← Letters to Olympias (Letters of St. John Chrysostom)/Book 1 · Letters to Olympias (Epistulae ad Olympiadem)

Chapter 10ChrysOlymp.1.10

ΕΠΙΣΤΟΛΗ Ιʹ

Gradual Healing and the Nature of Despondency

Chrysostom opens with the analogy of feverish bodies and stormy seas to explain that deliverance from despondency is gradual, then describes despondency's devastating power as a harsh torture-chamber for the soul.

And bodies that have wrestled with fierce fevers, and seas that have fought with savage winds, don't all at once cast off either the harm from the fevers or the turmoil from the waves—but gently and gradually. For bodies need more time after being freed from fevers to return to pure health and wash away the residual weakness the illness left in them; and the waters, even when the winds have stopped, remain tossed and stirred for a long time, still driven along and again swept by a great rush, and they too need time to return to pure calm. I have spoken these words as a preface to your Reverence not for no reason, but so that you may understand that we are also sending you this letter because it is necessary.¹ For even if we have overthrown the tyranny of despondency and razed its citadel through our earlier letters, still the word needs much more persistent attention, so that it may work a deep peace for you, wipe out the memory of all the disturbances that came from that despondency, show you a clear and firm calm, and establish you in abundant good cheer.² For what we are earnest about is not only to free you from despondency, but also to fill you with much and lasting joy. For it's possible, if you're willing. For the matters of good cheer don't rest in the fixed laws of nature—which it's impossible for us to pry up and change—but in the free thoughts of deliberate choice, which it's easy for us to manage.³ And you know, if you also remember from before—for not much time has passed between—that I had many long discussions on these things when I was constantly selecting the histories I brought up in the conversation. For what makes for cheerfulness doesn't rest in the nature of circumstances the way it rests in people's outlook. So since that's how things stand — and many who are awash in wealth have judged life unlivable, while others living in the deepest poverty have stayed more cheerful than anyone, and some who enjoy bodyguards and glory and honor have often cursed their own lives, while others, obscure, from obscure families, and known to no one, have thought themselves more blessed than many (for what makes for cheerfulness isn't in the nature of circumstances the way it's in people's outlook; I won't stop repeating that) — don't collapse. Stand up, hold out your hand to what I'm saying, and give us this good alliance, so that we may snatch you completely free from the bitter captivity of those thoughts.⁴ For if you yourself aren't willing to put in as much effort as we are, our treatment will do no good. And why is it surprising if this happens with us? Even God, who can do everything — when he exhorts and counsels, and the one who hears does not obey what is said — nothing more ever comes of it; instead, this becomes grounds for a heavier punishment for the one who wouldn't be persuaded.⁵ And making this clear, Christ said: "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin." And so for this very reason, mourning over Jerusalem on this account, he said: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you — how often I wanted to gather your children together, and you would not! Look, your house is left to you desolate." So knowing these things, my lady, most beloved of God, work and fight and push yourself—with the help you have from what's been said—to forcefully drive out and cast away the thoughts that disturb you and stir up such a storm of turmoil. But that you'll do this and follow our advice, I don't think anyone needs to doubt; still, you must equip yourself with swords, spears, bows, arrows, a breastplate, a shield, and greaves, so that with some you can defend yourself, and with others you can strike, cut down, and kill the troubled thoughts that come against you.^✦ So where will we get these weapons of war and these slings for you, so that you won't even let the enemies get close, but drive them off as far as possible with overwhelming force? From despondency itself—by reflecting a little on it and showing how heavy and burdensome it is.⁶ For despondency is a harsh torture-chamber for souls—an unspeakable kind of pain, and a sentence more bitter than every judgment and punishment. For it acts like a venomous worm, seizing not only the flesh but the soul itself; and it is a moth not only of the bones but of the mind as well; and a relentless executioner that doesn't shred the ribs but ruins the soul's strength; and a perpetual night, a darkness without light, a winter and a storm, an invisible fever burning more fiercely than any flame, a war with no truce, a disease that darkens many of the things we see.^✦ For both the sun and the clear air itself seem to trouble those who are in this state, and at high noon it becomes like deep night. That is why the marvelous prophet, making this clear, said: "The sun will set for them at midday"—not as if the star were vanishing, nor as if its customary course were broken, but as the despondent soul imagines night in the brightest part of the day.^✦ For the darkness of ordinary night is not like the night of despondency—a night that doesn't come by the law of nature, but gathers through the darkening of thoughts: a fearful, unbearable thing, with an implacable face, crueler than any tyrant, yielding quickly to none of those who try to break it up, but often holding the soul it has seized more firmly than adamant, when that soul has not made much use of philosophy.⁷

Despondency Greater Than Death

Chrysostom argues that despondency is even more unbearable than death, supporting the claim with scriptural examples including Adam, Abraham, Elijah, Jonah, and David.

Why should I say so much about it from my own reasoning, when I can turn to those who have been seized by it and learn its full force from them? Or better still, if you like, for now we'll first make the case from another direction. For when Adam committed that grievous sin and condemned the common race of all human beings, he was sentenced then to grief; but she who sinned more — and so much more that his sin, set beside hers, would not even be thought a sin — "for Adam was not deceived," it says, "but the woman, being deceived, fell into transgression" — this woman, then, who was deceived and fell into transgression, and who mixed the poisonous drug both for herself and for her husband, is condemned to a greater share of this, as something able to stretch the hardship more severely: "I will greatly multiply," he says, "your pains and your groaning.⁸ In pain you will bear children." Nowhere labor, nowhere sweat, and nowhere toil — but despondency and groaning, and the punishment that comes from them, which balances pains and countless deaths, or rather is far harsher still.⁹ And yet what is worse than death? Doesn't this seem to be the chief of human evils — the fearful, the unbearable, and worthy of countless lamentations? Didn't Paul say this was the penalty for the most grievous lawlessness? For those who touch the holy mysteries unworthily and share in that awesome table, he said, pay this penalty, speaking this way: "For this reason many among you are weak and sick, and a good number have fallen asleep." Don't all lawgivers also condemn those who commit irreparable wrongs to this same penalty? And didn't God himself impose this as the final punishment in the law on those who commit great wrongs? Wasn't it out of fear of this that that patriarch — the one who even conquered nature itself — agreed to hand over his own wife to barbarian sensuality and Egyptian tyranny, and both staged the drama of the outrage himself and begged his wife to act out this cruel tragedy with him? And he isn't even ashamed to state the reason for such a scene: "For it will be," he says, "that if they see you shining so at this hour and overpowering with the beauty of your face, they will kill me and keep you.¹⁰ So say that you are my sister, so that it may go well with me because of you, and my soul may live on account of you." Did you see the fear? Did you see the trembling that shook that lofty and philosophic soul? Did you see the diamond dissolved by the agony? He falsifies their kinship and sets another mask in place of the true one on his wife, and makes the ewe-lamb easy prey for the wolves. And what is more unbearable than anything for men — to see a wife outraged, or rather even only to suspect it — this (and something worse than this, for it wasn't mere suspicion, but outrage actually being dared in deed) he not only watches, but arranges how it may be dared, and it seems to him light and bearable.¹¹ For one passion overpowered another: the harsher mastered the harsh, and fear of death overcame jealousy. And that great Elijah too became a runaway, a fugitive, and an exile because of this fear: he was afraid of nothing more than a threat from a lewd and unholy woman; the man who shut up the heavens and worked so many wonders could not bear the fear of words; the agony so shook that heaven-high soul that he suddenly abandoned his homeland and the great people for whom he had risked so much, traveled alone a forty-day road, and settled in the wilderness—after that boldness, after such free speaking, after such a display of courage.^✦^✦^✦¹² For the nature of the thing is terribly fearful; that is why, though it comes upon our race every day, it so startles, confounds, and shrinks each of us before a corpse as if it were then appearing all at once.¹³ And the long practice of time has done nothing to console us, nor has daily training in this contemplation; the effects of this dejection and this shock have not grown old with time; they stay young and in full bloom without end, and every day it comes bringing the fear pure and still flowering. And quite reasonably so. For who would not be thrown into confusion and collapse when he sees the man who yesterday and only a few days before was walking about, managing affairs, carrying countless responsibilities—of household, wife, children, servants—and often even governing whole cities; threatening, terrifying, remitting punishments, imposing punishments, doing countless things throughout cities and countries—suddenly lying more mute than stones, while countless people wail, his dearest ones are cut down with grief, and his wife is shattered, raking her cheeks, loosing her hair, surrounding herself with choruses of maidservants in loud lamentation—sensing nothing, everything suddenly gone: thought and mind and soul and the bloom of his face and the movement of his limbs, and the joyless things that take their place: muteness, insensibility, decay, discharge, worms, ash, dust, stench, total obliteration, and the whole body rushing to dissolve into ugly, unmarked bones? But even so, this fearful thing — shown both by the facts and by the fear of those saints — is far lighter than despondency. It's for this that I've spent these long courses of argument: to teach you what kind of price you're paying, and what counterbalancing reward of good things — no, a far greater one — you await.¹⁴ And so that you may learn that this is how these things stand, I'll now turn to those who were overcome — the point I was hurrying to reach earlier.¹⁵ For when Moses came proclaiming freedom and release from Egyptian hardships, the Hebrew people would not even bear to listen, and the lawgiver, giving the reason, said: "Moses spoke to the people, and the people did not listen to Moses because of their faintheartedness." And when God threatens the Jews with great threats for much lawlessness — after the captivity, life in a foreign land, the famines, the plagues, and the cannibalism — he also lays this penalty on them, saying: "I will give them a despondent heart and failing eyes and a wasting soul."^✦ But why speak of Jews — an unruly people, ungrateful, enslaved to the flesh, and with no knowledge of true philosophy — when the proof can be taken from those great and lofty men? For the company of the apostles, after spending a third year with Christ, taught much about immortality and the other mysteries, working marvelous and astonishing signs, watching him work wonders for so long, sharing his table and conversation and words of that kind, and trained in every way — when they heard words that filled them with despondency, though they had constantly clung to him and hung on him like nursing children, continually asking him, "Where are you going?" — they were so quenched by the tyranny of this despondency and so wholly taken over by grief that they no longer asked him these things.^✦¹⁶ And rebuking them for this, Christ said: "You have heard that I am going to the one who sent me and I am coming to you, and none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart."¹⁷ Did you see how the tyranny of despondency darkened love, and how it made them captives and made them its own? And that Elijah again — for I won't leave him even now — after his flight and withdrawal from Palestine, unable to bear the tyranny of despondency — for he was deeply despondent; the one who wrote the history made this clear, saying, "He went away for his life" — listen to what he says as he prays: "It is enough now, Lord."¹⁸ "Take my life from me, for I am no better than my ancestors." And that most terrifying thing—the crowning peak of punishment, the sum of all evils, the penalty for every sin—this is what he asks for in the form of a prayer, and wants to receive as if it were a gift of grace.¹⁹ So much heavier than death is despondency. For to escape the one, he takes refuge in the other.²⁰ And here I also want to clear up a certain question for you. For I know your hunger for the solutions to such things, and I understand very well how much this will please you. So what, then, is the question? If he thought death was lighter than despondency, why did he abandon both homeland and people and run away, so as not to fall into death? And how is it that, after fleeing death then, he now seeks it out? — so that from this too you may see most of all how much harder despondency is than death.²¹ For when that fear alone shook him, he reasonably did everything to escape it. But once this despondency had settled in and showed its true nature — devouring him, wasting him away, consuming him with its teeth, becoming unbearable to him — then at last he judged that the heaviest of all things was lighter than it.²² So too Jonah, fleeing that despondency, took refuge in this — death — and he himself asks for death, saying: "Take my soul from me, for it is better for me to die than to live." And David too, whether writing a psalm in his own person or in the person of certain others who are grieving, shows this very same thing: "For when the sinner stood against me," he says, "I was made mute and was humbled, and I kept silent from good things, and my pain was renewed.²³ My heart grew hot within me, and in my meditation a fire will burn" — making clear that that fire, and something fiercer than fire, is the passion of despondency. So, no longer able to bear its blows and its pains, he says: "I spoke with my tongue." . .» And what do you say? Tell me. He too asks for death, saying: "Make known to me, Lord, my end, and what the number of my days is, that I may know what I lack"—uttering Elijah's thoughts in different words, but with the same meaning.²⁴ For what that man said—"I am no better than my fathers"—this one also hinted at when he said: "Make known to me, Lord, my end, that I may know what I lack." Why, he says, have I been left behind? Why do I lag behind and linger in this life while the others have gone? And so he seeks death—whether it is he himself or those in whose name he speaks—because even before it comes, he wants to know the time of its arrival: "Make known to me," he says, "my end," so that from this too he may gain the greatest satisfaction.²⁵ That is how the fearful thing becomes desirable: because of the unbearable pain of despondency and the fire kindled in the mind. "For in my meditation," he says, "a fire will be kindled."

The Reward of Suffering

Chrysostom shifts to the positive fruit of suffering, teaching that great rewards are stored up for those who endure, using Job, Lazarus, Paul, and Nebuchadnezzar as examples.

So then, since you're paying such a heavy penalty, expect a great reward: many prizes, returns beyond words, and bright, richly flowering crowns for contests as great as these. For it isn't only doing something good that brings many recompenses and great prizes; suffering something hard does too. And now I'll turn to this argument—one that's very useful both for you and for everyone, strong enough to oil you for endurance, to rouse you to perseverance, and not to let you grow soft under the sweat of sufferings.²⁶ So our discussion has shown well enough that despondency is harder than every suffering — the crown and the sum of all evils. What's left, then, is to compare good deeds and sufferings, so you can see clearly that rewards are stored up not only for good deeds but also for sufferings, and very great rewards at that, no less for sufferings than for good deeds; rather, there are times when sufferings earn even more. And if you will, let's bring forward the great athlete of patience who shone in both of these — the adamant, the rock — the man born in the land of Uz, yet who lit up the whole world with the sheer excellence of his virtue; and let's set out both his good deeds and his sufferings, so you can see from which of them he shone more brightly.²⁷ So what were his good deeds? 'My house,' he says, 'stood open to everyone who came, and it was a shared harbor for travelers.' And he held almost everything he had as belonging to those in need. 'For I was,' he says, 'eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame. I was a father to the powerless; I searched out the case I did not know; I shattered the molars of the unjust and snatched the spoil from between their teeth.²⁸ And the powerless never went without whatever they needed; no one left my door empty-handed.' Have you seen the different forms of his kindness, the varied harbors of his almsgiving, and how through all of them he helped those who were wronged? Have you seen him supporting the poor, setting the widow's affairs right, taking his stand against wrongdoers, and being a terror to those who would abuse them? For he didn't show his zeal only as far as standing by and lending a hand — that's what most people do — but all the way to bringing the matter to its end, and with great force: 'For I shattered the molars of the unjust,' he says, fortifying his own care against their contentiousness.²⁹ He directed his care not only toward the abuses of others, but also against the assaults of nature, correcting nature's failings through the sheer abundance of his own support. For since he could not restore their limbs to them—eyes to the blind, feet to the lame—he became for them a substitute for those limbs, and through him both those whose eyes were ruined and those whose legs were cut off could see and walk. What could equal this kindness of his? You know his other virtues too—so I won't lengthen the discourse by listing them all—his fairness, his gentleness, his self-control, his exact integrity; how, though fierce toward those who did wrong—and this is the marvelous thing—he was mild and gentle, sweeter even than honey itself, both to everyone else and to his own household servants, who, giving a great proof of the love they felt for him, used to say: "Who would grant that we might be filled with his flesh?" And if he was so longed for, so beloved by household servants—people one often has to be formidable toward as well—how much more by all other people.^✦³⁰ So then, once you've gathered these things—and still more of them—within yourself, come walk with me through the list of his sufferings, and let's compare and see when he shone more brightly: when he was accomplishing those good works, or when he was enduring the painful things that planted deep despondency in him. So when was Job more brilliant? When he opened his house to everyone who passed by, or when, after it had collapsed, he spoke no bitter word but blessed God? And yet the one was an achievement; the other was a suffering. Tell me, when was he more radiant—when he offered sacrifice for his children and brought them into harmony, or when, after they had been buried and died the bitterest kind of death, he bore what happened with great fortitude? When did he shine more—when the shoulders of the naked were warmed from the shearing of his lambs, or when, hearing that fire had fallen from heaven and consumed the flock with the shepherds, he wasn't shaken or confused, but bore the disaster gently? When was he greater—when he used his healthy body to protect the wronged, crushing the jaws of the unjust, snatching the helpless from between their teeth, and becoming a harbor for them, or when he saw his own body—the weapon of the wronged—being eaten by worms, and sitting on the dunghill scraped it himself with a potsherd? "For I melt clods of earth from seething discharge," he says.³¹ And yet all those former things were achievements, while all these were sufferings; still, these made him more brilliant than those. For this was especially the bitterest part of the battle-line, and it called for greater courage, a more resilient soul, a more steadfast mind, and one that held more love for God.³² That is why, while those earlier things were happening, the devil answered back—shamelessly and very boldly, to be sure, but still he answered: "Does Job revere God for nothing?" But when these later things happened, he covered his face and withdrew, turning his back, without even a shadow of any shameless contradiction left to put forward. For this is the crowning peak of the crown, this is the finishing touch of virtue, this is the clear proof of courage, this is spiritual fortitude stretched to its most exact height.³³ And this blessed Job himself also made plain how much harder the tyranny of despondency is than death: he called death a rest—"For death," he says, "is rest for a man"—and he asks for it as a gift so as to be freed from that despondency, saying: "If only my request might come, and God might grant me what I hope for.³⁴ Let the Lord begin by wounding me, and let him finish me off completely. And may my city be a tomb—the city on whose walls I used to leap.^✦ That's how much heavier despondency is than everything else; and the heavier it is, the greater the recompense it brings.³⁵ And so that you may also learn from another angle how great the benefit of suffering is: even if someone doesn't suffer for God's sake — and let no one think this is overstating it — yet still suffers, bears it nobly, and calmly glorifies God in everything, that person didn't know he was suffering these things for God; and yet he was crowned for this very reason: that even without knowing the cause, he endured with nobility. And that Lazarus, who fell ill from natural causes — and this, of course, was not suffering for God's sake — since he suffered at all, endured, and nobly bore the lack of anyone to care for him, the despondency from his sores, from the hunger, and from the rich man's disdain and cruelty, you know how great the crowns he received. And yet we find no achievement of his to name: not that he showed mercy to the poor, not that he stood by those who were wronged, not that he did any such good work — only his lying at the rich man's gate, his sickness, the dogs' tongues, and the contempt the rich man showed him, all of which were simply a matter of suffering badly. But even so, though he had done nothing noble, simply because he bore the despondency that came from all this with nobility, he was granted the same portion as the patriarch who had accomplished so much.³⁶ Let me say after this something else that seems paradoxical but is true: even if someone does a great and noble good, yet not with toil and danger and sufferings, he won't receive much of a reward; for "Each will receive his own reward according to his own labor" — not according to the greatness of the achievement, but according to the weight of the suffering. That is why Paul, when he boasts, doesn't boast only of accomplishing something and doing something noble, but also of suffering hardship. For after saying, "Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking like a madman — I am more," and weaving his superiority by comparison, he didn't say,³⁷ "I preached to so many and so many," but leaving aside what he had accomplished, he lists the hard things he suffered, saying: "In labors more abundantly, in beatings beyond measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often.³⁸ Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one; three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; I spent a night and a day in the deep; I was often on journeys, in danger from rivers, in danger from robbers, in danger from my own people, in danger from the Gentiles, in danger in the city, in danger in the wilderness, in danger at sea, in danger among false brothers; in toil and hardship, often in sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst and nakedness; and besides everything else, there is the pressure that falls on me every day.^✦³⁹ Did you see that chain of sufferings, and the grounds it gives for boasting? Then he adds to these also his achievements—and even in those you can see more of the suffering than of the achievement. For after saying, "My daily pressure"—meaning the constant assaults, the uproar, the crises, for that is what "my pressure" is—he added, "the care of all the churches."^✦⁴⁰ He did not say "the correcting of them," but "the care"—which was more a matter of suffering than of achievement.^✦⁴¹ And the next words are the same way: "Who is weak," he says, "and I am not weak?" He did not say, "I set them right," but "I am weak."^✦ And again: "Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn?" He did not say, "I freed them from the stumbling," but "I shared in the despondency."^✦⁴² Then, showing that these things above all carry the rewards, he added: "If I must boast, I will boast of the things that mark my weakness."^✦ And again he brings forward another case of the same kind: the escape through the window, through the basket, down the wall—and this was a matter of suffering harm.^✦ If, then, sufferings bring great rewards, and of all sufferings despondency is the hardest and most painful, consider how many recompenses are laid up for it.⁴³ I won't stop singing this song to you again and again, so that I can fulfill what I promised at the start—weaving from your very despondency the thoughts that will give birth to consolation for you. To help you see from another angle how great it is to do something noble amid suffering, and how far short of that it falls to do the same thing without hardship, consider Nebuchadnezzar the Babylonian. Living among scepters and crowns, he once accomplished a work worthy of the gospel.⁴⁴ After the furnace and that astonishing miracle, he took up a proclamation for the whole world—not just by word of mouth, but in writing—and sent this message across the earth: "Nebuchadnezzar the king to all peoples, tribes, and languages dwelling in all the earth: peace be multiplied to you." It has pleased me to declare to you the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done with me, for they are great and mighty; his kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his authority is from generation to generation." He issued a decree that any people, tribe, or language that spoke a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego should be destroyed, and their houses given over to plunder. And he adds: "Because there is no other god who is able to rescue like this." Did you see the threat in those letters? Did you see the fear? Did you see the teaching? Did you see a lofty proclamation and writings spread throughout the world? Tell me, then—will he receive the same reward as the apostles, since he proclaimed God's power this way and took such care to announce the word everywhere? Not even a fraction of it—no, vastly less by every measure.^✦⁴⁵ And yet he did the same work they did. But because there's no toil attached to it here, and no suffering either, the reward is cut short for that reason. For this man did it with authority and without fear; but those men were blocked, driven out, beaten, flogged, worn down, thrown from cliffs, cast into the sea, wasting away with hunger, dying every day, tortured in their souls, weak with each of the weak, and burned with anguish over each one who was made to stumble—and the rewards for these toils and this despondency were far greater.^✦^✦⁴⁶ "For each will receive his own reward," it says, "according to his own labor."^✦ For I won't stop repeating this constantly. And that's exactly why the God who loves humankind didn't consent when Paul often begged him to free him from sufferings and despondency and pain and dangers.^✦ "For concerning this I begged the Lord three times," he says, and I didn't obtain what I asked.^✦⁴⁷ Tell me, what was he going to receive the greatest rewards for, if he had preached without trouble, living in luxury and spending his days in good cheer? Because he opened his mouth and moved his tongue while sitting at home? But that's easy even for an ordinary person, and for someone thoroughly slack, living a soft and dissolute life. As it is, though, because of the wounds, the deaths, the journeys by land and sea, despondency itself, the tears, the pains—"For three years," he says, "I didn't stop night and day admonishing each one of you with tears"—he will receive the recompenses and the crowns with great boldness.^✦

Endurance in Trials: The Example of Joseph

Chrysostom applies the lesson to Olympias, then recounts Joseph's sufferings—betrayal, slavery, temptation, false accusation, and imprisonment—as the crowning illustration of triumphant endurance.

So as you think this through and consider how great the benefit of a painful, toilsome life is, rejoice and be glad: from your earliest youth you've walked a path that brings reward, crowded with countless crowns—and through continuous, relentless sufferings. For even the sickness of your body—varied, of every kind, and harder than a thousand deaths—never ceased to besiege you; and showers of insults, abuse, and slanders never stopped being hurled against you; and dense, unending discouragements and fountains of tears troubled you throughout all your time. And each of these, even by itself, was enough to bring great benefit to those who endured it. For Lazarus, from sickness alone, received the same reward as the patriarch; and for the tax collector, the Pharisee's insult brought a righteousness that surpassed the Pharisee; and the foremost of the apostles, through tears, healed the wound of that terrible sin. So when each of the things just named shows that even one of these sufferings alone was enough, consider how many rewards you yourself will receive—you who have endured them all together, and in great abundance, and throughout all your time.^✦^✦^✦⁴⁸ For nothing—nothing—makes people so radiant and enviable, or so fills them with countless goods, as a host of trials, dangers, toils, and discouragements, and being plotted against without end, even by those who least of all should do so, and bearing it all gently. After all, nothing made Jacob's son so blessed and so highly regarded as that slander then, and the prison, and the chain, and the misery that came from them.^✦ True, his victory in chastity was great as well—when he overcame Egyptian wantonness and resisted that wretched woman who was calling him into an unjust union—but that was not as great as the sufferings.^✦ For what praise is it, tell me, not to commit adultery, not to break into another man's marriage, not to defile a bed that in no way belonged to him, not to wrong the one who had done him good, not to cover his protector's household with shame? No—what made him great above all is this: the danger, the plot, the frenzy of the woman who held him captive, the violence brought against him, the inescapable prison of the chamber that the adulteress built for him, the nets she spread on every side, the accusation, the slander, the dungeon, the chain—that after so great a contest, for which he ought to have been crowned, he got none of what was just, but was led like a condemned man, as if guilty, to the stronghold and locked up with those who had committed the worst crimes, the squalor, the iron, the misery of the prison.^✦⁴⁹ That's when I see him shining more brilliantly than when, seated on Egypt's throne, he distributed grain to those in need, ended the famine, and became a common harbor for everyone. That's when I see him radiant—when the shackles and manacles were on him—more than when he was dressed in splendid robes and clothed with such great power.⁵⁰ For the one was a season of serious business and rich commerce—I mean the time in prison—while the other was a time of luxury, ease, and honor: it had plenty of pleasure, but not much real gain.⁵¹ That's why I don't count him nearly as blessed when his father honored him as when his brothers envied him and he had his enemies living under the same roof.^✦ For even from his earliest years a bitter war was being stirred up against him from inside his own home—his attackers having nothing to charge him with, yet wasting away and bursting with rage because he enjoyed a greater share of their father's affection. And yet the lawgiver Moses didn't say that the affection began from the boy's virtue, but from the timing of his birth.⁵² For since he was born later than the others and in extreme old age—and children like that are especially longed for, since they're born beyond hope—that's why he was loved. "For his father loved him," it says, "because he was a son of his old age."^✦ But the lawgiver wrote these things, as I see it, not reporting what was actually the case, but the father's pretext and excuse.^✦ For when he saw the young man being envied, wanting to soothe his brothers' passion, he invented a reason for his love that wouldn't breed much envy against him.^✦⁵³ For that this was not the real cause of the affection, but rather the flourishing virtue of his soul — more in its prime even than his youth — is clear from Benjamin.^✦ For if Joseph was loved for that reason, his younger brother ought to have been loved far more. For Benjamin was born after Joseph, and he was even more a son of Jacob's old age.^✦ But as I said, it was the father's invention, because he wanted to put an end to the brothers' war; yet even so it didn't work — the flame burned more fiercely still.^✦ And since for a time they could do nothing against him, they brought a wicked charge against him and wrapped him in a shameful accusation — the brothers, getting ahead of the foreign woman and proving far worse than she.⁵⁴ For she turned wicked against a stranger; they against their own brother. And they didn't even stop their wickedness there, but they kept striving to outdo their earlier crimes; and once they had him alone in the wilderness, they slaughtered him and sold him, made a free man into a slave, and put him under the most extreme slavery.⁵⁵ For they didn't hand their brother over to people of their own race, but to foreign-tongued barbarians who were themselves heading into a barbarian land. But God, making him more splendid, endured what was happening and was patient while dangers succeeded dangers. For after the envy and the shameful slander, they handed him over to slaughter and to a slavery harsher than slaughter. For don't just skim past what I've said; consider how great a thing it was: a well-born young man, raised in his father's house with complete freedom and with such love from his father, suddenly sold off by brothers who had nothing to charge against him, handed over to barbarians of another tongue, with outlandish customs, more wild beasts than human beings; and to become a man without a city, a migrant, a household slave, and a stranger instead of a free man and a citizen; and after enjoying such prosperity, to be cast down into the ultimate misery of slavery—wholly unused to it, to the last extreme—to get the bitterest masters, and to be carried off to a foreign and barbarian land. But even there the horrors didn't stop; plots again succeeded plots after those wondrous dreams that foretold his brothers' bowing down to him. For these merchants, once they had taken him, didn't keep him, but sold him again to other barbarians who were worse. And you know how great a calamity this is: to exchange masters of that sort for masters of this sort. For this makes slavery harder, when those who acquire you are again strangers and harsher than the ones before. And so he ends up in Egypt—a place that was god-fighting and raving at the time—the source of those shameless mouths and blasphemous tongues. And he ends up among Egyptians, of whom a single one was enough by himself to make the great Moses a runaway and a fugitive.^✦ And when he had caught his breath a little there — the God who loves humanity arranging even the unexpected, and turning the wild beast who had bought him into a sheep — right away the wrestling pits were prepared for him again, and the stadium, and the matches, and contests, and sweats fiercer than the ones before.^✦⁵⁶ For when the woman who owned him looked at him with unjust eyes, was overcome by the beauty of his face, and taken captive by force of passion, she became a lioness instead of a woman under this unbridled desire.^✦⁵⁷ And again the enemy was a housemate, though with a case opposite to the earlier ones: for those men, hating him, drove him out of the house; but she was in love and burning for the young man — and the war was double, or rather triple and many times over. For don't suppose, just because he leapt the nets and cut through the snare in a brief turn of the moment, that he finished this contest without a struggle — for he endured a great deal of sweat.^✦ And if you want to understand this clearly, consider what youth is, and what the prime of youth is like. For he was then at the very flower of his age, when nature's flame rises more fiercely, when the storm of desire is heavy, when reason is weaker. For the souls of the young are not strongly fenced in by much understanding, nor do they put much zeal into virtue; rather, the storm of the passions is harsher, and the reason that steers the passions is weaker.⁵⁸ And along with nature and age, the woman's wantonness was great as well. And just as those Persian hands kindled the Babylonian furnace with great eagerness, feeding the fire with abundant fuel and throwing all kinds of kindling into the flame, so then too that wretched and miserable woman lit a flame harder than that furnace — reeking of perfumes, with paints on her cheeks, with lining on her eyes, with a languid voice, with gestures, with a mincing walk, with soft clothes, with gold ornaments draped about her, and with countless other such charms, casting a spell on the young man. And just as a skilled hunter, about to take a hard-to-catch animal, sets every tool of his craft in motion, so she too, knowing the young man's chastity — for it was not going to stay hidden over so long a time — thought she needed a great deal of preparation for the capture of the youth, and for that reason she set every device of her wantonness in motion.⁵⁹ And she was not content with these alone, but she also watched for a time and a place suited to the hunt. For this reason she did not attack as soon as she was seized by the passion, but waited a long time, laboring with this wicked desire and preparing herself, afraid that by haste and her improvised schemes the prey might escape.⁶⁰⁶¹ And once she found him alone inside the house, going about his usual work, she digs the pit still deeper. Spreading the wings of pleasure from every side—as if she already held the eagle in the middle of her nets—she comes in upon him and, alone, takes him alone for herself. Or rather, not alone: for she also had with her his youth, his nature, and her own devices as companions present. Then she drags that noble young man by force toward the unjust deed. What is harder than this temptation? What furnace and flame is this not fiercer than—for a vigorous young man, a slave, alone, without a city, a foreigner, an exile, seized by a mistress so wanton and mad with lust, so rich, and clothed in such power, in such isolation (for that too helps toward a capture of this kind), to be held fast, flattered, and led toward a master's bed—and all this after so many dangers and schemes? For you know how most people, once they've been steeped in terrible trials, if they're invited into luxury, ease, and a soft, loose way of life, run toward it all the more eagerly.⁶² But not that man—no, through it all he stood firm, showing the endurance that was his own. I would boldly call that chamber equal to the Babylonian furnace, to Daniel's pit, and to the belly of the sea-beast into which the Prophet fell—or rather, much harder than these. For there, if the plot won, the loss was of the body; but here it is the total ruin of the soul, a death that never dies, and a disaster that has no comfort. And this pit was hard not only in that way, but because, along with force and deceit, it was full of much flattery—full of that varied, all-kinds fire that does not burn the body, but sets the soul itself ablaze. And making this very point clear, Solomon—who knew these things most precisely—how great a matter it is for a man to have dealings with a woman who has a husband: "Can anyone," he says, "put fire in his bosom and not burn his clothes? Or can anyone walk on hot coals and not scorch his feet? So is the one who goes in to a married woman, and everyone who touches her will not go unpunished."⁶³ And what he means is this: just as, he says, it is impossible to deal with fire and not be burned, so too it is impossible to keep company with women and escape the burning that comes from it. But this man endured what was far harder. For he himself never touched her; instead he was held by her—alone, cut off with her alone—already worn down by so many evils, steeped in so many plots, and longing for relief and a little security. And yet, caught in so many nets, seeing a multifaceted beast charging at him and striking him down from every side—through touch, through her voice, through her eyes, through cosmetics, through painted brows, through gold jewelry, through perfumes, through her clothes, through her manner, through her words, through the adornment she wore, through isolation, through solitude, through secrecy, through wealth, through power—and having as her ally, along with all this, as I said before, his youth, his nature, his slavery, and the fact that he was in a foreign land—he conquered that whole flame.⁶⁴⁶⁵ I say this temptation was far harder than his brothers' envy, his kinsmen's hatred, being sold, the barbarians' mastery over him, the long exile, the sojourn in a foreign land, the prison, the chain, the long stretch of time, and the hardship he suffered there—for the danger was about the ultimate things.⁶⁶ But when he escaped this war too, there arose here a whispering spirit of dew—from both the grace of God and the young man's virtue. For he had so much calm and chastity left that he even tried to put an end to her madness. Yet since he himself came out unharmed, like the young men who escaped the Persian flame—"for not even the smell of fire was on them," it says—he was shown to be a great athlete of chastity and imitated adamant.⁶⁷ Let us see what he immediately enjoyed as his reward, and what meets the crowned victor after this contest. Plots again, and pits, and death, and dangers, and slanders, and irrational hatred. For that miserable woman then, driven wild by her cruel madness, soothed her lust with rage, joined passion to passion, added unjust anger to unbridled desire, and after the adultery became a murderer as well.⁶⁸ And breathing much savagery, with a murderous look, she sets up a corrupted court—his master, her own husband, the barbarian, the Egyptian—and brings a charge without witnesses. And she does not even let the accused enter the court, but prosecutes him in his absence, trusting in the judge's folly and favor, in the credibility of her own person, and in the fact that the accused is a slave; and by saying the opposite of what had happened she mastered the judge, persuaded him to deliver the winning verdict, condemn the innocent man, and impose the harshest punishment—and at once there was prison, and arrest, and the chain. And without even seeing a judge, that marvelous man was condemned—and what is harder still, he was condemned as an adulterer, as having desired his master's bed, as having broken into another man's marriage, as caught, as proven guilty. For the judge, the accuser, and the punishment all made the whole drama look credible to most people, who didn't know the truth. But none of this unsettled him, nor did he say: "Is this the payback for those dreams? Is this how those visions end? Are these the prizes of chastity? An irrational trial, an unjust verdict, and again a wicked suspicion.⁶⁹ Not long ago I was thrown out of my father's house as if I'd been sexually immoral; now I'm led into prison as an adulterer who violated a woman's chastity, and everyone votes that way about me.⁷⁰ And my brothers, who were going to bow down before me—for that's what the dreams made clear—live in freedom and security and luxury, in their homeland and their father's house; but I, who was going to rule over them, am bound here among grave-robbers, bandits, and cutpurses. And after being driven from my homeland, I'm not even free of turmoil and trouble; no, even in a foreign land pits and sharpened swords take their turn against us again. And the woman who did such things and brought the false charges—who deserved to be put to death for both of those crimes—now dances and leaps about as if crowned for trophies and a brilliant victory celebration; but I, who have wronged no one, pay the ultimate penalty."⁷¹ He said none of this, and he didn't even think it. No, like an athlete making his way through crowns, he rejoiced and was glad, bearing no grudge against his brothers or the adulteress. How is this clear? From what he himself said then to one of the men imprisoned there with him. For he was so far from being overcome by despondency that he even dissolved other people's grief. For when he saw some people there who were troubled, confused, and despondent, he went right up to them to find out the cause. And when he learned that the disturbance came from dreams they had seen, he interpreted the dreams.⁷² Then, urged to remind the king for the sake of his own release—for even though he was noble and admirable, he was still human and didn't want to keep suffering under those chains—and also forced to state the reason he had been thrown in, so that the one pleading for him would have a respectable pretext for advocating on his behalf, he mentioned none of those who had wronged him. Instead, after clearing himself of the charges, he stopped at that alone and did not add those who had sinned against him. For he says: "I was stolen by theft from the land of the Hebrews, and here I have done nothing, and they threw me into this pit." And why don't you name the harlot, the adulteress, the brother-slayers, the envy, the murder, the sale, the mistress's frenzy, the assault, the licentiousness, the nets, the schemes, the slander, the unjust judgment, the corrupt judge, the unlawful sentence, the condemnation that has no reason? Why are you silent about these things and hiding them? Because I don't know how to hold a grudge, he says, because for me these things are crowns and prizes and the basis for greater gain.⁷³ Have you seen a philosophical soul? Have you seen one free of anger and raised above terrible things? Have you seen someone who grieves with those who wronged him more than he holds a grudge? For he brought neither his brothers into it nor that bloodthirsty woman: "I was stolen by theft from the land of the Hebrews," he says, "and here I have done nothing." And nowhere does he mention a person—not the pit, not the Ishmaelites, not anyone else. But even so, after all this, no ordinary trial overtook him. For the man who had received such comfort from him, who according to Joseph's prediction was freed from his chains and restored to his former honor, forgot the kindness and the righteous man's plea. And the servant was in the royal courts, enjoying great prosperity; but the one who shone brighter than the sun and cast such brilliant rays of virtue still lived in a prison, and there was no one to remind the king. For still more crowns had to be woven for him, and greater prizes prepared. That is why the race courses were then laid out longer than usual: God allowed the wrestling ground to remain, yet he did not abandon him completely. He only let the plotters go so far in showing what they could do that they neither destroyed the athlete nor removed virtue's champion from the field.⁷⁴ For he allowed him to be thrown into a pit and the cloak to be stained with blood, but he did not let them go so far as slaughter. A brother did advise this course, yet the whole thing came from God's providence.⁷⁵ The same thing happened with the Egyptian woman as well. Tell me—why did this man, so fiery and unrestrained—for you know how hot-tempered and irascible the Egyptian race is; this passion is theirs to an extreme degree—who believed Joseph to be an adulterer and to have wronged his own wife, not cut him down at once, nor hand him over to the fire, but, though he was so irrational as to decide the case on one side alone and not even give the accused a hearing, show great forbearance at the moment of punishment, even while he saw his wife raging, raving, lamenting the assault, carrying the torn garments, and from that all the more inflamed, mourning and wailing? Yet still none of these things drove him to slaughter.⁷⁶ How, tell me? Isn't it obvious that the One who bridled the lions and cooled the furnace is the same One who also checked this beast's immeasurable rage and quenched his unspeakable anger, so that the punishment was tempered in due measure? One could see the same thing happen in the prison as well. For He allowed him to be bound and kept among the condemned, but He snatched him from the jailer's cruelty. For you know what a jailer is like; yet toward Joseph then he was gentle and mild, and not only did he not rack him with any torments, but he even made him overseer of everyone there—and that after receiving him as an adulterer, a condemned man and a notorious adulterer. For this drama was thought to have been dared not against a lowly household, but against a great and splendid one.⁷⁷ Yet still none of these things frightened that man, or persuaded him to be harsh with Joseph. Instead, the crowns were being woven for the righteous man from his sufferings, and God's help was pouring over him in great abundance.

Final Exhortation to Joy and Thanksgiving

Chrysostom concludes by urging Olympias to cast off despondency, glorify God in all things, and reap the goods of endurance, promising that this cloud is but smoke that can easily be scattered.

I would have liked to add still more length to the letter; but since even this, I think, has far exceeded its proper measure, I'll end the discourse here and urge your piety toward that same thing I have always kept urging: free yourself from despondency, and keep glorifying God—as you always have done and continue to do—giving Him thanks for all these hard and painful things. For that way you yourself will reap the greatest goods, deal the devil a mortal blow, give us great encouragement, and be able with real ease to drive away the cloud of despondency and enjoy pure calm. So don't grow soft, but rise up out of this smoke — for it's only smoke; if you want to, you'll scatter this whole despondency all the more easily — and make that plain to us again, so that even from far away we may harvest great joy from letters like these.⁷⁸

Read the original Greek

Καὶ τὰ σώματα τὰ σφοδροῖς παλαίσαντα πυρετοῖς, καὶ τὰ πελάγη τὰ ἀγρίοις πυκτεύσαντα πνεύμασιν οὐκ ἀθρόον οὔτε ἐκεῖνα τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν πυρετῶν βλάβην, οὔτε ταῦτα τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν κυμάτων ἀποτίθενται ζάλην, ἀλλ' ἠρέμα καὶ κατὰ μικρόν. Καὶ γὰρ τὰ σώματα πλείονος δεῖται χρόνου ὥστε μετὰ τὴν τῶν πυρετῶν ἀπαλλαγὴν εἰς καθαρὰν ἐπανελθεῖν ὑγίειαν καὶ ἀπονίψασθαι τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρρωστίας ἐναπομείναντα αὐτοῖς μαλακισμόν· τὰ δὲ ὕδατα, καὶ τῶν πνευμάτων παυσαμένων, ἐπιπολὺ σαλευόμενα καὶ κινούμενα μένει φερόμενά τε καὶ πολλῇ πάλιν ἐπαγόμενα τῇ ῥύμῃ καὶ δεῖται καὶ αὐτὰ χρόνου ὥστε εἰς καθαρὰν ἐπανελθεῖν γαλήνην. Ταῦτα δέ μοι εἴρηται τὰ προοίμια πρὸς τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ' ἵνα μάθῃς ὅτι καὶ ταύτην ἀναγκαίως σοι πέμπομεν τὴν ἐπιστολήν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὴν τυραννίδα κατελύσαμεν τῆς ἀθυμίας καὶ τὴν ἀκρόπολιν ταύτης κατεσκάψαμεν διὰ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν γραμμάτων, ἀλλ' ὅμως πολλῆς ἔτι χρεία τῷ λόγῳ τῆς προσεδρίας, ἵνα σοι καὶ βαθεῖαν ἐργάσηται τὴν εἰρήνην καὶ τὴν μνήμην πάντων τῶν ἐξ ἐκείνης γενομένων ἐξαλείψασα θορύβων λευκήν σοι καὶ παγίαν δείξῃ γαλήνην, καὶ ἐν πολλῇ σε καταστήσῃ τῇ εὐθυμίᾳ. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἡμῖν τὸ σπουδαζόμενον οὐκ ἀθυμίας σε ἀπαλλάξαι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐφροσύνης ἐμπλῆσαι πολλῆς καὶ διηνεκοῦς. ∆υνατὸν γὰρ ἂν ἐθέλῃς. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἀκινήτοις τῆς φύσεως νόμοις οὓς ἀναμοχλεῦσαι ἡμῖν ἀδύνατον καὶ μεταθεῖναι, ἀλλ' ἐν ἐλευθέροις τοῖς τῆς προαιρέσεως λογισμοῖς οὓς μεταχειρίζειν ἡμῖν ῥᾴδιον τὰ τῆς εὐθυμίας ἀπόκειται. Καὶ οἶσθα, εἴ γε μέμνησαι καὶ πρώην –οὐ γὰρ πολὺς ὁ μεταξὺ χρόνος –, πολλούς μοι καὶ μακροὺς ὑπὲρ τούτων ἀναλωθέντας λόγους, ὅτε δὴ συνεχῶς ἐπέλεγον τὰς ἱστορίας ἃς εἰς μέσον ἦγον.

Οὐ γὰρ ἐν τῇ φύσει τῶν πραγμάτων οὕτως ὡς ἐν τῇ γνώμῃ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰ τῆς εὐθυμίας ἵστασθαι πέφυκεν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν τοῦτο τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον, καὶ πολλοὶ τῷ πλούτῳ περιρρεόμενοι τὸν βίον ἀβίωτον ἐνόμισαν εἶναι, ἕτεροι δὲ πενίᾳ συζῶντες ἐσχάτῃ πάντων εὐθυμότεροι διετέλεσαν, καὶ οἱ μὲν δορυφορίας ἀπολαύοντες καὶ δόξης καὶ τιμῆς πολλάκις αὐτῶν ἐπηράσαντο τὴν ζωήν, οἱ δὲ ἄσημοι καὶ ἐξ ἀσήμων καὶ οὐδενὶ γνώριμοι πολλῶν ἑαυτοὺς μακαριωτέρους εἶναι ἐνόμισαν –οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐν τῇ φύσει τῶν πραγμάτων ὡς ἐν τῇ γνώμῃ ἀνθρώπων τὰ τῆς εὐθυμίας· οὐ γὰρ παύσομαι συνεχῶς τοῦτο ἐπᾴδων –, μὴ ἀναπέσῃς, ἀλλὰ διανάστηθι καὶ χεῖρα ὄρεξον τῷ λόγῳ καὶ τὴν καλὴν ταύτην παράσχου συμμαχίαν ἡμῖν, ἵνα σε ὁλοσχερῶς ἐξαρπάσωμεν τῆς πικρᾶς τῶν λογισμῶν αἰχμαλωσίας. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ βουληθείης καὶ αὐτὴ τοσαύτην σπουδὴν ποιήσασθαι ὅσην καὶ ἡμεῖς, οὐδὲν ἡμῖν ὄφελος ἔσται τῆς ἰατρείας. Καὶ τί θαυμαστὸν εἰ ἐφ' ἡμῖν τοῦτο συμβαίνει; Καὶ γὰρ ὁ πάντα δυνάμενος Θεός, ὅταν παραινῇ καὶ συμβουλεύῃ, ὁ δὲ ἀκούων μὴ πείθηται τοῖς λεγομένοις, οὐδέποτε γίνεταί τι πλέον, ἀλλὰ καὶ μείζονος ἔσται κολάσεως ἐφόδιον τοῦτο τῷ μὴ πεισθέντι. Καὶ τοῦτο δηλῶν ὁ Χριστὸς ἔλεγεν· «Εἰ μὴ ἦλθον καὶ ἐλάλησα αὐτοῖς, ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ εἶχον· νῦν δὲ πρόφασιν οὐκ ἔχουσι περὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν.» ∆ιὰ δὴ τοῦτο καὶ τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ θρηνῶν τούτου γε αὐτοῦ ἕνεκεν, ἔλεγεν· «Ἱερουσαλήμ, Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἡ ἀποκτείνουσα τοὺς προφήτας καὶ λιθοβολοῦσα τοὺς ἀπεσταλμένους πρὸς αὐτήν, ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν τὰ τέκνα ὑμῶν καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε; Ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος.»

Ταῦτα οὖν εἰδυῖα, δέσποινά μου θεοφιλεστάτη, κάμνε καὶ φιλονείκει καὶ βιάζου τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν εἰρημένων ἔχουσα συμμαχίαν, ἐξωθεῖσθαι καὶ ἐκβάλλειν μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς σφοδρότητος τοὺς ταράττοντάς σε λογισμοὺς καὶ θόρυβον καὶ ζάλην ἐμποιοῦντας τοσαύτην. Ἀλλ' ὅτι μὲν ἐργάσῃ τοῦτο καὶ ἀνέξῃ τῆς παραινέσεως τῆς ἡμετέρας, οὐδένα οἶμαι δεῖν ἀμφιβάλλειν, δεῖ δέ σοι κατασκευάσαι λοιπὸν ξίφη καὶ δόρατα καὶ τόξα καὶ βέλη καὶ θώρακα καὶ ἀσπίδα καὶ κνημῖδας ὥστε τοῖς μὲν φράττεσθαι, τοῖς δὲ βάλλειν καὶ κατασφάττειν καὶ νεκροὺς τιθέναι τοὺς ἐπιόντας σοι τῆς ταραχῆς λογισμούς. Πόθεν οὖν σοι τὰ μηχανήματα ταῦτα καὶ τὰς σφενδόνας κατασκευάσομεν ὥστε μηδὲ ἐγγὺς ἀφεῖναι προσιέναι τοὺς πολεμίους, ἀλλ' ὡς πορρωτάτω μετὰ πολλῆς ἀπελαύνειν τῆς ὑπερβολῆς; Ἀπὸ τῆς ἀθυμίας αὐτῆς, ὀλίγα τινὰ περὶ αὐτῆς φιλοσοφήσαντες καὶ δείξαντες ὅπως βαρὺ τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ ἐπαχθές. Ἡ γὰρ ἀθυμία ψυχῶν ἐστι βασανιστήριον χαλεπόν, ὀδύνη τις ἄρρητος καὶ δίκη δίκης ἁπάσης καὶ τιμωρίας πικροτέρα. Καὶ γὰρ σκώληκα μιμεῖται ἰοβόλον, οὐχὶ τῆς σαρκὸς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτῆς καθαπτομένη τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ σής ἐστιν οὐχὶ ὀστέων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ διανοίας, καὶ δήμιος διηνεκὴς οὐ πλευρὰς καταξαίνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ δύναμιν ψυχῆς λυμαινόμενος καὶ νὺξ διηνεκὴς καὶ σκότος ἀφεγγὲς καὶ χειμὼν καὶ ζάλη καὶ πυρετὸς ἀφανὴς πάσης φλογὸς σφοδρότερον κατακαίων καὶ πόλεμος ἀνακωχὴν οὐκ ἔχων, νόσος πολλοῖς τῶν ὁρωμένων ἐπισκοτοῦσα. Ὅ τε γὰρ ἥλιος, ἥ τε τοῦ ἀέρος φύσις τούτου τοῦ διειδοῦς τοῖς οὕτω διακειμένοις παρενοχλεῖν δοκεῖ καὶ ἐν μεσημβρίᾳ μέσῃ νύκτα μιμεῖται βαθεῖαν. ∆ιὸ καὶ ὁ θαυμάσιος προφήτης τοῦτο δηλῶν ἔλεγε· «∆ύσεται ὁ ἥλιος αὐτοῖς ἐν μεσημβρίᾳ», οὐχ ὡς ἀφανιζομένου τοῦ ἄστρου οὐδ' ὡς τοῦ συνήθους διακοπτομένου δρόμου, ἀλλ' ὡς τῆς ἀθυμούσης ψυχῆς ἐν τῷ φανοτάτῳ τῆς ἡμέρας νύκτα φανταζομένης. Οὐ γὰρ τοιοῦτο τῆς νυκτὸς τὸ σκότος, οἵα τῆς ἀθυμίας ἡ νὺξ οὐ κατὰ νόμον φύσεως παραγενομένη, ἀλλὰ κατὰ λογισμῶν σκότωσιν συναγομένη, φοβερά τις οὖσα καὶ ἀφόρητος, ἀμείλικτον ἔχουσα τὸ πρόσωπον, τυράννου παντὸς ὠμοτέρα, οὐδενὶ ταχέως εἴκουσα τῶν διαλύειν αὐτὴν ἐπιχειρούντων, ἀλλ' ἀδάμαντος στερρότερον κατέχουσα πολλάκις τὴν ἁλοῦσαν ψυχήν, ὅταν αὐτὴ μὴ πολλῇ ᾖ κεχρημένη τῇ φιλοσοφίᾳ.

Τί δεῖ πολλὰ λέγειν οἴκοθεν περὶ αὐτῆς ἀποφαινόμενον, παρὸν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἁλόντας ἐλθεῖν κἀκεῖθεν αὐτῆς τὴν ἰσχὺν ἅπασαν καταμαθεῖν; Μᾶλλον δέ, εἰ δοκεῖ, τέως πρότερον ἑτέρωθεν αὐτῆς ποιησόμεθα τὴν ἀπόδειξιν. Ὅτε γὰρ ἥμαρτεν ὁ Ἀδὰμ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκείνην τὴν χαλεπὴν καὶ τὸ κοινὸν ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων κατεδίκασε γένος, λύπῃ τότε κατεδικάζετο· ἡ δὲ μεῖζον ἁμαρτοῦσα καὶ οὕτω μείζονα ὡς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τὴν τούτου πρὸς ἐκείνην συγκρινομένην μηδὲ ἁμαρτίαν εἶναι νομίζεσθαι· «Ἀδὰμ γὰρ οὐκ ἠπατήθη, φησίν, ἡ δὲ γυνὴ ἀπατηθεῖσα ἐν παραβάσει γέγονεν», αὕτη τοίνυν ἡ ἀπατηθεῖσα καὶ ἐν παραβάσει γενομένη, καὶ τὸ δηλητήριον καὶ ἑαυτῇ καὶ τῷ ἀνδρὶ κεράσασα φάρμακον, πλείονι ταύτῃ κατακρίνεται ὡς κατατεῖναι δυναμένῃ τοῦ μόχθου μειζόνως· «Πληθύνων γάρ, φησί, πληθυνῶ τὰς λύπας σου καὶ τὸν στεναγμόν σου. Ἐν λύπαις τέξῃ τέκνα.» Οὐδαμοῦ πόνος, οὐδαμοῦ ἱδρὼς καὶ οὐδαμοῦ μόχθος, ἀλλ' ἀθυμία καὶ στεναγμὸς καὶ ἡ ἐντεῦθεν τιμωρία καὶ πόνων καὶ μυρίων θανάτων ἀντίρροπος οὖσα, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πολλῷ χαλεπωτέρα. Καίτοι τί θανάτου χεῖρον; Οὐχὶ τὸ κεφάλαιον τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις κακῶν, τὸ φοβερὸν καὶ ἀφόρητον καὶ μυρίων ἄξιον θρήνων τοῦτο εἶναι δοκεῖ; Οὐχὶ παρανομίας τῆς χαλεπωτάτης ταύτην ἔφησεν εἶναι δίκην ὁ Παῦλος; Τοὺς γὰρ ἀναξίως τῶν ἱερῶν ἁπτομένους μυστηρίων καὶ τῆς φρικτῆς ἐκείνης μετέχοντας τραπέζης ταύτην ἔφησε τίνειν δίκην οὕτω λέγων· «∆ιὰ τοῦτο ἐν ὑμῖν πολλοὶ ἀσθενεῖς καὶ ἄρρωστοι καὶ κοιμῶνται ἱκανοί.» Οὐχὶ καὶ νομοθέται πάντες τοὺς τὰ ἀνήκεστα πλημμελοῦντας τούτῳ καταδικάζουσι τῷ ἐπιτιμίῳ; Καὶ ὁ Θεὸς δὲ οὐ ταύτην ἐσχάτην ἐπέθηκεν τιμωρίαν ἐν τῷ νόμῳ τοῖς μεγάλα πλημμελοῦσιν; Οὐ διὰ τὸν τούτου φόβον ὁ πατριάρχης ἐκεῖνος ὁ καὶ τὴν φύσιν αὐτὴν νικήσας τὴν γυναῖκα τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κατεδέξατο ἡδυπαθείαις ἐκδοῦναι βαρβαρικαῖς καὶ Αἰγυπτιακῇ τυραννίδι, καὶ τὸ δρᾶμα τῆς ὕβρεως αὐτός τε κατεσκεύαζε καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα παρεκάλει τὴν χαλεπὴν ταύτην συνυποκρίνασθαι τραγῳδίαν αὐτῷ; Καὶ οὐδὲ τὴν αἰτίαν αἰσχύνεται τιθεὶς τῆς τοιαύτης σκηνῆς· «Ἔσται γάρ, φησίν, ὡς ἐὰν ἴδωσί σε οὕτω τῇ ὥρᾳ λάμπουσαν καὶ τῷ κάλλει τῆς ὄψεως κρατοῦσαν, ἀποκτενοῦσί με, σὲ δὲ περιποιήσονται. Εἰπὲ οὖν ὅτι ἀδελφή μου εἶ, ἵνα εὖ μοι γένηται διὰ σὲ καὶ ζήσεται ἡ ψυχή μου ἕνεκεν σοῦ.» Εἶδες φόβον, εἶδες τρόμον κατασείοντα τὴν ὑψηλὴν ἐκείνην καὶ φιλόσοφον ψυχήν; Εἶδες τὸν ἀδάμαντα διαλυθέντα τῇ ἀγωνίᾳ; Ψεύδεται τὸ γένος καὶ ἕτερον ἀνθ' ἑτέρου παρατίθησι τῇ γυναικὶ τὸ προσωπεῖον καὶ τοῖς λύκοις εὐάλωτον ποιεῖ τὴν ἀμνάδα· καὶ ὃ πάντων ἐστὶν ἀνδράσιν ἀφορητότερον γυναῖκα ἰδεῖν ὑβριζομένην μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ὑποπτεῦσαι μόνον, τοῦτο –καὶ τὸ τούτου χαλεπώτερον· οὐδὲ γὰρ ὑποψία ἦν, ἀλλ' ὕβρις ἔργῳ τολμωμένη –οὐ μόνον ὁρᾷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅπως τολμηθείη κατασκευάζει καὶ κοῦφον αὐτῷ φαίνεται τοῦτο καὶ φορητόν.

Καὶ γὰρ πάθος ἐκράτει πάθους, τοῦ χαλεποῦ τὸ χαλεπώτερον καὶ ζηλοτυπίας περιεγένετο δειλία θανάτου. Καὶ ὁ μέγας δὲ Ἠλίας ἐκεῖνος διὰ τὸν τούτου φόβον δραπέτης καὶ φυγὰς καὶ μετανάστης ἐγένετο, ἀπειλὴν μόνον δείσας πορνευομένης καὶ ἐναγοῦς γυναικός· καὶ ὁ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀποκλείσας καὶ τοσαῦτα θαύματα ἐργασάμενος, ῥημάτων φόβον οὐκ ἤνεγκεν· ἀλλ' οὕτω τὴν οὐρανομήκη ψυχὴν ἐκείνην κατέσεισεν ἡ ἀγωνία ὡς καὶ πατρίδα καὶ δῆμον τοσοῦτον δι' ὃν τοσαῦτα παρεκινδύνευσε καταλιπεῖν ἀθρόον καὶ μόνον τεσσαράκοντα ἡμερῶν ὁδεῦσαι ὁδὸν καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἐρημίαν μετοικισθῆναι, μετὰ τὴν παρρησίαν ἐκείνην, μετὰ τὴν τοσαύτην ἐλευθεροστομίαν, μετὰ τὴν τοσαύτην τῆς ἀνδρείας ἐπίδειξιν. Καὶ γὰρ φοβερὰ σφόδρα τοῦ πράγματος ἡ φύσις· διά τοι τοῦτο καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἐπιοῦσα ἡμῶν τὸ γένος, οὕτω καθ' ἕκαστον ἡμᾶς ἐκπλήττει νεκρὸν καὶ συγχέει καὶ συστέλλει ὡς ἀθρόον τότε φαινομένη. Καὶ οὐδὲν ἴσχυσεν εἰς παραμυθίαν ἡ τοῦ χρόνου μελέτη, οὐδὲ τὸ καθ' ἑκάστην ἐν ταύτῃ γυμνάζεσθαι τῇ θεωρίᾳ· οὐδὲ ἐπαλαιώθη τῷ χρόνῳ τὰ τῆς ἀθυμίας καὶ τῆς ἐκπλήξεως ταύτης, ἀλλὰ νεάζει καὶ ἀκμάζει διηνεκῶς καὶ τὸν φόβον ἀκραιφνῆ καὶ ἀνθοῦντα ἔρχεται καθ' ἑκάστην φέρουσα τὴν ἡμέραν. Καὶ μάλα εἰκότως. Τίς γὰρ οὐκ ἂν συγχυθείη καὶ καταπέσοι, ὅταν ἴδῃ τὸν χθὲς καὶ πρὸ ὀλίγων ἡμερῶν βαδίζοντα, ἄγοντα, φέροντα μυρία πράγματα, οἰκίας, γυναικός, παίδων, οἰκετῶν, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ πόλεων ὁλοκλήρων προϊστάμενον, ἀπειλοῦντα, φοβοῦντα, λύοντα κολάσεις, ἐπάγοντα κολάσεις, μυρία κατὰ πόλεις καὶ χώρας ἐργαζόμενον, ἀθρόον λίθων ἀφωνότερον κείμενον καὶ μυρίων κωκυόντων καὶ τῶν φιλτάτων κατακοπτομένων καὶ τῆς γυναικὸς καταθρυπτομένης, παρειὰς ξαινούσης, πλοκάμους λυούσης, χοροὺς περιιστάσης θεραπαινίδων μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ὀλολυγῆς, οὐδενὸς αἰσθανόμενον καὶ πάντα ἐξαίφνης ἐκποδὼν καὶ λογισμὸν καὶ διάνοιαν καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ ὄψεως ἄνθος καὶ μελῶν κίνησιν καὶ τὰ ἀτερπῆ διαδεχόμενα, ἀφωνίαν, ἀναισθησίαν, φθοράν, ἰχῶρα, σκώληκας, τέφραν, κόνιν, δυσωδίαν, ἀφανισμὸν παντελῆ καὶ εἰς ὀστέα εἰδεχθῆ καὶ ἄσημα τὸ πᾶν ἐπειγόμενον καταλῦσαι σῶμα;

Ἀλλ' ὅμως τὸ φοβερὸν τοῦτο καὶ διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων δεικνύμενον καὶ διὰ τῆς τῶν ἁγίων ἐκείνων δειλίας ἀθυμίας πολὺ κουφότερον. Ταύτης γὰρ ἕνεκεν τοὺς μακροὺς τούτους τῶν λόγων διαύλους ἀνήλωσα, ἵνα σε διδάξω οἵαν τίνεις δίκην καὶ ἀντίρροπον αὐτῆς μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πολλῷ μείζονα τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀναμένεις τὴν ἀμοιβήν. Καὶ ἵνα μάθῃς ὅτι ταῦτα τοῦτον ἔχει τὸν τρόπον, ἐπὶ τοὺς ἁλόντας λοιπὸν καταφεύξομαι εἰς ὃ ἔμπροσθεν ἠπειγόμην ἐλθεῖν. Ὁ γὰρ τῶν Ἑβραίων δῆμος, Μωϋσέως ἐλθόντος καὶ ἐλευθερίαν εὐαγγελιζομένου καὶ τῶν Αἰγυπτιακῶν κακῶν ἀπαλλαγήν, οὐδὲ ἀκοῦσαι ἠνέσχετο καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τιθεὶς ὁ νομοθέτης ἔλεγεν· «Ἐλάλησε δὲ Μωϋσῆς τῷ λαῷ καὶ οὐκ ἤκουσεν ὁ λαὸς Μωϋσέως ἀπὸ τῆς ὀλιγοψυχίας.» Καὶ ὅταν μεγάλας ἀπειλῇ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὁ Θεὸς ἀπειλὰς ὑπὲρ παρανομίας πολλῆς μετὰ τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν καὶ τὴν ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ διατριβὴν καὶ τοὺς λιμοὺς καὶ τοὺς λοιμοὺς καὶ τὴν ἀνθρωποφαγίαν καὶ ταύτην ἐπάγει τὴν δίκην λέγων· «∆ώσω αὐτοῖς καρδίαν ἀθυμοῦσαν καὶ ἐκλείποντας ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ τηκομένην ψυχήν.» Ἀλλὰ τί χρὴ λέγειν Ἰουδαίους, δῆμον ἄτακτον, ἀγνώμονα καὶ τῇ σαρκὶ δεδουλωμένον καὶ φιλοσοφεῖν οὐκ εἰδότα, παρὸν ἀπὸ τῶν μεγάλων ἐκείνων καὶ ὑψηλῶν ἀνδρῶν λαβεῖν τὴν ἀπόδειξιν; Ὁ γὰρ τῶν ἀποστόλων χορὸς τρίτον ἔτος συγγενόμενος τῷ Χριστῷ καὶ πολλὰ περὶ ἀθανασίας παιδευθεὶς καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀπορρήτων, σημεῖά τε ἐργασάμενοι θαυμαστὰ καὶ παράδοξα καὶ αὐτὸν ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον χρόνον θαυματουργοῦντα θεασάμενοι καὶ τραπέζης αὐτῷ καὶ ὁμιλίας καὶ λόγων τοιούτων κοινωνήσαντες καὶ πάντα παιδευθέντες τρόπον, ἐπειδὴ ῥημάτων ἤκουσαν ἀθυμίαν αὐτοῖς ἐμποιούντων, συνεχῶς αὐτὸν κατέχοντες καὶ ἐκκρεμάμενοι καθάπερ ὑπομάζια παιδία καὶ διηνεκῶς αὐτὸν ἐρωτῶντες· «Ποῦ ὑπάγεις;» οὕτω τῇ τυραννίδι τῆς ἀθυμίας ἐσβέσθησαν ταύτης καὶ ὅλοι τῆς λύπης ἐγένοντο ὡς μηκέτι αὐτοῦ ταῦτα πυνθάνεσθαι. Καὶ τοῦτο ὀνειδίζων αὐτοῖς ὁ Χριστὸς ἔλεγεν· «Ἠκούσατε ὅτι ὑπάγω πρὸς τὸν πέμψαντά με καὶ ἔρχομαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐξ ὑμῶν ἐρωτᾷ με· Ποῦ ὑπάγεις; Ἀλλὰ ὅτι ταῦτα λελάληκα ὑμῖν, ἡ λύπη πεπλήρωκεν ὑμῶν τὴν καρδίαν.» Εἶδες ἔρωτα πῶς ἐπεσκότησεν ἀθυμίας τυραννὶς καὶ πῶς αἰχμαλώτους εἰργάσατο καὶ αὐτῆς εἶναι πεποίηκεν; Ὁ δὲ Ἠλίας πάλιν ἐκεῖνος –οὐ γὰρ ἀποστήσομαι αὐτοῦ οὐδὲ νῦν –μετὰ τὴν φυγὴν καὶ τὴν ἀναχώρησιν τὴν ἀπὸ Παλαιστίνης, οὐ φέρων τῆς ἀθυμίας τὴν τυραννίδα –καὶ γὰρ σφόδρα ἠθύμει· τοῦτο γοῦν ὁ τὴν ἰστορίαν γράψας ἐδήλου λέγων ὅτι «Ἀπῆλθε κατὰ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ»–, ἄκουσον τί φησιν εὐχόμενος· «Ἱκανούσθω τὰ νῦν, Κύριε.

Λάβε τὴν ψυχήν μου ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, ὅτι οὐ κρείττων ἐγώ εἰμι ὑπὲρ τοὺς πατέρας μου.» Καὶ τὸ φοβερώτατον ἐκεῖνο, τὸν κολοφῶνα τῆς τιμωρίας, τὸ κεφάλαιον τῶν κακῶν, τὸ πάσης ἁμαρτίας ἐπιτίμιον, τοῦτο ἐν εὐχῆς αἰτεῖ τάξει καὶ ἐν χάριτος μέρει βούλεται λαβεῖν. Οὕτω πολὺ θανάτου βαρύτερον ἀθυμία. Ἵνα γὰρ ἐκείνην διαφύγῃ, καταφεύγει ἐπὶ τοῦτον.

Ἐνταῦθα δέ σοι καὶ ζήτημά τι διαλῦσαι βούλομαι. Οἶδα γάρ σου τὴν περὶ τὰς λύσεις τῶν τοιούτων ἐπιθυμίαν καὶ σφόδρα ἐπίσταμαι ὅσον σοι χαριοῦμαι. Τί ποτ' οὖν ἐστι τὸ ζήτημα; Εἰ θάνατον κουφότερον ἀθυμίας εἶναι ἐνόμιζε, διὰ τί καὶ πατρίδα καὶ δῆμον, ἵνα μὴ θανάτῳ περιπέσῃ, καταλιπὼν ἀπέδρα; πῶς δὲ τότε αὐτὸν φεύγων νῦν αὐτὸν ἐπιζητεῖ; Ἵνα εἰδῇς καὶ ἐντεῦθεν μάλιστα πῶς χαλεπώτερον ἀθυμία θανάτου. Ὅτε μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνος ὁ φόβος κατέσεισε μόνος, εἰκότως ἅπαντα ἔπραττεν ὥστε αὐτὸν ἐκφυγεῖν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐγκαθημένη αὕτη τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπεδείξατο φύσιν, κατεσθίουσα, δαπανῶσα, τοῖς ὀδοῦσιν αὐτὸν καταναλίσκουσα, ἀφόρητος αὐτῷ γενομένη, τότε δὴ λοιπὸν τὸ πάντων βαρύτερον κουφότερον αὐτῆς εἶναι ἐνόμισεν. Οὕτω καὶ Ἰωνᾶς ἐκείνην φεύγων ἐπὶ τοῦτον κατέφυγε καὶ αὐτὸς θάνατον αἰτεῖ λέγων· «Λάβε τὴν ψυχήν μου ἀπ' ἐμοῦ ὅτι καλόν μοι τὸ ἀποθανεῖν ἢ ζῆν με.» Καὶ ὁ ∆αυῒδ δέ, εἴτε ἐξ οἰκείου προσώπου εἴτε ἑτέρων τινῶν ὀδυρομένων ψαλμὸν γράφων, τὸ αὐτὸ δὴ τοῦτο ἐνδείκνυται· «Ἐν γὰρ τῷ συστῆναι τὸν ἁμαρτωλὸν ἐναντίον μου, φησίν, ἐκωφώθην καὶ ἐταπεινώθην καὶ ἐσίγησα ἐξ ἀγαθῶν καὶ τὸ ἄλγημά μου ἀνεκαινίσθη. Ἐθερμάνθη ἡ καρδία μου ἐντός μου καὶ ἐν τῇ μελέτῃ μου ἐκκαυθήσεται πῦρ», ἐκεῖνο τὸ πῦρ καὶ πυρὸς σφοδρότερον τὸ τῆς ἀθυμίας πάθος δηλῶν.

∆ιὸ μηκέτι φέρων τὰς πληγὰς αὐτῆς καὶ τὰς ὀδύνας φησίν· «Ἐλάλησα ἐν γλώσσῃ μου. . .» Καὶ τί λαλεῖς, εἰπέ μοι; Θάνατον καὶ οὗτος αἰτεῖ λέγων· «Γνώρισόν μοι, Κύριε, τὸ πέρας μου καὶ τὸν ἀριθμὸν τῶν ἡμερῶν μου τίς ἐστιν, ἵνα γνῶ τί ὑστερῶ ἐγώ», ἑτέροις μὲν ῥήμασι, τοῖς δὲ αὐτοῖς νοήμασι τὰ τοῦ Ἠλίου φθεγγόμενος. Ὅπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος εἶπεν ὅτι «Οὐ κρείττων ἐγώ εἰμι ὑπὲρ τοὺς πατέρας μου» τοῦτο καὶ οὗτος ᾐνίξατο λέγων· «Γνώρισόν μοι, Κύριε, τὸ πέρας μου, ἵνα γνῶ τί ὑστερῶ ἐγώ.» Τίνος ἕνεκεν ἀπελείφθην, φησίν, ἐγὼ καὶ ὑστερῶ καὶ ἐν τῷ παρόντι διατρίβω βίῳ, τῶν ἄλλων ἀπελθόντων; Καὶ οὕτως αὐτὸν ἐπιζητεῖ, εἴτε αὐτός, εἴτε ἐκεῖνοι ὧν τῷ προσώπῳ κεχρημένος φθέγγεται ὅτι, καὶ μὴ παρόντος, τὸν καιρὸν τῆς παρουσίας ἐπιθυμεῖ μαθεῖν· «Γνώρισόν μοι, φησί, τὸ πέρας μου», ἵνα καὶ ἐντεῦθεν μεγίστην καρπώσηται τὴν ἡδονήν. Οὕτω τὸ φοβερὸν ποθεινὸν γίνεται διὰ τὴν ἀφόρητον τῆς ἀθυμίας ὀδύνην καὶ τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἐκκαιόμενον ἐν τῇ διανοίᾳ. «Ἐν γὰρ τῇ μελέτῃ μου, φησίν, ἐκκαυθήσεται πῦρ.»

Τοσαύτην τοίνυν τίνουσα τιμωρίαν μεγάλας προσδόκα τὰς ἀμοιβάς, πολλὰ τὰ βραβεῖα, ἀφάτους τὰς ἀντιδόσεις, φαιδροὺς καὶ σφόδρα ἀνθοῦντας τῶν τοσούτων ἀγώνων τοὺς στεφάνους. Οὐ γὰρ τὸ ποιῆσαί τι χρηστὸν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ παθεῖν τι κακὸν πολλὰς ἔχει τὰς ἀμοιβὰς καὶ μεγάλα τὰ ἔπαθλα. Καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο ἤδη βαδιοῦμαι τὸν λόγον σφόδρα καὶ σοὶ καὶ πᾶσι χρηστὸν ὄντα καὶ ἱκανὸν εἰς ὑπομονὴν ἀλεῖψαι καὶ πρὸς καρτερίαν διεγεῖραι καὶ μὴ ἀφιέναι πρὸς τοὺς τῶν παθημάτων καταμαλακίζεσθαι ἱδρῶτας.

Ὅτι μὲν οὖν ἁπάντων τῶν παθημάτων χαλεπώτερον ἀθυμία καὶ ὁ κολοφὼν καὶ τὸ κεφάλαιον τῶν δεινῶν, τοῦτο ἱκανῶς ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος ἀπέδειξε· λείπεται τοίνυν κατορθωμάτων καὶ παθημάτων ποιήσασθαι σύγκρισιν, ἵνα μάθῃς σαφῶς ὅτι οὐ κατορθώμασι μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ παθήμασιν ἀμοιβαὶ κεῖνται, καὶ ἀμοιβαὶ σφόδρα μεγάλαι, καὶ παθήμασιν οὐκ ἔλαττον ἢ κατορθώμασιν, μᾶλλον δὲ ἔστιν ὅπου καὶ πλείονα παθήμασιν. Καὶ εἰσαγάγωμεν, εἰ δοκεῖ, τὸν μέγαν τῆς ὑπομονῆς ἀθλητὴν τὸν ἐν ἑκατέροις διαλάμψαντα τούτοις, τὸν ἀδάμαντα, τὴν πέτραν, τὸν ἐν τῇ Αὐσίτιδι μὲν γενόμενον χώρᾳ, πᾶσαν δὲ τὴν οἰκουμένην καταλάμψαντα τῇ τῆς οἰκείας ἀρετῆς ὑπερβολῇ, καὶ εἴπωμεν αὐτοῦ τά τε κατορθώματα καὶ τὰ παθήματα, ἵνα εἰδῇς πόθεν μειζόνως διέλαμψε. Τίνα οὖν αὐτοῦ τὰ κατορθώματα; «Ἡ οἰκία μου, φησί, παντὶ ἐλθόντι ἠνέῳκτο καὶ κοινὸς ἦν τοῖς ὁδοιπόροις λιμήν.» Καὶ τοῖς δεομένοις τὰ αὐτοῦ πάντα σχεδὸν ἐκέκτητο. «Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἤμην, φησίν, ὀφθαλμὸς τυφλῶν, ποῦς δὲ χωλῶν. Ἐγὼ ἤμην πατὴρ ἀδυνάτων, δίκην δὲ ἣν οὐκ ᾔδειν ἐξιχνίασα καὶ συνέτριψα μύλας ἀδίκων καὶ ἐκ μέσου ὀδόντων αὐτῶν ἐξήρπασα ἅρπαγμα. Ἀδύνατοι δὲ ἥν ποτε εἶχον χρείαν οὐκ ἀπέτυχον, οὐδὲ ἐξῆλθέ τις τὴν θύραν μου κόλπῳ κενῷ.» Εἶδες διάφορα φιλανθρωπίας εἴδη καὶ ποικίλους ἐλεημοσύνης λιμένας καὶ διὰ πάντων αὐτὸν βοηθοῦντα τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις; Εἶδες πενίαν ἀνέχοντα, χήραν διορθοῦντα, τοῖς ἀδικοῦσι παριστάμενον, φοβερὸν τοῖς ἐπηρεάσουσιν ὄντα; Οὐ γὰρ δὴ μέχρι τοῦ παραστῆναι καὶ συμμαχῆσαι μόνον τὴν σπουδὴν ἐπεδείκνυτο –τοῦτο δὴ τὸ τῶν πολλῶν –, ἀλλὰ καὶ μέχρι τοῦ πρὸς τέλος τὸ πρᾶγμα ἀγαγεῖν καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς σφοδρότητος· «Συνέτριψα γὰρ μύλας τῶν ἀδίκων», φησί, τῇ φιλονεικίᾳ τῇ ἐκείνων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πρόνοιαν ἐπιτειχίζων.

Οὐκ ἀνθρώπων δὲ μόνον ἐπηρείαις ἀλλὰ καὶ φύσεως ἐπιβουλαῖς ἀντέστησεν αὐτοῦ τὴν κηδεμονίαν, τὰ ἁμαρτήματα αὐτῆς τῇ τῆς οἰκείας συμμαχίας ὑπερβολῇ διορθούμενος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὰ μέλη αὐτοῖς ἀποδοῦναι οὐκ εἶχε, τοῖς πηροῖς τὰ ὄμματα, τοῖς χωλοῖς τοὺς πόδας, ἀντὶ τῶν μελῶν αὐτοῖς ἐγίνετο καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ καὶ οἱ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς πεπηρωμένοι καὶ οἱ τὰ σκέλη ἐκκεκομμένοι, οἱ μὲν ἔβλεπον, οἱ δὲ ἐβάδιζον. Τί ταύτης ἴσον γένοιτ' ἂν αὐτοῦ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας; Οἶσθα αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἀρετάς, ἵνα μὴ πάντα καταλέγων μακρὸν ποιήσω τὸν λόγον, τὴν ἐπιείκειαν, τὴν πρᾳότητα, τὴν σωφροσύνην, τὴν ἀκρίβειαν, πῶς σφοδρὸς ὢν τοῖς ἀδικοῦσι –τὸ γὰρ δὴ θαυμαστὸν τοῦτό ἐστι –προσηνὴς καὶ ἥμερος ἦν καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ μέλιτος ἡδίων τοῖς τε ἄλλοις ἅπασι καὶ τοῖς οἰκέταις τοῖς αὐτοῦ, οἳ τοῦ ἔρωτος ὃν ἤρων ἐκείνου μέγα ἐκφέροντες δεῖγμα ἔλεγον· «Τίς ἂν δῴη ἡμῖν τῶν σαρκῶν αὐτοῦ ἐμπλησθῆναι;» Εἰ δὲ οἰκέταις οὕτω ποθεινὸς ἦν, οὕτως ἐπέραστος οἷς ἀνάγκη πολλάκις καὶ φοβερὸν εἶναι, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασιν ἀνθρώποις.

Ταῦτα δὴ οὖν καὶ τὰ τούτων πλείονα παρ' ἑαυτῇ συλλέξασα, δεῦρο βάδιζε μετ' ἐμοῦ ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν παθημάτων αὐτοῦ κατάλογον καὶ ἴδωμεν συγκρίναντες πότε λαμπρότερος ἦν, ὅτε ἐκεῖνα κατώρθου ἢ ὅτε ἔπασχε τὰ ὀδυνηρὰ καὶ πολλὴν ἐντιθέντα αὐτῷ τὴν ἀθυμίαν; Πότε οὖν λαμπρότερος ἦν ὁ Ἰώβ; ὅτε τὴν οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ πᾶσι τοῖς παριοῦσιν ἀνέῳξεν ἢ ὅτε κατενεχθείσης αὐτῆς οὐδὲν ἐφθέγξατο ῥῆμα πικρόν, ἀλλ' εὐφήμησε τὸν Θεόν; Καίτοι τὸ μὲν κατόρθωμα ἦν, τὸ δὲ πάθημα. Πότε φαιδρότερος ἦν, εἰπέ μοι, ὅτε ἔθυεν ὑπὲρ τῶν παίδων καὶ πρὸς ὁμόνοιαν αὐτοὺς συνῆγεν ἢ ὅτε καταχωσθέντων καὶ τῷ πικροτάτῳ τρόπῳ τῆς τελευτῆς καταλυσάντων τὸν βίον, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς φιλοσοφίας ἤνεγκε τὸ συμβάν; Πότε μᾶλλον ἐξέλαμψεν, ὅτε ἀπὸ τῆς κουρᾶς τῶν ἀρνῶν αὐτοῦ ἐθερμάνθησαν τῶν γυμνῶν οἱ ὦμοι ἢ ὅτε ἀκούσας ὅτι πῦρ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ἔπεσε καὶ κατέφαγε τὴν ἀγέλην μετὰ τῶν ποιμένων, οὐ διεταράχθη, οὐδὲ ἐθορυβήθη, ἀλλὰ πρᾴως ἤνεγκε τὴν συμφοράν; Πότε μείζων ἦν, ὅτε τῇ ὑγιείᾳ τοῦ σώματος εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀδικουμένων προστασίαν ἐκέχρητο συντρίβων μύλας ἀδίκων καὶ ἐκ μέσου ὀδόντων αὐτῶν ἐξαρπάζων ἁπράγματα καὶ λιμὴν αὐτοῖς γινόμενος ἢ ὅτε τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ, τὸ τῶν ἀδικουμένων ὅπλον, ἑώρα κατεσθιόμενον ὑπὸ σκωλήκων καὶ καθήμενος ἐπὶ τῆς κοπρίας καὶ αὐτὸς αὐτὸ κατέξαινε λαβὼν ὄστρακον; «Τήκω γὰρ βώλακας γῆς ἀπὸ ἰχῶρος ξέων», φησί. Καίτοι ἐκεῖνα μὲν πάντα κατορθώματα, ταῦτα δὲ πάντα παθήματα ἦν· ἀλλ' ὅμως ταῦτα αὐτὸν ἐκείνων λαμπρότερον ἀπέφηνε. Τοῦτο γὰρ μάλιστα τὸ πικρότατον τῆς παρατάξεως μέρος ἦν καὶ μείζονος δεόμενον τῆς ἀνδρείας καὶ εὐτονωτέρας ψυχῆς καὶ φιλοσοφωτέρας διανοίας καὶ πλείονα περὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἐχούσης ἀγάπην. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο, ἐκείνων μὲν γινομένων, εἰ καὶ ἀναισχύντως καὶ σφόδρα ἰταμῶς, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἀντεῖπεν ὁ διάβολος· «Μὴ δωρεὰν σέβεται Ἰὼβ τὸν Θεόν;» Τούτων δὲ συμβάντων, ἐγκαλυψάμενος ἀνεχώρησε νῶτα δοὺς καὶ οὐδὲ ἀναισχύντου τινὸς ἀντιλογίας σκιὰν γοῦν ἔχων προβαλέσθαι. Τοῦτο γὰρ ὁ κολοφὼν τοῦ στεφάνου, τοῦτο ἡ κορωνὶς τῆς ἀρετῆς, τοῦτο ἡ σαφὴς τῆς ἀνδρείας ἀπόδειξις, τοῦτο ἡ ἀκριβεστάτη τῆς φιλοσοφίας ἐπίτασις. ∆ηλῶν δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς οὗτος ὁ μακάριος Ἰὼβ ὅσον χαλεπώτερον τυραννὶς ἀθυμίας θανάτου ἀνάπαυσιν αὐτὸν ἐκάλει· «Θάνατος γάρ, φησίν, ἀνδρὶ ἀνάπαυσις», καὶ ἐν χάριτος αὐτὸν αἰτεῖται μέρει ὥστε ἐκείνης ἀπαλλαγῆναι λέγων· «Εἰ δῴη καὶ ἔλθῃ μου ἡ αἴτησις καὶ τὴν ἐλπίδα μου δῴη ὁ Θεός. Ἀρξάμενος ὁ Κύριος τρωσάτω με καὶ εἰς τέλος με ἀνελέτω.

Εἴη δὲ ἡ πόλις μου τάφος ἐφ' ἧς ἐπὶ τειχῶν ἡλλόμην ἐπ' αὐτῆς.» Οὕτω πάντων βαρύτερον ἀθυμία· ὅσῳ δὲ βαρύτερον, τοσούτῳ καὶ μείζους ἔχει τὰς ἀντιδόσεις.

Ἵνα δὲ καὶ ἑτέρωθεν μάθῃς, ὅσον τῶν παθημάτων τὸ κέρδος, κἂν μὴ διὰ Θεόν τις πάθῃ –καὶ μηδεὶς ὑπερβολὴν τοῦτο νομιζέτω –, πάθῃ δὲ ὅμως καὶ γενναίως ἐνέγκῃ καὶ πρᾴως τὸν Θεὸν ἐπὶ πᾶσι δοξάζων, αὐτὸς οὗτος οὐκ ᾔδει ὅτι διὰ τὸν Θεὸν ταῦτα ἔπασχεν· καὶ ὅμως διὰ τοῦτο ἐστεφανοῦτο, ὅτι οὐδὲ τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπιστάμενος ἐκαρτέρει γενναίως. Καὶ ὁ Λάζαρος ἐκεῖνος ἀσθενείᾳ φύσεως περιπεσών –τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἦν δήπου διὰ τὸν Θεὸν παθεῖν –, ἐπειδὴ ὅλως ἔπαθε καὶ ἐκαρτέρησε καὶ γενναίως ἤνεγκε τὴν ἐρημίαν τῶν θεραπευόντων, τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἑλκῶν ἀθυμίαν, τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ λιμοῦ, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ὑπεροψίας τοῦ πλουσίου καὶ τῆς ὠμότητος, οἶσθα ἡλίκων ἀπέλαυσε στεφάνων. Καίτοι γε αὐτοῦ κατόρθωμα οὐδὲν εὕρομεν εἰπεῖν· οὐχ ὅτι πένητας ἐλέησεν, οὐχ ὅτι ἀδικουμένοις παρέστη, οὐχ ὅτι ἀγαθόν τι τοιοῦτον εἰργάσατο, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐν τῷ πυλῶνι τοῦ πλουσίου κατάκλισιν καὶ τὴν ἀρρωστίαν καὶ τῶν κυνῶν τὰς γλώσσας καὶ τὴν τοῦ πλουσίου κατ' αὐτοῦ γενομένην ὑπεροψίαν ἅπερ τοῦ πάσχειν κακῶς ἅπαντα ἦν. Ἀλλ' ὅμως καίτοι μηδὲν γενναῖον ποιήσας, ἐπειδὴ μόνον τὴν ἐκ τούτου ἀθυμίαν ἤνεγκε γενναίως, τῷ τοσαῦτα κατωρθωκότι πατριάρχῃ τῆς αὐτῆς ἔτυχε λήξεως. Εἴπω τι μετὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἕτερον παράδοξον μὲν εἶναι δοκοῦν, ἀληθὲς δέ· κἂν ἀγαθόν τις ἐργάσηται μέγα καὶ γενναῖον, μὴ μετὰ πόνου δὲ καὶ κινδύνου καὶ παθημάτων, οὐ πολύν τινα λήψεται μισθόν· «Ἕκαστος γὰρ τὸν ἴδιον μισθὸν λήψεται κατὰ τὸν ἴδιον κόπον», οὐ κατὰ τὸ μέγεθος τοῦ κατορθώματος, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τὸν ὄγκον τοῦ παθήματος. ∆ιά τοι τοῦτο καὶ Παῦλος καυχώμενος οὐκ ἐπὶ τῷ κατορθῶσαι μόνον καὶ γενναῖόν τι ποιῆσαι καυχᾶται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ παθεῖν κακῶς. Εἰπὼν γάρ· «∆ιάκονοι Χριστοῦ εἰσι; παραφρονῶν λαλῶ, ὑπὲρ ἐγώ» καὶ τὴν κατὰ σύγκρισιν ὑπεροχὴν ὑφαίνων, οὐκ εἶπε. «Τόσοις καὶ τόσοις ἐκήρυξα», ἀλλ' ἀφεὶς ἅπερ κατώρθωσεν, ἅπερ ἔπαθε κακῶς, ταῦτα ἐξαριθμεῖται οὕτω λέγων· «Ἐν κόποις περισσοτέρως, ἐν πληγαῖς ὑπερβαλλόντως, ἐν φυλακαῖς περισσοτέρως, ἐν θανάτοις πολλάκις.

Πεντάκις τεσσαράκοντα παρὰ μίαν ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων ἔλαβον, τρὶς ἐρραβδίσθην, ἅπαξ ἐλιθάσθην, τρὶς ἐναυάγησα, νυχθήμερον ἐν τῷ βυθῷ πεποίηκα· ὁδοιπορίαις πολλάκις, κινδύνοις ποταμῶν, κινδύνοις λῃστῶν, κινδύνοις ἐκ γένους, κινδύνοις ἐξ ἐθνῶν, κινδύνοις ἐν πόλει, κινδύνοις ἐν ἐρημίᾳ, κινδύνοις ἐν θαλάσσῃ, κινδύνοις ἐν ψευδαδέλφοις· ἐν κόπῳ, ἐν μόχθῳ, ἐν ἀγρυπνίαις πολλάκις, ἐν λιμῷ καὶ δίψει καὶ γυμνότητι· χωρὶς τῶν παρεκτός, ἡ ἐπισύστασίς μου ἡ καθ' ἡμέραν.»

Εἶδες παθημάτων ὁρμαθὸν καὶ καυχήσεως ἀφορμάς; Εἶτα ἐπάγει τούτοις καὶ τὰ κατορθώματα καὶ ἐν τούτοις πάλιν τὸ πλέον τοῦ παθήματος ἔστιν ἰδεῖν, οὐχὶ τοῦ κατορθώματος. Εἰπὼν γάρ· «Ἡ ἐπισύστασίς μου ἡ καθ' ἡμέραν», τὰς ἀπαγωγὰς λέγων τὰς συνεχεῖς, τοὺς θορύβους, τὰς περιστάσεις –τοῦτο γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ἐπισύστασίς μου –, ἐπήγαγεν «Ἡ μέριμνα πασῶν τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν.» Οὐκ εἶπεν· ἡ διόρθωσις, ἀλλ' «ἡ μέριμνα», ὅπερ παθήματος πλέον ἦν ἢ κατορθώματος. Καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς ὁμοίως· «Τίς ἀσθενεῖ, φησί, καὶ οὐκ ἀσθενῶ;» Οὐκ εἶπε· διορθοῦμαι, ἀλλ' «ἀσθενῶ». Καὶ πάλιν· «Τίς σκανδαλίζεται καὶ οὐκ ἐγὼ πυροῦμαι;» Οὐκ εἶπεν· ἀπήλλαξα τοῦ σκανδάλου, ἀλλ' «ἐκοινώνησα τῆς ἀθυμίας». Εἶτα δεικνὺς ὅτι ταῦτα μάλιστα τὰς ἀμοιβὰς ἔχει, ἐπήγαγεν· «Εἰ καυχᾶσθαι δεῖ, τὰ τῆς ἀσθενείας μου καυχήσομαι.» Καὶ ἕτερον πάλιν τοιοῦτον ἐπάγει, τὴν φυγὴν τὴν διὰ τῆς θυρίδος, τὴν διὰ τῆς σαργάνης, τὴν διὰ τοῦ τείχους· τοῦτο δὲ τοῦ παθεῖν κακῶς ἦν. Εἰ τοίνυν τὰ παθήματα μεγάλας ἔχει τὰς ἀμοιβάς, τῶν δὲ παθημάτων πάντων χαλεπώτερον καὶ ὀδυνηρότερον ἡ ἀθυμία, ἐννόησον ὅσαι κείσονται αἱ ἀντιδόσεις.

Οὐ γὰρ παύσομαι συνεχῶς ταύτην σοι ἐπᾴδων τὴν ᾠδήν, ἵνα ὅπερ ὑπεσχόμην ἐν προοιμίοις τοῦτο πληρώσω νῦν, ἀπὸ τῆς ἀθυμίας αὐτῆς ὑφαίνων τοὺς λογισμοὺς τοὺς τὴν παραμυθίαν τῆς ἀθυμίας σοι τίκτοντας. Ἵνα δὲ καὶ ἑτέρωθεν μάθῃς ὅσον ἐστὶ τὸ μετὰ παθημάτων τι ποιεῖν γενναῖον καὶ ὅσον ἀποδεῖ τούτου τὸ ἀπονητὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ποιεῖν, ὁ Ναβουχοδονόσορ ἐκεῖνος ὁ Βαβυλώνιος ἐν σκήπτροις καὶ διαδήμασι ζῶν εὐαγγελικόν ποτε κατώρθωσε ἔργον. Μετὰ γὰρ τὴν κάμινον καὶ παραδοξοποιΐαν ἐκείνην τὸ κήρυγμα ἀνεδέξατο τῆς οἰκουμένης, οὐ διὰ γλώσσης μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τῶν γραμμάτων καὶ πανταχοῦ τῆς γῆς ἔγραψεν οὕτως· «Ναβουχοδονόσορ βασιλεὺς πᾶσι τοῖς λαοῖς, φυλαῖς, καὶ γλώσσαις, τοῖς οἰκοῦσιν ἐν πάσῃ τῇ γῇ, εἰρήνη ὑμῖν πληθυνθείη. Τὰ σημεῖα καὶ τὰ τέρατα ἃ ἐποίησε μετ' ἐμοῦ ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ὕψιστος ἤρεσεν ἐναντίον ἐμοῦ ἀναγγεῖλαι ὑμῖν ὡς μεγάλα καὶ ἰσχυρά· ἡ βασιλεία αὐτοῦ βασιλεία αἰώνιος καὶ ἡ ἐξουσία αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰς καὶ γενεάς.» Καὶ δόγμα ἔθηκεν ὅπως πᾶς λαός, φυλή, γλῶσσα, ἣ ἐὰν εἴπῃ ῥῆμα κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ Σιδράχ, Μισὰχ καὶ Ἀβδεναγώ, εἰς ἀπώλειαν ἔσονται καὶ οἱ οἶκοι αὐτῶν εἰς διαρπαγήν. Καὶ προστίθησι· «Καθότι οὐκ ἔστι θεὸς ἕτερος ὃς δυνήσεται ῥύσασθαι οὕτως.» Εἶδες ἀπειλὴν ἐν τοῖς γράμμασιν; εἶδες φόβον; εἶδες διδασκαλίαν; εἶδες κήρυγμα ὑψηλὸν καὶ πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐκτεταμένα γράμματα; Τί οὖν, εἰπέ μοι, τὸν αὐτὸν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις μισθὸν λήψεται, ἐπειδὴ οὕτως ἀνεκήρυξε τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν δύναμιν, ἐπειδὴ τοσαύτην σπουδὴν ἐποιήσατο πανταχοῦ καταγγεῖλαι τὸν λόγον; Οὐδὲ τὸ πολλοστὸν μὲν οὖν μέρος, ἀλλὰ μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς ἁπάσης καταδεέστερον. Καίτοι γε τὸ αὐτὸ ἔργον ἐκείνοις ἐποίησεν.

Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ πόνος οὐκ ἔστιν ἐνταῦθα συνεζευγμένος οὐδὲ παθήματα, διὰ τοῦτο ὑποτέμνεται τὰ τῆς ἀντιδόσεως. Οὗτος μὲν γὰρ μετ' ἐξουσίας καὶ ἀδείας τοῦτο ἔπραττεν· ἐκεῖνοι δὲ κωλυόμενοι, ἐλαυνόμενοι, κοπτόμενοι, μαστιζόμενοι, ταλαιπωρούμενοι, κατακρημνιζόμενοι, καταποντιζόμενοι, λιμῷ τηκόμενοι, καθ' ἑκάστην ἀποθνήσκοντες τὴν ἡμέραν, τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτῶν βασανιζόμενοι, καθ' ἕκαστον τῶν ἀσθενούντων ἀσθενοῦντες, καθ' ἕκαστον τῶν σκανδαλιζομένων πυρούμενοι· καὶ τῶν πόνων τούτων καὶ τῆς ἀθυμίας μάλιστα ἦσαν πλείους αἱ ἀμοιβαί. «Ἕκαστος γὰρ τὸν ἴδιον μισθὸν λήψεται, φησί, κατὰ τὸν ἴδιον κόπον.» Οὐ γὰρ παύσομαι αὐτὸ συνεχῶς ἐπιλέγων. ∆ιὰ δὴ τοῦτο ὁ φιλάνθρωπος Θεός, τοῦ Παύλου πολλάκις παρακαλέσαντος τῶν παθημάτων αὐτὸν καὶ τῆς ἀθυμίας καὶ τῆς ὀδύνης καὶ τῶν κινδύνων ἀπαλλάξαι, οὐκ ἐπένευσεν. «Ὑπὲρ γὰρ τούτου τρὶς τὸν Κύριον παρεκάλεσα», φησί, καὶ οὐκ ἐπέτυχον τῆς αἰτήσεως. Τίνος γὰρ ἔμελλε, εἰπέ μοι, λήψεσθαι τὰς μεγίστας ἀμοιβάς, εἴ γε ἀπραγμόνως ἐκήρυξε τρυφῶν καὶ ἐν εὐθυμίᾳ διάγων; Ὅτι στόμα διῇρε καὶ γλῶσσαν ἐκίνησεν οἴκοι καθήμενος; Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο καὶ τῷ τυχόντι ῥᾴδιον καὶ τῷ σφόδρα ἀναπεπτωκότι καὶ τὸν ὑγρὸν καὶ διαλελυμένον ζῶντι βίον. Νῦν μέντοι τῶν τραυμάτων, τῶν θανάτων, τῶν δρόμων τῶν κατὰ γῆν καὶ θάλασσαν, τῆς ἀθυμίας αὐτῆς, τῶν δακρύων, τῶν ὀδυνῶν· «Τριετίαν γάρ, φησίν, οὐκ ἐπαυσάμην νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν μετὰ δακρύων νουθετῶν ἕνα ἕκαστον ὑμῶν», μετὰ πολλῆς παρρησίας λήψεται τὰς ἀντιδόσεις καὶ τοὺς στεφάνους.

Ταῦτα οὖν ἐννοοῦσα καὶ λογιζομένη ὅσον ὀδυνηροῦ καὶ ἐπιμόχθου βίου τὸ κέρδος, χαῖρε καὶ εὐφραίνου τὴν ἐπικερδῆ καὶ μυρίων γέμουσαν στεφάνων ἐκ πρώτης ἡλικίας ὁδεύσασα ὁδὸν καὶ διὰ συνεχῶν καὶ πυκνῶν παθημάτων. Καὶ γὰρ ἡ τοῦ σώματος ἀρρωστία, καὶ ποικίλη καὶ παντοδαπὴ καὶ μυρίων θανάτων χαλεπωτέρα, οὐκ ἐπαύσατό σε συνεχῶς πολιορκοῦσα· καὶ λοιδοριῶν δὲ καὶ ὕβρεων νιφάδες καὶ συκοφαντίαι οὐδέποτε διέλιπον κατὰ σοῦ φερόμεναι· ἀθυμίαι δέ σοι πυκναὶ καὶ συνεχεῖς καὶ πηγαὶ δακρύων διὰ παντὸς ἠνώχλησαν τοῦ χρόνου. Τούτων δὲ ἕκαστον καὶ καθ' ἑαυτὸ ἤρκεσε τοῖς ὑπομεμενηκόσιν εἰς ὠφέλειαν πολλήν. Ὅ τε γὰρ Λάζαρος ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρρωστίας μόνης καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ἐκοινώνησε τῷ πατριάρχῃ λήξεως καὶ τῷ τελώνῃ δὲ ἡ λοιδορία τοῦ φαρισαίου δικαιοσύνην ὑπερβαίνουσαν τὸν φαρισαῖον ἐκόμισεν· ὅ τε κορυφαῖος τῶν ἀποστόλων ἀπὸ δακρύων τὸ ἕλκος τῆς χαλεπῆς ἐκείνης ἁμαρτίας διώρθωσεν, Ὅταν οὖν τῶν προειρημένων ἕκαστον φαίνηται καὶ μόνον ἓν τῶν παθημάτων τούτων ἀρκέσαν, ἐννόησον πόσας αὐτὴ λήψῃ τὰς ἀμοιβάς, πάντα ὁμοῦ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ὑπερβολῆς ὑπομείνασα καὶ διὰ παντὸς τοῦ χρόνου. Οὐδὲν γάρ, οὐδὲν οὕτω λαμπροὺς ποιεῖ καὶ ζηλωτοὺς καὶ μυρίων ἐμπίμπλησιν ἀγαθῶν ὡς τὸ πειρασμῶν πλῆθος καὶ κίνδυνοι καὶ πόνοι καὶ ἀθυμίαι καὶ τὸ διηνεκῶς ἐπιβουλεύεσθαι καὶ παρ' ὧν οὐδαμῶς ἐχρῆν καὶ πρᾴως ἅπαντα φέρειν. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ Ἰακὼβ οὐδὲν οὕτως ἐποίησε μακάριον καὶ εὐδόκιμον ὡς ἡ συκοφαντία τότε ἐκείνη καὶ τὸ δεσμωτήριον καὶ ἡ ἅλυσις καὶ ἡ ἐντεῦθεν ταλαιπωρία. Μέγα μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ τῆς σωφροσύνης κατόρθωμα, ὅτε τῆς αἰγυπτιακῆς ἀκολασίας περιεγένετο καὶ τὴν ἀθλίαν ἐκείνην ἐπὶ τὴν ἄδικον αὐτὸν καλοῦσαν ὁμιλίαν διεκρούσατο, ἀλλ' οὐχ οὕτω μέγα τοῦτο ὡς τὰ παθήματα. Ποῖον γὰρ ἐγκώμιον, εἰπέ μοι, τὸ μὴ μοιχεῦσαι, μηδὲ ἀλλότριον διορῦξαι γάμον, μηδὲ μιᾶναι εὐνὴν οὐδαμόθεν αὐτῷ προσήκουσαν, μηδὲ ἀδικῆσαι τὸν εὐεργετήσαντα, μηδὲ αἰσχύνῃ περιβαλεῖν τοῦ προστάτου τὴν οἰκίαν; Ἀλλὰ τὸ ποιῆσαν αὐτὸν μέγαν ἐκεῖνο μάλιστά ἐστιν, ὁ κίνδυνος, ἡ ἐπιβουλή, ἡ μανία τῆς αἰχμαλώτου, ἡ ἐπενεχθεῖσα βία, τὸ ἄφυκτον δεσμωτήριον τοῦ θαλάμου ὅπερ αὐτῷ κατεσκεύασεν ἡ μοιχαλίς, τὰ δίκτυα ἃ πανταχόθεν ἀνεπέτασεν, ἡ κατηγορία, ἡ συκοφαντία, τὸ δεσμωτήριον, ἡ ἅλυσις, τὸ μηδενὸς τυχόντα τῶν δικαίων μετὰ τὸν τοσοῦτον ἆθλον ὑπὲρ οὗ στεφανοῦσθαι ἐχρῆν, ὡς κατάδικον καὶ ὑπεύθυνον ἐπὶ τὸ ὀχύρωμα ἄγεσθαι, καὶ μετὰ τῶν τὰ ἔσχατα ἡμαρτηκότων κατακλείεσθαι, ὁ αὐχμός, τὸ σιδήριον, ἡ τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου ταλαιπωρία.

Τότε αὐτὸν ὁρῶ λάμποντα μειζόνως ἢ ὅτε ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου τῆς Αἰγύπτου καθήμενος τὸν σῖτον διένεμε τοῖς δεομένοις καὶ τὸν λιμὸν ἔλυε καὶ κοινὸς λιμὴν ἅπασιν ἐγίνετο. Τότε ὁρῶ αὐτὸν φαιδρόν, ὅτε αὐτῷ αἱ πέδαι καὶ χειροπέδαι περιέκειντο ἢ ὅτε ἐν ἱματίοις λαμπροῖς τὴν τοσαύτην δυναστείαν περιεβέβλητο. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πραγματείας ἦν καιρὸς καὶ ἐμπορίας πολλῆς –ὁ τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου λέγω –, ὁ δὲ τρυφῆς καὶ ἀνέσεως καὶ τιμῆς πολλὴν μὲν ἔχων τὴν ἡδονήν, οὐ πολὺ δὲ τὸ κέρδος. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ οὕτως αὐτὸν μακαρίζω τιμώμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρὸς ὡς φθονούμενον ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν καὶ συνοίκους ἔχοντα τοὺς πολεμίους. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκ πρώτης ἡλικίας οἴκοθεν χαλεπὸς αὐτῷ ἀνερριπίζετο πόλεμος, τῶν πολεμούντων ἐγκαλεῖν μὲν ἐχόντων οὐδέν, τηκομένων δὲ καὶ διαρρηγνυμένων διὰ τὸ πλείονος ἀπολαύειν αὐτὸν παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς διαθέσεως. Καίτοι γε τὸ φίλτρον ὁ νομοθέτης Μωϋσῆς οὐκ ἔφησεν ἐξ ἀρετῆς τοῦ παιδὸς ἔχειν τὴν ἀρχήν, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ τῶν ὠδίνων. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὕστερος τῶν ἄλλων ἐτέχθη καὶ ἐν ἐσχάτῳ γήρᾳ –ποθεινὰ δὲ τὰ τοιαῦτα παιδία ἅτε παρ' ἐλπίδας γεννώμενα –, διὰ τοῦτο ἐφιλεῖτο. «Ἠγάπα γὰρ αὐτὸν ὁ πατήρ, φησίν, ὅτι υἱὸς γήρως ἦν αὐτῷ.»

Ταῦτα δὲ ὁ νομοθέτης ἔγραψεν, ὡς ἔγωγε οἶμαι, οὐ τὸ ὂν διηγούμενος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ πατρὸς τὴν σκῆψιν καὶ τὴν πρόφασιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἑώρα φθονούμενον τὸ μειράκιον παραμυθήσασθαι τὸ πάθος τῶν ἀδελφῶν βουλόμενος, ἔπλασεν ἀγάπης αἰτίαν οὐ πολὺν τίκτουσαν αὐτῷ τὸν φθόνον. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐ τοῦτο αἴτιον ἦν τοῦ φίλτρου, ἀλλὰ ἡ ἀκμάζουσα τῆς ψυχῆς ἀρετὴ καὶ τῆς ἡλικίας ἀκμαιοτέρα οὖσα, δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ Βενιαμίν. Εἰ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἐκεῖνος ἐφιλεῖτο, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸν νεώτερον αὐτοῦ φιλεῖσθαι ἐχρῆν. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ ἐκεῖνος ἐτέχθη καὶ οὗτος μᾶλλον υἱὸς γήρως ἦν αὐτοῦ. Ἀλλ' ὅπερ ἔφην, τοῦ πατρὸς ἦν τὸ πλάσμα βουλομένου καταλῦσαι τὸν ἀδελφικὸν πόλεμον· ἀλλ' οὐδὲ οὕτως ἴσχυσεν, ἀλλ' ἐξεκαίετο σφοδροτέρα ἡ φλόξ. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν ἴσχυον ποιῆσαι τέως, κατήνεγκαν αὐτῷ ψόγον πονηρόν, αἰσχρᾷ περιέβαλον αἰτίᾳ, τὴν βάρβαρον γυναῖκα προφθάσαντες οἱ ἀδελφοὶ καὶ πολλῷ χείρους φανέντες αὐτῆς. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ εἰς ἀλλότριον, οἱ δὲ εἰς ἀδελφὸν ἐγίνοντο πονηροί.

Καὶ οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα ἔστησαν τῆς κακίας, ἀλλ' ἐπηγωνίζοντο τοῖς προτέροις ἀεί, καὶ λαβόντες μόνον ἐν ἐρημίᾳ καὶ ἔσφαξαν καὶ ἀπέδοντο καὶ δοῦλον ἀντ' ἐλευθέρου ἐποίησαν καὶ δουλείαν τὴν ἐσχάτην. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁμοφύλοις τισίν, ἀλλὰ βαρβάροις ἑτερογλώσσοις καὶ αὐτοῖς εἰς βάρβαρον ἀπιοῦσι χώραν ἐξέδωκαν τὸν ἀδελφόν· ὁ δὲ Θεὸς λαμπρότερον αὐτὸν ποιῶν ἠνείχετο τῶν γινομένων καὶ ἐμακροθύμει, κινδύνων κινδύνους διαδεχομένων. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸν φθόνον καὶ τὴν αἰσχρὰν διαβολὴν σφαγῇ παρέδωκαν καὶ δουλείᾳ σφαγῆς χαλεπωτέρᾳ. Μὴ γάρ μοι παραδράμῃς ἁπλῶς τὸ εἰρημένον, ἀλλ' ἐννόησον ἡλίκον ἦν μειράκιον εὐγενὲς ἐν οἰκίᾳ πατρικῇ τραφὲν μετὰ ἐλευθερίας ἁπάσης, μετὰ ἀγάπης πατρὸς τοσαύτης, ἀθρόον ὑπὸ ἀδελφῶν ἀπεμποληθῆναι οὐδὲν ἐχόντων ἐγκαλεῖν καὶ βαρβάροις ἐκδοθῆναι ἑτερογλώσσοις καὶ ἤθεσιν ἀλλοκότοις καὶ αὐτοθηρίοις μᾶλλον ἢ ἀνθρώποις καὶ ἄπολιν καὶ μετανάστην καὶ οἰκέτην καὶ ξένον ἀντ' ἐλευθέρου καὶ πολίτου γενέσθαι, καὶ τοσαύτης ἀπολαύσαντα τῆς εὐημερίας, πρὸς τὴν ἐσχάτην κατενεχθῆναι ταλαιπωρίαν δουλείας ἀήθη ὄντα μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς ἁπάσης καὶ πικροτάτους λαβεῖν δεσπότας καὶ πρὸς ἀλλοτρίαν καὶ βάρβαρον ἀπενεχθῆναι γῆν. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα ἵστατο τὰ δεινά, ἀλλ' ἐπιβουλαὶ πάλιν ἐπιβουλὰς διεδέχοντο μετὰ τὰ ὀνείρατα ἐκεῖνα τὰ θαυμαστὰ καὶ τὴν τῶν ἀδελφῶν αὐτοῦ προσκύνησιν προαναφωνοῦντα. Λαβόντες γὰρ αὐτὸν οὗτοι οἱ ἔμποροι οὐ κατέσχον, ἀλλ' ἑτέροις αὐτὸν πάλιν χείροσιν ἀπέδοντο βαρβάροις. Οἶσθα δὲ ἡλίκον τοῦτο εἰς συμφορᾶς λόγον, τὸ δεσπότας τοιούτους ἐκ τοιούτων ἀμείβειν. Τοῦτο γὰρ δυσκολωτέραν ποιεῖ τὴν δουλείαν, ὅταν καὶ ξένοι πάλιν οἱ κτώμενοι καὶ τῶν προτέρων ὦσι χαλεπώτεροι.

Καὶ γίνεται ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ τῇ θεομάχῳ τότε καὶ μαινομένῃ, ὅθεν τὰ ἀναίσχυντα στόματα, ὅθεν αἱ βλάσφημοι γλῶσσαι. Καὶ γίνεται παρ' Αἰγυπτίοις ὧν καὶ εἷς ἤρκεσε μόνος τὸν μέγαν Μωϋσέα δραπέτην καὶ φυγάδα ποιῆσαι. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ μικρὸν ἀνέπνευσεν ἐκεῖ, τοῦ φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ καὶ τὰ παράδοξα οἰκονομοῦντος, τὸν ἄγριον θῆρα τὸν ὠνησάμενον αὐτὸν ποιήσαντος πρόβατον, εὐθέως αὐτῷ σκάμματα παρεσκευάζετο πάλιν καὶ στάδιον καὶ παλαίσματα καὶ ἀγῶνες καὶ ἱδρῶτες σφοδρότεροι τῶν προτέρων. Ἰδοῦσα γὰρ αὐτὸν ἀδίκοις ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡ κεκτημένη καὶ τῷ κάλλει τῆς ὄψεως αὐτοῦ χειρωθεῖσα καὶ κατὰ κράτος ἁλοῦσα τῷ πάθει, λέαινα ἀντὶ γυναικὸς ὑπὸ τῆς ἀκολάστου ταύτης ἐπιθυμίας ἐγένετο. Καὶ πάλιν σύνοικος ὁ πολέμιος ἦν ἐναντίαν τοῖς προτέροις τὴν ὑπόθεσιν ἔχων· ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ μισοῦντες αὐτὸν τῆς οἰκίας ἐξέβαλον· αὕτη δὲ ἐρῶσα καὶ περικαιομένη τοῦ νεανίσκου· καὶ ἦν διπλοῦς, μᾶλλον δὲ τριπλοῦς καὶ πολλαπλοῦς ὁ πόλεμος. Μὴ γάρ, ἐπειδὴ τὰ δίκτυα ὑπερήλατο καὶ τὸν βρόχον διέτεμεν ἐν βραχείᾳ καιροῦ ῥοπῇ, νομίσῃς ἀπραγμόνως αὐτὸν ἠνυκέναι τὸν ἆθλον τοῦτον· καὶ γὰρ πολὺν τὸν ἱδρῶτα ὑπέμεινε.

Καὶ εἰ βούλει τοῦτο σαφῶς μαθεῖν, ἐννόησον οἷόν ἐστι νεότης καὶ νεότητος ἀκμή. Ἐν γὰρ αὐτῷ τῷ ἄνθει τῆς ἡλικίας τότε ἐτύγχανεν ὢν ὅτε σφοδροτέρα τῆς φύσεως ἡ φλὸξ ἐγείρεται, ὅτε πολλὴ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἡ ζάλη, ὅτε ἀσθενέστερος ὁ λογισμός. Τῶν γὰρ νεωτέρων αἱ ψυχαὶ οὐ σφόδρα πολλῇ φράττονται τῇ συνέσει, οὐδὲ πολλὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς ποιοῦνται σπουδήν· ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν χειμὼν τῶν παθῶν χαλεπώτερος, ὁ δὲ τὰ πάθη κυβερνῶν λογισμὸς ἀσθενέστερος. Μετὰ δὲ τῆς φύσεως καὶ τῆς ἡλικίας, πολλὴ καὶ τῆς γυναικὸς ἦν ἡ ἀκολασία. Καὶ καθάπερ τὴν Βαβυλωνίαν κάμινον αἱ Περσικαὶ χεῖρες ἐκεῖναι μετὰ πολλῆς ἀνῆπτον τῆς σπουδῆς, δαψιλῆ τῷ πυρὶ παρέχουσαι τὴν τροφὴν καὶ ποικίλα ὑπεκκαύματα ἐμβάλλουσαι τῇ φλογί, οὕτω δὴ καὶ τότε ἡ ἀθλία καὶ ταλαίπωρος ἐκείνη γυνὴ τῆς καμίνου ταύτης χαλεπωτέραν ἀνῆψε φλόγα, μύρων ὄζουσα, ἐπιτρίμμασι παρειῶν, ὑπογραφαῖς ὀφθαλμῶν, κατακεκλασμένῃ φωνῇ, κινήμασι, βαδίσμασι διαθρυπτομένοις, ἱματίοις μαλακοῖς, περιβολῇ χρυσίων, ἑτέραις τοιαύταις μυρίαις μαγγανείαις καταγοητεύουσα τὸ μειράκιον. Καὶ καθάπερ τις θηρευτὴς δεινὸς δυσάλωτον μέλλων χειροῦσθαι ζῶον ἅπαντα κινεῖ τῆς τέχνης τὰ ὄργανα, οὕτω δὴ καὶ αὕτη τὴν σωφροσύνην εἰδυῖα τοῦ νέου –οὐδὲ γὰρ ἔμελλεν ἐν τοσούτῳ χρόνῳ λανθάνειν –πολλῆς ἐνόμισεν αὐτῇ δεῖν παρασκευῆς ἐπὶ τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν τοῦ νεανίσκου καὶ διὰ τοῦτο πάντα ἐκίνει τῆς ἀκολασίας τὰ μηχανήματα. Καὶ οὐδὲ τούτοις ἠρκεῖτο μόνοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ καιρὸν καὶ τόπον ἐπετήρει πρὸς τὴν θήραν ἐπιτήδειον. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ εὐθέως ἁλοῦσα προσέβαλεν, ἀλλὰ πολὺν ἀνέμεινε χρόνον τὴν πονηρὰν ταύτην ἐπιθυμίαν ὠδίνουσα καὶ παρασκευαζομένη, δεδοικυῖα μὴ τῷ τάχει καὶ ταῖς ἐσχεδιασμέναις αὐτῆς ἐπιβουλαῖς διαφύγῃ τὸ θήραμα.

Καί ποτε εὑροῦσα μόνον ἔνδον ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τὰ συνήθη ποιοῦντα ἀνασκάπτει βαθύτερον λοιπὸν τὸ βάραθρον καὶ τὰ πτερὰ τῆς ἡδονῆς πάντοθεν ἀναπετάσασα, ὥσπερ ἐν μέσοις δικτύοις λοιπὸν ἔχουσα τὸν ἀετόν, ἐπεισέρχεται καὶ μόνη μόνον ἀπολαβοῦσα· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐ μόνη· καὶ γὰρ καὶ τὴν ἡλικίαν καὶ τὴν φύσιν καὶ τὰ αὐτῆς μηχανήματα συμπαρόντα εἶχεν αὐτῇ· ἕλκει λοιπὸν ἐπὶ τὴν ἄδικον πρᾶξιν πρὸς βίαν τὸν γενναῖον ἐκεῖνον. Τί τοῦ πειρασμοῦ τούτου χαλεπώτερον; Ποίας τοῦτο καμίνου καὶ φλογὸς οὐ σφοδρότερον, νέον σφριγῶντα, δοῦλον, ἔρημον, ἄπολιν, ξένον, μετανάστην, ὑπὸ δεσποίνης οὕτως ἀκολάστου καὶ μαινομένης, οὕτω πλουτούσης, καὶ τοσαύτην δυναστείαν περιβεβλημένης, ἐν ἐρημίᾳ τοσαύτῃ –συντελεῖ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο πρὸς τὴν τοιαύτην ἅλωσιν –, συνειλημμένον κατέχεσθαί τε καὶ κολακεύεσθαι καὶ πρὸς εὐνὴν ἄγεσθαι δεσποτικήν, καὶ ταῦτα μετὰ τοσούτους κινδύνους καὶ ἐπιβουλάς; Οἶσθα γὰρ ὡς οἱ πολλοί, ὅταν τεταριχευμένοι τύχωσι τοῖς δεινοῖς, εἰς τρυφὴν καλούμενοι καὶ ἄνεσιν καὶ τὸν ὑγρὸν καὶ διαλελυμένον βίον, προθυμότερον ἐπιτρέχουσιν. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐκεῖνος, ἀλλ' ἔμενε διὰ πάντων τὴν οἰκείαν καρτερίαν ἐπιδεικνύμενος. Ἐγὼ τὸν θάλαμον ἐκεῖνον καὶ τὴν Βαβυλωνίαν κάμινον καὶ τὸν τοῦ ∆ανιὴλ λάκκον καὶ τὴν γαστέρα τοῦ θαλασσίου θηρίου εἰς ἣν ὁ Προφήτης ἐνέπεσε, θαρρῶν ἴσην ἂν προσείποιμι, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πολλῷ τούτων χαλεπώτερον. Ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ τῆς ἐπιβουλῆς ἡ νίκη σώματος ἦν ἀπώλεια, ἐνταῦθα δὲ ψυχῆς πανωλεθρία καὶ θάνατος ἀθάνατος καὶ συμφορὰ παραμυθίαν οὐκ ἔχουσα. Οὐ ταύτῃ δὲ μόνον χαλεπὸς ὁ λάκκος οὗτος ἦν, ἀλλ' ὅτι μετὰ τῆς βίας καὶ τοῦ δόλου καὶ πολλῆς ἔγεμε τῆς κολακείας, πολλοῦ τοῦ ποικίλου καὶ παντοδαποῦ πυρός, οὐ σῶμα καίοντος, ἀλλὰ αὐτὴν φλέγοντος τὴν ψυχήν. Καὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸ δηλῶν ὁ Σαλομὼν ὁ μάλιστα ταῦτα μετὰ ἀκριβείας εἰδὼς ἡλίκον ἐστὶ τὸ γυναικὶ συμβάλλειν ἄνδρα ἐχούσῃ· «Ἀποδήσει τις, φησί, πῦρ ἐν κόλπῳ, τὰ δὲ ἱμάτια οὐ κατακαύσει; Ἢ περιπατήσει τις ἐπ' ἀνθράκων πυρός, τοὺς δὲ πόδας οὐ καταφλέξει; Οὕτως ὁ πορευόμενος πρὸς γυναῖκα ὕπανδρον καὶ πᾶς ὁ ἁπτόμενος αὐτῆς οὐκ ἀθῳωθήσεται.» Ὃ δὲ λέγει τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· ὥσπερ, φησίν, οὐκ ἔνι ὁμιλοῦντα πυρὶ μὴ κατακαίεσθαι, οὕτως οὐδὲ γυναιξὶ συνόντα διαφεύγειν τὸν ἐντεῦθεν ἐμπρησμόν.

Οὗτος δὲ ὃ πολλῷ χαλεπώτερον ἦν ὑπέμεινεν. Οὐ γὰρ αὐτὸς αὐτῆς ἥψατο, ἀλλ' ὑπ' ἐκείνης κατείχετο μόνος ὑπὸ μόνης ἀπειλημμένος, τοσούτοις ἤδη κακοῖς κατειργασμένος καὶ τοσαύταις τεταριχευμένος ἐπιβουλαῖς καὶ ἀνέσεως ἐπιθυμῶν καὶ ἀδείας, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐν τοσούτοις δικτύοις ὢν καὶ ποικίλον θηρίον ὁρῶν αὐτῷ προσβάλλον καὶ διὰ πάντων αὐτὸν κατατοξεῦον, διὰ τῆς ἁφῆς, διὰ τῆς φωνῆς, διὰ τῶν ὀμμάτων, διὰ τῶν ἐπιτριμμάτων, διὰ τῆς ὑπογραφῆς, διὰ τῶν χρυσίων, διὰ τῶν μύρων, διὰ τῶν ἱματίων, διὰ τοῦ ἤθους, διὰ τῶν ῥημάτων, διὰ τοῦ κόσμου τοῦ περικειμένου, διὰ τῆς ἐρημίας, διὰ τῆς μονώσεως, διὰ τοῦ λανθάνειν, διὰ τοῦ πλούτου, διὰ τῆς δυναστείας, ἔχουσαν μετὰ τούτων συνεργόν, ὅπερ ἔμπροσθεν εἶπον, τὴν ἡλικίαν, τὴν φύσιν, τὴν δουλείαν, τὸ ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ εἶναι, πᾶσαν ἐνίκησε τὴν φλόγα ἐκείνην.

Ἐγὼ τοῦτον τὸν πειρασμὸν καὶ τοῦ φθόνου τῶν ἀδελφῶν καὶ τοῦ μίσους τοῦ συγγενικοῦ καὶ τῆς πράσεως καὶ τῆς τῶν βαρβάρων δεσποτείας καὶ τῆς μακρᾶς ἀποδημίας καὶ τῆς ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ διατριβῆς καὶ τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου καὶ τῆς ἁλύσεως καὶ τοῦ μακροῦ χρόνου καὶ τῆς αὐτόθι ταλαιπωρίας πολὺ χαλεπώτερον εἶναί φημι· καὶ γὰρ περὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων ὁ κίνδυνος ἦν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ τοῦτον διέφυγε τὸν πόλεμον, καὶ ἐγένετο ἐνταῦθα πνεῦμα δρόσου διασυρίζον, ἀπό τε τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ χάριτος καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς τοῦ νέου· τοσοῦτο γὰρ αὐτῷ περιῆν ἀταραξίας καὶ σωφροσύνης ὅτι καὶ τὴν τῆς ἐκείνης μανίαν καταλῦσαι ἐσπούδασε· πλὴν ἐπειδὴ αὐτὸς ἐξῆλθεν ἀνέπαφος, ὥσπερ οἱ νεανίσκοι τὴν Περσικὴν διαφυγόντες φλόγα –» οὐδὲ γὰρ ὀσμὴ πυρὸς ἦν ἐν αὐτοῖς» φησί –, καὶ σωφροσύνης μέγας ἀθλητὴς ἀνεδείχθη καὶ ἀδάμαντα ἐμιμήσατο. Ἴδωμεν οἵων εὐθέως ἀπήλαυσε καὶ τί μετὰ τὸν ἆθλον τοῦτον διαδέχεται τὸν στεφανίτην. Ἐπιβουλαὶ πάλιν καὶ βάραθρα καὶ θάνατος καὶ κίνδυνοι καὶ συκοφαντίαι καὶ μῖσος ἄλογον. Ἡ γὰρ ἀθλία τότε ἐκείνη ὑπὸ τῆς χαλεπῆς μανίας ἐμβακχευομένη θυμῷ παραμυθεῖται τὸν ἔρωτα καὶ πάθος συνάπτει πάθει καὶ ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἀκολάστῳ προστίθησιν ὀργὴν ἄδικον, καὶ μετὰ τὴν μοιχείαν γίνεται καὶ ἀνδροφόνος. Καὶ πνέουσα θηριωδίας πολλῆς καὶ φόνιον βλέπουσα καθίζει δικαστήριον διεφθαρμένον, τὸν ἐκείνου δεσπότην, τὸν ἄνδρα τὸν ἑαυτῆς, τὸν βάρβαρον, τὸν Αἰγύπτιον, καὶ εἰσάγει κατηγορίαν ἀμάρτυρον. Καὶ οὐδὲ ἀφίησιν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς δικαστήριον τὸν ἐγκαλούμενον, ἀλλ' ἐρήμην κατηγορεῖ τῇ τε ἀνοίᾳ καὶ τῇ εὐνοίᾳ τοῦ δικάζοντος, τῇ τε ἀξιοπιστίᾳ τοῦ οἰκείου προσώπου καὶ τῷ δοῦλον εἶναι τὸν ἐγκαλούμενον θαρροῦσα καὶ τὰ ἐναντία εἰποῦσα τῶν γενομένων ἐκράτησε τοῦ δικαστοῦ καὶ τὴν νικῶσαν ἔπεισε ψῆφον ἐξενεγκεῖν καὶ καταδικάσαι τὸν ἀνεύθυνον καὶ τιμωρίαν ἐπιθεῖναι χαλεπωτάτην, καὶ δεσμωτήριον εὐθέως καὶ ἀπαγωγὴ καὶ ἅλυσις. Καὶ μηδὲ ἰδὼν δικαστὴν κατεκρίνετο ὁ θαυμάσιος ἐκεῖνος ἀνὴρ καὶ τὸ δὴ χαλεπώτερον, κατεκρίνετο ὡς μοιχός, ὡς δεσποτικῆς ἐπιθυμήσας εὐνῆς, ὡς ἀλλότριον διορύξας γάμον, ὡς ἁλούς, ὡς ἐληλεγμένος.

Ὅ τε γὰρ δικαστής, ἥ τε κατήγορος παρὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν οὐκ εἰδόσιν, ἥ τε τιμωρία ἀξιόπιστον ἐποίει τὸ δρᾶμα φαίνεσθαι. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν τούτων ἐθορύβησεν ἐκεῖνον, οὔτε εἶπεν· «Αὗται τῶν ὀνείρων αἱ ἀμοιβαί; τοῦτο τῶν ὄψεων ἐκείνων τὸ τέλος; ταῦτα τῆς σωφροσύνης τὰ ἔπαθλα; Κρίσις ἄλογος καὶ ψῆφος ἄδικος καὶ πονηρὰ πάλιν ὑπόληψις. Ὡς ἡταιρηκὼς ἐξεβλήθην ἔναγχος τῆς πατρῴας οἰκίας, ὡς μοιχὸς καὶ σωφροσύνην διορύξας γυναικὸς εἰς δεσμωτήριον εἰσάγομαι νῦν καὶ ταῦτα περὶ ἐμοῦ πάντες ψηφίζονται. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἀδελφοί, οἱ μέλλοντές με προσκυνεῖν –τοῦτο γὰρ τὰ ὀνείρατα ἐδήλου –, ἐν ἐλευθερίᾳ καὶ ἀδείᾳ καὶ τρυφῇ καὶ πατρίδι καὶ οἰκίᾳ πατρῴᾳ· ἐγὼ δὲ ὁ μέλλων αὐτῶν κρατεῖν, μετὰ τυμβωρύχων, μετὰ λῃστῶν, μετὰ βαλαντιοτόμων ἐνταῦθα δέδεμαι· οὔτε μετὰ τὸ τῆς πατρίδος ἐκπεσεῖν θορύβων ἀπαλλαττόμενος καὶ πραγμάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ἀλλοτρίᾳ πάλιν βάραθρα ἡμᾶς καὶ ξίφη ἠκονημένα διαδέχεται. Καὶ ἡ μὲν τοιαῦτα δράσασα καὶ συκοφαντήσασα, δι' ἑκατέρων τῶν τολμημάτων ἀποτμηθῆναι δικαία, χορεύει καὶ σκιρτᾷ νῦν ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τροπαίοις καὶ λαμπροῖς ἐπινικίοις ἐστεφανωμένη· ἐγὼ δὲ ὁ μηδὲν ἠδικηκὼς τὴν ἐσχάτην τίνω δίκην.» Οὐδὲν τούτων ἐκεῖνος εἶπεν, οὐδὲ ἐνενόησεν· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἀθλητὴς διὰ στεφάνων ὁδεύων, οὕτως ἔχαιρε καὶ ηὐφραίνετο, οὔτε τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς, οὔτε τῇ μοιχαλίδι μνησικακῶν. Πόθεν τοῦτο δῆλον; Ἐξ ὧν αὐτὸς πρός τινα τῶν αὐτόθεν δεδεμένων διελέχθη τότε. Τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἀπεῖχεν ὑπὸ ἀθυμίας ἁλῶναι ὅτι καὶ ἑτέροις ἔλυσε λύπας.

Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶδέ τινας αὐτόθι τεταραγμένους καὶ συγκεχυμένους καὶ ἀθυμοῦντας, προσῆλθεν εὐθέως τὴν αἰτίαν εἰσόμενος. Καὶ μαθὼν ὅτι ἐξ ὄψεως ὀνειράτων ὁ θόρυβος ἦν, διέλυσε τὰ ὀνείρατα. Εἶτα παρακαλῶν ἀναμνῆσαι τὸν βασιλέα, τῆς ἀπαλλαγῆς ἕνεκεν τῆς αὐτοῦ, εἰ γὰρ καὶ γενναῖος καὶ θαυμαστὸς ἦν, ἀλλ' ἄνθρωπος ἦν καὶ οὐκ ἐβούλετο ταῖς ἁλύσεσιν ἐνταλαιπωρεῖσθαι ἐκείναις, παρακαλῶν τοίνυν μνησθῆναι αὐτοῦ πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα καὶ πεῖσαι ἀφεῖναι αὐτὸν τῶν δεσμῶν, καὶ ἀναγκαζόμενος καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν εἰπεῖν, δι' ἣν ἐνεβέβλητο, ὥστε κἀκεῖνον τὸν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ δεόμενον εὐπρόσωπον ἔχειν πρόφασιν τῆς ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ συνηγορίας, οὐδενὸς ἐμνημόνευσε τῶν ἠδικηκότων, ἀλλ' ἀπαλλάξας ἑαυτὸν τῶν ἐγκλημάτων ἔστη μέχρι τούτου μόνον καὶ οὐ προσέθηκε τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν πεπλημμεληκότας. Καὶ γάρ· «Ἐγώ, φησί, κλοπῇ ἐκλάπην ἐκ γῆς Ἑβραίων καὶ ὧδε οὐκ ἐποίησα οὐδὲν καὶ ἐνέβαλόν με εἰς τὸν λάκκον τοῦτον.» Καὶ τίνος ἕνεκεν οὐ λέγεις τὴν πόρνην, τὴν μοιχαλίδα, τοὺς ἀδελφοκτόνους, τὸν φθόνον, τὸν φόνον, τὴν πρᾶσιν, τὴν μανίαν τῆς δεσποίνης, τὴν ἔφοδον, τὴν ἀκολασίαν, τὰ δίκτυα, τὰ μηχανήματα, τὴν συκοφαντίαν, τὴν ἄδικον κρίσιν, τὸν διεφθαρμένον δικαστήν, τὴν παράνομον ἀπόφασιν, τὴν καταδίκην τὴν οὐκ ἔχουσαν λόγον; ∆ιὰ τί ταῦτα σιγᾷς καὶ ἀποκρύπτεις; Ὅτι μνησικακεῖν οὐκ οἶδα, φησίν, ὅτι ἐμοὶ ταῦτα στέφανοι καὶ βραβεῖα καὶ μείζονος ἐμπορίας ὑπόθεσις.

Εἶδες ψυχὴν φιλόσοφον; εἶδες τῆς ὀργῆς καθαρὰν καὶ τῶν δεινῶν ὑψηλοτέραν; εἶδες συναλγοῦντα τοῖς ἠδικηκόσι μᾶλλον ἢ μνησικακοῦντα; Ὥστε γὰρ μήτε τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς εἰς μέσον ἐνεγκεῖν, μήτε τὴν αἱμοβόρον ἐκείνην· «Κλοπῇ, φησίν, ἐκλάπην ἐκ γῆς Ἑβραίων καὶ ὧδε οὐκ ἐποίησα οὐδέν.» Καὶ οὐδαμοῦ προσώπου μέμνηται, οὐδὲ τοῦ λάκκου, οὐδὲ τῶν Ἰσμαηλιτῶν, οὐδὲ ἄλλου οὐδενός. Ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ κατὰ ταῦτα αὐτὸν οὐχ ὁ τυχὼν διεδέξατο πειρασμός. Ὁ γὰρ τοσαύτης παρ' αὐτοῦ παρακλήσεως τυχὼν καὶ τῶν δεσμῶν κατὰ τὴν τούτου πρόρρησιν ἐλευθερωθεὶς καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν προτέραν ἐπαναχθεὶς τιμήν, τῆς εὐεργεσίας ἐπελάθετο καὶ τῆς τοῦ δικαίου ἱκετηρίας. Καὶ ὁ μὲν οἰκέτης ἐν βασιλικαῖς ἦν αὐλαῖς πολλῆς ἀπολαύων εὐημερίας· ὁ δὲ ὑπὲρ τὸν ἥλιον λάμπων καὶ οὕτω φαιδρὰς ἀφιεὶς τῆς ἀρετῆς τὰς ἀκτῖνας, ἔτι δεσμωτήριον ᾤκει, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἦν ὁ ἀναμνήσων τὸν βασιλέα. Ἐχρῆν γὰρ αὐτῷ ἔτι πλείους πλακῆναι τοὺς στεφάνους καὶ μείζονα παρασκευασθῆναι τὰ βραβεῖα· διὸ καὶ μακρότεροι τῶν δρόμων οἱ δίαυλοι τότε ἐπήγνυντο, ἐῶντος μὲν τοῦ Θεοῦ μένειν τὰ σκάμματα, οὐ μὴν τέλεον ἐγκαταλιμπάνοντος, ἀλλὰ τοσοῦτον συγχωροῦντος τοῖς ἐπιβουλεύουσιν τὰ αὐτῶν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι ὅσον μηδὲ ἀφανίσαι τὸν ἀθλητήν, μηδὲ ἐκποδὼν ποιῆσαι τῆς ἀρετῆς τὸν ἀνταγωνιστήν. Εἰς λάκκον μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸν ἐμβληθῆναι συνεχώρησε καὶ τὸ ἱμάτιον αἱμαχθῆναι, εἰς δὲ σφαγὴν αὐτοὺς ἐλθεῖν οὐκ ἀφῆκεν· ἀλλὰ συνεβούλευσε μὲν τοῦτο ὁ ἀδελφός, τὸ δὲ πᾶν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ προνοίας ἐγένετο. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς Αἰγυπτιακῆς συνέβη γυναικός.

Τίνος γὰρ ἕνεκεν, εἰπέ μοι, ὁ θερμὸς οὕτω καὶ ἀκόλαστος –ἴστε γὰρ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων τὸ γένος ὡς θυμῶδες καὶ ὀργίλον· καὶ γὰρ τοῦτο μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς αὐτοῖς πρόσεστι τὸ πάθος –ὃν ἐπίστευσεν εἶναι μοιχὸν καὶ τὴν γυναῖκα ἠδικηκέναι τὴν αὐτοῦ, οὐκ ἀπέτεμεν εὐθέως, οὐδὲ πυρὶ παρέδωκεν, ἀλλ' οὕτως ἀλόγιστος ὢν ὡς ἐκ μιᾶς μοίρας ἀποφήνασθαι, καὶ μηδὲ λόγου μεταδοῦναι τῷ ἐγκαλουμένῳ, ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς τιμωρίας πολλὴν ἐπιείκειαν ἐπεδείξατο, καίτοι γε ὁρῶν τὴν γυναῖκα μαινομένην, λυττῶσαν, βίαν ἀποδυρομένην, τὰ ἱμάτια διερρωγότα περιφέρουσαν καὶ μειζόνως καὶ ἐντεῦθεν ἐκκαιομένην καὶ θρηνοῦσαν καὶ ὁλοφυρομένην; Ἀλλ' ὅμως τούτων οὐδὲν αὐτὸν εἰς σφαγὴν ἐξῆψε. Πόθεν, εἰπέ μοι; Οὐκ εὔδηλον ὅτι ὁ τοὺς λέοντας χαλινώσας καὶ τὴν κάμινον καταψύξας, οὗτος καὶ θηρίου τούτου τὸν ἄμετρον ἐπέσχε θυμὸν καὶ τὴν ἄφατον ὀργὴν ἔσβεσεν, ὡς κερασθῆναι συμμέτρως τὴν τιμωρίαν; Τοῦτο καὶ ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ συμβὰν ἴδοι τις ἄν. ∆εθῆναι μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸν συνεχώρησε καὶ μετὰ τῶν καταδίκων εἶναι, τῆς δὲ τοῦ δεσμοφύλακος ἀπηνείας ἐξήρπασεν. Οἶσθα γὰρ οἷόν ἐστι δεσμοφύλαξ· ἀλλ' ἐκείνῳ τότε πρᾷος καὶ ἥμερος ἦν καὶ οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀπέτεινεν αὐτὸν πόνοις τισίν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄρχοντα πάντων ἐποίησε τῶν αὐτόθι καὶ ταῦτα ὡς μοιχὸν δεξάμενος, κατάδικον καὶ μοιχὸν ἐπίσημον. Οὐ γὰρ εἰς οἰκίαν εὐτελῆ, ἀλλ' εἰς μεγάλην καὶ λαμπρὰν τὸ δρᾶμα τοῦτο τετολμῆσθαι ἐνομίζετο. Ἀλλ' ὅμως οὐδὲν τούτων ἐκεῖνον ἐφόβησεν, οὐδὲ ἔπεισεν ἐκείνῳ γενέσθαι χαλεπόν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ στέφανοι ἀπὸ τῶν παθημάτων ἐπλέκοντο τῷ δικαίῳ καὶ ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ συμμαχία μετὰ πολλῆς ἐπέρρει τῆς δαψιλείας. Ἐβουλόμην καὶ ἕτερον προσθεῖναι τῇ ἐπιστολῇ μῆκος· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ καὶ τοῦτο μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς περιουσίας οἶμαι τὸ μέτρον αὐτῆς ὑπερβεβηκέναι, ἐνταῦθα καταλύσας τὸν λόγον ἐκεῖνο παρακαλῶ σου τὴν εὐλάβειαν ὅπερ ἀεὶ διετέλεσα παρακαλῶν, ἀθυμίας μὲν ἀπαλλάττεσθαι, δοξάζουσαν δὲ τὸν Θεόν –ὅπερ ἀεὶ πεποίηκάς τε καὶ ποιεῖς διατελεῖν –χάριτας ὁμολογοῦσαν ὑπὲρ πάντων αὐτῷ τῶν χαλεπῶν τούτων καὶ ὀδυνηρῶν.

Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ αὐτὴ τὰ μέγιστα ἀγαθὰ καρπώσῃ καὶ τῷ διαβόλῳ καιρίαν δώσεις πληγὴν καὶ πολλὴν ἡμῖν παρέξεις παράκλησιν καὶ τῆς ἀθυμίας τὸ νέφος μετὰ πολλῆς ἀφανίσαι δυνήσῃ τῆς εὐκολίας καὶ καθαρᾶς ἀπολαῦσαι γαλήνης. Μὴ δὴ καταμαλακίζου, ἀλλ' ἀνενεγκοῦσα ἀπὸ τοῦ καπνοῦ τούτου – καπνοῦ γάρ, ἐὰν θέλῃς, ῥᾷον διασκεδάσεις πᾶσαν τὴν ἀθυμίαν ταύτην –, δῆλον τοῦτο πάλιν ποίησον ἡμῖν, ἵνα καὶ πόρρωθεν ὄντες, πολλὴν ἀπὸ τῶν τοιούτων γραμμάτων καρπωσώμεθα τὴν εὐφροσύνην.

Scripture echoes

↩Eph.6.11-Eph.6.17 — Put on the full armor of God, so that you are able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Eph.6.12 — For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Eph.6.13 — Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that you may be able to stand firm in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. Eph.6.14 — Stand firm, then, having fastened the belt of truth around your waist and having put on the breastplate of righteousness. Eph.6.15 — and having shod your feet with the readiness of the gospel of peace Eph.6.16 — In all circumstances, take up the shield of faith, with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Eph.6.17 — And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
↩Isa.66.24;Ps.39.11;Job.13.28 — And they shall go out and see the corpses of the men who rebelled against me, for their worm shall not die, and their fire shall not be quenched, and they shall be an abhorrence to all flesh. Ps.39.11 — Remove your scourge from me; I am fading under the assault of your hand. Job.13.28 — And he wastes away like a rotten thing, like a garment eaten by moths.
↩Amos.8.9 — And it shall come to pass in that day — declares the Lord God — that I will make the sun go down at noon, and I will darken the earth in the day of light.
↩1Kgs.17.1;Jas.5.17 — And Elijah the Tishbite, of the settlers of Gilead, said to Ahab, "As the LORD, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew or rain these years, except by my word." Jas.5.17 — Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
↩1Kgs.19.1-1Kgs.19.3 — And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets with the sword. 1Kgs.19.2 — Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, 'So may the gods do to me, and more also, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the life of one of them.' 1Kgs.19.3 — And when he saw this, he arose and went to save his life. And he came to Beer-sheba, which belongs to Judah, and he left his servant there.
↩1Kgs.19.4-1Kgs.19.8 — But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness. And he came and sat down under a solitary broom tree, and he asked that he might die, and said, 'Enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.' 1Kgs.19.5 — And he lay down and slept under a broom tree. And behold, an angel touched him and said to him, 'Get up and eat.' 1Kgs.19.6 — And he looked, and behold, near his head was a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water. And he ate and drank, and turned back and lay down. 1Kgs.19.7 — And the angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, "Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you." 1Kgs.19.8 — He got up and ate and drank, and he walked in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights to Horeb, the mountain of God.
↩Deut.28.65 — And among those nations you will find no rest, and there will be no repose for the sole of your foot; but the LORD will give you there a trembling heart, failing eyes, and a languishing soul.
↩John.16.5-John.16.6 — But now I am going to the one who sent me, and none of you asks me, 'Where are you going?' John.16.6 — But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart.
↩Job.31.31 — If the men of my tent have not said, 'Who can find one of his flesh who has not been satisfied?'
↩Job.6.10 — Yet this would be my comfort, and I would leap for joy in unrelenting anguish, for I have not denied the words of the Holy One.
↩2Cor.11.23 — Are they servants of Christ? I am speaking as one beside myself—I am more: in labors far more, in prisons far more, in beatings beyond measure, in deaths often.
↩2Cor.11.28 — Apart from what is external, there is the daily pressure on me—the anxiety for all the churches.
↩2Cor.11.28 — Apart from what is external, there is the daily pressure on me—the anxiety for all the churches.
↩2Cor.11.29 — Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
↩2Cor.11.29 — Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
↩2Cor.11.30 — If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.
↩2Cor.11.32-2Cor.11.33;Acts.9.25 — In Damascus, the governor under King Aretas was guarding the city of the Damascenes in order to seize me, 2Cor.11.33 — and through a window, in a basket, I was let down through the wall and escaped his hands Acts.9.25 — But his disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.
↩1Cor.3.8 — Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
↩1Cor.15.31 — I face death every day—I swear it, brothers, by the boasting I have in you in Christ Jesus our Lord.
↩2Cor.11.29 — Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is made to stumble, and I do not burn with indignation?
↩1Cor.3.8 — Now the one who plants and the one who waters are one, and each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.
↩2Cor.12.8-2Cor.12.9 — Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it would depart from me. 2Cor.12.9 — And he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness." So most gladly I will rather boast in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.
↩2Cor.12.8 — Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it would depart from me.
↩Acts.20.31 — Therefore be alert, remembering that for three years, night and day, I did not cease to admonish each one of you with tears.
↩Luke.16.19-Luke.16.25 — Now there was a certain rich man, and he used to dress in purple and fine linen, celebrating every day in splendor. Luke.16.20 — And a certain beggar named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores. Luke.16.21 — and longing to be fed from what fell from the rich man's table; but even the dogs came and kept licking his sores. Luke.16.22 — And it happened that the poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham's side. The rich man also died and was buried. Luke.16.23 — And in Hades, while he was in torment, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus at his side. Luke.16.24 — And he called out, '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 in agony in this flame.' Luke.16.25 — But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that you received your good things during your life, and Lazarus likewise received bad things. But now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.'
↩Luke.18.9-Luke.18.14 — He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: Luke.18.10 — Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. Luke.18.11 — The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed these things toward himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.' Luke.18.12 — I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all that I get. Luke.18.13 — But the tax collector, standing far off, was not even willing to lift his eyes to heaven, but kept beating his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, the sinner.' Luke.18.14 — I tell you, this one went down to his house justified rather than that one; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.
↩Matt.26.75;Luke.22.62 — And Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly. Luke.22.62 — And he went out and wept bitterly.
↩Gen.39.7-Gen.39.20 — And after these things, his master's wife fixed her eyes on Joseph and said, \"Lie with me.\ Gen.39.8 — But he refused and said to his master's wife, \"Look, my master pays no attention to what is with me in the house, and he has put everything he has into my hands.\ Gen.39.9 — No one in this house is greater than I am, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do this great evil and sin against God? Gen.39.10 — And it came about, as she spoke to Joseph day after day, that he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or be with her. Gen.39.11 — But one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household were there in the house. Gen.39.12 — She seized him by his garment and said, \"Lie with me.\" But he left his garment in her hand, fled, and went outside. Gen.39.13 — And it came about, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, that he fled outside. Gen.39.14 — she called to the men of her household and said to them, \"Look, he has brought a Hebrew man among us to mock us. He came to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.\ Gen.39.15 — When he heard that I raised my voice and cried out, he left his garment with me and fled and went outside. Gen.39.16 — And she kept his garment beside her until his master came home. Gen.39.17 — Then she spoke to him these words, saying, 'The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came to me to mock me.' Gen.39.18 — And it happened, as I raised my voice and cried out, that he left his garment beside me and fled outside. Gen.39.19 — And it came about, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, 'Your servant did these things to me,' that his anger burned. Gen.39.20 — And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined; and he remained there in the prison.
↩Gen.39.7-Gen.39.12 — And after these things, his master's wife fixed her eyes on Joseph and said, \"Lie with me.\ Gen.39.8 — But he refused and said to his master's wife, \"Look, my master pays no attention to what is with me in the house, and he has put everything he has into my hands.\ Gen.39.9 — No one in this house is greater than I am, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do this great evil and sin against God? Gen.39.10 — And it came about, as she spoke to Joseph day after day, that he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or be with her. Gen.39.11 — But one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household were there in the house. Gen.39.12 — She seized him by his garment and said, \"Lie with me.\" But he left his garment in her hand, fled, and went outside.
↩Gen.39.7-Gen.39.20 — And after these things, his master's wife fixed her eyes on Joseph and said, \"Lie with me.\ Gen.39.8 — But he refused and said to his master's wife, \"Look, my master pays no attention to what is with me in the house, and he has put everything he has into my hands.\ Gen.39.9 — No one in this house is greater than I am, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do this great evil and sin against God? Gen.39.10 — And it came about, as she spoke to Joseph day after day, that he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or be with her. Gen.39.11 — But one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household were there in the house. Gen.39.12 — She seized him by his garment and said, \"Lie with me.\" But he left his garment in her hand, fled, and went outside. Gen.39.13 — And it came about, when she saw that he had left his garment in her hand, that he fled outside. Gen.39.14 — she called to the men of her household and said to them, \"Look, he has brought a Hebrew man among us to mock us. He came to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice.\ Gen.39.15 — When he heard that I raised my voice and cried out, he left his garment with me and fled and went outside. Gen.39.16 — And she kept his garment beside her until his master came home. Gen.39.17 — Then she spoke to him these words, saying, 'The Hebrew servant whom you brought to us came to me to mock me.' Gen.39.18 — And it happened, as I raised my voice and cried out, that he left his garment beside me and fled outside. Gen.39.19 — And it came about, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spoke to him, saying, 'Your servant did these things to me,' that his anger burned. Gen.39.20 — And Joseph's master took him and put him into the prison, the place where the king's prisoners were confined; and he remained there in the prison.
↩Gen.37.3-Gen.37.4 — Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves. Gen.37.4 — And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him and could not speak to him peaceably.
↩Gen.37.3 — Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves.
↩Gen.37.3 — Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves.
↩Gen.37.4 — And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him and could not speak to him peaceably.
↩Gen.35.16-Gen.35.18 — They set out from Bethel, and when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel went into labor and had difficulty giving birth. Gen.35.17 — And it came about, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, "Do not be afraid, for this one also is a son for you." Gen.35.18 — And it came about as her life was departing—for she was dying—that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
↩Gen.35.16-Gen.35.18;Gen.37.3 — They set out from Bethel, and when there was still some distance to go to Ephrath, Rachel went into labor and had difficulty giving birth. Gen.35.17 — And it came about, when she was in hard labor, that the midwife said to her, "Do not be afraid, for this one also is a son for you." Gen.35.18 — And it came about as her life was departing—for she was dying—that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin. Gen.37.3 — Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his sons, because he was the son of his old age; and he made him a long robe with sleeves.
↩Gen.37.4-Gen.37.11 — And his brothers saw that their father loved him more than all his brothers, and they hated him and could not speak to him peaceably. Gen.37.5 — Then Joseph had a dream, and he told it to his brothers, and they hated him even more. Gen.37.6 — He said to them, 'Listen to this dream that I have dreamed.' Gen.37.7 — And behold, we were binding sheaves in the middle of the field, and behold, my sheaf arose and also stood upright; and behold, your sheaves surrounded it and bowed down to my sheaf. Gen.37.8 — Then his brothers said to him, 'Are you indeed going to reign over us? Or are you indeed going to rule over us?' And they hated him all the more for his dreams and for his words. Gen.37.9 — Then he dreamed still another dream and told it to his brothers. He said, "Behold, I have dreamed yet another dream. Behold, the sun and the moon and eleven stars were bowing down to me." Gen.37.10 — He told it to his father and to his brothers, and his father rebuked him and said to him, "What is this dream that you have dreamed? Shall we indeed come—I and your mother and your brothers—to bow down to you to the ground?" Gen.37.11 — And his brothers were jealous of him, but his father kept the saying in mind.
↩Exod.2.11-Exod.2.15 — In those days, when Moses had grown up, he went out to his brothers and looked on their burdens; and he saw an Egyptian striking a Hebrew, one of his brothers. Exod.2.12 — He looked this way and that way, and seeing that there was no one, he struck down the Egyptian and hid him in the sand. Exod.2.13 — He went out the next day, and behold, two Hebrew men were fighting, and he said to the wicked one, "Why do you strike your companion?" Exod.2.14 — And he said, "Who made you a ruler and judge over us? Are you going to kill me as you killed the Egyptian?" Then Moses was afraid and said, "Surely this matter has become known." Exod.2.15 — When Pharaoh heard this thing, he sought to kill Moses. But Moses fled from the face of Pharaoh and settled in the land of Midian, and he sat down by the well.
↩Gen.39.1-Gen.39.6 — Now Joseph had been brought down to Egypt, and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him from the hand of the Ishmaelites who had brought him down there. Gen.39.2 — And the LORD was with Joseph, and he prospered, and he lived in the house of his Egyptian master. Gen.39.3 — His master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made everything he did succeed in his hand. Gen.39.4 — So Joseph found favor in his sight, and he served him; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put in his charge. Gen.39.5 — From the time he put Joseph in charge of his household and of everything he owned, the LORD blessed the Egyptian's household for Joseph's sake, and the blessing of the LORD was on everything he owned, in the house and in the field. Gen.39.6 — So he left all that he had in Joseph's care, and he paid attention to nothing except the food he ate. Now Joseph was handsome in form and appearance.
↩Gen.39.7-Gen.39.12 — And after these things, his master's wife fixed her eyes on Joseph and said, \"Lie with me.\ Gen.39.8 — But he refused and said to his master's wife, \"Look, my master pays no attention to what is with me in the house, and he has put everything he has into my hands.\ Gen.39.9 — No one in this house is greater than I am, and he has withheld nothing from me except you, because you are his wife. So how could I do this great evil and sin against God? Gen.39.10 — And it came about, as she spoke to Joseph day after day, that he would not listen to her, to lie beside her or be with her. Gen.39.11 — But one day he went into the house to do his work, and none of the men of the household were there in the house. Gen.39.12 — She seized him by his garment and said, \"Lie with me.\" But he left his garment in her hand, fled, and went outside.
↩Gen.39.12 — She seized him by his garment and said, \"Lie with me.\" But he left his garment in her hand, fled, and went outside.

Notes

1 ↩τὴν σὴν εὐλάβειαν is an honorific address to Olympias ('your Reverence'); not 'piety' as a quality under discussion.
2 ↩ἀθυμία rendered as 'despondency' (spiritual discouragement), not clinical depression; εὐθυμία as 'good cheer' to match the letter's repeated theme of εὐθυμία in the following section.
3 ↩προαίρεσις rendered as 'deliberate choice' (free moral preference), not bare 'will'; λογισμοῖς as 'thoughts' (inner reckonings that can be directed).
4 ↩εὐθυμία is rendered as cheerfulness / a cheerful spirit, the pastoral opposite of ἀθυμία (despondency) in the preceding section; not mere lightheartedness.
5 ↩ἐφόδιον is journey-provisions / travel-money; rendered as 'provisions for' to keep the metaphor that refusal itself supplies the means of heavier punishment.
6 ↩φιλοσοφήσαντες: patristic 'philosophy' means disciplined spiritual reflection, not academic theory; rendered here as 'reflecting'.
7 ↩φιλοσοφίᾳ here is patristic spiritual discipline / trained wisdom of soul, not secular learning; kept as 'philosophy' to preserve Chrysostom's term while the sense is interior formation.
8 ↩πλείονι ταύτῃ: 'this' points to λύπη/ἀθυμία (grief/despondency) as Eve's heavier sentence; κατατεῖναι τοῦ μόχθου μειζόνως rendered as 'stretch the hardship more severely.'
9 ↩Chrysostom contrasts Eve's sentence with Adam's: no πόνος/ἱδρώς/μόχθος named for her, but ἀθυμία and στεναγμός as the heavier penalty.
10 ↩ὁ πατριάρχης… τὴν φύσιν αὐτὴν νικήσας: Abraham, praised as having mastered even natural impulse; scene is Genesis 12 (Egypt), with verbal overlap toward Genesis 20.
11 ↩φιλόσοφον ψυχήν: 'philosophic soul' in the patristic sense of a soul trained by spiritual wisdom/ascetic reason, not academic philosophy.
12 ↩τοῦτον / τούτου φόβον: 'fear of this' continues the argument's topic—fear of death—not fear of the woman in herself; the threat is only the occasion.
13 ↩τοῦ πράγματος: 'the thing' is death (and the terror it carries), continuing from the preceding examples of fear of death.
14 ↩οἵαν τίνεις δίκην: rendered as the hard cost she is paying under despondency; paired with the greater ἀντίρροπος ἀμοιβή of goods she awaits.
15 ↩τοὺς ἁλόντας: those captured/overcome (by despondency); context points to biblical examples of people mastered by it.
16 ↩φιλοσοφεῖν: rendered as 'true philosophy' for spiritual/ascetical wisdom, not academic philosophy.
17 ↩Supplied Greek has Ἠκούσατε and adds καὶ ἔρχομαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς; standard John 16:5 begins νῦν δὲ ὑπάγω and lacks that clause. Translated the reading as given.
18 ↩Ἀπῆλθε κατὰ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ: biblical idiom usually 'he went for his life' (1 Kgs 19:3); Chrysostom cites it as evidence of deep despondency.
19 ↩ἐν χάριτος μέρει: rendered 'as if it were a gift of grace' — death asked as though a favor rather than a terror.
20 ↩ἐκείνην / τοῦτον: feminine 'that one' = despondency (ἀθυμία); masculine 'this one' = death (θάνατος), fixed by gender and the surrounding contrast.
21 ↩ἀθυμία rendered as 'despondency' throughout this section: spiritual dejection/low spirits, not mere sadness and not full despair (ἀπόγνωσις).
22 ↩τὸ πάντων βαρύτερον = death, the heaviest of all things; αὕτη = ἀθυμία (despondency).
23 ↩Quotation begins here and continues into s8; sentence boundary follows the source split mid-psalm.
24 ↩τί ὑστερῶ ἐγώ can mean 'what I lack,' 'how I fall short,' or 'how frail I am.' Rendered 'what I lack' to match Chrysostom's later gloss that the speaker feels left behind while others have gone.
25 ↩ἡδονήν is literally 'pleasure.' Here it is the bitter-sweet relief of knowing when death will come as escape from despondency, not ordinary enjoyment.
26 ↩ἀλεῖψαι keeps the athletic image of oiling a contender before the match; Chrysostom is preparing Olympias for endurance as for a contest.
27 ↩Αὐσίτις is the land of Uz, the homeland of Job (Job 1:1); Chrysostom introduces Job without naming him yet.
28 ↩μύλας is the jaw-teeth/molars (LXX Job 29:17); kept concrete rather than flattened to a generic 'power' image.
29 ↩τοῖς ἀδικοῦσι παριστάμενον could be read as standing with the wronged if the active participle is taken loosely; with the supplied active form and the following 'terror to abusers,' rendered as confronting wrongdoers.
30 ↩φιλανθρωπία rendered as 'kindness' for modern register; it names Job's active love of people, not vague warmth. σωφροσύνη as 'self-control' and ἀκρίβεια as 'exact integrity' keep moral force without archaic diction.
31 ↩φιλοσοφία here is patristic 'philosophy': composed spiritual fortitude under trial, not academic study.
32 ↩φιλοσοφωτέρας διανοίας rendered as 'more steadfast mind' to keep the modern register while preserving the sense of disciplined spiritual composure.
33 ↩φιλοσοφίας ἐπίτασις: 'spiritual fortitude ... exact height' renders patristic φιλοσοφία as disciplined endurance intensified to its purest pitch.
34 ↩The quoted petition is left open because the Greek sentence ends mid-quotation and continues in the next sentence.
35 ↩ἀθυμία is rendered 'despondency' (the letter's governing affliction: crushed spirit/discouragement), not mere sadness. ἀντιδόσεις is rendered 'recompense' (rewards repaid for bearing the heavier trial).
36 ↩πατριάρχῃ points to Abraham (cf. Lazarus in Abraham's bosom); λῆξις is the shared eschatological lot/resting place.
37 ↩Sentence deliberately incomplete in the source division: οὐκ εἶπε ('he did not say') is completed by s8.
38 ↩Quoted Pauline list is open-ended in this section division; the catalogue continues in the following section (ChrysOlymp.1.10.16).
39 ↩ἐπισύστασίς μου ἡ καθ' ἡμέραν: rendered "the pressure that falls on me every day." Chrysostom's next section glosses it as continuous seizures, tumults, and crises rather than mere administrative care.
40 ↩ἐπισύστασις: pressure/crowding of troubles; Chrysostom glosses it as continuous assaults, turmoil, and crises. μέριμνα: anxious care/concern for the churches.
41 ↩διόρθωσις = correction/setting right (the active success); μέριμνα = anxious care (the burden itself). Chrysostom stresses that Paul names the pain, not the accomplishment.
42 ↩Paul's verb is πυροῦμαι ("I burn"); Chrysostom paraphrases the force as ἐκοινώνησα τῆς ἀθυμίας ("I shared in the despondency"), reading the burning as participatory distress rather than successful rescue.
43 ↩ἀθυμία: despondency/low spirits/dejection—the letter's central pastoral theme. ἀντιδόσεις: recompenses/returns, paired with ἀμοιβὰς (rewards) earlier in the sentence.
44 ↩εὐαγγελικόν...ἔργον rendered 'gospel-worthy work' (an act in the register of the gospel proclamation), not 'evangelical' in a later confessional sense.
45 ↩Οὐδὲ τὸ πολλοστὸν...μέρος, ἀλλὰ μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς ἁπάσης καταδεέστερον: 'not even the tiniest fraction, but inferior to an extreme degree'—rendered as 'Not even a fraction of it—no, vastly less by every measure.'
46 ↩πυρούμενοι echoes Paul's 'I burn' over those who stumble (2 Cor 11:29): inner fire of anguish/indignation, not literal burning.
47 ↩Chrysostom supplies the outcome (οὐκ ἐπέτυχον τῆς αἰτήσεως) as paraphrase; in 2 Cor 12:8–9 the denial is implied by the Lord's answer rather than stated in those words.
48 ↩λήξεως with the patriarch = sharing Abraham's lot/portion (Lazarus at Abraham's side). κορυφαῖος τῶν ἀποστόλων = Peter after the denial.
49 ↩τῆς αἰχμαλώτου: feminine of αἰχμάλωτος, literally 'the captive woman.' In context it is Potiphar's wife; rendered as the woman who held him captive (by plot/desire), not as a prisoner of war.
50 ↩ἢ carries comparative force parallel to μειζόνως ἢ in s1: radiant in chains more than in royal splendor.
51 ↩πραγματεία / ἐμπορία are commercial metaphors for spiritual profit earned through trial; κέρδος continues the 'gain' language of the previous section.
52 ↩ἀπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ τῶν ὠδίνων literally 'from the season of the birth-pains'; rendered as the timing/circumstances of his birth, which s7–s8 unpack as late birth in old age.
53 ↩Subject of ἑώρα/ἔπλασεν is the father (Jacob), confirmed by s6 (τοῦ πατρὸς ἦν τὸ πλάσμα); Moses in s1 only records that paternal pretext.
54 ↩τὴν βάρβαρον γυναῖκα points ahead to Potiphar's wife (Gen 39); προφθάσαντες means they anticipated her pattern of false accusation and outdid her in wickedness.
55 ↩ἔσφαξαν ('slaughtered') is rhetorical: in the Joseph narrative the brothers plot murder and treat him as good as dead, then sell him. Chrysostom stacks slaughter and sale as twin acts of cruelty, not a strict chronology of completed killing.
56 ↩φιλανθρώπου Θεοῦ: rendered 'the God who loves humanity' to keep the classical Christian sense of divine philanthropia, not vague friendliness.
57 ↩ἀδίκοις ὀφθαλμοῖς: 'unjust eyes' preserves the moral charge of wrongful, lustful looking rather than softening to mere 'wanton glance.'
58 ↩φράττονται τῇ συνέσει: 'fenced/fortified by understanding' — rendered as 'fenced in by much understanding' to keep the defensive image of φράττω.
59 ↩σωφροσύνην: rendered 'chastity' for Joseph's sexual self-control; the term also covers broader self-mastery and sobriety of mind.
60 ↩ἁλοῦσα: aorist participle of ἁλίσκομαι, 'having been caught/taken'; in context, seized by desire (cf. previous section's ἁλοῦσα τῷ πάθει), not 'having captured him'.
61 ↩ὠδίνουσα: 'in labor with / travailing over' this wicked desire — childbirth metaphor for long, painful incubation of the plot.
62 ↩τεταριχευμένοι literally means 'pickled/preserved'; Chrysostom uses it for people worn down and steeped in hardship, so that relief and pleasure become more seductive.
63 ↩Source Ἀποδήσει is treated as the proverb's intended sense 'put/hide fire in the bosom' (cf. Prov 6:27); if the form is corrupt, the sense is still clear from the quotation context.
64 ↩Literally 'pickled/cured'; figurative for thoroughly steeped or worn raw by plots, matching the earlier figurative use in this chapter.
65 ↩Rendered as cosmetics and painted brows: ἐπιτρίμματα are cosmetic pastes/unguents; ὑπογραφή is eye-lining or painted outline of the face.
66 ↩περὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων points to the ultimate stakes—Joseph's purity and soul—over against his earlier bodily trials, not merely last events in time.
67 ↩πνεῦμα δρόσου διασυρίζον is the LXX furnace phrase; Chrysostom applies it analogically to Joseph's escape from lust's fire.
68 ↩μετὰ τὴν μοιχείαν: not completed physical adultery with Joseph, but her adulterous design; Chrysostom treats intent and false charge as one moral collapse into manslaughter.
69 ↩σωφροσύνη rendered as 'chastity' for Joseph's sexual continence; 'self-control' is also possible but weaker in this episode.
70 ↩ἡταιρηκώς (from ἑταιρέω) is sexual immorality/fornication language; rendered 'sexually immoral' rather than archaic 'fornicator'.
71 ↩ἀποτμηθῆναι literally 'to be cut off'; in punitive context, 'executed/beheaded'. Rendered 'put to death'.
72 ↩διέλυσε τὰ ὀνείρατα can mean 'cleared up,' 'resolved,' or 'interpreted' the dreams; rendered as 'interpreted' for the Joseph/Gen 40 sense of explaining them away as the source of their agitation.
73 ↩μείζονος ἐμπορίας ὑπόθεσις: ἐμπορία is commercial 'trade/gain'; in this ascetical frame rendered as 'greater gain' (spiritual profit), not ordinary business.
74 ↩Athletic imagery (crowns, prizes, diaulos courses, skammata, athlete, antagonist) is Chrysostom's metaphor for providential trial, not a literal contest.
75 ↩τοῦτο after the slaughter clause is slightly ambiguous: it may point to the brothers' murderous counsel that God blocked, or to the alternative pit plan a brother urged. The translation keeps the open referent; the theological stress is that the whole outcome belonged to providence.
76 ↩ἐκ μιᾶς μοίρας ἀποφήνασθαι: rendered as deciding the case on one side alone (one-sided judgment without hearing the accused); the phrase is slightly elliptical.
77 ↩δρᾶμα: kept as 'drama' for the staged/alleged scene of assault; could also be rendered 'act' or 'affair'.
78 ↩καταμαλακίζου: 'grow soft / give way to weakness' rather than mere physical softness; rendered as 'grow soft' to keep the moral-spiritual force without archaism.

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