The Multiplicity of Days and Virtue

It is taken away, and his own things go to others and are overpowered by someone, and another enjoys those things which he himself worked for. By way of comparison: many have often used things which others have written about with words, not being of their own opinion or glory. Often indeed wise men find books, into which others have labored, and both they and others are nourished by them and are glorified, when they are able to overturn them.

"And this too is vanity" (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Vanity is the not-retaining and not-enjoying of one's own. If a man were to father a hundred, and live many years and a multitude, because his days shall be many. He has said the external pursuits for men: "wealth, possessions, glory". Then he says also concerning childbearing: it becomes a great sickness. And he has used an excess: "if someone should beget a hundred".

No one at all begets a hundred. Let us say, even if someone is able to beget a hundred from various women; even this provides him no more. For kings indeed become fathers of many children, and this will not prevent deaths. For if he does not have one child, he certainly fails; and he does not have more than this, and even if he has a thousand; for they are not certainly saved in the wars. And he shall live many years.

Appropriately he has said such things, "wealth, possessions, glory" and the others. And he says the bodily goods. Even if someone is not born in sorrows and lives many years, since his life has remained a long time, it is vain, having the promise only until the present life. Because of this, he strives in vain.

But what about the comparison? If someone through instruction begets many and strives to have a long-lasting glory in life, he does not become unchangeable. It is possible to be taken away from the children; for example, this Arius who among us begot many according to teaching and imitation of life. For indeed all were almost by him, and they were turned away, and all left him, and he did not have other men hating him as those begotten by him.

A multitude shall be his days of years. This he says: "he lived a thousand years of days". A multitude of days has become his. But the many-dayed life will benefit him nothing, since thus he receives it according to this time measured by the sun.

Another becomes long-lived upon the good earth, and the multitude of days benefits him. Indeed, it is said in the manner of a promise: 'I will fill him with length of days.' If it is 'better to depart and be with Christ,' then he who remains in the body laments much time, saying, 'Woe, that my sojourning has been lengthened' (Job 7:7); how then is the long-liver and the multitude of days given in the manner of a blessing? This is what it means: whatever years a man may live in this life, they are written down; and the multitude of days will not benefit him at all. For sometimes in the multitude of his days, more sins of his are found and many transgressions.

But he, having those days increasing, preparing the sunrises of the sun of righteousness, as was said a little before, possesses an enjoyment of the things above that exceeds being under the sensible sun. To whatever extent one has approached virtue, he has been enlightened by it. And the days become many in proportion to how much virtue holds sway. If he turns away from this life, he has a multitude of days from this life. Thus we call the days those illuminated by the sun of righteousness. And just as regarding the sensible days, a multitude is said of the earth being often circumscribed and... many times the solar cycle... so also with virtue... according to itself. That is to say: from life with virtue, one becomes long-lived, long-lasting, and blessed. If he tests these days in virtue, he will not desire to remain for other years. If the vain life should turn away from life, since he has hope in God, he becomes victorious over all of them, and it is vain for him to live many years. For many years are written down, but the blessed life is greater; it is eternal.

I wish to bring forward the apostolic view, which some seem to think is according to history. 'Piety,' he says, 'is profitable for all things, having the promise of life, both of the present and of the one to come' (1 Timothy 6:19). When he says 'of the present,' he does not mean this one, concerning which the apostle says, 'If in this life we have hope only' (1 Corinthians 15:19), but the life able to exist here according to virtue, concerning which anyone might say it is 'in part.' Because