SAINT JOHN CHRYSOSTOMOS
1. I know well that to
coarse-minded persons, who are greedy in the pursuit of present
things, and are nailed to earth, and enslaved to physical pleasure,
and have no strong hold upon spiritual ideas, this treatise will be
of a strange and paradoxical kind: and they will laugh
immoderately, and condemn me for uttering incredible things from
the very outset of my theme. Nevertheless, I shall not on this
account desist from my promise, but for this very reason shall
proceed with great earnestness to the proof of what I have
undertaken. For if those who take that view of my subject will
please not to make a clamour and disturbance, but wait to the end
of my discourse, I am sure that they will take my side, and condemn
themselves, finding that they have been deceived hitherto, and will
make a recantation, and apology, and crave pardon for the mistaken
opinion which they held concerning these matters, and will express
great gratitude to me, as patients do to physicians, when they have
been relieved from the disorders which lay seige to their body. For
do not tell me of the judgment which is prevailing in your mind at
the present time, but wait to hear the contention of my arguments
and then you will be able to record an impartial verdict without
being hindered by ignorance from forming a true judgment. For even
judges in secular causes, if they see the first orator pouring
forth a mighty torrent of words and overwhelming everything with
his speech do not venture to record their decision without having
patiently listened to the other speaker who is opposed to him; and
even if the remarks of the first speaker seem to be just to an
unlimited extent, they reserve an unprejudiced hearing for the
second. In fact the special merit of judges consists in
ascertaining with all possible accuracy what each side has to
allege and then bringing forward their own judgment.
Now in the place of an orator we have the common
assumption of mankind which in the course of ages has taken deep
root in the minds of the multitude, and declaims to the following
effect throughout the world. “All things” it says “have been
turned upside down, the human race is full of much confusion and
many are they who every day are being wronged, insulted, subjected
to violence and injury, the weak by the strong, the poor by the
rich: and as it is impossible to number the waves of the sea, so is
it impossible to reckon the multitude of those who are the victims
of intrigue, insult, and suffering; and neither the correction of
law, nor the fear of being brought to trial, nor anything else can
arrest this pestilence and disorder, but the evil is increasing
every day, and the groans, and lamentations, and weeping of the
sufferers are universal; and the judges who are appointed to reform
such evils, themselves intensify the tempest, and inflame the
disorder, and hence many of the more senseless and despicable kind,
seized with a new kind of frenzy, accuse the providence of God,
when they see the forbearing man often violently seized, racked,
and oppressed, and the audacious, impetuous, low and low-born man
waxing rich, and invested with authority, and becoming formidable
to many, and inflicting countless troubles upon the more moderate,
and this perpetrated both in town and country,
and desert, on sea and land. This discourse of
ours of necessity comes in by way of direct opposition to what has
been alleged, maintaining a contention which is new, as I said at
the beginning, and contrary to opinion, yet useful and true, and
profitable to those who will give heed to it and be persuaded by
it; for what I undertake is to prove (only make no commotion) that
no one of those who are wronged is wronged by another, but
experiences this injury at his own hands.
2. But in order to make my argument plainer, let us
first of all enquire what injustice is, and of what kind of things
the material of it is wont to be composed; also what human virtue
is, and what it is which ruins it; and further what it is which
seems to ruin it but really does not. For instance (for I must
complete my argument by means of examples) each thing is subject to
one evil which ruins it; iron to rust, wool to moth, flocks of
sheep to wolves. The virtue of wine is injured when it ferments and
turns sour: of honey when it loses its natural sweetness, and is
reduced to a bitter juice. Ears of corn are ruined by mildew and
drought, and the fruit, and leaves, and branches of vines by the
mischievous host of locusts, other trees by the caterpillar, and
irrational creatures by diseases of various kinds: and not to
lengthen the list by going through all possible examples, our own
flesh is subject to fevers, and palsies, and a crowd of other
maladies. As then each one of these things is liable to that which
ruins its virtue, let us now consider what it is which injures the
human race, and what it is which ruins the virtue of a human being.
Most men think that there are divers things which have this effect;
for I must mention the erroneous opinions on the subject, and,
after confuting them, proceed to exhibit that which really does
ruin our virtue: and to demonstrate clearly that no one could
inflict this injury or bring this ruin upon us unless we betrayed
ourselves. The multitude then having erroneous opinions imagine
that there are many different things which ruin our virtue: some
say it is poverty, others bodily disease, others loss of property,
others calumny, others death and they are perpetually bewailing and
lamenting these things: and whilst they are commiserating the
sufferers and shedding tears they excitedly exclaim to one another
“What a calamity has befallen such and such a man! he has been
deprived of all his fortune at a blow.” Of another again one will
say: “such and such a man has been attacked by severe sickness
and is despaired of by the physicians in attendance.” Some bewail
and lament the inmates of the prison, some those who have been
expelled from their country and transported to the land of exile,
others those who have been deprived of their freedom, others those
who have been seized and made captives by enemies, others those who
have been drowned, or burnt, or buried by the fall of a house, but
no one mourns those who are living in wickedness: on the contrary,
which is worse than all, they often congratulate them, a practice
which is the cause of all manner of evils. Come then (only, as I
exhorted you at the outset, do not make a commotion), let me prove
that none of the things which have been mentioned injure the man
who lives soberly, nor can ruin his virtue. For tell me if a man
has lost his all either at the hands of calumniators or of robbers,
or has been stripped of his goods by knavish servants, what harm
has the loss done to the virtue of the man?
But if it seems well let me rather indicate in the
first place what is the virtue of a man, beginning by dealing with
the subject in the case of existences of another kind so as to make
it more intelligible and plain to the majority of readers.
3. What then is the virtue of a horse? is it to have
a bridle studded with gold and girths to match, and a band of
silken threads to fasten the housing, and clothes wrought in divers
colours and gold tissue, and head gear studded with jewels, and
locks of hair plaited with gold cord? or is it to be swift and
strong in its legs, and even in its paces, and to have hoofs
suitable to a well bred horse, and courage fitted for long journies
and warfare, and to be able to behave with calmness in the battle
field, and if a rout takes place to save its rider? Is it not
manifest that these are the things which constitute the virtue of
the horse, not the others? Again, what should you say was the
virtue of asses and mules? is it not the power of carrying burdens
with contentment, and accomplishing journies with ease, and having
hoofs like rock? Shall we say that their outside trappings
contribute anything to their own proper virtue? By no means. And
what kind of vine shall we admire? one which abounds in leaves and
branches, or one which is laden with fruit? or what kind of virtue
do we predicate of an olive? is it to have large boughs, and great
luxuriance of leaves, or to exhibit an abundance of its proper
fruit dispersed over all parts of the tree? Well, let us act in the
same way in the case of human beings also: let us determine what is
the virtue of man, and let us regard that alone as an injury, which
is destructive to it. What then is the virtue of man? not riches that thou shouldest
fear poverty: nor health of body that thou shouldest dread
sickness, nor the opinion of the public, that thou shouldest view
an evil reputation with alarm, nor life simply for its own sake,
that death should be terrible to thee: nor liberty that thou
shouldest avoid servitude: but carefulness in holding true
doctrine, and rectitude in life. Of these things not even the devil
himself will be able to rob a man, if he who possesses them guards
them with the needful carefulness: and that most malicious and
ferocious demon is aware of this. For this cause also he robbed Job
of his substance, not to make him poor, but that he might force him
into uttering some blasphemous speech; and he tortured his body,
not to subject him to infirmity, but to upset the virtue of his
soul. But nevertheless when he had set all his devices in motion,
and turned him from a rich man into a poor one (that calamity which
seems to us the most terrible of all), and had made him childless
who was once surrounded by many children, and had scarified his
whole body more cruelly than the executioners do in the public
tribunals (for their nails do not lacerate the sides of those who
fall into their hands so severely as the gnawing of the worms
lacerated his body), and when he had fastened a bad reputation upon
him (for Job’s friends who were present with him said “thou
hast not received the chastisement which thy sins deserve,” and
directed many words of accusation against him), and after he had
not merely expelled him from city and home and transferred him to
another city, but had actually made the dunghill serve as his home
and city; after all this, he not only did him no damage but
rendered him more glorious by the designs which he formed against
him. And he not only failed to rob him of any of his possessions
although he had robbed him of so many things, but he even increased
the wealth of his virtue. For after these things he enjoyed greater
confidence inasmuch as he had contended in a more severe contest.
Now if he who underwent such sufferings, and this not at the hand
of man, but at the hand of the devil who is more wicked than all
men, sustained no injury, which of those persons who say such and
such a man injured and damaged me will have any defence to make in
future? For if the devil who is full of such great malice, after
having set all his instruments in motion, and discharged all his
weapons, and poured out all the evils incident to man, in a
superlative degree upon the family and the person of that righteous
man nevertheless did him no injury, but as I was saying rather
profited him: how shall certain be able to accuse such and such a
man alleging that they have suffered injury at their hands, not at
their own?
4. What then? some one will say, did he not inflict
injury on Adam, and upset him, and cast him out of paradise? No: he
did it not, but the cause was the listlessness of him who was
injured, and his want of temperance and vigilance. For he who
applied such powerful and manifold devices and yet was not able to
subdue Job, how could he by inferior means have mastered Adam, had
not Adam betrayed himself through his own listlessness? What then?
Has not he been injured who has been exposed to slander, and
suffered confiscation of his property, having been deprived of all
his goods, and is thrown out of his patrimony, and struggles with
extreme poverty? No! he has not been injured, but has even
profited, if he be sober. For, tell me, what harm did this do the
apostles? Were they not continually struggling with hunger, and
thirst and nakedness? And this was the very reason why they were so
illustrious, and distinguished, and won for themselves much help
from God. Again what harm was done to Lazarus by his disease, and
sores, and poverty and dearth of protectors? Were they not the
reasons why garlands of victory were more abundantly woven for him?
Or what harm was done to Joseph by his getting evil reported of,
both in his own land, and in the land of strangers for he was
supposed to be both an adulterer and fornicator: or what harm did
servitude do him or expatriation? Is it not specially on account of
these things that we regard him with admiration and astonishment?
And why do I speak of removal into a foreign land, and poverty, and
evil report, and bondage? For what harm did death itself inflict on
Abel, although it was a violent and untimely death, and perpetrated
by a brother’s hand? Is not this the reason why his praise is
sounded throughout the whole world? Seest thou how the discourse
has demonstrated even more than it promised? For not only has it
disclosed the fact that no one is injured by anybody, but also that
they who take heed to themselves derive the greater gain (from such
assaults). What is the purpose then it will be said of penalties
and punishments? What is the purpose of hell? What is the purpose
of such great threatenings, if no one is either injured or injures?
What is it thou sayest? Why dost thou confuse the argument? For I
did not say that no one injures, but that no one is injured. And
how is it possible, you will say, for no one to be injured when
many are committing
injury? In the way which I indicated just now. For Joseph’s
brethren did indeed injure him, yet he himself was not injured: and
Cain laid snares for Abel, yet he himself was not ensnared. This is
the reason why there are penalties and punishments. For God does
not abolish penalties on account of the virtue of those who suffer;
but he ordains punishments on account of the malice of those who do
wickedly. For although they who are evil entreated become more
illustrious in consequence of the designs formed against them, this
is not due to the intention of those who plan the designs, but to
the courage of those who are the victims of them. Wherefore for the
latter the rewards of philosophy are made ready and prepared, for
the former the penalties of wickedness. Hast thou been deprived of
thy money? Read the word “Naked came I out of my mother’s womb,
and naked shall I return thither.”And add to this the apostolic
saying “for we brought nothing into this world; it is certain we
can carry nothing out.” Art thou evil reported of, and have
some men loaded thee with countless abuse? Remember that passage
where it is said “Woe unto you when all men shall speak well of
you”and
“rejoice ye and leap for joy when they shall cast upon you an
evil name.” Hast thou
been transported into the land of exile? Consider that thou hast
not here a fatherland, but that if thou wilt be wise thou art
bidden to regard the whole world as a strange country. Or hast thou
been given over to a sore disease? quote the apostolic saying
“the more our outward man decayeth, so much the more is the
inward man renewed day by day.” Has any one suffered a violent
death? consider the case of John, his head cut off in prison,
carried in a charger, and made the reward of a harlot’s dancing.
Consider the recompense which is derived from these things: for all
these sufferings when they are unjustly inflicted by any one on
another, expiate sins, and work righteousness. So great is the
advantage of them in the case of those who bear them
bravely.
5. When then neither loss of money, nor slander, nor
railing, nor banishment, nor diseases, nor tortures, nor that which
seems more formidable than all, namely death, harms those who
suffer them, but rather adds to their profit, whence can you prove
to me that any one is injured when he is not injured at all from
any of these things? For I will endeavour to prove the reverse,
showing that they who are most injured and insulted, and suffer the
most incurable evils are the persons who do these things. For what
could be more miserable than the condition of Cain, who dealt with
his brother in this fashion? what more pitiable than that of
Phillip’s wife who beheaded John? or the brethren of Joseph who
sold him away, and transported him into the land of exile? or the
devil who tortured Job with such great calamities? For not only on
account of his other iniquities, but at the same time also for this
assault he will pay no trifling penalty. Dost thou see how here the
argument has proved even more than was proposed, shewing that those
who are insulted not only sustain no harm from these assaults, but
that the whole mischief recoils on the head of those who contrive
them? For since neither wealth nor freedom, nor life in our native
land nor the other things which I have mentioned, but only right
actions of the soul, constitute the virtue of man, naturally when
the harm is directed against these things, human virtue itself is
no wise harmed. What then? supposing some one does harm the moral
condition of the soul? Even then if a man suffers damage, the
damage does not come from another but proceeds from within, and
from the man himself. “How so,” do you say? When any one having
been beaten by another, or deprived of his goods, or having endured
some other grievous insult, utters a blasphemous speech, he
certainly sustains a damage thereby, and a very great one,
nevertheless it does not proceed from him who has inflicted the
insult, but from his own littleness of soul. For what I said before
I will now repeat, no man if he be infinitely wicked could attack
any one more wickedly or more bitterly than that revengeful demon
who is implacably hostile to us, the devil: but yet this cruel
demon had not power to upset or overthrow him who lived before the
law, and before the time of grace, although he discharged so many
and such bitter weapons against him from all quarters. Such is the
force of nobility of soul. And what shall I say of Paul? Did he not
suffer so many distresses that even to make a list of them is no
easy matter? He was put in prison, loaded with chains, dragged
hither and hither, scourged by the Jews, stoned, lacerated on the
back not only by thongs, but also by rods, he was immersed in the
sea, oftentimes beset by robbers, involved in strife with his own
countrymen, continually assailed both by foes and by acquaintance,
subjected to countless intrigues, struggling with hunger and nakedness, undergoing other
frequent and lasting mischances and afflictions: and why need I
mention the greater part of them? he was dying every day: but yet,
although subjected to so many and such grievous sufferings, he not
only uttered no blasphemous word, but rejoiced over these things
and gloried in them: and one time he says “I rejoice in my
sufferings,”and then
again “not only this but we also glory in afflictions.” If then he
rejoiced and gloried when suffering such great troubles what excuse
will you have, and what defence will you make if you blaspheme when
you do not undergo the smallest fraction of them.
6. But I am injured in other ways, one will
say, and even if I do not blaspheme, yet when I am robbed of my
money I am disabled from giving alms. This is a mere pretext and
pretence. For if you grieve on this account know certainly that
poverty is no bar to almsgiving. For even if you are infinitely
poor you are not poorer than the woman who possessed only a handful
of meal,895 and the one
who had only two mites, each of whom having spent all her
substance upon those who were in need was an object of surpassing
admiration: and such great poverty was no hindrance to such great
lovingkindness, but the alms bestowed from the two mites was so
abundant and generous as to eclipse all who had riches, and in
wealth of intention and superabundance of zeal to surpass those who
cast in much coin. Wherefore even in this matter thou art not
injured but rather benefitted, receiving by means of a small
contribution rewards more glorious than they who put down large
sums. But since, if I were to say these things for ever, sensuous
characters which delight to grovel in worldly things, and revel in
present things would not readily endure parting from the fading
flowers (for such are the pleasant things of this life) or letting
go its shadows: but the better sort of men indeed cling to both the
one and the other, while the more pitiable and abject cling more
strongly to the former than to the latter, come let us strip off
the pleasant and showy masks which hide the base and ugly
countenance of these things, and let us expose the foul deformity
of the harlot. For such is the character of a life of this kind
which is devoted to luxury, and wealth and power: it is foul and
ugly and full of much abomination, disagreeable and burdensome, and
charged with bitterness. For this indeed is the special feature in
this life which deprives those who are captivated by it of every
excuse, that although it is the aim of their longings and
endeavours, yet is it filled with much annoyance and bitterness,
and teems with innumerable evils, dangers, bloodshed, precipices,
crags, murders, fears and tremblings, envy and ill-will, and
intrigue, perpetual anxiety and care, and derives no profit, and
produces no fruit from these great evils save punishment and
revenge, and incessant torment. But although this is its character
it seems to be to most men an object of ambition, and eager
contention, which is a sign of the folly of those who are
captivated by it, not of the blessedness of the thing itself.
Little children indeed are eager and excited about toys and cannot
take notice of the things which become full grown men. There is an
excuse for them on account of their immaturity: but these others
are debarred from the right of defence, because, although of full
age they are childish in disposition, and more foolish than
children in their manner of life.
Now tell me why is wealth an object of ambition? For
it is necessary to start from this point, because to the majority
of those who are afflicted with this grievous malady it seems to be
more precious than health and life, and public reputation, and good
opinion, and country, and household, and friends, and kindred and
everything else. Moreover the flame has ascended to the very
clouds: and this fierce heat has taken possession of land and sea.
Nor is there any one to quench this fire: but all people are
engaged in stirring it up, both those who have been already caught
by it, and those who have not yet been caught, in order that they
may be captured. And you may see every one, husband and wife,
household slave, and freeman, rich and poor, each according to his
ability carrying loads which supply much fuel to this fire by day
and night: loads not of wood or faggots (for the fire is not of
that kind), but loads of souls and bodies, of unrighteousness and
iniquity. For such is the material of which a fire of this kind is
wont to be kindled. For those who have riches place no limit
anywhere to this monstrous passion, even if they compass the whole
world: and the poor press on to get in advance of them, and a kind
of incurable craze, and unrestrainable frenzy and irremediable
disease possesses the souls of all. And this affection has
conquered every other kind and thrust it away expelling it from the
soul: neither friends nor kindred are taken into account: and why
do I speak of friends and kindred? not even wife and children are
regarded, and what can be
dearer to man than these? but all things are dashed to the ground
and trampled underfoot, when this savage and inhuman mistress has
laid hold of the souls of all who are taken captive by her. For as
an inhuman mistress, and harsh tyrant, and savage barbarian, and
public and expensive prostitute she debases and exhausts and
punishes with innumerable dangers and torments those who have
chosen to be in bondage to her; and yet although she is terrible
and harsh, and fierce and cruel, and has the face of a barbarian,
or rather of a wild beast, fiercer than a wolf or a lion, she seems
to those who have been taken captive by her gentle and loveable,
and sweeter than honey. And although she forges swords and weapons
against them every day, and digs pitfalls and leads them to
precipices and crags and weaves endless snares of punishment for
them, yet is she supposed to make these things objects of ambition
to those who have been made captive, and those who are desiring to
be captured. And just as a sow delights and revels in wallowing in
the ditch and mire, and beetles delight in perpetually crawling
over dung; even so they who are captivated by the love of money are
more miserable than these creatures. For the abomination is greater
in this case, and the mire more offensive: for they who are
addicted to this passion imagine that much pleasure is derived from
it: which does not arise from the nature of the thing, but of the
understanding which is afflicted with such an irrational taste. And
this taste is worse in their case than in that of brutes: for as
with the mire and the dung the cause of pleasure is not in them,
but in the irrational nature of the creatures who plunge into it;
even so count it to be in the case of human beings.
7. And how might we cure those who are thus
disposed? It would be possible if they would open their ears to us,
and unfold their heart, and receive our words. For it is impossible
to turn and divert the irrational animals from their unclean habit;
for they are destitute of reason: but this the gentlest of all
tribes, honoured by reason and speech, I mean human nature, might,
if it chose, readily and easily be released from the mire and the
stench, and the dung hill and its abomination. For wherefore, O
man, do riches seem to thee worthy such diligent pursuit? Is it on
account of the pleasure which no doubt is derived from the table?
or on account of the honour and the escort of those who pay court
to thee, because of thy wealth? is it because thou art able to
defend thyself against those who annoy thee, and to be an object of
fear to all? For yon cannot name any other reasons, save pleasure
and flattery, and fear, and the power of taking revenge; for wealth
is not generally wont to make any one wiser, or more
self-controlled, or more gentle, or more intelligent, or kind, or
benevolent, or superior to anger, or gluttony or pleasure: it does
not train any one to be moderate, or teach him how to be humble,
nor introduce and implant any other piece of virtue in the soul.
Neither could you say for which of these things it deserves to be
so diligently sought and desired. For not only is it ignorant how
to plant and cultivate any good thing, but even if it finds a store
of them it mars and stunts and blights them; and some of them it
even uproots, and introduces their opposites, unmeasured
licentiousness, unseasonable wrath, unrighteous anger, pride,
arrogance, foolishness. But let me not speak of these; for they who
have been seized by this malady will not endure to hear about
virtue and vice, being entirely abandoned to pleasure and therefore
enslaved to it. Come then let us forego for the time being the
consideration of these points, and let us bring forward the others
which remain, and see whether wealth has any pleasure, or any
honour: for in my eyes the case is quite the reverse. And first of
all, if you please, let us investigate the meals of rich and poor,
and ask the guests which they are who enjoy the purest and most
genuine pleasure; is it they who recline for a full day on couches,
and join breakfast and dinner together, and distend their stomach,
and blunt their senses, and sink the vessel by an overladen cargo
of food, and waterlog the ship, and drench it as in some shipwreck
of the body, and devise fetters, and manacles, and gags, and bind
their whole body with the band of drunkenness and surfeit more
grievous than an iron chain, and enjoy no sound pure sleep
undisturbed by frightful dreams, and are more miserable than madmen
and introduce a kind of self-imposed demon into the soul and
display themselves as a laughing stock to the gaze of their
servants, or rather to the kinder sort amongst them as a tragical
spectacle eliciting tears, and cannot recognize any of those who
are present, and are incapable of speaking or hearing but have to
be carried away from their couches to their bed;—or is it they
who are sober and vigilant, and limit their eating by their need,
and sail with a favourable breeze, and find hunger and thirst the
best relish in their food and drink? For nothing is so conducive to
enjoyment and health as to be hungry and thirsty when one attacks
the viands, and to identify satiety with the sim277ple necessity of food, never
overstepping the limits of this, nor imposing a load upon the body
too great for its strength.
8. But if you disbelieve my statement study
the physical condition, and the soul of each class. Are not the
bodies vigorous of those who live thus moderately (for do not tell
me of that which rarely happens, although some may be weak from
some other circumstance, but form your judgment from those
instances which are of constant occurrence), I say are they not
vigorous, and their senses clear, fulfilling their proper function
with much ease? whereas the bodies of the others are flaccid and
softer than wax, and beset with a crowd of maladies? For gout soon
fastens upon them, and untimely palsy, and premature old age, and
headache, and flatulence, and feebleness of digestion, and loss of
appetite, and they require constant attendance of physicians, and
perpetual doseing, and daily care. Are these things pleasurable?
tell me. Who of those that know what pleasure really is would say
so? For pleasure is produced when desire leads the way, and
fruition follows: now if there is fruition, but desire is nowhere
to be found, the conditions of pleasure fail and vanish. On this
account also invalids, although the most charming food is set
before them, partake of it with a feeling of disgust and sense of
oppression: because there is no desire which gives a keen relish to
the enjoyment of it. For it is not the nature of the food, or of
the drink, but the appetite of the eaters which is wont to produce
the desire, and is capable of causing pleasure. Therefore also a
certain wise man who had an accurate knowledge of all that
concerned pleasure, and understood how to moralize about these
things said “the full soul mocketh at honeycombs:” showing that
the conditions of pleasure consist not in the nature of the meal,
but in the disposition of the eaters. Therefore also the prophet
recounting the wonders in Egypt and in the desert mentioned this in
connexion with the others “He satisfied them with honey out of
the rock.” And yet
nowhere does it appear that honey actually sprang forth for them
out of the rock: what then is the meaning of the expression?
Because the people being exhausted by much toil and long
travelling, and distressed by great thirst rushed to the cool
spring, their craving for drink serving as a relish, the writer
wishing to describe the pleasures which they received from those
fountains called the water honey, not meaning that the element was
converted into honey, but that the pleasure received from the water
rivalled the sweetness of honey, inasmuch as those who partook of
it rushed to it in their eagerness to drink.
Since then these things are so and no one can
deny it, however stupid he may be: is it not perfectly plain that
pure, undiluted, and lively pleasure is to be found at the tables
of the poor? whereas at the tables of the rich there is discomfort,
and disgust and defilement? as that wise man has said “even sweet
things seem to be a vexation.”
9. But riches some one will say procure honour for
those who possess them, and enable them to take vengeance on their
enemies with ease. And is this a reason, pray, why riches seem to
you desirable and worth contending for;—that they nourish the
most dangerous passion in our nature, leading on anger into action,
swelling the empty bubbles of ambition, and stimulating and urging
men to arrogance? Why these are just the very reasons why we ought
resolutely to turn our backs upon riches, because they introduce
certain fierce and dangerous wild beasts into our heart depriving
us of the real honour which we might receive from all, and
introducing to deluded men another which is the opposite of this,
only painted over with its colours, and persuading them to fancy
that it is the same, when by nature it is not so, but only seems to
be so to the eye. For as the beauty of courtesans, made up as it is
of dyes and pigments, is destitute of real beauty, yet makes a foul
and ugly face appear fair and beautiful to those who are deluded by
it when it is not so in reality: even so also riches force flattery
to look like honour. For I beg you not to consider the praises
which are openly bestowed through fear and fawning: for these are
only tints and pigments; but unfold the conscience of each of those
who flatter you in this fashion, and inside it you will see
countless accusers declaring against you, and loathing and
detesting you more than your bitterest adversaries and foes. And if
ever a change of circumstances should occur which would remove and
expose this mask which fear has manufactured, just as the sun when
it emits a hotter ray than usual discloses the real countenances of
those women whom I mentioned, then you will see clearly that all
through the former time you were held in the greatest contempt by
those who paid court to you, and you fancied you were enjoying
honour from those who thoroughly hated you, and in their heart
poured infinite abuse upon you, and longed to see you involved in extreme calamities.
For there is nothing like virtue to produce honour,—honour
neither forced nor feigned, nor hidden under a mask of deceit, but
real and genuine, and able to stand the test of hard times.
10. But do you wish to take vengeance on those
who have annoyed you? This, as I was saying just now, is the very
reason why wealth ought specially to be avoided. For it prepares
thee to thrust the sword against thyself, and renders thee liable
to a heavier account in the future day of reckoning, and makes thy
punishment intolerable. For revenge is so great an evil that it
actually revokes the mercy of God, and cancels the forgiveness of
countless sins which has been already bestowed. For he who received
remission of the debt of ten thousand talents, and after having
obtained so great a boon by merely asking for it then made a demand
of one hundred pence from his fellow servant, a demand, that is,
for satisfaction for his transgression against himself, in his
severity towards his fellow servant recorded his own condemnation;
and for this reason and no other he was delivered to the
tormentors, and racked, and required to pay back the ten thousand
talents; and he was not allowed the benefit of any excuse or
defence, but suffered the most extreme penalty, having been
commanded to deposit the whole debt which the lovingkindness of God
had formerly remitted. Is this then the reason, pray, why
wealth is so earnestly pursued by thee, because it so easily
conducts thee into sin of this kind? Nay verily, this is why you
ought to abhor it as a foe and an adversary teeming with countless
murders. But poverty, some one will say, disposes men to be
discontented and often also to utter profane words, and condescend
to mean actions. It is not poverty which does this, but littleness
of soul: for Lazarus also was poor, aye! very poor: and besides
poverty he suffered from infirmity, a bitterer trial than any form
of poverty, and one which makes poverty more severely felt; and in
addition to infirmity there was a total absence of protectors, and
difficulty in finding any to supply his wants, which increased the
bitterness of poverty and infirmity. For each of these things is
painful in itself, but when there are none to minister to the
sufferer’s wants, the suffering becomes greater, the flame more
painful, the distress more bitter, the tempest fiercer, the billows
stronger, the furnace hotter. And if one examines the case
thoroughly there was yet a fourth trial besides these—the
unconcern and luxury of the rich man who dwelt hard by. And if you
would find a fifth thing, serving as fuel to the flame, you will
see quite clearly that he was beset by it. For not only was that
rich man living luxuriously, but twice, and thrice, or rather
indeed several times in the day he saw the poor man: for he had
been laid at his gate, being a grievous spectacle of pitiable
distress, and the bare sight of him was sufficient to soften even a
heart of stone: and yet even this did not induce that unmerciful
man to assist this case of poverty: but he had his luxurious table
spread, and goblets wreathed with flowers, and pure wine
plentifully poured forth, and grand armies of cooks, and parasites,
and flatterers from early dawn, and troops of singers, cupbearers,
and jesters; and he spent all his time in devising every species of
dissipation, and drunkenness, and surfeiting, and in revelling in
dress and feasting and many other things. But although he saw that
poor man every day distressed by grievous hunger and the bitterest
infirmity, and the oppression of his many sores, and by
destitution, and the ills which result from these things, he never
even gave him a thought: yet the parasites and the flatterers were
pampered even beyond their need; but the poor man, and he so very
poor, and encompassed with so many miseries, was not even
vouchsafed the crumbs which fell from that table, although he
greatly desired them: and yet none of these things injured him, he
did not give vent to a bitter word, he did not utter a profane
speech; but like a piece of gold which shines all the more
brilliantly when it is purified by excessive heat, even so he,
although oppressed by these sufferings, was superior to all of
them, and to the agitation which in many cases is produced by them.
For if generally speaking poor men, when they see rich men, are
consumed with envy and racked by malicious ill-will, and deem life
not worth living, and this even when they are well supplied with
necessary food, and have persons to minister to their wants; what
would the condition of this poor man have been had he not been very
wise and noble hearted, seeing that he was poor beyond all other
poor men, and not only poor, but also infirm, and without any one
to protect or cheer him, and lay in the midst of the city as if in
a remote desert, and wasted away with bitter hunger, and saw all
good things being poured upon the rich man as out of a fountain,
and had not the benefit of any human consolation, but lay exposed
as a perpetual meal for the tongues of the dogs, for he was so
enfeebled and broken down inbody that he could not scare them away? Dost thou
perceive that he who does not injure himself suffers no evil? for I
will again take up the same argument.
11. For what harm was done to this hero by his
bodily infirmity? or by the absence of protectors? or by the coming
of the dogs? or the evil proximity of the rich man? or by the great
luxury, haughtiness and arrogance of the latter? Did it enervate
him for the contest on behalf of virtue? Did it ruin his fortitude?
Nowhere was he harmed at all, but that multitude of sufferings, and
the cruelty of the rich man, rather increased his strength, and
became the pledge for him of infinite crowns of victory, a means of
adding to his rewards, an augmentation of his recompense, and a
promise of an increased requital. For he was crowned not merely on
account of his poverty, or of his hunger or of his sores, or of the
dogs licking them: but because, having such a neighbour as the rich
man, and being seen by him every day, and perpetually overlooked he
endured this trial bravely and with much fortitude, a trial which
added no small flame but in fact a very strong one to the fire of
poverty, and infirmity and loneliness.
And, tell me, what was the case of the blessed Paul?
for there is nothing to prevent my making mention of him again. Did
he not experience innumerable storms of trial? And in what respect
was he injured by them? Was he not crowned with victory all the
more in consequence,—because he suffered hunger, because he was
consumed with cold and nakedness, because he was often tortured
with the scourge, because he was stoned, because he was cast into
the sea? But then some one says he was Paul, and called by Christ.
Yet Judas also was one of the twelve, and he too was called of
Christ; but neither his being of the twelve nor his call profited
him, because he had not a mind disposed to virtue. But Paul
although struggling with hunger, and at a loss to procure necessary
food, and daily undergoing such great sufferings, pursued with
great zeal the road which leads to heaven: whereas Judas although
he had been called before him, and enjoyed the same advantages as
he did, and was initiated in the highest form of Christian life,
and partook of the holy table and that most awful of sacred feasts,
and received such grace as to be able to raise the dead, and
cleanse the lepers, and cast out devils, and often heard discourses
concerning poverty, and spent so long a time in the company of
Christ Himself, and was entrusted with the money of the poor, so
that his passion might be soothed thereby (for he was a thief) even
then did not become any better, although he had been favoured with
such great condescension. For since Christ knew that he was
covetous, and destined to perish on account of his love of money he
not only did not demand punishment of him for this at that time,
but with a view to softening down his passion he was entrusted with
the money of the poor, that having some means of appeasing his
greed he might be saved from falling into that appalling gulf of
sin, checking the greater evil beforehand by a lesser one.
12. Thus in no case will any one be able to
injure a man who does not choose to injure himself: but if a man is
not willing to be temperate, and to aid himself from his own
resources no one will ever be able to profit him. Therefore also
that wonderful history of the Holy Scriptures, as in some lofty,
large, and broad picture, has portrayed the lives of the men of old
time, extending the narrative from Adam to the coming of Christ:
and it exhibits to you both those who are upset, and those who are
crowned with victory in the contest, in order that it may instruct
you by means of all examples that no one will be able to injure one
who is not injured by himself, even if all the world were to kindle
a fierce war against him. For it is not stress of circumstances,
nor variation of seasons, nor insults of men in power, nor
intrigues besetting thee like snow storms, nor a crowd of
calamities, nor a promiscuous collection of all the ills to which
mankind is subject, which can disturb even slightly the man who is
brave, and temperate, and watchful; just as on the contrary the
indolent and supine man who is his own betrayer cannot be made
better, even with the aid of innumerable ministrations. This at
least was made manifest to us by the parable of the two men, of
whom the one built his house upon the rock, the other upon the
sand: not that we
are to think of sand and rock, or of a building of stone, and a
roof, or of rivers, and rain, and wild winds, beating against the
buildings, but we are to extract virtue and vice as the meaning of
these things, and to perceive from them that no one injures a man
who does not injure himself. Therefore neither the rain although
driven furiously along, nor the streams dashing against it with
much vehemence, nor the wild winds beating against it with a mighty
rush, shook the one house in any degree: but it remained
undisturbed, unmoved: that thou mightest understand that no trial
can agitate the man who does not betray himself. But the house of
the other man was easily
swept away, not on account of the force of the trials (for in that
case the other would have experienced the same fate), but on
account of his own folly; for it did not fall because the wind blew
upon it, but because it was built upon the sand, that is to say
upon indolence and iniquity. For before that tempest beat upon it,
it was weak and ready to fall. For buildings of that kind, even if
no one puts any pressure on them, fall to pieces of themselves, the
foundation sinking and giving way in every direction. And just as
cobwebs part asunder, although no strain is put upon them, but
adamant remains unshaken even when it is struck: even so also they
who do not injure themselves become stronger, even if they receive
innumerable blows; but they who betray themselves, even if there is
no one to harass them, fall of themselves, and collapse and perish.
For even thus did Judas perish, not only having been unassailed by
any trial of this kind, but having actually enjoyed the benefit of
much assistance.
13. Would you like me to illustrate this
argument in the case of whole nations? What great forethought was
bestowed upon the Jewish nation! was not the whole visible creation
arranged with a view to their service? was not a new and strange
method of life introduced amongst them? For they had not to send
down to a market, and so they had the benefit of things which are
sold for money without paying any price for them: neither did they
cleave furrows nor drag a plough, nor harrow the ground, nor cast
in seed, nor had they need of rain and wind, and annual seasons,
nor sunshine, nor phases of the moon, nor climate, nor anything of
that kind; they prepared no threshing floor, they threshed no
grain, they used no winnowing fan for separating the grain from the
chaff, they turned no mill-stone, they built no oven, they brought
neither wood nor fire into the house, they needed no baker’s art,
they handled no spade, they sharpened no sickle, they required no
other art, I mean of weaving or building or supplying shoes: but
the word of God was everything to them. And they had a table
prepared off hand, free of all toil and labour. For such was the
nature of the manna; it was new and fresh, nowhere costing them any
trouble, nor straining them by labour. And their clothes, and
shoes, and even their physical frame forgot their natural
infirmity: for the former did not wear out in the course of so long
a time nor did their feet swell although they made such long
marches. Of physicians, and medicine, and all other concern about
that kind of art, there was no mention at all amongst them; so
completely banished was infirmity of every kind: for it is said
“He brought them out with silver and gold; and there was not one
feeble person among their tribes.” But like men who had quitted this
world, and were transplanted to another and a better one, even so
did they eat and drink, neither did the sun’s ray when it waxed
hot smite their heads; for the cloud parted them from the fiery
beam, hovering all round them, and serving like a portable shelter
for the whole body of the people. Neither at night did they need a
torch to disperse the darkness, but they had the pillar of fire, a
source of unspeakable light, supplying two wants, one by its
shining, the other by directing the course of their journey; for it
was not only luminous, but also conducted that countless host along
the wilderness with more certainty than any human guide. And they
journeyed not only upon land but also upon sea as if it had been
dry land; and they made an audacious experiment upon the laws of
nature by treading upon that angry sea, marching through it as if
it had been the hard and resisting surface of a rock; and indeed
when they placed their feet upon it the element became like solid
earth, and gently sloping plains and fields; but when it received
their enemies it wrought after the nature of sea; and to the
Israelites indeed it served as a chariot, but to their enemies it
became a grave; conveying the former across with ease, but drowning
the latter with great violence. And the disorderly flood of water
displayed the good order and subordination which marks reasonable
and highly intelligent men, fulfilling the part at one time of a
guardian, at another of an executioner, and exhibiting these
opposites together on one day. What shall one say of the rocks
which gave forth streams of water? what of the clouds of birds
which covered the whole face of the earth by the number of their
carcases? what of the wonders in Egypt? what of the marvels in the
wilderness? what of the triumphs and bloodless victories? for they
subdued those who opposed them like men keeping holiday rather than
making war. And they vanquished their own masters without the use
of arms; and overcame those who fought with them after they left
Egypt by means of singing and music; and what they did was a
festival rather than a campaign, a religious ceremony rather than a
battle. For all these wonders took place not merely for the purpose
of supplying their need, but also that the people might preserve
more accurately the
doctrine which Moses inculcated of the knowledge of God; and voices
proclaiming the presence of their Master were uttered on all sides
of them. For the sea loudly declared this, by becoming a road for
them to march upon, and then turning into sea again: and the waters
of the Nile uttered this voice when they were converted into the
nature of blood; and the frogs, and the great army of locusts, and
the caterpillar and blight declared the same thing to all the
people; and the wonders in the desert, the manna, the pillar of
fire, the cloud, the quails, and all the other incidents served
them as a book, and writing which could never be effaced, echoing
daily in their memory and resounding in their mind. Nevertheless
after such great and remarkable providence, after all those
unspeakable benefits, after such mighty miracles, after care
indescribable, after continual teaching, after instruction by means
of speech, and admonition by means of deeds, after glorious
victories, after extraordinary triumphs, after abundant supply of
food, after the plentiful production of water, after the ineffable
glory with which they were invested in the eyes of the human race,
being ungrateful and senseless they worshipped a calf, and paid
reverence to the head of a bull, even when the memorials of God’s
benefits in Egypt were fresh in their minds, and they were still in
actual enjoyment of many more.
14. But the Ninevites, although a barbarous
and foreign people who had never participated in any of these
benefits, small or great, neither words, nor wonders, nor works,
when they saw a man who had been saved from shipwreck, who had
never associated with them before, but appeared then for the first
time, enter their city and say “yet three days and Nineveh shall
be overthrown,” were so
converted and reformed by the mere sound of these words, and
putting away their former wickedness, advanced in the direction of
virtue by the path of repentance, that they caused the sentence of
God to be revoked, and arrested the threatened disturbance of their
city, and averted the heaven-sent wrath, and were delivered from
every kind of evil. “For,” we read, “God saw that every man
turned from his evil way, and was converted to the Lord.” How turned?
I ask. Although their wickedness was great, their iniquity
unspeakable, their moral sores difficult to heal, which was plainly
shown by the prophet when he said “their wickedness ascended even
unto the heaven:” indicating by the distance of the
place the magnitude of their wickedness; nevertheless such great
iniquity which was piled up to such a height as to reach even to
the heaven, all this in the course of three days in a brief moment
of time through the effect of a few words which they heard from the
mouth of one man and he an unknown shipwrecked stranger they so
thoroughly abolished, removed out of sight, and put away, as to
have the happiness of hearing the declaration “God saw that every
one turned from his evil way, and He repented of the evil which God
said He would do them.” Seest thou that he who is temperate and
watchful not only suffers no injury at the hands of man, but even
turns back Heaven-sent wrath? whereas he who betrays himself and
harms himself by his own doing, even if he receives countess
benefits, reaps no great advantage. So, at least, the Jews were not
profited by those great miracles, nor on the other hand were the
Ninevites harmed by having no share in them; but inasmuch as they
were inwardly well-disposed, having laid hold of a slight
opportunity they became better, barbarians and foreigners though
they were, ignorant of all divine revelation, and dwelling at a
distance from Palestine.
15. Again, I ask, was the virtue of the
“three children” corrupted by the troubles which beset them?
Whilst they were still young, mere youths, of immature age, did
they not undergo that grievous affliction of captivity? had they
not to make a long journey from home, and when they had arrived in
the foreign country were they not cut off from fatherland and home
and temple, and altar and sacrifices, and offerings, and drink
offerings, and even the singing of psalms? For not only were they
debarred from their home, but as a consequence from many forms of
worship also. Were they not given up into the hands of barbarians,
wolves rather than men? and, most painful calamity of all, when
they had been banished into so distant and barbarous a country, and
were suffering such a grievous captivity were they not without
teacher, without prophets, without ruler? “for,” it is written,
“there is no ruler, nor prophet, nor governor, nor place for
offering before Thee and finding mercy.” Yea moreover they were cast into
the royal palace, as upon some cliff and crag, and a sea full of
rocks and reefs, being compelled to sail over that angry sea
without a pilot or signal man, or crew, or sails; and they were
cooped up in the royal court as in a prison. For inasmuch as they
knew spiritual wisdom, and were superior to worldly things, and
despised all human
pride and made the wings of their soul soar upwards, they counted
their sojourn there as an aggravation of their trouble. For had
they been outside the court, and dwelling in a private house they
would have enjoyed more independence: but having been cast into
that prison (for they deemed the splendour of the palace no better
than a prison, no safer than a place of rocks and crags) they were
straightway subjected to cruel embarrassment. For the king
commanded them to be partakers of his own table, a luxurious,
unclean and profane table, a thing which was forbidden them, and
seemed more terrible than death; and they were lonely men hemmed in
like lambs amongst so many wolves. And they were constrained to
choose between being consumed by famine or rather led off to
execution, and tasting of forbidden meats. What then did these
youths do, forlorn as they were, captives, strangers, slaves of
those who commanded these things. They did not consider that this
strait or the absolute power of him who possessed the state
sufficed to justify their compliance; but they employed every
device and expedient to enable them to avoid the sin, although they
were abandoned on every side. For they could not influence men by
money: how should they, being captives? nor by friendship and
social intercourse? how should they being strangers? nor could they
get the better of them by any exertion of power: how was it
possible being slaves? nor master them by force of numbers: how
could they being only three? Therefore they approached the eunuch
who possessed the necessary authority, and persuaded him by their
arguments. For when they saw him fearful and trembling, and in an
agony of alarm concerning his own safety, and the dread of death
which agitated his soul was intolerable: “for I fear” said he
“my lord the king, lest he should see your countenances sadder
than the children which are of your sort and so shall ye endanger
my head to the king,” having released him from this fear
they persuaded him to grant them the favour. And inasmuch as they
brought to the work all the strength which they had, God also
henceforth contributed his strength to it. For it was not God’s
doing only that they achieved those things for the sake of which
they were to receive a reward, but the beginning and starting point
was from their own purpose, and having manifested that to be noble
and brave, they won for themselves the help of God, and so
accomplished their aim.
16. Dost thou then perceive that if a man does not
injure himself, no one else will be able to harm him? Behold at
least youthfulness, and captivity and destitution, and removal into
a foreign land, and loneliness, and dearth of protectors, and a
stern command, and great fear of death assailing the mind of the
eunuch, and poverty, and feebleness of numbers, and dwelling in the
midst of barbarians, and having enemies for masters, and surrender
into the hands of the king himself, and separation from all their
kindred, and removal from priests and prophets, and from all others
who cared for them, and the cessation of drink offerings and
sacrifices, and loss of the temple and psalmody, and yet none of
these things harmed them; but they had more renown then than when
they enjoyed these things in their native land. And after they had
accomplished this task first and had wreathed their brows with the
glorious garland of victory, and had kept the law even in a foreign
land, and trampled under foot the tyrant’s command, and overcome
fear of the avenger, and yet received no harm from any quarter, as
if they had been quietly living at home and enjoying the benefit of
all those things which I mentioned, after they had thus fearlessly
accomplished their work they were again summoned to other contests.
And again they were the same men; and they were subjected to a more
severe trial than the former one, and a furnace was kindled, and
they were confronted by the barbarian army in company with the
king: and the whole Persian force was set in motion and everything
was devised which tended to put deceit or constraint upon them:
divers kinds of music, and various forms of punishment, and
threats, and what they saw on every side of them was alarming, and
the words which they heard were more alarming than what they saw;
nevertheless inasmuch as they did not betray themselves, but made
the most of their own strength, they never sustained any kind of
damage: but even won for themselves more glorious crowns of victory
than before. For Nabuchadonosor bound them and cast them into the
furnace, yet he burnt them not, but rather benefited them, and
rendered them more illustrious. And although they were deprived of
temple (for I will repeat my former remarks) and altar, and
fatherland, and priests and prophets, although they were in a
foreign and barbarous country, in the very midst of the furnace,
surrounded by all that mighty host, the king himself who wrought
this looking on, they set up a glorious trophy, and won a notable
victory, having sung that admirable and extraordinary hymn which
from that day to this has been sung
throughout the world and will continue to be sung
to future generations.
Thus then when a man does not injure himself, he
cannot possibly be hurt by another: for I will not cease harping
constantly upon this saying. For if captivity, and bondage, and
loneliness and loss of country and all kindred and death, and
burning, and a great army and a savage tyrant could not do any
damage to the innate virtue of the three children captives,
bondmen, strangers though they were in a foreign land, but the
enemy’s assault became to them rather the occasion of greater
confidence: what shall be able to harm the temperate man? There is
nothing, even should he have the whole world in arms against him.
But, some one may say, in their case God stood beside them, and
plucked them out of the flame. Certainly He did; and if thou wilt
play thy part to the best of thy power, the help which God supplies
will assuredly follow.
17. Nevertheless the reason why I admire those
youths, and pronounce them blessed, and enviable, is not because
they tramped on the flame, and vanquished the force of the fire:
but because they were bound, and cast into the furnace, and
delivered to the fire for the sake of true doctrine. For this it
was which constituted the completeness of their triumph, and the
wreath of victory was placed on their brows as soon as they were
cast into the furnace and before the issue of events it began to be
weaved for them from the moment that they uttered those words which
they spoke with much boldness and freedom of speech to the king
when they were brought into his presence. “We have no need to
answer thee concerning this thing: for our God in Heaven whom we
serve is able to rescue us out of the burning fiery furnace: and He
will deliver us out of thy hands, O King. But if not, be it known
unto thee, O King, that we will not serve thy Gods nor worship the
golden image which thou hast set up.” After the utterance of these words
I proclaimed them conquerors; after these words having grasped the
prize of victory, they hastened on to the glorious crown of
martyrdom, following up the confession which they made through
their words with the confession made through their deeds. But if
when they had been cast into it, the fire had respect for their
bodies, and undid their bonds, and suffered them to go down into it
without fear, and forgot its natural force, so that the furnace of
fire became as a fountain of cool water, this marvel was the effect
of God’s grace and of the divine wonder-working power. Yet the
heroes themselves even before these things took place, as soon as
they set foot in the flames had erected their trophy, and won their
victory, and put on their crown, and had been proclaimed conquerors
both in Heaven and on earth, and so far as they were concerned
nothing was wanting for their renown. What then wouldst thou have
to say to these things? Hast thou been driven into exile, and
expelled from thy country? Behold so also were they. Hast thou
suffered captivity, and become the servant of barbarian masters.
Well! this also thou wilt find befell these men. But thou hast no
one present there to regulate thy state nor to advise or instruct
thee? Well! of attention of this kind these men were destitute. Or
thou hast been bound, burned, put to death? for thou canst not tell
me of anything more painful than these things. Yet lo! these men
having gone through them all, were made more glorious by each one
of them, yea more exceedingly illustrious, and increased the store
of their treasures in Heaven. And the Jews indeed who had both
temple, and altar, and ark and cherubim, and mercy-seat, and veil,
and an infinite multitude of priests, and daily services, and
morning and evening sacrifices, and continually heard the voices of
the prophets, both living and departed, sounding in their ears, and
carried about with them the recollection of the wonders which were
done in Egypt, and in the wilderness, and all the rest, and turned
the story of these things over in their hands, and had them
inscribed upon their door posts and enjoyed the benefit at that
time of much supernatural power and every other kind of help were
yet no wise profited, but rather damaged, having set up idols in
the temple itself, and having sacrificed their sons and daughters
under trees, and in almost every part of the country in Palestine
having offered those unlawful and accursed sacrifices, and
perpetrated countless other deeds yet more monstrous. But these men
although in the midst of a barbarous and hostile land, having their
occupation in a tyrant’s house, deprived of all that care of
which I have been speaking, led away to execution, and subjected to
burning, not only suffered no harm there from small or great, but
became the more illustrious. Knowing then these things, and
collecting instances of the like kind from the inspired divine
Scriptures (for it is possible to find many such examples in the
case of various other persons) we deem that neither a difficulty
arising from seasons or events, nor compulsion and force, nor the
arbitrary authority of
potentates furnish a sufficient excuse for us when we transgress. I
will now conclude my discourse by repeating what I said at the
beginning, that if any one be harmed and injured he certainly
suffers this at his own hands, not at the hands of others even if
there be countless multitudes injuring and insulting him: so that
if he does not suffer this at his own hands, not all the creatures
who inhabit the whole earth and sea if they combined to attack him
would be able to hurt one who is vigilant and sober in the Lord.
Let us then, I beseech you, be sober and vigilant at all times, and
let us endure all painful things bravely that we may obtain those
everlasting and pure blessings in Christ Jesus our Lord, to whom be
glory and power, now and ever throughout all ages. Amen.
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