ἢ περιουσίας τῆς ἐκ βασιλικῶν ταμιείων, ὥσπερ ἱμάτιον ταχέως τὴν θρησκείαν μετημφιέσαντο. Καὶ τὰ μὲν τῶν ἀνωτέρω χρόνων τῆς ἡμετέρας ζωῆς μνήμη καὶ ἀκοὴ διεσώσατο καὶ ἐδίδαξεν. 3.10.2 Ἔστιν δὲ ἃ καὶ ὁ καθ' ἡμᾶς βίος τῇ πείρᾳ παρέδωκεν. Ὅτε γὰρ ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκεῖνος ὁ τὸ προσωπεῖον τοῦ χριστιανοῦ ἀθρόον ἀποθέμενος, γυμνώσας δὲ τὸ δρᾶμα τὸ κωμικὸν ὃ ἐν πολλῷ τῷ χρόνῳ καθυπεκρίνατο, αὐτός τε ἀναιδῶς ἔθυεν δαίμοσιν καὶ τοῖς τοῦτο βουλομένοις ποιεῖν πολλὰ προετέθη τὰ χρέα, πόσοι τὴν ἐκκλησίαν ἀφέντες ἐπὶ τοὺς βωμοὺς ἔδραμον; πόσοι δὲ τὸ τῶν ἀξιωμάτων δέλεαρ εἰσδεξάμενοι μετ' ἐκείνου κατέπιον τὸ τῆς παραβάσεως ἄγκιστρον; 3.10.3 Στιγματίαι δὲ περινοστοῦσι κατὰ τὰς πόλεις, μισούμενοι· δακτυλοδεικτούμενοι προδόται καὶ οὗτοι τοῦ Χριστοῦ δι' ὀλίγον 15 ἀργύριον· ἐξόριστοι τοῦ καταλόγου τῶν χριστιανῶν, ὡς Ἰούδας τῶν ἀποστόλων· ἀπὸ τῆς προσηγορίας τοῦ παραβάτου γνωριζόμενοι, ὡς ἀπὸ τῶν ση μάντρων οἱ ἵπποι· ἑλκυσθέντες μόνον εἰς τὴν χαλεπωτάτην πασῶν ἁμαρτιῶν καὶ εὐθὺς ἀκολουθήσαντες τῷ τῆς βεβήλου καὶ μιαρᾶς δυσσεβείας μυσταγωγῷ. 3.11.1 Οὕτω τοίνυν κατὰ τὸν ἀπόστολον ἡ πλεονεξία καὶ εἰδωλατρεία γίνεται καὶ ῥίζα πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἐστιν, ἀφ' ἑαυτῆς ἀμυθήτους γεννῶσα κακίας. Ὡς γὰρ οἱ τὸν χρυσὸν ἐκ τῶν κόλπων τῆς γῆς ἀνιχνεύοντες φασὶν τὴν χρυσῖτιν γῆν ἐπ' αὐτῆς μὲν τῆς ἀρχῆς καὶ τῆς κυριωτάτης γενέσεως σωρηδὸν ἀποκεῖσθαι, ἐκεῖθεν δὲ ὥσπερ φλέβας τινὰς ἀπό τινος ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν εἰς μακρὸν διήκειν καὶ πολυσχιδῶς ἀποτείνεσθαι κατ' αὐτάς που τὰς ῥίζας τῶν δένδρων, τὰς ἐκ τοῦ πρέμνου διαπλουμένας, οὕτως κἀνταῦθα πολλὰς βλέπων τὰς ἀποφύσεις μιᾷ ῥίζᾳ, τῇ πλεονεξίᾳ, τὰς πάσας συνδε δεμένας εὑρίσκω. 3.11.2 Καὶ μέντοι καὶ οὐκ ἀνοικεῖον εὗρεν ὁ λόγος πρὸς πλεονεξίαν ἐκ τοῦ χρυσοῦ τὸ ὑπόδειγμα. Ἐντεῦθεν ὁρῶ τὸν πατραλοίαν τῆς κεφαλῆς τῆς γεννησάσης κατατολμῶντα, οὐκ αἰδούμενον δὲ οὔτε τὴν πολιὰν οὔτε τὸ πατρικὸν ἀξίωμα, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἐπὶ πλέον ζωῇ τοῦ γέροντος βαρούμενον. Πάντα γὰρ ὁρῶν ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας ἄφθονα καὶ τὴν ἐξουσίαν τῶν βλεπομένων οὐκ ἔχων, ἐπιθυμῶν δὲ κύριος εἶναι αὐτῶν τε καὶ τῆς περιουσίας στενοῦται τῇ πατρικῇ αὐθεντείᾳ. 3.11.3 Καὶ τὰ μὲν πρῶτα σιωπᾷ καὶ ἐν τῷ βάθει κατέχει τὴν νόσον· τῷ χρόνῳ δὲ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν πλεονάσας καὶ πληρωθεὶς τὴν ψυχὴν ἀθρόον ἐκρήγνυσι τὴν κακίαν, ὡς ἐπὶ τῶν σωλήνων τὰ ὕδατα. Καὶ λοιπόν ἐστιν ἀφόρητος τῷ πρεσβύτῃ, μονον ουχὶ

The Fruits of Covetousness§18

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18Accompanying him to the tombs, walking healthily.

If he mounts the horse in a hurry, he is filled with pride; if he obtains more abundant food, he grumbles; if he wakes the servants early for their services, he is vexed by their waking and by the strength of the old man. But if he is given something of his treasures or if a servant is released from service, then and only then does he become a source of idle talk and wandering, exceeding the bounds of life and the things of others, a sword of the stranger, and he is provoked by hearing all blasphemy, asking why he did not die quickly.

Yours is this, O filthy greed, the fruit; from you the child becomes an enemy to the one who begot him, taking the stings. You fill the earth with robbers and murderers, submerge the sea, the cities with uproar, the courts with false witnesses, informers, traitors, accomplices, and judges who rule there wherever you drag them down.

Greed, the mother of inequality, pitiless, misanthropic, most wretched. Because of this, the life of man is full of irregularity; some, from the abundance of their possessions, sail upon the surplus as if it were an insatiable food, while others are pressed by hunger and want.

Some lie down under golden roofs and inhabit houses like small cities, adorned with baths, varied houses, and porticoes serving for a very long time and with every kind of luxury; others do not seem to have a roof, but when they cannot live in the open air, they flee to the furnaces of the baths or encounter bad innkeepers, and like pigs they root in the dung, devising for themselves the necessary warmth.

And the human being, the animal that is alike, has such a difference in diet compared to the kind that is alike; no one else has this disorder and this irregularity being introduced by greed. One is unseemly with his meals being meager, and another, to have his walls clothed in countless purple slabs, dresses them. The poor man lacks bread upon a wooden table, and the one enjoying luxury is entertained by the luster of the material, having spread a silver table wide. And how much more just was it for one to be satisfied with eating by another luxury, while the value of the table is the luxury of the destitute?

Another, old and unable to walk or limping due to some infirmity, does not possess a donkey, a necessary vehicle for his need; and another, because of a multitude of herds, does not know his horses. One is in want of oil to light a lamp; and another is rich with single lamps. One is thrown upon the ground, and the one who is wretchedly rich is surrounded by the world of the bed, having a silver sphere and chains instead of sheets.

These are the results of insatiable greed. For if it had not introduced inequality into life, these extremes and commonnesses would not have been, nor would the various misfortunes make our life unpleasantly tearful.

Greek · §18

συνελαύνων αὐτὸν πρὸς τοὺς τάφους ὑγαίνοντα καὶ βαδίζοντα. 3.11.4 Ἂν κούφως ἀναβῇ τὸν ἵππον, ὑπερθαυμάζει· ἂν τροφῆς ἐρρωμενέστερον μεταλάβῃ, γογγύζει· ἂν τοὺς οἰκέτας ἐωθινὸς διεγείρῃ πρὸς τὰς ὑπηρεσίας, τῇ ἐγρηγόρσει καὶ τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ γέροντος ἄχθεται. Ἂν δὲ καὶ δωρήσηταί τι τῶν κειμηλίων ἢ οἰκέτην ἀφῇ τῆς δουλείας, τότε δὴ τότε καὶ λῆρος καὶ παραπαίων καὶ τοὺς τῆς ζωῆς ὑπερβὰς ὅρους καὶ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων σπαθητὴς καὶ πᾶν βλάσφημον ἀκούων ἐμπαροινεῖται· διὰ τί μὴ ταχέως ἀπέθανεν ἐγκαλούμενος. 3.11.5 Σὸς οὗτος, ὦ μιαρὴ πλεονεξία, καρπός· παρὰ σοῦ τὰ κέντρα λαμβάνων ὁ παῖς πολέμιος γίνεται τοῦ γεννήσαντος. Σὺ πληροῖς τὴν γῆν λῃστῶν καὶ φονευτῶν, καταποντιστῶν δὲ θάλασσαν, τὰς πόλεις θορύβων, τὰ δικαστήρια ψευδομαρτύρων, συκοφαντῶν, προδοτῶν, συνηγόρων, δικαστῶν ἐκεῖ ῥεπόντων, ὅπου δ' ἂν σὺ καθελκύσῃς. 3.12.1 Πλεονεξία μήτηρ τῆς ἀνισότητος, ἀνηλεής, μισάνθρωπος, ὠμοτάτη. ∆ιὰ ταύτην ὁ τῶν ἀνθρώπων βίος ἀνωμαλίας γέμει· καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐκ τοῦ κόρου ναυτιῶσι τὴν περισσείαν τῶν κτημάτων οἷον τροφὴν ἄπληστον ἀποβλύζοντες, ἄλλοι δὲ λιμῷ καὶ ἐνδείᾳ πιεζόμενοι κινδυνεύουσιν. 3.12.2 Οἱ μὲν ὑπ' ὀρόφοις χρυσοπάστοις κατάκεινται καὶ ὡς μικρὰς πόλεις οἰκοῦσι τὰς οἰκίας, λουτροῖς καὶ οἴκοις ποικίλοις καὶ στοαῖς ἐπὶ μακρότατον διηκούσαις καὶ παντοίᾳ πολυτελείᾳ κεκοσμημένας· ἕτεροι δὲ δύο δοκῶν σκέπην οὐκ ἔχουσιν, ἀλλ' ὅταν ἐν ὑπαίθρῳ διαζῆν μὴ δύνωνται, ἢ πρὸς τὰς καμίνους καταφεύγουσι τῶν λουτρῶν ἢ καὶ τοῖς βαλανεῦσι κακοξένοις περιτυχόντες, παραπλησίως τοῖς χοίροις τὴν κόπρον ὀρύττοντες τὴν ἀναγκαίαν θέρμην ἑαυτοῖς μηχανῶνται. 3.12.3 Καὶ τὸ ὁμότιμον ζῷον, ὁ ἄνθρωπος, τοσαύτην ἔχει τὴν διαφορὰν τῆς διαίτης πρὸς τὸ ὁμόφυλον· οὐκ ἄλλου τινὸς τὴν ἀταξίαν ταύτην καὶ τὴν ἀνωμαλίαν ἢ τῆς πλεονεξίας ἐπεισαγούσης. Ὁ μὲν γυμνοῖς ἀσχημονεῖ τοῖς μέλεσι καὶ ὁ ἄλλος πρὸς τὸ τὴν ἐσθῆτα δυσαρίθμητον ἔχειν πορφυραῖς πλαξὶν τοὺς τοίχους ἐνδύει. Ὁ πένης ἐπὶ ξυλίνης τραπέζης ἄρτον ἀπορεῖ διαθρύψαι καὶ ὁ τρυφῶν ἀργυρῆν τράπεζαν ἐλάσας εἰς πλάτος τῷ στίλβοντι ψυχαγωγεῖται τῆς ὕλης. Καὶ πόσῳ δικαιώτερον ἦν τὸν μὲν ἑστιᾶσθαι ἀρκούμενον τῇ ἄλλῃ τρυφῇ, τῆς τραπέζης δὲ τὴν τιμὴν τῶν ἀπόρων εἶναι τρυφήν; 3.12.4 Ἄλλος γηραιὸς καὶ βαδίζειν ἀδυνατῶν ἢ διά τινα λώβην χωλεύων 16 ὄνον οὐ κέκτηται, ἀναγκαῖον τῆς χρείας ὄχημα· καὶ ἕτερος διὰ πλῆθος τὰς ἀγέλας οὐ γνωρίζει τῶν ἵππων. Τῷ μὲν ἐλαίου ἐνδεῖ πρὸς τὸ λύχνον ἀνάψαι· καὶ ἄλλος μόναις ταῖς λυχνίαις πλουτεῖ. Ὁ μὲν ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐδάφους ἔρριπται καὶ ὁ μάτην πλουτῶν τῷ κόσμῳ τῆς κλίνης περιαστράπτεται, ἀργυρᾶς σφαίρας ἐχούσης καὶ ἁλύσεις ἀντὶ τῶν σχοίνων. 3.12.5 Ταῦτα τὰ τῆς ἀκορέστου πλεονεξίας ἀποτελέσματα. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ εἰσήγαγεν εἰς τὸν βίον τὴν ἀνισότητα, οὐκ ἂν αὗται ἦσαν τῆς ἀνωμαλίας αἱ ἐξοχαὶ καὶ κοι λότητες, οὐδ' ἂν αἱ ποικίλαι συμφοραὶ ἀηδῆ καὶ πολύδακρυν τὴν ζωὴν ἡμῶν

The Root of Conflict and Divine Providence§19

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19From this, men have destroyed natural friendship toward one another; they sharpen iron, form battle lines, and like wild beasts, they seize one another with great ferocity.

How could anyone even explain what follows this? Walls are besieged by engines, cities are plundered, women are led away, and children are enslaved; the earth is cut and plowed, and trees are fought over as if they were humans who had done wrong; and the slaughter of those in their prime is great, and the streams of blood flow from the wretched bodies; and the wealth of the defeated is the prize of the victors.

Upon these things are the wails of bereavement, the tears of orphans, and the lamenting of father and child together, and of liberty. The former master of great wealth now begs for a morsel of bread, stretching out his right hand; and he who once had many slaves, weaving fabrics and filling houses with clothing, now wears a rag and serves, carrying water out of necessity and unhitching the horse's pole and performing shameful services; and ten thousand other evils, which it is impossible to take in at once.

The beginning, cause, and root of all these things is the desire for more, the unjust love of the property of others. If anyone had cut off this passion of men, he would not have prevented peace from being lived deeply, nor wars and disturbances from fleeing from men, but all would have returned to natural affection and friendship.

For this reason also our Lord carefully allows this disease to pass by, sometimes forbidding: 'You cannot serve God and mammon' (Matt 6:24); sometimes rejecting that wretched rich man, who was about to die soon and was setting before himself the long-lasting enjoyment of luxury as a model; and elsewhere teaching that the perfect man is he who, having given away all that he has to those in need, will go his own way toward virtuous philosophy, the mother and companion of all things.

But I think I hear, even while being silent, such things being said to the teachers by those accustomed to them: 'And how shall we manage life if the possession of money is neglected? How shall we suffice for our needs? How shall a debt be settled? And how shall a loan be given to the one seeking, if we are all destitute because of your advice?' Unbelieving is the word, senseless is the voice, not knowing that we have God as Master, the steward of life, who provides for the living being from himself the useful things and the necessary supplies of food and the need of clothing.

For the providence of God regarding the things of His own is all-encompassing; and He has never withheld calamity from one who prospers in faith. And bringing forward one of the divine sayings as a sufficient testimony for what is at hand, I think, I shall provide a witness. In the history of the Kingdoms...

Greek · §19

ἀπειργάζοντο. 3.13.1 Ἐντεῦθεν τὴν φυσικὴν πρὸς ἀλλήλους φιλίαν ἀπώλεσαν ἄνθρωποι καὶ σίδηρον ἀκονῶσι καὶ συγκροτοῦσι παρατάξεις καὶ ὥσπερ τινὰ θηρία μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἀγριότητος ἀλλήλοις συνάπτουσι. Τὰ δὲ ἀκόλουθα τούτοις πῶς ἄν τις καὶ ἐξηγήσαιτο; 3.13.2 Τείχη καρτερὰ τοῖς μηχανήμασι κατασείεται καὶ πόλεις ἁλίσκονται καὶ γυναῖκες ἄγονται καὶ παῖδες ἀνδραποδίζονται· τέμνεται γῆ καὶ κείρεται καὶ τὰ δένδρα πολεμοῦνται ὡς ἀδικήσαντες ἄνθρωποι· φόνος δὲ τῶν ἐν ἀκμῇ πολὺς καὶ οἱ τοῦ αἵματος ῥύακες ἀπορρέουσι τῶν ἀθλίων σωμάτων· ὁ δὲ πλοῦτος τῶν ἡττηθέντων ἆθλον τῶν κρατησάντων. 3.13.3 Ἐπὶ τούτοις ὀδυρμοὶ χηρείας, ὀρφανῶν δάκρυα καὶ πατέρας ὁμοῦ καὶ τὴν ἐλευθερίαν θρηνούντων· ὁ δὲ πρώην κύριος πλούτου πολλοῦ ἄρτου μεταιτεῖ τέμαχος προτείνων τὴν δεξιάν· καὶ ὁ πολλοὺς ἔχων δούλους ὑφάντας καὶ οἰκίας γεμούσας ἐσθῆτος ῥάκια περιβεβλημένος δουλεύει, ὕδωρ πρὸς ἀνάγκην κομίζων καὶ τοῦ ἱππῶνος ἀποξύων τὴν κόπρον καὶ ταῖς αἰσχραῖς ὑπηρεσίαις διακονούμενος· ἄλλα μυρία κακά, ἃ περιλαβεῖν ἀθρόως ἀδύνατον. 3.13.4 Τούτων δὲ πάντων ἀρχὴ καὶ αἰτία καὶ ῥίζα ἡ τοῦ πλείονος ἐπιθυμία, ἔρως ἄδικος τῶν ἀλλοτρίων κτημάτων. Εἰ δέ τις τοῦτο τὸ πάθος τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐξέκοψεν, οὐδὲν ἐκώλυσεν εἰρήνην μὲν τῷ βίῳ βαθεῖαν ἐμπολιτεύεσθαι, πολέμους δὲ καὶ ταραχὰς ἐξ ἀνθρώπων φυγαδευθῆναι, ἐπανελθεῖν δὲ πάντας ἐπὶ τὴν κατὰ φύσιν στοργὴν καὶ φιλίαν. 3.13.5 ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν ἐπιμελῶς τοῖς παραγγέλμασι ταύτην ἐξιᾶται τὴν νόσον ποτὲ μὲν ἀποφαινόμενος· Οὐ δύνασθε Θεῷ δουλεύειν καὶ μαμωνᾷ· ποτὲ δὲ τὸν πλούσιον ἐκεῖνον ἄθλιον ἀποφαίνων, τὸν τῇ ἑξῆς τελευτᾶν μέλλοντα καὶ τὴν μακροχρόνιον ἀπόλαυσιν τὴν τρυφῆς ἑαυτῷ προτυποῦντα· καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ τὸν τέλειον ἐκεῖνον εἶναι διδάσκων, ὃς ἂν πάντων ὧν ἔχει τοῖς δεομένοις παραχωρήσας πρὸς τὴν ἀκτήμονα φιλοσοφίαν αὐτομολήσει, τὴν μητέρα τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ ὁμόσκευον. 3.14.1 Ἀλλά μοι δοκῶ καὶ σιωπώντων ἀκούειν τῶν ἐκ συνηθείας τὰ τοιαῦτα φθεγγομένων πρὸς τοὺς διδάσκοντας· Καὶ πῶς τὸν βίον διατε λέσομεν, εἰ ἡ κτῆσις τῶν χρημάτων ἀμεληθείη; πῶς δὲ ταῖς χρείαις ἐπαρκέσομεν; πῶς λυθήσεται δάνεισμα; πῶς δὲ καὶ δοθήσεται δάνος τῷ ζητοῦντι, ἂν πάντες ὦμεν διὰ τὴν σὴν παραίνεσιν ἄποροι; Ἀπίστου τὸ ῥῆμα, ἀσυνέτου ἡ φωνή, οὐκ εἰδότος, ὅτι δεσπότην ἔχομεν τὸν Θεόν, οἰκονόμον τοῦ βίου, τῷ γενομένῳ ζῴῳ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ χορηγοῦντα τὰ χρήσιμα καὶ τοὺς ἀναγκαίους πορισμοὺς τῆς τροφῆς καὶ τῶν σκεπασμάτων τὴν χρείαν. 3.14.2 Ἡ γὰρ πρόνοια τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν οἰκείων ποιημάτων ἐστὶν περιεκτική· καὶ τὸν ἐν πίστει πλουτοῦντα πενίας οὐδέποτε κατέσχεν συμφορά. Ἓν δὲ τῶν θείων προκομίσας λόγιον εἰς ἀπόδειξιν τοῦ προκει μένου ἱκανήν, ὡς οἶμαι, μαρτυρίαν παρέξω. 3.15.1 Ἐν τῇ τῶν Βασιλειῶν ἱστορίᾳ

The Widow and Elisha§20

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20A certain woman is written about, a widow, being greatly weighed down by the misfortune of loneliness. A money-loving and misanthropic creditor was besieging her, taking away her sons, whom the mother had as her only ones instead of all. And when the matter stood for her in helplessness and no one having gold showed mercy, she came to the one possessing philanthropy and faith.

And this Elisha was the prophet, a man of the earthly substances being generous and abounding in the incorporeal possession; a philosopher from plowmen, unhoused, without support, living alone; having inherited recently, and having received the inheritance a widow's jar and an invisible blessing descending from the fiery chariot. He did not by any means send the entreaty unworked, nor did he reject the help because the sought-after thing was not present, nor did he say any base or faithless words, like one of the many: 'And from where to me is silver, so as to dissolve the debt?'

Just as an excellent physician and pharmacist, when not present, found the cure for the disease from extraordinary thoughts, so he says, 'What to you, O woman, upon the house? Remember if there is even a little inside.' For no one is so poor as to be suddenly the master of nothing. And as he said, that it is a jar and a little remnant of oil in it, 'Prepare for me,' he said, 'a multitude of vessels.' And she hurried, and he through it filled them, and to the creditor the debt was dissolved; and the woman departed from helplessness finding a way.

For the very little oil, which was to be with her, she said to the prophet, filled from the extraordinary and all the prepared amphorae; and then the flow stood, when there was no longer a vessel to receive; and to the need the grace was measured. Truly that was oil, which the plant did not bear, but the mercies of God flourished.

Acquire this knowledge, if you are able, kings, rulers, the wealthy, from the sun setting until it rises twice. You, the wise of the worldly wisdom, acquire the gift of the prophet from the plowmen, which was inexhaustible to the one receiving it. For the possessions of your zeal have myriad dangers lying in wait: robbers breaking through walls, tyrants snatching, and informers attacking, the sea sinking, and the earth being cracked by chasms.

Let there therefore be hope and a storehouse for men, the right hand of God, which led the people of Egypt out and in a desert land provided the abundance of good things; which led the Ambakum to Daniel, and saved Ishmael having been cast off from the mother's embrace, and sufficed to each generation, and lastly multiplied five barley loaves as if infinite agriculture, so that one loaf might fill the stomach of a thousand starving men and be enough for the basket of the remnants. To our God be the glory unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Greek · §20

γυνή τις ἀναγέγραπται χήρα, βαρυνομένη λίαν τῇ συμφορᾷ τῆς μονώσεως. Ἐπολιόρκει δὲ αὐτὴν δανειστὴς φιλάργυρος καὶ μισάνθρωπος, ἐνέχυρον τοὺς υἱοὺς ἀφαιρούμενος οὓς μόνους εἶχεν ἀντὶ πάντων ἡ μήτηρ. Ἐπεὶ δὲ εἰς ἀμηχανίαν αὐτῇ περιεστήκει τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ οὐδεὶς ἠλέει τῶν ἐχόντων χρυσίον, ἦλθεν πρὸς τὸν ἔχοντα φιλανθρωπίαν καὶ πίστιν. 3.15.2 Ἐλισσαῖος δὲ οὗτος ἦν ὁ προφήτης, ἀνὴρ ἀκτήμων τῶν γηΐνων ὑλῶν καὶ περισσευόμενος τῆς ἀσωμάτου περιουσίας· φιλόσοφος ἐξ ἀροτήρων, ἄοικος, ἀνέστιος, μονο είμων· νεωστὶ μὲν κληρονομήσας, 17 τὴν δὲ κληρονομίαν λαβὼν μηλωτὴν εὔωνον καὶ εὐλογίαν ἀόρατον τοῦ πυρίνου ἅρματος ἐκπεσοῦσαν. Οὐ μὴν ἄπρακτον τὴν ἱκεσίαν ἀπέπεμψεν, οὐδὲ ἀπέγνω τῆς βοηθείας, ἐπειδὴ μὴ παρῆν τὸ ζητούμενον, οὐδὲ εἶπεν ἀγεννῆ τινα καὶ ἄπιστα ῥήματα, ὡς εἷς τῶν πολλῶν· Καὶ πόθεν ἐμοὶ ἀργύριον, ὥστε διαλῦσαι τὸ ὄφλημα; 3.15.3 Ὥσπερ δὲ ἄριστος ἰατρὸς καὶ φαρμάκων μὴ παρόντων ἐξ ἐπινοιῶν παραδόξων εὗρε τῇ νόσῳ τὴν ἴασιν, καί, Τί σοι, φησίν, ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας, ὦ γύναι; Μνημόνευσον εἴ τι καὶ ὀλίγον ἔνδον τυγχάνει. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ οὕτως πένης, ὡς καθάπαξ μηδενὸς κύριος εἶναι. Ὡς δὲ εἶπεν, ὅτι κεράμιόν ἐστιν καὶ λείψανον ἐν αὐτῷ βραχὺ ἐλαίου, Παρασκεύασόν μοι, εἶπεν, πλῆθος ἀγγείων. Καὶ ἡ μὲν ηὐτρέπισεν, ὁ δὲ δι' αὐτῆς ἐπλήρωσεν καὶ τῷ δα νειστῇ διελύθη τὸ ὄφλημα· ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἀπῆλθεν ἐξ ἀπόρων εὑροῦσα τὸν πόρον. 3.15.4 Τὸ γὰρ ὀλίγιστον ἔλαιον, ὃ εἶναι παρ' αὐτῇ εἶπεν πρὸς τὸν προφήτην, ἐπήγασεν ἐκ τοῦ παραδόξου καὶ πάντας τοὺς εὐτρεπισθέντας ἀμφορίσκους ἐπλήρωσεν· ἕστη δὲ τότε τῆς ῥύσεως, ὅτε ἀγγεῖον οὐκ ἔτι ἦν τὸ δεχόμενον· καὶ τῇ χρείᾳ συνεμετρήθη ἡ χάρις. Ἀληθῶς ἔλαιον ἐκεῖνο, ὃ φυτὸν οὐκ ἐκαρποφόρησεν, ἀλλ' οἱ τοῦ Θεοῦ οἰκτιρμοὶ ἐγεώρ γησαν. 3.15.5 Ταύτην ὠνήσασθε τὴν ἐπιστήμην, εἰ δύνασθε, οἱ ἀπὸ ἡλίου ἀνίσχοντος μέχρι καὶ δυομένου, βασιλεῖς, δυνάσται, πλούσιοι. Οἱ σοφοὶ τῆς ἐγκοσμίου σοφίας, κτήσασθε τοῦ ἀπὸ ἀροτήρων προφήτου τὸ χάρισμα, ὃ ἀναφαίρετον τῷ λαβόντι συνῆν. Τὰ γὰρ τῆς ὑμετέρας σπουδῆς κτήματα μυρίους ἔχει παρακειμένους τῆς ἀπωλείας κινδύνους· λῃστὰς τοιχωρυ χοῦντας, τυράννους ἁρπάζοντας καὶ συκοφάντας ἐπιβουλεύοντας, θάλασσαν καταποντίζουσαν καὶ γῆν ὑπορρηγνυμένην τοῖς χάσμασιν. 3.15.6 Ἔστω τοίνυν ἐλπὶς καὶ ταμιεῖον ἀνθρώποις ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ δεξιά, ἡ τὸν λαὸν Αἰγύπτου ἐξαγαγοῦσα καὶ ἐν ἐρήμῳ χώρᾳ τὴν εὐθηνίαν τῶν ἀγαθῶν χορηγήσασα· ἡ τῷ ∆ανιὴλ ἀγαγοῦσα τὸν Ἀμβακούμ, καὶ τὸν Ἰσμαὴλ σώσασα τῆς μητρικῆς ἀγκάλης ἀπορριφέντα, καὶ τοῖς καθ' ἑκάστην γενεὰν ἐπαρκέσασα, καὶ τελευταῖον πέντε κριθίνους ἄρτους ὡς ἄπειρον γεωργίαν πληθύνασα, ἵν' ὁ εἷς ἄρτος χιλίων ἀνδρῶν πεινώντων πληρώσῃ γαστέρα καὶ πρός γε κόφινον τῶν λειψάνων. Τῷ δὲ Θεῷ ἡμῶν ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

The False Celebration§21

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21The same Asterius's categorical discourse on the feast of the Kalends.

Two feasts have come together at once upon the yesterday and the present day, not in harmony or brotherhood, but on the contrary, holding enmity and opposition toward one another. For one is of the external gathering, bringing together much silver for Mammon and drawing in other trades, both in the marketplace and more freely; but the other is of holy and true worship, training the virtue of the relationship toward God and of a purified life.

Since many, preferring the luxury and idleness of vanity, have been left away from the assembly according to the church, come, let us drive away by word the foolish and harmful pleasure, just as one drives away a little madness in laughing and playing at death.

At the right time, let us imitate Solomon in the handling of the word. For he, advising the youths to keep themselves safely from the snares of immorality (Proverbs 7), so that his own exhortation might work as active and effective, personifies immorality as a woman condemned; and thus, by exposing all her wickedness, he decides the worth of hatred for those being enticed.

Therefore, I also, having shown the vanity of the human feast by word, will attempt to turn away the lovers of that fallen pursuit.

This custom and law is, therefore, a feast of the people; first, it is manifest that the purpose of the festival is to be a common joy for all, and not for one part to enjoy while the remainder spends the rest in grief and depression. For this is more like a war than a feast, since it is necessary for those who prevailed to parade in victory, and for those who were defeated to weep over their misfortune.

Regarding these days, first, it is unclear upon what the festival is celebrated. For myths...

Many things are said, which contradict one another; but nothing is true. Furthermore, I see only a few rejoicing; but the many are dejected, even if their sorrow is shaded by a decent appearance; and everything is full of noise and trouble, and the crowd is vainly pushed toward itself.

It is a remembrance and a joy of the year. What kind of joy, man? First, when I perceive the form of the meeting, that is, how suspicious and not friendly it is! The address proceeds with a dull and thin voice; then follows a kiss as a prelude to the bribe, and the mouth loves, but the coin is loved; the form of a disposition and the work of greed. But where pure friendship and guileless, unmercenary and sincere intentions exist.

Indeed, much is carried about everywhere and the gold is given, but a just and decent pretext for the bribe neither exists nor is spoken of. It is not a marriage, so that someone might call the bridegroom's zeal a wedding. I do not call the expense almsgiving; for no poor man is released from misfortune. No one would call what is happening a contract; for the crowd does not stir anything up among themselves. And to call it a gift is not even as far as being just, where necessity is joined to the giving.

What then shall we call, either the feast or the things spent in it? I myself do not find a name. But you, who have bitten through the crust around it, give a reason, as we are of the true and God-ordained festivals. We celebrate a birthday, because God showed us the theophanies in the flesh at this time. We lead a panegyric of lights, because through the forgiveness of sins we are led from a kind of dark prison of the former life toward the luminous and unconstrained.

We are made beautiful again and, rejoicing, we process on the day of the resurrection; for incorruption shows us a relocation toward the better. Thus these...

Greek · §21

4.t.1 Τοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἀστερίου λόγος κατηγορικὸς τῆς ἑορτῆς τῶν Καλανδῶν 4.1.1 ∆ύο κατὰ ταὐτὸν ἑορταὶ συνέδραμον ἐπὶ τῆς χθιζῆς καὶ τῆς ἐνεστώσης ἡμέρας, οὐ συμφωνοί τε καὶ ἀδελφοί, πᾶν δὲ τοὐναντίον ἐχθρῶς τε καὶ ἐναντίως ἔχουσαι πρὸς ἀλλήλας. Ἡ μὲν γάρ ἐστιν τοῦ ἔξωθεν συρφε τοῦ, πολὺ συνάγουσα τοῦ μαμωνᾶ τὸ ἀργύριον καὶ τὴν ἄλλην καπηλείαν ἐφελκομένη, τὴν ἀγοραῖόν τε καὶ ἀνελεύθερον· ἡ δὲ τῆς ἁγίας καὶ ἀληθοῦς θρησκείας, οἰκείωσιν τὴν πρὸς Θεὸν καὶ τοῦ κεκαθαρμένου βίου τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐκπαιδεύουσα. 4.1.2 Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πολλοὶ προτιμῶντες τὴν ἐκ τῆς ματαιότητος τρυφὴν καὶ ἀσχολίαν ἀπελείφθησαν τοῦ κατὰ τὴν ἐκκλησίαν συλλόγου, φέρε, τὴν μωρὰν καὶ βλάπτουσαν τέρψιν λόγῳ τῶν ψυχῶν ἀπελάσωμεν, ὥσπερ τινὰ φρενῖτιν ἐν τῷ γελᾶν καὶ παίζειν τὸν θάνατον ἄγουσαν. 4.1.3 Ἐν καιρῷ δ' ἂν τὸν Σολομῶντα ζηλώσαιμι τῆς τοῦ λόγου μεταχειρήσεως. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος συμβουλεύων τοῖς νέοις ἀσφαλῶς ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν παγίδων τῆς ἀκολασίας τηρεῖν, ἵνα δραστήριον καὶ ἐνεργῆ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ νουθεσίαν ἐργάσηται, προσωποποιεῖ τὴν ἀκολασίαν εἰς γυναῖκα κατεγνωσμένην· πᾶσαν δὲ τὴν κακίαν αὐτῆς στηλιτεύων οὕτως μίσους ἀξίαν ἀποφαίνει τοῖς δελεαζομένοις. 4.1.4 ∆ιὸ κἀγὼ τὴν ματαιότητα τῆς ἀνθρωπικῆς ἑορτῆς ὑποδείξας τῷ λόγῳ πειράσομαι 18 τοὺς ἐραστὰς ἐκείνης ἀποστῆσαι τῆς πεπλανημένης σπουδῆς. 4.2.1 Ἑορτῆς τοίνυν πανδήμου οὗτος ὁ θεσμὸς καὶ ὁ νόμος· πρῶτον μὲν φανερὸν σκοπὸν εἶναι τῆς πανηγύρεως, ἔπειτα κοινὴν εἶναι πάντων εὐφροσύνην καὶ μὴ μέρος μὲν ἥδεσθαι, τὸ δὲ λειπόμενον ἐν λύπῃ καὶ κατηφείᾳ διάγειν. Τοῦτο γὰρ πολέμου μᾶλλον ἢ ἑορτῆς ἐξαίρετον· ἐπειδήπερ ἐπάναγκες τοὺς μὲν κρατήσαντας ἐμπομπεύειν τῇ νίκῃ, τοὺς δ' ἡττηθέντας δακρύειν τὴν συμφοράν. 4.2.2 Ἐπὶ δέ γε τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν, πρῶτον μὲν τὸ ἐπὶ τίσι τελεῖται ἡ πανήγυρις ἄδηλον. Μῦθοι γὰρ λέγονται πολλοί, ἀλλήλων ἀνατρεπτικοί· ἀληθὲς δὲ οὐδέν. Εἶτα ὀλίγους μὲν εὐφραινομένους βλέπω· ἀνιωμένους δὲ τοὺς πολλούς, κἂν εὐπρεπεῖ ἑτερότητι τὴν λύπην ἐπισκιάζωσιν· πάντα δὲ θορύβου γέμοντα καὶ ταραχῆς, καὶ τὸ πλῆθος πρὸς ἑαυτῷ εἰκῆ ὠθιζόμενον. 4.3.1 Ἀνάμνησίς ἐστιν καὶ εὐφροσύνη ἐνιαυτοῦ. Ποία εὐφροσύνη, ἄνθρωπε; Πρῶτον, ὅταν ἐννοήσω τῆς συντυχίας τὸ σχῆμα, οἷόν ἐστιν, καὶ ὅπως ὕποπτον καὶ οὐ φιλικόν! Ἀδρανεῖ τῇ φωνῇ καὶ λεπτῇ ἡ προσηγορία πρόεισι τῶν χειλέων· εἶτα ἀκολουθεῖ φίλημα τοῦ λήμματος προοίμιον, καὶ φιλεῖται μὲν τὸ στόμα, ἀγαπᾶται δὲ τὸ νόμισμα· τὸ σχῆμα διαθέσεως καὶ τὸ ἔργον πλεονεξίας. Ἔνθα δὲ καθαρὰ φιλία καὶ ἄδολος, ἄμισθοι καὶ ἀκερδεῖς εἰσιν αἱ φιλοφρονήσεις. 4.3.2 Περιφέρεται γοῦν πολὺ πανταχοῦ καὶ δίδοται τὸ χρυσίον, πρόφασις δὲ δικαία καὶ εὐπρεπὴς τοῦ λήμματος οὔτε ἔστιν οὔτε λέγεται. Γάμος οὐκ ἔστιν, ἵνα νυμφίου τις γαύρου καλέσῃ φιλοτιμίαν. Ἐλεημοσύνην οὐκ ἔχω καλεῖν τὴν δαπάνην· οὐδεὶς γὰρ πένης ἀφίεται συμφορᾶς. Συνάλλαγμα οὐκ ἄν τις καλέσειεν τὸ γινόμενον· οὐδὲν γὰρ διαμείβουσι πρὸς ἀλλήλους τὸ πλῆθος. ∆ωρεὰν δὲ εἰπεῖν, οὐδὲ μέχρις ὅτου δίκαιον, ἔνθα συνέζευκται ἀνάγκη τῇ δόσει. 4.3.3 Τί τοίνυν ἢ τὴν ἑορτὴν καλέσωμεν ἢ τὰ ἐν ταύτῃ δαπανώμενα; Ἐγὼ μὲν οὐχ εὑρίσκω. Εἴπατε δέ, οἱ περὶ αὐτὴν ἐσπου δακότες· δότε λόγον, ὡς ἡμεῖς τῶν ἀληθινῶν καὶ κατὰ Θεὸν πανηγύρεων. Γενέθλιον ἑορτάζομεν, ἐπειδὴ τὰ ἐν σαρκὶ θεοφάνια κατὰ τοῦτον τὸν χρόνον ἔδειξεν ἡμῖν ὁ Θεός. Φῶτα πανήγυριν ἄγομεν, ἐπειδὴ τῇ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀφέσει οἷον ἐκ σκοτεινοῦ τινος δεσμωτηρίου τοῦ προτέρου βίου πρὸς τὸν φωτεινὸν καὶ ἀνεύθυνον ἀναγόμεθα. 4.3.4 Καλλωπιζόμεθα πάλιν καὶ χαίροντες ἐμπομπεύομεν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς ἀναστάσεως· τὴν γὰρ ἀφθαρσίαν ἡμῖν καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον δηλοῖ μετακόσμησιν. Οὕτως ταύτας

The Perils of Festive Debt§22

22We celebrate in this way the appointed days; and for every human matter, talk is considered the leader; but where the cause and the goal are absent, this is mere chatter and vanity.

O, the absurdity! All those who have received wander about, hoping from one another. Those who receive are grieved, and those who have received do not hold on. For the gift passes to others, and the one who receives from the responsible party gives to the one above. the gold of this day is unstable, like a ball in play, being sharply passed by me to the other.

And it is a new manner of gift-bearing and of service, having the contribution as a necessity. For the greater and more glorious one is shamed, the lesser one asks, and all move by steps upon the bosoms of the superior ones. And what happens during the rushing of the waters, this is now to be seen.

For there, a thin stream having flowed out mixes its currents with the one with it and the greater; and that one is covered again by the one more flooding, and many even thinner streams being gathered together become an addition to a neighboring river; this one again passes to another of the greater, and another to another, until the last one establishes the water by depth and breadth like the sea.

This feast is pseudonymous, full of extortion; for both the procession and the inner stay were not undisturbed. For the actors and the wonder-workers of the orchestra, having divided themselves into ranks and systems, wander through each house; and indeed they speak well and applaud, but they remain more conveniently at the gates of the practitioners, until the one inside is cut off.

Silver, being besieged, goes before what it has and what it does not have. Approaching the doors in exchange, they receive one another, and until a late night there is no respite from evil, but one outcry takes hold of another, and one calamity of another.

This is the best feast and becomes the cause of loans for men, and of their offspring; a starting point of poverty, the beginning of misfortunes. If anyone, because of the unreliability of his substance, cannot even find a lender, he is dragged away like one failing to pay royal taxes, weeps like one being taken captive, is consumed like one who has fallen to a robber, is guarded, and is flogged.

If there is even a little in the house for the sustenance of a wife and struggling children, this is sent ahead; but those starving sit amidst the crowd during the bright feast. It is a new law of bad habit, to celebrate boredom and to call a general assembly of men's destitution.

This day teaches even small children to be grasping and simple-minded lovers of silver, and prepares them to plunder from house to house and to bring new gifts, while being bound by silver. But the giving of the double is a repayment, and from here the dishonest and the unrestrained begin to impress those with simple minds among the young.

And what does this day prepare for the holy and best farmers! It works for them a city that is fleeing and unapproachable; and more so are they paying it back than hares pay back the nets. For those found are flogged, are reproached, lose what is in their hands, are fought against in peace, are insulted, and are mocked by words and deeds.

Greek · §22

ἑορτάζομεν, οὕτως τὰς ἐφεξῆς· καὶ παντὸς ἀνθρωπικοῦ πράγματος λόγος ἡγεῖται· οὗ δὲ αἰτία καὶ σκοπὸς ἄπεστιν, λῆρος τοῦτο καὶ φλήναφος. 4.4.1 Ὢ τῆς ἀτοπίας! Πάντες κεχηνότες περινοστοῦσι, τὰ παρ' ἀλλήλων 4.4.1 ἐλπίζοντες. Οἱ δόντες λυποῦνται, οἱ λαβόντες οὐ κατέχουσι. Μεταβαίνει γὰρ εἰς ἀλλήλους τὸ λῆμμα καὶ ὁ παρὰ τοῦ ὑπευθύνου δεξάμενος δίδωσι τῷ μείζονι. Ἄστατον δέ ἐστιν τὸ τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης χρυσίον, ὥσπερ ἡ τῶν παιζόντων σφαῖρα, ὀξέως παρ' ἐμοῦ πεμπόμενον πρὸς τὸν ἕτερον. 4.4.2 Καὶ καινὸς δωροφορίας καὶ λειτουργίας τρόπος, ἀπαραίτητον ἔχων τῆς ἀνάγκης τὴν εἰσφοράν. Ὁ γὰρ μείζων καὶ ἔνδοξος δυσωπεῖ, ὁ ἐλάττων αἰτεῖ, καὶ πάντες βαθμοῖς ἐπὶ τοὺς κόλπους τῶν ὑπερεχόντων κινοῦνται. Καὶ ὅπερ ἐπὶ τῆς συρροίας τῶν ὑδάτων γίνεται, τοῦτο νῦν ἔστιν ἰδεῖν. 4.4.3 Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖ λεπτὸς ῥύαξ ἀπορρεύσας τοὺς ῥοῦς τῷ μετ' αὐτὸν καὶ μείζονι μίγνυται· κἀκεῖνος καλύπτεται πάλιν παρὰ τοῦ μᾶλλον πλημμυροῦντος καὶ πολλὰ λεπτότερα ῥεύματα ἀθροισθέντα ποταμοῦ γείτονος προσθήκη γίνονται· οὗτος πάλιν ἑτέρου τοῦ μείζονος καὶ ἄλλος ἄλλου, μέχρις ἂν ὁ τελευταῖος τῷ βάθει καὶ τῷ πλάτει τῆς θαλάσσης ἐγκαθορμίσῃ τὸ ὕδωρ. 4.4.4 Ἑορτὴ αὕτη ψευδώνυμος, ἐπαχθείας γέμουσα· καὶ γὰρ ἡ πρόοδος ἐπαχθὴς καὶ ἡ ἔνδον μονὴ οὐκ ἀνενόχλητος. ∆ημόται γὰρ ἀγύρται καὶ οἱ τῆς ὀρχήστρας θαυματοποιοὶ εἰς τάξεις καὶ συστήματα ἑαυτοὺς καταμερίσαντες ἑκάστην οἰκίαν διοχλοῦσιν· καὶ δῆθεν μὲν εὐφημοῦσι καὶ ἐπικροτοῦσιν, μένουσι δὲ πρὸς ταῖς πύλαις τῶν πρακτήρων εὐτονώτερον, μέχρις ἂν ἀποκναισθεὶς ὁ ἔνδον 19 πολιορκούμενος προῆται τὸ ἀργύριον ὅπερ ἔχει καὶ ὃ οὐ κέκτηται. 4.4.5 Ἀμοιβαδὸν δὲ προσιόντες ταῖς θύραις ἀλλήλους διαδέχονται καὶ μέχρις δείλης ὀψίας ἄνεσις οὐκ ἔστιν τοῦ κακοῦ, ἀλλὰ φατρία φατρίαν καταλαμβάνει καὶ βοὴ βοὴν καὶ ζημία ζημίαν. 4.5.1 Αὕτη ἡ βελτίστη ἑορτὴ καὶ δανεισμάτων αἰτία γίνεται τοῖς ἀνθρώ ποις, καὶ τούτων ἐντόκων· ἀφορμὴ πενίας, δυστυχημάτων ἀρχή. Ἂν δέ τις διὰ τὸ τῆς οὐσίας ἀναξιόπιστον μηδὲ τοῦ δανείζοντος εὐπορήσῃ, ἕλκεται ὡς ὁ τοὺς φόρους τοὺς βασιλικοὺς ἐλλιπών, δακρύει ὡς ὁ δημευό μενος, ὀλοφύρεται ὡς ὁ λῃσταῖς περιπεσών, φρουρεῖται, μαστίζεται. 4.5.2 Ἂν δέ τι μικρὸν ὑπάρχῃ κατὰ τὴν οἰκίαν εἰς διατροφὴν γαμετῆς καὶ παίδων ἀθλίων, τοῦτο προΐεται· κάθηται δὲ λιμώττων παγγενεὶ ἐπὶ τῆς φαιδρᾶς ἑορτῆς. Καινὸς κακῆς συνηθείας νόμος, ἀηδίαν ἑορτάζεσθαι καὶ ἀπορίαν ἀνθρώπων πανήγυριν λέγεσθαι. 4.6.1 Αὕτη ἡ ἡμέρα καὶ τοὺς μικροὺς παῖδας καὶ ἀφελεῖς καὶ ἁπλοϊκοὺς φιλαργύρους εἶναι διδάσκει καὶ παρασκευάζει οἰκίαν ἀμείβειν ἐξ οἰκίας καὶ δῶρα προσφέρειν καινά, ὀπώρας ἀργυρίῳ καθηλωμένας. Ἔστιν δὲ ἡ δόσις τοῦ διπλοῦ ἀντίδοσις καὶ τὸ καπηλικὸν καὶ ἀνελεύθερον ἐντεῦθεν ἄρχεται ἁπαλοῖς τοῖς φρονήμασιν ἐντυποῦσθαι τῶν νέων. 4.6.2 Τοὺς δὲ ἱεροὺς καὶ βελτίστους γεωργοὺς οἷα διατίθησιν αὕτη ἡ ἡμέρα! Φευκτὴν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἄβατον τὴν πόλιν ἐργάζεται· καὶ μᾶλλον αὐτὴν ἀποδιδράσκου σιν ἢ οἱ λαγοὶ τὰ δίκτυα. Οἱ γὰρ εὑρισκόμενοι μαστίζονται, παροινοῦνται, ἀπολλύουσιν τὰ ἐν χερσίν, ἐν εἰρήνῃ πολεμοῦνται, ἐπιχλευάζονται, κωμῳδοῦνται λόγοις καὶ ἔργοις·

The Folly of Human Riches§23

23Our best prophets, the helpless animals, the simple images of God, and the faithful slaves of our life in freedom are filled with insolence. Thus the perfect, the poor, the children, and the rustic ones are affected. Some toil, some grumble, and some learn what is not good to know.

Let us consider how even unarmed soldiers are harmed by this festival. They suffer financial loss and, for a single lapse, they offer the food-allowance of war. They are harmed in their ways and characters. For they learn lawlessness, the conveniences of tents, and a dissolution and softness of character, and childishness against the laws and the order for which they were set as guards.

For they mock and drag down the greatest authority, ascending like a chariot upon a stage, and ordaining spear-bearers with minds gone astray, and publicly doing things of the outcasts toward ruin. And these are the most solemn things of the procession. And as for the others, how could anyone say?

Does not even the hero, he who is lion-hearted, who after being armed was seen as wonderful by his own people and fearsome to his enemies, also become womanish when having uncovered himself? And he lets the tunic go down to the hips, and wraps the belt around his chest, and uses womanish sandals, and places the fillet upon his head, which is a law for women? And he carries the wool-filled basket and lowers the thread with his right hand, which once used to carry the trophy? And alternating the tone of the soul, does he speak more sharply and womanishly? These are the useful things of the festival; the...

These are the things concerning the public feast today. And those having ascended to the summit of human offices, the much-boasting officials, spend their wealth in vanity, scattering heaps of money toward the unfruitfulness of justice and the fruit of sin; of which the folly is so conspicuous, as high as the throne.

For having entered into many human thrones and having governed the greatest of royal authorities, they take ungraciously the greatest things from everything; some having embezzled the rations of poor soldiers, others many times having sold justice and truth, and others having exhausted the wealth of the royal treasuries without limit and having diligently gathered from everywhere; yet being sparing of no reproach, not being lacking, not being unjust; and provoking God, they sit now, and after a little time dividing the gold to vagabonds, ill-fated ones, and mimes and dancers and androgynes and women who are prostitutes, providing the body to the people; and again to impure and hopeless gladiators and to the beasts themselves. For it is evident, just as gold feeds the beasts, one buying meat for them, another the fodder.

And all these things are prepared with one haste, so that the names of their transactions may be written beforehand. Oh, the madness! Oh, the blindness! God promises to write the names of the nurturers of the poor in living books, the immortal ones, the incorruptible ones, which you do not make vanish and time does not erase; and those letters you will not see, nor will you make any account.

Greek · §23

πληροῦνται τῆς ὕβρεως οἱ βέλτιστοι ἡμῶν προφῆται, τὰ ἀπόνηρα ζῷα, αἱ ἁπλοϊκαὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰκόνες, οἱ ἐν ἐλευθερίᾳ πιστοὶ δοῦλοι τῆς ἡμετέρας ζωῆς. 4.6.3 Οὕτως μὲν οὖν οἱ ἐν τέλει, οὕτως πένητες, οὕτως παιδία, οὕτως ἄγροικοι. Οἱ μὲν μοχθοῦσιν, οἱ δὲ γογγύζουσιν, οἱ δὲ μανθάνουσιν ἃ μὴ εἰδέναι καλόν. 4.7.1 Σκεψώμεθα δὲ ὅπως καὶ οἱ ἔνοπλοι στρατιῶται παρὰ ταύτης ὠφελοῦνται τῆς ἑορτῆς. Εἰς χρήματα ζημιοῦνται καὶ ἑνὸς ἐκπτώματος μισθὸν προσφέρουσιν τὸν ἐπισιτισμὸν τοῦ πολέμου. Εἰς τρόπους καὶ ἤθη βλάπτονται. Μανθάνουσι γὰρ ἀνελευθερίαν, ἐπιτηδεύματα σκηνικῶν, ἔκλυσιν καὶ μαλακίαν ἠθῶν, παιδιὰν κατὰ τῶν νόμων καὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς, ἧς ἐτάχθησαν φύλακες. 4.7.2 Τὴν γὰρ μεγίστην ἀρχὴν κωμῳδοῦσιν καὶ διασύρουσιν, ἅρμα ὡς ἐπὶ σκηνῆς ἀναβαίνοντες καὶ δορυφόρους πεπλασμέ νους χειροτονοῦντες καὶ δημοσίᾳ ποιοῦντες τὰ τῶν ἐξυρημένων πρὸς κόνδυλον. Καὶ ταῦτ' ἔστιν τῆς πομπείας τὰ σεμνότερα. Τὰ δὲ ἄλλα πῶς ἄν τις εἴποι; 4.7.3 Μὴ καὶ ἐκκαλυψάμενος γυναικίζεται ὁ ἀριστεύς, ὁ τὸν θυμὸν λεοντώδης, ὁ μετὰ τὴν ὅπλισιν θαυμαστὸς ὀφθῆναι τοῖς οἰκείοις καὶ φοβερὸς τοῖς ἐναντίοις· καὶ τὸν χιτῶνα μέχρι τῶν σφυρῶν ἀφίησι καὶ τοῖς στέρνοις περιελίττει τὴν ζώνην καὶ ὑποδήματι κέχρηται γυναικείῳ καὶ τὸν κρώβυλον ἐπιτίθεται τῇ κεφαλῇ, ᾗ γυναιξὶ νόμος· 4.7.4 καὶ φέρει τὴν ἠλακάτην ἐρίου γέμουσαν καὶ τῇ δεξιᾷ νῆμα κατάγει, τῇ ποτε φερούσῃ τὸ τρόπαιον· καὶ τὸν τόνον τῆς ψυχῆς ἐναλλάττων τὸ ὀξύτερον καὶ γυναικῶδες φθέγγεται; Ταῦτα τῆς πανηγύρεως τὰ χρηστά· ταῦτα τῆς πανδήμου ἑορτῆς τὰ συμφέροντα σήμερον. 4.8.1 Καὶ οἱ τῆς κορυφῆς τῶν ἀξιωμάτων ἀνθρωπικῶν ἐπιβάντες, οἱ πολυθρύλητοι ὕπατοι, τῇ ματαιότητι δαπανῶσι τὸν πλοῦτον, σωροὺς χρημάτων σκορπίζοντες εἰς ἀκαρπίαν δικαιοσύνης καὶ καρπὸν ἁμαρτίας· ὧν τοσοῦτον περιφανὴς ἡ ἀφροσύνη, ὅσον ὑψηλὸς ὁ θρόνος. 4.8.2 Πολλοῖς γὰρ ἀνθρωπικοῖς ἐμβατεύσαντες θρόνοις καὶ τὰς μεγίστας τῆς βασιλείας ἀρχὰς διοικήσαντες, λαμβάνουσιν ἀφειδῶς ἀπὸ πάσης τὰ πλεῖστα· οἱ μὲν πενήτων στρατιωτῶν τὸ σιτηρέσιον σφετερισάμενοι, ἄλλοι τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν πολλάκις πωλήσαντες, καὶ τῶν βασιλικῶν ταμιείων ἕτεροι ἄφατον ἐξαντλήσαντες πλοῦτον καὶ τὰ πανταχόθεν σπουδαίως ἀθροίσαντες· φεισάμενοι δὲ οὐδενὸς λήμματος, οὐκ ἀπρεποῦς, οὐκ ἀδίκου· 4.8.3 καὶ Θεὸν παροξύνοντες προκάθηνται νῦν, καὶ μετ' ὀλίγον ἡνιόχοις μερίζοντες τὸν χρυσὸν καὶ 20 αὐληταῖς κακοδαίμοσι καὶ μίμοις καὶ ὀρχησταῖς καὶ ἀνδρογύνοις καὶ γυναιξὶ πόρναις ὤνιον παρεχούσαις τῷ δημίῳ τὸ σῶμα· καὶ αὖθις θηριομάχοις μιαροῖς καὶ ἀνελπίστοις καὶ αὐτοῖς τοῖς θηρίοις. Πρόδηλον γάρ, ὡς καὶ τὰ θηρία τρέφει χρυσός, τοῖς μὲν τὰ κρέα, τοῖς δὲ τὴν μάζαν ὠνούμενος. 4.8.4 Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα προΐενται ὑπὲρ μιᾶς σπουδῆς, ἵνα τὰ ὀνόματα αὐτῶν τῶν συναλλαγμάτων προ γράφηται. Ὢ τῆς ἀνοίας! Ὢ τῆς τυφλότητος! Θεὸς ἐπαγγέλλεται τῶν πτωχοτρόφων τὰ ὀνομάτα βίβλοις ζώσαις ἐγγράφειν, ταῖς ἀθανάτοις, ταῖς ἀδιαφθόροις, ἃς σὴς οὐκ ἀφανίζει καὶ χρόνος οὐκ ἐξαλείφει· κἀκείνων τῶν γραμμάτων οὐκ ἐρᾷς, οὐδὲ λόγον τινὰ ποιῇ

The Vanity of Earthly Riches and Honors§24

24Do you not seek to be written in the memory of God, rather than in the promise of blessedness? For this is the living book.

He speaks much of writing by contract-writers, and of the uneducated speaking crudely and making noise, and of flatterers among the people; a poor judge of what is needed, and a careless examiner of what is useful.

Give to the impoverished man who is struggling, not to the ruined musician; grant to the widow before the prostitute, and to the venerable woman who has been called forth before the public. Labor for the orphan, whom a holy virgin sings to God, and not for a shameless singer who cares only for the sight of the crowd to hunt for followers; satisfy the orphan, release the debt of the poor, and you shall see a glory that endures forever.

Many purses are cast into emptiness for the sake of shameful and disorderly laughter, not knowing how many tears the poor bestow, from which abundance was gathered; how many were bound, how many were flogged, how many came near the yoke and the bridle, so that today those who are indulging may receive. And what is the end? Vanity.

After everything, a small tomb, the body shrinking to a garment of a few obols, oblivion after a little while, and the consuming passion of time covering all that was labored for; judgment upon these is inevitable, from God and the punishment of evil disposition.

Where are the governors? Count those of yesterday and of former times. One was not cut off like the criminals of the head, falling through the continuous movement of a charging multitude; and was he sent off more like a funeral than when he was being carried upon a litter in the pride of his office? Another, having attained honor through the same military strategy, perished badly in the outskirts of Egypt and Libya, fleeing the punishment of the sentence, and finally entreating the sands, since all the land through which he wandered was waterless and uninhabited.

And what shall we say of the one from among the generals and governors, who is now passing through the land of Colchis and is being saved by the philanthropy of the barbarians there?

And that one from the former times, who, as he thought, had a fearless and lion-like mind—what a destruction of life he endured! First, he saw his own son being decapitated; then he himself received the vote for death, and when the rope was already being brought to his mouth, a royal philanthropy restrained the executioner from acting. Having lived a little longer, the old man delayed his end through pains and misfortunes and through the perception of evils, departing from life in disgrace, finding this to be the end of great governorship.

And how he of the past year cared for greater things than the giants, being able to contend with both women and men; fleeing the rods of lords, he desired the rods of governors; he acquired land such that it is not easy even to say, yet he was buried in as much as the one who pitied him bestowed.

Is it not, then, according to the wise Ecclesiastes (Eccl 1:2), that all such things are vanity of vanities, and honors are phantoms of unsubstantial dreams, pleasing for a little while, then passing away, blooming and then withering? We, therefore, standing firm in the Word until then, let us send glory to the Savior.

Greek · §24

τῆς μακαρίας ἐπαγγελίας, οὐδὲ τῇ μνήμῃ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐγγραφῆναι ζητεῖς; Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ἡ βίβλος ἡ ζῶσα. 4.8.5 Περὶ πολλοῦ δὲ ποιῇ παρὰ τῶν συμβολαιογράφων γράφεσθαι καὶ παρὰ τῶν ὠνουμένων τὰ ἀνδράποδα λαλεῖσθαι καὶ κροτεῖσθαι παρὰ δημοτῶν κολάκων, κακὸς τῆς χρείας τῶν πραγμάτων κριτής, ἀνόητος δοκιμαστὴς τοῦ συμφέροντος. 4.8.6 ∆ὸς τῷ λελωβημένῳ πτωχῷ καὶ μὴ τῷ λελυμένῳ μουσικῷ· χάρισαι πρὸ τῆς πόρνης τῇ χήρᾳ, πρὸ τῆς δημοσίας τῇ σεμνῶς κατακεκλημένῃ. Περιέργασαι ποῦ παρθένος ἁγία Θεῷ ψάλλουσα καὶ μίσησον ψάλτριαν ἀναιδῆ πρὸ τῆς ὄψεως τῷ μέλει τοὺς ἀκολάστους θηρεύουσαν· ἐπάρκεσον ὀρφάνῳ, λῦσον δάνεισμα πένητος, καὶ ὄψει δόξαν διαιωνίζουσαν. 4.8.7 Κενοῖς πλῆθος βαλαντίων ὑπὲρ παιδιᾶς ἀσχήμονος καὶ ἀτάκτου γέλωτος, οὐκ εἰδὼς ὅσα πενήτων χαρίζῃ δάκρυα ἐξ ὧν συνήχθη ἡ εὐπορία· πόσοι ἐδέθησαν, πόσοι ἐμαστιγώθησαν, πόσοι ἐγγὺς ἦλθον ἀγχόνης καὶ βρόχου, ἵνα σήμερον οἱ ὀρχούμενοι λάβωσιν. Καὶ τί τὸ τέλος; Ματαιότης. 4.8.8 Μετὰ πάντα τάφος μικρός, ἐσθὴς ὀλίγων ὀβολῶν τὸ σωμάτιον περιστέλλουσα, λήθη μετ' ὀλίγον, τὸ ἀναγ καῖον πάθος τοῦ χρόνου, πάντα τὰ σπουδασθέντα καλύπτουσα· κρίσις ἐπὶ τούτοις Θεοῦ καὶ τῆς κακῆς προαιρέσεως κόλασις ἀπαραίτητος. 4.9.1 Ποῦ οἱ ὕπατοι; Τοὺς χθὲς καὶ πρώην ἀρίθμησον. Οὐχ ὁ μὲν ὡς οἱ κακοῦργοι τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀπετμήθη, πλήθους ὁπλιτεύοντος ἀθρόᾳ κινήσει περιπεσών· ἐπομπεύθη δὲ μετὰ θάνατον μᾶλλον ἢ ὅτε φερόμενος ἐπὶ τοῦ δίφρου ἐγαυρία τοῦ ἀξιώματος; Ἄλλος δὲ μετὰ στρατηγίας τῆς αὐτῆς ταύτης ἐπιτυχὼν τιμῆς, κακῶς ἐν ταῖς ἐσχατιαῖς Αἰγύπτου καὶ τῆς Λιβύης ἀπώλετο φεύγων τῆς καταδίκης τὴν τιμωρίαν, εἶτα ταῖς ψάμμοις ἐντελευτήσας, ἐπειδὴ πᾶσα ἦν ἡ χώρα δι' ἧς ἀπεδίδρασκεν, ἄνυδρος καὶ ἀοίκητος; 4.9.2 Τί δ' ἂν εἴποιμεν πρὸς τὸν ἐκ στρατηγῶν καὶ ὑπάτων, ὁμοίως ἐπὶ τῆς Κολχίδος νῦν χώρας διάγοντα καὶ τῇ τῶν ἐκεῖσε βαρβάρων φιλανθρωπίᾳ διασωζόμενον; 4.9.3 Τὸν δὲ ἐξ ὑπάρχων ἐκεῖνον, τόν, ὡς ᾤετο, ἄμαχον καὶ λεοντώδη τὴν γνώμην, οἵα τοῦ βίου καταστροφὴ διεδέξατο! Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ ἐπεῖδε τὸν ἑαυτοῦ παῖδα ἀποτμηθέντα τῆς κεφαλῆς· εἶτα καὶ αὐτὸς τὴν ἐπὶ θανάτῳ ψῆφον ἐδέξατο καὶ τῆς σχοίνου προσ αχθείσης ἤδη τῷ στόματι φιλανθρωπία βασιλικὴ ἐκώλυσεν ἐνεργῆσαι τὸν δήμιον. Ζήσας δὲ ὀλίγον ὀδύναις καὶ συμφοραῖς ὁ πρεσβύτης καὶ τῇ αἰσθήσει τῶν κακῶν ἐπιχρονίσας, ἐν ἀτιμίᾳ ἀπῆλθεν τοῦ βίου, τοῦτο τῆς μεγάλης ὑπατείας τὸ τέλος εὑράμενος. 4.9.4 Ὁ δὲ τοῦ παρελθόντος ἐνιαυτοῦ πῶς ἐφρόντισεν μείζονα τῶν γιγάντων, γυναιξὶν ὢν καὶ ἀνδράσιν ἀμφισβητήσιμος; Ῥάβδους κυρίων φύγων, ῥάβδων ὑπατικῶν ἐπεθύμησεν· ἐκτήσατο γῆν ὅσην οὐδὲ εἰπεῖν εὔκολον· ἐτάφη δὲ ἐν τοσαύτῃ, ὅσης ὁ ἐλεήσας μετέδωκεν. 4.9.5 Ἆρα οὖν κατὰ τὸν σοφὸν Ἐκκλησιαστὴν οὐ πάντα, ὅσα τοιαῦτα, Ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων, καὶ φάσματά ἐστιν τὰ ἀξιώματα ἀνυποστάτων ὀνείρων, τέρψαντα πρὸς ὀλίγον, εἶτα παραδρα μόντα, ἀνθήσαντα καὶ μαρανθέντα; Ἡμεῖς τοίνυν ἕως τούτου στήσαντες τὸν λόγον δόξαν ἀναπέμψωμεν τῷ Σωτῆρι.

The Purpose of Marriage and the Women's Question§25

25This is the same homily of Asterius from the Gospel according to Matthew, on the subject: 'Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause?'

A good company of these two days is found for the Christians and the hard-working ones, I say, the Sabbath and the Lord's Day, which the cycle of time revolves around every week. For just as mothers or nurses of the church gather the people and establish the priests as teachers, they also lead the disciples and the teachers into the care of souls. For me, therefore, the word of the Friday still echoes, and the things suffered are settled in the memory.

I see the cross springing from the prophecy of Isaiah, and the garments of the Lord as if stained with blood like those of the lamb, and the Savior carrying the reward at hand on his right hand. And I see Solomon, the scales and the weights being precise for power. And I pity the debtor of the Gospel, not sharing with the fellow-slave of philanthropy, which he received from the master, but renewing his own misfortune from thoughtlessness and hardness of heart.

For these headings, as you all know, we burned with desire during the past session, you who did not place your listening in a secondary matter.

But today again there are many and all good things for us, as many as the Spirit has set upon the table being seen. And I applied my mind to the unhospitable and testing Pharisees, and I pitied them greatly for the exhaustion of their ways, through which they attempted to appear wise by their own questions, seeking the source of wisdom; and they failed to grasp the essence of the Only-begotten Divinity, as their questions were always turning away from it.

Concerning these, it seems to me, Isaiah also, prophesying, was saying: 'They turn the prudent backward and make foolish their counsel, and they weave the words of his child'; and again...

They were acting deceitfully with their tongues; let God judge them; let them fall away from their conspiracies. However, they are even useful, for they have set wisdom in motion toward an answer, so that for us, the servants, a record remains of what is profitable for learning.

For behold, marriage is being regulated, a central matter of human life, and the terms for its joining and its dissolving are being strictly legislated. Let the two ranks listen most earnestly, so that the women's sphere may be instructed in its own matters and the men's sphere may be benefited by the exceptional things.

If it is permitted for a man to divorce his wife for every cause (Matt 19:3)—this is the question posed by the Hebrews. I see the purpose of the question among the others. Because the female race is more easily persuaded and leans more toward the working of wonders and toward the agreement and faith in the divinity of Christ, even so, the multitude of women, who were the last of the man-slayers by drawing the Lord toward the cross by their will, were moved to passion and followed the Savior weeping compassionately, so that they might devise some obstacle and hostility toward Him through the mechanism of women's schemes—they themselves, as they thought, applied the traps and the yokes through words.

But the Lord, seeing the wickedness being constructed by the power of divinity, and also dogmatizing the friends of the cross in their lives, working for them a vain ambush, while assisting the women, puts forward the answer, having sent the Pharisees away empty like wolves, surrounding them with the hollow question. She Creation says, the purpose is demonstrated for union and not for dissolution; and regarding marriage, the Creator was first the wedding-procession leader, having joined the first-formed men in the bond of marriage, giving to them...

Greek · §25

21 5.t.1 Τοῦ αὐτοῦ Ἀστερίου ὁμιλία ἐκ τοῦ κατὰ Ματθαῖον εὐαγγελίου εἰς τό· Εἰ ἔξεστιν ἀνθρώπῳ ἀπολῦσαι τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ κατὰ πᾶσαν αἰτίαν 5.1.1 Καλὴ συνωρὶς τῶν δύο τούτων ἡμερῶν τοῖς χριστιανοῖς καὶ φιλοπόνοις τυγχάνει, τοῦ σαββάτου καὶ τῆς κυριακῆς λέγω, ἣν καθ' ἑκάστην ἑβδομάδα ὁ χρόνος ἀνακυκλῶν περιφέρει. Ὡς γὰρ μητέρες ἢ τροφοὶ τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ τὸν λαὸν ἀθροίζουσι καὶ τοὺς ἱερέας παιδευτὰς προκαθίζουσιν· δημαγωγοῦσι δὲ καὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς καὶ τοὺς διδασκάλους εἰς τὴν τῶν ψυχῶν ἐπιμέλειαν. Ἐμοὶ τοίνυν ἔτι τῆς χθιζῆς ἡμέρας ὁ λόγος ἐνηχεῖ καὶ ἐγκάθηται τῇ μνήμῃ τὰ πονηθέντα. 5.1.2 Βλέπω τὸν σταυρὸν διὰ τῆς προφητείας παρὰ Ἡσαΐου πηγνύμενον καὶ τὰ ἱμάτια τοῦ Κυρίου ὡς τὰ τοῦ ληνοβάτου κεχρωσμένα τῷ αἵματι, καὶ τὸν Σωτῆρα τὸν μισθὸν πρόχειρον ἐπὶ τῆς δεξιᾶς φέροντα. Καὶ τὸν Σολομῶντα θεωρῶ τὰ ζυγὰ ἡμῖν καὶ τοὺς σταθμοὺς ἀκριβοῦντα εἰς δύναμιν. Καὶ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τὸν χρεωφειλέτην οἰκτείρω, μὴ μεταδοῦντα τῷ ὁμοδούλῳ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας, ἧς παρὰ τοῦ δεσπότου μετέλαβεν, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς ἀβουλίας καὶ τῆς σκληρότητος τὴν ἰδίαν συμφορὰν ἀνανεωσάμενον. 5.1.3 Τούτοις γὰρ τοῖς κεφαλοίοις κατὰ τὴν παρελθοῦσαν ἐκάμομεν, ὡς ἴστε πάντες οἱ οὐκ ἐν παρέργῳ τὴν ἀκρόασιν θέμενοι. 5.2.1 Σήμερον δὲ πάλιν ἡμῖν πολλὰ μὲν καὶ καλὰ πάντα, ὅσα ἐπὶ τῆς τραπέζης τῆς ὁρωμένης τὸ Πνεῦμα κατέθετο. Ἐπέστησα δὲ τὸν νοῦν τοῖς ἀδολέσχαις ὁμοῦ καὶ πειρασταῖς Φαρισαίοις καὶ σφόδρα γε αὐτοὺς τῆς μοχθηρίας τῶν τρόπων ἠλέησα, ἐφ' οἷς καὶ τὴν πηγὴν τῆς σοφίας ταῖς ἑαυτῶν ἐρωτήσεσιν ἐπεχείρουν κατασοφίζεσθαι· καὶ τῆς ἐγχειρήσεως ἀπετύγχανον τῆς τοῦ Μονογενοῦς θεότητος εἰς τοὐναντίον αὐτοῖς ἀεὶ περιτρεπούσης τὰ ἐρωτήματα. 5.2.2 Περὶ ὧν, μοὶ δοκεῖ, καὶ Ἡσαΐας προφητεύων ἔλεγεν· Ἀποστρέφων φρονίμους εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω καὶ τὴν βουλὴν αὐτῶν μωραίνων καὶ ἱστῶν ῥήματα παιδὸς αὐτοῦ· καὶ πάλιν ∆αβίδ· Ταῖς γλώσσαις αὐτῶν ἐδολιοῦσαν· κρῖνον αὐτούς, ὁ Θεός· ἀποπεσέτωσαν ἀπὸ τῶν διαβουλιῶν αὐτῶν. Πλὴν χάρις αὐτοῖς, καὶ πολεμίοις τυγχάνουσιν, ὅτι τὴν σοφίαν ἐκίνησαν πρὸς ἀπόκρισιν, ἵνα ἡμῖν τοῖς δούλοις ἀνάγραπτον καταλίπῃ τῶν συμφερόντων τὴν μάθησιν. 5.2.3 Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ὁ γάμος κανονίζεται, πρᾶγμα τοῦ ἀνθρωπικοῦ βίου κεφάλαιον, καὶ τῆς συστάσεως αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς διαλύσεως ἀκριβεῖς νομοθετοῦνται οἱ ὅροι. Ὧν λίαν ἐσπουδασ μένως ἀκουσάτω τὰ δύο τάγματα, ἵνα καὶ ἡ γυναικωνῖτις παιδευθῇ τὰ ἴδια καὶ ἡ ἀνδρωνῖτις ὠφεληθῇ τὰ ἐξαίρετα. 5.3.1 Εἰ ἔξεστιν ἀνθρώπῳ ἀπολῦσαι τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ κατὰ πᾶσαν αἰτίαν. Τοῦτο μὲν τῶν Ἑβραίων τὸ πρόβλημα. Ἐγὼ πρὸς τῶν ἄλλων τὸν σκοπὸν βλέπω τῆς ἐρωτήσεως. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸ τῶν γυναικῶν γένος εὐκολώτερόν ἐστι πρὸς τὸ πείθεσθαι καὶ μᾶλλον ἐπε κλίνετο πρός τε τὴν τῶν τεράτων μεγαλουργίαν καὶ πρὸς τὴν συγκατά θεσιν καὶ πίστιν τῆς θεότητος τοῦ Χριστοῦ 5.3.2 οὕτω τοι καὶ τελευταῖον τῶν ἀνδροφόνων τῶν τῇ γνώμῃ πρὸς τὸν σταυρὸν ἑλκόντων τὸν Κύριον, τὸ πλῆθος τῶν γυναικῶν καὶ τὸ πάθος ἀπεθρήνει καὶ ἀκολουθοῦν τῷ Σωτῆρι ἐλεεινῶς ἀπεδάκρυεν, ἵνα τινὰ προσκρουσμὸν καὶ δυσμένειαν αὐτῷ πρὸς τὸ σύστημα τῶν γυναικῶν μηχανήσωνται διὰ τῆς δολερᾶς ἐρωτήσεως, αὐτοὶ μὲν τὰ θήρατρα, ὡς ἐνόμιζον, καὶ τοὺς βρόχους τοὺς διὰ τῶν λόγων ἐπήξαντο· 5.3.3 ὁ δὲ Κύριος τῇ δυνάμει τῆς θεότητος βλέπων τοῦ κατασκευαζομένου τὴν κακουργίαν, ὁμοῦ δὲ καὶ τὰ φιλάν θρωπα δογματίζων τῷ βίῳ, κἀκείνοις τὴν ἔνεδραν ματαίαν ἀπεργα ζόμενος, συνηγοροῦσαν ταῖς γυναιξὶ προβάλλεται τὴν ἀπόκρισιν· λύκους κενοὺς ἀποπέμψας τοὺς Φαρισαίους διακενῆς τῷ ἐρωτήματι περιχήναντας. 5.3.4 Αὐτή, φησί, ἡ κτίσις συναφείας καὶ οὐ διαλύσεως ἐπιδείκνυται τὸν σκοπόν· καὶ τοῦ γάμου πρῶτος νυμφοστόλος ἐστὶν ὁ ∆ημιουργὸς τοὺς πρωτοπλάστους ἀνθρώπους τῷ γαμικῷ συζεύξας δεσμῷ, δοὺς δὲ τοῖς

The Role and Fidelity of the Wife§26

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26After being born, the sequence of living together is necessary, which should be honored as God's law. Those joined to one another are no longer two, but one flesh; so what God has joined, let no man separate (Matthew 19:6). These things were said to the Pharisees then; but now listen, you who easily change markets and wives like garments; who frequently and easily frequent the brothels as if they were festival works; who marry for ease and trade wives; who are easily provoked and immediately write the document of divorce; who leave many widows while still living.

Be persuaded that marriage is cut off only by death and adultery. For it is not like the concubines, where a short number of days disturbs the living together and only hunts pleasure, so it is with those performed according to law and decree; but on the contrary, O man, a single union occurs of both body and soul, just as character is intertwined with character and the flesh is in a certain way bound to the flesh.

How then will you cut it off indifferently? How will you easily and without pain withdraw, having taken a share of life, having served for only a few days, the sister and wife? A sister according to the word of formation and creation, for from one cause of the earth and the same matter you came into being; but a wife through the union of the marriage, through the law of marriage.

What then bond will you break, being bound by law and by nature? And how will you set aside the vows which you laid upon the marriage? And who does he think I am to speak to you? Is it perhaps regarding the dowry written here, when with your own hand I mark it in the book while sealing the completed things?

For those are indeed strong and have sufficient security; yet I refer myself to the voice of Adam (Genesis 2:23): 'This is flesh of my flesh and bone of my bones; she shall be called my wife.'

This voice is not preserved as a vain copy, but is a common confession of men, set forth through the one person of this first man for the common multitude of women joining to men by law. And do not marvel if, from those whom another said, another is held accountable. For all things that happened concerning the first-formed in the beginning, these...

A nature of a following kind was produced. If, having taken the book of creation, a wife abandoned her mother and dragged you before the judge, the very same judge and witness, what words would you say? How will you erase your own voice, which you made before God, where the writer became Moses, the servant of God, instead of a mere scribe?

God gave the woman to Adam without fault and without blemish, and for this reason, as a good guardian, He protected the orphan. But now daughters use the rights of the mother strongly against ignorant and faithless men, so that for you, contempt for the wife is impossible from any direction, being bound by the ancient divine laws and the new human ones.

Let the usefulness of the woman for life also restrain you. She is a member, she is a helper; a partner for the enjoyment of life and for the generation of children; a helper in sickness, a consolation in tribulations, a guardian of the hearth, a treasure of possessions; the same when grieving, the same when rejoicing; possessing wealth in common, if it should fail; managing hard poverty, bravely and patiently enduring what is painful through her, toiling in child-rearing because of her dwelling with you.

But if a crisis of circumstances should seize her, she vanishes when baptized; but those considered friends, measuring friendship by the season of prosperity, withdraw in terrible times; slaves flee both the master and the misfortunes together.

Therefore, the wife remains: a member of the part that is sick, a slave to the evils, and the tear that wipes away the healing of the husband; healing the wound if it is struck; following the one being led to prison; and even if one allows her to enter, she shares the pleasure of the confinement; but if even this is forbidden, she remains at the doors of the prison, as a little dog accustomed to her master.

I knew a woman who had cut her hair and put on manly clothing, this flowering garment, so that she would not be separated while the man was fleeing and hiding. She seemed to be a slave, but truly she was a slave to passion; and she lived this life for many years, moving from place to place and from desert to desert. We find such a thing also in the most patient Job.

Greek · §26

22 γενησομένοις εἰς ἔπειτα τὴν ἀκολουθίαν τῆς συνοικήσεως ἀπαραίτητον, ἣν τιμᾶν προσῆκεν ὡς νόμον Θεοῦ. Οἱ δὲ ἀλλήλοις συναφθέντες οὐκ ἔτι εἰσὶ δύο, ἀλλὰ σὰρξ μία· ὥστε ὃ συνέζευξεν ὁ Θεός, ἄνθρω πος μὴ χωριζέτω. 5.4.1 Ἐλέχθη μὲν ταῦτα τοῖς Φαρισαίοις τότε· ἀκούσατε δὲ νῦν, οἱ τούτων κάπηλοι καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας ὡς ἱμάτια εὐκόλως μετενδυόμενοι· οἱ τὰς παστάδας πολλάκις καὶ ῥᾳδίως πηγνύντες ὡς πανηγύρεως ἐργασ τήρια· οἱ τὰς εὐπορίας γαμοῦντες καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας ἐμπορευόμενοι· οἱ μικρὸν παροξυνόμενοι καὶ εὐθὺς τὸ βιβλίον τῆς διαιρέσεως γράφοντες· οἱ πολλὰς χήρας ἐν τῷ ζῆν ἔτι καταλιμπάνοντες. 5.4.2 Πείσθητε, ὅτι γάμος θανάτῳ μόνῳ καὶ μοιχείᾳ διακόπτεται. Οὐ γὰρ ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῶν ἑταιρίδων ὀλίγος ἡμερῶν ἀριθμὸς πειράζει τὴν συμβίωσιν καὶ μόνην θηρεύει τὴν ἡδονήν, οὕτως ἐστὶ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν νόμῳ καὶ θεσμῷ τελουμένων· ἀλλὰ πᾶν τοὐναντίον, ὦ ἄνθρωπε, μία τις ἕνωσις γίνεται καὶ σώματος καὶ ψυχῆς, ὡς καὶ τὸ ἦθος τῷ ἤθει συνανακιρνᾶσθαι καὶ τὴν σάρκα τῇ σαρκὶ τρόπον τινὰ συνδεδέσθαι. 5.4.3 Πῶς οὖν ἀπαθῶς διατέμνῃ; Πῶς εὐκόλως καὶ χωρὶς ἀλγηδόνος ἀναχωρεῖς, βίου κοινωνὸν λαβών, οὐκ ὀλίγων ἡμερῶν ὑπηρέτιν, τὴν ἀδελφὴν καὶ γυναῖκα; Ἀδελφὴν μὲν κατὰ τὸν λόγον τῆς πλάσεως καὶ τῆς δημιουργίας ἀφ' ἑνὸς γὰρ αἰτίου τῆς γῆς καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ὕλης ὑπέστητε· γυναῖκα δὲ διὰ τὴν ἕνωσιν τῆς συζυγίας, διὰ τὸν νόμον τοῦ γάμου. 5.4.4 Ποῖον οὖν διαρρήξεις δεσμὸν καὶ νόμῳ δεδεμένος καὶ φύσει; Πῶς δὲ ἀθετήσεις τὰς ὁμολογίας ἃς ἐπὶ τῷ γάμῳ κατέθου; Καὶ ποίας με οἴει λέγειν; Ἆρα τῆς προικὸς τῆς συγγραφείσης ἐνταῦθα, ὅτε τῇ σαυτοῦ χειρὶ ἐπεσημήνω τῷ βιβλίῳ ἐπισφραγιζόμενος τὰ τελούμενα; 5.4.5 Ἰσχυρὰ μὲν γὰρ κἀκεῖνα καὶ ἱκανὴν τὴν ἀσφάλειαν ἔχοντα· πλὴν ἐγὼ πρὸς τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἐμαυτὸν ἀναφέρω· Τοῦτο σὰρξ ἐκ τῶν σαρκῶν μου καὶ ὀστοῦν ἐκ τῶν ὀστῶν μου· αὕτη κληθήσεται μου γυνή. 5.4.6 Αὕτη ἡ φωνὴ οὐ μάτην ἀνάγραπτος σώζεται, ἀλλὰ κοινή ἐστιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὁμολογία, δι' ἑνὸς προσώπου τοῦ πρώτου τούτου κοίνῳ πλήθει τῶν γυναικῶν ἐκτεθεῖσα τῶν νόμῳ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν συναπτομένων. Καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς, εἰ ἐξ ὧν ἄλλος εἶπεν, ἄλλος εὐθύνεται. Πάντα γὰρ ὅσα περὶ τῶν πρωτοπλάστων ἐν ἀρχαῖς συνέβη, ταῦτα τοῦ ἀκολούθου γένους φύσις ἐγένετο. 5.5.1 Ἂν οὖν λαβοῦσα τὸ τῆς κοσμοποιίας βιβλίον ἡ μάτην ἀφιεμένη γύνη ἑλκύσῃ σε πρὸς τὸν δικαστήν δικαστὴν τὸν αὐτὸν καὶ μάρτυρα, τί λέξεις, εἰπέ; Πῶς ἐξαλείψεις τὴν σαυτοῦ φωνήν, ἣν ἐπὶ Θεοῦ ἐποιήσω, ἧς συγγραφεὺς ἀντὶ εὐώνου συμβολαιογράφου Μωϋσῆς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ θεράπων ἐγένετο; 5.5.2 Ἀπάτορα καὶ ἀμήτορα τὴν γυναῖκα ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἀδὰμ ἐξέδοτο καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὡς ἀγαθὸς κηδεμὼν τὴν ὀρφανὴν ἠσφα λίσατο· τοῖς τῆς μητρὸς δὲ νῦν δικαιώμασιν ἰσχυρῶς αἱ θυγατέρες κέχρηνται κατὰ τῶν ἀγνωμόνων καὶ ἀπίστων ἀνδρῶν, ὥστε σοι παντα χόθεν ἡ καταφρόνησις τῆς γαμετῆς ἀδύνατος, καὶ ἀρχαίοις νόμοις τοῖς θείοις καὶ νέοις τοῖς ἀνθρωπικοῖς δεδεμένῳ. 5.5.3 ∆υσωπείτω δέ σε καὶ τὸ χρήσιμον τῆς γυναικὸς πρὸς τὸν βίον. Μέλος ὑπάρχει, βοηθός ἐστιν· συνεργὸς εἰς διαγωγὴν τοῦ βίου, εἰς παίδων γένεσιν· νόσου ἐπίκουρος, θλίψεων παραμυθία, φύλαξ τῆς ἑστίας, θησαυρὸς τῶν κτημάτων· τὰ αὐτὰ λυπουμένη, τὰ αὐτὰ χαίρουσα· κοινὸν κεκτημένη τὸν πλοῦτον, εἰ παρείη· τὴν μοχθηρὰν οἰκονομοῦσα πενίαν, εὐμηχάνως καὶ καρτερῶς ἀντέχουσα πρὸς τὰ παρ' ἐκείνης ὀδυνηρά, ἐπιμόχθου παιδοτροφίας ἀνεχομένη διὰ τὴν πρὸς σὲ συνοίκησιν. 5.5.4 Ἂν δέ που καὶ περίστασις καταλάβῃ πραγμάτων, βαπτισθεὶς ἀφανίζεται· οἱ δὲ νομιζόμενοι φίλοι τῷ καιρῷ τῆς εὐπραγίας τὴν φιλίαν μετροῦντες ὑποχωροῦσιν ἐν τοῖς δεινοῖς· οἱ δοῦλοι καὶ τὸν δεσπότην ὁμοῦ καὶ τὰς συμφορὰς δραπετεύουσιν. 5.5.5 Λείπεται λοιπὸν ἡ γυνή, τοῦ νοσοῦντος μέρους τὸ μέλος καὶ τῶν κακῶν δούλη καὶ τῆς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς θεραπείας, τὸ δάκρυον ἀποψῶσα· τὴν πληγήν, ἂν μαστιχθῇ, θεραπεύουσα· ἀκολουθοῦσα πρὸς δεσμωτήριον ἀγομένῳ· κἂν μέν τις ἀφῇ συνεισελθεῖν, ἡδέως τῆς καθείρξεως 23 κοινωνεῖ· ἂν δὲ κωλυθῇ καὶ τοῦτο, ταῖς θύραις τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου, ὡς κυνίδιον τῷ δεσπότῃ σύνηθες, παραμένει. 5.6.1 Ἔγνων ἐγὼ γυναῖκα καὶ τὴν κόμην κείρασαν καὶ ἀνδρικὴν περιθεμένην ἐσθῆτα καὶ ταύτην ἀνθεινήν, ἵνα ἀνδρὸς φεύγοντος καὶ κρυπτομένου μὴ χωρισθῇ. ∆οῦλος δὲ εἶναι δοκοῦσα, ἀληθῶς δουλεύει τῷ πόθῳ· καὶ τοῦτον τὸν βίον ἐν πολλοῖς ἔτεσιν διετέλεσεν, τόπον ἐκ τόπου καὶ ἐρημίαν ἐξ ἐρημίας ἀμείβουσα. 5.6.2 Τοιαύτην δὲ καὶ τοῦ καρτερωτάτου Ἰὼβ εὑρίσκομεν τὴν

The Virtues of a Wife vs. the Cruelty of Men§27

27For everyone left her; even the flatterers fled with the wealth, and friends measured their friendship by the season of prosperity. If they did happen to appear, their presence was a reproach rather than a visit; a burden of misfortune, not a consolation. Therefore, all the bad comforters withdrew from him.

But she, who was once distinguished by her toil, stayed with her husband, leaving aside the filth and pulling out the worms of the wounds. Thus, she was a partner of his life, not a companion of his prosperity; an inseparable friend, not a flatterer of pleasures; leaving behind only all kindness, all most-dear qualities, and all kinship.

Therefore, out of extreme and excessive friendship for a man, and toward the sin of blasphemy, she fell, so that the man might not be punished for a long time, nor see him in unmanageable pains, by saying a blasphemous word toward God, advising him and that he might undergo a swift end. For she did not consider her own remaining misfortune, that of widowhood; but she had only one concern, how the man might escape an unlivable life. These things, along with the new trial and the memory of the old, instruct the wedding-insulter.

What then would the one responsible for the accusation say toward these things? And what kind of fair-faced defense of his own ease would he put forward? 'Worthless,' he says, 'and worthy of hatred is the character of the woman, and her tongue is impudent, and her manner is not domestic, and her management is lawless.' Let it be so; let it be granted. I am completely persuaded and I accept, that judges who are not very precise in hearing easily are dragged along by the attacks of the accusers.

But you say: 'While leading the beginning, did you not know that you were connecting with a human? And having heard of a human, does one not immediately see a small sin following? For God's alone is the ungraspable. Do you not yourself sin? And do you not cause grief to the woman by your manner? And are you innocent of all wrongdoing and do you keep the institution of living together without corruption?'

O how much chance of rebuke your wife brought! And how many ready insults and indecent words she endured! And how many of your faults are kept silent, because the woman did not publish them! She endured you even while you were becoming angry and your spirit was boiling; and the free and equal one was silenced.

She was like a slave from a market. She did not reproach you for not providing the necessities for the conduct of life due to poverty or stinginess. Nor did she ever reject you after coming from a banquet, having drunk wine and being out of her mind because she hated drunkenness; rather, she received you with human sympathy, and she led you, who were punishing yourself, and she treated the head with the vapors of the wine being poured out. And she alone, sympathizing, led you to the marriage bed, while the servants were laughing and mocking the excess from the drunkenness.

But you, bypassing the amphorae, sing songs against the woman on cold pretexts, so that you might prepare sympathy for yourself for the imminent division. The mind of such men is hard, beastly and unmerciful, having a birth from oak or stone, according to what is said. For they are cut off indifferently, erasing the memory of all at once.

But who, instead of healing a sick limb, cuts it off, and this not having considered a dangerous disease, but having much hope for an easy cure? A blister occurred on the hand, let us treat it carefully; an inflammation pursued the foot, let us settle the irritation with medicine. And if, being present, we had attended to the physicians' inspection regarding the incision and the iron, and had occupied ourselves with each of those who were suffering, we would not have lost even a small amount of life's time, but would have amputated ourselves for all the limbs.

But not so, O men; let there be some memory of the punishments; let the healings of women make you ashamed. However much you may be provoked, if you withstand the pangs of a single birth against the reproaches, you will find the situation of those who suffer to be conquered.

Let the calculation be referred to the middle, and let the good things be included in the goodwill: the healing of diseases, the sharing of misfortunes, the tears presented to some on behalf of a husband, the leaving of those she gave birth to and the parental table to follow a stranger, the selling of something of her own so that she might drive away the insolence and trouble of the husband. Let all these things instruct toward a disposition and let them become a bond of affection, such as a more modest house awakening and holding together the easily slipping soul. But let mercy prevail, and habit, and living together for a long time, let it not be struck by...

Greek · §27

γυναῖκα. Κατέλιπον γὰρ κἀκεῖνον οἱ πάντες καὶ οἱ κόλακες τῷ πλούτῳ συναπερρύησαν καὶ οἱ φίλοι τῷ καιρῷ τῆς εὐπραγίας τὴν φιλίαν ἐμέτρησαν. Εἰ δέ που καὶ παρεγένοντο, ὄνειδος ἦν ἡ παρουσία καὶ οὐκ ἐπίσκεψις· ἐπιθήκη τῆς συμφορᾶς, οὐ παραμυθία. ∆ιὸ δὴ καὶ οἱ παρακλήτορες κακῶν πάντες πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἀπεσχετλίασαν. 5.6.3 Μόνη δὲ ἡ ποτὲ περιφανὴς ἐπὶ τῆς κοπρίας τῷ ἀνδρὶ συνεκάθητο ἀποξέουσα τὸν ἰχῶρα καὶ τοὺς σκώληκας τῶν τραυμάτων ἐξέλκουσα. Οὕτως τοῦ βίου κοινωνός, οὐ τῆς εὐπραγίας σύνοικος· ἀχώριστος φίλος, οὐ κόλαξ τῶν ἡδονῶν· πάσης εὐκληρίας καὶ πάντων φιλτάτων καὶ συγ γενῶν μόνον ἀγαθὸν λείψανον. 5.6.4 ∆ιόπερ ἐκ τῆς ἄκρας καὶ καθ' ὑπερβολὴν φιλανδρίας καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τῆς βλασφημίας ἐξέπεσεν, ἵνα μὴ μακρὰ κολάζηται ὁ ἀνήρ, μηδὲ βλέπῃ αὐτὸν ἐν ταῖς ἀληκτοῖς ὀδύναις, εἰπεῖν τι ῥῆμα βλάσφημον εἰς Θεὸν συμβουλεύουσα καὶ ταχεῖαν τὴν τελευτὴν ὑπελθεῖν. 5.6.5 Τὴν γὰρ ἰδίαν λοιπὸν συμφορὰν τὴν τῆς χηρείας οὐκ ἐλογίζετο· ἓν δὲ μόνον ἐμερίμνα, ὅπως τὴν ἀβίωτον ζωὴν ὁ ἀνὴρ διαφύγοι. Ταῦτα μετὰ τῆς νέας πείρας καὶ ἡ μνήμη τῶν παλαιῶν παιδεύει τὸν τῶν γάμων ὑβριστήν. 5.7.1 Τί δ' ἂν εἴποι πρὸς ταῦτα ὁ τῆς κατηγορίας ὑπεύθυνος; Ποίαν δὲ εὐπρόσωπον ἀπολογίαν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ εὐκολίας προβάλοιτο; Φαῦλον, φησίν, καὶ μίσους ἄξιον τὸ ἦθος τῆς γυναικὸς καὶ ἡ γλῶσσα προπετὴς καὶ ὁ τρόπος οὐκ οἰκουρὸς καὶ ἀνοικονόμητος ἡ διοίκησις. Ἔστω· δεδόσθω. Πείθομαι τέως καὶ δέχομαι, ὡς οἱ μὴ σφόδρα τὴν ἀκοὴν ἀκριβεῖς δικασταί, εὐκόλως δὲ ταῖς καταδρομαῖς τῶν κατηγόρων παρα συρόμενοι. 5.7.2 Σὺ δὲ εἰπέ· Τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀγόμενος οὐκ ἐγίνωσκες ὡς ἀνθρώπῳ συνάπτῃ; Ἀνθρώπου δέ τις ἀκούσας οὐκ εὐθὺς ὁρᾷ τὴν γοῦν μικρὰν ἁμαρτίαν ἀκολουθοῦσαν; Θεοῦ γὰρ μόνου τὸ ἀνεπίληπτον. Αὐτὸς δὲ ἆρα οὐχ ἁμαρτάνεις; Οὐ παρέχεις δὲ λύπας ἐκ τοῦ τρόπου τῇ γυναικί; Ἀθῶος δὲ εἶ πάσης πλημμελείας καὶ τῇ συνοικήσει τὸν θεσμὸν τηρεῖς ἀδιάφθορον; 5.7.3 Ὦ πόσας σου τυχὸν παροινίας ἤνεγκεν ἡ γυνή! Πόσων δὲ προχείρων ὕβρεων καὶ λόγων ἀσέμνων ἠνέσχετο! Ὅσα δέ σου ἐλαττώ ματα σιγᾶται, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἐδημοσίευσεν ἡ γυνή! Ἠνέσχετό σου καὶ μάτην ὀργιζομένου καὶ τῷ θυμῷ ὑπερζέοντος· καὶ ἡ ἐλευθέρα καὶ ὁμότιμος ἐσιώπησεν ὡς δούλη τῶν ἐκ πωλητηρίου. 5.7.4 Καὶ τὰ ἀναγκαῖα μὴ χορηγοῦντι πρὸς τὴν τοῦ βίου διαγωγὴν διὰ πενίαν ἢ φειδωλίαν οὐκ ὠνείδισεν λυπουμένη· οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ ἐκ συμποσίου ἐλθόντα ποτὲ καὶ οἰνωμένον καὶ ἔκφρονα ἀπέρριψε τῆς μέθης μισήσασα, ἀλλὰ ὑπεδέξατο μετὰ συγγνώμης ἀνθρωπικῆς καὶ ἐχειραγώγησέ σε τὸν κολάζοντα καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐθεράπευσεν τοῖς ἀτμοῖς περιδονουμένην τοῦ οἴνου· ὡδήγησεν δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν κοίτην τὴν γαμικὴν μόνη συμπαθοῦσα, τῶν οἰκετῶν γελώντων καὶ ἐπιχλευαζόντων τὴν ἐκ τῆς μέθης παραφοράν. 5.7.5 Σὺ δὲ τὰ ἄμφοδα περινοστεῖς ἐπὶ ψυχραῖς αἰτίαις ἐκτραγῳδῶν τὴν γυναῖκα, ἵνα σαυτῷ τὴν συγγνώμην παρασκευάσῃς τῆς προχείρου διαιρέσεως. Σκληρὰ τῶν τοιούτων ἀνδρῶν ἡ γνώμη, θηριώδης καὶ ἀμείλικτος, ἐκ δρυὸς ἢ ἐκ πέτρας, κατὰ τὸ λεγόμενον, τὴν γέννησιν ἔχουσα. Πάντων γὰρ ὁμοῦ τὴν μνήμην ἐξαλείψαντες ἀπαθῶς διατέμνονται. 5.7.6 Τίς δὲ μέλος νοσῆσαν ἀντὶ τοῦ θεραπεύειν ἐκκόπτει, καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐπικινδύνου πάθους ἐνσκήψαντος, ἀλλὰ πολλὴν ἔχοντος καὶ ῥᾳδίαν τῆς ἰάσεως τὴν ἐλπίδα; Ἐπεγένετο φλύκταινα τῇ χειρί, ἐπιμελῶς αὐτὴν θεραπεύσωμεν· φλεγμονὴ τὸν πόδα διώχλησεν, φαρμάκῳ τὴν ἐξοίδησιν 24 καταστείλωμεν. Εἰ δὲ παρέντες τὴν τῶν ἰατρῶν ἐπίσκεψιν περὶ τὴν τομὴν καὶ τὸν σίδηρον ἀσχοληθείημεν καθ' ἕκαστον τῶν λυπούντων, οὐδὲ μικρὸν τῆς ζωῆς διαγενόμενοι χρόνον πᾶσι τοῖς μέλεσιν ἑαυτοὺς ἀκρωτηριάσωμεν. 5.7.7 Ἀλλ' οὐχ οὕτως, ὦ ἄνδρες· ἔστω τις μνήμη καὶ τῶν κώλων· δυσωπεί τωσαν ὑμᾶς αἱ θεραπεῖαι τῶν γυναικῶν. Ὅσον δ' ἂν παροξυνθῆτε, ἑνὸς τόκου τὴν ὠδῖνα ἀντιθέντες ταῖς μέμψεσιν εὑρήσετε νικωμένην τὴν τῶν λυπούντων περίστασιν. 5.8.1 Ἀναφερέτω ὁ ἀναλογισμὸς εἰς μέσον καὶ τῆς εὐνοίας τὰ ἀγαθά· νόσων θεραπείας, συμφορῶν κοινωνίαν, δάκρυα τὰ ὑπὲρ ἀνδρὸς προσαχθέντα τισίν, τὸ καταλιπεῖν τοὺς γεννησαμένους καὶ ἑστίαν γονικὴν καὶ ἀκολουθῆσαι τῷ ξένῳ, τὸ πωλῆσαί τι τῶν οἰκείων, ἵνα ὕβριν καὶ ὄχλησιν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐξωνήσηται. 5.8.2 Ταῦτα πάντα παιδαγωγείτω πρὸς τὴν διάθεσιν καὶ γινέσθω σύνδεσμος τῆς στοργῆς, οἷον οἰκίαν τινὰ σαθροτέραν τὴν εὐόλισθον ψυχὴν διεγείροντα καὶ συνέχοντα. Ἔλεος δὲ κρατείτω καὶ συνήθεια καὶ μακροῦ χρόνου συμβίωσις μὴ πατείσθω, ἥτις καὶ τὰ

The Bond of Marriage and the Call to Sobriety§28

28It is irrational of animals to be held together without passion. For I saw with passion a bellowing ox, because having wandered from its companions it remained stuck, and a sheep being thrown into a pit and running through the mountains until it could reunite with the flock from which it was separated while grazing. And a goat, experiencing this same thing, even if it runs through many herds of kids, does not stand still until it finds its usual place and its own sharp-edged way.

Therefore, let us not be found more passionless toward friendship than the irrational ones who are rational, nor let us judge the marriage of a companion to be less honorable because of having become friendly in a short time through a small pretext. You see how even on the high road, men having mixed with one another, having gone under the same roof of a building or having shaded themselves at midday in a tree embracing them in the season of summer, make the encounter an occasion for genuine disposition; and even if they come to the road that divides, they do not depart from one another passionlessly, but they stand and weep, looking intently at one another, and each gives tokens of memory to carry; and having advanced a little, they turn back again and call out, and one prays for the other the spiritual things; and does a little time thus sharpen the friendship so acutely, that it becomes unchangeable to them and their departure is established?

But you, toward the one who is a sharer of life, act so contemptuously, as toward a vessel fallen or a cheap garment forgotten on a journey or a rag of the Melitians departing a house? And where is the disposition formed in the beginning? Where is the rest upon the one bed, the joining of the law, the strength of much and long habit, which is even transformed into nature and has a reason, and experience has shown? Having cut off everything more easily than Samson cut the cords of the Philistines (Judges 16).

Even if he is sober and a guardian of his disposition, he does not easily forget the life of the marriage even after it has departed, but he warms the children as a common deposit of the mother and of nature, and in them he seems to see the one who has gone. For one preserves the likeness of the mother's voice, another is drawn to much of the character, another is formed in the state of the character toward the one who bore him; and thus the father preserves many.

Having the living and manifest image of the marriage as an immortal pattern, he imagines the cohabitation toward it and for this reason does not conceive any unseemly thought. Not today, having entered the tomb, after a little time, does he prepare wedding feasts; nor does he hasten to a wedding dance again after the weeping and the groans; nor does he mix the black and mourning garment into a bridal attire; nor does he introduce a second marriage into the warm bed of the one who has departed; nor does he give the heavy name to the children.

He imitates the irrational and natural dignity of the birds. For they say that even that bird, having been separated from its mate, loves the widowship continuously and stands in opposition to the dove, making it easy toward polygamy.

Until this, let the man be cast heavily with accusations, and let the insults of ignorance sting him more densely with veils. If, however, an accusation of adultery is brought forward and such is provided as the defense for the separation, I will immediately shift my sympathy to the wronged one, and having prepared the argument against the adulteress, I will stand as a good ally to the man instead of an enemy, praising the one who fled the aggressor, the one who broke the bond to which he was bound with a shield or an echidna.

For by this, the Creator of all gives forgiveness first, as it is just for one who is suffering and rightly driving away the sickness of the house and the hearth. For marriage consists of these two: disposition and child-rearing, neither of which is saved after adultery. For the disposition is not one that turns away from another of goodwill; and child-rearing is lost when the children are poured out.

But regarding those leading toward this, the sin is stated in another hypothesis proportionately. Let both sides practice sobriety, the unbreakable bond of marriages. For where this is honored, there must always be both peace and longing, without the soul desiring any common and illegitimate passion, casting out the lawful and just affection.

This law of sobriety was established by God not for women only, but also for men. And those paying attention to the law-makers of this life are not without shame.

Greek · §28

ἄλογα ποιεῖ τῶν ζῴων ἀχωρίστως ἔχειν ἀλλήλων. 5.8.3 Ἐμπαθῶς γὰρ εἶδον ἐγὼ βοῦν μυκώμενον, ἐπειδὴ τῶν συννόμων ἀποπλανηθεὶς ἐμονώθη, καὶ πρόβατον ἐν νάπῃ βληχώμενον καὶ διατρέχον τὰ ὄρη, μέχρις ἂν τῇ ἀγέλῃ συνάψῃ, ἧς ἐχωρίσθη νεμόμενον. Αἲξ δὲ ταὐτὸ τοῦτο παθοῦσα, κἂν πολλὰς ἀγέλας αἰγῶν διατρέχουσα καταλάβῃ, οὐ πρότερον ἵσταται, πρὶν ἂν τὴν συνήθη εὕρῃ καὶ τὸν αἰπόλον τὸν ἴδιον. 5.9.1 Μὴ τοίνυν ἀπαθέστεροι πρὸς φιλίαν εὑρεθῶμεν τῶν ἀλόγων οἱ λογικοί, μηδὲ ἀτιμωτέραν τὴν γαμετὴν κρίνωμεν συνοδοιπόρου τινὸς ἢ τοῦ διὰ μικρὰν πρόφασιν ἐν ὀλίγῳ προσφιλιωθέντος. Ὁρᾷς ὡς καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς λεωφόρου ἀλλήλοις συμμίξαντες ἄνθρωποι, ὄροφον δὲ καταγωγίου τὸν αὐτὸν ὑπελθόντες ἢ δένδρον ἀμφιλαφὲς ὥρᾳ θέρους τὴν μεσημβρίαν ἀποσκιάσαν, ἀφορμὴν διαθέσεως γνησίας τὴν συντυχίαν ποιοῦνται· 5.9.2 κἂν ἔλθωσιν ἐπὶ τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν μερίζουσαν, ἀπαθῶς ἀλλήλων οὐκ ἀπαλ λάττονται, ἀλλ' ἵστανται καὶ ὑποδακρύουσιν βλέποντες ἀτενὲς εἰς ἀλλήλους, καὶ σύμβολα μνήμης ἕκαστος δίδωσιν φέρειν· καὶ μικρὸν προβάντες πάλιν μεταστρέφονται καὶ ἀνακαλοῦσιν, ἐπεύχεται δὲ ἕτερος τῷ ἑτέρῳ τὰ αἴσια· καὶ ὀλίγος χρόνος οὕτως ὀξυτάτην κίρνησι τὴν φιλίαν, ὡς δυσαπάλλακτον αὐτοῖς γίνεσθαι καὶ βεβιασμένην τὴν ἀναχώρησιν; 5.9.3 Σὺ δὲ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ βίου κοινωνὸν οὕτως καταφρονητικῶς ἔχεις, ὡς πρὸς σκεῦος ἀποπεσὸν ἢ ἱμάτιον εὐτελὲς ἐν ὁδοιπορίᾳ ληθαργηθὲν ἢ κυνίδιον τῶν Μελιττέων ὑποχωρῆσαν οἰκίας; Καὶ ποῦ ἡ ἐν ἀρχαῖς πεπλασμένη διάθεσις; Ποῦ ἡ ἐπὶ τῆς μιᾶς κοίτης ἀνάπαυσις, ἡ τοῦ νόμου σύνειρξις, ἡ τῆς πολλῆς καὶ μακρᾶς συνηθείας δύναμις, ἣν καὶ εἰς φύσιν μεταποιεῖσθαι καὶ λόγος ἔχει καὶ ἡ πεῖρα ὑπέδειξεν; Πάντα διέκοψας εὐκολώτερον ἢ ὁ Σαμψὼν τὰ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων καλώδια. 5.10.1 Καίτοι ὅγε σώφρων καὶ τῆς διαθέσεως φύλαξ οὐδὲ ἀναχωρησάσης τοῦ βίου τῆς γαμετῆς ῥᾳδίως ἐπιλανθάνεται, ἀλλὰ θάλπει τοὺς παῖδας ὡς κοινὴν παρακαταθήκην τῆς μητέρος καὶ τῆς φύσεως, ἐν ἐκείνοις δὲ καθορᾶν δοκεῖ τὴν ἀπελθοῦσαν. 5.10.2 Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τῶν παίδων τῆς μητρικῆς φωνῆς ὁμοιότητα σώζει, ἄλλος τὸ πολὺ τοῦ χαρακτῆρος ἐφέλκεται, ἕτερος τὴν τοῦ ἤθους κατάστασιν ἐμορφώθη πρὸς τὴν τεκοῦσαν· καὶ οὕτως ὁ πατὴρ πολλὰς ἔχων τῆς γαμετῆς εἰκόνας ζώσας καὶ ἐναργεῖς ἀθάνατον ὑποτυποῦται τὴν πρὸς ἐκείνην συνοίκησιν καὶ διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲν φιλήδονον ἐννοεῖ· 5.10.3 οὐ σήμερον χώσας τὸν τάφον μετ' ὀλίγον χρόνον παστάδας κατασκευάζει· οὐδὲ μετὰ τὸ δάκρυον καὶ τοὺς στεναγμοὺς ἐπὶ γαμικὴν πάλιν χορείαν ἐπείγεται· οὐδὲ τὴν μέλαιναν ἐσθῆτα καὶ πενθικὴν εἰς νυμφικὴν διαμείβει στολήν· οὐδὲ θερμῇ τῇ κοίτῃ τῆς ἀπελθούσης τὴν δευτέραν γαμετὴν ἐπεισάγει· οὐδὲ μητρυιὰν δίδωσι τοῖς παισί, τὸ ἐπαχθὲς ὄνομα. 5.10.4 Μιμεῖται δὲ τῶν τρυγόνων τὴν ἄλογον καὶ φυσικὴν σεμνότητα. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκείνην τὴν ὄρνιν, φασίν, τῆς ὁμοβίου διαζευχθεῖσαν ἀγαπᾶν διηνεκῆ τὴν χηρείαν 25 καὶ ἐναντίως ἔχειν πρὸς τὴν περιστερὰν εἰς τὸ τῆς πολυγαμίας εὔκολον. 5.11.1 Μέχρι τούτου πυκναῖς ὁ ἀνὴρ ταῖς κατηγορίαις βαλλέσθω καὶ νιφάδων πυκνότερον αὐτὸν τιτρωσκέτω τὰ τῆς ἀγνωμοσύνης ἐγκλήματα. Ἂν δέ που μοιχείας αἰτίαν προβάληται καὶ τοιαύτην παράσχοι τοῦ χωρισμοῦ τὴν ἀπολογίαν, εὐθὺς τὴν συνηγορίαν μεταθήσομαι τοῦ ἀδικηθέντος καὶ τὸν λόγον κατὰ τῆς μοιχαλίδος παρασκευάσας ἀγαθὸς συνασπιστὴς ἀντὶ πολεμίου τῷ ἀνδρὶ παραστήσομαι, ἐπαινῶν τὸν φυγόντα τὴν ἐπίβουλον, τὸν διακόψαντα τὸν δεσμόν, ᾧ πρὸς τὴν ἀσπίδα ἢ τὴν ἔχιδναν προσεδέδετο. 5.11.2 Τούτῳ γὰρ δίδωσι τὴν συγγνώμην πρῶτος ὁ τοῦ παντὸς ποιητής, ὡς καὶ δικαίως ἀλγοῦντι καὶ προσηκόντως τῆς οἰκίας ἀπελαύνοντι καὶ τῆς ἑστίας τὴν νόσον. Γάμος γὰρ τούτων χάριν τῶν δύο συνίσταται, διαθέσεως καὶ παιδοποιΐας, ὧν οὐδέτερον μετὰ μοιχείας σώζεται. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ διάθεσις οὐκ ἔστιν πρὸς ἄλλον τῆς εὐνοίας ἀπο κλινάσης· παιδοποιΐας δὲ τὸ καλὸν ἀνῄρηται συγκεχυμένων τῶν τέκνων. 5.11.3 Ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν εἰς τοῦτο φέροντα τὸ ἁμάρτημα εἴρηται ἐν ἄλλῃ ὑποθέσει συμμέτρως. Ἀμφότερα δέ μοι τὰ μέρη σωφροσύνην ἀσκήσατε, τὸν ἀρραγῆ τῶν γάμων σύνδεσμον. Ὅπου γὰρ αὕτη τιμᾶται, ἐπάναγκες εἶναι καὶ εἰρήνην καὶ πόθον, οὐδεμίας πανδήμου καὶ νόθου ἐπιθυμίας τὴν ψυχὴν ἐπιθηγούσης, ἐκβαλούσης δὲ τὴν νόμιμον καὶ δικαίαν στοργήν. 5.12.1 Οὗτος τῆς σωφροσύνης ὁ νόμος οὐ ταῖς γυναιξὶ μόνον παρὰ Θεοῦ ὥρισται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν. Οἱ δὲ τοῖς τοῦ βίου τούτου νομοθέταις προσέχοντες ἀνεύθυνον

The Overflowing Grace of the Spirit§29

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29Men leave the power of fornication to themselves; they are heavy judges and teachers of women's modesty, while they themselves trespass upon many bodies, being like doctors who, according to the proverb, infect with a myriad of lures.

Even if one of them falls into these transgressions, they present a decorated and playful defense. For men say that even if they approach many women, they do not defile their own hearth; but women, from whom they sin, introduce alien heirs to the houses and the lineages. Let the sophists and finders of the adulterous opinion listen, that they themselves also overturn other hearths and houses.

For the women with whom they associate are certainly either daughters or wives of someone; and in every way, either a marriage is being plotted against or a parent is being wronged, he who fathered and reared and hoped to have a virgin upon the paving and in the bridal chamber, but all good expectation was taken away from him by the robbers of temperance.

If the dissolute man is a father, let him recognize the father's suffering being missed; if a husband, let him represent himself as the one being wronged. For it is easy thus to judge others for everyone, as if he would wish another for himself. If some, paying attention to certain Roman laws, unashamedly consider fornication to be permissible, they are terribly wandering in error, not knowing that God legislates differently and men dogmatize differently.

Listen to Moses announcing the will of God and bringing forth the bitter decisions concerning fornicators. Listen to Paul saying: 'God will judge fornicators and adulterers' (1 Cor 6:9). And the others will not suffice you for salvation at the time of retribution, but trembling and sweating, they will be consumed. To you, Plato, the sophist of laws, will appear foolish and uneducated, and that heavy tone will be humbled, having had its power lifted against all lawgivers.

When they see the bodily ones being dragged away, to whom they themselves have badly affected the authority.

But certainly those not having prevented others, they first turned the sin toward themselves and will be found guilty of a double charge, which they themselves practiced and for which they left others to live without restraint. Therefore, those wishing to live with the worldly as if with most precious brides, let them themselves make their own way a teacher of their housemates, so that they may have good zeal from the hearth.

Word of Asterius Bishop of Amaseia on the prophet Daniel and on Susanna. Always having the grace of the Spirit overflowing, the wealth of the gift does not fail its own supply nor those whom it wishes to demonstrate. For just as a river, filled with waters leaping toward life, stands opposite to those seeing this and according to the earth, it has the releases of its energies being granted.

For the stream does not fail it just as for those sometimes, nor does it receive rises and falls as they do, nor does it contain both the whole and the part according to these, but it fills always and suffices for all; and flowing toward the partakers of the fullness, it remains nothing less than full, for indeed having the grace thus abundant, it knows not how to distribute and divide even according to ages.

For the immeasurable things do not know how to be measured by the bulk of bodies, but by the nobility and purity of soul to come together and to shine forth. And because of this, now it behaves toward Samuel being nourished with milk, but now it takes up David from his sheep, rising above the brothers to whom it seemed to overlook him because of the incompleteness of his age.

Another, perfected by the anointing from a different source, and with those now lying in hypothesis, the blessed and truly wise Daniel, still soft and at the same time fresh in harvest, establishes as judge and prophet both of the young and the elders; who, even if the heavy work of that captivity has become his, and

Greek · §29

καταλείπουσι τῆς πορνείας τοῖς ἀνδράσι τὴν ἐξουσίαν βαρεῖς μέν εἰσιν κριταὶ καὶ διδάσκαλοι τῆς τῶν γυναικῶν σεμνότητος, οἱ δ' ἐν πολλοῖς ἀνέδην ἐπιμαίνονται σώμασιν, ἄλλων ἰατροί, κατὰ τὴν παροιμίαν, μυρίοις βρύοντες ἕλκεσιν. 5.12.2 Κἄν τις αὐτῶν ἐπὶ ταῖς πλημμελείαις ταύταις καθάψηται, κεκομψευμένην καὶ παίζουσαν ἀπολογίαν προΐσχονται. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄνδρες, φασί, κἂν πάνυ πολλαῖς γυναιξὶ πλησιάσωσιν, οὐδὲν τῇ ἑστίᾳ λυμαίνονται· αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες, ἐξ ὧν ἁμαρτάνουσι, κληρονόμους ἀλλοτρίους ταῖς οἰκίαις καὶ τοῖς γένεσιν ἐπεισάγουσιν. Ἀκουσάτωσαν δὲ οἱ τῆς ἐμπλήκτου γνώμης σοφισταὶ καὶ εὑρεταί, ὅτι καὶ αὐτοὶ ἄλλας ἑστίας καὶ οἰκίας ἀνατρέπουσιν. 5.12.3 Αἱ γὰρ γυναῖκες αἷς ὁμιλοῦσι, πάντως τινῶν εἰσιν ἢ θυγατέρες ἢ γαμεταί· καὶ παντὶ τρόπῳ εὑρεθήσεται ἢ γάμος ἐπιβουλευόμενος ἢ γονεὺς ἀδικού μενος, ὃς ἐγεννήσατο καὶ ἐξέθρεψε καὶ παρθένον ἕξειν ἐπὶ παστάδα καὶ θάλαμον ἤλπισε, ἀφῃρέθη δὲ πάσης χρηστῆς προσδοκίας παρὰ τῶν τῆς σωφροσύνης λῃστῶν. 5.12.4 Εἰ πατήρ ἐστιν ὁ ἀκόλαστος, γνωριζέτω πατρὸς πάθος ἀποτυγχάνοντος· εἰ ἀνήρ, ἑαυτὸν ὑποτυπωσάσθω τὸν ἀδικούμενον. Καὶ γὰρ ἐπίπαν οὕτως ἔχει καλῶς, ἕκαστον τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις δικάζειν, ὡς ἂν ἄλλον ἑαυτῷ βούληται. Εἰ δέ τι καὶ τοῖς νόμοις Ῥωμαίων τινὲς προσέχοντες ἀνεύθυνον τὴν πορνείαν εἶναι νομίζουσι, δείνην πλανῶνται πλάνην οὐκ εἰδότες, ὡς ἄλλως Θεὸς νομοθετεῖ καὶ ἑτέρως ἄνθρωποι δογματίζουσιν. 5.12.5 Ἄκουσον Μωϋσέως τὸ βούλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ καταγγέλ λοντος καὶ πικρὰς τὰς κατὰ πόρνων ἀποφάσεις ἐκφέροντος. Ἄκουσον Παύλου λέγοντος· Πόρνους δὲ καὶ μοιχοὺς κρινεῖ ὁ Θεός. Οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι οὐκ ἀρκέσουσίν σοι πρὸς σωτηρίαν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς ἀντα ποδόσεως, ἀλλὰ τρέμοντες καὶ ἱδροῦντες ἐκτήξονται. Ἄσοφός σοι καὶ ἀπαίδευτος ὀφθήσεται ὁ Πλάτων, τῶν νόμων σοφιστής, ταπεινὸς δὲ ὁ βαρὺς τόνος ἐκεῖνος καὶ κατὰ πάντων νομοθετῶν ἀνῃρημένος τὸ κράτος, ὅταν βλέπωσιν τοὺς σωμεραστὰς διελκομένους, οἷς αὐτοὶ κακῶς ἐφῆκαν τὴν ἐξουσίαν. 5.12.6 Πάντως δὲ οἱ τοὺς ἄλλους μὴ κωλύσαντες εἰς ἑαυτοὺς πρῶτον τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐπέστρεψαν καὶ διπλῆς εὑρεθήσονται κατηγορίας ὑπαίτιοι, ἧς τε ἔπραξαν αὐτοὶ καὶ ἧς τοὺς ἄλλους ἀκολασταίνειν ἀφῆκαν. Οἱ τοίνυν βουλόμενοι κοσμίαις ὡς ἔνι μάλιστα γαμεταῖς συζῆν, αὐτοὶ τὸν ἴδιον τρόπον διδάσκαλον τῶν συνοίκων ποιησάτωσαν, ἵν' ἔχωσιν ἀγαθὸν ἀφ' ἑστίας τὸν ζῆλον. 26 6.t.1 Ἀστερίου ἐπισκόπου Ἀμασείας λόγος εἰς τὸν προφήτην ∆ανιὴλ καὶ εἰς τὴν Σωσάνναν 6.1.1 Ἀεὶ τοῦ πνεύματος ἡ χάρις ὑπερχεόμενον ἔχουσα τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς δωρεᾶς οὐκ ἀργεῖ τὰ ἑαυτῆς ὁπηνίκα καὶ οἷς ἂν ἐθέλῃ ἐπιδείκνυσθαι. Οἷα γὰρ ποταμὸς πεπληρωμένος τῶν εἰς ζωὴν ἁλλομένων ὑδάτων ἀπεναντίας τοῖς ὁρωμένοις τούτοις καὶ κατὰ γῆν, τὰς τῆς ἐνεργείας ἀφέσεις ἔχει χορηγουμένας. 6.1.2 Οὐ γὰρ ἐπιλείπει τὸ ῥεῖθρον αὐτῇ καθάπερ ἐκείνοις ἐνίοτε, οὐδ' ἀναβάσεις καὶ ὑποβάσεις ὥσπερ αὐτοὶ ἐπιδέχεται, οὐδὲ τὸ καὶ τὸ μέρος κατὰ τούτους περιλαμβάνει, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλήθει ἀεὶ καὶ πᾶσιν ἀρκεῖ· καὶ εἰς τοὺς μετόχους ὑπορρέουσα τοῦ πληρώματος οὐδὲν ἧττον μένει πεπληρωμένη, ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ οὕτω τὴν χάριν ἔχουσα δαψιλῆ οὐδὲ πρὸς ἡλικίας οἶδεν διαδίδοσθαι καὶ μερίζεσθαι. 6.1.3 Οὐ γὰρ ὄγκῳ σωμάτων τὰ ἀμέτρητα οἶδεν μετρεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ ψυχῆς εὐγενείᾳ καὶ καθαρότητι συνέρχεσθαι τε καὶ ἐπιφαίνεσθαι. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο νῦν μὲν συμπεριφέρεται ἀρτιγαλακτοτροφουμένῳ τῷ Σαμουήλ, νῦν δὲ τὸν ∆αβὶδ ἐκ τῶν ποιμνίων αὐτῶν προβάτων ἀναλαμβάνει τῶν ἀδελφῶν οἷς ἐδόκει παρεωρᾶσθαι διὰ τὸ ἀτελὲς τῆς ἡλικίας ἐκκρίνουσα. 6.1.4 Ἄλλον ἐξ ἀροτῆρος τῷ χρίσματι τελειοῖ καὶ μετ' ἐκείνους τὸν νῦν κείμενον εἰς ὑπόθεσιν, μακάριον καὶ τῷ ὄντι σοφὸν ∆ανιήλ, ἁπαλὸν ἔτι καὶ κομιδῇ νέον ὁμοῦ καὶ πρεσβυτέρων κριτὴν καὶ προφήτην καθίστησιν· ὃς εἰ καὶ τῆς βαρείας ἐκείνης ἔργον ἐγεγόνει αἰχμαλωσίας καὶ

Exhortation to Moral Renewal§30

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30The Babylon captivity had taken hold, and through the passage of time, the incomplete and without confidence appeared in dishonor because of being seized by so many evils. But from the bringing forth of virtue and being instructed in philosophy, the first growth and being steadfast and deep in mind, in that very flower of the age, the control and judge of those elders was being shown. But let us see, if it seems to you, by bringing the word back to the beginning, how to be a friend to God is lofty and blessed.

When the city of Jerusalem was taken by war from the Assyrians, the peoples of the Hebrews then were dispersed to Babylon. And there was also the blessed Daniel, a multitude of spear-wielding youths, and a cheerful boy was recounting the war, a small and much-suffering people, having neither an occasion from his kinsmen to appear, nor being considered a worthy gain of war by the enemies; invisible, without glory because of age and because of misfortune; seen only by the one looking well.

For God alone saw the pure soul of the youth, just as a pearl enveloped in shell-like oysters or gold lying in the hollows of the earth; as a bride properly covered with the veils of the dais. And when the appointed time came and it was necessary for the hidden to be revealed, for the invisible to become known, for the despised to be looked upon, for the one hidden by the darkness of misfortune to shine, a little effusion of the Spirit, and the humble of all to be higher; wise he who does not divide the mouth; a judge of hidden things; a critic of judges; sitting on a high throne, having not yet become a servant of courts; the young man avenging temperance being slandered, turning back a wandering people, calling back the vote of the whole city having been wrongly cast.

Listen...

Therefore, hold fast your soul to the reading and to the wonder in every way. And I, having left aside the matters of other books, which the psalms have profitably sung to us with pleasure, which the apostle advised, and which the Lord has masterfully legislated in the gospels, have been drawn to this history.

For I see two youths of excellence: one in the act of judging, and the other in the act of being judged; and Daniel being struck with votes, and Susanna being crowned with the victory of temperance.

Come then, if it seems good, you lovers of beautiful things and of virtue, let us renew the ancient judgment by memory; let us cut away the present lawlessness with ancient temperance, having stepped in as elders, admiring a maidenhood that has become old and a youth that has become urbanized. O defiled elders and leaders of the people, who desire to join those joined by the law of marriage, needing ten thousand teachers for restoration, lurking in temperance, schemers of deceits, quick finders of slander!

You were the ones judging fornication with your lips and condemning adultery; being doctors of others and becoming the disease themselves; being tombs struck full within of uncleanness and beautifying the outward appearance. The high ones, sitting upon the thrones of judges, when you invited lawlessness by creeping into the thickets of plants and shrubs.

Then the accuser of transgressions and the counselor of evils laughed seeing you, how those at the top of the people, the eloquent and the chosen, have drawn near to the land like certain wall-burrowers or robbers, in order to behold an uncontrolled spectacle; and you hid yourselves in the shrubs according to the thickets, which from the tangled and shady places house the birds and unexpectedly leap upon the dwellers.

O, what a similar evil, which the destroyer of human souls from the beginning unto...

Greek · §30

τῆς ἐνεγκούσης εἶχε τὴν Βαβυλῶνα καὶ ἐν ἀδόξοις ἐδόκει διὰ τῆς ὥρας τὸ ἀτελὲς καὶ ἀπαρρησίαστος διὰ τὸ ἐναπειλῆφθαι τοσούτοις κακοῖς, 6.1.5 ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐπιφέρεσθαι καὶ φιλοσοφίᾳ στοιχειωθῆναι τὴν πρώτην αὔξησιν καὶ καρτερὸς εἶναι τὴν γνώμην καὶ ἐμβριθής, ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ ἄνθει τῆς ἡλικίας τῶν γηραιῶν ἐκείνων καὶ καθεστηκότων ἔλεγχος ἐδείκνυτο καὶ κριτής. Ἀλλὰ μικρόν, εἰ δοκεῖ, πρὸς ἀρχὴν ἀναγαγόντες τὸν λόγον ἴδωμεν, ὅπως ὑψηλὸν καὶ μακάριον τὸ φίλον ὑπάρχειν Θεῷ. 6.2.1 Τῆς πόλεως τῆς Ἱερουσαλὴμ κατάκραν τῷ πολέμῳ παρὰ τῶν Ἀσσυρίων ληφθείσης οἱ τότε λαοὶ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἐπὶ Βαβυλῶνα διήχθησαν. Εἶχε δὲ καὶ τὸν μακάριον ∆ανιὴλ τῶν δορυαλώτων μειρακίων τὸ πλῆθος καὶ διήγετο ἐπὶ τῆς πολεμίας παῖς εὐκαταφρόνητος, κεκακωμένου δήμου μικρὸν καὶ πολλοστὸν ἐφόλκιον, οὔτε παρὰ τοῖς ὁμοφύλοις ἀφορμὴν ἔχων τοῦ φαίνεσθαι, οὔτε παρὰ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἀξιόλογον τοῦ πολέμου νομιζόμενος κέρδος· ἀφανής, ἄδοξος διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν, διὰ τὴν συμφοράν· μόνῳ τῷ καλῶς βλέποντι καθορώμενος. 6.2.2 Θεὸς γὰρ μόνος ἔβλεπε τὴν καθαρὰν τοῦ νεανίσκου ψυχήν, ὥσπερ τινὰ μαργαριτὴν ἐν θαλαττίοις ὀστράκοις ἐνδεδεμένον ἢ χρυσὸν ἐν τοῖς κόλποις ἐνόντα τῆς γῆς· ὡς νύμφην εὐπρεπῆ τοῖς παραπεπτάσμασι τῆς παστάδος καλυπτομένην. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἦλθεν ὁ καθήκων καιρὸς καὶ ἔδει τὸν κρυπτόμενον φανῆναι, γνώριμον γενέσθαι τὸν ἀφανῆ, περίβλεπτον τὸν καταφρονούμενον, λάμψαι τὸν τῷ σκότῳ τῆς συμφορᾶς κεκρυμμένον, ὀλίγη τοῦ πνεύματος ἐπιφοίτησις καὶ πάντων ὁ ταπεινὸς ὑψηλότερος· 6.2.3 σοφὸς ὁ μὴ διαίρων τὸ στόμα· ἔλεγχος κρυπτομένων· κριτὴς δικαστῶν ὁ ἀπαίδευτος· ἐπὶ θρόνου καθήμενος ὑψηλοῦ ὁ μηδέπω μηδὲ ὑπηρέτης δικαστηρίων γενόμενος· σωφροσύνην συκοφαντουμένην ἐκδικῶν ὁ νέος, δῆμον πλανώμενον ἐπιστρέφων, ψῆφον πόλεως ὅλης κακῶς ἐνεχθεῖσαν ἀνακαλούμενος. 6.3.1 Ἠκούσατε γὰρ ἀρτίως τοῦ ἀναγνώσματος καὶ τῷ θαύματι πάντως κατέχεσθε τὴν ψυχήν. Κἀγὼ δὲ τὰ τῶν ἄλλων βιβλίων ἀφεὶς ὅσα οἱ ψαλμοὶ ἡμῖν ἐπωφελῶς μεθ' 27 ἡδονῆς ἐμελῴδησαν, ὅσα συνεβούλευσεν ὁ ἀπόστολος, ὅσα δεσποτικῶς ἐνομοθέτησεν ἐν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις ὁ Κύριος, ταύτῃ προσεκλίθην τῇ ἱστορίᾳ. Ἐπειδὴ δύο νεότητας βλέπω εὐδοκι μούσας, τὴν μὲν ἐν τῷ δικάζειν, τὴν δὲ ἐν τῷ κρίνεσθαι· καὶ τὸν μὲν ∆ανιὴλ ἐπὶ ταῖς ψηφοῖς κροτούμενον, Σωσάνναν δὲ ἐπὶ τῇ νίκῃ στεφα νουμένην τῆς σωφροσύνης. 6.3.2 ∆εῦτε τοίνυν, εἰ δοκεῖ, οἱ τῶν καλῶν ἐρασταὶ καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἀνανεωσώμεθα τὴν παλαιὰν κρίσιν τῇ μνήμῃ· ἀρχαίᾳ σωφροσύνῃ τὴν νεάζουσαν ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἀκολασίαν ἐκκό ψωμεν στηλιτεύσαντες γῆρας μειρακιῶδες καὶ νεότητα πεπολιωμένην θαυμάσαντες. Ὦ πρεσβύται μιαροὶ καὶ ἄρχοντες τοῦ λαοῦ, μυρίων παιδαγωγῶν εἰς ἐπανόρθωσιν χρῄζοντες γάμων νόμῳ ζευχθέντων ἐπίβουλοι, σωφροσύνης ἐνεδρευταί, μηχανορράφοι δόλων, συκοφαντίας ταχεῖς εὑρεταί! 6.3.3 Ὑμεῖς ἦτε οἱ τὴν πορνείαν τοῖς χείλεσι κρίνοντες καὶ τὴν μοιχείαν καταδικάζοντες· οἱ τῶν ἄλλων ἰατροὶ καὶ τῆς νόσου γέ μοντες· οἱ κεκονιαμένοι τάφοι ἔνδον τῆς ἀκαθαρσίας πεπλησμένοι καὶ τὴν ἔξωθεν ἐπιφάνειαν καλλωπίζοντες. Οἱ ὑψηλοὶ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν θρόνων τῶν δικαστικῶν προκαθήμενοι, ὅτε δὲ ἀκολασταίνειν προείλεσθε τοῖς λασίοις τῶν φυτῶν καὶ τοῖς θάμνοις ἐνέρποντες. 6.3.4 Ἐγέλα τότε βλέπων ὑμᾶς ὁ τῶν παραβάσεων εἰσηγητὴς καὶ τῶν κακῶν σύμβουλος, ὅπως οἱ ἐν κορυφῇ τοῦ λαοῦ, οἱ λογάδες καὶ ἔκκριτοι, ὡς τοιχωρύχοι τινὲς ἢ λῃσταὶ τῇ γῇ προσεσύρεσθε, ἵνα βλέψητε θέαν ἀκόλαστον· καὶ τοῖς θάμνοις ἐνεκρύπτεσθε κατὰ τὰς ἀλώπεκας, αἳ ἀπὸ τῶν συμφύτων καὶ ἐπισκίων τόπων τὰς κατοικιδίους ἐνεδρεύουσιν ὄρνιθας καὶ νενομέναις ἀπροόπτως ἐπιπηδῶσιν. 6.3.5 Ὢ τῆς ὁμοιοτρόπου κακίας, ἣν ὁ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ψυχῶν ὀλοθρευτὴς ἀπ' ἀρχῆς εἰς

The Corruption of the Court and the Appeal to God§31

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31The end is fitting! In Paradise, the first fall of the exalted man occurred; in Paradise also now the elders, being worked by the serpent, fall away from the original glory, becoming condemned instead of judges, workers not of life but of sin.

But there, the man prevailed, while the woman was defeated, and the emptiness of the first woman found no maiden upon the Babylonian. And one could rightly say that Babylon is not a confusion because of Susanna, but a keeping of God's commandments, a guard of temperance, a city of a manly woman, a place of a triumphal feast.

This I, having ascended through the middle times, lead to Joseph by the likeness of virtue toward the world; but I set the honorable woman beside the temperate one who is a friend of God, beside the child of Israel. I place one and the same crown upon both, the one for temperance; and I cast down the defeated ones beneath the feet of the victors: to Joseph, the unrestrained Egypt, the mistress of the free slave; but to Susanna, the dishonorable elders.

I set these as teachers of temperance: the one of womanhood, the other of the youth of men; lamps of the inhabited world, flowers of the resurrection, judges of adultery, guardians of lawful marriages. Finally, let us occupy ourselves only with the sacred woman's account; for now Joseph is an episode and the temperate one is a parenthesis of temperance.

Because the elders, as they thought, had the hunt within nets, and stepped out from the thicket to take prey immediately, they did not find the most cowardly deer, but one standing against them both and against the dragon who is the cause of these things, but a deer-slayer animal; and the account rightly found the image of the animal: they enticed, but were not heard; they threatened, but did not strike terror.

Therefore the wicked are helpless and are held by two great things...

By chance of desire and fear of rebuke. But filthy sums of money seize slander, and for a solution to evil they find another evil, and they prepare a cover for adultery through murder. For a sinner, when he falls into the beginnings of transgressions, like a splinter at the start, he drags along the following lawlessness. And he happens to beget of the good things the good, and of the bad things the similar.

Therefore also now murder is the fruit of adultery, and a council sits in haste as if upon a great injustice against the woman, and a crowd is led away having the one being judged as a spectacle. And the accusers and the judges are the same; and many a slandering person was deemed trustworthy, and a youth being slandered was condemned from the prevailing suspicion.

And a people, being tossed about and suffering—for a people is accustomed to be struck by impulse—was driven astray in indignation and was carried along by the impulse of the elders; the parents of the one being judged wailed, the husband suffered the calamity, the children wailed from here and there, being distraught because of the mother's danger, and the race was covered by shame.

But the good judges, the fellow-combatants of temperance, commanded her, having her dignity solemnly covered by a garment—for she, possessing decorum, had rushed to be naked—not even regarding the confusion of evils, so that in the court of adultery, they might perform adultery against the adultery, giving rest to the shameful desire by the sight of the one being judged. And they placed hands upon the head, which was a symbol of condemnation, using a clean body; the unrestrained ones, through touch and through it, were proselytizing the lie, while the good ones are defenders of the truth.

And as the people were subdued and the vote was cast and the punishment was near, the one being slandered then looked up to the judge of judges; she brought the legal case from men to God, making an appeal to the Unaccountable.

Greek · §31

τέλος ἐπιτηδεύει! Ἐν παραδείσῳ τὸ πρῶτον τοῦ ὑψηλοῦ ἀνθρώπου πτῶμα, ἐν παραδείσῳ καὶ νῦν οἱ γέροντες παρὰ τοῦ ὄφεως ἐνεργούμενοι τῆς ἀρχικῆς δόξης ἐκπίπτουσι, γίνονται δὲ ἀντὶ κριτῶν καταδεδικασμένοι, τῆς ζωῆς ἀλλό τριοι καὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐργάται. 6.3.6 Ἀλλ' ἐνταῦθα μὲν ἀνδρῶν ἐκράτησε, τῆς δὲ γυναικὸς ἡττήθη καὶ τὸ κοῦφον τῆς πρώτης ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς Βαβυλωνίας οὐχ εὗρε νεάνιδος. Καὶ καλῶς ἂν εἴποι τις, ὡς οὐκ ἔστι Βαβυλὼν σύγχυσις διὰ Σωσάνναν, ἀλλὰ τήρησις ἐντολῶν Θεοῦ, φυλακὴ σωφροσύνης, πόλις ἀνδρικῆς γυναικός, τόπος ἑορτῆς ἐπινικίου. 6.4.1 Ταύτην ἐγώ, τοὺς ἐν μέσῳ χρόνους ἀνελών, τῇ ὁμοιότητι τῆς ἀρετῆς πρὸς τὸν κόσμον Ἰωσὴφ ἄγω· ἵστημι δὲ τὴν εὐσχήμονα παρὰ τὸν σώφρονα τὴν τῷ Θεῷ φίλην παρὰ τὸν παῖδα τοῦ Ἰσραήλ. Ἕνα καὶ τὸν αὐτὸν ἀμφοτέροις, τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς σωφροσύνης, ἐπιτίθημι στέφανον· ὑπορρίπτω δὲ τοῖς ποσὶ τῶν νικησάντων τοὺς ἡττημένους· τῷ μὲν Ἰωσὴφ τὴν ἀκόλαστον Αἰγυπτίαν, τὴν δέσποιναν τοῦ ἐλευθέρου δούλου· Σωσάννῃ δὲ τοὺς ἀτίμους γέροντας. 6.4.2 Τίθημι τούτους παιδαγωγοὺς σωφροσύνης· τὴν μὲν τῆς γυναικείας, τὸν δὲ τῆς τῶν ἀνδρῶν νεότητος· λαμπτῆρας τῆς οἰκουμένης, ἄνθη τῆς ἀναστάσεως, μοιχῶν κριτάς, γάμων ἐνθέσμων φύλακας. Τέως δὲ περὶ μόνην ἀσχολήσωμεν τὴν ἱερὰν γυναῖκα τὸν λόγον· νῦν γὰρ ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ἐπεισόδιόν ἐστι καὶ παρενθήκη σωφροσύνης ὁ σώφρων. 6.5.1 Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἱ γέροντες, ὡς ἐνόμιζον, εἶχον τὴν θήραν εἴσω δικτύων, εἰσεπήδησαν δὲ ἐκ τῆς ἐνέδρας ὡς αὐτίκα ληψόμενοι, οὐχ εὗρον δειλὴν τὴν βελτίστην ἔλαφον, ἀλλ' ἀνθισταμένην καὶ αὐτοῖς καὶ τῷ δράκοντι τῷ τῶν γινομένων αἰτίῳὀφιοκτόνον δὲ ζῷον ἡ ἔλαφος· καὶ καλῶς εὗρεν ὁ λόγος τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ ζῴου· παρεκάλεσαν, οὐκ ἠκούσθη σαν· ἠπείλησαν, οὐ κατέπληξαν. 6.5.2 Ἀμηχανοῦσι λοιπὸν οἱ δυσέρωτες καὶ δύο τοῖς μεγίστοις συνέχονται, ἀποτυχίᾳ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας καὶ φόβῳ τοῦ ἐλέγχου. Ῥάπτουσι δὲ συκοφαντίαν αἱ μιαραὶ κεφαλαὶ καὶ λύσιν τοῦ κακοῦ ἄλλο κακὸν ἐξευρίσκουσι καὶ μοιχείας κάλυμμα συσκευάζονται φόνον. Ἁμαρτωλὸς γάρ, ὅταν εἰς ἀρχὰς ἐμπέσῃ πλημμελημάτων, ὥσπερ σχοίνῳ τῇ ἀρχῇ καὶ τὰς ἀκολούθους ἀνομίας ἐφέλκεται. Καὶ γεννητικὰ τυγχάνει τῶν καλῶν τὰ καλά, τῶν δὲ φαύλων τὰ ὅμοια. 28 6.5.3 ∆ιὸ καὶ νῦν φόνος ὁ καρπὸς τῆς μοιχείας ὑποβλαστάνει καὶ συνέδριον κατὰ σπούδην κάθηται ὡς ἐπὶ μεγάλῳ τῆς γυναικὸς ἀδικήματι, καὶ δημαγωγεῖται πλῆθος θέαν ἔχον τὴν κρινομένην. Κατήγοροι δὲ καὶ δικασταὶ οἱ αὐτοί· καὶ πολιὰ συκοφαντοῦσα ἀξιόπιστος ἦν καὶ νεότης συκοφαντουμένη ἐκ τῆς κρατούσης ὑπονοίας κατεδικάζετο. 6.5.4 ∆ῆμος δὲ ἀναρριπισθεὶς καὶ παθὼν ὃ δὴ πάσχειν ἀπὸ ὁρμῆς ἐμπλήκτου εἴωθε δῆμος, ἠγανάκτει πεπλανήμενος καὶ τῇ ὁρμῇ τῶν γερόντων συνεξεφέρετο· γονεῖς τῆς κρινουμένης ἐθρήνουν, ἀνὴρ τὴν συμφορὰν ὠδύρετο, παῖδες ὠλόλυζον ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν τῆς μητρὸς κινδυνευούσης ἀπηρτήμενοι, τὸ γένος τῇ αἰσχύνῃ κεκάλυπτο. 6.5.5 Οἱ δὲ καλοὶ δικασταί, οἱ τῆς σωφροσύνης σύμ μαχοι, σεμνῶς κεκαλυμμένην ἱματίῳοὐδὲ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς συγχύσεως τῶν κακῶν ἑαυτῆς ἐπελάθετο ἕξιν τῆς κοσμιότητος ἔχουσαγυμνοῦσθαι τῆς εὐπρεποῦς σκέπης ἐκέλευσαν, ἵν' ἐν τῷ δικαστηρίῳ τῆς μοιχείας μοιχείαν ἐργάσωνται τῇ θέᾳ τῆς κρινομένης τὴν αἰσχρὰν ἐπιθυμίαν προσαναπαύσαντες· 6.5.6 ἐπετίθεσαν δὲ καὶ τὰς χεῖρας τῇ κεφαλῇ ὃ δὴ σύμβολον τῆς κατακρίσεως ἦν, χραίνοντες σῶμα καθαρόν, οἱ ἀκόλαστοι, τῇ ἁφῇ καὶ κατ' αὐτῆς ἐδημηγόρουν τὸ ψεῦδος, οἱ καλοὶ τῆς ἀληθείας προστάται. 6.6.1 Ὡς δὲ ὁ λαὸς ὑπήχθη καὶ ἡ ψῆφος ἠνέχθη καὶ ἡ τιμωρία πλησίον ἦν, ἀνέβλεψε τότε ἡ συκοφαντουμένη πρὸς τὸν δικαστὴν τῶν κριτῶν· ἐφέσιμον τὴν δίκην ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ἤγαγε πρὸς τὸν Θεόν, ἐπεκαλέσατο τὸ ἀπαραλόγιστον

The Judgment and the Pattern of Holiness§32

32A courtroom, and the truth was not delayed.

Therefore, arise to me, O blessed Daniel, and now by the word as you were awakened, and then by the Spirit; say also that you are innocent of this blood, just as Pilate later did against the raving Hebrews. Analyze the people upon the criterion; give a beginning to the justice that has been badly completed; set the false judges to be judged; let the order of the protectors be changed, and let the woman observe the elders, just as she herself a little while ago was a spectacle of the city.

Let the captive judge the citizens; the stranger the locals; the youth the old. Use a holy mouth for the Spirit; for you do not have unclean lips, as Isaiah says of himself reviling himself; nor do you need one of the Seraphim or the cleansing coal. Depart wisely from the false judges, so that they may not also leap upon your own questions as a woman leaps in paradise.

For how we may clearly learn the beginning of the words of the thrice-blessed child: Having grown old through days of evil, now your sins, which you did formerly, have come to you, condemning the innocent and releasing the guilty. O the wonder and the great liberty of the Spirit! For where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

See, for it does not even hold back in the preambles; but, piercing into the depth of the conscience and seeing the souls of the elders as storehouses of sins, it seeks neither witness nor proofs; but is insulted and reviled with insolence, because the prophet has the decision written upon his chest.

And as far as it reached him, he would not even have said anything, but he sent them away unreservedly to the punishment; so that he might convince a foolish people and empty judges of the city, who accuse but do not judge according to the truth, and he brings to them the experience of questioning, separated from the truth and the falsehood of the discourse...

Mindful of the response, he exposes; and having brought forth the judgment, he does not give accountability to humans, but calls angels to be tormentors against them. For the dignity of the saints has grown to such an extent that they have invisible powers serving them.

What then happens to the defiled? Judgment was prepared; and they went away, giving the penalty through death for the old lawlessness and the new sin; and all Babylon had the paradox of what was happening through the mouth, and they blasphemed God with hymns, having made public the knowledge of the hidden deeds. And Hezekiah was refreshed rejoicing over the daughter; Joachim made a triumph for the feast of the wife; and twenty-nine children, legitimate and of temperate offspring, smile with faces surrounding the mother, and the much-teared grief was transformed into joy.

You, however, the people of Christ, most pious and soul-benefiting, having heard these histories, do not let the hearing pass by indifferently, but make the word a training and discipline for your own life. Women, emulate Susanna; thus guard toward men the temperance as she did toward herself; she accepted to suffer and to be in danger rather than to defile her life with adultery. Adultery provokes God, shames a man, destroys house and hearth, and works uncertain children. You elders, hate such old men; you rulers, fear the end of the lawless judges.

You young people, imitate the young man, so that in this way every age may be formed into the pattern of beautiful character, so that the whole fullness of the church may become holy and well-pleasing in Christ Jesus our Savior, to whom belong glory, might, and honor, with the co-ruling Father and with His all-holy and life-giving Spirit, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Greek · §32

δικαστήριον καὶ οὐκ ἐβράδυνεν ἡ ἀλήθεια. 6.6.2 Ἀνάστηθί μοι λοιπόν, ὦ μακάριε ∆ανιήλ, καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ τοῦ λόγου ὡς διηγέρθης καὶ τότε παρὰ τοῦ πνεύματος· εἰπὲ καὶ σὺ Ἀθῷός εἰμι ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος ταύτης, ὡς καὶ Πιλᾶτος ὕστερον κατὰ τῶν μαινομένων Ἑβραίων. Ἀνάλυσον τὸν λαὸν ἐπὶ τὸ κριτήριον· δὸς ἀρχὴν τῇ δίκῃ κακῶς τελεσθείσῃ· στῆσον κρινομένους τοὺς ψευδωνύμους κριτάς· ἐναλλαγήτω τῶν προστατῶν ἡ τάξις καὶ θεωρείτω ἡ γυνὴ τοὺς γέροντας, ὡς αὐτὴ πρὸ ὀλίγου θέαμα τῆς πόλεως ἦν. 6.6.3 Κρῖνον, ὁ αἰχμάλωτος, τοὺς πολίτας· ὁ ξένος τοὺς ἐγχωρίους· ὁ νέος τοὺς παλαιούς. Χρῆσον ἅγιον στόμα τῷ πνεύματι· οὐ γὰρ ἀκάθαρτα χείλη ἔχεις, ὡς Ἡσαΐας αὑτὸν ἐξευτελίζων φησίν· οὐδὲ ἑνὸς τῶν Σεραφεὶμ καὶ τοῦ καθαρσίου ἄνθρακος χρῄζεις. Χώρησον σοφῶς τοὺς ψευδωνύμους κριτάς, ἵνα μὴ καὶ ταῖς σαῖς ἐρωτήσεσι συμφώνως ἐπιπηδήσωσιν ὡς ἐν παραδείσῳ τῇ γυναικί. 6.6.4 Οἵα γὰρ καὶ ἡ ἀρχὴ τῶν λόγων τοῦ τρισμακαρίου παιδὸς συνετῶς καταμάθωμεν· Πεπαλαιωμένε ἡμερῶν κακῶν· νῦν ἥκασί σου αἱ ἁμαρτίαι ἃς ἐποίεις τὸ πρότερον, τοὺς μὲν ἀθῴους κατακρίνων, ἀπολύων δὲ τοὺς αἰτίους. Ὢ τοῦ θαύματος καὶ τῆς μεγάλης ἐλευθερίας τοῦ πνεύματος! Οὗ γὰρ τὸ πνεῦμα Κυρίου, ἐλευθερία. 6.6.5 Ὁρᾶτε γάρ, ὡς οὐδὲ ἐν προοιμίοις ὑποστέλλεται· ἀλλ' εἰς τὸ βάθος τοῦ συνειδότος ἐνατενίσας καὶ βλέπων τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν γερόντων ἀποθήκας ἁμαρτιῶν μάρτυρας μὲν καὶ ἀποδείξεις οὐ ζητεῖ· ὑβρίζων δὲ ἐπαχθῶς προσκαλεῖται, ἐπειδὴ τὴν ἀπόφασιν ἔχει γεγραμ μένην ἐπὶ τοῦ στήθους ὁ προφήτης. 6.6.6 Καὶ ὅσον γε εἰς αὐτὸν ἧκεν, οὐκ ἂν οὐδὲ εἶπέ τι, ἀλλ' ἀνυπερθέτως τῇ τιμωρίᾳ παρέπεμψεν· ἵνα δὲ πείσῃ λαὸν ἄφρονα καὶ κριτὰς κούφους τῇ πολίᾳ κατηγόρων οὐ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ δικάσαντας, καὶ τὴν πεῖραν τῆς ἐρωτήσεως κεχωρισμένοις προσάγει καὶ τὸ ψεῦδος ἐκ τῆς διαφωνούσης ἀποκρίσεως διελέγχει· καὶ τὴν κρίσιν ἐξενεγκὼν οὐ δημίοις δίδωσιν ὑπευθύνους, ἀλλ' ἀγγέλους κατ' αὐτῶν κολαστηρίους καλεῖ. Εἰς τοσοῦτον γὰρ ηὐξήθη τὸ τῶν ἁγίων ἀξίωμα, ὡς δυνάμεις ἀοράτους ἔχειν τὰς ὑπηρετουμένας αὐτοῖς. 6.7.1 Τίνα τὰ ἑξῆς τοῖς μιαροῖς γέρουσι; Προετράπη ἡ κρίσις· ἀπῆλθον δὲ καὶ τῶν παλαιῶν ἀνομιῶν καὶ τῆς νέας ἁμαρτίας δίδοντες διὰ θανάτου τὴν δίκην· Βαβυλὼν δὲ πᾶσα τὸ παράδοξον τῶν γενομένων διὰ στόματος εἶχον καὶ ὕμνοις τὸν Θεὸν ἀνευφήμουν τὸν τῶν λανθανόντων δραμάτων τὴν γνῶσιν δημοσιεύσαντα. 6.7.2 Καὶ Χελκίας ὑπὲρ τῆς παιδὸς χαίρων ἀνενεώθη· Ἰωακεὶμ τὴν ἐπινίκιον ᾖσεν ὑπὲρ τῆς γυναικὸς ἑορτήν· 29 παῖδες δέ, γνησίας καὶ τῆς σώφρονος ἔκγονα, μειδιῶσι προσώποις τὴν μητέρα περιεσκίρτων καὶ τὸ πολύδακρυ πένθος μετεσκευάσθη εἰς εὐφροσύνην. Ὑμεῖς δέ, ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ λαός, εὐσεβεστάτης καὶ ψυχωφελοῦς ἱστορίας ἀκούσαντες μὴ ἀδιαφόρως τὴν ἀκοὴν παραδράμητε, ἀλλὰ παιδείαν καὶ ἄσκησιν τοῦ ὑμετέρου βίου τὸν λόγον ποιήσασθε. 6.7.3 Αἱ γυναῖκες, ζηλώ σατε τὴν Σωσάνναν· οὕτως φυλάξατε τοῖς ἀνδράσι τὴν σωφροσύνην ὡς ἐκείνη τῷ ἑαυτῆς· παθεῖν τε καὶ κινδυνεῦσαι κατεδέξατο μᾶλλον ἢ μοιχείᾳ σπιλῶσαι τὸν βίον· μοιχεία Θεὸν παροργίζει, ἄνδρα καταισχύνει, οἴκους καὶ ἑστίας ἐξαφανίζει, παῖδας ἀμφιβόλους ἐργάζεται. Οἱ πρεσ βύται, τοὺς τοιούτους μισήσατε γέροντας· οἱ δυνάσται, φοβήθητε τῶν κριτῶν τῶν παρανόμων τὸ τέλος· 6.7.4 οἱ νέοι, μιμήσασθε τὸν ἡλικιώτην τὸν νέον, ἵν' οὕτως ἑκάστης ἡλικίας εἰς τὸν τύπον τῶν καλῶν μορφωθείσης τὸ πᾶν πλήρωμα τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἅγιον καὶ εὐδόκιμον γένηται ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Σωτῆρι ἡμῶν, ᾧ πρέπει δόξα, κράτος, τιμὴ σὺν τῷ συνανάρχῳ πατρὶ καὶ σὺν τῷ παναγίῳ καὶ ζωοποιῷ αὐτοῦ πνεύματι, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

The Master Defends Himself Against Insulters§33

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33The discourse of Asterius, Bishop of Amaseia, concerning the blind man from the womb. We have recently heard the son of thunder, John, but rather the Holy Spirit working through the fisherman and craftsman, writer and scribe, of truly divine and lofty themes. For he explained to us a great and long discourse of the Lord, through which he instructed the disobedient people and the hard-of-hearing in the knowledge of God, drawing their thoughts away from the monarchical concept of the Hebrews, opening for them the door of grace from the legal tradition, and leading them quietly from the old toward the New Covenant, just as from the desert previously to the rich and fruitful land.

But nevertheless, while he was demonstrating in various ways his own existence, as he exists pre-eternally and is always co-inherent with the Father, and shouting loudly to the deaf: 'Before Abraham was, I am' (John 8:58). Not having learned the power of the Word, nor having examined through any expert opposition that which was not accepted, they were throwing stones instead of words, and from a distance from the cross, they were exercising their murderous hands toward murder. But he who judges everywhere, having long-suffering toward the insulting and blasphemous people, diverted their anger and the noise, not by returning it humbly, but divinely; who, standing in the midst and feeling about, did not see, and being rubbed against by those burning, did not perceive, but they stood near, killing in their will, because of which they would not find the anger to be fulfilled; like inexperienced hunters, who, when they stir up the hunt before the time, and a certain spear of the deer comes running and disappears, they wander aimlessly through the thicket carrying redundant nets and uselessly pulling the dogs.

As for me, even if I am a lowly servant in all other things, I do not depart from this thought, because I am a slave and it is fitting for me on behalf of the...

A master stands up against those who insult him. Therefore I have cried out to the Hebrews who are present today and acting out of madness: 'You wicked ones, are you throwing stones at the benefactor? For who made you out of stone? You throw stones at the one who made your life like flat stones. You throw at the chosen and precious stone which Isaiah foretold to you (Isaiah 28:16). You throw at the intellectual stone, torn from the unhewn rock without human hands, as the divinely inspired Daniel taught you (Daniel 2:34). You throw at the cornerstone which joins the two walls of the new and the old Testament.'

For even if you do not believe, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham, that is, to gather to Christ a remnant people from among the nations and the uncircumcised, upon which Abraham received the promise when God said to him, 'All the nations will be blessed in you' (Genesis 12:3). By secret foreknowledge, seeing the future, God completed the leader of the faith so that all those destined to believe later would be appointed as children in order.

For He was seeing then the stance of the Hebrews and the stones, and He was counting the pseudo-named sons among the outcasts. And since, announcing the truth to them by word, they did not believe in being pious, He stood forth and appeared not to be seen, so that from such a wonder of His He might draw them to an agreement that He indeed was God and was older than Abraham.

'Listen then,' He says, 'O truly blind and senseless ones: Who is this, who is also present with you and is not seen? Or perhaps He is the one who also speaks to Moses and does not appear? For He saw then both fire and the bush, both being silent (Exodus 3). But nonetheless, a voice was heard and a word was instructing and safely foretelling what is to come.' And those having understanding must know the person from the connection of the things.

Thus, irrationally and senseless of the

Greek · §33

7.t.1 Ἀστερίου ἐπισκόπου Ἀμασείας λόγος εἰς τὸν ἐκ κοιλίας τυφλόν 7.1.1 Ἠκούσαμεν ἀρτίως τοῦ υἱοῦ τῆς βροντῆς Ἰωάννου, μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος τοῦ τὸν ἁλιέα καὶ χειροτέχνην συγγραφέα καὶ λογογράφον ἐργασαμένου θείων ὄντως καὶ ὑψηλῶν ὑποθέσεων. Ἐξηγήσατο γὰρ ἡμῖν πολλὴν καὶ μακρὰν τοῦ Κυρίου διάλεξιν, δι' ἧς τὸν ἀπειθῆ λαὸν καὶ δυσήκοον τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ υἱοῦ θεογνωσίαν ἐπαίδευεν τῆς μοναρχικῆς ἐννοίας τῶν Ἑβραίων ἀπάγων τοὺς λογισμούς, ἀνοίγων δὲ αὐτοῖς τὴν θύραν τῆς χαρίτος ἐκ τῆς νομικῆς παραδόσεως, καὶ πρὸς τὴν καινὴν ∆ιαθήκην ἐκ τῆς παλαιᾶς ἠρεμαίως ἄγων, ὡς ἐκ τῆς ἐρήμου πρότερον ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν τὴν πλουσίαν καὶ εὔκαρπον. 7.1.2 Ἀλλ' ὅμως δεικνύντος αὐτοῦ ποικίλως καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ὕπαρξιν, ὡς προαιώνιος ὑπάρχει καὶ ἀεὶ τῷ πατρὶ συνημμένη, καὶ διαρρήδην τοῖς κωφοῖς ἐμβοῶντος· Πρὶν Ἀβραὰμ γενέσθαι ἐγώ εἰμι· οὔτε τοῦ λόγου μαθόντες τὴν δύναμιν, οὔτε διά τινος ἐπιστήμονος ἀντιρρήσεως τὸ μὴ παραδεχθὲν διελέγξαντες ἐπὶ τοὺς λίθους ἀντὶ τῶν λόγων ἐχώρουν· καὶ πόρρωθεν τοῦ σταυροῦ τὰς φονικὰς χεῖρας πρὸς τὴν μιαιφονίαν ἐγύμναζον. 7.1.3 Ὁ δὲ κρίνας πανταχοῦ μακροθύμως ἔχειν πρὸς τὸν ὑβριστὴν δῆμον καὶ βλάσφημον, ἐξέκλινεν αὐτῶν τὴν ὀργὴν καὶ τὸν θόρυβον οὐ ταπεινῶς ἀποδιδράσκων, ἀλλὰ θεϊκῶς· ὃς ἐν μέσῳ τε εἱστήκει καὶ ψηλαφώμενος οὐκ ἐβλέπετο καὶ τοῖς φλεγμαίνουσι προστριβόμενος οὐχ ὁρᾶτο, ἀλλ' εἱστήκεσαν ἐνεοὶ τῇ μὲν προαιρέσει φονῶντες, καθ' ὅτου δὲ τὴν ὀργὴν ἐκπληρώσουσιν οὐκ εὑρίσκοντες· 7.1.4 ὅμοιοι θηρευταῖς ἀπείροις, οἳ ἐπειδὰν πρὸ καιροῦ τὴν θήραν ἀνασοβήσωσιν, ὑποδραμούσης τῆς ἐλάφου λόχμην τινὰ καὶ ἀφανῶς ἐξελθούσης, εἰκῆ πλανῶνται κατὰ τὴν νάπην ἄχθος περιττὸν τὰ δίκτυα φέροντες καὶ μάτην τοὺς σκύλακας ἐφελκόμενοι. 7.2.1 Ἐγὼ δέ, εἰ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα φαῦλος οἰκέτης, τούτου γοῦν οὐκ ἐξελα 7.2.1 θόμην, ὅτι δοῦλός εἰμι καί με προσῆκεν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ∆εσπότου κατὰ τῶν ὑβριστῶν ἐξανίστασθαι. ∆ιὸ καὶ κεκράξομαι πρὸς τοὺς Ἑβραίους ὡς παρόντας σήμερον καὶ παρὰ τῆς μανίας ἐνεργουμένους· Βάλλετε, μιαροί, λίθοις τὸν εὐεργέτην; τίς γὰρ ὑμᾶς ἐκ πέτρας ἐπότισε; βάλλετε λίθοις τὸν πλαξὶ λιθίναις τὸν βίον ὑμῶν κακονίσαντα; 7.2.2 βάλλετε τὸν ἐκλεκτὸν λίθον καὶ ἔντιμον, ὃν Ἡσαΐας ὑμῖν προεφήτευσε; βάλλετε τὸν νοητὸν λίθον τὸν τῆς ἀκροτόμου πέτρας ἀπορραγέντα ἄνευ χειρὸς ἀνθρωπίνης, ὡς ὁ θεσπέσιος ∆ανιὴλ ὑμᾶς ἐδίδαξε; βάλλετε λίθοις τὸν ἀκρογωνιαῖον τὸν τοὺς δύο 30 τοίχους τῆς καινῆς καὶ τῆς παλαιᾶς ∆ιαθήκης συνέχοντα; 7.2.3 Κἂν γὰρ ὑμεῖς μὴ πιστεύσητε, δυνατὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῶν λίθων τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ Ἀβραάμ, τουτέστιν ἀθροῖσαι τῷ Χριστῷ λαὸν περιούσιον τὸν ἐξ ἐθνῶν καὶ ἀκρόβυστον, ἐφ' ᾧ καὶ τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν ὁ Ἀβραὰμ ἐδέξατο εἰπόντος αὐτῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὅτι Ἐνευλογισθήσονται ἐν σοὶ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη. Τῇ γὰρ ἀπορρήτῳ προγνώσει βλέπων ὁ Θεὸς τὸ μέλλον τῷ ἀρχηγῷ τῆς πίστεως πάντας τοὺς εἰς ὕστερον πιστεύειν μέλλοντας εἰς τάξιν ἀπεκλήρωσε τέκνων. 7.2.4 Ἐθεώρει γὰρ ἔκτοτε τῶν Ἑβραίων τὴν στάσιν καὶ τοὺς λίθους ἔβλεπε καὶ τοὺς ψευδωνύμους υἱοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἀποκηρύκτοις ἠρίθμει. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ λόγῳ καταγγέλλων αὐτοῖς τὴν ἀλήθειαν οὐκ ἔπειθεν εὐσεβεῖν, παρεστὼς ἀπεκρύβη καὶ φαινόμενος οὐκ ἐβλέπετο, ἵν' ἐκ τῆς τοιαύτης αὐτοῦ θαυματουργίας ἑλκύσῃ πρὸς συγκατάθεσιν τοῦ, ὅτι καὶ Θεὸς ἐτύγχανεν καὶ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ πρεσβύτερος. 7.2.5 Ἀκούσατε οὖν, φησίν, ὦ ἀληθῶς τυφλοὶ καὶ ἀνόητοι· Τίς οὗτος, ὁ καὶ συμπαρὼν ὑμῖν καὶ μὴ βλεπόμενος; ἢ τάχα ἐκεῖνος ὁ καὶ πρὸς Μωϋσῆν λαλῶν καὶ μὴ φαινό μενος; Ἑωρᾶτο γὰρ καὶ τότε πῦρ καὶ βάτος, ἀμφότερα ἄφωνα· ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ φωνὴ ἠκούετο καὶ λόγος ἐπαίδευε καὶ ἀσφαλῶς τὸ μέλλον προηγορεύετο. Καὶ χρὴ τοὺς νοῦν ἔχοντας ἐκ τῆς συγγενείας τῶν πραγμάτων γνωρίσαι τὸ πρόσωπον. 7.3.1 Οὕτως δὲ ἀλόγως καὶ ἀνοήτως τῶν

The Eye as a Masterpiece of Divine Wisdom§34

34While the Hebrews had our Lord and Savior, like a careful and wise physician, who does not employ another method of treatment for a first experience of a disease, he intends to heal a blind man who was found from birth, not having become blind through any fault or suffering, but by a defect of nature produced from the womb into life.

Having seen the man, he stood and was ready for healing, a healing superior to human speech and art. For medical speech imposes upon those diseases a theory—those things which, after nature has completed the animal and leads it toward light, happen in certain circumstances later—but when the disease is joined to the body, healing is not promised of a fault. Yet not even of all the sufferings that come about later.

And the maimed of men are witnesses to this, for no physician has repaired the loss of their limbs. Therefore also the disciples, having seen the suffering and seeing a man who had not tasted the best pleasure of light, were searching for the cause of the harm and were inquiring from the Lord, not very knowing, whether he was brought into life such as this because of his own sin or because of the faults of his parents (cf. John 9:2).

On both sides the question carries a consequence; for the child would not have been judged on account of the fathers, God not punishing one for another; nor indeed did he escape punishment for his own faults, if this one was born blind. For no one is a sinner before birth. Therefore the inquiry is not very proven; but so that we may learn how the truth, our Lord, responded to the question.

For this suffering, he says, 'O disciples, is not a retribution for sins, but a preparation for an upcoming economy, so that the man formerly considered common might act the things above man, and the Creator of all things, after the first creation, might find an occasion now to create, and through the particular might be made to trust the universal, and the hard and difficult people might be persuaded to worship, casting away the stones.'

Let the eyes that do not see be enlightened, so that the sun of righteousness (cf. Malachi 4:2) might shine upon the souls of the unwise.

Let a paradoxical thing be set forth and new sights be created, so that those who are in dispute may learn how the so-called son of Joseph, if he were truly a carpenter's boy, would have been able to mend a split plank, or gather together wood torn from harmony, or see a broken beam, or smooth the roughness of the boards, or do entirely those things which a craftsman father teaches his son according to the skill of the trade.

And a part of man, and the most beautiful part, the eye, which is most lovingly fashioned by nature, no one else could have made, unless he who has the authority of the first principle according to nature. Even if someone wishes to apply his mind closely to human limbs, in this very thing, the form of the body, he will behold the almighty and manifold wisdom of God in a small descriptive representation, such as the zeal of the art has demonstrated. For first, a certain grace is poured out upon it, and it is both most soft and incorporeal, as one might say, having the solid within the tender, and the arranged within the soft, and it is streaked with various colors.

Its center indeed has the description of black, and this is not a single-colored thing throughout, but connected with various circles; its center and middle having the deepest part, while the outer periphery is fading in color toward the more yellow part. Around this, the white has been draped from without, shining and lucid, not having a white that is unmixed, but having been made in a certain crystalline and beaming form. The red lies around the pupil, so that it may mix grace with the white and the black. Upon these things, it is thus lucid and smooth in its density, so that even those nearby make shapes like images, and like an accurate mirror, the characters of those being conversed with are impressed; for this reason also its middle circle, the center, is called a pupil, always showing a human form to the one looking opposite. For just as it is not possible for one looking into a mirror not to immediately shadow his own character upon the material, so it is not possible for the one standing as a representative of man not to engrave the familiar form upon the eye. When, indeed, men look at one another...

Greek · §34

Ἑβραίων ἐχόντων ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν καὶ Σωτήρ, ὥσπερ τις ἰατρὸς ἐπιμελής τε ὁμοῦ καὶ σοφός, πρὸς τὴν πρώτην πεῖραν οὐκ ἐνδόντος τοῦ πάθους ἄλλον τρόπον τῆς θεραπείας μεταχειρίζεται. Τυφλῷ δὲ βούλεται θεραπεῦσαι τυφλοὺς τὴν διάνοιαν, ὃς ἐκ τοῦ προστυχόντος εὑρέθη, οὐ λώβῃ τινι συμβάσει παθὼν τὴν τυφλότητα, ἀλλὰ πταίσματι φύσεως οὕτως ἐκ γαστρὸς παραχθεὶς εἰς τὸν βίον. 7.3.2 Θεασάμενος δὲ τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἔστη καὶ πρὸς θεραπείαν ἕτοιμος ἦν· θεραπείαν ἀνθρωπικοῦ λόγου καὶ τέχνης κρείττονα. Ἰατρικὴ μὲν γὰρ καὶ ὁ κατ' αὐτὴν λόγος ἐκείνοις τῶν νοσημάτων ἐπιβάλλει τὴν θεωρίαν, ὅσα τῆς φύσεως ἀπαρτισάσης τὸ ζῷον καὶ προαγούσης εἰς φῶς χρόνοις ὕστερον κατά τινας περιστάσεις ἐπισυμβαίνει, τῆς δὲ συντεχθείσης τῷ σώματι λώβης οὐκ ἐπαγγέλλεται θεραπείαν. Οὐ μέντοι γε οὐδὲ τῶν παθῶν πάντων τῶν εἰς ὕστερον συμβαινόντων. 7.3.3 Καὶ τούτου μάρτυρες οἱ ἠκρωτη ριασμένοι τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οἷς οὐδεὶς ἰατρὸς τὴν τῶν μελῶν στέρησιν ἐπηνώρθωσε. ∆ιόπερ καὶ οἱ μαθηταὶ τὸ πάθος κατελεήσαντες καὶ βλέποντες ἄνθρωπον τῆς καλλίστης ἡδονῆς τοῦ φωτὸς μὴ γευσάμενον τὴν αἰτίαν περιεργάζοντο τῆς κακώσεως καὶ ἐπυνθάνοντο παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου οὐ λίαν ἐπιστημόνως, εἴπερ ἐξ ἁμαρτίας οἰκείας ἢ διὰ πλημμε λήματα τῶν γονέων τοιοῦτος εἰς τὸν βίον παρήχθη. 7.3.4 Ἑκατέρωθεν δὲ ἡ ἐρώτησις ἔχει τὸ ἐπιλήψιμον· οὔτε γὰρ ἂν ὑπὲρ τῶν πατέρων ὁ παῖς κατεγνώσθη, ἄλλον ὑπὲρ ἄλλου τοῦ Θεοῦ μὴ κολάζοντος· οὔτε μὴν ἰδίων πλημμελημάτων ἀπέτισε δίκας, εἴγε οὗτος μὲν τυφλὸς ἐγεννήθη. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἁμαρτωλὸς πρὸ γεννήσεως. Ἡ μὲν οὖν πεῦσις οὐ λίαν δόκιμος· ὅπως δὲ ἡ ἀλήθεια, ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν, πρὸς τὴν ἐρώτησιν ἀπε κρίνατο, καταμάθωμεν. 7.3.5 Τὸ γὰρ πάθος τοῦτο, φησίν, ὦ μαθηταί, οὐχ ἁμαρτημάτων ἐστὶν ἀντίδοσις, ἀλλ' ἑτοιμασία μελλούσης οἰκονομίας, ὅπως ἂν ὁ τέως κοινὸς νομιζόμενος ἄνθρωπος ἐνεργήσῃ τὰ ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον καὶ ὁ κτίστης τῶν ὅλων μετὰ τὴν πρώτην ποίησιν εὕρῃ καὶ νῦν τοῦ δημιουργεῖν ἀφορμάς, ἐκ δὲ τῶν μερικῶν καὶ τὰ καθόλου πιστώσηται, ὁ δὲ σκλῆρος λαὸς καὶ δυσάγωγος πεισθῇ προσκυνεῖν ῥίψας τοὺς λίθους. 7.3.6 Φωτισθήτωσαν τοίνυν ὀφθαλμοὶ μὴ βλέποντες, ἵνα καταλάμψῃ τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν ἀσυνέτων ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἥλιος. Γενέσθω πρᾶγμα παράδοξον καὶ κτισθήσωσαν ὄψεις, ἵνα μάθωσιν οἱ στασιάζοντες, ὡς ὁ λεγόμενος υἱὸς τοῦ Ἰωσήφ, εἰ ἦν ἀληθῶς τέκτονος παῖς, δίφρον μὲν ἐδύνατο διαρραγέντα ἐπανορθοῦν, ἢ τὰ ξύλα συνάγειν τῆς ἁρμονίας ἀποζευχθέντα, ἢ τὴν κλασθεῖσαν ὑπερείδειν δοκόν, ἢ λεαίνειν τὸ τραχὺ τῶν σανίδων, ἢ ποιεῖν ὅλως 31 ἐκεῖνα, ἃ χειροτέχνης πατὴρ κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ ἐπιτηδεύματος διδάσκει τὸν παῖδα· 7.3.7 ἀνθρώπου δὲ μέρος, καὶ μέρος τὸ κάλλιστον τὸν ὀφθαλμόν, τὸ μάλιστα παρὰ τῆς φύσεως φιλοπόνως δημιουργούμενον, οὐκ ἂν ἐποίησεν ἄλλος, εἰ μήγε ὁ τῆς πρώτης ἀρχῆς τῆς κατὰ φύσεως ἔχων τὴν ἐξουσίαν. 7.4.1 Κἄν τις θελήσει προσεχῶς τοῖς ἀνθρωπικοῖς μέλεσιν ἐπιστῆσαι τὸν νοῦν, ἐν τούτῳ δὴ μάλιστα τῷ μορίῳ τοῦ σώματος τὴν παντοδύναμον καὶ ποικίλην τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφίαν κατόψεται ἐν μικρᾷ μέλους περιγραφῇ τοσαύτην ἐπιδειξαμένου τὴν φιλοτιμίαν τῆς τέχνης. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ αὐτῷ χάρις τις ἐπικέχυται καί ἐστιν ἁπαλώτατός τε καὶ ἄσαρκος, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, ἐν τῷ τρυφερῷ τὸ στερεὸν ἔχων καὶ ἐν τῷ μαλακῷ τὸ διατεταμένον καὶ ποικίλαις διήνθισται ταῖς χρόαις. 7.4.2 Τὸ γοῦν μέσον αὐτοῦ τὴν περιγραφὴν ἔχει τοῦ μέλανος, καὶ ταύτην οὐ δι' ὅλου μονοειδῆ, ἀλλὰ ποικίλοις τισὶ κύκλοις συνδεδεμένην· τοῦ κέντρου μὲν αὐτοῦ καὶ μέσου τὸ βαθύτερον ἔχοντος, τῆς δὲ ἐξωτέρω περιφερείας πρὸς τὴν ξανθοτέραν κατὰ μέρος ἀποληγούσης βαφήν. Ταύτης ἔξωθεν τὸ λευκὸν περιβέβληται, στιλπνὸν καὶ διαυγές, οὐκ ἄκρατον ἔχον τὴν λευκότητα, ἀλλ' ἐν κρυσταλλοειδεῖ τινι καὶ διαυγαζούσῃ πεποιημένον τῇ μορφῇ. 7.4.3 Τὸ ἐρυθρὸν κεῖται περὶ τὴν κόρην, ἵνα τῷ λευκῷ καὶ μέλανι κεράσῃ τὴν χάριν. Ἐπὶ τούτοις οὕτως ἐστὶ διαυγὴς καὶ λεῖος ἐν τῇ πυκνότητι, ὥστε καὶ τὰς τῶν ἐγγιζόντων εἰδωλοποιεῖν μορφὰς καὶ οἱονεὶ κάτοπτρον ἀκριβὲς τῶν προσδιαλεγομένων ἐντυποῦσθαι τοὺς χαρακτῆρας, διὸ δὴ καὶ τὸ μεσαίτατον αὐτοῦ τοῦ κύκλου, τὸ κέντρον, προσηγορεύεται κόρη, ἀεὶ τὴν μορφὴν τῷ καταντικρὺ βλέποντι δεικνύον ἀνθρωπικήν. 7.4.4 Ὡς γὰρ οὐκ ἔστι τὸν ὁρῶντα εἰς κάτοπτρον μὴ εὐθὺς ἐνσκιάσαι τῇ ὕλῃ τὸν ἴδιον χαρακτῆρα, οὕτω τὸν ἀντιπρόσωπον ἑστῶτα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου μὴ ἐγγράψαι τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τὴν οἰκείαν μορφήν. Εἰς ἀλλήλους γοῦν ἄνθρωποι βλέποντες

The Power of the Siloam Washing§35

35They become mirrors to one another. Therefore, the eye is worthy of wonder among the created things. For this also interprets God to me, accurately perceiving all of creation and, by pointing out the artisan through the working of things, it interprets the invisible to the soul from the visible; through this I have knowledge of the sun and the order of the heavens, and I have studied the beauty of the stars and the substance and nature of the earth, the difference of seeds and the variety of plants and the diverse coloring of hues, the depth of darkness and the shining of light, and all simply as much as God has created.

If an eye had not existed, creation would have been without witness, with no one seeing the wisdom and power of God being preserved within it. Because of this, therefore, this wonderful arrangement of the eyes, the eyes were also created by design, so that we might cast off the lowly ideas approaching us from the flesh concerning the Only-begotten, by the great work of things coming to be, casting out from the soul every lowly and vulgar conceit; let us know, however, that the blessed light and beauty of the divinity received an earthen vessel to serve us, like lamps, the shining light.

The Lord performs the healing himself, and he does not use word alone for the operation, having supported all through his command for the adornment; he healed the paralytic with two words; but he also heals the blindness now with mouth and hands and much other foresight, so that he might instill firm faith through things into the unbelieving.

He stoops upon the ground and works a clot with saliva, using the earth for this purpose toward the healing, so that he might show how from that clay, whence in the beginning the living creature was formed in its entirety, a complete part is being made from the remainder. With saliva he takes this up and joins together what was scattered and unattached, so that he might show us clearly that by the power of his mouth the Word set all things in order. For by the word the heavens were established (Ps 33:5), and by the spirit of his mouth all their power (Job 33:4).

Perhaps also because of this he heals by stooping, so that those about to insult a little later with spittle might be subdued by fear; and yet the insolence of the madmen did not cease, but he was spat upon much by the...

Such things are achieved through a fall. In this first act, the creative power is shown, and by the command to wash in the pool of Siloam, the salvation through water is demonstrated to us, which the one sent (Siloam) granted to all. For then we see well when we are cleansed by the mystical water; then the light of grace surrounds us, when the power of baptism washes away the stain of sins and the spots. And all who obey the command of Siloam see the spiritual light, which enlightens every man coming into the world. Oh, the wonder and the great energy!

The man, blind a moment ago, went out from the pool with his face adorned by the addition to his eyes, seeing accurately toward the solar ray. The matter astonished the neighbors and the acquaintances. The new manner of the healing disturbed his life; the man was surrounded by the city, seeing that the work was becoming known by all, new and paradoxical, by Jesus born in Bethlehem, that little infant who was laid in the manger among the rushes. For these are the things which caused the Jews to disbelieve in the divinity.

Not then, O foolish and hard-hearted ones, apply your reasoning to the men of the age. Beginning from Adam, investigate all the following, if you find what has happened now and has been done upon others, having a life that is a model of such a healing; and again, at the dragging away of my Lord, you bring forward the child of the carpenter, whose brothers you know, whose house you know. Count all the lowly things, contend, and pour out much of our dishonor. But if neither man has done anything of this kind, nor has life had such a story, having recognized your own ignorance, look back toward the truth. Wash also yourselves in the Siloam, so that you do not perish in blindness.

But nothing was as it should be regarding them. Neither a word instructed, nor a deed taught, nor the energy of wonders nourished; but on the contrary, through innate ignorance, they attempted in myriad ways to obscure and to drag away; and malice turned back upon them to the contrary. For as much as they disbelieved, and asking...

Greek · §35

ἀλλήλων γίνονται κάτοπτρα. 7.5.1 Θαύματος τοίνυν ἄξιος ἐν τοῖς κτίσμασιν ὁ ὀφθαλμός. Οὗτος γάρ μοι καὶ Θεὸν ἑρμηνεύει πᾶσαν ἀκριβῶς καταμανθάνων τὴν κτίσιν κἀκ τῆς ἐνεργείας ὑποδεικνὺς τὸν τεχνίτην· οὗτος ἐκ τῶν ὁρατῶν ἑρμη νεύει τῇ ψυχῇ τὰ ἀόρατα· διὰ τούτου ἔχω γνῶσιν ἡλίου καὶ οὐρανοῦ κόσμον ἔμαθον καὶ κάλλος ἀστέρων ἱστόρησα καὶ γῆς ὑπόστασιν καὶ φύσιν θαλάσσης, σπερμάτων διαφορὰν καὶ φυτῶν ποικιλίαν καὶ χρω μάτων ποικίλην βαφήν, σκότους κατήφειαν καὶ φωτὸς λαμπήδονα καὶ πάντα ἁπλῶς ὅσα ὁ Θεὸς κτίσας ἐπῄνεσεν. Ὡς εἴ γε ὀφθαλμὸς μὴ ὑπῆρχεν, ἀμάρτυρος ἂν ἡ κτίσις ἐγήρασεν, οὐδενὸς καθορῶντος τὴν ἐν αὐτῇ σοφίαν καὶ δύναμιν τοῦ Θεοῦ σωζομένην. 7.5.2 ∆ιὰ ταύτην τοίνυν τὴν θαυμαστὴν τῶν ὄψεων κατασκευὴν ὀφθαλμοὶ 7.5.2 καὶ νῦν ἐκτίσθησαν αὐτοσχέδιοι, ἵνα τὰς μικροπρεπεῖς ἐννοίας τὰς ἐκ τῆς σαρκὸς ἐγγινομένας ἡμῖν περὶ τοῦ Μονογενοῦς ἀποθώμεθα τῇ μεγαλουργίᾳ τῶν γινομένων ἐκβάλλοντες τῆς ψυχῆς πᾶσαν ὑπόληψιν μικροπρεπῆ καὶ χαμαίζηλον· γνωρίσωμεν δέ, ὅτι τὸ μακάριον φῶς καὶ κάλλος τῆς θεότητος ὀστράκινον σκεῦος ἐδέξατο διακονοῦν ἡμῖν κατὰ τοὺς λύχνους τὴν λαμπηδόνα. 7.5.3 Αὐτουργεῖ δὲ διόλου τὴν θεραπείαν ὁ Κύριος καὶ οὐ λόγῳ μόνῳ χρῆται πρὸς τὴν ἐνέργειαν ὁ προστάγματι τὴν πᾶσαν ὑποστησάμενος διακόσμησιν, ὁ δύο λόγοις βραχέσι τὸν παραλυτικὸν θεραπεύσας· ἀλλὰ καὶ στόματι καὶ χερσὶ καὶ ἄλλῃ πολλῇ προνοίᾳ θεραπεύει νῦν τὴν τυφλότητα, ἵνα βεβαίαν διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐμποιήσῃ τοῖς ἀπίστοις τὴν πίστιν. 7.5.4 Πτύει ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐδάφους καὶ τῷ σιάλῳ πῆλον ἐργάζεται, τῇ μὲν γῇ διὰ τοῦτο πρὸς τὴν θεραπείαν συγ χρώμενος, ἵνα δείξῃ ὡς ἐξ ἐκείνου τοῦ χοῦ, ὅθεν ἐν ἀρχῇ ὁλόκληρον ἐπλάσθη τὸ ζῷον, καὶ τὸ λεῖπον ἀρτίως μέρος δημιουργεῖται. Σιάλῳ δὲ τοῦτο ἀναλαμβάνει καὶ συνέχει τὸν ἐσκεδασμένον καὶ ἀκόλλητον, ἵνα φανερῶς ἡμῖν δείξῃ, ὅτι τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ ὁ Λόγος τὰ πάντα κατώρθωσε. Τῷ λόγῳ γὰρ οἱ οὐρανοὶ ἐστερεώθησαν καὶ τῷ πνεύματι τοῦ στόματος αὐτοῦ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις αὐτῶν. 7.6.1 Τάχα δὲ καὶ διὰ τοῦτο 32 πτύων θεραπεύει, ἵνα κατανύξῃ πρὸς φόβον τοὺς μικρὸν ὕστερον ὑβρίζειν τοῖς ἐμπτύσμασι μέλλοντας· καὶ ὅμως οὐκ ἐδυσώπησε τῶν μαινομένων τὸ θράσος, ἀλλ' ἐνεπτύσθη πολλὰ ὁ τοιαῦτα κατορθῶν διὰ πτύσματος. Τῆς πρώτης ταύτης πράξεως τὴν δημιουργικὴν ὑποφαίνει δύναμιν καὶ διὰ μὲν τοῦ προστάξαι εἰς τὴν κολυμβήθραν τοῦ Σιλωὰμ νίψασθαι τὴν δι' ὕδατος σωτηρίαν ἡμῖν ἐνδείκνυται, ἣν πᾶσιν ὁ ἀπεσταλμένος (Σιλωὰμ) ἐχαρίσατο. 7.6.2 Τότε γὰρ καλῶς βλέπομεν, ὅτ' ἂν τῷ μυστικῷ καθαρθῶμεν ὕδατι· τότε φῶς ἡμᾶς περιλάμπει τῆς χάριτος, ὅτ' ἂν ἡ δύναμις τοῦ βαπτίσματος τὸν ῥύπον τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ τὰς κηλῖδας ἐκνίψῃ. Καὶ πάντες ὅσοι τῇ ἐντολῇ τοῦ Σιλωὰμ ἀπολουόμεθα, τὸ πνευματικὸν ὁρῶμεν φῶς, ὃ φωτίζει πάντα ἄνθρωπον ἐρχόμενον εἰς τὸν κόσμον. Ὢ τοῦ θαύματος καὶ τῆς μεγάλης ἐνεργείας! 7.6.3 Ἀπῆλθεν ἐκ τῆς κολυμβήθρας ὁ πρὸ ὀλίγου τυφλὸς κοσμηθεὶς τὸ πρόσωπον τῇ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν προσθήκῃ, βλέπων ἀκριβῶς πρὸς τὴν ἡλιακὴν ἀκτῖνα. Ἐξέπληττε τοὺς γείτονας καὶ τοὺς γνωρίμους τὸ πρᾶγμα. Ἐθορύβει τὸν βίον ὁ καινὸς τῆς θεραπείας τρόπος· περιενόστει τὴν πόλιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος βλέπων, ἵνα βλέπηται παρὰ πάντων ἔργον γενόμενον καινὸν καὶ παράδοξον ὑπὸ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ ἐν Βηθλεὲμ γεννηθέντος, τοῦ μικροῦ βρέφους ἐκείνου τοῦ ἐν τῇ φάτνῃ τοῖς σπαργάνοις ἐνειληθέντος. Ταῦτα γάρ ἐστιν, ἃ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἀπιστεῖν ἐποίει τῇ θεότητι. 7.7.1 Οὐκοῦν, ὦ ἀνόητοι καὶ παχυκάρδιοι, ἐπιβάλετε τὸν λογισμὸν τοῖς ἐξ αἰῶνος ἀνθρώποις. Ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἀρξάμενοι τοὺς ἑξῆς πάντας διερευνήσατε, ἐὰν εὕρητε τὸ νῦν γενόμενον καὶ ἐπ' ἄλλων πραχθέν, ἐὰν ἔχοντα τὸν βίον τοιαύτης θεραπείας ὑπόδειγμα· καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ διασυρμῷ τοῦ Κυρίου μου τὸν τοῦ τέκτονος προφέρετε παῖδα, οὗ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς γνωρίζετε, οὗ τὴν οἰκίαν ἴστε. 7.7.2 Ἀπαριθμεῖσθε πάντα τὰ ταπεινά, φιλονεικήσατε, πολλὴν ἡμῶν καταχέατε τὴν ἀδοξίαν. Εἰ δὲ μηδὲν τοιοῦτον μήτε ἄνθρωπος ἔπραξε μήτε ὁ βίος ἔσχε διήγημα, καταγνόντες ἑαυτῶν τῆς ἀγνοίας λοιπὸν πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἀναβλέψατε. Νίψασθε καὶ ὑμεῖς εἰς τὸν Σιλωάμ, ἵνα μὴ ἐναποθάνητε τῇ τυφλότητι. 7.7.3 Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν ὡς ἔοικεν ἐπ' ἐκείνων. Οὐ λόγος ἐπαίδευεν, οὐ πρᾶξις ἐδίδασκεν, οὐκ ἐνέργεια θαυμασίων ἐδυσώπει· πάντα δὲ τοὐναντίον διὰ τὴν ἔντυφον ἀγνωμοσύνην μυρίοις τρόποις ἐπεχείρουν ἀφανίζειν καὶ διασύρειν· περιετρέπετο δὲ αὐτοῖς πρὸς τοὐναντίον ἡ κακουργία. 7.7.4 Ὅσῳ γὰρ ἠπίστουν ἐκεῖνοι καὶ προσερωτῶντες

The Inheritance of Unbelief§36

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36They strove to overturn it, for the truth was being made more certain by so much. And he suffered the same from the beasts as those, having been wounded by something and not yet having received the whole point in the stomach, with a rush and rivalry, concentrating all the iron upon itself.

7.8.1 First, meddlingness: if this same man, and not another in his place, was shown; this being clearly testified by the man, who cried out and clearly reported the sequence of the healing, that even the mud was used as a medicine for the blindness, and that the washing of the mud in the pool provided sight. These things the neighbors investigated and learned; the Pharisees sought and did not believe.

7.8.2 Second, a technique for the invalidation of what had happened was taken up, to try to show that Christ is not the one who worked the healing. Since the man cried out to the Savior and gave back the grace by his confession and his proclamation, and made public the benefactor, they, being prevented in their mouths, reeling in their opinion, having nothing what to do, 7.8.3 run back again to the inquiry of the passion, and whether he was blind from birth; they investigate this and search the parents of the man, becoming precise examiners of each person, not in order to confirm what was done, but in order that they might receive an overturning of the wonder from somewhere and, having constructed some false pretense, might overturn the believing crowd by a rush. Oh, the excess of wickedness!

7.8.4 To fight against the truth and not to worship the one doing these things, but to drag through the dirt the benefactor; not to marvel at the power, but to disparage by trying the matters. Be persuaded even by the parents, O Pharisees, that the man was born with the blindness; and yet again you run back to the blind man, from the second and third, being informed by him of the evil attempts and the plots.

7.8.5 But whenever you fall from the first trial, you move to the second; whenever from the second, to the third; whenever from the third, to the next. As a fox is running through paths, and everywhere you are surrounded by the nets of the truth; but the exit from the wonder is without escape. However, not of all...

You are weaving a web of deceit, making it colorful indeed, but attacking weakly and without permanence. This sickness is your inheritance. You are children like unbelieving fathers. Such were they also in their manner regarding the wonders in Egypt. They were being saved from wars in a new way, yet they disbelieved the one giving salvation even though they were saved by hope. They were being fed with foods surpassing nature, and among those who were starving, they were even more ungrateful; they received manna sent from heaven, and they even craved the stench of the Egyptian leeks and onions. They were shaded during the day by a pillar of cloud so that they would not be afflicted by the heat of the solar ray, and in the night they seized a pillar of fire, having taken another new luminary distinct from the moon, and as if enjoying no divine energy, they thus sought new and celestial gods, profiting from them, so that Moses, having been detained a little on the mountain in the giving of the law, might draw them back to the return.

You truly are heirs of that ignorance, not having loved the law and hating the grace, needing not a rod of carob for supervision, but an iron one. You see a man who has passed into light, yet has remained inactive in his senses until far into his age, being led by alien eyes, sitting daily before the temple, practicing the craft of misfortune so that he might draw many into pity, the city having a witness to the suffering, seeing now and being healed quickly, not by various medicinal compositions, nor by iron cuts, but by clay alone, and this happening through saliva.

And how have you not been placed, not been struck with amazement, not casting down to the earth, worshiping the one who created the eyes from the earth, and respecting the divine energy? Instead, you are bursting with envy and you pursue God as a rival craftsman, as creators pursuing a creator, as those of the same kind pursuing the one of the same kind. And encountering old books, how many were written during the economy of the people, and how many clearly teach the reigns of kings and the history concerning them, receive the things said about each one with obedience, as some consider Moses to be a small god and exult over Elisha and his teacher...

Greek · §36

ἀνατρέπειν ἐσπούδαζον, τοσούτῳ πλέον ἐβεβαιοῦτο ἡ ἀλήθεια· καὶ ταὐτὸν ἔπασχον τῶν θηρίων ἐκείνοις, ἃ πληγέντα παρά τινος καὶ μηδέπω πᾶσαν τὴν αἰχμὴν ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ δεξά μενα τῇ πρὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον ὁρμῇ καὶ φιλονεικίᾳ ὅλον ἐφ' ἑαυτὰ συνωθεῖ τὸν σίδηρον. 7.8.1 Πρώτη πολυπραγμοσύνη· Εἰ οὗτος αὐτὸς ὁ τυφλὸς καὶ μὴ ἕτερος ἀντ' ἐκείνου ἐδείχθη· τοῦτο σαφῶς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου διαμαρτυρομένου καὶ κεκραγότος καὶ τὴν ἀκολουθίαν τῆς θεραπείας σαφῶς ἀπαγγέλλοντος, ὅτι καὶ πηλὸς κατεχρίσθη τὸ τῆς τυφλότητος φάρμακον, ὅτι καὶ κολυμ βήθρα τὸν πηλὸν ἀπονίψασα τὸ βλέπειν παρέσχεν. Ταῦτα περιεργάζοντο γείτονες καὶ ἐμάνθανον· ἀνεζήτουν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι καὶ οὐκ ἐπείθοντο. 7.8.2 ∆ευτέρα τέχνη εἰς ἀθέτησιν τοῦ γενομένου παρελαμβάνετο τὸ πειρᾶσθαι δεικνύειν, ὡς οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ ἐνεργήσας τὴν θεραπείαν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἄνθρωπος τὸν σωτῆρα ἐβόα καὶ τῇ ὁμολογίᾳ καὶ τῷ κηρύγματι ἀντεδίδου τὴν χάριν καὶ τὸν εὐεργέτην ἐδημοσίευεν, ἀποφραττόμενοι τὰ στόματα, ἰλιγγιῶντες τὴν γνώμην, οὐκ ἔχοντες ὅ τι καὶ πράξωσιν, 7.8.3 ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ πάθους πάλιν ἀνατρέχουσι ζήτησιν καὶ εἰ ἐκ γενετῆς τυφλός, τοῦτο περιεργάζονται καὶ τοὺς γονεῖς ἀναζητοῦσι τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ ἀκριβεῖς ἐξετασταὶ γίνονται τῶν καθ' ἕκαστον, οὐχ ἵνα βεβαιώσωσι τὸ πραχθέν, ἀλλ' ἵνα ἀνατροπήν ποθεν τοῦ θαυμασίου λάβωσι καὶ ψευδῆ τινα σκευωρίαν κατασκευάσαντες τὸ πιστεῦον πλῆθος τῆς ὁρμῆς ἀνατρέ ψωσιν. Ὢ κακίας ὑπερβολή! 33 7.8.4 Μάχεσθαι πρὸς τὴν ἀληθείαν καὶ μὴ προσκυνεῖν τὸν ταῦτα ποιοῦντα, ἀλλὰ διασύρειν τὸν εὐεργέτην· μὴ θαυμάζειν τὴν δύναμιν, ἀλλ' ἐξευτελίζειν πειρᾶσθαι τὰ πράγματα. Πείσθητε καὶ παρὰ τῶν γονέων, ὦ Φαρισαῖοι, ὅτι μετὰ τῆς τυφλότητος ἐτέχθη ὁ ἄνθρωπος· καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸν τυφλὸν ἀνατρέχετε, ἐκ δευτέρου καὶ τρίτου παρ' ἐκείνου πληροφορούμενοι τῶν κακῶν ἐπιχειρημάτων καὶ τῶν ἐπιβουλῶν. 7.8.5 Ἀλλ' ὅτ' ἂν τῆς πρώτης ἐκπέσητε πείρας, ἐπὶ τὴν δευτέραν χωρεῖτε· ὅτ' ἂν τῆς δευτέρας, ἐπὶ τὴν τρίτην· ὅτ' ἂν τῆς τρίτης ἐπὶ τὴν καθεξῆς. Ἀλώπεκος κακουργούσης ἀναστρέφεσθε δρόμους καὶ πανταχοῦ μὲν ὑμᾶς τὰ δίκτυα τῆς ἀληθείας περιεστοίχισται· ἄφυκτος δὲ ἡ ἀπὸ θαυμασίου διέξοδος. Ὅμως δὲ πάσης οὐκ ἀμελεῖτε πλοκῆς ἱστὸν ἀράχνης ὑφαίνοντες, ποικίλως μέν, ἀλλ' ἀσθενῶς καὶ ἀνηνύτως ἐπιβουλεύοντες. 7.9.1 Πατρικὸν ὑμῶν τὸ νόσημα. Ἀπίστων πατέρων ὅμοιοι παῖδες. Τοιοῦτοι κἀκεῖνοι τὸν τρόπον περὶ τὰ θαυμάσια τὰ κατ' Αἴγυπτον. Ἐκ πολέμων ἐσώζοντο καινῶς καὶ παρ' ἐλπίδας καὶ τῷ διδόντι τὴν σωτηρίαν ἠπίστουν· ἐτρέφοντο τροφαῖς ὑπερβαινούσαις τὴν φύσιν καὶ τῶν λιμωττώντων ἦσαν πλέον ἀχάριστοι· μάννα ὑπεδέχοντο οὐρανόθεν πεμπόμενον καὶ τῶν Αἰγυπτιακῶν σκορόδων τε καὶ κρομμύων τὴν δυσωδίαν ἐπόθουν· 7.9.2 στύλῳ νεφέλης τὴν ἡμέραν ἐπεσκιάζοντο, ἵνα μὴ τῇ θέρμῃ τῆς ἡλιακῆς ἀκτῖνος ταλαιπωρήσωσι, καὶ στύλῳ πυρὸς ἐν νυκτὶ κατελάμποντο ἄλλον φωστῆρα καινὸν παρὰ τὴν σελήνην λαβόντες ἐξαίρετον, καὶ ὡς οὐδεμίας ἐνεργείας θεϊκῆς ἀπολαύοντες οὕτως καινοὺς καὶ μετεώρους ἐζήτουν θεοὺς εἰσπράττοντες, ἵνα μικρὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ ὄρους κατασχεθεὶς Μωϋσῆς ἐν τῇ δόσει τοῦ νόμου τὴν ἐπάνοδον παρελκύσῃ. 7.9.3 Ὑμεῖς ἀληθῶς κληρονόμοι τῆς ἐκείνων ἀγνωμοσύνης καὶ τὸν νόμον οὐκ ἀγαπήσαντες καὶ τὴν χάριν μισοῦντες, οὐ ῥάβδου καρυΐνης ἐπιστασίας, ἀλλὰ σιδηρᾶς χρῄζοντες. 7.10.1 Ἄνθρωπον ὁρᾶτε παρελθόντα μὲν εἰς φῶς, ἐν σκότῳ δὲ μέχρι πόρρω τῆς ἡλικίας διατελέσαντα ἀνενέργητον τὰς ὄψεις, ἀλλοτρίοις ὀφθαλμοῖς ὁδηγούμενον, καθ' ἡμέραν πρὸ τοῦ ἱεροῦ καθήμενον, δημο σιεύοντα τὴν συμφοράν, ἵνα πολλοὺς εἰς ἔλεον ἐφελκύσηται, τὴν πόλιν ἔχοντα τοῦ πάθους μάρτυρα, βλέποντα νῦν καὶ ἰαθέντα ταχέως, οὐ φαρμάκων ποικίλων συνθέσει, οὐδὲ σιδήρου τομαῖς, ἀλλὰ πηλῷ μόνῳ, καὶ τούτου διὰ σιέλου γενομένου· 7.10.2 καὶ πῶς οὐ τεθήπατε, οὐκ ἐκπλήτ τεσθε, οὐ καταβάλλοντες εἰς γῆν προσκυνεῖτε τὸν ἀπὸ γῆς ὀφθαλμοὺς κτίσαντα καὶ σέβετε τὴν θεϊκὴν ἐνέργειαν; Φθόνῳ δὲ διαρρήγνυσθε καὶ ζηλοῦτε τὸν Θεὸν ὡς ἀντίτεχνον, ὡς δημιουργοὶ δημιουργόν, ὡς ὁμόφυλοι τὸν ὁμότιμον. 7.10.3 Καὶ παλαιᾶς μὲν ἐντυγχάνοντες βίβλοις, ὅσαι ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ λαοῦ οἰκονομίᾳ ἐγράφησαν, καὶ ὅσαι τὰς τῶν βασιλέων ἀρχὰς καὶ τὴν ἐπ' ἐκείναις ἱστορίαν σαφῶς ἐκδιδάσκουσιν, εὐπειθῶς περὶ ἑκάστου τὰ λεγόμενα παραδέχεσθε, ὡς Μωϋσέα μὲν μικροῦ δέοντος νομίζειν Θεὸν καὶ Ἑλισσαῖον ὑπερθαυμάζειν καὶ τὸν τούτου διδασκάλον τὸν

The Poverty of the Speaker vs. the Greatness of the Subject§37

37Praising the Thespian and all the saints of every generation who were activated by God and performed great and unsung deeds, lifting them to the rank of angels. Do not contend regarding the ancients, nor reject the explanation of the fathers, for these things are not easily brought to the faith of hearing for natural men.

What you see now with your eyes, and what it is possible to touch with fingers and perceive accurately by sense, you simultaneously work evil against in unfaithfulness and without judgment, trampling on prophecy and reversing the outcome of foretellings. For what is seen now in the trial is what Isaiah taught of old through his words: 'Behold, our God will render judgment and will render it back; He will come and will save us. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened and the ears of the deaf shall hear; then the lame shall leap like a deer and the tongue of the mute shall sing' (Isaiah 35:5-6).

These are not the words of Peter and John, nor are the words of any of the new and subordinate persons, so that having understood a gifted euphemism, you might reject the truth, but rather the words of your own prophecy, if you make known the Thespian, the son of Amos, a prophet, a child of a prophet, an Israelite man of the race, the head of the guidance according to the law. Glory to God, power, honor, now and always and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

All these customs, performed according to the law of the honors of the martyrs, are holy festivals and enduring monuments of those who showed courage according to God; in which the leaders of the churches, when they arrive to speak, having examined their own powers against the greatness of the matters, immediately flee in preambles toward forgiveness and entreaty and say...

Thus the majesty of the things spoken of is diminished by the smallness of the word.

If those who intend to praise each of the martyrs individually forbid praise, and confess their own weakness with a bright voice, what could I become today, having the teachers of the martyrs set before me for eulogy—the genuine and first disciples of Christ, the fathers of the churches, the only faithful preachers of the gospel, those who spoke with God and received the voice from God with their ears? Not so; since the word is very lofty and the undertaking difficult, let us not love the idle and inactive silence, like the cowards and the sea-fearing, who, fleeing from the mere sight of the sea, neither endure to set a ship upon the beginning nor to sail around small shores for the sake of an attempt; but let us trust in those thrice-blessed ones, and let us attempt to offer the things according to power to the joy of the others, regarding the undertaking as that for which we have been liberated today.

For I know that this will be sought not so much as it is owed to those great and wondrous ones, but as much as can be found by us, the poor. Therefore, I desired that a small part of that grace might be granted to me today, of which each of these saints, having taken hold, either in Jerusalem taught those who were disobedient, or in Athens, having grasped the Arian error, turned back those who were superstitious by showing them Christ and announcing the mystery of true piety. For thus we have demonstrated something of what is set to be accomplished, and have not left behind much of the greatness.

Since the great gifts of the Spirit are great things, and I am unworthy to be enriched by such a grace, I will add poverty to my willingness toward you, just as Elisha added vegetables to the lentils...

Greek · §37

Θεσβίτην ὑμνεῖν· 7.10.4 καὶ πάντας τοὺς καθ' ἑκάστην γενεὰν ἁγίους τοὺς ἐνεργηθέντας παρὰ Θεοῦ καὶ τὰ μεγάλα καὶ ἀοίδιμα καταπραξαμένους, ἰσαγγέλους ἀνάγετε ταῖς τιμαῖς· οὐδὲν δὲ ζυγομαχεῖτε περὶ τῶν ἀρχαίων, οὐδὲ ἀθετεῖτε τὴν τῶν πατέρων ἐξήγησιν, καὶ ταῦτα πεφυκότων ἀνθρώπων μὴ λίαν εὐκόλως ἀνάγεσθαι πρὸς τὴν πίστιν τῆς ἀκοῆς· 7.10.5 ὃ δὲ ὀφθαλμοῖς ὑστέροις ἐπὶ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν εἴδετε καὶ ἃ τοῖς δακτύλοις ἔξεστι ψηλαφῆσαι καὶ ἀκριβῶς τῇ αἰσθήσει καταλαβεῖν, ταῦτα ἀπίστως καὶ ἀγνωμόνως ὁμοῦ κακουργεῖτε καὶ προφητείας καταπατοῦντες καὶ τὴν ἔκβασιν τῶν προρρήσεων ἀνατρέποντες. Τὰ γὰρ νῦν ἐπὶ τῆς πείρας ὁρώμενα καὶ πάλαι φθάσας Ἡσαΐας διὰ τῶν λόγων ἐδίδαξεν· Ἰδοὺ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν κρίσιν ἀνταποδίδωσι καὶ ἀνταποδώσει· αὐτὸς ἥξει καὶ σώσει ἡμᾶς. Τότε ἀνοιγήσονται ὀφθαλμοὶ τυφλῶν καὶ ὦτα κωφῶν ἀκούσονται· τότε ἁλεῖται ὡς ἔλαφος ὁ χωλὸς καὶ τρανὴ ἔσται γλῶσσα μογιλάλου. 7.10.6 Ταῦτα οὐ Πέτρου καὶ Ἰωάννου τὰ ῥήματα, 34 οὐδέ τινος τῶν νέων καὶ ὑπόπτων προσώπων οἱ λόγοι, ἵνα κε χαρισμένην εὐφημίαν ὑπονοήσαντες ἀθετήσητε τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἀλλὰ τῆς ὑμετέρας προφητείας οἱ λόγοι, εἰ τὸν Θεκουΐτην γνωρίσητε τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Ἀμώς, προφήτην προφήτου παῖδα, Ἰσραηλίτην ἐκ γένους ἄνδρα, τῆς κατὰ τὸν νόμον ἀγωγῆς τὸ κεφάλαιον. Τῷ δὲ Θεῷ δόξα, κράτος, τιμή, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. 8.t.1 Ἀστερίου ἐπισκόπου Ἀμασείας ἐγκώμιον εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους καὶ κορυφαίους ἀποστόλους Πέτρον καὶ Παῦλον 8.1.1 Πᾶσαι μὲν αἱ συνήθεις αὗται καὶ κατὰ νόμον τελούμεναι τῶν μαρτύρων τιμαί, ἱεραὶ πανηγύρεις εἰσὶ καὶ τῶν κατὰ Θεὸν ἀνδραγαθη σάντων στῆλαι διαιωνίζουσαι· ἐν αἷς οἱ πρόεδροι τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, ὅταν εἰς τὸ λέγειν ἀφίκωνται, τὰς ἑαυτῶν δυνάμεις ἀντεξετάζοντες τῷ μεγέθει τῶν ὑποθέσεων εὐθὺς ἐν προοιμίοις εἰς τὴν συγγνώμην καὶ τὴν παραίτησιν καταφεύγουσιν καί φασιν ἐλαττοῦν τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων μεγαλοπρέπειαν τῇ τοῦ λόγου σμικρότητι. 8.1.2 Εἰ δ' ἐκεῖνοι τοὺς καθ' ἕκαστον τῶν μαρτύρων ἐγκωμιάζειν μέλλοντες ἀπαγορεύουσι πρὸς τὸν ἔπαινον καὶ λαμπρᾷ τῇ φωνῇ τὴν σφῶν αὐτῶν ὁμολογοῦσιν ἀσθένειαν, τίς ἂν γενοίμην ἐγὼ σήμερον, ὁ τοὺς διδασκάλους τῶν μαρτύρων ἔχων προκειμένους εἰς εὐφημίαν, τοὺς γνησίους καὶ πρώτους μαθητὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τοὺς πατέρας τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν, τοὺς μόνους ἀξιοπίστους τοῦ εὐαγγελίου κήρυκας, τοὺς Θεῷ λαλήσαντας καὶ τὴν παρὰ Θεοῦ φωνὴν δεξαμένους ταῖς ἀκοαῖς; 8.1.3 Οὐ μήν, ἐπειδὴ λίαν ὑψηλὸς ὁ λόγος καὶ δυσέφικτος ἡ ἐγχείρησις, τὴν ἀργὴν καὶ ἄπρακτον σιωπὴν ἀγαπήσωμεν, ὥσπερ οἱ δειλοὶ καὶ ἀπειροθάλαττοι, οἳ πρὸς μόνην τὴν ὄψιν τῆς θαλάττης ἀπαγο ρεύοντες οὔτε τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπιβῆναι τῆς νηὸς ἀνέχονται οὔτε πείρας ἕνεκεν μικρὰ τοὺς αἰγιαλοὺς περιπλεῦσαι· αὐτοῖς δὲ τοῖς τρισμακαρίοις πιστεύ σαντες τὴν ἐγχείρησιν, τοῖς ὑπὲρ ὧν συνεληλύθαμεν σήμερον, τὰ κατὰ δύναμιν τῇ τῶν ἄλλων εὐφροσύνῃ παρασχέσθαι πειραθῶμεν. 8.1.4 Οἶδα γάρ, ὅτι τοσοῦτον ζητήσεται, οὐχ ὅσον ἐκείνοις ὀφείλεται, τοῖς μεγάλοις καὶ θεσπεσίοις, ἀλλ' ὅσον δυνατὸν παρ' ἡμῖν εὑρεθῆναι τοῖς πένησιν. Ἐβουλόμην μὲν οὖν ἐκείνης τῆς χάριτος ὀλίγον μέρος ἐμοὶ χορηγηθῆναι σήμερον, ἧς ἑκάτερός τε τῶν ἁγίων τούτων μεταλαβὼν ὁ μὲν ἐν Ἱεροσο λύμοις τοὺς ἀπειθοῦντας ἐδίδασκεν, ὁ δὲ τὸν Ἄρειον πάγον ἐν Ἀθήναις καταλαβὼν ἐκ τῆς πολυθέου πλάνης τοὺς δεισιδαιμονοῦντας ἐπέστρεψεν ὑποδεικνὺς αὐτοῖς τὸν Χριστὸν καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀληθοῦς εὐσεβείας καταγγείλας μυστήριον. Οὕτω γὰρ ἀνεδείξαμέν τι τῶν προκειμένων ἐπιτελεῖν καὶ μὴ πολὺ τοῦ μεγέθους ἀπολιμπάνεσθαι. 8.2.1 Ἐπειδὴ δὲ αἱ μεγάλαι τοῦ Πνεύματος δωρεαὶ τῶν μεγάλων εἰσὶ καὶ ἀνάξιος ἐγὼ τοιαύταις πλουτίζεσθαι χάρισιν, προσθήσω τὴν πενίαν μετὰ τῆς προθυμίας ὑμῖν ὡς Ἐλισσαῖος μετὰ τῶν ἀλεύρων τὰ λάχανα, τῆς τοῦ

The Foundation of the Church§38

38Goodness will certainly not be deprived of honor. No one should think that I, following the praise of brave men heard from you, will follow the laws of the wisdom of the outside. For we do not practice flattery through a composed art, but we strive to present to you, souls desiring virtue, the truth. Therefore, the silence of lineage and the pride of fathers will not obstruct the word. Flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God (Romans 8:3). Nor shall we honor the sky-dwellers from the worldly and earth-bound, but rather the opposite: the obscure lives of fathers, the crude arts, and the shadow called poverty shall be remembered in praises.

For the glory of Christians, according to the gospel, is our humility. I am also terribly reproached by the praises of those from without, because they, wishing to ennoble those they win over, say nothing exceptional, but they sit by the graves and disturb those lying there, making the dead into a decoration for the living; through which they call upon the departed, while confessing they have nothing good to say to those being praised by them.

And besides this, if it were true that those descending from illustrious fathers are themselves good and inherit virtue as if by some nature, it would perhaps have been timely to make some mention of the parents; but since the successions of lineage are lied about, there is even more difference in outward affectations; for the philosopher is unrefined and the lover of pleasure is a philosopher, and it is useless to remember the toil of the forefathers; it is necessary to demonstrate, if anyone has achievements of virtue. And to learn that this has such a way, one cannot learn it from meddling elsewhere, but from our own Holy Scripture, having manifold and varied usefulness.

Know certainly the priest, that elder, the nourisher and teacher of the great Samuel; but he himself, being excellent, did not benefit the sons; and having been nourished by him who begot him and learning the laws of the priesthood every day. And from ungodly fathers again, I speak of Timothy, the brave dog of Paul the apostle, and he certainly did not follow as if by some nature of the parents.

Having judged by reason, he hated their impiety toward the holy law of piety, and a sweet fruit appeared from a bitter root. Half-men in communion and sheep in offspring.

Thus Absalom, having been a youth toward a lenient father and so well known for audacity, as much as the father was in kindness; or rather, if it is necessary to speak the truer thing, he exceeded by a great measure in wickedness the virtue of the one who begat him. And entirely, if anyone wishes to understand with the mind this opposition of children toward fathers, he will find myriads of the diligent from the evil and the wicked from the best. And very appropriately. For if nature and not manner were performing virtue or wickedness, the two would not be, but one side would have prevailed alone.

Let Peter be called the son of Jonah; as for whose son this is, it makes no difference to me. For I honor the one who begat through the actions of the son; and starting from below, I send the glory to the things above, just as the lamps of the night light the ceilings from the ground. He says, prophesying Isaiah, that the Father placed the Son as a cornerstone, indicating that the whole composition of the world has its seat and its foundation in Him.

And the Only-begotten again, as he says in the gospels, names Peter the foundation of the church: 'You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church.' For truly this one is first like a great and enduring stone cast into the hollow of this world or the pit of lamentation, as David says, so that having supported all Christians remaining in building, he might lift them up to the height, which is the dwelling-place of our hope. Paul also calls Christ the foundation, saying: 'No one can lay a foundation other than the one laid, which is Jesus Christ.'

Our Savior, by the same designation, adorned even his first disciple, naming him a rock of faith. Therefore, through Peter, the foundation of the churches is saved, being unshakeable and unswerving, having become a true and faithful initiate of piety. Through the building of the righteous we have stood rooted, Christians from the setting sun until the rising. And having been moved by many trials since it was reported that the...

Greek · §38

προέχεσθαι πάντως τὸ καλὸν οὐκ ἀμοιρήσων τιμῆς. Μηδεὶς δέ με οἰηθείη τῶν ἀκουσομένων ὑμῶν εὐφημίαν γενναίων ἀνδρῶν προελόμενον τοῖς νόμοις ἀκολουθήσειν τῆς σοφίας τῆς ἔξωθεν. 8.2.2 Οὐ γὰρ τέχνῃ συγκειμένῃ κολακείαν ἀπεργαζόμεθα, ἀλλὰ ψυχῶν φιλοθέων ἀρετὴν μετὰ ἀληθείας ὑμῖν παραστῆσαι σπουδάζομεν. ∆ιὸ σιωπηθήσεται γένος καὶ πατέρων περιφάνεια οὐ διοχλήσει τὸν λόγον. Σὰρξ καὶ αἷμα βασιλείαν Θεοῦ οὐ κληρονομήσουσιν. Οὐδὲ ἀπὸ τῶν περιγείων καὶ ἐγκοσμίων τοὺς οὐρανοπολίτας τιμήσομεν, ἀλλὰ πᾶν τοὐναντίον, πατέρων ἀφανὴς βίος καὶ τέχναι βάναυσοι καὶ πενίας ὀνομαζόμενον ὄνειδος, ταῦτα τοῖς ἐπαίνοις μνημονευθήσεται. 8.2.3 ∆όξα γὰρ χριστιανῶν κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τὸ 35 ἡμέτερον ταπεινότης ἐστίν. Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν ἐγκωμίων συνορῶν δεινῶς καταμέμφομαι, ὅτι σεμνύνειν βουλόμενοι οὓς ἂν ἕλωνται, ὡς μηδὲν ἐξαίρετον εἰπεῖν ἔχοντες ἀγαθὸν μάτην τοῖς τάφοις προσεδρεύουσι καὶ διοχλοῦσι τοὺς κειμένους εἰκῆ καὶ τοὺς νεκροὺς ποιοῦνται κόσμον τῶν ζώντων· δι' ὧν ἐπικαλοῦνται τοὺς τελευτήσαντας ὁμολογοῦντες μηδὲν ἀγαθὸν τοῖς παρ' αὐτῶν ἐγκωμιαζομένοις προσεῖναι. 8.2.4 Καὶ πρὸς τούτοις, εἰ μὲν ὁμολογούμενον ἦν, πάντως τοὺς ἐκ λαμπρῶν πατέρων κατάγοντας καὶ αὐτοὺς ὑπάρχειν ἀγαθοὺς καὶ ὥσπερ τινὰ φύσιν τὴν ἀρετὴν διαδέχεσθαι, εὔκαιρον ἦν ἴσως μνείαν τινὰ τῶν γονέων ποιεῖσθαι· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ψεύδεται τὰς τοῦ γένους διαδοχὰς ἐπὶ πλέον ἡ τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων διαφορά γίνεται γὰρ ἄσωτος ὁ τοῦ φιλοσόφου καὶ φιλόσοφος ὁ τοῦ φιληδόνου, μάταιος πόνος τῶν προπάππων μεμνῆσθαι· δέον ἐπιδεικνύειν, εἴπερ ἔχει τις ἀρετῆς κατορθώματα. 8.2.5 Καὶ ταῦθ' ὅτι τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον, οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλοθεν πολυπραγμονοῦντας μαθεῖν, ἀλλ' ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς ἱερᾶς ἡμῶν Γραφῆς πολύτροπον ἐχούσης καὶ ποικίλην τὴν ὠφέλειαν. 8.3.1 Ἴσμεν πάντως τὸν ἱερέα, τὸν πρεσβύτην ἐκεῖνον, τὸν τοῦ μεγάλου Σαμουὴλ τροφέα τε καὶ διδάσκαλον· ἀλλ' οὐδὲν τοὺς υἱοὺς ὠφέλησεν αὐτὸς ἄριστος ὤν· καὶ ταῦτα τραφέντας ὑπ' αὐτῷ τῷ γεννησαμένῳ καὶ καθ' ἡμέραν μανθάνοντας τοὺς τῆς ἱερωσύνης θεσμούς. 8.3.2 Ἐκ πατέρων πάλιν ἀσεβῶν ὁ Τιμόθεος, τὸν ἀπόστολον λέγω, τὸν γενναῖον τοῦ Παύλου σκύλακα, καὶ οὐ μὴν ἠκολούθησεν ὥσπερ τινὶ φύσει τῶν γονέων τῇ γνώμῃ· λογικῶς δὲ μισήσας τὴν ἐκείνων ἀσέβειαν πρὸς τὸν ἅγιον θεσμὸν τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀπηυτομόλησε καὶ καρπὸς ἀνεφάνη γλυκὺς ἀπὸ ῥίζης πικρᾶς. Ἡμιόνων ἡ συνουσία καὶ προβάτου ὁ τόκος. 8.3.3 Οὕτως ὁ Ἀβεσσαλών, πατρὸς ἐπιεικοῦς μεμηνὼς νεανίσκος καὶ τοσοῦτον ἐπὶ θρασύτητι γνώριμος, ὅσον ὁ πατὴρ ἐν χρηστότητι· ἢ μᾶλλον, εἰ δεῖ τἀληθέστερον εἰπεῖν, πολλῷ τῷ μέτρῳ ὑπερβαλλόμενος τῇ κακίᾳ τὴν ἀρετὴν τοῦ γεννήσαντος. Καὶ ὅλως, εἴ τις θελήσειε ταῖς τοιαύταις τῶν παίδων πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας ἐναντιότησιν ἐπιστῆσαι τὸν νοῦν, μυρίους εὑρήσει σπουδαίους ἀπὸ κακῶν καὶ πονηροὺς ἐκ βελτίστων. Καὶ σφόδρα γε εἰκότως. Εἰ γὰρ φύσις καὶ μὴ τρόπος ἀρετὴν ἢ κακίαν εἰργάζετο, οὐκ ἂν ἦν τὰ δύο, ἀλλὰ μονομερῶς ἐπεκράτει τὸ ἕτερον. 8.4.1 Λεγέσθω τοίνυν Πέτρος υἱὸς Ἰωνᾶ· τίνος δὲ τούτου, οὐδέν μοι διαφέρει. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐκ τῶν πράξεων τοῦ υἱοῦ σεμνύνω τὸν γεννησάμενον· καὶ κάτωθεν ἀρξάμενος ἐπὶ τὰ ἄνω παραπέμπω τὴν δόξαν, ὥσπερ οἱ λύχνοι οἱ νύκτωρ ἐκ τοῦ ἐδάφους τοὺς ὀρόφους φωτίζοντες. Ἡσαΐας μὲν οὖν φησι προφητεύων, ὅτι λίθον ἀκρογωνιαῖον ὁ Πατὴρ ἔθηκε τὸν Υἱόν, ἐνδεικνύμενος ὡς ἡ πᾶσα τοῦ κόσμου σύστασις ἐκεῖνον ἔχει τὴν ἕδραν καὶ τὴν κρηπῖδα. 8.4.2 Ὁ δὲ Μονογενὴς πάλιν, καθὼς ἐν εὐαγγελίοις φησίν, θεμέλιον τὸν Πέτρον ὀνομάζει τῆς ἐκκλησίας, Σὺ εἶ Πέτρος, καὶ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ τῇ πέτρᾳ οἰκοδομήσω μου τὴν ἐκκλησίαν. Πρῶτος γὰρ ἀληθῶς οὗτος ὥσπερ τις λίθος μέγας καὶ καρτερὸς ἐνερρίφη τῇ τοῦ κόσμου τούτου κοιλότητι ἢ τῇ κοιλάδι τοῦ κλαυθμῶνος, ὥς φησιν ὁ ∆αβίδ, ἵνα πάντας χριστιανοὺς ἐποικοδομου μένους βαστάσας ἀναγάγῃ πρὸς τὸ ὕψος, ὃ τῆς ἐλπίδος ἡμῶν ἐστιν οἰκητήριον. Θεμέλιον καλεῖ τὸν Χριστὸν καὶ Παῦλος φάσκων· Θεμέλιον οὐδεὶς δύναται θεῖναι παρὰ τὸν κείμενον, ὅς ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς Χριστός. 8.4.3 Τῇ ὁμοίᾳ δὲ κλήσει ὁ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν καὶ τὸν πρῶτον ἑαυτοῦ μαθητὴν κατεκόσμησε πέτραν ὀνομάσας τῆς πίστεως. ∆ιὰ Πέτρον τοίνυν ἄπτωτον καὶ ἀκλινὲς τὸ τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἕδρασμα σώζεται, γνήσιον καὶ πιστὸν γενόμενον τῆς εὐσεβείας μυσταγωγόν. ∆ιὰ τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ δικαίου ἑστήκαμεν ἐρριζωμένοι, οἱ ἀπὸ ἀνίσχοντος ἡλίου μέχρι καὶ δυομένου χριστιανοί. 8.4.4 Πολλῶν δὲ πειρασμῶν κινηθέντων ἀφ' οὗ κατηγγέλη τὸ

Theologian vs. Human Wisdom§39

39The Gospel, wanting to cast down myriads of tyrants and even the devil before them and to bring us down to the ground with their foundations. Indeed the 36 rivers flowed, as the saving word says, like torrents, and fierce winds of devilish spirits struck, and the rains of those persecuting Christians burst through, and nothing stronger was seen of the fortification according to God, because the building of faith was constructed with the holy stones of the first of the apostles.

These things happened because of one word of blessing, naming the evangelist Peter. Let us see, if it seems good, how Peter builds: not with stones and bricks, nor with other earthly materials, but with words and actions made effective by the Spirit.

Therefore, when our God and Savior ascended into the heavens, while the cloud was a vehicle for the apostles to see, this man took up the teaching of the Gospel; and before all those sharing in the episcopate, opening the mouth of those raging against piety, he purified a people, and a wise orator appeared among the nations and Israel; people whose teeth were sharpened and whose minds were filled, if anyone should name Jesus.

So that what was said concerning the Lord by prophecy fits perfectly also with Peter: 'Many dogs have surrounded me, fattened bulls have enclosed me' (Psalm 71:9). But nevertheless, living by the Spirit and not grasping the command but saving what was said to him: 'Feed my lambs' (John 21:15), he cried out to a mixed people from myriads of nations; Jewish men and all those dwelling in Jerusalem.

And so that we may not speak at length, joining all the discourse together, he remembers the sayings of Joel prophesying the outpouring of the Spirit (Joel 2:28); from there he moves to David, setting forth the fifteenth psalm to confirm the resurrection (Psalm 16:10); and concluding the whole word in wisdom of words and witness of the law, he immediately led the listeners on, not ten, nor a hundred, nor three or five times so many, but three thousand men, a fullness of the church, a whole people sufficient to strike the enemies, of whom they burst through in a crowd.

Oh, how persuasive a warm and fiery medicine, having cleansed the souls so sharply! Oh, wisdom!

Theologian, having covered all human wisdom! What do you say, you who crown Demosthenes according to rhetoricians and praise Socrates among philosophers? For Demosthenes, indeed, the great and much-talkative one regarding rhetoric, held himself back so much from those things he intended to persuade by, that he was even exiled from the city by the listeners; but Socrates, for the many discourses toward the Athenians and the wise discussions, found the end in the hemlock, being killed by the chorus of disciples; such was his extent in the power of persuading.

But Peter the fisherman, the craftsman, the unlearned, whom anyone would call whatever they might wish to belittle, having hunted three thousand men with a single thrust of a word, firmly established the church; and these, being discontented and rioting and not forgiving him the dividing of the beginning, split the mouth.

But having come to a sufficient increase and progress of the Christian rank, since he provided a wonderful experience toward logical teachings and exhortations and practical power, having just set the lame man upright from the temple porches, that lame man who had suffered the disease from the stroke of nature in the womb of a mother, all the people rushed to the temple, being led by the fame of the great work toward the sight, and all were looking intently at the man, being struck with amazement at the wonder; the mouths of the enemies of Christ were stopped, and the cross remained a trophy of victory, not a dream.

Again the uneducated one, the worker of the prostitute's craft, begins to speak words a second time toward them, saying: 'O men, if what has happened appears to you worthy of a wonder and of divine energy, worship the healer of the lame, Jesus, whom you despised and lastly, having surpassed him with anger, raised up on the wood. This one is and lives; and just as it was said to you many times, having risen from the dead, he reigns over all things.'

So now, therefore, having taken up the care of those among you who have sinned, come to him and be enlightened, just as your father David says (Psalm 110:4). For if you are sons of the prophets and disciples of Moses, do not dishonor the grace of your ancestors by paying attention to lying words, but having wisely observed those things proclaimed by them, receive with your souls the Savior of your race. For this is he whom...

Greek · §39

εὐαγγέλιον, καὶ μυρίων τυράννων καὶ πρὸ ἐκείνων τοῦ διαβόλου κατασεῖσαι θελήσαντος καὶ εἰς ἔδαφος καθελεῖν ἡμᾶς αὐτοῖς κρηπιδώμασιν· ἔρρευσαν μὲν οἱ 36 ποταμοί, ὥς φησιν ὁ σωτήριος λόγος, ὡς χείμαρροι, σφοδροὶ δὲ ἄνεμοι τῶν διαβολικῶν πνευμάτων προσέβαλον, λαῦροι δὲ ὑετοὶ τῶν διωκόντων χριστιανοὺς κατερράγησαν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἰσχυρότερον ὤφθη τοῦ κατὰ Θεὸν ὀχυρώματος, ἐπειδὴ ταῖς ἁγίαις παλάμαις τοῦ πρώτου τῶν ἀποστόλων κατεσκευάσθη τὸ τῆς πίστεως οἰκοδόμημα. 8.4.5 Ταῦτα δὲ γέγονε δι' ἕνα λόγον τῆς εὐλογίας τοῦ πέτραν τὸν εὐαγγελιστὴν ὀνομάσαντος. Ἴδωμεν δέ, εἰ δοκεῖ, πῶς οἰκοδόμει Πέτρος· οὐ λίθοις καὶ πλίνθοις, οὐδὲ ταῖς ἄλλαις ὕλαις ταῖς γεηραῖς, ἀλλὰ λόγοις καὶ πράξεσιν αἷς ἐνηργεῖτο παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος. 8.5.1 Τοῦ τοίνυν Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀνελθόντος εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἡνίκα τὴν νεφέλην εἶχεν ὄχημα τῶν ἀποστόλων βλεπόντων, οὗτος ὁ ἀνὴρ ἀντελάβετο τῆς τοῦ εὐαγγελίου διδασκαλίας· καὶ πρὸ πάντων τῶν κοινωνῶν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα τῶν λυσσώντων κατὰ τῆς εὐσεβείας κατεθάρσησε δήμων καὶ δημηγόρος ἀνεφάνη σοφὸς ἐν μέσῳ τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ· ἀνθρώπων ἀκονώντων τοὺς ὀδόντας καὶ θυμοῦ πληρουμένων, εἴ τις τὸν Ἰησοῦν ὀνομάσειεν. 8.5.2 Ὥστε τὸ εἰς τὸν Κύριον παρὰ τῆς προφητείας λεχθὲν ἁρμόζειν πάνυ καὶ Πέτρῳ, τὸ Περιεκύκλωσάν με κύνες πολλοί, ταῦροι πίονες περιέσχον με. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ζέων τῷ Πνεύματι καὶ τὴν ἐντολὴν ἀνεπίληπτον σῴζων τὴν εἰποῦσαν αὐτῷ· Βόσκε τὰ ἀρνία μου, στὰς εἰς δῆμον σύμμικτον ἐκ μυρίων ἐθνῶν ἐβόα· Ἄνδρες Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ οἱ κατοικοῦντες Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἅπαντες. 8.5.3 Καὶ ἵνα μὴ μακρολογῶμεν πᾶσαν τὴν ῥῆσιν συνείροντες, ἀπομέμνηται τῶν λογίων τοῦ Ἰωὴλ προφητευόντων τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐπιφοίτησιν· ἐκεῖθεν ἐπὶ τὸν ∆αβὶδ μεταβαίνει καὶ τὸν πεντεκαιδέκατον ψαλμὸν παραθέμενος βεβαιοῖ τὴν ἀνάστησιν· καὶ τὸν πάντα λόγον συμπερανάμενος ἐν σοφίᾳ λόγων καὶ μαρτυρίᾳ τοῦ νόμου εὐθὺς τοὺς ἀκροατὰς ἐπηγάγετο, οὐ δέκα, οὐδὲ ἑκατόν, οὐδὲ τρὶς ἢ πεντάκις τοσούτους, ἀλλὰ τρεῖς χιλιάδας ἀνδρῶν, ἐκκλησίας πλήρωμα, δῆμον ὅλον ἱκανὸν καταπλῆξαι τοὺς δυσμενεῖς, ὧν ἀπερράγησαν ἀθρόον. 8.5.4 Ὢ πειθοῦς φάρμακον θερμὸν καὶ διάπυρον ὀξέως τῶν ψυχῶν καθα ψάμενον! Ὢ σοφία θεολόγος πᾶσαν σοφίαν ἀνθρωπίνην καλύψασα! Τί λέγετε, οἱ τὸν ∆ημοσθένην στεφανοῦντες κατὰ ῥήτορας καὶ τὸν Σωκράτην ἀνυμνοῦντες ἐν φιλοσόφοις; ∆ημοσθένης μὲν γάρ, ὁ τὴν ῥητορικὴν μέγας καὶ πολυθρύλητος, τοσοῦτον ἀπεῖχε τοῦ περὶ ὧν ἐβούλετο πείθειν, ὥστε καὶ ἐξωρίσθη τῆς πόλεως παρὰ τῶν ἀκροατῶν· Σωκράτης δὲ τῶν πολλῶν πρὸς Ἀθηναίους λόγων καὶ τῶν σοφῶν διαλέξεων τέλος τὸ κώνειον εὕρατο, παρὰ τοῦ χοροῦ τῶν μαθητῶν φονευθείς· τοσοῦτον αὐτὸν περιῆν τῆς τοῦ πείθειν δυνάμεως. 8.5.5 Πέτρος δὲ ὁ ἁλιεύς, ὁ χειροτέχνης, ὁ ἀμαθής, ὁ πᾶν ὅπερ ἂν ἐθέλῃ τις φαυλίζων καλεῖν, ἐν μίᾳ λόγου προσβολῇ τρισχιλίους ἄνδρας θηρεύσας βεβαίως μετέστησε· καὶ ταῦτα δυσανασχετοῦντας καὶ στασιάζοντας καὶ οὐ συγχωροῦντας αὐτῷ τὴν ἀρχὴν διαίρειν τὸ στόμα. 8.6.1 Ἐλθόντος δὲ εἰς ἐπίδοσιν καὶ προκοπὴν ἱκανὴν τοῦ τῶν χριστιανῶν τάγματος, ἐπειδὴ πρὸς ταῖς λογικαῖς διδασκαλίαις καὶ παραινέσεσι καὶ τῆς πρακτικῆς δυνάμεως θαυμαστὴν παρεῖχε τὴν πεῖραν, ἄρτιον ἀνα στήσας τὸν χωλὸν ἐκ τῶν τοῦ ναοῦ προπυλαίων, χωλὸν ἐκεῖνον τὸν ἐκ κοιλίας μητρὸς πταίσματι φύσεως παθόντα τὴν νόσον, ἅπας δὲ ὁ λαὸς ἐπὶ τὸ ἱερὸν συνερρύη τῇ φήμῃ τῆς μεγαλουργίας δημαγωγηθεὶς πρὸς τὴν θέαν, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα πάντες ἔβλεπον ἀτενῶς ἐκπεπληγμένοι τῷ θαύματι· ἀπεφράγη τε τῶν ἐχθρῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὰ στόματα καὶ ὁ σταυρὸς λοιπὸν ἦν τρόπαιον νίκης, οὐκ ὄνειδος. 8.6.2 Πάλιν ὁ ἀπαίδευτος, ὁ τῆς βαναύσου τέχνης ἐργάτης, δευτέρων ἄρχεται λόγων φάσκων πρὸς αὐτούς, ὅτι Ὢ ἄνδρες, εἰ θαύματος ὑμῖν ἄξιον καὶ θεϊκῆς ἐνεργείας φαίνεται τὸ γενόμενον, προσκυνεῖτε τὸν θεραπευτὴν τοῦ χωλοῦ, Ἰησοῦν, ὃν ἐρραπίσατε καὶ τελευταῖον ὑπερζέσαντες τῷ θυμῷ ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου ὑψώσατε. Οὗτός ἐστι καὶ ζῇ· καὶ καθὼς ὑμῖν ἐλέχθη πολλάκις, ἀναστὰς ἐκ νεκρῶν βασιλεύει τῶν πάντων. 8.6.3 Ὥστε 37 νῦν γ' οὖν λαβόντες τῶν ἁμαρτηθέντων ὑμῖν μεταμέλειαν προσέλθετε πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ φωτίσθητε, καθὼς ὁ πατὴρ ὑμῶν λέγει ∆αβίδ. Εἰ γὰρ υἱοὶ τῶν προ φητῶν ἐστε καὶ μαθηταὶ τοῦ Μωϋσέως, μὴ ἀτιμάσητε τῶν προγόνων ὑμῶν τὴν χάριν ψευδολάλοις προσέχοντες, ἀλλὰ συνετῶς τὰ παρ' ἐκείνων προκηρυχθέντα σκοπήσαντες δέξασθε ταῖς ψυχαῖς τὸν Σωτῆρα τοῦ γένους ὑμῶν. Οὗτος γάρ ἐστι ὃν

The greatness of Peter's miracles§40

40And Moses promised that a prophet would rise up for you (Deut 18:15). Having passed through these and such things to the people, he went away, adding others as many as the three thousands.

Such a man was indeed bold in speaking publicly, eager, undaunted, and wise for the guidance into the mysteries of the gospel, making the cowardice of his own and of his opponents a terror.

Because it was not only most diligent for the most excellent teacher of piety to labor for the great number of God's people, but much more to have the disciples live strictly according to the laws given, he saw that Ananias—that one who was a thief of his own fruits and intended to introduce a strange sacrilege and a bad habit of sin to the Christians—and he decisively cut him off from the church; he was not being crude or murderous in his intention, but in view of the purpose of benefit, he thus treated the sin as a physician.

For since the people were new converts and newly pure, having received the evangelical laws from the mixture of Greek and Jewish ways, it is expected that the disciples need not only verbal admonition, but also some practical fear; for men have somewhat habituated themselves so that, in order that they might be regulated in the beginnings of their customs, they might keep the habit until their end.

And because of this, having exposed the sin, he immediately brought death as the punishment, not using a sword, nor handing him over to executioners, but then showing the power of Christ differently in the manner of the removal. For he summoned, and the one summoned, having fallen, expired. How great this is, and how much reverence he worked in the church, we do not need to learn.

For two things were achieved in one: that our Savior be believed to be God, and that the teacher of his laws has angels accompanying him, ready, working according to the will of the apostle. He wished to benefit the lame, and the grace was not slow; he willed to punish the sacrilege, and the punishment occurred.

These things are sufficient to strike even stony souls and to persuade them firmly, that the words spoken by Peter (Acts 5:3-4) were not a deception; but God was with him and the mystery which he announced was holy and true. And it is necessary to attend to this, that the thing on the other hand...

A sign was once provided by the apostle through necessity, in folly and murder, so that those with evil intentions might be shown the power of punishment. However, the performance of benefits and healings occurred daily and continuously, and such ease and grace surrounded him in healing, so that no sick person who approached left deceived of hope, but went home whole and healthy. And every place in Jerusalem where Peter appeared to speak Christ was a place, and the crowd of following sick people had a daily wondrous spectacle from a mixed multitude, some gathered to be freed from the evils of the crowd, others to behold those being healed.

Thus also that wonderful thing concerning the apostle is written, which was not said of any of the others, that the relatives and the households of the sick brought them upon beds publicly, so that even the shadow of Peter, when he came, might overshadow some of them. This indeed is already greater than the Lord's own wonders, and the servant is praised above the Lord. And perhaps in this sign the prophecy is fulfilled, which the Savior made to the disciples: 'Amen, amen I say to you: the one believing in me the works which I do, he will do also, and he will do greater things than these' (John 14:12).

When I say this, I do not compare the servant to the Master. Away! The thought is going mad; but that God, by showing His own power through those healing by His own power, enriched none of the disciples like Peter with his own gifts, but rather set him above all by gifts from above; and just as he became the first disciple according to the order of time, so he was shown greater than the brothers in the experience of things by the power of the Spirit.

He was called first and quickly obeyed; found by the seashores in the turbulent region of the world, always surrounded by waves and the ceaseless sound crying around the winds. He was the first among Christians to think of cosmic things, transcending all those in all things, and he was transferred toward the intelligible and the super-cosmic. And perhaps someone of the poor and obscure says, calling that thrice-blessed one: 'What...'

Greek · §40

καὶ Μωϋσῆς ἐπηγγείλατο προφήτην ὑμῖν ἀναστήσεσθαι. 8.6.4 Ταῦτα καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα πρὸς τὸν λαὸν διελθὼν ἀπῆλθεν, ἄλλους τοσούτους τοῖς τρισχιλίοις προσθείς. Τοιοῦτος μὲν οὖν ἐν τῷ δημοσίᾳ λαλεῖν θαρρούντως ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ εὐαγγελίου μυστα γωγίας πρόθυμος, ἀκατάπληκτος, συνετός, θάρσος τῶν ἰδίων καὶ τῶν ἐναντίων δειλία. 8.7.1 Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον ἦν περισπούδαστον τῷ καλλίστῳ διδασκάλῳ τῆς εὐσεβείας, τὸ πολυάνθρωπον τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ λαὸν ἀπεργάζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ πλέον τὸ ζῆν ἀκριβῶς τοὺς μαθητὰς ἐν τοῖς δοθεῖσι νόμοις, εἶδε δὲ τὸν Ἀνανίαν ἐκεῖνον, τὸν τῶν ἰδίων καρπῶν κλέπτην καὶ παράδοξον ἱερόσυλον μέλλοντα κακὴν ἐμποιεῖν τοῖς χρισ τιανοῖς ἁμαρτίας συνήθειαν, ἀποτόμως αὐτὸν τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἐξέκοψεν· οὐκ ὠμὸς ὢν καὶ φονικὸς τὴν γνώμην, ἀλλὰ κατὰ σκοπὸν ὠφελείας οὕτως ἰατρεύσας τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. 8.7.2 Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ νεοπροσήλυτος ἦν καὶ νεοπαγὴς ὁ λαός, ἐκ τῆς ἑλληνικῆς καὶ ἰουδαϊκῆς ἀδιαφορίας ὑπόγυον τοὺς εὐαγγελικοὺς δεξάμενος νόμους, εἰκότως ἐνόμισεν οὐ τῆς ἐκ λόγων νουθεσίας μόνον χρῄζειν τοὺς μαθητάς, ἀλλὰ καὶ φόβου τινὸς ἐμπράκτου εἰώθασι γάρ πως οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ὅπως ἂν ἐν ἀρχαῖς τῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων κανονισθῶσιν, οὕτω μέχρι τέλους αὐτῶν τηρεῖν τὴν συνήθειαν· 8.7.3 καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐλέγξας τὴν ἁμαρτίαν εὐθὺς θάνατον τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐπήγαγεν οὐ ξίφει χρησάμενος, οὐδὲ δημίοις αὐτὸν παραδούς, ἀλλὰ τότε διαφερόντως τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ δύναμιν δείξας ἐν τῷ τρόπῳ τῆς ἀναιρέσεως. Ἐνεκάλεσε γὰρ μόνον καὶ ὁ ἐγκληθεὶς πεσὼν ἀπέψυξεν. Τοῦτο δὲ ἡλίκον ἐστὶ καὶ ὅσην τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐνεποίησε τὴν εὐλάβειαν, οὐ χρῄζομεν μαθεῖν. 8.7.4 ∆ύο γὰρ ἐν ἑνὶ κατωρθώθη, τὸ καὶ τὸν Σωτῆρα ἡμῶν πιστευθῆναι εἶναι Θεὸν καὶ τὸ τὸν παιδευτὴν τῶν ἐκείνου νόμων παρεπομένους ἔχειν ἀγγέλους πρὸς τὴν βούλησιν τοῦ ἀποστόλου ἐνεργοῦντας ἑτοίμως. Ἠθέλησεν εὐεργετῆσαι τὸν χωλὸν καὶ οὐκ ἐβράδυνεν ἡ χάρις· ἐβουλήθη κολάσαι τὸν ἱερόσυλον καὶ παρεγένετο ἡ τιμωρία. 8.8.1 Ταῦτα ἱκανὰ λιθίνας καταπλῆξαι ψυχὰς καὶ πεῖσαι βεβαίως, ὡς οὐκ ἀπάτης ἦν τὰ ῥήματα τὰ παρὰ τοῦ Πέτρου λεγόμενα· ἀλλὰ Θεὸς ἦν μετ' αὐτοῦ καὶ ἅγιον ὑπῆρχε καὶ ἀληθὲς τὸ μυστήριον ὃ κατήγγελλε. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ προσέχειν ἀναγκαῖον, ὅτι τὸ μὲν ἐπὶ τιμωρίᾳ καὶ φόνῳ σημεῖον ἅπαξ παρὰ τοῦ ἀποστόλου διὰ τὴν χρείαν γεγένηται, ἵνα τοῖς κακῶς προαιρουμένοις τῆς κολαστικῆς δυνάμεως παράσχηται τὴν ἀπό δειξιν· 8.8.2 τὰ δὲ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν καὶ τῶν ἰάσεων καθ' ἡμέραν καὶ συνεχῶς ἐπετέλει, καὶ τοσαύτη τις αὐτῷ περιῆν τοῦ θεραπεύειν εὐκολία καὶ χάρις, ὥστε οὐδεὶς τῶν προσελθόντων ἀρρωστούντων ἀνέλυσε ψευσθεὶς τῆς ἐλπίδος, ἀλλ' ἄρτιος καὶ ὑγιὴς ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκίαν ἀπῄει. Καὶ πᾶς τόπος τῆς Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἔνθα Πέτρος ἐφαίνετο τὸν Χριστὸν ἐλάλει· καὶ τὸ πλῆθος ἔσχεν ἀκολουθούντων ἀρρώστων καὶ θέατρον καθ' ἡμέραν παράδοξον ἐκ δήμου συμμίκτου, τῶν μὲν συναγομένων ἵνα τῶν ὀχλούντων κακῶν ἀπαλλαγῶσι, τῶν δὲ ἵνα τοὺς θεραπευομένους θεάσωνται. 8.8.3 Οὕτω τοι κἀκεῖνο περὶ τοῦ ἀποστόλου τὸ θαυμαστὸν ἀναγέγραπται ὃ ἐπ' οὐδενὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἐλέχθη, ὅτι οἱ συγγενεῖς καὶ οἱ τῶν ἀσθενούντων οἰκεῖοι ἔφερον αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ κλίνων δημοσίᾳ, ἵνα ἐρχομένου Πέτρου κἂν ἡ σκιὰ ἐπισκιάσῃ τινὶ αὐτῶν. Τοῦτο μὲν οὖν ἤδη μεῖζον καὶ τῶν δεσποτικῶν θαυμασίων καὶ ὁ δοῦλος εὐφημεῖται ὑπὲρ τὸν Κύριον. Καὶ τάχα ἐν τούτῳ τῷ σημείῳ συμπληροῦται ἡ προφητεία, ἣν ὁ Σωτὴρ πρὸς τοὺς μαθητὰς ἐποιήσατο· Ἀμήν, ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν· Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμὲ τὰ ἔργα ἃ ἐγὼ ποιῶ, κἀκεῖνος ποιήσει καὶ μείζονα τούτων ποιήσει. 8.8.4 Τοῦτο δὲ ὅταν λέγω, 38 οὐ τὸν δοῦλον τῷ ∆εσπότῃ συγκρίνω. Ἄπαγε! Μαινομένου τὸ νόημα· ἀλλ' ὅτι διὰ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ θεραπόντων ὁ Θεὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ δύναμιν ἐνδεικνύμενος οὐδένα τῶν μαθητῶν ὡς Πέτρον ταῖς ἰδίαις δωρεαῖς κατεπλούτησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντων αὐτὸν προὔθηκεν ὑψώσας ταῖς ἄνωθεν δωρεαῖς· καὶ ὥσπερ πρῶτος μαθητὴς κατὰ τὴν τάξιν τῶν χρόνων ἐγένετο, οὕτω καὶ μείζων τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐπὶ τῆς πείρας τῶν πραγμάτων ἐδείχθη τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ Πνεύματος. 8.8.5 Πρῶτος ἐκλήθη καὶ ταχέως ὑπήκουσε· πρὸς τοῖς αἰγια λοῖς εὑρεθεὶς ἐν τῷ ταραχώδει τοῦ κόσμου χωρίῳ ὁ τοῖς κύμασιν ἀεὶ τῆς ἀνθρωπικῆς ζάλης περιψοφούμενος, ἀδιάλειπτον ἔχει τὴν βοῶσαν περὶ τὰς ἠϊόνας ἠχήν. Πρῶτος ἐν χριστιανοῖς τῶν κοσμικῶν ὑλῶν κατε φρόνησε καὶ τῶν ἐν ποσὶ πάντων ὑπεριδὼν πρὸς τὰ νοητὰ καὶ ὑπερ κόσμια μετετάξατο. 8.9.1 Καὶ τυχὸν ἐρεῖ τις τῶν πένητα καὶ ἀφανῆ τὸν τρισμακάριον ἐκεῖνον ἀποκαλούντων· Τί

The Wealth of Faith and the Crossing of the Seas§41

41For what did he set aside? And what did he acquire? Everything that he had, O man; and to each person, what he possesses is great; and that also is wealth, which he holds as a steward. He appears similar before God, both he who laid aside the chariot and he who despised the donkey. For just as a chariot is to the rich man, so a humble basket is to the poor man.

8.9.2 Likewise, a philosopher is he who left behind the silver table adorned with histories, and he who left the wooden one; likewise, he who left the populous village and he who left the small garden; he who left the gold-embroidered garment and he who left the worn-out tunic. For God does not judge the giver by the abundance or the quality of the things given, but He accepts the choice of the one giving.

8.9.3 Therefore, even that widow, the Gospel proclaims her as praiseworthy (Luke 21:2), she who gave the mite, because she did not set aside anything from what she had. And he who, reaching for the cup, took the cold water, receives as a reward for such easy generosity the kingdom; for he served the need of the thirsty with what he had, even if wine of spring-bloom was not present to him because of poverty.

8.9.4 Now I say these things by way of concession, since not always is a fisherman also a poor man. Do you not know that a fisherman is a hunter of pearls? But pearls are the bloom of the sardine and of exalted wealth, with which kings are adorned, and in which women are praised as lovers of wealth and lovers of beauty. A fisherman dyes the many-threaded and consecrated purple; fishermen dye the yellow pigment of the fields by hunting the sub-golden ones.

8.9.5 Therefore, it is not necessary to pay attention to the tools of their craft as if they were luxurious and highly esteemed—the net, I say, and the hooks; for it is not from the cheapness of the tools in each case, but from the completed work that prosperity is perceived; since, according to that same logic, you would find nothing poorer than agriculture, if judging from the hoe and the spade.

That its wealth might be tested. And those mining gold are utterly without resources, lacking the King of wealth. For a single value works for them: a wooden table, which separates the gold of the earth.

Be silent, then, both Gentiles and Hebrews, those insulting Peter for his poverty and attempting to belittle the fisherman by his former state; and having left such things, let them tell me, as I inquire: Which fisherman or which of all men has crossed the sea? Who set foot by a standing lake, as he did by the waves tossing in the winds? For our good God has performed many wonders through His own servants, even regarding the ancient polity of Israel, and even in later times, in which the Philanthropic Economy of our Savior has appeared to the world, no one from the beginning to the end of the saints seems to have accomplished such a deed through his own faith and the grace from above.

Moses was wonderful, having crossed the sea without ships; but he reached a land which was a law to men, from where the water was drawn back to itself. Great also is Jesus, the successor of this, because He crossed the Jordan while the banks were overflowing; but likewise, crossing the Red Sea, He cut the stream and gave the crossing people a dry path for their advance.

But no man ever raised his foot upon the water. For even the law of nature does not allow a liquid substance, flowing and changing, to withstand the solid and pressing. It seems to me that the Lord and Master of all, having been greatly amazed at such a ready willingness of the man, cried out saying: 'Command me to come to you upon the waters,' as a reward for that much love and faith, to give him that new and paradoxical grace, of which Peter alone appeared receptive from those of Adam until the end of men. For truly and exceptionally from God is the...

Greek · §41

γὰρ ἀπέθετο; Τί δὲ ἀπεκτήσατο; Πάντα ὅσα εἶχεν, ὦ ἄνθρωπε· ἑκάστῳ δὲ ὃ κέκτηται μέγα· κἀκεῖνο πλοῦτος, ὃ ἔχει ἀκτήμων. Ὅμοιος παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ φαίνεται καὶ ὁ τὰ ἅρματα ἀποθέμενος καὶ ὁ καταφρονήσας τοῦ ὄνου. Ὅπερ γάρ ἐστι τῷ πλουσίῳ τὸ τέθριππον, τοῦτο τῷ πένητι ὁ εὐτελὴς κανθήλιος. 8.9.2 Φιλόσοφος δέ ἐστιν ὁμοίως καὶ ὁ τὴν ἀργυρᾶν καταλιπὼν τράπεζαν τήν τε ἱστορίαις κεκοσμημένην καὶ ὁ τὴν ξυλίνην τὴν εὔωνον· ὁμοίως ὁ τὴν κώμην τὴν πολυάνθρωπον καὶ ὁ τὸ μικρὸν κηπίον, ὁ τὴν ἐσθῆτα τὴν χρυσόπαστον καὶ ὁ τὸν πεπαλαιωμένον χιτῶνα. Οὐ γὰρ ἐν τῷ πλήθει καὶ τῇ ποιότητι τῶν διδομένων ὁ Θεὸς τὸν μεταδοτικὸν καὶ φιλάνθρωπον κρίνει, ἀλλὰ τὴν προαίρεσιν ἀποδέχεται τοῦ διδόντος. 8.9.3 ∆ιὸ καὶ τὴν χήραν ἐκείνην ὡς εὐγνώμονα κηρύσσει τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, τὴν τὸν ὀβολὸν ἐπιδοῦσαν, ἐπειδὴ μηδὲν παρακατέσχεν ὧν εἶχεν. Καὶ ὁ τὸ ποτήριον δὲ ὀρέξας τοῦ ψυχροῦ ὕδατος λαμβάνει μισθὸν τῆς οὕτως εὐκόλου δεξιώσεως τὴν βασιλείαν· ᾧ γὰρ εἶχεν ἐθεράπευσε τοῦ διψῶντος τὴν χρείαν, εἰ καὶ μὴ παρῆν αὐτῷ οἶνος ἀνθοσμίας διὰ πενίαν. 8.9.4 Ταῦτα δὲ λέγω κατὰ συγχώρησιν, ἐπεὶ οὐ πάντως, εἴ τις ἁλιεύς, οὗτος καὶ πένης. Οὐκ οἶδας ὡς ἁλιεὺς μαργαριτῶν ἐστι θηρευτής; Μαργαρῖται δὲ ἄνθος εἰσὶ τοῦ γαύρου καὶ ὑψαύχενος πλούτου, οἷς βασιλεῖς κοσμοῦνται, οἷς γυναῖκες φιλόπλουτοι καὶ φιλόκοσμοι ἐπαγάλλονται. Ἁλιεὺς βάπτει τὴν ἁλουργίδα τὴν πολυθρύλητον καὶ ἀφιερωμένην τῇ βασιλείᾳ· ἁλιεῖς βάπτουσι τὰ ὑπόχρυσα τῶν ἐρίων τὴν ξανθὴν πίνναν θηρεύοντες. 8.9.5 Οὐ τοίνυν δεῖ προσέχειν τοῖς ὀργάνοις τῆς τέχνης αὐτῶν ὡς εὐώνοις καὶ εὐκαταφρονήτοις, τῷ δικτύῳ, φημί, καὶ τοῖς ἀγκίστροις· οὐ γὰρ ἐκ εὐτελείας τῶν ὀργάνων παρ' ἑκάστοις, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς τελουμένης ἐργασίας αἱ εὐπορίαι καταμανθάνονται· ἐπεὶ τοί γε κατ' ἐκεῖνον τὸν λόγον οὐδὲν πενέστερον εὕρῃς πρώτης τῆς γεωργίας, εἰ ἀπὸ τῆς δικέλλης καὶ τῆς σκαπάνης ὁ πλοῦτος αὐτῆς δοκιμάζοιτο. Ἄποροι δὲ παντελῶς καὶ οἱ τὸν χρυσὸν ὀρύττοντες, τὸν βασιλέα τοῦ πλούτου. Μία γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἀξίνη συνεργεῖ· ξύλινος πίναξ, ὁ τῆς γῆς τὸν χρυσὸν ἀποκρίνων. 8.9.6 Σιγά τωσαν τοίνυν ἐθνικοὶ καὶ Ἑβραῖοι, οἱ Πέτρῳ πενίαν ὀνειδίζοντες καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁλιέως σμικρύνειν τὸν μέγαν πειρώμενοι· καὶ καταλιπόντες τὰ τοιαῦτα κομψεύεσθαι λεγέτωσάν μοι πυνθανομένῳ· Τίς ἁλιέων ἢ τῶν πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἐπέζευσε θαλάτταν; Τίς ἔστησε πόδα κατὰ λίμνης ἑστώσης, ὡς ἐκεῖνος κατὰ κυμάτων τοῖς ἀνέμοις τινασσομένων; 8.9.7 Τοῦ γὰρ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ πολλὰ θαύματα διὰ τῶν ἰδίων δούλων τελέσαντος ἐπί τε τῆς πολιτείας τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τὸ ἀρχαῖον κἀν τοῖς ὕστερον χρόνοις, ἐν οἷς ἡ φιλάνθρωπος οἰκονομία τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐπεφάνη τῷ κόσμῳ, οὐδεὶς τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς εἰς τέλος ἁγίων τοιαύτην διὰ πίστεως ἰδίας καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν χάριτος πρᾶξιν ἐπιτελέσας φαίνεται. 8.10.1 Θαυμαστὸς ὁ Μωϋσῆς πέλαγος ἄνευ πλοίων περαιωθείς· ἀλλὰ γῆν ἐπέζευσεν, ἣν νόμος ἀνθρώποις, ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν τοῦ ὕδατος ἀνασταλέντος πρὸς ἑαυτό. Μέγας καὶ Ἰησοῦς ὁ τούτου διάδοχος, ὅτι τὸν Ἰορδάνην ἐπεραιώθη ὑπὲρ τὰς ὄχθας 39 πλημυροῦντα· ἀλλ' ὁμοίως τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς θαλάσσης κἀκεῖνος διασχὼν ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀνακόψας τὸ ῥεῖθρον ἔδωκε τῷ περαιουμένῳ λαῷ γυμνὴν τὴν ξηρὰν εἰς ἐπίβασιν. 8.10.2 Οὐδεὶς δὲ πώποτε ἀνδρῶν κατὰ ὕδατος ἤρεισε πόδα. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ νόμος τῆς φύσεως κατα δέχεται τὴν ὑγρὰν οὐσίαν καὶ μεταρρέουσαν ἀντέχειν τῷ στερεῷ καὶ πιέζοντι. ∆οκεῖ δέ μοι ὁ τῶν ὅλων Κύριος καὶ ∆εσπότης ὑπεραγασθεὶς τηνικαῦτα τὴν ὑπερζέουσαν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς προθυμίαν μεθ' ἧς ἀνέκραγε λέγων· Κέλευσόν με ἐλθεῖν πρὸς σὲ ἐπὶ τὰ ὕδατα, μισθὸν αὐτῷ τῆς πολλῆς ἀγάπης καὶ πίστεως ἐκείνην δοῦναι τὴν καινὴν καὶ παράδοξον χάριν, ἧς Πέτρος ἐφάνη δεκτικὸς μόνος ἀπὸ τῶν ἐξ Ἀδὰμ μέχρι τέλους ἀνθρώπων. 8.10.3 Καὶ γὰρ ἀληθὴς καὶ ἐξαίρετος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ τῆς

The Economy of Christ and the Seed of Truth§42

42Such a display of a great work surpasses the lowly nature of creation, just as it seems to David, the best of the prophets. For he also, in one of the psalms, while hymnologizing God and explaining His unsearchable and incomprehensible nature, said with power those things which you know from the usual chanting: 'Your way is in the sea, and your paths are in many waters, and your tracks will not be known' (Ps 77:19).

Therefore, what the Master had for His own in the exceptional knowledge of divinity, He made common to the servant, judging him worthy of such honor. Indeed, the zealous and great John was resting on the Lord's bosom; great was also James, being called the son of thunder; and glorious in honors was Philip, who, having been snatched away by the Spirit, initiated the Ethiopian to the knowledge of the Savior. Nevertheless, let all yield to Peter and confess him to be second, when the comparison of gifts tests who is preferred.

But reviewing all things individually and examining, I find this man leaping ahead of all the other disciples everywhere, both in logical discourses and in practical activities, and standing out, and afterwards leaving behind those running the same stage of life. For the Lord once asked the Twelve, testing how they might have certainty and opinion regarding their assumption of Him, and commanding them to speak clearly what they say He is, while all the others were deliberating in silence, being slow and showing that they were agonizing over the response due to some hesitation; he, opening his mouth quickly, bearing the coal of faith upon his soul which previously purified Isaiah's lips, truly confessed that blessed and wise utterance: 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God' (Mt 16:16).

Who then would marvel at anyone worthy of these words, having become a reliable interpreter of the greatest of the apostles? For see first how the word is concise and brief, expressing the power of myriads of things in a short exclamation. For every such word is excellent, which is appropriate and whose phrasing does not overflow, being concise in its meaning. On the contrary, a multitude of things...

In brief, it signifies according to the likeness of a mustard seed, which is very small when being held and looked at, but if you bring it to the sense of the mouth, the whole animal is drawn from feet to head toward its home by heat.

You are the Christ, the Son of the living God (1 John 5:20). Every word contributing to the knowledge of God and our Savior is viewed and directed toward these two things: one is that of the primordial deity, which is the Word in the beginning, who is always and being with the Father and being God (John 1:1), just as the great John the Theologian initiated us, like a sponge lying against the breast of the Only-begotten and from there drawing out the knowledge of the hidden truth; the other is that of the economy, which the good God accepted for the condescension of our weakness.

It is therefore worthy to observe the response, how in brevity and conciseness he most accurately revealed the mind in a few words, beginning from the lower things and leading the mind upward toward the high things step by step.

You are the Christ. This is a declaration of the economy and an explanation of the incarnate theophany. For this is not the name of the pre-eternal Word, but the message of the graces being used. Therefore also our Lord, having accepted entirely to become man and all the other things that turn toward the flesh, condescends and is called Christ as one anointed for king, not with the oil of the horn like Samuel and David and the men following them (1 Sam 16:13), but by the energy of the Spirit, by which also the Lord is anointed. For thus Jesus was marvelously made known and paradoxically presented to many to commune with, in the womb of the Virgin.

Having confessed Jesus, the man who became for our sake, he did not set this word until this point, but having ascended toward heaven by the intellectual Jacob's ladder (Gen 28:12) and having become in the vision of the God-Word in the beginning, he added to him the exceptional and true dignity, addressing him as Son of the living God. And precisely thus and not otherwise: he himself, having confessed the straight and incorruptible rule of faith and having handed to us all an unshakeable law of piety, did not depart unrewarded or unhonored; but blessed is the name...

Greek · §42

τοιαύτης μεγαλουργίας ἐπίδειξις ὑπερέχουσα τὴν τῆς κτίσεως ταπει νότητα, καθὼς καὶ τῷ ∆αβὶδ δοκεῖ τῷ βελτίστῳ τῶν προφητῶν. Κἀκεῖνος γὰρ ἔν τινι τῶν ψαλμῶν ἀνυμνῶν τὸν Θεὸν καὶ τὴν ἄφατον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀπερινόητον ἐξηγούμενος δύναμιν ταῦτ' εἶπεν, ἃ συνήθως μελῳδοῦντες γνωρίζετε· Ἐν τῇ θαλάσσῃ ἡ ὁδός σου, καὶ αἱ τρίβοι σου ἐν ὕδασι πολλοῖς, καὶ τὰ ἴχνη σου οὐ γνωσθήσονται. 8.10.4 Ὃ τοίνυν εἶχεν ἴδιον ὁ δεσπότης ἐν τοῖς τῆς θεότητος ἐξαιρέτοις γνωρίσ μασι, τοῦτο κοινὸν ἐποιήσατο πρὸς τὸν δοῦλον, ἄξιον κρίνας τῆς τοσαύτης τιμῆς. 8.11.1 Ζηλωτὸς μὲν οὖν καὶ ὁ μέγας Ἰωάννης ἐπὶ τῶν τοῦ Κυρίου στέρνων ἀναπαυόμενος· μέγας καὶ Ἰάκωβος ὡς υἱὸς ὀνομασθεὶς βροντῆς· λαμπρὸς ἐν ταῖς τιμαῖς καὶ ὁ Φίλιππος, ὁ παρὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἁρπασθεὶς ἡνίκα τὸν Αἰθίοπα πρὸς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐμυσταγώγησεν· ἀλλ' ὅμως οἱ πάντες ὑποχωρείτωσαν Πέτρῳ καὶ δευτερεύειν ὁμολογεί τωσαν, ὅταν ἡ τῶν χαρισμάτων σύγκρισις δοκιμάζῃ τὸν προτιμότερον. 8.11.2 Ἀναθεωρῶν δὲ πάντα τὰ καθ' ἕκαστον καὶ σκοπούμενος εὑρίσκω τὸν ἄνδρα τοῦτον ἐπί τε τῶν λογικῶν διαλέξεων καὶ τῶν πρακτικῶν ἐνεργη μάτων πανταχοῦ προπηδῶντα τῶν ἄλλων μαθητῶν καὶ προεξαλλόμενον καὶ κατόπιν ἀφιέντα τοὺς τὸ αὐτὸ τοῦ βίου στάδιον τρέχοντας. 8.12.1 Ἐρωτῶντος γάρ ποτε τοῦ Κυρίου τοὺς δώδεκα καὶ ἀπόπειραν ποιουμένου ὅπως ἔχουσι πληροφορίας καὶ γνώμης περὶ τῆς εἰς αὐτὸν ὑπολήψεως, καὶ κελεύοντος σαφῶς εἰπεῖν τίνα λέγουσι αὐτὸν εἶναι, τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων σιωπῇ βουλευομένων καὶ βραδυνόντων καὶ δεικνύντων ὡς διά τινος ἐπισκέψεως ὠδίνουσι τὴν ἀποκρίσιν, ἀνοίξας τὸ στόμα ταχέως ὁ τὸν ζώπυρον ἐπὶ τῆς ψυχῆς φέρων τῆς πίστεως ἄνθρακα, ᾧ καὶ Ἡσαΐας πρότερον ἐκαθάρθη τὰ χείλη, τὴν μακαρίαν ἐκείνην καὶ σοφὴν ἀληθῶς ῥῆσιν καθωμολόγησε· Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος. 8.12.2 Τίνα ἄν τις πρὸς ἀξίαν τῶν λόγων τούτων θαυμάσειεν, ἀξιόπιστος γενόμενος ἑρμηνεὺς τοῦ μεγίστου τῶν ἀποστόλων; Ὁρᾶτε γὰρ πρῶτον ὅπως ἀπέριττος ὁ λόγος καὶ σύντομος, ἐν ἐκφωνήσει βραχείᾳ μυρίων πραγμάτων καὶ μεγάλων δύναμιν ἐκτιθέμενος. Πᾶς γὰρ λόγος οὗτος ἄριστος, οὗπερ ἀνήκει καὶ μὴ περιρρέῃ ἡ φράσις ἐπ' ὀλίγῳ καὶ πενιχρῷ τῷ νοήματι· 8.12.3 τοὐναντίον δὲ πλῆθος πραγμάτων ἐν βραχυλογίᾳ σημαίνει κατὰ τὴν ὁμοίωσιν τοῦ κόκκου τοῦ νάπυος, ὃς μικρότατος μὲν ἔστιν ἐν τῷ κρατεῖσθαι καὶ βλέπεσθαι, εἰ δὲ προσαγάγοις αὐτὸν τῇ αἰσθήσει τοῦ στόματος, ὅλον τὸ ζῷον ἐκ ποδῶν εἰς κεφαλὴν πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν μεθέλκει θερμότητα. Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος. 8.12.4 Ἅπας λόγος ὁ συντελῶν πρὸς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν πρὸς δύο ταῦτα θεωρεῖται καὶ στρέφεται· ἓν μὲν τὸ τῆς ἀρχεγόνου θεότητος, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁ ἐν ἀρχῇ Λόγος, ὁ ὢν ἀεὶ καὶ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ὢν καὶ Θεὸς ὤν, καθὼς ἡμᾶς ὁ μέγας Ἰωάννης ὁ θεολόγος ἐμυσταγώγησεν, οἷον σπογγία τις τῷ στήθει τοῦ Μονογενοῦς παρακείμενος κἀκεῖθεν ἑλκύσας τῆς κεκρυμμένης ἀληθείας τὴν γνῶσιν· ἕτερον δὲ τὸ τῆς οἰκονομίας, ἣν ἀγαθὸς ὁ Θεὸς πρὸς συγκατάβασιν τῆς ἀσθενείας ἡμῶν κατεδέξατο. 8.12.5 Ἄξιον τοίνυν θεωρῆσαι τὴν ἀπόκρισιν, ὅπως ἐν βραχυλογίᾳ καὶ ὀλιγορημοσύνῃ πάντως ἀκριβῶς τὴν διάνοιαν ἐν ὀλίγῳ 40 παρεδήλωσεν, ἀρξάμενος ἀπὸ τῶν κάτω καὶ πρὸς τὰ ὑψηλὰ κατὰ μέρος ἀναγαγὼν τὴν διάνοιαν. 8.13.1 Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστός. Τοῦτο τῆς οἰκονομίας δήλωσις καὶ τῆς ἐνσάρκου θεοφανείας ἐξήγησις. Τοῦτο γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν ὄνομα τοῦ προαιω νίου Λόγου, ἀλλὰ τῆς τῶν χριομένων χάριτος μήνυμα. ∆ιὸ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν καταδεξάμενος ὅλως τὸ ἄνθρωπος γενέσθαι καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα ὅσα στρέφεται περὶ τὴν σάρκα, συγκαταδέχεται καὶ καλεῖται Χριστὸς ὡς χρισθεὶς εἰς βασιλέα, οὐ τῷ ἐλαίῳ τοῦ κέρατος ὡς Σαμουὴλ καὶ ∆αβὶδ καὶ οἱ καθεξῆς ἄνθρωποι, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἐνεργείᾳ τοῦ Πνεύματος, καθ' ἣν καὶ ὁ Κυριακὸς ἄνθρωποςοὕτω γὰρ τοῖς πολλοῖς φίλον προσαγορεύειν τὸν Ἰησοῦν θαυμαστῶς ἐκυήθη καὶ παραδόξως ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ τῆς παρθένου. 8.13.2 Ὁμολογήσας δὲ τὸν Ἰησοῦν τὸν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν γενόμενον ἄνθρωπον οὐκ ἔστησε μέχρι τούτου τὸν λόγον, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς κλίμακος τοῦ Ἰακὼβ τῆς νοητῆς πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναβὰς καὶ γενόμενος ἐν θεωρίᾳ τοῦ ἐν ἀρχῇ Θεοῦ Λόγου, προστίθησιν αὐτῷ τὸ ἐξαίρετον καὶ ἀληθινὸν ἀξίωμα υἱὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ προσαγορεύσας τοῦ ζῶντος. Ἀκριβῶς δὲ οὕτως καὶ [ὡς] οὐχ ἑτέρως· αὐτός τε ὁμολογήσας τὸν εὐθὺν καὶ ἀδιάστροφον κανόνα τῆς πίστεως καὶ πᾶσιν ἡμῖν παραδοὺς τὸν τῆς εὐσεβείας λόγον ἀπαράβατον νόμον οὐκ ἄμισθος ἀπῆλθεν οὐδὲ ἀγέραστος· μακάριος δὲ ὀνο

The Shepherd's Commission and the Martyrdom of Polycarp§43

43Having been received from the truly blessed one, he is called the rock of faith and the foundation and the substructure of the church according to Christ. He receives the keys through the promise of the kingdom and becomes lord of those gates, so as to open them to whomever he wishes and to close them to whomever is just, but certainly to the unfaithful and the impious and those denying that same confession, through which he was appointed to stand as an exact guardian of the entrances of the kingdom, as a faithful one of the good things.

Oh, the darkness and the cloudiness which has poured out much before the eyes of men, through which the heretics do not see the traces of the fathers, nor are they able even to walk in them, which the feet of the apostles have worn down. For behold, Peter, the genuine disciple of Christ by election, having received everywhere the first vote and the honors and the achievements, that great one who was all, whose fame filled the whole inhabited world, having been commanded to speak so as to glorify our God and Savior, did not begin a wandering from some distance away, nor, surrounding himself with a circle of syllogisms and matters, he answered toward the question as if now the terrible sophists and technicians of faith are accustomed to do, but in simplicity of heart he set forth the truth briefly, not sending the unbegotten to the begotten, nor having reasoned excessively about the similar and the dissimilar, nor having busied himself with differences concerning all substance, nor having measured the immeasurable divinity with syllogisms, like the plays of Arius and the maneuvers of Eunomius.

Let us therefore, O Christians, zealously imitate the knowledge of the fisherman, the unsearching one, the elder from Bethsaida, the first catch of Christ, whose knowledge is not much talk. Let us meditate on saying: 'You are the Christ, the Son of the living God' (Matt 16:16), and to leave the more complex things to the word-fighters, whose strife is their work and whose end is destruction. Does the apostle's miracles stand until what has been said? Or do we think that quite the opposite would not even come to pass, if someone were to deviate from the things spoken, remaining beside them? But I, leaving the many things to your own knowledge, for you know Peter and his deeds, even if no one should precede me in praising the man, I wish to speak small things concerning his rest and how...

He escaped from the earth to heaven, so that there he might cease to say 'wherever that life is'.

Our Savior, as He was about to approach the arbitrary death, like an exceptional deposit, entrusts the general and ecumenical church to this man, asking him for the third time, 'Do you love me?' (John 21:15). Since he eagerly set forth the confessions in equal number to the questions, he took the world into his care as one shepherd, having heard, 'Feed my lambs' (John 21:15); and almost instead of himself, the Lord gave to the converts a father, a shepherd, and a teacher.

Having heard this voice, therefore, he did not live his life in idleness, nor did he love the life of danger outside, but he was encircling the whole inhabited world, revealing Christ to those becoming blind, guiding those wandering, strengthening those having tasted salvation, fighting against enemies, exhorting those at home, enduring persecutions, bearing the burden of prisons, and risking the gospel in many ways.

As time passed, having seized the ruling city of men, he ascended from there to the kingdom. For Nero, being thrown into anger, surpassed all other modes of torture, just as once in Palestine when Herod was king and the Magi were announcing Christ, exceeding the others in his ways of punishment, it was decreed that the thrice-blessed one should be crucified on the wood of a cross, so that Peter the Lord's disciple might not only imitate him in walking the sea (Matt 14:29), but also in hanging upon the wood.

However, as a pious and wise man, even knowing the time of struggle, he asked of the enemies just one difference: that they might not bring him in a similar form to the wood, but rather having crucified the head to the lower part of the cross. For it is not worthy, even in equal suffering, for the slave to encounter the same as the Master. He said, and it happened as he willed, and through the cross he departed to the one crucified and risen, himself having put on the crown of martyrdom, leaving to us the causes of these feasts.

These things we also, in our power, O beloved and holy head, have given to you as thanksgivings for many who have been perfected; but now, the word turns toward another combatant, the...

Greek · §43

μασθεὶς παρὰ τοῦ ὄντως μακαρίου, πέτρα καλεῖται τῆς πίστεως καὶ θεμέλιος καὶ ὑποβάθρα τῆς κατὰ Χριστὸν ἐκκλησίας. 8.13.3 Λαμβάνει δὲ διὰ τῆς ὑποσχέσεως τῆς βασιλείας τὰς κλεῖς καὶ κύριος γίνεται τῶν ἐκείνης πυλῶν, ὥστε αὐτὰς ὑπανοίγειν οἷς ἂν ἐθέλοι καὶ κλείειν οἷς ἂν δίκαιον ᾖ, πάντως δὲ τοῖς βεβήλοις καὶ ἀνιέροις καὶ τοῖς ἀρνουμένοις τὴν ὁμολο γίαν ἐκείνην δι' ἣν αὐτὸς ὡς ἀκριβὴς τῶν ἀγαθῶν φύλαξ ἐπιστατεῖν ταῖς εἰσόδοις τῆς βασιλείας ἐτάχθη. 8.14.1 Ὢ τοῦ ζόφου καὶ τῆς ἀχλύος, ἣ πολλὴ κέχυται πρὸ τῶν ἀνθρω πικῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, δι' ἣν οὐ βλέπουσιν αἱρετικοὶ τῶν πατέρων τὰ ἴχνη οὐδὲ βαδίζειν ἐκείνην δύνανται, ἣν ἔτριψαν τῶν ἀποστόλων οἱ πόδες. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ Πέτρος ὁ κατ' ἐκλογὴν γνήσιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ μαθητής, ὁ πανταχοῦ τὴν πρώτην ψῆφον καὶ τῶν τιμῶν καὶ τῶν κατορθωμάτων δεξάμενος, ὁ μέγας ἐκεῖνος ὁ πάνυ, οὗ τὸ κλέος πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐπλήρωσεν, 8.14.2 κελευσθεὶς εἰπεῖν ὅπως δοξάζει περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, οὐκ ἀπὸ μακρᾶς τινος ἤρξατο περινοίας οὐδὲ κύκλον συλλογισμῶν καὶ πραγμάτων περιβαλόμενος ἀπεκρίνατο πρὸς τὴν πεῦσιν ὥσπερ δὴ νῦν ποιεῖν εἰώθασιν οἱ δεινοὶ σοφισταὶ καὶ τεχνολόγοι τῆς πίστεως, ἀλλ' ἐν ἁπλότητι καρδίας σύντομον ἐξέθετο τὴν ἀλήθειαν, οὐ τὸν ἀγέννητον διαστείλας τῷ γεννητῷ, οὐ τὰ περὶ ὁμοίου καὶ ἀνομοίου λεπτολογήσας ἐμπλήκτως, οὐδὲ τῶν ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν οὐσίαν πολυπραγμονήσας διαφοράν, οὐδὲ τὴν ἀμέτρητον θεότητα μετρήσας συλλογισμοῖς οἷον δὴ τὰ Ἀρείου παίγνια καὶ τοῦ Εὐνομίου παρεγχειρήματα. 8.14.3 Ζηλώσωμεν τοίνυν, ὦ χριστιανοίὧν πίστις, οὐ πολυλογία τὸ γνώρισματὸν ἁλιέα, τὸν ἀπερίεργον, τὸν ἐκ Βεθσαϊδὰ γέροντα, τὸ πρῶτον θήρευμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Μελετήσωμεν λέγειν· Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος, τὰ δὲ πλείονα τούτων ἀφιέναι τοῖς λογομάχοις, ὧν ἔρις τὸ ἔργον καὶ τὸ τέλος ἀπώλεια. 8.15.1 Ἆρ' οὖν μέχρι τῶν λεχθέντων ἵσταται τοῦ ἀποστόλου τὰ θαύματα; ἢ πᾶν τοὐναντίον οὐδὲ ἦρχθαι δοκοῦμεν, εἴ τις τοῖς εἰρημένοις παραμε τροίη τὰ λείποντα. Ἀλλ' ἐγὼ τὰ πολλὰ τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ γνώσει καταλιπών ἴστε γὰρ τὸν Πέτρον καὶ τὰ ἐκείνου, κἂν μηδεὶς ἐπαινεῖν τὸν ἄνδρα προέληταιμικρὰ περὶ τῆς ἀναπαύσεως αὐτοῦ εἰπεῖν βούλομαι καὶ ὅπως ἐκ τῆς γῆς εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν μετῴκησεν, ἵν' ἐκεῖ τοῦ λέγειν παύσωμαι ἔνθα κἀκεῖνος τὸν βίον. 8.15.2 Ὁ μὲν οὖν Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν ἡνίκα ἔμελλεν ἐγγίζειν τῷ αὐθαιρέτῳ θανάτῳ, ὥσπερ τινὰ παρακαταθήκην ἐξαίρετον τὴν καθόλου καὶ οἰκουμενικὴν ἐκκλησίαν τούτῳ τῷ ἀνδρὶ παρατίθεται τρίτον αὐτοῦ πυθόμενος τὸ Φιλεῖς με; Ὡς δὲ ταῖς ἐρωτήσεσι μάλα προθύμως ἰσαρίθμους τὰς ὁμολογίας ἐξέθετο, ἔλαβεν τὸν κοσμὸν εἰς ἐπιμέλειαν ὡς 41 μίαν ἀγέλην εἷς ποιμὴν ἀκούσας· Βόσκε τὰ ἀρνία μου· καὶ σχεδὸν ἀνθ' ἑαυτοῦ τὸν πιστότατον μαθητὴν ἔδωκεν ὁ Κύριος τοῖς προσηλύτοις πατέρα καὶ νομέα καὶ παιδευτήν. 8.15.3 Ταύτης τοίνυν ἀκούσας τῆς φωνῆς οὐκ ἐν ῥᾳθυμίᾳ τὸν βίον ἔζησεν οὐδὲ ἠγάπησε τὴν ἔξω κινδύνων ζωήν, ἀλλὰ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην περινοστῶν τὸν Χριστὸν τοῖς τυφλώττουσιν ἀπεκάλυπτεν, τοὺς μὲν πλανωμένους ὁδηγῶν, τοὺς δὲ γευσαμένους τῆς σωτηρίας στηρίζων, τοῖς ἐχθροῖς μαχόμενος, τοὺς οἰκείους παρακα λῶν, διωγμῶν ἀνεχόμενος, φέρων ἀχθηδόνα δεσμωτηρίων, πολυτρόπως τοῦ εὐαγγελίου προκινδυνεύων. 8.16.1 Χρόνου δὲ προϊόντος τὴν βασιλεύουσαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων πόλιν καταλαβὼν ἐκεῖθεν ἐπὶ τὴν βασιλείαν ἀνέδραμεν. Ἀναρριπισθεὶς γὰρ ὁ Νέρων εἰς ὀργὴν ὥς ποτε κατὰ τὴν Παλαιστίνην Ἡρώδης ἡνίκα βασιλέα τὸν Χριστὸν οἱ μάγοι διήγγελλον, ὑπερβαίνει μὲν τοὺς ἄλλους τῶν κολάσεων τρόπους, ψηφίζεται δὲ τὸν τρισμακάριον ξύλῳ προσηλω θῆναι σταυροῦ, ἵνα μὴ μόνον πεζεύων θάλασσαν Πέτρος τὸν ∆εσπότην μιμῆται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου κρεμάμενος. 8.16.2 Ὅμως ὡς εὐλαβὴς καὶ σοφὸς κἀν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς ἀγωνίας εἰδὼς τίς διαφορὰ Κυρίου πρὸς δοῦλον μίαν ᾔτησε παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν χάριν μήτοι γε ἐν ὁμοίῳ τῷ σχήματι τῷ ξύλῳ προσαγαγεῖν, ἀλλὰ τὴν κεφαλὴν τῷ προσγείῳ μέρει τοῦ σταυροῦ προσηλώσαντας. Οὐ γὰρ ἄξιον οὐδὲ ἐν πάθει τῶν ἴσων τὸν δοῦλον τῷ ∆εσπότῃ τυχεῖν. Εἶπεν καὶ ἔτυχεν ὧν ἐβούλετο καὶ διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ πρὸς τὸν σταυρωθέντα καὶ ἀναστάντα ἀπῆλθεν, αὐτὸς μὲν τὸν τοῦ μαρτυρίου ἀναδησάμενος στέφανον, ἡμῖν δὲ τούτων τῶν ἑορτῶν καταλιπὼν τὰς αἰτίας. 8.17.1 Ταῦτά σοι καὶ ἡμεῖς κατὰ δύναμιν, ὦ φίλη καὶ ἱερὰ κεφαλή, τῶν πολλῶν κατορθωμάτων ἀπεδώκαμεν χαριστήρια· ὥρα δὲ λοιπὸν ἐπ' ἄλλον ἀγωνιστὴν τρέψαι τὸν λόγον, τὸν

The Transformation of Paul§44

44A participant in your virtue, Tarso, who through a different mode of punishment, but with a single purpose of piety, analyzed himself with you toward Christ. Paul the lawgiver, the loud-voiced trumpet of the gospel, who formerly was a bitter enemy of Christians, but finally a strong advocate for the church, was more recently reached by the apostles through grace; and in time he was second among the disciples of Christ, but equal according to the proven virtue, so that I may say nothing more than to exceed the twelve in redness. He was a zealous follower of Moses, if anyone else was, a wall of the law, a tower of the Old Testament, enduring and unshakeable; and until he held his purpose unchangeable, there was a great danger to those speaking of Christ, and he fled everywhere from our people. Truly, according to the prophecy of Jacob (Gen 49:10), a wolf snatched the Benjamin, tearing the lambs of the New Testament and scattering the flocks.

Because he also performed the drama according to Saint Stephen, and having his hands still stained with blood, he ran toward Damascus, seeking to join persecution to persecution and murder to murder, and to uproot Christianity, the first blooming nature. Our God saw well what he had done, that the strong enemy might become a noble friend; and having suddenly surrounded him with light, He strikes him with astonishment and changes him toward humility, making him stand in the road through fear, and having brought to sobriety the eyes that were looking with fiery and angry temper through the darkness. And He punishes him not in silence, but also added a word to the deed, saying that written thing: 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? It is hard for you to kick against the pricks' (Acts 26:14). For it was not as if he himself needed a discussion, since the words of the facts were sufficient, but so that he might have an occasion within to ask and to learn that he who was thought to be dead and to be Christ lives, and appears from the heavens, and thus defends those who are grieving from authority. Nothing is more like the words themselves to explain to us the hunt of the Hebrew wolf.

And Saul, still breathing threats and murder, the word describes to me a man whose mind is being shattered by the pressure...

While the mixed nature of the event was still being perceived through the whistling of the stones, seeing a wind and a wild thing as if it were the murderer, the symbols were being saved in the beginning of the patriarch's prophecy. For he, since he was about to die, having surrounded his children from every side, foretold by the Spirit at the bedside.

Thus, while blessing Judah, he was speaking in one way, but allegorically he praised the Christ coming from him. Furthermore, having prophesied to all the things to come, he came last upon Benjamin, who was also more recent in time; and at times he spoke toward the son, but in reality he signified Paul, as we know, descending from that tribe. 'Benjamin is a wolf; in the morning he shall snatch, and in the evening he shall deliver prey' (Gen 49:27).

Let us investigate what is said. Is it certainly this: that after having eaten the first things—that is, having pursued, having murdered, having shed blood, having scattered the church like a flock—he became last a shepherd and a good pastor, having laid aside the persecutor and having put on the apostle, distributing to all as food the Word and having established this holy table for us?

For the power of the Lord is such, disarming the fury and the impious thoughts of those standing in opposition, and approaching gracefully and subduing, working to make sheep by day instead of beasts that tear. Upon this, what does the Scripture say? That having approached the high priest, he requested from him letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that he might bring the Christians to Jerusalem (Acts 9:2).

O what a fight and a difference of letters, those then being sought from Paul and those which he later wrote announcing Christ! Some were binding Christians, while others put on the chains for Christ, causing the persecutor to endure many heavy and difficult things; and there it was written: 'Saul, a Hebrew, a defender of the law, an enemy of the cross, an opponent of the gospel'; but in the later and more temperate letters: 'Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ.' Of whom? Add this: of him who was crucified.

O what a wonder! What a moment ago was a dream, now has become a boast, and what was being reviled is remembered today as glory. For no glory-seeker and boastful king has thus sent forth the splendor of the beginning.

Greek · §44

κοινωνὸν τῆς σῆς ἀρετῆς, τὸν Ταρσέα, τὸν διαφόρῳ μὲν τρόπῳ τῆς τιμωρίας, ἑνὶ δὲ σκοπῷ τῆς εὐσε βείας μετά σου πρὸς Χριστὸν ἀναλύσαντα. Παῦλος ὁ θεσπέσιος, ἡ μεγαλόφωνος τοῦ εὐαγγελίου σάλπιγξ, ὁ πρότερον μὲν πικρὸς δυσμενὴς χριστιανῶν, ἰσχυρὸς δὲ τελευταῖον τῆς ἐκκλησίας συνήγορος, νεώτερος μὲν ἐπετέχθη τοῖς ἀποστόλοις παρὰ τῆς χάριτος· καὶ τῷ χρόνῳ δεύτερος ἦν τῶν μαθητῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ἴσος δὲ κατὰ τὸ δόκιμον τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἵνα μηδὲν εἴπω πλέον τὴν πολιὰν ἐρυθριάσας τῶν δώδεκα, 8.18.2 ζηλωτὴς δὲ θερμὸς τοῦ Μωϋσέως, εἴπερ τις ἕτερος, τεῖχος τοῦ νόμου, πύργος τῆς παλαιᾶς ∆ιαθήκης καρτερὸς καὶ ἄσειστος· καὶ μέχρις οὗ τὴν γνώμην ἀμετάβλητον εἶχεν, μέγας ὑπῆρχε κίνδυνος τῶν τὸν Χριστὸν λαλούντων καὶ πανταχοῦ διεπτόει τοὺς ἡμετέρους καὶ ἐφυγάδευεν· ὄντως κατὰ τὴν πρόρρησιν τοῦ Ἰακὼβ Βενιαμὶν λύκος ἅρπαξ, σπαράσσων τῆς νέας ∆ιαθήκης τοὺς ἀρνειοὺς καὶ σκορπίζων τὰ ποίμνια. 8.19.1 Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ τὸ δρᾶμα τὸ κατὰ τὸν ἅγιον Στέφανον ἐξειργάσατο, καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἔχων ἔτι μεμολυσμένας τῷ αἵματι τὴν ἐπὶ ∆αμασκὸν ἔτρεχε διωγμῷ διωγμὸν καὶ φόνοις φόνους συνάψαι βουλόμενος καὶ ἀνασπάσαι τὸν χριστιανισμὸν πρόρριζον ἄρτι τὴν πρώτην ἀνθοῦντα φυήν. Εἶδεν καλῶς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν ὃ πεποίηκεν, ὅτι ὁ ἰσχυρὸς ἐχθρὸς γένοιτ' ἂν καὶ φίλος γενναῖος· 8.19.2 καὶ περιλάμψας αὐτὸν αἰφνίδιον τῷ φωτὶ καταπλήττει καὶ μεταβάλλει πρὸς ταπεινότητα στήσας μὲν τοῦ δρόμου διὰ τὸν φόβον, τοὺς δὲ τὸ πυρῶδες καὶ θυμοειδὲς βλέποντας ὀφθαλμοὺς σωφρονίσας τῷ σκότῳ. Τιμωρεῖται δὲ αὐτὸν οὐ μετὰ σιωπῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ λόγον τῷ ἔργῳ προσέθηκεν εἰπὼν ἐκεῖνο τὸ γεγραμμένον· 8.19.3 Σαῦλε, Σαῦλε, τί με διώκεις; Σκληρόν σοι πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν· οὐχ ὡς αὐτὸς διαλέξεως χρῄζωντί γὰρ ἔδει λόγων τῶν πραγμάτων ἀρκούντων, ἀλλ' ἵνα πρόφασιν ἐνδῷ τοῦ ἐρωτῆσαι καὶ μαθεῖν ὅτι ὁ νομιζόμενος τεθνάναι καὶ κεῖσθαι Χριστὸς ζῇ καὶ ἐξ οὐρανῶν ἐπιφαίνεται καὶ οὕτως ἀπ' ἐξουσίας τοὺς λυποῦντας ἀμύνεται. Οὐδὲν δὲ οἷον αὐτὰ τὰ ῥήματα παραθέσθαι τὰ τοῦ Ἑβραίου λύκου τὴν θήραν ἡμῖν ἐξηγούμενα. 8..1 20̔ δὲ Σαῦλος ἔτι ἐμπνέων ἀπειλῆς 42 καὶ φόνου. Ὑπογράφει μοι ὁ λόγος ἄνδρα θυμῷ ῥηγνύμενον ἐκ τῆς προλαβούσης μιαιφονίας ἔτι πνευστιῶντα μετὰ τὰς τῶν λίθων βολάς, ὕφαιμον καὶ ἄγριον βλέποντα οἷον ἐπάναγκες τὸν φονέα, σώζοντα ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς τοῦ πατριάρχου προφητείας τὰ σύμβολα. Ἐκεῖνος γάρ, ἐπειδὴ τελευτᾶν ἔμελλεν, πάντοθεν τοὺς αὑτοῦ παῖδας περιστήσας τῇ κλίνῃ Πνεύματι προηγόρευσεν. 8..2 Οὕτως οὖν τὸν Ἰούδαν εὐλογῶν ἐκείνῳ μὲν διελέγετο, ἀλληγορικῶς δὲ ὕμνησε τὸν ἀπ' ἐκείνου Χριστόν. Ἑξῆς δὲ τοῖς πᾶσι προμαντευσάμενος τὰ εἰς ὕστερον τελευταῖον ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν Βενιαμὶν ὡς καὶ τῷ χρόνῳ νεώτερον· καὶ δῆθεν μὲν πρὸς τὸν υἱὸν ἐφθέγγετο, τῷ ὄντι δὲ τὸν Παῦλον ἐσήμαινεν ἐκ τῆς φυλῆς, ὡς ἔγνωμεν, τῆς ἐκείνου κατάγοντα. Βενιαμὶν λύκος ἅρπαξ τὸ πρωῒ ἔδεται καὶ εἰς ἑσπέραν διαδώσει τροφήν. 8..3 Τί ἐστι τὸ λεγόμενον ἐρευνήσωμεν· ἢ τοῦτο πάντως, ὅτι τὰ πρῶτα φαγών, τούτεστι διώξας, φονεύσας, ἐκχέας αἷμα, σκορπίσας ὡς ἀγέλην τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, τελευταῖον ἐγένετο νομεὺς καὶ ποιμὴν ἀγαθὸς ἀποθέμενος τὸν διώκτην καὶ ἐνδυσάμενος τὸν ἀπόστολον, πᾶσι δὲ ὡς τροφὴν διανέμων τὸν Λόγον καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν ἡμῖν ταύτην ἱδρυσάμενος τράπεζαν. 8..4 Ἡ γὰρ τοῦ Κυρίου δύναμις τοιαύτη ἀφοπλίζουσα τοῦ θυμοῦ καὶ τῶν δυσσεβῶν νοημάτων τοὺς στασιάζοντας, προσαγομένη δὲ εὐμηχάνως καὶ τιθασσεύουσα καὶ πρόβατα ἥμερα ἀντὶ θηρίων δακ νόντων ἐργαζομένη. Ἐπὶ τούτοις τί φησιν ἡ Γραφή; ὅτι Προσελθὼν τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ ᾐτήσατο παρ' αὐτοῦ ἐπιστολὰς εἰς ∆αμασκὸν πρὸς τὰς συναγωγάς, ὅπως τοὺς χριστιανοὺς ἀγάγῃ εἰς Ἰερουσαλήμ. 8.21.1 Ὢ μάχη καὶ διαφορὰ ἐπιστολῶν τῶν τότε παρὰ Παύλου ζητουμένων καὶ ἃς τὸν Χριστὸν καταγγέλλων ὕστερον ἔγραψεν! Αἱ μὲν ἐδεσμοῦν χριστιανούς, αἱ δὲ τὰς ἁλύσεις ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ περιέθηκαν τῷ διώκτῃ πολλὰς καὶ βαρείας καὶ χαλεπὰς ἐνεγκεῖν· κἀκεῖ μὲν ἐγέγραπτο· Σαῦλος Ἑβραῖος, τοῦ νόμου προστάτης, ἐχθρὸς τοῦ σταυροῦ, τοῦ εὐαγγελίου πολέμιος· ἐν δὲ ταῖς μεταγενεστέραις ἐπιστολαῖς καὶ σωφρονούσαις· Παῦλος δοῦλος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ποίου; Πρόσθες· τοῦ ἐσταυ ρωμένου. 8.21.2 Ὢ τοῦ θαύματος! Ὃ πρὸ ὀλίγου ὄνειδος νῦν γέγονε καύχημα καὶ τὸ ἐξουθενούμενον ὡς δόξα σήμερον μνημονεύεται. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ δοξοκόπος καὶ γαυριῶν βασιλεὺς οὕτως ἐνεπόμπευσε τῇ περιφανείᾳ τῆς ἀρχῆς,

The Conversion of Paul§45

45Just as Paul writes himself to be all a prisoner and more polished by iron than women are by the gold used for adornment, suddenly a light from heaven surrounded him. Why does he not appear to him in the form of a man, just as it was for Stephen from heaven, but rather in the appearance of fire or light?

Because Stephen, being perfect and knowing the mystery of the incarnation, and being harmed nothing by our poverty, thus beautifully showed himself and so ascended into heaven; but for Paul, so that he might not be restrained from calling Jesus God, since he had come to us in a body, he does not appear as a man, lest he might confirm the unbelieving opposition, but rather in the idea of a flash and light, so that he might draw him from the law and Moses. For there also the same God, manifesting himself to Moses, burned in fire; and giving the law on Sinai, he was handing the tablets to the Hebrew, shining with fire. Therefore, it surrounds him so that, having cast his mind upon the likeness of those things occurring then and now, and as if having awakened himself from a certain forgetfulness, he might know the theophanies to be one power; and he sends the radiance from heaven, so that Paul, no longer turning his mind around Bethlehem and Galilee, calling Christ the son of David and man and all the other names of the economy, might be clearly taught that being God, he came down from above, which is why he now appears.

Then he adds wisely: 'I am Jesus'; he did not say 'I am God' or 'the Son of God', but 'Jesus'; the name of the condescension, so that he might confirm the faith of the incarnation, at which the Jews were stumbling. 'I am he whom you crucify, whom you imprison, whom you drag and lead now to Caiaphas, and later to Pilate, whom you constantly call the son of the carpenter, whom you count among the dead, laughing greatly...'

To those proclaiming the resurrection. I do not seem to be speaking to them now; being present, I do not see; lighting the soul, I have brought blindness to the eyes. Believe, therefore, that I also appeared to Stephen while saying this to you and he believed. It is, therefore, harsh for you to strike against spikes. 'Spikes' means the nails of the cross. For just as one, being struck by iron, is being split open, does he not destroy that? For how does one destroy the hard? But he wounds himself; even so, the one contending against God seizes destruction upon himself headlong.

Be prudent, therefore, and having lost your sight, now especially through the wonderful flash of light, consider that for this reason I clothed myself with a body and became a man, so that not all the naked ones, approaching the veil of divinity, might be blinded.

These things: and Paul, being led by the hand, was being led as a pitiable sight, but rather as something graceful and worthy of indignation. The wolf was bound, the rapacious man became prudent, the wild man was gentled, the runner walked meekly, the tyrant among the disciples was being led, he whose hands were stained with the blood of Stephen, seeking to drink the blood of the other. And for three days he continued living in blindness. And most appropriately. For he, having justly protested against the Trinity, was condemned to an equal measure of punishment to sin. Thus, indeed, the law-giver was initiated into piety. And since he had tasted the truth and through experience learned that Christ lives and is and reigns over all things, neither was he destroyed by death nor was he stolen away by the disciples, having quickly been transferred from the law to the gospel, he announced God, the Christ, to all, whom yesterday and formerly he mocked with blasphemies, and such a man was an ally just as he was an enemy; for he was strong in both. And entering unannounced and unexpectedly into the synagogues of Damascus, he was expounding the words of the law and the prophets, not holding to the law, but constructing and comparing from it the Christ to those things coming to pass.

Greek · §45

ὡς Παῦλος τῷ σταυρῷ καὶ τοῖς ἥλοις γράφων ἑαυτὸν πᾶσι δεσμώτην καὶ πλέον τῷ σιδήρῳ καλλυνόμενος ἢ αἱ κόραι τῷ κοσμοῦντι χρυσῷ. 8.22.1 Ἐξαίφνης τε περιήστραψεν αὐτὸν φῶς ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. ∆ιὰ τί οὐ φαίνεται αὐτῷ ἐν μορφῇ ἀνθρώπου ὥσπερ καὶ Στεφάνῳ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, ἀλλ' ἐν εἴδει πυρὸς ἢ φωτός; Ὅτι Στεφάνῳ μὲν ὡς τελείῳ καὶ εἰδότι τὸ τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως μυστήριον καὶ μηδὲν βλαπτομένῳ ἐκ τῆς εὐτελείας τῆς καθ' ἡμᾶς καλῶς οὕτως ἑαυτὸν ἐπεδείκνυ ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἀνῆλθεν ἐπὶ τὸν οὐρανόν, 8.22.2 Παύλῳ δὲ ὡς διὰ τοῦτο μὴ καταδε χομένῳ Θεὸν ὀνομάζειν τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ἐπειδὴ ἐν σώματι παρεγένετο πρὸς ἡμᾶς, οὐ φαίνεται ἄνθρωπος, ἵνα μὴ βεβαιώσῃ ἀπίστῳ τὸ πρόσκομμα, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἐν ἰδέᾳ ἀστραπῆς καὶ φωτός, ἵν' ἐκ τοῦ νόμου καὶ Μωϋσέως αὐτὸν ἐφελκύσηται. Κἀκεῖ γὰρ ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος Θεὸς τῷ Μωϋσεῖ ἑαυτὸν ἐμφανίζων ἐν πυρὶ ἐλάλει· καὶ τὸν νόμον διδοὺς ἐπὶ τοῦ Σινᾶ, πυρὶ κατα λάμπων τὸν Ἑβραῖον ἐνεχείριζε τὰς πλάκας αὐτῷ. 8.22.3 Περιαυγάζει τοίνυν αὐτόν, ἵνα τὸν νοῦν ἐπιβαλὼν τῇ ὁμοιότητι τῶν τότε γενομένων καὶ νῦν καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκ λήθης τινὸς ἑαυτὸν ἀφυπνίσας γνωρίσῃ τῆς μιᾶς δυνάμεως ὄντα τὰ θεοφάνια· ἀποστέλλει δὲ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ τὴν αὐγήν, ἵνα μηκέτι περὶ τὴν Βηθλεὲμ καὶ τὴν Γαλιλαίαν στρεφόμενος τῇ διανοίᾳ ὁ Παῦλος υἱὸν τοῦ ∆αβὶδ ὀνομάζῃ τὸν Χριστὸν καὶ ἄνθρωπον καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄλλα, τὰ τῆς οἰκονομίας ὀνόματα, διδαχθῇ δὲ σαφῶς ὅτι Θεὸς ὢν ἄνωθεν ἀφίκετο πρὸς ἡμᾶς, ὅθεν καὶ νῦν ἐπιφαίνεται. 8.23.1 Εἶτα προστίθησι σοφῶς· Ἐγώ εἰμι Ἰησοῦς· οὐκ εἶπεν ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς ἢ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλ' Ἰησοῦς· τὸ τῆς συγκαταβάσεως ὄνομα, ἵνα βεβαιώσῃ 43 τὴν τῆς σαρκώσεως πίστιν πρὸς ἣν Ἰουδαῖοι ἐσκανδαλίζοντο. Ἐγώ εἰμι ἐκεῖνος ὃν ἐρραπίζετε, ὃν ἐφραγελλοῦτε, ὃν εἵλκετε καὶ ἐφέρετε νῦν μὲν πρὸς Καϊάφαν, ὕστερον δὲ πρὸς Πιλᾶτον, ὃν ἀπεκαλεῖτε συνεχῶς υἱὸν τοῦ τέκτονος, ὃν ἐν τοῖς νεκροῖς ἠριθμεῖτε γελῶντες μεγάλα πρὸς τοὺς κηρύττοντας τὴν ἀνάστασιν. 8.23.2 Ἐκείνοις νῦν λαλῶν οὐ φαίνομαι· παρὼν οὐχ ὁρῶμαι· φωτίζων ψυχὴν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐπάγω[ν] τυφλότητα. Πίστευσον οὖν, ὅτι καὶ Στεφάνῳ ἐφαινόμην ὅτε τοῦτο λέγων πρὸς ὑμᾶς ἠπιστεῖτο. Σκλῆρον οὖν σοι πρὸς κέντρα λακτίζειν. Κέντρα λέγει τοῦ σταυροῦ τοὺς ἥλους. Ὡς γὰρ ὁ σιδήρῳ τεθηγμένῳ ἐνρηγνύμενος οὐκ ἐκεῖνον διαφθείρει πῶς γὰρ τὸν σκληρόν; ἑαυτὸν δὲ τιτρώσκει, οὕτω καὶ ὁ πρὸς Θεὸν φιλονεικῶν αὐθαίρετον ἐπισπᾶται τὸν ὄλεθρον. 8.23.3 Σωφρόνησον οὖν τοῦ λοιποῦ καὶ τὴν ὄψιν ἀπολέσας διὰ τῆς θαυμαστῆς λαμπηδόνος νῦν μάλιστα νόησον, ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο ἐνεδυσάμην σῶμα καὶ ἐγενόμην ἄνθρωπος, ἵνα μὴ πάντες τυφλωθῶσιν οἱ γυμνοὶ παραπετάσματος προσομιλοῦντες θεότητι. 8.24.1 Ταῦτα· καὶ χειραγωγούμενος ὁ Παῦλος ἀπήγετο ἐλεεινὸν θέαμα, μᾶλλον δὲ χάριεν καὶ θυμηδίας ἄξιον. Ἐδέθη ὁ λύκος, ἐσωφρονίσθη ὁ ἅρπαξ, ἡμερώθη ὁ ἄγριος, ἐβάδιζε πράως ὁ τρέχων, ἀπήγετο μαθητὴς ὁ τῶν μαθητῶν τύραννος, ἤγετο πιεῖν τοῦ ἄλλου τὸ αἷμα ὁ τῷ αἵματι Στεφάνου μεμολυσμένος τὰς χεῖρας. Ἐπὶ τρεῖς δὲ ἡμέρας διετέλεσεν ἐν τυφλότητι ζῶν. Καὶ μάλα εἰκότως. Ὁ γὰρ εἰς τὴν Τριάδα διαμαρτὼν δικαίως ἰσάριθμον τῆς ἁμαρτίας κατεδικάσθη τὴν τιμωρίαν. Οὕτως μὲν οὖν ὁ θεσπέσιος ἐμυσταγωγήθη πρὸς τὴν εὐσέβειαν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐγεύσατο καὶ διὰ τῆς πείρας ἔμαθεν, ὅτι ζῇ ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ ἔστιν καὶ βασιλεύει τῶν ὅλων, οὔτε δὲ ἐφθάρη παρὰ τοῦ θανάτου οὔτε ἐκλάπη παρὰ τῶν μαθητῶν, ταχέως ἐκ τοῦ νόμου μεταταξάμενος πρὸς τὸ εὐαγγέλιον πᾶσι κατήγγελλε Θεὸν τὸν Χριστόν, ὃν χθὲς καὶ πρώην ἐλοιδόρει ταῖς βλασφημίαις, καὶ τοιοῦτος ἦν σύμμαχος οἷος καὶ πολέμιος· ἰσχυρὸς γὰρ ἀμφότερα. 8.25.2 Ἀθρόον δὲ καὶ ἀδοκήτως εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὰς συναγωγὰς ∆αμασκοῦ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν ἐδημηγόρει τοὺς λόγους, οὐ νόμον κρατύνων, ἀλλ' ἀπ' ἐκείνου τὸν Χριστὸν συγκροτῶν καὶ συγκρίνων τοῖς γινομένοις

Paul's Unwavering Ministry§46

46By these things, casting out law by law through the law. Just as he says about himself in writing to the Romans: 'For I died by law through law'; that is, having been led by the Mosaic writings, he came to know the piety of the gospel. 8.25.3 Therefore he caused a marvel in Damascus, and all were exclaiming to themselves: 'Come, behold the Tarsian Jew, a zealous student of the ancestral law, a fierce advocate for Jesus, calling Him up and proving from our writings that this is the Savior according to the promise.' Lest the fear not persuade the whole city, might not the whole people be led and turn away from the law? 8.25.4 For he is a practitioner of the Scripture, and sharp of mind, and the word is rapid, and the method resourceful, and he has possessed much reliability; from which, knowing our writings accurately, he does not seem to wander in ignorance, but has found the truth through testing and judgment. Into this perplexity he cast a great city, a populous people, the first preaching of the brave convert; and then Damascus was more troubled than Jerusalem previously was when Christians were being stoned, when Stephen Paul was stoning. 8.25.5 Just as the wonderful ones of the best men, wherever they are transferred, carry the victory there, so that lawgiver man always made those people great by the momentum he provided.

8.26.1 Thus then, having proclaimed the gospel in Phoenicia and having cast the first seeds of the apostolate there, where he himself was also enlightened by knowledge, he came to Jerusalem, a stranger to those there and a fine spectacle. For those who had sent him forward and given the bonds to carry against Christians, not knowing what was happening in the midst, first saw him pleasantly and were eager for the hunt, a multitude of Christian prisoners, hoping to see and seeking the work of the many promises. 8.26.2 But when the word was going forth, I found Paul joining Saul, agreeing in his conviction and being a more fervent disciple of Christ and of the other apostles; at first they considered the things said to be childishness and mockery, but having tested him, they found him confessing the conviction with his voice, and they deliberated only on one thing: that the young man should be released, as it was not fitting for the Hebrew religion.

And to serve the living Paul and his speaking. And later time clearly showed this.

For even among the many, although they were already Christians, they were not sufficient to live purely according to the gospel, but were wavering and sometimes even coloring their faith with circumcision, in order that they might appease the wrath of the Hebrews by partially performing what was granted to them; but this man alone, without yielding anything by an unshakeable mindset, taught, but with a pure voice he proclaimed the word without derivation and progressed so far into the freedom of mindset, that once, regarding the Galatians' domestic dullness and the scarcity of those teaching, he wrote a letter to them against the wonderful life of retreating into the law (cf. Galatians 6:12), by which he taught them to worship and practice religion in the novelty of the citizenship according to Christ, no longer paying attention to the writings from the stone tablets.

He remained bound to what was said of him as the foremost of the apostles and was being purified everywhere, and he fought against Peter, as if Peter were attacking the new citizenship by the use of the old and ceased dogmas; and he neither loved the proximity of the elder nor the prestige of the apostleship when he saw the truth in danger. But he stood up fiercely for the Galatians, and he struck the other many times, as he was, having won the opportunity through boldness.

And everywhere he continued speaking and persuading; and if perhaps he encountered evil men and suffered something terrible, or lived in prison, or received lashes, or was thrown with stones, he did not abandon his readiness because of the occurring failure; but after a short interval, he approached the enemies again, and conversing with the same people, and discovering many ways of undertaking, and being very well-adapted to the falling needs, he went on persuading either all or the many.

And often, indeed, having been found after incurable wounds and having been cast out in the outskirts of that city which he was initiating into piety, and being thought dead because of the greatness of the terrors, having seized the next day's market and having stretched out his right hand, he again taught those who were approaching death; thus, nothing cared for his body, but looking toward the goal of the higher calling (cf. Philippians 3:14), he was patient.

Greek · §46

πράγμασι τὰς προσαγορεύσεις τῶν προφητῶν καὶ διὰ νόμου νόμον ἐκβάλλων. Ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ φησιν ἐπιστέλλων Ῥωμαίοις· Ἐγὼ γὰρ διὰ νόμου νόμῳ ἀπέθανον· τούτεστιν, Ἀπὸ τῶν Μωσαϊκῶν γραμμάτων ὁδηγηθεὶς ἐπέγνων τὴν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου εὐσέβειαν. 8.25.3 Ἔκπληξις οὖν εἶχε τὴν ∆αμασκὸν καὶ πάντες πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἐξεθείαζον· ∆εῦτε, θεᾶσθε τὸν Ταρσέα Ἑβραῖον, τὸν τοῦ πατρῴου νόμου ζέοντα μαθητήν, σφοδρὸν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ συνήγορον καὶ Θεὸν αὐτὸν ἀνακαλοῦντα καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἡμετέρων γραμμάτων ἀποδεικνύντα, ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ κατ' ἐπαγγελίαν Σωτήρ. ∆έος οὖν μὴ πᾶσαν καταπείσῃ τὴν πόλιν, μὴ καὶ ὅλον τὸν δῆμον ἐπαγάγηται καὶ ἀποστήσῃ τοῦ νόμου. 8.25.4 Καὶ γάρ ἐστι τῆς Γραφῆς ἀσκητὴς καὶ τὸν νοῦν ὀξὺς καὶ γοργὸς τὸν λόγον καὶ τὸν τρόπον εὐμήχανος καὶ πολὺ κεκτημένος τὸ ἀξιόπιστον· ἀφ' ὧν ἀκριβῶς εἰδὼς τὰ ἡμέτερα οὐκ ἀγνοίᾳ δοκεῖ πλανᾶσθαι, ἀλλὰ δοκιμασίᾳ καὶ κρίσει τὸ ἀληθὲς εὑρηκέναι. Εἰς ταύτην τὴν ἀμηχανίαν ἐνέβαλε πόλιν μεγάλην, δῆμον πολυάνθρωπον, τὸ πρῶτον τοῦ γενναίου προσηλύτου κήρυγμα καὶ πλέον τότε ∆αμασκὸς ἐταράττετο ἢ πρώην ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις χριστιανοί, ἡνίκα Στέφανον Παῦλος ἐλίθαζεν. 8.25.5 Ὡς γὰρ οἱ θαυμαστοὶ τῶν ἀριστέων ὅπου δ' ἂν μετατάξωνται, ἐκεῖ τὴν νίκην μετάγουσιν, οὕτως ὁ θεσπέσιος ἀνὴρ ἐκείνους πάντως ἐποίει μεγάλους οἷς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ παρεῖχε ῥοπήν. 8.26.1 Οὕτω τοίνυν καταγγείλας ἐν τῇ Φοινίκῃ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον καὶ τὰ πρῶτα σπέρματα τῆς ἀποστολῆς ἐκεῖ καταβαλόμενος ἔνθα καὶ αὐτὸς ἐφωτίσθη τῇ γνώσει, ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ, ξένον τοῖς ἐκεῖ καὶ καλὸν θέαμα. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ προπέμψαντες αὐτὸν καὶ δόντες τὰ δεσμὰ φέρειν κατὰ χριστιανῶν οὐκ εἰδότες τὰ ἐν μέσῳ συμβάντα, θεασάμενοι 44 πρῶτον ἡδέως τε εἶδον καὶ ἀπῄτουν τὴν θήραν πλῆθος χριστιανῶν δεσμωτῶν ἐλπίσαντες ὄψεσθαι καὶ τῶν πολλῶν ὑποσχέσεων ζητοῦντες τὸ ἔργον. 8.26.2 Ἐπεὶ δὲ λόγου προβαίνοντος εὗρον Παῦλον τὸν Σαῦλον συναμεί ψαντα τῇ κλήσει τὴν γνώμην καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ δοῦλον καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀποστόλων μαθητὴν θερμότερον, τὰ μὲν πρῶτα παιδιὰν καὶ χλεύην ἡγοῦντο τὰ λεγόμενα, ἐπεὶ δὲ δοκιμάσαντες εὗρον ὁμολογοῦσαν τῇ φωνῇ τὴν γνώμην ἓν ἐβουλεύσαντο μόνον, ὅπως ὁ νεανίας ἀπόλοιτο, ὡς οὐκ ἐνὸν εἶναι τὴν Ἑβραίων θρησκείαν καὶ χρηματίζειν ζῶντος Παύλου καὶ φθεγγομένου. Καὶ τοῦτο σαφῶς ἔδειξε σύμπας ὁ ὕστερον χρόνος. 8.27.1 Ἔτι γὰρ τῶν πολλῶν, εἰ καὶ ὑπῆρχον χριστιανοί, οὐκ ἀρκούντων καθαρῶς ζῆν κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον, ἀλλ' ἐπαμφοτεριζόντων καί που καὶ τῇ περιτομῇ προσχρωμένων, ἵν' ἐκ μέρους κεχαρισμένα τοῖς Ἑβραίοις ποιοῦντες τὸν θυμὸν αὐτῶν ἐκμειλίξωνται, μόνος οὗτος ἀκαταπλήκτῳ φρονήματι οὐδὲν ὑφείμενον ἐδίδαξεν, 8.27.2 ἀλλὰ καθαρᾷ τῇ φωνῇ ἀνόθευτον τὸν λόγον ἐκήρυσσεν καὶ εἰς τοσοῦτόν γε προὔβη τοῦ ἐλευθερίου φρονήματος, ὥστε ποτὲ τῶν Γαλατῶν οἰκείᾳ κουφότητι καὶ ὀλιγωρίᾳ τῶν διδασκόντων εἰς τὴν κατὰ νόμον παλινδρομούντων ζωὴν τὴν θαυμαστὴν αὐτοῖς γράφων ἐπιστολήν, δι' ἧς ἐν καινότητι τῆς κατὰ Χριστὸν πολιτείας εὐσεβεῖν αὐτοὺς καὶ θρησκεύειν ἐδίδαξε μηκέτι προσέχοντας τοῖς γράμ μασιν τοῖς ἀπὸ τῶν λιθίνων πλακῶν, 8.27.3 συνεπλάκη διὰ τῶν λεγομένων αὐτῷ τῷ κορυφαίῳ τῶν ἀποστόλων καὶ πανταχοῦ καθαπτόμενος διετέλεσε καὶ ἁψιμαχῶν πρὸς τὸν Πέτρον ὡς τὴν νέαν ἐπιθολοῦντα πολιτείαν τῇ προσχρήσει τῶν παλαιῶν καὶ πεπαυμένων δογμάτων· καὶ οὔτε τὴν πολιὰν ᾐδέσθη τοῦ γέροντος οὔτε τὰ τῆς ἀποστολῆς πρεσβεῖα, ὅτε εἶδε κινδυνεύουσαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Ἀλλὰ τῶν μὲν Γαλατῶν ἀντεξανέστη σφοδρῶς, τὸν δὲ πολλάκις ἔπληξεν, ὡς ἐνῆν, τὴν παρρησίαν εὐπρεπείᾳ κεράσας. 8.27.4 Καὶ πανταχοῦ μὲν διετέλει λέγων καὶ πείθων· εἰ δέ που 8.27.4 καὶ πονηροῖς ἤθεσιν ἐντυχὼν ἔπαθέν τι δεινὸν ἢ δεσμωτήριον οἰκήσας ἢ μάστιγας λαβὼν ἢ λίθοις βληθείς, οὐ κατέλυσεν τὴν προθυμίαν διὰ τὴν γενομένην ἀποτυχίαν· ἀλλὰ μικρὸν διαλιπὼν πάλιν ἤγγιζε τοῖς ἐχθροῖς καὶ τοὺς αὐτοὺς συναναστρέφων λόγους καὶ πολλοὺς τρόπους τῶν ἐπιχειρήσεων ἐξευρίσκων, εὐμηχάνως δὲ λίαν πρὸς τὰς ἐμπιπτούσας χρείας μεθαρμοζόμενος πάντως ἀπῄει πείσας ἢ πάντας ἢ τοὺς πολλούς. 8.27.5 Πολλάκις γ' οὖν εὑρεθεὶς μετὰ πληγὰς ἀνηκέστους καὶ ῥιφεὶς ἐν προαστείοις τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης ἣν ἐμυσταγώγει πρὸς τὴν εὐσέβειαν, νομισθεὶς δὲ καὶ τεθνάναι διὰ τὸ μέγεθος τῶν δεινῶν, τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ τὴν ἀγορὰν καταλαβὼν καὶ τὴν δεξιὰν προτείνας πάλιν ἐδίδασκε τοὺς ἐγγὺς ἀγαγόντας θανάτου· οὕτως οὐδὲν αὐτῷ τοῦ σώματος ἔμελε· πρὸς δὲ τὸν σκόπον βλέπων τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως καρτερὸς

The Apostle's Peripatetic Ministry and the Corruption of Priests§47

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47He was contending from place to place, city from city, enduring earthly labors, facing the dangers from the sea, speaking wisely to inflammatory crowds, and defending himself before angry judges. He was leading the Hebrews into the knowledge of Christ through the Scriptures honored among them, and shaming the Greeks with external words and the unwritten laws of nature; he was confirming Christians, building up converts, and nourishing them with appropriate instruction, just as gardeners tend the young plants with the measured and accustomed flow of waters. Let us learn what most clearly demonstrates his strength in words.

Athens is a city presiding over Achaia, a hearth of words, as those who speak well of it have said, and an ancient workshop of wise men and of those living in words. Since therefore Paul, having run through Illyricum and scattered the sparks of faith everywhere—which, having received from the Spirit, he kept unquenchable—he came according to the necessity of the period to the wise Athenians. And it was a matter worthy of much concern, how the tentmaker might discourse the words concerning God to those who are worthy of ruling all men together according to education.

But, being uplifted by greatness of nature and the wealth of the heavenly gift, he did not take hold of one of the sheltered buildings, nor, sitting at one workshop, did he perform a dialogue, as the first of the philosophers among them were accustomed to do with those approaching; rather, running up to the Areopagus, where there was a harsh and fearful council judging with deadly trials, he found a great multitude gathered there, and stood there lecturing against the rhetoricians according to their customs, those who contended with them daily.

Taking the beginning from an inscription which was attached to an altar, and from there effectively announcing the unknown God to them and concluding with the whole Word, he abstained so much from arguing like a layman about external wisdom, that he converted Dionysius, the most prominent of the Areopagites, along with his wife, and made slaves for Christ, turning many from one altar and one small inscription into many altars.

Descending...

From there, where the warring demon of the Greeks had most power, he moved to the neighboring city, Corinth, the metropolis of Achaia. Speaking in the synagogues, he drove away the salvation-teaching, not just one of the many or those succeeding, but the chief synagogue leader along with his whole household. Having conquered the law from its peak and exalted the cross as a high trophy, he left that city having bowed to Christ.

As time passed and the word of piety was obstructed, he acted like a general, daily seizing cities, villages, and fields, cutting the sinews of the former tyrant. He moved from Corinth to the land of the Pisidians, then seized Lycaonia and the cities of Phrygia, and having visited Asia from there, then Macedonia. He was a common teacher of the inhabited world, benefiting those seeing him by his tongue, and those far away by letters. Only his knee did not tire from traveling, nor his tongue failing, as he unceasingly explained the mysteries of the gospel to enemies and friends.

But such was his teaching; what of the other philosophy of life? He who always persevered in the word and served the gospel, not even taking bread he consumed for free from anyone, but having the struggle against myriads of enemies by day, and by night the toil and the labor of his craft, so that he might have sustenance there, yet appears to all as an apostle driven forth, an unwearied herald, even sparing the bread of those he was hosting.

Let us hear these words, priests, you who do not merely share in the altars, but enrich yourselves from them and feast, making the sacred property your own private possession, and commanding the subordinates like slaves for the sake of Christ. Priesthood is not lordship, but rather for the one who understands, a service; it is not a claim of princely insolence, but an economy of pious ministry. Did not the law-giving Paul not have the authority to eat and drink from the sacred things, and even a little so...

Greek · §47

ἠγωνίζετο χώραν ἐκ χώρας ἀμείβων, πόλιν ἐκ πόλεως, 8.27.6 τοῖς κατὰ γῆν πόνοις ἐναθλῶν, πρὸς τοὺς κινδύνους τοὺς ἐκ θαλάττης παραταττόμενος, πρὸς δήμους φλεγμαίνοντας ῥητορεύων σοφῶς, δικασταῖς ὀργιζομένοις ἀπολογούμενος· Ἑβραίους ἐνάγων εἰς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ διὰ τῶν παρ' αὐτοῖς τιμωμένων γραμ μάτων, Ἑλλῆνας τοῖς ἔξωθεν δυσωπῶν λόγοις καὶ τοῖς ἀγράφοις νόμοις τῆς φύσεως· χριστιανοὺς βεβαιῶν, προσηλύτους οἰκοδομῶν καὶ τρέφων τοῖς προσφόροις παιδεύμασιν ὡς φυτουργοὶ τὰ νεαρὰ τῶν φυτῶν τῇ συμμέτρῳ καὶ πεφεισμένῃ τῶν ὑδάτων ἐπιρροῇ. Ὃ δὲ μάλιστα δείκνυσιν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐν λόγοις ἰσχύν, καταμάθωμεν. 8.28.1 Ἀθῆναι πόλις ἐστὶ προκαθημένη τῆς Ἀχαΐας, ἑστία λόγων, ὡς προεῖπον αὐτὴν οἱ εὐφημοῦντες, σοφῶν ἀνδρῶν καὶ τῶν ἐν λόγοις ζώντων παλαιὸν ἐργαστήριον. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ὁ Παῦλος τὸ Ἰλλυρικὸν διαδραμὼν καὶ πανταχοῦ ῥίψας τοὺς σπινθῆρας τῆς πίστεως, οὓς τὸ Πνεῦμα παρα λαβὼν ἀνερρίπιζε καὶ ἀσβέστους ἐτήρει, ἦλθε κατὰ τὴν χρείαν τῆς περιόδου καὶ πρὸς τοὺς σοφοὺς Ἀθηναίους. Καὶ πρᾶγμα ἦν πολλῆς μερίμνης ἄξιον, πῶς ἂν ὁ σκηνορράφος τοὺς περὶ Θεοῦ λόγους ἐκείνοις 45 δημηγορήσειε, τοῖς ἀξιοῦσι κατὰ παίδευσιν πάντων ὁμοῦ βασιλεύειν ἀνθρώπων. 8.28.2 Ὁ δὲ μεγέθει φύσεως καὶ πλούτῳ τῆς ἄνωθεν δωρεᾶς ἐπαιρόμενος οὐχ ἕνα τῶν ὑποστέγων δόμων κατέλαβεν οὐδὲ ἐφ' ἑνὸς ἐργαστηρίου καθίσας διάλεξιν ἐποιήσατο, ὡς εἰώθεσαν καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι τῶν παρ' αὐτοῖς φιλοσόφων συνεῖναι τοῖς πλησιάζουσιν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸν Ἄρειον πάγον ἀναδραμών, ἔνθα ἦν βουλὴ σκληρὰ καὶ ἐπίφοβος ταῖς φονικαῖς δίκαις δικάζουσα, εὑρὼν δὲ πλῆθος ἐκεῖ συνειλεγμένον πολύ, στὰς ἐδημηγόρει ὑπὲρ τοὺς ἐθάδας ῥήτορας, τοὺς καθ' ἡμέραν παρ' αὐτοῖς ἀγωνιζομένους. 8.28.3 Λαβὼν δὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐξ ἐπιγράμματος ὅπερ ἦν ἐγκεκολλαμμένον βωμῷ, κἀκεῖθεν αὐτοῖς εὐαφόρμως τὸν ἄγνωστον καταγγείλας Θεὸν καὶ σύμπαντα τὸν λόγον συμπερανάμενος τοσοῦτον ἀπέσχε τοῦ ὡς ἰδιώτης τῆς ἔξωθεν σοφίας διαμαρτεῖν τι περὶ τοὺς λόγους, ὥστε τὸν κορυφαῖον τῶν Ἀρεοπαγιτῶν ∆ιονύσιον ἅμα τῇ γυναικὶ πείσας μετέστησε καὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰργάσατο δούλους, ἐξ ἑνὸς βωμοῦ καὶ μικροῦ ἐπιγράμματος πολλῶν ἀποστήσας βωμῶν. 8.29.1 Κατελθὼν νικητὴς ἐκεῖθεν ἔνθα μάλιστα ἴσχυσεν ὁ πολεμικὸς τῶν Ἑλλήνων δαίμων, ἐκεῖθεν δὲ μεταβὰς πρὸς τὴν γείτονα πόλιν τὴν Κόρινθον οὖσαν τῆς Ἀχαΐας μητρόπολιν, καὶ λαλήσας ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς τὸ σωτήριον δίδαγμα ᾤχετο ἄγων προσήλυτον, οὐχ ἕνα τῶν πολλῶν οὐδὲ τῶν ἐπιτυχόντων, ἀλλὰ αὐτὸν τὸν ἀρχισυνάγωγον μετὰ παντὸς τοῦ πλήθους τῆς οἰκίας, καὶ νικήσας ἀπὸ κορυφῆς τὸν νόμον καὶ μεγαλύνας τὸν σταυρὸν ὡς ὑψηλὸν τρόπαιον, οὕτω κἀκείνην ἀφῆκε τὴν πόλιν τῷ Χριστῷ ὑποκύψασαν. 8.29.2 Τοῦ δὲ χρόνου προϊόντος καὶ τοῦ λόγου τῆς εὐσεβείας προσκόπτοντος ὥσπερ τις στρατηγὸς διετέλει προσκτώ μενος τῷ βασιλεῖ καθ' ἡμέραν πόλεις, κώμας, ἀγρούς, ὑποκόπτων τὰ νεῦρα τοῦ πρότερον κρατοῦντος τυράννου. 8.30.1 Μετῆλθεν γ' οὖν ἐκ Κορίνθου πρὸς τὴν Πισίδων χώραν, εἶτα τὴν Λυκαονίαν καὶ τὰς τῆς Φρυγίας πόλεις καταλαβών, κἀκεῖθεν τὴν Ἀσίαν ἐπισκεψάμενος, εἶτα τὴν Μακεδονίαν, κοινὸς ἦν τῆς οἰκουμένης διδάσ καλος, τοὺς μὲν ὁρωμένους ἀπὸ γλώττης ὠφελῶν, τοὺς δὲ ἀπόντας διὰ τῶν ἐπιστολῶν ἐπιστρέφων· μόνου δὲ ἐκείνου οὐ γόνυ ἔκαμνεν ὁδεῦον ἀεί, οὐ γλῶττα ἐνάρκα πρὸς ἐχθροὺς καὶ φίλους ἀνελλιπῶς διεξιοῦσα τὰ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου μυστήρια. 8.30.2 Ἀλλὰ τὴν μὲν διδασκαλίαν τοιοῦτος· τὴν δὲ ἄλλην τοῦ βίου φιλοσοφίαν οἷος ἄνθρωπος; Ἀεὶ καὶ συνεχῶς τῷ λόγῳ προσκαρτερῶν καὶ τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ δουλεύων οὐδὲ ἄρτον οὗ μετελάμβανε δωρεὰν παρά τινος ἐκομίζετο, ἀλλ' ἡμέρα μὲν εἶχε τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν πρὸς μυρίους ἐχθρούς, νὺξ δὲ τὴν σμίλην καὶ τὰ σκύτη καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς τέχνης ἐργασίαν, ἵν' ἐκεῖθεν μὲν ἔχῃ τὸν ἐπισιτισμόν, φαίνηται δὲ πᾶσιν ἀν επαχθὴς ἀπόστολος, ἀδάπανος κῆρυξ καὶ μέχρις ἄρτου τῶν ξενιζόντων φειδόμενος. 8.31.1 Τούτων τῶν λόγων, ἱερεῖς, ἀκούσωμεν, οἱ μὴ συμμεριζόμενοι τοῖς θυσιαστηρίοις μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλουτοῦντες ἀπ' ἐκείνων καὶ τρυ φῶντες καὶ τὴν ἱερὰν περιουσίαν ἴδιον κτῆμα ποιούμενοι καὶ τοῖς ὑπη κόοις διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν οἷα δούλοις φορτικῶς ἐπιτάττοντες. Οὔκ ἐστιν ἱερωσύνη δεσποτεία, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τῷ συνιέντι δουλεία· οὐκ ἀρχοντικῆς αὐθαδείας ἀξίωμα, ἀλλ' εὐλαβοῦς διακονίας οἰκονομία. 8.31.2 Μὴ οὐκ εἶχεν ἐξουσίαν ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος ἐσθίειν καὶ πίνειν ἀπὸ τῶν ἱερῶν καὶ μικρὸν γοῦν

The Ministry of John and the Impact of the Word§48

48Should he receive the reward of countless labors for the healing of a body being struck daily? But he did not use the authority so that, having taken nothing upon the earth, he might demand all things in the heavens. Therefore, he was even permitted to be superior to man, yet remaining bound to corruptible flesh.

8.31.3 And so that he might also see the earnest of the coming good things and the honors there, he is carried up even unto the third heaven; he sees visions surpassing the lot of those here, and hears unspeakable words, as he himself says (as he himself says in 2 Corinthians 12:2), and while measuring these, he distributes everywhere the greatness and the boasting of one's own advantages. But so that he might only send down the understandings of those growing by small gifts, by necessity a few of his own are stripped bare, and these, having been placed upon another person, he leads far away from the suspicion concerning him.

8.31.4 Elijah the Thespian, indeed, since in an idea he was carried up to the height by a chariot of fire (as it is written in 1 Kings 18:12), is sung of everywhere and left much wonder by his life; but as far as he reached, no word has interpreted. For, by chance and being raised only a little from the earth by the driving power, he was given to the place where he had the lot to dwell. But the translation of Paul was found more brilliant and glorious, fitting the measure to which he was carried. For he reached as far as the singing of the seven heavens, though a little was lacking for the half-way point.

8.31.5 Moreover, the Hebrews cast down the understanding against Moses (as it is written in Exodus 19:20), thinking greatly that he alone reached to the summit of Sinai and entered within the ridge and the clouds. For my Paul, instead of a mountain, ascended toward the heavens, and instead of a cloud, wandered beyond the air which is above the cloud. And most fittingly. For it was necessary for the man according to Christ to conquer Moses so much that the Gospel surpasses the Law.

8.32.1 And in the theophanies and the things spoken by God, and how, being bound, he was loosed and, being dejected, was strengthened, and even a dream was his, God making use of him—what is there to say, when he himself did not hide his own grace, but clearly revealed it to all together, saying: 'Do you indeed seek the Christ speaking in me?' For the others, whether prophets or apostles, had timely and chronological activities from above, and at times with them...

It was the divine, and at times it was not present.

This lawgiver was, just as a special temple of God having been completed for Him for habitation, always possessed Christ as a finder of counsel, a teacher of the word, and a partner in all things. And John, the son of Zebedee, seemed great, because among the other disciples he rested boldly upon the Lord's breast (John 13:23); and because of this, he is especially unsung among all.

But this one—how could he not be justly thought to be even above men, he who daily rested not the Jesus in the body, but the Word naked of flesh (John 1:14), having established himself as a very useful and pure vessel for the Creator? And having many and various things to say, as this lawgiver said and did all things, educating the whole world upon earth and sea, in courts, in marketplaces, among the people, and in the courts of kings, intentionally surpassing the multitude.

For I did not set before myself to write a biography of what he achieved, so that nothing might be lacking, but to work a reputation, and this as far as my power reaches. But mentioning only one of the last, I will rest the word.

For since, having circled the whole inhabited world and having placed the great word upon the lamp, he lit the fire of evangelical knowledge, he arrived also at the Romans, as a ruling city, in order to, having initiated and persuaded those holding sway over all men, and having acquired disciples from the surrounding area, speak to the other men. And finding Peter there also, a fellow worker of the same zeal, and having joined a certain holy and inspired company, he educated those under the law in synagogues, and attended to the Gentiles in marketplaces; and he was a diverse teacher of good things, manifesting the pure and unblemished knowledge of God, establishing precise canons of moral virtue, driving away from men debauchery and drunkenness and all unrestrained sensuality, by which especially both the multitude and the one reigning then were held.

Thus, the introduction of the best and most temperate way gripped Nero severely; and he suffered more pain from the destruction of pleasure than if he were being cast out from his own kingship. For he was, if anyone else, a sophist of pleasures.

Greek · §48

λαμβάνειν τῶν μυρίων πόνων γέρας εἰς θεραπείαν τυπτομένου τοῦ σώματος καθ' ἡμέραν; Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐχρήσατο τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ, ἵνα μηδὲν ἐπὶ γῆς λαβὼν πάντα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἀπαιτήσῃ. ∆ιὸ καὶ τῶν ὑπὲρ ἄνθρωπον ἠξιώθη ἔτι τῇ φθαρτῇ συνδεδεμένος σαρκί. 8.31.3 Καὶ ἵνα καὶ τῶν μελ λόντων ἀγαθῶν καὶ τῶν ἐκεῖ τιμῶν ἀρραβῶνα θεάσηται, ἀναλαμ βάνεται μὲν ἄχρι τρίτου οὐρανοῦ, βλέπει ὀπτασίας ὑπερβαινούσας τὸν ἐνθάδε κλῆρον, ἀκούει δὲ ῥημάτων ἀρρήτων, ὡς αὐτός φησιν, καὶ ταῦτα μετριάζων καὶ ἀποδιδράσκων πανταχοῦ τὸ μεγαλαυχεῖσθαι καὶ ἐμπομ πεύειν τοῖς ἰδίοις πλεονεκτήμασιν. Ἵνα δὲ μόνον τὰ φρονήματα καταστείλῃ τῶν ἐπὶ 46 μικροῖς φυσωμένων χαρίσμασιν, ἐξ ἀνάγκης ὀλίγα τῶν οἰκείων παραγυμνοῖ καὶ ταῦτα ἑτέρῳ προσώπῳ περιθεὶς καὶ πόρρω τῆς περὶ αὐτὸν ὑπονοίας ἀπαγαγών. 8.31.4 Ἡλίας μὲν οὖν ὁ Θεσβίτης, ἐπειδὴ ἐν ἰδέᾳ ἅρματος πυρίνου εἰς τὸ ὕψος ἀνήχθη, ᾄδεται πανταχοῦ καὶ πολὺ τὸ θαῦμα τῷ βίῳ κατέ λιπε· μέχρι πόσου δὲ ἔφθασεν οὐδεὶς ἡρμήνευσε λόγος. Τυχὸν γὰρ καὶ ὀλίγον τῆς γῆς ἐπαρθεὶς παρὰ τῆς ἀγούσης δυνάμεως ἀπεδόθη τῷ τόπῳ, ὃν ἔλαχεν κατοικεῖν. Παύλου δὲ ἡ μετάθεσις ἐπὶ πλέον εὑρέθη λαμπροτέρα καὶ εὐκλεὴς προσκειμένου καὶ τοῦ μέτρου ἐφ' ὅσον ἀνήχθη. Ἑπτὰ γὰρ οὐρανῶν ᾀδομένων μικροῦ δέοντος ἀφίκετο τοῦ ἡμίσεως. 8.31.5 Καί μοι λοιπὸν Ἑβραῖοι καταβαλέτωσαν τοῦ φρονήματος ἐπὶ Μωϋσεῖ μέγα φρονοῦντες, ὅτι μόνος ἕως τῆς κορυφῆς ἔφθασε τοῦ Σινᾶ καὶ ἐντὸς ἐγένετο τοῦ γνόφου καὶ τῶν νεφῶν. Παῦλος γὰρ ὁ ἐμὸς ἀντὶ μὲν ὄρους πρὸς οὐρανοὺς ἀνῆλθεν, ἀντὶ δὲ νεφέλης ἐπέκεινα τοῦ ὑπὲρ νέφους ἀέρος ἤλασεν. Καὶ μάλα εἰκότως. Ἔδει γὰρ τὸν κατὰ Χριστὸν ἄνθρωπον τοσοῦτον νικῆσαι Μωϋσέα, ὅσον τὸ εὐαγγέλιον ὑπερβαίνει τὸν νόμον. 8.32.1 Ἐν δὲ ταῖς θεοφανείαις καὶ τοῖς παρὰ Θεοῦ λαλουμένοις καὶ ὅπως δεδεμένος ἐλύετο καὶ ἀθυμῶν ἐπερρώννυτο ὕπαρ καὶ ὄναρ αὐτῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ χρηματίζοντος, τί δεῖ καὶ λέγειν, ὁπότε οὐδὲ αὐτὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ χάριν ἀπέκρυψεν, ἀλλὰ πᾶσιν ὁμοῦ σαφῶς ἀπεκάλυψεν εἰπών· Εἰ δοκι μὴν ζητεῖτε τοῦ ἐν ἐμοὶ λαλοῦντος Χριστοῦ; Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλοι τῶν εἴτε προφητῶν εἴτε ἀποστόλων ἐμπροθέσμους εἶχον καὶ χρονικὰς τὰς ἄνωθεν ἐνεργείας, καὶ ποτὲ μὲν αὐτοῖς συνῆν τὸ θεῖον, ποτὲ δὲ καὶ οὐ παρῆν. 8.32.2 Ὁ δὲ θεσπέσιος οὗτος ὥσπερ ἅπαξ ναὸς ἐξαίρετος τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀποκληρωθεὶς αὐτῷ πρὸς ἐνοίκησιν, οὕτως ἀεὶ τὸν Χριστὸν εἶχε καὶ βουλῆς εὑρετὴν καὶ λόγου διδάσκαλον καὶ συνεργὸν τῶν πραγμάτων. Καὶ Ἰωάννης μὲν ὁ τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου μέγας ἔδοξεν, ὅτι παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους μαθητὰς θαρρῶν τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐπὶ τοῦ στήθους αὐτοῦ ἀνεπαύετο· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο μάλιστα παρὰ πᾶσίν ἐστιν ἀοίδιμος. 8.32.3 Οὗτος δέ, πῶς οὐκ ἂν καὶ ὑπὲρ ἀνθρώπων νομισθείη δικαίως, ὅς γε οὐ τὸν ἐν σώματι Ἰησοῦν, ἀλλὰ τὸν γυμνὸν τῆς σαρκὸς Λόγον καθ' ἡμέραν ἀνέπαυεν σκεῦος εὔ χρηστον καὶ καθαρὸν ἑαυτὸν τῷ δημιουργῷ καταστήσας; Ἔχων δὲ πολλὰ καὶ παντοδαπὰ λέγειν, ὅσα ὁ θεσπέσιος οὗτος πάντα τὸν κόσμον παιδεύων εἶπε καὶ ἔπραξεν ἐπὶ γῆς καὶ θαλάσσης, ἐν δικαστηρίοις, ἐν ἀγοραῖς, ἐν δήμοις, ἐν αὐλαῖς βασιλέων, ἑκὼν ὑπερβαίνω τὸ πλῆθος. 8.32.4 Οὔτε γὰρ συγγραφὴν προὐθέμην ποιῆσαι τῶν ἐκείνῳ κατωρθωμένων, ἵνα λείπῃ μηδέν, ἀλλ' εὐφημίαν ἐργάσασθαι, καὶ ταύτην ἐφ' ὅσον ἡ ἐμὴ δύναμις ἐξικνεῖται. Ἑνὸς δὲ μόνου τοῦ τελευταίου μνησθεὶς καταπαύσω τὸν λόγον. 8.33.1 Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πᾶσαν ἐμπεριελθὼν τὴν οἰκουμένην καὶ θεὶς ἐπὶ τῆς λυχνίας τὸν λόγον μέγαν ἀνῆψε τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς γνώσεως τὸν πυρσόν, ἀφίκετο μὲν καὶ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους, ὡς βασιλεύουσαν πόλιν, ἵνα τοὺς κρατοῦντας τῶν πάντων ἀνθρώπων μυσταγωγήσας καὶ πείσας καὶ κτησάμενος μαθητὰς ἐκ τοῦ περιόντος καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀνθρώποις προσο μιλοίη. 8.33.2 Εὑρὼν δὲ καὶ τὸν Πέτρον ἐκεῖ, τῆς αὐτῆς ἐργάτην σπουδῆς, καὶ ἱεράν τινα καὶ ἔνθεον ξυνωρίδα ζευξάμενος ἐν συναγωγαῖς τοὺς ὑπὸ νόμον ἐπαίδευεν, ἐν ἀγοραῖς τοὺς ἐθνικοὺς προσεκτᾶτο· καὶ ποικίλος ἦν τῶν ἀγαθῶν διδάσκαλος Θεοῦ γνῶσιν ἐμφανίζων τὴν καθαρὰν καὶ ἀκίβδηλον, ἠθικῆς ἀρετῆς κανόνας θεσμοθετῶν ἀκριβεῖς, ἀπελαύνων πόρρω τῶν ἀνθρώπων χορείας καὶ μέθην καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἀκόλαστον ἡδυπάθειαν, ᾗ μάλιστα καὶ τὸ πλῆθος ἅπαν καὶ ὁ τότε βασιλεύων ἐνείχετο. 8.33.3 Καθήψατο τοίνυν σφοδρῶς τοῦ Νερῶνος ἡ τῆς ἀρίστης καὶ σώφρονος πολιτείας εἰσαγωγή· καὶ πλέον ἀλγήσας τῆς ἡδονῆς καταλυομένης ἢ εἰ τῆς βασιλείας αὐτῆς ἐξεβάλλετο. Καὶ γὰρ ἦν, εἴπερ τις ἄλλος, σοφιστὴς ἡδονῶν,

Learning through Practice and Example§49

49Living in luxury and wasting away, a weakling and a woman's slave, a profligate of lust, he is not a king of men. For how could he have ruled others without first learning to rule himself? He set one care, so that he might cut off from the city the teacher of piety and self-control.

And, jealous of Herod's mindset, he led the apostles into prison, just as that Herod did to John; but having, in similarity, another Herodias, the unrestrained and lustful-minded one, seeking the heads of both Peter and Paul, he raised them both to the crown of martyrdom; having crucified the one on the wood, and having cut off the head of Paul, leaving to us and to the world the occasion for a festival and such a feast of the passion of the saints. These things, O thrice-blessed ones, the annual law has brought to you, proclaiming everywhere that you are athletes of the common habitation, and improving the minds of men through your honor. For virtue, being honored, raises many to zeal; in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom belongs the glory and the power, now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Encomium of Asterius, Bishop of Amaseia, to the holy hieromartyr Phocas. The memory of the great things of the saints is good and profitable to those practicing asceticism. For it does not instruct by word alone those desiring virtue and piety, but it also sets forth the actions of those who have lived rightly as manifest teachers. Therefore also our Lord says, giving the pledges of those who have perfected the best: 'Whoever does and teaches, the same shall be called great' (Matt 5:19); and elsewhere: 'Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in the heavens' (Matt 5:16). For the logical instruction of practical energy is a lesser and weaker teacher; and the more we say that hearing is a more precise vision, the more the practice of the word is judged to hold sway. In this way we learn the skills.

In this way we are trained in skills, first being led by word toward learning, and then grasping the subtle things by hand and by experience. For a geometer, though he does much with the book and has been filled by the hearing of the teacher, will not grasp the power of the various figures unless he learns the points, the lines, and the circles upon the tablet. Nor does the word alone instruct the diligent student desiring the star of law, unless the teacher, having rotated the sphere for him with knowledge, presents the movement of the pole to the eyes. Likewise, a physician who does much according to Hippocrates and the other instructors is an unskilled healer before he has walked among the many sick and learned from them how to heal.

So also we, the disciples of the martyrs, making the actions of patient men our teachers before our own confession, learn to guard piety even unto the most extreme dangers, looking upon their sacred shrines as if they were pillars engraved with letters, clearly declaring the struggle of the testimony. Just as those approaching the oak of Mamre or the fragrant cave, which Ephron the Hittite gave for the burial of Sarah (Genesis 23), where also the patriarch himself lies with the children, immediately renew their imagination through the sight of the places and see with their intellect the faithful patriarch, the firstfruits of piety, and the circumcision in him; and they also consider those who sprang from his root, Isaac and Jacob, and with the memory of the men, the whole history concerning them becomes a spectacle.

In the same way, I today, having grasped the honored tomb of the thrice-blessed Phocas, am filled from the place with the memory of all the narratives told about him; I see the gardener's skill, the unblemished...

Greek · §49

τρυφῶν καὶ καταυλούμενος, βλὰξ καὶ θηλυδρίας, πορνῶν ἐπι στάτης, οὐ βασιλεὺς ἀνδρῶν. Πῶς γὰρ ἂν ἑτέρων ἐκράτησεν ὁ ἄρχειν ἑαυτοῦ μὴ μαθών; Μίαν ἔθετο 47 φροντίδα, ὅπως ἂν ἐκκόψειε ἐκ τῆς πόλεως τὸν τῆς εὐσεβείας καὶ σωφροσύνης διδάσκαλον. 8.33.4 Καὶ ζηλώσας τὸν Ἡρώδην τῆς γνώμης ἀπάγει τοὺς ἀποστόλους εἰς δεσμωτήριον, ὡς τὸν Ἰωάννην ἐκεῖνος, ἔχων δὲ καθ' ὁμοιότητα ἄλλην Ἡρωδιάδα τὴν ἀκόλαστον καὶ φιλήδονον γνώμην ζητοῦσαν Πέτρου καὶ Παύλου τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀμφοτέρους ἀνέδησε τῷ στεφάνῳ τοῦ μαρτυρίου· τὸν μὲν τῷ ξύλῳ προσηλώσας, τοῦ δὲ Παύλου τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐκτεμών, ἡμῖν δὲ καὶ τῷ κόσμῳ καταλιπὼν τὸ τῶν ἁγίων πάθος πανήγυριν καὶ τοσαύτης ἑορτῆς ἀφορμήν. 8.34.1 Ταῦτα ὑμῖν, ὦ τρισμακάριοι, ἤνεγκεν ὁ ἐτήσιος νόμος ὑμᾶς μὲν ἀνακηρύττων πανταχοῦ ὡς κοινοὺς τῆς οἰκουμένης ἀθλητάς, βελτιῶν δὲ τὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων γνώμας διὰ τῆς ὑμετέρας τιμῆς. Ἀρετὴ γὰρ τιμω μένη πολλοὺς ἐγείρει πρὸς ζῆλον· ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. Ἀστερίου ἐπισκόπου Ἀμασείας ἐγκώμιον εἰς τὸν ἅγιον ἱερομάρτυρα Φωκᾶν 9.1.1 Καλὴ καὶ συμφέρουσα τοῖς ἀσκουμένοις τὰ σπουδαῖα τῶν ἁγίων ἡ μνήμη. Οὐ γὰρ λόγῳ παιδεύει μόνον τοὺς ἐπιθυμοῦντας ἀρετῆς καὶ εὐσεβείας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς πράξεις τῶν βεβιωκότων ὀρθῶς ἐναργεῖς διδασκάλους προτίθησιν. ∆ιὸ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν τὰς τῶν ἀρίστων κατορθωμάτων ὑποθήκας διδοὺς φησίν· Ὃς δ' ἂν ποιήσῃ καὶ δι δάξῃ, οὗτος μέγας κληθήσεται· καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ· Λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅπως ἴδωσι τὰ καλὰ ἔργα καὶ δοξάσωσι τὸν πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. 9.1.2 Ἡ γὰρ λογικὴ παίδευσις τῆς πρακτικῆς ἐνεργείας ἥττων καὶ ἀσθε νεστέρα διδάσκαλος· καὶ ὅσῳ τῆς ἀκοῆς τὴν ὄψιν ἀκριβεστέραν εἶναί φαμεν, τοσούτῳ διωμολόγηται τοῦ λόγου τὴν πρᾶξιν κρατεῖν. Οὕτως τὰς ἐπιστήμας μανθάνομεν· οὕτω τὰς τέχνας ἐκπαιδευόμεθα λόγῳ πρότερον πρὸς τὴν μάθησιν ἐναγόμενοι, εἶτα χειρὶ καὶ πείρᾳ τὴν ἀμυδρὰν κρατύνοντες. 9.1.3 Καὶ πολλὰ μὲν ὁ γεωμέτρης περὶ τὴν βίβλον καμὼν καὶ πληρωθεὶς παρὰ τοῦ διδασκάλου τὴν ἀκοὴν οὐκ ἄλλως καταλήψεται τῶν ποικίλων σχημάτων τὴν δύναμιν, ἂν μὴ καταμάθῃ τὰ κέντρα καὶ τὰς γραμμὰς καὶ τοὺς κύκλους ἐπὶ τοῦ πίνακος. Οὐ μέντοι οὐδὲ τὸν ἀστρο νομίας ἐπιθυμήσαντα ὁ λόγος μόνον παιδεύει τὸ σπουδαζόμενον, ἂν μὴ τὴν σφαῖραν αὐτῷ περιδινήσας ἐπιστημόνως ὁ παιδευτὴς τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς παραδῷ τοῦ πόλου τὴν κίνησιν. Καὶ ὁ ἰατρικὸς δὲ πολλὰ τῷ Ἱπποκράτει καμὼν καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις καθηγηταῖς ἀνεπιστήμων ἐστὶ θεραπευτής, πρὶν ἂν πρὸς τοὺς πολλοὺς βαδίσας ἀρρώστους παρ' αὐτῶν μάθῃτῶν νοσούντων τὸ θεραπεύειν. 9.1.4 Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς οἱ μαθηταὶ τῶν μαρτύρων, τὰς πράξεις τῶν καρτερῶν ἀνδρῶν πρὸ τῆς ὁμολογίας διδασκάλους ποιούμενοι, μανθάνομεν ἄχρι τῶν ἐσχάτων κινδύνων φυλάττειν εὐσέ βειαν, αὐτὰς τὰς ἱερὰς θήκας αὐτῶν καθάπερ στήλας προσβλέποντες γράμμασι κεχαραγμένας καὶ δηλούσας ἀκριβῶς τοῦ μαρτυρίου τὴν ἀγωνίαν. 9.2.1 Ὥσπερ δὲ οἱ πλησιάζοντες τῇ δρυῒ τῇ Μαμβρῇ ἢ τῷ σπηλαίῳ τῷ ὠνητῷ, ὅπερ Ἐφραῒμ ὁ Χετταῖος εἰς ταφὴν τῆς Σάρρας ἀπέδοτο, ἔνθα δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς σὺν τοῖς παισὶν ὁ πατριάρχης ἀπόκειται, εὐθέως μετὰ τῆς θέας τῶν τόπων ἐν τοῖς λογισμοῖς ἀνανεοῦνται τὴν φαντασίαν καὶ βλέπουσι τῇ διανοίᾳ τὸν πιστὸν πατριάρχην, τὴν ἀπαρχὴν τῆς εὐσεβείας, τὴν ἐν ἐκείνῳ περιτομήν· λογίζονται δὲ καὶ τοὺς τῆς ἐκείνου ῥίζης ἀποβλαστήσαντας, τὸν Ἰσαάκ, τὸν Ἰακώβ, καὶ μετὰ τῆς μνήμης τῶν ἀνδρῶν ὅλης τῆς ἐπ' αὐτοὺς ἱστορίας γίνονται θεαταί· 9.2.2 οὕτως κἀγὼ σήμερον τὸν τίμιον σηκὸν τοῦ τρισμακαρίου 48 Φωκᾶ καταλαβὼν ἐκ τοῦ τόπου πληροῦμαι τῆς μνήμης πάντων ὁμοῦ τῶν ἐπ' αὐτῷ λεγομένων διηγημάτων· βλέπω τὸν κηπουρὸν τὸ ἐπιτήδευμα, τὸν ἄπλαστον τὴν

Phocas's Hospitality and the Persecution§50

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50the host

He provided a comfort of life to himself and to those asking. He also opened his small and hardworking table very willingly to strangers. Living by the highway, he prepared what he had in common for those staying there. He was a young Lot, not of the Sodomites, but of Sinope. After some time had passed, he found the commandment was not for nothing; for from hospitality he gained the pretext of the life-giving death; hence, as you heard, having taken a little.

When our word of piety was proclaimed and the majestic announcement went out to every ear, knowing Christ and His mysteries, the nations raged, according to the Psalm, and kings and rulers gathered together for the same purpose; and the peoples of error were enraged at Jesus reigning. Every Christian was sought as an evildoer, and the near one was beaten and the far one was drenched with water.

Therefore, neither the uselessness of the duty nor the gardener hid Phocas, but even he was proclaimed as most genuine of Christ's mysteries. And indeed, the agents of this unhappy and flowing life came upon him, commanded to lead him away unjudged and without defense. For the accusation was such as a bold man shouts out with a bright voice; and without anyone asking, he showed it by his works, and when being inquired into, he shouted out joyfully.

So the agents of his punishment and of our feast came to rest with him, the one being sought, neither knowing nor being known. They had the pretext of the visit in complete secrecy, so that, having first been taught by those outside the city who Phocas was and how he lives, they might stand over him continuously to seize him, just as the Hebrews once in the garden with Judas the Lord.

They came inside having nets holding the prey: the dogs the lamb, the wolves the ram, the doves the snatchers and the thieves; just as the prophet Isaiah says: the hind rested with the leopards, and the lamb grazed with the wolves, and the lions had a common diet with the calf. Since, as he loved to happen, a table and habit of being bold toward one another provided,

Greek · §50

ψυχήν, τὸν φιλόξενον, τὸν τῆς παραλίας ἐξαίρετον, τὸν τῆς μεσογείου εὐεργέτην, τῶν ἁγίων τὸν ἅγιον καὶ τῶν δεδοξασμένων διὰ Χριστὸν ἐνδοξότερον. 9.3.1 Ἱερὸς μὲν γὰρ καὶ θεσπέσιος ἅπας ὁ τῶν γενναίων μαρτύρων κατάλογος, πάθει τὴν ὑπὲρ πάθους ἀποδοὺς χάριν, αἵματι δὲ τὴν ὑπὲρ αἵματος τῷ Σωτῆρι τῶν ὅλων ἀμοιβὴν ἐκπληρώσας. Πλὴν ἐν αὐτοῖς τούτοις οὐ μία τῶν πάντων ἡ δόξα, οὐδὲ πρὸς ἓν μέτρον ἴσα τὰ γέρα τοῖς ὅλοις ἀποκεκλήρωνται, ἀλλὰ τὸ πρῶτον καὶ δεύτερον οὐδὲ ὁ τῶν ἁγίων ἐκφεύγει κατάλογος. Αἴτιον δὲ οἶμαι τούτου τὸ λίαν ἀπηκριβώμενον τοῦ κριτοῦ καὶ ἀπρόσκλιτον. 9.3.2 Ἐφορᾷ γὰρ καὶ τιμωριῶν μεγέθη καὶ καρτερίας ἐνστάσεις, καὶ βασανίζων τὸ ἀγώνισμα τὰς πρὸς ἀξίαν ἀμοιβὰς διανέμει τοῖς ἀθληταῖς. Καὶ παράδοξον οὐδαμῶς εἰ παρὰ Θεοῦ οὕτως τιμᾶται τὸ δίκαιον, ὁπότε καὶ παρ' ἡμῖν στρατηγοὶ καὶ ἀγωνοθέται οὐκ ἴσοι γίνονται τοῖς ἀριστεῦσιν ἢ τοῖς ἀγωνισταῖς, ἀλλὰ δὴ ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὸ μέτρον τοῦ κατορθώματος τὰς δωρεὰς ἀναλογούσας ἐπιφημίζουσιν. 9.4.1 Ταῦτα δὲ διῆλθον, ἵνα δείξω ὡς ὁ σήμερον ἡμῖν παρασχὼν τοῦ συλλόγου τὴν ἀφορμὴν τῶν ἑταίρων καὶ συναγωνιστῶν ἐστι περιφανέστερος. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλοι οὐ πάντες παρὰ πᾶσι γνωρίζονται, οὐδὲ βεβοημένην ἔχουσι τὴν ἀνδραγαθίαν· Φωκᾶν δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν ὃς ἀγνοεῖ· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἡ ἀκτὶς τοῦ ἡλίου πᾶσιν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐφήπλωται, οὕτως καὶ ἡ τοῦ μάρτυρος τούτου φήμη πᾶσαν ἀκοὴν περιήχησε· καὶ ἵνα συνελὼν εἴπω, ὅσοι τὸν ∆εσπότην ἐγνώρισαν Χριστόν, οὗτοι καὶ τὸν πιστὸν δοῦλον ἐγνώρισαν· μᾶλλον δέ, εἰ δοκεῖ, τῶν κοινῶν πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους ἐγκωμίων ἀφέμενος τὰ ἐξαίρετα τοῦ μάρτυρος διηγήματα ὑμῖν τοῖς φιλομάρτυσι διηγήσομαι. Ἤνεγκε τοίνυν τὸν ἅγιον ἄνδρα, τὸ μέγα χριστιανῶν ὄφελος, ἡ γείτων Σινώπη, πόλις ἀρχαία καὶ γνώριμος, εὔπορος καρτερῶν καὶ φιλοσόφων ἀνδρῶν. Μὴ γάρ μοί τις λογιζέσθω νῦν τὸ τῆς θρησκείας διάφορον, ἀλλ' εἰ σπουδαίων ὅλως ἀνδρῶν τροφὸς καὶ μήτηρ ἐδείχθη. Ἐπιτήδευμα δὲ αὐτῷ τοῦ βίου κήπου γεωργία καὶ ἐπιμέλεια, ὅνπερ αὐτοῦ που πρὸ τῆς πύλης τοῦ ἄστεος ἐπὶ τοῦ στόματος τοῦ Ἰσθμοῦ κεκτημένος ἤσκει φιλοπόνως, ἑαυτῷ καὶ τοῖς δεομένοις παραμυθίαν τοῦ βίου. 9.5.2 Ἤνοιγε δὲ καὶ τοῖς ξένοις μάλα προθύμως τὴν μικρὰν καὶ πενομένην ἑστίαν. Ἐποικῶν δὲ τῇ λεωφόρῳ κοινὰ τοῖς ἐπιδημοῦσι προετίθει τὰ ὄντα· καὶ νέος ἦν Λώτ, οὐ Σοδομιτῶν, ἀλλὰ Σινωπέων. Τοῦ δὲ χρόνου προελθόντος τὴν ἐντολὴν εὗρεν οὐκ ἄμισθον· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς φιλοξενίας ἐκέρδανε τοῦ ζωοποιοῦ θανάτου τὴν πρόφασιν· ὅθεν δὲ καὶ ὅπως μικρὸν ἀναλαβόντος ἀκούσατε. 9.6.1 Τοῦ λόγου τῆς εὐσεβείας ἡμῶν καταγγελθέντος καὶ τοῦ θεσπεσίου κηρύγματος πρὸς πᾶσαν ἀκοὴν ἐξελθόντος, γνωρίζοντος δὲ Χριστὸν καὶ τὰ ἐκείνου μυστήρια, ἐφρύαξαν ἔθνη, κατὰ τὸν ψαλμόν, καὶ οἱ βασιλεῖς καὶ ἄρχοντες συνήγοντο ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτό· καὶ οἱ τῆς πλάνης λαοὶ ὠργίζοντο τοῦ Ἰησοῦ βασιλεύσαντος. Ἐζητεῖτο δὲ πᾶς χριστιανὸς ὡς κακοῦργος καὶ ὁ ἐγγὺς ἐκολάζετο καὶ ὁ μακρὰν ἀνιχ νεύετο. 9.6.2 ∆ιὸ καὶ Φωκᾶν οὔτε ἡ εὐτέλεια τοῦ ἐπιτηδεύματος καὶ ὁ κηπουρὸς ἔκρυψεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ οὗτος ὡς γνήσιος μάλιστα τοῦ Χριστοῦ μύστης ἐμηνύθη. Καὶ δὴ καὶ ἦλθον ἐπ' αὐτὸν οἱ τοῦ δυστήνου τοῦδε βίου καὶ ῥέοντος κελευσθέντες ἀπαγαγεῖν ἄκριτον, ἀναπολόγητον. Καὶ γὰρ ἦν τὸ ἔγκλημα τοιοῦτον, ὃ λαμπρᾷ τῇ φωνῇ ὁ γεννάδας καθωμολόγει· καὶ μηδενὸς ἐρωτῶντος ἔργοις ἐδείκνυε, πυνθανομένου δὲ περιχαρῶς ἐξεβόα. 9.7.1 Ἐλθόντες γ' οὖν οἱ τῆς ἐκείνου τιμωρίας δήμιοι καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἑορτῆς αἴτιοι παρ' αὐτῷ τῷ ζητουμένῳ κατέλυσαν, οὔτε γινώσκοντες οὔτε γινωσκόμενοι. Ἐν ἀπορρήτῳ δὲ τέως εἶχον τῆς ἐπιδημίας τὴν πρόφασιν, ἵνα πρότερον ἐκδιδαχθέντες παρὰ τῶν ἔξω τῆς πόλεως τίς ὁ Φωκᾶς καὶ ὅποι διάγων, ἀθρόον ἐπιστάντες συλλάβωσιν, ὡς οἱ Ἑβραῖοι ποτε ἐν τῷ κήπῳ μετὰ Ἰούδα τὸν 49 Κύριον. 9.7.2 Ἐλελήθεσαν δὲ εἴσω δικτύων τὴν θήραν ἔχοντες, οἱ κύνες τὸν ἀρνειόν, οἱ λύκοι τὸν ἀμνόν, τὴν περιστερὰν οἱ ἁρπακτικοὶ καὶ γαμψώνυχες· καθὼς δὲ ὁ προφήτης Ἡσαΐας φησίν· συνανεπαύετο ταῖς παρδάλεσιν ὁ ἔριφος καὶ τοῖς λύκοις ὁ ἀρνειὸς συνεβόσκετο καὶ οἱ λέοντες ἅμα τῷ μόσχῳ κοινὴν εἶχον τὴν δίαιταν. Ἐπειδὴ δέ, οἷα φιλεῖ γίνεσθαι, τράπεζα καὶ συνήθεια τὸ θαρρεῖν ἀλλήλοις παρέσχον,

The Glory and Utility of the Martyr§51

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51The martyr inquired of them what kind of men they were and for what reason they had seized his city.

Those who, feeling shame for the prompt reception and hospitality of the man, commanded that nothing spoken be revealed, made known to him the secret thing and the drama being bought out regarding the plot, that they were seeking Phocas for punishment; and by this hospitality, they were worthy to add a favor, to join with them in the hunt for the one sought.

The servant of the Lord heard and, receiving the word with a soul not turned away, suffered nothing lowly or foolish, nor did he counsel to flee the danger out of fear, and having these things, he easily taught the power; but everything contrary, he thought toward the worthiness; 'And I,' he says to you, 'will seize the one lying ahead. For I know the man and, having searched easily, I will report him; and this is not far off, but after one day; only you rest during this meager journey.'

Having thus guaranteed the promise to them firmly, he divided himself into two things: by the reception of his own killers and by the preparation of the tomb. Having arranged the pit and the things necessary for the burial, approaching them at the last, he says, 'With care, I searched for Phocas and the prey is ready; and, if it seems good, let him be seized.' To those saying out of pleasantness, 'And where is the man?', he says, 'Not far, but with you; and this man is for you myself; and use the command and fulfill the purpose of the journey and of the toil.'

The men were struck in their souls and, upon hearing, they marveled at the salt and the table, understanding the host who was ambitious in poverty. He urged toward the daring of the execution and commanded not to hesitate even a little, saying that the murder was not from their hand, but from those who had commanded the work. He said, he persuaded, he suffered; and having his head cut off, he was presented as a priest reconciled to God.

We have this man, men, as a pillar and support of the churches of God until now.

And this most illustrious one is among the best and most blessed, holding the first place. For a star differs from a star in glory, according to common opinion and according to the voice of the vessel of election; and most especially indeed he is most famous among the saints throughout the whole inhabited world.

And he draws all people and runs together toward his own gathering-place; and the thoroughfares from each land are filled with those hastening toward the place of prayer. For that magnificent temple is a relief to the afflicted, a resource to the laboring, a physician to the suffering, and an Egypt to the starving.

And he feeds more abundantly, having finished his life in Phocas, than Joseph did while living; for he indeed distributed grain of silver (Genesis 41), but this one grants wheat to those in need. And just as the doves, during the winter season when food is scarce, find lands with abundant crops and settle in those courts, so do all the poor and the wanderers rush to the isthmus of Sinope as to a common storehouse.

If indeed even elsewhere the martyr established for himself a small deficiency, such as a colony of a metropolis, this place too is wonderful and is looked around at by all Christians, just as this place among us is a sacred gathering-place for those celebrating. For the death of his holy ones is precious before the Lord (Psalm 116:15); and the relics, having been divided many times, preserve the good reputation everywhere in their entirety.

Thus also in the reigning city, the summit of Italy and the queen of the world, there is for him much escort and honor and a magnificent house, arranged for beauty. And the Romans do not treat Phocas with less healing than Peter and Paul. And, as the word teaches, they eagerly took the head of the martyr as a turning away from the defiled Herodias, having determined their purpose. For she, thirsting for blood, sought the head of a righteous man toward insolence; but they made it for honor and for their own benefit. And the sailors and even the ship-owners from everywhere, not only those crossing the Euxine, come here.

Greek · §51

διεπυνθάνετο παρ' αὐτῶν ὁ μάρτυς τίνες τε εἶεν καὶ τίνος χάριν τὴν αὐτοῦ πόλιν κατέλαβον. 9.7.3 Οἱ δὲ τὴν πρόθυμον δεξίωσιν καὶ φιλοξενίαν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αἰδεσθέντες μηδενί τε τὸ λεχθησόμενον ἐξειπεῖν παραγγείλαντες, ἐγνώρισαν αὐτῷ τὸ ἀπόρρητον καὶ τὸ τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς ἐξαγορεύουσι δρᾶμα, ὅτι Φωκᾶν ἐπὶ τιμωρίαν ζητοῦσι· καὶ τῇ φιλοξενίᾳ ταύτην ἠξίουν τὴν εὐεργεσίαν προσθεῖναι, συγκαμεῖν αὐτοῖς εἰς τὴν θήραν τοῦ ζητουμένου. 9.8.1 Ἤκουσεν ὁ τοῦ Κυρίου θεράπων καὶ ἀτρέπτῳ τῇ ψυχῇ τὸν λόγον δεξάμενος οὐ ταπεινόν τι καὶ ἄνανδρον ἔπαθεν, οὐδὲ δειλιάσας τὸν κίνδυνον φυγεῖν ἐβουλεύσατο, καὶ ταῦτα πολλὴν ἔχων καὶ ἄνετον ἀπο διδράσκειν τὴν ἐξουσίαν· ἀλλὰ πᾶν τοὐναντίον, ἐπένευσε πρὸς τὴν ἀξίωσιν· Κἀγώ, φησίν, ὑμῖν εἰς τὸ προκείμενον συλλήψομαι. Γινώσκω γὰρ τὸν ἄνδρα καὶ ῥᾳδίως ἀναζητήσας καταμηνύσω· οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν δὲ τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ μετὰ μίαν ἡμέραν· μόνον ὑμεῖς ἐπὶ τῆς πενιχρᾶς ταύτης καταγωγῆς ἀναπαύεσθε. 9.8.2 Βεβαίαν δὲ οὕτως αὐτοῖς ἐγγυησάμενος τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν δύο πράγμασι ἑαυτὸν κατεμέρισε, τῇ δεξιώσει τῶν ἑαυτοῦ φονέων καὶ τῇ ἑτοιμασίᾳ τοῦ τάφου. Εὐτρεπίσας δὲ τό τε ὄρυγμα καὶ τὰ περὶ τὴν ταφὴν ἀναγκαῖα, προσελθὼν αὐτοῖς τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ, Ἐπιμελῶς, φησί, τὸν Φωκᾶν ἀνεζήτησα καὶ ἕτοιμον τὸ θήραμα· καί, εἰ δοκεῖ, συλληφθήτω. Τῶν δὲ εἰπόντων ἐκ περιχαρείας· Καὶ ποῦ ὁ ἀνήρ; Οὐ πόρρω, φησίν, ἀλλὰ μεθ' ὑμῶν· αὐτὸς δὲ ὑμῖν οὗτος ἐγώ· καὶ χρήσασθε τῷ προστάγματι καὶ πληρώσατε τὸν τῆς ὁδοιπορίας καὶ τοῦ πόνου σκοπόν. 9.8.3 Ἐπλήγησαν τὰς ψυχὰς οἱ ἄνθρωποι καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἀκοὴν ἐπαχνώθησαν τοὺς ἅλας καὶ τὴν τράπεζαν ἐννοήσαντες καὶ τὸν ἐν πενίᾳ φιλότιμον ἑστιάτορα. Ὁ δὲ παρεκάλει πρὸς τὴν τόλμαν τῆς ἀναιρέσεως καὶ μηδὲ πρὸς ὀλίγον διστά ζειν ἐπεκελεύετο λέγων ὡς οὐ τῆς ἐκείνων χειρὸς ὁ φόνος, ἀλλὰ τῶν προσταξάντων τὸ ἔργον. Εἶπεν, ἔπεισεν, ἔπαθεν· καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀποτμηθεὶς ἱερεῖον τῷ Θεῷ κεχαρισμένον προσήχθη. 9.9.1 Στύλον καὶ ἔρεισμα τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐκκλησιῶν ἐξ ἐκείνου μέχρι νῦν τοῦτον ἔχομεν, ἄνθρωποι· καὶ μαρτύρων ἐστὶν οὗτος ὁ περιφανέστατος ἐν τοῖς ἀρίστοις καὶ μακαριστοῖς τὸ πρωτεῖον ἔχων. Ἀστὴρ γὰρ ἀστέρος διαφέρει ἐν δόξῃ, κατά τε τὴν κοινὴν ὑπόληψιν καὶ κατὰ τὴν φωνὴν τοῦ σκεύους τῆς ἐκλογῆς· καὶ μάλιστα δὴ πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης καὶ ὀνομαστότατος ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις ἐστί. 9.9.2 Καὶ πάντας ἕλκει καὶ συνελαύνει πρὸς τὸ ἑαυτοῦ καταγώγιον· καὶ γέμουσιν αἱ λεωφόροι τῶν ἀφ' ἑκάστης χώρας πρὸς τὸν τόπον ἐπειγομένων τῆς προσευχῆς. Ἔστι γ' οὖν ὁ μεγαλοπρεπὴς ἐκεῖνος ναὸς θλιβομένων ἄνεσις, πενομένων πόρος, κακουμένων ἰατρεῖον, λιμωττόντων Αἴγυπτος. 9.9.3 Καὶ δαψι λέστερον τρέφει Φωκᾶς τελευτήσας ἤπερ ζῶν Ἰωσήφ· ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ ἀργυρίου τὸν σῖτον διήμειβεν, οὗτος δὲ προῖκα τοῖς δεομένοις χαρίζεται. Καὶ ὥσπερ αἱ περιστεραὶ κατὰ τὴν χειμέριον ὥραν δυσπορίστου τῆς τροφῆς τυγχανούσης τὰς νεοσπόρους ἐφιπτάμεναι χώρας ταῖς αὔλαξιν ἐκείνων ἐγκάθηνται, οὕτως πάντων τῶν πτωχῶν καὶ ἀλητευόντων τὰ φῦλα προστρέχει τῷ τῆς Σινώπης ἰσθμῷ καθάπερ κοινῷ ταμιείῳ. 9.9.4 Εἰ δέ που καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ διὰ μικρῶν λειψάνων οἷον ἀποικίαν τινὰ μητροπόλεως ὁ μάρτυς ἑαυτῷ κατεστήσατο, θαυμαστὸς καὶ οὗτος ὁ τόπος καὶ πᾶσι χριστιανοῖς περισπούδαστος, ὥσπερ δὴ καὶ οὗτος ὁ παρ' ἡμῖν χῶρος ἱερὸς καταγώγιον ἑορταζόντων. Τίμιος γὰρ ἐναντίον Κυρίου ὁ θάνατος τῶν ὁσίων αὐτοῦ· καὶ πολλαχοῦ μερισθέντα τὰ λείψανα ὁλόκληρον πανταχοῦ τῷ τρισμακαρίῳ σώζει τὴν εὐφημίαν. 9.10.1 Οὕτως γ' οὖν καὶ 50 κατὰ τὴν βασιλεύουσαν πόλιν, τὴν κορυφὴν Ἰταλίας καὶ βασιλίδα τοῦ κόσμου, ἔστιν αὐτῷ πολλὴ δορυφορία τε καὶ τιμὴ καὶ οἶκος περιφανής, ἠσκημένος εἰς κάλλος. Οὐχ ἧττον δὲ Ῥωμαῖοι τὸν Φωκᾶν θεραπεύουσιν ἢ Πέτρον καὶ Παῦλον. Καί, ὡς ὁ λόγος δι δάσκει, τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ μάρτυρος ἐσπουδασμένως ἐκτήσαντο ἀντί στροφον τῆς μιαρᾶς Ἡρωδιάδος προελόμενοι γνώμην. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ αἵματος διψῶσα δικαίου κεφαλὴν εἰς ὕβριν ἐζήτησεν· οἱ δὲ εἰς τιμὴν καὶ ὠφέλειαν ἑαυτῶν περιεποιήσαντο. Ναῦται δὲ καὶ πλωτῆρες οἱ πανταχοῦ, οὐχ οἱ τὸν Εὔξεινον μόνον διαπλέοντες

The True King and the Vanity of Idols§52

52Not a toil, but those cutting across the Adriatic and carried over the Aegean, and all who sail the ocean toward the west and navigate the western gulfs, use the usual commands to rest from the toil of the voyage, turning to a new hypothesis through the euphemism of the brave; and the thrice-blessed is a tongue to them, because it provides clear experiences of help.

Often, however, at night while awaiting winter, a helmsman was seen dozing upon the rudder, waking him; and at other times, stretching a call and attending to the shield and looking out from the prow for the rocks. a law was established that sailors must travel with Phocaean companions. And since they must have a share in the current incorporeal life helplessly, learn how they carefully reasoned about the impossible. Each day, according to how many are present, they complete their share for the sake of an equal distribution among the eaters, as a testimony.

One of the stewards, driving out the silver, sets it aside, and another the next day, and another at another time; and thus the buyer receives their share each day from the purchase's proceeds. When a harbor receives them and they land upon the earth, the silver is divided among the hungry; and this portion to Phocaeans is a blessing for the needy.

Kings have established this, and they adorn God's palace with the most patient, God-loving, and honor-seeking treasures. But those coming upon them love the young more than the elders. And it is no wonder if the men holding the Roman hegemony, being pious and followers of customs and laws, they act reverently toward the servant of Christ, even when the wonder reached the barbarians; and all the wildest Scythians, who live on the opposite shore of the Euxine Sea, inhabitants of Lake Maeotis and the Tanais river, those who dwell in the Bosporus and stretch even to the Phasis river, all these carry spears for the gardener; and all those standing by us in customs and duties toward the...

Only those of one mind become softened in the harshness of their ways by the truth.

One ruler, therefore, having laid aside the crown of his head, being surrounded by gold and flowers of stone, and having stripped off his war-armor—for his panoply was a substance of boastful wealth and was being shattered by the barbarians—sent both offerings through the martyr to God, establishing the occasions of power and dignity. For it was evident, as the crown of kingship was a gift, and the breastplate was the strength for war.

As for the continuous activities occurring through visions in dreams and through the healings which those who labor enjoy, how could anyone even recount them, since it is impossible to apply words to each individual activity? However, it is possible to say this much to those worshipping the manifold error: that one slave of Christ and fellow-slave of ours fulfills the activities of many whom you consider gods among you.

And let the divinations be silent, just as they were hushed by the prophecies among us, the righteous overcoming. Let the works of medicine be idle, and let Asclepius not be worshiped; and let the Dioscuri not be considered to contend with sailors, for most know the Helper against dangers. Where is the Pythia, a woman of false divination, providing oblique and uncertain answers to those inquiring, so that she might prepare an apology for failure and falsehood through the doubt of the oracles? Where is the spring considered to generate prophetic water? Is it not all nonsense and vanity, which lured the wretched peoples toward error?

Worship God, whose faithful slaves were worthy of such grace, not acting involuntarily, but doing good to fellow-slaves according to the gift given to them. And these things occur after the arrival here and the separation of the body. Recognize from the servants the majesty of the Lord; glorify the God who is truly above all, to whom worship is due, now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Greek · §52

πόντον, ἀλλ' οἱ τὸν Ἀδρίαν τέμνοντες καὶ ὑπὲρ Αἰγαίου φερόμενοι καὶ ὅσοι τὸν ὠκεανὸν πλέουσι τὸν ἑσπέριον καὶ τοῖς ἐῴοις κόλποις ἐνθαλαττεύουσι, τὰ συνήθη κελεύσματα οἷς τὸν τοῦ πλοῦ πόνον προσαναπαύουσιν, εἰς καινὴν ὑπόθεσιν δι' εὐφημίας τοῦ γενναίου μετέ βαλον· καὶ διὰ γλώττης ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς ὁ τρισμακάριος, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἐναργεῖς παρέχει τῆς βοηθείας τὰς πείρας. 9.11.2 Πολλάκις γ' οὖν ὤφθη νύκτωρ προσδοκωμένου χειμῶνος διεγείρων τὸν κυβερνήτην τῷ πηδαλίῳ ἐπι νυστάξαντα· καὶ ἄλλοτε πάλιν κάλω διατείνων καὶ τῆς ὀθόνης ἐπιμε λόμενος καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς πρώρας προοπτεύων τὰ βράχη. Νόμος γ' οὖν ἐγένετο ναύταις Φωκᾶν ἔχειν συνεστιάτορα. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ τὸν νῦν ἀσώματον τοῦ βίου κοινωνὸν ἔχειν ἀμήχανον, μάθετε ὅπως εὐσεβεῖ λογισμῷ ἐσοφίσαντο τὸ ἀδύνατον. Καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν τῶν ὄψων τὴν μερίδα πρὸς ἰσομοιρίαν τῶν ἐσθιόντων ἀποκληροῦσι τῷ μάρτυρι. 9.11.3 Ταύτην δὲ εἷς τῶν δαιτυμόνων ἐξωνούμενος τὸ ἀργύριον κατατίθεται, καὶ τῇ ὑστεραίᾳ ἄλλος καὶ ἄλλοτε ἕτερος· καὶ οὕτως ὁ κλῆρος τῆς ἀγορασίας πάντας ἐπινεμόμενος δίδωσι καθ' ἡμέραν τῆς μερίδος τὸν ὠνητήν. Ἐπειδὰν δὲ ὅρμος αὐτοὺς ὑποδέξηται καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀποβῶσι, μερίζεται τὸ ἀργύριον τοῖς πεινῶσι· καὶ τοῦτο ἡ μερὶς τῷ Φωκᾷ, πενήτων εὐεργεσία. 9.12.1 Τεθήπασι τοῦτον καὶ βασιλεῖς τὸν καρτερικώτατον καὶ φιλόθεον καὶ φιλοτίμοις κειμηλίοις κατακοσμοῦσι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸ ἀνάκτορον. Φιλο νεικοῦσι δὲ οἱ ἐπιγινόμενοι τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους ὑπερβαλέσθαι. Καὶ οὔπω θαυμαστόν, εἰ οἱ τῆς Ῥωμαίων κρατοῦντες ἡγεμονίας ἄνδρες εὐσεβεῖς, θεσμοῖς τε καὶ νόμοις σύντροφοι, οὕτως εὐλαβῶς ἔχουσι περὶ τὸν θεράποντα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὁπότε καὶ εἰς βαρβάρους ἔφθη τὸ θαῦμα· 9.12.2 καὶ πάντες οἱ ἀγριώτατοι Σκύθαι, ὅσοι δὴ τὴν ἀντιπέρας τοῦ Εὐξείνου πόντου ἤπειρον νέμονται, Μαιώτιδος λίμνης καὶ ποταμοῦ Τανάϊδος πρόσοικοι, ὅσοι τε Βόσπορον οἰκοῦσι καὶ ἄχρι Φάσιδος ποταμοῦ παρα τείνονται, πάντες οὗτοι δορυφοροῦσι τῷ κηπουρῷ· τοῖς δὲ πᾶσιν ἔθεσιν καὶ ἐπιτηδεύμασιν διεστῶτες ἡμῶν εἰς τοῦτο μόνον ὁμογνώμονες γίνονται τὴν ἀγριότητα τῶν τρόπων ὑπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐξημερούμενοι. 9.12.3 Εἷς γ' οὖν ἄρχων ἐκεῖθεν καὶ βασιλεὺς τὸν στέφανον τῆς κεφαλῆς ἀποθέμενος, χρυσῷ καὶ ἄνθεσι λίθων περιλαμπόμενον, καὶ τὸν θώρακα τὸν πολεμικὸν ἀποδύς, ὕλας ἔχοντα πλούτουἀλαζονικὴ γὰρ καὶ θρυπτομένη τῶν βαρβάρων ἡ πανοπλίαἔπεμψεν ἀμφότερα ἀναθήματα διὰ τοῦ μάρ τυρος τῷ Θεῷ καὶ δυνάμεως καὶ ἀξιώματος καθιερώσας τὰς ἀφορμάς. Πρόδηλον γάρ, ὡς ὁ μὲν στέφανος τῆς βασιλείας ἦν χαριστήριον, ὁ δὲ θώραξ τῆς κατὰ πολέμους ἰσχύος. 9.13.1 Τὰς δὲ συνεχῶς ἐπὶ τούτοις συμβαινούσας ἐνεργείας διὰ τῶν ἐν ὀνείρασιν ὄψεων καὶ τῶν θεραπειῶν, ὧν οἱ κάμνοντες ἀπολαύουσι, πῶς ἄν τις καὶ διηγήσαιτο ἀδυνάτου καθεστῶτος ταῖς καθ' ἕκαστον ἐνεργείαις ἐπαφεῖναι τὸν λόγον; Πλὴν τοσοῦτον ἔξεστιν εἰπεῖν πρὸς τοὺς τὴν πολύθεον πλάνην θρησκεύοντας, ὡς εἷς δοῦλος Χριστοῦ καὶ ἡμέτερος ὁμόδουλος πολλῶν τῶν παρ' ὑμῖν νομιζομένων θεῶν ἐνεργείας πληροῖ. 9.13.2 Καὶ σιωπάτω τὰ μαντεῖα, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ κατεσιγάσθη ταῖς παρ' ἡμῖν προρρήσεσι τοῦ δικαίου νικώμενα. Ἀργείτω δὲ ἰατρικῆς ἐργασ τήρια καὶ Ἀσκληπιὸς μὴ προσκυνείσθω· ∆ιόσκουροι δὲ μὴ νομιζέσθωσαν ναύταις συναγωνίζεσθαι· ἴσασι γὰρ οἱ πλέοντες τὸν τῶν κινδύνων ἐπίκουρον. Ποῦ ἡ Πυθία, γυνὴ ψευδόμαντις λοξὰς 51 καὶ ἀσαφεῖς τοῖς πυνθανομένοις τὰς ἀποκρίσεις παρέχουσα, ἵνα τῇ τῶν λογίων ἀμφιβολίᾳ τῆς ἀποτυχίας καὶ τοῦ ψεύδους ἀπολογίαν προευτρεπίσηται; Ποῦ πηγὴ μαντικὸν ὕδωρ νομιζομένη γεννᾶν; Οὐ πάντα λῆρος καὶ φλήναφος, ἃ πρὸς τὴν πλάνην ἐδημαγώγει τοὺς ἀθλίους λαούς; 9.13.3 Προσκυνήσατε Θεόν, οὗ δοῦλοι πιστοὶ τοσαύτης ἠξιώθησαν χάριτος, οὐκ αὐτεξουσίως ἐνερ γοῦντες, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὴν δοθεῖσαν αὐτοῖς δωρεὰν εὐεργοῦντες τοὺς ὁμο δούλους. Καὶ ταῦτα μετὰ τὴν ἐνθένδε ἄφιξιν καὶ τὸν τοῦ σώματος χωρισμόν. Γνωρίσατε ἐκ τῶν οἰκέτων τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου μεγαλοπρέπειαν· δοξάσατε τὸν ἀληθῶς ἐπὶ πάντων Θεόν, ᾧ πρέπει ἡ προσκύνησις, νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

The Martyrs as Teachers of Endurance§53

53It seems that the greatest benefits have come even from the most hostile and unyielding enemies; and this is shown both by the experience of life and by the things being completed perfectly.

For if the devil had not persecuted Christians and waged war against the church, we would not have had martyrs; and if there were no martyrs, our life would have become gloomy and without vigor. For what is comparable to these celebrations? And what is so solemn and beautiful as to see the whole city walking about free from idleness, and occupying a holy place to perform pure mysteries with true piety?

True piety is to worship God and to honor those who, through Him, endured sufferings and arrayed themselves against the final danger of death, of whom those who lead us today are the foremost and leaders; men who became immortal through a beautiful death, living forever through despising life, having exchanged the kingdom of blood and rejected the predatory flesh as a benefit to the soul.

Thus, a good choice, when it acts like a bridle on a man, subdues all impulses and movements and, as a bridle holds the reins, keeping the thoughts attentive, softening sluggishness and restraining immeasurable sharpness, is not able to make the course of life disordered or dangerous.

We have, therefore, the martyrs of Christ not only as teachers of a good way of life, but also as accusers of sin. How could a martyr who accuses come to be? Listen. If he conquered the flame of fire through endurance, how do you not restrain fornication with temperance? If the martyr did not pity the wealth he gave away, why do you not despise a little silver for righteousness? If the martyr did not honor the race of God, but shunned woman, children, and dear ones, how do you not slaughter...

Does he, through accidental familiarity with your person, reason away justice and the fear of God as if they were insignificant? If the martyr surrendered his body through God, how can you himself despise a small tunic as if it were a covering for the naked? These things, when examined against one another, expose our own misfortune.

Therefore, should we respect the saints as teachers, or fear them as accusers? Let us show our own lives to those who punish us by following them; and let us ourselves be persuaded by God, just as the saints were persuaded by the commandments and firmly hoped in the promises. For the hope of spiritual goods is a very good teacher of courage and endurance, which, being inherently reliable and a secure earnest deposited in our thoughts, exhorts us to see every danger unshakeable and to bear it bravely in the trial; and this follows accordingly. For by nature we humans are somewhat prone to be softened and to yield to the winds of toil, but to take hold powerfully against them of those things for which contests and honors are the end.

Therefore, all the martyrs, paying attention with their minds to the evangelical letter, in which the Lord, exhorting the holy athletes and those eager for good, says: 'If anyone confesses me before men, I will confess him before my Father' Matt 10:32, endured iron set against them through irrational thoughts and climbed upon pyres, and providing their bodies to be cast into the mouths of beasts, and each one submitted his back to flogging and the sharp edges of nails, and their sides were scattered, and they endured iron bonds and brought forth dark cries from the dungeons; they were attacked by hunger and thirst and were dried up, and they presented their faces like stones to those striking them, they heard the insolent as if they were deaf, they remained silent toward those insulting and reviling as if they were mute, and they were paraded to the crowds and the theaters.

Greek · §53

10.τ.1 Ἀστερίου ἐπισκόπου Ἀμασείας ἐγκώμιον εἰς τοὺς ἁγίους μάρτυρας 10.1.1 Ἔστιν, ὡς ἔοικεν, καὶ παρὰ τῶν σφόδρα δυσμενῶν καὶ ἀδιαλλάκτων ἐχθρῶν ὠφεληθῆναι τὰ μέγιστα· καὶ τοῦτο δείκνυσιν ἥ τε ἄλλη τοῦ βίου πεῖρα καὶ τὰ ἀρτίως τελούμενα. Εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἐδίωξεν χριστιανοὺς ὁ διάβολος καὶ τὸν κατὰ τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἤρατο πόλεμον, οὐκ ἂν εἴχομεν μάρτυρας· μαρτύρων δὲ μὴ ὄντων σκυθρωπὸς ἡμῶν ὁ βίος ἐγίνετο καὶ ἀνέορτος. Τί γὰρ ἀντάξιον τούτων τῶν πανηγύρεων; Τί δὲ οὕτως σεμνὸν καὶ πάγκαλον ὡς τὸ πόλιν ὅλην ἰδεῖν παγγενῆ ἐκφοιτῶσαν τοῦ ἄστεος, ἱερὸν δὲ τόπον καταλαμβάνουσαν εὐσεβείας ἀληθεστάτης τελεῖν καθαρὰ μυστήρια; 10.1.2 Εὐσέβεια δὲ ἀληθὴς Θεὸν προσκυνεῖν τε καὶ τιμᾶν τοὺς δι' ἐκεῖνον πάθη καρτερῶς ἐνεγκόντας καὶ παραταξαμένους πρὸς τὸν ἔσχατον τοῦ θανάτου κίνδυνον, ὧν κορυφαῖοι καὶ πρωτοστάται τυγχάνουσι οἱ σήμερον ἡμᾶς δημαγωγήσαντες· ἄνδρες διὰ καλὸν θάνατον ἀθάνατοι, διὰ τὸ καταφρονῆσαι ζωῆς ζῶντες ἀεί, τοῦ αἵματος τὴν βασιλείαν ἀλλαξάμενοι καὶ τὴν ἐπίβουλον σάρκα εὐεργέτην τῆς ψυχῆς ἀποφήναντες. 10.1.3 Οὕτως προαίρεσις ἀγαθὴ ὅταν ἡνιόχου δίκην ἐφεστῶσα ᾖ τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ, ὑποζεύξῃ δὲ αὑτῇ τὰς ὁρμὰς πάσας καὶ τὰ κινήματα καὶ προσεχόντως ὡς ἡνίας διατείνῃ τοὺς λογισμοὺς ἀργίαν νύττουσα καὶ ὀξύτητα ἄμετρον ἀναστέλλουσα, οὐχ οἷόν τε ἄτακτον ἢ ἐπικίνδυνον γενέσθαι τοῦ βίου τὸν δρόμον. 10.2.1 Ἔχομεν τοίνυν τοὺς μάρτυρας τοῦ Χριστοῦ οὐ διδασκάλους μόνον ἀγαθῆς πολιτείας, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατηγόρους τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Πῶς δ' ἂν γένοιτο μάρτυς κατήγορος, ἄκουσον. Εἰ ἐκεῖνος ἐνίκησε φλόγα πυρὸς τῇ καρτερίᾳ, σὺ πῶς πορνείαν οὐ δαμάζεις τῇ σωφροσύνῃ; Εἰ ὁ μάρτυς οὐκ ἠλέησε πλοῦτον ὃν ἠφίει καὶ χρήματα, διὰ τί σὺ ὀλίγου οὐ καταφρονεῖς ἀργυρίου ὑπὲρ δικαιοσύνης; Εἰ ὁ μάρτυς γένος Θεοῦ οὐ προετίμησεν, ἀλλ' ἀπεζεύχθη γυναικός, παίδων, φιλτάτων, πῶς σὺ οὐ κολάζεις τὴν προσπάθειαν, διὰ δὲ πρόσωπα τυχὸν σχέσιν πρός σε οἰκειότητος ἔχοντα ὑπερ πηδᾷς τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν φόβον παραλογίζῃ; Εἰ ὁ μάρτυς τὸ σῶμα διὰ Θεὸν ἐξεδύσατο, πῶς αὐτὸς ἑνὸς οὐ καταφρονεῖς χιτωνίσκου εἰς σκέπην γυμνοῦ; 10.2.2 Ταῦτα ἀλλήλοις ἀντεξεταζόμενα τὴν ἡμετέραν δυστροπίαν ἐλέγχει. Ἢ τοίνυν ὡς διδασκάλους τοὺς ἁγίους αἰδεσθῶμεν ἢ ὡς κατηγόρους φοβηθῶμεν, δείξωμεν δὲ τὸν ἑαυτῶν βίον τοῖς τιμωμένοις ἀκόλουθον· πεισθῶμεν δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς οὕτως Θεῷ, ὡς οἱ ἅγιοι ταῖς ἐντολαῖς ἐπειθάρχησαν καὶ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας βεβαίως ἤλπισαν. 10.3.1 Ἀγαθὴ γὰρ σφόδρα διδάσκαλος ἀνδρείας καὶ καρτερίας ἡ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τῶν νοητῶν ἐλπίς, ἥτις ὡς ἐνέχυρον ἀξιόπιστον καὶ ἀρραβὼν ἀσφαλὴς ἐγκειμένη τοῖς λογισμοῖς πάντα παρακελεύεται κίνδυνον ὁρᾶν ἀκαταπλήκτως καὶ φέρειν ἐν τῇ πείρᾳ γενναίως· καὶ τοῦτο ἀκολούθως συμβαίνει. Φύσει γάρ πως ἐλάχομεν ἄνθρωποι μαλακίζεσθαι μὲν καὶ χαυνοῦσθαι πρὸς τοὺς ἀγεράστους τῶν πόνων, ἐρρωμένως δὲ τοὐναντίον ἐκείνων ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι ὧν ἆθλα καὶ τιμαὶ τέλος εἰσίν. 10.3.2 ∆ιὸ πάντες μάρτυρες 52 τῷ εὐαγγελικῷ γράμματι προσέχοντες τὸν νοῦν, ἐν ᾧ προτρέπων τοὺς ἱεροὺς ἀθλήτας καὶ φιλοθέους ὁ Κύριος λέγει· Ἐάν τις ὁμολογήσῃ με ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὁμολογήσω αὐτὸν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ πατρός μου, ὑπὲρ ταύτης τῆς ὁμολογίας ἤνεγκαν ἀτρέπτοις τοῖς λογισμοῖς σίδηρον τεθηγμένον καὶ πυρκαϊᾶς ἐπέβησαν καὶ θηρίων στόμασιν ἔκδοτον τὸ σῶμα παρέσχον καὶ τὸν νῶτον ἕκαστος ὑπέθηκαν μάστιξι καὶ ταῖς ἀκμαῖς τῶν ὀνύχων τὰς πλευρὰς ἐσπαράχθησαν καὶ δεσμῶν τῶν διὰ σιδήρου ἠνέσχοντο καὶ δεσμωτηρίων ἤνεγκαν σκοτεινὰ καταγώγια· 10.3.3 ἐπιέσθησαν δὲ λιμῷ καὶ δίψει κατεξηράνθησαν, παρέθηκαν δὲ ὡς λίθους τὰ πρόσωπα τοῖς ῥαπίζουσιν, ἤκουσαν τῶν ὕβρεων ὡς κώφοι, ἐσιώπησαν πρὸς τοὺς ὀνειδίζοντας καὶ λοιδορουμένους ὡς ἄλαλοι, δήμοις καὶ θεάτροις ἐπομπεύθησαν,

The Glory of Martyrs vs. the Ignorance of Tyrants§54

54Marketplaces and stalls were set up in the bodies of those who praised, not only men but also women, the most wretched of all. Others were burned by fire, others were struck down by cold; in various ways they shared their excellence among us, so that by falling, they might conquer.

Because of this, having surrounded the pious bodies with reverence—the vessels of election, the instruments of blessed souls, the dwellings of the philosophers—we guard them as highly precious heirlooms for all time, and we protect them as our own treasure; and for the martyrs, the church is fortified like a city with brave soldiers, and all kinds of festivals are celebrated, and we enjoy the joy of the feasts.

But those pressed by hardship or misfortune, as if seeking refuge, rush to the thrice-blessed, making themselves ambassadors of their prayers and requests with great boldness. From here, poverty is relieved, diseases are healed, and the threats of rulers are calmed; and for all the troubles and hardships of life, the shrines of the martyrs are safe harbors.

Thus a father or mother, taking up a sick child and embracing it, runs to seek medicine and doctors, but turns to unskilled help; and coming to one of the martyrs, she presents her petition to the Lord with the same cries used toward the Mediator: 'Intercede through Christ's suffering for those who suffer and are sick. With boldness, use your voice for fellow-servants. Even if you left our life behind, you know the sufferings of humanity; you yourself once pleaded before becoming a martyr. When you sought, you received; now having received, grant. Ask for your own benefit in the form of old age. May we be healed of our infirmity as the world is healed by Christ.'

Another, hastening to a marriage, makes the prayer in the martyr-shrines a prelude to the bridal chambers; and someone rushing to a voyage does not first loosen the moorings of the ship, before he invokes the Lord of the sea through the martyrs; and for the poor and the needy, they have gained a common table and food, the rest of the martyrs; and the martyrs are sung of throughout the earth and the sea. Appropriately and according to their worth. For not as many do the righteousness correctly...

They bore the cross with their own bodies; they did not scatter money, but poured out blood; they did not kill the poor, but did not pity themselves; they did not visit the maltreated in prison, but they themselves wore the chains. Because of this, in exchange for endurance and affliction, they reaped glory and honor.

10.5.1 Thus are the martyrs; but where are those tyrants and murderers, who thought high things and threatened with arrogance, who sit upon lofty thrones and do not know their own ruler? They have leaped over the lions, run over the leopards, fought against the bears, poured out blood against the wolves, and acted wickedly like foxes. More filthy lie the dead donkeys, for oblivion has covered their lives; but they have a tomb that is terrible, a monument of impiety, and a memory of dishonor; they repent in vain, and they groan uselessly.

10.5.2 But the memory of those insulted by them is received by an unceasing remembrance, an ageless praise. For the accounts and the honors, being received by the drunkards from the elders, and grandfathers to grandsons or fathers to children, passing on the healing care for them, make the praise immortal; and just as life preserves these feasts as an inviolable inheritance, or rather something more precious than an inheritance. For indeed, beautiful things of an inheritance are either taken away by a robber, or an enemy takes them as plunder, or a turn of circumstances empties them; but no one shall cut off the feast of holy men from a year, until they are years and time runs and heaven holds the sun and earth grazes its own animals and the sea its exceptional things.

10.5.3 To speak more truly, even when these elements have ceased, though it may seem so to some, the glory of martyrs and righteous ones shall not be extinguished, nor shall that which concerns them be destroyed by the fury of the people; but then they shall blossom even more toward the incorruptible life, once humanity has been re-adorned.

10.6.1 And it is possible for the unbelievers to waver concerning our coming hope, from the things being done in this life, regarding our good expectation of receiving firmly the things laid up. For behold, the whole circle of the inhabited world is filled with the athletes of Christ, and every place holds the memory of the saints; and all times are better than the gifts and growths from the earth, the things of the...

Greek · §54

περιήχθησαν ἀγορὰς καὶ ἄμφοδα ἐν ὁλογύμνοις τοῖς σώμασιν, οὐκ ἄνδρες μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ γυναῖκες, τὸ σχετλιώτατον. Ἄλλοι πυρὶ κατεφλέχθησαν, ἕτεροι διὰ χειμῶνος ἐπάγησαν· ποικίλοις τρόποις τὰς ἀριστείας ἡμῖν κατεμερίσαντο, ἵνα πεσόντες νικήσωσιν. 10.4.1 ∆ιὰ τοῦτο τὰ εὐσεβῆ σώματα σεμνῶς περιστείλαντες, τὰ σκεύη τῆς ἐκλογῆς, τὰ τῶν μακαρίων ψυχῶν ὄργανα, τὰς οἰκίας τῶν φιλοσόφων ἐνοίκων, ὡς κειμήλια πολυτίμητα τῷ παντὶ βίῳ φυλάσσομεν, φρουροῦμεν δὲ αὐτοῖς ὡς ἡμετέροις πλεονεκτήμασιν καὶ τοῖς μάρτυσιν ἡ ἐκκλησία τετείχισται ὡς πόλις ὁπλίταις γενναίοις καὶ πάνδημοι πανηγύρεις ἀθροίζονται καὶ τῆς θυμηδίας τῶν ἑορτῶν ἀπολαύομεν. 10.4.2 Οἱ δὲ ταῖς ἀνθρωπικαῖς περιστάσεσιν ἢ συμφοραῖς πιεζόμενοι ὡς ἐπί τι κρησφύγετον τὰς ἀναπαύσεις τῶν τρισμακαρίων σπεύδουσιν πρεσβευτὰς αὐτοὺς τῶν εὐχῶν καὶ αἰτημάτων διὰ τὸ ὑπερβάλλον τῆς παρρησίας ποιούμενοι. Ἐντεῦθεν πενίαι λύονται καὶ ἰατρεύονται νόσοι καὶ ἀρχόντων ἀπειλαὶ κοιμίζονται· πασῶν δὲ τῶν ταραχῶν καὶ χειμώνων τοῦ βίου λιμένες εἰσὶν εὔδιοι οἱ ἱεροὶ τῶν μαρτύρων σηκοί. 10.4.3 Οὕτως πατὴρ ἢ μήτηρ ἀραμένη τὸν ἄρρωστον παῖδα καὶ περιστείλασα ταῖς ἀγκάλαις παρατρέχει μὲν ἰατρεῖα καὶ ἰατρούς, ἐπὶ δὲ ἄτεχνον καταφεύγει βοήθειαν· καὶ πρὸς ἕνα τῶν μαρτύρων ἐλθοῦσα δι' ἐκείνου τῷ ∆εσπότῃ προσάγει τὴν αἴτησιν τοιαύταις κεχρημένη πρὸς τὸν μεσίτην φωναῖς· «Παθὼν διὰ Χριστὸν πρέσβευσον ὑπὲρ πάθους καὶ νόσου. Ἔχων παρρησίαν χρῆσον λόγον τοῖς ὁμοδούλοις. Εἰ καὶ τὸν ἡμέτερον βίον ἀπέλιπες, ἀλλὰ γοῦν οἶδας τὰ πάθη τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος· παρεκάλεσας καὶ σύ ποτε μάρτυρας πρὶν γενέσθαι μάρτυς. Τότε ζητῶν ἐλάμβανες, νῦν ἔχων χάρισαι. Εἰς τὸ γέρας τὸ σὸν αἴτησον τὸ κέρδος ἡμῖν. Ἰαθείημεν τῷ σῷ μώλωπι ὡς τῷ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὁ κόσμος». 10.4.4 Ἄλλος ἐπὶ γάμον σπεύδων προοίμιον ποιεῖται τῶν θαλάμων τὴν ἐν μαρτυρίοις εὐχήν· καί τις εἰς πλοῦν ἐπειγόμενος οὐ πρότερον τῆς νεὼς λύει τὰ πείσματα, πρὶν ἂν τὸν τῆς θαλάσσης ∆εσπότην διὰ τῶν μαρτύρων ἐπικαλέσηται· πτωχῶν δὲ φῦλα καὶ πενήτων ἐσμοὶ κοινὴν ἑστίαν καὶ τροφὴν κέκτηνται τὴν τῶν μαρτύρων ἀνάπαυσιν· ᾄδονται δὲ πανταχοῦ γῆς καὶ θαλάττης οἱ μάρτυρες. Εἰκότως καὶ πρὸς ἀξίαν. 10.4.5 Οὐ γὰρ ὡς πολλοὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην καθόρθωσαν, αὐτῷ δὲ σώματι τὸν σταυρὸν ἐβάστασαν· οὐ χρήματα ἐσκόρπισαν, ἀλλ' αἷμα ἐξέχεαν· οὐ πένητα ᾤκτειραν, ἀλλ' ἑαυτοὺς οὐκ ἠλέησαν· οὐκ ἐν δεσμωτηρίῳ τὸν κεκακωμένον ἐπεσκέψαντο, ἀλλ' αὐτοὶ τὰς ἁλύσεις ἐφόρεσαν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ τῆς κακώσεως ἀντίρροπον τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν τιμὴν ἐκαρπώσαντο. 10.5.1 Οἱ μὲν οὖν μάρτυρες οὕτως· οἱ δὲ τούτων τύραννοι καὶ φονεῖς ποῦ, οἱ τὰ ὑψηλὰ φρονήσαντες καὶ τὰ ὑπερήφανα ἀπειλήσαντες, οἱ ἐπὶ θρόνων μετεώρων καθήμενοι καὶ τὸν ἑαυτῶν ἄρχοντα μὴ γνωρίσαντες; Ἐβρυ χήσαντο ὑπὲρ τοὺς λέοντας, ἔδραμον ὑπὲρ τὰς παρδάλεις, ἐσπάραξαν ὑπὲρ τὰς ἄρκτους, ἐξέχεαν αἵματα κατὰ τοὺς λύκους, ἐκακούργησαν ὡς αἱ ἀλώπεκες. Κεῖνται τῶν ὄνων τῶν νεκρῶν μυσαρώτεροι, λήθη ἐκάλυψεν τὴν ζωὴν αὐτῶν· ἔχουσι δὲ τάφον τὸν ᾅδην καὶ στήλην τὴν ἀσέβειαν καὶ μνήμην τὴν ἀτιμίαν· 53 μετανοοῦσιν ἀνόνητα, στένουσιν ἄπρακτα. 10.5.2 Τοὺς δὲ παρὰ τούτων αἰκισθέντας διεδέξατο μνήμη ἄληκτος, ἀγήρως ἔπαινος. Τὰ γὰρ διηγήματα καὶ τὰς τιμὰς οἱ μεθηλικέστεροι παρὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων ὑποδεχόμενοι καὶ πάππος ἐκγόνῳ ἢ πατὴρ παιδὶ παρα διδόντες τὴν εἰς αὐτοὺς θεραπείαν ἀθάνατον ποιοῦσι τὸν ἔπαινον· καὶ ὥσπερ τινὰ κληρονομίαν ἄσυλον τὰς ἑορτὰς ταύτας ἐν διαδοχαῖς σώζει ὁ βίος, ἢ μᾶλλον καὶ κληρονομίας τιμιώτερον χρῆμα. Κληρονομίας μὲν γὰρ τὰ καλὰ ἢ λῃστὴς ἀφείλετο ἢ πολέμιος λάφυρον ἔλαβεν ἢ περίστασις πραγμάτων ἐκένωσεν, ἁγίων δὲ ἀνδρῶν ἑορτὴν οὐδεὶς ἐκκόψει ἐνιαυτοῦ, μέχρις ἂν ὦσιν ἐνιαυτοὶ καὶ χρόνος τρέχῃ καὶ οὐρανὸς ἔχῃ τὸν ἥλιον καὶ γῆ βόσκῃ τὰ ἴδια ζῷα καὶ θάλασσα τὰ ἐξαίρετα. 10.5.3 Τὸ δὲ ἀληθέστερον εἰπεῖν, καὶ τῶν στοιχείων παυσαμένων τούτων, κἄν τισι μὴ δοκῇ, μαρτύρων καὶ δικαίων οὐ σβεσθήσεται δόξα οὐδὲ συναπολήξει τῇ δημι ουργίᾳ τὰ κατ' ἐκείνους· ἀλλὰ τότε καὶ μᾶλλον ἀνθήσουσι πρὸς τὴν ἄφθαρτον ζωὴν μετακοσμηθείσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος. 10.6.1 Ἔξεστιν δὲ τοῖς ἀπίστοις καὶ περὶ τῆς μελλούσης ἐλπίδος ἡμῶν ἀμφιβάλλουσιν ἀπὸ τῶν ἐν τῷδε τῷ βίῳ πραττομένων τῆς ἀγαθῆς προσδοκίας ἡμῶν λαβεῖν βέβαια τὰ ἐνέχυρα. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ πεπλήρωται πᾶς τῆς οἰκουμένης κύκλος τῶν ἀθλητῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ πᾶς τόπος ἔχει τῶν ἁγίων τὴν μνήμην· πάντες δὲ καιροὶ κρείττονα τῶν ἀπὸ γῆς δώρων καὶ βλαστημάτων τὰ τῶν

The distinction between honoring martyrs and worshipping idols§55

55Stories are given to those who honor the struggles. As if someone were a devoted friend of the excellent martyrs, and set his care upon celebrating the sufferings of all, not a single day of the year would pass unobserved. For the exploits of brave men possess a glory superior to the solar cycle.

Because the one who opposes the good has attacked the Christian faith fiercely, and strove to bury all with his own schemes through calamity, and to occupy himself vainly with the tasks of the clay, God, having anointed a multitude of excellent men with commands and trained them for endurance and strength, set them against the shameless and the enemy of humanity. These, moreover, struggled a new kind of struggle. For they did not prevail by striking or smashing, but they excelled by suffering and by being slaughtered.

And what kind of power would you say, listener, is this of war? And what kind of success is this: to be twisted and flogged and, through fire or sword or the cruelty of prisons, to have one's life destroyed? But learn how the wars for piety are won in a different way than other wars. For some have excellence in killing, but others are bloodless in their victory through suffering and falling. And the boldness of the righteous carries out the embassies against the world. And the enemy was caught off guard by the adversaries, whether he fell or intended to. For however many he slaughtered as martyrs, so many helpers of men he prepared.

And in every kind of action, this is found while suffering; therefore, where they think they are obstructing piety, from there they prepare the increase of piety. For the wise God stands against the purposes of the fool and the thoughtless. And we find this following the events of every time: the exposition of Moses and the conduct of Joseph. Immediately in the beginning, the second man murdered Abel (Gen 4:8), so that he might cut off the seed of the pious, and it became fruitful. For from then on, man-slayers are intensely hated, which is why Cain was cursed by God (Gen 4:15). The matter of Christ, that the Satan worked in the Jews so that they might crucify him (Matt 27), is the same. The same thing has happened to the martyrs, whom many despise, trivializing their [life/existence] through their own folly...

A reproach. Is he not a man? Was not the body spent? Is not their memory contained in a few remains and these things? Especially Greeks and Euomians say these things; let us speak to both.

We do not worship martyrs, but honor them as genuine worshippers of God; we do not revere men, but marvel at those who, in the time of trials, have reverently served God well. We place them in beautiful shrines and raise up houses of their rest with magnificent constructions, so that we may emulate the honors of those who well finished their course; and we do not show our zeal for them for pay, but we enjoy their protection toward God.

For our prayer is not sufficient to move God in the time of necessity or misfortune, for our plea is not a persuasion, but a remembrance of sins; therefore we fly to the fellow-servants who are loved by the Lord, so that they might heal our defects through their own achievements. What then is the charge, that while honoring martyrs we ourselves strive to please God? What accusation is there in flying to protectors? Let us examine also these things, if the accuser cleanses the charge. And how can it be said, that you do not honor myriads of dead men, but worship them as gods?

Did you not, through your folly, deify Demeter and Kore, and yet you honor two women with temples and these sacrifices and with all kinds of worships and healings? Are not the mysteries at Eleusis the essence of your religion, and the Attic people and all Greece flowing together to complete a vanity? Is not the dark descent there, and the solemn gatherings of the hierophant toward the altar, only from woman to woman? Do not the torches go out, and the large and countless people think their salvation to be the things done in the darkness by the two?

Do I say that you worship Dionysus the Theban as a god? For I say, know your fatherland, so that you may know the man: a man, a grape-grower and a vintner, a village leader, a people drawing together and acting shamefully through drunkenness, doing those things which incite the dissolute youths to unchastity, while they drink with the old Silenus and the satyrs who love revelry.

Greek · §55

ἀγωνιστῶν τοῖς ἑορτάζουσι χαρίζονται διηγήματα. Ὡς εἴ τις ἦν σπουδαῖος τῶν μαρτύρων φίλος, ἔθετο δὲ φροντίδα τοῖς τῶν ὅλων πανηγυρίζειν πάθεσιν, οὐκ ἂν ἡμέραν παρῆλθεν τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ ἀνεόρταστον. Πᾶσαι γὰρ ἔχουσι κρείττονα τοῦ ἡλιακοῦ κύκλου κόσμον τὰ τῶν γενναίων ἀνδραγαθήματα. 10.6.2 Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ τοῖς καλοῖς ἀντιτεταγμένος σφοδρὸν πρὸς τὸ μυστήριον τῶν χριστιανῶν ἐπηρείσατο, πάντας δὲ πάσσων τῇ κόνει τοῖς ἰδίοις φρονήμασι χωννύειν ἐσπούδαζεν καὶ μάτην ἐνασχολεῖν τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασι τοῦ πηλοῦ, ἀρίστων ἀνδρῶν πλῆθος ὁ Θεὸς ἀλείψας τοῖς παραγγέλμασι καὶ παιδοτριβήσας πρὸς καρτερίαν καὶ δύναμιν ἀντέστησεν τῷ ἀναιδεῖ καὶ ἐπιβούλῳ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος. Οὗτοι δὲ καινὸν ἠγωνίσαντο καὶ οὐ τὸν συνήθη ἀγῶνα. Οὐ γὰρ τύπτοντες ἢ ῥηγνύντες ἐκράτησαν, ἀλλὰ πάσχοντες ἠρίστευσαν καὶ σφαζόμενοι. 10.7.1 Καὶ ποῖον ἐρεῖς, ὁ ἀκροατής, κράτος πολέμου; Τίς δὲ εὐδοκίμησις αὕτη τὸ στρεβλωθῆναι καὶ μαστιχθῆναι καὶ πρός γε διὰ πυρὸς ἢ ξίφους ἢ κακώσεως δεσμωτηρίων καταλῦσαι τὸν βίον; Ἀλλὰ μάθε, ὡς οἱ ὑπὲρ εὐσεβείας πόλεμοι ἀπ' ἐναντίου κατορθοῦνται τῶν ἄλλων. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐν τῷ φονεῦσαι τὴν ἀριστείαν ἔχουσι, οἱ δὲ διὰ τοῦ παθεῖν καὶ πεσεῖν ἀναιροῦνται τὴν νίκην. Παρρησία δὲ δικαίων ἐκτελεῖ τὰς ὑπὲρ τοῦ κόσμου πρεσβείας· καὶ ἔλαθεν ὁ ἐχθρὸς τοῖς ἐναντίοις περιπεσὼν ἢ ἐβούλετο. Ὅσους γὰρ ἔσφαξε μαρτυρήσαντας, τοσούτους ἀνθρώπων βοηθοὺς παρεσκεύασεν. 10.7.2 Καὶ ἐπὶ πάσης δὲ πράξεως τοῦτο πάσχων εὑρίσκεται· ὅθεν ἐμποδίζειν οἴεται τὴν εὐσέβειαν, ἐκεῖθεν κατασκευάζει τῆς εὐσεβείας τὴν αὔξησιν. Τῷ γὰρ μωρῷ καὶ ἄφρονι εἰς τοὐναντίον ὁ σοφὸς Θεὸς περιίστησι τὰ βουλεύματα. Καὶ τοῦτο τοῖς πράγμασιν ἑκάστου καιροῦ παρακολουθοῦντες εὑρίσκομεν, τὴν ἔκθεσιν τοῦ Μωσέως, τὴν πρᾶσιν τοῦ Ἰωσήφ. Εὐθὺς ἐν ἀρχῇ τὸν δεύτερον ἄνθρωπον Ἄβελ ἐφόνευσεν, ἵνα τῶν εὐσεβῶν ἐκκόψῃ τὸ σπέρμα, καὶ τὸ ἔμπαλιν ἐγένετο. Ἔκτοτε γὰρ ἀνδροφόνοι μισοῦνται σφοδρῶς, ἐξ οὗ Κάϊν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ κατηράθη. Τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὅτι ἐνήργησεν εἰς Ἰουδαίους ὁ σατανᾶς, ἵνα σταυρώσωσιν αὐτόν. 10.7.3 Τὸ αὐτὸ δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῖς μάρτυσι πέπονθεν, ὧν καταφρονοῦσι πολλοὶ ὑπὸ ἰδίας ἀνοίας ἐξευτελίζοντες αὐτῶν τὸ ἀξίωμα. Οὐκ ἄνθρωπός ἐστιν; Οὐκ ἐδαπανήθη τὸ σῶμα; Οὐκ ἐν ὀλίγοις λειψάνοις καὶ τούτοις ἐγκεχωσμένοις αὐτῶν ἡ μνήμη; Μάλιστα δὴ ταῦτα Ἕλληνες καὶ Εὐνομιανοί φασιν· εἴπωμεν δὲ πρὸς ἀμφοτέρους. 10.8.1 Ἡμεῖς μάρτυρας οὐ προσκυνοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ τιμῶμεν ὡς γνησίους προσκυνητὰς Θεοῦ· οὐ σέβομεν ἀνθρώπους, θαυμάζομεν δὲ 54 τοὺς ἐν καιρῷ πειρασμῶν καλῶς σεβασθέντας Θεόν. Ἐν θήκαις φιλοκάλοις ἀποτιθέμεθα καὶ οἴκους τῆς ἀναπαύσεως αὐτῶν ἐγείρομεν ταῖς κατασκευαῖς μεγαλοπρεπεῖς, ἵνα ζηλώσωμεν τὰς τῶν καλῶς τελευτησάντων τιμάς· οὐκ ἄμισθον δὲ τὴν εἰς αὐτοὺς σπουδὴν ἐπιδεικνύμεθα, ἀλλὰ τῆς προστασίας αὐτῶν τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν ἀπολαύομεν. 10.8.2 Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἀρκεῖ ἡ ἡμετέρα εὐχὴ δυσωπῆσαι Θεὸν ἐν καιρῷ ἀνάγκης ἢ συμ φορᾶςἡ γὰρ δέησις ἡμῶν οὐ παράκλησίς ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτημάτων ὑπόμνησις, διὰ τοῦτο τοῖς ἀγαπωμένοις παρὰ τοῦ ∆εσπότου ὁμοδούλοις προσφεύγομεν, ἵν' ἐκεῖνοι ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις κατορθώμασι τὰ ἡμέτερα θεραπεύσωσι πλημμελήματα. Ποῖον οὖν ἔγκλημα, ὅτι τιμῶντες μάρτυρας καὶ αὐτοὶ σπουδάζομεν ἀρέσκειν Θεῷ; Τίς κατηγορία προστάταις προσφεύγειν; Ἐξετάσωμεν λοιπὸν καὶ τὰ σά, εἰ τοῦ ἐγκλήματος ὁ κατήγορος καθαρεύεις. Καὶ πῶς, ὅς γε μυρίους τῶν τεθνεώτων ἀνθρώπων οὐ τιμᾷς, ἀλλ' ὡς θεοὺς προσκυνεῖς; 10.9.1 Οὐ σὺ ∆ήμητραν καὶ Κόρην ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνοίας σαυτοῦ ἐθέωσας, ἐδείμω δὲ δύο γυναίους ναοὺς καὶ θυσίαις ταύτας τιμᾷς καὶ παντοίαις προσκυνεῖς θεραπείαις; Οὐ κεφάλαιον τῆς σῆς θρησκείας τὰ ἐν Ἐλευσῖνι μυστήρια, καὶ δῆμος Ἀττικὸς καὶ ἡ Ἑλλὰς πᾶσα συρρεῖ, ἵνα τελέσῃ ματαιότητα; Οὐκ ἐκεῖ τὸ καταβάσιον τὸ σκοτεινὸν καὶ αἱ σεμναὶ τοῦ ἱεροφάντου πρὸς τὴν ἱέρειαν συντυχίαι, μόνου πρὸς μόνην; Οὐχ αἱ λαμπάδες σβέννυνται καὶ ὁ πολὺς καὶ ἀναρίθμητος δῆμος τὴν σωτηρίαν αὐτῶν εἶναι νομίζουσι τὰ ἐν τῷ σκότῳ παρὰ τῶν δύο πραττόμενα; 10.9.2 Οὐ σὺ ὁ τὸν Θηβαῖον ∆ιόνυσον ὡς θεὸν προσκυνῶνλέγω γὰρ τὴν πατρίδα, ἵνα γνωρίσῃς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἄνδρα γεωργὸν ἀμπέλων καὶ φίλοινον, κωμαστὴν πάροινον, δῆμον ἐπισυρόμενον ἀσχημονοῦντα τῇ μέθῃ, ἐκεῖνα ποιοῦντα ἃ τοὺς ἀσώτους νέους στηλιτεύει ἀκολασταίνοντας, μεθύοντα δὲ μετὰ τοῦ γέροντος τοῦ Σιληνοῦ καὶ τοῖς φιλοσκιρτηταῖς Σατύροις

The danger of pride and the legacy of the saints§56

56Are you sharing in a life of drunkenness and history? You are not the one offering sacrifices to the man Heracles as if he were a god, but to a Roman man, a body that was lucky and brave, and you revere him because he excelled in many things and became surrounded by beasts.

And again, why do you not revere and have set aside Asclepius, who was in the porch and surrounded by much iron? And you would not deny that you do this. For the temples rising everywhere in the inhabited world—I say the Asclepieia, the Heracleia, and the Dionysia—stand as high indictments of your vanity. And so I shall depart innocent of the reproach, for I do not worship idols nor consider them gods; but you are growing, being held by reproaches, and accusing others of these things, just as those with a guilty conscience accuse the innocent. For you show yourself to be worshipping men as gods. These things are few among the many regarding the pagan.

But you Jews of the new stance, what is wonderful that you dishonor Christ, rejecting the likeness to the Father, separating them in your own words, while guarding the places as sacred, in which holy bodies have rested? But you, who have not come to an understanding of what is happening, fear, you who are called Christians, and yet hate the martyrs along with the Greeks. Do you not know how Christ, the Arch-martyr, first suffered and left zeal to the servants?

Then after him Stephen, the namesake of the orthodox struggle according to God; all the following disciples and apostles. And you have inspected through a single insult how many you dishonor: John the Baptist, James called the brother of the Lord, Peter, Paul, Thomas; these I name as the leaders of the martyrs, and then the infinite multitude of those who died for life. Is it not a small thing for you to stumble over these? Is the danger of your hatred not small?

Each of these conquered the devil with the company of demons, and was inscribed among the angels and is kept as a well-pleasing athlete by the promise of the resurrection; and he shall stand at the appearance of God and our Savior, opening his mouth with boldness, rejoicing in the sight of the angels and in the glory of God, blessing himself for the lashes, the chains, the tortures, the deformities...

It is a profit of the end, because of the eternal life he has become a guest. But when you hear these things, I know what you think and say: 'I too am acceptable to my peers. If I live according to virtue, I shall be no worse or less honored than those now admired.' Truly, such words are the mark of a proud man, following the great Pharisee (Luke 18:11) and stranger to all humility. It is evident that he who has not previously been humbled will not ascend to height; for a decision is a master.

To ensure that no one forgives you for becoming such a person—tell me, do you not wish to feel shame before those who cut the path of piety for you, the guides of the good, the teachers of virtue, who trained you in endurance and contempt for death? You were taught gratitude from the disciples of this life, that becoming like those who taught and lacking nothing of the art, they nonetheless love the hearts of the teachers, respect them, speak well of them, yield to the first ones, and serve them as a father.

Many also, having ended their lives, holy saints are able, even after departing from life, to do good to men; and witness to these things is Elisha, who long ago, having departed from life and fallen asleep, but having received the grace of God immortal and inseparable, was present in the earth and with the lifeless bones (2 Kings 13:21). For you know, as a lover of the Scriptures and a disciple, that someone dead, being carried out by his own people, perhaps being seized by robbers or enemies, such as it is pleasing to happen in commotion and noise, having been thrown upon the tomb of the thrice-blessed prophet, was immediately revived and rose to the living.

What then shall we say regarding what happened? Did the righteous man have no perception of what was being done? Did he not send up a prayer for the dead as for the child of the woman of Samos? But the truth of things gives us nothing of the sort to conceive. For the righteous man lay there long ago, the body having been dissolved into kindred soil and like dust. But it has become evident that God, always glorifying His own people even after their end, performs wondrous paradoxes concerning their tombs and their resting places, so that the living, always having a more intoxicating hold on the good hope, may hold onto those who have departed.

Greek · §56

συνδιαιτώμενον καὶ ἱστορίαν μέθης ὄντα τῷ βίῳ; Οὐ σὺ ὁ τῷ ἀνδρὶ Ἡρακλεῖ ὡς θεῷ τὰς θυσίας προσάγων, ἀνθρώπῳ ῥωμαλαίῳ, σῶμα λαχόντι δυνατὸν καὶ ἀνδρεῖον, καὶ σέβεις ἐκεῖνον, ἐπειδὴ ἐν πολλοῖς ἠρίστευσεν καὶ θηρίων περιεγένετο; 10.9.3 Τί δὲ πάλιν τὸν Ἀσκληπιὸν τὸν ἐν τῷ νάρθηκι πολλὰ καὶ τῇ σιδηροθήκῃ περινοστήσαντα οὐ σέβεις καὶ τέθηπας; Καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἀρνηθείης ὡς οὐ τοῦτο ποιεῖς. Οἱ γὰρ πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἀνεστῶτες ναοί, τὰ Ἀσκληπιεῖα λέγω καὶ τὰ Ἡράκλεια καὶ τὰ ∆ιονύσια, ἔλεγχοι ἑστᾶσιν ὑψηλοὶ τῆς σῆς ματαιότητος· καὶ οὕτως ἐγὼ μὲν ἀθῷος ἀπελεύσομαι τοῦ ἐγκλήματος, οὐ γὰρ προσκύνω μάρτυρας οὐδὲ νομίζω θέους· σὺ δὲ πέφηνας ἐνεχόμενος τοῖς ἐγκλήμασιν, καὶ ταῦτα κατηγορῶν ἑτέρων, ὥσπερ οἱ διὰ κακὸν συνειδὸς προκατηγοροῦντες τῶν ἀνευθύνων. Ἀνθρώπους γὰρ ὡς θεοὺς προσκυνῶν ἐπιδέ δειξαι. Ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν ἐθνικὸν ἐκ πολλῶν ὀλίγα. 10.10.1 Οἱ δὲ τῆς νέας στάσεως Ἰουδαῖοι, τί θαυμαστὸν εἰ μάρτυρας ἀτιμάζετε Χριστὸν ἀθετοῦντες καὶ τῆς ὁμοιότητος τῆς πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις λόγοις χωρίζοντες, φυλαττόμενοι δὲ τοὺς τόπους ὡς βεβήλους, ἐν οἷς σώματα ἅγια ἀναπέπαυται; Ἀλλ' οἳ μὴ εἰς ἔννοιαν ἔλθετε τοῦ γινομένου, φοβήθητε χριστιανοὶ λεγόμενοι, μετὰ δὲ Ἑλλήνων μισοῦντες μάρτυρας. Οὐκ ἴστε, ὡς ἀρχιμάρτυς Χριστὸς πρῶτος παθὼν καὶ τοῖς δούλοις τὸν ζῆλον ἀφείς; 10.10.2 Εἶτα μετ' ἐκεῖνον Στέφανος, ὁ φερώνυμος τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν εὐδοξίας ἀγωνιστής· πάντες οἱ ἑξῆς μαθηταὶ καὶ ἀπόστολοι. Καὶ ἐπίσκεψαι διὰ μιᾶς ὕβρεως ὅσους ἀτιμάζεις· Ἰωάννην τὸν βαπτιστήν, Ἰάκωβον τὸν ἀδελφὸν λεγόμενον τοῦ Κυρίου, Πέτρον, Παῦλον, Θωμᾶν τούτους ὡς πρωτοστάτας ὀνομάζω τῶν μαρτύρων, ἔπειτα τὸ ἄπειρον πλῆθος τῶν ἀποθανόντων ὑπὲρ τῆς ζωῆς. Μὴ μικρόν σοι τούτοις προσκρούειν; Μὴ ὀλίγος τῆς ἔχθρας ὁ κίνδυνος; 10.10.3 Τούτων ἕκαστος τὸν διάβολον μετὰ τῆς φρατρίας τῶν δαιμόνων ἐνίκησεν, ἀγγέλοις δὲ ἐνεγράφη καὶ τηρεῖται ὡς εὐδόκιμος ἀθλητὴς τῇ ἀναρρήσει τῆς ἀναστάσεως, παραστήσεται δὲ τῇ ἐπιφανείᾳ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν 55 ἀνοίγων ἐν παρρησίᾳ τὸ στόμα, ἐπευφραινόμενος τῇ θέᾳ τῶν ἀγγέλων, τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ Θεοῦ, μακαρίζων ἑαυτὸν τῶν μαστίγων, τῶν δεσμῶν, τῶν στρεβλώσεων, τῆς ἐπικερδοῦς τελευτῆς, ὅτι τῆς ἀτελευτήτου ζωῆς αὐτῷ γεγένηται πρόξενος. 10.11.1 Ἀλλ' ὅταν τούτων ἀκούσῃς, οἶδα ἃ φρονεῖς καὶ λέγεις· «∆εκτικὸς κἀγὼ τῶν ὁμοίων. Ἂν ζήσω κατ' ἀρετήν, οὐ χείρων οὐδὲ ἀτιμότερος τῶν νῦν θαυμαζομένων ἔσομαι». Μάλιστα μὲν οὖν ἀλαζόνος ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα δικαιοῦτος ἑαυτὸν κατὰ τὸν μεγάλαυχον Φαρισαῖον καὶ πάσης ταπεινότητος ξένα. Πρόδηλον δέ, ὡς ὁ μὴ πρότερον ταπεινωθεὶς εἰς ὕψος οὐκ ἀναβαίνει· ἀπόφασις γάρ ἐστι δεσποτική. 10.11.2 Ἵνα δὲ τίς σοι συγχωρήσῃ, ὅτι γενήσῃ τοιοῦτος, οὐ θέλεις, εἰπέ μοι, αἰδεσθῆναι τοὺς τὴν ὁδόν σοι τῆς εὐσεβείας τέμνοντας, τοὺς ὁδηγοὺς τῶν καλῶν, τοὺς διδασκάλους τῆς ἀρετῆς, τοὺς παιδεύσαντάς σε καρτερίαν καὶ θανάτου καταφρόνησιν; Παρὰ τῶν μαθητῶν τοῦ βίου τούτου εὐγνωμοσύνην διδάχθητι, ὅτι ὅμοιοι γινόμενοι τῶν διδαξάντων καὶ οὐδὲν τῆς τέχνης ἐλλείποντες ὅμως τῶν διδασκόντων φιλοῦσι τὰ στήθη, αἰδοῦνται, εὐφημοῦσι, τῶν πρωτείων παραχωροῦσι, θεραπεύουσι ὡς πατέρας. 10.12.1 Πολλὰ καὶ τελευτήσαντες ἅγιοι δύνανται καὶ ἀπελθόντες τοῦ βίου εὐεργετοῦσιν ἀνθρώπους· καὶ μάρτυς τῶν λεγομένων Ἐλισσαῖος πάλαι μὲν ἀπελθὼν τοῦ βίου καὶ κοιμηθείς, ἀθάνατον δὲ καὶ ἀχώριστον τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριν λαβὼν τῷ χώματι παρεδρεύουσαν καὶ τοῖς ἀψύχοις ὀστέοις. Οἶδας γάρ, ὁ φιλόπονος τῶν Γραφῶν μαθητής, ὅτι νεκρός τις παρὰ τῶν οἰκείων εἰς τὴν ἐκφορὰν κομιζόμενος λῃστῶν ἀθρόον ἢ πολεμίων κατα λαβόντων, οἷα φιλεῖ συμβαίνειν ἐν συνοχῇ καὶ θορύβῳ, ἐπιρριφθεὶς τῷ τάφῳ τοῦ τρισμακαρίου προφήτου ἀθρόον ἐψυχώθη καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ζῶντας ἀνέλυσεν. 10.12.2 Τί οὖν ἐροῦμεν πρὸς τὸ γενόμενον; Μὴ αἴσθησιν εἶχε τῶν πραττομένων ὁ δίκαιος; Μὴ εὐχὴν ἀνέπεμψεν ὑπὲρ τοῦ νεκροῦ ὡς ὑπὲρ τοῦ παιδαρίου τῆς Σωμανίτιδος; Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον δίδωσιν ἡμῖν ἐννοεῖν ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀλήθεια. Ἔκειτο γὰρ πρὸ πολλῶν τῶν χρόνων ὁ δίκαιος ἀναλυθέντος τοῦ σώματος πρὸς τὸν συγγενῆ χοῦν καὶ τὴν ὁμόφυλον κόνιν. Πρόδηλον δὲ καθέστηκεν, ὡς δοξάζων ὁ Θεὸς ἀεὶ καὶ μετὰ τελευτὴν τοὺς ἰδίους ἀνθρώπους περὶ τὰς θήκας αὐτῶν καὶ τὰς ἀναπαύσεις θαυματουργεῖ τὰ παράδοξα, ἵνα οἱ ζῶντες ἀεὶ καὶ μεθηλικέστεροι ἐνέχυρον ἔχοντες τῆς ἀγαθῆς ἐλπίδος τὰς εἰς τοὺς ἀπελθόντας

The Value of the Righteous§57

57They willingly sacrifice their lives for the honor of the best political order.

Likewise, for Elijah, the one who guided this prophet with the flaming horses and the fiery chariot, living in another kind of life and having departed from men to the place he received, he left a symbol sufficient of his own power, even the mantle. Yet what was the value of that thing? For it was nothing other than a dead and trivial skin from old age. However, even the Jordan itself yielded to it, and the water was split and stood divided, just as the old Jordan was before Jesus, who was a type of what was to come (2 Kings 2:11).

The Theban Elisha also was present, and he received the garment of the philosopher as a disciple, making the crossing of the river secure, honoring the philanthropy of God and the garments of the saints as if they were endowed with soul. And so that it might be clearly shown that the miracle concerning the river did not happen because of the cause of the water being struck, but because of the honor of the one inhabited and taken up, Elisha's water was struck, and the water flowed normally, nothing new having suffered. And since, having failed, he cried out: 'Where is the God of Elijah?' (2 Kings 2:14), and having cried out a second time, he sat down, immediately the river, splitting the stream, showed the dry land, and the prophet, having trodden, arrived at the other side.

And Joseph, after Jacob had died, not loving him as a father so privately, but honoring him as a common patriarch of the nation, with that much-celebrated service, led the remains out of Egypt, so as to allow Moses, after the writing of the world's genesis and the rest of the history, to give this also as a narrative of life. And Joseph again was present with the Israelite departing from the eyes, as one might say, stolen from Pharaoh, and the body was everywhere present with the people, and he led it with care as a good and evil-averting secure safeguard for the sixty myriads.

And they had such reverence regarding the ark of the forefather, as regarding the holy ark which bore the law of God. Therefore also David, entreating God to be propitious and favorable to the people, and exhausting him with myriads of supplications, so that having stilled the continuous and recurring plague of misfortunes, he might again govern Jerusalem with good foresight as before, thus says: 'O Shepherd of Israel, pay attention, O Leader of Joseph like a sheep' (Ps 80:2). For he is appeased by the names of the beloved and friends, and most gracefully handles the entreaty of the transgressing multitude of sins, as if concealing and covering them with the titles of the holy fathers.

This is told to our mind by the word concerning the saving of Sodom (Gen 18-19). For Abraham, entreating the Sodomites, when God, after foretelling, brought the punishment upon them as they were displeased, the sparing of the righteous being worthy to save the whole people. For beginning from the fifty toward the ten, he concluded, and God immediately granted the entreaty, as if weighing on some scale and weights, opposing the value of the ten righteous against the myriads of sinners.

In order that it might be shown more abundantly to us all, that even one righteous person is a precious thing and a friend to God, since the tenth failed to be a number and the multitude of the holy was found suffering from the smallness of the sinners, and it was necessary for the law-breakers to receive the penalty of audacity; Lot is violently driven from the condemned places and is saved entirely into the old age of his own righteousness, having received all his household from God (Gen 19). Therefore, a righteous person is a great possession: first, a benefit to himself; second, a lasting treasure to the rest of his race, unknown to sight and always accompanying them, silent and instructing others by his deeds; lying of old and living by his good repute. Good for the children.

Greek · §57

τιμὰς προθύμως τὸν τῆς ἀρίστης πολιτείας ἐξανύωσι βίον. 10.12.3 Ὡσαύτως καὶ Ἡλίας ὁ τοῦ προφήτου τούτου καθηγεμὼν μετὰ 10.12.3 τοὺς φλογώδεις ἵππους καὶ τὸ πύρινον ἅρμα ἐν ἄλλῃ βιωτεύων ζωῇ καὶ ἀπελθὼν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων εἰς τὸν χῶρον ὃν ἔλαχεν, ἱκανὸν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ δυνάμεως σύμβολον ἀφῆκεν τὴν μηλωτήν. Καίτοι πόσου τινὸς ἀξία ὑπῆρχεν ἐκείνη; Οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἄλλο τι ἢ δέρμα νεκρὸν καὶ φαῦλον ἐκ παλαιό τητος. Ὅμως δὲ καὶ ὁ Ἰορδάνης αὐτὴν ὑπεστέλλετο καὶ δίχα τὸ ὕδωρ ἐτέμνετο καὶ διακεκριμένον εἱστήκει ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ τὸ παλαιόν, ὃς ἦν τύπος τοῦ μέλλοντος. 10.12.4 Παρῆν δὲ καὶ ἀπὼν ὁ Θεσβίτης καὶ τὸ ἔνδυμα τοῦ φιλοσόφου ἐδεξιοῦτο τὸν μαθητήν, ἀσφαλῆ τοῦ ποταμοῦ χαριζομένης τὴν περαίωσιν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας καὶ τὰ ἐνδύματα τῶν ἁγίων τιμώσης ὡς ἔμψυχα. Καὶ ἵνα δειχθῇ καθαρῶς ὅτι τὸ περὶ τὸν ποταμὸν θαυματούργημα οὐ διὰ τὴν αἰτίαν ἐγένετο τοῦ πλήττοντος τὸ ὕδωρ, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν τιμὴν τοῦ οἰχομένου καὶ ἀναληφθέντος, πατά ξαντος τὸ ὕδωρ τοῦ Ἐλισσαίου ἔρρει τὸ ὕδωρ συνήθως οὐδὲν πεπονθὸς καινόν. 10.12.5 Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀποτυχὼν ἐπεβόησεν· Ποῦ δή ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς Ἡλίου, καὶ βοήσας ἐκ δευτέρου καθίκετο, εὐθὺς ὁ ποταμὸς διασχὼν τὸ ῥεῖθρον γυμνὴν ἔδειξε τὴν ξηρὰν καὶ πεζεύσας ὁ προφήτης εἰς τὸ πέραν ἀφίκετο. 10.13.1 Ὁ δὲ Ἰωσὴφ τὸν Ἰακὼβ τελευτήσαντα οὐχ ὡς πατέρα τοσοῦτονἰδιαζόντως ἀγαπῶν, ὅσον ὡς κοινὸν τοῦ ἔθνους πατριάρχην τιμῶν, μετὰ τῆς πολυθρυλήτου θεραπείας ἐκείνης ἀπήγαγεν ἐξ Αἰγύπτου τὸ λείψανον, ὥστε τὸν Μωϋσέα μετὰ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου γενέσεως καὶ τῆς 56 λοιπῆς ἱστορίας ἀνάγραπτον δοῦναι καὶ τοῦτο τῷ βίῳ διήγημα. 10.13.2 Ἰωσὴφ δὲ πάλιν ὕπαρ παρὰ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ὁδεύοντος ἐκ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, ἐκλάπη τοῦ Φαραώ, πανταχοῦ δὲ συμπαρῆν τῷ λαῷ τὸ σῶμα καὶ ἤγετο μετ' ἐπιμελείας ὡς ἀγαθόν τι καὶ ἀλεξίκακον φυλακτήριον ἀσφαλὲς τῶν ἑξήκοντα μυριάδων. Καὶ τοσαύτην εἶχον τὴν αἰδῶ περὶ τὴν λάρνακα τοῦ προπάτορος, ὅσην περὶ τὴν ἁγίαν κιβωτόν, ἣ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ νόμον ἐβάσταζεν. 10.13.3 ∆ιὸ καὶ ὁ ∆αβὶδ παρακαλῶν που τὸν Θεὸν ἵλεων εἶναι καὶ εὐμενῆ τῷ λαῷ, καὶ μυρίαις αὐτὸν ταῖς ἱκεσίαις ἐκλιπαρῶν, ἵνα τὴν συνεχῆ καὶ ἐπάλληλον τῶν συμφορῶν στήσας πληγὴν πάλιν ἐν ἀγαθῇ προνοίᾳ διοικῇ τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ὡς τὸ πρότερον, οὕτως φησί· Ὁ ποιμαίνων τὸν Ἰσραήλ, πρόσσχες, ὁ ὁδηγῶν ὡσεὶ πρόβατον τὸν Ἰωσήφ. ∆υσωπεῖ γὰρ τὸν Θεὸν τοῖς τῶν ἀγαπητῶν καὶ φίλων ὀνόμασιν καὶ λίαν εὐμηχάνως τὴν ἱκετηρίαν μεταχειρίζεται τοῦ δυσσε βήσαντος πλήθους τὰς ἁμαρτίας οἷον ἐγκρύπτων καὶ σκέπων ταῖς τῶν ἁγίων πατέρων προσηγορίαις. 10.14.1 Τοῦτον ἡμῖν ὑπαγορεύει τὸν νοῦν καὶ ὁ περὶ τὰ Σόδομα σωζόμενος λόγος. Ἀβραὰμ γὰρ Σοδομίτας παραιτούμενος, ἡνίκα δυσμεναίνων αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς μετὰ προρρήσεως ἐπήγαγεν τὴν κόλασιν, τῇ φειδοῖ τῶν δικαίων ἠξίου σωθῆναι τὸν σύμπαντα δῆμον. Ἀρξάμενος γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν πεντήκοντα εἰς τοὺς δέκα κατέληξεν καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἱκεσίαν εὐθέως ἔνευσεν ὁ Θεός, ὥσπερ ἐπί τινος ζυγοῦ καὶ πλαστίγγων ταῖς μυριάσι τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν τὸ τῶν δέκα δικαίων ἀντιστήσας ἀξίωμα. 10.14.2 Ἵνα δὲ ἐπὶ πλέον ἐνδείξηται πᾶσιν ἡμῖν, ὅτι καὶ εἷς δίκαιος τίμιον πρᾶγμα καὶ Θεῷ φίλον, ἐπειδὴ ὁ μὲν δέκατος ἐξέλιπεν ἀριθμὸς καὶ εὑρέθη ταύτης τῆς ὀλιγότητος τῶν ὁσίων τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ὁ δῆμος πενόμενος, ἐχρῆν δὲ τοὺς παρανομή σαντας δοῦναι θρασύτητος δίκην, σφοδρῶς ἐλαύνεται τῶν καταδικασθέντων τόπων ὁ Λὼτ καὶ σώζεται παγγενεὶ εἰς τὸ γέρας τῆς ἰδίας δικαι οσύνης καὶ τοὺς οἰκείους πάντας παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ προσλαβών. 10.15.1 Μέγα οὖν κτῆμα δίκαιος· πρῶτον ὄφελος ἑαυτῷ, ἔπειτα τοῖς ἑξῆς τοῦ γένους θησαυρὸς διαρκὴς ἀγνοούμενος τῇ θέᾳ καὶ ἀεὶ συμπαρών, σιωπῶν καὶ παιδεύων τοὺς ἄλλους πράγμασι· πάλαι κείμενος καὶ ζῶν ταῖς εὐδοκιμήσεσιν. Ἀγαθὴ τῶν παίδων

The Intercession of the Wise and the Fall of Solomon§58

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58It is an inheritance and an asylum, which time does not consume and a robber does not take away. For it is incorporeal and without body, trading among incorporeal souls.

You see how even the glorious and the un-songworthy Israelites, being deprived of all things and cast out from the land, were not deprived of or stripped of the title of being called from the God-loving forefather; but even while serving barbarians, they were freed because of the righteousness of the fathers, and while living in the desert, they were nourished because of the good reputation of those born; and though sinning continually and blaspheming many times, and being worthy of the destroying punishment, they were made worthy because of the merciful Abraham, and because of Israel they obtained forgiveness, impudent children being saved by the old age of the fathers.

And you know, O lover of learning, how at first when God called Moses from the shepherdship to the leadership of the peoples, He immediately says these things to the servant: 'I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob' (Exodus 3:6). And having become a little person of the Word, He adds these: 'Gather the assembly of the sons of Israel and say to them: The Lord, the God of your fathers, appeared to me, the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob' (Exodus 3:16).

And thus in preambles, God seals the descendants with the name of the righteous fathers, like a certain sign, knowing it to be good and profitable to be known from them. But after time had passed, when the people turned toward insolence against the Benefactor and despised the Savior, and they applied themselves to the idol-making of the calf and worshiped a lifeless skull, having lost the living and rational intellect,

Moses, not having such things as these to appease the Master on behalf of the disciples, the much-toiling pedagogue flees to the memory of the fathers and with them the entreaty...

It is cast, he says, in this way: having remembered Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the saved ones, before whom you swore to yourself that their seed would multiply like the stars of heaven (Genesis 22:17).

Great is the wrath and the fury, and it is unavoidable; but the wise and resourceful petitioner, having surrounded himself with the countenances of the saints and having cast down to God the cities of the elders through their memory, extinguished the punishment like a flame, healing the wounds with the paternal oil of those who remain.

Leaving the Mosaic book, he moved on to the books of the Kings. For there also he is seen worthy of pity, because he was the offspring of a God-loving father. And this is Solomon, the one of many thrones; who, since as time went on he was not a ruler of sufferings, but rather a slave and more uncontrolled in the flesh, and because of the heedlessness of life, he changed and subverted the ancestral piety, shaping idols that are stumbling blocks to the law.

God says to him: 'I will tear your kingdom apart and give it to your servant; however, in your days I will not do this because of David your father; from the hand of your son I will receive it' (1 Kings 12:9). These things instruct us through history; and the song of the Psalms teaches similar things: 'I was young; and indeed I have grown old, and I have not seen a righteous man left abandoned, nor his seed seeking bread' (Psalm 37:25).

But, as it seems, when once the soul of truth is shattered and it has rushed headlong into innovating instead of living in order, nothing is able to turn it back to the straight and ordered way; but resisting the bridle, just as a stubborn donkey is led toward the pit, overcoming the rider in mind by the impulse toward evil, such is it to see these Eunomians also.

For thus these men love to be called men rather than of Christ, blaspheming God and dishonoring the men of God, but rather...

Greek · §58

κληρονομία καὶ ἄσυλος, ἣν χρόνος οὐ δαπανᾷ καὶ λῃστὴς οὐκ ἀφαιρεῖται. Ἀσώματος γάρ ἐστι καὶ ἄϋλος, ἀσωμάτοις ἐμπολιτευομένη ψυχαῖς. 10.15.2 Ὁρᾷς ὡς καὶ οἱ ἔνδοξοι καὶ ἀοίδιμοι Ἰσραηλῖται πάντων ἀφῃρημένοι καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς γῆς ἐκπε σόντες τῆς πατρικῆς τῆς σεμνῆς προσηγορίας οὐκ ἀφῃρέθησαν οὐδὲ ἐγυμνώθησαν τοῦ καλεῖσθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ φιλοθέου προπάτορος, ἀλλὰ καὶ βαρβάροις δουλεύοντες διὰ τὴν δικαιοσύνην τῶν πατέρων ἠλευθερώθησαν καὶ ἐν ἐρήμῳ διαζῶντες διὰ τὴν εὐδοκίμησιν τῶν γεννησαμένων ἐτρά φησαν· καὶ ἁμαρτάνοντες συνεχῶς καὶ βλασφημοῦντες πολλάκις καὶ ἄξιοι νομισθέντες τῆς ὀλοθρευούσης κολάσεως διὰ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ φειδοῦς ἠξιώθησαν καὶ διὰ τὸν Ἰσραὴλ ἔτυχον συγγνώμης, θρασυκάρδιοι παῖδες εἰς τὰ γέρα τῶν πατέρων σωζόμενοι. 10.16.1 Καὶ οἶδάς γε, ὁ φιλομαθής, ὡς ἐν πρώτοις ὁ Θεός, ἡνίκα ἐκ τῆς ποιμαντικῆς ἐπὶ τὴν ἡγεμονίαν τῶν λαῶν ἐκάλει τὸν Μωϋσῆν, εὐθὺς ταῦτα πρὸς τὸν δοῦλόν φησιν· Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς τοῦ πατρός σου, ὁ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ. Καὶ μικρὸν πρόσω τοῦ λόγου γενόμενος ταῦτα προστίθησιν· Συνάγαγε τὴν γερουσίαν τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς· Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν ὦπταί μοι, ὁ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς Ἰακώβ. 10.16.2 Καὶ οὕτως ἐν προοιμίοις ὁ Θεὸς τῷ ὀνόματι τῶν δικαίων πατέρων οἷον σημάντρῳ τινὶ τοὺς ἀπογόνους σφραγίζεται· καλὸν εἰδὼς καὶ συμφέρον τὸ ἀπ' ἐκείνων γνωρίζεσθαι. Χρόνου δὲ προελθόντος, ἐπειδὴ εἰς ὕβριν τοῦ εὐεργέτου ὥρμησεν ὁ λαὸς καὶ καταφρόνησιν τοῦ Σωτῆρος, προσέκοψαν δὲ τῇ εἰδωλοποιήσει τοῦ μόσχου καὶ προσεκύνουν κρανίον ἄψυχον τὴν ἔμψυχον καὶ λογικὴν φρόνησιν ἀπολέσαντες, 10.16.3 οὐκ ἔχων ὁ Μωϋσῆς τηνικαῦτα 57 ὅπως ὑπὲρ τῶν μαθητῶν ἐξιλεώσηται τὸν ∆εσπότην, ὁ παιδαγωγὸς ὁ πολύμοχθος καταφεύγει πρὸς τὴν μνήμην τῶν πατέρων καὶ μετ' ἐκείνων τὴν ἰκετηρίαν προβάλλεται, φησὶν δὲ οὕτως· Ἵλεως γενοῦ ἐπὶ τῇ κακίᾳ τοῦ λαοῦ μνησθεὶς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ τῶν σῶνἱκετῶν, οἷς ὤμοσας κατὰ σεαυτοῦ πληθῦναι τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν ὡς τὰ ἄστρα τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. 10.16.4 Μεγάλη ἡ ὀργὴ καὶ ὁ θυμὸς ἀπαραίτητος· ἀλλ' ὁ σοφὸς καὶ εὐμήχανος ἱκέτης τὰ προσωπεῖα περι θέμενος τῶν ἁγίων καὶ τὰς πολίας τῶν γερόντων διὰ τῆς μνήμης τῷ Θεῷ ὑπορρίψας ἔσβεσεν ὡς φλόγα τὴν τιμωρίαν, πατρικῷ ἐλαίῳ τῶν μανέντων υἱῶν θεραπεύσας τὰ τραύματα. 10.17.1 Καταλιπὼν τὴν Μωσαϊκὴν βίβλον ἐπὶ τὰς βίβλους τῶν Βασιλέων μετάβηθι. Ὄψει γὰρ κἀκεῖ παῖδα φειδοῦς ἀξιούμενον, διότι γέννημα ἦν φιλοθέου πατρός. Σολομὼν δέ ἐστιν οὗτος ὁ πολυθρύλητος· ὅς, ἐπειδὴ προϊόντος τοῦ χρόνου οὐκ ἦν τῶν παθῶν αὐτοκράτωρ, δοῦλος δὲ μᾶλλον καὶ ἀκρατέστερος σωμεραστής, διὰ δὲ τὴν ἀπροσεξίαν τοῦ βίου μετέβαλεν καὶ τὴν πατρῴαν εὐσέβειαν, εἴδωλα μορφώσας τὰ τοῦ νόμου προσκόμματα· 10.17.2 φησὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Θεός· ∆ιαρρήσων διαρρήξω τὴν βασιλείαν σου καὶ δώσω αὐτὴν τῷ δούλῳ σου· πλὴν ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις σου οὐ ποιήσω ταῦτα διὰ ∆αβὶδ τὸν πατέρα σου· ἐκ χειρὸς τοῦ υἱοῦ σου λήψομαι αὐτήν. Ταῦτα ἡμᾶς ἡ ἱστορία παιδεύει· διδάσκει καὶ ἡ ᾠδὴ τῶν ψαλμῶν τὰ ὅμοια· Νεώτερος ἤμην· καὶ γὰρ ἐγήρασα καὶ οὐκ εἶδον δίκαιον ἐγκαταλελειμμένον οὐδὲ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ζητοῦν ἄρτους. 10.18.1 Ἀλλ', ᾗ ἔοικεν, ἐπειδὰν ἅπαξ ψυχὴ τῆς ἀληθείας καταθρασύνηται καὶ τὸ καινοτομεῖν ἐκπλήκτως ἀντὶ τοῦ ζῆν ἐν τάξει προέληται, οὐδὲν αὐτὴν ἐπιστρέφειν ἱκανὸν εἰς τὴν εὐθεῖαν καὶ τεταγμένην ὁδόν· ἐνδακοῦσα δὲ τὸν χαλινὸν ὥσπερ τις πῶλος δυσήνιος φέρεται πρὸς τὸ βάραθρον νικῶσα τὸν ἀναβάτην νοῦν τῇ πρὸς τὴν κακίαν ὁρμῇ, ὥσπερ δὴ καὶ τοὺς Εὐνομιανοὺς τούτους ἔστιν ἰδεῖν. 10.18.2 Οὕτως γὰρ φιλοῦσι καλεῖσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἄνθρωποι, Θεὸν βλασφημοῦντες, τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀτιμάζοντες, μᾶλλον δὲ

The Honor of Martyrs and Introduction to Euphemia§59

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59Whether they are being awed by the resting places of the saints, or are acting with prudence toward the altars and the defiled places. The ascetics of that deprivation and those who consider the terror against all things to be virtue thought that the shouts of the demons would be ashamed of the bright power of the martyrs crying out and shouting, and of those calling each one by name as if present, and driving away and chasing the oppressed humans.

Whether one wishes to say that the spirits of the athletes of piety act against the unclean spirits, or that angels attend the holy tombs in honor of those who have rested, it makes no difference; for whatever is said, it is the glory of those who suffered for the love toward Christ. The benefits of the martyrs appear manifest every day, sometimes in different and diverse ways, which free the wanderers from the operations of the satanic. For those who were once seized by madness and held by evils are now seen to be acting with prudence, and we see the boldness of the embassy of the saints testifying to the facts.

And just as unmistakable proofs of the power of our Savior were contained in the midst of the Hebrews—those cleansed of leprosy, those whose sight was healed, the blind, and if any paralytic, having been strengthened in the harmony of his limbs, walked without hindrance—so also now those who carry the cross for the sake of Him who was crucified provide clear proofs by the grace of the Lord, healing the faithful in various and diverse ways like fellow-slaves.

And Paul and Peter—the one having expelled the Python demon (Acts 16:18), the other having raised the lame man at the temple gates (Acts 3:6)—turned Hebrews and Greeks toward obedience to the gospel through practical powers; but the evil assembly of heretics now badly harasses our...

The martyrs are not respected even for the greatness of the miracles. Instead, people call them many-maned, and their tombs and their resting places are named as such, and they cleanse themselves as if rubbing against a contagion, not even mentioning that God-breathed saying praised by every mouth: 'Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints' (Psalm 116:15). Therefore, let us pray to God, and let us entreat the martyrs to revile the Lord in common, so that a spirit of compunction may be given to those acting under the error of heresy, and the division may be loosed like a mediator or a barrier, so that all may come together in brotherly unity in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom belongs the glory forever. Amen.

The discourse of Asterius, Bishop of Amaseia, concerning the holy Euphemia the martyr. First, O men, I had Demosthenes in my hands, the formidable one, and those Demosthenian things where Aeschines strikes bitterly at the memories; having been stained by the word and having thickened the intellect, I was in need of relaxation and a walk, so that the suffering of my soul might be somewhat released. Having come out of the room and having conversed a little with acquaintances in the marketplace, from there I arrived at the temple of God to pray at leisure.

As I happened to do this and was walking one of the covered walkways, I saw a certain painting there and the sight seized me intensely: you would say it was a work of Euphranor or one of those ancients who, having taken up the art of painting, worked great lifelike panels with little effort. Come here, for if you wish for a leisure narrative now, I will describe the painting to you; for we do not have medicines from the children of the Muses that are any less inferior than those of the painters. A certain woman, a holy virgin, having consecrated her chastity to God, they call Euphemia; and when a tyrant was once driving away the pious, she eagerly sought death.

Greek · §59

ἐντρεπόμενοι τὰς τῶν ἁγίων ἀναπαύσεις ἢ οἱ σωφρονοῦντες τοὺς βωμοὺς καὶ τοὺς βεβήλους καὶ τοὺς μεμιασμένους τῶν τόπων. Ἐχρῆν δὲ τοὺς τῆς ἀπονοίας ἐκείνης ἀσκητὰς καὶ τὸ κατὰ πάντων θράσος ἀρετὴν νομίζοντας τὰς γοῦν τῶν δαιμόνων αἰδεσθῆναι φωνὰς κραζόντων καὶ βοώντων λαμπρῶς τῶν μαρτύρων τὴν δύναμιν καὶ ὀνόμασι καλούντων ἕκαστον ὡς παρεστῶτα καὶ ἀπελαύνοντα καὶ φυγα δεύοντα τῶν τυραννουμένων ἀνθρώπων. 10.18.3 Εἴτε δὲ τὰ πνεύματα τῶν ἀθλητῶν τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐθέλοι τις ἐνεργεῖν κατὰ τῶν ἀκαθάρτων πνευμάτων εἴτε ἀγγέλους εἰς τιμὴν τῶν ἀναπεπαυμένων παρεδρεύοντας τοῖς ἁγίοις σηκοῖς, οὐδὲν διαφέρει· ὁπότερον γὰρ ἂν λέγηται, δόξα τῶν ὑπὲρ τῆς εἰς Χριστὸν ἀγάπης ἐστὶ παθόντων. Πρόδηλον δὲ φαίνονται καθ' ἡμέραν αἱ τῶν μαρτύρων εὐεργεσίαι, ἄλλοτε ἄλλαι καὶ διαφερόντως, αἳ τῶν σατανικῶν ἐνεργημάτων ἐλευθεροῦσι τοὺς παραφόρους. Οἱ γὰρ ὑλακτοῦντες καὶ τοῖς ἀδιηγήτοις τῆς μανίας ποτὲ κακοῖς ἐνεχόμενοι νῦν σωφρονοῦντες ὁρῶνται καὶ τῆς πρεσβείας τῶν ἁγίων τὴν παρρησίαν παρ' αὐτῶν βλέπομεν τῶν πραγμάτων μαρτυρουμένην. 10.18.4 Καὶ ὥσπερ τῆς τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν δυνάμεως ἀναμφίβολα δείγματα ἐν μέσῳ τῶν Ἑβραίων περιενόστουν, οἵ τε τῆς λέπρας ἀποξεσθέντες καὶ οἱ τὰς ὄψεις ἰαθέντες τυφλοὶ καὶ εἴ τις παραλυτικὸς τὰς τῶν μελῶν ἁρμονίας δυναμωθεὶς ἀκωλύτως ἐβάδιζεν, οὕτως καὶ νῦν οἱ τὸν σταυρὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ σταυρωθέντος βαστάσαντες τῆς παρὰ τοῦ ∆εσπότου χάριτος ἐναργεῖς τὰς ἀποδείξεις παρέχονται, ποικίλως καὶ διαφόρως τοὺς πιστοὺς τῶν ὁμοδούλων ἰώμενοι. 10.18.5 Καὶ Παῦλος μὲν καὶ Πέτρος, ὁ μὲν διώξας τὸ τοῦ Πύθωνος δαιμόνιον, ὁ δὲ τὸν χωλὸν ἀναστήσας τῶν τοῦ ναοῦ προπυλαίων, ἐκ πρακτικῶν δυνάμεων Ἑβραίους καὶ Ἕλληνας πρὸς τὴν ὑπακοὴν τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἐπέστρεψαν· αἱρετικῶν δὲ πονηρὸν σύνταγμα τὸ νῦν κακῶς διοχλοῦν τὴν ἡμετέραν 58 ζωὴν οὐδὲ τῇ μεγαλουργίᾳ τῶν θαυμάτων αἰδεῖται τοὺς μάρτυρας· πολυάνδρια δὲ καὶ τάφους καὶ κοιμήσεις αὐτῶν ὀνομάζουσι καὶ τὰς εἰσόδους αὐτὰς ὡς μιάσματι προστριβομένας μυσάττονται, οὐδὲ ἐκείνου τοῦ θεοπνεύστου λογίου τοῦ παρὰ παντὸς ᾀδομένου στόματος μνημονεύοντες, ὅτι· Τίμιος ἐναντίον Κυρίου ὁ θάνατος τῶν ὁσίων αὐτοῦ. 10.18.6 Εὐξώμεθα τοίνυν Θεῷ, παρακαλέσωμεν δὲ μάρτυρας τὸν κοινὸν δυσωπῆσαι ∆εσπότην, ἵνα δοθῇ πνεῦμα κατανύξεως τοῖς παρὰ τῆς αἱρετικῆς πλάνης ἐνεργουμένοις, λυθείσης δὲ τῆς διχονοίας ὥσπερ μεσοτοίχου τινὸς ἢ φραγμοῦ εἰς ἀδελφικὴν οἱ πάντες συνέλθωμεν ἕνωσιν· ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τῷ Κυρίῳ ἡμῶν, ᾧ πρέπει ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν. 11.t.1 Ἀστερίου ἐπισκόπου Ἀμασείας ἔκφρασις εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν Εὐφημίαν τὴν μάρτυρα 11.1.1 Πρώην μέν, ὦ ἄνδρες, ∆ημοσθένην εἶχον ἐν χερσὶ τὸν δεινὸν καὶ ∆ημοσθένους ἐκεῖνα ἔνθα δὴ τὸν Αἰσχίνην πικροῖς βάλλει τοῖς ἐνθυμήμασιν· ἐγχρονίσας δὲ τῷ λόγῳ καὶ πυκνωθεὶς τὴν διάνοιαν ἀνέσεως ἐδεόμην καὶ περιπάτου, ὥστε μοι λυθῆναι μικρὸν τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ πονού μενον. Προελθὼν δὲ τοῦ δωματίου καὶ ὀλίγα τοῖς γνωρίμοις συμβαδίσας ἐπ' ἀγορᾶς, ἐκεῖθεν εἰς τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τέμενος ἀφικόμην εὐξόμενος ἐν σχολῇ· 11.1.2 ὡς δὲ καὶ τούτου τυχὼν ἕνα δὴ τῶν ὑποστέγων δρόμων ἐβάδιζον, εἶδον ἐκεῖ γραφήν τινα καί με κατ' ἄκρας εἷλεν ἡ θέα· Εὐφράνορος ἂν εἶπες εἶναι τὸ φιλοτέχνημα ἤ τινος ἐκείνων τῶν παλαιῶν, οἳ τὴν γραφικὴν ἦραν εἰς μέγα ἐμψύχους ὀλίγου δέοντος ἐργασάμενοι πίνακας. ∆εῦρο δ' εἰ βούλεικαὶ γὰρ σχολὴ νῦν διηγήματος, φράσω σοι τὴν γραφήν· οὐδὲ γὰρ φαυλότερα πάντως τῶν ζωγράφων οἱ μουσῶν παῖδες ἔχομεν φάρμακα. 11.2.1 Γυνή τις ἱερὰ παρθένος ἀκήρατον Θεῷ τὴν σωφροσύνην καθιερώ σασαΕὐφημίαν καλοῦσιν αὐτήν, τυράννου δέ ποτε τοὺς εὐσεβοῦντας ἐλαύνοντος μάλα προθύμως τὸν ἐπὶ θανάτῳ εἵλετο

The Artist's Depiction of the Passion§60

60Danger; but the citizens and sharers in the religion for which she died, having marveled together at her courage and the sacredness of the virgin, having placed the shrine near the temple and laid down the casket, perform honors to her and make the annual feast a common and widespread celebration, a panegyris.

Therefore, the celebrants of the mysteries of God always honor the memory by word and by intention, and they teach the associated people with care how she completed the contest of endurance. And the painter himself, through his art, having engraved with all possible power the whole history upon linen, placed before the shrine a sacred spectacle; and here is the artistic skill.

A judge sits high upon a throne, looking bitterly and with hostility at the virgin; for he is angry whenever the art seeks even with soulless materials. And there are spear-bearers of the ruler and many soldiers; some carrying the tablets of the memoranda and styluses, one of whom, having raised his hand from the wax, looks intensely at the one being judged, turning his whole face, as if rising to intercede, speaking so that she might not write incorrectly or errantly concerning the hearing, being weary.

And the virgin stands in a purple tunic and robe, signifying philosophy, as it seemed to the writer, and her appearance is charming, as it seems to me, the soul having been beautified by virtues. And two soldiers lead her toward the ruler, one pulling her by the face, the other hurrying from behind. The appearance of the virgin is gripped by modesty and severity; for she indeed bows toward the earth as if reddening the faces of the men, but she stands unshakeable, suffering nothing in the cowardly contest.

If I had previously praised other painters, I would have beheld the drama of that woman of Colchis, as she is about to bring to the children the...

A sword divides the face with mercy and anger; one of the eyes manifests wrath, while the other manifests the mother being pitied and trembling. Now I have shifted the wonder of the Scripture from that idea to this one; and I am most ignorant of the artist, because he has rather mixed the bloom of colors, combining shame and courage together, through natural sufferings.

Moving forward into the face of the imitation, certain criminals in small tunics, already naked, were beginning the work; and the one, seizing the head and leaning it toward the back, provided for the other a suitable position for the punishment of the virgin's face; and the assistant was cutting out the pearly teeth; and a hammer and a chisel appear as the instruments of the punishment. My eyes weep from here, and the passion strikes my speech; for the painter has colored the drops of blood so vividly that you might say they are truly flowing from the lips, and you would depart mourning.

After these things, a prison; and again the solemn virgin sits alone in light-colored garments, stretching out her hands toward heaven and calling upon God, the helper of the distressed. While she prays, the sign appears above her head, which indeed the law commands Christians to worship and to inscribe, a symbol I think of the passion which was receiving her.

Immediately, indeed, and after a little while, the painter kindled a fierce fire elsewhere, making the flame by applying red color here and there. He stands her in the middle, having spread her hands toward heaven, showing no pain in her face, but on the contrary rejoicing because she has emigrated to the incorporeal and blessed life.

Up to this point the painter has set his hand and I too my speech; it is time for you, if you wish, to finish the Scripture, so that you may understand accurately, lest we have come much after the explanation.

Greek · §60

κίνδυνον· οἱ δὲ δὴ πολῖται καὶ κοινωνοὶ τῆς θρησκείας ὑπὲρ ἧς ἐτελεύτησεν, ὡς ἀνδρείαν ὁμοῦ καὶ ἱερὰν τὴν παρθένον θαυμάσαντες, πλησίον τοῦ ἱεροῦ τὴν θήκην δειμάμενοι καταθέμενοί τε τὴν λάρνακα τιμὰς τελοῦσιν αὐτῇ καὶ τὴν ἐτήσιον ἑορτὴν κοινὴν καὶ πάνδημον ποιοῦνται πανήγυριν. 11.2.2 Οἱ μὲν οὖν τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ μυστηρίων ἱεροφάνται καὶ λόγῳ τιμῶσι τὴν μνήμην ἀεὶ καὶ προαιρέσει καὶ ὅπως ἐξετέλεσε τὸν τῆς καρτερίας ἀγῶνα ἐπιμελῶς τοὺς συνιόντας λαοὺς ἐκδιδάσκουσιν. Ὁ δὲ δὴ ζωγράφος εὐσεβῶν καὶ αὐτὸς διὰ τῆς τέχνης τὰ κατὰ δύναμιν πᾶσαν τὴν ἱστορίαν ἐν σινδόνι χαράξας αὐτοῦ που περὶ τὴν θήκην ἱερὸν ἀνέθηκε θέαμα· ἔχει δὲ ὧδε τὸ φιλοτέχνημα. 11.3.1 Ὑψηλὸς ἐπὶ θρόνου καθίδρυται δικαστὴς πικρὸν καὶ δυσμενὲς βλέπων εἰς τὴν παρθένον· ὀργίζεται γὰρ ὅταν ἐθέλῃ κἀν ταῖς ἀψύχοις ὕλαις ἡ τέχνη. ∆ορυφόροι δὲ τῆς ἀρχῆς καὶ στρατιῶται πολλοί, οἱ μὲν τῶν ὑπομνημάτων ὑπογραφεῖς δέλτους φέροντες καὶ γραφίδας, ὧν θάτερος ἀναρτήσας ἀπὸ τοῦ κηροῦ τὴν χεῖρα βλέπει πρὸς τὴν κρινομένην σφοδρῶς ὅλον ἐκκλίνας τὸ πρόσωπον, ὥσπερ παρακελευόμενος γεγωνότερον λαλεῖν ἵνα μὴ κάμνων περὶ τὴν ἀκοὴν ἐσφαλμένα γράφῃ καὶ ἐπιλήψιμα. 11.3.2 Ἕστηκεν δὲ ἡ παρθένος ἐν φαιῷ χιτῶνι καὶ ἱματίῳ τὴν φιλοσοφίαν σημαίνουσα, ὡς μὲν ἔδοξε τῷ γραφεῖ, καὶ τὴν ὄψιν ἀστεία, ὡς δ' ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ, τὴν ψυχὴν κεκαλλωπισμένη ταῖς ἀρεταῖς. Ἄγουσι δὲ αὐτὴν πρὸς τὸν ἄρχοντα δύο στρατιῶται, ὁ μὲν ἕλκων ἐπὶ τὸ πρόσω, ὁ δὲ κατόπιν ἐπείγων. Κεκραμένον τῆς παρθένου τὸ εἶδος αἰδοῖ καὶ στερρότητι· νεύει μὲν γὰρ εἰς γῆν ὥσπερ ἐρυθριῶσα τὰς ὄψεις τῶν ἀρρένων, ἕστηκε δὲ ἀκατάπληκτος οὐδὲν 59 πάσχουσα πρὸς τὸν ἀγῶνα δειλόν. 11.3.3 Ὡς ἔγωγε τοὺς ἄλλους τέως ἐπῄνουν ζωγράφους, ἐστ' ἂν ἐθεασάμην τῆς γυναικὸς ἐκείνης τῆς Κολχίδος τὸ δρᾶμα, ὅπως μέλλουσα τοῖς τέκνοις ἐπιφέρειν τὸ ξίφος ἐλέῳ καὶ θυμῷ μερίζει τὸ πρόσωπον καὶ θάτερος μὲν τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὴν ὀργὴν ἐμφανίζει, θάτερος δὲ τὴν μητέρα μηνύει φειδομένην καὶ φρίττουσαν, νῦν δὲ τὸ θαῦμα ἀπ' ἐκείνης τῆς ἐννοίας πρὸς ταύτην μετατέθεικα τὴν γραφήν· καὶ σφόδρα γε ἄγαμαι τοῦ τεχνίτου, ὅτι μᾶλλον ἔμιξε τῶν χρωμάτων τὸ ἄνθος, αἰδῶ τε ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀνδρείαν κεράσας, πάθη κατὰ φύσιν μαχόμενα. 11.4.1 Προβαινούσης δὲ εἰς τὸ πρόσω τῆς μιμήσεως, δήμιοί τινες ἐν χιτωνίσκοις γυμνοὶ ἤδη ἤρχοντο τοῦ ἔργου· καὶ ὁ μὲν δραξάμενος τῆς κεφαλῆς καὶ ἀνακλίνας εἰς τὸ κατόπιν παρεῖχε τῷ ἑτέρῳ εὐτρεπὲς εἰς τιμωρίαν τῆς παρθένου τὸ πρόσωπον· ὁ δὲ παραστὰς ἐξέκοπτε τῶν ὀδόν των τὸ μαργαρῶδες· σφῦρα δὲ καὶ τέρετρον φαίνεται τῆς τιμωρίας τὰ ὄργανα. ∆ακρύω δὲ τὸ ἐντεῦθεν καί μοι τὸ πάθος ἐπικόπτει τὸν λόγον· τὰς γὰρ τοῦ αἵματος σταγόνας οὕτως ἐναργῶς ἐπέχρωσεν ὁ γραφεὺς ὥστε εἴποις ἂν προχεῖσθαι τῶν χειλέων ἀληθῶς καὶ θρηνήσας ἀπέλθοις. 11.4.2 ∆εσμωτήριον μετὰ ταῦτα· καὶ πάλιν ἡ παρθένος σεμνὴ ἐν τοῖς φαιοῖς ἱματίοις κάθηται μόνη ἐκτείνουσα τὼ χεῖρε πρὸς οὐρανὸν καὶ καλοῦσα Θεὸν ἐπίκουρον τῶν δεινῶν· εὐχομένῃ δὲ αὐτῇ φαίνεται ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς τὸ σημεῖον ὃ δὴ νόμος χριστιανοῖς προσκυνεῖν τε καὶ ἐπιγράφεσθαι, σύμβολον οἶμαι τοῦ πάθους ὅπερ αὐτὴν ἐξεδέχετο. 11.4.3 Εὐθὺς γοῦν καὶ μετ' ὀλίγον πῦρ ἀλλαχοῦ σφοδρὸν ὁ ζωγράφος ἀνῆψεν, ἐρυθρῷ χρώματι ἔνθεν καὶ ἔνθεν ἐπιλαμφθέντι σωματοποιήσας τὴν φλόγα. Ἵστησι δὲ μέσην αὐτήν, τὰς μὲν χεῖρας πρὸς οὐρανὸν διαπλώσασαν, ἀχθηδόνα δὲ οὐδεμίαν ἐπιφαίνουσαν τῷ προσώπῳ, ἀλλὰ τοὐναντίον γεγηθυῖαν ὅτι πρὸς τὴν ἀσώματον καὶ μακαρίαν ἐξεδήμει ζωήν. 11.4.4 Μέχρι τούτου καὶ ὁ ζωγράφος ἔστησε τὴν χεῖρα κἀγὼ τὸν λόγον· ὥρα δέ σοι καὶ αὐτήν, εἰ βούλει, τελέσαι τὴν γραφήν, ἵνα κατίδῃς ἀκριβῶς, εἰ μὴ πολὺ κατόπιν τῆς ἐξηγήσεως ἤλθομεν.

The Glory of the Disciples§61

61How truly holy and beautiful is the circle of things that gladden us! For a feast succeeds a feast and a festival seizes a festival; and we are called from prayer to prayer, and the honor of the servant seizes the divine manifestations of the Lord.

Even if regarding his birth, one might be indifferent to him who was born yesterday through flesh and is always existing according to divinity, and even regarding his martyrdom, which the brave one underwent today, one will find many diverse things, but one purpose: that we might be taught piety.

Yesterday, therefore, we learned through the cyclical and customary feast that the Savior of the world was born, and the incorporeal clothed himself in flesh, and the bodiless put on a body; then that he also accepted sufferings on our behalf and was lifted up on the wood not for anyone else's sake but for our salvation. Today, however, we see the brave combatant being stoned for that sake, so that by blood he might repay the debt for the sake of the love which is above blood.

Stephen, therefore, the gatherer of this festival, who calls us to the joy we behold, who led the people as one city, a man the firstfruit of the martyrs, a teacher of the sufferings for Christ, a foundation of the good confession. For before Stephen, no one poured out blood for the sake of the Gospel.

But just as that Cain, the brother-slayer, as the history of Moses teaches me regarding brother-slaying (Genesis 4), committed the act—for having taken strife instead of natural friendship, he first defiled the earth with murder—so also Stephen, the thrice-blessed, first sanctified the earth with the blood of his own, through the combats of the pious, a man second to the times of the apostles, but first in his courageous deeds.

And do not be indignant with me, Peter; do not be grieved, James; do not be harsh, John, if I do not only compare this man to your philosophy, but if I wish to grant him something even more.

Rather, be ashamed, for you are deficient fathers, and you exult in the achievements of the sons and are pleased to be surpassed by the children in virtue. For if anything is beautiful and great regarding Stephen, this is certainly yours, as those who instructed and initiated him.

For the approval of the athletes becomes the glory of the trainer. Therefore, having asked you for a small concession, I will speak with boldness, as the subject gives to me for the sake of advocating what is best concerning Christ. You are an elder of the disciples, holy Peter, and before all things you proclaimed Jesus Christ. Furthermore, while you were preaching your evangelical word, going from city to city and from land to land without ceasing and laboring in the preaching, this one, having entered the stadium and having snatched the crown from the competitors, having gone into heaven, was glorified while you were still turning about the earth; and the greater glory is of his Father and Son calling him through the wonderful vision. Thus indeed it is with Peter, and what has been said is sufficient. For it is daring to contend with the fathers much more concerning precedence.

Let us also see the others, James, brother of John. You are an evangelist of Christ, a second prize after Peter. And who would not praise your faith? For you were only called and, intending nothing else, you obeyed. You left behind the boat and the father Zebedee; and you followed Christ as a genuine disciple. You suffered willingly for the sake of piety, I confess; for Herod the tyrant used you with the sword (Acts 12:2), but after Stephen, many years later.

And why do I name them one by one, when when the prize of martyrdom was lifted up for all the saints together, first setting oneself against the devil and first conquering, imitating David, even if through a reversal of the matter? David conquered Goliath with stones (1 Samuel 17), and Stephen conquered the devil with stones; but the one with what he threw, and the other with what he was struck by. We, however, the people of Christ, as the...

Greek · §61

12.t.1 Ἀστερίου ἐπισκόπου Ἀμασείας ἐγκώμιον εἰς τὸν ἅγιον Στέφανον τὸν πρωτομάρτυρα 12.1.1 Ὡς ἱερὸς ἀληθῶς καὶ καλὸς τῶν εὐφραινόντων ἡμᾶς πραγμάτων ὁ κύκλος! Ἑορτὴ γὰρ ἑορτὴν διαδέχεται καὶ πανήγυρις καταλαμβάνει πανήγυριν· καλούμεθα δὲ ἀπὸ εὐχῆς εἰς εὐχὴν καὶ τοῦ Κυρίου τὰ θεο φάνεια καταλαμβάνει ἡ τοῦ δούλου τιμή. Κἄν τε δὲ πρὸς τὴν γέννησίν τις ἀπίδῃ τοῦ χθὲς τεχθέντος διὰ σαρκὸς καὶ ἀεὶ ὄντος κατὰ θεότητα, κἄν τε πρὸς τὸ ἐκείνου μαρτύριον, ὅπερ σήμερον ὁ γενναῖος ὑπέστη θεράπων, πολλὰ μὲν εὑρήσει καὶ ποικίλα τὰ πράγματα, ἕνα δὲ σκόπον, ἵνα ἡμεῖς διδαχθῶμεν εὐσέβειαν. 12.1.2 Χθὲς μὲν οὖν ἐμάθομεν διὰ τῆς ἐγκυκλίου καὶ συνήθους ἑορτῆς, ὅτι ἐγεννήθη ὁ τοῦ κόσμου Σωτὴρ καὶ ὁ ἄσαρκος τὴν σάρκα ἠμφιάσατο καὶ ὁ ἀσώματος ἐνεδύσατο σῶμα, εἶτα ὅτι καὶ πάθη ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατεδέξατο καὶ ὑψώθη ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου οὐχ ὑπὲρ ἄλλου τινὸς ἢ ὑπὲρ ἡμετέρας προνοίας. Σήμερον δὲ βλέπομεν τὸν γενναῖον ἀγωνιστὴν ὑπὲρ ἐκείνου καταλιθούμενον, ἵνα αἵματι ἀποτίσῃ τὴν ὑπὲρ αἵματος χάριν. 12.2.1 Στέφανος οὖν, ὁ τῆς πανηγύρεως ταύτης συναγωγεύς, ὁ καλέ σας ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τὴν ὁρωμένην εὐφροσύνην, ὁ δημαγωγήσας ὡς ἕνα τὴν πόλιν, ἀνὴρ ἀπαρχὴ τῶν μαρτύρων, διδάσκαλος τῶν ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ πόνων, κρηπὶς τῆς καλῆς ὁμολογίας. Πρὸ γὰρ Στεφάνου οὐδεὶς ὑπὲρ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου ἐξέχεεν αἷμα. 12.2.2 Ἀλλ' ὥσπερ Κάϊν ἐκεῖνος ὁ ἀδελφοκτόνος καθώς με διδάσκει ἡ τοῦ Μωϋσέως ἱστορία τὴν ἀδελφοκτονίαν 60 εἰργάσατο ἀναλαβὼν γὰρ ἀντὶ τῆς φυσικῆς φιλίας ἔριδα πρῶτος φόνῳ τὴν γῆν ἐκαίνισεν, οὕτως καὶ Στέφανος ὁ τρισμακάριος πρῶτος τῷ οἰκείῳ αἵματι τὴν γῆν διὰ τῶν εὐσεβῶν ἀγωνισμάτων ἡγίασεν, ἀνὴρ τοῖς χρόνοις τῶν ἀποστόλων δεύτερος, τοῖς δὲ ἀνδραγαθήμασι πρῶτος. 12.2.3 Καί μοι μὴ ἀγανακτήσῃς Πέτρε, μὴ ἀχθεσθῇς Ἰάκωβε, μὴ δυσχεράνῃς Ἰωάννη, εἰ μὴ μόνον συγκρίνω τῇ ὑμετέρᾳ φιλοσοφίᾳ τὸν ἄνδρα, ἀλλ' εἴ τι καὶ πλέον αὐτῷ νέμειν ἐθέλω· μᾶλλον γάνυσθε, ἄφθονοι γάρ ἐστε πατέρες καὶ τοῖς κατορθώμασι τῶν υἱῶν ἐπαγάλλεσθε καὶ ἡδέως νικᾶσθε παρὰ τῶν τέκνων εἰς ἀρετήν. Εἰ γάρ τι καλὸν καὶ μέγα παρὰ Στεφάνῳ, τοῦτο πάντως ὑμέτερον, τῶν παιδευτῶν ἐκείνου καὶ μυσταγωγῶν. 12.2.4 Ἡ γὰρ τῶν ἀθλητῶν εὐδοκίμησις δόξα γίνεται τοῦ παιδοτρίβου. ∆ιὸ μικρὸν ὑμᾶς παραιτησάμενος ἐρῶ μετὰ παρρησίας ἅ μοι δίδωσιν ἡ ὑπόθεσις εἰς συνηγορίαν τοῦ κατὰ Χριστὸν ἀριστέως. 12.3.1 Πρεσβύτερος εἶ τῶν μαθητῶν, ἅγιε Πέτρε, καὶ πρὸ πάντων τὸν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν κατήγγειλας. Ἔτι δὲ σοῦ τὸν λόγον τὸν εὐαγγελικὸν κηρύττοντος καὶ πόλιν ἐκ πόλεως μετιόντος καὶ χώραν ἐκ χώρας ἀμεί βοντος καὶ πονοῦντος τὸ κήρυγμα, οὗτος εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸ στάδιον καὶ ἁρπάσας τῶν ἀγωνισμάτων τὸν στέφανον, μετελθὼν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐδοξάσθη ἔτι σοῦ περὶ γῆν στρεφομένου· καὶ τὸ μεῖζον αὐτοῦ τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ καλούντων αὐτὸν διὰ τῆς θαυμαστῆς ὀπτασίας. Οὕτως μὲν οὖν καὶ ὁ Πέτρος καὶ ἀρκεῖ τὰ εἰρημένα. Τολμηρὸν γὰρ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον περὶ πρωτείων ἁμιλλᾶσθαι πατράσιν. 12.3.2 Ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ τὰ σά, Ἰάκωβε, ἀδελφὲ τοῦ Ἰωάννου. Εὐαγγελιστὴς εἶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, θήραμα δεύτερον μετὰ Πέτρον. Καὶ τίς οὐκ ἂν ἀγασθείη σου τῆς πίστεως; Μόνον γὰρ ἐκλήθης καὶ μηδὲν μελλήσας ὑπήκουσας. Κατέλιπες μετὰ τῆς πορθμίδος καὶ τὸν πατέρα τὸν Ζεβεδαῖον· ἠκολούθησας δὲ καὶ τῷ Χριστῷ ὡς γνήσιος μαθητής. Ἔπαθες ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας προθύμως, ὁμολογῶ· μαχαίρᾳ γάρ σε Ἡρώδης ὁ τύραννος διεχρήσατο, ἀλλὰ μετὰ Στέφανον πολλοῖς ὕστερον χρόνοις. 12.3.3 Καὶ τί τοὺς καθ' ἕκαστον ὀνομάζω, ὁπότε κατὰ πάντων ὁμοῦ τῶν ἁγίων τὸ τοῦ μαρτυρίου βραβεῖον ἀνείλετο, πρῶτος πρὸς τὸν διάβολον παραταξάμενος καὶ πρῶτος νικήσας, μιμη σάμενος τὸν ∆αβίδ, εἰ καὶ δι' ἀντιστρόφου τοῦ πράγματος; Λίθοις ὁ ∆αβὶδ τὸν Γολιὰθ ἐνίκησε, λίθοις καὶ Στέφανος τὸν διάβολον· ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν οἷς ἔβαλεν, ὁ δὲ οἷς ἐβλήθη. Ἡμεῖς δέ, ὁ Χριστοῦ λαός, ὡς ἡ

The Courage of Stephen§62

62Then we cry out with the army of Israel and sing victory songs as if seeing them present, marveling as if they were standing.

For every one who fights for piety is good, even if he becomes second or third to those who competed before; yet he is not worthy of such a marvel as the first. The second, being stirred by zeal for the one who preceded, was thus drawn toward diligence; but he who uses no one as a guide, yet having become a discoverer of the good, appropriately receives the vote of the first.

Great indeed is the man's readiness, therefore great is the honor; and immortal is the memory, which neither oblivion covered nor time dimmed, but generation after generation, inheriting the stories, we priests, people, children, men, and women, celebrate this feast without fail. But the history itself should also be observed, so that, having become acquainted with the facts of the matters, we might more marvel at the man.

First among those who serve according to Christ was Stephen, esteemed by grace, a vessel filled with the Spirit, confirming daily those in the household and those wandering toward the straight path. And because he had a more intense teaching, he more than the other apostles loosed the enemies and, before them, first made the devil hostile. For he sets his eyes like fire and looks fiercely at those who are more steadfast in piety. Thus the race of Alexandrians raised up a sharp-edged system against him for a stand. In any case, you have heard of the men of the city, how they are both fervent and boiling upon everything they might readily rush toward. And when the crowd saw those rushing toward him, it had almost been possible to set the present situation aside; however, he found a resourceful, well-composed, and gentle word. For there is no medicine of such a kind for the healing of temper and agitation, such as a pleasant and well-fitted exhortation.

And 'tell me,' he says, 'the cause of the hatred, instead of why you stretch out your hands and are manifest as if about to strike.' When it was said that 'Since you destroy the ancestral laws and are an introducer of foreign dogmas,' the blessed one stood in the midst; for as an unskilled and impromptu orator, he was saying what he had learned from art, but what was breathed into him by the Spirit: 'Men,' he says, 'brothers and fathers.'

Listen. The introduction is wise, an excellent thing for the people being warmed by it, the beginning of the oration. For the sweetness and the appropriateness of the words, as if participating in some honey or soft oil, diminished the heat of the beasts. Then he rises in memory toward Abraham, so that having begun from ancient times and stretching out a long discourse in much of the middle, he might not be found to have spent his spirit being exhausted. And having worked out that much speech, he shows that even Moses prophesied Christ, so that through the reliability of the lawgiver, skillfully, like a thief, he might introduce the word of faith. And he has said all things knowing, all that was useful for the benefit of those listening.

But when he saw the evil to be unprovable and the opinion unyielding, then he was filled with boldness and, forbidding all the flattering art toward the life here, he unhesitatingly reproved them: stiff-necked, uncircumcised in heart, fighting against the law, warring against the Spirit. And what things from here? Many dogs and fattened bulls stood around him as a Master, as the psalmody says, surrounding the righteous man (Psalm 22:2). But he stood alone, surrounded on every side by the people of the murderers. And no one was near at that hour, no friend, no householder, no relative. For it is as if one offers a consolation to those in danger by seeing someone known nearby.

But the high champion of the great struggle, having seen the need for a man to stand by, for he was very brave, shows that he suffered all human things unceasingly; as it seems to him, gazing intently toward heaven (Acts 7:55), he shows also the Son standing at the right hand in the form of humanity (Acts 7:56). O, the philanthropy! O, the goodness! To the athlete, those for which he struggled appeared, and the God of all things did not leave such a voice to him alone. Do not suffer anything ungentle, O Stephen; you have no human ally, no friend stood by you in the time of terrors, but I, with the Beloved, watch over the things being done. Rest is ready, the gates of paradise having been opened. Having endured a little, leave behind a brief life and hasten toward the life which is eternal and perfect. Still finding yourself in the flesh, you see God, a thing of all the world.

Greek · §62

στρατιὰ τότε τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ κράζωμεν καὶ εὐφημῶμεν τὰ ἐπινίκια ὡς παρόντα βλέποντες, ὡς ἑστῶτα θαυμάζοντες. 12.4.1 Καλὸς μὲν γὰρ ἅπας ὁ τῆς εὐσεβείας ὑπερμαχῶν, κἂν δεύτερος ἢ τρίτος τοῖς προαθλήσασιν ἐπιγένηται· οὐ μὴν τοιούτου θαύματος ἄξιος οὗπερ ὁ πρῶτος. Ὁ μὲν δεύτερος ζήλῳ τοῦ προλαβόντος ἐναχθεὶς πρὸς τὴν μίμησιν οὕτως ἑλκύσθη πρὸς τὴν σπουδήν· ὁ δὲ μηδενὶ καθηγεμόνι χρησάμενος, εὑρετὴς δὲ γεγονὼς τοῦ καλοῦ εἰκότως τὴν τοῦ πρωτείου δέχεται ψῆφον. 12.4.2 Μεγάλη οὖν ἡ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς προθυμία, διὸ μεγάλη καὶ ἡ τιμή· ἀθάνατος δὲ ἡ μνήμη, ἣν οὔτε λήθη ἐκάλυψεν οὔτε χρόνος ἠμαύρωσεν, ἀλλὰ γενεὰ ἐκ γενεᾶς διαδεχομένη τὰ διηγήματα ταύτην ἀπαραβάτως τὴν ἑορτὴν ἐπιτελοῦμεν, ἱερεῖς, λαός, παῖδες, ἄνδρες, γυναῖκες. Σκοπητέον δὲ καὶ τὴν ἱστορίαν αὐτήν, ἵνα ἐν χρῷ τῶν πραγμάτων γενόμενοι μᾶλλον τὸν ἄνδρα θαυμάσωμεν. 12.5.1 Πρῶτος ἦν τῶν κατὰ Χριστὸν διακόνων ὁ Στέφανος, ἡγιασμένος τῇ χάριτι, σκεῦος πεπληρωμένον τοῦ Πνεύματος, καθ' ἡμέραν βεβαιῶν τοὺς οἰκείους καὶ τοὺς πλανωμένους πρὸς τὴν εὐθεῖαν ὑποστρέφων ὁδόν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ σφοδρότερον εἴχετο τῆς διδασκαλίας, καὶ μᾶλλον παρὰ τοὺς λοιποὺς ἀποστόλους τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἐλύπει καὶ πρὸ ἐκείνων τὸν πρῶτον δυσμενῆ τὸν διάβολον. Πυρώδεις γὰρ ἐκεῖνος τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐφίστησι καὶ ἄγριον βλέποντας τοῖς μᾶλλον τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ συνισταμένοις. Ἤγειρεν οὖν αὐτῷ σύστημα τὸ τῶν Ἀλεξανδρέων γένος εἰς στάσιν ὀξύρροπον. Πάντως δὲ ἀκηκόατε τοὺς ἄνδρας τῆς πόλεως, ὅπως θερμοί τε εἰσὶ καὶ ζέοντες ἐπὶ πᾶν ὅπερ ἂν προχείρως 61 ὁρμήσωσιν. Ὡς δὲ τὸ πλῆθος ἐθεάσατο τῶν ἐπ' αὐτὸν συρρεόντων, ἐν ἀπόρῳ μὲν εἶχε θέσθαι τὸ παρόν· ὅμως δὲ τέχνην εὗρεν εὐμήχανον λόγον ἐμμελῆ καὶ πρᾶον. Οὐδὲν γὰρ φάρμακον τοιοῦτον εἰς θεραπείαν θυμοῦ καὶ κινήσεως, οἷον παραίνεσις προσηνὴς καὶ εὐάρμοστος. 12.5.3 Καὶ εἴπατέ μοι, φησί, τὴν αἰτίαν τοῦ μίσους, ἀνθ' ὅτου δὲ τὰς χεῖρας ἐπανατείνεσθε καὶ προδηλοί ἐστε ὡς σπαράξοντες. Εἰπόντων δὲ ὅτι Ἐπειδὴ καταλύεις τοὺς πατρῴους νόμους καὶ ξένων εἶ δογμάτων εἰσηγητής, στὰς εἰς μέσον ὁ μακάριος, ἄτεχνος καὶ αὐτοσχέδιος ῥήτωροὐ γὰρ ἔλεγεν ἅπερ ἐκ τέχνης ἔμαθεν, ἀλλ' ἅπερ ἐνεπνεῖτο ὑπὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος, Ἄνδρες, φησίν, ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πατέρες, ἀκούσατε. 12.6.1 Σοφὸν τὸ προοίμιον, ἀρίστη πρὸς δῆμον θερμαινόμενον ἡ τῆς δημηγορίας ἀρχή. Τὰ γὰρ μειλίχια καὶ προσηνῆ τῶν ῥημάτων οἷον μέλιτός τινος μετέχοντα ἢ ἐλαίῳ ἁπαλῷ παραπλήσια τὴν φλεγμονὴν τῶν θηρίων κατέστελλεν. Ἔπειτα ἄνεισι τῇ μνήμῃ πρὸς τὸν Ἀβραάμ, ἵνα καὶ παλαιῶν ἀρξάμενος χρόνων καὶ μακρὸν ἀποτείνων λόγον ἐν πολλῷ τῷ μέσῳ λάθῃ δαπανήσας τὸν θυμὸν ἐκλυόμενον. Καὶ τὴν πολλὴν ἐκείνην ῥῆσιν ἐξεργασάμενος δείκνυσιν, ὅτι καὶ Μωϋσῆς προεφήτευσε τὸν Χριστόν, ἵνα διὰ τῆς ἀξιοπιστίας τοῦ νομοθέτου εὐφυῶς, ὥσπερ κλέπτων, παρεισαγάγῃ τὸν τῆς πίστεως λόγον. Πάντα δὲ εἴρηκεν ἐπιστημόνως, ὅσα πρὸς ὠφέλειαν συνετέλει τῶν ἀκουόντων. Ἐπεὶ δὲ τὴν κακίαν εἶδεν ἀνένδοτον καὶ τὴν γνώμην ἀμάλακτον, τότε λοιπὸν παρρησίας πλησ θεὶς καὶ ἀπαγορεύσας πρὸς τὴν ἐνθάδε ζωὴν πᾶσαν δὲ καταλιπὼν τέχνην τὴν κολακεύουσαν ἀπαρακαλύπτως αὐτοὺς προσηγόρευσε σκληροτραχήλους, ἀπεριτμήτους τῇ καρδίᾳ, τῷ νόμῳ μαχομένους, πολεμοῦντας τῷ Πνεύματι. Καὶ τίνα τὰ ἐντεῦθεν; Περιέστησαν αὐτόν, ὡς ∆εσπότην, κύνες πολλοὶ καὶ ταῦροι πίονες, κατὰ τὴν ψαλμῳδίαν περιέσχον τὸν δίκαιον. Εἱστήκει δὲ μόνος πανταχόθεν τῷ δήμῳ τῶν φονευτῶν κεκυκλωμένος. Οὐδεὶς δὲ ἦν κατ' ἐκείνην τὴν ὥραν ἐγγύς, οὐ φίλος, οὐκ οἰκεῖος, οὐ συγγενής. Φέρει γάρ πως παραμυθίαν τοῖς κινδυνεύουσι τὸ βλέπειν ἐκ τοῦ σύνεγγύς τινα τῶν γνωρίμων. Ὁ δὲ τοῦ μεγάλου ἀγωνίσματος ὑψηλὸς ἀγωνοθέτης καταμαθὼν ὡς χρεία τῷ ἀνδρὶ παραστάτουεἰ γὰρ καὶ σφόδρα γενναῖος ἦν, πάντως ἔπασχε τὰ ἀνθρώπινα ἀθρόον αὐτῷ φαίνεται πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀτενίσαντι, δείκνυσιν δὲ καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν ἐκ δεξιῶν ἑστῶτα ἐν τῷ τῆς ἀνθρωπήσεως σχήματι. Ὢ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας! Ὢ τῆς ἀγαθοσύνης! Ἐπεφάνησαν τῷἀθλητῇ ὑπὲρ ὧν ἠγωνίζετο καὶ μόνον οὐκ ἀφῆκε τοιαύτην φωνὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεός· 12.7.2 Μηδὲν ἀγεννὲς πάθῃς, ὦ Στέφανε· οὐδένα ἔχεις ἀνθρώπων σύμμαχον, οὐδείς σοι παρέστηκε τῶν φίλων ἐν καιρῷ τῶν δεινῶν, ἀλλ' ἐγὼ μετὰ τοῦ Ἀγαπητοῦ ἐποπτεύω τὰ δρώμενα. Ἑτοίμη ἡ ἀνάπαυσις, ἀναπεπταμέναι τοῦ παραδείσου αἱ πύλαι. Μικρὸν καρτερίσας κατάλιπε βίον πρόσκαιρον καὶ σπεῦσον πρὸς ζωὴν τὴν ἀΐδιον καὶ ἀτέλεστον. Ἔτι τυγχάνων ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ βλέπεις Θεόν, πρᾶγμα πάσης ἐγκοσμίου

The Martyrdom and Prayer of Christ-bearer§63

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63You were initiated by the more prominent apostles into the truth that the Father has a genuine, beloved Son. I show myself to you so that you may be able to bear the burden. And the Son stood by my side, so that you might know his honor by the relation of place. At that time, many were scandalized that God had clothed himself in flesh on earth; but see him now in the heights, with me, bearing the form of man in the heavenly and hyper-heavenly realms, as a confirmation of the completed economy. Do not be crushed or grow limp by being overwhelmed by this.

Looking at the athlete, do not be afraid of the contest. Do not despise the body, treating it as an earthly bond, a fragile house, or a corrupt vessel of a potter. Ascend toward the end here in freedom, for the crown of manliness is ready for you. Transfer from the earth to heaven. Leave the body to the scavengers like food for dogs. Leave behind a raging people and come to the dance of angels.

After this resolve, God appeared to the patient one, so that he might not suffer something cowardly, and might release much eagerness through the greatness of fear. Therefore, God neither sent him an angel as a helper, as he later did for the apostles in prison (Acts 12:5), nor any ministerial and fellow-servant power, but he manifested himself. For it was then the firstfruits of the testimony, and it was necessary for the first work to be completed, so that those following, being built up as witnesses, might receive a strong foundation of zeal and not become imitators of cowardice, which is exactly what happens in common wars. For one soldier, a champion, providing the glorious part of the work, having conquered and having emboldened all his own, strikes down the opponents; yet, having suffered a slight injury, he immediately collapses and fills the souls of his kinsmen with cowardice, and flight becomes a habit. For this reason, God appeared from heaven.

But he who was worthy of the great vision did not hold in silence what he saw, but immediately cried out: 'Behold, I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!' (Rev 4:1). For he thought that the revealing of the vision would draw the unbelievers into agreement. But those making the spoken word a starting point for greater wrath and madness, attempting to block...

They held their ears against the word as if it were blasphemy, immediately ready for death. Dragging the Christ-bearing man outside the city, bearing his endurance as the Lord bore the cross, they return evil for evil and justify murder with murder, and with stones they bind the one who serves the cornerstone.

Standing him on a certain level field, that long body and high trophy of the martyrs, the mob of blood and wrath surrounded him, and imitating the sling used in wars, they threw stones at the servant of the cornerstone, and every Hebrew hand enacted the murder; the aim was for those leaving that the martyr stood in the middle like a target for an archer.

As the body was shattered from every side and smeared with blood, it rushed toward the upright position; it leaned and threatened to fall like a tall plane tree being worked on by many carpenters; but it did not suffer an improper fall according to the many. For it was not cast headlong, nor was it thrown on its side, nor was the form reclined upon its back, but having set its knees in the proper form of one praying, it descended, hastening with the soul through prayer the separation from the flesh and crying out to the visible Lord: 'Lord Jesus Christ, receive my spirit.'

For he was hastening as if to some migration, as if from a foreign land to a fatherland, as if to a bright city from a desert and smoky land. And he added to his petition the prayer for those throwing stones. For those blessing and those stoning were saving, and those murdering were making alive, and those separating from the clay were sending to the kingdom.

Let us therefore consider also the word of the prayer, regarding toward what end it carries 'Lord, do not hold their sin against them' (Luke 23:34). For it is not, as some wickedly thinking men suppose, that the sin of the enemies becomes unpunished and unaccountable. For this was clearly to stand against God's decree and to restore the judgment and law of the righteous, having completed what was due to the murderers.

But what does he say? 'Lord, do not hold their sin against them,' that is: Give the fear of compunction, lead to repentance those now having dared,

Greek · §63

φύσεως μεῖζον. 12.7.3 Ἐμυσταγωγήθης παρὰ τῶν πρεσ βυτέρων ἀποστόλων, ὅτι ὁ Πατὴρ ἔχει Υἱὸν γνήσιον ἀγαπητόν. Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ μέν σοι ἑαυτὸν ἐμφανίζω ὡς δύνασαι φέρειν. Παρέστηκε δέ μοι καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς ἐκ δεξιῶν, ἵνα τῇ σχέσει τοῦ τόπου γνῷς τὴν τιμήν. Ἐσκανδάλιζε τότε τοὺς πολλούς, εἰ Θεὸς ἐν γῇ σάρκα περιεβάλετο· ἀλλ' ὅρα νῦν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ ὕψει μετ' ἐμοῦ οὐράνιον καὶ ὑπερουράνιον φέροντα τοῦ ἀνθρώπου μορφὴν εἰς βεβαίωσιν τῆς τελεσθείσης οἰκονομίας. Ὑπὲρ τούτου καταλιθούμενος μὴ ὀκλάσῃς, μὴ ἀτονήσῃς. 12.7.4 Βλέπων δὲ τὸν ἀγωνοθέτην μὴ φοβηθῇς τὸν ἀγῶνα. Ἄφες τὸ σῶμα καταφρονῶν ὡς δεσμὸν γήϊνον, ὡς οἶκον σαθρόν, ὡς σκεῦος κεραμέως φθαρτόν. Ἀνάδραμε πρὸς τὴν ἐνθάδε λῆξιν ἐλεύθερος, ἕτοιμος γάρ σοι τῆς ἀνδραγαθίας ὁ στέφανος. Μετάστηθι πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐκ τῆς γῆς. Ἄφες τὸ σῶμα τοῖς μιαιφόνοις ὡς βρῶμα κυσί. Κατάλιπε λυσσῶντα δῆμον καὶ ἐλθὲ πρὸς χορὸν ἀγγέλων. 12.8.1 Μετὰ ταύτης τῆς γνώμης ὁ Θεὸς ἐπεφάνη τῷ καρτερῷ, ἵνα μή τι 62 πάθῃ δειλὸν καὶ τὴν πολλὴν ἐκλύσῃ προθυμίαν τῷ μεγέθει τοῦ φόβου. ∆ιὸ οὔτε ἄγγελον αὐτῷ ἔπεμψε βοηθὸν ὡς τοῖς ἀποστόλους ὕστερον ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ, οὔτε τινὰ δύναμιν λειτουργικὴν καὶ ὁμοδοῦλον, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἐνεφάνισεν. 12.8.2 Ἀπαρχὴ γὰρ ἐγένετο τότε τοῦ μαρτυρίου καὶ ἔδει τὸ πρῶτον ἔργον τελειωθῆναι, ἵνα οἱ ἑξῆς ἐποικοδομούμενοι μάρτυρες ἰσχυρὰν λάβωσι τοῦ ζήλου τὴν ὑποβάθραν καὶ μὴ δειλίας γένωνται μιμηταί, ὅπερ δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κοινῶν γίνεται πολέμων. Εἷς γὰρ στρατιώτης πρόμαχος, ὁ τοῦ ἔργου παρασχὼν τὸ ἐνδόσιμον, νικήσας μὲν καὶ ἀνδρισάμενος πάντας τοὺς ἰδίους ἐπέρρωσε καὶ τοὺς ὑπεναντίους κατέ πληξεν, ἀσθενὲς δέ τι παθὼν εὐθὺς κατακλᾷ καὶ δειλίας πληροῖ τὰς τῶν ὁμοφύλων ψυχὰς καὶ φυγῆς γίνεται σύνθημα. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο μὲν ὁ Θεὸς οὐρανόθεν ἐφάνη. 12.9.1 Ὁ δὲ τῆς μεγάλης ὀπτασίας ἀξιωθεὶς οἵας οὐκ ἄλλος, οὐ κατέσχε σιωπῇ ἅπερ εἶδεν, ἀλλ' εὐθὺς ἐξεβόησεν· Ἰδοὺ θεωρῶ τοὺς οὐρα νοὺς ἀνεῳγμένους καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐκ δεξιῶν ἑστῶτα τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐνόμισε γὰρ τὸ ἐξαγορεῦσαι τὴν ὁπτασίαν τοὺς ἀπίστους ἑλκύσειν εἰς συγκατάθεσιν. Οἱ δὲ τὸ λεχθὲν πλείονος ὀργῆς καὶ μανίας ἀφορμὴν ποιησάμενοι ἐπιφραξάμενοί τε τὰς ἀκοὰς πρὸς τὸν λόγον ὡς βλάσφημον εἴχοντο παραχρῆμα τοῦ φόνου. Ἑλκύσαντες δὲ ἔξω τῆς πόλεως τὸν χριστοφόρον ἄνθρωπον, βαστάζοντα τὴν ὑπομονὴν ὡς ὁ Κύριος τὸν σταυρόν, κακῷ τὸ κακὸν ἰῶνται καὶ φόνῳ ὑπὲρ τοῦ φόνου ἀπολογοῦνται καὶ τῷ σταυρῷ τοὺς λίθους συνάπτουσι. 12.9.2 Στήσαντες δὲ τὸν τρισμακάριον ἐπί τινος ἰσοπέδου χωρίου, τὸ μακρὸν ἐκεῖνο σῶμα καὶ ὑψηλὸν τῶν μαρτύρων τρόπαιον, καὶ κύκλῳ περισχόντες αὐτὸν ὁ τῶν αἱμάτων καὶ τῆς ὀργῆς δῆμος, καὶ τὴν καλουμένην ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις μιμησάμενοι σαγηνείαν ἔβαλλον λίθοις τὸν τοῦ ἀκρογωνιαίου λίθου διάκονον καὶ πᾶσα χεὶρ Ἑβραϊκὴ τὸν φόνον ἐνήργει· σκοπὸς δὲ ἦν τῶν ἀφιέντων ὁ μάρτυς ἑστὼς κατὰ μέσον ὡς σημεῖον τοξότου. 12.9.3 Ὡς δὲ πάντοθεν τὸ σῶμα περιθραυσθὲν καὶ λελουμένον τῷ αἵματι ὤκλαζε λοιπὸν πρὸς τὴν ὄρθιον στάσιν, κατεσείετο δὲ καὶ ἠπείλει τὴν πτῶσιν ὥσπερ τις ὑψηλὴ πλάτανος παρὰ πολλῶν κατεργασθεῖσα τεκτό νων· οὐ δὲ τὴν πτῶσιν ἔπαθε κατὰ τοὺς πολλοὺς ἀπρεπῶς. Οὐ γὰρ πρηνὴς ἐξετάθη οὐδὲ ἐπὶ πλάγιον κατηνέχθη οὐδὲ εἰς τὸ ὕπτιον ἀνεκλίθη σχῆμα, ἀλλὰ θεὶς τὰ γόνατα ἐν τῷ εὐπρεπεῖ σχήματι τοῦ εὐχομένου κατέλυσεν ἐπιταχύνων τῇ ψυχῇ διὰ τῆς προσευχῆς τὸν τῆς σαρκὸς χωρισμὸν καὶ κράζων πρὸς τὸν ὁρώμενον Κύριον· Κύριε Ἰησοῦ Χριστέ, δέξαι τὸ πνεῦμα μου. 12.9.4 Ἔσπευδε γὰρ ὡς ἐπί τινα μετοικίαν, ὡς ἐξ ἀλλοδαπῆς ἐπὶ πατρίδα, ὡς εἰς πόλιν λαμπρὰν ἀπὸ γῆς ἐρήμου καὶ αὐχμηρᾶς. Προσετίθει δὲ τῇ δεήσει καὶ τὴν ὑπὲρ τῶν λιθαζόντων εὐχήν. Εὐεργέτουν γὰρ ἄκοντες καὶ λιθάζοντες ἔσωζον καὶ φονεύοντες ἐζωοποίουν καὶ τοῦ πηλοῦ χωρίζοντες τῇ βασιλείᾳ παρέ πεμπον. 12.10.1 Θεωρήσωμεν οὖν καὶ τὸ ῥῆμα τῆς προσευχῆς, πρὸς οἷον φέρει σκόπον τὸ Κύριε, μὴ στήσῃς αὐτοῖς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Οὐ γάρ, ὡς οἴονταί τινες κακῶς λογιζόμενοι, ἀτιμώρητον καὶ ἀνεύθυνον εὔχεται γενέσθαι τῶν ἐχθρῶν τὸ ἁμάρτημα. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἦν φανερῶς τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ διατυπώσει ἀνθίστασθαι καὶ τὴν τοῦ δικαίου κρίσιν καὶ νομοθεσίαν ἐπανορθοῦν τὴν τοῖς ἀνδροφόνοις τὰ πρὸς ἀξίαν ἀποκληρώσασαν. 12.10.2 Ἀλλὰ τί φησι; Κύριε, μὴ στήσῃς αὐτοῖς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, τουτέστι· ∆ὸς φόβον κατανύξεως, ἄγαγε πρὸς μεταμέλειαν τῶν νῦν τετολμημένων,

The Presence of the Spirit in Stephen§64

64Do not allow yourself to die in circumcision; draw through repentance toward your own recognition, and kindle in the hearts the flame of the Spirit. For if they are improved in this way, it is evident that you will not stand against their sin, but having washed in the bath of grace, both your blood and mine, they will become free from the accusations.

These things happened and the drama was completed. And the armies of angels were rejoicing in the contest, marveling greatly and with much retinue leading Stephen into his own inheritance; but the devil was turned away empty, being terribly perplexed, yet trying to imitate a prophetic word about the spirit, saying something more bodily, as one carrying the face of a pot as a vessel and, on the contrary to what he expected, having succeeded in the very things he thought would diminish Christians, through those he increased the list of the martyrs.

And what also toward Paul is the temple? For he too was one of the murderers, a true Benjamin, a wolf having snatched the lamb. For if he himself did not stone, but kept the garments of those stoning and served the people's crowd. Moreover, I shall see you soon, now trembling and breathing a wild passion like a weak old woman being led toward the Ananias of the truth, having tasted of it.

And I shall laugh very much when I hear you recounting your tribulations for the sake of the gospel and, among the other dangers, saying: 'At last I was stoned.' For it is necessary for you to defend yourself through stones against the stones, and by the same suffering to loose the accusation of sin.

It is also unbearable not to leave the vision of Stephen behind; for the God of all things always, foreseeing what is about to happen to the lives of sinful men, provides the remedy defensively in advance, which indeed He has done even here. For if the theophanies were completed only for the benefit of the combatant, it would have sufficed to become a voice from the heavens, just as at the baptism before, or later at the transfiguration, or even as with this Paul, when he was traveling toward Damascus.

Now, because the evil from Libya is about to lie in wait for the churches of God, and the ill-famed confusion of the hypotheses...

To lead into life, for this reason God, as if cutting ahead in advance and securing the souls of those who are to come later, shows himself to Stephen in a private and self-sufficient glory, and shows the Son in a perfected appearance, and places him at his own right hand, so that through the clarity of the persons he might interpret the underlying realities.

12.13.1 And someone might happen to say: The things concerning the Father and the Son are thus philosophized for you, but where is the Holy Spirit? For if, for the sake of the security according to faith, the Father was appearing from heaven with the Son, it was necessary for the Holy Spirit also to be present, so that some practical initiation might be accomplished for men through the vision. It is therefore necessary to say to the mind bearing this against us: O most wise, the examiner of readers must have both a correct mind and a strengthened memory, so that he may be able thus to run through all the written things together.

12.13.2 For if you also seek the presence of the Spirit, become a little higher than the stones and the marble, and you will find before the vision the Spirit speaking and being present with Stephen and preparing the athlete. For immediately at the beginning of the narrative he pre-announced this voice to us: 'Stephen, full of grace and truth, was doing signs and great wonders among the people' (Acts 6:8). And some rose up from the assembly called the Libertines and the Cyrenians and the Alexandrians and those from Cilicia and Asia, disputing with Stephen, and they were not able to withstand the wisdom and the spirit with which he was speaking (Acts 6:9-10).

12.13.3 Behold, then, also the person of the Spirit has been made clear to us by the word. If this was written earlier, and the Father and the Son last, the faith is not deprived of anything regarding the order. For it is the custom of the Scripture to do this: sometimes naming the Son alone, sometimes the Spirit with the Son, or sometimes beginning from the Father and concluding in the Spirit; and the repetition of the beginning occurring from the Spirit through the Son, the word leads back to the Father.

12.13.4 And this idiom of custom is seen to be happening most without concealment by the great Paul. And it has been filled among us

Greek · §64

μὴ συγχωρήσῃς ἐναποθανεῖν τῇ περιτομῇ, ἕλκυσον διὰ μετανοίας πρὸς τὴν σὴν ἐπίγνωσιν, ἄναψον ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις τὴν φλόγα τοῦ Πνεύματος. Ἂν γὰρ οὕτως βελτιωθῶσι, πρόδηλον ὡς οὐ στήσῃς αὐτοῖς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, ἀλλὰ τῷ λουτρῷ τῆς χάριτος καὶ τὸ σὸν καὶ τὸ ἐμὸν αἷμα νιψάμενοι ἐλεύθεροι τῶν ἐγκλημάτων γενήσονται. 12.10.3 Ταῦτα ἐγένετο καὶ ἐτελέσθη τὸ δρᾶμα. Καὶ στρατιαὶ μὲν τῶν ἀγγέλων εὐφραίνοντο τὸν ἀγῶνα θαυ μάζουσαι καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς δορυφορίας τὸν Στέφανον εἰς τὸν ἴδιον ἀνάγουσαι κλῆρον· ὁ δὲ διάβολος ἀπεστράφη κενός, 63 ἠπορημένος δεινῶς, ἀλλ' ἵνα τι καὶ σωματικώτερον εἴπω περὶ τοῦ ἐναερίου πνεύματος λόγον προφητικὸν μιμησάμενος, ὡς πρόσκαυμα χύτρας φέρων τὸ πρόσω πον καὶ τοὐναντίον ἢ προσεδόκα κατορθώσας καὶ δι' ὧν ἐνομίζεν χριστιανοὺς ἐλαττοῦν, δι' ἐκείνων πληθύνας τὸν τῶν μαρτύρων κατάλογον. 12.11.1 Τί δὲ καὶ πρὸς Παῦλον τὸν ἱερόν; Εἷς γὰρ ἦν καὶ οὗτος τῶν φονευτῶν, ἀληθὴς Βενιαμὶν λύκος ἅρπαξ. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς μὴ ἐλίθαζεν, ἀλλ' ἐτήρει τὴν τῶν λιθαζόντων ἐσθῆτα καὶ ὑπηρέτει δήμου δημίου. Πλὴν ὅψομαί σε μετὰ μικρὸν τὸν σφριγῶντα νῦν καὶ θυμὸν ἄγριον πνέοντα ὥσπερ τινὰ γραῦν ἀσθενῆ χειραγωγούμενον, ὅταν μέλλῃς ἄγεσθαι πρὸς τὸν Ἀνανίαν τῆς ἀληθείας γευσάμενος. 12.11.2 Ἡδὺ δὲ σφόδρα γελάσομαι, ὅταν ἀκούσω σου τὰς ὑπὲρ τοῦ εὐαγγελίου θλίψεις ἐξηγουμένου καὶ μεταξὺ τῶν ἄλλων κινδύνων λέγοντος· Ἅπαξ ἐλιθάσθην. Χρὴ γάρ σε διὰ λίθων ὑπὲρ τῶν λίθων ἀπολογήσασθαι καὶ τῷ ταὐτοπάθει λῦσαι τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὸ ἔγκλημα. 12.12.1 Ἄξιον δὲ μηδὲ τὴν ὀπτασίαν καταλείπειν τοῦ Στεφάνου ἀνεξέ ταστον· ἀεὶ γὰρ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς τοῦ ἑξῆς προμηθούμενος τῶν μελλόντων ἐπιγίνεσθαι τῷ βίῳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἁμαρτημάτων προφυλακτικῶς προ κατασκευάζει τὴν θεραπείαν, ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα πεποίηκεν. Εἰ γὰρ πρὸς τὸ χρήσιμον τοῦ ἀγωνιστοῦ μόνον ἐτελεῖτο τὰ θεοφάνεια, ἤρκει καὶ φωνὴν γενέσθαι ἐξ οὐρανῶν, ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ βαπτίσματος πρότερον ἢ χρόνοις ὕστερον ἐπὶ τῆς μεταμορφώσεως ἢ καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ Παύλου τούτου, ἡνίκα τὴν ἐπὶ ∆αμασκὸν ἐπορεύετο. 12.12.2 Νυνὶ δὲ διὰ τὸ μέλλειν τὸ ἐκ Λιβύης κακὸν τὸν Σαβέλλιον ταῖς ἐκκλησίαις ἐπιφύεσθαι τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ τὴν κακόδοξον τῶν ὑποστάσεων σύγχυσιν εἰς τὸν βίον εἰσάγειν, τούτου χάριν ὁ Θεὸς ὥσπερ προανα κόπτων τὸ μέλλον καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν εἰς ὕστερον προασφαλιζόμενος δείκνυσι μὲν ἑαυτὸν τῷ Στεφάνῳ ἐν ἰδίᾳ καὶ αὐτοτελεῖ δόξῃ, δείκνυσι δὲ καὶ τὸν Υἱὸν ἐν ἀπηρτισμένῳ προσώπῳ, ἵστησι δὲ αὐτὸν ἐκ δεξίων ἑαυτοῦ, ἵνα τῇ διευκρινήσει τῶν προσώπων ἑρμηνεύσῃ τὰς ὑποστάσεις. 12.13.1 Καὶ τυχὸν ἐρεῖ τις· Τὰ μὲν περὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τοῦ Υἱοῦ οὕτω σοι πεφιλοσόφηται, ποῦ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον; Εἰ γὰρ τῆς κατὰ τὴν πίστιν ἀσφαλείας ἕνεκεν οὐρανόθεν ὁ Πατὴρ μετὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἐπεφαίνετο, ἐχρῆν συμπαρεῖναι καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ἵνα πρακτική τις μυσταγωγία τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐτελέσθη διὰ τῆς ὀπτασίας. Εἰπεῖν τοίνυν ἀναγκαῖον πρὸς τὸν ταύτην ἡμῖν ἀνθυποφέροντα τὴν διάνοιαν, ὅτι Ὦ σοφώτατε, χρὴ τὸν τῶν ἀναγνωσμάτων βασανιστὴν ὀρθήν τε ὁμοῦ τὴν διάνοιαν ἔχειν καὶ τὸ μνημονικὸν ἐρρωμένον, ἵν' οὕτως δυνηθῇ πάντων ὁμοῦ περιδράσσεσθαι τῶν γεγραμμένων. 12.13.2 Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ζητεῖς τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος παρουσίαν, μικρὸν ἀνωτέρω τῶν λίθων καὶ τῆς μιαιφονίας γενοῦ καὶ εὑρήσεις πρὸ τῆς ὀπτασίας τὸ Πνεῦμα λαλούμενον καὶ συμπαρὸν Στεφάνῳ καὶ προκαταρτίζον τὸν ἀθλητήν. Εὐθέως γὰρ ἐν ἀρχῇ τοῦ διηγήματος ταύτην ἡμῖν προανεφώνησε τὴν φωνήν· Στέφανος πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας καὶ δυνάμεως ἐποίει σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα μεγάλα ἐν τῷ λαῷ. Ἀνέστησαν δέ τινες ἐκ τῆς συναγωγῆς τῆς λεγομένης Λιβερτίνων καὶ Κυρηναίων καὶ Ἀλεξανδρέων καὶ τῶν ἀπὸ Κιλικίας καὶ Ἀσίας συζητοῦντες τῷ Στεφάνῳ καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυον ἀντιστῆναι τῇ σοφίᾳ καὶ τῷ πνεύματι, ᾧ ἐλάλει. 12.13.3 Ἰδοὺ τοίνυν καὶ τὸ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἡμῖν πρόσωπον εὐκρινῶς ὁ λόγος ὑπέστησεν. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο πρότερον γέγραπται, τελευταῖον δὲ ὁ Πατὴρ καὶ ὁ Υἱός, οὐδὲν ἡ τῆς τάξεως ἀπαλλαγὴ τῇ πίστει λυμαίνεται. Σύνηθες γὰρ τοῦτο ποιεῖν τῇ Γραφῇ· καὶ ποτὲ μὲν ὀνομάζειν τὸν Υἱὸν μόνον, ποτὲ δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα σὺν τῷ Υἱῷ, ἢ καὶ ἄρχεσθαι μὲν ἐκ τοῦ Πατρός, καταλήγειν δὲ εἰς τὸ Πνεῦμα· καὶ τὸ ἀνάπαλιν τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐκ τοῦ Πνεύ ματος γινομένης διὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τῷ λόγῳ ἐπὶ τὸν Πατέρα ὁδεύειν. 12.13.4 Καὶ τοῦτο τὸ τῆς συνηθείας ἰδίωμα μάλιστα παρὰ τῷ μεγάλῳ Παύλῳ ἀπα ραφυλάκτως γινόμενον ἔστιν ἰδεῖν. Πεπλήρωται δὲ παρ' ἡμῖν

Sharing Justice and the Danger of Harsh Judgment§65

65And to Stephen the duty; if one looks toward the magnitude, it is not sufficiently, but if toward the power of the one saying, it is sufficient: that to our God is the glory unto the ages of the ages. Amen.

A Pharisee man, as we recently heard Luke saying (Luke 7:36), invites the Lord to a meal and leads Him to a dining room and sets a common table. But he neither declines the invitation nor flees the man, whether being a disciple or having believed, yet being bound to the letter of the law and not yet having opened the eyes toward the knowledge of the truth, and being made dull toward the promises of the prophets.

What then has Luke written this summary for us (Luke 1:1-4)? Whether so that we may have the knowledge of what Jesus accomplished living in the body, and receive useful knowledge of history? Or that a certain useful and educational thought fills our life, regulating it toward the right and the incorruptible? Thus, I think it is good to have, and it is fitting for you to be persuaded.

For many are those justifying themselves, self-loving and self-sufficient, swollen in presumption through empty wisdom, calling sinners those who approach, and before the true criterion comes, separating themselves like lambs from the shouting ones and looking toward the door of the kingdom as if it were about to fall to them, not being worthy to share with the many in a roof or in bindings, but loathing all those who walk not the extreme, but the middle path of life.

Therefore Luke, the physician of more souls than bodies, wrote the narrative in hand not merely as a word, but as a medicine for those sick with self-will, showing Him, our God and Savior, the incomparably pure and only righteous, most compassionately associating Himself with those who are recognized as sinners and with those who not yet...

Sharing with those who have been purified, not in order to take on their wickedness, but in order to impart one's own righteousness, according to this solar energy which appears, so as to present the providence of the Creator to the creation.

For we know that the sun does not only illuminate the elevated regions, but also as many places as are deeper and lower than the human position. Let us therefore cease if any of us think in such a way as the Word says; but let us imitate the merciful and man-loving nature of the Master by descending to the lowly, not so that we might humble ourselves to those who are lowly, but so that we might lift them up, just as certain swimmers lift up those who are drowning toward this life-giving air.

Since the Gospel letter leads toward a noble thought, let us stretch ourselves toward the intended goal. I wonder greatly at those who are surrounded by this passion and love of flesh, yet are defeated each day by sleep and the stomach—and indeed, not only having an endless supply of other provocations common to all of us who share the same and one nature—how they are such harsh judges of those who sin, while being so forgiving of themselves; they are weak combatants and unnecessary lawmakers, as if to deny hope in the philanthropy of God and to block, as they suppose, the abundant source of mercy and, with much authority, to bar the entrance to the Kingdom from those who wander. This is nothing like divine economy, but brings misunderstanding to souls seeking healing. For the slave who has lost hope in the cure becomes entirely a stranger to the disease and to every promise of our Scriptures; for even to the one examining such things wisely, nothing is granted except by grace and healed by forgiveness. And who is so sarcastic and disobedient to the words of Job, shouting out to everyone that...

Greek · §65

καὶ τῷ Στεφάνῳ τὸ χρέος· εἰ μὲν πρὸς τὸ μέγεθος βλέπων τις οὐχ ἱκανῶς, εἰ δὲ πρὸς 64 τοῦ λέγοντος δύναμιν αὐτάρκως· ὅτι τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. 13.t.1 Ἀστερίου ἐπισκόπου Ἀμασείας προτρεπτικὸς περὶ μετανοίας 13.1.1 Ἀνὴρ Φαρισαῖος, ὡς ἀρτίως ἠκούσαμεν τοῦ Λουκᾶ λέγοντος, προτρέπει τὸν Κύριον εἰς ἑστίασιν καὶ ὑπωρόφιον ἄγει καὶ κοινὴν παρα τίθεται τράπεζαν. Ὁ δὲ οὔτε τὴν κλῆσιν ἀπαναίνεται οὔτε φεύγει τὸν ἄνθρωπον, μήτε μαθητὴν ὄντα μήτε πιστεύσαντα, τῷ γράμματι δὲ προσδεδεμένον τοῦ νόμου καὶ οὐδέπω πρὸς τὴν ἐπίγνωσιν τῆς ἀληθείας τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἀνοίξαντα, χαλεπῶς δὲ πρὸς τὰς ἐπαγγελίας ἀμβλυω ποῦντα τῶν προφητῶν. 13.1.2 Τί οὖν ἡμῖν τοῦτο τὸ κεφάλαιον ἀνέγραψεν ὁ Λουκᾶς; Πότερον ἵνα τὴν γνῶσιν ἔχωμεν ὧν ὁ Ἰησοῦς κατειργάσατο πολιτευόμενος ἐν τῷ σώματι, καὶ γνῶσιν ἱστορίας ἐπωφελοῦς παραλάβωμεν; ἢ νοῦ τινος ἐπωφελοῦς καὶ παιδευτικοῦ γέμει τὰ γράμματα τὸν ἡμέτερον βίον πρὸς τὸ ὀρθὸν καὶ ἀδιάστροφον κανονίζοντα; Οὕτως δὲ ἔχειν ἔγωγε ἡγοῦμαι καὶ ὑμᾶς προσῆκον πείθεσθαι. 13.1.3 Πολλοὶ γάρ εἰσι τῶν ἑαυτοὺς δικαιούντων φίλαυτοι καὶ αὐτάρεσκοι ἐν ὑπολήψει διὰ κενοῦ φρονήματος ὠγκωμένοι, ἁμαρτωλοὺς καλοῦντες τοὺς ἐγγίζοντας καὶ πρὶν ἐλθεῖν τὸ ἀληθινὸν κριτήριον ἑαυτοὺς ὡς ἄρνας ἀπὸ τῶν ἐρίφων χωρίζοντες καὶ πρὸς τὴν θύραν τῆς βασιλείας βλέποντες ὡς ἀναπε πταμένην αὐτοῖς, οὐ στέγης, οὐκ ἐδεσμάτων ἀξιοῦντες τοῖς πολλοῖς κοινωνεῖν, βδελυσσόμενοι δὲ πάντας τοὺς μὴ τὴν ἄκραν, ἀλλὰ τὴν μέσην ἐπὶ τοῦ βίου πορευομένους ὁδόν. 13.2.1 Ὁ τοίνυν Λουκᾶς, ὁ πλέον τῶν ψυχῶν ἢ τῶν σωμάτων ἰατρός, ἔγραψε τὸ ἐν χερσὶ διήγημα οὐ λόγον ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ φάρμακον τῶν νοσούντων αὐθάδειαν, αὐτὸν ἡμῶν τὸν Θεὸν καὶ Σωτῆρα δεικνύς, τὸν ἀσυγκρίτως καθαρὸν καὶ μόνον δίκαιον, συγγνωμονικῶς λίαν τοῖς κατεγνωσμένοις συναναστρεφόμενον καὶ τοῖς οὐδέπω κεκαθαρμένοις συνδιαιτώμενον, οὐχ ἵνα τι προσλάβῃ τῆς ἐκείνων κακίας, ἀλλ' ἵνα μεταδῷ τῆς οἰκείας δικαιοσύνης κατὰ τὴν ἡλιακὴν ταύτην τὴν φαινομένην ἐνέργειαν ὅσον ἀπὸ τοῦ κτίσματος παραστῆσαι τοῦ κτίστου τὴν πρόνοιαν. 13.2.2 Ἴσμεν μὲν γὰρ ὅτι καὶ ὁ ἥλιος οὐ τὰς ἡπλωμένας μόνον ἐπιλάμπει χώρας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅσαι κοιλότεραι καὶ τῆς ἀντρώδους ἔλαχον θέσεως. Παυσώμεθα τοίνυν, εἴ τινες οὕτως φρονοῦμεν ὡς ὁ λόγος φησίν· μιμησώμεθα δὲ τοῦ ∆εσπότου τὸ ἵλεων καὶ φιλάνθρωπον τοῖς ταπεινοῖς διὰ τοῦτο συγκαταβαίνοντες, οὐχ ἵνα ἑαυτοὺς τοῖς κειμένοις συνταπεινώσωμεν, ἀλλ' ἵνα κἀκείνους ὑψώσωμεν, οἷον κολυμβηταί τινες ἔφυδροι τοὺς πνιγομένους πρὸς τὸν ζωτικὸν ἀέρα τοῦτον ἀνέλκοντες. 13.3.1 Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πρὸς ἀρίστην νόησιν τὸ εὐαγγελικὸν γράμμα χειραγωγεῖ, φέρε πρὸς τὸν ἐμπεσόντα σκοπὸν ἑαυτοὺς ἀποτείνωμεν. Θαυμάζω σφόδρα τοὺς τὴν ἐμπαθῆ ταύτην καὶ φιλήδονον περικειμένους σάρκα, ἡττωμένους δὲ καθ' ἡμέραν ὕπνου καὶ γαστρός, οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τῶν ἄλλων ἐρεθισμῶν ἀπείρως ἔχοντας τῶν ὅσοι γνώριμοι πᾶσιν ἡμῖν τοῖς τῆς μίας καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς κοινωνοῦσι φύσεως, ὅπως εἰσὶ σκληροὶ δικασταὶ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων καὶ ἑαυτῶν συγγνώμονες· 13.3.2 ἀσθενεῖς ἀγωνισταὶ καὶ ἀπαραίτητοι νομοθέται, ὡς καὶ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίας ἀναιρεῖν τὴν ἐλπίδα καὶ ἀποφράττειν, ὡς νομίζουσι, τὴν ἄφθονον τοῦ ἐλέους πηγὴν καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς δὲ τῆς αὐθεντίας ἀποκλείειν τοῖς πλανηθεῖσιν τῆς βασιλείας τὴν εἴσοδον. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐδὲν [ἄλλως] οἰκονομικόν, ἀπόγνωσιν ἐμποιεῖν ψυχαῖς ἰατρείαν ζητούσαις. Ὁ γὰρ τῆς θεραπείας ἀπελπίσας δοῦλος γίνεται καθάπαξ τῆς νόσου καὶ πρός γε πάσης τῆς τῶν ἡμετέρων Γραφῶν ἐπαγγελίας ἀλλότριος, οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐκεῖ τῷ συνετῶς ἐξετάζοντι 65 τοιοῦτον, ὃ μὴ χάρις δωρεῖται καὶ θεραπεύει συγγνώμη. 13.3.3 Καὶ τίς οὕτως ὑπόκωφος καὶ ἀνήκοος τῶν λόγων τοῦ Ἰὼβ διαρρήδην πρὸς πάντας ἐκβοῶντος ὅτι

The Mercy of the Divine Judge§66

66No one is clean from filth, nor even for one day is his life. And who, being sensible, would think such a thing, as being subject to these same accounts in the court of God, to consider forgiveness superfluous and mercy useless?

If indeed they had run toward the very edge of justice and exactness, having truly trodden according to what is written upon the serpent and the scorpion (Gen 3:1), and having been proclaimed victors and crowned against sin, it was not so that they should regulate life toward their own courage and toward all other things, but rather to confess the grace to the Giver God for their own good-pleasing, that they had also masterfully controlled their nature and had not become handlings of satanic temptations, but to reach out with brotherly love toward those who have grown weak, and to raise them up from the mire and cleanse them from the pollutions.

For those receiving honors would thus have taken double praise, of their both their own manliness and of brotherly and good sympathy. But now, being humans who fall to the ground and living a life not the angelic one and near the incorporeal ones, but such as if anyone were to lead and judge by accounts, they judge strictly and with much of the authority that brings a condemning vote, as if to say of me, often being suffocated by the dust and by arrogance, I would speak the evangelical sayings against them, that not seeing the views of others through the eyes you suppose in your own, you remove the splinters (Matt 7:3-5). And binding the heaviest burdens to others, you bypass, heavy judges and weak burden-bearers, seizing the step of Christ and snatching away the decision of the Judge, contemptible slaves and unnecessary judges of fellow-slaves.

If you zeal for God as having been created according to an image, imitate the archetype yourselves; O Christians, the Philanthropic name, zeal for the love of Christ, and turn toward the wealth of his philanthropy. For, intending to appear to men through a man, he preordained John, the preacher of repentance (Luke 3:3), the introducer of regret, and all before John as teachers of turning, the prophets. Then also he himself, having appeared after a little time, cries with his own voice personally: 'Come to me, all you who labor and are burdened, and I will give you rest (Matt 11:28).'

How did he respond when persuaded by the call? He gave a remission of sins without cost, and a release from those who grieve that is uncalculated and brief. The Word sanctified, the Spirit sealed; the old man was buried by the water, the new man was born rising by grace.

What follows? A man becomes his own instead of an alien, a son instead of a stranger, a mystic out of the profane, a holy one out of the ungodly. Therefore, having been enriched by such magnificent and unsurpassed gifts, if one, sinning against the ambitious and good benefactor, were not immediately mindful of the word before you difficult and negligent judges, he would certainly be driven to destruction, being cut off from this life and being punished there.

But since another is the Lord of the verdict, who makes mercy into thousands and myriads and does not wish the death of the sinner, but awaits the return, even so those who insulted the former grace were not punished; rather, a second mercy follows the first, and forgiveness is joined with amnesty. A tear falling is equal to the washing, and a groan over toil brings back the grace that had withdrawn a little.

If you do not believe the word, ask Peter, sitting in the house of the high priest, and he will tell you how, bitterly mourning the lapse of his denial, he was cleansed, and he did not dissolve into Simon, but Peter remained the apostle.

I myself think that even Judas Iscariot, if he had quickly become his own executioner, judging his sin unpardonably and falling down to ask mercy, would not have missed the mercies that overflow throughout the inhabited world. The proof of this word is all the Hebrews who, after the cross, believed, washing their souls and their hands together in the washing. If those who crucified were shown mercy, how could the betrayer not have escaped the amnesty?

Paul also once bound Christians, but having later borne the chains for Christ, he released the complaints from his own passion; he sinned while stoning Stephen and consenting to the killers, but having been stoned, he wiped out the multitude. Matthew and Zacchaeus once were tax collectors, but having trodden upon the tax office through contempt for things, the one received Jesus in his house and more in his soul, the other received the works of wonders.

Greek · §66

Οὐδεὶς καθαρὸς ἀπὸ ῥύπου, οὐδ' ἂν μία ἡμέρα ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ; Τίς δ' ἂν σωφρονῶν τοιοῦτον φρονήσειεν, ὡς ὑποκείμενος εὐθύναις καὶ ταύταις ἐν δικαστηρίῳ Θεοῦ περιττὸν οἴεσθαι συγγνώμην καὶ ἀχρεῖον τὸν ἔλεον; 13.4.1 Εἰ δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἀκρότατον δικαιοσύνης καὶ ἀκριβείας ἦσαν ἐληλακότες, πατήσαντες δὲ ἀληθῶς κατὰ τὸ γεγραμμένον ἐπάνω ὄφεων καὶ σκορπίων, νικηταὶ δὲ καὶ στεφανῖται κατὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀνηγορεύθησαν, οὐδ' οὕτως ἐχρῆν πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀνδρείαν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων κανονίζειν τὸν βίον, ἀλλὰ τῆς μὲν ἰδίας εὐδοκιμήσεως τῷ δεδώκοτι Θεῷ τὴν χάριν ὁμολογεῖν, ὅτι καὶ φύσιν ἡγεμονικῶς ἡνιόχησαν καὶ πειρασμῶν σατανικῶν οὐκ ἐγένοντο χείρους, τοῖς δὲ ἀσθενήσασιν ὀρέγειν φιλαδελφίας δεξίαν καὶ ἀνεγείρειν ἐκ τοῦ πηλοῦ καὶ καθαίρειν ἐκ τῶν μολυσμάτων. 13.4.2 ∆ιπλοῦν γὰρ ἂν οὕτως τὸν ἔπαινον ἤραντο τῆς τε ἰδίας ἀνδραγαθίας ὁμοῦ καὶ τῆς φιλαδέλφου καὶ χρηστῆς συμπαθείας τὰ γέρα λαμβάνοντες. Νυνὶ δὲ ἄνθρωποί τε ὄντες τῶν χαμαὶ ἐρχομένων καὶ ζῶντες βίον οὐ τὸν ἀγγελικὸν καὶ ἐγγὺς τῶν ἀσωμάτων, ἀλλὰ τοιοῦτον οἷον ἄν τις καὶ ὑπ' εὐθύνας ἀγάγοι καὶ σκώψειεν, δικάζουσιν αὐστηρῶς καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς αὐθεντίας τὴν κατακρίνουσαν φέρουσι ψῆφον, ὡς ἐμὲ πολλάκις ὑπὸ τοῦ τύφου καὶ τῆς ἀλαζονείας ἀποπνιγόμενον εἰπεῖν ἐπ' αὐτοῖς τὰς εὐαγγελικὰς ῥήσεις, ὅτι τὰς δοκοὺς ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις ὀφθαλμοῖς μὴ βλέποντες τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ὄψεων ἀποφυσᾶτε τὰ κάρφη. 13.4.3 Καὶ τὰ βαρύτατα φορτία τοῖς ἄλλοις δεσμεύοντες περινοστεῖτε βαρεῖς κριταὶ καὶ ἀσθενεῖς ἀχθοφόροι τὸ βῆμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ προλαμβάνοντες καὶ τοῦ κριτοῦ τὴν ἀπόφασιν προαρπάζοντες, δοῦλοι καταφρονηταὶ καὶ ἀπαραίτητοι τῶν ὁμοδούλων κριταί. 13.5.1 Εἰ ζηλοῦτε Θεὸν ὡς κατ' εἰκόνα κτισθέντες, μιμήσασθε ὑμῶν τὸν ἀρχέτυπον· ὦ χριστιανοί, τὸ φιλάνθρωπον ὄνομα, ζηλώσατε τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὴν ἀγάπην, ἀποβλέψατε πρὸς τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς ἐκείνου φιλαν θρωπίας. Μέλλων γὰρ ἀνθρώποις ἐπιφαίνεσθαι δι' ἀνθρώπου προκαθῆκε τὸν Ἰωάννην, μετανοίας κήρυκα, μεταμελείας εἰσηγητὴν καὶ πάντας πρὸ Ἰωάννου προφήτας ἐπιστροφῆς διδασκάλους. 13.5.2 Εἶτα καὶ αὐτὸς μετ' ὀλίγον ἐπιφανεὶς οἰκείᾳ φωνῇ βοᾷ αὐτοπροσώπως· ∆εῦτε πρὸς μέ, πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες καὶ πεφορτισμένοι, κἀγὼ ἀναπαύσω ὑμᾶς. Τοὺς δὲ τῇ κλήσει πεισθέντας πῶς ὑπεδέξατο; Ἄπονον ἔδωκεν τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τὴν ἄφεσιν, ἀκαριαίαν καὶ σύντομον τὴν τῶν λυπούντων ἀπαλλαγήν· Λόγος ἡγίασεν, Πνεῦμα ἐσφράγισεν· ὁ παλαιὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐνετάφη τῷ ὕδατι, ὁ νέος ἐτέχθη ἀνηβήσας τῇ χάριτι. 13.5.3 Τί τὰ ἑξῆς; Ὁ ἄνθρωπος οἰκεῖος ἀντ' ἀλλοτρίου, υἱὸς ἀντὶ ξένου, μύστης ἐκ βεβήλου, ἅγιος ἐξ ἀσεβῶν. Ὁ τοίνυν ταῖς οὕτως μεγαλοπρεπέσι καὶ ἀνυπερβλήτοις δωρεαῖς πλουτισθείς, ἁμαρτὼν εἰς τὸν φιλότιμον καὶ ἀγαθὸν εὐεργέτην, παρὰ μὲν ὑμῖν τοῖς δυσκόλοις καὶ ἀμειλίκτοις δικασταῖς εὐθὺς μήτε λόγου μεταλαβών, πάντως ἂν ἐπὶ τὸν ὄλεθρον ἤχθη καὶ τῆς ἐνθάδε ζωῆς ἀποκοπεὶς καὶ τὴν ἐκεῖ κολαζόμενος. 13.5.4 Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἄλλος ἐστὶν ὁ τῆς ψήφου Κύριος, ὁ ποιῶν τὸ ἔλεος εἰς χιλιάδας καὶ μυριάδας καὶ μὴ θέλων τὸν θάνατον τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ, ἀναμένων δὲ τὴν ἐπιστροφήν, οὐδ' οὕτως οἱ τὴν πρώην χάριν ὑβρίσαντες ἐτιμωρήθησαν, ἀλλὰ πάλιν δεύτερος ἔλεος ἀκολουθεῖ τῷ προτέρῳ καὶ ἀμνηστείᾳ συγγνώμη συν άπτεται καὶ δάκρυον στάζον ἰσοδυναμεῖ τῷ λουτρῷ καὶ στεναγμὸς ἐπί μοχθος ἐπανάγει τὴν χάριν πρὸς ὀλίγον ἀναχωρήσασαν. 13.5.5 Εἰ ἀπιστεῖς τῷ λόγῳ, Πέτρον ἐρώτησον ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως καθήμενον, καὶ λέξει σοι, ὅπως τὸ παράπτωμα τῆς ἀρνήσεως πικρῶς ὀδυράμενος ἐκαθάρθη καὶ οὐκ ἀνέλυσεν εἰς τὸν Σίμωνα, ἀλλὰ Πέτρος διέμεινεν ὁ ἀπόστολος. 13.6.1 Ἐγὼ δὲ νομίζω, ὅτι καὶ Ἰούδας ὁ Ἰσκαριώτης, εἰ μὴ ταχέως αὐτὸς ἑαυτοῦ ἐγένετο δήμιος ἀσύγγνωστον κρίνας τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, προσ πεσὼν δὲ τὸν ἔλεον 66 ᾔτησεν, οὐκ ἂν τῶν οἰκτιρμῶν τῶν πάσης ὑπερχεομένων τῆς οἰκουμένης ἠστόχησεν. Τεκμήριον δὲ τοῦ λόγου πάντες Ἑβραῖοι οἱ μετὰ τὸν σταυρὸν πιστεύσαντες καὶ τῷ λουτρῷ τὰς ψυχὰς ὁμοῦ καὶ τὰς χεῖρας νιψάμενοι. Εἰ δὲ οἱ σταυρώσαντες ἠλεήθησαν, πῶς οὐκ ἂν ὁ προδοὺς τῆς ἀμνηστείας ἀπέλαυσεν; 13.6.2 Ἐδέσμει ποτὲ καὶ Παῦλος χριστιανοὺς, ἀλλὰ βαστάσας ὕστερον ἁλύσεις ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ ἐκ τῆς ταὐτοπαθείας ἔλυσε τὰ ἐγκλήματα· ἥμαρτε λιθάζων Στέφανον καὶ συνευδοκῶν τοῖς φονεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ λιθασθεὶς ἐξήλειψε τὸ πλημμέλημα. Ἐτελώνουν ποτὲ Ματθαῖος καὶ Ζακχαῖος, ἀλλὰ τῇ καταφρονήσει τῶν χρημάτων τὴν τελωνείαν πατήσαντες ὁ μὲν τῇ οἰκίᾳ τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐδέξατο καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ πλέον, ὁ δὲ τῶν θαυμαστῶν πράξεων

Mercy and the Judgment of God§67

67He was shown to be an evangelist and a writer. The tax collector who was with the Pharisee is necessary for remembrance; likewise the woman who lost the drachma and found it (Luke 18:10; Luke 15:8).

But from beginning to end, if anyone were to consider the men of all life in their respective times, he would find many first entangled in sins, then having been moved by a slight inclination toward the better, having established a purpose. For it is the property of God alone to set everything right without any deficiency. But man, being driven by generation and corruption and being subject to so many things, could never be shown to be blameless through the cutting away of forgiveness.

Look toward David the king of Israel, whom God chose by election, and who adorned himself with praises through testimony, saying: 'I have found a man after my own heart, David the son of Jesse' (Acts 13:22). This man, after that brilliant exaltation of praises, because he was seized by the passion of carnality and fell into those things which we all know, yet after the rebuke of the prophet, he came to a calculation of the evil, and left a written record for those looking toward repentance in the future regarding the toil.

And we behold, as in an image, in the Psalter, the man: now being gripped by sorrow in the body, and then making time for weeping in the night, the common rest from pains; and flowing with tears upon the bed as if from the springs of the eyelids, and again to us having labored out the fiftieth psalm (Psalm 50), a type of one propitiating God. Not was the lamentation produced in vain for him, but the heavy groans drew in mercy, and he received both the authority of the royal power and the boldness of supplication toward God.

Similarly, he who had the lot of ruling Nineveh was accompanied by the multitude of sins toward destruction together with the peoples beginning to perish (Jonah 3), and he proclaimed the rebuke of sin approaching with little time left for the punishment. But since they, having sensibly wronged themselves, fled the trial of the calamity, he was grieved that the prophet of evils did not relent, and he became harshly angry toward the mercy of God.

And he who, everywhere both through words and deeds, makes known to us how much favor he has toward men, nurtures the gourd over the head for the...

The ray of the sun provides a covering for the vegetable that is withering, yet the shadow, failing to provide continuous protection, dries it up. Then, as if struggling to wake up to what is happening, it the person reproaches and blames. If one so passionately grieves over a withered vegetable, would God not be moved by a city approaching such danger? Learn, then, you harsh and unmerciful ones, the goodness of Him who created us, and do not become bitter and heavy-handed judges among fellow slaves, until He who reveals the secrets of hearts arrives to distribute the state of the expected life to each according to their lot by His sovereign authority. Do not issue your decisions in secret, so that you may not be subjected to the same, and walk as if pierced by the words of your own people as if they were sharp. For it seems to me that even the Gospel forewarning of this serves as a safeguard, saying: 'Do not judge, so that you may not be judged' (Matthew 7:1). For it does not cast out judgment and good-knowledge, but names the harshest condemnation 'judgment.' Therefore, if you wish, make the scale light, if you do not want to be dragged down by the condemning tablet and your own deeds when our life is being weighed in the balance of God's judgment.

Being surrounded by a body and living in the flesh, do not ever reject life from medical treatment. For even if you live for a long time in both well-being and health, you will not continue to be without sickness as if there were no need for the care of the healer. And having a soul inclined toward earthly things, whenever it becomes filled with the efforts of the body, do not reject mercy, so that you may not be deprived of forgiveness when you become in need of it. If someone is a priest and has been granted to lead the people, let him see the falls of those under his care with sympathy, knowing that even if the order of life differs from the many, it has not hindered the nature of those being shepherded, and that he, sharing in it, may perhaps one day share in transgression. Moses, knowing these things—for he was a man and knew human nature—commanded the calf to be used by the priest, because he was entirely a sinner and in need of cleansing and many things. What the fleshly calf was then, this is now the bodiless sin.

Greek · §67

εὐαγγελιστὴς καὶ συγγραφεὺς ἀπεδείχθη. Ὁ τελώνης ὁ μετὰ τοῦ Φαρισαίου ἀναγκαῖος εἰς μνήμην, ἡ γυνὴ ἡ τὴν δραχμὴν ἀπολέσασα καὶ εὑροῦσα. 13.6.3 Ἐξ ἀρχῆς δὲ εἰς τέλος εἴ τις τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοῦ βίου παντὸς ἐν τοῖς καθεξῆς χρόνοις λογίσαιτο, τοὺς πολλοὺς εὑρήσει πρότερον μὲν ἐνσχεθέντας ἁμαρτήμασιν, εἶτα τῇ πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον ῥοπῇ μετα θεμένους τῆς γνώμης. Θεοῦ γὰρ οἰκεῖον καὶ μόνου ἐξαίρετον πλημμελείας χωρὶς πάντα κατορθοῦν. Ἄνθρωπος δὲ ὑπὸ γένεσιν καὶ φθορὰν ἠγμένος καὶ τοσούτων ὑπάρχων δεκτικὸς παθῶν οὔποτ' ἂν ἀκατηγόρητος δειχθείη περικοπείσης συγγνώμης. 13.6.4 Ἀπόβλεψον πρὸς τὸν ∆αβὶδ τὸν βασιλέα τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, ὃν κατ' ἐκλογὴν ἐχειροτόνησεν ὁ Θεός, ἐπαίνοις δὲ τοῖς τῆς μαρτυρίας ἐκόσμησε λέγων· Ηὗρον ἄνδρα κατὰ τὴν καρδίαν μου ∆αβὶδ τὸν τοῦ Ἰεσσαί. Οὗτος μετὰ τὴν λαμπρὰν ἐκείνην τῶν ἐπαίνων ἀνάρρησιν, ἐπειδὴ τῷ πάθει τῆς σωμεραστίας ἑάλω καὶ περιέπεσεν ἐκείνοις οἷς γινώσκομεν ἅπαντες, ἦλθε δὲ μετὰ τὸν ἔλεγχον τοῦ προφήτου εἰς ἀναλογισμὸν τοῦ κακοῦ, ἀνάγραπτον ἀφῆκεν τοῖς εἰς ὕστερον ἐσομένοις τῆς μετανοίας τὸν μόχθον. 13.6.5 Καὶ θεωροῦμεν, ὡς ἐν εἰκόνι, τῷ ψαλτηρίῳ τὸν ἄνδρα, νῦν μὲν ἐκτηκόμενον τῇ λύπῃ τὸ σῶμα, αὖθις δὲ τὴν νύκτα καιρὸν θρήνων ποιούμενον, τὴν κοινὴν τῶν πόνων ἀνάπαυσιν· καὶ τῇ κλίνῃ τὸ δάκρυον ἐπιρρέοντα ὡς ἐκ πηγῶν τῶν βλεφάρων, καὶ πάλιν ἡμῖν τὸν πεντηκοστὸν ψαλμὸν ἐκπονήσαντα, τύπον τὸν ἱλασκόμενον Θεόν. Οὐ μὲν ὁ θρῆνος αὐτῷ μάτην ἐξεπονήθη, ἀλλ' οἱ βαρεῖς στεναγμοὶ τὸν ἔλεον ἐφειλκύσαντο, ἀπέλαβε δὲ καὶ τῆς βασιλικῆς αὐθεντίας τὴν ἐξουσίαν καὶ τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν ἱκεσίας τὴν παρρησίαν. 13.6.6 Ὁμοίως κἀκεῖνος ὁ τῆς Νινευὴ βασιλεύειν λαχὼν τῷ μὲν πλήθει τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν συνηλαύνετο πρὸς τὸν ὄλεθρον ὁμοῦ τοῖς ἀρχομένοις λαοῖς, καὶ ὁ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἔλεγχος ἐγγίζειν μετ' ὀλίγον τὴν προθεσμίαν τῆς τιμωρίας ἐκήρυττεν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ συνετῶς ἑαυτοὺς κακώσαντες ἔφυγον τὴν πεῖραν τῆς συμφορᾶς, ἐλυπήθη μὲν ὅτι μὴ ἠλήθευσεν ὁ τῶν κακῶν προφήτης καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἔλεον τοῦ Θεοῦ χαλεπῶς ἠγροικίσατο. 13.6.7 Ὁ δὲ πανταχοῦ καὶ διὰ λόγων καὶ πράξεων γνωρίζων ἡμῖν, ὅσην ἔχει τὴν πρὸς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εὐμένειαν, φύει μὲν τὴν κολόκυνθαν ὑπὲρ κεφαλῆς τῷ προφήτῃ σκέπην τῆς λυπούσης ἀκτῖνος, ὑποκαθεύδοντος δὲ τῇ σκίᾳ ἀθρόον ἀποξηράνας αὐτήν. Εἶτα ὡς δυσκόλως εἶχεν ἀφυπνώσας πρὸς τὸ συμβάν, ὀνειδίζει καὶ μέμφεται. Εἰ ὁ μὲν οὕτως ἐμπαθῶς ἐπιστυγνάζοι τῷ μαρανθέντι λαχάνῳ, ὁ Θεὸς δὲ οὐκ ἂν ἐπε κλάσθη τηλικαύτῃ πόλει ἐγγὺς ἐλθούσῃ κινδύνου; 13.7.1 Μάθετε οὖν, οἱ σκληροὶ καὶ δυσμείλικτοι, τὴν τοῦ κτίσαντος 13.7.1 ἡμᾶς χρηστότητα καὶ μὴ γίνεσθε τῶν ὁμοδούλων πικροὶ καὶ βαρεῖς δικασταί, ἄχρις ἂν ἀφίκηται ὁ τὰ κρυπτὰ τῶν καρδιῶν ἀποκαλύπτων καὶ κατ' ἐξουσίαν δεσποτικὴν ἑκάστῳ τῆς προσδοκωμένης ζωῆς ἀπο κληρῶν τὴν κατάστασιν. Μὴ σκυθρωπὰς ἐκφέρετε τὰς ἀποφάσεις, ἵνα μὴ ταῖς ὁμοίαις ὑποβληθῆτε καὶ τῶν οἰκείων στομάτων τοῖς λόγοις ὡς ὀδοῦσιν ὀξυτάτοις περιπαρῆτε. 13.7.2 ∆οκεῖ γὰρ μοὶ καὶ ἡ εὐαγγελικὴ πρόρρησις τούτου προφυλακτικὴ τυγχάνειν τοῦ πλημμελήματος λέγουσα· Μὴ κρίνετε, ἵνα μὴ κριθῆτε. Οὐ γὰρ τὴν κρίσιν καὶ τὴν εὐγνω μοσύνην ἐκβάλλει, κρίσιν δὲ ὀνομάζει τὴν 67 τραχυτέραν κατάκρισιν. Ποίησον οὖν, εἰ δοκεῖ, κοῦφον τὸ σταθμίον, εἴπερ βούλει μὴ πρὸς τὴν κατακρίνουσαν πλάστιγγα καὶ τὰς σὰς πράξεις καθελκυσθῆναι, ὅταν ὁ βίος ἡμῶν ὡς ἐν ζυγῷ τῇ κρίσει τοῦ Θεοῦ ταλαντεύηται. 13.7.3 Σῶμα περικείμενος καὶ διαζῶν ἐν σαρκὶ μήποτε ἀπελάσῃς τοῦ βίου τὴν ἀπὸ ἰατρικῆς θεραπείαν. Κἂν γὰρ ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ὅσον εὐεξίᾳ τε καὶ ὑγείᾳ συζήσῃς, ἀλλ' οὐχ οὕτως διατελέσεις ἄνοσος, ὡς ἐν χρείᾳ μὴ γενέσθαι τῆς ἐπιμελείας τοῦ θεραπεύοντος. Καὶ ψυχὴν ἔχων κατακλινομένην πρὸς τὰ γήϊνα, ἡνίκα ἂν ἑαυτῆς ἐπιλαθομένη τῶν προσπαθειῶν ἐμπλησθῇ τοῦ σώματος, μὴ ἀναίρει τὸν ἔλεον, ἵνα μὴ ἀμοιρήσῃς συγγνώμης, ὅταν αὐτῆς ἐπιδεὴς καταστῇς. 13.7.4 Ἱερεύς τίς ἐστι καὶ ἡγεμονεύειν ἔλαχε τοῦ λαοῦ· συμπαθῶν ὁράτω τῶν ὑπηκόων τὰ πτώματα, εἰδὼς ὅτι κἂν ἡ τάξις τοῦ βίου διαφορὰν ἔχῃ πρὸς τοὺς πολλούς, ἀλλὰ τῇ φύσει τῶν ποιμαινομένων οὐδὲν διενήνοχεν, κοινωνῶν δὲ αὐτῆς ἴσως ποτὲ κοινωνήσει καὶ πλημμε λήματος. 13.7.5 Ταῦτα καὶ Μωϋσῆς εἰδώςἄνθρωπος γὰρ ἦν καὶ τὴν φύσιν ἐγνώριζεντὸν μόσχον ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἱερέως ἱερουργεῖσθαι διέταξεν, ἡμαρτηκότος πάντως καὶ καθαρσίων δεομένου καὶ πλειόνων. Ὅπερ δὲ ἦν τότε ὁ ἔνσαρκος μόσχος, τοῦτο νῦν ἐστιν ἡ ἀσώματος

The Care of the Shepherd§68

68Do not let us boast and vaunt of benefits through repentance and bloodless prayer, knowing that even Aaron, the most tested priest, was drawn toward gods by the people and was caught in the murmuring along with his sister Mary; if the one who murmured had not pleaded, he would not have escaped the punishment.

Another, who is not a priest but one of many, should fear laying on a heavy yoke. For if he who is set to cleansing the people sometimes needs cleansings himself, what will happen to the one who does not even possess the power of ordination?

Let us imitate the pastoral way of the Lord; let us bow to the Gospels and, just as an image is learned in a mirror, let us learn the idea of both care and kindness. For I see there, in parables and in the shaded words, a shepherd of a hundred sheep; who, when one of the flock was torn away and went wandering, did not remain with those in order and those thought to be unerring, but having rushed to the search, pursued many bellies and ravines, and was lifted high by great and lofty obstacles and endured the wildernesses patiently, until he discovered the wanderer.

Having found him, he did not strike him, nor did he drive him back fiercely rushing toward the flock, but having laid hold of the neck and bringing him with mercy to the companions, he restored him, rejoicing more over that one than over the multitude of the others.

Let us then understand the matter that is hidden in riddles. For the sheep is not truly a sheep and the shepherd is altogether something else—not indeed a herder of mute animals—but these things are educational examples for the priests, so that regarding men we neither despair too easily nor become discouraged when they are in danger. Let us seek the one in distress and lead him back into order, and let us rejoice with those returning and mingle with the fullness of those living rightly.

It was fitting for the priest to practice philanthropy instead of excision, so that even if the Lord commands to cut off someone as a useless plant, he must ask as a gardener for mercy and for exceeding hope. For the word presents to us the mind of the unfruitful fig tree, where the farmer, wanting to prune it because of the unfruitfulness, pleads and asks for a regrowth and for exceeding good hopes for it.

The one who cares through his own diligence. Do not strike hastily, since you ought to prevent the one to whom the cutting was entrusted by the Lord, nor judge the uselessness quickly, but work out the diligence. Dig with reproaches, warm with exhortations like dung, water with the flowing of lessons, surround with the protective fences of commands like a trench. Let it be yours to abstain, the judge's to decide.

Let us strive to be called that, which the Lord also is called: for the Father is named Paraclete, appeasing on behalf of the human race; likewise the Spirit of Truth took the name of the zeal for us. For there also he is called Paraclete; and indeed an embassy and an intercession on behalf of the sinners is always striven for, not of the blameless and the unaccused.

Zeal, O priest, for the care of Moses; imitate his concern for those beginning their disposition, who, calling upon God, so that He might not be ill-disposed toward the people having sinned, since he knew a little that grace had passed by, this indeed he entreated: that the people might go forth, so that he might not see the destruction of the one being driven mad.

And nothing is like remembering the word of it: 'I pray, the people have sinned a great sin and have made for themselves golden gods. And now, if you forgive them their sin, let them be; but if not, blot me out from the book which you have written' (Exodus 32:32). Do you see how he sets forth the salvation of the multitude through his own care and seeks to be blotted out, if he does not succeed in obtaining forgiveness for the common people? But those now, being embittered toward the sinners approaching, drive them away, and those falling down, running toward, seeking to be healed, exceeding the limit, do not incline their faces while weeping.

Why then did Luke, and rather the Holy Spirit, write to me about the lost son (Luke 15), who first brought down the one just born, then, having been wasted away by pleasures and drunkenness and becoming a lover of money, emptied all the father's wealth? And since later, having been sufficiently wretched by labors, as if to become a fellow-dweller with hired hands and to share the same food with the pigs, he returned to the father's hearth having become sober, the father did not turn away nor did he shut the doors against him.

Greek · §68

μεταμέλεια καὶ ἡ ἀναίμακτος δέησις, ἧς ὑψηλολογούμενοι καὶ μεγαλαυχοῦντες τὴν εὐεργε σίαν μὴ λύσωμεν 13.7.6 εἰδότες ὅτι καὶ Ἀαρὼν ὁ δοκιμώτατος ἱερεὺς τῷ λαῷ ζητοῦντι θεοὺς συναπήχθη καὶ μετὰ τῆς ἀδελφῆς τῆς Μαρίας ἑάλω τῷ γογγυσμῷ καὶ εἰ μὴ ὁ γογγυσθεὶς ἱκέτευσεν, οὐκ ἂν τὴν τιμωρίαν διέφυγεν. Ἄλλος ἐστίν, οὐχ ἱερεύς, ἀλλὰ εἷς τῶν πολλῶν, φοβείσθω βαρὺν ἐπιτιθέναι ζυγόν. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ καθαίρειν τὸν λαὸν προβληθεὶς χρῄζει καθαρσίων ἐνίοτε, τί ἂν πάθοι ὁ μηδὲ τῆς χειροτονίας ἔχων τὴν δύναμιν; 13.8.1 Μιμησώμεθα τὴν ποιμαντικὴν τοῦ ∆εσπότου· ἐγκύψωμεν τοῖς εὐαγγελίοις καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν ἐσόπτρῳ τὴν ἰδέαν καταμάθωμεν τῆς ἐπιμε λείας τε καὶ χρηστότητος. Βλέπω γὰρ ἐκεῖ ἐν παραβολαῖς καὶ τοῖς ἐπεσκιασμένοις τῶν λόγων ἄνδρα ποιμένα ἑκατὸν προβάτων· ὃς ἑνὸς θρέμματος ἀποσχισθέντος τῆς ἀγέλης καὶ πλανωμένου οὐ τοῖς ἐν τάξει καὶ ἀπλανῶς νενομένοις παρέμεινεν, 13.8.2 ἀλλ' ὁρμήσας ἐπὶ τὴν ζήτησιν πολλὰς μὲν διώδευσε κοιλότητας τε καὶ φάραγγας, μεγάλων δὲ καὶ ὑψηλῶν ὑπερηνέχθη σκοπέλων καὶ ταῖς ἐρημίαις καρτερῶς ἐνεμόχθησε, μέχρις ἀνίχνευσε τὸ πλανώμενον. Εὑρὼν δὲ οὐκ ἔπληξεν, οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ ἤλασεν σφοδρῶς ἐπείγων πρὸς τὴν ἀγέλην, ἀλλ' ἐπιθεὶς τῷ αὐχένι καὶ κομίσας μετὰ φειδοῦς τοῖς συννόμοις ἀποκατέστησεν χαίρων ἐπ' ἐκείνῳ πλέον ἢ τῷ πλήθει τῶν ἄλλων. 13.8.3 Νοήσωμεν τοίνυν τὸ πρᾶγμα τὸ τοῖς αἰνίγμασιν ἐγκρυπτόμενον. Τὸ γὰρ πρόβατον οὐκ ὄντως πρόβατον καὶ ὁ ποιμὴν δὲ πάντως ἄλλο τι, οὐ μὴν ὁ τῶν ἀλόγων νομεύς, ἀλλ' ἔστιν ὑποδείγματα ταῦτα τῶν ἱερέων παιδευτικά, ἵνα τῶν ἀνθρώπων μήτε προχείρως ἀπελπίζωμεν μήτε καταρρᾳθυμῶμεν κινδυνευόντων. Ζητῶμεν δὲ τὸν ἐμπαθῆ καὶ ἐπανάγωμεν εἰς τάξιν καὶ χαίρωμεν τοῖς ἐπιστρέφουσιν καὶ τῷ πληρώματι τῶν ὀρθῶς βιούντων ἀναμιγνύωμεν. 13.8.4 Ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον δὲ τὸν ἱερέα προσῆκεν ἀντὶ τῆς ἀποτομίας τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν ἀσκεῖν, ὥστε κἂν ὁ ∆εσπότης ἐκκόπτειν κελεύῃ τινὰ ὡς φυτὸν ἄχρηστον, αὐτὸν ὡς φυτοκόμον αἰτεῖν δεῖ τὴν φειδὼ καὶ ὑπέρθεσιν. Τοῦτον γὰρ ἡμῖν παρίστησι τὸν νοῦν τῆς ἀκάρπου συκῆς ὁ λόγος, ἣν ἐκτεμεῖν θέλοντος τοῦ Κυρίου διὰ τὴν ἀκαρπίαν, ὁ γεωργὸς ἱκετεύει καὶ ἀναβολὴν αἰτεῖ καὶ ὑπέρθεσιν ἐλπίδας αὐτῷ χρηστὰς ὑπο τείνων διὰ τῆς οἰκείας ἐπιμελείας. 13.8.5 Μὴ τοίνυν κόπτε προχείρως, ὁ τὴν τομὴν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπαγομένην κωλύειν ὀφείλων, μηδὲ καταγίνωσκε ταχέως τὴν ἀχρηστίαν, ἀλλ' ἐκπόνει τὴν ἐπιμέλειαν. Σκάπτε τοῖς ἐλέγχοις, θάλπε ὡς κόπρῳ ταῖς παρακλήσεσιν, πότιζε τῇ ἐπιρροίᾳ τῶν μαθημάτων, περίφρασσε τοῖς προφυλακτικοῖς τῶν παραγγελμάτων ὡς χαρακώματι. Σὸν ἔστω τὸ παραιτεῖσθαι, τοῦ κριτοῦ τὸ δικάζειν. 13.8.6 Ἐκεῖνο κληθῆναι σπουδάσωμεν, ὃ λέγεται καὶ ὁ Κύριος· παράκλητος γὰρ 68 ὀνομάζεται ὑπὲρ τοῦ γένους τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸν Πατέρα ἐξιλεούμενος· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τῆς ἀληθείας τὴν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σπουδὴν ἔλαβεν ὄνομα. Παράκλητος γὰρ κἀκεῖνο λέγεται· πρεσβεία δὲ καὶ παράκλησις ὑπὲρ τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων πάντως σπουδάζεται, οὐ μὴν τῶν ἀνευθύνων καὶ ἀνεγκλήτων. 13.8.7 Ζήλωσον, ὁ ἱερεύς, τὸ κηδεμονικὸν τοῦ Μωσέως· μίμησαι τὴν ἐκείνου περὶ τοὺς ἀρχομένους διάθεσιν, ὃς παρα καλῶν τὸν Θεόν, ἵνα μὴ δυσμενῇ τῷ λαῷ πλημμελήσαντι, ἐπειδὴ μικρὸν ᾔσθετο παρελκομένης τῆς χάριτος, τοῦτο γοῦν ἱκέτευε προαπελθεῖν τοῦ λαοῦ, ὡς μήτε θεάσηται τῶν ποιμαινομένων τὸν ὄλεθρον. 13.8.8 Οὐδὲν δὲ οἷον αὐτῆς ἀπομνημονεῦσαι τῆς λέξεως· ∆έομαι, ἡμάρτηκεν ὁ λαὸς ἁμαρτίαν μεγάλην καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς θεοὺς χρυσοῦς. Καὶ νῦν εἰ μὲν ἀφίῃς αὐτοῖς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, ἄφες· εἰ δὲ μή, ἐξάλειψόν με ἐκ τῆς βίβλου ἧς ἔγραψας. Ὁρᾷς ὅπως τὴν τοῦ πλήθους σωτήριαν τῆς οἰκείας προτίθησιν καὶ ἐξαλειφθῆναι ζητεῖ, εἰ μὴ κατορθοῖ τῷ κοινῷ τὴν συγγνώμην; Οἱ δὲ νῦν πρὸς τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας πικραινόμενοι προσιόντας ἐλαύνουσιν, ὑποπίπτοντας παρατρέχουσιν, θεραπευθῆναι ζητούντων ὑπερορῶσιν, δακρυόντων οὐκ ἐπικλῶσι τὸ πρόσωπον. 13.9.1 Τί οὖν ὁ Λουκᾶς, μᾶλλον δὲ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ἀνέγραψέ μοι τὸν υἱὸν τὸν ἄσωτον, ὃς καθύβρισε μὲν τῇ ἀναχωρήσει πρώτῃ τὸν γεννη σάμενον, εἶτα πρὸς ἡδονὰς καὶ μέθας ἐκβακχευθεὶς καὶ φιλογύνης γενόμενος πάντα τὸν πατρικὸν πλοῦτον ἐκένωσεν; Ἐπειδὴ δὲ χρόνοις ὕστερον ἱκανῶς ἐνταλαιπωρήσας τοῖς μόχθοις, ὡς καὶ συβώτης γενέσθαι μισθωτὸς καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς μετασχεῖν τοῖς χοίροις τροφῆς, ἐπανῆλθε πρὸς τὴν πατρικὴν ἑστίαν σωφρονισθείς, οὐκ ἀπεστράφη ὁ πατὴρ οὐδὲ ἐπέθηκεν αὐτῷ τὰς θύρας

The Parable of the Returning Son and the Sinful Woman§69

69After his return, he approached the one drawing near and leaned on his neck, shedding tears compassionately upon the neck; and instead of an athlete's reward, he made him blessed by clothing him in free garments, putting a ring on his hand, celebrating a feast, and preparing a splendid banquet.

All these things are a parabolic word, opening to those repenting that the church is a fatherly home received with goodwill, so that they are not fellow-dwellers with swine or the filthy, but are born again as sons of another, so that by the will of God they may live together as a father's purpose and with the holy men as brothers.

You, however, do not envy the mind of the elder brother, nor grumble at the father's philanthropy, because he even received the prodigal and the insolent one. Rather marvel at the goodness and imitate God's benevolence, and embrace and fall upon those returning from error; for thus you will be a guide to the blind and a teacher of the wanderers.

Regarding those practicing harshness of mind and cutting off mercy before compassion, enough has been said to us and nothing more is needed; but listen also, you who pray for a return, that it might be fitting for you to hover over sins and mourn the falls of the heart. Rather, if it seems good, consider the sinful woman read to us by Luke in our presence. Zeal for her humility and modesty, and take as a rule of repentance, having remained exact.

For coming to the house of the Pharisee, she neither reddened at the crowd of those dining, nor fled the time of the banquet as unseasonable for confession, but being seized by grief and having a fierce mourning for transgressions, she did not release the physician of sins even for a moment. Nor was she coming to entreat face-to-face, but interpreting through her appearance that which was unworthy of herself and outspoken, having grasped the place by her posture and not even standing simply, but falling on her feet, loosening her hair, and making public her mourning soul through her actions, pouring tears to the feet of Jesus with much compassion, she sought mercy; and pouring out so much that she even drenched the feet, and while wringing out her hair, she gathered up all the moisture with humble reverence.

Greek · §69

ἐπανελθόντι, 13.9.2 ἀλλὰ πᾶν τοὐναντίον προσέδραμεν ἐγγίζοντι καὶ ἐπεκλίθη τῷ τραχήλῳ καὶ δάκρυον ἐπέσταξε συμπαθῶς τῷ αὐχένι, ἐποίησε δὲ πάλιν ἀντὶ ἀθλίου μακαριστὸν ἐλευθερίῳ ἀμφιέσας ἐσθῆτι καὶ δακτύλιον τῇ χειρὶ περιθεὶς καὶ ἑορτὴν ἄγων τὴν ἡμέραν καὶ εὐτρεπίσας εὐωχίαν λαμπράν. Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα λόγος ἐστὶ παραβολικὸς ὑπανοίγων τοῖς μετανοοῦσιν ὡς πατρικὴν ἑστίαν τὴν ἐκκλησίαν καὶ δεχόμενος φιλοφρόνως, ἵνα μὴ ὦσιν ὁμοδίαιτοι τοῖς χοίροις, τοῖς δαί μοσιν, γεννῶνται δὲ πάλιν ἐξ ἀλλοτρίων υἱοί, ἵνα τῷ βουλήματι τοῦ Θεοῦ συζῶσιν ὡς γνώμῃ πατρὸς καὶ τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀνδράσιν ὡς ἀδελφοῖς. 13.9.3 Σὺ δὲ μὴ ζήλου τὴν γνώμην τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου, μηδὲ καταγόγγυζε τῆς τοῦ πατρὸς φιλανθρωπίας, ὅτι καὶ τὸν ἄσωτον καὶ ὑβριστὴν εἰσῳκίσατο. Θαύμαζε δὲ μᾶλλον τὴν ἀγαθότητα καὶ μιμοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν εὐμένειαν καὶ τοὺς ἐκ τῆς πλάνης ὑποστρέφοντας ἐναγκαλίζου καὶ περιπτύσσου· οὕτως γὰρ ἔσῃ τυφλῶν ὁδηγὸς καὶ πλανωμένων διδάσκαλος. 13.10.1 Πρὸς μὲν οὖν τοὺς τραχυτέρους τὴν γνώμην καὶ τὴν ἀποτομίαν πρὸ τῆς συμπαθείας ἀσκοῦντας ἱκανῶς ἡμῖν εἴρηται καὶ οὐδὲν δεῖ μακροτέρων· ἄκουε δὲ λοιπὸν καὶ ὁ τῆς ἐπιστροφῆς δεόμενος, ὅπως σε προσῆκεν ἐπιστυγνάζειν τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν καὶ τὰ παραπτώματα τῆς καρδίας ἀποθρηνεῖν· μᾶλλον δέ, εἰ δοκεῖ, σκόπησον τὴν ἁμαρτωλὸν γυναῖκα τὴν παρὰ τῷ Λουκᾷ ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἀναγνωσθεῖσαν ἡμῖν. Κἀκείνης τὸ ταπεινὸν καὶ εὐσύνετον ζήλωσον καὶ λάβε κανόνα μετανοίας ἠκριβω μένης. 13.10.2 Ἐλθοῦσα γὰρ ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Φαρισαίου οὔτε τὸ πλῆθος τῶν ἑστιωμένων ἠρυθρίασεν, οὔτε τὸν καιρὸν τῆς εὐωχίας ὡς ἄκαιρον εἰς ἐξομολόγησιν ἔφυγεν, ἀλλὰ τῇ λύπῃ συνεχομένη καὶ σφοδρὸν ἔχουσα τῶν πλημμελημάτων τὸ πένθος οὐδὲ τὸ βραχύτατον ἠφίει τὸν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἰατρόν. Οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ εἰς τὸ πρόσωπον κατ' ὄψιν ἐρχομένη ἱκέτευεν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀνάξιον ἑαυτῆς καὶ ἀπαρρησίαστον διὰ τοῦ σχήματος ἑρμηνεύουσα, τὴν κατὰ νώτου χώραν καταλαβοῦσα καὶ οὐδὲ ἑστῶσα ἁπλῶς, 13.10.3 ἀλλὰ κατόπιν τῶν ποδῶν λαβομένη, λύσασα δὲ τὰς κόμας καὶ τοῖς πράγμασι δημοσιεύουσα τὴν πενθοῦσαν ψυχὴν καὶ τοῖς ποσὶν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ τὸ δάκρυον ἐπιρρέουσα μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς 69 συμπαθείας ᾔτει τὸν ἔλεον· καὶ τοσοῦτον προχεομένη, ὥστε καὶ βρέχειν τοὺς πόδας καὶ τῇ κόμῃ πάλιν ἐκμάττουσα τὴν ὑγρότητα πᾶσαν εὐλάβειαν ταπεινὴν

The Fruitlessness of Nominal Repentance§70

70It was being shown. So that having gathered the points, I might say, the woman exerted repentance through all her senses and through her habits which had sinned; and it is possible to demonstrate by inference that she was mourning her sins publicly and in an obvious way, whereas she used to practice sin privately in her leisure. As for us, our promise announces repentance, but our practice shows nothing additional, but rather we maintain the same state of life which we lived even before the sin.

For brightness is the same, and the same clothing, and a luxurious enjoyment of the table, and long sleep relaxed into indolence, and various distractions and cares producing forgetfulness to the soul through its own self-care. But we are only inscribed with the name of repentance, being both unfruitful and inactive; separating ourselves from the mysteries and from the communion of the secret sanctifications, and making no effort at all for a return toward them, but rather despising the enjoyment as if it were easy.

Understand, man, that you are worthy of many things, yet you have been separated from the participation of those. If you were a participant at a royal table, and then, having struck against the honor, you were cast off, how much wealth would you spend to become a friend and table-fellow again? And what doors would you not have pursued, begging, being at a loss, groaning, considering life unlivable, manifesting the pain of the grief in the depths through rank and relation of person, moving every stone, even the stone of the word, until you had overcome the calamity for yourself?

But he who, having been separated from the intimacy toward God and having fallen from truly high honor, what great and meaningful act of humility will a corrupted soul demonstrate? It is not consistent to say that one who is sick is changing to the same life as those who are healthy. For a different diet is for the sick one, and a different life for the healthy one.

See how great is the change of the well-off toward the condition of the ailing; for he, sensing the illness according to its state, lies down in a small room, having withdrawn from all habit, neglecting agriculture, being a very farmer, and abandoning concern for wealth...

Greek · §70

ἐπεδείκνυτο. 13.10.4 Ἵνα δὲ συνελὼν εἴπω, πάσαις ταῖς αἰσθήσεσι καὶ τοῖς μέλεσι τοῖς ἡμαρτηκόσιν ἡ γυνὴ τὴν μετάνοιαν ἐξεπόνει· ἡ δὲ δημοσία καὶ εἰς τοὔμφανες οὕτως ὀδυρομένη τὰς ἁμαρτίας τίνα κατ' ἰδίαν ἐπὶ σχολῆς ἔπραττεν, ἔξεστιν τεκμηράμενον συνορᾶν. Ἡμῶν δὲ ἡ μὲν ὑπόσχεσις μετάνοιαν ἐπαγγέλλεται· ἡ δὲ πρᾶξις οὐδὲν ἐπίπονον δείκνυσιν, ἀλλὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχομεν τοῦ βίου κατάστασιν ἣν καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἐζῶμεν. 13.10.5 Φαιδρότης γὰρ ὁμοία καὶ ἐσθὴς ἡ αὐτὴ καὶ τραπέζης ἀπόλαυσις δαψιλὴς καὶ ὕπνος μακρὸς καὶ λελυμένος εἰς κόρον, ἀσχολίαι δὲ καὶ φροντίδες ἐπάλληλοι λήθην ἐμποιοῦσαι τῇ ψυχῇ τῆς οἰκείας ἐπιμελείας. Μόνον δὲ τὸ ὄνομα τῆς μετανοίας ἐπιγραφόμεθα ἄκαρπον τε καὶ ἀνενέργητον· τῶν μὲν μυστηρίων ἑαυτοὺς χωρίζοντες καὶ τῆς κοινωνίας τῶν ἀπορρήτων ἁγιασμάτων, οὐδεμίαν δὲ σπουδὴν τῆς ἐπιστροφῆς τῆς πρὸς αὐτὰ ποιούμενοι, ἀλλ' ὡς εὐώνου καταφρονοῦντες τῆς ἀπολαύσεως. 13.10.6 Ἐννόησον, ἄνθρωπε, πηλίκων ἀξιούμενος ἐχωρίσθης τῆς μετουσίας ἐκείνων. Εἰ βασιλικῆς σὺ τραπέζης μετέχων ᾖς, εἶτα προσκρούσας τῆς τιμῆς ἀπερρίφης, πόσων ἂν ἐξωνήσω χρημάτων τὸ πάλιν γενέσθαι φίλος καὶ ὁμοτράπεζος; Τίνων δὲ θύρας οὐκ ἂν διώχλησας ἱκετεύων, ἀπορούμενος, στένων, ἀβίωτον νομίζων τὸν βίον, τῇ τήξει καὶ σχέσει τοῦ προσώπου τῆς ἐν τῷ βάθει λύπης τὴν ὀδύνην ἐκφαίνων· πάντα λίθον, τὸ τοῦ λόγου, κινῶν, μέχρις οὗ σαυτῷ τὴν συμφορὰν ἐπηνώρθωσας; 13.10.7 Ὁ δὲ τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν οἰκειώσεως χωρισθεὶς καὶ τῆς ὄντως ὑψηλῆς τιμῆς ἐκπεσὼν τί μέγα καὶ ἀξιόλογον ποιήσας ψυχῆς κεκακωμένης ἐνδείξηται ταπεινότητα; Οὐκ ἔστιν ἀκόλουθον νοσεῖν λέγοντα τὴν αὐτὴν ζωὴν μετιέναι τοῖς ὑγιαίνουσιν. Ἄλλη γὰρ δίαιτα τοῦ ἀρρώστου καὶ ἕτερος βίος τοῦ ὑγιαίνοντος. 13.11.1 Ὁρᾷς ὅση ἐστὶν ἡ τοῦ εὐεκτοῦντος μεταβολὴ πρὸς τὴν τοῦ ἀσθενοῦντος διαγώγην· οὗτος μὲν γὰρ τῆς κατὰ τὴν ἕξιν ἀρρωστίας αἰσθόμενος ἐν δωματίῳ σμικρῷ κατακεῖται πάσης συνήθους ἀναχωρήσας φροντίδος· ἀμελεῖ γεωργίας καὶ σφόδρα γεωργικὸς ὑπάρχων· ἀφίησι πλούτου μέριμναν ὁ

The Physician of the Soul§§71–72

71A speculator and a lover of money. He is nourished by water and pulse, even if formerly he was full of luxury and set a Sybaritic table. Separated from his usual marriage-bed, he does not delight children; he understands doctors both by night and by day, and for the sake of beloved profit, he hastens toward health with many wages. Such is the sick man of the body.

But he who is badly disposed regarding the soul, having surrounded the incorporeal soul with physical ailments, and feigning confession and showing weakness, leaves it to be devoured and torn apart by the passion, so that it might be spread out over the whole mass? But be temperate, know yourself: you have grieved God, having insulted your Creator, who has authority over this present life and is Lord and Judge of the life to come. Have you been harmed by luxury? Through fasting, heal the enjoyment. Has intemperance harmed the soul? Let temperance become the medicine for the sickness.

Has greed worked a many-layered fever upon the intellect? Let almsgiving empty the fullness, for it is the distribution of cleansing for those who have been filled. Has the seizing of others' things harmed us? Let the stolen thing return to its own master. Falsehood has brought us near to destruction; for he says, 'You shall perish, those who speak falsehood' (John 8:44); let studied truth stand against the danger.

A broken oath leads to the flying sickle of Zechariah threatening to cut the womb (Zech 9:1); let us put on the whole armor of repentance, so that we might repel the edge of the sickle. Has someone served impiously through heretical dogmas? Let him drive away superstition with the mindset of right belief. This indeed is repentance: a release and an undoing of those things formerly or according to practice being enacted, or according to disposition being thought.

But he who knows the usefulness of the seventy times of repentance, yet is always turning toward the filth of lawlessness, becomes a slave alongside one who knows the wrath of the master, yet in his presence works evil and triples the sin. Let him become sensitive toward the...

72It is containing a disease. Crush yourself as much as you can; seek also the mourning of like-souled brothers to help you toward freedom. Show me your bitter and abundant tear, so that I may mix mine as well; take also the priest, a fellow-mourner of the affliction, as a father.

For who is such a false father or one adamant regarding the soul, as not to journey with the grieving children or to rejoice with them again? A priest is a son of God according to religion; he mourns sin just as Jacob mourned for Joseph's blood-stained tunic (Gen 37:31), as David mourned for Absalom's destruction, as Eli mourned for Hophni and Phinehas falling in the battle line, as Moses mourned for the people who innovated the godless calf-making (Ex 32).

Be emboldened before the One who begot you according to God, before the bodily fathers; show Him unashamedly the hidden things, strip bare the soul's secrets as one showing a hidden disease to a physician; He himself will attend to both decency and the cure; for the shame of parents touches those whom they have suffered. For the glory of those who begot is likewise their shame. The term of life is uncertain, brothers. Let us outpace the departure through care.

for it is absurd that those who plan according to the flesh cleanse themselves from material things before the circumcision of the so-called dog, lest the moisture that causes disease should work rot through excessive heat; but those who need care according to the intellect do not outrun the uncertainty of death and the heat of the testing fire, which burns unbidden and is never quenched.

You had the evangelical drachma and were enriching yourself well with the money, then through laziness you lost it. Light the lamp of repentance (Matt 25:1), bow down with care, seek the treasure hidden to the poor through afflictions (Matt 13:44). Having found it, lift it up and save it, so that we neighbors may rejoice with you in the joy in Christ, to whom glory is due, now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Greek · §§71–72

§71

χρηματιστὴς καὶ φιλέμπορος. Ὕδατι καὶ ψωμῷ διατρέφεται, εἰ καὶ πρότερον τρυφῆς γέμουσαν καὶ συβαριτικὴν παρετίθετο τράπεζαν. παισὶν οὐκ ἐπευφραίνεται τὰ συνήθη γαμετῆς χωρισθείς· τοῖς ἰατροῖς σύνεστιν νύκτωρ τε καὶ μεθ' ἡμέραν καὶ πολλοῖς μισθοῖς πρὸς ἀγαπητὸν κέρδος σπεύδει τὴν ὑγιείαν. Ταῦτα ὁ τοῦ σώματος ἄρρωστος. 13.11.2 Ὁ δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν κακῶς διακείμενος τὴν ἀσώματον περινοστήσας τῷ ἰατρῷ καὶ προσποιητῶς ὁμολογῶν καὶ δεικνὺς τὴν ἀσθένειαν καταλιμπάνει νέμεσθαι καὶ σφακελίζειν τὸ πάθος, ἵνα πρὸς τὸν ὅλον ὄγκον διαχεθῇ; Ἀλλὰ σωφρό νησον, γνῶθι σαυτόν· Θεὸν ἐλύπησας, τὸν ∆ημιουργόν σου παρώργισας, τὸν καὶ τῆς παρούσης ζωῆς τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἔχοντα καὶ τῆς μελλούσης Κύριον καὶ κριτήν. Ἀπὸ τρυφῆς ἐκακώθης; νηστείᾳ θεράπευσον τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν. Ἀκολασία τὴν ψυχὴν ἔβλαψεν; σωφροσύνη γενέσθω τῆς ἀρρωστίας φάρμακον. 13.11.3 Πλεονεξία πολύϋλος τὸν νοητὸν εἰργάσατο πυρετόν; ἐλεημοσύνη κενωσάτω τὴν πλησμονήν, καθάρσιον γὰρ τῶν πεπληρωμένων μετάδοσις. Ἔβλαψεν ἡμᾶς ἁρπαγὴ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων; ἐπανελθέτω πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον δεσπότην τὸ ἅρπαγμα. Ψεῦδος ἡμᾶς ἐγγὺς τῆς ἀπωλείας ἤγαγεν ἀπολεῖς γάρ, φησί, τοὺς λαλοῦντας τὸ ψεῦδος; ἀλήθεια μελετηθεῖσα στησάτω τὸν κίνδυνον. 13.11.4 Ὅρκος παραβαθεὶς ἄγει πετόμενον τὸ διαέριον τοῦ Ζαχαρίου δρέπανον τὴν τόμην ἀπειλοῦν; ἐνδυσώμεθα πᾶσαν τὴν πανοπλίαν τῆς μετανοίας, ἵνα τὴν ἀκμὴν ἀποκρουσώμεθα τοῦ δρεπάνου. Αἱρετικοῖς δόγμασιν ἀσεβῶς τις ἐδούλευσεν; ὀρθῆς δόξης φρονήματι τὴν δεισιδαιμονίαν φυγαδευσάτω. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ἡ μετάνοια· λύσις καὶ ἀφανισμὸς τῶν πρώην ἢ κατὰ πρᾶξιν ἐνεργουμένων ἢ κατὰ διάθεσιν νοουμένων. 13.12.1 Ὁ δὲ γνωρίζων τὸ τῆς 70 μετανοίας ὠφέλιμον, ἀεὶ δὲ περὶ τὸν βόρβορον τῆς ἀνομίας στρεφόμενος, δούλῳ τυγχάνει παραπλήσιος γνωρίζοντι τὴν ὀργὴν τοῦ δεσπότου, ἐν ὄψεσι δὲ αὐτοῦ τὸ κακὸν ἐργαζομένῳ καὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τριπλασιάζοντι. Εὐαίσθητος γενοῦ πρὸς τὴν

§72

περιέχουσαν σε νόσον. Σύντριψον σαυτὸν ὅσον δύνασαι, ζήτησον καὶ ἀδελφῶν ὁμοψύχων πένθος βοηθοῦν σοι πρὸς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν, δεῖξον μοι πικρόν σου καὶ δαψιλὲς τὸ δάκρυον, ἵνα μίξω καὶ τὸ ἐμόν, λάβε καὶ τὸν ἱερέα κοι νωνὸν τῆς θλίψεως ὡς πατέρα. 13.12.2 Τίς γὰρ οὕτως πατὴρ ψευδώνυμος ἢ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀδαμάντινος, ὡς μὴ συνοδύρεσθαι τοῖς τέκνοις λυπομένοις ἢ πάλιν συνευφραίνεσθαι χαίρουσιν; Ἱερεὺς υἱοῦ τοῦ κατὰ θρησκείαν οὕτως ὀδύρεται ἁμαρτίαν, ὡς Ἰακὼβ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ τὸν ᾑμαγμένον χιτῶνα, ὡς ∆αβὶδ τοῦ Ἀβεσσαλὼμ τὸν ὄλεθρον, ὡς ὁ Ἠλὶ τὸν Ὀφνὶ καὶ Φινεὲςπεσόντας ἐπὶ τῆς παρατάξεως, ὡς Μωϋσῆς τὸν λαὸν τὴν ἄθεον μοσχοποιΐαν καινοτομήσαντα. 13.12.3 Πρὸ τῶν σωματικῶν πατέρων θάρρησον τῷ κατὰ Θεόν σε γεννήσαντι, δεῖξον αὐτῷ ἀνερυθριάστως τὰ κεκρυμμένα, γύμνωσον τὰ τῆς ψυχῆς ἀπόρρητα ὡς ἰατρῷ πάθος δεικνύων κεκαλυμμένον· αὐτὸς ἐπιμελήσεται καὶ τῆς εὐσχημοσύνης καὶ τῆς θεραπείας· πλέον ἡ αἰδὼς τῶν γονέων ἅπτεται τῶν πεπονθότων αὐτῶν. Ἡ γὰρ ἐκείνων δόξα τῶν γεννησαμένων ἐστὶν καὶ ἡ αἰσχύνη ὁμοίως. Ἄδηλος, ἀδελφοί, τῆς ζωῆς ἡ προθεσμία. Φθάσωμεν τῇ ἐπιμελείᾳ τὴν ἔξοδον. 13.12.4 Ἄτοπον γὰρ τοὺς μὲν τῆς σαρκὸς λελογισμένως ποιουμένους τὴν πρόνοιαν καθαίρειν ἑαυτοὺς τῶν ὑλῶν πρὸ τῆς ἐπιτολῆς τοῦ λεγομένου κυνός, ἵνα μὴ διασαπὲν ἐκ τῆς ἄγαν θερμότητος τὸ ὕγρον νοσοποιὸν σῆψιν ἐργάσηται, τοὺς δὲ κατὰ διάνοιαν ἐπιμελείας χρῄζοντας μὴ προφθάνειν τοῦ θανάτου τὴν ἀδηλίαν καὶ τοῦ κολαστηρίου πυρὸς τὴν ζέσιν, τοῦ ἀλήκτως φλέγοντος καὶ μηδέποτε ψυχομένου. 13.12.5 Τὴν δραχμὴν εἶχες τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν καὶ καλῶς ἐπλούτεις τῷ χρήματι, εἶτα διὰ ῥᾳθυ μίαν ἀπώλεσας. Ἅψον τὸν ἐκ τῆς μετανοίας λύχνον, κατάκυψον ἐπιμελῶς, ζήτησον τὸ κειμήλιον τοῖς γηΐνοις ἐγκρυπτόμενον πάθεσιν. Εὑρηκὼς ἀνελοῦ καὶ σῶσον, ἵνα σοι συγχαρῶμεν οἱ γείτονες χαρὰν τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ, ᾧ πρέπει δόξα, νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

The Benefits of Fasting for Soul and Body§73

73Man is a composite being, consisting of a visible body and a rational and incorporeal soul.

Of these two previously mentioned things, the nature and the value are not equal; for the one the body was created as an instrument to move according to the economy of the ruling soul, but the other was appointed to rule and to reign as superior to the inferior.

Having received discernment from the intellect and the logos, and finding the difference between the good and the not-such, it the soul recognizes God as Creator and Maker of the things in these senses, and not only these, but also of the invisible things, which the incorporeal mind, through imagination, sees.

Practicing justice and virtue as a friend of God, it the soul pursues philosophy and, obeying its laws and commands, leads itself to something greater than the fleshly desires, and draws near to God with whatever power belongs to the good.

The most important and predominant part of this holy philosophy turns toward what is called self-control; for from this point the mind remains unpolluted, receiving no mixture of the filths from the stomach or of other impurities, and it has unhindered activity and the contemplation of heavenly and kindred things.

Therefore, you who are nourished by philosophy, lovers of the high things, and disciples of the Word, love this present time and the holy forty days; receive it as a teacher of temperance and a mother of virtue, a nourisher of the sons of God, a pedagogue of the unruly, a calm of souls, a stability of life, and a peace that is both a pledge and undisturbed.

For this strict and solemn passion puts to sleep the impulses and the tempers, and it cools and restrains all the turbulence sought by gluttony. And just as in the summer, when the sun...

Just as the north wind benefits the things being warmed by the glowing lamp of the earth, driving away the suffocation with gentle breezes, so also fasting grants benefit, having driven away the burning of the bodies from gluttony.

Doing so much for the soul, it benefits the body no less. For it thins the thicknesses and the bulk of the material elements, it unloads the weight of the body, and it brings down the veins bursting from the abundance of blood and gives a little room to the narrowness, so that they may not suffer the passion of the vessels. For even those, when much and immoderate water is held back beyond the capacity, they burst from the volume being forced in by violence, not containing it.

And it has a gentle head and one stilled in its posture, neither the arteries throbbing nor the brain being darkened by the rising of vapors. And of the stomach, self-control is freedom. For then it is released from the necessary slavery and from boiling like a cauldron, exhausting the entrails. Eyes see clearly and without scrutiny, all the film being removed, which the boy is accustomed to pouring over the eyes, and the base of the feet is firm, and the activity of the hands is unshakeable.

Breath is orderly and moderate, by none of the spirits that crowd from within rushing forth. The word of the faster is clear and well-structured, the mind is pure and then truly possesses the god-like, when as in an incorporeal state it performs its own activity in the flesh, painless and without disturbance. Sleeps are painless and without phantasms; and so that I may say many things by passing over much, fasting is a common peace of soul and body, an undisturbed life, a stable constitution, a life pleasing to God and grieving the enemy.

For just as the enemy, when he sees the opponent alert and sober, arming himself with care and practicing courage, considers his love of battle to be a lesser thing, so also the attacker of our salvation considers all our precision according to virtue as a threat to himself.

Greek · §73

14.t.1 Ἀστερίου ἐπισκόπου Ἀμασείας λόγος εἰς τὴν εἴσβασιν τῶν ἁγίων νηστειῶν 14.1.1 Σύνθετον ζῷον ὁ ἄνθρωπος, ἀπὸ σώματος τοῦ φαινομένου καὶ τῆς λογικῆς καὶ ἀσωμάτου ψυχῆς λαχὼν εἶναι ὅπερ ἐστίν. Τῶν δέ γε δύο τούτων τῶν προρρηθέντων οὐχ ὁμότιμος ἡ φύσις καὶ ἡ ἀξία, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν ὄργανον ἐδημιουργήθη πρὸς τὴν οἰκονομίαν τῆς κρατούσης κινούμενον, ἡ δὲ ἡγεμονεύειν ἐτάχθη καὶ βασιλεύειν ὡς κρείττων τοῦ χείρονος. 14.1.2 Λαβοῦσα δὲ αὕτη τὸ διακριτικὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ νοῦ καὶ τοῦ λόγου καὶ τῶν καλῶν καὶ τῶν οὐ τοιούτων τὴν διαφορὰν ἐξευροῦσα γνωρίζει μὲν Θεὸν ποιητὴν καὶ δημιουργὸν τῶν τε ἐν ποσὶ τούτων καὶ τῇ αἰσθήσει καταληπτῶν, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἀοράτων, ὅσα νοῦς ἀσώματος φαντασιούμενος βλέπει. 14.1.3 Ἀσκοῦσα δὲ δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἀρετήν, ὡς Θεῷ φίλη, ἐφίεται φιλοσοφίας καὶ τοῖς ἐκείνης νόμοις καὶ παραγγέλμασι πειθομένη ἀπάγει μὲν ἑαυτὴν ὅτι πλεῖστον τῶν σαρκικῶν ἐπιθυμημάτων, ἐγγίζει δὲ τῷ Θεῷ καὶ ὅση δύναμις οἰκειοῦσθαι τῷ ἀγαθῷ πραγματεύεται. 14.1.4 Αὐτῆς δὲ τῆς ἱερᾶς φιλοσοφίας περὶ τὴν λεγομένην ἐγκράτειαν τὸ πλεῖστον καὶ κυριώτερον στρέφεται, ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ ὁ νοῦς ἀθόλωτος μένων καὶ οὐδεμίαν ἐπιμιξίαν τῶν ἀπὸ γαστρὸς ἢ τῶν ἄλλων 71 ῥυπασμάτων δεχόμενος ἀνεμπόδιστον ἔχει τὴν ἐνέργειαν καὶ τὴν περὶ τῶν οὐρανίων καὶ συγγενῶν αὐτῷ θεωρίαν. 14.2.1 Οὐκοῦν ὅσοι τῆς φιλοσοφίας τρόφιμοι καὶ τῶν ὑψηλῶν ἐρασταὶ καὶ μαθηταὶ τοῦ λόγου, ἀγαπήσατε τὸν ἐνεστῶτα καιρὸν καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν τεσσαρακοστὴν χαίροντες ὑποδέξασθε ὡς σωφροσύνης διδάσκαλον καὶ ἀρετῆς μητέρα καὶ τροφὸν τῶν υἱῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ παιδαγωγὸν τῶν ἀτάκτων καὶ γαλήνην ψυχῶν καὶ εὐστάθειαν βίου καὶ εἰρήνην ἔνσπονδον καὶ ἀτάραχον. 14.2.2 Ταύτης γὰρ τὸ αὐστηρὸν καὶ σεμνὸν πάθη κοιμίζει, ὀργὰς καὶ θυμοὺς ἀποσβέννυσιν, πάντα κλύδωνα τὸν ἐκ πολυφαγίας ἀναζέοντα καταψύχει καὶ καταστέλλει. Καὶ ὅπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ θέρους, ὅταν ὁ ἥλιος τὸ φλογῶδες καταλάμπῃ τῆς γῆς, ὁ βορρᾶς τοὺς θαλπομένους εὐεργετεῖ πραείαις αὔραις ἀπελαύνων τὸ πνῖγος, τοιοῦτον καὶ ἡ νηστεία χαρίζεται τὴν ἐκ τῆς γαστριμαργίας πύρωσιν τῶν σωμάτων ἀποδιώκουσα. 14.2.3 Τοσαῦτα δὲ ψυχὴν εὐεργετοῦσα οὐχ ἧττον ὠφελεῖ καὶ τὸ σῶμα. Λεπτύνει γὰρ καὶ τῶν ὑλῶν τὰς παχύτητας καὶ τὸν ὄγκον ἀποσκευάζει τοῦ σώματος καὶ τὰς φλέβας τῷ πλήθει ῥηγνυμένας τοῦ αἵματος ἀνίησι καὶ δίδωσιν ὀλίγον χώρημα τῇ στενότητι, ἵνα μὴ πάθωσι τὸ τῶν σωλήνων πάθος. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι, ὅταν αὐτοῖς πολύ τι καὶ ἄμετρον ὑπὲρ τὴν χώρησιν ἐποχετεύσῃ τὸ ὕδωρ, ἐκρήγνυνται τὸν ἐκ τῆς βίας εἰσωθούμενον ὄγκον μὴ στέγοντες. 14.2.4 Κεφαλὴ δὲ πραεῖαν ἔχει καὶ γαληνιῶσαν κατά στασιν, οὔτε τῶν ἀρτηρίων παλλομένων οὔτε τοῦ ἐγκεφάλου διὰ τῆς ἀναδόσεως τῶν ἀτμῶν ζοφουμένου. Στομάχου δὲ ἐλευθερία ἐγκράτεια. Τότε γὰρ ἀφίεται τῆς ἠναγκασμένης δουλείας καὶ τοῦ ζέειν ὡς λέβης, κάμνων ταῖς πέψεσιν. Ὀφθαλμοὶ καθαρὸν καὶ ἀνεπισκότητον βλέπουσι πάσης ἀχλύος ἀφαιρουμένης, ἣν ὁ κόρος καταχέειν εἴωθε τῶν ὀμμάτων, καὶ τῶν ποδῶν ἡ βάσις ἑδραία, ἀκλόνητος δὲ τῶν χειρῶν ἡ ἐνέργεια. 14.2.5 Ἆσθμα τεταγμένον καὶ μέτριον, παρ' οὐδενὸς τῶν ὀχλούντων πνευμά των ἔνδοθεν ἐπειγόμενον. Λόγος τοῦ νηστευτοῦ σαφὴς καὶ διηρθρωμένος, νοῦς καθαρὸς καὶ τότε ἀληθῶς τὸ θεοειδὲς ἔχων, ὅταν ὡς ἐν ἀσωμάτῳ τῇ σαρκὶ ἄλυπον καὶ ἀθορύβητον ἐπιτελῇ τὴν ἰδίαν ἐνέργειαν. Ὕπνοι ἄλυποι καὶ ἀφαντασίαστοι· καὶ ἵνα τὰ πολλὰ παραδραμὼν εἴπω, νηστεία ἐστὶν εἰρήνη κοινὴ ψυχῆς καὶ σώματος, ἀτάραχος ζωή, εὐσταθὴς πολιτεία, βίος Θεὸν εὐφραίνων καὶ λυπῶν τὸν ἐχθρόν. 14.2.6 Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ πολέμιος ὅταν ἴδῃ τὸν ἐναντίον γρήγορον καὶ νηφάλιον, ὁπλιζόμενον ἐπιμελῶς καὶ τὴν ἀνδρείαν ἀσκοῦντα, ἧτταν οἰκείαν ἡγεῖται τὴν φιλόπονον ἐκείνου παρασκευήν, οὕτως καὶ ὁ τῆς ἡμετέρας σωτηρίας ἐπίβουλος πᾶσαν ἡμῶν τὴν κατ' ἀρετὴν ἀκριβείαν ὡς ἱδίαν

The corruption of lineages through appetite§74

74He hates misfortune. And because of this, it comes to pass that the house of the fasting person has angels as guardians, protectors, and attendants, while the one indulging in pleasures during the forty days has demons as household members, and lovers and lustful ones of blood, and attendants of drunkenness. For even regarding the spirits, whether holy or unclean, each one approaches its own kind and friends, just as it can be seen among birds.

For a dove indeed loves the pure places and turns itself toward the clearings, sowing seed for itself and its young; and the berry sits sweetly upon the tree leaves, producing something sweet and thin. But the gluttonous raven sits near the butcher shops, heavy and unpleasant, descending upon those who are slaughtering meat.

Therefore, let us love self-control, so that we may be loved by angels, and let us hate unrestrained luxury, so that we may not cast ourselves into fellowship with demons along with it. No one living in luxury became diligent, nor is one idling in prayers a disciple of virtue, nor is a lover of pleasure a saint, nor is one living fleshly a companion of the kingdom.

Come into your memory toward the beginning of our race and you will find the experience of those of whom we are witnesses. For a law of fasting would not have been set for us if the law of first self-control had not been surpassed; nor would the stomach have been named an intruder, if the pretext of pleasure had not introduced sin.

There was no need for the plow, nor for oxen to plow, nor for the cutting of the furrow, nor indeed for the sowing of seed and the watering, nor for the cycle of seasons, nor for the thickening of winter and the loosening of summer, nor for all this cyclical toil, if we had not decided upon the cycle of labors for the sake of an easy, immediate enjoyment of this life; but we intended a different state of life from the one seen, which we again hope to attain when we put on the impassible life through the resurrection.

For this is the blessing of God's condescension toward us, so that we might restore our worth toward the former state; which, having taken hold of philanthropically, we did not preserve, feeling the grace sensitively. Let us therefore be brightened at the coming fast; an icon of the coming life, a mimic of the incorruptible conduct. There are neither drinking parties nor pleasures...

Leave the first man, and count those after him as well. Why did it make the righteous Noah act shamefully, being stripped of his members which law should cover, and prepare to mock the impious Ham through the drunkenness of his father (Gen 9:20-27), so that two evils might come from one fault? For one drunkenness stripped both the father of the good covering and the son of liberty.

But when I turn again to the children of Eli the priest and to that history (1 Sam 2), I find a cluster of misfortunes connected to one another from a single source, that of the belly and the penis. For they, having made the priesthood of the father a starting point for pleasure and enjoyment, defiled the sacrifices and went toward the belly before God of the priests. And fornication followed, the sister of the sin of luxury, and to all these, the judgment from God brings a strict and sudden sentence.

For an enemy nation marched against Jerusalem because of them. And so that the word might cut short a multitude of gloomy narratives, the unrestrained youths fell in battle, the mother endangered with the sinners, and the ark of God was taken captive by the enemies, and the old priest died at the messages of evils, and so much of our evil was brought upon the city through the pleasure of the throat.

Therefore, let us all fast; especially those who are members of the priests, and more so as having the teaching of self-control and the philosophical commands from the table as a co-dweller. For it is absurd for the children of money-changers to be silver-knowers, and the members of the coppersmiths to be near the fire and the bellows, but for the members of the priests, whether relatives or otherwise, to neglect the object of life which the master and lord of the hearth was permitted to live. He was most harmed through the belly, even the elder son of Isaac (Gen 25). For being a hunter by profession and once, after a great run to the house, returning hungry, he took in the food that was before him, and he gave the firstborns to the lentil-eater (Gen 25:30-34); from there, moreover, he also snatched away the paternal blessing, and thus, being made a stranger little by little, he lost virtue and the patriarchal glory of God.

Greek · §74

μισεῖ συμφοράν. 14.3.1 Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο γίνωσκε τῆς μὲν τοῦ νηστευτοῦ οἰκίας ἀγγέλους εἶναι φύλακας καὶ φρουροὺς παρέδρους, τοῦ δὲ ταῖς ἀπολαύσεσι κατὰ τῆς τεσσαρακοστῆς κωμάζοντος δαίμονας οἰκείους, κνίσης φίλους καὶ ἐραστὰς αἱμάτων καὶ παρέδρους τῆς μέθης. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ τῶν πνευμάτων, εἴτε τῶν ἁγίων εἴτε τῶν ἀκαθάρτων, ἕκαστον προσχωρεῖ τοῖς οἰκείοις καὶ φίλοις, ὥσπερ δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρνίθων ἔστιν ἰδεῖν. 14.3.2 Περιστερὰ μὲν γὰρ περὶ τοὺς καθαροὺς τῶν τόπων φιλοχωρεῖ καὶ περὶ τὰς ἀρούρας στρέφεται ἑαυτῇ καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις σπερμολογοῦσα· καὶ ἡ τρυγὼν ἡδέως τοῖς πετάλοις τῶν δένδρων ἐγκάθηται ἡδύ τι καὶ λεπτὸν ὑποτρύζουσα. Ὁ δὲ γαστρίμαργος κόραξ τοῖς κρεοπωλίοις προσκάθηται βαρύ τι καὶ ἀηδὲς τῶν κρεανομούντων καταβοῶν. 14.3.3 Ὥστε τὴν ἐγκράτειαν ἀγαπήσωμεν, ἵνα παρ' ἀγγέλων ἀγαπηθῶμεν, μισήσωμεν δὲ τὴν τρυφὴν τὴν ἀκόλαστον, ἵνα μετ' ἐκείνης τὴν πρὸς δαίμονας συνεκβάλωμεν κοινωνίαν. Οὐδεὶς τρυφῶν ἐγένετο σπουδαῖος, οὐδὲ εὐωχίαις σχολάζων ἀρετῆς μαθητής, οὐδὲ φιλήδονος ἅγιος, οὐδὲ σαρκικῶς ζῶν κοινωνὸς βασιλείας. 14.4.1 Ἐλθὲ τῇ μνήμῃ πρὸς τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν πεῖραν εὑρήσεις ὧν μεμφόμεθα μάρτυρα. Οὐκ ἂν γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐτέθη νόμος νηστείας, εἰ μὴ παρεβάθη τῆς πρώτης ἐγκρατείας ὁ νόμος· οὐκ ἂν ὠνομάσθη γαστὴρ 72 ἐπίβουλος, εἰ μὴ πρόφασις ἡδονῆς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν εἰσήγαγεν. 14.4.2 Οὐκ ἦν ἀρότρου χρεία καὶ βοῶν ἀροτήρων καὶ τεμνομένης αὔλακος, οὐδὲ μὴν σπερμάτων καὶ ὕδατος ἄρδοντος καὶ περιόδου καιρῶν καὶ χειμῶνος πυκνοῦντος καὶ θέρους λύοντος καὶ πάσης ταύτης τῆς ἐγκυκλίου ταλαιπωρίας, εἰ μὴ διὰ πρόχειρον προπάτορος ἀπόλαυσιν ταύτην κατε ψηφίσθημεν τὴν τῶν πόνων περίοδον· ἀλλ' ἐμέλλομεν ἑτέραν τινὰ παρὰ τὴν ὁρωμένην διάγειν τοῦ βίου κατάστασιν, ἧς πάλιν ἐλπίζομεν ἐπιτυχεῖν ὅταν τὴν ἐμπαθῆ ζωὴν διὰ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἀποσκευασώμεθα. 14.4.3 Αὕτη γὰρ ἡ εὐεργεσία τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ πρὸς ἡμᾶς συγκαταβάσεως, ἵνα πρὸς τὴν παλαιὰν ἀποκαταστῶμεν ἀξίαν· ἧς φιλανθρώπως μεταλαβόντες εὐαισθή τως τὴν χάριν οὐκ ἐφυλάξαμεν. Φαιδρυνθῶμεν τοίνυν ἐπὶ τῇ μελλούσῃ νηστείᾳ· νηστεία τῆς μελλούσης ζωῆς εἰκών, τῆς ἀφθάρτου διαγωγῆς μίμημα. Ἐκεῖ οὐκ εἰσὶ πότοι οὐδὲ ἀπολαύσεις. 14.5.1 Ἔασον τὸν πρῶτον ἄνθρωπον, ὁδῷ καὶ ἑξῆς τοὺς μετ' ἐκεῖνον ἀπαρίθμησαι. Τί τὸν δίκαιον Νῶε ἀσχημονεῖν ἐποίησεν ἐν ἀναισθησίᾳ γυμνωθέντα τῶν μελῶν ἃ σκέπεσθαι νόμος, καὶ τὸν προπετῆ Χᾶμ ἐπιγελάσαι τῇ μέθῃ τοῦ πατρὸς παρεσκεύασεν, ἵνα γένηται δύο κακὰ δι' ἑνὸς πλημμελήματος; Μία γὰρ μέθη καὶ τὸν πατέρα τῆς εὐπρεποῦς σκέπης καὶ τὸν υἱὸν τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἐγύμνωσεν. 14.5.2 Ὅταν δὲ πάλιν πρὸς τοὺς παῖδας ἀπίδω Ἠλὶ τοῦ ἱερέως καὶ πρὸς ἐκείνην τὴν ἱστορίαν ἀσχολήσω τὸν νοῦν, ὁρμαθὸν εὑρίσκω συμφορῶν ἀλλήλαις συνδεδεμένων ἀπὸ μίας ἀρχῆς, τῆς διὰ γαστέρα καὶ κόρον. Κἀκεῖνοι γὰρ τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς ἱερωσύνην ἀφορμὴν θέμενοι ἡδυπαθείας καὶ ἀπολαύσεως τὰς θυσίας ἐβεβήλουν καὶ τῇ γαστρὶ πρὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ἱερείων ἀπήρχοντο. Ἠκολούθει δὲ καὶ ἡ πορνεία, ἀδελφὴ τῆς τρυφῆς ἁμαρτία, καὶ τούτοις πᾶσιν ἡ παρὰ Θεοῦ κρίσις αὐστηρὰν καὶ ἀπότομον τὴν δίκην ἐπάγουσα. 14.5.3 Ἔθνος γὰρ πολέμιον δι' ἐκείνους κατὰ τῶν Ἱεροσολύμων ἐστράτευσεν. Καὶ ἵνα πλῆθος σκυθρωπῶν διηγημάτων ὁ λόγος συντέμῃ, οἱ μὲν ἀκόλαστοι νεανίσκοι ἐπὶ τῆς παρατάξεως ἔπεσον καὶ ἡ πατρὶς τοῖς ἁμαρτοῦσι συνεκινδύνευσε καὶ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ κιβωτὸς αἰχμάλωτος παρὰ τῶν πολεμίων ἀπήχθη καὶ ὁ γέρων ἱερεὺς ταῖς ἀγγελίαις τῶν κακῶν ἐπαπέθανε καὶ τοσοῦτος ἐσμὸς κακῶν διὰ φάρυγγος ἡδονὴν ἐπηνέχθη τῇ πόλει. 14.6.1 Πάντες μὲν οὖν νηστεύσωμεν· οἱ δὲ τῶν ἱερέων οἰκεῖοι καὶ μᾶλλον ὡς σύνοικον ἔχοντες τὸ διδασκάλιον τῆς ἐγκρατείας καὶ ἀφ' ἑστίας τὰ φιλόσοφα παραγγέλματα. Ἄτοπον γὰρ τοὺς μὲν παῖδας τῶν τραπεζιτῶν ἀργυρογνώμονας εἶναι καὶ τοὺς οἰκείους τῶν χαλκέων περὶ τὸ πῦρ στρέ φεσθαι καὶ τὸν ἄκμονα, τοὺς δὲ τῶν ἱερέων ἐγγὺς εἴτε συγγενεῖς εἴτε ἄλλως οἰκείους ἀφηνιάζειν τοῦ σκόπου, ὃν ζῆν ἔλαχεν ὁ τῆς ἑστίας ἡγεμὼν καὶ δεσπότης. Ἐβλάβη διὰ γαστέρα μέγιστα καὶ ὁ παῖς τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ ὁ πρεσβύτερος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ θηρευτὴς ὑπάρχων τὸ ἐπιτήδευμα καί ποτε μετὰ δρόμον πολὺν ἐπὶ τὴν οἰκίαν ὑποστρέψας ἀσχέτῳ πείνῃ τῷ προφανέντι βρώματι περιέχανεν, ἀπέδοτο μὲν τῷ ἀδελφῷ τοῦ φακοῦ τὰ πρωτοτόκια· 14.7.2 ἐκεῖθεν δὲ λοιπὸν καὶ τὴν πατρικὴν εὐλογίαν ἐκλάπη καὶ οὕτως κατὰ μικρὸν ἀλλοτριωθεὶς ἀρετῆς καὶ Θεοῦ τὴν πατριαρχικὴν δόξαν

The Soul and the Body§75

75He lost even Israel through their lifestyle, becoming himself a barbarian and a stranger, and begetting a people like him. This disease led even the people of the old covenant into transgression of the divine and holy laws. For while Moses was occupied with the leisure of the giving of the law, the people, being distracted, turned toward luxury and dancing; the devil dragged them, as they were slipping and trampling the order of life toward impiety. From there, the demon-possessed skill of calf-making, Aaron sharing in the defilement and the corruption of the law, the smashing of the tablets, and Moses' second ascent to the mountain—all these things, which the history mocks with full detail, had their beginning and cause in immoderate eating.

I wish to set before you another account, second in time to what was said before, but equal in practice. King Saul was preparing and leading the war with much care; he forbade the people to take food on that day, sealing the judgment with an oath, and death was the penalty to the one who disobeyed. But while the whole army obediently received the command, only the king's son Jonathan stumbled, being overcome by the honey, and he dared to taste the scepter of sweetness by rushing toward the lords. Danger came near, unless the whole multitude, acting in concert with the impulse of their father and king, decided to turn the threat into action.

Regarding what has been said, it is possible to collect ten thousand such things from the Scriptures to see clearly that self-control is good, and conversely, the unrestrained enjoyment of drink and food is harmful. Fasting is the companion of the saints; fasting is the leader of every good work. And just as craftsmen do not perform their arts without tools, so also the diligent, even when helping with spiritual gifts, have never performed any of the wonders and marvels without self-control. Fasting Elijah raised the dead and gave them life; fasting Moses saw God; fasting Daniel mastered the sorcery and error of the Assyrians; fasting the Lord withstood the temptations of the devil; and fasting the...

The apostles performed prayers for important matters; the Ninevites through fasting overcame the threat of death (Jonah 3:5-10). This prayer is an intercessor toward God, worthy of reverence, and a reliable embassy that quickly covers itself with shame for whatever supplication it brings to God.

Therefore, let every pious man, who loves God more than pleasure, approach the days of self-control with joy and good cheer. For no one who is merely a scavenger is a noble combatant at the beginning of the contests.

Do not become sullen like a child being dragged to school; do not grumble about the purity of the days; do not seek the end of the week like the arrival of spring after a bitter winter; do not long for the Sabbath for the sake of feasting like a Jew (Exodus 16); do not count the days of the forty days like a lazy laborer waiting for the end of his agreed-upon wage; do not grieve because from the first hour your house is not smoking, nor has the cook stood by the fire.

Grant something also to the soul, not everything to the body. The former nourishes by the withholding of food, the latter by the abundance. But since the two are joined to one another, and those which are much separated by nature are seated together by the providence and art of the Creator, let us deliberate so that both might happen, each not being deprived of what is appropriate. You, O man, were composed of the two, and I am entirely silent as to the fact that the soul is much more preferable and it was fitting that it should receive the greater share of favor.

But judge between both as a rational and discerning man. Consider a little, and if you wish, I will make the argument for the soul as if to a faithful woman, providing support regarding those things of which she says she is being treated unjustly and being cast down. This, then, is sacred and incorporeal, immortal and incorruptible, having its kinship not toward earth and these things, but toward God. Being pure, she rejoices with the pure, and having an incorporeal origin, she flees from material substances.

However, since the vessel formed from the earth was commanded to be managed, as an obedient handmaid to the Lord, she sits upon the clay and is subject to the guarding and the providence over it, until the command comes allowing the separation. This abstinence from food, which gives life to the body, is necessary; but for the organ of the earth, the enjoyment of food is necessary. He seeks nothing...

Greek · §75

ἀπώλεσε καὶ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ κατὰ τὴν οἰκείωσιν χωρισθεὶς αὐτός τε βάρβαρος ἐγένετο καὶ ἀλλόφυλος καὶ τοιοῦτον τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ λαὸν ἀπεγέννησεν. 14.7.3 Αὕτη ἡ νόσος καὶ τὸν τῆς παλαιᾶς ∆ιαθηκῆς λαὸν εἰς παράβασιν τῶν θείων καὶ ἱερῶν νόμων ἐξήγαγεν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ Μωϋσέως τῇ ἐπαγ γελίᾳ τῆς δόσεως τοῦ νόμου σχολάζοντος ἐκδιαιτηθέντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι πρὸς τρυφὴν καὶ χορείας ἐτράπησαν, κατὰ μέρος αὐτοὺς ὀλισθαίνοντας καὶ πατοῦντας τὴν εὐνομίαν τοῦ βίου πρὸς ἀσέβειαν ὁ διάβολος ἐφειλκύσατο. 14.7.4 Κἀκεῖθεν λοιπὸν μοσχοποιΐας ἐπιτήδευσις δαιμονῶσα καὶ Ἀαρὼν κοινωνῶν τοῦ μιάσματος καὶ τοῦ νόμου διαφθορὰ καὶ τῶν πλακῶν συντριμμὸς καὶ Μωϋσέως δεύτερος δρόμος ἐπὶ τὸ ὄρος καὶ πάντα ταῦτα, ὅσα ἡ ἱστορία σχετλιάζουσα ὀλοφύρεται, ἀπὸ βρώσεως ἀμέτρου τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔσχε καὶ τὴν 73 αἰτίαν. 14.7.5 Θέλω δὲ ὑμῖν καὶ ἄλλο παραθέσθαι διήγημα, δεύτερον μὲν τοῦ προλεχθέντος τοῖς χρόνοις, ἰσοδυναμοῦν δὲ κατὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν. Ὁ Σαοὺλ ὁ βασιλεὺς παρετάττετο καὶ διὰ πολλῆς φροντίδος ἦγε τὸν πόλεμον· ἀπηγόρευσε τῷ λαῷ τροφῆς ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ μὴ μεταλαβεῖν ὄρκῳ τὴν κρίσιν ἐπισφραγίσας καὶ θάνατος ἦν ἡ ζημία τῷ παρακούσαντι. 14.7.6 Πάσης δὲ τῆς στρατιᾶς εὐπειθῶς δεξαμένης τὸ πρόσταγμα μόνος ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως παῖς Ἰωνάθαν σμήνει περιτυχὼν καὶ τοῦ μέλιτος ἡττηθείς, ἐμπήξας τοῖς κηρίοις τὸ σκῆπτρον τοῦ γλυκάσματος ἀπεγεύσατο. Ἦλθε δὲ ἐγγὺς τοῦ κινδύνου, εἰ μὴ τὸ πλῆθος ἅπαν κοίνῃ πρὸς τὴν ὁρμὴν τοῦ πατρὸς καὶ βασιλέως ἀντέσχον ἀπαγαγεῖν τὴν ἀπειλὴν εἰς ἔργον ὁρίσαντος. 14.8.1 Πρὸς δὲ τοῖς εἰρημένοις μυρία τοιαῦτα ἔξεστιν ἀπὸ τῶν Γραφῶν συλλεξάμενον σαφῶς κατιδεῖν, ὡς ἀγαθὸν ἡ ἐγκράτεια καὶ τοὐναντίον χαλεπὸν ἡ ἀκόλαστος τῶν πότων καὶ τῶν ὄψων ἀπόλαυσις. Νηστεία τῶν ἁγίων σύντροφος, νηστεία πάσης ἀγαθῆς πράξεως ἀρχηγός. Καὶ ὥσπερ οἱ τεχνῖται χωρὶς ὀργάνων οὐκ ἐνεργοῦσι τὰς τέχνας, οὕτως οὐδὲ οἱ σπουδαῖοι καὶ ἐν πνευματικαῖς χάρισι βοηθέντες ἄνευ ἐγκρατείας ποτέ τι τῶν θαυμάτων καὶ τεραστίων εἰργάσαντο. 14.8.2 Νηστεύων Ἐλι σαῖος ἤγειρε νεκρὸν καὶ ἐψύχωσε· νηστεύων Μωϋσῆς εἶδε Θεόν· νηστεύων ∆ανιὴλ τῆς γοητείας καὶ πλάνης τῶν Ἀσσυρίων ἐκράτησε· νηστεύων καὶ ὁ Κύριος τοῦ διαβόλου τῶν πειρασμῶν ἠνέσχετο· νηστεύοντες καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι τὰς ὑπὲρ τῶν σπουδαίων πραγμάτων δεήσεις ἐτέλουν· νηστείᾳ Νινευΐται τὴν ἀπειλὴν ἐνίκησαν τοῦ θανάτου· 14.8.3 καὶ ὡς ἐπίπαν εἰπεῖν, αὕτη πρὸς Θεὸν παράκλητος, αἰδοῦς ἀξία, καὶ πρέσβις ἀξιόπιστος ταχέως δυσωποῦσα ὑπὲρ ὧν ἂν προσαγάγῃ τῷ Θεῷ τὴν ἱκετηρίαν. ∆ιὸ πᾶς ἀνὴρ εὐσεβὴς καὶ ὅστις φιλόθεος μᾶλλον ἢ φιλήδονος χαίρων μοι καὶ εὐθυμούμενος πρόσελθε ταῖς ἡμέραις τῆς ἐγκρατείας. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ σκυ θρωπάζων ἐν ἀρχῇ τῶν ἀγώνων γενναῖός ἐστιν ἀγωνιστής. 14.8.4 Μὴ γίνου στυγνὸς ὡς βρέφος ἐπὶ τὸ διδασκαλεῖον ἑλκομένον, μὴ καταγόγγυζε τῆς τῶν ἡμέρων καθαρότητος, μὴ ζήτει τῆς ἑβδομάδος τὸ τέλος ὡς μετὰ χειμῶνα πικρὸν παρουσίαν ἔαρος, μὴ ἐπιθύμει τοῦ σαββάτου διὰ μεθὴν ὡς Ἰουδαῖος, μὴ ἀρίθμει τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς τεσσαρακοστῆς ὡς ἀργὸς μισθωτὸς ἀναμένων τῆς ἐμμίσθου προθεσμίας τὸ τέλος, μὴ λυποῦ ὅτι σου ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης ὥρας ἡ οἰκία οὐ καπνίζεται, οὐδὲ ὁ μάγειρος ἔστηκε πρὸς τῷ πυρί. 14.9.1 Χάρισαί τι καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ, μὴ πάντα τῷ σώματι. Τὴν μὲν ἡ ἀποχὴ τῶν σιτίων τρέφει, τὸ δὲ ἡ ἐμφόρησις. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τὰ δύο ἀλλήλοις συνέζευκται καὶ τὰ πολὺ κεχωρισμένα κατὰ τὴν φύσιν τῇ τοῦ δημιουργοῦ συνεδέθη προνοίᾳ καὶ τέχνῃ, βουλευσώμεθα ὅπως ἂν ἀμφότερα διαγένοιτο τῶν καταλλήλων ἕκαστα χρειῶν μὴ στερούμενα. Ἐκ τῶν δύο συνέστηκας, ἄνθρωπε, καὶ σιωπῶ τέως ὅτι πολὺ προτιμότερον ἐστὶν ἡ ψυχὴ καὶ προσῆκεν ἐκείνῃ νέμειν τῆς εὐνοίας τὸ πλέον. 14.9.2 ∆ίκασον δὲ ἀμφοτέροις ὡς λογικὸς καὶ εὐγνώμων. Ἀνάσχου δὲ μικρὸν καί, εἰ βουληθείης, ἐγὼ τὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς ψυχῆς λόγον ποιήσομαι ὡς γυναικὶ πιστευσάσῃ συνηγορίαν, ἐφ' οἷς ἀδικεῖσθαι λέγει καὶ καθυβρίζεσθαι. Αὕτη τοίνυν ἐστὶν ἱερὰ καὶ ἀσώματος, ἀθάνατος καὶ ἀνώλεθρος, οὐ πρὸς γῆν καὶ τὰ τῇδε ἀλλὰ πρὸς Θεὸν ἔχουσα τὴν συγγένειαν. Καθαρὰ δὲ οὖσα χαίρει τοῖς καθαροῖς καὶ ἄϋλον ἔχουσα τὴν γένεσιν φεύγει τὰς ὕλας. 14.9.3 Πλὴν ἐπειδὴ προσετάχθη τὸ ἐκ γῆς μορφωθὲν σκεῦος οἰκονομεῖν, ὡς εὐπειθὴς τοῦ ∆εσπότου δούλη τῷ πηλῷ προσεδρεύει καὶ τῆς φυλακῆς ἔχεται καὶ τῆς ἐπ' αὐτῷ προ νοίας, μέχρις ἂν ἔλθῃ πρόσταγμα τὸν χωρισμὸν ἐπιτρέπον. Ταύτην μὲν οὖν τὴν τὸ σῶμα ζωοποιοῦσαν ὀνίνησι ἡ ἀποχὴ τῶν βρωμάτων, τῷ γηΐνῳ δὲ ὀργάνῳ ἡ τῶν σιτίων ἀπόλαυσις ἀναγκαία. Οὐδὲν ζητεῖ

The Virtue of Temperance and the Example of Barbarians§76

76Even more so as a superior. 14.9.4 'Divide to me, he says, the time of the year; give the six months for enjoyment to the one being governed and the remaining to the governor.' The request is just, and no judge is so fond of wisdom, being a heterodox judge, as not to vote in favor of those things being said. 14.10.1 But I will even do an excess; I do not hold to equality. I descend with the weakness of the body. I leave ten months to the body and a little more. Let the fortieth be granted to me, unpolluted, so that I might be slightly freed from the filth, the mud, having been cooled by self-control. These things, O Christians, are both just and irrefutable, even if God judges and even if man judges. 14.10.2 And you also, O judge, vote in my favor, for the time has arrived when the soul is disputing against the body. Therefore, take away from me, O Christian, the sensuality as if it were childish. You are a man; do not think the things of infants. If he does not receive that of honey, he wails; if you do not crave meat or wine, he falls away, tears himself apart, and knocks down everyone for more, while lamenting. 14.10.3 I redden at the descent of the gluttons, so that they might mourn the fasting; they are constantly gaping, they are slightly overcome, they pass away again, they sleep by necessity. In insensibility they strive to pass the days, they are weary of the sun toward the setting as it grows late. They approach the days as longer than the habit. Moreover, they wash their aching stomachs and the tensions of the spirits and the heaviness of the head and the dizziness of the state. 14.10.4 Even if these things are of surfeit, they are not the characteristics of fasting. They come to the solemn table joylessly, they grumble about the vegetables, they revile the legumes as if they were an addition added to creation; for the lovers of pleasure become also blowhards against the appearances of self-control. 14.10.5 They draw water without breath as if they had received a tasteless medicine from physicians to drink. And many also act wise regarding wine, persuading their pleasure with illicit concoctions. And others immediately attend to the need for vegetables and become various sophists of enjoyment. But this is very habitual and senseless. 14.10.6 For self-control is a struggle of the self-governing and of the free mind, m—

The text ends abruptly with a fragment: 'μ' (m—).

For a slave-like craft, seeking what is set before it, does not work it as it should, but fashions it in a slavish way. You demand a reward for those things according to which you live by the law of virtue. But a reward is promised to honest workers, not to evildoers.

Do not corrupt the fast, so that you do not suffer the things of the charcoal-burners. For if those, mixing water with wine, are punished, how will you, by introducing your sophisticated pleasures into the strictness of the fast, pass through unpunished? Do not imitate formed weaknesses; do not deceive yourself regarding the forty days as if it were a disease-maker, for on the contrary, it is a maker of health. Do not make pretexts for sins while working with men driven by lust.

Because of bad habit, self-control is considered an enemy to you; it is not, however, naturally offensive. All barbarians are a proof of this word, those who neither plant vines nor drink wine, but instead take for themselves by habit an uncultivated drink, water, and they are known to be brave and excellent in wars and they hold sway over the many, as is fitting, those who are drunk while they are sober.

But bodies to them are light and vigorous, and such people are quick to mount a horse, and are skillful and bold and accurate toward archery. And they are capable of finding safety amidst the tumult and finding a course in destitute places. Therefore, do not accuse water as being an emollient, and do not say that those using it are weak; for experience will expose your slander.

What do I say about wine? The Scythian nomads, those who dwell by the Bosporus and those who are stationed by the Rhine river, are indeed homeless and unstanding. But they live from skins and hides and from the hanging veils, making for themselves a covering.

But they do not know a plow, nor do they turn the soil; therefore they also do not bring bread. For how could those who have not learned agriculture regarding grain and the subsequent seeds be expected to? Nevertheless, living without bread and wine, they are brave and worthy of fighting war against all nations, and they hold sway over and excel the many; and neither bread nor wine being absent from them harmed them, but the ancestral habit became nature to men.

Why then did the word mention these things? In order that...

Greek · §76

πλέον ὡς κρείττων. 14.9.4 Μέρισόν μοι, φησί, τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ τὸν χρόνον, δὸς τοὺς ἓξ μῆνας εἰς ἀπόλαυσιν τῷ κυβερνωμένῳ καὶ τοὺς λειπομένους τῷ κυβερνήτῃ. ∆ικαία ἡ αἴτησις καὶ οὐδεὶς οὕτως φιλοσώματος, ἑτερορρεπὴς δικαστής, ὡς μὴ τοῖς 74 λεγομένοις ἐπιψηφίσαι. 14.10.1 Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ ὑπερβολὴν ποιήσομαι, οὐχ ἀντέχομαι τῆς ἰσομοιρίας. Συγκαταβαίνω τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ τοῦ σώματος. Ἀφίημι τοὺς δέκα μῆνας τῷ σώματι καὶ μικρόν τι πρός. Χαρισάσθω μοι τὴν τεσσαρακοστὴν ἀνύβριστον, ἵνα μικρὸν ἀπαλλαγῶ τοῦ βορβόρου, τοῦ πηλοῦ τῇ ἐγκρατείᾳ ψυγέντος. Ταῦτα, ὦ χριστιανοί, δίκαιά τε καὶ ἀναντίρρητα, κἂν Θεὸς δικάζῃ κἂν ἄνθρωπος. 14.10.2 Καὶ σὺ δέ μοι, ὁ δικαστής, ἐπιψήφισον ἐν καιρῷ γὰρ παρεγένου ἀμφισβητούσῃ τῇ ψυχῇ πρὸς τὸ σῶμα. Ἄνελε τοίνυν μοι, ὁ χριστιανός, τὴν ἡδυπάθειαν ὡς μειρακιώδη. Ἀνὴρ εἶ, μὴ φρόνει τὰ τῶν νηπίων. Ἐκεῖνα ἂν μὴ λάβῃ τοῦ μέλιτος, θρηνεῖ· ἂν μὴ τοῦ κρέως ὀρέξῃς ἢ τοῦ οἴνου, πίπτοντα ἀποσπαίρει, ἀποκναίει δὲ πάντας ἐπὶ πλεῖστον ὅσον κλαυθμυριζόμενα. 14.10.3 Ἐρυθριῶ πρὸς τὴν κατήφειαν τῶν γαστριμάργων, ὅπως πενθοῦσι τὴν ἀσιτίαν· χασμῶνται συνεχῶς, κατακλίνονται μικρόν, διανίστανται πάλιν, καθεύδουσιν ἠναγκασμένοι. Ἐν ἀναισθησίᾳ σπουδάζουσι τὰς ἡμέρας διατελεῖν, ἄχθονται τῷ ἡλίῳ πρὸς τὴν δύσιν βραδύνοντι. Μακροτέρας τῆς συνηθείας τὰς ἡμέρας προσαγορεύουσι. Πλάσσονται δὲ λοιπὸν στομάχων ἀλγηδόνας καὶ πνευμάτων ἐντάσεις καὶ βάρη τῆς κεφαλῆς καὶ ἀνατροπὴν τῆς ἕξεως. 14.10.4 Καίτοιγε 14.10.4 ταῦτα τῆς πλησμονῆς εἰσιν, οὐ νηστείας γνωρίσματα. Ἀηδῶς ἐπὶ τὴν σεμνὴν ἔρχονται τράπεζαν, καταγογγύζουσι τῶν λαχάνων, λοιδοροῦσι τὰ ὄσπρια ὡς μάτην ἐπεισαχθέντα τῇ κτίσει· γίνονται γὰρ καὶ φυσιολόγοι οἱ φιλήδονοι κατὰ τῶν ὄψων τῆς ἐγκρατείας. 14.10.5 Ἀπνευστὶ τὸ ὕδωρ ἕλκουσιν ὡς ἀηδὲς φάρμακον παρὰ ἰατρῶν λαβόντες πιεῖν. Οἱ πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ τὸν οἶνον σοφίζονται νόθοις κατασκευαῖς τὴν φιληδονίαν παραμυθούμενοι. Καὶ ἄλλοι τοιγαροῦν τὴν χρείαν λαχάνοις ἐπιτηδεύουσι καὶ ποικίλοι γίνονται τῆς ἀπολαύσεως σοφισταί. Τοῦτο δὲ λίαν εὔηθες καὶ ἀνόητον. 14.10.6 Ἐγκράτεια γὰρ αὐτεξουσίου καὶ ἐλευθέρου φρονήματός ἐστιν ἀγώνισμα, μὴ γὰρ δουλότροπος σκευωρία ζητοῦσα τὸ προκείμενον οὐ καθὼς προσῆκεν ἐξεργάσασθαι, ἀλλὰ δουλοπρεπῶς σκευωρῆσαι. Μισθὸν ἀπαιτεῖς ἐφ' οἷς ζῇς κατὰ νόμον τῆς ἀρετῆς. Μισθὸς δὲ καὶ ἐπίχειρα τοῖς ἀδόλοις ἐργάταις, οὐ τοῖς κακούργοις ἐπήγγελται. 14.11.1 Μὴ νόθευε τὴν νηστείαν, ἵνα μὴ πάθῃς τὰ τῶν καπήλων. Εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι τῷ οἴνῳ ὕδωρ παραμιγνύντες κολάζονται, σὺ τῷ αὐστηρῷ τῆς νηστείας τὰς σεσοφισμένας ἀπολαύσεις ἐπεισάγων πῶς ἀτιμώρητος παρελεύσῃ; Μὴ μιμοῦ τὰς πεπλασμένας ἀσθενείας, μὴ καταψεύδου τῆς τεσσαρακοστῆς ὡς νοσοποιοῦ, τοὐναντίον γὰρ ὑγιείας ἐστὶ ποιητική. Μὴ προφασίζου προφάσεις ἐν ἁμαρτίαις σὺν ἀνθρώποις ἐργαζομένοις φιληδονίαν. 14.11.2 ∆ιὰ συνήθειαν σοι κακὴν πολέμιος νομίζεται ἡ ἐγκράτεια· οὐ μὴν φυσικῶς ἐστιν ἐπαχθής. Τεκμήριον δὲ τοῦ λόγου πάντες βάρβαροι, ὅσοι οὔτε ἀμπέλους φυτεύουσιν οὔτε πίνουσιν οἶνον, ἀλλὰ τὸ αὐτόματον ἐπισπῶνται καὶ ἀγεώργητον πόμα, τὸ ὕδωρ, καὶ γνωρίζονται γενναῖοι καὶ ἀριστεῖς ἐν πολέμοις καὶ κρατοῦσι τῶν πολυοίνων, ὡς εἰκός, μεθυόν των οἱ νήφοντες. 14.11.3 Σώματα δὲ αὐτοῖς κοῦφα καὶ μοχθηρὰ καὶ ταχεῖς μὲν ἀναβῆναι ἵππον οἱ τοιοῦτοι, εὐφυεῖς δὲ καὶ τολμηταὶ καὶ πρὸς τοξείαν εὔστοχοι. Ἀσφαλεῖς δὲ μετὰ τοῦ θράσους καὶ γνώμην ἐν ἀπόροις εὑρεῖν ἱκανοί. Μὴ οὖν κατηγόρει τοῦ ὕδατος ὡς ἐξιτήλους καὶ ἀσθενεῖς τοὺς χρωμένους ἐνεργαζομένου· ἐλέγχει γάρ σου τὴν συκοφαντίαν ἡ πεῖρα. 14.11.4 Τί λέγω περὶ τοῦ οἴνου; Σκύθαι οἱ νομάδες, ὅσοι προσοικοῦσι τὸν Βόσπορον καὶ ὅσοι τῷ Ῥήνῳ ποτάμῳ προσκάθηνται, ἄοικοι μέν εἰσι καὶ ἀνέστιοι. Σκηνιταὶ δὲ βιοῦσιν ἐκ πίλων καὶ κωδίων καὶ τῶν προστυχόντων προκαλυμμάτων ἑαυτοῖς τὴν σκεπὴν πηγνύμενοι. 14.11.5 Ἄροτρον δὲ οὐκ ἴσασιν οὐδὲ γῆν ἀνατέμνουσι· διὸ καὶ ἄρτον οὐ προσφέρονται· πῶς γὰρ οἱ τοῦ σίτου καὶ τῶν ἑξῆς σπερμάτων μὴ μεμαθηκότες τὴν γεωργίαν; Ὅμως χωρὶς ἄρτου καὶ οἴνου διαζῶντες εἰσὶν ἀνδρεῖοι καὶ ὅλοις ἔθνεσι πρὸς πόλεμον ἀξιόμαχοι τῶν δὲ πολλῶν κρατοῦντες καὶ ὑπερέχοντες· καὶ οὐδὲν 75 αὐτοὺς ἔβλαψεν ἄρτος καὶ οἶνος ἀπών, ἀλλ' ἡ πάτριος συνήθεια φύσις τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐγένετο. 14.12.1 ∆ιὰ τί δὲ τούτων ὁ λόγος ἀπεμνημόνευσεν; Ἵνα

The Discipline of Self-Control§77

77Let us learn how training and discipline shape a person toward whatever we desire and meditate upon. Habituate yourself to self-control, and in time it will become an unforced, constant companion to you. But if, on the contrary, you have companions and friends for your pleasures and banquets, you will never love fasting; instead, it will appear to you as heavy as a stranger or something unusual.

14.12.2 A self-controlled life is an icon of the coming and incorruptible life. For just as when we stripped off this passion-filled flesh, we shall live freely, having no necessity to serve the stomach and no slavery to other passions, so also if we now cast off the great necessity and matter of ourselves, we shall be near the expected incorruption. To speak briefly: let us flee from love of pleasure toward strength; for it is impossible to be both a lover of pleasure and a lover of God.

14.12.3 For the lover of wisdom will be, by necessity, also a lover of money, and the lover of money will be unjust; and he who has fallen into injustice will easily transgress the laws of piety and trample the rules of the wise, and will easily lay hands on what is forbidden, thereby gathering for himself the materials of pleasure and offering all the spoils of injustice to hedonism as to a mistress.

14.12.4 Do not flee from the hardship of self-control, but set hopes against the present toil, and when the lightness of the reward has passed by, avoid the abstention. Say to yourself words of piety: Fasting is bitter, but paradise is sweet; thirst is heavy, but near is the spring from which the drinker will never thirst for all eternity. The body is frail, but the soul, which is without a body, is stronger. Power is dead, but near is the resurrection.

14.12.5 Say to your approaching stomach and to yourself the word of the Lord: 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God' (Matt 4:4). It is not a famine, but a small temptation; it is not a necessary punishment, but a voluntary abstention; it is not a slavery-like necessity, but a free philosophy. Pray and you will be strong; call upon Him, and the Helper stands ready for you.

14.13.1 Take up in your memory an ancient history and learn how those who, through piety, press down the body, compared to those living in luxury and pouring out much of the unmixed wine, are neither weaker in strength, nor are they more gloomy or having lost their grace.

14.13.2 For that King of the Assyrians, who lived entirely in the flesh and was bound to a luxurious life like a glutton, commanded his cupbearers and cooks and all the simple servants of pleasure to be chosen for their intelligence and to appear graceful, so that not only the mouth and taste, but also his eye might enjoy through what was seen; then indeed the three youths, having been selected from the captivity of Israel according to the roster of the servants, abstaining from the sight of the king...

Greek · §77

μάθωμεν ὡς ἀγωγὴ καὶ ἄσκησις πρὸς ἐκεῖνο τυποῖ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, πρὸς ὅπερ ἂν βουληθῶμεν καὶ μελετήσωμεν. Ἔθισον σαυτὸν πρὸς ἐγκράτειαν καί σοι τῷ χρόνῳ γενήσεται ἀνεπαχθὴς σύνοικος. Ἂν δὲ τοὐναντίον τὰς ἀπολαύσεις καὶ τὰς εὐωχίας ἔχῃς συντρόφους καὶ φίλας, οὐδέποτε νηστείαν ἀγαπήσεις, ἀλλά σοι φανεῖται βαρεῖα ὡς ξένη καὶ ἀσυνήθης. 14.12.2 Βίος ἐγκρατὴς μελλούσης καὶ ἀφθάρτου ζωῆς ἐστιν εἰκών. Ὡς γὰρ τότε τὴν ἐμπαθῆ σάρκα ταύτην ἀποδυσάμενοι ἐλεύθεροι διάξομεν οὐδεμίαν ἔχοντες ἀνάγκην γαστρὶ λειτουργεῖν καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις δουλεύειν πάθεσιν, οὕτω καὶ νῦν ἂν τὴν πολλὴν ἀνάγκην καὶ ὕλην ἑαυτῶν ἀποβάλωμεν, ἐγγὺς τῆς προσδοκωμένης ἀφθαρσίας ἐσόμεθα. Καὶ συντόμως εἰπεῖν, φεύγωμεν τὴν φιληδονίαν εἰς δύναμιν· ἀμήχανον γὰρ τὸν αὐτὸν εἶναι φιλήδονον καὶ φιλόθεον. 14.12.3 Ὁ γὰρ φιλοσώματος ἐξ ἀνάγκης ἔσται καὶ φιλοχρήματος, ὁ δὲ φιλοχρήματος ἄδικος, ὁ δὲ τῆς ἀδικίας εἴσω πεσὼν ὑπερβήσεται ῥᾳδίως θεσμοὺς εὐσεβείας καὶ πατήσει νόμους σοφῶν, ἐγχειρήσει δὲ τοῖς ἀπηγορευμένοις εὐκόλως, ἐκεῖθεν ἑαυτῷ τὰς ὕλας ἀθροίζων τῆς ἀπολαύσεως καὶ πάντα τὰ λάφυρα τῆς ἀδικίας τῇ ἡδονῇ δωροφορῶν ὡς δεσποίνῃ. 14.12.4 Μὴ φύγῃς τὴν μοχθηρίαν τῆς ἐγκρατείας, ἀλλὰ τὰς ἐλπίδας ἀντίθες τῷ παρόντι πόνῳ καὶ κούφως παρελεύσῃ τὴν τῆς μεταλήψεως ἀποχήν. Εἰπὲ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ῥήματα εὐσεβείας· Πικρὰ ἡ νηστεία, ἀλλ' ἡδὺς ὁ παράδεισος· ἐπαχθὴς ἡ δίψα, ἀλλ' ἐγγὺς ἡ πηγή, ἐξ ἧς ὁ πίνων οὐ διψήσει εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. Ἄτονον τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλ' ἰσχυροτέρα ἡ ψυχὴ ἡ ἀσώματος. Νεκρὰ ἡ δύναμις, ἀλλ' ἐγγὺς ἡ ἀνάστασις. 14.12.5 Εἰπὲ πρὸς τὴν ἐπείγουσαν γαστέρα καὶ σὺ τοῦ Κυρίου τὸ ῥῆμα· Οὐκ ἐπ' ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι Θεοῦ. Οὐ λιμός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ μικρὰ παρολκή· οὐκ ἀπαραίτητος τιμωρία, ἀλλὰ αὐθαίρετος ἀποχή· οὐ δουλοπρεπὴς ἀνάγκη, ἀλλ' ἐλευθέρα φιλοσοφία. Εὖξαι καὶ ἰσχύσεις· ἐπικάλεσαι καὶ ἕτοιμος παρίσταταί σοι ὁ βοηθός. 14.13.1 Ἀνάλαβε τῇ μνήμῃ παλαιὰν ἱστορίαν καὶ μαθήσῃ ὅπως οἱ δι' εὐσέβειαν σῶμα πιέζοντες τῶν τρυφώντων καὶ πολὺν ἐγχεομένων τὸν ἄκρατον οὔτε εἰς δύναμίν εἰσιν ἀσθενέστεροι, οὔτε μὴν εἰς τὸ φανῆναι σκυθρωπότεροι ἢ ἀπηνθηκότες τὴν χρόαν. 14.13.2 Ὁ γὰρ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἀσσυρίων ἐκεῖνος ὁ πάντα τῇ σαρκὶ ζῶν καὶ τῷ τρυφῶντι βίῳ ὡς φάτνῃ συνδεδεμένος, ἐπειδὴ τοὺς οἰνοχόους αὐτοῦ καὶ τραπεζοποιοὺς καὶ πάντας ἁπλῶς τοὺς ὑπηρέτας τῆς ἀπολαύσεως ἐκέλευσε κατ' ἐκλογὴν εὐφυεῖς εἶναι τὸ σῶμα καὶ ὀφθῆναι χαρίεντας, ἵνα μὴ μόνον τὸ στόμα καὶ γεῦσις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὀφθαλμὸς αὐτῷ κατὰ τῶν ὁρωμένων τρυφῴη, τότε δὴ καὶ οἱ τρεῖς νεανίσκοι ἐκ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τῷ καταλόγῳ τῶν ὑπηρετῶν ἐγκριθέντες, ἀπεχόμενοι τῶν ὄψων τῆς βασι

The Beauty of Fasting and the Example of Samson§78

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78Because the table was defiled by the mixing with those sacrificing to idols, they ate only seeds. There was also wine poured out for the libation and all meat because of the previously stated reason.

As they were forced by the one presiding to partake in what was being offered to them, lest perhaps their beauty be changed into deformity from self-restraint, and thus that person's reproach and punishment might become the unsightly and unhealed state of the youths; 'Spare us,' they say, 'so that we may not appear less honorable to the King of the revelers, nor shall our faces be rejected, nor will you approach as if presenting to him deformed servants.' For the Artisan of our formation will give grace and will teach through experience, that God is the caretaker of our beauty and fasting is the attendant of the sought-after elegance. And that which has indeed happened. For the youths exceeded all and they all emboldened the meat-eaters.

And what of Samson? Immediately from milk he was not taught to fast in such a way as it was fitting for the child, having been suckled by his mother, to abstain from wine and to guard against all luxury? And who was strong like him? And who was the left-handed one so famously named? He alone was a worthy combatant against every arrangement of wars, and an innumerable multitude he turned back by power; he who, having lacked sword or spear, but ascending upon the jawbone of a donkey, destroyed warlike men by using only the bone.

So then also you were hoping and you shall be strong; with readiness and with power you shall become; give ear to the learning of the hidden things and forget food, just as the people following Jesus, being instructed in word and deed. Let us, the incontinent and the pleasure-loving, Greeks and Jews, not fast in vain and for no end; for they are vainly penalized for what they do not eat, except as a zeal for the matter, which is fitting for the serious.

For Christians, precision in conduct and dignity in philosophy are proper, to whom the pure and true word of piety is present. But those who practice moral discipline apart from this seem to me to be working like those building a house without a foundation or launching a ship without it being steered. Such Hebrews are ill-known. And laughter falls heavily upon me when I behold them, unendurable, wandering around the white mortars with amphorae, a mockery of Moses, a shame to the prophets.

Greek · §78

λικῆς τραπέζης ὡς τῇ ἐπιμιξίᾳ τῶν εἰδωλοθύτων μεμιασμένης σπέρματα ἐσιτοῦντο μόνον. Ἦν δὲ καὶ οἶνος φευκτὸς διὰ τὴν σπονδὴν καὶ πᾶν κρέας διὰ τὴν προρρηθεῖσαν αἰτίαν. 14.13.3 Ὡς δὲ παρὰ τοῦ ἐφεστῶτος ἠναγκάζοντο μετέχειν τῶν προσφερομένων αὐτοῖς, ἵνα μήποτε εἰς δυσμορφίαν αὐτῶν ἐκ τῆς ἐγκρατείας τὸ κάλλος μεταβληθῇ, ἔγκλημα δὲ ἐκείνου καὶ τιμωρία γένηται τὸ τῶν νεανίσκων εἰδεχθές τε καὶ ἀθεράπευτον, Ἔα, φησίν, καὶ συγχώρησον, οὐ φανησόμεθα τῷ βασιλεῖ τῶν τρυφώντων ἀτιμότεροι, οὐδὲ τὰ πρόσωπα ἡμῶν ἀπανθήσει, οὐδὲ ἀγωνιάσῃς ὡς δυσμόρφους αὐτῷ ὑπηρέτας προσάγων. 14.13.5 Ὁ γὰρ τεχνίτης τῆς διαπλάσεως ἡμῶν δώσει τὴν χάριν καὶ μαθήσῃ παρὰ τῆς πείρας, ὅτι τοῦ ἡμετέρου κάλλους ὁ Θεὸς ἐπιμελητὴς καὶ τῆς σπουδαζομένης εὐμορφίας ἡ νηστεία κομμώτρια. Ὃ δὴ καὶ γέγονε. Καὶ γὰρ ὑπερήνθουν οἱ νεανίσκοι καὶ πάντας τοὺς κρεοφάγους παρηυδοκίμησαν. 14.13.6 Τί δὲ ὁ Σαμψών; Εὐθὺς ἀπὸ γάλακτος οὐκ ἐδιδάχθη νηστεύειν οὕτως τοῦ Πνεύματος τῇ μητρὶ χρηματίσαντος, ὡς προσῆκε τὸ παιδίον 76 ἄγευστον οἴνου καὶ πάσης διαφυλάξαι τρυφῆς; Καὶ τίς ἰσχυρὸς κατ' ἐκεῖνον; τίς δὲ ἀριστεὺς οὕτως ὀνομαστός; Μόνος ἀξιόμαχος ἦν πρὸς πᾶσαν παράταξιν πολεμίων καὶ πλῆθος ἀνάριθμον κατ' ἐξουσίαν ἐτρέπετο· ὃς γέ ποτε ξίφους ἢ δόρατος ἀπορήσας, σιάγονα δὲ ἀνελόμενος ὄνου ἄνδρας πολεμιστὰς κατέστρωσε μόνῳ τῷ ὀστέῳ διαχρησάμενος. 14.14.1 Οὕτω τοίνυν καὶ σὺ ἔλπιζε καὶ ἰσχύσεις· προθυμοῦ καὶ δυναμω θήσῃ· δὸς τὴν ἀκοὴν τῇ μαθήσει τῶν κεκρυμμένων καὶ ἀμνημονήσεις τροφῆς, ὡς ὁ δῆμος ὁ τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἑπόμενος λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ παιδεύοντι. Αἰδεσθῶμεν, οἱ ἀκρατεῖς καὶ φιλήδονοι, Ἕλληνας καὶ Ἰουδαίους νηστεύοντας, μάτην μὲν καὶ ὑπὲρ οὐδενὸς τοῦ τέλους· εἰκῆ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι ζημιοῦνται ὃ μὴ ἐσθίουσι, πλὴν ὡς ζηλωτὸν καὶ πρέπον τοῖς σπουδαίοις μετίοντας τὸ πρᾶγμα. 14.14.2 Χριστιανοῖς πρέπει πολιτείας ἀκρίβεια καὶ φιλοσοφίας σεμνότης, οἷς πάρεστι καθαρὸς καὶ ἀληθὴς τῆς εὐσεβείας ὁ λόγος. Οἱ δὲ τούτου χωρὶς τὴν ἠθικὴν ἐκπονοῦντες ἄσκησιν ὅμοιά μοι δοκοῦντες ἐργάζεσθαι τῶν ἄνευ θεμελίου οἰκίαν κατασκευαζόντων ἢ ναῦν πηγνυμένων μὴ καταβληθείσης τῆς τρόπεως. Τοιοῦτοι δὲ Ἑβραῖοι δυσμαθεῖς. 14.14.3 Καί μοι σφοδρῶς ὁ γέλως ἐπιπίπτει, ὅταν αὐτοὺς θεάσωμαι ἀνυποδέτους ἐν λευκοῖς τρίβωσι περινοστοῦντας τὰ ἄμφοδα, ὄνειδος Μωϋσέως, αἰσχύνην τῶν προφητῶν,

The Misunderstanding of Types and the Purpose of Fasting§79

79The offspring of Abraham are abortions, slaves of thoughtlessness instead of sons of freedom, ignorant and lawless though supposedly disciples of the law, having lost the hope of the outcome because they did not rationally receive the types of what is to come.

For Moses, in everything he did, prefigured the idols that would come later; whether you speak of the fast, or the feast of tabernacles, or the sounding of the trumpets, likewise the circumcision, the unleavened bread, the bitter herbs. All those things were messages and icons pre-drawn for those being initiated into the mysteries toward the completion.

For I, the Christian, fast well as a slave of the crucified, whether purifying myself toward the hope of the resurrection or clinging as a devoted slave to the sufferings of my Lord. But you, son of the murderers and descendant of those who slaughtered the lamb, having received the inheritance of the shed blood through the voice of the fathers, who thus made vows for themselves and their children, tell me, for what purpose do you fast? If it is as one repenting of the things in which you sinned—I support you in this opinion—and leaving the assembly of those committing adultery, hasten toward the church of the pious. Come to the blood of the lamb and be sprinkled; for from there purification for you shall exist, from which I shall stand away from sin. But if you are still bound to the same things, what do you intend by the abstention from food, or are you imitating the Nile crocodiles, whom they say roar at the heads of the men they ate and weep for the slaughter, not taking repentance for what happened, but rather the fleshless, it seems to me, mourning the head as if it were unfit for eating? Such also is the form regarding the fast.

The fasts are mere dances and plays, middle parts and episodes, things fighting against the outward appearance; for fasting is understood as a pedagogue of thickening and the restraint of elegance, while the dance interprets the spilled liquid with unbridled and many pleasantries.

For remember here the Mosaic word saying to fast on the tenth of the seventh month. For the seventh month denotes the seventh day, and the tenth denotes the tenth hour, in which the Lord on the cross gave up the ghost.

Greek · §79

γεννήματα τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἀμβλωθρίδια, δούλους τῆς ἀφροσύνης τοὺς τῆς ἐλευθερίας υἱούς, ἀμαθεῖς καὶ ἀνόμους τοὺς δῆθεν μαθητὰς τοῦ νόμου, ἀπολέσαντας τῆς ἐκβάσεως τὴν ἐλπίδα, ἐπειδὴ τοὺς τύπους τοῦ μέλλοντος συνετῶς οὐκ ἐδέξαντο. 14.14.4 Μωϋσῆς γὰρ πᾶν ὅπερ ἔπραττε, τῶν εἰς ὕστερον ἐσομένων εἴδωλα προετύπου· κἂν τὴν νηστείαν εἴπῃς, κἂν τὴν σκηνοπηγίαν, κἂν τὴν ὑπόμνησιν τῶν σαλπίγγων, ὁμοίως τὴν περιτομήν, τὰ ἄζυμα, τὰς πικρίδας. Πάντα ἦν ἐκεῖνα τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ πολιτείας μηνύματα, εἰκόνες προχαραχθεῖσαι τοῖς ἐκ προσαγωγῆς μυσταγωγουμένοις πρὸς τὴν τελείωσιν. 14.15.1 Ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ ὁ χριστιανὸς καὶ τοῦ σταυρωθέντος δοῦλος νηστεύω καλῶς, εἴτε πρὸς τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἐμαυτὸν προκαθαίρων εἴτε καὶ ἐπιστυγνάζων ὡς φιλοδέσποτος δοῦλος τοῖς τοῦ Κυρίου μου πάθεσιν. 14.15.2 Σὺ δὲ ὁ τῶν φονέων υἱὸς καὶ τῶν τὸν ἀμνὸν σφαξάντων ἀπόγονος καὶ τὴν κληρονομίαν τοῦ ἐκχεθέντος αἵματος ἐκ τῆς φωνῆς τῶν πατέρων δεξάμενος, τῶν οὕτως ἑαυτοῖς καὶ τοῖς τέκνοις ἐπευξαμένων, ὑπὲρ τίνος νηστεύεις, εἰπέ. Εἰ μὲν ὡς μετανοῶν ἐφ' οἷς ἥμαρτες, ὑπερασπάζομαι σε τῆς γνώμης, καὶ καταλιπὼν τὴν συναγωγὴν τῶν πονηρευομένων σπεῦσον πρὸς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν τῶν εὐσεβῶν. 14.15.3 Ἐλθὲ πρὸς τὸ αἷμα τοῦ ἀμνοῦ καὶ ῥαντίσθητι. Ἐκεῖθεν γάρ σοι ὑπάρξει καὶ ἡ κάθαρσις, ὅθεν συνεστήσω τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Εἰ δὲ ἔτι καὶ νῦν τοῖς αὐτοῖς προσδέδεσαι, τί σοι βούλεται ἡ ἀποχὴ τῶν σιτίων ἢ τοὺς Νειλῴους κροκοδείλους μιμεῖσθαι, οὕς φασι ταῖς κεφαλαῖς ἐπιθρηνεῖν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὧν ἔφαγον καὶ δακρύειν τὸν φόνον, οὐ μετάνοιαν τῶν γενομένων λαμβάνονταςπῶς γὰρ τὰ ἄλογα θηρία καὶ ἔνυδρα; , ἀλλὰ τὸ ἄσαρκον, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖν, τῆς κεφαλῆς ὀδυρομένους ὡς εἰς βρῶσιν οὐκ ἐπιτήδειον; Οἷον δὲ καὶ τὸ περὶ τὴν νηστείαν σχῆμα. 14.15.4 Χορεῖαι καὶ ὀρχήσεις τῆς ἀσιτείας τὰ μέσα καὶ ἐπεισόδια, πράγματα τῷ σχήματι τῷ φαινομένῳ μαχόμενα· νηστεία γὰρ πυκνώσεως καὶ κοσμίας καταστολῆς νοεῖται παιδαγωγός, χορεία δὲ ἑρμηνεύει τὸ διακεχυμένον ταῖς ἀκράτοις καὶ πολλαῖς εὐπαθείαις. 14.16.1 Μνημόνευσον γὰρ ἐνταῦθα τοῦ ῥητοῦ τοῦ Μωσαϊκοῦ τοῦ λέγοντος τῇ δεκάτῃ τοῦ ἑβδόμου μηνὸς χρῆναι νηστεύειν. ∆ηλοῖ γὰρ ὁ μὲν ἕβδομος μὴν τὴν ἑβδόμην ἡμέραν, ἡ δὲ δεκάτη ἡμέρα τὴν δεκάτην ὥραν, ἐν ᾗ ὁ Κύριος ἐπὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ ἀφῆκε

The Typology of Festivals and the Trumpet§80

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80The Spirit distinguishes each thing, and the forms of sensible appearance reveal the invisible disposition of the soul. Why do you mix the unmixed and carry together those things which are separated? There are other common festivals for them. One they call the Feast of Tabernacles, and another I hear is the remembrance of trumpets. But they celebrate the mysteries of Christians in ignorance, because the creation of the Tabernacle is the practical prophecy of this Church, which our Word established.

For this reason, they also adorn the Tabernacle with leaves and beautify the courts with flowers, as a type of how the new Church is to bring forth fruitfulness by the law. But the feast of the trumpets rouses the souls toward the preparation for the resurrection, as Paul says: 'For the dead shall also be sounded forth and shall arise' (1 Cor 15:52). And God our Savior also teaches in the Gospels, saying: 'And he will send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other' (Matt 24:31).

Hearing these words, they will perhaps use such a contradiction against us: that, remembering the ancient wonders and the blessings of God, they bring these thanksgivings forward in favor of Mount Sinai and the trumpet that sounded at the giving of the law. But the thoughtless will not know that even then the trumpet was taken as a type during the giving of the law.

Since he who receives the law for a rule of life and an orderly polity must demonstrate the punishment for disobedience, therefore God, sending the written commands of our life to men, immediately added also the voice of the trumpet, a symbol of the resurrection from the dead, so that the disciples of the commands, foreseeing the judgment through the resurrection, might guard the doctrines as safeguards of the divine legislation.

Do not fasting and the Feast of Tabernacles and the trumpets of our piety also constitute mysteries of our piety, once indicated in shadow, but reaching their outcome in the proper time, when the theophanies in the flesh of our Savior were completed; to whom belongs the glory and the honor and the worship, now and forever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

Greek · §80

τὸ πνεῦμα. Καὶ ἑκάστου πράγματος ἐξαίρετά ἐστι καὶ τὰ σχήματα ἐκ τῆς αἰσθητῆς ἐπιφανείας τὴν ἀόρατον τῆς ψυχῆς δηλοῦντα διάθεσιν. 14.16.2 Σὺ δὲ τί μιγνύεις τὰ ἄμικτα καὶ φύρεις ἐν ταὐτῷ τὰ κεχωρισμένα; Εἰσὶν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἄλλαι πάνδημοι πανηγύρεις. Τὴν μὲν σκηνοπηγίαν καλοῦσι, τὴν δὲ ἄλλην ἀκούω σαλπίγγων 77 ὑπόμνησιν. Λελήθασι δὲ χριστιανῶν μυστήρια ἑορταζόντες, ἐπειδὴ τῆς μὲν σκηνῆς ἡ δημιουργία ἔμπρακτός ἐστιν ἡ προφητεία τῆς ἐκκλησίας ταύτης, ἣν ὁ Λόγος ἡμῶν συνεστήσατο. 14.16.3 ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ φύλλοις κοσμοῦσι τὴν σκηνὴν καὶ ὁπώραις καλλωπίζουσι τὰ προσκήνια εἰς τύπον τοῦ τὴν νέαν ἐκκλησίαν τὴν εὔκαρπον μέλλειν ὑποβλαστάνειν τῷ νόμῳ. Ἡ δὲ τῶν σαλπίγγων ἑορτὴ διεγείρει τὰς ψυχὰς πρὸς τὴν ἑτοιμασίαν τῆς ἀναστάσεως, καθὼς Παῦλος φησι· Σαλπίσει γὰρ καὶ οἱ νεκροὶ ἀναστήσονται. 14.16.4 ∆ιδάσκει δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν καὶ Σωτὴρ ἐν εὐαγγελίοις λέγων· Καὶ ἀποστελεῖ τοὺς ἀγγέλους αὐτοῦ μετὰ σάλπιγγος φωνῆς μεγάλης καὶ ἐπισυνάξουσι τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῶν τεσσάρων ἀνέμων ἀπ' ἄκρων οὐρανῶν ἕως ἄκρων αὐτῶν. 14.17.1 Τούτων δὲ τῶν λόγων ἀκούοντες τάχα τοιαύτῃ χρήσονται πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀντιρρήσει· ὅτι τῶν ἀρχαίων μεμνημένοι θαυμάτων τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ εὐεργεσίων εὐχαριστήρια ταῦτα προσάγουσιν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ὄρους Σινᾶ καὶ τῆς σάλπιγγος τῆς ἠχησάσης ἐν τῇ δόσει τοῦ νόμου. Οὐκ ἴσασι δὲ οἱ ματαιόφρονες ὅτι καὶ τότε ἡ σάλπιγξ τυπικῶς παρελήφθη διδομένου τοῦ νόμου. 14.17.2 Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ νόμον λαμβάνων εἰς κανόνα βίου καὶ εὔτακτον πολιτείαν ὀφείλει δεδοικέναι τὴν ἐκ τῆς παρακοῆς τιμωρίαν, διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Θεὸς τὰ τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν παραγγέλματα ἔγγραφα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐκπέμπων εὐθὺς προσέθηκε καὶ τὴν φωνὴν τῆς σάλπιγγος, σύμβολον τῆς ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀναστάσεως, ἵνα οἱ μαθηταὶ τῶν προσταγμάτων διὰ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τὴν κρίσιν προβλέποντες φυλάξωσιν ἀπαράβατα τῆς θείας νομοθεσίας τὰ δόγματα. 14.17.3 Οὐκοῦν καὶ νηστεία καὶ σκηνοπηγία καὶ σάλπιγγες τῆς ἡμετέρας εὐσεβείας μυστήρια πάλαι μὲν παραδηλούμενα, καίρῳ δὲ τῷ καθήκοντι λαμβάνοντα τὴν ἔκβασιν, ὅτε τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἐτελέσθη τὰ ἐν σαρκὶ θεοφάνεια· ᾧ πρέπει ἡ δόξα καὶ ἡ τιμὴ καὶ ἡ προσκύνησις, νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν. 78

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