{"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.1":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΟ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\nΟἱ μὲν ἄγιοι τῆς μοναχικῆς φιλοσοφίας κορυφαῖοι καὶ ἡγεμόνες, ἐκ τῶν ἄθλων καὶ ἀγώνων ὧν ἐτέλεσαν, καὶ τὰς προσηγορίας ἁρμοδίας τοῖς πράγμασι πρὸς νουθεσίαν ἡμῶν καὶ μάθησιν ἔθεντο, ἀποταγὴν τὴν τῆς ὕλης ἀναχώρησιν, καὶ ὑποταγὴν τὴν εὐπείθειαν καλέσαντες. Καὶ οἱ μὲν φύσιν μόνην ἔσχον διδάσκαλον· ἡμεῖς δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐκείνων πρᾶξιν ἀνάγραπτον ἔχοντες, μικρὰ τῆς ἐργασίας φροντίζομεν. Χρὴ τοίνυν τὴν μὲν ἀποταγὴν λήθην εἶναι προκατασχούσης γνώμης, καὶ ἄρνησιν συνηθείας · τὴν δὲ ὑπακοὴν, νέκρωσιν καὶ φθορὰν τῶν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς μελῶν, καθὼς γέγραπται","t":"To Nilus the monk. The holy leaders and guides of the monastic philosophy, out of the contests and struggles they carried through, also gave names fitting the realities, for our admonition and instruction, calling withdrawal from material things \"renunciation\" and ready obedience \"submission\". They had nature alone as their teacher; but we, who have their practice in writing as well, care little for the work. Renunciation, then, must be the forgetting of a will that held us before and the denial of habit; and obedience the putting to death and destruction of the members that are on earth, as it is written …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.1 (PG 78 78:177; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-1)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.102":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΚατὰ Θεοπασχητῶν, καὶ τῶν μίαν ἐπὶ Χριστοῦ φύσιν εἶναι λεγόντων. Ὥσπερ οἱ· ναυτικοὶ βρώματι τὸ δέλεαρ κατακρύπτουσι, καὶ τοὺς ἰχθύας ἀπροόπτως ἀγρεύουσιν· οὕτως οἱ πονηροὶ τῶν αἱρέσεων σύμμαχοι, τῇ χρηστολογίᾳ τὰς ἑαυτῶν κακονοίας καλύπτοντες, ἀγκιστρεύουσι τοὺς ἁπλουστέρους πρὸς θάνατον. Πάσῃ τοίνυν φυλακῇ τήρει τὴν σὴν καρδίαν, μή που [δόκησιν τὴν] τοῦ Χριστοῦ φύσιν μετὰ τὴν σάρκωσιν δέξῃ. Θατέρας γάρ ἐστιν ἀναίρεσις ἡ περὶ μιᾶς [τούτων] συγκατάθεσις· ἢ τῆς θείας τραπείσης, ἢ τῆς ἡμῶν μειωθείσης. Αὕτη τοῦ Μάνητος ἡ Χάρυβδις, δι' ἧς πάντας εἰς γέενναν καταγαγεῖν ἐσπούδασε.","t":"To Timothy the reader. [Against the Theopaschites and those who say there is one nature in Christ.] As fishermen hide the hook in food and catch the fish unawares, so the wicked allies of the heresies, covering their ill intentions with fine words, hook the simpler people to death. Guard your heart, then, with all vigilance, lest you accept [one] nature of Christ after the incarnation. For to assent to one of them is to do away with the other: either the divine is changed, or ours is diminished. This is Mani's Charybdis, by which he strove to drag everyone down to Gehenna.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.102 (PG 78 78:251; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-102)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.103":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΔιὰ τὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν ὁ Κύριος τρὶς τὸν Πέτρον περὶ ἀγάπης ἠρώτησεν. Ἡ τριπλῆ τοῦ Κυρίου πρὸς Πέτρον περὶ ἀγάπης ἐρώτησις, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀγνοίας τοῦ Δεσπότου ὑπόνοια · μὴ οὕτως τινὲς παραλογιζέσθωσαν ἀλλὰ τὸ τριπλοῦν τῆς ἀρνήσεως, τῷ τριπλῷ τῆς συγκαταθέσεως, ὁ ἀγαθὸς Ἰατρὸς ἐξωστράκισε..","t":"To the same. [Why after the resurrection the Lord asked Peter three times about love.] The Lord's threefold question to Peter about love does not suggest ignorance on the Master's part (let no one reason falsely so); rather, the good Physician banished the threefold denial by the threefold assent.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.103 (PG 78 78:253; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-103)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.104":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ ἀναξίως ψαύειν τῆς χειροτονίας τοῦ ἐπισκόπου. Οὐκ ἔστι τῶν τυγχανόντων ἐπισκοπῆς ἐρᾶν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ἀλλ᾽ ὧν ὁ βίος ἐκ τῶν Παύλου νόμων ἰθύνεται. Εἰ οὖν ἐκείνην ἐν σεαυτῷ θεωρεῖς τὴν ἀκρίβειαν, ἴθι ἀσμένως πρὸς τὴν [τοῦ τοσούτου ὕψους ἀνάβασιν. Εἰ δὲ οὐ πρόσεστί σοι αὕτη, μέχρις ἂν κτήσῃ, μὴ ψαύσῃς τῶν ἀψαύστων. Πρόσεχε πυρὶ προσεγγίζειν τὴν ὕλην δαπανῶντι.","t":"To Leontius. [On touching the ordination of a bishop unworthily.] It is not for any chance person to love the office of bishop, admirable man, but for those whose life is directed by Paul's laws. If, then, you see that exactness in yourself, go gladly to the ascent of so great a height. But if it is not in you, do not touch what is not to be touched until you acquire it. Beware of drawing near to a fire that consumes the material.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.104 (PG 78 78:253; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-104)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.105":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΔιὰ τί ὁ Ἰωάννης· τοὺς Ἰουδαίους γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν ἐκάλεσε. Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν Ἰωάννης τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἐκάλεσεν, ὡς πονηρῶν γονέων κυήματα πονηρότερα. Φασὶ γὰρ τουτὶ τὸ θηρίον κατεσθίειν τὴν μητρώαν νηδὺν ἐν τῷ ἀποτίκτεσθαι.· Ἐπειδὴ οὖν τὸν γεννήσαντα αὐτοὺς Θεὸν ἐγκατέλιπον καὶ πᾶσαν δεδομένην αὐτοῖς χάριν ἐνέκρωσαν καταργήσαντες, εἰκότως ἐκείνοις αὐτοὺς ἀπεικάζει τοῖς ἰοβόλοις, ἀχαριστίᾳ τὰς εὐεργεσίας ἐξαφανίζουσιν, ἢ μᾶλλον εἰπεῖν κατεσθίουσιν.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. [Why John called the Jews offspring of vipers.] John called the Jews offspring of vipers, as offspring more wicked than wicked parents. For they say that this beast eats through its mother's womb when it is born. Since, then, they had forsaken God who begot them and, abolishing every grace given them, had put it to death, he rightly likens them to those venomous creatures, who destroy, or rather, so to speak, devour their benefits by ingratitude.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.105 (PG 78 78:253; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-105)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.106":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΕἰς τὸ, «Μὴ ποιεῖτε τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Πατρός μου οἶκον ἐμπορίου. Νουνεχῶς ἐρωτῶντι ἀνάγκη σοι ἀποκρίνεσθαι. Λάλει γὰρ, φησὶν, εἰς ὦτα ἀκουόντων: Καὶ, « Ὁ ἔχων ὦτα · ἀκούεῖν, ἀκουέτω. » – « Μὴ ποιεῖτε τὸν οἶκον τοῦ Πατρός μου οἶκον ἐμπορίου, » τοῖς τὰς περιστερὰς πωλοῦσιν ὁ Κύριος εἶπε, τοὺς ἱερεῖς αἰνισσόμενος, τὰς τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἀπεμπωλοῦντας δωρεάς· ἐπειδὴ ἐν εἴδει περιστερᾶς τὸ θεῖον ἐπεφάνη Πνεῦμα, τοὺς θεοκαπήλους προπηλακίζον. Τὸ δὲ, «Ἄρατε ταῦτα ἐντεῦθεν, » Οὐ χρεία λοιπὸν, φησὶ, τῶν αἱμάτων · ἀναίμακτον ἐγὼ χαρίζομαι πταισμάτων ἄφεσιν· ἐκ τοῦ δεῦρο πνεῦμα μόνον ἐξιλάσκεσθαι βούλομαι. Ὁ σαρκικὸς πεπλήρωται νόμος, ὁ τοῦ πνεύματος κρατείτω, καὶ τῆς σωτηρίας ἀρχέτω.","t":"To Timothy the reader. [On \"Do not make my Father's house a house of trade.\"] To one who asks with understanding I must answer: for \"Speak,\" it says, \"in the ears of those who hear\"; and \"He who has ears to hear, let him hear.\" \"Do not make my Father's house a house of trade,\" the Lord said to those who sold the doves, hinting at the priests who sell the gifts of the Holy Spirit; since the divine Spirit appeared in the form of a dove, putting to shame those who make merchandise of God. And \"Take these things away from here\" means: there is no more need of blood; I grant a bloodless forgiveness of offenses; from now on I wish only the spirit to make propitiation. The fleshly law has been fulfilled; let the law of the Spirit prevail and lead the way of salvation.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.106 (PG 78 78:253; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-106)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.107":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς τῶν Διαθηκῶν συμφωνίας. Καινότητα δογμάτων, ὦ φιλότης, οὐδεμίαν τῷ νόμῳ καὶ τοῖς προφήταις ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς ἐπεισήγαγεν ἀλλὰ τοῖς πάλαι περὶ αὐτοῦ προφανθεῖσι τὸ πέρας ἐπέθηκε. Καὶ πάντως νουνεχῶς τὴν Παλαιὰν ἀναπτύσσων, πάντα τὰ τῆς Νέας ἐν αὐτῇ κηρυχθέντα εὑρήσεις. Τοῖς τοίνυν ἐπὶ τῷ νόμῳ ἐρηρεισμένοις, καὶ ξένην ὁδὸν τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν οἰομένοις, ἐκ τῶν τοῦ νόμου ῥημάτων, τῶν τῆς χάριτος δογμάτων τὴν ἀλήθειαν τρανοῖ. Καὶ ὄψονται οὕτως [τὴν] ἀμφοτέρων τῶν Διαθηκῶν ἐνδιάθετον συμφωνίαν.","t":"To the same. [On the agreement of the Testaments.] The Son of God, my friend, brought no novelty of doctrines into the law and the prophets, but put the completion to what had been prophesied about him of old. And if you unroll the Old Testament with understanding, you will certainly find in it everything proclaimed in the New. Make the truth of the doctrines of grace clear, then, from the words of the law, to those who rest on the law and think the gospel way a strange one; and so they will see the inner agreement of the two Testaments.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.107 (PG 78 78:255; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-107)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.108":{"o":"ΠΡΟΑΙΡΕΣΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ ζῶντος λόγου. Λόγων ἔχεις συναγωγήν, ὡς μανθάνω, ἀκοὴν μὲν τερπόντων, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν οὐ τρεφόντων. Λόγου δὲ τοῦ ζῶντός σοι δεῖ, οὗ ὁ χηρεύων κύμβαλον ἀλαλάζον ἐστίν. Εἰ τοίνυν ἐκεῖνον προσλάβοις, ὄργανον ἔσῃ ἡδύφθογγον καὶ Θεῷ καὶ ἀνθρώποις εὐάρμοστον.","t":"To Proaeresius the scholasticus. [On the living word.] You have a collection of words, as I learn, which delight the ear but do not nourish the soul. But you need the living Word; whoever is without him is a clanging cymbal. If, then, you take him to yourself, you will be a sweet-sounding instrument, well tuned both to God and to men.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.108 (PG 78 78:255; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-108)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.109":{"o":"ΜΑΡΑΘΩΝΙΟ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ.\nΚατὰ Μακεδονιανῶν, ἤτοι Πνευματομάχων. Εἰ ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Σωτὴρ ἡμῶν ἐνανθρωπήσας παρέδωκε συμπληρωτικὸν εἶναι· τῆς θείας Τριάδος τὸ πανάγιον Πνεῦμα, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἐπικλήσει τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος σὺν Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ ὡς ἐλευθεροῦν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, ἀριθμούμενον, καὶ ἐπὶ. τῆς τραπέζης τῆς μυστικῆς τὸν ἄρτον τὸν κοινὸν, σῶμα ἰδικὸν τῆς αὐτοῦ σαρκώσεως ἀποφαῖνον πῶς διδάσκεις, ἐμβρόντητε, ποιητὸν, ἢ κτιστὸν, ἢ τῆς δούλης φύσεως εἶναι, ἀλλ' οὐ τῆς δεσποτικῆς, καὶ δημιουργοῦ, καὶ βασιλίδος οὐσίας συγγενὲς καὶ ὁμοούσιον τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον; Εἰ γὰρ δοῦλον, μὴ ἀριθμείσθω μετὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου. Καὶ [εἰ] κτίσμα, μὴ συγκείσθω τῷ Κτίστῃ. Ἥνωται δὲ καὶ συνηρίθμηται, ἐπειδὴ τῷ ἀκριβεῖ τῶν τοιούτων δογματιστῇ τῷ Χριστῷ πείθεσθαι χρή, ἀσφαλῶς τὰ περὶ τῆς οἰκείας οὐσίας διδάσκοντι· εἰ καί σοι μὴ δοκεῖ, τῷ σοφωτέρῳ τε καὶ τὰ οὐράνια πλέον Θεοῦ εἰδέναι κομπάζοντι, ἢ μᾶλλον τολμηρῶς ῥητορεύοντι κατὰ Θεοῦ. \"Ὅτι ὁ ἄσκησιν ἐπαγγελλόμενος, πάντα τὰ αὐτῆς ἐπίπονα προθύμως ὀφείλει ἀσπάζεσθαι. Ὁ ἀσκῆσαι βουλόμενος, καὶ σωτηρίας ἐφιέμενος, πάντα τὰ αὐτῆς ἐπίπονα, ὁποῖα καὶ ὅσα δ᾽ ἂν ᾖ, προθύμως ἀσπάζεται. Ὁ δὲ παρ᾿ ἀξίαν πράττειν ἐν τῇ ἀσκήσει, ἢ ταῖς αὐτῆς διακονίαις οἰόμενος, τὸν ἔξω τῦφον ἐνδέδυται, ὃν ἀποθέσθαι ἀμήχανον, εἰ μὴ μνήμην έχοι τοῦ σώματος, ὅθεν ὑπέστη, καὶ ὅπου πάλιν ἀναλύει.","t":"To Marathonius the monk. [Against the Macedonians, or Pneumatomachi.] If our God and Savior, having become man, taught that the all-holy Spirit completes the divine Trinity, numbered with the Father and the Son in the invocation of holy baptism as setting free from sins, and on the mystical table making the common bread the very body of his incarnation, how can you teach, you thunderstruck man, that the Holy Spirit is made, or created, or of the servile nature, and not akin to and of one essence with the essence that is master, creator and sovereign? For if he is a servant, let him not be numbered with the Master; and if a creature, let him not be ranked with the Creator. But he is united and numbered with them, since we must obey Christ, the exact teacher of such doctrines, who teaches securely about his own essence; even if you think otherwise, you who boast of being wiser and of knowing heavenly things better than God, or rather who rashly make speeches against God. [Letter 1.110] [That one who professes ascetic discipline ought to embrace all its hardships eagerly.] One who wishes to practice discipline and longs for salvation eagerly embraces all its hardships, whatever and however many they may be. But one who thinks that in the discipline, or in its services, he is doing something beneath his dignity has put on the pride of the world, which he cannot put off unless he remembers the body, from what it came into being and into what it is dissolved again.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.109 (PG 78 78:255; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-109)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.11":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nὍτι ἡ ἐν τῷ ἀδικεῖσθαι ἢ παροινεῖσθαι φιλοσοφία πολλή. Εἰ Σωκράτης ὁ τῶν Ἀττικῶν δογμάτων νομοθέτης, καὶ τυπτηθεὶς οὐκ ἠμύνατο, αὐτὸς τί ἀλύεις μόνον ὑβρισθεὶς, ὡς γέγραφας; Εἰ γὰρ φιλοσοφήσειας, αὐτὸς μὲν τὴν Σωκράτους δόξαν ἀποίσῃ, εἰ καὶ ἧττον Σωκράτους πεπαρώνησαι· ὁ δὲ ἐξ ἐναντίας ὡς βέλει τῇ μεγαλοψυχία τρωθήσεται, ἢ καὶ ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε τῆς φιλαμαρτήμονος μεταβληθήσεται καὶ γνώμης καὶ γλώσσης, καὶ χάριν σοι εἴσεται ὡς αἰτίῳ τῆς ἀλλοιώσεως.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. [That there is great philosophy in being wronged or abused.] If Socrates, the lawgiver of Attic doctrines, did not retaliate even when he was struck, why are you distraught when you were only insulted, as you wrote? If you act as a philosopher, you will carry off the glory of Socrates, even though you were abused less than Socrates; and your opponent will be wounded by your magnanimity as by an arrow, or perhaps will even change both his sin-loving mind and his tongue, and will be grateful to you as the cause of his change.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.11 (PG 78 78:185; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-11)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.111":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ διὰ χρημάτων χειροτονηθέντος. Ἔλαβες ἱερωσύνην ἀνιέρως, ἀνίερε, χρήμασι κλέψας πρᾶγμα οὐράνιον, δεύτερος Καϊάφας, ἀργυρίῳ λαβὼν τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα. ᾿Αλλ' ἔστιν ἐλπὶς μεταβαλέσθαι σε πρὸς χρηστότητα. Ἐναντίον γάρ τι εἰπεῖν σοι οὐ βούλομαι.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. [On one ordained for money.] You received the priesthood unpriestly, you unpriestly man, stealing a heavenly thing with money, a second Caiaphas, taking the ineffable things for silver. But there is hope that you may change for the better; I do not wish to say anything against you.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.111 (PG 78 78:257; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-111)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.112":{"o":"ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nὍτι ἂν λέγομεν οἱ ἱερεῖς ὀφείλομεν ποιεῖν. Διδάσκεις ἐπ᾿ ἐκκλησίας τερπνῶς, ἀλλ᾽ εἴθε μᾶλλον εὐεργετικῶς. Ἔοικας γάρ τινι ἐφ᾽ ὕψους βάλλοντι λίθους διάκοντι τῆς πτώσεως αὐτοῦ τὴν εὐθύτητα, καὶ ταύτην ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτὸν προσκαλουμένῳ. Ὁ γὰρ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἔλεγχος, εἰ ἐν ἡμῖν θεωρεῖται, διὰ τῶν ἔργων τοὺς λόγους ἀρνούμενος, οὐ μόνον τοὺς ἀκροατὰς πράττειν κακῶς οὐ κωλύσομεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ γέλωτα ὀφλισκανοῦμεν, ἄλλα διδάσκοντες, καὶ ἕτερα πράττοντες.","t":"To Eusebius the bishop. [That we priests ought to do what we say.] You teach in church delightfully, but would that you taught beneficially. For you are like someone who throws stones up high and does not reckon that their fall comes straight back, and calls it down on himself. For if the reproof of sins is seen to be in us, denying our words by our works, we not only fail to stop our hearers from doing evil but also incur laughter, teaching one thing and doing another.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.112 (PG 78 78:257; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-112)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.113":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\n῞Οτι χρήματι πέπρακε τὴν ἱερωσύνην. · Ἀχρήστοις λίθοις τὸ ἐκκλησιαστήριον κτίζεις, τοῖς παρανόμοις, ἢ μᾶλλον ἀσεβέσι σου πόροις. Ἔλαβες γὰρ τιμὴν ἱερωσύνης, ὡς πιπράσκων ἱερωσύνην, καὶ ἔδωκας ταὐτὴν Ζωσίμῳ· οὕτως οὗτος ᾄδεται ἀνὰ πᾶσαν τὴν χώραν ὁ λόγος, ὥστε παντὸς ἀκούοντος ταῦτα ἠχεῖν τὰ ἀμφότερα ὦτα.","t":"To the same. [That he sold the priesthood for money.] You are building the church with useless stones, your lawless, or rather impious, revenues. For you took a price for the priesthood, as one selling the priesthood, and gave it to Zosimus. So this story is sung throughout the whole country that both ears of everyone who hears it ring.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.113 (PG 78 78:257; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-113)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.114":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΠερὶ τῶν τριῶν ἡμερονυκτίων τῆς ταφῆς τοῦ Κυρίου. Τῶν τριῶν τῆς ταφῆς τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμερονυκτίων αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ διασάφησις. Γέγραπται, «Ὥσπερ ἦν Ἰωνᾶς ἐν τῇ κοιλίᾳ τοῦ κήτους τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας· οὕτως καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔσται ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ τῆς γῆς τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας. » Ὁ τοίνυν ἐπαγγειλάμενος τὸν τύπον πληρῶν Ἰωνᾶ, ἀκριβῶς αὐτὸν ἐπιστάμενος (ἐπειδὴ [καὶ] παρῆν Ἰωνᾷ [καὶ] ῥιπτουμένῳ εἰς τὸν βυθὸν, καὶ ἐκβρασσομένῳ ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ), τοῦτον ἐπλήρωσεν ἀσφαλῶς, τοσοῦτον ἐν τῷ τάφῳ διατρίψας, ὅσον Ἰωνᾶς ἐν τῷ κήτει. Εἰ δὲ καὶ δευτέραν ζητεῖς, αὕτη ἐστίν· Ἕκτῃ ὥρᾳ τῆς Παρασκευῆς ἐσταυρώθη ὁ Κύριος. ᾿Απὸ ταύτης ἕως ἐννάτης σκότος ἐγένετο, τοῦτο νύκτα μοι νόησον. Πάλιν ἀπὸ ἐννάτης φῶς· τοῦτο πάλιν ἡμέραν· ἡ νὺξ αὖθις τῆς Παρασκευῆς. Τὸ Σάββατον πάλιν. Ἡ νὺξ τοῦ Σαββάτου ὁ τῆς Κυριακῆς ὄρθρος, κατὰ τὸν εὐαγγελιστὴν λέγοντα· « Τῇ ἐπιφωσκούσῃ εἰς μίαν τῶν Σαββάτων. • Εἰ δὲ καὶ τρίτην ἀπαιτεῖς μαθεῖν, οὕτως·᾿ Εν τῇ Παρασκευῇ παρέδωκεν ὁ Κύριος τὸ πνεῦμα· τοῦτο μία ἡμέρα. Τὸ Σάββατον ὅλον ἐποίησεν, ἐν τῷ τάφῳ· εἶτα τούτου τὴν νύκτα. Επιφωσκούσης Κυριακῆς ἀνέστη ἐκ τοῦ τάφου, καὶ τοῦτο ἡμέρα· ἐπειδὴ ἀπὸ μέρους, ὡς οἶσθα, τὸ ὅλον γνωρίζεται· οὕτως δὲ καὶ ἡμεῖς τὰς τῶν τελευτώντων μνήμας εἰώθαμεν τελεῖν. Ὁποίᾳ δ' ἂν ὥρᾳ [τῆς] ἡμέρας τις τελευτήσοι, τὴν ἑξῆς ὑπερτίθεσθαι· μόνην, καὶ τῇ ἑτέρᾳ ἕωθεν, τὴν τριταίαν αὐτοῦ ἄγειν ἡμέραν. Ἔχεις, ὡς οἶμαι, τὴν λύσιν τοῦ ζητουμένου. Εἰ δὲ τελείας τὰς τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ νύκτας ζητοῦσιν οἱ κακομάχοι, ἀπόκριναι, ὅτι καὶ βασιλεὺς εἰ πρεσβείαν καὶ ἱκεσίαν τῶν ἐν μετάλλοις καὶ φυλακαῖς προσδεξάμενος, μετὰ τρίτην αὐτοῖς ἡμέραν μεταδοῦναι ὑπέσχετο τῆς ἀφέσεως, καὶ προφθάσας τὴν προθεσμίαν τὴν λύτρωσιν δέδωκε, μᾶλλον τῷ τάχει ἠλήθευσεν. Ὁ δὲ Δεσπότης συντομώτερον ἀναστὰς ἢ ὑπέσχετο, παρὰ πάντων εἰκότως προσκυνηθήσεται. Τί σοι καὶ τῇ ὁδῷ Αἰγύπτου, [τοῦ] πιεῖν ὕδωρ Γηών; πρὸς τὸν παλίνστροφον λαὸν ὁ προφήτης φησὶν, ἢ μᾶλλον δι᾽ ἐκείνου Θεός. Τί σοὶ καὶ τῇ συγχύσει ἧς ἀπηλλάγης χειρὶ Θεοῦ κραταιᾷ, καὶ βραχίονι ὑψηλῷ; Τί τῆς ἀρετῆς ἁψάμενος, καὶ τῆς ἄκρας φιλοσοφίας γευσάμενος, εἰς κακίαν παλινοστεῖς, οὐκ ἔχων τὸ Γραφικὸν κατὰ νοῦν, Τὸν ἀποστρέφοντα ἀπὸ δικαιοσύνης ἐπὶ ἁμαρτίαν ἑτοιμάσει· ὁ Κύριος εἰς ῥομφαίαν; Φύγε τὸν κλύδωνα, καὶ φύγε τὰ κύματα. Ἐπέτίμησε Χριστὸς τῷ ἀνέμῳ. Οὐδείς σε χειμῶνος καταλήψεται πεῖρα, εἰ τὸν λιμένα κρατοίης Χριστόν.","t":"To Timothy the reader. [On the three days and nights of the Lord's burial.] This is the explanation of the three days and nights of the Lord's burial. It is written: \"As Jonah was in the belly of the sea monster three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth three days and three nights.\" So he who promised to fulfil the type of Jonah, knowing it exactly (for he [even] was present with Jonah both when he was thrown into the deep and when he was cast up out of it), fulfilled it securely, staying in the tomb as long as Jonah was in the sea monster. If you want a second explanation, here it is. At the sixth hour of the Preparation the Lord was crucified. From then until the ninth there was darkness: count this a night for me. Again from the ninth there was light: count this again a day. Then the night of the Preparation; then the Sabbath; then the night of the Sabbath, the dawn of the Lord's Day, as the evangelist says: \"As it began to dawn toward the first day of the week.\" If you demand a third, it is this. On the Preparation the Lord gave up his spirit: that is one day. He spent the whole Sabbath in the tomb, then its night. As the Lord's Day dawned he rose from the tomb, and this is a day; since, as you know, the whole is known from the part. So too we are accustomed to keep the commemorations of those who die: at whatever hour of the day someone dies, we pass over only the next day, and on the one after, at dawn, we keep his third day. You have, I think, the answer to the question. But if the contentious demand three complete days and nights, answer that if a king who received an embassy and petition from those in the mines and prisons promised to grant them release after three days, and gave the redemption before the appointed time, he was all the more truthful by his speed. And the Master, who rose sooner than he promised, will rightly be worshiped by all. [Letter 1.115] \"What have you to do with the road to Egypt, to drink the water of Gihon?\" the prophet says to the backsliding people, or rather God says through him. What have you to do with the confusion from which you were set free by a mighty hand and a lofty arm? Why, having laid hold of virtue and tasted the highest philosophy, are you going back to vice, not keeping in mind the word of Scripture: \"The one who turns from righteousness to sin, the Lord will prepare for the sword\"? Flee the surge, and flee the waves. Christ rebuked the wind. No trial of storm will overtake you, if you hold Christ as your harbor.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.114 (PG 78 78:257; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-114)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.116":{"o":"ΑΥΣΟΝΙΩ ΚΟΡΡΙΚΤΟΡΙ.\nΣοφὸν ἔχων ἀληθείας ἐξεύρημα τὸ πολυειδές τῶν βασάνων μηχάνημα, χρῆσαι τῷ φόβῳ πρὸς τὴν κρίσιν· ἐπειδὴ φόβον σε τοῖς κακοῖς ὁ θεῖος νόμος ὡρίσατο.","t":"To Ausonius the corrector. Since you have the many-formed machinery of tortures as a clever means of finding out the truth, use the fear of it for judging; for the divine law has appointed you a fear to evildoers.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.116 (PG 78 78:259; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-116)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.117":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΑΡΧΙΜΑΝΔΡΙΤΗ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Περὶ τῆς ἡμέρας ἐκείνης καὶ τῆς ὥρας οὐδεὶς οἶδεν. Τί καθ' ἑαυτῶν τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπισπῶνται κρίσιν οἱ βλάσφημοι ; Τί τὸ πῦρ τῆς γεέννης οἱ θεομάχοι ἐπικαίουσιν Ἠγνόησε, φάσκουσι, τῆς συντελείας τὴν ἡμέραν ὁ Κύριος. Οὐκ ἠγνόησεν, ἄπαγε, ἀλλὰ σαφηνίζειν τὰ ἀνωφελῆ παρῃτεῖτο προβλήματα. Ἐπεὶ πῶς ἀγνοεῖν ἡδύνατο ὥραν ἢ ἡμέραν ὁ ποιητὴς τῶν αἰώνων, ἐν ᾧ πάντες εἰσὶν οἱ θησαυροὶ τῆς σοφίας; Οὐκ ἦν ἀγνοοῦντος, τὸ καὶ τὰ σημεῖα καὶ τὰ φόβητρα προειπεῖν τῆς ἐσχάτης, καὶ ὥσπερ παροῦσαν αὐτὴν τοῖς γνωρίσμασι διαγράφειν. ᾿Αλλ᾿ ὁ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, τῆς εἰκαίας ἐρωτήσεως τὴν ἀπόφασιν οὐκ ἐδήλωσε. Τί γὰρ ὄφελος, εἰπέ μοι, μαθεῖν τὴν ἡμέραν τοῦ τέλους; ᾿Αγνοεῖν δὲ ταύτην συμφέρει, ἵνα πᾶσαν ἡμέραν ἐκείνην εἶναι νομίζοντες, ἕτοιμοι πρὸς ταύτην τυγχάνωμεν γρηγοροῦντες, καὶ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν περιμένοντες. ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΡΩΝΙ. Περὶ πρεσβυτέρων μὴ περιπατούντων κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐντολήν. Ἤρκεις μὲν καὶ σὺ, ἀναιδέστατε Ζώσιμε, τὴν θείαν ἱερωσύνην λυμαίνεσθαι, καὶ πᾶσαν αὐτῇ ὕβριν προστρίβεσθαι· ἔσχες δὲ καὶ σύζυγον ὅμοιον, καὶ ζεύγος βοῶν συνηρμόσθητε, τὴν ἀκανθοφόρον γῆν τῶν παθῶν ἐργαζόμενοι. Στῆτε τοίνυν, ὦ δείλαιοι, τῆς ἀτόπου μανίας. Παύσασθε πάντολμοι τὴν βασιλικὴν αὐλὴν καταχραίνοντες. Τῶν μολυσμῶν ἑαυτοὺς ἐκκαθάρατε. Κηλίδος τὸ θυσιαστήριον ἀπαλλάξατε. Ἡμᾶς δακρύων κουφίσατε, τοὺς ὁρῶντας σκανδάλων ἐλευθερώσατε, τοὺς κωμῳδοῦντας σιγᾷν συγχωρήσατε, τὴν κρίσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐνθυμήθητε, τῆς ἑαυτῶν ψυχῆς καὶ τοῦ σώματος φείσασθε.","t":"To Athanasius the archimandrite. [On \"Concerning that day and hour no one knows.\"] Why do the blasphemers draw the Lord's judgment upon themselves? Why do the fighters against God stoke the fire of Gehenna? The Lord, they say, did not know the day of the consummation. He did not fail to know it, away with the thought! but declined to make clear problems of no use. For how could he be ignorant of the hour or day, he who made the ages, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom? It was not the part of one who did not know to foretell the signs and terrors of the last day and to describe it by its marks as if present. But, as I have just said, he did not declare the answer to an idle question. For what good is it, tell me, to learn the day of the end? It is useful not to know it, so that, thinking every day to be that day, we may be ready for it, keeping watch and awaiting our Lord. [Letter 1.118] To Zosimus and Maron. [On presbyters who do not walk according to God's commandment.] You alone, most shameless Zosimus, were enough to ruin the divine priesthood and heap every outrage upon it; but you have also got a partner like yourself, and the two of you are yoked together as a pair of oxen, working the thorn-bearing land of the passions. Stop, then, you wretches, from your outrageous madness. Cease, you who dare everything, to defile the royal court. Cleanse yourselves from your pollutions. Free the altar from its stain. Spare us our tears; free those who see you from scandal; let those who mock you fall silent; think on God's judgment; spare your own soul and body.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.117 (PG 78 78:259; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-117)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.119":{"o":"ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\n῞Οτι φρικτὸν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν τὸ πιπράσκειν ἱερωσύνην ἢ ἐξωνεῖσθαι. Καλῶς τὸ Ψαλμικὸν ἐμελέτησας, καὶ τοὺς μονοτρόπους ἐν τῷ τοῦ Κυρίου οἴκῳ συνήγαγες, Ζωσίμῳ συζεύξας [καὶ] Μάρωνα · πᾶσαν σπουδὴν, ὡς οἶμαι, τιθέμενος, μή τι τῶν φαύλων ἔξω τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου σταίη. Ἴσθι τοίνυν ὡς πληθύνων τοὺς Σίμωνας, τοὺς χρήμασι κτᾶσθαι τὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ Πνεῦμα νομίζοντας, κοινὸν ἐκτήσω βαλάντιον τῷ προδότῃ, εἰς χολὴν πικρίας καὶ· σύνδεσμον ἀδικίας καλινδούμενος, καὶ προπίνων τολμηρῶς τὰ καὶ ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῖς περιπόθητα.","t":"To Eusebius the bishop. [That it is dreadful beyond measure to sell or to buy the priesthood.] You have practiced the psalm well, and \"gathered those of one manner\" in the house of the Lord, yoking Maron [too] with Zosimus, taking every care, I think, that none of the base should stand outside the altar. Know, then, that by multiplying Simons, who think the Spirit of God can be acquired with money, you have acquired a purse in common with the traitor, wallowing in the gall of bitterness and the bond of iniquity, and boldly drinking away things that even the angels long for.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.119 (PG 78 78:261; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-119)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.12":{"o":"ΑΜΜΩΝΙΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ κρύπτεις τὸ ἥττημα, ἀλλὰ φαίνῃ φυσώμενος πέρα καὶ τοῦ γένους, καὶ τῆς ἰσχύος, καὶ τῆς ἀξίας σου φρυαττόμενος. Η τοίνυν σύμμετρον σαυτῷ κτῆσαι φρόνημα, ἢ ἴσθι παρὰ πάντων γελώμενος.","t":"To Ammonius. Even if you hide your defeat, you still appear puffed up, snorting beyond your family, your strength and your rank. Either acquire a mind that fits you, or know that you are laughed at by everyone.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.12 (PG 78 78:187; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-12)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.120":{"o":"ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου Εὐσεβίου καὶ Ζωσίμου. Μὴ θαυμάσῃς τὴν τόλμαν Εὐσεβίου καὶ τὸ θράσος Ζωσίμου, ἀλλὰ τὴν· τοῦ Θεοῦ μακροθυμίαν, οὕτως ἡμᾶς εἰς μετάνοιαν περιμένοντος, καὶ ἐξ ἀκαθάρτου χειρὸς δεχομένου θυμίαμα. Εἰ γάρ τις ἁμαρτίαις ἀπότροφος, πᾶσι κατεστιγμένος μολυσμοῖς τε καὶ πταίσμασι, θυσιαστηρίων ἅπτεται Θεοῦ, καὶ χειρίζει ἀνάγνως τὰ ἅγια, αὐτὸς μὲν ὑφέξει κρίμα, τὸ δὲ θεῖον βῆμα ταῖς ἐκείνου πράξεσιν οὐ κοινοῦται.","t":"To Eusebius the presbyter. [On the bishop Eusebius and Zosimus.] Do not wonder at the daring of Eusebius and the boldness of Zosimus, but at God's long-suffering, which so waits for us to repent and accepts incense from an unclean hand. For if someone reared in sins and branded with every pollution and offense touches God's altars and handles the holy things impurely, he himself will bear the judgment, but the divine sanctuary is not made common by his deeds.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.120 (PG 78 78:261; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-120)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.121":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΕἰς τὸ, - Οὐκ ἀπεστάλην εἰ μὴ εἰς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ἰσραήλ. · μαθηταῖς μαθητεῦσαι πάντα τὰ ἔθνη, τὸ ἄγνωμον • Οὐκ ἀπεστάλην, φησὶν ὁ Κύριος τῇ Χαναναίᾳ, εἰ μὴ εἰς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ἰσραήλ·, τὴν πρὸς τὸν ᾿Ἀβραὰμ πληρῶσαι θέλων ὑπόσχεσιν, καὶ τοῦ σπέρματος αὐτοῦ ἐπιλαβόμενος, καὶ μητέρα ἐκεῖθεν ἐπιλεξάμενος, καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς σαρκωθεὶς, καὶ ἄνθρωπος κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ὅμοιος ἡμῖν κατὰ πάντα, πλὴν ἁμαρτίας, γενόμενος, καὶ Ἰουδαίων πᾶσαν σκῆψιν ἀναιρῶν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ, ὡς ἔφην, τοῖς πατράσι τὴν σωτηρίαν ὑπέσχετο, καὶ τὸ σπέρμα αὐτῶν πληθῦναι ὡς τοὺς ἀστέρας τοῦ οὐρανοῦ, πρὸς αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν παρεγένετο· καὶ τέως τοὺς ἐξ ἐθνῶν οὐ προσίετο προτέραν ἐκείνοις φυλάττων τὴν εἴσοδον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῶν μὲν εἶδε τὸ ἀμετάθετον, τῶν δὲ εὗρε τὸ εὐεπίστροφον, καὶ τοὺς μὲν θάνατον αὐτῷ καὶ σταυρὸν γεωργήσαντας, τοὺς δὲ προσκύνησιν καὶ θεολογίαν καρποφορήσαντας, ἀναστὰς ἐκ νεκρῶν, ἐντολὴν δίδωσι τοῖς καὶ ἀχάριστον τῶν Ἰουδαίων παραιτούμενος. Ο χάριν πρὸς τὰ ἔθνη στραφέντες, εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην, τοῦ θείου κηρύγματος αἴγλην ἐξέλαμψαν.","t":"To Timothy the reader. [On \"I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.\"] \"I was not sent,\" the Lord said to the Canaanite woman, \"except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,\" wishing to fulfil the promise to Abraham: taking hold of his seed, choosing a mother from there, taking flesh in her and from her, becoming truly man, like us in all things except sin, and removing every excuse of the Jews. For since, as I said, he had promised the fathers salvation, and to multiply their seed as the stars of heaven, he came to them and from them; and for a while he did not admit those of the nations, keeping the first entry for the others. But when he saw the obstinacy of the one and found the readiness to turn of the other, and saw that the one had cultivated death and a cross for him, while the other bore the fruit of worship and confession of his Godhead, he rose from the dead and gave the command to the disciples to make disciples of all nations, rejecting the unfeeling and ungrateful attitude of the Jews. For this reason they turned to the nations and made the splendor of the divine preaching shine out over the whole world.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.121 (PG 78 78:263; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-121)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.122":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nἙρμηνεία τῆς ἱερατικῆς ἐκφωνήσεως. . Εἰρήνην ὁ ἱερεὺς ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕψους τῆς καθέδρας τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐπιφθέγγεται· τὸν Κύριον τῆς καθέδρας μιμούμενος ἀναλαμβανόμενον, εἰρήνην τὴν οἰκείαν ἀφιέντα καὶ διδόντα. Τὸ δὲ, « Καὶ τῷ πνεύματί σου, » παρὰ τοῦ λαοῦ ἀποκρινόμενον τοῦτο δηλοῖ Εἰρήνην μὲν ἡμῖν παρέσχες, Κύριε, τὴν ἐν ἀλλήλοις ὁμόνοιαν. Εἰρήνην δὲ δὸς ἡμῖν, τὴν πρὸς σὲ ἀδιαίρετον ἕνωσιν, ἵνα τῷ πνεύματί σου εἰρηνεύοντες, ὃ ἡμῖν ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς δημιουργίας ἐνέθηκας; ἀχώριστοι τῆς σῆς ἀγάπης τυγχάνωμεν.","t":"To Dorotheus the count. [Interpretation of the priest's exclamation.] The priest pronounces \"Peace\" to the church from the height of his throne, imitating the Lord, who, as he was taken up, left and gave his own peace. And the people's answer, \"And with your spirit,\" means this: You have given us, Lord, the peace of concord with one another; give us also the peace of undivided union with you, so that, being at peace with your spirit, which you placed in us at the beginning of creation, we may be inseparable from your love.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.122 (PG 78 78:263; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-122)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.123":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΔιασάφησις τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς μυσταγωγίας. Ἡ καθαρὰ σινδὼν ἡ ὑφαπλουμένη τῇ τῶν θείων δώρων διακονίᾳ, ἡ τοῦ ᾿Αριμαθέως ἐστὶν Ἰωσὴφ λειτουργία. Ὡς γὰρ ἐκεῖνος τὸ τοῦ Κυρίου σῶμα σινδόνι ἐνειλήσας τῷ τάφῳ παρέπεμψε, δι' οὗ ἅπαν τὸ γένος ἡμῶν τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἐκαρπώσατο· οὕτως ἡμεῖς ἐπὶ σινδόνος τὸν ἄρτον τῆς προθέσεως ἀγιάζοντες, σῶμα Χριστοῦ ἀδιστάκτως εὑρίσκομεν, ἐκείνην ἡμῖν πηγάζον τὴν ἀφθαρσίαν, ἣν ὁ παρὰ Ἰωσὴφ μὲν κηδευθεὶς, ἐκ νεκρῶν δὲ ἀναστὰς Ἰησοῦς ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐχαρίσατο. ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Κατά Θεοπασχητῶν καὶ τῶν μίαν ἐπὶ Χριστοῦ φύσιν εἶναι λεγόντων. Θεοῦ πάθος οὐ λέγεται · Χριστοῦ γὰρ τὸ πάθος γέγονε · σαρκωθέντος δηλονότι Θεοῦ, καὶ τῇ προσλήψει τῆς σαρκὸς τὸ πάθος ὑπομείναντος. Θεότης γὰρ γυμνὴ οὐ μόνον πάσχειν οὐ δύναται, ἀλλ' οὔτε κρατεῖσθαι, οὐδὲ ὁρᾶσθαι, εἰ μὴ τῇ φύσει τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡνώθη φιλανθρώπως.","t":"To the same. [Explanation of the church's sacred rite.] The clean linen cloth spread out for the service of the divine gifts is the ministry of Joseph of Arimathea. For as he wrapped the Lord's body in linen and laid it in the tomb, through which our whole race reaped the resurrection, so we, consecrating the bread of the offering on a linen cloth, find without doubt the body of Christ, pouring forth for us that incorruption which Jesus the Savior, buried by Joseph and risen from the dead, granted. [Letter 1.124] To the same. [Against the Theopaschites and those who say there is one nature in Christ.] One does not speak of the suffering of God; for the suffering was Christ's, that is, of God made flesh, who endured the suffering by his assumption of the flesh. For bare Godhead not only cannot suffer, but cannot even be held or seen, unless it has been united in love for mankind to the nature of men.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.123 (PG 78 78:263; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-123)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.125":{"o":"ΓΡΗΓΟΡΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ συναντήσαντος ἀγγέλου τῷ Μωϋσῇ, καὶ ζητήσαντος αὐτὸν ἀνελεῖν. Τὸ μεν μῆκος αἰσχύνομαι ὅσον τὸ γράμμα ἀφίκετο· τὸν δὲ τῦφον οὐκ ἤνεγκα παρὰ σοῦ ἐρωτώμενος. Ὅμως ἐπειδὴ καὶ γονεῖς ἐπαγάλλονται τοῖς τῶν παίδων γυμνάσμασιν, εἰ καὶ ψιλὰ εἴη ἀθύρματα, συντόμως ἐρῶ. Ὁ ἄγγελος ὁ ὑπαντήσας Μωσεῖ εἰς Αἴγυπτον καταβαίνοντι, καὶ βουληθεὶς ἀνελεῖν αὐτὸν, οὐ τὸν φόνον ἐκδικῶν, ὃν πάλαι ζηλώσας εἰργάσατο, τὴν μάχαιραν κατ' αὐτοῦ ἀντετείνατο· ἀλλὰ τοῦ νόμου παράβασιν ἐγκαλῶν αὐτῷ, ὃν πληροῦν ἐπορεύετο. Νομοθέτης γὰρ παρὰ Θεοῦ προχειρισθεὶς, καὶ φυλάσσειν τὸν νόμον ἀκριβῶς ὀφείλων, αὐτὸς ἐκ προοιμίων τοῦτον παρέβαινε, τοὺς υἱέας αὐτοῦ ἀκροβύστους εἰς Αἴγυπτον ἐπαγόμενος, κὰκείνην τὴν ἐντολὴν καταργῶν, ἥτις μόνη Ἑβραίους καὶ ἀλλοφύλους διέκρινεν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ Σεπφώρα ψῆφον λαβοῦσα, τὸν υἱὸν περιέτεμεν, ἐν συναισθήσει γινομένη τοῦ πταίσματος, καὶ πρὸς πόδας τοῦ ἀγγέλου προσέπεσεν, εὐθὺς αὐτὸς ἀνεχώρησεν, ἐκεῖνο δείξας αἴτιον τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δικαίας ἀγανακτήσεως, ὁ ἡ πίστις τῆς γυναικὸς ἐστοχάσατο. Καὶ γὰρ φιλεῖ ἐν ἀνάγκαις τὰ γύναια σπουδαιοτέροις κεχρῆσθαι τῶν ἀνδρῶν μηχανήμασι, καὶ τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν καταφυγῆς γνησιώτερον ἅπτεσθαι., Ἐκεῖνο τοίνυν ἐποίησεν ὅ νῦν λέγεσθαι συμβαίνει ἐν ὀξείαις ἀναγκῶν περιστάσεσι. Τοῖς κακοῖς ἐκυκλώθημεν, σπουδαίως τὰ παιδία βαπτίζωμεν. Ἴσως δυσωπηθῇ ὁ ἄγγελος τὸ μυστήριον. ᾿Αντὶ βαπτίσματος γὰρ τῇ περιτομῇ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐκέχρηντο Εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον, « Φρόνιμοι, ὡς οἱ ὄφεις, καὶ ἀκέραιοι, ὡς αἱ περιστεραί. » Φρονίμους ἡμᾶς εἶναι κατὰ τὸν ὄφιν κελεύει ὁ Κύριος, ἐν παντὶ πειρασμῷ συντηροῦντας τὴν κεφαλὴν ἡμῶν, ἥτις ἐστὶν ἡ πίστις ἡμῶν, εὐμαθέστατε. Ὅσαις γὰρ ἂν περιστάσεσι καὶ πληγαῖς ὁ ὄφις συνέχηται, τὴν ἑαυτοῦ φυλάττει κεφαλὴν ἀβλαβῆ. Καὶ πάλιν σοφισμῷ τὴν παλαίωσιν ἀποδύεται ἐν στενωπῇ τινι παρεισδύσει θλιβόμενος, καὶ τὸ γῆρας ἀποτιθέμενος. Βούλεται τοίνυν καὶ ἡμᾶς διὰ τῆς στενῆς ὁδοῦ καὶ κακώσεως τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀπεκδύεσθαι, καὶ τὸν νέον ἀνταμφιέννυσθαι, τὸν κατά τὴν αὐτοῦ εἰκόνα ἀνακαινούμενον. \"Οτι τῶν πολλῶν βιβλίων ἡ κτῆσις τοῖς μὲν κεχρημένοις ὠφέλιμος· τοῖς δὲ μόνῃ τῇ τούτων κτήσει πλουτεῖν οἰομένοις ἐσχάτης τιμωρίας γίνεται πρόξενος. Βίβλους ἐκτήσω πλείστας, ὡς ἔμαθον, καὶ οἰήσει πλουτεῖς, ἀγνοῶν τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν, ταυτὸν ποιῶν τοῖς τὸν σἴτον κατέχουσι, καὶ τοὺς σῆτας τρέφουσι. Καὶ αὐταὶ μὲν γὰρ σητῶν μητέρες καὶ τροφοὶ, ὅταν δὲδενται, γίνονται. Η κέχρησο τοίνυν τῷ κτήματι, ἢ μὴ βλάπτε τὴν παίδευσιν, πολλὴν κἀνταῦθα κωμῳδίαν συνάγων βιβλιοφόρος ἢ βιβλιοτάφος, καὶ σητοτρόφος καλούμενος· καὶ ἐπὶ Θεοῦ κατηγορίαν ἀθροίζων, ὡς μέγα τάλαντον ὠφελείας ἀποκρυψάμενος, ὃ ἄλλοις μὲν ἐπιστεύθη, καὶ σοφῶς ἐπειργάσθη, παρὰ σοῦ δὲ ἰταμῶς κατωρύχθη -","t":"To Gregory the bishop. [On the angel who met Moses and sought to kill him.] I am ashamed at the length to which my letter has run; but I could not bear to be proud when asked by you. Still, since parents too delight in their children's exercises, even if they are mere toys, I will speak briefly. The angel who met Moses as he went down to Egypt and wished to kill him did not stretch out his sword against him to avenge the killing he had once committed in zeal, but charging him with transgression of the law he was going to fulfil. For having been appointed lawgiver by God, and being bound to keep the law exactly, he was himself breaking it from the start, bringing his sons uncircumcised into Egypt, and abolishing that commandment which alone distinguished Hebrews from foreigners. But when Zipporah took a stone and circumcised her son, becoming aware of the offense, and fell at the angel's feet, he at once withdrew, showing that the cause of God's just indignation was what the woman's faith had guessed. For women in emergencies are apt to use more earnest devices than men and to take refuge in God more genuinely. She did, then, what we now say in sharp emergencies: We are surrounded by evils; let us quickly baptize the children; perhaps the angel will respect the mystery. For the Jews used circumcision in place of baptism. [Letter 1.126] [On what is written, \"Wise as serpents and innocent as doves.\"] The Lord bids us be wise like the serpent, preserving in every trial our head, which is our faith, most teachable man. For in whatever troubles and blows the serpent is caught, it keeps its head unharmed. And again it cleverly strips off its old age, squeezing into some narrow crevice and putting off its old skin. So he wishes us too, through the narrow way and affliction, to strip off the old man and put on the new, renewed according to his image. [Letter 1.127] [That owning many books profits those who use them, but brings the utmost punishment on those who think themselves rich merely by owning them.] You have acquired a great many books, as I have learned, and in your conceit think yourself rich, while you do not know how to read; you are doing the same as those who hoard grain and feed the worms. For books too, when they are tied up, become mothers and nurses of bookworms. Either use your possession, then, or do not harm learning, collecting much ridicule here by being called a book-carrier, a book-burier and a worm-feeder, and gathering an accusation before God, as one who hid a great talent of benefit, which was entrusted to others and wisely traded with, but by you was rashly buried …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.125 (PG 78 78:265; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-125)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.128":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ.\nΠερὶ κενοδοξίας. Εἰκὸς μὲν σε ἀμαθαίνοντα, ἀνάλογον ἔχειν τῆς ἀπαιδευσίας ἀναίδειαν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πρὸς ταύταις ὡς ἔμαθον, καὶ φρόνημά σε φυσᾷ ὑπερήφανον, γνῶθι σαυτόν. Ἐκ τῶν λόγων σου ἔχεις ἐγγύς σου τὸν ἔλεγχον. Ὅρα πόσον κινεῖς βαρβαρίζων τὸν γέλωτα. Βλέπε μειδιῶντας τοῖς σολοικισμοῖς τοὺς ἀκούοντας. Καὶ ἢ παῦσαι λαλῶν καταγέλαστα, ἢ φρόνει πτωχά πρὸς τοὺς λόγους σου.","t":"To Zosimus. [On vainglory.] It is natural that, being unlearned, you should have shamelessness proportioned to your lack of education. But since, as I have learned, besides these a proud spirit also puffs you up, know yourself. In your own words you have the proof close at hand. See how much laughter you raise with your barbarisms; look at your hearers smiling at your solecisms. Either stop saying ridiculous things, or think humbly in proportion to your words.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.128 (PG 78 78:267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-128)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.129":{"o":"ΠΑΧΩΜΙΟ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\nἩ τοῦ Θεοῦ βασιλεία, ἡ μοναχική ἐστι πολιτεία, οὐδενὶ μὲν ὑποκύπτουσα πάθει, μετέωρα δὲ φρονοῦσα καὶ ὑπερουράνια κατορθοῦσα. Ταύτης ἐχόμενος, πρόσεχε μή τι σε δοῦλον ἀνδραποδίσῃ παράπτωμα, καὶ τῶν ἀνακτόρων τῶν βασιλικῶν ὑποσύρῃ Δυσχερὴς γὰρ τοῖς ἐκπίπτουσιν, ἡ πρὸς ἐκείνην ἀνάκλησις. Ὁ δὲ Θεὸς ὁ θύραν ἀνοίξας ἐνεργῆ, καὶ θύραν καλῶν ἑαυτὸν, δι' ἧς ἐστι τῆς σωτηρίας ἡ εἴσοδος, δῴη σοι καὶ νοῦν ἀμετεώριστον, καὶ λόγον ἀκατάγνωστον, ἠρτυμένον τῇ χάριτι. Δι' ὧν καὶ ὁ παρών σοι βίος εὐμαρὴς εὑρεθήσεται, καὶ ὁ μέλλων αἰὼν εὐμενὴς καὶ σωτήριος. Περὶ νηστείας, καὶ ἀγρυπνίας, καὶ γαστριμαργίας. Οὐκ οἶδε κόρος ἀγρυπνεῖν. Οὐκ οἶδε τύφος ἠρεμεῖν. Ἐγρηγόρσεως δεῖται καὶ πραότητος ἄσκησις. Εἰ οὖν ταύτης ἀντιποιῇ, ἐκεῖνα κατάργησον· εἰ δὲ γαστρὸς οὐ κρατεῖς, τί καὶ τὸν τόπον καταργεῖς, καὶ τοὺς ἀθλοῦντας ἐκνευροῖς; Περὶ τῆς τοῦ Ζαχαρίου κωφεύσεως. Ἡ Ζαχαρίου κώφευσις οὐκ ἐκπλήξει γέγονεν, ὡς ἐνόμισας, νουνεχέστατε. Ἐν συνηθείᾳ γὰρ θεοφανείας καὶ ἀγγελικῆς ὀπτασίας ἦν ὁ ἱερεὺς, καθαρῶς τοῖς μυστηρίοις διακονούμενος, ἀλλὰ τῷ τύπῳ τῆς ἐκείνου σιγῆς, ἡ τοῦ νόμου ἐδηλοῦτο σιωπή. Τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ σιγῆς καὶ στειρώσεως, καὶ γήρως τεχθῆναι τὴν φωνὴν, τοῦτο οἶμαι δηλοῦν, τὸ ἐκ τοῦ παλαιωθέντος, καὶ καταγηράσαντος στειρωθέντος τῇ ἀνηκοῖᾳ τῶν δεξαμένων νόμου τοῦ γραπτοῦ, τὰς περὶ Χριστοῦ προῤῥήσεις προελθεῖν, καὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ μητέρα ἐκ τούτου συνελθεῖν.","t":"To Pachomius the monk. The kingdom of God is the monastic way of life, which bows to no passion, but sets its mind on things on high and achieves things above the heavens. Holding to it, take care that no offense make you a slave and drag you out of the royal palace; for the recall to it is hard for those who fall away. May God, who opened an effective door and calls himself the door through which is the entrance to salvation, give you a mind free of distraction and speech beyond reproach, seasoned with grace; through these both your present life will be found easy and the age to come gracious and saving. [Another letter] [On fasting, vigil and gluttony.] Surfeit does not know how to keep vigil; pride does not know how to be quiet. Discipline needs wakefulness and gentleness. If, then, you lay claim to it, do away with those; but if you do not master your belly, why do you ruin the place and unnerve those who are contending? [Another letter] [On the dumbness of Zacharias.] Zacharias's dumbness did not come from shock, as you thought, most intelligent man. For the priest was accustomed to divine appearances and angelic visions, serving the mysteries in purity. Rather, by the type of his silence the silence of the law was shown. And that a voice was born from silence, barrenness and old age signifies, I think, that from the written law, grown old and aged and made barren by the disobedience of those who received it, came the prophecies about Christ, and his mother came forth from it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.129 (PG 78 78:267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-129)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.13":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\nὍτε τῷ ὄρει τῆς ὑψηλῆς πολιτείας προσέβαινες, καὶ πλυνάμενος ἐσθῆτα καὶ αἴσθησιν, πρὸς τὴν ἀκοὴν τῶν θείων δογμάτων τὴν καρδίαν ηὐτρέπιζες, πάντως ἐπιλαθέσθαι τῶν χαμαιζήλων βεβούλευσο, ἵνα πρὸς τὴν ἀκρόπολιν φθάσας τῶν ἀρετῶν, καὶ χρηματίζοντος ἀκούσῃς Θεοῦ, καὶ ταῖς σαρκικαῖς πλαξὶ τὸν παλαιὸν νόμον ἐγγράφοντος, πυξίον γένῃ θεότευκτον. Τὰ δὲ νῦν περὶ σοῦ παρὰ πάντων ἀδόμενα, ἐπιλαβέσθαι μέν σε τοῦ ἀρότρου τῆς σωτηρίας, προθύμως ἀπαγγέλλουσιν, εἰς τοὐπίσω δὲ πάλιν ἀνεστράφθαι ναρκήσαντα. Εἰ τοίνυν σε μὴ φοβεῖ τὸ ὑπόδειγμα, καὶ βαπτισθέντος Σίμωνος, καὶ τοῖς Χριστοῦ διακόνοις ἀκολουθήσαντος, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ὕλην πάλιν ἀναχωρήσαντος· δι᾽ ἣν καὶ ἐξ ὕψους κατηνέχθη ὁ δείλαιος πρὸς τὸν πολυθρύλλητον θάνατον, ἵνα δειχθῇ ὡς ἐξ ἑνὸς τοῦ κατ' ἐκεῖνον πτώματος, οἴων τυγχάνουσιν ἄξιοι, οἱ οὐράνιον δρόμον ψευδόμενοι· ἔχου τῆς προθέσεως Σίμωνος. Εἰ δὲ πᾶς ὅστις νοὸς καὶ λόγου μετείληφε, κἂν τοῖς ἐχθροῖς τὴν δίκην ἐκείνην ἀπεύχεται· πλήρωσον τὰς πρὸς τὸν Κύριον συνθήκας, καὶ τὸν ἀμπελῶνα αὐτοῦ ἐπιμελῶς φιλοπόνει. ῾Ο μισθὸς μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐστιν, ὃν ἕκαστος λήψεται πρὸς τὸν ἴδιον κόπον.","t":"To Lampetius the monk. When you were climbing the mountain of the lofty way of life, and, having washed your garment and your senses, were preparing your heart to hear the divine doctrines, you had surely resolved to forget the things that creep on the ground, so that, reaching the citadel of the virtues, you might hear God speaking and writing the old law on tablets of flesh, and become a tablet made by God. But what everyone now sings about you reports that you eagerly took hold of the plow of salvation, but have turned back again, grown numb. If, then, the example of Simon does not frighten you, who was baptized and followed Christ's ministers and went back again to material things, for which the wretch was brought down from on high to his much-talked-of death, so that it might be shown by the fall of that one man what those deserve who play false to the heavenly course, then keep to Simon's purpose. But if everyone who has any share of mind and reason prays that even his enemies may escape that punishment, fulfil your covenants with the Lord and labor diligently in his vineyard. The reward is with him, which each will receive according to his own labor.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.13 (PG 78 78:187; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-13)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.130":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤί εἰσιν αἱ ἀκρίδες, καὶ τὸ μέλι τὸ ἄγριον, οἷς ὁ Βαπτιστὴς Ἰωάννης ἐτρέφετο. Αἱ ἀκρίδες, αἷς Ἰωάννης ἐτρέφετο, οὐ ζῶὰ εἰσιν ὡς τινες οἴονται ἀμαθῶς, κανθάροις ἀπεοικότα Μὴ γένοιτο· ἀλλ᾽ ἀκρέμονες βοτανῶν ἢ φυτῶν. Οὔτε δὲ πόα τίς ἐστι πάλιν τὸ μέλι [τὸ] ἄγριον. Αλλὰ μέλι ὄρειον ὑπὸ μελισσῶν ἀγρίων γινόμενον, πικρότατον ὂν, καὶ πάσῃ γεύσει πολέμιον. Δι' ὧν τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν κάκωσιν ἐπεδείκνυτο Ἰωάννης, οὐκ ἐνδείᾳ μόνῃ ἀλλὰ καὶ τραχύτητι πᾶσαν ὄρεξιν πικραίνων τοῦ σώματος.","t":"To the same. [What are the locusts and the wild honey on which John the Baptist fed?] The locusts on which John fed are not animals, as some ignorantly think, not unlike beetles; far from it! They are the tips of herbs or plants. Nor again is the wild honey some plant, but mountain honey made by wild bees, very bitter and hostile to every taste. By these John showed his surpassing hardship, embittering every appetite of the body not only by want but by harshness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.130 (PG 78 78:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-130)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.131":{"o":"ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΙΩ ΔΟΥΚΙ.\nΠρὸς ἄρχοντας. Ἔχεις μὲν ψυχὴν ἀρχικὴν μισῶν τὴν πονηρίαν ἐκ παιδός. Ἔλαβες δὲ καὶ νῦν ἐκ βασιλέως ἡγεμονίαν παρέχουσαν δύναμιν, ἣν ἐξῄτει ἡ πρόθεσις. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν Θεοῦ ἐστιν ἀμφότερα τὰ χαρίσματα, χρῆσαι τούτοις εἰς θεραπείαν αὐτοῦ ὅση δύναμις · ἵνα καὶ μείζονα δώσῃ ἐξουσίαν, εἰ ταύτην ἴδῃ καθαρῶς διοικουμένην. Οἶδε γὰρ καὶ ποιμαντικὴν μεγαλόψυχον, βασιλείαν ποιεῖν πολυδύναμον.","t":"To Strategius the dux. [To governors.] You have a soul fit to rule, hating wickedness from childhood; and now you have also received from the emperor a command that gives you the power your purpose required. Since, then, both gifts are God's, use them in his service as far as you can, so that he may give you even greater authority, if he sees this one administered purely. For he knows how to make a great-souled shepherding into a kingdom of great power.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.131 (PG 78 78:269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-131)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.132":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ.\nΠερὶ ἀναλγησίας. Εἰ βασιλεία σε οὐ προτρέπεται, οὐδὲ γέεννα πάλιν δεδίττεται, λανθάνομεν ἀτιθάσσῳ θηρίῳ ἐπάδοντες, ἐν ἀνθρωπείᾳ μορφῇ, πονηρῷ δαίμονι [πρὸς] παλαίοντες","t":"To Zosimus. [On insensibility.] If the kingdom does not urge you on, nor Gehenna frighten you, we are, without knowing it, singing charms to an untamable beast, wrestling with an evil demon in human form …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.132 (PG 78 78:271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-132)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.135":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\n\"Ομοιον. Εἰ καὶ τὴν ἰσχὺν τοῦ σώματος, καὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ πνεύματος καθαιρεῖ καὶ ἀφαιρεῖται ἡ λαγνεία, καὶ εὐχερῆ ποιεῖ πρὸς ἐμπαιγμὸν καὶ γέλωτα τὸν ἀλόντα, καθὼς διδάσκει Σαμψὼν ἐκτυφλούμενος, τί ἐπισπᾶσαι αἰχμαλωσίαν αὐθαίρετον, καὶ οὐ φυλάττεις τὴν φυσικὴν ῥώμην ἀλώβητον, ἀλλ᾽ ἔργον παθῶν ἑκουσίως γινόμενος, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν λυπεῖς οὐκ ἔχοντα κλῖναι τὴν κεφαλὴν ἐν τῷ βίῳ σου, καὶ ἡμῖν πολεμεῖς εὐχομένοις σωθῆναί σε, καὶ σαυτὸν ἀδικεῖς, τὰ ῥώσεως παραιτούμενος φάρμακα; Περὶ τάξεως ἐπισκόπου, καὶ τίνος τύπον φέρει. Ὅσον αὐτὸς ἄπληστος εἶ πρὸς τὴν μάθησιν, τοσοῦτον ἐγὼ πρόθυμος πρὸς τὴν δήλωσιν, μόνον εἰ Θεὸς δῷ ταῖς εὐχαῖς σου τὴν εὔρεσιν ἄνωθεν. Ἡ ὀθόνη, μεθ' ἧς λειτουργοῦσιν ἐν τοῖς ἁγίοις οἱ διάκονοι, τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἀναμιμνήσκει ταπείνωσιν, νίψαντος τοὺς πόδας τῶν μαθητῶν, καὶ ἐκμάξαντος. Τὸ δὲ τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ὠμοφόριον ἐξ ἐρέας ὂν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ λίνου, τὴν τοῦ προβάτου δορὰν σημαίνει, ὅπερ πλανηθὲν ζητήσας ὁ Κύριος, ἐπὶ τῶν οἰκείων ὤμων ἀνέλαβεν. Ὁ γὰρ ἐπίσκοπος εἰς τύπον ὧν τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τὸ ἔργον ἐκείνου πληροῖ, καὶ δείκνυσι πᾶσι διὰ τοῦ σχήματος, ὅτι μιμητής ἐστι τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ καὶ μεγάλου ποιμένος, ὁ τὰς ἀσθενείας φέρειν τοῦ ποιμνίου προβεβλημένος· καὶ πρόσχες ἀκριβῶς. Ἡνίκα γὰρ αὐτὸς ὁ ἀληθινὸς ποιμὴν παραγένηται διὰ τῆς τῶν Εὐαγγελίων τῶν προσκυνητῶν ἀναπτύξεως, καὶ ὑπανίσταται καὶ ἀποτίθεται τὸ σχῆμα τῆς μιμήσεως ὁ ἐπίσκοπος, αὐτὸν δηλῶν παρεῖναι τὸν Κύριον, τὸν τῆς ποιμαντικῆς ἡγεμόνα, καὶ Θεὸν καὶ δεσπότην.","t":"To the same. [Similar.] If lust both pulls down and takes away the strength of the body and of the spirit itself, and makes the one it captures an easy object of mockery and laughter, as Samson teaches when he was blinded, why do you draw on yourself a captivity of your own choosing, and do not keep your natural vigor unharmed, but willingly become the work of the passions, grieving God, who has nowhere in your life to lay his head, fighting against us who pray for your salvation, and wronging yourself by refusing the medicines of health? [Another letter] [On the order of the bishop, and of what it bears the type.] As insatiable as you are for learning, so eager am I to explain, if only God grant discovery from above at your prayers. The linen cloth with which the deacons minister in the holy places recalls the humility of the Lord, who washed the disciples' feet and wiped them. The bishop's omophorion, made of wool and not of linen, signifies the fleece of the sheep that the Lord sought when it had strayed and took up on his own shoulders. For the bishop, being in the type of Christ, fulfils his work and shows to all by his dress that he is an imitator of the good and great Shepherd, who was appointed to bear the weaknesses of the flock. And note this carefully: when the true Shepherd himself arrives through the opening of the adorable Gospels, the bishop both rises and lays aside the garment of imitation, showing that the Lord himself is present, the leader of the pastoral office, God and Master.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.135 (PG 78 78:271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-135)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.136":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, « Τὸ δὲ καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν καὶ ἐξ εὐωνύμων, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐμὸν δοῦναι. › Τὴν αἴτησιν τῆς μητέρος τῶν υἱῶν Ζεβεδαίου οὐχ ὡς ἀδύνατον αὐτῷ παραιτεῖται ὁ Κύριος· ὃ γὰρ βούλεται δύναται· ἀλλ' ὡς ἄτοπον ἀπεπέμψατο. « Εἰπὲ γὰρ, φησὶν, ἵνα οἱ δύο υἱοί μου καθίσωσιν, εἷς ἐκ δεξιῶν σου, καὶ εἷς ἐξ εὐωνύμων σου ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου. » Ὁ δὲ δίκαιος μισθαποδότης, εὐλόγῳ τινὶ κρίσει σωφρονίζει τὸ ἄτοπον Οὐκ ἔστιν ἐμὸν δοῦναι ἁπλῶς τοῖς αἰτοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ παρασχεῖν μισθὸν τοῖς καμοῦσιν· οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ δικαίου κριτοῦ τοὺς ἰδρῶτας παριδεῖν, καὶ ῥᾳθύμοις παρασχεῖν. Εἰ τοίνυν τῆς καθέδρας ἐρῶσι, τοὺς ἀγῶνας οὐκ ἀγνοοῦσιν, ὧν ἐκείνη βραβεῖον τοῖς νομίμως ἀθλοῦσιν ἡτοίμασται.","t":"To Nilus. [On what the Lord said, \"But to sit at my right and at my left is not mine to give.\"] The Lord declined the request of the mother of the sons of Zebedee, not as impossible for him, for he can do what he wills, but he sent it away as improper. \"Say,\" she says, \"that these two sons of mine may sit, one at your right and one at your left, in your kingdom.\" The just rewarder corrects the impropriety with a reasonable judgment: It is not mine simply to give to those who ask, but to grant a reward to those who have toiled; for it is not the part of a just judge to overlook sweat and give to the idle. If, then, they love the seat, let them not be ignorant of the contests, for which it has been prepared as the prize for those who compete according to the rules.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.136 (PG 78 78:273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-136)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.138":{"o":"ΚΥΘΗΡΙΩ ΣΑΒΕΛΛΙΑΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἓν ἐσμεν. › Οὐκ ἔστιν, ὡς ἔγραψας, ἰδεῖν τὸ ἐν Γραφῇ κρυπτόμενον φῶς, δι᾽ ὧν ἐδήλωσας, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τυφλώττεις πρὸς τὴν αἴγλην τὴν ἐξ αὐτῆς ἀστράπτουσαν. Τὸ γὰρ εἰπεῖν μίαν εἶναι φαινομένην ἐν αὐτῇ Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ τὴν ὑπόστασιν, μεγάλης εἶναι ἀνοίας, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐμβροντησίας. Εἰ γὰρ πρόσχης ἀκριβῶς τῇ ἀσφαλείᾳ τῶν γεγραμμένων, εὑρήσεις τὸ ἀπλανὲς τοῦ μυστηρίου. « Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἕν ἐσμεν, · εἴρηται· οὐκ, Ἐγὼ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ ἕν εἰμι. Τὸ τοίνυν ἓν τῆς μιᾶς οὐσίας δηλωτικόν · τὸ ἐσμέν, τῶν δύο ὑποστάσεων σημαντικόν.","t":"To Cytherius the Sabellian. [On \"I and the Father are one.\"] It is not possible, as you wrote, to see the light hidden in Scripture by the means you indicated; rather you are blind to the radiance that flashes from it. For to say that Scripture shows one hypostasis of Father and Son is a mark of great folly, or rather of stupefaction. If you attend carefully to the exactness of what is written, you will find the unerring truth of the mystery. \"I and the Father are one\" is said; not \"I and the Father am one.\" So \"one\" shows the one essence; \"are\" signifies the two hypostases.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.138 (PG 78 78:273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-138)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.139":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ίσα Θεῷ. › • Οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ,› Φιλιππησίοις γράφει ὁ θεῖος ᾿Απόστολος, ἀνθρώποις καὶ δεισιδαίμοσι καὶ τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν δογμάτων [ Ἑλλήνων] προμάχοις καὶ φύλαξι, καὶ ἐκ τῆς πρὸς ἐκεῖνα σχολῆς ἀπαραδέκτως πρὸς τὸ κήρυγμα ἔχουσι τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἔμαθον Ἑλληνίζοντες τὸν θεὸν αὐτῶν καὶ ὕπατον γεγονότα ἐκτεμόντα τῶν γεννητικῶν ὀργάνων τὸν ἑαυτοῦ πατέρα, δέει ὑπάρξεως ἑτέρων υἱῶν, καὶ τῆς βασιλείας κοινωνῶν, καὶ ἁρπαγὰς θεότητος καὶ ἔρεις καὶ πολέμους περὶ ταύτης πολλοὺς, ἠπίστουν εἰ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ δεῦρο ἐπιφοιτήσας σεσάρκωται καταλιπὼν τὰ οὐράνια, καὶ μὴ δεδιώς τινα τοῦ κράτους μετάθεσιν. Ταύτην τοίνυν αὐτοῖς τὴν ἄγνοιαν, καὶ μᾶλλον ἄνοιαν, ὁ θεῖος ἄνθρωπος καὶ τῶν ἀποβλήτων διδάσκαλος διορθούμενός φησι· « Τοῦτο φρονεῖσθε ἐν ὑμῖν, ὃ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ὃς ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἠγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ, ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσε μορφὴν δούλου λαβών, » τουτέστιν, ἣν ἥρπατε Θεότητα, καὶ βασιλείαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔμφυτον ἔσχε πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων, οὐδὲ ἀφαιρεθῆναι ὑπέλαβεν, ἀλλὰ Δεσπότης ὑπάρχων, καὶ τῶν ἐπουρανίων, καὶ τῶν ἐπιγείων καὶ τῶν καταχθονίων, οὐδὲ τὰ ἄνω κατέλιπε, καὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς παρεγένετο· ἔτι καὶ τῷ ἄδει ἐπιφοιτήσας, ἵνα διὰ πάντων γενόμενος, πάντοθεν τὰ πάντα ἀνασώζηται· ἐπὶ γῆς μὲν, τοὺς ζῶντας καὶ ζησομένους ἀνανεούμενος· ὑπὸ γῆν δὲ τοὺς κρατουμένους τῆς τοῦ θανάτου τυραννίδος ἀφαιρούμενος.","t":"To Theon. [On \"He did not count equality with God a thing to be seized.\"] \"He did not count equality with God a thing to be seized,\" the divine Apostle writes to the Philippians, men who were superstitious, champions and guardians of the Greek doctrines, and who, from their schooling in those doctrines, were unreceptive to the preaching of the Gospel. For since, as followers of the Greeks, they had learned that their god, who became supreme, castrated his own father for fear that other sons might exist and share the kingdom, and had learned of seizures of godhead and many quarrels and wars about it, they did not believe that the Son of God had come here and taken flesh, leaving the heavens and not fearing any transfer of power. Correcting this ignorance, or rather folly, of theirs, the divine man and teacher of the outcasts says: \"Have this mind among yourselves which is also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be seized, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant\"; that is, he did not regard as seized the Godhead and kingship which he had by nature before the ages, nor did he suppose it could be taken from him; but being Master of things in heaven and on earth and under the earth, he did not even leave the things above when he came to us; and he also visited Hades, so that, having passed through all, he might save all things from every side: on earth renewing the living and those who will live, and beneath the earth delivering those held by the tyranny of death.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.139 (PG 78 78:273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-139)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.14":{"o":"ΠΑΤΡΙΜΩ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΠερὶ πρακτικοῦ. Ἔχεις μὲν εὐφυΐαν, ὡς ἔμαθον, μανθάνειν σπουδαίως, καὶ λέγειν γενναίως. Ἡ δὲ τῆς πνευματικῆς πολιτείας ὁδὸς, πράξει μᾶλλον ἢ φράσει εὐοδοῦται. Εἰ τοίνυν μέλει σοι τῶν ἀκηράτων μισθῶν, τὸ λέγειν καλῶς παρὰ φαῦλον τιθέμενος, τὸ πράττειν χρηστῶς μεταδίωκε.","t":"To Patrimus, living as a monk. [On the practical life.] You have, as I have learned, a natural gift for learning diligently and speaking nobly. But the road of the spiritual life prospers by action rather than by speech. If, then, you care about the pure rewards, count speaking well as of little worth, and pursue acting well.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.14 (PG 78 78:187; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-14)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.140":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΩ.\nΠρὸς Ζώσιμον γεγηρακότα, καὶ τοῖς κακοῖς ἐπιμένοντα. Ταπεινὲ Ζώσιμε, ἐσχάτη ὥρα ἐστί. Τἱ ὡς ἀρχὰς ἔχων τοῦ ζῇν ῥαθυμεῖς; Ὁ θερισμός σοι παρέστηκε· λευκή ἐστιν ἡ χώρα πρὸς τομήν. Τί ὡς πρὸ τοῦ σπείραι ἀμελεῖς; Αἱ τρίχες σε τὸ τέλος διδασκέτωσαν · Τί ὁ μακρός σε χρόνος τὸ πέρας συναρᾶν οὐκ ἐπαίδευσεν; Ὁ κριτὴς ἔμφοβος παραγίνεται · τί οὐχ ἑτοιμάζεις τὰ ἔργα σου πρὸς τὴν σύστασιν; Παῦσαι κραιπαλῶν· νῆψον κἂν ὀψέ· μὴ καταγέλα τῆς θείας μακροθυμίας, ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων μετὰ τῶν μεθυόντων. Οὐ χρονίζει ἐλθεῖν ὁ Κύριός σου, ὡς νομίζεις · ἀλλὰ τότε παραγίνεται, ὅτε σὺ οὐ γινώσκεις. Καὶ χρή σε λοιπὸν ἀνανῆψαι, κἂν ἐκείνῳ τῷ φόβῳ","t":"To Zosimus. [To Zosimus, who has grown old and persists in his vices.] Lowly Zosimus, it is the last hour. Why are you careless, as if you were only beginning to live? The harvest is at hand for you; the field is white for cutting. Why are you negligent, as though before sowing? Let your hair teach you the end. Why has the long time not taught you to see the end coming? The judge is coming, fearful; why do you not prepare your works for your defense? Stop carousing; be sober, even if late; do not mock the divine long-suffering, eating and drinking with the drunkards. Your Lord does not delay to come, as you think, but comes when you do not know. You must now at last come to your senses, if only from that fear …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.140 (PG 78 78:275; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-140)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.141":{"o":"ΑΔΑΜΑΝΤΙΩ.\nΠρὸς Ἰουδαίους· περὶ τῆς θείας συλλήψεως. Εἰπὲ τῷ Ἰουδαίῳ τῷ πρὸς σὲ διενεχθέντι περὶ τῆς θείας σαρκώσεως, καὶ λέγοντι, ὅτι ἀδύνατόν ἐστι φύσει ἀνθρωπείᾳ δίχα συνουσίας καὶ σπέρματος τεκεῖν· ὅτι οὐδὲν ξένον, εἰ καὶ τοῦτο ἀγνοεῖς, μετὰ [τῶν] πάντων τῶν τοῦ νόμου μυστηρίων καὶ δογμάτων. Ὁ γὰρ εὐθέως τὰ προοίμια τοῦ νόμου καταμαθεῖν μὴ δυνηθεὶς, ἐπίδηλα ὄντα καὶ σαφῆ, πῶς δύνασαι εἰς τὸν ἀπόκρυφον αὐτοῦ διιδεῖν, ἢ διακύψαι βυθόν; Γέγραπται γάρ, ὅτι Ἐπέβαλεν ὁ Θεὸς ἔκστασιν ἐπὶ τὸν ᾿Ἀδὰμ, καὶ ὕπνωσε, καὶ ἔλαβε μίαν τῶν πλευρῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀνεπλήρωσε σάρκα ἀντ᾿ αὐτῆς · καὶ ᾠκοδόμησε τὴν πλευρὰν ἣν ἔλαβεν ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ εἰς γυναῖκα, » πρότερον κτίσας ἀπὸ τοῦ χοὸς τὸν ᾿Αδάμ. Ἰδοὺ οὖν ὁ ἀνὴρ ἐκ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἡ γυνὴ ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, καὶ ἀμφότεροι τῆς συνουσίας χωρίς. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐπώφειλεν ἡ γυνὴ χρέος τῷ ἀνδρὶ, ἐκ τῆς πλευρᾶς αὐτοῦ δίχα σπορᾶς ὑποστᾶσα, τοῦτο ἀπέτισε καὶ μήτηρ τοῦ Κυρίου, αὐτὸν δίχα σπέρματος ἀποδοῦσα σεσαρκωμένον. Οὐκ ἔστιν οὖν τῇ φύσει ἀδύνατον • ἀλλ᾽ ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τῶν πρωτοπλάστων ἤδη γεγένητο, ἐπὶ τῆς Δεσποτικῆς οἰκονομίας τετέλεστο· εἰ καὶ τὰ παράδοξα τῷ τόκῳ τούτῳ ἀφείλετο· ἀναγίνωσκε οὖν, ἵνα γινώσκῃς. Εἰ δὲ γινώσκειν οὐ βούλει, μὴ ἀναγίνωσκε, ἵνα μὴ καταγινώσκῃ, ὡς ἀγνοῶν ὁ ἀναγινώσκεις. Περὶ δούλου πταίσαντος ἵνα λάβῃ συγχώρησιν. Κατέλαβε τις τὴν ἐσχατιὰν, ἣν οἰκοῦμεν, νεώτερος, καὶ ἐντυχὼν τῷ τὴν θύραν φυλάσσοντι, πρὸς ἐμὲ γενέσθαι ἠξίωσεν. Ὡς δὲ ἑτοίμη ἡ ἡμετέρα συνήθεια πάντας οἴκοι προσίεσθαι, καὶ δεξιᾶς μεταδιδόναι ὁμιλίας καὶ ἀναπαύσεως, εἰσεκλήθη, καὶ πρηνής σπουδαίως ἐπ᾿ ἐδάφους ἐγένετο, οὐδὲν εἰπὼν πρὸ [τοῦ] κλαῦσαι πολλά· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐγὼ καὶ χειρὶ ἀντελαβόμην, καὶ συμβαλέσθαι τὰ ἐν δυνάμει ὑπεσχόμην, καὶ ὅς τις εἴη, καὶ ὅτου χρήζει ἠρόμην, οἰκέτης μὲν ἔφη εἶναι ὑμέτερος, πταίσματι δὲ ἐξ ἀγνοίας ἐμπεπτωκέναι κρείττονι, ὡς ἐνόμισε, μεταγνώσεως• καὶ τὸ μὲν πρώτῳ [τὸν] ἐξέπληξεν· οὐ γὰρ οἶμαι οἰκέτην ἔχειν τὸν φιλόχριστον Εἴρωνα, εἰδότα τὴν χάριν τὴν πάντας ἐλευθερώσασαν. Τὸ δεύτερον δὲ ἡνίασεν, ἐπειδὴ πᾶν ἁμάρτημα παρὰ τῶν πραξάντων, καὶ δευτερούμενον ἀφιέναι ἀλλήλοις παρὰ Χριστοῦ ἐκελεύσθημεν, καὶ διδάξαντος, καὶ ποιήσαντος οὕτως. Διδάξαντος μὲν, « Ἐὰν μὴ ἀφῆτε παραπτώματα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, οὐδὲ ὑμῖν ἀφήσει ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος τὰς ἁμαρτίας ὑμῶν· · ποιήσαντος δὲ ἐν τῷ τὴν πόρνην καὶ τὸν τελώνην Ματθαῖον καὶ Σαμαρείτιδα καὶ Παράλυτον, καὶ αὐτὸν Πέτρον τὸν τοῦ θιάσου [τῶν] μαθητῶν κορυφαῖον, οὐ μόνον σωματικῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ψυχικῶν [ἀπολῦσαι] ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ νοσημάτων. Εἰ οὖν [τὸν] Χριστὸν θέλεις μιμήσασθαι, τὰ μεγάλα συγχώρει τοῖς πταίουσιν ἁμαρτήματα. Τὰ γὰρ βραχέα καὶ ὡς κοινὰ παρορῶσιν οἱ πλείονες, καὶ παρακλήσει χαρίζονται. Τὰ δὲ μείζονα, μόνοι οἱ μεγάλην ἔχοντες πρὸς Θεὸν τὴν συνείδησιν, καὶ μεγάλους μισθοὺς παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ τῶν λαμπρῶν πράξεων περιμένοντες.","t":"To Adamantius. [To the Jews: on the divine conception.] Tell the Jew who disputed with you about the divine incarnation, and said that it is impossible for human nature to give birth without intercourse and seed: It is nothing strange if you do not know this, along with all the mysteries and doctrines of the law. For you who could not grasp the very opening of the law, plain and clear as it is, how can you see into its hidden depth or peer into it? For it is written: \"God cast a trance upon Adam, and he slept; and he took one of his ribs and filled up flesh in its place; and he built the rib he had taken from Adam into a woman,\" having first created Adam from the dust. See, then: the man from the earth and the woman from the man, and both without intercourse. Since, then, the woman owed a debt to the man, having come into being from his side without seed, the Mother of the Lord paid it, rendering him incarnate without seed. So it is not impossible to nature; but as it had already happened with the first-formed, so it was accomplished in the Master's dispensation, even if this birth carried off the marvels. Read, then, so that you may know. But if you do not wish to know, do not read, lest you be condemned as ignorant of what you read. [Letter 1.142] [On a slave who offended, that he may receive pardon.] A young man came to the remote place where we live, and meeting the doorkeeper asked to come to me. Since our custom is ready to welcome everyone indoors and to share kindly conversation and rest, he was called in, and at once threw himself face down on the ground, saying nothing before weeping a great deal. When I took him by the hand and promised to help as far as I could, and asked who he was and what he needed, he said he was your servant, and had fallen through ignorance into an offense greater, as he thought, than repentance. The first thing astonished me, for I did not think the Christ-loving Eiron had a slave, since he knows the grace that has set all free. The second grieved me, since we have been commanded by Christ to forgive one another every sin of those who did it, even repeated, and he both taught and did so. He taught: \"If you do not forgive men their offenses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your sins\"; and he did so in releasing the sinful woman, Matthew the tax collector, the Samaritan woman, the paralytic, and Peter himself, the leader of the company of the disciples, not only from bodily but also from spiritual sins and diseases. If, then, you wish to imitate Christ, forgive great sins to those who offend. For small and common ones most people overlook and pardon when asked; but greater ones only those who have a great conscience toward God and await great rewards from him for brilliant deeds.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.141 (PG 78 78:275; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-141)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.143":{"o":"ΘΑΛΛΕΛΑΙΟ.\nΚαλῶς καὶ νουνεχῶς προσέχεις τῇ ἀναγνώσει τῆς θείας παιδεύσεως, τῆς ἀνωφελοῦς ἐκείνης καὶ ἁλμυρᾶς ἀναγνώσεως τὸν ναυτιασμὸν ἀποκλεισάμενος, καὶ τὰς τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐντολὰς θεοφιλῶς προσδεξάμενος. Μὴ δότε τοίνυν τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς κυσὶ, τοῖς πολλάκις τὸν θεῖον λόγον δεξαμένοις Ἰουδαίοις, καὶ πάλιν ἐπὶ τὸν ἴδιον ἔμετον ἐπιστρέφουσιν, ἢ τοῖς ἐξ αἱρέσεων ἐπὶ τὸν ἀληθῆ λόγον βαδίζουσιν, καὶ παλινοστοῦσι πρὸς τὴν προτέραν κακόνοιαν. Τοὺς δὲ μαργαρίτας μὴ βάλλειν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων ἐκελεύσθημεν, τῶν πάθεσι συμφυρομένων, καὶ χοιρώδη βίον μετερχομένων, μή ποτε καταπατήσωσιν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς πονηροῖς αὐτῶν ἐπιτηδεύμασι, βλασφημοῦντες τὸ θεῖον ὄνομα, καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς. Ἡ γὰρ πρὸς τοὺς τοιούτους τῶν μυστηρίων μετάδοσις, ῥῆξίς ἐστιν ἀνέγερτος τοῖς καταφρονητικῶς μεταδιδοῦσιν.","t":"To Thalelaeus. You do well and wisely to attend to the reading of divine instruction, having shut out the nausea of that useless and briny reading, and having received Christ's commandments in a manner dear to God. \"Do not give what is holy to the dogs\": to the Jews, who have often received the divine word and turn back again to their own vomit, or to those who come from heresies to the true word and return to their former malice. And we were commanded not to throw pearls before swine, those mixed up in passions and living a swinish life, lest they trample them under foot in their wicked practices, blaspheming the divine name, and turn and tear you. For to share the mysteries with such people is a tearing, beyond recovery, of those who share them contemptuously.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.143 (PG 78 78:277; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-143)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.144":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΩ.\nΤί τὴν στενὴν ἑλόμενος, καὶ [τὰς] συνθήκας ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς Θεῷ παρασχόμενος, τὴν πλατεῖαν ὁδεύεις ὁδὸν, τὴν εἰς θάνατον φέρουσαν; Ἡ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα ἀφείδεια, τὴν ἐκεῖθεν φέρει τιμωρίαν. Ἡ δὲ παροῦσα κάκωσις, καὶ τῶν ὀρέξεων στένωσις, τὴν μέλλουσαν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἑτοιμάζει ἀπόλαυσιν.","t":"To Athanasius. Why, having chosen the narrow way and made covenants with God for it, do you travel the broad road that leads to death? For lack of restraint here brings punishment there; but present hardship and the narrowing of the appetites prepare the enjoyment of the good things to come.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.144 (PG 78 78:279; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-144)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.145":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\n\"Ὅτι φρικτὸν ἱερωσύνη. Εἰ καὶ τὴν ἱερωσύνην περιδρομῇ καὶ χρημάτων ἥρπασας ὁλκῇ, λαθὼν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ὡς ἀβλεπτοῦντας πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν· ἀλλὰ μὴ καὶ τὴν μέλλουσαν οὕτω νομίσῃς λανθάνειν ἀνταπόδοσιν. Οὔτε γὰρ θαυματουργία εἰς ὄνομα Χριστοῦ γινομένη παρά τινων, οὔτε δαιμόνων ἐπιτίμησις, οὔτε δυνάμεων ἐνέργεια πολλῶν, ἐξελέσθαι τῆς φοβερᾶς φλογὸς τοὺς ὑπευθύνους αὐτῆς δυνήσεται. Εἰ δὲ φαίη τις, Τἱ οὖν συνεχώρει ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς ἀναξίοις τὰ θαύματα, φαίην ἐγώ· Ὅτι διὰ τὴν δόξαν οἰκείου ὀνόματος ἐπλήρου τὰς θεοσημείας ὁ Κύριος, καὶ τῶν δαιμόνων κωλύων ἐπιβουλὰς, καὶ ὁδὸν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ ὁμαλίζων ἀπρόσκοπον · ἅπερ ἀμφότερα κατάκρισιν οἴσει τοῖς ἀγνώμοσι μείζονα, ὅτι τοσαύτης παρὰ Θεοῦ τυχόντες δυνάμεως, τὸν δοτῆρα τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἑκουσίως ἠγνόησαν, τοὺς μὲν δαίμονας καὶ τὰ πάθη ἐπικλήσει Χριστοῦ θεραπεύοντες ἀχάριστοι δὲ ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐλεγχόμενοι. Οἱ γὰρ πονηροὶ καὶ παγχάλεποι δαίμονες εὐπειθέστεροι τούτων γεγόνασι, καὶ δειλιάσαντες τοῦ Κυρίου τὸ ὄνομα, καὶ σὺν τάχει πολλῷ δραπε «᾿Αποχωρεῖτε ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, οὐκ οἶδα ὑμᾶς, · οἱ ἐργάται τῆς ἀνομίας ἀκούουσιν. τεύσαντες. Ὅθεν αὐτοῖς ἄφυκτος ἠπείληται κόλασις, ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ. Διὰ τὶ τὸ δῶρον προσενεγκεῖν ὁ λεπρὸς ἐκελεύετο ὅπερ ὁ νόμος προσέταξεν. Καλῶς ἐρευνᾷς τὰς Γραφὰς ὁ τῶν τιμίων ἔμπορος μαργαριτῶν. Καὶ συντόμως ἐρῶ [τοῦτο] ὃ ζητεῖς. Τούτου χάριν τὸ δῶρον προσενεγκεῖν ὁ λεπρὸς ἐκελεύετο, ὅπερ ὁ νόμος προσέταξεν, ἵνα δειχθῇ τῶν δύο Διαθηκῶν ἡ ὁμόνοια · καὶ ὅτι ὁ τὴν ἴασιν ἐργασάμενος, αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ καὶ τὸν νόμον ἐνθέμενος. Περὶ Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακώβ. Παραζηλῶν ὁ Κύριος τὸν ἀχάριστον δῆμον τῶν Ἰουδαίων τῷ εὐαγγελικῷ κηρύγματι ἀντιλέγοντα, πολλοὺς ἐλεύσεσθαί φησιν ἀπὸ ἀνατολῶν καὶ δυσμῶν, καὶ μετὰ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ τῶν προπατόρων αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείᾳ ἀνακλιθήσεσθαι, ἐπὶ τῷ θεμελίῳ τοῦ νόμου τοὺς τῆς χάριτος λίθους οἰκοδομῶν, καὶ τοῖς πατριάρχαις συντάσσων τὸν θεῖον λαόν · καὶ δεικνὺς τὴν τοῦ νόμου πρὸς τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον συνάφειαν, καὶ τοὺς ἐν ἀμφοτέραις εὐδοκιμήσαντας τευξομένους · ἀναῤῥήσεως, τοὺς δὲ οἰήσει γένους ἐναβρυνομένους, καὶ ἀρετῆς μὲν χηρεύοντας, υἱοὺς δὲ ὑπάρχειν τῆς βασιλείας κομπάζοντας εἰς ἀτελεύτητον τιμωρίαν ὀλισθησομένους.","t":"To Maron. [That the priesthood is a dreadful thing.] Even if you seized the priesthood by canvassing and the pull of money, escaping the notice of men, who are blind to the truth, do not think you will thus escape the recompense to come. For neither wonders done by some in the name of Christ, nor rebuking of demons, nor the working of many mighty deeds, will be able to rescue from the fearful flame those liable to it. And if someone says, \"Why then did God grant miracles to the unworthy?\" I would say: because the Lord performed the divine signs for the glory of his own name, both hindering the demons' plots and smoothing an unobstructed road for the Gospel. Both these will bring a greater condemnation on the unfeeling, because, having received so great power from God, they willingly ignored the giver of good things, healing demons and passions by invoking Christ, but convicted by them of ingratitude. For the wicked and most cruel demons proved more obedient than they, fearing the Lord's name and running away with great speed. Hence an inescapable punishment is threatened against them: the workers of lawlessness hear, \"Depart from me, I do not know you.\" [Letter 1.146] To Timothy the reader. [Why the leper was commanded to offer the gift that the law prescribed.] You do well to search the Scriptures, you merchant of precious pearls. I will tell you briefly what you seek. The leper was commanded to offer the gift the law prescribed for this reason: to show the agreement of the two Testaments, and that the one who worked the healing is the same who laid down the law. [Letter 1.147] [On Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.] Provoking to jealousy the ungrateful people of the Jews who spoke against the gospel preaching, the Lord says that many will come from east and west and recline with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, their forefathers, in the kingdom of heaven: building the stones of grace on the foundation of the law, ranking the divine people with the patriarchs, showing the connection of the law with the Gospel, and that those approved in both will win proclamation, while those who pride themselves in the conceit of birth, bereft of virtue but boasting that they are sons of the kingdom, will slide into endless punishment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.145 (PG 78 78:279; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-145)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.148":{"o":"ΚΟΝΩΝΙ ΑΡΧΟΝΤΙ.\nΠοταπὸν χρὴ εἶναι τὸν ἐπίσκοπον. Αἱ ἀρχαὶ τῶν πραγμάτων καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν, καὶ τῶν θρόνων τὰ ὑψηλὰ, καὶ τῶν βημάτων αἱ αὐστηρίαι, εἰ γνώμαις φιλαγάθοις συζεύγνυνται, ὄντως ἀρχαὶ τυγχάνουσι, τὴν ἄνω τάξιν μιμούμεναι· ἂν δὲ πονηραῖς προθέσεσι περιπέσωσι, τυραννίδες μᾶλλον ὑπάρχουσιν, ἀκόντων ἄρχουσαι, καὶ ἀντὶ πειθοῦς ἔριδας καὶ στάσεις τεκταίνουσαι. Τί τοίνυν τὰ πρῶτα καταλιπὼν, τοῖς δευτέροις συγκακουχεῖς; Οὐ γὰρ κακίζεις τοὺς ὑπηκόους, ἀλλὰ σαυτὸν πρὸ ἐκείνων ἀμύνῃ. Ἡ γὰρ τῶν δήμων προπέτεια, τῷ μὲν ἄρχοντι προσρηγνυμένη, πολλή τίς ἐστι καὶ δυσἡνιος, εἰς δὲ πλῆθος μεριζομένη, βραχεῖα καὶ δυσεύρετος γίνεται.","t":"To Conon the governor. [What kind of man the bishop should be.] Offices over affairs and nations, the heights of thrones and the severities of tribunals, if yoked to good-loving purposes, are truly offices, imitating the order above; but if they fall into wicked intentions, they are rather tyrannies, ruling the unwilling and contriving quarrels and factions instead of persuasion. Why, then, leaving the first, do you share the misery of the second? For it is not your subjects you harm; you are punishing yourself ahead of them. For the recklessness of the crowds, when it breaks against the ruler, is great and hard to rein in; but divided among a multitude it becomes small and hard to find.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.148 (PG 78 78:281; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-148)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.149":{"o":"ΤΡΙΒΟΥΝΙΑΝΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\n᾿Οτι λίαν ἐπικίνδυνον ἡ ἐπισκοπὴ, καὶ οὐ μόνον ὁ ταύτῃ ἐπιπηδῶν ἐπίσκοπος, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ ψηφιζόμενοι ἀνάξιον, ἀπαραιτήτοις εἰσὶν ἐπιτιμίοις ὑπεύθυνοι. Ἐπίσκοπος ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ ὀνόματος τὴν οἰκείαν ὀφείλει οἰκονομίαν ἐπίστασθαι. Ἐπισκοπεῖν αὐτὸν χρὴ τὰς ἐφόδους τῶν θηρῶν τῶν ἀοράτων καὶ τῶν ἀφανῶν, τὰς τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ῥαθυμίας, τὰς τῶν μοναχῶν ὀλιγωρίας, τὰς τῶν ἀδίκων ἐπηρείας, τὰς τῶν χηρῶν δυσπραγίας, τὰς τῶν ὀρφανῶν ἀπορίας, τὰς τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου ὑπονοίας, τὰς τῶν διακονούντων καχεξίας, τὰς τῶν νέων κακοπραγίας, τὰς τῶν παλαιῶν κακοβουλίας, καὶ ὅλον εἶναι ὀφθαλμὸν πάντα ὁρῶντα, καὶ μηδὲν παρορῶντα, ὧν εἴ τι ἀμεληθείη, οὐκ αὐτὸς μόνος παιδεύεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσα πολλάκις σὺν ἐκείνῳ ἡ Ἐκκλησία. Ὁ μὲν ἐφ᾿ οἷς τοιοῦτος ὢν Θεῷ ἱερατεύειν ἠνέσχετο, καὶ πρᾶγμα τοσοῦτο ἢ ἄκων ἐδέξατο, ἢ μανεὶς ἐξωνήσατο· οἱ δὲ, ὅτι τοιούτῳ ἱερωσύνην ἀναξίως ἐπέδωκαν. ΜΟΝΑΣΤΗΡΙΩ ΤΟΥ ΠΗΛΟΥΣΙΟΥ Περὶ ξενοδοχίας. Ὥσπερ ἐκ τῶν λόγων αἱ τῆς καρδίας κινήσεις γνωρίζονται, οὕτως ἐκ τοῦ προεστῶτος ἡ τὰ· οἴκου δηλοῦται κατάστασις. Ἐπεὶ οὖν τινες ἐντυχόντες μοι ἀπήγγειλαν μέσης καὶ αἰθρίας ἡμέρας καύσωνι καὶ δίψῃ κρατούμενοι, ὑπὸ τὴν προσκήνιον καταπεφευγέναι σκιὰν, [καὶ] κυνὶ μᾶλλον ἢ λύκῳ μισανθρώπῳ ἐμπεπτωκέναι, τῷ παρ' ὑμῶν τὴν φιλοξενίαν πεπιστευμένῳ, ὃς αὐτοὺς ἤλαυνε παίων συντόνως. Εἰ δὲ λαθόντες τινὲς ἐξένισαν ἀγγέλους, ὑμεῖς οὐ λαθόντες, ἀλλὰ γινώσκοντες διώκετε ἀγγέλους. \"Οτι μεγάλης δεῖται ψυχῆς ἡ ἐπισκοπὴ, καὶ μυρίων γέμει τὸ πρᾶγμα κινδύνων. Ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἱερεὺς, ἐπειδὴ ἐγγίζει Θεῷ, κατὰ τὰ πολυόμματα ζῶα ὅλος εἶναι ὀφθαλμὸς ὀφείλει, κατ' ἐκεῖνα μηδὲν ἀγνοῶν, ἀλλὰ πάντα ὁρῶν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἀγνοεῖς, μάνθανε προσηνῶς, [καὶ] μὴ προπηλάκιζε τὴν πολύφωτον ἱερωσύνην, ἣν ἐνυβρίζεις, καὶ ῥαθυμία καὶ ἐμπορίᾳ πάντας προπεπωκώς. Περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰωάννου τοῦ Χρυσοστόμου. Ἐρωτᾷς τὴν περὶ τὸν θεσπέσιον Ἰωάννην τραγῳδίαν. ᾿Αλλὰ φράσαι ταύτην ἀπορῶ. Νικᾷ τὸν νοῦν - ὁ τοῦ πράγματος. Μικρὰ δὲ μάνθανε ἄττα ἡ γείτων Αίγυπτος συνήθως ἠνόμησε, Μωσέα παραιτουμένη, τὸν Φαραὼ οἰκειουμένη, τοὺς ταπεινοὺς μαστίζουσα, τοὺς κοπουμένους θλίβουσα, πόλεις οἰκοδομοῦσα, καὶ τοὺς μισθοὺς ἀποστεροῦσα, καὶ μέχρι τοῦ νῦν τούτοις ἐμμελετῶσα. Τὸν λιθομανῆ γὰρ καὶ χρυσολάτριν προβαλλομένη Θεόφιλον, τέσσαρσι συνεργοῖς, ἢ μᾶλλον συναποστάταις ὀχυρωθέντα, τὸν θεοφιλῆ καὶ θεολόγον κατεπολέμησεν ἄνθρωπον, τὴν περὶ τὸν ἐμοὶ ὁμώνυμον ἀπέχθειαν καὶ δυσμένειαν, ὁρμητήριον τῆς οἰκείας εὑρηκότα σκαιότητος. Αλλ' οἶκος Δαβὶδ κραταιοῦται, ἀσθενεῖ δὲ ὁ τοῦ Σαούλ, καθὼς ὁρᾷς, εἰ καὶ τῆς ζάλης ὑπερῆλθεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος τοῦ βίου, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἄνω γαλήνην μετετέθη.","t":"To Tribunianus the bishop. [That the episcopate is very dangerous, and that not only the bishop who leaps into it, but also those who vote for an unworthy man, are liable to inexorable penalties.] A bishop ought to understand his own stewardship from his very name. He must oversee the attacks of the invisible and unseen beasts, the slackness of the church, the negligence of the monks, the abuses of the unjust, the misfortunes of widows, the helplessness of orphans, the suspicions about the altar, the poor condition of the ministers, the misdeeds of the young, the evil counsels of the old; and he must be all eye, seeing everything and overlooking nothing; for if any of these is neglected, not only is he chastised, but often the whole church with him: he because, being such, he dared to serve God as priest, and either received so great a charge unwillingly or bought it in madness; they because they gave the priesthood unworthily to such a man. [Letter 1.150] To the monastery of Pelusium. [On hospitality.] As the movements of the heart are known from words, so the condition of the house is shown by the one in charge. Now some who met me reported that in the middle of a clear day, overcome by heat and thirst, they took refuge in the shade of the porch, and fell upon a dog, or rather a man-hating wolf, the one you have entrusted with hospitality, who drove them off, beating them hard. If some have entertained angels unawares, you, not unawares but knowingly, drive angels away. [Letter 1.151] [That the episcopate needs a great soul, and the office is full of countless dangers.] God's priest, since he draws near to God, ought to be all eye like the many-eyed living creatures, like them ignorant of nothing but seeing everything. Since, then, you are ignorant, learn gently, and do not insult the priesthood full of light, which you outrage, having squandered everything through carelessness and trade. [Letter 1.152] [On Saint John Chrysostom.] You ask about the tragedy concerning the divine John. But I am at a loss to tell it; the magnitude of the matter defeats the mind. Yet learn a few things. Neighboring Egypt has acted lawlessly in its usual way: rejecting Moses, making Pharaoh its own, scourging the lowly, oppressing the laborers, building cities and withholding wages, and practicing these things up to now. For putting forward Theophilus, the stone-mad and gold-worshipping, fortified by four fellow-workers, or rather fellow-apostates, it made war on the God-loving and God-speaking man, having found in its enmity and hostility toward my namesake a base for its own perversity. But the house of David grows strong and the house of Saul weak, as you see, even if the man has passed beyond the storm of life and been transferred to the calm above.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.149 (PG 78 78:281; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-149)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.15":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΟ.\nΠερὶ ὑψηλοφροσύνης, καὶ οἰήσεως, καὶ ταπεινοφροσύνης. Τις σε οὐ γράψεται ἀτοπίας, ὅτι καὶ πλοῦτον περιφρονήσας, καὶ γένος, καὶ τὴν σκιώδη ταύτην τιμὴν, καὶ πολλοῖς ὁδὸς γενόμενος ταπεινώσεως, νῦν ἑάλως ὑπέροπτος, τοῦ θείου ὥσπερ ἐπιλαθόμενος νόμου τοῦ ταπεινοῦσθαι κελεύοντος τὸν ὑψοῦσθαι βουλόμενον; Εἰ τοίνυν μὴ ἅπας ὑποβρύχιος τοῖς τῆς ἀλαζονείας κύμασι γέγονας, νῆψον πρὸς τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν. Οὐ γὰρ τοῦτό σε λέληθεν, ὅτι μετριότης ταῖς ἀρεταῖς συναύξουσα, Θεοῦ μιμητὰς τοὺς οὕτω βιοῦντας ἐργάζεται· ὑψηλοφροσύνη δὲ, οὐ μόνον τὰ παρόντα οἶδε καθελεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐρανῶν καθαιρεῖ τὸν ὑψαύχενα, ὅπερ ὁ Εωσφόρος πρωὶ ἀνατέλλων ὑπέμεινεν.","t":"To Peter. [On high-mindedness, conceit, and humility.] Who will not charge you with absurdity, that you, who despised wealth and birth and this shadowy honor, and became a road of humility for many, are now caught being haughty, as if you had forgotten the divine law that commands whoever wishes to be exalted to humble himself? If, then, you have not gone wholly under the waves of arrogance, come to your senses about your promise. For you know well that moderation growing together with the virtues makes those who live so imitators of God; but high-mindedness not only knows how to bring down present things, but casts the proud man down from heaven itself, as the Morning Star rising at dawn suffered.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.15 (PG 78 78:189; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-15)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.153":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤί ἐστι τὸ εἰρημένον τοῖς ἀποστόλοις, « Εἰς ὁδὸν ἐθνῶν μὴ ἀπέλθητε. » Τὸ εἰς ὁδὸν ἐθνῶν μὴ ἀπελθεῖν, μὴ συνελθεῖν αὐτοῖς εἰς τὸ φρόνημα, ὡσαύτως καὶ εἰς πόλιν Σαμαρειτῶν μὴ εἰσελθεῖν, οὐχὶ τῆς συνοικήσεως ἀπεχόμενον, ἀλλὰ τῆς δυσσεβείας καὶ πονηρίας μὴ ἐφαπτόμενον.","t":"To Heraclides the presbyter. [What is meant by what was said to the apostles, \"Do not go on the road of the Gentiles.\"] Not to go on the road of the Gentiles is not to join them in their way of thinking; and likewise not to enter a city of the Samaritans is not to refrain from living among them, but not to lay hold of their impiety and wickedness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.153 (PG 78 78:285; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-153)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.154":{"o":"ΠΗΛΟΥΣΙΩΤΑΙΣ ΕΙΣ ΤΟ ΚΟΙΝΟΒΙΟΝ.\nΠολλὰς ἐνηχούμενοι περὶ ὑμῶν καταβοήσεις, πολλὰς ὑμῖν ἀπαντλοῦμεν καθ' ἡμέραν τὰς παρακλήσεις. « \"Ανδρες Νινευίται ἀναστήσονται ἐν τῇ κρίσει μετὰ τῆς γενεᾶς ταύτης, καὶ κατακρινοῦσιν αὐτὴν, » εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος. Ὅτι οἱ μὲν ἀνήκοοι τοῦ νόμου γεγονότες, τὴν τοῦ προφήτου ἀπειλὴν κατεπλάγησαν, καὶ τύπον καὶ σκιὰν τῆς Δεσποτικῆς ταφῆς ἀκηκοότες, ἔδεισαν πρὸς τὸ τοῦ συμβάντος παράδοξον. Ἡμεῖς δὲ αὐτὸν ἰδόντες τὸν προφητευθέντα, καὶ ψηλαφήσαντες, ἀγνώμονες μένομεν πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ ἀνένδοτοι πρὸς μετάγνωσιν. Μὴ τοίνυν, ἀδελφοὶ, καὶ ἐθνῶν φανῶμεν ἀπιστότεροι, καὶ ὃν ἐκεῖνοι ἔφυγον όλεθρον ἐπισπώμενοι. Περὶ τοῦ μὴ ὀρκίζειν. Εἰ τῆς ἡμετέρας ὑπάρχεις ἀγέλης, καὶ ὑπὸ τὸν καλὸν τάττῃ ποιμένα, τὴν τῶν θηρίων φύσιν καὶ ὁμοίωσιν ἄρνησαι, καὶ τῇ φωνῇ αὐτοῦ ἀκολούθησον, μὴ ὀμόσαι ὅλως κελεύοντος. Τὸ δὲ μὴ ὁμόσαι, μηδὲ ἀπαιτῆσαι ὅρκον ἐστίν. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ βούλει ὀμόσαι, μηδὲ παρ' ἑτέρων ὅρκον ἀπαίτει, διὰ δύο ταύτας αἱτίας· ἢ τὸ ἐπαληθεύειν τὸν ἐπερωτώμενον, ἢ τὸ ἐναντίον τὸ ψεύδεσθαι. Εἰ γὰρ ἀληθεύει συνήθως ὁ ἄνθρωπος, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ ὅρκου πάντως ἀληθεύει· εἰ δὲ ψεύστης ἐστὶ, καὶ ὀμνύων ψεύδεται Οὐ χρὴ οὖν ὅρκον ἀπαιτεῖν δι᾽ ἀμφότερα,","t":"To the Pelusiotes in the monastery. Hearing many outcries about you, we pour out to you many exhortations every day. \"The men of Nineveh will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it,\" said the Lord. For they, who had not heard the law, were struck with terror at the prophet's threat; having heard a type and shadow of the Master's burial, they feared at the strangeness of the event. But we, who have seen the one who was prophesied and touched him, remain unfeeling toward him and unyielding to repentance. Let us not, then, brothers, appear less believing even than the Gentiles, and draw upon ourselves the destruction they escaped. [Another letter] [On not making others swear.] If you belong to our flock and are ranked under the good shepherd, renounce the nature and likeness of the beasts, and follow his voice, who commands not to swear at all. Not swearing also means not demanding an oath. For if you do not wish to swear, do not demand an oath from others either, for these two reasons: either the one questioned speaks the truth, or the opposite, he lies. If the man habitually speaks the truth, he certainly speaks the truth before the oath; but if he is a liar, he lies even when he swears. So one must not demand an oath, for both reasons …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.154 (PG 78 78:285; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-154)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.155":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ.\nΠερὶ ἱερωσύνης Ἐγὼ μὲν τὴν βίβλον ἣν ἐζήτησας πέπομφα, καὶ καρπὸν ἐξ αὐτῆς διὰ σοῦ περιέμενον, ὃς παρὰ πάντων συνήθως εἰσπράττεται. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστι καρδία, ἣν ἐπῆλθεν ἡ ταύτης ἀνάγνωσις, καὶ πρὸς τὸν θεῖον αὐτὴν οὐκ ἔτρωσεν ἔρωτα· σεπτὴν μὲν τὴν ἱερωσύνην καὶ δυσπρόσιτον δείξασα, ἀμέμπτως δὲ αὐτὴν μετέρχεσθαι διδάξασα· ὁ γὰρ τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀποῤῥήτων σοφὸς ὑποφήτης Ἰωάννης, ὁ τῆς ἐν Βυζαντίῳ Ἐκκλησίας καὶ πάσης ὀφθαλμὸς, οὕτως αὐτὴν λεπτῶς καὶ πυκνῶς ἐξηκρίβωσεν, ὥστε πάντας τοὺς τε κατὰ Θεὸν ἱερατεύοντας, τούς τε ῥᾳθύμως ἱερατικὴν μεταχειρίζοντας, ἐν ταύτῃ τὰ οἰκεῖα εὑρίσκειν κατορθώματά τε καὶ σκώμματα.","t":"To Eustathius. [On the priesthood.] I have sent the book you asked for, and I awaited fruit from it through you, such as it usually yields from everyone. For there is not, there is not a heart which the reading of it has entered and not wounded with divine love, showing the priesthood to be venerable and hard to approach, and teaching how to pursue it blamelessly. For John, the wise interpreter of God's secrets, the eye of the church in Byzantium and of the whole church, examined it so finely and closely that all, both those who serve as priests according to God and those who handle the priestly office carelessly, find in it their own achievements and their own reproaches.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.155 (PG 78 78:287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-155)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.157":{"o":"ΠΑΝΣΟΦΙΩ ΑΡΧΙΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠρὸς ἱερεῖς φιλαργυρίαν νοσοῦντας. Εἰ τῷ Χριστοῦ διακονεῖς θυσιαστηρίῳ, μετὰ τῶν αὐτοῦ νόμων μετέρχῃ τὴν λειτουργίαν σου, πρᾶος καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ φαινόμενος. Οὐ γὰρ πολιτικήν τινα χειρίζεις ἡγεμονίαν, τύφῳ καὶ κόμπῳ φλεγμαίνουσαν· ἀλλὰ διακονίαν εἰρηνικὴν καὶ ἀτάραχον. Εἰ δὲ πλοῦτος ἄδικος συναχθεὶς ὑπεραίρει σε, αὐτὸς μὲν θᾶττον ἐξεμεθήσεται, ῥευστὴν ἔχων τὴν φύσιν καὶ ἄστατον· σὺ δὲ πολὺν ὀφλήσεις τὸν γέλωτα, τοῖς παρατρέχουσιν ὡς ἑστῶσι προσθέμενος","t":"To Pansophius the archdeacon. [To clergy sick with love of money.] If you serve at Christ's altar, carry out your ministry with his laws, showing yourself gentle and lowly in heart. For you are not exercising some civil command, swollen with pride and boasting, but a peaceful and untroubled service. But if unjust wealth gathered up lifts you up, it will soon be vomited out, having a fluid and unstable nature; and you will incur much laughter for attaching yourself to things that run past as if they stood still.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.157 (PG 78 78:287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-157)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.158":{"o":"ΠΡΙΣΚΩ ΚΑΠΠΑΔΟΚΗ.\nΣκαιόν σε φασί τινες καὶ ἀλαζόνα καὶ ὑπερβαίνοντα τὴν φύσιν τῶν ἀνθρώπων φαυλότητι. Ἐγὼ δὲ πολλῶν περὶ σοῦ ἀπηχῶν ἀδομένων οὐκ ἔχω τὸ πείθεσθαι, ἀγνοῶν σε παντάπασι· μίαν δὲ συγκατάθεσιν πρὸς τὰς τραγῳδίας τεκμαίρομαι, τὸ τῆς πατρίδος ἀλλόκοτον. Καὶ δέδοικα μή ποτε θατέρου πράγματος ὑπάρχεις Καππαδοκῶν τοῦ πᾶσι κατεστιγμένου τοῖς ἐλαττώμασιν. Ἔστι γὰρ αὖθις ἑτέρα μοῖρα Καππαδοκῶν πανάριστος· ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἐκεῖνοι γεγόνασιν, οἱ πανταχοῦ τῷ φωτὶ τῆς ἑαυτῶν πολιτείας καὶ νουθεσίας τὰ τῆς γῆς δαδουχήσαντες τέρματα. Ἐπειδὴ οὖν καὶ ἱερωσύνην σοι πράσις ἐπέθηκε, φοβήθητι τοὺς θεοφόρους ἐκείνους ἀνθρώπους, καὶ ἢ τὴν αὐτῶν προαίρεσιν μίμησαι, ἢ τὴν αὐτῶν λειτουργίαν μὴ ὕβριζε. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ ὑπ' αὐτῶν ἐλεγχθῆναι συμβαίη σοι, οὐδὲ τὸ παρὰ Χριστοῦ κατακριθῆναι λελείψεται.","t":"To Priscus the Cappadocian. Some say you are perverse and boastful and surpass the nature of men in baseness. For my part, though many such things are sung about you, I cannot believe them, not knowing you at all; but one thing I take as support for the tragic tales: the strangeness of your homeland. And I fear you may belong to the other kind of Cappadocians, branded with every defect. For there is again another, most excellent, portion of the Cappadocians, from which came those who everywhere have lit up the ends of the earth with the light of their way of life and their admonition. Since, then, a purchase has also put the priesthood on you, fear those God-bearing men, and either imitate their choice of life or do not insult their ministry. For if it should befall you to be convicted by them, neither will condemnation by Christ be wanting.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.158 (PG 78 78:287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-158)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.159":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠερὶ ἱερωσύνης. Μηδὲν ἐμποδὼν τῷ τοῦ Κυρίου Εὐαγγελίῳ γινέσθω, μηδὲ περισπασμὸς τῇ πνευματικῇ ἀκολουθείτω διδασκαλίᾳ, μηδὲ θόρυβος τῇ ἐπωφελεῖ διαλέξει μεσιτευέτω. Οὔτε γὰρ Χριστὸς ζητούμενος ὑπὸ τῆς μητέρος καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, αὐτῶν τὴν κλῆσιν προσήκατο, ἡνίκα δογμάτων ἀπήρξατο, καὶ σωτηρίαν τοῖς ἀκροαταῖς κατειργάζετο, δεικνὺς ὡς χρή τῶν σαρκικῶν εἶναι τὰ πνευματικὰ προτιμότερα. Οὕτω καὶ οἱ αὐτοῦ μαθηταὶ [τὰὶ τῶν τραπεζῶν παρῃτήσαντο τὴν ἐπίσκεψιν ἀναγκαίαν οὖσαν διὰ τοὺς πένητας.","t":"To Leontius the bishop. [On the priesthood.] Let nothing stand in the way of the Lord's Gospel, let no distraction follow on spiritual teaching, let no commotion intrude upon profitable discourse. For neither did Christ, when sought by his mother and brothers, accept their call while he had begun teaching doctrine and was working salvation for his hearers, showing that spiritual things must be preferred to fleshly ones. So too his disciples declined the care of the tables, necessary as it was for the poor.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.159 (PG 78 78:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-159)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.16":{"o":"ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΩ.\nΤί σημαίνει τὸ, Ἐλισσαῖον ἄλατι μεταπεποιηκέναι ἀτεκνοῦντα πάλιν πάλαι) τὰ Ἱεριχούντια ῥεύματα. ῎Αλατι Ἐλισσαῖος τὰ Ἱεριχούντια ῥεύματα ἀτεκνοῦντα ἰάσατο, εὐαγγελικῶς κινηθεὶς πρὸς τὴν ἴασιν, οἷα βλέπων τὰ ἔμπροσθεν. Τύπον γὰρ ἔφερε, τὰ μὲν ὕδατα πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος πρὸς ἀγονίαν ἀρετῶν καὶ ἀκαρπίαν εὐσεβείας στερεωθέντα Οἱ ἄλες δὲ τῆς πάντα νοτιζούσης ποιότητος καὶ δυνάμεως εἰς τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου διδαχὴν, καθὼς αὐτὸς πρὸς τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ ἀποστόλους φησίν. « Ὑμεῖς ἐστε τὸ ἄλας τῆς γῆς· · Ἐλισσαῖος δὲ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ καὶ Δεσπότου. Οἱ γὰρ τὴν εἰκόνα καθαρὰν φυλάττοντες τῷ ποιήσαντι, καὶ συνθαυματουργεῖν αὐτῷ, χάριν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐκομίσαντο.","t":"To Evangelius. [What it means that Elisha with salt changed the waters of Jericho, long barren.] Elisha healed the barren waters of Jericho with salt, moved to the healing in the manner of the Gospel, as one who saw what lay ahead. For he bore a type: the waters, of all humanity, grown hard into barrenness of virtues and fruitlessness of godliness; the salt, with its quality and power that penetrates everything, of the Lord's teaching, as he himself says to his apostles, \"You are the salt of the earth\"; and Elisha, of the Creator and Master himself. For those who keep the image pure for the one who made them have received from him the grace to work wonders with him.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.16 (PG 78 78:189; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-16)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.160":{"o":"ΤΑΡΑΣΙΩ ΙΣΑΥΡΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ δεῖν πάντοτε νήφειν. Κρείττονά σε πάντες τοῦ γένους, καὶ τῆς πατρίδος [σε] λέγουσι, καὶ χρηστὸν τοῖς ἤθεσιν ἀπαγγέλλουσι, τὴν τῶν ὁρῶν τραχύτητα μὴ κρατήσαντα, ἀλλὰ τὸν Θέκλης τῆς πρωτομάρτυρος καὶ τρόπον καὶ σηκὸν ἀγαπήσαντα. Καὶ μακάριος εἶ πτωχεύων [ἐκ ψυχῆς.] Τοῦτο γὰρ τῶν πιστῶν ἐπαινετόν. Καὶ εὔχομαί σε μεῖναι ἄτρεπτον, ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν σταθερώτερον ἔχομεν, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀνέμοις ταῖς κούφαις βοαῖς ῥιπιζόμεθα.","t":"To Tarasius the Isaurian. [On the need to be always sober.] Everyone says you are better than your race and [your] homeland, and reports you as good in character, not mastered by the roughness of the mountains, but loving both the way of life and the shrine of Thecla the first woman martyr. And you are blessed in being poor [in spirit]; for this is praiseworthy in the faithful. I pray that you may remain unchanging, since we have nothing more stable, but are blown about by light cries as by winds.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.160 (PG 78 78:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-160)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.161":{"o":"ΘΩΜΑ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΚαὶ γράφεις λαμπρῶς, καὶ πέμπεις ἁβρῶς. Καὶ μένοις φαιδρῶς ὁ τοῖς πᾶσι χρηστός.","t":"To Thomas the count. You both write brilliantly and send graciously. May you remain cheerful, you who are good to all.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.161 (PG 78 78:289; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-161)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.162":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΠερὶ ἀσκήσεως. Οὐκ ἀρκεῖ ἡ βρῶσις καὶ πόσις καὶ στρωμνὴ Ἰωάννου πρὸς πέρας ἀσκήσεως, τοῖς ταῦτα ζητοῦσιν, ὦ ἄριστε, ἀλλὰ χρεία καὶ τῆς γνώμης Ἰωάννου πρὸς τὴν τελείωσιν. Εἰ τοίνυν ἡμῶν ἐπαινεῖς τὴν λιτότητα, κατόρθωσον ἡμῖν τὴν πραότητα, ἤπερ πᾶσαν ἐκκλίνει περπερείαν.","t":"To Hierax, of senatorial rank. [On ascetic discipline.] The food, drink and bedding of John are not enough for the goal of ascetic discipline for those who seek them, excellent man; there is also need of John's mind for perfection. If, then, you praise our simplicity, achieve for us gentleness, which avoids all boasting.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.162 (PG 78 78:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-162)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.163":{"o":"ΚΥΡΩ.\nΣοφιστεύεις ὄντως, καὶ γράφων, καὶ κάλλη πλάττεις ὀνομάτων. Χρὴ δὲ καὶ ἀφορμὰς παρέχειν ἐν αὐτοῖς ὠφελείας πραγμάτων. Τὸ γὰρ καλῶς λέγειν κυμβάλῳ παρέοικε. Τὸ δὲ χρηστῶς πράττειν ἀγγέλοις συμπέφυκεν. Οἷς καὶ ἔμφοβος καὶ ἀμέλλητος ὑπακοὴ τὸ ποιεῖν τὰ θελήματα τοῦ Θεοῦ μαρτυρεῖ.","t":"To Cyrus. You are a real sophist, both in writing and in fashioning beautiful phrases. But you must also provide in them occasions of benefit in deeds. For speaking well is like a cymbal; but acting well is akin to the angels, whose fearful and prompt obedience bears witness that they do God's will.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.163 (PG 78 78:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-163)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.164":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΟ.\nΠερὶ ὑπερηφανίας. Ὑπερηφάνοις ὁ Θεὸς ἀντιτάσσεται, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τῷ ἄρχοντι αὐτῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀντετάξατο. Σκόπει τοίνυν ὅσον ἐστὶ καὶ Θεὸν ἔχειν ἀντίμαχον, καὶ τὸν ἀρχαῖον ἀντάρτην συμμέτοχον.","t":"To Martyrius. [On pride.] God opposes the proud, since he opposed their ruler from the beginning. Consider, then, what it means both to have God as your adversary and the ancient rebel as your partner.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.164 (PG 78 78:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-164)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.165":{"o":"ΑΥΣΟΝΙΩ.\nΠολλοὶ μὲν ἀρχὰς ἐξ ἀρχῶν ἄλλας ἀμείβουσιν, ἐκ τῶν ἡσσόνων ἴσως τὰς μείζους, οἱ χρηστῶς ταύτας ἰθύνοντες. Τινὲς δὲ οὐ μόνον τῶν κρειττόνων τὰς ἥττους ἠλλάξαντο, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἰκτρῶς προσαπώλοντο. Οἷς οὐκ ἦν βοήθεια ἢ κυβέρνησις. Σὲ δὲ ἐκ τῶν θρόνων τῆς εὐαρχίας αἱ οὐράνιοι παραδέξονται τάξεις, αἷς ἑαυτὸν πεποίηκας προσφιλῆ, καὶ πτωχῶν φιλοθέων κηδόμενος, καὶ κατόπιν πάντα τοῦ δικαίου τιθέμενος. Τὴν μὲν τοῦ νότου βασίλισσαν, ἀκοὴ σοφίας ἐκ τῶν περάτων τῆς γῆς ἐκτεῖναι πρὸς Σολομῶντα παρώτρυνε. Σὲ δὲ Κύριος καθ' ἡμέραν ἐμβοῶν, νῆψαι καὶ βλέψαι πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον οὐκ ἔπεισε. Πρόσεχε τοίνυν μὴ ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνης κριθῇς ὅτι τὴν μὲν φῆμαι καὶ λόγοι ἐπτέρωσαν· σὲ δὲ καὶ ὄψις καὶ πρᾶξις τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐνεργειῶν οὐδαμῶς ἐβελ Τὸν μάχαις χαίροντα, καὶ θορύβοις τερπόμενον, καὶ μᾶλλον μισεῖσθαι παρὰ πάντων σπουδάζοντα, τί ἄν τις ἀρμοδίως καλέσειεν, ἢ φαῦλον δαίμονα, ἐκ τῆς γνώμης τὴν φύσιν ἀλλάξαντα; Ἐπεὶ οὖν καὶ πρὸ καιροῦ βασανίζει Χριστὸς ἐνταῦθα τοὺς δαίμονας, κἀκεῖ σὺν τῷ πατρὶ αὐτῶν πῦρ αὐτοῖς αἰώνιον ἐπηγγείλατο· ἢ παῦσαι φιλοτάμαχον ζωὴν μετερχόμενος, ἢ γίνωσκε κἀνταῦθα μάστιξιν ὑποκείμενος, κἀκεῖσε τὴν ἄμυναν οὐ λησόμενος.","t":"To Ausonius. Many exchange one office for others, perhaps lesser for greater, those who direct them well. But some not only exchanged better for worse, but perished miserably besides, having no help or guidance. But you, from the thrones of good government, the heavenly ranks will receive, to whom you have made yourself dear by caring for the God-loving poor and putting everything after justice. [Letter 1.166] The report of wisdom roused the queen of the south to stretch from the ends of the earth to Solomon; but you the Lord, crying out daily, has not persuaded to be sober and look to what is profitable. Take care, then, not to be judged by her, for rumors and words gave her wings, but you neither the sight nor the doing of Christ's works has in any way … [Letter 1.167] What would one fittingly call the man who delights in battles, enjoys commotions, and rather strives to be hated by all, if not a base demon who has changed his nature by his choice? Since, then, Christ torments demons here even before the time, and there has promised them eternal fire with their father, either stop living a quarrelsome life, or know that you are subject to scourges here and will not escape vengeance there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.165 (PG 78 78:291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-165)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.168":{"o":"ΖΩΙΛΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἘπειδὴ ἄμπελον ἑαυτὸν ὁ Κύριος προσηγόρευσε, τὸ νόστιμον καὶ καρδίαν εὐφραῖνον παρασχόμενος κήρυγμα, οἶνον ἀναγκαίως καλεῖ ἡ θεία Γραφὴ τὸν ἀληθῆ θείας γνώσεως λόγον· τοῦτον καὶ ἐν κρατῆρι ἡ σοφία ποτίζει, κρατῆρα τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου πλευρὰν ὀνομάζουσα, ἐξ ἧς ἡμῖν ἡ τῆς ζωῆς εὐφροσύνη ἐπήγασεν.","t":"To Zoilus the presbyter. Since the Lord called himself a vine, offering the sweet preaching that gladdens the heart, divine Scripture necessarily calls the true word of divine knowledge wine. This Wisdom also gives to drink in a mixing bowl, calling the Lord's side a mixing bowl, from which the gladness of life has sprung up for us.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.168 (PG 78 78:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-168)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.169":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, « Οἱ κάπηλοί σου. › Τὴν τοῦ θείου Πνεύματος ἐπιφοίτησιν δεξάμενοι οἱ τοῦ Κυρίου ἀπόστολοι, γλεύκους εἶναι μεστοὶ ἐνομίσθησαν, καὶ εἰς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τὴν ἀληθῆ καὶ ἀνόθευτον πόσιν τῶν μυστηρίων ἐκόμισαν. Τοὺς τοίνυν τὴν θείαν παραχαράσσοντας παίδευσιν, καὶ νόθοις [καὶ] ἐξιτήλοις ἐντάλμασι τὰ οὐράνια ἐπιθολοῦντας διδάγματα, Μανιχαίους, καὶ Σίμωνας, καὶ Μοντανοὺς, καὶ Ναυάτους, ᾿Αρείους, καὶ Μακεδονίους, Φωτεινούς τε καὶ τοὺς τούτοις ὁμόφρονας, καπήλους εἰκότως προσαγορεύει μιγνύντας τὸν οἶνον ὕδατι, τῇ ἀκραιφνεῖ τῶν θείων λόγων σοφίᾳ τοὺς οἰκείους σχετλιασμοὺς ἐπεισάγοντας.","t":"To the same. [On the saying \"Your wine-dealers.\"] When the Lord's apostles received the coming of the divine Spirit, they were thought to be full of new wine, and they brought to all the nations the true and unadulterated drink of the mysteries. So those who counterfeit the divine teaching and muddy the heavenly doctrines with spurious [and] faded precepts, the Manichees, Simons, Montanists, Novatians, Arians, Macedonians, Photinians and those like-minded with them, it rightly calls wine-dealers who mix the wine with water, bringing their own perversities into the pure wisdom of the divine words.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.169 (PG 78 78:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-169)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.17":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « ᾿Αλώπεκες φωλεοὺς ἔχουσι, καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσεις. • Αἱ ἀλώπεκες φωλεοὺς ἔχουσι, καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατασκηνώσεις, » ὁ Κύριος πρὸς τὸν παρακαλέσαντα ἀκολουθεῖν ἀπεκρίνατο, καρδιογνώστης ὑπάρχων, ὡς πλάσας καταμόνας τὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων καρδίας. Καταμόνας δὲ εἴρηται, ὅτι οὐ δεηθεὶς ἑτέρου βοηθοῦντος ἐποίησε. Καὶ ὁρῶν δολίοις λογισμοῖς κεκρατημένον τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ ὑπὸ πνευμάτων πονηρῶν κατοικούμενον, καὶ ἀνεπιστρόφως πρὸς τὴν κάκωσιν ἔχοντα· καὶ τούτου χάριν τῆς οἰκείας συνουσίας αὐτὸν ἀπέπεμπεν, ἵνα μὴ τὸ ἐπίμονον τῆς ἐκείνου φαυλότητος, σκανδάλου γένηται τοῖς πιστεύουσιν αἴτιον, πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἀτενίζουσι, καὶ τῆς Δεσποτικῆς δυνάμεως καταψηφιζομένοις ἀσθένειαν, ὡς τὸν μαθητὴν μεταβαλεῖν πρὸς ἀρετὴν μὴ ἰσχυσάσης.","t":"To Paul. [On \"Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests.\"] \"Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air nests,\" the Lord answered the man who asked to follow him, since he knows hearts, as the one who fashioned the hearts of men \"alone\". \"Alone\" is said because he made them without needing anyone else to help. Seeing the man held fast by deceitful thoughts, inhabited by evil spirits, and set without repentance on wickedness, for this reason he sent him away from his company, lest that man's persistent baseness become a cause of stumbling to believers, who would look at him and condemn the Master's power as weak, as though it could not change the disciple to virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.17 (PG 78 78:191; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-17)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.170":{"o":"ΧΑΙΡΗΜΟΝΙ.\nΠερὶ τῶν ἀναξίως τῶν μυστηρίων κοινωνούντων. Φασί σε τινες πάντα μὲν ἀπηγορευμένα, τινὰ δὲ πράττειν καὶ ἄθεσμα, τοῖς δὲ θείοις μυστηρίοις τὰς χεῖρας προτείνειν συνεχῶς, καὶ μετέχειν τολμηρῶς τῶν ἀψαύστων σοι. Καί μοι λίαν ἐπῆλθε θαυμάσαι σου τὴν ἀναίδειαν, ὅτι ταῖς τῶν δαιμόνων τραπέζαις εἰς κόρον κοινωνῶν, καὶ τραπέζης Κυρίου μετέχειν οὐ φοβῇ. Ἆρα οὖν μή τίς σε βρόχος καταλάβῃ, ὡς τὸν Ἰούδαν ἐπὶ τῇ προπετείᾳ ἑαυτοῦ ἀπογνόντα, καὶ τὴν προδοσίαν ἐνεργοῦντα, καὶ τὴν κοινωνίαν ἀπαιτοῦντα.","t":"To Chaeremon. [On those who share in the mysteries unworthily.] Some say that you do everything forbidden, and some things even lawless, yet constantly stretch out your hands to the divine mysteries and boldly partake of what you may not touch. And I have come to wonder greatly at your shamelessness, that, sharing to the full at the tables of demons, you are not afraid to partake of the Lord's table also. Beware, then, lest some noose catch you, as it did Judas, who despaired over his own rashness, carried out the betrayal, and demanded communion.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.170 (PG 78 78:293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-170)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.171":{"o":"ΤΟΙΣ ΥΙΟΙΣ ΝΕΙΛΟΥ.\nΤί ἀρνεῖσθε τὴν φύσιν, ἢ ἀγνοεῖτε τὴν κλῆσιν; Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἐκ μιᾶς ὑμᾶς προήγαγε νηδύος; Ἡ δὲ διὰ μιᾶς ἀνεγέννησεν ἐλπίδος. Η τὴν προτέραν τοίνυν αἰδέσθητε γέννησιν, ἢ τὴν δευτέραν φοβήθητε ἀναγέννησιν, καὶ σπείσασθε πρὸς ὁμόνοιαν, εἴτε τῆς φύσεως, εἴτε τῆς κλήσεως. ΑΡΧΟΝΤΙΩ. Εἰς τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ πρὸς τὸν πλούσιον, « \"Οτι μεταξὺ ἡμῶν καὶ ὑμῶν χάσμα μέγα ἐστήρικται. Χάσμα μέγα ἐστήρικται μεταξὺ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τοῦ πλουσίου τιμωρουμένου, ὁ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ ἀπεκρίνατο, τὴν τῶν δικαίων πρὸς τοὺς πταίοντας διαφορὰν ἐνδεικνύμενος. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ, φιλόξενος ἦν καὶ φιλόπτωχος, τοὺς μακρὰν ἀπῳκισμένους δεχόμενος· ὁ δὲ πρὸ τῆς θύρας ἡλκωμένον, ἀνίλεως ἐκτρεπόμενος. Ωσπερ οὖν ἐναντίαι αἱ προθέσεις, οὕτως ἀμιγὴς ἡ μετάστασις· τῶν μὲν, τὴν ἄνεσιν· τῶν δὲ, τὴν κόλασιν δεξαμένων. ΜΑΡΚΟ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ. Πρὸς μοναχὸν τόπον ἐκ τόπου ἀμείβοντα. Τοὺς ἀστηρίκτους καὶ σοὶ προσεοικότας, ἀβέβαιε, χοῦν ἐκριπτούμενον ἀπὸ προσώπου τῆς γῆς ὁ Προφήτης ἐκάλεσεν. Εἰ γὰρ φυτευθεὶς παρὰ τοῦ μακαρίου ῎Αμμωνος, καὶ ποτισθεὶς θεοφιλῶς, καὶ ἀσφαλῶς ἑδρασθεὶς, καὶ καρπὸν ἐνηνοχὼς, ὡς ᾠόμεθα, πολλοὺς οἴκους περινοστεῖς οὐ χάριν παιδεύσεως, ἀλλ᾽ ἁβροτέρας σιτήσεως, τίς σε κατ' ἀξίαν ὀδύραιτο, καὶ σαυτὸν ἀπολλύντα, καὶ πολλοὺς ἀχρειοῦντα, οἷς ἡ νεότης τὴν εὐκολίαν εἰσποιεῖται συμφέρουσαν;","t":"To the sons of Nilus. Why do you deny your nature, or ignore your calling? The one brought you forth from one womb; the other regenerated you through one hope. Either respect, then, your first birth, or fear your second rebirth, and make a truce for concord, whether for nature's sake or for your calling's. [Letter 1.172] To Archontius. [On what Abraham said to the rich man, \"Between us and you a great chasm has been fixed.\"] \"A great chasm has been fixed\" between himself and the rich man in torment, Abraham answered, showing the difference between the righteous and those who sin. The one was hospitable and a lover of the poor, receiving those who lived far away; the other turned without pity from the man covered with sores before his door. As, then, their purposes were opposite, so their removal is without mixture: the one received rest, the other punishment. [Letter 1.173] To Mark the monk. [To a monk who changes place after place.] The unstable, and those like you, you unsteady man, the Prophet called dust that is blown from the face of the earth. For if, having been planted by the blessed Ammon, watered in a God-loving way, firmly established, and having borne fruit, as we supposed, you wander round many houses, not for instruction but for daintier food, who could lament you as you deserve, ruining yourself and making useless many, whose youth makes them pick up a profitable readiness?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.171 (PG 78 78:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-171)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.174":{"o":"ΚΥΡΗΝΙΩ ΗΓΕΜΟΝΙ.\nΧάρτην ἡμῖν οἱ πολῖται πεπόμφασι, προπαγέντα τῆς ἐκκλησίας, ὡς ἔφησαν, πρὶν ἐπιβῇ τῆς πόλεως· ὃς καὶ ἀπολογίας πάντας γυμνοῦ, καὶ τῆς ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ φυγῆς. Ὅπερ οὐ μόνον ἀπηνείας ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀσεβείας ἔχει ὑπόνοιαν. Εἰ γὰρ ἀπολογίας οὐ μεταδιδοὺς, οὐδὲ φυγὴν πρὸς Θεὸν ἐνδιδοὺς, καὶ συκοφάντας ἐστόμωσας, καὶ ἀδικίας ἐπλήθυνας· πῶς οὖν φωράσεις τὸ δίκαιον; πῶς σώσεις τὸν ἀδικούμενον; ὃς ἵνα μὴ ἔργον δυνατοῦ γένηται ἀπορῶν δικαστοῦ τοῦ ἀμύνοντος, πρὸς τὸν ἀχείρωτον ἔδραμε σηκόν. Ἡ δὲ σκῆψίς ἐστι, τῆς τοῦ δικαστηρίου πράσεως ἡ ἀπόφασις, ὑπόβηθι τὴν ἀπήνειαν, καὶ ἔξεις τὸ πρατήριον εὑμαρέστατον. Καὶ τα μέτρα ἑαυτῶν ἐπιστάμεθα, καὶ ἐλέγχειν τοὺς πονηροὺς προβεβλήμεθα. Εἰ δὲ τὴν φράσιν φεύγεις ὧν πράττεις, παῦσαι τὴν πρᾶξιν, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἡ φράσις. Ὁ γάρ τις ποιεῖν οὐκ αἰσχύνεται, τοῦτο μὴ ἀλυέτω καλούμενος. Εἰ δὲ καὶ μόνη ἡ κλῆσις ὕβρεώς ἐστιν ἕξις, ταύτης ἡ πρᾶξις [πῶς] οὐκ ἂν γενήσεται ὕβρις; Ὁ καλὸς Κυρήνιος αὖθις κατακοσμεῖ τὸ πρατήριον. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν φαίην κριτήριον, εἰ μὴ δοκίμου καὶ ἀκιβδήλου νομίσματος μόνον, ὁ ὑπὲρ κλεμμάτων κομίζεται. Πράξετε τοίνυν βελτίονα, αὐτῷ μὲν πόρους μὴ φέροντες, ἑαυτοῖς δὲ βρόχους μὴ πλέκοντες. Ἡ γὰρ ὑμετέρα εὐπραγία, ἔστω αὐτῷ δυσπραγία.","t":"To Cyrenius the governor. The citizens have sent us a paper, posted, as they said, on the church before you entered the city, which strips everyone both of defense and of refuge in the church. This is not only harsh but carries a suspicion of impiety. For if, by not granting defense or allowing refuge with God, you have both sharpened the mouths of slanderers and multiplied injustices, how will you detect what is just? How will you save the one who is wronged, who, so as not to become the prey of the powerful, lacking a judge to defend him, ran to the inviolable sanctuary? The pretext is the prohibition of the sale of the court: lay aside your harshness, and you will find the salesroom most convenient. [Letter 1.175] We both know our own measure and have been appointed to reprove the wicked. If you flee the description of what you do, stop the deed, and the description will not exist. For what one is not ashamed to do, let him not be distressed to be called. But if even the name alone is a habit of insult, how will the deed itself not be an insult? [Letter 1.176] The fine Cyrenius is once again adorning his salesroom; for I would not call it a court of justice, unless it is a salesroom only of genuine and unalloyed coin, which is brought in to cover thefts. Do better, then: do not bring him revenues, and do not weave nooses for yourselves. Let your well-doing be his ill-faring.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.174 (PG 78 78:295; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-174)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.177":{"o":"ΕΥΣΕΒΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΝῦν πονηρῶς πράττει τὰ Πηλουσιωτῶν, ὅτε καὶ τῶν πολιτικῶν ἡ διοίκησις ὁμοίαν τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν νόσον˙ περιεβάλετο. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ θαυμαστὸς Κυρήνιος κατέπτη τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐνημμένος · καὶ ὁ περιβόητος Εὐσέβιος τὴν ποιμαντικὴν ἐμπεπίστευται· καὶ Μάρων οἰκονομεῖ, καὶ Πανσόφιος ἀρχιδιακονεῖ. ὁ μὲν, τὰς κρίσεις ἀπεμπωλῶν, ὁ δὲ τὰς χρήσεις διαπωλῶν· οἱ δὲ ὑπουργοὶ ὄντες καὶ σπουδασταί. Καὶ μακάριός ἐστιν ὃς ἐὰν μὴ σκανδαλισθῇ ἐν ὑμῖν. Φείσασθε οὖν ἀπρόσοχοι, μὴ καὶ τὸν ἔξω δικαστὴν ἀπολύητε τῆς αἰτίας εἰς ὑμᾶς ἀφορῶντα, καὶ τῶν κερδῶν ἀφειδοῦντα.","t":"To Eusebius the bishop. Now the affairs of the Pelusiotes are in a bad way, since the civil administration too has caught a disease like that of the church. For the admirable Cyrenius has swooped down, girded with office; the notorious Eusebius has been entrusted with the pastorate; Maron is steward and Pansophius archdeacon: the one selling judgments, the other selling sacred uses; the others being assistants and partisans. \"And blessed is he who is not scandalized\" in you. Take care, then, you heedless men, lest you even acquit the outside judge of blame, who looks at you and spares nothing in his gains.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.177 (PG 78 78:297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-177)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.178":{"o":"ΡΟΥΦΙΝΩ.\nἪ τὰ Πηλουσιωτῶν ἁμαρτήματα, ἢ τὰ Ῥωμαίων μέγιστα πράγματα ἃ διέπεις εὐμενῶς, λαθεῖν σε τὸν παναρκῆ εὐεργέτην ἐποίησεν, ὅπως Κυρήνιος τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐπελάβετο, καὶ πράττει τὰ ἐνταῦθα πάλιν χαλεπῶς. Αἱ γὰρ πράσεις σφοδραὶ, αἱ πτωχεῖαι πολλαι, αἱ ἀδικίαι συχναὶ, ἡ Ἐκκλησία οὐχ οἷα βοηθεῖν. ᾿Απέβη τὸ δίκαιον, ὁ νόμος ἠγνόηται· ὁ φόβος τοῖς μὴ παρέχουσι, τὸ μῆκος ὅπλον ἔχει ὧν δρᾷ· ἢ παῦσον αὐτὸν τῆς δυνάμεως, ἢ ἴσθι συναπολαύσων αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ κρίματος.","t":"To Rufinus. Either the sins of the Pelusiotes, or the very great affairs of the Romans which you graciously administer, have made it escape your notice, all-sufficient benefactor, how Cyrenius took up his office and is again handling affairs here harshly. For the exactions are severe, the poverty is widespread, the injustices frequent, and the church is not able to help. Justice has departed, the law is ignored; fear falls on those who do not pay, and the length of his tenure is the weapon for what he does. Either stop his power, or know that you will share with him before God and his judgment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.178 (PG 78 78:297; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-178)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.179":{"o":"ΛΥΚΑΙΝΗ.\nΕἰ τῇ χηρείᾳ ἐγκαρτερεῖς, μὴ πρᾶττε νεώτερα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ κόσμον περίκεισαι, καὶ πένθους ὄνομα κέκτησαι, οὐ συμβαίνει τὰ πράγματα. Η θάτερον οὖν ἀπόλιπε, ἢ τὴν αἰδὼ μὴ καθύβριζε. \"Οτι διὰ τῆς πράξεως γνωρίζονται αἱ ἀρεταὶ, ἤπερ διὰ λόγου. Οὐ ῥημάτων ἀπαγγελία, ἀλλὰ πραγμάτων διακονία τὸν τῆς θείας παιδεύσεως ζηλωτὴν ἀποφαίνει. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ ἀρχαῖος ἀντάρτης, ἐπειδὴ τῶν θείων χρησμῶν ἐμέμνητο πειράζων τὸν Κύριον, ἐπαινετὸς ἦν ἄρα τῆς τούτων μαθήσεως, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπόκριτος καὶ ἀπόβλητος, ὅτι τὴν γνῶσιν ἔχων, τὴν πρᾶξιν ἀρνεῖται. Εἰ τοίνυν μὴ κοῦφος φαίνεσθαι βούλει, καὶ ἐπὶ γλώττης μόνης ἔχων τὴν παίδευσιν, ἔργῳ ἐπίδειξον ταύτην. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τῆς ἔξωθεν ὁπλοφορίας ὁ Γολιάθ ἀπώνατό τι, τοῖς ἔσωθεν ἀσθενῶν βοηθήμασιν.","t":"To Lycaena. If you persevere in widowhood, do not act like the younger women. But if you both wear ornaments and bear the name of mourning, the two do not agree. Either give up one of them, then, or do not outrage modesty. [Letter 1.180] [That virtues are known by action rather than by word.] It is not the recital of words but the service of deeds that shows the zealot for divine instruction. For neither was the ancient rebel praiseworthy for his learning of the divine oracles because he quoted them when tempting the Lord; rather he was rejected and cast out, because, having the knowledge, he denies it in practice. If, then, you do not wish to appear light, having instruction only on your tongue, show it in deed. For Goliath gained nothing from his outward armor, being weak in his inner resources.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.179 (PG 78 78:299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-179)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.18":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον περὶ τῆς Θεοτόκου, « Καὶ οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν αὐτὴν, · καὶ τὰ λοιπά. Ἐπειδὴ σκάνδαλον εἶπας οἴεσθαι Ἰουδαίοις, τὸ ἐν τοῖς θείοις χρησμοῖς εἰρημένον, « Οὐκ ἐγίνωσκεν αὐτὴν ἕως οὗ ἔτεκε τὸν υἱὸν αὐτῆς, ὁ ὡς μετὰ ταῦτα, φησὶ, συναφείας τῷ μνηστῆρι πρὸς τὴν Παρθένον γενομένης· γινωσκέτω ὁ βλάσφημος καὶ ἀχάριστος λαὸς, ὅτι τὸ ἕως πολλάκις καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ διηνεκῶς ἐν τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ εὑρίσκομεν κείμενον. « Ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου·, καὶ ἔστι, διηνεκές. Καὶ οὐκ ἀνέστρεψεν ἡ περιστερὰ πρὸς τὸν Νῶε, ἕως τοῦ ξηρανθῆναι τὴν γῆν, καὶ εἰς τὸ παντελὲς οὐκ ἀνέστρεψε. Καὶ, Ἕως ἂν καταγηράσητε, ἐγώ εἰμι, φησὶν ὁ Θεός. Καὶ ἔστι, διηνεκῶς. Καὶ ἄλλα τοιαῦτα πολλά, σποράδην ἐν τῇ θείᾳ εὑρίσκεται Γραφῇ. Ὁ δὲ θεῖος νοῦς τὴν ὑμετέραν, ὦ Ἰουδαῖοι, κακόνοιαν διορθούμενος, ἐκ πορνείας καὶ νομισάντων καὶ εἰρηκότων γεγεννῆσθαι τὸν Κύριον, ἀνέπαφον δεῖξαι τὸν προσκυνητὸν ἐσπούδασε τόκον, πάσης δίχα ἐπιθυμίας, καὶ συνουσίας γεγενημένον, θεοπρεπῆ δὲ ὄντα καὶ ἄληπτον. Τὸ γὰρ μετὰ ταῦτα μὴ συμβῆναι ἀλλήλοις τοὺς τὴν πορνείαν συκοφαντηθέντας, καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἀγγέλου ὄψις ἐκώλυεν, ἐκ Πνεύματος ἁγίου εἰρηκότος ὑπάρχειν τὸν ἐν τῇ Παρθένῳ σαρκούμενον· καὶ ἡ μεγαλειότης τῶν τοῦ τόκου θαυμάτων οὐκ ἐπέτρεπεν, ἡ μετ᾿ αὐτὸν παρθενία, ἡ τῶν ἀγγέλων ὑμνολογία, ἡ τῶν Μάγων δωροφορία, ἡ τοῦ ἀστέρος φωταγωγία, ἡ εἰς Αἴγυπτον ὁδηγία, ἡ τῶν εἰδώλων αἰχμαλωσία, καὶ ἡ αὐτῶν ἐκείνων δικαιοσύνη ὑπὸ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς μαρτυρουμένη. Δηλοῖ δὲ καὶ ἡ τελευταία τοῦ Κυρίου διάθεσις, Ἰωάννῃ τῷ παρθένῳ τὴν Θεοτόκον συστήσαντος, καὶ τὰς ἑκατέρων παρθενίας συνάψαντος, ἡνίκα ἐπὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ ὢν ζωοποιὸν ὑπέμενε θάνατον. Εἰ ταῦτα οὐ πείθει τὸν γογγυστὴν καὶ φιλοπόνηρον λαὸν, οὗ εἰς φύσιν λοιπὸν τὸ θεομαχεῖν κατἑστη, κατὰ πετρῶν σπείρεις, καὶ καθ' ὑδάτων γράφεις, καὶ πέπαυσο ματαιοπονῶν. ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Διὰ τὶ οὐ συγκατεδικάσθη τοῖς περὶ τὸν Ἀνανίαν ὁ Δανιὴλ ἐν τῇ καμίνῳ. Διὰ τί, ἔφης μετὰ τῶν τριῶν ὁσίων παίδων τὴν πυρκαϊὰν οὐ κατεδικάσθη ὁ μέγας Δανιὴλ παρά τοῦ Βαβυλωνίου, σύμφρων αὐτοῖς τυγχάνων καὶ συμφυλέτης, καὶ ὁμοδίαιτος, καὶ μᾶλλον τῆς εὐσεβείας διδάσκαλος; Ἐπειδὴ, φημὶ, κατὰ θείαν τοῦτο ᾠκονομήθη προμήθειαν, ἵνα μὴ τῷ ὀνόματι τοῦ Βαβυλωνίου Θεοῦ, τὴν κατάκαυσιν τῆς φλογὸς οἱ ἀσεβεῖς ἐπιγράφωσι· Βαλτάσαρ γὰρ αὐτὸν, εἰς τιμὴν τῆς τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων σαφηνείας, ὠνόμαζον. δόγμα τοιοῦτο παρ' ἐκείνοις κρατεῖ, ὡς καὶ μόνον ὀνομαζόμενον, θαυματουργεῖν τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῶν. Ἵνα ταύτην τοίνυν καταργήσῃ τὴν δόξαν, ἐν τῇ κρίσει ταύτῃ τὸν Δανιὴλ ἐχώρισε, καὶ εὑρέθη γυμνὴ καθ' ἑαυτὴν ἡ τῶν νέων ἐγκράτεια, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ βοήθεια, τὴν βροντῶσαν μαράνασα κάμινον.","t":"To Herminus the count. [On what is said about the Mother of God, \"And he did not know her,\" and the rest.] You said you think a stumbling block for the Jews is what is said in the divine oracles, \"He did not know her until she had borne her son,\" as though, he says, the betrothed came together with the Virgin afterward. Let that blasphemous and ungrateful people know that we often find \"until\" placed in divine Scripture also of what is perpetual. \"Until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet\": and it means perpetually. And: the dove did not return to Noah until the earth was dried, and it never returned at all. And: \"Until you grow old, I am,\" says God; and it means perpetually. And many other such things are found scattered in divine Scripture. The divine mind, correcting your malice, you Jews, who both thought and said that the Lord was born of sexual immorality, was eager to show that the birth we worship was untouched, having come about without any desire or intercourse, befitting God and beyond comprehension. For that those who were slandered with sexual immorality did not afterward come together was prevented both by the angel's vision, which said that he who was taking flesh in the Virgin was from the Holy Spirit; and the greatness of the wonders of the birth did not permit it: the virginity after it, the angels' hymn, the Magi's bringing of gifts, the star's guiding light, the guidance into Egypt, the captivity of the idols, and the righteousness of the two themselves, attested by divine Scripture. The Lord's last disposition also shows it, when, on the cross enduring a life-giving death, he commended the Mother of God to John the virgin and joined the virginity of both. If these things do not persuade the grumbling and evil-loving people, in whom fighting against God has become second nature, you are sowing on rocks and writing on water; stop laboring in vain. [Letter 1.19] To Heraclides the bishop. [Why Daniel was not condemned with Ananias and his companions to the furnace.] Why, you asked, was the great Daniel not condemned to the fire by the Babylonian with the three holy youths, though he was of one mind with them, of the same tribe, sharing their way of life, and rather their teacher in godliness? Because, I say, this was arranged by divine providence, so that the ungodly might not ascribe what befell the burning flame to the name of the Babylonian god. For they called him Belteshazzar, in honor of his making secrets plain; and such a belief prevails among them, that their god works wonders even by being named. To abolish this opinion, he set Daniel apart in this trial, and the young men's self-control was found bare by itself, together with the help of God, which withered the roaring furnace.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.18 (PG 78 78:191; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-18)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.181":{"o":"ΩΡΙΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ.\n\"Οτι οὐκ ἀπονοίας ἦν ἡ κατὰ ᾿Ανανίου καὶ Σαπφείρης ἀγανάκτησις τοῦ ἀποστόλου Πέτρου, ἀλλὰ χρήσιμος τῇ ἀρχῇ τοῦ κηρύγματος. Οὐκ ἀπονοίας ἐστὶν, ὦ φιλολογώτατε, ὁ κατὰ τῶν πταισάντων φόνος τοῦ σοφωτάτου Πέτρου, ἀλλὰ διδασκαλίας προγνωστικῆς, τὰ πολλὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων προϊωμένης ἁμαρτήματα. Τότε γὰρ ἀρξάμενοι τὰ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου καταβάλλεσθαι σπέρματα · καὶ εὐθὺς παρανατείλαντα ἑωρακότες ζιζάνια, σοφῶς αὐτὰ παραχρῆμα ἐξέτιλαν, ἵνα μὴ τῷ σίτῳ συναυξηθέντα, τῷ μέλλοντι πρὸς καῦσιν πυρὶ φυλαχθῇ. Οὕτω καὶ Μωσῆς ὁ θεσπέσιος τὰ τοῦ νόμου ἐκ προοιμίων παραβαθέντα θεώμενος, εἰ καὶ ἐπὶ βραχεῖ ἁμαρτήματι καταλευσθῆναι ἐν σαββάτῳ ξυλολογοῦντα ἐκέλευσε, τοῦτο Θεὸν γεγραφὼς ἀποφήνασθαι. Ἐπὶ μικρῷ γὰρ καὶ μείζονι ἡ παράβασις κρίνεται. Ὡς καὶ οἱ πρῶτοι τοῦ γένους προπάτορες ξύλου γεύσει τὸν πολυώδυνον κατεδικάσθησαν καὶ βίον καὶ θάνατον.","t":"To Orion the monk. [That the apostle Peter's indignation against Ananias and Sapphira was not due to arrogance, but useful at the beginning of the preaching.] The death of the offenders at the hands of the most wise Peter was not from arrogance, most learned man, but from foreseeing instruction, which prevented many sins of men. For at that time, as they began to cast the seeds of the Gospel and saw tares springing up at once, they wisely pulled them up immediately, lest, growing up with the wheat, they be kept for the fire to come. So also the divine Moses, seeing the law transgressed at the outset, ordered the man gathering wood on the Sabbath to be stoned, even for a small sin, having written that God so declared. For transgression is judged in small and greater things alike; as the first forefathers of our race were condemned to a life and death full of pain for tasting of a tree.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.181 (PG 78 78:299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-181)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.182":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΔιὰ τί λέγεται ὁ Κύριος μαργαρίτης, καὶ διὰ τί ἐμπόρῳ ζητοῦντι καλοὺς μαργαρίτας ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀπεικάσθη. Ὁ τὸν πολυτίμητον μαργαρίτην ζητήσας, καὶ πάντων αὐτῷ τῶν προσόντων ἀντισταθμίσας, ὁ νέος ἐστὶ τοῦ Κυρίου λαὸς, τῆς πατρώας καὶ οὐσίας καὶ θρησκείας καταφρονῶν, καὶ τὸν Κύριον τῆς δόξης ζητῶν. Μαργαρίτης δὲ κέκληται, ἐπειδὴ τῷ βυθῷ τῆς θεότητος ἤνωται, καὶ μόνοις τοῖς ἁλιεῦσι καὶ τοῖς αὐτοῦ ὑποφήταις ἐγνώρισται ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Οἱ καταβαίνοντες εἰς θάλασσαν ἐν πλοίοις, ποιοῦντες ἐργασίαν ἐν ὕδασι πολλοῖς, οἱ τοῦ Κυρίου τυγχάνουσι θεοφόροι ἀπόστολοι, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ προτέρου τοῦτο ὄντες ἐπιτηδεύματος, καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἐν τῷ βίῳ ζωγρευτικῆς ἐργασίας. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὡς κυμάτων ἐπανάστασις φλεγμαίνει καὶ κατευνάζεται τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰ πράγματα, εἰκότως θάλασσαν τὴν τούτων ἀνωμαλίαν οἱ θεῖοι καλοῦσι χρησμοί. Οἱ δὲ ταύτην γαληνεύσαντες, ἐν ὕδασι πολλοῖς πεποιῆσθαι τὴν ἐργασίαν ἐῤῥήθησαν","t":"To Heraclides the bishop. [Why the Lord is called a pearl, and why the kingdom of heaven was likened to a merchant seeking fine pearls.] The one who sought the precious pearl and gave all he had in exchange for it is the Lord's new people, which despises its ancestral substance and religion and seeks the Lord of glory. He is called a pearl because he is united to the depth of the Godhead, and is known only to the fishermen and his interpreters. [Letter 1.183] To the same. \"Those who go down to the sea in ships, doing business in many waters\" are the Lord's God-bearing apostles, both from their former occupation and from their life's work of catching men alive. For since human affairs swell and subside like a rising of waves, the divine oracles rightly call their unevenness a sea. And those who calmed it are said to have done their business in many waters.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.182 (PG 78 78:301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-182)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.184":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ.\nΕἰ τῆς ἀνοχῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τῆς μακροθυμίας, ὦ τάλας, καταφρονεῖς, κἂν τὰ παρόντα αἰδέσθητι. Πολλοὶ γὰρ πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα ἀβλεπτοῦντες τὰς ἐνταῦθα ἐκκλίνουσι κωμῳδίας. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ταῦτα κἀκεῖνα καταφρονεῖς, ἐνταῦθα γελασθήσῃ, κἀκεῖ θρηνηθήσῃ. ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Ἠδύνασο ἐπικουρεῖν τοῖς βοηθείας προσδεομένοις, εἰ μὴ σαυτὸν προκατέλυσας αἰσχροῖς λήμμασι καὶ προβλήμασιν. Οἱ γὰρ ὁρῶντές σε Πανσοφίου ἡττώμενον, ἀνθρώπου μὴ μόνον τὸν θεῖον ὑβρίσαντος Στέφανον, οὗ τὴν λειτουργίαν ἀκρίτως ἐδέξατο, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν ἐκ τοῦ σεμνοῦ χοροῦ προπηλακίσαι σπουδάζοντος, ποίας ἄν σε τιμῆς ἀξιώσειαν ; Εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῦτον κωλύσειας, καὶ σαυτὸν διορθώσειας καὶ τὰ ἐνταῦθα πάντως φανεῖταί σοι χρηστά, καὶ τὰ ἐκεῖθαν πάντως ἀνεκτά.","t":"To Zosimus. If you despise God's forbearance and long-suffering, wretched man, at least respect present things. For many who are blind to the future avoid being mocked here. But if you despise both this and that, you will be laughed at here and wept for there. [Letter 1.185] To Eusebius the bishop. You could help those who need assistance, if you had not first undone yourself with shameful gains and candidates. For those who see you overcome by Pansophius, a man who not only insulted the divine Stephen, whose ministry he took over without discernment, but is eager to drive all virtue out of the venerable company, what honor would they think you worthy of? But if you restrain him and correct yourself, both things here will surely appear good to you, and things there surely bearable.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.184 (PG 78 78:301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-184)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.186":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΤΡΙΒΟΥΝΩ.\n\"Οτι δεῖ τοὺς καρποφοροῦντας ἁπλῶς τὰ δῶρα προσάγειν Θεῷ, καὶ μὴ κρίνειν τὸν τούτων μεσίτην, τουτέστι τὸν ἱερέα. Μὴ λογοποίει τὰ δῶρα, ἀλλὰ πρόσφερε μόνον Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ σοὶ [προσ]κομίσας τι, περιεργάζεται, ὅποι καὶ ὅπως χρήσαιο τούτῳ· ἀρκεῖ γὰρ μόνον τὸ δοῦναι καὶ σοὶ τιμὴν, καὶ ἑαυτῷ παῤῥησίαν ὀρέξαι.","t":"To Serenus the tribune. [That those who bring offerings should simply present their gifts to God and not judge the intermediary, that is, the priest.] Do not make an account of your gifts; just offer them. For one who brings you something does not inquire where and how you will use it; it is enough simply to give, and so to offer you honor and himself freedom of speech.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.186 (PG 78 78:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-186)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.187":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ τῷ Θεῷ ὑπόδικοι, ὡς ἔφης, οἱ κακῶς χρώμενοι τοῖς ἱεροῖς τυγχάνουσιν ἱερεῖς, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς τοῦτο ἀγνοεῖς· μὴ καὶ τὴν πρόθεσιν τῆς δωροφορίας ὑβρίσῃς, τὸν τρόπον τῆς δαπάνης αὐτῆς ἐρευνῶν, ὡς ἐπὶ τούτῳ δεδωκώς, ἵν᾿ εὐθύνας αὐτῆς ἀπαιτῇς, κἀκείνους τοῦ μέλλοντος ἐξέλῃ λογοθεσίου. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ ἐπιδεικτικῶς εὖ ποιοῦντες, τοῖς ἐνταῦθα κρότοις τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἀμοιβὴν ζημιοῦνται· οὕτως οἱ τοῖς ἐκεῖσε δίκην χρεωστοῦντες, ἐνταῦθα προεξετάζοντες, τῆς ἐκεῖθεν ἀφιᾶσιν αἰτίας καὶ τιμωρίας.","t":"To the same. Even if priests who misuse sacred things are answerable to God, as you said, still you, do not be ignorant of this: do not also insult the purpose of your offering by investigating how it is spent, as though you had given it on condition of demanding an account of it, and so rescuing them from the reckoning to come. For as those who do good for show lose the reward there through the applause here, so those who examine beforehand, here, men who owe a penalty there, release them from the charge and punishment there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.187 (PG 78 78:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-187)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.188":{"o":"ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΩ.\nΠερὶ ἀμελούντων τῆς φοβερᾶς ἡμέρας. Εἰ [ὁ] οὐρανὸς ὡς βιβλίον ἑλίσσεται, καὶ τὰ ἄστρα πίπτει, καὶ Ὠρίων, καὶ γῆ, καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ κατακαίεται, καὶ πάντα γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένα τῇ μεγάλῃ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου παρουσίας ἑτοιμάζεται · τοῦ χάριν αὐτὸς ἀμελεῖς, καὶ οὐχ ὡς εὐθύνας ὑφέξων εὐτρεπίζῃ, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀνέγκλητος λησόμενος, ἀναβάλλῃ τὴν μεταμέλειαν; Ὅρα οὖν μὴ τότε σοι ἐπέλθῃ ἡ μετάγνωσις, ὅτε μόνη πάρεστιν ἡ ἀπόγνωσις.","t":"To Asclepius. [On those who neglect the fearful day.] If heaven is rolled up like a scroll, and the stars fall, and Orion, and the earth and what is in it are burned up, and all things are being prepared, naked and laid bare, for the great day of the Lord's coming, why are you careless, and do not prepare as one who will give account, but put off repentance as though you will escape notice as blameless? See, then, that repentance does not come to you when only despair is present.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.188 (PG 78 78:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-188)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.189":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ.\nΚαλὸν μὲν τὸ τιμᾶν τοὺς μάρτυρας τῆς εὐσεβείας τοῖς ἀναθήμασιν, ὅπερ αὐτὸς πεποίηκας. Κρείττον δὲ τὸ θεραπεύειν αὐτοὺς οἷς ἐποίησαν κατορθώμασιν. Οἷς τοίνυν προσενήνοχας τὸν κόσμον, καρποφόρησον αὐτοῖς καὶ τὸν τρόπον.","t":"To Serenus. It is good to honor the martyrs of godliness with offerings, as you have done; but it is better to serve them by the achievements they performed. To those, then, on whom you have bestowed adornment, offer also the fruit of your way of life.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.189 (PG 78 78:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-189)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.190":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ.\nὉ παῖς ὁ πεφευγώς σε δι' εὐχέρειαν ἀκοῆς λόγοις φαύλοις φθαρεὶς, ἧκέ σοι δι' εὐπείθειαν, εὔνοιαν παρ' ἡμῶν διδαχθείς. Δέχου τοίνυν εὐμενῶς, καὶ ἡμῖν καὶ σαυτῷ χαριούμενος· ἡμῖν τὴν ἀγάπην, σαυτῷ δὲ τὴν χρείαν.","t":"To Palladius. The slave who ran away from you, corrupted by bad talk through his readiness to listen, has come back to you through obedience, having been taught good will by us. Receive him, then, kindly, doing a favor both to us and to yourself: to us, love; to yourself, service.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.190 (PG 78 78:303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-190)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.191":{"o":"ΚΑΛΛΙΟΠΙΩ.\nὍτι καλὸν τὸ φεύγειν καὶ πρὸς ἄρχοντας. | Ἡμεῖς τὰς πόλεις ὡς θορυβώδεις πεφεύγαμεν, καὶ θορύβους ἐπὶ τῆς ἐσχατιᾶς εὐρήκαμεν. Οἱ γὰρ ἡγεμόνες τῆς πολιτείας, οἱ τὰς πόλεις ἠρεμεῖν παρασκευάζειν ὀφείλοντες, νῦν τὰς ἐρημίας πολίζουσι, τοὺς οἰκοῦντας αὐτὰς τρέποντες εἰς φυγάδας καὶ ἡμῖν δακρυώδεις ἐπαντλοῦντες φωνάς. Ὅτι δὲ θεῖον τὸ συμπαθεῖν, εὐ οἶδα κἀγώ· ὅτι δὲ τὸ πρὸς ἐκδίκησιν ἀσθενὲς προσθήκη ἐστὶ τῆς πληγῆς, καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀγνοῦ. Αὐτὸς οὖν ὡς ἔχων τὸ δύνασθαι, καὶ ἀρκῶν πρὸς τὴν ἄμυναν, καὶ παῦσον τὴν ἀδικίαν, καὶ στῆσον τὴν πολιτείαν, καὶ δὸς ἡμῖν ἠρεμίαν, στείλας τοὺς θρήνους τῆς ἐρημίας.","t":"To Calliopius. [That it is good to flee, and to governors.] We fled the cities as full of commotion, and have found commotion in the remote country. For the leaders of the state, who ought to make the cities quiet, now turn the deserts into cities, turning their inhabitants into fugitives and pouring tearful voices upon us. That compassion is divine I know well; and that weakness to avenge is an addition to the blow, I am not ignorant of that either. You, then, who have the power and are able to defend, stop the injustice, settle the state, and give us quiet by putting an end to the laments of the desert.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.191 (PG 78 78:305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-191)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.192":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ.\nΔιὰ τί ὁ Ἰακὼβ ἐν τῷ τίκτεσθαι τῆς πτέρνης ἐπείληπτο τοῦ Ἡσαῦ. Τῆς πτέρνης Ἡσαῦ ὁ Ἰακὼβ ἐπείληπτο ἐν τῷ τίκτεσθαι, τοῦτο σημαίνων διὰ τοῦ σχήματος, ὅτι ὁ νοῦς ὁ βλέπων Θεὸν καθαρότητι (τοῦτο γὰρ Ἰσραὴλ ἐρμηνεύεται), πτερνίζει τὰ πάθη τὰ γαστρίμαργα · ὅπερ ἐπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐκείνων τετέλεστο, ἡνίκα τὴν ἀκαρτέρητον λύτταν ὁ Ἐδὼμ ἐπεδείξατο, καὶ τῆς πρεσβυγενείας τὴν τιμὴν οἰκέτιν ἐποίησε βρώσεως.","t":"To Lampetius. [Why Jacob at birth took hold of Esau's heel.] Jacob took hold of Esau's heel at birth, signifying by the action that the mind which sees God in purity (for that is what \"Israel\" means) trips up the gluttonous passions; which was fulfilled in those very men, when Edom showed his uncontrollable craving and made the honor of the birthright a slave of food.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.192 (PG 78 78:305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-192)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.193":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤί ἠνίξατο, τὰ τῶν ἐρίφων δέρματα ὁ Ἰακώβ περιθέμενος. Οξέως ἐπιβάλλεις τοῖς ἐνθυμήμασι, καὶ δριμέως θηρεύεις τὰ κεκρυμμένα αἰνίγματα. Τὰ δέρματα τῶν ἐρίφων ὁ Ἰακὼβ περιθέμενος, καὶ τὴν εὐλογίαν τοῦ πατρὸς πορισάμενος, τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν καὶ Σωτῆρα ἡνίξατο, τὴν ἐναμάρτητον φύσιν ἀναμαρτήτως δεξάμενον, καὶ τὰ πάθη αὐτῆς ἐν ἑαυτῷ θανατώσαντα · τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ ἡ τῶν νεκρῶν δερμάτων περίθεσις· ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν ἐριφῶδες λοιπὸν ἐν τῇ φύσει κατέλιπε, τῆς εὐωνύμου στάσεως καὶ κρίσεως ἄξιον. ᾿Αλλὰ νεκρώσας αὐτῆς τὰ γήϊνα μέλη, καὶ βρῶσιν προσφιλῆ τῷ Πατρὶ προσεκόμισε, τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀεὶ πεινῶντι σωτηρίαν, καὶ ἡμῖν ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὴν ἀναφαίρετον εὐλογίαν ἐπήγασεν.","t":"To the same. [What Jacob hinted at by putting on the skins of the kids.] You keenly attack the arguments and sharply hunt the hidden riddles. Jacob, by putting on the skins of the kids and obtaining his father's blessing, hinted at our Lord and Savior, who sinlessly received the sinful nature and put its passions to death in himself; for this is what putting on dead skins shows: that he left in that nature nothing goatish, worthy of the station and judgment on the left. Rather, having put to death its earthly members, he brought food dear to the Father, who always hungers for our salvation, and caused the blessing that cannot be taken away to spring up for us in himself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.193 (PG 78 78:305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-193)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.194":{"o":"ΩΡΙΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς παραβολῆς τῶν ζιζανίων. Πόθεν, ἔφης, οἱ πονηροὶ λογισμοὶ ἐκ τῆς καρδίας ἐξέρχονται, καὶ κοινοῦσι τὸν ἄνθρωπον; Ἐκ τοῦ καθεύδειν τοὺς γεωργοὺς ἐγρηγορέναι ὀφείλοντας, καὶ φυλάττειν τοῦ καλοῦ σπέρματος τὸν καρπὸν ἀναθάλλοντα. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ κόρῳ καὶ κάρῳ τὴν ἑαυτῶν φυλακὴν προδεδώκειμεν, τὴν θείαν εἰκόνα μολύναντες, τουτέστι τὸ καλὸν σπέρμα νοθεύσαντες, ὁ τῶν ζιζανίων σπορεὺς οὐκ ἂν εὖρε παρείσδυσιν, καὶ ἄξια πυρὸς ζιζάνια [ἐν] ἡμῖν κατειργάσατο. Εἰς τὸ αὐτό. Θέλεις ἀπελθόντες συλλέξωμεν τὰ ζιζάνια; αἱ ἀγγελικαὶ δυνάμεις φασὶ, διακονεῖν ἀεὶ τῷ θείῳ θελήματι εὐνοϊκῶς ἐπιθυμοῦσαι, ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὴν ἡμῶν ὀλιγωρίαν καὶ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ πολλὴν ὁρῶσι μακροθυμίαν. Ἀλλὰ πρᾶξαι τοῦτο κωλύονται, μὴ συνεκτμηθῇ τοῖς ζιζανίοις ὁ σἴτος, μήποτε ἁρπαγῇ ἁμαρτωλὸς πρὸς διόρθωσιν βλέπων, μὴ πονηρῶν γενομένων γονέων συνεκκοπῇ ἀκατάγνωστα τέκνα, ἔτι μὲν πολλάκις ἐν ὀσφύϊ ὄντα πατρικῇ, Θεῷ [δὲ] ὑφεστῶτα ὡς τὰ κεκρυμμένα ὁρῶντι. Αἱ γὰρ τάξεις τῶν ἀγγέλων, οἷα τῆς φύσεως σύνδουλοι, τὰ μήπω παρόντα ἀγνοοῦσιν. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος καὶ συνιεῖ, καὶ πολλάκις ἐποίησεν. Οὐκ ἐθέρισεν ἄτεκνον τὸν Ἡσαῦ ἁμαρτάνοντα, ἵνα μὴ συνεκτίλλ]ῃ τὸν Ἰὼβ, ἐξ ἐκείνου γινόμενον· μὴ θανατώσας τελωνοῦντα Ματθαῖον, ἵνα μὴ κωλύσῃ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον· μὴ νεκρώσας ἀσελγούσας πόρνας, ἵνα μὴ τῆς μεταν νοίας οἱ τύποι ἀργήσωσιν· μὴ ἀμυνάμενος τοῦ Πέτρου τὴν ἄρνησιν, ἐπειδὴ τὸ θερμὸν προέβλεπε δάκρυον· μὴ ἐκκόψας τελευτῇ τὸν Παῦλον διώκοντα, ἵνα μὴ ἀστοχήσωσι σωτηρίας τῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ τέρματα. Ὅσα τοίνυν τὸν θερισμὸν περιμένει ζιζάνια, καὶ πρὸς καρπὸν μετανοίας οὐ τρέπεται, τῷ μεγάλῳ πυρὶ ἑτοιμάζεται, ὡς παντελῆ ἀκαρπίαν νοσήσαντα. Ἐπιστολαὶ τῆς Ἐξόδου, « Αἰτήσασθε ἕκαστος παρὰ τοῦ πλησίον σκεύη σκεύη ἀργυρᾶ καὶ χευσᾶ, καὶ τὰ λοιπά. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἀδίκου κρίσεως, ὡς οἴει, τὸ κελεῦσαι τοὺς πλεῖστα μοχθήσαντας, καὶ πόλεις σὺν πόνῳ οἰκοδομήσαντας, σκυλεῦσαι τοὺς Αἰγυπτίους, [καὶ] χρυσία λαβεῖν ἢ ἀργύρια παρ' ἐκείνων, οἷς [τοὺς] πόνους κατέθεντο. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα ἀδεκάστου κριτοῦ, ἄξιον εἶναι τῆς τροφῆς ἐργάτην θεσπίζοντος. Εἰ γὰρ τις ἡμῶν καὶ γνωστικοῦ ἐπέτυχε πνεύματος, εὖρεν ἂν παρὰ πολὺ τὸν μισθὸν, καὶ οὕτως δεδομένον, τῆς κατωδύνου πλινθείας, καὶ πολυστενάκτου οἰκοδομίας, δι᾽ ἣν αὐτοῖς ὁ δίκαιος κριτής καὶ τὴν χάριν πρὸς τὴν χρῆσιν προσέθηκε.","t":"To Orion the monk. [On the parable of the tares.] From where, you asked, do evil thoughts come out of the heart and defile a man? From the sleeping of the farmers, who ought to keep watch and guard the fruit of the good seed as it shoots up. For if we had not betrayed our watch through surfeit and stupor, defiling the divine image, that is, adulterating the good seed, the sower of tares would not have found a way in and produced in us tares worthy of the fire. [Another letter] [On the same.] \"Do you want us to go and gather the tares?\" say the angelic powers, always eager to serve the divine will with good will, since they see both our negligence and God's great long-suffering. But they are prevented from doing it, lest the wheat be cut down with the tares: lest a sinner be snatched away who looks toward amendment; lest, when the parents are wicked, blameless children be cut off with them, children often still in their father's loins but present to God, who sees hidden things. For the ranks of angels, being fellow servants by nature, do not know what is not yet present; but the Lord both understands and has often acted so. He did not cut Esau off childless when he sinned, lest he pull up Job, who came from him; he did not put Matthew to death as a tax collector, lest he hinder the Gospel; he did not kill the licentious harlots, lest the patterns of repentance be idle; he did not punish Peter's denial, since he foresaw the hot tears; he did not cut Paul off by death as a persecutor, lest the ends of the world miss salvation. So whatever tares await the harvest and do not turn to the fruit of repentance are prepared for the great fire, as sick with utter barrenness. [Another letter] [From Exodus: \"Let each ask of his neighbor vessels of silver and gold,\" and the rest.] It is not a mark of unjust judgment, as you think, to command those who had toiled so much and built cities with labor to despoil the Egyptians and take gold or silver from those for whom they had expended their toil. Rather it is the mark of a wholly impartial judge, who decrees that the worker is worthy of his food. For if any of us had a share of a discerning spirit, he would find the wage, even given in this way, far short of the painful brickmaking and much-lamented building, for which the just judge added this favor to their service.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.194 (PG 78 78:305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-194)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.195":{"o":"ΚΥΡΩ.\nΚόπος, καὶ τῦφος καὶ δόξα κενή, οὐ συνιστᾷ τῇ ἄνω λαμπρότητι, ἀλλὰ τρόπος χρηστὸς, καὶ βίος σεμνὸς, καὶ κοινωνία πρὸς τοὺς χρήζοντας ἀνεπίδεικτος. Τοῖς γὰρ ἐνταῦθα ἐπαίνοις, καὶ ἡ ἀμοιβή τῆς εὐποιίας συγκαταλύεται. Εἰ δὲ τις τὴν ἐκεῖθεν ἀνταπόδοσιν ζητεῖ, καὶ νῦν λαμβάνει ἀπαρχάς, κάκεῖ πλούσιον κομίζεται γέρας. ὅτι τὴν ἴσην δίκην οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι ἀπέλαβον ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐρυθρᾶς, ἀντὶ τῆς ἀῤῥενοφθορίας τοῦ Ἰσραήλ. Ἐπειδὴ ἄριστά σοι εἶπας πεφηνέναι τὰ πρότερα, δέχου καὶ ἄλλην οὐκ ἀναξίαν ἐκείνης διάνοιαν. Τὴν τῶν Ἑβραίων ἀῤῥένων μιαιφονίαν ὁμοίᾳ Θεὸς ἀντημείψατο ἐκδικήσει, ἐν τῇ Ἐρυθρᾷ πάντας ἄῤῥενας ἀποπνίξας, ἵνα καὶ τοῖς σώμασιν ἔχῃ ἡ δίκη τὸ ὅμοιον. Πρόσεχε τοίνυν ἀσφαλῶς, καὶ μὴ μέμφου προπετῶς.","t":"To Cyrus. Toil, vanity and empty glory do not commend one to the brightness above, but good character, a dignified life, and sharing with those in need without display. For with praises here the reward of well-doing is also used up. But if anyone seeks the recompense there, he both receives firstfruits now and carries off a rich prize there. [Another letter] [That the Egyptians received equal punishment at the Red Sea, in return for the destruction of Israel's males.] Since you said the former things seemed excellent to you, receive another meaning not unworthy of that one. God repaid the murder of the Hebrew males with a like vengeance, drowning all the males in the Red Sea, so that the penalty might have its likeness in the bodies too. Attend, then, securely, and do not blame rashly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.195 (PG 78 78:309; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-195)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.196":{"o":"ΔΙΔΥΜΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, ι ῾Ομοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν κόκκῳ σινάπεως. 1 Κόκκῳ σινάπεως τὴν οὐράνιον βασιλείαν ἀπεικάζει ὁ Κύριος, πλείστων ἕνεκα τρόπων· διὰ τὴν εὐτέλειαν τῆς ἐν τῇ οἰκείᾳ συγκαταβάσει πτωχείας, ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἡμῖν ἡ σκιὰ καὶ ἀνάψυξις ἀπὸ πασῶν τῶν ἐν τῷ βίῳ γέγονεν ὀδυνῶν· διὰ τὴν ἐν ἀρχῇ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου τοῦ ποιμνίου σμικρότητα· διὰ τὴν ἔμφυτον τοῦ κόκκου δριμύτητα, ἧς καὶ χρήζει ὁ τῆς στενῆς ἔμπορος ὁδοῦ, διὰ τὸ μὴ διακόπτεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀδιαίρετον σώζειν ὑπόστασιν. Ὁ γὰρ Θεῷ ἑνωθεὶς, καὶ εἰς ἕνα τέλειον ἄνθρωπον συναρμολογηθεὶς, ἀδιαίρετον ἔχειν καὶ ἄτμητον τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν ὀφείλει συνάφειαν, οὐδεὶ πάθει χωριζομένην, ἀλλ᾽ ὅλην αὐτῷ συντεταγμένην.","t":"To Didymus. [On the saying \"The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed.\"] The Lord likens the heavenly kingdom to a grain of mustard seed for very many reasons: for the lowliness of the poverty of his condescension, from which we have gained shade and refreshment from all the pains of life; for the smallness of the flock at the beginning of the Gospel; for the grain's natural sharpness, which the traveler on the narrow way also needs; and because it is not cut up but keeps its undivided substance. For one who has been united to God and fitted together into one perfect man ought to have an undivided and unsevered union with him, separated by no passion, but wholly ranged with him.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.196 (PG 78 78:309; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-196)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.2":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΟ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\n\"Ανθρακες ἀνήφθησαν ἀπ' αὐτοῦ. ῎Ανθρακες ἀνήφθησαν ἀπ᾿ αὐτοῦ, ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ δηλονότι οἱ ἅγιοι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν πῦρ καταναλίσκον ἐστὶν, οἱ τὸν Θεὸν θεωροῦντες τῇ καθαρότητι, ἄνθρακες εἰκότως προσαγορεύονται, τῇ πρὸς αὐτὸν ἑνώσει πυρούμενοι, καὶ φωστῆρες ἐν κόσμῳ φαινόμενοι.","t":"To Dorotheus the monk. [\"Coals were kindled from him.\"] \"Coals were kindled from him\": from God, that is, the saints. For since our God is a consuming fire, those who behold God in purity are fittingly called coals, set on fire by their union with him and shining as lights in the world.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.2 (PG 78 78:181; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-2)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.20":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΚατὰ Μακεδονιανῶν, ἤτοι Πνευματομάχων. Εἰ δέχεται ὁ πρὸς σὲ διενεχθεὶς αἱρετικὸς, καθὼς γέγραφας, τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸν δογματιστὴν ἀξιόπιστον, αὐτὸς διδάσκει τὴν οὐσίαν τοῦ προσκυνητοῦ τῆς ἑνότητος Πνεύματος, ἓν ὄνομα τῆς θείας Τριάδος ἀποφηνάμενος, τῆς μιᾶς οὐσίας σημαίνων τὴν ἕνωσιν. Εἰ δὲ αὐτῷ μὴ πιστεύει, τὴν ἀκρίβειαν τοῦ συγγενοῦς σημαίνοντι Πνεύματος, καὶ τὰ ὑπὲρ νοῦν ἀνθρώπινον ἐκδιδάσκοντι, περιττή τυγχάνει τῶν ἡμετέρων λόγων ἡ σύστασις· ἐπειδὴ τὸ γεῶδες σκῆνος μόλις εὑρίσκει τὰ ἐν ποσί. Τὰ δὲ ἐν οὐρανῷ ἀπόκρυφα, καὶ τὴν ἡμετέραν αἴσθησιν ὑπερβαίνοντα, αὐτὸς καὶ ἀποκαλύπτει, καὶ ἐπίσταται ὁ κατοικῶν τὸν οὐρανόν.","t":"To Hierax, of senatorial rank. [Against the Macedonians, or Pneumatomachi.] If the heretic who quarreled with you, as you wrote, accepts the Son of God as a trustworthy teacher of doctrine, he himself teaches the essence of the Spirit, who is to be worshiped, as belonging to the unity, by declaring one name of the divine Trinity and so signifying the union of the one essence. But if he does not believe him when he makes plain the exact truth about the Spirit who is of the same kind, and teaches things beyond the human mind, the support of our words is superfluous; for the earthly tent barely finds what lies at its feet, but the hidden things in heaven, which surpass our perception, he who dwells in heaven both reveals and knows.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.20 (PG 78 78:195; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-20)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.200":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠερὶ δακρύων καὶ μετανοίας. Εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον ἐν τῷ ᾿Αμώς· « Τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτοῦ δεσμεύοντες, ἐποίουν παραπετάσματα. Ἡ τῶν προφητικῶν ῥημάτων διάνοια, τοιαύτην ἔχει σαφήνειαν· Ἐκάλυπτον δάκρυσι τὸ θυσιαστήριόν μου, φησὶν ὁ Θεὸς, δάκρυσιν ἀδικουμένων, ἁρπαζομένων, συκοφαντουμένων. Τούτου χάριν καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἐλέγχου τίθησι ταῦτα μεμφόμενος, καὶ τῶν συμβάντων ἀπηχῶν ταῦτα τυγχάνειν ἀποφηνάμενος αἴτια. Τὰ γὰρ τῆς μεταγνώσεως δάκρυα, οὐ μόνον ἀκατηγόρητα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡδέα ἐστὶ τῷ θεῷ, ὡς θυμίαμα. Τὰ δὲ ἱμάτια τὰ δεσμούμενα, καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον καταπετάζοντα, τὴν καταφρονητικὴν αὐτῶν περὶ τὸ θεῖον ἐμφαίνει διάθεσιν. Τοῦ γὰρ νόμου ἐκ καθαρῶν καὶ τιμίων ὑλῶν τὴν περὶ τὸν θεῖον νεὼν τάσσοντος διακόσμησιν, αὐτοὶ ῥυπώσας καὶ ἀκαθάρτους ἐσθῆτας περὶ τὸ ἅγιον τῶν ἁγίων δεσμοῦντες, καθύβριζον τὰ ἀνάκτορα· μὴ μόνον μεταξύ καθαροῦ καὶ ἀκαθάρτου μὴ διαστέλλοντες, ἀλλὰ ἀνὰ μέσον Θεοῦ καὶ ἀκαθάρτων μὴ τὰς πηγὰς ἀνεστόμωσε. διακρίνοντες, ἅπερ αὐτοῖς καὶ τῶν τοσούτων κακῶν","t":"To Heron the deacon. [On tears and repentance. On what is written in Amos, \"Binding their garments, they made curtains.\"] The meaning of the prophetic words has this clarity. They covered my altar with tears, says God: tears of those wronged, robbed and slandered. That is why he sets these things out in reproof, blaming them, and declaring that the echoes of what happened are the causes. For the tears of repentance are not only blameless but sweet to God, like incense. The garments bound together and curtaining the altar show their contemptuous disposition toward the divine. For while the law prescribed the adornment around the divine temple from pure and precious materials, they, binding filthy and unclean clothes about the holy of holies, outraged the sanctuary, not only failing to distinguish between clean and unclean, but not even distinguishing between God and the unclean; which opened for them the springs of such great evils.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.200 (PG 78 78:309; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-200)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.201":{"o":"ΔΙΔΥΜΩ.\nΠῶς ὡμοιώθη ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ζύμῃ. Ζύμῃ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀφωμοίωται, τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀναμαρτήτῳ σαρκώσει, ἀναφυρασάσῃ τὸν ἅπαντα κόσμον, καὶ ἑνὸς σώματος ὑποστάσει, ἐκ τῆς ἡμετέρας οὐσίας καὶ τῆς θεοτόκου Μαρίας ληφθέντος τὴν ἀπ' αἰῶνος ἀνθρωπότητα εἰς παλιντοκίαν ἀνακαινισάσῃ.","t":"To Didymus. [How the kingdom of heaven was likened to leaven.] The kingdom of heaven is likened to leaven: to the sinless incarnation of our Lord and Savior, which kneaded through the whole world and, by the reality of one body taken from our substance and from Mary the Mother of God, renewed humanity from all ages for rebirth.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.201 (PG 78 78:311; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-201)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.202":{"o":"ΜΑΚΑΡΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΚαλῶς μὲν ἄγεις τοὺς νέους τῆς Ἐκκλησίας λειτουργοὺς, πέπεισμαι · κακῶς δὲ τούτους ἐπαινεῖς. Πρόσεχε μὴ τοῖς ἐγκωμίοις ἀνακλιθῶσι, καὶ τῶν τόνων τὸ ἡδὺ συληθῶσιν, οἰήσει τὴν συντονίαν ζημιωθέντες.","t":"To Macarius the bishop. You lead the young ministers of the church well, I am convinced; but you praise them badly. Take care lest they recline on your praises, are robbed of the sweetness of their exertions, and lose their earnestness through conceit.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.202 (PG 78 78:311; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-202)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.203":{"o":"ΖΗΝΟΔΟΤΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ Νῶε τῆς οἰκείας γεωργίας πεπείρατο, ἀγνοήσας ὁ πέπονθεν ἐξ οἴνου· καὶ Λὼτ εἰς ἄνοιαν ἐκλίθη ὑπὸ οἴνου, καὶ πατὴρ ἐν γήρει ἀβουλήτως γεγένητο· καὶ Ἡρώδης μέθης γενόμενος παίγνιον, τῷ τοῦ μεγάλου Ἰωάννου αἵματι τὴν τράπεζαν αὐτοῦ καὶ καρδίαν ἐφοίνιζε· καὶ πάντα τὰ ἄλογα τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐγκλήματα, οἶνου ἐστὶν ἀποβλύσματα · τί τὴν αὐθαίρετον ἐφέλκῃ μανίαν, καὶ οὐ τὴν σώφρονα περιάπτεις συμμετρίαν;","t":"To Zenodotus. If Noah too experienced his own cultivation, not knowing what he would suffer from wine; and Lot was bent into folly by wine and became a father in old age against his will; and Herod, becoming the plaything of drunkenness, reddened his table and his heart with the blood of the great John; and all the irrational crimes of men are what wine gushes out: why do you drag on yourself a self-chosen madness, and not clothe yourself with sober moderation?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.203 (PG 78 78:311; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-203)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.204":{"o":"ΔΙΔΥΜΩ.\n\"Ωσπερ ἡ ῥιπτομένη ἐν θαλάσσῃ σαγήνη, διάφορον ἔχει τὸν συγκλεισμὸν τῶν γενῶν τῶν Ιχθύων· οὕτως ἡ αἰώνιος τοῦ Χριστοῦ βασιλεία, τὴν ἐκ παντὸς ἔθνους ἀνθρώπων πληθὺν δεχομένη, ἀνάλογον τῇ πίστει τὴν σωτηρίαν ὁρίζει, οὐ γένους ἀξιοπιστίᾳ [οὐκ ἀξίας σεμνολογίᾳ ] οὐχ ἱερατείᾳ, οὐ βασιλείᾳ ἀναξίᾳ τῆς κλήσεως τὴν τρυφὴν διανέμουσα, ἀλλὰ τρόπῳ καὶ βίῳ πρὸς καθαρότητα νεύσαντι, καὶ πρὸς τὴν θήραν τῶν ἀληθῶν ἁλιέων ὁρμήσαντι.","t":"To Didymus. As the net cast into the sea encloses fish of different kinds, so the eternal kingdom of Christ, receiving a multitude of men from every nation, determines salvation in proportion to faith, distributing its delight not by the credit of birth, [nor by the pomp of rank,] nor by priesthood, nor by a kingship unworthy of the calling, but by a character and life inclined to purity and eager for the catch of the true fishermen.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.204 (PG 78 78:311; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-204)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.205":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤὰ καλὰ συνάγεται εἰς ἄγγη, καὶ τὰ κακὰ ἔξω βάλλεται τῆς σαγήνης, ἐρευνωμένης, φημὶ, τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου Ἐκκλησίας, ἐπειδὴ πάντες τῷ Χριστοῦ ὀνόματι ἐσφραγίσθησαν, καὶ εἰς μίαν ἁρμονίαν ἡνώθησαν. Καὶ συνάγεται μὲν εἰς ἄγγη, τουτέστιν εἰς τὰς αἰωνίους μονὰς, τὰ ἐν ἀληθείᾳ διαμείναντα φρονήματα· ἔξω δὲ βάλλεται τῆς βασιλείας, τὰ αἱρετικὰ καὶ τῆς ὀρθῆς δόξης ἀντίθετα.","t":"To the same. The good are gathered into vessels and the bad thrown out of the net when the Lord's church, I say, is examined, since all have been sealed with Christ's name and united into one harmony. Gathered into vessels, that is into the eternal dwellings, are the convictions that have remained in the truth; but thrown out of the kingdom are the heretical ones, opposed to right belief.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.205 (PG 78 78:313; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-205)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.206":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ στατῆρος ὃν ἔλαβεν ὁ Πέτρος. Ὁ στατὴρ ὃν ὁ Πέτρος ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ λαβεῖν ἐκελεύετο ἐν τῷ ἰχθύϊ κρυπτόμενον τὴν μορφὴν ἡμῶν ἐδήλου καλυπτομένην τοῖς πάθεσιν, ἣν ἐν ἑαυτῷ πρὸς τὸ ἀρχέτυπον ἀνακαλεῖται ὁ Κύριος. Ανθ' ἑαυτοῦ δὲ τοῦτον δοθῆναι προσέταξεν, ὡς γεγονώς ἄνθρωπος τοῖς ἡμῶν ἅπασιν ὑποκείμενος· οὔτε βασιλεῖ συγχωρῶν ἀντιτάσσεσθαι ἀβλαβῶς ἐπιτάσσοντι, καὶ τῆς θεϊκῆς δυνάμεως τὰς ἐνεργείας ἐπιδεικνύμενος.","t":"To Eutonius. [On the stater which Peter took.] The stater which Peter was commanded to take from the deep, hidden in the fish, showed our form covered over by the passions, which the Lord calls back in himself to its archetype. He commanded it to be given for himself, as having become man subject to all that is ours; not allowing resistance to a king who commands without harm, and showing the workings of the divine power.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.206 (PG 78 78:313; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-206)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.207":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΟ.\nΠῶς νοητέον, « Ἐὰν μὴ στραφῆτε, καὶ γένησθε ὡς τὰ παιδία. Οὐχ ἡλικίας ὑποστροφὴν τὴν πρὸς τὰ παιδία ὁμοίωσιν ὁ Κύριος ἀπαιτεῖ, ὅπερ αὐτὸς νομίζεις, ὡς ὁ Νικόδημος, ἀλλὰ τῆς κακίας τὴν ἄρνησιν, ὡς παιδιώδη ἡμῖν ἐνυπάρχειν ἁπλότητα. Καὶ τοῦτο δι' ὧν ἔφησε δείκνυσιν, οὐκ εἰπὼν, Ἐὰν μὴ γένησθε παιδία, ἀλλ᾽, Ὡς τὰ παιδία, τῇ τοῦ, ὡς, προσθήκῃ τὴν μίμησιν ἐμφαίνων τοῦ πράγματος.","t":"To Martyrius. [How \"Unless you turn and become like children\" should be understood.] The Lord does not require the likeness to children as a reversal of age, as you think, like Nicodemus, but as the renunciation of wickedness, so that childlike simplicity may be in us. And he shows this by what he said: not \"unless you become children,\" but \"like children,\" indicating by the addition of \"like\" the imitation of the thing.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.207 (PG 78 78:313; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-207)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.208":{"o":"ΔΟΝΑΤΩ.\nΠερὶ πραότητος. Μὴ τὴν ἔννομον ἀρχὴν τοῖς ἀναρμόστοις ἤθεσιν ἐκβαρβάρου, ἀλλὰ τοῖς πρέπουσιν αὐτῇ πράγμασι κατακόσμει πραότητος μεταδιδοὺς τοῖς ἀθύμοις, καὶ ἰσότητὸς τοῖς ἥττοσι πρὸς τοὺς μείζους· καὶ τότε λαμπρὸν ἐξάψεις πυρσὸν τῆς εὐνομίας. Ὑπέκκαυμα γάρ ἐστι δικαιοσύνη τοῦ φωστῆρος τῆς εὐαρχίας.","t":"To Donatus. [On gentleness.] Do not make your lawful office barbarous with unsuitable manners, but adorn it with things that befit it, giving gentleness to the disheartened and equality to the lesser against the greater; and then you will kindle a bright beacon of good order. For justice is the kindling of the lamp of good government.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.208 (PG 78 78:313; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-208)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.209":{"o":"ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΩ.\nΤί ἐστι, « Τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι, καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ. Εἴ τι τῆς ὕλης ἴδιον, εἴ τι πλάνης ἐφόδιον, εἴ τι ἀπάτης εἴδωλον ἐν ἡμῖν ἡ ἕνοικος εἰσέφρησε ῥαθυμία, τοῦτο τῷ δημιουργῷ καὶ ποιητῇ τῆς κακίας ἐπιῤῥίπτεσθαι παρ' ἡμῶν ὁ Κύριος βούλεται. Εἴ τι δὲ ἀρετῆς σύμβουλον, εἴ τι σεμνότητος γνώρισμα, εἴ τι νήψεως καὶ ἀσφαλείας ἐμπόρευμα τοῦτο Θεοῦ καὶ ἡγεῖσθαι καὶ πεπεῖσθαι τυγχάνειν δώρημα, καὶ ἀξίαν αὐτῷ προσκομίζειν τὴν αἴνεσιν. Τοῦτό ἐστιν ὅ φησιν, « ᾿Απόδοτε τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι, καὶ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῷ Θεῷ.","t":"To Theognostus. [What is \"Caesar's to Caesar and God's to God\"?] If anything belonging to matter, anything that is provision for error, any idol of deceit has slipped into us through the slackness that dwells within, the Lord wants us to throw it back on the maker and author of wickedness. But anything that counsels virtue, any mark of dignity, any merchandise of sobriety and security, this we must regard and be convinced is God's gift, and bring him worthy praise. This is what he says: \"Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.209 (PG 78 78:315; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-209)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.21":{"o":"ΑΜΜΩΝΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ ἀναγνώσεως κατὰ Ἑλλήνων. Περὶ τῆς χάριτος τῶν θεοπνεύστων Γραφῶν, καὶ τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὠφελείας. Τὰς [μὲν ] Ἑλλήνων θεοποιίας, καὶ ἂς καλοῦσι θεογονίας, Ὀρφεύς τε καὶ Ὅμηρος καὶ Ἡσίοδος, καὶ ὅσοι κατ᾿ ἐκείνους ἐδίδαξαν, πολλὰς καὶ βίβλους καὶ δόξας συνείραντες. Τὴν ἡμετέραν δὲ θρησκείαν δύο πυκταὶ διδάξουσιν, ἃς ἐπέμψαμεν, ὧν ἡ μὲν Πρεσβυτέρα, ἡ δὲ Νέα Διαθήκη προσαγορεύεται. Εἰ δὲ ἀληθεύουσιν αὗται μᾶλλον ἐκείνων καὶ τοῖς ὀνό– μασι καὶ τοῖς πράγμασιν, [αὐτὸς ] εὑρήσειας, πέπεισμαι, καὶ κρατήσειας τί ἄμεινον. Τινές σε φασιν ἱερωσύνης ἐρᾶν, πράγματος ἀνεφἱκτου πολλοῖς, σοὶ δὲ καὶ μάλιστα· ἢ τοίνυν τὸν σαυτοῦ βίον διόρθωσαι, ἢ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τῶν ἀψαύστων σοι ἀνακτόρων ἀπόστηθι.","t":"To Ammonius the scholasticus. [On reading, against the Greeks. On the grace of the divinely inspired Scriptures and the benefit from them.] The Greeks' god-makings, and what they call theogonies, were taught by Orpheus, Homer and Hesiod, and all who taught after their manner, stringing together many books and opinions. But our religion will be taught you by two tablets, which we have sent, of which one is called the Old and the other the New Testament. Whether these speak truth more than those, both in names and in realities, you will find out for yourself, I am convinced, and you will hold to what is better. [Letter 1.22] Some say that you are in love with the priesthood, a thing beyond the reach of many, and of you most of all. Either correct your life, or give up your desire for the sanctuary, which you may not touch.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.21 (PG 78 78:195; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-21)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.210":{"o":"ΧΡΙΣΤΟΔΩΡΩ.\nΤί ἐστι, « Τότε οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαία, φευγέτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὄρη. ι Τῆς τελευταίας [τῶν χρόνων] ἀνάγκης τὰ σημεῖα, ἅπερ ὁ Κύριος πρὸς εἴδησιν ἡμῶν ἀπεκάλυψε, σαφηνισθῆναί σοι ἀξιώσας διὰ τοῦ γράμματος, ταχέως τὴν τούτων μάνθανε δύναμιν. « Οἱ ἐν τῇ Ἰουδαίᾳ φευγέτωσαν εἰς τὰ ὄρη, › οἱ ἐν τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ ἐρηρεισμένοι (τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ Ἰουδαία ἑρμηνεύεται)· ἐπὶ τὴν ὑψηλὴν καταφυγὴν ἀφοράτωσαν, ὑπὸ τῆς οἰκείας ὁμολογίας φρουρούμενοι. « Ὁ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ δώματος, μὴ καταβάτω ἆραί τι ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ. Ὁ τῆς παρούσης περιφρονήσας οἰκίας, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐνταῦθα καταπατήσας σκηνὴν, καὶ ὑψηλὸς τῷ βίῳ γενόμενος, καὶ τὰ ἔνοικα πάθη ἀποπεμψάμενος, μηδὲν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐπισπάσθω, μὴ δειλίαν, μὴ ῥαθυμίαν, μὴ δόξαν κει βασις. « Ὁ ἐν τῷ ἀγρῷ, μὴ ἐπιστρεψάτω ἆραι τὸ ἱμάτιον αὑτοῦ. Ὁ τὸν παλαιὸν ἀπεκδυσάμενος ἄνθρωπον, καὶ τοῖς σαρκίνοις ἀποταξάμενος, τὸν νέον φορείτω, ὃς αὐτὸν εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν Θεοῦ ἀνεκαίνισε, καὶ τῆς Ιλύος ἐκάθηρεν. Ἐν τούτοις γὰρ ἔξει τὸ πρὸς ἐκείνην τὴν μεγάλην κάκωσιν ἀνεπίβουλον. 62 νὴν, μὴ ὄρεξιν πλούτου, ἅπερ ἀφ᾽ ὕψους ἐστὶ κατά","t":"To Christodorus. [What is \"Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains\"?] Since you have asked by letter to have explained the signs of the final [times'] distress, which the Lord revealed for our knowledge, learn their meaning quickly. \"Let those in Judea flee to the mountains\": let those firmly founded in godliness (for that is the meaning of \"Judea\") look to the lofty refuge, guarded by their own confession. \"Let him who is on the housetop not come down to take anything from his house\": let him who has despised his present house, trampled the whole tent here, become lofty in life, and sent away the passions that dwell within, draw none of them back to himself: not cowardice, not slackness, not vainglory, not desire for wealth, which are a descent from the height. \"Let him who is in the field not turn back to take his cloak\": let him who has put off the old man and renounced fleshly things wear the new, who renewed him for the knowledge of God and cleansed him of the mire. For in these he will be secure against that great affliction.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.210 (PG 78 78:315; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-210)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.211":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\n« Οὐαὶ ταῖς ἐν γαστρὶ ἐχούσαις, καὶ ταῖς θηλαζούσαις ἐν ἐκείναις ταῖς ἡμέραις. » Ταῖς ἐγκυμονούσαις, φησί, τὸν θεῖον ἔρωτα ψυχαῖς, καὶ οὐ θαῤῥούσαις παῤῥησιάσασθαι, καὶ τεκεῖν τὴν περὶ Θεοῦ ὁμολογίαν καὶ ἔνστασιν, καὶ ταῖς νηπιώδη καὶ ἀτελῆ περὶ τὴν θείαν μακροθυμίαν γνώμην κεκτημέναις, καὶ τῇ ἐλπίδι τῶν ἀμοιβῶν οὐ προσεχούσαις, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπειλαῖς ἢ προσβολαῖς χαυνωθείσαις, καὶ τῶν μελλόντων γυμνωθείσαις.","t":"To the same. \"Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing in those days.\" To souls pregnant, he means, with divine love, who do not dare to speak boldly and give birth to confession and steadfastness for God; and to those who have a childish and immature mind concerning the divine long-suffering, who do not attend to the hope of the rewards, but are slackened by threats or attacks and stripped of the things to come.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.211 (PG 78 78:315; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-211)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.212":{"o":"ΖΗΝΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠρὸς ἀσκητάς. Ἔχεις ἐν τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ ὧν σπείρεις τοὺς καρποὺς ἀναθάλλοντας· βλέπεις τῶν χρηστῶν σου παλαισμάτων τὰ ἐπινίκια· ὑπὲρ μὲν τῆς ἑκουσίου πτωχείας ἑκατονταπλασίονά [σοι] κάνταῦθα κἀκεῖσε ὑπισχνουμένου ἀγαθὰ τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ποιμένος καὶ Σωτῆρος· ὑπὲρ δὲ τῶν πρὸς τὰ πάθη ἀγώνων, καὶ σκαμμάτων, τὸν ἄφθαρτόν σοι στέφανον πλέκοντος Παύλου, τοῦ γενναίου τούτων παλαιστοῦ καὶ νικηφόρου.","t":"To Zeno the presbyter. [To ascetics.] You have in divine Scripture the fruits of what you sow springing up; you see the victory songs of your good wrestlings: for voluntary poverty, the good Shepherd and Savior promises [you] good things a hundredfold both here and there; and for the struggles and bouts against the passions, Paul, their noble wrestler and victor, weaves you the incorruptible crown.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.212 (PG 78 78:315; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-212)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.213":{"o":"Ἔσχες μὲν δεσμὸν τὴν συνάφειαν· ἔλυσε δὲ ταύτην ὁ Κύριος συμφερόντως καὶ ψυχωφελῶς · οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστιν ἀκερδὲς τῶν αὐτοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν μέριμναν ἔχει κοσμικὴν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ θεϊκὴν, ἡ συμβίωσις, λέλυσαι ἀπὸ γυναικός; μὴ ζήτει γυναῖκα, μήπου σε ἱὸς γυναικὸς φαρμακεύσῃ, πρὸς ἑτέραν γοητεύων συνέλευσιν ἡδυπαθείας, καὶ σαρκικὰς διδάσκων κολακείας, καὶ ἀνονήτους φροντίδας καὶ ὑπονοίας. ᾿Αλλὰ σώζων σῶζε τὴν σεαυτοῦ ψυχὴν πρὸς τὸ ἡμέτερον ὄρος.","t":"You had a bond, your marriage; but the Lord has loosed it, for your good and the profit of your soul, for nothing of his is without gain. Since, then, living together brings worldly care and not godly care, \"are you loosed from a wife? Do not seek a wife\", lest the venom of a woman poison you, bewitching you into another union of pleasure and teaching you the flatteries of the flesh and useless anxieties and suspicions. Rather, save your soul by all means, and come to our mountain.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.213 (PG 78 78:317; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-213)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.214":{"o":"ΔΩΜΙΤΙΩ.\n\"Ὅτι πάσης ἐπέκεινα τόλμης, τὸ δογματίζειν ἀναξίως τῆς πίστεως τοὺς βιοῦντας. Οὐ παντός ἐστιν, ὦ οὗτος, τὸ δογματίζειν· ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲ πάντες ἀλουργοφοροῦσιν. Οὐκοῦν εἰ ἐκείνοις οὐ κέχρηνται πάντες, καὶ μάλιστα πτωχοὶ, ὡς εἰς τὸ κράτος ὑβρίζοντες, καὶ εἰς εὐτέλειαν τὴν ὑπεροχήν κατασύροντες, φεῖσαι τῶν ἀπρεπῶν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ λόγων, οὐδὲν τοῖς ἀκροαταῖς κέρδος φερόντων, ἀλλ' εἰς ὕβριν τὰ τῆς θρησκείας ἑλκόντων, καὶ τοὺς δυσμενεῖς ἡμῖν αἱρεσιώτας, οὐ πρὸς σὲ καὶ τὴν κατὰ σοῦ κατηγορίαν κλινόντων, ἀλλὰ πρὸς λοιδορίαν τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐρεθιζόντων. Οὐ γὰρ τὴν σὴν ἀμαθίαν συνορῶσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκείνης ἀσθενείας καταγελῶσιν. ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Πρὸς ἱερεῖς φιλαργυρίαν νοσοῦντας. Ὡς φιλοκόσμῳ εὐπρέπεια ἱματίων, οὕτω σοὶ τὸ Ψαλμικὸν ἐφαρμόζει, « Αἰσχυνθήτωσαν οἱ ἀνομοῦντες διακενῆς. » Θύρας γὰρ καὶ τρόπους κερδῶν ὑπανοιξας, σὺ μὲν τὰς ἐπ' αὐτοῖς ἀποτίσεις εὐθύνας, ἑτέροις δὲ θησαυρίζεις τοὺς πόρους, οἷς πλείονας καὶ σαυτῷ τιμωρίας σωρεύεις. Εἰ τοίνυν βούλοιο κἀκείνους καὶ ἑαυτὸν τοῦ πυρὸς ἀπαλλάξαι, πολλοί σε Λάζαροι κυκλοῦσιν· εἰς αὐτοὺς τὴν φλόγα τῶν χρημάτων ἐκτίναξον, καὶ μετ' αὐτῶν ἐκεῖσε κληρονομήσεις ἀνάψυξιν.","t":"To Domitius. [That it is beyond all daring for those who live unworthily of the faith to teach doctrine.] It is not for everyone, sir, to teach doctrine, since not everyone wears purple either. So if not everyone uses that, and the poor least of all, as it would insult the sovereign power and drag eminence down to cheapness, spare the church words unsuitable to it, which bring no gain to the hearers but drag religion into insult and provoke the heretics who are hostile to us, not to turn their accusation against you, but to revile godliness. For they do not consider your ignorance but laugh at its weakness. [Letter 1.215] To Eusebius the bishop. [To clergy sick with love of money.] As fine clothing fits a lover of ornament, so the psalm fits you: \"Let those who transgress without cause be put to shame.\" For having opened doors and ways of gain, you will pay the penalties for them, while for others you are storing up the revenues, by which you heap up more punishment for yourself. If, then, you wish to free both them and yourself from the fire, many Lazaruses surround you: shake the flame of your money out onto them, and with them you will inherit refreshment there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.214 (PG 78 78:317; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-214)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.216":{"o":"ΖΗΝΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἘδεξάμεθα τὸ ἱμάτιον, καὶ χιτῶνα πεπόμφαμεν, καί σοι πάνυ εὐχαριστήσαμεν, τὸ ἓν ἡμῶν ἀπαιτήσαντι σκέπασμα, ὅτι τὸν νόμον τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ ἐπληρώσαμεν, δύο χιτῶνας οὐκ ἔχοντες. Καὶ εἰ μὲν δοθείη τῷ χρήζοντι, ἀμφότεροι πεπράχαμεν χρηστῶς, ἐγὼ θαλπόμενος τῷ καινῷ, καὶ ἐκεῖνος τῷ τριχίνῳ τὴν γύμνωσιν τιμῶν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῦτον μέλλοις, ὡς τὰ τινων ἁγίων, τηρεῖν, ἐμὲ μὲν εἰς ἀπόγνωσιν ὠθήσεις, ἔλεγχον ἐμαυτοῦ τὴν συνείδησιν οὐ δώσομεν. ἔχοντα· πάλιν δὲ πέμψας, πάλιν αἰτήσεις· ἡμεῖς δὲ","t":"To Zeno the presbyter. We have received the cloak and sent a tunic, and thanked you very much for asking for our one covering, because we have fulfilled the Baptist's law by not having two tunics. And if it is given to one in need, we have both acted well: I warmed by the new one, and he honoring his nakedness with the hair one. But if you mean to keep this one, as people do with the things of certain saints, you will drive me to despair, since I have my conscience convicting me; and if you send again, you will ask again; but we will not give.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.216 (PG 78 78:317; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-216)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.217":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ ἐλπίδι τῇ τὰ πάντα συνεχούσῃ πρὸς τὸ πρᾶγμα ἑώρακας, καὶ πίστει ἐτόλμησας τὰ ἡμᾶς ὑπεραίροντα, ὄναιο τῆς προθέσεως, πολλάκις ἡμᾶς περιστέλλων καὶ κοινωνῶν ταῖς χρείαις ἡμῶν φιλοτίμως, καὶ εὕροις ἔλεος παρὰ Κυρίου ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ.","t":"To the same. If you have looked at the matter with the hope that holds all things together, and dared in faith what is beyond us, may you profit from your purpose, often clothing us and generously sharing in our needs; and may you find mercy from the Lord on that day.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.217 (PG 78 78:319; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-217)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.218":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΠερὶ τῆς ὁράσεως τῶν δ' θηρίων. Τοῦ θεσπεσίου Δανιήλ ἡ περιβόητος ὅρασις, τὴν Ασσυρίων καὶ Μήδων καὶ Μακεδόνων βασιλείαν, ὡς μονοειδή καὶ ἐξ ἑνὸς ἑκάστην ἔθνους συντεταγμένην [ἑνὶ καὶ] θηρίῳ παρείκασε, τὴν μὲν ἄρκτῳ, τὴν δὲ λεαίνῃ, τὴν δὲ ἑτέραν παρδάλει. Τὴν δὲ τετάρτην ὅρασιν, θηρίον φοβερὸν, καὶ περισσῶς ἔκθαμβον ἔχουσαν, ὀδοῦσι σιδηροῖς ἡρκωμένον, καὶ ὄνυξι χαλκοῖς προσωπλισμένον, ἐσθίον καὶ λεπτύνον καὶ καταπατοῦν, οὐδενὶ ζώῳ ὡμοιωμένην τὴν Ῥωμαίων ἐπιδήλως ἐσήμανεν, ἐκ πάντων ἐθνῶν καὶ ἐν ἑαυτῇ κεκτημένην. Οὐ γὰρ ἑνὶ ὀνόματι παραφυλῶν συντεταγμένην, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀλκὴν καὶ δόξαν στῆσαι ἑώρακε τὴν ἐπὶ πάντας τὸν ζυγὸν τοῦ κράτους ἐκτείνασαν, καὶ εἰς ἀπέραντον βασιλείαν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς σαρκώσεως τοῦ Κυρίου προκόψασαν.","t":"To Timothy the reader. [On the vision of the four beasts.] The famous vision of the divine Daniel likened the kingdoms of the Assyrians, the Medes and the Macedonians, each as uniform and composed of one nation, to [one] beast each: the first to a bear, the next to a lioness, the other to a leopard. The fourth vision, which had a fearful and exceedingly terrifying beast, fenced with iron teeth and armed besides with bronze claws, devouring, crushing and trampling, like no living creature, plainly signified the kingdom of the Romans, which holds within itself men of all nations. For he saw that it was not composed under one name of a single race, and that it would establish all strength and glory, stretching the yoke of its power over all, and advancing to a boundless kingdom at the time of the Lord's incarnation.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.218 (PG 78 78:319; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-218)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.219":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΔιὰ τὶ ὀπτὰ πυρὶ τὰ κρέα τοῦ ἀμνοῦ ἐσθίειν προσέταξεν. Ὀπτὰ πυρὶ τὰ κρέα τοῦ ἀμνοῦ ἤσθιον Ἑβραῖοι, τυπικῶς τὸ μέγα τῆς θείας οἰκονομίας μυστήριον σκιαγραφοῦντες διὰ τῆς βρώσεως, καὶ τὸν ἀμνὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ προμανθάνοντες, τὸ πῦρ τῆς θείας οὐσίας σαρκὶ ἀφράστως συμπλέκοντα, τῇ νῦν παρ' ἡμῶν ἐσθιομένῃ, καὶ τὴν ἄφεσιν τῶν κακῶν ἐργαζομένῃ.","t":"To Nilus. [Why he commanded them to eat the flesh of the lamb roasted with fire.] The Hebrews ate the flesh of the lamb roasted with fire, sketching in type, by the eating, the great mystery of the divine dispensation, and learning beforehand of the Lamb of God, who ineffably joined the fire of the divine essence to the flesh that we now eat, which works the forgiveness of evils.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.219 (PG 78 78:319; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-219)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.220":{"o":"ΤΟΙΣ ΕΝ ΠΗΛΟΥΣΙΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΟΙΣ.\nΟὐκ ἔστιν, ἀδελφοὶ, ἀσκήσεως πληροφορία, τρίβωνος καὶ ὑπήνης ἐπίδειξις. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἀναχωρήσεως ἐπιθυμία, ἡ ἐν πόλεσι καὶ θορύβοις ἀνάφυρσις. Οὐδεὶς τὴν Χριστοῦ αὔλακα τέμνει, τὴν ἀκανθοφόρον ἀσπαζόμενος φιλοπάθειαν. Οὐ δύναται κατορθῶσαι φιλοσοφίαν, ὁ λογομαχίαις προσασχολούμενος. Οὐκ ἀνέχεται καθαρθῆναι δι᾽ ἐγκρατείας, ὁ βρωμάτων καλλονὰς ζητῶν καὶ ἁβρότητας. Εἰ τοίνυν νομίμως ἐθέλομεν ἀθλεῖν, καὶ σχήματι ἀκόμπῳ, καὶ μονήρει σχολῇ, καὶ ἀπαθείας ἀρετῇ, καὶ ἡσυχίας φυλακῇ, καὶ λιτότητι τροφῆς, τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν καλὸν ἀγωνισώμεθα.","t":"To the monks in Pelusium. The assurance of ascetic discipline, brothers, is not the display of a cloak and a beard. The desire for withdrawal is not mixing in cities and commotions. No one cuts Christ's furrow while embracing the thorn-bearing love of passion. One busied with wars of words cannot achieve philosophy. One who seeks the beauties and delicacies of foods does not endure to be cleansed by self-control. If, then, we wish to compete according to the rules, let us fight the good fight with an unostentatious habit, solitary leisure, the virtue of freedom from passion, the guarding of stillness, and simplicity of food.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.220 (PG 78 78:321; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-220)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.221":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤι ἐστιν, « Εἰ ὅλως νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται, τι καὶ βαπτίζονται ὑπὲρ τῶν νεκρῶν; › Εἰ ὅλως νεκροὶ οὐκ ἐγείρονται, τί καὶ βαπτίζονται ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν; ὁ θεῖος ἔφη ᾿Απόστολος, τὴν τῶν σωμάτων φύσιν οὕτω καλῶς συγκρινομένην τῷ τῆς ψυχῆς ἀκηράτῳ. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἀτελεύτητος καὶ ἀθάνατος· ἡ δὲ φθορᾷ καὶ ἀλλοιώσει ὑπόκειται. Βαπτιζόμεθα οὖν ὑπὲρ τῶν νεκρῶν [τῇ] φύσει σωμάτων, εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν αὐτὰ μετασκευασθῆναι πιστεύοντες. Καὶ ταύτην ἔχει τὸ εἰρημένον σαφήνειαν· Εἰ ὅλως, φησὶ, τὰ σώματα ἡμῶν οὐκ ἀνίσταται, τί καὶ ἐν τῷ βαπτίζεσθαι, εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν αὐτὰ μεταποιεῖσθαι πιστεύομεν ;","t":"To Isidore the presbyter. [What is \"If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for the dead?\"] \"If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized for them?\" said the divine Apostle, comparing the nature of bodies with the incorruptibility of the soul. For the one is endless and immortal; the other is subject to corruption and change. So we are baptized for bodies that are dead [by] nature, believing that they will be transformed into incorruption. And what is said has this meaning: If our bodies do not rise at all, he says, why do we believe at our baptism that they are being remade for incorruption?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.221 (PG 78 78:321; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-221)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.222":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠῶς μέλλει ζῶντας καὶ νεκροὺς κρίνειν ὁ Κύριος. Πρὸς Τιμόθεον β΄. Τὸ κρίνεσθαι ζῶντας καὶ νεκροὺς, τοῦτό ἐστι, τὸ καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα εἰς κρίσιν ἐλεύσεσθαι, καὶ οὔτε ἓν θατέρου κεχωρισμένον, ἀλλ᾽ ὥσπερ κοινὴν τὴν ἐνταῦθα συνάφειαν ἐποιήσαντο, οὕτω καὶ τὴν ἐκεῖθεν δίκην ἡνωμένως ὑφέξουσιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλως ζητεῖς, οὕτω · Διακρίναι ζῶντας, τοὺς ἀείζωον βίον καὶ θεοφιλῆ μετελθόντας, καὶ ἀποδοῦναι αὐτοῖς ἀτελευτήτους ἀμοιβᾶς · κρῖναι τοὺς νεκρωθέντας τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασι, καὶ τὸ δοθὲν αὐτοῖς τάλαντὸν, ὡς ἐν τάφῳ τῇ ἑαυτῶν καταχώσαντας ῥαθυμίᾳ, καὶ ἀμύνασθαι αὐτοὺς τιμωρίᾳ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλως, οὕτως· Κρῖναι τοὺς τότε ζῶντας καταλειφθέντας, καὶ τοὺς ἤδη πρὸ αὐτῶν κοιμηθέντας.","t":"To the same. [How the Lord will judge the living and the dead. (To Timothy 2.)] To be judged as living and dead means that both soul and body will come to judgment, and not one separated from the other; but as they made their union here in common, so they will undergo the judgment there united. If you want another explanation, here it is: to judge the living, those who pursued an ever-living and God-loving life, and give them endless rewards; and to judge those deadened by sins, who buried the talent given them in the tomb of their own slackness, and punish them. And another: to judge those left alive at that time, and those who have already fallen asleep before them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.222 (PG 78 78:321; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-222)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.223":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΩ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΕἰ οὔτε τῆς σὺν Χριστῷ [αἰωνίου] διαγωγῆς ἐπιθυμεῖτε, οὔτε τῆς ἀϊδίου φλογὸς τὴν κρίσιν δειλιᾶτε, ἢ πρὸς τοὺς καταφρονητὰς δαίμονας ἁμιλλᾶσθε, ἢ ἀνθρώπων ἰνδάλματα τυγχάνετε ἄψυχα, καὶ λόγου ἀμέτοχα, καὶ φόβου ἀναίσθητα.","t":"To Zosimus, Eustathius and Maron. If you neither desire the [eternal] life with Christ nor fear the judgment of the everlasting flame, either you are competing with the scornful demons, or you are lifeless images of men, without reason and without the sense of fear.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.223 (PG 78 78:323; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-223)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.224":{"o":"ΚΥΝΤΙΑΝΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\nἘμοὶ κατὰ γνώμην προὐχώρει ἡ ἀσθένεια, κατά μικρόν με τῆς ζάλης ὑπεξάγουσα. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ πάλιν ὁ Θεὸς εἴσω μένειν τῶν κυμάτων ἐκέλευσε, βοήθει πρὸς τὸν πλοῦν ταῖς πρεσβείαις, μή τι πάθωμεν ἀλλότριον τῆς γαλήνης.","t":"To Cyntianus the monk. My illness was going as I wished, leading me little by little out of the storm. But since God has again commanded me to remain within the waves, help my voyage with your intercessions, lest we suffer anything foreign to calm.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.224 (PG 78 78:323; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-224)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.225":{"o":"ΣΙΜΠΛΙΚΙΩ.\nΣυγχαίρομεν τῇ πόλει τῆς ἀρχῆς σου, καὶ χαίρομεν τὸ δίκαιον ὁρῶντες νῦν ἐπὶ μέσης βαδίζον καὶ βραβεῦον. Ἐφ' ᾧ Θεὸν καὶ βοηθὸν ἕξεις καὶ σύμμαχον, τοὺς τε κακοὺς ὑποδεικνύντα, καὶ τοὺς χρηστούς σοι φανεροῦντα.","t":"To Simplicius. We congratulate the city of your command, and we rejoice to see justice now walking in the open and presiding. For this you will have God as your helper and ally, pointing out the wicked and revealing the good to you.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.225 (PG 78 78:323; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-225)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.226":{"o":"ΤΩ ΒΟΥΛΕΥΤΗΡΙΩ.\nἜτι κήδεται Θεὸς Πηλουσίου. Ἔτι σπέρμα θεοσεβείας ἐν αὐτῇ χρηματίζει· ἔτι προνοοῦσιν οἱ πολιοῦχοι μάρτυρες τῆς ταλαίνης. Ἤκει ὁ θαυμαστὸς Σιμπλίκιος τὰς ἡνίας τῆς ἀρχῆς μεταχειρίζων. ῎Ἄλλον ὑμᾶς εὐαγγελίζομαι βίον. \"Ασμενοι τὸν ἄνδρα προσδέξασθε, πάσας αὐτῷ ἐκτραγῳδήσατε δυσχερείας. Ἔχει καὶ διάνοιαν σοφὴν, καὶ γνώμην φιλευσεβή, καὶ δώσει τοῖς πόνοις μεταβολήν. Ἰσχύει γὰρ ἀπὸ Θεοῦ, παρ' οὗ πολλοῖς τὸ καλῶς πρᾶξαι παρέχεται.","t":"To the council. God still cares for Pelusium. A seed of godliness still bears the name in it; the martyrs who guard the city still watch over the wretched place. The admirable Simplicius has come, taking the reins of government. I bring you good news of another life. Receive the man gladly; lament all your difficulties to him. He has both a wise mind and a God-loving purpose, and he will give a change to your toils. For he is strong from God, from whom it is given to many to do well.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.226 (PG 78 78:323; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-226)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.227":{"o":"ΦΛΩΡΕΝΤΙΩ.\nΠερὶ κενοδοξίας, καὶ ἐγκρατείας γλώσσης. Οὐ καλῶς τὰς ᾿Αθήνας θαυμάζεις, καὶ Στοὰν, καὶ Περίπατον, καὶ Ἀττικὴν φαντασίαν, οἷς διὰ μάθησιν φλυαρίας πάλαι προσεκαρτέρεις, ὁ τὰ γήϊνα περιφρονήσας, καὶ μηδὲν ἀγαπᾶν τῶν ἐνταῦθα κεκελευσμένος. Εἰ συνηγέρθης οὖν τῷ Χριστῷ, τὰ ἄνω φρόνει, οὗ ἐστιν αὐτός. Οἱ γὰρ τὴν εὐτελῆ ἐσθῆτά σου ὁρῶντες, καὶ φιλοσοφίαν ἐν μόνῳ σχήματί [σοι] προσοῦσαν, περπερείαν δὲ γνώμης, καὶ γλώσσης ἀλαζονείαν, κατὰ τῆς θειοτάτης θρησκείας βλασφημοῦσι.","t":"To Florentius. [On vainglory, and on self-control of the tongue.] You do not do well to admire Athens, the Stoa, the Peripatos and Attic display, at which you used to spend your time long ago to learn trifles, you who despised earthly things and were commanded to love nothing here. If, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your mind on the things above, where he is. For those who see your cheap clothing, and your philosophy present only in your outward form, but pride of mind and boastfulness of tongue, blaspheme the most divine religion.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.227 (PG 78 78:323; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-227)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.228":{"o":"ΣΩΡΑΝΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΠερὶ τῆς ἁγίας κοινωνίας. Κοινωνία κέκληται ἡ τῶν θείων μυστηρίων μετάληψις, διὰ τὸ τὴν πρὸς Χριστὸν ἡμῖν χαρίζεσθαι ἕνωσιν, καὶ κοινωνοὺς ἡμᾶς τῆς αὐτοῦ ποιεῖν βασιλείας.","t":"To Sorannus the count. [On holy communion.] Participation in the divine mysteries is called \"communion\" because it grants us union with Christ and makes us sharers in his kingdom.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.228 (PG 78 78:325; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-228)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.229":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΓέγραφας δηλωθῆναί σοι δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν ὁ δεῖνα παραγινόμενος τοὺς πτωχοὺς εὖ ποιῆσαι, κίνδυνον ἀργαλέον ὑπέμεινε, καὶ οὐκ ἐξείλετο αὐτὸν τῶν συμπτωμάτων ἡ πρόθεσις. Ἐπειδὴ, φημὶ, οὐ χαίρει Θεὸς ἐξ ἀδικίας θυσίαις, καὶ οὐ προσίεται κίβδηλα δῶρα. Οὐ γὰρ πᾶς ὁ βουλόμενος εὖ ποιεῖ, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ἀξίως Θεοῦ καὶ κτησάμενος, καὶ ἐπαγγειλάμενος τὴν θυσίαν.","t":"To Herminus the count. You wrote asking to be told why so-and-so, coming to do good to the poor, met with a grievous danger, and his purpose did not rescue him from the misfortunes. Because, I say, God does not rejoice in sacrifices from injustice, and does not accept counterfeit gifts. For not everyone who wishes does good, but only one who both acquired and promised the offering in a way worthy of God.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.229 (PG 78 78:325; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-229)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.23":{"o":"ΘΕΟΦΙΛΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Πᾶν ἄρσεν διανοῖγον μήτραν, · καὶ κατὰ Θεοπασχητῶν, καὶ τὴν μίαν ἐπὶ Χριστοῦ φύσιν εἶναι λεγόντων. Τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν τῇ θείᾳ Γραφῇ, ὅτι « Πᾶν πρωτότοκον διανοίγον μήτραν, ἅγιον τῷ Κυρίῳ, » οὐ περὶ παντὸς εἴρηται πρωτοτόκου· μὴ οὕτως οἱ ἀμαθεῖς νομιζέτωσαν· ἀλλὰ περὶ ἑνὸς [ἐκείνου] καὶ μόνου, τοῦ ἐν τῷ τίκτεσθαι τὴν μήτραν ἀνοίξαντος. Πᾶσαν γὰρ μήτραν μίξις καὶ συνουσία ἀνοίγνυσι· τὴν δὲ τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν κυήσασαν, αὐτὸς συλληφθεὶς ἀσπόρως προερχόμενος ἤνοιξε, καὶ πάλιν ἐσφραγισμένην κατέλιπεν· ἀληθῶς μὲν γενόμενος ἄνθρωπος, ἀληθῶς δὲ [ὧν καὶ] Θεὸς καὶ προσκυνούμενος εἷς ἐξ ἀμφοτέρων τῶν φύσεων.","t":"To Theophilus. [On \"Every male that opens the womb\"; and against the Theopaschites and those who say there is one nature in Christ.] What is said in divine Scripture, \"Every firstborn that opens the womb shall be holy to the Lord,\" is not said of every firstborn (let the ignorant not think so), but of that one alone who opened the womb in being born. For every womb is opened by mingling and intercourse; but the womb of her who bore our Lord Jesus Christ he himself, conceived without seed, opened as he came forth, and left sealed again: truly become man, and truly being also God, and worshiped as one from both natures.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.23 (PG 78 78:195; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-23)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.230":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἘπειδὴ ἀπόδειξιν τῆς ἀποκρίσεως ἐζήτησας Γραφικὴν, ἴσθι ὅτι ὁ Κάϊν καὶ δῶρα προήνεγκε καὶ ἀπαρχὰς τῶν γεννημάτων τὰ δῶρα. ᾿Αλλὰ τῇ σκαιότητι ὁ Θεὸς τῆς γνώμης προσέχων, ἐπ᾿ αὐτὸν μὲν οὐχ ἑώρακε, τὰ δὲ δῶρα αὐτοῦ οὐ προσήκατο, καίτοι ἐκ προθέσεως προσκομισθέντα.","t":"To the same. Since you asked for proof of the answer from Scripture, know that Cain too brought gifts, and the gifts were firstfruits of his produce. But God, attending to the perversity of his mind, did not look upon him and did not accept his gifts, though they were brought on purpose.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.230 (PG 78 78:325; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-230)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.231":{"o":"ΚΕΡΚΥΡΙΩ.\nΤαῖς παντόλμοις καὶ θρασέσι γνώμαις κίνδυνοι καὶ φόβοι διηνεκεῖς ἀκολουθοῦσι, ταῖς δὲ πραέσι καὶ ἡμέροις ἔπαινοι καὶ τιμαὶ καὶ εὐτολμίαι. Εἰ τοίνυν μὴ τὴν ὀρθὴν τῶν πραγμάτων ἀνοίᾳ ἐζημίωσαι κρίσιν, τῆς κρείττονος μοίρας γενοῦ, ἀφέμενος τῆς κακίστης.","t":"To Cercyrius. Constant dangers and fears follow minds that dare everything and are reckless; but praises, honors and good courage follow the gentle and mild. If, then, you have not lost by folly the right judgment of things, become one of the better portion, leaving the worst.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.231 (PG 78 78:325; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-231)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.232":{"o":"ΣΥΝΕΣΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΚαλὸν μὲν τὸ πρὸ κινδύνων ἐζῶσθαι τὴν ὀσφὺν, καὶ Θεῷ διακονεῖσθαι, καὶ βάλλειν τὰς έναντίας φάλαγγας πίστει, ἀλλὰ μὴ ῥαθυμοῦντας καὶ ἐχθροῖς καὶ πολεμίοις ἐκκεῖσθαι· ἐπειδὴ εἰς τοῦτο προήλθομεν ἀβουλίας, ὥστε μηδὲ καιρὸν ἔχειν Θεῷ ἱερατεύειν, τῶν κυκλούντων κακῶν οὐ διδόντων ἅψασθαι τῶν ἀμυντηρίων ὀργάνων· ἐπεὶ καὶ Φινεὲς σειρομάστῃ ἐχρήσατο, ὅτε Θεὸς παρωργίζετο.","t":"To Synesius the bishop. It is good to have one's loins girded before dangers, to serve God, and to strike the enemy phalanxes with faith, and not, through slackness, to lie exposed to enemies and foes; for we have come to such a pitch of folly that we have no time even to serve God as priests, since the evils surrounding us do not allow us to take up the instruments of defense. For Phinehas too used a spear when God was provoked to anger.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.232 (PG 78 78:325; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-232)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.233":{"o":"ΑΝΑΣΤΑΣΙΩ.,\nΠερὶ ἀλαζονείας. Ὅτι βδελύσσεται Χριστὸς τοὺς ἄνδρας τῶν αἱμάτων, οὐκ αὐτοὺς δὲ μόνους φημὶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντας τοὺς οἰκοῦντας σὺν αὐτοῖς, ὡς οὐκ ἐπεξιόντας ταῖς αὐτῶν κακουργίαις, δείκνυσιν ἐπὶ Ἡρώδου. Μετά γὰρ τὴν τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ μιαιφονίαν καταλιπὼν ἀνεχώρησεν. Εἰ τοίνυν μὴ καὶ σαυτὸν καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἐν τῇ πόλει τῆς Ἡρώδου βούλει τυχεῖν τελευτῆς, μεθ᾽ ὧν καὶ οἶκός σου καὶ παῖδες ἀφανισθήσονται, παῦσαι τῆς ἀνηκέστου μανίας. Τί μάτην ἐπείγῃ κακῶς ἐξολέσθαι;","t":"To Anastasius. [On arrogance.] That Christ abhors men of blood, and not only them, I say, but all who live with them, as not punishing their crimes, he shows in Herod's case. For after the murder of the Baptist he left and withdrew. If, then, you do not wish both yourself and all in the city to meet Herod's end, with whom your house and children too will be destroyed, stop your incurable madness. Why do you hasten in vain to perish miserably?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.233 (PG 78 78:327; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-233)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.234":{"o":"ΑΜΑΖΟΝΙΩ.\nΤι καὶ εἰκῆ βιβλιοφορεῖς καὶ τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν ἐκτρέπῃ οἷς ποιεῖς ; Τοῦ Κυρίου γὰρ καὶ αὐτὴν [τὴν] περίεργον θέαν κατακρίνοντος, σὺ οὐ μόνον ἐπιμαίνῃ τοῖς κάλλεσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ βίον, ὡς ἔγνων, ἀνδραποδώδη ἠγάπησας, πόρνην σύνοικον λαβών, καὶ αἰώνιον ἀτιμίαν ἀγαπῶν, δέον συνιδεῖν τὸ γεγραμμένον· « Τίμιος ὁ γάμος ἐν πᾶσι, καὶ ἡ κοίτη ἀμίαντος· πόρνους δὲ καὶ μοιχοὺς κρινεῖ ὁ Θεός· καὶ τὸ μὲν ζηλῶσαι, τὸ δὲ μισῆσαι. « Φοβερὸν τὸ ἐμπεσεῖν εἰς χεῖρας Θεοῦ. » Οὐχ ἥδεται τούτοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀντιτάσσεται προσέχων.","t":"To Amazonius. Why do you carry books about to no purpose, and turn the reading aside by what you do? For while the Lord condemns even curious looking, you not only rage after beauties but have, as I have learned, embraced a slavish life, taking a prostitute to live with you and loving eternal dishonor, when you ought to consider what is written: \"Marriage is honorable in all, and the bed undefiled; but God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers\"; and to emulate the one and hate the other. \"It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of God.\" He takes no pleasure in these things, but sets himself against them, paying close attention.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.234 (PG 78 78:327; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-234)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.235":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπερωτήσεως, » Τίνα με λέγουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι; › Οὐκ ἀγνοῶν τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων περὶ αὐτοῦ πολυώνυμον δόξαν ὁ τὰς καρδίας ἐμβατεύων Χριστὸς, ἤρετο τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ μαθητάς· « Τίνα με λέγουσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι; · ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀσφαλῆ ὁμολογίαν διδάξαι πάντας βουλόμενος, ἣν ἐμπνευσθεὶς ὁ Πέτρος παρ' αὐτοῦ ὡς κρηπίδα καὶ βάθρον ἀπέθετο, ἐφ᾿ ᾖ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ Ἐκκλησίαν ὁ Κύριος ψκοδόμησε.","t":"To Serenus. [On the Lord's question, \"Who do men say that I am?\"] Christ, who enters into hearts, asked his disciples \"Who do men say that I am?\" not because he was ignorant of men's many-named opinion about him, but because he wished to teach everyone the sure confession, which Peter, inspired by him, laid down as a foundation and base, on which the Lord built his church.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.235 (PG 78 78:327; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-235)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.236":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς ἀποκρίσεως Πέτρου, « Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χοιστὸς, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος. Τὸ, Σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, τῶν δύο φύσεων σημαίνει τὴν ἕνωσιν, ἣν ἐν ἑαυτῷ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς εἰς σωτηρίαν ἡμῶν θεοπρεπῶς ἐξειργάσατο.","t":"To the same. [On Peter's answer, \"You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.\"] \"You are the Christ, the Son of God\" signifies the union of the two natures, which the Son of God accomplished in himself, as befits God, for our salvation.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.236 (PG 78 78:327; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-236)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.237":{"o":"ΗΡΜΟΚΙΑΝΩ.\nΑγνοεῖς μὲν τὴν ἀνταπόδοσιν, ὡς ἀβλεπτῶν πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα. Οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι κριτηρίῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ [τὰς ἐπαξίους] τίνουσι δίκας οἱ βάσκανοι. Καὶ πειθέτω σε ἡ τοῦ ᾿Αχαάβ Ἰεζάβελ, ἐπιμανεῖσα τῷ τοῦ Ναβουθὰ ἀμπελῶνι, καὶ νῦν μὲν βορὰ κυσὶ γενομένη, μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ τῷ αἰωνίῳ πυρὶ τηρουμένη.","t":"To Hermocianus. You are ignorant of the recompense, being blind to the future. But not only at the judgment to come, but also in the present life the envious pay [the penalties they deserve]. Let Ahab's Jezebel persuade you, who raged for Naboth's vineyard, and became food for dogs now, and is kept hereafter for the eternal fire.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.237 (PG 78 78:329; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-237)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.238":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος περὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ὅτι - Πύλαι ᾄδου. » Πύλας ᾅδου ὁ θεῖος Λόγος ἐκάλεσε, τὰς τῶν ἀθέων τιμωρίας, τὰς τῶν αἱρέσεων βλασφημίας, αἷστισι πάσαις ἀνθεστῶσα ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ Ἐκκλησία, τὰς μὲν καταγωνίζεται, ὑπὸ δὲ τῶν οὐ κατακυριεύεται.","t":"To Serenus. [On what the Savior said about the church, \"The gates of Hades.\"] The divine Word called \"gates of Hades\" the punishments of the godless and the blasphemies of the heresies; the church of God, standing against them all, overcomes some and is not mastered by the others.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.238 (PG 78 78:329; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-238)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.239":{"o":"ΑΛΦΕΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἩ ἐν τῷ ὄρει μεταμόρφωσις τοῦ Δεσπότου ὑμῶν καὶ Σωτῆρος, τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐξανάστασιν ἡμῶν προεδήλου, ἥντινα καὶ φυλάττειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς οἱ θεαταὶ προσετάττοντο μέχρι τῆς αὐτοῦ ἀναστάσεως, ὡς τότε πιστὴν φανησομένην, οἷα τῷ ἔργῳ ὁρωμένην. Ἡ δὲ Μωσέως καὶ Ἡλίου παρουσία, τὴν ζώντων καὶ νεκρῶν ἐμαρτύρησεν αὐτῷ δεσποτείαν.","t":"To Alphaeus the presbyter. The transfiguration of your Master and Savior on the mountain foreshowed our resurrection from the dead; which the onlookers were commanded to keep to themselves until his resurrection, since it would then appear credible, being seen in the event. The presence of Moses and Elijah bore witness to his lordship over the living and the dead.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.239 (PG 78 78:329; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-239)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.24":{"o":"ΚΡΙΣΠΩ.\nὍτι οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ μετὰ πολλῆς φιλοπονίας χρὴ τὰς ἱερὰς ἀναπτύσσειν Γραφάς. Ἑπιστημονικῶς τὴν θείαν Γραφὴν ἀνελίσσειν ὀφείλεις, καὶ τὰς αὐτῆς δυνάμεις νουνεχῶς ἀνιχνεύειν, καὶ μὴ κατατολμᾷν ἁπλῶς τῶν ἀψαύστων καὶ ἀνεφίκτων μυστηρίων, ἀναξίαις ταῦτα χερσὶν ἐπιτρέπων. Οὕτω γὰρ ὁ τολμηρότατος Οζίας ἀναθαρῥήσας ἐπιβαλεῖν τοῖς ἀνεγχειρήτοις, λέπραν τῷ θράσει προσαπηνέγκατο, καὶ ἄκων ἀποῤῥιφεὶς τῶν ἀνακτόρων, καθότι καὶ νόμος τοῖς λέπρᾳ κατεστιγμένοις τὴν εἴσω τούτων ἀπέκλειεν εἴσοδον. Ἐγράφη δὲ ταῦτα πρὸς νουθεσίαν ἡμῶν, ἵνα καὶ τὰς τόλμας φύγωμεν, καὶ τὰς κολάσεις μὴ πάθωμεν.","t":"To Crispus. [That one must open the sacred Scriptures not carelessly but with much diligence.] You ought to unroll divine Scripture with understanding and track down its meanings intelligently, and not boldly lay hands at random on mysteries that are untouchable and beyond reach, entrusting them to unworthy hands. So the most daring Uzziah, emboldened to lay hands on what may not be attempted, brought leprosy on himself by his rashness, and was thrown out of the sanctuary against his will, since the law too shut out from entry those marked with leprosy. These things were written for our admonition, that we may both flee rash daring and not suffer the punishments.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.24 (PG 78 78:197; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-24)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.240":{"o":"ΚΥΡΗΝΙΩ.\nὍτι οὐκ ἔστιν αἴτιος τῶν κακῶν ὁ Θεός. Εἰ τῶν κακῶν αἴτιόν ἐστι τὸ θεῖον, πῶς ἐπὶ σὲ ὕει, καὶ ἥλιον ἀνατέλλει, καὶ μέχρι γήρως σε παρέτεινεν ἐνταῦθα, πολλῶν μὲν ἄξιον ὄντα θανάτων, καὶ πρὸ πλείονος χρόνου, δι' εὐσπλαγχίαν δὲ αὐτοῦ φυλαχθέντα εἰς τοῦτο ἡλικίας πρὸς μετάγνωσιν καὶ νῆψιν;","t":"To Cyrenius. [That God is not the cause of evils.] If the divine is the cause of evils, how does he send rain on you, and make the sun rise, and prolong your life here to old age, though you deserve many deaths, and that long ago, but have been kept by his compassion to this age for repentance and sobriety?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.240 (PG 78 78:329; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-240)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.241":{"o":"ΣΥΝΕΣΙΩ.\nΠερὶ Ἀρειανῶν καὶ Εὐνομιανῶν. Ο βούλει μαθεῖν, σύντομόν ἐστιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἀσφαλές. Εἰ ἀεὶ ὡσαύτως ἔχει Θεὸς, εἰ μηδὲν προσκτᾶταί ποτε, ἀεί ἐστι καὶ Πατήρ. Εἰ δὲ ἀεί ἐστι Πατὴρ, ἀεὶ ἔσχε τὸν Υἱόν. Συναΐδιος ἄρα ὁ Υἱὸς τῷ Πατρί.","t":"To Synesius. [On the Arians and Eunomians.] What you want to learn is short, but nonetheless sure. If God is always the same, if he never acquires anything, he is always Father. And if he is always Father, he always had the Son. The Son, then, is co-eternal with the Father.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.241 (PG 78 78:329; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-241)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.242":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΟ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΠερὶ Μοντανοῦ. Εἰ καὶ σοι ἀνήκοος ἦν μέχρι δεῦρο, ὡς ἔγραψας, ἡ Μοντανοῦ βλασφημία· ἀλλ᾽ ἀρχαία ἐστὶ καὶ μακρὰ, σηπεδόνα πολλὴν ἐργασαμένη [καὶ] λώβην καὶ λύμην. Χρὴ δὲ προτροπάδην αὐτὴν καὶ φεύγειν καὶ ἀποπέμπεσθαι τοσαύτην τίκτειν βλάβην τῇ ψυχῇ δυναμένην, ὅσην αὐτὸς εὗρεν τῆς πλάνης τεχνίτης. Μαγγανείαις γὰρ καὶ παιδοκτονίαις, μοιχείαις τε καὶ εἰδωλολατρείαις συντίθεται, καὶ δαίμοσι χαλεποῖς συγκροτείται· ἧς μετέχων, ἐκείνων εὐθὺς ἀναπίμπλαται.","t":"To Herminus the count. [On Montanus.] Even if, as you wrote, the blasphemy of Montanus had not reached your ears until now, it is ancient and long-standing, having caused much rot, [and] ruin and havoc. One must flee it headlong and drive it away, since it can bring forth as much harm to the soul as its author, the artificer of error, found. For it is put together from sorceries and child-murders, adulteries and idolatries, and is welded together with cruel demons; whoever shares in it is at once filled with them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.242 (PG 78 78:329; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-242)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.243":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ αὐτοῦ [περὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ]. Πολλῆς μὲν δεῖται μακρηγορίας ἡ παράστασις τῆς δυσσεβείας. Ὡς ἐν συντόμῳ δὲ φράσαι, ἀνελεῖν σπουδάζουσι τὸ πανάγιον Πνεῦμα, οὐκ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῆς Πεντηκοστῆς ἐπιφοιτῆσαι τοῦτο τοῖς ἱεροῖς λέγοντες ἀποστόλοις, ἀλλ᾽ ἐς ὕστερον μακρῷ, Μοντανοῦ διακονοῦντος δεδόσθαι, ἀνθρώπου οὐδὲν μὲν βαρὺ, ὡς οὗτοί φασι, πεπραχότος, μοιχοῦ δὲ φανερῶς ἑαλωκότος, καὶ τῷ κατορθώματι τούτῳ θεοφάνειαν λέγοντος πεπιστεῦσθαι.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] Setting out their impiety would need a long speech; but to put it briefly, they strive to do away with the all-holy Spirit, saying that he did not come upon the holy apostles on the day of Pentecost, but was given much later through the ministry of Montanus, a man who, as they say, did nothing serious, but was openly caught as an adulterer, and who said that by this achievement he had been entrusted with a manifestation of God.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.243 (PG 78 78:331; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-243)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.244":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ αὐτοῦ. Οὐδὲν ὀνίνησι νηστεία τοὺς ὑγιέσι μὴ προσέχοντας ὅροις· ὅσῳ γὰρ τοῦ σώματος ἡ ψυχή προτερεύει, τοσοῦτον πολιτείας δόγματα προκρίνεται εὐσεβείας.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] Fasting profits nothing those who do not keep to sound definitions of doctrine; for as much as the soul surpasses the body, so much are the doctrines of godliness preferred to the way of life.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.244 (PG 78 78:331; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-244)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.245":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ αὐτοῦ. Ἡ χρῆσις τῶν χειρόνων τὴν εὔρεσιν ποιεῖ τῶν κρειττόνων. Ἵνα γὰρ τήνδε τὴν βλασφημίαν ἐκκλίνωμεν, καὶ τήνδε συνεωράκαμεν, κἀκείνην πεφεύγαμεν, καὶ ἐκ ταύτης ἑτέραν καὶ τὴν ἄσπιλον κατειλήφαμεν. \"Ωσπερ οὖν Μοντανὸν μυσαττόμεθα, οὕτως καὶ Μανιχαῖον τὸν σύμφρονα αὐτοῦ βδελυξόμεθα. Δίδυμον γὰρ κακὸν τῆς γεέννης μεσαίτατον.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] Use of the worse leads to discovery of the better. For in order to avoid this blasphemy, we have both examined that one and fled the other, and from it have grasped another, the spotless one. So as we loathe Montanus, so we will abhor Mani, who is like-minded with him; for they are a twin evil, in the very midst of Gehenna.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.245 (PG 78 78:331; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-245)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.246":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ Ἀρειανῶν καὶ Εὐνομιανῶν. Ἀρείῳ καὶ Εὐνομίῳ οὐ γέγονε διαφορὰ πρὸς βελτίωσιν, ἀλλὰ ἀμφότεροι ἀλλήλους βλασφημίας φιλοτιμίᾳ ὑπερβαλέσθαι ἐφιλονείκησαν· ὁ μὲν ποίημα τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸν ἐξειπεῖν τολμηρῶς ἀναθαῤῥήσας, ὁ δὲ καὶ δοῦλον ἀσεβῶς ἀγορεύσας. Παντὶ τοίνυν σθένει [ἀμφοτέρους] φευκτέον, ἐσχάτης λύμης τοὺς μύστας ἐμπιπλῶντας.","t":"To the same. [On the Arians and Eunomians.] Between Arius and Eunomius there has been no difference for the better; both strove to surpass each other in an ambition of blasphemy: the one daring boldly to call the Son of God a thing made, the other impiously declaring him even a servant. With all one's strength, then, one must flee [both], since they fill their initiates with extreme ruin.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.246 (PG 78 78:331; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-246)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.247":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΚατὰ Σαβελλιανῶν. \"Αλλη δυσεξάγγελτος Χάρυβδις εἰς πυθμένα ᾄδου κατακρημνίζουσα τοὺς ἁλόντας, ἡ Σαβελλίου κακόνοια, ἐκ Λιβύης ἀπάρασα, εἰς πολλοὺς δὲ κωμάσασα. Τὴν προσκυνητὴν γὰρ καὶ μακαρίαν Τριάδα, μίαν τινὰ τριπρόσωπον ὑπόστασιν ἐξελήρησεν, ὅπερ ἐστὶ τῶν τριῶν μᾶλλον ἀναιρέσεις μία γάρ ἐστιν ἡ θεότης, τρεῖς δὲ αἱ ὑποστάσεις. Ταύτας τήρει, οὕτως έχε· μή τίς σε συστολὴν ὑποστάσεως, ὡς οὐσίας ἕνωσιν διδάξῃ.","t":"To the same. [Against the Sabellians.] Another Charybdis, hard to describe, hurling those it catches down to the bottom of Hades, is the malice of Sabellius, which set out from Libya and has rioted among many. For he babbled that the adorable and blessed Trinity is one single three-faced hypostasis, which is rather the abolition of the three. For the Godhead is one, but the hypostases three. Keep these, hold to this; let no one teach you a contraction of hypostasis as though it were union of essence.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.247 (PG 78 78:331; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-247)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.248":{"o":"ΔΡΑΚΟΝΤΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Ὁδοποιήσατε τῷ ἐπιβεβηκότι ἐπὶ δυσμῶν. › Ἀνατολὴν ἔχων ὄνομα Θεὸς, ἔφης, καὶ φῶς ὑπἀρχων ἀπρόσιτον, πῶς ἐπὶ δυσμῶν ἐπιβέβηκεν; ᾿Ανατολὴ αὐτῷ ὄνομα, ἡ ἄναρχος θεότης, ἡ φῶς οὖσα ἀΐδιον. Ἡ δὲ ἐπὶ δυσμῶν ἐπίβασις, ἡ κοινωνία τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης πτωχείας, δύσις οὖσα, καὶ νυκτὶ ἐοικυῖα, εἱ συγκρίνοιτο τῇ ἄνω λαμπρότητι. Ασύγκριτα γὰρ ὑπῆρχε τὰ πράγματα πρὶν [ἢ ] ἑνώσει αὐτὰ ἐν ἑαυτῷ ὁ τεχνίτης.","t":"To Dracontius the presbyter. [On \"Make a way for him who rides upon the west.\"] Since God has \"East\" as his name, you asked, and is light unapproachable, how has he ridden upon the west? \"East\" is his name: the Godhead without beginning, which is everlasting light. His riding upon the west is his sharing in human poverty, which is a setting and like night if compared with the brightness above. For the two realities were incomparable before the Artificer united them in himself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.248 (PG 78 78:333; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-248)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.249":{"o":"ΕΠΙΚΤΗΤΟ.\nΠοτήριον πτώσεως, καὶ κόνδυ θυμοῦ, τιμωρίας τοῖς πταίουσιν ἀπειλεῖ ὁ Θεὸς εἰς διόρθωσιν, ποτὲ μὲν Βαβυλωνίοις, ποτὲ δὲ ᾿Ασσυρίοις ἐγχειρίζων. ῞Απερ ἐκποθέντα ὑπὸ Ἑβραίων, αὐτοὺς μὲν ἀπεμέθυσε, βελτίονος δὲ ζωῆς οὐκ ἠξίωσεν. Ἕν δὲ Χριστὸς ἐπὶ ξύλου ποτήριον πιὼν, καὶ πικρίαν ἰάτρευσε, καὶ εὐφροσύνην ἐπήγαγεν.","t":"To Epictetus. The cup of falling and the bowl of wrath God threatens as punishments on those who sin, for their correction, handing it now to the Babylonians, now to the Assyrians. When the Hebrews drank these, it made them drunk but did not make them worthy of a better life. But Christ, drinking one cup on the tree, both healed the bitterness and brought in gladness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.249 (PG 78 78:333; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-249)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.25":{"o":"ΚΥΡΙΛΛΩ.\n῞Οτι ἀμήχανον ἐν μέσῳ θορύβων ἀρετὴν κατορθώσαι. Τί σοι ὄφελος τῆς Ἰωάννου πρὸς τὴν ἔρημον ἀναχωρήσεως, ἣν πάλαι σπουδαίως ἐζήλωσας, νῦν δὲ μὴ ἐκεῖνον μιμουμένῳ, καὶ πρὸς τὰς οἰκείας φροντίδας παλινοστοῦντι, καὶ ἐπ' ἐρημίας θορυβουμένῳ, καὶ καταμόνας ὀχλουμένῳ; Τὸ γὰρ ἡσυχάζειν τῷ σχήματι, καὶ φύρεσθαι ταῖς κατὰ νοῦν στροφαῖς καὶ συγχύσεσι, καὶ ἀχλύος τὴν αἴσθησιν πληροῖ, καὶ τὰ ἤδη πονηθέντα ἀμαυροῖ, καὶ τοῖς πάθεσι τὴν νίκην εὐοδεῖ, καὶ ῥίψασπιν τὸν ὁπλίτην ποιεῖ. Οὐδεὶς δὲ στρατευόμενος ἐμπλέκεται ταῖς τοῦ βίου πραγματείαις ἶνα τῷ στρατολογήσαντι ἀρέσῃ, ἀλλ᾽ ὁπλοφόρος ὅλος γίνεται, πρὸς τὸν ἀρέσκοντα τῷ ταξιάρχη παρατασσόμενος ἀγῶνα.","t":"To Cyril. [That it is impossible to achieve virtue in the midst of commotion.] What good to you is John's withdrawal into the desert, which you once eagerly emulated, if now you do not imitate him, but go back to your own cares, are in commotion in solitude and harassed when alone? For to be at rest in outward form, while being mixed up with the twistings and confusions of the mind, fills the senses with mist, darkens what has already been labored for, gives the passions an easy victory, and makes the soldier throw away his shield. \"No one serving as a soldier entangles himself in the affairs of life, so as to please the one who enlisted him\"; rather he becomes wholly an armed man, drawn up for the contest that pleases the commander.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.25 (PG 78 78:197; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-25)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.250":{"o":"ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἩ ἀχάριστος ἡμῶν καὶ φαύλη διάθεσις, πᾶσαν Θεοῦ δωρεὰν ἀναξίως ἐδέξατο. Πνεῦμα εἰλήφαμεν ἅγιον, καὶ πράξεσιν αὐτὸ φαύλαις ὠθήσαμεν. Θαυμάτων ἐδεξάμεθα χάρισμα, καὶ ἀπιστίαις αὐτὸ παρωσάμεθα. Διδασκαλίαν καὶ σοφίαν ὁ δοτὴρ τῶν τοιούτων ἐνέπνευσε, καὶ βλασφημίαις αὐτὰς ἀπωσάμεθα· ἱερωσύνην τὴν οὐράνιον ἐπιστεύθημεν, καὶ κρίσει αὐτὴν σφαλερᾷ διεφθείραμεν. Ὁ δεῖνα ἔλαβε βιαίως ἐπισκοπὴν, καὶ γένει φορτίζει τὰ πράγματα. Ὁ δεῖνα οἰκονομεῖ, καὶ οἰκέταις ὀχλεῖ τὸ θυσιαστήριον. Οὗτος ἐκείνῳ ᾠκείωται, καὶ τὰ πτωχικὰ σφετερίζεται. Ἐκεῖνος τούτῳ εὐνοεῖ, καὶ ἐντομίας καὶ θηλυδρίας ἀνδράποδα εὔωνα ἐπεισφέρει τοῖς ἀνακτόροις. Βαβαὶ, πόσαις κηλῖσι τὸ Θεῖον χραίνεται βήμα!","t":"To Eusebius the bishop. Our ungrateful and base disposition has received every gift of God unworthily. We have received the Holy Spirit, and driven him away by base deeds. We received the gift of miracles, and thrust it aside by unbelief. The giver of such things inspired teaching and wisdom, and we pushed them away with blasphemies. We were entrusted with the heavenly priesthood, and ruined it by faulty judgment. So-and-so took the episcopate by force and loads affairs with his family. So-and-so is steward, and crowds the altar with his servants. This one is intimate with that one and appropriates the funds of the poor; that one favors this one and brings eunuchs and effeminate cheap slaves into the sanctuary. Alas, with how many stains the divine sanctuary is defiled!","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.250 (PG 78 78:333; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-250)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.251":{"o":"ΕΥΑΓΡΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς χλαίνης. Ἡ χλαίνα τῆς χλεύης τὴν ἐπίγειον πᾶσαν ἀρχὴν παίγνιον οὖσαν ἐθριάμβευσεν· ἀλλὰ τῷ Κυρίῳ περιαφθεῖσα, τὸ ἰσχυρὸν καὶ ἐῤῥωμένον ἐκτήσατο, εἰς ἀδιάδοχον προκόψασα κράτος. Ἔπρεπε γὰρ αὐτὴν καὶ μόνον ἁψαμένην Χριστοῦ, καὶ κράσπεδον γενομένην αὐτοῦ, ἀσφαλῆ καὶ βεβαίαν γενέσθαι.","t":"To Evagrius the deacon. [On the cloak.] The cloak of mockery made a triumphal show of all earthly rule as a plaything; but when placed on the Lord it acquired strength and vigor, advancing to an unending rule. For it was fitting that it, merely by touching Christ and becoming his hem, should become secure and firm.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.251 (PG 78 78:333; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-251)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.252":{"o":"ΑΛΦΕΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΔιὸ ἐσχίσθη τοῦ ναοῦ τὸ καταπέτασμα. Ἡ τῶν ἁγίων ὁδὸς ἐν τῷ ναῷ κρυπτομένη, καὶ καταπετάσματι διειργομένη, μήπω δεδόσθαι τὸν ἁγιασμὸν ὑπεδείκνυ τῇ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν φυλαττόμενον παρουσίᾳ. Ἡνίκα διαρρήξας τὸ καταπέτασμα, καὶ γυμνώσας τοῖς ἔθνεσι τὰ τῶν ἁγίων ἀπόῤῥητα, κεκαλυμμένα Ἰουδαίοις ὡς ἀγνώμοσιν, ὡδοποίησεν ἡμῖν πρὸς τὴν ἄνω συγγένειαν.","t":"To Alphaeus the presbyter. [Why the veil of the temple was torn.] The way of the holy place, hidden in the temple and shut off by the veil, showed that sanctification had not yet been given, being kept for the coming of our Lord. When he tore the veil and laid bare to the nations the secrets of the holy place, which remain veiled to the Jews as unfeeling, he made a way for us to our kinship above.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.252 (PG 78 78:335; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-252)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.253":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΔιὰ τί ἐν τῷ πάθει τοῦ Δεσπότου τὰ ἄψυχα ἐμαστίζετο. Δριμέως ζητεῖς τὰ νοήματα. Καὶ τίς σοι ἀρκέσει ἀμέλγοντι, εἰ μὴ Θεὸς παράσχοι λόγον [καὶ τόνον] τῷ σκοπῷ σου συντρέχοντα; Αἱ πέτραι ἐν τῷ πάθει τῷ Κυριακῷ διεθρύβησαν, καὶ τὰ μνήματα πρὸς μεθοδείαν σωμάτων ἐτρόμαζον, τῶν ἐπιγείων καὶ ὑπογείων Δεσπότην σημαίνοντα τὸν ἡλούμενον.","t":"To the same. [Why lifeless things were scourged at the Master's passion.] You search out meanings keenly. And who will suffice you as you milk them, unless God provides a word [and vigor] running with your aim? The rocks were shattered at the Lord's passion, and the tombs trembled for the release of bodies, signifying that the one being nailed is Master of things on earth and under the earth.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.253 (PG 78 78:335; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-253)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.254":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤίνος χάριν, ἔφης, τὰ ἄψυχα ἐμαστίζετο; Τῆς Ἰουδαίων, φημὶ, κατηγοροῦντα ἡλιθιότητος.· ὅτι τὰ μὲν φόβῳ συνετρίβετο, αὐτοὶ δὲ εἰς λίθων φύσιν μεθίσταντο, καὶ πρὸς φόβον ἀναίσθητοι, καὶ πρὸς εὐεργεσίαν ὄντες ἀχάριστοι.","t":"To the same. Why, you asked, were lifeless things scourged? To accuse the stupidity of the Jews, I say: because those things were shattered by fear, while they turned into the nature of stones, insensible to fear and ungrateful for benefits.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.254 (PG 78 78:335; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-254)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.255":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ τῶν δύο ληστῶν. Οἱ δύο λῃσταὶ τοὺς δύο ὑπέγραφον λαούς ὁ μὲν μέχρι τελευτῆς τὸ ἄγνωμον ἐνδειξάμενος, καὶ οὐδὲ τὴν ἐσχάτην αἰχμαλωσίαν, ἣν ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων ὑπέμεινεν, εἰς ἄμυναν τῶν κατὰ Χριστοῦ παροινιῶν ὁμολογήσας ὑφίστασθαι· ὁ δὲ, πρὸς αὐτῷ τῷ τέλει μὴ ἀπογνοὺς τῆς ἀφέσεως, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν αὐτῷ τὸν ἐσμὸν τῶν κακῶν θεολογίᾳ διορθωσάμενος.","t":"To the same. [On the two thieves.] The two thieves sketched the two peoples. The one showed his want of feeling to the end, and did not even acknowledge that he suffered the final captivity at the hands of the Romans as vengeance for his drunken insults against Christ; the other, at the very end, did not despair of forgiveness, but corrected the swarm of his evils by a confession of Christ's Godhead.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.255 (PG 78 78:335; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-255)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.256":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ αὐτοῦ. Τὸ μέσον τῶν λῃστῶν ἀνασχέσθαι σταυρωθῆναι τὸν Κύριον, τὴν ἑκούσιον αὐτοῦ πρὸς τοὺς δύο λαοὺς ἀπεκάλυψε παρουσίαν, πρὸς οὓς ἑκὼν παρεγένετο, ἀμφοτέρους τῇ ἑαυτοῦ βουληθεὶς ἐνανθρωπήσει ἀνανεώσασθαι · εἰ καὶ ὁ πρότερος, ὡς ὁ εἷς τῶν λῃστῶν, παρῃτήσατο, « Οὐκ ἔχομεν, λέγων, βασιλέα εἰ μὴ Καίσαρα. » Καὶ τὸ αἷμα τὸ ἀθῶον ἐπὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ κεφαλὴν ἐξαιτούμενος, καὶ ὡς δικαίῳ τῷ φόνῳ ἐναβρυνόμενος. ᾿Αφ᾽ ὧν καὶ οὗτοι κἀκεῖνος τῆς βασιλείας ἐξέπεσον.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] That the Lord endured being crucified between the thieves revealed his voluntary coming to the two peoples, to whom he came willingly, wishing to renew both by his incarnation; even if the first, like one of the thieves, refused, saying \"We have no king but Caesar,\" calling down the innocent blood on its own head, and priding itself on the murder as though just. For these reasons both these and that thief fell from the kingdom.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.256 (PG 78 78:335; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-256)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.257":{"o":"ΕΥΛΟΓΙΟ.\nΠερὶ τῆς τοῦ Ζαχαρίου κωφεύσεως. ᾿Ανατέλλοντος φωτὸς, ὁ ὄρθρος ὑποχωρεῖ. Ἡλίου ἀνίσχοντος λαμπρῶς, τὰ τῶν ἀστέρων ἀμαυροῦται χορεύματα. Ὅτε αἴθριος ἡμέρα ἐπιφανῇ, τὰ τῆς ἕω ἀπολήγει σκιάσματα. Ὅτε ἡ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου σοφία ἐξέλαμψεν, ἡ τοῦ νόμου παιδαγωγία ἐσχόλασεν. Οὕτω κωφεύει Ζαχαρίας, τὰ τοῦ νέου καὶ παραδόξου ἀσπασμοῦ ἀκηκοὼς εὐαγγέλια.","t":"To Eulogius. [On the dumbness of Zacharias.] When the light rises, the dawn withdraws. When the sun rises brightly, the dances of the stars grow dim. When the clear day appears, the shadows of morning cease. When the wisdom of the Gospel shone out, the tutelage of the law came to rest. So Zacharias becomes dumb, having heard the good news of the new and wonderful greeting.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.257 (PG 78 78:337; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-257)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.258":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ ΑΡΧΙΜΑΝΔΡΙΤΗ.\nΤοὺς τῶν μοναχῶν νεοπαγεῖς οὔτε καταφορτίζειν δεῖ τῷ τοῦ κανόνος ζυγῷ, ἵνα μὴ εὐθὺς ἐν προοιμίῳ ἀπείπωσιν· οὔτε ἀδαμάστους καὶ ἀπόνους ἐᾶν, ἵνα μὴ πρὸς ῥαθυμίαν ἐμπέσωσιν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ βραχὺ προσαύξειν αὐτοῖς τὴν ἀνάβασιν, ἵνα ὡς Ἰσαὰκ προβαίνοντες μείζονες γένωνται. Ὁ γὰρ ὑπερβάλλων πόνος ποιεῖ, τοῦτο καὶ πολλὴ ἀμέλεια πληροῖ· ὁ μὲν καταβάλλων, ἡ δὲ ἐκλύουσα.","t":"To Peter the archimandrite. Newly settled monks must not be loaded with the yoke of the rule, lest they give up at the very start; nor left untamed and without toil, lest they fall into slackness. Rather their ascent should be increased little by little, so that, like Isaac, they may advance and become greater. For what excessive toil does, much negligence also achieves: the one overthrows, the other unnerves.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.258 (PG 78 78:337; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-258)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.259":{"o":"ΓΙΓΑΝΤΙΩ.\nΑὐτὸς μὲν πᾶσαν φεῦγε βλασφημίαν· τῶν δὲ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς θεωρημάτων, ἀπαίτει παρ' ἡμῶν μεθοδικῶς τὴν ἐπίλυσιν. Οὐκ οἶμαι τὸν κόσμον χωρῆσαι τὰ γραφόμενα βιβλία τῶν τοῦ Κυρίου θεοσημείων, ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς ἀπεφήνατο. Ἐπειδὴ κόσμος σύντομος ὁ ἄνθρωπός ἐστι πάντων [τῶν] τοῦ κόσμου συμπληρωτικῶν μετέχων στοιχείων. \"Α τοίνυν ὁ ἄνθρωπος ἀπίθανος ὢν, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ, οὐκ ἐχώρεὶ θαύματα, ὡς ὑπερφυῆ καὶ θεῖα, τῶν καὶ πώποτε φθασάντων ὑψηλότερα καὶ μεγαλοπρεπέστερα, ταῦτα μὴ χωρεῖν τὸν κόσμον ἐστοχάσατο.","t":"To Gigantius. For your part, flee all blasphemy; and ask us methodically for the solution of the questions of divine Scripture. \"I do not think the world could contain the books\" that would be written of the Lord's divine signs, the evangelist declared. For man is a world in brief, sharing in all the elements that make up the world. So the wonders which man, being for the most part incredulous, could not contain, as superhuman and divine, loftier and more magnificent than any that had ever come before, these he reckoned the world would not contain.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.259 (PG 78 78:337; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-259)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.26":{"o":"ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠερὶ δωροληψίας, ὅτι φρικτὸν εἰς ὑπερβολὴν πιπράσκειν τὴν ἱερωσύνην, ἢ ἔξω. Πολλοί σε κωμῳδοῦσιν, ὡς χρήμασιν ἀλλ᾽ οὐ Πνεύματι τὰς χειροθεσίας τῆς μυσταγωγίας ἐπιτρέποντα. Καὶ εἰ μὲν συκοφαντοῦσι, καθ' ἑαυτῶν ἐπεσπάσαντο τὴν δίκην, ἐπειδὴ « ἀπολεῖ Κύριος πάντας τοὺς λαλοῦντας τὸ ψεῦδος. • Εἰ δὲ ἀληθεύουσι, γνῶθι οἱ τελευτᾷ τὸ κακὸν, ὅτι μικροῦ κέρδους τὸ εἰς Θεὸν ὑβρίζειν ἀντήλλαξας. Καὶ τίς προσεύξεται περὶ σοῦ, ἐπειδὴ μήτε περὶ Ὀφνὴ καὶ Φινεὲς, εἰς Θεὸν καὶ τὴν αὐτοῦ ἁμαρτόντων ἱερωσύνην, εὑρέθη τις πρεσβευόμενος, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἔσχατον ὅλεθρον, ὡς τὸ γέρας προπίνοντες τῆς ἱερωσύνης, ἐδόθησαν;","t":"To Eusebius the bishop. [On taking gifts: that it is dreadful beyond measure to sell the priesthood.] Many mock you as one who entrusts the laying on of hands of the mysteries for money and not by the Spirit. If they are slandering you, they have drawn the penalty on themselves, since \"the Lord will destroy all who speak falsehood.\" But if they speak the truth, know where the evil ends: that for a little gain you have bartered away the honor of God for insult to him. And who will pray for you, since not even for Hophni and Phinehas, who sinned against God and his priesthood, was anyone found to intercede, but they were given over to utter destruction, as men who had drunk away the privilege of the priesthood?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.26 (PG 78 78:197; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-26)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.260":{"o":"ΛΟΥΚΑ\nΠερὶ ὑποταγῆς. Βαρὺν ὑπῆλθες ζυγὸν, ἀπειρόζυγος ὧν. Καὶ δέος ἐστὶ μὴ πρὸς τὴν σμινύην τοῦ θείου ἀτονήσῃς ἀρότρου, κἀκείνου φανῇς συνεργὸς τοῦ πύργον οἰκοδομοῦντος, καὶ τὰς δυνάμεις μὴ προορῶντος. Εἰ τοίνυν δόκιμος βούλει γενέσθαι μοναχὸς, μὴ αὐτόβουλον καὶ μονότροπον ἀρέσκειαν μετέρχου, ἀλλὰ κλῖνον τὴν γνώμην τοῖς βίῳ καὶ χρόνῳ καὶ πόνῳ ἤδη τὸν θεῖον σκάψασι καὶ σκαπανεύσασιν ἀμπελῶνα· παρ᾿ ὧν εὐκόλως τὴν ἐργασίαν μαθήσῃ. Γελοῖον γὰρ καὶ καταγέλαστον, βαναύσου μὲν τέχνης πανταχόσε περίνοστεῖν διδασκάλους, τὴν δὲ θείαν φιλοσοφίαν, ὡς εὐτελές τι, ἑαυτοῖς ἐπιτρέπειν.","t":"To Luke. [On submission.] You have taken on a heavy yoke, being unused to the yoke. There is fear that you may give out at the mattock of the divine plow, and appear a fellow worker of the man who built a tower without first reckoning his means. If, then, you wish to become an approved monk, do not pursue a self-willed and solitary way of pleasing yourself, but bend your will to those who by life, time and toil have already dug and tilled the divine vineyard; from them you will easily learn the work. For it is ridiculous and laughable that people go everywhere seeking teachers of a manual craft, but entrust divine philosophy to themselves, as something cheap.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.260 (PG 78 78:337; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-260)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.261":{"o":"ΕΥΒΟΥΛΩ.\nΠερὶ κακίας. – μίαν, καὶ Θεῷ φανήσῃ καὶ ἀνθρώποις ἀοίδιμος. Ὅτι παντάπασιν ἀκερδής ἐστιν ἡ κακία, καὶ πρὸς τὰ παρόντα φαύλη σύνοικος, καὶ πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα ἰσχυρὰ κατήγορος, φήσουσί σοι πολλοί. Τί τοίνυν αὐτὴν ἀσπάζῃ καὶ περιέπεις, Κακόβουλε μᾶλλον ἢ Εὔβουλε; Ἥν φεύγων ὡς πᾶσι τοῖς καλοῖς πολε","t":"To Eubulus. [On wickedness.] That wickedness is altogether profitless, a bad housemate for the present and a strong accuser for the future, many will tell you. Why then do you embrace and cherish it, Ill-counseled rather than Well-counseled? If you flee it as the enemy of all good things, you will appear celebrated both to God and to men.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.261 (PG 78 78:339; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-261)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.262":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\n\"Ὅτι οὐ χρὴ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ἀγυμνάστους μοναστήρια συγκροτεῖν. Πάντα καλῶς ὁ χρηστὸς διαθεὶς Εὐσέβιος, καὶ τοῦτο τῇ παροικίᾳ Πηλουσίου παρέσχετο, βουνόμοις τισὶ καὶ αἰπόλοις καὶ δραπέταις οἰκέταις ἐπιτρέπων μοναχικά συμπήγνυσθαι παλαιστήρια, οὐδενὶ μαθητευθεῖσι τὴν μοναχικὴν ἢ μετελθόντων, ἢ ὅλως ἀγαπώντων, οὐδὲ ὅλως τῆς φιλοσοφίας ταύτης ἢ ἀκηκοόσιν, ἢ μέχρι σχήματος διδαχθεῖσι. Τοῦτο ποιῶν, ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις, πολέμου περιεστῶτος, καὶ βελῶν σφοδρῶς ἀφιεμένων, ἀόπλοις καὶ ἀπειροπολέμοις ἐπιτρέποι τὴν πρὸς ἐκεῖνα παράταξιν, καὶ προδιδῷ καθ' ἑαυτοῦ ἑκουσίως τὴν νίκην.","t":"To Leontius the bishop. [That untrained men should not be allowed to found monasteries in the diocese.] The good Eusebius, who has arranged everything so well, has also provided this to the diocese of Pelusium: he allows some cowherds, goatherds and runaway slaves to set up monastic wrestling-schools, men who were never trained by anyone who pursued or even loved the monastic life, and who have not even heard of this philosophy, or been taught it even as far as the habit. In doing this he is like someone who, with war all around and arrows flying hard, entrusts the battle line to unarmed men inexperienced in war, and willingly betrays the victory against himself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.262 (PG 78 78:339; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-262)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.263":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠρόσφορον καὶ ἁρμοδίαν σοι πάντες, ὅσοι τὴν σὴν ὁρῶσιν ἀλλοίωσιν, ἐπάδουσι θεόφαντον ψαλμῳδίαν, τὸ, Παρῆλθον, καὶ ἰδοὺ οὐκ ἦν, καὶ ἐζήτησα αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐχ εὑρέθη ὁ τόπος αὐτοῦ. Οἱ γὰρ δύναμιν παρὰ Κυρίου λαμβάνοντες, καὶ ταύτῃ οὐκ εἰς ἀμοιβὴν κεχρημένοι, ἀλλ᾽ ἄμυναν, καὶ εἰς τὸ μηδὲν δύνασθαι περιίστανται, καὶ τῆς κακοποιοῦ δυνάμεως τὰς εὐθύνας εἰσπράττονται. ΩΡΙΩΝΙ. Κοινὸς μὲν ἁπάντων ὁ ἐχθρὸς, πολέμους δὲ ἔχει γενικοὺς πρὸς τοὺς ταῖς ἡδοναῖς αὐτοῦ μὴ λατρεύοντας, καὶ τῇ ῥίζῃ τῶν κακῶν φιλαργυρίᾳ αὐτῷ μὴ προσκυνοῦντας. Ὧν εἷς ὑπάρχων καὶ πρόβολος, ἔχου τῆς πανοπλίας τοῦ πνεύματος.","t":"To Heraclius the deacon. All who see your change sing to you a fitting and appropriate psalm, given by God: \"I passed by, and behold, he was not; I sought him, and his place was not found.\" For those who receive power from the Lord and use it not for repayment but for retaliation are brought to being able to do nothing, and are made to give account for their evil-doing power. [Letter 1.264] To Orion. The enemy is common to all, but he wages general wars against those who do not serve his pleasures and do not worship him through the root of evils, love of money. Since you are one of these, and a bulwark, hold fast to the full armor of the Spirit.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.263 (PG 78 78:339; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-263)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.265":{"o":"ΣΥΜΜΑΧΟ.\nΕἰ τῷ ὕψει τοῦ σώματος, τὸ μείζων εἶναι τῶν ἀνθρώπων πεφάντασαι; Νεβρώδ ὁ γίγας πολλῷ σε ύπερἱπτατο, καὶ οἱ ᾿Ασταρώθ γίγαντες, καὶ Γολιάθ ὁ ἀλλόφυλος, καὶ Σαούλ ὁ παντὸς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ὑπερὡμιος. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲν αὐτοὺς ἄνησε τὸ μῆκος, τῆς θείας ἐπιεικείας φρονήσαντας ὑψηλότερα.","t":"To Symmachus. Have you imagined that you are greater than men because of your bodily height? Nimrod the giant towered far above you, and the giants of Ashtaroth, and Goliath the Philistine, and Saul, taller by the shoulders than all Israel. But their height did not help them at all, since they thought thoughts higher than the divine gentleness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.265 (PG 78 78:339; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-265)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.266":{"o":"ΚΡΑΤΙΝΩ.\nΠερὶ ὑποταγῆς. ὧν αὐτός μοι πεῦσιν προσήγαγες, ἄλλος τις τῷ Κυρίῳ· ὁ μὲν εἰρηκὼς, Τί ποιήσας, ζωὴν αἰώνιον κληρονομήσω; αὐτὸς δὲ γεγραφὼς, Τίνι μοναχικὴν κατορθώσω; ᾿Αλλ' ὁ μὲν πρὸς τὸν νόμον, ὡς νηπιώδης, ἐπέμπετο· σὲ δὲ ἐγὼ, ὡς τελείων ἐφιέμενον, πρὸς ὕψος χειραγωγῶ ἀναβάσεως. \"Αρνησαι σαυτὸν, καὶ ἆρον τὸν σταυρὸν, καὶ φεῦγε ὡς ἐγώ.","t":"To Cratinus. [On submission.] The question you put to me someone else put to the Lord: he said, \"What shall I do to inherit eternal life?\"; you wrote, \"By what shall I achieve the monastic life?\" But he was sent to the law, as a child; you, as one who desires perfect things, I lead by the hand to the height of the ascent: deny yourself, take up the cross, and flee as I did.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.266 (PG 78 78:341; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-266)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.267":{"o":"ΚΥΡΗΝΙΩ.\nΑὐτὸς μὲν ἠρώτησας, ποίαν ἔχει ἡ ψυχὴ ἐκεῖ τὴν κατάστασιν, ἢ τίνι τρόπῳ συνέχεται. Ἐγὼ δὲ φημί σοι, ὅτι Ἡ μὲν βιώσασα χρηστῶς, εἰς ἀνάστασιν ἐλεύσεται ζωῆς· ἡ δὲ ζήσασα κακῶς, εἰς αἰώνιον πορεύσεται πυράν. Ἥνπερ δεδιώς, φρόντιζε ὅπως εύρεθήσῃ ἀκατάγνωστος καὶ ἀκόλαστος.","t":"To Cyrenius. You asked what condition the soul has there, or in what way it is held. I tell you: the one that lived well will come to the resurrection of life; the one that lived badly will go to eternal fire. Fearing this, take care that you are found blameless and not liable to punishment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.267 (PG 78 78:341; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-267)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.268":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ θείου κηρύγματος. Αὐτῷ ᾧ νομίζεις ἐλαττώματι [τῷ] ἀκόμπῳ καὶ ἀγραμμάτῳ τῶν ἱερῶν τοῦ Κυρίου μαθητῶν ὑπερέχει τοῦ θείου Εὐαγγελίου ἡ δύναμις, δι' ἐκείνων κρατήσασα, δι ὧν ἄλλοι ἡττήθησαν.","t":"To Paul. [On the power of the divine preaching.] By the very thing you consider a defect, the plainness and lack of letters of the Lord's holy disciples, the power of the divine Gospel excels, since it prevailed through those by whom others would have been defeated.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.268 (PG 78 78:341; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-268)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.269":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠρὸς ἱερεῖς, περὶ τῆς τῶν πενήτων οἰκονομίας. Εἰ καὶ ἀλόγιστος εἶ καὶ ἀνάγωγος· ἀλλ᾽ οὖν κἂν ἐκ παρακούσματος ἔχεις, ὅτι πάλαι οἱ τῶν θείων ἀποστόλων μαθηταὶ, τὰ οἴκοι πιπράσκοντες, τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ὑπὲρ πτωχῶν προσεκόμιζον. Σὺ δὲ πᾶν τοὺναντίον ποιῶν, τὸ τῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ τῶν πτωχῶν οἴκοι συνάγεις ἀσεβῶς. Παῦσαι τοίνυν τῆς ἀσεβείας· οἰκονόμος γὰρ εἴρηται παρὰ τὸ οἰκεῖα αὐτῶν νέμειν τοῖς πένησιν. Οἰκεῖα δὲ αὐτῶν, εἰκότως τὰ ἐκκλησιαστικά","t":"To Maron the presbyter. [To clergy, on the management of the poor.] Even if you are thoughtless and uneducated, you have at least heard it said that long ago the disciples of the divine apostles sold what they had at home and brought it to the church for the poor. But you, doing the exact opposite, impiously gather what belongs to the church and the poor into your home. Stop, then, your impiety; for a steward (oikonomos) is so called from distributing their own (oikeia) to the poor; and their own are, naturally, the church's goods.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.269 (PG 78 78:341; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-269)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.27":{"o":"ΦΑΡΙΣΜΑΝΙΟ ΕΥΝΟΥΧΩ ΤΟΥ ΠΑΛΑΤΙΟΥ.\n᾿Ακούω σε ταῖς θείαις Βίβλοις ἐμμελετᾷν, καὶ ταῖς αὐτῶν κεχρῆσθαι μαρτυρίαις ἁρμοδίως πρὸς ἅπαντας εἶναι δὲ πλεονέκτην, καὶ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις ἐπιμαινόμενον βίοις. Καὶ πάνυ μοι θαυμάζειν ἐπέρχεται, ὅτι σε ὁ θεῖος ἔρως οὐκ ἔτρωσεν ἐκ τῆς συνεχοῦς ἀναγνώσεως, μεταβολὴν τῆς προθέσεως έργασάμενος, ὁ μὴ μόνον τῶν ἀλλοτρίων κωλύων ἐρᾶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ προσόντα σκορπίζειν νουθετῶν. Η τοίνυν ἀναγινώσκων ἐπίγνωθι, ἢ μὴ ἐπιγινώσκων ἀνάγνωθι.","t":"To Pharismanius, eunuch of the palace. I hear that you study the divine Books and use their testimonies aptly with everyone, but that you are grasping and rage against other people's livelihoods. And I can only wonder that divine love has not wounded you through your constant reading and worked a change in your purpose, that love which not only forbids desiring what belongs to others but urges us to scatter what we have. Either recognize what you read, or, if you do not recognize it, do not read.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.27 (PG 78 78:199; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-27)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.270":{"o":"ΑΓΑΘΟΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ.\nΚατὰ Ἑλλήνων. Ἔξεστί [σοι] συνιδεῖν, ἄριστε, ἐκ τῶν συμβάντων τὰ μείζονα. Ὁ γὰρ Ἑλληνισμός πολλοῖς καὶ χρόνοις καὶ πόνοις καὶ πόροις καὶ ὅπλοις καὶ λόγοις κρατυνθεὶς, ἡφανίσθη. Ἡ δὲ ἡμετέρα θρησκεία ἰδιώταις καὶ ἀγραμμάτοις καὶ πτωχοῖς καὶ εὐτελέσιν ἐγχειρισθεῖσα ἐν βραχεῖ καιρῷ, δίκην ἀστραπῆς διῆλθε πανταχοῦ, οὐ τὰς ὄψεις μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς γνώμας φωτίσασα · ὅτι ὁ μὲν ψευδέσι μύθοις συνέκειτο· ἡ δὲ δόγμασιν οὐρανίοις συνήρμοστο","t":"To Agathodaemon. [Against the Greeks.] You can see, excellent man, the greater things from what has happened. Hellenism, strengthened by much time and toil and wealth and arms and words, has vanished. But our religion, entrusted to laymen, the unlettered, the poor and the lowly, in a short time went everywhere like lightning, enlightening not only eyes but minds; because the one was made up of false myths, the other fitted together from heavenly doctrines.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.270 (PG 78 78:341; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-270)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.271":{"o":"ΛΑΙΑΝΔΡΟ.\nΠερὶ αὐτεξουσίου. Ἡ φύσις ἡ ἀνθρωπεία, θαυμάσιε, οὔτε ἀνεπίδεκτός ἐστι κακοῦ, οὔτε φυσικῶς κέκτηται τὰ κακά. Ἀλλὰ γνώμη ταῦτα προσιεμένη, τὴν τῶν καλῶν ὑπομένει ἀπόπτωσιν.","t":"To Laeander. [On free will.] Human nature, admirable man, is neither incapable of evil nor possesses evils by nature; but the will, admitting them, suffers the falling away from good things.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.271 (PG 78 78:343; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-271)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.272":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἘκεῖνο ὃ γέγραφας καὶ ὁ πρῶτος πέπονθεν ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ δεύτερος αὐτῷ τὴν προτέραν μορφὴν ἀποδέδωκεν, ἐν ἐκείνῃ ἀφράστως γενόμενος, καὶ ταύτην θεοπρεπῶς διορθωσάμενος.","t":"To the same. What you wrote of, the first man also suffered; but the second gave back to him his former form, coming to be in that nature ineffably and correcting it as befits God.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.272 (PG 78 78:343; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-272)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.273":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ.\n• Μεγαλυνῶ τὸν Κύριον, ι καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. • Μεγαλυνῶ τὸν Κύριον ἐν αἰνέσει, καὶ ἀρέσει αὐτῷ ὑπὲρ μόσχον νέον, › ἔψαλλεν ὁ Δαβὶδ, τὴν Ἰουδαίων σημαίνων ἀπόπτωσιν, καὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν τὴν οἰκείωσιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ, φησὶν, ὁ τὰς θυσίας πιστευθεὶς ἡθέτησε λαὸς, καὶ οὐχ ἥδεται αἵμασιν ὁ Θεὸς, ἐγὼ τὴν ἐν πνεύματι προσάγω λατρείαν, ἤπερ ἐκείνης αὐτῷ φανεῖται ἀξιωτέρα.","t":"To Eutonius. [\"I will magnify the Lord,\" and the rest.] \"I will magnify the Lord with praise, and it will please him more than a young calf,\" sang David, signifying the falling away of the Jews and the calling of the nations. For since, he says, the people entrusted with the sacrifices broke faith, and God takes no pleasure in blood, I bring the worship in spirit, which will appear to him worthier than that.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.273 (PG 78 78:343; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-273)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.274":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ.\nΚάλλει καὶ πλούτῳ ἐπαίρῃ, ὡς ἔοικε, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους περιφρονεῖς, οἷς ταῦτα οὐ πρόσεστιν· ἀγνοῶν, ὅτι χόρτῳ κεκόσμησαι ταχὺ μαραινομένῳ. Καὶ ὡς ὕδωρ συνέχεις τὰ χρήματα, ἄλλους ἐξ ἄλλων νοτίζον, καὶ πάλιν πρὸς ἄλλους βλυστάνον. Ἢ τοίνυν ὡς σκιᾷ καὶ καπνῷ, καὶ ἀνέμοις, τοῖς ἀπίστοις τούτοις πρόσεχε κτήμασιν, ἢ ἴσθι σκιᾷ καὶ καπνῷ πεποιθὼς καὶ ἀνέμοις.","t":"To Theon. You are lifted up, it seems, by beauty and wealth, and look down on others who do not have them; not knowing that you are adorned with grass that quickly withers. And you hold money as one holds water, which moistens some after others and gushes out again toward others. Either attend to these untrustworthy possessions as to shadow, smoke and winds, or know that you have trusted in shadow, smoke and winds.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.274 (PG 78 78:343; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-274)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.275":{"o":"ΤΟΙΣ ΠΕΡΙ ΤΗΝ ΠΟΛΙΝ.\nΚαλὰ λαμβάνει τροφεῖα παρὰ Ἀσπιανοῦ τὸ Πηλούσιον· καλοῖς μισθοῖς τὴν θρεψαμένην ἀμείβεται. Ὑποψιθυρισίας γὰρ τῇ εὐηκόῳ ἀκοῇ τοῦ κρατοῦντος συκοφαντίαν, ἔλαβε παρ' αὐτοῦ τῶν ἐνταῦθα κηνσιτορίαν, καὶ τοσούτων κακῶν ἐν πείρᾳ τοὺς συμφυλέτας κατέστησεν, ὅσων καὶ σύνοικος κλέπτης. Εὔξασθε τοίνυν θερμῶς, μήποτε Πηλουσιώτας δυνηθῆναι ἃ βούλονται. Καλοὶ γάρ εἰσι πτωχεύοντες καὶ συγκύπτοντες, ἢ μικρὰ ἀνανεύοντες, καὶ σκιώδη ἰσχύοντες. Ἐχιδνῶν γεννήματα φαίνονται τὴν κυήσασαν αὐτοὺς γαστέρα ἐσθίοντες.","t":"To those about the city. Pelusium receives fine thanks for its rearing from Aspianus; with fine wages he repays the city that nursed him. For by whispering slander into the willing ear of the ruler, he obtained from him the office of tax-collector here, and has put his fellow citizens through as many evils as a thief who lives in the house. Pray, then, fervently that the Pelusiotes may never be able to do what they wish. For they are better when poor and bowed down, or barely lifting their heads and having shadowy strength. They appear as offspring of vipers, eating the belly that bore them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.275 (PG 78 78:343; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-275)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.276":{"o":"ΧΑΙΡΗΜΟΝΙ.\nΠρὸς τοὺς μεγάλα τὰ παρόντα νομίζοντας. ῎Απιστος ὧν καὶ ἀβέβαιος, καὶ οὐκ ἔχων τὸν νοῦν πρὸς τὰ μέλλοντα, εἰκότως τοῖς ἐνταῦθα ἀβεβαίοις καὶ ἀπίστοις προστέτηκας, πλούτῳ φημὶ καὶ δόξῃ κενῇ. Η τοίνυν περιφρόνει ταῦτα, ὡς γήϊνα· ἢ γυμνάσθητι πρὸς καρτερίαν, ἵν᾿ ἔχοις ὑπομονὴν ὅτε φεύγουσιν.","t":"To Chaeremon. [To those who think present things great.] Being untrustworthy and unsteady, and not having your mind on things to come, you have naturally melted into the unsteady and untrustworthy things here, I mean wealth and empty glory. Either despise these, then, as earthly, or train yourself for endurance, so that you may have patience when they flee.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.276 (PG 78 78:345; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-276)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.277":{"o":"ΠΑΙΟΝΙΟ.\nἩ πλείων πόσις, μᾶλλον ὑπάρχει πτῶσις καὶ τοῖς σχήμασι καὶ τοῖς πράγμασι, καὶ τὸν νοῦν θολοῦσα μᾶλλον καὶ τὸ σῶμα βαρύνουσα. Ἀπόσχου τοίνυν τῆς ἀφειδ[ε]ίας, καὶ χρῆσαι τῇ συμμετρίᾳ, ἢ καὶ μήτηρ ἐστὶν ὑγείας, καὶ νήψεως αἰτία.·","t":"To Paeonius. Too much drinking is rather a falling, both in posture and in affairs, clouding the mind and weighing down the body. Abstain, then, from lack of restraint, and use moderation, which is the mother of health and the cause of sobriety.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.277 (PG 78 78:345; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-277)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.278":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\n῎Ασκησις, ὦ φιλότης, πασῶν τῶν Κυρίου ἐντολῶν μίμησίς ἐστι καὶ δοχεῖον. ᾿Αόργητος, ἀπέρπερος, ἄτυφος, ἀφιλάργυρος, ἀφίλαυτος, ὑποτακτική, διακονοῦσα παντὶ, ἀλλοτρία σώματος καθόλου, οἰκία τοῦ πνεύματος [μόνου,] γλῶσσαν εὐχάριστον ἔχουσα, προσευχὴν χρησιμεύουσαν, πρὸς λοιδορίαν ἀκίνητος, πειθοῖ πάντα πράττουσα, [καὶ] τῷ τοῦ ἄγοντος νεύματι, ὃν καὶ χρόνος καὶ πόνος, καὶ θεία ψῆφος ἐπὶ τῶν οἰάκων τῆς προστασίας ἐκάθισε, τὰς ἐμβολὰς τῶν πνευμάτων καὶ γινώσκοντα καὶ ἐκκλίνοντα.","t":"To Peter. Ascetic discipline, my friend, is the imitation and vessel of all the Lord's commandments: free from anger, from boasting, from pride, from love of money, from self-love; submissive; serving everyone; wholly a stranger to the body; a house of the Spirit [alone]; having a thankful tongue, profitable prayer; unmoved by abuse; doing everything by obedience [and] at the nod of the one who leads, whom time, toil and divine choice have set at the helm of authority, one who both knows and avoids the onsets of the spirits.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.278 (PG 78 78:345; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-278)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.279":{"o":"ΚΛΕΑΡΧΟ.\nΤοσούτων ἐστὶ κακῶν ἡ μέθη αἰτία, ὦ οὗτος, ὅτι ὁ ἀκροατὴς τῶν ἐν παραδείσῳ ἀῤῥήτων, ἔξω τῆς· τοῦ Θεοῦ βασιλείας ἴστησι ταύτην. Μὴ τοίνυν ὡς βραχέος περιφρονῶμεν τοῦ μεγάλου νοσήματος.","t":"To Clearchus. Drunkenness is the cause of so many evils, sir, that the hearer of the unspeakable things in paradise puts it outside the kingdom of God. Let us not, then, despise the great disease as small.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.279 (PG 78 78:345; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-279)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.28":{"o":"ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\n\"Οτι φρικτὸν καὶ δυσέφικτον ἱερωσύνη. Πολλῶν πολλοῖς ἔρως ἐγγίνεται οὐ συνέρχεται ταῖς βουλαῖς, ὡς ἀνέφικτος. Οὔτε γὰρ βασιλείας πᾶς ὁ βουλόμενος ἐφικνεῖται, οὔτε περιουσίας, οὔτε συζυγίας ἧς βούλεται. Εἰ τοίνυν, ὡς φὴς, καὶ Ζώσιμος εἰσφρῆσαι ἑαυτὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ μυστηρίοις ἀναισχύντως","t":"To Eusebius the bishop. [That the priesthood is a dreadful thing and hard to attain.] Many people come to love many things that do not follow their wishes, being beyond reach. For not everyone who wishes attains a kingdom, or wealth, or the marriage he wishes. If, then, as you say, Zosimus too shamelessly to thrust himself into the mysteries of God …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.28 (PG 78 78:199; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-28)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.280":{"o":"ΧΡΥΣΑΝΘΩ.\nΠερὶ μνησικακίας καὶ θυμοῦ. Ὡς μνησίκακόν σε πολλοὶ· κωμῳδοῦσιν, ἀμυντηρίῳ πονηρῷ τῷ θυμῷ κεχρημένον, ὄνπερ ὁ πλάσας βοηθὸν τῇ ψυχῇ προσκατέστησε, τὰς ὀλιγωρίας καὶ χαυνότητας νευροῦντα τοῦ σώματος. Εἰ οὖν ἀληθεύουσι, δῆλος εἱ ἀγνοῶν τὸν σκοπὸν τοῦ Ποιήσαντος, καὶ τῷ σιδήρῳ πρὸς φόνον χρώμενος, καὶ πρὸς ἀπάτην τῷ κάλλει, καὶ τῇ γλώσσῃ πρὸς βλασφημίαν, καὶ αἴτιον ποιῶν τῶν κακῶν τὸν δοτῆρα τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Χαλίνου τοίνυν θᾶττον τὸν θυμὸν μή σε κατακρημνῶν εἰς ὅλεθρον ὥσῃ. ΔΙΔΥΜΩ. Εἰ ᾿Αλλόφυλοι ἐκ Καππαδοκῶν ἀνήχθησαν, καὶ ἀπόγονοι Καππαδοκῶν ᾿Αλλόφυλοι, ἐξ Ἀλλοφύλων δὲ καὶ Γαβαωνῖται τυγχάνουσι· Καππαδόκαι δῆλον ὅτι Γαβαωνίται Ἔχων οὖν τὴν ἐκείνων πονηρίαν ἀνάγραπτον, τί θαυμάζεις Γιγάντιον; ὕπουλον γὰρ ἢ καὶ πονηρὸν ὡς ἐπίπαν τὸ γένος εἰρήνῃ μὲν οὐ τερπόμενον, ἔριδι δὲ τρεφόμενον, καὶ μίαν ἔχον πηγὴν τοῦ πικροῦ καὶ γλυκέος. Ἐν συντυχίᾳ χρηστολογοῦν, ἐν ἀπουσίᾳ καταλαλοῦν· ἀπατηλὸν, ἀναιδὲς, θρασὺ, δειλὸν, σκωπτικὸν, ἀνελεύθερον, δόλιον, μισάνθρωπον, ὑπεροπτικὸν, ἐν ταῖς τῶν φίλων εὐπραγίαις περίλυπον, ἐν δυσπραγίαις ἀκόρεστον · ἐν προσωπείῳ εὐλαβείας αἰχμαλωτίζον τὰ γυναικάρια, ἐν μανίᾳ χρυσοῦ ὑπερβάλλον τὸν Βαβυλώνιον. Πρὸς ψεῦδος ὀξὺ, πρὸς τὸ παρορκῆσαι ταχύ· καὶ οἷον ἔχεις τὸν πάμφαυλον καὶ παμμισῆ Γιγάντιον, τοιούτους ἅπαντας καὶ νόμιζε καὶ γίνωσκε Καππαδόκας.","t":"To Chrysanthus. [On bearing grudges and on anger.] Many mock you as one who bears grudges, using anger as a wicked weapon of revenge, anger which the Maker set as a helper to the soul, to brace the negligence and slackness of the body. If they speak the truth, you clearly do not know the purpose of the Maker, and are like one who uses iron for murder, beauty for deceit, and the tongue for blasphemy, making the giver of good things the cause of evils. Rein in your anger, then, quickly, lest it hurl you headlong to destruction. [Letter 1.281] To Didymus. If the Philistines came up from the Cappadocians, and the Philistines are descendants of the Cappadocians, and the Gibeonites too come from the Philistines, the Cappadocians clearly are Gibeonites. Having their wickedness in writing, then, why do you wonder at Gigantius? For the race is mostly treacherous and wicked, not delighting in peace but feeding on strife, and having one spring for bitter and sweet: speaking well face to face and slandering in absence; deceitful, shameless, bold, cowardly, mocking, mean, crafty, misanthropic, haughty; grieved at the good fortune of friends, insatiable at their misfortune; taking silly women captive under a mask of piety; surpassing the Babylonian in mania for gold; quick to lie, swift to perjury. And such as you find the utterly base and utterly hateful Gigantius, think and know all Cappadocians to be.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.280 (PG 78 78:345; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-280)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.282":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ.\nΤι ἐστιν, « Ὅπου τὸ πτῶμα, ἐκεῖ καὶ οἱ ἀετοὶ συναχθήσονται. Ἐπειδὴ χῶρον ἡμῖν εὐζωΐας τὴν ἐν Ἐδὲμ κατοικίαν ὁ Δημιουργὸς καὶ Δεσπότης παρέσχετο · δι' εὐκολίαν δὲ γνώμης καὶ πονηρίαν τοῦ πλάνου ταύτης ἐξώσθημεν, καὶ εἰς γῆν ἐπίμοχθον καὶ θλιβερὰν παροικίαν ἐῤῥίφημεν· τοὺς ἐξ ἡμῶν πάλιν πτεροφυήσαντας, καὶ τὴν χαμαίζηλον ζωὴν καταλείψαντας, καὶ πρὸς τὸ ὕψος τῆς οὐρανίου πολιτείας ἐγγίσαντας, εἰς ἐκεῖνον τὸν χῶρον συνἁγειν ὁ ἀγαθὸς Χριστὸς ἐπηγγείλατο. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὃ ἠρώτησας, « Ὅπου τὸ πτῶμα, ἐκεῖ συναχθήσονται οἱ ἀετοί. » Ὅπου, φησὶ, τὸ ἥττημα διὰ τὴν ἄκρατον γεῦσιν ἐγένετο, ἐκεῖ καὶ ἡ νίκη διὰ νηστείας καὶ ἐγκρατείας, ἧς ἐγεώργησεν ἡ φύσις, κατώρθωται.","t":"To Serenus. [What is \"Where the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered\"?] Since the Creator and Master gave us the dwelling in Eden as a place of good life, and through our easiness of will and the wickedness of the deceiver we were driven out of it and thrown onto a toilsome earth and a sorrowful sojourn, the good Christ promised to gather into that place again those of us who grow wings again, leave the creeping life, and draw near to the height of the heavenly way of life. And this is what you asked: \"Where the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered.\" Where, he says, the defeat took place through unrestrained tasting, there too the victory has been won through fasting and self-control, which nature cultivated.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.282 (PG 78 78:347; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-282)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.283":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ ΑΡΧΙΜΑΝΔΡΙΤΗ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Ταύτῃ τῇ νυκτὶ ἔσονται δύο ἀλήθουσαι. Ἐκ τῶν ἀγγελικῶν ταγμάτων, καὶ τοῦ χοροῦ τῶν ἀποστόλων, αἱ τῶν ἀνθρώπων κρίνονται προθέσεις. Τῶν μὲν γὰρ ὁ πρωτοστάτης, τῶν δὲ ὁ προδότης ἐχωρίσθη. Ταυτὸ δὲ τοῦτο καὶ νῦν εὑρήσεις τελούμενον. Τῶν μὲν συντονίᾳ καὶ ἀγρυπνίᾳ προσεχόντων· τῶν δὲ ῥαθυμίᾳ καὶ ἀμελείᾳ θρυπτομένων· ἐκ τούτων, οἱ μὲν παραλαμβάνονται· οἱ δὲ, καταλείπονται, ὅτε ὁ Κύριος ἐν τῇ δόξῃ αὐτοῦ παραγίνεται.","t":"To Peter the archimandrite. [On \"On this night there will be two grinding.\"] From the angelic ranks and from the choir of the apostles, men's intentions are judged. For from the ones the leader, from the others the traitor, was separated. You will find this same thing happening now too: some attend with earnestness and vigilance, others are softened by slackness and negligence; of these, some are taken and others left, when the Lord comes in his glory.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.283 (PG 78 78:349; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-283)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.284":{"o":"ΣΥΝΑΔΙΟ.\nΠερὶ ἀναστάσεως. Εἰ ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος δυνατὸς ὁ Θεὸς ὑφιστᾷν ὅσα βούλεται, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἐκ τοῦ ὑφεστῶτος ἀνακαινίσαι τὰ ἤδη γενόμενα, καὶ εἰς γῆν ὑποστρέψαντα σώματα; Ὅτι δὲ ἔσται, καὶ πῶς ἔσται ἀνάστασις, καὶ τὸ μυστήριον τῶν σπειρομένων διδάξει σε, καὶ πάντων τῶν φυτῶν ἡ κίνησις, χειμῶνι τελευτώντων, καὶ ἔαρι ἀναζώντων.","t":"To Synadius. [On the resurrection.] If God can bring into being out of what does not exist whatever he wishes, how much more can he renew out of what exists things already made, bodies that have returned to earth? That there will be a resurrection, and how it will be, the mystery of seeds that are sown will teach you, and the movement of all plants, dying in winter and coming to life in spring.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.284 (PG 78 78:349; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-284)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.285":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\nΠερὶ τῶν δύο ἀληθουσῶν. Ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὸ συνημμένον τῷ προτέρῳ μαθεῖν ἐζήτησας νόημα, «Ἔσονται, φησὶ, δύο ἀλήθουσαι ἐν [τῷ] μύλωνι· μία παραλαμβάνεται, καὶ μία ἀφίεται· · μύλωνα νόησον, τὴν τοῦδε τοῦ βίου περιφορὰν, ἀστάτως ἡμᾶς ἐπιτρέχουσαν, καὶ ὅσον μύλου τάχος, ἀλλοιοῦσαν τὰ πράγματα. Ἀληθούσας δὲ δύο, οἷον βίων διαφορὰς, ἐν ἑνὶ πράγματι ἢ τάγματι· ἀσκήσει τυχὸν, ἢ παρθενίᾳ, ἢ ἐγκρατείᾳ, ἢ σωφροσύνῃ, ἢ φιλοξενίᾳ, [ἢ πίστει] παρὰ πολλῶν μὲν τελουμένῃ, οὐ πάντων δὲ μιᾷ τῇ γνώμῃ. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τὴν μέλλουσαν ἀμοιβὴν τὰς ἀρετὰς κατορθοῦσιν, οἱ δὲ πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν αὐτὰς ἐκτελοῦσι, καὶ τοῖς ἐνταῦθα ἐπαίνοις ἀπέχουσι τὸν μισθὸν, καὶ ἐν τῷ μύλωνι ἀφίενται. Οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι παραλαμβάνονται.","t":"To Peter. [On the two women grinding.] Since you also asked to learn the meaning connected with the former, \"There will be,\" it says, \"two women grinding at the mill; one is taken and one left\": understand the mill as the revolving of this life, which runs over us unsteadily and changes things with the speed of a millstone. The two grinding women are, as it were, differences of life within one pursuit or order: ascetic discipline, perhaps, or virginity, or self-control, or chastity, or hospitality, [or faith,] practiced by many, but not by all with one intention. For some achieve the virtues for the reward to come, others perform them for display, and with the praises here have their wage and are left at the mill. But the others are taken.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.285 (PG 78 78:349; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-285)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.286":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠερὶ τῶν δέκα παρθένων. Ἡ κατὰ τὰς δέκα παρθένους παραβολὴ, τῶν τρόπων καὶ τῶν βίων δείκνυσι τὸ διάφορον. Πᾶσαι μὲν γὰρ ἐπαρθένευον, οὐ πᾶσαι δὲ ὁμοίως καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀρετῶν ἐπεμέλοντο, ἀλλὰ ταύτῃ μόνῃ ἀρκεῖσθαι πρὸς τὴν εἴσοδον τῆς βασιλείας ᾠήθησαν. \"Ἔδέιξε δὲ ἡ κρίσις ἡ ἀδέκαστος, ὅτι οὐδὲν παρθενίας ὄφελος, συμπαθείας ἀπούσης. Καὶ πᾶσα ἡ δόξα τῆς θυγατρὸς τοῦ Βασιλέως πεποικιλμένη. Πεποικίλθαι χρή, φησὶ, τοῖς χρυσαυγέσι κροσσοῖς τῶν ἀρετῶν πασῶν. Εἰ γὰρ παρθενεύει τις, καὶ ἐπὶ τούτῳ αὐχεῖ, τοῦ μείζονος κατορθώματος τῆς ταπεινώσεως ἀστοχεῖ. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ παρθενεύων γέγραπται, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. [On the ten virgins.] The parable of the ten virgins shows the difference of characters and lives. All of them were virgins, but not all took equal care of the other virtues; some thought this one enough for entry into the kingdom. But the impartial judgment showed that virginity is of no use when compassion is absent. \"And all the glory of the King's daughter is many-colored\": she must be adorned, he says, with the golden fringes of all the virtues. For if anyone is a virgin and boasts of it, he misses the greater achievement of humility. For it is not written that the virgin, but that the one who humbles himself, will be exalted.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.286 (PG 78 78:349; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-286)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.287":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ πιστευθέντος τὰ ε' τάλαντα. Ἔχει πάντα ἡ φύσις ἐν ἑαυτῇ, λαβοῦσα παρὰ – τοῦ Θεοῦ τὰ χαρίσματα, καὶ ἐν πάσαις αὐτῆς ταῖς \" αἰσθήσεσι βρύουσαν τῶν χρηστῶν τὴν διάκρισιν. ὡς ἂν οὖν πράττῃ καλῶς καὶ διδάσκῃ τοῖς ἔργοις, τὰ πέντε ἐδιπλασίασε τάλαντα, καὶ πέντε ἄρχειν κελεύεται πόλεων, μονῶν Θεοῦ καὶ σκηνῶν, οὐ σκηνῶν μόνον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ μιᾶς, ὁ δὲ πολλῶν προκριθήσεται, ἀναλόγως τῆς οἰκείας ἕκαστος ἐργασίας.","t":"To Herminus the count. [On the one entrusted with the five talents.] Nature has everything in itself, having received its gifts from God, and in all its senses the discernment of good things overflowing. Whoever, then, acts well and teaches by deeds has doubled the five talents, and is commanded to rule over five cities, dwellings of God and tabernacles, not tents only. For one will be preferred over one city, another over many, each in proportion to his own work.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.287 (PG 78 78:351; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-287)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.288":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Καὶ στήσει τὰ μὲν πρόβατα ἐκ δεξιῶν αὐτοῦ, τὰ δὲ ἐρίφια ἐξ εὐωνύμων. › Τὸ πρᾶον καὶ ἤμερον καὶ περιβολῆς καὶ σκέπης ἐπίκουρον πρόβατον, ἐκ δεξιῶν στήσεσθαι Θεοῦ, ὁ θεῖος λέγει χρησμός· τὸν δὲ τραχὺν καὶ παμφάγον καὶ ἄγριον, ἐξ εὐωνύμων βληθήσεσθαι ἔριφον. Τὰς τοιάσδε πολιτείας δηλῶν, κατάλληλον ἑαυταῖς, κληρουμένας κατάστασιν. Θατέραν τοίνυν στυγήσαντες, τῆς ἑτέρας ἀπρὶξ ἀντισχώμεθα.","t":"To the same. [On \"And he will set the sheep at his right and the goats at the left.\"] The divine oracle says that the sheep, gentle, tame and helpful for clothing and covering, will be set at God's right; but the goat, rough, all-devouring and wild, will be cast to the left: indicating such ways of life, which receive a condition matching themselves. Hating the one, then, let us cling tightly to the other.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.288 (PG 78 78:351; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-288)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.289":{"o":"ΕΥΛΟΓΙΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς τοῦ ποτηρίου παραιτήσεως. ῎Ανθρωπος κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγος γενόμενος, πάντα σὺν ἀληθείᾳ τὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπλήρωσεν. Οὕτω καὶ ἐν τῷ τοῦ πάθους καιρῷ παραιτεῖται τὸ ποτήριον· δεικνὺς ὅτι οὐ χρὴ ὁμόσε τοῖς κινδύνοις χωρεῖν, εἰσελθόντας δὲ δέχεσθαι καρτερῶς. Μελετώμενον γὰρ τὸν σταυρὸν παρῃτεῖτο· ἀποφανθέντα δὲ, ἐπ᾽ ὤμων ὡς νικηφόρος λαβὼν ηὐτομόλει.","t":"To Eulogius. [On the refusal of the cup.] The Word of God, having become man in truth, fulfilled in truth all that belongs to men. So also at the time of the passion he declines the cup, showing that one must not rush to meet dangers, but endure them bravely when they come. For he declined the cross while it was being plotted, but when it was decreed, he took it on his shoulders like a victor and went to it of his own accord.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.289 (PG 78 78:351; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-289)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.29":{"o":"(addressee not recovered)\nβιάζεται, μαθέτω διὰ τῆς ἀκριβείας σου, ὅτι λεπροῖς ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ναὸς ἀποκλείεται, μέχρις ἂν τὴν τοῦ πάθους λώβην ἀποσμήξωνται.","t":"(Addressee not recovered.) … forces his way, let him learn through your strictness that the temple of God is closed to lepers, until they wipe off the defilement of their passion.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.29 (PG 78 78:199; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-29)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.290":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\nΠρὸς ἄρχοντας. Ἡ κραταιότης τῶν ἀρχῶν φιλία ἐστὶ Θεοῦ. Ὁ τοίνυν ἄρχων κραταιῶς, φίλος ἐστὶ Θεοῦ. « Ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἐτιμήθησαν οἱ φίλοι σου, ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ἐκραταιώθησαν αἱ ἀρχαὶ αὐτῶν, γέγραπται. Εἰ οὖν φίλος εἶναι βούλει Θεοῦ, ἄρχε κραταιῶς · οὔτε δώροις, οὔτε φιλίᾳ, ἀλλ' ἀξίᾳ ὀρέγων τὸ δίκαιον.","t":"To Peter. [To governors.] The strength of offices is friendship with God. So one who governs strongly is God's friend. \"Your friends, O God, are honored by me, and their rule is made strong,\" it is written. If, then, you wish to be God's friend, govern strongly, dispensing justice neither for gifts nor for friendship, but by desert.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.290 (PG 78 78:351; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-290)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.291":{"o":"ΤΙΤΙΑΝΩ.\nΤί σημαίνει τὸ, ἀποκόψαι Πέτρον τοῦ δούλου τοῦ ἀρχιερέως τὸ ὠτίον. Ὁ μετὰ Ἰησοῦ ἀναστρεφόμενος, καὶ ἀκολουθοῦσαν ἔχων τῷ Ἰησοῦ τὴν διάνοιαν, ἀμύνει βλασφημουμένῳ τῷ Διδασκάλῳ, ὡς Πέτρος, [ὃς] ἐπειδὴ ἀνηκοΐαν ἐνόσουν Ἰουδαῖοι, οὐδὲ τῷ νόμῳ προσέχοντες ἀκούειν κατὰ πάντα ὅσα Χριστὸς λαλήσει διδάσκοντι, τὸ οὖς τοῦ οἰκέτου ἀπέτεμε, τοῦ τῷ ἱερεῖ διαφέροντος, δοῦλον εἶναι τῆς ἀπειθείας τοῦ νόμου τὸν ἱερέα δηλῶν, καὶ χρήζοντα μαχαίρας εἰς ἀποτομὴν τῆς ἀντιλογίας. ΣΗ Β΄. – ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Περὶ τῆς ἀπολύσεως τοῦ Βαραβά. Οὐδὲν θαυμαστὸν, εἰ τῶν αἱμάτων ἡ πόλις καὶ τῶν φονέων οἱ παῖδες ἔλυσαν τὸν οἰκεῖον συντολμητὴν Βαραββᾶν τὸν φονέα, καὶ ἀφῆκαν ἀνέγκλητον. Μικρά οὖν τῶν φόνων φροντίζοντες, ὡς ἐν ἔθει φόνων ὑπάρχοντες, ποτὲ μὲν τοῖς αἰτίοις τῶν φόνων ἀφέσεις έχαρίζοντο, ποτὲ δὲ τῷ τῆς ζωῆς καὶ ἀφθαρσίας ταμείῳ σταυρὸν καὶ τάφον ἐπήγαγον. Ὧν ἀμφοτέρων ὑφ' ἑνὶ χρόνῳ παρέσχον τὴν κόλασιν.","t":"To Titianus. [What it signifies that Peter cut off the ear of the high priest's slave.] One who lives with Jesus and has his mind following Jesus defends the Teacher when he is blasphemed, as Peter did; [who,] since the Jews were sick with deafness, not attending even to the law, which bade them hear the teacher in all that Christ would say, cut off the ear of the servant who belonged to the priest, showing that the priest was a slave of disobedience to the law and needed a sword to cut off his contradiction. [Another letter] To the same. [On the release of Barabbas.] It is nothing surprising if the city of blood and the children of murderers released their own accomplice Barabbas the murderer and let him go uncharged. Caring little for murders, as being in the habit of murder, they at one time granted release to those guilty of murder, and at another brought a cross and tomb on the treasury of life and incorruption. For both of these they received the punishment at one time.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.291 (PG 78 78:353; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-291)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.292":{"o":"ΩΡΙΩΝΙ.\nΟἴνῳ τὸ εὐαγγελικὸν κήρυγμα ὁ θεῖος αἰνίγματι χρησμὸς ὁμοιοῖ, ποτὲ μὲν ἐκ τῆς Δεσποτικῆς πηγάζοντι πλευρᾶς, ποτὲ δὲ ὡς γλεύκει στομοῦντι τοὺς μαθητάς· οὗ τῆς εὐφροσύνης ἀστοχήσαντες Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ τρίψαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν φιλονεικήσαντες ψεύδει, ὅξος τῷ τῆς σοφίας προσήνεγκαν διδασκάλῳ, συμπλέξαντες αὐτῷ καὶ πικρίαν. Ὧν γὰρ τὸ στόμα ἀρᾶς καὶ πικρίας γέμει, τοιαῦτά ἐστι καὶ τὰ πόματα, τὸν φυτουργὸν τῆς ζώσης ἀμπέλου, ὅξει ἀμειβομένων, καὶ τὸν γλυκάναντα λόγοις θείοις καὶ νόμοις ὡς μέλιτι, πικρίᾳ χολῆς δεξιουμένων.","t":"To Orion. The divine oracle in a riddle likens the gospel preaching to wine, at one time springing from the Master's side, at another sharpening the disciples like new wine. Missing its gladness, and striving to wear away the truth with falsehood, the Jews offered vinegar to the teacher of wisdom, mixing bitterness for him as well. For those whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness have such drinks also: they repay the planter of the living vine with vinegar, and the one who sweetened them with divine words and laws as with honey they greet with the bitterness of gall.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.292 (PG 78 78:353; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-292)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.293":{"o":"ΓΕΡΟΝΤΙΩ.\nΕἰ τῶν πολεμίων βούλει κρατεῖν, ἄγε τὸ στρατόπεδον φόβῳ Θεοῦ. Δικαιοσύνη γὰρ φέρει τὴν ἀριστείαν. Ἡ δὲ ἡμῶν ἀδικία, τῶν ἐναντίων ἐστὶ συμμαχία.","t":"To Gerontius. If you wish to overcome the enemy, lead the army in the fear of God. For justice brings victory; but our injustice is an alliance for our opponents.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.293 (PG 78 78:353; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-293)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.295":{"o":"ΠΡΟΑΙΡΕΣΙΩ.\nὍρον τῇ φύσει ὁ Πλάστης ἐνέθηκε, καὶ φόβον ὁ νόμος τοῖς κακοσχόλοις ἠπείλησεν. Ὅσοι τοίνυν τοῖς ὅροις ἐμμένουσι, τὴν φύσιν ἐτίμησαν· ὅσοι δὲ τὸν νόμον παρώσαντο, τὸν φόβον ἐδέξαντο.","t":"To Proaeresius. The Maker set a boundary in nature, and the law threatened fear against evildoers. Those, then, who abide by the boundaries have honored nature; those who thrust the law aside have received the fear.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.295 (PG 78 78:353; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-295)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.296":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἩ φύσις ἔχει τὴν ἔννομον μίξιν· ἡ πορνεία ἐφεῦρεν τὴν ἐπίβουλον λύτταν. Οἱ τοίνυν ἀνόμως τῶν τῆς φύσεως ὅρων καταλυττήσαντες, τῷ φόβῳ τοῦ νόμου σωφρονεῖν ἐπαιδεύθησαν.","t":"To the same. Nature has the lawful union; sexual immorality invented the treacherous frenzy. So those who have raged lawlessly against the boundaries of nature have been taught to be chaste by the fear of the law.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.296 (PG 78 78:355; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-296)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.297":{"o":"ΕΥΛΑΜΠΙΩ.\nΠρὸς φονέα. Τί σοβεῖς τὴν πόλιν ἀλαζών; Τι τὸν ἤρεμον βίον κυκᾷς; Τί τὴν ἐπιείκειαν ἐκπολεμεῖς, οὔτε τὸν Θεὸν φοβούμενος, οὔτε τὴν οἰκείαν πρᾶξιν αἰσχυνόμενος; Ὅτι γὰρ ἀπέκτεινας ἄνθρωπον χρηστὸν, πολλαί σε γλῶσσαι κωμῳδοῦσιν· ὅτι δὲ ὡς τινα τῶν φαύλων ἀνῃρηκὼς ἐναβρύνῃ τῷ φόνῳ, πλείονές σε πάλιν τραγῳδοῦσι. Κατανόησον οὖν, ἀσύνοπτε, εἰ ὡς ὁ Μωϋσῆς ἐφόνευσας, εἰ ὡς Φινεὲς ἐζήλωσας, εἰ ὡς Σαμουήλ ἤμυνας Θεῷ, εἰ ὡς Ἠλίας ἐξεδίκησας, καὶ τότε μέγα φρόνει ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἐτόλμησας. Εἰ δὲ οὔτε νόμος σε τις ἐχειροτόνησεν, οὔτε πολέμου τάξις ἐξὡπλισεν, οὔτε θεῖος χρησμὸς ἐπαφῆκε τῷ ὁμοφύλῳ σου αἵματι, καὶ αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἀγάπην σπενδόμενος καλόν σοι νῦν ἀφαιμάξαι τὰς χεῖρας ἐπιδόντι τὸ οἰκεῖον αἷμα πρὸς ἔκχυσιν, ἢ τηρῆσαι κατὰ ψυχὴν τὸ παράπτωμα, καὶ τοῖς ἐκεῖθεν δικαστηρίοις πρὸς αἰωνίαν φυλάττεσθαι κόλασιν.","t":"To Eulampius. [To a murderer.] Why do you strut through the city in your arrogance? Why do you stir up its quiet life? Why do you make war on decency, neither fearing God nor ashamed of your own deed? That you killed a good man many tongues mock you for; that you pride yourself on the murder as though you had done away with some villain, still more lament over you. Consider, then, you short-sighted man, whether you killed as Moses did, whether you were zealous as Phinehas, whether you defended God as Samuel, whether you avenged as Elijah; and then be proud of what you dared. But if no law appointed you, no order of battle armed you, no divine oracle set you upon the blood of your own kin, you who pledged love even to your enemies, it would be well for you now to cleanse your hands of the blood by giving your own blood to be shed, rather than keep the offense on your soul and be reserved by the courts there for eternal punishment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.297 (PG 78 78:355; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-297)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.298":{"o":"ΛΟΥΚΑ ΑΡΧΙΜΑΝΔΡΙΤΗ.\nἘφώνησε πέρδιξ, συνήγαγεν ἃ οὐκ ἔτεκε, ποιῶν πλοῦτον αὐτοῦ οὐ κατὰ κρίσεως, ὁ τῶν προφητῶν ἔφη πολυπαθέστατος Ἱερεμίας, τὸν ἄδικον στρατηγὸν διαγράφων, κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐν τοῖς ἐσχάτοις καιροῖς ὁπλιζόμενον, καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἀκρίτῳ γνώμῃ καὶ οὐκ εἰς ὄνησιν στρατηγοῦντας. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, τί στίφη καὶ φάλαγγας εὐτρεπίζεις, οὐ μοναχῶν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον μαχητῶν; Δίκαιος γὰρ ἂν εἴης συνιδεῖν, ὅτι ὀχλώδης ἀργία εἰς λογισμῶν ἐκπίπτει ἀταξίαν. \"Η οὖν ἐργάζεσθαι δίδαξον, ἢ τὸν δῆμον ἐλάττωσον, μή σοι πρεσβείας γένηται πόνος, καὶ ὅπλων δεηθῇς, ἡνίκα αὐτοὺς κραιπάλῃ μετὰ τῆς σχολῆς πρὸς νεωτερισμοὺς ἐρεθίσῃ.","t":"To Luke the archimandrite. \"The partridge called, it gathered what it did not hatch, making its wealth not with judgment,\" said Jeremiah, most afflicted of the prophets, describing the unjust general who arms himself against the truth in the last times, and all who lead without discernment and not for profit. If this is so, why are you preparing troops and phalanxes, not of monks but rather of fighters? You ought to see that idleness in a crowd falls into disorder of thoughts. Either teach them to work, then, or reduce the multitude, lest you be put to the trouble of an embassy and need arms, when debauchery with idleness stirs them up to revolt.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.298 (PG 78 78:355; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-298)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.299":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΕΠΑΡΧΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ συγχωρεῖν τοῖς ὑπευθύνοις. Ει Θεοῦ ἐξηρτήμεθα, καὶ συγχώρησιν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐξαιτούμεθα, συγχωρήσωμεν τοῖς ὑπευθύνοις ὀφλήματα, ἵνα τούτῳ τὸ μηδὲν χρεωστεῖν κατορθώσωμεν. Βῶνος ὁ ναύκληρος σἴτον ἔφη τῷ δημοσίῳ λοιπάζεσθαι, ὃν ἄνεμοι καὶ καταιγίδες καὶ λαίλαπες κατὰ θάλασσαν ἐμερίσαντο Η τοίνυν τῷ σάλῳ τῆς θαλάσσης ἐπιτιμήσατε, δικαιοσύνη κυβερνῶντες τὰ πράγματα · ἢ ἄχρις ἂν ἁμαρτάνωμεν, τοῖς περιπτώμασι συγγινώσκετε.","t":"To Isidore the prefect. [On forgiving those liable.] If we depend on God and ask forgiveness from him, let us forgive debts to those who are liable, so that by this we may succeed in owing nothing. Bonus the shipmaster said he owes the treasury grain which winds, storms and squalls at sea divided among themselves. Either rebuke the tossing of the sea, then, governing affairs with justice; or, as long as we sin, pardon misfortunes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.299 (PG 78 78:355; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-299)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.3":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΑΜΒΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ πρακτικῆς. Πάνυ σαφῶς παρὰ τῶν ἀρχαίων μαθὼν, ὅτι οὐ τὸ οἴεσθαι εἶναι, εἶναί τί ἐστι· πρᾶττε μᾶλλον, καὶ μὴ μόνον λέγε.","t":"To Nilammon the scholasticus. [On the practical life.] Since you have learned very clearly from the ancients that to seem to be something is not to be something, act rather, and do not only speak.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.3 (PG 78 78:181; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-3)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.30":{"o":"ΛΟΥΚΙΟ ΑΡΧΙΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ ΠΗΛΟΥΣΙΟΥ.\nΠρὸς φιλαργυρίαν νοσοῦντας. Εἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἐπισκόπου τυγχάνουσιν οἱ τοῦ σεπτοῦ θυσιαστηρίου διάκονοι, σὺ δὲ τούτων κατὰ συγχώρησιν Θεοῦ ἄρχεις, ὅλος ὀφθαλμὸς ὀφείλεις ὑπάρχειν, ὡς τὰ ζῶα πολυόμματα (ἐπειδὴ καὶ τῇ πρὸς [τὸν] Θεὸν ἐκεῖνα μιμῇ ἐγγύτητι, οὐχὶ βίῳ, ὡς μανθάνω, ἀλλὰ μόνῃ τῇ λειτουργίᾳ), καὶ μὴ σκοτίζειν τοῖς φαύλοις ἐπιτηδεύμασι, καὶ τὸν τίμιον ἐκεῖνον θίασον καὶ χορὸν, καὶ τὸν πειθόμενόν σοι ἀκρίτως ἐπίσκοπον, καὶ χραίνειν τὸ θεῖον βῆμα πλεονεξίᾳ, καὶ πόρους σεαυτῷ ἀπὸ τιμῆς χειροτονιῶν ἀθροίζειν. Τοὺς γὰρ πωλοῦντας τὰς περιστερὰς ἐξέβαλεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ναοῦ μαστίξας ὁ Κύριος. Ἵνα τοίνυν μὴ σὺν ἐκείνοις ὠσθῇς, παῦσαι οὕτω πλουτῶν, καὶ ὕλην τῷ μέλλοντι ἑτοιμάζων πυρί.","t":"To Lucius, archdeacon of Pelusium. [To those sick with love of money.] If the deacons of the venerable altar are the bishop's eyes, and you by God's permission rule over them, you ought to be all eye, like the many-eyed living creatures (since you imitate them in nearness to God, not in life, as I learn, but only in ministry), and not darken with base practices both that honored company and choir and the bishop who trusts you without discernment, nor stain the divine sanctuary with greed, collecting revenues for yourself from the price of ordinations. For the Lord drove out of the temple with a whip those who sold the doves. So that you may not be thrust out with them, stop getting rich in this way and preparing fuel for the coming fire.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.30 (PG 78 78:199; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-30)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.300":{"o":"ΣΩΖΟΜΕΝΩ, ΔΟΜΕΣΤΙΚΩ ΤΟΥ ΕΠΑΡΧΟΥ.\nΒῶνος οὗτος ὁ διδούς σοι τὰ γράμματα, θαλασσίων ἐπειράθη πόνων, ἀνέμων μὲν ὑψηλῶν, κυμάτων δὲ σκληρῶν, καὶ σἴτον ἀφῃρέθη δημόσιον. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἐστὶ τὴν μὲν γνώμην οὐ ναύκληρος, τὴν δὲ θρησκείαν ὀρθόδοξος, τὴν δὲ γλῶσσαν οὐχ οἷος ναυτικὸς καὶ πάντα σοι ἀρεστὸς, λῦσον αὐτὸν τῆς ἀθυμίας, ἵνα σε Χριστὸς στεφάνοις ἀφθαρσίας ἐν τῇ μεγάλῃ ἡμέρᾳ τελειώσῃ.","t":"To Sozomen, domestic of the prefect. This Bonus, who gives you the letter, has experienced the toils of the sea, high winds and harsh waves, and lost the public grain. Since he is not a shipmaster in character, orthodox in religion, and in speech not like a sailor but agreeable to you in everything, free him from his distress, so that Christ may perfect you with crowns of incorruption on the great day.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.300 (PG 78 78:357; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-300)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.301":{"o":"ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Ἡ ῥάβδος σου, καὶ ἡ βακτηρία σου. « Ἡ ῥάβδος σου καὶ ἡ βακτηρία σου, αὗταί με παρεκάλεσαν, » τοῦτο, οἶμαι, ἐστίν· Ἐπειδὴ ῥαθυμήσας πρὸς ἁμαρτίαν ὠλίσθησα, ῥάβδῳ [μέν] με πρὸς νῆψιν ἐπαίδευσας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ μαστιζόμενος εἰς ὀλιγοψυχίαν ἐτρεπόμην, βακτηρίᾳ δυναμούσῃ με ἐπεστήριξας Ὅρος ἔστω σοι φιλοσοφίας, ἡ τῶν ἀθλητῶν μεθ' ὧν ἐτάγης γυμνασία. \"Α δὲ νῦν ἐν ἐκείνοις ὁρᾷς, καὶ ζήλου, καὶ πλήρου, ὡς πολλῆς γέμοντα σοφίας, καὶ πολλοὺς πλέξαντα τοῖς ἐκπαλαίουσι στεφάνους.","t":"To Theognostus. [On \"Your rod and your staff.\"] \"Your rod and your staff, they have comforted me\" means this, I think: since I slid into sin through carelessness, you disciplined me with the rod to sobriety; but since, when scourged, I was turning to faintheartedness, you supported me with the staff that strengthens me. [Letter 1.302] Let the training of the athletes with whom you have been ranked be your rule of philosophy. What you now see in them, both emulate and fulfil, as full of much wisdom and having woven many crowns for those who wrestle to the end.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.301 (PG 78 78:357; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-301)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.303":{"o":"ΛΑΙΑΝΔΡΩ.\nΠερὶ αὐτεξουσίου. Ἡ φύσις ἡ ἀνθρωπεία, θαυμάσιε, οὔτε ἀνεπίδεκτός ἐστι κακῶν, οὔτε φυσικῶς κέκτηται τὰ κακά, ἀλλὰ γνώμῃ καὶ ῥαθυμίᾳ τὴν ἀπόπτωσιν ὑπομένει τῶν χρηστῶν. Ὅπερ καὶ ὁ πρῶτος πέπονθεν ἄνθρωπος, καὶ τῶν ὅρων τῆς σωτηρίας ἐξέπεσεν, ἣν αὐτῷ· πάλιν ὁ δεύτερος ἐξ αὐτοῦ ἀποδέδωκεν ἄνθρωπος, ὁ τὴν ἀληθῆ φύσιν ἡμῶν ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἐπιδεξάμενος. Θεὸς γὰρ ἂν ἀληθῶς, γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος ἀληθῶς· ἐκ δύο φύσεων, εἷς Υἱὸς ὢν Θεοῦ, οὐ τραπεὶς ὅπερ ἦν, ἐν τῷ γενέσθαι ὅ ἐσμεν.","t":"To Laeander. [On free will.] Human nature, admirable man, is neither incapable of evils nor possesses evils by nature; but by will and slackness it suffers the falling away from good things. This the first man too suffered, and fell from the bounds of salvation, which the second man, from him, gave back to him, who took our true nature into himself. For being truly God he became truly man; being one Son of God from two natures, not changed from what he was in becoming what we are.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.303 (PG 78 78:357; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-303)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.304":{"o":"ΧΑΙΡΗΜΟΝΙ.\nΚαὶ γράφοντα πολλάκις αἰσχύνομαι, καὶ πράττοντα οὐ καλῶς ἀποστρέφομαι· καὶ ἀπορῶ τί σοι ἀποκριθῶ, οὐχ ὡς λειπόμενος σαφηνείας, ἀλλὰ φειδόμενος τῆς ἀκοῆς σου, ὡς ἀναξίας. Οὐ γὰρ κυσὶ διδόναι τὰ ἅγια ἐπετράπημεν. Εἰ δὲ ἀπολυττήσειας, καὶ λέξω τὰ αἰτηθέντα, καὶ δείξω τὸ ἀπιστούμενον ἀναμφίβολον. Οὐδὲ γὰρ λημῶν ὀφθαλμὸς τῷ τοῦ ἡλίου δίσκῳ ἐνατενίσαι δύναται, καὶ ἀτενίζων ματαίως ἠσχόληται· οὐδὲ ῥυπῶσα διάνοια, θηρεῦσαί τι τῶν ἁγίων εἰς ὄφελος δύναται.","t":"To Chaeremon. I am often ashamed of you when you write, and I turn away from you when you act badly; and I am at a loss what to answer you, not for lack of clarity but sparing your hearing as unworthy. For we were commanded not to give holy things to dogs. But if you cease raving, I will both tell you what you asked and show beyond doubt what you disbelieve. For an inflamed eye cannot gaze at the disk of the sun, and if it stares it labors in vain; nor can a filthy mind catch anything of holy things to its profit.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.304 (PG 78 78:359; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-304)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.305":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ.\nΠῶς νοητέον τὸ, « ᾿Εκολλήθη τῷ ἐδάφει ἡ ψυχὴ μου. • Ἐκολλήθη τῷ ἐδάφει ἡ ψυχή μου, λέγων ὁ Ψαλμῳδὸς, πρῶτον μὲν τὴν πρὸς τὸ σῶμα αὐτῆς κοινωνίαν δηλοῖ, ἐκ τοῦ ἐδάφους οὔσης τοῦ χοός· ἔπειτα καὶ τὴν ἑκούσιον ταπείνωσιν ἑαυτοῦ, ἣν ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἥμαρτεν, ἐπεδείξατο· ζῆσαι δι' αὐτῆς κατὰ τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ προσδοκήσας τὸν ταπεινοῦντα ἑαυτὸν ἀνυψοῦντος.","t":"To Eutonius. [How \"My soul has cleaved to the ground\" should be understood.] When the Psalmist says \"My soul has cleaved to the ground,\" he shows first its partnership with the body, which is from the dust of the ground; then also the voluntary humility he showed for his sins, expecting to live through it according to the word of God, who exalts the one who humbles himself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.305 (PG 78 78:359; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-305)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.306":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΟ.\nΠερὶ δούλου. Ὅτε τρόπος εὐθύτητα οἰκέτῃ μαρτυρεῖ οὐκ ἔστι δούλου μέμψις ἐν αὐτῷ. Ἀλλ᾽ εἰ καὶ τύχη βιαία ἐπηγάγετο, ἀλλὰ γνώμη γενναία ἠλευθέρωσεν. Ἵνα δὲ μηδὲ δόξῃς σοφισμοὺς ταῦτα τυγχάνειν, ἔχεις Παῦλον τὸν ἀκροατὴν τῶν ἀῤῥήτων, τὸν μέλλοντα μισθὸν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐνταῦθα εὐνοίας τοῖς οἰκέταις ἐπαγγελλόμενον, καὶ μηδὲν μεταξὺ οἰκετῶν καὶ δεσποτῶν διακρίνοντα, ὅτε ἡ γνώμη ἐστὶν ἀκατάγνωστος.","t":"To Theodosius the scholasticus. [On a slave.] When character bears witness to a servant's uprightness, there is no reproach of slavery in him. Even if a violent fortune brought it on, a noble mind has set him free. And so that you may not think these are sophistries, you have Paul, the hearer of unspeakable things, promising servants the future reward for their good will here, and making no distinction between servants and masters when the mind is blameless.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.306 (PG 78 78:359; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-306)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.307":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠρὸς ἱερεῖς εὐδοκίμους. ῃ ὑπὲρ τούτων τιθέντα, ἐξ αὐτῶν [τῶν] τοῦ ᾅδου ἀνὉ ἀναγαγὼν ἐκ νεκρῶν τὸν Ποιμένα τῶν προβάτων τὸν μέγαν, καὶ σὲ τὸν ἐκείνου μιμητὴν τῶν αὐτοῦ προβάτων ὑπάρχοντα ποιμένα, καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἡγαγε πυλῶν, ἵνα μακραῖς ἀνακυκλήσεσιν ἐνιαυτῶν φυλαττόμενος, καὶ τῷ ποιμνίῳ ὑπάρχῃς ἀσφάλεια, καὶ τῷ ἀρχιποιμένι ἀρέσκεια, καὶ ἡμῖν τῆς ἐλπίδος στερέωμα, καὶ τῷ κόσμῳ φωστήρ, καὶ τοῖς θηρίοις τῆς δυσσεβείας Δαβίδ, πατάσσων καὶ λέοντα καὶ ἄρκτον τῇ ῥάβδῳ τοῦ σταυροῦ, δι' ἧς καὶ μεθ' ἧς εὐδοκίμως ποιμαίνεις.","t":"To Leontius the bishop. [To approved priests.] He who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep, who laid down his life for them, has also brought up you, the imitator of him and shepherd of his sheep, from the very gates of Hades, so that, preserved through long cycles of years, you may be the safety of the flock, the pleasure of the chief Shepherd, the firm support of our hope, a light to the world, and a David to the beasts of impiety, striking both lion and bear with the rod of the cross, through which and with which you shepherd so well.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.307 (PG 78 78:359; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-307)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.308":{"o":"ΑΒΡΑΑΜΙΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ νήφειν. Χαῖρε παρ᾿ ἡμῶν, Ἀβραάμιε, καὶ νῆφε γρηγορῶν εἰς τὸν πόλεμον. Πόλεμον γὰρ καὶ νόμιζε καὶ πίστευε τὸ στάδιον τῆς ἀσκήσεως χαλεπωτέροις τῶν αἰσθητῶν ξιφῶν τοῖς νοητοῖς κυκλούμενον βέλεσιν. Ἡ καὶ πεπυρωμένα καλεῖ, ὁ τὴν πεῖραν αὐτῶν ἀκριβῶς ἐπιστάμενος.","t":"To Abraamius. [On sobriety.] Greetings from us, Abraamius; be sober and watchful for the war. For think and believe that the stadium of ascetic discipline is a war, surrounded by spiritual arrows harsher than swords of sense, which he who knew their trial exactly calls \"fiery.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.308 (PG 78 78:361; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-308)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.309":{"o":"ΚΑΣΣΙΑΝΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\nΑκούω σε πεφευγέναι τὸν βίον τὸν φθαρτὸν πρὸς τὸ στάδιον δραμόντα τῶν μοναχῶν, καὶ γλῶσσαν ἔχειν προπετῆ, καὶ φθέγγεσθαι εἰκῆ. Ὅπερ οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστιν, ἢ τεῖχος ὀχυρὸν οἰκοδομεῖν ἀπρόσιτον ἐχθροῖς, καὶ πύλην καταλείπειν πρὸς εἴσοδον αὐτοῖς. Εἱ δὲ καὶ τὸ τεῖχος ἀκίνδυνον τηρῆσαι βούλει, καὶ τοῖς ἐναντίοις κραταιὸς φανῆναι, γλώσσης κράτει παντὶ σθένει, ἀφ᾿ ἧς καὶ ὀξέα καὶ μεγάλα συμβαίνουσι πτώματα.","t":"To Cassian the monk. I hear that you have fled the corruptible life and run to the stadium of the monks, but that you have a rash tongue and speak at random. This is nothing other than building a strong wall unapproachable to enemies and leaving a gate open for them to enter. If you wish to keep the wall safe and appear strong against your opponents, master your tongue with all your strength; from it come swift and great falls.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.309 (PG 78 78:361; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-309)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.31":{"o":"ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠερὶ ἱερωσύνης. • Σκοπόν σε δέδωκα, › φησὶν ἡ θεία Γραφή, « καὶ ὄψει τὴν ῥομφαίαν ἐρχομένην, καὶ ἀναγγελεῖς. » εἰ μὲν νήψουσιν ἐξυπνισθέντες, καὶ πρὸς ἀρετὴν ὑπήκοοι γρηγορήσουσι, καὶ σοὶ κἀκείνοις σωτηρίας γενήσεται ὄνησις. Εἰ δὲ τὰ ὦτα βύσουσιν ὡς ἀσπίδες, αὐτὸς τὸ γε ἧκον ἐπὶ σοὶ ἐξετέλεσας. Σκόπει τοίνυν μὴ μόνον φωνῇ μαρτυρούμενος φανῇς, τοῖς ἔργοις [ἀδόκιμος καὶ] ἡττώμενος, ἐνδιδοὺς τὰς ἡνίας τῆς ἀρχῆς, τοῖς περὶ σὲ, καὶ πιπράσκων τὴν χάριν ἀσεβῶς. Οὔτε γὰρ χρυσίῳ ἔστιν ἐπιτρέπειν χειροθεσίας, οὔτε ἀγνοεῖν τὸν τῶν προσαγομένων βίον, οὔτε ἑτέρους προβάλλεσθαι τῆς ἁμαρτίας αἰτίους, ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀδεκάστου καὶ φρικτοῦ κριτηρίου. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸν ᾿Ἀδὰμ τῆς μέμψεως καὶ τῆς δίκης ἀπἐλυσεν ἡ περὶ τῆς γυναικὸς ἀπόκρισις καὶ σκῆψις, τῇ αὐτῆς ὑποθέσει μετειληφέναι τῶν ἀπηγορευμένων ἀπολογούμενον.","t":"To Eusebius the bishop. [On the priesthood.] \"I have made you a watchman,\" says divine Scripture, \"and you will see the sword coming, and you will announce it.\" If they wake up and become sober and keep watch, obedient to virtue, the benefit of salvation will come both to you and to them. But if they stop their ears like asps, you at least have done your part. Take care, then, that you not appear to bear witness only with your voice, while [unapproved and] defeated in your deeds, giving up the reins of your office to those around you and impiously selling grace. For it is not permitted to entrust ordinations for gold, nor to be ignorant of the life of those who are presented, nor to put others forward as the cause of the sin before the impartial and dreadful tribunal. For not even Adam was freed from blame and punishment by his answer and excuse about the woman, when he pleaded that he had partaken of the forbidden things at her prompting.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.31 (PG 78 78:201; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-31)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.310":{"o":"ΚΥΡΙΛΛΟ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΕΙΑΣ.\nΠροσπάθεια μὲν οὐκ ὀξυδορκεῖ, ἀντιπάθεια δὲ ὅλως οὐχ ὁρᾷ. Εἰ τοίνυν ἑκατέρας λήμης βούλει καθαρεῦσαι, μὴ βιαίας ἀποφάσεις ἐκβίβαζε, ἀλλὰ κρίσει δικαίᾳ τὰς αἰτίας ἐπίτρεψον. Ἐπειδὴ καὶ Θεὸς, ὁ πάντα εἰδὼς πρὸ γενέσεως, καταβῆναι καὶ τὴν κραυγὴν ἰδεῖν Σοδόμων φιλανθρώπως ηὐδόκησεν, ἡμᾶς ἀκριβοῦς ἐρεύνης διδάσκων ὑπόθεσιν. Πολλοί γάρ σε κωμῳδοῦσι τῶν συνειλεγμένων εἰς Ἔφεσον, ὡς οἰκείαν ἀμυνόμενον ἔχθραν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τὰ Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ὀρθοδόξως ζητοῦντα. ᾿Αδελφιδοῦς ἐστι, φασὶ, Θεοφίλου, μιμούμενος ἐκείνου τὴν γνώμην. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος μανίαν σαφῆ κατεσκέδασε τοῦ θεοφόρου καὶ θεοφιλοῦς Ἰωάννου, οὕτως ἐπιθυμεῖ καυχήσασθαι καὶ οὗτος, εἰ καὶ πολὺ τῶν κρινομένων ἐστὶ τὸ διάφορον.","t":"To Cyril of Alexandria. Partiality does not see sharply, and antipathy does not see at all. If, then, you wish to be clean of both kinds of blear, do not push through violent sentences, but entrust the charges to just judgment. For God too, who knows all things before they come to be, kindly consented to go down and see the outcry of Sodom, teaching us the principle of exact inquiry. For many of those gathered at Ephesus mock you as one avenging a personal enmity, not seeking the things of Jesus Christ in an orthodox way. He is the nephew of Theophilus, they say, imitating his mind. For as that man poured out open madness against the God-bearing and God-loving John, so this one also desires to boast, even though there is a great difference between those being judged.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.310 (PG 78 78:361; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-310)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.311":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ ποιήσασθαι ἀσφάλειαν τῆς συνόδου. Εἰ μὲν αὐτὸς λαμβάνῃ καιροῦ παρεῖναι τοῖς κρινομένοις ἐν Ἐφέσῳ, προσέσται τούτοις εὖ οἶδα τὸ ἄμεμπτον. Εἰ δὲ ὀχλώδει ἀντιπαθείᾳ τὰς ψήφους ἐκδώσειας, τίς ἐξαιρήσεται τὴν σύνοδον σκωμμάτων; Παρέξεις δὲ τούτοις θεραπείαν, εἰ παύσειας τῶν δο'γματισμῶν τοὺς σοὺς διακόνους, πρὸς μέγα χάσμα διεστῶτας, βασιλεῖ ὑπηρετεῖσθαι καὶ Θεῷ διαφιλονεικεῖσθαι μή πως τῷ κράτει σάλον ἐπενέγκωσι, τῇ πέτρᾳ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας προσρηγνύντες τὰ τῆς κακοπιστίας αὐτῶν μηχανήματα. Αὕτη γὰρ ἐρήρεισται, καὶ οὔτε ὑπὸ πυλῶν ἄδου κυριεύεται, ὡς ὁ δράσας αὐτὴν Θεὸς ἐπηγγείλατο.","t":"To Theodosius the emperor. [On providing for the security of the synod.] If you yourself find time to be present at the proceedings at Ephesus, I know well that blamelessness will attend them. But if you hand over the votes to the antipathy of the crowd, who will rescue the synod from mockery? You will provide a remedy for these things if you stop your ministers from dogmatizing, who are separated by a great gulf: they serve the emperor while contending against God; lest they bring a shaking on the empire by dashing the engines of their misbelief against the rock of the church. For it has been firmly founded, and is not mastered even by the gates of Hades, as God who made it promised.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.311 (PG 78 78:361; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-311)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.312":{"o":"ΕΥΛΟΓΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Συκῆν εἶχέ τις ἐν τῷ ἀμπελῶνι αὐτοῦ. Ἡ εὐαγγελικὴ συκή, ἡ ἀνθρωπότης ἐστὶν, ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης, ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ, ὁ ἀμπελουργός, ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ, φιλοπονῆσαι καὶ ἐκκαθᾶραι ἡμῶν τὸν ἀμπελῶνα ἐνδημήσας, ἐκκοπῆναι κελευσθέντα παρὰ τοῦ οἰκοδεσπότου ὡς ἄκαρπον. \"Αφες δ᾽ αὐτὴν, φησὶ, καὶ τοῦτο τὸ ἔτος. Εἰ διὰ νόμου καὶ προφητῶν οὐκ ἐβελτιώθησαν, καὶ μετανοίας καρποὺς οὐκ ἀπέδωκαν, καὶ τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἀρδεσθῶσι δόγμασι καὶ παθήμασι· κἂν μὲν ποιήσωσι καρπὸν εὐπειθείας· εἰ δὲ μή γε, εἰς τὸ μέλλον ἐκκόψεις αὐτὴν, εἰς τὸν ἄλλον αἰῶνα τὸν ἀπέραντον, τῆς τῶν δικαίων σου μερίδος ἐκτέμνων αὐτοὺς.","t":"To Eulogius. [On \"A man had a fig tree in his vineyard.\"] The gospel fig tree is humanity; the householder, God the Father; the vinedresser, the Son of God, who came to dwell among us to labor at and cleanse our vineyard, which the householder had ordered cut down as fruitless. \"Leave it,\" he says, \"this year also.\" If through the law and the prophets they were not improved and did not render the fruits of repentance, let them also be watered with my doctrines and sufferings; and if they bear the fruit of obedience, well; but if not, you will cut it down in the future, in the other, endless age, cutting them off from the portion of your righteous ones.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.312 (PG 78 78:363; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-312)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.313":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ.\nΜὴ ὕβριζε τὴν θείαν λειτουργίαν. Μὴ ἀτίμαζε · τὴν τῶν καρπῶν εὐλογίαν. Μὴ τῷ κόρῳ τὴν πόσιν πλεονέκτει. Μὴ τῇ ἀμετρίᾳ τὴν συμμετρίαν κακοποίει. Μὴ τὰς φρένας πρόπινε πίνων. Ἀλλὰ μεμνημένος ὡς αἷμα Χριστοῦ τὴν τούτου ἀπαρχὴν τὸ θεῖον ἐργάζεται Πνεῦμα, οὕτως αὐτῷ κέχρησο, ὡς ἀσθενὴς καὶ χρήζων αὐτοῦ εἰς βοήθειαν, ἀλλὰ μὴ ὡς δυσμενής, ὅπλῳ τῷ οἴνῳ κατὰ πάντων κεχρημένος, καθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ δὲ μᾶλλον, ὑπὸ τούτου σηπόμενος.","t":"To Zosimus. Do not insult the divine liturgy. Do not dishonor the blessing of the fruits. Do not overreach in drinking to surfeit. Do not abuse moderation by excess. Do not drink away your wits. Remember that the divine Spirit makes the firstfruits of this into the blood of Christ, and use it as one who is weak and needs its help, not as an enemy using wine as a weapon against everyone, and rather against yourself, being rotted by it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.313 (PG 78 78:363; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-313)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.314":{"o":"ΠΕΛΑΓΙΟ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\nΠρὸς μοναχοὺς τόπον ἐκ τόπου ἀμείβοντας. Τῷ Ἐφραὶμ ἐξήνθησαν πολιαὶ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἔγνω, νεάζων τοῖς πάθεσι. Καὶ σὲ πολὺς ὄχλος ἐτῶν περιέστη, ἀλλ᾽ [ἔτι] ἀκαμπὲς ἔχεις τὸ φρόνημα, ἄλλην μονὴν ἐξ ἄλλης ἀμείβων, καὶ πασῶν ἐρευνῶν τὰς τραπέζας. Εἰ οὖν κνίσσης μέλει σοι, καὶ ὄψων καρυκείας, τοὺς ἐν τέλει μᾶλλον κολάκευε, καὶ τὰς πόλεις τοῖς καπνοδόχοις ἐρεύνα. Ἐρημῖται γὰρ ἄνθρωποί σε δεξιοῦσθαι προσφιλῶς οὐκ ἀρκοῦσι.","t":"To Pelagius the monk. [To monks who move from place to place.] Gray hairs blossomed on Ephraim, but he did not know it, being young in his passions. A great crowd of years has gathered round you too, but you [still] have an unbending mind, exchanging one monastery for another and investigating the tables of all. If, then, you care for the smell of roasting and the seasoning of dishes, rather flatter those in authority and search the cities by their chimneys. For men of the desert are not able to welcome you as you like.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.314 (PG 78 78:363; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-314)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.315":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἱ μὲν ἀβουλήτως προήχθης πρὸς τὴν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας προστασίαν, καὶ ψήφων καὶ δήμων καὶ χειρῶν σε βιασαμένων, ἕξεις ἐπίκουρον τὸν Θεὸν, πάντα πρὸ προσώπου κατευοδοῦντά σοι, ὅσα πρὸς τὴν ἄνω. συντείνει κατάστασιν. Εἰ δὲ χρήμασιν, ὡς θρυλλῇ, τὸν ἄπρατον μετῆλθες θησαυρὸν, καὶ κτήσασθαι ἱερωσύνην ὡς ὁ Σίμων ἐπόθησας, οὐκ ἔστι σοι μερὶς οὐδὲ κλῆρος ἐν τούτῳ. Τὰ γὰρ ἐξῆς φειδοῖ παραλείψομαι, ἓν τοῦτο ὁρῶν, ὅτι Καϊάφας ἱερωσύνην ὠνήσατο, ὅτε κατὰ Χριστοῦ ταύτην ἐξώπλισε. Πᾶς οὖν ὅστις ἱερωσύνην ἐκπρίηται, Καϊάφας Χριστοκτόνος εὑρίσκεται. \"Α γὰρ ἔργοις πιστευθῆναι οὐ δύναται, ταῦτα δόμασιν ἀσεβέσι πορίζεται.","t":"To Leontius the bishop. If you were brought unwillingly to the leadership of the church, forced by votes, people and hands, you will have God as helper, prospering before your face everything that leads to the condition above. But if, as is noised abroad, you pursued the treasure that cannot be sold with money, and longed to acquire the priesthood like Simon, you have no part or lot in this. The rest I will omit out of restraint, seeing this one thing: that Caiaphas bought the priesthood when he armed it against Christ. So everyone who buys the priesthood is found a Caiaphas, a slayer of Christ. For what cannot be entrusted for deeds is procured by impious gifts.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.315 (PG 78 78:363; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-315)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.316":{"o":"ΚΑΛΛΙΜΑΧΟ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nὭσπερ διὰ τῆς τεκνογονίας σωθήσεται ἡ τῶν γονέων ξυνωρὶς, εἰ τῆς τῶν τέκνων ἐπιμελοῖτο ζωῆς· οὕτω καὶ ἐναντίων πειραθήσεται, εἰ ἀμελοίη τῆς ἐκείνων φυλακῆς. Γελοῖον γὰρ ἂν εἴη τοὺς μὲν πώλους εὐθὺς ἐκ νεότητος πολλῆς ἀξιοῦσθαι φροντίδος, καὶ βαδίσματος ἕνεκα καὶ βρώσεως καὶ πόσεως, καὶ πάσης εὐθύτητος· ὧν καὶ ἡ τιμὴ εὔωνος, καὶ ἡ χρῆσις σύμμετρος, καὶ ἡ φθορὰ σύντομος· ἀνθρώπους δὲ, οὓς ὁ Θεὸς διέπλασε, καὶ εἰκόνι οἰκείᾳ ἐτίμησε, καὶ πάλιν ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἀνεπλάσατο καταλιμπάνειν ἀγερώχους, καὶ ὡς ἂν τύχῃ φέρεσθαι πρὸς ἃ βούλονται, καὶ ἡ εὐόλισθος νεότης οὐ νοεῖ Εἰ ταῦτά σοι φαίνεται χρήσιμα, πάσῃ φυλακῇ σεμνότητος ἀσφαλίζου τὰ τέκνα σου..","t":"To Callimachus the count. As the couple of parents will be saved through childbearing, if they take care of their children's life, so they will experience the opposite if they neglect to guard them. For it would be ridiculous that colts are given much care straight from their youth, in their gait, food, drink and all their training, though their price is cheap, their use moderate and their death soon; while men, whom God fashioned and honored with his own image and refashioned again in himself, are left untamed, to be carried at random wherever they wish, and slippery youth does not understand. If these things seem useful to you, secure your children with every safeguard of dignity.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.316 (PG 78 78:365; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-316)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.317":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΚαλῶς τὸν Κύριον τιμᾶς, ἡμῖν τῷ καρπῶν ἀπαρχόμενος, καὶ δεκατῶν τὴν εὐφορίαν τῆς γῆς σου τῷ διδόντι. ὧν πολλοῖς ἕξεις καιροῖς· νῦν μὲν τῶν ἐν χρείᾳ σοι φυλάττουσαν τὴν αὐτάρκειαν, μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ τὴν αἰώνιον εὐφροσύνην παρέχουσαν.","t":"To Herminus the count. You honor the Lord well, offering us firstfruits of your produce and tithing the fruitfulness of your land to the Giver; which you will have at many seasons: now keeping your sufficiency in times of need, and hereafter providing eternal gladness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.317 (PG 78 78:365; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-317)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.318":{"o":"ΛΟΥΚΑ ΑΡΧΙΜΑΝΔΡΙΤΗ.\nΜοναχός τις πρὸς τὴν ἡμετέραν ἐσχατιὰν ἀπήντησε, σχῆμα τὸ τῆς τιμίας σου φέρων δεξιᾶς, καὶ ᾧ αὐτὸς οἶδας σφραγίζειν τοὺς ὑποφήτας σου. Ὅτου δὲ χάριν ἥκει ἠρόμεθα· ἱκεσίαν δὲ εἶχε παρακληθῆναι παρ' ἡμῶν τὴν ἀγάπην σου, συγγνῶναι αὐτῷ ἐπὶ πταίσματι βραχεῖ, ὁ ἐξ ἀγνοίας ὑπέμεινεν. Εἰ τοίνυν μὴ ἐν συνηθείᾳ πταισμάτων ἐγένετο, πολλάκις ἐξυβρίσας εἰς τὴν μετάγνωσιν, καὶ δραπετεύειν δι᾽ εὐκολίαν γαστρὸς ἢ γνώμης μεμάθηκε, πάρασχε αὐτῷ δι' ἡμᾶς τὴν συγχώρησιν. Εἰ δὲ τοιοῦτός ἐστιν, οἷος μηδὲν ἐκ τῆς συγγνώμης βελτιωθῆναι, μηδὲ τῶν ἡμετέρων γραμμάτων ἀπόνηται, ἀλλ᾿ ἔξω τῆς τῶν ἀδελδινήσεις τοῖς ἡσυχάζουσιν αὐτῶν ἤθεσιν [αὐτῶν] ἐπεγείρῃ. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ νόμος ἡμῖν παραβολικῶς ὑποτίθεται, ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς τοὺς λεπρῶντας ἐκπέμπων. φῶν γαλήνης καθίσεται, μὴ κυμάτων φλεγμονὰς καὶ","t":"To Luke the archimandrite. A monk came to our remote place, wearing the habit of your honored right hand, with which you know how to seal your disciples. We asked why he had come; his petition was that your charity be entreated by us to pardon him for a small offense he had committed through ignorance. If, then, he was not in the habit of offending, often outraging repentance, and has not learned to run away through easiness of belly or mind, grant him pardon for our sake. But if he is such as to be improved by nothing from pardon, let him not benefit from our letter either, but let him sit outside the calm of the brothers, lest he stir up the swellings and whirls of waves against their quiet ways. For the law too sets this before us in a figure, sending lepers outside the camp.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.318 (PG 78 78:365; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-318)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.319":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ γέλωτος. Εἰ τύπος ἱερεὺς τοῦ ποιμνίου, καὶ φῶς τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὠνομάσθη, καὶ ὑπάρχει, ἀνάγκη τοῖς ἤθεσιν αὐτοῦ συνεκτυποῦσθαι τὸ ὑπήκοον ὡς σημάντρῳ κηρόν. Εἰ τοίνυν φῶς εἶναι βούλει, μίσει τὴν εὐτραπελίαν, καὶ τὴν περιφορὰν τοῦ γέλωτος, ἵνα μὴ πολλοὺς διδάξῃς ἀτακτεῖν. « Ἱερεὺς γὰρ, ἄγγελος Κυρίου παντοκράτορὸς ἐστιν· · ἄγγελος δὲ οὐκ ἐπίσταται γέλωτα, ἐμφόβως τῷ Θεῷ λειτουργῶν.","t":"To Dorotheus the presbyter. [On laughter.] If the priest is the model of the flock and has been called the light of the church, as he is, the people must be molded by his character like wax by a seal. If, then, you wish to be a light, hate jesting and the round of laughter, lest you teach many to be disorderly. \"For the priest is the messenger of the Lord Almighty\"; and an angel does not know laughter, ministering to God in fear.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.319 (PG 78 78:367; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-319)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.320":{"o":"ΘΑΛΑΣΣΙΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Μήτις πόρνος ἢ βέβηλος, ὡς Ἡσαῦ. Ακριβῶς ἐπιστάμενος, ὅτι ὁ κόρος τίκτει τὰ πάθη, καὶ ἡ γαστριμαργία σύρει πρὸς τὰς λαγνείας, περιττῶς, οἶμαι, ἠρώτησας τὸ, « Μήτις πόρνος ἢ βέβηλος, ὡς Ἡσαῦ, ὁποίαν ἔχει ἐπίλυσιν, τῆς Γραφῆς προδότην ἐλεγχούσης τῶν τῆς μήτρας πρεσβείων διὰ κόρον κοιλίας. Δείξασα γὰρ αὐτὸν γαστρίμαργον, ἠρκέσθη συναποδεῖξαι καὶ πόρνον καὶ βέβηλον.","t":"To Thalassius the monk. [On \"Lest anyone be sexually immoral or profane, like Esau.\"] Knowing exactly that surfeit gives birth to the passions and gluttony drags one to lusts, you asked superfluously, I think, what explanation \"lest anyone be sexually immoral or profane, like Esau\" has, since Scripture convicts him as a betrayer of the birthright for the sake of his belly's surfeit. Having shown him to be a glutton, it was content to show him also sexually immoral and profane.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.320 (PG 78 78:367; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-320)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.321":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Εἰς τὰς πρωΐας ἀπέκτεινον πάντας τοὺς ἁμαρτωλούς. » • Εἰς τὰς πρωΐας ἀπέκτεινον πάντας τοὺς ἁμαρτωλοὺς τῆς γῆς, » λέγων ὁ Ψαλμῳδὸς, τὸ ἀκριβὲς καὶ ἀπλανὲς, καὶ νηφάλιον τῆς δίκης παρίστησιν, ὅτι οὔτε θυμὸς, οὔτε μέθη τὴν ἀναίρεσιν ὑπετίθετο. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ εἰ καὶ τῇ χθὲς ἡμέρᾳ παρώξυνεν, ἀλλὰ διὰ μήκους τῆς νυκτὸς ἐμαλάσσετο· ἡ δὲ, εἰ καὶ ὀψίας πολλὴ προσεγένετο, διὰ τοῦ ὕπνου ἱκανῶς ἐλεπτύνετο. Καθαρᾷ οὖν καὶ χειρὶ, καὶ γνώμῃ, κατὰ τῶν ἐς Θεὸν ἁμαρτανόντων ἐξωπλιζόμην.","t":"To Palladius the bishop. [On \"In the mornings I killed all the sinners.\"] When the Psalmist says, \"In the mornings I killed all the sinners of the land,\" he shows the exactness, faultlessness and sobriety of the judgment: that neither anger nor drunkenness suggested the killing. For anger, even if it was provoked the day before, was softened through the length of the night; and drunkenness, even if much came on in the evening, was sufficiently thinned out by sleep. With clean hand and mind, then, I armed myself against those who sin against God.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.321 (PG 78 78:367; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-321)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.322":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nὍτι οὐ δεῖ μετὰ ἀμαθοῦς λογομαχεῖν. \"Ωσπερ οὐκ ἀσφαλὲς μετὰ μαχίμου διοδεύειν ἀοἱκητον· οὕτως οὐκ εὐχερὲς πρὸς ἀμαθῆ λόγους κινῆσαι παιδεύσεως. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πάσῃ τῇ δυνάμει χρήσεται ἐπ' ἐρήμου, εἴ τι τῶν οὐκ αὐτῷ προσφιλῶν λεχθείη ἢ πραχθείη· ὁ δὲ, εἰμὴ πάντα πρὸς τὴν αὐτοῦ λαλεῖται ἀπαιδευσίαν, πάντας ἐκκρίνει τῆς οἰκουμένης, καὶ λόγους φιλοσόφους, καὶ ἄνδρας φιλαρέτους. Φιλεῖ γὰρ, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ, ἀνδρίζεσθαι ἡ ἀλογία, καὶ νῦν αὐτὴν εὐρήσεις πανταχοῦ προεστῶσαν Οὔτε γὰρ Ἐκκλησίαν ἄνευ αὐτῆς, οὔτε τὴν πολιτείαν, οὔτε αὐτὴν τὴν βασιλείαν, ἔξω ταύτης ἴδοις διοικούμενην· ἀφ᾽ ὧν καὶ τὰ κακὰ πλεονάζει, καὶ δουλοπρέπεια τὸ πανταχόσε περιεζώσατο κράτος. Φέρε τοίνυν τὸν ἀλόγιστον γενναίως, ἐπειδὴ ἡδέως ἀνέχῃ τῶν ἀφρόνων φρόνιμος ὧν ἐν Κυρίῳ.","t":"To Timothy the reader. [That one should not dispute with an ignorant man.] As it is not safe to travel through uninhabited country with a quarrelsome man, so it is not easy to stir up words of learning with an ignorant one. The former will use all his strength in the desert if anything is said or done that he does not like; the latter, unless everything is said to suit his lack of education, excludes from the world all philosophical words and all virtuous men. For unreason generally likes to play the man, and now you will find it presiding everywhere. You would see neither the church without it, nor the state, nor the empire itself administered apart from it; from which evils multiply, and servility has girded itself with power everywhere. Bear the unreasoning man nobly, then, since you gladly bear with fools, being wise in the Lord.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.322 (PG 78 78:367; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-322)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.323":{"o":"ΚΥΡΙΛΛΟ ΑΡΧΙΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠολλαὶ μὲν μαρτυρίαι Γραφικαὶ, πολλαὶ δὲ θεωρίαι πρακτικαὶ τὸν ἀληθῆ τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου σαρκώσεως λόγον τρανοῦσιν ἀσφαλῶς, εἰ καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας διανοίας καὶ γλώσσης ἀνώτερόν ἐστι τὸ μυστήριον. Ὅτι δὲ ὁ ἀληθινὸς καὶ ἐπὶ πάντων Θεὸς, ἄνθρωπος γέγονεν ἀληθῶς, οὔτε ὃ ἦν τραπεὶς, καὶ ὃ οὐκ ἦν προσλαβών ἐκ φύσεων δυοῖν ὁ εἷς ὑπάρχων Υἱὸς, ἄναρχος καὶ ἀπέραντος, πρόσφατος καὶ ἀΐδιος, οὐδ᾽ ἂν αὐτὸς ἀρνηθείης, πλείστας ἔχων τοῦ ἁγίου Πατρὸς ἡμῶν μεγάλου Αθανασίου περὶ τούτων συναινέσεις, ἀνθρώπου τὰ θεῖα ὑπερφυῶς ἐμβατεύσαντος.","t":"To Cyril the archbishop. Many testimonies of Scripture and many practical considerations make plain securely the true account of the Lord's incarnation, even if the mystery is higher than our mind and tongue. That the true God, who is over all, truly became man, neither changed from what he was nor taking up what he was not without remaining himself, being the one Son from two natures, without beginning and without end, new and eternal, you yourself would not deny, since you have very many statements agreeing on these things by our holy father the great Athanasius, a man who entered divine things in an extraordinary way.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.323 (PG 78 78:369; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-323)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.324":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΧρή σε, θαυμάσιε, ἄτρεπτον μένειν ἀεὶ, οὔτε φόβῳ προδιδόντα τὰ οὐράνια, οὔτε σαυτῷ ἐναντίον φαινόμενον. Εἰ γὰρ τὰ νῦν γεγραμμένα σοι τοῖς προτέροις ἀντεξετάσειας, ἢ κολακείας φανήσῃ ὑπεύθυνος, ἢ εὐχερείας διάκονος, κενῆς μὲν δόξης ἡττώμενος, τῶν μεγάλων [δὲ] ἁγίων ἀθλητῶν τοὺς ἀγῶνας οὐ μιμησάμενος, οἳ τὸν ἅπαντα βίον ἐπ᾿ ἀλλοτρίας κακουχεῖσθαι ὑπέμειναν, ἢ κακόδοξον φρόνημα κἂν μέχρις ὤτων εἰσδέξασθαι.","t":"To the same. You must always remain unchanging, admirable man, neither betraying heavenly things through fear nor appearing contrary to yourself. For if you compare what you have now written with what you wrote before, you will appear either liable to flattery or a servant of fickleness, overcome by empty glory and not imitating the contests of the great holy athletes, who endured to suffer hardship in a foreign land all their lives rather than admit a heretical thought even as far as their ears.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.324 (PG 78 78:369; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-324)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.325":{"o":"ΚΥΡΩ ΝΕΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\nΠερὶ ἐγκρατείας γλώσσης. Νόμος φιλοσοφίας ἀσφαλοῦς, ὅρος ἁγνείας ἀκριβοῦς, τῷ θεοφόρῳ Παύλῳ διώρισται, νεκρῶσαι πάντα τὰ μέλη τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. Εἰ τοίνυν ἕπεσθαι βούλει τοῖς δόγμασιν αὐτοῦ (εἴη δὲ πάντως, εἰ τὸ ἀσκεῖν θέλεις), χαλίνωτον τῆς γλώσσης τὸ ταχύ. Τὸ μείζον γὰρ ἁπάντων τῶν γηΐνων μελῶν γλῶσσα, ὡς δυσκάθεκτος ἐστιν. Παῦσαι λοιπὸν, Ἰωάννη, τῆς παντολμίας· βλέψον πρὸς τὴν μεγάλην καὶ δυσέκλυτον τῶν ἔργων σου κακίαν. Ἡ ὡς ὁπλίτης νόμιμος, καὶ στρατιώτης ἔνθεσμος, πρὸς τὰς μάχας τῶν βαρβάρων τασσόμενος· ἢ ὡς δημότης εὔτακτος ἐν ἄστει φαινόμενος, καὶ πρεπόντως ἀναστρεφόμενος Οἰκίσκοις, ὡς ἔγνων, ἐπέρχῃ μοναχῶν, καὶ δράγματα ἁρπάζεις γεωργῶν, πρὸς τὸ ληίζεσθαι τούτους· καὶ δόγμα φαῦλον κατηχῶν, καὶ τούτου στερῥῶς ὑπερμαχῶν. \"Αθρει τοίνυν, μή τινος σάλου πειραθῆς, καὶ πήρωσιν δικαίαν ὑποστῆς, ἐνταῦθα μὲν τυφλώσει παιδευόμενος, ἐκεῖσε δὲ πυρὶ φυλαχθησόμενος.","t":"To Cyrus, a young monk. [On self-control of the tongue.] The law of secure philosophy, the rule of exact purity, has been defined by the God-bearing Paul: to put to death all the members that are on earth. If, then, you wish to follow his doctrines (and you surely must, if you wish to practice discipline), bridle the swiftness of your tongue. For the tongue is the greatest of all the earthly members, being hard to restrain. [Letter 1.326] Stop now, John, your recklessness; look at the great and hard-to-wash wickedness of your deeds. Either as a lawful man-at-arms and a regular soldier, be ranked for the battles against the barbarians; or as an orderly citizen, appear in the city and behave becomingly. [Letter 1.327] You attack the cells of monks, as I have learned, and seize the sheaves of farmers so as to plunder them; and you teach a base doctrine and champion it stubbornly. Look out, then, lest you experience some shaking and undergo a just maiming, chastised here by blinding and kept there for the fire.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.325 (PG 78 78:369; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-325)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.328":{"o":"ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΩ.\nΤοσοῦτον βλασφημίας κραυγὴ καὶ θυμὸς καὶ ὀργὴ διενήνοχεν, ὅτι προτέραν ταύτης ἐκείνην ὁ μέγας καὶ μεγαλόφρων τέθεικε Παῦλος. Ὅτι δὲ βλάσφημος ὁ εἰς Θεὸν ἐξυβρίζων καὶ εἴρηται καὶ νενόηται οὐδεὶς ἡγνόησε ποτε. Εἰ τοίνυν τὴν χείρονα τῆς βλασφημίας κέκτηται ὀργὴν, δι' ἧς πάντα εἰσκωμάζει τὰ φαῦλα τῷ βίῳ, ἢ [καὶ] ταύτην· κατάλιπε, ἢ μὴ ἄλυς καλούμενος βλάσφημος.","t":"To Anatolius. So much do anger and wrath differ from the outcry of blasphemy that the great and great-minded Paul placed them before it. That one who insults God is called and considered a blasphemer, no one was ever ignorant. If, then, you have the anger that is worse than blasphemy, through which every vice riots into your life, either give it up [too], or do not be distressed at being called a blasphemer.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.328 (PG 78 78:371; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-328)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.329":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤινές σε γλῶσσαν ἔχειν ἀκρατῆ κωμῳδοῦσι, καὶ τῶν πηγῶν τῆς λοιδορίας ὑπάρχειν ποταμὸν, τὰ ἐκείνης δαψιλῶς καὶ δεχόμενον καὶ ἐρευγόμενον ῥεύματα, ἅπερ εἰς θάλασσαν ἐμβάλλει τιμωρίας. Ἥν εἰ θέλεις έκφυγεῖν, τῶν ζώντων μᾶλλον ναμάτων τὸ φρέαρ έξερεύνησον, ὅπερ χαρίζεται καὶ τὸ μηκέτι διψᾶν, καὶ τῇ γλώσσῃ ὀρέγει φυλακὴν, μὴ εἰς λόγους ἐκκλίνειν πονηρίας.","t":"To the same. Some mock you as having an unrestrained tongue and as being a river from the springs of abuse, receiving and belching forth its streams abundantly, which empty into the sea of punishment. If you wish to escape it, rather search out the well of living waters, which grants never to thirst again and gives the tongue a guard against turning aside to words of wickedness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.329 (PG 78 78:371; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-329)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.330":{"o":"ΔΙΔΥΜΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Οὐκ ἐκρύβη τὸ ὀστοῦν μου. • Τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦ προπάτορος ὁ μέγας Δαβὶδ ἐν ψαλτηρίῳ ἀνακρουόμενος, καὶ πρὸς συγχώρησιν αὐτῆς τὸν Δεσπότην ἐξιλεούμενος, καὶ τὴν ἄφυκτον τοῦ Θεοῦ γνῶσιν ἐσήμανε, καὶ τὴν μετὰ τὸ πταῖσμα τοῦ ᾿Ἀδὰμ εὐγνωμοσύνην ἐδήλωσεν, • Οὐκ ἐκρύβη, λέγων, τὸ ὀστοῦν μου ἀπὸ σοῦ, ὁ ἐποίησας ἐν κρυφῇ.» Οὐκ ἔλαθέ σε, φησὶ, τῆς γυναικός μου ὁ ὅλισθος, ἣν ἐκ τοῦ ὀστέου μου λεληθότως ἐποίησας, ὕπνῳ βαρεῖ εὐνάσας με. Ἀλλ᾿ ἔγνως τὰ ἡμέτερα κρύφια, ὁ ἐκείνην κρυφίως ὑποστησάμενος. Τί ἐστι, « Τὸ ἀκατέργαστόν μου εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου.» Αγχίνους ῶν, καὶ συνετῶς ἐρευνῶν, οὐδὲν δύνασαι ἀγνοεῖν· πάντα γὰρ καλῶς ἀθροίσας ἐν νεότητι, ἔχεις ἐν γήρει ἀνάπαυσιν. « Τὸἀκατέργαστόν μου εἴδοσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου.» Τὸ μήπω πραχθέν μοι, φησὶν ὁ ᾿Ἀδὰμ ὡς ἤδη τελεσθὲν καθορᾷς. Καὶ τοὺς τέως μὴ τεχθέντας, ὡς ἤδη τεχθέντας ἐπίστασαι. Δύναται δὲ νοῆσαι καὶ διχῶς· Τὸ ἄκακον καl ἀπόνὴρον καὶ ἀνεξέργαστόν μου (ἔργον γὰρ ἡ περίνοια λέγεσθαι φιλεῖ) εἴδοσαν οἱ ὀφθαλμοί σου, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ βιβλίῳ σου πάντες γραφήσονται. Καὶ οὐκ ἔστι, φησὶν, ὃ μὴ συνιεῖς, ἢ λανθάνει σε· ἀλλὰ κal τὰ μέλλοντα γινώσκεις, καὶ τὸ ἄκακόν μου οἶδας, ὅπως ἀγνοίᾳ ἡπάτημαι, καὶ τῷ ἀλήστῳ τῆς μνήμης σου πάντες οἱ λογισμοί μου ένσημαίνονται. Περὶ Εὐσεβίου ἐπισκόπου. «᾿Αρκετὸν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἡ κακία αὐτῆς, ὁ ὁ Δεσπότης ἔφη Χριστός. Ἐπειδὴ καὶ μιᾶς ἡμέρας κάκωσις ἐπιλησμονὴν πολλῆς εὐφροσύνης ποιεῖ. Ἥρκει [καὶ] καθ' ἑαυτὸν ὁ χρηστὸς τῶν ἐπισκόπων Εὐσέβιος, πᾶσαν πληρῶσαι τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν συγχύσεως. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ τῆς σῆς κακοθελείας ἐπέτυχε, πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμενικὴν ταράξαι ἐπαρκεῖ εὐταξίαν. Εὐχὴ τοίνυν ἐστὶν ἱερατικοῖς ἅπασι, καὶ τῷ κοινῷ τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ τοῖς κατὰ μόνας ἀγωνιζομένοις θεράπουσι τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἢ διαζευχθῆναι τὴν σὴν σκαιότητα τῆς ἐκείνου πονηρίας, ἢ μεταβληθῆναι ἀμφοτέρας εἰς χρηστότητα καὶ κοινωνικὴν πολιτείαν, ἢ ἀμεῖψαι τὴν μακροθυμίαν εἰς αὐστηρίαν, καὶ ἀξίαις ὑμᾶς ἀνταμείψασθαι ταῖς παιδείαις, ὧν τε πεπράχατε, ὧν τε βουλεύεσθε, ὧν τε ἀσεβῶς ἀλλήλοις συνέρχεσθε.","t":"To Didymus. [On \"My bone was not hidden.\"] The great David, singing in the psalter the cause of the forefather's transgression and appeasing the Master to forgive it, signified God's inescapable knowledge and showed Adam's good sense after his offense, saying: \"My bone was not hidden from you, which you made in secret.\" The slip of my wife, he says, did not escape you, whom you made secretly from my bone, putting me to sleep in a heavy slumber. But you knew our secrets, you who formed her secretly. [Another letter] [What is \"Your eyes saw my unwrought substance\"?] Being sharp and searching wisely, you can be ignorant of nothing; for having gathered everything well in youth, you have rest in old age. \"Your eyes saw my unwrought substance\": what had not yet been done by me, says Adam, you behold as already accomplished; and those not yet born you know as already born. It can also be understood in another way: my innocence, guilelessness and unworked state (for cunning is usually called \"working\") your eyes saw, and all will be written in your book. And there is nothing, he says, that you do not understand or that escapes you; but you know the future too, and you know my innocence, how I was deceived by ignorance, and all my thoughts are imprinted on your unforgetting memory. [Another letter] [On Eusebius the bishop.] \"Sufficient for the day is its own evil,\" said Christ the Master; since the hardship of one day brings forgetfulness of much gladness. The good Eusebius, best of bishops, was enough [even] by himself to fill the whole church with confusion. But since he has also obtained your ill will, he is enough to disturb the good order of the whole world. It is the prayer, then, of all the priests, of the common people, and of God's servants who struggle in solitude, either that your perversity be yoked apart from his wickedness, or that both be changed to goodness and a sociable way of life, or that long-suffering change to severity and repay you with the chastisements you deserve, for what you have done, for what you plan, and for your impious association with one another.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.330 (PG 78 78:371; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-330)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.331":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΚρίνειν τὰ τε τῶν ὕβρεων, τά τε τῶν κολάσεων μεγέθη οἱ ἄνθρωποι τῷ πλήθει τῶν συνειδότων εἰώἐπὶ πολλῶν γινομένας, οὐχ ὁμοίως βαρυτάτας ἡγοῦνται. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, σκόπει πῶς διακεισόμεθα, ἐπὶ πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος καὶ τοῦ τῶν ἀγγέλων δήμου μέλλοντες εὐθύνας ὑφέξειν, ὅταν μάλιστα καὶ πᾶσα ἀναισχυντία χώραν οὐχ ἔξει; τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἡμῖν, ὥσπερ σκιῶν, ἀκολουθούντων. θασι. Τὰς γὰρ αὐτὰς ὕβρεις καὶ τὰς κολάσεις μὴ","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Men are accustomed to judge the size of insults and of punishments by the number of those who know of them. For the same insults and punishments, when they do not take place before many, they do not consider equally heavy. If, then, this is so, consider how we shall feel when we are about to give account before all humanity and the people of the angels, especially when there will be no room for any shamelessness, since our sins follow us like shadows.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.331 (PG 78 78:373; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-331)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.332":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΤὸ, « Κλαῦσον ἐπὶ νεκρῷ, ὅτι ἐκλέλοιπε φῶς, » οὐχὶ πάντας τοὺς τεθνεῶτας λέγει καταθρηνεῖσθαι· ἀλλὰ τὸν ἔργοις νεκρωθέντα, καὶ τὴν ζῶσαν ἀναστροφὴν μὴ μετελθόντα, κλαίεσθαι βούλεται, ὡς τοῦ μέλλοντος φωτὸς ἀποτυχόντα.","t":"To Herminus the count. \"Weep for the dead, for light has failed\" does not say that all the dead are to be mourned; it wants the one deadened by his works, who did not pursue the living way of life, to be wept for, as having missed the light to come.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.332 (PG 78 78:375; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-332)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.335":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤὸν βουληθέντα εὐεργετῆσαι, μὴ δυνηθέντα δὲ βοηθῆσαι, μὴ ἐκ τῆς ἐκβάσεως μέμφου, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῆς προθέσεως τίμα· ὅτι [καὶ] τῇ φύσει κεκίνηται, ἃ ἐχρῆν διαπράξασθαι, εἰ καὶ τῇ δυνάμει ἐνάρκησε, μὴ ἰσχύσας ἐργάσασθαι. Περὶ γαστριμαργίας. Οὐδὲ Παῦλος ὁ τῶν οὐρανίων ἀκριβέστατος γνώστης παιδεύει σε, καταργεῖσθαι τὴν γαστέρα καὶ τὰς ταύτης δυσορεξίας ἀποφαινόμενος · ἀλλ᾿ ὅλος εἶ περὶ τράπεζαν λίχνος, μόνην λαμπρῶς τὴν κατάποσιν κοιλακεύων, καὶ Θεὸν ἡγούμενος τὴν κοιλίαν. Εἰ τοίνυν τῇ παρούσῃ ζωῇ πάντα νομίζεις συγκαταλύεσθαι, καλῶς ἀγωνίζῃ στενοχωρούμενος βρώμασιν εἰ δὲ τι καὶ μετὰ ταύτην πιστεύεις ἔσεσθαι, ἑτοίμαζε τὰ ἔργα σου πρὸς τὴν ἔξοδον.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Do not blame the one who wished to do good but could not help by the outcome; honor him rather for his intention, since he was moved by nature to what he ought to have done, even if his power grew numb and he was not able to accomplish it. [Another letter] [On gluttony.] Not even Paul, the most exact knower of heavenly things, instructs you, when he declares that the belly and its disordered cravings will be done away with; but you are wholly gluttonous at table, brilliantly flattering only your swallowing, and holding your belly as God. If, then, you think everything is dissolved with the present life, you do well to struggle when you are cramped for food; but if you believe there will be anything after it, prepare your works for your departure.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.335 (PG 78 78:375; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-335)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.336":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤί ἐστιν, « Ἄχρις Ἀππίου φόρου καὶ τριῶν Ταβερνῶν. Τὸ « ῎Αχρις ᾿Αππίου φόρου καὶ τριῶν Ταβερνῶν, » τῷ Λουκᾶ ἐν ταῖς τῶν ἀποστόλων Πράξεσιν εἰρημένον, τόπους τινὰς σημαίνει πρὸ τῆς Ῥώμης, τὸν μὲν εἰκόνα τινὰ ᾿Αππίου ἔχοντα, ὡς εἰκὸς, καὶ φόρον ἐκείνου καλούμενον, ὡς μέχρι νῦν αἱ τῶν βασιλέων εἰκόνες, τοῦδε [ἢ τοῦδε] φόροι προσαγορεύονται. Τὰ δὲ, πανδοχείων τινῶν ἢ καπηλείων χρῆσιν αἰνίσσονται, τῇ Ῥωμαίων φωνῇ οὕτως ὀνομαζόμενα.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [What is \"As far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns\"?] \"As far as the Forum of Appius and Three Taverns,\" said by Luke in the Acts of the Apostles, signifies certain places before Rome: the one probably having some statue of Appius and called his forum, as even now the statues of the emperors are called the forum of this one [or that one]; the other hints at the use of some inns or taverns, so named in the language of the Romans.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.336 (PG 78 78:375; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-336)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.338":{"o":"ΑΓΕΛΙΔΗ ΝΑΥΑΤΙΑΝΩ..\nΚατὰ Ναυατιανῶν. Φλήναφον συνείρας ἀπολογούμενος, σχετλιασμὸν συνθεὶς πολυώδυνον, τὴν θείαν λέγων μὴ ἰσχύειν ἀπόφασιν, ἥνπερ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι παρέσχετο, ἀφιέναι τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ πταίσματα. Εἰ δὲ αὐτὴ ἀνίσχυρος, πᾶσα πάντως ἀβέβαιος, καὶ εἰς μάτην ἐλπίζομεν, ὡς αὐτὸς ἐδογμάτισας.","t":"To Agelius the Novatian. [Against the Novatians.] You strung together nonsense in your defense and composed a painful complaint, saying that the divine sentence which God gave to the priests, to forgive men their offenses, has no force. But if that is without force, everything is surely uncertain, and we hope in vain, as you yourself have taught.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.338 (PG 78 78:377; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-338)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.339":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ αὐτοῦ. Εἰ μὲν ἔχεις οὕτως προγνώσεως, ὡς εἰδέναι τὰ τῇ κρίσει τηρούμενα, εἰκότως κατακρίνεις πρὸ κρίσεως, καρδιογνώστης τις γεγονὼς ἐξ οἰήσεως. Εἰ δὲ καὶ σὺ τῆς φιλαμαρτήμονος φύσεως, ὡς ἄνθρωπος, ὑπάρχεις τις μοῖρα, καὶ πρὸς ἐξέτασιν ἥξειν πάντως περιμένεις, λόγον εἰσπραχθησόμενος· μὴ προάρπαζε τὴν κρίσιν τοῦ Θεοῦ, πρὸς μετάγνωσιν μᾶλλον καλῶν, ἀλλὰ μὴ πρὸς ἀπόγνωσιν ὠθῶν τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] If you have such foreknowledge as to know what is reserved for the judgment, you naturally condemn before the judgment, having become a knower of hearts out of conceit. But if you too, as a man, are some portion of sin-loving nature, and expect that you will surely come to examination to give account, do not snatch God's judgment beforehand; rather call sinners to repentance, and do not drive them to despair.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.339 (PG 78 78:377; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-339)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.34":{"o":"ΔΙΟΦΑΝΤΗ ΑΡΧΟΝΤΙ.\nΠρὸς ἄρχοντας. Βραχυτελῆ οὐ μόνον τὴν ἀρχὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴν ἔχεις τὴν ζωήν. Τί τοίνυν ἁμαρτάνεις ἀτελεύτητα, ἐν ὀλίγαις ὥραις τὴν αἰώνιον ἑαυτῷ κατασκευάζων κόλασιν; Καταμαθὼν οὖν πᾶσαν τὴν πολύστροφον καὶ πολύτρεπτον τῶν πραγμάτων ἀπιστίαν, μᾶλλον ἐπὶ χρηστοῖς γνωρίζεσθαι · κατορθώμασι σπούδαζε, ὧν καὶ οἱ ἐνταῦθα τυγχάνουσιν ἔπαινοι, καὶ οἱ μέλλοντες μισθοὶ οὐκ ἀπόλλυνται.","t":"To Diophantes the governor. [To governors.] Short-lived is not only your office but life itself. Why then do you sin without end, preparing eternal punishment for yourself in a few hours? Learn, then, the whole shifting and changeable untrustworthiness of affairs, and be eager rather to be known for good achievements, for which praises are won here and the rewards to come are not lost.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.34 (PG 78 78:201; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-34)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.340":{"o":"ΑΚΥΛΑ.\nΑἱ ἀμετάδοτοι γνῶμαι, καὶ αἱ τούτων τιμωρίαι, πρὸς σωφρονισμὸν ἡμῶν ἀνεγράφησαν, ἵνα τὴν ἐκείνων μίμησιν φύγωμεν, καὶ τούτων πεῖραν λάβωμεν. Εἰ τοίνυν τὸν πλοῦτον ἀγαπῶμεν, καὶ τὸ εὖ ποιεῖν παρορῶμεν, ἔγνωμεν ἐκ τῆς θείας πτυκτῆς τὸν τοιοῦτον μακρῷ πυρὶ τηγανιζόμενον.","t":"To Aquila. Ungenerous minds and their punishments were written down for our correction, so that we may flee imitation of the one and not experience the other. If, then, we love wealth and overlook doing good, we know from the divine tablet that such a man is fried in a long fire.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.340 (PG 78 78:377; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-340)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.341":{"o":"ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, · Ἔστωσαν ὑμῶν αἱ ὀσφύες περιεζωσμέναι.» ᾿Ασφαλῶς τὰ εὐαγγελικὰ παράδεξαι δόγματα, ῎Εστωσαν ὑμῶν αἱ ὀσφύες περιεζωσμέναι, κελεύοντα, καὶ οἱ λύχνοι καιόμενοι (ἅπερ τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν τὰς ὀρέξεις δεδέσθαι, καὶ τοὺς νόας ἐξῆφθαι πρὸς ἐγρήγορσιν βούλονται), ἐπιθυμῶν, καὶ μηνιῶν, καὶ ζηλῶν, καὶ ἀτόπως ἐρῶν, καὶ πάντα μᾶλλον ποιῶν, ὅπως τὴν σαυτοῦ ἀναστροφὴν ἀντίστροφον τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀποτελέσειας νόμου. Καὶ πρόσεχε, πάντολμε, μὴ τῆς ὑψηλῆς χειρὸς πειραθῇς πρὸ τῆς ἐκεῖθεν κολάσεως, κἀνταῦθα κἀκεῖ δι᾽ ὑπερβολὴν – κακίας τιμωρούμενος,","t":"To Eusebius the bishop. [On \"Let your loins be girded.\"] Receive securely the gospel doctrines that command, \"Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning\" (which mean that the cravings of the desires should be bound and the minds kindled for watchfulness), you who desire, and rage, and envy, and love improperly, and do everything rather so as to make your way of life the reverse of God's law. And beware, you who dare everything, lest you experience the high hand before the punishment there, punished both here and there for your excess of wickedness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.341 (PG 78 78:377; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-341)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.342":{"o":"ΣΕΛΕΥΚΩ.\nΠερὶ ταπεινοφροσύνης. Ταπεινοφρόνει μᾶλλον, καὶ μὴ ταπεινολόγει, ἵνα μὴ ἐγγύθεν ἔχῃς τῶν ῥημάτων κατηγορίαν τὰ πράγματα, μᾶλλον δὲ τὰ πράγματα διὰ τῶν ῥημάτων δεικνύῃς, ἔργα τοὺς λόγους ἔχων, ἀλλὰ μὴ τοῖς ἔργοις ἀνατρέπων τοὺς λόγους.","t":"To Seleucus. [On humility.] Be humble-minded rather than humble-spoken, so that your deeds may not be close at hand to accuse your words, but rather that you may show your deeds through your words, having words as works, and not overturning your words by your works.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.342 (PG 78 78:377; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-342)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.343":{"o":"ΣΙΛΟΥΑΝΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς θείας ἀγαθότητος. Λανθάνει σε μᾶλλον ἐθέλοντα (οὐ γὰρ τἀληθὲς ἀγνοοῦντα), ἡ τοῦ θείου δόγματος δύναμις. Ὅτι γὰρ καὶ τῶν ἀγγέλων δημιουργὸς ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ Προφήτης φησὶν ἐν θεολογίᾳ λέγων περὶ Θεοῦ, «Αἱ χεῖρες ἔκτισαν πᾶσαν τὴν στρατιὰν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. » \"Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ὑδάτων καὶ νεφῶν, Δαβὶδ ἐν ὕμνοις βοᾷ· Καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ τὸ ὑπεράνω τῶν οὐρανῶν, αἰνείτω τὸ ὄνομα Κυρίου. Ὅτι αὐτὸς εἶπε, καὶ ἐγένετο. Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς διὰ λαίλαπος τῷ Ἰὼβ, « Ἐγὼ ἐθέμην νέφος τῇ θαλάσσῃ ἀμφίασιν. » \"Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἀγαθὸς ὁ Ποιητής, ὁ Κύριός φησιν· « ᾿Ανατέλλει τὸν ἥλιον ἐπὶ πονηρούς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς, καὶ βρέχει ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους. • \"Ὅπερ μεγίστης ἐστὶν ἔνδειξις ἀγαθότητος.","t":"To Silvanus. [On the divine goodness.] The force of the divine doctrine escapes you because you wish it to (for you are not ignorant of the truth). That God is creator of the angels too the Prophet says when speaking of God: \"My hands created all the host of heaven.\" That he is creator of the waters and clouds too, David cries in his hymns: \"And let the water above the heavens praise the name of the Lord; for he spoke, and they came to be.\" And God himself said to Job through the whirlwind: \"I set a cloud as the sea's garment.\" That the Maker is also good, the Lord says: \"He makes the sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust\"; which is the greatest proof of goodness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.343 (PG 78 78:379; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-343)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.344":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤὴν τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων διόρθωσιν, ἣν ποιεῖται ὁ Θεὸς εἰς ἡμετέραν βελτίωσιν, οὐδ᾽ ὀργὴν κλητέον, οὐδ᾽ ἀγανάκτησιν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον νουθέτησιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὀργὴν τινες αὐτὴν οἴονται, καὶ ταύτῃ τὸ φιλάνθρωπον [αὐτοῦ] διαγγέλλουσιν, εἰς πάθη Θεὸν καταβαίνειν δι᾿ ἀνθρώπους νομίζοντες, δι' οὓς καὶ γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος.","t":"To the same. The correction of sins that God makes for our improvement should be called neither anger nor indignation, but rather admonition. And if some think it anger, they proclaim [his] love for mankind by this too, thinking that God comes down into passions for the sake of men, for whose sake he also became man.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.344 (PG 78 78:379; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-344)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.345":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΩ.\nΠερὶ γαστριμαργίας. Πολλὴ κἀμοί ἐστι, βέλτιστε, κολακείας εὐχέρεια δυναμένῳ μακαρίζειν ἀπατηλῶς, καὶ τὴν τρίβον τῶν ποδῶν σου ταράσσειν εὐμαρῶς, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ὑπτιοῦν σε καὶ ἀνακλίνειν πρὸς ῥαθυμίαν, ἑστάναι ὀφείλοντα συντόνως, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν περὶ ἐλέους καὶ οἰκτιρμῶν ἱκετεύειν. ᾿Αλλ' οὐκ ἐᾷ με ὁ ἐν Δαβίδ λαλήσας Θεὸς, τὸν τιθέντα μετὰ μοιχῶν τὴν μερίδα ἐλέγχειν ὡς ἁμαρτόντα ἐπαγγειλάμενος. Εἰ τοίνυν τὰς ψευδεῖς κολακείας ἀγαπᾶς, ἀνέχου τῶν ἀπατώντων σε. Εἰ δὲ πρὸς Θεὸν ἀπελθεῖν προσδοκᾷς. ἐμοὶ πείσθητι παραινοῦντί σοι, καὶ σβέσον τὴν γαστρίμαργον λύτταν, μαραίνων τῶν ἡδονῶν τὰς ἐκκαύσεις, ὧν αἱ ὑπερβολαὶ πρὸς τὰς ἐκεῖθεν παραπέμπουσι φλόγας.","t":"To Eustathius. [On gluttony.] I too, my good man, have plenty of facility in flattery, able to call you blessed deceitfully and easily confuse the path of your feet; that is, to lay you on your back and recline you toward slackness, when you ought to stand firm and beseech God for mercy and compassion. But God, who spoke in David, does not allow me, since he promised to convict as a sinner the one who sets his portion with adulterers. If, then, you love false flatteries, bear with those who deceive you. But if you expect to go to God, obey me when I advise you, and quench your gluttonous frenzy, withering the burnings of pleasures, whose excesses send one on to the flames there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.345 (PG 78 78:379; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-345)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.346":{"o":"ΚΕΛΣΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς τοῦ Παύλου πηρώσεως· καὶ διὰ τί αὐτῷ ἐξ οὐρανοῦ ὁ Θεὸς διαλέγεται. Ὥσπερ τὰ ἔρια πρὸς παραδοχὴν βαφῆς ἁλουργοῦ, [αὐστηρῶς] μάλα προστύφεται διὰ τὴν τοῦ ἐσθήματος τιμιότητα · οὕτως ὁ μεγαλόφρων Παῦλος τῆς Ἰουδαϊκῆς ἀποτμηθεὶς ἀλογίας, τριημέρῳ προεστύφθη πηρώσει, ἀλουργὶς Θεοῦ [καὶ] γενόμενος, καὶ πάντας ἀνθρώπους γενέσθαι προτρεπόμενος. ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ ΚΑΙ ΖΩΣΙΜΟ. Περὶ ἀναλγησίας. Εἰ μήτε τῆς θείας παιδείας εἰς νουθέτησιν ὑμῖν γινομένης αἰσθάνεσθε, μήτε τὰς ἡμετέρας ὑπομνήσεις εἰς μετάγνωσιν δέχεσθε, Χάρυβδίς τίς ἐστε, ἄδῃ καὶ ἀπωλείᾳ ἐοικυῖα, πάντα τὰ διδόμενα εἰς ἀφανισμὸν καταπίνουσα, ἧς ὁ πάντων δυνάστης Χριστὸς ἐμφράξει τὸ στόμα, ἵνα φυλάξητε τὰς θείας ἐντολὰς, καὶ κἂν ὀψέ ποτε παλινῳδίαν ἄσητε.","t":"To Celsus. [On Paul's blinding, and why God speaks to him from heaven.] As wool is first treated [harshly] with a mordant to receive the purple dye, because of the value of the garment, so the great-minded Paul, cut away from Jewish unreason, was first treated with a three-day blindness, becoming God's purple [and] urging all men to become so. [Letter 1.347] To Martinianus and Zosimus. [On insensibility.] If you neither feel the divine discipline that comes to you for admonition, nor accept our reminders for repentance, you are a kind of Charybdis, like Hades and destruction, swallowing everything given into oblivion; whose mouth Christ, the ruler of all, will stop, so that you may keep the divine commandments and, even late, sing a recantation.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.346 (PG 78 78:379; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-346)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.348":{"o":"ΣΙΛΟΥΑΝΩ.\n῞Οτι τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ἑαυτῶν περιέβαλε κακόν [περιέβαλον κακοῖς]. Τοῦτο καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι πάλαι πεποιήκεισαν περὶ θυσίας δαψιλῶς διακείμενοι, καὶ τοὺς τοῦ νόμου διδασκάλους καὶ ποιητὰς καταλεύοντες· ὅπερ καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐκείνους ζηλοῦντες πεπράχατε, ἀναθήμασι μὲν κοσμοῦντες τὸν θεῖον νεὼν, τὸν δὲ ποιμένα τούτου περιβάλλοντες κακοῖς. Οὐκ ἐξ ἀγάπης ἄρα πρὸς Θεὸν γέγονεν ὑμῶν ἡ τῶν δώρων προσφορά, ἀλλὰ ἐκ δόξης κενῆς, ἐντεῦθεν ἐχούσης ἀποχὴν τοῦ μισθοῦ αὐτῆς.","t":"To Silvanus. [That they surrounded their own bishop with evils.] The Jews too did this long ago, being generous about sacrifice while stoning the teachers and doers of the law; which you too have done in emulation of them, adorning the divine temple with offerings while surrounding its shepherd with evils. So your offering of gifts came not from love toward God but from empty glory, which has its wage paid from this.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.348 (PG 78 78:381; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-348)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.349":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου. Εἰ ἀληθῶς βούλει Θεῷ δωροφορεῖν, τὸν μεσίτην τῶν δώρων μὴ ἀτίμαζε, οὗ ταῖς χερσὶ διακόνοις χρῆσθαι Θεὸς φιλανθρώπως ἠξίωσεν. Ἱερεὺς γὰρ, εἰ καὶ βίῳ τινὶ ῥᾳθύμῳ, ὡς φατε, κεκηλίδωται, αὐτὸς μὲν ὑφέξει εὐθύνας, ἄγγελος δὲ Κυρίου παντοκράτορός ἐστι, τῇ τε θείας τελετῆς μυσταγωγίᾳ, τῇ πρὸς σωτηρίαν πολλῶν διακονία.","t":"To the same. [On the presbyter.] If you truly wish to bring gifts to God, do not dishonor the intermediary of the gifts, whose hands God in his love for mankind has deigned to use as ministers. For the priest, even if he is stained by a careless life, as you say, will himself give account; but he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty, in the initiation of the divine rite, in the ministry for the salvation of many.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.349 (PG 78 78:381; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-349)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.35":{"o":"ΔΟΣΙΘΕΩ.\nΣημαίνει ὅτι λύχνον τὸν ἱερέα εἶναι χρή. Απτει λύχνον ὁ Θεὸς ἱερέα, καὶ τίθησιν ἐπὶ λυχνίας τῆς ἑαυτοῦ φωτοφόρου καθέδρας, ἵν᾿ ἐξαστράπτῇ φωτισμὸν τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ δογμάτων καὶ πράξεων σκότους ἀπηλλαγμένων · ὅπως ὁρῶντες οἱ λαοί τὰς ἀκτῖνας τῆς ζωτικῆς λαμπηδόνος, πρὸς ἐκείνας εὐθύνωνται, καὶ τὸν Πατέρα τῶν φώτων δοξάζωσιν. Ἔχεις τὴν λύσιν ὧν ἠρώτησας σύντομον.","t":"To Dositheus. [It signifies that the priest must be a lamp.] God lights the priest as a lamp and sets him on the lampstand of his own light-bearing throne, so that he may flash forth on the church the illumination of doctrines and deeds free of darkness; so that the peoples, seeing the rays of the life-giving brightness, may be directed toward them and glorify the Father of lights. You have a concise answer to what you asked.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.35 (PG 78 78:201; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-35)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.350":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ.\nΕἰ μὴ ἀνέγνως τῶν ἀχυρμιῶν τὸν σἴτον διακρινόμενον, καὶ τὰ μὲν πυρὶ, τὰ δὲ ἀποθήκῃ τηρούμενα, οὐδ᾽ οὕτως εἶχες ἀπολογίαν τὴν ἄγνοιαν, πάντων τῶν καλλίστων ἐχούσης γνῶσιν τῆς φύσεως. \"Α γὰρ παθεῖν οὐ βουλόμεθα, ταῦτα καὶ μὴ ποιεῖν διδασκόμεθα Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔνδον ἑαυτῶν τῶν χρηστῶν τὴν εἴδησιν ἔχομεν, καὶ τῷ θείῳ νόμῳ ταύτην σαφῶς παιδευόμεθα, τί ταῖς ἡδυπαθέσι ῥιπίζῃ πνοαῖς, ἀχύρων δίκην πρὸς αὐτὰς ἐκριπτούμενος; Ὅρα τοίνυν ὅτι πῦρ ἔχει τελευτὴν τὸ ἀβέβαιον, ἢ καθαῖρον, ἢ εἰς τέλος ἐκκαῖον. Περὶ Καππαδοκῶν. Τι σοὶ καὶ τῷ γένει τῷ θηροτρόπῳ; Τί σοὶ καὶ τῷ ἔθνει τῷ, ἀλλοφύλῳ; Τί τοῖς δυσμενέσι συμφύρῃ; Τί τοῖς Καππαδόκαις συγκόπτη; Τί τοὺς Γιγαντείους συγγίγαντας καθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ ἐξοπλίζεις; Τι τοὺς οἰνοδυνάστας ἐρεθίζεις; Τί τοὺς λελυττηκότας κύνας ἀγριαίνεις, ὧν τὰ δήγματα θάνατος; Τί τὰς λοιδόρους γλώττας παραθήγεις; Τί τὰς ἑαυτοῦ χραίνεις ὑπολήψεις ἐκείνοις συγκρινόμενος, οἷς καὶ ἀνδραπόδοις τις χρήσασθαι νουνεχὴς οὐκ ἂν ἕληται; ᾿Ανάξια μὲν, ὡς ἔφης, τῶν πάλαι ἁγίων Πατέρων τὰ ἤθη τῶν νῦν ἀδομένων πανταχοῦ Καππαδοκῶν, καὶ οὐκ ἐκ τούτων ἐκείνους γεγενῆσθαι νομίζεις. ᾿Αλλ' ἐγὼ Καππαδόκας τοὺς ἁγίους ἐκείνους σύμφημι γεγενῆσθαι. Καὶ τοῦτο μάλιστα γνώρισμα τῆς τούτων τυγχάνει κακοφροσύνης. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ [ἐκ τούτων] ἐκεῖνοι ἐξέλαμψαν, εἶχεν ἀπολογίαν τὸ κακόσχολον ἔθνος τὴν γενικὴν πονηρίαν, ὡς ἔμφυτον, καὶ αἴτιον ἄν τις κακίας τὸν Δημιουργὸν ἐποιήσατο. ᾿Αλλ' [ἐν] ἐκείνοις τοῖς θεοφόροις ἀνδράσι λαμψάσης τῆς φύσεως, ἐν τούτοις τρανῶς τὰ τῆς γνώμης γνωρίζεται.","t":"To Lampetius. Even if you had not read of the wheat being separated from the chaff, the one kept for the fire and the other for the granary, you would not even so have had ignorance as an excuse, since nature has knowledge of all the best things. For what we do not wish to suffer, we are taught also not to do. If, then, we have the knowledge of good things within ourselves and are clearly instructed in it by the divine law, why are you blown about by the breezes of luxury, tossed toward them like chaff? See, then, that the unstable has fire as its end, either purifying or burning to the end. [Letter 1.351] [On the Cappadocians.] What have you to do with the race of beastly manners? What have you to do with that foreign nation? Why do you mix with the hostile? Why do you knock about with the Cappadocians? Why do you arm the giants of Gigantius against yourself? Why do you provoke the lords of wine? Why do you enrage the mad dogs, whose bites are death? Why do you whet abusive tongues? Why do you stain your own reputation by being compared with those whom no sensible man would choose to use even as slaves? [Letter 1.352] The characters of the Cappadocians who are now sung of everywhere are unworthy, as you said, of the holy fathers of old, and you think those men did not come from these. But I affirm that those saints were Cappadocians. And this is above all the mark of these men's malice. For if those had not shone out [from them], the ill-natured nation would have had racial wickedness as an excuse, as innate, and one might have made the Creator the cause of wickedness. But since nature shone in those God-bearing men, in these the work of the will is plainly recognized.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.350 (PG 78 78:381; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-350)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.353":{"o":"ΣΥΜΦΟΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον, « Οὐ δύναται ὁ Υἱὸς ποιεῖν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ οὐδέν. › Τὸ, « Οὐ δύναται ὁ Υἱὸς ποιεῖν ἀφ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ οὐδὲν, ἐὰν μὴ τι βλέπῃ τὸν Πατέρα ποιοῦντα, · οὐκ ἀσθενείας σημεῖον, ἀλλὰ τοῦ μὴ ἐνδέχεσθαι, ἄλλην Πατρὸς καὶ ἑτέραν Υἱοῦ εἶναι τὴν βούλησιν. Εἰ δὲ ἃ ποιεῖ ὁ Πατήρ ὁρᾷ ὁ Υἱὸς, ποιεῖ δὲ ὁ Πατὴρ βουλευόμενος· βλέπει ἄρα ὁ Υἱὸς καὶ αὐτὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς [τὰ] βουλεύματα· ἐπειδὴ ποίησις Θεοῦ, αὐτή ἐστιν ἡ βούλησις. Εἰ δὲ βλέπει βουλευόμενον, καὶ κοινωνεῖ τῆς βουλήσεως, δηλονότι καὶ φύσεως· μία ἄρα οὐσία Πατρὸς καὶ Υἱοῦ, ὥσπερ θέλησις.","t":"To Symphorus. [On what is written, \"The Son can do nothing of himself.\"] \"The Son can do nothing of himself, unless he sees the Father doing it\" is not a sign of weakness, but of the impossibility that the will of the Father should be one thing and that of the Son another. If the Son sees what the Father does, and the Father acts by willing, then the Son sees the very counsels of the Father; since God's doing is his will itself. And if he sees him willing and shares his will, he clearly shares his nature too. So the essence of Father and Son is one, as is their will.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.353 (PG 78 78:383; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-353)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.354":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ μάγου ὃν ὁ Παῦλος τῇ οἰκείᾳ ἀποφάσει ἐτύφλωσε. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἐναντίον τῷ θείῳ νόμῳ, ἐμφρονέστατε, τῷ ἀγαπᾶν τοὺς ἐχθροὺς παραγγέλλοντι, τὸ παρὰ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου εἰς τὸν μάγον γενόμενον. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ τὰς ὁδοὺς διέστρεφε τοῦ κηρύγματος, καὶ τὸν ἀνθύπατον ἀφίστα τῆς πίστεως, δι' οὗ ἅπαν τὸ ἔθνος χειρωθῆναι ἦν πρὸς σωτηρίαν ῥάδιον· ἐκ τῆς καθ᾿ ἑαυτὸν οἰκονομίας σωφρονίζει ὁ Παῦλος τὸν βλάσφημον, τύφλωσιν ἐπαγαγὼν πρὸς νουθεσίαν, τὴν καὶ αὐτὸν χειραγωγήσασαν πρὸς μαθητείαν. Ἐδιδάχθη γὰρ ἐκείνῳ θεραπεύειν τῷ φαρμάκῳ τὴν ἀπιστίαν, ᾧπερ αὐτὸς ἰάθη, τὴν ἐκ τοῦ νόμου ἀντιλογίαν. Τὸ δὲ, ἄχρι καιροῦ, ὅριον τῇ γνώμῃ διδοὺς ἐν ἑαυτῇ ἔχειν τοῦ φωτὸς τὴν ἀπόληψιν, τὸν τρόπον μεταβάλλουσαν πρὸς τὸ βέλτιον. Τί αἰνίττεται τὸ, « \"Αγνισον αὐτοὺς σήμερον καὶ αὔριον, καὶ πλυνάτωσαν τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν, καὶ ἔστωσαν ἕτοιμοι εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν. • Πλυνάτωσαν τὰ ἱμάτια σήμερον καὶ αὔριον, καὶ ἔστωσαν ἕτοιμοι εἰς τὴν ἡμέραν τὴν τρίτην, » λέγει ἡ Γραφή, τοῦτο δηλοῦσα· Οἱ ἐν ταῖς δύο Διαθήκαις καὶ ταῖς αὐτῶν διανοίαις τὴν καθαρότητα τῆς πολιτείας κτησάμενοι, καὶ τῆς πίστεως τὴν ἁγνείαν εὑράμενοι, εἰς τὴν τριήμερον τοῦ Κυρίου χειραγωγοῦνται ἀνάστασιν· ἢ καὶ βασιλεία οὐρανῶν ὀνομάζεται. Σήμερον γὰρ, τὴν τοῦ νόμου λέγει κατάστασιν· αὔριον δὲ, τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν σημαίνει ἀλήθειαν, ὡς ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου μηνυθεῖσαν, καὶ μετ' ἐκεῖνον φανεῖσαν. ΣΕΛΕΥΚΩ. Περὶ τῆς ἀρνήσεως Πέτρου. Τρὶς τὸν Κύριον ἀρνησάμενος τῶν ἀποστόλων ὁ ἔξαρχος, τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων πάντων ἁμαρτίαν ὑπἐδειξε, τρὶς ἀθετησάντων τὸν Κτίσαντα, ἐν τῇ δόσει τῆς πρώτης ἐντολῆς, ἐν τῇ θέσει τοῦ νόμου τοῦ γραπτοῦ, ἐν τῇ σαρκώσει τοῦ Λόγου καὶ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν· ἣν τριπλῇ πάλιν μεταγνώσει ἰάσατο, ἀνάλογον τῷ τραύματι πορισάμενος καὶ τὸ φάρμακον, καὶ δείξας ὡς πάντων τῶν κακῶν θεραπεία, ἡ τοῦ Κυρίου γέγονε παρουσία.","t":"To Serenus. [On the magician whom Paul blinded by his sentence.] What the Apostle did to the magician is not contrary to the divine law that commands us to love our enemies, most sensible man. Rather, since he was perverting the ways of the preaching and turning the proconsul away from the faith, through whom the whole province could easily have been won over to salvation, Paul chastened the blasphemer by the dispensation he had himself experienced, bringing blindness on him for admonition, the blindness which had led him too by the hand to discipleship. For he had been taught by that one to heal unbelief with the medicine by which he himself was healed of his contradiction from the law. And \"for a time\" sets a limit to his mind, so that he might recover the light within himself if he changed his ways for the better. [Letter 1.355] [What is hinted at by \"Purify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes, and let them be ready for the day\"?] \"Let them wash their clothes today and tomorrow, and let them be ready for the third day,\" says Scripture, showing this: those who in the two Testaments and their meanings have gained purity of life and found purity of faith are led by the hand to the Lord's third-day resurrection, which is also called the kingdom of heaven. For \"today\" means the order of the law; \"tomorrow\" signifies the gospel truth, as announced by the law and appearing after it. [Letter 1.356] To Seleucus. [On Peter's denial.] The chief of the apostles, by denying the Lord three times, pointed to the sin of all men, who rejected the Creator three times: at the giving of the first commandment, at the laying down of the written law, and at the incarnation of the Word and our God; which he healed again by a threefold repentance, providing the remedy in proportion to the wound, and showing that the Lord's coming has become the cure of all evils.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.354 (PG 78 78:383; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-354)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.357":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ.. Τὸ πρὶν ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι, πρὶν τὴν ἡμέραν ἐπιφᾶναι τῆς ἀναστάσεως. Αἱ γὰρ τούτων τῶν ὀρνίθων ᾠδαὶ, ἐγγιζούσης μὲν ἕω, ἔτι δὲ σκιᾶς ὑπαρχούσης, γίνονται. Πλησιαζούσης τοίνυν τῆς ζωοφόρου ἀνατολῆς, ἡ τοῦ ὀρνέου φωνὴ κατήγορος τῆς ἀρνήσεως γέγονε, δηλοῦσα, καὶ τῆς νυκτὸς τῆς ἀρᾶς τὴν κατάλυσιν, καὶ τοῦ φωτὸς τῆς ζωῆς τὴν ἐπίφαυσιν.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] \"Before the cock crows\" means before the day of the resurrection appears. For the songs of these birds come when dawn is near but shadow still remains. So as the life-bearing sunrise drew near, the bird's voice became the accuser of the denial, showing both the end of the night of the curse and the dawning of the light of life.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.357 (PG 78 78:385; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-357)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.358":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΟ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Ὅτι τριπλῆ γέγονε τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡ ἀθέτησις, καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος ἐδήλου, τρὶς λέγων πρὸς τὴν συκῆν ἐληλυθέναι, καὶ καρπὸν ἐν αὐτῇ μὴ εὐρηκέναι· ἧς πᾶσαν τὴν κάκωσιν ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἐθεράπευσε, μηκέτι καρπὸν οἴσειν ἀποφηνάμενος τὴν παράβασιν.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] That men's rejection was threefold the Lord himself also showed, saying that he had come three times to the fig tree and found no fruit on it; all its disorder he healed in himself, declaring that transgression would bear fruit no more.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.358 (PG 78 78:385; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-358)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.359":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Ἡ πρώτη ἀθέτησις, τῆς ἐντολῆς ἐστιν ἡ παράβασις, ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου τοῦ ἐν μέσῳ τοῦ παραδείσου προσταττούσης μὴ γεύσασθαι. Ἡ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ δευτέρα δυσσέβεια, ἡ πρὸς τὸν μόσχον Ἑβραίων διάθεσις. Ἡ δὲ τρίτη ἀσέβεια, ἡ ἐν τῇ χάριτι τυγχάνει παραίτησις· « Οὐκ ἔχομεν βασιλέα, εἰπόντων, εἰ μὴ Καίσαρα, καὶ τὸν Κύριον τῆς δόξης ἀπαρνουμένων.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] The first rejection is the transgression of the commandment, which ordered them not to taste of the tree in the middle of paradise. The second impiety, under the law, is the Hebrews' devotion to the calf. The third impiety, under grace, is the refusal, when they said \"We have no king but Caesar\" and denied the Lord of glory.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.359 (PG 78 78:385; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-359)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.36":{"o":"ΠΡΟΥΝΙΧΙΩ.\nΔιὰ τί μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν Ἰωάννου ) οὐκ ἐγήγερται καὶ τί περισσότερον ἐν αὐτῷ. Διὰ τί μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν, ἔφης, ὁ Ἰωάννης, καὶ εἰ προφήτης ὁ Ἰωάννης, τι ἦν ἐν αὐτῷ περισσότερον προφήτου; Επειδὴ τοῦτο λέγει ὁ Κύριος. ῎Ακουε τοίνυν πλεῖστα ἐν ὀλίγοις · μείζων ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν ὁ Ἰωάννης, ἐπειδὴ ἐξ αὐτῆς νηδύος μητρικῆς προεφήτευσε, καὶ ἐν σκότει κρυπτόμενος, τὸ φῶς ἐλθὸν, οὐκ ἠγνόησε. Περισσότερον δὲ προφητῶν, τὸ καὶ αὐτὸν ἰδεῖν ἐν σαρκὶ τὸν προφητευόμενον, ὃν πάντες οἱ πατριάρχαι καὶ προφῆται, δι᾽ ὀνείρων μὲν ἢ ὁπτασιῶν ἐφαντάσθησαν, θεωρῆσαι δὲ αὐτοψεὶ οὐκ ἐπέτυχον.","t":"To Prounichius. [Why no one greater than John has arisen among those born of women, and what more there was in him.] Why, you asked, is John greater among those born of women, and if John was a prophet, what was there in him more than a prophet? For the Lord says this. Hear, then, a great deal in few words. John is greater among those born of women because he prophesied from his mother's very womb, and, hidden in darkness, did not fail to recognize the Light that had come. And he was more than the prophets in that he himself saw in the flesh the one who was prophesied, whom all the patriarchs and prophets pictured in dreams or visions but did not attain to behold with their own eyes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.36 (PG 78 78:201; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-36)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.360":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον, « Ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ ἄρτος τῆς ζωῆς. Ἄρτος ὁ Κύριος κέκληται, αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν τούτῳ καλῶν τῷ ὀνόματι. Κατὰ μὲν τὴν πρόχειρον ἔκληψιν, ὡς πᾶσι τροφὴ σωτηρίας γενόμενος· κατὰ δὲ τὴν ἀπόῤῥητον ἔννοιαν, τὴν ζύμην τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου φυράματος ἑνώσας καὶ καθάρας, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐξοπτήσας τῷ οἰκείῳ πυρὶ τῆς θεότητος, καὶ εἰς ἓν σὺν αὐτῇ γεγονὼς πρόσωπον καὶ μίαν προσκυνουμένην ὑπόστασιν.","t":"To Theon. [On what is written, \"I am the bread of life.\"] The Lord is called bread, calling himself by this name: in the plain sense, as having become the food of salvation for all; in the hidden meaning, as having united and cleansed the leaven of the human lump, and as it were baked it in his own fire of the Godhead, and become one with it in one person and one adored hypostasis.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.360 (PG 78 78:387; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-360)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.361":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΩ.\nΠερὶ γαστριμαργίας. Καταφρόνει τῶν ὄψων, ὡς μετ᾿ ὀλίγον οὐκ ὄντων, ἀλλὰ σύγχρονον ἐχόντων τῇ καταπόσει τὴν πολυτέλειαν Αἱ γὰρ ὑπέρχρειοι μεταλήψεις, νῦν μὲν νόσων εἰσὶ μητέρες, ἐν δὲ τῷ μέλλοντι, κριμάτων ἐπάγουσιν εὐθύνας.","t":"To Eustathius. [On gluttony.] Despise delicacies, as things that in a little while are no more, and whose costliness lasts only as long as the swallowing. For excessive eating is now the mother of diseases, and in the future brings judgments and accounts.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.361 (PG 78 78:387; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-361)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.362":{"o":"ΛΕΩΝΙΔΗ.\nΠερὶ τῆς εἰς τοὺς παῖδας εὐλογίας τοῦ πατριάρχου Ἰακώβ. Ἡ εὐλογία τοῦ πατριάρχου, ἣν τοῖς υἱέσι τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ ἐπευξάμενος ἔδωκεν, οὐκ εἰς ἐκείνους μόνους πεπλήρωτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ τύπος μειζόνων πραγμάτων γεγένηται Ἡ γὰρ ἐναλλαγὴ τῶν χειρῶν, τὸν προσαγωγή, τὸν νέον ὑπεδείκνυ λαὸν, μονονουχί βοῶσα διὰ τοῦ σχήματος· Ὅτε σταυρὸς εἰς εὐλογίαν φανῇ, ὁ ἥττων λαὸς μεγαλυνθήσεται, [καὶ ὁ ταπεινῶν ἑαυτὸν ὑψωθήσεται.] σωτήριον προεδήλου σταυρόν· καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἥττονος","t":"To Leonides. [On the blessing of the patriarch Jacob upon the children.] The patriarch's blessing, which he gave in prayer to the sons of Joseph, was not fulfilled in them alone, but became a type of greater things. For the crossing of the hands foreshowed the saving cross; and the bringing forward of the younger showed the new people, all but crying out by the gesture: when the cross appears for blessing, the lesser people will be magnified [and the one who humbles himself will be exalted].","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.362 (PG 78 78:387; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-362)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.363":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τῆς Ἐλισάβετ, « Καὶ πόθεν μοι τοῦτο ἵνα. Μηδέν σε ταραττέτω τῆς Ἐλισάβετ ἡ προφητεία, «Πόθεν μοι τοῦτο, λεγούσης, ἵνα ἡ Μήτηρ τοῦ Κυρίου ἔλθῃ πρός με;» Ὁ γὰρ θέμενος ἐν αὐτῇ τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ τὴν διάπλασιν, καὶ πρὸ τοῦ ἐξελθεῖν ἐκ μήτρας εἰς προφήτην ἁγιάσας τὸν πρόδρομον, ἔνδον αὐτῷ παρέσχετο τοῦ μυστηρίου τὴν δήλωσιν. Ἐπεὶ [δὲ] οὐκ ἔδωκε λαλεῖν τοῖς ἐμβρύοις τὸ ἄωρον, σπεύδοντι τῷ Βαπτιστῇ κηρύξαι τὸν Λυτρωτὴν, ἔχρησεν ἡ μήτηρ τὸ τοῦ στόματος ὄργανον.","t":"To Serenus. [On what Elizabeth said, \"And why is this granted to me, that …\"] Let nothing trouble you in Elizabeth's prophecy, when she says, \"Why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?\" For he who placed in her the formation of the Baptist, and sanctified the forerunner as prophet before he came out of the womb, gave him within a revelation of the mystery. And since he did not give unborn babes untimely speech, the mother lent the organ of her mouth to the Baptist, who was eager to proclaim the Redeemer.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.363 (PG 78 78:387; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-363)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.364":{"o":"ΠΩΜΑΣΙΩ.\nΠῶς νοητέον, « Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν ἤχῳ σάλπιγγος» Περὶ τῆς μουσικῆς, ἧς ἡ Γραφὴ μέμνηται. «Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν τυμπάνῳ καὶ χορῷ, καὶ ὀργάνῳ καὶ χορδαῖς, φησὶν ὁ Ψαλμῳδὸς, οὐ χαλκῷ ἡχοῦντι καὶ ὀργάνοις θελκτικοῖς τὰς θείας ἐπιτρέπων ᾠδὰς, ἀλλὰ τύμπανον ἡμᾶς τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἀποτελεῖν σάρκα παρεγγυῶν, οὐδὲν ἔχουσαν πάθους κίνημα, ἀλλὰ νεκρὰν τοῖς γηΐνοις ὑπάρχουσαν μέλεσι. Χορὸν δὲ τὴν σύμφωνον τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἁρμονίαν ζητεῖ· καὶ χορδὰς, τὰς ἐν ἡμῖν αἰσθήσεις δηλοῖ, ὑφ᾽ ὧν τὸ τῆς γλώττης ἀνακρούεται πλῆκτρον· καὶ ὄργανον, ὁ πᾶς εὑρίσκεται ἄνθρωπος, Θεῷ εὐάρεστος, καὶ ἀνθρώποις εὐάρμοστος.","t":"To Pomasius. [How \"Praise him with the sound of the trumpet\" should be understood. On the music which Scripture mentions.] \"Praise him with timbrel and dance, with instrument and strings,\" says the Psalmist, not entrusting the divine songs to sounding bronze and bewitching instruments, but exhorting us to make our own flesh a timbrel, having no movement of passion but being dead in its earthly members. By \"dance\" he seeks the concordant harmony of the church; by \"strings\" he means the senses within us, by which the plectrum of the tongue is struck; and the instrument is the whole man, pleasing to God and well tuned to men.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.364 (PG 78 78:387; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-364)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.365":{"o":"ΛΕΩΝΙΔΗ.\nΔιὰ τὶ τελευτῶν ὁ Ἰακὼβ καὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς εὐλογῶν, τὰ μέλλοντα αὐτῶν λέγει. Τὰ μέλλοντα λέγειν ὁ Ἰακὼβ ὑποσχόμενος, καὶ τὰ φθάσαντα τοῖς υἱοῖς ἐξηγούμενος, οὐ κατόπιν ἐπαγγελίας ἐβάδισεν, ἀλλὰ Θεοῦ δακτύλῳ ἐψηλαφήθη τὴν αἴσθησιν, καὶ σιγὴν ἐπετάγη συμφέρουσαν. Προθέμενος γὰρ εἰπεῖν αὐτοῖς τὴν ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐσομένην τῆς θείας οἰκονομίας σάρκωσιν, λήθην τῶν βουλευθέντων ὑπέμεινεν, ἀμείψας τοῖς παρελθοῦσι τὰ μήπω γενόμενα. Σὺ μὲν γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀξίαν γνώμην τοῦ τοσούτου μυστηρίου κτησάμενος, εἰκότως ἐπιστεύθης αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν εἴδησιν· οἱ δὲ οὐ κατάλληλον ἕξουσι τῷ πατρὶ τὴν εὐσέβειαν.","t":"To Leonides. [Why Jacob, dying and blessing his sons, tells their future.] Jacob, having promised to tell the future, and recounting to his sons what had already happened, did not go back on his promise; rather his perception was touched by the finger of God, and a profitable silence was enjoined on him. For having intended to tell them of the incarnation of the divine dispensation that would come from them, he suffered forgetfulness of what he had planned, exchanging things not yet done for things past. For you, God says, having acquired a mind worthy of so great a mystery, were rightly entrusted with knowledge of it; but they will not have godliness to match their father's.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.365 (PG 78 78:389; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-365)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.366":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ Γραφικὴν μαρτυρίαν ζητεῖς τῶν γραφέντων Ἡσαΐας τῶν προφητῶν ὁ σαφέστατος, τὴν ἀπορίαν τοῦ Ἰακώβ ἐξηγούμενος, καὶ ἣν ἔπαθεν ἐγκοπὴν τῆς προθέσεως, ἄλλα μὲν βουληθεὶς, ἄλλα δὲ κελευσθεὶς, οὕτω φησί · Μὴ εἴπῃς Ἰακώβ, καὶ τί ἐλάλησας Ἰσραὴλ, ἀπεκρύβη ἡ ὁδός μου ἀπὸ Κυρίου, καὶ ὁ Θεός μου ἀφεῖλε τὴν κρίσιν, καὶ ἀπέστη ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ. Οὐδὲν γὰρ τὸν Ἰακὼβ ἀφείλετο ὁ ἀγαπήσας Θεὸς, ἢ τὴν πρὸς τοὺς υἱέας, ὡς εἶπον, ὑπόσχεσιν, διὰ τὴν προορωμένην αὐτῶν τῆς εὐσεβείας ἀθέτησιν.","t":"To the same. If you also seek a scriptural testimony for what was written, Isaiah, the clearest of the prophets, explains Jacob's perplexity and the interruption of his purpose that he suffered, wishing some things and being commanded others, speaking thus: \"Do not say, Jacob, and why have you spoken, Israel, My way is hidden from the Lord, and my God has taken away my judgment and has departed from me.\" For God who loved Jacob took nothing away from him except the promise to his sons, as I said, because of their foreseen rejection of godliness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.366 (PG 78 78:389; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-366)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.367":{"o":"Μοναστρίαις εἰς πόλιν φοιτώσαις συχνά.\nΕἰ μήτε τῆς αἰδοῦς τῆς φύσεως καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀσκήσεως φροντίζετε, μήτε τὴν χαύνωσιν πεφόβησθε, ἣν αἱ πόλεις ποιοῦσι καὶ ὄψει καὶ ἀκοῇ· μήτε τὴν μέλλουσαν δεδοίκατε ἐπὶ τούτοις ἀπειλήν· καλῶς θαμινὰ πρὸς τὴν πόλιν βαδίζετε. Εἰ δὲ τῆς μὲν ἀντέχεσθε, τῶν δὲ πειραθῆναι οὐ βούλεσθε, φεύγετε τῶν θορύβων τὸν πόλεμον ὃς δεινοῖς βέλεσι τοξεύει τὴν ἄσκησιν. ·","t":"To nuns who often visit the city. If you neither care for the modesty of nature and of discipline itself, nor fear the slackening that cities cause by sight and hearing, nor dread the threat to come for these things, you do well to go often to the city. But if you hold to the one and do not wish to experience the others, flee the war of commotions, which shoots ascetic discipline with terrible arrows.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.367 (PG 78 78:389; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-367)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.368":{"o":"ΣΕΥΉΡΩ.\nΠερὶ οἰήσεως. Ωσπερ λεαίνῃ συννέμεσθαι πρόβατον ἡ φύσις οὐκ ἔδωκεν· οὕτως οὐδὲ τῦφον μοναχικῇ συνοικεῖν ὅλως ἐνδέχεται. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ θηριώδης ἐστὶ· καὶ ἀκάθεκτος ἡ δὲ πάντα εὐπειθῶς τὰ χρηστὰ καταδέχεται, καὶ τὰ λυπηρὰ καρτερῶς μάλα προσίεται. Εἰ τοίνυν πρὸς ταύτην ἀπεδύσω γυμνάσασθαι, ἐκείνου ἀπόστηθι· μή τί σε δεινὸν διὰ τούτου ἐργάσηται, ὁ ἔναντι Κυρίου τραχηλιάσας, καὶ πάντας ἔχειν ζηλωτὰς τῆς οἰκείας ἐπάρσεως [καὶ πτώσεως] προθυμούμενος.","t":"To Severus. [On conceit.] As nature does not allow a sheep to graze with a lioness, so pride cannot in any way live with the monastic life. For the one is beastly and unrestrained, while the other accepts all good things obediently and endures painful things very patiently. If, then, you have stripped to train for this, stand away from that, lest something terrible befall you through it, from the one who stiffened his neck before the Lord and is eager to have everyone emulate his exaltation [and fall].","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.368 (PG 78 78:391; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-368)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.369":{"o":"ΚΥΡΩ.\n\"Οτι οὐδὲν τῶν ἐνδιαθέτων καὶ κεκανονισμένων βιβλίων δεῖ προτιμᾶν εἰς ἀνάγνωσιν. Πᾶσα μὲν Γραφὴ πρὸς εὐσέβειαν βλέπουσα, καλλίστη καὶ ἐπαινετὴ, καὶ ἐγκωμίων ἀξία. Αἱ δὲ ἱεραὶ πτυκταὶ τῶν μαρτυρουμένων θείων Γραφῶν, τῆς πρὸς Θεόν εἰσιν ἀναβάσεως κλίμακες. Πάντα τοίνυν τὰ ἐν Ἐκκλησίᾳ Θεοῦ προφερόμενα ὡς δόκιμον δέχου χρυσίον, πεπυρωμένα τῷ θείῳ τῆς ἀληθείας Πνεύματι. Τὰ δὲ ἔξω ταύτης περιφερόμενα, εἰ καί τι ἔχει πιθανὸν πρὸς σεμνότητα, τοῖς ἔξω τῶν σῶν ἀγώνων, ζητεῖν καὶ τηρεῖν καταλίμπανε· οἷς κόμπος λέξεως μᾶλλον ἐσπούδασται, ἢ καὶ μύθους τινὰς ἀναπλάττει[ν] αἱρέσεων.","t":"To Cyrus. [That one must prefer nothing to the books that are canonical and in the canon for reading.] All writing that looks to godliness is very good, praiseworthy and worthy of praises. But the sacred tablets of the attested divine Scriptures are ladders of ascent to God. So receive everything read publicly in God's church as approved gold, refined by the divine Spirit of truth. But what circulates outside it, even if it has something plausible toward dignity, leave to those outside your contests to seek and keep, who care more for pompous diction, or else fabricate certain myths of heresies.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.369 (PG 78 78:391; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-369)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.37":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς ἐρωτήσεως τοῦ Προδρόμου « Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος; › • Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἢ ἕτερον προσδοκῶμεν ; Ἰωάννης τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐδήλου, ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας ἀποτέμνεσθαι μέλλων, καὶ τοὺς οἰκείους [αὐτοῦ] μαθητὰς προσαγαγεῖν σπουδάζων, ἀμφιβάλλοντας πρὸς τὴν αὐτοῦ μαρτυρίαν, εἰ μείζων ἐστὶν ὁ Κύριος Ἰωάννου [διὰ τὴν ἀκριβῆ πολιτείαν Ἰωάννου],καὶ τοῦτο δι' ὧν εὐθὺς ἔπραξεν ὁ Κύριος ἔδειξε, ταῖς πολλαῖς θαυματουργίαις ἐπαληθεύσας τὴν μαρτυρίαν Ἰωάννου, καὶ ὄψει πιστωσαμένους τὴν ἀκοὴν τοὺς ἀπιστοῦντας ἐκπέμψας.","t":"To the same. [On the Forerunner's question, \"Are you the one who is coming?\"] \"Are you the one who is coming, or shall we look for another?\" John put this to the Lord when he was about to be beheaded for the truth, eager to bring his own disciples to him, since they doubted his testimony as to whether the Lord was greater than John [because of John's strict way of life]. And the Lord showed this by what he did at once, confirming John's testimony by his many miracles, and sending the unbelievers away with their hearing confirmed by sight.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.37 (PG 78 78:203; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-37)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.370":{"o":"ΚΥΡΙΛΛΩ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΕΙΑΣ.\nΠερὶ ἔριδος. Φοβεῖ με τὰ τῆς θείας Γραφῆς ὑποδείγματα, καὶ γράφειν τὰ χρεὼν ἀναγκάζομαι. Εἴτε γὰρ πατήρ εἰμι, ὡς ἔφης αὐτὸς, δέδια τοῦ Ἡλεὶ τὴν κατάκρισιν, ὅτι τοὺς υἱοὺς ἁμαρτόντας οὐκ ἐσωφρόνισεν · εἴτε υἱός σου τυγχάνω, ὡς μᾶλλον ἐπίσταμαι, τὸν μέγαν ἐκεῖνον σχηματίζοντος Μάρκον ἀγωνιῶ τοῦ Ἰωνάθαν τὸ ἐπιτίμιον, ὅτι τὸν πατέρα ζητήσαντα ἐγγαστρίμυθον οὐκ ἐκώλυσε. Καὶ πρότερος τοῦ ἁμαρτήσαντος, ὁ κωλῦσαι δυνάμενος τέθνηκεν εἰς τὸν πόλεμον Ἵνα τοίνυν κἀγὼ μὴ κατακριθῶ, καὶ αὐτὸς παρὰ Θεοῦ μὴ κριθῇς, παῦσον τὰς ἔριδας· μὴ οἰκείας ὕβρεως ἄμυναν, ἣν παρὰ θνητῶν κεχρεώστησαι ζῶσαν Ἐκκλησίαν μεθόδευε, καὶ αἰώνιον αὐτῇ διχόνοιαν ἐν προσχήματι εὐσεβείας κατασκεύαζε.","t":"To Cyril of Alexandria. [On strife.] The examples of divine Scripture frighten me, and I am compelled to write what I must. For if I am your father, as you yourself said, I fear the condemnation of Eli, because he did not correct his sons when they sinned; if I am your son, as I rather know, since you bear the figure of the great Mark, I am anxious about the penalty of Jonathan, because he did not stop his father when he sought a ventriloquist medium; and he, who could have stopped him, died in the war before the one who sinned. So that I may not be condemned, and you may not be judged by God, stop the quarrels; do not pursue vengeance for a personal insult, owed you by mortals, against the living church, nor prepare for it an eternal division under a pretext of godliness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.370 (PG 78 78:391; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-370)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.371":{"o":"ΠΑΝΣΟΦΙΩ.\nΕἰ προῖσχεται ὁ τῆς Μαρκίωνος συνήγορος βλασφημίας, τὸ παρ' ἐκείνοις ὀνομαζόμενον Εὐαγγέλιον, λαβὼν ἀνάγνωθι, καὶ εὐρήσεις εὐθὺς ἐν προοιμίοις τὴν ἀτοπίαν. Αὐτὴν γὰρ τὴν κατάγουσαν ἐπὶ Χριστὸν ἀπὸ Δαβὶδ καὶ Ἀβραὰμ γενεαλογίαν ἀπέτεμον· καὶ μικρὸν ὕστερον προϊὼν ἄλλην ὄψει κακόνοιαν. Αμείψαντες γὰρ τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου φωνὴν, « Οὐκ ἦλθον, λέγοντος, καταλῦσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας,· ἐποίησαν· Δοκεῖτε, ὅτι ἦλθον πληρῶσαι τὸν νόμον ἢ τοὺς προφήτας; Ἦλθον καταλῦσαι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πληρῶσαι. Ἐκ τούτων δὲ εἴσῃ, ὅπως ἔχθραν ταῖς δυσὶ Διαθήκαις κατασκευάζουσι, ξένον εἶναι τοῦ νόμου τὸν Χριστὸν σχεδιάσαντες","t":"To Pansophius. If the advocate of Marcion's blasphemy holds out what is named the Gospel among them, take it and read it, and you will find the absurdity right at the beginning. For they cut out the very genealogy that leads down to Christ from David and Abraham; and going on a little further you will see another piece of malice. For changing the Lord's saying, \"I did not come to destroy the law or the prophets,\" they made it: \"Do you think that I came to fulfil the law or the prophets? I came to destroy, not to fulfil.\" From these things you will know how they create enmity between the two Testaments, inventing a Christ who is a stranger to the law.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.371 (PG 78 78:393; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-371)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.372":{"o":"ΙΩΣΗΦ.\nΚαλῶς μὲν ἤρξω [το] ἀνδρίζεσθαι, ἀλλ᾿ οὐχὶ καὶ νῦν, ὡς μανθάνομεν. ᾿Αλλ' ὅμοιος εἶ τοῖς σπαρεῖσιν ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας, εὐθὺς μὲν ἐξανατείλασιν, ἐν δὲ καιρῷ καρπῶν ἀτονήσασι. Χρὴ δὲ τὸν τοῦ ἀγῶνος τῶν μοναχῶν ἐφιέμενον, ὡς πύργου οἰκοδομῇ τῇ τούτου προσελθεῖν ὑποταγῇ, μήποτε φιλοτίμως άρξάμενος, καὶ πρὸς ὁμοίαν εὐοδίαν μὴ ἐκτεινόμενος, δαίμοσι μὲν καταγέλαστος, ἀγγέλοις δὲ λύπης αἴτιος, ἀνθρώποις δὲ δακρύων πρόφασις γένηται.","t":"To Joseph. You began to play the man well, but not so now, as we learn. You are like the seed sown on the rock, which sprang up at once but failed at the time of fruit. One who aspires to the contest of the monks must approach submission to it as the building of a tower, lest, having begun ambitiously and not stretching on to a like success, he become a laughingstock to demons, a cause of grief to angels, and an occasion of tears to men.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.372 (PG 78 78:393; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-372)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.373":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΥΠΟΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ πάντα πειρασμὸν φέρειν γενναίως. Εἰ πύλαι ᾄδου τῆς ἀμωμήτου καὶ ὀρθῆς οὐ κατισχύουσι πίστεως, αἴπερ εἰσὶ τὰ πεπυρωμένα τοῦ Πoνηροῦ ἅπαντα βέλη, καὶ κίνδυνος, καὶ γυμνότης, καὶ θάνατος, Χριστοῦ ἡμᾶς χωρίζειν οὐ δύναται · τοῦ χάριν μικρὰς προσβολὰς διὰ Χριστόν σοι γινομένας, δυσανασχετεῖς ὑπομένειν, θαυμάσιε; Ἴστασο τοίνυν ἑδραῖος, καὶ τὰ μὲν ἐπελθόντα σβεσθήσεται πειρατήρια, τὰ δὲ μελετώμενα πρὸ πείρας οἰχήσεται. Τὸ γὰρ τῆς γνώμης ἀκλινὲς, ἀπράκτους δείξει τὰς μηχανάς.","t":"To Palladius the subdeacon. [On bearing every temptation nobly.] If the gates of Hades do not prevail against the blameless and right faith, which are all the fiery arrows of the Evil One, and if danger, nakedness and death cannot separate us from Christ, why, admirable man, do you find it hard to endure small attacks made on you for Christ's sake? Stand firm, then, and the trials that have come will be quenched, and those being planned will vanish before they are tried. For the unswerving mind will show the devices to be ineffective.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.373 (PG 78 78:393; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-373)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.374":{"o":"ΩΡΙΩΝΙ.\nΠερὶ καινοδοξίας Ἡ κόλαξ κομπαγωγία, ἡ ξηρὰ καὶ ἄψυχος ἔπαρσις, ἡ κενὴ καὶ ἐπίγειος δόξα, ἀρθήτω ἀφ᾿ ἡμῶν. Ὁ γὰρ τῶν ἀρετῶν καὶ δοτὴρ καὶ ταμίας ὑπογραμμὸν ἡμῖν καταλιμπάνων, φησί · « Δόξαν παρ᾿ ἀνθρώπων οὐ ζητῶ.» Θεοῦ γάρ ἐστι δόσις ἡ δόξα · εἰ καὶ οἱ ποιηταὶ τῶν ὀνομάτων τῇ ἐνταῦθα σκιᾷ τὴν κλῆσιν ἐκείνην ἐπέθηκαν.","t":"To Orion. [On vainglory.] Flattering pomp, dry and soulless pride, empty and earthly glory, let it be taken away from us. For the giver and steward of virtues, leaving us a pattern, says: \"I do not seek glory from men.\" For glory is God's gift, even if the makers of names put that name upon the shadow here.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.374 (PG 78 78:393; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-374)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.375":{"o":"ΚΥΡΩ.\nΠερὶ πενίας. Εἱ λυπεῖ ἡ πενία, ἐξουδένωται ἡ θεία νομοθεσία, • Μακάριοι, φάσκουσα, οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι, ὅτι αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.» Εἰ τοίνυν ταύτης οὐκ ἀντεχόμεθα, εὔδηλον, ὡς κἀκείνης οὐκ ἐφιέμεθα· εἰ δὲ ἐκείνην εὐχαρίστως δεχόμεθα, καὶ ταύτης εἴκωμεν τοῖς προστάγμασι.","t":"To Cyrus. [On poverty.] If poverty grieves us, the divine legislation is set at naught, which says: \"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.\" If, then, we do not hold to this, it is clear that we do not desire that either; but if we welcome that gratefully, let us yield to this one's commands too.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.375 (PG 78 78:395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-375)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.376":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ\nΠερὶ πενίας. Ἡ τοῦ ἄρτου ἔνδεια οὐκ ἔστι λιμὸς, καὶ ἐσθημάτων ἀπορία, οὐ γυμνότης. Ὁ γὰρ τριχοφόρος Βαπτιστὴς, καὶ ὁ τοῦ πλουσίου θυρωρός, ὁ πείνῃ καὶ γυμνώσει τακεὶς, εἰς τὴν ἄληκτον καὶ ἀπέραντον ἀναστρέφονται καὶ θάλπονται βασιλείαν. Ὁ δὲ πλουτῶν ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ βρωμάτων, καὶ ἐνδύματι βύσσου, γέενναν ἔχει, καὶ τὸ ταύτης πῦρ περιβόλαιον.","t":"To the same. [On poverty.] Lack of bread is not famine, and lack of clothing is not nakedness. For the hair-clad Baptist and the rich man's doorkeeper, wasted by hunger and nakedness, dwell and are warmed in the unceasing and boundless kingdom; while the one who was rich in the gladness of foods and in clothing of fine linen has Gehenna, and its fire as his garment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.376 (PG 78 78:395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-376)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.377":{"o":"ΟΛΥΜΠΙΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΕἰς τὴν γέννησιν τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Τῷ ὑπερφυεῖ καὶ ἀνεκλαλήτῳ τόκῳ πάντα ὑπερφυῆ ἡκολούθησαν, ἡ τοῦ ἀγγέλου διακονία, ἡ Ἰωάννου πρὸ τῆς γεννήσεως λειτουργία, τὸ ἄσπορον τῆς συλλήψεως, τὸ ἄφθορον τῆς κυήσεως. Τούτων ὁμοίαν καὶ τὴν τοῦ ἀστέρος ἔσχηκεν ὑπουργίαν πρὸς τὴν τῶν μάγων ὁδηγίαν, οὐ τῇ συνήθει χρησαμένου πορείᾳ, ἀλλὰ παράδοξον καινοτομήσαντος δρόμον, δι' οὗ καὶ τοὺς σοφοὺς τῶν τοιούτων ἐπιστήμονας ἐξέπληξε μάγους, πρὸς μακρὰν πείσας στείλασθαι","t":"To Olympius the count. [On the birth of Christ.] On the supernatural and unspeakable birth all things followed supernaturally: the angel's ministry, John's service before his birth, the seedless conception, the incorrupt childbearing. Like these was the star's service in guiding the Magi, not keeping its usual course but innovating a strange path, by which it astonished even the magi, wise in such things, and persuaded them to set out on a long journey.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.377 (PG 78 78:395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-377)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.378":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ ὁδηγήσαντος ἀστέρος τοὺς μάγους. Τὸ ἐν τῇ θείᾳ πτυκτῇ περὶ τοῦ ἀστέρος φερόμενον, « Ἐλθὼν ἔστη ἐπάνω οὗ ἦν τὸ παιδίον, » ἐμφανέστερον ὑποδείξει σοι, οὐ τὴν συνήθη τῶν ἄστρων πορείαν ποιησάμενον τὸν εὐαγγελιστὴν τοῦ θείου τόκου ἀστέρα (οὐδὲ γὰρ ἡ τοῦ ὕψους διάστασις, εὐχερῆ ἐποίει τοῦ ζητουμένου τὴν εὔρεσιν), ἀλλ᾽ ἑτέραν τινὰ καινοτέραν ἐκείνης, ὡς δακτύλῳ τῷ ἐξηλλαγμένῳ δρόμῳ μηνύουσαν, τὸ τε ἅγιον ἄντρον, καὶ τὴν ἐν αὐτῷ Κυριοφόρον καὶ σεβάσμιον φάτνην.","t":"To the same. [On the star that guided the Magi.] What is recorded in the divine tablet about the star, \"It came and stood over where the child was,\" will show you more clearly that the star which announced the divine birth did not keep the usual course of the stars (for the distance of the height would not have made finding what was sought easy), but another, newer course, pointing out as with a finger, by its changed path, both the holy cave and the venerable manger in it that bore the Lord.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.378 (PG 78 78:395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-378)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.379":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΕἰ μὲν τῆς θείας τυγχάνεις ἀγέλης, ἡ θεία Γραφὴ παιδευέτω σε, μὴ ἄκριτα εἶναι τὰ ἐνταῦθα πραττόμενα, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἡμέραν φρικτὴν ἐξετάσεως φυλαττόμενα. Εἰ δὲ τῆς Ἰουδαίων μερίδος, Ησαΐας ὁ μεγαλοφρονέστατος διδαξάτω σε, ὅτι ἥξει Κύριος ὡς πῦρ, καὶ ὡς καταιγὶς τὰ ἅρματα αὐτοῦ, ἀποδοῦναι ἐκδίκησιν ἐν θυμῷ, καὶ ἀποσκορακισμὸν ἐν φλογὶ πυρός. Εἰ δὲ Ἑλληνικῆς [τινος] συμμορίας ἢ θρησκείας ὑπάρχεις ἐραστὴς, καὶ τῇ προσπαθείᾳ τὴν ἀληθῆ περιφρονεῖς ἐπαγγελίαν, Πλάτων σε καὶ οἱ ἐκείνου Κωκυτοὶ καὶ Πυριφλεγέθοντες καὶ τὰ ῥόθια τῶν πυριπνόων ποταμῶν σωφρονιζέτωσαν κύματα.","t":"To Maron. If you belong to the divine flock, let divine Scripture teach you that what is done here does not go unjudged but is kept for the dreadful day of examination. If you belong to the party of the Jews, let Isaiah, the most great-minded, teach you that \"the Lord will come as fire, and his chariots as a whirlwind, to render vengeance in wrath and rebuke in flame of fire.\" If you are a lover of some Greek company or religion, and in your partiality despise the true promise, let Plato and his Cocytuses and Pyriphlegethons and the roaring waves of fire-breathing rivers chasten you.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.379 (PG 78 78:395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-379)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.38":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙ.\nΕἰ τῆς Χριστοῦ βασιλείας ἀντιποιῇ, ἣν ἡ ἄφθαρτος διαμονή στεφανοῖ, καὶ ἔπαθλον τῆς φθαρτῆς τοῖς χρηστῶς αὐτὴν διέπουσιν ἔθηκεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἡμερότητι κίρνα τὴν ἐξουσίαν, καὶ δέοντι σκορπισμῷ τὸ βάρος κούφιζε τοῦ πλούτου · οὔτε γὰρ σώζεται βασιλεὺς διὰ πολλὴν δύναμιν, οὔτε εἰδωλολατρίας ἐκφεύγει ἀσέβειαν ὁ τοῦ ῥέοντος πλούτου φειδόμενος. - ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟ ΕΥΝΟΥΧΩ ΠΑΛΑΤΙΟΥ. Χρή σε τὰς ἱερὰς ἀναπτύσσοντα Βίβλους, καὶ τῇ αὐτῶν ἐγκαρτεροῦντα, ὡς φασιν, ἀναγνώσει, τὴν κατὰ τὸν θαυμάσιον Δανιὴλ ἱστορίαν εἰδέναι, ὅτι μέσος τοῦ κλύδωνος τῆς πλάνης ἱστάμενος, οὐδὲν ὑπέμεινε πάθος αἰχμάλωτον οὐδὲ μέχρι σιτίων τῶν κοινῶν εἰς μετάληψιν, καὶ μὴ κοινούντων κατὰ περίστασιν τοὺς μετέχοντας. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ οὐ μόνον διάκονος τυγχάνεις τῆς βασιλείας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄγεις αὐτὴν καθὼς βούλει, σπεῦσον ἀναῤῥῶσαι τὸ δίκαιον καταπεσὸν πρὸς ἀσθένειαν, ἢ μᾶλλον πρὸς αὐτὸν ὑπάρχον τὸν θάνατον, ἵνα τὸ δίκαιον εὕρῃς εὐμενὲς δικαστήριον, εἰ καὶ νῦν αὐτοῦ πολλάκις σοι ἐνθύμησις οὐχ ὑπέρχεται, ὑπὸ τῆς ὑπερφυοῦς φαντασίας ἐπτοημένῳ. Κτίζεις, ὥς φασιν, ἐκκλησίαν ἐν Πηλουσίῳ, λαμπρὰν μὲν τοῖς μηχανήμασι, πονηροῖς δὲ τοῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασι, χειροτονιῶν τιμήμασι, καὶ ἀδικίαις, καὶ ὕβρεσιν καὶ πενήτων ἐκπιεσμοῖς, καὶ πτωχικοῖς δαπανήμασιν, ὅπερ οὐδέν ἐστιν ἕτερον, ἢ οἰκοδομεῖν Σιὼν ἐν αἴμασι, καὶ Ἱερουσαλήμ ἐν ἀδικίαις. Οὐ χρήζει δὲ ὁ Θεὸς ἐξ ἀλλοτρίων θυσίαν ἀλλὰ ταύτην ὡς θυόμενον κύνα μυσάττεται · παῦσαι τοίνυν καὶ κτίζων καὶ ἀδικῶν, ἵνα μὴ εἰς ἔλεγχόν σοι ὑπὸ Θεοῦ ὁ οἶκος ἐκεῖνος εὑρεθῇ · μετέωρος μὲν ἱστάμενος, καταβυῶν δὲ σου αἰώνια, ἐξ οἴων ἐκτίσθη κακῶν, καὶ τοὺς ἐστερημένους μισθοὺς ἀπαντῶν, καὶ τὴν ἄμυναν τῶν βλαβέντων ζητῶν.","t":"To Theodosius the emperor. If you lay claim to the kingdom of Christ, which incorruptible permanence crowns and which God has set as the prize for those who govern the corruptible kingdom well, temper your power with gentleness and lighten the weight of wealth by fitting distribution. For a king is not saved by great power, nor does he who spares flowing wealth escape the impiety of idolatry. [Another letter] To Antiochus, eunuch of the palace. You who unroll the sacred Books and persevere, as they say, in reading them, ought to know the story of the admirable Daniel: that standing in the midst of the surge of error he suffered no captive's weakness, not even so far as partaking of the common food, food which in his circumstances would not have defiled those who shared it. And since you are not only a servant of the empire but even steer it as you wish, hasten to restore justice, which has fallen into weakness, or rather lies at the point of death itself, so that you may find in justice a favorable tribunal, even if now the thought of it seldom comes to you, flustered as you are by your extraordinary fancy. You are building, as they say, a church in Pelusium, splendid in its workmanship but wicked in its practices: the price of ordinations, injustices, insults, the squeezing of the poor and money that belongs to the poor. That is nothing other than building Zion with blood and Jerusalem with injustice. God does not need a sacrifice from what belongs to others; he loathes it like a dog offered in sacrifice. Stop, then, both building and wronging, so that that house may not be found by God to convict you, standing on high but crying out against you forever from what evils it was built, demanding the wages that were withheld, and seeking vengeance for those who were harmed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.38 (PG 78 78:203; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-38)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.380":{"o":"ΚΛΕΟΒΟΥΛΟ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΕἰς τὸ, ε Ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος. Ἡ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἐπίτασις ἀναγκάζει ὥσπερ τὴν θείαν καὶ ἀπαθῆ φύσιν ἐκ τῆς κατὰ φύσιν ἀγαθότητος, εἰς τὴν παρὰ φύσιν χωρεῖν ὀργὴν, εὐφρονέστατε, αὐτῇ μὲν ἀβούλητον, ἡμῖν δὲ κἂν οὕτως συμφέρουσαν. Τοῦτο καὶ Ἰουδαίοις λέγει ὁ Κύριος· • Ποσάκις ἠθέλησα ἐπισυναγαγεῖν ὑμᾶς, καὶ οὐκ ἠθελήσατε! Ἰδοὺ, ἀφίεται ὑμῖν ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος. · Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ, φησὶν, οὐ δέχεσθε τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν, ἐπιγνώσεσθε τὴν ἐξουσίαν διὰ τῆς τιμωρίας.","t":"To Cleobulus the count. [On \"Behold, your house is left to you desolate.\"] The intensity of sins forces, as it were, the divine and passionless nature from its natural goodness into an unnatural anger, most sensible man, which is unwilled by it, but even so profitable to us. This the Lord also says to the Jews: \"How often I wished to gather you, and you would not! Behold, your house is left to you desolate.\" For since, he says, you do not accept my love for mankind, you will recognize my authority through punishment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.380 (PG 78 78:397; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-380)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.381":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ.\nΚάλλιστον μὲν τὸ μὴ ἁμαρτεῖν, καὶ πρὸς Θεὸν ἔχον ἐγγύτητα · καλὸν δὲ καὶ τὸν ἁμαρτόντα γνωσιμαχῆσαι, καὶ ταχέως ἐξαναστῆναι τοῦ πτώματος. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν τοῦ προτέρου, ὡς ἀδυνάτου πάντως διήμαρτες, τοῦ δευτέρου, ὡς δυνατοῦ καὶ ῥᾳδίου ἐπιμελήθητι, μήποτέ σε ἡ τύραννος αἰχμαλωτεύσῃ ἀπόγνωσις","t":"To Martinianus. It is best not to sin, and that has nearness to God; but it is also good for one who has sinned to admit it and rise quickly from the fall. Since, then, you have missed the first as altogether impossible, take care of the second as possible and easy, lest tyrannical despair take you captive.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.381 (PG 78 78:397; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-381)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.382":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ ΚΑΙ ΖΩΣΙΜΟ.\nΕἰ μὲν ἐνεποίουν ὑμῖν ἁμαρτήματα ὁ κωλύων τὰ πολλὰ ἁμαρτήματα, [ὦ] ἀτίθασσοι καὶ ἀνάλγητοι, εἰκότως τὰς πρὸς ὑμᾶς μου διαλέξεις ἀπεστρέφεσθε, συγγενῆ μᾶλλον τὴν τῶν χρηστῶν ἐπιθυμίαν ἔχοντες, ἐξ οὗπερ ἴδιόν τι Θεὸς ἡμῖν ἐνεφύσησεν. Εἰ δὲ ἔλεγχός εἰσι τῶν οὐ καλῶν ὑμῶν πράξεων, ὡς ἔσοπτρον αἰσχρῷ καὶ ἰατρὸς ἀσθενοῦντι εὑρίσκομαι. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ, ὅτι τῆς κακίστης αὐτὸν ὑπομιμνήσκει μορφῆς, φεύγει τὸ ἔσοπτρον· ὁ δὲ, ὅτι τέμνει ἢ καίει τὸ πάθος, τὸν ἰατρὸν οὐκ ἀσμενίζει. Ἢ τοίνυν ἀλλάξατε τὴν δυσμορφίαν, καὶ ἀνακαλέσασθε τὴν ὑγίειαν, ἡ μέχρι παντὸς ὑμῖν ἔσοπτρον καὶ ἰατρὸς ἔσομαι.","t":"To the same and Zosimus. If he who hinders your many sins produced sins in you, you untamed and unfeeling men, you would rightly turn away from my words to you, having a desire for good things that is rather akin to you, from the breath of something of his own which God breathed into us. But if they are a reproof of your bad deeds, I am found like a mirror to an ugly man and a physician to a sick one. For the one flees the mirror because it reminds him of his ugliest form; the other does not welcome the physician because he cuts or burns the disease. Either change, then, your ugliness and recover your health, or I will be a mirror and a physician to you forever.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.382 (PG 78 78:397; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-382)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.383":{"o":"ΦΙΛΑΓΡΙΩ.\nΠερὶ γαστριμαργίας. Ἡ περιττὴ μετάληψις, οὐ βρῶσις, ἀλλὰ κόρος καὶ ἔστι καὶ καλεῖται. Κόρος δὲ, ὕβρεως πατήρ· ὕβρις δὲ, παθῶν, ὡς ἐν ἐρήμῳ πάλαι γεγενῆσθαι ἱστόρηται. Ἐχορτάσθησαν γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ ἀνέστησαν παίζειν. Ἵνα τοίνυν μὴ παίξωμεν ἀκρασίαν, δι' ἧς καὶ Θεοῦ κινδυνεύεται λήθη, τὸν αἴτιον τούτων χαλινώσωμεν κόρον, βρώσει ἀναγκαίᾳ καὶ ἐμμέτρῳ προσέχοντες, δι᾿ ἧς καὶ ἡ δύναμις προσέσται τῷ ὀνόματι, καὶ ἰσχὺν οὐχ ἕξει τῆς γαστριμάργου μέθης ὁ πόλεμος.","t":"To Philagrius. [On gluttony.] Excessive eating is not food but surfeit, both in fact and in name. Surfeit is the father of insolence, and insolence of passions, as is recorded to have happened long ago in the desert: \"They were filled,\" it says, \"and rose up to play.\" So that we may not play at intemperance, through which even forgetfulness of God is risked, let us bridle surfeit, the cause of these things, attending to necessary and measured food, through which strength too will be added to the name, and the war of gluttonous drunkenness will have no force.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.383 (PG 78 78:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-383)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.384":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΓαστριμαργία κέκληται, ὦ φιλότης, ἡ περιττότης. Γαστριμαργία δὲ ἐστιν, ἡ περὶ γαστέρα μανία. Ἐπεὶ μάργος ὁ μεμηνώς. Τοῦ χάριν [οὖν] τὴν ἔμμετρον καὶ εὐχάριστον τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ δωρεῶν ἀφιέντες μετάληψιν, τὸ μεμηνέναι περὶ τὰ πέμματα καὶ τὰς ὀψαρτυτικάς ματαιοτεχνίας σπουδάζομεν, οὐκ εἰς τροφὴν συντελούσας, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς πάθη ἐκβακχευούσας;","t":"To the same. Excess, my friend, is called gastrimargia; and gastrimargia is madness about the belly, since margos means mad. Why, then, do we abandon the measured and thankful partaking of God's gifts and strive to be mad about cakes and the vain arts of cookery, which contribute nothing to nourishment but rave into passions?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.384 (PG 78 78:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-384)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.385":{"o":"ΛΥΣΙΜΑΧΩ.\n( λῶς ἔχειν, ἐγχεῖν οἶνον, τῶν ὑγρῶν τὸ θερμότατον, Ασθενοῦντι στομάχῳ ὀλίγον ἐπιδίδοσθαι οἶνον, ὁ σοφὸς ἐδίδαξε Παῦλος, μὴ δι᾽ ὑπερβολὴν ἑτέρας δεηθείη ἡ ἀμετρία ὑδροποσίας· τῷ δὲ ὑγιαίνοντι καὶ ζέοντι ἡλικίᾳ, καὶ ταῦτα μοναχῷ, οὗ μοι δοκεῖ και οἷον πυρὶ ἐπικαίοντας πῦρ. Ἐξ οὗ ὁρμαί τε ἄγριαι καὶ ἐπιθυμίαι φλεγμαίνουσαι ἀνακαίονται · καὶ προπέτεια ἀναζέουσα, δυσηνίους ἀποτελεῖ τοὺς ἀθλητὰς τῆς πραότητος.","t":"To Lysimachus. The wise Paul taught that a little wine should be given to a weak stomach, lest through excess the immoderate drinking of water need another remedy. But for one who is healthy and boiling with youth, and a monk besides, it does not seem to me good to pour in wine, the hottest of liquids, like adding fire to fire. From it wild impulses and inflamed desires are kindled, and boiling rashness makes the athletes of gentleness hard to rein.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.385 (PG 78 78:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-385)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.386":{"o":"ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΟ.\nΠερὶ προσευχῆς· Προσευχὴ οὐ ῥήμασι ψιλοῖς, ἀλλὰ πράγμασι μᾶλλον χρηστοῖς κατευθύνεται. \"Ὅρα γὰρ τὸν θειότατον Δαβὶδ κατὰ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀκακίαν ζητοῦντα κριθῆναι, καὶ τὸν εὐσεβέστατον Ἐζεκίαν, τὴν οἰκείαν εὐλάβειαν προσάγοντα ἱκέτιν, καὶ τὰς χήρας τὰς ἐν Ἰόππῃ τοῖς τῆς τεθνεώσης κατορθώμασι πρεσβευταῖς κεχρημένας. Εἰ οὕτως τὴν δέησίν σου πληρώσειας, εὐθυπορήσει πρὸς Θεὸν, καὶ ἐξοίσει ὡς φῶς τὴν δικαιοσύνην σου, καὶ τὸ κρῖμά σου ὡς μεσημβρίαν. ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Εἰ καὶ τρανοτέρας ἔφης δεῖσθαι σαφηνείας, λευκότερον αὖθις λελέξεται. Ζητεῖς γενέσθαι σοι τὸν Θεὸν βοηθόν; δρα εἰ χρήζοντι δυνηθεὶς ἐβοήθησας. Αἰτεῖς πλοῦτον προστεθῆναί σοι παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ; βλέπε εἰ τὸν ὄντα χρηστῶς ᾠκονόμησας. Θέλεις φαίνεσθαί σοι τὸν κριτὴν εὐμενῆ; ἀμνησίκακος ἔσο ἐχθροῖς. Βούλει φιλανθρωπίας τυχεῖν; συγχώρει τοῖς ὑπευθύνοις αὐτός. Καλὸν γὰρ ἀμοιβῇ σώζεσθαι καὶ ὀφλήματι, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἑκάστοτε χάριτι · ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀγνώμονος.","t":"To a scholasticus. [On prayer.] Prayer is directed aright not by bare words but rather by good deeds. See the most divine David asking to be judged according to his innocence, and the most pious Hezekiah bringing his own reverence as a suppliant, and the widows in Joppa using the dead woman's good works as intercessors. If you fulfil your petition so, it will go straight to God, and he will bring forth your righteousness as light and your judgment as the noonday. [Letter 1.387] To the same. Since you said you needed a clearer explanation, it will be said more plainly again. Do you seek to have God as your helper? See whether you helped one in need when you could. Do you ask for wealth to be added to you by him? Look whether you managed well what you have. Do you wish the judge to appear gracious to you? Bear no grudge against your enemies. Do you wish to obtain love for mankind? Forgive those liable to you yourself. For it is good to be saved by return and as a debt, and not every time by favor alone; which is the mark of an ungrateful man.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.386 (PG 78 78:399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-386)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.388":{"o":"ΚΑΠΙΤΩΛΙΝΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ νέον Δωὴκ ὁ παμφόρος χρόνος ἐξέβρασσεν · ἀλλὰ σὲ Σαούλ γενέσθαι ἱεροκτόνον οὐκ εὔχομαι. Ἱερεὺς γὰρ ἀκατηγόρητον τὴν πρὸς πάντας ἰσότητα ὀφείλει κεκτῆσθαι, οἷα Θεοῦ λειτουργὸς, τοῦ πᾶσιν ὄντος ἀγαθοῦ. Παῦσαι τοίνυν φλεγμαίνων κατὰ τοῦ γέροντος δύο λαμπρὰ κατορθώσαντος, καὶ σὲ ἀνομῆσαι κωλύσαντος, καὶ ἄνθρωπον κινδυνεύοντα σώσαντος.","t":"To Capitolinus. Even if all-bearing time has cast up a new Doeg, I do not pray that you become a Saul, a killer of priests. For a priest ought to have an irreproachable equality toward all, as minister of God, who is good to all. Stop, then, raging against the old man who did two brilliant things: kept you from transgressing and saved a man in danger.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.388 (PG 78 78:401; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-388)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.389":{"o":"ΘΗΡΑΣΙΩ.\nΠερὶ ἱερέων. Ἡδέως ἄν σε ἠρόμην τὸν φιλοσκώμμονα, καὶ πικρὸν ἡμῶν δικαστὴν, εἴ σε βασιλεὺς πρὸς ἔπαλξιν ἔθετο, καὶ πύργου πόλεως φύλακα, ὑπωρύσσετο δὲ οὗτος καὶ ἐτινάσσετο, ὥστε βάσιμον ποιῆσαι τὴν πόλιν ἐχθροῖς αὐτοῦ, οὐκ ἂν πᾶσιν ἐχρήσω άμυντηρίοις οἷς τε εἶχες ἀποκειμένοις, οἷς τε ἐφευρίσκειν ἠπόρεις, εἴργων καὶ βάλλων, καὶ τὴν ἐγχείρησιν τρέπων, τῇ τε πόλει καὶ σαυτῷ ποιῶν τὸ ἀκίνδυνον, καὶ βασιλεῖ τηρῶν τὸ εὐάρεστον; Ἡμῖν δὲ νεμεσᾷς, οὓς Θεὸς τῆς αὐτῆς Ἐκκλησίας προύστήσατο διδασκάλους, ὅτι ᾿Αρείῳ μαχόμεθα, μὴ μόνον πολεμοῦντι τῇ ποίμνῃ τῆς εὐσεβείας, ἀλλ᾽ ἤδη καὶ πολλοὺς ἀνῃρηκότι. Ἐμοὶ μὲν οὖν ἅπας καταπεφρόνηται κίνδυνος ὑπὲρ τούτου, καὶ πάντα μᾶλλον πράττων παυσαίμην, ἢ ἐκεῖνον, ὅση δύναμις, παίων. Ἀκοαί με σκληραὶ ἐξετάραξαν, ἀπευκτά τινα ἀπαγγείλασαι. Φασί σε τινες οὕτω μεμηνέναι, καὶ τῆς φρενὸς ἐκτετράφθαι, ὥστε βούλεσθαι, τὸ παιδίον ἐκεῖνο τὸ πάσης παιδείας γενόμενον παρὰ Θεοῦ δεκτικὸν, εἰς ὅπλα ἀγαγεῖν, καὶ στρατείαν εἴωνον καὶ κατάπτυστον, καὶ θανάτου τυγχάνουσαν παίγνιον. Εἰ τοίνυν μὴ πάντὴ τῶν λογισμῶν ζημίαν ὑπέμεινας, ἀπόστηθι τῆς ἀκρίτου βουλῆς· · μὴ σβέσῃς λύχνον, καλῶς ἀναφθῆναι σπουδάζοντα· ἀλλὰ τοῖς λόγοις [τῷ λογικῷ] προσκαρτερεῖν παραχώρησον. Ἐκείνην δὲ τὴν ἀξίαν, ἢ μᾶλλον τιμωρίαν, ἄλλοις τισὶν ἀγύρταις προξένει, οἷς ἡ κοινὴ συνήρμοσται ἀλογία. ΔΟΜΕΣΤΙΩ ΙΑΤΡΟ. Τέχνην ἐπαγέλλῃ φιλόσοφον, γνώμην δὲ μετέρχῃ κακόσχολον, μικρὰ θεραπεύων τραυμάτια, μεγάλα δὲ νοσῶν ἐξελκώματα. Εἰ τοίνυν ἰατρὸς βούλει φανῆναι τῷ πράγματι, σαυτοῦ τὸν τρόπον θεράπευσον. Ψυχρὸν γὰρ καὶ γελοῖον καὶ ἄχαρι, ἄλλους πειρᾶσθαι ἰᾶσθαι, ἑαυτὸν δὲ παρορᾶν ἀσθενοῦντα.","t":"To Therasius. [On priests.] I would gladly ask you, who love to mock and are our bitter judge: if the emperor had set you on the battlements and as guard of a city tower, and this tower were being undermined and shaken so as to make the city passable for his enemies, would you not use every defense, both those you had in store and those you were at a loss to devise, holding off and striking and turning back the attempt, securing the city and yourself from danger and keeping the emperor's favor? Yet you are indignant with us, whom God set over the same church as teachers, because we fight Arius, who is not only warring on the flock of godliness but has already killed many. For my part I have despised every danger for this, and would sooner stop doing anything else than stop striking him with all my strength. [Another letter] Harsh reports have troubled me, announcing dreadful things. Some say that you are so mad and out of your mind as to wish to lead into arms that boy, who has become receptive from God of every instruction, and into a cheap and contemptible soldiering, which is death's plaything. If, then, you have not entirely lost your reason, give up this thoughtless plan; do not quench a lamp eager to be well lit, but allow him to persevere in learning. That rank, or rather punishment, procure for some other vagabonds, to whom common unreason is suited. [Another letter] To Domestius the physician. You profess a philosophical art, but pursue a perverse mind, healing small wounds while sick with great ulcers. If, then, you wish to appear a physician in fact, heal your own character. For it is cold, laughable and graceless to try to heal others while overlooking oneself when sick.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.389 (PG 78 78:401; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-389)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.39":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΠρὸς ἱερεῖς βιοῦντας κακῶς· καὶ ὅτι διὰ τῆς τούτων κακοπραγίας ἡ τοῦ Χριστοῦ διασύρεται οἰκονομία, καὶ βλασφημεῖται τὰ τῆς θειοτάτης θρησκείας. Ξένον τι καὶ ἀλλόκοτον εἶναί σε θηρίον πάντες κωμῳδοῦσιν, οὔτε τραπέζῃ κολακευόμενον, οὔτε δεσμοῖς ἀγάπης κρατούμενον, οὔτε τῇ τυράννου συνηθείᾳ χειρούμενον, καὶ τοιαύτην ὕβριν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ ἐπισυρόμενον. Η τοίνυν ἄρνησαι τὸ ἀτίθασσον, καὶ ἀντὶ θηρίου φάνηθι ἄνθρωπος, ἢ παῦσον τὴν κατὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας λοιδορίαν, σαυτὸν εἴργων τῆς φρικτῆς λειτουργίας.","t":"To Maron. [To priests who live badly; and that through their wickedness the dispensation of Christ is reviled and the things of the most divine religion are blasphemed.] Everyone mocks you as a strange and outlandish beast: one that is neither tamed by a table nor held by bonds of love nor subdued by familiarity like a tyrant's, and that drags such outrage onto the altar. Either renounce your untameness and show yourself a man instead of a beast, or stop the reviling of the church by keeping yourself away from the dread liturgy.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.39 (PG 78 78:205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-39)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.390":{"o":"ΔΟΣΙΘΕΩ ΑΡΧΙΜΑΝΔΡΙΤΗ.\nΠερὶ μοναχῶν διακόνων. Αἱ τῶν βρωμάτων διακονίαι πολλοῖς ὑπῆρξαν αἴτιαι γαστριμαργίας. Οὐ πάντες γὰρ νηφόντως προσέρχονται τῷ ἀγῶνι. Τὸν ἀδελφὸν οὖν ᾿Αμβρόσιον ἀπόστησον τῆς τῶν ξένων ὑπηρεσίας, μὴ ξενώσῃς αὐτὸν σαυτοῦ δι' ἐκείνης","t":"To Dositheus the archimandrite. [On monks who serve.] Serving food has been a cause of gluttony for many; for not all come to the contest soberly. So remove brother Ambrose from serving the guests, lest you make him a stranger to himself through it …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.390 (PG 78 78:403; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-390)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.391":{"o":"ΚΥΡΙΛΛΩ.\nἩ τοῦ πρώτου θαύματος ποίησις, ἁπλῆ τῷ Κυρίῳ οὐ γέγονεν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τῷ γάμῳ τὴν χρείαν παρέσχετο, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ νόμῳ τὸ λεῖπον ἐπλήρωσεν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ἐν ὕδασι μόνον ἐβάπτιζεν, αὐτὸς τῷ οἰκείῳ αἵματι ἐτελείωσε, κιρνῶν ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὰ ἀμφότερα, καὶ ἑνῶν τὸν νόμον τῇ χάριτι.","t":"To Cyril. The working of the first miracle was not a simple thing for the Lord. For though he supplied the need of the wedding, he also filled up what was lacking to the law. For since the law baptized only in waters, he perfected it by his own blood, mixing both in himself and uniting the law with grace.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.391 (PG 78 78:403; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-391)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.392":{"o":"ΕΚΔΙΚΙΩ.\nΟἱ βόες μὴ κημούμενοι, προθυμότερον τὸν ἅμητον κατεργάζονται· τῶν δὲ πόνων μετέχειν κωλυόμενοι, ἀργοῦσε καὶ ἀποτρέπονται. Καὶ διδάσκαλοι ἀπειθείᾳ μὴ ὑβριζόμενοι, περιχαρῶς τῶν κόπων ἀνέχονται, καρπὸν δὲ τῶν πονηθέντων μὴ βλέποντες, ὀκνοῦσι διδάσκειν ἀνόνητα. Εἰ τοίνυν βούλει μαθεῖν ἃ νῦν πάλιν ἠρώτησας, δεῖξον ἔργῳ ἃ πρότερον ἔμαθες. Εἰ δὲ φαίνῃ ἐκεῖνα μὴ ἐπιστάμενος, εἰς τί κέρδος καὶ ταῦτά σοι σαφηνίσομεν;","t":"To Ecdicius. Oxen not muzzled work the harvest more eagerly; but when prevented from sharing in the toils, they are idle and turn away. Teachers too, when not insulted by disobedience, bear their labors joyfully; but when they see no fruit of their toil, they hesitate to teach to no profit. If, then, you wish to learn what you have asked again, show in deed what you learned before. But if you appear not to know that, for what gain should we explain this to you?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.392 (PG 78 78:403; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-392)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.393":{"o":"ΑΥΣΟΝΙΟ ΚΟΡΡΙΚΤΩΡΙ.\nΧαλκῇ μὲν εἰκόνι βασιλεύς σε ἡμείψατο, χρυσῷ στιλβώσας τὸ γέρας πρὸς ἔκλαμψιν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ τούτου λαμπρότερον εἶδε τῶν ἀγαθῶν σοι πόνων φιλοτιμήσασθαι ἔπαθλον. Ὅσα δὲ τὴν ἐνταῦθα φθοράν ὑπερβέβηκε, Χριστὸς ἐκεῖθεν φυλάττει σοι, ἀκήρατον ζωὴν, ἀπέραντον τρυφὴν, καὶ δόξαν ἀΐδιον, οἷς οὐκ ἔστιν ἀλλοίωσις.","t":"To Ausonius the corrector. The emperor has rewarded you with a bronze statue, polishing the honor with gold for brilliance; for he saw no prize more splendid than this to bestow on your good labors. But all that surpasses the corruption here Christ keeps for you there: pure life, boundless delight and everlasting glory, in which there is no change.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.393 (PG 78 78:403; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-393)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.394":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΤὸν Ἀβραμιαῖον ᾿Αβράμιον ἐγώ σοι τοῦτον συνίστημι ἀπ᾿ ἐμαυτοῦ, εἰ καὶ κρείττονα. Φέρει δὲ ὁ ἀνὴρ ὑβριζόμενος δι' ἀγάπην ἐμοὶ συγκρινόμενος. Ἔχε τοῦτον τιμῶν. Ἔχει γὰρ τέχνην ἔκ Θεοῦ, καὶ πῦρ νεότητος μαραίνειν εἰδυῖαν, καὶ παίδευσιν ζῶσαν τῇ νεκρᾷ ἐπεισαγαγεῖν. Εἰ θαύματα ἦν τὰ θρυλλούμενα, καὶ τῇ εἰς Θεὸν ἐλπίδι κατώρθωντο, ἔμενεν ἂν μέχρι παντὸς μὴ τρεπόμενα. Εἰ δὲ φάσματα μαγγανείαις γενόμενα, μήτε στηκέτω, μήτε δυνάσθω. Πάντα γὰρ τὰ ἐξ ἀνθρωπίνων καινουργούμενα, ταχινὴν ἔχει κατάλυσιν, ὅτε τῇ θείᾳ χάριτι μὴ φυλάττεται. Καινοῖς τινες λόγοις τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἠπάτησαν, τὸν ἐκ Τυάνων εἰσαγαγόντες Απολλώνιον, πολλαχόσε πολλὰ τελεσάμενον, ἐπ᾿ ἀσφαλείᾳ, φησὶ, τῆς οἰκήσεως. ᾿Αλλ' οὐδὲν ἔχουσι δεῖξαι παρ' ἐκείνου γενόμενον. Οἱ γὰρ καὶ λόγους ψιλοὺς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀναγράψαντες, καὶ πάντα τὰ κατ᾿ αὐτὸν ἀκριβώσαντες, οὐκ ἂν τὰς θρυλλουμένας παρέλιπον πράξεις. Ἔχεις δὲ τὸν Φιλόστρατον ἀκριβῶς τὰ ἐκείνου ἐκθέμενον. Καὶ μάνθανε ὡς σαφῆ συκοφαντίαν μαγγανειῶν, ἐχθροὶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, ὡς εἰκὸς, κατεσκεύασαν.","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. I commend to you this Abramius, a true son of Abraham, as from myself, though he is better. The man bears insults for love, being compared with me. Keep him and honor him; for he has an art from God that knows how to wither the fire of youth and to bring living instruction into the dead. [Another letter] If the wonders spoken of were real, and had been achieved by hope in God, they would have remained unchanged forever. But if they were apparitions produced by sorcery, let them neither stand nor have power. For all things contrived by human means have a swift dissolution, when they are not preserved by divine grace. Some have deceived people with novel stories, bringing in Apollonius of Tyana, who, they say, performed many things in many places for the security of the inhabitants. But they can show nothing done by him. For those who recorded even the bare sayings of the man and set out everything about him exactly would not have left out the much-talked-of deeds. You have Philostratus, who set out his life exactly. And learn that his enemies, as is likely, fabricated a clear slander of sorcery.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.394 (PG 78 78:403; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-394)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.395":{"o":"ΚΑΝΔΙΔΩ.\n\"ὅτι τῶν πολλῶν βιβλίων ἡ κτῆσις τοῖς μὲν κεχρημένοις ὠφέλιμος· τοῖς δὲ μόνῃ τῇ τούτων κτήσει πλουτεῖν οἰομένοις, ἐσχάτης τιμωρίας γίνεται πρόξενος. Σἴτὸν τις γεωργήσας κατέκλεισε, καὶ μὴ δοὺς τοῖς πολίταις δεομένοις, ἀπώλετο, λίθοις βληθεὶς, καὶ πυρὶ τεφρωθείς· εἰ ἐκεῖνος οἰκεῖα συγκλείσας γεώργια, ὡς κοινὰ συνέχων ἠφάνιστο· σὺ μηδὲν [μὲν] ἴδιον λογικὸν κεκτημένος, πολλῶν δὲ σοφῶν βίβλους ἐωνημένος, οὔτε μετέχων τῆς ὠφελείας, οὔτε παρέχων τοῖς [ταύτης] ἐρῶσι, τί οὐ πείσῃ κἀνταῦθα κατηγορούμενος, καὶ παρὰ Θεοῦ τιμωρούμενος, ὡς θησαυρὸν ἀνωφελῆ καὶ ἀχρεῖον κτησάμενος; ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Εἰς τὸ, · Ἠχμαλώτευσας αἰχμαλωσίαν., Τὸ, « Ἠχμαλώτευσεν αἰχμαλωσίαν, » τοιοῦτον εἶναί μοι δοκῶ· Οὓς ἀπάτῃ ὁ ἐχθρὸς ἠχμαλώτευσε, τούτους ὁ Χριστὸς ἐκ τῆς αὐτοῦ τυραννίδος ἀντηχμαλώτευσε. Καινὴν καὶ ξένην τὴν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἔφης προσφορὰν ἐπινενοῆσθαι, ἐπειδὴ ἄρτος τὸν ἁγιασμὸν ἐνεπιστεύθη, τοῦ νόμου αἴμασι τὰς θυσίας ὁρίζοντος. Πῶς δὲ οὐ συνορᾶς ὁ ἐπὶ νόμῳ αὐχῶν, καὶ τὸν νόμον ἀγνοῶν, ὅτι τὰ αἵματα καὶ τὰς κνίσσας ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ καὶ τοῖς προσκηνίοις τοῦ ἁγιάσματος ὁ νόμος ἐκέλευσε γίνεσθαι; τοὺς ἄρτους δὲ ἡ ἔσω ἐδέχετο τράπεζα, ἡ τῷ παλαιῷ ἀθέατος λαῷ, ὧν εἰς ὑπάρχει αὐτὸς, ὁ τὴν ἐν τῷ νόμῳ κρυπτομένην, καὶ νῦν δεδηλωμένην ἀλήθειαν μὴ γνούς.","t":"To Candidus. [That owning many books profits those who use them, but brings the utmost punishment on those who think themselves rich merely by owning them.] A man who grew grain shut it up and, not giving it to the citizens in need, perished, stoned and burned to ashes. If he, shutting up his own produce, was destroyed for holding it as if it were common, you, who have no reasoning of your own but have bought the books of many wise men, neither sharing in their benefit nor providing it to those who love [it], what will you not suffer, both accused here and punished by God, as one who has acquired a useless and unprofitable treasure? [Letter 1.400] To Palladius the deacon. [On \"You led captivity captive.\"] \"He led captivity captive\" seems to me to mean this: those whom the enemy took captive by deceit, Christ took captive in turn from his tyranny. [Another letter] You said the church's offering had been devised as something new and strange, since bread has been entrusted with the sanctification, while the law prescribed sacrifices of blood. How do you not see, you who boast in the law and are ignorant of it, that the law ordered the blood and the savor of burnt fat to be in the court and porches of the sanctuary, while the inner table, unseen by the old people, received the loaves? You are one of them, not knowing the truth hidden in the law and now revealed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.395 (PG 78 78:405; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-395)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.4":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΠερὶ ὧν μετέρχῃ ἄθλων, θαυμάσιε, πέπεισο, στάδιον ἡμῖν τὰ παρόντα προτίθεσθαι ἀόρατον, ἐν ᾧ θηρίοις οὐκ αἰσθητοῖς, ἀλλὰ νοητοῖς τοῖς πάθεσι προσπαλαίομεν· ἅπερ εἰ τῆς ἐν ἡμῖν ῥώμης κρατήσουσιν, οὐ μέχρι τοῦ σώματος οἴσουσι τὸν κίνδυνον, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτῇ τῇ ψυχῇ τὸν θάνατον φέρουσιν. Εἱ δὲ κρατηθῶσι καὶ δραπετεύσουσι, στεφάνων καὶ ἀναῤῥήσεων μεγάλων τευξόμεθα· καὶ ἐνταῦθα μὲν πολλάκις, μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ πάντως. Ἐπειδὴ τὰ ἔπαθλα ὁ μέλλων αἰὼν ἐμπεπίστευται, ὡς οὗτος τὰ σκάμματα.","t":"To Timothy the reader. About the contests you are engaged in, admirable man, be persuaded that the present life sets before us an invisible stadium, in which we wrestle not with beasts of sense but with beasts of the mind, the passions. If these overpower the strength within us, they will carry the danger not only as far as the body, but will bring death to the soul itself. But if they are overpowered and take flight, we shall win crowns and great proclamations: here often, and hereafter certainly. For the age to come has been entrusted with the prizes, as this one with the arenas.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.4 (PG 78 78:181; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-4)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.40":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΤι θαυμάζεις, ὅτι δι᾽ ἑνὸς ἁμαρτίαν [καὶ μόνου] ὅλη μαστίζεται πόλις; ὅπερ καὶ ἐπὶ Δαβὶδ γενόμενον, ἔγνως. Ὅταν γὰρ ἐπὶ τῇ εὐθηνίᾳ τῶν πραγμάτων ὁ ἔξαρχος ὑπερηφανεύηται, εἰς ἀθυμίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ κατάκρισιν τὸ ὑπήκοον ἐλαττοῦται, οὐκ ἀδίκως παιδευόμενον, ἀλλ᾽ ἑκάστου τὰ ἐπίχειρα τῆς οἰκείας πράξεως παραλαμβάνοντες, καὶ τῆς θείας μακροθυμίας ἀποτυγχάνοντος, διὰ τὰς τοῦ ἄρχοντος ψήφους. Μὴ τοίνυν ἐπισυνηγόρει ταῖς Εὐσεβίου τοῦ, ὡς οἴεται, ἐπισκόπου φαυλότησιν, εἰ δι' ἐκεῖνον καὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον λειτουργῶν, καὶ ἡ πόλις οἰκητόρων χηρεύει. Οἱ γὰρ ἀκρίτως τὸν ἀνάξιον προβαλλόμενοι δίκαιοί εἰσι, καὶ τοὺς πόνους τῶν καρπῶν αὐτῶν φαγεῖν, ἀρετὴν ἀτιμάσαντες, καὶ κακίαν οὕτω προφανῆ προστησάμενοι.","t":"To Theodosius, living as a monk. Why do you wonder that a whole city is scourged for the sin of one [and only one]? You know this happened also in David's case. When the leader grows proud at the prosperity of affairs, the subject people are diminished, to his dejection and condemnation; they are not punished unjustly, but each receives the wages of his own deeds and misses the divine long-suffering because of the ruler's choices. Do not, then, plead the cause of the baseness of Eusebius, a bishop in his own opinion, since through him both the altar is bereft of ministers and the city of inhabitants. For those who put forward an unworthy man without discernment deserve to eat the labors of their fruits, having dishonored virtue and set over themselves a vice so manifest.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.40 (PG 78 78:205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-40)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.402":{"o":"ΘΑΥΜΑΣΙΩ.\n῞Οτι ἀμήχανον ἐν μέσῳ θορύβων ἀρετὴν κατορθῶσαι. Ἐμοὶ τὴν μετρίαν εἴδησιν ἡ καταμόνας προσέθηκεν ἀναχώρησις. Ὁ γὰρ ἐν μέσῳ θορύβων στρεφόμενος, καὶ γνῶναι τὰ οὐράνια βουλόμενος, λέληθεν, ὅτι τὸ ἐν ἀκάνθαις σπειρόμενον, ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνων συμπνίγεται· καὶ ὁ μὴ σχολάσας, Θεὸν γνῶναι οὐ δύναται.","t":"To Thaumasius. [That it is impossible to achieve virtue amid commotion.] Solitary withdrawal has added to me what moderate knowledge I have. For one who whirls in the midst of commotions and wishes to know heavenly things fails to notice that what is sown among thorns is choked by them; and one who has no leisure cannot know God.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.402 (PG 78 78:407; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-402)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.403":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΚαὶ ζωγράφοι καὶ ὑφάνται, οἱ τοὺς σηρῶν ὑμένας ἐξεργαζόμενοι, πολλοῖς χρώμασί τε καὶ νήμασι τὰς ἑαυτῶν τεχνουργίας ποικίλλουσιν, εἰς τελείας εἰκόνος ἢ ἐσθῆτος ἐκπλήρωσιν. Καὶ ἡ κατὰ Θεὸν προκοπὴ οὐκ ἔστι μονοειδής. Πασῶν γὰρ δεῖται τῶν ἀρετῶν εἰς τελείωσιν. Οὐδὲν οὖν νηστεία βρωμάτων ὀνίνησι τοὺς μὴ πάσαις νηστεύοντας αἰσθήσεσιν Ὁ γὰρ ἀγωνιζόμενος, πάντα ἐγκρατεύεται.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. Painters and weavers, those who work the silkworms' webs, vary their crafts with many colors and threads to complete a perfect image or garment. So too progress toward God is not of one kind; it needs all the virtues for perfection. So fasting from foods does no good to those who do not fast with all their senses. For one who competes exercises self-control in all things.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.403 (PG 78 78:407; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-403)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.404":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου ἀναστάσεως. Ωσπερ παρθενευούσης τῆς φύσεως ὁ τόκος τοῦ Κυρίου γεγένηται, καὶ ἡ πρόοδος τῆς σαρκώσεως τῇ ἁγνείᾳ μείωσιν οὐκ ἐποίησεν · οὕτως ἐσφραγισμένου τοῦ μνήματος, ἡ ἀνάστασις γέγονε · Θεοῦ γὰρ ἐνανθρωπήσαντος τὰ ἀμφότερα. Περὶ [τοῦ] αὐτοῦ. Οὐκ ἔστι φυσικὰς ἀποδείξεις τῶν ὑπὲρ φύσιν ζητεῖν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ σὰρξ ἀληθὴς ὁ Λόγος γεγένηται, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος ὁ Χριστός· ἐνανθρωπήσας δὲ μᾶλλον Θεὸς, ἐν ἑκατέραις ταῖς φύσεσιν εἷς ὑπάρχει Υἱὸς [τοῦ] Θεοῦ.","t":"To Theodosius the deacon. [On the Lord's resurrection.] As the Lord's birth took place while nature remained virgin, and the coming forth of the incarnation made no diminution of purity, so the resurrection took place while the tomb was sealed; for both are of God made man. [Letter 1.405] [On the same.] One must not seek natural proofs of what is above nature. For even if the Word truly became flesh, Christ is not a mere man; rather he is God made man, being one Son of God in both natures.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.404 (PG 78 78:407; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-404)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.406":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ [τοῦ] αὐτοῦ. Τὸν λίθον τοῦ μνήματος μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν τοῦ Κυρίου ὁ ἄγγελος ἀπεκύλισε. Καὶ μὴ μετ' ἐκεῖνο νόμιζε γεγενῆσθαι τὴν ἀνάστασιν. Εἰ δὲ λέγεις· Τίς οὖν ἡ χρεία τῆς τοῦ ἀγγέλου παρουσίας; φαίην ἐγὼ, ὅτι ἔπειθε τοὺς ζητοῦντας ἐγηγέρθαι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ κεκλέφθαι τὸν Κύριον, ἄγγελος τοῦτο πιστούμενος, καὶ πρὸς τοῦτο διακονούμενος. Θεῷ γὰρ μόνῳ λειτουργοῦσιν οἱ ἄγγελοι.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] The angel rolled away the stone of the tomb after the Lord's resurrection; do not think the resurrection took place after that. And if you say, \"What then was the need of the angel's presence?\", I would say that it persuaded those seeking him that the Lord had risen and had not been stolen, the angel vouching for this and serving for it. For angels minister to God alone.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.406 (PG 78 78:409; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-406)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.407":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\n῞Οτι οὐ πρὸς τὸν νόμον ὑποστρέφων ὁ Παῦλος, ἀλλ' οἰκονομικῶς τὰ τοῦ νόμου πεποίηκεν. Ὁ θέλων ὑπὲρ Ἰσραηλιτῶν γενέσθαι ἀνάθεμα, καὶ τῆς Χριστοῦ βασιλείας δι᾽ ἐκείνους ἀλλότριος, τί οὐκ ἂν καὶ ὑπέστη καὶ ἔδρασεν, ἵνα τύχοιεν σωτηρίας ἐκεῖνοι; Οὔτε οὖν περιτέμνων Τιμόθεον, οὔτε ἐν ἀζύμοις κειρόμενος, οὔτε δι᾿ αὐτοὺς λέγων περικεῖσθαι τὴν ἄλυσιν, πρὸς τὸν νόμον ὑπέστρεφεν· ἀλλ᾽ ἂν ἀφῆκεν ὡς τέλειος νηπίοις μᾶλλον ἁρμόζοντα, οἰκονομικῶς δι' ἐκείνους ἐδέχετο, ἵνα γένωνται τέλειοι.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. [That Paul did the things of the law not by returning to the law but by way of accommodation.] He who wished to be accursed for the Israelites and a stranger to Christ's kingdom for their sake, what would he not have undergone and done that they might obtain salvation? So neither in circumcising Timothy, nor in shaving his head at the feast of Unleavened Bread, nor in saying he wore the chain for their sake, was he returning to the law; rather, what he had left behind as a perfect man, since it suited infants better, he accepted by way of accommodation for them, so that they might become perfect.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.407 (PG 78 78:409; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-407)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.408":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΩ.\nΠερὶ μετανοίας. Καλὴ μὲν καὶ ἐπαινετὴ ἡ μετάνοια, ἀλλ᾽ ὀλίγοις γίνεται δυνατή. Ὁ τοίνυν Θεὸς ὁ θέλων τὴν ἐν ἐπιστροφῇ ζωὴν ἡμῶν, ἐξάξει ὕδωρ ἐκ τῆς καρδίας σου, δεύτερόν σοι λουτρὸν γενησόμενον, καὶ ἑκούσιον κολυμβήθραν, καθαίρουσάν σου τῶν μολυσμάτων τὴν συνείδησιν, ἵνα ποιήσῃς χαρὰν τοῖς ἀγγέλοις, οὓς ἁμαρτήσας ἐλύπησας.","t":"To Athanasius. [On repentance.] Repentance is good and praiseworthy, but possible for few. May God, then, who wills our life in conversion, bring water out of your heart, to become for you a second bath and a voluntary font, cleansing your conscience of its defilements, so that you may give joy to the angels, whom you grieved by sinning.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.408 (PG 78 78:409; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-408)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.409":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤὰ ὑπερφυῆ καὶ θεῖα παιδεύματα διδάσκων ὁ Κύριος τὸν Παῦλον, ἐξ οὐρανοῦ αὐτῷ διαλέγεται, οὐράνιον εἶναι δεικνὺς τὸ μέλλον αὐτῷ ἐγχειρίζεσθαι κήρυγμα. ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ. • Μὴ ἀμέλει τοῦ ἐν σοὶ χαρίσματος. » Μὴ παρόρα τῶν ὑπηκόων τὰ πταίσματα, ἵνα μὴ ὑπ᾿ ἐκείνων γινόμενα, ὑπὸ δὲ σοῦ συγχωρούμενα, σὰ γένηται μᾶλλον, ὡς δυναμένου μὲν, μὴ βουλομένου δὲ ταῦτα ἰάσασθαι.","t":"To Leontius the deacon. When the Lord was teaching Paul the supernatural and divine lessons, he spoke to him from heaven, showing that the preaching about to be entrusted to him was heavenly. [Letter 1.410] To Leontius the bishop. [\"Do not neglect the gift that is in you.\"] Do not overlook the offenses of those under you, lest, committed by them but pardoned by you, they become rather yours, as of one who could heal them but would not.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.409 (PG 78 78:409; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-409)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.41":{"o":"ΤΟΥΒΑ ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΗ.\nΟὐκ ἔστιν ὁπλοφορεῖν ἐν εἰρήνῃ, οὐκ ἔστι σχῆμα πολέμου ἐπὶ μέσης ἀγορᾶς περιφέρειν · οὐκ ἔστι ξιφήρη διάγειν ἐν πόλει, ἀλλὰ καὶ φόβον καὶ πεῖραν τοιαύτην ἐν πολέμῳ κατὰ ἀντιπάλων γυμνάζειν. Εἰ οὖν σχήματι χαίρεις πολεμικῷ, καὶ ἀναῤῥήσεων καὶ στηλῶν ἐπιτυχεῖν ἀξιοῖς, εἰς τὸ στρατόπεδον τὸ μαχόμενον τοῖς βαρβάροις κατάβηθι, καὶ μὴ χρήμασιν ἐξωνούμενος τὴν ἐκεῖθεν φυγὴν, καὶ οἴκοι μένων, ἐνταῦθα παῖζε τὸν ἐκεῖ χρεωστούμενον πόλεμον.","t":"To Tubas the soldier. It is not right to bear arms in peacetime, not right to carry the dress of war about in the middle of the marketplace, not right to go about with a sword in the city; rather, such fearsomeness and testing should be exercised in war against enemies. If, then, you delight in a warlike appearance and think yourself worthy of proclamations and statues, go down to the camp that is fighting the barbarians; do not buy off with money your escape from there and stay at home, playing here the war that is owed there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.41 (PG 78 78:207; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-41)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.411":{"o":"ΚΥΡΗΚΙΩ.\nἜχεις πλοῦτον δικαίως, συνέχεις δὲ τοῦτον ἀδίκως· ποίησον ταυτὸν κοινὸν, ἵνα οὕτως γένηται σὸς, λύτρον σοι καὶ ἐξίλασμα ἐν καιρῷ ἀνάγκης γινόμενος.","t":"To Cyriacus. You have wealth justly, but you hold it unjustly. Make it common, so that in this way it may become yours, a ransom and propitiation for you in a time of need.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.411 (PG 78 78:411; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-411)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.412":{"o":"ΝΙΚΑΝΟΡΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΟ.\nΟἱ λόγοι, τῶν ἡθῶν εἰσιν ἡγεμόνες, ἄγειν πάντα τὰ ἐν ἡμῖν λογικῶς τεταγμένοι. Εἰ δὲ τούτους εἰς ἔριδας ἀσχολοῦμεν καὶ μάχας, κιχρῶντες αὐτοὺς τοῖς οὐκ εἰδόσιν, ἐμμανέστερον γυμνάζειν τὰς ἔχθρας· μεγάλας τῷ Θεῷ Λόγῳ τὰς εὐθύνας ὑφέξομεν, μηδὲ τὴν αὐτοῦ κλῆσιν αἰδεσθέντες, καὶ τιμῆς μεταδόντες τοῖς λόγοις, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς κρίσεις καὶ μάχας, ὡς ἔοικε, παιδευθέντες.","t":"To Nicanor the scholasticus. Words are the leaders of character, appointed to lead everything in us rationally. But if we busy them with strife and battles, lending them to those who do not know how to use them, to exercise enmities more madly, we shall give a great account to God the Word, not even respecting his name or giving honor to words, but trained, it seems, for lawsuits and fights.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.412 (PG 78 78:411; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-412)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.413":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΤΡΙΒΟΥΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, ε ῾Ο καιρὸς συνεσταλμένος ἐστὶ τὸ λοιπόν. » Οὐδὲν τῶν ἀποστολικῶν νόμων ἐστὶν ἀγέραστον, οὐδὲν αὐτῶν ὠφελείας ἐστέρηται, ὡς οἱ κακόφρονες διαβάλλουσι Μανιχαῖοι, οἱ πολλῷ τὸν διάβολον σχετλιασμοῖς ὑπερβάλλοντες. «Ὁ καιρὸς γὰρ συνεσταλμένος ἐστὶ λοιπὸν, ἔγραψεν, ἵνα καὶ οἱ ἔχοντες γυναῖκας, ὡς μὴ ἔχοντες ὦσιν, › οὐχὶ τὴν ἔνθεσμον κωλύων συνάφειαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἄτακτον ἡδυπάθειαν εἴργων, ἅμα δὲ καὶ τὴν τοῦ χρόνου συμπλήρωσιν σημαίνων. Εἰ σπουδαίως, φησὶν, ὁ βίος παράγει, οὐ χρὴ αὐτῷ προσπαθεῖν ὡς ἑστῶτι.","t":"To Serenus the tribune. [On \"The time has been shortened from now on.\"] None of the apostolic laws is without honor, none is deprived of benefit, as the evil-minded Manichees slander, who surpass even the devil in their perversities. \"For the time has been shortened from now on,\" he wrote, \"that those who have wives be as though they had none\": not forbidding lawful union, but restraining disorderly sensuality, and at the same time indicating the completion of time. If life passes by quickly, he says, one must not cling to it as if it stood still.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.413 (PG 78 78:411; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-413)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.414":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ,«Τοὺς πόνους τῶν καρπῶν σου φάγεσαι. «Τοὺς πόνους τῶν καρπῶν σου φάγεσαι. » Ψαλμικόν ἐστι μελώδημα, παντὶ βίῳ χρήσιμον. Καὶ οἱ σεμνότητος φροντίζοντες, φησὶ, φάγεσθε τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς, στεφάνοις παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀκηράτοις τιμώμενοι· καὶ οἱ ἀκόλαστοι δηλονότι καὶ ἄδικοι, τὰ ἐπίχειρα τῶν κακῶν πράξεων κομιούμενοι.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. [On \"You shall eat the labors of your fruits.\"] \"You shall eat the labors of your fruits\" is a psalm song useful for every life. Those who care for dignity, it says, will eat its fruits, honored by God with pure crowns; and the licentious and unjust, clearly, will receive the wages of their evil deeds.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.414 (PG 78 78:411; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-414)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.415":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον, « Τρία ἐστὶν ἀδύνατά μοι νοῆσαι, καὶ τὸ τέταρτον οὐκ ἐπιγινώσκω, » κ. τ. λ. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἔξω διπλόης ἃ ἐζήτησας, ἀλλὰ καὶ μάλα σοφὴν ὠδίνει διάνοιαν. Ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ γὰρ γνῶσις ἡ ἄβυσσος τὸν ἐμφρονέστατον Σολομῶντα σοφίσασα, πολλὰς ἀφορμὰς αὐτῷ τῆς θείας ἐνανθρωπήσεως ἐγκατέσπειρεν· εἰ μὲν αὐτῷ ἀγνοηθείσας, οὐκ οἶδα · ἡμῖν δὲ κομιδῇ ἁρμοζούσας, ὧν ἐστι καὶ τὰ τέσσαρα ἅπερ Σολομῶν μὲν ἠπόρησεν, ὡς νοεῖσθαι ἀδύνατα· αὐτὸς δὲ ζητεῖς διδαχθῆναι, ὡς εὔληπτα. ᾿Αλλ' οὐκ ἔγωγέ σοι λέξω ἱκανῷ ὄντι εὑρεῖν, εἰ μὴ φεύγοις καμεῖν. Εἰς τὸ αὐτό. Ἔχεις καὶ σὺ τὸ τάλαντον, καὶ μὴ κρῖνε, τοῖς αὐτοῖς κριθησόμενος. «Τρία ἐστὶν ἀδύνατά μοι νοῆσαι, καὶ τὸ τέταρτον οὐκ ἐπιγινώσκω, » εἶπεν ὁ Σολομῶν. « Ἴχνη ἀετοῦ πετομένου. » Τοῦτο ἡ θεία φύσις τοῦ Υἱοῦ, πάσῃ ἀνθρωπίνῃ διανοίᾳ ἀνέφικτος. «Καὶ τὰ ἔχνη σου, φησὶν, οὐ γνωσθήσονται, » τὸ θεῖον Πνεῦμα ἐν Ψαλμοῖς. Εἶδε δὲ αὐτὸν ἀετὸν καὶ Μωσῆς ταῖς πτέρυξιν τὸν λαὸν ἐν ἐρήμῳ σκεπάζοντα. «Καὶ ὁδὸν ὄφεως ἐπὶ πέτρας. » Αἱ σκολιαὶ τοῦ ὄφεως ὁδοὶ, τοῦ ψιθυρίσαντος ἡμῖν τὴν παράβασιν, αἴπερ εἰσὶν ἁμαρτήματα, ὁδὸν ἐπὶ τῆς πέτρας οὐχ εὕροσαν. Πέτρα δὲ ὁ Χριστός ἐστιν, ἄτρεπτος μείνας, ὅτε σεσάρκωτος « Αμαρτίαν γὰρ οὐκ ἐποίησεν, οὐδὲ εὑρέθη δόλος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ.» -« Τρίβους νηὸς ποντοπορούσης. » Τῆς πάντας σωζούσης θείας οἰκονομίας, τῆς ὁλκάδος δίκην τὴν ἄβυσσον τοῦ θανάτου διοδευσάσης, τὸ μὲν γένος τὸ ἡμέτερον ἀνεκέκλητο, αὐτῆς δὲ τρίβος ἐν ἄδου νεκρώσεως οὐχ εὑρίσκετο. • Καὶ ὁδοὺς ἀνδρὸς ἐν νεότητι. » Νεότητα οἶδεν ἐνταῦθα τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐξανάστασιν, τῆς φθορᾶς ἀλλοιουμένης, καὶ τῆς φύσεως εἰς ἀφθαρσίαν νεαζομένης. Ἐκείνην ζήτει τὴν κατάστασιν. Τίνες, φησὶν, ἀναστάντες ἐκ νεκρῶν γενησόμεθα; ἣν ὑποδεικνὺς ἔφη ὁ Κύριος· Οἱ δίκαιοι εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον, οἱ δὲ ἁμαρτωλοὶ εἰς κόλασιν αἰώνιον ἥξουσιν.","t":"To Timothy the reader. [On what is written, \"Three things are impossible for me to understand, and the fourth I do not know,\" and the rest.] What you asked is not without a double meaning, but is in labor with a very wise sense. For the knowledge of God, the abyss that made the most sensible Solomon wise, sowed in him many starting points of the divine incarnation; whether they were unknown to him, I do not know; but they fit us very well. Among them are the four things that Solomon was at a loss over as impossible to understand, but which you seek to be taught as easy to grasp. But I will not tell you, since you are able to find them, unless you shrink from labor. [Letter 1.416] [On the same.] You too have the talent, so do not judge, since you will be judged by the same measure. \"Three things are impossible for me to understand, and the fourth I do not know,\" said Solomon. \"The tracks of an eagle flying\": this is the divine nature of the Son, beyond the reach of all human understanding. \"And your tracks will not be known,\" says the divine Spirit in the Psalms. Moses too saw him as an eagle, sheltering the people with his wings in the desert. \"And the way of a serpent on a rock\": the crooked ways of the serpent, who whispered the transgression to us, which are sins, found no way on the rock. The rock is Christ, who remained unchanging when he was incarnate; for \"he committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth.\" \"The paths of a ship crossing the sea\": the divine dispensation that saves all, passing like a merchant ship through the abyss of death, called back our race, but its own track was not found in Hades' deadness. \"And the ways of a man in his youth\": here he means by youth the resurrection from the dead, when corruption is changed and nature grows young into incorruption. Seek that state. What shall we become, he says, when we rise from the dead? The Lord showed it when he said: the righteous will go into eternal life, and the sinners into eternal punishment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.415 (PG 78 78:413; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-415)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.417":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤί ἐστιν, « Οὕτως ὁδὸς μοιχαλίδος, · καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Καὶ μάλα συνάδει τοῖς φθάσασι τὸ λειπόμενον, ὅπερ εἰς πάνυ πυκνὴν ἁρμογὴν, αὐτίκα τῷ λόγῳ συμβήσεται. « Οὕτως ὁδὸς γυναικὸς μοιχαλίδος, » ἑξῆς τὰ ἐχόμενα, « ἢ ὅταν πράξῃ ἀπονιψαμένη, οὐδὲν ἄτοπόν φησι πεπραχέναι. » Ως ἄδηλα, φησὶν, ἐστὶ τὰ προφανθέντα, τὰ μὲν ὡς οὐ γενόμενα, τὰ δὲ Θεῷ μόνον ὁρώμενα· οὕτως ἔσονται τὰ τοῦ νέου λαοῦ ἁμαρτήματα, τῷ λουτρῷ τοῦ βαπτίσματος καθαιρόμενα. Ὅπερ ἀπόνιψιν καλεῖ παντελῆ τῶν ῥυτίδων, καὶ τῶν στιγμάτων ἐκείνων ἀφανισμὸν, ὃν πίστει δεχομένη ἡ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἐκκλησία, οὐδὲν ἄτοπον πέπεισται πεπραχέναι, τῶν προτέρων ἀμνηστίαν πορισαμένη τῷ λουτρῷ. Ὅτι δὲ μοιχαλίδα ὁ Κύριος καλεῖ πᾶσαν γνώμην ἄπιστον, καὶ τῶν αὐτοῦ ἐντολῶν ἀντίθετον, πολλαχοῦ τῶν θείων εὐρήσεις χρησμῶν, ὡς τὸ, « Ἐμοίχευσαν τὸ ξύλον καὶ τὸν λίθον, καὶ, « Γενεὰ πονηρὰ καὶ μοιχαλὶς, σημεῖον ἐπιζητεῖ. » ΣΥΝΕΣΙΩ. Εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον ἐν τῷ Ἰωὴλ, « ἔστω μαχητής. • ῾Ο πρᾶος Τὸν πρᾶον μαχητὴν ἡ Γραφὴ ἀπεργάζεται, ὅτε κατὰ Θεοῦ ἡ ἐγχείρησις γίνεται. Οὕτως Μωϋσέα κατὰ τῶν συμφυλετῶν ἐξανέστησεν· οὕτως τὸν Φινεὲς τοὺς ἀνομοῦντας διακεντήσαντα. Οὕτως τὸν Δαβὶδ τῷ ἀλλοφύλῳ παραταξάμενον. Οὕτω τὸν Πέτρον ζηλώσαντα, καὶ μαχαίρᾳ χρησάμενον, ὅτε ὁ Κύριος τῆς εἰρήνης ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων ἐπολεμεῖτο.","t":"To the same. [What is \"Such is the way of an adulterous woman,\" and the rest?] What remains fits closely with what came before, as will at once appear in a very close-knit explanation. \"Such is the way of an adulterous woman,\" and what follows: \"when she has done it, she washes herself and says she has done nothing improper.\" As the things foretold are hidden, it says, some as not having happened, others seen by God alone, so will be the sins of the new people, cleansed by the bath of baptism. This it calls a washing: the complete removal of wrinkles and the effacing of those marks, which Christ's church receives in faith and is convinced she has done nothing improper, having obtained by the bath an amnesty for former sins. That the Lord calls every unbelieving mind, opposed to his commandments, an adulteress, you will find in many places of the divine oracles, as: \"They committed adultery with wood and stone,\" and \"An evil and adulterous generation seeks a sign.\" [Another letter] To Synesius. [On what is written in Joel, \"Let the gentle be a fighter.\"] Scripture makes the gentle man a fighter when the attack is against God. So it raised up Moses against his fellow tribesmen; so Phinehas, who pierced the lawless; so David, drawn up against the foreigner; so Peter in his zeal, using a sword, when the Lord of peace was being warred upon by the Jews.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.417 (PG 78 78:413; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-417)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.418":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἩ ῥάβδος ἡ καλαμίνη, ἡ ἀστήρικτος βάσις, ἡ πολυδόνητος γνώμη, ἡ βακτηρία νομιζομένη, καὶ βέλος εὑρισκομένη. Οὔτε γὰρ ἰσχύει ὑφίστασθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάσῃ αὔρᾳ ῥιπίζεται, καὶ ταῖς κέδροις θρασύνεται παρεκτείνεσθαι. Αἴγυπτος πάλιν Φαραωνίζεται, οὐκέτι μὲν τοῖς παροικοῦσιν υἱοῖς τοῦ Ἰακὼβ πόνους ἐπιτάττουσα πόλεων, ἀλλὰ πάντας τοὺς ἐῤῥωμένους, φόρους ἀπαιτοῦσα αἱρέσεων. Βλέπετε μὴ τις ὑμᾶς πλανήσῃ, ἀλλ᾿ ὡς στερεὸς θεμέλιος στήκετε. Ὁ Θεὸς γὰρ ἐνανθρωπήσας οὐ τέτραπται, οὔτε συγκέχυται, οὔτε διήρηται. ᾿Αλλ' εἷς ἐστιν ἄναρχος καὶ ἀΐδιος Υἱὸς, καὶ πρὸ σαρκώσεως, καὶ μετὰ σάρκωσιν, οὕτω παρ' ἡμῶν προσκυνούμενος.","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. The reed staff, the unsteady base, the much-shaken mind, thought to be a support and found to be an arrow. For it cannot hold up, but is blown about by every breeze, and dares to stretch itself out alongside the cedars. Egypt is again acting the Pharaoh, no longer imposing on the sojourning sons of Jacob the toils of cities, but demanding from all the strong the tribute of heresies. See that no one leads you astray, but stand like a firm foundation. For God made man has not been changed, nor mingled, nor divided; but he is one Son without beginning and everlasting, both before the incarnation and after the incarnation, and so worshiped by us.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.418 (PG 78 78:415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-418)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.420":{"o":"ΚΥΡΗΚΙΩ.\nΟὐ [σὲ] μόνον τὰ περὶ πλούτου ἐλεγκτικῶς γραφέντα ἐλύπησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλον πρὸ σοῦ, παρ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ Κυρίου ἀκούσαντα· « Πώλησόν σου τὰ ὑπάρχοντα, καὶ δὸς πτωχοῖς, καὶ ἕξεις θησαυρὸν ἐν οὐρανοῖς, καὶ δεῦρο ἀκολούθει μοι. » Εἰ οὖν ἐκείνῳ βούλει ἕπεσθαι, καὶ ἀκοινώνητον φυλάττεις τὴν ὕπαρξιν, ἔχεις καὶ ἄλλον λαμπρότερον, βύσσον καὶ πορφύραν ἀμφιεννύμενον, τὰς δὲ τῶν πενήτων κακώσεις μὴ προσποιούμενον. Οὗ τὴν μίμησιν ἔκκλινον, μή σε λάβοι ἐκεῖθεν συμμέτοχον.","t":"To Cyriacus. Not only you were grieved by what was written in reproof about wealth; so was another before you, who heard from the Lord himself: \"Sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.\" If, then, you wish to follow him, and keep your property unshared, you have another, more brilliant example, who dressed in fine linen and purple and paid no attention to the misery of the poor. Avoid imitating him, lest he take you as a partner there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.420 (PG 78 78:415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-420)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.421":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΟὐκ ἔστι κατακρίσεως τὰ γραφέντα, ἀλλὰ προῤῥήσεως τῶν πάντως ἐσομένων. Καὶ Χριστὸς γὰρ προείρηκεν, ἵνα πεῖραν μὴ λάβωμεν. Εἰ φοβεῖ τοίνυν ἡμᾶς τὰ ἡπειλημένα, γένηται τὰ ἐντεταλμένα.","t":"To the same. What was written is not a condemnation, but a prediction of what will surely be. Christ too foretold it, so that we might not experience it. If, then, what is threatened frightens us, let what is commanded be done.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.421 (PG 78 78:417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-421)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.422":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ ᾿Αρειανῶν καὶ Εὐνομιανῶν. Τὸ μεῖζον καὶ τὸ ἔλαττον ἐπὶ τῶν ὁμοουσίων ζητεῖται καὶ κρίνεται, ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἀνθρώπου μείζων, καὶ βοῦς βοὸς, καὶ ἵππος ἵππου. Καὶ ἅπαξ ὁ κανὼν τῆς συγκρίσεως τοῖς ὁμογενέσιν ἁρμόζει. Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ τὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τολμηρῶς περιεργαζόμενος, καὶ μείζονα λέγων τοῦ Υἱοῦ τὸν Πατέρα, τὴν σύγκρισιν ὡς ὁμοουσίων προσίεται, περὶ τοῦ μείζονος αὐτῷ συντόμως ἀποκρινούμεθα. Ἑτερούσια γὰρ ἀλλήλοις συγκρίνεσθαι οὐ δύναται. Οὔτε λέγεται μείζων ἄνθρωπος βοὸς, ἢ μείζων ἵππος καμήλου, ἢ μείζων ὄνος ἰχθύος.","t":"To Heron the scholasticus. [On the Arians and Eunomians.] Greater and lesser are sought and judged among things of the same essence, as a man is greater than a man, an ox than an ox, a horse than a horse; and the rule of comparison applies once and for all to things of the same kind. If, then, the one who rashly meddles with the things of God and says the Father is greater than the Son accepts the comparison as between things of one essence, we will briefly answer him about the \"greater.\" For things of different essence cannot be compared with one another; one does not say a man is greater than an ox, or a horse greater than a camel, or an ass greater than a fish.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.422 (PG 78 78:417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-422)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.423":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΠερὶ γαστριμαργίας. Βλέπε μὴ τῇ ἀδηφαγίᾳ εἰς οἰστρηλασίαν ἐκπέσῃς, καὶ δύο πώλοις εὑρεθῇς δυσηνίοις συναρπαζόμενος, εἰς βάραθρον ἀπωλείας κατακρημνίζουσι.","t":"To Maron. [On gluttony.] See that you do not fall into frenzy through gluttony, and are found carried off by two unruly colts that hurl you headlong into the pit of destruction.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.423 (PG 78 78:417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-423)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.424":{"o":"ΘΩΜΑ.\nΠερὶ ἰσότητος. Τὸν ἔμφρονα μοναχὸν, δόκιμον εἶναι χρὴ ζυγοστάτην, μηδενὶ μέρει τῶν πλαστίγγων καταῤῥέπειν παραχωροῦντα, μήτε τῇ ἀσιτίᾳ εἰς ἀτονίαν, ᾿μήτε πολυσιτίᾳ εἰς ἀσωτίαν.","t":"To Thomas. [On equality.] The sensible monk must be an approved weigher, letting neither pan of the scale sink: neither through fasting into weakness, nor through much eating into dissipation.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.424 (PG 78 78:417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-424)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.425":{"o":"ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἩράκλειον ζεῦγος, ὡς ἔμαθον, συνῆψας ἀγρίῳ συῖ, καὶ λέοντι θρασεῖ τὴν τῶν πτωχῶν ἐπέτρεψας οἰκονομίαν. Καὶ εἰ μὲν χρήμασι προέδωκας τῇ θαυμαστῇ ξυνωρίδι τὰ πράγματα, τοῦτο καὶ Ἰούδας ἐποίησε, τὸν Κύριον πεπρακὼς τῶν πραγμάτων. Εἱ δὲ καὶ λήμματος καθαρὸν τὸ ἁμάρτημα, αἰσχυνθήτωσαν οἱ ἀνομοῦντες διακενῆς.","t":"To Eusebius the bishop. You have yoked, as I have learned, a Heraclean pair, a wild boar with a bold lion, and entrusted to them the management of the poor. And if you betrayed affairs to this admirable pair for money, Judas did that too, selling the Lord of affairs. But if the sin is free of gain, \"let those who transgress without cause be put to shame.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.425 (PG 78 78:417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-425)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.426":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον πρὸς τὸν ὄφιν, « Ἔχθραν θήσω ἀνὰ μέσον. › Τὸ σπέρμα τῆς γυναικὸς, ὁ ἐχθραίνειν τῷ ὄφει προστάττει Θεὸς, ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν ἐστιν Ἰησοῦς. Αὐτὸς γὰρ σπέρμα γυναικὸς μόνος γέγονεν ἐξ αὐτῆς, μηδὲ σπορᾶς ἀνδρὸς μεσιτευσάσης καὶ τῆς ἁγνείας μὴ μειωθείσης.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [On what was said to the serpent, \"I will put enmity between.\"] The seed of the woman, which God commands to be at enmity with the serpent, is our Lord Jesus. For he alone became the seed of a woman from her, with no man's seed intervening and her purity not diminished.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.426 (PG 78 78:417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-426)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.427":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ.\nΤὰ τῶν μηλωτῶν περιζώματα μόνοις τοῖς τὴν σάρκα νεκρώσασιν ἀνδρείως περίκειται, σημεῖα ὄντα νεκρώσεως. Εἱ δέ τις τοῖς μὲν πάθεσι ζῇ, τοῦ δὲ ταῦτα νεκρώσαντος τὰ ὅπλα φορεῖ, ἔοικε τοῖς ἐν σκηνῇ ἀλλότρια παίζουσι σχήματα, οἷς ἐπεγγελῶσιν οἱ θεαταὶ, ὡς ἀρνουμένοις τῶν σχημάτων τὰ πράγματα.","t":"To Nilus the monk. The belts of sheepskin belong only to those who have bravely put the flesh to death, being signs of mortification. If anyone lives for the passions but wears the arms of the one who put them to death, he is like those who play other people's parts on the stage, at whom the spectators laugh, as denying by their deeds what their costumes claim.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.427 (PG 78 78:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-427)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.428":{"o":"ΚΥΡΩ.\nΠῶς ἡ θεία δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται. Ἡ θεία δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται, ὡς τὸ σκεῦος ἔφη τῆς ἐκλογῆς, ἐπειδὴ ἀγράμματοι κρατοῦσι ῥητόρων, καὶ τελῶναι εὐαγγελίζονται ἀκτημοσύνην. Καὶ αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Κύριος οὐκ αὐθεντίᾳ βασιλικῇ, ἀλλ᾿ εὐτελείᾳ τῇ δουλικῇ πρὸς τὴν ἄῤῥητον οἰκονομίαν χρησάμενος, τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων ἀλλοίωσιν πρὸς οὐράνιον πολιτείαν μεθήρμοσε.","t":"To Cyrus. [How the divine power is made perfect in weakness.] \"The divine power is made perfect in weakness,\" as the vessel of election said, since the unlettered overcome orators, and tax collectors preach poverty. And the Lord himself, using in the ineffable dispensation not royal authority but the lowliness of a servant, refitted the condition of things to a heavenly way of life.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.428 (PG 78 78:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-428)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.429":{"o":"ΣΕΡΙΝΩ ΤΡΙΒΟΥΝΩ.\nΠῶς τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ὁ Θεὸς ἐμώρανεν. Τότε ὁ Θεὸς τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἐμώρανε τὴν φθαρτὴν καὶ χαμαίζηλον, ὅτε ἡ ἐνυπόστατος σοφία, ἡ τοὺς αἰῶνας ποιήσασα, δεῦρο ἐπιφοιτήσασα, βαρβαροφώνοις καὶ ἰδιώταις τὰ οὐράνια κηρύττειν ἐνεχείρισε δόγματα. Καὶ ἡ μὲν ἔδυ εἰς σχισμὰς ὀρέων, ἡ δὲ εἰς πᾶσαν ἐξῆλθε τὴν γῆν, καὶ εἰς τὰ πέρατα τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐξέλαμψεν.","t":"To Serinus the tribune. [How God made foolish the wisdom of this world.] God made foolish the wisdom of this world, corruptible and creeping, when the subsistent Wisdom that made the ages came here and entrusted barbarian-tongued and unlettered men with preaching the heavenly doctrines. And the one sank into the clefts of the mountains, while the other went out into all the earth and shone to the ends of the world.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.429 (PG 78 78:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-429)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.430":{"o":"ΗΛΙΑ:\nΠερὶ Καππαδοκῶν. Ἐγὼ κομιδῇ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἐλαφρίαν θαυμάζω, ὅτι βραχὺ πνεῦμα καὶ ὀλίγωρον τῆς ἀρχῆς τοῦ Καππαδόκου οὕτως ἅπαντας ὑμᾶς ὡς καλάμην ἐδόνησε, καὶ ταῖς ἀσεβέσιν αὐτοῦ κατασκευαῖς ὑπουργεῖτε, δέει τοῦ μὴ τὰ ὅμοια τοῖς ἤδη πεπονθόσι, παθεῖν. Εἰ τοίνυν συναπολήγειν αὐτῷ καὶ συμμεταίρειν παυομένῳ βεβούλησθε, εἰκότως τὴν πατρίδα ληίζεσθε. Εἰ δὲ ἡ μὲν παύσεται καὶ ἀπελεύσεται ὑμεῖς δὲ μενεῖτε ἐφ᾽ οἷς πεφύκατε· τῶν ἐναντίων ἀπέχεσθε, τῶν δὲ οἰκείων ἀντέχεσθε.","t":"To Elias. [On the Cappadocians.] I greatly wonder at your fickleness, that a slight and short-lived wind of the Cappadocian's rule has shaken all of you like straw, and you serve his impious schemes for fear of suffering what others have already suffered. If, then, you have decided to end with him and be removed with him when he ceases, you are right to plunder your homeland. But if his rule will cease and go away, while you will remain where you were born, keep away from what is contrary, and hold to what is your own.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.430 (PG 78 78:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-430)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.431":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ.\n\"Οτι ἐνέσπαρται τῇ φύσει τὸ ἀγαθόν. Ὅτι φυσικῶς ἐστιν ἐν ἡμῖν ἡ εὐσέβεια, καὶ τῶν ὕστερον χρόνοις πολλοῖς τηρουμένων εἰς ἔκβασιν, κατάδηλος ἦν τοῖς Θεῷ εὐαρεστοῦσιν ἡ εἴδησις, καὶ Ἐνὼς διδασκέτω σε, αὐτοδίδακτος Θεὸν ἐπιστάμενος· καὶ Ἐνῶχ, μὴ μόνον εὐαρεστῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς κρείττονα βίον μετιῶν, καὶ ἔτι ἐν ζῶσι τελῶν, καὶ Μελχισεδέκ. ἄρτῳ καὶ οἴνῳ ἱερατεύων, δι᾽ ὧν τὸν τῶν θείων μυστηρίων προεσήμαινε τύπον.","t":"To Palladius. [That the good is sown in nature.] That godliness is in us by nature, and that knowledge of things kept for fulfilment many ages later was evident to those who pleased God, let Enosh teach you, who knew God self-taught; and Enoch, who not only pleased him but was transferred to a better life while still among the living; and Melchizedek, who served as priest with bread and wine, by which he foreshadowed the type of the divine mysteries.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.431 (PG 78 78:419; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-431)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.432":{"o":"ΚΕΛΣΩ.\nΟἱ γεωργοὶ τὰ συμφυόμενα τῷ σίτῳ ζιζάνια ῥιζόθεν ἀνασπῶσιν, ἵνα καθαρὸς ὁ καρπὸς εἰς τὸν ἄμητον ἀπαντήσῃ. Χρὴ τοίνυν καὶ σὲ τὰς ἐπιθολούσας τὸν νοῦν κακίας ἐκτεμεῖν, ἵνα ὑγιὴς ἡ συνείδησις, καὶ παντὸς πάθους ἀμέτοχος, τὴν βρῶσιν τὴν μένουσαν εἰς ζωὴν κατεργάζηται.","t":"To Celsus. Farmers pull up by the roots the tares that grow with the wheat, so that the crop may come pure to the harvest. You too must cut out the vices that cloud the mind, so that your conscience, sound and free of every passion, may work for the food that endures to life.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.432 (PG 78 78:421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-432)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.433":{"o":"ΣΟΛΟΜΩΝΙ.\nΕἰ μέμηνε καὶ λυττᾷ κατὰ σοῦ ἡ ὄρεξις τῆς σαρκός σου, καὶ καύσων ῥαθυμίας αὐτὴν ἐξεθέρμανεν, ὑπόμνησον αὐτὴν τοῦ μέλλοντος πυρὸς καὶ σβεσθήσεται. Ἡ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα τῆς πορνείας πυράκτωσις, πρὸς ἐκείνην βλέπει τὴν κάμινον.","t":"To Solomon. If the appetite of your flesh is mad and rages against you, and the heat of slackness has inflamed it, remind it of the fire to come, and it will be quenched. For the burning heat of sexual immorality here looks toward that furnace.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.433 (PG 78 78:421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-433)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.434":{"o":"ΚΡΙΣΠΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ ἑάλως τῷ τῆς φιλαργυρίας ἰῷ, ὅσπερ καὶ παντὸς ἐστι ῥίζα κακοῦ, καὶ πρὸς εἰδωλολατρίαν ἐκβακχεύει σε, πᾶσαν πρὸς ἑαυτὸν μεταστήσας τὴν αἴσθησιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπόκριναι αὐτῷ τὴν θεοδίδακτον φωνήν, • Κύριον τὸν Θεόν μου προσκυνήσω, καὶ αὐτῷ μόνῳ λατρεύσω. » Καὶ ὁ μὲν οἰχήσεται, σὺ δὲ ἀνανήψεις πρὸς τὴν αὐτάρκειαν.","t":"To Crispus. Even if you have been caught by the poison of love of money, which is the root of every evil, and it drives you in frenzy to idolatry, drawing all your senses to itself, answer it with the God-taught word: \"I will worship the Lord my God, and him only will I serve.\" And it will depart, and you will return to sobriety and contentment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.434 (PG 78 78:421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-434)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.435":{"o":"ΑΓΑΘΟΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ.\nἘσκλήρηνας ἐρευνῶν τὴν τῶν μοναχῶν καὶ ἱερέων ζωὴν, τὸ ἀναμάρτητον ζητῶν ἐν αὐτῇ, ὅπερ μόνου ἐστὶ Θεοῦ, καὶ τοῦτο ἐν ἀνθρώποις ὁ κατορθῶν οὐχ ὑπάρχει. Εἰ δὲ πρέποντα τῇ φύσει ἐθέλεις ζητεῖν, τὸ μηδενὸς ἐφάπτεσθαι τῶν κατὰ γνώμην ἀδικημάτων, ὅπερ ἐστὶν ἀνθρώπου εὐαγοῦς, καὶ τὸ μὴ πολλοῖς περιπίπτειν τῶν ἀκουσίων, ὅπερ οἰκεῖον τῶν ἐγγίσαι Θεῷ βουλομένων. Καὶ τὸ ἧττον μὲν ἐκείνων, ῥᾷστον δὲ πολλοῖς, τὸ μὴ ἐπὶ μήκιστον ἐμμένειν τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασι.","t":"To Agathodaemon. You have been hard in examining the life of monks and priests, seeking sinlessness in it, which belongs to God alone, and no one among men achieves it. But if you wish to seek what fits nature: to touch none of the deliberate wrongs, which is the mark of a pure man; and not to fall into many of the involuntary ones, which belongs to those who wish to draw near to God. And, less than those but easiest for many, not to remain in sins for a very long time.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.435 (PG 78 78:421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-435)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.436":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ.\nΠερὶ τῆς θείας ἐπιδημίας. Ἡ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἁμαρτιῶν γενομένη παιώνειος τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔνσαρκος ἐπιφάνεια, πάντας μὲν ἐφόβησε καὶ ἀνθρώπους καὶ δαίμονας· τοὺς μὲν φείδεσθαι τῆς φύσεως πείσασα, ὡς Θεῷ ἑνωθείσης· τοὺς δὲ ἀπέχεσθαι τῆς κατ᾿ αὐτῆς ἐπιβουλῆς ἀναγκάσασα, ὡς ἀναμαρτήτου λοιπὸν γενομένης· σὲ δὲ οὐδὲν τούτων ἐμάλαξεν, οὐδὲ δεδιέναι καὶ μόνος. ἑαθυμίαν. παρεσκεύασεν, οὐδὲ σωφρονεῖν ἐπαιδαγώγησεν. Εἰ τοίνυν ἄνθρωπος εἶ, τῷ προτέρῳ παιδεύθητι. Εἰ δὲ δαίμων, τῷ δευτέρῳ διδάχθητι, μὴ κατακεχρῆσθαι καλλίστῃ φύσει εἰς πάθη. Ἥξεις γὰρ εἰς κρίσιν τούτων ἁπάντων εὐθύνας ὑφέξων, καὶ τῆς μακρᾶς ἀναλγησίας μακρὸν εἰσπραχθησόμενος λόγον.","t":"To Zosimus. [On the divine coming.] The healing appearance in the flesh of the Son of God, which took place for human sins, frightened all, both men and demons: persuading the former to spare their nature, as united to God, and compelling the latter to keep from plotting against it, as now made sinless. But none of these things softened you, nor made you fear and give up slackness, nor trained you to be sober. If, then, you are a man, be taught by the first; if a demon, learn from the second not to abuse the finest nature for passions. For you will come to judgment to give account of all these things, and be called to a long reckoning for your long insensibility.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.436 (PG 78 78:421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-436)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.437":{"o":"ΟΡΙΒΑΣΙΟ ΙΑΤΡΩ.\nἸατρικὴ μὲν κατὰ Δημόκριτον, σώματος νόσους ἀκέεται· σοφίη δὲ ψυχὴν παθέων ἀφαιρέεται. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἀμφοτέρας μετείληφας, καὶ θατέρᾳ κέχρησαι πρὸς ἑτέρους, πάθη σωμάτων ἰώμενος· τῇ ἑτέρᾳ σαυτὸν ἐξιάτρευσον, τὴν λείπουσαν ὑγείαν προσκτώμενος, ἧς ἄνευ οὔτε ἰατρὸς ἄριστος, οὔτε σοφὸς ἔσῃ τῷ πράγματι.","t":"To Oribasius the physician. \"Medicine,\" according to Democritus, \"heals the diseases of the body; wisdom frees the soul from passions.\" Since, then, you share in both, and use the one for others, healing bodily ailments, cure yourself with the other, acquiring the health you lack, without which you will be neither an excellent physician nor wise in fact.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.437 (PG 78 78:423; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-437)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.438":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΤοῦ Λευϊτικοῦ. Διὰ τί ὁ νόμος ἐθέσπισε προσαγαγέσθαι δύο τρυγόνας, καὶ δύο νεοσσοὺς περιστερῶν ὑπὸ τῶν νεογνῶν βρεφῶν. Δύο τρυγόνας, καὶ δύο νεοττοὺς περιστερῶν, τοὺς νεογνοὺς ἄῤῥενας Ἑβραίων φέρειν δῶρα τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν ἐμφανείας ὁ νόμος προσέταττε, τῶν φιλαρέτων καὶ ἀνεξικάκων ὀρνέων τοῖς τύποις, τὴν ἁπλότητα καὶ ἁπαλότητα τῶν νέων αἰνιττόμενος, καὶ τοῖς ὁμοίοις τὰ ὅμοια διδάσκων καθαίρεσθαι· οὓς [καὶ] ἀρνία προσαγορεύει ἑτέρωθι. Τοὺς γὰρ ἐξοιστροῦντας, καὶ ἀθετοῦντας, καὶ ἀταξίᾳ τὴν φύσιν ὑβρίζοντας, ἐρίφοις παρείκασε.","t":"To Timothy the reader. [From Leviticus. Why the law decreed that two turtledoves and two young pigeons be offered for newborn infants.] The law commanded that newborn Hebrew males bring two turtledoves and two young pigeons as gifts at their appearance before God, hinting by the types of these virtue-loving and forbearing birds at the simplicity and tenderness of the young, and teaching that like is cleansed by like. These it [also] calls lambs elsewhere. Those who rage, rebel and outrage nature by disorder it likens to goats.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.438 (PG 78 78:423; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-438)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.439":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ.\nΠῶς νοητέον, « Μεταμεμέλημαι ὅτι ἔχρισα τὸν Σαούλ εἰς βασιλέα. Ἡ κακόσχολος καὶ φαυλοτριβὴς τῶν ἀθέων ἀπόνοια, οὐδὲν τῶν θείων καταλιμπάνει ἀνύβριστον. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν καὶ τὰ νῦν προβληθέντα σοι, τῆς αὐτῶν ἐστιν ἁμαρτίας γεώργια, ἐκεῖνα παρεὶς, μάνθανε τἀληθῆ. Τὸ, « Μεταμέλομαι ὅτι ἔχρισα τὸν Σαούλ εἰς βασιλέα, » οὐκ ἔστι τῆς θείας προγνώσεως διαβολή [οὐδὲ ἀγνοίας αὐτῆς], ἅπαγε! ᾿Ἀλλὰ οἴκτου καὶ φιλανθρωπίας ὑπερβολή. Ἐπειδὴ, ἄξιοι μὲν ἦσαν Ἑβραῖοι, βασιλέα αἰτήσαντες, καὶ ἐμὲ ἀθετήσαντες, παιδευθῆναι, οὐχ οὕτω δὲ ὡς ἐποίησεν αὐτοῖς βασιλεύσας Σαούλ, οἰκτείρει κἀκείνους ὡς δεινὰ πεπονθότας, καὶ τοῦτον ὡς χαλεπὸν αὐτοῖς γεγονότα. Τῆς τοίνυν ἐκείνων προαιρέσεως ἡ αἰτία, οὐ τῆς τοῦ δεδωκότος τὸ αἴτημα φιλανθρωπίας.","t":"To Theon. [How \"I regret that I anointed Saul as king\" should be understood.] The mischievous and vice-worn madness of the godless leaves nothing divine unmocked. Since, then, what has now been put to you is the crop of their sin, leave that aside and learn the truth. \"I regret that I anointed Saul as king\" is not an accusation against divine foreknowledge [nor its ignorance], far from it! but an excess of pity and love for mankind. For the Hebrews deserved to be disciplined, since they asked for a king and rejected me, but not in the way Saul did as their king; so he pities both them, as having suffered terrible things, and him, as having become harsh to them. The cause, then, lies in their choice, not in the love for mankind of the one who granted the request.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.439 (PG 78 78:423; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-439)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.44":{"o":"ΦΙΛΙΠΠΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ.\nΕἰς μοναχὸν ἀστάτως ἔχοντα τὸν βίον. Τὸν λαγωὸν, τὸ κατάφοβον ζῶον καὶ φύσει δειλὸν ἐκεῖνό φασιν ὑπομένειν, τὸ κοίτην ἐκ κοίτης ἀμείβειν, πρὸς πᾶσαν κίνησιν καὶ βοὴν ταρασσόμενον. ᾿Αλλ' οὐχὶ μοναχὸν, [τὸν] ἐπὶ Κύριον πεποιθέναι ὀφείλοντα, καὶ ὡς ὅρος Σιὼν βεβηκέναι. Τί τοίνυν καταλιπὼν τὸ ἐρείδεσθαι ἀσφαλῶς ἐπὶ Κύριον, καὶ σταυρὸν ἔχειν, τὴν ἀκόλουθον ἄσκησιν· τόπον μεταβάλλεις ἐκ τόπου· μᾶλλον, ὡς ἔοικε, τράπεζαν ἁβροτέραν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ παίδευσιν στεῤῥοτέραν ζητῶν; Καὶ συμβήσεταί σοι, ὡς οἶμαι, πάσας τὰς πόλεις τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ πάσας τὰς ἐσχατιὰς τῆς γῆς μετὰ τοιαύτης γαστρὸς, καὶ γνώμης περιιόντα, Εύριπον εἶναί τινα, παντὶ ἀνέμῳ κνίσσης περιφερόμενον, καὶ μέχρι παντὸς ἀστατοῦντα. Ερμηνεία εἰς θεῖον ἄνθρακα. Τῇ λαβίδι ἔλαβεν ὁ διορατικώτατος Ἡσαΐας τὸν ἐκ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου ἄνθρακα, τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν ἐνανθρώπησιν θεωρῶν τηλαυγέστατα ῎Ανθραξ ἡ θεία ἑωρᾶτο οὐσία· λαβὶς δὲ ἡ ἐξ ἡμῶν αὐτῇ ἑνωθεῖσα ἀναμάρτητος σάρξ. \"Ηψατο δὲ τῶν χειλέων Ἠσαΐου, καὶ τὰς αὐτοῦ ἐκάθηρεν ἁμαρτίας, τὰς πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπείας φύσεως δηλονότι. Ἡ γὰρ ἄῤῥητος τοῦ λόγου πρὸς τὸ ἀνθρώπινον ἕνωσις ἦρε θεοπρεπῶς τὰς τοῦ κόσμου παντὸς ἁμαρτίας.","t":"To Philip the monk. [Against a monk whose life is unstable.] The hare, that fearful and naturally timid animal, they say, keeps changing bed for bed, disturbed at every movement and cry. But not so a monk, who ought to trust in the Lord and stand like Mount Zion. Why, then, do you leave off resting securely on the Lord and holding the cross, the discipline that goes with it, and move from place to place, seeking, it seems, a daintier table rather than a sterner training? It will happen to you, I think, going round all the cities of Israel and all the ends of the earth with such a belly and such a mind, to be a kind of Euripus, carried about by every wind of kitchen smells and forever unstable. [Letter 1.45] [Interpretation of the divine coal.] With the tongs the most clear-sighted Isaiah took the coal from the altar, beholding most brightly the incarnation of our Lord. The coal seen was the divine essence; the tongs, the sinless flesh from us that was united to it. It touched Isaiah's lips and cleansed his sins, that is, the sins of the whole human nature. For the ineffable union of the Word with what is human took away, in a manner befitting God, the sins of the whole world.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.44 (PG 78 78:207; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-44)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.440":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὥσπερ οἱ τοῖς πρώτοις γράμμασι στοιχειούμενοι παῖδες, τῷ καθηγητῇ ἀτενίζουσι πρὸς ὅπερ ἂν τὴν γραφίδα ἁρμόσῃ, ἄσμενοι καὶ εὐπειθῶς τοὺς χαρακτήρας δεχόμενοι· οὕτως καὶ τοὺς τῶν θείων φοιτητὰς ἔπεσθαι τοῖς τούτων διδασκάλοις, νηπιώδη ἁπλότητα, καὶ ἀνενδοίαστον συγκατάθεσιν ἔχοντας. Απεκρύβη γὰρ, φησὶ, ταῦτα ὁ Κύριος ἀπὸ σοφῶν καὶ συνετῶν, καὶ ἀπεκαλύφθη νηπίοις.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. As children learning their first letters fix their eyes on the teacher, wherever he moves the pen, and receive the characters gladly and obediently, so students of divine things should follow their teachers, having childlike simplicity and undoubting assent. For the Lord, it says, \"hid these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to infants.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.440 (PG 78 78:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-440)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.441":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠρὸς μαθητευομένους. Εἰ καὶ τελείους ἡμᾶς εἶναι ὁ θεῖος βούλεται νόμος, ὁμώνυμε, ἀλλὰ κατὰ ἀνάβασιν καὶ προκοπὴν πρὸς τὴν τελείωσιν φθάσαντας, πρότερον γάλακτι ποτιζομένους, ὡς ἀρτιγένητα βρέφη, καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς σωτηρίαν αὐξάνοντας. Τί ἐστι· « Παιδία γίνεσθε ταῖς φρεσί. » Κἀκεῖνο ὅπερ ἔφης, συνήγορον εὑρίσκω τῶν πρώην γραφέντων σοι, μὴ παιδία γίνεσθαι ταῖς φρεσὶν, ἀλλὰ τῇ κακίᾳ νηπιάζειν, ταῖς δὲ φρεσὶ τελειοῦσθαι, τοῦ πανσόφου γράψαντος Παύλου. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστι μὴ ἀποσμήξαντας τὴν κακίαν, καὶ νηπιάσαντας πρὸς ἀγνείαν, ἢ φρεσὶ τελειωθῆναι, ἢ εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον ἐργάτην ἀνεπαίσχυντον ἀναβήναι.","t":"To the same. [To learners.] Even if the divine law wants us to be perfect, namesake, it is by ascent and progress that we reach perfection, first being given milk to drink like newborn babes and growing by it to salvation. [Letter 1.442] [What is \"Be children in your minds\"?] What you said I find in support of what I wrote you before: not to be children in mind, but to be infants in malice and perfect in mind, as the all-wise Paul wrote. For it is not, it is not possible, unless we have scrubbed off malice and become infants in purity, either to be perfected in mind or to rise to a perfect man, a worker without shame.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.441 (PG 78 78:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-441)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.443":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\n• \"Οτε ἤμην νήπιος, ἐφρόνουν. Τὸ, « Ὡς νήπιος ἐλάλουν, ὡς νήπιος ἐφρόνουν, εἰρημένον τῷ θεόφρονι Παύλῳ περὶ τῆς κατὰ νόμον ἀγωγῆς αὐτῷ γέγραπται, καθ᾽ ἣν ὡς νήπιος λαλῶν, ἐφύλαττε τὸν νόμον νηπίοις δεδομένον, ὡς νήπιος φρονῶν, ἐδίωκε τὸν λόγον, ἀμύνων τοῖς τοῦ νόμου· • Ὅτε δὲ γέγονα, φησὶν, ἀνὴρ, τὰ τοῦ νηπίου κατἠργηκα, » οὐδὲ τὸν νόμον ἀκυρῶν, καὶ τοῦ λόγου κατηχῶν.","t":"To the same. [\"When I was a child, I thought …\"] \"I spoke as a child, I thought as a child,\" said by the God-minded Paul, was written of his upbringing according to the law, in which, speaking as a child, he kept the law given to children, and thinking as a child, he persecuted the Word, defending the things of the law. \"But when I became a man,\" he says, \"I put away the things of the child\": not annulling the law, but instructing in the Word.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.443 (PG 78 78:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-443)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.444":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΑὐτὸς ὁ μέγας Ἀπόστολος, ὁ πλεῖον πάντων κοπιάσας, ὁ τὸν νόμον ἀκριβῶς μετελθών, παιδευσάτω σε, νηπίαν εἶναι ἐν αὐτῷ γνῶσιν τῆς θείας παιδεύσεως, ὡς ἐν σκιᾷ κεκαλυμμένην, καὶ ἀμυδρῶς διορωμένην. Σκιὰν εἶχεν ὁ νόμος τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν, ἀποφαινόμενος, οὐκ αὐτὴν τὴν εἰκόνα τῶν πραγμάτων, ἣν ἐπιστεύθη τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον, πρὸς ἣν οἱ τύποι ἐπέβλεπον.","t":"To the same. Let the great Apostle himself, who labored more than all and followed the law exactly, teach you that the knowledge of divine instruction in it is childish, veiled as in a shadow and seen dimly. He declares that the law had a shadow of the good things to come, not the very image of the realities, which was entrusted to the Gospel, to which the types looked.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.444 (PG 78 78:425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-444)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.445":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠῶς καὶ τίνας ποτίζει τὸ γάλα ὁ Παῦλος ὡς νηπίους. Πῶς, ἔφης, εἰ ὁ νόμος νηπιώδης ὡς νηπίοις δεδομένος, καὶ ἡ κατὰ Χριστὸν στοιχείωσις, πάλιν τυγχάνει νηπιότης, τοῦ Ἀποστόλου φάσκοντος, « Γάλα ὑμᾶς ἐπότισα, καὶ οὐ βρῶμα· οὔπω γὰρ ἡδύνασθε;» \"Ακουε τοίνυν · νηπίους ἐκ τοῦ νόμου ὁ εὐαγγελικὸς λόγος δεξάμενος, καὶ τῆς ἀκραιφνοῦς καὶ τελειοτάτης γνώσεως μεταδοῦναι αὐτοῖς οὐ δυνάμενος, καὶ ἀθρόαν ἀποδεῖξαι τῶν ὑπὲρ νοῦν μυστηρίων τὴν δι' αὐτοῦ φανερωθεῖσαν ἀλήθειαν· οἷον τὴν θείαν οὐσίαν ἐν μονάδι ὑφεστῶσαν, ἐν μονάδι δὲ καθεστῶσαν, τοῖς μίαν καὶ ὑπόστασιν Θεοῦ ὥσπερ οὐσίαν φανταζομένοις· πάλιν τῷ νόμῳ χρῆται πρὸς σύστασιν καὶ πειθώ τῶν ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ παιδαγωγηθέντων, ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὰς τῶν τελείων δογμάτων μαρτυρίας ἐπιφερόμενος. Οὕτως γάλα ποτίζει Παῦλος τὸν νεογνὸν τοῦ Κυρίου λαὸν, σοφῶς αὐτὸν διὰ τῆς νόμου νηπιότητος παιδεύων τὴν τελειότητα.","t":"To the same. [How and to whom Paul gives milk as to infants.] How, you said, if the law is childish as given to infants, is instruction according to Christ again infancy, since the Apostle says, \"I gave you milk to drink, not food, for you were not yet able\"? Hear, then. The gospel word received infants from the law, and could not give them the pure and most perfect knowledge, nor show all at once the truth of the mysteries above the mind revealed through it: for example, that the divine essence subsists in a unity and stands in a unity [of three], to those who imagine one hypostasis of God as well as one essence. So it uses the law again for the proof and persuasion of those it had trained, bringing from it the testimonies of perfect doctrines. In this way Paul gives milk to the Lord's newborn people, wisely teaching them perfection through the infancy of the law.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.445 (PG 78 78:427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-445)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.446":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ.\nΠερὶ λοιδορίας. Εἰ νηστεύεις ἀπὸ βρωμάτων, τί κρεωφαγεῖς λοιδορίας; Καλὸν γὰρ ἐκείνων ἐμφορεῖσθαι, ἢ ταύταις βεβηλοῦσθαι. Εἰ δὲ τῶν μὲν ἀπέχῃ, ταῖς δὲ μολύνῃ, ἔοικάς τινι μικρὰ προσευχομένῳ, καὶ πλεῖστα βλασ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟ. ῞Οτι οὐχ ὁ ἀπόστολος Φίλιππος, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τῶν γ τῶν μετὰ Στεφάνου ἐκλεγέντων ἐστὶν, ὁ καὶ τὸν εὐνοῦχον βαπτίσας, καὶ τὸν Σίμωνα κατηχήσας· καὶ ὅτι χρὴ τοὺς ἱερατικοὺς ἄνδρας λύειν τὰς ἐρωτηθείσας ἐρωτήσεις καὶ ἀμφιβολίας. Ἔδει μὲν ἅπαντας τοὺς Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν ἱερωμένους, καὶ Ἐκκλησίας ὑπηρεσίᾳ ἐντεταγμένους τὰς ἀλλήλων λύειν ἔρεις τε καὶ μανιώδεις ἀμφιβολίας, ἀλλὰ μὴ αὐτοὺς ἑτέρωθεν ἐρανίζεσθαι τὰς ἑαυτῶν συνηγορίας. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ πρὸς μόνα βλέπουσι τὰ ὀψώνια, κἀκείνην κρίνουσιν ἁγιωτέραν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, παρ᾿ ἧς δαψιλέστερα δέχονται, Θεὸν τὴν \"κοιλίαν ἡγούμενοι· δι᾽ οὓς καὶ τὸ θεῖον βλασφημεῖται καὶ σεβάσμιον ὄνομα· τῶν δὲ κρειττόνων ἀμελοῦσι, καὶ οὐδὲ λόγον τὸν τυχόντα ποιοῦνται, ἴσθι, θαυμάσιε, ὡς τὸ εἰρημένον παρὰ τοῦ ἐναρέτου Ἱέρωνος, ἀληθές ἐστι, καὶ ἐκ τῆς θείας ἔχει Γραφῆς [τὴν ἀπόδειξιν· ] οὐ γὰρ ὁ ἀπόστολος Φίλιππος, ὁ ἐν τοῖς δεκαδύο καταλεγόμενος, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ εἰς τοὺς ἑπτὰ τῶν μετὰ τοῦ ἀριστέως καὶ ἀρχιστρατήγου τῶν καλλινίκων μαρτύρων Στεφάνου ἐπιλεγεὶς πρὸς τὴν τῶν χηρῶν οἰκονομίαν, οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ καὶ τὸν εὐνοῦχον βαπτίσας, καὶ τὸν Σίμωνα κατηχήσας.","t":"To Palladius. [On abuse.] If you fast from foods, why do you eat the meat of abuse? It is better to be filled with the former than to be profaned by the latter. But if you abstain from the one and are defiled by the other, you are like someone who prays a little and blasphemes a great deal … [Letter 1.447] To Antiochus. [That not Philip the apostle but one of the seven chosen with Stephen baptized the eunuch and instructed Simon; and that clergy ought to resolve the questions and doubts put to them.] All who are consecrated to the Lord our God and enrolled in the service of the church ought to resolve one another's quarrels and frenzied doubts, and not beg their defenses from elsewhere. But since they look only to their wages, and judge that church the holier from which they receive more abundantly, holding the belly as God, through whom the divine and venerable name is blasphemed, and neglect better things and take no account of them at all, know, admirable man, that what the virtuous Hieron said is true and has [its proof] from divine Scripture. It was not Philip the apostle, numbered among the twelve, but the one chosen among the seven with Stephen, the champion and general of the glorious martyrs, for the care of the widows: he is the one who baptized the eunuch and instructed Simon.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.446 (PG 78 78:427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-446)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.448":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ αὐτοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ καὶ μαρτυρίαν ζητεῖς τοῦ πράγματος Γραφικὴν, ἄκους τοῦ παναρίστου Λουκᾶ ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι γεγραφότος· ᾿Αναιρεθέντος Στεφάνου ἐγένετο διωγμὸς μέγας ἐπὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις, πάντες δὲ διεσπάρησαν κατὰ τῆς χώρας τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ Σαμαρείας, πλὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων, ὡς δῆλον εἶναι ὅτι ὁ ἀπόστολος Φίλιππος σὺν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀποστόλοις, ἐπὶ Ἱεροσολύμων κατέμεινε.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] Since you seek scriptural testimony for the matter, hear the most excellent Luke writing in the Acts: \"When Stephen had been killed, there arose a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and all were scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles\"; so that it is clear that Philip the apostle remained in Jerusalem with the other apostles.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.448 (PG 78 78:429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-448)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.449":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ αὐτοῦ. Εἰ φιλομαθῶς ἐζήτεις τὰς Γραφὰς, εὕρισκες καὶ ἐτέρας ἐκεῖθεν μαρτυρίας, διασαφούσας σοι τὸ κινούμενον. Τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις μόνων περιλειφθέντων, καὶ πάντων τῶν λοιπῶν μαθητῶν, ἄλλου ἀλλαχόσε διασπαρέντος, ἐν τοῖς διασπαρεῖσιν (ἦν] καὶ οὗτος ὁ Φίλιππος, ὃς καὶ τὸν Σίμωνα κατηχήσας ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ, καὶ τὸν εὐνοῦχον κατὰ θεῖον χρησμὸν βαπτίσας, ἁρπαγεὶς ὑπὸ πνεύματος Κυρίου, εἰς᾿ Αζωτον μὲν εὑρέθη, πρὸς δὲ Καισάρειαν ὥρμησε τὴν αὐτὸν ἐνεγκοῦσαν. Τῆς γὰρ ἐπὶ Στεφάνῳ λύπης πειραθεὶς, καὶ ἴσως δείσας μὴ τῶν ὁμοίων μετάσχῃ, ἐπαλινόστησεν οἴκαδε.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] If you had searched the Scriptures studiously, you would have found other testimonies there too, making plain what is in question. When the apostles alone were left in Jerusalem, and all the other disciples were scattered, one here and another there, among the scattered [was] also this Philip, who instructed Simon in Samaria and baptized the eunuch by divine oracle, and, caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, was found at Azotus and set out for Caesarea, which had borne him. For having experienced the grief over Stephen, and perhaps fearing to share the same fate, he returned home.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.449 (PG 78 78:429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-449)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.450":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ αὐτοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ πολλῶν ἀποδείξεων ἐρᾷς, ἰδοὺ καὶ ἑτέρα. Φίλιππος μὲν ἐβάπτισε τοὺς ἐν Σαμαρείᾳ μαθητευθέντας. Πέτρος δὲ καὶ Ἰωάννης οἱ ἀπόστολοι, καταβάντες ἀπὸ Ἱεροσολύμων πρὸς αὐτοὺς, τὴν τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου παρέσχοντο χάριν. Εἰ δὲ ὁ βαπτίσας εἷς τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐτύγχανεν, εἶχε τὴν αὐθεντίαν τῆς τοῦ Πνεύματος δόσεως. Βαπτίζει δὲ μόνον ὡς μαθητὴς, τελειοῦσι δὲ τὴν χάριν οἱ ἀπόστολοι, οἷς ἡ τῆς τοιαύτης δόσεως αὐθεντία ἐδέδοτο.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] Since you love many proofs, here is another. Philip baptized those discipled in Samaria; but Peter and John, the apostles, came down from Jerusalem to them and supplied the grace of the Holy Spirit. If the one who baptized had been one of the apostles, he would have had the authority to give the Spirit. But he baptizes only as a disciple, while the apostles, to whom the authority of such giving was given, complete the grace.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.450 (PG 78 78:429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-450)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.451":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠερὶ ἀνδρείας. Οὐ χρὴ, θαυμάσιε, ἀεὶ τοῖς ἀνέμοις ὑπείκειν, ἀλλ᾽ ἔστιν ὅτε καὶ ἀντίπρωρον ταῖς καταιγίσιν ἀνθίστασθαι, καὶ τὰς ἐμβολὰς τῶν πνευμάτων ἐκκρούεσθαι, μήποτε μεγαλυνόμεναι αἱ λαίλαπες, καὶ τῶν οἰάκων ἡμᾶς ἐκτινάξωσι, καὶ μερισμὸν τοῦ σκάφους ἐργάσωνται πολυσκέδαστον. ᾿Ανθίστασο τοίνυν τῷ νῦν ταράσσοντι κλύδωνι, εἰ καὶ τῇ κακοτέχνῳ πραότητι, ὡς πρὸς λιμένα τὴν ἑαυτοῦ προκαλεῖται κακόνοιαν, μήποτε ὡς ἐγκρατὴς τῆς νηὸς καὶ τοῦ φόρτου σου γένηται, καὶ εἰς δύσορμον ἐξωθήσῃ σε, ἀφ᾿ ἧς ναυάγιον οἱ ἁλόντες ὑφίστανται.","t":"To Leontius the bishop. [On courage.] One must not always yield to the winds, admirable man, but sometimes stand prow-on against the storms and beat back the onslaughts of the gales, lest the squalls grow and shake us from the helm and break the ship into scattered pieces. Resist, then, the surge now troubling you, even if with crafty mildness it invites you to its own malice as to a harbor, lest it become master of your ship and cargo and drive you to a bad anchorage, where those caught suffer shipwreck.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.451 (PG 78 78:429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-451)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.452":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ τοῦ Ἐζεκίου εἰρημένον· « Γενέσθω δὴ εἰρήνη ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις. • Γενέσθω εἰρήνη ἐν ταῖς ἡμέραις μου, ὁ θεοφιλέστατος ἔλεγεν Ἐζεκίας, οὐκ ἐνδιδοὺς τοῖς πολέμοις, οὐκ ἀφεστὼς τῆς πρεσβείας, ἀλλὰ [τὴν] μὲν Θεῷ προσῆγεν ἱκέτιν, τοῖς δὲ ἐκεῖθεν τὴν ἧτταν ἐζήτει, αὐτοῖς δηλῶν τοῖς κατορθώμασιν, ὡς φίλην κτησάμενος τὴν εἰρήνην, μέχρι παντὸς ἔχειν αὐτὴν ἠντιβόλει. \"Όθεν ἀγγέλου χειρὶ τὴν νίκην εἰργάσατο, εἰς βέλη μὲν οὐ χωρῶν, οὐδὲ εἰσκύρσεις ποιῶν, εἰς δεήσεις δὲ καὶ λιτὰς τὰς πρὸς Θεὸν ἀγρυπνῶν.","t":"To the same. [On what Hezekiah said, \"Let there be peace in my days.\"] \"Let there be peace in my days,\" said the most God-loving Hezekiah, not giving in to wars nor standing away from intercession, but bringing a supplication to God and seeking the defeat of those from there; showing by his very achievements that, having gained peace as a friend, he begged to have it forever. So he won the victory by the hand of an angel, not going to arrows or making sallies, but keeping vigil in petitions and prayers to God.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.452 (PG 78 78:431; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-452)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.453":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ.\n*ὅτε ἐπάλαισεν ὁ Ἰακώβ, τί εἶπε τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ὁ παλαίων. Ἡ μὲν θεία φύσις ἀκατονόμαστος. Ὄνομα δὲ ἐζήτει Ἰακὼβ τοῦ παλαίοντος, καὶ ἰσχύειν αὐτὸν κατὰ τῶν παθῶν ἐκδιδάσκοντος, διὰ τῆς τοῦ νεύρου τοῦ μηροῦ ψηλαφήσεως. ᾿Αλλ' « Ἵνα τί ἐρωτᾷς τὸ ὄνομά μου; » ἀκούει, οὐ τοῦ νόμου εἶναι, οὐδὲ τῶν πρὸ τοῦ νόμου τοῦτο μαθεῖν ἐκπαιδεύοντος · ὀψὲ δὲ καιροῦ, ὅτε ἐλεύσεται τῶν χρόνων τὸ πλήρωμα, καὶ πληθυνθῶσι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰ πλημμελήματα, Ἰησοῦς ἐνανθρωπήσας κληθήσομαι, ὅπερ Σωτὴρ ἐρμηνεύεται. Ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ γὰρ τῶν ἁμαρτόντων τὴν οἰκονομίαν ἐκείνην ποιήσομαι.","t":"To Theodosius. [When Jacob wrestled, what did the wrestler say his name was?] The divine nature cannot be named. Jacob sought the name of the one who wrestled with him and taught him, by touching the sinew of his thigh, to be strong against the passions. But he hears, \"Why do you ask my name?\" since it was not for the law, nor for those before the law, to learn this; but late in time, when the fullness of times comes and the offenses of men are multiplied, I will be called Jesus when I become man, which means Savior. For I will carry out that dispensation for the salvation of sinners.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.453 (PG 78 78:431; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-453)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.454":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΟὐ ψευδὴς [μόνη] κατηγορία, ὦ σκεῦος Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ κομιδῇ ἀληθὴς, εἰ κατὰ πατρὸς γένοιτο μόνον, ὅλεθρον τῷ πατραλοίᾳ ὠδίνει, ὡς τῷ Χάμ, ἡ τοῦ Νῶς· ἧς καθαρεύσαντες Σήμ καὶ Ἰάφεθ, καὶ σὺ ὁ ἐκείνων συναγωνιστὴς καὶ συγκληρονόμος, καὶ τὴν ἐκ μέθης σκεπάσαντες παροινίαν, μιᾶς καὶ ὁμοίας ἀξιωθήσεσθε εὐλογίας εἰκότως. Περὶ ἀκτημοσύνης. Ὅσα καὶ κτᾶται σπανίως, ὡς πολύτιμα, καὶ τηρεῖται δυσκόλως, ὡς ἐπίβουλα, καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχει χρῆσιν τοῖς εὐτελέσι καὶ εὐώνοις, ταῦτα Χριστιανῶν οὐ κτήσεως μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὄψεως ἠλλοτριῶσθαι προσήκει· οἷα ταῖς μὲν εἰς τοὺς πένητας λυμαινόμενα εὐποιίαις· τοῖς δὲ κεκτημένοις βασκαίνοντα τῆς σωτηρίας. ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Εἰς τὸ, « Μὴ κώμοις καὶ μέθαις. Κῶμός ἐστιν, ὦ φιλότης, μεθυστικὸς αὐλὸς, ἐγχρονίζοντος οἴνου, ἐρεθίζων τὴν ἡδυπάθειαν, καὶ θέατρον ἄσχημον ποιῶν τὸ συμπόσιον, κυμβάλοις τισὶ καὶ ὀργάνοις ἀπάτης καταθέλγων τοὺς δαιτυμόνας· ἧς ἔξω στήσειν τῆς βασιλείας τοὺς χρωμένους αὐτῷ γέγραπται, ὡς ἐπίστασαι.","t":"To Timothy the reader. Not [only] a false accusation, vessel of God, but even a quite true one, if it is made against a father, is in labor with destruction for the one who strikes his father, as Noah's was for Ham; from which Shem and Japheth kept themselves clean, and you, their fellow contender and co-heir, covering the drunken misbehavior, will rightly be counted worthy of one and the same blessing. [Letter 1.455] [On having no possessions.] Things that are acquired rarely, as costly, guarded with difficulty, as tempting to thieves, and have the same use as cheap and inexpensive things, Christians should be estranged from not only owning but even seeing; since they damage the good done to the poor, and grudge salvation to those who own them. [Letter 1.456] To Palladius the deacon. [On \"Not in revelry and drunkenness.\"] Revelry, my friend, is the drunken pipe, as wine lingers, stirring up sensuality and making the banquet an indecent theatre, charming the guests with certain cymbals and instruments of deceit; those who indulge in it, as you know, it is written that he will set outside the kingdom.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.454 (PG 78 78:431; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-454)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.457":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠῶς νοητέον, • Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν ἤγῳ σάλπιγγος. • Περὶ τῆς μουσικῆς ἧς ἡ Γραφὴ μὲμνηται. Εἰ τῆς Γραφικῆς ζητεῖς μουσικῆς διασάφησιν, οὕτω νοητέον· « Αἰνεῖτε τὸν Κύριον ἐν ἤχῳ σάλπιγγος, » ἐν τῇ μνήμῃ τῆς ἀναστάσεως, σάλπιγγι γενησομένης, ὡς γέγραπται· « Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν ψαλτηρίῳ καὶ κιθάρᾳ, » τῇ γλώσσῃ ἡμῶν καὶ τῷ στόματι, ὡς πλήκτρῳ τινὶ τῷ πνεύματι κρουομένων· • Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν τυμπάνῳ καὶ χορῷ, » ἐν σαρκὶ καὶ ψυχῇ, ἀφ᾿ ἧς ὡς χοροὶ αἱ πρὸς Θεὸν διαβαίνουσι δεήσεις. « Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν χορδαῖς καὶ ὀργάνῳ, ἐν καρδίᾳ, καὶ παντὶ τῷ ἔσωθεν σπλάγχνῳ, καὶ νεύροις, ἅπερ ὄργανον κέκληκεν. « Αἰνεῖτε αὐτὸν ἐν κυμβάλοις εὐήχοις, » τοῖς χείλεσι, δι' ὧν τὰ ἐναρμόνια τῆς ψαλμῳδίας πλέκεται μέλη.","t":"To the same. [How \"Praise him with the sound of the trumpet\" should be understood. On the music which Scripture mentions.] If you seek an explanation of the music of Scripture, it is to be understood so: \"Praise the Lord with the sound of the trumpet\": in remembrance of the resurrection, which will come with a trumpet, as it is written. \"Praise him with psaltery and harp\": with our tongue and mouth, struck by the Spirit as by a plectrum. \"Praise him with timbrel and dance\": in flesh and soul, from which our petitions go up to God like dances. \"Praise him with strings and instrument\": with the heart and all the inner organs and sinews, which he called an instrument. \"Praise him with well-sounding cymbals\": with the lips, through which the harmonious melodies of psalmody are woven.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.457 (PG 78 78:433; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-457)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.458":{"o":"ΘΕΟΦΙΛΩ.\n῞Οτι οὐκ ἐναντία τῆς παλαιᾶς νομοθεσίας ἡ εὐαγγελικὴ διδασκαλία. Οὐκ ἀπῳδὰ, οὐδ᾽ ἀλλότρια τῆς τοῦ νόμου ἐντολῆς, ἡ εὐαγγελική νομοθεσία παρέδωκε. Τοῦ μὲν γὰρ τὴν ἔκβασιν καὶ τὴν πρᾶξιν τῆς ἁμαρτίας παιδεύοντος, αὕτη τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ κακοῦ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἐκώλυσεν, ὡς εὐεμπτωσίαν οὖσαν τῆς πράξεως, ἧς ἀναιρουμένης, οὐκ ἔχει χώραν ἡ ποίησις.","t":"To Theophilus. [That the gospel teaching is not contrary to the old legislation.] The gospel legislation handed down nothing out of tune with or foreign to the commandment of the law. For while the law teaches about the outcome and the doing of sin, the Gospel forbade desire, the beginning of the evil, as the easy way into the deed; and when that is removed, the act has no room.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.458 (PG 78 78:433; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-458)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.459":{"o":"ΘΗΡΑΣΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, « Μακάριος, ὃς ἐν γλώσση οὐκ ὠλίσθησεν, οὐδὲ κατενύγη ἐν λύπῃ ἀμαρτίας. Τὸ ἐρώτημα τῆς ἀγάπης σου, τοιοῦτόν ἐστι· «Μακάριος, ὃς οὐκ ὠλίσθησεν ἐν γλώσσῃ αὐτοῦ » Μακάριος, φησὶν, ὃς οὔτε αἰσχρότητι ῥημάτων τὴν γλῶσσαν ἐμόλυνεν, οὐδὲ σκανδάλου τισὶ γεγένηται δι' ὕβρεως αἴτιος. « Τὸ οὐ κατενύγη ἐν λύπῃ ἀμαρτίας, ἤτοι μεταγνοὺς ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἀσέμνως καὶ αἰσχρῶς ἀπεφθέγξατο, ἢ τὸ μή τινα λυπῆσαι δεινοῖς ἔπεσι, καὶ δεηθῆναι ἐπ᾿ αὐταῖς κατανύξεως. Ὀλίσθημα γὰρ ἀπὸ ἐδάφους μᾶλλον, ἢ ἀπὸ γλώσσης. Πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ πεσόντες, φησὶν, ἀνέστησαν, εἰπόντες δὲ προσαπώλοντο.","t":"To Therasius. [On the saying \"Blessed is he who has not slipped with his tongue, nor been pricked with the grief of sin.\"] The question of your charity is this: \"Blessed is he who has not slipped with his tongue.\" Blessed, it says, is he who has neither defiled his tongue with shameful words nor become the cause of stumbling to anyone through insult. \"Has not been pricked with the grief of sin\": either, having repented of what he spoke indecently and shamefully; or, not having grieved anyone with terrible words and so needing compunction for them. For \"a slip from the floor is better than from the tongue.\" For many, it says, fell and rose again, but by speaking perished besides.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.459 (PG 78 78:433; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-459)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.46":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΤίνα ἔννοιαν ἔχει τὸ, Ὑπόθες τὴν χεῖρά σου ὑπὸ τὸν μηρόν μου. • ᾿Απόθες τὴν χεῖρά σου ὑπὸ τὸν μηρόν μου, καὶ ἐξορκιῶ σε τὸν Θεὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ἐνετείλατο τελευτῶν ὁ Ἀβραὰμ τῷ οἰκέτῃ, τῶν ἐκ τῶν μηρῶν αὐτοῦ μέλλοντα σαρκοῦσθαι Θεὸν τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς τὸν Κύριον ἡμῶν καὶ Δεσπότην Χριστὸν, καθαρότητι διανοίας ὁρῶν μέλλοντα τοῦ σπέρματος ᾿Αβραὰμ ἐπιλαμβάνεσθαι, ὡς προφήτης καὶ βλέπων τὰ ἔμπροσθεν. ΜΩΣΗ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Πρὸς ἱερεῖς περὶ τῆς τῶν πενήτων οἰκονομίας ὀλιγώρως ἔχοντας. Οὐ χρὴ τὰς τῶν πενήτων τροφὰς ἀδοκιμάστως διανέμειν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο πεπεῖσθαι τὸν ταύτας οἰκονομεῖν τεταγμένον· ὡς εἴ τι πέρα τοῦ δέοντος ἀνάλωται, ἱεροσυλίας αὐτὸν καθίστησιν ὑπεύθυνον πταίσμασι.","t":"To Herminus the count. [What meaning has \"Put your hand under my thigh\"?] \"Put your hand under my thigh, and I will make you swear by the God of heaven and earth,\" Abraham commanded his servant when he was dying, seeing with purity of mind that the God of heaven and earth, our Lord and Master Christ, would take flesh from his thighs and take hold of the seed of Abraham, since he was a prophet and saw what lay ahead. [Another letter] To Moses the bishop. [To priests who are careless about the management of the poor.] The food of the poor must not be distributed without scrutiny; the one appointed to manage it must be convinced that, if anything is spent beyond need, it makes him liable to the offenses of sacrilege.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.46 (PG 78 78:209; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-46)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.460":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ.\nΠερὶ κρίσεως. Ἐπίκουρος μὲν ὁ ποιμὴν τῆς ἀγέλης σου, αὐτοσχεδίως πάντα γεγενῆσθαι, καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ὡς οὐχ ὑπάρξαντα ἔσεσθαι ἀσεβῶς ἀπεφήνατο. Χριστὸς δὲ ὁ πάντων ποιητὴς καὶ Πατὴρ καὶ Θεὸς καὶ Σωτήρ, ἥξειν ἐν δόξῃ ἐπηγγείλατο, καὶ ἀποδοῦναι ἑκάστῳ ὡς ἔπραξεν. Εἰ τοίνυν ἀξιόπιστος οὗτος μᾶλλον ἐκείνου, τῆς σῆς ἐστι συνιδεῖν δυσκατανύκτου καρδίας, μήποτε φθασθῇς καταφρονῶν, καὶ τότε μεταμέλεσθαι ζητῆς, ὅτε τόπος μεταμέλῳ οὐκ ἔστι,","t":"To Martinianus. [On judgment.] Epicurus, the shepherd of your herd, impiously declared that all things came to be by chance, and that afterward they will be as though they had never existed. But Christ, maker of all, Father, God and Savior, promised to come in glory and render to each according to what he has done. If, then, this one is more trustworthy than that, it is for your hard-to-move heart to consider, lest you be overtaken while despising, and then seek to repent when there is no room for repentance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.460 (PG 78 78:435; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-460)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.461":{"o":"ΘΕΑΝΩ.\nἩ φιλοκοσμία, καὶ ἡ τῶν λίθων ἀνθὴ, καὶ τοῦ χρυσοῦ ἡ πρὸς τούτους ἀνάκρασις, καὶ πλόκαμοι ἑλικτοὶ, καὶ ὀφθαλμῶν ὑπογραφαὶ, καὶ κάλλους σοφισμὸς, καὶ αἱ περὶ ταῦτα κακοτεχνίαι, ὧν σε φροντίζειν ἀπαγγέλλουσιν ἅπαντες, τὴν μὲν σεμνότητα τῆς χρείας ἐνυβρίζουσι· παθῶν δὲ λύτταν σημαίνουσιν. Εἰ οὖν τῶν συνθηκῶν ἐπιλέλησαι, πρὸς ὑπόμνησιν γέγραφα · εἰ δ' ἐτράπης ὡς ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλὰ θᾶττον ἀνάνηψον. Τὸ γὰρ μὴ ἐπαγγείλασθαι δῶρον Θεῷ, ἀκίνδυνον· τὸ δὲ εὔξασθαι καὶ ἀθετῆσαι, κατάκρίτον. ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΤΡΙΒΟΥΝΩ. Ἔχεις μὲν Θεὸν ἀεὶ τὰς βουλὰς εὐοδοῦντά σοι. Νῦν δὲ πρὸς Θράκην στελλόμενος καὶ τῶν συγχύσεων τὴν ἀκρόπολιν, χρήζεις τῆς ὀρέξεως Καίσαρος, ἣν αὐτῷ μαστεύει δαψιλῶς ὁ ᾿Ανδρόγυνος. Καὶ σὺ μὲν ἀπορῶν ὡς μέσος λεόντων ῥιφησόμενος, γίνου προσευχὴν βοηθὸν κεκτημένος. Οὐ νυστάξει δὲ, οἶδα, ὁ φυλάττων σε, τὰς δὲ μύλας συνθλάσει τῆς πονηρίας, καὶ ἀποστρέψει σε μετὰ σωτηρίας εἰς τὴν γῆν κατασχέσεώς σου.","t":"To Theano. Love of ornament, the bloom of jewels and gold blended with them, braided curls, eyes painted underneath, the sophistry of beauty and the bad arts concerned with these, which everyone reports you care for, insult the dignity of your profession and signal a frenzy of passions. If, then, you have forgotten your covenants, I have written to remind you; if you have turned aside, as a human being, come to your senses quickly. For not to promise a gift to God is without danger; but to vow and break the vow is condemned. [Letter 1.462] To Serenus the tribune. You always have God prospering your plans. But now, being sent to Thrace and the citadel of confusions, you need the favor of Caesar, which the Androgynus abundantly pursues for himself. And you, at a loss, as one about to be thrown into the midst of lions, have prayer as your helper. He who keeps you will not slumber, I know; he will break the jaw-teeth of wickedness and bring you back safely to the land of your possession.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.461 (PG 78 78:435; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-461)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.463":{"o":"ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΟ ΝΕΩ.\nΛύπην ἔχω μεγάλην, ὅτι ἀκούω σε, οὐ τὴν πατρώαν σωφροσύνην ζηλοῦντα, ἀλλὰ ξένην ἐπιτηδεύοντα αἰσχύνην, ἀποκείραντα τὴν ὄψιν τοῦ φυσικοῦ τῆς τιμιότητος ἄνθους, καὶ πρὸς τὴν γυναικονίτιν σχηματιζόμενον μᾶλλον. Ὅπερ οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστιν, ἢ τῷ ποιήσαντι μέμφεσθαι. Εἰ γὰρ τὴν σύγχρονον τῆς τελειότητος τιμὴν παραιτῇ, ἀτελὴς μᾶλλον εἶναι φιλονεικεῖς, εἰς ἄνδρας οὐ βουλόμενος τελεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀμφίβολός τις ἐκτομίας καὶ εἶναι καὶ φαίνεσθαι.","t":"To Dionysius the younger. I am greatly grieved to hear that you do not emulate your father's sobriety but practice a strange shame, shaving your face of the natural bloom of dignity and fashioning yourself rather toward the women's quarters. This is nothing other than finding fault with your Maker. For if you refuse the honor that comes with maturity, you contend rather to be imperfect, not wishing to be counted among men, but to be and appear an ambiguous eunuch.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.463 (PG 78 78:437; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-463)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.464":{"o":"ΣΑΛΟΥΣΤΙΩ.\nΔιαφορὰν μὲν ἔχειν δοκεῖ κατ' ἐπιτήδευσιν ἀπὸ τῆς μοιχείας πορνεία. Καὶ μείζων ἡ μανία, ὁπότε τῇ ὑπὸ ζυγόν τις ἐπιλυττήσει. Ἐρευνωμένη δὲ καὶ καθ' ἑαυτὴν ἡ πορνεία, πολλάκις εὑρίσκεται μοιχεία, τῆς ἐπὶ τοῦ τέγους ἑταιριζομένης ὑπὸ ζυγὸν τελούσης ἔστιν ὅτε, ἀλλὰ καὶ χείρονά τισι συνέβη πορνομανέσι. Πολλάκις γὰρ ὁμοπατρίοις συνεφύρησαν νόθοις, καὶ ἄλλοι θυγατράσιν ἰδίαις πορνικῶς αὐτοῖς γεννηθείσαις. Καὶ γέγονεν αὐτοῖς ἡ φιλήδονος μέθη, βάραθρον Περσικῆς ἀπωλείας","t":"To Salustius. Sexual immorality seems to differ from adultery in practice, and the madness is greater when someone rages after a woman under the yoke. But sexual immorality, examined in itself, is often found to be adultery, since the woman who plays the prostitute on the roof is sometimes under the yoke; and worse things have happened to some mad for whores. For often they have mingled with bastard sisters by the same father, and others with their own daughters, born to them from prostitution. And their pleasure-loving drunkenness has become for them a pit of Persian ruin.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.464 (PG 78 78:437; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-464)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.465":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ,\nΕἰς τοσοῦτόν σε φασί τινες ἐληλακέναι γαστριμαργίας, ὡς τῆς διαίτης σου τὰ λείψανα, ἄλλης εἶναι τραπέζης ὀψώνια· καὶ ταῦτα κώμοις μερίζοντα τὴν ἐστίασιν. Ἐφ' οἷς θερμῶς μοι δακρύειν ἐπέρχεται, ὅτι πλαγίως πρὸς Θεὸν πορευόμενος, καὶ ἐναντίος τοῖς αὐτοῦ νόμοις φαινόμενος, ἕξεις αὐτὸν θυμῷ πλαγίῳ πρὸς σὲ πορευόμενον. Ωσπερ αἱ τῶν πηγῶν σήραγγες ἀπαντλούμεναι, δαψιλέστερον βρύουσιν, ὑπὲρ τὸ πρότερον μέτρον ἀναπηδῶσαι· καὶ μαστοὶ θηλαζόμενοι οὐκ ἐκλείπουσιν, ἕως πρὸς στερέμνιον τροφὴν ἀνδρωθῇ ὁ ὑποτίτθιος οὕτω καὶ πλοῦτος ἀντλούμενος, ἐλάττωσιν οὐχ ὑφίσταται. Οὐδὲ μαστὸς εὐποιίας ἐκτρέφων τοὺς διὰ Θεὸν νηπιάζοντας, κένωσιν ὑπομένει ἢ ἕνδειαν, μέχρις ἂν πρὸς τὴν ὄντως παραπέμψῃ τελείωσιν.","t":"To Zosimus. Some say you have gone so far in gluttony that the leftovers of your meal are delicacies for another table, and that you divide the feasting with revels. At this I am moved to weep hotly, because, walking crookedly toward God and showing yourself contrary to his laws, you will have him walking crookedly toward you in anger. [Letter 1.466] As the channels of springs, when drawn from, gush out more abundantly, leaping up beyond their former measure, and breasts that are suckled do not fail until the nursling grows up to solid food, so wealth too, when drawn on, suffers no diminution. Nor does the breast of beneficence, nourishing those who become infants for God's sake, suffer emptying or want, until it sends them on to true perfection.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.465 (PG 78 78:437; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-465)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.467":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠάντα ἡ θεία καὶ ἀκήρατος φύσις τὰ τῶν τιμωριῶν ὑποδείγματα δικαίως ἐπαχθέντα τοῖς πταίσμασι πρὸς διόρθωσιν ἡμῶν ἀνάγραπτα ἔθετο, ἵνα τῷ φόβῳ τῆς ἴσης κολάσεως φύγωμεν τὴν κοινωνίαν τῆς πράξεως. Εἰ τοίνυν δεδίττεται τὰ ἐπιτίμια, φυλαχθῇ τὸ σέβας τοῖς δόγμασι.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. The divine and pure nature set down in writing all the examples of punishments justly brought on offenses for our correction, so that by fear of equal punishment we may flee sharing in the deed. If, then, the penalties frighten us, let reverence for the doctrines be kept.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.467 (PG 78 78:437; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-467)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.468":{"o":"ΟΡΙΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\nΠερὶ πολιτείας μοναχῶν. Οὐκ ἀρκεῖ πρὸς ἀρετὴν τὸ ἀσκεῖν, ἀλλὰ χρὴ καὶ μετριάζειν πρὸς τῷ ἀσκεῖν. Εἰ γὰρ ἀγῶνα πραότητος μετερχόμενοι, γνώμῃ τοῦτον ταραχώδει ἐγκόπτομεν, οὐδὲν ἕτερόν ἐστιν, ἢ θέλειν μὲν σωτηρίας τυχεῖν, μὴ θέλειν δὲ ποιεῖν τὰ πρὸς αὐτὴν συμβαλλόμενα.","t":"To Orion the monk. [On the way of life of monks.] Ascetic practice is not enough for virtue; one must also be moderate in addition to practicing. For if, pursuing the contest of gentleness, we cut it short with a troubled mind, it is nothing other than wanting to obtain salvation but not wanting to do what contributes to it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.468 (PG 78 78:439; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-468)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.469":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ.\nΠοῖα λέγει ἀγαθὰ τῆς γῆς ὁ προφήτης. ᾿Αγαθὰ τῆς γῆς τὰ ἐνταῦθα λέγει καλὰ ἡ Γραφή, κατὰ μετουσίαν τῶν μελλόντων συνωνυμοῦντα· παιδαγωγοῦντος τὴν ἀσθένειαν ἡμῶν πανσόφως τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ διὰ τῶν αἰσθητῶν χειραγωγοῦντος πρὸς τὰ νοούμενα.","t":"To Hierax. [What the prophet means by the good things of the land.] Scripture calls the fine things here \"good things of the land,\" sharing the name by participation in those to come; God most wisely educating our weakness and leading us by the hand through things of sense to things of the mind.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.469 (PG 78 78:439; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-469)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.47":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\n\"Οτι φρικτὸν καὶ δυσέφικτον ἱερωσύνη. Παρέργως ποιῇ τὴν τῶν θείων νόμων ἀνάγνωσιν, ἢ καὶ αὐτὴν ἀγνοεῖς τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν. Ἡνίκα γὰρ εἰς τὸν θεῖον ναὸν ἱερουργεῖν Ἀαρὼν, καὶ οἱ ἐξ ἐκείνου εἰσῄεσαν, πάντα τὰ ἐξ ἐρίας ἀποτιθέντες ἐσθήματα, στολὰς ἐκ λίνου παρεβάλλοντο ἐχούσας καὶ τὸ ἀπόῤῥητον, καὶ τῶν ἔξω θορύβων ἐπιλησμονεῖν σημαινούσας. Ὁ γὰρ Θεῷ λειτουργεῖν προσιὼν, οὐδὲν ἀλλότριον καὶ τῆς ὕλης ἐφόλκιον ἐπιφέρεσθαι δύναται. Εἰ τοίνυν μετὰ τοιαῦτα τεκμήρια βιάζεσθαι και τατολμᾷς τὴν ἀλήθειαν, συγχύσεις καὶ φλυαρίας ἐπεισφέρων τοῖς ἀνακτόροις, οἷς πᾶσα σιγὴ κεχρεώστηται, ὁμιλίας ἀτόπους, χειροθεσίας ἀθέσμους, εἰς ἔσχατον πέπεισο ἐξωθῶν σαυτὸν κατακρίσεως κίνδυνον. ΜΗΝΑ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ. Περὶ πρακτικῶν. Τὰ πράγματα λόγων οὐ χρήζει Αὐτὰ γάρ ἐστι φαινόμενα· οἱ λόγοι δὲ μᾶλλον [τοῦ] γενέσθαι πράγματα δέονται καὶ αὐτοὶ, εἰ σεμνότητος ἔχονται. Εἰ τοίνυν βούλοιο ἀμφότερα φανῆναι ἀοίδιμος, καὶ πρᾶττε λογικῶς, καὶ λέγε πρακτικῶς. – ΝΕΜΕΣΙΟ ΑΡΧΟΝΤΙ. Πρὸς ἄρχοντας. Ἡ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐξουσία, εἰ μὴ κέκραται ἡμερότητι, καὶ ἐπανθεῖ αὐτῇ ἡ Θεῷ διακονοῦσα προσήνεια, ἀπόνοιά ἐστι μᾶλλον καὶ ἀγριότης. Εἰ δὲ τῷ πράῳ μιγείη, καὶ τούτῳ ἰθύνει τὸ δίκαιον, καὶ εὐθύτης ἐστὶ καὶ χρηστότης καὶ ὁδὸς εὐνομίας, καὶ πραγμάτων γαλήνη.","t":"To Martyrius the bishop. [That the priesthood is a dreadful thing and hard to attain.] You read the divine laws as a side matter, or else you do not even know how to read. When Aaron and his sons went into the divine temple to minister, they laid aside all garments of wool and put on robes of linen, which signified both what is not to be spoken and the forgetting of outside commotions. For one who approaches to minister to God can bring along nothing alien, nothing that drags him toward matter. If, then, after such proofs you dare to do violence to the truth, bringing confusion and nonsense into the sanctuary, to which all silence is owed, improper conversations and lawless layings-on of hands, be assured that you are driving yourself into the utmost danger of condemnation. [Another letter] To Menas the scholasticus. [On practical matters.] Deeds do not need words; they are evident in themselves. Words rather need to become deeds themselves, if they are to have dignity. If, then, you wish to be celebrated for both, act with reason and speak with practice. [Another letter] To Nemesius the governor. [To governors.] The authority of office, if it is not tempered with gentleness, and the kindness that serves God does not flower on it, is rather madness and savagery. But if it is mixed with mildness, and justice steers by it, it is uprightness and goodness, the road of good order and the calm of affairs.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.47 (PG 78 78:209; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-47)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.470":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΑὐτὸς μὲν ἐφύβριστον ἡγῇ πᾶσαν χειρόκμητον ἐργασίαν, βιωφελῆ τε ὑπάρχουσαν καὶ πρὸς τὸ ζῇν χρησιμεύουσαν. Ὁ Μιτυληναῖος δὲ Πιττακὸς, καίτοι βασιλεὺς ὢν, τὸν μύλωνα ηὐτούργει, καὶ ἐνεργῶς γυμναζόμενος, καὶ τὴν τροφὴν ἐργαζόμενος. Περὶ οἰκετῶν. Τοῖς οἰκέταις χρηστέον ὡς ἑαυτοῖς \"Ανθρωποι γάρ εἰσι καθ' ἡμᾶς. Ἡ γὰρ πρόληψις, ἢ τύχη πολέμου, ἢ τυραννὶς ὅπλων, τούτους ἐποιήσατο κτήματα. Αλλ' οἱ πάντες ἕν ἐσμεν καὶ τῇ φύσει καὶ τῇ πίστει, καὶ τῇ μελλούσῃ κρίσει, \"Οτι μείζονα τίσουσι δίκην τῶν πάλαι ἁμαρτησάντων οἱ μετὰ τὴν χάριν τὸν Θεὸν παροργίζοντες. νοι γνῶσιν, ἀπολογίαν ἕξουσιν, ὡς ταύτην νόμῳ μὴ Ὅτι οὔτε οἱ πρὸ νόμου τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ παρωσάμεδιδαχθέντες, ὁ σοφὸς παιδεύει σε Παῦλος, τὰ ἀόρατα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀπὸ κτίσεως κόσμου τοῖς ποιήμασι νοούμενα εἰρηκὼς καθορᾶσθαι. Εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖνοι ἀσύγγνωστοι, τίνα ἕξουσι συγγνώμην, οἱ νῦν εἰς Θεὸν ἁμαρτάνοντες;","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. You think all manual work an insult, though it is beneficial for life and useful for living. Yet Pittacus of Mytilene, though a king, worked the mill himself, both exercising vigorously and earning his food. [Letter 1.471] [On servants.] Servants should be treated as ourselves; for they are men like us. Prejudice, or the fortune of war, or the tyranny of arms made them possessions. But we are all one, in nature, in faith, and in the judgment to come. [Letter 1.472] [That those who provoke God after grace will pay a greater penalty than those who sinned of old.] That not even those before the law who thrust aside the knowledge of God will have the defense that they were not taught it by law, the wise Paul teaches you, saying that the invisible things of God are seen from the creation of the world, understood through the things made. If they are without pardon, what pardon will those have who now sin against God?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.470 (PG 78 78:439; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-470)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.473":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς Μονογενοῦς. › Εἰ ἑλαττώτεως τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ σημεῖον νομίζουσιν οἱ κακόσχολοι, τὸ τῷ εὐαγγελιστῇ περὶ αὐτοῦ εἰρημένον, «Δόξαν ὡς Μονογενοῦς παρὰ Πατρὸς, ἐλαττοῦσθαι καὶ τὸν Θεὸν εἰς ἀγαθότητα, νομιζέτωσαν, τοῦ Δαβὶδ λέγοντος, « Ὡς ἀγαθὸς τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ὁ Θεός; › Εἰ δὲ ἐνταῦθα κατὰ ἐπίτασιν τὸ, Ὡς ἀγαθὸς, εἴρηται, κἀκεῖσε τὸ, ὡς Μονογενοῦς, κατά βεβαίωσιν καὶ ὁμοίωσιν γέγραπται.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. [On \"And we beheld his glory, glory as of the Only-begotten.\"] If the mischievous think that what the evangelist said of the Son of God, \"glory as of the Only-begotten from the Father,\" is a sign of the Son's inferiority, let them think God too is diminished in goodness, since David says, \"How good is God to Israel!\" But if there \"how good\" is said for intensity, here too \"as of the Only-begotten\" is written for confirmation and likeness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.473 (PG 78 78:441; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-473)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.474":{"o":"ΝΕΩΤΕΡΟΙΣ ΜΟΝΑΧΟΙΣ.\nΠερὶ τύφου. Εἰ νομίμως ἀσκεῖτε, νηστεύοντες μὴ τυφοῦσθε· εἰ δὲ ἐπὶ τούτῳ αὐχεῖτε, μᾶλλον κρεωφαγεῖτε.","t":"To the younger monks. [On pride.] If you practice discipline lawfully, do not be puffed up when you fast; but if you boast of it, you would do better to eat meat.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.474 (PG 78 78:441; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-474)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.475":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠερὶ ἐλεημοσύνης. Σίμωνα τὸν ἀγαπητὸν ἡ σισύρα συνίστησι γυμνὸν, ἣν ἀμπέχεται. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἀπαίρει πρὸς Αἴγυπτον, σκεπάσματος δέεται. Ἐγὼ τοίνυν σοι τοῦτον συνιστῶ· ὁ δὲ νόμος τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ, χιτῶνα παρὰ σοῦ ἀπαιτεῖ. • Ὁ ἔχων δύο χιτῶνας, μεταδότω τῷ μὴ ἔχοντι, λέγων. Εἰ δὲ χρὴ καὶ ἐναλλάξαι διὰ περισσείαν τὴν ἀπόφασιν, ὁ ἔχων δεκαδύο χιτῶνας, μεταδότω τῷ μὴ ἔχοντι ἕνα. ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Περὶ πίστεως. Τὸ Πῶς, ἐπὶ Θεοῦ χώραν ἔχειν οὐ δύναται, οὗ καὶ μόνη ἡ βούλησις ἔργον ἐστὶ παράδοξον.","t":"To Paul the deacon. [On almsgiving.] The coarse blanket he wears commends the beloved Simon to you as naked. And since he is leaving for Egypt, he needs a covering. So I commend him to you; and the Baptist's law demands a tunic from you, saying, \"Whoever has two tunics, let him share with one who has none.\" But if the sentence must be changed because of abundance: whoever has twelve tunics, let him share one with him who has none. [Letter 1.476] To Athanasius the presbyter. [On faith.] The question \"How?\" can have no place with God, whose mere will is a wonderful work.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.475 (PG 78 78:441; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-475)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.477":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ « Οἱ ἐν σαρκὶ ὄντες, Θεῷ ἀρέσαι οὐ δύνανται. ) Τὸ τῆς σαρκὸς ὄνομα, διχῶς παρὰ τῇ θείᾳ εἴρηται Γραφῇ· ποτὲ μὲν κατὰ τὴν φύσιν αὐτὴν, ποτὲ δὲ κατὰ τὸ φρόνημα καὶ · φθοράν. Καὶ τῆς μὲν ἀπόδειξις, « Τὸ πνεῦμα σάρκα καὶ ὀστέα οὐκ ἔχει, καθώς με θεωρεῖτε ἔχοντα· » τῶν δὲ, ὅτι « Σὰρξ καl αἷμα βασιλείαν Θεοῦ κληρονομῆσαι οὐ δύναται., Ὁ τοίνυν τὴν φθορὰν καὶ τὸ φρόνημα παιδαγωγῆσαι βουλόμενος, μαραίνει τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς ὑπεκκαύματα, καὶ ἀρέσκει Θεῷ ἔτι σαρκὶ συνεχόμενος, καὶ κληρονομεῖ τὴν αὐτοῦ βασιλείαν μετὰ σώματος ὡς ἀσώματος. Ὅτι ἐκ σπέρματος Δαβὶδ τὴν κατὰ σάρκα γένεσιν ἔσχεν ὁ Κύριος, καὶ Ματθαῖος καὶ Παῦλος καὶ Δαβίδ, οἱ θεσπέσιοι, σαφῶς ἀποφαίνονται· ὁ μὲν, γράφων, « Βίβλος γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ υἱοῦ Δαβίδ· · ὁ δὲ πρόδηλον, ὡς ἐξ Ἰούδα ἀνατέταλκεν ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν τὸ κατὰ σάρκα· ὁ δὲ Δαβίδ, « \"Απαξ ὤμοσα ἐν τῷ ἁγίῳ μου, εἰ τῷ Δαβὶδ ψεύσομαι, τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα μένει, καὶ ὁ θρόνος αὐτοῦ ὡς ἥλιος ἐναντίον μου· καὶ ὁ μάρτυς ἐν οὐρανῷ πιστός · · τὴν μετὰ σαρκὸς διὰ τούτων σημαίνων τοῦ Κυρίου ἀνάληψιν ἐν οὐρανῷ, ἀἰδίου ἐσομένης, ὡς ἀδιαιρέτως λοιπὸν τῷ Θεῷ Λόγῳ ἡνωμένης.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. [On \"Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.\"] The word \"flesh\" is used in divine Scripture in two ways: sometimes of nature itself, sometimes of the mind-set and corruption. Proof of the first: \"A spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see that I have\"; of the second, that \"flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.\" So one who wishes to discipline the corruption and the mind-set withers the kindlings of the flesh, pleases God while still held in the flesh, and inherits his kingdom with the body as though bodiless. [Letter 1.478] That the Lord had his birth according to the flesh from the seed of David, the divine Matthew, Paul and David all clearly declare: the first writing, \"The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David\"; the second, that it is evident that our Lord arose from Judah according to the flesh; and David, \"Once I swore by my holiness, I will not lie to David: his seed shall remain forever, and his throne as the sun before me; and the witness in heaven is faithful\"; signifying by these words the Lord's ascension with the flesh into heaven, which will be everlasting, since it is now united undividedly to God the Word.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.477 (PG 78 78:441; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-477)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.479":{"o":"ΚΥΡΗΚΙΩ.\nὭσπερ ὁ οἶνος ὑπερκορὴς ἐγχεόμενος, τοὺς τῆς αἰσθήσεως ἅπαντας καὶ πόρους καὶ αὐλοὺς καὶ μήνιγγας πληροῖ, καὶ τρέπει πρὸς ἄνοιαν τὴν διάνοιαν · οὕτω καὶ [ὁ] θυμὸς ἔξω τῆς οἰκείας τάξεως πηδῶν, μέθης ἔργον ἀποφαίνει τὸν νοῦν, μαινάδα τὴν φρένα ποιῶν, καὶ λύων παροινίᾳ τὴν τάξιν τῆς νήψεως. Αμφοτέρων τοιγαροῦν ἀποσχώμεθα, οὔτε ποτῷ οὔτε θυμῷ πολιορκοῦντες τοῦ νοὸς τὴν ἀκρόπολιν.","t":"To Cyriacus. As wine poured in to excess fills all the passages, pipes and membranes of the senses and turns the mind to folly, so anger too, leaping outside its proper order, makes the mind the work of drunkenness, turning the reason into a maenad and dissolving the order of sobriety by drunken violence. Let us, then, abstain from both, besieging the citadel of the mind neither with drink nor with anger.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.479 (PG 78 78:443; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-479)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.48":{"o":"ΕΠΑΓΑΘΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΔιὰ τὶ ἀπεγράφη ὁ Κύριος ἐν μήτρα, ὕστερον δὲ καὶ κῆνσον ἐτέλεσεν. Απεγράφη ὁ Κύριος τῇ μήτρα φερόμενος, καὶ κῆνσον ἐτέλεσε Καίσαρι, τῷ κράτει νομοθετῶν ὑποτάσσεσθαι, ὅταν μηδὲν παραβλάπτῃ πρὸς τὴν εὐσέβειαν. \"Α τοίνυν αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἡμῶν κατ' οἰκονομίαν πτωχεύσας ἐδίδαξεν, εὐγνωμόνως ἡμεῖς μιμησώμεθα, καὶ μὴ σκήψει πτωχῶν, τὸν φόρον ἀρνώμεθα.","t":"To Epagathus the presbyter. [Why the Lord was enrolled in the womb, and later also paid the census tax.] The Lord was enrolled while carried in the womb, and paid the census tax to Caesar, laying down the law that we submit to authority whenever it does no harm to godliness. What, then, our God himself taught when he became poor by the dispensation, let us gratefully imitate, and not refuse the tax with poverty as our excuse.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.48 (PG 78 78:211; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-48)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.480":{"o":"ΚΑΝΔΙΔΙΑΝΩ.\nΤί σπεύδεις ἀδικεῖν, ὃν ἔδει μᾶλλον φιλεῖν, τὴν πάντων περὶ σοῦ γνώμην σοι φανερώσαντα Αἱ γὰρ διαφοραὶ πολλάκις διωρθώσαντο τοὺς ἀγχίνους τὰ πραχθέντα ὑβριστικῶς ἱαθῆναι παρασκευάσασαι. Εἰ τοίνυν ὕβριν ἡγῇ ἅπερ ἤκουσας, τῇ πράξει σαυτὸν ἀνύβριστον φύλαξον. Εἰ γὰρ τὰ ἔργα σου βελτιώσειας, καὶ [αἱ] λοιδορίαι οἰχήσονται.","t":"To Candidianus. Why do you hasten to wrong the one you ought rather to love, who revealed to you everyone's opinion of you? For quarrels have often corrected the sharp-witted, by preparing them to be healed of what they did insolently. If, then, you consider what you heard an insult, keep yourself free from insult in your conduct. For if you improve your works, the reproaches [too] will disappear.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.480 (PG 78 78:443; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-480)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.481":{"o":"ΙΕΡΩΝΙ.\nΕἴ σε τι ὤνησεν ἡ τῆς βίβλου ἀνάγνωσις, δεῖξον ἐπὶ τῆς πράξεως. Εἰ δὲ μένεις ἐφ᾽ ὧν ἐκείνη κατηγορεί, φαίνῃ καταγινώσκων αὐτῆς. Καὶ πάντως γράμματος, οὔτε βιβλίον αἰτοῦντι παράσχωμεν, εἰ μὴ καὶ τῆς προτέρας καρπὸν θεασώμεθα.","t":"To Hieron. If the reading of the book has profited you at all, show it in practice. But if you remain in what it accuses, you are seen to condemn it. And certainly [we will neither say anything to you by] letter, nor provide a book when you ask, unless we see the fruit of the former.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.481 (PG 78 78:443; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-481)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.482":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ.\nἐπὶ τούτοις ἡμεῖς οὔτε φθεγξόμεθά τι πρὸς σὲ διὰ Τινές σε φασιν ἐπ' ἐρημίας ὀχλαγωγεῖν, καὶ ἐν μέσῳ δήμων όπλοφορεῖν, καὶ τῷ Δαβὶδ ἐοικέναι φαντάζεσθαι, αὐτὸ τοῦτο πᾶσιν ἐμμανῶς ἐγκαλοῦντα. Ἴσθι δὲ, σχέτλιε καὶ ἐμβρόντητε, ὅτι ὁ μέγας Δαβίδ οἰκονομίᾳ Θεοῦ σκεπαζόμενος, τὴν τοῦ Σαούλ ἐπιβουλὴν διεδίδρασκεν, εὐεργετῶν μὲν, ἀθετούμενος δὲ, καὶ ὡς τεῖχος τοῖς γειτονοῦσιν αὐτῷ καὶ φαινόμενος καὶ γινόμενος, ὡς οἱ παῖδες ἐμαρτύρουν τοῦ Νάβαλ. Σὺ δὲ οὐ μόνον τοῖς γείτοσι δυσμενὴς εἶ καὶ ἀπάνθρωπος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς πόῤῥω ἐπιβουλεύειν σπουδάζεις. Ὅρα οὖν μή [σε] τις θεήλατος διορθώσηται μάστιξ, εἰ μὴ μεταβάλοιο τῆς φαύλης καὶ κακίστης σου γνώμης.","t":"To Isaiah. Some say that you gather mobs in the desert, carry arms among the people, and imagine you resemble David, while madly accusing everyone of this very thing. Know, wretched and thunderstruck man, that the great David, sheltered by God's providence, escaped Saul's plot, doing good but rejected, and both appearing and being a wall to his neighbors, as Nabal's servants testified. But you are not only hostile and inhuman to your neighbors, but are eager to plot against those far away too. See, then, lest some God-sent scourge correct [you], unless you change your base and most wicked mind.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.482 (PG 78 78:443; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-482)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.483":{"o":"ΣΥΝΕΣΙΩ.\nΠερὶ Καππαδοκῶν. Πάλιν ὁ Καππαδόκης ἐπὶ στρατοπέδου, ὡς ἔγνωμεν, τὴν ἀρχὴν ἑαυτῷ τὴν ἀθλίαν μνηστεύεται, ἵνα δίδυμος ἡμῖν ἐπιστῇ Καππαδόκης, πρὸς τῇ ἐνοίκῳ μισανθρωπίᾳ καὶ τὴν κακὴν προσλαβών δυναστείαν. Εἰσὶ δὲ · μᾶλλον [οἱ] τὰ χρηστὰ ἐπαγγέλλοντες, ὅτι δὴ τῶν οἰκείων συμφυλετῶν ἄρξαι ἱμείρεται. Ἡ καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐπινεύσειεν, ὡς ἂν πρέποντα τροφεία τῇ τιτθῇ ἀποδῴη ἀνθ᾽ οὗ ἕσπασε γάλακτος, ἰὸν αὐτὴν ἀντιποτίζων, ὃν ἴσως σὺν τῷ γάλακτι ἔσπασε.","t":"To Synesius. [On the Cappadocians.] Again the Cappadocian, as we have learned, is courting the wretched office for himself at the camp, so that a double Cappadocian may stand over us, adding wicked power to his native misanthropy. But there are rather some who announce good news, that he longs to rule his own fellow tribesmen. May God grant it, so that he may repay his nurse a fitting return for the milk he sucked, giving her to drink in return the poison which he perhaps sucked with the milk.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.483 (PG 78 78:445; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-483)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.484":{"o":"ΣΕΛΕΥΚΩ.\nὉ φθορεὺς τῶν πολιτῶν ἡμῶν Καππαδόκης· νῦν ἐπὶ στρατοπέδου πάλιν ἑαυτῷ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐκδικεῖ. Σὸν τοίνυν ἐστὶ τοῦ ἔχοντος παρὰ Θεοῦ τὴν ἰσχὺν, τοῦτο κωλύσαι, καὶ τῆς προτέρας αὐτὸν εὐθύνας εἰσπράξασθαι κακίας. Εἰς ἐκείνην δὲ λεκμῆσαι τὴν ἐνεγκοῦσαν αὐτὸν ἐσχατιὰν, ὡς ἂν μάθοιεν οἱ τοῦ ἀνδραπόδου ὁμόφυλοι ἐν αὐτοῖς τὴν πονηρίαν ἐντήκειν, καὶ μὴ πέραν τῆς [ἑαυτῶν] ἐξεμοῦντες, τὰς ὑγιαινούσας αἰσθήσεις καὶ χώρας τοῖς λοιμικοῖς τρόποις αὐτῶν διαφθείρειν.","t":"To Seleucus. The Cappadocian, the corrupter of our citizens, is now again claiming office for himself at the camp. It is for you, who have strength from God, to prevent this, and to exact from him an account of his former wickedness; and to winnow him back to the remote country that bore him, so that the slave's fellow tribesmen may learn that the wickedness melts within them, and not vomit it out beyond [their own] land, corrupting healthy senses and countries with their pestilential ways.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.484 (PG 78 78:445; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-484)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.485":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ.\nΠερὶ τῶν αὐτῶν. Καρχηδονίους νόμος κωλύει διέπειν ἀρχὴν, ἥτι τονας κακούς. Καππαδόκας δὲ τοὺς μεγάλους πονηροὺς, οὐκ εἴργει νόμος ἀρχῆς. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν καὶ βούλει πάντας εὐεργετεῖν, καὶ σύνδρομον ἔχεις τῇ βουλήσει τὴν δύναμιν, ἢ τὸν νόμον ἀντάλλαξον, μᾶλλον Καππαδόκας Καρχηδονίων κωλύων, ἢ σύναψον [καὶ] τούτους ἐκείνοις. Εἰ δὲ, ὡς εἰκὸς, χρήμασι τὰς ἀρχὰς ἐξωνοῦνται, ἂς καὶ βάρβαρός τις ὠνούμενος, οὐ κωλύεται μόνον, εἰ τὰ χρήματα διδῷ, ἀλλὰ κἂν οὕτως ἀρχέτωσαν μόνων τῶν Καππαδοκῶν, ἀξίων ὄντων ταῖς οἰκείαις δεδέσθαι κατήναις.","t":"To Isidore. [On the same.] A law forbids Carthaginians to govern, as wicked; but no law bars the Cappadocians, the great villains, from office. Since, then, you wish to benefit everyone and have power to match your will, either change the law, forbidding Cappadocians rather than Carthaginians, or join these [too] to those. But if, as is likely, they buy offices with money, which even a barbarian buying is not prevented from doing, if he pays, then at least let them rule only the Cappadocians, who deserve to be bound by their own chains.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.485 (PG 78 78:445; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-485)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.486":{"o":"ΦΛΩΡΕΝΤΙΩ.\nΠερὶ αὐτοῦ. Ἔχεις αὐτόθι Γιγάντιον, δέσποτα, οἰόμενον λεληθέναι τὰ πρότερα, καὶ αὖθις περιθήσειν ἑαυτῷ τὴν ἀρχὴν βουλευόμενον. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν πολλῶν τὰ ἐνταῦθα δεινῶν ἐν πείρᾳ κατέστησεν, ἐφ' οἷς τῆς ὑμετέρας δεῖται εἰς διόρθωσιν καθαρότητος, μακρῶν δὲ λόγων εἰς γνῶσιν τῶν κατ' αὐτὸν οὐ χρήζετε, ὡς πολλαῖς φροντίσι κυκλούμενοι. Καππαδόκης ἐστὶν, ἦρξεν ὡς Καππαδόκης. Καππαδόκου παρ' ὑμῖν μηδὲν πλέον ἐχέτω.","t":"To Florentius. [On the same.] You have there, master, Gigantius, who thinks his former deeds have escaped notice and plans to put on office again. Since he has made many here experience terrible things, for which your purity is needed for correction, and you need no long words to learn about him, being surrounded by many cares: he is a Cappadocian; he governed like a Cappadocian. Let the Cappadocian get nothing more from you.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.486 (PG 78 78:447; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-486)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.487":{"o":"ΑΡΧΟΝΤΙΩ.\nΠερὶ αὐτοῦ. Ὁ δυσσεβής Γιγάντιος, ὁ εὐπρόσωπον συκοφαντίαν ἐνθεὶς κατὰ τῶν ἀθλίων γεωργῶν, τελῶν καὶ φόρων τινῶν κλοπὴν, καὶ τὴν Αὐγούστου βαρύνας ἀπογραφὴν, καίτοι βαρυτάτην αὐτοῖς ὑπάρχουσαν· πάλαι πείσας προσχεῖν αὐτῷ ὡς ἀληθεύοντι τὸν κρατοῦντα, καὶ συμφορῶν αἴτιος γεγονὼς τοῖς κωμήταις, εἰς Θράκην ἥκει αὖθις, τὴν ἀρχὴν περιθέσθαι ζητῶν. Οἶσθα δὲ ὅσους εἰς φυγὴν ἐσκέδασεν ἀπογράφων, ὅσοι τῆς πατρώας ἐλευθερίας, τὸ σκαπάνην κρατεῖν, καὶ σμινύην ἡλλάξαντο. Καὶ φρόντισον, μὴ λάβηται πάλιν ἡγεμονίας, καὶ πάντας ἐργάσηται Καππαδόκας, οἷς ὁ βίος οὐκ ἄλλοθεν ἢ ἐκ δουλείας καὶ γεηπονίας συνίσταται.","t":"To Archontius. [On the same.] The impious Gigantius, who brought a plausible slander against the wretched farmers of theft of certain dues and taxes, and made the Augustal census heavier, though it was already very heavy for them, long ago persuaded the ruler to heed him as speaking the truth, and became the cause of disasters to the villagers; now he has come to Thrace again, seeking to put on office. You know how many he scattered in flight when taking the census, how many exchanged their ancestral freedom for holding the spade and mattock. Take care that he does not get command again and make everyone a Cappadocian, whose life consists of nothing other than slavery and tilling the soil.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.487 (PG 78 78:447; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-487)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.488":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠρὸς μαθητευομένους. ῎Απας καὶ φυτουργὸς καὶ γηπόνος ἐλπίδι κρείττονι ἀνέχεται τῶν πόνων ὑφαιρουμένης τοὺς κόποῦς τῆς τῶν καρπῶν προσδοκίας. Οὕτως ἡμεῖς κατηχοῦντες κεκμήκαμεν. Δείξον αὐτὸς τὴν γεωργίαν","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. [To learners.] Every planter and farmer endures his toils with better hope, the expectation of the fruits lifting the labors. So we too have toiled in instructing you. Show yourself the harvest …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.488 (PG 78 78:447; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-488)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.489":{"o":"ΡΟΥΦΙΝΩ, ΕΠΑΡΧΩ ΠΡΑΙΤΩΡΙΩΝ.\nΠερὶ αὐτοῦ. Αἰγυπτίους μὲν δι᾽ ἀπήνειαν νόμος εἴργει ἀρχῆς, Καππαδόκας δὲ τοὺς χείρους ἐκείνων, οὐκ ἔτι. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἡμεῖς μὲν ἄρχοντι Καππαδόκη χρησάμενοι, πολλὴν πεῖραν τοῦ διαβόλου ἔθνους ἐσχήκαμεν, ὑμεῖς δὲ τὴν βασιλέως γνώμην πρὸς ὁ βούλεσθα ἔχετε, ἑνώσατε Αἰγυπτίοις καὶ τούτους, μήποτε καὶ ἄλλης ἄρξῃ χώρας Καππαδόκης, εἰ μὴ μόνης τῆς οἰκείας, ὡς πρέπει ὑπ' ἀλλήλων αὐτοὺς τὴν πάτριον ποτίζεσθαι πικρίαν.","t":"To Rufinus, prefect of the praetorians. [On the same.] A law bars Egyptians from office for their harshness, but no longer the Cappadocians, who are worse than they. Since, then, having experienced a Cappadocian governor, we have had much trial of the slanderous nation, and you have the emperor's mind disposed to what you wish, join these to the Egyptians, so that no Cappadocian may govern any other country but his own, as it is fitting that they should give one another their ancestral bitterness to drink.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.489 (PG 78 78:447; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-489)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.49":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ ΑΡΧΙΜΑΝΔΡΙΤΗ.\nΠῶς τὴν ἀργίαν ἀποστρέφεσθαι χρὴ, καὶ τὰς μαρτυρίας προβάλλεται. Πολλὴν, ὡς ἔγνων, πληθὺν ἀδελφῶν συναγήοχας, καλῶς μὲν ζῇν ἐθιζόντων, ἀργὰς δὲ χεῖρας ἐχόντων. Τοῦτο δὲ οὔτε παρὰ Χριστοῦ εὗρες τελούμενον, οὔτε παρὰ Παύλου τοῦ σοφοῦ διδασκάλου τηρούμενον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἀμπελῶνα καὶ ἐργασίαν καὶ μισθὸν ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ ἐπαγγέλλεται· ὁ δὲ ἐργάζεσθαι ταῖς χερσὶ, καὶ μηδενὸς προσδεῖσθαι ἐδίδαξεν. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ Χριστῷ πείθῃ τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ Παῦλον τὸν πάνσοφον μιμῇ, ἢ ἐργάζεσθαι παίδευσον, ἢ τὴν πρόφασιν δίδαξον, ἀφ᾿ ἧς καὶ τραφήσονται, καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν ἕξουσι, καὶ πονηρῶν λογισμῶν καθαρεύσουσιν, οἱ μήτε Χριστῷ πειθαρχοῦντες, μήτε Παύλῳ ἀκολουθοῦντες.","t":"To Paul the archimandrite. [How idleness must be shunned; and he brings forward the testimonies.] You have gathered, as I learn, a great crowd of brothers, who are accustomed to live well but have idle hands. This you did not find practiced by Christ, nor kept by Paul, the wise teacher. For the one promises a vineyard and work and wages for it; the other taught us to work with our hands and to need no one. If, then, you obey Christ who is God and imitate the all-wise Paul, either train them to work, or teach us the pretext by which those who neither obey Christ nor follow Paul will be fed, and have rest, and keep themselves pure of evil thoughts.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.49 (PG 78 78:211; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-49)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.490":{"o":"ΚΑΤΙΛΛΙΑΝΩ.\nἘκοινώνησας μὲν καὶ αὐτὸς, ὦ ἱερὰ κεφαλὴ, τοῦ Καππαδόκου λοιμοῦ, ἡνίκα ᾤκεις τὴν πόλιν· καὶ οὐκ ἔλαθες τοὺς ματαίους καὶ φρικτοὺς τοῦ ἀκαθάρτου στόματος ὅρκους, μετὰ μελιχροῦ καὶ συχνοῦ, Προσκυνῶ σε· τὰς πρὸς ἕκαστον ἰδίᾳ κατὰ πάντων καταλαλιὰς, τὰς δυστρόπους καὶ ἱεροσύλους λῃστείας, τὴν νέαν ἀπογραφὴν, τὴν κατὰ Θεοῦ καὶ πτωχῶν ἐπικερδή σπουδὴν, τὰς τῶν συνοικεσίων ἐπιβουλὰς, τὰς τῶν μνημάτων διορυγὰς, τὰ δεσμὰ οἷς καθείρχθη, τὰς ἀμοιβαίους εἰρκτὰς, ἃς ἐπὶ στρατόπεδον ἑλκόμενος ᾤκησε, τὴν ἐκεῖσε βάσανόν τε καὶ γύμνωσιν, ἣν παρὰ Θεοῦ ὑπέμεινε πρὸς διόρθωσιν. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ πάντων ἐκείνων ἐπιλαθόμενος, πάλιν ἄρξαι ἱμείρεται, ὡς μανθάνομεν, μὴ ἐνδώσεις, κωλύων ὅση σοι δύναμίς ἐστι. Σαυτῷ τε γὰρ καὶ πόλει καὶ αὐτῷ ἐκείνῳ χαριῇ· σαυτῷ τὴν δόξαν, τῇ πόλει τὴν ἡσυχίαν, ἐκείνῳ τὸ μὴ πολλὰ ἁμαρτεῖν, καὶ πλείονα πάλιν παθεῖν","t":"To Catillianus. You too, holy head, shared in the Cappadocian plague when you lived in the city; and you did not miss the vain and dreadful oaths of the unclean mouth, with the honeyed and frequent \"I salute you\"; the slanders to each one privately against all; the perverse and sacrilegious robberies; the new census; the greedy zeal against God and the poor; the plots against marriages; the digging up of tombs; the bonds in which he was shut up; the successive prisons he lived in when dragged to the camp; the torture and stripping there, which he suffered from God for his correction. But since, forgetting all that, he longs to govern again, as we learn, do not give in, but prevent it as far as you can. You will do a favor to yourself, the city and him: to yourself glory, to the city quiet, to him not sinning much and suffering more again.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.490 (PG 78 78:449; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-490)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.491":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ ἐπιτεθέντος τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ Δεσπότου τίτλου. Ἡ τῆς σανίδος γραφή, ἣν Πιλᾶτος πρὸ τῆς Κυριακῆς ἔπηξε κεφαλῆς, τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπλήρου φωνὴν, « Ἐπειδὰν ὑψωθῶ, λέγοντος, πάντας ἑλκύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν.» Ἐδήλου τοίνυν ἡ ἐκεῖθεν ἀνάγνωσις, οὐχ ὑπὲρ Ἰουδαίας μόνης, ἀλλὰ καὶ · πάσης Ἕλληνος καὶ βαρβάρου γεγενῆσθαι τὸ σωτήριον πάθος.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. [On the title placed on the Master's cross.] The writing on the board that Pilate fixed above the Lord's head fulfilled the Lord's word: \"When I am lifted up, I will draw all to myself.\" Its reading there showed that the saving passion took place not for Judea alone but for every Greek and barbarian.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.491 (PG 78 78:449; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-491)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.492":{"o":"ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἼσθι, θαυμάσιε, ὡς ἡ κρίσις ἀνέλεος τῷ μὴ ποιήσαντι ἔλεος, οὐκ ἐκ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων μόνον δωρεῶν, ὧν αὐτὸς τοὺς πτωχοὺς ἀποστερεῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τῶν οἰκείων, ὧν ἑκουσίως τὴν μετάδοσιν ποιεῖσθαι χρεωστεῖς.","t":"To Eusebius the bishop. Know, admirable man, that judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy, not only from others' gifts, of which you yourself rob the poor, but also from your own, which you are bound to share willingly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.492 (PG 78 78:449; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-492)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.493":{"o":"ΚΥΡΗΝΙΩ.\n• Τί ὑπερηφανεύεται γῆ καὶ σποδός; · τί νεανιεύεται φθορά; τί μέγα φρονεῖ καὶ ὑπεραίρεται σκιά; Τί σε φυσᾷ ὄνειρος ἀρχῆς; Πῶς οὐχ ὁρᾷς τοὺς καταλύοντας αἰσχρῶς; Πῶς οὐ ζηλοῖς τοὺς διατρέψαντας χρηστῶς; ᾿Αλλὰ βραχυτελῆ ἡγεμονίαν, ὡς ἀτελεύτητον νομίζεις ἐξουσίαν, ἐφ᾽ ἡ ὁ τοῦ χρόνου σε κύκλος θεραπεύσει στρεφόμενος, πρὸς τέλος ὠθῶν τὴν ἀρχὴν σου, καὶ τέλος ἐπιτιθεὶς τῷ βρασμῷ σου.","t":"To Cyrenius. \"Why is earth and ashes proud?\" Why does corruption play the youth? Why does a shadow think great things and exalt itself? Why does a dream of office puff you up? How do you not see those who end shamefully? How do you not emulate those who have conducted themselves well? But you think a short-lived command an endless power, for which the turning cycle of time will cure you, pushing your office to its end and putting an end to your agitation.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.493 (PG 78 78:449; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-493)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.494":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΤῶν πράξεων. Περὶ πυρίνων γλωσσῶν. Ὃν τρόπον τὰ τοῦ νόμου προοίμια φόβου ἐδεῖτο, πρὸς φυλακὴν τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐπιστρέφοντος τοὺς ἀκούοντας, καὶ ἐκ μέσου τοῦ πυρὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἐχρημάτιζεν · οὕτω καὶ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ Δεσπότου καὶ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν ἀνάστασιν, ἐν πυρὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον τοῖς ἀποστόλοις ἐδίδοτο, βιαίας πνοῆς προηγουμένης, ἵνα εἷς Θεὸς ἐν ἀμφοτέραις ταῖς Διαθήκαις γνωσθῇ, εἰ καὶ πολὺ τῆς δευτέρας τὸ πρὸς τὴν προτέραν διάφορον. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ τυπικοῖς ἐχρῆτο προστάγμασιν, ἡ δὲ τοῖς ἀληθέσιν ἔλαμψε πράγμασί τε καὶ δόγμασιν. ΣΥΝΟΔΙΩ. Περὶ οἴνου καὶ μέθης. Οἶνος εὐφραίνει καρδίαν ἀνθρώπου, ὁ μετρίως πινόμενος πρὸς τὴν χρείαν τοῦ σώματος· ὁ δὲ ταύτης ἐπέκεινα, ἄσωτος καὶ ὑβριστὴς καὶ ἀκόλαστος κέκληται. ᾿Ακόλαστον γὰρ οἶνος, καὶ ὑβριστικὸν μέθη. Καὶ, « Μὴ μεθύσκεσθε οἴνῳ, ἐν ᾧ ἐστιν ἀσωτία, » φησὶν ἡ θεία Γραφή. Καὶ αὐτὴ δὲ ἡ φύσις όχλουμένη τῇ ἀμετρίᾳ, διδάσκαλος γίνεται εὐεξίας.","t":"To Timothy the reader. [From the Acts. On the tongues of fire.] As the beginnings of the law needed fear, turning the hearers to keeping the commandments, and God spoke from the midst of the fire, so too after the resurrection of our Master and Savior the Holy Spirit was given to the apostles in fire, a violent wind going before, so that one God might be known in both Testaments, even if the second differs greatly from the first. For the one used typical commands; the other shone with true realities and doctrines. [Another letter] To Synodius. [On wine and drunkenness.] \"Wine gladdens the heart of man\" when drunk moderately for the body's need; but what goes beyond that is called dissolute, insolent and licentious. For \"wine is a licentious thing, and drunkenness insolent.\" And divine Scripture says, \"Do not get drunk with wine, in which is dissipation.\" And nature itself, troubled by excess, becomes a teacher of good health.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.494 (PG 78 78:451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-494)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.495":{"o":"ΚΩΝΣΤΑΝΤΙΩ.\nΟὐκ ἔστιν, ὦ τᾶν, οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ ζῆλός σου κατ᾿ ἐπί γνωσιν, οὔτε, ὡς φὴς, τῷ Κυρίῳ ἐκ τῶν αὐτοῦ νόμων ἀμύνεις, τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τινὰς ἐξελαύνων. Ὁ μὲν γάρ τοὺς θεοκαπήλους ἀπήλαυνε, τοὺς ἐμπόριον τὸ ἀνάκτορον δείξαντας. Σὺ δὲ τοὺς τὸ Θεῖον εὐσεβῶς πρεσβεύοντας διώκεις ἐμμανῶς, σύγχυσίν τινα καὶ ἀνάκρασιν, καὶ τροπὴν τὴν εἰς σάρκα τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου κατηχῶν, ἢ ἀλλοιῶν τὴν θείαν φύσιν εἰς σάρκα καὶ ὀστέα, ἢ τὴν ἀλήθειαν τῆς σαρκὸς ἀθετῶν. Οὐ τοίνυν τὸν Κύριον μιμῇ, ἀλλὰ τὸν στρατηγὸν τοῦ ἱεροῦ, τοὺς ἀποστόλους διώκοντα, καὶ κηρύσσειν τὴν εὐσέβειαν κωλύοντα. Εἰς τὸ, « Λίθον ὃν ἀπεδοκίμασαν οἱ οἰκοδομοῦν","t":"To Constantius. Your zeal, sir, is not, it is not according to knowledge; nor, as you say, are you defending the Lord from his own laws by driving some out of the church. For he drove out the God-peddlers, who had made the sanctuary a market; but you madly persecute those who honor the Divine piously, teaching a certain confusion, mixture and change of God the Word into flesh, either altering the divine nature into flesh and bones or denying the reality of the flesh. You do not, then, imitate the Lord, but the captain of the temple, who persecuted the apostles and prevented them from preaching godliness. [Letter 1.496] [On \"The stone which the builders rejected …\"]","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.495 (PG 78 78:451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-495)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.497":{"o":"ΚΥΡΙΛΛΩ.\nτες.» Ὃν τρόπον δύο σύνδεσμος τοίχων γωνιαῖός τις εὑρίσκεται λίθος, πρὸς ἀδιαίρετον ἕνωσιν, ἑκατέρους : συνδέων· οὕτω τοὺς δύο τῆς οἰκουμένης λαοὺς ἡ τοῦ Δεσπότου ἡμῶν ἔνσαρκος οἰκονομία συνάψασα καὶ εἰς ἓν σῶμα, καὶ [ἓν] πνεῦμα συναρμολογήσασα, εἰς κεφαλὴν γωνίας ἐγένετο, ἀσάλευτον τὴν ἕνωσιν τῇ ἑαυτῆς μεσιτείᾳ φυλάξασα.","t":"To Cyril. [… the builders rejected.\"] As a cornerstone is found to be the bond of two walls, binding both into undivided union, so the incarnate dispensation of our Master, joining the two peoples of the world and fitting them together into one body and [one] spirit, became the head of the corner, keeping the union unshaken by its own mediation.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.497 (PG 78 78:451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-497)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.498":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ.\nΠρὸς μοναχὸν καλλωπιζόμενον. Τὴν Ἑλισσαίου εὐτέλειαν ζήλου, ὑπερώῳ καὶ λύχνῳ ἀρκούμενος· ἅπερ τὴν ὑψηλὴν καὶ πεφωτισμένην τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἡνίσσετο πρᾶξιν· ἀλλὰ μὴ μεγάλαις οἰκοδομαῖς ὡς Φαραὼ προστηκόμενος καὶ προστήκων αὐταῖς τοὺς μονάζοντας, τὴν ἀληθῆ ἐργασίαν κατάλυς.","t":"To Theon. [To a monk who adorns himself.] Emulate Elisha's simplicity, content with an upper room and a lamp, which hinted at the man's lofty and enlightened conduct; and not, like Pharaoh, wearing yourself out on great buildings and wearing out the monks on them, destroy the true work.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.498 (PG 78 78:453; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-498)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.499":{"o":"ΑΡΧΙΑ.\nΚατὰ Μακεδονιανῶν, ἤτοι Πνευματομάχων. Εἰ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν ἐπλήρωσε τὴν οἰκείαν ὁ Κύριος, οὐ μετὰ πολλὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἀναλήψεως, τὴν ἐξ ὕψους δύναμιν περιζώσας τοὺς θιασώτας, καὶ ὁ νόμος τοῦ πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ἠλευθέρωσεν ἡμᾶς ἐκ τοῦ νόμου τῆς ἁμαρτίας καὶ τοῦ θανάτου, ματαία [ἡ] τοῦ Σατανᾶ Μοντανοῦ κακόνοια, πρὸς τοσαύτην ἀλήθειαν ἀβλεπτήσαντος, καὶ μεῖζόν τι τῆς τελειώσεως ταύτης τοῖς πεισθεῖσιν αὐτῷ προσγενήσεσθαι μυθοποιήσαντος.","t":"To Archias. [Against the Macedonians, or Pneumatomachi.] If the Lord fulfilled his own promise not many days after his ascension, girding his companions with power from on high, and \"the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set us free from the law of sin and death,\" vain is the malice of Montanus, Satan's man, who was blind to so great a truth and fabled that something greater than this perfection would come to those who believed him.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.499 (PG 78 78:453; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-499)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.5":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς τροφῆς τοῦ Προδρόμου, καὶ περὶ ἀσκήσεως. Εἰ οἱ θεῖοι χρησμοὶ σημαίνουσι τὴν ἀκρίβειαν, περιττή ἡ περίεργος ζήτησις τοῖς νουνεχῶς τούτους ἀναγινώσκουσιν. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ βρώματα καὶ ἐσθήματα τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν τελείας ἀσκήσεως ἐν Ἰωάννῃ τῷ Βαπτιστῇ ἐπαιδεύθημεν, θριξὶ μὲν, εἰ οἷόν τε, πρὸς σκέπην ἀρκεσθησόμεθα· ἀκρέμοσι δὲ βοτανῶν καὶ φύλλων πρὸς ὀλίγην τροφὴν καὶ δύναμιν καὶ ἀπέριττον. Εἰ δὲ ταῦτα δι' ἀσθένειαν μείζονα, τύπος ἡμῖν ἔστω χρείας ἁπάσης καὶ διαίτης, καὶ τελειώσεως, ἡ τοῦ προεστῶτος δοκιμασία καὶ κέλευσις.","t":"To Nilus. [On the food of the Forerunner, and on ascetic discipline.] If the divine oracles show us precision, curious inquiry is superfluous for those who read them with understanding. If, then, we have been taught in John the Baptist the food and clothing of perfect discipline according to God, we will be content, if possible, with hair for covering, and with the tips of plants and leaves for a little nourishment and strength and nothing superfluous. But if these things are too great for our weakness, let the testing and command of the superior be our pattern for every need and way of life, and for perfection.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.5 (PG 78 78:181; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-5)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.50":{"o":"ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΙΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΤί σημαίνει ἡ καρυΐνη ῥάβδος. Ῥάβδον καρυΐνην εἶδεν Ἱερεμίας, ὁ τῶν προφητῶν πολυκίνδυνος, ἱερωσύνης ὑπόθεσιν, ἧς τὰ μὲν προφανῆ καὶ ἐπιπόλαια, καὶ ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι προοίμια, στυπτικὰ καὶ τραχέα τυγχάνει, καὶ δριμύτητος μέτοχα· τὰ δὲ κρύφια καὶ ἐσώτερα, σταθερά τε καὶ βέβαια, καὶ στηρίζειν δυνάμενα. Χρὴ τοίνυν καὶ τὰ ἐπίπονα τῆς ἱερωσύνης φέρειν γενναίως, καὶ τὰ ἔπαθλα ταύτης περιμένειν προθύμως.","t":"To Strategius the reader. [What the rod of nut-wood signifies.] Jeremiah, the prophet of many dangers, saw a rod of nut-wood, a figure of the priesthood, whose visible and surface parts, the beginnings so to speak, are astringent and rough and share in bitterness, while its hidden and inner parts are firm and sure and able to give support. One must therefore bear the toils of the priesthood nobly and await its prizes eagerly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.50 (PG 78 78:213; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-50)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.500":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΚατὰ Μακεδονιανῶν, ἤτοι Πνευματομάχων. Τὸ θεῖον καὶ προσκυνούμενον Πνεῦμα δεκάτῃ τῆς ἀναλήψεως, πεντηκοστῇ δὲ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἡμέρᾳ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἱεροὺς μαθητὰς κατεφοίτησεν, ὡς ὁ Κύριος ἐπηγγείλατο, οὐ μετὰ πολλὰς ἡμέρας τοῦτο ποιήσειν τῷ καιρῷ τῆς εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνόδου ὑποσχόμενος. Καὶ Λουκᾶς ἔγραψε πληρωθὲν ὁ θεσπέσιος, ὅπερ πολλοῖς ὕστερον χρόνοις ὁ δυσσεβής [μή] γεγενῆσθαι Μοντανὸς διεψεύσατο, καὶ τὸν Κύριον διαβάλλων οὐκ ἀληθεύοντα, καὶ τοὺς μαθητὰς ψευσθέντας τῆς ὑποσχέσεως, ἄλλους δέ τινας ἀντ᾽ ἐκείνων τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν κομισαμένους ἀδίκως, εἴπερ ἄλλων ἐν τοῖς κινδύνοις ἀθλησάντων, ἕτεροι τῶν ἐπάθλων ἀπέλαυσαν. Ποίῳ δὲ πνεύματι ἐνήργουν τὰ θαύματα, ἢ τὰ ἔθνη ἐπαίδευον τὴν εὐσέβειαν;","t":"To the same. [Against the Macedonians, or Pneumatomachi.] The divine and adored Spirit came down upon the holy disciples on the tenth day after the ascension and the fiftieth after the resurrection, as the Lord had promised, undertaking at the time of his ascent into heaven to do this not many days later. And the divine Luke wrote that it was fulfilled, which the impious Montanus, many years later, falsely said had [not] happened, slandering the Lord as untruthful and the disciples as cheated of the promise, and others in their place as having received the promise unjustly; if so, others contended in the dangers and others enjoyed the prizes. And by what spirit did they work the miracles, or teach the nations godliness?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.500 (PG 78 78:453; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-500)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.51":{"o":"ΘΕΟΠΟΜΠΩ ΤΡΙΒΟΥΝΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς καταραθείσης συκῆς. Τὴν συκὴν οὐχ ἁπλῶς ὁ Κύριος κατηράσατο, μὴ τοῦτο νόμιζε, ὦ τῶν θείων ἀκόρεστε, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα δείξῃ τοῖς ἀγνώμοσιν Ἰουδαίοις, ὅτι ἔχει δύναμιν καὶ πρὸς τιμωρίαν ἀρκοῦσαν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς θαύμασιν οὐδὲν αὐτὸν παρασχόντα τινὶ λυπηρὸν ἑωράκεισαν, μόνον εὐεργετεῖν αὐτὸν ὑπελάμβανον δύνασθαι, οὐκ ἔχοντα κακοῦν τοὺς πονηροὺς ἐξουσίαν. Ἐκ τῆς ἀψύχου τοίνυν οὐσίας, πείθει τὸν ἀχάριστον δῆμον, ὅτι καὶ ἀμύνασθαι δύναται, καὶ ὡς ἀγαθὸς οὐ βεβούλευται. Ἐξηράνθη οὖν ξύλον, ἵνα φοβήσῃ ἀνθρώπους.῎Αμα δέ τις τούτῳ καὶ ἀπόῤῥητος συμπέπλεκται λόγος, παρὰ γερόντων εἰς ἡμᾶς σοφῶν διαφοιτήσας· ὅτι τὸ ξύλον τῆς παραβάσεως τοῦτο, οὗ καὶ τοῖς φύλλοις εἰς σκέπην οἱ παραβάντες ἐχρήσαντο. Καὶ κατηράθη παρὰ Χριστοῦ φιλανθρώπως, μηκέτι καρπὸν ἐνεγκεῖν αἴτιον ἁμαρτίας. Ἐπειδὴ δευτέρα Θεοῦ παρουσία, πρὸς ἐνανθρώπησιν μὲν οὐκ ἔστι, πρὸς δὲ τίσιν τῶν πεπραγμένων ἑκάστῳ.","t":"To Theopompus the tribune. [On the cursed fig tree.] Do not think the Lord cursed the fig tree for no reason, you who cannot get enough of divine things; he did it to show the unfeeling Jews that he also has power enough to punish. For since in all his miracles they had seen him cause no one any pain, they supposed he could only do good, and had no authority to harm the wicked. So by means of a lifeless thing he convinces the ungrateful people that he can also take vengeance, and that, being good, he has not chosen to. A tree withered, then, so as to frighten men. At the same time a hidden meaning is woven in, which has come down to us from wise elders: that this was the tree of the transgression, whose leaves the transgressors used for a covering; and it was cursed by Christ in his love for mankind, so that it would bear no more fruit that causes sin. For the second coming of God is not for becoming man, but for repaying each for what he has done.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.51 (PG 78 78:213; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-51)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.52":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\nΚατὰ Μανιχαίων. Πολλαὶ προφάσεις εἰσὶ τῆς ἀποχῆς τῶν βρωμάτων, καὶ ἔθος καὶ φύσις, καὶ γνῶμαι δι' ἐγκράτειαν τελούμεναι Τὸ μὲν γὰρ νόμῳ πολλάκις παραδίδοαὖ πάλιν ἑτέρα πρὸς τὴν γυμνασίαν τῶν μειζόνων κατορθωμάτων. Εἰ ταύτης εἶ τῆς ὑστάτης, ἀκατηγόρητος ἡ νηστεία. Εἰ δὲ τῆς βδελυκτῆς Μανιχαίου καὶ Μαρκίωνος τυγχάνεις μερίδος, οὐδείς σοι τῆς ἡμετέρας συστήσεται μάνδρας, ὡς τὸν Χριστοῦ διαφθείροντα νόμον, καὶ ὡς κακὰ τὰ χρηστὰ παρορῶντι. ται ἔθος. Ἡ δὲ κατὰ μίσος συμβαίνει καὶ πάθος, ἡ δ᾽","t":"To Lampetius the monk. [Against the Manichees.] There are many reasons for abstaining from foods: custom, nature, and purposes carried out for the sake of self-control. One is often handed down by law as a custom; another comes about through hatred and aversion; yet another is for training in greater achievements. If yours is the last kind, your fasting is beyond reproach. But if you belong to the abominable party of Mani and Marcion, none of us will admit you to our fold, as one who corrupts the law of Christ and looks on good things as evil.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.52 (PG 78 78:213; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-52)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.53":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΥΛΩ.\nΤῶν ιβ' προφητῶν, Εἰς τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ ᾿Αμὼς, «Ὁ γυμνὸς φεύξεται ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκεί• Ὁ γυμνὸς φεύξεται ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, » φησίν ὁ προφήτης. Προχείρως μὲν τὰ ἐν τῷ πάθει τοῦ Κυρίου συμβάντα προθεωρῶν, καὶ τὸν γυμνὸν πεφευγότα δηλῶν, ὃς σινδόνα περιβεβλημένος ἐπὶ γυμνῆς, τὴν πεῖραν τῶν Κυριοκτόνων ἀπέφυγε, καταλιπὼν αὐτοῖς τὴν σινδόνα. Ἡ δὲ κεκρυμμένη τούτου καὶ παρακεκαλυμμένη διάνοια, σημαίνει τὸν ἰσχνὸν καὶ ἀπέριττον, καὶ τῶν βαρῶν τῆς σαρκὸς ἀμέτοχον, μηδὲν κώλυμα πρὸς τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀνάβασιν ἔχοντα · κοῦφον [δὲ] καὶ εὐαπάλλακτον τῆς θνητῆς ἀναχωροῦντα ἰλύος, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἄφθαρτον ζωὴν, πτηνὸν ἀπαντῶντα.","t":"To Theodulus. [From the twelve prophets. On what Amos said, \"The naked man will flee in that day.\"] \"The naked man will flee in that day,\" says the prophet. On the surface he foresees what happened at the Lord's passion, and points to the naked man who fled, who had a linen cloth thrown over his naked body, escaped the attempt of the Lord's killers, and left the linen cloth to them. But its hidden and veiled meaning signifies the man who is lean and has nothing superfluous, who has no share in the burdens of the flesh and no hindrance to the ascent from here, but departs light and easily freed from the mortal mire, and goes winged to meet the incorruptible life.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.53 (PG 78 78:215; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-53)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.54":{"o":"ΘΕΟΛΟΓΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΟ.\nΚατὰ Νεστοριανῶν. Τι περισσὸν ἢ ἀλλότριον τῆς ἡμετέρας, ἔφης, θρησκείας δοξάζουσιν οἱ πολυπλανεῖς καὶ πολύθεοι Ἕλληνες, μητέρα· θεῶν ἀναγράφουσιν, ὁπότε καὶ ἡμεῖς Θεοῦ μητέρα πιστεύομεν. Ἄκουε τοίνυν συντόμως, ἃ καὶ μαθεῖν σε θέλω γνησίως. Ἕλληνες μὲν τὴν τῶν θεῶν αὐτῶν καὶ ὑπάτων μητέρα, ἐξ ἀκολασίας καὶ ἀῤῥήτων παθῶν, καὶ συνειληφυίαν καὶ τετοκυῖαν ἐγνώρισαν, οὐδὲν ὅτι λαγνείας εἶδος ἢ ἀγνοήσασαν, ἢ ἄπρακτον καταλιποῦσαν, ἅτε τοιούτων μητέρα. Ἥν δὲ ἡμεῖς τοῦ σαρκωθέντος Θεοῦ ἡμῶν γενομένην ὁμολογοῦμεν μητέρα, μονογενῆ καὶ μονότροπον σύλληψιν δεξαμένην, πᾶσαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων αἱ γενεαὶ σὺν ἀληθείᾳ ἐπέγνωσαν, οὔτε σπορᾶς γενομένης, οὔτε φθορᾶς μεσιτευσάσης. Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς τοῖς λεγομένοις, ἐκ τῆς τοῦ γεννηθέντος δυνάμεως εἴσῃ τὸ ἀληθέστερον. Πηροῖς γὰρ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐχαρίσατο, λεπροὺς τῆς λώβης καὶ τοῦ πάθους ἐκάθαρεν, νωδοῖς, καὶ μογιλάλοις, καὶ κωφεύουσι τὴν ἀκουστικὴν καὶ [τὴν] φωνητικὴν ἁρμονίαν ἐνέθηκεν. Ἐπὶ νώτων θαλάσσης ἐβάδισεν, οἰδήσεις κυμάτων, καὶ πνευμάτων ἀτάκτους ἐμβολὰς κατεπράῦνε, δαιμόνων στίφη καὶ φάλαγγας λόγῳ μόνῳ ἐδίωξε, τεθνεῶτας πολλοὺς ῥήματι πρὸς παλινζωΐαν ἐκάλεσε. Ταύτας ἡμῖν τὰς θεοσημείας οἱ αὐτόπται αὐτῶν παρέδωκαν, τοσοῦτον κολακείας καὶ χάριτος ἄμοιρον τὴν μαρτυρίαν τηρήσαντες, ὡς καὶ τὰ συμβάντα αὐτῷ ἐπονείδιστα γράψαι, διωγμοὺς, ὕβρεις, λιθασμοὺς, ἐμπτύσματα, ῥαπίσματα, κολαφίσματα, σταυρὸν, ἥλους, καὶ θάνατον, ὃν ἀνάστασις διεδέξατο συντόμως, καὶ τὸν παθόντα Θεὸν σεσαρκωμένον, σημαίνουσα, καὶ τὴν τεκοῦσαν Θεοῦ σαρκωθέντος Μητέρα κηρύττουσα. Εἰ τὰ πράγματα ὅμοια ἀνάγκη καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα καταδέχεσθαι ὅμοια.","t":"To Theologius the scholasticus. [Against the Nestorians.] What is there, you asked, extravagant or foreign to our religion in what the much-erring, many-godded Greeks believe, when they write of a mother of gods, since we too believe in a Mother of God? Hear, then, in brief what I want you to learn truly. The Greeks acknowledged that the mother of their very gods and highest powers both conceived and gave birth out of licentiousness and unspeakable passions, and that she was ignorant of no form of lust and left none untried, as befits the mother of such beings. But the one whom we confess to have become the Mother of our God made flesh, who received a conception unique and of a single kind, all the generations of mankind have recognized in truth: no seed was sown, no corruption intervened. If you do not believe what is said, you will learn the truth better from the power of the one who was born. For he gave eyes to the blind, cleansed lepers of their disfigurement and disease, and put the harmony of hearing and speech into the deaf, the dumb and those who speak with difficulty. He walked on the back of the sea, calmed the swelling of the waves and the disorderly blasts of the winds, drove out troops and phalanxes of demons by a word alone, and called many dead back to life by a word. These divine signs were handed down to us by those who saw them with their own eyes, who kept their testimony so free of flattery and favor that they also wrote the shameful things that befell him: persecutions, insults, stonings, spitting, blows, beatings, the cross, nails, and death, which was quickly followed by resurrection, which both signified that the one who suffered was God made flesh and proclaimed her who bore him the Mother of God made flesh. If the realities are alike, the names too must be accepted as alike.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.54 (PG 78 78:215; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-54)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.55":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς θαυματουργίας τῶν μαρτυρικῶν λειψάνων. Εἰ σκανδαλίζῃ ἐπὶ τῇ κόνει τῶν μαρτυρικῶν σωμάτων παρ' ἡμῶν τιμωμένῃ διὰ τὴν περὶ τὸν Θεὸν αὐτῶν ἀγάπην καὶ ἔνστασιν, ἐρώτησον τοὺς ἐξ αὐτῶν τὰς ἰάσεις λαμβάνοντας, καὶ μάθε πόσοις πάθεσι θεραπείας χαρίζονται. Καὶ οὐ μόνον οὐ σκώψεις τὸ γινόμενον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ζηλώσεις πάντως τὸ κατορθούμενον. Εἰ δὲ αὐτὸς νεκρῶν ὀστῶν παραιτῇ θίγειν, ὡς γέγραφας, τῶν πονηρῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἐπὶ κακίᾳ βοηθέντων τὰ λείψανα βδέλυξαι, οὓς ἐν τῷ ναῷ τῆς Ἐφεσίας Αρτέμιδος κατώρυξαν \"Ελληνες σεμνοποιοῦντες τὰ αἴσχιστα, καὶ φαύλων ἀνθρώπων τάφους καὶ κόνεις λοιμοποιοὺς ἐκθειάζοντες.","t":"To Hierax, of senatorial rank. [On the wonders worked by the relics of martyrs.] If you are scandalized at the dust of the martyrs' bodies, which we honor because of their love and steadfastness toward God, ask those who receive healings from them, and learn how many ailments they grant cures for. Then you will not only not mock what is done; you will surely emulate what is achieved. But if you yourself, as you wrote, refuse to touch the bones of the dead, loathe the remains of the wicked men notorious for vice whom the Greeks buried in the temple of Ephesian Artemis, making the most shameful things solemn, and deifying the tombs and pestilential dust of worthless men.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.55 (PG 78 78:217; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-55)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.56":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΠερὶ Ἰούδα τοῦ προδότου. Οὐκ ἐπειδὴ προεἶπεν ὁ Κύριος, ὦ θαυμάσιε, τὴν τοῦ Ἰούδα προαίρεσιν, ἐκεῖνος πρὸς τὴν προδοσίαν ὠλίσθησεν, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ὥδινε τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν ὁ ἀλιτήριος, ὁρῶν τὰ κρύφια τῆς καρδίας κινήματα, τὰ μέλλοντα ὡς παρόντα προέφηνε.","t":"To Nilus. [On Judas the traitor.] It was not because the Lord foretold Judas's choice, admirable man, that he slid into the betrayal; but because the scoundrel was in labor with the plot, the Lord, who saw the hidden movements of his heart, foretold the future as though present.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.56 (PG 78 78:219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-56)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.57":{"o":"ΚΥΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, « Οὐδὲ βάλλουσιν οἶνον νέον εἰς ἀσκοὺς παλαιούς. » Τοὺς σαπέντας τῇ παλαιότητι, καὶ τὴν νέαν χάριν ἀθετήσαντας, ἀσκοὺς παλαιοὺς ὁ Κύριος προσηγόρευσεν, ὡς διαῤῥηγνυμένους, καὶ τὸν καινὸν λόγον τῆς βασιλείας ἐκχέοντας. Τοιοῦτος ὁ Καϊάφας ἐλήλεγκται. Ακούσας γὰρ παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου, ὅτι Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰμι, διέῤῥηξε τὰ ἱμάτια. Ὁ δὲ Πέτρος τὸν νόμον τοῦ Πνεύματος τῆς ζωῆς προσδεξάμενος, οὐ μόνον διδασκόμενος οὐκ ἀνένευσεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μόνον ἐρωτηθεὶς ὡμολόγησεν, ἔμφυτον δείξας τῆς ἀληθείας τὴν εἴδησιν.","t":"To Cyrus. [On the saying \"Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins.\"] Those rotted with oldness, who rejected the new grace, the Lord called old wineskins, since they burst and pour out the new word of the kingdom. Such was Caiaphas shown to be: when he heard from the Lord \"I am the Son of God\", he tore his clothes. But Peter, who had received the law of the Spirit of life, not only did not refuse when taught, but confessed when merely asked, showing that knowledge of the truth was implanted in him.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.57 (PG 78 78:219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-57)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.58":{"o":"ΠΑΤΡΙΜΩ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΠρὸς ἀποστείλαντας ξένια. Λαχάνοις ἡμᾶς δεξιοῦσαι, σοφῶς τὸ ἀπερίεργον ἐπιδεικνὺς τῆς διαίτης, καὶ τὰς τοῦ Κυρίου πηγὰς ἀποβρύων, καὶ ὅπως εἶ τοῦ παραδείσου γεωργὸς ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν δώρων δεικνύς.","t":"To Patrimus, living as a monk. [To those who sent gifts.] You have greeted us with vegetables, wisely showing the simplicity of your diet, pouring out the Lord's springs, and showing by the gifts themselves that you are a gardener of paradise.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.58 (PG 78 78:219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-58)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.59":{"o":"ΓΟΡΓΟΝΙΩ.\n– Πῶς νοητέον τὸ γεγραμμένον, - Ὃς ἂν εἴπῃ λόγον κατὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ. › Πολυδύναμον καὶ πολυθρύλλητον ἐπεζήτησας ζήτημα, πολλοῖς μὲν ἐρευνηθὲν, μόνοις δὲ τοῖς θεοπνεύστοις καταληφθὲν, « Ὃς ἂν εἴποι λόγον κατὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ· ὃς δ᾽ ἂν εἴπῃ κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου, οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ, οὔτε ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, οὔτε ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι. » Καὶ τί, ὅτι μιᾶς οὔσης τῆς οὐσίας τῆς θεϊκῆς Τριάδος, ἡ κατὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ βλασφημία, ἔφης, οὐκ ἐκδικεῖται, ἀλλ᾿ ἡ κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος μόνη; ῎Ακουε τοίνυν· ὡς ἂν εἴποι κατὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου βλάσφημον λόγον, οὐ κρίνεται, εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος· ἐπειδὴ τοῖς λημῶσι τὸν τῆς διανοίας ὀφθαλμὸν, δυσκατάληπτος καὶ δυσθεώρητος ὁ ἡνωμένος ἀῤῥήτως Θεὸς τῇ εὐτελείᾳ τῆς φαινομένης σαρκός, ἀγνοουμένης τῆς κρυπτομένης θεότητος. Τοῖς δὲ καθαροῖς τὴν διάνοιαν, οἷς ἐπεφάνη ἡ σαρκωθεῖσα θεότης, οὐδὲ ἀπιστία ὅλως ἐγγέγονεν, οὐδὲ ἡ τῆς κρίσεως ἠπείληται ἀνταπόδοσις. Ἡ δὲ κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου βλασφημία διὰ τοῦτο ὑπάρχει ἀσύγγνωστος, ἐπειδὴ αὐτὰ τὰ ἔργα φαινόμενα, ἀγνώμονας καὶ ἀχαρίστους ἐλέγχει τοὺς βλασφημοῦντας. Τῶν γὰρ παθῶν ἐκκοπτομένων, καὶ τῶν δαιμόνων ἐλαυνομένων ἐν τῇ δυνάμει τῆς θεότητος, ἐν τῷ Βεελζεβούλ ταύτας γίνεσθαι τὰς θεοσημείας οἱ γογγυσταὶ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐσυκοφάντησαν. Ταύτην οὖν τὴν βλασφημίαν τὴν κατὰ τῆς θείας τρανῶς οὖσαν οὐσίας, ἀσυγχώρητον εἶναι ὁ Κύριος ἀπεφήνατο.","t":"To Gorgonius. [How the saying should be understood, \"Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him.\"] You have raised a question of great weight and much discussed, examined by many but grasped only by the divinely inspired: \"Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.\" And why, you asked, since the essence of the divine Trinity is one, is blasphemy against the Son not punished, but only blasphemy against the Spirit? Hear, then. Whoever speaks a blasphemous word against the Son of Man is not judged, the Lord said, because to those whose mind's eye is bleared, God, ineffably united to the lowliness of the flesh that appeared, is hard to grasp and hard to see, since the hidden Godhead is not recognized. But in those pure of mind, to whom the Godhead made flesh was revealed, there was no unbelief at all, and no retribution of judgment is threatened. Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is unpardonable for this reason, that the works themselves, being visible, convict the blasphemers of being unfeeling and ungrateful. For when passions were cut away and demons driven out by the power of the Godhead, the grumbling Jews slandered these divine signs as done by Beelzebul. This blasphemy, then, which is plainly against the divine essence, the Lord declared unforgivable.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.59 (PG 78 78:219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-59)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.6":{"o":"ΟΥΡΣΕΝΟΥΦΙΟ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Ποτήριον ἐν χειρὶ Κυρίου. » Τὸ ποτήριον ἐν χειρὶ Κυρίου οἴνου ἀκράτου πλῆρες κεράσματος. Τὴν δικαίαν σημαίνει ὁ θεῖος χρησμὸς ἀνταπόδοσιν, κιρνωμένην μὲν φιλανθρωπίᾳ πρὸς μεταμέλειαν τῶν χαιρόντων τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν· ἔκλινε γὰρ ἐκ τούτου εἰς τοῦτο, ἐκ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας δηλονότι εἰς τὴν χρεωστουμένην τοῖς πταίσμασι τιμωρίαν καὶ δικαίαν κρίσιν. ᾿Αλλ' ἵνα μὴ παντελῶς φαντασθῶμεν (ἐπιλησμονεῖν) τῆς δίκης οἱ ῥάθυμοι, • Πλὴν ὁ τρυγίας αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἐξεκενώθη, προστέθειται. Ὅτι εἰ τέλεον σωτηρίας καταφρονήσουσιν, εἰς ὕστερον τὴν δίκην οὐ λήσουσι. « Πίονται γὰρ, φησὶ, πάντες οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ τῆς γῆς, » τὸ τῆς κρίσεως εἰκότως ποτήριον.","t":"To Ursenuphius. [On \"A cup in the hand of the Lord.\"] \"The cup in the hand of the Lord is full of a mixture of unmixed wine\": the divine oracle signifies the just recompense, mixed with kindness so as to bring to repentance those who delight in their sins; for \"he has tilted it from this to that\", from kindness, that is, to the punishment owed to offenses and to just judgment. But lest we careless people imagine that he (forgets) justice altogether, there is added: \"Yet its dregs were not emptied out.\" That is, if they utterly despise salvation, they will not escape justice at the last. \"For all the sinners of the earth shall drink,\" it says, the cup of judgment, as is fitting.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.6 (PG 78 78:183; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-6)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.60":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ αὐτό. Ὅτι μὲν ἔφης κατὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἡ βλασφημία, δῆλον ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς τοῦ Κυρίου φωνῆς λεγούσης, « ὡς ἂν εἴποι κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου, οὐκ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ. › Καὶ ὅτι ἡ κατὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου ἐκδικεῖται ἡ βλασφημία, σαφές. Ὅτι δὲ τῆς θείας ἐστὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον οὐσίας, τοῦτο σὺ ἤτησας Γραφικῶς τρανωθῆναι. Ἔξεστί σοι ἀγχινοῦντι καὶ μικρὸν προελθόντι ἐκ τῶν ἐν χερσὶ τοῦ Κυρίου φωνῶν καὶ τὴν λύσιν εὑρεῖν. • Εἰ ἐγὼ, φησὶν, ἐν [τῷ] Βεελζεβούλ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια, οἱ υἱοὶ ὑμῶν ἐν τίνι ἐκβάλλουσιν ; » Εἰ δὲ πνεύματι Θεοῦ ἐκβάλλω ταῦτα, ἄρα ἔφθασεν ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἐν τῷ ἑτέρῳ σαφέστερον εἰρηκώς εὐαγγελιστὴς, « Εἰ δὲ ἐγὼ ἐν δακτύλῳ Θεοῦ ἐκβάλλω τὰ δαιμόνια. » Δάκτυλον Θεοῦ, τὸ Πνεῦμα λέγων τὸ ἄγιον. Δάκτυλος δὲ, ὡς ἐν ὑποδείγματι τῷ καθ' ἡμᾶς, τῆς οὐσίας ἐστὶ τοῦ σώματος. Τὴν τοίνυν ἀχώριστον καὶ συγγενῆ τῆς θείας οὐσίας τοῦ Πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου ὑπόστασιν, τῷ τοῦ δακτύλου ὀνόματι ἐφανέρωσε.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] That the blasphemy you mentioned is against the Holy Spirit is clear from the Lord's own words: \"Whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him.\" And that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is punished is plain. But that the Holy Spirit is of the divine essence, this you asked to have made clear from Scripture. If you think shrewdly and go on a little, you can find the answer in the Lord's words that are at hand. \"If I,\" he says, \"cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? But if I cast them out by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you.\" In the other Gospel the evangelist says it more plainly: \"But if I cast out demons by the finger of God,\" calling the Holy Spirit the finger of God. And the finger, by an example taken from us, belongs to the substance of the body. So by the name \"finger\" he made plain that the hypostasis of the Holy Spirit is inseparable from the divine essence and of one kind with it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.60 (PG 78 78:221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-60)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.61":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ.\nΠρὸς Ζώσιμον χρῆσις, τινὰς τοῦ ἁγίου Βασιλείου ἐπιστολὰς φέροντα. Ἡδέως ἂν ἐροίμην σε Γραφικῶς τὸν Αἰθίοπα τὴν γνώμην· « Αρά γε γινώσκεις ὁ ἀναγινώσκεις; » \"Ως τινες γάρ φασι, ῥημάτων μνημονεύεις τινῶν τοῦ θεοπνεύστου Πατρὸς ἡμῶν Βασιλείου, οὗ τῶν πραγμάτων κατ' οὐδὲν μνημονεύεις. Εἰ δὲ ἀληθὴς εἶ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐραστὴς, ἔργοις τοὺς ἐκείνου λόγους ἐπίδειξαι, δι' ὧν τὰ ἤθη κανόνι φιλοσοφίας ἐῤῥύθμισεν. Εἰ γὰρ τὴν κατὰ μεθυόντων τοῦ ἀνδρὸς μετεχειρίσω πυκτίδα, σαυτὸν εὐρήσεις ἐκεῖ, τὸν μυρίον ἐσμὸν τῶν, αἰσχυνῶν ὑπομένοντα.","t":"To Zosimus. [A useful word to Zosimus, who carries about certain letters of Saint Basil.] I would gladly ask you, in the words of Scripture, as Philip asked the Ethiopian: \"Do you understand what you are reading?\" For, as some say, you remember certain sayings of our divinely inspired father Basil, whose deeds you in no way remember. If you are a true lover of the man, show his words in deeds, the words by which he ordered characters by the rule of philosophy. For if you take up the man's book against drunkards, you will find yourself in it, enduring the countless swarm of disgraces.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.61 (PG 78 78:221; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-61)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.62":{"o":"ΘΕΟΠΟΜΠΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\nΛόγος πρὸς ὠφέλειαν τῶν ἀκουόντων γινόμενος, λόγος ἐστὶν ἐνδύναμος, ἐνδίκως λόγος καλούμενος, καὶ πρὸς Θεὸν ἔχων τὴν μίμησιν. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς τέρψιν [μόνην] καὶ κρότον τελευτῶν, ἦχος ἐπὶ χαλκοῦ τοῖς μεγάλοις ψόφοις τὴν ἀκοὴν ἐνηχῶν. Η τοίνυν σεμνότητι τὸν λόγον σου ρύθμιζε, προτιμῶν τοῦ κόμπου τὸ μέτριον, ἢ γίνωσκε κύμβαλον ὢν, τῇ σκηνῇ τῶν θεάτρων ἁρμόδιον.","t":"To Theopompus the monk. A word spoken for the benefit of the hearers is a word with power, rightly called a word, and imitating God. But one that ends in [mere] delight and applause is a noise on bronze, ringing in the ears with loud clatter. Either order your speech with dignity, preferring the moderate to the boastful, or know that you are a cymbal, fit for the theatre stage.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.62 (PG 78 78:223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-62)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.63":{"o":"ΘΑΛΕΛΑΙΟ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\n῞Οτι πάντη ἀλλότριον ἀναχωρητοῦ, τὸ Ἑλληνικοῖς ἐντυγχάνειν συγγράμμασιν. Τίς σε οὐ κωμῳδήσει; τίς σε οὐκ ἐλεήσει, ἐν γαλήνῃ φιλοσοφίας τῶν τοῦ Κυρίου μαθητῶν καθεζόμενον, καὶ θόρυβον καὶ βρασμὸν Ἑλληνικῶν συγγραφέων καὶ ποιητῶν ἐφελκόμενον; Τί γὰρ, εἰπέ μοι, παρ' ἐκείνοις τῶν καθ' ἡμᾶς προτιμότερον; Τί δὲ οὐ ψεύδους γέμει καὶ γέλωτος, ὧν ἐκεῖνοι σπουδάζουσιν; Οὐχ αἱ θεότητες ἐκ παθῶν Οὐχ αἱ ἀνδρεῖαι ὑπὲρ παθῶν; Οὐχ οἱ ἀγῶνες ὑπὲρ παθῶν; Φεῦγε τοίνυν καὶ τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν τῆς αἰσχρότητος. Δεινῶς γὰρ οἶδεν ἀναστομοῦν τοὺς τῶν τραυμάτων συνουλώσαντας μώλωπας· μήποτε ὑποστρέψῃ τὸ πνεῦμα τῆς πονηρίας σφοδρότερον, καὶ χείρονά σοι τὴν ἧτταν τῆς προτέρας ἀγνοίας ἢ ῥαθυμίας ἐργάσηται.","t":"To Thalelaeus the monk. [That reading Greek writings is wholly foreign to a hermit.] Who will not mock you? Who will not pity you, sitting in the calm of the philosophy of the Lord's disciples and drawing upon yourself the din and turmoil of Greek prose-writers and poets? Tell me, what among them is more precious than ours? What is there of what they are zealous for that is not full of falsehood and laughter? Are not their deities born of passions? Are not their deeds of courage for the sake of passions? Are not their contests for the sake of passions? Flee, then, even the reading of shamefulness. For it is terribly able to reopen the scars of wounds that have healed over; may the spirit of wickedness never return more violently and make your defeat worse than your former ignorance or carelessness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.63 (PG 78 78:223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-63)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.64":{"o":"ΕΥΛΑΜΠΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ Ἰωάννου τοῖς ὄχλοις· • Ἤδη δὲ ἡ ἀξίνη πρὸς τήν. Τὴν ἄκαρπον Ἰουδαίων θεωρῶν ὁ Ἰωάννης προαίρεσιν, δένδροις αὐτοὺς ἀκάρποις παρείκασε, πρὸς τὴν ρίζαν αὐτῶν κεῖσθαι τὴν ἀξίνην ἀποφηνάμενος, τὴν ὀξεῖαν καὶ σύντομον τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου διαίρεσιν, ὑφ᾽ ἧς πᾶν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν, ἐκκόπτεται οὐκ ὀρύσσεται. Ἡ γὰρ φυὴ τῶν ῥιζῶν, ὁ νόμος δηλαδή, καταλείπεται, ἐφ᾽ ἣν ὁ νέος λαὸς ἐγκεντρίζεται.","t":"To Eulampius. [On what John said to the crowds, \"Even now the axe is laid to the root.\"] John, seeing the fruitless choice of the Jews, compared them to fruitless trees, declaring that the axe was laid to their root, the sharp and swift division of the Gospel, by which every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down, not dug up. For the growth of the roots, that is, the law, is left, and onto it the new people is grafted.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.64 (PG 78 78:223; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-64)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.65":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤί ἐστιν, « Οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ. › Μαθεῖν θέλων ἐσήμανας τίς ἡ τοῦ πτύου ἐνέργεια ἦν μεταχειρίζεται πρὸς καθαρισμὸν τῆς ἄλωνος τῆς ἰδίας ὁ Κύριος. Τοῦτο τοίνυν ἐστὶν, ὡς οἶμαι, τὸ νόημα, ἄλωνα, τὴν πάνδημον τῆς οἰκουμένης Ἐκκλησίαν προσαγορεύει, ἐν ᾗ πάντα τὸν θερισμόν συναγείρει τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος. Πτύον δὲ, τὴν δικαίαν κρίσιν καλεῖ, ἥτις ἑκάστῳ τὴν πρόσφορον τάξιν ὁρίζουσα, τοὺς μὲν ἀχυρώδεις καὶ χαύνους, καὶ παντὶ ἀνέμῳ ἁμαρτίας ῥιπιζομένους, εἰς καῦσιν ἐκδίδωσι· τοὺς δὲ καθαρότητι ἔργων, καὶ μετανοίας καρποῖς εὐθηνήσαντας, εἰς ἀποθήκην συνάγεσθαι λέγει ὁ δίκαιος κριτὴς, τὴν πρέπουσαν [τοῖς πιστοῖς καὶ ἀξίοις αὐτοῦ ἐργάταις καὶ γεωργοῖς ] ἣν καὶ μονὴν ὀνομάζει σωτήριον. Ἐκεῖ γάρ ἐστιν ὄντως ἡ μονή. Ἡ γὰρ παροῦσα ζωή, σκηνή ἐστιν εὐτελὴς, σύνδρομον ἔχουσα τῇ συμπήξει καὶ τὴν κατάλυσιν.","t":"To the same. [What is \"His winnowing fork is in his hand\"?] You indicated that you wanted to learn what the action of the winnowing fork is, which the Lord uses to clean his own threshing floor. This, then, I think, is the meaning. He calls the threshing floor the universal church of the world, in which he gathers the whole harvest of humanity. The winnowing fork he calls the just judgment, which assigns to each his fitting place: those who are chaffy and empty, blown about by every wind of sin, it hands over to burning; but those who have flourished in purity of works and in the fruits of repentance, the just judge says are gathered into the granary, the one fitting [for his faithful and worthy workers and farmers], which he also calls a saving dwelling. For there is truly the dwelling. The present life is a cheap tent, whose dismantling runs together with its pitching.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.65 (PG 78 78:225; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-65)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.66":{"o":"ΚΑΙΣΑΡΙΟ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, « Ἄφες ἄρτι., Τὸ πρέπον ἑκάστῳ καιρῷ προσνέμων ὁ δίκαιος κριτὴς, \"Αφες ἄρτι, τῷ Ἰωάννῃ ἔλεγε παραιτουμένῳ τὸ βάπτισμα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ὡς τῷ Δεσπότῃ τὸ σέβας ἀποδιδοὺς, ἅπτεσθαι τῆς θείας οὐκ ἐτόλμα κεφαλῆς, « ῎Αφες ἄρτι, ἤκουσε. Νῦν, φησὶ, πτωχείας καιρὸς, συγκαταβάσεως θεσμὸς, δι' ὃν ἀνείληφα ἄνθρωπον, λαμβάνω τὸ βάπτισμα, [ἵνα] ἐκεῖνον καθάρω τῆς παραβάσεως. Οὐ χρεία νῦν τῆς Δεσποτικῆς ἐξουσίας, ἀλλὰ τῆς δουλικῆς εὐτελείας. ῎Αφες ἄρτι πληρωθῆναι τὴν εὐσπλαγχνίαν, ἵνα μὴ ἐμποδισθῇ τῶν ἀνθρώπων σωτηρία. Οὕτως γὰρ πρέπον ἡμῖν ἐστι πληρῶσαι πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην. Δικαιοσύνη γάρ ἐστι, τὰ πάθη τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀναδεξάμενον, ἀπαθῶς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν καὶ βάπτισμα δέξασθαι, λυτήριον τῆς αὐτῶν ἁμαρτίας, καὶ σύμβολον τῆς αὐτῶν ἐν ἐμοὶ ἀφθαρσίας.","t":"To Caesarius the count. [On what the Lord said, \"Let it be so now.\"] The just judge, assigning to each time what fits it, said \"Let it be so now\" to John when he declined to baptize him. For since John, giving reverence as to the Master, did not dare to touch the divine head, he heard: \"Let it be so now.\" Now, he says, is the time of poverty, the ordinance of condescension, for whose sake I have taken up man; I receive baptism [so that] I may cleanse him of the transgression. There is no need now of the Master's authority, but of a servant's lowliness. Let compassion be fulfilled now, so that the salvation of men may not be hindered. \"For so it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.\" For it is righteousness that I, who have taken on the sufferings of men, should, without suffering, also receive baptism for them, as a ransom for their sin and a token of their incorruption in me.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.66 (PG 78 78:225; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-66)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.67":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΕἰς τὸ βάπτισμα τοῦ Κυρίου. Ἔοικάς μοι [πάνυ] βούλεσθαι τῷ Κυρίῳ πείθεσθαι, καὶ τὰς Γραφὰς ἐρευνᾷν. ᾿Ανάγκη τοίνυν καὶ ἀποκρίνεσθαι πρὸς τὰς πεύσεις σου. « Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υιός μου ὁ ἀγαπητὸς, ὁ ὁ Θεὸς καὶ Πατὴρ ἐξ οὐρανῶν βαπτιζομένῳ τῷ Υἱῷ ἐπεβόησεν, ἵνα καὶ τὸν γνήσιον δείξῃ καὶ φυσικὸν Υἱὸν, μεταξὺ τῶν θέσει καὶ ἀξίᾳ χρηματιζόντων υἱῶν ἀμφιβαλλόμενον, καὶ τὴν θείαν καὶ προσκυνητὴν τῆς θεότητος Τριάδα φανερώσῃ, ἐν ἰδίαις ὑποστάσεσι γνωριζομένην· καὶ Μοντανῷ καὶ Σαβελλίῳ ἀποκλείσῃ τὴν κακόνουν ἀσέβειαν. Τοῦ γὰρ Υἱοῦ βαπτιζομένου ὁ Πατὴρ ἐμαρτύρησε, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον καταπτὰν ὁμοούσιον ἑαυτῷ καὶ τῷ Πατρὶ ὑπεδείκνυ τὸν βαπτιζόμενον.","t":"To Timothy the reader. [On the baptism of the Lord.] You seem to me [very] eager to obey the Lord and to search the Scriptures; so I must answer your questions. \"This is my beloved Son,\" God the Father cried out from heaven over the Son as he was being baptized, both to show that he is the true and natural Son, about whom there was doubt among the sons who bear the name by adoption and honor, and to reveal the divine and adorable Trinity of the Godhead, known in its own hypostases, and to shut out the ill-minded impiety of Montanus and Sabellius. For when the Son was baptized the Father bore witness, and the Holy Spirit, flying down, showed that the one being baptized was of one essence with himself and with the Father.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.67 (PG 78 78:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-67)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.68":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤὶ ἐστι τὸ περὶ Ἰωάννου εἰρημένον, « Ὁ δὲ μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Οὐκ ἀμέριμνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα βασάνου δεόμενον, προέθηκας ἡμῖν, ἄριστε τῶν φιλοπόνων, τὸ πρόβλημα· «Ὁ μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν, μείζων ἐστὶν Ἰωάννου· · ὁ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ τέλειος, οἷος ἦν Ἰωάννης, πάντως ἥττων ἦν τοῦ εἰς τὸν θάνατον Χριστοῦ βαπτισθέντος. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐστιν ἡ τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλεία, τὸ συνταφῆναι Χριστῷ κατελθόντι σκυλεῦσαι τὸν θάνατον, καὶ συναναστῆναι αὐτῷ, τὸ κατ' ἐκείνου κράτος παρέχοντι. Ἐπειδὴ οὖν μείζων μὲν πάντων ἦν τῶν γεγεννημένων ἐκ γυναικῶν ὁ Ἰωάννης, πρὸ δὲ τοῦ δοθῆναι τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀπετμήθη, κατὰ μὲν τὴν ἐν νόμῳ δικαιοσύνην γεγένητο ἄμεμπτος, τῶν δὲ τῷ πνεύματι τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ ζωῆς τελειωθέντων ἀπελείφθη προαπελθών, ὡς γεγράφαμεν. Πᾶς [οὖν ὁ] μικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν, τουτέστιν, ἐν τῇ κατὰ Χριστὸν παλιντοκίᾳ μείζων ἐστὶν, ὡς εἴρηται, τοῦ νόμῳ δικαιωθέντος, ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν ἐτελείωσεν ὁ νόμος.","t":"To the same. [What is meant by what is said about John, \"The least in the kingdom of heaven,\" and the rest.] Not an easy problem, but one that needs very careful testing, have you put before us, best of the studious: \"The least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John.\" The one perfect in the law, as John was, was in every way less than the one baptized into the death of Christ. For this is the kingdom of heaven: to be buried with Christ, who went down to despoil death, and to rise with him, who grants power over death. Since, then, John was greater than all born of women, but was beheaded before the kingdom of heaven was given, he had become blameless according to the righteousness in the law, but fell short of those perfected by the Spirit of the life in Christ, having departed before them, as we have written. Everyone, [then,] who is least in the kingdom of heaven, that is, in the new birth in Christ, is greater, as was said, than the one justified by the law, since the law made nothing perfect.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.68 (PG 78 78:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-68)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.69":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΠερὶ γαστριμαργίας, καὶ ὅτι μήτηρ ἐστὶ τῶν ἀλόγων παθῶν· καὶ ὅτι διὰ νηστείας καὶ χαμευνίας κολάζειν χρὴ τὸ σῶμα. Πειρῶμαι πολλούς τρόπους νουθεσιῶν ἀνιχνεύειν, δι' ὧν οὐ μόνον βούλομαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὔχομαι ἀνενεγκεῖν σε τῆς μέθης. Εἰπὲ τοίνυν, εἰπὲ τοίνυν, ὦ τᾶν, πρὸς αὐτῆς τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ ἀληθείας. οὐ γαστριμαργία τοὺς πρώτους ἀνθρώπους τῆς τρυφῆς ἐξεώσατο; Οὐ κόρος τὸν Ἡσαῦ καὶ πρωτοτοκίων καὶ ἐλευθερίας ἐγύμνωσεν; Οὐ βρῶσις βοῶν καὶ προβάτων περιττή τὸν Σαούλ καὶ τῆς βασιλείας καὶ τῆς ζωῆς ἐξωστράκισεν; Οὐ τὸν ἐρημίτην Ἰσραὴλ κρεῶν καὶ λεβήτων ἐπιθυμία, τῷ μυρίῳ ἐσμῷ καὶ ὄχλῳ τῶν βασάνων καὶ τῶν πειρασμῶν ἐξηνάλωσεν; Οὐ τὸν Ὀφνὶ καὶ Φινεὲς ἡ λυττῶσα γαστὴρ, καὶ κρεῶν ἁρπαγὴ καὶ κραιπάλη, καὶ γυναικῶν μανία, ἱερωσύνης καὶ κιβωτοῦ, καὶ κράτους φυλῶν, καὶ δόξης καὶ τιμῆς ἀποκόψασα, ἔργον ἐχθρῶν καὶ ξιφῶν κατειργάσατο; Οὐ κρεωβορία καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς τῆς αἰσχύνης ἐπὶ Ἠλίου μαχαίρας ἀξίους ἀπέφηνεν; Οὐ κοιλίας ὄρεξις, καὶ βρωμάτων ἔφεσις, καὶ τοὺς τοῦ Βὴλ λατρευτάς παρἐδωκεν εἰς ἀπώλειαν σποδῷ ἐλεγχθέντας; Οὐ νηστεία πάλιν καὶ συνουσίας ἄρνησις τὸν Νῶε καὶ τοὺς αὐτοῦ ἐκ τοῦ κλύδωνος τῆς παραδόξου θαλάσσης διέσωσε, σπέρματα μὲν ἐσθίοντας, οὐ συγχρωμένους δὲ ταῖς ὁμοζύγοις εἰς σαρκικὴν ὁμιλίαν; ῎Ακουε γὰρ τῆς Γραφῆς πρὸς τὸν Νῶε διαταττούσης, « Εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν σὺ καὶ [οἱ] υἱοί σου, καὶ ἡ γυνή σου καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν υἱῶν σου. » Χωρίσθητε φησὶν, οἱ ἄνδρες καθ' ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες καθ' ἑαυτάς. Πορνεία σωφρονίζεται καὶ ἀσέλγεια διὰ τῶν ἐπιφερομένων ὑδάτων · ὑμεῖς οὖν μηδὲ τῆς ἀμιάντου ἅψεσθε κοίτης. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦτο ἦν, πάλιν ἐξερχομένων ἐκ τῆς κιβωτοῦ, ταῦτά φησιν· « Ἔξελθε ἐκ τῆς κιβωτοῦ σὺ καὶ ἡ γυνή σου, καὶ οἱ υἱοἱ σου, καὶ αἱ γυναῖκες τῶν υἱῶν σου. Ἐξείληπταί τὸ γένος τὸ ἁμαρτωλόν. Ὑμεῖς πάλιν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτῶν, καὶ πάλιν αὐξανέτω τὸ γένος τὸ θεοσεβές. Οὐ νηστεία ζωὴν Νινευΐταις παρέσχετο, θανάτου λαβοῦσιν ἀπόφασιν σύντομον ; Οὐ νηστεία θαυμάσιον Δανιὴλ καὶ τοὺς ὁμογνώμονας αὐτῷ κρείττονας καὶ τυράννου καὶ πυρὸς βροντῶντος ἀπέφηνεν; Οὐ νηστεία καὶ βίου σεμνότης, Ἰωάννην τοῦ σαρκωθέντος Θεοῦ βαπτιστὴν ἀπετέλεσεν, ἀξίαν ἁγνείαν τῆς τοσαύτης κτησάμενον μυσταγωγίας; Οὐ νηστεία, καὶ γύμνωσις, καὶ χαμευνία, καὶ τῆξις σώματος τῶν ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ ἀῤῥήτων ἐπήκοον ἐποίησε Παῦλον; Τί τοίνυν ταῦτα μιμεῖσθαι ἀφεὶς, τὰ χείρονα κακοβούλως ἀγαπᾶς; Εἰ οὖν μὴ παντελῶς ἐξῆλθες σαυτοῦ, καὶ ἐπιλέλησαι Θεοῦ, ὑπόστρεψον εἰς τὴν φύσιν πάντα ἔχουσαν ἐν ἑαυτῇ τὰ Θεὸν θεραπεύοντα, καὶ γνῶθι τὸν · κτισάμενον, καὶ τιμῆς σε τοῦ ἰδίου ἐξαγοράσαντα αἵματος, καὶ μὴ σαρκὸς δοῦλος γενόμενος, τὸν Σωτῆρα καὶ εὐεργέτην κριτὴν ποιοῦ καὶ ἀντίδικον.","t":"To Maron. [On gluttony, and that it is the mother of irrational passions; and that the body must be chastened by fasting and sleeping on the ground.] I try to track down many ways of admonition by which I not only wish but pray to bring you back from drunkenness. Tell me, then, tell me, my friend, by the very truth of God: did not gluttony drive the first humans out of luxury? Did not surfeit strip Esau of his birthright and his freedom? Did not excessive eating of oxen and sheep banish Saul from his kingdom and his life? Did not the craving for meat and fleshpots destroy Israel in the desert with a countless swarm and crowd of torments and trials? Did not the raging belly of Hophni and Phinehas, their seizing of meat and their debauchery, and their madness for women, cut them off from priesthood and ark and rule of the tribes and glory and honor, and make them the work of enemies and swords? Did not meat-eating show the priests of shame in Elijah's time worthy of the knife? Did not the appetite of the belly and the craving for food deliver the worshipers of Bel to destruction, exposed by the ashes? And again: did not fasting and renouncing intercourse save Noah and his family from the flood of that strange sea, eating seeds but not having fleshly union with their wives? Hear Scripture commanding Noah: \"Go into the ark, you and your sons, and your wife and the wives of your sons.\" Be separated, it says, the men by themselves and the women by themselves. Sexual immorality and licentiousness are being chastened by the waters that are brought on; you, then, do not touch even the undefiled bed. That this was so is shown when they come out of the ark again, for it says: \"Go out of the ark, you and your wife, and your sons and the wives of your sons.\" The sinful race has been removed; you be by yourselves again, and let the godly race increase again. Did not fasting give life to the Ninevites, who had received a swift sentence of death? Did not fasting make the admirable Daniel and those of one mind with him stronger than a tyrant and a roaring fire? Did not fasting and dignity of life make John the baptizer of God made flesh, having acquired a purity worthy of so great a sacred rite? Did not fasting, nakedness, sleeping on the ground and wasting of the body make Paul a hearer of the unspeakable things in paradise? Why then do you leave off imitating these, and wickedly love the worse? If, then, you have not gone wholly out of yourself and forgotten God, return to the nature that has in itself everything that serves God; know the one who created you and redeemed you at the price of his own blood; and do not become a slave of the flesh and make the Savior and benefactor your judge and adversary.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.69 (PG 78 78:227; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-69)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.7":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς Θεοτόκου. Ἡ μὲν ἱερὰ τῶν Εὐαγγελίων πυκτή, ἡ εἰς τὸν Ἰωσὴφ τὴν γενεαλογίαν κατάγουσα ἐκ τοῦ Δαβὶδ ἔλκοντα τὴν συγγένειαν, ἠρκέσθη δι᾿ αὐτοῦ ἀποδείξαι καὶ τὴν Παρθένον τοῦ Δαβὶδ συμφυλέτιδα· τοῦ θείου νόμου τὰς συζυγίας αὐτοφύλους θεσπίζοντος γίνεσθαι. Ὁ δὲ τῶν οὐρανίων ὑποφήτης δογμάτων, ὁ μέγας ἀπόστολος Παῦλος, ἀναφανδὸν διασαφεῖ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἐκ τοῦ Ἰούδα μαρτυρῶν ἀνατεῖλαι τὸν Κύριον. Ταῦτα δὲ δριμύτερον ἐπιστάμενος, μὴ εἰρωνεύου τὴν ἐπερώτησιν. Οὐ γὰρ λανθάνεις θηρῶν τὴν εὐτέλειαν.","t":"To Timothy. [On the Mother of God.] The sacred tablet of the Gospels, which brings the genealogy down to Joseph, who drew his kinship from David, was content to prove through him that the Virgin too was of David's tribe, since the divine law prescribed that marriages be made within the same tribe. But the interpreter of heavenly doctrines, the great apostle Paul, makes the truth plain openly, testifying that the Lord arose from Judah. Since you know these things rather keenly, do not feign ignorance in your question; for it does not escape notice that you are hunting for something to belittle.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.7 (PG 78 78:183; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-7)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.70":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ γαστρὸς, ὡς εἶπες, οὐχ ἥττησαι, τοῦ γήρως τοῦτο κωλύοντος, πόθεν σοι τὰ γαστρὸς ἐκβακχεύειν νεώτερα; Τὸ γὰρ κρατεῖν ὅλως γαστρὸς, κρατεῖν ἐστι τῶν παθῶν.","t":"To the same. If you have not been overcome by the belly, as you said, since old age prevents it, why do you rave in the younger excesses that follow the belly? For to master the belly altogether is to master the passions.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.70 (PG 78 78:231; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-70)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.71":{"o":"ΠΛΙΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ.\nἙρμηνεία εἰς τὸ, ‹ Ἑπτὰ ἡμέρας. Τὸ ἐν τῷ νόμῳ εἰρημένον, οὐκ ἔστιν ἁπλοῦν, ἀλλ᾿ ἔχει τινὰ διπλόην τοῖς · παχέσι κεκαλυμμένην, τοῖς δὲ λεπτοῖς γεγυμνωμένην. «Ἡ ἡμέρα, φησὶν, ἡ ἑβδόμη, κλητὴ ἁγία ἔσται ὑμῖν. Πᾶν ἔργον λατρευτὸν οὐ ποιήσετε ἐν αὐτῇ, πλὴν ὅσα ποιηθήσεται πάσῃ ψυχῇ. » Λατρείαν ἐνταῦθα τὴν δουλείαν καλεῖ. (λατρευτόν) Οὐδὲν οὖν, φησὶ, τῶν δουλοπρεπῶν, καὶ οἱονεὶ ἀνδραποδιζόντων ὑμᾶς ἀπὸ τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν σχολῆς, ἐργάσεσθε ἐν Σαββάτῳ, ὅ καταφορτίζει ὑμᾶς βάρει ἁμαρτημάτων· ἀνέσεως γὰρ καὶ ἀφέσεὡς ἐστιν ἡ ἡμέρα· καὶ οὐ χρὴ συνδέσμοις κακῶν τὸ ἀξίωμα αὐτῆς ἐνυβρίζεσθαι· τὸ δὲ, « ὅσα ποιηθήσεται πάσῃ ψυχῇ, » χρῆναι ἐργάζεσθαι, ὅσα τῇ ψυχῇ φέρει τὸ κέρδος, ταῦτα πληροῦν ἐνομοθέτησεν, εὐχὴν, προσευχὴν, ἡσυχίαν, νουθεσίαν, εὐποιίαν, σωφροσύνην, ἐγκράτειαν, ἀλήθειαν, ἁγνείαν, καὶ ὅσα τούτοις ὑπὸ πόδας εἴρηται, ἅπερ εἰς τὸν ἔσω διαβαίνοντα ἄνθρωπον, τῶν ἔξω ἐλευθεροῖ σκανδάλων καὶ περιστάσεων, ἐκ νικῶντος τοῦ κρείττονος.","t":"To Plion the monk. [Interpretation of \"Seven days.\"] What is said in the law is not simple, but has a double sense, veiled from the dull but laid bare to the subtle. \"The seventh day,\" it says, \"shall be called holy for you. You shall do no work of service on it, except what will be done for every soul.\" Here it calls service slavery (\"of service\"). Do not do on the Sabbath, it says, anything slavish, anything that, as it were, enslaves you away from leisure for God, which loads you with the weight of sins; for the day is one of rest and release, and its dignity must not be outraged by the bonds of evil. And by \"what will be done for every soul\" he laid down that we must work at, and fulfil, whatever brings gain to the soul: vow, prayer, stillness, admonition, doing good, chastity, self-control, truth, purity, and whatever is listed under these, which, passing into the inner man, free him from outward stumbling blocks and troubles, as the better prevails.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.71 (PG 78 78:231; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-71)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.72":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠῶς ἐν τοῖς Σάββασιν οἱ ἱερεῖς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ Σάββατον βεβηλοῦσιν. • Οἱ ἱερεῖς ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ τὸ Σάββατον βεβηλοῦσι, καὶ ἀναίτιοί εἰσιν.» Ἐπειδὴ παντὸς ἔργου χειροκμήτου ἐν Σαββάτῳ κεκωλυμένου, αὐτοὶ ξυλοκοποῦσι, καὶ πῦρ ἅπτουσι καὶ τὰς θυσίας κρεανομοῦσιν· ἄπερ, ὡς μὲν ἔργα κοινὰ, πληροῦν ἐν Σαββάτῳ οὐκ ἐπιτρέπονται, ὡς δὲ θυσίας, ἐπιτελεῖν οὐ κωλύονται, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρ' αὐτοῦ τοῦ νόμου κελεύονται. Καὶ συμβαίνει βεβηλοῦσθαι μὲν τὸ Σάββατον τῇ ἐργασίᾳ· ἀναιτίους δὲ εἶναι τοὺς ἱερεῖς τῇ διαφορᾷ τῆς ἐργασίας.","t":"To the same. [How on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath.] \"The priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless.\" Since all handwork is forbidden on the Sabbath, they cut wood, light fire and carve the sacrifices: things which, as common work, they are not allowed to do on the Sabbath, but which as sacrifices they are not prevented from performing, and are even commanded to by the law itself. So it happens that the Sabbath is profaned by the work, while the priests are guiltless because of the different kind of work.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.72 (PG 78 78:231; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-72)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.73":{"o":"ΚΑΛΛΙΟΠΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΔιὰ τὶ ἐν καιρῷ ἀπειλῆς ὁ Θεὸς τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ἀνακτόρων οὐ φείδεται Θαυμάζειν ἔφης, ὅπως τῶν ἑαυτοῦ Θεὸς ἀνακτόρων οὐ φείδεται, ὅτε φόβον τῇ γῇ ἐπαφίησιν. ᾿Αλλ' ἔχεις ἐν ταῖς θείαις πτυκταῖς τὴν τούτων ἀκριβή διασάφησιν. Καὶ μὴ ἄλυς ἐφ᾽ οἷς νῦν γενομένοις ἑώρακας. Εἰ γὰρ τῆς ἁγίας κιβωτοῦ οὐκ ἐφείσατο, ἀλλ᾿ ἐξέδοτο ταύτην ἀλλοφύλοις σὺν ἱερεῦσιν αὐτοῖς ἀνομήσασι, καὶ πόλιν ἁγιάσματος, καὶ χερουβίμ δόξης, καὶ στολὴν, καὶ προφητείαν, καὶ χρίσμα, καὶ δήλωσιν, εἰς καταπάτημα καὶ μιασμὸν ἀπέδοτο ἔθνεσιν· οὐδὲ τῶν νῦν ἀχράντων φείδεται μυστηρίων· ἵνα τῶν αὐτοῦ αὐλῶν ἀφειδῶν, εἰς φόβον τοὺς πταίοντας κλίνῃ, ἀπηνεστέραν περιμένοντας ἐφ᾿ οἷς πράττουσι - τιμωρίαν. « Ὀλολυζέτω γὰρ πίτυς, ὅτι πέπτωκε κέδρος. • Τῶν ἰσχυρῶν πιπτόντων, τὰ ἀσθενέστερα παιδευέσθω.","t":"To Calliopius the presbyter. [Why at a time of threat God does not spare his own sanctuaries.] You said you wonder how God does not spare his own sanctuaries when he sends fear upon the earth. But you have the exact explanation of these things in the divine tablets; so do not be distraught at what you have now seen happen. For if he did not spare the holy ark, but gave it up to foreigners together with the priests themselves who had transgressed, and handed over to the nations to be trampled and defiled the city of the sanctuary, the cherubim of glory, the robe, prophecy, anointing and the oracle, neither does he spare the spotless mysteries of today; so that, by not sparing his own courts, he may bend sinners to fear, as they await a harsher punishment for what they do. \"Let the pine wail, for the cedar has fallen.\" When the strong fall, let the weaker be taught.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.73 (PG 78 78:231; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-73)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.74":{"o":"ΚΡΑΤΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\nΠερὶ τῶν μαλακὰ ἱμάτια φορούντων. Ὅτι βλακεία, καὶ λεπτότης, καὶ εὔχροια ἱματίων οὐ σώζει τῆς κατὰ Θεὸν ἀσκήσεως τὸν κανόνα, ἐρώτησον Ἰωάννην τὸν Θεολόγον τὸν τοῦ Κυρίου διαγράφοντα χιτῶνα· καὶ φράσει σοι· « Ὁ δὲ χιτὼν αὐτοῦ ἦν ἄῤῥαφος, ἐκ τῶν ἄνωθεν ὑφαντὸς δι᾿ ὅλου.» Τίς δὲ ἀγνοεῖ τὴν εὐτέλειαν τῆς ἐσθῆτος ἐκείνης, ᾗπερ οἱ πτωχοὶ κέχρηνται τῶν Γαλιλαίων, καθ' οὓς καὶ μάλιστα τὸ τοιοῦτο φιλεῖ γίνεσθαι ἱμάτιον τέχνῃ τινὶ, ὡς αἱ στηθοδεσμίδες, ἀνακρουστὸν ὑφαινόμενον; Μάθε δὲ καὶ παρὰ τοῦ θείου Ματθαίου, Ἰωάννην τὸν Βαπτιστὴν ἀπαγγέλλοντος, καὶ ἐρεῖ σοι· « Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Ἰωάννης εἶχε τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τριχῶν καμήλου. • Βλέπε καὶ τὸν μεγαλόφρονα καὶ θεοφόρον Λουκᾶν τὸν Ἡρώδου τῦφον ἱστοροῦντα, καὶ ἣν ἡμπίσχετο ἐσθῆτα διαβάλλοντα, καὶ τοὺς τὰ μαλακὰ δὲ φοροῦντας, ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις τῶν βασιλέων τρίβεσθαι λέγοντα. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐκ ἄξια τοῦ νοεροῦ νυμφῶνος ἀστράπτοντος τὰ ἐνδύματα. Εἰ οὖν τούτου ἐπιθυμεῖς, τὴν Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν εὐτελῆ ἐσθῆτα μιμοῦ. Ἡ γὰρ θρύψις τῆς ἐνταῦθα τυγχάνει βλακείας, οὐ τῆς ἄνω φωτοφορίας.","t":"To Craton the monk. [On those who wear soft clothing.] That softness, fineness and bright color of clothing do not keep the rule of discipline according to God, ask John the Theologian, who describes the Lord's tunic, and he will tell you: \"His tunic was seamless, woven from the top throughout.\" Who does not know the cheapness of that garment, which the poor of Galilee use, among whom above all such a garment is commonly made by a certain craft, woven close like breast-bands? Learn it also from the divine Matthew, who tells of John the Baptist, and he will say to you: \"John himself had his garment of camel's hair.\" See also the great-minded and God-bearing Luke, who records Herod's vanity and censures the robe he put on, and says that those who wear soft clothing spend their time in kings' houses. But such garments are not worthy of the shining spiritual bridal chamber. If, then, you desire that, imitate the cheap garment of Jesus our God. For luxury belongs to softness here, not to the radiance above.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.74 (PG 78 78:233; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-74)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.75":{"o":"ΙΩΑΝΝΗ ΕΡΗΜΙΤΗ.\nΕἰς τὸν πειρασμὸν τοῦ Κυρίου. Εἰ ὁ Χριστὸς εἰς ἔρημον ἀνήχθη πειρασθῆναι, Θεὸς [ὧν καὶ] ἐνανθρωπήσας δι' ἡμᾶς, τί θαυμάζεις, εἰ αὐτὸς ἐπ᾿ ἐρημίας διάγων πειρασμοῖς, ὡς λέγεις, παλαίεις ; Πρόσεχε οὖν μόνῃ τῇ νίκῃ τοῦ Χριστοῦ νομίμως γενομένῃ· κενοδοξία γὰρ ἐκρατήθη ἡ ὑπερηφανία ἐσβέσθη, φιλαργυρία κατελύθη, καὶ ὁ ἐξ ἐναντίας ἐνετράπη, οὐδὲν τῶν οἰκείων βελῶν διαπερονῆσαι ἰσχύσας. Καὶ εἰκότως ἀνδρίσῃ καὶ τῶν τιτρωσκόντων τὴν ψυχὴν ξιφῶν ὑπερανάσχῃς, ἀντιτυπίαν κτησάμενος τὴν ἀπάθειαν, ἄγγελοί σοι μετὰ τὴν πάλην διακονήσουσιν, οὐ δουλικῶς ὑπηρετούμενοι, ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο Θεῷ μόνῳ ὠφείλετο, ἀλλὰ νικητικῶς στεφανοῦντές σε. Τοῦτον γὰρ ἔχει μισθὸν ὁ τὸν παρόντα ἀγῶνα γενναίως ἀνδριζόμενος. ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Διὰ τὶ τοὺς λίθους οὐκ ἐποίησεν ἄρτους ὁ Κύριος. Οἱ λίθοι, ἄρτοι παρὰ Χριστοῦ οὐ γεγόνασιν, ἄριστὲ, οὐχὶ τῆς ὥρας τῶν θαυμάτων [ἔτι] μὴ παρούσης, ὡς οἱ κακόσχολοι ῥητορεύουσιν, ἀλλὰ τῆς αἰτήσεως ματαίας οὔσῆς, καὶ τῷ ζητοῦντι πρεπούσης. Θεὸς γὰρ πάντα στάθμῃ καὶ μέτρῳ, καὶ χρείᾳ χαρίζεται. Ενθα δὲ [τὸ] περιττὸν τὸ ζητούμενον, καὶ τὸ θαυματουργεῖν πάντως οὐκ εὔκαιρον. ὅτι ἀμήχανον ἐν μέσῳ θορύβων ἀρετὴν κατορθώσαι. τῶν χαμαιζήλων, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἄκραν ἀρετὴν ἀναΤοσοῦτον χρησιμεύει πρὸς σωτηρίαν ἡ τῶν θορύβων τῶν ἀστικῶν ἀναχώρησις, ὅτι τὰς πόλεις καταλιπὼν ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ Υἱὸς, ἐπ᾿ ἄκρων ὀρέων τοὺς καθαρῶς βιοῦντας ἐμακάριζε. Δεικνὺς δι' ὧν πράττων ἐδίδασκεν, ὡς ἀδύνατον, τὸν μὴ ἀποσπασθέντα βάντα, μακαρισθῆναι παρὰ Θεοῦ, ἢ τῶν μελλόντων τυχεῖν ἀγαθῶν. Ὁ γὰρ τὰ ἄνω φρονῶν, ἐκεῖ κατοικεῖ, οὗ Χριστός ἐστιν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ Θεοῦ καθεζόμενος.","t":"To John the hermit. [On the temptation of the Lord.] If Christ was led up into the desert to be tempted, God who for our sake became man, why are you surprised if you yourself, living in solitude, wrestle with temptations, as you say? Look only to Christ's victory, won according to the rules: vainglory was mastered, pride was quenched, love of money was destroyed, and the adversary was put to shame, unable to pierce with any of his arrows. And rightly, if you play the man and rise above the swords that wound the soul, having acquired freedom from passion as your shield, angels will minister to you after the struggle, not serving as slaves, since that was owed to God alone, but crowning you as victor. For this reward is held by the one who acts manfully in the present contest. [Letter 1.76] To the same. [Why the Lord did not make the stones bread.] The stones were not made bread by Christ, excellent man, not because the hour of miracles had not [yet] come, as the mischievous rhetoricians argue, but because the request was idle and fitted the one who made it. For God grants everything by weight and measure and need; where what is asked is superfluous, working miracles is in no way timely. [Letter 1.77] [That it is impossible to achieve virtue in the midst of commotion.] So useful for salvation is withdrawal from the commotions of the city that the Son of God left the cities and pronounced blessed, on the tops of the mountains, those who live purely; showing by what he did and taught that one who has not torn himself away from earthly things and climbed up to the height of virtue cannot be called blessed by God or attain the good things to come. For one who sets his mind on the things above dwells where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.75 (PG 78 78:233; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-75)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.78":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΗ.\nΠρὸς στρατιώτην ἀτακτοῦντα. Εἰ ὅπλων αἰχμαὶ καὶ κράνος, καὶ θώραξ, ἀσφάλειά σοι πρὸς εὐζωΐαν νενόμισται, λωποδυτοῦντι καὶ τὰς λεωφόρους ἐρημοῦντι· ἴσθι ὡς πολλοὶ δυσαλωτότερόν σου φραξάμενοι, οἴκτιστον ἀπηνέγκαντο θάνατον. Παρ' ἡμῖν μὲν ἀνάγραπτοι, Ὠρὴβ, καὶ Ζηβεὲ, καὶ Σαλμανὰ, Αβιμελὲχ καὶ Γολιάθ, καὶ ᾿Αβησσαλών, καὶ ὅσοι κατ' ἐκείνους. Παρὰ δὲ τοῖς ἔξω, Ἕκτορες, καὶ Αἴαντες, καὶ αὐτοὶ οἱ μέγα πάντων φρονήσαντες Λακεδαιμόνιοι ἐπὶ ῥώμῃ, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἔσχον σύνδρομον τῇ δυνάμει τὸ δίκαιον. Εἰ οὖν μὴ μάταιος εἶναι βούλει ὁπλίτης, ὀξέως πρὸς τὸν νοῆτὸν μετάταξαι πόλεμον, καὶ μᾶλλον τῇ σαυτοῦ ἀταξίᾳ πολέμησον.","t":"To Isaiah the soldier. [To a disorderly soldier.] If you think spear-points, helmet and breastplate a safeguard for living well, while you rob travelers and make the highways deserted, know that many who were fenced in more impregnably than you met a most pitiful death. Recorded among us are Oreb and Zeeb and Zalmunna, Abimelech and Goliath, Absalom, and all like them; among outsiders, men like Hector and Ajax, and the Spartans themselves, who were proudest of all of their strength; for they did not have justice running alongside their power. If, then, you do not wish to be a worthless man-at-arms, transfer quickly to the spiritual war, and rather make war on your own disorder.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.78 (PG 78 78:235; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-78)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.79":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, « Ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ἡ δικαιοσύνη ὑμῶν πλέον τῶν Γραμματέων, καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο οὐκ ἐναντιοῦται τῷ, - Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, Γραμματεῖς. Ἡμεῖς, ᾧ βέλτιστε, τῆς αὐτῆς τοῖς Γραμματεῦσι καὶ Φαρισαίοις ἐσμὲν ἔνοχοι κρίσεως. Ὥσπερ γὰρ αὐτοὶ τῇ τοῦ νόμου μελέτῃ τὸ πράττειν τὸν νόμον ψήθησαν, ἀρκεῖν αὐτοῖς τὴν ἀπαγγελίαν τοῦ γράμματος πρὸς ἐργασίαν τοῦ πράγματος ἀπροσέχως νομίσαντες· οὕτως ἡμεῖς, αὐτῷ τῷ ἅπτεσθαι θυσιαστηρίων Θεοῦ,· ἐγγίζειν Θεῷ φανταζόμεθα. Ἀλλὰ ταύτην ἡμῶν ὁ Κύριος ἐκκόπτων τὴν οἴησιν, φησὶν, · Ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ὑμῶν ἡ δικαιοσύνη πλέον τῶν Γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, οὐ δύνησθε εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. » Τοῦτο λέγων θεοπρεπῶς · Ἐὰν μὴ τὴν δόκησιν, πρᾶξιν ἐργάσησθε, οἱ · προσχήματι ἀρκεῖσθαι πρὸς διακονίαν· Θεοῦ λογιζόμενοι, ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὑμῖν βασιλεία οὐκ ἂν ἀνοιγήσεται. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἀληθής ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία, τοῖς ἀληθῶς αὐτὴν ζητοῦσιν ἀνοίγεται. Περισσεία δὲ τῆς τοῦ νόμου δικαιοσύνης ἡ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἐστὶν ὑψηλότης. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τὴν πρᾶξιν τιμωρεῖται, τὸ δὲ καὶ πρόθεσιν ψιλὴν, μέχρι βάθους ἐννοιῶν, τὴν κριτικὴν ἀκρίβειαν ἐνδεικνύμενον.","t":"To Timothy. [On the saying \"Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes\", and that this does not contradict \"Woe to you, scribes.\"] We, my good friend, are liable to the same judgment as the scribes and Pharisees. For as they thought that studying the law was doing the law, supposing carelessly that reciting the letter was enough for them for the doing of the thing, so we imagine that we draw near to God by the mere touching of God's altars. But the Lord, cutting away this conceit of ours, says: \"Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you cannot enter the kingdom of heaven.\" He means this, as befits God: unless you turn the appearance into deed, you who think outward show enough for the service of God, the kingdom of God will not be opened to you. For since the kingdom is true, it is opened to those who truly seek it. The excess over the righteousness of the law is the loftiness of the Gospel: the one punishes the deed, the other displays a judge's exactness even to the bare intention, down to the depths of the thoughts.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.79 (PG 78 78:237; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-79)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.8":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὍτι σύμμετρον χρὴ εἶναι τὸν ἀσκήσεως πόνον. Ὥσπερ ὑπωπιασμοῦ δεῖται ἡ εὐεκτοῦσα σάρξ, κατευνάζοντος τῶν παθῶν τὰ οἰδήματα· οὕτω καὶ βοηθείας χρήζει ἡ ἀσθενοῦσα καὶ κακώσει συμπίπτουσα ψυχὴ, ἵνα ταῖς θείαις ἐντολαῖς ὑπεραυγάζηται. ᾿Αμφοτέρων οὖν φροντιστέον. Θατέρου γὰρ λείποντος, δυσχερὴς ἡ τελείωσις.","t":"To the same. [That the labor of ascetic discipline must be in due measure.] Just as flesh in good condition needs to be buffeted, to lull the swellings of the passions, so the soul that is weak and falls into distress needs help, so that it may shine brightly with the divine commandments. Both, then, must be cared for; for if one is lacking, perfection is hard.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.8 (PG 78 78:183; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-8)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.80":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΟ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ, « Ἴσθι εὐνοῶν τῷ ἀντιδίκῳ σου. • Ὅτι μετὰ τῆς πτώσεως ἡμῶν περιπατοῦμεν, καὶ ἐν μέσῳ παγίδων διαβαίνομεν, διορατικοὺς ἡμᾶς ποιῶν ὁ Κύριος, ἀπεφήνατο προσέχειν ἀπὸ τῆς ζύμης καὶ τῶν σκανδάλων, καὶ εὐνοεῖν τῷ ἀντιδίκῳ ταχὺ, ἕως ὅτου ὦμεν ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ μετ' αὐτοῦ. ᾿Αντίδικον, τὴν τοῦ σώματος ὄρεξιν πρὸς τὸ πνεῦμα θεοπρεπῶς ὁρισάμενος. Ὁδὸν μὲν, τὸν βίον καλῶν, ὑπὸ τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν ἀστάτως ὁδευόμενον Εὔνοιαν δὲ πρὸς τὸ σῶμα τὴν συναίσθησιν τῆς ἐπαναστάσεως αὐτοῦ προσαγορεύων, ὀξέως παρ᾿ ἡμῶν θεωρεῖσθαι ὀφείλουσαν, μήποτε τοῖς αὐτῆς προστάγμασιν ὑποκύψαντες, καὶ ἀνάξια τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως πράξαντες, παραδοθῶμεν ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνων τῷ Κριτῇ, ὅτε τὰ ἔργα ἡμῶν καὶ τοὺς λόγους συναγαγεῖν παραγίνεται, καὶ ἀποδοῦναι ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὸ ἴδιον ἔργον.","t":"To Nilus the monk. [On \"Be well-disposed to your adversary.\"] Since we walk with our fall and pass through the midst of snares, the Lord, making us clear-sighted, declared that we should beware of the leaven and of stumbling blocks, and make friends quickly with our adversary while we are on the way with him. As befits God, he defined the adversary as the body's appetite against the spirit; calling the way the life that our race travels unsteadily; and calling good will toward the body the awareness of its rebellion, which we ought to watch for sharply, lest by bowing to its commands and doing things unworthy of the upward call we be handed over by them to the Judge, when he comes to gather our works and words and to repay each according to his own work.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.80 (PG 78 78:237; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-80)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.81":{"o":"ΑΜΠΕΛΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, · Μὴ συμπροσέστω σοι θρόνος ἀνομίας ὁ πλάσσων κόπον ἐπὶ πρόσταγμα. «Μὴ συμπροσέστω σοι θρόνος ἀνομίας ὁ πλάσσων ἐπὶ πρόσταγμα. «Προσευχὴ τῶν ἁγίων ἐστὶ ψυχῶν, τῶν ὑπὸ τῆς ἐκεῖθεν ὁμολογίας ἀγωνιζομένων, πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν ἱκετηρίᾳ βοώντων· Μὴ ὑψούσθω θρόνος ἀνόμων ἐναντίον σου, Κύριε, κατὰ [τοῦ] σοῦ προστάγματος κόπους ἡμῖν παρεχόμενος, ὁποῖος ὁ Βαβυλώνιος ἦν τοῖς ὁσίοις [σου παισὶ] τύραννος, ἢ τοῖς ἁγίοις μάρτυσιν οἱ ἀλάστορες, καὶ τῶν εἰδώλων ὑπέρμαχοι.","t":"To Ampelius the presbyter. [On \"Let not the throne of lawlessness, which frames trouble against the commandment, be joined to you.\"] \"Let not the throne of lawlessness, which frames trouble against the commandment, be joined to you.\" This is the prayer of the holy souls who struggled for the confession of the faith there, crying to him in supplication: Let not the throne of the lawless be exalted before you, Lord, bringing troubles upon us against your commandment; such as the Babylonian tyrant was to [your] holy [youths], or the avenging spirits and champions of idols to the holy martyrs.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.81 (PG 78 78:237; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-81)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.82":{"o":"ΑΡΑΒΙΑΝΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΤῶν κοιτῶν. Ὅτι διὰ τὴν πορνείαν τοῖς ἐν Γαβαᾷ κατὰ γνώμην Θεοῦ παραταξάμενοι οὐκ ἀδίκως ἀλόντες ἐφθάρησαν.. Οἱ τὴν πορνείαν Βενιαμὶν ἀναβάντες ἐν Ταβρὰ τιμωρήσασθαι, κατὰ γνώμην Θεοῦ τοῦ πολέμου ἁψάμενοι, οὐκ ἀδίκως, ὡς οἴει, τῆς νίκης ἀπέτυχον · ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ δικαίῳ κριτῇ οὐκ ἔστιν ἐξ ἀδίκων παράταξίς, δικαιοσύνῃ τὸ τολμηθὲν ἐξεδίκησεν. Οἱ γὰρ χείρους ἔχοντες πράξεις, καὶ πολλῷ μείζους τῆς τότε γεγενημένης, ὡς ἀθῶοι πρὸς τὸν φόνον τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὁμονοήσαντες ἀνέβησαν. Αλλ' ἔμαθον τῇ πείρᾳ, «Ὑποκριτὰ, ἔκβαλε πρῶτον τὴν δοκὸν ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ σου, καὶ τότε διαβλέψεις ἐκβαλεῖν τὸ κάρφος ἐκ τοῦ ὀφθαλμοῦ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ· σου. » Οἱ τοίνυν μοιχοὶ ἐπειδὴ μὴ μοιχεύειν ἐκήρυσσον, ὑπὸ τῶν ἔργων ἐξελεγχόμενοι, αὐτοὶ μὲν ἀξίαν ποινὴν τῷ πολέμῳ ἀπἑτισαν. Οἱ δὲ τῶν ἐγκλημάτων τῆς πορνείας ἀμέτοχοι, οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἐν ἑαυτοῖς εἴδωλον ἔχοντες, λαμπρὰν τὴν νίκην εἰργάσαντο.","t":"To Arabianus the bishop. [From Judges. That those who, by God's will, drew up for battle against the men of Gibeah because of their sexual immorality were not unjustly defeated and destroyed.] Those who went up to Gibeah to punish the sexual immorality of Benjamin, undertaking the war by God's will, did not, as you think, fail of victory unjustly. Rather, since for a just judge there can be no battle line drawn up by the unjust, he punished their daring in justice. For men whose deeds were worse, and much greater than what had then been done, went up with one accord to slaughter their brothers as though they were innocent. But they learned by experience: \"Hypocrite, first take the beam out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.\" So the adulterers, since they preached \"Do not commit adultery\" while their works convicted them, paid a fitting penalty in the war; but those who had no part in the charges of sexual immorality, having no such idol within themselves, won a brilliant victory.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.82 (PG 78 78:239; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-82)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.83":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nΠῶς νοητέον, « Εἱ ὀφθαλμός σου ἢ χείρ σου σκανδαλίζει σε. › Ὀφθαλμὸν καὶ χεῖρα δεξιὰν ὁ πανάγαθος Χριστὸς τὴν ἐγγύτητα τῶν ἐπιτηδείων καὶ γνησίων ἡμῖν ἐπωνόμασε, τοὺς εὔνους ἡμῖν πρὸς γνησίαν συνεργίαν, ἐκείνοις καλέσας τῶν μελῶν τοῖς ὀνόμασι, δι' ὧν ἡμεῖς τὰ ἀρέσκοντα πράττομεν. Ὅταν οὖν τις ἐξ αὐτῶν σκανδάλου αἴτιος γένηται, καὶ ἁμαρτίᾳ καλινδῆταί τινι, ἡμῖν λοιδορίαν φερούσῃ, καὶ αὐτῷ - ἀτιμίαν προξενούσῃ, ἐκκόπτειν χρὴ τὸν τοιοῦτον, ἵνα μὴ λοιμόν μιμησάμενος, νεμηθῇ τὴν τοῦ σώματος ἀκεραιότητα, τοῖς ὑγιαίνουσιν ἐκ τοιούτων παθῶν εἰσφρήσας τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ἀλγηδόνα.","t":"To Leontius the bishop. [How \"If your eye or your hand causes you to stumble\" should be understood.] By \"eye\" and \"right hand\" the all-good Christ named those who are close to us, our friends and our own, calling those well disposed to us for genuine cooperation by the names of the members through which we do what pleases us. When, then, one of them becomes a cause of stumbling and wallows in some sin that brings reproach on us and dishonor on himself, such a one must be cut off, so that he may not, like a plague, eat away the soundness of the body, spreading his own disease into the healthy through such passions.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.83 (PG 78 78:239; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-83)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.84":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΟ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Μὴ γνώτω ἡ ἀριστερά σου.» Οὐκ ἔστιν, ὦ φίλη κεφαλή, ἐν παραβύστῳ καὶ ἀποκρύφῳ κείμενος ὁ τοῦ Κυρίου νόμος, « Μὴ γνώτω ἡ ἀριστερά σου τί ποιεῖ ἡ δεξιά σου, » κελεύοντος, ἀλλὰ λευκὸς καὶ σαφέστατος, καὶ τοῖς προσόχοις ἀρίδηλος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῷ εὖ ποιεῖν κενοδοξία παρἐπεται καὶ ἐπίδειξις, Μηδὲν, φησὶ, καλὸν γινέσθω παρὰ σοῦ ἐμπαθῶς, μηδὲ πέρπερος λογισμός ἀκολουθείτω τῷ κατορθώματι· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ εὖ ποιεῖς, ἀνεπίδεικτος ὅσο καὶ ἄκομπος, τοὺς ἐνταῦθα κρότους μὴ θηρῶν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς μέλλοντας στεφάνους προσδοκῶν.","t":"To the same. [On \"Do not let your left hand know.\"] The Lord's law commanding \"Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing\" does not lie hidden in a corner and in secret, dear friend, but is clear and very plain, and evident to the attentive. For since vainglory and display follow on doing good, let nothing good, he says, be done by you out of passion, and let no boastful thought follow your good deed; but if you do good, do it without display and without boasting, not hunting for applause here but awaiting the crowns to come.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.84 (PG 78 78:241; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-84)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.85":{"o":"ΟΥΡΣΕΝΟΥΦΙΟ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Πάτερ ἡμῶν, ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Ἡ τοῦ Κυρίου διδαχὴ ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ μετὰ πάντων τῶν ἄλλων θεοπρεπῶν διδαγμάτων, καὶ, « Γένηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ὁ κελεύει προσεύχεσθαι τὴν τῶν ἄνω δυνάμεων εἰρήνην, τὴν ἀστασίαστον φάσκουσα, ἣν καὶ ἡμῖν βραβεῦσαι τοῖς ἐπὶ γῆς καταξίωσον· ἵν᾿ ὥσπερ ἐν αὐταῖς πάντὰ κατορθοῦται [τὰ] θελήματα, οὕτως καὶ ἐν ἡμῖν τὰ σοι εὐάρεστα γένηται. Ταῦτα τοίνυν καὶ πρώην εἰδὼς, καὶ νῦν μαθὼν παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἐπιλαβοῦ, καὶ ἔχου ἀπρὶξ τῆς εἰρήνης. Οὐράνιος γάρ ἐστι καὶ Θεῷ πλησιάζουσα.","t":"To Ursenuphius. [On \"Our Father, who are in heaven.\"] The Lord's teaching in the prayer, together with all its other teachings that befit God, includes \"Your will be done, as in heaven so also on earth,\" which bids us pray for the peace of the powers above, that peace free from strife; as if to say: grant this to us also on earth, so that as all your wishes are accomplished among them, so also what pleases you may come about among us. Since you knew this before, and now have learned it from me, take hold of peace and cling to it tightly; for it is heavenly and draws near to God.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.85 (PG 78 78:241; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-85)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.86":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\n῞Οτι οὐδὲν ἀρετῆς ὑψηλότερον. Σπέρματος γένος, καὶ αἵματος κόμπος, ὦ ἄριστε, [τῶν] ποιητῶν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀρετὴ, ἀλλ᾿ ἀκούσιός τις διαδοχή ἐκ σωμάτων καταγομένη καὶ ῥέουσα. ᾿Αρετὴ δὲ, φρόνησίς ἐστι, δικαιοσύνη τε καὶ ἀνδρεία, καὶ σωφροσύνη. ὡς ἂν οὖν ἔχηται τούτων, καὶ πάγκαλός ἐστι, καὶ περίβλεπτος, καὶ οὐδενὸς πρὸς εὐζωΐαν λειπόμενος. ΜΟΝΑΣΤΡΙΑΙΣ ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΙΝΑΙΣ [ΤΑΙΣ ΣΑΝΔΑΛΑΡΙΑΙΣ]. Οὐκ οἶδε παραίτησιν ἡ φύσις. Οὐκ ἔχει συγγνώμην τὸ θῆλυ. Δύναται γὰρ γενναίως κατεξανίστασθαι τῆς χαυνώσεως, καὶ ἀποκρούεσθαι στεῤῥῶς τὰς τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν ἑλεπόλεις. Καὶ διδάσκαλοι τούτου, Σωσάννα ἡ εὐκλεὴς, καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ Ἰεφθὲ, καὶ ἡ θαυ- - μαστὴ Ἰουδήθ· ἡ μὲν γερόντων ἀκολασίαν νική σασα ἐν νεότητι· ἡ δὲ καὶ θάνατον ἀνδρείως ἑλομένη, καὶ τῇ παρθενίᾳ συναπελθοῦσα ἀοιδίμως· ἡ δὲ μισθὸν τῆς σωφροσύνης, δύναμιν παρὰ Θεοῦ εἰληφυία, τυραννοκτόνος γενέσθαι. Καὶ τὸ κεφάλαιον τῶν γυναικείων νικῶν καὶ τροπαίων, ἡ πανεύφημος Θέκλα, στήλη αἰώνιος ἁγνείας ἑστῶσα, ὡς πυρσὸς ἐκ μέσου τοῦ κλύδωνος τῶν παθῶν ἀναφθεῖσα, εἰς τὸν ἀκύμονα κατάρασα λιμένα. Εἰ τοίνυν οὕτως ἀναβῥηθῆναι ἐπιθυμεῖτε, τὰς λαμπάδας ἀσβέστους τηρήσατε· ὁ γὰρ νυμφίος εὐθὺς παραγίνεται · καὶ μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς ὕπνος ἡδυπαθείας ἀνακλίνῃ, ὁ ἔξω τῆς θύρας τοῦ νυμφῶνος τὰς ὑπνηλὰς καὶ ῥᾳθύμους κατέχων.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. [That nothing is loftier than virtue.] The race of a seed and the boast of blood, excellent man, [of the poets] are not virtue, but a kind of involuntary succession drawn down and flowing from bodies. Virtue is prudence, justice and courage, and self-control. Whoever holds to these is altogether beautiful, admired, and lacking nothing for a good life. [Letter 1.87] To the Alexandrian nuns [the Sandalarian ones]. Nature knows no excuse; the female sex has no plea for pardon. For it can rise up nobly against slackness and firmly beat off the siege-engines of desire. Teachers of this are the glorious Susanna, the daughter of Jephthah, and the admirable Judith: the first overcame the licentiousness of old men in her youth; the second chose even death courageously and departed gloriously together with her virginity; the third received from God, as the reward of her chastity, the power to become a tyrant-slayer. And the crown of women's victories and trophies is the all-praised Thecla, who stands as an everlasting pillar of purity, kindled like a beacon in the midst of the surge of passions, and has run into the waveless harbor. If, then, you desire to be so proclaimed, keep your lamps unquenched, for the Bridegroom is coming at once; and let no sleep of soft living lay you down, the sleep that keeps the drowsy and careless outside the door of the bridal chamber.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.86 (PG 78 78:241; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-86)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.88":{"o":"ΑΡΣΕΝΙΩ.\n῞Οτι μάλιστα οἱ μηδὲν ἀγαθὸν πεπραχότες οὐκ ὀφείλουσιν ἀλαζονεύεσθαι. Εἰ πράξας ὁ Φαρισαῖος ἃ ἐκαυχήσατο, σὺ τί καυχᾶσαι λαρυγγίζων ἁπλῶς, καὶ οὐ πράττων χρηστῶς, καὶ χείρονος ἑαυτὸν ποιῶν ἔνοχον κρίσεως ἧς ὁ Φαρισαῖος ὑπέμεινεν ; οὐδὲν μὲν ἄξιον μέμψεως πεπραχὼς, μόνην δὲ τὴν οἴησιν τῆς εὐπραγίας ἐγκληθείς.","t":"To Arsenius. [That above all those who have done nothing good ought not to boast.] If the Pharisee did what he boasted of, why do you boast, merely exercising your throat and not acting well, and making yourself liable to a worse judgment than the one the Pharisee incurred? He had done nothing worthy of blame, and was charged only with conceit about his good deeds.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.88 (PG 78 78:243; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-88)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.89":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nΠάσας μὲν, εἰ οἷόν τε, ὁμιλίας γυναικῶν ἐκτρέπεσθαι χρὴ, ὡς ἐχούσας τινὰ πρὸς χαύνωσιν ἐπιτήδευσιν· ἐἱ δὲ τοῦτο ἀδύνατον διὰ περιστάσεις χρειῶν, ἢ οἰκονομίας πτωχῶν, κάτω νεύοντας διαλέγεσθαι. Τοῖς γὰρ πλείοσιν, ἢ καὶ πᾶσι σχεδὸν τοῖς ἡττηθεῖσι κάλλους γυναικῶν, διὰ τῶν θυρίδων ἀνέβη ὁ θάνατος, ὃς καὶ τοῦ μεγάλου Προφήτου καὶ βασιλέως ἐκράτησεν, ὅτε πρὸς τὸ λουτρὸν ἐκεῖνο τὸ θανατηφόρον ἀπέβλεψε. ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.. \"ὅτι ἀποστολικὸν τὸ ἐν ἐκκλησίαις ψάλλειν γυναῖκας, καὶ περὶ ἀσκητριῶν. Τὰς ἐν ἐκκλησίαις φλυαρίας καταπαῦσαι βουλόμενοι οἱ τοῦ Κυρίου ἀπόστολοι, καὶ τῆς ἡμῶν παιδευταὶ καταστάσεως, ψάλλειν ἐν αὐταῖς τὰς γυναῖκας συνετῶς συνεχώρησαν. ᾿Αλλ' [ὡς] πάντα εἰς τοὺναντίον ἐτράπη τὰ θεοφόρα διδάγματα, καὶ τοῦτο εἰς ἔκλυσιν καὶ ἁμαρτίας ὑπόθεσιν τοῖς πλείοσι γέγονε. Καὶ κατάνυξιν μὲν ἐκ τῶν θείων ὕμνων οὐχ ὑπομένουσι· τῇ δὲ τοῦ μέλους ἡδύτητι εἰς ἐρεθισμὸν παθημάτων χρώμενοι οὐδὲν αὐτὴν ἔχειν πλέον τῶν ἐπὶ σκηνῆς ἀσμάτων λογίζονται. Χρὴ τοίνυν, εἰ μέλλοιμεν τὸ τῷ Θεῷ ἀρέσκον ζητεῖν, καὶ τὸ κοινῇ συμφέρον ποιεῖν, παύειν ταύτας καὶ τῆς ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ ᾠδῆς, καὶ τῆς ἐν πόλει μονῆς, ὡς Χριστοκαπήλους, καὶ τὸ θεῖον χάρισμα μισθὸν ἀπωλείας ἐργαζομένας.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. One should avoid all conversations with women, if possible, since they carry a certain tendency to slackness; but if this is impossible because of necessary circumstances or the care of the poor, one should speak with them with eyes cast down. For to most, or nearly all, of those overcome by women's beauty, death came up through the windows; it even overpowered the great prophet and king, when he looked toward that deadly bath. [Letter 1.90] To the same. [That it is apostolic for women to sing in the churches; and on ascetic women.] The Lord's apostles, the instructors of our order, wishing to stop the chatter in the churches, wisely allowed women to sing in them. But, as with all the God-inspired teachings that have been turned to the opposite, this too has become for most an occasion of dissipation and sin. They feel no compunction from the divine hymns, but, using the sweetness of the melody to stir up passions, they think it no better than the songs of the stage. If, then, we mean to seek what pleases God and do what is for the common good, we must stop these women both from singing in church and from living in the city, as peddlers of Christ who make the divine gift a wage of destruction.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.89 (PG 78 78:243; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-89)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.9":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ τῶν νυκτερινῶν φαντασιῶν. Αἱ νυκτεριναὶ φαντασίαι ὡς γέγραφας, φιλομαθέστατε, οὐ μόνον τῶν μεθημερινῶν εἰσι συντυχιῶν καὶ ὁμιλιῶν ἀπηχήματα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ῥᾳθύμου συνηθείας γεννήματα. Ὅτε γὰρ κάρῳ μέθης ὁ νοῦς συλληφθῇ, ὀρμητήριον γίνεται τῶν παθῶν. Ὅτε δὲ νήφει ἐγρηγόρως, καὶ τὸν Κύριον περιεζωσμένως καραδοκεῖ, οὔτε ὑπὸ γαστρὸς ἡττᾶται, οὔτε τῶν ἀπ' ἐκείνης παθῶν. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἕτερόν ἐστι τὸ ἐζῶσθαι, ἢ τὸ δεδέσθαι τὴν ἰσχὺν τῆς ὀσφύος. Ὅτι οὐδὲν μεῖζον ἀγάπης· ἐν ᾧ καὶ ἀποδείξεις ἔχει τὰς ἀδελφικὰς ζυγάδας. Οὐδὲν οὕτως Θεῷ περισπούδαστον, ὡς ἀγάπη· δι' ἦν καὶ ἄνθρωπος γέγονε, καὶ μέχρι θανάτου ὑπήκοος. Διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ἡ πρώτη κλῆσις τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ, ἀδελφοὶ δύο γεγόνασιν, ἐνδειξαμένου διὰ τῶν προοιμίων εὐθὺς τοῦ πανσόφου Σωτῆρος, ὅτι πάντας τοὺς μαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἀδελφικῶς συνάπτεσθαι βούλεται. Αγάπης τοίνυν μηδὲν ἡγώμεθα προτιμότερον, ἤπερ συνδεῖ πάντα, καὶ ἐν ὁμονοίᾳ συμφερούσῃ φυλάττει.","t":"To the same. [On night fantasies.] Night fantasies, as you wrote, most studious man, are not only echoes of the meetings and conversations of the day, but also offspring of careless habit. For when the mind is seized by the stupor of drunkenness, it becomes a base for the passions; but when it is sober and wakeful and awaits the Lord with loins girded, it is overcome neither by the belly nor by the passions that come from it. For to be girded is nothing other than to have the strength of the loins bound. [Letter 1.10] [That nothing is greater than love; in which he also has the pairs of brothers as proofs.] Nothing is so earnestly desired by God as love: for its sake he even became man, and was obedient to the point of death. That is why the first called of his disciples were two brothers, the all-wise Savior showing from the very beginning that he wants all his disciples to be joined together as brothers. Let us then hold nothing more precious than love, which binds all things together and keeps them in profitable concord.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.9 (PG 78 78:185; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-9)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.91":{"o":"ΗΛΙΑ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ.\n᾿ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι μέχρι τοῦ σχήματος τὸ ἐπάγγελμα τοῦ μοναχοῦ. Χαίρω ταῖς περὶ σοῦ μαρτυρίαις, πολλὴν εἰς ἐπίτασιν ἀγούσαις ἐγκρατείας · καὶ εὔχομαι ἔχεσθαί σε [μέχρι] παντὸς τῆς ἱερᾶς ἀγκύρας, καὶ ὑποκρούεσθαι σοφῶς τὴν ζάλην τῆς ἀπάτης, ὡς ἂν εἰς τὸν ἀκύμονα τῆς γαλήνης λιμένα καταντήσῃς ἀκλυδωνίστως, οὔτε πνοὰς δειλιῶν πειρασμῶν ἐμβαλλούσας σοι, οὔτε ὑψηλοφρονήσῃς πρὸς ῥηγνύμενα κύματα, ὧν μάλιστα χρή σε κρατεῖν, εὐχερῶς ῥιπιζόντων, εἰς πτώματα. ΘΩΜΑ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ. Περὶ τοῦ δεῖν πάντοτε νήφειν. Φιλοσοφία ἀποστρέφεται θόρυβον, καὶ γυμνασία μοναχικὴ ἔξω κατορθοῦται συγχύσεως, ἵνα ταύτῃ χρήσηται ὑποβάθρᾳ τοῦ ὕψους τῆς ταπεινώσεως, τῇ κατὰ μόνας σχολῇ καὶ πραγμάτων ὀχληρῶν, καὶ ῥημάτων ἀπρεπῶν, σπουδαίως καὶ τελείως ἐκλαθόμενος. Εἰ δὲ τρίβωνα καὶ ὑπήνην, καὶ βάκτρον ἀρκεῖν ἡμῖν πρὸς ἐξάνυσιν τῆς ἀγγελικῆς πολιτείας οἰόμεθα, καὶ μέσοι δήμων, καὶ θεαμάτων καὶ ἀκουσμάτων ἀστικῶν συμφυρόμεθα, τοῖς ὀργάνοις τῆς νἱκης μόνοις ἐναβρυνόμενοι, τὴν δὲ πάλην καὶ μάχην ἐκκλίνοντες, ἐξ ἧς ἡ νίκη προσγίνεται, μᾶλλον δὲ τὰς αἰτίας τῆς πάλης ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἀνακαίοντες, λανθάνομεν κύνες τυγχάνοντες, καὶ πρὸς τὸν ἔμετον ὑποστρέφοντες, ἢ ὖς τῷ βορβόρῳ τῆς παλαιᾶς συνηθείας ἐγκαλινδούμενοι. ΤΗ Περὶ τοῦ μὴ πολλοὺς γίνεσθαι διδασκάλους. • Μὴ πολλοὶ γίνεσθε διδάσκαλοι, ἀδελφοὶ, ὁ δίκαιος γράφει Ἰάκωβος. Μὴ πολλοὶ διδάσκαλοι γίνεσθε, μοναχοί, ὁ ἐλάχιστος γράφω Ἰσίδωρος· εἰ καὶ μὴ δόκιμος μοναχὸς, ἀλλ' Ἰακώβου ἀκροατής. Δίκαιοι τοίνυν ἂν εἴητε, εἰ καὶ τοῦ ἀκροατοῦ παραγράφεσθε τὴν εὐτέλειαν, ἀλλ᾽ αἰδεῖσθαι τοῦ δικαίου καὶ σοφοῦ τὴν δικαίαν ἀπόφασιν. ΠΑΝΣΟΦΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Εἰς τὸ, « Πάντα γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένὰ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτοῦ. • Τὰ γυμνὰ καὶ τετραχηλισμένα, ἐκ μεταφορᾶς τῶν ἱερείων, τῶν εἰς θυσίαν προσαγομένων, τῷ πολύφρονι γέγραπται Παύλῳ. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνα τῶν δορῶν ἀφαιρούμενα, πάσης τῆς φαινομένης ἀπογυμνοῦται περιβολῆς, καὶ τῶν κεκρυμμένων ἔνδοθεν ἐπιδείκνυται τὴν διάθεσιν, καὶ τραχηλίζεται εἰς ἔρευναν παντὸς ὀστέου καὶ μέλους, πρὸς τὸ πάντα ἐκκαθαρθῆναι, διὰ τὴν τοῦ πράγματος ᾧ προσάγονται καθαρότητα· οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς μεγάλης τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμέρας ἡ τῶν ἀδήλων καὶ ἀφανῶν ἡμῶν πράξεων ἀνακάλυψις, ἀπογυμνώσει καὶ τραχηλισμῷ ἐοικυῖα φανήσεται, οὐδενὸς λαθεῖν δυναμένου, ἀλλὰ πάντων εἰς τὸ ἐμφανὲς ἀγομένων.","t":"To Elias the monk. [That the monk's profession does not stop at the habit.] I rejoice at the testimonies about you, which point to a great increase of self-control; and I pray that you may hold fast to the sacred anchor at all times and wisely beat back the storm of deceit, so that you may reach the waveless harbor of calm without being tossed, neither afraid of the blasts of temptation that strike you, nor growing proud toward the breaking waves, which you must above all master, since they easily blow one into falls. [Letter 1.92] To Thomas the monk. [On the need to be always sober.] Philosophy turns away from commotion, and monastic training is achieved away from confusion, so that it may use as the base of the height of humility the solitary leisure, having eagerly and completely forgotten troublesome affairs and unseemly words. But if we think a cloak, a beard and a staff enough for accomplishing the angelic way of life, and mix ourselves in the middle of crowds and of the city's sights and sounds, priding ourselves only on the instruments of victory while avoiding the wrestling and the battle from which victory comes, or rather kindling within ourselves the causes of the struggle, we fail to notice that we are dogs returning to their vomit, or a sow wallowing in the mire of old habit. [Letter 1.93] To … [On not many becoming teachers.] \"Let not many of you become teachers, brothers,\" writes the righteous James. Do not many of you become teachers, monks, writes Isidore the least; though not an approved monk, yet a hearer of James. You would therefore be right, even if you disregard the lowliness of the hearer, at least to respect the just sentence of the righteous and wise man. [Letter 1.94] To Pansophius the deacon. [On \"All things are naked and laid bare to his eyes.\"] \"Naked and laid bare\" was written by the wise Paul by a metaphor from the victims brought for sacrifice. For as these, when their hides are removed, are stripped of all their visible covering and show the state of what is hidden within, and are laid open by the neck for the examination of every bone and limb, so that all may be cleansed, because of the purity of the one to whom they are offered; so too on the great day of the Lord the uncovering of our hidden and unseen actions will appear like a stripping and laying bare, since nothing can escape notice, but all things will be brought into the open.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.91 (PG 78 78:245; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-91)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.95":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἘπειδὴ κατάρας ἦν ἡ ἄκανθα γεώργιον, ἣν ἡ γῆ – κατεδικάσθη μετὰ τὴν ἡμετέραν παράβασιν, πᾶσαν δὲ θεραπεῦσαι ἐν ἑαυτῷ ὁ Κύριος παρεγένετο· τούτου χάριν ἀκάνθας ὡς νικηφόρος ἐστεφανώσατο, ὥσπερ οἱ δόκιμοι ποιοῦσι τῶν νικητῶν, αὐτὸ τὸ ὅπλον ἢ ὅργανον θριαμβεύοντες δι' οὗ τὴν νίκην εἰργάσαντο, « Θαρσείτε, λέγων, ἐγὼ νενίκηκα τὸν κόσμον.» Ὁ γὰρ ἐν τῇ φύσει τῶν ἀνθρώπων γενόμενος, [καὶ ἐν τοῖς αὐτῶν πταίσμασι μὴ γενόμενος,] καὶ τῷ γένει τὴν ἀρχαίαν καλλονὴν ἀποδέδωκε, καὶ τὸ κράτος τῆς κατάρας ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ φύσει κατέλυσε. ΜΑΞΙΜΩ ΦΙΛΟΣΟΦΩ ΕΛΛΗΝΙ Κατὰ Ἑλλήνων. Κομπάζεις φιλοσοφίαν ἐχθρὰν τῆς ὄντως σοφίας, καὶ αὐτὸ ἀρνούμενος τὸ τοῦ πράγματος ὄνομα. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἔτερόν ἐστι φιλοσοφία, ἢ τὸ πάντως φιλεῖν τὴν σοφίαν. Εἰ οὖν ὄντως ἐραστὴς εἶναι βούλει σοφίας, τὴν ὄντως ἀγάπα σοφίαν, οὐ τὸν λόγον μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν βίον σεμνύνουσαν, καὶ τὴν ἀληθῆ θρησκείαν παιδεύουσαν. \"Ην γὰρ αὐτὸς ἐπαγγέλλῃ, καὶ νῦν ὀφλισκάνει γέλωτα, θεότητας καλοῦσα τὰς πηγὰς τῆς αἰσχρότητος, καὶ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι τιμωρίαν ὠδίνει [ἀσύγγνωστον], ὅπου σοι τοὺς Κωκυτοὺς καὶ Πυριφλεγέθοντας ὁ Πλάτων ἠπείλησεν.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Since the thorn was the crop of the curse, which the earth was condemned to bear after our transgression, and the Lord came to heal all of it in himself, for this reason he was crowned with thorns as a victor, as the approved among victors do, celebrating in triumph the very weapon or instrument by which they won the victory, saying: \"Take courage; I have overcome the world.\" For he who came to be in the nature of men [and did not come to be in their offenses] both gave back to the race its ancient beauty and destroyed the power of the curse in that very nature. [Letter 1.96] To Maximus, a Greek philosopher. [Against the Greeks.] You boast of a philosophy that is the enemy of true wisdom, and you deny the very name of the thing. For philosophy is nothing other than loving wisdom wholly. If, then, you truly wish to be a lover of wisdom, love the true wisdom, which ennobles not only speech but life, and teaches the true religion. For the one you profess both incurs laughter now, calling the springs of shamefulness deities, and in the future is in labor with [unpardonable] punishment, where Plato threatened you with Cocytus and Pyriphlegethon.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.95 (PG 78 78:247; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-95)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.97":{"o":"ΥΜΗΤΙΩ.\nΚατὰ Μακεδονιανῶν, ἤτοι Πνευματομάχων. Ἵνα δείξῃ τὴν πρὸς ἑαυτὸν καὶ τὸν Πατέρα τοῦ παναγίου Πνεύματος ἕνωσιν, ὁ Κύριος ἡμῶν καὶ Δεσπότης, ἔφη τοῖς μαθηταῖς ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν ἀναστὰς, • Λάβετε Πνεῦμα ἅγιον. Ἂν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀφίενται · · τῇ αὐθεντίᾳ δῆλον ὅτι οὗ λαμβάνετε Πνεύματος, τοῦ θεϊκῶς συγχωρεῖν τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ἔχοντος.","t":"To Hymetius. [Against the Macedonians, or Pneumatomachi.] To show the union of the all-holy Spirit with himself and the Father, our Lord and Master said to his disciples when he had risen from the dead: \"Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone's sins, they are forgiven\": clearly by the authority of the Spirit whom you receive, who has power to forgive sins as God does.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.97 (PG 78 78:249; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-97)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.98":{"o":"ΦΡΟΝΤΙΝΟ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ λαβόντος εἰς τὴν σιαγόνα. Εἰ λόγοις ἐτρώθης, καὶ πρὸς ὀργὴν ἄσχετον ἐξηνέχθης, πῶς δύνασαι τοῦ Δεσποτικοῦ ἐργάτης γενέσθαι ἀμπελῶνος; τὸν γὰρ τὴν μίαν σιαγόνα παιόμενον, καὶ τὴν ἑτέραν προστιθέναι δυνάμενον,. ἐκεῖνον εἶναι ὁρίζεται, [τὸν] τὸ βάρος τῆς ἡμέρας καὶ τὸν καύσωνα φέροντα, ὡς πᾶσαν ἐργασίαν τῆς ἐντολῆς τοῦ Κυρίου πληρώσαντα. Εἰ οὖν ὀρέγῃ τῶν μεγάλων μισθῶν [ἐκείνων], πρὸς τοὺς ἥττονας πόνους μὴ ἄλυε, ἀλλὰ στέργειν τοὺς μείζονας ἔθιζε, ὡς οὐκ ἄλλως δηνάριον κομιούμενος, εἰ μὴ κόπων τελειότητι μαρτυρούμενος. ΓΕΛΑΣΙΩ ΔΟΥΚΙ Περὶ ὑπερηφανίας, καὶ ἀδυναμίας, καὶ οὐθενότητος. Ἔθος ἐστὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις, εἰ καὶ τῶν θείων ἀλλότριον νόμων, ὅμως ἐπὶ πολλοῖς ἢ γένει, ἢ φρονήσει, ἢ κτήσει, ἢ κάλλει, ἢ ἀξίᾳ ἐπαίρεσθαι. Οὐδὲν δὲ ὠφελεῖ πρὸς ὑπερηφανίαν αὐτοὺς τοὺς ἐκ τῆς γῆς ὄντας, καὶ πάλιν πρὸς αὐτὴν ὑποστρέφοντας. Τούτων ὅτι οὐδέν σοι τὸ σύνολον πρόσεστιν, οὐδ᾽ ἂν αὐτὸς ἀρνηθείης. Εἰ οὖν πάντων τῶν πρὸς ἔπαρσιν φυσώντων ἐστέρησαι, δυσγενὴς ὧν καὶ πτωχὸς καὶ ούσνους καὶ ἰδιώτης [λίαν] καὶ δύσμορφος, τί [σοβεῖς δεῖς διὰ τῆς πόλεως,] ὡς πάντων ἐπιδοξότερος, [καὶ] πολλῶν ᾿ αὐτῇ γίνῃ θορύβων ἀρχηγός; Ἢ γνῶθι τοίνυν σαυτὸν, καὶ σύμμετρον κτῆσαι τὸν τρόπον τῆς οὐδενείας σου, ἢ πρὸς πόνους καὶ κινδύνους παράταξαι, οἷς σε οἱ ἐν δυνάμει ἀμείψονται. Χρυσοῦ γὰρ ἀπορεῖς τοῦ ὁμαλίζοντος πολλάκις τὰς τῶν περιστάσεων καὶ μαστίγων τραχύτητας. Κατὰ Ναυατιανῶν. Εἰπὲ τῷ μαθητῇ τῆς Ναυάτου ὀφρύος· Τί φρυάττη ὡς καθαρὸς, ἀνοηταίνων Τί ἀναμάρτητον σαυτὸν εἰρωνεύῃ; Τί ἀρνῇ τὴν τῆς φύσεως κοινωνίαν ; Ἡσαΐας ἀκάθαρτον ἑαυτὸν ἐξαγγέλλει· Δαβὶδ πάντα ἄνθρωπον ψευδόμενον οἶδε, καὶ πάντας ἐν ἁμαρτίαις καὶ συλληφθέντας, καὶ κυηθέντας. Αὐτός τε Θεὸς τοὺς [ἀνθρώπους] ἐπιμελῶς προσκειμένους τῇ πονηρίᾳ γινώσκει, καὶ χρήζοντας μόνου φιλανθρωπίας ἐλέου, καὶ σὺ ἀλαζονεύῃ καθαρότητος τῦφον; \"Η παῦσαι τοίνυν ψευδόμενος, ἢ φαίνῃ ἐξ ὧν πράττεις γελώμενος, ἢ μᾶλλον δυνατῶς αἰσχυνόμενος.","t":"To Frontinus the monk. [On the one struck on the cheek.] If you were wounded by words and carried away into uncontrolled anger, how can you become a worker in the Master's vineyard? For he defines the one who, struck on one cheek, can offer the other also, as the one who bears the burden of the day and the scorching heat, as having fulfilled all the work of the Lord's commandment. If, then, you long for [those] great wages, do not be distraught at lesser toils, but accustom yourself to welcome greater ones, since you will not otherwise receive the denarius unless the completeness of your labors bears witness for you. [Another letter] To Gelasius the dux. [On pride, weakness, and nothingness.] It is the custom of men, though foreign to the divine laws, to be lifted up on many grounds: birth, intelligence, possessions, beauty, or rank. But nothing justifies pride in those who are from the earth and return to it again. That none of these at all belongs to you, you yourself would not deny. If, then, you are deprived of everything that puffs up to pride, being low-born, poor, ill-natured, [very] uneducated and ugly, why [do you strut through the city] as if more distinguished than everyone, [and] become the leader of much commotion in it? Either know yourself, then, and acquire a manner proportioned to your nothingness, or prepare for toils and dangers with which those in power will repay you. For you lack the gold that often smooths the roughness of trials and whips. [Another letter] [Against the Novatianists.] Say to the disciple of Novatus's haughtiness: Why do you snort as one pure, you fool? Why do you pretend to be sinless? Why do you deny that you share our nature? Isaiah declares himself unclean; David knows that every man is a liar, and that all are conceived and carried in the womb in sins. God himself knows that men are diligently inclined to wickedness and in need only of the mercy of his love for mankind; and you boast of a vain show of purity? Either stop lying, then, or you will be seen to be laughed at for what you do, or rather to be put to great shame.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.98 (PG 78 78:249; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-98)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1.99":{"o":"ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ ΝΕΟΠΑΓΕΙ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ δεῖν πάντοτε νήφειν.. Καλῶς ἥψω τῆς σμινύης συντόμως Καλῶς τὴν ὕλην ὡς συμπνίγουσαν φεύγεις · καλῶς πρὸς ὑψηλὴν πολιτείαν ἐξέστης. Στῆκε τοίνυν γρηγορῶν ὡς ὁπλίτης, μή τις ὕπνος παρεισέλθῃ χαυνῶν σε, καὶ ῥίψασπιν, ὁ μὴ γένοιτο, δείξῃ. Οὐ γὰρ τοῦ Πονηροῦ τὰ νοήματα ἀγνοοῦμεν.","t":"To Theognostus, a monk newly settled. [On the need to be always sober.] You did well to take up the mattock without delay; you do well to flee the material things as choking you; you did well to step out toward the lofty way of life. Stand, then, keeping watch like a soldier, lest some sleep steal in, slackening you, and show you to be one who has thrown away his shield, which God forbid. For we are not ignorant of the designs of the Evil One.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 1.99 (PG 78 78:251; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/1-99)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.1":{"o":"ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ\nἹερουσαλήμ. Τί ἐστι τὸ, « Ἱερεῖς, λαλήσατε εἰς τὴν καρδίαν Οἱ τὸν διδασκάλοις πρέποντα βίον μεταδιώκοντες ὑφηγηταὶ, μὴ μόνον μέμψεως κρείττους [ἑαυτοὺς διατηρείτωσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ θείοις πλεονεκτήμασι πλουτείτωσαν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ καὶ τῶν τυχόντων ἐστὶ, τὸ δὲ τῶν ἄκρων εἰς ἀρετὴν, [οἷ] κἂν μηδὲν φθέγξοιντο τρανοτέρᾳ φωνῆς ἡσυχίᾳ τοὺς φοιτητὰς παιδεύουσιν, οὐ τὰς ἀκοὰς αὐτῶν τέρποντες, ἀλλὰ τὰς ψυχὰς φωτίζοντες. Οἱ γὰρ λόγων πλέον μηδὲν προσεἶναι τῷ διδασκάλῳ νομίζοντες, καὶ τὰς ἀκοὰς ἐνοχλοῦσι, [καὶ γέλωτα ὀφλισκάνουσιν ·] οἱ δὲ τοῖς ἔργοις ἀστράπτοντες, [κἂν σιγὴν ἀσκήσωσι, τὰς τῶν · θεωμένων παιδεύουσι ψυχάς.] Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἄρα ὅπερ ἐπεζήτησας μαθεῖν, « Ἱερεῖς, λαλήσατε εἰς τὴν καρδίαν Ἱερουσαλήμ. » Πολλοὶ [μὲν] γὰρ οἱ διὰ λόγων ἐνοχλοῦντες, ὀλίγοι δὲ οἱ διὰ τῶν ἔργων παιδεύοντες, οἷς καὶ τὸ ἱερᾶσθαι μάλιστα προσήκει.","t":"To Theognostus the presbyter. [What is meant by \"Priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem.\"] Those guides who pursue the life that befits teachers should not only keep themselves above reproach but also be rich in divine excellences. The first is within reach even of ordinary people; the second belongs to those at the summit of virtue, who, even if they utter nothing, teach their pupils by a silence clearer than a voice, not delighting their ears but enlightening their souls. For those who think that a teacher needs nothing more than words both weary the ears and earn ridicule; but those who flash with deeds, even if they practise silence, teach the souls of those who watch them. And this, then, is what you sought to learn: \"Priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem.\" For many trouble people with words, but few teach by deeds; and the priesthood belongs above all to these.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.1 (PG 78 78:455; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-1)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.10":{"o":"ΣΤΑΝΤΙ.\nἼσθι, τιμιώτατε, ὅτι ἐν παντὶ μὲν τῷ βίῳ, μάλιστα δὲ [νῦν] ἐπιβαίνων τοῖς ὅροις τῆς δοξάσης μὲν εἶναι ἀρχῆς, οὔσης δὲ λειτουργίας, δίκαιος ἂν εἴης κολάζειν τὰς αὐτοῦ ἐπιθυμίας, ὥστε μηδενὸς τῶν παρὰ τοῖς ὑπηκόοις φαύλων ἡττᾶσθαι. Καὶ γὰρ αἴσχιστον εἰ,τοῖς ἀρχομένοις ἐπιτάττειν βουλόμενος, φωραθείης μηδὲ σαυτοῦ ἄρχειν δυνάμενος. Ὅτι ἡ κακία τὸ τερπνὸν ὀλέθριον ἔχει, ἡ δ᾽ ἀρετὴ τὸ ἐπίπονον, εὐκλεέστατε, καὶ εὐδόκιμον (ἰδρῶσι γὰρ ἡδέως ἀρδεύεται ἡ εὐδοκίμησις), οἶσθα. Χρή τοίνυν τὴν μὲν φεύγειν, τῆς δ᾽ ἀπρὶξ ἔχεσθαι.","t":"[Letter 2.11, continued: To Strategius, newly appointed bishop.] Know, most honoured friend, that in all of life, but especially now as you step within the bounds of what seems to be a position of rule but is in fact a ministry, you ought to chastise your own desires, so as to be overcome by none of the faults found among those under you. For it is most shameful if, wishing to give orders to those you govern, you are caught unable even to govern yourself. [Letter 2.12] You know, most renowned friend, that vice has a pleasure that is deadly, while virtue has a toil that is also glorious (for good repute is watered pleasantly with sweat). One must therefore flee the one and cling fast to the other.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.10 (PG 78 78:465; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-10)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.100":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΤί τὰ κατὰ σαυτὸν ἀγνοῶν, ἄνθρωπε, τὰ ὑπὲρ σαυτὸν ζητεῖς ; Καὶ τί λέγω τὰ κατὰ σαυτόν; Ἓν τῶν ἐν χερσί μοι ἑρμήνευσον, καὶ τότε τὰ ὑπὲρ σαυτὸν πολυπραγμονοῦντα οὐκ αἰτιάσομαι. Τὸ πῦρ ἀφ᾿ οὗ πηγάζουσιν αἱ τέχναι, οὐ μόνον ἀπὸ σιδήρου καὶ χαλκοῦ καὶ λίθων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ ὑδάτων καὶ ξύλων ἐκπηδᾷν πέφυκε Διήγησαι οὖν μοι τὸ θαῦμα· ἄρ᾽ ἔγκειται τῷ ξύλῳ; καὶ πῶς οὐκ ἀναλίσκει τοῦτο ; ᾿Αλλ' οὐκ ἔγκειται· πῶς οὖν ἐξ αὐτοῦ τίκτεται ; Εἰ τοίνυν τὸ πῦρ, οὗ ἄνευ σχεδὸν οὐδὲν ἀξιόλογον μηχανῶνται ἄνθρωποι (ἐπίκουρον γάρ ἐστι ψύχους, σκότου δ' ἀλεξιφάρμακον, συνεργὸν δ᾽ εἰς πᾶσαν τέχνην καὶ ἐπιστήμην), οὐδεὶς δύναται φράσαι πῶς ἐμφωλεύει μὲν ταῖς ὕλαις, οὐκ ἀναλίσκει δὲ ταύτας· ὅταν δ' εἰς τὸ ἔξω πηδήσῃ, ἀναλωτικὸν γίνεται τῶν τεκουσῶν ὑλῶν· πέπαυσο ἐκεῖνα περιεργαζόμενος, ἃ μήτε ἐφικτά ἐστι, μήτε εἰ ἐφικτὰ ἦν, μέγα τι συντελέσαι πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἠδύνατο. Τί γὰρ πρὸς ἀρετὴν συμβαλεῖται τὸ περιεργάζεσθαι ἡλίου δρόμον, καὶ σελήνης κύκλον, καὶ ἀστέρων θέσιν, καὶ γῆς σχῆμα καὶ διάστημα, καὶ ὅσα ἄλλα οἱ δοκησίσοφοι πολυπραγμονοῦντες, τῆς μὲν ἀληθείας καὶ τῆς τῷ ὄντι σοφίας διήμαρτον, εἰς ἀδολεσχίαν δὲ τὸν βίον ἐδαπάνησαν;","t":"To Paul. Why, man, ignorant of what concerns you, do you seek what is above you? And why do I say \"what concerns you\"? Explain to me one of the things that lie at hand, and then I will not blame you for busying yourself with what is above you. Fire, from which the arts spring, leaps out not only from iron, bronze and stones, but also from water and wood. Explain the wonder to me, then. Does it lie within the wood? Then how does it not consume it? But it does not lie within it; how, then, is it born from it? If, then, no one can say how fire, without which human beings contrive almost nothing worth mentioning (for it is a help against cold, a remedy against darkness and a fellow worker in every art and science), lurks in materials without consuming them, yet, when it leaps out, consumes the very materials that bore it, stop meddling with things that are neither attainable nor, if they were attainable, could contribute anything great to virtue. For what will it contribute to virtue to meddle with the course of the sun, the circle of the moon, the position of the stars, the shape and size of the earth, and all the other things in which the would-be wise busied themselves, missing the truth and true wisdom and spending their lives in idle talk?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.100 (PG 78 78:543; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-100)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.101":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠρὸς ἱερεῖς εὐδοκίμους. Ἐπὶ τῆς σῆς, ὦ ὁσιώτατε, εὐαρχίας, οὔθ᾽ ὁ πλούσιος ἐπὶ λύμῃ τῶν ἄλλων κέκτηται τὴν τῶν χρημάτων ἰσχὺν, οὔθ᾽ ὁ πενίᾳ συμβιοὺς, διὰ τὴν πτωχείαν ὑστέρηται τῆς ἰσηγορίας. Αλλ' ὁ μὲν περιουσίᾳ δικαίων ὠχυρωμένος, τὸν τῆς ἀληθείας κεκτῆσθαι νενόμισται θησαυρόν· ὁ δὲ τούτων ἐνδεὴς, κἂν τοὺς Κροίσου ἔχῃ θησαυροὺς, πένης εἶναι κέκριται· καὶ οὔτε λόγου δύναμις τὴν ἀδέκαστον φρόνησιν ἀφέλκει τῆς ὀρθῆς κρίσεως, οὔτε ῥήτορος δεινότης κατασοφίζεται τὴν ἀλήθειαν· ἀλλ᾽ ἀκλινὴς ἕστηκεν ἡ σὴ ψυχὴ, καθαρὸν τὸ δίκαιον τοῖς κρινομένοις βραβεύουσα. Τοιοῦτος δ᾽ ὧν ἐν ταῖς ψήφοις, τῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ πλέον σαυτὸν νενίκηκας, ἢ ὅσῳ δικαιοσύνῃ τοὺς ἄλλους ὑπερηκόντισας. Διὸ καὶ καταθρηνοῦσιν ἑαυτὰς αἱ πόλεις αἱ τυραννούμεναι, ὧν μία τυγχάνει καὶ ἡ Πηλουσιωτῶν. Τῶν γὰρ ἐναντίων πειρώμεναι, τοὺς μὲν ὑπὸ σοὶ τελοῦντας μακαρίζουσι, ἑαυτὰς δὲ ταλανίζουσιν. Ὁ γὰρ μυρίων τιμωριῶν ἄξιος, εἰ χρήματ' ἔχοι, ἀπόβλεπτος παρ' ἐκείνοις καὶ περιμάχητος. Ὁ δ᾽ ἀρετῇ κομῶν, εἰ πένης εἴη, οὐ μόνον ἐν τοῖς ἀτίμοις τελεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπιβουλεύεται. Ἐν δὲ ταῖς κρίσεσιν ὅπου ὁ χρυσὸς ῥέπει, ἐκεῖ καὶ ἡ ψῆφος νεύει· τὸ μὲν δίκαιον ἀδικεῖται, ἡ δ᾽ ἀδικία κρατεῖ καὶ παροινεῖ. Εὖξαι τοίνυν ἢ τοὺς τοιούτους λυμεῶνας μεταγνῶναι, ἢ τοὺς ὑπηκόους ἐλευθερωθῆναι.","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. [To approved priests.] Under your good rule, most holy one, neither does the rich man hold the power of money to the ruin of others, nor is the man who lives with poverty deprived of an equal hearing because he is poor. Rather, the one fortified by an abundance of just dealings is considered to possess the treasure of truth, while the one who lacks them, even if he has the treasures of Croesus, is judged poor. Neither the power of speech draws your impartial wisdom away from right judgment, nor does an orator's cleverness outwit the truth; your soul stands unswerving, awarding pure justice to those who come before you. Being such in your verdicts, you have surpassed yourself in humanity even more than you have outstripped others in justice. And so the cities that are ruled by tyranny bewail themselves, and one of them is the city of the Pelusiots. Experiencing the opposite, they call those under you blessed and themselves wretched. For among them a man deserving countless punishments, if he has money, is admired and fought over; while one who flourishes in virtue, if he is poor, is not only counted among the dishonoured but is plotted against. In judgments, where the gold tips the scale, there the vote inclines; justice is wronged, and injustice prevails and runs riot. Pray, then, either that such destroyers may repent or that their subjects may be set free.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.101 (PG 78 78:545; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-101)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.102":{"o":"ΑΜΜΩΝΙΩ.\nἘπειδὴ οὐκ ἔξω ὑποψίας εἶναι δοκεῖ ἡ ἄγαν φιλία, κιρνάσθω τῷ θείῳ φόβῳ, ἵν᾿ ἀμφότερα βρύῃ ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβος, καὶ ὁ τῶν φίλων πόθος· ὁ μὲν τὰς πονηρὰς ὑποψίας ἐξοστρακίζων· ὁ δὲ τὴν ἀγάπην, τὴν πάντων τῶν ἀγαθῶν μητέρα τίκτων. Ὅταν γὰρ κεκραμένον φόβῳ Θεοῦ τὸν πόθον ἔχωμεν, πάντ' ἐν ἡμῖν βλαστάνει τὰ ἀγαθά.","t":"To Ammonius. Since excessive friendship seems not to be beyond suspicion, let it be mixed with the fear of God, so that both may flourish in us, the fear of God and the longing for friends: the one banishing evil suspicions, the other giving birth to love, the mother of all good things. For when we have our longing mixed with the fear of God, all good things sprout in us.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.102 (PG 78 78:545; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-102)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.103":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nὍτι ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων οὐ σώζει τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Οὐχ ὁ δεινότητι καὶ δυνάμει λόγων, ὦ σοφὲ, τάληθὲς διακρουόμενος, ἐπαίνων ἄξιος· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ἀτεχνῶς αὐτὸ φράζων. Διὸ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς σαφῶς ὁ βούλει μαθεῖν, λέξω. Εὔκολα γέγονεν ἐκ τῆς θείας ἐπιφοιτήσεως τὰ παλαίσματα, ἵνα νικήσωμεν ἀγωνιζόμενοι, οὐχ ἵνα τῷ μεγέθει τῆς χάριτος πρὸς ῥαθυμίας ὑπόθεσιν ἀποχρησώμεθα. ΣΕΡΙΝΩ. Περὶ ἀλαζονείας. Μὴ τὸ ἐχθροῦ κεκρατηκέναι, εἰς ἀλαζονείαν σε παιδοτριβείτω. Πολλοῖς γὰρ ὑπὸ μεγαλαυχίας μεμηνόσι, ὡς ἅπαντα τὸν χρόνον τρόπαια στήσασι, καὶ φιλοτιμουμένοις ἐπὶ τούτοις, καὶ μὴ νομίζουσιν ἔλαττον ἕξειν, μηδὲ ἁλώσεσθαί ποτε προσδοκήσασιν, ἡ δοκοῦσα εὐπραγία εἰς τὸ χεῖρον περιφανῶς προεχώρησε.","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. [That faith without works does not save a man.] It is not the one who beats off the truth by cleverness and power of speech, wise friend, who deserves praise, but the one who states it simply. So I too will tell you plainly what you wish to learn. The wrestling bouts have been made easy by the divine visitation so that we may win by contending, not so that we may misuse the greatness of grace as an occasion for carelessness. [Letter 2.104] To Serenus. [On boasting.] Do not let your victory over an enemy train you in boasting. For many who were maddened by boastfulness, as if they had been setting up trophies all the time, who prided themselves on them, thought they would never be worse off and expected never to be caught, saw their seeming success turn plainly to the worse.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.103 (PG 78 78:545; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-103)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.104":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠολλοῖς αἱ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπιτυχίαι κακῶν ἀμυθήτων γεγόνασι πρόξενοι. Εν γάρ που ἢ δεύτερον παρὰ τὴν ἀξίαν στήσαντες τρόπαιον, ἅτε χωρησάσης αὐτοῖς εἰς ἐλπίδα τῆς τόλμης, ἐπαρθέντες τῇ ἀδοκήτῳ εὐπραγίᾳ, καὶ εἰς μείζους ἑαυτοὺς ῥίψαντες πράξεις, ἐκινδύνευσαν ἐσχάτως καὶ περὶ τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς κατορθωμάτων. Διὸ χρὴ ἀνθρωπινότερον βουλεύεσθαι, καὶ κατορθοῦντες μὲν εἰς οἶκτον βλέπειν, καὶ τὰς ὀξυῤῥόπους ἐκλογίζεσθαι μεταβολὰς, καὶ μὴ πέρα τοῦ μέτρου φρονεῖν τε καὶ φράζειν · διαμαρτάνοντας δὲ παιδεύεσθαι τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ἀσθένειαν, καὶ μὴ ὡς Θεῷ πεπηγέναι τὰ πράγματα ἀθάνατα ἀξιοῦν. Μὴ τὰ μόλις, ὦ βέλτιστε, καὶ μετὰ μυρίων ἱδρώτων καὶ ἀγώνων θηρώμενα, ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς θηρᾶν νόμιζε· ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ πόνων καὶ προσευχῶν προοιμιασάμενος, ἐπὶ τὴν θήραν τῶν νοημάτων τῆς ἱερᾶς χώρει Γραφῆς, τῶν τὴν ἡμετέραν σύνεσιν εἰς πλείονα ὀξύτητα ἀκονώντων.","t":"[Letter 2.105] To the same. For many, early successes have been the cause of untold evils. Having set up one or two trophies beyond their worth, since their daring had turned into hope, they were lifted up by unexpected success, threw themselves into greater undertakings, and ended in extreme danger even for their first achievements. One must therefore take counsel in a more human way: when succeeding, keep in view what deserves pity, reckon with the swift turns of fortune, and neither think nor speak beyond measure; and when failing, learn human weakness, and not expect one's affairs to be fixed and immortal, as for God. [Letter 2.106] Do not think, excellent friend, that you can catch by a sudden raid what is caught with difficulty and with countless sweats and contests. Rather, making your prelude with toil and prayer, advance to the hunt for the meanings of sacred Scripture, which whet our understanding to greater sharpness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.104 (PG 78 78:547; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-104)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.107":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ\nΧρὴ τὸν νοῦν οἷα βασιλέα αὐτοκράτορα λογισμοὺς φοβεροὺς καὶ πάντοθεν ὅπλοις πεφραγμένους πρὸς τὰς τῶν αἰσθήσεων καταπέμψαι πύλας προαπαντησομένους, καὶ προλοχιοῦντας καὶ εἴρξοντας τοὺς πολεμίους, καὶ μὴ πρῶτον συγχωρήσαντας τὴν εἴσοδον, ὕστερον ἀμφήριστον ἀναδέχεσθαι μάχην· ἡτις πολλάκις καὶ ἑτεροκλινής γενήσεται, τοῖς ἀντιστρατευομένοις τὸ τρόπαιον ὀρέγουσα. Διὰ γάρ τοι τοῦτο καὶ ὁ σωτήριος λόγος τὸν ἀκολάστως ὁρῶντα, κολάσειν ἠπείλησε, τῶν ἄλλων νομοθετῶν τὴν πρᾶξιν μόνην κολαζόντων· ἵνα μὴ δυσκαταγώνιστος καὶ ἀπρόσμαχος ὁ πόλεμος γένηται, ἀλλὰ ῥᾴδιος καὶ εὐχερής.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. The mind, like an absolute king, must send fearsome thoughts, fenced with arms on every side, down to the gates of the senses, to meet the enemies in advance, to ambush them and to shut them out, and not first allow them entrance and afterwards take on a doubtful battle, which often turns the other way and hands the trophy to the opponents. This is why the saving word threatened to punish the one who looks licentiously, while other lawgivers punish only the act: so that the war might not become hard to win and impossible to fight, but easy and manageable.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.107 (PG 78 78:547; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-107)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.108":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠολλοὶ, μᾶλλον δὲ πάντες, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, ἄνθρωποι καὶ πλεονεκτήματα ἔχουσι καὶ ἐλαττώματα, καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἐναβρύνονται, τοῖς δὲ ἐγκαλύπτονται. Σὺ δὲ, ὡς φασιν, ἐλαττωμάτων ἀνάπλεως ὧν, κατορθωμάτων ἔρημος εἶ καὶ γυμνός. Τὸ μὲν οὖν γαστρός σε ἡττώμενον, καὶ τοῖς μετὰ γαστέρα κεχειρῶσθαι πάθεσι, θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν. Ταῦτα γὰρ ἐκείνῃ ὡς τὰ πολλὰ ἕπεται. Ὁ γὰρ γαστρὸς ἄρξας, καὶ συνουσίας ἄρχειν δυνήσεται. Ἐπειδὴ καὶ τἄλλα πάντα ἐλαττώματα ἐν σοὶ χορεύειν φασὶ, καὶ ταμεῖόν σε καλοῦσι κακίας, καὶ θησαυρὸν ἀναισχυντίας· τοῦτο θαυμαστὸν εἶναι δοκεῖ, καὶ πᾶσαν ἔμπληξιν ὑπερβαίνειν. Εἰσὶ γάρ τινες ὠμοὶ μὲν, σώφρονες δὲ, ἢ αἰσχροκερδεῖς μὲν, μέτριοι δὲ, ἢ ἀσελγεῖς μὲν, ἥμεροι δέ. Σὲ δὲ διὰ πάντων χωρεῖν κωμῳδοῦσι· γλῶσσαν μὲν γὰρ ὁπλίζειν σε φασι κατὰ τῶν φιλαρέτων, αἰσχροῖς δὲ κέρδεσιν ἐγκαλινδούμενον καὶ σεμνύνεσθαι, πάντας δὲ τοὺς πώποτε ἐπὶ λαγνείᾳ βεβοημένους ἀποκρύψαντα καὶ ἐναβρύνεσθαι, κάτω δὲ τὴν ὀφρὺν ἔχειν, ὀφείλοντα, διὰ τὰς πράξεις, ἃς οὐδὲ εἰπεῖν θέμις, ἄνω κροτάφων αὐτὴν ἐπαίρειν. Καὶ συλλήβδην εἰπεῖν, πᾶν μέλος τοῦ σώματος τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐμφαίνει ῥᾳθυμίαν τε καὶ ἀπόνοιαν. Καίτοι θάτερον θατέρῳ ἐναντίον ἐστὶν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς σὲ συνδεδραμηκέναι διισχυρίζονται. Εἰ τοίνυν ἀληθεύουσι, μετανόει ἐνταῦθα, ἵνα μὴ ἐκεῖσε ἀνονήτως αὐτὸ πράξειας.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Many people, or rather, so to speak, all people, have both excellences and defects; they pride themselves on the one and hide their faces over the other. But you, as they say, are full of defects and destitute and naked of good deeds. That you are overcome by the belly and subdued by the passions that follow the belly is no wonder, for these mostly follow it; whoever rules the belly will be able to rule intercourse too. But since they say that every other defect too dances in you, and call you a storehouse of vice and a treasury of shamelessness, this seems a wonder beyond all amazement. For there are some who are cruel but chaste, or greedy but moderate, or licentious but gentle. But they mock you for going through all of them. They say that you arm your tongue against the lovers of virtue; that you wallow in shameful gains and are proud of it; that you shelter all who were ever notorious for lust and glory in it; and that you raise your brow above your temples, when for deeds that it is not lawful even to mention you ought to keep it lowered. In short, every limb of your body displays the carelessness and the arrogance of your soul; and though the one is the opposite of the other, they insist that both have run together in you. If, then, they speak the truth, repent here, so that you may not do it uselessly there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.108 (PG 78 78:549; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-108)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.109":{"o":"ΜΑΡΚΩ.\nΔιὰ τί, ἔφης, οὐ πάντας τοὺς προσφερομένους αὐτὸν, ὁμοίως ὁ οἶνος διατίθησιν· ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὲν εὐμενεῖς ποιεῖ, τοὺς δὲ θυμώδεις· καὶ τοὺς μὲν φιλικούς, τοὺς δὲ μαχίμους· καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἡμέρους, τοὺς δὲ θηριώδεις; Οἶμαι τοίνυν, ἐπειδὴ καὶ φυσιολογεῖν ἡμᾶς ἀναγκάζεις, ταῦτα συμβαίνειν, ἢ ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ σώματος διαθέσεως, τῷ ἢ αὔξεσθαι, ἢ μειοῦσθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ οἶνου τὰς αἰτίας τῶν τοιούτων συμπτωμάτων, ἢ ἀπὸ τῶν λανθανόντων τοὺς πολλοὺς τῆς ψυχῆς κινημάτων. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μόνων τῶν ὑγρῶν ἡθοποιὸν ὁ οἶνός ἐστι, κίρναται τρόπον τινὰ τοῖς τρόποις τῶν χρωμένων. Πρὸς ὁποῖον γὰρ ἂν ἦθος προσενεχθῇ, τοιαῦτα καὶ τὰ πάθη ἀποφαίνει, οὐ μὴ ὄντα αὐτὰ κατασκευάζων, ἀλλὰ κεκρυμμένα γυμνῶν. Τὸ γὰρ πεπλασμένον ἦθος ἀπαμφιάσας, ἐκφαίνει τὰ λανθάνοντα. \"Όθεν καὶ εἰς παροιμίαν κεχώρηκε τὸ τοιοῦτο, λεγόντων πολλῶν· Ἐν οἴνῳ ἡ ἀλήθεια. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ δοκοῦντας σεμνότητος δόξῃ ἐναβρύνεσθαι, ἐκλαλητικοὺς τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων πολλάκις ἔδειξε, καὶ ὅπερ ἄῤῥητον ἄμεινον, εἰπεῖν παρεσκεύασε· τοὺς δὲ ἀπὸ μισοπονηρίας πολλάκις εἰς ὀργὴν ἐκτραπέντας, μειλιχίους τε καὶ πράους ἤλεγξεν ὄντας· τῶν μὲν, τὴν ἐπὶ σεμνότητι δόξαν· τῶν δὲ, τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ ὀργῇ αἰτίαν ἐξαφανίσας. Οὐ γὰρ τὰ μὴ ὄντα κατασκευάζει, ἀλλὰ τὰ ὄντα μὲν, λανθάνοντα δὲ, δημοσιεύει.","t":"To Mark. Why, you said, does wine not affect all who take it alike, but makes some kindly and others angry, some friendly and others quarrelsome, some gentle and others beastly? I think, then (since you force us to discuss natural philosophy), that this happens either from the state of the body, because the causes of such symptoms are increased or diminished by the wine, or from movements of the soul that are hidden from most people. For since wine alone among liquids forms character, it mixes in a way with the characters of those who use it. To whatever character it is applied, it reveals corresponding passions, not creating what is not there but stripping bare what is hidden. For it strips off the feigned character and brings to light what lay concealed. Hence it has become a proverb, as many say: \"In wine is truth.\" It has often shown that those who seemed to pride themselves on a reputation for dignity were blabbers of secrets, and made them say what were better left unsaid; and it has shown that those who often turned to anger out of hatred of wickedness were mild and gentle, removing from the one the reputation for dignity and from the other the charge of anger. For it does not create what is not there, but publishes what is there but hidden.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.109 (PG 78 78:549; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-109)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.110":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ\nΠερὶ τῶν τὰ ἴδια πλημμελήματα ἐώντων, τὰ ἀλλότρια πολυπραγμονούντων. Λίαν θαυμάζω, ὅπως νόσημα τυραννικὸν καὶ ἀνήμερον, ἡδονῆς μὲν ἄμοιρον, κόλασιν δὲ ὠδῖνον, κεκράτηκε μὲν πάσης ἡλικίας, ἐχειρώσατο δὲ πᾶσαν ἀξίαν, ἐλυμήνατο δὲ πᾶσαν εὐκοσμίαν. Ἔκαστος γὰρ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ πταίσματα παρεὶς μέγιστα ὄντα, καὶ συγγνώμης πολλάκις μείζονα, τὰ τῶν πέλας ἐλάττονα ὄντα, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ συγγνώμης ἄξια, πολυπραγμονεῖ· καὶ λυπεῖται μὲν περὶ τῶν οἰκείων λογιζόμενος ἀγάλλεται δὲ περὶ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων διαλεγόμενος, καὶ εἰς τὸ τὰ τῶν ἄλλων πολυπραγμονεῖν καὶ καταδικάζειν δαπανᾷ τὸν οἰκεῖον χρόνον· καὶ ἑαυτῷ μὲν καὶ τὰς οὐκ οὔσας ἀπολογίας πορίζεται, τῶν δὲ πλησίον πικρὸς καὶ ἀπαραίτητος κάθηται δικαστής, κἂν δοκοῖεν ἀπολογίαις εὐλόγοις πλουτεῖν. Χρὴ τοίνυν τοὺς βουλομένους θεραπείαν τῷ τοιούτῳ ἐπινοῆσαι νοσήματι, στρέφειν τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ὄμμα ἀπὸ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἐπὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα πλημμελήματα, καὶ τὴν γλώτταν ἐθίζειν μὴ κατὰ τῶν πέλας, ἀλλὰ καθ' ἑαυτῶν καταφορικῶς λέγειν. Τοῦτο μὲν γὰρ δικαιοσύνην ὠδίνει (λέγε γὰρ σὺ τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου πρῶτον ἵνα δικαιωθῇς), ἐκεῖνο δὲ μείζονα κατάκρισιν τίκτει. Δεινὸν γὰρ, καὶ πάσης ἀτοπίας ἐπέκεινα, τοὺς μεγάλα πταίοντας, τοῖς οὐδὲν ἢ μικρὰ πλημμελοῦσιν ἐπιτιμᾶν.","t":"To Eustathius the deacon. [On those who leave their own offences alone and meddle with those of others.] I greatly wonder how a tyrannical and savage disease, which has no share in pleasure but is in labour with punishment, has mastered every age, subdued every rank and ruined all decorum. For each person, passing over his own failings, which are very great and often beyond pardon, busies himself with those of his neighbours, which are smaller and often deserve pardon. He grieves when he reckons up his own, but exults when he discusses those of others; he spends his own time meddling with and condemning other people's affairs; for himself he provides even excuses that do not exist, while over his neighbours he sits as a bitter and inexorable judge, even if they seem rich in reasonable excuses. Those who wish to devise a cure for such a disease must turn the eye of the soul from the offences of others to their own, and accustom the tongue to speak accusingly, not against their neighbours but against themselves. For this gives birth to righteousness (\"Tell your sins first, that you may be justified\"), while that begets greater condemnation. For it is a terrible thing, beyond all absurdity, that those who fail greatly should rebuke those who offend in nothing or in little.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.110 (PG 78 78:551; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-110)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.111":{"o":"ΖΗΝΩΝΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠερὶ ἀσκήσεως. Μὴ ἐκείνοις, ὦ φιλότης, σαυτὸν παράβαλλε, τοῖς περιχαρῶς μὲν τὸ θεῖον ὑποδεξαμένοις κήρυγμα, μὴ ἐν βάθει [δὲ] τῆς διανοίας παραπέμψασι τὸν σπόρον. Ἐπιπολαιόφυτοι γὰρ καὶ ἐπιπολαιόριζοι γεγονότες, θᾶττον ἢ λόγος ἀπεξηράνθησαν, καρπὸν μὲν ὥριμον μὴ ἐνηνοχότες, τῶν δὲ πειρασμῶν ἔργον γεγενημένοι. ᾿Αλλ' ἐκείνοις τοῖς βαθυῤῥίζοις, καὶ πολυῤῥίζοις, καὶ πολυκαλάμοις, καὶ πολυκάρποις, ὧν οἱ ἀστάχυες κομῶντες, καὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ καρποῦ βριθόμενοι καρηβαροῦσι καὶ κέκλινται, ὑπὸ τῆς πρὸς ἄμητον ὥρας μονονουχὶ ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς καλοῦντες τὴν τῶν θεριστῶν δρεπάνην. Εὖ γὰρ ἐπίστανται, ὅτι τοὺς τοιούτους ὁ Χριστὸς εἰς τὰς οὐρανίους λήξεις ἀποκομίσαι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις προσέταξε, συνεορτάσοντας καὶ συμβασιλεύσοντας, καὶ ἀτελευτήτου θυμηδίας μεθέξοντας. Ἐπειδὴ ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς τὸ πᾶν διακυβερνᾷ σῶμα, φαιδρύνει τε καὶ κοσμεῖ τὴν ὄψιν, καὶ λύχνος ἐστὶν ἁπάντων τῶν μελῶν· διὰ τοῦτο ὥσπερ ἔν τινι βασιλικῷ χωρίῳ ἵδρυται, τὴν ἄνω λῆξιν λαχὼν, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων αἰσθήσεων προκαθήμενος. Ὄνπερ γὰρ τρόπον ὁ ἥλιος ἐν τῇ οἰκουμένῃ, οὕτω καὶ ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς ἐν τῷ σώματι. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνος, εἰ τῷ λόγῳ σβεσθείη, πάντα συνταράξειεν· οὕτω καὶ ὁ ὀφθαλμὸς εἰ ἀποσβεσθείη, καὶ πόδες ἄχρηστοι, καὶ χεῖρες, καὶ ἅπαν σχεδὸν τὸ σῶμα. Τοῦ χάριν δὴ ταῦτ᾽ ἔφην; \"Ὅτι καὶ ὁ διδάσκαλος ὀφθαλμός ἐστι τοῦ σώματος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Ἐὰν οὖν οὗτος φωτεινὸς ᾗ, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, ταῖς τῶν ἀρετῶν ἀκτῖσι μαρμαίρων, ὅλον τὸ σῶμα φωτεινὸν ἔσται, ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνου κυβερνώμενον, καὶ τῆς προσηκούσης ἐπιμελείας ἀξιούμενον· ἐὰν δὲ σκοτεινός, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τὰ σκότους ἄξια δρῶν [ὅλον] σχεδὸν τὸ σῶμα σκοτίζεται. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ εἶέν τινες τῶν ἐν τάξει μελῶν ὑγιαίνοντες, καὶ τὰ πρέποντα αὐτοῖς ἀνύοντες, καὶ μηδὲν ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ διδασκάλου μοχθηρίας παραβλαπτόμενοι· ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν τοσοῦτον ἰσχύουσι, τῆς βλάβης τὰ καίρια νεμομένης, καὶ τῆς κακίας, καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς εἰς τὸν τοῦ καθηγητοῦ ζῆλον ἐρεθιζούσης, καὶ τοὺς ὑγιαίνοντας κατηγορούσης, καὶ πάντα τρόπον ὅπως καὶ αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ νοσεῖν ἐμβάλ[λ]οι πραγματευομένης. Διὰ τοῦτ᾽ εἴρηται· Εἰ οὖν τὸ φῶς τὸ ἐν σοὶ, σκότος ἐστὶ, τὸ σκότος πόσον; Οἷον, ἐὰν τις εἴποι Ἐκκλησίᾳ τυραννικαῖς ἐπιθυμίαις ἐχούσῃ ὑφηγητὴν Εἰ ὁ ὠφελεῖν καὶ φωτίζειν ὀφείλων, οὐδὲ φωτισθῆναι ἀνέχεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ὠφελεῖν προῃρημένους ἐξοστρακίζει· οἱ ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ τελοῦντες, τί οὐκ ἂν δράσοιεν;","t":"To Zeno the deacon. [On ascetic discipline.] Do not compare yourself, dear friend, with those who received the divine preaching joyfully but did not send the seed down into the depth of their mind. Becoming shallow-planted and shallow-rooted, they withered quicker than a word, bearing no ripe fruit and becoming the prey of temptations. Compare yourself rather with those that are deep-rooted, many-rooted, many-stalked and fruitful, whose ears, luxuriant and laden with grain, are heavy-headed and bowed, and at the season of harvest all but call the reapers' sickle upon themselves. For they know well that Christ has commanded the angels to carry such as these to the heavenly inheritance, to feast with him, to reign with him and to share in unending joy. [Letter 2.112] Since the eye steers the whole body, brightens and adorns the face, and is the lamp of all the members, it is set as in a royal place, having been allotted the upper station and presiding over the other senses. As the sun is in the world, so is the eye in the body. And as the sun, if one imagines it put out, would throw everything into confusion, so too, if the eye is put out, feet and hands and almost the whole body are useless. Why have I said this? Because the teacher too is the eye of the body of the Church. If, then, he is full of light, that is, gleaming with the rays of the virtues, the whole body will be full of light, governed by him and receiving fitting care; but if he is dark, that is, doing deeds worthy of darkness, almost the whole body is darkened. For even if some of the members in the ranks are healthy, doing what befits them and in no way harmed by the teacher's wickedness, still they are not strong enough, since the harm consumes the vital parts, and the wickedness provokes the rest to imitate their leader, accuses the healthy, and contrives in every way to throw them too into sickness. That is why it is said, \"If, then, the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!\" As if one should say to a Church that has a leader with tyrannical desires: if the one who ought to help and enlighten does not even bear to be enlightened, but banishes those who choose to help, what would those under him not do?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.111 (PG 78 78:551; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-111)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.113":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ ἀκτημοσύνης. Εἰ καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν πολλῶν σκαιότητός τε καὶ ἀπληστίας εἰς ἀδύνατον δοκεῖ περιεστάναι τὸ τῆς ἀκτημοσύνης κατόρθωμα, καὶ οὐδὲ πιστεύεταί τις παρὰ σοὶ κατορθῶν· εἰσὶ μέν[τοι], καὶ οἶδά τινας. Εἰ δὲ αὐτὸς ἀγνοεῖς, θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν. Ὑπὸ γὰρ φιλοχρηματίας μεθύων, εἰκότως ἀγνοεῖς τοὺς καθαρῶς νήφοντας. Πλὴν ζήλωσον τοὺς τῇ αὐταρκείᾳ χρωμένους, τοὺς ἀπὸ δικαίων πόνων ζῶντας, τοὺς τοῖς οἰκείοις πόνοις ἀρκουμένους Ἢ οὐδὲ τούτους ὁρᾷς διαλάμποντας, καὶ καθάπερ λαμπτῆρας ἀστράπτοντας; Ζήλωσον τούτους τέως, καὶ παῦσαι κατὰ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων οὐσιῶν τε καὶ χρημάτων τὰς μιαρὰς σαυτοῦ καὶ ἀπλήστους ῥίπτων χεῖρας· καὶ οὕτω δυνήσῃ κἀκείνους κατιδεῖν. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ ἀκούσας, οὔτε πεισθήσῃ, ἀλλὰ καὶ φλυαρήσεις αὐτοὺς καὶ κωμῳδήσεις, ἅτε μανίαν ἀνήκεστον νοσῶν. Εἰ δὲ εἰς μετρίαν ὑγίειαν ἔλθοις, ῥᾳδίως ἂν καὶ τοὺς εἰλικρινῶς ὑγιαίνοντας κατόψει· ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε δὲ καὶ ἀγωγοὺς καὶ ἡγεμόνας αὐτοὺς ἔξεις τῆς ἀρίστης ταύτης ὁδοῦ.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. [On poverty.] Even if, because of the folly and greed of the many, the achievement of poverty seems to have become impossible, and you do not believe that anyone achieves it, yet there are such people, and I know some. If you yourself do not know them, it is no wonder: drunk with love of money, you naturally do not know those who are purely sober. But at least emulate those who practise self-sufficiency, who live from just labours and are content with their own toil. Or do you not see even these shining out and flashing like lamps? Emulate these for the time being, and stop throwing your defiled and insatiable hands on other people's property and money; and so you will be able to see those others too. For now, when you hear of them, you will not believe, but will even call them nonsense and mock them, sick as you are with an incurable madness. But if you come to moderate health, you would easily see those who are purely healthy, and sometimes you would even have them as guides and leaders on this best road.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.113 (PG 78 78:553; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-113)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.114":{"o":"ΚΑΡΠΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ τῶν βδελυττομένων τοὺς ἐναρέτους. Σκαιότατος εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ καὶ ἀλιτήριος, οὐχ ὁ τὸν ἀδικήσαντα καὶ ὑβρίσαντα (συγγνώμη γὰρ τῷ τοιούτῳ πολλάκὶς παρέπεται), ἀλλ᾽ ὁ τὸν ἀμείνονα τυγχάνοντα, καὶ ὑπὸ πάντων ἀνυμνούμενον, μισῶν τε καὶ κωμῳδῶν. Ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ, εἰ καὶ μὴ εἰς κορυφὴν τῆς φιλοσοφίας ἀναβέβηκεν, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε ἔχειν δοκεῖ τοῦ μίσους εὔλογον αἰτίαν. Οὗτος δὲ μηδεμιᾶς αἰτίας ὑποκειμένης, οὐ τοσοῦτον ἀνθρώπῳ, ὅσον τῇ ἀρετῇ πολεμεῖ, καὶ πάντα τὰ καλὰ ἐκ βάθρων ἀνασπάσαι πειρᾶται. Εἰ δὲ Εὐστάθιος τοῦτο δρᾷ, ἢ παυστέον αὐτὸν τοῦ μύσους, ἢ ἐκκηρυκτέον ὡς ἐναγῆ. Μία γάρ ἐστιν ἀρετὴ, τὸ φεύγειν τὸν ἄτοπον ἀεὶ, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν μηδὲν αἰσχρὸν ἡγῆται, ἢ τὸ σωφρονεῖν.","t":"To Carpus the presbyter. [On those who loathe the virtuous.] The most perverse and accursed man seems to me to be not the one who hates someone who has wronged and insulted him (for pardon often follows such a man), but the one who hates and mocks someone who is better than he and praised by all. The former, even if he has not climbed to the summit of philosophy, at least seems to have a reasonable cause for his hatred. The latter, with no cause at all, makes war not so much on a man as on virtue, and tries to tear all good things up from their foundations. If Eustathius does this, either he must be stopped from his defilement or expelled as accursed. For there is one virtue: always to flee the outrageous man, especially when he thinks nothing shameful except chastity.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.114 (PG 78 78:555; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-114)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.115":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς περιτομής. Τις τὸν ἀκήρατον νοῦν ἐν διαμαρτίᾳ τοῦ πρέποντος γεγενῆσθαι ψηφιεῖται; Τίς οὕτω τόλμης ἀπάσης ἐπέκεινα χωρεῖν τολμήσειεν, ὡς τὴν σοφίαν πταίσασαν αἰτιάσασθαι; Τοῦτο γὰρ ἂν εἰκότως πείσοιτο, εἰ τὰ μὲν ἄλλα ζῶα μὴ ἔξω τοῦ πρέποντος ἐδημιούργησε, μόνον δὲ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, καίτοι βασιλέα καὶ ἄρχοντα αὐτὸν τῶν ἐπιγείων ἁπάντων χειροτονῆσαι προῃρημένη, περιττῷ ἄχθει βρίθεσθαι πεποίηκεν, ὁ ὕστερον διὰ τῆς περιτομῆς ἀφαιρεῖν προσέταξεν. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτ᾽ οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν (τις γὰρ οὕτως ἀνόητος καὶ τῶν κατὰ φύσιν φρενῶν ἐνδεὴς, ὡς τὴν θείαν ἐπιστήμην ἀτεχνίας γράψασθαι;), τὸ πρέπον σχήμα καὶ τούτῳ ἐφύλαξεν. Εἰ δὲ πρεπόντως ἐδημιούργησε, καὶ δηλοῦσι καὶ ἀνδριαντοποιοὶ, καὶ λιθοξόοι, πλάσται τε καὶ γραφεῖς τῇ ἀρχαίᾳ πλάσει ἀκολουθοῦντες, καὶ τὸ εὐπρεπὲς τοῦ ὕστερον διά τινα αἰτίαν πεπισθέντας προτιμῶντες· ζητείτωσαν οἱ τὴν περιτομὴν πέρα τοῦ μέτρου θαυμάζοντες, τὴν ταύτης χρείαν. Καὶ εἰ μὲν τὴν ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ μηνύει περιτομὴν, ἐπιτεινέτωσαν τὸ θαῦμα, καὶ τότε κροτείτωσαν τοὺς ἄνευ περιτομῆς τὰς ἐπιθυμίας περιτέμνοντας. Εἰ δὲ σημεῖον αὐτοῖς δέδοται πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἐπιμίγνυσθαι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν, ὡς ἵπποις δυσηνίοις καὶ ἀγερώχοις χαλινὸς καὶ σφραγίς· μὴ μέγα ἐπὶ ταύτῃ φρονείτωσαν, τῇ τὴν ἀπαιδευσίαν αὐτῶν στηλιτευούσῃ. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ῎Αβελ, καὶ Ἐνώχ, καὶ Νῶε, καὶ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ, πρὸ τοῦ ὀφθῆναι ἢ λεχθῆναι περιτομὴν, ηὐδοκίμησαν, οὐκ εὐδοκιμήσεώς ἐστιν ὑπόθεσις, ἂλλ᾽ ἢ ἄρα εὐδοκιμήσεως σφραγίς. Ὁ τοίνυν ἔχων πλοῦτον ἀρετῆς, ἐχέτω καὶ σφραγίδα. Ὁ δὲ πενίαν ἐσχάτην ὀδυρόμενος, γέλωτα ὀφλισκάνει, σφραγίδα μὲν ἐπιφερόμενος, πλούτου δὲ ἐνδεής ὤν. ᾿Ακουέτω δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ὁ ἐπὶ ταύτῃ μέγα φρονῶν· Εἰ μὲν σὸν τὸ κατόρθωμα, φρόνει ὡς φρονεῖς, οὐ διοισόμεθα· εἰ δὲ ἐν ἀώρῳ γέγονεν ἡλικίᾳ (διὸ καὶ ἡμεῖς εὐχαριστοῦμεν, ἀκερδοῦς πόνου ἀπηλλαγμένοι), δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις σεμνύνῃ; Ἕκαστος γὰρ ἐξ οἰκείων πόνων ἐναβρύνεσθαι δίκαιος, οὐκ ἀφ᾿ ὧν ἄλλοι ἐπιτιθέασι σημείων.","t":"To Dorotheus. [On circumcision.] Who will vote that the pure Mind erred about what is fitting? Who would dare go so far beyond all daring as to accuse Wisdom of stumbling? Yet one would reasonably think so if Wisdom had fashioned the other animals fittingly, but made man alone, whom it had chosen to appoint king and ruler of all things on earth, weighed down with a superfluous burden, which it afterwards commanded to be removed by circumcision. If this cannot be said (for who is so foolish and so lacking in natural sense as to charge the divine knowledge with lack of skill?), it kept the fitting form in man too. That it fashioned him fittingly is shown by sculptors, stonecutters, modellers and painters, who follow the original formation and prefer its comeliness to what was imposed later for some reason. Let those who admire circumcision beyond measure, then, seek its purpose. If it signifies the circumcision that is in secret, let them heighten their wonder, and then applaud those who without circumcision circumcise their desires. But if it was given them as a sign so that they should not mix with the nations, like a bridle and a brand for unruly and arrogant horses, let them not pride themselves on what pillories their lack of discipline. For if Abel, Enoch, Noah and Abraham were approved before circumcision was seen or spoken of, it is not a ground of approval but rather a seal of approval. Let him, then, who has the wealth of virtue have the seal too. But he who laments the most extreme poverty incurs ridicule, carrying the seal but lacking the wealth. And let the one who prides himself on it hear this too: if the achievement is yours, think as you think, and we will not dispute it; but if it was done at an age too young to know (for which we too give thanks, since we were spared a profitless pain), why do you pride yourself on what belongs to others? For each one may rightly pride himself on his own labours, not on signs that others put on him.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.115 (PG 78 78:555; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-115)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.116":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΠερὶ ἑορτῶν. Τὰς ἀρετὰς τίμα, μὴ τὰς εὐημερίας θεράπευε. Αἱ μὲν γὰρ ἀθάνατόν εἰσι χρῆμα, αἱ δὲ ῥᾳδίως σβέννυνται. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν εἰς τοσοῦτον. Μὴ ἀγνόει δὲ, ὅτι ὁ Θεὸς ταῖς ἑορταῖς καὶ πάλαι καὶ νῦν ἐγκατέδησε τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν τὰ ὑπομνήματα, ἵν' οἱ πανηγυρίζοντες ἔναυλον τὴν τούτων μνήμην ἔχοντες, μὴ εἰς μέθην, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς εὐχαριστίαν καὶ ἀρετὴν τρέποιντο.","t":"To Paul. [On feasts.] Honour virtues; do not court prosperity. The former are an immortal thing, the latter is easily quenched. So much for that. But know that God, both of old and now, bound the memorials of his benefits to the feasts, so that those who celebrate, keeping their memory fresh, might turn not to drunkenness but to thanksgiving and virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.116 (PG 78 78:557; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-116)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.117":{"o":"ΘΕΟΦΙΛΩ.\nΜάλιστα μὲν εἰ ἐρωτηθείη τις παρά τινος συκοφαντεῖν τολμῶντος τὴν ἀλήθειαν· Πάντα δυνατὰ τῷ Θεῷ; καὶ ἀποκρίνεται· Ναί· εἶτα ἐκεῖνος ἐπενέγκοι· Οὐκοῦν καὶ τὰ κακά· ἀμαθίας ὀφλῆσαι γέλωτα δίκαιος ἂν εἴη, οὐχ ὁ ἀποκρινάμενος, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ὁ ἐρωτήσας. Οὐ γὰρ ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς Θεῷ δυνατοῖς ἀριθμεῖται τὰ κακά. Ὅπου γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ὀνομάζεται, τὸ καλὸν ἀραρότως ἕπεται. Καὶ οὐδ᾽ ἐννοήσειέ τις ὑγιαίνων τὸν νοῦν, ὅτι τῷ Θεῷ τὰ κακὰ δυνατά, οὐδ᾽ ἀσθένειάν τις καλέσειε τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι τὰ κακὰ δρᾶν. ᾿Ασθένεια γὰρ κυρίως, ἡ τῶν κακῶν πρᾶξις. Διὸ καὶ ὁ ταῦτα μάλιστα ἀκριβῶς ἐπιστάμενος Παῦλος, ἀσθενείας τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἐκάλει, λέγων· Εἰ γὰρ Χριστὸς ὄντων ἡμῶν ἀσθενῶν, κατὰ καιρὸν ὑπὲρ ἀσεβῶν ἀπέθανε. Καὶ ὁ τοῦ Μελῳδοῦ δὲ λόγος τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυᾶται. Ἐπληθύνθησαν γὰρ, φησὶν, αἱ ἀσθένειαι αὐτῶν, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνό τις ἀνθυπενεγκών τῷ λέγοντι, Πάντα Θεῷ δυνατὰ, νοῦν ἔχειν νομισθήσεται. Ποῖον δὴ τοῦτο; Φλυαρεῖν γὰρ εἰώθασι, καὶ λέγειν· ῾Αρ᾿ οὖν καὶ τὸ γεγονὸς ποιῆσαι μὴ γεγονέναι, Θεῷ δυνατόν ἐστιν; Αχρεῖον γὰρ δὴ πάλιν τὸ τοιοῦτο. Οὐδ᾽ οὐδὲν ἀχρεῖον ἐπὶ τῆς θείας δυνάμεως παραλαμβάνεται. Περιτταὶ μὲν οὖν καὶ εἰσὶ, καὶ ἀπεδείχθησαν αἱ κατὰ τοῦ τοιούτου λόγου συκοφαντίαι, πλὴν ἀλλ᾽, ἵνα μηδὲ ταύτας ἀνακινεῖν ἔχοιεν, καὶ τὰς ἀκοὰς τῶν ἀκροωμένων λυμαίνεσθαι, εἱ ἐρωτηθείημεν, εἰ πάντα τῷ Θεῷ δυνατά, ἀποκρινώμεθα· Τὰ πρέποντα αὐτῷ· καὶ πᾶσα λύεται ἀνωφελής ζήτησις. Δύναται μὲν γὰρ πάντα, βούλεται δὲ τὰ ἄριστα. Περὶ ἀγνωμοσύνης. Μὴ τὸν δόξαντα σοφόν τι πεποιηκέναι αἰτιῶ, ἀλλὰ τὸν μηδὲ τῇ τοσαύτῃ ἐπιεικείᾳ σωφρονισθέντα. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ νομίσας τὸν ἐπ᾿ αὐτοφώρῳ καταληφθησόμενον, εἰς ἀναισχυντίαν τρέπεσθαι, ἑκὼν δέδωκε τοῦ λαθεῖν ἐξουσίαν. Ὁ δὲ τὸ σοφὸν νομίσας ἡλίθιον, τῷ μὴ δόξαι πεφωρᾶσθαι, τὴν ἀναισχυντίαν ἔθρεψεν, ὕβρεσι τὸν εὐεργέτην ἀμειψάμενος. Περὶ φύσεως ζώων. Ἐπειδὴ οἶδά σε καινοτέρας διψῶντα ἀκοῆς, καὶ οὐκ ἀφεξόμενον εἰ μὴ μάθοις φράσω συντόμως, εἰ καὶ πέρα τῶν τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης διανοίας ὅρων εἶναι δοκεῖ τὸ παρὰ σοῦ ζητηθέν. Τῶν ζώων, τὰ μὲν διαμασσώμενα τὴν τροφὴν, ζωοτοκεῖ τὰ δὲ καταπίνοντα, ὠοτοκεῖ. Καὶ τὰ μὲν ταῖς πρώταις ἀρκεῖται ὠδῖσιν, ὡς τελεσφόροις· τὰ δὲ, καὶ δευτέρας ἀνακινεῖ· Ὅταν ὁ καιρὸς καλῇ τὴν εἰς ζῶα τῶν ὡῶν μεταβολὴν, ἐπωάσαντα ἐπὶ ῥηταῖς ἡμέραις, δύναμίν τινα ἐνίησι φυσικὴν, ὥστε ὁ πρώην ἔτεκον ἄψυχα, ψυχωθῆναι. Οἱ γὰρ σπερματικοὶ λόγοι, οἱ παρὰ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ ἐξαρχῆς ταῖς φύσεσιν ἐντεθέντες, ὑποτυφόμενοι, εἰ ἀναῤῥιπισθεῖεν, σπινθήρων τρόπον ἐν ὕλῃ κατὰ τὰς τῶν χρόνων συναυξήσεις ἐξάπτεσθαι φιλοῦσιν. Ὥστε θαυμάζειν μὲν χρὴ τὰ γιγνόμενα, εἰς τὸν πάνσοφον Δημιουργὸν ἀναφέρειν τὸ θαῦμα. Ταῦτα γὰρ ἐμφαίνει, οὐ τὴν τῶν ζώων τῆς οἰκείας διαμονῆς πρόνοιαν (φανταστικὴ γάρ ἐστιν αὐτῶν ἡ φύσις, οὐ λογικὴ), ἀλλὰ τῆς τὰ ὅλα διοικούσης φύσεως. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐργάζεται διανοίᾳ· ἡ δὲ, ποικίλων οὖσα γενῶν δημιουργὸς, τὰς ὁρμὰς ἑκάστῳ ἐνδίδωσιν εἰς τὴν τῶν συντελούντων ἐκπλήρωσιν.","t":"To Theophilus. Above all, if someone were asked by a man who dares to slander the truth, \"Are all things possible for God?\", and answered \"Yes\", and the other then added, \"Then evil things too\", it would be not the one who answered but rather the one who asked who would deserve to be laughed at for ignorance. For evil things are not counted among the things possible to God. Where God is named, the good follows firmly. No one of sound mind would think that evil things are possible for God, nor would anyone call the inability to do evil weakness. For weakness, properly speaking, is the doing of evil. That is why Paul, who knew this most precisely, called sins weaknesses, saying, \"For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.\" And the Psalmist's word guarantees this: \"Their weaknesses were multiplied,\" he says, that is, their sins. Nor will anyone be thought to have sense who raises against the one who says \"All things are possible for God\" the following objection. What is it? They are accustomed to babble and say: \"Is it possible for God, then, to make what has happened not to have happened?\" For such a thing is again useless, and nothing useless is ascribed to the divine power. The slanders against such a statement are superfluous and have been shown to be so; but so that they may not be able to stir them up and corrupt the ears of those who hear, if we are asked whether all things are possible for God, let us answer: \"Those that befit him\"; and every useless inquiry is dissolved. For he can do all things, but he wills what is best. [Letter 2.118] [On ingratitude.] Do not blame the one who seemed to have acted wisely, but the one who was not brought to his senses even by such forbearance. The one, thinking that a man about to be caught in the act would turn to shamelessness, willingly gave him the chance to escape notice; the other, thinking the wise act foolish, because he seemed not to have been caught, fed his shamelessness, repaying his benefactor with insults. [Letter 2.119] [On the nature of animals.] Since I know that you thirst for something new to hear and will not leave off until you learn, I will tell you briefly, even if what you asked seems to lie beyond the bounds of human thought. Of animals, those that chew their food bear live young, while those that swallow it whole lay eggs. Some are content with their first birth pangs, as bringing their young to completion; others stir up a second: when the time calls for the change of the eggs into living creatures, by brooding them for fixed days they impart a natural power, so that what they formerly bore lifeless receives life. For the seminal principles placed in natures by the Creator from the beginning lie smouldering, and, if they are fanned, they tend to be kindled like sparks in fuel as time makes them grow. So one must marvel at what happens, and refer the wonder to the all-wise Creator. For these things display not the animals' own forethought for their preservation (their nature is governed by impressions, not by reason), but the forethought of the nature that governs the whole. The animals do nothing by understanding; but that nature, being the creator of many kinds, gives each its impulses for the fulfilment of what serves the whole.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.117 (PG 78 78:557; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-117)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.120":{"o":"ΑΥΣΟΝΙΩ ΚΟΡΡΙΚΤΟΡΙ.\nΠρὸς ἄρχοντας. Πρὸς μὲν τὰς ἱκεσίας τῶν ὑπὸ πενίας ἢ δυναστείας πολιορκουμένων, ἀναπεπταμένας ἔχε καὶ ἱππηλάτους ὦ θαυμάσιε, τὰς ἀκοὰς, διὰ τῆς ἡμερότητος καὶ τοὺς βραδύτερον φράζοντας ὁδηγῶν ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ λέγειν ὁδὸν · πρὸς δὲ τὰς τῶν κακηγόρων καὶ συκοφαντῶν λογοποιίας, κεκλεισμένας ταύτας καὶ ἀβάτους διαφύλαττε, διὰ βλοσυροῦ βλέμματος ἀναστέλλων αὐτῶν τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ χείρονα λέγειν ὁρμήν. Περὶ ἱερέων. Οὐ Ζώσιμον καὶ Παλλάδιον, Μάρωνά τε καὶ Εὐστάθιον, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους, οὓς κατηριθμήσω, τοσοῦτον ἂν ἔγωγε αἰτιασαίμην, οὕτως ἐξορχησαμένους τὴν εὐσέβειαν, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἐξυβρίσαντας, ὡς Εὐσέβιον, τὸν τούτοις ἅπασι τὴν αἰτίαν δεδωκότα. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ αὐτὸς αὐτοῖς πέπρακεν, ὡς φὴς, τὴν ἱερωσύνην, οὐκ ἂν ἐκεῖνοι εἰς τοσαύτην ἐξώκειλαν κακίαν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ κάκιστοι ἦσαν πρὸ τῆς χειροτονίας, ἀλλ' οὐ ταυτόν ἐστι, λαϊκὸν ἁμαρτάνειν καὶ ἱερέα, καὶ δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ νόμου. Τοσαύτην γάρ προστάττει θυσίαν ἀνάγεσθαι ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἁμαρτόντος ἱερέως, ὅσην ὑπὲρ παντὸς τοῦ λαοῦ. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἦν ἀντίῤῥοπος ἡ ἁμαρτία, οὐκ ἂν τὴν αὐτὴν θυσίαν ἀνάγεσθαι ἐθέσπισε. Μείζων δὲ γίνεται, οὐ τῇ φύσει, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἀξίᾳ τοῦ δρῶντος. Ὁ γὰρ τοὺς ἄλλους ῥυθμίζων, εἰ πταίσειεν, μείζον ἀπὸ τῆς ἀξίας ἀποφαίνει τὸ πταῖσμα. Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ δοὺς τὸ σπέρμα, τῶν φυτῶν αἴτιος, εἰκότως καὶ Εὐσέβιος πλέον ἐκείνων θρηνεῖσθαι ἂν εἴη δίκαιος. Περὶ τῶν κακῶς τὴν ἱερωσύνην μετερχομένων. ᾿Αποδέχομαι μέν σου τὸν θεῖον ζῆλον, ὅτι τὴν ἱερωσύνην ὑβριζομένην ὑπὸ Εὐσεβίου, τοῦ κατ᾿ ἀντίφρασιν τῆς εὐσεβείας οὕτως ἑαυτὸν κεκληκότος, θεώμενος ἀγανακτεῖς. Ἐξ ὧν γὰρ ἱερωσύνης ἀνάξιος ὢν, οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως εἰς ταύτην εἰσεκώμασεν, ἐκ τούτων καὶ τοῖς ἐπιτυχοῦσιν αὐτὴν νέμει εὔωνον καὶ πεπατημένον πρᾶγμα τὴν θείαν λειτουργίαν ἡγούμενος Ἀλλ᾿ ἐπειδὴ τῷ θείῳ καὶ ἀδεκάστῳ ταῦτα ἀνήκει κριτῇ, τῷ νυνὶ μὲν μακροθυμοῦντι, ἵν᾿ εἰς μετάνοιαν τοὺς πταίοντας ἀγάγῃ, ὕστερον δὲ οὐκ οἴσοντι τὰ γιγνόμενα, ἀλλ᾽ ἀφορήτους ὁριοῦντι τὰς κολάσεις· ἑαυτῶν ἐπιμελόμενοι τὰς ἡσυχίας ἄγωμεν. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἦν τι ἐκ τοῦ παρρησιάσασθαι κέρδος, οὐδενὶ ἂν παρεχώρησα, καίτοι διὰ τοῦτο πολλάκις ἐπιβουλευθείς. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ σιγῆς ὁ καιρὸς, ἀναμείνωμεν τὸν κριτήν.","t":"To Ausonius the corrector. [To governors.] To the supplications of those besieged by poverty or by the powerful, admirable friend, keep your ears open and wide as a highway, by your gentleness guiding even those who speak haltingly onto the road of speech; but to the fabrications of slanderers and informers keep them shut and inaccessible, checking with a stern look their eagerness to say what is worse. [Letter 2.121] [On priests.] I would not blame Zosimus and Palladius, Maron and Eustathius, and the others you listed, who have so danced away piety and outraged the priesthood, as much as Eusebius, who gave them all their occasion. For had he not sold them the priesthood, as you say, they would not have run aground in such vice. For even if they were very bad before their ordination, it is not the same thing for a layman to sin and for a priest, as is clear from the law: it commands as great a sacrifice to be offered for a priest who sins as for the whole people. If the sin were not of equal weight, it would not have ordained the same sacrifice. The sin becomes greater not by its nature but by the dignity of the one who commits it. For he who regulates others, if he stumbles, makes the stumble greater because of his dignity. If, then, the one who gave the seed is the cause of the plants, Eusebius would rightly deserve to be lamented more than they. [Letter 2.122] [On those who pursue the priesthood badly.] I welcome your divine zeal, because you are indignant at seeing the priesthood outraged by Eusebius, who bears that name as a contradiction of piety. By the same means by which, unworthy of the priesthood, he somehow revelled his way into it, he also hands it out to anyone who comes along, regarding the divine ministry as a cheap and trodden thing. But since these things belong to the divine and impartial Judge, who now is long-suffering in order to lead those who stumble to repentance, but afterwards will not bear what is done and will fix unbearable punishments, let us look after ourselves and keep quiet. If there were any gain from speaking out boldly, I would yield to no one, though I have often been plotted against for it. But since it is a time for silence, let us await the Judge.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.120 (PG 78 78:559; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-120)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.123":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΜὴ τῷ συγγνώμης τυχεῖν προσδοκᾷν, διὰ παντὸς πλημμέλει, ἀλλὰ τῷ μὴ πλημμελεῖν τὴν ἀσφάλειαν πορίζου. Πολλοὶ γὰρ τῇ προσδοκίᾳ τῆς συγγνώμης πολλὰ δράσαντες, τῆς συγγνώμης διήμαρτον, μήτε γνωσιμαχήσαντες, μήτε συγγνωσθέντες. ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΕΥ","t":"To Maron. Do not keep offending in the expectation of obtaining pardon, but procure your safety by not offending. For many who did much in the expectation of pardon missed the pardon, neither acknowledging their fault nor being forgiven. [Letter 2.124] To Martinian, Zosimus, Maron, Eu…","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.123 (PG 78 78:563; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-123)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.124":{"o":"ΣΤΑ\nΠρὸς ἱερεῖς. Ἐπειδὴ ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος, τὸ σκεῦος τῆς ἐκλογῆς, ὁ τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ νοημάτων ταμίας, ὁ γῆν καὶ θάλασσαν ῥυθμίσας, ὁ βαρβάρους φιλοσοφεῖν ἀναπείσας, Ἑλλήνων χείρους ἀπεφήνατο εἶναι τοὺς τῶν πέλας ὀλιγωροῦντας, φήσας· Εἰ δὲ τις τῶν ἰδίων, καὶ μάλιστα τῶν οἰκείων, οὐ προνοεῖ, τὴν πίστιν ἤρνηται, καὶ ἔστιν ἀπίστου χείρων· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ αὐτὸς ἐπὶ τὸ γράψαι ὑμῖν παρῆλθον. Τι γὰρ ἡγεῖσθε τὴν πρόνοιαν ἐνταῦθα δηλοῦν; Αρα τὴν τῶν τροφῶν χορηγίαν; Ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ ἡγοῦμαι τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλειαν. Εἰ δ᾽ ἀντείποιτε, καὶ οὕτως ὁ ἔφην κυρωθήσεται μᾶλλον. Εἰ γὰρ περὶ σώματος τοῦτ᾽ ἔχει, φησὶ, καὶ τὸν μὴ ὀρέγοντα τὴν ἀναγκαίαν τροφὴν, Ἑλλήνων ἔφησεν εἶναι ὠμότερον, ὁ τὸ μεῖζον καὶ ἀναγκαιότερον, φημὶ δὴ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλειαν, παρορῶν, ποῦ κείσεται; Οὐκοῦν πείσθητε, καὶ ἀνενέγκατε ἐκ τῆς μανίας. Πρὸς τοὺς ἐγκαλοῦντας ἐπὶ τῷ φεύγειν τὴν ἱερωσύνην. Τὸ μὲν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς καὶ ὄνομα καὶ πρᾶγμα θεῖον ὂν, καὶ κρεῖττον πάσης πολιτείας τε καὶ ἀξίας, ὀλίγοις δή τισι πρέπει, τοῖς πατρικὴν κηδεμονίαν, ἀλλ' οὐ τυραννικὴν αὐτονομίαν, εἶναι αὐτὸ οἰομένοις. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἰς ἀρχὴν, μᾶλλον δὲ, εἰ χρὴ μετὰ παρῥησίας εἰπεῖν, εἰς τυραννίδα αὐτὸ μετεῤῥύθμισάν τινες· ἴσθι, ὅτι τῆς περιβλέπτου καὶ περιμαχήτου ἀρχῆς, νῦν, εἴπερ ποτέ, σφοδρὸν ἑαυτῆς ἔρωτα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐμβαλ[λ]ούσης, καὶ ῥᾳδίως ἑαυτὴν τοῖς ἐρῶσι παρεχούσης, μικρὸς αὐτῆς ἅπασι τοῖς εὖ φρονοῦσι λόγος. Τιμωρίαν γὰρ διδόντων, οὐ τιμὴν λαμβανόντων, ταύτην εἶναι ἡγοῦνται. Ὡς τὰ πολλὰ γὰρ τῶν μὲν ἄρχουσι, τοῖς δὲ δουλεύουσι· καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἐπιτάττουσι, τοῖς δὲ ὑπηρετοῦσι· καὶ τοῖς μὲν κακῶς ποιοῦσι, τοῖς δὲ χαρίζονται· τοῖς μὲν ἐπίκεινται, τοῖς δὲ ὑποπεπτώκασι· καὶ φοβοῦνται μὲν ἐκείνους, μισοῦνται δὲ ὑπὸ τούτων. Μὴ θαύμαζε τοιγαροῦν, εἰ καὶ Ἱέραξ ὁ πρεσβύτερος, νοῦν ἔχων, ἔφυγε τὸ πρᾶγμα, καθάπερ νόσημα ἀργαλεώτατον. Περὶ τοῦ μὴ σκανδαλίζειν. Φοβοῦ ὅτι μάλιστα, ὦ φιλότης, σκανδαλίσαι τινά. Μεθύει γάρ πως ἐν ἀνθρώποις τὸ ἀγαθόν· καὶ οὐδενὸς κατασείοντος, ἕστηκε μόλις.","t":"[Letter 2.124, continued: …stathius.] [To priests.] Since the divine Paul, the vessel of election, the steward of Christ's thoughts, who set land and sea in order and persuaded barbarians to live wisely, declared that those who neglect their own are worse than unbelievers, saying, \"If anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for his household, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever,\" for this reason I too have come forward to write to you. What do you think \"provide\" means here? The supply of food? I think it means the care of the soul. And if you contradict me, what I have said will be confirmed all the more. For if, concerning the body, he said that one who does not hold out necessary food is crueller than the unbelievers, where will the one stand who neglects the greater and more necessary thing, I mean the care of the soul? Be persuaded, then, and recover from your madness. [Letter 2.125] [To those who blame a man for fleeing the priesthood.] The episcopate, both the name and the thing, being divine and higher than every way of life and every rank, befits only a few: those who think it a father's care, not a tyrant's independence. But since some have changed it into an office of rule, or rather, if one must speak frankly, into a tyranny, know that, although this conspicuous and much-contested office now, if ever, casts a violent passion for itself into people and readily gives itself to those who love it, all who think rightly take little account of it. For they consider it to belong to those who are paying a penalty, not receiving an honour. For mostly such men rule some and are slaves to others, command some and serve others, do harm to some and favours to others, press upon some and lie prostrate before others; they are feared by the one group and hated by the other. Do not wonder, then, if Hierax the presbyter, a man of sense, fled the thing like a most grievous disease. [Letter 2.126] [On not causing scandal.] Fear above all, dear friend, to scandalize anyone. For the good is somehow drunk among men: even when no one shakes it, it barely stands.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.124 (PG 78 78:563; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-124)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.125":{"o":"ΚΥΡΙΛΛΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\n\"ὅτι οὐ δεῖ τῶν παραινέσεων ἀμελεῖν ἢ ἀπογινώσκειν τινὸς, καὶ ὅτι, εἴ τινες νουθετούμενοι μένουσιν ἀδιόρθωτοι, τοῦτο οὐ τῶν παραινούντων, ἀλλὰ τῆς αὐτῶν προαιρέσεως ἔγκλημα· καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν ἐκεῖνοι οὐδὲν παραλείποιεν. Τῆς σῆς ἐστιν, ὦ πάντων ἄριστε, συνέσεώς τε καὶ αὐθεντίας, ταῖς κακίαις τῶν ἀρχόντων κεκμηκυῖαν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν τὴν κατὰ τὸ Πηλούσιον δυνάμεως καθαρότητι καὶ σπουδῇ ἀνακτήσασθαι. Πᾶσαν μὲν οὖν ἣν ὑπέμεινεν ἀδικίαν τε καὶ παροινίαν, ληῖζομένη τε καὶ ὑβριζομένη ὑπὸ μοχθηρῶν καὶ κακούργων ἀνθρώπων, οἷς ἄν τις οὐδ᾽ ἀλόγων ζώων ἀγέλην ἐγχειρίσειεν μήτοιγε λογικῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὑπὲρ ὧν δεῦρο ἐφοίτησε καὶ τὸ τίμιον ἑαυτοῦ αἷμα ἐξέχεεν ὁ Χριστός· οὐ τοῦ παρόντος φράσαι καιροῦ, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδενὸς καιροῦ. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ὁ καιρὸς ἀπῄτει, πάντα λόγον ὑπερέβαινε τὰ ὑπὸ τούτων σκαιωρηθέντα· ὀλίγα δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος ἀναγκαῖον ἂν εἴη εἰπεῖν, ἃ μηδὲ βουλομένοις σιγῆσαι ἀτιμώρητον Ἀλλὰ γὰρ ἔοικας, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ἤδη ἀπαιτεῖν τὴν διήγησιν. Διὸ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς τῶν προοιμίων παυσάμενος, ἐπὶ τὸ δρᾶμα τῷ λόγῳ βαδιοῦμαι. Τοσοῦτον εἰπὼν, μὴ τοῖς λόγοις μετρεῖν τὰ γεγενημένα (οὐ γὰρ ἂν εὕροιμεν λόγους ἐφαμίλλους τοῖς πεπραγμένοις, νικωμένης ἁπάσης γλώττης ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ἀληθείας), ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀκοιμήτοις τῆς διανοίας ὀφθαλμοῖς κατοπτεῦσαι τὰ δραματουργηθέντα. Τὸ μὲν οὖν δεδυσφημῆσθαι τὸ θεῖον, καὶ πεπορθῆσθαι τὴν πόλιν, καὶ πεπρᾶσθαι τὴν ἱερωσύνην, καὶ τετυραννῆσθαι τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν (τῶν μὲν σπουδαίων ἐξοστρακιζομένων, τῶν δὲ μήτε τῶν οὐδῶν αὐτῆς ἐπιβῆναι ὀφειλόντων, ἐγκρινομένων, καὶ τὰ θεῖα καὶ ἀπόῤῥητα αὐτῆς ἐμπιστευομένων μυστήρια· οὐχ ἡγοῦντο γὰρ ψυχὰς ἐμπεπιστεῦ[σ]θαι, ἀλλὰ τυραννίδα πατρώαν παρειληφέναι), καὶ ὅτι τῶν μὲν πενήτων λόγος ἦν αὐτοῖς οὐδεὶς, τά τε ἐκκλησιαστικά χρήματα ἐληΐζοντο, καὶ εἰς οἰκείας ἀνηλίσκοντο φιλοτιμίας· καὶ ὅτι τοὺς ῥύξαι ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς τολμῶντας ἕως αἷματος ἠμύναντο, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα, παραλείψω, τοῦτο ἀποδεικνὺς, ὡς ἄκων εἰς τούτους ἐξηνέχθην τοὺς λόγους. Τὸ δὲ νῦν σκαιωρηθὲν, ἐπειδήπερ οὔτε βουλομένῳ ἀκίνδυνος ἡ σιωπή, ὡς ἂν οἷός τε ὦ, διὰ βραχέων ἀμυδρῶς (οὐ γὰρ ἂν φαίην σαφῶς) διηγήσομαι· Μαρτινιανὸς, ὁ ἐπὶ λύμῃ τῆς θειοτάτης θρησκείας πρεσβύτερος χειροτονηθεὶς (εἴγε χρὴ πρεσβύτερον καλεῖν τὸν τῷ ὀνόματι τῆς ἱερωσύνης εἰς τὸ τὰ μέγιστα καὶ συγγνώμης μείζονα δύνασθαι κακουργεῖν ἀποχρησάμενον), οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν ἐκ τίνων καταγόμενος, ἢ ἀπὸ ποίας πόλεως ὀρμώμενος· (τὸ γὰρ δοῦλον αὐτὸν τυγχάνοντα, καὶ πρώτην ἡλικίαν οὐκ εὐαγῶς βεβιωκότα ἀποδεδρακέναι, καίπερ ἀληθὲς ὂν παραλείψω. Οὐ γὰρ ἥκω κακῶς αὐτὸν λέξων, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἡδίκησε τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν διδάξων· Οὗτος τοίνυν ἐλθὼν ἐπὶ τὴν Πηλουσιωτῶν πενίᾳ ἐσχάτῃ συζῶν, καὶ παρὰ πολλῶν ἐπικουρούμενος, τὸ τε τοῦ μονάζοντος σχῆμα περιβαλλόμενος, καὶ σωφρόνως ζῇν ὑποκρινόμενος, τὴν τοῦ κληρικοῦ, λειτουργίαν μὲν οὖσαν, ἀρχὴν δὲ δοκοῦσαν ἐθηρᾶτο. Ὡς δὲ ὁ ἀοίδιμος καὶ θείας σοφίας ἔμπλεως Αμμώνιος, ὁ ταύτης ἐπίσκοπος, τοῖς διορατικωτάτοις τῆς διανοίας ὀφθαλμοῖς τὴν ὑπόκρισιν κατειληφὼς, οὐδὲ ἐλπίδα αὐτῷ τοῦ πράγματος κατελίμπανεν· ἐννοῶν, ὡς εἰκῆ δαπανᾷ τοὺς χρόνους, συνετοῦ κομιδῇ ὄντος τοῦ ἡγουμένου, παρ' ἄλλοις ταῦτα πλέκειν διέγνω τὰ δίκτυα. Ως δὲ κἀκεῖσε φωραθεὶς, διήμαρτε τῆς ἐλπίδος, τέλος πυθόμενος τὸν μὲν πάνσοφον ἐκεῖνον κεκοιμῆσθαι, καὶ εἴσω οὐρανίων χώρων γεγενῆσθαι, Εὐσέβιόν τε κεχειροτονῆσθαι, ἐπέπτη πάλιν τῇ Πηλουσιωτῶν, ῥᾳδίως αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀγχίνοιαν, ἵνα μὴ τὴν ἀπόνοιαν φράσω, μεταχειρίσασθαι οἰόμενος. Καὶ δὴ ὡς τάχιστα τυγχάνει τοῦ σκοποῦ. Οὐ χρὴ γὰρ μακρηγορεῖν. Ὅτι δὲ ὁ τὸ σπέρμα παρασχῶν, τῶν φυτῶν αἴτιος, οὐδεὶς ἀγνοεῖ δήπου. Τυχὼν τοίνυν τῆς χειροτονίας, καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν μυστηρίων μιαραῖς χερσὶν ἐφαψάμενος, ἣν πάλαι ὤδινεν, ἀπέτεκε νόσον. Νομίσας γὰρ ἀβίωτον εἶναι ἑαυτῷ τὸν βίον, εἰ μὴ καὶ τὰ τῶν πενήτων χρήματα σφετερίσοιτο, ἐπαγγειλάμενος πάντα ὅσα ἂν προσπορίσοιτο, τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ καταλείψειν, καὶ ταύταις δελεάσας ταῖς ἐλπίσι, πείθει καὶ οἰκονόμον ἑαυτὸν καταστῆσαι. Παραλαβὼν τοίνυν ἄνθρωπος ἐναγὴς, καὶ οὐδὲ ἐλευθερίως ἀχθεὶς, τὴν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας οἰκονομίαν, οὕτως αὐτὴν διέθηκεν, ὡς οὐδ᾽ ἂν βαρβαρικός πόλεμος· πάντα τὰ εἰς ἀρετὴν βλέποντα σημεῖα τοῦ κάλλους αὐτῆς ἀφανίσας ἐλυμήνατο. Δόλοις γὰρ καὶ μηχαναῖς, σκαιωρίαις τε καὶ ἐπιορκίαις χρώμενος ἐν τῷ μεταχειρίζεσθαι τὰ πράγματα, ἁπλοῦν μὲν οὐδὲν οὐδὲ δίκαιον ἔπραξε, τὴν δὲ κακουργίαν φρονήμασιν ὁριζόμενος, τοῖς ἐλευθερίως καὶ εὐλαβῶς ζῇν προῃρημένοις ἐπεφύετο· εὐήθεις μὲν τοὺς φιλαλήθεις καλῶν, συνετοὺς δὲ τοὺς κακούργως μεταχειριζομένους τὰ πράγματα· καὶ τοὺς μὲν φιλοσοφοῦντας, ἡλιθίους· τοὺς δὲ παλιγκαπήλους, δραστηρίους. Καὶ οὐκ ἔλεγε μὲν ταῦτα, οὐκ ἐποίει δὲ, ἀλλὰ δὲ τοῖς ἔργοις τοὺς λόγους ἀπέκρυπτε· τὰ μὲν ἐκκλησιαστικὰ οἰκειούμενος χρήματα, τὰς δὲ χειροτονίας πιπράσκων, καὶ τοὺς μὲν φιλαρέτους ἐκβάλλων, τοὺς δὲ τὰ αὐτὰ δρῶντας αὐτῷ συγκροτῶν. \"Ωετο γὰρ οὐκ ἄλλως ἕξειν τὴν τῇδε ἀσφάλειαν (κρίσεως γὰρ αὐτῷ λόγος ἦν οὐδὲ εἷς), εἰ μὴ πᾶν εἶδος ἀρετῆς ἐξορίσειε. Ταῦτα δὲ ἔπραττεν, ὑποχείριον τὸν ἐπίσκοπον οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως πεποιηκώς. Οὕτω γὰρ αὐτῷ δεδούλωτο (λελέχθω γὰρ τὰληθὲς μετὰ παῤῥησίας· καὶ γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἄλλως δυναίμην), ὡς εὐτελὲς καὶ ἀργυρώνητον ἀνδράποδον κεχειροτονημένον, ἵν᾽ ἅπερ ἂν Μαρτινιανός ἐπιτάττοι, ποιήσειεν. Εἰς τοσαύτην γὰρ αὐτὸν μανίαν ἐξεβάκχευσεν (εἰρήσεται γὰρ τῶν κακῶν αὐτῶν ὁ κολοφών, καὶ τῆς τραγῳδίας τὸ κεφάλαιον), ταῖς ἐπαγγελίαις ἐκείναις δελεάσας, ἃς νῦν διαῤῥήδην βοᾷ ὁ ἐπίσκοπος τὴν οἰκείαν ἄνοιαν ἐκπομπεύων, ἢ ἀναγκάσας, ἢ πείσας (οὐ γὰρ οἶδ᾽ ὅ τι φῶ διὰ τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς ἀτοπίας), ὡς καὶ καθυπογράψαι ἐν τοῖς ἐκκλησιαστικοῖς λόγοις, καὶ χρεωστεῖν τὴν ἀδικηθεῖσαν Ἐκκλησίαν. Ἄλλως γὰρ οὐκ ᾤετο ἀσφαλῶς ἔχειν, ἃ οὐ δεόντως ἐκτήσατο, εἰ μὴ καὶ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ὑπόχρεων δείξειεν, οὐκ ἀπαιτῆσαι προσδοκῶν μὲν ἃ ἐσύλησεν ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ ἀπαιτηθῆναι παρ᾿ αὐτῆς θηρώμενος. Ὡς δ᾽ ἡ ἀθλία πόλις ᾔσθετο ταῦτα μηχανώμενον (οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἀφανῆ· τὸ γὰρ καὶ εἰς γοητείαν αὐτὸν, ἐκ τῆς ὑπερβολῆς τῶν δρωμένων, διαβεβλῆσθαι, καὶ τὸ ἐπ' αἰσχροῖς καὶ ὑπερορίοις πταίσμασι πεφωρᾶσθαι, οὐ φράσω), ὥρμησε μὲν αὐτὸν πολλάκις καὶ ἀνελεῖν, ὅμως δὲ ἐκράτησε τῆς ὁρμῆς. Ἐγκαλούμενος δὲ παρὰ πάντων καὶ κατηγορούμενος, πᾶσι μὲν τὸν ἐπίσκοπον, αὐτῷ δὲ πάντας διέβαλλε· τὸν μὲν ἐξοπλίζων κατὰ τῶν φιλαρέτων, ἵνα πάντων σβέσῃ τὴν παρρησίαν· τοὺς δὲ διδάσκων, ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ τὰς χειροτονίας πιπράσκων, καὶ τοῖς σώφροσιν ἐπιβουλεύων, καὶ τὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας σφετεριζόμενος. Χρυσίον γὰρ λαμβάνων, τοῖς λόγοις τοῖς ἐκκλησιαστικοῖς ὑπογράφει. Ταῦτα δὲ ἔλεγε, διὰ τούτων τῶν μηχανημάτων τὴν ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἔδρα ὀργὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων σβέσειν οἰόμενος. Ως δέ τινες καὶ αὐτῷ ἐπισκόπῳ ταῦτα κατεμήνυσαν, πλέον οὐδὲν ἤνυσαν· πιθανῶς δῆθεν αὐτοῦ φήσαντος, ἄνευ κατηγόρων μηδὲν δύνασθαι διαπράξασθαι. Ὡς δὲ καὶ κατήγοροι, νομίζοντες ἀληθεύειν αὐτὸν, ἀνεφάνησαν, καὶ πολλοὶ καὶ ἀξιόπιστοι, καὶ ἀποδεῖξαι δυνάμενοι, οὐδ᾽ οὕτως ἐπεξῆλθεν, ὡς λοιπὸν πάσης σκήψεως ἐλεγχθείσης, κοινωνὸν τῶν δρωμένων παρὰ πάντων εἰκότως ὑπονοεῖσθαι. Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ, οὐδ᾽ εἰ μυριάκις ἀπὸ κερδών αἰσχρῶν ἐκεῖνος ἐπηγγείλατο πάντα τὰ προσποριζόμενα τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ προσοίσειν, ἐχρῆν πάσας τὰς ἐκκλησιαστικὰς αὐτῷ παραδοθῆναι ἀφορμὰς, καὶ μυρίας ψυχὰς ἐκ τῶν δρωμένων σκανδαλίσαι. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ταῖς ἐπαγγελίαις ἐδελεάσθη, ἀλογοθέτητον οὐκ ἐχρῆν καταλείψαι. Εἰ δὲ καὶ λογοθετῆσαι ἔδει, μετὰ ἀκριβείας ἐχρῆν, βασανίσαντα μετὰ συνετῶν τινων καὶ ἐμπείρων τοὺς λόγους. Αὐτὸς γὰρ καὶ τούτων, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων καλῶν, ἄπειρος εἶναι λέγει. Εἰ δὲ ἐν παραβύστῳ, καὶ μηδενὶ ἀνακοινούμενος τοὺς λόγους καθυπέγραφε, δῆλός ἐστιν οὐκ ἀπατηθεὶς (ὡς διαῤῥήδην βοᾷ, τὴν κατάγνωσιν διὰ τοῦτο ἀποτρίψασθαι οἰόμενος), ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐκκλησιαστικά κακουργήσας, καὶ πᾶσαν [μετ'] ἐκείνων τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ἀπεμπωλήσας. Ωσπερ πριάμενος, καὶ παρανόμως πριάμενος, παρανομώτερον τοῖς κτηθεῖσι χρήσασθαι διέγνω, κακῷ τὸ κακὸν ἰάσασθαι σπεύδων. Πάντα γὰρ τὰ ἐκκλησιαστικὰ χρήματα ἐγκολπωσάμενος, ἢ, ὡς αὐτὸς ἔφη, μερισάμενος μετὰ τοῦ ἐγχειρίσαντος αὐτῷ τὴν οἰκονομίαν, καὶ τῇ τοσαύτῃ τραγῳδίᾳ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν δεδωκότος, πρώην μὲν εἰς τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν χρυσίον προέπεμψεν, ἐπισκοπὴν, ὁ μηδὲ ἑαυτοῦ ἐπιτροπεῦσαι δυνηθεὶς, θηρώμενος. Ὅπερ μαθοῦσα ἡ σὴ ἁγιωσύνη, ὀφείλουσα αὐτὸν ἀποκηρύξαι, διὰ γραμμάτων ἠπείλησε, καὶ διεβεβαιώσατο, εἰ τοῖς αὐτοῖς αὖθις ἐπιχειρήσειεν, ἀποκήρυκτον τὸν τοσαύτην ἀδοξίαν τῇ θειοτάτῃ θρησκείᾳ προστριβόμενον ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ Αἰγυπτιακῇ διοικήσει. Νῦν δὲ καὶ τῶν γραμμάτων, καὶ τῶν ἀπειλῶν καταφρονήσας, τὴν ᾿Αλεξάνδρειαν μαθὼν ἐξώρμησεν ἑαυτῷ μὲν ἐπισκοπὴν μνηστευόμενος, τὴν δὲ σὴν λυμαινόμενος δόξαν, ὡς ἐπὶ χρήμασι χειροτονοῦσαν. Τῆς σῆς τοίνυν ἐστὶν, ὦ τί σε καλέσας ἀξίως προσείπω, μεγαλονοίας, τὴν μὲν ἀκριβὴ τῶν πλημμελημάτων αὐτοῦ δίκην τῷ ἀδεκάστῳ δικαστηρίῳ τηρῆσαι (οὐδὲ γὰρ οἷόν τε αὐτὸν ἐνταῦθα τὴν ἀξίαν τιμωρίαν δοῦναι), κινηθῆναι δὲ, καὶ πρῶτον μὲν τῇ παρανομηθείση Ἐκκλησίᾳ ἀμῦναι, δεύτερον δὲ τῇ οἰκείᾳ ὑπολήψει βοηθῆσαι, τῷ τὰς ἀπειλὰς εἰς ἔργον ἀγαγεῖν καὶ ἀποκηρύξαι τοῦτον. Εἰ γὰρ, ὅπερ οὐ πιστέυω, πρὸς τῷ μηδὲν τοιοῦτον παθεῖν, καὶ χειροτονηθείη, τὸ θρυλλούμενον ἀπόῤῥητον ἀληθὲς ὂν εὑρεθήσεται· ἔπειτα μετά τινων ἐπισκόπων εὐλαβῶν, οἷς τὸ κέρδος πολέμιον καθέστηκεν, ἐνταῦθα ἐκπέμψαι, λόγον τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν προσόδων δώσοντα, καὶ ἃ χρεωστεῖ ἀποδώσοντα. Καὶ εἰ δέδωκέ τι τῷ ἐπισκόπῳ (λέγει γὰρ μὴ δεδέχθαι μὲν, ἠπατῆσθαι δὲ), ἐλέγξοντα. Ὅτι γὰρ καὶ τῷ μὲν πρωτοστάτῃ τοῦ δράματος, τῷ ἢ συγκεκλοφότι, ἢ ἀπερισκέπτως ὑπογεγραφότι, ἄβατον τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν καταστήσειας, ἤγουν συγγνοὺς ἐπίτροπον χειροτονήσειας, τὸν οὐκ ἐπιτρέψοντα αὐτῷ μείζονα συγγνώμης ἁμαρτάνειν· τῷ δὲ τριταγωνιστῇ τὸ σοφὸν σκαιώρημα ἡλίθιον δείξας, ἄκυρα ποιήσειας, ἃ λέγει ἑαυτῷ χρεωστεῖσθαι (πόθεν γὰρ τοσοῦτος πλοῦτος τῷ πενίαν ἐσχάτην νοσήσαντι, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας χρηματισαμένῳ προσόδων;), οὐκ ἔστιν ἀμφίβολον. Περὶ κολακείας. Πυνθάνομαι ὅτι κόλακες ἐξήρτηνται τῆς σῆς γλώττης, ὀμνύντες μὲν, ὅτι πάντων ἄριστον εἴη, εἰ καὶ τι τῶν ἀτοπωτάτων ἕλοιο θαυμάσαι κακῶν· κακίζοντες δὲ ᾗ τάχος, εἰ καὶ αὐτὴν ἐκκακύνοις τὴν ἀρετήν. Εἰ τοίνυν μὴ ἐθέλεις ἡμῖν πεισθῆναι, ἀλλά γε κἂν Ἰσοκράτει πείσθητι, παραινέσαντι μισεῖν τοὺς κολακεύοντας, ὥσπερ τοὺς ἐξαπατῶντας. Αμφότεροι γὰρ πιστευθέντες, τοὺς πιστεύσαντας ἀδικοῦσι.","t":"[Letter 2.127] To Cyril the bishop. [That one must not neglect admonition or despair of anyone; and that if some who are admonished remain uncorrected, the fault is not that of those who admonish but of their own choice, especially when the admonishers leave nothing undone.] It belongs to your understanding and authority, best of all men, to restore by the purity and zeal of your power the Church at Pelusium, worn out by the vices of its rulers. All the injustice and outrage it has suffered, plundered and insulted by wicked and criminal men, to whom one would not entrust even a herd of irrational animals, let alone rational human beings, for whom Christ came here and shed his own precious blood, it is not for the present occasion to tell, or rather for any occasion. For even if the occasion demanded it, what they have contrived surpasses all speech. Yet a few things must be said at present, which it is not safe from punishment to pass over in silence even for those who wish to. But you seem, admirable one, to be demanding the narrative already. So I too will stop my preliminaries and proceed in my account to the drama, having said only this: do not measure what has happened by words (for we would not find words equal to the deeds, since every tongue is defeated by the truth of the facts), but survey what has been staged with the sleepless eyes of the mind. That God has been blasphemed, the city ravaged, the priesthood sold and the Church tyrannized (the earnest being banished, while those who ought not even to set foot on its threshold were admitted and entrusted with its divine and secret mysteries; for they did not think they had been entrusted with souls, but that they had inherited a family tyranny); that they took no account of the poor, plundered the church's money and spent it on their own ambitions; that they took vengeance, even to blood, on those who dared to utter a word for virtue; and all such things, I will pass over, showing that I have been carried into these words against my will. But what has now been contrived, since silence is not without danger even for one who wishes to keep it, I will narrate as best I can, briefly and dimly (I would not say clearly). Martinian, who was ordained presbyter to the ruin of the most divine worship (if one ought to call presbyter a man who used the name of the priesthood to be able to commit the greatest crimes, beyond pardon): I cannot say from whom he was descended or from what city he came (that he was a slave, and ran away after living his early youth impiously, though it is true, I will pass over; for I have not come to speak ill of him, but to show how he wronged the Church). He came, then, to the city of the Pelusiots, living in extreme poverty and helped by many, putting on the habit of a monk and feigning a chaste life, and he hunted for the clerical office, which is a ministry but seems a position of rule. But when the celebrated Ammonius, full of divine wisdom, the bishop of this city, saw through his hypocrisy with the most clear-sighted eyes of his mind and left him not even a hope of the thing, he, realizing that he was spending his time in vain since the one in charge was very wise, decided to weave these nets elsewhere. When he was caught there too and failed in his hope, he at last learned that that all-wise man had fallen asleep and gone into the heavenly places, and that Eusebius had been ordained; and he flew back to the city of the Pelusiots, thinking he could easily manage Eusebius's shrewdness, not to say his folly. And indeed he very quickly reached his goal. One must not be long-winded; and that he who supplied the seed is the cause of the plants, surely no one is unaware. Having obtained ordination, then, and touched the sacred mysteries with defiled hands, he gave birth to the disease he had long been in labour with. Thinking life unlivable for himself unless he could also appropriate the money of the poor, he promised to leave to the Church everything he might acquire, and, baiting the bishop with these hopes, he persuaded him to appoint him steward as well. Having taken over the stewardship of the Church, this accursed man, who had not even been brought up as a free man, so treated it as not even a barbarian war would have done: he ruined it, wiping out every mark of its beauty that looked to virtue. Using tricks and devices, villainies and perjuries in handling its affairs, he did nothing straightforward or just; defining villainy as good sense, he fastened upon those who had chosen to live freely and reverently, calling lovers of truth simpletons and those who handled affairs criminally intelligent, those who lived wisely fools and the hucksters men of action. And he did not say these things without doing them; rather, he hid his words behind his deeds, appropriating the church's money, selling ordinations, driving out the lovers of virtue and gathering together those who did the same as he. For he thought that he would have no other safety here (of judgment he took no account at all) unless he banished every form of virtue. And he did this having made the bishop, I know not how, subject to him. For the bishop had been so enslaved to him (let the truth be told frankly, for I could not do otherwise), as if he had been ordained a cheap slave bought with money, to do whatever Martinian ordered. Martinian drove him to such madness (the crowning evil and the chief point of the tragedy will now be told), baiting him with those promises which the bishop now loudly proclaims, parading his own folly, and either forcing or persuading him (I do not know what to say, so extreme is the absurdity), that he even signed in the church's accounts that the wronged Church was in Martinian's debt. For he thought he would not otherwise securely hold what he had improperly acquired unless he showed the Church to be indebted to him: not expecting to claim back what he had stolen, but seeking not to have it claimed from him by the Church. When the wretched city perceived that he was contriving this (for it was not hidden; I will not tell how, because of the enormity of what was done, he was even accused of sorcery, and caught in shameful and outrageous offences), it often rushed to kill him, yet it restrained its impulse. Accused and charged by everyone, he slandered the bishop to all and all to the bishop: arming the bishop against the lovers of virtue, so as to quench everyone's frankness, and telling the people that it was the bishop himself who sold ordinations, plotted against the chaste and appropriated the Church's goods: \"For he takes gold and signs the church accounts.\" He said this thinking by these devices to quench people's anger at what he was doing. When some reported this to the bishop himself, they achieved nothing more, since he said, plausibly enough, that he could do nothing without accusers. But when accusers appeared, believing that he meant it, many of them, trustworthy and able to prove their case, not even then did he proceed against him; so that, every pretext now refuted, he was reasonably suspected by all of being a partner in what was done. For above all, even if that man had promised ten thousand times to bring to the Church everything he acquired from his shameful gains, the bishop ought not to have handed over to him all the church's resources and scandalized countless souls by what was done. And if he was baited by the promises, he ought not to have left him unaudited. And if he had to audit him, he ought to have done so precisely, examining the accounts with some wise and experienced men; for he says that he himself is inexperienced in these things, as in other good things. But if he signed the accounts in a corner, sharing them with no one, he was clearly not deceived (as he loudly cries, thinking in this way to wipe off the condemnation), but has criminally mishandled the church's affairs and sold off the whole Church with them. Martinian, like a man who had bought, and bought unlawfully, decided to use what he had acquired still more unlawfully, hastening to cure evil with evil. Having pocketed all the church's money, or, as he himself said, having shared it with the one who entrusted him with the stewardship and gave occasion for such a tragedy, he recently sent gold ahead to Alexandria, hunting for a bishopric, he who could not even manage himself. Your Holiness, learning this, though you ought to have deposed him, threatened him by letter and affirmed that if he attempted the same things again, the man who brought such disgrace on the most divine religion would be deposed throughout the whole Egyptian diocese. But now, despising both the letters and the threats, he has set out for Alexandria, as I learn, wooing a bishopric for himself and ruining your reputation, as though you ordained for money. It belongs, then, to your magnanimity (by what name could I worthily address you?) to reserve the exact penalty for his offences for the impartial court (for he cannot pay the punishment he deserves here), but to be moved, first, to defend the Church that has been lawlessly treated, and second, to help your own reputation, by putting your threats into effect and deposing him. For if, which I do not believe, besides suffering nothing of the kind, he were even ordained, the secret that is whispered about will be found to be true. Then it belongs to you to send him here with some reverent bishops to whom gain is hateful, to give account of the church's revenues and pay back what he owes; and, if he has given anything to the bishop (for the bishop says that he has not received anything but was deceived), to prove it. For it is not in doubt that you will make the episcopate inaccessible to the protagonist of the drama, who either stole together with him or signed without consideration, or else, pardoning him, will ordain a steward who will not allow him to sin beyond pardon; and that, showing the clever villainy of the third actor to be foolish, you will annul what he says is owed to him (for where would such wealth come from to a man who suffered extreme poverty and made his money from the Church's revenues?). [Letter 2.128] [On flattery.] I learn that flatterers hang on your tongue, swearing that a thing is best of all even if you choose to admire one of the most outrageous evils, and quickly reviling even virtue itself if you malign it. If, then, you will not obey us, at least obey Isocrates, who advised hating flatterers as one hates deceivers; for both, when they are trusted, wrong those who trust them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.125 (PG 78 78:565; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-125)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.129":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΠερὶ Ἰούδα τοῦ προδότου Ἔοικας θαυμάζειν, πῶς τὸν προδότην οὐκ ἔπεισεν ὁ Χριστὸς, καλὸν ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν ἀρετὴν, καίτοι πολλάκις περὶ ἀρετῆς, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ ἔστιν ὅτε οὐχ ὑπὲρ ταύτης, ἐν συνουσίαις ἀκούσαντα. Ἐγὼ δὲ θαυμάζω, πῶς τὸν ὅρον τῆς αὐτεξουσιότητος ἐπιστάμενος, περὶ τούτου ἐθαύμασας. Οὐ γὰρ βίᾳ καὶ τυραννίδι, ἀλλὰ πειθοῖ καὶ προσηνείᾳ ἡ τῶν ἀνθρώπων σωτηρία κατασκευάζεται. Διὸ καὶ τὸ κῦρος ἔχει ἕκαστος τῆς οἰκείας σωτηρίας· ἵνα καὶ οἱ στεφανούμενοι, καὶ οἱ τιμωρούμενοι, δικαίως ὑπομένοιεν ὅπερ ἤρηνται. Περὶ ἐλεημοσύνης. Ἐλεήμονα, ὦ φίλος, ἔχειν χρὴ τὴν ψυχήν. Ὁ γὰρ τὴν πηγὴν τὴν τοιαύτην ἔχων, πάντα ἀναβλύσειε τὰ καλά. Κἂν χρήματα ἔχῃ, προήσεται· κἂν ἐν συμφοραῖς ἴδῃ τινὰ, κλαύσεται· κἂν ἐπηρεαζομένῳ περιτύχῃ, χεῖρα ὀρέξει. Καὶ οὐδὲν παραλείψει τῶν εἰς αὐτὸν ἡκόντων.","t":"To Paul. [On Judas the traitor.] You seem to wonder how Christ did not persuade the traitor to regard virtue as good, though Judas often heard about virtue in their gatherings, or rather there was never a time when he did not hear on its behalf. But I wonder how, knowing the definition of free will, you could wonder at this. For human salvation is brought about not by force and tyranny but by persuasion and gentleness. That is why each person has authority over his own salvation, so that both those who are crowned and those who are punished may justly undergo what they have chosen. [Letter 2.130] [On almsgiving.] One must have a merciful soul, my friend. For whoever has such a spring will gush out all good things. If he has money, he will give it away; if he sees anyone in misfortune, he will weep; if he meets someone who is mistreated, he will hold out a hand; and he will leave out nothing that lies in his power.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.129 (PG 78 78:573; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-129)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.13":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤοσοῦτον οἱ συνοικοῦντες τῇ ἀρετῇ τῶν ἀμοιρούντων αὐτῆς διενηνόχασιν, ὅσον ἄνθρωποι μὲν τῶν θηρίων, ἄγγελοι δὲ τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Καὶ γάρ τοι πορεύονται διὰ τῆς ἀγορᾶς, ὥσπερ φωστῆρες ἐξαίφνης ἐν σκότῳ φανέντες, καὶ ἐπιστρέφοντες πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς τῶν ἄλλων τὰς ὄψεις. Εἷς τοίνυν αὐτῶν τυγχάνων, ἔχου τοῦ κτήματος.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Those who live with virtue differ from those who have no share in it as much as men differ from beasts, and angels from men. Indeed they walk through the marketplace like lights suddenly appearing in darkness, turning the eyes of everyone else toward themselves. Since you are one of them, hold fast to the possession.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.13 (PG 78 78:465; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-13)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.131":{"o":"ΑΝΤΙΟΧΩ.,\nΠαράθεσις ἀρετῆς καὶ κακίας. Ἡ κακία καὶ Θεοῦ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀπέστησε, καὶ ἀλλήλων διέστησε. Ταύτην οὖν προτροπάδην φεύγειν χρὴ, καὶ διώκειν τὴν ἀρετὴν, τὴν καὶ Θεῷ προσάγουσαν, καὶ ἀλλήλοις συνάπτουσαν. Αρετῆς δὲ καὶ φιλοσοφίας ὅρος, τὸ μετὰ συνέσεως ἄπλαστον.","t":"To Antiochus. [A comparison of virtue and vice.] Vice has both separated human beings from God and divided them from one another. One must therefore flee it headlong and pursue virtue, which both brings us to God and joins us to one another. The definition of virtue and of philosophy is to be without pretence, together with understanding.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.131 (PG 78 78:573; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-131)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.132":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ Ζώσιμος ὁ δοκῶν εἶναι πρεσβύτερος, σφόδρα τῇ κατὰ σοῦ τυραννίδι μεθύων παροινεῖ, ἀλλὰ σὺ τὰ κατὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου δραματουργηθέντα παρὰ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἐννοῶν, ὅτε καὶ ἡ γῆ αὐτὴ ἐδονεῖτο καὶ ἐκραδαίνετο, φυγῆς ζητοῦσα χώραν, ἵνα μὴ θεάσηται τὸ δρᾶμα τὸ κατὰ Θεοῦ μὲν τολμώμενον, σαρκὸς δὲ ἁπτόμενον, φέρε γενναίως.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Even if Zosimus, who seems to be a presbyter, is drunk with his tyranny against you and behaves outrageously, consider what was staged by the Jews against the Master, when even the earth itself shook and trembled, seeking a place to flee so as not to see the drama dared against God, though it touched only his flesh; and bear it nobly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.132 (PG 78 78:575; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-132)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.133":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΤὸ, Ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, καὶ ὁδόντα ἀντὶ ὀδόντος, οἶμαι νενομοθετῆσθαι τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις παρὰ τῆς ἡμερωτάτης φύσεως, οὐχ ἵνα ἀσύγγνωστοι ὦσι, καὶ πικροὶ τοῖς ἀδικοῦσιν, ὡς νομίζουσι Μανιχαῖοι, διασύροντες τὴν Παλαιὰν Διαθήκην· ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τῷ δέει τοῦ παθεῖν ἃ δρῶσιν, ἀπέχωνται τοῦ τολμᾷν. Εἰ καὶ δίκαιον καὶ εὔλογον ἀκόλουθόν ἐστιν. Ἀλλ᾿ ἡ θεία γαληνότης εἰς ἡμερότητα βλέπουσα, καὶ εἰς ἀγαθότητα ὁρῶσα, καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους εἰς ταύτην ἀλείφουσα, διὰ τοῦ τεθεσπικέναι ἀμύνεσθαι τὸν δρῶντα, τῷ φόβῳ τῆς τιμωρίας προανέστειλε τὰ πταίσματα. Τοῦ γὰρ δρῶντος μὴ ὄντος, οὐδ᾽ ὁ ἀμυνόμενος ἔσται. Συνοράτωσαν οὖν τὸ βάθος τῆς σοφίας τοῦ νομοθέτου, καὶ μὴ ἐκ τοῦ προχείρου, ὡς ὠμὸν καὶ ἀπάνθρωπον αἰτιάσθωσαν. Τὸ γὰρ ἐν Εὐαγγελίοις εἰρημένον, « Ἐάν τίς σε ῥαπίσῃ εἰς τὴν δεξιάν σιαγόνα, στρέψον αὐτῷ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην, » οὐκ ἔστιν ἐναντίον, ἀλλὰ μεῖζον, καὶ κρεῖττον, καὶ τῆς ἀκροτάτης φιλοσοφίας ὅρος. Ἐκεῖνα γὰρ μὲν ὑπὲρ τοῦ μηδ' ὅλως δρᾶσαι, νενομοθέτηται: τὸ γὰρ ἀσμένως πάσχειν οὐκ ἂν ἤκουσαν αἱμάτων διψῶντες ἄνθρωποι· ταῦτα δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ προθύμως πάσχειν πεφιλοσόφηται. Ὁ δὲ συγκριτικὸς χαρακτὴρ οὐκ εἰς τὴν ἐναντίαν ἐξωθεῖ τάξιν τὰ συγκρινόμενα, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν μὲν ὑπεροχὴν δείκνυσι καὶ ἐλάττωσιν. Καλὸν μὲν γὰρ τὸ μὴ δρᾷν τι κακὸν, κρεῖττον δὲ τὸ καὶ προθύμως πάσχειν. Καλὸς ὁ γάμος, ἀλλὰ κρεῖττον ἡ παρθενία. Καλὴ ἡ σελήνη, ἀλλὰ κρεῖττον ὁ ἥλιος. Ὥσπερ οὖν τῆς μὲν σελήνης καλῆς οὔσης, τοῦ δὲ ἡλίου κρείττονος, εἷς ἐστιν ὁ Δημιουργός · οὕτω καὶ Παλαιᾶς καὶ Καινῆς Διαθήκης εἷς νομοθέτης, ὁ σοφῶς καὶ προσφόρως, καὶ καταλλήλως τοῖς καιροῖς νομοθετήσας.","t":"To Timothy the reader. \"Eye for eye and tooth for tooth\" was, I think, legislated for the Jews by the most gentle Nature, not so that they should be unforgiving and bitter toward those who wrong them, as the Manichaeans think, who disparage the Old Testament, but so that, through fear of suffering what they do, they would refrain from daring it. And this is just, reasonable and consistent. The divine calm, looking to gentleness and goodness and training people for it, checked offences in advance by fear of punishment, through having ordained that the doer be requited. For if there is no doer, there will be no one requiting either. Let them see, then, the depth of the lawgiver's wisdom, and not hastily accuse it of cruelty and inhumanity. For what is said in the Gospels, \"If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also,\" is not contrary to it, but greater and better, and the definition of the highest philosophy. The former was legislated so that people should not do harm at all (for men thirsting for blood would not have listened to a command to suffer gladly); the latter has been taught so that they might suffer willingly. The comparative mode does not push the things compared into opposite ranks, but shows superiority and inferiority within the same rank. It is good not to do any evil, but better also to suffer willingly. Marriage is good, but virginity is better. The moon is beautiful, but the sun is better. As, then, with the moon beautiful and the sun better, the Creator is one, so of the Old and the New Testament there is one lawgiver, who legislated wisely, suitably and fittingly for the times.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.133 (PG 78 78:575; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-133)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.134":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\n᾿Αρετὴ μὲν, καὶ τρόποις, οὐ καταισχύνει τὴν ὁμοτιμίαν χρὴ δὲ σε τῶν ἀδυνάτων μὴ ἐρᾶν, ἀλλ' ἐκείνων ἀφέμενον, τὰ εἰκότα εὔχεσθαι. Ἐπεὶ καὶ Μωσῆς ὁ ἱεροφάντης, καὶ Παῦλος ὁ θεσπέσιος, ἐν ἐνίοις, οὐχ ὧν ἥτησαν, ἔτυχον· ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι μὴ καλῶς ᾔτησαν, ἐδιδάχθησαν.","t":"To the same. Virtue, and good character too, bring no shame on equal rank; but you must not long for what is impossible, but, letting it go, pray for what is reasonable. For even Moses the revealer of sacred things and the divine Paul in some matters did not obtain what they asked; rather they were taught that they had not asked well.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.134 (PG 78 78:575; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-134)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.135":{"o":"ΝΕΜΕΣΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « ῎Ανθρωπος ἐν τιμῇ ὧν οὐ συνῆκε., Τὸ, ῎Ανθρωπος ἐν τιμῇ ὧν οὐ συνῆκε, παρασυνεβλήθη τοῖς κτήνεσι τοῖς ἀνοήτοις, καὶ ὡμοιώθη αὐτοῖς, οὐ καταφορικῶς κατὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡ ἱερὰ Γραφὴ ῥητορεύουσα, καὶ τὸ λογικὸν διασύρουσα γένος, εἴρηκεν· ἀλλὰ καὶ πάνυ πεφεισμένως. Εἰ γὰρ τὴν ἀκρίβειαν ἐξετάσοιμεν, οὐ τοῖς κτήνεσι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς ἀτιθάσσοις θηρίοις κινδυνεύει ἐοικέναι. Μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ὑπερβάλλει ταῦτα, ὁ τῶν αἰσχρῶν παθῶν ἐραστής. Καὶ τὸ δὴ θαυμαστὸν καὶ παράδοξον τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, ὅτι ἕκαστον μὲν τῶν θηρίων ἑνὶ ἐλαττώματι δουλεύει· ὁ δὲ δοκῶν ἄνθρωπος εἶναι, πάνθ' ὁμοῦ συμφορήσας, ποῤῥωτέρω τῆς ἐκείνων ἀλογίας ὁδεύει. Καὶ ἵνα μὴ ὑπερβολῆς εἶναι νομίσῃς τὰ ῥήματα, αὐτὰ τὰ πράγματα ἀδεκάστως βασανίσωμεν. Ὅταν γάρ τις σκιρτᾷ μὲν ὡς ταῦρος, λακτίζῃ δὲ ὡς ὄνος, χρεμετίζῃ δὲ ἐπὶ γυναιξὶν, ὡς ἵππος θηλυμανής, καὶ γαστριμαργῇ μὲν ὡς ἄρκτος, πιαίνῃ δὲ τὸ σῶμα ὡς ἡμίονος, μνησικακῇ δὲ ὡς κάμηλος, καὶ ὀργίζηται μὲν ὡς λέων, ἁρπάζῃ δὲ ὡς λύκος, πλήττῃ δὲ ὡς σκορπίος, καὶ ὕπουλος μὲν ὑπάρχῃ ὡς ὄφις, ἱὸν δὲ πονηρίας διατηρῇ ὡς ἔχις, χρήματα δὲ, μᾶλλον δὲ ἁμαρτήματα, συνάγῃ ὡς ὁ κάνθαρος τὴν κάνθαρον· πῶς δυνήσεταί τις μετὰ ἀνθρώπων τὸν θηριόφρονα τοῦτον ἀριθμεῖν, οὐχ ὁρῶν ἐν αὐτῷ τῆς ἡμέρου φύσεως τοὺς χαρακτῆρας, ἀλλὰ Σκύλλης τινὸς καὶ Χιμαίρας καὶ Ὕδρας, κατὰ τοὺς ἔξωθεν μύθους, δυσωδίαν θεώμενος; Εἰ δὲ φαίης, Τί οὖν ποιητέον; φήσαιμι, ὅτι τὸ κάτοπτρον τὸ πνευματικὸν συνεχῶς μεταχειριστέον· φημὶ δὴ τὰς θείας Γραφὰς ἐν αἷς καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐστιν ἡ ἱστορία, καὶ οἱ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τεθέντες σωτηριώδεις νόμοι. Τοῦτο γὰρ τὸ κάτοπτρον οὐ δείκνυσι τὴν ἀμορφίαν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετατίθησιν, ἂν ἐθέλωμεν, εἰς κάλλος ἀμήχανον. ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ. Πρὸς ἄρχοντας. Εὐσεβείας οὐδὲν, ὦ ἄριστε, ὠφελιμώτερον. Αὕτη γὰρ σώζει καὶ τοῖς τροπαιούχοις βασιλεῦσι τὸ ὑπήκοον. Πρὸς ταύτην τοιγαροῦν βλέπων, εὐθύνειν πειρῶ τὸ τῆς ἀρχῆς σκάφος, ὅπως ἀχείμαστοι, τὸ γε σὸν μέρος, οἱ ἀρχόμενοι διαμείναιεν. Εἰ δὲ πόνους ἔχει τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἔχει καὶ θυμηδίας. Εἰ δὲ φαίης, Οὐ κατὰ ταυτὸν· φαίην, Οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολεμοῦντα διαλλαγῆναι οὐκ ἀνέχονται, διὰ τῶν κορυφῶν συνήφθησαν. Οὗ γὰρ οἱ πόνοι παραγένωνται, ἐπακολουθοῦσιν ὕστερον καὶ αἱ θυμηδίαι. Τὸ εὐημερεῖν τὸν πονηρὸν, καὶ τὸ ἐν τοῖς εἰς ἄκρον χαλεποῖς γίνεσθαι τὸν ἐπιεικῆ καὶ τῶν εἰς λῆξιν ἡκόντων ἐπαίνων ἔμπλεω, δυστόπαστόν ἐστιν ἀληθῶς καὶ δυσέφικτον, καὶ τῶν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος μέτρων ἐπέκεινά τε καὶ ποῤῥωτάτω. Θείοις γὰρ κρίμασι παραχωρεῖν ἀναγκαῖον. Καὶ εἴπερ βουλόμεθα φρονεῖν ὀρθῶς, μόνῳ τῷ ἀκηράτῳ νῷ τῆς οἰκονομίας τὴν γνῶσιν ἀνάψαντες, πρὸς τὰ ἐν χερσὶ βαδιούμεθα, ἃ καὶ μόλις πρὸς ἡμῶν εὑρίσκεσθαι φιλεῖ. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οἴει δεῖν κατὰ τὸ ἐνδεχόμενον ἐπαμῦναι τῷ λόγῳ, ἐπημύναμεν, ὥς γε ἡδυνήθημεν, ἐν τῷ πρὸς \"Ἕλληνας ἡμῖν γραφέντι λόγῳ ἐντυχὼν εἴσῃ τὴν λύσιν τοῦ προβλήματος. Εἰς τὸ, Ἐγενόμην τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὡς Ἰουδαῖος. Καὶ τί ἐστι, « Μὴ ὢν ἄνομος Θεῷ, ἀλλ᾽ ἔννομος Χριστῷ. › Εἰ μὴ ἀκριβῶς ἐπεπείσμην, ὅτι τὸ λεῖπον τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ γλώττῃ ἡ σὴ ἀπεπλήρου σύνεσις, οὐκ ἄν μοι δοκῶ τάδε χαράξαι τὰ γράμματα. Τί οὖν ἐστιν ὁ ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν; Δι᾿ ἣν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος αἰτίαν ἔφη· « Ἐγενόμην τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὡς Ἰουδαῖος, ἵνα Ἰουδαίους κερδήσω· τοῖς ἀνόμοις ὡς ἄνομος, μὴ ὧν ἄνομος Θεοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἔννομος Χριστοῦ, ἵνα κερδήσω ἀνόμους.» Μάλιστα μὲν ἀκριβοῦς ταῦτα βασάνου δεῖται, ἕως ἂν ἡ κεκρυμμένη ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀλήθεια, σαφῶς ὑποπέσῃ. Συντόμως δὲ εἰρήσεται· Ἐγένετο τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ὡς Ἰουδαῖος, ὅτε ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ ἡγνίσατο, καὶ ἔθυσε· καὶ περιτεμὼν Τιμόθεον, Ἰουδαίοις πέπομφε διδάσκαλον, διὰ περιτομῆς τὴν περιτομὴν ἀναιρῶν. Διὸ οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἰουδαῖος, ἀλλ᾽, ὡς Ἰουδαῖος· τοῖς ἀνόμοις ὡς ἄνομος, ὅτε ᾿Αθηναίοις δημηγορῶν, οὐκ ἀπὸ προφητῶν, οὐδ᾽ ἀπὸ τοῦ νόμου διελέχθη, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπὸ βωμοῦ τὴν παραίνεσιν ἐποιήσατο, ἀπὸ τῶν οἰκείων αὐτοὺς χειρούμενος δογμάτων. Διὸ οὐκ εἶπεν, ἄνομος, ἀλλ᾽, ὡς ἄνομος· Τὸ δὲ, μὴ ὢν ἄνομος Θεοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἔννομος Χριστοῦ, ἢ ὡς ἀδιάφορον εἶπεν (ἐπὶ γὰρ μιᾶς οὐσιας, οὐκ ἔστι διαφορά· τοῦτο γὰρ ἀλλαχοῦ δεῖξαι βουλόμενος ἔφη· Ὥστε καὶ « ὁ ἐσθίων, Κυρίῳ ἐσθίει, καὶ εὐχαριστεῖ τῷ Θεῷ»)· ἢ, εἰ τοῦτο βεβιασμένον ἡγῇ, οἶμαι τοῦτο μηνύειν, τὸ μὴ μόνον κατὰ τὸν νόμον πεπολιτεῦσθαι, τὸν τῷ Πατρὶ παρά τινων ἐπιγραφόμενον, καὶ διὰ τὴν ἔξιν τῶν μανθανόντων, οὐ διὰ τὴν ἀξίαν τοῦ νομοθέτου, νηπίοις μᾶλλον ἀρμόττοντα, καὶ στοιχειωθέντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ οὐράνιον καὶ τέλειον νόμον· οἷον οὐκ ἄνομος κατὰ τὸν παλαιὸν νόμον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔννομος κατὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον· οὐκ ἔξω τοῦ νόμου, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἴσω τῆς χάριτος · οὐκ ἄπειρος τοῦ γάλακτος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔμπειρος τῆς στερεᾶς τροφῆς· οὐκ ἀμελέτητος τῆς παλαίστρας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τοῖς Ὀλυμπίοις διαλάμψας. Οὐκ ἐμοίχευσα διὰ τὸν νόμον, ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε εἶδον ἀκολάστως γυναῖκα διὰ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον. Οὐκ ἐφόνευσα διὰ τὸν φόβον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὀργῆς ἐκράτησα διὰ τὸν πόθον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τὸν παλαιὸν φυλάξας οὐκ ἦν ἄνομος Θεοῦ, οὐδὲ τὸν νέον, ἔστιν ἔννομος Χριστοῦ Ταῦτα δὲ ἔλεγεν οὐκ ἀποκληρῶν τῷ μὲν Πατρὶ τὸν νόμον, τῷ δὲ Υἱῷ τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον· ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν τῶν πολλῶν ὑπόνοιαν καὶ δόξαν ἀφορῶν. Πάντα γὰρ τὰ τοῦ Πατρὸς, τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἐστι· καὶ τὰ τοῦ Υἱοῦ, τοῦ Πατρός.","t":"To Nemesius. [On \"Man, being in honour, did not understand.\"] \"Man, being in honour, did not understand; he was compared to the senseless cattle and became like them\": holy Scripture said this not as a tirade against human beings or to disparage the rational race, but even very sparingly. For if we examine it precisely, he is in danger of resembling not only cattle but also untamed beasts; or rather, the lover of shameful passions even surpasses them. And what is wonderful and paradoxical is this: each beast is a slave to one defect, but he who seems to be a man gathers all of them together and travels farther than their irrationality. And so that you may not think my words exaggerated, let us test the facts themselves impartially. When someone leaps like a bull, kicks like an ass, neighs after women like a stallion mad for mares, is gluttonous like a bear, fattens his body like a mule, bears grudges like a camel, rages like a lion, snatches like a wolf, strikes like a scorpion, is treacherous like a snake, keeps the venom of wickedness like a viper, and gathers money, or rather sins, as the beetle gathers its dung, how can anyone count this beast-minded creature among human beings, when he sees in him not the marks of the gentle nature but the stench of some Scylla, Chimaera or Hydra, as the outsiders' myths have it? If you say, \"What, then, must be done?\", I would answer that the spiritual mirror must be handled continually: I mean the divine Scriptures, which contain both the history of good men and the saving laws set by God. For this mirror not only shows ugliness, but also transforms it, if we wish, into irresistible beauty. [Letter 2.136] To Timothy, most illustrious. [To governors.] Nothing, best of men, is more profitable than piety. It preserves their subjects even for victorious emperors. Looking to it, then, try to steer the ship of government so that, as far as it lies with you, those you govern may remain untouched by storms. If the task has its toils, it also has its joys. And if you say, \"Not at the same time,\" I would answer: no, that is not possible. For since, being at war, they would not bear to be reconciled, they were joined together at their heads. For where toils come, joys follow afterwards. [Letter 2.137] That the wicked man prospers, and that the reasonable man, full of praises that reach the limit, falls into the most extreme hardships, is truly hard to guess and hard to grasp, and lies beyond the measures of humanity and very far from them. One must yield to the divine judgments. And if we wish to think rightly, we will ascribe the knowledge of the dispensation to the pure Mind alone, and proceed to what lies at hand, which even so is found by us only with difficulty. But since you think one must defend the argument as far as possible, we have defended it as we could: if you read the discourse we wrote To the Greeks, you will learn the solution of the problem. [Letter 2.138] [On \"I became to the Jews as a Jew,\" and what \"not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ\" means.] If I were not firmly persuaded that your understanding would fill up what our tongue lacks, I do not think I would have written this letter. What, then, is it that you wished to learn? For what reason the Apostle said, \"To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews; to those without law as one without law, not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ, in order to win those without law.\" This needs precise examination above all, until the truth hidden in it comes clearly to light. But it shall be said briefly. He became to the Jews as a Jew when he purified himself in the temple and offered sacrifice; and when he circumcised Timothy and sent him to the Jews as a teacher, abolishing circumcision by circumcision. That is why he did not say \"a Jew\" but \"as a Jew.\" To those without law he became as one without law when, addressing the Athenians, he did not argue from the prophets or from the law, but made his exhortation from an altar, subduing them by their own beliefs. That is why he did not say \"without law\" but \"as without law.\" As for \"not being without law toward God but under the law of Christ,\" he said it either as making no difference (for in one substance there is no difference; wishing to show this elsewhere, he said, \"He who eats, eats to the Lord, and gives thanks to God\"); or, if you think this forced, I think it means that he lived not only according to the law that some ascribe to the Father, which, because of the condition of the learners and not because of the dignity of the lawgiver, was fitted rather to infants and to the elements, but also according to Christ's heavenly and perfect law. It is as if he said: not lawless according to the old law, but also within the law according to the Gospel; not outside the law, but also inside grace; not without experience of milk, but also experienced in solid food; not untrained in the wrestling school, but also shining at the Olympic games. \"I did not commit adultery, because of the law; but neither did I look licentiously at a woman, because of the Gospel. I did not commit murder, because of fear; but I also mastered anger, because of love.\" For the one who kept the old law was not without law toward God, and the one who keeps the new is under the law of Christ. He said this not as assigning the law to the Father and the Gospel to the Son, but with an eye to the suspicion and opinion of the many. For all that is the Father's is the Son's, and all that is the Son's is the Father's.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.135 (PG 78 78:577; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-135)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.139":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον, « Τίς ὠφέλεια ἐν τῷ αἵματί μου; › Ἡ ἀγάπη, ὡς πάντα πικρὰ πρὸς σὲ φθέγξασθαι οἴχεται, πρᾶγμα ἔντιμον καὶ μέγα, καὶ λαμπρὸν, καὶ περὶ οὗ ὁ μὲν προφητικὸς χορὸς προεμήνυσεν, ὁ δὲ Σωτὴρ δεῦρο ἐπεφοίτησε, καὶ οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἐκήρυξαν, τῷ οἰκείῳ αἵματι τὰ θεσπισθέντα σφραγίσαντες. Τοιγάρτοι τὰ ἑαυτῶν μόνον σκοποῦντες, τὸν κοινὸν ἐχθρὸν ἀφέντες, κατ᾿ ἀλλήλων ὁπλιζόμεθα. Καὶ κινδυνεύει ὁ κατὰ κράτος ἡττηθεὶς, τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ διαστάσει νευρωθεὶς ἀναμάχεσθαι καὶ νικᾷν. Πέπτωκε μὲν γὰρ, εἰ καὶ ἀπερισκέπτως θρασύνεται· ἡ δὲ ἡμετέρα ῥαθυμία καὶ ὁ πρὸς ἀλλήλους πόλεμος νεῦρα τῷ πεπτωκότι, καὶ ῥώμη γέγονεν, ὡς κινδυνεύειν, τὸ γε τῶν ῥᾳθύμων μέρος, τὸ γεγενημένον παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος κατόρθωμα (εἰ γὰρ καὶ τολμηρὸν εἰπεῖν, ἀλλά γε ἀληθὲς ὂν λελέξεται), οἴχεσθαι. Διὸ καὶ τυχὸν ἴσως τοῦτο ὅπερ ἐζήτησας μαθεῖν, διὰ τοῦ Μελῳδοῦ προεμήνυσε· «Τίς ὠφέλεια ἐν τῷ αἵματί μου, ἐν τῷ καταβῆναί με εἰς διαφθοράν;» τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, εἰς τὴν πολύφθορον τῶν ἀνθρώπων φύσιν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἄλλα τινὰ μηνύει· ἠθικώτερον μὲν γὰρ εἰς τὸν Δαβὶδ, φυσικώτερον δὲ εἰς τὸν ᾿Αδὰμ ἐκλαμβάνεται· ἀλλὰ γε καὶ πρὸς τοῦτον βλέπειν ἔδοξε πολλοῖς ἁγίοις τὸν σκοπόν. Ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ, φησὶ, τοσοῦτον κατέβην, ὡς καὶ ἀπιστεῖσθαι παρὰ πολλῶν διὰ τὴν πολλὴν συγκατάβασιν, καὶ τὸν τύραννον ἐχειρωσάμην, καὶ βοᾷ ὁ τῶν Σεραφὶμ λέγων θεωρός· « Δικαιοσύνην μάθετε ποιεῖν οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· πέπαυται γὰρ ὁ ἀσεβής. Ὑμεῖς δὲ τὸ πάσης ἐλπίδος κρεῖττον κατόρθωμα, καὶ τὸ ὑπερφυὲς, καὶ παντὸς ἐπέκεινα θαύματος τρόπαιον διὰ τῆς οἰκείας ῥαθυμίας προεδώκατε. Τις οὖν ὑμῖν λελείψεται ἀπολογία, ποία συγγνώμη, τις ἔλεος, ὅταν τοῦτον ἀπαιτηθείητε τὸν βίον, ὃν μόνον ἐν ταῖς Γραφαῖς κείμενον ὁρῶ, ἀλλαχοῦ δὲ, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἔργων, οὐδαμοῦ;","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. [On what is written, \"What profit is there in my blood?\"] Love (if I must say all that is bitter to you) has gone: a precious, great and splendid thing, which the prophetic choir foretold, for which the Saviour came to dwell here, and which the apostles preached, sealing with their own blood what had been decreed. So, looking only to our own interests and leaving the common enemy alone, we arm ourselves against one another. And the one who was utterly defeated is in danger, strengthened by our division, of fighting back and winning. For he has fallen, even if he is rashly bold; but our carelessness and our war against one another have become sinews and strength to the fallen one, so that the achievement accomplished by the Saviour is in danger, as far as the careless are concerned (bold as it is to say, it will be said, since it is true), of being lost. Perhaps that is why he foretold through the Psalmist what you sought to learn: \"What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to corruption?\", that is, into the much-corrupted nature of human beings. For even if it signifies other things too (in a more moral sense it is taken of David, in a more natural sense of Adam), yet many saints thought that its aim looks to this also. \"I,\" he says, \"went down so far that many disbelieved because of my great condescension; I subdued the tyrant; and the beholder of the Seraphim cries out: 'Learn to do righteousness, you who dwell on the earth; for the ungodly one has ceased.' But you have betrayed, through your own carelessness, the achievement greater than every hope, the supernatural trophy beyond all wonder.\" What defence, then, will be left to you, what pardon, what mercy, when you are required to give account of this life, which I see lying only in the Scriptures, and nowhere else, and nowhere in deeds?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.139 (PG 78 78:581; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-139)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.14":{"o":"ΙΕΡΙΩ.\nΟἱ γνήσιοι τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐρασταὶ, καὶ ζῶντες ἐν σώματι, ὀρθοῦσι τὰς πόλεις· καὶ ἀποθέμενοι τοῦτο, ἐγκαταλείπουσι κέντρον τοῦ πόθου. Τοιγάρτοι ἐπίσημοι μὲν αὐτῶν οἱ τάφοι, ἐν τιμῇ δὲ τὰ γένη, διηνεκής δὲ ἡ μνήμη. Δικαίως. ᾿Αρετὴν γὰρ ἐκτήσαντο, ἧς οὐ πέφυκεν ἅπτεσθαι τελευτή. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὁμογνωμονῶν ἡμῖν ἐτύγχανες ἐν τῇ περὶ Θείου δόξῃ τῆς μελλούσης δόξης μνημονεύσας, ἐπτέρωσα ἄν σε πλέον πρὸς τὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἔρωτα.","t":"To Hierius. The genuine lovers of virtue both set their cities upright while they live in the body and, when they have laid it aside, leave behind a goad of longing. So their tombs are famous, their families held in honour, and their memory unbroken. Rightly so, for they acquired virtue, which death by its nature cannot touch. And if you were also of one mind with us in belief about God, I would have given you still stronger wings for the love of virtue by reminding you of the glory to come.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.14 (PG 78 78:465; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-14)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.140":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠρὸς τοὺς ἀναξίως τῆς ἱερωσύνης βιοῦντας. Λίαν θαυμάζουσιν ἅπαντες, πῶς ἄφετος ὧν ἐν τοῖς πλημμελήμασι, καὶ μήτε χαλινῷ πειθόμενος, μήτε ἐλέγχῳ σωφρονιζόμενος, Ζώσιμον τὸν δείλαιον κωμῳδεῖς, ὃν μάλιστα ζηλοῖς. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ τὰ αὐτὰ αὐτῷ μὴ διέπραττες, διορθοῦν ἐχρῆν, οὐ μὴν κωμῳδεῖν. Εἰ δὲ τῶν ζωγράφων ἀκριβέστερος μιμητής εἰς τοῦτο γέγονας, τὰ ἀζήλωτα ζηλώσας, τί τὴν ἐκείνου μόνον νομίζων ἐκπομπεύειν ἀναλγησίαν, καὶ τὴν σαυτοῦ δημοσιεύεις; Οἱ γὰρ ἀκούοντες, ἀμφοτέρους καταλευσθῆναι δίκαιον εἶναι νομίζουσι, τὸν μὲν ὡς ἀρχιτέκτονα τῶν κακῶν, τὸν δὲ ὡς γνήσιον φοιτητήν. Δυοῖν τοιγαροῦν θάτερον δίκαιόν σε ποιεῖν, ἢ παύσασθαι ἁμαρτάνοντα, ἢ τὸν ταυτά σοὶ δρῶντα, μὴ κωμῳδεῖν. Τοῦτο γὰρ δεινῶν ἐστι δεινότερον. \"Όμοιον. Εἰ θέμις εἰπεῖν (θέμις δὲ ἀψευδεῖν ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας ἀγωνιζόμενον), κινδυνεύει τὸ θεῖον κήρυγμα ὑπ' αὐτῶν τῶν δοκούντων αὐτῷ συνηγορεῖν ἀνατετράφθαι. Τάναντία γὰρ ὧν φράζουσι δρῶντες, πολλοὺς, ὡς μύθοις, τοῖς λεγομένοις προσχεῖν ἀνέπεισαν. Χρὴ τοίνυν αὐτοὺς ἐννοοῦντας, ὡς ὁ κίνδυνος αὐτοὺς ὁρᾷ, ἅπαντα πρᾶξαι, ὅπως τούτου ἀπείρατοι διαμείνωσιν.","t":"To Maron the presbyter. [To those who live unworthily of the priesthood.] Everyone greatly wonders how, running loose in your offences, neither obeying the bridle nor sobered by reproof, you mock the wretched Zosimus, whom you emulate most of all. If you did not do the same things as he, you ought to correct him, not mock him. But if you have become a more exact imitator of him than painters are, emulating what should not be emulated, why, thinking you are parading only his insensibility, do you publish your own as well? For those who hear think it just that both of you should be stoned, the one as master builder of the evils, the other as his genuine disciple. One of two things, then, you ought to do: either stop sinning, or stop mocking the man who does the same as you. For this is more terrible than terrible things. [Letter 2.141] [Similar.] If it is lawful to say it (and it is lawful to speak without lying when contending for the truth), the divine preaching is in danger of being overturned by the very men who seem to plead for it. For by doing the opposite of what they say, they have persuaded many to pay attention to what is said as to fables. They must therefore consider that the danger looks to them, and do everything to remain untouched by it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.140 (PG 78 78:583; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-140)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.142":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΠερὶ δογμάτων· περὶ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος. Ἥκιστα μὲν χρή [τὴν] τῆς θεότητος φύσιν συστέλλειν Ἰουδαϊκῶς, εἰς μόνον τὸν ἕνα Θεὸν καὶ Πατέρα· κατευρύνειν δὲ, ὥσπερ εἰς ἁγίαν καὶ ὁμοούσιον Τριάδα. Προσώπων γὰρ ποιότητι καὶ ὑποστάσεων ἰδιότητι διαστέλλοντες, εἰς ἕνα πάλιν συστελοῦμεν Θεὸν, διὰ τὸ τῆς οὐσίας ταὐτόν. ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Περὶ αὐτοῦ ῎Αγαμαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, τὴν τῶν συνετῶν τὰς ψυχὰς εἰς τὸ καὶ τῇ τῶν οἰκείων δογμάτων προλήψει μαχήσασθαι περιστήσασαν. Οὕτω γὰρ σαφῆ καὶ λαμπρὰν τοῖς βουλομένοις κατοπτεῦσαι τὴν περὶ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος ἔννοιαν ἔσχεν. Ὁ λέγων γὰρ ὅτι εἷς ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς, οὐ πρὸς τὸν ἀριθμὸν κατέδραμε τῆς μονάδος, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ μυστήριον τῆς Τριάδος· οὗ καὶ ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ Διαθήκῃ ἐγκατέσπαρται ἡ διδασκαλία · ὡς καὶ Φίλωνα, καίτοι Ἰουδαῖον ὄντα καὶ ζηλωτὴν, δι᾽ ὧν ἀπολέλοιπε συγγραμμάτων ἀπομαχήσασθαι τῇ οἰκείᾳ θρησκείᾳ. Βασανίζων γὰρ τὸ εἰρημένον παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἐν εἰκόνι Θεοῦ ἐποίησε τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἡναγκάσθη ὑπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ ἐξεβιάσθη, καὶ τὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγον θεολογῆσαι. Τί γάρ; Εἰ καὶ δεύτερον τὸν συναίδιον τῷ Πατρὶ, καὶ ἀριθμοῦ καὶ χρόνων ὄντα ἀνώτερον καλεῖ, τῆς ἀκριβείας μὴ ἐφικνούμενος, ὅμως ἔννοιαν ἔσχε καὶ ἑτέρου προσώπου. Καὶ οὐκ ἐνταῦθα μόνον τοῦτο ἔπαθεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ, Θεὸς καὶ Κύριος, ἑρμηνεῦσαι πειρώμενος, τῆς βασιλικωτάτης Τριάδος, τὸ τῶν μὲν πάντη διαιρετῶν ἑνικώτερον, τῶν δὲ ὄντως μοναδικῶν ἀφθονώτερον· καὶ οὕτως κατὰ κράτος εἶλεν αὐτοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν, ὡς ἀναγκασθῆναι τοῦτο διαῤῥήδην καὶ εἰπεῖν, καὶ ἐν συγγράμμασι καταλείψαι. Δύο γὰρ ἔφησεν εἶναι τὰς ὄντως δυνάμεις ὧν ἡ μὲν ποιητική [καὶ εὐεργετικὴ, φησὶ, καλεῖται Θεός· ἡ δὲ, βασιλικὴ καὶ τιμωρητική], Κύριος. Οὐ πόῤῥω βαίνων τοῦ εἰπόντος, «Χριστὸς Θεοῦ δύναμις, καὶ Θεοῦ σοφία· · δύναμις οὐκ ἀνυπόστατος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐνυπόστατος, καὶ παντοδύναμος, καὶ ὑποστάσεων δημιουργὸς, καὶ ἰσοσθενὴς ἐκείνου, οὗ δύναμίς ἐστιν. Καὶ πάλιν ὁ Φίλων περὶ τοῦ θεάματος οὗ εἶδε Μωσῆς ἐκφράζων, φησί· « Θέαμα πληκτικώτατον ὁρᾷ. • Εἶτα μετ' ὀλίγα · • Κατὰ μέσην δὲ τὴν φλόγα μορφή τις ἦν περικαλλεστάτη τῶν ὁρατῶν ἐμφερὴς οὐδενὶ, θεοειδέστατον ἄγαλμα, φῶς αὐγοειδέστερον τοῦ πυρὸς ἀπαστράπτουσα, ἣν ἄν τις ὑπετύπωσεν εἰκόνα τοῦ ὄντος εἶναι. » Εἱ δὲ τις περὶ τῆς εἰκόνος ἀκριβῶς βούλεται μαθεῖν, ἀκουέτω φράζοντος Παύλου περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ. « Ος ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου. » Οὐκοῦν κἀκεῖνος θεολογίας ὀρθοδόξου ἅπτεται. Μὴ γὰρ [δὴ] τὴν ἀκρίβειαν ζήτει παρὰ τοῦ δυνηθέντος ὅλως διὰ σύνεσιν εἰλικρινῆ, καὶ κατοπτεῦσαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ τῇ οἰκείᾳ θρησκείᾳ ἀπομαχέσασθαι. ᾿Αλλ' ἐκεῖνο ἐννόει, ὅτι εἰς ἓν πρόσωπον οὐ συνέκλεισε τὴν θεολογίαν, ὡς οἱ ἀπαίδευτοι τῶν Ἰουδαίων καθηγηταί, προλήψει τινὶ κατεχόμενοι, δογματίζουσιν. Οὐκ ἐκ τούτων δὲ [μόνον πληκτικωτάτων] ὄντων εἰς τοσαύτην προήχθη, ὥς γε ἡγοῦμαι, τὴν ἔννοιαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ. « Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν· · καὶ ἐκ τοῦ. • Ἔβρεξε Κύριος παρὰ Κυρίου καὶ ἐκ τοῦ • Εκάλεσε Κύριος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου· · καὶ ἐκ τοῦ. • Εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος τῷ Κυρίῳ μου· Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου· · καὶ ἐκ τοῦ· · Ἐν σοὶ [ὁ] Θεὸς, καὶ σὺ εἶ [ὁ] Θεός· · Τοὺς γὰρ λέγοντας, ὅτι μυριάκις ἐστὶν ἅγιος ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τὸ, « ῞Αγιος, ἅγιος, ἅγιος Κύριος Σαβαώθ, παρερμηνεῦσαι τολμῶντες λαμπρῶς ἐλέγχει τὸ, « Ἐξεζήτησα τὸ πρόσωπόν σου, τὸ πρόσωπόν σου, Κύριε, ζητήσω. Μὴ ἀποστρέψῃς τὸ πρόσωπον ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ. » Εἰ μὴ γὰρ τὴν ἁγίαν Τριάδα ἀνεκήρυττεν ὁ φράσας, περιττολογίας δίκαιος ἂν εἴη ἀπαιτηθῆναι δίκας. Οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐν τούτῳ· Χρῆναι γὰρ οἷμαι ἐπὶ σαφέστερον ὁρμῆσαι ῥητών· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῷ . « Θῦσον τῷ Θεῷ θυσίαν αἰνέσεως, καὶ ἀπόδος τῷ Ὑψίστῳ τὰς εὐχάς σου, καὶ ἐπικάλεσαί με ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θλίψεως, καὶ ἐξελοῦμαι σε, καὶ δοξάσεις με. • Εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἡ Τριὰς ἐνταῦθα σαφῶς ἐκηρύττετο, ἐχρῆν ῥηθῆναι· Θῦσον τῷ Θεῷ θυσίαν αἰνέσεως, καὶ ἀπόδος αὐτῷ τὰς εὐχάς σου, καὶ ἐπικάλεσαι αὐτὸν ἐν ἡμέρᾳ θλίψεώς σου, καὶ ἐξελεῖταί σε, καὶ δοξάσεις αὐτόν. ᾿Αλλ' οὕτω μὲν οὐκ ἐῤῥέθη· εἴρηται δὲ ὡς εἴρηται. Σαφῶς γὰρ, καὶ διὰ τούτων, καὶ δι' ἄλλων πολλῶν, ἅπερ (ἵνα μὴ μακρὸν ποιήσω τὸν λόγον, νῦν παραλείψω τοῖς ἀκούειν δυναμένοις) κηρύττει ἡ Παλαιά Διαθήκη, ὅτι οὐχ ἑνὸς προσώπου κηρύττει δεσποτείαν, ἀλλὰ τριῶν μὲν ὑποστάσεων, μιᾶς δὲ οὐσίας, ἵνα καὶ Ἰουδαίων στηλιτεύσῃ τὴν ὡς ἐφ᾿ ἑνὸς προσώπου οὐχ ὑγιῆ ἔννοιαν· οἷς καὶ Σαβέλλιος ἠκολούθησεν, ἴσως ἐκ τῆς ἄγαν τοῦ Υἱοῦ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ἰσότητος, εἰς τὸ μίαν ὑπόστασιν δογματίσαι νευρωθείς· καὶ Ἑλλήνων ἐξοστρακίσαι τὴν πολυθεῖαν ὧν ῎Αρειος καὶ Εὐνόμιος ἑάλωσαν εἶναι φοιτηταὶ, τὴν τῶν ὑποστάσεων διαφορὰν, εἰς τὴν οὐσίαν παραλόγως ἑλκύσαντες. Εἰ δέ τις φαίη· Διὰ τί γὰρ μὴ σοφῶς καὶ διαῤῥήδην ἐξ ἀρχῆς ταῦτα κεκήρυκται ; φαίην ὅτι μάλιστα μὲν τοῖς συνετῶς ἀκούουσι, λαμπρά ἐστιν αὕτη καὶ ἀπόδειξις, καὶ διδασκαλία, ὡς καὶ τῷ σοφῷ ἔδοξε Φίλωνι. Εἰ δὲ καὶ συνεσκιασμένως ἐῤῥέθη, ἐκεῖνο λογίζεσθαι χρὴ, ὅτι Ἰουδαίοις τοῖς εἰς πολυθείαν ῥέπουσι νομοθετῶν οὐκ ἐδοκίμασε διαφορὰν προσώπων εἰσαγαγεῖν· ἵνα καὶ μὴ διάφορον φύσιν ἐν ταῖς ὑποστάσεσιν εἶναι δογματίσαντες, εἰς εἰδωλολατρίαν ἐκκυλισθῶσιν· ἀλλὰ τὸ τῆς μοναρχίας ἐξ ἀρχῆς μαθόντες μάθημα, κατὰ μικρὸν τὸ τῶν ὑποστάσεων ἀναδιδαχθῶσι δόγμα, τὸ πάλιν εἰς ἑνότητα φύσεως ἀνατρέχον· ὡς εἶναι τὰ μὲν ἐνικῶς λεγόμενα τῆς ταυτότητος τῆς φύσεως παραστατικά· τὰ δὲ ὑπερβαίνοντα τὸν ἑνικὸν ἀριθμὸν, τῆς τῶν ὑποστάσεων ἰδιότητος τῆς εἰς μίαν οὐσίαν συναγομένης. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ διαφόρους φύσεις ὑποτίθεσθαι, Ἑλληνικόν · τὸ δὲ ἓν πρόσωπον, ἤγουν μίαν ὑπόστασιν, Ἰουδαϊκόν. Τὸ δὲ πλατύνοντὰ εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν Τριάδα τὰς ὑποστάσεις εἰς μίαν οὐσίαν συνάγειν, ὀρθότατόν ἐστι καὶ ἀληθέστατον δόγμα.","t":"To Paul. [On doctrines: on the Holy Trinity.] One must least of all narrow the nature of the Godhead, in Jewish fashion, to the one God and Father alone; one must rather widen it, as it were, into the holy and consubstantial Trinity. For while we distinguish by the quality of the persons and the property of the hypostases, we draw them together again into one God because of the identity of the substance. [Letter 2.143] To the same. [On the same.] I admire the truth, which has brought the souls of intelligent men even to fight against the prejudice of their own beliefs. So clear and bright was the notion of the Holy Trinity that it offered to those who wished to look into it. For one who says that God is one did not run to the number of the monad but to the mystery of the Trinity, the teaching of which is sown also in the Old Testament; so much so that even Philo, though a Jew and a zealot, fought in the writings he left against his own religion. For when he examined what was said by God, \"He made man in the image of God,\" he was compelled and forced by the truth to speak of the Word of God as God. Why do I say this? Even if he calls \"second\" the one who is coeternal with the Father and above number and time, not reaching exactness, still he had a notion of another person. And not only here did this happen to him, but also when he tried to interpret \"God\" and \"Lord\": the truth of the most royal Trinity, more unitary than things wholly divided and more abundant than things truly single, so mastered his soul that he was compelled both to say it plainly and to leave it in his writings. For he said that the truly existing powers are two, of which the creative \"and beneficent,\" he says, \"is called God, and the royal and punitive\" is called Lord. In this he did not go far from the one who said, \"Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God\": a power not without hypostasis but hypostatic, almighty, the creator of hypostases, and equal in strength to the one whose power it is. And again Philo, describing the sight that Moses saw, says: \"He sees a most astonishing sight.\" Then a little later: \"In the middle of the flame there was a form most beautiful, like nothing visible, a most godlike image, flashing out a light brighter than fire, which one might suppose to be the image of the One Who Is.\" If anyone wishes to learn exactly about the image, let him hear Paul speaking of Christ: \"who is the image of the invisible God.\" So that man too touches on orthodox theology. Do not seek exactness from one who was able at all, by a pure understanding, both to look into the truth and to fight against his own religion. But consider this: he did not shut theology up in one person, as the uneducated teachers of the Jews, held fast by some prejudice, teach. And it was not only from these most astonishing passages, I think, that he was led to such a notion, but also from \"Let us make man in our image and likeness\"; from \"The Lord rained from the Lord\"; from \"The Lord called on the name of the Lord\"; from \"The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand\"; and from \"God is in you, and you are God.\" Those who dare to misinterpret \"Holy, holy, holy, Lord of hosts\" as saying that God is ten thousand times holy are brilliantly refuted by \"I have sought your face; your face, Lord, I will seek; do not turn your face away from me.\" For if the one who said this were not proclaiming the Holy Trinity, he would deserve to be called to account for verbosity. And not only in this passage (for I think one should hasten to clearer sayings), but also in this: \"Offer to God a sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows to the Most High; and call upon me in the day of affliction, and I will deliver you, and you will glorify me.\" For if the Trinity were not clearly proclaimed here, it should have said: \"Offer to God a sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows to him; and call upon him in the day of your affliction, and he will deliver you, and you will glorify him.\" But it was not said so; it was said as it was said. Clearly, through these passages and many others (which, so as not to make my letter long, I now leave aside for those who are able to hear), the Old Testament proclaims that it proclaims the lordship not of one person but of three hypostases and one substance: so as both to pillory the unsound notion of the Jews, as of one person, which Sabellius also followed, perhaps emboldened by the great equality of the Son with the Father to teach one hypostasis; and to banish the polytheism of the Greeks, whose disciples Arius and Eunomius were caught being, when they irrationally dragged the difference of the hypostases into the substance. And if someone should say, \"Why, then, was this not proclaimed wisely and plainly from the beginning?\", I would answer that, above all, to those who listen intelligently this is a clear proof and teaching, as it seemed also to the wise Philo. And if it was said in shadow, one must reckon that, giving laws to Jews inclined to polytheism, he did not see fit to introduce a difference of persons, lest, teaching that there is a different nature in the hypostases, they should roll down into idolatry; but that, having learned from the beginning the lesson of monarchy, they might little by little be taught the doctrine of the hypostases, which runs back again into unity of nature. So the things said in the singular present the identity of the nature, while those that go beyond the singular number present the property of the hypostases, drawn together into one substance. To suppose different natures is Greek; to suppose one person, that is, one hypostasis, is Jewish; but to widen the hypostases into the Holy Trinity and draw them together into one substance is the most correct and truest doctrine.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.142 (PG 78 78:585; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-142)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.144":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον· · ῾Ο μὲν ἑκατὸν, ὁ δὲ ἐξήκοντα, ὁ δὲ τριάκοντα. › Τὸ, « ῾Ὁ μὲν ἑκατὸν, ὁ δὲ ἐξήκοντα, ὁ δὲ τριάκοντα, » δύναται μὲν τὴν παρθενίαν καὶ τὴν ἐγκράτειαν, καὶ τὸν τίμιον γάμον μηνύειν. Δύναται δὲ καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν διδασκαλίαν, τοῦ δὲ σώματος τὴν διακονίαν, τῶν δὲ χρημάτων τὴν ἐπίδοσιν δηλοῦν. Μᾶλλον γάρ ἐστι τὸ σώζειν ψυχὴν, τοῦ διὰ σώματος τὴν διακονίαν πληροῦν, ὥσπερ καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς τῶν χρημάτων χορηγίας. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ μεθ᾿ ἰδρώτων καὶ πόνων γίνεται · ἡ δὲ ἐκ τῶν ἔξωθεν προσόντων πληροῦται.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. [On what is written, \"Some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty.\"] \"Some a hundred, some sixty, some thirty\" can signify virginity, continence and honourable marriage. It can also indicate the teaching of the soul, the service of the body and the giving of money. For saving a soul is more than fulfilling service through the body, as service is more than the supply of money: the one is done with sweat and toil, the other is fulfilled from external possessions.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.144 (PG 78 78:589; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-144)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.145":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΜὴ τῇ ἀρνήσει τὸ μὴ ἐσφάλθαι δοκεῖν θηρώμενος εἰς ἄλλο ἐκπέσῃς πλημμέλημα· οὐδεὶς γὰρ κακῷ τὸ κακὸν ἰᾶται· ὑπερβολὴ γὰρ ἀτοπίας τοῦτό γε, καὶ παρὰ τοῖς ἔξωθεν εἶναι κέκριται· ἀλλὰ τῇ μετανοίᾳ τὸ πταῖσμα ἰασάμενος, εἰς τὸ μηκέτι ἁμαρτάνειν κατάστησον σαυτόν.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. Do not, in trying by denial to seem not to have erred, fall into another offence. For no one heals evil with evil; even among outsiders this has been judged the height of absurdity. Rather, heal your stumble by repentance and set yourself to sin no more.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.145 (PG 78 78:589; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-145)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.146":{"o":"ΚΑΣΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ φιλαργυρίας, καὶ περὶ πλείστων ἀρχαίων ἀσκησάντων. Αὐτὸς μὲν [ὡς] ἔοικας χρημάτων ἐρᾶν, καὶ διὰ τὸ τοιούτου πταίσματος θηρᾶσθαι, τὸν Δημοσθένην εἰρηκότα· δεῖ δὲ χρημάτων, καὶ ἄνευ τούτων οὐδὲν ἔστι γενέσθαι τῶν δεόντων· ἐφωπλικέναι, ὡς ἀντειπεῖν οὐ τολμῶσιν ἁμάχῳ ῥήτορι. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐπειδὴ σοῦ μὲν τοῖς πολλοῖς λόγος εἰκότως ὀλίγος, τοῦ δὲ ῥήτορος πολὺς, ἅτε ἐν τῷ πικρῷ τε καὶ δεινῷ, καὶ παθητικῷ, καὶ ἐναγωνίῳ, καὶ πολὺ τὸ ἐξηλλαγμένον ἔχοντι κατὰ τὰς νοήσεις, καὶ τὰς λέξεις ἅπαντας ὑπερβαλλομένου, ἡδέως ἄν σε ἐροίμην, πότερον ὡς δεινὸν ῥήτορα τοῦτον ἡμῖν ἐπετείχισας, καὶ δυνάμενον τέχνῃ τ' ἀληθὲς βιάσασθαι, ἢ ὡς ἀξιόπιστον μάρτυρα. Εἱ μὲν γὰρ ὡς δεινὸν ῥήτορα, καὶ δυνάμενον τὴν αἰσχρότητα τοῦ σου πάθους κοσμῆσαι, οὐκ ἂν αὐτῷ παραχωρήσαιμεν, εἰ καὶ αἰδούμεθα τὸν ἀνηκέστῳ νοσήματι κεκρατῆσθαι, ἀπολογίαν τε τοῦ ἄνδρα, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν αὐτοῦ προτιμήσαιμεν. Εἰ δὲ ὡς ἀξιόπιστον μάρτυρα, ἡμεῖς μὲν οὐδὲν δυσχερές ἐροῦμεν· ἄλλοι γὰρ ἴσως αὐτὸν παραγράψοιντο, ὡς τέχνῃ λόγων τἀληθὲς ἀμαυροῦν πειρώμενον, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, οὐδὲ εἰς μαρτυρίαν προφέρεσθαι δίκαιον ὄντα· τοὺς δὲ τὰναντία αὐτῷ καὶ φράσαντας, καὶ πράξαντας ἀντιστρατεύσαντες, τῇ τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων κρίσει ἐπιτρέψωμεν τὴν ψῆφον, τοσοῦτον αὐθαδείας ἑαυτοὺς πόῤῥω εἶναι πειθόμεθα. Οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὴ Ἕλληνά τε ὄντα, καὶ τὰ Ἑλλήνων πρεσβεύοντα, χρή ἐκ τῶν σῶν σε χειρώσασθαι, ἀντιτακτέον τῷ ἀμάχῳ ῥήτορι, τὴν τοῦ Ἰσοκράτους ἀληθεστάτην καὶ σοφωτάτην παραίνεσιν, τὴν φάσκουσαν· πλοῦτος δὲ κακίας μᾶλλον ἢ καλοκαγαθίας ὑπηρέτης ἐστὶν, ἐξουσίαν μὲν τῇ ῥαθυμίᾳ παρασκευάζων, ἐπὶ δὲ τὰς ἡδονὰς τοὺς νέους παρακαλῶν, Οὗτος γὰρ παρ' ἐμοὶ κριτῇ ἐνδοξότερός ἐστιν ἐκείνου, οὐ δεινότητι· ἐν ταύτῃ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος κρατεῖ· ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐξετάζοντι. Αὕτη γὰρ πανταχοῦ τῆς δεινότητος τοῖς ἐχέφροσι προτιμοτέρα. Εἰ δὲ ἐφάμιλλοί τισι εἶναι δόξοιεν, οὐ φιλονεικητέον, ἀλλὰ δεικτέον πάντας τοὺς ἐνδόξους ἀνθρώπους τῷ Ἰσοκράτει συνάδοντας καὶ πρῶτόν γε τὸ παλαιὸν ἔθος προενεκτέον. Ἔθος γὰρ ἦν παλαιὸν μετὰ τὴν συνεστίασιν, ἅπτεσθαι λύρας καὶ ἄδειν. ᾿Απόλοιο, ὦ πλοῦτε, καὶ μήτε ἐν γῇ φανείης, μήτε ἐν θαλάσσῃ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἑτέρου δεήσει μάρτυρος, μαρτυρήσει καὶ ᾿Αριστείδης ὁ δίκαιος ὅς γε οὗτος καίτοι δυνάμενος χρηματίσασθαι, τὴν πενίαν ἡσπάσατο, ὡς τὴν Ἀθηναίων [μὲν] πόλιν αὐτὸν μὲν τελευτήσαντα θάψαι, τὰς δὲ θυγατέρας προοικίσασαν ἐκδοῦναι. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τρίτου, ψηφιεῖται ὁ Θηβαῖος Ἐπαμινώνδας, ὁ παντων τῶν ἐκεῖσε στρατηγῶν ἐπισημότερος, ὅς γε εἰς ἐκκλησίαν καλούμενος παρῃτήσατο προελθεῖν κατ᾿ ἐκείνην τὴν ἡμέραν, ἐπειδὴ τὸ ἱμάτιον αὐτοῦ πλυνόμενον ἔτυχε, καὶ ἕτερον περιθέσθαι οὐκ εἶχεν· εἰ δὲ καὶ τετάρτου, ψηφιεῖται καὶ Κράτης, ὁ πᾶσαν τὴν ἰδίαν οὐσίαν τῷ βουλευτηρίῳ τῆς αὐτοῦ πόλεως παραχωρήσας, καὶ φήσας, Κράτης Κράτητα Θηβαῖον ἐλευθεροῖ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ πέμπτου, ἐπιψηφιεῖται καὶ Φωκίων. ᾿Αλεξάνδρου γὰρ τοῦ Μακεδόνος ἑκατὸν τάλαντα χρυσίου αὐτῷ πεπομφότος, ἤρετο τοὺς κομίσαντας, τί δή ποτε πολλῶν ᾿Αθηναίων ὄντων, αὐτῷ μόνῳ ᾿Αλέξανδρος πέπομφε. Φησάντων δὲ, ὅτι ἡγεῖταί σε καλὸν καὶ ἀγαθὸν, ἀπεκρίνατο, « Οὐκοῦν ἐάτω με καὶ εἶναι καὶ δοκεῖν τοιοῦτον. » Καὶ ταῦτα τοῖς κομίσασιν εἰπὼν, ἀπεπέμψατο μὲν τὰ χρήματα, ᾿Αλεξάνδρῳ δὲ γέγραφεν, εἰ βούλοιτο αὐτῷ χαρίσασθαι, ἀπολῦσαι τοὺς ἐν Σάρδεσιν αἰχμαλώτους. Ὅπερ ἐκεῖνος πεποίηκεν. Ὁρᾷς ὅτι ἐστὶ τὰ δέοντα γενέσθαι ἄνευ χρημάτων. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἕκτου, ψηφιεῖται· ἐπιφέρω γὰρ λοιπὸν τὸν κολοφῶνα, καὶ Πλάτων, ὃν οὐδὲ παραγράψασθαι δύνασθε, οὕτω μέγαν τινὰ αὐτὸν ἡγεῖσθε καὶ θαυμαστὸν, ἀπαγορεύων τὸ χρυσὸν καὶ ἄργυρον κεκτῆσθαι. Καὶ Λυκοῦργος δὲ ὁ τῶν Λακεδαιμονίων νομοθέτης· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀπορήσομεν ἑβδόμης ψήφου τὸν εἰσάγοντα εἰς τὴν Λακεδαίμονα νόμισμα, θανάτῳ ἀμείψασθαι ἐνομοθέτησεν. ᾿Αλλ' εἰ χρὴ τῶν ψήφων ἀφεμένους αὐτὴν τὴν φύσιν τοῦ πράγματος κατασκέψασθαι, οὐδὲν εὑρεθήσεται ἐν τῷ βίῳ δεινὸν, ὃ οὐ διὰ τῶν χρημάτων γίνεται ἔρωτα. Διὰ τοῦτον ἔχθραι, καὶ μάχαι καὶ πόλεμοι. Διὰ τοῦτον φόνοι καὶ λῃστεῖαι, [καὶ συκοφαντίαι] διὰ τοῦτον οὐ πόλεις μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔρημοι, καὶ ἡ οἰκουμένη, καὶ ἡ ἀοίκητος αἱμάτων πνεῖ καὶ φόνων. Καὶ οὐδὲ τῆς θαλάσσης ἀπέσχετο τουτὶ τὸ κακόν· ἀλλὰ κἀκεῖ μετὰ πολλῆς εἰσεκώμασε τῆς μανίας, τῶν πειρατῶν αὐτὴν πολιορκούντων, καὶ νεώτερόν τινα ληστείας ἐπινοούντων τρόπον. Διὰ τοῦτον καὶ οἱ τῆς συγγενείας ἀνετράπησαν νόμοι, καὶ οἱ τῆς φύσεως ἐκινήθησαν θεσμοὶ, καὶ τὰ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτῆς διέφθαρται δίκαια Ὁ γὰρ πονηρὸς οὗτος καὶ μιαρὸς ἔρως, οὐ κατὰ τῶν ζώντων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τῶν τελευτησάντων τὰς τὸν τυμβωρύχων Οὐ κατὰ τῶν ζώντων μόνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τῶν τετελευτηκότων. : Τίς γὰρ οὔτως πολέμιος διηνεκῆς καὶ ἀκόρεστος καθέστηκεν, ὡς ὁ πλοῦτος; ζώντων μὲν ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀπολλὺς, τελευτώντων δὲ καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἐνυβρίζων, ὡς οὐδὲ τῇ γῇ κρύπτεσθαι συγχωρῶν, ὁ κοινὸν καὶ τῶν καταδίκων καταδίκ ἐστίν. Ἐκείνους μὲν γὰρ τοῦ θανάτου τὴν δίκην ἀπαιτήσαντες οἱ νομοθέται, οὐδὲν περαιτέρω περιεργάζονται· τοὺς δὲ κεκτημένους αὐτὸν ὁ πλοῦτος καὶ μετὰ θάνατον πικροτάτην ἀπαιτεῖ δίκην, γυμνοὺς προτιθεὶς καὶ ἀτάφους· θέαμα δεινὸν καὶ ἐλεεινόν· καὶ γὰρ τῶν ἀπὸ ψήφου τοῦτο πασχόντων καὶ θυμοῦ δικαστικοῦ, χαλεπώτερα οὗτοι πάσχουσιν· ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ τὴν πρώτην ἡμέραν καὶ δευτέραν μείναντες ἄταφοι, τῇ γῇ παραδίδονται· οὗτοι δὲ ὅταν ὥπλισε δεξιὰς, αἴ γε οὐδὲ τὸν ἀπαλλαγέντα τῆς ἐνταῦθα ζωῆς, τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἐῶσιν ἀπηλλάχθαι ἐπιβουλῆς. Καὶ ὅσα δ᾽ ἄν τις εὔροι κακὰ, εἴτε ἐν βουλευτηρίοις, εἴτε ἐν δικαστηρίοις, εἴτε ἐν οἰκίαις, εἴτε ἐν πόλεσιν, ἀπὸ ταύτης τῆς ῥίζης βλαστάνοντα ὄψεται. Ἀλλὰ τί κάμνω; Πᾶσαν γὰρ τοῦ νοσήματος τούτου τὴν κακίαν, οὐδὲ πάντες ὁμοῦ συνελθόντες ἐκφράσαι δυνήσονται. Εἰ δὲ οἴει τὸν κεκτημένον δυσάλωτον εἶναι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο περιμάχητον εἶναι τὸν πλοῦτον, ἐγὼ τουναντίον ἀποδείξαι πειράσομαι. Τίνα γὰρ οὐ δέδοικεν ὁ πολύχρυσος; Οὐχὶ λῃστάς; Οὐχὶ συκοφάντας; Οὐχὶ δυνάστας, Καὶ τί λέγω δυνάστας Ὅπου γε καὶ τοὺς οἰκέτας αὐτοὺς ὑποπτεύει Καὶ τί λέγω δοκῶν ζῇν; Οὐ γὰρ ζῇ τοιούτῳ νοσήματι κεκρατημένος. ᾿Αλλ' οὐδὲ τεθνεὼς, τῆς τῶν λῃστῶν κακουργίας ἀπαλλαγῆναι οἷός τέ ἐστιν, οὐδ᾿ ἰσχύει ὁ γυμνῶσαι τὸ σῶμα. Νυνὶ δὲ οὐδὲ τούτου ἀπέχονται θάνατος ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ αὐτὸν διαφυλάξαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ νεκρὸν ὄντα καὶ ταφέντα συλῶσιν, οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα κακουργεῖν εἰωθότες. Οὕτω χρῆμα ἐπισφαλὲς ὁ πλοῦτος. Οὐ γὰρ δὴ οἰκίαι διορύττονται μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ θῆκαι ἀναῤῥήγνυνται καὶ τάφοι. Τί οὖν ἀθλιώτερον καὶ ἐλεεινότερον τούτου γένοιτο ἂν, ὅταν μηδ' ὁ θάνατος αὐτῷ τὴν ἀσφάλειαν παρέχῃ, ἀλλὰ τὸ δείλαιον σῶμα ἐκεῖνο, μηδὲ ζωῆς στερηθὲν ἀπαλλαγῆναι οἷόν τέ ἐστι τῶν ἐν τῇ ζωῇ συμφορῶν, τῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα κακουργεῖν εἰωθότων, πρὸς κόνιν καὶ γῆν ἐπειγομένων πολεμεῖν, καὶ πολλῷ ἀργαλεώτερον, ἢ ἡνίκα ἔζη; Τότε μὲν γὰρ, εἰ συνέβη εἰς τὸ ταμιεῖον εἰσελθεῖν, τὰ κιβώτια κενώσαντες, τοῦ σώματος ἂν ἀπέσχοντο, καὶ οὐκ ἂν τοσαῦτα ἔλαβον, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸ αἱ μιαραὶ τῶν τυμβωρύχων χεῖρες, ἀλλὰ καὶ κινοῦσιν αὐτὸ συνεχῶς, καὶ περιστρέφουσι, καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ὠμότητος ἐνυβρίζουσι. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸ παραδοθῆναι τῇ γῇ, γυμνὸν, καὶ τῆς ἐκεῖθεν, καὶ τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν ἱματίων περιβολῆς ποιήσαντες, οὕτως ἀφιᾶσιν ἐῤῥίφθαι. Τίς [οὖν] οὕτως ἐχθρὸς ἀκήρυκτος, ὡς ὁ πλοῦτος; ζώντων μὲν καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἀπολλὺς, τεθνεώτων δὲ καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἐνυβρίζων, καὶ μηδὲ τῇ γῇ κρύπτεσθαι συγχωρῶν. Ὁ κοινὸν, καὶ τῶν καταδίκων ἐστὶ, καὶ τῶν ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσχίστοις ἑαλωκότων. Εκείνους μὲν γὰρ τοῦ θανάτου τὴν δίκην ἀπαιτήσαντες οἱ νομοθέται, οὐδὲν περαιτέρω πολυπραγμονοῦσι. Τούτους δὲ ὁ πλοῦτος καὶ μετὰ θάνατον ἀργαλεωτάτην ἀπαιτεῖ δίκην Γυμνοὺς προτιθεὶς καὶ ἀτάφους, θέαμα ἐλεεινὸν καὶ δεινόν. Ώστε περιττὸς ὁ λόγος ὁ σπουδάζων δεικνύναι, ὅτι δυσχείρωτον ὁ πλοῦτος. Ὅπουγε οὐδὲ μετὰ [τὴν] τελευτὴν τυγχάνουσιν ἀσφαλείας οἱ τοῦτον κτησάμενοι. Καίτοι γε τίς πρὸς τὸν τεθνεῶτα οὐ σπένδεται, κἂν βάρβαρος ᾖ, κἂν θηρίον, κἂν δαίμων ἀλητήριος; Καὶ γὰρ ἡ θέα δεινὴ καὶ τὸν σφόδρα ἀμείλικτον ἐπικλᾶσσι. Διά τοι τοῦτο, ὅταν τις νεκρὸν θεάσηται, κἂν ἄσπονδος νεκρὸς ᾖ, κἂν ἀκήρυκτος πολέμιος, μετὰ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων δακρύει. Οὕτως ἅπαντες τὴν κοινὴν αἰδοῦνται φύσιν, καὶ τοὺς παρ' αὐτῆς εἰσενεχθέντας νόμους. Ἀλλ᾿ ὁ χρυσὸς οὐδὲ τούτου τυχὼν ἀφίησι τὴν κόλασιν τοῖς περιποιησαμένοις αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς οὐδὲν ἀδικηθέντας, τοῦ τεθνεῶτος ἐχθροὺς καθίστησιν. Εἴγε τὸ νεκρὸν γυμνοῦν σῶμα, τῶν ἄγαν ἐχθρῶν καὶ πολεμίων τυγχάνει, καὶ ἡ μὲν φύσις καὶ τοὺς πολεμίους αὐτῷ καταλλάττει { τότε]. Ὁ δὲ πλοῦτος καὶ τοὺς οὐδὲν ἔχοντας αἰτιᾶσθαι ἐκπολεμεῖ, καὶ μεθ᾽ ὕβρεως πολλῆς τὸ σῶμα αἰκίζεται. Καίτοι γε πολλά ἐστιν ἐκεῖ τὰ δυνάμενα ἐπισπάσασθαι πρὸς ἔλεον. Ποῖα δὴ ταῦτα; Αὐτὸ τὸ νεκρὸν εἶναι, τὸ ἀκίνητον, τὸ πρὸς γῆν ὁδεύειν καὶ τέφραν, τὸ μηδένα παρεῖναι τὸν βοηθήσοντα. Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲν ἐπικάμπτει τοὺς μιαροὺς καὶ ἀλιτηρίους ἐκείνους, διὰ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς πονηρᾶς ταύτης ἐπιθυμίας τυραννίδα. Ὁ γὰρ δεινὸς καὶ ἀκόρεστος τῆς φιλοχρηματίας ἔρως, καθάπερ τις τύραννος ἀπηνὴς καὶ ἀλάστωρ παρέστηκεν αὐτοῖς, ἐγκελευόμενος τὰ ὠμὰ καὶ ἀμείλικτα ἐπιτάγματα ἐκεῖνα, καὶ θηρία αὐτοὺς κατασκευάσας, οὕτως ἐπὶ τὸν τάφον ἄγει. Εἰ τοίνυν, (εἰς τὸ προκείμενον γὰρ ἐπανακτέον τὸν λόγον) πολλοὶ καὶ ἔνδοξοί εἰσιν· οἱ τὸν ἀπαγορεύσαντες, καὶ καθάπερ ἐχθρῷ καὶ πολεμίῳ τῆς ἀρετῆς μὴ σπεισάμενοι, τό τε νόσημα [τὸ] τῆς φιλοχρηματίας πᾶν ἐδείχθη αἴτιον τῶν κακῶν· οἵ τε κτησάμενοι οὐ δυσχείρωτοι, οὐδὲ δυσάλωτοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐχείρωτοι πᾶσιν οὐ μόνον ζῶντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ τεθνεῶτες ἀναπεφήνασι. Πέπαυσο τῷ χαλεπῷ τούτῳ νοσήματι κεχειρωμένος, καὶ ῥήτορα ἡμῖν ἐπιτειχίζων. Εἰ μὲν τῆς σῆς γνώμης ἦν ἡ ψῆφος, οὐ πολὺς ἂν ἦν ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος. Ὡς γὰρ νοσοῦσαν αὐτὴν ἀνήκεστα, τάχιστα ἂν παρεγραψάμεθα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸν ῥήτορα ἡμῖν ἐφώπλισας πῶς ἂν εἴποιμι εὐπρεπῶς, ἠνάγκασας ἡμᾶς, καίτοι αἰδουμένους τὸν ἄνδρα, πολλοὺς αὐτῷ ἀνθοπλίσαι, τοὺς διαῤῥήδην τὴν γνώμην ἐκείνην ἀνατρέποντας. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν εἰς τοσοῦτον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τῆς ἀληθείας ἡ περιουσία πολλὴ, φέρε δὴ καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν ῥήτορα ἀποδείξωμεν σεμνυνόμενον καὶ ἐναβρυνόμενον, ἐπὶ τῷ αἰσχρῶν λημμάτων κρείττων εἶναι. Τί τοίνυν ἔφη; Καὶ οὐδεὶς ἂν ἔχοι λῆμμα πρὸς οἷς ἐγὼ πεπολίτευμαι καὶ λέγω δεῖξαι προσηρτημένον. Οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγκαλλωπίζεται τῇ μεγαλοψυχίᾳ ταύτῃ. Εἰ δὲ φαίης, τί οὖν ἔδοξε τῷ ῥήτορι, οὕτω ῥᾳδίως ἐλεγχομένην ἀποφήνασθαι γνώμην; ἀποκριναίμην, ὅτι μάλιστα μὲν οὐ κἀγὼ, αὐτὸς δὲ ὑπεύθυνος εἶ ὁ τοῦτον προστησάμενος τῇ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ἀπολογίᾳ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀπολογήσασθαι χρή (χρὴ δὲ, ὡς οἶμαι, ἵνα μὴ τισι δόξωμεν ἐρήμην ἀγωνίζεσθαι, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐρήμην νενικηκέναι, ἄλλως τε, ἐπειδὴ καὶ φιλῶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ αἰδοῦμαι τὸν ἄνδρα), τοῦτο, ὡς ἂν δυναίμην, ποιήσω. Φημὶ τοίνυν, ὅτι οἱ ἄλλοι πάντες αὐτὴν τοῦ πράγματος τὴν φύσιν καταμαθόντες, εἰκότως ἀπεκήρυξαν τὸν πλοῦτον, ὡς τῆς ἀρετῆς ὄντα πολέμιον. Ὁ δὲ ῥήτωρ οὐκ αὐτὸ τὸ πρᾶγμα καθ' ἑαυτὸ σκοπῶν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν χρείαν τοῦ πολέμου βλέπων, τοῦτ᾽ ἔφη. Ἄλλως γὰρ οὐχ οἷόν τε ἦν ὅπλα χαλκεῦσαι, καὶ τριήρεις ποιήσασθαι, καὶ στρατιώταις σιτηρέσιον δοῦναι, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα οἷς χαίρει ὁ πόλεμος, καὶ οἷς ἀγάλλεται, κατασκευάσαι χρημάτων ἄνευ. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἀληθὲς, ἑτέρωσέ φησιν, οὐδενὸς τῶν πάντων οὕτως, ὡς χρημάτων, δεῖ τῇ πόλει πρὸς τὰ νῦν ἐπιόντα πράγματα. Μὴ τοίνυν, εἰ Αθηναίοις, εἴτε εὖ, ἢ μὴ καλῶς, ἐῶ γὰρ τοῦτο πολεμοῦσι συνεβούλευσε, σὺ ὡς γενικὴν καὶ κοινὴν γνώμην πρόφερε, μηδὲ ἀποδέχου, μηδὲ ζήλου τοὺς χρηματιζομένους, μηδὲ ἀπολογίαν τοῖς ἀναπολογήτοις πορίζου, μηδὲ ἐπαινεῖν ἐθέλοιμι, τὸν ῥήτορα, διάσυρε ὡς ἀνόητον, καὶ ῥᾳδίως ἐχόμενον. Εἰ γάρ τις ἐθέλοι τοῦ δεινοῦ τούτου ῥήτορος καταδραμεῖν· εἰρήσεται γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο μετὰ τὴν ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ ἀπολογίαν. Δεινῶς γὰρ, ὡς ἔφην, ἐρῶ τῆς ἀληθείας· φήσει, ὅτι, ὦ ῥητόρων ἄριστε, θαυμάζω πῶς εἰς τουναντίον πολλάκις περιτρέπων τὰ ἐνθυμήματα, καὶ τοῦ πεῖσαι τοὺς ἀκούοντας μηδὲν ἕτερον προτιμῶν, καὶ πηγὴ, καὶ ἀρχὴ, καὶ ὅρος πάσης δεινότητος τοῖς μετὰ σὲ ἀνθρώποις γεγενημένος, οὐ συνεῖδες τοῦθ᾽ ὁ μέλλω λέγειν. Ἐχρῆν γὰρ ἀσφαλίσασθαί σε τὴν γνώμην, καὶ εἰπεῖν, δεῖ δὲ χρημάτων, καὶ ἄνευ τούτων οὐδὲν ἔστι γενέσθαι τῶν ὀφειλόντων γενέσθαι ἐν πολέμῳ. ᾿Αλλ' ἴσως ἀπεκρίνατο ἂν, εἴγε περιῆν, ὅτι ἡ ὑπόθεσις τοῦ λόγου, καὶ πᾶσα ἡ σύμφρασις, τοῦτο δηλοῖ. ᾿Αλλ', ὦ σοφὲ, πάλιν ἂν εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν, εὖ μὲν λέγεις. Τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ ὁ τὸν ἀγῶνα τοῦτον ἀναδεξάμενος πρὸ τῆς σῆς ἀπολογίας ἔφη. Οὕτως οὐδὲν πρὸς φιλονεικίαν βλέπων ἐφθέγξατο. Καὶ πείθομαι, καὶ σὲ ἀληθεύειν κἀκεῖνον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τινες ἀπαίδευτοι, ὡς καὶ οὗτος, ὁ τὸν ἀγῶνα τοῦτον ἐνστησάμενος, μήτε τὰς ὑποθέσεις καταμανθάνοντες, μήτε τὴν σύμφρασιν ἀπαγγέλλοντες, αὐτὰ καθ' ἑαυτά, βούλονται τῆς τῶν προαγόντων, ἢ ἑπομένων, ἀκολουθίας ἀποσπῶντες, καὶ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ ἑτέρους φενακίζουσιν· ἐχρῆν σε ἀσφαλίσασθαι τὸν λόγον. Οὕτως γὰρ εἰρημένος τοὺς μὲν εὐχερεῖς καὶ ἀμαθεῖς εἰς φιλοχρηματίαν ἀλείφει, καὶ μυρίων ἐμπίπλησι κακῶν· τοὺς δὲ πεπαιδευμένους, καὶ σοφοὺς εἰς ἀντιλογίαν καὶ ἄκοντας ἐγείρει. Τί γὰρ εἰπεῖν δύνανται; Τί φὴς, ὦ Δημόσθενες; Οὐδὲν ἔστι τῶν δεόντων ἄνευ χρημάτων γενέσθαι; Οὐ σωφροσύνην ἐπιδείξασθαι, οὐκ ἀνδρίαν, οὐ δικαιοσύνην, οὐ φρόνησιν, οὐ φιλοσοφίαν, οὐκ ἀγαθότητα; Ταῦτα γὰρ καὶ πρέποντα καὶ δέοντα, ἄν τις κυρίως καλέσειε Ναὶ, φησί. Τί οὖν ἐστιν ὅπερ ἔφης; Τῶν ὀφειλόντων γενέσθαι, εἶπον, ἐν πολέμῳ. Τί οὖν τοῦτο, φαίης ἂν πρὸς αὐτὸν, οὐκ ἔταξας σαφῶς ἐν τῷ σαυτοῦ λόγῳ; Ἢ οὐκ οἶδας τὴν τῶν πολλῶν ῥαθυμίαν, ὅτι ἃ βούλονται, ταῦτα καὶ κυροῦσι; Μᾶλλον δὲ σὺ τοῦθ᾽ ἡμᾶς ἐδίδαξας. Σὸν γάρ ἐστι τὸ ἀοίδιμον ἐκεῖνο, καὶ ἀληθὲς ἀπόφθεγμα · Ὁ γὰρ βούλεται, τοῦθ' ἕκαστος καὶ οἴεται Τὰ δὲ πράγματα πολλάκις οὐχ οὕτω πέφυκε. Τί τοίνυν ἐλύπει ἡ μικρὰ αὕτη προσθήκη; Τί δ' οὐκ ὠφέλει, εἴγε καὶ σὲ ἐγκλήματος καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας συγχύσεως καὶ ταραχῆς ἀπήλλαττεν; Εἰ ταῦτ' ἔφασαν πρὸς αὐτὸν, καὶ χάριν ἂν οἶμαι αὐτὸν εἰδέναι τῆς ἐπανορθώσεως (συνετὸς γὰρ ἦν ἀνὴρ) καὶ διορθώσασθαι τὸν λόγον· Οὕτω γὰρ οὐδεὶς ἂν λοιπὸν τῶν ἀνοήτων ἐτόλμησε τὴν οἰκείαν ἀπαιδευσίαν ἐκ τῆς Δημοσθενικῆς παιδεύσεως νευροῦν.","t":"To Casius the scholasticus. [On love of money, and on very many of the ancients who practised poverty.] You yourself seem to love money, and, because you are being hunted down for such a failing, to have armed Demosthenes against us, who said, \"Money is needed, and without it nothing that ought to be done can be done,\" as though we would not dare to contradict the invincible orator. But since most people rightly take little account of you, but much of the orator, who surpasses everyone in the biting, the forceful, the emotional and the combative, and in much that is uncommon in thought and diction, I would gladly ask you whether you have set him up as a fortress against us as a clever orator, able by his art to force the truth, or as a trustworthy witness. If as a clever orator, able to adorn the shamefulness of your passion, we would not yield to him; though we respect the man, we would prefer the truth to him, and to a defence of one overcome by an incurable disease. If as a trustworthy witness, we ourselves will say nothing harsh (others perhaps would set him aside as one who tries to obscure the truth by the art of words, and so is not even fit to be brought forward as a witness); but, setting against him those who both said and did the opposite, let us entrust the verdict to the judgment of those who read, so far are we persuaded that we are from self-will. Since, then, you are a Greek and champion the ways of the Greeks, you must be subdued with your own weapons. Against the invincible orator we must set the truest and wisest advice of Isocrates, which says: \"Wealth is the servant of vice rather than of goodness, providing licence for idleness and inviting the young to pleasures.\" In my judgment he is more glorious than the other, not in cleverness (in that the other prevails), but in examining the truth; and the truth is everywhere to be preferred to cleverness by the sensible. And if they should seem to some to be evenly matched, we must not quarrel, but show that all famous men agree with Isocrates. First, the ancient custom must be brought forward. It was an ancient custom, after dining together, to take the lyre and sing: \"May you perish, O wealth, and appear neither on land nor on sea.\" If another witness is needed, Aristides the Just will testify, who, though able to make money, embraced poverty, so that the city of the Athenians buried him when he died and gave his daughters in marriage with dowries. If a third, the Theban Epaminondas will cast his vote, the most famous of all the generals there, who, when called to the assembly, declined to go out that day because his cloak happened to be in the wash and he had no other to put on. If a fourth, Crates too will vote, who gave all his property to the council of his city and said, \"Crates sets free Crates the Theban.\" If a fifth, Phocion too will add his vote. When Alexander of Macedon sent him a hundred talents of gold, he asked those who brought it why, when there were many Athenians, Alexander had sent it to him alone. When they said, \"He considers you good and noble,\" he answered, \"Then let him allow me both to be and to seem such.\" Having said this to the bearers, he sent back the money and wrote to Alexander that, if he wished to do him a favour, he should release the prisoners in Sardis; and Alexander did so. You see that it is possible for what ought to be done to be done without money. If a sixth, Plato too will vote (for I now add the finishing stroke), whom you cannot even set aside, so great and wonderful do you think him, forbidding the possession of gold and silver. And Lycurgus too, the lawgiver of the Spartans (for we shall not lack a seventh vote), made a law that whoever brought coined money into Sparta should be repaid with death. But if we must set the votes aside and examine the nature of the thing itself, nothing terrible will be found in life that does not come about through love of money. Through it come enmities, battles and wars; through it murders and robberies [and slanders]; through it not only cities but deserts too, the inhabited world and the uninhabited, breathe blood and murder. Not even the sea has been spared this evil; it has revelled its way there too with great madness, pirates besieging it and devising newer ways of robbery. Through it the laws of kinship have been overturned, the ordinances of nature disturbed, and the rights of being itself corrupted. For this wicked and defiled love [arms] the [hands] of grave-robbers not only against the living but also against the dead. … For who has become so unremitting and insatiable an enemy as wealth? While we live it destroys the soul, and when we die it outrages the body, not even allowing it to be hidden in the earth, which is common even to the condemned. For the lawgivers, having exacted the penalty of death from the condemned, take no further trouble; but wealth exacts from those who possess it a most bitter penalty even after death, setting them out naked and unburied, a terrible and pitiable sight. These suffer worse than those who suffer this by sentence and the anger of a judge: those, after remaining unburied for a first and second day, are given to the earth; but these, when love of money has armed the hands … which do not let even one who has been released from this life be released from their plotting. Whatever evils one might find, whether in council chambers, in law courts, in houses or in cities, one will see sprouting from this root. But why do I labour? Not all people gathered together could describe the whole evil of this disease. And if you think that the man who possesses wealth is hard to capture, and that wealth is fought over for that reason, I will try to show the opposite. Whom does the man of much gold not fear? Not robbers? Not slanderers? Not the powerful? And why do I say the powerful, when he suspects even his own servants? And why do I say that he seems to live? One who is mastered by such a disease does not live. But not even when he is dead can he be freed from the villainy of robbers; … nor can death keep him in safety: those accustomed to such crimes plunder him even when he is dead and buried. So precarious a thing is wealth. Not only are houses dug through, but tombs and graves are broken open. What could be more wretched and pitiable than this, when not even death gives him safety, and that wretched body, though deprived of life, cannot be freed from the misfortunes of life, since those accustomed to such crimes hasten to make war on dust and earth, and far more grievously than when he was alive? For then, if they had happened to get into his storeroom, they would have emptied the chests and kept their hands off the body, and would not have taken so much as the defiled hands of the grave-robbers now take, even the body itself; they move it about continually, turn it over and outrage it with great cruelty. For after it has been given to the earth, they strip it naked of both coverings, the earth and the clothes, and so leave it thrown out. Who, then, is so truceless an enemy as wealth? Of the living it destroys the soul, of the dead it outrages even the body, not even allowing it to be hidden in the earth, which is common even to the condemned and to those caught in the most shameful crimes. For the lawgivers, having exacted from these the penalty of death, meddle no further; but wealth exacts from those who possess it a most grievous penalty even after death, setting them out naked and unburied, a pitiable and terrible sight. So the argument that tries to show that wealth is hard to capture is superfluous, since not even after death do those who have acquired it find safety. And yet who does not make peace with the dead, be he barbarian, beast or wandering demon? For the sight is terrible, and bends even the most implacable. For this reason, when anyone sees a corpse, even if the dead man was one with whom there was no truce, an enemy beyond all herald's terms, he weeps with the relatives. So do all respect our common nature and the laws it has introduced. But gold, not even obtaining this, does not release from punishment those who gained it; it makes even those who have suffered no wrong enemies of the dead man. For if stripping a dead body belongs to the bitterest of enemies and foes, and nature then reconciles even enemies to him, wealth wages war even on those who have nothing to accuse him of, and outrages the body with great insolence. Yet there are many things there able to draw one to pity. What are they? The very fact that it is dead, that it is motionless, that it is going to earth and ash, that no one is present to help. But nothing bends those defiled and accursed men, because of the tyranny of this wicked desire. For the terrible and insatiable love of money stands over them like a harsh and avenging tyrant, urging on those cruel and implacable commands; and having made them beasts, it leads them so to the tomb. If, then (for the argument must be brought back to its subject), many and famous are those who renounced wealth and made no truce with it, as with an enemy and foe of virtue; if the disease of love of money has been shown to be the cause of all evils; and if those who have acquired wealth have been shown to be not hard to subdue or capture, but easy prey to all, not only while living but also when dead, stop being overpowered by this grievous disease and setting up an orator against us as a fortress. If the verdict were simply your own opinion, we would not have had much to say; we would very quickly have set it aside as incurably sick. But since you armed the orator against us (how could I put it fittingly?), you have compelled us, though we respect the man, to arm many against him who plainly overturn that opinion. So much for that. And since the abundance of the truth is great, come, let us show the orator himself priding and glorying in being above shameful gains. What did he say? \"And no one could show any gain attached to my political actions and speeches.\" So he too adorns himself with this greatness of soul. And if you say, \"Why, then, did the orator see fit to declare an opinion so easily refuted?\", I would answer, above all, that it is not I but you who are answerable, since you put him forward in your own defence. But if one must defend him (and one must, I think, so that we may not seem to some to be contending against an absent opponent, or rather to have won by default, especially since I love the truth and respect the man), I will do so as best I can. I say, then, that all the others, having learned the very nature of the thing, rightly outlawed wealth as an enemy of virtue; but the orator said this not considering the thing in itself but looking to the needs of war. For otherwise it was not possible to forge arms, build triremes, give rations to soldiers and provide the other things that war rejoices and glories in, without money. And that this is true he shows elsewhere, saying: \"The city needs nothing so much as money for the present affairs.\" Do not, then, if he advised the Athenians when they were at war (whether well or not, I leave aside), put it forward as a general and common opinion; do not approve or emulate those who make money; do not provide a defence for the indefensible; and do not (I would not wish to praise you for it) disparage the orator as foolish and easily caught. For if someone should wish to attack this clever orator (this too will be said, after the defence on his behalf; for, as I said, I love the truth intensely), he will say: \"Best of orators, I wonder how you, who often turn arguments round to the opposite and value nothing more than persuading your hearers, and who have become the spring, the beginning and the standard of all eloquence for those after you, did not perceive what I am about to say. You should have safeguarded your opinion and said: 'Money is needed, and without it nothing that ought to be done in war can be done.'\" But perhaps he would have answered, if he were alive, that the subject of the speech and its whole context show this. \"But, wise sir,\" one would say to him again, \"you speak well. For the one who took up this contest said this before your defence; so he spoke with no view to contention. And I am persuaded that both you and he speak the truth. But since some uneducated people, like this man who set up this contest, neither learning the subjects nor reporting the context, wish to tear sayings by themselves out of the sequence of what precedes or follows, and so deceive themselves and others, you should have safeguarded your statement. For said in this way it trains the careless and ignorant in love of money and fills them with countless evils, while it rouses the educated and wise to contradiction even against their will. For what can they say? 'What do you mean, Demosthenes? Nothing that ought to be done can be done without money? Not to show self-control, courage, justice, prudence, philosophy, goodness? For these, properly speaking, are what is fitting and what ought to be done.' 'Yes,' he says. 'What, then, did you mean?' 'I said: of the things that ought to be done in war.'\" \"Why, then,\" you might say to him, \"did you not put this clearly in your speech? Or do you not know the carelessness of the many, that they ratify what they want? Or rather, you taught us this yourself; yours is that famous and true saying: 'What each man wishes, that he also believes; but things are often not so by nature.' What harm would this small addition have done? What good would it not have done, if it freed you from accusation and everyone else from confusion and disturbance?\" If they had said this to him, I think he would have been grateful for the correction (for he was a wise man) and would have corrected his statement. Then no fool would afterwards have dared to strengthen his own lack of education from the education of Demosthenes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.146 (PG 78 78:589; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-146)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.147":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΚἀνταῦθα, ὦ βέλτιστε, οἱ ἄριστοι καὶ βασιλικώτατοι (οὕτω γὰρ καλεῖν θέμις τοὺς ἀρεταῖς κομῶντας) μᾶλλον ζῶσι τῶν ἀνδραποδωδεστάτων. Οὕτω γὰρ ὀνομάζειν δίκαιον τοὺς ἡδοναῖς ἀτόποις δουλεύοντας. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ φιλάρετοι πάντων εἰσὶν ὑψηλότεροι, οὐ μόνον ἀθυμίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ φόβων, καὶ κινδύνων, καὶ μεταβολῆς ἁπάσης ἑστηκότες ἀνώτεροι. Οὐ τῷ μηδὲν ὑπομένειν· ἀλλ᾿ ὁ πολλῷ μεῖζόν ἐστι, καὶ θείαν δείκνυσι τὴν τοιαύτην ζωὴν, τῷ καὶ ἐπιόντων αὐτῶν καταφρονεῖν. Οἱ δὲ τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν ἐγκαλινδούμενοι, οὐδὲ ζῇν μοι δοκοῦσι, διὰ τὰς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἀθυμίας, καὶ τοὺς φόβους, καὶ τοὺς κινδύνους, καὶ τὸν μυρίον τῶν παθῶν ἐσμόν. Αν τε γὰρ θάνατος προσδοκηθῇ, θνήσκουσι καὶ πρὸ τοῦ θανάτου τῷ δέει, ἄν τε νοσος, ἄν τε ὕβρις, ἄν τε πενία, ἢ ἄλλο τι τῶν ἀδοκήτων, καὶ πρὸ τῆς πείρας ἀπολώλασιν. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει (ἔχει δὲ κἂν μὴ θέλωμεν), τοὺς κἀνταῦθα κἀκεῖσε εὐκλεῶς ζῶντας ζηλώσωμεν. Ὁ μὲν τῶν εὖ βιούντων, ὦ θαυμάσιε, λόγος, ὅρκου πιστότερος ταῖς ἁπάντων τῶν ἀκουόντων στεφανοῦται ψήφοις. Τὸ δὲ σφόδρα φιλεῖσθαι βούλεσθαι, ἀπὸ τοῦ σφόδρα φιλεῖν τίκτεται. Οὐκοῦν εἰ μὲν πιστεύεσθαι βουλοίμεθα, εὖ βιῶμεν· εἰ δὲ ἀγαπᾶσθαι, ἀγαπῶμεν.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Even here, excellent friend, the best and most royal (for so it is right to call those who flourish in virtues) live more truly than the most slavish (for so it is just to name those who are slaves to outrageous pleasures). For the lovers of virtue are higher than all, standing above not only despondency but also fears, dangers and every change: not by suffering nothing, but, what is far greater and shows such a life to be divine, by despising these things even when they come. But those who wallow in sins seem to me not even to live, because of the despondency that comes from them, the fears, the dangers and the countless swarm of passions. If death is expected, they die before death from fear; if sickness, insult, poverty or anything else unexpected, they perish before the experience. If, then, this is so (and it is so, even if we do not wish it), let us emulate those who live gloriously both here and there. [Letter 2.148] The word of those who live well, admirable friend, more trustworthy than an oath, is crowned by the votes of all who hear it. And the wish to be greatly loved is born from loving greatly. If, then, we wish to be believed, let us live well; if we wish to be loved, let us love.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.147 (PG 78 78:601; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-147)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.149":{"o":"ΚΑΣΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\n῎Ἄγαν ἐκθειάσας τὴν πρώην γραφεῖσάν μοι πρὸς σὲ περὶ ἀρετῆς καὶ τοῦ μὴ ἐρᾷν χρημάτων ἐπιστολὴν, σύμβολον ἐξήνεγκας τοῦ πεπεῖσθαί τι καλῶς ἔχειν τὸν ἔπαινον· οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, ἅ τις ἡγεῖται καλῶς ἔχειν τούτοις οὐ φάσκειν πεπεῖσθαι. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἃ ψέγομεν, ἀποφεύγομεν, εἰ σωφρονοῦμεν, οὕτως ἃ θαυμάζομεν, αἱρούμεθα. Ἄσκει τοίνυν ταῦτα· εὔκλειαν γὰρ ἀθάνατον ὠδίνει.","t":"To Casius the scholasticus. By greatly extolling the letter I wrote you earlier about virtue and about not loving money, you have given a token that you are persuaded the praise was deserved; for one cannot fail to say that one is persuaded of what one thinks good. As we avoid what we blame, if we are sensible, so we choose what we admire. Practise these things, then; for they bring forth immortal glory.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.149 (PG 78 78:603; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-149)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.15":{"o":"ΣΕΡΑΠΙΩΝΙ ΚΟΡΡΙΚΤΟΡΙ.\nΟὐδὲν οὕτω καὶ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις ἔνδοξον, καὶ παρὰ Θεῷ εὐδόκιμον οἶδες ποιεῖν, ὡς τὸ δύνασθαι μὲν ἃ βούλεται πράττειν, ἀεὶ δὲ φιλάνθρωπα καὶ βούλεσθαι καὶ πράττειν. Οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὴ τὸ δύνασθαι ἐν τῇ ἀρχῇ πάρεστι, τὸ φιλάνθρωπον τούτῳ κιρνάσθω, ἵνα καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀοίδιμος γένοιο. Εἰ δὲ θυμῷ χαρίσαιο, καὶ τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ ἀποχρήσῃ, σβέσεις μὲν τὸ σαυτοῦ κλέος, θηριωδίας δὲ δόξαν ἀποίσῃ Τὸ μὲν γὰρ συγγνώμης ἀξιοῦν τοὺς πταίοντας, θεῖον· τὸ δὲ παρὰ πόδας ἀπαραιτήτως κολάζειν, θηριοπρεπὲς καὶ ὀφιῶδες. Τίς [τοι]γαροῦν παρεὶς τὸ μιμήσασθαι τὸ Θεῖον, τοῖς χαμαὶ ἕρπουσιν ἐξομοιωθῆναι βουληθείη; Οὐδεὶς, πλὴν εἰ μή τις καὶ τοῦ θείου φόβου καὶ τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων δόξης καταφρονήσειεν.","t":"To Serapion the corrector. You know that nothing makes a man so glorious among men and so approved by God as being able to do what he wills and yet always both willing and doing what is humane. Since, then, you have the power in your office, let humanity be mixed with it, so that you may be celebrated even after your office ends. But if you indulge your anger and misuse your authority, you will put out your own fame and carry off a name for savagery. For to grant pardon to those who stumble is divine; to punish on the spot without mercy is beastly and snakelike. Who, then, passing by the imitation of God, would wish to become like the creatures that crawl on the ground? No one, unless he despises both the fear of God and the good opinion of men.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.15 (PG 78 78:467; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-15)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.150":{"o":"ΕΠΙΜΑΧΩ.\nΤί ἐστι τό· « Μεγαλυνοῦσι τὰ φυλακτήρια αὐτῶν. Ἐπειδὴ τί ἐστι τὸ, « Μεγαλύνουσι τὰ φυλακτήρια, » μαθεῖν ἐθέλων γέγραφας, ἴσθι ὅτι δέλτια ἦν μικρά, ἴσῳ τὸν νόμον ὠδίνοντα, ἅπερ ἐφόρουν οἱ τῶν Ἰουδαίων καθηγηταὶ, ὥσπερ νῦν [αἱ γυναῖκες τὰ] Εὐαγγέλια [τά] μικρά. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ μὲν νομοθέτης εἰς τὸ ἔργον αὐτοὺς ἐμβάλλων, καὶ τὴν λήθην ἐξοστρακίζων ἐθέσπισεν, « Εξάψεις τὰ δικαιώματα ἐπὶ τῆς χειρός σου, » τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἐξαρτήσεις, κρεμάσεις· αὐτοὶ δὲ τοῦ μὲν ἔργου οὐδένα ἐποιοῦντο λόγον, περὶ δὲ τοὺς τελαμῶνας τῶν βιβλιδίων πολλὴν ἐποιοῦντο σπουδήν, μέμψεως ἠξιώθησαν. Ἐπιτάφιος πρὸς διαφόρῳ ἐν ἀρετῇ ζήσαντα. ῾Ο μακάριος Τιμόθεος ὁ σὸς ἀδελφὸς, ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ᾤχετο, πᾶν μὲν ὅσον εἶχε θνητὸν, ἐν γῇ καταλείψας, τῇ δὲ ψυχῇ οὐρανοβατῶν· καὶ ταῖς θείαις καὶ ὑπερκοσμίοις, ὡς πιστεύω, συγχορεύων δυνάμεσι. Διὸ καὶ ἡμεῖς τὴν λύπην, καίτοι μεγίστην ἦσαν, [καὶ] εἰς τὸ δυνατὸν ἀντέχοντας, σχεδόν χειρωσαμένην, παρεγραψάμεθα, ἐννοήσαντες, ὅτι ἡ τῶν ἐνθάδε τελευτὴ, ἀρχὴ τῶν μεγίστων αὐτῷ ἐκεῖσε καθέστηκεν ἀγαθῶν. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς ἔτυχεν ὁ ἀνὴρ ἐνθάδε βίον διήθλησεν· ἀλλ᾿ ἀνδρείως καὶ γενναίως, καὶ παρὰ πάντων ἐπὶ ταῖς ἀριστείαις ἀνακηρυττόμενος, πάσης μὲν εὐφημίας κρείττων ὧν, τοῖς δὲ κατὰ δύναμιν ἐπαίνοις στεφανούμενος. Ὄντως γὰρ ἦν ἀνάκτορον μὲν σωφροσύνης, ἑστία δὲ φρονήσεως, ἀκρόπολις δὲ ἀνδρείας, μητρόπολις δὲ δικαιοσύνης, καὶ ταμιεῖον μὲν φιλανθρωπίας, τέμενος δὲ ἡμερότητος, καὶ συλλήβδην εἰπεῖν, πασῶν τῶν ἀρετῶν θησαυρός. Οὕτως γὰρ ἑκάστην ἐκτήσατο, ὡς ἂν ἕτερος μίαν τινὰ κτήσασθαι περὶ πολλοῦ ἐποιήσατο. Τῶν γὰρ ὑπερκοσμίων ἐραστὴς γενόμενος ἐπήδα πρὸς τὸν αἰθέρα τῷ λογισμῷ, καὶ τὰ οὐράνια ἐπολυπραγμόνει, καὶ τῶν ἐπιγείων ἡμέλει. Ἡδονὴν γὰρ ἀληθεστάτην, καὶ Χριστιανοῖς πρέπουσαν, τὴν σωφροσύνην εἰκότως ὑπειληφὼς, γαστρὸς, καὶ τῶν μετὰ γαστέρα παθῶν τυραννικῶς ἐκράτησε, τῇ μὲν τὴν αὐτάρκειαν νομοθετήσας, τοῖς δὲ οὐδὲ πτερύξασθαι συγχωρήσας. Ἐντεῦθεν πανταχόθεν διήγγελλεν ἡ φήμη τὸ κλέος, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἁπάντων στόμασιν ἦν, καὶ πάντες [ἤλπιζον] λαμπροτέρας αὐτὸν, εἰ ἀρχῆς ἐπιλάβοιτο ἐκκλησιαστικῆς, πέμψειν τῆς ἀρετῆς τὰς ἀκτῖνας. ᾿Αλλ' ὥσπερ ἀγαθὸς ἀθλητὴς, ποθούντων ἔτι τῶν θεατῶν, εἰς τὰς οὐρανίους αὐλὰς στεφθησόμενος ἀπέπτη, καταλείψας ἐνθάδε ὥσπερ ἐντάφιον δόξαν καὶ μνήμην, [καὶ] τὸν παρὰ πάντων ἔπαινον. Τίς τοιγαροῦν τὸν τοιοῦτον ἐγκωμιάσαι βουλόμενος, κἂν ἐπ' ὀλίγον τῆς ἀξίας ἐφάψοιτο; Τίς ἐπαινέσαι θέλων οὐ κατόπιν τῆς ὑποθέσεως ἀπολειφθεὶς ἑαυτὸν αἰτιάσοιτο, ὡς πράγματι ἀμηχάνῳ ἐγχειρήσας; Τίς τὴν πραότητα καὶ τὸ μειλίχιον, καὶ τὴν πρὸς ἅπαντας μὲν, μάλιστα δὲ πρὸς τοὺς φιλαρέτους αἰδὼ, λόγοις ἐπιχειρήσας ὑπογράψαι, οὐχ ἑαυτὸν μέμψοιτο, μηδὲν εὑρίσκων εἰπεῖν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐφάμιλλον; Οὕτω γὰρ τοὺς συνόντας ἤρει, ὡς εἰς τὸν τῆς φιλίας θεσμὸν, αὐτῷ νέμεσθαι τὰ πρωτεῖα. Ὑψηλὸς μὲν γὰρ ἦν τῇ ἀρετῇ, ταπεινὸς δὲ τῷ φρονήματι, καὶ πρᾶος μὲν ἐν ταῖς συντυχίαις· ὀξὺς δὲ ἐν ταῖς ἐννοίαις· καὶ πολὺς μὲν ἐν ταῖς εὐεργεσίαις, ταχὺς δὲ ἐν ταῖς παρακλήσεσιν. Ὁ δέ με καταπαῦσαι βουλόμενον οὐκ ἐᾷ, τοῦτο ῥητέον, ὅτι τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην διαφερόντως ἀγαπῶν, τὸ λαθεῖν φιλανθρωπευόμενος ἐθηρᾶτο· εὖ εἰδὼς, ὅτι τοῦτο μάλιστά ἐστιν ἐλεημοσύνη. Οἱ γὰρ μετ' ἐπιδείξεως ταύτην διαπραττόμενοι οὔ μοι δοκοῦσι φιλανθρωπεύεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὰς τῶν εὖ πασχόντων ἐκτραγῳδεῖν συμφοράς· καὶ τὸ θεῖον ἔργον ἀργαλεωτάτῳ λυμαίνεσθαι νοσήματι. Φιλάνθρωποι γὰρ καὶ εὐεργέται καλεῖσθαι ποθοῦντες, τὰς τῶν ἄλλων ἐκπομπεύειν οὐ παραιτοῦνται δυσπραγίας. Ὁ δὲ ἀοίδιμος ἐκεῖνος· σιωπᾶν γὰρ οὐ θέμις, καὶ φθεγγομένους ἀναγκαῖον ἐλέγχεσθαι τὴν ἀξίαν αὐτῷ μὴ σώζοντας· οὐχὶ τῷ παρέχειν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ λανθανόντως τοῦτο διαπράττεσθαι, τοὺς εἰς τὴν κάμινον τῆς πενίας τυγχάνοντας ἐδρόσιζεν. Ἀλλὰ τί κάμνω, πέλαγος ἀγαθῶν, εὐτελεῖ λόγῳ ἀνυμνῆσαι πειρώμενος; Διὸ δὴ ἐγὼ μὲν ἐνταῦθα στήσω τὸν λόγον· αὐτὸς δὲ τῆς λύπης τῆς ἐπ᾿ αὐτῷ παυσάμενος, τίμα τὸν ἄριστον ἐκεῖνον τῇ τιμήσει τῆς ἀρετῆς Πρὸς προεστῶτας. Διὰ πάσης ἀκριβείας χωρείτω τῶν ψυχικῶν τραυμάτων ἡ θεραπεία. Τὰ γὰρ ὕπουλα, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ, ἀναστομοῦσθαι φιλεῖ. ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΕΥ","t":"To Epimachus. [What is meant by \"They enlarge their phylacteries\"?] Since you wrote wishing to learn what \"They enlarge their phylacteries\" means, know that they were small tablets bearing the law, which the teachers of the Jews wore, as now [women wear] small Gospels. For the lawgiver, setting them to the work and banishing forgetfulness, decreed, \"You shall bind the ordinances on your hand,\" that is, you shall attach them, hang them on; but they took no account of the work and took great pains over the straps of their little books, and so they were judged worthy of blame. [Letter 2.151] [Epitaph for one who lived outstandingly in virtue.] The blessed Timothy, your brother, has departed from among men, leaving in the earth all that he had that was mortal, but walking in heaven with his soul and, as I believe, dancing with the divine and supramundane powers. So we too, though our grief was very great and almost overpowered us as we held out as far as we could, have set it aside, considering that the end of his life here has become for him the beginning of the greatest goods there. For the man did not contend through life here in an ordinary way, but manfully and nobly, proclaimed by all for his excellences, above every praise and yet crowned with praises as far as they could reach. He was truly a palace of chastity, a hearth of prudence, a citadel of courage, a mother city of justice, a storehouse of humanity, a sanctuary of gentleness, and, in short, a treasury of all the virtues. For he acquired each as another man would count it a great thing to acquire one. Having become a lover of what is above the world, he leapt up to the ether in his thought, busied himself with heavenly things and neglected earthly ones. Rightly taking chastity to be the truest pleasure, and the one befitting Christians, he ruled like a tyrant over the belly and the passions that follow the belly, legislating self-sufficiency for the one and not allowing the others even to flutter their wings. So fame proclaimed his glory on every side; he was in everyone's mouth, and all [hoped] that, if he took up a church office, he would send out the rays of his virtue still more brightly. But like a good athlete, while the spectators still longed for him, he flew off to the heavenly courts to be crowned, leaving here, like a funeral offering, glory and memory and the praise of all. Who, then, wishing to praise such a man, could touch even a little of what he deserved? Who, wishing to commend him, would not fall behind his subject and blame himself for attempting an impossible task? Who, attempting to sketch in words his gentleness and mildness, and his reverence toward all, but especially toward the lovers of virtue, would not blame himself, finding nothing to say equal to the truth? For he so won his companions that in the law of friendship the first place was given to him. He was lofty in virtue but lowly in mind; gentle in meeting people but sharp in thought; abundant in benefactions and quick in consolation. What does not let me stop, though I wish to, must be said: loving almsgiving exceedingly, he sought to escape notice in his kindness, knowing well that this above all is almsgiving. For those who do it with display seem to me not to be kind, but to make a tragic show of the misfortunes of those they help, and to ruin the divine work with a most grievous disease; longing to be called kind and benefactors, they do not refuse to parade the misfortunes of others. But that celebrated man (for it is not lawful to keep silent, and those who speak must be convicted of not preserving his worth) refreshed as with dew those who were in the furnace of poverty, not only by giving but by doing it unseen. But why do I labour, trying to hymn an ocean of goods with a cheap speech? So I will stop my speech here; and you, ceasing your grief over him, honour that excellent man by honouring virtue. [Letter 2.152] [To those who preside.] Let the treatment of the wounds of souls proceed with all exactness. For festering wounds mostly tend to open again. [Letter 2.153] To Martinian, Zosimus, Maron, Eu…","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.150 (PG 78 78:603; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-150)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.151":{"o":"ΣΤΑΘΙΩ.\nἘντυχών μοί τις τῶν λόγου καὶ μνήμης ἀξίων ἀνδρῶν, καὶ εὐγενείᾳ, καὶ τρόποις κεκοσμημένων, μετὰ δακρύων ἀπήγγελλεν, ὡς συνεδρεύοντές τινες καθ' ἑαυτοὺς, οἷς ἀρετῆς οὐ μικρὸς λόγος, τοιαῦτά τινα περὶ ὑμῶν ἔφασκον. Τί τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων καὶ αἰσχρῶν παθῶν ὀκνήσουσιν οὗτοι διαπράξασθαι λανθάνοντες, οἴγε προφανῶς οὕτως ἀσχημονοῦντες οὐκ - τοὺς θείους χρησμοὺς αἰδεσθεῖεν, οἴγε καὶ μύθους ἐρυθριῶσι; Τί δὲ οὐκ ἂν ποιήσαιεν τῶν ἀφανῶν κακῶν, οἴγε ἐπὶ τοῖς προδήλοις καὶ ἐναβρύνονται; Πῶς δὲ ὑπερβολῆς σωφρονισθεῖεν, οἴγε καὶ τοὺς σωφρονοῦντας γελῶσι; Πῶς δὲ ἐλεγχόμενοι παύσοιντο, οἴγε τοὺς ἐλέγχοντας διασύρουσι; Πῶς δὲ αὐτοὺς νομίζουσι; Πῶς δὲ κρίσιν φοβηθεῖεν, οἴγε μηδὲ εἶναι ταύτην διὰ τῶν ἔργων κηρύττουσι; Πῶς δὲ τῷ Χριστῷ πείσονται, οἴγε Ἐπίκουρον, δι' ὧν δρῶσιν, ἀνακηρύττουσιν; Ἐγὼ μὲν [οὖν] ταῦτα ἀκούσας, λίαν ἐπλήγην τὴν ψυχήν. Ὑμεῖς δὲ σκοπεῖν δίκαιοι ἂν εἴητε, ὅπως ταύτην ἐξαλείψοιτε τὴν κωμῳδίαν. Ἐξαλείψετε δὲ, εἰ γνωσιμαχήσητε· γνωσιμαχήσετε δὲ, εἰ πεισθείητε ἀληθεῖς εἶναι τὰς ἱερὰς Γραφάς· πεισθείητε δὲ, εἰ συνεχῶς αὐτῶν ἀπολαύσητε· ἀπολαύσοιτε δὲ, εἰ τὸν νοῦν αὐτῶν μάθοιτε· μάθοιτε δὲ, εἰ τοῖς κατὰ Θεὸν σοφοῖς προσεδρεύσοιτε· προσεδρεύσοιτε δὲ, εἰ κακίαν φύγοιτε· φεύξεσθε δὲ, εἰ τὰς τιμωρίας τὰς ἐπηρτημένας αὐτῇ φοβηθείητε· φοβηθήσεσθε δὲ, εἰ τὸ θεῖον εἶναι πιστεύετε· πιστεύσετε δὲ, εἰ ἐκ τῆς τοσαύτης μανίας ἀνενέγκοιτε· ἀνενέγκοιτε δὲ, εἰ τοὺς ἀνενεγκόντας ζηλώσετε· ζηλώσετε δὲ, εἰ ἀρετῆς ἀντιλάβοισθε· ἀντιλάβοισθε δὲ, εἰ βασιλείας ἐρασθείητε· ἐρασθείητε δὲ, εἰ τὰ βλεπόμενα πρόσκαιρα εἶναι νομίσετε· νομίσετε δὲ, ἐὰν τὴν οὐδένειαν αὐτῶν καταμάθοιτε· μαθήσεσθε δὲ, εἰ τὸ ἐπίκηρον αὐτῶν θεωρήσητε· θεωρήσετε δὲ, ἐὰν ἀδικάστοις ὀφθαλμοῖς θεάσησθε· θεάσοισθε δὲ, εἰ τῶν οὐρανίων ἀνθέξεσθε· ἀνθέξεσθε δὲ, εἰ τὸν τῆς ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμὸν διορατικώτερον κατασκευάσετε · κατασκευάσοιτε δὲ, εἰ πρὸς τὸ θεῖον συνεχῶς ἀποβλέπειν ἐθίσετε.","t":"[Letter 2.153, continued: …stathius.] One of the men worthy of mention and remembrance, adorned with nobility and good character, met me and reported with tears that some men who care not a little for virtue, sitting together by themselves, said things like this about you: \"What secret and shameful passions will these men shrink from committing in secret, who behave so shamefully in the open? How would they respect the divine oracles, who do not even blush at fables? What hidden evils would they not commit, who even pride themselves on those that are plain to see? How could they be brought to their senses by any excess of rebuke, who laugh even at those who are self-controlled? How would they stop when they are reproved, who mock those who reprove them? … How would they fear judgment, who by their works proclaim that it does not exist? How will they obey Christ, who proclaim Epicurus by what they do?\" When I heard this, I was struck to the soul. You would do well to consider how you may wipe out this mockery. You will wipe it out if you acknowledge your fault; you will acknowledge it if you are persuaded that the sacred Scriptures are true; you will be persuaded if you continually enjoy them; you will enjoy them if you learn their meaning; you will learn it if you sit at the feet of those who are wise according to God; you will sit at their feet if you flee vice; you will flee it if you fear the punishments that hang over it; you will fear them if you believe that God exists; you will believe if you recover from such great madness; you will recover if you emulate those who have recovered; you will emulate them if you lay hold of virtue; you will lay hold of it if you fall in love with the kingdom; you will fall in love with it if you consider visible things to be temporary; you will consider them so if you learn their nothingness; you will learn it if you observe how perishable they are; you will observe this if you look at them with impartial eyes; you will look so if you hold fast to heavenly things; you will hold fast to them if you make the eye of the soul more clear-sighted; and you will make it so if you accustom it to look continually to God.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.151 (PG 78 78:607; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-151)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.154":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΤὸ σαφὲς τῷ σεμνῷ κεκραμένον, οὐκ ἀσαφὲς τῷ ἀκροωμένῳ, τὸ λεγόμενον, κατασκευάζει. Ὁ ἀοίδιμος, καὶ πάσης εὐφημίας ἄξιος Τιμόθεος ὁ ἀναγνώστης, οὕτως ὀρθῶς ἐβίωσεν, ὡς μηδένα δυνηθῆναι εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ἐθαυμάζετο μὲν, οὐκ ἠγαπᾶτο δέ. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ τῷ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐρᾶν, τὸ δὲ, τῷ τὰ φορτικώτερα φεύγειν, ἐξ ἴσης ἐκαρποῦτο· ὅς γε καὶ διὰ τὸ τῆς γνώμης κόσμιον, τῶν μὲν ἡλικιωτῶν πρεσβύτερος, τῶν δὲ πρεσβυτέρων ἡλικιώτης ἐδόκει· τοὺς μὲν νουθετεῖν οἷός τε ὢν, τοῖς δὲ οὐδὲν ἐνδιδοὺς ἐφ᾿ ὅτῳ διορθώσονται. Οἰκίαν μὲν διαφανῆ, καὶ θαύματος κρείττονά φασί σε κατεσκευακέναι, τῆς δὲ ψυχῆς ἡμεληκέναι, ὥσπερ τινὸς φαυλοτάτου καὶ οὐδαμινοῦ. Ἴσθι τοίνυν μὴ καλῶς βουλευόμενος· ἡ μὲν γὰρ οἰκία τῆς [σῆς] πλεονεξίας καὶ ἐν τοῖς μετέπειτα χρόνοις κήρυξ καὶ σιωπῶσα γενήσεται· ἡ δὲ ψυχὴ τὰς φοβερὰς ὑποστήσεται τιμωρίας. - ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΕΥ","t":"To Ophelius the scholasticus. Clarity mixed with dignity makes what is said not unclear to the hearer. [Letter 2.155] The celebrated Timothy the reader, worthy of every praise, lived so rightly that no one could say that he was admired but not loved. He reaped both alike: admiration from his love of virtue, love from his avoidance of what is burdensome to others. Because of the orderliness of his mind he seemed older than those of his age and a contemporary of his elders, able to admonish the former and giving the latter nothing to correct. [Letter 2.156] They say that you have built a splendid house beyond all wonder, but have neglected your soul as something utterly worthless and of no account. Know, then, that you are not taking good counsel. The house, even though silent, will be a herald of your greed in times to come; but the soul will undergo the fearful punishments. [Letter 2.157] To Martinian, Zosimus, Maron, Eu…","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.154 (PG 78 78:609; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-154)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.155":{"o":"ΣΤΑΘΙΩ.\nΠοῖος χρησμός, ὦ βέλτιστοι, ἢ ποῖος λόγος τοῦ Σωτῆρος εἰς ἔργον οὐκ ἐκβέβηκεν, ἵνα καὶ τὸν περὶ τῆς κρίσεως παραγράψησθε; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι διέπταισαν, μηδ' οὗτος πιστευέσθω. Εἰ δὲ πάντες εἰς ἔργον ἐκβεβήκασι, τοῦ χάριν τούτῳ πιστεύειν οὐκ ἀξιοῦτε; Τὰ γὰρ γεγενημένα, τῶν ἐσομένων ἐγγυᾶται τὴν ἔκβασιν. Εἰ δὲ βούλεσθε, συντόμως καί τινας τῶν χρησμῶν· πάντας γὰρ ἴσως οὐ δυνατὸν, οὐδὲ ῥάδιον εἰς μέσον ἀγαγεῖν ἡμᾶς, οὐδὲ τοῦτο ποιῆσαι παραιτησόμεθα. Εἶπεν ἀλώσεσθαι τὰ Ἱεροσόλυμα, καὶ ἑάλω. Εἶπε· καθαιρεθήσεσθαι τὸν πολυθρύλλητον ἐκεῖνον ναὸν, καὶ γέγονεν. Εἶπε κρατήσειν τὸ ἀποστολικὸν κήρυγμα, καὶ κεκράτηκεν. Εἶπεν ὡς ἔσται αὐτὸς καὶ παισὶ πατέρων αἰδεσιμώτερος, καὶ πατράσι παίδων γλυκύτερος, καὶ γυναιξὶν ἀνδρῶν ποθεινότερος, καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἠκολούθησεν. Εἶπε διασπαρήσεσθαι τοὺς Ἰουδαίους, καὶ καθάπερ δραπέται τινὲς καὶ μαστιγίαι πανταχοῦ διεσκορπίσθησαν. Εἶπε πολεμηθήσεσθαι μὲν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, μὴ νικηθήσεσθαι δέ· καὶ σαφῆ, καὶ λαμπρὰ ἐν γῇ καὶ θαλάττῃ τὰ τρόπαια. Εἶπε κατάδηλον ποιήσειν ὅπερ ἐποίησεν ἡ καταχέασα τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτοῦ τὸ μύρον γυνή. Καὶ οὐδένα διέλαθε τὸ γεγονός. Εἶπεν [ὅτι] ὅσην ἥλιος ἐφορᾷ γῆν, τοσαύτην καὶ τὸ κήρυγμα καταλήψεται, καὶ κατείληφεν. Οὐκ ἔστι γὰρ ἔθνος οὐκ ἐσχατιὰ τούτου ἀνήκοος. Εἶπε ποιήσειν τοὺς ἁλιεῖς τῶν ἰχθύων ἀλιεῖς ἀνθρώπων· καὶ ἕως νῦν ἡ σαγήνη θηρᾷ. Προεῖπε τὸν σταυρὸν, καὶ τὸν θάνατον, Τὸ μὲν τὴν θείαν φύσιν εἰς τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς καταβῆναι καὶ πεπλήρωται. Εἶπε τὴν ἀνάστασιν, καὶ τὴν ἀνάληψιν, καὶ γέγονεν. ᾿Αλλ' εἰ πάντας τοὺς χρησμούς εἰς μέσον ἀγαγεῖν πειράσομαι, οὐδ᾽ εἰ παύσασθαι βουλοίμην, δυναίμην. Ὁ τοίνυν ταῦτα πάντα εἰρηκὼς, καὶ εἰς τέλος ἀγαγὼν, οὗτος περὶ τῆς ἐπιφανεστάτης ἑαυτοῦ δευτέρας παρουσίας καὶ ἀδεκάστου κρίσεως εἰρηκὼς, οὐ πιστευθήσεται; Καὶ τίς ἀνέξεται τῶν νοῦ καὶ φρονήσεως οὐκ ἀμοιρούντων; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι οἱ χρησμοὶ εἰς ἔργον οὐκ ἐκβεβήκασι, μηδ' οὗτος πίστεως ἀξιούσθω. Εἰ δὲ πάντες τέλος εἰλήφασι τὸ προσῆκον, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν οὗτος μόνος ἀπιστεῖται, οὐδὲ τοῦτο δὲ παραλελείψεται, οὐ μικρὸν ὂν, ἀλλὰ παρ' ἐμοὶ κριτῇ μέγιστον ὅτι εἰ ἐν οἷς αὐτῷ συνηνέχθησαν, δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν ἀπιστεῖται πράγματα, καὶ τοσαύτην οἰκονομίαν ἐργάσασθαι, καὶ σημεῖα τοιαῦτα καινουργῆσαι, καὶ τὰ πάθη διὰ πάθους ἰάσασθαι, καὶ τὸν θάνατον διὰ θανάτου θανατῶσαι, ἀπιστούμενον διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν ἀπόδειξιν ἔλαβεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν εἰ ἄνθρωπος ψιλὸς ἦν, μετὰ θάνατον πάντας ἂν ἐχειρώσατο· καὶ μυρίων Θεῶν ἐσμοὺς ἐκ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἐξήλασε, καὶ τὰ διαβόητα χρηστήρια ἐπεστόμισε, καὶ ἁλιεῖς παιδευτὰς τῆς ὑφ᾽ ἡλίῳ ἐχειροτόνησε, καὶ τὰ ἀνήμερα καὶ ἀπάνθρωπα φύλα ἐτιθάσσευσε. Τὸ δὲ κρίσιν ἔσεσθαι προειπὼν, ὁμολογούμενον πρᾶγμα παρὰ τοῖς πλείστοις καὶ ἐνδοξοτάτοις τῶν σοφῶν, καὶ δίκαιον ὃν καὶ ἀκόλουθον, καὶ λογικοῖς πρέπον, καὶ τῇ θείᾳ προνοίᾳ ἀρμόττον, καὶ περὶ τῶν τῇδε δοκούντων πολλοῖς ἀνωμάλως γίγνεσθαι πραγμάτων ἀπολογούμενον, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως ἀπιστεῖται. Εἰ γὰρ τὰ ἀπιστούμενα ἐξέβη, ποίᾳ μηχανῇ τὸ πιστευόμενον οὐκ ἐκβήσεται Εἰ γὰρ ἐν οἷς διηνέχθη, οὐκ ἠλέγχθη, ἐν ᾧ συνηνέχθη, πίστεως ἄξιος ἂν εἴη. Εἰ γὰρ τὰ λογικὴν ὑπερβαίνοντα ζήτησιν γέγονε, τὸ κατὰ λόγον πολλῷ μᾶλλον γενήσεται. Τῶν γὰρ ὑπὲρ λόγον γεγενημένων, τὸ εὔλογον καὶ ἀκόλουθον συμβήσεται.","t":"[Letter 2.157, continued: …stathius.] What oracle, excellent men, or what word of the Saviour has not come to pass, that you should set aside the one about the judgment? If those failed, let this one not be believed either. But if all of them have come to pass, why do you not deign to believe this one? For what has happened guarantees the outcome of what will be. And if you wish, we will not refuse to bring forward briefly some of the oracles; all of them, perhaps, it is neither possible nor easy for us to bring forward. He said that Jerusalem would be taken, and it was taken. He said that that famous temple would be pulled down, and it happened. He said that the apostolic preaching would prevail, and it has prevailed. He said that he would be more revered by children than their fathers, sweeter to fathers than their children, and more longed for by wives than their husbands, and the event followed. He said that the Jews would be scattered, and they have been dispersed everywhere like runaways and slaves deserving the whip. He said that the Church would be warred against but not conquered, and clear and splendid are its trophies on land and sea. He said that what the woman who poured the ointment on his feet had done would be made known, and the deed has escaped no one. He said that as much earth as the sun looks upon, so much the preaching would take hold of, and it has taken hold of it; there is no nation and no remotest region that has not heard it. He said that he would make the fishers of fish fishers of men, and to this day the net is hunting. He foretold the cross and his death, [and that the divine nature would come down to our condition,] and this has been fulfilled. He spoke of the resurrection and the ascension, and they happened. But if I try to bring forward all the oracles, I could not stop even if I wished. He, then, who said all these things and brought them to completion, will he not be believed when he has spoken about his most glorious second coming and his impartial judgment? And who among those not lacking mind and sense will tolerate that? If those oracles had not come to pass, let this one not be counted worthy of belief either. But if all have reached their fitting end, why is this one alone disbelieved? Nor will this be passed over, which is no small thing but in my judgment the greatest: the very things for which he is disbelieved, his accomplishing so great a dispensation, performing such new signs, healing passions through his passion and putting death to death through death, received their proof through the facts. For if he were a mere man, he would not after death have subdued all, driven the swarms of countless gods out of the world, muzzled the famous oracles, ordained fishermen as teachers of all under the sun, and tamed savage and inhuman tribes. But his foretelling that there will be a judgment, a thing agreed upon by most of the wise and the most famous of them, just and consistent, befitting rational beings, fitting divine providence, and offering a defence regarding the things here that seem to many to happen unevenly, is, I know not how, disbelieved. If the things that were disbelieved came to pass, by what device will what is believed not come to pass? If he was not refuted where he went against opinion, he would be worthy of belief where he agrees with it. If things that surpass rational inquiry have happened, much more will what accords with reason happen. For after what has happened beyond reason, what is reasonable and consistent will follow.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.155 (PG 78 78:609; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-155)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.158":{"o":"ΤΟΙΣ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ.\nΤῆς ἐπιστολῆς Ἰακώβου, εἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, « Ἡ γλῶσσα πῦρ, ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας. Οὐ συνάδει, ὦ βέλτιστοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ κομιδῇ ἀπᾴδει τῷ ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν νενοημένῳ τὸ θεῖον γραφεῖον. Ὑμεῖς γὰρ ἔφατε ὑπὸ τῆς εἰμαρμένης τὴν γλῶτταν κινεῖσθαι καὶ συνταράττεσθαι. Τὸ δ' ἱερὸν λόγιον, τουναντίον φάσκει, ὑπὸ τῆς γλώττης συγχεῖσθαι τὸν χρόνον τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν. Τροχοειδὴς γὰρ ὁ χρόνος εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἀνακυκλούμενος. Οὐδὲν δὲ οἷον αὐτῆς ἀκοῦσαι τῆς Γραφῆς· τί οὖν φησιν; « Ἡ γλῶσσα καθίσταται ἐν τοῖς μέλεσιν ἡμῶν φλογίζουσα ὅλον τὸ σῶμα, καὶ σπιλοῦσα τὸν τροχὸν τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν. » Οὐ γὰρ εἰπεν, ὅτι Ὁ τροχὸς σπιλοῖ τὴν γλῶτταν, ἀλλ᾽ Ἡ γλῶττα τὸν τροχὸν, τὸν τροχοειδή δηλονότι χρόνον. Τὴν γὰρ προαίρεσιν αἰτιᾶται, καὶ τὴν προπέτειαν ἀναστέλλει. Ὑφ' οἷς ὁ βίος ἡμῶν ἐκτραχύνεται, καὶ μυρίαις ἀνωμαλίαις ὑποπίπτει. Διὸ καὶ ἐπήγαγε, • Καὶ φλογιζομένη ὑπὸ τῆς γεέννης. » Οὐκ ἂν τοῦτο προσθεῖσα, εἴγε ἄκουσα ἡ γλῶττα ἐκινεῖτο. Ὅτι δὲ τροχὸν τὸν χρόνον ἐκάλεσε, διὰ τὸ τροχοειδὲς καὶ κυκλικὸν σχῆμα· εἰς ἑαυτὸν γὰρ ἀνελίττεται· ἐγγυᾶται ὁ Μελῳδὸς, στέφανον αὐτὸν καλέσας, καὶ εἰπὼν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· « Εὐλογήσεις τὸν στέφανον τοῦ ἐνιαυτοῦ τῆς χρηστότητός σου. » Κάνταῦθα γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ κυκλικοῦ σχήματος, στέφανος εἰκότως ὁ χρόνος ὠνόμασται εἰ τοίνυν βούλεσθε γέλωτα μὴ ὀφλισκάνειν, μὴ τὸ ἐναντίον τοῖς οἰκείοις βουλήμασι λόγιον ὡς συνᾷδον προφέρετε. Ἀλλὰ μυρίοις χαλινοῖς τὴν γλῶσσαν ἄγχετε.","t":"To the same. [From the Epistle of James, on the saying, \"The tongue is a fire, the world of unrighteousness.\"] The divine writing, excellent men, does not agree with what you have understood, but quite disagrees. For you said that the tongue is moved and thrown into disorder by fate. The sacred oracle says the opposite: that the time of our life is thrown into confusion by the tongue. For time is wheel-shaped, revolving into itself. There is nothing like hearing Scripture itself. What does it say? \"The tongue is set among our members, setting on fire the whole body and staining the wheel of our life.\" It did not say that the wheel stains the tongue, but that the tongue stains the wheel, that is, time, which is wheel-shaped. For it blames our choice and checks our rashness, through which our life becomes rough and falls into countless irregularities. That is why it added, \"and set on fire by Gehenna.\" It would not have added this if the tongue moved involuntarily. That it called time a wheel because of its wheel-like and circular shape (for it rolls back into itself), the Psalmist guarantees, calling it a crown and saying to God, \"You will bless the crown of the year of your goodness.\" Here too time is rightly called a crown from its circular shape. If, then, you wish not to incur ridicule, do not bring forward as agreeing with your wishes an oracle that contradicts them; rather, choke the tongue with countless bridles.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.158 (PG 78 78:613; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-158)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.159":{"o":"ΩΡΙΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nἪ μᾶλλον, ἢ οὐχ ἧττον τῶν σῶν φίλων ἥσθημεν, ὅτι ἡ σὴ σύνεσις τοῖς βιωτικοῖς χαίρειν φράσασα, εἰς τὸν τῆς θείας φιλοσοφίας ἀπεδύσατο ἀγῶνα. Καὶ πιστεύομεν, ὡς τῆς θείας συμπραττούσης ῥοπῆς, καὶ ἀναῤῥήσεων, καὶ στεφάνων τεύξεται.","t":"To Orion the monk. We were pleased, more than your friends or certainly no less, that your Understanding has bidden farewell to the affairs of life and stripped for the contest of the divine philosophy. And we believe that, with the divine aid working with you, you will win proclamations and crowns.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.159 (PG 78 78:613; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-159)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.16":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nὉ μὲν ἰατρικὸς Ἱπποκράτης παρήνεσε, τοῖς κεκρατημένοις μὴ ἐγχειρεῖν· οἵ τινες πειθόμενοι τῶν ἀπαγορευσάντων σε, ὡς κομιδῇ ἀπηλγηκότα, μᾶλλον δὲ νενεκρωμένον, καὶ ἡμᾶς, τοὺς ἐπὶ μετάνοιάν σε παρακαλοῦντας, κωμῳδοῦσιν, ὡς Αἰθέοπα σμήχειν ἐπιχειροῦντας. Ἐγὼ δὲ πολλὰς ἐν ἀνθρώποις μεταβολὰς καὶ γεγενημένας ἀκούων καὶ γινομένας ὁρῶν, καὶ ἐσομένας προσδοκῶν, διεγείρειν σε καὶ κατευθύνειν δίκαιον ᾠήθην, ἐλπίδι χρηστῇ τρεφόμενος. Εἰ δὲ καὶ, ὅπερ μὴ γένοιτο, διαμαρτήσαιμι, τὸ γοῦν ἐμαυτῷ ἐγκαλεῖν κερδανῶ, καὶ οὐκ ἔσομαι τῶν τὴν θάλατταν πλεόντων ἀπηνέστερος· οἱ ὅταν τινὰ ἴδωσιν ἐκπεσόντα νεὼς, τὰ ἱστία χαλάσαντες, πειρῶνται αὐτὸν ἀνιμήσασθαι. Εἰ δὲ μὴ βουληθείη ἐκεῖνος σωθῆναι, οὐδεὶς αὐτοὺς, [ὡς μὴ] βουληθέντας σῶσαι, αἰτιάσοιτο. Ανάνευσον τοιγαροῦν ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ τῆς κακίας, πέπαυσο τῆς ἀσελγείας· ἐννόησον τὸ ἐπίκηρον τοῦ τῇδε βίου, καὶ τὴν ἐκεῖσε ἀπαραίτητον τιμωρίαν. Τί μάτην, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐπὶ κακῷ ἀναλίσκεις τὸν χρόνον; Ἐννόησον, ὅτι, μίαν [ἔχων] ψυχήν, πᾶσιν αὐτὴν τοῖς αἰσχροῖς πάθεσι κατεμόλυνας. ᾿Απάλλαξον σαυτὸν μὲν κακίας καὶ αἰσχύνης καὶ κωμῳδίας καὶ κολάσεως, τὴν δὲ Ἐκκλησίαν μολυσμοῦ, τὸ δὲ θυσιαστήριον κηλίδος, τὸν δὲ χειροτονήσαντά σε ἐγκλημάτων, ἡμᾶς δὲ λύπης, τοὺς δὲ ἁγίους ἀεννάων δακρύων. Ἡ εἰς τὸ Θεῖον ἐλπὶς, πύργος ἐστὶν ἀῤῥαγὴς, οὐ τὴν λύσιν μόνον ἐπαγγελλόμενος τῶν δεινῶν, ἀλλ᾿ οὐδὲ παρόντων αὐτῶν ταράττεσθαι συγχωρῶν. Ὁ γὰρ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἀπηλλαγμένος, καὶ τῇ ἄνωθεν ἐλπίδι ἑαυτὸν ἐξαρτήσας, οὐ μόνον ταχίστην ἐπάγεται τῶν δεινῶν τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ παρόντων αὐτῶν θορυβοῦται καὶ ταράττεται, τῇ προσδοκίᾳ τῆς ἱερᾶς ἐκείνης ἀγκύρας ὀρθούμενος. Χρῶ τοίνυν αὐτῇ, καὶ πάντων ἔσῃ κρείττων τῶν λυπηρῶν. Κορωνίδα ἐπιθεῖναι τῷ κατὰ τὸν θεοσεβέστατον Ἡσύχιον πράγματι καταξίωσον, ἵνα σὺ μὲν ἀοίδιμος γένοιο, ἐγὼ δὲ λίαν ἡσθείην, αὐτός τε πάλιν ἀνακηρύξῃ τὰ σὰ [ἅπαντα]· ἀνὴρ γάρ ἐστιν εἰδέναι χάριτας ἐπιστάμενος.","t":"To Maron. The physician Hippocrates advised against taking in hand those already overcome by disease. Some, obeying him, have given you up as altogether past feeling, or rather as dead, and they mock us who urge you to repentance, as if we were trying to wash an Ethiopian white. But I, hearing of many changes in people that have happened, seeing them happen, and expecting them to happen, thought it right to rouse and direct you, nourished by good hope. And if (may it not happen) I should fail, I will at least gain this, that I need not blame myself, and I will not be harsher than those who sail the sea: whenever they see someone fallen from the ship, they lower the sails and try to haul him up. If he does not wish to be saved, no one will blame them as unwilling to save. Lift your head, then, out of the depth of wickedness; stop your licentiousness; consider how perishable the life here is, and the inexorable punishment there. Why do you spend your time in vain, or rather for evil? Consider that, having one soul, you have defiled it with all the shameful passions. Free yourself from wickedness, shame, mockery, and punishment; the Church from pollution; the altar from stain; the one who ordained you from accusations; us from grief; and the saints from ever-flowing tears. [Letter 2.17] Hope in God is an unbreakable tower, promising not only release from troubles but also not allowing one to be disturbed while they are present. For whoever has been freed from human things and has hung himself on the hope from above not only brings on the swiftest release from troubles, but is not even troubled or disturbed while they are present, held upright by the expectation of that sacred anchor. Use it, then, and you will be above all that grieves. [Letter 2.18] Deign to put the finishing touch to the matter concerning the most God-fearing Hesychius, so that you may be celebrated and I greatly pleased, and he may again proclaim all your deeds; for he is a man who knows how to be grateful.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.16 (PG 78 78:467; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-16)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.160":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΠολλάκις ἐθαύμασα τῶν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ μακροθυμίαν ἐφόδιον ποιουμένων κακίας. Δέον γὰρ τοσαύτης χρηστότητος πολιτευομένης, τὴν κακίαν μὴ αὔξεσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐλέου καὶ συγγνώμης τυχόντας, τὴν εὐεργεσίαν αἰδουμένους, κακίας μὲν ἀπέχεσθαι· ἀρετῆς δ᾽ ἀντέχεσθαι· οἱ δὲ τολμῶσιν ἀτόλμητα. Ἴστωσαν οὖν ὡς οὐ διαφεύξονται τὴν δίκην τὸ γὰρ θεῖον λόγιον βοᾷ· « Αὐτὸς [γὰρὶ ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ. »","t":"To Nilus. I have often wondered at those who make God's long-suffering a provision for vice. When such kindness governs, vice ought not to grow; rather, those who have obtained mercy and pardon, respecting the benefaction, ought to abstain from vice and hold fast to virtue. But they dare what should not be dared. Let them know, then, that they will not escape justice; for the divine oracle cries, \"He will render to each according to his works.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.160 (PG 78 78:613; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-160)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.161":{"o":"ΑΦΡΑΣΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα· ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε ἀπὸ τῶν παλαιόντων πρὸς αἷμα καὶ σάρκα, διδακτέον τοὺς νόμους τοὺς ἀθλητικούς. Ὥσπερ οὖν ἐκεῖνοι οὐ μόνον ἀποδυσάμενοι (ἀρχὴ γὰρ τοῦ ἀγωνίσασθαι τὸ ἀποδύσασθαι· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀποκειράμενοι τὴν κόμην, καὶ ἀλειψάμενοι ἐλαίῳ, ἵνα μήτε ληφθεῖεν ταῖς θριξὶν), ἀλλὰ καὶ ὀλισθῆσαι παρασκευάσωσι διὰ τοῦ ἐλαίου τοῦ ἀντιπάλου τὰς χεῖρας· οὕτως ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα χωροῦσιν, οὕτως καὶ ἡμεῖς, εἴγε στεφανίται γενέσθαι ποθοῦμεν, ἀποδυσάμενοι τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον σὺν ταῖς πράξεσιν αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ ἔξωθεν ἀποκειράμενοι, καὶ εἰς ἐλεημοσύνας καταναλώσαντες, γυμνοὶ πάσης φροντίδος, καὶ ἀχίτωνες εἰς τὸ στάδιον τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀναβῶμεν, τὰ περὶ ψυχῆς Ὀλύμπια ἀγωνισάμενοι. Ει δὲ μηδὲν τούτων δρῶντες, νομίζομεν καὶ ἀγωνίζεσθαι, καὶ ἐναβρυνόμεθα ἐπὶ τούτῳ, πρῶτον μὲν κἀνταῦθα παρὰ τῶν ἐχεφρόνων γελασθησόμεθα. Ἔπειτα δὲ κἀκεῖσε ἀκριβῶς εἰσόμεθα, ὅτι ἑαυτοὺς παρελογισάμεθα, ὅταν μὴ μόνον ἀστεφάνωτοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ δίκας ὑφέξοντες ἀπαγώμεθα.","t":"To Aphrasius the presbyter. Even if our wrestling is not against blood and flesh, we must still learn the rules of the athletes from those who wrestle against blood and flesh. They not only strip (for stripping is the beginning of the contest), but also cut off their hair and anoint themselves with oil, so that they may not be caught by the hair, and so that by the oil they may make their opponent's hands slip; and so they go into the contest. So we too, if we long to be crowned, must strip off the old man with his deeds, cut off what is outward and spend it on alms, and, naked of every care and without a tunic, go up into the stadium of virtue to contend in the Olympic games of the soul. But if we do none of these things and yet think that we are contending, and pride ourselves on it, first we will be laughed at here by the sensible, and then there we will learn exactly that we deceived ourselves, when we are led away not only without a crown but to pay the penalty.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.161 (PG 78 78:615; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-161)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.162":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἘπειδὴ γέγραφας θαυμάζειν. ὅπως τὸ ἱερᾶσθαι Ζώσιμον τὸν δοκοῦντα εἶναι πρεσβύτερον δεινὸν ὂν, οὐ δεινὸν εἶναι δοκεῖ τῷ παρανόμως αὐτὸν χειροτονήσαντι, φήσαιμι, ὅτι αὐτὸς μὲν ἀπὸ μισοπονήρου, καὶ φιλαγάθου τρόπου δικαίως ἀγανακτεῖς. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ πρὸς τοῦτ᾽ ἀντερεῖ. Ἐγὼ δὲ σοι κἀκεῖνο παραινέσαι δίκαιον ᾠήθην, καθαρὰν κακηγορίας τὴν γλῶτταν διατηρῆσαι. Εἰ γὰρ κἀκεῖνος μυρίων, ὡς γέγραφας, ἔστιν ἄξιος θανάτων, μηδὲ τῇ τιμῇ βελτιωθεὶς, ἀλλ᾿ ὅπλῳ κακίας τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ χρησάμενος, καὶ τολμῶν τὰ ἀτόλμητα· διὸ καὶ παρὰ τοῦ ἀδεκάστου κριτοῦ, εἰ μὴ γνωσιμαχήσεις, σφοδροτάτας ἀπαιτηθήσεται δίκας · οὐ γὰρ ἄδικος ὁ Θεός· ἀλλ᾽ οὖν τὸ σαυτοῦ στόμα μιαίνειν οὐκ εἴης δίκαιος, τὰς μιαρὰς ἐκείνου πράξεις ἐκκωμῳδῶν","t":"To Athanasius the presbyter. Since you wrote that you wonder how the priesthood of Zosimus, who seems to be a presbyter, terrible as it is, does not seem terrible to the one who lawlessly ordained him, I would answer that you are rightly indignant, from a character that hates evil and loves good; no one will dispute that. But I thought it right to advise you of this too: keep your tongue clean of abuse. For even if he deserves countless deaths, as you wrote, since he was not improved even by the honour but used the priesthood as a weapon of vice and dares what should not be dared (for which, unless he acknowledges his fault, he will be required by the impartial Judge to pay the severest penalties; for God is not unjust), still you ought not to defile your own mouth by mocking his defiled deeds.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.162 (PG 78 78:615; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-162)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.163":{"o":"ΙΩΑΝΝΗ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΟ.\nΠερὶ φιλοσοφίας. Εἰ ἐρεθίζει σε πρὸς μάχην ὁ σὸς διάδικος, ἄμεινον μὲν μὴ ἀποκρίνασθαι. Εἰ δὲ τοῦθ᾽, ὡς φὴς, ἀδύνατόν σοι καθέστηκεν, ἄκρως φιλοσοφῆσαι μὴ προῃρημένῳ, κέρασον τῇ φιλοσοφίᾳ τὸν ἔλεγχον, λέγων τὰ τοῦ ῥήτορος πρὸς αὐτὸν, φοβοῦμαι μὴ τὰ προσήκοντα περὶ σοῦ λέγων, εἰς οὐ προσήκοντας ἐμαυτῷ ἐμπέσω λόγους. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ φιλοσοφήσεις μετρίως, κἀκεῖνον [εἰς] δίκας εἰσπράξῃ.","t":"To John the scholasticus. [On philosophy.] If your opponent at law provokes you to fight, it is better not to answer. But if, as you say, this is impossible for you, since you have not chosen the highest philosophy, mix your rebuke with philosophy, saying to him the orator's words: \"I fear that, in saying what befits you, I may fall into words that do not befit me.\" So you will both be moderately philosophical and exact justice from him.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.163 (PG 78 78:615; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-163)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.164":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nὍτι ἐκ τῆς ἡμετέρας ῥαθυμίας ὁ διάβολος ἔχει τὰς ἀφορμὰς τῆς ἰσχύος. Αὐτὸς μὲν ἔφης θαυμάζειν λίαν, ὅπως ὁ διάβολος τοὺς πλείστους τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ μετὰ τὸ ἐκνευρισθῆναι, χειροῦται. Ἐγὼ δὲ τοῦτ᾽ οὐ θαυμάζω, εἰ ἀγρυπνῶν ὁ μιαρὸς ἐκεῖνος, καὶ μηδένα καιρὸν, μηδὲ ὥραν παραλείπων, ἡμῶν ῥαθυμούντων καὶ κοιμωμένων περιγίνεται. Συναπολέσαι μὲν γὰρ ἑαυτῷ τοὺς ἡττηθέντας δυνήσεται, βασιλεῦσαι δὲ τὴν πρώτην βασιλείαν τὴν ὑπὸ τῆς θείας δυνάμεως ἀνατραπεῖσαν, οὐκ ἂν δυνηθείη. Τουναντίον γὰρ ἂν ἦν θαυμαστὸν, εἰ μηδὲν ποιοῦντες ἡμεῖς, ὧν τοῖς τροπαιούχοις προσήκει, τοῦ πάντα καθ' ἡμῶν κινοῦντος περιῆμεν. Τὸ γὰρ τοὺς πολλοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων συστρατεύεσθαι τῷ ἐχθρῷ κατὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο περιφανῶς τὴν ἧτταν συμβαίνειν, καίτοι ἀληθὲς ὂν, παρήσω, μὴ λίαν πικρὸν ὀφθείη τοῖς τοῦτο δρῶσιν. Ὅταν οὖν καὶ ἐξ οἰκείας ῥαθυμίας πίπτωμεν, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ ἐκεῖνον πάντα τὰ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ὀφείλοντα εἶναι καθ᾽ ἡμῶν μηχανᾶσθαι, ὑποσκελιζώμεθα, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς τοὺς ἡμετέρους ἐκείνῳ μὲν συστρατεύεσθαι, καθ' ἡμῶν δὲ ὁπλίζεσθαι, σκανδαλιζώμεθα, δι' ἣν αἰτίαν θαυμάζεις εἰ ἡττώμεθα; Εἰ δὲ φαίης, Τί οὖν ποιητέον ; ἀποκρινοῦμαι, ὅτι Ἐπειδὴ, εἰ καὶ πέπτωκεν ὁ διάβολος, ἀλλ᾿ ὅμως ἀπερισκέπτως θρασύνεται, ἀγρυπνητέον, καὶ πονητέον, καὶ κινδυνευτέον, καὶ τὴν θείαν συμμαχίαν κλητέον, καὶ πάντα πρακτέον, ὅπως καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν αὐτὸν, καὶ τοὺς συστρατευομένους νικήσωμεν. Εἰ δὲ μηδὲν τούτων βουλόμενοι πρᾶξαι, καὶ τὰ ὑπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ κατορθωθέντα προδιδῶμεν ἑαυτοὺς αἰτιᾶσθαι ὀφείλομεν, καὶ οὐ τὴν ἐκείνου ῥώμην, ἣν ὁ Σωτὴρ μὲν ἔσβεσεν, ἡ δ᾽ ἡμετέρα ῥαθυμία ηὔξησεν.","t":"To Heraclides the presbyter. [That the devil gets the occasions of his strength from our carelessness.] You said that you wonder greatly how the devil masters most people even after he has been unnerved. But I do not wonder if that defiled one, being sleepless and letting no occasion or hour go by, prevails over us when we are careless and asleep. He will be able to destroy with himself those who are defeated, but he could not reign again in his first kingdom, which was overturned by the divine power. On the contrary, it would be a wonder if we, doing none of the things that befit victors, prevailed over one who moves everything against us. That many people fight on the enemy's side against their brothers, and that defeat plainly results from this, though it is true, I will pass over, lest it seem too bitter to those who do it. When, then, we fall through our own carelessness, are tripped up because he contrives against us everything that ought to be for us, and are scandalized because our brothers fight on his side and arm themselves against us, why do you wonder that we are defeated? And if you say, \"What, then, must be done?\", I will answer: since, although the devil has fallen, he is still rashly bold, we must keep awake, toil, run risks, call on the divine alliance, and do everything to conquer both the general himself and those who fight with him. But if we are willing to do none of these things and betray what Christ has achieved, we must blame ourselves, and not his strength, which the Saviour quenched but our carelessness has increased.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.164 (PG 78 78:617; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-164)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.165":{"o":"ΕΥΔΑΙΜΩΝΙ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΣκιὰ, καὶ ὄναρ καὶ καπνὸς, ὦ βέλτιστε, καὶ τί γὰρ οὐχὶ τῶν θᾶττον ἀφιπταμένων, ὁ τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰκότως κέκληται βίος. Διὸ οὐδὲ χρὴ αὐτῷ προστετηκέναι, οὐδὲ τρυφὴν ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν τρυφήν. Τὸ γὰρ πλέον ἐν ἀναισθησίᾳ ἔχει. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ πρώτη ἡλικία πολλῆς γέμει τῆς ἀνοίας, ἡ δὲ πρὸς τὸ γῆρας ὁδεύουσα πᾶσαν τὴν ἐν ἡμῖν αἴσθησιν καταμαραίνει. Καὶ ὀλίγον ἐστὶ τὸ μέσον τὸ δυνάμενον μετ' αἰσθήσεως τρυφῆς ἀπολαῦσαι. Μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδ᾽ ἐκεῖνο εἰλικρινῶς αὐτῆς μετέχει· μυρίων φροντίδων, καὶ πόνων, καὶ λυπῶν λυμαινομένων αὐτῷ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰλικρινῶς ἀπέλαυεν, ὅπερ ἀδύνατον, οὐ τὸ μέσον · κύριον ὤφειλεν εἶναι τῶν ἄκρων, ἀλλὰ τὸ συναμφότερον κρατεῖν τοῦ μέσου. Ὅταν δὲ [καὶ] τὸ μέσον μυρίοις χειμῶσι, καὶ φροντίσι, καὶ κινδύνοις, καὶ ἐπιβουλαῖς, καὶ πόνοις, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἃ νυνὶ παραλείψω, ἐκταράττηται, ποῖ τὴν τρυφήν μοι δείξεις; εἰπέ μοι.","t":"To Eudaemon the reader. Shadow and dream and smoke, excellent friend, and whatever else flies away more quickly, is what human life is rightly called. So one must not cling to it, nor think luxury to be luxury. For the greater part of life is spent without perception: the first age is full of much folly, and the age that goes toward old age withers all our perception, and small is the middle part that can enjoy luxury with perception. Or rather, not even that shares in it purely, since countless cares, toils and griefs spoil it. And even if it did enjoy it purely, which is impossible, the middle ought not to be master over the extremes; rather the two together should prevail over the middle. And when the middle too is troubled by countless storms, cares, dangers, plots, toils and the other things I now pass over, where, tell me, will you show me luxury?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.165 (PG 78 78:617; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-165)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.166":{"o":"ΑΜΜΩΝΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΟ.\nΔιὰ τί ἐπὶ τὸν σταυρὸν ἐρχόμενος ὁ Χριστὸς ταῖς κοπτομέναις γυναιξὶν ἐπετίμησεν. Κινδυνεύεις (ὦ τί σε καλέσας ἀξίως προσείπω!) ταῖς κοιναῖς μὴ ἕπεσθαι ἐννοίαις. Τὸ γὰρ γεγραφέναι δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν τὰς συμπασχούσας γυναῖκας οὐκ ἀπεδέξατο ὁ Χριστὸς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπέσκηψε, τεκμήριόν ἐστι μέγιστον τοῦ μὴ τὰς κοινὰς ἐννοίας σώζεσθαι παρὰ σοί. Υβρις γὰρ ἐκείνῳ τὸ συμπαθὲς, ᾧ μὴ τὸ πάθος ἀβούλητον τυγχάνει· οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄκοντες πάσχοντες εἰκότως καταθρηνοῦνται· οἱ δ᾽ ἑκουσίως ἀθλοῦντες μακαρίζονται. Οὐ γὰρ τὰ γινόμενα, ἀλλ᾽ αἱ τῶν πασχόντων γνῶμαι βασανιζόμεναι, ἢ τοῦτο, ἢ ἐκεῖνο ἐφέλκονται. Τὸ γὰρ καὶ λῃστὰς, καὶ μάρτυρας τὰ αὐτὰ πάσχειν οὔτ᾽ ἀπὸ μιᾶς ὁρμᾶται ἀρχῆς, οὔτε εἰς ἓν βλέπει τέλος.","t":"To Ammonius the scholasticus. [Why Christ, going to the cross, rebuked the women who were lamenting.] You seem (by what name could I worthily address you?) not to follow common notions. For your writing to ask why Christ did not accept the women who suffered with him, but even rebuked them, is the greatest proof that common notions are not kept by you. Sympathy is an insult to one for whom the suffering is not against his will. Those who suffer unwillingly are rightly lamented; those who contend willingly are called blessed. For it is not the events but the intentions of the sufferers, when they are examined, that draw the one response or the other. That robbers and martyrs suffer the same things neither starts from one beginning nor looks to one end.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.166 (PG 78 78:619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-166)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.167":{"o":"ΘΕΟΦΙΛΩ.\nὍτι μεγίστην ὠφέλειαν ἐμποιοῦσι τὰ περὶ ἀρετῆς διηγήματα καὶ τὸ συνεχῶς μεμνήσθαι τῶν ἐν ταύτῃ λαμψάντων. Ὅτι τὰ ἄριστα διηγήματα τὰς ἐν ἡμῖν ἐμφύτους ἀφορμὰς τὰς εἰς ἀρετὴν φημι βλεπούσας, διεγείρειν εἴωθεν, οἶσθα. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, [μηδὲν] ἀπηχὲς μήτε λέγωμεν, μήτε πράττωμεν.","t":"To Theophilus. [That stories of virtue, and constant remembrance of those who have shone in it, bring the greatest benefit.] You know that the best stories are wont to rouse the innate impulses in us that look toward virtue. If, then, this is so, let us neither say nor do anything out of tune with them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.167 (PG 78 78:619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-167)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.168":{"o":"(addressee not recovered)\nΠερὶ πενίας. Ἐπειδὴ ὁ τῷ δήμῳ διὰ τῆς κωμῳδίας ὀφρὺν ἐμβαλὼν τραγικὴν, καὶ ἐπιστύψας αὐτῆς τὸ φορτικὸν, ἄριστος εἶναί σοι παραινέτης ἔδοξεν, ἅτε γράψας ἃ μετὰ σεμνότητος πολλῆς ἐπιστύφειν τοὺς ἀκούοντας πέφυκεν, ἄκουε αὐτοῦ λέγοντος· Οὐ τὸ πένεσθαι ἐπονείδιστον πρᾶγμα ἡγούμενος τὴν τῆς φιλοσοφίας καὶ πάσης ἐπιστήμης τε καὶ τέχνης μητέρα θεσμῶν. Διά τοι τοῦτο ἐν τοῖς ἐκείνῳ τελουμένοις Ολυμπικοῖς ἀγῶσιν, οὕτω στεφανοῦνται οἱ ἀγωνιζόμενοι. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ σταδίῳ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐναντίος ἐστὶν ὁ τῶν στεφάνων νόμος. Τὸν πληττόμενον γὰρ, οὐ τὸν πλήττοντα στεφανοῦσθαι νενομοθέτηται ὡς μὴ τῇ νίκῃ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ τρόπῳ τῆς νίκης τὸ θαῦμα γίνεσθαι μείζον. \"Οταν γὰρ τὰ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις ὄντα νίκης, ταῦτα ἥττης ποιητικὰ ἀποφανθῆ, τότε θεία δύναμις, τότε οὐράνιον στάδιον, τότε ἀγγελικὸν θέατρον εἰκότως εἶναι πιστεύεται.","t":"(Addressee not recovered.) [On poverty.] Since the man who through comedy put a tragic brow on the people and made their vulgarity austere seemed to you the best adviser, since he wrote what by nature makes his hearers austere with great dignity, hear him saying: \"Being poor is not a shameful thing\" … regarding poverty as the mother of philosophy and of all knowledge and art … [Letter 2.169] … For this reason, in the Olympic games held in his honour, the contestants are crowned in this way. But in Christ's stadium the law of crowns is the opposite: it is laid down that the one who is struck, not the one who strikes, is crowned, so that the wonder may be made greater not only by the victory but also by the manner of the victory. For when what makes for victory among men is shown to produce defeat, then it is rightly believed to be a divine power, a heavenly stadium, an angelic theatre.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.168 (PG 78 78:619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-168)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.170":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΛαμπρᾶς εὐφημίας παρὰ πάντων [σοι δικαίως] ἐγειρομένης, ἀγρυπνεῖν ἂν εἴης δίκαιος, ὅπως ταύτην τοῖς μετέπειτα πραττομένοις ἱδρύσειας.","t":"To Eustathius the presbyter. Since brilliant praise is being raised [rightly] for you by everyone, you would do well to keep watch so as to establish it firmly by what you do hereafter.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.170 (PG 78 78:621; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-170)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.171":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ.\nΕἰ μὲν ἦν τις (ὦ τί καλέσας ὑμᾶς τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀναλγησίας καθάψομαι !) ὁ τὸ μέλλον ἐγγυησόμενος, καὶ καταστήσων δῆλον, ὡς οὐδεὶς ὑμῶν ἔσται ὁ τοιαῦτα ἔτι τολμήσων δρᾶσαι, οἷα ἐδράσατε, ἀσμένως ἂν τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἤγαγον, καὶ τοῖς παρελθοῦσιν ἐχαρισάμην τὸ λαθεῖν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐδείς ἐστιν ἀξιόχρεως ἐγγυητὴς, ἀναγκαία μοι ἔδοξεν εἶναι ἡ διὰ τῶνδε τῶν γραμμάτων παραίνεσις. Αν μὲν γὰρ εὕρῃ ὑμᾶς τὴν αὐτὴν νοσοῦντας νόσον, ἴσως ἐργάσεται τὸ αὐτῆς· ἂν δὲ ἀνενεγκόντας ἀπὸ τῆς μανίας, ὅπερ εὔχομαι γέγονεν. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῖς ἀρίστοις ἰατροῖς, τοῖς ἐπ᾿ ἀλλοτρίαις συμφοραῖς ἰδίας καρπουμένοις λύπας (πολλοὶ γὰρ αὐτῶν κέρδους ἕνεκεν μόνον τὴν τέχνην μεταχειρίζονται) εὐχῆς ἔργον ἐστὶ μετὰ τὸ κατασκευάσαι τὰ βοηθήματα, μηδὲ εἰς χρείαν αὐτῶν τὸν κάμνοντα [ἐλθεῖν]· καὶ αὐτὸς εὔχομαι μὲν μηδενὶ ὑμῶν ταύτης χρείαν γενέσθαι τῆς παραινέσεως. Εἰ δ᾽ ἄρα γένοιτο [ὁ μὴ γένοιτο!] ὁ δεύτερος ὑμᾶς οὐ διιππεύσει πλοῦς. Τί τοίνυν ἀναγκαῖον ᾠήθην παραινέσαι, φράσω. Αναγκάζομαι γὰρ εἰπεῖν, ὅπερ σαφῶς εἰπεῖν οὐ βούλομαι, ὅτι εἰς τὸν τῆς κακίας λαβύρινθον οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως ἐμπεπτωκότες, οὐ μόνον τοὺς θείους, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὺς τοὺς τῆς φύσεως, ὥς φασιν, ἐνετρέψατε νόμους· οἱ γὰρ παροινοῦντες κατὰ τῆς ἐννόμου φύσεως, δικαίως καὶ κατ᾿ ἀλλήλων λυττῶσιν. Οὐ γὰρ κωλύεται ῥᾳδίως ἐπιθυμία, τὸν τοῦ θείου φόβου χαλινὸν οὐκ ἔχουσα, ἀλλ᾿ ὥσπερ χαλινῷ μὴ πειθόμενος ἵππος, ἢ καθάπερ, κυριώτερον εἰπεῖν, λοιμὸς, πᾶσαν ἡλικίαν ἐπινέμεται, καὶ πᾶν γένος, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀξίαν λυμαίνεται. Σεμνοπρεπῶν μὲν οὖν ἀνδρῶν ἀκοὴν ἐνοχλεῖν οὐ καλόν· τοῖς δὲ ἀδεῶς δρῶσιν, ἃ δρᾷν οὐ θέμις, ἐπιτιμᾶν χρησιμώτατον· ἀνανδρίας γὰρ ἂν εἴη πολλῆς μέλλοντά τι κακὸν ἐκριζοῦν, μηδὲ φωνὴν ῥῆξαι ἐπιχειρεῖν, ὡς τῆς σιγῆς αὐτομάτου ἰασομένης τὴν κακίαν. Πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ οὕτως οἷός τ᾽ ἦν, συνεσκιασμένως ἐπέστειλα, ὅπως σωφρονισθέντες παύσησθε καὶ τῶν κατὰ φύσιν εἶναι δοκούντων, καὶ τῶν ὑπερορίων πταισμάτων, ἵνα μὴ ὑπερορίους ἀπαιτηθῆτε τὰς δίκας. Πάντη γὰρ καὶ πάντως φιλονεικεῖ τῷ μεγέθει τῶν πλημμελημάτων ὁ τῆς κολάσεως τρόπος τῇ παραβολῇ τὰ Σοδόμων πάθη παίγνια εἶναι ἀποφαίνων. ῎Ακρατος μέν ἐστιν, ὡς οἶμαι, ἡ κρίσις· κιρνᾶται δὲ πρὸς τὴν ποιότητα καὶ ποσότητα καὶ πηλικότητα τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων. Εἰς τοῦτον γὰρ μάλιστα βλέπει τὸν σκοπὸν τὸ εἰρημένον τῷ Μελῳδῷ· ὅτι « Ποτήριον ἐν χειρὶ Κυρίου, οἶνου ἀκράτου πλῆρες κεράσματος, πίονται ἐξ αὐτοῦ πάντες οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ τῆς γῆς. » Ὅτι δὲ ἐπὶ τιμωρίας τὸ ποτήριον ἐνταῦθα, καὶ τῷ Ἱερεμίᾳ εἴρηται· • Λάβε τὸ ποτήριον τοῦ θυμοῦ, καὶ ποτιεῖς πάντα τὰ ἔθνη. καὶ πρώτην τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ. » Τοὺς γὰρ λέγοντας περὶ τοῦ μυστικοῦ ποτηρίου τὸν Μελῳδὸν πεπροφητευκέναι, ἐλέγχουσι μὲν καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ Ἕλληνες, καὶ ὅσοι τούτου ἅμοιροι τυγχάνουσιν. Ἐλέγχει δὲ οὐχ ἥκιστα καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Ἱεροψάλτης, πρὸ τούτων τῶν ῥήσεων φράσας· ὅτι « Ὁ Θεὸς κριτής ἐστι, τοῦτον ταπεινοῖ, καὶ τοῦτον ὑψοῖ. » ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Διὰ τί ἐπὶ Λαζάρῳ ἐδάκρυσεν ὁ Κύριος Ἐδάκρυσεν, ὦ φιλοσοφίας ἄγαλμα! ὁ Χριστὸς ἐπὶ Λαζάρῳ, μάλιστα μὲν κἀν τούτῳ ὥσπερ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων κανόνας ἡμῖν καὶ ὅρους πηγνὺς, ἵνα μὴ ἐκβακχευώμεθα ὑπὸ τῆς λύπης. Οἱ γοῦν θεασάμενοι εἶπον· · Ἴδε πῶς ἐφίλει αὐτόν. » Ἐπειδὴ δ᾽ ἔφης· Οὐκ ἔπρεπε τῷ προειδότι ἀναστήσεται, τὸ δακρύσαι (δακρύομεν γὰρ ἅπαντες τοὺς τεθνεῶτας, οὐ τοὺς αὐτίκα μάλα ἀναστήσεσθαι προσδοκωμένους), θέα εἰ δυνήσεται ὁ λόγος ἅψασθαι τῆς ἀκριβείας. Φίλος ἦν τοῦ Σωτῆρος· φίλος δ' οὖν αὐτοῦ, πάντως δίκαιος ἦν, οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐφιλεῖτο παρὰ τῆς ἀχράντου δικαιοσύνης μὴ δίκαιος ὤν· οὐ γὰρ χάριτι οἶδε φιλεῖν, ἀλλὰ κρίσει· δίκαιος δ᾽ ἂν, καὶ ἐξελθὼν εὐκλεῶς τὸ στάδιον τοῦδε τοῦ βίου, πάντως ἐν ἀναπαύσει ἦν καὶ τιμῇ. Τοῦτον οὖν ἔμελλε διὰ τὴν οἰκείαν δόξαν ἀναστήσειν, τοῦτον ἐδάκρυσε, μονονουχί λέγων· Τὸν εἴσω τοῦ λιμένος εἰσελάσαντα πάλιν ἐπὶ τὰς τρικυμίας καλῶ, τὸν ἤδη στεφθέντα πάλιν ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀγῶνας ἄγω.","t":"To Martinian, Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius. If there were someone (by what name can I call you so as to touch your insensibility?) who would guarantee the future and make it plain that none of you will ever again dare to do such things as you have done, I would gladly have kept quiet and granted the past to be forgotten. But since there is no adequate guarantor, admonition by this letter seemed necessary to me. If it finds you sick with the same disease, perhaps it will do its work; if it finds you recovered from your madness, then what I pray for has happened. For the best physicians, who reap a grief of their own from the misfortunes of others (for many of them practise the art only for gain), pray, once they have prepared their remedies, that the sick man may not even need them; so I too pray that none of you may need this admonition. But if it should happen (may it not!), you will get no second voyage. What, then, I thought it necessary to advise you, I will tell. I am compelled to say what I do not wish to say plainly: that, having fallen I know not how into the labyrinth of vice, you have outraged not only the divine laws but, as they say, the very laws of nature. For those who act outrageously against nature and its law rightly rage against one another as well. Desire is not easily checked when it lacks the bridle of the fear of God; like a horse that does not obey the bridle, or, more properly said, like a plague, it spreads over every age and ruins every family and every rank. It is not good to trouble the ears of dignified men; but to rebuke those who fearlessly do what is not lawful is most useful. For it would be great cowardice, when one is about to root out an evil, not even to attempt to utter a sound, as if silence would cure vice of itself. Still, even so, as far as I could, I have written in veiled terms, so that, brought to your senses, you may stop both the sins that seem to be according to nature and those that go beyond its bounds, lest you be required to pay penalties beyond all bounds. For in every way the manner of the punishment vies with the greatness of the offences, showing by comparison that what Sodom suffered was child's play. [Letter 2.172] Judgment, I think, is unmixed; but it is mixed according to the quality, quantity and magnitude of the sins. For to this aim above all looks what the Psalmist said: \"A cup is in the hand of the Lord, full of a mixture of unmixed wine; all the sinners of the earth shall drink of it.\" That the cup here stands for punishment is also said to Jeremiah: \"Take the cup of wrath, and make all the nations drink, and Jerusalem first.\" Those who say that the Psalmist prophesied about the mystical cup are refuted by Jews and Greeks and all who have no share in it; and not least by the sacred Psalmist himself, who said before these words, \"God is judge: he humbles one and exalts another.\" [Letter 2.173] To Theodosius the presbyter. [Why the Lord wept over Lazarus.] Christ wept over Lazarus, image of philosophy, above all setting rules and limits for us in this as in other things, so that we may not be carried away in frenzy by grief. Those who saw it said, \"See how he loved him.\" But since you said, \"It did not befit one who foreknew that he would rise to weep (for we all weep for the dead, not for those we expect to rise again at once),\" see whether the argument can reach exactness. He was a friend of the Saviour; and being his friend, he was certainly righteous, for he would not have been loved by the spotless Righteousness if he were not righteous (it knows how to love not by favour but by judgment). And being righteous, and having gloriously finished the stadium of this life, he was certainly in rest and honour. This man, then, whom he was going to raise for his own glory, he wept for, all but saying: \"The one who has sailed into harbour I call back again to the high waves; the one already crowned I lead back to the contests.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.171 (PG 78 78:621; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-171)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.174":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠολλῶν λόγων γιγνομένων μικροῦ δεῖν καθ' ἑκάστην συνουσίαν περὶ ἀρετῆς, ὀλίγος μὲν αὐτῆς τοῖς πολλοῖς τυγχάνει λόγος, πολὺς δὲ τοῖς ὀλίγοις. Πλὴν πάντες οὐ μόνον οἱ ἐρασταὶ αὐτῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτὴν ἀνακηρύττουσι. Τοσοῦτόν ἐστιν αὐτῆς τὸ κάλλος. Τὴν δὲ κακίαν καὶ οἱ ἐχθροὶ καὶ οἱ ἐρασταὶ κακίζουσι. Τοσοῦτόν ἐστιν αὐτῆς τὸ εἰδεχθές. Ἀλλὰ τῇ παραυτίκα ἡδονῇ ὁπλιζομένη, εὐδοκιμεῖ παρὰ πολλοῖς, καίτοι θηριόμορφος οὖσα, τὴν θείῳ κάλλει ἀστράπτουσαν. Χρὴ οὖν εἰδέναι, ὅτι εἰ καὶ ἡ παραυτίκα ἡδονὴ μεῖζον δοκεῖ ἰσχύειν τοῦ ὕστερον συνοίσοντος ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ὀλέθριον καταστρέφει τέλος. ῎Αμεινον οὖν ἀπὸ πόνων εἰς ἀνάπαυσιν ἰέναι, ἢ ἀπὸ ἡδονῆς εἰς τιμωρίαν. Εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον· « Φρόνιμοι ὡς οἱ ὄφεις, καὶ ἀκέραιοι ὡς αἱ περιστεραί. Ἡ φρόνησις τῇ ἁπλότητι κιρνωμένη, θεῖόν τι χρῆμα, φημὶ δὲ ἐντελεστάτην ἀρετὴν, ἀποτελεῖ. Εἰ δὲ θατέρα θατέρας χωρισθείη, ἡ μὲν εἰς πονηρίαν ἐμπίπτει, ἡ δὲ εἰς μωρίαν τελευτᾷ· ἡ μὲν γὰρ εἰς τὸ κακουργεῖν, ἡ δὲ εἰς τὸ ἀπατᾶσθαί ἐστιν ἐπιτηδεία. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ὁ θεῖος χρησμὸς διὰ μιᾶς εἰκόνος τοῦτο οὐ παρέστησεν· οὐ γὰρ ἐστιν ἐν τοῖς ἀλόγοις ζώοις φρόνησις μετὰ ἁπλότητος, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν τὴν πονηρίαν, τὰ δὲ τὴν ἁπλότητα μεταδιώκει· ἀλλ᾽ ἔφη· « Γίνεσθε φρόνιμοι ὡς οἱ ὄφεις, καὶ ἀκέραιοι ὡς αἱ περιστεραί. » Οὐχ ἵνα τὸ ἰοβόλον καὶ πληκτικὸν τοῦ ὄφεως μιμησώμεθα· κακίζονται γὰρ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι, ὡς ὄφεις καὶ γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν· οὐδ᾽ ἵνα τὸ ὕπουλον καὶ δολερόν· οὐ γὰρ κατὰ πάντα τὸ παράδειγμα λαμβάνεται, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ μέρους, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἂν εἴη ὑπόδειγμα, ἀλλὰ ταυτότης· ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον, τουτέστι τὴν κακίαν, ὥσπερ λεβηρίδα ἀποδυσώμεθα, καὶ τὴν μὲν πίστιν, ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνος τὴν κεφαλὴν, φυλάττωμεν, τοῦ δὲ σώματος ὀλίγον φροντίζωμεν· τὰ δὲ ἄλλα ἐῶμεν, καὶ κιρνῶμεν τούτοις τὴν τῆς περιστερᾶς ἀπλότητα, οὐχ ἵνα τὸ ἀνόητον αὐτῆς ἀποματτώμεθα · διαβάλλεται γὰρ Ἐφραὶμ ὡς περιστερὰ ἄνους οὐκ ἔχουσα καρδίαν · ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀφελὲς καὶ ἀπόνηρον. Εἰ δὲ βούλει, καὶ δι' ἑτέρου παραδείγματος βαδιεῖται ὁ λόγος. Λέων κέκληται οὐ μόνον ὁ Χριστὸς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ δίκαιος καὶ ὁ διάβολος, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ κατὰ ταὐτόν· ὡς γὰρ ἔφθην εἰπὼν, οὐ κατὰ πάντα λαμβάνεται τὸ ὑπόδειγμα, ἀλλὰ κατ' ἐκεῖνο μόνον τὸ μέρος τὸ χρησιμεῦον τοῖς λεγομένοις, καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν χαίρειν ἐᾶται. Ὁ μὲν Χριστός, κατὰ τὸ βασιλικὸν καὶ ἄμαχον · « Αναπεσών γὰρ ἐκοιμήθη ὡς λέων· › ὁ δὲ δίκαιος, κατὰ τὸ ἀδεὲς καὶ ἄφοβον· δίκαιος γὰρ ὡς λέων πέποιθεν. Ὁ δὲ διάβολος, κατὰ τὸ θηριῶδες καὶ αἱμοβόρον· « Ὡς λέων γὰρ περιπατεῖ ζητῶν τίνα καταπίῃ. » Εἰ τοίνυν ἐξ ἑνὸς ζώου διαφόρους εἰκόνας ἡ Γραφὴ παρέστησε, καὶ οὐ συγχέομεν τὰ θεωρήματα, ἀλλ᾽ ἑκάστῳ τὸ πρέπον ἀπονέμομεν, τί θαυμάζεις εἰ τὴν τοῦ πηλοῦ εἰκόνα ἔλαβεν ὁ Παῦλος, οὐχ ἵνα τὸ αὐτεξούσιον λυμήνηται, ὅ πανταχοῦ στεφανοῖ, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα μὴ μόνον τὴν σφοδρὰν πειθὼ καὶ ὑπακοὴν δείξῃ, ἣν δίκαιος ἂν εἴη ἔχειν ὁ ἄνθρωπος πρὸς τὸ Θεῖον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν λύτταν ἰάσηται τῶν ἐπισκῆψαι τολμώντων τῇ ἀκηράτῳ καὶ παντὸς ἐπέκεινα καὶ λόγου καὶ νοῦ ἐπιστήμῃ;","t":"To the same. Though there is much talk about virtue at almost every gathering, the many take little account of it, and the few much. Yet all proclaim it, not only its lovers but also its enemies; so great is its beauty. And vice is reviled both by its enemies and by its lovers; so great is its ugliness. But armed with the pleasure of the moment it wins esteem among many, beast-shaped though it is, above virtue, which flashes with divine beauty. One must know, then, that even if the pleasure of the moment seems stronger than what will profit later, it turns to a deadly end. It is better, then, to go from toils to rest than from pleasure to punishment. [Letter 2.175] [On what is written, \"Wise as serpents and innocent as doves.\"] Prudence mixed with simplicity produces something divine: I mean the most perfect virtue. But if one is separated from the other, prudence falls into wickedness and simplicity ends in folly; the one is apt for doing harm, the other for being deceived. And for this reason the divine oracle did not present this through a single image; for among irrational animals there is no prudence together with simplicity, but some pursue wickedness and others simplicity. Instead it said, \"Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves\": not so that we may imitate the serpent's venom and striking (for the Jews are reviled as serpents and offspring of vipers), nor its treachery and deceit (for an example is not taken in every respect but in part; otherwise it would not be an example but an identity); but so that we may strip off the old man, that is, vice, like a slough, guard our faith as the serpent guards its head, and care little for the body. The rest we leave aside, and mix with these the simplicity of the dove: not so that we may take on its foolishness (for Ephraim is reproached as a silly dove without heart), but its artlessness and guilelessness. If you like, the argument will proceed through another example. Not only Christ is called a lion, but also the righteous man and the devil, though not in the same respect; for, as I said before, the example is not taken in every respect but only in the part that serves what is being said, and the rest is let go. Christ is a lion in respect of what is royal and invincible: \"He lay down and slept like a lion.\" The righteous man, in respect of what is fearless and undaunted: \"The righteous is confident as a lion.\" The devil, in respect of what is beastly and bloodthirsty: \"Like a lion he walks about, seeking someone to devour.\" If, then, Scripture presented different images from one animal, and we do not confuse their meanings but give each what fits it, why do you wonder that Paul took the image of the clay, not to destroy free will, which he crowns everywhere, but not only to show the great readiness and obedience that man ought to have toward God, but also to heal the rage of those who dare to find fault with the pure knowledge that is beyond all word and thought?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.174 (PG 78 78:625; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-174)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.176":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ θυσιῶν καὶ αἱμάτων ἠνέσχετο τὸ Θεῖον διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ τηνικάδε νηπιότητα, τί θαυμάζεις εἰ καὶ μουσικῆς διὰ κιθάρας καὶ ψαλτηρίου τελουμένης, τῆς, ὡς φασί τινες, τὰ πάθη τὰ ψυχικά θεραπευούσης, καὶ λύπην μὲν καταπραϋνούσης, θυμὸν δ' ἐξημερούσης, καὶ τὰ πένθη διὰ τῶν δακρύων κουφιζούσης Πολλοὶ γὰρ, ὥς φασι, δακρύσαι καρτερήσαντες, εἰς διάφορα πάθη ἐνέπεσον Τί ἐστι τὸ, Εἴρ, παρὰ Δανιήλ. Ἐπειδὴ ἔφης τί ἐστι διὰ συγκρίματος Εἴρ ὁ λόγος καὶ ῥῆμα ἁγίων τὸ ἐπερώτημα (τοῦτο γὰρ παραλελεῖφθαι τῷ Δανιὴλ εἰς τὴν ἑρμηνείαν), ἴσθι· ὅτι Ἐπειδὴ ὑπὸ τῆς ἄγαν ἐξουσίας, καὶ τοῦ ἄμαχον οἴεσθαι ἔχειν τὴν βασιλείαν ὁ βάρβαρος εἰς ὑπερηφανίαν ἐξέπεσεν, ὡς ἔξω μὲν τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων δρῴη ἑαυτὸν εἶναι νομίσαι, εἰς δὲ θείαν λῆξιν ἐγκρίνειν, ἔμελλε δὲ κόπτεσθαι· τοῦτο γὰρ ἡ τοῦ ὀφθέντος δένδρου ἐκτομὴ διεμαρτύρετο· οὐ μόνον τῷ φόβῳ τῶν ὀφθέντων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ σχηματισμῷ σωφρονέστερον αὐτὸν ἐργάσασθαι ἐθελήσας, ὥσπερ καὶ ἐπὶ βασιλικοῦ δικαστηρίου σχηματίζει τὴν διήγησιν, τοῦ μὲν βασιλέως ἀποφαινομένου, τοῦ δὲ στρατηγοῦ ἐρμηνεύοντος, τουτέστι διαγγέλλοντος τὴν ψῆφον (τὸ γὰρ σύγκριμα ἑρμηνείαν λέγει), τῶν δὲ στρατιωτῶν εἰς ἔργον ταύτην ἀγόντων. Εἴρ μὲν γὰρ τὸν τὸ κήρυγμα τῆς ἀποφάσεως ποιησάμενον ἔφησεν οἰονεὶ ἀρχάγγελον· Εἴρ γὰρ ἑρμηνεύεται ἄγρυπνος· ἁγίους δὲ τοὺς τὸ δένδρον ἐκτέμνειν προσταχθέντας ἀγγέλους. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μὴ τὴν ἀπόφασιν κωλύειν οἷοί τ᾽ ἦσαν· μετὰ σπουδῆς γὰρ καὶ κραυγῆς ἐξενήνεκτο· ἐλπὶς δὲ τις ὑπεφαίνετο σωτηρίας, τῶν ῥιζῶν μενουσῶν, ἐπερωτῶσι, τουτέστιν ἀξιοῦσιν, ὥστε τὸν ὡρισμένον χρόνον μαθεῖν. Ὁ δὲ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν αὐτοὺς ἐκδιδάσκει. Ἵνα γὰρ, φησὶ, γνῶσιν οἱ ζῶντες, ὅτι κυριεύει ὁ Ὑψιστος τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν","t":"To Isidore the deacon. If God put up with sacrifices and blood because of the infancy of humankind at that time, why do you wonder if he [also put up with] music played on the lyre and the psaltery, which, as some say, heals the passions of the soul, soothes grief, tames anger and lightens mourning through tears? For many, they say, who held back from weeping fell into various illnesses. [Letter 2.177] [What \"Eir\" means in Daniel.] Since you asked what \"By the decree of the Eir is the word, and the question is the saying of the holy ones\" means (for this, you say, Daniel left out of his interpretation), know this. The barbarian, through his excessive power and his thinking that his kingdom was invincible, fell into such arrogance that he thought himself beyond human things and ranked himself in a divine station; and he was about to be cut down, as the cutting down of the tree in the vision testified. Wishing to make him more sober not only by fear of what he saw but also by its form, God shaped the narrative as at a royal tribunal: the king pronounces the sentence, the general interprets it, that is, announces the verdict (for \"decree\" means interpretation), and the soldiers carry it out. By \"Eir\" he meant the one who made the proclamation of the sentence, as it were an archangel (for Eir is interpreted \"wakeful\"), and by \"holy ones\" the angels ordered to cut down the tree. Since they could not prevent the sentence (for it had been delivered with urgency and a shout), yet some hope of salvation appeared, since the roots remained, they \"ask\", that is, request to learn the appointed time. And he teaches them not only this but also the cause: \"So that the living may know,\" he says, \"that the Most High rules the kingdom of heaven …\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.176 (PG 78 78:627; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-176)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.178":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΟἶδα μὲν ὅτι οὐ δεινότητα λόγων ἐπιδεικνύμενος, οὐδὲ τὴν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς θηρώμενος δόξαν, ἐπὶ τὸ παραινέσαι τοῖς περὶ Ζώσιμον καὶ Παλλάδιον καὶ Μάρωνα, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ εὐνοίας καὶ φιλοστοργίας ὥρμησας. Εἰ δ' αὐτοὶ παρὰ πάντων ἐκκωμῳδούμενοι, ὡς παρά μόνου σοῦ νομίζοντες κεκωμῳδῆσθαι, δυσκόλως ἔχουσι πρὸς σὲ, μὴ δείσῃς· ἔχεις γὰρ τὴν θείαν συμμαχίαν, σοῦ μὲν ὑπερασπίζουσαν, ἐκείνους καὶ ἀμυνομένην.","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. I know that you set out to admonish Zosimus, Palladius and Maron not to display cleverness of speech or to hunt the glory that comes from it, but out of goodwill and affection. If they, mocked as they are by everyone, think they are mocked by you alone and are ill-disposed toward you, do not be afraid. You have the divine alliance, shielding you and punishing them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.178 (PG 78 78:629; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-178)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.179":{"o":"ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nἩ τῶν δικαίων παῤῥησία ἡ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἰδίας δικαιοσύνης, οὐκ ἀπὸ μεγαληγορίας, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ἐτέχθη, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπ' ἀνάγκης· αὕτη γὰρ ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ δοκεῖν αὐτοὺς δικαίως πάσχειν, εἰς ταύτην αὐτοὺς ἐλθεῖν ἐξεβιάσατο. Οὐδεὶς γοῦν αὐτῶν ἐν ἀνέσει ὧν, τοιαύτας ἔῤῥηξε φωνάς· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν γῆν, ὁ δὲ σποδὸν, ὁ δὲ σκώληκα ἑαυτὸν ἀπεκάλεσεν. Ἐν δ᾽ ἀμηχάνοις ἀπολειφθεὶς πειρασμοῖς, τὸν οἰκεῖον ἠναγκάσθη ἐκφράσαι βίον, ἵνα μὴ δόξειεν πονηρῶν ἕνεκεν πραγμάτων πάσχειν. Δεδοικότες γὰρ τὸ πονηρὰν παρὰ πολλοῖς ἀνοήτοις, ἀφ᾿ ὧν ἔπασχον, κτήσασθαι δόξαν, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ὀνειδισθέντες, ὡς δι᾽ ἁμαρτίαν πάσχοντες, εἰς ταῦτα ἐξεβιάσθησαν, ὡς ἔφην, ἐλθεῖν τὰ ῥήματα. Οἱ γὰρ νοῦ καὶ φρονήσεως ἀμοιροῦντες, ἀπὸ τῶν συμφορῶν κατὰ τόνδε τὸν βίον συμπιπτουσῶν, καὶ βίον διαβάλλειν εἰώθασιν· ὅπερ καὶ οἱ φίλοι τῷ γενναίῳ ἔφραζον Ἰώβ· « Οὐκ ἄξια ὧν ἡμάρτηκας μεμαστίγωσαι. » Καὶ τὸν ἅγιον δὲ Παῦλον, ἀνδροφόνον τινὰ καὶ κακοῦργον ᾤοντο εἶναι, οἱ ἔχιν ἐκκρεμαμένην αὐτοῦ τῆς χειρὸς θεασάμενοι βάρβαροι. Διὸ καὶ ἔλεγον· « Πάντως φονεύς ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος, ὃν διασωθέντα ἐκ τῆς θαλάσσης ἡ δίκη ζῇν οὐκ εἴασε. » Καὶ ὁ Σεμεεὶ δὲ ὁ ἀθυρόγλωττος ἐκεῖνος ἀνδροκτόνον τὸν Μελῳδὸν ἀπεκάλει, διωκόμενον ὑπὸ τοῦ υἱοῦ, ἀπὸ τῆς συμφορᾶς, τὴν πονηρὰν ταύτην περὶ αὐτοῦ φέρων ψῆφον. Μὴ τοίνυν μηδ' αὐτὸς πάντων καταψηφίζου τῶν ἐν συμφοραῖς· ἀλλά τινας νόμιζε καὶ διὰ στεφάνους ὑπομένειν. Εἰ δὲ θαυμάζεις καὶ διαπορεῖς, τὴν ψῆφόν σοι ταύτην ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ οἴσομεν. Τί οὖν ἔφη ὁ πάντων τὸ κράτος ἀνημμένος τοῖς οἰκείοις φοιτηταῖς; « Ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ [τὴν] θλίψιν ἕξετε. » Καὶ τῷ Ἰὼβ δὲ ἐῤῥέθη · « Οἴει με ἄλλως κεχρηματικέναι, ἢ ἵνα [μὴ] ἀναφανῇς δίκαιος; » Ὃν γὰρ ἀγαπᾷ Κύριος παιδεύει· « μαστιγοῖ δὲ πάντα υἱὸν ὃν παραδέχεται. » Καὶ οὐδὲν ἀπεικός. Οἱ γὰρ τῶν βασιλέων φίλοι, οὗτοι μάλιστα παρακινδυνεύουσιν ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις, καὶ τραύματα ἔχουσι, καὶ ἀποδημίας στέλλονται. Καὶ ταῦτά ἐστι μάλιστα τὰ ποιοῦντα αὐτοὺς παῤῥησίαν ἔχειν πρὸς τὸν βασιλέα, καὶ ὡς ὁμοτίμῳ λοιπὸν τῷ ὑπεραναβεβηκότι κεχρῆσθαι· ἔχουσι γὰρ τὰ ἐν τοῖς σώμασι τραύματα, τῆς φιλίας ἐνέχυρα. Εἰ δὲ φαίης· Τί οὖν πρὸς τοὺς ὑποσκελιζομένους διὰ ταῦτα; φαίην, ὅτι τοῦτο παρὰ τὴν ἄνοιαν αὐτῶν γίγνεται, καὶ οὐ παρὰ τὴν τοῦ πράγματος φύσιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα ἡ ἀντίδοσις τῶν πόνων, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν ἐνταῦθα ἆθλα, τὰ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα ἔπαθλα. Μὴ ζητείτωσαν τοιγαροῦν ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῶν ἀγώνων τὴν ἄνεσιν, μηδὲ συγχείτωσαν τοὺς καιρούς. ᾿Αλλ' ἀσθενέστερος, φαίης ἂν ἴσως, εἰμί. Ἀλλὰ καὶ σοῦ προενόησεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ ἀπήτησε πολλοὺς καὶ τῶν πονηρῶν δίκας ἐνταῦθα, καὶ τῶν δικαίων ἡμείψατό τινας. Ώστε εἰ σκανδαλίζουσί σε οἱ ἐν θλίψει τῶν δικαίων, οἰκοδομείτωσάν σε οἱ ἐν ἀνέσει καὶ τιμῇ· καὶ εἰ ὑποσκελίζουσί σε οἱ ἐν εὐπραγίᾳ τῶν πονηρῶν, ὀρθούτωσάν σε οἱ ἐν κολάσει καὶ τιμωρίᾳ.","t":"To Strategius the scholasticus. The boldness of the righteous in speaking for their own righteousness, admirable friend, was born not from boasting but from necessity: necessity forced them to come to it, so that they might not seem to suffer justly. None of them, when at ease, uttered such words; rather, one called himself earth, another ashes, another a worm. But when one of them was left in impossible trials, he was compelled to describe his own life, so as not to seem to suffer for wicked deeds. Fearing to acquire a bad reputation among many fools from what they suffered, or rather being reproached as suffering for sin, they were forced, as I said, to come to these words. For those without mind or sense are accustomed to slander a life on the basis of the misfortunes that befall it in this world, as the friends said to the noble Job: \"You have not been scourged as your sins deserve.\" And the barbarians who saw the viper hanging from his hand thought holy Paul a murderer and a criminal; so they said, \"This man is surely a murderer, whom, though he was saved from the sea, Justice has not allowed to live.\" And that loose-tongued Shimei called the Psalmist a man of blood when he was pursued by his son, passing this wicked verdict on him because of his misfortune. Do not, then, condemn all who are in misfortune yourself, but consider that some endure it for the sake of crowns. And if you wonder and are perplexed, we will bring you this verdict from heaven. What did he who holds power over all say to his own disciples? \"In the world you will have tribulation.\" And to Job it was said: \"Do you think I have dealt with you otherwise than that you might be shown to be righteous?\" For whom the Lord loves he disciplines, \"and he scourges every son whom he receives.\" Nor is this anything strange. The friends of kings are the very ones who most run risks in wars, receive wounds and are sent on journeys abroad; and these things above all give them boldness before the king and let them treat the one above them thereafter as an equal, since they have the wounds in their bodies as pledges of friendship. And if you say, \"What, then, of those who are tripped up by these things?\", I would answer that this happens through their own folly, not through the nature of the thing. For the recompense for labours is not here: here are the contests, afterwards the prizes. Let them not seek ease, then, in the time of the contests, nor confuse the times. \"But I am weaker,\" you might perhaps say. But God has provided for you too, and has exacted penalties here from many of the wicked and rewarded some of the righteous. So if the righteous who are in affliction scandalize you, let those in ease and honour build you up; and if the wicked who prosper trip you up, let those under punishment and penalty set you upright.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.179 (PG 78 78:629; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-179)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.180":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΩ.\nὍτι μὲν οὐδεπώποτε ὅπου περὶ τῆς θείας θρησκείας εἰπεῖν ἐδέησεν, ἡττήθημεν, οὐδ᾽ ἀναισχυντεῖν ἐδόξαμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἁπάντων κρατοῦμεν καὶ περίεσμεν τῷ λόγῳ, παντί που δῆλον. Ὅτι δὲ πάντες, οὐχ οἷς λέγομεν, ἀλλ᾽ οἷς πράττομεν προσέχουσι, καὶ ἀπὸ τούτων φέρουσι τὴν ψῆφον, καὶ εἰ μὴ φανερῶς, ἀλλὰ κατὰ γνώμην μετ᾿ ἐξουσίας ἀποφαίνονται, καὶ τοῦτο εἰδέναι χρή. Οὐκοῦν χρὴ σύνδρομον τῷ λόγῳ ἔχειν τὸν βίον, καὶ συμβαίνουσαν τῷ δόγματι τὴν πολιτείαν, ἵνα μὴ, λόγοις νικῶντες, τοῖς πράγμασιν ἡττώμεθα. ΔΙΔΥΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Ἔοικας ἐπιλελῆσθαί μου τῶν ἐντολῶν· ἐγὼ δὲ οὐκ ἐπελαθόμην τῆς πρὸς σὲ διαθέσεως. Επιλήσομαι δὲ, εἰ ἀκριβῶς μάθοιμι ἐκ προνοίας καὶ σπουδῆς, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἐξ ἀπάτης καὶ περιστάσεως, εἰς τοὺς φίλους πεπαρῳνηκέναι.","t":"To Palladius. That we have never been defeated whenever we had to speak about the divine worship, nor seemed shameless, but master all and surpass all in argument, is plain to everyone. But one must also know that all people attend not to what we say but to what we do, and bring their verdict from that; and even if not openly, they pronounce it in their minds with authority. We must therefore have our life running together with our word, and our conduct agreeing with our doctrine, lest, conquering in words, we be defeated in deeds. [Letter 2.181] To Didymus the presbyter. You seem to have forgotten my instructions; but I have not forgotten my affection for you. I will forget it, though, if I learn for certain that you have behaved outrageously toward your friends from forethought and eagerness, and not from deception and circumstance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.180 (PG 78 78:633; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-180)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.181":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἱ μὲν ἀληθῆ ἐστι τὰ ἀπαγγελθέντα, οἷμαί σοι ἀπολογίαν δικαίαν μὴ ὑπολελείφθαι. Ζητήσεις μὲν γὰρ ἴσως, οὐχ εὑρήσεις δέ. Εἰ δὲ ψευδῆ, μήνυε, ἵν' εἰς ἀπολογίας ἀνάγκην τοὺς καταμηνύσαντας περιστήσωμεν καὶ ἀπολογουμένους μὲν δεξώμεθα· τοῦτο δὲ μὴ ποιοῦντας τῆς ἑαυτῶν συνουσίας ἐξοστρακίσωμεν.","t":"[Letter 2.182] To the same. If what has been reported is true, I think no just defence is left to you; you will perhaps look for one, but you will not find it. If it is false, inform us, so that we may put those who informed against you under the necessity of defending themselves, and accept them if they do so, but banish them from our company if they do not.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.181 (PG 78 78:633; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-181)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.183":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤὸ μὲν διὰ λόγων φιλοσοφεῖν, εὔκολον· τὸ δὲ διὰ πραγμάτων, δυσχερές. Διὸ καὶ τὸ μὲν τῶν ἀκουόντων οὐ καθικνείται, τὸ δὲ καθάπτεται. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ γέλωτα κινεῖ, τὸ δὲ ῥαθυμίαν ἀναστέλλει · καὶ τὸ μὲν εἰς ὀνείδη, τὸ δὲ εἰς ἐπαίνους τελευτᾷ. Καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐνοχλεῖ, τὸ δὲ δυσωπεῖ τοὺς ἀκούοντας· οὐκοῦν οὐ λεκτέον τὰ πρακτέα μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρακτέον, εἴ γε μὴ μέλλοιμεν ὀνείδη τε ἕξειν, καὶ εὐθύνας ὑφέξειν.","t":"To Athanasius the presbyter. Philosophizing in words is easy; in deeds it is hard. That is why the one does not reach the hearers, while the other takes hold of them. The one moves laughter, the other checks carelessness; the one ends in reproach, the other in praise; the one annoys the hearers, the other puts them to shame. What must be done, therefore, must not only be said but also done, if we are not to incur reproaches and give account.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.183 (PG 78 78:633; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-183)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.184":{"o":"ΘΕΟΝΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἜχει μὲν ἡ ἀρετὴ οὐ μόνον μισθὸν, ὡς φὴς, ἀλλὰ καὶ στέφανον καὶ κλέος ἀοίδιμον. Σὺ δ᾽ οὐκ ἂν εἴης δίκαιος ἐφ᾽ ἑκάστῳ εἴδει αὐτῆς πολυπραγμονεῖν, εἰ ἔχει μισθόν. Μείζων γὰρ ἔσται ὁ μισθὸς τῷ μὴ διὰ μισθὸν ποιοῦντι. Εἰ γὰρ ὄντως ἦσθα φιλάρετος, ᾔδεις ἂν ὅτι καὶ χωρὶς ἀμοιβῆς αὐτὴ ἡ ἀρετὴ μισθός ἐστι, καὶ στέφανος, καὶ ἐγκαλλώπισμα, ἐν αὐτῇ τὴν ἀμοιβὴν ἔχουσα. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ (ὡς) ὄντως μισθωτὸς ἀκριβολογῇ περὶ μισθοῦ, ὑπόνοιαν παρέχεις τοῖς ἀκούουσιν, ὅτι εἰ, ὑποθέσεως χάριν, μὴ ἦν μισθὸς, οὐκ ἂν ἀρετὴν ἤσκησας. Πλὴν ὅπως ἂν δικαιοῖς, ἄσκει ταύτην, τὴν κἀνταῦθα λαμπροὺς, κἀκεῖσε λαμπροτέρους τοὺς οἰκείους ἐραστὰς ἀποφαίνουσαν.","t":"To Theon the bishop. Virtue has not only a reward, as you say, but also a crown and celebrated fame. But you ought not to inquire about each form of it, whether it has a reward. For the reward will be greater for the one who does not act for the sake of reward. If you were truly a lover of virtue, you would know that even without recompense virtue itself is a reward, a crown and an ornament, having its recompense in itself. But since, like a true hireling, you are exacting about wages, you give your hearers the suspicion that if, for the sake of argument, there were no reward, you would not have practised virtue. However you may judge, practise it, for it makes its lovers brilliant here and more brilliant there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.184 (PG 78 78:635; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-184)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.185":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\n῎Εοικας παίζειν μᾶλλον, ἢ σπουδάζειν. Πλὴν ὅπως ἂν δικαιοῖς (εἰρήσεται παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ τἀληθὲς, καὶ οὐ κεκρύψεται), ἐπειδὴ ἑκάστοτε ἐρωτᾷς· Τί οὖν χρὴ ποιεῖν; ἐγώ σε ἐρήσομαι· Τί οὖν χρὴ λέγειν; Εἰ γὰρ μήτε τῆς ῥαθυμίας, μήτε τῆς τρυφῆς ἀπόσχοιο, μήτε τῶν κοινῶν ἀφέξοιο, μήτε τοῦ χρηματίζεσθαι ἀποσταίης, μήτε τοῦ τὰς ἀλλοτρίας γεωργεῖν συμφοράς, καὶ τὰ τῶν πενήτων σφετερίζεσθαι, οὐκ ἔχω τί λέγειν. Εἰ δ᾽ ἀληθῶς ἐρωτᾷς μαθεῖν βουλόμενος, ταῦτα μὴ ποίει ἃ νῦν ποιεῖς, καὶ ῥᾷον καὶ θᾶττον τὴν κακίαν ἀπαμφιάσοιο.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. You seem to be joking rather than in earnest. Still, however you may judge (the truth will be told by me and not hidden), since you keep asking, \"What, then, must one do?\", I will ask you: \"What, then, must one say?\" If you will neither refrain from carelessness and luxury, nor keep your hands off the common funds, nor stop making money, farming the misfortunes of others and appropriating the goods of the poor, I have nothing to say. But if you are truly asking because you wish to learn, do not do what you are doing now, and you will strip off vice more easily and more quickly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.185 (PG 78 78:635; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-185)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.186":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΟΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ.\nΠερὶ ἀκαταλήπτου. Τὸ Θεῖον καίτοι φανότατον ὂν, καὶ ἡλίου πολλῷ λαμπρότερον, ἰδεῖν μὲν ἀδύνατον· οὐδὲ γὰρ θνητοῖς ὄμμασίν ἐστι χωρητὸν, νοεῖν δ᾽ οὐκ ἀδύνατον· νῷ γὰρ μάλιστα καθαρῷ τὰς ἑαυτοῦ ἀκτῖνας διὰ τῆς προνοίας ἐπιπέμπει· καταλαβεῖν δὲ δυσχερέστατον· παντὸς γὰρ τοῦ νοουμένου μεῖζόν ἐστι καὶ ὑψηλότερον· εὐμενὲς δ' ἔχειν, ῥάδιον· ἀρετὴν γὰρ ἀσπάζεται καὶ φιλεῖ. Εἰ τοίνυν ἐθέλομεν τὸ πᾶσιν ἀχώρητον χωρῆσαι, καὶ ἀξιωθῆναι χρήματος πᾶσαν ὑπερβαίνοντος ἀξίαν· σωφροσύνῃ, καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ, καὶ φρονήσει, καὶ ἀνδρίᾳ, καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις ἀρεταῖς ἑαυτοὺς κοσμήσωμεν. Ψυχῆς γὰρ ἁγνῆς τόπον οἰκειότερον καὶ πρεπωδέστερον οὐχ ὁρίζεται· διὸ καὶ ἔφη· • Ἐνοικήσω ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐμπεριπατήσω. »","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [On the incomprehensible.] God, though most radiant and far brighter than the sun, is impossible to see, for he cannot be contained by mortal eyes; yet not impossible to conceive, for he sends his rays through his providence, especially to a pure mind; but most difficult to comprehend, for he is greater and higher than everything that is conceived; yet easy to have as gracious, for he embraces and loves virtue. If, then, we wish to contain what all cannot contain, and to be counted worthy of a thing that surpasses all worth, let us adorn ourselves with chastity, justice, prudence, courage and the other virtues. For he appoints no place more his own and more fitting than a pure soul; that is why he said, \"I will dwell in them and walk among them.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.186 (PG 78 78:635; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-186)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.187":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἱ καὶ χαλεπὸν τὸ τραῦμα, καὶ θάνατον ὠδίνει τὸν ἀθάνατον, ἀλλ᾽ εἰ καλέσειας τὴν θείαν συμμαχίαν τὴν καὶ παθῶν καὶ πάσης περιγιγνομένην κακίας, οὐδ᾽ ἴχνος λελείψεται τοῦ τραύματος.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. Even if the wound is grievous and brings forth death for what is immortal, if you call on the divine alliance, which overcomes passions and all vice, not a trace of the wound will remain.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.187 (PG 78 78:635; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-187)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.188":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΚαὶ ἐκ τῶν λεχθησομένων, ὦ φρονήσεως τέμενος ! γνοίης ἂν ἀκριβῶς τῶν τε θείων καὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων νόμων τὸ διάφορον. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἱεροὶ χρησμοὶ τὰ δέοντα καὶ πρέποντα νομοθετήσαντες, ἐν ἀρχῇ καὶ ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ἡλικίᾳ τοὺς διδασκάλους ἐφιστᾶσι τῆς ἀρετῆς, κωλύοντες εἰσκωμάσαι τὴν πονηρίαν. Οὗτος γὰρ ἄριστος διδασκαλίας τρόπος, οὐκ ἐπιτρέψαντας πρότερον κρατῆσαι τὴν κακίαν, ὕστερον μηχανᾶσθαι ὅπως ἐξελαθείη · ἀλλ᾽ ἐν προοιμίοις πάντα ποιεῖν καὶ πραγματεύεσθαι, ὥστε ἄβατον αὐτῇ εἶναι τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν φύσιν. Οἱ δ' ἔξωθεν νομοθέται τότε ῥυθμίζουσιν αὐτὴν, ὅταν διαστραφεῖσα τύχῃ. Οὐ γὰρ ἀνδράσι γενομένοις κολάσεις ἀπειλεῖν ἐχρῆν, ἀλλὰ παῖδας ὄντας ῥυθμίζειν καὶ ἀναπλάττειν, καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἴσως τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα ἐδέησεν ἀπειλῶν. Νυνὶ δὲ ταυτὸν γίνεται, οἷον ἂν εἴ τις τῷ μέλλοντι ὑπὸ λῃστῶν ἀναιρεῖσθαι, μὴ βοηθοίη μὲν, μηδὲ λέγοι, ὅπως αὐτῶν ἀπαλλαγείη, ἡμιθνῆτα δὲ γενόμενον τιμωροῖτο· ἢ ὡς ἄν τις ἰατρὸς μήτε ὑγιαίνοντι προφυλακτικὸν ὀρέξειε βοήθημα, μήτε ἀρχομένῳ τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας τῷ νοσοῦντι φράζοι, μηδὲ πράττοι δι' ὧν ἀπαλλαγήσεται τῆς νόσου· διαφθαρέντι δὲ καὶ ἀνηκέστως ἔχοντι μυρία νομοθετοίη. Εἰ δὲ πολλοὶ μᾶλλον τούτους ἢ ἐκείνους δεδοίκασι, θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τῷ αὐτίκα μάλα τὴν κόλασιν ἐπιφέρειν τοὺς παχυτέρους φοβοῦσιν· οἱ δὲ τῷ ὀλιγάκις μὲν ἐνταῦθα, πάντως δ' ἐκεῖσε κολάζειν καταφρονοῦνται. Τὸ γὰρ μέλλον ὀλίγοις δή τισι τοῖς διορατικώτερον ἔχουσι τὸν νοῦν, καὶ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων ἀκριβῶς καθορῶσι φύσιν, ἔστιν εὐσύνοπτον. Οἱ γὰρ πλεῖστοι, εἰ καὶ λόγοις ὁμολογοῦσι, τοῖς ἔργοις ἀρνοῦνται. Δι' ὧν γὰρ πράττουσιν, ἃ νοοῦσι κηρύττουσιν· οἴγε οὐ μόνον τοῦ σώματος μὲν κομιδῇ ἐπιμέλονται, τῆς δὲ ψυχῆς ἀμελοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνθρώπων μὲν ὁρώντων, αἰσχύνονται πλημμελεῖν· τοῦ δὲ Θεοῦ οὐ μόνον ἐφορῶντος, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάντα περιέχοντος, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐρυθριῶσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀδεῶς ἁμαρτάνουσιν. Οὐ μόνον δὲ τοῦτο τῶν πολλῶν δείκνυσι τὴν λύτταν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ῥηθησόμενον. Πολλοὶ γὰρ κατὰ μὲν τοῦ Θεοῦ ὀμνύντες, ἐπιορκοῦσι, κατὰ δὲ τῆς τῶν παίδων κεφαλῆς οὐδ᾽ ὀμόσαι τολμῶσι Τίς οὖν τούτοις τιμωρία ἐφάμιλλος ἐν τῷ βίῳ τούτῳ ἐπινοηθείη; Οὐκ ἔστιν οὐδὲ μία. Διὸ εἰκότως ἐκεῖσε ἡ κρίσις ἠπείληται καὶ ἤρτηται.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. From what I am about to say, sanctuary of prudence, you will learn exactly the difference between divine and human laws. The sacred oracles, legislating what is needful and fitting, set teachers of virtue over people at the beginning and in their earliest youth, preventing wickedness from revelling its way in. This is the best way of teaching: not to allow vice to prevail first and contrive afterwards to drive it out, but at the outset to do and contrive everything so that human nature may be inaccessible to it. The outside lawgivers regulate human nature only when it has already been perverted. They ought not to threaten punishments to those who have become men, but to regulate and reshape them while they are boys, and perhaps there would have been no need of the later threats. As it is, it is as if someone neither helped a man about to be killed by robbers nor told him how to escape them, but punished him when he was half dead; or as if a physician neither offered a preventive remedy to a healthy man nor told the sick man at the beginning of his illness, nor did, what would free him from the disease, but, when he was ruined and incurable, laid down countless rules for him. If many fear the human lawgivers more than the divine, it is no wonder. The former frighten the duller sort by inflicting punishment at once; the latter are despised because they punish seldom here, though certainly there. For the future is easily seen only by a few who have a more discerning mind and see the nature of things exactly. Most people, even if they confess it in words, deny it in deeds; by what they do they proclaim what they think. They not only care altogether for the body and neglect the soul, but are ashamed to offend while men are watching, yet while God not only watches but encompasses all things, they not only do not blush but sin without fear. And not only this shows the madness of the many, but also what I am about to say: many who swear by God commit perjury, but do not dare even to swear by the head of their children. What punishment in this life could be devised that would match such people? None at all. That is why judgment has rightly been threatened and held over them for the world to come.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.188 (PG 78 78:637; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-188)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.189":{"o":"ΑΜΜΩΝΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « ῾Ὁ ἥλιος μὴ ἐπιδυέτω ἐπὶ παροργισμῷ ὑμῶν. › Ἐπειδὴ ὅταν ὁ θυμὸς τὰς ἡνίας τοῦ ἡνιοχοῦντος λογισμοῦ ἀποῤῥήξῃ, ἔξω τῶν τῆς φύσεως ὅρων ἀπάγει πολλάκις τοῦ ἀνθρώπου τὸ φρόνημα, ἴασιν τῷ τηλικούτῳ πταίσματι οὐ μόνον ἀρίστην, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταχίστην ἐπινοήσας ὁ Παῦλος ἔφη· « Ὁ ἥλιος μὴ ἐπιδυέτω ἐπὶ τῷ παροργισμῷ ὑμῶν, » τουτέστι, πρὸ τοῦ τὸν ἥλιον εἰς δυσμὰς χωρῆσαι, ἐπίγνωτε τὴν φύσιν, σβέσατε τὸν θυμὸν, καταστείλατε τὸ φρόνημα, ἀσπάσασθε τὴν συγγένειαν τὴν καὶ θηρίων κρατοῦσαν, ἵνα μὴ μεσολαβήσασα ἡ νὺξ ἀνήκεστον ἐργάσηται τὸ πάθος. Τότε γὰρ εὑρὼν καιρὸν ἐπιτήδειον ὁ διάβολος, ἐξάπτει μὲν πλέον τὰ γεγενημένα, παροξύνει δὲ εἰς ἄμυναν, ἐρεθίζει δὲ εἰς ἔχθραν, διεγείρει δ' εἰς κατηγορίας, κατασκευάζει δὲ μνησικακίαν, καὶ μυρία τίκτει ἐντεῦθεν κακά Ὅτι δὲ ταῦτα ἐκκόπτων ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος, ἐκέλευσε ταχίστην γενέσθαι τὴν καταλλαγὴν, ἐπήγαγε· Μηδὲ δίδοτε τόπον τῷ διαβόλῳ, τῷ τὰ μικρὰ πάθη μεγάλα λεληθότως κατασκευάζοντι, καὶ τὰ εὐίατα δυσίατα ἢ καὶ ἀνίατα παρασκευάζοντι.","t":"To Ammonius. [On \"Do not let the sun go down on your anger.\"] Since, when anger breaks the reins of reason, the charioteer, it often carries a man's mind beyond the bounds of nature, Paul devised for so great a failing a cure that is not only the best but also the quickest, and said, \"Do not let the sun go down on your anger\"; that is, before the sun goes to its setting, recognize your nature, quench your anger, humble your pride, embrace the kinship that prevails even among beasts, lest the night, intervening, make the passion incurable. For then the devil, finding a suitable occasion, inflames what has happened still more, provokes to revenge, stirs up enmity, rouses to accusations, contrives the bearing of grudges, and from this gives birth to countless evils. That the divine Paul ordered reconciliation to happen as quickly as possible to cut these things off, he showed by adding, \"And give no place to the devil,\" who secretly makes small passions great and turns what is easily cured into what is hard to cure or even incurable.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.189 (PG 78 78:639; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-189)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.19":{"o":"ΕΥ̓ΤΟΚΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὍτι μὲν τὸ μὴ δεῖσθαι πολλῶν συνωμολόγηται μέγιστον ἀγαθὸν, δῆλον. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ τὸ τῆς τῶν ὄντων χρείας ἀνώτερον καὶ κρείττονα εἶναι, πολλῷ μείζονος εὐπραγίας ἂν εἴη, καὶ τοῦτο συνωμολόγηται. Οὐκοῦν φροντίσωμεν τῆς μὲν ψυχῆς μάλιστα, τοῦ δὲ σώματος ὅσον ἀνάγκη, τῶν δὲ ἔξω μηδ' ὅσον. Οὕτω γὰρ κἀνταῦθα πρὸς τὴν ἀκροτάτην μακαριότητα φθάσαιμεν, τὴν καὶ τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείαν ὠδίνουσαν. Εἰ δὲ τισιν οὐ δοκεῖ ταῦτα [ἀκούουσιν] ἀληθῆ εἶναι, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ. Οὐ γὰρ τοσοῦτον ὅπως τοῖς ἀκούουσιν ἃ λέγω δόξῃ ἀληθῆ εἶναι, προθυμοῦμαι, εἰ μὴ εἴη πάρεργον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅπως ἐμοί.","t":"To Eutocius the deacon. That not needing many things is agreed to be a very great good is clear. That to be above and superior to the need of the things that exist would be a much greater happiness is also agreed. Let us, then, care most of all for the soul, for the body as much as is necessary, and for outward things not even that much. For so, even here, we may reach the highest blessedness, which is in labour with the kingdom of heaven itself. If to some who hear this it does not seem true, it seems so to me. For I am not so eager that what I say should seem true to my hearers (unless as a side matter) as that it should seem true to me.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.19 (PG 78 78:469; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-19)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.190":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΗ.\nΜὴ [ἡ] εὐημερία, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἡ ἐκ τῆς θείας μακροθυμίας σοι συγχωρηθεῖσα, ἐκφοιτᾷν σε τοῦ πρέποντος παρασκευαζέτω, μήτε μὴν τῶν τῆς φύσεως ἐξακοντιζέτω ὅρων, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εἰς ἔννοιαν αὐτῶν ἀγέτω, καὶ εἴσω αὐτῶν περικλειέτω, ἵνα μὴ ὑπερόρια πταίσας, ὑπερορίους ἀπαιτηθείης, καὶ τὰς δίκας.","t":"To Isaiah the soldier. Do not let the prosperity granted you by the divine long-suffering, excellent friend, lead you beyond what is fitting, nor shoot you out beyond the bounds of nature; rather let it bring you to consider those bounds and shut you within them, lest, offending beyond the bounds, you be required to pay penalties beyond the bounds too.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.190 (PG 78 78:639; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-190)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.191":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΜὴ μέγα φρόνει, μηδ' ὑπερφυῆ φαντάζου, ἵνα μὴ μεγαλοφυέστερον ἐκτραγῳδηθῇς, ἐκπεσὼν καὶ τῶν μετρίων. ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Εἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, « Μέγα ἐστὶ τὸ μυστήριον τῆς εὐσεβείας. » Μέγα ἐστὶν ὄντως τὸ τῆς εὐσεβείας μυστήριον, ὡς καὶ ὁ μυσταγωγὸς ἔγραψε Παῦλος, οὐχ ὡς ἀγνοούμενον παντάπασιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς οὐδενὶ ἐφικτόν. Παντὸς γὰρ ἐπέκεινα καὶ λόγου καὶ νοῦ καθέστηκεν. Εἰ γὰρ γάμου καρπὸς τὸ παιδίον, πῶς ἡ παρθένος καρπὸν γάμου ἔδειξε; Πῶς ἡνώθη τὸ φθαρτὸν τῷ ἀφθάρτῳ; Πῶς ἐν τῷ περιγράπτῳ νοεῖται τὸ ἀπερίγραπτον, οὔτε τῆς θείας καὶ ἀκηράτου ἐλαττουμένης φύσεως, καὶ τοῦ θνητοῦ ἀφράστῳ τινὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἑρμηνείας κρείττονι, τὴν τιμὴν δεχομένου; Πῶς ὁ παθὼν ἔσωσε, καὶ ὁ ἀποθανὼν ἤγειρε, καὶ ὁ ὑβρισθεὶς τετίμηκε τῇ ἀνωτάτῳ τιμῇ, καὶ ὁ σταυρωθεὶς κιτάρας ἐξήρπασε, μᾶλλον δὲ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν καὶ τὸν θάνατον ἐσταύρωσε;","t":"To the same. Do not think great things of yourself or imagine extraordinary things, lest your fall become a grander tragedy, falling even from what is moderate. [Letter 2.192] To Lampetius the bishop. [On the saying, \"Great is the mystery of piety.\"] Great indeed is the mystery of piety, as Paul the initiator wrote, not as being wholly unknown, but as attainable by no one; for it lies beyond all word and thought. For if a child is the fruit of marriage, how did the virgin show the fruit of marriage? How was the corruptible united to the incorruptible? How is the uncircumscribed conceived in the circumscribed, the divine and pure nature not being diminished, and the mortal receiving the honour by some unspeakable principle beyond interpretation? How did the one who suffered save, the one who died raise, the one who was insulted honour with the highest honour, and the one who was crucified … or rather crucify sin and death?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.191 (PG 78 78:639; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-191)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.193":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ.\n῞Οτι τοὺς ἐν ἀρετῇ ἐναρέτους) καὶ ὑπονοηθῆναι εἰς τι φαῦλον, λίαν ἀφόρητον. Ὑπονοηθῆναι ἐφ' οἷς οὐ προσῆκον, τοῖς μὲν εἰς ἄκρον ἀρετῆς ἐληλακόσι, μεγίστην ἔχει συμφοράν · τὸ δὲ καὶ κριθῆναι, τοῖς σεμνοτέροις· τὸ δ᾽ ἀλῶναι, καὶ τοῖς ἀναλγήτως διακειμένοις. ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟ. Περὶ ἀγνωμοσύνης. Οἱ ὑπὲρ ὧν χάριτας εἰδέναι ὀφείλουσιν, ὑπὲρ τούτων ἐγκαλοῦντες πάντας τοὺς τῆς ἀγνωμοσύνης ὑπερβαίνουσιν ὅρους. Δέον γὰρ, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἔργοις οἷοί τέ εἰσι, λόγοις εὐχαρίστοις ἀμείβεσθαι, ἐγκλήματα ῥάπτουσι. Οἱ πᾶσαν τὴν Παλαιὰν Διαθήκην εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν μεταφέρειν πειρώμενοι, οὐκ ἔξω αἰτιάσεώς εἰσιν. Ἐπείπερ καὶ Ἕλλησι, καὶ τοῖς μὴ ἐγκρίνουσιν αὐτὴν αἱρετικοῖς ἰσχύειν ἐν τῇ καθ' ἡμῶν διδόασι μάχῃ. Τὰ γὰρ μὴ εἰς αὐτὸν εἰρημένα ἐκβιαζόμενοι, καὶ τὰ ἀβιάστως εἰρημένα ὑποπτεύεσθαι παρασκευάζουσι. Δι᾽ ὧν γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι αὐτοὺς ἀνατρέπουσιν ὡς παραποιοῦντας, διὰ τούτων καὶ ἐν τοῖς διαῤῥήδην περὶ αὐτοῦ εἰρημένοις νικᾶν νομίζονται. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἀναγκαίως φημὶ ἀμφότερα γεγενῆσθαι, τὸ τε μὴ πάντα λελέχθαι περὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ τὸ μὴ παντελῶς τὰ κατ' αὐτὸν σεσιγῆσθαι. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐλυσιτέλει, τὸ μήτε δι' ὅλου περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ λέγεσθαι ἀνθρώποις, καὶ περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρὸς ἀμφιβάλλουσι καὶ λέγουσι· • Ποίησον ἡμῖν θεούς· · μήτε παντάπασιν ἀποσεσιωπῆσθαι, διὰ τὸν τῶν ἀπιστησόντων Ἰουδαίων ἔλεγχον, καὶ τὴν τῶν πιστευσόντων βεβαίαν ἐλπίδα. Τὴν συνθήκην, τουτέστι τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν, διαθήκην ἡ θεία καλεῖ Γραφή, διὰ τὸ βέβαιον καὶ ἀπαράβατον. Συνθῆκαι μὲν γὰρ πολλάκις ἀνατρέπονται, διαθῆκαι δὲ νόμιμοι οὐδαμῶς. Περὶ ἀθυμίας (Γ. ῥαθυμίας). Ἐπειδὴ ἃ μὲν προσεῖναι ἑαυτοῖς βουλόμεθα, ταῦτα καὶ ἀληθῆ εἶναι ἡγούμεθα τῶν δὲ δυσκόλων ῥᾳδίως ἀποκρουόμεθα τὴν μνήμην, τῷ μὴ βούλεσθαι γενέσθαι, τὸ πλέον νέμοντες· διὰ τοῦτο τῶν δοκούντων χρηστῶν ἀπολαύειν ἐλπίζοντες, τὰ δυσχερῆ διαδιδράσκειν οἰόμεθα· καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν εὐπραγία παραμυθῆται τῶν σκυθρωπῶν τὴν ἀπειλήν. Ἡ γὰρ ῥαθυμία τῇ ἀνέσει [νευρουμένη] ἀμνημονεῖν πως, καὶ τῆς φύσεως παρασκευάζει, καὶ ἔξω τῶν ὅρων αὐτῆς ἀκοντίζει. Εἰ δὲ τις τὴν ῥαθυμίαν σβέσειεν, εὐθὺς βλαστάνοντας ὄψεται τοὺς ὀρθοὺς λογισμούς, τοὺς καὶ τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὴν κρίσιν βεβαιοῦντας. ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ. Εἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, « Ὁμοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν κόκκῳ σινάπεως. Ὁ θειότατος, ὦ σοφὲ, τοῦ Πατρὸς Λόγος καὶ τὸ θεῖον ἑαυτοῦ κήρυγμα βασιλείαν καλεῖ, ὡς ὠδῖνον τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείαν. «Ὁμοία γάρ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν κόκκῳ σινάπεως, ὃ μικρότερον μέν ἐστι πάντων τῶν σπερμάτων· ὅταν δὲ αὐξηθῇ, μεῖζον τῶν λαχάνων γινέται.» Ὁ δὲ λέγει τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· ὅτι, ᾿Απὸ μικροῦ (εὐτελεῖς γὰρ αἱ λέξεις) τοσοῦτον αὐξηθήσεται, ὡς πᾶσαν Ἑλληνικὴν ἀποκρύψαι σοφίαν. Ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ἐγένετο. Αττικίζουσα γὰρ ἡ πλάνη, καὶ δεινῶς συλλογιζομένη, ἀγροικιζομένῃ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ παρεχώρησεν.","t":"To Theodore. [That for the virtuous even to be suspected of something base is very hard to bear.] To be suspected of what does not befit them is the greatest misfortune for those who have reached the summit of virtue; to be tried is so for the more dignified; to be convicted, even for those who are insensible. [Letter 2.194] To Alexander. [On ingratitude.] Those who bring accusations over the very things for which they ought to be grateful go beyond all the bounds of ingratitude. They ought, even if they cannot repay in deeds, to repay with grateful words; instead they stitch together charges. [Letter 2.195] Those who try to transfer the whole Old Testament to Christ are not beyond blame, since they give both the Greeks and the heretics who do not accept it strength in their battle against us. For by forcing what was not said of him, they make even what was said of him without forcing suspect. By the same means by which their opponents overturn them as falsifiers, the opponents are thought to win even where things were said plainly about him. But I say that both had to happen: that not everything was said about him, and that what concerns him was not entirely passed over in silence. This was profitable: that it should not be spoken throughout about Christ to people who were in doubt even about God the Father and said, \"Make us gods\"; nor be passed over in complete silence, for the refutation of the Jews who would disbelieve and for the firm hope of those who would believe. [Letter 2.196] Divine Scripture calls the compact, that is, the promise, a \"testament\" because of its firmness and inviolability. For compacts are often overturned, but lawful testaments never. [Letter 2.197] [On despondency.] Since we think that what we wish to belong to us is true, and readily push away the memory of what is hard, giving more weight to our not wishing it to happen, for this reason, hoping to enjoy what seems good, we think we shall escape what is hard; especially when prosperity soothes the threat of gloomy things. For carelessness, [strengthened] by ease, makes one somehow forget even nature and shoots one beyond its bounds. But if someone quenches carelessness, he will see right reasonings sprouting at once, which confirm both justice and judgment. [Letter 2.198] To Apollonius the bishop. [On the saying, \"The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed.\"] The most divine Word of the Father, wise friend, calls his own divine preaching a kingdom too, as bringing forth the kingdom of heaven. \"For the kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it becomes greater than the vegetables.\" What he says is this: from a small beginning (for its words are plain) it will grow so much as to hide all the wisdom of the Greeks. And this is what happened. For error, speaking in Attic and syllogizing cleverly, gave way to the truth speaking like a rustic.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.193 (PG 78 78:641; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-193)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.199":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰκότως μὲν ἀγανακτεῖς, μισοπονηρίας τέμενος ! ἐπειδήπερ ὁ κατὰ ἀντίφρασιν, ὡς φὴς, τῆς ἀσεβείας Εὐσέβειον ἑαυτὸν καλέσας (οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῦτο εἶχεν ἐξ ἀρχῆς τοὔνομα) φαυλόν τι καὶ πεπατημένον πρᾶγμα τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἡγησάμενος, καὶ τοῖς τὰ αὐτὰ αὐτῷ δρῶσι, ταύτην νέμειν τολμᾷ, τοὺς μὲν πάσης τιμῆς ἀξίους ἐξοστρακίζων, τοὺς δὲ μηδ' ἐν λαϊκοῦ τάξει τελεῖν δικαίους, εἰς τὸ σεπτὸν θυσιαστήριον ἀνάγων διπλῆ τοῦτο, τόγε εἰς αὐτὸν ἦκον, καθυβρίζων, τῷ τε τοὺς ἀξίους ἀπείργειν, τῷ τε τοὺς ἀναξίους ἐγκρίνειν. Ἀλλ᾽ ἴσθι, ὅτι οὐκ οἴσει ταῦτα εἰς τέλος ὁ πανεπόπτης ὀφθαλμὸς, ὁ νῦν μὲν δι᾽ ἀγαθότητα μακροθυμῶν, ὕστερον δὲ σφόδρα ταύτας αὐτὸν ἀπαιτήσων δίκας.","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. You are rightly indignant, sanctuary of hatred of wickedness, since the man who, as you say, called himself Eusebius as a contradiction of his impiety (for he did not have this name from the beginning), thinking the priesthood a base and trodden thing, dares to give it to those who do the same as he does, banishing those worthy of all honour and leading up to the august altar those who are not fit to be counted even in the rank of laymen. So he outrages it doubly, as far as in him lies: by excluding the worthy and admitting the unworthy. But know that the all-seeing eye will not bear this to the end; now, out of goodness, it is long-suffering, but later it will exact these penalties from him severely.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.199 (PG 78 78:643; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-199)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.2":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ πάλαι εἶχεν ἡ τῶν ἀνθρώπων φύσις τὰ εἰς καλοκαγαθίαν σπέρματα (διὸ καὶ τινὲς μὲν γεωργήσαντες αὐτὰ, διέλαμψαν, τινὲς δὲ νεκρώσαντες, δίκην ἔδοσαν), νῦν ὅτε ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον διεκοσμήθη, καὶ μυρίοις χαρίσμασιν ἐστέφθη, καὶ εὐήνιος πρὸς ἀρετὴν γέγονεν, οὐχ ἡγῇ κἀκεῖνα μεμενηκέναι ἐν αὐτῇ ἀκέραια, δεῖσθαι δὲ τῶν αὐτοῖς χρησομένων; Οὐ γὰρ δήπουθεν ἡνίκα τὴν ἄλλην εὐημερίαν προσείληφε, τηνικαῦτα τῶν ἔμπροσθεν καλῶν δεῖ νομίζειν αὐτὴν ἐστερῆσθαι. Μᾶλλον γὰρ εἰκὸς ὑπὸ τῆς παρούσης χάριτος κἀκεῖνα δοθῆναι πρότερον ἀπόντα, ἢ πρότερον ὑπάρχοντα νῦν ἀνῃρῆσθαι. Ἀλλὰ ταυτὸν οἶμαι τοὺς πολλοὺς πεπονθέναι τοῖς ῥᾳθύμοις ναυκλήροις, οϊ, παρὸν ἀπολαύειν δεξιοῦ πνεύματος, ἐν τοῖς λιμέσι παραμένοντες, καὶ ἐν καπηλείοις καλινδούμενοι ἐγκαλοῖεν τῇ ὥρᾳ, ὡς οὐ δεόντως χορηγησάσῃ τὰ πνεύματα. Πρὸς οὓς δικαίως ἄν τις εἴποι, Αργότατοι πλωτήρων, ἡ μὲν ἐφύλαττε τὸν αὐτῆς θεσμὸν, ὑμεῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐχρήσασθε τοῖς καιροῖς. Ἔστι δὲ τῆς μὲν θείας προνοίας ἐπικουρῆσαι τοῖς πλέουσι· τὰ δὲ ἔργα παρ' ἑαυτοῦ τις ἀπαιτείτω. Καὶ ἡμεῖς τοίνυν δεδόσθαι παρὰ τῆς θείας δεξιᾶς εἰδότες τῇ φύσει τὴν περὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν ῥοπὴν, συνενέγκωμεν τοὺς πόνους · οὕτως γὰρ αἴσιον ἔψεται τὸ τέλος.","t":"To Eustathius the presbyter. If human nature of old had the seeds of goodness (which is why some, cultivating them, shone, while others, killing them, paid the penalty), now that it has been reordered for the better, crowned with countless gifts, and made easy to guide toward virtue, do you not think that those seeds also have remained in it intact, needing only people to use them? Surely one must not think that when it received the rest of its prosperity it was then deprived of its former goods. It is more likely that by the present grace even what was formerly absent was given, than that what formerly existed has now been taken away. But I think that most people suffer the same thing as lazy ship-masters who, when they could enjoy a favourable wind, stay in harbour and wallow in taverns, and then blame the season for not supplying the winds as it should. To them one might justly say: \"Laziest of sailors, the season kept its own law; it is you who did not use the opportunity.\" It belongs to divine providence to help those who sail; but the work each must demand of himself. So we too, knowing that the inclination toward virtue has been given to our nature by the divine right hand, let us contribute our labours; for so a happy end will follow.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.2 (PG 78 78:455; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-2)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.20":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nἜοικας ἀγνοεῖν ὅσην ὁ ἀπράγμων βίος ἔχει τὴν εὐφροσύνην · τάχα δὲ οὐκ αὐτὸς μόνος, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ τὸν αὐτὸν σοι βίον ἐπανῃρημένοι, ἅτε μηδέποτε ταύτης γευσάμενοι καθαρῶς. Πέπαυσο τοίνυν μὴ μόνον πολυπραγμονῶν, καὶ συκοφαντῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς συκοφάντας συγκροτῶν. Κινδυνεύεις γὰρ εἰς ἀναλγησίαν ἐκπεπτωκὼς, τὴν μὲν κακίαν περιέπειν, τὴν δ᾽ ἀρετὴν προπηλακίζειν.","t":"To Maron. You seem not to know how much gladness the life free from affairs holds; and perhaps not you alone, but also those who have chosen the same life as you, since they have never tasted it purely. Stop, then, not only meddling and slandering, but also gathering slanderers together. For, having fallen into insensibility, you are in danger of cherishing vice and trampling virtue in the mud.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.20 (PG 78 78:469; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-20)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.200":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΚυριώτερος μὲν ἐπίτροπος τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς, ὁ τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἐστεμμένος, τοῦ τὴν ἁλουργίδα περικειμένου. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ψυχῶν, ὁ δὲ σωμάτων ἡγεῖται. Εἰ δ᾽ ἀγνοήσας ἑαυτοῦ τὴν ἀξίαν, μᾶλλον δὲ τὴν λειτουργίαν, ψυχῶν μὲν μηδένα λόγον ποιεῖται, τοίχων δὲ καὶ κιόνων ἐπιμελοῖτο, καὶ τρυφῇ προσέχοι, καὶ χρημάτων ἀντιποιοῖτο, ἑαυτὸν, οὐ γὰρ τὴν ἱερωσύνην, ὑβρίζει. ᾿Αλλ' οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνοήτων, δέον τὴν μὲν ἐκθειάζειν, τὸν δ' αἰτιᾶσθαι, ὅλον εἰς αὐτὴν τὸ ἔγκλημα περιτρέπουσιν.","t":"To the same. The one crowned with the priesthood is a steward of things on earth with greater authority than the one who wears the purple. For the one governs souls, the other bodies. But if, ignorant of his dignity, or rather of his ministry, he takes no account of souls but cares for walls and columns, gives himself to luxury and lays claim to money, he insults himself, not the priesthood. But many foolish people, who ought to revere the priesthood and blame him, turn the whole charge against the priesthood.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.200 (PG 78 78:645; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-200)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.201":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς ἐκλογῆς τῶν ἀποστόλων. Οὔτε τοὺς λεξίθηρας, οὔτε τοὺς ῥήτορας, οὔτε τοὺς διαλεκτικοὺς, οὔτε τοὺς ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν λόγων δεινότητι ἐναβρυνομένους, σοφοὺς κλητέον, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἐπὶ τῇ πρακτικῇ φιλοσοφίᾳ διαλάμποντας. Εἰ δὲ κοσμοίη τούτους καὶ ἡ λογική, σοφωτέρους ὀνομαστέον. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἡ θεωρητική (φημὶ δὴ ἡ εὐσέβεια, ἣν μόνην κυρίως σοφίαν εἶναι ὁριζόμεθα), σοφωτάτους προσαγορευτέον. Τὴν μὲν ὥσπερ θεμέλιον καὶ οἰκοδομὴν εἶναι, τὴν δὲ ὡς ἐγκαλλώπισμα, τὴν δὲ ὡς κορωνίδα. Ωσπερ οὖν θεμελίου μὴ ὑπάρχοντος, μηδ' οἰκοδομίας, οὔτε τὰ κοσμοῦντα, οὔτε τὰ στεφανοῦντα χώραν ἔχει· οὕτω καὶ ἀρετῆς μὴ ὑπαρχούσης ἡ λογική καὶ ἡ θεωρητικὴ οὐχ ἕξει.","t":"To Ophelius the scholasticus. [On the choice of the apostles.] We must call wise neither word-hunters, nor orators, nor dialecticians, nor those who pride themselves on cleverness of speech, but those who shine in practical philosophy. If logic adorns them too, they are to be named wiser; and if contemplative philosophy too (I mean piety, which alone we define as wisdom in the proper sense), they are to be called wisest. The first is like the foundation and the building, the second like the ornament, the third like the crowning cornice. As, without a foundation and a building, neither the ornaments nor the crowning have any place, so without virtue logic and contemplation will have none.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.201 (PG 78 78:645; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-201)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.202":{"o":"ΕΥΛΟΓΙΩ.\nΕὐκταῖον μὴ ἡγοῦ τὸ συγγνώμης τυχεῖν, τὸν δι' ἀρετῆς λαμπρυνέσθαι δίκαιον ὄντα. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ τοῖς φαυλοτάτοις, τὸ δὲ τοῖς ἐπιεικεστάτοις ἁρμόττει. Τὸ μὲν δι' οἶκτον γίγνεται, τὸ δὲ δι᾽ ἀμοιβὴν τίκτεται. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ διὰ μικροψυχίαν ἐλεεῖται, ὁ δὲ διὰ μεγαλοψυχίαν στεφανοῦται.","t":"To Eulogius. Do not think it something to pray for to obtain pardon, when you ought to shine through virtue. The one befits the worst, the other the most reasonable; the one comes from pity, the other is born from reward. The one is pitied for smallness of soul, the other crowned for greatness of soul.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.202 (PG 78 78:645; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-202)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.203":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΗ.\n῞Οτι ἀθάνατος ἡ ψυχή. Συγγνώμην οὔτε ἔχεις, οὔτε ἕξεις, εἰ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐπιμένοις. Εἰ δὲ μεταβάλοις καὶ τῆς μανίας καὶ τῆς λύττης ἀποπαύσοιο, ἀπολαύσειας ταύτης. Τὸ γὰρ ἀκριβὲς ἡ θεία ἀγαθότης νικήσει. Εἰ δ' οὐκ οἴει κρίσιν εἶναι, ἄκουε Πλάτωνος λέγοντος· « Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ὁ θάνατος τοῦ παντὸς ἀπαλλαγὴ, ἕρμαιον ἂν ἦν τοῖς κακοῖς ἀποθανοῦσι, τοῦ τε σώματος ἅμα ἀπηλλάχθαι καὶ τῆς αὐτῶν κακίας μετὰ τῆς ψυχῆς. Νῦν δ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ἀθάνατος φαίνεται οὖσα, οὐδεμία ἂν αὐτῇ ἄλλη ἀποφυγὴ εἴη κακῶν καὶ σωτηρία, πλὴν τοῦ ὡς βελτίστην τε καὶ φρονιμωτάτην γενέσθαι.","t":"To Isaiah the soldier. [That the soul is immortal.] You neither have pardon nor will have it if you persist in the same things. But if you change and stop your madness and frenzy, you will enjoy it; for the divine goodness will overcome strictness. If you think there is no judgment, hear Plato saying: \"If death were a release from everything, it would be a windfall for the wicked when they die to be rid at once of the body and of their own wickedness together with the soul. But now, since it appears to be immortal, there would be no other escape from evils and no salvation for it except becoming as good and as wise as possible.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.203 (PG 78 78:645; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-203)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.204":{"o":"ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΩ.\nΚινδυνεύεις ἀγνοεῖν, ἃ καὶ οἱ κομιδῇ νήπιοι γινώσκουσιν. Ἔφης γὰρ θαυμάζειν, πῶς οἱ τὰ τέρποντα φράζοντες, τῶν τὰ λυσιτελοῦντα παραινούντων μᾶλλον ῥᾷον ἐπάγονται τοὺς ἀκροωμένους, ἀγνοῶν, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ τοὺς μὲν χαρίζεσθαι ταῖς ἐπιθυμίαις, τοὺς δὲ μάχεσθαι, τοὺς μὲν θαυμάζεσθαι συμβαίνει, τοὺς δὲ μισεῖσθαι. Ἡττᾶται γὰρ ἡδονῆς τὸ συμφέρον.","t":"To Dionysius. You seem not to know what even mere infants know. You said you wonder how those who speak what delights draw their hearers more easily than those who advise what is profitable; you do not know that, because the former gratify desires and the latter fight them, the former are admired and the latter hated. For the profitable is defeated by pleasure.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.204 (PG 78 78:647; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-204)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.205":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟὐ μόνον ὁ ἱερωμένος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ εὐδόκιμος (τοσοῦτον γὰρ ὀφείλει εἶναι τὸ μέσον τοῦ ἱερωμένου καὶ τοῦ εὐδοκίμου, ὅσον οὐρανοῦ καὶ γῆς τὸ διάφορον), οὐδὲν ἀκόλαστον, οὐδὲ μειρακιῶδες δίκαιος ἂν εἴη διαπράττεσθαι, ἀλλὰ σώφρονα καὶ κεκολασμένην πανταχοῦ τὴν δίαιταν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι. Σὺ δὲ, ὡς φασιν, οὔτε νέος ὢν περὶ τὰς λαγνείας ἐμετρίαζες διὰ τὴν πενίαν· οὔτε γηράσας διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ' οὕτως ἔχει, εἶργε σαυτὸν τοῦ σεπτοῦ θυσιαστηρίου.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Not only a priest, but even a man of good repute (and the difference between a priest and a man of good repute ought to be as great as that between heaven and earth), should do nothing licentious or childish, but show a chaste and disciplined way of life everywhere. But you, as they say, were not moderate in lusts when young, despite your poverty, nor when old, despite your age. If this is so, keep yourself away from the august altar.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.205 (PG 78 78:647; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-205)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.206":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΟἱ μὲν εἰς ὠφέλειαν βλέποντες, ἡσυχάζεσθαι δικαιοῦντες, οὐ τὸ μέγεθος τῶν κατορθουμένων, ὡς ἀφωνίας αἴτιον, προβάλλονται, ἀλλ' ἐγκωμιάζειν ἐπιχειροῦσι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, πρὸς ἣν καὶ οἱ δεινότατοι λέγειν ἀποδύσασθαι ὀκνοῦσιν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μὴ ἐπαξίως, ἀλλὰ γε ἀποχρώντως τὰ καλὰ ἐπαινέσαντες, τεκμήριον τῆς ἑαυτῶν γνώμης τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ ἀξιαφήγητα ῥεπούσης, καὶ τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα ἀνθρώποις ἐγκαταλείπουσι.","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. Those who look to what is profitable, even when they think silence fitting, do not plead the greatness of the achievements as a reason for saying nothing; rather they attempt to praise the truth, against which even the cleverest speakers shrink from stripping for the contest. For by praising good things adequately, if not worthily, they leave to those who come after a proof of their own mind's inclination toward what is worth telling.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.206 (PG 78 78:647; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-206)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.207":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nἘκεῖνος, ὡς ἔγωγε οἶμαι, δικαιότατός ἐστι τῶν ἀμφισβητουμένων κριτὴς, ὁ μὴ τὰ μέγιστα ἀξιώματα ἐκπληττόμενος, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀσθενεστέροις τὸ ἐνδέον ἐξ εὐνομίας χορηγῶν, καὶ νέμων ἐν ταῖς τιμαῖς ἑκάστῳ τὸ πρὸς ἀξίαν, ἐν ταῖς διαγνώσεσι φυλάττει τὸ ἴσον ἅπασι, τῷ δικαίῳ πανταχοῦ μέτρῳ","t":"To Paul. He, as I think, is the most just judge of disputes who is not overawed by the greatest ranks, but supplies to the weaker what they lack by good order, and who, while giving each his due in honours, keeps equality for all in his verdicts, everywhere by the measure of justice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.207 (PG 78 78:647; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-207)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.208":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΙΙΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ προστεταγμένου τοῖς ὀλοθρευταῖς ἀγγέλοις, « Καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἁγίων μου ἄρξασθε. Εἰ μὲν ἔχοιεν ἡμῖν τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἁγιστείαν ἐστεμμένοι χρησμὸν ἀναγινώσκειν, ὡς οὐ χρὴ πονεῖν αὐτοὺς καὶ τὰς ἀρετὰς ἀσκεῖν, ἀλλὰ λόγῳ διδάσκειν μόνῳ, φρονείτωσαν ὡς φρονοῦσιν. Εἰ γὰρ πανταχοῦ οἱ χρησμοὶ ἀνακηρύττουσι μὲν τοὺς λόγῳ μόνον παιδεύειν ἐπιχειροῦντας· τί παρέντες τὰ διὰ τῶν θείων θεσμῶν διηγορευμένα τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ μόνῃ ὥσπερ τυραννίδι ἐναβρύνονται; Τὰ μὲν γὰρ θεῖα θεσπίσματα, τοὺς τὴν ἱερωσύνην λαχόντας μάλιστα πάντων ἐν πόνοις καὶ ἀσκήσεσιν εἶναι παρακελεύεται· ἴν' οἱ ἀρχόμενοι, οὓς ἐπιτάττειν ἔξεστι, τούτους πονοῦντας θεώμενοι, εἰς ἀνδραγαθίας ὑπ᾿ αἰσχύνης παροξύνωνται. Οὐ τοσοῦτον γὰρ ὁ λόγος, ὅσον ὁ τρόπος τῶν διδασκόντων, παραθήγειν πέφυκεν. Οἱ δ' ὥσπερ τὸ λέγειν μόνον ἐμπιστευθέντες, τοῦ πράττειν ἀπέχονται· οὓς καὶ στηλιτεύων ὁ μὲν θεῖος Απόστολος ἔφη· « Ὁ κηρύττων μὴ κλέπτειν, κλέπτεις.» Ἡ δὲ θεία ψῆφος ἐν τῷ Ἰεζεκιήλ, τοῦθ᾽ ὅπερ μαθεῖν ἐξήτησας, παρεκελεύσατο τοῖς τὴν τιμωρίαν μέλλουσιν ἐπιφέρειν τῇ Ἱερουσαλήμ ἀγγέλοις, « 'Από τῶν ἁγίων μου ἄρξασθε. » Ὅπερ καὶ ὁ κορυφαῖος τῶν ἀποστόλων μετέφρασεν εἰπών· • Καιρὸς τοῦ ἄρξασθαι τὸ κρῖμα ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴκου τοῦ Θεοῦ. » Εἰ δὲ πρῶτον ἀφ᾽ ἡμῶν, τί τὸ τέλος τῶν ἀπειθούντων τῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ Εὐαγγελίῳ; Δίκαιον γὰρ τοὺς τιμῇ καὶ τῇ ἀξίᾳ ὑπερέχοντας, τούτους, εἰ ἁμάρτοιεν, καὶ ἐν ταῖς τιμωρίαις πλεονεκτεῖν","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. [On what was commanded to the destroying angels: \"And begin from my holy ones.\"] If those crowned with the sanctity of the priesthood could read us an oracle saying that they need not toil and practise the virtues, but should teach by word alone, let them think as they think. But if the oracles everywhere denounce those who try to teach by word alone, why do they pass over what the divine ordinances declare and pride themselves on the priesthood alone, as on a tyranny? The divine decrees command those who have received the priesthood to be in toils and ascetic exercises above all others, so that those under them, whom they may command, seeing them toil, may be spurred by shame to good deeds. For it is not so much the word as the way of life of teachers that sharpens others. But these, as though they had been entrusted only with speaking, keep away from doing. Pillorying such men, the divine Apostle said, \"You who preach that one must not steal, do you steal?\" And the divine sentence in Ezekiel, which you sought to learn about, commanded the angels who were about to bring punishment on Jerusalem, \"Begin from my holy ones.\" The chief of the apostles paraphrased this when he said, \"It is time for judgment to begin from the house of God; and if it begins first with us, what will be the end of those who disobey the Gospel of God?\" For it is just that those who excel in honour and rank, if they sin, should also have more than others in punishment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.208 (PG 78 78:647; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-208)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.209":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΟ.\nΠρὸς ἱερεῖς. Ὅταν νόθος τῆς καί τις ἱερωσύνης ἀνάξιος εἰς τὴν ἀρχὴν εἰσβιάσηται, τότε δὴ ὁ τῆς ἀρχῆς κόσμος εἰς ἀκοσμίαν μεθίσταται. Τῷ γὰρ ἄρχοντι ἐξομοιοῦσθαι πέφυκε καὶ τὸ ἀρχόμενον Ὁ δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ Εὐσεβίου, ὡς γέγραφας, συνέβη. Τοσοῦτος γὰρ καὶ τοῖς ὑπ᾿ αὐτὸν ἱερεῦσι, καὶ τοῖς ὑπηκόοις ἐξήφθη κακίας ἔρως, ὡς τοὺς ἀλλαχόθεν ἥκοντας, δακρύων ὑπόθεσιν ἀεινάων ἔχειν, τὴν τῶν τοσούτων κακῶν θέαν.","t":"To the same. [To priests.] When a bastard, unworthy of the priesthood, forces his way into office, then the good order of the office turns into disorder. For those who are ruled naturally become like their ruler. This is what has happened, as you wrote, under Eusebius. Such a love of vice has been kindled in the priests under him and in his people that those who come from elsewhere find in the sight of such evils a cause of ever-flowing tears.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.209 (PG 78 78:649; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-209)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.21":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΔεινὴν ἡμῶν, ὡς ἐπυθόμην, ἡ σὴ θεοσέβεια ἐπὶ φίλων ἐποιήσατό [τινων ] τὴν καταβοὴν, ὡς [ἔδει] διὰ γραμμάτων παῤῥησιαστικωτέρων ἐλθεῖν (αἱ γὰρ χρησταὶ παραινέσεις, ἴσχυσαν οὐδὲν), δυναμένων διορθώσασθαι Εὐσέβιον τὸν ἐπίσκοπον, καὶ μὴ βουλόμενον. Ἴσθι τοίνυν, ὦ ἱερὰ κεφαλὴ (χρὴ γὰρ ἀπολογήσασθαι), ὅτι πᾶσαν κεκίνηκα, ὡς οἷός τε ἦν, ἰατρείας ὁδὸν, καὶ προσηνεστέραν καὶ τραχυτέραν· καὶ οὐδὲν παραλέλοιπα τῶν ὀφειλόντων ἀναμοχλεῦσαι τὴν νόσον, καὶ οὐ δεδύνημαι, τοῦ πάθους κρείττονος τῶν βοηθημάτων εὑρεθέντος, καὶ εἰς ἀναλγησίαν ἐκπεπτωκότος. Δημοσιεῦσαι μὲν [οὖν] οὐ χρὴ τὰ λήθης ἄξια καὶ βαθείας σιγῆς· ὅμως δὲ ὀλίγα τῶν ἰδικῶς αὐτῷ μετὰ παῤῥησίας ἐπεσταλμένων δηλῶ, ἵν᾽ εἰδείης ὅτι καὶ τούτου τοῦ μέρους κατεφρόνησε, καὶ παύσαιο ἡμᾶς αἰτιώμενος. Γέγραφα μὲν γὰρ αὐτῷ πολλὰ μὲν ἃ ἐχρῆν, ὀλίγα δὲ δακρύων γράφω· ἐπιτεμοῦμαι γὰρ τὰ πλεῖστα, μακρηγορεῖν δόξαι φυλαττόμενος. Ἡ πόλις πᾶσα τὰ περιφανῆ σου τραγῳδοῦσα δράματα, φησί. Δι' ἣν αἰτίαν πιπράσκεις τὰς χειροτονίας; Τίνος ἕνεκεν προπίνεις τὴν ἱερωσύνην; Τοῦ χάριν καπηλεύεις τὸ θεῖον; Δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν μιαίνεις τὰ ἀνάκτορα; Τίνος χάριν τὰ τῶν πενήτων σφετεριζόμενος χρηματίζῃ; Διὰ τί ἐπὶ γήρως οὐδῷ νεωτερίζεις τοῖς ἀδικήμασι; Τίνος ἕνεκεν οὐκ ἔμεινας ἄρχων, ἀλλ᾿ ἀρχόμενος ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας ἐφωράθης; Ἴσθι τοίνυν ὅτι μείζονα δίκην δοίης ἂν, ὅτι δέδρακας αὐτὸς ἃ κωλύειν ἑτέρους ἐτάχθης","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. Your Godliness, I learn, has made a grave complaint against us before certain friends, that I ought to have come with more outspoken letters (since kind admonitions achieved nothing), able to correct Eusebius the bishop even against his will. Know, then, holy head (for I must make my defence), that I have tried every way of healing, as far as I could, both the gentler and the harsher, and have left out nothing that ought to have dislodged the disease; and I have not been able, since the affliction proved stronger than the remedies and had fallen into insensibility. One ought not to make public what deserves oblivion and deep silence; yet I disclose a few of the things written to him privately and with frankness, so that you may know that he despised this means too, and may stop blaming us. I wrote him much that was needed; I write here only a few things worthy of tears, cutting short most of them for fear of seeming long-winded. \"The whole city,\" I wrote, \"telling in tragic tones your notorious dramas, says: Why do you sell ordinations? Why do you drink away the priesthood? Why do you peddle what is divine? Why do you defile the sanctuaries? Why do you make money by appropriating what belongs to the poor? Why, on the threshold of old age, do you make innovations in wrongdoing? Why did you not remain a ruler, but were caught being ruled by vice? Know, then, that you will pay a greater penalty, because you yourself have done what you were appointed to prevent others from doing.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.21 (PG 78 78:471; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-21)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.210":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\n῎Απληστος εἶ φιλῶν, ὡς ἔοικε, τούτους, οἷς [ἡ] τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐναστράπτει φαιδρότης. Ἀκορέστως γοῦν, ὥς γε πυνθάνομαι, ψάλλεις ἐκεῖνο τὸ τοῦ Μελῳδοῦ ἆσμα. • Ἐμοὶ δὲ λίαν ἐτιμήθησαν οἱ φίλοι σου, ὁ Θεός. Τοσοῦτος γὰρ περίεστί σοι ὁ πρὸς αὐτοὺς πόθος, ὡς καὶ τοὺς οἷς οὐδὲν ἴχνος ἀρετῆς περίεστιν (οὐ γάρ ἐσμεν κατ᾿ ἐκείνους · ἴσως δὲ δοκοῦμεν), πολλοῖς καὶ ποικίλοις ἐγκωμίοις στεφανοῦν. Σοὶ μὲν οὖν, εἰ καὶ ἡμεῖς μὴ ἐσμεν τοιοῦτοι, ἀποκείσεται ὁ μισθός. Ἡμεῖς δὲ εἰ μηδ' ἐγκωμίων τοιούτων ἀπολαύοντες, ἀμείνους γενοίμεθα, μείζονα δίκην ὑφέξομεν. Ἵν' Τῷ ἄρχοντι ἐξομοιοοῦθαι πέφυκε καὶ τὸ ἀρχόμενον. νης γὰρ, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ τὸ τῶν ἀρχομένων πλῆθος, ὥσπερ εἰς ἀρχέτυπόν τινα εἰκόνα τοὺς τῶν ἀρχόντων τρόπους ὁρᾶν, καὶ πρὸς ἐκείνους ἐξομοιοῦν ἑαυτούς. οὖν μὴ τοῦτο ὑποσταίημεν, πέπαυσο ὑπερβαλλόντως ἐπαινῶν.","t":"To the same. You are insatiable, it seems, in loving those in whom the brightness of virtue flashes. Insatiably, as I hear, you sing that song of the Psalmist: \"But to me your friends, O God, are greatly honoured.\" Your longing for them is so great that you crown even those in whom there is no trace of virtue (for we are not like them, though perhaps we seem to be) with many and varied praises. For you, then, even if we are not such, the reward will be laid up. But we, if we do not become better even while enjoying such praises, will undergo a greater penalty. [Misplaced lines: \"Those who are ruled naturally become like their ruler. For the multitude of the ruled mostly looks to the ways of the rulers as to an archetypal image and makes itself like them.\"] So that we may not undergo this, stop praising us beyond measure.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.210 (PG 78 78:649; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-210)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.211":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠαραφυλάττου μὲν, ὦ ἄριστε, τοὺς ἀμυήτους, καὶ τῶν θείων λόγων ἀναξίους, οἵτινες καὶ γελῶσι πολλάκις τὰ πάσης εὐφημίας κρείττονα· φθέγγου δὲ οἷς θέμις Οὐ γὰρ κυσὶν, οὐδὲ χοίροις ἀνθρωπομόρφοις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀγγελικὸν βιοῦσι βίον, δοτέον τὰ ἅγια, κατὰ τὸν θεῖον χρησμόν.","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. Be on your guard, best of men, against the uninitiated and those unworthy of the divine words, who often laugh at what is beyond all praise; speak to those to whom it is lawful. For holy things are to be given not to dogs or to swine in human form, but to those who live the angelic life, according to the divine oracle.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.211 (PG 78 78:651; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-211)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.212":{"o":"ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ τῶν τριῶν ἡμερονυκτίων τῆς ταφῆς τοῦ Κυρίου. Λίαν θαυμάζω καὶ ἐκπλήττομαι τὴν ἄνοιαν τῶν ζητούντων, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν ὁ Χριστὸς πρὸ τῶν τριῶν ἡμερῶν ἀνέστη Εἰ μὲν γάρ φασιν αὐτὸν μηδ' ὅλως ἐγηγέρθαι, τίνος ἕνεκεν περὶ χρόνου ἀκριβολογοῦνται; Εἰ δ' ἐγηγέρθαι μὲν, θᾶττὸν δὲ ἢ ἐπηγγείλατο, ἀπὸ τοῦ ἐγηγέρθαι, καὶ τὸ πάντως ἠληθευκέναι αὐτὸν συναποδεδείχθαι νομιζέτωσαν. Τὸ γὰρ ἀδύνατον καὶ ὂν καὶ δοκοῦν, ὅσον πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀσθένειαν, φημὶ, κατορθώσας, οὐκ ἂν περὶ τὸ δυνατὸν ἐξησθένησεν, εἰ καὶ ὅτι μάλιστα τὸ μὲν βραδέως ἀναστῆναι, ἀσθενείας, τὸ δὲ ταχέως, δυνάμεως μεγίστης τεκμήριον καθέστηκεν. Ἐχρῆν μὲν αὐτοὺς καὶ ἐκ τοῦ τοὺς μυρίους τῶν Ἑλληνικῶν θεῶν καταλόγους ἀφανίσαι, τά τε εἰδωλεῖα πάντα καταστρέψαι, καὶ τοὺς ἀνοσίους βωμοὺς τοὺς ὑπ᾿ ἀνθρωπίνων αἱμάτων φοινισσομένους σβέσαι, καὶ τὸν μὲν διάβολον ἐκνευρίσαι, τοὺς δὲ δαίμονας φυγαδεῦσαι, καὶ τὰ μὲν ἀνήμερα φῦλα τιθασσεῦσαι, τοὺς δὲ Ἰουδαίους μεγίσταις συμφοραῖς περιβαλεῖν, καὶ τοὺς πιστεύσαντας αὐτῷ ὑπὲρ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀναγαγεῖν, προσκυνῆσαι τὴν θείαν αὐτῷ καὶ ἀήττητον δύναμιν, καὶ μὴ περὶ ὡρῶν διαφέρεσθαι. Τὰ γὰρ μέγιστα καὶ κρείττονα λόγου οὐκ ἂν ὑπὸ μικρῶν ἀνατραπείη. Πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ τῆς ἀληθείας ἡ περιουσία πολλὴ, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸ χωρῆσαι τὸ πρᾶγμα πειράσομαι. Ἀκροβολισμοῦ τοίνυν ἕνεκεν εἰρήσεται πρὸς αὐτοὺς· ᾿Αρα εἰ χρεώστην τινὰ ἐπαγγειλάμενον τῷ οἰκείῳ δανειστῇ μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας πληρώσειν τὸ χρέος, πρὸ τῆς προθεσμίας πληρώσαντα θεασοίμεθα, ὡς ψευσάμενον κρινοῦμεν, ἢ ὡς πλέον ἀληθεύσαντα θαυμασόμεθα; Ἐγὼ μὲν οἶμαι τοῦτο, πάντως δὲ καὶ αὐτοί. Τί τοίνυν ἄτοπον, εἰ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἔφησε μὲν τῇ τρίτῃ ἀναστήσεσθαι, θᾶττον δὲ ἀνέστη, ἵν᾿ ἑαυτοῦ μὲν δείξῃ τὴν δύναμιν, τοὺς δὲ φυλάττοντας νεκρώσῃ, καὶ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἐπιστομίσῃ. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ θᾶττον ἀναστῆναι, ἔγκλημα οὐκ εἶχε· τὸ δὲ βράδιον, ὑποψίας ἔγεμεν. Ἐχρῆν γὰρ παρακαθημένων αὐτῶν καὶ φυλαττόντων γενέσθαι τὴν ἀνάστασιν, ὡς εἴγε παρελθουσῶν τῶν ἡμερῶν, καὶ ἀναχωρησάντων τῶν φυλαττόντων ἐγένετο, ὕποπτον τὸ πρᾶγμα ἔμελλεν εἶναι. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀνέστη, πῶς ἐν τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτοῦ τοιαῦτα σημεῖα ἐπετέλεσαν οἱ ἀπόστολοι ; Πῶς δ᾽ οὐκ ἂν εἶεν ἀξιόχρεοι μάρτυρες, οἱ διὰ μυρίων κινδύνων καὶ θανάτων τὴν ἀλήθειαν τῆς ἀναστάσεως πιστωσάμενοι, καὶ οὐ μέλανι, ἀλλ᾽ οἰκείῳ αἵματι τὴν μαρτυρίαν σφραγίσαντες; Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς αὐτὴν τὴν ἀκρίβειαν καταγενέσθαι χρὴ, ἐκεῖνο ἂν εἴποιμι· Τῇ τρίτῃ εἶπεν ἀναστήσεσθαι. Ἔχεις τὴν Παρασκευὴν, ἔχεις τὸ Σάββατον, ἕως δυσμῶν ἡλίου, καὶ μετὰ τὸ Σάββατον ἀνέστη, ἑκατέρων μὲν ἁψάμενος, τὴν δὲ μέσην πληρώσας. Ἐν τρισὶ γὰρ εἶπεν ἀναστήσεσθαι, οὐ μετά τρεῖς ἡμέρας. « Λύσατε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερῶ αὐτόν. » Καὶ ὁ προφήτης δὲ προχρησμῳδῶν, « Τότε ὁ θάνατος πενθήσει ἰσχυροτέρῳ θανάτῳ δεθεὶς, ἔλεγεν. Ὑγιάσει ἡμᾶς μετὰ δύο ἡμέρας, ἐν τῇ τρίτῃ ἀναστησόμεθα, καὶ [ζησόμεθα] ἐν αὐτῷ. › Εἰ δὲ τὸ τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας προβάλοιτο εἴποιμι, ὅτι τῷ ἄψασθαι αὐτῶν, πεπλήρωκε τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν. Μία γὰρ ἡμέρα λέγεται, τὸ τῶν τεσσάρων καὶ εἴκοσι ὡρῶν διάστημα. Καὶ εἴτε ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ, εἴτε ἐν τῇ τελευταίᾳ τούτων τις τεχθείη, ἢ ἂν θάνῃ, αὕτη αὐτῷ ἡμέρα λογίζεται. Οἷον εἰ μέλλοντος ἡλίου δύνειν τεχθείη τις, εἴη δὲ ἐκείνη ἡμέρα πρώτη τοῦ μηνός, αὕτη αὐτῷ λογίζεται. Εἰ δὲ καταδύντος ἕτερος τεχθείη, ἡ δευτέρα. Πῶς οὖν μιᾶς μόνης, τάχα δὲ οὐδὲ μιᾶς ὥρας μεταξὺ γενομένης, ὁ μὲν λέγεται τῇ πρώτῃ, ὁ δὲ τῇ δευτέρᾳ ἡμέρᾳ τετέχθαι; Ὅτι πᾶσι δῆλον καθέστηκε καὶ σαφὲς, ὅτι τῷ ἅψασθαι μόνον ὁ μὲν τὸ παρεληλυθὸς, ὁ δὲ τὸ ἐπιὸν, ἡμερονύκτιον ἐπληρώσατο, τὸ διὰ εἰκοσιτεσσάρων ὡρῶν συμπληρούμενον. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ ἡ ἀκριβὴς τῶν χρόνων κατανόησις τοῦτο βοᾷ, τί μάτην κόπτουσιν ἑαυτοὺς οἱ τὴν ἀλήθειαν μὴ ἠληθευκέναι ἰσχυριζόμενοι; Πῶς εἴρηται τό· «Φάσκοντες εἶναι σοφοί, ἐμωράνθησαν. Τό, « Φάσκοντες εἶναι σοφοὶ, ἐμωράνθησαν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, ὦ σοφὲ, εἴρηται, ἐπειδὴ παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς μὲν ὄγκος ἦν πολὺς ἀληθείας χηρεύων, παρὰ δὲ ταῖς Γραφαῖς ἀλήθεια κόμπου καθαρεύουσα. Τότε μὲν οὖν ἀνδρείας ἔδει καὶ συνέσεως πολλῆς, πᾶσαν πιθανότητα κεκομψευμένην, καὶ ἐντρεχῶς τὸ ψεῦδος ὡς ἀληθὲς παριστῶσαν ἀπογυμνούσης. Νῦν δὲ καὶ αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἀγροίκοις ἡ πλάνη αὐτῶν εὐφώρατος γέγονεν.","t":"To Theognostus the presbyter. [On the three days and nights of the Lord's burial.] I greatly wonder at, and am astonished by, the folly of those who ask why Christ rose before the three days were out. If they say that he did not rise at all, why are they so exact about time? But if they say that he rose, though sooner than he promised, let them consider that by his rising it has also been proved that he certainly spoke the truth. For having accomplished what both is and seems impossible (I mean as far as human weakness is concerned), he would not have been too weak for what is possible; especially since rising slowly is a sign of weakness, rising quickly a sign of the greatest power. They ought, from his having abolished the countless catalogues of the Greek gods, overturned all the idol temples, quenched the unholy altars reddened with human blood, unnerved the devil, put the demons to flight, tamed savage tribes, brought the greatest calamities on the Jews, and raised those who believed in him above heaven, to worship his divine and invincible power, and not to quarrel about hours. For the greatest things, beyond all words, would not be overturned by small ones. Still, since the abundance of the truth is great, I will try to come to the matter itself. By way of a first skirmish, then, let this be said to them: if we saw a debtor who had promised his creditor to pay the debt after three days paying it before the term, would we judge him a liar, or admire him as more than truthful? I think the latter, and so, surely, do they. What is strange, then, if Christ said that he would rise on the third day but rose sooner, so as to show his own power, to deaden the guards and to muzzle the Jews? For rising sooner incurred no charge; rising later would have been full of suspicion. The resurrection had to happen while they were sitting by and keeping guard; if it had happened after the days had passed and the guards had withdrawn, the matter would have been suspect. And if he did not rise, how did the apostles perform such signs in his name? How would they not be credible witnesses, who confirmed the truth of the resurrection through countless dangers and deaths, and sealed their testimony not with ink but with their own blood? But if we must come to exactness itself, I would say this: he said that he would rise on the third day. You have the Preparation, you have the Sabbath up to sunset, and after the Sabbath he rose, touching each of the outer days and filling the middle one. For he said that he would rise in three days, not after three days: \"Destroy this temple,\" he says, \"and in three days I will raise it up.\" And the prophet, foretelling it, said: \"Then death will mourn, bound by a stronger death. He will heal us after two days; on the third day we shall rise and [live] in him.\" And if anyone puts forward \"three days and three nights,\" I would say that by touching them he has fulfilled the promise. For one day is the name given to the space of twenty-four hours; and whether one is born or dies in the first or the last of these, that day is counted to him. For instance, if someone is born when the sun is about to set, and that day is the first of the month, it is counted to him; and if another is born after it has set, the second. How, then, when only one hour, perhaps not even one, has passed between them, is the one said to have been born on the first day and the other on the second? Because it is plain and clear to all that by merely touching it the one fulfilled the day-and-night that had passed, the other the one that was beginning, which is completed in twenty-four hours. If, then, the exact consideration of times cries this out, why do those beat themselves in vain who insist that the Truth did not speak the truth? [Letter 2.213] [How the saying \"Claiming to be wise, they became fools\" is meant.] \"Claiming to be wise, they became fools\" was said, wise friend, also because among them there was great pomp empty of truth, while in the Scriptures there was truth free of boasting. Then, indeed, much courage and understanding were needed to strip bare all the elaborate plausibility that cleverly presented falsehood as truth. But now their error has become easy to detect even for rustics.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.212 (PG 78 78:651; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-212)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.214":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΟ.\nΠερὶ ἐλεημοσύνης. Τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην χρὴ καθαρὰν ὕβρεως καὶ ὀνείδους εἶναι. Οἱ γὰρ ἐκείνῃ ταῦτα μιγνύντες, εὐώδει μύρῳ δυσώδη κιρνῶσι βόρβορον, καὶ τὰς τῶν λαμβανόντων πλήττουσι ψυχάς. Τὰ γὰρ μετ᾿ ὀνείδους παρεχόμενα, κἂν μέγιστα ᾗ, οὐχ ἡδιστα τοῖς λαμβάνουσι, κἂν διὰ τὴν ἀνάγκην σιγῇ στέργωσι τὰς ὕβρεις. Ὅταν δὲ καὶ ἐλάχιστα ᾖ, καὶ μεθ᾽ ὕβρεως παρέχηται, ἀφόρητόν τινα χειμῶνα ταῖς ψυχαῖς τῶν πενομένων τίκτει. Περὶ γὰρ τῶν μήτε παρεχόντων, ἀλλὰ καὶ λοιδορούντων, οὐδὲ μεμνῆσθαι χρή· πᾶσαν γὰρ ὑπερβεβήκασι θηριωδείας ἀγριότητα. Τοὺς γὰρ πρὸς αὐτοὺς, ὡς πρὸς λιμένα, καταίροντας καταδύουσι, μήτε τὴν ἀναγκαίαν πληροῦντες χρείαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὕβρεις προστιθέντες. Χρὴ τοιγαροῦν πράως ἀποκρίνασθαι τοῖς δεομένοις, καὶ κατὰ δύναμιν παρέχειν, κρύπτειν τε ἐλεημοσύνην, ὥσπερ ἐλευθέραν τινὰ καὶ εὐγενῆ καὶ σώφρονα παρθένον, καὶ μὴ πᾶσιν αὐτὴν ἐκπομπεύειν. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἔχοι τις δι' ὧν παραμυθήσεται τὸν ἱκέτην, ἀποκρινάσθω αὐτῷ εἰρηνικὰ ἐν πραΰτητι. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ λόγος ὑπὲρ δόμα ἀγαθὸν καὶ ἀμφότερα παρὰ ἀνδρὶ κεχαριτωμένῳ.","t":"To Apollonius. [On almsgiving.] Almsgiving must be clean of insult and reproach. Those who mix these with it mix stinking mud with fragrant ointment and wound the souls of those who receive. What is given with reproach, even if very great, is not pleasant to the recipients, even if out of necessity they put up with the insults in silence. And when the gifts are very small and given with insult, they produce an unbearable storm in the souls of the poor. As for those who not only do not give but also revile, one should not even mention them; they have surpassed all the savagery of beasts. For those who put in to them as to a harbour they sink, not only failing to meet their necessary need but adding insults. One must therefore answer the needy gently and give according to one's ability, and hide one's almsgiving like a free, noble and chaste virgin, and not parade it before all. And if someone has nothing with which to comfort the suppliant, let him answer him peaceably and with gentleness. \"For behold, a word is better than a good gift, and both are found with a gracious man.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.214 (PG 78 78:655; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-214)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.215":{"o":"ΕΥΟΠΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nτὸ λεχθησόμενον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἀληθὲς ὂν λελέξεται· ὅτι Αὐτὸς μὲν τῇ τῶν πολλῶν διανοίᾳ ἴσως ἑπόμενος χαλεπώτερον ἔφης τὸν βιασάμενον παρθένον τοῦ πείσαντος. Ἐγὼ δ᾽ αὐτῇ τοῦ πράγματος προσέχων τῇ φύσει, ἡγοῦμαι· εἰ γὰρ καὶ παράδοξον εἶναι δόξει ὁ πείσας τοῦ βιασαμένου ἐναγέστερος τυγχάνει Ἐνταῦθα γὰρ ἡ πειθὼ τῆς βίας ἀργαλεωτέρα ἐστὶ, τῷ τὴν μὲν κολάσεως, τὴν δὲ συγγνώμης ἀπολαύειν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τὸ σῶμα ὑβρίσας, τὴν γνώμην καθαρὰν διετήρησεν· ὁ δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν προδιαφθείρας, οὕτως ἐπὶ τὴν τοῦ σώματος ὕβριν ἐχώρησε· καὶ ὁ μὲν ἀνεύθυνον, ὁ δὲ ὑπεύθυνον τῇ δίκῃ πεποίηκε. Τῆς μὲν γὰρ ἡ ὕβρις μέχρι τοῦ σώματος ἔστη· τῆς δὲ καὶ εἰς ψυχὴν ἀνέδραμε. Καὶ ἡ μὲν βιασθεῖσα ἀπολογίαν, ἡ δὲ πεισθεῖσα ἀπαραίτητον ἔχει τὴν δίκην. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ καὶ δίκας εἰσπράξασθαι δύναται τὸν ὑβριστήν, ἡ δὲ τῷ διεφθάρθαι τῇ γνώμῃ ἀναπολόγητος οὖσα συνδιαφθείρεται καὶ τῇ τιμωρίᾳ. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ μέμψεως ἔξω, ἡ δὲ εἴσω καθίσταται. Κἀκείνη μὲν ἐλεεῖται, αὕτη δὲ μισεῖται δικαίως. Τῆς μὲν γὰρ ἡ ὕβρις, τοῦ μὲν σώματος ἥψατο, τῆς δὲ γνώμης οὐχ ἥψατο τῆς δὲ καὶ τὸ σῶμα καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν μεμίανται. Εἰ δὲ λογισμοὺς οἴει ταῦτα εἶναι ἀνθρωπίνους, τὸν νόμον τοῦτον ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀναγνωσόμεθα. Τί οὖν φησιν; · Ἐάν τις βιάσηται παρθένον ἐν ἐρήμῳ, τὸν μὲν ἀποκτείνατε, τὴν δὲ περιποιήσασθε · ἐβόησε γὰρ ἡ νεᾶνις, καὶ οὐκ ἦν ὁ βοηθῶν.» Τῇ δ᾽ ἐν πόλει τοῦτο παθούσῃ, καὶ μὴ βοησάσῃ, ἀπαραίτητος ἡ τιμωρία. Καὶ μάλα εἰκότως. Ἐν μὲν γὰρ ἐρημίᾳ ὁ βοηθήσων οὐκ ἦν· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἡ παροινηθεῖσα συγγνώμης ἀξία εἶναι κέκριται. Ἡ δ᾽ ἐν πόλει τοῦτο παθοῦσα, καὶ τῇ σιγῇ συγκαταθεμένη, καὶ μὴ βοήσασα, μηδὲ καλέσασα τοὺς ἀναστεῖλαι τὴν βίαν δυναμένους, θανάτῳ εἰκότως κατακέκριται. Οὐκοῦν παντὶ σθένει χρὴ τὴν γνώμην καθαρὰν διατηρεῖν καὶ ἀμόλυντον, μηδεμιᾷ ὁρμῇ, μηδὲ συγκαταθέσει τοιαύτῃ μεμιασμένην, ἵνα κἂν, ὁ μὴ γένοιτο, γένοιτό τι τοιοῦτον, ἀκέραιον ἔχωσι τὴν ἀπολογίαν παρὰ τῷ ἀδεκάστῳ κριτῇ, τῷ καὶ τὰς καρδίας ἐμβατεύοντι, καὶ μαρτύρων μὴ δεομένῳ.","t":"To Evoptius the bishop. … what is about to be said; but, since it is true, it will be said. You, perhaps following the opinion of the many, said that the man who violates a virgin is worse than the man who seduces her. But I, attending to the nature of the thing itself, think, even if it will seem paradoxical, that the seducer is more accursed than the violator. Here persuasion is more grievous than force, because the one meets with punishment and the other with pardon. The man who outraged the body kept the woman's mind pure; the man who first corrupted her soul then went on to the outrage of the body. The one made her not liable to justice, the other liable. For in the one case the outrage stopped at the body; in the other it ran up into the soul as well. The woman who was violated has a defence; the woman who was seduced has a penalty that cannot be escaped. The one can exact justice from the man who outraged her; the other, being without defence because she was corrupted in mind, is ruined with him in the punishment too. The one stands outside blame, the other within it. The one is pitied, the other rightly hated. In the one case the outrage touched the body but did not touch the mind; in the other both body and soul have been defiled. If you think these are human reasonings, we will read this law from heaven. What does it say? \"If someone violates a virgin in the wilderness, kill him, but spare her; for the girl cried out, and there was no one to help her.\" But for the woman who suffered this in the city and did not cry out, the punishment is inexorable. And very reasonably. In the wilderness there was no one to help, and so the woman who was outraged has been judged worthy of pardon. But the one who suffered this in the city, consented by her silence and did not cry out or call those who could have checked the violence, has rightly been condemned to death. One must therefore with all one's strength keep the mind pure and undefiled, stained by no impulse and no consent of this kind, so that, if (may it not happen) such a thing should happen, women may have an unblemished defence before the impartial Judge, who enters even into hearts and needs no witnesses.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.215 (PG 78 78:655; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-215)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.216":{"o":"ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· « Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἐξουσία, εἰ μὴ ἀπὸ Θεοῦ. » Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας, τί ἐστιν, « Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἐξουσία εἰ μὴ ὑπὸ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἔφης· Τί οὖν; Πᾶς ἄρχων ὑπὸ Θεοῦ κεχειροτόνηται; Φήσαιμι, ὅτι δοκεῖς μοι (καί μοι μηδὲν ὀργισθῇς · οὐδὲν γὰρ φλύαρον ἐρῶ) ἢ μὴ ἀνεγνωκέναι τὰς ἀποστολικὰς ῥήσεις, ἢ μὴ νενοηκέναι. Ὁ γὰρ Παῦλος οὐκ εἶπεν, Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἄρχων εἰ μὴ ὑπὸ Θεοῦ· ἀλλὰ περὶ τοῦ πράγματος αὐτοῦ διαλέγεται, λέγων· « Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἐξουσία, εἰ μὴ ὑπὸ Θεοῦ. » Τὸ γὰρ εἶναι ἀρχὰς ἐν ἀνθρώποις, καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἄρχειν, τοὺς δ᾽ ἄρχεσθαι, καὶ μὴ ἁπλῶς, μηδ᾽ ἀνέδην ἅπαντα φέρεσθαι, ὥσπερ κυμάτων τῇδε κἀκεῖσε τῶν δήμων, περιαγομένων, τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφίας ἔργον εἶναί φησιν. Επειδὴ γὰρ τὸ ὁμότιμον οἶδε πολλάκις πόλεμον ἀναῤῥιπίζειν, οὐκ ἀφῆκε δημοκρατίαν εἶναι, ἀλλὰ βασιλείαν. Εἶτα μετὰ ταύτην πολλὰς ἐποίησε τὰς ἀρχάς. Ποίας φησίν; ῎Αρχοντος καὶ ἀρχομένου, ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναικὸς, πατρὸς καὶ παιδὸς, πρεσβύτου καὶ νέου, δεσπότου καὶ δούλου, διδασκάλου καὶ φοιτητοῦ. Κἀν τοῖς ἀλόγοις δὲ ζώοις τὸ παραπλήσιον ἴδοι τις ἄν. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυῶνται αἱ μέλισσαι ὑπὸ βασιλεῖ ταττόμεναι, καὶ αἱ γέρανοι, καὶ αἱ ἀγέλαι τῶν ἀγρίων προβάτων. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὴν θάλατταν σκοποίης, οὐδ᾽ αὐτὴ ταύτης ἔρημος εὑρεθήσεται τῆς εὐταξίας· πολλὰ γὰρ κἀκεῖ τῶν γενῶν ὑφ' ἑνὶ τάττεται τῶν ἰχθύων καὶ στρατηγεῖται. Διὸ καὶ μακρὰς ἀποδημίας στέλλεται. Καὶ γὰρ πανταχοῦ ἡ ἀναρχία ἀργαλεώτατον, καὶ συγχύσεως καὶ ἀκοσμίας αἴτιον. Διὸ καὶ τῷ σώματι ἑνὶ ὄντι οὐ πάντα ὁμότιμα, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν ἄρχει τῶν μελῶν, τὰ δὲ ἄρχεται. Αὐτὸ δὴ οὖν τὸ πρᾶγμα, τὴν ἐξουσίαν φημὶ, τουτέστι τὴν ἀρχὴν, καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τετυπῶσθαι λέγειν θέμις, ἵνα μὴ ὁ κόσμος εἰς ἀκοσμίαν ἐμπέση. Εἰ δὲ τις ἀλιτήριος παρανόμως εἰς ταύτην εἰσεκώμασεν, οὐ δήπου τοῦτον παρὰ Θεοῦ κεχειροτονῆσθαί φαμεν· ἀλλὰ συγκεχωρῆσθαι, ἢ πρὸς τὸ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκείαν] πονηρίαν ὥσπερ ὁ Φαραὼ ἐξεμέσαι, καὶ οὕτως δίκην δοῦναι τὴν ἐσχάτην, ἢ πρὸς τὸ σωφρονίσαι τοὺς ὠμότητος δεομένους, ὥσπερ ὁ Βαβυλώνιος τοὺς Ἰουδαίους.","t":"To Dionysius. [On \"For there is no authority except from God.\"] Since you wrote asking what \"For there is no authority except from God\" means, and said, \"What, then? Has every ruler been appointed by God?\", I would answer that you seem to me (do not be angry with me, for I will say nothing silly) either not to have read the apostolic words or not to have understood them. For Paul did not say, \"There is no ruler except from God,\" but speaks about the thing itself, saying, \"There is no authority except from God.\" That there are offices among human beings, that some rule and others are ruled, and that all things are not borne along at random and without restraint, with peoples driven this way and that like waves, he says is the work of God's wisdom. For since equality of honour often fans up war, he did not leave things as a democracy, but made a kingship. Then after it he made many authorities. Which, he asks? Those of ruler and ruled, husband and wife, father and child, old and young, master and slave, teacher and pupil. One may see the like among irrational animals too: the bees ranked under a king guarantee it, and the cranes, and the herds of wild sheep. And if you consider the sea, not even it will be found without this good order; for there too many kinds of fish are ranked and led under one, which is why they undertake long migrations. Everywhere anarchy is most grievous and the cause of confusion and disorder. So even in the body, which is one, not all members are of equal honour, but some rule and others are ruled. The thing itself, then, I mean authority, that is, rule and kingship, it is right to say has been shaped by God, so that the ordered world may not fall into disorder. But if some accursed man has lawlessly revelled his way into it, we surely do not say that he has been appointed by God, but that he has been permitted: either to vomit out all his own wickedness, as Pharaoh did, and so pay the ultimate penalty, or to chastise those who need harshness, as the Babylonian chastised the Jews.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.216 (PG 78 78:657; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-216)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.217":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ.\nΠερὶ Προνοίας. Δίκη, ὦ τί σε καλέσας ἀξίως προσείπω; τὰ θνητῶν πράγματα ἐποπτεύει, τιμωρὸς τῶν ἄδικα πραττόντων. Καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνεπιτρόπευτα τὰ τῇδε. Τοῦτο οὖν γνοὺς, φεῦγε τὸ ἀδικεῖν, ἵνα καὶ τὴν τιμωρίαν διαφύγοις. τῆς καὶ ἰδιώτας σοφιζούσης.","t":"To Isaiah. [On providence.] Justice (by what name could I worthily address you?) watches over the affairs of mortals, as the avenger of those who do wrong; the things of this world are not without a guardian. Knowing this, then, flee wrongdoing, so that you may also escape the punishment. [… which makes even the unlearned wise.]","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.217 (PG 78 78:659; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-217)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.218":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἘπειδὴ γέγραφας, ὡς εὖ ποιῶ πάντα τρόπον ἑστιῶν σε καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐμαυτοῦ γλώττης ἐπὶ τὰς σὰς ἀκοὰς, [διὰ] διδασκαλίαν ἀξιαφήγητον μετοχετεύων· ἀντεπιστέλλω, ὅτι εἴ τι ἐπιστέλλεται παρ' ἡμῶν δεξιὸν, τοῦτο τῆς ἄνωθεν εἶναι νόμιζε χάριτος,","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. Since you wrote that I do well to feast you in every way, channelling from my own tongue to your ears teaching worth telling, I reply that, if anything right is sent from us, you should consider it to come from the grace from above …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.218 (PG 78 78:659; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-218)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.219":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΠρὸς ἄρχοντας. Νυνὶ μᾶλλον ὅτε ἀρχῆς ἐπέβης, ἀοίδιμος ἂν γένοιο καὶ ζηλωτὸς, εἰ τοὺς ἀδικήσαντας μὴ ἀμύνῃ, ἀλλὰ [καὶ] νῦν μάλιστα πάντων τῶν λυπηρῶν λήθην ποιήσῃ, ὅτε μάλιστα τὸ δύνασθαί σε αὐτοὺς τιμωρῆσαι παρέσχεν ἡ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐξουσία.","t":"To Herminus the count. [To governors.] Now especially, when you have entered upon office, you would become celebrated and enviable if you did not take vengeance on those who wronged you, but now above all forgot every grievance, when the power of your office has given you most ability to punish them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.219 (PG 78 78:659; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-219)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.22":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΔι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν ἄσπονδός σοι· καὶ ἀκήρυκτος ὁ πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν τυγχάνει πόλεμος, ἡδέως ἂν σου πυθοίμην ἐγώ. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ Ἐπίκουρον θαυμάζεις, καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ὁρῶν τὸν σαυτοῦ ζωγραφεῖς βίον, τίνος ἕνεκεν Χριστιανὸς εἶναι προσποιῇ; Εἰ δὲ Χριστιανός χρηματίζειν βούλει, δι' ἣν αἰτίαν Ἐπικούρειον διαζῇς βίον;","t":"To Maron. I would gladly learn from you why your war against virtue is without truce or herald. If you admire Epicurus and paint your own life with your eyes on him, why do you pretend to be a Christian? But if you wish to bear the name of Christian, why do you live an Epicurean life?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.22 (PG 78 78:471; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-22)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.220":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nὉ τῇ πείρᾳ τὴν φήμην ὑπερβαίνων, καὶ κρείττων ἀκοῆς εἰς θέαν ἐρχόμενος, οὗτος εἰκότως καὶ ἐγκωμίων κρείττων ἐστὶν, ἐλέγχων τοὺς λόγους, ὡς τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἀξίας καταδεεστέρους. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ εἰ καὶ ἡττῶνται οἱ λόγοι, χρὴ τὴν γνώμην νικᾶν [τολμᾷν], χρὴ καὶ τὰ προσόντα ἐγκώμια τοῖς φιλαρέτοις λέγειν τε καὶ γράφειν. Τρία γὰρ ἐκ τούτου συμβαίνει καλά· τὸ τε γνησίως ἔχειν πρὸς τὴν ἀρετήν· οὐδεὶς γὰρ φαῦλος τοὺς σπουδαίους ἐπαινεῖν ὑπομένει· τὸ τε φθόνου καθαροὺς εἶναι, μὴ κρύπτοντας τῶν ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς τὰ πλεονεκτήματα· τό τε πονηροὺς ἢ καταισχύνεσθαι, ἢ σωφρονίζεσθαι, ὧν ἑκάτερον αὐτοῖς λυσιτελεῖ.","t":"To Heraclides the bishop. He who surpasses his reputation when he is experienced, and proves better than report when he is seen, is rightly above praise too, showing words to fall short of his worth. But since, even if words are defeated, the intention must prevail, one must speak and write the praises that belong to lovers of virtue. Three good things come from this: that we are genuinely disposed toward virtue (for no base man can bear to praise the earnest); that we are pure of envy, not hiding the excellences of those above us; and that the wicked are either put to shame or brought to their senses, either of which profits them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.220 (PG 78 78:661; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-220)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.221":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΜὴ ἀγανάκτει, ὦ μισοπονηρίας περίβλεπτον θρέμμα, εἰ Εὐσέβιος ὁ ἀσεβείας, ὡς γέγραφας, ἀνάπλεως, ἄσπονδον ἔχων καὶ ἀκήρυκτον πρὸς τοὺς ἀρετῇ συζῶντας πόλεμον, πρὸς τοὺς κακίαν ἀσπαζομένους σπένδεται· μηδ' ὅτι ἢ πολεμεῖ τοὺς ἔχοντας, εἰ μὴ λάβῃ χρήματα, ἢ ἵνα μὴ πολεμήσῃ λαμβάνει, ὅσα πολεμῶν ληίσασθαι ἠδύνατο, ἀλλὰ τὴν θείαν ἀνάμενε ψῆφον.","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. Do not be indignant, conspicuous nursling of the hatred of wickedness, if Eusebius, full of impiety, as you wrote, waging a war without truce or herald against those who live with virtue, makes truce with those who embrace vice; nor that he either wars against those who have money unless he receives some, or, so as not to make war, takes as much as he could have plundered by warring. Rather, await the divine verdict.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.221 (PG 78 78:661; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-221)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.222":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἘπειδὴ πλείονα ἡ θεία πρόνοια ποιεῖται τὴν φειδὼ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων, ἢ ὅσον ἐκείνους ὁρᾷ ἑαυτῶν ἀφειδοῦντας, διὰ τοῦτο βασιλικῷ καὶ φιλανθρώπῳ μακροθυμίας χρωμένη κηρύγματι βοᾷ· « Μετανοεῖτε, ἤγγικεν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν. » Εἰ δ' οἱ ἁμαρτάνοντες παρ᾿ οὐδὲν θέμενοι τὴν παραίνεσιν, τῆς μακροθυμίας, ὡς ἀμελείας καταψηφίσονται, ἴσως μὲν καὶ νῦν, πάντως δ᾽ ὅτε ὁ καιρὸς ἐπιστῇ τῆς δίκης, οὐκ ἔτι φείσεται τῶν ἑαυτοὺς φειδοῦς μὴ ἀξιωσάντων, ἀλλὰ δίκας σφοδροτάτας εἰσπράξεται τοὺς τῆς μακροθυμίας καταφρονήσαντας. Διὸ καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἐῤῥήθη, ὅπερ ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν· · Ἐσιώπησα, μὴ καὶ ἀεὶ σιωπήσομαι, καὶ ἀνέξομαι; Καὶ ἐκστήσω καὶ ξηρανῶ ἅμα. » Δίκαιον γὰρ τοὺς τῇ τοσαύτῃ μακροθυμίᾳ μὴ ὠφεληθέντας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐφόδιον αὐτὴν μειζόνων ἁμαρτημάτων πεποιημένους, ταῖς τῆς δίκης ἐναλῶναι τιμωρίαις.","t":"To the same. Since divine providence takes more care to spare sinners than it sees them sparing themselves, it cries out with the royal and humane proclamation of long-suffering: \"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.\" But if sinners set the exhortation at nothing and condemn the long-suffering as neglect, then perhaps even now, but certainly when the time of justice comes, it will no longer spare those who did not think themselves worth sparing, but will exact the severest penalties from those who despised its long-suffering. That is why this was said, which you wished to learn about: \"I have kept silent; shall I also keep silent forever and endure? I will make them amazed and dry them up together.\" For it is just that those who were not helped by such long-suffering, but made it a provision for greater sins, should be caught in the punishments of justice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.222 (PG 78 78:661; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-222)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.223":{"o":"ΑΛΥΠΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰ τὰς τιμωρίας μεγίστας εἶναι τῷ πλήθει τῶν συνειδότων εἰκότως κρίνομεν (αἱ γὰρ λανθάνουσαι κουφότεραί πως εἶναι πεφύκασιν), ὁποίαν εἰκὸς εἶναι τὴν κόλασιν, ὅταν παρόντων τῶν οὐρανίων δήμων, καὶ πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ὁρισθείη;","t":"To Alypius the bishop. If we rightly judge punishments to be greatest by the number of those who know of them (for those that escape notice are somehow lighter), what is the punishment likely to be when it is fixed in the presence of the heavenly hosts and of all humanity?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.223 (PG 78 78:661; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-223)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.224":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΟΡΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nΠερὶ φθόνου. Οὐδὲ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλῳ μὲν οὐδενὶ, [ὦ] ὁμώνυμε, τῶν ὄντων ἢ δοκούντων καλῶν, πραὺς ὁ φθόνος, ἀλλ᾽ ἄγριος καὶ ἀργαλέος · ἐπὶ δ᾽ ἀρετῇ, ἥτις κυρίως τὴν τοῦ καλοῦ κεκλήρωται φύσιν, καὶ πάμπαν ἀπαραμύθητος. Τὸ μὲν οὖν μὴ φθονεῖσθαι, ἄλυπον μὲν ἴσως, οὐ μὴν εὐκλεές. Φθόνου γὰρ ἀναξίως πράττειν μήτ' ἐμοί ποτε μήτε φίλοις ἐμοῖς συμβαίη. Χρὴ δὲ φθονούμενον, σώφρονι λογισμῶ τὰς τοῦ φθόνου κακοηθείας φέρειν.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. [On envy.] Envy, my namesake, is gentle toward nothing that is or seems good, but savage and grievous; and toward virtue, which properly possesses the nature of the good, it is altogether inconsolable. Not to be envied is perhaps free of pain, but it is not glorious. May it never befall me or my friends to act in a way unworthy of envy. One who is envied must bear the malice of envy with sober reasoning.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.224 (PG 78 78:663; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-224)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.225":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς εἰς Θεὸν ἀγάπης. Ἐγώ φημι τοῖς οἷς οὐδὲν ἐλλείπεται τῶν ὀφειλόντων πρὸς ἀρετὴν πραχθῆναι· πολλοὶ γὰρ μέγιστον ἀγαθὸν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔστιν, ὁριζόμενοι τὴν ἀρετὴν, οὐ πάνυ φροντίζουσιν αὐτῆς· τούτους, εἰ μὴ τῇ οἰκείᾳ δυνάμει θαῤῥοῖεν, ἀλλ᾿ ἀναφέροιεν πρὸς τὴν θείαν ῥοπὴν τὰ κατορθούμενα, καὶ τῶν παθῶν περιέσεσθαι, καὶ εἰς τέλος πάντως ἥξειν ἀρετῆς. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὸ κρατεῖν δίδωσι τῶν ἀντιπάλων τὸ ἀνθρωπίνης ῥώμης κρεῖττον, ὡς μηδὲν ἐμποδὼν εἶναι τῇ τοῦ ἀθλητοῦ προθυμίᾳ, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε ᾧ τὸ θεῖον ἐπικουρεί, οὐδὲν κρεῖττον, εἰ ἐμποδὼν εἴη πρὸς τὴν νίκην. ἀναφέροντι δῆλον ὅτι πρὸς αὐτὸ τὴν νίκην, τούτῳ","t":"To the same. [On love for God.] I say that those who lack nothing of what must be done for virtue (for many, defining virtue as the greatest good, as indeed it is, do not care much for it), if they do not trust in their own power but refer their achievements to the divine help, will both overcome the passions and certainly reach the goal of virtue. For even if what is stronger than human strength gives the mastery over opponents, so that nothing stands in the way of the athlete's zeal, yet for one whom God helps, who clearly refers the victory to him, nothing is stronger, even if something stands in the way of victory.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.225 (PG 78 78:663; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-225)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.226":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΣυντόμως φράσαι βούλομαι, ὃ φράσαι σαφῶς οὐ παροινούμενος · οἶσθα δ' ὃν λέγω· τοὺς νῦν λέγοντας βούλομαι. Εἰ κακὸς ἦν ὁ παρὰ τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων κακῶς εἶχεν ἂν ἄκρους.","t":"To the same. I wish to say briefly what I cannot say plainly without being abused (you know whom I mean); I mean those who are now speaking. If he were bad who … from those who plot … he would have been badly off …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.226 (PG 78 78:663; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-226)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.227":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠᾶς ὅτῳ μέτεστι καλοκαγαθίας, ἀσμενίσει τῆς ἀρετῆς τιμωμένης. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἴ τις νομοθέτης μεγίστας κολάσεις τῶν παρανομιῶν τάττοι, οὐκ ἂν αὐτὸς γε παρασκευάζεσθαι παρανομεῖν νομισθείη · οὕτως ὅταν τις ὑπερφυεῖς τὰς τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀμοιβὰς ἀκούων ἡσθείη, πρὸς πᾶσαν ἀρετὴν ἕτοιμος εἶναι δόξει· καὶ ἀγαθῶν μὲν πάντων ἔμπλεως, κακοῦ δὲ οὐδενός. Καὶ θαυμάζεσθαι γὰρ καὶ φιλεῖσθαι τὴν ἀρετὴν παρὰ τῶν σπουδαίων οὐκ ἀπεικός.","t":"To the same. Everyone who has a share in goodness will be glad when virtue is honoured. For as, if a lawgiver fixed the greatest punishments for crimes, he would not himself be thought to be preparing to break the law, so when someone rejoices to hear of the supernatural rewards of virtue, he will seem ready for every virtue, full of all good things and of no evil. For it is not unlikely that virtue should be admired and loved by the earnest.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.227 (PG 78 78:663; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-227)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.228":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ μαντικῆς. Ὅτι ἡ μαντικὴ ὕθλος ἦν παρ' Ἕλλησι, καὶ μάτην ἐθρυλλεῖτο, δέδεικται μέν μοι ἐν τῷ Πρὸς Ἕλληνας λόγῳ. Ἐπειδὴ δ' \"Ομηρον ὡς σοφώτατον μάρτυρα προβάλλῃ, τὸν αὐτὸν ἀντιπροβαλοῦμαι. Σεμνὴ γὰρ καὶ ἡ παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μαρτυρία Ὅταν γὰρ ποιῇ τὸν Ἕλενον μάντιν ὄντα, ᾿Αλεξάνδρῳ τ᾿ ἀδελφῷ παρακελευόμενον, τῆς μὲν μάχης ἀποπτῆναι, εὔξασθαι δὲ τῇ ᾿Αθηνᾷ μετὰ τῶν γυναικῶν ἐν ἄστει γενόμενον · εἶτα τὰς μὲν εὐχομένας, τὴν δὲ ἀνανεύουσαν · αὖθις δὲ τὸν μὲν μάντιν παρακελευόμενον εἰς μάχην προκαλεῖσθαι τὸν ἄριστον τῶν Ἑλλήνων, τὸν δὲ πειθόμενον, καὶ προκαλούμενον, ἡττώμενον δὲ καὶ τιτρωσκόμενον, καὶ διαλυθῆναι δεόμενον, ἄρ᾽ οὐ δῆλός ἐστι καὶ τοῖς κομιδῇ νηπίοις, τὴν μαντικὴν οἷον ἐπὶ κόῤῥης ῥαπίζων, ἢ καὶ καταγελῶν τῆς ἀβελτηρίας αὐτῆς καὶ ἀλαζονείας, ὡς θρασυνομένης μὲν ἐν τῷ προαγορεύειν καὶ ἐλπίδας χρηστὰς ὑποτίθεσθαι, ἐν δὲ τοῖς πέρασιν ἐλεγχομένης καὶ διαμαρτανούσης · παντί που δῆλόν ἐστιν. Εἰ δὲ πολλαχοῦ μάντεις φάσκει, καὶ θυοσκόπους, καὶ ὀνειροπόλους, θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν. Ἡ γὰρ ποιητική, ἔστιν ὅπου τὸ μυθῶδες ἐπιποθοῦσα, ὕλην ἔχει τὸ ψεῦδος, ὑφ᾽ ἡδονῆς ἀκρίτου θρασυνομένη ἐξυβρίζει καὶ ὑλομανεῖ τὸ μυθῶδες καὶ θεατρικὸν ἐπιδεικνυμένη. Τοσοῦτον γὰρ αὐτῇ οὐ μέλει τῆς ἀληθείας, ὡς καὶ τοὺς παῖδας ῾Αλῶνος εἰσάγουσαν ματαιοπονοῦντας μᾶλλον ἢ μεγαλουργοῦντας, φάναι· ῎Οσσαν ἐπ᾿ Οὐλύμπῳ μέμασαν θέμεν. Αὐτὰρ ἐπ᾿ [Ὅσση Πήλιον εἰνοσίφυλλον, ἵν' οὐρανὸς ἄμβατος εἴη. Εἶτα πιστεύουσα αὐτοὺς κρατήσειν εἰ ἡβήσειαν, γνώμην ἀποφαίνεται ἀπαίδευτον καὶ ἀφιλόσοφον, φράζουσα, Καὶ νύ κεν ἐξετέλεσσαν, εἰ ἤβης μέτρον ἵκοντο. Οὐ φημι γὰρ τρία ὄρη, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽ εἰ πᾶσα ἡ γῆ πλασθείη καὶ μετεωρισθείη τρόπον κίονος, ἐφάψεται τῆς οὐρανίου ἁψίδος· καὶ μάλιστα κατὰ τοὺς λέγοντας, τὴν γῆν κέντρον εἶναι τοῦ οὐρανοῦ. Κέντρον γὰρ περιφερείας οὐκ ἄν ποτε ἅψοιτο.","t":"To Harpocras the scholasticus. [On divination.] That divination among the Greeks was nonsense and talked about in vain I have shown in my discourse To the Greeks. But since you put forward Homer as a most wise witness, I will put the same man forward against you; for testimony even from enemies carries weight. When he makes Helenus, who was a seer, urge his brother Alexander to fly from the battle and, once in the city, to pray to Athena with the women; then the women pray and the goddess refuses; then again the seer urges him to challenge the best of the Greeks to battle, and he obeys and challenges, but is defeated and wounded and asks for the fight to be broken off: is it not clear even to mere children that he is slapping divination on the cheek, as it were, or laughing at its folly and boastfulness, as bold in foretelling and in holding out good hopes, but refuted and failing in the outcome? This is plain to everyone. And if he often speaks of seers, sacrifice-inspectors and dream-interpreters, it is no wonder. For poetry, sometimes longing for the fabulous, has falsehood as its material; made bold by uncritical pleasure, it runs riot and grows wild, displaying the mythical and the theatrical. So little does it care for the truth that, introducing the sons of Aloeus as labouring in vain rather than achieving great things, it says: \"They were eager to set Ossa on Olympus, and on Ossa leafy Pelion, that heaven might be scaled.\" Then, believing that they would have prevailed had they reached manhood, it pronounces an uneducated and unphilosophical opinion, saying: \"And they would have accomplished it, had they reached the measure of youth.\" For I say that not three mountains, but not even the whole earth, if it were moulded and raised up like a column, would touch the vault of heaven; especially according to those who say that the earth is the centre of heaven. For a centre could never touch the circumference.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.228 (PG 78 78:663; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-228)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.229":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ ἀληθείας. Ὁ ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐκπίπτων, πάντως ἐκκυλισθήσεται τοῦ προκειμένου, καὶ εἰς αἰσχρὸν καταστρέψει τέλος.","t":"To Theodosius the scholasticus. [On truth.] He who falls away from the truth at the beginning will certainly be rolled away from his goal and come to a shameful end.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.229 (PG 78 78:665; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-229)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.23":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΚΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἩ μὲν εἰλικρινὴς καὶ ἀκριβὴς ἐλευθερία ἐστὶ, τὸ μηδενὸς ὅλως δεῖσθαι, ὅπερ κρεῖττον ὃν τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως, θεῖον ἔστω. Ἡ δὲ μετ᾿ ἐκείνην, τὸ ὁλίγων δεῖσθαι, ὅπερ καὶ δυνατὸν καὶ ἐφικτὸν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις καθέστηκε. Ταύτην οὖν περιέπωμεν, ἐπειδήπερ ἡ πρώτη τέως ἡμῖν ἀνέφικτος.","t":"To Eutocius the deacon. Pure and exact freedom is to need nothing at all; and this, being above human nature, must be counted divine. Next after it is to need few things, which is both possible and attainable for human beings. Let us, then, cherish this, since the first is for now beyond our reach.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.23 (PG 78 78:471; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-23)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.230":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ. ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΦασί τινες, ὡς οὐδὲ Μητρόδωρος ὁ Ἐπικούρειος, οὕτως διὰ πραγμάτων ἐβεβαίωσεν Ἐπικούρου, τοῦ παρὰ πάντων τῶν σοφῶν ἀποκηρυχθέντος, τὰ δόγματα, ὡς ἡ ἀθλία ὑμῶν τριττύς. Εἰ τοίνυν ἀληθεύουσι, παύσασθε τῆς λαγνείας. Εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἔχεσθε τῆς σωφροσύνης.","t":"To Zosimus and Maron. Some say that not even Metrodorus the Epicurean confirmed by his deeds the doctrines of Epicurus, whom all the wise have rejected, as your wretched threesome does. If, then, they speak the truth, stop your lust; if not, hold fast to chastity.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.230 (PG 78 78:667; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-230)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.231":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nὈκνῶ μὲν εἰπεῖν, διὰ τὸ μὴ δόξαι κολακεύειν· πάντων γὰρ τῶν λεπτῶν παθῶν τὴν κολακείαν αἰσχροτέραν ἡγοῦμαι· φράσω δὲ, ὑπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀναγκαζόμενος, ὅτι οὐδεὶς, ὡς οἶμαι, μᾶλλον δὲ πέπεισμαι, τῶν σοι προσόντων πλεονεκτημάτων ἐφικέσθαι δυνηθείη, οὐδ᾽ εἰ δέκα μὲν γλώττας, δέκα δὲ στόματα ἔχοι καὶ ψυχὰς ταῖς γλώσσαις ἰσαρίθμους. ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Ὁ [μὲν] μηδὲν ἑαυτῷ, ὦ σοφὲ, συνειδὼς ἀγαθὸν, μετριολογῶν, συγγνώμων, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐπιγνώμων, οὐ ταπεινόφρων ἐστίν. Ὁ δὲ μετὰ πολλὰ κατορθώματα ταπεινοφρονῶν, οὗτός ἐστι κυρίως ὁ μετριάζειν εἰδώς.","t":"To Theodosius the bishop. I hesitate to speak, lest I seem to flatter (for of all the petty passions I consider flattery the most shameful); but, compelled by the truth, I will say that no one, I think, or rather I am persuaded, could reach your excellences in words, not even if he had ten tongues and ten mouths and souls equal in number to his tongues. [Letter 2.232] To Dionysius the presbyter. One who is conscious of no good in himself, wise friend, and speaks modestly is fair-minded, or rather self-aware, not humble. But one who is humble after many achievements is properly the one who knows how to be moderate.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.231 (PG 78 78:667; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-231)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.232":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ.\nΠερὶ φιλαργυρίας. Τὸν μὲν τῶν σωμάτων ἔρωτα, ἅτε δριμὺν μὲν ὄντα, ταχέως δὲ σβεννύμενον, διὰ τοῦτο οἱ ζωγράφοι σὺν λαμπάσι καὶ πτέρυξι γράφουσιν, ὅτι ποτὲ μὲν ὑπεκκαίει τὰ πάθη καπνίζων, ποτὲ δὲ διὰ κόρον ἀφίπταται. Τὸν δὲ τῶν χρημάτων οὐδεὶς οὔτε πλάσαι, οὔτε γράψαι ἐτόλμησε, τάχα μὲν ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲ ἔρως ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ μανία ἀνήκεστος· τάχα δὲ ἐπειδὴ οὔτε πλασθῆναι, ἀλλ᾽ οὔτε γραφῆναι αὐτὸν οἷόν τε. Οὔτε γὰρ πεντήκοντα μόνον ἔχει κεφαλὰς, κατὰ τὴν μυθευομένην ὕδραν, δι' ὧν τῇ ἀπληρώτῳ γαστρὶ τὴν τροφὴν παραπέμπει. Οὐδὲ κατὰ τὸ ἀχόρταστον τέρας διάκειται, οὐδὲ κατὰ τὸν Βριαρέω ἑκατὸν χερσὶ μόναις ὥπλισται. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲ πτερὰ ἔχει, κόρον γὰρ οὐκ οἶδε, πλησμονὴν οὐκ ἐπίσταται. Πῶς οὖν τις τοιοῦτο τέρας ἢ πλάσαι, ἢ γράψαι δυνηθῇ, ᾧ καὶ τὸ τῆς Σκύλλης παραβαλλόμενον ἐπιστεύθη ἂν, καίτοι ἄπιστον ὄν; ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ὁ λόγος παντὸς μὲν χρώματος ἐναργέστερός ἐστι, παντὸς δὲ κηροῦ εὐπλαστότερος ὡς ἂν οἷός τε ᾖ, ὑπογράψαι τοῦτον πειράσεται τῆς μὲν ἀκριβείας ἐφικέσθαι ἀδυνατῶν, τὴν δὲ θηριόμορφον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀτερπῆ τοῖς ἑαλωκόσι στηλιτεύων μανίαν. Ἐμοὶ γὰρ δοκεῖ οὐ παιδὶ ἐοικέναι· οὐ γὰρ ἔρως ἐστὶ, μανία δὲ σαφής • ἀλλὰ γυναικὶ (καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ τῆς τε ἀνοίας αὐτῆς καὶ τῆς μοχθηρίας ἔστω τεκμήριον) θηριομόρφῳ τινὶ, καὶ πῦρ πνεούσῃ μυρίας μὲν ἔχεις ἀντὶ τριχῶν ἐπὶ τῆς κεφαλῆς ἐχούσῃ διὰ παντὸς συριττούσας, καὶ θανατηφόρον ἰὸν ἐρευγομένας · μυρίας δὲ χεῖρας ὄνυξι κομώσας, δι' ὧν τοὺς μὲν σπαράττει, τοὺς δὲ κατατοξεύει, παρ᾽ ὧν δ᾽ ἀφαρπάζει χρήματα· μυρία δὲ στόματα. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀπειλεῖ μόνον, οὐδὲ συκοφαντεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ κολακεύει, καὶ δουλοπρεπῶς διαλέγεται, καὶ ἐπιορκεῖ, καὶ μυρίας ἐπινοεῖ προφάσεις, αἰσχρῶν κερδῶν ἕνεκα. Καὶ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχει οὐ κατὰ φύσιν ὁρῶντας, οὐδ᾽ αἰδουμένους τινὰ, οὐ φίλον, οὐκ ἀδελφὸν, οὐ συγγενῆ, οὐκ εὐεργέτην, ἀλλὰ τραχὺ, καὶ δριμὺ, καὶ ὠμὸν, καὶ ἀπάνθρωπον, καὶ πυρῶδες βλέποντας. Οὐ γὰρ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων ὁρᾷ φύσιν, οὐδὲ συνίησιν, ὅτι πολλάκις μυρία κινήσασα, εἰς τὰς τῶν ἐχθρῶν τὰ χρήματα παρέπεμψε χεῖρας. Διὸ μυρίας προσετρίψατο τῷ ἁλόντι τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀκοὰς δὲ τοσοῦτον πεφραγμένας, ὡς μήθ' ἱκεσιῶν, μήτε στεναγμῶν, μήτ' ὀλοφυρμῶν, μήτε κακηγοριῶν ἐπακούειν. Τοσοῦτον δ᾽ ἀπέχει τοῦ πτερά ἔχειν, ἃ τὸν κόρον δηλοῖ, ὅτι οὐδὲ πόδας αὐτῇ σωφρονῶν ἄν τις ἀπονέμοι. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οἶδε βαδίζειν, οὐδὲ μετακινεῖσθαι ἀπὸ τοῦ ἁλόντος, ἀλλὰ κατὰ πάντων τὰς χεῖρας πέμπουσα, σιδήρου παντὸς καὶ μολύβδου βαρυτέρα οὖσα ἐγκάθηται, πάντα μὲν δεχομένη, καὶ πάντας ληϊζομένη, οὐδέποτε δὲ πληρουμένη, ἀλλὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν λαμβανομένων, ὕλην ὑπεκκαύματος ἔχουσα, καὶ τὴν τελευτὴν τῶν ληφθέντων, ἀρχὴν τῶν ληφθησομένων ποιουμένη. Τίς οὖν τοιαύτῃ μανίᾳ δριμυτάτῃ καὶ ἀκορέστῳ, καὶ μυρίας ἁμαρτίας καὶ κακηγορίας, ἀδοξίας τε καὶ ἀκολασίας προστριβομένῃ ἁλοίη ἄν; τίς ἂν ἕλοιτο ἐνταῦθα μὲν ζῇν οὕτως ἀθλίως, μαστιζόμενος νύκτωρ τε καὶ μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν, καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν οὐκ εἰδὼς, οὐδ᾽ ὕπνον, ἐκεῖσε δὲ ἀρχὴν τῶν τιμωριῶν ληψόμενος; Τί λέγω ἀρχήν; Ἐνταῦθα μὲν οὖν κολάζει καὶ τιμωρεῖται τοὺς ἁλόντας, παντὸς τυράννου πικρότερον, ἐναλλομένη καὶ τῶν καιρίων ἁπτομένη, καὶ μηδὲ μικρὸν ἀναπνεῦσαι συγχωροῦσα, ἀλλὰ τῶν εἰς τὰ μέταλλα τὴν χαλεπωτάτην ἐκείνην τινόντων κόλασιν, πικροτέραν ἐπάγουσα τὴν δίκην. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἔξεστι μετὰ τὸ ἔργον ὕπνῳ χρῆσθαι καὶ ἀναπαύλῃ, τοῖς δὲ καὶ τὸν τοῦ ὕπνου προχωννῦσα λιμένα, καὶ νύκτωρ ἐπιτάττει τὰ ὠμὰ καὶ ἀπάνθρωπα ἐπιτάγματα ἐκεῖνα. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἐπὶ λῃστείας ἐξάγει, τοὺς δὲ ἐπ᾿ ἀνδροφονίας, καὶ οὐδὲ τὴν ὁσίαν αὐτὴν αἰδεῖται ἣν καὶ βάρβαροι καὶ δαίμονες τιμῆς ἀξιοῦσιν· ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ νεκρῶν σωμάτων τὰς μιαρὰς τῶν ἁλόντων ὁπλίζει δεξιάς, καινὸν καὶ παράνομον ληστείας ἐπινοοῦσα τρόπον. Πάντ' οὖν ταύτης τὰ μοχθηρὰ ἐννοήσαντες, ὅτι θηριόμορφος ἐστι, καὶ ἀτερπὴς, καὶ πῦρ πνέουσα, ἀκόρεστός τε καὶ τυφλὴ καὶ ἀνήκοος, μισάνθρωπός τε καὶ μυσαρὰ, καὶ θεομισὴς, ἄσπονδός τε καὶ ἀμείλικτος καὶ ἀνήμερος. Οὔτε γὰρ κολακευομένη, οὔτε θεραπευομένη ἐνδίδωσιν, ἀλλὰ τότε μᾶλλον ἀγριοῦται, ὅτε μάλιστα θεραπεύεται. Μάλιστα μὲν πάντα κινῶμεν, ὥστε μὴ ἁλῶναι. Ῥᾷον γὰρ μὴ ἀλῶναι, ἢ ἀλόντας διαφυγεῖν. Εἰ καὶ ἑάλωμεν, συντείναντες ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ τὴν θείαν καλέσαντες συμμαχίαν· ἄνευ γὰρ ταύτης οὐχ οἷόν τε τοιαύτης αἰχμαλωσίας ἐλευθερωθῆναι· κινδυνεύει γὰρ εἶναι τοῖς πολλοῖς αἰχμαλωσία ἀνακλήσεως ἄμοιρος· τοῦ μὲν ἐθέλειν κερδαίνειν παυσώμεθα, τὰ δὲ συναχθέντα, ἢ ἀθρόον, ἢ κατὰ βραχὺ διανέμωμεν τοῖς δεομένοις. Αὕτη γάρ ἐστι μόνη τῆς τοιαύτης αἰχμαλωσίας ἡ ἀνάκλησις.","t":"[Letter 2.233] To Martinian. [On love of money.] Bodily love, since it is sharp but quickly quenched, painters depict with torches and wings, because at one time it kindles the passions with its smoke, at another it flies away through satiety. But love of money no one has dared either to mould or to paint: perhaps because it is not love but an incurable madness; perhaps because it can be neither moulded nor painted. For it has not only fifty heads, like the fabled hydra, through which it sends food to its insatiable belly; nor is it like the insatiable monster; nor is it armed, like Briareus, with only a hundred hands. Nor does it have wings, for it does not know satiety and does not understand surfeit. How, then, could anyone either mould or paint such a monster, compared with which even Scylla would have been believed, incredible though she is? But since speech is more vivid than any colour and more pliable than any wax, it will try, as far as it can, to sketch it, unable to reach exactness, but pillorying its beast-shaped madness, joyless to those it has captured. It seems to me to resemble not a boy (for it is not love, but plain madness) but a woman (and let this too be a proof of its folly and wickedness): a beast-shaped woman breathing fire, who has on her head instead of hair countless vipers, always hissing and belching deadly venom; countless hands bristling with claws, with which she tears some, shoots down others and snatches money from others; and countless mouths. For she not only threatens and slanders, but also flatters, speaks like a slave, perjures herself and devises countless pretexts for shameful gains. And she has eyes that do not see according to nature, and respect no one, neither friend, nor brother, nor kinsman, nor benefactor, but look harsh, sharp, cruel, inhuman and fiery. For she does not see the nature of things, nor understand that often, after setting countless things in motion, she has sent the money into the hands of enemies. And so she has rubbed countless sins onto the one she has captured; and she has ears so stopped that she hears neither supplications, nor groans, nor laments, nor reproaches. She is so far from having wings, which signify satiety, that no sensible person would even give her feet. For she does not know how to walk or to move away from the one she has captured; stretching out her hands against all, heavier than any iron or lead, she sits there, receiving everything and plundering everyone, never filled, but having the mass of what she takes as fuel for her burning, and making the end of what has been taken the beginning of what will be taken. Who, then, would let himself be captured by such a madness, most bitter and insatiable, which rubs on countless sins and reproaches, disgrace and licentiousness? Who would choose to live so wretchedly here, scourged night and day, knowing neither rest nor sleep, and to receive the beginning of punishments there? Why do I say the beginning? Here already she punishes and torments those she has captured more bitterly than any tyrant, leaping on them, seizing their vital parts and not letting them breathe even a little; she inflicts a penalty more bitter than that of those who pay that most grievous punishment in the mines. They may sleep and rest after their work; but she blocks up even the harbour of sleep for her captives and gives those cruel and inhuman commands even by night. Some she leads to robbery, others to murder; she does not respect even what is sacred, which even barbarians and demons count worthy of honour, but arms the defiled hands of her captives even against the bodies of the dead, devising a new and lawless form of robbery. Considering, then, all her wickedness, that she is beast-shaped, joyless and fire-breathing, insatiable, blind and deaf, misanthropic, loathsome and hateful to God, without truce, implacable and savage (for she yields neither to flattery nor to service, but grows wilder the more she is served), let us above all do everything not to be captured. For it is easier not to be captured than to escape once captured. And if we have been captured, let us brace ourselves and call on the divine alliance (for without it one cannot be freed from such captivity; for many, it is likely, it is a captivity without recall); let us stop wishing to gain, and distribute what has been gathered to the needy, either all at once or little by little. For this is the only recall from such captivity.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.232 (PG 78 78:667; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-232)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.234":{"o":"ΑΡΧΙΒΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\n\"Ενθα καταφορικῶς περὶ τῶν κακῶς τὴν ἱερωσύνην μετερχομένων. Πολλῶν ὄντων, ὡς ἔφης, θαύματος ἀξίων, ἕν ἐστιν, ὁ μάλιστα πάντων ἐγὼ θαυμάζω, καὶ τοῦ πάντα διεφθάρθαι τεκμήριον εἶναί φημι ἱκανόν. Διὸ δὴ ἐκείνων ἀφέμενος, τοῦτο μάλιστα νυνὶ λέξω καὶ ἐλέγξω. Εἰπὲ τοίνυν τούτοις, οἷς μάλιστα μέλει τῶν λαῶν, μᾶλλον δὲ οἷς μέλειν μὲν ἔδει, μέλει δὲ οὐδαμῶς, ὅτι Αὐτοὶ δι᾽ ὧν ποιεῖτε ὁμολογοῦντες ἀγνοεῖν, τί ἐστιν ἱερωσύνη, τί τοὺς ἄλλους ἐνοχλεῖτε; Εἱ μὲν γὰρ τυραννίδα πατρώαν κεκλήρωσθε, ἡγεῖσθε ὧν ἡγεῖσθε ἵνα κἀκείνων τῶν διαβοήτων τυράννων ὠμότεροι καὶ τυραννικώτεροι ὀφθείητε. Πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐκείνων πραότερον ὑμῶν τοῖς τυραννηθεῖσι προσηνέχθησαν. Εἰ δὲ πατρικὴν κηδεμονίαν ἐνεπιστεύθητε, τί τοὺς τυράννους ἀποκρύπτετε τῇ ὠμότητι; Τί τοὺς τῷ θείῳ αἴματι ἐξαγορασθέντας αὐτοὶ καταδουλοῦσθε; Τί χρηματίζεσθε ἐκ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων συμφορῶν; Τί γελᾶτε τοὺς σώφρονας; Τί ἐπιβουλεύετε τοῖς φιλαρέτοις; Τί τοὺς κόλακας συγκροτεῖτε; Τί τοὺς παῤῥησιαζομένους ἐξοστρακίζετε; Εἰ γὰρ ὑμεῖς παύσεσθε δρῶντες ἃ δρᾶτε, εἰκὸς καὶ τὰς τῶν λαῶν ἀρετὰς νεκρωθείσας νῦν δι᾽ ὑμᾶς, εἰς παλιγγενεσίαν ἥξειν καὶ ἀναβίωσιν.","t":"To Archibius the presbyter. [Here, in accusatory vein, against those who pursue the priesthood badly.] Of the many things worthy of wonder, as you said, there is one that I wonder at most of all, and I say that it is sufficient proof that everything has been corrupted. So, leaving the others aside, I will now speak above all of this and refute it. Say, then, to those to whom the peoples matter most, or rather to whom they ought to matter but do not matter at all: \"You yourselves, confessing by what you do that you do not know what priesthood is, why do you trouble others? If you have inherited a family tyranny, rule over those you rule, so that you may be seen to be crueller and more tyrannical even than those notorious tyrants; for many of them treated those they tyrannized more gently than you. But if you have been entrusted with a father's care, why do you eclipse the tyrants in cruelty? Why do you enslave those who were redeemed by the divine blood? Why do you make money from the misfortunes of others? Why do you laugh at the chaste? Why do you plot against the lovers of virtue? Why do you gather flatterers about you? Why do you banish those who speak freely? For if you stop doing what you are doing, it is likely that the virtues of the peoples, now deadened because of you, will come to rebirth and new life.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.234 (PG 78 78:671; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-234)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.235":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\n῞Οτι μετὰ τοῦ ὀρθοῦ βίου χρεία τῷ ἱερεῖ τῆς ἐν τῷ λέγειν δυνάμεως. Ὥσπερ εὐγενὲς δένδρον, ὅταν τῷ καρπῷ βρίθηται, τοῖς φύλλοις κομῶν, καὶ τὸν γεωργὸν εὐφραίνει, καὶ τοὺς ὁρῶντας τέρπει, καὶ τοὺς παροδεύοντας ἀναπαύει· οὕτω καὶ ὁ εἰς τὸν διδασκαλικὸν ἱδρυθεὶς θρόνον, ὅταν τῇ ἀρετῇ κοσμῆται, καὶ τῷ λόγῳ ἀστράπτῃ, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν εὐφραίνει, καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ὠφελεῖ. Εἱ δὲ θατέρου ἔρημος εἴη, οὐ λίαν ὠφελεῖ τοὺς φοιτητάς. Χρεία μὲν γὰρ τοῦ βίου, διὰ τοὺς φιλαιτίους· χρεία δὲ καὶ τοῦ λόγου, διὰ τοὺς κατὰ τῶν αἱρέσεων ἐλέγχους. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἄνευ λόγου ὁ βίος ὠφελεῖν πέφυκε τοὺς πολλοὺς, ἀλλ᾽ ὅταν ἴδωσιν αὐτὸν ἡττώμενον ἐν συλλογισμοῖς καὶ διαλόγοις, εἰς τὰ καίρια πολλάκις βλάπτονται, ὑπὸ νόθων δογμάτων κλεπτόμενοι. Οὐ γὰρ τὴν ἀπειρίαν τοῦ διδάσκοντος, ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ δόγματος αἰτιάσοιντο σαθρότητα. Εἰ δ' ὁ λόγος ῥέων κατὰ κράτος αἰρῇ τοὺς ἐναντίους, ἀπὸ τῆς τοῦ βίου φαυλότητος ἀμαυροῦται τὸ τρόπαιον. Οὐκ ἀξιόπιστον γὰρ ἡγήσονται διδάσκαλον, τὸν μὴ τὰ δέοντα πράττοντα. Οὐκοῦν χρὴ καὶ λόγῳ καὶ βίῳ ἀστράπτειν. « ῾Ὁ γὰρ ποιῶν, φησὶ, καὶ διδάσκων, οὗτος μέγας κληθήσεται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν.» Εἰ δὲ τὸ ποιῆσαι μόνον διδάξαι ἦν, ὡς οἴονταί τινες, οὐκ ἂν τὸ δεύτερον προσετέθη.","t":"To Herminus the count. [That the priest needs, together with an upright life, power in speaking.] As a noble tree, when it is laden with fruit and luxuriant with leaves, both gladdens the farmer, delights those who see it and refreshes those who pass by, so too the one seated on the teacher's throne, when he is adorned with virtue and flashes with eloquence, both gladdens God and benefits people. But if he lacks either, he does not greatly benefit his pupils. A good life is needed because of those who love to find fault; eloquence is needed too, for the refutation of heresies. For even if life without speech can benefit the many, yet when they see the teacher defeated in syllogisms and debates, they are often harmed in what is vital, stolen away by bastard doctrines; for they would blame not the teacher's inexperience but the unsoundness of the doctrine. And if his speech, flowing, overcomes the opponents by force, the trophy is dimmed by the badness of his life; for they will not think him a trustworthy teacher who does not do what he ought. One must, then, flash both in word and in life. \"For whoever does and teaches,\" he says, \"he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.\" And if doing alone were teaching, as some think, the second would not have been added.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.235 (PG 78 78:671; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-235)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.236":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ κατὰ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ, καὶ τὴν Αἰγυπτίαν. Εἰ καὶ δεινῶς καὶ τεχνικῶς ἡ Αἰγυπτία τὰ λίνα τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἀνεπέτασε, καὶ τὴν παγίδα ἔστησε θηρῶσα τὸν νέον, καὶ διὰ μὲν τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἐγοήτευσεν (ἐκαλλωπίζετο γὰρ τραγικῶς), διὰ δὲ τῆς ἀκοῆς ἔθελγε (πᾶσαν γὰρ προσῆγε καὶ διὰ ῥημάτων πεῖραν), καὶ διὰ μὲν τῆς ὀσφρήσεως ἀνεμόχλευε · τῶν γὰρ πολυτελεστάτων μύρων ἔπνεε· διὰ δὲ τῆς ἀφῆς ἐγαργάλιζε· κατέσχε γὰρ τοῦτον, καὶ διὰ μὲν τῆς γεύσεως ἠρέθιζεν (εἰκὸς γὰρ πρὸ τοῦ ἀναπετάσαι τὰ δίκτυα, καὶ τρυφὴν προσαγαγεῖν, εἰ καὶ μὴ ὡς ἐρώμενον χαριζομένη, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ξένον ἐλεοῦσα), διὰ δὲ τῶν ἐπαγγελιῶν ἐφάρματτεν· ὡς δεσπότην γὰρ ἕξειν αὐτὸν ὑπισχνεῖτο· ἀλλ᾽ ἀπέτυχε τῆς θήρας. Καὶ ὁ μὲν Ἰωσήφ τὸν καρπὸν τῆς σωφροσύνης ἐδρέπετο· οὐκ ἀπονητὶ, ὡς οἷονταί τινες· οὐ γὰρ μόνον πρὸς ἐκείνην, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς ἀκμὴν τῆς νεότητος ἦν αὐτῷ ὁ ἀγὼν σφριγῶσαν καὶ σκιρτῶσαν, καὶ τῆς γυναικείας ὁμιλίας ὀρεγομένην· ἡ δὲ τὰ φύλλα τῆς νίκης ἐδόκει ἔχειν. Ἐδόκει δ' ἔχειν, εἶπον, ἐπειδὴ ἀκεραίοις ἀκοαῖς καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἔλεγχος ἦν τῆς γυναικείας ἀκρασίας. [Τῇ] γὰρ βίαν παθεῖν φοβουμένῃ, οὐ τὸ προσαφελεῖν τὴν τοῦ βιαζομένου ἐσθῆτα, διὰ σπουδῆς ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ τὸ τῆς βίας ἀπηλλάχθαι, ἀγαπητὸν καὶ εὐκταιότατον. Ἀλλ' αὕτη ὑπὸ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας μεθύουσα, σύμβολα τῆς οἰκείας ἀσελγείας, τεκμήρια σωφροσύνης εἶναι ἐνόμιζε. Διὸ, ὡς οἶμαι, καὶ ὁ δεσπότης τὴν μὲν κατηγορίαν ἐδέξατο, διὰ τὴν τῆς γυναικὸς ἴσως ὑπόληψιν· ᾔδει γὰρ τὴν γυναικείαν φύσιν ῥᾳδίως τῷ πάθει ἀλισκομένην, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν ὑπὸ κάλλους ἐρεθίζηται, τοῦ καὶ τὴν ῥώμην πολλάκις καταδουλουμένου μηδὲ λόγου [δε] μεταδοὺς, ὅπερ τινὲς αἰτιῶνται, εἰς δεσμωτήριον ἐνέβαλεν, οὐ βαρβαρικὸν σφάλμα σφαλλόμενος, ὡς οἷονταί τινες· ἢ γὰρ ἂν αὐτὸν καὶ κατέσφαξεν, ἢ γοῦν τοῖς νόμοις παραδέδωκε, τῆς κατηγορίας σφαγὴν ὠδινούσης· ἀλλ' ἐκ τοῦ εἰκότος ἴσως ἐννοήσας, ὅτι ἐρῶσα καὶ ἐπιμανεῖσα αὐτῷ, ἀποτυχοῦσα τῆς θήρας, τὴν κατηγορίαν ἐνεστήσατο. Καὶ εἰ μεταδοίη λόγου τῷ νέῳ, οὐ μόνον ἀπολύσαιτο τὴν γραφὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὴν γραψαμένην ἀντιπεριστήσει τὸ ἔγκλημα. Μᾶλλον δ', ὅπερ καὶ εἰπεῖν ἀληθέστερον, τοῦ βραβευτοῦ τῆς σωφροσύνης τὴν ὀργὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς κατευνάσαντος, καὶ στήλην σεμνότητος τῷ βίῳ ἐγείραντος, καὶ τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς λιμώττουσι τροφέα τηρήσαντος, καὶ τῇ Αἰγύπτῳ ἄρχοντα χειροτονήσαντος.","t":"To the same. [On the story of Joseph and the Egyptian woman.] The Egyptian woman cleverly and skilfully spread the nets of desire and set the snare to hunt the young man: she bewitched him through his eyes (for she adorned herself theatrically), charmed him through his hearing (for she made every attempt in words), stirred him through his sense of smell (for she breathed of the most costly perfumes), tickled him through touch (for she took hold of him), and provoked him through taste (for it is likely that before spreading the nets she also offered him delicacies, not as gratifying a lover but as pitying a stranger); she enchanted him with promises too, for she promised that he would be her master. Yet she failed in her hunt. And Joseph plucked the fruit of chastity, not without toil, as some think; for his contest was not only against her but also against the prime of his youth, swelling and leaping and longing for intercourse with women. She, for her part, seemed to have the leaves of victory. I said \"seemed\", since to unprejudiced ears this too was a proof of the woman's incontinence. For a woman who fears to suffer violence is not eager to strip the garment from the one who uses violence; to be freed from the violence is what she welcomes and prays for most. But she, drunk with desire, thought the tokens of her own licentiousness to be proofs of chastity. And so, I think, the master accepted the accusation, perhaps because of his wife's reputation (for he knew that a woman's nature is easily taken by passion, especially when provoked by beauty, which often enslaves even strength), and, without giving Joseph a hearing (for which some blame him), cast him into prison. He did not commit a barbarian's blunder, as some think; for he would otherwise have killed him, or at least handed him over to the laws, since the accusation called for death. Rather, perhaps, he reasoned from likelihood that, loving him and mad for him, having failed in her hunt, she had brought the accusation; and that if he gave the young man a hearing, he would not only clear himself of the charge but turn the accusation round onto the woman who brought it. Or rather, which is truer to say, the umpire of chastity calmed the man's anger, raising up a pillar of dignity for life, keeping a nourisher for his starving brothers and appointing a ruler for Egypt.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.236 (PG 78 78:673; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-236)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.237":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΜὴ λίαν ἐκπλήττου, ὦ θαυμάσιε, εἰ τὸ μὲν εἶναί τινας τοιούτους τῶν τὸν διδασκαλικὸν ἐμπεπιστευμένων θρόνον, δεινὸν ὂν, οὐ δεινὸν εἶναι δοκεῖ· τὸ δὲ ῥῆξαί τινα φωνὴν παῤῥησίας ἕνεκεν, δεινότατον εἶναι δοκεῖ, καὶ συγγνώμης μείζον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἀρετῆς ἴχνη ἐν ὀλίγοις εὑρίσκεται· κακία δὲ παρὰ τοῖς πλείστοις ἀχορεύτως χορεύει, δεδιότες μὴ ὀφθείη τις ὁ τοῖς δρωμένοις ἐπιτιμήσων, πάντα μὲν τὰ καλὰ ἐξοστρακίσαι σπουδάζουσι, μάλιστα δὲ πάντων τὴν παῤῥησίαν, ἵν᾿ ἀδεῶς ἁμαρτάνοιεν τοῦ λοιποῦ.","t":"To the same. Do not be too astonished, admirable friend, if the fact that some such men are among those entrusted with the teacher's throne, terrible as it is, does not seem terrible, while for someone to utter a word for the sake of frankness seems most terrible and beyond pardon. For since traces of virtue are found in few, while vice dances its wild dance among most, they fear that someone may appear to rebuke what is done; so they hasten to banish all good things, and above all frankness, so that from then on they may sin without fear.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.237 (PG 78 78:675; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-237)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.238":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤὸ ἐν νόσῳ χαλεπωτάτῃ τυγχάνοντα, νομίζειν ὑγιαίνειν, μανία λαμπρὰ καὶ ἀνήκεστος. Πῶς γὰρ ὁ τοιοῦτος ἰατρὸν ζητήσει, μηδ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο ὅτι νοσεῖ ἐπιστάμενος; Πρῶτον οὖν αὐτῷ χρὴ τρανὴν τὴν αἴσθησιν τοῦ πάθους ἐμποιῆσαι, εἶτα τὸν τούτου καλέσαι ἰατρόν.","t":"To the same. To be in a most grievous disease and think oneself healthy is plain and incurable madness. How will such a man look for a physician, when he does not even know that he is sick? One must therefore first give him a clear perception of his affliction, and then call its physician.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.238 (PG 78 78:675; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-238)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.239":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ.\nΤὸ, « Ὀργίζεσθε, καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε, ο πολυσχιδὲς εἶναί μοι μὲν καὶ πολύτροπον [φαίνεται.] Δύναται γὰρ εἶναι καὶ ὁριστικὸν, καὶ συμβουλευτικόν · οἷον· Ὀργίζεσθε, καὶ διὰ τί ὀργίζεσθε; Οὐκοῦν μὴ ὀργίζεσθε, ἵνα μὴ ἁμάρτητε Δύναται δὲ καὶ τοῦτο μηνύειν· Ἐπειδὴ ὀξὺ πάθος ἡ ὀργὴ καὶ δεινὸν κλέψαι ψυχὴν (προεκτρέχει γὰρ πολλάκις τοῦ λογισμοῦ, καὶ ἀβουλήτως σχεδὸν τίκτεται), τῷ λογισμῷ [ἢ] τῷ ἐπιλογισμῷ καταπραΰνετε ταύτην, μὴ εἰς ἄμυναν ὁρμῶντες, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἡμερότητα τελευτῶντες. Δύναται δὲ καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἐμφαίνειν, ὅτι Ὀργίζεσθε τῷ ἐνοχλοῦντι ὑμῖν πάθει, μάλιστα δὲ πάντων τῇ ἡδονῇ, καὶ οὐχ ἁμαρτήσετε. Εἰ γὰρ εὕροι ὑμᾶς ἐκνενευρισμένους, καὶ ἐκλελυμένους, ῥᾳδίως καταπαλαίσει· εἰ δὲ νήφοντας καὶ ὀργιζομένους αὐτῇ, εὐθέως οἰχήσεται. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὁ θεῖος χρησμὸς οὐ τὸ ὀργίζεσθαι ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ τὸ εἰκῆ ἀπηγόρευσεν· ἔστι γάρ ποτε καὶ χρησίμως ὀργισθῆναι, ὅταν ἢ ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δόξης γίγνηται, ἢ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδικουμένων, ἢ ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν πέλας διορθώσεως· καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ πραότατος Μωσῆς ὀργίσθη τοῖς μοσχοποιήσασι, καὶ ἡβηδὸν αὐτοὺς ἐκέλευσεν ἀναιρεθῆναι· καὶ ὁ Φινεές τοῖς πορνεύσασι, καὶ σειρομάστῃ αὐτοὺς διεχρήσατο· καὶ Ἠλίας τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις, καὶ λιμῷ αὐτοὺς ἐδάμασε · Παῦλος τῷ Ἐλύμᾳ, καὶ Πέτρος τῷ ᾿Ανανίᾳ καὶ τῇ Σαπφείρᾳ· καὶ πατὴρ υἱῷ καὶ διδάσκαλος φοιτητῇ ὀργίζεται ῥαθυμοῦντι · καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις φαίη ὀργὴν εἶναι ταύτην, ἀλλὰ φιλοσοφίαν καὶ κηδεμονίαν, δύναται καὶ προστατικὸν εἶναι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὅταν μὲν ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδικῶμεν, καὶ ὑπὲρ τὸ μέτρον ἁμυνόμεθα· ὅταν δὲ ἡ ὑπὲρ τῆς θείας δόξης ὁ λόγος ᾖ, ἢ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδικουμένων, τότε εὐλάβειαν καὶ ἡσυχίαν πλαττόμεθα, ἄφωνοί τέ ἐσμεν καὶ ἀκίνητοι, καὶ λίθων οὐδὲν διαφέρομεν· διὰ τοῦτό, φησιν, Ὀργίζεσθε μὲν δικαίως, ἢ ὅταν ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ δόξης ὁ λόγος ᾖ, ἢ ὅταν ὑπὲρ τῆς πλησίον διορθώσεως, ἢ ὅταν τιμωρεῖν δέῃ τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις· μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε δὲ, ἢ τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσι συνειδότες, καὶ συγκρύπτοντες, ἢ εἰς τὸ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδικεῖν τῷ βοηθήματι καταχρώμενοι. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο ἐνετέθη ἡ ὀργὴ· οὐχ ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς ἁμαρτάνωμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τοὺς πταίοντας κωλύωμεν· οὐδ' ἵνα πάθος γένηται καὶ νόσημα, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα παθῶν φάρμακον. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸ βοήθημα δηλητήριον κατασκευάζομεν, εἰς τὰ μὴ προσήκοντα αὐτῷ καταχρώμενοι. Ἡ ἀρετὴ, ὥς γε ἡγοῦμαι (οὐ γὰρ ἀποφαίνομαι, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσιν ἐπιτρέπω τὴν ψῆφον) δύσκολος εἶναι καὶ ἔδοξε καὶ δοκεῖ, οὐ παρὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὴν τῶν μετιέναι αὐτὴν μὴ ἐθελόντων ἀνυπέρβλητον ῥαθυμίαν. Ἐπεὶ τῷ γε ἀκριβῶς σκοπουμένῳ εὐκολωτέρα πολλῷ τῆς κακίας ἐστίν. Εἰ δὲ τις ἀπιστεῖ, μὴ δὴ θορυβείτω, ἀλλὰ ἀναμενέτω τὴν ἀπόδειξιν πάσης προλήψεως καὶ φιλονεικίας καθαρὸν ἑαυτὸν διατηρῶν. Τὸ μὲν οὖν θείαν αὐτὴν εἶναι καὶ πρεπωδεστάτην, καὶ τῇ φύσει ἀρμοδιωτάτην, καὶ κόσμον, καὶ ἐγκαλλώπισμα τῶν ἀσκούντων, ὡς πᾶσιν ὡμολογημένον παρήσω· ἐπὶ δὲ τὸ ἀμφιβαλλόμενον ἥξω. Τί οὖν ἐστιν εὐκολώτερον, εἰπέ μοι· τὸ μυρίους ἀνιχνεύειν θησαυροὺς, ἢ τὸ τοῖς οὖσιν ἀρκεῖσθαι; τὸ νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν αἰσχρὰ κέρδη καὶ τόκους ἀνελευθέρους ἀριθμεῖν, ἢ τὸ τὴν αὐτάρκειαν ἀσπάζεσθαι; Καὶ φιλεῖν τὸ πάντας ἀδικεῖν, ἢ τὸ τοῖς δεομένοις ἐπικουρεῖν; Τὸ τῇ ἐννόμῳ ὁμιλεῖν γυναικὶ (οὔπω γὰρ τὴν ἄκραν τίθημι φιλοσοφίαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν] πολλοῖς ἐφικτὴν), ἢ τὸ τοὺς ἀλλοτρίους διορύττειν γάμους; Τὸ νοσεῖν τὸν ἀνήκεστον τῆς φιλοχρηματίας ἔρωτα, ἢ τὸ ἐκτὸς εἶναι τῆς τοιαύτης μανίας; Τὸ δόλους ῥάπτειν, ἢ τὸ ἀδόλως προσφέρεσθαι; Τὸ δικαστηρίοις ἐνοχλεῖν, ἢ τὸ τὰς ἡσυχίας ἄγειν; τὸ ἁρπάζειν τὰ μὴ προσήκοντα, ἢ καὶ τὸ τὰ οἰκεῖα διανέμειν; Τὸ πράγμασι καὶ ἐγκλήμασιν ἐγκαλινδεῖσθαι, ἢ τὸ πραγμάτων ἀπηλλάχθαι καὶ φόβων; Τὸ περὶ πολλῶν καὶ ἀνηνύτων φροντίδων μεριμνᾷν, ἢ τὸ μίαν ἔχειν φροντίδα, πῶς τῆς ἀρετῆς μὴ ἐκπέσῃ; Τὸ φιλοπραγμονεῖν, ἢ τὸ ἀπραγμοσύνῃ συζεῖν; Τὸ μὴ λαμβάνειν κόρον, ἢ τὸ μηδὲ ἐρᾶν τῶν [καὶ] τὸν κόρον ὑβριζόντων; Τὸ θαλαττεύειν καὶ ναυαγίοις περιπίπτειν, ἢ τὸ ἐν λιμένι καθῆσθαι, καὶ τὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπισκοπεῖν ναυάγια; Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν τὴν εὐκολίαν ἐβουλήθην δεῖξαι τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ τὴν δυσκολίαν τῆς κακίας· ὁ δὲ λόγος προϊὼν, μεῖζόν τι πεποίηκε, τῇ μὲν ἀρετῇ καὶ τὴν εὐφροσύνην, τῇ δὲ κακίᾳ καὶ τὴν ἀηδίαν ἑπομένην συναποδείξας. Καὶ ἐχρῆν τούτοις καταπαῦσαι. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ἡ τρυφή καὶ [ἡ] ἡδονὴ στωμυλευόμεναι, δοκοῦσι τοὺς πολλοὺς παραλογίζεσθαι, ὡς καὶ ἡδεῖαι τυγχάνουσαι καὶ εὐκολοι, ἀναγκαῖον καὶ πρὸς τούτους ἀποδύσασθαι. Φημὶ τοίνυν, ἵνα παρῶ τέως τὴν δίκην, τὴν τῇ τρυφῇ καὶ τῇ ἀκολασίᾳ ἐπηρτημένην, ἣν διὰ τοῦ πλουσίου, καὶ τοῦ τὰ ῥυπαρὰ ἐνδεδυμένου ἱμάτια, ἐλεεινῶς καὶ σφόδρα περιπαθῶς τὸ ἱερὸν ἀπετραγώδησεν Εὐαγγέλιον, ὅτι [εἰ] μὲν ἡ τρυφή, μὴ τὰ μυρία καὶ δυστράπελα, δυσίατά τε καὶ ἀνίατα νοσήματα τίκτει, καλείσθω τρυφή Εἰ δὲ καὶ ποδαλγίας, καὶ κεφαλαλγίας, καὶ ἐμέτου, καὶ παραπληξίας, καὶ παραλύσεως, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν τοιούτων παθῶν αἰτία καθέστηκεν, ὑφ᾽ ὧν καὶ αὐτὴ ἀμαυροῦται, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀφανίζεται, ὀκνῶ καλέσαι τρυφὴν, τὴν τῶν τοσούτων κακῶν μητέρα καὶ τροφόν. Τὸ γὰρ μηδὲ τοῖς σιτίοις ἰσχύειν συγκατελθεῖν, ἀλλὰ παρ᾿ αὐτὸν ἀφανίζεσθαι τὸν λαιμὸν, καὶ τὸ μὴ αἰσθάνεσθαι τῆς ἡδονῆς τρυφῶντα ὑπὸ τῆς συνεχείας κλεπτόμενον, παρήσω, οὐχ ὡς ἀνίσχυρα, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς μὴ πάνυ καθάψασθαι τῶν παχυτέρων δυνάμενα. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν περὶ τῆς τρυφῆς εἰρήσθω. Περὶ δὲ τῆς ἡδονῆς καὶ ταῦτα, καὶ τούτων πλείονα εἰρήσεται. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ, ἵνα παρῶ τὴν δαπάνην καὶ τὴν αἰσχύνην, μὴ πολέμους ἀσπόνδους τίκτει πρὸς τοὺς ἀντεραστὰς καὶ πληγὰς, ἐξ ὧν πολλάκις καὶ θάνατοι καὶ κίνδυνοι ἀποτίκτονται, καλείσθω ἡδονή. Εἰ δὲ καὶ αἰσχύνης, καὶ πολέμων ἀκηρύκτων, καὶ κινδύνων, καὶ θανάτων, καὶ κατηγοριῶν, καὶ ἄλλων μυρίων κακῶν ἐστι ῥίζα, οὐκ οἶδα εἰ χρὴ ταύτην [καλεῖσθαι] ἡδονὴν, τὴν τοσούτων ἀλγεινῶν αἰτίαν [καὶ] ὑπὸ τῶν κλάδων ἀφανιζομένην. Τὸ γὰρ μηδὲ φαίνεσθαι αὐτὸν, μήτε πρὸ τῆς μίξεως, μήτε ἐν αὐτῇ, μήτε μετὰ ταύτην, παρήσω, οὐχ ὡς ἀδρανὲς, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς τῆς τῶν ἀκολάστων μὴ καθαπτόμενον ῥαθυμίας. Εἰ γὰρ τις ἀκριβῶς βασανίζειν ἐθέλοι, οὔτε πρὸ τῆς μίξεως, οὔτε ἐν αὐτῇ, οὔτε μετά ταύτην φαίνεται· ἀλλὰ πρὸ μὲν αὐτῆς, λύττα ἐστὶ λαμπρὰ, ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ μανία σαφής, καὶ κλόνος ἄσχετος· μετὰ δ᾽ αὐτὴν, μανίας μᾶλλον ἀπαλλαγή, ἢ ἡδονῆς ἀπόλαυσις. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πληρώσας τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν καὶ τὴν ἡδονὴν ἔσβεσεν· ὁ δ᾽ ἐν αὐτῇ ὢν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν εὐφροσύνῃ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν κλόνῳ, καὶ οἴστρῳ· ταραχῇ. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ' οὕτως ἔχει (ἔχει δὲ, ὡς γε ἐμαυτὸν πείθω), καὶ εὐκολωτέρα, καὶ ἡδίων, καὶ τῇ φύσει μᾶλλον ἀρμόττουσα͵ ἀναμφιβόλως ἀπεμφάνθη ἡ ἀρετὴ, ἀπρὶξ καὶ εὐθύμως περιεχώμεθα ταύτης, τῆς κἀνταῦθα κἀκεῖ ἀποβλέπτους ποιούσης τοὺς ἐραστάς.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. \"Be angry and do not sin\" seems to me to be manifold and many-sided. It can be both declarative and advisory, as: \"You are angry; and why are you angry? Then do not be angry, so that you may not sin.\" It can also mean this: since anger is a sharp passion and apt to steal the soul (for it often runs ahead of reason and is born almost involuntarily), soothe it by reasoning and reflection, not rushing to revenge but ending in gentleness. It can also indicate this: be angry at the passion that troubles you, and above all at pleasure, and you will not sin. For if it finds you unnerved and slack, it will easily throw you; but if it finds you sober and angry at it, it will at once depart. And since the divine oracle forbade not anger simply, but anger without cause (for it is sometimes useful to be angry, when it is for the glory of God, or for those who are wronged, or for the correction of one's neighbours: so the most gentle Moses was angry at those who made the calf and ordered them killed wholesale; Phinehas at those who committed sexual immorality, and he ran them through with a spear; Elijah at the Jews, and he subdued them with famine; Paul at Elymas, and Peter at Ananias and Sapphira; and a father is angry at a careless son and a teacher at a careless pupil; and no one would call this anger, but philosophy and care), it can also be a command. For when we avenge ourselves we retaliate even beyond measure, but when the matter concerns the divine glory or those who are wronged, then we feign reverence and quiet, are voiceless and motionless, and differ in nothing from stones. That is why, he says: \"Be angry justly, either when the matter concerns the glory of God, or the correction of your neighbour, or when you must defend those who are wronged; but do not sin, either by being privy to sinners and helping to hide them, or by misusing the remedy to avenge yourselves.\" For anger was placed in us not so that we too might sin, but so that we might restrain those who stumble; not to become a passion and a disease, but a medicine for passions. But we turn the remedy into poison, misusing it for what does not befit it. [Letter 2.240] Virtue, as I think (for I do not pronounce, but leave the verdict to those who read), has seemed and still seems difficult, not by its own nature but because of the insuperable carelessness of those who are unwilling to pursue it. For to one who examines it precisely, it is much easier than vice. If anyone disbelieves this, let him not make a din, but await the proof, keeping himself free of all prejudice and contentiousness. That it is divine, most fitting, most suited to nature, and the adornment and ornament of those who practise it, I will pass over as agreed by all; I will come to what is disputed. Which is easier, tell me: to track down countless treasures, or to be content with what one has? To count shameful gains and illiberal interest night and day, or to embrace self-sufficiency? To love wronging everyone, or to help the needy? To have intercourse with one's lawful wife (I do not yet set out the highest philosophy, but that which is attainable by many), or to break into the marriages of others? To be sick with the incurable love of money, or to be outside such madness? To stitch together deceits, or to deal without guile? To trouble the law courts, or to live in quiet? To seize what does not belong to one, or even to distribute one's own? To wallow in business and lawsuits, or to be free of business and fears? To be anxious about many endless cares, or to have one care, how not to fall away from virtue? To be a busybody, or to live free from affairs? To know no satiety, or not even to love the things that insult satiety? To be at sea and fall into shipwrecks, or to sit in harbour and look on the shipwrecks of others? I wished to show the ease of virtue and the difficulty of vice; but the argument, as it went on, has done something greater, showing also that gladness follows virtue and disgust follows vice. And I ought to have stopped there. But since luxury and pleasure, prattling, seem to mislead the many as being pleasant and easy, it is necessary to strip for the contest against these too. I say, then (to pass over for now the punishment hanging over luxury and licentiousness, which the holy Gospel set out pitiably and very movingly through the rich man and the one clothed in filthy garments), that if luxury does not beget countless diseases, troublesome, hard to cure and incurable, let it be called luxury. But if it is the cause of gout, headaches, vomiting, apoplexy, paralysis and other such afflictions, by which it is itself dimmed, or rather abolished, I hesitate to call luxury what is the mother and nurse of so many evils. That one cannot even get the food down, but it vanishes in the very throat, and that one does not perceive the pleasure of luxury, robbed of it by its continuity, I will pass over, not as weak arguments, but as unable to touch the duller sort. So much about luxury. About pleasure, these things and more will be said. If (to pass over the expense and the shame) it does not beget truceless wars against rivals, and blows, from which deaths and dangers are often born, let it be called pleasure. But if it is the root of shame, of wars without herald, of dangers, deaths, accusations and countless other evils, I do not know whether one should call pleasure what is the cause of so many pains and is obliterated by its own branches. That it does not even appear, either before intercourse, or in it, or after it, I will pass over, not as a weak point, but as not touching the carelessness of the licentious. For if one wishes to examine it precisely, it appears neither before intercourse, nor in it, nor after it: before it, it is plain frenzy; in it, clear madness and unrestrained agitation; after it, a release from madness rather than an enjoyment of pleasure. For he who has fulfilled his desire has also quenched the pleasure; and he who is in it is not in gladness but in agitation, frenzy and turmoil. If, then, this is so (and it is so, as I persuade myself), and virtue has been shown beyond doubt to be easier, more pleasant and more suited to nature, let us cling to it firmly and cheerfully, for it makes its lovers admired both here and there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.239 (PG 78 78:675; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-239)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.24":{"o":"ΟΛΥΜΠΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, «Ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ θλίψιν ἔξετε.» Ὅτι τὴν ἄφραστον καὶ ἄληκτον εὐφροσύνην οἱ πόνοι καὶ οἱ ἀγῶνες φύουσι, καὶ ὅτι οὐδὲν οἱ μόχθοι πρὸς τὸ μέγεθος τῆς εὐκλείας τῆς ὑπὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς τικτομένης, οἶσθα. Πῶς τοίνυν, ταῦτα ἐπιστάμενος, ἐκεῖνο ἐζήτησας μαθεῖν, τὸ, « Θλίψιν ἔξετε ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ; › Δῆλον μὲν γὰρ ὅτι τῶν μὲν ἀγώνων καὶ τῶν ἄθλων στάδιόν ἐστιν ὁ παρὼν βίος· τῶν δὲ στεφάνων καὶ τῶν ἐπάθλων, ὁ μέλλων.","t":"To Olympius the deacon. [On the saying, \"In the world you will have tribulation.\"] You know that toils and contests bring forth an unspeakable and unending gladness, and that labours are nothing compared with the greatness of the glory born of virtue. How, then, knowing this, did you seek to learn what \"You will have tribulation in this world\" means? For it is clear that the present life is the stadium of contests and struggles, and the life to come that of crowns and prizes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.24 (PG 78 78:473; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-24)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.241":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nΠερὶ μεγαλοφροσύνης. Παρὰ Χριστιανοῖς μόνοις, τοῖς γε ὡς ἀληθῶς τῆς προσηγορίας ἀξίοις (μὴ γάρ τις ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν πολλῶν σκαιότητος κρινέτω τὴν θρησκείαν )· συνάπτεται τὰ πλεῖστον ἀλλήλων διεστῶτα. Ἡ γὰρ μεγαλοφροσύνη πάσης αὐθαδείας καθαρεύουσα, καὶ ἐν σχολαίῳ τῷ ἤθει τὸ ἀγχίνουν σώζουσα, ἐπιεικείᾳ κιρνᾶται · ὑπερηφανίας γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐπαγομένη, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἐπιείκειαν κεκραμένη, ὅπερ παράδοξον εἰπεῖν, ἐκκλίνει τὴν ταπεινότητα· τῷ μὲν μὴ ἐπαίρεσθαι κατὰ τῶν πέλας μετριοφρονοῦσα· τῷ δὲ μὴ ὑποκύπτειν τοῖς φόβοις καὶ τοῖς κινδύνοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ κολακείας καὶ δουλοπρεπείας ἀνωτέρα εἶναι, τὴν μεγαλοψυχίαν ἐπιδεικνυμένη. Οὐ γὰρ τὸν δουλοπρεπῆ καὶ κόλακα μετριόφρονα ὁρίζεται, οὐδὲ τὸν αὐθάδη καὶ ἀλαζόνα, μεγαλόφρονα· ἀλλ᾽ ἐκατέρων τὰ ἀγαθὰ θηρῶσα, τὰ δυσχερῆ ἐκκλίνει, ἵνα τὰς ἀγχιθύρους τῶν ἀρετῶν κακίας φυγοῦσα αὐτὴν καθαρῶς ἀναδύσηται τὴν ἀρετήν.","t":"To Heraclides the bishop. [On greatness of mind.] Among Christians alone, those truly worthy of the name (let no one judge the religion by the folly of the many), things that are furthest apart from one another are joined together. Greatness of mind, pure of all self-will and keeping its sharpness within a leisurely character, is mixed with reasonableness. Bringing with it nothing of arrogance, but blended with reasonableness, it also, paradoxical as it is to say, avoids lowliness: it is modest in not exalting itself over its neighbours, and it shows magnanimity in not stooping before fears and dangers, but being above flattery and servility. For it defines neither the servile flatterer as modest nor the self-willed boaster as great-minded; but, hunting the goods of both and avoiding their drawbacks, it flees the vices that live next door to the virtues and puts on virtue itself in its purity.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.241 (PG 78 78:681; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-241)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.242":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΟ.\nἘπὶ τὸν κατὰ τῶν παθῶν τῆς σαρκὸς ἱερὸν χρὴ χωρῆσαι πόλεμον, οὐχ ἑαυτοῖς θαῤῥοῦντας, ἀλλὰ τῇ θείᾳ συμμαχίᾳ ἐπιτρέποντας τὸ νικᾷν. Εἰ γὰρ [καὶ] οὕτως ὁρμήσομεν, πᾶσαν μὲν παρασκευὴν καὶ παράταξιν καὶ πόνους καὶ ἀγρυπνίας κινοῦντες· τῇ δ᾽ ἄνωθεν ῥοπῇ θαῤῥοῦντες, ῥᾳδίως περιεσόμεθα, καὶ λαμπρὰ κατ' αὐτῶν στήσομεν τὰ τρόπαια, ταῖς κατὰ μέρος νίκαις τὰς ἀγαθὰς ἐλπίδας συναύξοντες.","t":"To the same. We must go to the holy war against the passions of the flesh not trusting in ourselves, but entrusting the victory to the divine alliance. If we set out in this way, putting in motion all our preparation, battle line, toil and vigils, but trusting in the help from above, we will easily prevail and set up brilliant trophies over them, increasing our good hopes by our victories one by one.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.242 (PG 78 78:683; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-242)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.243":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΔύο γενικῶν κακιῶν οὐσῶν, τῆς τε νοουμένης, τῆς τε δρωμένης· ἡ μὲν διὰ τῶν ἔργων, πάλαι διὰ τοῦ νόμου ἐκολάσθη · ἡ δὲ νοουμένη, διὰ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου ἀνεστάλη, οὐ τὸ ἔργον μετὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν τιμωρουμένου, ἀλλ᾽ ὅπως [ἃ] μηδ' ἀρχὴν λάβοι τὸ κακὸν προμηθουμένου. Τότε μὲν γὰρ τῇ χειρὶ, νῦν δὲ τῇ ψυχῇ ἐνομοθετήθη·","t":"To Apollonius the deacon. There being two general kinds of vice, that which is conceived and that which is done, the one done in deeds was punished long ago through the law; the one conceived was checked through the Gospel, which does not punish the deed after it is done, but takes forethought that the evil may not even begin. Then the law was given to the hand, now to the soul.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.243 (PG 78 78:683; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-243)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.244":{"o":"ΑΜΜΩΝΙΟ.\nΠερὶ ἀναλγησίας. Ωσπερ οἱ μανίᾳ ἀνηκέστῳ ληφθέντες τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῆς νόσου καὶ τὴν αἴσθησιν ὧν πάσχουσι παραιροῦνται οὕτω καὶ οἱ εἰς ἀναλγησίαν ἐκπεπτωκότες (ὧν εἷς ἐστιν, ὡς γέγραφας, καὶ Ζώσιμος) καὶ τρόπον τινὰ ἐν ἀναισθησίᾳ εἰσὶν, οὐδὲ οἱ τῶν κακῶν εἰσιν εἰδότες.","t":"To Ammonius. [On insensibility.] As those seized by incurable madness are deprived, by the excess of the disease, even of the perception of what they suffer, so those who have fallen into insensibility (and one of them, as you wrote, is Zosimus) are in a way without perception and do not even know their own evils.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.244 (PG 78 78:683; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-244)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.245":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἘπειδὴ τότε ὁ ἐγκωμιαζόμενος δόξαν σεμνοτέραν καρποῦται, ὅταν ὁ λέγειν ἐπιχειρήσας, καὶ πρὶν εἰπεῖν κηρύξῃ τὴν ἧτταν, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ αὐτὸς ἡττώμενος ταῖς τοῦ ἀοιδίμου Εὐσταθίου ἀρεταῖς, σιωπήσομαι.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Since the one who is praised reaps a more dignified glory when the one who attempts to speak proclaims his defeat even before speaking, I too, defeated by the virtues of the celebrated Eustathius, will keep silent.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.245 (PG 78 78:683; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-245)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.246":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΜανθανέτω Εὐσέβιος ὁ τοῦ λαοῦ τοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς Πηλουσιωτῶν παροικοῦντος προεστὼς, τί ἐστιν Ἐκκλησία · ἀτοπώτατον γάρ ἐστι καὶ λίαν δεινότατον, μηδὲ τὸ αὐτὸν γινώσκοντα δοκεῖν ἱερᾶσθαι. Ὅτι γὰρ τὸ ἄθροισμα τῶν ἁγίων τὸ ἐξ ὀρθῆς πίστεως καὶ πολιτείας ἀρίστης συγκεκροτημένον Ἐκκλησία ἐστὶ, δῆλόν ἐστι τοῖς σοφίας γευσαμένοις. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦτο μὴ γινώσκων ἐκεῖνος, τὴν μὲν ὄντως Ἐκκλησίαν καθαιρεῖ σκανδαλίζων πολλοὺς, τὸ δ᾽ ἐκκλησιαστήριον οἰκοδομεῖ · καὶ τὴν μὲν ἀποκοσμεῖ, τοὺς σπουδαίους ἐξοστρακίζων, τὸ δὲ πολυτελέσι μαρμάροις κοσμεῖ, καὶ τοῦτο πᾶσὶν ἐστι γνώριμον. Εἰ δὲ γνοίη ἀκριβῶς, ὅτι ἄλλο ἐστὶν Ἐκκλησία καὶ ἄλλο ἐκκλησιαστήριον· ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ἀμώμων ψυχῶν συνέστηκε, τὸ δ᾽ ἀπὸ λίθων καὶ ξύλων οἰκοδομεῖται· ἡγοῦμαι ὅτι παύσεται τὴν μὲν καθαιρῶν, τὸ δὲ πλέον τῆς χρείας κοσμῶν. Οὐ γὰρ τοίχων ἕνεκεν, ἀλλὰ ψυχῶν, δεῦρ᾽ ἐπεφοίτησεν ὁ τῶν οὐρανῶν Βασιλεύς. Εἰ δὲ προσποιοῖτο τὸ λεγόμενον ἀγνοεῖν, εἰ καὶ ὅτι μάλιστα καὶ τοῖς λίαν βραδυτάτοις ἐστὶ καταφανές, διὰ παραδειγμάτων τοῦτο σαφηνίσαι πειράσομαι. \"Ωσπερ γὰρ ἄλλο ἐστὶ θυσιαστήριον, καὶ ἄλλο θυσία, καὶ ἄλλο θυμιατήριον, καὶ ἄλλο θυμίαμα, καὶ ἄλλο βουλευτήριον, καὶ ἄλλο βουλή· τὸ μὲν γὰρ τὸν τόπον ἐν ᾧ συνεδρεύουσι, μηνύει, ἡ δὲ τοὺς βουλευομένους ἄνδρας, οἷς καὶ ὁ κίνδυνος, καὶ ἡ σωτηρία ἀνήκει· οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἐκκλησιαστηρίου, καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Εἰ δὲ μηδ' οὕτως νενοηκέναι φαίη, μανθανέτω, ὅτι ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν ἀποστόλων, ὅτε ἡ Ἐκκλησία ἐκόμα μὲν χαρίσμασι πνευματικοῖς, ἔβρυε δὲ πολιτείᾳ λαμπρᾷ, ἐκκλησιαστήρια οὐκ ἦν· ἐπὶ δὲ ἡμῶν τὰ ἐκκλησιαστήρια πλέον τοῦ δέοντος κεκόσμηται, ἡ δ' Ἐκκλησία, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν βούλομαι δυσχερὲς εἰπεῖν, κωμῳδεῖται. Ἐγὼ γοῦν, εἴγε αἴρεσίς μοι προὔκειτο, εἰλόμην ἂν ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς ἐκείνοις γεγενῆσθαι, ἐν οἷς ἐκκλησιαστήρια μὲν οὕτω κεκοσμημένα μὴ ἦν, Ἐκκλησία δὲ θείοις καὶ οὐρανίοις χαρίσμασιν ἐστεμμένη, ἢ ἐν τούτοις, ἐν οἷς τὰ μὲν ἐκκλησιαστήρια παντοίοις κεκαλλώπισται μαρμάροις, ἡ δὲ Ἐκκλησία τῶν πνευματικῶν χαρισμάτων ἐκείνων ἐρήμη καὶ γυμνή καθέστηκε.","t":"To Theodosius the bishop. Let Eusebius, who presides over the people living at the city of the Pelusiots, learn what the Church is; for it is most absurd and very terrible that one who seems to act as priest should not even know this. That the Church is the assembly of the saints, brought together by right faith and the best way of life, is clear to those who have tasted wisdom. But that he, not knowing this, pulls down the true Church by scandalizing many, while building the church house; strips the one of its adornment by banishing the earnest, while adorning the other with costly marbles; this too is known to all. If he knew exactly that the Church is one thing and the church house another (for the one is made up of blameless souls, the other is built of stones and timber), I think he would stop pulling down the one and adorning the other beyond need. For it was not for the sake of walls but of souls that the King of heaven came to dwell here. And if he pretends not to understand what is said, though it is plain even to the very slowest, I will try to make it clear by examples. As the altar is one thing and the sacrifice another, the censer one thing and the incense another, the council chamber one thing and the council another (for the one indicates the place in which they sit, the other the men who deliberate, to whom both the danger and the safety belong), so it is with the church house and the Church. And if he says that he has not understood even so, let him learn that in the time of the apostles, when the Church flourished with spiritual gifts and teemed with a splendid way of life, there were no church houses; while in our time the church houses are adorned more than is needful, but the Church (I do not wish to say anything harsh) is mocked. I, at least, if the choice had been put before me, would have chosen to be born in those times, in which there were no church houses so adorned, but the Church was crowned with divine and heavenly gifts, rather than in these, in which the church houses are decked with every kind of marble, but the Church is destitute and naked of those spiritual gifts.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.246 (PG 78 78:683; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-246)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.247":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΔίκαιον οἶμαι ἐπὶ τῶν μεγίστων ὑποθέσεων, κἂν ὁ λέγων τῆς ἀξίας ἀπολιμπάνηται, μὴ ἀδυναμίας καταψηφίζεσθαι τοὺς ἀκροωμένους, ἀλλὰ συγγνώμην νέμειν, ἐπὶ τὸ τῶν πράξεων μέγεθος τὴν αἰτίαν ἀναφέροντας.","t":"To the same. It is right, I think, in the greatest subjects, even if the speaker falls short of their worth, that the hearers should not condemn him for incapacity but grant pardon, referring the cause to the greatness of the deeds.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.247 (PG 78 78:685; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-247)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.248":{"o":"ΗΛΙΑ ΚΑΙ ΔΩΡΟΘΕΟ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΟΙΣ.\nΠερὶ παραθέσεως ἀρετῆς καὶ κακίας. Ἐγὼ φίλος μὲν ὑμῶν εἶναι ὁμολογῶ, καλούμενος δὲ εἰς συμμαχίαν παρ' ἑκάστου ὑμῶν, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως νῦν διεστῶτος καὶ πολεμοῦντος θατέρου, οὐχ ἥξω· οὐ τὸ εὖ ποιῆσαι τὸν ἕτερον φεύγων, ἀλλὰ τὸ ὁπότερον κακῶς Εἰ δ' ὅπερ χρή ποιήσετε, καὶ ἀποθέμενοι τὴν ἄσπονδον μάχην εἰς εἰρήνην βλέψετε, ἥξω· οὐ θατέρῳ κατὰ τοῦ ἑτέρου συμπράξων, ἀλλ᾽ ἀμφοτέρους πάλιν εἰς φιλίαν συνάψων.","t":"To Elias and Dorotheus, town councillors. [A comparison of virtue and vice.] I confess that I am a friend to you both; but since I am called into alliance by each of you, now that you are, I know not how, divided and at war with each other, I will not come. It is not that I avoid doing good to the one, but that I avoid doing harm to either. But if you do what you ought, and, laying aside your truceless battle, look to peace, I will come: not to help one against the other, but to join you both again in friendship.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.248 (PG 78 78:685; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-248)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.249":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ.\nΤοῖς θείοις χρησμοῖς οὔτ᾽ ἀντιβλέπειν χρὴ, οὔτ' ἀντιφθέγγεσθαι· ἀλλὰ πρὶν ἢ ὅ τι χρὴ πράττειν ἀκοῦσαι, τὸ πράττειν ἐπαγγέλλεσθαι. Τὸ γὰρ εἶναι Θεὸν τὸν θεσπίζοντα, πᾶσαν μὲν ἀντιλογίαν ἐξορίζει, πᾶσαν δὲ πειθὼ δημιουργεῖ. Ὁ γὰρ τὸ συμφέρον ἡμῖν διαφερόντως ἐπιστάμενος, οὗτος καὶ λέγων καὶ νομοθετῶν, ἀξιόχρεως ἂν εἴη.","t":"To Palladius. One must neither look askance at the divine oracles nor speak against them, but promise to act even before hearing what one must do. For the fact that it is God who decrees banishes all contradiction and creates all persuasion. He who knows above all what profits us is trustworthy both when he speaks and when he gives laws.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.249 (PG 78 78:687; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-249)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.25":{"o":"ΑΥΣΟΝΙΟ ΚΟΡΡΗΚΤΩΡΙ.\nΠυθόμενος ὑπὸ τῆς πόλεως πάσης τὴν σὴν παρακεκλῆσθαι μεγαλόνοιαν, ἄτοπον ᾠήθην ἀμοιρῆσαι τῆς τοιαύτης παρακλήσεως, τὸν καὶ πρῶτον καὶ μόνον ἴσως φροντίζειν περὶ αὐτῆς ὅπως ἀνυσθείη ὀφείλοντα. Τοῦ μὲν οὖν βραδέως εἰς τοῦτ' ἐληλυθέναι (χρὴ γὰρ ἀπολογήσασθαι ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς), ἡ τῶν μὴ ῥᾳδίως αὐτῇ πειθομένων ἀρχόντων αἰτία τυγχάνει προαίρεσις. Διὰ γὰρ τοὺς ὠμῶς καὶ ἀπανθρώπως ἡγουμένους, καὶ μὴ κιρνῶντας τῇ καθαρότητι τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν, καὶ ἡ πόλις ἀπενάρκησε λοιπὸν προσάγειν συνεχῶς παρακλήσεις τοῖς [οὐ] κατὰ τὴν σὴν σύνεσιν νομίμως καὶ φιλανθρώπως ἄρχουσι, καὶ αὐτεπαγγέλτως εὐεργετοῦσι. ταῦτα μὲν εἰς τοσοῦτον. Τὴν, δὲ παράκλησιν τῶν δήμων, εἰς ἔργον ἐνεγκεῖν καταξίωσον. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἴσμεν ὅτι τῶν δυσκόλων διὰ τὴν σὴν πεπείραται πραγμάτων ὁ κατεχόμενος μεγαλοπρέπειαν, οὕτως ἴσμεν εὐεργετηθῆναι αὐτὸν δύνασθαι, εἰ τῆς σῆς ἐπιλάβοιτο ῥοπῆς.","t":"To Ausonius the corrector. Having learned that your Magnanimity has been petitioned by the whole city, I thought it wrong to have no share in such a petition, since I am perhaps the first and only one who ought to care that it be granted. As for its having come to this late (for I must make a defence on the city's behalf), the cause is the attitude of the governors who do not readily heed it. Because of those who rule cruelly and inhumanely, and do not mix humanity with their integrity, the city has at last grown numb about constantly bringing petitions even to those who, like you in your understanding, rule lawfully and humanely and do good of their own accord. So much for that. Deign to put the people's petition into effect. For as we know that the man who is detained has met with difficulties because of your Magnificence, so we know that he can be helped if he obtains your favour.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.25 (PG 78 78:473; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-25)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.250":{"o":"ΖΗΝΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟὐδὲν ἡ σωματικὴ συγγένεια τοσοῦτον, ὅσον ἡ τῶν τρόπων ἀγχιστεία. Διόπερ εἰ καλέσαιμί σε τοῦ ἀοιδίμου Ἑρμογένους τοῦ ἐπισκόπου ἀδελφιδοῦν, οὐδὲν ἄν σοι χαρισαίμην· εἰ δὲ γνήσιον φοιτητήν, οὐδέτερον ἂν αἰσχυνοίμην. Οὔτε γὰρ τῷ ἄριστῳ δόξεις ἠκολουθηκέναι, ἐκεῖνός τε γενναῖον τὸν μιμησάμενον ἀποτετελεκέναι.","t":"To Zeno the presbyter. Bodily kinship is worth nothing compared with kinship of character. So, if I called you the nephew of the celebrated bishop Hermogenes, I would be paying you no compliment; but if I called you his genuine disciple, I would shame neither of you. For you will seem to have followed the best of men, and he to have made the one who imitated him noble.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.250 (PG 78 78:687; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-250)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.251":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\nΔύο ταῦτα ἡγοῦμαι (ὢ τί σε καλέσας τῆς ἀξίας ἐφάψομαι!) πεπεικέναι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, τῷ θείῳ κηρύγματι ἀσμένως προσελθεῖν, ὅ τε λόγος ἀξιόχρεως ὢν, ὅ τε τρόπος τῶν κηρυττόντων. Θάτερος γὰρ θατέρου νεῦρα καὶ ἰσχὺς ἐτύγχανεν· ὁ μὲν λόγος ἀξιόπιστος ὢν, ὁ δὲ βίος ἐγγυώμενος τὸν λόγον. Οὐ γὰρ ἄλλα κηρύττοντες, ἕτερα ἔπραττον· ἡ γὰρ ἂν γέλωτα ὤφλησαν, ὥσπερ τινὲς τῶν νῦν· οὐδὲν γὰρ βούλομαι δυσχερὲς εἰπεῖν · ἀλλὰ συμβαίνοντα τῷ λόγῳ τὸν βίον παρεχόμενοι, ἐχειροῦντο τούτους. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς, εἰδὼς ὡς λόγος μὲν χηρεύων πράξεως ἀσθενής ἐστι καὶ ἀδρανὴς, ὁ δὲ παρὰ τῶν πράξεων ἐμπνεόμενος ἔμψυχος, καὶ γοργὸς, καὶ δραστήριος, πᾶσαν αὐτοὺς ἀρετὴν καὶ φιλοσοφίαν διά τε ἔργων διδάξας, διά τε λόγων παιδεύσας καὶ κοσμήσας τοῖς θείοις χαρίσμασι, οὕτως ἐπὶ τὴν θήραν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐξέπεμψε. Μάλα γὰρ ἀκριβῶς ἡπίστατο, ὅτι οὐχ ἧττον τῶν σημείων, ὁ τρόπος τῶν κηρύκων ἐπάγεσθαι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους δυνήσεται. Διασπαρέντες γοῦν εἰς τὴν οἰκουμένην, καθάπερ ὑπόπτεροι γεωργοί, τὸν λόγον τῆς εὐσεβείας κατασπείραντες, καὶ τὸν τρόπον κατὰ τὴν ὑφήγησιν τοῦ διδασκάλου ῥυθμίσαντες, τὸν τε βίον οὐ μόνον ἄληπτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ θαυμαστὸν παρεχόμενοι, πάσης περιεγένοντο τῆς ὑφ᾽ ἡλίῳ· καὶ οὔτε σοφία, οὔτε δυναστεία, οὐ πλοῦτος, οὐ βασιλεία, οὐ τυραννὶς, οὐ βαρβαρικὴ ὠμότης, οὐ δαίμονος φάλαγξ οὐκ αὐτὸς ὁ διάβολος, οὐ λιμὸς, οὐ κρημνὸς, οὐ δεσμωτήρια, οὐκ ἄλλο τῶν δοκούντων καὶ ὄντων φοβερῶν αὐτῶν περιεγένετο · ἀλλὰ πάντες εἶξαν καὶ παρεχώρησαν, καὶ τὴν ἧτταν νίκης ἁπάσης καὶ τροπαίων ἡγήσαντο εἶναι λαμπροτέραν. \"Αμεινον γὰρ τοῦ κακῶς νικᾶν τὸ καλῶς ἡττᾶσθαι νομίσαντες, οὐρανοπολῖται κατέστησαν.","t":"To Peter. Two things, I think (by what name could I call you so as to reach your worth?), persuaded people to come gladly to the divine preaching: the word, which was trustworthy, and the way of life of those who preached it. Each was sinew and strength to the other: the word was credible, and the life guaranteed the word. For they did not preach one thing and do another (otherwise they would have incurred ridicule, like some people today; I do not wish to say anything harsh), but, presenting a life in agreement with the word, they won people over. That is why Christ, knowing that a word devoid of action is weak and ineffective, while one breathed into by actions is living, vigorous and effective, taught them every virtue and philosophy by deeds, instructed them by words, adorned them with divine gifts, and so sent them out to hunt men. For he knew very precisely that the way of life of the heralds would be able to draw people no less than the signs. So, scattered throughout the world like winged farmers, sowing the word of piety, ordering their way of life by the guidance of their teacher, and presenting a life not only blameless but admirable, they prevailed over all that is under the sun. Neither wisdom, nor power, nor wealth, nor kingship, nor tyranny, nor barbarian cruelty, nor a phalanx of demons, nor the devil himself, nor famine, nor precipice, nor prisons, nor anything else of what seems and is fearful prevailed over them; rather all yielded and gave way, and they considered defeat more glorious than every victory and trophy. For, thinking it better to be defeated nobly than to conquer basely, they became citizens of heaven.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.251 (PG 78 78:687; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-251)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.252":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ,\nΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΩ. Κινδυνεύετε, ὡς πυνθάνομαι, πεφραγμένας ἀπογνώσει τὰς ἀκοὰς ἔχειν, καὶ ὡς ἂν πάλαι καθοσιώσαντες ἑαυτοὺς τῷ τῆς ἁμαρτίας θανάτῳ παροξύνεσθε πρὸς τοὺς τῶν καλῶν παραινέτας. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, θρήνων καὶ ὀλοφυρμῶν, οὐ συμβουλῆς καὶ παραινέσεως, δίκαιοι ἂν εἴητε λοιπὸν τυχεῖν.","t":"To Martinian, Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius. You are in danger, as I learn, of having your ears blocked by despair; and, as though you had long ago consecrated yourselves to the death of sin, you are provoked against those who exhort you to what is good. If, then, this is so, you would rightly receive from now on laments and wailing, not counsel and exhortation.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.252 (PG 78 78:689; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-252)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.253":{"o":"ΤΟΙΣ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ.\nΕἰ καὶ αὐτοὶ πολιτείας ἀρίστης ἀμύητοι καὶ ἀτέλεστοι ὄντες, τὰ μὴ λόγῳ ῥητὰ, τοῖς ὥσπερ ὑμεῖς διακειμένοις σαφηνισθῆναι διὰ λόγων παρακεκληκότες, τὸν πρὸς τὰ πράγματα λογισμὸν λανθάνετε κλεπτόμενοι· ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ οὐ τόλμῃ προαχθήσομαι εἰς τὸ ῥητὰ ὑμῖν ποιῆσαι τὰ τέως ὑμῖν ἄῤῥητα, καὶ ὑπὸ λόγους ἀγαγεῖν, τὰ ὑπὲρ τὰς ὑμετέρας ἀκοάς. Οὐ γὰρ θέμις, οὔτε τοῖς ἀνιέροις τὰ ἱερὰ ἀκούειν, οὔτε τοῖς βεβήλοις τὰ ἄδυτα κατοπτεύειν. Ὁ γὰρ θεσμὸς οὐκ ἐᾷ, μᾶλλον δὲ ὁ θεῖος χρησμὸς οὐκ ἐπιτρέπει, διαῤῥήδην βοῶν· « Μὴ δότε τοῖς κυσὶ τὰ ἄγια. » Διὸ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔχων μὲν εἰπεῖν, ὑμῖν δὲ εἰπεῖν οὐκ ἔχων, παραινῶ μᾶλλον ἀπέχεσθαι μὲν κακίας, ἀντέχεσθαι δὲ ἀρετῆς. Εἰ γὰρ ταῦτα ποιήσετε, τῆς ἑρμηνείας ὧν γεγράφατε, οὐκ ἀνήκοοι ἔσεσθε.","t":"To the same. Even if you yourselves, uninitiated and unperfected in the best way of life, have asked that what cannot be put into words be made clear in words to people disposed as you are, and so are unaware that you are being robbed of right reasoning about such matters, I shall not be led by daring to make speakable to you what is for now unspeakable for you, and to bring under words what is beyond your hearing. For it is not lawful either for the unholy to hear holy things or for the profane to look into the sanctuary. The ordinance does not allow it, or rather the divine oracle does not permit it, crying out plainly: \"Do not give what is holy to the dogs.\" So I, though I have things to say, but none to say to you, advise you rather to keep away from vice and hold fast to virtue. If you do this, you will not fail to hear the interpretation of what you wrote about.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.253 (PG 78 78:689; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-253)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.254":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΟἱ τοὺς θείους χρησμούς παραποιοῦντες, καὶ πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον βούλημα ἐκβιαζόμενοι, συγγνώμης ἁμαρτάνουσι μείζονα. Οὔτε γὰρ τὴν ἐξ ἀπάτης καὶ παραλογισμοῦ δοκοῦσαν εἶναι ἀπολογίαν, συνηγοροῦσαν ἕξουσι, τῷ ἀπὸ κακουργίας, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀπὸ ἁπλότητος ἐσφάλθαι· οὔτε τὸν γαληνὸν καὶ ἤμερον ὀφθαλμὸν λήσονται, οὗ τἀναντία ἐκβακχευθέντες ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας δογματίσαι ἐτόλμησαν.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. Those who falsify the divine oracles and force them to their own will sin beyond pardon. For they will not have the seeming defence of deception and miscalculation to plead for them, since they erred from villainy and not from simplicity; nor will they escape the calm and gentle eye, whose teaching they dared to contradict, carried away in frenzy by vice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.254 (PG 78 78:689; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-254)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.255":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΟ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΟ.\nΠολλοὶ τῶν σοφιστῶν ἐκ τῆς προϋπαρξάσης εὐκλείας τὰς συμβαινούσας ἥττας περιστέλλειν πειρῶνται, ἅτε πρότερον μὲν τῶν πραγμάτων γεγονότες κρείττονες, νῦν δὲ ὑπὸ τούτων κρατηθέντες.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. Many of the sophists try to cover the defeats that befall them with their earlier glory, since formerly they were superior to the matters they handled, but now have been overcome by them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.255 (PG 78 78:691; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-255)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.256":{"o":"ΟΛΥΜΠΙΟΔΩΡΩ.\nὍτι πόνῳ κατορθοῦται ἡ ἀρετή. Θαυμάζω, πῶς Πλάτωνα θαυμάζων, τὰς παραινέσεις αὐτοῦ παρὰ φαῦλον τίθεσαι. Ἐκεῖνος μὲν γάρ φησι τοὺς τῆς ἀρετῆς κλῶνας πόνῳ καὶ ἱδρῶτι φύεσθαι · σὺ δ᾽ οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως ἄπονον ἐπανείλου βίον.","t":"To Olympiodorus. [That virtue is achieved by toil.] I wonder how, admiring Plato as you do, you set his advice at nothing. He says that the shoots of virtue grow by toil and sweat; but you, I know not how, have chosen a life without toil.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.256 (PG 78 78:691; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-256)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.257":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ.\nΤῶν πλεονεκτῶν καὶ ἀδίκων οἱ μὲν εἰδότες ὅτι ἁμαρτάνουσιν, οἱ δὲ μηδ᾽ ὅτι ἁμαρτάνουσιν εἰδότες, ἀνήκεστα· τὸ γὰρ μὴ αἰσθέσθαι τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας ἐν ᾗ εἰσιν, ἐπίτασις ἀναισθησίας ἐστὶ, καὶ εἰς ἀναλγησίαν παντελῆ καὶ νεκρότητα τελευτᾷ. Τούτους τοίνυν χρὴ μάλιστα ἐλεεῖν. Τὸ γὰρ κακῶς ποιεῖν τοῦ κακῶς πάσχειν ἐστὶν ἐλεεινότερον τοῖς μὲν γὰρ περὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων ὁ κίνδυνος σαλεύει· τοῖς δὲ μέχρι χρημάτων ἐστὶν ἡ ζημία. ῎Αλλως τε δὲ καὶ διττῆς οὐκ αἰσθάνονται νεκρώσεως. ᾿Ατελοῦς γὰρ καὶ παιδικῆς διανοίας ἐκφέρουσι δείγμα. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τὰ κομιδῇ νήπια, τῶν μὲν ὄντως φοβερῶν, οὐδένα ποιεῖται λόγον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πυρὶ πολλάκις ἐπαφίησι τὰς χεῖρας, προσωπεία δὲ διάκενα καὶ μορμολύκια θεώμενα δεδίττεται καὶ τρέμει· τούτοις κινδυνεύουσιν ἐοικέναι, καὶ οἱ τῆς πλεονεξίας ἐρασταὶ, πενίαν μὲν δεδιότες, ἥτις οὐκ ἔστι φοβερὰ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀσφαλείας ἁπάσης, καὶ μετριοφροσύνης ὑπόθεσις· πλοῦτον δ' ἄδικον περὶ πολλοῦ ποιούμενοι· οὕτως πυρός ἐστι φοβερώτερος. Τεφροῖ γὰρ τῶν ἐχόντων καὶ τὰ φρονήματα καὶ τὰς ἐλπίδας.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Of the greedy and unjust, some know that they sin, while others do not even know that they sin, and these are incurable. For not to perceive the illness one is in is the height of insensibility, and it ends in complete callousness and deadness. These, then, must be pitied most of all. For doing evil is more pitiable than suffering evil: for the one the danger concerns the ultimate things, for the other the loss extends only to money. Besides, they do not perceive their double deadness. For they display the mark of an immature and childish mind: mere infants take no account of what is truly fearful, and often put their hands even into fire, while they are frightened and tremble when they see empty masks and bogeys. The lovers of greed are likely to be like them: they fear poverty, which is not fearful but a ground of all safety and modesty, and make much of unjust wealth, which is more fearful than fire; for it reduces to ashes both the minds and the hopes of those who have it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.257 (PG 78 78:691; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-257)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.258":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὍτι πόνῳ κατορθοῦται ἡ ἀρετή. Μάλα ἀκριβῶς οἶδα, ὅτι τοὺς μὲν τῆς ἀρετῆς καρποὺς μεγάλους εἶναι, κἂν κινδυνεύης, νομίζεις, ἀθυμεῖς δὲ τοῖς πολλοῖς νομιζόμενος δυστυχεῖν. Αλλ' ἐὰν μὴ τῇ τῶν πολλῶν ὑπονοίᾳ, καὶ δόξῃ, ἀλλ᾽ ἀκριβεῖ λογισμῶν ἐξετάσει τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐπιτρέψειας, ἡ ἀθυμία φρούδη οἰχήσεται· μᾶλλον δὲ θυμηδίας πρόξενος γενήσεται· ἀναλόγως γὰρ τοῖς ἐνταῦθα ἀγῶσι καὶ οἱ τῆς ἀρετῆς πλέκονται στέφανοι.","t":"To the same. [That virtue is achieved by toil.] I know very well that you consider the fruits of virtue great, even when you are in danger, but that you are despondent because you are thought unfortunate by the many. But if you entrust the matter not to the opinion and reputation of the many but to the exact examination of reason, your despondency will vanish; or rather it will become a cause of joy. For the crowns of virtue are woven in proportion to the contests here.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.258 (PG 78 78:691; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-258)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.259":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠαρὰ μὲν ἀνθρώποις ἴσον εἶναι δοκεῖ τὸ εὐεργέτας [μή] ἀμείβεσθαι, καὶ ἐχθροὺς [μή] ἀμύνεσθαι Παρὰ δὲ τῇ θείᾳ φιλοσοφίᾳ τὸ μὲν ἀμείβεσθαι τοὺς εὐεργέτας κρατεῖ· τὸ δὲ ἀμύνεσθαι τοὺς ἐχθροὺς οὐχὶ· ἀλλὰ παντὶ μὲν τρόπῳ τὸ ἀνεξικακεῖν, εἰ δ' οἷόν τε, καὶ εὐεργετεῖν.","t":"To Theodosius the presbyter. Among men it seems equally right to repay benefactors and to retaliate against enemies. But in the divine philosophy the repaying of benefactors holds, the retaliating against enemies does not; rather, forbearance in every way, and, if possible, even doing them good.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.259 (PG 78 78:693; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-259)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.26":{"o":"ΩΡΙΩΝΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΧρὴ τοὺς μαθητευομένους, καὶ ὡς πατέρας φιλεῖν τοὺς ὄντως διδασκάλους, καὶ ὡς ἄρχοντας δεδοικέναι, καὶ μήτε διὰ τὴν ἀγάπην ἐκλύειν τὸν φόβον, μήτε διὰ τὸν φόβον ἀμαυροῦν τὴν ἀγάπην. Εἰ σωτηρίας ἐρᾷς, πάντα ποίει τὰ εἰς ταύτην ἄγοντα. Τοῦ γὰρ ἐπιθυμοῦντός τι γενέσθαι, οὐ τὸ γενέσθαι κωλύειν ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ πάντα πράττειν ὅπως ἂν γένοιτο.","t":"To Orion the deacon. Disciples should love those who are truly their teachers as fathers and fear them as rulers, neither loosening fear through love nor dimming love through fear. [Letter 2.27] If you love salvation, do everything that leads to it. For the mark of one who desires something to come about is not … but to do everything so that it may come about.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.26 (PG 78 78:473; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-26)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.260":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nὭσπερ ἀνδρεῖος καὶ φιλάνθρωπος βασιλεὺς τοῖς νόμοις τὰ ὅπλα μίξας, πᾶσαν ὕβρεως μελέτην τρέπεται· τὸ μὲν τῇ ἀκροάσει τῶν νόμων πειθόμενον, δίχα κολάσεως ἐπιστρέφων· τὸ δ᾽ ἀνήκοον, τῇ διὰ τῶν ὅπλων ἀνάγκῃ παιδαγωγῶν· οὕτω καὶ εὐαγὴς καὶ ἐπιεικὴς ὁ ἱερεὺς τοῖς θεσμοῖς τὸν φόβον μίξας, καὶ τῇ ἀρχῇ τὴν ἐπιείκειαν κεράσας, πᾶσαν κακίας μελέτην, τό γε ἧκον εἰς αὐτὸν, τρέπεται· τῶν ὑπηκόων τὸ μὲν λόγοις εἶκον λόγοις θεραπεύων· τὸ δ᾽ ἀνήκοον τῷ διὰ τῶν θεσμῶν σωφρονισμῷ εἰς τὸ μηκέτι ἁμαρτάνειν χειραγωγῶν.","t":"To Theon the bishop. As a brave and humane king, mixing arms with laws, turns aside every practice of outrage, turning back without punishment those who obey when they hear the laws, and disciplining the disobedient by the compulsion of arms, so too a holy and reasonable priest, mixing fear with the canons and blending reasonableness with his rule, turns aside, as far as in him lies, every practice of vice: healing with words those of his people who yield to words, and leading the disobedient by the correction of the canons to sin no more.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.260 (PG 78 78:693; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-260)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.261":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ,\nΠερὶ κρίσεως. Εἰ καὶ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους οὐκ ἐρυθριᾷς, οὐδὲ ὑπολήψεως ἀντιποιῇ, κἂν τὴν παρὰ τοῦ Θείου τοῖς τοιούτοις τολμήμασιν ἑπομένην φοβήθητι δίκην. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα μακροθυμεῖ, εἰς μετάνοιαν καλοῦσα· ἀλλὰ μικρὸν ὕστερον, πικρότερον μετελεύσεται τοὺς μηδὲ τὴν τοσαύτην φιλανθρωπίαν αἰδεσθέντας. Πολλοὶ μὲν οὖν κἀνταῦθα τὴν ἀήττητον οὐ διαπεφεύγασι χεῖρα, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ τοιούτων κατελήφθησαν συμφορῶν, ὡς ἀποκρύψαι τῷ μεγέθει τὰς τραγῳδίας. Πολλοὶ δὲ ἐνταῦθα δόξαντες διαπεφευγέναι κολαστήρια, τῶν ἐκεῖσε πικροτέρων ἀπέλαυσαν, τῆς δίκης δικαίως αὐτοῖς ἀντιμετρησάσης τὴν δίκην","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. [On judgment.] Even if you do not blush before men or care for your reputation, at least fear the penalty from God that follows such daring. For even if for the moment he is long-suffering, calling to repentance, a little later he will pursue more bitterly those who did not respect even such great humanity. Many, even here, have not escaped the invincible hand, but have been caught by calamities so great that they eclipsed tragedies. And many who seemed to have escaped punishment here received more bitter punishment there, justice rightly measuring out their due to them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.261 (PG 78 78:693; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-261)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.262":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΟἱ φίλοι, περὶ ὧν γέγραφας, οὔτε παραινέσεως δέονται, οὔτε προτροπῆς. Ἐοίκασι γὰρ [οὐ] παυσαμένοις οὐδέποτε τῆς ἐπὶ τοῖς καλλίστοις ἀμίλλης, ἀλλ᾽ ἕως τέλους, ἅτε δὴ τῶν οὐρανίων γερῶν δεινῶς ἐφιέμενοι, τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ νίκῃ ἀγωνίαν ἔξοντες","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. The friends you wrote about need neither exhortation nor encouragement. For they seem never to stop their rivalry in what is best, but will keep up their struggle for victory to the end, eagerly longing for the heavenly prizes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.262 (PG 78 78:693; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-262)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.263":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nΕἰς τὸ κατὰ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ καὶ τὴν Αἰγυπτίαν. Καὶ περὶ τοῦ μὴ συκοφαντεῖν, καὶ μήτε κατηγορεῖν. Ὅτε ἡ Αἰγυπτία, τὸ ἀκόλαστον ἐκεῖνό φημι γύναιον, τὸ ὀξὺ μὲν πεισθῆναι, πεῖσαι δὲ δεινότατον (τοιοῦτον γὰρ χρῆμα, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ, εἶναι δοκεῖ ἡ γυνὴ), τῷ σωφρονεστάτῳ Ἰωσὴφ ἐπεμάνη, καὶ λόγοις πείθειν οὐχ οἷα τε οὖσα, ἐπὶ τὸ βιάσασθαι τὸν νεανίαν ἐτράπη· κἀκεῖνος, ὥσπερ ἀθλητὴς γενναίος, τὴν ἐσθῆτα ἀποδυσάμενος (εἴχετο γὰρ αὐτῆς ἐκείνη ὑπὸ τοῦ πάθους μεθύουσα) γυμνὸς μὲν ἱματίου καθαρὸς δὲ μοιχείας ἐξελθὼν, τοὺς τῆς σωφροσύνης ἀνεδήσατο στεφάνους· τότε δὴ, τότε ἐκαθέζετο ἐκείνη κατηφὴς τὸ μὲν ἀληθὲς, ὅτι διήμαρτε τῆς ἐπιθυμίας· τὸ δὲ ψεῦδος, ἐπὶ τῇ ἐπιπλάστῳ σωφροσύνῃ. Ἐλθόντος γοῦν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, ἢ δεδοικυῖα γραφὴν ὑπομεῖναι, ἢ ἀμύνασθαι αὐτὸν βουλομένη, ἐν ὀργῇ ἀκατασχέτῳ γίνεται, καὶ ἀναμίξασα πάντα, πόθον, λύπην, φόβον, ὕβριν, ὀργὴν, ἐνενόει ὅπως αὐτὸν τιμωρήσεται· καὶ δὴ γραφὴν αὐτὸν γράφεται, ἣν γραφῆναι ὤφειλεν. Ὁ δὲ μηδ' ἀπολογίας μεταδοὺς, εἰς δεσμωτήριον ἐμβάλλει· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ἀδέκαστος ὀφθαλμὸς, ὁ τῆς σωφροσύνης καὶ νομοθέτης καὶ βραβευτὴς, εἰς τὸν θρόνον ἀνήγαγεν αὐτὸν τὸν βασιλικόν. Τοιγαροῦν καὶ ἡμεῖς μήτε συκοφαντίαν, μήτε κατηγορίαν, μητ' ἄλλο τι τῶν δοκούντων εἶναι δεινῶν, δεινὸν ἡγώμεθα, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν μόνην· καὶ πάντως ἢ ἐνταῦθα, ἢ ἐκεῖσε, τῶν τιμαλφεστάτων στεφάνων τευξόμεθα.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. [On the story of Joseph and the Egyptian woman; and on not slandering or accusing.] When the Egyptian woman, that licentious creature, I mean, quick to be persuaded and most clever at persuading (for such, as a rule, woman seems to be), was mad for the most chaste Joseph, and, unable to persuade him by words, turned to forcing the young man; and he, like a noble athlete, stripped off his garment (for she, drunk with passion, was holding on to it) and went out naked of his cloak but pure of adultery, and bound on the crowns of chastity; then, then she sat down downcast: truly, because she had failed in her desire; falsely, as though over her feigned chastity. When her husband came, either fearing to face a charge or wishing to avenge herself on Joseph, she fell into an uncontrollable rage, and, mixing everything together, longing, grief, fear, outrage and anger, she considered how she might punish him; and she brought against him the very charge that ought to have been brought against her. He, without even granting Joseph a defence, threw him into prison. But the impartial eye, the lawgiver and umpire of chastity, raised him to the royal throne. Let us too, then, consider neither slander, nor accusation, nor anything else that seems terrible to be terrible, but sin alone; and we shall surely obtain the most precious crowns, either here or there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.263 (PG 78 78:695; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-263)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.264":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἝκαστος μὲν τῶν ἐντευξομένων τῷδε τῷ γράμματι, ὡς ἔχει δόξης περὶ τοῦ λεχθησομένου, ἐχέτω. Ἐγὼ δὲ ὅρον μὲν ὑπογράψαι ἱερωσύνης νῦν οὐ διεγνωκὼς, τὴν δ᾽ ὁδὸν τὴν ἐπὶ ταύτην φέρουσαν ὁριζόμενος, φημὶ, ὅτι ὁ μὲν ἐπὶ ταύτην θᾶττον ἐλθὼν τὴν ἀρχὴν, πρὶν τῆς τῶν θεσμῶν ἀρχῆς ἀνασχέσθαι, οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἀγαθῷ τῶν ἀρχομένων τὴν οἰκονομίαν μέτεισιν· ὁ δ᾽ ἐν ὑπηκόου τάξει ταῖς ἀρχικαῖς ἐγγυμνασάμενος καὶ εὐδοκιμήσας ἀρεταῖς, εἰς τὴν τῆς λειτουργίας διαχείρησιν, μέγιστον ἀγαθὸν τὴν ἐμπειρίαν ἔχων, ἔρχεται. Ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ πρὶν [ῥυθμισθῆναι] ῥυθμίζειν ἄλλους ἐπιχειρῶν, τῆς ἀληθείας διαμαρτάνει. Οὗτος δὲ ῥυθμισθεὶς πρότερον, καὶ τοῦ πράγματος ἐν πείρᾳ γεγενημένος, ἐπιτήδειος ἐπὶ τὸ ῥυθμίζειν ἄλλους εὑρεθήσεται· ἐπειδήπερ ἐκεῖνος μὲν πρὸ τοῦ ἐμμελετῆσαι τοῖς ὅπλοις, στρατηγὸς οἴεται κεχειροτονῆσθαι· οὗτος δὲ εὐδόκιμος στρατιώτης γενόμενος, εὐδοκιμώτερος ἔσται καὶ στρατηγός. Καὶ ὁ μὲν τῶν τακτικῶν ἄπειρος ὢν, ταξίαρχος εἶναι ἡγεῖται • ὁ δὲ ἐν γυμνασίοις τοιούτοις ἀσκηθεὶς, τακτικὸς χειροτονεῖται.","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. Let each who reads this letter hold whatever opinion he has about what I am going to say. I have not decided to draw up a definition of the priesthood now, but, defining the road that leads to it, I say that the one who comes to this office too quickly, before submitting to the rule of the canons, takes up the stewardship not for the good of those he rules; while the one who, in the rank of a subject, has trained himself in the virtues that rule requires and has won approval, comes to the administration of the ministry with experience, the greatest good. The former, trying to regulate others before he has been regulated, misses the truth; the latter, regulated first and having experience of the matter, will be found fit to regulate others. For the one thinks he has been appointed general before practising with arms; the other, having become an approved soldier, will be a still more approved general. The one, inexperienced in tactics, thinks himself a commander; the other, trained in such exercises, is appointed tactician.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.264 (PG 78 78:695; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-264)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.265":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΠηλίκον ἀγαθὸν τὸ ἀφιλαργυρίας, καὶ περὶ αὐταρκείας. Εἰ καὶ μυρίας ἀνατέμοις εὐπορίας ὁδοὺς, οὔ φημι τὸν κόρον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τὰς ὁδοὺς, ἃς ἐπιπορεύεται, εὑρήσεις. Μισεῖ γὰρ τοὺς ἀπλήστως τὰ χρήματα διώκοντας, καὶ ἐπιφοιτᾷν αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἀνέχεται. Φιλεῖ δὲ μάλιστα πάντων τοὺς ὀλιγοδείᾳ καὶ αὐταρκείᾳ τὸν ἑαυτῶν κοσμοῦντας βίον, ἀσμένως αὐτοῖς ἐπιφοιτᾷ.","t":"To Maron. [How great a good is freedom from the love of money; and on self-sufficiency.] Even if you cut countless roads to wealth, you will find, I do not say satiety, but not even the roads by which it travels. For it hates those who insatiably pursue money and will not bear to visit them; but it loves above all those who adorn their life with frugality and self-sufficiency, and visits them gladly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.265 (PG 78 78:697; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-265)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.266":{"o":"ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΙΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ.\nὍταν εὐβουλίας προκαθηγουμένης πᾶσα ἡ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου δύναμις ὑπουργήσῃ εἰς τὴν ἀρετὴν, πᾶσαν ἐκποδὼν ποιησαμένη σκῆψιν καὶ μέλλησιν· τότε δὴ, τότε ὁ Θεὸς εἰς τέλος ταύτην ἄγει, ὁ καὶ τοὺς μὴ βουλομένους αὐτὴν ἑλέσθαι εἰς τὸ ἑλέσθαι παραθήγων. Οὐ γάρ ἐστι τοῦ αὐτοῦ, τοὺς μὲν ἀποδιδράσκοντας αὐτὴν, εἰς αὐτὴν συνελαύνειν, τοῖς δ᾽ ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν ἑλομένοις χεῖρα βοηθείας μὴ ὀρέγειν.","t":"To Strategius the monk. When, with good counsel leading the way, all a man's power serves virtue, putting away every excuse and delay, then indeed God brings it to completion, he who whets even the unwilling to choose it. For it would not be like the same God to drive those who flee from virtue toward it, and not to hold out a helping hand to those who choose it of themselves.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.266 (PG 78 78:697; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-266)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.267":{"o":"ΑΝΤΙΟΧΩ.\nἝοικας ἀγνοεῖν, ὅτι ὁ συνεχῶς τὰ λυττῶντα πάθη τοῦ σώματος νικῶν, τοῖς τροπαίοις ἀγαλλόμενος, τοὺς πόνους ὑπὸ τῆς εὐφροσύνης λανθάνει κλεπτόμενος.","t":"To Antiochus. You seem not to know that one who continually conquers the raging passions of the body, rejoicing in his trophies, does not notice his toils, stolen from him by his gladness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.267 (PG 78 78:697; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-267)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.268":{"o":"ΩΡΙΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΠυνθάνομαι, ὅτι τῷ μὲν σχήματι τῆς ἀγωνίας, ἑνός· τῷ δ᾽ ἀληθεῖ, πάντων ἐκράτησας τῶν ὁμηλίκων. Ὁ γὰρ τῶν μὲν ἄλλων εἰς ταπεινοφροσύνην προκριθεὶς, δεύτερος δέ σου πεφηνὼς, πάντας ἡττημένους ἔδειξεν. Εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον ἐν τῷ νόμῳ· « Πένητα οὐκ","t":"To Orion the monk. I learn that in the form of the contest you overcame one, but in truth all of your contemporaries. For he who was preferred to the others in humility, but proved second to you, showed them all to be defeated. [Letter 2.269] [On what is written in the law, \"You shall not … the poor …\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.268 (PG 78 78:697; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-268)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.269":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἐλεήσεις ἐν κρίσει.» Ἡ πενία, ὅταν τὴν ἱκεσίαν ἀτιμάσασα ἐπὶ κατηγορίαν τραπείη, καὶ τῇ συμφορᾷ εἰς φιλοπραγμοσύνην καταχρήσηται, καὶ διαδίκου κατηγόρου ἀνθ' ἱκέτου καὶ πρόσφυγος πρόσχημα ἀναδέξηται, ἐλεεῖσθαι οὐκ ἂν εἴη δικαία. Διὸ καὶ ἡ τῆς δικαιοσύνης πηγὴ ἔφη · « Οὐκ ἐλεήσεις πτωχὸν ἐν κρίσει.» Ἐλεεῖσθαι μὲν γὰρ δεόμενον καὶ ἀντιβολοῦντα χρὴ, ἐγκαλοῦντα δὲ καὶ κατηγοροῦντα οὐχί. Οὐ γὰρ χάριν ἀπαιτεῖ, ἀλλ᾿ ἀδικεῖσθαι διαβεβαιοῦται.","t":"To Apollonius the bishop. [Letter 2.269, title continued: \"… shall not pity the poor in judgment.\"] Poverty, when it scorns supplication and turns to accusation, uses its misfortune for meddling, and takes on the guise of an adversary at law instead of a suppliant and refugee, would not deserve to be pitied. That is why the fountain of justice said: \"You shall not pity the poor in judgment.\" One must pity the one who begs and entreats, but not the one who brings charges and accuses; for he does not ask for a favour, but insists that he is wronged.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.269 (PG 78 78:697; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-269)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.270":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠῶς νοητέον τὸ γεγραμμένον· «Μή ποτε τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αὐτῶν ἴδωσι, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσι. » Ἡ μεταβολὴ τῶν προσώπων, τὸν νοῦν τῶν εἰρημένων λαμπρῶς κηρύττει. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ πρὸς τὸν λαὸν ἅπαντα ῥηθῆναι ἐχρῆν, οὕτως ἂν ἐῤῥήθη· Πορευθεὶς, εἶπον τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ· ᾿Ακουῇ ἀκούσετε, καὶ οὐ μὴ συνίητε καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε. Ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία ὑμῶν, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶ βαρέως ἠκούσατε, καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ὑμῶν ἐκαμμύσατε, μή ποτε ἴδητε τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσητε, καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῆτε, καὶ ἐπιστρέψητε, καὶ ἰάσωμαι ὑμᾶς. Εἰ δ' οὕτω μὲν οὐκ ἐῤῥήθη, μεταβολὴν δὲ ἐμφαίνει προσώπων τριῶν τὰ λεγόμενα, παρ' οὗ τε καὶ πρὸς ὃν καὶ περὶ οὗ ὁ λόγος, τοιοῦτόν τινα ὠδίνει νοῦν τῶν προκειμένων ἡ δύναμις· « Πορευθεὶς εἶπον τῷ λαῷ τούτῳ· ᾿Ακοῇ ἀκούσετε, καὶ οὐ μὴ συνῆτε, καὶ βλέποντες βλέψετε, καὶ οὐ μὴ ἴδητε.» Εἶτα ὡς τοῦ προφήτου πυθομένου τὴν αἰτίαν, ἢ μὴ πυθομένου μὲν, διδασκομένου δὲ, ἐῤῥήθη· · Ἐπαχύνθη γὰρ ἡ καρδία τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶ βαρέως ἤκουσαν, καὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐκάμμυσαν.» Εἰ τοίνυν τῇ ἑαυτῶν, ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι, ἀντιπράττουσι σωτηρίᾳ· Δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν, κηρύξαι με προστάττεις τάχα πώς φησι· τοῦτο γὰρ ἐνταῦθα μηνύει τό· « Μή ποτ' ἴδωσι τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, καὶ τοῖς ὠσὶν ἀκούσωσι, καὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ συνῶσι, καὶ ἐπιστρέψωσι, καὶ ἰάσομαι αὐτούς. • Τὸ γὰρ μήποτε ἐνταῦθα, οὐκ ἀναίρεσιν ἀκοῆς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐλπίδα ἐμφαίνει ὑπακοῆς. Καὶ ὅτι καὶ οὕτως λαμβάνεται, ἄκουσον τῶν ὄχλων τῶν Ἰουδαϊκῶν, τί φασι περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος· « Οὐ τοῦτον ἐζήτουν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ἀποκτεῖναι; Ἰδοὺ παῤῥησίᾳ λαλεῖ, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτῷ λέγουσι· μήποτε ἀληθῶς ἔγνωσαν, ὅτι οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός; » Ἔθος δὲ τοῖς σοφοῖς, ὧν [εἶς] εἶναι δοκεῖ Φίλων, τὸ μήποτε, ἀντὶ τοῦ ἴσως, ἢ ἔσθ' ὅτε, τάττειν. Τὸ γὰρ μήποτε, εἰκότως ἀντὶ τοῦ ἴσως, εὐλόγως τάττουσιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ παρὰ θεοπνεύστου ἀνδρὸς θέλεις τὴν μαρτυρίαν ταύτην λαβεῖν, ἄκουε τοῦ Παύλου γράφοντος· « Δοῦλον δὲ Κυρίου οὐ δεῖ μάχεσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἤπιον εἶναι πρὸς πάντας, διδακτὸν, ἀνεξίκακον, ἐν πραότητι παιδεύοντα τοὺς ἀντιδιατιθεμένους, μήποτε δῴῃ αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς ἐπίγνωσιν εἰς σωτηρίαν.» Τὸ γὰρ μήποτε κἀνταῦθα εἴρηται ἀντὶ τοῦ ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε, ἴσως, τάχα, πως. Ἐλπίδα γὰρ μετανοίας ἐμφαίνει, οὐκ ἀναίρεσιν. Καὶ ἑτέρωθι δὲ γέγραπται· « Ἔλεγξον φίλον, μήποτε οὐκ ἐποίησεν. » Εἰ γὰρ οὕτω νοηθείη τὸ προφητικὸν χωρίον, καὶ τῷ Θεῷ τὸ πρέπον φυλαχθείη, τὰ αὐτοῦ πράττειν προῃρημένῳ. Σώζεσθαι γὰρ ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου τοὺς εἰς κακίαν καλινδουμένους βούλεται, καὶ πέμπει τοὺς θεραπεύσοντας, οὐκ ἀγνοῶν μὲν ὅτι διαφθαρήσονται ὑπὸ τῆς νόσου, τὴν δ᾽ ἀπολογίαν αὐτῶν ὑποτεμνόμενος. Εἰ γὰρ κἀκεῖνοι οὐκ ἀνήνεγκαν ἐκ τῆς μανίας, ἀλλὰ τὸ γε αὐτὸν τὰ αὐτοῦ πράττειν, ἐκ τούτου περιγέγονε. Καὶ τῷ Θεῷ τοίνυν τὸ πρέπον φυλαχθείη, καὶ ὁ προφήτης οὐ δόξει μάτην ἀπεστάλθαι, οὐδὲ ὕβρεως διάκονος νομισθήσεται, ἀλλὰ θεραπείας καὶ ἰάσεως ὑπηρέτης εὑρεθήσεται. ᾿Απεστάλη γὰρ οὐχ ὑβρίσων [ἁπλῶς,] ἀλλ᾽ ἐγκαλέσων μὲν τοῖς πλημμελοῦσι, προσοίσων δὲ καὶ δείξων τὰ πταίσματα, καλέσων δὲ εἰς μετάνοιαν, ἐπιστρέφουσι δὲ θεραπείαν εὐαγγελισόμενος","t":"To the same. [How the saying \"Lest they see with their eyes and hear with their ears\" is to be understood.] The change of persons clearly proclaims the sense of what is said. If everything was to be said to the people, it would have been said like this: \"Go and say to this people: You will hear with hearing and not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive. For your heart has grown fat, and you have heard heavily with your ears and closed your eyes, lest you should see with your eyes and hear with your ears and understand with your heart and turn, and I should heal you.\" But since it was not said so, and what is said shows a change among three persons, the one from whom, the one to whom and the one about whom the word is spoken, the force of the passage brings forth some such sense as this: \"Go and say to this people: You will hear with hearing and not understand, and seeing you will see and not perceive.\" Then, as if the prophet had asked the reason, or, without asking, was being taught it, it was said: \"For the heart of this people has grown fat, and they have heard heavily with their ears and closed their eyes.\" \"If, then, they are working against their own salvation, as one might say, why do you command me to preach?\" he perhaps says. This is what is meant here by \"Lest perhaps they see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I will heal them.\" For \"lest\" (μήποτε) here signifies not the abolition of hearing but a hope of obedience. And that it is taken in this way, hear what the Jewish crowds say about the Saviour: \"Is this not the man whom the Pharisees were seeking to kill? Look, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Can it be that they truly know that this is the Christ?\" It is the custom of the learned, among whom Philo seems to be, to use μήποτε in place of \"perhaps\" or \"sometimes\". And if you wish to have this testimony from a divinely inspired man, hear Paul writing: \"The Lord's servant must not quarrel, but be gentle to all, apt to teach, forbearing, correcting his opponents with gentleness; perhaps God may grant them knowledge leading to salvation.\" Here too μήποτε is said for \"sometimes, perhaps, maybe\"; it shows a hope of repentance, not its abolition. And elsewhere it is written: \"Reprove a friend; perhaps he did not do it.\" If the prophetic passage is understood in this way, what befits God is preserved, who has chosen to do his own part. For he wills that those who wallow in vice be saved by every means, and sends those who will heal them, not ignorant that they will be destroyed by their disease, but cutting away their excuse. For even if they did not recover from their madness, at least his doing his own part has been accomplished. So what befits God is preserved, and the prophet will not seem to have been sent in vain, nor will he be thought a minister of insult, but will be found a servant of healing and cure. For he was sent not [simply] to insult, but to accuse the offenders, to bring forward and show them their failings, to call them to repentance, and to announce healing to those who turn.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.270 (PG 78 78:697; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-270)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.271":{"o":"ΑΝΥΣΙΩ.\nΤὸ παρὰ τοῦ νομοθέτου εἰρημένον · · Οὐκ ἐλεήσεις πτωχὸν ἐν κρίσει· οὐκ ἀπανθρωπίας, ὡς ἡγῇ, ἀλλὰ φιλανθρωπίας καὶ δικαιοσύνης ἁπάσης ἐστὶν ἀνάμεστον. Δύο γὰρ κατορθοῖ τὰ μέγιστα· ἓν μὲν, τὸ μὴ τοὺς πένητας εἰς φιλοπραγμοσύνην ἀλεῖψαι· ἔτερον δὲ, τὸ τοὺς ἀδίκως κρίνοντας, καὶ τοῖς πλουσίοις τὴν τῆς νίκης ὀρέγοντας ψῆφον, ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ περιόντος φοβῆσαι. Εἰ γὰρ τοῖς παλαίουσι τῷ ἀτιθάσσῳ καὶ δυσνουθετήτῳ τῆς πενίας θηρίῳ, ὅταν ἀντὶ τοῦ παρακαλεῖν ἐγκαλῶσιν, οὐ χρὴ χαρίζεσθαι, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τοῖς ὑπὸ πολλῆς χλιδῆς εἰς τοὺς πένητας ἐξυβρίζουσιν.","t":"To Anysius. What the lawgiver said, \"You shall not pity the poor in judgment,\" is not full of inhumanity, as you think, but of humanity and of all justice. It achieves two very great things: first, it does not train the poor in meddling; second, it frightens by a wide margin those who judge unjustly and hand the vote of victory to the rich. For if one must not favour those who wrestle with the untamed and incorrigible beast of poverty when they accuse instead of entreating, much less those who out of great luxury insult the poor.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.271 (PG 78 78:701; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-271)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.272":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· « Οὗτος ἥμαρτεν, ἢ οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ; Οἱ ἀπόστολοι, ἅτε σοφίας φοιτηταὶ, καὶ ἀληθείας ὄντες ἐρασταὶ, ἀτενῶς ὁρῶντες τὸν Σωτῆρα προσέχοντα τῷ τυφλῷ, καὶ μόνον οὐχὶ εἰς ἐρώτησιν αὐτοὺς ἐκκαλούμενον, δύο θρυλλούμενα δόγματα, καὶ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις ζητούμενα αὐτῷ προσφέρουσιν. ( Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ Ἑλλήνων [μὲν] παῖδες ἔφασαν ἐσφάλθαι τὴν ψυχὴν, καὶ διὰ τοῦτ᾽ εἰς σῶμα καταπεπέμφθαι κολασθησομένην Ἰουδαῖοι δ᾽ ἡγοῦντο τὰ τῶν προγόνων πταίσματα εἰς τοὺς ἐγγόνους διαβαίνειν, διὰ τὸ γεγράφθαι· « ῾Αμαρτίαι πατέρων ἐπὶ τέκνα ἕως τρίτης καὶ τετάρτης γενεᾶς·· ἔφασαν αὐτῷ, ἅτε πάντα εἰδότι πρὶν γενέσεως αὐτῶν· « Τίς ἥμαρτεν, οὗτος (ὥς φασιν Ἕλληνες), ἢ οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ (ὡς φασιν Ἰουδαῖοι), ἵνα τυφλὸς γεννηθῇ; » Ἡ δ᾽ ἀλήθεια οὐ λοξὴν οὐδὲ πλαγίαν, οὐδ᾽ αἰνίγματος μεστὴν τὴν ἀπόκρισιν πεποίηται, ἀλλ᾽ ὀρθὴν, καὶ σαφηνείας ἀπάσης λαμπροτέραν. Αμφότερα γὰρ ἀνέτρεψε, φήσασα· « Οὔτε οὗτος ἥμαρτε (πῶς γὰρ πρὸ τοῦ γενέσθαι;) οὔτε οἱ γονεῖς αὐτοῦ, » δῆλον ὅτι, ἵνα τυφλός γεννηθῇ. Πρὸς γὰρ τὴν ἐρώτησιν ἀπεκρίνατο. Εἰκὸς μὲν γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἡμαρτηκέναι, μᾶλλον δὲ ἡμαρτήκασι μὲν, οὐ μὴν τούτῳ αἴτιοι τῆς συμφορᾶς εἰσι. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν τυφλὸς ἐγεννήθη; Ἵνα φανερωθῇ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν αὐτῷ, τουτέστι, συνεχωρήθη σκάσαι ἡ φύσις, ἵν᾿ ἀνακηρυχθῇ ὁ τεχνίτης.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [On \"Did this man sin, or his parents?\"] The apostles, as disciples of wisdom and lovers of truth, gazing intently at the Saviour as he attended to the blind man and all but invited them to ask, brought him two much-discussed doctrines that people debated. For the children of the Greeks said that the soul had erred and was therefore sent down into a body to be punished, while the Jews thought that the failings of ancestors passed on to their descendants, because it is written, \"the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation.\" So they said to him, as to one who knew all things before their birth: \"Who sinned, this man (as the Greeks say) or his parents (as the Jews say), that he was born blind?\" The Truth made its answer not oblique, nor sideways, nor full of riddles, but straight and brighter than all clarity. It overturned both, saying, \"Neither this man sinned\" (for how could he, before he was born?) \"nor his parents\", that is, so that he should be born blind; for he answered the question. It is likely that they had sinned, or rather they had sinned, but they are not the cause of this misfortune. Why, then, was he born blind? \"That the works of God might be displayed in him\": that is, nature was allowed to fail, so that the Craftsman might be proclaimed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.272 (PG 78 78:701; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-272)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.273":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΟ.\nὍτι μὲν πολλὰ ἄδηλά ἐστιν ἡμῖν, καὶ λογισμῷ οὐκ εὐθήρατα ἀνθρωπίνῳ, δῆλον. Ὅτι δὲ ἐκεῖνα ἡμᾶς] διαφεύγει καὶ τοῦτο χρησίμως, τὰ μὴ συντελοῦντα ἡμῖν εἰς σωτηρίαν, καὶ τοῦτο δῆλον. Σκοπήσωμεν οὖν, τί ἡμῖν λυσιτελεῖ εἰς μακαριότητα, τί δ᾽ οὐ· καὶ οὕτως βασανίσωμεν τὰ λεγόμενα. Τὸ λέγειν ἢ σφαῖραν εἶναι τὸν οὐρανὸν, ἢ ἡμισφαίριον· καὶ τὸ πολυπραγμονεῖν, ἡλίου μὲν τὸν ὠκύτατον δρόμον, σελήνης δὲ μειώσεις τε καὶ αὐξήσεις, καὶ τῶν ἄστρων τὴν θέσιν· καὶ τὸ ζητεῖν περὶ γῆς, ἡ κύλινδρός ἐστιν ἢ λικνοειδής, ἢ κέντρον τοῦ παντὸς, καὶ τὸ τὰ ἐκείνου ἢ ταύτης διαστήματα εἰδέναι, τί συμβάλλεται εἰς ἀρίστην πολιτείαν, ἐγὼ μὲν οὐ συνορῶ. Εἰ δὲ τις λέγειν ἔχοι, λέξει μὲν ἴσως, οὐ πείσει δέ. Τὸ δὲ δικαιοσύνην, καὶ ἀνδρείαν, καὶ φρόνησιν, καὶ σωφροσύνην, καὶ εἴ τι τούτων συγγενὲς, εἰδέναι τε καὶ πράττειν, τοῦτ᾽ εἰς τὴν κορυφαιοτάτην μακαριότητα ἀναπέμπει τοὺς ἐπιστήμονας. Χρὴ οὖν τῶν μὲν μηδὲν ἡμῖν λυσιτελούντων ἀπέχεσθαι, τῶν δὲ λυσιτελούντων ἀντέχεσθαι.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. That many things are unclear to us and not easily caught by human reasoning is clear. That those which contribute nothing to our salvation escape us, and usefully so, is also clear. Let us consider, then, what profits us for blessedness and what does not, and so test what is said. To say that heaven is a sphere or a hemisphere; to busy oneself with the sun's swiftest course, the waning and waxing of the moon and the position of the stars; to inquire whether the earth is a cylinder or shaped like a winnowing-fan or the centre of the universe; and to know the distances of the one or the other: what this contributes to the best way of life I do not see. If anyone has something to say, he will say it perhaps, but he will not persuade. But to know and to practise justice, courage, prudence and self-control, and whatever is akin to them, sends those who know them up to the highest blessedness. We must therefore keep away from what profits us nothing and hold fast to what profits.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.273 (PG 78 78:703; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-273)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.274":{"o":"ΓΟΤΤΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς τῶν δύο πατριαρχῶν πολυγαμίας, ᾿Αβραάμ τε καὶ Ἰακώβ. Ἡ πολυγαμία τοῖν δυεῖν πατριάρχοιν (ὁ γὰρ Ἰσαὰκ μιᾷ ὠμίλησε γυναικὶ) οὐκ ἀπὸ ῥαθυμίας ἢ φιλοπαθίας ἐγένετο, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ἐπλάκη, ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι, ἀνάγκης. Διὸ καὶ συνεγνώσθησαν. Θέα γὰρ, τῇ Γραφῇ ἀκολουθῶν, ὅπως ἐγένετο. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ 'Αβραάμ, εἰ μὴ παρεκλήθη ὑπὸ τῆς γυναικὸς, τῆς καὶ ζηλοτυπεῖν ὀφειλούσης, πλησιάσαι τῇ παιδίσκῃ, οὐκ ἂν ἐπλησίασεν· οὐ γὰρ ἡδυπαθῶν (καὶ δείκνυσιν ὁ παρεληλυθὼς χρόνος μακρὸς ὧν), ἀλλὰ παίδων ἐπιθυμῶν τὴν εὐμορφοτάτην καὶ εὐειδεστάτην, καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν Αἴγυπτον τῷ κάλλει ἀναπτερώσασαν ἀφεὶς, ἄλλην [καὶ] δύσμορφον καὶ δυσγενῆ ἡναγκάζετο σπείρειν ἄρουραν Οὕτω γοῦν καθαρὸς ὢν πάθους παντὸς, ὅτι καὶ μετὰ τὸ κυῆσαι τὴν παῖδα, καὶ βασιλίζουσαν ἴσως ἀτιμάσαι τὴν δέσποιναν, ὡς τῆς ἡγεμονίας εἰς τὸν ἐξ αὐτῆς τεχθησόμενον περιστησομένης, ἐξήλασε τῆς οἰκίας, ὅτε καὶ ἀπῆλθεν ἐκείνη εἰς τὴν ἔρημον ὁδηγῷ τῇ ἀνάγκῃ χρησαμένη. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὴν Χεττούραν ἔσχεν, ἀλλὰ μετὰ [τὴν] τῆς ῎Αγαρ καὶ τῆς Σάρας τελευτήν. Ὁ δ' Ἰακώβ, εἰ ἧς ἤρα [ἐξ ἀρχῆς] ἔτυχεν, ἴσως οὐδ᾽ [ἂν] ἄλλης ἥψατο γυναικός. Καὶ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι στοχασμὸς τὸ λεγόμενον, ἐκ τούτου δῆλον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ κηδεστὴς τὴν πρεσβυτέραν ἄμορφον οὖσαν, ἀντὶ τῆς νεωτέρας τῆς ἀμήχανον κάλλος ἐχούσης αὐτῷ παρακατέκλινεν. Ὁ δὲ ὀψέ ποτε γνοὺς τὴν ἀπάτην, ἠγανάκτησε μὲν, οὐκ ἐξέβαλε δὲ, ἄτοπον ἡγούμενος τὴν ὅπως δήποτε παρ' αὐτοῦ νυμφευθεῖσαν ἀποπέμψασθαι. Εἴτ᾿ ἐκεῖνος ἐγκαλούμενος ὡς ἀπατεὼν, αὐτεπάγγελτος ἐπὶ τὸ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην αὐτῷ δοῦναι ὥρμησε, νενομισμένου πάντως τοῦ τοιούτου, καὶ συγκεχωρημένου ὑπὸ συνηθείας ἀρχαίας. Τοῦ δὲ καταδεξαμένου, ἡ μὲν πρεσβυτέρα, καίτοι μὴ καταθύμιος αὐτῷ οὖσα, ἔτικτεν· ἡ δὲ χειρωσαμένη αὐτὸν τῷ φίλτρῳ, οὐδ᾽ ἐλπίδα τοῦ πράγματος εἶχεν· ἥτις καὶ τῇ λύπῃ κατακράτος ἀλοῦσα, ἠπείλει ἀναιρήσειν ἑαυτὴν, εἰ μὴ τέκοι. « Δός μοι γὰρ, φησὶ, τέκνα· εἰ δὲ μὴ, τελευτήσω ἐγὼ, τουτέστιν, ἐμαυτὴν χειρώσομαι. ῾Ὡς δ᾽ ἀπέγνω, παρακέκληκεν αὐτὸν τῇ θεραπαινίδι ἑαυτῆς πλησιάσαι, ἵνα τὰ ἐξ ἐκείνης τικτόμενα τεκνοποιήσηται, καὶ δόξῃ παραμυθίαν τινὰ ἔχειν τῆς τοιαύτης συμφορᾶς Ἐδόκει γὰρ τότε μέγιστον κακὸν εἶναι ἡ ἀτεκνία. Ὁ δὲ οὐ πάθει δουλωθεὶς (οὐ γὰρ ἂν τὴν ἄλεκτον κάλλος ἔχουσαν ἀφεὶς, θεραπαινίδι ἑαυτὸν ἐξεδίδου), ἀλλ᾽ ἐκείνην ἀθυμίας ἀπαλλάξαι βουλόμενος, πείθεται. Ὡς δ' ἔτεκεν ἡ θεράπαινα, πάλιν ἡ πρεσβυτέρα ζηλοτυπήσασα, καίτοι παῖδας ἔχουσα πολλοὺς, ἠνάγκαζεν αὐτὸν καὶ πρὸς τὴν αὐτῆς εἰσελθεῖν παιδίσκην. Ὁ δὲ στάσεως καὶ φιλονεικίας ἁπάσης ἀφορμὴν ἐκβαλεῖν ἐκ τῆς οἰκίας βουλόμενος, πείθεται. Καὶ ἡ σειρὰ αὐτῷ τῶν συμβεβηκότων ἀπὸ τοῦ περὶ τὴν Ῥαχὴλ ἐπλάκη φίλτρου. Εἰ γὰρ ταύτην παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν εἰλήφει, ἴσως ἂν αὐτῇ ἠρκέσθη. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀπάτην ὑπέμεινεν, οὐχ ἡδυπαθῶς ἀλλὰ παρ᾽ αὐτῶν τῶν ζηλοτυπῆσαι ὀφειλουσῶν γυναικῶν, ποτὲ μὲν παρακαλούμενος, ποτὲ δὲ ἀναγκαζόμενος, εἰς τοῦτ᾽ ἐλθεῖν ἐξεβιάσθη. Ὁ μὲν οὖν Ἰσαὰκ, ὡς ἔφθην εἰπὼν, εἰς τοιαύτην μὴ ἐμπεσὼν ἀνάγκην, μιᾷ ὠμίλησε γυναικὶ, καὶ ἀρκεσθεὶς ταύτῃ, καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ ὑπὲρ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ ἀπελογήσατο. Ὁ δὲ ᾿Απόστολος καὶ εἰς θεωρίαν ἕλκει τὰ γεγενημένα, εἰς τὰς δύο διαθήκας, τὴν ᾿Αγαρ ἄγων καὶ τὴν Σάῤῥαν. Μηδεὶς τοιγαροῦν τῶν ἀκρασίᾳ καὶ λαγνείᾳ δεδουλωμένων, καὶ τὰς μὲν ἑαυτῶν γυναῖκας ἀφιέντων, εἰς δὲ χαμαιτυπεία καλινδουμένων, καὶ στάσεις καὶ φιλονεικίας ἐν ταῖς ἑαυτῶν οἰκίαις ἐμβαλλόντων, τὰ τῶν ἀοιδίμων ἐκείνων, καὶ πάσῃ τῇ ἄλλῃ ἀρετῇ κεκοσμημένων, δι' ἀνάγκην πραγμάτων παρακολουθήσαντα ἐλαττώματα προφέρων, ἀπολογίαν νομιζέτω ἔχειν τῆς αὐτοῦ κακίας, μηδὲ τοὺς πρὸ τοῦ νόμου πολιτευσαμένους τοῖς μετὰ τὸν νόμον καὶ τὴν χάριν πολιτευομένοις παραβάλλειν ἐπιχειρείτω. Εἰ γὰρ ἄγραφον οὖσαν τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀσμένως ἀσπασάμενοι, καὶ διὰ γραμμάτων μεμαθήκεσαν, πάντως ἂν πλέον διέλαμψαν. Τίς γὰρ υἱὸν μονογενῆ καὶ ὀψίγονον, ἐν αὐτῷ τῆς ἡλικίας τῷ ἄνθει σφάξαι καταδέξοιτο, ὥσπερ ὁ ᾿Αβραάμ; Τις τοιοῦτον στήσειε κατὰ τῆς φύσεως τρόπαιον; Τίς οὕτω φιλόξενος, ὃς πολλοῖς κεκυκλωμένος οἰκέταις, αὐτὸς τὰ τῶν οἰκετῶν μετὰ τῆς ὁμοζύγου διαπράξασθαι θελήσειε; Τίς οὕτω πιστὸς, ὃς ἐν ἐπαγγελίαις τὴν Παλαιστίνην πᾶσαν συλλαβών, εἰ τάφον ἀγοράσειεν, ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνος, οὐκ ἂν διακριθείη ; Τίς οὕτω χρημάτων κρείττων, ὡς βαρβαρικῶν σκύλων, καὶ Περσικῶν λαφύρων καταφρονῆσαι; ᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως προήχθην ὑβρίσαι τὸν ἄνδρα, ἀνδράσιν αὐτὸν παραβάλλων· ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν βούλομαι δυσχερές εἰπεῖν. Ἐκεῖνο δὲ μόνον φράσας, καταπαύσω, ὅτι εἰ μὲν καὶ τὰ πλεονεκτήματα αὐτῶν ἔχοντες, καὶ τὰ ἐλαττώματα· εἶτ᾿ ἐγκαλούμενοι ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐλαττώμασιν ἐκείνους προέφερον, μάλιστα μὲν οὐδ᾽ οὕτως δικαίαν εἶχον ἀπολογίαν · οὐ γὰρ ταυτὸν τὸ πρὸ νόμου, καὶ μετὰ νόμον καὶ χάριν πολιτεύεσθαι· πλὴν ἀλλὰ τάχα ἂν εἶχον σκιὰν ἀπολογίας. Εἰ δὲ κατορθωμάτων μὲν χηρεύοντες, ἐλαττώμασι δὲ ἐνεχόμενοι, τὰ πλεονεκτήματα ἐκείνων ἀφέμενοι, τὰ ἐλαττώματα προφέροιεν, πάσης εἰσὶ καταγνώσεως ἄξιοι.","t":"To Gottus. [On the polygamy of the two patriarchs, Abraham and Jacob.] The polygamy of the two patriarchs (for Isaac had intercourse with one wife) did not come about from carelessness or love of passion, but was woven, so to speak, from the necessity of circumstances; and that is why they were pardoned. See, following Scripture, how it happened. Abraham, had he not been urged by his wife, who ought to have been jealous, to approach the maidservant, would not have approached her. For he was not pleasure-loving (the long time that had passed shows it); but, desiring children, he left aside the most beautiful and comely woman, who had excited all Egypt with her beauty, and was compelled to sow another field, ill-favoured and low-born. So pure was he of all passion that when the girl had conceived and, perhaps playing the queen, despised her mistress, as though the rule would pass to the one who would be born of her, he drove her out of the house; and she went off into the desert with necessity as her guide. And if he also had Keturah, it was after the death of Hagar and Sarah. Jacob, had he obtained from the beginning the one he loved, would perhaps not have touched another woman. That this is no guess is clear from this: his father-in-law laid the elder daughter, who was ill-favoured, beside him instead of the younger, who had irresistible beauty. Jacob, learning of the deceit late, was indignant, but did not cast her out, thinking it wrong to send away one who had in whatever way been married to him. Then Laban, accused as a deceiver, of his own accord hastened to give him the other too, such a thing being certainly customary and permitted by ancient usage. When he accepted, the elder, though she was not to his liking, bore children; but the one who had captured him by love had not even a hope of it. Overcome by grief, she threatened to kill herself unless she bore children: \"Give me children,\" she says, \"or else I shall die,\" that is, I shall do away with myself. When she despaired, she urged him to approach her maidservant, so that she might have children by her and seem to have some comfort in such a misfortune; for childlessness then seemed the greatest evil. He, not enslaved by passion (for he would not have left the woman of unspeakable beauty and given himself to a maidservant), but wishing to free her from her despondency, was persuaded. When the maidservant had borne children, the elder again grew jealous, though she had many children, and compelled him to go in to her maidservant as well. He, wishing to cast every occasion of strife and contention out of his house, was persuaded. And the chain of events was woven for him from his love for Rachel. Had he received her at the beginning, he would perhaps have been content with her. But since he suffered deceit, he was forced to come to this, not from love of pleasure, but sometimes urged and sometimes compelled by the very women who ought to have been jealous. Isaac, as I said before, not having fallen into such necessity, had intercourse with one wife, and by being content with her he made a defence for both Abraham and Jacob. The Apostle also draws these events into a spiritual sense, applying Hagar and Sarah to the two covenants. Let no one, then, of those who are enslaved to incontinence and lust, who put away their own wives, wallow in brothels and throw strife and contention into their own houses, think that he has a defence for his own vice by bringing forward the defects that accompanied those celebrated men through the necessity of circumstances, men adorned with every other virtue; nor let him attempt to compare those who lived before the law with those who live after the law and grace. For if those who gladly embraced virtue when it was unwritten had also learned it from writings, they would surely have shone still more. Who would consent to slaughter an only son, born late, in the very flower of his youth, as Abraham did? Who would set up such a trophy over nature? Who is so hospitable that, though surrounded by many servants, he would himself do the work of servants together with his wife? Who is so faithful that, having embraced all Palestine in the promises, he would not waver if he had to buy a tomb, as Abraham did? Who is so superior to money as to despise barbarian spoils and Persian booty? But I do not know how I was led to insult the man by comparing him with ordinary men; I do not wish to say anything harsh. Saying only this, I will stop: if they had both the patriarchs' excellences and their defects, and then, when accused of the defects, brought those men forward, even so they would not, above all, have a just defence (for it is not the same thing to live before the law and to live after the law and grace); still they might perhaps have a shadow of a defence. But if, destitute of good deeds and caught in defects, they leave aside the excellences of those men and bring forward their defects, they deserve every condemnation.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.274 (PG 78 78:703; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-274)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.275":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΒίος ἄνευ λόγου μᾶλλον ὠφελεῖν πέφυκεν, ἢ λόγος ἄνευ βίου. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ καὶ σιγῶν ὠφελεῖ, ὁ δὲ καὶ βοῶν ἐνοχλεί. Εἰ δὲ καὶ λόγος καὶ βίος συνδράμοιεν, φιλοσοφίας ἁπάσης ἀποτελοῦσιν ἄγαλμα.","t":"To Hierax, most illustrious. A life without speech is more able to benefit than speech without a life. The one benefits even when silent; the other annoys even when it shouts. And if speech and life run together, they produce a statue of all philosophy.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.275 (PG 78 78:707; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-275)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.276":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nὍτι μὲν Μαρτινιανός τε καὶ Ζώσιμος, καὶ Μάρων, οἱ ἄξιοι Εὐσεβίου, ὡς ἔφης, φοιτηταὶ διαβάλλουσιν αὐτὸν τε πᾶσιν, αὐτῷ τε πάντας, δῆλόν ἐστιν. Ὅτι δὲ οὐκ εἰς τέλος ἡ δίκη ἀνάσχοιτο οὔτ᾽ ἐκείνων, οὔτε τούτου, ἀλλὰ δίκην αὐτοὺς εἰσπράξεται ἀξίαν ὧν ἔδρασάν τε καὶ δρῶσι, καὶ τοῦτο δῆλον. Οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀδικῶν τὴν δίκην ἔλαθεν· ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν ἐνταῦθα, οἱ δὲ ἐκεῖσε ἔδοσαν δίκην. ΤΟ ΑΥΤΟ. Εἰ τὴν πενίαν κρινομένην ἐλεεῖσθαι οὐ θέμις· οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον ἀδικεῖσθαι τὸ δίκαιον· οἱ τῷ πλούτῳ τὴν ψῆφον ἀδίκως νέμοντες, καὶ λήμματι τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ζυγὸν παρασαλεύοντες, ποίας οὐκ ἂν δικαίως ἀπολαύσοιεν τιμωρίας; Εἰ γὰρ ἡ ὑπὸ ἀνάγκης πολλάκις πολυπραγμονοῦσα συγγνώμης οὐκ ἠξιώθη· ἐχρῆν γὰρ παρακαλεῖν, ἀλλὰ μὴ ἐγκαλεῖν· τῷ ὑπὸ πολλῆς τρυφῆς εἰς τὸ δίκαιον ἐξυβρίζοντι τὴν ψῆφον νέμων, ποίας ἀπολαύσεται συγγνώμης;","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. That Martinian, Zosimus and Maron, worthy disciples of Eusebius, as you said, slander him to everyone and everyone to him, is clear. That justice will not bear with them, nor with him, to the end, but will exact from them a penalty worthy of what they have done and are doing, is also clear. For no wrongdoer has escaped justice; some paid the penalty here, others there. [Letter 2.277] To the same. If it is not lawful to pity poverty in judgment (for it is not just that justice should be wronged), what punishment would they not justly receive who unjustly give their vote to wealth and shake the scale of justice for gain? For if poverty, which often meddles from necessity, was not counted worthy of pardon (since it ought to have entreated, not accused), what pardon will he obtain who gives his vote to one who, out of great luxury, insults justice?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.276 (PG 78 78:707; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-276)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.278":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΟὐ ταυτὸν, ὦ βέλτιστε, τὸ ἐξαίφνης ἰδεῖν καὶ τρωθῆναι, καὶ τὸ μετὰ σπουδῆς τὰ ἀλλότρια θηρώμενον κάλλη τὸ αὐτὸ παθεῖν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐξαίφνης ἰδὼν καὶ τρωθεὶς, δύναται λογισμῷ σώφρονι καὶ τὸ βέλος ἐξελκύσαι καὶ τὸ τραῦμα θεραπεῦσαι. Φάρμακον δ' ἄριστον τῷ τοιούτῳ πάθει, νηστεία, καὶ τὸ μηκέτι τὴν τρώσασαν θεάσασθαι· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ καὶ ἀνάγκη γένοιτο, τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡνίας ἐμβαλεῖν, καὶ εἰς γῆν αὐτοὺς τρέψαι, ἐξ ἧς τὸ ἄνθος ἐκεῖνο ἤνθησε, καὶ εἰς ἣν μετὰ βραχὺ μαρανθὲν ἀναλυθήσεται. Ὁ δὲ συνεχῶς καὶ μετὰ σπουδῆς ὁρῶν, κἂν μὴ τῷ σώματι δράσειεν, ἀλλά γε τῇ ψυχῇ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἀποτελέσειε. Διὰ γὰρ τῆς θέας θεραπεύων τὸ πάθος, διὰ τῆς συγκαταθέσεως τὸ ἄγος πληροῖ. Εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἐμάλαξεν αὐτοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν ἰσχὺν ἡ ἐπιθυμία, οὐκ ἂν ἔσπευσεν ἰδεῖν, ἣν φυγεῖν προτροπάδην ἐχρῆν. Διὸ καὶ ὁ θεῖος χρησμὸς, οὐ τοὺς ἁπλῶς ἰδόντας καὶ τρωθέντας· συμβαίνει γὰρ πολλάκις ἀβουλήτως γενέσθαι · ἀλλὰ τοὺς ὁρῶντας καὶ ἔργον τοῦτο τιθεμένους, μοιχοὺς εἶναι ἀπεφήνατο, φήσας· « Πᾶς ὁ βλέπων γυναῖκα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι, ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ.","t":"To Nilus. It is not the same thing, excellent friend, to see suddenly and be wounded, and to suffer the same while eagerly hunting the beauty of others. The one who sees suddenly and is wounded can, with sober reasoning, both draw out the arrow and heal the wound. The best medicine for such a passion is fasting, and no longer looking at the woman who wounded him; and if necessity arises, to put reins on the eyes and turn them to the earth, from which that flower blossomed and into which, withered after a little while, it will be dissolved. But the one who looks continually and eagerly, even if he does not act with the body, completes the sin in the soul. For, tending the passion by looking, he fulfils the defilement by consent. Had desire not softened the strength of his soul, he would not have hastened to see the woman he ought to have fled headlong. That is why the divine oracle declared to be adulterers not those who simply saw and were wounded (for this often happens involuntarily), but those who look and make a business of it, saying: \"Everyone who looks at a woman with a view to desiring her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.278 (PG 78 78:709; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-278)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.279":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΤΡΙΒΟΥΝΩ.\nἩ δίκη, ὦ σοφὲ, ἡ πάντων ἐκεῖσε δίκας εἰσπραξομένη, κἀνταῦθα πολλάκις κλέπτει τὰς τῶν κλέπτειν αὐτὴν πειρωμένων φρένας, καὶ τοὺς μηχανωμένους αὐτὴν ἐκκλίνειν, δι᾽ ὧν πράττουσιν, εἰς τὰς οἰκείας ἄρκυς ἐμπίπτειν καταναγκάζει· τοσοῦτὸν ἐστι καὶ σοφὴ καὶ δυνατή, καὶ ἀπαραλόγιστος. Τὸ γὰρ εἰρημένον τῷ Πλάτωνι, [ὡς] ἐκ προσώπου Σωκράτους, ἐκεῖσε ἐλθόντες τὸ σαφὲς εἰσόμεθα, οὐ περὶ τῆς κρίσεως εἴρηται, ὡς ἀμφιβαλλομένης αὐτῷ· ἄπαγε· πέπηγε γὰρ παρ᾿ αὐτῷ μάλιστα τοῦτο τὸ δόγμα· ἀλλὰ περὶ τοῦ ὀρθῶς πεφιλοσοφηκέναι τὸν Σωκράτην, μνημονεύσας γάρ τινων ἄκρως ἴσως πεφιλοσοφηκότων, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ ἑαυτῷ μαρτυρῶν φορτικὸς εἶναι, ἔφη · · Ὧν δὴ κἀγὼ, κατά γε τὸ δυνατὸν, οὐδὲν ἀπέλιπον ἐν τῷ βίῳ, ἀλλὰ παντὶ τρόπῳ προύθυμήθην γενέσθαι. Εἰ δ᾽ ὀρθῶς προὐθυμήθην, καί τι ἠνύσαμεν, ἐκεῖσε ἐλθόντες τὸ σαφὲς εἰσόμεθα. Ἐοικότα που λέγων τῷ Παύλῳ φήσαντι· « Οὐδὲν ἐμαυτῷ σύνοιδα, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐν τούτῳ δεδικαίωμαι. Ὁ δὲ ἀνακρίνων με Κύριός ἐστι. »","t":"To Serenus the tribune. Justice, wise friend, which will exact justice from all there, often here too steals the wits of those who try to steal from it, and compels those who contrive to evade it to fall into their own nets through what they do; so wise, so powerful and so undeceivable is it. What Plato said in the person of Socrates, \"When we have gone there we shall know clearly,\" was not said about the judgment, as though he doubted it (far from it: this doctrine was firmly fixed with him above all), but about whether Socrates had philosophized rightly. Having mentioned some who had perhaps philosophized supremely, lest he seem tiresome in bearing witness to himself, he said: \"In this I too, as far as possible, left nothing undone in my life, but was eager in every way to become such. Whether I was rightly eager and achieved anything, we shall know clearly when we have gone there.\" In this he said something like Paul, who said: \"I am conscious of nothing against myself, but I am not thereby justified; it is the Lord who judges me.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.279 (PG 78 78:709; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-279)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.28":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ, ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΩ\nΚΑΙ ΜΑΡΩΝΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟΙΣ, Εἰ τοῖς φιλαρέτοις τὸ μετριοπαθεῖν πρέπει (τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πλεονεκτήματα κοσμεί τε καὶ φαιδρύνει), τοῖς ἁμαρτωλοῖς τὸ ταπεινοῦσθαι δῆλον ὅτι συμφέρει. Ἐπὶ τίνι γὰρ καὶ ὑψηλὰ φρονήσειαν, ἐνταῦθα μὲν γέλωτα καὶ αἰσχύνην ὑπομένοντες, ἐκεῖσε δὲ δίκην καὶ τιμωρίαν ἀναμένοντες ; Οἱ μὲν γὰρ δίκαιοι καὶ ἀφορμὰς ἔχουσι τὰ κατορθώματα πρὸς τὸ καυχᾶσθαι· οἱ δὲ ἁμαρτωλοὶ, ἀπὸ ποίων πράξεων ἐπαρθεῖέν ποτε; Τί τοίνυν τῶν πεπραγμένων ὑμῖν οὐχ ἱκανὸν ταπεινῶσαι καὶ καθελεῖν τὸ φρόνημα; Τοσαῦτα καθ' ὑμῶν ἐστιν, ὡς φασι, τὰ πλημμελήματα, ὡς μηδὲ τῶν πολλῶν τινα αὐτῶν ἀγνοεῖν. Οὕτω κωμῳδεῖται ἀνὰ πᾶσαν τὴν πόλιν καὶ περιβόητά ἐστιν. Εἰ δὲ τοσαῦτα δρῶντες, καὶ μέγα φρονεῖτε, καὶ κατὰ τῶν σπουδαίων ὁπλίζεσθε, ἐγκόψαι αὐτοῖς τὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς δρόμον μηχανώμενοι, ὁρᾶτε οἷ τελευτᾷ τὸ κακόν. Εἰ γὰρ τὸν ἀρετῇ κομῶντα Φαρισαῖον (οὐ γὰρ ὡς ψευσάμενον αὐτὸν, ἀλλ' ὡς ἀλαζόνα γράφεται ἡ Γραφή) τὸ μέγα φρονεῖν ἐπὶ τοῖς κατορθώμασιν ἔβλαψεν, ὑμᾶς τοὺς μήτε κατὰ τὸν τελώνην, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ πονηροτέρους ἐκείνου, ὡς φασι, τυγχάνοντας, [πῶς οὐ βλάψει τὸ μέγα φρονεῖν ἐπὶ τοῖς πταίσμασι, καὶ εἰς ἔσχατον] ὄλεθρον κατενέγκοι; Ανανήψατε τοιγαροῦν ἐκ τῆς τοιαύτης μέθης, καὶ μάλιστα μὲν σπουδάζετε μὴ πλημμελεῖν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ εἰς τὸ κατορθοῦν ὁδῷ προϊόντες ἔλθοιτε. Εἰ δὲ τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν, ὅπερ οὐ πιστεύω, μέχρι τέλους ἐγκαλινδεῖσθαι κεκρίκατε, μὴ κακῷ τὸ κακὸν ἰᾶσθε ὁπλιζόμενοι μὲν καθ' ὧν οὐ θέμις, ἐπαιρόμενοι δὲ καθ' ὧν ἥκιστα χρή.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter, and Anatolius and Maron the deacons. If moderation befits the lovers of virtue (for it adorns and brightens their other excellences too), it is clear that humility profits sinners. For on what ground would they think highly of themselves, enduring laughter and shame here and awaiting judgment and punishment there? The righteous have their good deeds as grounds for boasting; but sinners, on account of what deeds could they ever be puffed up? Which of your deeds, then, is not enough to humble you and pull down your pride? So many are the offences charged against you, they say, that not even one of the common people is ignorant of them; so are they mocked throughout the whole city and noised abroad. And if, doing such things, you are both proud and arm yourselves against the earnest, contriving to cut short their course of virtue, see where the evil ends. For if pride in his good deeds harmed the Pharisee who prided himself on virtue (Scripture describes him not as lying, but as boastful), how will pride in your failings not harm you, who are not even like the tax collector but, as they say, far worse than he, and bring you down to utter destruction? Sober up, then, from such drunkenness, and above all be eager not to do wrong; for so you may advance on the road to doing right. But if you have decided, which I do not believe, to wallow in your sins to the end, do not cure evil with evil, arming yourselves against those against whom it is not lawful, and exalting yourselves over those over whom you should least of all.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.28 (PG 78 78:473; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-28)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.280":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nὙψηλότερός τις γίνεται τῶν πειρασμῶν, οὐχὶ παράγων αὐτοὺς, φέρειν δὲ τὰ συμβαίνοντα ἑαυτὸν παιδεύων. Οἱ γὰρ πειρασμοὶ ἄλυτοι ὄντες, ὡς φὴς, λύονται διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς καὶ ἀνδρίας τῶν φέρειν τὰ συμπίπτοντα ἐπισταμένων. Θεραπεία γὰρ ἀρίστη τῶν οὐκ ἐφ᾿ ἡμῖν ἡ ἐν ἡμῖν φιλοσοφία, καὶ λύσις τῶν ἀναγκαίων, ἀλύτων, ὡς φὴς, ὄντων, ἡ ἐν μὲν τοῖς δυσκόλοις ἀνδρία, ἐν δὲ τοῖς δεξιοῖς μετριότης. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἡ θεία ῥοπὴ χεῖρα ὀρέξειε, ῥᾷον τὰ συμπίπτοντα οἴσομεν. Ὅπερ εὖ μάλα ἐπιστάμενος, ὁ τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ χρησμῶν ἄριστος ἑρμηνεὺς, ἔφη· • Ποιήσει σὺν τῷ πειρασμῷ καὶ τὴν ἔκβασιν τοῦ δύνασθαι ὑπενεγκεῖν. »","t":"To Theodosius the scholasticus. One becomes higher than temptations not by avoiding them, but by training oneself to bear what happens. For temptations, insoluble as you say they are, are solved by the endurance and courage of those who know how to bear what befalls them. The best treatment of what is not in our power is the philosophy that is in our power; and the solution of necessities, insoluble as you say they are, is courage in difficulties and moderation in good fortune. And if the divine help holds out a hand, we shall bear what befalls more easily. Knowing this very well, the best interpreter of Christ's oracles said: \"With the temptation he will also provide the way out, so that you may be able to endure it.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.280 (PG 78 78:711; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-280)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.281":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Πάτερ ἡμῶν. • Ἡ εὐχὴ, ἣν ὁ Κύριος ἐδίδαξε τοὺς οἰκείους φοιτητὰς, οὐδὲν γήῖνον ἔχει, ἀλλὰ πάντα οὐράνια, καὶ εἰς ψυχῆς ὠφέλειαν βλέποντα. Οὔτε γὰρ ἀρχὴν, οὐδὲ πλοῦτον, οὐ κάλλος, οὐ ῥώμην, οὐκ ἄλλο οὐδὲν τῶν ῥᾳδίως μαραινομένων αἰτεῖσθαι παιδεύει. Ων γὰρ καὶ παρόντων ἀπέχεσθαι κελευόμεθα, τούτων ἀπόντων αἰτεῖν τὴν ἀπόλαυσιν, περιττόν. Καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ δοκοῦν μικρὸν εἶναι καὶ αἰσθητὸν, μάλιστα μὲν περὶ τοῦ θείου λόγου ἔδοξε σοφοῖς ἀνδράσιν εἰρῇσθαι τοῦ τὴν ἀσώματον ψυχὴν τρέφοντος, καὶ εἰς τὴν οὐσίαν αὐτῆς τρόπον τινὰ κιρνωμένου καὶ χωροῦντος. Διὸ καὶ ἐπιούσιος ἄρτος εἴρηται, τοῦ τῆς οὐσίας ὀνόματος τῇ ψυχῇ μᾶλλον, ἢ τῷ σώματι ἁρμόττοντος. Εἰ δὲ καὶ περὶ τοῦ καθημερινοῦ ἄρτου εἴρηται, τοῦ τῇ συστάσει τοῦ σώματος ἁρμοδίου, καὶ αὐτὸς τῷ τρόπῳ γίνεται πνευματικός· τὸ γὰρ μηδὲν πλέον ἄρτου ἐπιζητεῖν, πνευματικῆς ἂν εἴη λαμπρᾶς τε καὶ φιλοσόφου διανοίας. Ταῦτα τοίνυν αἰτῶμεν ἃ ἐδιδάχθημεν, καὶ μὴ τὰ ῥᾳδίως σβεννύμενα. ᾿Αθλιότητος γὰρ ἂν εἴη καὶ ἀνοίας πολλῆς ταῦτα αἰτεῖν, ἃ ἐκελεύσθημεν καὶ ἔχοντες ἀποσείσασθαι.","t":"To the same. [On \"Our Father.\"] The prayer that the Lord taught his own disciples has nothing earthly in it, but everything heavenly and looking to the benefit of the soul. It teaches us to ask neither for office, nor wealth, nor beauty, nor strength, nor anything else that easily withers. For it is superfluous to ask to enjoy, when they are absent, the things we are commanded to keep away from even when they are present. And the very petition that seems small and concerned with the senses was thought by wise men to be said above all of the divine Word, who nourishes the bodiless soul and in a way mixes with and enters its substance. That is why it is called \"epiousios\" bread, since the term \"substance\" (ousia) befits the soul rather than the body. And if it is also said of daily bread, which suits the constitution of the body, this too becomes spiritual by the manner of asking; for to seek nothing more than bread belongs to a spiritual, splendid and philosophical mind. Let us ask, then, for what we have been taught, and not for things easily quenched. For it would be wretched and very foolish to ask for the things we have been commanded to shake off even when we have them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.281 (PG 78 78:711; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-281)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.282":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ πάντα ποιούντων ἡμῶν, καὶ πᾶσαν ὑπόθεσιν σκανδάλου αὐτόπρεμνον ἀνασπώντων, τινὲς ἐθελοκακοῦντες κακηγοροῦσιν, εἰ καὶ λυπηρόν ἐστιν, ἀλλ᾿ οὐ πολλῆς φροντίδος ἄξιον. Τῆς γὰρ συνειδήσεως μαρτυρούσης, καὶ τοῦ κριτοῦ ἐπισταμένου, καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀνακηρυττόντων, ἐλπὶς ὕπεστι, καὶ τὴν τῶν φαύλων κακηγορίαν σβέννυσθαι. Τοῖς δεινοῖς ἀνδράσι μὴ ὁμόσε χώρει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐνδίδου βραχὺ, ὅταν μηδὲν παραβλάπτῃ τὴν ἀρετὴν τὸ γινόμενον, καὶ ταχέως αὐτῶν ἡ ἐπιβουλὴ σβεσθήσεται.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. If, when we do everything and pull up every occasion of scandal by the root, some people out of malice slander us, it is painful, but not worth much worry. With our conscience bearing witness, the Judge knowing and good men proclaiming the truth, there is hope that the slander of the base will also be quenched. [Letter 2.283] Do not come to close quarters with dangerous men, but yield a little, when what happens does no harm to virtue, and their plotting will soon be quenched.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.282 (PG 78 78:711; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-282)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.284":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΦεῦγε, ὦ βέλτιστε, ὡς ἐγχωρεῖ, τὰς τῶν γυναικῶν ἐντεύξεις. Τοὺς γὰρ ἱερωμένους, ἁγιωτέρους εἶναι χρὴ καὶ καθαρωτέρους τῶν τὰ ὄρη κατειληφότων. Ἐπειδὴ οἱ μὲν καὶ ἑαυτῶν καὶ λαῶν, οἱ δὲ ἑαυτῶν μόνον φροντίζουσι. Καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐν τῇ κορυφῇ ἵδρυνται τῆς τοιαύτης τιμῆς, καὶ πάντες αὐτῶν ἐρευνῶσι τὸν βίον καὶ βασανίζουσιν· οἱ δ᾽ ἐν σπηλαίῳ κάθηνται, τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἢ θεραπεύοντες τραύματα ἢ περιστέλλοντες ἐλαττώματα· εἰσὶ δ᾽ οἳ καὶ στεφάνους ἑαυτοῖς πλέκουσιν. Εἰ δ' ἀναγκασθείης ἐντυχεῖν, κάτω τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχε, καὶ δίδασκε κἀκείνας πῶς βλέπειν χρὴ (οὐ γὰρ διδάσκειν δεῖ μόνον πῶς χρή βλέπειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ βλέπειν ὡς χρή)· καὶ ὀλίγα φράσας τὰ ἐπιστύψαι καὶ φωτίσαι δυνάμενα, ταχέως ἀφίπτασο· μήποθ' ἡ διατριβή μαλάξῃ σου τὴν ἰσχὺν, καὶ χαυνοτέραν ἐργάσηται· καὶ καθάπερ λέοντα βλοσυρὸν καὶ γαῦρον λαβοῦσα, ἀποκείροι μὲν τὴν κόμην, τὴν τὸν λέοντα ὄντως λέοντα ποιοῦσαν, καὶ τὸ βασιλικὸν ἀξίωμα αὐτῷ διαφυλάττουσαν, ἀνέλοι δὲ τοὺς ὀδόντας καὶ περιέλοι τοὺς ὄνυχας, δι' οὓς καὶ τῶν ἀλκιμωτάτων θηρίων περιγίνεται εἶτ' αἰσχρὸν ποιήσασα καὶ καταγέλαστον, παραδώσει καὶ κορίοις παίζειν τὸν φοβερὸν καὶ ἀφόρητον, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ βρυχήματος μόνου τὰ ὄρη σείοντα. Εἰ δὲ τιμᾶσθαι βούλει παρὰ γυναικῶν, μάλιστα μὲν ἀνοίκειον τοῦτο ἀνδρὸς πνευματικοῦ. Πλὴν μηδέν σοι πρὸς γυναῖκας, καὶ τότε τῆς παρ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀπολαύσῃ δόξης. Τοῦτο γὰρ μάλιστα, τοῦτο παρέσται, ὅταν μάλιστα παρ' ἡμῶν μὴ ζητῆται. Εἴωθε γὰρ ἄνθρωπος τῶν μὲν θεραπευόντων καταφρονεῖν· τοὺς δὲ μὴ κολακεύοντας ἐκθειάζειν. Τὸ δὲ πάθος τοῦτο μάλιστα ἡ γυναικεία ὑπομένει φύσις. ᾿Αφόρητός τε γάρ ἐστι κολακευομένη· ἐκθειάζει δὲ μάλιστα πάντων καὶ ἐκπλήττεται τοὺς ἐλευθεριώτερόν τε καὶ ἀρχικώτερον αὐταῖς προσφερομένους. Εἰ δὲ λέγεις καὶ ἐντυγχάνειν συχνῶς, καὶ μηδὲν βλάπτεσθαι, ἐγὼ μὲν ἴσως πείσομαι. Βούλομαι δὲ καὶ πάντας πεισθῆναι, τοὺς λέγοντας · Λίθους ἐλέανὰν ὕδατα · καὶ, Κοιλαίνει πέτραν ῥανὶς ὕδατος ἐνδελεχοῦσα. Ὁ γὰρ κατασκευάζουσι καὶ λέγειν βούλονται, τοιοῦτόν ἐστι· Τί καὶ πέτρας σκληρότερον; ἢ τί ὕδατος μαλακώτερον, καὶ ταῦτα ῥανίδος; ᾿Αλλ' ὅμως ἡ συνέχεια καὶ τὴν φύσιν νικᾷ. Εἰ δὲ φύσις ἡ δυσμετακίνητος κινεῖται, καὶ πάσχει ὅπερ παθεῖν οὐκ ὤφειλεν, ἡ προαίρεσις ἡ ῥᾳδίως κινουμένη, ποίᾳ μηχανῇ ὑπὸ τῆς συνηθείας οὐκ ἂν ἁλοίη καὶ περιτραπείη ;","t":"To Palladius the bishop. Flee, excellent friend, as far as possible, meetings with women. Those who serve as priests must be holier and purer than those who have taken to the mountains. For the latter care only for themselves, the former for themselves and for the peoples; the former are set on the summit of such honour, and everyone searches and scrutinizes their life, while the latter sit in a cave, either tending their own wounds or covering their defects (though there are some who weave crowns for themselves). If you are compelled to meet women, keep your eyes down, and teach them too how one ought to look (for one must not only teach how to look, but also look as one ought); and having said a few things that can sober and enlighten them, quickly fly away, lest the time spent soften your strength and make it slacker. Otherwise it will be as if it took a grim and proud lion, sheared off its mane, which makes the lion truly a lion and keeps its royal dignity, pulled out its teeth and stripped off its claws, with which it overcomes even the strongest beasts, and then, making it shameful and ridiculous, handed over to little girls to play with the fearsome and unbearable beast that shakes the mountains with its roar alone. If you wish to be honoured by women, that is above all unfitting for a spiritual man. But have nothing to do with women, and then you will enjoy glory from them. For it will come above all when it is above all not sought by us. People are accustomed to despise those who court them and to revere those who do not flatter them; and female nature is especially subject to this passion: it is unbearable when flattered, but it reveres and admires above all those who treat it more freely and with more authority. And if you say that you meet them often and are not harmed at all, I perhaps shall be persuaded. But I want you to be persuaded by those who say, \"Waters wear away stones,\" and, \"A persistent drop of water hollows a rock.\" What they mean to establish is this: what is harder than rock, or what softer than water, and that a mere drop? Yet persistence conquers even nature. If, then, nature, which is hard to move, is moved and suffers what it ought not, how will choice, which is easily moved, not be captured and overturned by habit?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.284 (PG 78 78:713; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-284)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.285":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΤΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ οὔτε τὸν γενναῖον ἀθλητὴν, εἰς τὸν ἀγῶνα καθέντα καὶ κονιζόμενον καὶ τυπτόμενον, θρηνητέον (εἰς στεφάνους γὰρ αὐτῷ οἱ πόνοι τελευτῶσιν)· οὔτε τὸν ἀριστέα ἐν πολέμῳ ἐξιόντα, καὶ τραύματα, καὶ σφαγὰς μέλλοντα ὑπομένειν, ὁλοφυρτέον (τροπαιοῦχος γὰρ ἐπανήξει, καὶ στηλῶν καὶ ἀναῤῥήσεων τεύξεται) · ἀλλ' ἐκείνους θρηνητέον, τοὺς ἐπὶ λῃστείας καὶ ἀνδροφονίας θέοντας, μάλιστα μὲν, ὅταν κακουργῶσιν· ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ ὅταν κολάζωνται· πῶς ἐζήτησας μαθεῖν δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν, θρηνούσας τὰς γυναίκας, ὅτε ἐπὶ τὸν σταυρὸν, ὡς τροπαιούχος, ἀπῄει ὁ Χριστὸς, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀπεδέξατο, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπετίμησε; Δῆλον γὰρ, ὅτι τῷ μὲν ἄκοντι πάσχοντι, ἡ συμπάθεια παράκλησιν· τῷ δ᾽ ἑκόντι, ὕβριν φέρει. Ὕβρις γὰρ ἐκείνῳ τὸ συμπαθὲς, ᾧ μὴ τὸ πάθος ἀβούλητον. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν καὶ αὐτὸς ἑκὼν ἐπὶ τὸ πάθος ἤρχετο, καὶ τὸν θάνατον σβέσων, καὶ τὸν διάβολον ἐκνευρίσων· ἐθρήνουν δ᾽ ἐκεῖναι τὸν εὐφημεῖσθαι καὶ κροτεῖσθαι δίκαιον ὄντα· διὰ τοῦτο, καὶ ὡς νομίζουσί τινες, κατηράσατο· ὡς δ᾽ ἡ ἀλήθεια ἔχει, προεμήνυσε τὰ μέλλοντα αὐταῖς συμβήσεσθαι κακά. Θρηνεῖσθαι γὰρ θέμις οὐ τὸν τροπωσάμενον τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ σπεύδοντα ἐπὶ τὸ καὶ τὸν θάνατον θανατῶσαι, καὶ τὸν διάβολον δῆσαι· ἀλλὰ τοὺς ὑπὸ τούτων ἁπάντων ἁλόντας.","t":"To Theodotus the presbyter. If one must neither lament the noble athlete who has gone down into the contest and is covered with dust and beaten (for his toils end in crowns), nor wail for the champion who goes out to war and is about to undergo wounds and slaughter (for he will return victorious and obtain monuments and proclamations), but must lament those who run to robbery and murder, especially when they commit their crimes and then also when they are punished, how did you come to ask why Christ, when he went to the cross as a victor, not only did not accept the women who were lamenting but even rebuked them? It is clear that sympathy brings comfort to one who suffers unwillingly, but insult to one who suffers willingly. For sympathy is an insult to one for whom the suffering is not against his will. Since, then, he was going willingly to his passion, to quench death and unnerve the devil, and they were lamenting one who deserved to be praised and applauded, for this reason (and not, as some think, by way of a curse) he foretold, as the truth is, the evils that were about to befall them. For it is right to lament not the one who has routed sin and is hastening to put death to death and bind the devil, but those who have been captured by all these.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.285 (PG 78 78:715; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-285)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.286":{"o":"ΦΙΛΟΞΕΝΩ ΜΑΓΙΣΤΡΟ.\nὍτι οὐδὲν ἀρετῆς ὑψηλότερον. Οὔτε χαλκῆ εἰκὼν χρυσῷ ἀπαστράπτουσα, οὔτε χρωμάτων λάμπουσα, οὐκ Ὀλυμπικὸς στέφανος, οὐ πλοῦτος, οὐ κάλλος, οὐ ῥώμη, οὐκ ἀρχὴ, οὐ βασιλεία, οὐκ ἄλλο οὐδὲν τῶν δοκούντων εἶναι μεγάλων, μέγα ἐστὶ καὶ σπουδῆς ἄξιον. Τῷ χρόνῳ γὰρ εἶκει, καὶ μαραίνεται, καὶ ἔργον λήθης γίνεται. Μόνη δ᾽ ἀρετὴ ἀοίδιμον καὶ ἀθάνατον ἔχει τὸ κλέος, οὔτε χρόνῳ εἴκουσα, οὔτε λήθῃ παραχωροῦσα, οὔτε μαρασμὸν ἐπισταμένη, ἀλλὰ νεαρὰν καὶ ἀκμάζουσαν καὶ ἡβῶσαν τὴν ἀξίαν ἔχουσα · ἣν παντὶ σθένει τοὺς εὖ φρονοῦντας δίκαιον κτήσασθαι.","t":"To Philoxenus the magister. [That nothing is higher than virtue.] Neither a bronze statue gleaming with gold, nor a portrait shining with colours, nor an Olympic crown, nor wealth, nor beauty, nor strength, nor office, nor kingship, nor anything else that seems great is great and worthy of zeal. For it yields to time, withers and becomes the work of forgetfulness. Virtue alone has celebrated and immortal fame, neither yielding to time, nor giving way to forgetfulness, nor knowing how to wither, but having its worth fresh, flourishing and youthful; and those who think well should rightly acquire it with all their strength.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.286 (PG 78 78:717; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-286)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.287":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΤΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸν ἀοίδιμον θάνατον τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν. Ὕλην μὲν νόμιζε εἶναι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, πῦρ δὲ τὸν θάνατον. Ἔνθα μὲν οὖν τὴν οἰκείαν εὕρισκε τροφὴν, ἐπενέμετο · ἐν δὲ τῷ Χριστῷ μὴ εὑρὼν, εἰκότως ἐσβέσθη, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀπέθανε.","t":"To Theodotus the presbyter. [On the celebrated death of our Saviour.] Consider sin to be fuel and death fire. Where it found its own food, it fed on it; but in Christ, finding none, it was rightly quenched, or rather it died.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.287 (PG 78 78:717; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-287)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.288":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nὉ μὲν νόμος, ὦ σοφὲ, ἄριστόν ἐστιν ὀρθότητος παίδευμα, οὐ τοὺς ὀρθὰ βαδίζοντας ἐπανορθούμενος, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἀτακτούντων τὰς ὁρμὰς προαναστέλλων. Διὸ καὶ Παῦλος ἔφη· « Δικαίῳ νόμος οὐ κεῖται Τὸ δὲ Εὐαγγέλιον φιλοσοφίας ἐστὶ προτροπή, οὐ φόβῳ τοσοῦτον, ὅσον ἐπαγγελίαις ἀναπτεροῦν τῶν φιλαρέτων τὸν πόθον. Οὐκοῦν οἱ τούτῳ πειθόμενοι, οὐ φόβῳ τοῦ νόμου, προτιμήσει δὲ τοῦ βελτίονος τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀπρὶξ ἔχονται.","t":"To Theodosius the scholasticus. The law, wise friend, is the best education in uprightness, not correcting those who walk uprightly but checking in advance the impulses of the disorderly. That is why Paul said, \"The law is not laid down for the righteous.\" The Gospel is an exhortation to philosophy, giving wings to the longing of the lovers of virtue not so much by fear as by promises. Those who obey it, then, hold fast to virtue not from fear of the law but from preference for what is better.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.288 (PG 78 78:717; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-288)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.289":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nἈπὸ τῆς γνώμης, ὦ βέλτιστε, τὰ πράγματα κρίνεται. Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ τρώσας μὲν ἑκὼν, οὐκ ἀπεκτονὼς δὲ, τοῦ ἀποκτείναντος μὲν, οὐ τοῦτο δὲ προῃρημένου, ἐναγέστερος εἶναι κέκριται τῷ τὸν μὲν ἑκουσίως τρώσαντα, πάντως κολάζεσθαι· τὸν δ᾽ ἀκουσίως ἀποκτείναντα, συγγινώσκεσθαι. Ωσπερ γὰρ εἰ ξίφος τις λαβὼν, τὰς ὁδοὺς περινοστοίη, βουλόμενος ἀποκτεῖναί τινα· μὴ εὑρὼν δὲ ἐπανέλθοι ἄπρακτος, οὐκ ἂν διαφύγοι τὸ ἀνδροφόνος εἶναι (ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ ἐπιχειρήματος, οὐ τοῦ ἀποτελέσματος τοιοῦτος εἶναι κρίνεται)· οὕτω καὶ γυνὴ κομιδῇ καλλωπιζομένη, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο εἰς τὴν ἀγορὰν ἐμβάλλουσα, ἢ διὰ τῶν θυρίδων παρακύπτουσα, ἵνα νέους θηρεύσῃ· κἂν διαμάρτῃ τῆς θήρας, ὡς θηρεύσασα κατακρίνεται. Τὸ γὰρ αὐτῆς πᾶν πεποίηκε, τὸ δηλητήριον κεράσασα, καὶ τὰ λίνα ἀναπετάσασα, καὶ τὴν παγίδα μετὰ πάσης ἀκριβείας στήσασα. Εἱ δὲ καὶ ἀνὴρ διὰ τοῦτο καλλωπίζοιτο ἀσελγέστερον ἢ κατ᾿ ἄνδρα, καὶ οὗτος ἀπαραίτητον ὑφέξει δίκην, κἂν μὴ εὑρεθείη, ἡ τὸν κυκεῶνα πίνουσα. Εἰ δὲ ἡ μὲν γυνὴ σεμνῶς καὶ σωφρόνως καὶ κοσμίως βαδίζοι, ἰδὼν δὲ τις τρωθῇ, οὐδὲν παρὰ τὴν ὁραθεῖσαν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὸν τρωθέντα. Εἰ δ᾽ ὁ μὲν ἀνὴρ σεμνοπρεπῶς καὶ ἁρμοδίως βαδίζοι, ἰδοῦσα δέ τις τρωθείη, οὐδὲν παρὰ τὸν ἄνδρα, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὴν τρωθεῖσαν. Εἰ δὲ μὴ φαίη τις ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχειν, συγχύσεως πάντα πληρώσει· καὶ τὴν Σάῤῥαν καὶ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ, καὶ τὴν Σουσάναν γράψεται · διότι ἄλλος θεασάμενοι ἐτρώθησαν. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ τὸν Φαραὼ, ὁ δὲ τὴν δέσποιναν, ἡ δὲ τὴν ξυνωρίδα τῶν ἀκολάστων ἐκείνων εἶλεν. Εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖνοι [κατὰ παράλειψιν οἱ ἀθρόον τρωθέντες, ] οὐ μόνον μέμψεως ἐκτὸς τυγχάνουσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπαίνου παντὸς κρείττους εἰσὶν, οἷς ἐκεῖνοι ἀπολύονται τῆς αἰτίας, τούτοις καὶ ὁ κατὰ τῶν μὴ θηρώντων μὲν, τιτρωσκόντων δὲ, διαγράφεται λόγος.","t":"To Isidore the scholasticus. Deeds, excellent friend, are judged by intention. That is why the man who wounded willingly but did not kill has been judged more accursed than the one who killed but did not intend it, in that the one who wounded willingly is punished in any case, while the one who killed unwillingly is pardoned. For just as, if someone took a sword and roamed the streets wishing to kill someone, but, finding no one, came back without having done it, he would not escape being a murderer (for he is judged such by the attempt, not by the result), so too a woman who adorns herself excessively and for that reason throws herself into the marketplace, or leans out of windows to hunt young men, is condemned as having hunted even if she fails in the hunt. For she has done all her part: she has mixed the poison, spread the nets and set the snare with all exactness. And if a man too adorns himself more licentiously than befits a man for this purpose, he too will undergo an inexorable penalty, even if no woman is found to drink the potion. But if a woman walks with dignity, chastely and decently, and someone who sees her is wounded, the fault lies not with the woman who was seen but with the one who was wounded. And if a man walks with dignity and fitness, and some woman who sees him is wounded, the fault lies not with the man but with the woman who was wounded. If anyone says this is not so, he will fill everything with confusion: he will indict Sarah, and Joseph, and Susanna, because others were wounded by seeing them. For she captured Pharaoh, he his mistress, and she that pair of licentious men. But if these not only stand outside blame but are above all praise, the same reasons that acquit them of the charge also strike out the accusation against those who do not hunt, even though others are wounded by them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.289 (PG 78 78:717; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-289)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.29":{"o":"ΤΟΙΣ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ.\nΟἱ μήτε κρίσιν δεδιότες, μήτε βασιλείας ἐρῶντες, ἀλλ' εἰς ὠμότητα καὶ ἀπανθρωπίαν ἑαυτοὺς ἀλείφοντες (ὧν κορυφαίους ὑμᾶς τινες κατατάττουσιν, ἐξ ὧν διαῤῥήδην δρᾶτε ταύτην φέροντες τὴν ψῆφον), ἐκεῖνα λογίσασθαι δίκαιοι ἂν εἶεν, ἅπερ καὶ εὔλογα καὶ ἀκόλουθά ἐστιν, ὥσγε ἐμαυτὸν πείθω. Κρινέσθω δὲ καὶ τῇ τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων ψήφῳ, ὅτι ἂν μὴ διὰ τὸν Θεὸν ἕλωνταί τι παθεῖν, ἀνάγκη αὐτὸν καὶ ἄλλως ὑπομεῖναι. \"Αν διὰ τὸν Θεὸν μὲν τελευτήσωσιν, ἀθάνατοι καὶ ἀκήρατοι ἔσονται. Οὔτε ἂν τὰ χρήματα δι' αὐτὸν μὴ δοῖεν τοῖς δεομένοις, ἔχοντες αὐτὰ ἐκεῖσε ἀπελεύσονται. Ταῦτα ἀπαιτεῖ παρ' αὐτῶν ἐνταῦθα, ἃ καὶ μὴ ἀπαιτοῦντος καταλείψουσι πάντως διὰ τὸ θνητοὶ εἶναι καὶ ἐπίκηροι. Ταῦτα βούλεται αὐτοὺς ποιῆσαι γνώμῃ, ἃ καὶ ἀνάγκῃ δεῖ αὐτοὺς ποιῆσαι. Τοσοῦτον ἂν οὖν ἀπαιτῇ προσθεῖναι μόνον τὸ δι᾽ αὐτὸν γίνεσθαι. Ὡς τόγε συμβῆναι πάντως καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς φύσεως τῶν πραγμάτων γίνεσθαι. Τοιγαροῦν χρὴ τοὺς ἐχέφρονας, ἃ πάντως ἀνάγκη παθεῖν, ἑλέσθαι παθεῖν δι᾿ αὐτόν. Τοῦτο γὰρ εἰ προσκέοιτο μὲν, ἀρκοῦσαν ἕξει τὴν ὑπακοὴν, καὶ ὑπερβαλεῖ τοὺς πόνους ταῖς ἀντιδόσεσιν.","t":"To the same. Those who neither fear judgment nor love the kingdom, but anoint themselves for cruelty and inhumanity (some rank you as their leaders, bringing this verdict from what you openly do), would do well to consider what is both reasonable and consistent, as I persuade myself; and let it be judged by the verdict of those who read it too. Whatever they do not choose to suffer for God's sake they must endure in any case. If they die for God, they will be immortal and incorruptible. And if they do not give their money to the needy for his sake, they will not go off there with it. He asks of them here what they will in any case leave behind even if he does not ask, because they are mortal and perishable. He wishes them to do by choice what they must do by necessity anyway. He asks only this much to be added: that it be done for his sake, since the thing itself will in any case happen by the nature of things. Therefore the sensible should choose to suffer for his sake what they must in any case suffer. For if this is added, it will hold sufficient obedience and will surpass the labours by the rewards.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.29 (PG 78 78:475; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-29)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.290":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nὍτι χρὴ τοὺς ἱερεῖς παντοίαις κομᾶν ἀρεταῖς, καὶ ἀνδρείους εἶναι εἰς τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας κινδύνους. Τοὺς τὸν τῆς ἱερωσύνης τιμαλφέστατον στέφανον περικειμένους ἀρεταῖς μᾶλλον ἢ χρήμασι δίκαιόν ἐστι κομᾶν, καὶ ἡδονὴν πρέπουσαν ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν σωφροσύνην, μήτε γαστρὶ, μήτε τοῖς μετὰ γαστέρα εἴκοντας πάθεσιν. Οὐ γὰρ χορηγὸν τὴν ἐξουσίαν τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν χρὴ νομίζειν, ἀλλὰ τὴν καρτερίαν ἐξουσίαν ἡγεῖσθαι. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς ἢ εὐσεβείας κίνδυνος προκέοιτο, μὴ φεύγειν τὸν θάνατον Γέλωτα γὰρ ἂν ἀποδειλιάσαντες ὀφλήσοιεν, εἰ μὴ ἄσμενοι ἐκεῖσε ἴοιεν, οἱ ἀφικομένοις ἐλπίς ἐστιν, οὗ διὰ βίου ἤρων τυχεῖν, ἤρων δὲ θείας συνουσίας.","t":"To Theodosius the presbyter. [That priests must flourish in every kind of virtue and be brave in dangers for piety.] Those who wear the most precious crown of the priesthood should rightly flourish in virtues rather than in money, and consider self-control the pleasure that befits them, yielding neither to the belly nor to the passions that follow the belly. For one must not regard authority as the purveyor of desires, but regard endurance as authority. And if danger lies ahead for the sake of virtue or piety, they must not flee death. For they would incur ridicule as cowards if they did not go gladly to the place where those who arrive have the hope of obtaining what they longed for all their lives; and they longed for the company of God.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.290 (PG 78 78:721; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-290)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.291":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΤΡΙΒΟΥΝΟ ΝΟΤΑΡΙΩ.\nἩ μὲν ἀληθὴς εὐγένεια ἀπὸ τρόπων χρηστῶν συνίστασθαι πέφυκε, καὶ τὸ βέβαιον ἀξίωμα ἀπὸ ἀρετῆς προσγίνεται. Εἰ δέ τις μήτε ἐκ προγόνων λαμπρῶν φὺς, μήτε ὑπὸ τρόπων ὀρθῶν κοσμούμενος, ἀξίωμα ἑαυτῷ ἀγοράσειεν, ὅπερ εὐνοῦχοι πιπράσκουσι καὶ βασιλέων ἴσως οὐδ᾽ εὐγενῶν χαρίζονται χεῖρες· οὗτος οὐκ ἂν εἴη δίκαιος σεμνύνεσθαι. Εἰ δὲ μὴ μόνον ἐναβρύνοιτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἔχοντας τὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς ὑπέρλαμπρον ἀξίωμα διαπτύει· οὗτος οὐ μόνον ἑαυτὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς προγόνους ἅτε ἀσήμους καὶ ἀφανεῖς κωμῳδεῖσθαι παρασκευάζει. Οὐκοῦν ἵνα μηδὲν τοιοῦτο πάθοις, γνῶθι σαυτόν.","t":"To Serenus, tribune and notary. True nobility is naturally formed from good character, and firm dignity comes from virtue. But if someone, neither born of illustrious ancestors nor adorned with right character, buys himself a rank, which eunuchs sell and which the hands of emperors, perhaps not even noble ones, bestow, he would not rightly pride himself on it. And if he not only prides himself but also spits on those who have the most brilliant rank of virtue, he causes not only himself but also his ancestors, as obscure and undistinguished, to be mocked. So, that you may suffer nothing of the kind, know yourself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.291 (PG 78 78:721; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-291)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.292":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΗ.\nΟὐ φημι χρῆναι τοὺς, ὥσπερ σὺ, ἐξ ἀφανῶν καὶ ἀσήμων γονέων, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τοὺς ἐκ λαμπρῶν καὶ περιφανῶν φύντας, εἰς τοσαύτην ἀλαζονείαν ἐλαύνειν, καὶ τοὺς τῆς φύσεως ὑπερβαίνειν ὅρους. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ ὑπερόρια πταίσας, ὑπερορίους ἀπαιτηθείης δίκας, ταῖς τῆς μετριοφροσύνης ἡνίαις τὴν τῆς ἀλαζονείας ἀνασειράζειν σπούδαζε μανίαν, καὶ ῥύθμιζε σαυτὸν, πρὸς τὸ πρέπον ἀνδρὶ ἐπιεικεῖ σχῆμα, καὶ μήτε δι᾽ ὀφθαλμῶν, μήτε δι᾽ ὀφρύων, μήτε διὰ γλώττης, μήτε διὰ βαδίσματος ἴχνος [ἐσ]τι τῆς τοιαύτης ἐμφαινέσθω νόσου.","t":"To Isaiah the soldier. I say that not only those who, like you, are born of obscure and undistinguished parents, but not even those born of illustrious and famous ones, should be driven to such arrogance and pass beyond the bounds of nature. So that, offending beyond the bounds, you may not be required to pay penalties beyond the bounds, hasten to rein in the madness of arrogance with the reins of modesty, and shape yourself to the bearing that befits a reasonable man; and let no trace of such a disease appear, either in your eyes, or your brows, or your tongue, or your walk.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.292 (PG 78 78:721; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-292)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.293":{"o":"ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΜάθετε καλὸν ποιεῖν. Ἐπειδὴ πολλοὶ λόγοις φιλοσοφοῦντες, τοῖς ἔργοις ἐλέγχονται (τοὺς γὰρ θείους χρησμοὺς ἐν μέσῳ περιάδοντες, λάθρα ἃ μὴ θέμις πράττουσι)· διὰ τοῦτο εἴρηται· « Μάθετε καλὸν ποιεῖν. » Τὸ γὰρ εὖ λέγειν, τοῦ ὀρθῶς πράττειν ἀπόντος, οὐ μόνον ματαιόν τι φαίνεται καὶ κενὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ γέλωτα μὲν τίκτει τοῖς ῥᾳθύμοις, ὄχλησιν δὲ τοῖς σεμνοτέροις.","t":"To Theognostus the presbyter. [\"Learn to do good.\"] Since many who philosophize in words are refuted by their deeds (for while they chant the divine oracles in public, in secret they do what is not lawful), for this reason it was said: \"Learn to do good.\" For speaking well, when right action is absent, not only appears vain and empty, but also begets laughter in the careless and annoyance in the more serious.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.293 (PG 78 78:723; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-293)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.294":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς ἀλλοιώσεως καὶ ἀποκαταστάσεως τοῦ Ναβουχοδονόσωρ. Εἰ τῷ Βαβυλωνίῳ, τοσαῦτα πταίσαντι, καὶ τοὺς ὅρους τῆς φύσεως ὑπερβάντι, καὶ ἰσοθεῖαν παραλόγως φαντασθέντι, ὄρος ἦν τῆς συμφορᾶς, ἡ τοῦ κρείττονος ἐπίγνωσις ( μετὰ γὰρ τὸ ἐπιγνῶναι τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν, καὶ τοῦ τῶν οὐρανῶν Βασιλέως ὁμολογῆσαι τὴν ἀσύγκριτον ὑπεροχὴν τῆς οἰκείας ἐπελάβετο ἀρχῆς)· πῶς σὺ νομίζεις ἁπλῶς, καὶ οὐκ ἐπὶ κέρδει τινὶ ἐπιφέρεσθαι ἡμῖν τὰς κολάσεις;","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. [On the transformation and restoration of Nebuchadnezzar.] If for the Babylonian, who sinned so greatly, passed the bounds of nature and irrationally imagined himself equal to God, the limit of his misfortune was the recognition of the one who is higher (for after he recognized his own nature and confessed the incomparable superiority of the King of heaven, he recovered his own rule), how can you think that punishments are inflicted on us simply, and not for some gain?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.294 (PG 78 78:723; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-294)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.295":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ,\nΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ. Ὀκνεῖ μὲν μοι γράφειν ὁ κάλαμος, ἅπερ οὐδὲ μαθεῖν ἐβουλόμην. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ χρὴ καὶ τοὺς εἰς ἀκροτάτην κακίαν ἐληλακότας ἀνακαλεῖσθαι, γράφω, ὅπως παύσησθε, ὧν ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ ἂν εἴποιμι, διὰ τὸ μὴ μολῦναι τὴν γλῶτταν. Αὐτοὶ δ᾽ οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως δια","t":"To Martinian, Maron, Zosimus and Eustathius. My pen shrinks from writing what I did not even wish to learn. But since even those who have gone to the extreme of vice must be called back, I write so that you may stop doing what I would not speak of, so as not to defile my tongue. But you yourselves, I know not how …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.295 (PG 78 78:723; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-295)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.296":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ ἡ ἀπροσδόκητος εὐπραγία ὑβριστὴν ἀπετέλεσε Ζώσιμον, ὡς γέγραφας, τὸν πρεσβύτερον (εἰώθασι γὰρ ἄνθρωποι, οἷς ἀδόκητος μάλιστα εὐημερία ἐπιπίπτει, εἰς ὕβριν χωρεῖν ) · ἀλλὰ σὺ φιλοσόφει. Οὕτω γὰρ κἀκεῖνον ἀμύνασθαι δυνήσῃ· οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω κολάζει τοὺς ὑβριστὰς, ὡς ἡ τῶν ὑβριζομένων ἀνεξικακία· καὶ ἀρίστην ψῆφον παρὰ πᾶσιν ἀποίσῃ, καὶ τὰ λεγόμενα ψευδῆ ἐπιδείξεις. Τὸ γὰρ ἀγανακτεῖν καὶ δυσχεραίνειν, τοῦ ἀληθεῖς εἶναι τὰς ὕβρεις· τὸ δὲ καταγελᾷν αὐτῶν, τοῦ μηδὲν συνειδέναι πονηρὸν, ἀπόδειξίς ἐστιν ἐναργεστάτη.","t":"To Eustathius the presbyter. Even if unexpected prosperity has made Zosimus the presbyter insolent, as you wrote (for people on whom prosperity falls most unexpectedly tend to turn to insolence), you, for your part, be philosophical. For in this way you will be able to pay him back too; nothing so punishes the insolent as the forbearance of those they insult. You will win the best verdict from all and show that what is said is false. For to be indignant and vexed is a proof that the insults are true; to laugh at them is the clearest proof of being conscious of nothing wicked.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.296 (PG 78 78:723; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-296)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.297":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἘπυθόμην παρ' ἀνδρῶν, οἷς τὸ μὲν ψεῦδός ἐστι πολέμιον, ἡ δ᾽ ἀλήθεια ἐπὶ γλώσσης οἰκεῖ, ὡς ὑβριζόμενος μὲν παρὰ Ζωσίμου, φιλοσοφεῖς μὲν παραχρῆμα, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα αὐτὸν ἐκπομπεύεις, παρὰ πᾶσι διαβάλλων, ὡς οἰκέτης ὧν καὶ ἐξ οἰκετῶν φὺς, τοὺς καὶ εὐλαβείᾳ καὶ εὐγενείᾳ κεκοσμημένους λοιδορεῖ. Εἶθ᾿ ὅτι καὶ μνημονεύεις ἐκείνων τῶν παρὰ τῶν ἀρχαίων περὶ τῶν τοιούτων εἰρημένων. Αφόρητος γάρ ἐστιν εὐπραγῶν μαστιγίας καὶ ὅτι τὸ εὖ πράττειν παρὰ τὴν ἀξίαν, ἀφορμὴ τοῦ κακῶς φρονεῖν τοῖς ἀνοήτοις γίνεται Καὶ λίαν θαυμάζω, πῶς ὅταν μὲν ἡ πυρὰ τοῦ θυμοῦ κορυφοῦται, κρατεῖς τῆς ὀργῆς· ὅτε δὲ δοκεῖ λήγειν, ἡττᾶσαι. Το μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ὀργισθῆναι τὸν μὴ πάνυ φιλοσοφεῖν ἐσπουδακότα, οὐκ ἀπεικός· τὸ δὲ μετὰ τὸ λῆξαι ἢ καὶ σβεσθῆναι τὴν πυρὰν, ἀνάπτειν ἑαυτῷ τὴν κάμινον, ἀπεικός. Εἰ δ᾽ ἡ μνήμη τῶν λεχθέντων ἀνάπτει τὸ πῦρ, τὸ πεφιλοσοφηκέναι σε μᾶλλον εὐφραινέτω, καὶ ἐν γαλήνῃ διατηρείτω. Οὐ γὰρ τί ἐκείνῳ πρέπει ἀκοῦσαι, ἀλλὰ τί σοὶ πρέπει εἰπεῖν, λογίσασθαι δίκαιος ἂν εἴης. Μὴ τοίνυν ἐκείνῳ φιλονεικῶν σαυτὸν καθύβριζε, μηδὲ τὸν βίον ἐκείνου ἐκκωμῳδῶν, τὴν σαυτοῦ γλῶτταν μολύνεσθαι παρασκεύαζε, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τέλος φιλοσόφει. Τοῦτο γάρ σοι μυρίον κλέος γεννήσει. ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Λίαν ἀλγῶ τὴν ψυχὴν, ὅτι ὀξὺ πρὸς τὰ χείριστα ὁρῶν, τυφλώττεις πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν, καὶ ὅτι ὑπερορίων πταισμάτων ἐραστὴς ὢν, ἔτι καινοτέρων ἀδικημάτων ἀνεφάνης εὑρετής. Εἰ τοίνυν κἀμὲ λύπης, καὶ σαυτὸν δίκης ἐλευθερῶσαι βούλει, θᾶττον μεταβαλοῦ, εὖ εἰδὼς, ὅτι ὅς ἂν ἀμύητος καὶ ἀτέλεστος ἀρετῆς ἐντεῦθεν ἀπάρῃ, ἐν πυρὶ κείσεται· ὁ δὲ τετελεσμένος τε καὶ κεκαθαρισμένος ἐκεῖσε ἀφικόμενος, μετὰ τῶν θείων δυνάμεων χορεύσει.","t":"To the same. I have learned from men to whom falsehood is hateful and on whose tongue truth dwells, that when you are insulted by Zosimus you are philosophical at the moment, but afterwards parade him, slandering him to all as one who, being a slave and born of slaves, reviles those adorned with piety and nobility; and that you recall those sayings of the ancients about such men: \"A whipping-slave in prosperity is unbearable,\" and that \"faring well beyond one's worth becomes for fools an occasion of thinking ill.\" I greatly wonder how, when the pyre of anger is at its height, you master your wrath, but when it seems to die down, you are defeated. For one who has not been wholly devoted to philosophy to be angry at first is not unlikely; but after the pyre has died down or even been quenched, to light the furnace for oneself again is unlikely. If the memory of what was said kindles the fire, let your having been philosophical gladden you instead and keep you in calm. You would do well to consider not what it befits him to hear, but what it befits you to say. Do not, then, insult yourself by contending with him, nor cause your own tongue to be defiled by mocking his life, but be philosophical to the end. This will beget you countless glory. [Letter 2.298] To Zosimus the presbyter. I grieve greatly in my soul that, sharp-sighted for the worst things, you are blind to virtue, and that, being a lover of transgressions beyond all bounds, you have also proved an inventor of still newer wrongs. If, then, you wish to free me from grief and yourself from punishment, change quickly, knowing well that whoever departs from here uninitiated and unperfected in virtue will lie in fire, while the one who has been perfected and purified will, when he arrives there, dance with the divine powers.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.297 (PG 78 78:723; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-297)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.299":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\n῞Οτι τῶν θείων Γραφῶν ἡ ἀνάγνωσις, καὶ τοῖς ἑστῶσι, καὶ τοῖς πεσοῦσι, καὶ πᾶσιν ἁπλῶς ἐστιν ὠφέλιμος, ἑκάστῳ χρησμῳδοῦσα. Αἱ ἱεραὶ Γραφαὶ, οὐ πλαγίαν καὶ ἀμφίβολον, ἀλλ᾿ ὀρθὴν καὶ λαμπρὰν, καὶ ἀραρυῖαν, ἀσάλευτόν τε καὶ ἀπαρέγκλιτον, οἴονται δεῖν ἐγκεῖσθαι πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις τὴν περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ πίστιν. Κινδυνεύουσι μὲν ἀγαθὴν ἐλπίδα ὑπισχνούμεναι, εὖ πράττουσι δὲ θάρσος ὀρέγουσαι· καὶ δυσπραγοῦσι μὲν παραμυθίαν προτεινόμεναι, πλημμελοῦσι δὲ φόβον ἐπανατεινόμεναι· ἵνα μὴ μόνον ἄχρις ὀνόματος νοοῦντες πᾶσαν ἔννοιαν χρηστὴν ἐξαμβλώσωσιν, ἀλλὰ ποιητὴν καὶ ἄρχοντα, καὶ ἔφορον καὶ προνοητὴν, καὶ κηδεμόνα· ἀμειβόμενον μὲν τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς, ἀμυνόμενον δὲ τοὺς πονηρούς (οὗτος γὰρ ὁ κυριώτατος καὶ ἐνδοξότατος περὶ Θεοῦ λόγος,) φύγωσι μὲν κακίαν, ἕλωνται δὲ ἀρετήν. Ἡ δὲ περὶ τῆς οὐσίας αὐτοῦ βάσανος, οὔτ᾽ ἀναγκαία, οὔτ᾽ ἐφικτὴ ἀνθρώποις. Εἰδέναι γὰρ χρὴ καὶ πιστεύειν, ὅτι ἔστι Θεὸς, οὐ τὸ τί ἐστι πολυπραγμονεῖν. ᾿Αφέμενοι τοίνυν τοῦ περὶ τῆς οὐσίας λόγου ὡς ἀνεφίκτου, καὶ μηδαμῶς ἁλωσίμου, ἀλλὰ πᾶσαν βάσανον ὑπερνηχομένου, τὸν βίον ἑαυτῶν καὶ τὸν τρόπον ῥυθμίσωμεν, ὡς λόγον πάντως ἀποδώσοντες.","t":"To Theodosius the scholasticus. [That the reading of the divine Scriptures is profitable to those who stand, to those who have fallen, and simply to all, giving each its oracle.] The sacred Scriptures hold that the faith about God must lie in all people not oblique and ambiguous, but straight, bright, firm, unshaken and unswerving. They promise good hope to those in danger and offer confidence to those who prosper; they hold out comfort to those in misfortune and threaten fear to those who offend. So that people, not understanding God merely as far as a name and so miscarrying every good notion, but understanding him as maker and ruler, overseer, provider and guardian, rewarding the good and punishing the wicked (for this is the most proper and glorious account of God), may flee vice and choose virtue. But examination of his essence is neither necessary for human beings nor within their reach. For one must know and believe that God is, not busy oneself with what he is. Leaving aside, then, the account of his essence as unattainable and in no way to be grasped, but swimming above every examination, let us order our life and our ways, as men who will certainly give an account.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.299 (PG 78 78:725; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-299)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.3":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΠῶς ἡ σοφία ἐκέρασε τὸν ἑαυτῆς κρατῆρα. Κρατῆρα λόγων, ἡ τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφία, ὦ φιλομαθέστατε, τὰς θείας ἐκέρασε Γραφὰς, κρατῆρα, οὐ μέλιτος, οὐ γάλακτος, οὐκ οἶνου, ἀλλὰ παιδείας καὶ φιλοσοφίας πεπληρωμένον, καὶ θείοις χαρίσμασιν ἐστεμμένον, ὅστις τοὺς χρωμένους εἰς ἀρετὴν καὶ εὐσέβειαν προτρέπει, τῶν μὲν ἐπιγείων ἀμελεῖν παρασκευάζων, τῶν δὲ οὐρανίων εἴσω χωρεῖν· κρατῆρα, οὐ μεθόδους περιέχοντα, οὐδὲ σοφίσματα, οὐδὲ φυσιολογίας ἀτόμους καὶ ἀπείρους ἀλλ᾽ ἔργα ἀνδρῶν ὀνομαστοτάτων καὶ ἐνδοξοτάτων, οἷς ὅμοια καὶ πράττων καὶ λέγων, ἀρετῆς κόσμον ἕξεις. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τῶν πταισάντων τοὺς βίους καὶ τὰς τιμωρίας ἀπεσιώπησεν· ὅπως μαθὼν, τὰ μὲν καλὰ ἔχοις, εἰ θέλοις, ζηλοῦν· τὰ δὲ φαῦλα, φεύγειν. Ὅσον μὲν οὖν χρήσιμον εἰς τὴν καθ' ἡμᾶς φιλοσοφίαν ἐκ τῆς ἔξωθεν παιδεύσεως, ὥσπερ ἡ μέλιττα, δρεψάμενος (πολλὰ γὰρ, εἰ χρὴ τἀληθῆ λέγειν, ἀρετῆς ἕνεκεν πεφιλοσοφήκασι), τὸ λοιπὸν ἅπαν χαίρειν ἔα· μάλιστα ὁρῶν αὐτοὺς κατ᾿ ἀλλήλων διαπρύσιον κεκινηκότας πόλεμον. Αριστοτέλης μὲν γὰρ ἐπανέστη Πλάτωνι · οἱ Στωϊκοὶ δὲ πρὸς τοῦτον ἐφράξαντο, Τοῖς δὲ θείοις χρησμοῖς διὰ βίου δίδου σαυτόν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἐξ ἐκείνων καὶ ἐκ τούτων ὠφελούμενος, μέγα καὶ σαυτῷ καὶ πᾶσιν ἔσῃ χρῆμα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ βούλει [ γνῶναι ] τί ἐστιν, « Ἐκέρασεν ἡ σοφία τὸν ἑαυτῆς οἶνον, • καὶ δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν, οὐκ ἄκρατον αὐτὸν προὔθηκε, μάνθανε δι᾿ ὀλίγων πολλά· Τὰ θεῖα καὶ ὑπερφυῆ παιδεύματα, λόγοις καὶ παραδείγμασι σωματικοῖς ἐκέρασεν. Οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε ἦν ἡμᾶς ἄλλως νοῆσαι. Τὴν γοῦν ἕνωσιν τῶν θείων νοημάτων καὶ τῶν ἐπιγείων λόγων, πρᾶσιν οὐκ ἀπεικότως ἐκάλεσε.","t":"To Timothy the reader. [How Wisdom mixed her own bowl.] The Wisdom of God, most studious friend, mixed the divine Scriptures as a bowl of words: a bowl not of honey, nor of milk, nor of wine, but filled with instruction and philosophy and crowned with divine gifts, which urges those who use it toward virtue and piety, preparing them to neglect earthly things and to enter within the heavenly; a bowl that contains not methods, nor sophisms, nor speculations about nature, about atoms and infinite worlds, but the deeds of the most renowned and glorious men, by doing and saying things like theirs you will have the adornment of virtue. Yet it did not pass over in silence the lives and punishments of those who fell, so that, having learned, you might, if you will, imitate the good and flee the bad. As for outside learning, then, gather like the bee whatever is useful for our philosophy (for many of them, to tell the truth, have pursued philosophy for virtue's sake), and bid all the rest farewell, especially as you see that they have stirred up a resounding war against one another: Aristotle rose up against Plato, and the Stoics fortified themselves against him. But give yourself throughout your life to the divine oracles. For so, benefiting both from those and from these, you will be of great worth to yourself and to all. And since you wish to know what is meant by \"Wisdom mixed her own wine,\" and for what reason she did not set it out unmixed, learn much in few words. She mixed the divine and supernatural teachings with words and bodily examples, for we could not otherwise have understood them. Fittingly, then, Scripture called the union of divine thoughts with earthly words a mixing.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.3 (PG 78 78:457; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-3)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.30":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΩ.\nΕἰ βασιλείας ἐρᾷς, τί χρημάτων οὐχ ὑπερορᾶς; Εἰ δὲ καὶ τῆς θείας ἀμοιβῆς ἀντιποιῇ, τι τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην θηρώμενος οὐ λήγεις;","t":"To Athanasius. If you love the kingdom, why do you not despise money? And if you lay claim to the divine reward, why do you not stop hunting the human one?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.30 (PG 78 78:477; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-30)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.300":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤῆς Ἰωάννου Ἐπιστολῆς, εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον, « Βλέπετε μὴ ἀπολέσητε ἃ εἰργάσασθε. Πᾶν μὲν ἔργον λάμπει μελέτῃ θεραπευθὲν (τὸ γὰρ μὴ ὑπὸ μελέτης συγκροτούμενον, ῥᾳδίως σβέννυται)· μάλιστα δ᾽ ἡ ἀρετὴ, καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ἀσκήσει θεραπεύεσθαι ὀφείλει. Μὴ γεωργουμένη γὰρ, φυλλοῤῥοεῖ, καὶ τὸν καρπὸν ἀπόλλυσι. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἄρα, ὁ ἐθέλησας μαθεῖν, « Βλέπετε μὴ ἀπολέσητε ἃ εἰργάσασθε. » Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ῥαθυμία τοὺς προγεγενημένους πόνους, κἂν λαμπροὶ εἶεν, σβέσει· ἡ δὲ σπουδή, καὶ τὴν προγεγενημένην ῥαθυμίαν ἀφανίσει","t":"To the same. [From the Epistle of John, on what is written: \"Watch that you do not lose what you have worked for.\"] Every work shines when it is tended by practice (for what is not held together by practice is easily quenched); but virtue above all must be tended by daily exercise. If it is not cultivated, it sheds its leaves and loses its fruit. And this, then, is what you wished to learn: \"Watch that you do not lose what you have worked for.\" For carelessness will quench earlier labours, even if they were brilliant; but zeal will also obliterate earlier carelessness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.300 (PG 78 78:727; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-300)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.31":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΝῦν τοῖσδε τοῖς γράμμασι καθάπερ προοιμίοις ἐστιῶμεν τὸν πόθον, σκιρτῶντα μὲν ὑπὸ θείας εὐφροσύνης, καὶ πρὸς τὴν θέαν ἐπειγόμενον, ἀδυνατοῦντα δὲ πρὸς τὸν μέλλοντα χρόνον ἠρεμεῖν, εἰ μή τινα παραψυχὴν ἐκ τῆσδε τῆς ἐπιστολῆς πορισάμενος, ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη ἐλπίδα δόξειε καταβάλλεσθαι βεβαίαν, τῆς μελλούσης φημὶ πανηγύρεως τὴν προσδοκίαν. Οὐκοῦν ὅσον τάχος ἐπείχθητι, ἑορτὴν ὑμῖν διὰ τῆς παρουσίας ἀποτίκτων.","t":"To Apollonius the bishop. Now with this letter, as with a prelude, we feast our longing, which leaps with divine gladness and presses on toward the sight of you, yet cannot rest until the time to come unless, having gained some comfort from this letter, it seems already to lay down from here a firm hope, I mean the expectation of the coming festival. Hasten, then, as fast as you can, bringing forth a feast for us by your presence.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.31 (PG 78 78:477; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-31)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.32":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΌσῳ κρείττω καὶ ἀξιολογώτερα ἐχειροτονήθης οἰκονομεῖν πράγματα, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον ἀκοίμητον καὶ διορατικώτατον εἶναί σε χρή· ἵνα μὴ, θείων διολισθήσας ἐγχειρημάτων, μείζονα ἀπενέγκῃ τὴν γραφήν. ᾿Ανάγκη γὰρ τὴν κατηγορίαν τοσαύτην ἔσεσθαι διαμαρτόντι τῶν μεγίστων, ὅσην ἂν καὶ τὴν ἀμοιβὴν, ἄμεμπτον διατηρήσαντι τὴν λειτουργίαν.","t":"To Heraclius the bishop. The greater and more important the affairs you were ordained to manage, the more sleepless and clear-sighted you must be, so that you may not slip in divine undertakings and bring on yourself a heavier indictment. For the charge against one who fails in the greatest things must be as great as the reward of one who keeps his ministry blameless.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.32 (PG 78 78:477; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-32)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.33":{"o":"ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΛίαν ἐπήνεσα τὴν σὴν θεοσέβειαν, τιμήσασαν τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς γνώμην, καὶ τῷ ἡγεῖσθαι λαχόντι τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ ἄριστα διεσκέφθαι ἀπονενεμηκυίαν ψῆφον.","t":"To Ischyrion the presbyter. I greatly praised your Godliness for honouring your father's judgment and for giving the vote for the best counsel to the one whose lot it is to lead.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.33 (PG 78 78:477; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-33)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.34":{"o":"ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΩ.\nΠερὶ λήθης. Οὐκ ἐκτὸς ἀνθρωπίνου πάθους ἡ λήθη [συμβαίνει]· συμβαίνει δὲ ὅμως, καθάπερ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα νοσήματα. Ἔπεισι γὰρ τὰς ψυχὰς ὧν ἡ μνήμη κεχώρισται. ᾿Αλλὰ τότε φεύγει καὶ οἴχεται, ὅταν τις αὐτὴν τοῖς τῆς μνήμης ὅπλοις καταγωνίσηται. Ἐπεὶ γοῦν ὅτε μὲν μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἦσθα, μνήμην ἄληστον εἶχες τῆς ἀρετῆς· ἀποφοιτήσας δὲ λήθῃ, ὡς ἐπυθόμεθα, ἐκδέδωκας σαυτόν· ἀναγκαῖον ᾠήθημεν ταύτην κατατοξεῦσαι γράμμασιν, ἵνα τὴν ἀφανισθεῖσαν μνήμην ἐπανάξωμεν. Οἰχέσθω τοίνυν ἡ λήθη κατὰ κρημνῶν, ἵν᾿ ἐκλάμψῃ πάλιν τῆς μνήμης ἡ χάρις.","t":"To Dionysius. [On forgetfulness.] Forgetfulness is not outside human weakness; yet it happens like other diseases. It comes upon souls from which memory has departed, but it flees and is gone when someone defeats it with the weapons of memory. Since, then, while you were with us you had an unforgetting memory of virtue, but since leaving have given yourself up to forgetfulness, as we hear, we thought it necessary to shoot it down with a letter, so as to bring back the vanished memory. Let forgetfulness go over the cliffs, then, so that the grace of memory may shine out again.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.34 (PG 78 78:477; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-34)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.35":{"o":"ΜΑΚΑΡΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΤῶν δυσπραγέντων ἕκαστος, ἐλέους ἐστὶ καὶ οἴκτου ἄξιος, κατοδυρόμενος τὰς ἑαυτοῦ συμφοράς. Ἐὰν δὲ πρὸς τὸ συκοφαντεῖν ἑτέρους καὶ ἐπηρεάζειν τρέπηται, καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ ταῖς δυσπραγίαις ἔλεον, ὡς οἶσθα, ἀπόλλυσιν· οὐκ ἔτι γὰρ οἴκτου, μίσους δ' ἄξιος [εἶναι] κρίνεται, εἰς φιλοπραγμοσύνην τῇ συμφορᾷ καταχρώμενος. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν χρὴ τὰ σπέρματα τῆς φιλοπραγμοσύνης ἀρχόμενα ἐκκόπτειν πρὶν ἀναφυῆναι, καὶ ἀκάθεκτα γενέσθαι, καὶ κίνδυνον τεκεῖν αὐτῷ τῷ καταρξαμένῳ (ὁ γὰρ συκοφαντούμενος παρὰ πάντων ἐπὶ καλοκαγαθίᾳ ᾄδεται)· καταξίωσον μεταπέμψασθαι τὸν ὑπὸ τῆς συμφορᾶς μεθύοντα, καὶ πεῖσαι ἀποσχέσθαι ἀοιδίμου ἀνδρός. — ΠΕΤΡΟ. Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας· Τί ἐστι τὸ, « Συγκόψουσι τὰς μαχαίρας αὐτῶν εἰς ἄροτρα;» οἶμαι, μᾶλλον δὲ πέπεισμαι, σαφῶς τοῦτο πεπροφητεῦσθαι, ὅτι τὸ τῆς εἰρήνης ἄροτρον, φημὶ δὴ τὸ θεῖον περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ κήρυγμα, τὰς φιλοπολέμους τιθασσεύσει χώρας, ὧν τὰ ἀμυντήρια τῆς κακίας, εἰς τὰ βιωφελῆ τῆς γεωργίας μετασκευασθήσεται ὄργανα. Ἐπειδὴ σκανδαλιζόμενος, ὡς γέγραφας, τῷ βίῳ Ζωσίμου τοῦ πρεσβυτέρου, τοὺς βαπτιζομένους ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, εἰς τὰ καίρια καὶ ἀναγκαιότατα ἡγῇ παραβλάπτεσθαι· ἀντεπιστεῖλαι τὴν ταχίστην δίκαιον ᾠήθην, ὅτι ὁ τελούμενος οὐδὲν παραβλάπτεται εἰς τὰ σωτηριώδη σύμβολα, εἰ ὁ ἱερεὺς μὴ εὖ βιοὺς εἴη· ἀλλὰ αὐτὸς μὲν πάντως (χρὴ γὰρ διαβεβαιώσασθαι) ἀπολαύσει τῶν θείων ἐκείνων καὶ λόγου κρειττόνων εὐεργεσιῶν· ὁ δὲ ἱερεὺς τοῦ ἰδίου βίου ἀργαλεώτερον ὑφέξει λόγον, καὶ τοσαύτη αὐτῷ προσθήκη κολάσεως γεν[ν]ήσεται, ὅση καὶ τιμὴ αὐτῷ ὑπῆρκται. Ὁ γὰρ μηδὲ τῷ ἱερωσύνῃ τετιμῆσθαι, γενόμενος ἀγαθὸς, μείζονος ἂν εἴη κολάσεως εἰκότως ἄξιος. Μηδεὶς τοιγαροῦν τῶν μυουμένων τὴν θείαν ἐκείνην τελετὴν, ἥτις τοὺς οὐρανοὺς τοῖς μυηθεῖσιν ἀνοίγει, φροντιζέτω, ὡς ταύτῃ παραβλαπτόμενος εἰς τὰ τῆς σωτηρίας συνθήματα, μηδ' ὅταν πταίσειεν, εὐπρόσωπον ἡγείσθω ἔχειν ἀπολογίαν τὸν τοῦ ἱερέως βίον. Ταῦτα δέ φημι, οὐχ ὡς πάντων τῶν ἱερέων τοιούτων ὄντων, μὴ γένοιτο (εἰ γὰρ καὶ τισι πρόσεστι ταῦτα τὰ ἐγκλήματα, τινῶν ἄπεστι. Καὶ εἰ μή τισι πρόσεστι κατορθώματα, οὐδὲ πάντων ἄπεστιν)· ἀλλὰ δεῖξαι θέλων, ὡς κἂν πάντες εἶεν τοιοῦτοι, οὐδὲν ὁ φωτιζόμενος παραβλάπτεται Εἱ δὲ λογισμούς οἴει ταῦτ᾽ εἶναι ἀνθρώπων, ἀπὸ τῶν θείων σε πιστώσασθαι λογίων πειράσομαι. Τί γὰρ τοῦ Βαλαὰμ γέγονε μιαρώτερον; ᾿Αλλ' ὅμως τῇ γλώττῃ αὐτοῦ εἰς εὐλογίας κατεχρήσατο ὁ Θεός. Τί δὲ τοῦ Καϊάφα; ᾿Αλλ' ὅμως προεφήτευσε, καὶ ἡ χάρις τῆς μὲν γλώττης ἥψατο, τῆς δὲ γνώμης οὐχ ἥψατο. Εἰ δὲ καὶ παραδοξότερόν τι ἐθέλεις μαθεῖν, διὰ κόρακος, ἀκαθάρτου πτηνοῦ, τὸν οὐρανοδρόμον ἔτρεφεν Ἠλίαν Μὴ τοίνυν ἀμφίβαλλε, εἰ δι' ἱερέων τινῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν (οὐδὲ γὰρ πάντων καταψηφίσασθαι χρή, οὐδὲ δίκαιον) τὰ θεῖα καὶ ὑπερφυῆ δίδοται χαρίσματα.","t":"To Macarius the bishop. Each of the unfortunate deserves pity and compassion while he bewails his own misfortunes. But if he turns to slandering and abusing others, he loses, as you know, even the pity due to his misfortunes; for he is judged no longer worthy of compassion but of hatred, since he uses his misfortune for meddling. Since, then, the seeds of meddling must be cut out as they begin, before they spring up, grow uncontrollable, and bring danger on the one who started them (for the man who is slandered is celebrated by all for his goodness), deign to summon the man drunk with misfortune and persuade him to keep away from a celebrated man. [Letter 2.36] To Peter. Since you wrote, \"What is meant by 'They shall beat their swords into ploughs'?\", I think, or rather I am persuaded, that this was clearly prophesied: the plough of peace, I mean the divine preaching about Christ, will tame warlike lands, and their weapons of wickedness will be refashioned into the useful tools of farming. [Letter 2.37] Since, scandalized, as you wrote, by the life of Zosimus the presbyter, you think that those baptized by him are harmed in what is vital and most necessary, I thought it right to reply as quickly as possible that the one being initiated is not harmed at all with respect to the saving symbols if the priest does not live well. He himself will certainly (for I must affirm it) enjoy those divine benefits that are beyond words, while the priest will render a harsher account of his own life, and his punishment will be increased as much as the honour he received. For one who did not become good even when honoured with the priesthood would rightly deserve greater punishment. Let none of those initiated into that divine rite, which opens the heavens to the initiated, worry that he is harmed by it with respect to the tokens of salvation; nor, whenever he stumbles, let him think the priest's life a plausible excuse. I say this not as though all priests were like this, God forbid (for if these charges attach to some, they are absent from others; and if some lack good deeds, not all lack them), but wishing to show that even if all were like this, the one being enlightened is not harmed at all. If you think these are human reasonings, I will try to convince you from the divine oracles. What was more abominable than Balaam? Yet God used his tongue for blessings. What than Caiaphas? Yet he prophesied, and grace touched his tongue but did not touch his mind. And if you wish to learn something still more paradoxical, God fed Elijah, who ran his course up to heaven, by a raven, an unclean bird. Do not doubt, then, whether the divine and supernatural gifts are given through some sinful priests (for one ought not to condemn all, nor is it just).","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.35 (PG 78 78:479; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-35)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.38":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ.\nΛίαν θαυμάζω, πῶς μήτε παραδείγματι ἐκβιασθεὶς, μήτε ἕξων τὸν μιμησόμενον (μὴ γὰρ δὴ γένοιτό τινα εἰς τοσοῦτον βάραθρον καταπεσεῖν, γένοιτο δὲ καὶ σὲ ἀνενεγκεῖν ἐκ τῆς ὀλεθρίου ταύτης μέθης), τοὺς ἀρεταῖς κομῶντας ἱερέας, καὶ πνευματικοῖς κατορθώμασι βρύοντας κακηγορεῖς, νομίζων ἀπολογίαν ἔχειν τῶν οἰκείων πραγμάτων τὴν τῶν ἄλλων κωμῳδίαν. Ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο, ὦ βέλτιστε, οὐκ ἔστιν· ἀλλὰ καὶ παρ᾽ ἀνθρώποις γέλωτα ὀφλισκάνεις καὶ κατάγνωσιν, καὶ παρὰ Θεοῦ πολλὰς ὑπομενεῖς τιμωρίας, ὅτι τε κακίαν ἠσπάσω, καὶ ὅτι τὴν ἀρετὴν ἡτίμασας, καὶ ὅτι τοὺς ταύτης τροφίμους ἐκακηγόρησας, καὶ ὅτι εἰς τὴν ἱερωσύνην παροινήσας ἐξύβρισας, ὡς τοὺς πλείστους τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἵνα μὴ λέγω πάντας, σκανδαλισθέντας ὑπὸ σοῦ, νομίσαι εἰς τὰ τῆς σωτηρίας παραβεβλάφθαι σύμβολα. Ἵν' οὖν τούτων ἁπάντων ἀπαλλαγείης τῶν κακῶν (εὔχομαι γὰρ), γνῶθι σαυτόν.","t":"To Zosimus. I greatly wonder how, neither driven by any example nor likely to have anyone to imitate you (for may no one fall into so deep a pit, and may you too come up out of this deadly drunkenness), you slander priests who flourish in virtues and abound in spiritual achievements, thinking that the ridicule of others is a defence of your own conduct. But it is not so, excellent friend, it is not. Rather, among men you incur laughter and condemnation, and from God you will undergo many punishments: because you embraced vice, because you dishonoured virtue, because you slandered those whom virtue has nourished, and because, raging drunkenly against the priesthood, you insulted it, so that most people, not to say all, scandalized by you, think that they have been harmed with respect to the symbols of salvation. So that you may be freed from all these evils (for I pray that you may), know yourself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.38 (PG 78 78:481; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-38)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.39":{"o":"ΑΡΑΒΙΑΝΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ ὁποῖος ἂν ᾗ ἄριστος ἱερεύς. Μὴ μόνον μέμψεως κρείττονα οἴου δεῖν εἶναι σαυτὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπαίνων ἔμπλεων· τὸ μὲν γὰρ καὶ τῶν τυχόντων ἐστὶ, τὸ δὲ τῶν ἄκρων εἰς ἀρετήν.","t":"To Arabianus the bishop. [On what sort of priest is best.] Think that you must not only be above blame but also full of praise; for the first belongs even to ordinary people, the second to those at the summit of virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.39 (PG 78 78:481; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-39)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.4":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠῶς νοητέον τὸ, (Ἔχομεν τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσι. › Πολλὰ ἂν εἶχον γράψαι εἰς τὸ ῥητὸν ἀποστολικὸν, εἰ μὴ ἀπέστειλας μείζονα ἢ κατ᾿ ἐμὲ ἐγκώμια τυγχάνοντα, ἃ μικροῦ δεῖν τὴν σιωπὴν τιμῆσαι παρεσκεύασε. Πέπαυσο τοίνυν οὕτως [ἐπαινῶν]· τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἀφραίνοντας ὑπτιώσεις · τοὺς δὲ ἐχέφρονας, ἐρυθριᾷν παρασκευάσεις. Πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἀποχρώντως παραινέσας, [ὀλίγα] περὶ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς εἴποιμι ῥήσεως. Τὸ, « Ἔχομεν τοίνυν τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσι, » διττήν μοι δοκεῖ ἔννοιαν ἔχειν· ἢ ὅτι Ἔχομεν τὸν θησαυρὸν τοῦτον, τουτέστι τὸν οὐράνιον πλοῦτον, καὶ τὰ ὑπερφυὴ καὶ μείζονα τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀξίας χαρίσματα ἐν τῷ θνητῷ τούτῳ σώματι, ὀστρακίνῳ δικαίως κληθέντι, ἐπειδήπερ ἐκ γῆς γέγονεν· ἢ ὅτι Ἔχομεν τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς θείας σοφίας ἐν ταῖς ἱεραῖς Γραφαῖς, εὐτελέσι καὶ ἰδιωτικαῖς λέξεσι καὶ παραδείγμασιν ἐμπεριεχόμενον Ὅτι γὰρ τοῦτο δηλοῖ, ἐπήγαγε καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν, « ἵνα ἡ ὑπερβολὴ τῆς δυνάμεως ἢ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ μὴ ἐξ ἡμῶν.» Οἱ γὰρ ὁρῶντες τοὺς κήρυκας τοῦ λόγου, ἀμαθεῖς μὲν ὄντας καὶ ἰδιώτας καὶ ἀσθενεῖς (ἐτύπτοντο γὰρ καὶ ἠλαύνοντο πάντοθεν), περιγινομένους δὲ καὶ νικώντας, τὸν Θεὸν ἐδόξαζον. Ἡ γὰρ δύναμις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ τῶν ἀποστόλων ἐδείκνυτο μειζόνως καὶ διέλαμπεν· ὅτι ἀσθενεῖς ὄντες, τῶν ἰσχυρῶν περιεγένοντο· καὶ πένητες ὄντες, τῶν πλουσίων ἐκράτουν· καὶ ἰδιῶται τυγχάνοντες, τῶν σοφῶν περιῆσαν.","t":"To the same. [How to understand \"We have this treasure in earthen vessels.\"] I could have written much on the apostolic saying, had you not sent praises greater than befit me, which almost made me prefer silence. Stop praising like this, then: you will make the foolish conceited and the sensible blush. Still, having admonished you enough, let me say a little about the apostolic saying. \"We have this treasure in earthen vessels\" seems to me to have a double meaning: either that we have this treasure, that is, the heavenly wealth and the supernatural gifts greater than our worth, in this mortal body, which is rightly called earthen because it came from earth; or that we have the wealth of divine wisdom in the sacred Scriptures, contained in plain, common words and examples. To show that this is what it means, he added the reason: \"so that the surpassing greatness of the power may be God's and not from us.\" For those who saw the heralds of the word, who were unlearned, common, and weak (for they were beaten and driven out on every side), yet prevailing and conquering, glorified God. God's power was shown and shone out the more in the weakness of the apostles, because, weak as they were, they overcame the strong; poor as they were, they mastered the rich; and, being common men, they surpassed the wise.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.4 (PG 78 78:459; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-4)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.40":{"o":"ΕΥΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠερὶ αὐταρκείας. Ἐπειδὴ πλείστας ἡ φύσις ἡμῶν ἀνάγκας ἔχουσα, μεγίστην ἔχει τὴν τῆς γαστρὸς (πολλὰ γὰρ ἡμῖν ἐπιτάττουσα, ἥκιστα λόγῳ πεισθῆναι βούλεται)· λογισμῷ [τὴν] τυραννίδα αὐτῆς περικόψωμεν, καὶ τὸ ἀχείρωτον χειρώσασθαι μηχανησώμεθα. Τοῦτο δὲ ἔσται, εἰ τῇ χρείᾳ τὴν ἀνάγκην θεραπεύσαιμεν, καὶ τῇ αὐταρκείᾳ τὴν ἀμετρίαν κολάσαιμεν.","t":"To Eudaemon the deacon. [On self-sufficiency.] Since our nature has very many necessities, and the greatest is that of the belly (for it gives us many orders and is least willing to be persuaded by reason), let us cut back its tyranny by reasoning and contrive to subdue what seems unsubduable. This will happen if we serve necessity with what it needs and punish excess with self-sufficiency.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.40 (PG 78 78:481; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-40)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.41":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ.\nΠερὶ κρίσεως. Οὐκ εἰς τὸ μὴ δοῦναι δίκην, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸ δοῦναι ἀργαλεωτέραν, εἰ μὴ γνωσιμαχήσειας, καὶ τὰς ἥττας πάσας ἀναμαχέσαιο, τὸ μηδέπω δοῦναι περιστήσεταί σοι. Τοῦ καταπεπλῆχθαι, οὔ φημι τοὺς ἄλλους (μικρὸν γὰρ ἴσως τοῖς πολλοῖς τοῦτο), ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸν Λιβάνιον τὸν ἐπ᾿ εὐγλωττίᾳ παρὰ πᾶσι βεβοημένον, τὴν τοῦ ἀοιδίμου Ἰωάννου γλῶτταν, καὶ τὸ κάλλος τῶν νοημάτων, καὶ τὴν πυκνότητα τῶν ἐνθυμημάτων, τεκμήριον, ἡ ἐπιστολὴ ἐν ᾗ οὐ μόνον αὐτὸν μακαρίζει οὕτω δυνάμενον εἰπεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐγκωμιασθέντας, καὶ ταῦτα βασιλεῖς τυγχάνοντας, ὅτι δὴ τοιούτου ἐπαινέτου τετυχήκασιν. Ἔστι δὲ αὕτη· « Λιβάνιος Ἰωάννῃ. Δεξάμενός σου τὸν λόγον τὸν πολὺν καὶ καλὸν, ἀνέγνων ἀνδράσι λόγων καὶ αὐτοῖς δημιουργοῖς, ὧν οὐδεὶς ἦν, ὃς οὐκ ἐπήδα τε καὶ ἐβόα, καὶ πάντα ἔδρα τὰ τῶν ἐκπεπληγμένων. Ήσθην οὖν, ὅτι τῷ δεικνύναι τὴν τέχνην ἐν δικαστηρίοις προστίθης τὰς ἐπιδείξεις, καὶ μακαρίζω σε μὲν οὕτω δυνάμενον ἐπαινεῖν, ἐπαινέτου δὲ τοιούτου τετυχηκότας, τόν τε δόντα πατέρα, καὶ τοὺς λαβόντας υἱεῖς τὴν βασιλείαν. » Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν Λιβάνιος γέγραφε. Πλουτάρχῳ δὲ δοκεῖ τὸ σαφὲς καὶ λεῖον, γνήσιον εἶναι Αττικισμόν. « Οὕτω γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐλάλησαν οἱ ῥήτορες. Γοργίας δὲ ὁ Λεοντῖνος, πρῶτος τὴν νόσον ταύτην εἰς τοὺς πολιτικοὺς λόγους εἰσήγαγε, τὸ ὑψηλὸν καὶ [τὸ] τυπικὸν ἀσπασάμενος, καὶ τῇ σαφηνείᾳ λυμηνάμενος. Ἥψατο δὲ, φησὶν, ἡ νόσος αὕτη καὶ τοῦ θαυμαστοῦ Πλάτωνος. • Εἰ τοίνυν χρή (χρὴ δὲ) ἐν τούτῳ Πλουτάρχῳ πείθεσθαι, πλεονεκτεῖ τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας ὁ ἀοίδιμος Ἰωάννης, καὶ κατὰ τὴν φωνὴν ᾿Αττικίσας, καὶ σαφηνείᾳ, ὡς οὐκ οἶδ᾽ εἴ τις ἕτερος, χρησάμενος.","t":"To Zosimus. [On judgment.] It is not toward escaping punishment, excellent friend, but toward paying a harsher one, unless you change your mind and fight back against all your defeats, that your not yet having paid it will turn out for you. [Letter 2.42] That not only others (for perhaps that is a small thing for most people), but even Libanius himself, celebrated by all for his eloquence, was struck with amazement at the tongue of the celebrated John, the beauty of his thoughts and the density of his arguments, is proved by the letter in which he calls blessed not only John, for being able to speak so, but also those whom he praised, and these were emperors, for having found such a praiser. It is this: \"Libanius to John. Having received your long and fine speech, I read it to men who are themselves craftsmen of words, and there was not one of them who did not leap up and shout and do everything that people do when they are struck with amazement. I was glad, then, that to showing your art in the law courts you add display speeches, and I call you blessed for being able to praise so, and those who found such a praiser: the father who gave the kingdom and the sons who received it.\" So Libanius wrote. And Plutarch thinks that clarity and smoothness are genuine Atticism. \"For so,\" he says, \"the orators spoke. Gorgias of Leontini first brought this disease into political speeches, embracing the lofty and the stylized and ruining clarity. And this disease,\" he says, \"touched even the admirable Plato.\" If, then, one must (and one must) believe Plutarch in this, the celebrated John surpasses all others, both writing Attic in his diction and using clarity as I do not know whether anyone else has.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.41 (PG 78 78:483; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-41)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.43":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΦίλωνος χρῆσις Περὶ ἀναστάσεως. Τὸν τῆς ἀναστάσεως τῶν σωμάτων λόγον ἔφης, ὡς ἀδύνατον, γελᾶσθαι παρ' Ἕλλησιν. Οὐκοῦν χρὴ, ἐπειδὴ τὰς ἱερὰς παραγράφονται Γραφὰς, ἐκ λογισμῶν καὶ ἀποδεικτικῆς τάξεως, ἀναγκαστικὸν κατασκευάσαι λόγον, παρασκευάζοντα ἡμᾶς τὸ σαφὲς συνιδεῖν. Εἰ μὲν οὖν σοφοὶ εἶεν, λογισάσθωσαν, ἅ φασιν οἱ φιλόσοφοι. Ἐκεῖνοι γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν τεσσάρων στοιχείων τὴν οὐσίαν τὴν σωματικὴν κεκρᾶσθαι φάσκοντες, τρεπτὴν αὐτὴν ὑποτίθενται, ἅτε ῥᾳδίως τῶν στοιχείων εἰς ἄλληλα μεταχωρούντων. Παχυνόμενον [μὲν] γὰρ τὸ πῦρ, καὶ κάτω βρῖσαν, ἀέρα γίνεσθαι· τὸν δὲ ἀέρα, ὕδωρ· τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ, γῆν. Καὶ ἀνάπαλιν λεπτυνομένην τὴν γῆν, ὕδωρ γίνεσθαι· τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ, ἀέρα· τὸν δὲ ἀέρα, πῦρ. Τί τοίνυν ἄπιστόν φαμεν, εἰ τὸ σῶμα τοῦτο, τὸ νῦν γῆς πλεῖστον μέτοχον, έκλεπτυνόμενον, αἰθέριον γίνεσθαί φαμεν καὶ πνευματικόν; ᾿Ανίστασθαι γὰρ λέγομεν αὐτὸ, οὐ τοιοῦτον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον μετακοσμηθὲν, καὶ τὴν φθορὰν ἅπασαν καὶ τὰ πάθη ὥσπερ ἐν χωνευτηρίῳ ἀποθέμενον. Εἰ μὲν οὖν σοφοὶ εἶεν [οἱ] ταῦτα λογιζόμενοι, παυσάσθωσαν τῆς ἀπιστίας. Εἰ δὲ καὶ λόγων ἄμοιροι, καὶ διαλεκτικῆς γυμνασίας ἄπειροι τυγχάνοντες, ἔροιντο, τί ἐστι τοῦτο ἢ τὸ τοιοῦτο· δι᾽ ὑποδείγματος βαδιεῖται ὁ λόγος, δεικνὺς καὶ τοῖς ἰδιώταις τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Φαμὲν γὰρ, ἵνα καὶ παχυτέρῳ πρὸς τὴν σαφήνειαν τοῦ λεγομένου χρησώμεθα παραδείγματι, ὅτι ὥσπερ ἡ χρυσῖτις γῆ, λαμβάνουσα μὲν ὕδωρ, πηλὸς γίνεται, πυρὶ δὲ ὁμιλοῦσα χρυσὸς, καὶ οὐκ ἔτι πάσχει ἐκεῖνα ἃ πρώην ἔπασχεν· οὕτω καὶ τὸ σῶμα, ὁμιλῆσαν τῇ ἀθανασίᾳ καὶ τῇ ἀφθαρσία, ἀνάλωτον ἔσται καὶ ἄβατον πᾶσι τοῖς πάθεσιν οἷς νυνὶ εὐάλωτον καθέστηκεν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὴν δύναμιν τοῦ ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος αὐτὸ πεποιηκότος εὐγνωμόνως λογίσονται, οὐδὲ λογισμῶν τοιούτων δεήσονται. Ὁ γὰρ μὴ ὂν ποιήσας, πολλῷ μᾶλλον γεγενημένον ἀναστήσει.","t":"To Eustathius the presbyter. [A use of Philo. On the resurrection.] You said that the doctrine of the resurrection of bodies is laughed at by the Greeks as impossible. Since, then, they reject the sacred Scriptures, one must construct from reasonings and in demonstrative order a compelling argument that prepares us to see the matter clearly. If, then, they are wise, let them consider what the philosophers say. For they, asserting that bodily substance is mixed from the four elements, suppose it to be changeable, since the elements readily pass into one another: fire, thickening and sinking down, becomes air; air becomes water; water, earth; and conversely earth, being thinned, becomes water; water, air; and air, fire. What, then, is incredible in our saying that this body, which now shares mostly in earth, being thinned, becomes ethereal and spiritual? For we say that it rises, not such as it is now, but rearranged for the better, having put off all corruption and all passions as in a melting furnace. If, then, those who reason so are wise, let them stop their unbelief. But if, having no share in learning and being unpractised in dialectic, they ask what this or that is, the argument will proceed by example, showing the truth even to the unlearned. For we say, using a cruder example for the sake of clarity, that as gold-bearing earth, when it takes water, becomes mud, but in contact with fire becomes gold and no longer suffers what it suffered before, so too the body, in contact with immortality and incorruption, will be beyond the reach and access of all the passions to which it is now easily subject. And if they consider fairly the power of him who made it from nothing, they will not even need such reasonings. For he who made what did not exist will much more raise up what has come to be.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.43 (PG 78 78:485; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-43)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.44":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἱ μὲν δυνατὸν ἦν τὰ χρήματα μετὰ θάνατον ἀποκομίσαι μετὰ σαυτοῦ, μάλιστα μὲν οὐδ᾽ οὕτω τίμια ἦν, ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκεῖσε τιμαλφεστάτων ἐπισκοτούμενα· πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἐδόκει σκιάν τινα παραμυθίας σοι φέρειν. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο μὲν ἀδύνατον, δυνατὸν δὲ ταῦτ᾽ ἀμεῖψαι εἰς ἐλεημοσύνας ἀναλώσαντα, καὶ μάλιστα μηδὲ τῆς εὐπροσώπου δοκούσης εἶναι τῶν παίδων σκήψεώς σοι προσούσης· ἄμεινον τῆς προαιρέσεως γενέσθαι, ὃ τῆς ἀνάγκης ἐστίν. Εἰ δ᾽ οὐ βούλει παρασχεῖν, τί καὶ τὰ τῶν πενήτων ἁρπάζων οὐκ ἐρυθριᾷς; ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΟ. Πρὸς νηστεύοντας ἀσκητὰς ἄγαν. Πρὸς ἀσκητὰς ὑπεράγαν νηστεύοντας. Σύμμετρος ἔστω τῆς ἀρετῆς ὁ πόνος, ἵνα μὴ ἄμετρος γένηται τῆς μεταβολῆς ὁ τρόπος.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. If it were possible to take your money away with you after death, even so it would not be so precious, since it would be overshadowed by the far more precious things there; still, it might seem to bring you some shadow of comfort. But if that is impossible, while it is possible to exchange it by spending it on alms, especially since you have not even the excuse of children, which seems plausible, it is better that what is a matter of necessity should become a matter of choice. And if you are unwilling to give, why do you not blush even to seize what belongs to the poor? [Letter 2.45] To Alexander. [To ascetics who fast excessively.] Let the labour of virtue be measured, so that the swing back to the opposite may not be beyond measure either.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.44 (PG 78 78:485; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-44)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.46":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΚατὰ Ἑλλήνων. Εἰπὲ τῷ διενεχθέντι πρὸς σὲ, καὶ τὰ Ἑλλήνων πρεσβεύοντι φήσαντί τε, ὅτι καινήν τινα, καὶ παρὰ τὴν ἀρχαίαν συνήθειαν, εἰσηγήσατο πολιτείαν τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον, ὅτι· Ὦ σοφώτατε, κινδυνεύεις ἀγνοεῖν, ὅτι τὴν πονηρὰν συνήθειαν καινότης μόνη παύειν πέφυκε. Διὸ καὶ δεῦρο ἐφοίτησεν ὁ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου Δεσπότης, καὶ πολιτείαν οὐρανῷ πρέπουσαν εἰσηγήσατο. Εἱ μὲν οὖν παρήνει ἐμμένειν τοῖς καθεστηκόσιν, οὐδὲ ἂν ἐχρῆν καινοτομεῖν· εἰ δὲ τοῖς οὐκ ὀρθῶς διακειμένοις παρῆλθεν ἐπιτιμήσων, νεωτέρων ἔδει πραγμάτων, εἰς τὸ τὴν πονηρίαν τὴν κρατήσασαν λυθῆναι. Οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε ἦν, τῆς αὐτῆς ἀκοσμίας κρατούσης, γενέσθαι τὴν ἐπανόρθωσιν· ἀλλὰ ἀνάγκη τὸν ἐθέλοντα κινῆσαι καὶ ἀφανίσαι τὰ φαῦλα, τὰ μήπω νενομισμένα ἀντὶ τῶν πρότερον ἐπὶ ζημίᾳ κεκρατηκότων καταστῆσαι. Ὥστε τουναντίον θαυμάζειν εἰκὸς ἦν, εἰ μεταβολῆς ἕνεκα πραγμάτων, δεῦρ᾽ ἐπιφοιτήσας, μηδὲν καινὸν ἐπὶ τῶν νόμων παρεἴχε. Χρῆναι γὰρ προσήκει καὶ τὸν νομοθέτην, καὶ τὸν σύμβουλον, τὰ λυσιτελοῦντα φαίνεσθαι φράζοντα, μηδαμῶς ὑπολογιζόμενον, εἰ καινότητός τι πρόσεστι ταῖς γνώμαις. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸν τὰ μὴ λυσιτελῆ πείθοντα μισεῖν ἄξιον, κἂν δοκῇ τοῖς ἔθεσιν ἀκολουθεῖν· οὕτω τὸν μετὰ τοῦ βελτίστου παριόντα δίκαιον κροτεῖν, κἂν ἔξω τῶν καθεστηκότων παραινοίη. Εἰ μὲν οὖν βλάβην ἐνορᾷς τοῖς χρησμοῖς συνοῦσαν, δείκνυε, καὶ τὴν νικῶσάν σοι παραχωρήσω. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτ᾽ οὐκ ἔχων λέγειν, ὥσπερ ἰσχυροῦ τινος ἀντέχῃ τοῦ ἔθους οὐ λανθάνεις τῇ τῶν νενομισμένων εὐπρεπείᾳ τὸ συμφέρον παραιτούμενος. Οὐ γὰρ δεινὸν καινοτομεῖν, εἰ τοῦ λυσιτελοῦντος ἡ μερὶς τῷ καινῷ προσείη. Οὐ γὰρ χρόνῳ κρίνεται τὰ βλαβερὰ καὶ τὰ μὴ, ἀλλ᾽ εἰ εὑρεθείη μὲν ἐν τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις τῶν πραγμάτων κακία, εὑρεθείη δὲ ἐν τοῖς νεωτέροις ἀρετή. Ἔοικας δὲ σὺ νομίζειν τῷ ἐκ νέας ἡλικίας ἐν χαμαιτυπείοις καλινδουμένῳ μὴ δεῖν τὸν περὶ σωφροσύνης κατασπαρῆναι λόγον, μηδὲ τῷ ἀνδροφόνῳ τὸν περὶ ἐπιεικείας. Εἰ γὰρ ἐκείνων ἕκαστος τὴν συνήθειαν τοῦ πρέποντος προτιμήσειεν, μυρίοις ἑαυτὸν περιπείρῃ κακοῖς. Ποῖα παρεχώρησε τῷ Ἰακώβ ὁ Ἡσαῦ πρωτοτόκια. Οὐ τὸ καλεῖσθαι ἁπλῶς πρωτότοκον, ὦ προ[σ]φιλέστατε, ὡς ἡγῇ, παρεχώρησε τῷ Ἰακὼβ ὁ Ἡσαῦ, ἀλλὰ τὸ πατριαρχικὸν ἀξίωμα, τὸ τῇ ἀρετῇ μάλιστα καὶ οὐ τῇ πρεσβυγενείᾳ χρεωστούμενον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῷ πρωτοτόκῳ, ἢ τῷ πρεσβυτάτῳ, καὶ ἡ βασιλεία καὶ ἡ ἱερωσύνη, καὶ τὸ πατριαρχικὸν ἐχρεωστεῖτο ἀξίωμα, καὶ ὁ νόμος ὁ τῆς πρεσβυγενείας ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν αὐτὸν ἐκάλει, ἔρημος δὲ ἦν οὗτος ἀρετῆς, εἰς τοιαύτην ἀνάγκην κατέστη, ὥστε καὶ ἑκὼν πωλῆσαι, ὅπερ καὶ ἄκων ἀφαιρεθῆναι δίκαιος ἦν. Διὰ τι ὁ ᾿Ῥουβήμ, πρωτότοκος ὢν, οὔτε ίερωσύνης ἠξιώθη, οὔτε μὴν βασιλείας. Καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο, ὅ ἔφης, ὦ τᾶν, συνίστησιν ἀληθὲς ὂν, τὸ πρώην σοι παρ' ἐμοῦ γραφέν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐπελύττησε τῇ πατρώᾳ εὐνῇ ὁ Ῥουβείμ, διὰ τοῦτο οὔτε βασιλείας οὔτε ἱερωσύνης ἠξιώθη, καίτοι πρωτότοκος ὧν· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν Λευῖ τρίτος ὧν, οὐ μόνον διὰ τὸ ἐπαγγείλασθαι τὸν πατέρα δεκάτην ἀφιερώσειν (κάτωθεν γὰρ ἀριθμούμενος δέκατος ἦν, ἄνωθεν δὲ εἰ ἠριθμήθη, εἷς τῶν ἐκ παιδισκῶν ηὑρίσκετο), ἀλλὰ καὶ δι᾽ ὁσιότητα, καὶ τὸ συγγενικῶν αἱμάτων, διὰ τὴν εἰς τὸ Θεῖον τιμὴν, τὰς χεῖρας ἐμπλῆσαι, ἱερωσύνης ἠξιώθη. \"Ονπερ καὶ θαυμάζων ὁ Μωϋσῆς, ἐν ταῖς εὐλογίαις ἔλεγεν· «Ὁ λέγων τῷ πατρὶ ἢ τῇ μητρὶ, Οὐχ ἑώρακά σε, καὶ τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς αὐτοῦ [οὐκ] ἐπέγνω, ἐφύλαξε τὰ λόγια Κυρίου.» Ὁ δὲ Ἰούδας, τέταρτος ὢν, διὰ τὴν ἀδέκαστον κρίσιν, καὶ τὴν ὀρθὴν ψῆφον, βασιλείας ἠξιώθη. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλοὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα κρύπτοντες πλημμελήματα, ἑτέρους καταδικάζουσιν· οὗτος δὲ ἑαυτοῦ μὲν κατεψηφίσατο, τὴν δὲ πεπορνεῦσθαι νομισθεῖσαν ἀπήλλαξε τῆς τιμωρίας· διὰ τοῦτ᾽ εἰκότως τῆς βασιλείας ἠξιοῦτο. Ἱερῶντο γὰρ οἱ ἐκ Λευῖ, ἐβασίλευον δὲ οἱ ἐξ Ἰούδα, οὐ κατὰ ἀποκλήρωσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀρετῆς γέρας εἰληφότες. Ὅτε γοῦν τινες ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἐκ τοῦ Ῥουβεὶμ καταγόμενοι, καὶ νομίζοντες, ἱερωσύνης ἄξιοι εἶναι, διὰ τὸ τοῦ πρωτοτόκου εἶναι ἀπόγονοι, κατὰ τῶν ἱερωμένων ἐμάνησαν, Μωσέα νομίσαντες κατὰ χάριν τῷ τε ἀδελφῷ τοῖς τε ἀδελφιδοῖς τὴν ἱερωσύνην προπεπωκέναι· τότε δὴ σκηπτοῖς καὶ κεραυνοῖς οὐρανόθεν κατετοξεύοντο, τῆς δίκης οὐ τῇ πρεσβυγενείᾳ, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἀρετῇ, τὸ τῆς ἱερωσύνης γέρας βεβαιούσης.","t":"To Athanasius the presbyter. [Against the Greeks.] Say to the man who disputed with you, who champions the ways of the Greeks and said that the Gospel introduced a new way of life, contrary to ancient custom: \"Most wise sir, you seem not to know that only newness can stop an evil custom. That is why the Master of the Gospel came here and introduced a way of life fit for heaven. If he had been urging people to remain in what was established, there would have been no need to innovate; but if he came to rebuke those who were not rightly disposed, new measures were needed so that the wickedness that prevailed might be dissolved. For it was not possible for correction to happen while the same disorder prevailed; whoever wishes to remove and abolish what is bad must establish what is not yet customary in place of what formerly prevailed, to people's harm. So it would rather be astonishing if, having come here to change things, he had provided nothing new in the laws. For both a lawgiver and a counsellor ought to be seen to say what is beneficial, taking no account of whether there is anything new in their opinions. As one who persuades people to what is unprofitable deserves hatred even if he seems to follow customs, so it is right to applaud one who comes forward with what is best, even if he advises things outside what is established. If, then, you see harm attached to the oracles, show it, and I will concede you the victory. But if you cannot say this, and cling to custom as to something strong, it is plain that you refuse what is useful because of the respectability of what is customary. It is no terrible thing to innovate if the portion of what is beneficial belongs to the new. For harmful and harmless things are not judged by time, but by whether vice is found in the older things and virtue in the newer. You seem to think that the word about chastity should not be sown in one who has wallowed in brothels from his youth, nor the word about gentleness in a murderer. For if each of them preferred custom to what is fitting, he would pierce himself with countless evils.\" [Letter 2.47] [What birthright Esau gave up to Jacob.] It was not simply being called firstborn, dearest friend, that Esau gave up to Jacob, as you think, but the patriarchal dignity, which is owed above all to virtue and not to seniority of birth. For since kingship, priesthood and the patriarchal dignity were owed to the firstborn or eldest, and the law of seniority called him to rule, but he was destitute of virtue, he came to such a pass that he sold willingly what he would justly have been deprived of against his will. [Letter 2.48] [Why Reuben, though firstborn, was counted worthy neither of priesthood nor of kingship.] This very thing that you mentioned, my friend, confirms as true what I wrote to you before. Because Reuben raged against his father's bed, he was counted worthy neither of kingship nor of priesthood, though he was firstborn. Levi, though third, was counted worthy of the priesthood, not only because his father had promised to dedicate a tenth (for counted from the youngest he was tenth, while counting from the eldest the tenth would have been found among the sons of the maidservants), but also because of his holiness, and because, for the honour of God, he filled his hands with the blood of his kin. Moses admired him for this and said in the blessings: \"He who says to his father or his mother, 'I have not seen you,' and did not recognize his brothers, kept the words of the Lord.\" Judah, the fourth, was counted worthy of kingship because of his impartial judgment and right verdict. For whereas many hide their own offences and condemn others, he condemned himself and freed from punishment the woman thought to have committed sexual immorality; for this he was rightly counted worthy of kingship. For those from Levi served as priests and those from Judah reigned, not by lot, but receiving it as a prize of virtue. So when some in the wilderness who were descended from Reuben, thinking themselves worthy of the priesthood as descendants of the firstborn, raged against those serving as priests, thinking that Moses had given away the priesthood as a favour to his brother and his nephews, they were shot down from heaven with thunderbolts and lightning, justice confirming the prize of the priesthood not by seniority but by virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.46 (PG 78 78:487; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-46)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.49":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΟὐδὲ ὁ Ἰωσήφ, ὦ βέλτιστε, κατὰ χάριν βασιλείας ἠξιώθη. Πολλαῖς γὰρ ἀρεταῖς καὶ ἔτι μειράκιον ὧν ἐκόμα. Διὸ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτὸν ἠγάπα παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους αὑτοῦ υἱεῖς. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἑώρα αὐτὸν φθονούμενον, θεραπεύων ἐκείνων τὸν φθόνον, τῆς ἀγάπης τὴν ὑπόθεσιν ἔλεγεν, οὐκ ἐκ τῆς τοῦ παιδὸς τίκτεσθαι ἀρετῆς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῆς τελευταίας γονῆς. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦτο σκῆψις ἦν τοῦ πατρὸς, βουληθέντος σβέσαι τὸν πυρσευόμενον κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ φθόνον (ἐκ τούτου γὰρ ὑποσμυχόμενοι καὶ ψόγον πονηρὸν ἔπλασαν κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ), δῆλον ἐκεῖθεν. Εἰ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἡγαπᾶτο, ὅτι ὀψίγονος ἦν, ὁ ὀψιγονώτερος (Βενιαμὶν δὲ οὗτος ἦν), δίκαιος ἦν μᾶλλον ἀγαπηθῆναι. Αλλ', ὡς ἔφην, σοφωτάτην τοῦ πατρὸς σκῆψιν ὁ Μωσῆς εἰσηγήσατο. Ὅτι γὰρ ἐξαιρέτοις ἀρεταῖς, καὶ ἔτι μειράκιον ὢν, ἐκόμα, ἔδειξε καὶ ἡ νεότης, καὶ [ἡ] ἄλλη πᾶσα ἡλικία, οὐ τὰς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀρετὰς ἀπολέσασα, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐξήσασα, καὶ συνηβᾶν παρασκευάσασα. Ποίᾳ γὰρ ἀρετῇ οὐκ ἐστέφθη; Ἐπράθη δεύτερον, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀπώλεσε τὴν εὐγένειαν. Ἠγαπήθη παρὰ τοῦ δεσπότου διὰ τρόπων κοσμιότητα, καὶ οὐκ ἐπῆρεν αὐτὸν τοῦτο εἰς ἀλαζονείαν. Ἐφιλήθη παρὰ τῆς δεσποίνης, καὶ οὐ προὔδωκε τὴν σωφροσύνην. Ἐσυκοφαντήθη, καὶ ἤνεγκε γενναίως. Δεσμώτης ἐγένετο, καὶ οὐκ ἀπέπεσε τῷ φρονήματι. Ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ ἀνεκηρύχθη (ἡ ἑρμηνεία γὰρ τῶν ἐνυπνίων εἰς ἔργον ἦλθε)· καὶ ἀμεληθεὶς παρὰ τῶν βασιλικῶν δούλων, οὐκ ἐδυσχέρανεν. Ἐβασίλευσε· καὶ μετρίως ἤνεγκε, τὴν συκοφαντήσασαν δίκας μὴ ἀπαιτήσας. Τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς ὑποχειρίους ἔσχε καὶ οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἠμύνατο ὡς ἐχθροὺς, καίτοι ἀγνοούμενος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς εὐεργέτας ἡμείψατο. Τὴν ἀρχὴν τὴν Αἰγυπτιακὴν διεῖπε· καὶ ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ ἀνεκηρύττετο, καὶ διὰ πασῶν τῶν ἡλικιῶν τρόπαια τροπαίοις συνῆπτε. Μηδεὶς τοίνυν τῶν ἐν συμφοραῖς καταπιπτέτω, ἐντυφέσθω δὲ σπέρμα καλοκαγαθίας, καὶ πάντως ἢ ἐνταῦθα ἢ ἐκεῖσε ἀναλάμψει.","t":"To the same. Nor was Joseph, excellent friend, counted worthy of kingship as a favour. For even as a youth he flourished in many virtues, which is why his father loved him more than his other sons. But when he saw him envied, to heal their envy he said that the reason for his love arose not from the boy's virtue but from his being the last born. That this was a pretext of the father, who wished to quench the envy blazing against Joseph (for smouldering from this they even fabricated an evil report against him), is clear from this: if he was loved because he was late-born, the one born later still (that was Benjamin) would rather have deserved to be loved. But, as I said, Moses recorded the father's very wise pretext. That he flourished in exceptional virtues even as a youth was shown both by his youth and by all the rest of his life, which did not lose its first virtues but increased them and made them grow up with him. With what virtue was he not crowned? He was sold a second time, but he did not lose his nobility. He was loved by his master for the orderliness of his ways, and this did not lift him into arrogance. He was loved by his mistress, and he did not betray his chastity. He was slandered, and he bore it nobly. He became a prisoner, and he did not fall in spirit. He was proclaimed for his wisdom (for his interpretation of the dreams came true), and when he was neglected by the king's servants he was not vexed. He reigned, and bore it with moderation, not exacting punishment from the woman who had slandered him. He had his brothers in his power, and not only did not avenge himself on them as enemies, though he was unrecognized, but even repaid them as benefactors. He administered the government of Egypt and was proclaimed for wisdom and humanity, joining trophy to trophy through every age of his life. Let no one in misfortune, then, lose heart; let the seed of goodness be kindled within, and it will surely shine out, either here or there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.49 (PG 78 78:491; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-49)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.5":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ αὐτό. Ἔοικας τὴν κατάστασιν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, τὴν ἐπὶ τῶν προτέρων χρόνων, ἀγνοεῖν. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν γινώσκων περὶ τούτων ἠπόρησας. Ἐγὼ δὲ, δακρύσας θερμῶς, ὅτι τὰς θήκας ἔχοντες τοῦ πλούτου, τὸν πλοῦτον αὐτὸν διὰ ῥαθυμίαν, τόγε ἐμαυτοῦ φημι μέρος, ἀπωλέσαμεν, ἐπὶ τὸ σαφηνίσαι τὰ δηλωθέντα ἥξω. Οἱ ἀπόστολοι σῶμα ἔχοντες θνητὸν, καὶ πηλοῦ παντὸς ἀσθενέστερον, ἐλαυνόμενοί τε καὶ διωκόμενοι, νεκροὺς ἤγειρον, παραλυτικοὺς ἔσφιγγον, νοσοῦντας ἰῶντο, δαίμονας ἤλαυνον, προυφήτευον τὰ μέλλοντα, Πνεύματος ἁγίου παρουσίαν προυξένουν. Η οὐκ ἤκουσας τοῦ Σίμωνος φήσαντος αὐτοῖς, « Δότε κἀμοὶ τὴν ἐξουσίαν ταύτην, ἵνα ᾧ ἐὰν ἐπιθῶ τὰς χεῖρας, λαμβάνῃ Πνεῦμα ἅγιον;» Τί τούτου τοῦ πλούτου ἴσον; τί δὲ τιμαλφέστερον; Ἐγὼ εἰ πάσης τῆς γῆς συναγαγών τις τὰς βασιλείας, τὴν ᾿Ασσυρίων λέγω, καὶ Περσῶν, καὶ Μακεδόνων, καὶ Ῥωμαίων, μίαν τῷ λόγῳ ποιήσειε, καὶ παραβάλλοι τούτῳ τῷ πλούτῳ, ὡς ἀνοήτου παιδὸς καταγνώσομαι, καὶ μὴ εἰδότος διακρίνειν πραγμάτων φύσιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὰ τούτων μείζονα ἐννοήσειας, μείζονα ὄψει τὸν πλοῦτον· συνἔστιοι καὶ ὁμοτράπεζοι τοῦ πάντων Δεσπότου γεγένηνται, ὁμιλίας κατηξιώθησαν θείας, παιδεύσεως ὑπερφυοῦς, υἱοθεσίας καὶ φιλίας ἐντὸς ἐγένοντο. Οἷον γὰρ ὑπαρχοί τινες ἦσαν περὶ τὸν βασιλέα, ἀστέρες τῷ ἡλίῳ τῆς δικαιοσύνης συμπεριπολοῦντες, καὶ δεχόμενοι οὐχὶ δέλτους ἐξ ἐλέφαντος, ἴσως γέρας ἀνθρώπινον ὠδινούσας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξουσίας, οἷαν οὐδ᾽ οἱ τῆς γῆς βασιλεῖς ἔχουσιν. Ἐῤῥέθη γὰρ αὐτοῖς· «Ὅσα ἐὰν δήσητε ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἔσται δεδεμένα ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν λύσητε, ἔσται λελυμένα. » Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὰ ἐκεῖσε ἐπηγγελμένα αὐτοῖς ἀγαθὰ λογίσαιο, πλέον ἐκπλαγήσῃ. Εἰ δὲ τις ἀπιστεῖ τοῖς μέλλουσιν, ἀπὸ τῶν παρόντων ἀπόδειξιν λαμβανέτω. Ὁ γὰρ γῆς τε καὶ θαλάττης βασιλεύων, ἄπεισιν εἰς τὸ μνῆμα τοῦ ἀλιέως τὰ ὀστᾶ περιπτυξόμενος. Εἶδες τὸν ἀκήρατον πλοῦτον ἐν ὀστρακίνοις σκεύεσι κείμενον; Θέα καὶ τὴν θείαν σοφίαν εὐτελέσι λόγοις καὶ παραδείγμασι κραθεῖσαν. Εἰ γὰρ πρὸς τὴν αὐτοῦ ἀξίαν μόνον προσέσχεν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ μὴ πρὸς τὴν ὠφέλειαν τῶν ἐντευξομένων, οὐρανίοις ἂν καὶ θείοις λόγοις τε καὶ παραδείγμασιν ἐχρήσατο. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἀνθρώποις ἐνομοθέτει ἀσθενέσι τυγχάνουσι, καὶ ἀνθρωπίνων δεομένοις λόγων (οὕτω γὰρ ῥᾳδίως τὰ ὑπὲρ αὐτοὺς νοῆσαι ἠδύναντο), ἰδιωτικαῖς λέξεσιν ἐκέρασε τὰ θεῖα μαθήματα, ἵνα καὶ γυνὴ καὶ παῖς καὶ ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀμαθέστατος κερδάνῃ τι καὶ ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀκροάσεως. Τῆς γὰρ τῶν πολλῶν καὶ ἀγελαιοτέρων φροντίσας σωτηρίας ὁ λόγος, σαφηνείᾳ τοσαύτῃ διὰ φιλανθρωπίαν τοῦ νομοθέτου κραθεὶς, οὐδένα τῆς κατὰ δύναμιν ὠφελείας ἀποστερεῖ. Οὔτε δὲ τῶν σοφωτέρων ἡμέλησεν. Ἐν τοσαύτῃ γὰρ σαφηνείᾳ οὗτως ἀπόῤῥητοι λόγοι καθάπερ θησαυροί τινες ένοικοῦσιν, ὡς καὶ τοὺς σοφωτάτους καὶ ἐλλογιμωτάτους τῶν ἀνθρώπων πρὸς τὸ βάθος τῶν νοημάτων ἰλιγγιᾷν, καὶ παραχωρεῖν πολλάκις τῷ ἀκαταλήπτῳ τῆς","t":"To the same. [On the same.] You seem not to know the state of the Church in former times; had you known it, you would not have been at a loss about this. But I, having wept hot tears because, though we have the chests of the wealth, we have lost the wealth itself through carelessness (I speak of my own part), will come to explain what was meant. The apostles, having a mortal body, weaker than any clay, and being driven out and persecuted, raised the dead, made paralytics firm, healed the sick, drove out demons, foretold what was to come, and procured the coming of the Holy Spirit. Or have you not heard Simon saying to them, \"Give me also this power, that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit\"? What is equal to this wealth? What more precious? If someone gathered all the kingdoms of the earth (I mean the Assyrians', the Persians', the Macedonians', and the Romans'), made them one in his mind, and compared them with this wealth, I would condemn him as a foolish child who does not know how to tell the nature of things apart. And if you consider what is greater still, you will see the wealth greater: they became companions at the hearth and the table of the Master of all; they were counted worthy of divine converse and supernatural instruction; they came within adoption and friendship. For they were like prefects about the king, stars going round with the Sun of righteousness, receiving not ivory tablets, pregnant perhaps with some human honour, but an authority such as not even the kings of the earth have. For it was said to them: \"Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose will be loosed.\" And if you reckon the good things promised them in the world to come, you will be still more amazed. If anyone disbelieves what is to come, let him take proof from what is present: he who reigns over land and sea goes off to the tomb of the fisherman to embrace his bones. Do you see the pure wealth lying in earthen vessels? Behold also the divine wisdom mixed with plain words and examples. For if God had looked only to his own dignity, and not to the benefit of those who would read, he would have used heavenly and divine words and examples. But since he was giving laws to human beings who are weak and need human words (for so they could easily understand what is above them), he mixed the divine teachings with common expressions, so that a woman, a child, and the most unlearned of all people might gain something even from merely hearing. For the word, caring for the salvation of the many and the simpler sort, and mixed with such clarity by the lawgiver's love for humankind, deprives no one of the benefit he is able to receive. Nor did it neglect the wiser. For in such clarity unspeakable meanings dwell like treasures, so that even the wisest and most learned of men grow dizzy at the depth of its thoughts and often yield to the incomprehensibility of the …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.5 (PG 78 78:459; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-5)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.50":{"o":"ΙΩΑΝΝΗ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤῶν τοῦ πράου Δεσπότου καὶ σοφοῦ διδασκάλου αὐχούντων εἶναι δούλων καὶ φοιτητῶν, καὶ τὴν τῆς ἱερωσύνης λειτουργίαν κεκληρῶσθαι ἐναβρυνομένων, τινὲς μὲν εἰς τυραννίδα ἀπεχρήσαντο τῷ πράγματι, τινὲς δὲ εἰς χρηματισμὸν, τινὲς δὲ εἰς τρυφήν· καὶ ἄλλοι μὲν εἰς τὸ καὶ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ φίλους ἀγνοῆσαι, ἄλλοι δὲ εἰς τὸ ἐχθροὺς ἀμύνασθαι. Εἰσὶ δὲ οἳ τοὺς μὲν κοσμίως ζῶντας ἀπελαύνουσι, τοὺς δ' ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσχίστοις άλισκομένους, καὶ μείζονος βαθμοῦ ἀξιοῦσιν. Εἰ δὲ Εὐσέβιος, ὡς γεγράφηκας, τὰ πάντων ὁμοῦ ἐλαττώματα ἀπομαξάμενος, καὶ ἐγκρίνων μὲν οὓς οὐ χρή, χρηματιζόμενος δὲ καὶ τρυφῶν, καὶ ἑαυτὸν καὶ φίλους ἀγνοῶν, ἐχθρούς τε ἀμυνόμενος, καὶ εἰς τυραννίδα τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ ἀποχρώμενος, οὐδενὶ πλεονεκτήματι κεκόσμηται (οἱ γὰρ τὰ εἰρημένα δρῶντες, καὶ κατορθώμασί τισι πάντως εἰσὶ κεκοσμημένοι), μὴ θαυμάσῃς. Τὸ γὰρ μήτε ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ συνορᾶν τὸ δέον, μήτε συμβουλεύοντος ἀνέχεσθαι εἰς τοιαύτην ἐξώκειλε κακίαν, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς πάσῃ ἀρετῇ κομῶντας, καὶ κατὰ τὸν ἀποστολικὸν ζῶντας βίον καὶ τῶν μαθητῶν τοῦ Σωτῆρος διασώζοντας τὸν χαρακτῆρα (εἰσὶ γὰρ, εἰσὶ, κἂν μυριάκις τινὲς μαίνωνται, πάντας εἰς κακίαν ἐκπεπτωκέναι διαβεβαιούμενοι), οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀποδέχεται, οὐδὲ ζηλοῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ κακίζει, καὶ ἐξοστρακίζει. Ἔλεγχον γὰρ τοῦ οἰκείου βίου τὴν ἐκείνων πολιτείαν ἡγούμενος, διὰ τοῦ ἐκείνους αἰτιᾶσθαι, τὴν οἰκείαν κακίαν περιστέλλειν οἴεται. Μὴ τοίνυν ὀλιγώρει· ἀναλογοῦσαν γὰρ τοῖς πταίσμασι τὴν τιμωρίαν ὑφέξει.","t":"To John the deacon. Of those who boast of being servants and disciples of the gentle Master and wise Teacher, and who pride themselves on having been allotted the ministry of the priesthood, some have misused the office for tyranny, some for money-making, some for luxury; others so as to neglect both themselves and their friends, others so as to take vengeance on their enemies. And there are some who drive away those who live decently, while those caught in the most shameful things they deem worthy even of a higher rank. If Eusebius, as you wrote, has taken the impress of the faults of all of them together, admitting those he should not, making money and living in luxury, neglecting himself and his friends, avenging himself on his enemies, and misusing the priesthood for tyranny, and is adorned with no good quality (for those who do only some of these things are certainly adorned with some good deeds as well), do not wonder. For his neither seeing what is needed by himself nor bearing with anyone who advises him has run him aground in such wickedness that those who flourish in every virtue, who live the apostolic life and preserve the character of the Saviour's disciples (for they exist, they exist, even if some rave ten thousand times, insisting that all have fallen into vice), he not only does not welcome or emulate, but even reviles and banishes. For he regards their way of life as a refutation of his own, and thinks that by accusing them he can cover his own wickedness. Do not make light of it, then: he will undergo a punishment proportionate to his offences.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.50 (PG 78 78:491; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-50)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.51":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΦίλων γνησίων καὶ δι᾿ ἄκραν ἀρετὴν τὰς φιλίας ἀσπαζομένων ἔρημος οὐκ ἂν εἴης, ἕως ἂν ἧς τοιοῦτος, οἷόσπερ εἷ. Δεινὸς γὰρ εἱ θηρατὴς τοῦ πράγματος, ἀντὶ ἀρκύων ἔχων τοὺς τρόπους. Χρῶ τοίνυν αὐτοῖς · καὶ πάντες, οἷς ἀρετῆς λόγος, ἕξουσί σε φίλον.","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. You will never be without genuine friends, who embrace friendships for the sake of high virtue, as long as you are the man you are. For you are a skilful hunter of the thing, having your character for nets. Use it, then, and all who care for virtue will have you as a friend.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.51 (PG 78 78:493; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-51)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.52":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΘεῖον μέν τι χρῆμα ἡ ἱερωσύνη, καὶ τῶν ὄντων ἁπάντων τὸ τιμιώτατον. Ὑβρίζουσι δὲ εἰς αὐτὴν μάλιστα πάντων οἱ κακῶς αὐτὴν μεταχειριζόμενοι · οὓς ἱερᾶσθαι παντάπασιν οὐκ ἐχρῆν, ἵνα μὴ οἱ ἀνόητοι τὰ τῶν κακῶς αὐτὴν μετιόντων ἐγκλήματα εἰς αὐτὴν τρέπειν τολμῷεν. Τῶν γὰρ καθυβριζόντων αὐτὴν ἀφέμενοι εἰς αὐτὴν τρέπουσι τὰς αἰτίας, ἣν ἐχρῆν καὶ ἐκδικίας τυχεῖν, ὡς παροινουμένην παρὰ ἀνδρῶν μιαρῶν, καὶ οἷς οὐ θέμις αὐτῆς προσάπτεσθαι. Εἰ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν κοσμικῶν ἀρχῶν, ἄλλο μὲν τοί ἐστι τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἄλλος δὲ ὁ οὐ δεόντως αὐτὸ μετιών· καὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς τὴν οἰκείαν ἐχούσης τάξιν τε καὶ ἀξίαν, ὁ παροινήσας εἰς αὐτὴν, δίκην δίδωσι τὴν ἐσχάτην· δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν ἐπὶ τῆς ἱερωσύνης συγχέουσι τὰ πράγματα, καὶ τὰ τῶν οὐ δέοντως αὐτὴν μεταχειριζομένων ἁμαρτήματα εἰς αὐτὴν ἀναφέρειν πειρῶνται; Παυέσθωσαν οὖν οἱ δι' Εὐσέβιον καὶ Ζώσιμον, Παλλάδιόν τε καὶ Μάρωνα τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἐξευτελίζοντες, καὶ μὴ καθ' ἑαυτῶν τὸ τῆς δίκης ξίφος ἀκονάτωσαν· ἀλλ' ἐκείνους μὲν, εἰ φιλοσοφεῖν οὐκ ἀνέχονται, κακιζέτωσαν, ὡς ἀλάστορας, καὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐχθρούς · ταύτην δὲ ἀνυμνείτωσαν καὶ στεφανούτωσαν, ὡς πρυτανεύουσαν πᾶσι τὰ πρέποντα. Δι' αὐτῆς γὰρ καὶ ἀναγεννώμεθα, καὶ τῶν θείων μετέχομεν μυστηρίων, ὧν ἄνευ, τῶν οὐρανίων μετασχεῖν οὐχ οἷόν τε γερῶν, κατὰ τοὺς ἀψευδεῖς τῆς ἀληθείας χρησμούς, ποτὲ μὲν λεγούσης, « Ἐὰν μὴ τις γεννηθῇ ἐξ ὕδατος καὶ Πνεύματος, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθῃ εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν· · ποτὲ δὲ, «Ἐὰν μὴ τις φάγῃ μου τὴν σάρκα, καὶ πίῃ μου τὸ αἷμα, οὐκ ἔχει μέρος μετ' ἐμοῦ. Εἰ τοίνυν ἄνευ τούτων οὐχ οἷόν τε τῆς θείας ἀξιωθῆναι λήξεως, ταῦτα δὲ δι᾽ οὐδενὸς ἑτέρου ἢ τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἐπιτελεῖται · πῶς ἔστι τινὰ αὐτῆς καταφρονοῦντα μὴ εἰς τὰ θεῖα παροινῆσαι, καὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῆς καταφρονῆσαι; Οὐκοῦν ἵνα μὴ ταῦτα γένηται, τὴν μὲν ἐκθειάζωμεν, τοὺς δὲ ἀναξίως αὐτὴν μετερχομένους δακρύωμεν, καὶ μὴ τὰ τούτων πταίσματα τῇ καὶ ἐκδικηθῆναι","t":"To Theodosius the bishop. The priesthood is something divine and the most precious of all that exists. But those who handle it badly insult it most of all; they ought never to have been priests, so that fools might not dare to turn onto the priesthood the charges against those who pursue it badly. For, letting go of those who outrage it, they turn the accusations against the priesthood itself, which ought rather to be vindicated, since it is abused by defiled men to whom it is not lawful even to touch it. For if in worldly offices the office is one thing and the man who pursues it improperly another, and, while the office keeps its own rank and dignity, the one who abused it pays the ultimate penalty, why do they confuse things in the case of the priesthood and try to attribute to it the sins of those who handle it improperly? Let them stop, then, who belittle the priesthood because of Eusebius and Zosimus, Palladius and Maron, and let them not whet the sword of justice against themselves. Let them revile those men, if they will not live wisely, as accursed and as enemies of piety and virtue; but let them hymn and crown the priesthood as presiding over what is fitting for all. For through it we are reborn and share in the divine mysteries, without which it is impossible to share in the heavenly rewards, according to the unlying oracles of the Truth, who says at one time, \"Unless someone is born of water and Spirit, he will not enter the kingdom of heaven,\" and at another, \"Unless someone eats my flesh and drinks my blood, he has no part with me.\" If, then, without these one cannot be counted worthy of the divine inheritance, and these are performed by nothing other than the priesthood, how can anyone who despises it avoid sinning against divine things and despising his own soul? So, that this may not happen, let us revere the priesthood as divine, weep for those who pursue it unworthily, and not [blame] their failings on that which ought rather to be vindicated …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.52 (PG 78 78:493; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-52)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.53":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ,\nΠερὶ καλλωπισμοῦ γυναικῶν. Τῶν γυναικῶν αἱ μὲν μὴ καρτεροῦσαι κρύψαι τὰς γυναικείας νόσους, εἰ μὲν εὔμορφοι εἶεν, καὶ πλούτῳ κομῶσαι, λίθων τιμαλφεστάτων αὐγαῖς πρὸς χρυσὸν κεκραμέναις ἐναβρύνονται· εἰ δὲ καὶ δύσμορφοι καὶ πενιχραὶ, χρίσμασι καὶ ὑπογραφαῖς ὀφθαλμῶν τὸ ἐπίκτητον σοφίζονται κάλλος. Αἱ δὲ σεμνότητος δόξαν ἔχειν βουλόμεναι, τῷ αὐτοφυεῖ μὲν ἀρκοῦνται κάλλει, ἀσκεῖν δ᾽ αὐτὸ ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον οὐ παραιτοῦνται. Αἱ δ᾽ ὄντως σώφρονες, περὶ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλειαν πᾶσαν τὴν σπουδὴν ἔχουσαι, θεραπεύειν μὲν μετρίως τὸ σῶμα ὡς ὄργανον τῆς ψυχῆς οὐ παραιτοῦνται· κοσμεῖν δ᾽ αὐτὸ καὶ ἐναβρύνειν, οὐ καταξιοῦσιν, ἵνα μὴ φύσει δοῦλον ὑπάρχον, τῆς τὴν ἀληθοῦς, ἡγεμονίαν ἐμπεπιστευμένης ψυχῆς καταθρασύνηται· ἀλλὰ παιδεύουσιν αὐτὸ τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπιγινώσκειν τάξιν, οὐδ᾽ ὑπέκκαυμα καὶ ἀσελγείας ὑπόθεσιν αὐτὸ καθάπερ δέλεαρ προτιθέασιν. Ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς τοῦ πυρὸς τούτου, ὡς ἐνδέχεται, ὑπεξαίρουσιν ὕλας. Ἤκουσα τοίνυν παρά τινος φιλαλήθους ἀνδρὸς διήγημα λόγου καὶ μνήμης ἄξιον, ὃ καὶ τῇ σῇ γυναικὶ δηλῶσαι ἐδικαίωσα, Ὅτι Ποτὲ νεανίσκου κατωφεροῦς καὶ γυναικοδούλου ἑωρακότος εὐειδεστάτην παρθένον, καὶ κατὰ κράτος ἁλόντος, καὶ πᾶσαν μηχανὴν κεκινηκότος ὥστ᾽ ἀπολαῦσαι τῆς ἐπιθυμίας, ἐκείνη παρὰ μὲν τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀπηγόρευσεν. Ἦν γὰρ καὶ εὐγενὴς, καὶ σώφρων, καὶ ἀνέπαφον καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ τὸ σῶμα διατηρεῖν τῷ Χριστῷ ἐπηγγελμένη. Ὡς δ᾽ ἤκουσεν αὐτὸν τὰ μαινομένων δρῶντα καὶ λυττῶντα, εὖρε μηχανὴν, δι' ἧς καὶ αὐτὴ ἀκέραιος διατηρηθείη, κἀκείνου σβέσει[ε] τὸ πῦρ. ᾿Αποκειραμένη γὰρ, μᾶλλον δὲ πᾶσαν τῶν τριχῶν ξυρήσασα τὴν εὐκοσμίαν, καὶ σποδῷ ὕδατι μεμιγμένῃ τὸ πρόσωπον χρίσασα, ἐκέλευσεν ἐκεῖνον πρὸς αὐτὴν εἰσελθεῖν. Εἶτα εἰσελθόντι ἔφη · Ταύτης τῆς ἀκοσμίας ἐρᾶς; Ὁ δὲ ὥσπερ ἐκ μανίας ἀνενεγκὼν, οὐ μόνον ἔσβεσε τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τὸ πῦρ, ἀλλὰ καὶ σωφροσύνης γέγονε θερμὸς ἐραστῆς. Συμβουλεύεται τοίνυν καὶ αὐτὸς (ἄμεινον γὰρ τῶν μελλόντων κακῶν ἀποτροπὴν εὐρεῖν ἢ τῶν ἤδη γεγενημένων δίκην λαβεῖν), μὴ κόσμῳ ἐπεισάκτῳ χρῆσθαι· μηδὲ τῷ πυρὶ τῷ ἐμφύτῳ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ καλλωπισμοῦ προστιθέναι ὕλην, ἵνα μὴ πτωμάτων ἐξαισίων πρόξενοι γένωνται.","t":"To Hierax the presbyter. [On the adornment of women.] Of women, those who cannot bear to hide the weaknesses of their sex, if they are beautiful and rich, pride themselves on the gleam of very costly stones set in gold; if they are ill-favoured and poor, they contrive an acquired beauty with ointments and eye-paint. Those who wish to have a reputation for dignity are content with their natural beauty but do not refuse to cultivate it for the better. But the truly chaste, giving all their zeal to the care of the soul, do not refuse to tend the body in moderation as the soul's instrument, but they do not deign to adorn and pamper it, lest, being a slave by nature, it grow insolent against the soul, which has been entrusted with true rule. Rather they train it to recognize its proper rank, and do not set it out like bait, as kindling and occasion for licentiousness; indeed they remove the fuel of this fire as far as they can. Now I heard from a truth-loving man a story worth telling and remembering, which I thought right to make known to your wife as well. Once a young man prone to lust and enslaved to women saw a most beautiful virgin, was overpowered, and set every device in motion to satisfy his desire. At first she refused; for she was noble and chaste, and had promised to keep both soul and body untouched for Christ. But when she heard that he was acting like a madman and raving, she found a device by which she herself would be kept intact and he would quench his fire. She cut off her hair, or rather shaved away all its beauty, smeared her face with ashes mixed with water, and bade him come in to her. When he came in, she said: \"Is it this ugliness you love?\" And he, as if recovering from madness, not only quenched the fire of his desire but became an ardent lover of chastity. So, then, the advice is (for it is better to find a way of averting evils to come than to punish those already done) not to use imported adornment, nor to add the fuel of cosmetics to the natural fire, lest women become the cause of monstrous falls.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.53 (PG 78 78:495; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-53)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.54":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ.\n῞Οτι μακάριον τὸ διὰ Χριστὸν λοιδορεῖσθαι. Ωσπερ οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἀνδρείᾳ καὶ μεγαλοψυχία φραξάμενοι, καὶ τῇ θείᾳ συμμαχίᾳ θωρακισθέντες, τοσούτοις πολέμοις συῤῥαγέντες ἀρκοῦσαν εἶχον παράκλησιν τὴν των ἀγώνων ὑπόθεσιν (οὐ γὰρ ὑπὲρ οἰκείας, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ τῆς Δεσποτικῆς δόξης ἔπασχον, ἅπερ ἔπασχον· διὸ οὐδὲ φθόνος ὁ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἀεὶ ἐπωδίνων αὐτοὺς ἠδίκησεν)· οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς ὅταν μὴ δι' οἰκείαν σκαιότητα, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν εὐσέβειαν καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην πάσχωμεν, ἀλύειν οὐκ ὀφείλομεν. Ἀρκεῖ γὰρ ἡμῖν πρὸς κόσμον, καὶ πρὸ τῶν μελλόντων στεφάνων, ἡ τῶν ἀγώνων ὑπόθεσις.","t":"To Apollonius. [That it is blessed to be reviled for Christ.] As the apostles, fenced about with courage and greatness of soul and armoured with the divine alliance, when they met so many wars had sufficient comfort in the cause of their contests (for they suffered what they suffered not for their own glory but for the Master's, and so not even envy, which is always in labour against the good, did them wrong), so we too, when we suffer not for our own folly but for piety and righteousness, ought not to be distressed. For the cause of our contests is adornment enough for us, even before the crowns to come.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.54 (PG 78 78:497; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-54)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.55":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ φιλανθρωπίας. Χρὴ, ὦ φίλε, καὶ πρὸς πολεμίους ἱκετεύοντας σπένδεσθαι. Ὁ γὰρ μὴ σπενδόμενος, ἀλλ᾿ ἀνθρώπους ἱκέτας [τὰς] τῆς ἀνάγκης ἀφιέντας φωνάς, καὶ μηκέτι ἐκ τοῦ ἴσου μαχομένους τιμωρούμενος, καὶ μήτε οἴκτῳ καταιδέσας τὸν θυμὸν, μήτε ἐπὶ τὸ τῆς φύσεως χωρήσας συγγενές τε καὶ οἰκεῖον, καὶ τὸ τῆς νίκης διαφθερεί καλὸν, καὶ παρὰ πάντων, ὡς ἀτίθασσον κακισθήσεται θηρίον, καὶ τὴν θείαν οὐ διαφεύξεται δίκην.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. [On humanity.] One must, my friend, make terms even with enemies when they supplicate. For whoever does not make terms, but punishes men who are suppliants, uttering the cries of necessity and no longer fighting on equal terms, and who neither shames his anger into pity nor turns to the kinship and affinity of nature, will both ruin the glory of his victory and be reviled by all as an untamed beast; and he will not escape divine justice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.55 (PG 78 78:497; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-55)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.56":{"o":"ΑΛΦΕΙΟ ΥΠΟΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΔιὰ τί εἶπεν ὁ Παῦλος· « \"Αρτι γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους. • • ῎Αρτι γινώσκω ἐκ μέρους », ἔφη ὁ ἱερὸς ᾿Απόστολος, γινώσκων ὅτι τὸ Θεῖον κἀνταῦθα τὴν περιουσίαν τῆς οἰκείας σοφίας ἔδειξεν ἂν, εἰ τὸ δεξόμενον ἱκανὸν ἦν δέξασθαι τὴν νυνὶ μὲν ἀχώρητον γνῶσιν, χωρηθησομένην δὲ κατὰ τὸ ἐνδεχόμενον ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι. Περὶ αὐταρκείας βρωμάτων. Τὸ σῶμα, ὦ βέλτιστε, τροφῆς δεῖται οὐ τρυφῆς, ὀλιγοδεΐας οὐ πλησμονῆς, αὐταρκείας οὐ πολυτελείας. Αἱ μὲν γὰρ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ τὸ σῶμα ὠφελοῦσιν, ὑγείαν καὶ ῥώμην καὶ εὐεξίαν τίκτουσαι· αἱ δ᾽ ἄμφω καταβλάπτουσιν, οὐ μόνον τὴν ὑγείαν διαφθείρουσαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ νοσήματα ἀργαλεώτατα ὠδίνουσαι. Απόδειξις δὲ σαφής, τὸ τοὺς τῆς ὀλιγοδείας ἀσκητὰς, τῶν τὸν ἁβροδίαιτον ἑλομένων βίον καὶ συνετωτέρους καὶ σωφρονεστέρους καὶ ὑγιεινοτέρους εἶναι.","t":"To Alpheus the subdeacon. [Why Paul said, \"Now I know in part.\"] \"Now I know in part,\" said the holy Apostle, knowing that God would have shown the abundance of his own wisdom even here, if the one receiving it were able to receive the knowledge that cannot now be contained, but will be contained, as far as possible, in the age to come. [Letter 2.57] [On sufficiency in food.] The body, excellent friend, needs nourishment, not luxury; frugality, not surfeit; sufficiency, not extravagance. The former benefit both soul and body, producing health, strength and good condition; the latter harm both, not only destroying health but also breeding most grievous diseases. A clear proof is that those who practise frugality are more intelligent, more self-controlled and healthier than those who have chosen a delicate way of life.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.56 (PG 78 78:499; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-56)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.58":{"o":"ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ.\nἜοικας ἀπὸ ταπεινοῦ καὶ φαύλου φρονήματος, μήτε τὴν μεγαλόνοιαν τὴν παντὸς ἐπέκεινα θαύματος, μήτε τὸν καινὸν καὶ παράδοξον, καὶ πάντας τοὺς οὐρανοὺς ὑπερβάντα ἀποστολικὸν ἔρωτα καταδέχεσθαι. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ νῦν ἀσφαλὲς εἶναί σοι δοκεί τὸ λεχθὲν, εὖ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι, ὅταν αὐτὸ σαφέστερον φράσω, τότε πάλιν ἄπιστον εἶναί σοι δόξει, ὁ πρότερον ἀσφαλὲς, διὰ τὸ οὕτω φαύλως διακεῖσθαι. Ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ ἔλεγεν ἀσμένως ἂν, εἰ οἷόν τε ἦν, καὶ ἀλλοτριωθῆναι τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὑπὲρ τοῦ αὐτὸν τὸν Χριστὸν παρὰ πάντων δοξάζεσθαι. Σὺ δ᾽ εἰς τοσαύτην ταπεινότητα κατάγειν τολμᾷς τὴν ἀποστολικὴν ὑπεροχὴν, ὡς τινα φράζειν, ὧν καὶ μνησθῆναι αἰσχύνομαι. Οὐ γὰρ κειμήλιον, ὡς φὴς, ηὔξατο εἶναι· τίς γὰρ καὶ τῶν σφόδρα ῥᾳθύμων, οὐκ ἂν εὔξαιτο τοῦτο; οὐδὲ θάνατον σωματικὸν προυκαλεῖτο, ὁ καθ' ἡμέραν ἀποθνήσκων· οὐδὲ τοσαῦτα ἂν διεβεβαιώσατο, ὡς μέλλων ἀπιστεῖσθαι, εἴγε εὐτελές τι ἦν καὶ φαῦλον τὸ νενοημένον αὐτῷ. Ἀλλ᾿ ἐπειδὴ κρεῖττον ἦν ἀπάσης δυνάμεως καὶ ῥώμης, πολλοὺς μάρτυρας παρέστησε τοῦ μὴ ψεύδεσθαι καὶ κομπάζειν. Καὶ γὰρ ἀλήθειαν λέγω, φησὶν, ἐν Χριστῷ, οὐ ψεύδομαι, συμμαρτυρούσης μοι τῆς συνειδήσεως ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ τὸν Χριστὸν, καὶ τὸ μὴ ψεύδεσθαι, καὶ τὴν συνείδησιν, καὶ τὸ Πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον μάρτυρας τῶν λεχθησομένων παρέστησε, τίς ἂν πιστεύσειεν, ὅτι ταπεινόν τι ἐννοῶν καὶ οὐδαμινὸν, εἰς τοσαύτην ἐξηνέχθη διαβεβαιώσεως ὑπερβολήν; Εἰ δ' ἔτι μικρὰ φρονεῖς, καὶ περὶ γῆν εἰλυσπώμενος, οὐδὲν μέγα καὶ νεανικὸν ἐννοῆσαι βούλει, παρεὶς τὸν θεοφιλῆ Μωσέα, εὐξάμενον ἐκ τῆς θείας βίβλου ἐξαλειφθῆναι, εἱ οἱ ὑπ᾿ αὐτῷ τελοῦντες πανωλεθρίᾳ παραδοθεῖεν (μεῖζον γάρ ἐστι τὸ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου· ὁ μὲν γὰρ συναπολέσθαι, ὁ δ᾽ ἀπολέσθαι, ἵνα ἄλλοι σωθῶσιν, ηὔξατο)· ἀπὸ γυναικὸς γενναίας, ὡς ἄν τις μικρὸν μεγάλῳ εἰκάσειε, τοῦτ᾽ ἀποδεῖξαι πειράσομαι· Ἡ Ῥεβέκκα, ἀποστολικὴν, ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι, ἔχουσα μεγαλοψυχίαν, εἴλετο κατάραν ὑποστῆναι, ἵν᾿ ὁ παῖς εὐλογίαν κληρονομήσῃ· καὶ τῶν μὲν ἀγαθῶν ἐκείνῳ παρεχώρει· οὐ γὰρ δὴ μετ' ἐκείνου εὐλογεῖσθαι ἤμελλε · τὰ δὲ κακὰ αὐτὴ μόνη παρεσκευάζετο ὑπομένειν. Καὶ οὕτω προθύμως παρεσκεύαζε τὸ δρᾶμα ὡς καὶ τῇ μελλήσει δυσχεραίνειν, καὶ τῇ ταχυτῆτι χαίρειν, καὶ κατεπείγειν τὸν παῖδα· καὶ ταῦτα, κινδύνου μεγίστου παρεστῶτος. ᾿Αφεῖσα γὰρ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι Ὁ πατήρ σου εἰς γῆρας βαθὺ ἐλήλακε, καὶ τὸ τρανὸν τῆς αἰσθήσεως ἀφηρέθη, καὶ οὐ φωράσει τὸν δόλον· ταῦτα πάντα συντεμοῦσα, ἔφη τῷ παιδὶ ἀναδυομένῳ καὶ δεδοικότι· «Επ᾿ ἐμὲ ἡ κατάρα σου, τέκνον.» Μόνον μὴ διαφθείρῃς τὸ κατασκευασθὲν παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ δρᾶμα, μηδ' ἀπολέσῃς ὀξύτατον ὂν τὸ θήραμα, μηδὲ προδῷς τὸν θησαυρόν. Εἰ τοίνυν γυνή, ἡ μηδὲ γυναικὸς ἔχουσα ἀνδρίαν μηδὲ μεγαλοψυχίαν, εἴλετο καταραθῆναι ἵνα ἄλλος εὐλογηθῇ, ὁ τοσοῦτος καὶ τηλικοῦτος ᾿Απόστολος οὐκ ἂν ηὔξατο τοιοῦτόν τι παθεῖν, ἵν᾿ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι πιστεύσωσι, καὶ μὴ δόξῃ βλασφημεῖσθαι ὁ Θεὸς, ὡς ἄλλοις μὲν ἐπαγγειλάμενος, ἄλλους δὲ εἰς τοσαύτην ἀξίαν ἀναγαγών; Πάνυ μὲν οὖν ταῦτα· ἔλεγεν· οὐχ ὡς τῷ ὄντι τῆς ἐπαγγελίας διαπεσούσης. (ἔφη γὰρ, οὐχ οἷον δὲ ὅτι ἐκπέπτωκεν ὁ λόγος τοῦ Θεοῦ, πρὸς τοὺς πατέρας δηλονότι γεγενημένος· ἐξέβη γὰρ ἡ ἐπαγγελία ἐν τοῖς ἐξ αὐτῶν πιστεύσασι, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ὁμοίοις τῷ Ἰσαὰκ διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἐξ ἐθνῶν τεχθεῖσι. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυᾶται καὶ ὁ τῶν ἀποστόλων κορυφαῖος Πέτρος, λέγων· « Ταύτην τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν ἐκπεπλήρωκεν ὁ Θεὸς τοῖς τέκνοις αὐτῶν, ἡμῖν ἀναστήσας Ἰησοῦν· · οὐ τοίνυν, ὡς διαπεσούσης τῆς ἐπαγγελίας τοῦτ᾽ ἔφη, ἀλλ᾽ ἴνα δείξῃ τὸν ἀκάθεκτον ἑαυτοῦ περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν πόθον. Καὶ εἰ ἀκριβῶς διέλθοις τὸ χωρίον τὸ ἀποστολικὸν, τοῦτο αὐτὸν κατασκευάζοντὰ θηράσεις.","t":"To Ischyrion. You seem, from a low and mean way of thinking, to accept neither the magnanimity that is beyond all wonder nor the new and paradoxical apostolic love that has passed beyond all the heavens. For even if what was said now seems safe to you, I know well that when I explain it more clearly, what before seemed safe will seem incredible to you again, because you are so poorly disposed. He said that he would gladly, if it were possible, be estranged even from Christ, so that Christ himself might be glorified by all. But you dare to bring the apostolic eminence down to such lowliness as to say things I am ashamed even to mention. For he did not pray, as you say, to be a treasure laid up as an offering (who even among the very careless would not pray for that?); nor was he calling for bodily death, he who died daily; nor would he have affirmed it so strongly, as one who expected to be disbelieved, if what he meant were something cheap and mean. But since it was beyond all power and strength, he brought forward many witnesses that he was not lying or boasting: \"I speak the truth in Christ,\" he says, \"I do not lie, my conscience bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit.\" If, then, he set truth, Christ, his not lying, his conscience and the Holy Spirit as witnesses of what he was about to say, who would believe that, meaning something lowly and worthless, he was carried to such an excess of affirmation? But if you still think small and, crawling about on the ground, will conceive nothing great and bold, then, passing over Moses, beloved of God, who prayed to be blotted out of the divine book if those under him were given over to utter destruction (for the Apostle's prayer is greater: Moses prayed to perish with them, Paul to perish so that others might be saved), I will try to show it from a noble woman, as one might compare small things with great. Rebekah, having what one might call apostolic magnanimity, chose to undergo a curse so that her son might inherit a blessing. The good things she yielded to him, for she was not going to be blessed with him; the evils she prepared to endure alone. And she prepared the drama so eagerly that she was vexed at delay, rejoiced at speed and urged the boy on, and that while the greatest danger was at hand. For she left aside saying, \"Your father has reached deep old age, has lost the sharpness of his senses, and will not detect the trick\"; cutting all this short, she said to the boy, who was shrinking back and afraid, \"Upon me be your curse, my son\": only do not ruin the drama I have prepared, do not lose the quarry, swift as it is, do not betray the treasure. If, then, a woman, with no more than a woman's courage and magnanimity, chose to be cursed so that another might be blessed, would not so great an Apostle have prayed to suffer something of the kind, so that the Jews might believe, and God might not seem to be blasphemed, as having promised to some but raised others to such dignity? He said this, certainly, not as though the promise had really failed (for he said, \"It is not as though the word of God has failed,\" the word given, that is, to the fathers; for the promise was fulfilled in those of them who believed, and in those like Isaac born from the nations through baptism; and Peter, the chief of the apostles, guarantees this, saying, \"This promise God has fulfilled to their children by raising Jesus for us\"). Not, then, as though the promise had failed did he say this, but to show his uncontrollable longing for Christ. And if you go through the apostolic passage carefully, you will find him establishing this.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.58 (PG 78 78:499; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-58)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.59":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠυνθάνομαι ὡς ἐῤῥῶσθαι φράσας τοῖς τὰ κάλλιστα συμβουλεύουσι, καὶ πάντας τοὺς τῆς αἰδοῦς διαρῥήξας δεσμοὺς, οἴχῃ φερόμενος ἐπὶ τὴν δυσκλεᾶ καὶ δυσώνυμον κακίαν. Βουλοίμην μὲν οὖν μὴ εἶναι ταῦτα ἀληθῆ· εἰ δ᾽ ἐστὶ, σπούδασον πρὶν σφόδρα ὑπὸ τῆς τοιαύτης καταγωνισθῆναι μέθης ἀνενεγκεῖν, ἵνα μὴ κἀνταῦθα αἰσχύνην ἔξεις, κἀκεῖτε δίκην ὑφέξεις.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. I hear that, bidding farewell to those who give you the best advice and breaking all the bonds of shame, you are being swept away toward infamous and ill-named vice. I would wish this were not true; but if it is, hasten to come to your senses before you are completely overcome by such drunkenness, so that you may not have shame here and undergo punishment there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.59 (PG 78 78:503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-59)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.6":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ ὑπομονῆς. Χρὴ τὸν βουλόμενον λαμπρὰν ἀναδήσασθαι νίκην, μὴ μόνον ὑβριζόμενον καὶ ἀδικούμενον φέρειν γενναίως, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλείονα παρέχειν τῷ ἀδικοῦντι ὧν βούλεται λαβεῖν, καὶ τοὺς ὄρους τῆς πονηρᾶς ἐπιθυμίας ἐκείνου τῇ δαψιλείᾳ τῆς οἰκείας ὑπερβαίνειν φιλοτιμίας. Εἰ δέ σοι παράδοξα εἶναι δοκεῖ ταῦτα, ἀπὸ τῶν οὐρανῶν τὴν ψῆφον οἴσομεν, καὶ τὸν νόμον τοῦτον ἐκεῖθεν ἀναγνωσόμεθα. Οὔτε γὰρ εἶπεν ὁ Σωτὴρ, Ἐάν τίς σε ῥᾳπίσῃ εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα, φέρε γενναίως, καὶ ἡσύχαζε· ἤνυσαν γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ ἄνευ ὑποθηκῶν τινες ἐπὶ φιλοσοφίᾳ διαλάμψαντες καὶ τῷ ἐμφύτῳ νόμῳ πολιτευσάμενοι· ἀλλὰ προσέθηκε τὸ, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην τῷ τύπτοντι ἑτοίμην πρὸς τὴν πληγὴν παρέχειν . Αὕτη γὰρ ἡ λαμπρὰ νίκη. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ φιλόσοφον, τὸ δὲ ὑπερφυὲς καὶ οὐράνιον.","t":"To Eustathius the presbyter. [On patience.] Whoever wishes to win a brilliant victory must not only bear insult and injury nobly, but also give the wrongdoer more than he wants to take, and surpass the bounds of that man's evil desire by the abundance of his own generosity. If this seems paradoxical to you, we will bring the verdict from heaven and read this law from there. For the Saviour did not say, \"If anyone strikes you on the right cheek, bear it nobly and keep quiet\"; some who shone in philosophy and lived by the natural law achieved this even without precepts. But he added that one should hold out the other cheek too to the striker, ready for the blow. This is the brilliant victory: the one is philosophical; this is supernatural and heavenly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.6 (PG 78 78:463; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-6)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.60":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΩ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΠολὺς λόγος ῥεῖ, καὶ δι' ἀξιοπίστων προσώπων βεβαιοῦται, ὅτι μάλ' ἀκριβῶς ἐπιστάμενος ἐκ πολλῶν τεκμηρίων ὁ ἡγεῖσθαι ὑμῶν λαχὼν [διὰ] τὸ ἑαυτοῦ συμφέρον, [οὐ] διὰ τὸ λυσιτελοῦν ὑμῖν ἀγαπήσας, οὐχ ὅτι τῷ κοινῷ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας συνοίσει σκεψάμενος, συνεργοὺς ὑμᾶς τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἐχειροτόνησε πλεονεξίας. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ' οὕτως ἔχει, παύσασθε εἰς οὐρανὸν τὰ τόξα τείνοντες, καὶ τῷ τῆς ἀκτημοσύνης πολεμοῦντες νομοθέτῃ, δι' ὧν τὰς ἀλλοτρίας πραγματεύεσθε συμφοράς. ΑΦΡΟΔΙΣΙΩ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ. Ὅτι τὸ μὲν ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς ἀπολώλαμεν, τὸ δ᾽ ἐπὶ τῷ Χριστῷ ἐσώθημεν, δῆλόν ἐστιν ἅπασι. Δίκην γὰρ ὀφείλοντας διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος ἐδικαίωσε, καὶ οὐρανίοις χαρίσμασιν ἐκόσμησεν. Ὅτι δὲ εἰ τὰ παρ' ἡμῶν μὴ ἔψοιτο, οὐδὲν ἐκ τῆς τοιαύτης πραγματείας καὶ χάριτος κερδανοῦμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μείζονα δώσομεν δίκην, ἅτε μηδὲ τοσαύτῃ εὐεργεσίᾳ βελτιωθέντες, καὶ τοῦτο δῆλον.","t":"To Palladius and Maron. Much talk is flowing, and is confirmed by trustworthy persons, that the one whose lot it was to lead you, knowing you very precisely from many signs, loving his own advantage and not what profits you, and without considering whether it would benefit the common good of the Church, ordained you as accomplices of his own greed. If this is so, stop stretching your bows against heaven and warring against the lawgiver of poverty by the means with which you trade in other people's misfortunes. [Letter 2.61] To Aphrodisius the monk. That in ourselves we perished, but in Christ we were saved, is clear to all. For when we owed punishment he justified us through baptism and adorned us with heavenly gifts. And that, if our own part does not follow, we will gain nothing from such a dispensation and grace, but will even pay a greater penalty, as not having been improved even by so great a benefaction, this too is clear.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.60 (PG 78 78:503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-60)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.62":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἘγὼ μὲν εὐαγὲς ἡγοῦμαι τὸ τοῖς θείοις πιστεύειν χρησμοῖς, καὶ τούτοις ἕπεσθαι μετὰ σπουδῆς, καὶ μὴ τὴν ἄκακον φιλοτιμίαν τῆς Δεσποτικῆς ἀσφαλείας προκρίνειν. Εἰ δέ τις ἑαυτῷ τοσαύτην μαρτυρήσειε σωφροσύνην, ὡς μηδὲ συνεχῶς ὁρῶν βλάπτεσθαι, μανθανέτω τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως τὴν ἀσθένειαν καὶ τῶν θείων χρησμῶν τὴν ἀσφάλειαν. Τοὺς μὲν οὖν ἁλόντας, ἵνα μὴ δόξω διενοχλεῖν, παραλείψω· πᾶσαι γὰρ αἱ ἱεραὶ Γραφαὶ, καὶ αἱ ἔξωθεν τραγῳδίαι, καὶ τὰ καθ᾽ ἡμέραν δράματα τούτων γέμουσι τῶν παραδειγμάτων· τοὺς δὲ προμηθείᾳ τινὶ χρησαμένους καὶ περιγενομένους τοῦ πάθους (οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν ἀπραγμόνως κατορθῶσαι σωφροσύνην), τούτους εἰς μέσον ἀγαγεῖν πειράσομαι. Εἱ μὲν οὖν τινας τῶν ἔξω τῆς πίστεως τοῦτ' αὐτὸ κατορθώσαντας ἐπιδείξαιμι προνοίᾳ τινὶ καὶ ἀσφαλείᾳ, καὶ οὐ τῷ ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιῤῥίπτειν τῷ πυρὶ, ἴσως ἂν αὐτοὺς παραγράψοιντο, ὡς οὐδὲν μέγα ἀνύσαντας. Εἱ δὲ καὶ τὸν Θεσπέσιον Παῦλον μάρτυρα καλέσω, λέγοντα, « Ὑπωπιάζω μου τὸ σῶμα καὶ δουλαγωγῶ, μήπως ἄλλοις κηρύξας, αὐτὸς ἀ[πο]δόκιμος γένωμαι, πᾶσα αὐτοῖς ἀποκέκλεισται ἀπολογία. Καὶ ἴσως ἂν δυσωπηθεῖεν καὶ τῆς οἰκείας ἀσφαλείας πρόνοιαν ποιήσονται. Ἐχρῆν μὲν οὖν ἀρκεσθῆναι τῇ ἀποστολικῇ μαρτυρία. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ καὶ τὰ τοῖς ἔξωθεν κατορθωθέντα ἀλείφει εἰς σωφροσύνην, οὐδὲ τούτων ἀμνημονήσω. Οἶδα τοιγαροῦν ἀναγνοὺς, ὅτι βασιλεύς τις Ἐφεσίαν ἱέρειαν ἰδὼν ὑπερβολῇ καλὴν φανεῖσαν, ἀνέζευξεν εὐθὺς ἐξ Ἐφέσου, φοβούμενος μὴ παρὰ γνώμην ἐκβιασθῇ πρᾶξαί τι τῶν οὐχ ὁσίων. Καὶ Κῦρος δ᾽ ὁ Πέρσης οὐδ᾿ ἰδεῖν τὴν Πάνθειαν ἐτόλμησε θαυμαστόν τι καὶ ἀμήχανον κάλλος ἔχειν μαρτυρουμένην. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ τὰ πράγματα, καὶ οἱ ἔξωθεν τῷ σωτηρίῳ χρησμῷ μαρτυροῦσιν, ὡς ὀρθῶς καὶ ἀσφαλῶς ἔχοντι (ἡ γὰρ συνεχὴς θέα ὁδός ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὴν πρᾶξιν ἄγουσα· εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς ἔργον μὴ ἐκβαίη, μολύνει τὸν λογισμὸν, καὶ μοιχὸν ἀποφαίνει τὸν ἁλόντα)· τίς τοσοῦτόν ἐστι τολμηρὸς, ὅστις άλλοτρίοις συνεχῶς ἑστιώμενος κάλλεσι, λέγοι μηδὲν τὸ παράπαν παραβλάπτεσθαι; Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο δύσκολον, χρὴ μάλιστα μὲν φεύγειν τὰς συνεχεῖς τῶν γυναικῶν ἐντεύξεις· εἰ δ' ἀνάγκη εἴη, χαλινοῦν τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς.","t":"To Paul the presbyter. I consider it pious to believe the divine oracles and to follow them earnestly, and not to prefer a harmless ambition to the Master's safeguard. If anyone testifies to himself such chastity that he is not harmed even by looking continually, let him learn the weakness of human nature and the safety of the divine oracles. Those who were caught I will pass over, lest I seem tiresome; for all the sacred Scriptures, the tragedies of outsiders and the dramas of every day are full of such examples. But those who used some forethought and overcame the passion (for chastity cannot be achieved without effort), these I will try to bring forward. If I point to some outside the faith who achieved this very thing by forethought and caution, and not by throwing themselves into the fire, perhaps they will set them aside as having achieved nothing great. But if I call the divine Paul as witness, who says, \"I pommel my body and lead it as a slave, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified,\" every defence is closed to them; and perhaps they will be put to shame and take thought for their own safety. One ought to be content with the apostolic testimony. But since the achievements of outsiders also train us for chastity, I will not leave them unmentioned. I know from my reading that a certain king, seeing an Ephesian priestess who appeared exceedingly beautiful, at once left Ephesus, fearing that he might be forced against his will to do something unholy. And Cyrus the Persian did not even dare to look at Panthea, who was said to have a wonderful and irresistible beauty. If, then, both facts and outsiders bear witness to the saving oracle, that it is right and safe (for continual looking is a road that leads to the act; and even if it does not issue in the deed, it defiles the thought and makes the one who is caught an adulterer), who is so daring that, feasting continually on others' beauty, he would say he is not harmed at all? If this is difficult, one must above all avoid continual meetings with women; and if they are necessary, bridle the eyes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.62 (PG 78 78:503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-62)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.63":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nἩ θεία καὶ ἀκήρατος δύναμις, ἡ τῆς σοφίας πηγή, ἡ τῆς συνέσεως καὶ πάσης ἀρετῆς ἀρχή τε καὶ αἰτία καὶ ῥίζα, βουληθεῖσα τὰς τῶν μελλόντων προῤῥήσεις ταῖς ἀρχαιοτέραις ἐνυφῆναι γραφαῖς, σοφῶς, καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντα λόγον καὶ ἔπαινον, τὸ πρᾶγμα μετῆλθεν. Εἴ ποτε γοῦν πρᾶγμα ὑπέπιπτε δυνάμενον χωρῆσαι τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν τὴν εἰκόνα · ἐν αὐτῷ τὰ μὲν ἐσκιογράφει, τὰ δὲ διὰ χρωμάτων ἐτράνου καὶ λαμπρὸν καὶ ζῶντα ἐπεδείκνυτο τῆς εἰκόνος τὸν χαρακτῆρα. Δύο γὰρ ἐκ τούτου συνέβαινε μέγιστα, τὸ τε τοὺς ἀρχαιοτέρους μὴ ξενίζεσθαι, μήτε διαχλευάζειν τὰ λεγόμενα, ἔχοντάς τι καρποῦσθαι ἐκ τῶν λεγομένων ὠφέλιμον· τό τε τοὺς ἐσομένους, τὸ τῆς προφητείας θηρεύειν ἀδιάπτωτον. Ἐφ᾽ ᾧ δὴ τὴν θείαν χάριν προσκυνητέον, καὶ θαυμαστέον, ὅπως τοσαύτην δυσκολίαν πράγματος ῥᾳδίως μετῆλθε. Χρὴ τοιγαροῦν τοὺς ἑρμηνεύοντας εἰ μὲν ἀβιάστως οἷόν τε εἴη διὰ πάντων διεξελθεῖν, προθύμως τοῦτο ποιεῖν· εἰ δὲ μὴ, μὴ ἐκβιάζεσθαι τὰ μὴ προσήκοντα · ἵνα μὴ καὶ τοῖς προσήκουσιν ὑποψίαν παραποιήσεως τέκωσι, καὶ Ἰουδαίοις μὲν καὶ Ἕλλησι καὶ αἱρετικοῖς λαβὰς παράσχοιεν, εἰς δὲ τὸν Χριστὸν ταπεινά τινα καὶ τῆς ἀξίας αὐτοῦ ἐλάττονα ἀνενέγκοιεν· ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν ταπεινὰ παριππεύειν, ἢ καὶ τῇ ἐνανθρωπήσει προσήκοντα ἡγεῖσθαι, εἰ πρεπόντως δέχοιτο τὸν χαρακτῆρα, τὰ δ᾽ ὑψηλὰ τῆς ἀξίας μόνης ἕνεκα εἰρῆσθαι συγχωρεῖν. Εἰ δὲ τι τῶν τότε γεγενημένων ἕνεκα ἐῤῥέθη, τοῦτο συγχωρεῖν δι᾽ ἐκεῖνα εἰρῆσθαι, καὶ μὴ εἰς τὸ ἀπρεπὲς ἐκβιάζεσθαι.","t":"To Timothy the reader. The divine and pure Power, the fountain of wisdom, the beginning, cause and root of understanding and of every virtue, wishing to weave predictions of the future into the older writings, carried out the task wisely and beyond all words and praise. Whenever a thing came to hand that could contain the image of the good things to come, in it he sketched some things in outline, while others he made distinct with colours, and showed the character of the image bright and living. Two very great results followed: that the people of old were not estranged and did not mock what was said, since they had something useful to gain from it; and that those to come would track down the infallibility of the prophecy. For this the divine grace is to be worshipped, and we must marvel at how easily it handled so difficult a matter. Interpreters, therefore, if they can go through everything without forcing it, should do so eagerly; if not, they should not force what does not fit, lest they cast suspicion of falsification even on what does fit, give handles to Jews, Greeks and heretics, and attribute to Christ lowly things below his dignity. Rather they should ride past the lowly things, or take them as belonging to the incarnation, if the passage admits that character fittingly, and grant that the lofty things were said for his dignity alone. And if something was said on account of events of that time, they should grant that it was said for those events, and not force it into what is unfitting.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.63 (PG 78 78:505; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-63)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.64":{"o":"ΘΕΟΦΙΛΩ.\nἘκεῖνοί εἰσιν οἱ Θεὸν μὲν ὁμολογοῦντες εἰδέναι, τοῖς δ' ἔργοις ἀρνούμενοι, οἱ ἐπὶ μὲν τῇ ὡραιότητι τῶν δογμάτων ἐναβρυνόμενοι, διὰ δὲ τοῦ μὴ συμβαίνουσαν τῇ πίστει τὴν πολιτείαν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι, τόγε ἧκον εἰς αὐτοὺς, τὸν Θεὸν ἀτιμάζοντες. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ διαπτύειν τὰ παρ᾽ αὐτοῦ κελευσθέντα, τῷ τε ἑτέρους παρασκευάζειν βλασφημεῖν τοῦτον, ὃν καὶ εὐλογεῖν οὐ πάντων ἐστὶν, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἄκρων εἰς ἀρετὴν, τούτων νόθους ἑαυτοὺς ἀπελέγχουσι.","t":"To Theophilus. Those are the ones who profess to know God but deny him by their works, who pride themselves on the beauty of their doctrines but, by showing a life that does not agree with their faith, dishonour God as far as in them lies. For by spurning what he commanded, and by causing others to blaspheme him whom to bless worthily belongs not to all but to those at the summit of virtue, they prove themselves illegitimate sons of the faith.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.64 (PG 78 78:507; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-64)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.65":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟὐ φέρω τὴν διὰ τὸν σὸν βίον γινομένην παρά πάντων καταδοήν. Φασὶ γὰρ εἰς σὲ ὥσπερ ἐπὶ σκοπὸν τὸν λόγον τείνοντες · Πῶς ἄλλους ἁγιάζεις ὁ ἐναγής; Πῶς καθαίρεις ὁ ἀκάθαρτος; Πῶς υἱοὺς Θεοῦ κατασκευάζεις ὁ δουλοπρεπής; Καθαρθῆναι ὀφείλεις, καὶ οὕτω καθᾶραι· μὴ ἱεροσυλεῖν, καὶ τότε ἱερᾶσθαι. Ταῦτ᾽ ἀκούων, ἀλγῶ τὴν ψυχὴν, ὅτι τε ταῦτα περὶ σοῦ φράζουσι, καὶ ὅτι καὶ εἰς τὰ μυστικὰ σύμβολα παραβλάπτεσθαι τοὺς προσιόντας τῇ θείᾳ θρησκείᾳ νομίζουσι. Στῆθι τοίνυν καταποντίζων μὴ μόνον τὴν σαυτοῦ ψυχὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλας πολλὰς ὑπὲρ ὧν ὁ Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν. Ἐννόησον γὰρ οἷ τείνει τὸ κακὸν, ὅταν οὓς αὐτὸς ἐξηγόρασεν, οὐ χρυσίον, ἀλλὰ τὸ τίμιον ἑαυτοῦ αἷμα δεδωκὼς, σὺ διὰ τὸν σαυτοῦ βίον ἀπολέσῃς.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. I cannot bear the outcry against you from everyone because of your life. For they say, aiming their words at you as at a target: \"How do you sanctify others, you who are accursed? How do you cleanse, being unclean? How do you make sons of God, being servile? You must be cleansed first and so cleanse; stop committing sacrilege, and then act as a priest.\" Hearing this, I am pained in my soul, both because they say this about you and because they think that those who come to the divine worship are harmed with respect to the mystical symbols. Stop, then, drowning not only your own soul but many others for whom Christ died. Consider where the evil leads, when you destroy by your life those whom he himself redeemed, giving not gold but his own precious blood.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.65 (PG 78 78:507; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-65)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.66":{"o":"ΕΠΙΦΑΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἘπειδὴ γέγραφας τί ἐστι τὸ ἐν τῷ ογ' ψαλμῷ γεγραμμένον, « Σὺ ἐξήρανας ποταμοὺς Ἠθὰμ» (ὅπερ ἐν τοῖς παλαιοῖς Ψαλτηρίοις κείμενον, ἔν τισι τῶν νέων ὡς ἀπερινόητον ἴσως οὐκ ἐνεγράφη· διὸ καί τινες νομίζουσι περιττά τινα καὶ ἀναπόδεκτα ἐν ταῖς Γραφαῖς γεγράφθαι)· ἀντεπιστεῖλαι δίκαιον ᾠήθην· Χῶρος ἦν ἐν τῇ Παλαιστίνῃ ποταμοῖς κατάῤῥυτος, καὶ δένδροις καὶ καρποῖς κατάκομος, ζώων τε πλήθει καὶ ἰχθύων εὔθηρος. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν τὸ θεῖον νεῦμα εὔυδρον καὶ εὔδενδρον καὶ εὔθηρὸν αὐτὸν ὄντα, δι' ἐπιπολάζουσαν τῶν οἰκητόρων ἀσέβειαν ἐξήρανε· καὶ τοῦτο μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων θαυμάτων ἀνακηρύττει ὁ μελοποιός. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ χρὴ ἀποφαίνεσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀποδιδόναι μαρτυρίας Ἰώσηππον παραγάγωμεν ἐν ταῖς ἀρχαιολογίαις γράφοντα· ἦν δέ τι χωρίον ἀπὸ δύο σχοινίων Ἱεροσολύμων, ὁ καλεῖται μὲν Ἠθὰμ, παραδείσοις τε καὶ ναμάτων ἐπιῤῥοαῖς ἐπιτερπέστατον καὶ πλούσιον, ἐν ᾧ ὁ Σολομῶν συνεχῶς ἐξῄει, γυμνασθησόμενος καὶ θηράσων. Τοῦ μὲν εἶναι χῶρον τοιοῦτον, καὶ Ἰώσηππον, καὶ τὸν Μελῳδόν, τὸν θαυμάσαντα ὅτι ἐξηράνθη, προΐσχομαι μάρτυρας (οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐν θαύμασι τὸ ἐξηράνθαι αὐτὸν κατηρίθμει, εἰ μὴ λίαν εὔυδρος ἦν)· τοῦ δὲ ἐξηράνθαι, αὐτὸν τὸν Μελῳδόν. Ωσπερ γὰρ χορείαν τινὰ ἀνελίττων, καὶ διὰ τῆς ὁρωμένης κτίσεως χωρῶν τῷ λόγῳ, καὶ εἰς τοῦτον τὸν χῶρον ἔφθασεν, Ἑβραίοις (ἐκεῖσε γὰρ ἐμελῴδει), ἀφ᾽ ὧν ᾔδεσαν, τὴν ἀήττητον τοῦ Θεοῦ δύναμιν ἑρμηνεύων. ΘΕΟΦΙΛΩ. Ὅτι μὲν τὸ ἀμύνασθαι ἄδικον οὐκ ἔστι, συνθήσομαι ὅτι δὲ οὐδὲ φιλόσοφον, συνθέσθαι δίκαιος ἂν εἴης. Πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὲν ῥᾳδίως ἐγίνετο, καὶ ἄνευ πολλῆς περιπετείας, λόγον εἶχέ σου ὁ λόγος. Εἰ δὲ πρὸ τοῦ μέλλοντος διδόναι δίκας· ὁ ἀπαιτῶν ἑαυτὸν μυρίαις περιπείρῃ συμφοραῖς, ἄμεινον, τὸ μὴ μετὰ τὸ ἠδικῆσθαι, καὶ ἄλλων κακῶν πειραθῆναι. Εἰ δ' αἴνιγμά σοι εἶναι δοκεῖ τὸ ῥηθὲν, σαφὲς αὐτὸ ποιῆσαι πειράσομαι. Σκόπει γὰρ, εἰ θελήσειέ τις ἀμύνασθαι, πόσα ὑπομένει δεινά Πρῶτον πληροῦται θυμοῦ δεύτερον διακόπτεται ὑπὸ ὀργῆς. Πρῶτον γὰρ ἀναθυμιᾶται τὸ πάθος, εἶτα ὀργᾷ, καὶ ἐπιθυμεῖ τῆς ἀμύνης. Τρίτον μυρία κύματα κινεῖ. Τέταρτον, λογισμῶν ὁδοὺς ἔρχεται μυρίας. Πέμπτον, δέος ἔπεισι καὶ τρόμος καὶ ἀγωνία, τοῦ θυμοῦ διακόπτοντος, τοῦ φόβου κατασείοντος, πῶς ἐπιτύχῃ, πῶς ἐπεξέλθῃ. Αρ᾿ οὐ δοκεῖ σοι ὁ τοιοῦτος πρὸ τοῦ μέλλοντος δίκας διδόναι, δίκας ἀπαιτεῖσθαι; Ὁ δὲ φιλοσοφῶν, ἀπήλλακται. Καὶ μάλα εἰκότως. Τούτου γὰρ κύριός ἐστι, καὶ τὸ πᾶν ἀπήρτισεν Ἐκεῖνος δὲ οὐκέτι, ἀλλὰ καὶ καιροῦ χρεία καὶ τόπου, καὶ δόλου, καὶ κακουργίας, ὅπλων τε καὶ μηχανημάτων, κολακείας τε καὶ δουλείας, καὶ ὑποκρίσεως. Ὁρᾶς πῶς δύσκολον μὲν ἡ κακία, εὔκολον δ᾽ ἡ ἀρετή πῶς ἡ μὲν θορύβων γέμει, ἡ δ᾽ ἀτάραχὸς ἐστιν; Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ πονηρὸς τοσαῦτα πάσχει, οὕτως ὁ φιλάρετος γαλήνης ἀπολαύει. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἀμυνόμενος ἀπέραντον κατασκευάζει τὴν ἔχθραν, ὁ δὲ φιλοσοφήσας ταχίστην ἐπάγει τὴν τελευτήν. Διὸ καὶ τὸν ἠλίθιον ἐξημεροῖ, καὶ εἰς φιλίαν ἐκκαλεῖται.","t":"To Epiphanius the deacon. Since you wrote asking what is meant by what is written in the 73rd psalm, \"You dried up the rivers of Etham\" (which stands in the old Psalters but was perhaps not written in some of the new ones as unintelligible, so that some think that superfluous and unacceptable things have been written in the Scriptures), I thought it right to reply. There was a region in Palestine watered by rivers, thick with trees and fruits, and rich in game, both animals and fish in abundance. Since, then, the divine will dried it up, well watered, well wooded and rich in game as it was, because of the prevailing impiety of its inhabitants, the psalmist proclaims this too among the other wonders. And since one ought not only to assert but also to give evidence, let us bring forward Josephus, who writes in the Antiquities: \"There is a place about two schoeni from Jerusalem called Etham, most delightful and rich in gardens and in streams of running water,\" to which Solomon regularly went out to exercise and to hunt. That such a place existed, I offer as witnesses both Josephus and the Psalmist, who marvelled that it had been dried up (for he would not have counted its drying among the wonders unless it had been very well watered); that it was dried up, the Psalmist himself. For, as though unrolling a dance and passing in his words through the visible creation, he came to this place too, interpreting to the Hebrews (for he sang there) the invincible power of God from things they knew. [Letter 2.67] To Theophilus. That retaliation is not unjust I will agree; that it is not philosophical either, you would do well to agree. Still, if it happened easily and without many reverses, your argument would have some reason in it. But if, before the man who is to pay the penalty, the one who exacts it pierces himself with countless misfortunes, it is better, after being wronged, not to experience other evils as well. If what I have said seems a riddle to you, I will try to make it clear. Consider how many terrible things a man suffers who wishes to retaliate. First he is filled with rage; second, he is cut through by anger: for first the passion fumes up, then he grows angry and desires revenge. Third, he stirs up countless waves. Fourth, he travels countless roads of calculation. Fifth, fear comes upon him, and trembling and anguish, rage cutting through him and fear shaking him, as to how he may succeed and how he may carry it out. Does not such a man seem to you, before the other pays the penalty, to be paying it himself? But the one who bears it philosophically is free of all this, and very reasonably so: for this lies in his own power, and he has accomplished the whole. The other is not, but needs time and place, guile and villainy, weapons and devices, flattery, servility and hypocrisy. Do you see how difficult vice is and how easy virtue; how the one is full of turmoil and the other untroubled? As the wicked man suffers so much, so the lover of virtue enjoys calm. The one who retaliates makes the enmity endless; the one who bears it philosophically brings it to the swiftest end. And so he tames even the fool and calls him to friendship.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.66 (PG 78 78:509; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-66)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.68":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΜεγίστην καὶ σαυτῷ κὰμοὶ δοίης ἂν χάριν, εἰ ἀμείνων σαυτοῦ γένοιο, καὶ εἰς αὐτὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς τὴν κορυφὴν ἀναδράμοις, ἀπὸ τῶν ῥεόντων, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ὄντων ἀγαθῶν, ἐπὶ τὰ ὄντα καὶ μένοντα διαβαίνων. ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ Οἶδά τινας τῶν ἡγουμένων, ἴσως δὲ καὶ ὑμεῖς, οἵτινες ἀκόλαστοι ὄντες καὶ πολυτελεῖς, τῷ μεγάλας τοῖς πταίουσιν ὁρίζειν τὰς τιμωρίας σωφρονίζοντας τοὺς ὑπηκόους· ἄλλους δὲ κεκολασμένην μὲν καὶ σώφρονα δίαιταν ἔχοντας· ὧν δ᾽ αὐτοὶ κρατοῦσι παθῶν ἐμπιπλῶντας τοὺς ἀρχομένους, τῷ μὴ ἐπεξιέναι, ἀλλὰ πραότητα πέρα τοῦ μέτρου ἐπιδείκνυσθαι. Ὡς ἁμαρτάνειν τοὺς μὲν χείρους ὄντας τῶν ἰδίων νόμων· τοὺς δὲ, χείρονας ἀπεργαζομένους τοὺς ὑποτεταγμένους. Δρᾶν γὰρ διδάσκουσιν αὐτοὺς, ἃ αὐτοὶ δρᾶν οὐκ ἀξιοῦσι· καὶ κακά· τρυφᾶν τρυφῆς πόῤῥω καθεστηκότες· καὶ γεωργεῖν τὰς ἀλλοτρίας συμφορὰς, ἃς αὐτοὶ ἐπανορθοῦνται. Χρὴ τοιγαροῦν ἐκείνοις μὲν παραινεῖν, ἐμμένειν τοῖς οἰκείοις λόγοις, καὶ μὴ τὰναντία πράττειν, τούτοις δὲ διὰ τοῦ μὴ πᾶσι συγχωρεῖν ἃ βούλονται, προαναστέλλειν τὰ πλημμελήματα. Χρὴ γὰρ συγγνώμην μὲν νέμειν τοῖς διὰ χρηστότητος ὠφελουμένοις, ἐπιτιμᾶν δὲ τοῖς δι᾿ αὐτῆς βλαπτομένοις. ΕΠΙΜΑΧΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ. Οἷμαι μὴ ἁπλῶς τὰ χαρίσματα δίδοσθαι, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν προπαρασκευὴν τῆς διανοίας τῶν δεχομένων Καὶ, εἰ δοκεῖ, τὰ κατὰ Μωσέα τὸν Ιεροφάντην σκοπήσωμεν. Ἐκεῖνος γὰρ, ἐπειδὴ τὸν μὲν ἀδικοῦντα Αἰγύπτιον ἡμύνατο, τοὺς δ᾽ ὁμοφύλους διαμαχομένους εἰς φιλίαν συνήλλαξεν, ἐχειροτονήθη παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τῶν μὲν Αἰγυπτίων κολαστὴς, τῶν δ᾽ ὁμοφύλων νομοθέτης.","t":"To Timothy the reader. You would do the greatest favour both to yourself and to me if you became better than yourself and ran up to the very summit of virtue, passing from goods that flow away, or rather are not even goods, to those that are and remain. [Letter 2.69] To Athanasius. I know some rulers (and perhaps you do too) who, though licentious and extravagant, make their subjects self-controlled by fixing great punishments for offenders; and others who have a disciplined and temperate way of life but fill those they govern with the passions they themselves master, by not prosecuting offenders and showing gentleness beyond measure. So both err: the first are worse than their own laws, the second make their subjects worse. For these teach them to do what they themselves do not deign to do, and evil things besides: to live in luxury, though they themselves stand far from luxury, and to farm the misfortunes of others, which they themselves set right. One must therefore advise the former to abide by their own words and not do the opposite, and the latter to check offences in advance by not granting everyone what they want. For one should grant pardon to those who are helped by kindness, and rebuke those who are harmed by it. [Letter 2.70] To Epimachus the reader. I think that gifts are not given at random, but in proportion to the prior preparation of the minds of those who receive them. And, if you like, let us consider the case of Moses the revealer of sacred things. Because he punished the Egyptian who did wrong and reconciled his kinsmen who were fighting, he was appointed by God punisher of the Egyptians and lawgiver of his kinsmen.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.68 (PG 78 78:511; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-68)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.7":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ.\nΠερὶ σωφροσύνης. Ὅστις τὸ ἀπόβλεπτον καὶ ὑπέρκαλον τῆς σωφροσύνης κάλλος θεασάμενος, οὐκ ἐδαμάσθη τῷ φίλτρῳ, οὗτος ἀνέραστος τῶν καλῶν παρ' ἐμοὶ κριτῇ γεγράφθω. Περὶ παρθένων. Οὐ τῇ τοῦ σώματος ἁγνείᾳ μόνον, ὦ σοφὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ ἀπραγμοσύνῃ τὴν παρθενίαν ὁ θεσπέσιος ὁρίζεται Παῦλος.","t":"To Athanasius. [On chastity.] Whoever has beheld the admirable and surpassingly fair beauty of chastity and has not been overcome by its love-charm, let him be recorded, with me as judge, as no lover of beautiful things. [Letter 2.8] [On virgins.] Not by bodily purity only, wise friend, but also by freedom from worldly cares does the divine Paul define virginity.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.7 (PG 78 78:463; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-7)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.71":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nἘπειδὴ γέγραφας ὅτι Εὐσέβιος ὁ ἐπίσκοπος, οὐ τῷ ἀποστῆναι τῶν συγγνώμης μειζόνων πταισμάτων γνωσιμαχεῖ, ἀλλὰ τῷ δοκεῖν ἀπολογεῖσθαι, ἀναισχυντεῖ φάσκων · Τίνος ὧν ἐνδεὴς ἐπίπρασκον τὰς χειροτονίας; ὧν γὰρ εὔξαιτ᾽ ἂν ἕκαστος, εἰ μὴ καὶ ὑπὲρ εὐχὴν, ἀπολαύω καὶ δόξης καὶ τιμῆς· παρών τις φίλων τῶν μισοπονηρίας ἕνεκεν διαβοήτων, ἔφη· Ὅτι μὲν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἡ λειτουργία, ἧς παρὰ τὴν ἀξίαν ἀπέλαυσε, πάντων ἐστὶ τῶν ἀνθρώποις εὐκταίων ὅρος, οἶδα καὶ σύμφημι. Τοῖς δὲ πρὸς κακίαν ῥέπουσι, καὶ λήμματος ἡττωμένοις, οὐδέν ἐστιν αὔταρκες. Οὐδ᾽ ἂν ἐγίνοντο ἐκ τῶν ἡγεμόνων τινὲς μοχθηροὶ καὶ κακοῦργοι, εἰ τοῖς ὑπάρχουσιν ἠρκοῦντο, καὶ συμμετρεῖσθαι τὰς εὐημερίας ᾔδεσαν. Ἀλλ᾿ οἶμαι πολλάκις γίνεσθαι καὶ πλείους ἀπὸ τούτων, ἢ τῶν καταδεεστέρων. Ὅσῳ γὰρ καὶ ἐπηρμένοι παρὰ τοὺς ἄλλους εἰσὶ, καὶ φλεγμαίνουσι τῷ τύφῳ, καὶ ὑπὲρ τοὺς πολλοὺς φρονεῖν ἀξιοῦσι, καὶ τὸ συμβουλεύεσθαι ὕβριν ἡγοῦνται· τοσούτῳ καὶ αὐθάδεια, καὶ ἐπιθυμία πλειόνων, καὶ θάρσος τοῦ μηδ' ἂν ἀλῶσι δίκην ὑφέξειν, αὐτοῖς εἰσέρχεται. Γνωσιμαχείτω τοιγαροῦν, καὶ μὴ δοκείτω ἀπιθάνῳ ἀπολογεῖσθαι. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπολύεται τὰ ἐγκλήματα, ἀλλὰ καὶ γέλωτα προσοφλισκάνει. Μάλιστα μὲν οὐδὲ φύσιν, οὐδ᾽ οὐσίαν οὐσίᾳ, ἀλλὰ ποιότητα ποιότητι (ἤπερ κατὰ τὸν τῶν φιλοσόφων λόγον πέφυκε καὶ συμβαίνειν καὶ ἀποσυμβαίνειν. \"Όχημα γάρ εἶναι τὴν οὐσίαν τῆς ποιότητος ὁρίζονται, ἧς μὴ ὑπαρχούσης, ἀνύπαρκτον εἶναι τὴν ποιότητά φασι) παρέβαλεν ἡ Γραφή, λέγουσα· « Εἰ ἀλλάξεται Αιθίοψ τὸ δέρμα αὐτοῦ, καὶ πάρδαλις τὰ ποικίλματα αὐτῆς; Καὶ πῶς ὑμεῖς δυνήσεσθε εὖ ποιεῖν, μεμαθηκότες τὰ κακά ; » Πλὴν ἵνα μηδὲ περὶ τούτων ἀκριβολογήσωμεν, αὐτὴν τὴν ῥῆσιν, ἣν προφέρουσιν, ἀνατρεπτικὴν οὖσαν τῶν παρ᾿ αὐτῶν κατασκευαζομένων, ἐπιδεῖξαι πειράσομαι. Τῷ γὰρ εἰπεῖν, «Μεμαθηκότες τὰ κακὰ, » τὸ δόγμα, ὃ δοκοῦσιν ἀναντίρρητον εἶναι, ἀνατρέπουσι. Πῶς γὰρ, εἰ ἐκ φύσεως εἶχον τὸ εἰδέναι τὰ κακὰ, ἔφασκε τὸ, «Μεμαθηκότες τὰ κακά;» Εἰ δὲ μεμαθήκεσαν, καὶ ἀπομαθεῖν δυνήσονται. Οὕτω καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα τὰ δοκοῦντα τοῖς ἀπαιδεύτοις συμπράττειν, ἀνατραπήσεται. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ψυχικὸς ἄνθρωπος οὐ δύναται δέξασθαι τὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος ἀλλὰ δυνήσεται. Καὶ εἰ δένδρον πονηρὸν οὐ δύναται ποιεῖν καρπὸν καλὸν, ἀλλὰ δυνήσεται. Οὐ γὰρ ταυτὸν τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι τῷ μὴ δυνήσεσθαι· ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν τὸν ἐνεστῶτα μηνύει χρόνον, καθ' ὃν ὁ ράθυμος, ῥᾴθυμός ἐστι· τὸ δὲ τὸν μέλλοντα, καθ' ὃν ἐνδέχεται τὸν πρώην φαῦλον, σπουδαῖον γενήσεσθαι. Καὶ βοᾷ μὲν τοῦτο τὰ πράγματα, καθ' ἑκάστην ἀμειβόμενα τὴν ἡμέραν· ἐγγυῶνται δὲ καὶ αἱ Γραφαί. Πῶς γὰρ ὁ Μελῳδὸς πεσὼν ἀνέστη; Πῶς δὲ ὁ Παῦλος διώκτης ὢν ἀνεμαχέσατο, καὶ κήρυξ τοῦ διωχθέντος κατέστη; Πῶς δὲ Πέτρος ἀρνησάμενος ἀπετρίψατο τὴν κηλίδα; Πῶς δὲ ἡ ἀγριέλαιος εἰς τὴν καλλιέλαιον ἐνεκεντρίσθη; Πῶς οἱ Νινευῖται ἐσώθησαν; Πῶς δ᾽ ὁ λῃστὴς εἰς τὸν παράδεισον ἐπέμφθη; Μαθὼν τοίνυν ὅτι τῆς ἄνωθεν προηγουμένης ῥοπῆς, ὁ βουλόμενος καὶ πονῶν καὶ πάντα κινῶν (οὐ γὰρ ἀρκεῖ ψιλὸν τὸ θέλειν) καὶ μανθάνει, καὶ καρποφορεῖ, καὶ σώζεται· πάντα τὰ παρὰ σαυτοῦ ποίει, τὰ πρὸς τὴν τῶν πταιόντων διόρθωσιν βλέποντα.","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. You wrote that Eusebius the bishop does not acknowledge his fault by abandoning offences too great for pardon, but shows his shamelessness by seeming to defend himself, saying, \"What did I lack, that I should sell ordinations? I enjoy everything a man could pray for, if not more than he could pray for, both glory and honour.\" One of our friends who was present, famous for his hatred of wickedness, said: \"That the ministry of the episcopate, which he has enjoyed beyond his worth, is the limit of all that men pray for, I know and agree. But to those inclined to vice and overcome by gain, nothing is enough. Nor would some governors become wicked and criminal if they were content with what they had and knew how to measure their prosperity. But I think that more such men often come from these than from the poorer. For the more they are exalted above others, swollen with conceit, think themselves above the many and consider taking advice an insult, the more self-will, desire for more, and confidence that even if caught they will not pay the penalty come upon them.\" Let him, then, acknowledge his fault and not seem to defend himself unconvincingly. For the charges are not dismissed; rather he incurs ridicule besides. [Letter 2.72] Above all, Scripture compared neither nature with nature nor substance with substance, but quality with quality (which, by the philosophers' account, can come and go; for they define substance as the vehicle of quality, and say that without it quality has no existence), when it says: \"If the Ethiopian will change his skin and the leopard her spots, then you too will be able to do good, having learned evil.\" But, so as not to be too precise about this, I will try to show that the very saying they bring forward overturns what they are trying to establish. For by the words \"having learned evil\" they overturn the doctrine they think irrefutable. If they had the knowledge of evil by nature, how could he say \"having learned evil\"? And if they had learned it, they will also be able to unlearn it. So too all the other texts that seem to the uneducated to support them will be overturned. For if \"the natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit,\" yet he will be able to. And if \"a bad tree cannot bear good fruit,\" yet it will be able to. For \"cannot\" is not the same as \"will not be able\": the one indicates the present time, in which the careless man is careless; the other the future, in which one who was formerly bad can become good. Events cry this out, changing every day, and the Scriptures guarantee it. How did the Psalmist fall and rise again? How did Paul, a persecutor, fight back and become the herald of the one he persecuted? How did Peter, having denied, wipe away the stain? How was the wild olive grafted into the good olive? How were the Ninevites saved? How was the thief sent into paradise? Having learned, then, that, with the help from above going before, the one who wills, toils and leaves nothing untried (for bare willing is not enough) both learns and bears fruit and is saved, do everything in your power that looks to the correction of those who stumble.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.71 (PG 78 78:513; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-71)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.73":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤὴν ἀνάγνωσιν τῶν ἱερῶν Γραφῶν, ἐφόδιον ἡγοῦ τῆς σωτηρίας, τρέφουσαν παραδείγμασιν εὐδοκίμοις τὸ φιλόκαλον καὶ ἀνδρῶδες τῶν μετὰ σπουδῆς ἀκροωμένων.","t":"To Paul the presbyter. Consider the reading of the sacred Scriptures a provision for the journey to salvation, which nourishes with glorious examples the love of the good and the manliness of those who listen earnestly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.73 (PG 78 78:515; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-73)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.74":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nὍτε Ἐζεκίου βασιλεύοντος, πᾶσαν τὴν Περσίδα ἄγων ἐπῆλθε τῇ Ἱερουσαλήμ ὁ βάρβαρος καὶ τρόπαιον ἔστη θαυμαστόν, καὶ θεῖον, καὶ τῶν πώποτε γενομένων ἐπισημότερον· τότε δὴ φυσηθέντι τῷ Ἐζεκίᾳ, καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς χαρᾶς μεῖζον ἢ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον φρονήσαντι, ἐπετέθη ὁ τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας χαλινός, τὸ φρόνημα αὐτοῦ καταστέλλων, καὶ τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν ἐλέγχων φύσιν, καὶ τὴν ἐκ τῆς χαρᾶς ἐγγενομένην τῇ ψυχῇ νόσον ἰώμενος. Ὅτι γὰρ ὑπὸ χαρᾶς μᾶλλον αἴρονται αἱ ψυχαὶ, ἔδειξαν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι. Ὅτε γὰρ ἀπηλλάγησαν τῶν Αἰγυπτίων, καὶ εἶδον τὸν βυθὸν τάφον αὐτῶν γεγενημένον, τότε εἰς εἰδωλολατρίαν ἐτράπησαν. Διαβάντες γὰρ τὴν θάλασσαν, καὶ μηδὲν κινδυνῶδες ὑπομείναντες, ἐλθόντες εἰς τὴν γῆν ἐναυάγησαν. Ὅπερ Επαμινώνδας ὁ Θηβαίων στρατηγὸς ἄριστα συνιδών, Λακεδαιμονίους νικήσας, καὶ τρόπαιον κατ᾿ αὐτῶν στήσας, τῇ ἑξῆς ὤφθη τοῖς φίλοις κατηφὴς καὶ στυγνός. Τῶν δὲ ἐρωτησάντων μήτι λυπηρὸν συνέβη, Οὐχὶ, φησὶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐχθὲς ᾐσθόμην ἐμαυτοῦ, μεῖζον ἢ καλῶς ἔχει φρονήσαντος. Διὸ σήμερον κολάζω τὴν ἀμετρίαν τῆς χαρᾶς. Μὴ τοίνυν μηδ' αὐτὸς ἄλυε, εἰ τοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς κομῶν ἀγαθοῖς, ταῖς τοῦ σώματος δαμάζῃ ἀῤῥωστίαις · ἀλλ᾽ ἐννόει ὅτι σοι τοῦτο, ἢ στεφάνους ὠδίνει, ἢ τὸ φρόνημα καταστέλλει.","t":"To Heraclides the bishop. When, in the reign of Hezekiah, the barbarian came against Jerusalem leading all Persia, and a wonderful and divine trophy was set up, more famous than any ever raised before, then on Hezekiah, who was puffed up and in his joy thought higher than befits a man, the bridle of sickness was put, restraining his pride, reproving human nature, and healing the disease that joy had produced in his soul. For that souls are lifted up more by joy the Jews showed: when they were freed from the Egyptians and saw the deep become their tomb, then they turned to idolatry. Having crossed the sea and suffered no danger, they were shipwrecked when they came to land. Epaminondas, the Theban general, saw this very well. Having conquered the Spartans and set up a trophy over them, he was seen by his friends the next day downcast and gloomy. When they asked whether something grievous had happened, he said, \"No, but yesterday I noticed that I was thinking more highly of myself than was right; so today I am punishing the excess of my joy.\" Do not, then, be distressed yourself if, flourishing as you do in the goods of the soul, you are subdued by sicknesses of the body; but consider that this either brings forth crowns for you or restrains pride.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.74 (PG 78 78:515; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-74)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.75":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΜεγάλα μέν σου τὰ τῆς νεότητος, ὥς φασι, πλημμελήματα. Πῶς γὰρ οὔ; Τὰ δὲ τοῦ γήρως ὑπερβολὴν οὐκ ἔχει. Τὸ γὰρ ἐν γήρᾳ τοὺς νέους τοὺς ἐπ' ἀσελγείᾳ βεβοημένους ἀποκρύπτειν, ἅπασαν ὑπερβάλλει ἀτοπίαν. Καὶ δῆλος εἶ τὰ Ἐπικούρου νοσῶν, καὶ τὴν γνώμην κατέχειν μὴ δυνάμενος, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν ἔργων τὰ ἐκείνου δόγματα βεβαιῶν. Εἶργε τοίνυν, εἶργε σαυτὸν τοῦ θείου θυσιαστηρίου, μή ποτε σκηπτὸς κατὰ τῆς σῆς χωρήσειε κεφαλῆς.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Great, they say, were the offences of your youth; how could they not be? But those of your old age go beyond all bounds. For in old age to shelter young men notorious for licentiousness surpasses every outrage. And you are plainly sick with the doctrines of Epicurus, unable to keep your opinion to yourself and confirming his doctrines by your deeds. Keep away, then, keep yourself away from the divine altar, lest a thunderbolt fall upon your head.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.75 (PG 78 78:517; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-75)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.76":{"o":"ΠΑΜΠΡΕΠΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Γρηγορεῖτε καὶ προσεύχεσθε, ἵνα μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς πειρασμόν. Οὐκ ἔστιν, ὦ φίλη κεφαλή, μηχανὴν εὐρεῖν, δι' ἧς ἄν τις γένοιτο συμφορῶν ἐλεύθερος. Ἀλλὰ θᾶττον ἄν τις ἐν μεγίστῳ κλύδωνι κυβερνήτου καὶ οἰάκων χωρὶς διασωθείη, ἢ τὸν κλύδωνα τοῦ βίου τούτου διαφύγοι, πειρασμῷ μὴ περιπεσών. Εἰ γὰρ πειρατήριόν ἐστιν ὁ βίος ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, πῶς ἔστιν ἐν τῷ πειρατηρίῳ ὄντας μὴ πειράζεσθαι; Τὸ γὰρ παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος εἰρημένον, « Γρηγορεῖτε καὶ προσεύχεσθε, ἵνα μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς πειρασμὸν, τὸ μὴ καταποθῆναι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ἠνίξατο. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο ὅπερ ἄλλοι νομίζουσιν, ἔφη ὁ Σωτήρ, τῷ μηδαμῶς πειρασμῷ περιπεσεῖν, οὐκ ἂν ἔχοι λόγον· καὶ τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ τῶν μάλιστα εὐδοκιμηκότων ἀνδρῶν πολλοῖς καὶ μεγίστοις περιπεπτωκότων. Ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν μὴ περιπεσεῖν, ἴσως ἀδύνατον, τὸ δὲ μὴ ἡττηθῆναι, δυνατόν. Οἱ μὲν οὖν πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀμαθίᾳ βεβαπτισμένοι πρὸς τὰς συμφορὰς ἔχουσι τὰς ψυχὰς ἀπαραμυθήτους· οἱ δὲ λογισμῷ σώφρονι κυβερνώμενοι, ἀπωθοῦνται ταύτας, οὐ τῷ γενναίως ἐνεγκεῖν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ στεφάνους ὀνειροπολεῖν.","t":"To Pamprepius the deacon. [On \"Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation.\"] It is not possible, dear friend, to find a device by which one could be free of misfortunes. One would sooner come safe through the greatest storm without helmsman or rudder than escape the storm of this life without falling into temptation. For if the life of man on earth is a place of trial, how can those who are in the place of trial not be tried? What the Saviour said, \"Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation,\" hinted at not being swallowed up by it. For if the Saviour had meant what others think, never falling into temptation at all, it would make no sense, since the prophets, the apostles and the most approved men fell into many and very great temptations. Not to fall into it is perhaps impossible; not to be defeated by it is possible. Most people, drowned in ignorance, have souls that cannot be consoled in misfortune; but those who are steered by sober reasoning repel misfortunes, not only by bearing them nobly but also by dreaming of crowns.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.76 (PG 78 78:517; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-76)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.77":{"o":"ΕΥΛΟΓΙΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nἘκ τῶν περὶ τὸν θάνατον τῷ βασιλεῖ Αχαάμ συμβεβηκότων ἔστι θαυμάσαι, πῶς τὸ χρεὼν οὐδὲ προμηνυόμενον διαφυγεῖν οἷόν τε. Ὑπέρχεται γὰρ τὰς ἀνθρωπίνας ψυχὰς ἐλπίσι θωπεῦον χρησταῖς, καὶ περιάγει αὐτὰς ἐκεῖσε, ὅθεν αὐτῶν βεβαίως κρατήσει καὶ περιέσται.","t":"To Eulogius the reader. From what befell King Ahab at his death one may marvel how impossible it is to escape what must be, even when it is foretold. For it creeps into human souls, flattering them with good hopes, and leads them round to the place where it will surely master and overcome them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.77 (PG 78 78:519; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-77)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.78":{"o":"ΧΡΥΣΗ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ περὶ τοὺς οἰκείους τὴν μεγαλοψυχίαν ταύτην ἐπεδείξατο ἡ σὴ μεγαλόνοια, ἦν μὲν ἂν οὐδ᾽ οὕτω μικρὸν, κοινὰ τὰ ὄντα τῷ γένει κεκτῆσθαι. Ἀφήρει δ' ἄν τι τῆς φιλοτιμίας ἴσως, τὸ δοκεῖν ἀνάγκην τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς φύσεως προσείναι. Νῦν δὲ τῆς ἐκεῖθεν αἰτίας περικεκομμένης (οἱ γὰρ υἱεῖς τοῦ τεθνεῶτος, οἱ καὶ εὐεργετηθέντες, οὐδ᾽ ἐγνωρίζοντό σοι, εἰ μὴ συμφορά αὐτοὺς συνέστησεν), ἡ γνώμη καθαρῶς εὐδοκιμεῖ. - ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Γράφομαί σε γραφὴν ὑπεροψίας ὅτι Ζωσίμῳ περιτυγχάνων, ὡς μανθάνω, τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ, οὐ καταντλεῖς αὐτοῦ τὰ πάθη, ἀλλ' Ἱπποκράτει πεισθεὶς, ὡς κεκρατημένῳ οὐκ ἐγχειρεῖς. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν σωμάτων τοῦτ᾽ ἔδοξέ τισιν ἀληθὲς (καίτοι πολλάκις ἐλεγχθέν· ἐγχειρήσαντες γὰρ πολλοὶ τῶν ἰατρῶν τοῖς κεκρατημένοις κατώρθωσαν), ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἐπὶ τῶν ψυχῶν πλέον ἐλέγχεται. Οἴδαμεν γάρ τινας ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ τῆς κακίας εἰς αὐτὴν ἀναβεβηκότας τῆς ἀρετῆς τὴν κορυφήν. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ σώματα τῇ τῆς φύσεως ἀνάγκῃ δέδοται. Αἱ δὲ ψυχαὶ τῇ τῆς προαιρέσεως ἐξουσίᾳ τετίμηνται. Ὅσον τοίνυν εὐκολώτερον προαίρεσις φύσεως, τοσοῦτον εὐχερέστερον, τὸ ἀνενεγκεῖν τὴν ψυχήν. Μηδὲν τοίνυν ἀπογινώσκων, πειρῶ αὐτὸν κατευθύνειν. Οὐ μικρὰ ἔσται σοι εὔκλεια παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ, εἴτ᾿ ἀνύσεις, εἴτε καὶ μή· τὸ γὰρ ἑαυτοῦ πᾶν πληρώσεις. Ὡς πάντως τοίνυν εὐδοκιμήσων, εἰ προτρέψοιο αὐτὸν ἀνενεγκεῖν, οὕτω διάκεισο, καὶ μήτε νύκτωρ, μήτε μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν, αὕτη ἀπολειπέτω σε ἡ φροντίς. Τάχα καὶ αὐτός που σωθείη, καὶ οἱ σκανδαλιζόμενοι διορθωθεῖεν, καὶ οἱ κωμῳδοῦντες αὐτὸν ἐπιστομισθεῖεν, καὶ σὺ ἀθανάτου εὐκλείας ἐπιτύχοις.","t":"To Chryses, most illustrious. Even if your Magnanimity had shown this greatness of soul toward your own relatives, it would not have been a small thing even so, to hold your possessions in common with your family; but the appearance of a necessity arising from nature might perhaps have taken something from the generosity. But now that this cause has been cut away (for the sons of the deceased, who were the ones you benefited, were not even known to you, except as their misfortune brought them to you), your intention wins approval in its purity. [Letter 2.79] To Lampetius the bishop. I indict you on a charge of neglect, because, as I learn, when you meet Zosimus the presbyter you do not treat his passions, but, persuaded by Hippocrates, do not take him in hand as one already overcome by disease. Even if this seemed true to some in the case of bodies (though it has often been refuted, for many physicians who took in hand those overcome have succeeded), still in the case of souls it is refuted even more. For we know some who have gone up from the depth of vice to the very summit of virtue. Bodies are given over to the necessity of nature, but souls are honoured with the authority of choice. As much as choice is more pliable than nature, so much easier is it to restore the soul. Despairing of nothing, then, try to set him straight. You will have no small glory with God, whether you succeed or not; for you will fulfil all your own part. Be disposed, then, as one who will surely win approval if you urge him to recover, and let this care not leave you night or day. Perhaps he himself may be saved somehow, those who are scandalized may be corrected, those who mock him may be muzzled, and you may obtain immortal glory.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.78 (PG 78 78:519; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-78)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.80":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ κρίσεως. Πρώην μὲν ἔγραφον, ἐλπίζων σε τῆς κακίας ἀπαλλαγήσεσθαι, καὶ πρὸς καθαρὰν ὑγίειαν ἀναδραμεῖσθαι· νῦν δὲ κινδυνεύω, ὑπὲρ τοῦ μὴ καὶ ἄλλους εἰς τὸ βάραθρον τῆς πονηρίας ὑπὸ σοῦ ἐμβληθῆναι, ποιεῖσθαι τὸν λόγον Εἰ τοίνυν μὴ βούλει σῶσαι σαυτὸν, τί καὶ ἑτέροις λυμαίνῃ; Τι καὶ τὰς ἄλλων τιμωρίας ἕλκεις ἐπὶ τὴν ἀθλίαν σαυτοῦ κεφαλὴν, τὰς χρεμετιζούσας ἐπιθυμίας μὴ ἀνασειράζων, ἕως ἂν αὐτῶν αἱμάξῃς τὰ στόματα, ἀλλ᾽ ἄδειαν αὐταῖς διδοὺς ὁρμᾷν ὅποι βούλονται; ᾿Ανασείραζε τοίνυν αὐτὰς ἵνα μὴ τἀναντία τῶν Νινευϊτῶν ὑπομείνῃς. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι φοβηθέντες τὰ ῥήματα, οὐχ ὑπέμειναν τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν πραγμάτων τιμωρίαν· οὕτω καὶ σὺ τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν ῥημάτων καταφρονῶν ἀπειλῆς, τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν πραγμάτων ὑποστήσῃ κόλασιν.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. [On judgment.] Before, I wrote hoping that you would be freed from vice and would run back to pure health; now I am in danger of having to speak so that others may not be thrown by you into the pit of wickedness as well. If you do not wish to save yourself, why do you ruin others too? Why do you draw the punishments of others onto your own wretched head, not reining in your neighing desires until you bloody their mouths, but giving them licence to rush wherever they want? Rein them in, then, so that you may not undergo the opposite of what befell the Ninevites. For as they, fearing the words, did not undergo the punishment in deed, so you, despising the threat in words, will undergo the punishment in deed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.80 (PG 78 78:521; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-80)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.81":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἘπειδὴ τοὺς τὰς θεωρίας ὑποφαίνοντας καὶ τὸ γράμμα εἰς τὸ πνεῦμα μεταρυθμίζοντας, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως αἰτιασάμενος, καίτοι πολλάκις ὠφέλιμά τινα τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις λέγοντας, αὐτὰ τὰ πράγματα ἑρμηνευθῆναι σοι λιπαρῶς παρεκάλεσας, καὶ προεβάλλου δι' ἣν αἰτίαν ὁ λεπρὸς καὶ ὁ γονοῤῥυὴς, οἱ τε τὰ ἄλλα νοσοῦντες ἀκούσια νοσήματα, ἀπείρχθησαν τῶν ἱερῶν περιβόλων· ἐβουλόμην μὲν σιγῆσαι· οὔτε γὰρ ῥάδιον, οὔτε εἰ ῥάδιον ἦν, ἔπρεπε τὰ τῆς φύσεως ἐκπομπεύειν μυστήρια. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ καὶ δευτέροις ἐξεβιάσω με γράμμασιν, ὡς ἂν οἷός τε ὦ, συνεσταλμένως φράσω. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τεθέσπιστο, καὶ διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀνδρῶν σεμνότητα, καὶ διὰ τὴν τῶν γυναικῶν τιμὴν, καὶ δι᾿ αὐτὸ τὸ πρᾶγμα (ὁσιότητος γὰρ τὸ τοιοῦτο πνεῖ), καὶ Πρὸς γυναῖκα ἐν καθαρισμῷ ἀκαθαρσίας αὐτῆς οὐκ εἰσελεύσῃ· πολλοὶ δὲ ἐν ἀφέδρῳ οὔσαις καὶ καθαιρομέναις ταῖς γυναιξὶν, ἢ καὶ ἐγκύοις τυγχανούσαις, δι' οἷστρον καὶ ἀκολασίαν, μᾶλλον δὲ μανίαν, ὁμιλοῦσι, κἀκεῖναι οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως ἀνέχονται (καίτοι τῶν ἀλόγων ζώων μετὰ τὴν σύλληψιν εἰς κοινωνίαν μὴ ἀπαντώντων. Διὸ καὶ θηλυτέραν φασί τινες κεκλῆσθαι τὴν γυναῖκα, κατὰ σύγκρισιν τῶν θηλέων ζώων, ὡς τούτων μὲν διὰ τὴν διαδοχὴν τοῦ γένους καταδεχομένων τὴν κοινωνίαν·· τῶν δὲ γυναικῶν ἴσως δι' οἶστρον καὶ ἀκολασίαν, καίτοι τότε σβεννυμένης τῆς γυναικείας ἐπιθυμίας. Ἡ γὰρ φύσις, ἢ περὶ τὴν διάπλασιν τοῦ ζώου ἀσχολεῖται, ἢ περὶ τὴν κάθαρσιν)· συνέβαινε δὲ πολλάκις τὸ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς σπέρμα, τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ τῆς θηλείας αἴματι μιγνύμενον, σῶμα ἀναπλάττειν οὐ καθαρὸν, οὐδὲ εὔκρατον, ἀλλὰ ποικίλοις πάθεσιν εὐάλωτον· ταῦτα βουλόμενος ὁ νομοθέτης προαναστείλαι τὰ κακὰ, τοὺς ἐκ τ[οι]ούτων συνουσιῶν τεχθέντας, ἀπεκήρυξεν ἐνταῦθα, καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν συνόδων ἀφώρισεν, ἵνα μηκέτι τολμήσαιεν τοιαῦτα ὁρᾷν. Ὅτι δὲ αὕτη ἐστὶν ἡ αἰτία, δῆλον ἐκ τῶν ἐν τῷ Ἰεζεκιὴλ ἀναγεγραμμένων. Ἐκεῖσε γὰρ τὸν μὲν δίκαιον ἀνακηρύττων ὁ Θεὸς, τὸν δὲ ἁμαρτωλὸν ἀποκηρύττων, τὸν μὲν ἔφησε γυναικὶ ἐν ἀφέδρῳ οὔσῃ μὴ προσεληλυθέναι, τὸν δὲ προσεληλυθέναι. Εἱ δὲ φαίης, Τοῖς δρῶσι τὴν τιμωρίαν ὁρίσαι ἐχρῆν, φαίην· Καὶ ποία ταύτης τιμωρία χαλεπωτέρα; Ὅταν γὰρ ἴδοιεν τοὺς ἐξ αὐτῶν τεχθέντας, οὓς ηὔχοντο πολλῷ ἑαυτῶν δοκιμωτέρους ἰδεῖν, μήτε εὐχῶν, μήτε πανηγύρεων, μήτε πόλεων, μήτε ἱερῶν συνόδων μετέχοντας· σκόπει πόσην ὑποστήσονται βάσανον. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο, κἀκεῖνο, ὡς οἶμαι, νενομοθέτηται, Καὶ ἔσται πᾶσα ψυχὴ, ἥτις ἂν μὴ περιτμηθῇ τῇ ὀγδόῃ ἡμέρᾳ, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται ἐκ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτῆς. Ὅπερ τινὲς ὡς ἄλογον παρεγράψαντο τῶν εἰς τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς περιτομὴν τὸ ῥητὸν μετακομισάντων. Ἐχρῆν γὰρ, ἔφασαν, ῥηθῆναι, τὸν μὴ περιτέμνοντα τὸ παιδίον αὐτοῦ ἐξολοθρευθήναι, μὴ μὴν τὸ ἄωρον νήπιον. Ἐγὼ δὲ, εἰ καὶ πρὸς τὴν ψυχὴν βλέπει κυρίως ὁ λόγος, οὐδὲ τὸ γράμμα παραγράφομαι. Κάνταῦθα γὰρ ἡ αὐτὴ ἔννοια σωθήσεται. Τοῖς γὰρ πατράσιν ἀργαλεωτέρα ἐστὶν ἡ τιμωρία, ὅταν τὰ παιδία ἐξολοθρευθεῖεν. Ἐκεῖνα μὲν γὰρ τυχὸν, εἰ καὶ πρὸ τῆς διαγνωστικῆς τῶν καλῶν καὶ τῶν οὐ τοιούτων ἡλικίας τελευτήσοιεν, οὐδ᾽ εἰ ἐν τιμωρίᾳ γεγόνασιν, εἴσονται. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔλθοιεν εἰς τὴν διαγνωστικὴν ἡλικίαν, οὐ πάνυ χαλεπῶς ἐνέγκοιεν τὸ πρᾶγμα, τῆς συνηθείας τὴν τιμωρίαν ἐξευμαριζούσης, καὶ μάλιστα, ὅτε οὐδὲ ἑκούσιόν ἐστι τὸ ἔγκλημα. Οἱ δὲ γονεῖς ἀνυπόστατον ὑπομενοῦσι τὴν τιμωρίαν. Εἰ τοίνυν νενόηταί σοι τὸ εἰρημένον περὶ τῶν ἀκουσίων παθῶν (περὶ γὰρ τῶν ἑκουσίων οὐκ ἂν οἷμαί σε ζητήσειν· οἶσθα γὰρ ὡς Ὀζίας τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ οὐ δεόντως ἐπιπηδήσας, καίτοι βασιλεὺς ῶν, ἐλεπρώθη), τῷ Θεῷ χάριν ἴσθε. Εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἀποδοχῆς ἂν εἴην δίκαιος παρὰ τῶν νοούντων τυχεῖν, ὅτι τὸ πρέπον καὶ τὸ σεμνὸν τῆς σαφηνείας ἐνταῦθα προετίμησα, τὰ τῆς φύσεως μὴ ἐκπομπεύσας μυστήρια.","t":"To Athanasius the presbyter. You blame, I know not why, those who bring out spiritual meanings and transpose the letter into the spirit, though they often say things useful to their hearers; and you earnestly asked to have the things themselves explained to you, putting forward the question why the leper, the man with a discharge, and those suffering other involuntary diseases were excluded from the sacred precincts. I wished to keep silent; for it is not easy, and even if it were easy, it would not be fitting to parade the mysteries of nature. But since you have forced me with a second letter, I will speak as concisely as I can. It had been ordained, for the dignity of men and the honour of women, and for the sake of the thing itself (for such conduct breathes holiness): \"You shall not go in to a woman in the impurity of her uncleanness.\" But many, through frenzy and licentiousness, or rather madness, have intercourse with women who are in their separation and being cleansed, or even pregnant, and the women, I know not how, put up with it (though irrational animals do not come together after conception; which is why some say that woman is called \"the more female\" by comparison with female animals, since these accept intercourse for the succession of their kind, while women perhaps do so through frenzy and licentiousness, though at that time a woman's desire is quenched; for nature is then occupied either with forming the living creature or with cleansing). And it often happened that the man's seed, mixed with the woman's impure blood, formed a body that was neither pure nor well tempered, but easily seized by various diseases. Wishing to prevent these evils in advance, the lawgiver disowned those born of such unions here and excluded them from the sacred assemblies, so that people would no longer dare to do such things. That this is the cause is clear from what is written in Ezekiel. There God, proclaiming the righteous man and disowning the sinner, said of the one that he had not approached a woman in her separation, and of the other that he had. And if you say, \"He should have fixed the punishment for those who do it,\" I would answer: what punishment is harsher than this? When they see those born of them, whom they prayed to see far more approved than themselves, sharing neither in prayers, nor festivals, nor cities, nor sacred assemblies, consider how much torment they will undergo. For this reason too, I think, that other law was given: \"And every soul that is not circumcised on the eighth day shall be destroyed from its people.\" Some of those who transfer the saying to the circumcision of the soul have rejected the letter as unreasonable: it should have been said, they said, that the man who does not circumcise his child is to be destroyed, not the infant before its time. But I, though the saying looks properly to the soul, do not reject the letter either. For here too the same sense will be preserved: the punishment is harsher for the fathers when the children are destroyed. The children, perhaps, if they die before the age that can tell good from what is not, will not even know that they were under punishment; and if they reach the age of discernment, they would not bear the matter very hard, since custom eases the punishment, especially as the fault is not voluntary. But the parents will endure an unbearable punishment. If, then, you have understood what has been said about involuntary afflictions (for about voluntary ones I do not think you would ask: you know that Uzziah, though he was a king, became a leper when he leapt improperly upon the priesthood), give thanks to God. If not, I would deserve acceptance from those who understand, because here I preferred propriety and decency to clarity, not parading the mysteries of nature.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.81 (PG 78 78:521; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-81)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.82":{"o":"ΙΩΑΝΝΗ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΟὐδεὶς, ὡς ἔγωγε οἶμαι, ἀνδρεῖον ἔχων φρόνημα, καὶ τῆς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς προσηγορίας ἄξιος, τῇ τῶν ἀνδρογύνων θέᾳ ἀλίσκεται, τῶν τὸν ἀνθρώπινον ἐξορχουμένων βίον· καὶ τὸ τηνικαῦτα μάλιστα εὐδοκιμούντων, ἡνίκα ἂν ὡς μάλιστα ἐκκαυθῶσιν.","t":"To John the scholasticus. No one, I think, who has a manly mind and is worthy of the name of man is captivated by the sight of effeminate performers, who dance away human life and win most applause precisely when they are most inflamed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.82 (PG 78 78:525; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-82)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.83":{"o":"ΑΙΜΙΛΙΑΝΟ ΚΑΙ ΠΕΛΑΓΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟΙΣ.\nὍτι μὲν λόγος πραῦς καὶ πάνσοφος, βοηθήματος δίκην σβέσαι δύναται θυμὸν ἐκ μέσης καρδίας ζέοντα, μάλα ἀκριβῶς οἶδα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἡμετέροις λόγοις ἔνεστι φάρμακον εὑρεῖν κοιμίσαι δυνάμενον, τοῦτο δὴ οὐκέτι σαφῶς ἐπίσταμαι. ᾿Αλλ' εἱ μὲν ἀνύσω, διισχυρισαίμην. Εἰ δὲ διαμάρτοιμι, μάλιστα μὲν λυπηθείην · ἥκιστα δὲ ἐμαυτὸν μεμψαίμην Οὐκοῦν ἐπειδὴ ἡ ἔρις ἡ ὑμετέρα οὐρανομήκης, ὥς φασι, γεγενημένη, οὐ μόνον ὑμᾶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλοὺς ἄλλους εἰς τὰ καίρια ἔτρωσε, βουλοίμην ὑμᾶς ταύτην μὲν σβέσαι καὶ ἀφανίσαι, εἰς δὲ φιλίαν παλινδρομῆσαι· εἰ δὲ τοῦτο τέως, ὡς φασί τινες, οὐχ οἷόν τε, κἂν τῇ σιωπῇ ἐκνευρίσαι τὴν ἄμετρον φιλονεικίαν, καὶ μὴ ῥητοῖς καὶ ἀῤῥήτοις ῥήμασι ταύτην αὐξῆσαι. Ἂν γὰρ παύσησθε ἃ μὴ θέμις καθ' ἑαυτῶν φθεγγόμενοι, ἠρέμα καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν σβεσθεῖσα ἡ ἔρις καὶ καταπεσοῦσα, τὴν φιλίαν ἀναζωπυρῆσαι παρασκευάσει. Ωσπερ γὰρ τοῖς κάμνουσι τὸ μὴ χεῖρον ἔχειν, ἀρχὴ γένοιτ' ἂν τοῦ βέλτιον ἔχειν (ἡ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ὀξυτάτοις νοσήμασι ταυτότης, βελτίωσις εἰκότως ἐνομίσθη)· οὕτω καὶ ὑμῖν μάλα κάμνουσι (μὴ γὰρ δὴ ὑγιαίνειν νομίζετε, τοιαῦτα εἰς ἀλλήλους παροινοῦντες), τὸ μὴ ἐπιτριβῆναι τὸ πάθος, ἀρχὴ γένοιτ᾽ ἂν διορθώσεως. Εἴτε οὖν ὑμῖν τέλεον ἀφανίσαι δόξειε τὴν ἔχθραν, εἴτε μὴ περαιτέρω προελθεῖν, οὐκ ἀφαιρήσομαι ἐμαυτοῦ τὸ εὔελπι ἄξιον εἶναι λόγου, διὰ λόγους κριθήσεσθαι,","t":"To Aemilian and Pelagius the deacons. That a gentle and all-wise word can, like a remedy, quench anger boiling up from the depth of the heart, I know very well. Whether a medicine able to put it to sleep can be found in our words too, this I do not clearly know. If I succeed, I would affirm it; if I fail, I would be very grieved, but would least of all blame myself. Since, then, your strife, which has become sky-high, as they say, has wounded not only you but many others in their vital parts, I would wish you to quench and abolish it and run back to friendship; and if for now this is not possible, as some say, at least to unnerve your excessive contentiousness by silence and not increase it with words both speakable and unspeakable. For if you stop uttering against each other what is not lawful, the strife, quenched and dying down little by little, will make friendship blaze up again. As for the sick not getting worse may be the beginning of getting better (for in the most acute diseases staying the same is rightly regarded as improvement), so for you, who are very sick (do not think you are healthy, raging so against each other), not aggravating the passion may be the beginning of correction. Whether, then, you decide to abolish the enmity completely or not to let it go further, I will not deprive myself of the good hope that I am worth listening to and will be judged by my words.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.83 (PG 78 78:525; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-83)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.84":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΜὴ πάνυ εἰς ἀνάγκην κατάκλειε τοὺς σαυτοῦ ἐχθρούς. Εἰ μὲν ἐμοὶ πείθοιο, μηδ' ὅλως· εἰ δὲ σαυτῷ, μὴ μήποτε σύμβουλον ἐν ταῖς ἀμηχανίαις λαβόντες τὴν ἀνάγκην (ἡ δ᾽ ἐστὶ δεινὴ πρὸς ἀπόνοιαν, ὅταν ἀπόγνωσις αὐτὴν ἐρεθίζῃ), τοιαῦτά σε δράσωσιν, οἷα δρᾶν αὐτοὺς μελετᾷς· ἡ γὰρ ἔφορος τῶν δρωμένων δίκη, πολλάκις δι᾿ ἀπληστίαν τῶν νικώντων, εἰς τοὐναντίον τὰ πράγματα περιίστησιν.","t":"To Theon the bishop. Do not shut your enemies up completely in necessity. If you would listen to me, do not do it at all; if to yourself, at least not completely, lest, taking necessity as their counsellor in their helplessness (and necessity is terrible in driving men to desperation when despair provokes it), they do to you the very things you are planning to do to them. For justice, the overseer of what is done, often turns things to the opposite because of the greed of the victors.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.84 (PG 78 78:525; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-84)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.85":{"o":"ΕΥΛΟΓΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἩγοῦμαι, ὅτι οὐδ᾽ ἀνθρώπῳ ἁγίῳ δαίμων ἀντιστῆναι δυνήσεται Καὶ δῆλον μὲν ἀφ᾿ ὧν οἱ ἀπόστολοι δαίμονας ἤλαυνον. Δῆλον δὲ καὶ ἀφ᾽ ὧν ὁ Παῦλος τὸν Πύθωνα, τὸν τὰ Ἑλλήνων ἄνω καὶ κάτω κυκῶντα λόγῳ ἀπήλασε. Κἀν τοῖς μαρτυρίοις δὲ ἡ ἐφεδρεύουσα τοῖς σώμασι τῶν ἁγίων χάρις, τούτους βασανίζει. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, ὡς ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων δείκνυσι πεῖρα, πῶς ἀγγέλῳ ἀντιστῆναι ἡδύνατο; ᾿Αλλ' οἶμαι (οὐ γὰρ διατείνομαι ἀλλὰ γνώμην ἀποφαίνομαι), ὅτι ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τὸν Μωσέα ἑκάστῳ ἔθνει ἄγγελος ἀπενεμήθη « \"Ὅτε γὰρ διεμέριζε, φησὶν, ὁ Ὕψιστος ἔθνη, ὡς διέσπειρεν υἱοὺς ᾿Αδάμ, ἔστησεν ὅρια ἐθνῶν κατὰ ἀριθμὸν ἀγγέλων Θεοῦ. » Εἰ δὲ φαίης · Πῶς οὖν οὐ παρεχώρει θάτερος θατέρῳ; φαίην, ὅτι μάλιστα μὲν παρεχώρησε, πλὴν ἀμφότεροι τῷ θείῳ διισχυρίζοντο νόμῳ. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τὸ θεῖον προεβάλλετο πρόσταγμα, τὸ θεσπίζον ἀπολυθῆναι τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας, καὶ μὴ βουλομένους, μηδὲ μετανοήσαντας τοὺς Ἰουδαίους· ὁ δὲ ταῖς τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἰσχυριζόμενος πράξεσι, μένειν ἔτι αὐτοὺς ἐν τῇ ὑπερορίᾳ, δίκαιον εἶναι ἔφασκε. Τοῦ γὰρ Θεοῦ εὐσεβοῦσί τε καὶ δικαιοπραγοῦσιν ἐπαγγειλαμένου τὴν ἐπάνοδον, κρατεῖν δεῖν ἔλεγε τὸ πρόσταγμα, ἀμετανοήτων ὄντων, καὶ μηδ' εἰς ἱκεσίαν τραπέντων. Ὅτι γὰρ καὶ τὸ μισοπόνηρον ἐπαινεῖ ὁ Θεὸς, τεκμηριοῖ τὰ κατὰ τὸν Φινεὲς γεγονότα. Δύο γὰρ φόνους αὐτὸν ἐργασάμενον, ἐν μιᾷ καιροῦ ῥοπῇ, ἱερωσύνῃ τετίμηκεν· οὐκ ἂν τοῦτο ποιήσας, εἰ ἀγαθότητα μόνην ἐνομοθέτει. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ὁ νόμος διηγόρευε, τὸν ἐξ Ἑβραίων δουλεύοντα ἑβδόμῳ ἔτει ἐλευθεροῦσθαι, εἰ δὲ μὴ ἐθέλει, προσάγεσθαι τῇ θύρᾳ τῆς σκηνῆς, καὶ τρυπᾶσθαι αὐτοῦ τὸ ὠτίον, καὶ μένειν δοῦλον αἰώνιον· τοῦ δὲ χρόνου τῆς ἐλευθερίας φοιτήσαντος, οὐδεμίαν οὗτοι αὐτῆς ἐποιοῦντο πρόνοιαν (ἴσως ἐμφιλοχωρήσαντες τοῖς βαρβάροις, καὶ τὴν ἐκείνων ἀσέβειάν τε καὶ πολιτείαν ζηλώσαντες)· ὁ τῶν Περσῶν ἄγγελος οὐδαμῶς αὐτοῖς προσήκειν τὴν ἐλευθερίαν διισχυρίζετο, εἴπερ ὁ νόμος τοὺς μὲν θέλοντας ἐλευθεροῖ, κατὰ δὲ τῶν ἐθελόντων δουλεύειν, κυροῦ τῆς δεσποτείας τὴν ψῆφον, οὐκ ἀπανθρωπίᾳ νικώμενος, ἀλλὰ τὸ δίκαιον ὑποτιθέμενος. Ὁ δ᾽ ἕτερος ἄγγελος τὴν ἀγαθότητα ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ δίκαιου τιθέμενος, τὴν θείαν χάριν ᾤετο δεῖν νικᾶν, τὴν καὶ ἀναξίους αὐτοὺς ὄντας ἐλευθερῶσαι προηρημένην. Ὥστε ἀμφότεροι τῷ θείῳ νόμῳ συνηγωνίζοντο, ὁ μὲν μισοπόνηρος ὢν, ὁ δὲ ἀγαθός. Αμφότερα γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς ἐπαινεῖ, ἐνίκησε δὲ ἡ χάρις, τῆς ἀγαθότητος τὸ δίκαιον παραγραψαμένης. Ἕωλος γὰρ πᾶς λόγος μετὰ τὴν θείαν ψῆφον· πολλάκις γὰρ καὶ στρατιωτῶν ἀμφισβητούντων πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ ἑκατέρου μέρους τὸ δίκαιον προβαλλομένου, ἡ τοῦ βασιλέως ψῆφος λύει τὴν φιλονεικίαν. Ταῦτα δὲ καὶ ἐλέγετο καὶ ἐγίνετο πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον, ὥστε τὸν μὲν Δανιὴλ γνῶναι, ὅτι εἰσηκούσθη, τὸν δὲ λαὸν ἀκούσαντα, ὅτι καὶ ἀνάξιον αὐτὸν ὄντα σώζει, διά τε τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπαγγελίαν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ δικαίου πρεσβείαν, σωφρονέστερον γενέσθαι, καὶ ἐπιθυμῆσαι τῆς ἐπανόδου, ὡς μεγίστων τευξόμενον ἀγαθῶν, εἰ τῆς πατρίδος αὖθις ἀξιωθείη.","t":"To Eulogius the presbyter. I think that a demon will not be able to stand even against a holy man. This is clear from the apostles' driving out demons, and clear too from Paul's driving away by a word the Python who stirred the affairs of the Greeks up and down. And in the martyrs' shrines the grace that waits upon the bodies of the saints torments the demons. If, then, this is so, as the experience of the facts shows, how could a demon have withstood an angel? But I think (I do not insist; I give my opinion) that, since according to Moses an angel was assigned to each nation (\"When the Most High,\" he says, \"divided the nations, as he scattered the sons of Adam, he set the boundaries of the nations according to the number of the angels of God\"), [the prince of the kingdom of Persia was the angel of the Persians]. And if you say, \"How, then, did the one not yield to the other?\", I would answer that he did yield, but both were contending for the divine law. The one put forward the divine command that ordained that the Jews be released from captivity even though they were unwilling and unrepentant; the other, relying on the deeds of the Jews, said that it was just that they should remain in exile still. For since God had promised the return to those who lived piously and acted justly, he said that this command must prevail, since they were unrepentant and had not even turned to supplication. That God also praises hatred of wickedness is proved by what happened with Phinehas: when he had committed two killings at one stroke, God honoured him with the priesthood, which he would not have done if he legislated goodness alone. And since the law also declared that a Hebrew who served as a slave should be freed in the seventh year, and that if he was unwilling, he should be brought to the door of the tent, have his ear pierced, and remain a slave forever; and since, when the time of freedom came, these people made no provision for it (perhaps because they had grown fond of living among the barbarians and emulated their impiety and way of life), the angel of the Persians insisted that freedom did not belong to them at all, since the law frees those who wish it, but confirms the verdict of mastery against those who wish to remain slaves. He was not overcome by inhumanity, but proposed what was just. The other angel, putting goodness before justice, thought that divine grace should prevail, which had chosen to free them even though they were unworthy. So both contended for the divine law, the one hating wickedness, the other being good. God praises both; but grace won, goodness setting justice aside. For every argument is stale after the divine verdict: often, when soldiers dispute among themselves and each side puts forward what is just, the king's verdict ends the contention. These things were said and done for our benefit: so that Daniel might know that he had been heard, and that the people, hearing that God saves them though they are unworthy, because of his own promise and the intercession of the righteous man, might become more self-controlled and long for the return, as about to obtain the greatest goods if they were counted worthy of their homeland again.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.85 (PG 78 78:527; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-85)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.86":{"o":"ΕΥΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nἘπειδὴ γέγραφας δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν πολλοὶ πολλάκις τὰ αὐτὰ πεπλημμεληκότες, οὐ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔδοσαν δίκην· φημὶ, Ἐπειδὴ πολλή ἐστι τοῦ κριτοῦ ἡ ἀκρίβεια. Ἐν γὰρ τοῖς πταίσμασιν οὐ τὸ εἶδος ζητεῖται μόνον τοῦ ἁμαρτήματος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ γνώμη τοῦ ἁμαρτόντος, καὶ τὸ ἀξίωμα, καὶ ὁ καιρὸς, καὶ ὁ τόπος, καὶ τὸ γένος καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν εἰ ἐλυπήθη, εἰ ἥσθη, εἰ ἀναλγήτως διετέθη, εἰ ἐνέμεινεν, εἰ μετέγνω, εἰ ἐκ περιστάσεως, εἰ κατὰ ἀγάπην εἰ κατὰ μελέτην. Καὶ πολλὰ ἕτερά ἐστι, δι᾽ ὧν ἡ βάσανος αὕτη χωρεῖ· καὶ καιροῦ διαφορὰ ἐξετάζεται, καὶ πολιτείας κατάστασις. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ πρὸ νόμου, καὶ μετὰ νόμον, καὶ μετὰ τὴν χάριν τὴν αὐτὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἁμαρτὼν, τὴν αὐτὴν δίκην ὑφέξει· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν ἡμερωτέραν, ὁ δὲ ἀκριβεστέραν, ὁ δὲ ἀπαραίτητον. Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα διαῤῥήδην ἐν ταῖς ἱεραῖς Γραφαῖς κεκήρυκται.","t":"To Eudaemon the scholasticus. Since you wrote asking why many who have committed the same offences have not paid the same penalty, I answer: because the judge's precision is great. In failings not only the kind of sin is examined, but also the intention of the sinner, his rank, the time, the place, his family; and, after the sin, whether he grieved or rejoiced, whether he remained unfeeling, whether he persisted, whether he repented; whether it was from circumstance, from affection, or from premeditation. And there are many other things through which this examination proceeds: the difference of times is examined too, and the condition of life. For one who has committed the same sin before the law, after the law, and after grace will not undergo the same penalty, but one a milder, another a stricter, and another an inexorable one. All this is proclaimed plainly in the sacred Scriptures.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.86 (PG 78 78:529; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-86)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.87":{"o":"ΠΙΣΤΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤοιαῦτα καὶ λέγε, καὶ πρᾶττε, δι' ὧν καὶ εἴης καὶ νομίζοιο, οὐ μόνον εὐσεβέστατος, ἀλλὰ καὶ δικαιότατος.","t":"To Pistus the deacon. Say and do such things as will make you both be and be thought not only most pious but also most just.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.87 (PG 78 78:529; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-87)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.88":{"o":"ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἘπειδὴ γέγραφας θαυμάζειν ὅπως ὁ Χριστὸς τοὺς φοιτητὰς ἐπεστόμισεν ἐπιτιμήσαντας τῇ πολύτιμον μύρον ἐκχεῖν μὴ παραιτησαμένῃ καίτοι δόξαντας τὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν πτωχῶν ποιεῖσθαι λόγον· φημί, ὅτι Οὐκ ἂν ὁ ἄνω καὶ κάτω περὶ ἐλεημοσύνης διαλεγόμενος, καὶ ταύτην τῶν θυσιῶν προκρίνων, νῦν ταύτην, ὡς νομίζεις, ἐξέβαλεν. Ὁ γὰρ λέγων, «Ἕλεον θέλω, καὶ οὐ θυσίαν· · καὶ, « Μακάριοι οἱ ἐλεήμονες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθήσονται · · καὶ, « Ἐφ' ὅσον ἐποιήσατε ἑνὶ τούτων τῶν ἀδελφῶν μου τῶν ἐλαχίστων, ἐμοὶ ἐποιήσατε, › οὐκ ἂν εἰς τουναντίον περιετράπη. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἡ προσελθοῦσα γυνὴ ἔφθη ἐκχεῖν τὸ ἔλαιον, ἀτοπώτατον ἡγήσατο ἡ θεία σοφία πηρῶσαι αὐτῆς τὴν πίστιν. Διὸ καὶ συνηγόρησεν αὐτῇ, καὶ εἶπεν· « Ἔργον γὰρ καλὸν ἐποίησεν. » Ὅρα τὴν ἄῤῥητον σοφίαν. Οὐκ εἶπε, Καλὸν ἔργον γέγονεν, ἀλλ᾽, Ἐποίησεν. Οὐ γὰρ αὐτὸ καθ' ἑαυτὸ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐξετάζει, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τοῦ προσώπου τῆς γυναικὸς, οἱονεὶ λέγων· Ἐπειδὴ ἅπαξ ἐποίησεν, ἀποδοχῆς ἐστιν ἀξία. Μὴ τοίνυν τὴν ἀκρίβειαν παρ᾿ αὐτῆς ἐπιζητήσωμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀφ᾿ ὧν οἷόν τέ ἐστι, στέφανον αὐτῇ πλέξωμεν. Εἰ δὲ μὴ τούτῳ τῷ νῷ ἀπεδέξατο τὸ γύναιον, ἐχρῆν νομοθετῆσαι πᾶσι μιμήσασθαι αὐτήν. Εἰ δὲ μηδὲν τοιοῦτον εἶπεν, ἔδειξεν, ὡς διὰ συγκατάβασιν ἐκείνην ἀπεδέξατο. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ εἰπόντος αὐτοῦ πεποίηκε, νόμος ἔστω· εἰ δὲ πεποιηκυῖαν οὐκ ἠπόρησε, μὴ εἰς νόμον ἀναγέτωσαν τὴν συγκατάβασιν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ τὰς θυσίας ἐπιτρέψας ὕστερον ἀνέτρεψε, πῶς ἐνταῦθα μηδὲ ἐπιτρέψας ἐνομοθέτησεν ; \"Ωσπερ γὰρ εἰ πρὸ τοῦ ἐκχεῖν ἡρωτήθη, ἐκέλευσεν ἂν αὐτὸ πραθῆναι, καὶ δοθῆναι πτωχοῖς· οὕτως μετὰ τὸ ἐκχυθῆναι ἄτοπον ἦν διὰ τῆς ἐπιτιμήσεως σβέσαι τῆς γυναικὸς τὴν πίστιν. Οὕτω καὶ νῦν ποιοῦσιν οἱ τῶν ἱερωμένων εὐδόκιμοι. Εἱ μὲν γάρ τις εἴποι, ᾿Αναθεῖναί τι βούλομαι, κελεύουσιν αὐτὸν δοῦναι πτωχοῖς · εἰ δὲ φθῇ ἐκεῖνος κατασκευάσαι, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐπιτιμῶσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἠρέμα ἀποδέχονται, οὐ τοῦτο ἐκείνου προκρίνοντες · οὐδὲ γὰρ διὰ τοῦτο ἐπεδήμησεν ὁ Χριστὸς, ἵνα χρυσοῦ καὶ ἀργύρου τὰς ἐκκλησίας ἐμπλήσῃ ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα μὴ τὸν ἀναθέντα ἀπορήσωσιν.","t":"To Asclepius the bishop. Since you wrote that you wonder how Christ silenced the disciples who rebuked the woman who did not hesitate to pour out the very costly ointment, though they seemed to speak on behalf of the poor, I say that he who discoursed up and down about almsgiving, and preferred it to sacrifices, would not now have thrown it out, as you think. He who says, \"I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,\" and, \"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy,\" and, \"As you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me,\" would not have turned round to the opposite. But since the woman who came had already poured out the oil, the divine Wisdom thought it most unfitting to maim her faith. So he spoke in her defence and said, \"For she has done a good work.\" See the unspeakable wisdom. He did not say, \"A good work has been done,\" but, \"She has done it.\" For he does not examine the act by itself, but together with the person of the woman, as if saying: since she has once done it, she deserves acceptance. Let us not, then, demand precision of her, but weave her a crown from what is possible. If he had not accepted the woman with this intention, he ought to have made it a law for all to imitate her. But since he said nothing of the kind, he showed that he accepted her by condescension. If she had done it at his bidding, let it be a law; but if he did not object once she had done it, let them not turn the condescension into a law. For if in the Old Testament he permitted sacrifices and afterwards overturned them, how would he here have made a law of what he did not even permit? Just as, if he had been asked before she poured it out, he would have ordered it to be sold and given to the poor, so, after it was poured out, it was unfitting to quench the woman's faith by a rebuke. So too now do the approved among the priests act. If someone says, \"I wish to dedicate something,\" they bid him give it to the poor; but if he has already had it made, they not only do not rebuke him, but even quietly accept it, not preferring this to that (for Christ did not come to dwell among us in order to fill the churches with gold and silver), but so as not to embarrass the one who dedicated it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.88 (PG 78 78:531; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-88)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.89":{"o":"ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΩ ΠΟΙΗΤΗ.\n᾿Αρετῆς ἴσον οὐδὲν, οὐ μόνον ὅτι καὶ ἀσυγκρίτῳ ὑπεροχῇ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων διενήνοχεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ τὰ ἀνώμαλα πράγματα ἐξομαλίζει, καὶ τὰ ἄνισα ἐξισοῖ. Οὔτε γὰρ ἐν πενίᾳ ταπεινοῦται, οὔτε ἐν δουλείᾳ ἀνελευθέρους ὑπομένει διακονίας, οὔτε ἐν ἀδοξίᾳ συστέλλεται. Αλλ' οὐδ᾽ ἐν πλούτῳ ἐξυβρίζει, οὔτε ἐν ἀρχῇ ἐπαίρεται, ἀλλὰ πᾶσι τούτοις τὴν ἑαυτῆς ἐπιβάλλουσα ἐπιστήμην, κανονίζει ταῦτα καὶ ῥυθμίζει, οὐκ ἐκείνοις ἑπομένη, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνα τῇ ἑαυτῆς τέχνῃ ἀκολουθεῖν ἀναπείθουσα. Εἰ γὰρ χρὴ ἀκριβῶσαι τὸ Ὁμηρικὸν ἕπος, ὃ συνεχῶς (πρὸς κάλλος ἴσως σωματικὸν ἐπτοημένος) ἐπὶ στόματος, ὥς φασι, φέρεις, Καλή τε μεγάλη τε καὶ ἀγλαὰ ἔργ᾽ εἰδυῖα μᾶλλον περὶ ἀρετῆς εἰρῆσθαι δόξει, ἢ περὶ ἧς εἴρηται. Τί γὰρ αὐτῆς μεῖζον, τί δὲ κάλλιον Τίς δὲ ταύτης λαμπρότερα ἐπίσταται ἔργα, τῆς καὶ τὰς ἀνωμαλίας τῶν πραγμάτων διὰ τῆς ἑαυτῆς φιλοσοφίας ἐξομαλιζούσης, καὶ ἴσον τὸ φρόνημα ἐν ἀνίσοις πράγμασι φυλαττούσης, καὶ ἀοίδιμον ἀπανταχοῦ ἑαυτῇ κατασκευαζούσης κλέος, καὶ τοὺς μὲν συμφοραῖς περιπίπτοντας παρακαλούσης, τοὺς δὲ ὑπὸ εὐημερίας ἐξυβρίζοντας σωφρονιζούσης; Πρὸς ταύτην τοίνυν τεῖνον σαυτοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ ὄμμα, καὶ ταύτης τὸ κάλλος περισκόπει, ἵνα ἐραστὴς αὐτῆς διάπυρος γενόμενος, ἐπαινοῖο παρὰ πάντων καὶ ἀνακηρύττοιο. ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Καὶ παρ' Ἕλλησι μὲν (καίτοι ὑποχειρίους αὐτοὺς ἔχων καὶ ἄγων καὶ φέρων αὐτοὺς ὡς ἐβούλετο), καὶ παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις (καίτοι καὶ εἰς εἰδωλολατρίαν αὐτοὺς ἐκμήνας, καὶ εἰς ἀνδροφονίας ἐκλυττήσας), πολλὰς αἱρέσεις ἔτεκεν ὁ διάβολος. Εἰ δὲ καὶ παρὰ Χριστιανοῖς πολλῷ πλείους, θαυμαζέτω μηδείς. Πρὸ μὲν γὰρ τῆς ἐνσάρκου τοῦ Χριστοῦ παρουσίας, ὁρῶν πάντας ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας μεθύοντας, καὶ οὐδένα, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, καθαρῶς νήφοντα, ὀλίγα ἐνέβαλε φιλονεικίας σπέρματα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἦκεν οὐρανόθεν ὁ σωτήριος Λόγος, φέρων μὲν ἡμῖν οὐρανίου πολιτείας δόγματα, τῷ δὲ διαβόλῳ, δι' ὧν τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν ἠπείλει, προμηνύων τὴν ἀναμένουσαν αὐτὸν δίκην (ἔλεγε γάρ· « Πορεύεσθε εἰς τὸ πῦρ τὸ ἡτοιμασμένον τῷ διαβόλῳ καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ· ») τότε δὴ ὁ κοινὸς ἁπάντων, ἐχθρὸς ὁρῶν καὶ τὸ ἡμέτερον γένος, ἠρέμα καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν τὴν μὲν κακίαν ἀποσειόμενον, τὴν δ᾽ ἀρετὴν προσιέμενον, καὶ τὴν μὲν ἀσέβειαν ἐξοστρακίζον, τὴν δ᾽ εὐσέβειαν ἀσπαζόμενον· ἀκούσας δὲ καὶ τῆς καθ' ἑαυτοῦ ἀποφάσεως τὸν ὅρον, σφοδρότερον ἔπνευσε καθ' ἡμῶν, καὶ τὰς αἱρέσεις ἔτεκε. Τῇ γοῦν εὐσεβείᾳ ἀντιστῆναι μηκέτι δυνάμενος, τῷ ὀνόματι αὐτῆς εἰς ἀσέβειαν πολλούς χειραγωγῆσαι φιλονεικεῖ· καὶ προσχήματι εὐλαβείας τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἀνατρέψαι πειρᾶται, καὶ τοὺς βίῳ πολλάκις ἀρίστῳ διαλάμποντας διεφθαρμένοις δόγμασιν ἐκτραχηλίζει. Ἓν γὰρ αὐτῷ ἔργον καὶ μία σπουδή, πάντας ὁμοῦ, εἴτε διὰ βίας εἴτε διὰ νόθων δογμάτων εἰς τὸ τῆς ἀπωλείας μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ καταποντίσαι πέλαγος. Ταῦτα οὖν ἐννοοῦντες, παυέσθωσαν μὲν οἱ τῶν αἱρέσεων ἡγεμόνες τὰ κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας σπείροντες σπέρματα, ἐννοοῦντες ὡς αὐτοὶ μάλιστα πάντων ἐν μεγίστῳ κινδύνῳ σαλεύουσι. Παυέσθωσαν δὲ καὶ οἱ τούτων ἀκροαταὶ, προλήψει μόνῃ δουλεύοντες, καὶ κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας νεανιευόμενοι, ἵνα μὴ τὰ μέγα καὶ λόγον καὶ νοῦν ὑπερβαῖνον τοῦ Σωτῆρος κατόρθωμα, τόγε ἧκον ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς, ἀργὸν ἀποφήνωσι. Παυέσθωσαν δὲ καὶ οἱ τοῖς ὀρθοῖς μὲν δόγμασιν ἐναβρυνόμενοι, διὰ δὲ τῆς κατὰ τὸν βίον ῥαθυμίας ἐλεγχόμενοι, ταῦτα δρῶντες, ἃ νόθους αὐτοὺς τῆς εὐσεβείας φοιτητὰς ἀποφαίνει, καὶ μετὰ τῆς ὀρθῆς πίστεως τὴν ἀρίστην πολιτείαν συγκιρνάτωσαν, ἵνα πάντες ἀκούσωμεν τῆς βασιλικῆς φωνῆς ἡμᾶς ἀνακηρυττούσης.","t":"To Alexander the poet. Nothing is equal to virtue, not only because it surpasses all other things with an incomparable superiority, but because it also evens out uneven circumstances and makes unequal things equal. It is not humbled in poverty, nor does it submit to servile tasks in slavery, nor shrink in obscurity; nor again does it grow insolent in wealth or puffed up in office. Rather it brings its own knowledge to bear on all of these, regulating and ordering them, not following them, but persuading them to follow its own art. For if one must make the Homeric verse exact, which, they say, you continually have on your lips (perhaps because you are excited by bodily beauty), \"fair and tall and skilled in splendid works,\" it will seem to have been said of virtue rather than of the one of whom it was said. What is greater than virtue, what more beautiful? Who knows more splendid works than she, who evens out the unevenness of circumstances by her own philosophy, keeps the mind even in uneven fortunes, wins herself renowned glory everywhere, comforts those who fall into misfortune and sobers those made insolent by prosperity? Direct the eye of your soul toward her, then, and gaze on her beauty, so that, becoming her ardent lover, you may be praised and proclaimed by all. [Letter 2.90] To Apollonius the bishop. Among the Greeks (though he had them in his power, leading and carrying them wherever he wished) and among the Jews (though he drove them mad into idolatry and into a frenzy of murders) the devil gave birth to many sects. If among Christians he has given birth to far more, let no one wonder. Before the coming of Christ in the flesh, seeing everyone drunk with vice and no one, so to speak, purely sober, he cast only a few seeds of contention. But when the saving Word came from heaven, bringing us the doctrines of the heavenly way of life, and announcing to the devil, through what he threatened against sinners, the penalty that awaits him (for he said, \"Go into the fire prepared for the devil and his angels\"), then the common enemy of all, seeing our race little by little shaking off vice and taking up virtue, banishing impiety and embracing piety, and having heard the terms of the sentence against himself, blew more violently against us and gave birth to the heresies. No longer able to oppose piety, he strives to lead many into impiety under its name; he tries to overturn the truth under a pretext of reverence, and by corrupt doctrines often throws headlong those who shine with an excellent life. For he has one work and one zeal: to sink everyone together with himself into the sea of destruction, whether by force or by bastard doctrines. Let the leaders of the heresies, then, considering this, stop sowing seeds against the truth, considering that they above all are tossed in the greatest danger. Let their hearers stop too, enslaved only to prejudice and swaggering against the truth, lest, as far as in them lies, they render idle the Saviour's achievement, great and beyond word and thought. And let those stop as well who pride themselves on orthodox doctrines but are convicted by the carelessness of their lives, doing things that show them to be bastard disciples of piety; let them mix the best way of life with the right faith, so that we may all hear the royal voice proclaiming us.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.89 (PG 78 78:531; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-89)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.9":{"o":"ΙΩΣΗΦ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ ἀρετῆς. Παντὶ σθένει, ὦ βέλτιστε, προσήκει τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀσκεῖν ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀρκεῖν ἡγεῖσθαι τὸ δοκεῖν ἀσκεῖν. – ΧΑΙΡΗΜΟΝΙ, ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΩ, ΓΟΤΘΙΩ, ΡΩΝΙ. Πρὸς ἀσκητάς. Ἐπειδὴ τοῖς ἁγίοις ὁ βίος ὁ ὑμέτερος δακρύων γέγονεν ὑπόθεσις ἀεννάων, λογιζομένοις δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν Χριστιανοὶ φάσκοντες εἶναι, Ἐπικούρειον διαζῆτε βίον, οὔτε ἔργον ἀκολασίας καταλείψαντες ἄπρακτον, οὔτε λόγον αἰσχρὸν ἄῤῥητον· γέγραφα παραινῶν, ὅπως γνωσιμαχήσαντες, ἑαυτοὺς μὲν αἰσχύνης καὶ ὀνειδῶν, καὶ τῆς μελλούσης ἀδεκάστου κρίσεως, τοὺς δὲ ἁγίους τῆς ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοῖς λύπης, τὴν δὲ Ἐκκλησίαν δυσεκπλύτου κηλίδος ἀπαλλάξητε. – ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΙΩ, ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ ΝΕΩΣΤΙ ΚΑΤΑ","t":"To Joseph the presbyter. [On virtue.] With all your strength, excellent friend, you must practise virtue, and not think it enough to seem to practise it. [Letter 2.10] To Chaeremon, Anatolius, Gothius, and Ron. [To ascetics.] Since your life has become a subject of ever-flowing tears to the saints, as they consider why, while claiming to be Christians, you live an Epicurean life, leaving no deed of licentiousness undone and no shameful word unspoken, I have written to admonish you, so that, changing your minds, you may free yourselves from shame and reproach and from the coming impartial judgment, the saints from their grief over you, and the Church from a stain hard to wash out. [Letter 2.11] To Strategius, newly appointed bishop …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.9 (PG 78 78:463; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-9)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.91":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἘπειδὴ γέγραφας, τίνος ἕνεκεν \"Αρειος πάγος ἐκαλεῖτο, τὸ ἐν ᾿Αθήνῃσι δικαστήριον, ἐν ᾧ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἐδημηγόρησεν· ἀντεπιστέλλω, Ὅτι ὁ ῎Αρης, ὣς φασιν, ἐκεῖσε δίκας ἔδωκε. Πάγος δὲ, ὁ ὑψηλὸς τόπος. Ἐν γὰρ ὄχθῳ τινὶ ἦν ἐκεῖνο τὸ δικαστήριον· ὅθεν καὶ Πάγαρχοι καλοῦνται παρά τισιν, οἱ τῶν κωμῶν ἢ τόπων τινῶν ἄρχοντες.","t":"To Theodosius the presbyter. Since you wrote asking why the court at Athens in which Paul also addressed the people was called the Areopagus, I reply that Ares, as they say, was tried there. A pagos is a high place, for that court was on a hill; hence some call the rulers of villages or of certain districts pagarchs.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.91 (PG 78 78:535; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-91)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.92":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ,\nἘπειδὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τίσιν ἀλοὺς ὁ ῞Αρης, δίκην ἔδωκεν, ἐθέλησας μαθεῖν, αἰσχύνομαι μὲν φράσαι, ὅμως δ' οὖν ἐρῶ. Ἔλεγχος γὰρ ἔσται Ἑλλήνων σαφὴς τὰ λεγόμενα. Ὅταν γὰρ, οὓς φασι τῶν πάντων διανομεῖς εἶναι καὶ ταμίας, ὀφθεῖεν, μήτε σωφροσύνην, μήτε τὸ κρίνειν ἔχοντες ὀρθῶς, σχολῇ γ᾽ ἂν εἶεν σεπτοί. Τοὺς μὲν οὖν ἄλλους, ἵνα μὴ μακρὸν ποιήσω τὸν λόγον, παρήσω, καίτοι πολλοὺς ἔχων εἰπεῖν, ἑνὸς δὲ ἐπιμνησθήσομαι μόνου, τοῦ τὸ ζητούμενον παρὰ σοῦ σαφηνίζοντος. ᾿Αγραύλῃ τῇ Κέκροπος οὕτως ἐξηττηθῆναί φασι τὸν \"Αρεα, ὡς μηδέπω τῆς ἡλικίας αὐτῆς δυναμένης παρθενολύτων ἀνασχέσθαι γάμων, θερμὸν ὄντα καὶ ἀκόλαστον ἐραστὴν, μύοντα ἔτι τὸν κάλυκα τῆς φύσεως παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν βιάσασθαι. Καὶ ἦν μὲν ἡ παῖς, ὥς φασιν, ἁπαλὸν ἔτι τῆς ἡλικίας τὸ ἄνθος ἔχουσα. Ὁ δὲ προσκυνεῖσθαι ἀξιῶν, αὐτοσχέδιον νυμφῶνα ταύτῃ ποιεῖ τοὔδαφος, οὐ πειθοῖ τῆς κόρης τὸ ἐθελούσιον δείξας, δογμάτων, οὐ τῶν κυρίων τοῦ δοῦναι τὸν γάμον παρεσχηκότων, βίᾳ καὶ θράσει, γάμων ἐληΐσατο λάφυρα. Συμβιώσας τοίνυν ἐπὶ πολὺ, ἐκ ταύτης ἄγει τὴν ᾿Αλκίππην, ἣν ἔσχεν ᾿Αλιῤῥόθιος, ὁ τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος υἱός. Ἀλλὰ δυσχεράνας ὁ ῞Αρης ἐπὶ τῇ ὕβρει τῆς θυγατρὸς, ἀναιρεῖ τοῦτον, αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν λαθὼν, ὡς ἐβιάσατο τὴν Κέκροπος. Καὶ ὅτι μὲν κατὰ τῆς ἐνεγκούσης τὴν βίαν διὰ τὸν γάμον ἐσάλευσεν, οὐδὲ μικρᾶς ἑαυτὸν ἄξιον εἶναι μέμψεως ἐδοκίμασεν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ᾿Αλιῤῥόθιος οὔτε τὸ ἄωρον ὕβρισεν, οὔτε τὴν βίαν τῆς πειθοῦς προετίμησεν, ἀλλ' ἐποίει συναινεῖν τὴν κόρην τῷ παθεῖν, εἰ μὴ ἡ ἐναλείας αἰδὼς τὸ ἐθελούσιον περιέστελλεν· οὕτως ἄξιος εἶναι κολάσεως παρ' αὐτῶν κέκριται, ὡς καὶ διάδικος καὶ κριτὴς καὶ δήμιος αὐτῶν γενέσθαι. Ὧν χάριν ἐπὶ τοῦ ᾿Αρείου πάγου ὑπὸ τοῦ Ποσειδῶνος αἰτιαθεὶς καὶ ἀλοὺς, αὐτὸς μὲν δίκην δέδωκε, τῷ δὲ τόπῳ πρὸς τὸ στηλιτεύεσθαι τὴν αἰσχύνην τοῦνομα καταλέλοιπε. ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ. Πολλάκις ἐθαύμασα τὴν ἄγνοιαν τῶν πίστεως μὲν πέρι καὶ πολιτείας ἀρίστης μηδένα ποιουμένων λόγον, ἐκεῖνα δὲ πολυπραγμονούντων καὶ ζητούντων, ἃ μηδ᾽ εὐρεῖν οἷόν τε, καὶ τὸ Θεῖον παροξύνει ζητούμενα. Ὅταν γὰρ ἅπερ ἡμᾶς οὐκ ἠθέλησεν εἰδέναι, ταῦτα βιαζώμεθα μανθάνειν, οὔτε εἰσόμεθα, (πῶς γὰρ Θεοῦ μὴ βουλομένου;), καὶ τὸ κινδυνεύειν ἡμῖν ἐκ τοῦ ζητεῖν περιέσται μόνον. Ἐάσαντες τοίνυν, ὡς ὑπερφυῆ καὶ μηδαμόθεν ἁλώσιμον, τὴν περὶ τούτων βάσανον, καὶ εἰς τὸν τῆς ὀρθῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἀρίστης πολιτείας καταφυγόντες λιμένα, ἐκεῖθεν ἑαυτοῖς τὴν ἀσφάλειαν ποριζώμεθα.","t":"To the same. Since you wished to learn also on what charge Ares was convicted and paid the penalty, I am ashamed to say it, but I will tell it nevertheless; for what is told will be a clear refutation of the Greeks. When those whom they call the dispensers and stewards of all things are seen to have neither chastity nor right judgment, they could hardly be venerable. The others I will pass over, so as not to make my letter long, though I could name many; I will mention only one, the one who makes clear what you asked. They say that Ares was so overcome by Aglauros, the daughter of Cecrops, that, though her age could not yet bear a marriage that ends maidenhood, he, a hot and licentious lover, forced the still-closed bud of her nature before its time. The girl, as they say, still had the tender flower of youth. And he who claimed to be worshipped made the ground an improvised bridal chamber for her, not showing the girl's consent by persuasion, nor with the consent of those who had authority to give her in marriage, but by violence and audacity he plundered the spoils of marriage. He lived with her a long time and had by her Alcippe, whom Halirrhothius, the son of Poseidon, took. But Ares, vexed at the outrage to his daughter, killed him, forgetting that he himself had violated the daughter of Cecrops. That he had swept violence upon the mother for the sake of union he judged worthy of not even small blame; but Halirrhothius, who neither outraged an unripe girl nor preferred violence to persuasion, but brought the girl to consent to what she suffered (had not maidenly modesty veiled her willingness), he judged so deserving of punishment that he made himself his adversary, his judge and his executioner. For this, accused by Poseidon at the Hill of Ares and convicted, he himself paid the penalty, and left his name to the place as a public record of his shame. [Letter 2.93] To Theodosius the scholasticus. I have often marvelled at the ignorance of those who take no account of faith and of the best way of life, but busy themselves inquiring into things that cannot be found, and that provoke God when they are inquired into. For when we force ourselves to learn what he did not wish us to know, we will not know it (how could we, when God does not will it?), and the only result for us from inquiring will be danger. Leaving aside, then, the examination of these things as beyond nature and nowhere to be grasped, and fleeing to the harbour of right faith and the best way of life, let us obtain our safety from there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.92 (PG 78 78:535; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-92)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2.94":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΚαὶ τὸ μὴ μεταγινώσκειν πταίοντα, ὀλέθριον · καὶ τὸ ἀπογινώσκειν, ὀλεθριώτερον. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀπὸ ῥαθυμίας, τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ ἀναλγησίας φύεται. Ὅσῳ δὲ ἀναλγησία ῥαθυμίας χαλεπώτερον, τοσούτῳ ἀπόγνωσις ῥαθυμίας ἀργαλεώτερον. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀνήκεστόν ἐστι κακόν · τὸ δ᾽ εἰς θεραπείαν βαδιεῖται. Ἐπειδὴ τὸ μὲν κρίσεώς ἐστι διεφθαρμένης· τὸ δὲ παραλογισμοῦ καὶ ἀπάτης. Τί τοίνυν ἡμῖν ἐγκαλεῖς ὡς ἀμελοῦσι, καὶ μὴ χαράττουσι πρὸς τὸν δείλαιον Ζώσιμον γράμματα, ἐκείνου δύο τοῖς ἀργαλεωτάτοις βαπτισθέντος κακοῖς, ῥαθυμίᾳ τε καὶ ἀναλγησίᾳ; Οὐκ ἠμελήσαμεν, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἀλλὰ παρὰ πολλῶν τούτου ἕνεκεν πολλάκις παρορμηθέντες κεκμήκαμεν, καὶ λόγων καὶ προτροπῇ, καὶ ἀπειλῇ, καὶ ἐπαγγελίᾳ, καὶ κολάσει νουθετοῦντες τὸ ἀμείλικτον ἐκεῖνο θηρίον. Καὶ ὡς ἔοικεν, ἐλάθομεν Αἰθίοπα σμήχοντες, καὶ ἀνθρωπόμορφον δαίμονα εἰς ἡμερότητα ἐκβιάζεσθαι φιλονεικοῦντες. Εἰδὼς τοίνυν, ὡς τῶν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἡκόντων οὐδὲν οὔτε παρελείφθη, οὔτε παραλειφθήσεται, τὰς σὰς αὐτῷ χάρισαι προσευχάς. Τάχα πως ἀνενέγκοι ἐκ τῆς τοσαύτης μανίας. Ἡ μὲν συγγνώμη ἐκείνοις νέμεσθαι ἂν εἴη δικαία, τοῖς μὴ διὰ χρηστότητος εἰς μείζονα παιδοτριβουμένοις πταίσματα. Ἡ δὲ κόλασις ἔπεσθαι ὀφείλει τοῖς ὑπὸ τῆς χρηστότητος μὴ ὠφελουμένοις. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν εἰς τοσοῦτον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ γέγραφας βούλεσθαι μὲν περὶ ῥήσεων προφητικῶν πυθέσθαι, μὴ τολμᾶν δέ· ἀντεπιστέλλω, ὅτι ἀπεχθοίμην ἄν σοι, εἰ αἰσθοίμην σιγῶντα ἃ ἔρεσθαι βούλοιο. ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ. Ἕοικας πεπεῖσθαι τῷ θεσπεσίῳ Παύλῳ, καὶ τῇ ἀναγνώσει προσέχειν τὸν νοῦν. Διὸ δὴ καὶ αὐτὸς σαφηνίσαι τὸ παρὰ σοῦ προβληθὲν πειράσομαι. Ἔφης γάρ· Πῶς, εἴγε ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ νυκτὶ ἀπέθανε Βαλτάσαρ ὁ βασιλεὺς, ἔφη ἡ Γραφή· « Καὶ εἶπε Βαλτάσαρ, καὶ ἐνέδυσαν τὸν Δανιὴλ πορφύραν, καὶ τὸν μανιάκην τὸν χρυσοῦν περιέθηκαν περὶ τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ· καὶ ἐκήρυξαν περὶ αὐτοῦ, εἶναι αὐτὸν ἄρχοντα τρίτον ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ αὐτοῦ; • Οἶμαι τοίνυν ὅτι ἐπειδὴ ἡ μὲν θεία ἀπόφασις σκότους ἤδη τυγχάνοντος ἐπὶ τοῦ τοίχου ἐχαράχθη (τοῦτο γὰρ δηλοῖ τὸ, κατέναντι τῆς λαμπάδος)· ὁ δὲ βασιλεὺς ἐταράχθη σφόδρα καὶ παρελύθη ὑπὸ τοῦ φόβου · ἡ δὲ βασίλισσα ἐκκρουσθεῖσα τῶν λογισμῶν διὰ τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως παράλυσιν, ἀμελήσασα τῆς συνήθους καὶ πρεπούσης εὐκοσμίας, εἰσεπήδησεν εἰς τὸ συμπόσιον ἔτι νυκτὸς οὔσης· τὸ θεῖον θέσπισμα ἑρμηνεύεσθαι παρὰ τοῦ σοφωτάτου Δανιήλ· καὶ τῇ μὲν πορφύρᾳ καὶ τῷ περιαυχενίῳ παραχρῆμα τετιμῆσθαι, παρεστώσης πάσης τῆς στρατιᾶς καὶ τῶν ἐν τέλει (προὔκειτο γὰρ δῆλον ὅτι τῆς σοφίας τὰ γέρα), τὸ δὲ κήρυγμα γεγενῆσθαι ἐπὶ τῶν παρόντων, ὅτι τρίτος ἔσται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ, τουσέστι, μετ' αὐτὸν καὶ τὴν βασιλίδα. Εἰ δὲ, Πληθούσης ἀγορᾶς, εἴποι τις, ἐχρῆν γενέσθαι, καὶ οὐκ ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις· εἴποιμεν ὅτι μάλιστα μὲν τὰ ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις γενόμενα, καὶ πανταχοῦ κυροῦται. Ἡ γὰρ ἔνδον κυρουμένη θειοτάτη ψῆφος, πανταχοῦ κρατεῖν πέφυκεν, Ἴσως δὲ μᾶλλον εἰκὸς καὶ ἐν γράμμασι διατετυπῶσθαι. Τὸ δὲ ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις γεγενημένον, ὅσον οὐδέπω καὶ ἐπὶ πάντων ἐσόμενον, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πεπληρωμένον τῇ κρίσει τοῦ προστάξαντος, ὡς γεγονὸς ὁ ἱστοριογράφος ἔθηκε. Διὸ δὴ καὶ Δαρεῖος ὁ Μῆδος, ὁ τὸν τύραννον διαδεξάμενος, οὐδὲν ἀγνοήσας τῶν γεγενημένων, τῆς ἀνωτάτω τιμῆς αὐτὸν ἠξίωσεν. ΑΛΥΠΙΩ. Ἴσως ἀγνοεῖς, ὅτι οὐδέποτε ἄπορον ἀπόρῳ λύεται· ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τῶν ὁμολογουμένων τὴν πίστιν τῶν ἀμφισβητουμένων λαμβάνειν εἰώθαμεν. ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὀρέγονται μὲν ἀρετῆς, τὴν δὲ ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν φέρουσαν ὁδὸν ὀκνοῦσιν ἰέναι. \"Αλλοι δὲ οὐδ᾽ ἀρετὴν εἶναι ἡγοῦνται. Χρὴ γοῦν, τοὺς μὲν πεπεῖσθαι τὸν ὄκνον ἀποθέσθαι, τοὺς δὲ διδάξαι, ὅτι ὄντως ἀρετή ἐστιν ἡ ἀρετή. ΑΦΡΟΔΙΣΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Ἐπειδὴ, ὡς γέγραφας Ἰουδαῖός τις ἀπαιδευσίας ἀνάπλεως, ὡς ὑπερβολὴν καταγνοὺς τοῦ εἰρηκότος θείου εὐαγγελιστοῦ, « Οὐδ᾽ αὐτὸν οἶμαι τὸν κόσμον χωρῆσαι τὰ γραφόμενα βιβλία, • πράγματά σοι παρέσχεν· ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν ἐκ τῆς Παλαιᾶς Διαθήκης, ἣν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐγκρίνει καὶ θείαν ἡγεῖται, τὰ ὑπερβολικῶς εἰρημένα εἰς μέσον ἀγαγεῖν, ἵνα εἰδῇ ἐκεῖνος, ὅτι καὶ ὁ εὐαγγελιστὴς τῇ Παλαιᾷ ἐκείνῃ ἑπόμενος Γραφῇ, γέγραφεν ἃ γέγραφε. Τί οὖν γέγραπται,μάθωμεν. Περὶ μὲν τῶν πόλεων τῶν Χαναναίων, «Πόλεις τετειχισμέναι ὑπάρχουσιν ἕως τοῦ οὐρανοῦ·» περὶ δὲ τῆς γῆς αὐτῶν λέλεκται, «Γῆν ῥέουσαν γάλα καὶ μέλι.» Περὶ δὲ τῶν πλεόντων, «᾿Αναβαίνουσιν ἕως τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ καταβαίνουσιν ἕως τῶν ἀβύσσων.» Ἑρμηνευέτω τοιγαροῦν ἐκεῖνος ταῦτα ὁ ἀγροικόσοφος μὴ καταφεύγων εἰς θεωρίαν, μηδὲ τροπολογεῖν πειρώμενος, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὰ φράζων τὰ πράγματα. Εἰ δ᾽ οὐ δύναται (ἀνάγκη γὰρ αὐτὸν λέγειν ἢ ὑπερβολικῶς εἰρῆσθαι, ἢ ἑρμηνείας δεῖσθαι), τίνος ἕνεκεν ἀμαθίας ἐσχάτης καθ' ἑαυτοῦ δεῖγμα φέρων ἔδοξεν ἐπιλαμβάνεσθαι τοῦ εὐαγγελιστοῦ, τοῦ καὶ εἰ δόξαντος ὑπερβολῇ κεχρῆσθαι κολάσαντος αὐτὴν, διὰ τοῦ εἰρηκέναι, Οἶμαι; Ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ ἄκρατός ἐστιν ἡ ὑπερβολὴ, ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ κεκραμένη. Οὐ γὰρ ἀφῆκεν αὐτὴν ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκόλασεν. Ὁ δὲ τὰς ὑπερβολὰς κολάζων, δύο ποιεῖ · καὶ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ δεικνύει πόθον, καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας ἅπτεται. Εἰκὸς δὲ μηδὲ ὑπερβολικῶς εἰρῆσθαι. Οὐ γὰρ ἐῤῥέθη, πολλὰ καὶ ἄλλα σημεῖα πεποιηκέναι τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ, ἀλλὰ ἀδιορίστως πεποιηκέναι. Ἔστι δὲ αὐτοῦ ἄλλα τὰ ἔργα τοῦ κόσμου πρεσβύτερα, ἅτινα οὔτε γραφῇ, οὔτε βιβλίοις παραδοθῆναι οἷόν τε, οὐ μόνον διὰ τὸ πλῆθος καὶ τὸ μέγεθος, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὸ ὑπὲρ λόγον καὶ νοῦν εἶναι. Τίς γὰρ δυνήσεται διηγήσασθαι τῶν οὐρανίων δήμων τὴν φύσιν, τὴν τάξιν, τὴν εὐκοσμίαν, τὸν ῥυθμὸν, τὴν ἐμμέλειαν, τὴν ἀγάπην, τὴν εἰρήνην, καὶ τἄλλα πάντα ἅπερ οὐδ᾽ ἀριθμῆσαι δυνατόν; Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς δογμάτων τις μέγεθος καὶ ἀκρότητα ἐκλάβοι τὸ εἰρημένον, οὐκ ἂν διαμάρτοι τῆς ἀληθείας. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἀπόστολοι, ἃ ἐχώρησαν ἔγραψαν, καθὼς Πέτρος ὁ κορυφαῖος τοῦ χοροῦ ἐν ταῖς ἑαυτοῦ πράξεσι σαφῶς ἀπεφήνατο· \"Α ἐχωρήσαμεν, ἐγράψαμεν· ὁ δὲ κόσμος οὐδὲ τὰ γραφέντα ἐχώρησεν. Ὁ γὰρ φιλοχρήματος οὐκ ἐχώρησε τὸν περὶ τῆς ἀκτημοσύνης λόγον· οὐδ᾽ ὁ λάγνος τὸν περὶ σωφροσύνης· οὐχ ὁ πλεονέκτης τὸν περὶ δικαιοσύνης· οὐχ ὁ ὠμὸς τὸν περὶ φιλανθρωπίας· οὐχ ὁ θυμώδης τὸν περὶ πραότητος. Εἰ τοίνυν ἃ οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἴσως ἐχώρησαν, ὁ κόσμος οὐκ ἐχώρησε (καὶ βοᾷ ὁ μὲν Χριστὸς, ὅτι « Ὁ λόγος ὁ ἐμὸς οὐ χωρεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν· › ὁ δὲ Παῦλος, Χωρήσατε ἡμᾶς)· ἃ μηδ οἱ ἀπόστολοι ἴσως ἐχώρησαν, πῶς ἂν ὁ κόσμος ἐχώρησε; Κόσμον δὲ καλεῖ, τὸν περὶ τὰ κοσμικὰ καὶ γήϊνα πράγματα ἐπτοημένον ὄχλον· περὶ οὗ ἐῤῥέθη· • Καὶ ὁ κόσμος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω. » Οὐ χωρεῖ δὲ ὁ εἰρημένος κόσμος οὐ τόπων, ἀλλὰ τρόπων· οὐ διὰ πλῆθος γραμμάτων, ἀλλὰ διὰ μέγεθος πραγμάτων.","t":"To Isidore the presbyter. Not to repent after stumbling is deadly; to despair is deadlier. The one springs from carelessness, the other from insensibility. As much as insensibility is worse than carelessness, so much more grievous is despair than carelessness. For despair is an incurable evil, while carelessness will go on to healing, since the one belongs to a corrupted judgment, the other to miscalculation and deceit. Why, then, do you accuse us of negligence for not writing letters to the wretched Zosimus, drowned as he is in the two most grievous evils, carelessness and insensibility? We have not been negligent, excellent friend; urged often by many on his account, we have worn ourselves out admonishing that implacable beast with words, with exhortation, threat, promise and punishment. And, it seems, we were unaware that we were washing an Ethiopian and striving to force a demon in human form to gentleness. Knowing, then, that nothing in our power has been or will be omitted, grant him your prayers; perhaps he may somehow recover from such madness. Pardon would justly be granted to those who are not trained into greater offences by kindness; but punishment ought to follow those who are not helped by kindness. So much for that. And since you wrote that you wish to ask about prophetic sayings but do not dare, I reply that I would be displeased with you if I saw you keeping silent about what you wish to ask. [Letter 2.96] To Timothy the reader. You seem to have obeyed the divine Paul and to attend to reading. So I too will try to clarify the question you put forward. You said: \"If King Belshazzar died that very night, how did Scripture say, 'And Belshazzar spoke, and they clothed Daniel in purple, put the gold chain around his neck, and proclaimed concerning him that he was third ruler in his kingdom'?\" I think, then, that the divine sentence was inscribed on the wall when it was already dark (this is shown by \"opposite the lampstand\"); the king was greatly troubled and paralysed with fear; the queen, driven out of her reckoning by the king's paralysis, neglecting her usual and fitting decorum, burst into the banquet while it was still night; the divine oracle was interpreted by the most wise Daniel, and he was at once honoured with the purple and the necklace, in the presence of the whole army and those in authority (for the prizes of wisdom had clearly been set out); and the proclamation was made before those present that he would be third in the kingdom, that is, after the king and the queen. And if someone says that this should have been done in a crowded marketplace and not in the palace, we would say that, above all, what is done in the palace is ratified everywhere; for the most divine vote ratified within naturally prevails everywhere. And perhaps it is more likely that it was also set down in writing. What was done in the palace, which was all but about to be done before all, or rather was already fulfilled by the judgment of the one who ordered it, the historian set down as done. And so Darius the Mede too, who succeeded the tyrant, being ignorant of nothing that had happened, counted him worthy of the highest honour. [Letter 2.97] To Alypius. Perhaps you do not know that a difficulty is never solved by a difficulty; rather we are accustomed to take the proof of what is disputed from what is agreed. [Letter 2.98] To Leontius the bishop. Many people long for virtue but shrink from walking the road that leads to it; others do not even think that virtue exists. One must persuade the former to lay aside their sluggishness, and teach the latter that virtue is truly virtue. [Letter 2.99] To Aphrodisius the presbyter. Since, as you wrote, a certain Jew, full of ignorance, has given you trouble by condemning as exaggeration the divine evangelist who said, \"I suppose that not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written,\" it is necessary to bring forward from the Old Testament, which he too accepts and regards as divine, the things said there by hyperbole, so that he may know that the evangelist also, following that old Scripture, wrote what he wrote. Let us learn, then, what is written. Of the cities of the Canaanites: \"Cities walled up to heaven\"; of their land it is said: \"A land flowing with milk and honey\"; and of those who sail: \"They go up to the heavens and go down to the depths.\" Let that rustic sage interpret these, then, not fleeing to a spiritual sense or trying to allegorize, but stating the facts themselves. If he cannot (for he must say either that they were said by hyperbole or that they need interpretation), why, bearing proof of the utmost ignorance against himself, did he think to attack the evangelist, who, even if he seemed to use hyperbole, restrained it by saying \"I suppose\"? There the hyperbole is unmixed; here it is tempered. He did not let it go simply, but restrained it; and one who restrains his hyperboles does two things: he shows his own longing and he holds to the truth. And it is likely that it was not even said by hyperbole. For it was not said that Jesus did many other signs in this world, but that he did them, without limitation. And there are other works of his older than the world, which cannot be handed down in writing or in books, not only because of their number and greatness but because they are beyond word and thought. Who will be able to describe the nature of the heavenly hosts, their order, their good arrangement, their rhythm, their harmony, their love, their peace, and all the rest that cannot even be numbered? And if someone took the saying as referring to the greatness and height of the doctrines, he would not miss the truth. The apostles wrote what they could contain, as Peter, the chief of the choir, clearly declared in his Acts: \"What we could contain, we wrote\"; but the world did not contain even what was written. The lover of money did not contain the word about poverty, nor the lustful the word about chastity, nor the greedy the word about justice, nor the cruel the word about humanity, nor the angry the word about gentleness. If, then, the world did not contain what the apostles perhaps contained (and Christ cries, \"My word finds no room in you,\" and Paul, \"Make room for us\"), how would the world have contained what perhaps not even the apostles contained? He calls \"world\" the crowd excited about worldly and earthly things, of which it was said, \"And the world did not know him.\" The world spoken of does not contain them, not for lack of room but for lack of character; not because of the number of writings but because of the greatness of the matters.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 2.94 (PG 78 78:537; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/2-94)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.1":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ οὔτε γεέννης, οὔτε βασιλείας σοι λόγος οὐδεὶς, ἀλλὰ γε κἂν τὰς παρούσας δίκαιος ἂν εἴης ἀποτρίψασθαι κωμῳδίας. Οὐκ ἀμφίδοξον, ἀλλ᾽ ἔνδοξον ὄντα, καὶ γνώριμον, καὶ ἀληθῆ, καὶ παρὰ πάντων τῶν σοφῶν καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν Γραφῶν ὁμολογούμενον, καὶ πάντως ἐσόμενον τῆς κρίσεως λόγον, ἐν στέρνοις δίκαιος ἂν εἴης ἔχειν, καὶ παύσασθαι ὧν κρίσιν μὴ εἶναι νομίζων πράττεις, ἵνα καὶ σαυτὸν κολάσεως, καὶ τοὺς ὁρῶντας σκανδάλου, καὶ ἡμᾶς λύπης, καὶ τοὺς ῥᾳθύμους ἀπογνώσεως ἀπαλλάξῃς.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. If you have no regard at all for Gehenna or for the kingdom, you ought at least to wipe off the mockery you incur now. The account of the judgment is not doubtful but well known, familiar, and true, confessed by all the wise and by the holy Scriptures, and it will certainly come. You ought to keep it in your breast and to stop doing what you do in the belief that there is no judgment, so that you may free yourself from punishment, those who watch you from offence, us from grief, and the careless from despair.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.1 (PG 78 78:727; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-1)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.10":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΤί σημαίνει τὸ λόγιον τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ στήθους τοῦ ἱερέως. Τὸ λόγιον, ὦ ἐλλογιμώτατε, οὐ τὸ αὐτὸ μηνύει. ᾿Αλλ᾿ ὅταν μὲν ἡ πρώτη ὀξύνηται συλλαβή, χρησμὸν δηλοῖ· ὅταν δ᾽ ἡ δευτέρα, τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ στήθους τοῦ ἀρχιερέως ἐπιτεθῆναι θεσπισθὲν, οἷον λόγου ἱερὸν, ἢ οἶκον, ἢ τέμενος. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ φής· « Καὶ τίνος ( ἕνεκεν τῷ στήθει τοῦ ἀρχιερέως ἐπετίθετο; » φημὶ, ὅτι πρῶτον μὲν ἐχρῆν τῷ θυμικῷ καὶ ἐπιθυμητικῷ τὸν λογισμὸν, ὥσπερ ἡνίοχον ἐποχεῖσθαι. Ἔπειτα ὅτι τῷ ἱερωμένῳ χρὴ τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ τὴν σαφήνειαν ἐγκαλλώπισμα εἶναι. Τῷ γὰρ λογίῳ ἐπέκειτο ἡ δήλωσις καὶ ἡ ἀλήθεια· ἡ μὲν τὴν σαφήνειαν, ή δὲ τἀληθὲς ἐμφαίνουσα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλως βούλει νοῆσαι · Ἐπειδὴ τῷ μὲν ἐνδιαθέτῳ λόγῳ πρέπει ἡ ἀλήθεια· τῷ δὲ προφορικῷ, ἡ σαφήνεια. Τάχα δὲ ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἔκλαμψίς τις ἐγίνετο, ὡς φασιν, ἐν τοῖς λίθοις ἐκείνοις, ὅτε εἰς τὰ ἄδυτα ἐστέλλετο ἱερουργήσων, καὶ ἐδήλου ἀληθῶς τὰ ἐσόμενα τούτοις κέκληνται τοῖς ὀνόμασι.","t":"To Heraclides the bishop. [What the logion on the priest's breast means.] The word logion, most eloquent friend, does not always mean the same thing. When the first syllable is accented, it denotes an oracle; when the second, it denotes what was ordained to be placed on the high priest's breast, as it were a sacred place, house, or precinct of reason. And since you ask, \"And why was it placed on the high priest's breast?\", I say: first, because reason ought to ride on the spirited and desiring parts like a charioteer. Next, because truth and clarity ought to be the ornament of the one consecrated as priest. For on the logion lay \"Revelation\" and \"Truth,\" the one showing clarity, the other truth. And if you wish to understand it in another way: because truth befits the inner word, and clarity the spoken word. And perhaps also because, as they say, a kind of flashing appeared in those stones when he went into the inner sanctuary to minister, and it truly showed what was to come, they were called by these names.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.10 (PG 78 78:733; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-10)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.100":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟὐ τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀδικοῦσιν ἐπικρέμαται ὁ κίνδυνος ἅπας· οὓς καὶ ἀγωνιᾶν καὶ τρέμειν δίκαιον. Εἰ δὲ ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχει, οὐ τὸ ἀδικεῖσθαι κακὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀδικεῖν, καὶ τὸ μὴ εἰδέναι φέρειν ἀδικούμενον. Εἴρηται καλῶς τινι τῶν ἔξωθεν, οὐ τὸ πένεσθαι ἐπονείδιστον, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ φέρειν εὐγενῶς τὴν πενίαν Εἰ τοίνυν κἀκείνῳ τοῦτο εὖ καὶ καλῶς ἔδοξεν, ἐπὶ πενίᾳ μὴ αἰσχυνώμεθα, ἀλλὰ μηδ᾽ ὄνειδος ταύτην ἡγώμεθα, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τὴν κακίαν μετενέγκωμεν τοῦτον τὸν φόβον.","t":"To Maron the presbyter. Not over those who are wronged, excellent friend, but over those who do wrong hangs all the danger; it is they who ought to be anxious and tremble. And if this is so, it is not being wronged that is evil, but doing wrong, and not knowing how to bear being wronged. [Letter 3.101] It was well said by one of those outside that it is not being poor that is disgraceful, but not bearing poverty nobly. If, then, he too thought this well and rightly, let us not be ashamed of poverty, nor think it a reproach, but let us transfer this fear to vice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.100 (PG 78 78:807; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-100)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.102":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nἘπειδὴ πολλοὺς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐγκωμιάζων, καὶ τύχης μέμνησαι, ἡδέως ἄν σου πυθοίμην, πῶς οἷόν τε ἀμφότερα συνελθεῖν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἔπαινος πρὸς τὴν προαίρεσιν βλέπει · ἡ δὲ τύχη ἐγκωμιάζεσθαι μὲν τὸν ἀγαθὸν οὐκ ἐπιτρέπει· μακαρίζεσθαι δὲ οὐ κωλύει. Πάμπολυ γὰρ καὶ καθ᾽ ὑμᾶς τοὺς τὰ Ἑλλήνων πρεσβεύοντας, μακαρισμὸς ἐπαίνου διενηνόχει Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐκ τῆς τύχης, ὁ δὲ ἐκ τῆς προαιρέσεως τίκτεται. Γράψον τοιγαροῦν μοι, ὦ σοφὲ, πῶς τῷ ἐπαινουμένῳ ὁ τῆς τύχης ἁρμόττει λόγος· ἢ πῶς τῷ ὑπὸ τῆς τύχης τοιούτῳ, ὡς φατε, γενομένῳ ἐγκώμιον πρέπει. Θάτερον γὰρ θατέρῳ μάχεται. Εἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄκων τοιοῦτός ἐστι, μὴ ἐπαινείσθω· εἰ δ᾽ ἑκὼν, ἡ τύχη χώραν μὴ ἐχέτω. Εἰ τρόπαιον ἔστησε, καὶ ἀνακηρυττέσθω· εἰ δὲ ἡ τύχη τοῦτο κατώρθωσε, μὴ ἀπολαυέτω ἐπαίνων. Εἰ ἠγωνίσατο, στεφανούσθω· εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἠγωνίσατο, μὴ ἐπαινείσθω. ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Εἰ μὲν ὡς βίᾳ ἀνείρξων τὴν ὕβριν καὶ τὴν ἀσέλγειαν, Ζωσίμου τε καὶ Χαιρήμονος καὶ Μάρωνος, ὑπαντιάσαι αὐτοῖς προήρησαι, πολλῆς σοι δεῖ καὶ τῆς παρασκευῆς, καὶ τῆς ἄνωθεν συμμαχίας. Εἰ δ᾽ ὡς αὐτοβοεὶ περιεσόμενος, σαυτὸν ἀπατῶν λανθάνεις. Τοσαύτην γὰρ ἑαυτοῖς εἰσφέρουσι συμμαχίαν, ὅταν ἀγαθόν τινα ἄνδρα δέῃ ἀμύνασθαι, ὅσην κινοῦσι πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἅμιλλαν, ὅταν περὶ τῆς τῶν κακῶν πλεονεξίας ἀμφισβητῶσιν. Ἐν γὰρ τοῖς κοινοῖς συμβαίνοντες, ἐν τοῖς ἰδίοις διαφέρονται, καὶ ἀπρόσμαχον ἐπιδεικνύμενοι ῥώμην ἐν τῷ τὴν ἀρετὴν, τόγε ἧκον εἰς αὐτοὺς, σβέσαι, ἐν τῇ περὶ τῶν πρωτείων ἁμίλλῃ, ἄσπονδον πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἐγείρουσι πόλεμον.","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. Since in praising many good men you also mention fortune, I would gladly learn from you how both can come together. For praise looks to the will; but fortune does not allow the good man to be praised, though it does not prevent his being called happy. For even among you who champion the things of the Greeks, being called happy differs greatly from being praised: the one is born of fortune, the other of the will. Write to me, then, wise friend, how talk of fortune suits the man who is praised, or how praise befits the man who has become such, as you say, by fortune. For the one fights the other. If he is such unwillingly, let him not be praised; if willingly, let fortune have no place. If he set up a trophy, let him be proclaimed; if fortune achieved it, let him not enjoy praise. If he contended, let him be crowned; if he did not contend, let him not be praised. [Letter 3.103] To Hermogenes the bishop. If you have chosen to confront Zosimus, Chaeremon and Maron in order to restrain their insolence and licentiousness by force, you need much preparation and alliance from above. But if you think to prevail by a mere shout, you are deceiving yourself without knowing it. For they bring as great an alliance to one another, when they must ward off some good man, as the rivalry they stir up among themselves when they dispute over a greater share of evils. For agreeing in common causes, they differ in private ones; and, showing an irresistible strength in quenching virtue, as far as lies in them, in their contest for first place they raise a truceless war against one another.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.102 (PG 78 78:807; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-102)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.104":{"o":"ΑΝΤΙΟΧΩ.\nὭσπερ ἐν οἷς χρὴ ἡττᾶσθαι τὸ νικῶν αἰσχρὸν οὕτως ἐν οἷς χρὴ νικᾶν, τὸ ἡττᾶσθαι αἰσχρότερον. Οὐ γὰρ ἐν πᾶσιν ἡ νίκη καλὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ μὲν τὴν ὑπόθεσιν ἔχουσα καλὴν καὶ γενναίαν, ἀρίστη· ἡ δὲ καὶ αἰσχρὰν καὶ φαύλην, κακίστη. Οἷον (ἵν᾿ ἀπὸ τῶν παρ᾿ Ἕλλησιν ἀδομένων τὴν ἀπόδειξιν ποιήσωμαι) ὁ μὲν πρὸς τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους πόλεμος καὶ νόμιμος εἶναι δοκεῖ καὶ ἀναγκαῖος· ὁ δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ὁμοφύλους, καὶ παράνομος, καὶ οὐδ᾽ ἐγκωμίων ἀπολαύει ὁ τρεψάμενος. Τοσούτῳ γὰρ πλέον τῶν ἄλλων αἰσχύνεται, ὅσῳπερ ἂν πλέον τι τῶν ἄλλων ἐργάσηται. Ἐμφυλίου γὰρ πολέμου ἀργαλεώτερον οὐδέν Εἰ τοίνυν ἔνθα σώματος ὁ θάνατος, τοσαύτη ἐστὶν ἡ διαφορά · καίτοι μιᾶς οὔσης τῆς φύσεως· οἱ τοῖς μὲν δαίμοσιν ὑποκατακλινόμενοι, κατὰ δὲ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὁπλιζόμενοι, ἀνεκτὰ ποιεῖν δόξαιεν; οὐκ ἔγωγε οἶμαι. Καίτοι ἐνταῦθα, οὐ σώματος θάνατος παρακολουθεῖ (ἧττον γὰρ, ἦν κακὸν), ἀλλὰ ψυχῆς ὄλεθρος, οὐκ εἰς τὸ μὴ ὂν παραπέμπων τοὺς σκανδαλισθέντας, ἀλλὰ θανάτου παντὸς παρασκευάζων χαλεπώτερον βιῶσαι βίον, καὶ τὰ τῆς συγγενείας δὲ δικαιώματα, καὶ μείζονα, καὶ θειότερα. Διὸ καὶ οὐρανῷ πρέπουσαν πολιτείαν πολιτεύεσθαι προστετάγμεθα. Εἰ δὲ τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς στρατευομένων τάναντία πράττοντες ἁλῶμεν, τῶν ὑπὲρ μὲν τῶν πατρίδων ἀναλαμβανόντων τὰ ὅπλα, κατὰ δὲ τῶν βαρβάρων χωρούντων, ποία ἡμῖν ἔσται σωτηρίας ἐλπίς; ἢ τίς πεισθῆναι σωθήσεσθαι τοὺς πράττοντας ἐκεῖνα τὰ εἰς τὴν ἀπώλειαν σαφῶς παραπέμποντα; Μανθάνω ὡς ἐλέου τυχὼν τὴν σαυτοῦ γνώμην ἄσπονδον ἤλεγξας· οὐχ ὅτι πέπονθας εὖ μετριάζων, ἀλλὰ τὸν εὖ πεποιηκότα μισῶν, ὅτι δεδύνηται δρᾶσαι. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦτα ἀληθῆ τυγχάνει, πᾶσι προκηρύττεις, ὅτι ἐλέου τυγχάνεις ἀνάξιος · εἰ γὰρ οὐκ εἰς εὐχαριστίαν τρέπεις, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς μνησικακίαν τὴν εὐεργεσίαν, τίς ἀνέξεται εὐποιῆσαι τὸν καὶ τὴν τῶν θηρίων ἀγριότητα νικῶντα; Ἔστι γὰρ ἐν ἐκείνοις & καὶ εὐεργεσίας καὶ αἴσθεται, καὶ μέμνηται, καὶ ἀμείβεσθαι, ὡς ἐνδέχεται, σπουδάζει. ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Ακούσας μὲν ἴσως ἀπιστήσεις· νοήσας δὲ εὖ οἶδ' ὅτι οὐ μόνον θαυμάσεις, ἀλλὰ καὶ κροτήσεις. Τί οὖν ἐστι τὸ ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν ἄπιστον ὀφθησόμενον, μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα, οὐ μόνον θαυμαστὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κρότου ἄξιον φανησόμενον; Εἴποιμι συντόμως ἐν βραχέσι συλλαβαῖς, μέγιστα πελαγῶν νοήματα ἐνσημηνάαὐτῇ δείκνυται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῖς θεσπεσίοις ἀποστό μενος. Τοῖς παλαιοῖς ὁ Θεὸς οὐ διὰ γραμμάτων διελέγετο, ἀλλὰ δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ, καθαρὰν εὑρίσκων αὐτῶν τὴν γνώμην, καὶ τῆς ἄνευ μεσίτου διδασκαλίας ἀξίαν. Καὶ τοῦτο δῆλον ἐξ ὧν γραμμάτων ἄνευ διελέγετο, καὶ τῷ Νῶς, καὶ τῷ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ τοῖς εἰδοκίμοις ἀπογόνοις ἐκείνου, ὧν εἰς ἦν καὶ ὁ κορυφαιότατος ὁ πᾶσαν τοῦ διαβόλου τὴν δύναμιν συγκόψας, καὶ τὰ βέλη αὐτοῦ ἀναλώσας, καὶ τὴν φαρέτραν κενώσας, ὁ ἀοίδιμος, φημὶ, Ιώβ. \"Ὅτε δὲ εἰς αὐτὸν τῆς κακίας τὸν πυθμένα κατηνέχθη ὁ δείλαιος τῶν Ἰουδαίων δῆμος, τότε λοιπὸν τὰ γράμματα ἀναγκαῖα εἶναι ἐνομίσθη, καὶ ἡ διὰ τούτων ὑπόμνησις. Εἰ δὲ νομίζεις ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ μόνον τοῦτο γεγενῆσθαι, ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς Καινῆς μὴ κεκυρῶσθαι, φήσαιμι, ὅτι μάλιστα πάντων τοῦτο καὶ ἐν λοις γραπτόν τι δέδοται, ἀλλ' ἀντὶ γραμμάτων ἡ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐπηγγέλθη χάρις. « Ἐκεῖνες γὰρ ὑμᾶς, φησὶν, ἀναμνήσει πάντα. » Εἰ δὲ νομίζεις τοὺς ἐγγράφους τῶν ἀγράφων νόμων κυριωτέρους εἶναι ἄκουσον τί φησιν αὐτὸς ὁ βασιλεύς· « Διαθήσομαι αὐτοῖς διαθήκην καινὴν, διδοὺς νόμους μου ἐπὶ διάνοιαν αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπὶ καρδίας αὐτῶν ἐπιγράψω αὐτούς.» – «Καὶ ἔσονται πάντες διδακτοὶ Θεοῦ. Ὅθεν καὶ ὁ Παῦλος Μωσέως μείζονα ἐμπεπιστεῦθαι διισχυριζόμενος, ἔλεγεν εἰληφέναι νόμον, οὐκ ἐν πλαξί λιθίναις ἐγγεγραμμένον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πλαξὶ καρδίας σαρκίναις ἐντυπωθέντα· οὗ ὁ καταφρονῶν οὐ καταλεύ[σ]εται κατὰ τὸν παλαιὸν νόμον, ἀλλὰ πικροτάτη παραδίδοται κολάσει. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῦ χρόνου διιππεύοντος, καὶ καθάπερ ἵππου ὀξυτάτου θέοντος, οἱ μὲν δογμάτων ἕνεκεν ἐξώκειλαν, οἱ δὲ βίου · ἀναγκαίως πάλιν ἐδέησεν τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν γραμμάτων, διορθώσεως. Παραβεβασμένων γὰρ τῶν ἀγράφων ἐπὶ τὰ ἔγγραφα εἰκότως ὥρμησεν, ὁ παντὶ τρόπῳ τὸ ὑπήκοον εἰς ἀρετὴν ἐναγαγεῖν βουλόμενος. Ἐννοεῖν τοίνυν χρὴ ἡμᾶς, ἡλίκη ἐστὶ κατηγορία, τὸ τοὺς οὕτως ὀφείλοντας ζῇν εἰλικρινῶς, ὡς μηδὲ γραμμάτων δεῖσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀντὶ βιβλίων παρέχειν τὰς ψυχὰς τ θείῳ Πνεύματι, ἐπειδὴ τὴν τιμὴν ἀπωλέσαμεν ταύτην, καὶ κατέστημεν εἰς τὴν τῶν γραμμάτων χρείαν, μηδὲ τῷ δευτέρῳ βοηθήματι χρῆσθαι πάλιν εἰς δέον. Εἰ γὰρ ἔγκλημα τὸ γραμμάτων δεῖσθαι, καὶ μὴ τὴν τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἐπισπᾶσθαι διὰ καθαροῦ βίου διδασκαλίαν, σκοπῆσαι ἂν εἴημεν δίκαιοι, ἡλίκον ἐστὶ κακὸν, τὸ μηδὲ μετὰ τοσαύτην καὶ τηλικαύτην βοήθειαν («Νόμον γὰρ, φησὶν, εἰς βοήθειαν ἔδωκεν »), ἐθέλειν κερδαίνειν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην κείμενα τὰ γράμματα περιορᾶν, καὶ μείζονα προκαλεῖσθαι τὴν κόλασιν. Περὶ τῆς παραβολῆς τοῦ σπόρου, καὶ πῶς ὁ λόγος σπείρεται. Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας, Πῶς τὸν λόγον σπείρεσθαι κατ᾿ ἀρχὰς φάμενος, εἶπεν, « Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ παρὰ τὴν ὁδὸν σπαρεὶς, » οὗ ὁ πονηρὸς ἁρπάζει τὸ ἐσπαρμένον · ἔφησε δὲ καὶ ἐν τῇ τῶν ζιζανίων παραβολῇ, τὸ καλὸν · σπέρμα εἶναι, τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς βασιλείας; φημὶ ὅτι μάλιστα μὲν ἑκάστην παραβολὴν πρὸς τὸ προκείμενον ἀναζωγραφητέον, καὶ οὐ πάντως πάντα κατὰ πάντα ληπτέον Πλὴν ἵνα μὴ δόξω τισὶ σκήψεις ἐπινοεῖν, τὸ ἀποῤῥητότερον φράσω, φήσας ὅτι καὶ ὁ λόγος σπέρμα, καὶ ὁ τὸν λόγον δεξάμενος, διὰ τὴν πρὸς αὐτὸν συγκράτησίν τε καὶ οἷον ἀναστοιχείωσιν. Διὰ γὰρ τούτου μορφοῦται μὲν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἡμεῖς κατὰ Χριστὸν μορφούμεθα. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ τὸ σπέρμα καταβάλλεται, ἵνα ἐξομοιώσῃ τὸν ἄνθρωπον πρὸς ἑαυτό. Διὰ τί τοὺς ἀκουσίως φονεύσαντας τοῖς Λευίταις προσκατώκισεν ὁ νύμος. Επειδὴ ἔφης μήτε παρ᾽ ἄλλου μεμαθηκέναι, μήτ' αὐτὸς εὐρεῖν δεδυνῆσθαι τὴν αἰτίαν, δι᾽ ἣν τοὺς ἀνιέρους τοῖς ἱερωμένοις προσκατώκισεν ὁ νομοθέτης, τοὺς ἀκούσιον δὴ φόνον δράσαντας τοῖς Λευΐταις · φαίην, ὅτι μάλιστα μὲν ἵνα τῇ συνουσίᾳ ὠφελῶνται καὶ τὸ δοκοῦν ἄγος ἀποτρίβωνται. Ἔπειτα δὲ ὅτι οἱ μὲν, κατὰ συγγενικῶν αἱμάτων ὥπλισαν τὰς δεξιὰς (ἡνίκα τὸ θεῖον σέβας τῷ μόσχῳ ἐπεφήμισαν), οἱονεὶ τοῦ Θείου παροινηθέντος γεγονότες ἐκδικηταὶ (διὸ καὶ ἱερωσύνης ἔτυχον) · οἱ δὲ τρόπον τινὰ ὑπηρέται τῆς δίκης γεγόνασι, τοὺς πάντως δοῦναι δίκας δικαίους ὄντας, εἰ καὶ ἄκοντες ἀπεκτονότες. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυᾶται αὐτὸς ὁ νομοθέτης εἰπών · • Ὁ δὲ οὐχ ἑκὼν, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Θεὸς παρέδωκεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ. » Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ Θεὸς παρέδωκε, δίκας δοῦναι οὐκ ἂν εἴη δίκαιος ὁ ἀκουσίως φονεύσας, τῆς δίκης ὑπηρέτης ὀφθείς. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὴν χεῖρα δοκεῖ ἔχειν μιαρὰν, ἀλλὰ τὴν γνώμην ἔχει καθαράν. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκα, φησὶ, φυγὴν αὐτοῦ κατεψηφίσατο; Οὐ διὰ τὸ γεγενημένον (ἡ γὰρ ἂν ἔξω τῆς γῆς τῆς ἐπαγγελίας πάντη αὐτὸν ἀφώρισεν), ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ μὴ ὑπὸ τῶν συγγενῶν τοῦ ἀναιρεθέντος ἀκρίτως ἀναιρεθῆναι, νικῶντος τοῦ θυμοῦ τὸν λογισμὸν, καὶ τῆς ὀργῆς τὸ ἀκριβὲς παραγραφομένης. ᾿Αλλ᾿ οὐδ᾽ οὕτως αὐτὸν εἰς τέλος ἀφῆκεν· ὅρον γὰρ καὶ ἀποδίδωσιν αὐτὸν τῇ πατρίδι. αὐτῷ τῆς φυγῆς ὁρίζει, τὸν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως βίον · καὶ μετὰ τὸν θάνατον ἐκείνου, κάθοδον αὐτῷ χαρίζεται,","t":"To Antiochus. Just as, where one ought to be defeated, winning is shameful, so where one ought to win, being defeated is more shameful. For victory is not good in everything: the victory whose cause is good and noble is the best, and that whose cause is shameful and base is the worst. For example (to make my proof from what the Greeks celebrate), war against foreigners is thought both lawful and necessary, but war against fellow countrymen is lawless, and the one who routs them does not even enjoy praise. For he is the more ashamed than others, the more he accomplishes than others. For nothing is more grievous than civil war. If, then, where death of the body is concerned, the difference is so great, though the nature is one, would those who bow down to demons and arm themselves against their brothers seem to do anything bearable? I do not think so. And yet here it is not death of the body that follows (that would be a lesser evil), but destruction of the soul, which sends those who are made to stumble not into non-existence, but makes them live a life harder than any death; and the rights of our kinship are greater and more divine. That is why we have been commanded to live a life befitting heaven. But if we are caught doing the opposite of those who serve as soldiers on earth, who take up arms for their countries and march against the barbarians, what hope of salvation shall we have? Or who could be persuaded that those will be saved who do the things that plainly lead to destruction? [Letter 3.105] I learn that, having obtained mercy, you have shown your disposition to be implacable: not showing moderation because you were treated well, but hating your benefactor because he had the power to do it. If this is true, you proclaim to all that you are unworthy of mercy. For if you turn kindness not to gratitude but to resentment, who will bear to do good to one who surpasses even the savagery of wild beasts? For among them there are some that perceive kindness, remember it, and are eager to repay it as they can. [Letter 3.106] To Isidore the deacon. Hearing this, perhaps, you will disbelieve; but understanding it, I know well that you will not only wonder but also applaud. What, then, is it that will seem incredible at first, but afterwards will appear not only wonderful but worthy of applause? I will say it briefly, signifying in short syllables thoughts as vast as oceans. To the men of old God did not converse through writings but through himself, finding their mind pure and worthy of teaching without a mediator. This is plain from those with whom he conversed without writings: Noah, Abraham, and his esteemed descendants, among whom was also the very chief, who crushed all the power of the devil, used up his arrows and emptied his quiver, the renowned Job, I mean. But when the wretched people of the Jews had been brought down to the very bottom of vice, then at last writings were thought necessary, and the reminder they give. And if you think that this happened only in the Old Covenant and was not confirmed in the New, I would say that it is shown in it above all. For not even to the divine apostles was anything written given; instead of writings the grace of the Holy Spirit was promised. \"For he,\" it says, \"will remind you of all things.\" And if you think written laws more authoritative than unwritten ones, hear what the King himself says: \"I will make a new covenant with them, putting my laws into their mind, and I will write them upon their hearts\"; and \"They shall all be taught by God.\" That is why Paul too, insisting that he had been entrusted with more than Moses, said that he had received a law not written on tablets of stone but imprinted on fleshly tablets of the heart; whoever despises it is not stoned according to the old law but is handed over to most bitter punishment. But since, as time rode on and ran like a very swift horse, some ran aground over doctrines and others over their way of life, correction through writings was again necessarily needed. For when the unwritten things had been transgressed, the one who wishes in every way to lead his subjects to virtue rightly turned to written ones. We must consider, then, how great an accusation it is that we, who ought to live so purely as not even to need writings, but to offer our souls to the divine Spirit instead of books, having lost this honour and come to need writings, do not even use the second remedy properly. For if it is a charge against us that we need writings and do not draw to ourselves the teaching of the Holy Spirit through a pure life, we ought to consider how great an evil it is not to be willing to profit even after so great a help (\"For he gave the law,\" it says, \"as a help\"), but to overlook the writings lying idle and in vain, and to call down a greater punishment. [Letter 3.107] [On the parable of the sowing, and how the word is sown.] Since you have written asking how, after saying at first that the word is sown, he said, \"This is the one sown along the path,\" from whom the evil one snatches what was sown, and in the parable of the weeds said that the good seed is the sons of the kingdom, I say that each parable must above all be painted to fit its purpose, and not everything taken in every respect. But so as not to seem to some to devise excuses, I will state the more hidden meaning: that both the word is seed and so is the one who has received the word, because of his blending with it and, as it were, his re-elementing. For through it Christ is formed in us and we are formed according to Christ. For the seed is cast for this reason, to make the man like itself. [Letter 3.108] [Why the law settled those who had killed involuntarily among the Levites.] Since you said that you had neither learned from another nor been able to find yourself the reason why the lawgiver settled the unconsecrated among the consecrated, those who had committed involuntary killing among the Levites, I would say: first, so that they might be helped by their company and wipe off the apparent defilement. Next, because the Levites armed their right hands against the blood of their kin (when they had ascribed divine worship to the calf), becoming avengers, as it were, of the Godhead that had been outraged (which is why they obtained the priesthood); while the others became in a way servants of justice, against those who certainly deserved to pay the penalty, even though they killed unwillingly. And the lawgiver himself guarantees this, saying, \"But he did not do it willingly; God delivered him into his hands.\" If, then, God delivered him, the one who killed involuntarily ought not to pay the penalty, since he was seen to be the servant of justice. For even if he seems to have a polluted hand, he has a pure mind. Why then, he asks, did he condemn him to exile? Not because of what happened (otherwise he would have banished him altogether outside the land of promise), but so that he might not be killed without trial by the kinsmen of the one killed, when anger overcame reason and wrath set aside exactness. Yet even so he did not abandon him for ever; for he set him the high priest's life as the limit of his exile, and after his death grants him return and restores him to his homeland.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.104 (PG 78 78:809; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-104)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.109":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΔιὰ τι τῷ ἀκουσίως φονεύσαντι ὅρος φυγῆς ἡ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως ὑπάρχει ζωή. Διὰ τοῦτ᾽ οἶμαι τοῦ ἀρχιερέως τὸν βίον ὅρον τῆς φυγῆς τοῦ ἀκουσίως φονεύσαντος ἐθέσπισεν εἶναι, μηνύων ἐναργεῖ τεκμηρίῳ, ὅτι εἰ ὁ ἀκούσιος τοῦ ἀρχιερέως θάνατος τοὺς ἀκουσίως φονεύσαντας τῇ πατρίδι ἀποδίδωσι, καὶ κάθοδον αὐτοῖς χαρίζεται τοῦ μεγάλου ἀρχιερέως ὁ ἑκούσιος θάνατος, ὁ ὑπὸ τῆς ἀναστάσεως σβεσθεὶς, καὶ τὰ ἀκούσια πλημμελήματα ἀφανιεῖ, καὶ ἀποδώσει πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας αὐτῷ τῇ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλήμ. « Ἡ γὰρ ἄνω Ἱερουσαλήμ, φησὶν ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος, ἐλευθέρα ἐστὶν, ἥτις ἐστὶ μήτηρ ἡμῶν. »","t":"To the same. [Why the high priest's life is the limit of exile for one who killed involuntarily.] I think the lawgiver ordained the high priest's life to be the limit of exile for one who killed involuntarily for this reason: to show by a clear sign that, if the involuntary death of the high priest restores those who killed involuntarily to their homeland and grants them return, the voluntary death of the great High Priest, which was quenched by the resurrection, will also wipe out involuntary offences and restore all who believe in him to the Jerusalem above. \"For the Jerusalem above,\" says the divine Paul, \"is free, and she is our mother.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.109 (PG 78 78:815; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-109)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.11":{"o":"ΘΕΟΚΤΙΣΤΩ.\nΒασάνισον ἀκριβῶς, ὦ βέλτιστε, καὶ εὐρήσεις αὐτὸν δικαιοσύνης γέμοντα · οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Ὁ ἁπλῶς καὶ ἐκ παρόδου ἰδών τινος καὶ ἐπιθυμήσας, ὡς μοιχός τιμωρηθήσεται (ἦ γὰρ ἂν καὶ ἀνήνυτον ἦν τὸ πρᾶγμα, καὶ ἄλογος ἡ ἀπειλή)· ἀλλ᾽, « Ὁ βλέπων γυναῖκα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι, » τουτέστιν, ὁ ἐκ προενθυμήσεως τὸ πάθος ἐπισπώμενος, ὁ τοῦτ᾽ ἔργον τιθέμενος, ὁ συνεχῶς ἐφεδρεύων, καὶ τῇ συνεχεῖ καὶ ἀκαταπαύστῳ θέᾳ θεραπεύων τὸ πάθος, « Ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτοῦ. » Τὸ γὰρ ἤδη, τοῖς μὴ βραχύτατον ἔχουσι τὸν νοῦν, ἐμφαίνει περὶ τῶν ἀδυνάτοις ἐπιχειρούντων εἰρῆσθαι. Τί γὰρ εἰ καὶ ὕπανδρος εἴη ἐκείνη καὶ σώφρων, καὶ ὑπὸ πολλῶν φυλάττοιτο; πῶς τῷ ἐρῶντι εὐχείρωτος εἴη; Οὐκοῦν εἰκότως εἴρηται· « \"Ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν, › ὁ τῆς πράξεως οὐκ ἀποσχόμενος ἂν, εἴ γε οἷα τε ἦν· εἰ μὴ πᾶσα ἡ τῆς ψυχῆς ῥώμη τῷ ἔρωτι ἦν παραχωρήσασα, οὐκ ἂν καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἐπείσθη συνεχῶς φοιτᾷν, καὶ ἀκράτοις ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐστιᾶν τὸ πάθος· ὅπου γε πολλοὶ καὶ ἐρῶντες, ἐρυθριῶσιν εἰς ἐκείνας βλέπειν. Εἰ δὲ δόξης ἔρως ὀφθαλμοὺς χαλινοῖ, καὶ ἔρωτος κρατεῖ σει. Εἰ δὲ φαίη τις· Τί οὖν, εἰ δυνατῆς οὔσης τῆς πράξεως ἀπόσχοιτο; φαίην, ὅτι Μέγα μὲν ὄντως καὶ θεῖον, καὶ παρθενίας ὄντως ἀπόδειξις. Καὶ ὁ τοιοῦτος εἰ καὶ εἶδε, καὶ ἐτρώθη ἐκ παρόδου, οὐκ ἂν συνεχῶς σπουδάσοι θεάσασθαι· ἀλλὰ καὶ πόῤῥω ἑαυτὸν ἀποικίσει, ἵνα μὴ ἡ συνεχής θέα ὕλην τῷ πυρὶ παράσχοι. Εἰ δὲ σπουδάζει θεάσασθαι, ἐλέγχει ἑαυτὸν δι᾽ ὧν θεᾶται τὸ πάθος. Εἰ δὲ καὶ θεώμενος διηνεκῶς, λέγει μηδὲν πάσχειν δεινὸν, ἐλεγχθήσεται παρὰ τοῦ παντὸς ἐπαίνου κρείττονος Ἰὼβ, λέγοντος· « Διαθήκην διεθέμην τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς μου, καὶ οὐ μὴ συνήσω ἐπὶ παρθένον. » Εἰ δὲ μικρὸν ἑαυτῷ πρὸς ἅμιλλαν ἡγεῖται τὸν τοῦ διαβόλου συγκόψαντα τὴν ἰσχὺν, μάλιστα μὲν καὶ δι' αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἀπισωματικοῦ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ὁ θεῖος φόβος τοῦτο ποιήστηθῆναι ἂν εἴη δίκαιος, λέγων, ὁρᾶν μὲν συνεχῶς, πορίζεσθαι, μήποτε πλησιάζουσα ἡ ὕλη τῷ πυρὶ ἀνάψῃ τὴν φλόγα. μὴ πάσχειν δέ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ δοίημεν αὐτὸν ἀληθεύειν, ἐλέγχεται τὸν θεῖον παρερμηνεύων χρησμόν · οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Ὅρα μὲν, μὴ ἐπιθύμει δέ· ἢ, Ἐπιθύμει μὲν, καρτέρει δέ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ οὕτως ἀναισχυντοίη, ἐρυθριᾶσαι ὀφείλει τὸν εἰρηκότα· « Ζῶ δὲ οὐκ ἔτι ἐγὼ, ζῇ δὲ ἐν ἐμοὶ Χριστός. » Ὁ γὰρ ταῦτα τὰ πάσης φιλοσοφίας κρείττονα ῥήματα φράσας, ὁ τὸν τῶν χαρισμάτων πλοῦτον ὥσπερ ἐν ὀστρακίνῳ θησαυρῷ παραφέρων, ἐναγώνιος ἦν πρός τὸν πόλεμον τοῦτον ἀφορῶν, καὶ ἔλεγεν· « Ὑπωπιάζω μου τὸ σῶμα καὶ δουλαγωγῶ, μή πως ἄλλοις κηρύξας, αὐτὸς ἀδόκιμος γένωμαι. » Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ τηλκοῦτος ἀνὴρ τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς ἀνεσείραζε λύττιαν, σπουδαζέτω ἕκαστος, διὰ τοῦ μὴ ὁρᾶν τὴν ἀσφάλειαν ἑαυτῷ","t":"To Theoctistus. Examine it carefully, excellent friend, and you will find it full of justice. For he did not say, \"Whoever simply and in passing sees a woman and desires her will be punished as an adulterer\" (that would indeed be an impossible demand and an unreasonable threat), but \"Whoever looks at a woman in order to desire her,\" that is, the one who draws the passion to himself by premeditation, who makes this his business, who keeps lying in wait and nurses the passion by continual, unceasing gazing, \"has already committed adultery in his heart.\" For the word \"already\" shows, to those whose minds are not quite small, that it was said of those who attempt the impossible. For what if she is married and chaste and guarded by many? How could she be within reach of the one who loves her? It is fitting, then, that it was said, \"has already committed adultery,\" of the man who would not have kept from the act if it were possible. Unless all the strength of his soul had yielded to his love, his body would not have been persuaded to go there continually and to feast the passion with unrestrained eyes, when many, even in love, blush to look at such women. And if love of glory bridles the eyes and masters love, much more will the fear of God do this. But if someone says, \"What then if, when the act is possible, he abstains?\", I would say that this is truly great and divine and a true proof of virginity. And such a man, even if he saw and was wounded in passing, would not be eager to gaze continually, but would remove himself far away, so that continual gazing might not supply fuel to the fire. But if he is eager to gaze, he convicts himself by the passion with which he gazes. And if, gazing continually, he says he suffers nothing terrible, he will be refuted by Job, who is above all praise, saying, \"I made a covenant with my eyes, and I will not think upon a virgin.\" And if he thinks it a small thing to vie with the man who broke the devil's strength, he would rightly be disbelieved for that very reason when he says that he looks continually but is not affected. And even if we grant that he tells the truth, he is shown to misinterpret the divine oracle; for it did not say, \"Look, but do not desire,\" or \"Desire, but hold out.\" And if he is shameless even so, he ought to blush before the one who said, \"It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me.\" For the man who spoke these words, higher than all philosophy, who carried the wealth of gifts as in an earthen treasure-vessel, was anxious as he looked toward this war, and said, \"I pummel my body and enslave it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.\" If so great a man reined in the frenzy of the flesh, let each one be eager to provide safety for himself by not looking, lest the fuel, coming near the fire, kindle the flame.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.11 (PG 78 78:733; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-11)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.110":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤί ἐστι τὸ, · Ἐν Σαββάτῳ δευτεροπρώτῳ· · καὶ τί, « Σάββατα σαββάτων. Τὸ, «Εν Σαββάτῳ δευτεροπρώτῳ » εἰρημένον ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις, ἑρμηνευθῆναί σοι ὡς ἀσαφὲς παρακαλέσας, ἄκουε· Δευτερόπρωτον εἴρηται, ἐπειδὴ δεύτερον μὲν ἦν τοῦ Πάσχα, πρῶτον δὲ τῶν ᾿Αζύμων. Ἑσπέρας γὰρ θύοντες τὸ Πάσχα, τῇ ἑξῆς τὴν τῶν ᾿Αζύμων ἐπανηγύριζον ἑορτήν· ἣν καὶ δευτερόπρωτον ἐκάλουν· διὰ τὸ, ὡς ἔφην, δευτέραν μὲν εἶναι τοῦ Πάσχα, πρώτην δὲ τῶν ᾿Αζύμων. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἀληθὲς, δῆλον ἐκ τοῦ τοὺς ἀποστόλους έγκεκλῆσθαι ὡς τίλλοντας τοὺς στάχυας, καὶ ἐσθίοντας. Ἐν ἐκείνῳ γὰρ τῷ καιρῷ μόνῳ καρηβαροῦσιν οἱ ἀστάχυες, καὶ κέκλινται ὑπὸ τοῦ καρποῦ καὶ τῆς πρὸς ἄμητον ὥρας, οἱονεὶ τὴν δρεπάνην ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς καλοῦντες. Τῇ τρίτῃ γοῦν ἡμέρᾳ τῶν ᾿Αζύμων, καὶ τὸ δράγμα προσεφέρετο. Οὕτως καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ γεγενημένου δῆλόν ἐστι τὸ ζητούμενον. Εἰ δὲ Σαββάτῳ εἴρηται, μὴ θαυμάσης. Σάββατον γὰρ πᾶσαν ἑορτὴν καλοῦσι. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτ᾽ εἴρηται Σάββατα σαββάτων. Ἐπειδὴ ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε, ἢ ἡ ἀρχὴ τῆς πανηγύρεως, ἢ τὸ τέλος συνέπιπτε τῷ τῆς ἑβδομάδος Σαββάτῳ, οἷον εἰπεῖν, καὶ παρ᾿ ἡμῖν πολλάκις γίνεται. \"Ωσπερ γὰρ ὅταν τὰ Θεοφάνια ἢ ἡ τοῦ Σωτῆρος κατὰ σάρκα γέννησις ἐν Κυριακῇ ἀπαντήσειε, ποιεῖ διπλῆν τὴν πανήγυριν, οἱονεὶ ἑορτὴν ἐν ἑορτῇ · οὕτω καὶ παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς, εἰ καὶ ἡ πανήγυρις τῷ Σαββάτῳ συνέπιπτε, Σάββατα σαββάτων ἐκαλεῖτο.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [What is meant by \"on the second-first Sabbath,\" and what by \"Sabbaths of Sabbaths.\"] Since you have asked that the words \"on the second-first Sabbath,\" spoken in the Gospels, be explained to you as unclear, listen. It is called second-first because it was the second day of the Passover and the first of Unleavened Bread. For they sacrificed the Passover in the evening and on the next day celebrated the feast of Unleavened Bread, which they also called second-first, because, as I said, it was the second of the Passover and the first of Unleavened Bread. And that this is true is plain from the apostles' being accused of plucking ears of grain and eating them. For only at that season are the ears heavy-headed and bowed by their fruit and the ripeness for harvest, as if calling the sickle to themselves. On the third day of Unleavened Bread, indeed, the sheaf was offered. So from both the season and the event the answer is plain. And if it is called a Sabbath, do not be surprised; for they call every feast a Sabbath. That is also why \"Sabbaths of Sabbaths\" is said: since sometimes either the beginning or the end of the festival fell on the Sabbath of the week, as also often happens with us. For just as, when Theophany or the Saviour's birth according to the flesh falls on a Sunday, it makes the festival double, a feast within a feast, so too among them, if the festival fell on the Sabbath, it was called \"Sabbaths of Sabbaths.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.110 (PG 78 78:815; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-110)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.111":{"o":"ΚΑΣΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠολλοὶ τὴν τῶν πενήτων φροντίδα προστησάμενοι, εἰς τὸν ἴδιον χρηματισμὸν τελευτῶσιν. Οὓς οὐ χρή ζηλοῦν, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ διορθοῦν, ἢ ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ περιόντος ὡς λυμεῶνας φεύγειν. Ἐπιτρίβουσι γὰρ τὴν ἐκείνων πενίαν, ἣν θεραπεύειν ἐχρῆν.","t":"To Cassius the presbyter. Many who have taken charge of the care of the poor end in their own money-making. These one must not emulate, but either correct them or, with all the more reason, flee them as destroyers. For they wear down the poverty of those whom they ought to have relieved.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.111 (PG 78 78:817; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-111)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.112":{"o":"ΑΛΥΠΙΩ,\nΠερὶ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος. Τὰ μὲν ἐνικῶς εἰρημένα ἐν ταῖς ἱεραῖς Γραφαῖς τῆς θείας φύσεώς ἐστι χαρακτηριστικά· ὁμοούσιος γάρ ἐστιν ἡ ἁγία καὶ βασιλικωτάτη Τριάς. Τὰ δ᾽ ὑπὲρ τὸν ἑνικὸν ἐξενηνεγμένα ἀριθμὸν, τῆς τῶν ὑποστάσεών ἐστι διαφορᾶς. Πλατύνεται γὰρ ἡ θεότης εἰς τρεῖς ἰδιότητας, καὶ συστέλλεται πάλιν εἰς μίαν οὐσίαν· ἵνα μήτε ἡ πολυθεΐα χώραν ἔχῃ ἐκ τῆς τῶν φύσεων διαφορᾶς · μήθ' ἡ Ἰουδαϊκὴ ὑπόνοια ἐκ τοῦ ἑνὸς προσώπου. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ταυτότης τῆς φύσεως, ὑποστάσεσι διαιρεῖται· ἡ δὲ τῶν ὑποστάσεων ἰδιότης, εἰς μίαν οὐσίαν συνάπτεται. Καὶ ἵνα μὴ πάντ' εἰς μέσον φέροντες μηκύνωμεν τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, ἓν ἢ δεύτερον μεταχειρισάμενοι, καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ὁδὸν ἑρμηνείας ἀνατέμωμεν. Φησὶν ὁ Θεός· « Ἐγὼ πρῶτος, καὶ ἐγὼ μετὰ ταῦτα· ἔμπροσθέν μου οὐκ ἐγένετο ἄλλος Θεὸς, καὶ μετ᾿ ἐμὲ οὐκ ἔσται. » Τί οὖν ἂν φαῖεν οἱ ἑτερόδοξοι; τὶς ἄρ᾽ ἐστὶν ὁ τοῦτο φράσας; ὁ Πατήρ ἢ ὁ Υἱός; Εἰ μὲν οὖν ὁ Πατὴρ, πῶς φησι μὴ εἶναι μετ᾿ αὐτόν; καθ' ὑμᾶς γὰρ, μετ' αὐτόν ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός. Εἰ δὲ ὁ Υἱός ἐστιν ὁ εἰπὼν, πῶς φησιν, « Εμπροσθέν μου οὐκ ἐγένετο ἄλλος Θεός; » Οὐ γὰρ δὴ τολμήσετε θατέρου τὴν ὑπόστασιν ἀνελεῖν. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ καὶ δεύτερον ἐδογματίσατε. Τὸ δὲ μὴ εἶναι θάτερον, οὐδ᾽ ἐννοῆσαι, ὡς οἶμαι, ἀνάσχοισθε. Ἡμεῖς μὲν γὰρ εἰς τὴν ὁμοούσιον Τριάδα, καὶ τοῦτο καὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐκλαμβάνοντες εὐσεβοῦμεν· ὑμεῖς δὲ οἱ διαιροῦντες πῶς ἑρμηνεύσετε τὸ εἰρημένον; Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν περὶ τούτων εἰρήσθω. Ἥξωμεν δὲ καὶ εἰς τὰ τὸν ἑνικὸν ἀριθμὸν ὑπερβαίνοντα. « Ποιήσωμεν, φησὶν, ἄνθρωπον. Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον· κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ ἐποίησεν αὐτόν. » – « Καὶ ἔβρεξε Κύριος παρὰ Κυρίου πῦρ καὶ θεῖον. ›» – « Καὶ Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου, Κύριος εἷς ἐστι. » Τί οὖν ἂν φαῖὲν ἐνταῦθα Ἰουδαῖοι; Ἡμῖν μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἐναντιοῦται οὐδὲν, τοῖς τρεῖς ὑποστάσεις μίαν οὐσίαν ὁριζομένοις · αὐτῶν δὲ παντελῶς ἀποκλείει τὰ στόματα. Δῆλον οὖν ἐκ τούτων ὡς ἀναμφισβήτητός ἐστιν ὁ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας στέφανος.","t":"To Alypius. [On the holy Trinity.] What is said in the singular in the holy Scriptures characterizes the divine nature; for the holy and most royal Trinity is of one essence. What is expressed beyond the singular number belongs to the distinction of the hypostases. For the Godhead is expanded into three properties and contracted again into one essence, so that neither polytheism may have room through a difference of natures, nor the Jewish notion through the oneness of person. For the identity of the nature is divided by hypostases, and the property of the hypostases is joined into one essence. And so as not to lengthen the letter by bringing everything forward, let us handle one or two examples and open a road of interpretation for the rest. God says: \"I am first, and I am hereafter; before me no other god came to be, and after me there will be none.\" What then would the heterodox say? Who is it that said this, the Father or the Son? If the Father, how does he say that there is none after him? For according to you, the Son is after him. If the Son is the one who spoke, how does he say, \"Before me no other god came to be\"? For you will surely not dare to do away with the hypostasis of either. For you taught a first and a second, and you would not bear even to think, I suppose, that the other does not exist. We, taking this and the like of the consubstantial Trinity, are pious; but you who divide, how will you interpret what is said? Let this be said about these things. Let us come now to what exceeds the singular number. \"Let us make,\" he says, \"man. And God made man; according to the image of God he made him.\" \"And the Lord rained from the Lord fire and sulphur.\" \"And the Lord your God is one Lord.\" What, then, would the Jews say here? For nothing opposes us, who define three hypostases as one essence; but it completely stops their mouths. It is plain from this, then, that the church's crown is beyond dispute.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.112 (PG 78 78:817; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-112)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.113":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ κινδυνεύεις, ὥς φασί τινες, ἐκ τοῦ καὶ σωτηρίας καὶ ὑπολήψεως κομιδῇ καταπεφρονηκέναι, στόμα μὲν ἀχάλινον, καὶ ἀκρατὲς, καὶ ἀπύλωτον ἔχειν, φέρεσθαι δὲ καθ' ὧν οὐ θέμις· ἴσως καὶ ἡμεῖς ματαιοπονοῦμεν παραινοῦντες ἀμειλίκτῳ θηρίῳ.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. If you are in danger, as some say, from having utterly despised both salvation and reputation, having a mouth unbridled, unrestrained and without a door, and rushing against those against whom it is not right, perhaps we too are labouring in vain advising an implacable beast.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.113 (PG 78 78:817; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-113)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.114":{"o":"ΑΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ.\nΜακάριος εἶ καὶ θαυμαστὸς, τοῦτο ὧν ὅπερ καλῇ. Δυνάμενος γὰρ πράττειν & βούλοιο, ἃ ταῖς ἱεραῖς Γραφαῖς, καὶ τοῖς θείοις θεσμοῖς ἀρέσκει, μόνα πράττων διατελεῖς.","t":"To Lampetius. You are blessed and admirable, being what you are called. For though you can do whatever you wish, you continue doing only what pleases the holy Scriptures and the divine ordinances.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.114 (PG 78 78:819; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-114)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.115":{"o":"ΕΥΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ.\nΔιὰ τι τοὺς ἄλλους ἀδελφοὺς παρεὶς ὁ Ἰωσὴς τὸν Σιμεῶνα μόνον διεκέλευεν δεθῆναι. Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν τοὺς ἄλλους ἀδελφοὺς παρεὶς ὁ Ἰωσὴφ, τὸν Σιμεῶνα μόνον ἐκέλευσε δεθῆναι, ὅμηρον τῆς τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐπανόδου γενησόμενον· φημί, Ἐπειδὴ τῶν τὴν τραγῳδίαν ἐκείνην κατ' αὐτοῦ δραματουργησάντων κορυφαιότατος ἦν. Εἰ γὰρ ἐφράξατο μετὰ τοῦ πρεσβυτάτου, τοῦ γνώμην ἀρίστην εἰσηγησαμένου, ίσως ἂν καὶ τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν ἀνέτρεψεν. Ἐκείνου μὲν γὰρ νεώτερος ἦν, δεύτερος ὢν καθ' ἡλικίαν, τῶν δ᾽ ἄλλων πρεσβύτερος. Καὶ εἰκὸς ἦν καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ἢ φοβηθέντας, ἢ δυσωπηθέντας τὴν τῶν πρεσβυτάτων γνώμην, σβέσαι τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν, καὶ μάλιστα καὶ τοῦ τετάρτου ἀγανακτοῦντος ἐπὶ τοῖς γινομένοις, καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ πράγματος ἔχοντος πολλὴν ῥοπὴν πρὸς τὸ μὴ πραχθῆναι. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν οὐδὲ ῥῆξαι φωνὴν ὑπὲρ τοῦ δικαίου ἐτόλμησεν, ἐκέλευσεν αὐτὸν δεθῆναι, ὡς ὑπὲρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὁμηρεύσοντα· οὐ τιμωρούμενος αὐτὸν τοσοῦτον (μετ' οὐ πολὺ γὰρ εὐηργέτησεν), ὅσον παιδεύων μηκέτι τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐπιχειρεῖν. Εἰς γὰρ ἀγῶνα αὐτὸν τοιοῦτον καταστήσας, καὶ εἰς ἔννοιαν ἀγαγὼν τῶν οὐ δεόντως πεπραγμένων, ὕστερον ἀκέραιον τῷ πατρὶ πέπομφε.","t":"To Eudaemon. [Why Joseph passed over the other brothers and ordered Simeon alone to be bound.] Since you have written asking for what reason Joseph passed over the other brothers and ordered Simeon alone to be bound, to be a hostage for the brothers' return, I say: because he was the ringleader of those who staged that tragedy against him. For if he had joined the eldest, who proposed an excellent counsel, perhaps he would have overturned the plot. For he was younger than him, being second in age, but older than the others. And it was likely that the others, either fearing or abashed at the judgment of the eldest, would have quenched the plot, especially since the fourth was also indignant at what was happening, and the matter itself had a strong leaning toward not being done. Since, then, he did not dare even to utter a word for justice, he ordered him to be bound as a hostage for his brothers, not so much punishing him (for shortly afterwards he did him good) as teaching him not to attempt the same things again. For by placing him in such a contest and bringing him to consider what had been done wrongly, he later sent him back unharmed to his father.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.115 (PG 78 78:819; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-115)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.116":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟὐ χρὴ, ὦ πρὸς μὲν τὰς ἐνδόξους πράξεις ἀχρηστότατε, πρὸς δὲ τὰς αἰσχίστας πρακτικώτατε, καλοὺς ἅπαντας ἡγεῖσθαι τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῶν τυχόντων κινδύνους, ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὲν ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας καὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ τῶν δι' ἀρετὴν τὰς φιλίας ἀσπασαμένων ἐπαίνων ἀξίους · τοὺς δὲ ταῦτά τε πάντα καταβλάπτοντας, καὶ τὰς πράξεις τὰς πρότερον κατωρθωμένας καταῤῥυπαίνοντας, αἰσχροὺς νομίζειν, καὶ προτροπάδην φεύγειν, ὡς ἀδοξίας αἰτίους. Οὐ γὰρ τοὺς κινδύνους τοσοῦτον, ὅσον τὰς αἰτίας, ἐξετάζειν εἰώθασιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, οὐ τὰ φύντα, ἀλλὰ τὰ σπέρματα, οὐ τοὺς κλάδους, ἀλλὰ τὰς ῥίζας τῶν πραγμάτων. Πολλοὶ γοῦν λῃσταὶ καὶ ἀνδροφόνοι ὑπὲρ τῶν ὁμοτρόπων ἀγωνιζόμενοι τεθνήκασι, καὶ οὐκ ἂν τις τούτους ἐπαινέσειεν· ὑπὲρ γὰρ τῆς κακίας ἠγωνίσαντο. Πολλοὶ ὑπὲρ πατρίδος καὶ γονέων καὶ παίδων ἐπέδωκαν ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ οὐκ ἄν τις αὐτοὺς μέμψοιτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπαινέσειεν· ὑπὲρ γὰρ τῶν τῆς φύσεως δικαίων ἐτελεύτησαν. Διὸ ἐκείνους μὲν κακίζουσι, τούτους δὲ ἀναῤῥήσεων καὶ στηλῶν ἀξιοῦσι.","t":"To Maron the presbyter. You who are most useless for glorious deeds and most effective for the most shameful ones, one must not consider all dangers run for anything whatever to be noble, but must count worthy of praise those run for piety and virtue and for those who have embraced friendship because of virtue; but those that harm all these and soil deeds formerly well done one must consider shameful and flee headlong, as causes of disgrace. For people are accustomed to examine not the dangers so much as the causes, not what has grown but the seeds, not the branches but the roots of things. Many robbers and murderers, indeed, have died fighting for those of like character, and no one would praise them; for they fought for vice. Many have given themselves up for country, parents and children, and no one would blame them, but would rather praise them; for they died for the rights of nature. So people revile the former and think the latter worthy of proclamations and monuments.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.116 (PG 78 78:819; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-116)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.117":{"o":"ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ.\nΕἰς τὸ· « Εἰ οὖν ὑμεῖς πονηροὶ ὄντες. Μεγάλη τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡ ἀγαθότης, καὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἡ ὠμότης. Ὁ γὰρ ἀναβολὴν αἰτησάμενος, καὶ ἄφεσιν κομισάμενος, οὗτος ἀναβολὴν αἰτηθεὶς, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἔδωκεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς δεσμωτήριον καθεῖρξε τὸν σύνδουλον· καὶ ταῦτα, μηδὲ τοσαῦτα χρεωστοῦντα, ὅσα · αὐτὸς ἐχρεώστησεν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ μύρια τάλαντα εἶχεν, ὁ δὲ πεντήκοντα δηνάρια. Εἰκότως τοιγαροῦν τῇ θείᾳ χρηστότητι τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀγαθότητα παραβάλλων ὁ εὐαγγελικὸς χρησμὸς, πονηρίαν αὐτὴν ἐκάλεσε, λέγων· « Εἰ οὖν ὑμεῖς πονηροὶ ὄντες, οἴδατε δόματα ἀγαθὰ διδόναι τοῖς τέκνοις ὑμῶν·· οὐ πάσης τῆς φύσεως πονηρίαν καταγινώσκων (ἅπαγε! γέγραπται γάρ· « ᾿Αγάθυνον, Κύριε, τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς.» Καὶ · · Ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος ἐκφέρει ἐκ τοῦ θησαυροῦ αὐτοῦ τὰ ἀγαθὰ»), ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν θείαν ἀγαθότητα τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην παραβάλλων, πονηρίαν αὐτὴν ἐκάλεσε. « Πόσῳ γὰρ μᾶλλον ὁ Πατὴρ ὑμῶν, φησὶ, δώσει ἀγαθὰ τοῖς αὐτοῦσιν αὐτόν; »","t":"To Ischyrion. [On \"If you then, being evil.\"] Great is the goodness of God, and great the cruelty of human beings. For the man who asked for delay and received release, when asked for delay, not only did not grant it but even shut his fellow servant in prison, and that though he did not owe as much as he himself had owed. For he owed ten thousand talents, the other fifty denarii. Rightly, then, the Gospel oracle, comparing human goodness with the divine kindness, called it evil, saying, \"If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children,\" not condemning the whole of nature as evil (far from it! for it is written, \"Do good, O Lord, to the good,\" and \"The good man brings out good things from his treasure\"), but comparing human goodness with the divine, it called it evil. \"How much more,\" he says, \"will your Father give good things to those who ask him?\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.117 (PG 78 78:821; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-117)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.118":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΘεῖον μέν τι χρῆμα ὁ λόγος· θειότερον δὲ ἡ ἀρετή· Θειότατον δὲ ἡ εὐσέβεια. Ὁ μὲν οὖν καὶ λόγῳ καὶ ἔργῳ καὶ πίστει κεκοσμημένος, ἀνυπέρβλητος, καὶ ἀοίδιμος, καὶ τῆς ἀκροτάτης μακαριότητος ἄξιος· ὁ δὲ καθ' ὁπότερον τούτων λειπόμενος, τοσοῦτον ἐλαττοῦται, ὅσον ἡ ἀναλογία τοῦ ἐλλειφθέντος ἀπαιτεῖ.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. Speech is a divine thing; virtue more divine; piety most divine. The one adorned with speech, deed and faith is unsurpassable, renowned and worthy of the highest blessedness; but the one who falls short in any of these is lessened as much as the proportion of what is lacking requires.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.118 (PG 78 78:821; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-118)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.119":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· · Πάντες ὅσοι ἦλθον πρὸ ἐμοῦ, κλέπται ἦσαν καὶ λησταί. Τὸ, « Πάντες ὅσοι ἦλθον πρὸ ἐμοῦ, κλέπται εἰσὶ καὶ λῃσταί, » οὐ περὶ τῶν προφητῶν͵ καὶ τοῦ νόμου εἴρηται, ὡς οἱ τὴν Παλαιὰν ἀθετοῦντες βούλονται (δι᾿ αὐτῆς γὰρ καὶ εἰς τὴν πίστιν ἐχειραγωγήθημεν οἱ πιστεύσαντες, ἀκούσαντες τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὰς Γραφὰς ἄνω καὶ κάτω προτεινομένου, ὡς μαρτυρούσας περὶ αὐτοῦ), ἀλλὰ περὶ τῶν ψευδοπροφητῶν· περὶ ὧν αὐτὸς ἔφη· · Οὐκ ἀπέστελλον αὐτοὺς, καὶ αὐτοὶ ἔτρεχον. » Οὐ γὰρ εἶπε, Πάντες ὅσοι ἀπεστάλησαν, ἀλλ', • Ὅσοι ἦλθον. » Οἱ μὲν γὰρ προφῆται ἀπεστάλησαν. Μωσῆς μὲν γὰρ ἤκουσε· « Δεῦρο, ἀποστελῶ σε εἰς Λίγυπτον.» Ἡσαΐας δὲ ἤκους λέγοντος τοῦ Θεοῦ· • Τίνα ἀποστείλω καὶ τίς πορεύσεται πρὸς τὸν λαὸν τοῦτον; » Καὶ ἔλεγεν· · Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ, ἀπόστειλόν με.» Οἱ δὲ ψευδοπροφῆται, καὶ οἱ εἰς ἄρχοντας καὶ προστάτας ἀναδραμόντες (οἷοι ἦσαν καὶ οἱ περὶ Θευδᾶν, καὶ Ἰούδαν τὸν Γαλιλαῖον, καὶ τὸν Αἰγύπτιον τὸν τῶν σικαρίων προστάντα), οὐκ ἀποστελλόμενοι, ἀλλὰ φανητιῶντες, καὶ αὐτοχειροτόνητοι, καὶ σπουδαρχίδαι τυγχάνοντες, οἴκοθεν ηὐτομόλησαν. Ὅτι δὲ περὶ αὐτῶν τούτων ἐῤῥέθη, τὸ ἑπόμενον δηλοῖ· « Ὁ κλέπτης γὰρ, φησὶν, οὐκ ἔρχεται, εἰ μὴ ἵνα θύσῃ, καὶ κλέψῃ, καὶ ἀπολέσῃ. • Πάντες γὰρ ὅσοι αὐτοῖς ἐπείσθησαν, κατεσφάγησαν, καὶ ἀπώλοντο, παραβραβεῦσαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐγχειρήσαντες, καὶ λόγου θᾶττον, εἰς τὸ παντελὲς ἀποσβεσθέντες.","t":"To Paul. [On \"All who came before me were thieves and robbers.\"] \"All who came before me are thieves and robbers\" was not said of the prophets and the law, as those who reject the Old Testament would have it (for by it we who believed were led by the hand to faith, hearing Christ holding out the Scriptures up and down as bearing witness to him), but of the false prophets, of whom he himself said, \"I did not send them, yet they ran.\" For he did not say, \"All who were sent,\" but \"All who came.\" For the prophets were sent: Moses heard, \"Come, I will send you to Egypt\"; Isaiah heard God saying, \"Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people?\", and he said, \"Here am I, send me.\" But the false prophets, and those who rushed up to be rulers and leaders (such as the followers of Theudas, of Judas the Galilean, and of the Egyptian who led the Sicarii), not being sent, but eager for show, self-appointed and greedy for office, deserted of their own accord. And that this was said of these very people what follows shows: \"For the thief comes only to kill and steal and destroy.\" For all who were persuaded by them were slaughtered and perished, having tried to cheat the truth, and were extinguished altogether quicker than words.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.119 (PG 78 78:821; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-119)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.12":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΛίαν ὄγαμαι τὴν σὴν ἁπλότητα, ἐκθειάσασαν μὲν τὴν ἑρμηνείαν τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ χρησμοῦ · ἀντεπιστείλασαν δὲ· « Τί οὖν πρὸς τὴν θεαθεῖσαν, εἰ ὁ θεασάμενος ἐτρώθη;» Ἐχρῆν γὰρ ἐννοῆσαι, ὅτι ἡ μὲν σωφρόνως καὶ κοσμίως βαδίζουσα, καὶ μὴ θηρῶσα τοὺς ἐντυγχάνοντας, οὐδέν· ἡ δὲ θρυπτομένη, καὶ τὰ δίκτυα τῆς ἡδονῆς ἀναπετάσασα, καὶ τὸ δηλητήριον κεράσασα, καὶ μάλιστα. Ταῦτα δὲ φημι, ἐπειδὴ ἐνόμισας τοῖς ἄῤῥεσι μόνοις τοῦτον εἰρῆσθαι τὸν χρησμὸν, ἀγνοῶν ὅτι καὶ γυναιξὶν ἐῤῥήθη Κοινοὶ γὰρ ἑκατέρῳ γένει οἱ νόμοι, πλὴν ἐκείνων μόνων τῶν ἰδικῶς ἑκάστῳ γένει τεθεσπισμένων. Εἰ μὲν οὖν μὴ ἐρῶσιν, οὐ πρὸς αὐτὰς ὁ χρησμός. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ αὗται τούτῳ ἀλίσκονται τῷ πάθει, καὶ πρὸς αὐτὰς βλέπει. Ὡς γὰρ τὸ · · Μακάριος ἀνὴρ ὃς οὐκ ἐπορεύθη ἐν βουλῇ ἀσεβῶν· · καὶ, « Μακάριος ἀνὴρ ὁ φοβούμενος τὸν Κύριον· › καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα, οὐ περὶ ἀνδρῶν μόνον εἴρηται, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ γυναικῶν, διὰ τοῦ ἡγεμονικωτέρου ζώου, καὶ τῷ ἀρχομένῳ εἰρημένον. Οὕτω καὶ τὸ μὴ ἐπιθυμεῖν διὰ τῆς συνεχοῦς θέας, ἑκατέρῳ γένει νενομοθέτηται. Οὐ γὰρ ὅπερ ἐπιχειροῦσί τινες κατασκευάζειν εἰς τὸ, «Θάνατος ἀνδρὶ ἀνάπαυσις, » πειρώμενοι δεικνύναι τοῖς ἀνδρείοις καὶ γενναίοις ἀνάπαυλαν εἶναι τὸν θάνατον, οὐ τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς λεγομένοις ἀνθρώποις, τοῦτο κἀνταῦθα νομιστέον. Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ κἀκεῖνό μοι ἕωλον φαίνεται. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ὄντως ἀνάπαυσίς ἐστι τοῖς ἀνδρείοις καὶ γενναίοις ὁ θάνατος, τέλος μὲν ὢν τῶν ἄθλων, ἀρχὴ δὲ τῶν ἐπάθλων· διὸ καὶ περὶ γυναικὸς ἀνδρείας εἴρηται· « Γυναῖκα ἀνδρείαν τίς εὑρήσει; » Καὶ ἵνα μὴ τις ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀδυνάτου τοῦτ᾽ εἰρῆσθαι νομίσειεν, ἐῤῥήθη ἑτέρωσε· « Γυνὴ ἀνδρεία, στέφανος τῷ ἀνδρὶ αὐτῆς. » Τὸ τε τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ὄνομα τὸ ἀνδρεῖον πολλάκις μήνυει)· ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε οὐ περὶ γενναίων ἦν τῷ ἀοιδίμῳ Ἰὼβ ἐνταῦθα ὁ λόγος, ἀλλὰ περὶ παντὸς ἁπλῶς ἀνθρώπου, συμφοραῖς ἀφύκτοις περιπαρέντος. Εἰ δὲ τις ἀπιστεῖ, ἐκ τῆς συμφράσεως ῥᾳδίως γνοίη. Περιέχει γάρ· «Ἵνα τί γὰρ δέδοται τοῖς ἐν πικρίᾳ φῶς, ζωὴ δὲ ταῖς ἐν ὀδύναις ψυχαῖς, οἱ ἱμείρονται τοῦ θανάτου, καὶ οὐ τυγχάνουσι; Περιχαρεῖς δὲ ἐγένοντο, ἐὰν κατατύχωσι. Θάνατος γὰρ ἀνδρὶ ἀνάπαυσις. Συνέκλεισε γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ. Ὅταν, φησὶ, πάντοθεν οἱ πειρασμοὶ οὐρανομήκεις ὦσι καὶ ἀφύλακτοι, ὡς καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ ἔφη· «Οχύρωμα δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ ὕψωσε· · τότε ὁ θάνατος ἀσπαστὸς καὶ εὐκταῖός ἐστιν. Εἰ δὲ διὰ τὸ εἰρῆσθαι ἀνδρὶ, μὴ και ταδέξοιντο ταύτην τὴν ἑρμηνείαν, δυνατὸν μὲν αὐτοὺς ἐλέγξαι, ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἐπὶ ἄῤῥενος τὸ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς εἴρηται ὄνομα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ γυναικός. ᾿Ανδροφόνος γὰρ λέγεται οὐ μόνον ὁ ἄνδρα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ γυναῖκα ἀποκτείνας· ἀνδριὰς δ᾽ οὐ μόνον ὁ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ τῆς γυναικός. Πλὴν ταῦτα παρεὶς ὡς οὐ λίαν δραστήρια, ἀπὸ τῶν θείων αὐτοὺς συλλογίσασθαι πειράσομαι λογίων. Τί τοίνυν φαῖεν, ἐὰν ἀκούσωσιν· « ᾿Ανὴρ παράνομος πορεύσεται ὁδοὺς οὐκ ἀγαθάς; › Τί δὲ ὅταν λέγηται· « ᾿Ανὴρ ἄφρων οὐ γνώσεται; » Τί δ' ὅταν· «Ὁμοιωθήσεται ἀνδρὶ μωρῷ; › Εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖ ὁ ἀνὴρ οὐ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἀνδρεῖον καὶ γενναῖον μηνύει· πῶς ἐνταῦθα ὁ παράνομος καὶ ἄφρων καὶ μωρὸς ἀνὴρ εἴρηται; ᾿Αλλὰ τούτων ἀφέμενος, ἐπὶ τὸ προκείμενον ἥξω. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν καὶ αἱ νομικαὶ ἐντολαὶ, καὶ οἱ εὐαγγελικοὶ χρησμοὶ, αἱ μὲν τὰ ἁμαρτήματα ἀπαγορεύουσαι, οἱ δὲ τοὺς μακαρισμοὺς ὑπογράφοντες, καὶ ἀνδράσιν εἴρηνται καὶ γυναιξὶ, φυλαττέσθωσαν καὶ αὗται, καὶ χαλινούτωσαν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, ἵνα μὴ διὰ τῆς ἀκολάστου θέας, τὰς ἀνδριὰς τῶν μοιχαλίδων τιμωρίας ὑπόσχοιεν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῆς συνουσίας ἴση εἶναι δοθείη (οἱ μὲν γὰρ τὴν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, οἱ δὲ τὴν τῆς γυναικὸς τυραννικωτέραν εἶναί φασιν), ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε, ὁ μὲν σπείρει, ἡ δὲ σπείρεται· ὁ μὲν γεννᾷ, ἡ δὲ τίκτει · ὁ μὲν γεωργοῦ χώραν ἐπέχει, ἡ δὲ γῆς. Ἐν αὐτοῖς δὴ οὖν τούτοις, ἐν οἷς μήθ' ὁ ἀνὴρ δύναται ποιεῖν τὰ τῆς γυναικός, μήθ᾽ ἡ γυνὴ τὰ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, ἰδικοὶ ἐτέθησαν νόμοι. Οἱ δ' ἄλλοι πάντες, κοινοὶ πᾶσίν εἰσι καὶ ἀδιαίρετοι. Ὥσπερ γὰρ νενομοθέτηται· « Οὐ μοιχεύσεις· · καὶ οὐ μόνον ὁ ἀνὴρ, εἰ ἁλοίη, ἐπὶ τούτῳ δίκας δίδωσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ γυνή· οὕτω δὴ κἀνταῦθα, μάλιστ᾽ ἐπειδὴ εἴρηται· « Πᾶς ὁ βλέπων γυναῖκα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι, ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἑαυτοῦ· · δῆλόν ἐστιν ἅπασιν, ὅτι πᾶσα ἡ βλέπουσα ἄνδρα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι, ἤδη ἐμοιχεύθη ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἑαυτῆς.","t":"To the same. I greatly admire your simplicity: you praised highly the interpretation of the Gospel oracle, but wrote back, \"What then of the woman who was looked at, if the man who looked was wounded?\" You should have realized that the woman who walks modestly and decently and does not hunt those she meets is not at all to blame; but the one who gives herself airs, spreads the nets of pleasure, and mixes the poison, very much so. I say this because you thought this oracle was spoken to men only, not knowing that it was spoken to women too. For the laws are common to both sexes, except only those laid down specifically for each sex. If, then, women do not fall in love, the oracle is not addressed to them; but since they too are caught by this passion, it looks to them as well. For just as \"Blessed is the man who has not walked in the counsel of the ungodly,\" and \"Blessed is the man who fears the Lord,\" and the like, were said not of men only but also of women, being spoken to the one who is ruled through the more governing creature, so too the command not to desire through continual gazing has been laid down for both sexes. For we must not think here what some try to establish on \"Death is rest to a man,\" attempting to show that death is a respite for brave and noble men, not for the others who are called human beings. Indeed, that too seems to me stale. For even if death is truly rest for the brave and noble, being the end of the contests and the beginning of the prizes (which is why it is said even of a woman, \"A brave woman, who will find?\"; and lest anyone think this was said of something impossible, it was said elsewhere, \"A brave woman is a crown to her husband\"; and the word \"man\" often means the brave), yet the renowned Job was speaking here not of the noble but of every human being simply who has been pierced by inescapable misfortunes. If anyone doubts it, he may easily learn it from the context. For it runs: \"Why is light given to those in bitterness, and life to souls in pain, who long for death and do not obtain it? They would be overjoyed if they obtained it. For death is rest to a man; for God has hemmed him in.\" When, he means, trials are sky-high on every side and cannot be guarded against (as he said elsewhere, \"He raised his rampart against me\"), then death is welcome and to be prayed for. And if, because \"to a man\" is said, they will not accept this interpretation, it is possible to refute them by showing that the word aner (\"man\") is used not only of a male but also of a woman. For one is called a man-slayer (androphonos) who kills not only a man but also a woman, and a statue (andrias) is not only of a man but also of a woman. But passing over these as not very forceful, I will try to reason with them from the divine oracles. What, then, would they say when they hear, \"A lawless man will walk in ways that are not good\"? What when it is said, \"A senseless man will not know\"? And what when, \"He will be like a foolish man\"? For if there \"man\" means not the human being but the brave and noble, how is a lawless and senseless and foolish man spoken of here? But leaving these, I will come to the matter before us. Since both the commandments of the law and the Gospel oracles, the former forbidding sins and the latter describing the beatitudes, were spoken to men and to women, let women too be on guard and bridle their eyes, so that they may not, through licentious gazing, incur the punishments of adulteresses. For even if the desire for intercourse be granted to be equal (some say the man's is more tyrannical, others the woman's), still he sows and she is sown; he begets and she gives birth; he holds the place of the farmer, she of the earth. In these very matters, then, in which a man cannot do what belongs to the woman nor the woman what belongs to the man, specific laws were laid down; but all the others are common to all and undivided. For just as it was legislated, \"You shall not commit adultery,\" and not only the man, if he is caught, pays the penalty for it, but also the woman, so here too, especially since it is said, \"Everyone who looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart,\" it is plain to all that every woman who looks at a man to desire him has already committed adultery with him in her heart.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.12 (PG 78 78:737; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-12)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.120":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤὸ μὲν ποιεῖν καὶ διδάσκειν, ἀνυπέρβλητον τυγχάνει· τὸ δὲ ποιεῖν μὲν, μὴ διδάσκειν δὲ, ἔλαττόν ἐστι. Χωλεύει γὰρ καθ' ἓν μέρος. Διὸ καὶ λογικός ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ ποιῆσαι διδάξαι ἦν, οὐκ ἂν ἐῤῥέθη· ὃς δ᾽ ἂν ποιήσῃ καὶ διδάξῃ, οὗτος μέγας κληθήσεται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν, Τί γὰρ τοσοῦτον ἰσχύει βίος ἄριστος, ὅταν περὶ δογμάτων ἀγὼν προκέηται, καὶ ὁ τοῖς νόθοις συνηγορῶν, πολὺς κατὰ τῶν ὀρθῶν δογμάτων φέρηται; Τὸ δὲ μὴ ποιεῖν μὲν, διδάσκειν δὲ, εἰ καὔφύλλα δοκεῖ ἔχειν, καρποῦ ἐστέρηται, καὶ γέλωτος καὶ κωμῳδίας καὶ κατακρίσεως οὐκ ἀμοιρεῖ. Ὥσπερ ὀξὺ μὲν ἢ βαρὺ κομιδῇ φθέγξασθαι ῥάδιον, τοῦ δὲ μέσου τυχεῖν, μουσικῆς ἐστιν ἕξεως· οὕτω καὶ περὶ τὸ παῤῥησιάζεσθαι, καὶ μὴ, λογιστέον. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ οὐ τοῦ ὠφελῆσαι, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ὑβρίσαι γίνονται μόνον· οἱ δὲ τοῦ κολακεύειν, καὶ τὰ μὴ προσόντα ἐγκώμια ὑφαίνειν. Οἱ δὲ μέτρῳ ἀρίστῳ χρώμενοι, οὔτε ὑβρίζουσιν, οὔτε θωπεύουσιν· ἀλλὰ κεράσαντες τῇ παῤῥησίᾳ τὴν αἰδὼ, καὶ τῇ ἐπιτιμήσει τὴν προσήνειαν, οὕτως ἐπὶ τὸ ἰατρεύειν τοὺς ἑαυτοὺς ἀγνοοῦντας ἔρχονται. Οὐκοῦν καὶ αὐτὸς ταύτῃ τῇ ἀγωγῇ χρησάμενος ἧκε ἐπὶ τὴν θεραπείαν Ἡσαΐου, τοῦ ἐκ τῆς ἄγαν ἀλαζονείας, καὶ τὸ ἄνθρωπον ἑαυτὸν νομίζειν ἀπολωλεκότος.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. To do and to teach is unsurpassable; to do but not teach is less, for it is lame on one side. That is why man is also rational. For if doing were teaching, it would not have been said, \"Whoever does and teaches, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.\" For what force has an excellent life when a contest about doctrines is set before us, and the advocate of spurious doctrines rushes in great force against the orthodox ones? But not doing yet teaching, even if it seems to have leaves, is bereft of fruit, and has its share of laughter, ridicule and condemnation. [Letter 3.121] Just as it is easy to sing very high or very low, but to hit the middle belongs to a musical habit, so one must reckon about frankness of speech. For some exist only to insult, not to help; others to flatter and weave praises that do not fit. But those who use the best measure neither insult nor fawn, but, mixing modesty with frankness and gentleness with rebuke, so come to heal those who do not know themselves. You too, then, using this method, come to the healing of Isaiah, who through excessive arrogance has lost even the thought that he is a man.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.120 (PG 78 78:823; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-120)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.122":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον, « \"Οτι οὐδεὶς ἁρπάζει αὐτὰ ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ. › Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας· Εἰ γέγραπται, « Οὐδεὶς ἀρπάζει ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ Πατρός μου, » πῶς πολλοὶ ἀπόλλυνται; φημὶ, ὅτι ἁρπάσαι μὲν οὐδεὶς δύναται ἐκ τῆς ἀμάχου καὶ ἀηττήτου δεξιᾶς τοὺς διὰ πίστεως ὀρθῆς καὶ πολιτείας ἀρίστης ἑαυτοὺς οἰκείους αὐτῆς εἶναι παρασκευάσαντας· ἀπατῆσαι δὲ δυνήσεται. Τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, βίᾳ μὲν καὶ τυραννίδι ἀποσπᾶσαι οὐδεὶς δυνήσεται· παραλογισμοῖς δὲ καὶ ἀπάταις ἀποπλανῆσαι δυνήσεται. Ἀλλ' οὐ παρὰ τὴν ἀήττητον δεξιάν γίνεται τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὴν τῶν αὐτεξουσίων ἀνθρώπων ῥαθυμίαν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς τοῦ φυλάττοντος ἀσθενείας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῆς τῶν φυλαττομένων εὐχερείας ἡ ἀπώλεια συμβαίνει. ΠΕΤΡΩ. Αμείνων τοῦ αἰσχρῶς μὲν βεβιωκότος, λέγειν δὲ εἰς ὑπερβολὴν δυνατοῦ, ὁ λέγειν μὲν οὐκ εὐφυής, τὰ δὲ κατὰ τὸν βίον λαμπρὸς, καὶ πρὸς δικαιοσύνην καὶ ἐγκράτειαν διαφέρων. Εἰ δέ τις [καὶ λόγῳ] καὶ βίῳ διαλάμποι, οὗτος ἀπαράβλητος τυγχάνει, διὰ πραγμάτων κρίσινεἶναι ὁμολογῶν, καὶ τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ πρὸς - 306 τὴν ἐκπλήρωσιν ἐκλελῦσθαι τῶν ἐντολῶν τὰ πάν τως ἐκβησό-μενα ὑπερβολικῶς εἰρῆσθαι νομίζοντας, παραγραφόμενος.","t":"To Paul. [On what is written, \"No one snatches them out of his hand.\"] Since you have written, \"If it is written, 'No one snatches them out of my Father's hand,' how do many perish?\", I say that no one can snatch from that invincible and unconquerable right hand those who by right faith and an excellent life have made themselves its own; but one will be able to deceive them. That is, no one will be able to tear them away by force and tyranny, but one will be able to lead them astray by false reasonings and deceits. But this does not happen because of the invincible right hand, but because of the carelessness of human beings who have free will. For destruction comes not from the weakness of the guardian but from the levity of those guarded. [Letter 3.123] To Peter. Better than the man who has lived shamefully but can speak superlatively is the one who is not gifted in speaking but is brilliant in his life and excels in justice and self-control. And if someone shines both in speech and in life, he is beyond compare …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.122 (PG 78 78:823; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-122)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.124":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΕἰ μήτε τοῖς αἰσχροῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασι, μήτε τοῖς χρωμένοις αὐτοῖς χρῷο, λαμπράν σοι παρὰ πάντων εὐφημίαν θήσει. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ χρῆσθαι αὐτοῖς, ἀνελεύθερον· τὸ δὲ μὴ χρῆσθαι μὲν αὐτοῖς, τοῖς δὲ χρωμένοις χρῆσθαι, τὴν δόξαν λυμαίνεται. Χρὴ γὰρ μήθ' ὑπονοεῖσθαι ποιεῖν, ἃ ποιεῖν αἰσχρόν· μήτε τοῖς διαπραττομένοις αὐτὰ ἐπιτηδείοις χρῆσθαι. Δεῖ γὰρ φοβεῖσθαι τὰς κακηγορίας, κἂν μὴ ἀληθεῖς ὦσιν, ἐπειδὴ πολλοὶ τὴν ἀκρίβειαν ἀγνοοῦντες, πρὸς τὴν δόξαν ἀποβλέπουσι· καὶ τοιοῦτον ἕκαστον εἶναι κρίνουσιν, οἴους ἂν τοὺς συνόντας θεάσωνται · οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν πραγμάτων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν συνδιατριβόντων φέροντες τὴν ψῆφον. Εἰ γὰρ ἀρετὴν, φασὶν, ἀσκεῖς, τί σοι βούλεται ἡ μετὰ τῶν κακίστων συνουσία; Εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον· · Οἱ κάπηλοί σου τὸν οἶνον σμίγουσιν [Γ. μίσγουσιν] ὕδατι. › Πολλάκις ἐθαύμασα τῶν τὰς θείας παρερμηνευόντων Γραφὰς, καὶ τὸ οἰκεῖον μᾶλλον βούλημα, ἢ τὸ ἐν αὐταῖς κείμενον παριστᾷν πειρωμένων. Τὸ γὰρ ἄκρατον αὐτῶν καὶ εἰλικρινὲς, καὶ εὐφρᾶναι ψυχὴν δυνάμενον βούλημα, τῷ φαύλῳ καὶ ἐξιτήλῳ τῶν οἰκείων δογμάτων παρακιρνῶντες ὕδατι, τὰ θεῖα καπηλεύειν τολμῶσι. Καὶ' τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ· « Οἱ κάπηλοί σου μίσγουσι τὸν οἶνον ὕδατι. » Εἰ γὰρ καὶ δοκεῖ τισι περὶ τῶν καπηλευόντων τὸν ἐκ τοῦ προχείρου νοούμενον οἶνον λελέχθαι (ἄτοπον γὰρ κάκεῖνο), ἀλλά γε ἀληθείας δικαζούσης, μᾶλλον περὶ τῶν καπηλευόντων τὰ θεῖα λόγια δοκεῖ μοι εἰρῆσθαι. Οὐ γὰρ ἐῤῥέθη· Οἱ κάπηλοί σου μέσγουσιν ὕδωρ οἴνῳ (ὅπερ ποιεῖν εἰώθασιν οἱ καπηλεύοντες), ἀλλὰ, • τὸν οἶνον ὕδατι.» Τὰς γὰρ ἀκραιφνεῖς καὶ εἰλικρινεῖς τῆς ἱερᾶς Γραφῆς ἐννοίας τοῖς ἐξιτήλοις ἑαυτῶν παρακιρνῶντες δόγμασι, νοθεύουσι τὴν διδασκαλίαν. Εἰς τὸ εἰρημένον· « Τῷ τύπτοντί σε ἐπὶ τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα, πάρεχε καὶ τὴν ἄλλην. Ὁ τῶν ὑπερκοσμίων καὶ τῶν ἐπιγείων βασιλεὺς ἧκεν οὐρανόθεν, οὐρανίου πολιτείας φέρων ἡμῖν σύμβολα, ἃ καὶ ἀγῶνα προὔθηκεν ἐναντίον τῷ 'Ολυμπικῷ. Ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ ὁ τύπτων καὶ περιγενόμενος στεφανοῦται· ἐνταῦθα δὲ ὁ τυπτόμενος καὶ φέρων, ἀναῤῥήσεως ἀξιοῦται. Ἐκεῖ ὁ ἀντιπλήττων, ἐνταῦθα δὲ ὁ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην παρέχων σιαγόνα, ἐν τῷ τῶν ἀγγέλων θεάτρῳ ἀνακηρύττεται. Οὐ γὰρ ἐν τῷ· ἀμύνασθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ φιλοσοφεῖν ἡ νίκη κρίνεται. Καινὸς γὰρ οὗτος τῶν στεφάνων ὁ νόμος· ἐπειδὴ. καινὸς τῶν παλαισμάτων ὁ τρόπος. Ὅτι μὲν βασιλείας ἡ ἱερωσύνη πολλῷ κρείττων ἐστὶ, καὶ μείζους ἔχει πόνους (πόνῳ γὰρ λήγοντι πόνος νέος ἀντανατέλλει, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἀναγκαιοτέρων ὁ κίνδυνος (ἡ μὲν γὰρ τὰ θεῖα, ἡ δὲ τὰ θνητὰ ἐμπεπίστευται), οἶμαι μηδένα ἀγνοεῖν. Ὅτι δὲ πολλοὶ ἀπερισκέπτως παντὸς ἀνδρὸς τὸ ἄρχειν ἢ ψυχῶν. ἢ σωμάτων νομίσαντες, ἔῤῥιψαν ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τοῦτο, καὶ μυρίων κακῶν καὶ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τοὺς ὑπηκόους ἐμπλήσαντες, ὕστερον εἰς βάραθρον ἀπωλείας δυσκλεῶς κατήντησαν, οὐδὲ τοῦτ᾽ οἷμαί τινα ἀγνοεῖν. ἀλλ' οὐ λειτουργίαν ὑπεύθυνον· ἐνεχείρησαν πράγΤούτων τοίνυν οὕτω τυγχανόντων, λίαν θαυμάζω πῶς τινὲς μὲν μηδ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς εὖ διαθέμενοι, ἀλλὰ πολλῶν γέμοντες πραγμάτων καὶ μηδὲ ἐν τοῖς ὑπηκόοις τετάχθαι ὀφείλοντες (ὧν εἷς ἐστι καὶ Ζώσιμος ὁ πρεσβύτερος, οὗ τῷ βίῳ, ὡς φής, σκανδαλιζόμενος γέγραφας), τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ τῇ τοσοῦτον τῆς βασιλείας ὑψηλοτέρᾳ ἐπιπηδῆσαι ἐτόλμησαν, καὶ χρήμασιν ὠνήσασθαι πρᾶγμα, ὃ μηδὲ μετὰ πολλῶν χρημάτων καταδέξασθαι ἐχρῆν τοιούτους ὄντας. Ἀλλ᾽ ἴσως τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ἀγνοοῦντες, καὶ μηδὲ τῷ καλῶς παρὰ τῶν ἔξωθεν εἰρημένῳ ἀκολουθήσαντες, τῷ, «Γνῶθι σεαυτόν· · ἀγνοοῦντες δὲ καὶ τὴν τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἀξίαν, ὅτι πρὸς τὸ ὕψος καὶ τὸν κίνδυνον ἔχει, νομίζοντες ἀρχὴν εἶναι ἀνεξέταστον, ματι ἀβάτῳ αὐτοῖς εἶναι ὀφείλοντι.","t":"To Paul. If you neither practise shameful pursuits nor associate with those who practise them, it will bring you a brilliant good name from everyone. For practising them is servile; and not practising them but associating with those who do damages one's reputation. For one must neither be suspected of doing what is shameful to do nor have as intimates those who do it. For one must fear slanders even if they are not true, since many, not knowing the exact truth, look to reputation, and judge each person to be such as they see his companions, taking their verdict not from the facts alone but also from those he spends his time with. \"For if you practise virtue,\" they say, \"what is the meaning of your company with the worst people?\" [Letter 3.125] [On what is written, \"Your wine-sellers mix the wine with water.\"] I have often wondered at those who misinterpret the divine Scriptures and try to present their own intention rather than what lies in them. For mixing the undiluted, pure intention of the Scriptures, which can gladden the soul, with the base and faded water of their own doctrines, they dare to peddle divine things. And this is \"Your wine-sellers mix the wine with water.\" For even if some think it was said of those who sell wine in the obvious sense (and that too is not absurd), yet when truth is judge, it seems to me to have been said rather of those who peddle the divine oracles. For it was not said, \"Your wine-sellers mix water into wine\" (which wine-sellers usually do), but \"the wine with water.\" For mixing the unmixed and pure meanings of holy Scripture with their own faded doctrines, they adulterate the teaching. [Letter 3.126] [On the saying, \"To the one who strikes you on the right cheek, offer the other also.\"] The King of things above the world and on earth came from heaven bringing us the tokens of a heavenly way of life, and he set up a contest opposite to the Olympic one. There the one who strikes and prevails is crowned; here the one who is struck and bears it is thought worthy of proclamation. There the one who strikes back; here the one who also offers the other cheek is proclaimed in the theatre of the angels. For victory is judged not in retaliating but in practising philosophy. For this law of crowns is new, since the manner of wrestling is new. [Letter 3.127] That the priesthood is far better than kingship and has greater labours (for when one labour ends a new labour springs up, and the danger concerns more necessary things, since the one is entrusted with divine things, the other with mortal ones), I think no one is unaware. That many, thinking without consideration that ruling either souls or bodies belongs to any man, have flung themselves into it, filled themselves and their subjects with countless evils, and later came down ingloriously into the pit of destruction, I think no one is unaware of this either. This being so, I greatly wonder how some, who have not even managed their own affairs well but are full of many troubles and ought not even to be ranked among those under authority (one of whom is Zosimus the presbyter, scandalized by whose life, as you say, you have written), have dared to leap upon the priesthood, which is so much loftier than kingship, and to buy with money a thing which, being such men, they ought not to accept even with much money. But perhaps, not knowing themselves, and not following what was well said by those outside, \"Know yourself,\" and not knowing the dignity of the priesthood either, that it has danger in proportion to its height, but thinking it a rule free from scrutiny, not a ministry that must give account, they took in hand a thing that ought to have been inaccessible to them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.124 (PG 78 78:825; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-124)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.128":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς τῶν Ἰουδαίων αἰχμαλωσίας. Εἰ καὶ μὴ ἀξίαν, ὧν εἰς τὸν Δεσπότην Χριστὸν ἔδρασαν, ἔδοσαν ἐνταῦθα δίκην Ἰουδαῖοι, ἔδοσαν γοῦν ὅμως. \"Α γὰρ ὡς διαφευξόμενοι ἔδρασαν, φήσαντες· · Ἐὰν ἀφῶμεν αὐτὸν, ἐλεύσονται οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι, καὶ ἀροῦσιν ἡμῶν καὶ τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὸ ἔθνος·› ταῦτ᾽, ἐπειδὴ ἔπραξαν, οὐ διέφυγον. Τῆς γὰρ πόλεως αὐτῶν ἁλούσης ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίων, καὶ τοῦ ναοῦ καθαιρεθέντος, αὐτοὶ ὥσπερ μαστιγίαι τινὲς καὶ δραπέται, ἄτιμοί τε καὶ ἀλῆται πανταχοῦ διεσπάρησαν. Δώσουσι δὲ κἀκεῖσε τὴν ἀξίαν. Μὴ ἐπιγνόντες γὰρ τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν, εἴσονται τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ἧς κἀνταῦθα πεῖραν βραχεῖαν εἰλήφασι.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [On the captivity of the Jews.] Even if the Jews did not pay here a penalty worthy of what they did to the Master Christ, still they paid one. For what they did in order to escape, saying, \"If we let him go, the Romans will come and take away both our place and our nation,\" this, having done it, they did not escape. For when their city was taken by the Romans and the temple destroyed, they themselves, like whipped slaves and runaways, were scattered everywhere, without honour and wandering. And they will pay the worthy penalty there too. For not having recognized his love for humankind, they will know his power, of which they have had a short taste even here.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.128 (PG 78 78:827; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-128)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.129":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· · Ἀπηνήνατο παρακληθῆναι. » Τὴν ὑπὸ λύπης βεβαπτισμένην ψυχὴν οὐδὲν οὖτως εὐφρᾶναι δύναται, ὡς ἡ θεία μνήμη. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἄρα ὅπερ ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν, « ᾿Απηνήνατο παρακληθῆναι ἡ ψυχή μου· ἐμνήσθην τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ εὐφράνθην. » \"Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ ἀκένωτον, καὶ δυσμεταχείριστον ἰατροῖς, τῆς αἰμοῤῥοούσης πάθος, ἐν ἀκαριαίᾳ ῥοπῇ ἀπηλάθη (ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἥψατο, ὁ δὲ ἡνέσχετο, τὸ δὲ ἐδραπέτευσεν)· οὕτω καὶ ἡ λύπη ἀνθρωπίνη παράκλησιν ἀπωθουμένη, ἅτε πάσῃ παραμυθίᾳ δυσμεταχείριστος, ὑπὸ τῆς θείας μνήμης μόνης ῥᾳδίως οἴχεται, καὶ εἰς τὸ μὴ ὂν χωρεῖ. Εἰ ὡραῖος κάλλει παρὰ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὁ Κύριος ἐν τῷ Δαβὶδ λέγεται, πῶς λέγει πάλιν Ἡσαΐας, « Εἴδομεν αὐτὸν, καὶ οὐκ εἶχεν κάλλος, οὐδὲ εἶδος;» Οὐ τἀναντία ἑαυτῇ, ὦ ἱερὰ κεφαλή, δογματίζει ἡ θεία Γραφὴ περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος διδάσκουσα, ἀλλ᾿ ἑκάστῳ πράγματι τὸ οἰκεῖον καὶ πρέπον νέμει. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ πρὸς τὴν θεότητα βλέπει, τὰ δὲ πρὸς τὴν ἐνανθρώπησιν, τὰ δὲ πρὸς τὰ ἑκούσια πάθη. Φῶς μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸν ἀληθινὸν εἶπε, καὶ ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης, χαρακτῆρά τε τῆς πατρικῆς ὑποστάσεως · τὸ μὲν διὰ τὸ φαιδρὸν τῆς οὐσίας, τὸ δὲ διὰ τὸ ἀΐδιον, μᾶλλον δὲ συναΐδιον· τὸ δὲ διὰ τὸ ἐνυπόστατον, καὶ διὰ τὸ γνησίοις χαρακτῆρσιν ἐμπρέπειν. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ τὸ ἀπαύγασμα ἀνυπόστατον νομισθῇ, ὁ χαρακτήρ τὴν ὑπόστασιν ἐγγυᾶται. Ὡραῖον δὲ παρὰ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων, καὶ ὡραῖον ἐν στολῇ, διὰ τὴν τῆς ἐνανθρωπήσεως ἔνθεον καὶ ἅπταιστον ἀρετήν· οὐκ ἔχοντα εἶδος οὐδὲ κάλλος, δυοῖν ἕνεκεν· ἑνὸς μὲν, ἐπειδὴ τὴν Δεσποτικὴν μορφὴν κρύψας, τὴν τοῦ δούλου ἐπεδείκνυτο· ἑτέρου δὲ, διὰ τὸ ἐν τῷ πάθει, ὅ ἑκουσίως ὑπέστη, πᾶσαν παροινίαν κεκινῆσθαι. Ἑκρέματο γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἱκρίου, ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μέσῃ, καὶ ἐν μητροπόλει, καὶ ἐν ἑορτῇ μεγίστῃ, καὶ ἐν ᾗ οὐδένα εἰκὸς ἦν ἀπολειφθῆναι · καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐκωμῴδουν, οἱ δὲ ἐχλεύαζον· οἱ μὲν ὠνείδιζον, οἱ δὲ ὅξος προσέφερον· οἱ μὲν ὕβριζον, οἱ δὲ λόγχῃ τὴν πλευρὰν ἔνυττον. Καὶ περὶ μὲν τοὺς συσταυρωθέντας λῃστὰς, οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἔδρων, εἰς αὐτὸν δὲ παρώνουν, ἃ μηδ' εἰς τοὺς ὑπευθύνους παροινεῖν θέμις. Πῶς νοητέον τὸ τῷ ᾿Εκκλησιαστικῷ γεγραμμένον, Μὴ γίνου δίκαιος πολύ. » \"Ωσπερ τοῦ σωματικοῦ κάλλους ὅρος ἡ τῶν μελῶν συμμετρία· οὕτω καὶ τοῦ ψυχικοῦ κάλλους ἔσχατος ὅρος, ἡ τῶν ἀρετῶν συμμετρία. Εἰ γὰρ αἱ ἀκρότητες εἰς κακίαν ἐκπίπτουσιν, ὡς τινες τῶν σοφῶν ἀπεφήναντο (θέλων γὰρ εἶναί τις οἰκονομικὸς εἰς φειδωλίαν ἐκπίπτει, καὶ θέλων εἶναι μεγαλόψυχος εἰς ἀσωτίαν. Διὸ καὶ μεσότητας εἶναι τὰς ἀρετὰς ὡρίσαντο. Ασεβείας γὰρ καὶ δυσσεβείας μέση ἐστὶν ἡ εὐσέβεια· εἰκότως καὶ ὁ σοφὸς παρήνεσε· « Μὴ γίνου δίκαιος πολύ. » Εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο παραινεῖ, μὴ ἐν τοῖς εἰς σὲ παρὰ τῶν πέλας πλημμελουμένοις πικρὸς γίνου καὶ ἀκριβὴς δικαστὴς, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπέρβαινε τὸ δίκαιον τῇ ἀγαθότητι, συγγνώμην νέμων τοῖς συγγνώμης μείζονα εἰς σὲ πταίουσι,","t":"To the same. [On \"It refused to be comforted.\"] Nothing can so gladden a soul overwhelmed by grief as the remembrance of God. And this, then, is what you wished to learn: \"My soul refused to be comforted; I remembered God and was gladdened.\" For just as the haemorrhaging woman's illness, which could not be stanched and was hard for physicians to handle, was driven away in an instant (she touched, he allowed it, and it fled), so too grief that thrusts away human comfort, being hard to handle by any consolation, departs easily by the remembrance of God alone and passes into non-existence. [Another letter] If the Lord is said in David to be \"fair in beauty beyond the sons of men,\" how does Isaiah say again, \"We saw him, and he had no beauty nor form\"? Divine Scripture, holy head, does not teach things contrary to itself in teaching about the Saviour, but assigns to each matter what is proper and fitting. Some things look to the Godhead, some to the becoming man, and some to the voluntary sufferings. It called him \"true light,\" \"radiance of the glory,\" and \"imprint\" of the Father's \"hypostasis\": the first because of the brightness of the essence; the second because he is eternal, or rather co-eternal; the third because he subsists in himself and is distinguished by genuine characteristics. For lest the radiance be thought to have no subsistence, the imprint guarantees the hypostasis. It called him \"fair beyond the sons of men\" and \"fair in his robe\" because of the divine and unstumbling virtue of his life as man; and \"having no form nor beauty\" for two reasons: first, because, hiding the form of the Master, he displayed that of the servant; second, because in the suffering, which he underwent willingly, every outrage was set in motion. For he hung on the scaffold at midday, in the capital, at the greatest feast, at which it was likely that no one stayed away; and some mocked, others jeered; some reproached, others offered vinegar; some insulted, others pierced his side with a spear. And to the robbers crucified with him they did nothing of the kind, but against him they committed outrages that it is not right to commit even against the guilty. [Another letter] [How what is written in Ecclesiastes is to be understood: \"Do not be very righteous.\"] Just as the standard of bodily beauty is the proportion of the limbs, so the ultimate standard of the soul's beauty is the proportion of the virtues. For if the extremes fall into vice, as some of the wise have declared (one who wants to be economical falls into stinginess, and one who wants to be magnanimous into prodigality; which is why they defined the virtues as means: for piety is the mean between irreligion and impiety), it is fitting that the wise man advised, \"Do not be very righteous.\" And he also advises this: do not be a harsh and exact judge of the offences your neighbours commit against you, but go beyond justice by goodness, granting pardon to those who sin against you in ways too great for pardon,","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.129 (PG 78 78:829; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-129)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.13":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΔιὰ τί, τινὰ μὲν τοῦ νόμου κοινῇ καὶ ἀνδράσι καὶ γυναιξὶ νενομοθέτηται, τινὰ δὲ καὶ ἰδίως. ᾿Αναγινώσκειν τὰς Γραφὰς ὀφείλεις, καὶ μὴ περὶ η πάντων έρωτᾷν. Εἰ γὰρ ἀνεγίνωσκες, ἐγίνωσκες ἂν, ὅτι τῷ μὲν ἀνδρὶ περὶ σπερματικῆς ἐκκρίσεώς τινα ἰδικῶς νενομοθέτηται, τῇ δὲ γυναικὶ περὶ καταμηνίων· καὶ τῷ μὲν, περὶ τοῦ μὴ τοὺς τῆς φύσεως ἀνατρέπειν θεσμοὺς, καὶ ἄῤῥεσιν ἐπιμαίνεσθαι, καὶ ἄκαρπα λυττᾶν· τῇ δὲ περὶ τοῦ ὕδατος τοῦ ἐλεγμοῦ, εἱ ὑποπτευθείη μεμοιχεῦσθαι · καὶ τὸν μὲν ὀνειρώξαντα, τὴν δὲ καθαιρομένην καὶ τεκοῦσαν, ἀκάθαρτον εἶναί φησι, καὶ ἔξω ἱερῶν περιβόλων ἴστησιν, ἕως ἂν καθαρθῶσι. Καὶ ἄλλα τινὰ ἰδικῶς νενομοθέτηται, ἃ οὐκ ἀναγκαῖον ἐπὶ τοῦ παρόντος εἰπεῖν, δυναμένου σου ἐκ τοῦ ῥηθησομένου γνῶναι, ὅτι ἐν ἐκείνοις μόνοις, ἐν οἷς μήτε γυναικὶ οἷόν τε ποιεῖν τὰνδρὸς, μητ᾿ ἀνδρὶ τὰ γυναικὸς, ἰδιάζοντες ἐτέθησαν νόμοι. Οἱ δ' ἄλλοι πάντες κοινοί εἰσιν ἑκατέρῳ γένει· οἷον τό· «᾿Αγαπήσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας σου, καὶ τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς ἑαυτόν· · τὸ • Οὐ φονεύσεις. Οὐ μοιχεύσεἰς. Οὐ κλέψεις. Οὐ ψευδομαρτυρήσεις. Τίμα τὸν πατέρα σου καὶ τὴν μητέρα. Οὐκ ἐπιορκήσεις. Οὐκ ἐπιθυμήσεις ὅσα τῶν πλησίον σού ἐστι, » καὶ ὅσα τούτοις συγγενῆ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς εὐαγγελικοὺς ἔλθῃς χρησμούς, πάλιν τὸ ἴσον εὑρήσεις · Μακάριοι γὰρ οἱ πτωχοὶ τῷ πνεύματι, οἱ πραεῖς, οἱ ἐλεήμονες, οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην, οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα. Καὶ τὸ περὶ ἀγαμίας δὲ καὶ ἀγνείας εἰρημένον, ἑκατέρῳ γένει εἴρηται, κἂν ἀῤῥενικῷ χαρακτῆρι ἐξενήνεκται, διὰ τὸ πρέπον τῇ χρησμῳδίᾳ καὶ τὸ ἡγεμονικώτερον εἶναι τὸ ζῶον. Ὁ δυνάμενος γὰρ χωρεῖν, χωρείτω. Καὶ δῆλον ἐντεῦθεν, τῷ πολλὰς καὶ κεχωρηκέναὶ καὶ κατωρθωκέναι.","t":"To the same. [Why some things in the law are legislated for men and women in common, and some separately.] You ought to read the Scriptures and not ask about everything. For if you read them, you would know that certain things were legislated specifically for the man concerning emission of seed, and for the woman concerning menstruation; and for the man, that he should not overturn the ordinances of nature, rage after males, and lust fruitlessly; for the woman, concerning the water of conviction, if she were suspected of having committed adultery. And it calls the man who has had a nocturnal emission, and the woman who is being purified and has given birth, unclean, and it keeps them outside the sacred precincts until they are purified. And certain other things were legislated specifically, which there is no need to mention now, since you can learn from what will be said that specific laws were laid down only in matters in which a woman cannot do what belongs to a man, nor a man what belongs to a woman. All the others are common to both sexes, such as: \"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and your neighbour as yourself\"; \"You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness. Honour your father and your mother. You shall not swear falsely. You shall not covet anything that is your neighbour's,\" and whatever is akin to these. And if you come to the Gospel oracles, again you will find the same: for blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek, the merciful, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and the like. And what was said about celibacy and chastity was said to both sexes, even if it was expressed in the masculine form, because this suits the oracular style and because the male is the more governing creature: \"He who is able to receive it, let him receive it.\" And this is plain from the fact that many women have both received and achieved it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.13 (PG 78 78:739; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-13)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.130":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἘπειδὴ ἡ ἡμετέρα διάνοια τὴν ὑπόθεσιν τῶν ἐγκωμίων τοῦ παναρίστου Ἑρμογένους τοῦ ἐπισκόπου οὐ δύναται δέξασθαι, οὐδὲ τὴν τῶν κατορθωμάτων περιουσίαν ἡ γνώμη χωρεῖ, συγγνώμην μοι νεῖμαι μὴ παραιτήσῃ. Ω γὰρ μηδὲ πρὸς μέρος ἐπαρκέσαι ῥάδιον, πῶς πᾶσιν ἐπεξελθεῖν δυνατόν·","t":"To the same. Since my mind cannot take in the subject of the praises of the most excellent Hermogenes the bishop, nor can my judgment contain the abundance of his achievements, do not refuse to grant me pardon. For when it is not easy to be equal even to a part, how is it possible to go through them all?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.130 (PG 78 78:831; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-130)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.131":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΧρὴ, ὦ φίλος, τὰ ὀνόματα ἀφέντας τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἐπὶ τὰ πράγματα βαδίζειν. Βασιλεία μὲν γὰρ καὶ πλοῦτος καὶ δόξα, ὀνόματα μὲν παρὰ τοῖς ἔξωθεν · πράγματα δὲ παρὰ Χριστιανοῖς. Ωσπερ οὖν καὶ τὰναντία, ἀδοξία, καὶ θάνατος, καὶ πενία, ὀνόματα μὲν παρ' ἡμῖν· πράγματα δὲ παρ' ἐκείνοις. Καὶ εἰ βούλει, τὴν ἀρχὴν εἰς μέσον ἀγαγόντες τὴν πᾶσι ποθεινὴν καὶ Ο περιμάχητον, ἀπὸ ταύτης καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα ἐλέγξωμεν καὶ μὴ φράσαντες, ὅτι ὀλιγοχρόνιος, μηδ' ὅτι ταχέως σβέννυται (πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐξ αὐτῶν τῶν ἀρχικῶν θρόνων εἰς τοὺς τάφους ἀπηνέχθησαν, καὶ ὁ θρῆνος τὰς τῶν κηρύκων φωνὰς διεδέξατο)· ἀλλὰ κἀκεῖνο παρέντες, ὅτι πολλοὶ καὶ τῶν προγονικῶν ὑπαρχόντων ἐστερήθησαν, δημεύσει καθυποβληθέντες· ὅτε μάλιστα αὐτὴν δοκιμάσωμεν, μὴ περιέλωμεν τῆς πόρνης τὰ ἐπιτρίμματα καὶ τὰς ὑπογραφάς, ἀλλὰ κεκαλλωπισμένην αὐτὴν εἰς μέσον ἀγάγωμεν· ἵνα τότε αὐτῆς ἐλεγχθῇ τὸ εἰδεχθές. Οὐκοῦν προσάγωμεν τὸ σχῆμα, καὶ τοὺς ῥαβδούχους, καὶ τοῦ κήρυκος τὴν φωνὴν, καὶ τῶν δημίων τὴν ὑπακοήν, καὶ τὸ ὑπὸ πάντων ἀποβλέπεσθαι· καὶ βασανίσωμεν, εἰ μὴ τὰ δοκοῦντα λαμπρὰ ταῦτα καὶ ποθεινὰ, οὐ μόνον περιττά, οὐδ᾽ ὑπόληψις ἀνόνητος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπιβλαβή. Τί γὰρ ἀπὸ τούτων ἐκεῖνος ἀμείνων γίνεται, ἢ τὸ σῶμα, ἢ τὴν ψυχήν; Τοῦτο γὰρ ἄνθρωπος \"Αρ' οὖν ὑψηλότερος, ἢ ὑγιεινότερος, ἢ ταχύτερος, ἢ τὰς αἰσθήσεις τρανοτέρας κεκτήσεται; Ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἄν τις φαίη. Ἴωμεν τοίνυν καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν ψυχήν. ᾿Αρ' οὖν σωφρονέστερος, ἢ ἐπιεικέστερος, ἢ συνετώτερος ἀπὸ ταύτης γενήσεται τῆς φαντασίας; Οὐ μὲν οὖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τούναντίον ἅπαν. Οὐ γὰρ ὅπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ σώματος, τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ψυχῆς συμβαίνειν εἴωθεν · ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν προσείληφεν ἀρετήν · αὐτὴν δὲ καὶ κακίαν προσείληφεν. Καὶ γὰρ ἄνοιαν, καὶ κενοδοξίαν, καὶ ἀπόνοιαν, καὶ θυμὸν, καὶ μυρία ἐξαὐτῆς προστρίβεταί πλημμελήματα. Εἰ δὲ χαίρει, καὶ μέγα φρονεῖ, καὶ φυσᾶται, καὶ κατὰ πάντων ἐπαίρεται, οὗτος μάλιστα τῆς κακίας ὁ κολοφὼν, ὅτι οὔτε ἀλγεῖ, οὔτε αἰσθάνεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ χαίρει τῶν νοσημάτων αὐξομένων αὐτῷ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ πάντη τὸ χαίρειν, καλόν. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ λῃστὴς χαίρει μετὰ τὴν κλοπὴν, καὶ ὁ ἅρπαξ μετὰ τὴν πλεονεξίαν, καὶ ὁ μοιχὸς μετὰ τὸ διορύξαι τὸν τοῦ πέλας γάμον, καὶ ὁ ἀνδροφόνος μετὰ τὴν σφαγήν. Μὴ τοίνυν τοῦτο λεγέτω, ὅτι χαίρει, σομαι. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν μόνος ἐστὶν ἐλευθεριώτατος, καὶ ἀρχικώτατος (καὶ αὐτῶν γὰρ τῶν βασιλέων βασιλικώτερος), ὁ τῶν παθῶν ἀπηλλαγμένος, ἀσπασώμεθα τὴν ἀρετὴν, καὶ τῆς πονηρᾶς ἐκείνης δουλείας ἀπαλλάξωμεν ἑαυτοὺς, μήτε ἀρχὴν, μήτε πλοῦτον, μήτε τι τοιοῦτον μακαριστὸν νομίζοντες καὶ περιμάχητον, ἀλλὰ τὸ τῶν παθῶν ἀπηλλάχθαι μόνον. τ, ἀλλ' εἰ ἐπὶ χρησίμῳ δεικνύτω, καὶ συγχαρή.","t":"To Peter the scholasticus. We must, friend, leave aside the names of good things and go to the realities. For kingship, wealth and glory are realities among those outside, but names among Christians; just as their opposites, obscurity, death and poverty, are names among us but realities among them. And, if you like, let us bring forward office, desired and fought over by all, and from it test all the rest; not saying that it is short-lived, nor that it is quickly extinguished (for many have been carried from their very seats of office to their tombs, and lament has succeeded the heralds' voices); passing over this too, that many have even been deprived of their ancestral property, being subjected to confiscation; when we test it most of all, let us not strip the harlot of her paint and cosmetics, but bring her forward adorned, so that her ugliness may then be exposed. Let us bring forward, then, the pomp, the lictors, the herald's voice, the obedience of the executioners, and being looked at by all; and let us examine whether these things that seem brilliant and desirable are not only superfluous and a useless reputation but even harmful. For in what is that man made better by them, in body or in soul? For this is a human being. Will he then be taller, or healthier, or quicker, or have keener senses? No one would say so. Let us go, then, to the soul. Will he become more chaste, or gentler, or more intelligent from this display? Not at all, but quite the opposite. For what happens with the body does not usually happen with the soul: the body gained nothing toward its own excellence, but the soul has even gained vice. For it immediately takes on folly, vainglory, madness, anger and countless offences. And if he rejoices, thinks highly of himself, is puffed up and exalts himself over all, this is the very summit of vice: that he neither feels pain nor perceives, but even rejoices as his diseases increase. For rejoicing is not good in every case: the robber rejoices after the theft, the plunderer after his greed, the adulterer after breaking into his neighbour's marriage, and the murderer after the slaughter. Let him not, then, say that he rejoices; but if he rejoices over something useful, let him show it, and I will rejoice with him. Since, then, the one freed from the passions alone is most free and most fit to rule (more kingly even than kings themselves), let us embrace virtue and free ourselves from that wicked slavery, thinking neither office, nor wealth, nor any such thing blessed and worth fighting for, but only being freed from the passions.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.131 (PG 78 78:831; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-131)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.134":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἪ πέπαυσο τρυφῶν ἐκ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων συμφορῶν, κεκοιμημένον διεγείρων καὶ παρακαλῶν τὸ ἀκόλαστον, ἢ ταῦτα δρῶν τῷ σεπτῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ μὴ πρόσιθι. Πολλοὺς γὰρ σκανδαλίζων ἀπελαύνεις τοῦ προσιέναι, μὴ ὑπομένοντας ἰδεῖν τοσαύτην κηλίδα τῷ ἀμιάντῳ θυσιαστηρίῳ παρεφεδρεύουσαν.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Either stop revelling in the misfortunes of others, rousing and summoning licentiousness that was asleep, or, if you do these things, do not approach the venerable altar. For by scandalizing many you drive them away from approaching, since they cannot bear to see so great a stain sitting beside the undefiled altar.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.134 (PG 78 78:833; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-134)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.135":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΚατὰ τῶν λεγόντων, εἶναι γένεσιν, ἤτοι είμαρμένην, ἢ τὴν λεγομένην τύχην. Εἰ πάντα, ὡς φής, ὦ σοφὲ, καθ' εἰμαρμένην γίνεταί τε καὶ λέγεται, εἰπὲ πῶς νῦν δι᾽ ἡμῶν ἑαυτὴν ἀνατρέπει. Εἰ γὰρ αὐτὴ πάντα ποιεῖ, αὕτη ἂν εἴη νῦν δι' ἡμῶν κηρύττουσα μὴ εἶναι γέννησιν. Πῶς οὖν αὕτη, ἣν φατε εἶναι, φάσκουσα μὴ εἶναι, οὐ πιστεύεται παρ᾽ ὑμῶν;","t":"To Paul. [Against those who say that there is a horoscope, that is, fate, or what is called fortune.] If everything, as you say, wise man, both happens and is said according to fate, tell me how it now overturns itself through us. For if it does everything, it would be fate that is now proclaiming through us that there is no horoscope. How then is it not believed by you, when the very thing you say exists says that it does not exist?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.135 (PG 78 78:833; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-135)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.136":{"o":"ΩΡΙΩΝΙ\nΜὴ ἁπλῶς προφέρων τινὰς ῥήσεις τῶν ἱερῶν χρησμῶν διὰ στόματος σπάραττε (ἀπαιδευσίας γὰρ ὀφλήσεις καὶ ἀνοίας γέλωτα· διὸ καί τινες φεύγουσι, λαβὴν φιλομαχοῦντι ἀνθρώπῳ δοῦναι δεδιότες)· ἀλλὰ τὰς ὑποθέσεις ἀκριβῶς ζητήσας ἔξεις τὰς λύσεις. Τυφλώττουσι γὰρ αἱ ἑρμηνεῖαι τῶν ὑποθέσεων χηρεύουσαι.","t":"To Orion. Do not simply bring out certain sayings of the holy oracles and tear them apart with your mouth (you will incur ridicule for lack of education and for folly; which is why some avoid you, afraid of giving a handle to a quarrelsome man), but by carefully seeking the occasions you will have the solutions. For interpretations bereft of their occasions are blind.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.136 (PG 78 78:835; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-136)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.137":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἘγὼ τοῦ φόβου τὴν κολακείαν δυνατωτέραν καὶ ἀργαλεωτέραν εἶναί φημι. \"Ὅσα γὰρ μὴ δύναται ἀνάγκη, δύναται θεραπεία· καὶ τοὺς μὴ χειρωθέντας ὑπὸ φόβου, κολακεία πολλάκις κατεδουλώσατο. Χρὴ οὖν καὶ πρὸς φόβον καὶ πρὸς θωπείαν μὲν ἀνδρίζεσθαι (ἑκάτερον δὲ ἀνελεύθερον τὸ πάθος), τὴν δ᾽ ἀλήθειαν μόνην τιμᾶν. Χρὴ τὸν εὐδόκιμον, καὶ φιλόθεον εἶναι. καὶ φιλάνθρωπον · ἵνα μήτε διὰ τὸ ὕψος τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ τὸ ἀνακεῖσθαι τῷ Θείῳ, τῶν ἀνθρώπων καταφρονοίη, μήτε διὰ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τοῦ Θείου ἀμελοίη. Ἡ γὰρ ἀγάπη ἡ πρὸς τὸ Θεῖον, εἰ καὶ μείζων ἐστὶ πολλῷ, τῇ πρὸς ἀνθρώπους συμπλεκομένη, λαμπροτέρα γίνεται.","t":"To Apollonius the bishop. I say that flattery is more powerful and more grievous than fear. For what compulsion cannot do, courting can; and those not overcome by fear, flattery has often enslaved. One must, then, be manly against both fear and fawning (each passion is servile) and honour the truth alone. [Letter 3.138] The esteemed man must be both a lover of God and a lover of people, so that neither through the height of his virtue and his dedication to God he may despise people, nor through people neglect God. For love of God, even if it is far greater, becomes more brilliant when entwined with love of people.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.137 (PG 78 78:835; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-137)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.139":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς σοφίας Δανιὴλ, καὶ τῶν παίδων γ. Οὐ τὴν παρὰ Χαλδαίοις περίεργον παίδευσιν ἔμαθον οἱ παῖδες οἱ τρεῖς καὶ ὁ Δανιὴλ, μὴ τοῦτο νομίσῃς. Οἱ γὰρ τοσαύτην τῆς εἰς τὸ θεῖον εὐσεβείας τὴν ἐμμέλειαν ποιησάμενοι, ὡς μηδὲ βρωμάτων βασιλικῶν μεταλαβεῖν, πότε ἂν ἡνέσχοντο, εἰ καὶ μυρίοι ἠπειλήθησαν θάνατοι, εἰς ἀνελεύθερον παίδευσιν ἐκκυλισθῆναι Ὅτι δὲ ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει μάρτυς ἀξιόχρεως ἡ Γραφή λέγουσα· ( Δέδωκεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς σύνεσιν καὶ φρόνησιν ἐν πάσῃ γραμματικῇ καὶ σοφίᾳ, » τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, πάσης προσδοκίας ὀξύτερον καὶ ἐλπίδος ὠκύτερον ἐδέχοντο τὴν ἐν γράμμασι παίδευσιν. Γραμματικὴν γὰρ λέγει, τὴν ἐν γράμμασι σοφίαν. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦτό ἐστιν ἀληθὲς, δῆλον μέν ἐστι καὶ ἐκ τοῦ μὴ προσκεκυνηκέναι τὴν βασιλικὴν εἰκόνα· δῆλον δὲ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ τὸν μὲν τοὺς λέοντας αἰδεσθῆναι, τοὺς δὲ τὸ πῦρ. Εἰ δὲ φαῖεν, Ἐκ παιδεύσεως Περσικῆς, ἀποκρινάσθωσαν, Πῶς οὖν τῶν ἐν τοῖς μεγίστοις αὐτῶν ὄντων ἀξιώμασι, καὶ πάσῃ τῇ κατ' αὐτοὺς σοφίᾳ πεπαιδευμένων, τοὺς μὲν οἱ λέοντες πρὶν τοῦ ἐδάφους ἅψασθαι, κατειργάσαντο; τοὺς δὲ, τὸ πῦρ·","t":"To Nilus. [On the wisdom of Daniel and the three young men.] The three young men and Daniel did not learn the curious lore of the Chaldeans; do not think so. For those who were so careful in their piety toward God that they would not share even the king's food, when would they have allowed themselves, even if threatened with countless deaths, to be rolled into servile learning? And that this is so, Scripture is a worthy witness, saying, \"God gave them understanding and prudence in all letters and wisdom\"; that is, they received the education in letters more sharply than any expectation and more swiftly than any hope. For by \"letters\" it means the wisdom that is in letters. And that this is true is plain both from their not having worshipped the royal image and from the lions' respect for the one and the fire's for the others. And if they say, \"From Persian education,\" let them answer: how then did the lions destroy those who held the highest offices among them and were educated in all their wisdom before they touched the ground, and the fire others?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.139 (PG 78 78:835; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-139)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.14":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΔιὰ τοῦτο ὁ νόμος, καὶ τὰς φυσικὰς καὶ ἀβουλήτους ἐκκρίσεις καθαρσίων ἠξίωσεν, ἵνα τὰς ἑχουσίους καὶ παρὰ φύσιν, ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ περιόντος φύγωμεν. Ὁ γὰρ τοῖς τὰ δοκοῦντα μὲν, οὐκ ὄντα δὲ ἁμαρτήματα ὑπομένουσιν, ἀποκλείσας τὴν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν εἴσοδον, ἕως ἂν καθαρθείεν, τοῖς ἑκοντὶ ἁμαρτάνουσι, μείζονα μὲν κατασκευάζει τὸν φόβον, χαλεπωτέραν δ᾽ ἀπειλεῖ τιμωρίαν. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ ἀκούσιον οὐχ ἁπλῶς, συνεγνώσθη, τὸ ἑκούσιον δηλονότι ἀσύγγνωστον εἴη, εἰ μὴ μετανοίᾳ εἰλικρινεί θεραπευθείη.","t":"To the same. This is why the law required purifications even for natural and involuntary emissions: so that we might all the more flee those that are voluntary and against nature. For by shutting entrance to the temple to those who incur what seem to be sins but are not, until they are purified, it creates greater fear in those who sin willingly and threatens a harsher punishment. For if the involuntary was not simply pardoned, the voluntary would plainly be unpardonable, unless it is healed by sincere repentance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.14 (PG 78 78:741; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-14)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.140":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΜὴ καταφρόνει τῶν εὐτελεῖ σχήματι προσιόντων· ἀλλὰ θαύμαζε τὴν ὑπομονὴν, καὶ οἴκτειρον τὴν μεταβολὴν, λογιζόμενος, ὡς πολλοὶ βασιλικοῦ γένους τυγχάνοντες, τὴν τῶν θητευόντων ἔλαχον τάξιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀφανεῖς εἶεν καὶ ἐξ ἀφανῶν, μηδ' οὕτως ἀποστρέφου, ἀλλ᾽ ὅρεγε, ἐν οἷς ἂν δύναιο, χεῖρα· λογιζόμενος ὅτι καὶ ἡ δοκοῦσα δυσγένεια ἀκούσιός ἐστι, καὶ οὐ μεμπτή· ἡ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν τρόπων, ἐστὶν ἡ ο μιαρά· εἰ δὲ καὶ δύστροποι εἶεν, τροφῆς ἀναγκαίας ἀπολαυέτωσαν, καὶ διὰ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, καὶ διὰ τὸ θεῖον πρόσταγμα, τὸ μὴ μόνον παρακελευόμενον, παντὶ τῷ αἰτοῦντι διδόναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ διδόμενον οἰκειούμενον. Κατὰ Σαβελλιανῶν. Θειότατος καὶ ἄῤῥητος τοῦ Πατρὸς Υἱὸς, ὁ παρ' ἡμῶν προσκυνούμενος, εἰκότως Λόγος προσαγορεύεται· οὐχ ὅτι Λόγος μόνον ἐστὶ, καὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς ἑρμηνευτὴς, ὡς τινες οἴονται · ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ θᾶττον ἢ λόγος δημιουργεῖ, καὶ ἀπαθῶς ἐτέχθη. Λόγος δ᾽ ἂν, ἐνυπόστατός ἐστι, καὶ οἰκείαν ἰδιότητα ἔχει. Ὅτι δ᾽ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνυπόστατος, αὐτὸς ὁ Λόγος λόγους ἔχειν φράζει λέγων· « Ὁ ἀκούων τοὺς λόγους καὶ ποιῶν αὐτούς. » Εἰ οὖν ὁ Λόγος λόγους ἔχει, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνυπόστατος· ἀλλ᾽ ἐνυπόστατος ὢν, διὰ τὸ ἀπαθῶς προεληλυθέναι, Λόγος προσαγορεύεται. Εἰς τὸ, « Λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν. » Καὶ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο ἐναντίον τῷ, «Προσέχετε τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ὑμῶν, › καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Δόξης ἀγαθῆς πανταχοῦ ῥεπούσης, καὶ γῆν καὶ θάλατταν περινοστούσης, οὐδὲν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ἄμεινον, οὐδ᾽ ἂν τοὺς Κροίσου τις θησαυροὺς αὐτῇ παραβάλλοι. Διὸ ὁ μὲν Παροιμιαστὴς ἔφη· « Όνομα καλὸν ὑπὲρ πλοῦτον πολύν · ὑπὲρ ἀργύριον καὶ χρυσίον, χάρις ἀγαθή. » Ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς παρεκελεύετο «Λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων. » Οὐχ ἵνα πρὸς φιλοτιμίαν ζῶμεν (ἅπαγε! ταύτην γὰρ πανταχοῦ ἐκριζοῖ, κελεύων μήτε τὴν εὐχὴν, μήτε τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην δημοσιεύειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ θατέραν χεῖρα λανθάνειν τὸ γενησόμενον.) ἵνα δὲ μηδενὶ παρέχωμεν δικαίαν σκανδάλου λαβήν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἀχόντων ἡμῶν τὸ τῶν πράξεων φῶς περιαστράψει τοὺς θεωμένους, καὶ εἰς τὴν θείαν δοξολογίαν τρέψει. \"Ὅτι γὰρ τοῦτο μηνύει, οὐκ ἐῤῥήθη, Ὅπως ἂν ὑμεῖς δοξασθῆτε, ἀλλ᾽, « Ἵνα ἴδωσιν ὑμῶν τὰ καλὰ ἔργα, καὶ δοξάσωσι τὸν Πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς.","t":"To Palladius the bishop. Do not despise those who come to you in poor dress, but admire their endurance and pity their change of fortune, considering that many who were of royal stock have been assigned the rank of hired labourers. And even if they are obscure and of obscure parents, do not turn away even so, but stretch out your hand in whatever you can, considering that what seems low birth is involuntary and not blameworthy; for it is the lowness that comes from character that is foul. And even if they are of bad character, let them enjoy necessary food, both for the sake of humanity and because of the divine command, which not only bids us give to everyone who asks but also takes what is given as given to itself. [Letter 3.141] [Against the Sabellians.] The most divine and ineffable Son of the Father, whom we worship, is fittingly called Word, not because he is only a word and the interpreter of the Father, as some think, but because he creates faster than a word and was begotten without passion. Being Word, he subsists in himself and has his own property. And that he is not without subsistence, the Word himself shows by saying that he has words: \"Whoever hears my words and does them.\" If, then, the Word has words, he is not without subsistence; but subsisting in himself, he is called Word because he came forth without passion. [Letter 3.142] [On \"Let your light shine,\" and that it is not contrary to \"Take care with your almsgiving,\" and what follows.] Nothing is better, admirable friend, than a good reputation which spreads everywhere and travels over land and sea; one could not compare even the treasures of Croesus with it. That is why the Proverb-writer said: \"A good name is better than much wealth; good favour than silver and gold.\" And Christ commanded: \"Let your light shine before people,\" not so that we should live for love of honour (far from it! he roots this out everywhere, commanding us to make public neither prayer nor almsgiving, but even to keep the other hand from knowing what is to be done), but so that we should give no one a just handle for offence. For so, even without our willing it, the light of our deeds will shine round those who watch and turn them to the glorifying of God. That this is what it means is shown by its not saying, \"So that you may be glorified,\" but \"So that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.140 (PG 78 78:837; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-140)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.143":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ κάλλος θεάσοιο σωματικὸν, ἐννόει, ὅτι τὸ ἄνθος τοῦτο τὸ λαμπρὸν, αὔριον κόνις γίνεται, καὶ τὸ σήμερον πῦρ, τῇ ἑξῆς εἰς τέφραν ἀποβήσεται. Πᾶν γὰρ ὃ τέλος ἔχει, καὶ τοῦτο τάχιστον, κἂν δοκῇ λαμπρὸν εἶναι καὶ ἐπέραστον, εὐκαταφρόνητον εἶναι ὀφείλει, μάλισθ' ὅταν καὶ κόλασιν τίκτῃ.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. If you see bodily beauty, consider that this brilliant flower becomes dust tomorrow, and today's fire will turn to ashes the next day. For everything that has an end, and that a very swift one, even if it seems brilliant and lovely, ought to be easily despised, especially when it also gives birth to punishment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.143 (PG 78 78:839; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-143)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.144":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΥΠΟΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΟὐκ ἔστι μικρὸν τὸ μικρὸν εἶναι δοκοῦν, τὸ μὴ προστιθέναι ἁμαρτίαν ἐφ᾽ ἁμαρτίᾳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ μέγιστον. Ὁδὸς γάρ ἐστιν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρίστην φέρουσα μεταβολήν. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ ῥεῦμα τῆς κακίας, τὸ ἐπὶ τὴν ἀπώλειαν τρέχον, ἠρεμήσειεν, ἀρχὴν λήψεται ἡ ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν κίνησις. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἡ ἐν τοῖς σταδίοις στάσις καὶ ἐπηρέμησις, τὴν ἐναντίαν τίκτει κίνησιν (εἰ μὴ γὰρ σταίη, οὐκ ἂν εἰς τοὺναντίον χωρήσειεν), οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς κακίας, εἰ μὴ παύσοιτο, οὐκ ἂν τῇ ἀρετῇ χώραν δοίη.","t":"To Palladius the subdeacon. What seems small is not small, not to add sin to sin; it is even very great. For it is a road leading to the best change. For if the stream of vice that runs toward destruction comes to rest, the movement toward virtue will make a beginning. For just as standing still and pausing on the racecourse gives rise to the opposite movement (unless one stops, one cannot go in the opposite direction), so too with vice: unless it stops, it would not give room to virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.144 (PG 78 78:839; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-144)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.145":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΟ ΚΟΡΡΗΚΤΩΡΙ.\nἸσότης, φιλότης ὦ βέλτιστε. Τὸ γὰρ ἄνισον τὴν φιλίαν βλάπτειν πέφυκε. Μὴ τοίνυν καὶ αὐτὸς φίλῳ χρῷο τ' ἀνδρὶ, καὶ κόλακι. Οὐ γὰρ ἀνέξεται ὁ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἴσοις καὶ δικαίοις τὴν φιλίαν πηξάμενος. ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Πολλὰ ἔχων τοῦ ἀοιδίμου Τιμοθέου φράσαι, ἓν εἰς ὃ πάντα τείνει, λέξω· ὅτι τῆς ἀρετῆς γνήσιος ὢν ἐραστὴς, ἀεὶ πρὸς τὸ ὑπάρχον αὐτῷ κλέος ἀντηγωνίζετο, τὴν ἐπὶ τοῖς προτέροις ἔκπληξιν τοῖς δευτέροις ἔργοις ἀφανίζων. Τῆς κατασχούσης τὸ ἀνθρώπινον γένος προλήψεως τὴν τυραννίδα διακόπτων ὁ Σωτὴρ, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν χαμαιζήλων πραγμάτων εἰς τὴν ὑπερκόσμιον αὐτὸ λῆξιν ἀνάγειν σπουδάζων, ἐβόα· «Ἐγείρεσθε ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦθεν. » Τῇ γὰρ φωνῇ τὴν οἰκείαν κεράσας δύναμιν, τῶν ἐθελόντων ἀναπτῆναι εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀνἐῤῥωσε τὰς δυνάμεις, ὥστε πολλὰ χαίρειν τῇ προλήψει φράσαντας τῆς ἄνω πορείας ἔχεσθαι.","t":"To Peter the corrector. Equality is friendship, excellent friend. For inequality naturally harms friendship. Do not, then, use the same man as friend and flatterer. For the one who has fixed his friendship on equal and just terms will not bear it. [Letter 3.146] To Theognostus the presbyter. Though I have much to say of the renowned Timothy, I will say one thing, to which all tends: that, being a genuine lover of virtue, he always contended against the fame he already had, eclipsing the amazement at his earlier deeds by his later ones. [Letter 3.147] Breaking the tyranny of the prejudice that held the human race, and eager to lead it up from earthbound things to the lot above the world, the Saviour cried, \"Rise, let us go hence.\" For mixing his own power with his voice, he strengthened the powers of those who wished to fly up to heaven, so that they bade a long farewell to prejudice and held to the journey upward.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.145 (PG 78 78:839; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-145)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.148":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὉ τὴν τοῖς πολλοῖς ἀβίαστον εἶναι δοκοῦσαν τῶν παθῶν τυραννίδα τυραννικῶς βιαζόμενος, καὶ ὡς ἀνδρεῖος ᾄδεσθαι ὀφείλει, καὶ ὡς τυραννοκτόνος.","t":"To the same. The one who tyrannically overpowers the tyranny of the passions, which most think cannot be overpowered, ought to be celebrated both as brave and as a tyrant-slayer.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.148 (PG 78 78:841; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-148)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.149":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος. Ἡ ἀϊδιότης οἷον ἀειζωότης ἐστί· διὸ ἐπὶ μόνης τῆς ἀνάρχου φύσεως, τῆς ἀεὶ κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ καὶ ὡσαύτως ἐχούσης, λαμβάνεσθαι εἴωθε. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀθάνατον, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ γενομένου μὲν, μὴ ἀποθνήσκοντος δὲ, οἷον ἐπὶ ἀγγέλου καὶ ψυχῆς, κατηγορεῖσθαι δύναται· καὶ τὸ ἄφθαρτον, ἐπὶ τῶν πεποιημένων μὲν, κρειττόνων δὲ φθορᾶς γεγενημένων. Τὸ δ᾽ ἀΐδιον κυρίως τῆς θείας οὐσίας ἴδιόν ἐστι. Διὸ ἐπὶ τῆς προσκυνητῆς καὶ βασιλικωτάτης Τριάδος μόνον λαμβάνεσθαι πέφυκε, τῆς τοῦ πρὸ καὶ μετὰ μὴ ἀνεχομένης, μηδὲ τὸ πρῶτον καὶ δεύτερον καὶ τρίτον καταδεχομένης. ᾿Αριθμοῦ γὰρ τὸ Θεῖον ἀνώτερον, καὶ χρόνων κρεῖττον, καὶ πάσης ἐπινοίας ὑψηλότερον. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ταῖς ἰδιότησι διαιρεῖται, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἀξίᾳ καὶ τῇ οὐσίᾳ συνάπτεται. Διαιρεῖται μὲν, ἵνα Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ Σαβέλλιος ἐλεγχθῶσι· συνάπτεται δὲ, ἵνα ῎Ἄρειος καὶ Εὐνόμιος καταισχυνθῶσι. Πλατυνόμενον γὰρ εἰς ὑποστάσεις, συνάπτεται κατὰ τὴν οὐσίαν, ᾗ καὶ ἡ ἀξία πάντως ἔπεται. Ἐπειδὴ πάντες, οἷς ἀρετῆς καὶ πολὺς, καὶ ὀλίγος λόγος, ἐκ θείου νεύματος τὸ γέρας τῆς ἱερωσύνης δεδόσθαι σοι πιστεύουσι, δίκαιος ἂν εἴης πάντα ποιεῖν ὅπως μὴ τὴν θείαν χειροτονίαν τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα πραττομένοις καθυβρίσῃς. Εἰ γὰρ τὴν σεαυτοῦ ψυχὴν θεσμῷ ἱερωσύνης διακοσμήσειας, καὶ τὸν μὲν λογισμὸν τὸν ὀρθὸν ἀποδείξειας αὐτοκράτορα, τὸν θυμὸν δὲ αὐτῷ δορυφόρον παραδώσειας, καὶ νομοθετήσειας αὐτῷ μηδὲν πράττειν, ὧν ὁ βασιλεὺς οὐ βούλεται, καὶ πᾶν ὅσον ἡδοναῖς τε καὶ λύπαις εἰς κακίαν ἔκδοτον ἐξορίσειας τῆς σαυτοῦ γνώμης, τιμήσειας τὴν ἄνωθεν ψῆφον.","t":"To the same. [On the holy Trinity.] Eternity is, as it were, ever-living; that is why it is usually applied only to the nature without beginning, which is always the same and unchanging. \"Immortal\" can be predicated also of what came to be but does not die, such as an angel and a soul; and \"incorruptible\" of things made but made superior to corruption. But \"eternal\" is properly proper to the divine essence. That is why it is naturally applied only to the worshipful and most royal Trinity, which does not admit \"before\" and \"after,\" nor accepts \"first,\" \"second\" and \"third.\" For the Godhead is above number, superior to times and higher than every thought. For even if it is divided by properties, it is joined by dignity and essence. It is divided so that the Jews and Sabellius may be refuted; it is joined so that Arius and Eunomius may be put to shame. For being expanded into hypostases, it is joined in essence, which dignity always follows. [Letter 3.150] Since all who take much or little account of virtue believe that the prize of the priesthood was given you by divine assent, you ought to do everything so as not to outrage the divine ordination by what you do afterwards. For if you order your own soul by the ordinance of the priesthood, appoint right reason as emperor, give it anger as bodyguard, legislate that it do nothing the king does not wish, and banish from your mind all that is given over to vice through pleasures and pains, you will honour the decree from above.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.149 (PG 78 78:841; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-149)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.15":{"o":"ΕΛΙΣΣΑΙΟ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ\nΤὸ μὲν πταίειν ἐν τοῖς ὑπηκόοις τελοῦντα, δεινόν · τὸ δὲ τὸν ἱερωμένον, δεινότερον· τὸ δὲ τὸν τὴν ἀρχιερωσύνην κεκληρωμένον, πάντη δεινότατον. Ὅσῳ γὰρ ταῖς τιμαῖς προὔχουσι, τοσούτῳ καὶ τὸ ἁμάρτημα. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ εἴη, ἀργαλεώτερον γίνεται, οὐ τῇ φύσει, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἀξίᾳ τοῦ δράσαντος μετρούμενον. Καὶ τὶ τῷ ὑπηκόῳ παραβάλλω τὸν ὑφηγητὴν, ὁπότε ὅλου τοῦ λαοῦ ἀντίῤῥοπον ἔφη εἶναι τὸ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως πταῖσμα ὁ νομοθέτης, καὶ τοσαύτην αὐτὸν ἐθέσπισεν προσενεγκεῖν θυσίαν, ὅσην ἂν ὁ λαὸς ἅπας, εἰ πλημμελήσειε, προσενεγκεῖν προστέτακται; Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἴσον ἦν μηδ᾽ ἀντίῤῥοπον τὸ τραῦμα, οὐκ ἂν ἀντίπαλον ὥρισε τὴν θεραπείαν.","t":"To Elisha the monk. To stumble while among those under authority is terrible; for one consecrated as priest, more terrible; and for one who has been allotted the high priesthood, most terrible of all. For the more they excel in honours, the greater the sin. Even if it is the same sin, it becomes more grievous, measured not by its nature but by the rank of the one who did it. And why do I compare the guide with the subject, when the lawgiver said that the high priest's fault weighs as much as that of the whole people, and ordained that he offer as great a sacrifice as the whole people is commanded to offer if it transgresses? If the wound were not equal and of equal weight, he would not have fixed a matching cure.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.15 (PG 78 78:741; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-15)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.151":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἘλευθερίου ψυχῆς χαρακτῆρες, τὸ ἄδολον, τὸ ἥμερον, τὸ φιλάνθρωπον, τὸ ἀνδρεῖον, τὸ δίκαιον, τὸ σῶφρον, τὸ συγκαταβατικὸν, τὸ ἤπιον, τὸ μεταδοτικὸν, τὸ μὴ χάριτι, ἀλλὰ κρίσει κρατεῖν καὶ ψηφίζεσθαι, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ τούτων ἀδελφά. ᾿Ανελευθέρου δὲ, τὸ τοῖς ἐναντίοις πάθεσι κεχειρῶσθαι, καὶ πᾶσαν ἀγαθὴν ἔννοιαν ἐξ ἑαυτῆς ἐξωστρακίσθαι.","t":"To the same. The marks of a free soul are guilelessness, gentleness, humanity, courage, justice, self-control, condescension, mildness, generosity, ruling and voting not by favour but by judgment, and the others akin to these. The marks of a servile soul are being mastered by the opposite passions and having banished every good thought from itself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.151 (PG 78 78:841; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-151)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.152":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ.\nΤῶν ᾿Αριθμῶν. Διὰ τί ᾿Ααρὼν καὶ Μαρίας κατηγορησάντων Μωσέως, ἡ Μαρία μόνη ἐπετιμήθη Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας, δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν ᾿Ααρὼν καὶ Μαριάμ κακηγορησάντων Μωσέα, ἡ Μαρία μόνη ἐπετιμήθη, λέπρας αὐτῆς τῷ προσώπῳ, ἔνθα ἡ γλῶσσα λοχᾷ, ἐπανθησάσης· γράφω μὲν καὶ ὅ ἤκουσα παρά τινος σοφοῦ, ὑποτάξω δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐμαυτῷ νενοημένον, ἵν᾿ αὐτὸς δοκιμάσειας τὸ ἀληθέστερον. Ἔφη μὲν οὖν ἐκεῖνος, ὅτι ἐπειδὴ ἀρχὴ ἱερωσύνης ἦν, οὐκ ἠθέλησεν ὁ Θεὸς ὑβρίσαι τὸ προοίμιον, ἵνα μὴ καὶ τὸ τέλος γένηται ἐπονείδιστον. Ἐγὼ δὲ οὔτ᾽ ἀνατρέπειν τοῦτο, οὔτ᾽ ἐγκρίνειν ἔχω. Οὐκ ἀνατρέπω μὲν, ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν οὔτε τὴν ἀρετὴν οὔτε τὴν εὐσέβειαν παραβλάπτει · οὐκ ἐγκρίνω δὲ, ἐπειδὴ πρὸ τοῦ ᾿Ααρὼν ἱερωσύνη ἦν θειοτέρα καὶ ἀναίμακτος, ἡ τοῦ Μελχισεδέχ· καὶ ὅτι οὐ κατὰ ἀδέκαστον κριτὴν, διὰ τὸ ἀξίωμα τοῦ πταίσαντος, τὸ δίκαιον παριδεῖν. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο μᾶλλον φημί· ὅτι, ἐπειδὴ ἡ Γραφὴ ἐν τῇ κατηγορίᾳ τὴν Μαριάμ προέταξε τἀνδρὸς καὶ ἀρχιερέως, οἶμαι, τὸ σπέρμα αὐτὴν δεδωκέναι, κἀκεῖνον ἐπηκολουθηκέναι. Ὁ δὲ τὸ σπέρμα παρασχών, τῶν φύντων δηλονότι αἴτιος. Διὸ καὶ πάντων σχεδὸν μοσχοποιησάντων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, τινὲς μὲν ἔδοσαν δίκην, οἱ κατάρξαντες ἴσως τοῦ πταίσματος· τινὲς δὲ συνεγνώσθησαν, οἱ κατὰ παραλογισμὸν καὶ ἀπάτην ἀκολουθήσαντες ἐκείνοις. Οὐ γὰρ τὸ γεγενημένον τοσοῦτον, ὅσον ἡ γνώμη, μεθ' ἧς γένηται, βασανίζεται Χωρεῖ γὰρ ὁ κριτὴς καὶ μέχρις ἐννοιῶν. Οἷμαι οὖν ὅτι τὸ προτετάχθαι μὲν τὴν Μαρίαν, ὑποτετάχθαι δὲ τὸν ἀρχιερέα, ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις προταγέντος μὲν τἀνδρὸς, ὑποτεταγμένης δὲ τῆς γυναικὸς, οὐ κατὰ παραύξησιν γέγονεν, ἀλλὰ κατὰ αἰτιολογίαν· λάλον γὰρ, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ, τὸ γυναικεῖον γένος καὶ περίεργον. Διὸ καὶ δίκας ἀπῃτήθη· ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἂν ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασι προτάξας τὸν ᾿Ααρών, ἐνταῦθα αὐτὸν ὑπέταξεν, εἰ μὴ αἰτιολογῆσαι ἠθέλησεν.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [Numbers: why, when Aaron and Miriam spoke against Moses, Miriam alone was punished.] Since you have written asking for what reason, when Aaron and Miriam slandered Moses, Miriam alone was punished, with leprosy blossoming on her face, where the tongue lies in ambush, I write what I heard from a certain wise man, and I will add what I myself have understood, so that you may test which is truer. He said that, since it was the beginning of the priesthood, God did not wish to outrage its prelude, lest its end also become disgraceful. I can neither overturn nor approve this. I do not overturn it, since it harms neither virtue nor piety; I do not approve it, since before Aaron there was a more divine and bloodless priesthood, that of Melchizedek, and because it does not befit an impartial judge to overlook justice because of the rank of the offender. But I say this rather: since Scripture placed Miriam before the man, the high priest, in the accusation, I think she supplied the seed and he followed. And the one who supplied the seed is plainly the cause of what grew. That is why, when nearly all made the calf in the desert, some paid the penalty, perhaps those who began the offence, and some were pardoned, those who followed them through false reasoning and deception. For it is not the deed so much as the mind with which it is done that is examined; for the Judge reaches even to thoughts. I think, then, that Miriam's being placed first and the high priest after, when elsewhere the man is placed first and the woman after, was done not by way of amplification but by way of giving the cause; for the female sex is, for the most part, talkative and meddlesome. That is why she also was punished; for having placed Aaron first everywhere else, he would not have placed him after here unless he wished to give the cause.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.152 (PG 78 78:843; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-152)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.153":{"o":"ΑΛΦΙΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ, ὡς γέγραφας, Ζώσιμος τοῦ λῃστρικοῦ στίφους ἐστὶ κορυφαῖος, καὶ τῶν δημοβόρων ἔξαρχος, καὶ τῶν ῥᾳθύμως βιούντων συνήγορος, καὶ τῶν ὀρθῶς πολιτευομένων κατήγορος· ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ οὐκ αὐτὸν μόνον αἰτιῶμαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ Παλλάδιον καὶ Μάρωνα, τοὺς, ὥς φασι, συνασπίζοντας αὐτῷ, καὶ τὴν σφῶν δύναμιν κατὰ τῆς τῶν ἐπιεικῶν πραότητος ὁπλίζοντας. Ἐκεῖνοι γάρ εἰσιν οἱ τούτου ῥωννύντες τὴν κακίαν, καὶ σβεσθῆναι μὴ συγχωροῦντες, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐπάρατον ταύτην ἀντίδοσιν παρέχοντές τε καὶ λαμβάνοντες. Τῷ γὰρ συγκροτεῖν τοὺς φαύλους, συγκροτεῖσθαι νομίζουσι · καὶ τῷ ἐκπεπολεμῶσθαι τοῖς φιλαρέτοις, περιέσεσθαι προσδοκῶσιν. ᾿Αλλ' οὐκ οἴσει ταῦτα ὁ Θεὸς ὁ μισοπόνηρος καὶ φιλάγαθος.","t":"To Alphius. Even if, as you have written, Zosimus is the ringleader of the gang of robbers, chief of those who devour the people, advocate of those who live carelessly and accuser of those who live rightly, I blame not him alone but also Palladius and Maron, who, they say, fight shoulder to shoulder with him and arm their power against the gentleness of the decent. For they are the ones who strengthen his vice and do not allow it to be quenched, giving and receiving this accursed exchange. For by applauding the wicked they think they are applauded, and by being at war with lovers of virtue they expect to prevail. But God, who hates evil and loves good, will not bear this.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.153 (PG 78 78:843; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-153)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.154":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nΚατὰ λεγόντων εἶναι γένεσιν, ἤτοι εἰμαρμένην, ἢ τὴν λεγομένην τύχην. Εὖ γε πεποίηκας, καίτοι τῶν τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας λειψάνων ἔτι ἡμᾶς κατασφενδονώντων, τὴν λύραν ἀραχνιῶσαν μεταχειρίσασθαι ἀναγκάσας, καὶ μέλος ᾆσαι, εἰ καὶ μὴ γεγωνὸς καὶ ἐξάκουστον, ἀλλ' ἀμυδρὸν καὶ ἡσύχιον. Οὐκοῦν ἀκόνα σαυτοῦ τὰς ἀκοὰς, καὶ θῆγε τὸν νοῦν πρὸς εὐαισθησίαν. Ἠρέμα γὰρ ᾄδοντος, οὐ ῥάδιον ἀκοῦσαι. Πόθεν οὖν ἄρα, πόθεν ἄρξομαι τοῦ μέλους; Ἑντεῦθεν, ὅθεν καὶ χρή. Φημὶ τοίνυν, ὅτι ἀνθρώπων ἐστὶν, ὡς οἶμαι, μηδὲν καλὸν μήτε νυνὶ πραττόντων, μήτε μετὰ ταῦτα προσδοκώντων, ἡ περὶ τῆς εἰμαρμένης ψῆφος. Καὶ ἵνα μὴ ἀπόφασις εἶναι δόξῃ τὸ εἰρημένον, δι' ἀποδείξεων ἐναργῶν καὶ ἀναγκαστικῶν καὶ ἀβιάστων ὁ λόγος βαδιζέτω, βασανίζων τὰ πράγματα, καὶ τ' ἀληθὲς εἰς τοὺμφανὲς ἄγων. Θέα γὰρ πόσοις ἀντίκεινται, καὶ ὅσα καλὰ ἐκ τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἐξοστρακίσαι φιλονεικοῦσι προαιρέσεως, καὶ φρίξον τὴν ἐμβροτησίαν. Θεὸν ἢ μὴ εἶναι ὁρίζονται, ἢ εἶναι μὲν, μὴ πεποιηκέναι δὲ τὸν κόσμον· ἢ πεποιηκέναι μὲν, μὴ προνοεῖν δὲ· ἢ προνοεῖν μὲν, τέρπεσθαι δὲ τοῖς κακίαν ἀσπαζομένοις· ἢ μὴ τέρπεσθαι μὲν, παρακεχωρηκέναι δ' ἄλλοις τὸ κράτος· ἢ μὴ παρακεχωρηκέναι μὲν, ἄκοντα δ᾽ ἀφῃρῆσθαι· ἢ μὴ ἀφῃρῆσθαι μὲν, μὴ βούλεσθαι δὲ ἐπεξιέναι · ἢ βούλεσθαι μὲν, μὴ δύνασθαι δέ· ἢ δύνασθαι μὲν, ῥαστώνην δὲ προτετιμηκέναι· ἢ ῥαστώνην μὲν μὴ προτετιμηκέναι, νικᾶσθαι δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν ἄστρων κινήσεως· ἢ μὴ νικᾶσθαι μὲν, ἄπρακτον δὲ καὶ ἀνενέργητον ἐθέλειν εἶναι· καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰ, ἵνα μὴ τὸ καθὲν λέγοντες, εἰς μῆκος ἐκτείνωμεν τὸ λογίδιον, ὧν ἕκαστον καὶ ἀλογίας καὶ ἀσεβείας πνεῖ τῆς ἐσχάτης. Καὶ διὰ τούτων μὲν τὴν γλώτταν ὁπλίζουσι κατὰ τῆς θείας προνοίας, καὶ εἰς οὐρανὸν τὰ βέλη πέμπουσι· διὰ δὲ τῶν αὐτῶν καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς ἐξορίζουσι καλά, φιλοσοφίαν, ἰατρικὴν, πάσας τε τὰς ἐπιστήμας, καὶ τὰς τέχνας, καὶ τὰς μελέτας, τῆς ἀρετῆς τὰ γέρα, τῆς κακίας τἀπίχειρα. Εἰ γὰρ γένεσις κρατεῖ ἡ ὑπὸ τῶν οὐ δεόντως προσκυνουμένων παρ᾿ αὐτῶν θεῶν (τὰ γὰρ ἄστρα οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως θεοὺς ἡγοῦνται) ἀδίκως κατασκευαζομένη, οὔτε φιλοσοφητέον, οὔτε νομοθετητέον, οὔτε δικαστέον, οὔτε ἰατρευτέον, οὔτε ἐπιστήμην ἢ τέχνην μετελευστέον, οὔτε μελετητέον, οὔτε ἀρετῆς ἀνθεκτέον, οὔτε κακίας ἀφεκτέον. Ταῦτ᾽ οὖν ἅπαντα, ὦ πάντων παρασκευάζει. Εἰ δὲ ταῦτα πάντα ποιοῦντες μακάριε, ὁ θρυλλούμενος τῆς τύχης λόγος ἀνατρέψει, καὶ πάντα ἐκ βάθρων ἀνασπάσει τὰ καλὰ, καὶ τί, ἀνέξεται τῶν νοῦ καὶ φρονήσεως οὐκ ἀμοιρούντων ; Τις δὲ τούτων ἁπάντων ἑαυτὸν ὑπεξαγαγὼν ἐπιτρέψει τὰ καθ' ἑαυτὸν τῇ λεγομένῃ τύχῃ, ἧς τὴν μοχθηρίαν δηλῶσαι ἐθελήσαντες, οἱ γράφοντές τε καὶ πλάττοντες, οὐ μόνον εἴδει γυναικὸς ἠρκέσθησαν (καίτοι καὶ τοῦθ᾽ ἱκανὸν ἦν ἀλογιστίας καὶ ἀνοίας τεκμήριον), ἀλλὰ καὶ πηδάλιον ἔδοσαν ἐν χεροῖν ἔχειν αὐτῇ, καὶ τοῖν ποδοῖν ὑπέθεσαν βάσιν σφαιρικὴν, ἐστέρησαν δὲ καὶ τοῖν ὀφθαλμοῖν; διὰ τούτων ἁπάντων ἐνδεικνύμενοι τὸ ἀνόητον, καὶ ἔμπληκτον, καὶ τυφλὸν, καὶ ἄστατον αὐτῆς. Τίς οὖν τῆς τὰ πάντα κυβερνώσης δεξιᾶς καταφρονήσας, ἐμπιστεύσει ἑαυτὸν τυφλῇ, καὶ ἀστάτῳ, καὶ μοχθηρᾷ φαντασίᾳ ; Ἐπειδὴ δὲ λέγουσι· Πῶς οὖν τινες παραλόγως πλουτοῦσιν; εἰπάτωσαν καὶ, Πῶς τινες καὶ κατὰ λόγον ; Εἰ δὲ φαῖεν· Πῶς τινες ἀδίκως κολάζονται; φρασάτωσαν, Πῶς τινες καὶ δικαίως; Η γὰρ ἡ ἀδικία ἐν πᾶσι κρατείτω, καὶ πιστευέσθω ὁ ἄλογος αὐτῶν λόγος· ἡ τὰ κατὰ λόγον γινόμενα καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν παραλόγως γινομένων ἀπολογείσθω. \"Αμεινον γὰρ καὶ πολλῷ πρεπωδέστερον καὶ δικαιότερον εἰπεῖν, ὅτι οἱ κάκιστοι, εἰ καὶ τὰ ἐνταῦθα διέφυγον, ἐκεῖ πάντως δώσουσι δίκην· ἢ τὸ φράσαι ὅτι οἱ φιλάρετοι ἠδικήθησαν ἐνταῦθα κολασθέντες, καὶ οὐδεμία ἔσται μετὰ ταῦτα ἐπεξέλευσις. Ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἀληθές ἐστι καὶ εὔλογον, καὶ πάσας τὰς ψυχὰς εἰς ἀρετὴν καὶ εὐσέβειαν διεγείρει· τοῦτο δὲ καὶ ἄλογον καὶ ἀσεβὲς, καὶ πάντα τὸν ὀρθὸν ἀνατρέπει βίον. Οἱ μὲν οὖν ταῦτα λέγοντες, μήτε ἐναρμόνιον, μήτε μουσικὴν καλείτωσαν τὴν τῶν ἄστρων κίνησιν ἄμουσον, ὡς φασι, καὶ ἀνάρμοστον, καὶ ἀνώμαλον βίον, καὶ τί γὰρ οὐχὶ τῶν ἀτόπων κατασκευάζουσαν· καὶ μήτε γεωργείτωσαν, μήτε δικαστηρίοις προσίτωσαν βοήθειαν αἰτοῦντες, μήτε ἰατρικῆς ἀπολαυέτωσαν, μήτε φιλοσοφίαν ἐπαινείτωσαν, μήτε κακίαν ψεγέτωσαν, μήτε μελέτη βελτιούσθωσαν, μήτ' ἄλλῃ ἀρετῇ κοσμεῖν ἑαυτοὺς φιλονεικείτωσαν· ἀλλ' ἐμπιστευέτωσαν ἑαυτοὺς τῇ θρυλλουμένῃ παρ' αὐτῶν τύχῃ ἵνα διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων γνοῖεν αὐτῆς τὴν ἀσθένειαν, ὅτι οὐ μόνον πλοῦτον οὐκ ὀρέξει, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὡς ἀλάστορας καὶ τῆς κοινῆς φύσεως ἐχθροὺς ἐξοστρακισθῆναι παρὰ (αἰσχύνονται γὰρ τοῖς πρόδηλον ἔχουσι τὴν ὠφέλειαν ἀντιστρατεῦσαι τὴν γλῶτταν), ἐν ταῖς ἀποτυχίαις τῶν πραγμάτων δυσχεραίνουσι· μανθανέτωσαν, ὅτι πολλοῖς πολλάκις πρὸς κακοῦ γέγονε τὸ ἐν πολλοῖς ἐπιτυχεῖν. Πλοῦτος μὲν γὰρ πολλοὺς ἔβλαψε, καὶ ξίφος κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀκονήσας, εἰς τὰς τῶν ἐχθρῶν μετεπήδησε χεῖρας. ᾿Αρχὴ δὲ καὶ βασιλεία, ἡ πᾶσι περιμάχητος, οὐ μόνον τὸ εὖ ζῆν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ζῇν πολλάκις προσαφείλετο. Μὴ τοίνυν τοῦτο μόνον σκοπείτωσαν, εἰ ἀποτυχία πρόσεστι τοῖς πράγμασιν ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὴ πολλάκις πενία πλούτου χρησιμωτέρα τοῖς ἔχουσι γέγονε, τῆς Προνοίας καταβοάτωσαν, μηδὲ ἑαυτοῖς παρεχέτωσαν τῆς κρίσεως τὴν ἐξουσίαν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς σοφοῖς τοῖς παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς ἀδομένοις. Δι' ἣν γὰρ αἰτίαν Σωκράτης μὲν κωνείῳ κατακριθεὶς, οὐκ ἐνόμισεν ἀδικεῖσθαι; Πλάτων δ᾽ ἀπεμποληθεὶς οὐχ ἡγεῖτο ἐκπεπτωκέναι τῆς ἐλευθερίας; Διογένης δὲ ἐν ῥακίοις ζῶν, τοῦ Περσῶν βασιλέως ἡγεῖτο ἑαυτὸν πλουσιώτερον; Αντισθένης δὲ ῥυπῶν καὶ αὐχμῶν ἔχαιρε, καὶ κατὰ τῶν τρυφώντων ὥπλιζε τὴν γλῶτταν; Φωκίων δὲ ἀπαγόμενος μετὰ φίλων τινῶν, καὶ τινος ἐξ αὐτῶν δακρύσαντος, καὶ ὀλοφυρμῶν τὴν ὁδὸν ἐμπλήσαντος, ἔλεγεν, Οὐκ ἀγαπᾶς μετὰ Φωκίωνος ἀποθανούμενος; Εἰ τοίνυν τοὺς σοφοὺς οὔτε θάνατος, οὔτε δουλεία, οὔτε πενία ἐθορύβησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνεκαλλωπίζοντο τούτοις (ᾔδεσαν γὰρ στάδιον μὲν εἶναι τὸν τῇδε βίον, τὸν δὲ μέλλοντα τῶν ἐπάθλων τίκτοντα τὸ γέρας)· δι' ἣν αἰτίαν οὗτοι τρυφῇ καὶ πλούτῳ καὶ ἀρχῇ τὴν μακαριότητα ὀριζόμενοι, ἀπὸ τῶν τὰναντία ὑπομενόντων, ὁπλίζουσι κατὰ τῆς Πρoνοίας τὴν γλῶτταν, τῆς τὸ συμφέρον ἐπισταμένης, καὶ ἑκάστῳ ἢ συγχωρούσης, ἢ ἀπονεμούσης, ἵνα καὶ ὁ πλούσιος δοκίμια τῆς οἰκείας προαιρέσεως δοίη, καὶ ὁ πένης, ὥσπερ ἐν πυρὶ χρυσὸς, τῇ πενίᾳ βασανιζόμενος στεφθείη; Εἰ δὲ λέγοιεν· Ἐχρῆν καὶ διὰ πλούτου καὶ διὰ πενίας πάντας δοκιμασθῆναι· φήσομεν, ὅτι μάλιστα μὲν πολλοὶ καὶ οὕτως ἐδοκιμάσθησαν· καὶ ἐν μὲν πλούτῳ ὑπερήφανοι, ἐν δὲ πενίᾳ ἄνανδροι ὤφθησαν. Εἰ δὲ μὴ πάντες, μάλιστα μὲν διὰ τούτων καὶ περὶ τῶν λοιπῶν ἀπολογήσασθαι οἷόν τε. Πλὴν οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον φήσαιμι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο μᾶλλον εἴποιμι, ὅτι οὐδὲν παραβλάπτονται οἱ τῇδε βασανιζόμενοι φιλάρετοι, ἐκεῖσε τῶν στεφάνων αὐτοῖς ἀποκειμένων, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον τότε ἐλαττοῦται αὐτῶν ὁ στέφανος, ὅτε ἐνταῦθα ἀμοιβῆς τινος καὶ εὐημερίας τύχοιεν. Μὴ τοίνυν πάντα ἐνταῦθα ζητείτωσαν, ἀλλ' ἐννοείτωσαν, ὅτι κρίσις ἀδέκαστος ἔσται, ἣν καὶ λογογράφοι, καὶ ποιηταὶ, καὶ ῥήτορες, καὶ συγγραφεῖς ἀνυμνοῦσιν Εἰ γὰρ τῆς ἀκριβείας οὐκ ἐφίκοντο, ἀλλά γε ὅτι πάντως ἔσται ἐδογμάτισαν.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. [Against those who say that there is a horoscope, that is, fate, or what is called fortune.] You have done well, though the remnants of illness still sling me about, to compel me to take up my cobwebbed lyre and sing a song, even if not loud and audible, but faint and quiet. Sharpen your ears, then, and whet your mind to keen perception; for when one sings softly, it is not easy to hear. Whence, then, whence shall I begin the song? From where I must. I say, then, that the verdict about fate belongs, I think, to people who neither do anything good now nor expect to hereafter. And lest what is said seem a mere assertion, let the argument proceed by clear, compelling and unforced proofs, examining the facts and bringing the truth to light. See how many things they oppose, how many good things they strive to banish from their own choice, and shudder at the folly. They declare that God either does not exist; or exists but did not make the world; or made it but does not exercise providence; or exercises providence but delights in those who embrace vice; or does not delight in them but has yielded power to others; or has not yielded it but has been deprived of it against his will; or has not been deprived of it but does not wish to punish; or wishes to but cannot; or can but has preferred ease; or has not preferred ease but is overcome by the movement of the stars; or is not overcome but wishes to be idle and inactive; and many other things (not to lengthen the little discourse by saying each), every one of which breathes the utmost unreason and impiety. By these they arm their tongue against divine providence and send their arrows to heaven; and by the same they banish the good things on earth too: philosophy, medicine, all the sciences, arts and studies, the rewards of virtue and the penalties of vice. For if a horoscope rules, unjustly constructed by the gods they wrongly worship (for somehow they think the stars are gods), then one must not practise philosophy, nor legislate, nor judge, nor heal, nor pursue science or art, nor study, nor hold to virtue, nor keep from vice. All this, then, blessed friend, the much-repeated doctrine of fortune will overturn, tearing up all good things from their foundations; and who of those not without mind and understanding will bear it? And who, withdrawing himself from all these, will entrust his affairs to so-called fortune, whose wretchedness those who write about and fashion her, wishing to show it, were not content to give the form of a woman (though this was a sufficient sign of unreason and folly), but also gave her a rudder to hold in her hands, set a spherical base under her feet, and deprived her of her eyes, showing by all this her folly, her madness, her blindness and her instability? Who, then, despising the right hand that steers all things, will entrust himself to a blind, unstable and wretched fancy? And since they say, \"How then do some grow rich unreasonably?\", let them also say, \"How do some do so reasonably?\" And if they say, \"How are some punished unjustly?\", let them tell us, \"How are some punished justly?\" Either let injustice rule in everything, and let their unreasonable reasoning be believed; or let what happens according to reason also plead for what happens against reason. For it is better, far more fitting and more just to say that the worst people, even if they escaped here, will certainly pay the penalty there, than to say that lovers of virtue were wronged when punished here and that there will be no requital afterwards. The former is both true and reasonable and rouses all souls to virtue and piety; the latter is unreasonable and impious and overturns all right living. Let those who say these things, then, not call the movement of the stars harmonious or musical, since it, as they say, constructs an unmusical, unharmonious and uneven life, and every absurdity besides; and let them not farm, nor go to the law courts asking for help, nor enjoy medicine, nor praise philosophy, nor blame vice, nor improve themselves by study, nor strive to adorn themselves with any other virtue; but let them entrust themselves to the fortune they keep talking about, so that by the facts they may learn her weakness: that she will not only not hold out wealth, but will cause them to be banished by all as avenging spirits and enemies of our common nature. But if, while doing all these things (for they are ashamed to arm their tongue against things whose benefit is obvious), they are vexed at failures in their affairs, let them learn that success in many things has often turned out to many for evil. Wealth has harmed many, sharpening a sword against them and transferring it into the hands of their enemies. Office and kingship, fought over by all, have often taken away not only living well but life itself. Let them not, then, consider only whether failure attends their affairs; but if poverty has not often proved more useful than wealth to those who have it, then let them cry out against Providence; and let them not give themselves the authority to judge, but to the wise men celebrated among them. For why did Socrates, condemned to the hemlock, not think himself wronged? Why did Plato, when he was sold, not think he had lost his freedom? Why did Diogenes, living in rags, think himself richer than the Persian king? Why did Antisthenes rejoice in dirt and squalor and arm his tongue against those living in luxury? Why did Phocion, when he was led away with some friends, and one of them wept and filled the road with laments, say, \"Are you not content to die with Phocion?\" If, then, neither death, nor slavery, nor poverty troubled the wise, but they even prided themselves on these things (for they knew that life here is a racecourse and the life to come gives birth to the prize of the contests), for what reason do these men, defining blessedness by luxury, wealth and office, arm their tongue against Providence on account of those who undergo the opposite, Providence which knows what is advantageous and either permits or assigns to each, so that the rich man may give proof of his own choice and the poor man, tested by poverty like gold in fire, may be crowned? And if they say, \"Everyone ought to have been tested by both wealth and poverty,\" we shall say that many have indeed been tested in this way and were seen to be arrogant in wealth and unmanly in poverty. And if not all, it is possible by these to give a defence for the rest too. But I would not say anything of this kind; I would rather say that lovers of virtue who are tested here are not harmed at all, since crowns are laid up for them there; rather their crown is lessened when they obtain some reward and prosperity here. Let them not, then, seek everything here, but consider that there will be an impartial judgment, which prose-writers, poets, orators and historians celebrate. For even if they did not attain exactness, they at least taught that it will certainly be.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.154 (PG 78 78:845; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-154)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.155":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΗ.\nΜὴ δίδασκε τρυφᾶν τὸν μετρίᾳ τροφῇ χρῆσθαι πεπαιδευμένον, ἵνα μὴ λάγνον καὶ ἀκόλαστον ἀντὶ σώφρονος δημιουργήσας εἰς τὸν πυθμένα τῶν κακῶν καταγάγοις, ἔνθα διατρίβων σαυτὸν ἴσως λανθάνεις. ᾿ ὅτι οὐκ ἔχει πρόγνωσιν ὁ διάβολος, ἀλλ' ἐκ τῶν ἐν ἡμῖν κινημάτων στοχάζεται τὰ καθέκαστον. Οὐ τὰ κατὰ διάνοιαν οἶδεν, ὦ πραότατε, ὁ διάβολος· τῆς γὰρ θείας μόνης ἐστὶ τοῦτο ἐξαίρετον δυνάμεως, τῆς καὶ πλασάσης κατὰ μόνας τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν· ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ [τῶν] τοῦ σώματος κινημάτων τὰ τῆς ψυχῆς θηρεύει βουλεύματα. Οἷον εἶδέ τινα περιέργως ὁρῶντα, καὶ ἑστιῶντα τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις κάλλεσι; λαβὼν ἐκείνου τὴν ὁρμὴν, εὐθὺς ἢ εἰς μοιχείαν, ἢ εἰς πορνείαν τὸν τοιοῦτον ἐρεθίζει. Εἶδεν ὀργίλον καὶ θυμώδη; εὐθὺς τὸ ξίφος ἀκονᾷ, καὶ εἰς φόνον παρορμᾷ. Εἶδεν αἰσχροκερδῆ; εἰς λῃστείας προτρέπει καὶ ἀδικίας. Εἶδε γαστρὸς ἥττονα; εὐθὺς καὶ τὰ μετὰ γαστέρων αὐτῷ πάθη ὑπογράφει, καὶ ὕλας παρέχει πρὸς τὸ εἰς ἔργον χωρῆσαι τὸν οἰκεῖον σκοπόν. Διὰ τί γὰρ μὴ πάντας εἰς τὰ αὐτὰ πάθη ὠθεῖ; Ἐπειδὴ ὁ μὲν τοῦτο, ὁ δὲ ἐκεῖνο μᾶλλον προήρηται· καὶ τῷ μὲν τοῦτο, τῷ δὲ ἐκεῖνο ἀρέσκει. Ἀπὸ τῶν κινημάτων οὖν τοῦ σώματος, καὶ τὰ τῶν ψυχῶν σαθρὰ τεκμαίρεται· καὶ οὕτω πλέκει τοὺς δόλους.","t":"To Isaiah the soldier. Do not teach luxury to one who has been trained to use moderate food, lest, making him lustful and licentious instead of chaste, you bring him down to the bottom of evils, where you perhaps live without knowing it. [Letter 3.156] [That the devil has no foreknowledge, but conjectures each thing from our movements.] The devil does not know what is in the mind, gentlest friend; for this is the special prerogative of the divine power alone, which also fashioned our hearts one by one. But he hunts out the soul's intentions from the movements of the body. For instance, has he seen someone looking curiously and feasting his eyes on another's beauty? Seizing on that impulse, he at once provokes such a man either to adultery or to sexual immorality. Has he seen a man irritable and hot-tempered? At once he sharpens the sword and urges him to murder. Has he seen a greedy man? He urges him to robberies and injustices. Has he seen one mastered by his belly? At once he sketches for him the passions that follow the belly and supplies material for carrying his purpose into action. Why does he not push everyone into the same passions? Because one has chosen this rather, another that; and this pleases one, that another. From the movements of the body, then, he infers the weak points of souls, and so weaves his snares.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.155 (PG 78 78:851; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-155)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.157":{"o":"ΚΑΣΙΩ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΩ.\n῎Αμεινον μὲν ἔχειν τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς κάλλος ἀκέραιον καὶ ἀπαθές· εἰ δὲ τοῦτο φυλαχθῆναι δύσκολον, κἂν ἐν μικροῖς τισι καὶ εὐϊάτοις, καὶ μὴ ἐν τοῖς καιρίοις δέχεσθαι τὴν βλάβην. Μὴ γὰρ δὴ ἐπειδὴ ἀκούεις μετάνοιαν δεδόσθαι, ἀδεῶς ἐπὶ τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν χώρει, ὡς πάντως ἰαθησόμενος, ἀλλ᾽ ἴσθι, ὅτι πρῶτον μὲν πολλοὶ οὐδὲ μετανοίας ἔσχον καιρὸν, ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς πλημμελήμασι δίκην ἀπαιτηθέντες, ἔπειτα δὲ ὅτι ἡ μετάνοια πολλῷ τῷ χρόνῳ θεραπεύειν εἴωθε τὰ πάθη. Καὶ γὰρ πόνων χρεία, καὶ νηστείας καὶ ἀγρυπνίας, καὶ ἐλεημοσύνης, καὶ εὐχῶν, καὶ πάντων τῶν τοιούτων, ἵνα θεραπευθῇ τὰ προλαβόντα τραύματα. Τρίτον ἐννοεῖν χρὴ, ὅτι κἂν θεραπευθῇ, ἡ οὐλὴ ἐλέγχει τὸ πάθος. Οὐ γὰρ ταυτὸν σῶμα ἀκέραιον καὶ τεθεραπευμένον· οὐδὲ ταυτὸν ἱμάτιον ἀῤῥαγὲς καὶ διεφῥηγμένον, κἂν δοκῇ τέχνῃ τινὶ εἰς τὸ μὴ ῥᾳδίως ἐλέγχεσθαι ἦχθαι. Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς τὸ ἀρχαῖον ἀποκατασταίη κάλλος, οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ὡς ἔφην, ἀποκαθίσταται, ἀλλὰ μετὰ μυρίων πόνων καὶ θρήνων, καὶ τιμωριῶν, ὧν ἑαυτῇ ἐπιφέρει ἡ ἁμαρτήσασα ψυχή.","t":"To Cassius, member of the city council. It is better to keep the soul's beauty unharmed and unaffected; but if this is hard to keep, at least to receive the damage in small and easily healed things and not in vital ones. Do not, because you hear that repentance has been given, go fearlessly to sinning as though you will certainly be healed. Know, first, that many have not even had time for repentance, being called to account in the very act of their offences; next, that repentance usually heals the passions over a long time. For there is need of labours, fasting, vigils, almsgiving, prayers and all such things for the earlier wounds to be healed. Third, one must consider that even if it is healed, the scar exposes the passion. For a body unharmed and one that has been healed are not the same, nor a garment untorn and one torn, even if it seems by some skill to have been brought to the point of not being easily detected. And even if the soul is restored to its former beauty, it is not restored simply, as I said, but with countless labours, laments and penalties which the sinning soul brings upon itself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.157 (PG 78 78:851; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-157)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.158":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὍτι ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων οὐ σώζει τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Τὴν πίστιν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, τὰ ἔργα μᾶλλον, ἢ οἱ λόγοι κηρύττειν ὀφείλουσι. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἀληθὲς, οἱ μὲν ἔξωθέν φασι· Τὰ ἔργα δείξει τῶν λόγων σαφέστερον · ὁ δ᾽ ᾿Απόστολος δραστικώτερον· • Θεὸν ὁμολογοῦσιν εἰδέναι, τοῖς δ᾽ ἔργοις ἀρνοῦνται.» Θεῖος δὲ χρησμὸς βοᾷ· « Ὁ λαὸς οὗτος τοῖς χείλεσί με τιμᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόῤῥω ἀπέχει ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ· μάτην δὲ σέβονταί με. · Ἐκ γὰρ τῶν ἔργων, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τῶν λόγων τὰ λανθάνοντα ἐλέγχεσθαι ὀφείλει.","t":"To the same. [That faith without works does not save a person.] Faith, admirable friend, ought to be proclaimed by works rather than by words. And that this is true, those outside say: \"Works will show more clearly than words\"; and the Apostle more forcefully: \"They profess to know God, but deny him by their works.\" And the divine oracle cries: \"This people honours me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me.\" For hidden things ought to be proved by works, not by words.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.158 (PG 78 78:853; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-158)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.159":{"o":"ΑΕΤΙΩ.\n• Καὶ ἔστη Φινεὲς, καὶ ἐξιλάσατο, καὶ ἐκόπασεν ἡ θραύσις. ·· Ὁπηνίκα οἱ Μαδιηναῖοι ὑπαντιάσαι τοῖς Ἑβραίοις ὑπὸ θείας συμμαχίας στρατηγουμένοις διέγνωσαν, τότε δὴ ὑπὸ δεινοῦ ἀνδρὸς συμβουλευθέντες, ὅπλοις τε καὶ μηχανήμασιν, ἀλκῇ τε καὶ ῥώμῃ χαίρειν φράσαντες (ἐπυνθάνοντο γὰρ μηδ' Αἰγυπτίοις ταῦτα συντετελεκέναι), κόρας εὐμόρφους οὐχ ὁπλίσαντες, ἀλλὰ καλλωπίσαντες ἐξέπεμψαν ἐπὶ τὸν πόλεμον. Ἤδεσαν γὰρ ἄλλως τὴν ἄνωθεν ῥοπὴν αὐτῶν οὐκ ἀποστησομένην, εἰ μὴ εἰς πορνείαν, εἶτ᾿ ἐκεῖθεν εἰς εἰδωλολατρίαν ὀλισθήσοιεν. Πέφυκε γὰρ τὰ μέγιστα τῶν πλημμελημάτων ἐκ βραχυτέρων τίκτεσθαι. Αἱ δὲ ἐξελθοῦσαι ἐπὶ τὴν μάχην, ἠκροβολίζοντο πρὸς αὐτοὺς, ξίφος μὲν μὴ ἐπαγόμεναι, μήτε βέλος, τὴν δὲ μορφὴν καὶ τὸν κόσμον ἀντὶ παντὸς πολεμικοῦ μηχανήματος προβαλλόμεναι, καὶ τοσοῦτον αὐτῶν περιῆσαν, ὡς ῥίψαντας τὰ ὅπλα παραχωρῆσαι ἐκείναις τὸ τρόπαιον. Ὡς δὲ εἶδεν ὁ τοῦ ἀρχιερέως υἱὸς μὴ μόνον τοὺς ἀγελαίους, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἐν τέλει ῥιψάσπιδας γεγενημένους, καὶ εἰς πορνείαν ὁρμήσαντας, καὶ τὴν θείαν ῥοπὴν διὰ τοῦτο ἀποπτῆναι μέλλουσαν, περιπαθήσας, καὶ δικαίας ὀργῆς ἐμπλησθεὶς, ξίφος μεταχειρισάμενος, ἕνα τῶν ἐν τέλει μετὰ τῆς πεπορνευμένης γυναικὸς ἀνεῖλε· καὶ οὕτως ἔστησεν οὐ μόνον τοῦ νοσήματος τὴν νομὴν ἐπὶ τὰ καίρια σπεύδουσαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν θείαν ὀργὴν τοὺς ἁμαρτήσαντας ἐπινεμομένην. Ἱερωσύνῃ γοῦν τετίμηται ὁ τὴν ἀκοσμίαν ἐκτεμὼν, ὡς στρατηγικῆς εὐκοσμίας πεῖραν δούς. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ὁ ζητεῖς μαθεῖν· «Ἔστη Φινεές, καὶ ἐξιλάσατο, καὶ ἐκόπασεν ἡ θραῦσις, καὶ ἐλογίσθη αὐτῷ εἰς δικαιοσύνην. · Ἐτίμησε γὰρ ἡ θεία φύσις τὸν πρὸ αὐτῆς δικαίως ἀγανακτήσαντα, καὶ δύο σφαγαῖς τὴν παρανομίαν στήσαντα.","t":"To Aetius. [\"And Phinehas stood and made atonement, and the plague ceased.\"] When the Midianites resolved to confront the Hebrews, who were led by divine alliance, then, advised by a clever man, they bade farewell to arms and engines, strength and might (for they learned that these had availed the Egyptians nothing), and sent out to the war beautiful girls, not armed but adorned. For they knew that the help from above would not otherwise depart from them unless they slid into sexual immorality and from there into idolatry. For the greatest offences are naturally born from smaller ones. The girls, going out to battle, skirmished with them, bringing neither sword nor arrow, but putting forward their beauty and finery in place of every engine of war, and they so prevailed over them that the men threw away their arms and yielded the trophy to them. When the high priest's son saw that not only the common people but also those in authority had thrown away their shields and rushed into sexual immorality, and that because of this the divine help was about to fly away, he was deeply moved and, filled with just anger, took a sword and killed one of those in authority together with the woman with whom he had committed sexual immorality. And so he stopped not only the spread of the disease as it hastened to the vital parts, but also the divine wrath that was spreading over the sinners. He who cut out the disorder was honoured with the priesthood, as one who had given proof of a general's good order. And this is what you seek to learn: \"Phinehas stood and made atonement, and the plague ceased, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.\" For the divine nature honoured the one who was justly indignant on its behalf and stopped the lawlessness with two slayings.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.159 (PG 78 78:853; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-159)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.16":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΝόμος οὗτος καὶ θεσμὸς περὶ τῆς θείας φύσεως νενίκηκε, πρὸς μὲν τὴν ἀξίαν αὐτῇ τὰς τιμὰς παρά τοῦ γενητοῦ γένους μὴ νέμεσθαι (οὐδὲ γὰρ οἷόν τε), τῇ δὲ τῶν συντελούντων δυνάμει τὴν εὐσέβειαν μετρεῖσθαι. Μηδεὶς τοιγαροῦν τῶν πενίᾳ παλαιόντων ἀλυέτω, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εὐφραινέσθω. Ο γὰρ μόνον ἡ θεία φύσις ἐπιζητεῖ, τοῦτό ἐστιν ἀρετὴ, μάλιστα πάντων προσαγαγεῖν δυνήσεται.","t":"To the same. This law and ordinance about the divine nature has prevailed: that honours are not paid to it by the created race according to its worth (that is not even possible), but that piety is measured by the means of those who contribute. Let none, then, of those who wrestle with poverty be distressed; let him rather rejoice. For the one thing the divine nature seeks, namely virtue, he will be able to offer above all.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.16 (PG 78 78:741; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-16)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.160":{"o":"ΑΓΑΘΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ ὑπομονῆς διὰ τὴν Σάῤῥαν Ὅτε ὁ θεοφιλὴς Ἀβραὰμ διὰ μὲν χρησμὸν ἀπὸ τῆς Περσίδος εἰς τὴν Παλαιστίνην, διὰ δὲ λιμὸν εἰς τὴν Αἴγυπτον ἧκε, θεασάμενοι οἱ ἐν τέλει τὴν σύνευνον αὐτοῦ κάλλει τε καὶ ἀρετῇ γυναικείᾳ ἀστράπτουσαν, ὡς τι φέροντες τῷ βασιλεῖ κειμήλιον τιμαλφέστατον, καταμηνύουσιν αὐτήν. Καὶ ὃς ἀφαιρεῖται τὴν γυναῖκα, σωφροσύνῃ πλέον ἢ κάλλει λάμπουσαν. Ὡς δ᾽ ὁ ἀνὴρ θάνατον δεδιὼς ἀδελφὸς εἶναι αὐτῆς σκηψάμενος, προὔδωκε μὲν τὴν γυναῖκα, τῆς δὲ θείας μακροθυμίας οὐ κατεβόησε· τότε δὴ, τότε ἡ θεία ἐπικουρία, τὰ οἰκεῖα ὅπλα κινήσασα, τῷ θεοφιλεῖ τὴν σύνευνον ἀνέπαφον καὶ ἀκέραιον ἀποδέδωκε. Νύκτωρ γὰρ ἐκεῖνον πικροτάταις βασάνοις μαστίξασα, καὶ τὰς ἡδονὰς τοῖς πόνοις δαμάσασα, μᾶλλον δὲ φρούδας οἴχεσθαι παρασκευάσασα, οὕτως τῷ δικαίῳ τὸν στέφανον ἤνεγκε. Τοιγαροῦν καὶ ἡμεῖς, εἰ πειρασμοῖς περιπέσοιμεν, μὴ τῆς θείας μακροθυμίας καταβοῶμεν, ἀλλ᾿ ἀντεχώμεθα μᾶλλον αὐτῆς, τῆς καὶ πόρους ἐν ἀπόροις, καὶ μηχανὰς ἐν ἀμηχάνοις εὑρισκούσης","t":"To Agathus the presbyter. [On patience, because of Sarah.] When Abraham, the friend of God, came from Persia to Palestine because of an oracle and to Egypt because of a famine, the officials, seeing his wife flashing with beauty and womanly virtue, reported her to the king as if bringing him a most precious treasure. And he took away the woman, who shone more with chastity than with beauty. And when the husband, fearing death and pretending to be her brother, gave up his wife but did not cry out against God's patience, then, then indeed divine help, setting its own weapons in motion, restored his wife untouched and unharmed to the friend of God. For by scourging that man at night with most bitter torments, subduing his pleasures by pains, or rather making them vanish altogether, it brought the righteous man his crown. Let us too, then, if we fall into trials, not cry out against God's patience, but rather hold fast to it, which finds ways where there are none and means where there are no means.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.160 (PG 78 78:855; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-160)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.161":{"o":"ΑΡΧΟΝΓΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Αστράγαλος χειρός. Ἐπειδὴ, Τί ἐστιν, ἔφης, τὸ, « ᾿Αστράγαλος χειρός;» ἄκουε. Ἐπειδὴ ὁ βάρβαρος μεθύων τῇ τυραννίδι, καὶ ὠφρυωμένος τῇ ἀλαζονείᾳ, καὶ τῷ οἴνῳ καρηβαρῶν, τὰ ἱερὰ σκεύη οὐ μόνον ἀνδράσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ γυναιξὶ ταῖς τὰς ἡδονὰς αὐτοῦ θεραπευούσαις προὔθηκεν εἰς χρῆσιν, ὤφθη τὸ μετὰ τὸν πῆχυν μέρος τῆς χειρὸς, τὴν κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἀπόφασιν ὑπογράφον. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ ζωγράφοι (ἵνα καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκείνων τόλμης τὴν ἀπόδειξιν ποιήσωμαι), σώματα ποιοῦντες τὰ ἀσώματα, χεῖρα γράφειν ἐπιχειροῦσι μόνην στέφουσαν τῶν τῆς γῆς βασιλευόντων τὰς κορυφὰς, ἵνα δείξωσιν οὐρανόθεν αὐτοῖς τὴν ἀρχὴν δεδόσθαι· οὕτω κἀκεῖ συγκαταβατικῶς ὤφθη, ἵνα δειχθῇ, ὅτι ὁ τῶν ἁπάντων βασιλεὺς τὴν κατὰ τοῦ τυράννου ἐκφέρει ψῆφον, καὶ τὴν ἀπόφασιν ὑπογράφει.","t":"To Archontius the presbyter. [On \"the knuckles of a hand.\"] Since you asked, \"What is 'the knuckles of a hand'?\", listen. When the barbarian, drunk with tyranny, puffed up with arrogance and heavy-headed with wine, set out the sacred vessels for use not only by men but also by the women who served his pleasures, the part of the hand beyond the forearm appeared, writing the sentence against him. For just as painters (to make my proof even from their daring), making bodies of incorporeal things, venture to paint a hand alone crowning the heads of the kings of the earth, to show that their rule has been given them from heaven, so there too it appeared by condescension, to show that the King of all was pronouncing the verdict against the tyrant and writing the sentence.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.161 (PG 78 78:855; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-161)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.162":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΚανών ἐστι καὶ εὐσεβείας καὶ δικαιοσύνης, τὸ κρύπτειν μὲν τὰ κατορθώματα, διὰ τὸ τοῦ τέλους ἄδηλον, καὶ διὰ τὸ ἐνοχλεῖν τοῖς ἀκούουσιν· ἐναγώνιον δ' εἶναι, διά τε τὸ τῆς φύσεως ἐπιῤῥεπὲς πρὸς ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ τῶν ἀκουόντων τὴν περὶ τὰ κακὰ ἑτοιμοτέραν πίστιν τε καὶ συγκατάθεσιν. Ολίγοι γὰρ τοῖς καλοῖς, πολλοὶ δὲ τοῖς κακοῖς πιστεύουσιν, οὐ μόνον ἐκ τῶν καθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τὴν περὶ τῶν ἄλλων φέροντες ψῆφον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς σφῶν ἁμαρτίας διὰ τῆς τῶν ἄλλων κατηγορίας περιστέλλειν οἰόμενοι.","t":"To Martyrius the presbyter. It is a rule of piety and justice to hide one's achievements, both because the end is uncertain and because it annoys the hearers; and to be anxious, both because of nature's inclination to sin and because hearers are readier to believe and agree about evil things. For few believe good things and many believe evil ones, not only bringing their verdict about others from their own case, but also thinking to cover their own sins by accusing others.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.162 (PG 78 78:857; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-162)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.163":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΟ.\nΕὐσεβείας, ὦ ἐλλογιμώτατε, διττὸς ὁ τρόπος Ὁ μὲν ἁγιώτατος καὶ θειότατος ἐν ψυχῇ. Ἱερεῖον γὰρ τοῦτο κάλλιστον, καὶ Θεῷ προσφιλέστατον, τὸ τὴν γνώμην ἔχειν εὐαγῆ, καὶ τὴν θείαν παρουσίαν φαντάζεσθαι, ἱδρυμένην τε καὶ βεβαίαν ἔχειν ἐν τοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς τεμένεσιν. Ὁ δὲ δεύτερος ἐν τῇ ἁγνεία τοῦ σώματος. Ὁ γὰρ τούτων τῶν δύο τρόπων χηρεύων, οὐδὲ εἰ τὰ γῆς τε καὶ θαλάττης τιμαλφέστατα προσάγοι κειμήλια, οὔτε εἰ πάντα τὰ ἱερουργεῖσθαι πρώην νενομοθετημένα ζῶα καταβάλλοι, χαριεῖται Θεῷ.","t":"To the same. There are two modes of piety, most eloquent friend. The most holy and most divine is in the soul. For this is the finest offering and the dearest to God: to have a holy mind and to picture the divine presence, keeping it established and firm in the sanctuaries of the soul. The second is in the purity of the body. For whoever lacks these two modes will not please God even if he brings the most precious treasures of land and sea, or slaughters all the animals that the law formerly prescribed for sacrifice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.163 (PG 78 78:857; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-163)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.164":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΘεσμός ἐστιν ἄνωθεν καλῶς κεκυρωμένος, καὶ νόμος ἄγραφος πρὸς φιλανθρωπίαν βλέπων, τοὺς κρατοῦντας τοῖς ὅπλοις τῶν ἱκετευόντων ἡττᾶσθαι, καὶ τοὺς πολέμῳ νικῶντας παραχωρεῖν τῷ οἴκτῳ. Σὺ δ᾽, ὡς φασιν, οὔτε τοὺς ἐμφύτους θεσμοὺς, οὔτε τοὺς ἀγράφους νόμους αἰδεσθεὶς, τοὺς περὶ τῶν οἰκετῶν τὴν συνηγορίαν ἀναδεξαμένους ἡτίμασας. Ἴσθι τοίνυν ὅτι εἰκός σε εἰς τοῦτο περιστῆναι τὸ σχῆμα, ὃ ἄλλους θεασάμενος ἔχοντας, οὐκ ἔπαθές τι ἀνθρώπινον, ἀλλ᾽ ἀμείλικτος ὀφθεὶς, καὶ τὴν φύσιν αὐτὴν καὶ τὸν ἔλεον ὕβρισας.","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. It is an ordinance rightly ratified from above, and an unwritten law that looks to humanity, that those who prevail by arms should yield to suppliants, and those who conquer in war give way to pity. But you, they say, respecting neither the innate ordinances nor the unwritten laws, dishonoured those who undertook to plead for the slaves. Know, then, that you may well come into the very position you saw others in without being moved as a human being, but, showing yourself implacable, you outraged both nature itself and mercy.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.164 (PG 78 78:857; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-164)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.165":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ ΥΠΟΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου· - Κἂν ἄγγελος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ εὐαγγελίσηται ὑμῖν. › Ὁ διάπυρος τοῦ λόγου ἐραστὴς, Παῦλος, φημὶ, ὁ ἀπόστολος, οὐ μόνον καθ' ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀποστόλων φέρει τὴν ψῆφον, εἰ τολμήσειαν καινοτομίαν τινὰ τῷ κηρύγματι ἐπινοῆσαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατ' ἀγγέλων· καὶ οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἀγγέλων, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ· οὐκ ἐκείνους, ὡς ἐνόμισας, ὑβρίσαι προῃρημένος, τοὺς μήτε τετολμηκότας πώποτε, μήτε τολμῶντας, μήτε τολμήσοντας τοῦτο δρᾶσαι, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀλιτηρίοις δαίμοσιν ἀποκλείων τὴν ὁδὸν τῆς ἀξιοπιστίας, μήποτε πρόφασιν λαβόντες ὡς ἄγγελοι ἀνατρέψωσι τὸ κήρυγμα. Τί γάρ φησι; «Κἂν ἡμεῖς ἡ ἄγγελος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ εὐαγγελίσηται ὑμῖν παρ' ὅ εὐηγγελισάμεθα ὑμῖν, ἀνάθεμα ἔστω. • Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι ἔχαιρον τῇ ἀσφαλείᾳ τοῦ κηρύγματος, ὅτι καὶ ὁ ἀποσταλεὶς πρὸς Κορνήλιον, ἐμήνυσε τὸν διδάσκαλον, οὐχ ἑαυτῷ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐπέτρεψεν. Εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον, « Μέλλει γὰρ ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔρχεσθαι ἐν τῇ δόξῃ τοῦ Πατρὸς αὐτοῦ. Ἥξειν, ὦ βέλτιστε, ὁ Χριστὸς ἐν τῇ πατρώᾳ δόξῃ ἐπηγγείλατο, τὰ τῶν αἱρετικῶν ἐμφράττων στόματα, καὶ τὴν λύτταν αὐτῶν σβεννύς. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶπεν, Ἐν δόξῃ τοιαύτῃ, οἴᾳ καὶ ὁ Πατὴρ (ἵνα μὴ πάλιν παραλλαγήν τινά τις ὑποπτεύσῃ), ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀπηκριβωμένον περιστὰς ἐν αὐτῇ φησιν ἐκείνῃ ἥξειν, ὡς ἀναγκαίως μίαν εἶναι αὐτὴν νομίζεσθαι καὶ τὴν αὐτήν. Ὧν δὲ μία δόξα, πολλῷ μᾶλλον καὶ ἡ οὐσία. Εἰ δὲ τις ἀπιστεῖ, βασανιζέτω τὸ λεχθησόμενον. Εἰ γὰρ ἔνθα οὐκ οὐσία μία, διαφορὰ δόξης εὑρίσκεται (ἄλλη γὰρ δόξα ἡλίου, καὶ ἄλλη δόξα σελήνης, καὶ ἄλλη δόξα ἀστέρων· ἀστὴρ γὰρ ἀστέρος διαφέρει ἐν δόξῃ· πῶς ἂν ὧν ἡ δόξα μία, διενεχθεῖεν ἐν τῇ οὐσία;","t":"To Paul the subdeacon. [On what the Apostle said: \"Even if an angel from heaven should preach to you.\"] The ardent lover of the Word, Paul the apostle I mean, pronounces his verdict not only against himself and the other apostles, if they should dare to devise some innovation in the preaching, but also against angels, and not simply angels but those from heaven; not choosing, as you thought, to insult them, who have never dared, do not dare, and will not dare to do this, but shutting the road to credibility against the accursed demons, lest, taking the pretext of being angels, they overturn the preaching. For what does he say? \"Even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you contrary to what we preached to you, let him be accursed.\" So indeed the angels too rejoiced in the security of the preaching, since the one sent to Cornelius pointed out the teacher and did not take the matter on himself. [Letter 3.166] [On what is written, \"For the Son of Man is going to come in the glory of his Father.\"] Christ promised, excellent friend, that he will come in the Father's glory, stopping the mouths of the heretics and quenching their madness. For he did not say, \"in such glory as the Father's\" (lest anyone again suspect some difference), but, holding to exactness, he says that he will come in that very glory, so that it must be thought one and the same. And those whose glory is one, much more is their essence one. If anyone disbelieves, let him examine what is about to be said. If, where the essence is not one, a difference of glory is found (for there is one glory of the sun, another of the moon, another of the stars, for star differs from star in glory), how could those whose glory is one differ in essence?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.165 (PG 78 78:857; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-165)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.167":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nἜκαστον μὲν σχεδὸν τῶν ἄλλων παθῶν καὶ ἀκμὴν ἔχει, καὶ παρακμὴν οἶδε, καὶ κόρον ἐπίσταται, καὶ εἰς τελευτὴν ἐπείγεται. Ὁ δὲ δεινὸς τῆς φιλοχρηματίας ἔρως, μήτ᾿ ἔμφυτος ὢν, ἀλλ' ἔξωθέν ποθεν ἐπικωμάσας, παρακμὴν οὐκ οἶδε, κόρον ὑβρίζει, εὐφροσύνην οὐκ ἐπίσταται, τελευτῆς οὐκ ἀνέχεται· ἀεὶ δ᾽ ἀκμάζων, μᾶλλον δὲ τὴν ἀκμὴν ἐπιτείνων, νεανικώτερος ἑαυτοῦ καὶ τυραννικώτερος εἶναι βιάζεται. Οὐ γὰρ πρὸς τὰ ἄλλα πάθη τὴν ἅμιλλαν ποιεῖται μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν, καὶ ἑαυτὸν νικῆσαι φιλονεικῶν. Θᾶττον γὰρ ἂν τις τὰ ἀνέφικτα καταλήψεται, ἢ ἐκεῖνος κόρον λήψεται. Τὴν γὰρ προσθήκην μείωσιν, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως, καὶ ἐλάττωσιν εἶναι ἡγούμενος, πλέον ἀνακαίει τὸ πῦρ, ὅπερ καὶ τῆς σῆς τινές φασι γεγεῦσθαι ψυχῆς. Σβέσον τοίνυν ᾗ τάχος τοῦτο. Εἰ δὲ μὴ, κἀνταῦθα ἀδίωτον βιώσεις βίον, κἀκεῖσε πικρὰς ὑφέξεις εὐθύνας.","t":"To Maron. Nearly every other passion has a peak, knows a decline, recognizes satiety and hastens to an end. But the terrible love of money, which is not innate but has burst in from somewhere outside, knows no decline, insults satiety, knows no gladness, does not bear an end; always at its peak, or rather intensifying its peak, it forces itself to be younger and more tyrannical than itself. For it contends not only with the other passions but also with itself, striving to outdo itself. One could sooner grasp the unattainable than it could reach satiety. For somehow regarding addition as diminution and loss, it kindles the fire more; and some say your soul too has tasted it. Quench it, then, as quickly as possible; otherwise you will live a life not worth living here, and give a bitter account there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.167 (PG 78 78:859; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-167)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.168":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὉ τὸ πρέπον, ὦ σοφώτατε, μὴ προδιδοὺς, οὐδεπώποτε ὑπὸ τῆς θείας συμμαχίας προδοθήσεται.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. The one who does not betray what is fitting, most wise friend, will never be betrayed by the divine alliance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.168 (PG 78 78:859; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-168)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.169":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ πατρίδος τις εἴη τῆς βασιλικωτάτης, καὶ γένους τοῦ περιφανεστάτου, καὶ πλούτῳ παντοίῳ κομῴη, εὐγλωττίας τ᾽ εἰς ἄκρον ἀφίκοιτο, καὶ πάντα τὰ τῶν ἀρχαίων ἐπὶ στόματος φέροι, ῥώμῃ τε καὶ κάλλει, δόξῃ τε καὶ ἀρχῇ ἐναβρύνοιτο, βασιλείας τε αὐτῆς ἀξιωθείη, καὶ τὸν στέφανον καὶ τὴν ἀλουργίδα περικέηται, ἀρετὴν δὲ μὴ ἔχοι, τοῦτον ἔγωγε ἐν τοῖς ἀνδραποδωδεστάτοις κατατάξαιμι. Εἰ δὲ τις δικαιοσύνῃ, καὶ σωφροσύνῃ, ἀνδρείᾳ τε καὶ φρονήσει σοφὸς εἴη, ἡ τοῦτον ἐν τοῖς βασιλικωτάτοις καταριθμήσαιμι. Εἰ δὲ τοῦ πάνθ᾽ ὁμοῦ ἐκεῖνα ἔχοντος ἀμείνων ὁ φιλάρετος, τοῦ μὴ πάντ' ἔχοντος ὁμοῦ (οὐδὲ γὰρ πάνθ' οἷόν συνελθεῖν), πολλῷ μακαριστότερος ἔσται καὶ εὐκλεέστερος, τῷ ἐκεῖνα μὲν θᾶττον ἀποσβέννυσθαι, τὴν δ᾽ ἀρετὴν ἀθάνατον εἶναι.","t":"To Athanasius the presbyter. Even if someone were from the most royal homeland and the most illustrious family, abounded in every kind of wealth, reached the summit of eloquence, had all the writings of the ancients on his lips, prided himself on strength and beauty, glory and office, were thought worthy of kingship itself and wore the crown and the purple, but did not have virtue, I would rank him among the most slavish. But if someone is wise in justice and self-control, courage and prudence, I would number him among the most royal. And if the lover of virtue is better than one who has all those things together, much more blessed and glorious will he be than one who does not have them all together (for they cannot all come together), because those things are quickly extinguished, but virtue is immortal.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.169 (PG 78 78:859; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-169)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.17":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nτας χαρακτῆρα, ὧν εἷς καὶ αὐτὸς τυγχάνεις, δι' οὓς οὐδέπω ἡ κατὰ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων ἐξενήνεκται ψῆΤὸ μὲν τοῖς γηΐνοις πράγμασιν ἐγκαλινδούμενον χρηματίζεσθαι Εὐσέβιον, τὸν τῆς ἀκτημοσύνης ὑφηγητὴν, καὶ τῶν οὐρανίων δογμάτων ἐξηγητὴν δεινὸν, οὐ δεινὸν εἶναι δοκεῖ, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως Τὸ δὲ νῦν μηνυθὲν μὲν παρὰ σοῦ, παρὰ δὲ πολλῶν ἀξιοπίστων ἀνδρῶν μαρτυρούμενον, ἄπιστον δ᾽ ἴσως τοῖς μεθ᾽ ἡμᾶς ὀφθησόμενον, ὑπερβολὴν οὐκ ἔχει· Τίς γὰρ ἐθελήσει ῥᾳδίως πιστεῦσαι, ὅτι τοὺς μὲν ἀκτημοσύνην ἀσκοῦντας, καὶ τῇ ἄλλῃ φιλοσοφίᾳ διαλάμποντας, ἅτε λυσιτελεῖν αὐτῷ πρὸς χρηματισμὸν μὴ δυναμένους, ἀχρήστους ὑπολαμβάνων, ἀτιμάζει, καὶ ἱερωσύνης οὐκ ἀξιοῖ· τοὺς δὲ πλουσίους, διὰ τὸ δρέπεσθαι αὐτῶν τὸν πλοῦτον, εἰς ἱερωσύνην προφέρει, κἂν ἁπάσης κακίας εἶεν ἀνάπλεοι· οὐ τῇ ἀρετῇ, τῷ δὲ πλούτῷ χρεωστεῖσθαι τὴν ἱερουργίαν οἰόμενος; Ἐχρῆν μὲν οὖν, ὡς ἔφης, τοὺς τούτοις μὴ ἁλόντας τοῖς πάθεσι, τὴν δέουσαν θεραπείαν ἐπινοῆσαι. Ἐπειδὴ δ' ὀλίγοι ὄντες κομιδῇ τῷ πλήθει καλύπτονται, καὶ τὴν τῶν πολλῶν ἀπέχθειαν δεδιότες, δακρύουσι μὲν, γενναῖον δ᾽ οὐδὲν, οὐδὲ νεανικὸν ἐπιδείκνυνται · διὰ τοῦτο τὰ αὐτὰ ἐκείνοις νοσεῖν ὑποπτεύονται. Μὴ γὰρ δὴ πάντας, ὦ μισοπονηρίας τέμενος, ἡγοῦ τοιούτους εἶναι, ἀλλ᾽ εἶναί τινας τοὺς τὸν ἀποστολικὸν σώζον","t":"To Theodosius the bishop. That Eusebius, the teacher of non-possession and skilled expounder of heavenly doctrines, should wallow in earthly affairs and make money somehow no longer seems shocking. But what you have now reported, which is attested by many trustworthy men but will perhaps seem incredible to those who come after us, admits of nothing beyond it. For who will readily believe that he dishonours those who practise poverty and shine in the rest of the philosophic life, regarding them as useless because they cannot profit him for money-making, and does not judge them worthy of the priesthood, while he promotes the rich to the priesthood because he can harvest their wealth, even if they are full of every vice, thinking that the sacred ministry is owed not to virtue but to wealth? Those who are not caught by these passions ought indeed, as you said, to have devised the proper remedy. But since they are very few and are covered over by the multitude, and, fearing the hatred of the many, they weep but show nothing noble or vigorous, they are for that reason suspected of being sick with the same disease. For do not think, you sanctuary of hatred for evil, that all are such; there are some who keep the apostolic character, of whom you yourself are one, on whose account the sentence against the sinners has not yet been pronounced.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.17 (PG 78 78:743; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-17)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.170":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, « Τις ἐστιν ὁ πιστὸς δοῦλος καὶ φρόνιμος; › Ὅτι μὲν ὁ τὴν εὐκαιρίαν τῶν πραγμάτων προδιδοὺς, τῆς τῶν καλῶν διαμάρτοι θήρας, δῆλον. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ πάντα καλὰ ἐν καιρῷ αὐτῶν, ὁ Ἐκκλησιαστής ἐδίδαξεν. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, τί ξενίζῃ, εἰ ὁ Σωτὴρ ἔφη περὶ τοῦ φρονίμου καὶ πιστοῦ οἰκονόμου, ὅτι δώσει τὴν τροφὴν ἐν καιρῷ; Τὸ γὰρ ἄκαιρον πανταχοῦ λυπηρὸν, καὶ ἡ εὐεργεσία καιροῦ ἀμοιρήσασα, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα ἀπόλλυσιν Οἷον, ὁ αὐτὸς ἄρτος πεινῶντι μὲν ἡδὺς καὶ ἐράσμιος, κορεσθέντι δὲ οὐ πάνυ· καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ποτήριον, διψῶντι μὲν προσηνέστατον, μεθύοντι δὲ ἀηδέστατον. Τίς οὖν ἡ αἰτία, ἡ τὰ αὐτὰ μὴ τῶν αὐτῶν τυγχάνειν παρασκευάζουσα; Ἡ εὐκαιρία δηλονότι, ἡ καὶ τὸ διδόμενον μείζον καὶ ἐρασμιώτερον δημιουργοῦσα. Χρὴ οὖν μὴ μόνον διδόναι (μικρὸν γὰρ ἴσως τοῦτο), ἀλλὰ καὶ καιρίως. Τοῦτο γὰρ, κἂν μικρὸν ἢ τὸ δοθὲν, μεῖζον ποιήσει· κἂν μέγα, μέγιστον παρασκευάσει. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Μελῳδὸς τὰς θείας εὐεργεσίας ἀνακηρύττων, καὶ τοῦτο προσέθηκε, « Πάντα πρὸς σὲ προσδοκῶσι δοῦναι τὴν τροφὴν αὐτοῖς εἰς εὔκαιρον. » Οὐ γὰρ τρέφει μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐκαίρως. Τοῦτο γὰρ μάλιστά ἐστι τὸ πάντα τρέφον, τὸ καιρίως δίδοσθαι. Καὶ εἰ βούλει γε καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν καρπῶν, τῶν ἀπὸ γῆς τικτομένων, τοῦτο γινόμενον ἰδεῖν· θέα ὅτι οὐκ ἐν ἑνὶ καιρῷ σῖτος, καὶ οἶνος, καὶ ἔλαιον, καὶ ἀκροδρύων γένη, καὶ ἀνθῶν ποικιλίαι· ἀλλὰ προηγοῦνται μὲν οἱ λειμῶνες, ἔπεται δὲ τὰ λήϊα, διαδέχεται δὲ ἄμπελος, παραπέμπει δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐλαίαν τὸν γηπόνον ὁ βότρυς · ὥσπερ χορείαν τινὰ ἀρίστην τῶν ὡρῶν χορευουσῶν, καὶ τῷ μήκει τοῦ χρόνου τὸν γεωργὸν ἀναπαυουσῶν. Εἰ γὰρ πάνθ᾽ ὁμοῦ εἰς τὴν οἰκείαν ἤρχετο ἀκμὴν, ἐστενοχωρήθη ἂν ἡ τοῦ γεωργοῦ τέχνη ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ χρόνου βραχύτητος, καὶ πάντα ἂν ἀπολώλει καὶ διεφθάρη, οὐκ ἀρκοῦντος αὐτοῦ ὑφ᾽ ἓν ἅπαντα","t":"To Peter. [On the saying, \"Who is the faithful and wise servant?\"] That the one who betrays the right moment for action would miss the hunt for good things is plain. And that all things are good in their season, Ecclesiastes taught. If, then, this is so, why are you surprised that the Saviour said of the wise and faithful steward that he will give the food in its season? For what is out of season is everywhere distressing, and a kindness that misses its season loses even its name. For instance, the same bread is sweet and lovely to the hungry but not at all to one who is full; and the same cup is most pleasant to the thirsty but most unpleasant to the drunk. What, then, is the cause that makes the same things not have the same effect? The right season, plainly, which makes what is given greater and more lovely. One must therefore not only give (that is perhaps a small thing) but give in season. For this makes what is given greater, even if it is small, and most great, if it is great. That is why the Psalmist too, proclaiming the divine benefits, added this: \"All look to you to give them their food in due season.\" For he not only feeds but feeds in due season. For this above all is what nourishes everything: to be given in season. And if you wish to see this happen with the fruits born from the earth too, see that grain, wine, oil, the kinds of tree-fruit and the varieties of flowers do not come at one season; but the meadows lead, the crops follow, the vine succeeds, and the cluster escorts the farmer to the olive, as if the seasons were dancing a most excellent dance and resting the farmer by the length of time. For if all came to their prime at once, the farmer's art would be cramped by the shortness of time, and everything would have perished and been ruined, since he would not suffice for all at once","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.170 (PG 78 78:861; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-170)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.171":{"o":"ΑΡΣΕΝΟΥΦΙΟ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΧρὴ μὲν καὶ ψάλλειν μετὰ συνέσεως, καὶ εὔχεσθαι μετὰ νήψεως· μὴ ἐκεῖνα δὲ αἰτεῖν ἃ ἡμῖν καλὰ δοκεῖ εἶναι, ἀλλ᾽ ἅπερ ἂν αὐτὸς ὁ διδοὺς εἰδείη χρήσιμα εἶναι καὶ συμφέροντα Πολλοὶ γὰρ πλούτου μὲν ἕνεκα βιωτὸν ἐσχήκασι τὸν βίον, καὶ τέλος ἐπιβουλευθέντες, καὶ τῆς παρούσης, καὶ τῆς μελλούσης ζωῆς ἐξέπεσον· ἀρχὴν δὲ μνηστευσάμενοι τὴν ὠδίνουσαν κλοπῶν (οὐ γὰρ ἂν φαίην κερδῶν) ἀφορμάς, καὶ ὧν εἶχον ἀπεστερήθησαν· εὐπρόσωπον δὲ γυναῖκα σπουδάσαντες ἀγαγέσθαι, ὡς διὰ τοῦτ᾽ εὐφρανθησόμενοι, διὰ τοῦτο μάλιστα καὶ κινδύνοις καὶ πολέμοις περιέπεσον· ῥώμης δὲ καὶ εὐεξίας εἰς ἄκρον ἐλθεῖν σπουδάσαντες, μετά [τοῦ] θηριώδη βίον βιῶσαι, καὶ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀγνοῆσαι εὐγένειαν (τῷ ἐπισκοτῶσαι αὐτοῖς τὰς ἀρίστας ἐνεργείας), τέλος καὶ θηρῶν βρῶμα γεγόνασιν, ἀκλεὲς καὶ ἐπάρατον ὑπομείναντες πέρας. Πάντ᾽ οὖν ταῦτα ἀφέντες, ἐκεῖνα αἰτῶμεν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἅπερ ἂν αὐτὸς εἰδείη χρήσιμα εἶναι. Καλὸς ὁ πλοῦτος τῷ εὖ χρῆσθαι καὶ διοικεῖν δυναμένῳ. Καλὴ ἡ πενία τῷ γενναίως φέρειν ἐπισταμένῳ. Καλὴ καὶ ἡ δόξα τῷ εἰς προστασίαν τῶν καταπονουμένων αὐτῇ χρωμένῳ. Καλὴ καὶ ἡ ἀδοξία τῷ φιλοσοφεῖν ἡρημένῳ. Καλὴ καὶ ἡ ἀρχὴ τῷ κατὰ τὸ δίκαιον ἄρχοντι, καὶ μηδὲν ἐκ τῆς ἀρχῆς εἰς τὸ τοὺς ὑποδεεστέρους ἀδικεῖν προσλαμβάνοντι. Καλή καὶ ἡ ῥώμη τῷ εἰς ἀντίληψιν τῶν ἀσθενεστέρων αὐτὴν δαπανῶντι. Μὴ τὰ πράγματα τοιγαροῦν αἰτιώμεθα, ὄργανα ἀρετῆς καὶ κακίας δυνάμενα εἶναι, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἑαυτῶν προαίρεσιν, τὴν δι᾽ ὑπερβάλλουσαν ῥαθυμίαν, καὶ τῶν ὅπλων τὸ κάλλος ἐξυβρίζουσαν.","t":"To Arsenuphius the reader. We must both sing psalms with understanding and pray with sobriety; and ask not for what seems good to us, but for what the Giver himself knows to be useful and advantageous. For many, because of wealth, had a life worth living, and in the end, plotted against, fell from both the present and the future life; others, courting office, which breeds occasions for thefts (I would not say gains), were deprived even of what they had; others, eager to marry a good-looking wife in order to be gladdened by her, fell for that very reason into dangers and wars; others, eager to reach the height of strength and vigour, lived a beastlike life and were ignorant of the soul's nobility (since it darkened their best activities), and in the end became food for wild beasts, enduring an inglorious and accursed end. Leaving all these, then, let us ask God for what he himself knows to be useful. [Letter 3.172] Wealth is good for one who can use and manage it well. Poverty is good for one who knows how to bear it nobly. Glory too is good for one who uses it to protect the oppressed. Obscurity too is good for one who has chosen to practise philosophy. Office too is good for one who rules justly and takes nothing from his office to wrong those beneath him. Strength too is good for one who spends it helping the weaker. Let us not, then, blame things, which can be instruments of virtue and vice, but our own choice, which through excessive carelessness outrages even the beauty of the weapons.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.171 (PG 78 78:863; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-171)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.173":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤοῦ χρόνου τὸ μὲν ἀπέπτη, τὸ δὲ παρεῖναι δοκοῦν λανθάνει, τὸ δὲ μέλλον ἔτι προσδοκώμενον παρέρχεται. Καθάπερ γὰρ ὕδατος σφοδρὰ ῥύμη τὴν ἀκριβῆ αἴσθησιν ἑαυτῆς οὐ συγχωρεῖ διαγνωσθῆναι (προαιρεῖται γὰρ τῇ ὀξύτητι τὴν κατανόησιν), οὕτω, τάχα δὲ πλέον, ἡ τοῦ χρόνου ὁρμὴ εἰς τέλος ἐπειγομένη, ῥᾳδίως μὲν διεξέρχεται, τοῖς δ᾽ ἀνθρώποις τρανὸν οὐδὲν οὐδὲ πάγιον δείξασα, ὥσπερ ὀνείρων σκιὰς καταλιμπάνει.","t":"To the same. Of time, part has flown away, the part that seems present escapes notice, and the future, while still awaited, passes by. For just as a violent rush of water does not allow an exact perception of itself to be gained (for it outruns understanding by its swiftness), so, and perhaps even more, the rush of time hastening to its end passes easily through, and showing human beings nothing clear or fixed, leaves behind something like the shadows of dreams.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.173 (PG 78 78:863; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-173)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.174":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ. ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἜχε, ὦ σοφὲ, τὴν γνώμην εὐγνώμονα, καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἐῤῥωμένην· καὶ πάντα τὰ συμπίπτοντα, εἰς τὴν σὴν εὐδοκίμησιν, καὶ τὴν τῶν ἐχθρῶν αἰσχύνην περιτραπήσεται. Εἰ δ᾽ ὀλιγωρήσειας, διαφθερεῖς μὲν τὸ σαυτοῦ κλέος, πανήγυριν δὲ τοῖς ἐναντίοις, καὶ λύπην τοῖς ἐπιτηδείοις προξενήσεις Τῶν ἀνθρώπων οἱ μὲν διὰ βραδυτῆτα νοῦ οὐκ ἐφικνοῦνται τοῦ δικαίου· οἱ δὲ δι᾽ ὀξύτητα μὲν ἐφικνοῦνται, διὰ δὲ φιλοχρηματίαν καπηλεύουσι, χρυσῷ προπίνοντες τὴν ψῆφον, καὶ τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ζυγὸν λήμματι παρασαλεύοντες. Εἰσὶ δὲ οἱ καὶ αἰδοῖ καὶ κολακείᾳ καὶ φόβῳ διαφθείροντες τοῦτον. Χρή τοιγαροῦν τὸν κριτὴν καὶ συνετὸν εἶναι καὶ ἀδέκαστον, καὶ χρημάτων καὶ αἰδοῦς καὶ κολακείας καὶ φόβου κρείττονα. Εἰ γὰρ ὁποτέρῳ τῶν παθῶν τούτων χειρωθείη, τὸ πᾶν διαφθερεῖ. Εἰ τοίνυν τὸ μὲν εὑρεῖν τὸ δίκαιον ἔργον, τὸ δὲ μὴ διαφθεῖραι εὑρόντα, ἐργωδέστερον, οὐ χρὴ ἐπιῤῥίπτειν τινὰ ἑαυτὸν τῷ κρίνειν. Εἰ δὲ Ζώσιμος, ὡς γέγραφας, καὶ βραδὺς ὢν, καὶ χρημάτων, εἰ καί τις ἕτερος, ἐραστὴς, ἑαυτὸν ἐπιῤῥίπτει εἰς τὸ τοῖς ἀμφισβητοῦσι δικάζειν ( καίτοι ἐπὶ τῷ πεπρακέναι τὸ δίκαιον φωραθείς, καὶ παρ᾿ αὐτῶν τῶν ἀμφισβητούντων καταγνωσθεὶς, καὶ παρὰ πάντων πολλάκις καταβοηθεὶς), μὴ θαυμάσῃς. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἄλλων παθῶν κεκρατηκώς, τούτῳ ἥττητο, τάχα ἄν τις εἰκότως ἐθαύμασεν. Εἰ δὲ, ὡς φὴς, πᾶσιν τοῖς αἰσχίστοις πάθεσι κατακράτος ἡττηθεὶς, καὶ τούτῳ ἑάλω, οὐ χρὴ θαυμάζειν.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Keep, wise friend, a well-disposed mind and a strong soul, and everything that happens will turn to your good name and your enemies' shame. But if you are negligent, you will ruin your own reputation, and provide a festival for your opponents and grief for your friends. [Letter 3.175] Of people, some through slowness of mind do not attain to justice; others through sharpness attain it, but through love of money they trade in it, selling their verdict for gold and shaking the scale of justice with a bribe. And there are those who corrupt it by respect for persons, by flattery and by fear. The judge, then, must be intelligent and incorruptible, superior to money, respect for persons, flattery and fear. For if he is overcome by any of these passions, he will ruin everything. If, then, finding justice is a task, and not corrupting it once found a harder one, no one ought to throw himself into judging. And if Zosimus, as you wrote, being both slow and, if anyone, a lover of money, throws himself into judging disputants (though he has been caught selling justice, condemned by the disputants themselves, and often cried down by all), do not be surprised. If, having mastered the other passions, he had been defeated by this one, one might perhaps rightly have been surprised. But if, as you say, having been utterly defeated by all the most shameful passions, he was caught by this one too, one must not be surprised.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.174 (PG 78 78:865; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-174)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.176":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον, « Μὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν, ἀδελφὴν γυναῖκα περιάγειν ; Ἐκαστος μὲν τῶν ἀποστόλων, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, μίαν ἀπολαβὼν χώραν, ταύτην ἐῤῥύθμισεν. Ὁ δὲ Παῦλος ὥσπερ ὑπόπτερος γεωργὸς, πᾶσαν σχεδόν ἐπέδραμε τὴν οἰκουμένην, καὶ εἰς αὐτὰς ἐφοίτησε τῆς γῆς τὰς ἐσχατιὰς, καὶ τοὺς ἀκηκοότας ῥυθμίζων, καὶ τοῖς ἀνηκόοις ἐνσπείρων τὸ θεῖον κήρυγμα. Διὸ ἐκείνοις μὲν καὶ γυναῖκες ἠκολούθουν, οὐ παιδοποιίας, οὐδὲ συμβιώσεως ἕνεκεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῶν οἰκείων χορηγοῦσαι καὶ τρέφουσαι τοὺς τῆς ἀκτημοσύνης κήρυκας. Τούτῳ δὲ ἀκολουθῆσαι, οὔτ᾽ ἐπετράπησαν, & σάρκα τετέχθαι τὸν Σωτῆρα ὑπὸ τῆς ἁγίας Παροὔτε ἠδυνήθησαν, εἰς αὐτὰ, ὡς ἔφην, τρέχοντι τῆς γῆς τὰ πέρατα. Καὶ τί θαυμαστὸν, εἰ τὸ γυναικεῖον ἀπελείφθη γένος, ὁπότε καὶ Βαρνάβας, ὁ τῆς ξυνωρίδος κοινωνὸς, ὀκλάσας πρὸς τὸν ἀπέραντον ἐκεῖνον δρόμον τε καὶ πόνον, παρεχώρησε τῷ Παύλῳ τὰ πρωτεία; ὅτε γοῦν αὐτῷ συνετέτακτο, ταῦτ᾽ ἔγραφεν ὁ Παῦλος, « Μὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν ἀδελφὴν γυναῖκα περιάγειν, ὡς καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ ἀπόστολοι, καὶ οἱ ἀδελφοὶ τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ Κηφᾶς; Ἢ μόνος ἐγὼ καὶ Βαρνάβας οὐκ ἔχομεν ἐξουσίαν μὴ ἐργάζεσθαι; ι Οὐχ ὅτι γυναιξὶ συνώκουν οἱ τῆς παρθενίας σύμβουλοι, καὶ τῆς σωφροσύνης κήρυκες, καὶ τῶν παρθένων ῥυθμίζοντες τοὺς χορούς. Τίς γὰρ ἂν αὐτῶν ἠνέσχετο περὶ παρθενίας συμβουλευόντων, εἴγε αὐτοὶ ἡδοναῖς ἐγκαλινδούμενοι ἡλίσκοντο; Οὐ τοίνυν τοῦτό φησιν (ᾗ γὰρ ἂν εἶπε γαμετὴν γυναῖκα, ὡς οἱ συμβολαιογράφοι ἐν τοῖς προικῴοις γράφουσι, τρέφειν τε καὶ ἀμφιάζειν, ὡς προσήκει γυναικὶ γαμετῇ κατὰ δύναμιν· τὴν μὲν γυναῖκα τάττοντες διὰ τὴν φύσιν, τὴν δὲ γαμετὴν διὰ τὴν συμβίωσιν)· ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ἠκολούθουν αὐτοῖς, ἐκ τῶν ὑπαρχόντων αὐταῖς τρέφουσαι τοὺς τῆς ἀκτημοσύνης ὑφηγητὰς, ἀδελφὴν μὲν εἶπεν, ἵνα τὴν ἁγνείαν ἐμφανίσῃ, γυναῖκα δὲ, ἵνα τὴν φύσιν δηλώσῃ. Γυνή γὰρ καὶ ἡ παρθένος καλεῖται, κἂν ἀνέπαφος ᾖ· γυνή διὰ τὸ εἶδος, κἂν ἀκέραιος ᾖ• γυνὴ διὰ τὴν φύσιν, κἂν ἀῤῥενικῆς ὁμιλίας ἀμύητος τυγχάνῃ. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀπὸ σκοποῦ τυγχάνει, περὶ τοῦ κατὰ θένου Μαρίας λέγων αὐτὸς οὗτος ὁ Παῦλος, οὗ τὴν λέξιν παρερμηνεύειν τινὲς κακούργως τολμῶσιν, ἔφη, « Γενόμενον ἐκ γυναικός. » Τί ποιεῖς, ὦ Παῦλε; τὴν Παρθένον γυναῖκα καλεῖς ; Ναὶ, φησὶ, γυναῖκα καλῶ διὰ τὴν φύσιν, παρθένον δὲ ἔχω τῇ γνώμῃ. Γυνὴ γὰρ ἡ παρθένος, κἂν ἀνέπαφος ᾖ. Γυνὴ διὰ τὸ σχῆμα καὶ τὴν πλάσιν· παρθένος διὰ τὸ ἀκέραιον καὶ τὸ καθαρόν.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [On what is written, \"Do we not have the right to take along a sister as wife?\"] Each of the apostles, so to speak, took one country and set it in order. But Paul, like a winged farmer, ran over nearly the whole inhabited world, went even to the very ends of the earth, setting in order those who had heard and sowing the divine preaching among those who had not. That is why women followed the others, not for the begetting of children or for living together, but supplying and feeding from their own means the heralds of non-possession. But they were neither permitted nor able to follow Paul, running, as I said, to the very ends of the earth. And what wonder if the female sex was left behind, when even Barnabas, his partner in the pair, gave way before that boundless course and labour and yielded the first place to Paul? It was while Barnabas was still ranked with him that Paul wrote this: \"Do we not have the right to take along a sister as wife, like the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only I and Barnabas who have no right to refrain from working?\" Not that the counsellors of virginity, the heralds of chastity, who set in order the choirs of virgins, lived with women. For who would have borne them counselling virginity if they themselves were caught wallowing in pleasures? This, then, is not what he says (otherwise he would have said \"a wedded wife,\" as notaries write in dowry contracts, \"to feed and clothe her as befits a wedded wife according to his means,\" putting \"wife\" for the nature and \"wedded\" for the living together); but since they followed them, feeding from their own possessions the teachers of non-possession, he said \"sister\" to show their purity and \"woman\" to show their nature. For a virgin too is called a woman, even if untouched: a woman by form, even if intact; a woman by nature, even if uninitiated in intercourse with a man. And that this is not off the mark, this same Paul, whose wording some dare to misinterpret with malice, speaking of the Saviour's birth according to the flesh from the holy Virgin Mary, said, \"born of a woman.\" What are you doing, Paul? Do you call the Virgin a woman? \"Yes,\" he says, \"I call her woman because of her nature, but I hold her a virgin in intent. For a virgin is a woman, even if untouched: a woman by form and fashioning, a virgin by her integrity and purity.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.176 (PG 78 78:865; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-176)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.177":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΕἰ καὶ τὸ ἰατρεῖον, ὦ βέλτιστε, κοινὸν, καὶ τὰ βοηθήματα πᾶσι πρόκειται, διὰ τοῦθ᾽ ἡ θεραπεία οὐκ ἔστι κοινὴ, ἐπειδὴ παρὰ τὴν τῶν χρωμένων προαίρεσιν γίνεται. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ μεταχειρισάμενος τὸ βοήθημα, καὶ ἐπιθεὶς τῷ τραύματι, ἀπώνατο τῆς ἰατρείας. ῾Ὁ δ᾽ ἀμελήσας, μεῖζον καὶ ἀργαλεώτερον εἰργάσατο τὸ νόσημα, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐλεεινοτάτην κατέστρεψε τελευτήν. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀλγῶμεν θεραπευόμενοι, ἀλλὰ φέρωμεν τὰς πικρὰς τῆς τοιαύτης ἰατρείας μεθόδους. Ἤδιστον μὲν γὰρ ὕστερον ἀποτίκτει τὸν καρπόν. ᾿Ανάγκη γὰρ τὰ διὰ ῥαθυμίαν πταισθέντα πόνοις ἀφανίσαι, καὶ τὰς ἥττας κινδύνοις πολλοῖς ἀναμαχέσασθαι.","t":"To Peter the reader. Even if the surgery, excellent friend, is common and the remedies are set before all, the cure is not common, since it depends on the choice of those who use them. One who took the remedy and applied it to the wound benefited from the treatment; one who neglected it made the disease greater and more grievous and ended in the most pitiable death. Let us not, then, be pained at being treated, but bear the bitter methods of such healing. For later it bears the sweetest fruit. For what has been stumbled through carelessness must be wiped out by labours, and defeats must be retrieved by many dangers.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.177 (PG 78 78:867; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-177)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.178":{"o":"ΘΩΜΑ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nἘχρῆν μὲν τὴν σὴν ὁσιότητα, ὦ μισοπονηρίας ἱερὸν τέμενος, σιωπῇ παραδοῦναι τὰ λήθης ἄξια καὶ βαθείας σιγῆς. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὴν τοῦ κατὰ ἀντίφρασιν Εὐσεβίου καλουμένου ἀσέβειαν δεινῶς ἐξετραγώδησας, ὅτι δὴ Χαιρήμονα, τὸν παρὰ τοῦ ἀοιδίμου Αμμωνίου τοῦ ὄντως ἐπισκόπου ἐπὶ τέτρασι μεγίστοις ἐγκλήμασι καθαιρεθέντα, καὶ ὡς ἀναγνώστην ἐδέξατο, καὶ διάκονον, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως, ἐχειροτόνησε, τὸν καὶ κατὰ τοὺς ἔξωθεν νόμους δοῦναι δίκην δίκαιον ὄντα, τοῦτον εἰς τὴν τῶν ἱερῶν μυστηρίων ὑπηρεσίαν ἀδεῶς χωρῆσαι παρασκευάσας· διὰ τοῦτο οὐδὲ μέμψασθαι, καίτοι βουλόμενος, δίκαιον ψήθην. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ, ὡς ἔφης, ἕκαστον τῶν ἐγκλημάτων οὕτω μέγιστον ἦν, ὡς μὴ μόνον καθαιρέσεως ἄξιον εἶναι τὸν δράσαντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν διὰ ξίφους ὑπομεῖναι τιμωρίαν· ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε ἄῤῥητον ὂν ἄμεινον ἂν ἦν. Ῥηθῆναι γὰρ ὀφείλει, ὅσα ἀξιάκουστα, καὶ εἰς δικαιοσύνην καὶ σωφροσύνην τοὺς ἀκροωμένους ἀλείφει.","t":"To Thomas the monk. Your holiness, you sacred precinct of hatred for evil, ought to have consigned to silence things worthy of oblivion and deep silence. But since you have tragically denounced the impiety of the man called Eusebius by antiphrasis, in that he received as reader Chaeremon, who had been deposed by the renowned Ammonius, truly a bishop, on four very grave charges, and, I know not how, ordained him deacon, making a man who deserved to be punished even by the laws of those outside approach the service of the holy mysteries without fear, for this reason I thought it right not even to blame him, though I wished to. For even if, as you said, each of the charges was so grave that the doer deserved not only deposition but also punishment by the sword, still it would have been better left unspoken. For what ought to be spoken is what is worth hearing and trains the hearers in justice and self-control.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.178 (PG 78 78:869; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-178)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.179":{"o":"ΠΟΙΜΕΝΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὴν τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης κορυφὴν ἀναβησόμεθα (οὐ γὰρ ἂν κατάβασιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀνάβασιν ταύτην ἔγωγε ὁρισαίμην), εἰ τὸν ὀλέθριον τῆς ὑπερηφανίας ὄγκον, καὶ τὴν εἰς ἄδου καταβιβάζουσαν τῆς ἀλαζονείας φλεγμονὴν σβέσοιμεν, καὶ διὰ πάντων ἀσκοῖμεν τὸ μέτριον, καὶ μηδὲν παρίδωμεν, ὡς οὐ παρὰ τοῦτο βλαβησόμενοι Τοῖς γὰρ πραττομένοις ἀκολουθεῖν εἴωθεν ἡ ψυχή, καὶ πρὸς ὁ ἐπιτηδεύει, τυποῦσθαί τε καὶ σχηματίζεσθαι πέφυκεν. Οὐκοῦν ἔστω ἡμῖν καὶ σχῆμα σεμνὸν, καὶ βλέμμα ἥμερον, καὶ ὀφρὺς κατεσταλμένη, καὶ βάδισμα μὴ σεσοβημένον, καὶ ἱμάτιον χρειῶδες, καὶ καθέδρα ταπεινὴ, καὶ τροφὴ λιτή, καὶ στρωμνὴ μὴ τῆς χρείας κρείττων, καὶ ἕπιπλα πρὸς εὐτέλειαν ἠσκημένα, καὶ οἶκος πρέπων Χριστιανοῖς, καὶ μὴν καὶ λόγος καὶ φωνὴ, καὶ ἡ πρὸς τοὺς πέλας ἔντευξις πρὸς μετριότητα μᾶλλον, ἢ πρὸς φλεγμονὴν βλεπέτω. Οὕτω γὰρ διὰ πάντων ἀσκοῦντες τὸ μέτριον εἰς τὴν οὐράνιον κορυφὴν ἀναβησόμεθα.","t":"To Poemenius the presbyter. We shall go up to the summit of humility (for I would define it not as a descent but as an ascent) if we quench the deadly swelling of arrogance and the inflammation of boastfulness that brings down to Hades, practise moderation in everything, and overlook nothing, as though we would not be harmed by it. For the soul is accustomed to follow what is done, and is naturally shaped and formed according to what it practises. Let us have, then, a dignified bearing, a gentle look, a lowered brow, an unhurried gait, a serviceable garment, a humble seat, plain food, bedding no better than need, furniture designed for cheapness, a house befitting Christians; and let our speech, voice and dealings with our neighbours look to moderation rather than to inflammation. For so, practising moderation in everything, we shall go up to the heavenly summit.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.179 (PG 78 78:869; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-179)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.18":{"o":"ΑΓΑΘΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nὉ θειότατος τοῦ Πατρὸς, ὦ σοφώτατε, ὅρος τε καὶ λόγος (ἄνευ γὰρ προοιμίου ἐπὶ τὴν ἑρμηνείαν χωρήσω · ὠδίνω γὰρ τὸ νενοημένον εἰπεῖν), εἰ μεταγενέστερος, ὥς φασιν, οὐκ ἀΐδιος· εἰ δ᾽ ἀΐδιος, ὡς φαμεν, οὐ μεταγενέστερος. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως ἴδιον καὶ χαρακτηριστικὸν τῆς θείας φύσεως, ὡς τὸ ἀἱδιον Τὸ μὲν οὖν ἀπαύγασμα, τὸ συναΐδιον ἐμφαίνει· ὁ δὲ χαρακτήρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως, τὸ ἐνυπόστατον· ὁ δὲ Λόγος, τὸ ἀπαθές τε καὶ ἀσώματον· ὁ δὲ Υἱὸς, τὴν ἰδιότητα καὶ τὴν ὁμοουσιότητα. Ἐξ ἑκάστου γὰρ τὸ χρήσιμον ἐρανιζόμενοι, τὸ λοιπὸν χαίρειν ἐῶμεν, ὅσον τῇ θείᾳ οὐ πρέπει φύσει. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν γεννητῶν, τὸ πρὸ καὶ μετὰ, χώραν ἐχέτω· ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς σεπτῆς καὶ βασιλικωτάτης Τριάδος, τὸ πρῶτον καὶ δεύτερον, οὐκ ἔχει χώραν. Καὶ ἀριθμοῦ γὰρ καὶ χρόνων, τὸ θεῖον ἀνώτερον.","t":"To Agathus the presbyter. The most divine Definition and Word of the Father, most wise friend (I shall come to the explanation without preface, for I am in labour to speak what I have understood), if he is later in origin, as they say, is not eternal; and if he is eternal, as we say, he is not later in origin. For nothing is so proper to and characteristic of the divine nature as eternity. \"Radiance\" shows the co-eternal; \"the imprint of his hypostasis\" shows that he subsists in himself; \"Word\" shows that he is impassible and incorporeal; \"Son\" shows what is proper to him and that he is of the same essence. From each we gather what is useful and leave aside the rest, whatever does not befit the divine nature. Among begotten things let \"before\" and \"after\" have their place; but in the venerable and most royal Trinity, \"first\" and \"second\" have no place. For the Godhead is above both number and times.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.18 (PG 78 78:743; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-18)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.180":{"o":"ΑΛΥΠΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, • Τοῦ ἀναγγεῖλαι τῷ Ἀβραάμ, ὅτι ἡ Σάῤῥα θηλάζει. Ἐπειδὴ ἔφης, Δι' ἣν αἰτίαν ἡ Σάρρα ὀψίγονος γεγενημένη, καὶ παρόντος τοῦ ᾿Αβραάμ τεκοῦσα, ἔφης • Τις ἀγγελεῖ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ, ὅτι Σάῤῥα θηλάζει παιδίον; » ἐχρῆν γὰρ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι τέτοκες φημὶ, ὅτι τὸ μὲν, « Τίς ἀναγγελεῖ ᾿Αβραάμ, » τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· Ὦ ᾿Ἀβραὰμ, τίς ἀναγγελεῖ εἰς τὴν Περσίδα ὅτι Σάρρα ἡ στεῖρα καὶ γραῦς θηλάζει; Οὐ γὰρ κεῖται, Τις ἀναγγελεῖ τῷ Ἀβραὰμ, ἀλλὰ, ᾿Αβραάμ. Εἰ δὲ βίαιόν τις ἡγεῖται, ἴσως ὁμωνύμῳ τινὶ τοῦ ᾿Αβραάμ. Διὸ οὐδὲ τὸ ἄρθρον προσέθηκεν. Εἱ δὲ καὶ τότε ἀπὼν ἦν ὁ πατριάρχης, οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν. Ἐκεῖνο δὲ μᾶλλον εἴποιμι, ὅτι εἰ περὶ αὐτοῦ νομίζουσί τινες εἰρῆσθαι, καὶ περὶ παρόντων λέγεται, ὡς καὶ τὸ· Τἰς ἀναγγελεῖ τῷ Κυρίῳ μου; Αὐτὸς Κύριος, αὐτὸς εἰσακούσει. Τὸ γὰρ φάναι· Τίς ἑρμηνεύσει τῷ τελείῳ τὴν τοῦ ἀτελοῦς γαλακτοτροφίαν; πλέον τοῦ πιθανοῦ τὸ περίεργον ἔχει. Καὶ περὶ μὲν τούτων ἅλις. Διὰ τοῦτο δ' οὐκ εἶπε, τέτοκεν, ἵνα μὴ ὑποβολιμαῖον εἶναι νομισθῇ, ἀλλὰ, θηλάζει, Αἱ γὰρ γάλακτος πηγαὶ τὸν τόκον ἐγγυῶνται. Τοῦ γὰρ γνησίου τόκου, ἡ τοῦ γάλακτος ἐπιῤῥοὴ ἀπόδειξις ἐναργεστάτη","t":"To Alypius. [On the saying, \"to tell Abraham that Sarah is nursing.\"] Since you asked for what reason Sarah, who had become a mother late and given birth with Abraham present, said, \"Who will tell Abraham that Sarah is nursing a child?\" (for she should have said, \"that she has given birth\"), I say that \"Who will tell Abraham\" means something like: \"O Abraham, who will announce in Persia that Sarah, the barren and old, is nursing?\" For it does not read \"Who will tell to Abraham\" but \"Abraham.\" And if anyone thinks this forced, perhaps it means someone of the same name as Abraham; which is why the article was not added. Whether the patriarch was absent at the time, I cannot say. But I would rather say this: if some think it was said of him, things are also said of those present, as in \"Who will tell my Lord? The Lord himself, he will hear.\" For to say, \"Who will explain to the perfect man the milk-feeding of the imperfect?\" is more curious than persuasive. Enough about these things. And she did not say \"has given birth,\" lest the child be thought supposititious, but \"is nursing.\" For the springs of milk guarantee the birth; the flow of milk is the clearest proof of a genuine birth.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.180 (PG 78 78:869; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-180)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.181":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤοὺς φιλοσοφεῖν ἐπὶ τῷ ὑβρίζεσθαι μὴ βουλομένους, δύο ταῦτα προτρέψαι ὀφείλει εἰς τὸ φιλοσοφεῖν· τὸ τε μηδὲν οὕτω λυπεῖν τοὺς ὑβριστὰς, ὡς τὴν τῶν ὑβριζομένων ἀνεξικακίαν· τὸ τε οὕτως ἀμύνασθαι αὐτοὺς μὴ δύνασθαι, ὡς ἀρετὴν ἀσκοῦντας. Εἰ δὲ ἐμοὶ ἀπιστεῖς, ἄκουσον τί τῶν παλαιῶν τις περὶ τούτου ἀπεφήνατο. Ἐρωτηθεὶς γὰρ, Πῶς ἂν ἀμυναίμην τὸν ἐχθρόν; ἔφη· « Αὐτὸς καλὸς κάγαθὸς γινόμενος. » Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ ἀρετὴν καὶ ἀνεξικακίαν ἀσκῶν καιρίας τοῖς ἐχθροῖς δίδωσι πληγὰς, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν μὴ ταῦτα τὰ ἀμυντήρια περὶ πολλοῦ ποιούμεθα; Εἰ δὲ τις καὶ συγγνώμην τοῖς ὑπὸ φθόνου βαλλομένοις νέμοι, καὶ εὔξοιτο αὐτοὺς ἀνενεγκεῖν ἐκ τῆς τοιαύτης μανίας, καὶ μὴ μόνον ἀμύνασθαι μὴ ἐθέλοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ συμπάσχοι τοῖς ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας χειρωθεῖσιν, οὗτος τῷ ὄντι ἐστὶν ὁ εἰλικρινῶς φιλοσοφῆσαι ἐπιστάμενος.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Those who do not wish to practise philosophy when insulted ought to be urged to it by these two things: that nothing pains insulters so much as the forbearance of those insulted, and that one cannot take revenge on them so well as by practising virtue. If you do not believe me, hear what one of the ancients declared about this. Asked, \"How might I avenge myself on my enemy?\", he said, \"By becoming good and noble yourself.\" If, then, the one who practises virtue and forbearance deals mortal blows to his enemies, why do we not value these defences highly? And if someone also grants pardon to those struck by envy, prays that they may recover from such madness, and not only does not wish to retaliate but even suffers with those overcome by vice, this man truly knows how to practise philosophy sincerely.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.181 (PG 78 78:871; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-181)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.182":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠῶς ἡ θεία δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ τελειοῦται Ὅπως ἡ δύναμις ἐν ἀσθενείᾳ ἐτελειοῦτο, συντόμως φράσω· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μαστιζόμενοι οἱ ἀπόστολοι τῶν μαστιζόντων περιεγίνοντο, καὶ ἐλαυνόμενοι τῶν διωκόντων ἐκράτουν, καὶ ἀποθνήσκοντες τοὺς ζῶντας ἐτρέποντο, διὰ τοῦτο τοῦτ' ἔφη. Καινὸς γὰρ ἦν τῆς νίκης ὁ τρόπος, τὸ διὰ τῶν ἐναντίων κεκρατηκέναι, καὶ ἡττᾶσθαι μὲν μηδεπώποτε· ὡς δὲ αὐτοὺς ὄντας « Τί ποιήσομεν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τούτοις; » Τὸ γὰρ δὴ θαυμαστὸν καὶ παράδοξον, καὶ πᾶσαν ἔκπληξιν ὑπερβαῖνον, τοῦτο ἦν, ὅτι ἔχοντες αὐτοὺς, καὶ δεσμοῦντες, καὶ τύπτοντες ἐν ἀμηχανίᾳ ἦσαν, καὶ ἡττημένων ἀφίεσαν φωνὰς, διὰ τούτων ἡττώμενοι, δι' ὧν ἐδόκουν κρατεῖν. \"Απερ γὰρ εἰς ἀδοξίαν αὐτῶν ἐμηχανῶντο, ταῦτα ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐκλείας αὐτῶν ἐθεῶντο γινόμενα. Ὄντως οὖν ἡ δύναμις τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ τῶν ἀποστόλων πλέον διέλαμπεν. Οὐ γὰρ πράγματα ὑπομένοντες, καὶ ἀντιστρατευόμενοι, οὐδ᾽ ὅπλα χαλκεύοντες, καὶ στρατιώτας συλλέγοντες, ἀλλὰ τὴν γνώμην παρασκευάζοντες εἰς τὸ κακῶς παθεῖν μόνον, οὕτω τὰ τρόπαια πανταχοῦ ἤγειρον.","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. [How the divine power is made perfect in weakness.] I will say briefly how power was made perfect in weakness. Since the apostles, when scourged, prevailed over those who scourged them, when driven out mastered those who persecuted them, and when dying routed the living, for this reason he said this. For the manner of victory was new: to have conquered through the opposites and never to be defeated, so that their opponents said of them, \"What shall we do with these men?\" For this was the wonderful and paradoxical thing, beyond all amazement: that, holding them, binding and beating them, they were at a loss and uttered the cries of the defeated, being defeated by the very means by which they thought to prevail. For what they devised for the apostles' disgrace, they saw happening for their glory. Truly, then, the power of God shone the more in the weakness of the apostles. For not by making trouble and fighting back, not by forging weapons and gathering soldiers, but by preparing their minds only to suffer ill, they raised trophies everywhere.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.182 (PG 78 78:871; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-182)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.183":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\n῞Οτι τοῦ ἀργεῖν καὶ ῥαθυμεῖν ἄμεινον τὸ κἂν τὰ ἑτέροις πονηθέντα ἐπὶ στόματος φέρειν, Ἔοικας, ὥς φασί τινες, ἀλλοτρίοις ἐναγλαΐζεσθαι πόνοις, τοὺς ἑτέρων ἱδρῶτας καρπούμενος. Πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνοι μὲν αἰτιῶνται, ἐγὼ δὲ ἠρέμα ἀποδέχομαι · τοῦ γὰρ ἀργεῖν, καὶ ῥᾳθυμεῖν, καὶ φλυαρεῖν, πολλῷ ἄμεινον τὸ κἂν τὰ τῶν ἄλλων συγγράμματα ἐπὶ στόματος ἔχειν.","t":"To Paul. [That it is better than idleness and laziness at least to carry on one's lips what others have laboured over.] You seem, as some say, to adorn yourself with others' labours, reaping others' sweat. But while they blame you, I quietly approve. For it is much better than being idle, lazy and babbling to have at least the writings of others on one's lips.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.183 (PG 78 78:873; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-183)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.184":{"o":"ΕΥΛΟΓΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον, « Τις ἐστιν υἱὸς, ὃν οὐ παιδεύει πατήρ ; · καὶ ὅτι δραστικώτερα τῶν ἀποφαντικῶν τὰ κατ' ἐρώτησιν προσαγόμενα. Ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος τὸ ἀποφαίνεσθαι πολλάκις παρεὶς, κατ' ἐρώτησιν προάγει, τὴν ἀπόδειξιν ἡμερωτέραν καὶ δραστικωτέραν ταύτῃ γίνεσθαι οἰόμενος. Ἔφασκε γὰρ τοῖς ἐν πειρασμοῖς οὖσι καὶ δυσχεραίνουσι Τις γὰρ υἱὸς, ὃν οὐ παιδεύει πατήρ; » ἵνα ἐμφαντικωτέραν τῇ ἐρωτήσει τὴν ἀπόδειξιν ἀποφαίνῃ Οὕτω καὶ ἀλλαχοῦ· « Πρέπον ἐστὶ γυναῖκα ἀκατακάλυπτον τῷ Θεῷ προσεύχεσθαι; τῇ ἐρωτήσει τὴν ἀτοπίαν σαφεστέραν δεῖξαι πειρώμενος. Ταῖς μὲν γὰρ ἀποφάσεσι πολλοὶ καὶ ἀντιλέγειν τολμῶσι· τὰ δὲ κατὰ ἐπερώτησιν προσαγόμενα, καὶ πείθει καὶ ἐπιστομίζει, καὶ πραότητος δόξαν τῷ λέγοντι περιτίθησι.","t":"To Eulogius. [On what is written, \"What son is there whom a father does not discipline?\", and that what is put as a question is more effective than assertions.] The divine Paul often passes over asserting and puts things as a question, thinking that the proof becomes gentler and more effective in this way. For he said to those who were in trials and vexed: \"For what son is there whom a father does not discipline?\", to make the proof more vivid by the question. So too elsewhere: \"Is it fitting for a woman to pray to God uncovered?\", trying to show the absurdity more clearly by the question. For many dare to contradict assertions; but what is put as a question both persuades and silences, and gives the speaker a reputation for gentleness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.184 (PG 78 78:873; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-184)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.185":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nἘγὼ τὰ ἐπιτηδεύματα, ὧν οὐκ ἔστι τὸ τέλος βιωφελὲς, οὐδὲ τέχνας εἶναι ὁρίζομαι, ἀλλὰ ματαιοτεχνίας ἢ κακοτεχνίας. Τεχνικὸν γάρ ἐστι τὸ πρὸς τὸ χρήσιμον καὶ κοινωφελὲς βλέπειν. Εἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, «Οἱ τὰ ἐπίγεια φρονοῦντες.» \" δρείας· ἡ δὲ πάντας ἀνθρώπους δευτέρους τῆς οἰκείας Ὁ Ἀπόστολος, ὦ σοφώτατε, τοὺς μὲν τὰ ἐπίγεια φρονοῦντας αἰτιασάμενος, ἔφη· « Ἡμῶν δὲ τὸ πολίτευμα ἐν οὐρανοῖς ὑπάρχει» τοὺς μικρὰ καὶ φαῦλα πράσσοντας τοῖς μεγάλα καὶ νεανικὰ ἀντιτάττων. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ εὐτελεῖς εἰσι καὶ ταπεινοί· οἱ δὲ μεγαλοφυεῖς καὶ οὐρανομήκεις. Τοὺς δὲ κατὰ τῶν ἀδελφῶν φρονοῦντας καταστέλλων ἔλεγε· «Μὴ τὰ ὑψηλὰ φρονοῦντες, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ταπεινοῖς συναπαγόμενοι·, οὐ τὰ ὑπερκόσμια αὐτοὺς φαντάζεσθαι κωλύων, ἀλλὰ τὴν ὑπεροψίαν καὶ τὴν μεγαλαυχίαν ἐκκόπτων. \"Αλλο γὰρ μεγαλοφροσύνη, τουτέστι μεγαλοψυχία, καὶ ἄλλο ὑπερηφανία, τουτέστιν, ἀλαζονεία. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ πάντα δεύτερα ἡγεῖται τὰ συμβαίνοντα τῆς οἰκείας ἀνεὐτελείας. Ἡ μὲν τὰ ὑπερκόσμια φαντάζεται, ἡ δὲ τὰ ἐπίγεια ὀνειροπολεῖ. Ἡ μὲν τὸ θεῖον καὶ ἀοίδιμον κλέος ποθεῖ, ἡ δὲ τῆς σβεννυμένης δόξης ἐρᾷ.","t":"To Theodosius the scholasticus. I define pursuits whose end is not useful for life not as arts at all, but as vain arts or evil arts. For it belongs to art to look to what is useful and of common benefit. [Letter 3.186] [On the saying, \"Those who mind earthly things.\"] The Apostle, most wise friend, blaming those who mind earthly things, said, \"But our citizenship is in heaven,\" setting those who do small and base things against those who do great and vigorous ones. For the former are paltry and low, the latter magnanimous and sky-high. But checking those who thought highly of themselves against their brothers, he said, \"Not minding high things, but associating with the lowly,\" not forbidding them to imagine things above the world, but cutting out haughtiness and boastfulness. For greatness of mind, that is, magnanimity, is one thing, and arrogance, that is, boastfulness, another. The one considers everything that happens secondary to its own courage; the other considers all people secondary to its own paltry self. The one imagines things above the world, the other dreams of earthly things. The one longs for divine and renowned glory, the other loves glory that is quenched.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.185 (PG 78 78:873; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-185)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.187":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΟὐ ταυτὸν φρόνημα καὶ φρόνησις. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἔπαρμα δηλοῖ, ἡ δὲ σύνεσιν· τὸ μὲν ὑπερηφανίαν, ἡ δὲ σωφροσύνην· τὸ μὲν τὸ κατὰ τῶν πέλας ἐπιφύεσθαι, ἡ δὲ τὸ μηδὲν τῶν πρεπόντων παρορᾶν· καὶ τὸ μὲν τοὺς ὑπὸ ἀρετῆς κεκοσμημένους ἀποκοσμεῖ, ἡ δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἥττονας κοσμεῖ. Διὸ καὶ τὸ μὲν Φρόνημα εἰ φρόνησις μισείται, ἡ δὲ θαυμάζεται· τὸ μὲν ἀποκηρύττεται, ἡ δὲ ἀνακηρύττεται. Τὴν φρόνησιν τοίνυν, τουτέστι τὴν σύνεσιν γεωργῶν, τὸ φρόνημα, τουτέστι τὸ κατὰ τῶν πλησίον ἐπιφύεσθαι, αὐτόπρεμνον άνασπᾶσαι πειρῶ,","t":"To the same. Pride (phronema) and prudence (phronesis) are not the same. The one shows self-exaltation, the other understanding; the one arrogance, the other sobriety; the one attacking one's neighbours, the other overlooking nothing fitting. The one strips the ornament from those adorned by virtue, the other adorns even the inferior. That is why pride is hated and prudence admired; the one is denounced, the other proclaimed. Cultivating prudence, then, that is understanding, try to tear out by the root pride, that is, attacking one's neighbours,","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.187 (PG 78 78:875; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-187)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.188":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἘγὼ μὲν ἀπὸ μεγαλοφυοῦς καὶ οὐρανομήκους ψυχῆς τίκτεσθαι ἡγοῦμαι τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην, ἀπὸ δὲ εὐτελοῦς καὶ φαυλοτάτης τὴν ὑπερηφανίαν. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυῶνται ὅ τε θεοφιλής ᾿Ἀβραὰμ καὶ ὁ Φαρισαῖος. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ θείας ἀπολαύων ὁμιλίας, γῆν καὶ σποδὸν ἑαυτὸν ἐκάλει· ὁ δὲ μηδενὸς παρακινοῦντος, ἐπήρετο καὶ μέγα ἐφρόνει, καὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἁπάσης ἑαυτὸν προθεῖναι ἐπεχείρει.","t":"To the same. I think that humility is born of a great-natured and sky-high soul, and arrogance of a paltry and very base one. Abraham, the friend of God, and the Pharisee guarantee this. The one, enjoying converse with God, called himself earth and ashes; the other, with nothing provoking him, was puffed up, thought highly of himself, and tried to set himself above the whole world.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.188 (PG 78 78:875; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-188)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.189":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤὸν μὲν διδάσκειν ἐπιχειροῦντα, πράττειν χρή, καὶ οὕτω φράζειν· τὸν δὲ μὴ πράττοντα, οὐδὲ φράζειν δίκαιον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πρότερος εἰς τοὺς κορυφαιοτάτους τετάξεται· ὁ δὲ δεύτερος οὐ μόνον δίκας ἐκεῖ δώσει, ἀλλὰ κἀνταῦθα γέλωτα ὀφλήσει. Κωμωδίας γὰρ ὑπόθεσις τοῖς ἀκροαταῖς γενήσεται. Χρὴ τοιγαροῦν ἢ πράττοντα λέγειν, ἢ μὴ πράττοντα ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν, καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν ταῖς τῆς εὐγνωμοσύνης ἡνίαις ἄγχειν, ταῖς καὶ μετάγνωσιν ὠδινούσαις.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. The one who undertakes to teach must act, and then speak; the one who does not act ought not even to speak. The first will be ranked among the very foremost; the second will not only pay the penalty there, but will incur laughter here too, for he will become a subject of comedy for his hearers. One must, then, either speak while acting, or, not acting, keep quiet and rein in the tongue with the reins of good sense, which also give birth to repentance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.189 (PG 78 78:875; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-189)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.19":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ μηδὲν πλέον τοῦ γράμματος νομίζει τὸν νομοθέτην εἰρηκέναι ὁ πρὸς σὲ, ὡς ἔφης, διενεχθεὶς Ἰουδαῖος, εἰπὲ πρὸς αὐτὸν, ὅτι Ἐλέγχουσιν ὑμῶν τὴν ἀπαιδευσίαν οἱ δύο ἄνδρες οἱ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ παρουσίαν συγγραφεῖς παρ᾽ ὑμῖν γεγονότες · Φίλων ὁ θεωρητικώτατος, καὶ Ἰώσηπος ὁ ἱστορικώτατος. Ὁ μὲν πᾶσαν σχεδὸν τὴν Παλαιὰν εἰς ἀλληγορίαν τρέπων· ὁ δὲ διαῤῥήδην γράφων, τὰ μὲν αἰνιττομένου τοῦ νομοθέτου δεξιῶς· τὰ δὲ, ἀλληγοροῦντος μετὰ σεμνότητος· ὅσα δ᾽ ἐξ εὐθείας λέγεσθαι συνέφερε, ταῦτα ῥητῶς ἐμφανίζοντος. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ προενέγκοιμεν προφητικὰς ῥήσεις τοῦτο ἐγγυωμένας, παρερμηνεῦσαι καὶ παραποιῆσαι οὐκ ὀκνήσουσιν εἰ δ᾽ ἀποστολικὰς ἀποφάσεις τε, καὶ ἀποδείξεις, καὶ ἑρμηνείας, παραγράψασθαι τολμήσουσι δυσσεβῶς· τὰς δὲ τῶν παρ' αὐτοῖς δοξάντων σοφῶν μαρτυρίας παραγράψασθαι οὐκ ἂν εἶεν δίκαιοι.","t":"To Athanasius the presbyter. If the Jew who, as you said, argued with you thinks that the lawgiver said nothing more than the letter, say to him: \"Your lack of learning is refuted by the two men who became writers among you after the coming of Christ: Philo, the most contemplative, and Josephus, the most learned in history. The one turns almost the whole Old Testament into allegory; the other writes explicitly that the lawgiver spoke some things in skilful riddles, others in allegory with dignity, and stated plainly whatever it was useful to say directly.\" For if we bring forward prophetic sayings that guarantee this, they will not hesitate to misinterpret and distort them; and if apostolic statements, proofs and interpretations, they will impiously dare to set them aside; but they could not rightly set aside the testimonies of those who were held wise among themselves.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.19 (PG 78 78:745; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-19)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.190":{"o":"ΖΗΝΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤὸ μετὰ φρονήσεως ἠρεμαῖόν τε καὶ γαληνὸν τοῦ τρόπου, βεβηκυίας καὶ σταθερᾶς γνώμης μέγιστόν ἐστι παρ᾿ ἐμοὶ κριτῇ τεκμήριον. Κατὰ τῶν λεγόντων, εἶναι γένεσιν, ἤτοι εἰμαρμένην, ἢ τὴν λεγομένην τύχην. Οἱ πάντα ὁμοῦ χρήματα μιγνύντες, καὶ πανοσπρίαν, τὸ τοῦ λόγου, ποιοῦντες οὔ μοι δοκοῦσιν ὑγιαίνειν τὸν νοῦν. Εἰ γὰρ Θεὸς, οὐ γένεσις. Εἰ δὲ γένεσις, οὗ φημι τὸ ἐναντίον. Τραπείη γὰρ τὸ βλάσφημον εἰς τὰς τῶν τοῦτο παρασκευαζόντων λέγεσθαι κορυφάς. Εἰ δὲ οὐδεὶς τοῦτο φαίη, ἀναμφισβήτητός ἐστι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὁ στέφανος· ἤρκει μὲν οὖν αὐτὴ ἡ νίκη, ὡς οἶμαι, εἰ καὶ μόνη ἐτύγχανε. Νυνὶ δὲ καὶ ἄλλαις πολλαῖς ἐπερειδόμεθα. Εἰ γένεσις, οὐ νόμος· εἰ δὲ νόμος, οὐ γένεσις Εἰ γένεσις, οὐ παραίνεσις· εἰ δὲ παραίνεσις, οὐ γένεσις. Εἰ γένεσις, οὐ κρίσις· εἰ δὲ κρίσις, οὐ γένεσις. Εἰ γένεσις, οὐκ εὐχή - εἰ δὲ εὐχὴ, οὐ γένεσις. Εἰ γένεσις, οὐ μελέται · εἰ δὲ μελέται, οὐ γένεσις. Εἰ γένεσις, οὐ φιλοσοφία · εἰ δὲ φιλοσοφία, οὐ γένεσις. Εἰ γένεσις, οὐκ ἱατρική· εἰ δὲ ἰατρικὴ, οὐ γένεσις. Εἰ γένεσις, οὐ γεωργία· εἰ δὲ γεωργία, οὐ γένεσις. Καὶ πολλὰ ἔχων εἰπεῖν, νυνὶ παραλείψω· αὖθις δὲ συλλογίσομαι. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἑνὸς ἦν τοῦ πράγματος πρὸς ἓν ὁ ἀγὼν, ἴσως ἀμφισβητήσιμος ἂν ἦν ὁ στέφανος. Εἰ δ᾽ ἑνὸς πρὸς πολλὰ καὶ ποικίλα ἡ μάχη, ἀναμφισβήτητος, ὡς οἶμαι, ἡ νίκη Κἂν γὰρ ἓν δόξῃ νενικηκέναι, ὑπὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἡττηθήσεται. Δόξῃ δὲ εἶπον, ἐπειδήπερ οὐ πᾶσι τὸ κρίνειν τὰ πράγματα εἰλικρινῶς πρόσεστιν, ἢ διὰ βραχυτῆτα γνώμης, ἢ διὰ ῥαθυμίαν, ἢ διὰ σκαιότητα τρόπων, ἢ διὰ πρόληψιν, θανάτου γείτονα, Ἐπεὶ τοῖς γε νοῦν ἔχουσι, καὶ ἀπρόληπτον κεκτημένοις τῶν πραγμάτων τὸ κριτήριον, σαφές ἐστι τὸ ἀληθές Ἡ τρυφή, ὦ' βέλτιστε, οὐ μόνον ἐξοστρακίζει τὴν πολυήρατον, καὶ ἀρχῆς καὶ πλούτου προτιμοτέραν ὑγείαν (ταύτης γὰρ ἀπούσης, ἐκεῖνα οὐδὲν), ἀλλὰ καὶ ποικίλα καὶ ἀνήκεστα καινουργεῖ νοσήματα. Εl τοίνυν μέλει σοι τῆς ὑγείας, μελέτω καὶ τῆς αὐταρκείας. Τὴν μὲν γὰρ ἔνδειαν μητέρα ὑγείας εἶναι, εἰκότως ἰατρῶν παῖδες ὁρίζονται· ἐγὼ δὲ, ἐπειδὴ πρὸς σε μοι ὁ λόγος, τὸν καὶ τὸν κόρον τῇ πλησμονῇ ὑβρίζοντα, τὴν αὐτάρκειαν μητέρα σοι γενήσεσθαι τῆς πολυποθήτου ὑγείας εὐαγγελίζομαι.","t":"To Zeno the presbyter. A calm and serene character joined with prudence is, in my judgment, the greatest sign of a settled and steady mind. [Letter 3.191] [Against those who say that there is a horoscope, that is, fate, or what is called fortune.] Those who mix all things together and make a hotchpotch, as the saying goes, do not seem to me to be sound of mind. For if there is God, there is no horoscope; and if there is a horoscope, I do not say the opposite; let the blasphemy recoil on the heads of those who make it to be said. But if no one would say this, the church's crown is beyond dispute. This victory alone, I think, would have been enough, even if it were the only one. But now we rely on many others too. If there is a horoscope, there is no law; if there is law, there is no horoscope. If a horoscope, no exhortation; if exhortation, no horoscope. If a horoscope, no judgment; if judgment, no horoscope. If a horoscope, no prayer; if prayer, no horoscope. If a horoscope, no studies; if studies, no horoscope. If a horoscope, no philosophy; if philosophy, no horoscope. If a horoscope, no medicine; if medicine, no horoscope. If a horoscope, no farming; if farming, no horoscope. And though I have much to say, I will leave it now and reason it out another time. If the contest were of one thing against one, perhaps the crown would be disputed. But if the battle is of one against many and various, the victory, I think, is beyond dispute. For even if it should seem to have won against one, it will be defeated by the others. I said \"seem\" since not everyone is able to judge matters purely, whether through narrowness of mind, carelessness, perversity of character, or prejudice, the neighbour of death; for to those who have sense and keep their judgment of things free from prejudice, the truth is clear. [Letter 3.192] Luxury, excellent friend, not only banishes much-loved health, which is preferable to office and wealth (for without it those are nothing), but also creates various and incurable diseases. If, then, you care for health, care also for self-sufficiency. Physicians rightly define want as the mother of health; but I, since my words are addressed to you, who outrage even satiety with surfeit, announce to you that self-sufficiency will be the mother of much-desired health.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.190 (PG 78 78:877; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-190)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.193":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nΕἱ μὲν δυνατὸν σωφρονισθέντας Ζώσιμον, καὶ Μάρωνα, καὶ Εὐστάθιον τοὺς ἐπὶ τοσούτοις καὶ τηλικούτοις κακοῖς ἁλόντας, ἐπανελθεῖν ὅθεν ἐξέπεσον, ἄμεινον. Εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἔκκοψον, ὥσπερ μέλη ἀνίατα σπεύδοντα βαδίσαι ἐπὶ τὰ καίρια.","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. If it is possible for Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius, who have been caught in so many and such great evils, to be brought to their senses and return whence they fell, that is better. But if not, cut them off like incurable limbs hastening to reach the vital parts.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.193 (PG 78 78:879; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-193)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.194":{"o":"ΤΑΥΡΩ ΥΠΑΡΧΩ.\nΚακία μὲν ἡ δυσώνυμος, καὶ δυσκλεής, κρατεῖ, ὅταν τυραννὶς κατέχῃ· ἀρετὴ δὲ νικᾷ, ὅταν βασιλεία διακοσμῇ τὰ πράγματα. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ τυραννὶς πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον, ἡ δὲ βασιλεία πρὸς τὸ τῶν ἀρχομένων συμφέρον βλέπει. Περὶ τῆς χάριτος τοῦ ἁγίου βαπτίσματος, Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφέ σου ἡ μεγαλόνοια βουλομένη μαθεῖν δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν τὰ βρέφη ἀναμάρτητα ὄντα βαπτίζεται, ἀναγκαῖον ψήθην ἀντεπιστεῖλαι. Τινές μὲν οὖν σμικρολογοῦντές φασιν, ὅτι τὸν διὰ τὴν παράβασιν τοῦ ᾿Ἀδὰμ διαδοθέντα τῇ φύσει ῥύπον ἀποπλύνονται. Ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ τοῦτο μὲν γίνεσθαι πιστεύω, οὐ μὴν μόνον (οὐδὲν γὰρ ἂν τοσοῦτον ἦν), ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰ μακρῷ τὴν ἡμετέραν ὑπερβαίνοντα φύσιν δεδόσθαι χαρίσματα. Οὐ γὰρ ὅσον ἔχρηζεν ἡ φύσις εἰς τὴν τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀναίρεσιν ἔλαβε μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ θείοις ἐκοσμήθη δώροις. Καὶ γὰρ οὐ μόνον κολάσεως ἀπηλλάγη, καὶ πονηρίαν ἀπημφιάσατο πᾶσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνεγεννήθη ἄνωθεν (παλιγγενεσίας θείας, καὶ λόγον ὑπερβαινούσης, ὥσπερ ἐκ μηχανῆς τινος ἐπινοηθείσης), καὶ ἀπελυτρώθη, καὶ ἡγιάσθη, καὶ εἰς υἱοθεσίαν ἠνέχθη, καὶ ἐδικαιώθη καὶ ἐγένετο συγκληρονόμος τοῦ Μονογενοῦς, καὶ σύσσωμος αὐτῷ διὰ τῆς μετοχῆς τῶν ἱερῶν μυστηρίων κατέστη, καὶ εἰς τὴν σάρκα αὐτοῦ τελεῖ· καὶ ὥσπερ τὸ σῶμα τῇ κεφαλῇ, οὕτως αὐτῷ ἥνωται, - \"Απερ ὁ θεσπέσιος ἐννοήσας Παῦλος, ὁ τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ νοημάτων ταμίας, ποτὲ μὲν ἔλεγε· « Καὶ αὐτὸν ἔδωκεν ὑπὲρ πάντα, κεφαλὴν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τουτἐστιν, ὑπὲρ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα χαρίσματα, τοῦτο αὐτῇ ἐδωρήσατο, τὸ τὸν Χριστὸν κεφαλὴν αὐτῆς εἶναι. Ποτέ δὲ, «Πολλῷ μᾶλλον οἱ τὴν περισσείαν τῆς χάριτος, καὶ τῆς δωρεᾶς, καὶ τῆς δικαιοσύνης λαμβάνοντες, ἐν ζωῇ βασιλεύ[σ]ουσιν. Οὐκ εἶπε χάριν, ἀλλὰ περισσείαν χάριτος· δεικνὺς, ὅτι οὐ φάρμακον ἐλάβομεν ἀντίῤῥοπον τοῦ τραύματος μόνον, ὡς οἴονται σμικρολόγοι τινὲς, καὶ τῆς θείας μεγαλοδωρεᾶς ἀναίσθητος· ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐμορφίαν καὶ τιμὴν, καὶ δόξαν, καὶ ἀξιώματα, πολλῷ τὴν ἡμετέραν ὑπερβαίνοντα ἀξίαν. Μὴ τοίνυν, ὦ φίλος, νόμιζε ἁμαρτιῶν μόνον ἀναιρετικὸν εἶναι τὸ βάπτισμα, ἀλλὰ καὶ υἱοθεσίας καὶ θείας συγγενείας καὶ ἄλλων μυρίων τῶν τε λεχθέντων, τῶν τε παραλειφθέντων ἀγαθῶν ποιητικόν. Ὁ γὰρ τῶν ἁπάντων βασιλεὺς, οὐ μόνον ἐλυτρώσατο τὴν αἰχμαλωτευθεῖσαν φύσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὴν ἀνωτάτω τιμὴν ἀνήγαγεν. Οὐ χρὴ τὴν ἀνυπέρβλητον τοῦ Θεοῦ μακροθυμίαν, ὑπόθεσιν ῥαθυμίας ποιεῖσθαι, ἵνα μὴ μείζονα συγγνώμης κατ' ἄμφω ἁμαρτάνοντες ἁλῶμεν, τῷ τε παραλόγως ἐῤῥαθυμηκέναι, τῷ τε παραλογώτερον τῆς χρηστότητος καταπεφρονηκέναι.","t":"To Taurus the prefect. Vice, of evil name and ill repute, prevails when tyranny holds sway; but virtue wins when kingship orders affairs. For tyranny looks to its own advantage, kingship to that of the ruled. [Another letter] [On the grace of holy baptism.] Since your magnanimity has written wishing to learn for what reason infants are baptized, though they are sinless, I thought it necessary to write back. Some, then, belittling it, say that they are washed of the defilement transmitted to nature through Adam's transgression. I believe that this too happens, but not this only (for that would be no great thing); rather, that many other gifts far exceeding our nature are given. For nature received not only as much as it needed for the destruction of sin, but was also adorned with divine gifts. For it was not only freed from punishment and stripped of all wickedness, but was also born again from above (a divine regeneration, beyond reason, devised as if by some machine), was redeemed, sanctified, brought into adoption, justified, became co-heir of the Only-begotten, was made one body with him through participation in the holy mysteries, and is counted as his flesh; and as the body to the head, so it is united to him. The divine Paul, the steward of Christ's thoughts, having considered this, said at one time, \"And he gave him as head over all things to the church,\" that is, above all the other gifts, he gave her this: that Christ is her head; and at another, \"Much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift and of righteousness reign in life.\" He did not say \"grace,\" but \"abundance of grace,\" showing that we received not only a medicine matching the wound, as some petty people think who have no sense of God's munificence, but also beauty, honour, glory and dignities far exceeding our worth. Do not, then, friend, think that baptism only removes sins, but that it also produces adoption, divine kinship, and countless other goods, both those mentioned and those omitted. For the King of all not only ransomed the captive nature, but also raised it to the highest honour. [Another letter] We must not make God's unsurpassable patience an occasion for carelessness, lest we be caught sinning beyond pardon on both counts: by having been careless without reason, and, still more without reason, by having despised his goodness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.194 (PG 78 78:879; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-194)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.195":{"o":"ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nὍτι μὲν, εἰ μὴ τὰς πρὸς τὸ ἀγαθὸν ὁρμὰς τοῦ ἀοιδίμου Τιμοθέου ὁ ἀλιτήριος Εὐσέβιος ἐξέκοπτεν, οἰκουμενικὸν ἂν καὶ διαβόητον ἄνθρωπον ἐποίησεν, οἶμαι μὴ ἀμφιβάλλειν τὴν σὴν σύνεσιν. Ὅτι δὲ οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀκλεῶς τὸν βίον κατέστρεψεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ πάντων ἐπὶ τοῖς καλλίστοις ᾄδόμενος, τοῦτο παρ᾿ ἡμῶν μάνθανε. Εἰ δὲ χρή τι καὶ θαυμαστὸν εἰπεῖν, τάχα οὐχ οὕτως εἰσὶν εὐδόκιμοι, οἱ πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἀλειφόμενοι, καὶ στεφανίται γενόμενοι, ὡς οἱ κωλυόμενοι μὲν, καὶ μηδὲ τί ἐστιν ἀρετὴ ἐννοῆσαι συγχωρούμενοι, μήτι γε πρᾶξαι, ἐρασταὶ δὲ γνήσιοι ταύτης ἀναφαινόμενοι. Γυμνὴ γὰρ ἐστιν αὕτη τῆς διανοίας αὐτῶν ἡ βάσανος. Ταπεινοφροσύνην ὑπερβάλλουσαν κατηγορεῖ σου τὸ γραφέν σοι πρὸς ἐμὲ γράμμα. Εἰ δὲ ἀρνήσαιο, ἐλέγξει σε καὶ αὐτὴ ἡ ῥῆσις, ἣν μαθεῖν τι παρ' ἐμοῦ βουληθεὶς, συνέπλεξας. Ἔφης γὰρ, ὅτι Ἔσχατον πάντων ὄντα, καὶ ὥσπερ ἔκτρωμα, δίδαξον κἀμὲ, τί δήποτε ὁ Θεὸς διὰ Ἡσαΐου, τὰ μὲν ὡς κόκκινον ἁμαρτήματα τῶν μετανοούντων ὡς ἔριον λευκαίνειν ἔφη · τὰ δὲ ὡς φοινικοῦν, ὡς χιόνα. Ἐγὼ δὲ θαυμάσας σου τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην, καὶ ὅτι τὸ μέγιστον τοῦ Παύλου πλεονέκτημα, ὥσπερ διάδημα, ἀνεδήσω (κἀκεῖνος γὰρ ἔκτρωμα εἶναι ἑαυτὸν ἔλεγε· καίτοι τὰ ἐξαμβλωθέντα ἀναμορφῶν, καὶ δεύτερον ὠδίνων τὰ τοὺς θείους χαρακτῆρας μὴ ἀποσώσαντα)· ἐπὶ τὴν ἑρμηνείαν συντόμως βαδιοῦμαι. Φημὶ τοίνυν, ὅτι ἐπηγγείλατο, τὰ μὲν ἄκρα μέσως, τὰ δὲ μέσα ἄκρως θεραπεύειν.","t":"To Theognostus the presbyter. That, if the accursed Eusebius had not cut off the impulses of the renowned Timothy toward the good, he would have made him a man known and celebrated throughout the world, I think your understanding does not doubt. But that even so he did not end his life without glory, but sung by all for the noblest things, learn from me. And if I must say something wonderful, perhaps those who are trained for virtue and become crowned victors are not so esteemed as those who are hindered and not allowed even to think what virtue is, let alone do it, and yet show themselves its genuine lovers. For this is a naked test of their mind. [Another letter] The letter you wrote to me accuses you of surpassing humility. And if you deny it, the very sentence you composed, wishing to learn something from me, will convict you. For you said: \"Teach me too, the last of all and as one untimely born, why God through Isaiah said that he would make the scarlet sins of those who repent white as wool, and the crimson ones white as snow.\" Admiring your humility, and that you have bound on like a diadem Paul's greatest distinction (for he too said that he was one untimely born, though he reshaped those who had been miscarried and was in labour a second time with those who had not kept the divine features), I will go briefly to the interpretation. I say, then, that he promised to heal the extremes moderately and the middle ones extremely.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.195 (PG 78 78:881; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-195)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.199":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΟὐ χρὴ, μακάριε, πάντα ἐπιέναι ἀναισχύντους καὶ ἀκρατέσι τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς, ἀλλὰ χαλινὸν αὐτοῖς ἐμβάλλειν τὴν αἰδῶ, ἵνα μὴ δίκην ὕστερον δοίημεν τῆς πονηρᾶς ἐπιθυμίας, κἀνταῦθα δημίων χαλεπώτερον καταξαινούσης, καὶ μαστιζούσης τὴν διάνοιαν, καὶ τὸν τῆς φύσεως λιμένα (φημὶ δὲ τὸν ὕπνον) προσχωννυούσης, καὶ πελαγίζειν ἀεὶ καὶ κάμνειν παρασκευαζούσης. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Σωτήρ πραγμάτων ἡμᾶς ἀπαλλάττων, καὶ πόνων περιττῶν, ὧν ἄνευ τὸ τῆς σωφροσύνης στάδιον διαθέειν ἡμᾶς βουλόμενος, τῶν περιέργως ὁρᾷν σπουδαζόντων, ἀμήχανον κόλασιν ἠπείλησε· μάλιστα μὲν τὴν ῥίζαν ἀναστέλλων τοῦ πάθους, ἔπειτα δὲ ἵνα μὴ τρωθέντες τῷ ἐκ τῆς θέας βέλει, νόσον δυσίατον ἢ καὶ ἀνίατον ἑαυτοῖς κατασκευάσωμεν. Οὐ μόνον γὰρ καθαρώτερον, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐκολώτερον ὁ μὴ ὁρῶν περιέσται τῆς ἐπιθυμίας.","t":"To Peter the monk. One must not, blessed friend, go over everything with shameless and unrestrained eyes, but put modesty on them as a bridle, so that we may not later pay the penalty of wicked desire, which even here tears and scourges the mind worse than executioners, silts up the harbour of nature (I mean sleep), and makes it always toss at sea and labour. That is why the Saviour, freeing us from troubles and superfluous labours, and wishing us to run the course of chastity without them, threatened an extraordinary punishment against those eager to look curiously: first, checking the root of the passion; next, so that we might not be wounded by the arrow of sight and prepare for ourselves a disease hard to cure or even incurable. For the one who does not look will overcome desire not only more purely but also more easily.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.199 (PG 78 78:881; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-199)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.20":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΤῆς θείας καὶ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως ἡ ἱερωσύνη ὥσπερ μέση καθέστηκεν, ἵνα τὴν μὲν θεραπεύῃ, τῇ δὲ μεταβολὴν ἐργάζηται κρείττονα. Εἴ τις τοιγαροῦν ταύτης μείζον φρονεῖ, οὐδὲ φρόνησιν ἔχειν μοι δοκεῖ.","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. The priesthood stands as it were midway between the divine and human natures, so that it may serve the one and work a change for the better in the other. Whoever, then, thinks himself greater than it does not seem to me to have any sense.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.20 (PG 78 78:745; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-20)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.200":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΔιὰ τὰ περὶ Ζωσίμου. ᾿Αλγῶ μὲν καὶ αὐτὸς κομιδῇ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀτόπως γινομένοις, οὐ μὴν παρατρέπομαι τὸν λογισμόν. ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Τὸ μὲν μὴ τὴν αὐτὴν δίκην ἐνταῦθα διδόναι τοὺς τὰ αὐτὰ δράσαντας, τὸν τῆς γενικῆς κρίσεως βεβαιοῖ λόγον. Τὸ δὲ μὴ πάντας ἐκεῖσε τηρηθῆναι, τοὺς παχυτέρους καὶ ῥαθυμοτέρους διανίστησιν, ὡς πάντως ἐκεῖσε δώσοντας δίκην, εἰ καὶ τὰ ἐνταῦθα διαφύγοιεν. Εἰ γὰρ μηδεὶς ἐκεῖσε κολασθήσεται, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν ἐνταῦθά τινες ἐτιμωρήθησαν; Τὸ δὲ τοὺς δικαίους, καὶ πάσῃ ἀρετῇ κομῶντας, πολλὰ ἐνταῦθα ἐκεῖσε στεφάνους μηνύει. Τὸ δὲ καὶ τινας ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐνταῦθα τετιμῆσθαι, διὰ τοὺς φιλαμαρτήμονας γεγένηται· ἵνα μὴ τὴν ἀρετὴν αἰτίαν κακῶν εἶναι νομίζοντες, φύγωσιν αὐτὴν ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ περιόντος. - ὑπομεμενηκέναι δεινά, τοὺς εὐτρεπισθέντας αὐτοῖς","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. [Concerning the affairs of Zosimus.] I too am greatly pained at what is happening wrongly, but I do not let my reason be turned aside. [Letter 3.201] To Theodosius the bishop. That those who have done the same things do not pay the same penalty here confirms the doctrine of the general judgment. That not all are kept for there rouses the duller and more careless, as men who will certainly pay the penalty there even if they escape here. For if no one will be punished there, for what reason were some punished here? That the just, abounding in every virtue, have endured many terrible things here shows the crowns prepared for them there. And that some of them were honoured even here was done for the sake of those who love sin, lest, thinking virtue the cause of evils, they flee it all the more.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.200 (PG 78 78:883; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-200)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.202":{"o":"ΑΓΑΘΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤί ἐστι τὸ, «Ἱερεῖς, λαλήσατε εἰς καρδίαν Ἱερουσαλήμ. » Ἐπειδὴ ὁ λόγος, ὅταν πράξεως ἔρημος ᾖ, οὐ περαιτέρω τῆς ἀκοῆς ἀφικνεῖται, ὁ δὲ ὑπὸ τῆς πράξεως έψυχωμένος ἅτε δὴ γοργὸς ὧν καὶ δραστήριος διὰ βάθους χωρεῖ, καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς ἄπτεται· τούτου χάριν παρεκελεύσατο ὁ Θεὸς, ὅπερ μαθεῖν ἠθέλησας, « Ἱερεῖς, λαλήσατε εἰς τὴν καρδίαν Ἱερουσαλήμ. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ εἰς τὰς ἀκοὰς λαλοῦντες, πολλοὶ μὲν, ἀνάξιοι δὲ ἱερωσύνης. Οἱ δὲ εἰς τὴν καρδίαν, ὀλίγοι μὲν, δίκαιοι δὲ τὴν τῆς ἀγιστείας ἐστέφθαι ἀξίαν. ΕΥΤΟΝΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Εἰ μὲν εἰς καὶ τὰ φορητὰ καὶ εὐΐατα ἁμαρτήσαντες, πάθοιμέν τι ἐνταῦθα χαλεπὸν, ἀποτριβόμεθα τὰ ἁμαρτήματα. Εἰ δὲ ἀπάνθρωπα, καὶ συγγνώμης μείζονα, εἰ μὲν ἐνταῦθα δοίημεν δίκην, κἀκεῖ δώσομεν, κουφοτέραν δέ. Εἰ δὲ τὰνταῦθα διαφύγοιμεν, ἄκρατον καὶ ἀπαραμύθητον ὑφέξομεν ἐκεῖσε τὴν τιμωρίαν. Εἰ δὲ ἀποφάσεις ταῦτ᾽ εἶναι ἡγῇ, ἐγγυήσονται αἱ θεῖαι Γραφαί. Περὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν εὐΐατα ἁμαρτανόντων, ἔφη ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, « Κρινόμενοι δὲ, ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου παιδευόμεθα, ἵνα μὴ σὺν τῷ κόσμῳ κατακριθῶμεν. » Περὶ δὲ τῶν ἀνίατα πταισάντων, κἀνταῦθα μὲν δεδωκότων δίκην, κἀκεῖ δὲ δωσόντων, αὐτὸς ὁ κριτὴς ἔφη, « ᾿Ανεκτότερον ἔσται γῇ Σοδόμων καὶ Γομόῤῥας, › ὡς κἀνταῦθα μὲν δεδωκότων, κἀκεῖ δὲ δωσόντων μὲν, ἡμερωτέραν δέ. Περὶ δὲ τῶν ἀπαραμύθητον καὶ ἄκρατον ὑπομενόντων τὴν κόλασιν, φησὶν, « ᾿Ανεκτότερον ἔσται γῇ Σοδόμων καὶ Γομόῤῥων ἢ τῇ πόλει ἐκείνῃ, » τῇ τοὺς θείους κήρυκας δηλονότι ἀπελασάσῃ. Τοὺς γὰρ ἐνταῦθα δίκην δεδωκότας τοῖς μὴ δεδωκόσι παραβαλὼν, καὶ ἡμερωτέραν φήσας αὐτοὺς δώσειν, ἀσύγγνωστον καὶ ἀργαλεωτάτην ἀπέφηνε τῶν ἐνταῦθα μὴ δεδωκότων δίκην τὴν τιμωρίαν.","t":"To Agathon the presbyter. [What is meant by \"Priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem.\"] Since a word, when it is bereft of action, reaches no further than the ear, while one animated by action, being swift and effective, goes deep and touches the soul, for this reason God commanded what you wished to learn: \"Priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem.\" For those who speak to the ears are many, but unworthy of the priesthood; those who speak to the heart are few, but deserve to be crowned with the dignity of the holy ministry. [Letter 3.203] To Eutonius the deacon. If, having committed bearable and easily healed sins, we suffer something hard here, we wipe off the sins. If we have committed inhuman sins, too great for pardon, then if we pay the penalty here we shall pay it there too, but more lightly; and if we escape here, we shall undergo there undiluted and comfortless punishment. And if you think these are mere assertions, the divine Scriptures will guarantee them. Of those who sin curably the Apostle said, \"When we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, so that we may not be condemned with the world.\" Of those who have stumbled incurably, who have paid the penalty here and will pay it there, the Judge himself said, \"It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah,\" as of those who paid here and will pay there too, but more gently. And of those who undergo comfortless and undiluted punishment, he says, \"It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that city,\" namely the one that drove away the divine heralds. For by comparing those who paid the penalty here with those who did not, and saying that the former will pay more gently, he showed the punishment of those who did not pay here to be unpardonable and most grievous.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.202 (PG 78 78:883; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-202)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.204":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΧρὴ τοὺς τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην εὐγένειαν φυλάξαι προῃρημένους, τὴν τῆς φύσεως ἐπισκεπτομένους ὀξύρροπον μεταβολὴν, καὶ τῆς χαρᾶς τὴν ἀμετρίαν κολάζειν, καὶ μήτε λύπῃ σφοδρᾷ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδιδόναι, μήτε χαρᾷ. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ, εἰ μὴ κερασθείη λογισμῷ, καὶ χαλινωθείη φρονήσει, εἰς θάνατον παιδαγωγεῖ ἡ δὲ, εἰ μὴ παραδοθείη ταῖς ἡνίαις τῆς προσδοκωμένης μεταβολῆς, ἐκτραχηλίσει, καὶ τοῦ πρέποντος ἐκπεσεῖν παρασκευάσει.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. Those who have chosen to guard human nobility must, considering nature's swift change, restrain excess of joy and give themselves over neither to violent grief nor to joy. The one, unless mixed with reason and bridled by prudence, leads to death; the other, unless handed over to the reins of the change that is to be expected, will throw one headlong and make one fall from what is fitting.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.204 (PG 78 78:885; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-204)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.205":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nἘν τοῖς πολέμοις ἐπειδὰν ὀλίγοι κομιδῇ ὑπὲρ τῆς πατρίδος μαχόμενοι πρὸς πολλοὺς ἀπαντήσαιεν, νικᾷν μὲν αὐτοὺς οἱ νοῦν ἔχοντες οὐκ ἀξιοῦσιν· ἀδόξως δὲ εἰ μὴ πέσοιεν θαυμάζουσιν· εἰ δὲ δὴ καὶ πλείω τοῦ εἰκότος τοὺς ἐναντίους διαθεῖεν κακά, τοῖς ἤρωσιν ἐν ἴσῳ τάττουσι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ γενναῖον ἡγοῦνται, τὸ δὲ οὐκ ἔχον φύσιν. Καὶ οὐ διότι τοῦτο ἀμήχανον, ἐκεῖνό γε ἐῶσι· τὸ δὲ, ὡς λαμπρὸν καὶ ἀοίδιμον, γεραίρουσιν. Ἡττήθησαν γὰρ πλήθει βιασθέντες, οὐκ ἀνδρίᾳ κρατηθέντες. Καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν δικῶν δὲ τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ νομίζουσιν, οἱ τὴν τέχνην δοκιμάζοντες · τὴν γὰρ ἀληθειαν δυσθήρατον εἶναι ἡγοῦνται Φασὶ γὰρ, ὅτι Εἰ συμβαίη τὸν ἄκρον ῥήτορα μετὰ τῶν ἀσθενεστέρων εἶναι δοκούντων πραγμάτων τετάχθαι, οὐ στέρξομεν, εἰ πλησίον ὁ τοιοῦτὸς ἔλθοι τῆς νίκης, ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὴ καὶ τὴν νίκην ἀνέλοιτο, κακιοῦμεν, οὐδ᾽ ἀγαπήσομεν, εἰ συσκιάσει ἐν τῇ δεινότητι τὸ λίαν τῶν πραγμάτων σαθρὸν, καὶ παράσχοι τινὰ ῥώμην τοῖς δοκοῦσι φαύλοις, καὶ τὸν πόνον αὐξήσειεν τοῖς ἀντιτεταγμένοις τὴν ἀρχήν; οὐδ᾽ ἀποχρῆν νομιοῦμεν εἰ παραστήσειέ τινα φόβον ὑπὸ τῆς ψήφου τοῖς ἐλπίζουσιν ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς αἰρήσειν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὴ πάντα ἀνατρέψειεν, εὐηθέστατον ἐροῦμεν; Καὶ πῶς οὐκ ἄτοπον; ἐρεῖ γὰρ ὁ ρήτωρ· Κατεχώσθην, ὦ τὰν, ὑπὸ τῶν πραγμάτων· πολλὰ μέντοι καὶ αὐτὸς τὸν διάδικον τρώσας, καίτοι πεπιστευκότα τὸ κράτος ἕξειν ἀπονητί Ἡ μὲν οὖν γεγένηται τῷ τῆς παρασκευῆς ἀνίσῳ· τὸ δὲ μὴ ταχεῖαν τὴν νίκην, ὑπὸ τῆς ἐμῆς τέχνης· ὥστε τῷ παρ᾿ ἐλπίδα πόνῳ περίειμι. Τοῦ χάριν δὴ ταῦτα διεξῆλθον; Ὅτι οἱ δοκοῦντες εἶναι σοφοὶ, οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκβάσεως, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπὸ τῆς προαιρέσεως τὰ πράγματα κρίνουσι. Καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἡττᾶσθαι δόξαντας, πολλάκις ἀνακηρύττουσι· τοὺς δὲ νικήσαντας ἐπαίνων οὐκ ἀξιοῦσιν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲν ἐλλελοίπασι τῶν ὀφειλόντων πεπρᾶχθαι, καὶ εἰ μηδὲν ὧν προήρηντο κατώρθωσαν· οἱ δὲ ἐπὶ κακῷ τῆς ἑαυτῶν κεφαλῆς, πολλάκις νενικήκασι. Καὶ σὺ τοίνυν κάλλιον ποιήσεις καὶ ἀνθρωπινώτερον, εἰ μὴ σύγχυσιν ἐργάσοιο, ἀλλὰ χωρίσειας ταῦτα ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων, καὶ καθ' ἑαυτὸν δοκιμάσειας ἑκάτερον, τὴν τε προαίρεσιν καὶ τὸ πέρας, καὶ μήτε τὸν ἀδίκως νενικηκότα ἐπαινέσειας, μήτε τὸν ἀδικηθέντα ἐκ τῆς ἥττης ψέξειας, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ τὴν εὐημερίαν ἀρετὴν, μηδὲ τὴν δυσπραγίαν κακίαν ὀρίσαιο. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἀναγκαίως ἐπείγετο τὸ τρόπαιον ὁ τολμῶν μὲν, μὴ κατορθῶν δὲ, ἐδέχετο ἂν αἰτίαν. Εἰ δὲ τὸν αὐτὸν εὕροις ἂν γνώμῃ ἀρίστῃ χρώμενον, τέλει δὲ οὐ χρηστῷ, μὴ καταμέμφου τοῦτον, ᾧ συνάχθεσθαι δίκαιον. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν πρὸς σὲ εἴρηται, τὸν πλέον τῶν ὁρωμένων εἰδότα μηδέν Ἡμεῖς γὰρ οἱ τοῖς τῆς πίστεως ὀφθαλμοῖς τὸν μέλλοντα ἀκριβῶς καθορῶντες βίον, τῶν μὲν πολέμων καὶ τῶν τροπαίων καὶ τῶν ἀναῤῥήσεων τῶν ἡμετέρων, ἅτε τῷ παρόντι συγκαταλυομένων βίῳ, εἰκότως καταφρονοῦμεν, ἐκεῖνον δὲ πολεμοῦμεν τὸν πόλεμον, τὸν κατὰ τῶν πονηρῶν δαιμόνων καὶ τῶν τῆς σαρκὸς παθῶν συγκροτούμενον, καὶ τὸν τούτων ἀκοιμήτῳ τέχνῃ κρατοῦντα, τροπαιοῦχον εἶναί φαμεν, κἂν ἀκλεῶς δοκοίη τόνδε ἐξεληλυθέναι τὸν βίον. Ἡ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα ἀδοξία, δόξαν ἀθάνατον ὠδίνει καὶ ἡ ἑκούσιος πενία, πλοῦτον οὐράνιον τίκτει. Τότε γὰρ φανεῖται τὰ ἀγαθὰ, ὅτε τελευτήσει τὰ λυπηρά.","t":"To Nilus the grammarian. In wars, when very few fighting for their country meet many, sensible people do not expect them to win, but admire them if they do not fall ingloriously; and if they inflict more harm on their opponents than could be expected, they rank them equal with the heroes. For they consider the one noble, the other beyond nature. And not because the latter is impossible do they let the former go; they honour it as brilliant and renowned. For they were defeated, forced by numbers, not overcome by courage. And those who judge the art of oratory think the same about lawsuits, for they consider the truth hard to hunt down. For they say: \"If it happens that the foremost orator is ranged with the side that seems weaker, shall we not be content if he comes near victory, but blame him unless he carries off the victory? Shall we not be glad if by his skill he overshadows the great rottenness of his case, gives some strength to what seems weak, and increases the labour for his opponents at the outset? Shall we not think it enough if he puts some fear of the verdict into those who hoped to carry it at a rush, but call him most simple unless he overturns everything?\" And how is this not absurd? For the orator will say: \"I was buried, my good man, by the facts; yet I myself wounded my opponent much, though he trusted that he would hold the victory without toil. The defeat came from the inequality of our resources; that the victory was not swift came from my art; so I prevail by the unexpected labour.\" Why have I gone through this? Because those who seem to be wise judge matters not by the outcome but by the intention. They often proclaim those who seemed to be defeated, and do not think the victors worthy of praise. For the former left nothing undone of what ought to be done, even if they achieved none of what they intended; the latter have often won to their own harm. You too, then, will do better and more humanely if you do not confuse things, but separate these from each other and test each by itself, the intention and the end; and neither praise the one who won unjustly, nor blame the one who was wronged for his defeat, nor define prosperity as virtue or misfortune as vice. If the one who dares but does not succeed had been bound by necessity to win the trophy, he would have incurred blame. But if you find the same man using an excellent judgment but not meeting a good end, do not blame him, with whom it is right to share his grief. But this has been said to you, who know nothing beyond what is seen. For we, who by the eyes of faith see the life to come exactly, rightly despise the wars, trophies and proclamations of this world, since they are dissolved together with the present life; but we fight that war which is waged against the wicked demons and the passions of the flesh, and we say that the one who masters these by unsleeping skill is the victor, even if he seems to have left this life without glory. For obscurity here gives birth to immortal glory, and voluntary poverty gives birth to heavenly wealth. For then good things will appear, when grievous things come to an end.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.205 (PG 78 78:885; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-205)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.206":{"o":"ΑΡΑΒΙΑΝΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἩ βασιλεία τοῦ Θεοῦ τισὶ μὲν δοκεῖ ἀνωτέρα εἶναι καὶ ὑψηλοτέρα τῆς βασιλείας τῶν οὐρανῶν, τισὶ δὲ ἡ αὐτή · ποτὲ μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ βασιλεύοντος Θεοῦ, ποτὲ δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν βασιλευομένων, οὐρανῶν δηλονότι, προσαγορευομένη. Πότεροι οὖν τῆς ἀληθείας ἥψαντο, τῆς σῆς ἂν εἴη κρίναι σοφίας.","t":"To Arabianus the bishop. The kingdom of God seems to some to be higher and loftier than the kingdom of heaven, to others the same, named sometimes from God who reigns, sometimes from those over whom he reigns, the heavens. Which of them has touched the truth would be for your wisdom to judge.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.206 (PG 78 78:889; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-206)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.207":{"o":"ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἩ ὑπερκόσμιος λῆξις ἡ τῶν ἀγαθῶν πάντων κατάῤῥυτος, καὶ τοῖς λυπηροῖς ἅπασιν ἄβατος, ἡ ἀθυμίας ἄγονος, καὶ θυμηδίας ἁπάσης μήτηρ, ή γλῶτταν, καὶ ἀκοὴν, καὶ νοῦν ὑπερβαίνουσα, τοῖς νομίμως τὸν παρόντα βίον διαθλήσασι δηλονότι εὐτρεπισθεῖσα οὐδ᾽ αἴσθησιν συγχωρεῖ τῶν τῇδε λυπηρῶν ἔχειν· ὅθεν ὁ κορυφαῖος αὐτῶν ἐβόα, « Οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι εἰς ἡμᾶς. » Εἰ γὰρ νικᾷ ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ περιόντος τοὺς πόνους τῇ τῶν ἀμοιβῶν ἀντιδόσει ὁ ἀγωνοθέτης, καὶ τοσαύτην ἐνίησιν εὐφροσύνην, ὅσην τοὺς τὸν οὐράνιον κλῆρον νεμομένους ἔχειν εἰκὸς, οὐ θαυμαστὸν, εἰ ἐν οὐδενὶ αὐτοὶ τίθενται τὰ ἐν κόσμῳ ἀνιαρά.","t":"To Asclepius the bishop. The lot above the world, flowing with all good things and inaccessible to everything grievous, barren of despondency and mother of all delight, surpassing tongue, ear and mind, prepared for those who have lawfully finished the contest of the present life, does not allow even a sense of the grievous things here. That is why their leader cried, \"The sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.\" For if the president of the games overcomes the labours by the repayment of rewards with much to spare, and instils as much gladness as those who inherit the heavenly lot are likely to have, it is no wonder if they count the distresses of the world as nothing.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.207 (PG 78 78:889; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-207)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.208":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΛίαν θαυμάζω πῶς, τὰ μὲν θηρία κατὰ φύσιν ὄντα ἄγρια, ἀνθρωπείας ἀπολαύοντα τέχνης, ἡμερώτερα πολλάκις γίνονται· ἄνθρωπος δὲ, ὁ τὴν κατὰ φύσιν ἐκείνων θηριωδίαν εἰς τὴν παρὰ φύσιν ἡμερότητα μεταρρυθμίζων, τὴν οἰκείαν πραότητα τὴν κατὰ φύσιν εἰς τὴν παρὰ φύσιν θηριωδίαν ἐκφέρει, τὸ μὲν ἄγριον ποιῶν ἤμερον, ἑαυτὸν δὲ τὸν ἥμερον ἄγριον καθιστάς. Λέοντα μὲν γὰρ τιθασσεύει, καὶ χειροήθη ποιεῖ· τὸν δὲ οἰκεῖον θυμὸν, λέοντος ἀγριώτερον κατασκευάζει. Καὶ τὰ ἐκεῖ δύο κωλύματα μέγιστα, καὶ τὸ λογισμοῦ ἐστερῆσθαι, καὶ τὸ πάντων εἶναι θυμικώτερον· ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως τῇ περιουσίᾳ τῆς παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ δοθείσης τἀνδρὶ σοφίας, καὶ τῆς φύσεως κρατεῖ. Ὁ τοίνυν ἐπὶ τῶν θηρίων τὴν φύσιν νικῶν, δι' ἣν αἰτίαν ἐφ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ μετὰ τῆς φύσεως, καὶ τὸ τῆς προαιρέσεως προδίδωσι καλόν ; Ὁ γὰρ τῷ λέοντι τὰ ὑπὲρ φύσιν χαριζόμενος, ἑαυτῷ οὐδὲ τὰ κατὰ φύσιν διατηρεῖ, ἀλλὰ ὁ τοὺς ἀτιθάσσους θῆρας εἰς τὴν ἀνθρωπείαν εὐγένειαν φιλονεικῶν εἰσαγαγεῖν ἑαυτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ θρόνου τῆς ἀρχῆς καταβιβάζει, καὶ εἰς τὴν μανίαν ἐξωθεῖ τὴν ἐκείνων. Ταῦτα ἐκείνῳ, περὶ οὗ γέγραφας, ἐπάδων μὴ διαλείπης. Τάχα πως τὸν ἀτίθασσον τιθασσεύσας θυμὸν, σπείσεται λοιπὸν πρὸς τὴν ἡμερωτάτην τῶν φιλαρέτων ἀγέλην.","t":"To Peter the monk. I greatly wonder how wild beasts, savage by nature, often become tamer by enjoying human skill, while man, who changes their natural savagery into a tameness against nature, turns his own natural gentleness into a savagery against nature, making the wild tame but himself, the tame, wild. He tames the lion and makes it gentle to the hand, but makes his own anger wilder than a lion. And there are two very great obstacles in that case: being deprived of reason and being the most spirited of all; yet by the abundance of the wisdom given by God to man, he masters even nature. Why, then, does the one who conquers nature in wild beasts betray in himself, together with nature, the good of his own choice? For the one who grants the lion what is beyond nature does not keep even what is according to nature for himself; but striving to bring untamed beasts into human nobility, he brings himself down from the throne of rule and drives himself into their madness. Do not stop chanting this to the man about whom you wrote. Perhaps, having tamed his untamed anger, he will make peace at last with the gentlest flock of the lovers of virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.208 (PG 78 78:889; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-208)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.209":{"o":"ΧΑΙΡΗΜΟΝΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΔιὰ τοῦτο ὁ περὶ τὸν Χριστὸν πόθος ἀσθενέστερός ἐστιν ἐν ἡμῖν, ἐπειδὴ ὁ περὶ τὸν χρυσὸν δυνατώτερος καθέστηκε, καὶ πᾶσα ἡ δύναμις εἰς τοῦτον δαπανᾶται τὸν ὠμὸν, καὶ τυραννικὸν, καὶ ἀκόρεστον ἔρωτα. Ὡς εἴ γε τοῦτον ἐξοικίσομεν ἐξ ἑαυτῶν, ἐκεῖνος ἐκκαύσει ἡμᾶς σφοδρότερον, καὶ ἐκβακχεύσει, καὶ ἔξω μὲν τῶν βιωτικῶν ἁπάντων ἐλάσει, εἰς δὲ τὸν οὐράνιον χῶρον ἱδρύσει.","t":"To Chaeremon the deacon. Desire for Christ is weaker in us because desire for gold has become stronger, and all our power is spent on this cruel, tyrannical and insatiable passion. So that, if we drive it out of ourselves, he will inflame us more strongly, carry us away with holy frenzy, drive us out of all the affairs of this life, and settle us in the heavenly country.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.209 (PG 78 78:891; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-209)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.21":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΟἱ ἅγιοι, ὦ σοφώτατε, τὰς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀρετῆς τῶν κινδύνων ὑπερβολὰς, ἐφόδιον μείζονος εὐδοκιμήσεως ἔχουσιν.","t":"To the same. The saints, most wise friend, have the extremity of dangers undergone for virtue as provision for greater renown.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.21 (PG 78 78:745; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-21)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.210":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nδύσκολός σοι ἡ ἐπάνοδος ἡ ἐπὶ τὴν σωφροσύνην Ἐπειδὴ παραπλήσιόν τι ποιεῖς νοσήματι ἀνηκέστῳ ἐξουσίαν λαβόντι μηδενὸς ὧν ἐπιθυμεῖ φείδεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μὲν ἰατροῖς ἐῤῥῶσθαι φράσαντι, ἐκ δὲ τῶν ὄλεθρον ἐγειρόντων ἑαυτὸν εὐωχοῦντι · τούτου ἕνεκα δοκεῖ. Εἰ δὲ παύσοιο τῆς εἰς ἐρωτικοὺς οἴστρους ἐκμαινούσης τρυφῆς (ρίζα γὰρ ἀσελγείας αὕτη καὶ μήτηρ καθέστηκε), σβεσθήσεται, καὶ ἡ τῆς ἀκολασίας φλόξ. Τῶν γὰρ ὑλῶν ὑπεξαιρεθεισῶν, καὶ τὸ ἐξ αὐτῶν αὐξόμενον, καὶ κορυφούμενον πῦρ δηλονότι ἀποσβεσθήσεται Εἰ δ᾽ αὐτὸς τὰς ὕλας τῷ πυρὶ χορηγεῖς, πῶς λήξει καὶ παύσεται; Εἰ αὐτὸς ἡρεμοῦν διεγείρεις τὸ θηρίον, τίς αὐτὸ κυκῶν καὶ μαινόμενον τιθασσεύει; Ταῦτα οὖν καὶ τὰ τούτων ἀδελφὰ ἐννοῶν, παῦσαι τοῦ διὰ παντὸς τρυφᾷν.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Since you do something like an incurable disease that has gained licence to spare nothing it desires, bidding farewell to the physicians and feasting on the things that rouse destruction, for this reason your return to chastity seems difficult. But if you stop the luxury that drives one mad into erotic frenzies (for it is the root and mother of licentiousness), the flame of licentiousness too will be quenched. For when the fuel is removed, the fire that grows and comes to a head from it will plainly be extinguished. But if you yourself supply fuel to the fire, how will it cease and stop? If you yourself rouse the beast when it is quiet, who will tame it when it is stirred up and raging? Considering this, then, and what is akin to it, stop living in luxury all the time.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.210 (PG 78 78:891; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-210)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.211":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΧρὴ τὴν μὲν ἔχθραν εἰς ὕδωρ γράφειν ἵνα ταχέως ἀφανίζηται· τὴν δὲ φιλίαν, εἰς χαλκὸν, ἵνα διὰ παντὸς βεβαία καὶ ἀκίνητος διατηρῆται. Εἰ δὲ ὃν φὴς πρὸς σὲ διαφέρεσθαι τούναντίον ποιεῖ, τοῦτό σε μὴ ταραττέτω, ὡς εἰς τοὺς στεφάνους παραβλαβησόμενον. Οὐ γὰρ μὴ μισεῖσθαι (τοῦτο γὰρ οὐκ ἐφ᾿ ἡμῖν, ἴσως δὲ καὶ ἀμήχανον. Παντὶ γὰρ τρόπῳ οἱ ἄριστοι παρὰ τῶν φαύλων μισοῦνται. Διὸ καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι αὐτὸ ὑπέστησαν), ἀλλὰ μὴ μισεῖν ἀνθρώπους, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐν αὐτοῖς κακίαν προσετάχθημεν.","t":"To Eustathius the presbyter. One should write enmity on water, so that it vanishes quickly, but friendship on bronze, so that it is kept firm and unmoved for ever. And if the man who you say is at odds with you does the opposite, let this not trouble you, as though you would be harmed in respect of your crowns. For we were commanded not to avoid being hated (this is not in our power, and perhaps it is impossible; for the best are in every way hated by the base, which is why the saints too endured it), but not to hate people, only the vice in them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.211 (PG 78 78:891; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-211)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.212":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΣυγγνώμης καὶ τιμωρίας μείζονα πολλάκις τολμῶσιν ἄνθρωποι χρημάτων ἕνεκεν καὶ ἀρχῆς, καὶ τοῦ μηδενὶ τούτων παραχωρῆσαι. Κτήσασθαι μὲν γὰρ αὐτὰ βουλόμενοι, διὰ μυρίων κακῶν κτῶνται, καὶ φοβούμενοι ἀποβαλεῖν, πολλῷ ἀργαλεωτέροις ἐγχειροῦσι. Νομίζοντες γὰρ τὸ ἀποβαλεῖν τοῦ μηδὲ κτήσασθαι δεινότερον εἶναι, χαλεπώτερα μηχανῶνται· χρὴ οὖν ἐν προοιμίοις περιγίνεσθαι τῶν παθῶν ἵνα μὴ τελευτῶντες ἀνήκεστα νοσοῦντες φωραθῶμεν.","t":"To Paul. People often dare things too great for pardon and punishment for the sake of money and office, and to avoid yielding any of them. Wishing to acquire them, they acquire them through countless evils; and fearing to lose them, they undertake much more grievous things. For thinking that losing them is more terrible than never acquiring them, they contrive harsher things. One must therefore master the passions at their beginnings, so that we may not be found at the end sick incurably.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.212 (PG 78 78:893; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-212)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.213":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΚινδυνεύει ἡ ἀνθρωπότης, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ, ἐν μὲν δυσημερίᾳ σωφρονεῖν, ἐν δὲ εὐημερίᾳ παροινεῖν. Καὶ τοῦτο ἐξ ὧν Ἑβραῖοι πεπόνθασιν ἀριδηλότατα δείκνυται. Παρῆλθον μὲν γὰρ τὴν Ἐρυθρὰν θάλασσαν, καὶ οὐδὲν κινδυνῶδες ὑπέμειναν· ἐλθόντες δὲ εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἐναυάγησαν.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. Humankind, for the most part, tends to be sober in adversity and to run riot in prosperity. And this is shown most clearly by what the Hebrews experienced. They passed through the Red Sea and suffered nothing dangerous; but when they came into the land, they were shipwrecked.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.213 (PG 78 78:893; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-213)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.214":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΘεοπρεπῶς καὶ μεγαλοφυῶς, μᾶλλον δὲ ὑπερφυῶς χρὴ τὸν νοῦν περὶ τῆς θείας οὐσίας τε καὶ αὐθεντίας λογιζόμενον, εὐσεβῶς καὶ χρησίμως, καὶ ὡς ἐνδέχεται τὰ δυσθήρατα καὶ δύσφραστα, μᾶλλον δὲ ἄφραστα τοῖς ἀκούουσι διὰ τῆς γλώττης, εἰ χρεία καλέσει, φράζειν, διισχυριζόμενον ἐκ τῶν τῆς Προνοίας ἔργων, ὅτι ἔστιν, οὐ τί ἐστι πολυπραγμονοῦντα. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐφικτὸν καὶ ἁλώσιμον, τὸ δὲ ἀνέφικτον καὶ ἀθήρατον.","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. The mind reasoning about the divine essence and authority must, in a manner worthy of God, with greatness, or rather beyond nature, piously and usefully, and as far as possible, express through the tongue to the hearers, if need calls, things hard to hunt down and hard to express, or rather inexpressible, maintaining from the works of Providence that he is, not prying into what he is. For the one is attainable and can be grasped; the other unattainable and not to be hunted down.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.214 (PG 78 78:893; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-214)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.215":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΟἱ τέχνῃ λόγων τἀληθὲς συσκιάζοντες, πολλῷ μοι δοκοῦσι τῶν τοῦτο μὴ κατειληφότων ἀθλιώτεροι εἶναι. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ διὰ βραδυτῆτα γνώμης ἀπολειφθέντες τῆς θήρας, ἴσως συγγνωστοί. Οἱ δὲ δι᾽ ὀξύτητα μὲν γνώμης τοῦτο θηρεύσαντες, κακούργως δὲ τοῦτ' ἀφανίζοντες, συγγνώμης ἁμαρτάνουσι μείζονα.","t":"To Heron the scholasticus. Those who overshadow the truth by the art of words seem to me much more wretched than those who have not grasped it. The latter, falling short in the hunt through slowness of mind, are perhaps pardonable. But the former, having hunted it down by sharpness of mind but malignantly hiding it, sin beyond pardon.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.215 (PG 78 78:893; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-215)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.216":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠρὸς Τιμόθεον, α΄. Εἰς τὸ, « Εἴ τις ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρέγεται. › Οἱ μὴ συνέντες τὴν γνώμην τὴν ἀποστολικὴν, μηδὲ τὸ βάθος τῆς σοφίας κατοπτεύσαντες, τὸ παρερμηνεύειν τὰ ἀποστολικὰ θεσπίσματα ἀκίνδυνον ἡγούμενοι, κινδυνεύουσιν εἰς ἀλογίαν ἐκπεπτωκέναι. Τί γὰρ ὑπὸ φιλαρχίας μεθύοντες φράζουσι ; Γέγραπται· · Εἴ τις ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρέγεται, καλοῦ ἔργου ἐπιθυμεῖ. » Τὸ μὲν οὖν γεγράφθαι τοῦτο, οὐκ ἂν ἀρνησαίμην, τὸ δ᾽ οὕτω νοεῖσθαι, ὡς οὗτοι βούλονται, παραγραψαίμην. Μάλιστα γὰρ καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἑρμηνείας, δεινὰ τὰ ἑπόμενα τοῖς εἰρημένοις, ἀναστείλαι τοὺς πολλοὺς τῆς τοιαύτης ἐπιθυμίας. Οὐ γὰρ πάντων τὸ δύνασθαι τοιαύτης ἀρχῆς ἀντιλαβέσθαι, ἥτις καὶ βασιλείας ἐστὶν ὑψηλοτέρα · ἡ μὲν γὰρ τὰ θεῖα, ἡ δὲ τὰ ἐπίγεια διέπει πράγματα · ἀλλ᾽ ὀλίγων κομιδῇ, οἱ τοσοῦτον τῶν ἀρχομένων δίκαιοι ἂν εἶεν διαφέρειν, ὅσον οἱ ποιμένες τῶν προβάτων, ἵνα μηδὲν εἴπω πλέον. Τί οὖν φησι; • Δεῖ οὖν τὸν ἔπίσκοπον ἀνεπίληπτον εἶναι, νηφάλιον, σώφρονα, κόσμιον, φιλόξενον, διδακτικὸν, ἀνεξίκακον, μὴ πάροινον, μὴ πλήκτην, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιεικῆ, ἅμαχον, ἀφιλάργυρον, τοῦ ἰδίου οἴκου καλῶς προϊστάμενον, τέκνα ἔχοντα ἐν ὑποταγῇ μετὰ πάσης σεμνότητος ( εἰ δὲ τις τοῦ ἰδίου οἴκου προστῆναι οὐκ οἶδε, πῶς Ἐκκλησίας Θεοῦ ἐπιμελήσεται;), μὴ νεόφυτον, ἵνα μὴ τυφωθεὶς εἰς κρῖμα ἐμπέσῃ τοῦ διαβόλου » Τί τούτων κατορθώσαντες οἱ πολλοὶ, ὧν εἷς καὶ αὐτὸς τυγχάνεις, ἐρῶσι πράγματος αὐτοῖς ἀνεφίκτου; ᾿Ανεπίληπτον ἔχουσι βίον; ᾿Αλλὰ τοσαύτη πρόσεστιν αὐτοῖς νῆψις, ὡς ἀκοίμητον ἔχειν τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ὄμμα; ᾿Αλλὰ σωφροσύνῃ, τοσοῦτον διέλαμψαν, ὡς μὴ μόνον σώας ἔχειν τὰς φρένας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς οἰστρῶντας καὶ μαινομένους περὶ τὰς ἀκαθάρτους μίξεις, καὶ σιγῶντας σωφρονίζειν; Κοσμιότης δὲ αὐτοῖς τοσαύτη πρόσεστιν, ὡς καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ βαδίσματος, καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ βλέμματος, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς φωνῆς καταπλήττειν δύνασθαι τοὺς ὁρῶντας; Ὡς γὰρ ἄγαλμα φιλοσοφίας ἁπάσης, τοὺς τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν λαχόντας πανταχοῦ φαίνεσθαι χρή. ᾿Αλλὰ φιλόξενοι τοσοῦτόν εἰσιν, ὡς καὶ τοὺς ἀγνῶτας πένητας οἴκαδε καλεῖν ἑστιασομένους; ᾿Αλλὰ τὸν διδασκαλικὸν οὕτως ἐκ μελέτης κατώρθωσαν λόγον, ὡς καὶ τὴν ἄνωθεν αὐτοῖς ἐπιφοιτῆσαι χάριν, καὶ πηγὰς λόγων πνευματικῶν ἐν τῇ γλώττῃ κατοικῆσαι; ᾿Αλλ' ἐπιεικείᾳ τοσαύτῃ διαλάμπουσιν, ὡς κατὰ μηδενὸς μηδεπώποτε πεπαρῳνηκέναι; ᾿Αφιλάργυροι δὲ τοσοῦτόν εἰσιν, ὡς καὶ τὰ δικαίως προσόντα τοῖς δεομένοις διανείμαι; Αλλ' ἀνεξίκακοι τοσοῦτόν εἰσιν, ὡς καὶ τοὺς εἰκῆ ὑβρίζοντας καὶ αἰτιωμένους φέρειν ; τἄλλα δὲ αὐτοῖς πρόσεστι πλεονεκτήματα, ἃ τὸν ἄριστον ποιμένα ὑπογράφων ὁ Παῦλος ἐξέφρασε; Τί ἐστι τὸ ἐπᾶραν αὐτοὺς εἰς τοσαύτην ἐκβακχευθῆναι μανίαν; Δέον γὰρ ἀγαπᾶν, ὅτι εἰς τὴν τῶν ὑπηκόων τάξιν τελοῦσι (σιωπῶ γὰρ ὅτι ἐξ ὧν δρῶσι ταύτης, εἴ τι τῶν δεόντων ἐγίνετο, δίκαιοι ἂν ἦσαν ἐξοστρακισθῆναι), τῶν ἀνεφίκτων ἐφίενται, καὶ ἐπισκοπῆς ἔρωτα ἑαυτοῖς τρέφουσι, καὶ τὸν ᾿Απόστολον τὸν τὸ ὀλέθριον αὐτῶν πάθος ἰάσασθαι σπουδάσαντα, ὡς συνηγοροῦντα τῷ νοσήματι αὐτῶν εἰς μαρτυρίαν προβάλλονται. Ἐγὼ μὲν βουλόμενον τὸν λόγον κατ' αὐτῶν ὁρμῆσαι, καὶ τὰς ἡνίας ἀφεῖναι ὠδίνοντα, κεφαλαιωδεστέρων τε ἄψασθαι πραγμάτων, καὶ δεῖξαι ὡς οὐδὲ εἰς Χριστιανοὺς τελεῖν δίκαιοι ἂν εἶεν οἱ οὕτως εἰς τὰς ἱερὰς ἐνυβρίζοντες Γραφάς, καὶ παίζοντες ἐν οὐ παικτοῖς, ἐπέσχον μὲν ἀνάγκῃ πολλῇ, ὥσπερ ἵππον εἰς πεδίον ὁρμῶντα τῷ χαλινῷ ἀνακρούσας εἰς δὲ τὴν ἑρμηνείαν τοῦ ῥητοῦ βαδίσαι προϋτρεψάμην. Τί οὖν ἔφη ὁ θεσπέσιος ἀνὴρ, ὁ πολυόμματος νοῦς, ὁ τὴν ἀρχὴν ταύτην ἀμέμπτως διοικήσας; « Εἴ τις ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρέγεται. • Οὐκ εἶπε, Πᾶς τις ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρεγέσθω. Οὐ προσέταξεν, οὐκ ἐκέλευσεν, οὐκ ἐνομοθέτησεν. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ ᾔδει τοὺς πολλοὺς τῇ φιλαρχίᾳ μεθύοντας, καὶ ἀρετῆς μὲν μὴ ἐφιεμένους, ἀρχῆς δὲ ἀντιποιουμένους, καὶ τοὺς μὲν τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς μὴ συνορῶντας ἰδρῶτάς τε καὶ πόνους καὶ κινδύνους, φροντίδας τε καὶ ἀγρυπνίας. Εἰς αὐτὸν γὰρ πᾶσαι ἐπῃώρηνται τῶν ὑπηκόων αἱ χρεῖαι. Τίνες δὲ αὗται; Τῶν ἱερωμένων αἱ δοκιμασίαι, τῶν πεινώντων αἱ τροφαὶ, τῶν διψώντων τὰ πόματα, τῶν γυμνῶν τὰ ἄμφια, τῶν ἀδικουμένων αἱ προστασίαι, τῶν ὀρφανίαν ὀδυρομένων αἱ κηδεμονίαι, τῶν χηρῶν ἡ ἀντίληψις, τῶν ἀδικούντων αἱ ἐπεξελεύσεις, τῶν παρανόμως ἄρχειν πειρωμένων ἔλεγχοι, τῶν ἀῤῥωστούντων αἱ θεραπεῖαι, τῶν σκανδαλιζομένων ἐκ πυρώσεως αἱ ἐπανορθώσεις, τῶν ἐν δεσμωτηρίοις αἱ λύσεις, τῶν ἐν συμφοραῖς αἱ παραμυθίαι, τῶν πταιόντων οἱ σωφρονισμοί. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ταῦτα πάντα, καὶ πολλῷ τούτων πλείονα, ἄπερ, ἵνα μὴ πάντα καταλέγων μηκύνω τὸν λόγον, παρέλιπον, τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ἐχούσης τὰ ἆθλα, τινὲς ἀρχὴν καὶ ἄνεσιν καὶ τρυφὴν αὐτὴν εἶναι ᾤοντο, καὶ μήτε τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ἐξετάσαντες, μήτε τὸ μέγεθος τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐννοήσαντες, ἐπεπήδων τῷ πράγματι ἀναστέλλων αὐτῶν τῆν κινδυνώδη ὁρμὴν, καὶ διδάσκων μὴ πράγματι ἁπλῶς ἐγχειρεῖν τοῖς πολλοῖς ἀνεφίκτῳ, ἔφη· « Εἴ τις ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρέγεται, καλοῦ ἔργου ἐπιθυμεῖ. › Οὐκ εἶπε, Πᾶς τις ὀρεγέσθω· καλῶς γὰρ ποιεῖ (τοῦτο γὰρ ἂν εἶπεν, εἴγε μὴ τὸ ἔργον, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἐρῶντα ἐπαινέσαι ἡβουλήθη)· ἀλλὰ, «Καλοῦ ἔργου.» Ἵνα γὰρ παρῶ, ὅτι τὸ δύσκολον καὶ δυσκατόρθωτον πρᾶγμα ἔργον καλοῦσιν, οὐ μόνον οἱ ἐξ ἐθνῶν σοφοὶ, ἀλλὰ καὶ αἱ ἱεραὶ Γραφαὶ λέγουσαι\" «῎Ανδρα δὲ πιστὸν ἔργον εὑρεῖν·· τὸ παρὰ πάντων νοούμενον φράσω. Ἔργον ἐστὶν, ὦ βέλτιστε, τὸ πρᾶγμα, οὐκ ἄνεσις· φροντὶς, οὐ τρυφή · λειτουργια ὑπεύθυνος, οὐκ ἀρχὴ ἀνεξέταστος· πατρικὴ κηδεμονία, οὐ τυραννικὴ αὐτονομία, οἰκονομικὴ προστασία, οὐκ ἀλογοθέτητος ἐξουσία. Ἐγὼ τὸ ἔργον τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ὑπερφυῶς ἐπαινῶ· θεῖον γάρ· τὸν δ᾽ ἔρωτα τὸν ἐπ' αὐτῇ οὐκ ἐπαινῶ · σφαλερὸς γάρ. Οὐ λέγω, Καλῶς ποιεῖ· οὐ γὰρ χρὴ τὸν ἔρωτα τοῦτον, οὐδὲ τοὺς λίαν εὐδοκίμους ἐν τῇ ψυχῇ τρέφειν, ἀλλὰ παντὶ σθένει ἐξωθεῖν. Θέα τὸν Ἀπόστολον, ἔμπειρον ὄντα τοῦ ἀγῶνος τούτου, καὶ μυρίοις ἱδρῶσι καταῤῥεόμενον, καὶ τραύμασι καὶ πληγαῖς, καὶ ἐπιβουλαῖς, καὶ θανάτοις ὁμιλοῦντα, ἵνα μηδεὶς τῶν ἐμπιστευθέντων αὐτῷ, τὸ γε αὐτοῦ μέρος, ἀπόληται, πῶς ἐκφοβεῖ καὶ δεδίττεται τοὺς ἀρχοντιῶντας, ἅτε ἀπείρους τούτων τῶν ἀγωνισμάτων, καὶ πρὸς μόνην τὴν τιμὴν ὁρῶντας, καὶ μονονουχὶ κινῶν τὴν κεφαλὴν βοᾷ' Εἴ τις ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρέγεται, βλεπέτω τοὺς πόνους, καὶ σκοπείτω εἰ πρὸς τούτους ἀρκέσαι δύναται. Ὁράτω τοὺς κινδύνους (ἐπ' αὐτὸν γὰρ φράττονται ἀόρατοι καὶ ὁρατοὶ πολλάκις ἐχθροὶ), καὶ μὴ ἐννοείτω μόνον τὴν τιμήν. Θεάσθω τοὺς θανάτους, καὶ μὴ τὴν τρυφήν. Συνοράτω τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς καὶ τὰς φροντίδας, καὶ μὴ πρὸς τὴν ἄνεσιν νευέτω. Ἴστω, ὅτι εἴ τις εἰς ἐκεῖνον ἀχθείη τὸν θρόνον, χειροτονεῖται νομίμως ἀθλήσων, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀκινδύνως τρυφήσων. Ὁ γὰρ τῆς τιμῆς μόνης ἐγκρατὴς γενόμενος, καὶ τἄλλα πάντα τὰ τῇ ἐπισκοπῇ προσήκοντα δίκαια παρεωρακώς, ἐνταῦθα μὲν μυρίαις βληθήσεται κατηγορίαις, ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε δὲ καὶ καθαιρεθήσεται τῆς τοιαύτης ἀξίας, ἐκεῖσε δὲ καταβοηθήσεται παρὰ τῷ ἀδεκάστῳ κριτῇ ἐπὶ τοῦ φοβεροῦ ἐκείνου βήματος· τῶν μὲν πεινώντων βοώντων, ὅτι Ἡμεῖς μὲν οὐδὲ τῆς ἀναγκαίας ἀπελαύσαμεν τροφῆς · οὗτος δὲ τρυφήσας καὶ χρηματισάμενος τὰ λοιπὰ εἰς οἰκείας ἀνήλωσε φιλοτιμίας· τῶν δὲ γυμνῶν λεγόντων, ὅτι ᾿Αργαλεώτερος ἡμῖν οὗτος τοῦ χειμῶνος ἐγένετο· τῶν δὲ ἀῤῥωστούντων, ὅτι Τοῦ νοσήματος ἡμῖν βαρύτερος ὤφθη· καὶ τῶν μὲν ὀρφανῶν, Οὐκ ἀπελαύσαμεν οὐδεμιᾶς προστασίας· τῶν δὲ χηρῶν, Οὐκ ἐδάνεισεν ἡμῖν οὗτος παραμυθίας λόγον· τῶν δὲ δεσμωτῶν, Οὐκ ἐπέσταξεν ἡμῖν οὗτος συμπαθείας δάκρυον· τῶν δ᾽ ἐν συμφοραῖς, Οὐκ ὄρεξεν ἡμῖν οὗτος θεραπείας χεῖρα· καὶ συλλήβδην εἰπεῖν, πάντων, ὧν ἐπίσκοπος κεχειροτόνηται, καταβοώντων. Τί οἴει τὸν ἀδέκαστον ποιῆσαι κριτήν; Οὐ κολάσειν σφοδρότερον, τὸν μηδὲ τῇ τιμῇ βελτίω γενόμενον; Παντὶ μὲν δήπου δῆλόν ἐστιν. Εἰ δὲ τις ἀπιστεῖ, καὶ τὴν ἀπόφασιν αὐτῷ ἀναγνώσομαι. • Διχοτομήσει γὰρ, καὶ τὸ μέρος αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀπίστων θήσει.» Ταῦτ' οὖν ἐννοοῦντες μὴ παίζωμεν εἰς τὰ θεῖα. Οἱ γὰρ εἰς τὸ ἴδιον λογοθέσιον μόλις ἐπαρκέσαντες, ὅταν καὶ τοσούτων δήμων και ταρρήσεις κατασκευάσωμεν ἑαυτοῖς, ποῦ φανούμεθα;","t":"To Palladius the deacon. [First to Timothy, on \"If anyone aspires to the office of bishop.\"] Those who have not understood the apostolic mind nor looked into the depth of its wisdom, thinking it free of danger to misinterpret the apostolic decrees, are in danger of falling into unreason. For what do they say, drunk with love of office? \"It is written, 'If anyone aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a noble work.'\" That it is written I would not deny; but that it is to be understood as they would have it I would reject. For even before the interpretation, what follows the words is terrible enough to check most people from such a desire. For it is not for all to be able to take hold of such an office, which is loftier even than kingship (for the one administers divine affairs, the other earthly ones), but for very few, who ought to differ from those they rule as much as shepherds from the sheep, to say nothing more. What then does he say? \"A bishop therefore must be above reproach, sober, self-controlled, orderly, hospitable, able to teach, forbearing, not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money, managing his own household well, keeping his children in submission with all dignity (for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?), not a new convert, lest he become puffed up and fall into the condemnation of the devil.\" Which of these have the many achieved, of whom you yourself are one, that they long for a thing beyond their reach? Do they have a life above reproach? Is so much sobriety in them that they keep the soul's eye sleepless? Have they shone so in self-control that they not only keep their own minds sound but chasten even by their silence those who are stung and raging for unclean unions? Is so much orderliness in them that they can strike awe into onlookers by their gait, their look and their voice? For those allotted the episcopate must everywhere appear as a statue of all philosophy. Are they so hospitable as to invite even unknown poor people home to dine? Have they so achieved the teaching word by study that the grace from above has visited them, and springs of spiritual words dwell on their tongue? Do they shine with such gentleness as never to have been drunkenly insolent to anyone? Are they so free from love of money as to distribute even what justly belongs to them to the needy? Are they so forbearing as to bear those who insult and accuse them without cause? Do they have the other excellences that Paul described in sketching the best shepherd? What is it that has carried them away into such frenzied madness? For when they ought to be content to be ranked among those under authority (I say nothing of the fact that, by what they do, if anything that ought to be done were done, they would deserve to be banished even from that), they reach for what is beyond their reach, nourish in themselves a love of the episcopate, and put forward as witness the Apostle, who was eager to heal their deadly passion, as if he were pleading for their disease. My speech wished to rush against them; it was in labour to let go the reins, touch on more fundamental matters, and show that those who so outrage the holy Scriptures and make sport of what is not for sport would not even deserve to be counted among Christians; but under great constraint I held it back, as one pulls up with the bridle a horse rushing into the plain, and urged it to go to the interpretation of the text. What, then, did that divine man say, the many-eyed mind, who administered this office blamelessly? \"If anyone aspires to the office of bishop.\" He did not say, \"Let everyone aspire to the office of bishop.\" He did not prescribe, command or legislate it. But since he knew that most are drunk with love of office, not aiming at virtue but laying claim to rule, and not perceiving the sweat, labours, dangers, cares and sleeplessness of the episcopate (for on him hang all the needs of those under authority. And what are these? The testing of those who are ordained, the food of the hungry, the drink of the thirsty, the clothing of the naked, the protection of the wronged, the care of those who mourn their orphanhood, the support of widows, the punishment of wrongdoers, the refutation of those who try to rule lawlessly, the care of the sick, the correction of those scandalized by burning, the release of those in prison, the comfort of those in misfortunes, the chastening of those who stumble); since, then, the episcopate has all these contests, and many more than these, which I have left out so as not to lengthen my discourse by listing everything, and some thought it to be rule, ease and luxury, and, without examining their own affairs or considering the greatness of the office, leapt upon the thing, he checked their dangerous impulse and taught them not simply to take in hand a thing beyond the reach of most, saying, \"If anyone aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a noble work.\" He did not say, \"Let everyone aspire, for he does well\" (that is what he would have said if he had wished to praise not the work but the one who longs for it), but \"a noble work.\" For to pass over the fact that not only the wise among the gentiles but also the holy Scriptures call a difficult thing, hard to achieve, a \"work,\" saying, \"A faithful man is a work to find,\" I will state what is understood by all. The thing is a work, excellent friend, not ease; a care, not luxury; a ministry that must give account, not a rule free from scrutiny; a father's care, not a tyrant's independence; a steward's protection, not an authority that renders no account. I praise the work of the episcopate exceedingly, for it is divine; but I do not praise the longing for it, for it is dangerous. I do not say, \"He does well\"; for not even the very esteemed should nourish this longing in their souls, but should drive it out with all their strength. See the Apostle, experienced in this contest, drenched with countless sweats, familiar with wounds, blows, plots and deaths, so that none of those entrusted to him might perish as far as he was concerned: how he frightens and alarms those eager for office, who are inexperienced in these contests and look only to the honour, and all but shakes his head and cries: \"If anyone aspires to the office of bishop, let him look at the labours and consider whether he can be equal to them. Let him see the dangers (for enemies, invisible and often visible, are massed against him), and not think only of the honour. Let him behold the deaths, and not the luxury. Let him consider the plots and the cares, and not incline to ease. Let him know that if anyone is brought to that throne, he is ordained to contend lawfully, not to live in luxury without danger.\" For the one who has taken hold of the honour alone and overlooked all the other duties that belong to the episcopate will here be struck by countless accusations, and sometimes even deposed from such a dignity; and there he will be cried down before the impartial Judge at that fearful tribunal: the hungry crying, \"We did not even enjoy necessary food, but he lived in luxury, made money, and spent the rest on his own ambitions\"; the naked saying, \"He was harsher to us than winter\"; the sick, \"He proved heavier to us than the disease\"; the orphans, \"We enjoyed no protection\"; the widows, \"He did not lend us a word of comfort\"; the prisoners, \"He did not shed for us a tear of sympathy\"; those in misfortunes, \"He did not stretch out to us a healing hand\"; and, in a word, all those for whom a bishop is ordained crying out against him. What do you think the impartial Judge will do? Will he not punish more severely the one who did not become better even by the honour? Surely it is plain to all. And if anyone disbelieves, I will read him the sentence: \"For he will cut him in two and put his portion with the unbelievers.\" Considering this, then, let us not make sport of divine things. For we, who barely suffice for our own account, when we bring on ourselves the outcries of so many peoples, where shall we appear?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.216 (PG 78 78:893; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-216)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.217":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΟἱ μὲν τὴν ψυχὴν πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἀκονῶντες, ἅτε θείας φιλοσοφίας ὄντες αὐτοφυῆ ἀγάλματα, δι' ἀνάγκην προσομιλοῦσι τῷ σώματι, καὶ τοῖς ἀναγκαίοις ἀρκούμενοι, τὸν τῆς φιλοχρηματίας ὄχλον, ἅτε πάσης κακίας πηγὴν, μισοῦντες, μυρίων ἀπαλλάττονται κακῶν. Οἱ δὲ μόνον εἶναι σῶμα τὸν ἄνθρωπον ἀλογίστως ἡγούμενοι (ὧν ἕνα σε εἶναί τινες ἰσχυρίζονται, ἐγὼ δὲ ἀπιστῶ), τὸν ἀκόρεστον ἔρωτα τῶν χρημάτων νοσοῦντες τῷ μηδέποτε κόρον λαμβάνειν βασανίζονται, καὶ ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἀνηνύτῳ οἰστρούμενοι ἀεί τε ἐν πενίᾳ εἶναι νομίζοντες, δρῶσιν & δρᾶν οὐ θέμις. Χρὴ οὖν αὐτοὺς λογιζομένους ὅτι καὶ πλοῦτος μέγιστος, ὡς πρὸς τὰς ἀμέτρους ὀρέξεις, εὑρίσκεται πενία, καὶ ὡς πρὸς τὸ τῆς φύσεως αὔταρκες, ἡ πενία πλοῦτός ἐστι, παύσασθαι τῆς τοιαύτης μανίας.","t":"To Serenus the deacon. Those who sharpen the soul for virtue, being self-grown statues of divine philosophy, associate with the body only of necessity, and, content with necessities and hating the crowd of love of money as the source of all vice, are freed from countless evils. But those who unreasonably think man to be body only (some insist you are one of them, but I do not believe it), sick with the insatiable love of money, are tormented by never reaching satiety, and, goaded by endless desire and always thinking themselves in poverty, do what it is not right to do. They must therefore consider that even the greatest wealth is found to be poverty compared with boundless appetites, and that, compared with nature's sufficiency, poverty is wealth, and stop such madness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.217 (PG 78 78:901; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-217)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.218":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠολλοὶ μέν σε δεινῶς σφόδρα καὶ καταφορικῶς ἐκκωμῳδοῦσι, καὶ παρὰ πάντων πιστεύονται. Ἐμοὶ δὲ τάχιστα καὶ εὐπρεπέστατα λελέξεται, ὅτι δίκαιος ἂν εἴης, κἂν ὀψὲ τῆς ἡλικίας, γνῶναι ὅτι μυρίων τιμωριῶν πρόξενοί εἰσιν αἱ περὶ τὸ σῶμα ἡδοναί.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Many mock you very severely and vehemently, and are believed by all. But I will say most briefly and most fittingly that you ought, even late in life, to recognize that the pleasures of the body bring countless punishments.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.218 (PG 78 78:901; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-218)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.219":{"o":"ΟΥΡΣΕΝΟΥΦΙΟ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nβ' Βασιλειῶν. Περὶ ᾿Αβεσαλώμ, καὶ τοῦ τελευτήσαντος πλήθους ἐν τῇ ὀργῇ τοῦ λοιμοῦ ὀπηνίκα Δαβίδ τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐξηρίθμησεν. Ὁ μὲν ᾿Αβεσαλώμ δίκην παρὰ τῆς θείας ἀπητήθη δίκης, ἐπὶ καθαιρέσει τοῦ οἰκείου πατρὸς προσποιησάμενος ἀγαθὸς εἶναι δικαστὴς καὶ τοὺς ὑπηκόους διὰ ταύτης τῆς κολακείας οἰκειωσάμενος. Ἐμνᾶτο γὰρ ἀρχὴν, καὶ δορυφόρους συνεκρότει, καὶ ὑψηλὴν τυραννίδα ἐπύργου. Οἱ δὲ συνδραμόντες καὶ μονονουχί κατασκευάσαντες τὴν τυραννίδα (ἀπέβλεπον γὰρ τοῦ μὲν εἰς τὴν ἀρχὴν τοῦ δὲ εἰς τὴν τελευτὴν), δίκην, εἰ καὶ μὴ παραχρῆμα (ἐλυπήθη γὰρ ἂν ὁ Δαβὶδ, τῶν ὑπηκόων, μᾶλλον δὲ τῆς βασιλικῆς ἀξίας ἀποστερούμενος), ἀλλὰ μικρὸν ὕστερον ἀπῃτήθησαν. Ὁ γὰρ λοιμὸς αὐτοὺς ἐπενείμετο, οὐχ ἔρπων, οὐδὲ κατὰ βραχὺ προϊὼν, ἀλλ᾿ ἀθρόως καὶ ἡβηδὸν ἅπαν τὸ ἔθνος καταβοσκόμενος. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἄλλην αἰτίαν ἐπέθηκε τῇ τοιαύτῃ σφαγῇ, ἀλλ᾿ ἡ ῥίζα τῆς τιμωρίας ἐξ ἐκείνου μὲν τοῦ πταίσματος ἔφυ, μετ' οὐ πολὺ δὲ καρπὸν ἤνεγκε, τουτέστιν εἰς καὶ τοῦτον δίκην εἰσπράξεται. ἔργον ἐχώρησεν, ὅτε καὶ τὸν βασιλέα ἐπὶ τῷ παρὰ τὴν θείαν γνώμην ἀριθμῆσαι τὸν λαὸν ἐχρῆν δοῦναι δίκην. Εκείνων γὰρ ἀναιρουμένων, ἔργῳ μὲν ὑπὲρ οἰκείας, λόγῳ δὲ ὑπὲρ τῆς τοῦ βασιλέως ἁμαρτίας, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐν μεγίστῃ καθειστήκει συμφορᾷ. Ἐβούλετο γὰρ εὐκλεῶς τεθνάναι, ἢ ἀκλεῶς ζῇν, τῶν ὑπηκόων στερηθείς. Εἰ δὲ τις ἀπιστεῖ, ἀκουέτω αὐτοῦ λέγοντος, « Γενέσθω ἐπ᾿ ἐμὲ ἡ χείρ σου, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν οἶκον τοῦ πατρός μου.» Οὐ γὰρ ἄλλοι ὑπὲρ ἄλλου ἐκολάσθησαν, ὡς ἐνόμισας· ἀλλ᾽ ἑκάστῳ τὸ πρόσφορον ἀπενεμήθη. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τῆς πρὸ βραχέος γεγενημένης ἁμαρτίας, ὁ δὲ τῇ παραχρῆμα ἀπῃτήθη δίκην· τῆς ἀδεκάστου ψήφου καιρὸν εὑρούσης ἐπιτήδειον, ἐν ᾧ κἀκείνους","t":"To Ursenuphius the reader. [Second Kingdoms: on Absalom, and on the multitude that died in the wrath of the plague when David numbered his people.] Absalom was punished by divine justice for having pretended to be a good judge in order to overthrow his own father, and for having won over the subjects by this flattery. For he was courting rule, gathering bodyguards and raising a lofty tyranny. Those who flocked to him and all but built up the tyranny (for they looked to the one coming into power and the other going to his end) were made to pay the penalty, if not at once (for David would have been grieved, deprived of his subjects, or rather of his royal dignity), yet a little later. For the plague fed on them, not creeping or advancing little by little, but devouring the whole nation at once, young and old. For even if he gave another cause for such a slaughter, the root of the punishment grew from that offence, and not long after bore fruit, that is, came into action, when the king too had to pay the penalty for numbering the people against the divine will. For while they were destroyed, in fact for their own sin and in word for the king's, he too was placed in the greatest misfortune. For he wished either to die gloriously or to live ingloriously, deprived of his subjects. If anyone disbelieves, let him hear him saying, \"Let your hand be against me and against my father's house.\" For it was not that some were punished for another, as you thought; each received what was fitting. They paid for the sin committed a little before, he for the immediate one; the impartial verdict found a suitable moment in which it would punish them and exact the penalty from him as well.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.219 (PG 78 78:901; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-219)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.22":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὭσπερ, ἵνα καὶ ἐναργεῖ παραδείγματι χρήσωμαι, Ἱερουσαλήμ, ὅτε μὲν τῇ θείᾳ συμμαχίᾳ ὥπλιστο, ὀρθὴ ἑστῶσα ἀπονητὶ καὶ ἀναιμακτὶ τὰ τρόπαια ἵστη· ὅτε δὲ ταύτης διὰ τὸ ἐπιλυττῆσαι κατ᾿ αὐτῆς, ἐστέρητο, πῦρ πολέμιον αὐτὴν ῥᾳδίως ἔκλινεν· οὕτω καὶ ψυχὴ, ὅταν μὲν τῇ ἄνωθεν ῥοπῇ δι᾽ εὐστάθειαν τρόπων περιφράττηται, ῥᾳδίως τοὺς πολεμίους καταγωνιεῖται· ὅταν δ᾽ ἁμάρτῃ, ἐνταῦθα μὲν τῷ πυρὶ τῶν παθῶν ἁλώσεται, ἐκεῖσε δὲ τῷ τῆς κρίσεως τιμωρηθήσεται.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. Just as (to use a vivid example) Jerusalem, when she was armed with divine alliance, stood upright and set up trophies without toil or bloodshed, but when she was deprived of it because she raged against it, the fire of war easily brought her down, so too the soul: when it is fenced about by help from above through steadiness of character, it will easily overcome its enemies; but when it sins, it will be captured here by the fire of the passions and punished there by the fire of the judgment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.22 (PG 78 78:745; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-22)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.220":{"o":"ΑΥΞΟΝΙΟ ΚΟΡΡΗΚΤΩΡΙ.\nἪ μόνος, ἢ μάλιστα φροντίσαι δίκαιος ἂν εἴης, ὅπως, τόγε σὸν μέρος, ἐπικουφισθῶσιν οἱ συμφοραῖς περιπεπτωκότες,","t":"To Auxonius the corrector. You ought alone, or above all, to take care that, as far as lies with you, those who have fallen into misfortunes may be relieved,","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.220 (PG 78 78:903; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-220)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.221":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ ΚΑΙ ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ.\nΠυνθάνομαι ὡς πᾶσαν ὑπερβολὴν κακῶν ἐπιδεικνύμενοι, μικροτέραν τῆς βουλήσεως ἡγεῖσθε τὴν πρᾶξιν, καὶ τὰ ἀτόλμητα τολμῶντες, ἀτόλμους ἑαυτοὺς καὶ ἀνάνδρους ἡγεῖσθε, ὅτι μὴ δύνασθε πᾶσαν τὴν βούλησιν διὰ τῶν πράξεων δηλῶσαι. Εἰ τοίνυν ἀληθὴς ἡ φήμη, παύσασθε τῆς τοιαύτης προαιρέσεως, ἵνα μὴ ἀλάστορες, ἢ δαίμονες ἀνθρωπόμορφοι νομισθείητε.","t":"To Maron and Eustathius. I learn that, displaying every excess of evil, you think the deed smaller than the will, and, daring the undareable, you think yourselves timid and unmanly because you cannot show all your will through your deeds. If, then, the report is true, stop such a purpose, so that you may not be thought avenging spirits or demons in human form.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.221 (PG 78 78:903; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-221)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.222":{"o":"ΤΟΙΣ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ.\nΜέτριον ἀσκεῖν χρὴ, ὦ βέλτιστοι, τὸ φρόνημα. Μέτριον δέ φημι, οὐ τὸ πρὸς τοὺς μείζους κολακευτικὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ πρὸς τοὺς ἐλάττους συγκαταβατικόν · οὐ τὸ δουλοπρεπὲς, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἥμερον· οὐ τὸ ὑποκρίσεως μεστὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἄδολον καὶ ἐλευθέριον, καὶ καπηλείαν μὴ ἐπιστάμενον.","t":"To the same. One must practise a moderate spirit, excellent friends. By moderate I mean not what flatters the greater, but what condescends to the lesser; not the servile, but the gentle; not what is full of hypocrisy, but what is guileless, free, and knows no trickery.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.222 (PG 78 78:905; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-222)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.223":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟὐ μετρίως ᾅδῃ κατὰ τὴν πόλιν, ὦ πάντα μικρὰ πρός σε φθέγξασθαι. Τῆς γὰρ περιμαχήτου καὶ ποθεινοτάτης ἅπασιν ἀρχῆς, νῦν, εἴπερ ποτὲ, σφοδρὸν ἑαυτῆς ἔρωτα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐμβαλούσης, καὶ ῥᾳδίως ἑαυτὴν τοῖς ἐρῶσι παρεχούσης, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ὠνειροπόλησας ἀλλ' οὐδὲ καλούμενος ὑπήκουσας, οὐδὲ προτεινομένην ἤρπασας, ἡγούμενος ἀρχὴν εἶναι μεγίστην, καὶ πρέπουσαν ἀνδρὶ καλῷ κἀγαθῷ, τὸ ἄρχειν ἑαυτοῦ δύνασθαι, τὸ τὸν λογισμὸν τῷ θυμῷ καὶ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ἐπιστῆσαι. Μετὰ δὲ τοῦτο, εὖ καὶ καλῶς ἑώρακας, τὴν ἀκριβῆ ἐλευθερίαν ἐν ταῖς ἡσυχίαις, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐν ταῖς περιβλέπτοις ταύταις ταῖς ἀρχαῖς χορεύουσαν. Πολλῆς γὰρ ἀνάγκης εἶναι εἰκότως νενόμικας τῶν μὲν ἄρχειν, ἑτέροις δὲ δουλεύειν· καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἐπιτάττειν, τοῖς δὲ ὑπακούειν· καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἀδικεῖν, τοῖς δὲ χαρίζεσθαι· καὶ τοῖς μὲν ὑποκεῖσθαι, τοῖς δὲ ἐπικεῖσθαι· καὶ τοὺς μὲν φοβεῖσθαι, ὑπὸ δὲ τῶν μισεῖσθαι. Ἡγούμενος οὖν δίκην διδόντων, οὐ τιμὴν λαμβανόντων ταῦτ᾽ εἶναι, ἐκείνην μὲν εἰκότως παρῃτήσω, περὶ δὲ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλειαν, τὴν σπουδὴν ἔτρεψας. Εἰ δέ τινες τὴν κρίσιν τῶν πραγμάτων οὐκ ἔχοντες ὀρθὴν, μᾶλλον δὲ τὸν λογισμὸν ἀπολωλεκότες, αἰτιῶνταί σε, μάλιστα μὲν οὐδὲ λόγου ἀξιωθῆναι ὀφείλουσιν, ἄνθρωπον αἰτιώμενοι, τὸν στεφάνων ἄξιον. Εἰ δὲ χρὴ ἀκροβολίσασθαι πρὸς αὐτοὺς, ἐκεῖνο εἰπέ. Ἴσως ἐοίκατε ἀγνοεῖν, ὅτι εἰς τυραννίδα τὸ τῆς πραότητος μετακεχώρηκεν ἀξίωμα. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἔχετε δεῖξαι τὴν ἀρχαίαν ποιμαντικὴν καὶ νῦν κρατοῦσαν, μάλιστα μὲν τὸν ἥττονα ἡγησάμενον εἶναι τοῦ πράγματος, καὶ ἀποφυγόντα, δίκαιοι ἂν εἴητε ἐπαινεῖν δὲ δυνάμενος παρητήσατο, μὴ μόνον ἀπολυέσθω τῆς κατηγορίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ δίκας ἀπαιτείσθω. Εἱ δὲ εἰς τουναντίον μετακεχώρηκε, μὴ ἀπαιτείσθω. Τότε μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ τῶν προβάτων ἀπέθνησκον· νῦν δὲ τὰ πρόβατα ἀναιροῦσιν οἱ ποιμένες, οὐ τὰ σώματα σφάζοντες · ἧττον γὰρ ἦν κακόν ἀλλὰ τὰς ψυχὰς σκανδαλίζοντες. Καὶ τότε μὲν νηστείαις τὸ σῶμα ἐσωφρόνιζον, νῦν δὲ τρυφαῖς σκιρτᾷν παρασκευάζουσι. Καὶ τότε μὲν τὰ ἑαυτῶν τοῖς δεομένοις διένεμον· νῦν δὲ τὰ τῶν πενήτων σφετερίζονται. Καὶ τότε μὲν ἀρετὴν ἤσκουν, νῦν δὲ τοὺς ἀρετὴν ἀσκοῦντας ἐξοστρακίζουσι. Καὶ τότε μὲν τὴν ἁγνείαν ἐξεθείαζον, νῦν δὲ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν βούλομαι δυσχερὲς εἰπεῖν. Καὶ γὰρ ταῦτ' εἶπον ἐκκωμῳδῶν τοὺς ἐνόχους. Οὐδὲ γὰρ πάντας αἰτιάσομαι, ἀλλὰ δεικνὺς τὸ μέσον τῆς ἀρχαίας λειτουργίας, καὶ τῆς νυνὶ τυραννίδος, δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν οὐ στεφανοῦτε, καὶ ἀνακηρύττετε τοὺς τῆς ἰσότητος ἐραστάς ;","t":"To Hierax the presbyter. You are celebrated not a little throughout the city, you for whom everything one could say is too small. For when office, fought over and most desired by all, was now, if ever, casting a violent love of itself into people and readily giving itself to those who loved it, you not only did not dream of it, but did not even heed when called, nor snatch it when it was held out to you, considering it the greatest rule, and fitting for a good and noble man, to be able to rule oneself, setting reason over anger and pleasures. And after this you saw well and rightly that true freedom dances in quiet, not in these conspicuous offices. For you rightly thought it a matter of great constraint to rule some and serve others, to command some and obey others, to wrong some and do favours to others, to be subject to some and be over others, to fear some and be hated by others. Thinking, then, that these belong to people undergoing punishment, not receiving honour, you rightly declined it and turned your zeal to the care of the soul. And if some who do not judge matters rightly, or rather have lost their reason, blame you, they ought not even to be thought worth a word, since they blame a man worthy of crowns. But if one must skirmish with them, say this: \"Perhaps you do not know that the dignity of gentleness has passed over into tyranny. If you can show that the ancient pastoral office prevails now too, you might rightly blame the man who thought himself unequal to the task and fled; but … And if it has changed into its opposite, let him not be called to account. For then they died for the sheep; now the shepherds kill the sheep, not slaughtering their bodies (that would be a lesser evil), but scandalizing their souls. Then they chastened the body with fasts; now they make it frisk with luxuries. Then they distributed their own goods to the needy; now they appropriate the goods of the poor. Then they practised virtue; now they banish those who practise virtue. Then they revered purity; now (but I wish to say nothing harsh).\" For I said this mocking the guilty; I shall not blame all, but by showing the difference between the ancient ministry and the present tyranny, I ask why you do not crown and proclaim the lovers of equality.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.223 (PG 78 78:905; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-223)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.224":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\n᾿Ανήρ τις τῶν ἐπὶ φιλοσοφίᾳ σεμνυνομένων ἐντυχών ἡμῖν, σοῦ μὲν δεινὴν ποιεῖτο τὴν καταβοὴν, φάσκων θαυμάζειν, πῶς μηδ' ἐξ αἵματος ἐλευθερίου φὺς τὴν ὀφρὺν ἐπαίρεις, καὶ τὸν αὐχένα ὑψοῖς, καὶ ἐπ' ὀνύχων βαδίζεις, καὶ ἀεροβατεῖν νομίζεις, καὶ διὰ πάντων τῶν μελῶν τὴν ἀπαιδευσίαν ἐμφαίνες· γυναῖκα δ᾽ ἀρχαίαν ἐξεθείαζεν, ἧς καὶ τὸ ἐπιτάφιον ἐπίγραμμα ἀπήγγελλε λέγον, Ἀρχεδίκη πατρὸς ἀνδρὸς, ἀδελφῶν τ' οὖσα τυ[ράννων Παίδων τ'. Οὐκ ἤρθη νοῦν ἐς ἀτασθαλίην Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐδικαίωσα αὐτὰ ταῦτα μηνῦσαι, τάχα πως κἂν νῦν γνοίης σαυτόν. ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΙΟ ΜΟΝΑZONTI. ? ἀδικούμενος φαίην, καταβοῆσαι, κακηγορῆσαι, Οἱ μὲν πλεῖστοι τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὸ μὲν ἄκοντα πάσχειν κακῶς, ἀνανδρίας· τὸ δὲ ἑκουσίως ἑλέσθαι ἀδικηθῆναι, ἐπιεικείας καὶ φιλοσοφίας τεκμήριον τίθενται εἶναι μέγιστον. Οἱ δὲ ἐπιστάμενοι περὶ πραγμάτων κρίνειν ὀρθῶς, μᾶλλον δὲ οἱ ταῖς ἱεραῖς πιστεύοντες Γραφαῖς, καὶ τὸν ἀκουσίως μὲν ἀδικούμενον, φιλοσόφως δὲ φέροντα, οὔτε μισθῶν, οὔτε ἐπαίνων ἀποστεροῦσιν, ἐπιψηφίζοντος μάλιστα τοῦ Παύλου καὶ λέγοντος · « Καὶ τὴν ἁρπαγὴν τῶν ὑπαρχόντων ὑμῶν μετὰ χαρᾶς προσεδέξασθε, γινώσκοντες ἔχειν ἑαυτοῖς κρείττονα ὕπαρξιν ἐν οὐρανοῖς καὶ μένουσαν. • Εἱ δὲ φαίης, Τι γὰρ ποιῆσαι ἠδύνατο, ὑπὸ τοῦ δυνατωτέρου ἐπαράσασθαι, διασῦραι, ἐνοχλῆσαι δικαστηρίοις. Ὁ οὖν ταῦτα πάντα δυνάμενος, πρᾶξαι μὲν, μὴ πράττων δὲ, τῷ ἑκουσίως ἑλομένῳ ἀδικηθῆναι εἰκότως ἂν εἰ καὶ μὴ συναριθμηθείη, ἀλλά γε ὑπαριθμηθείη Εἰ δὲ χρὴ καὶ δεινότητι χρήσασθαι, καὶ τὸ ἀκριβὲς εἰπεῖν, τάχα καὶ ὑπερακοντίσειεν ἐκεῖνον. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ τὸ βούλεσθαι ἀδικεῖσθαι, μεγίστην φέρει παραμυθίαν. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἡδικήθη, εἴ γε μὴ ἡβουλήθη. Τῷ δὲ μὴ βουληθέντι μὲν, ὑπομείναντι δὲ, καὶ μηδὲν πεποιηκότι δι' ὧν ἠδύνατο ἀμύνασθαι τὸν ἀδικήσαντα, ἅτε ἐσχάτης φιλοσοφίας βάσανον ἐπιδειξαμένῳ, λαμπρότερος πλακείη στέφανος.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. A man of those who pride themselves on philosophy met us and made a terrible outcry against you, saying that he wondered how, though not even born of free blood, you raise your brow, lift your neck, walk on tiptoe, think you tread on air, and show your lack of education in all your limbs; while he extolled a woman of old, whose epitaph he recited, saying: \"Archedice, daughter, wife, sister and mother of tyrants, did not lift her mind to arrogance.\" I thought it right to tell you this very thing; perhaps now you may know yourself. [Letter 3.225] To Strategius the monk. Most people take suffering wrong unwillingly as a sign of unmanliness, and choosing willingly to be wronged as the greatest sign of gentleness and philosophy. But those who know how to judge matters rightly, or rather those who believe the holy Scriptures, do not deprive of rewards or praise even the one who is wronged unwillingly but bears it like a philosopher; Paul above all casting his vote and saying, \"And you accepted joyfully the plundering of your property, knowing that you have for yourselves a better and lasting possession in heaven.\" And if you say, \"What could the man wronged by someone more powerful have done?\", I would say: cry out, speak ill, curse, ridicule, trouble the courts. The one, then, who could do all these things but does not, even if he is not counted with the one who chose willingly to be wronged, would at least be counted next to him. And if one must use cleverness and speak with exactness, perhaps he would even outshoot him. For to the one, wishing to be wronged brings the greatest comfort; he would not have been wronged if he had not wished it. But for the one who did not wish it, yet endured it and did nothing of what he could have done to avenge himself on the wrongdoer, since he has displayed the test of the highest philosophy, a more brilliant crown would be woven.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.224 (PG 78 78:907; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-224)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.226":{"o":"ΠΑΜΠΡΕΤΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΣύμβολόν ἐστιν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, μέγιστον τοῦ πεπεῖσθαι τὸν ἀκούσαντα, ὁ τῶν λεχθέντων ἔπαινος. Οὐ γὰρ ἐστιν ἅ τις οἴεται καλῶς ἔχειν, τούτοις φάσκειν μὴ πεπεῖσθαι. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὅσα κακίζομεν, ἀποφεύγειν σπουδάζομεν εἰ σωφρονοῦμεν · οὕτως ἃ θαυμάζομεν, πάντως αἱρούμεθα. Τοῦ χάριν δὴ ταῦτα λέγω, ἴσως οὐκ ἀγνοεῖς, ὀφείλων ἣν ἐπήνεσας συμβουλὴν εἰς πέρας ἀγαγεῖν.","t":"To Pamprepius the deacon. The greatest sign, admirable friend, that the hearer has been persuaded is his praise of what was said. For one cannot claim not to be persuaded by what one thinks is right. For just as we are eager to avoid whatever we condemn, if we are sensible, so we certainly choose what we admire. Why I say this you perhaps know, since you ought to carry through to the end the advice you praised.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.226 (PG 78 78:909; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-226)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.227":{"o":"ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΙΩ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΜὴ ἀγνόει, ὦ φίλος, ὅτι ὑπόθεσὶς ἐστι τῆς μακαρίας ζωῆς, ἡ τῶν παθῶν νέκρωσις, ἧς οὐδὲν εὐκταιότερον, οὐδ᾽ εὐκλεέστερον γένοιτ' ἄν.","t":"To Strategius the monk. Do not be ignorant, friend, that the foundation of the blessed life is the deadening of the passions, than which nothing could be more desirable or more glorious.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.227 (PG 78 78:909; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-227)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.228":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΟ.\nΕἰ καὶ ἐπέθετό σοι ὁ κοινὸς ἁπάντων ἐχθρὸς, ὡς αὐτοβοεὶ περιεσόμενος, καὶ ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς ἅπασαν σου τὴν πολιτείαν ληψόμενος, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτὸς, ὡς ἐπυθόμην, ἀκοιμήτῳ σπουδῇ τὴν θείαν προβαλλόμενος συμμαχίαν, πολλοὺς μὲν αὐτῷ πόνους εἰς τὴν πολιορκίαν προὐξένησας, ἄπρακτα δὲ αὐτοῦ τὰ μηχανήματα, καὶ τὰς ἑλεπόλεις ἀπέδειξας, καὶ τὸ τρόπαιον κατ' αὐτοῦ λαμπρότερον ἔστησας. Συγχαίροντες οὖν σοι ἐπὶ τῇ νίκῃ καὶ τὰ ἐπινίκια ᾄδοντες παραινοῦμεν γρηγορεῖν καὶ προσέχειν σαυτῷ. Ὁ γὰρ πολέμιος οὔτε αἰδεῖσθαι εἶδεν, οὔτε ἐρυθριᾶν ἐπίσταται, οὔτ᾽ ἀπογινώσκει ἕως θανάτου, ἀλλ' ἀντὶ ὅπλων καὶ μηχανημάτων ἀρκούμενος τῇ οἰκείᾳ φύσει, παντὶ καιρῷ ἐπιτίθεται οὐ τὸ ἡττῆσθαι ἐννοῶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ νικῆσαι ὀνειροπολῶν. Πάσῃ οὖν φυλακῇ τήρει τὴν σαυτοῦ καρδίαν. Οὐ γὰρ μονοειδής, ῥᾳδίως γὰρ ἂν ἑάλῳ, ποικίλη δέ τίς ἐστι καὶ πολύτροπος, ἡ πρὸς αὐτὸν μάχη. Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ διὰ σωφροσύνης ἡττηθῇ διὰ φιλοχρηματίας πολεμεῖ. Εἰ δὲ κἀνταῦθα τρωθείη, διὰ βασκανίας ἐπιβουλεύει. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τούτων τινὰ ἴδῃ περιγινόμενον, τοὺς φίλους ἐξοπλίζει. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὰς τούτων προσβολὰς ὑπομείνειε, τοὺς οἰκέτας ἐκπολεμεῖ. Ὅταν δὲ μηδὲ ὑπὸ τούτων ἁλῷ, ὀλιγωρίαν ἐντίκτει. Εἰ δὲ ταύτης περιείη, μνησικακίαν ἐνίησι. Καὶ τί πειρῶμαι πάντα τὰ βέλη τοῦ πονηροῦ φράσαι Διὸ ταῦτα μὲν παρήσω, ἐκεῖνο δὲ παραινέσαιμι τῇ σῇ ἀνδρείᾳ πάντοθεν ὀμματοῦν ἑαυτὴν, ὡς πάντοθεν τοῦ πολεμίου βάλλοντος, καὶ εἰς τὰ καίρια μάλιστα ἀκοντίζοντος.","t":"To the same. Even if the common enemy of all attacked you, meaning to prevail by a mere shout and seize your whole way of life at a rush, you, as I learned, putting forward the divine alliance with sleepless zeal, caused him many labours in the siege, showed his engines and siege-towers useless, and set up a more brilliant trophy against him. Rejoicing with you, then, at the victory and singing the victory songs, we urge you to keep watch and pay attention to yourself. For the enemy neither knows respect nor how to blush, nor does he despair until death; but, content with his own nature in place of arms and engines, he attacks at every moment, not thinking of defeat but dreaming of victory. \"Keep your heart, then, with all vigilance.\" For the battle against him is not uniform (then he would easily be caught), but varied and many-sided. When he is defeated through self-control, he wages war through love of money. If he is wounded there too, he plots through envy. If he sees someone prevailing over these, he arms friends. If one withstands their attacks, he sets the servants at war. When one is not caught even by them, he breeds negligence. If one overcomes this, he injects resentment. And why do I try to tell all the arrows of the evil one? I will pass them over, and advise your courage to make itself all eyes, since the enemy shoots from every side and aims above all at the vital parts.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.228 (PG 78 78:909; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-228)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.229":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΩ ΜΑΓΙΣΤΡΙΑΝΩ.\nΟὐκ ἀποδέχομαί σε, ἄγος πόλεως, καὶ κηλίδα Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ ὕβριν ἐλευθερίας, καὶ τῶν συνόντων ὀλετῆρα, καὶ τί γὰρ οὐχὶ τῶν αἰσχίστων, Ζώσιμον τὸν δοκοῦντα πρεσβύτερον, ἀποκαλοῦντα. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸς τοιοῦτός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ σὴν γλῶτταν, καὶ ὄργανον ἀληθείας τυγχάνουσαν, οὐ χρὴ τούτοις καταῤῥυπαίνεσθαι τοῖς λόγοις. Παῦσαι τοίνυν σαυτὸν ὑβρίζων. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἀληθῆ τὰ λεγόμενα, καὶ οὐδεὶς ὡς ψευδομένῳ ἐπισκήψειεν, ἀλλά σε κόσμιον ὄντα ἄνδρα, καὶ πολλαῖς ἀρεταῖς κομῶντα, καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀνεξικακίας δίκαιον ἂν εἴη ἐναβρύνειν ἐγκαλλώπισμα.","t":"To Leontius the magistrianus. I do not approve of your calling Zosimus, the supposed presbyter, the pollution of the city, the stain of the church, the outrage of freedom, the destroyer of his companions, and every most shameful name. For even if he is such, your tongue, which is an instrument of truth, ought not to be soiled with these words. Stop, then, outraging yourself. For even if what is said is true and no one would charge you with lying, still you, being an orderly man and abounding in many virtues, ought to pride yourself on the ornament of forbearance too.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.229 (PG 78 78:911; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-229)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.23":{"o":"ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΩ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nΕἰ Ξέρξης, ὦ σοφιστά · ἀπὸ γὰρ τῶν σῶν σοι διαλέξομαι· τὸν Ἑλλήσποντον ζεύξας, τὸ τῶν ᾿Αθηναίων φρόνημα οὐκ ἠδυνήθη ζεῦξαι τῷ τῆς δουλείας ζυγῷ, ἀλλὰ πάντα μὲν ἐκίνει, καὶ τὸν ταγέντα τοῖς στοιχείοις ἐκαινοτόμει θεσμόν· ἐκείνους δὲ τῶν δεδογμένων οὐ μετεκίνει· σὺ ἀπὸ συμβουλῆς ψιλῆς ἐνόμισας ἡμῶν μετακινεῖν τὸ φρόνημα, καὶ εἰς θωπείαν τρέπειν καὶ πῶς οὐκ ἄτοπον; πέπαυσο τοίνυν τοιαῦτά τινα ἡμῖν παραινῶν· εἰ δὲ μὴ, τοῦ χοροῦ τῶν φίλων σε ἀποκρινοῦμεν.","t":"To Asclepius the sophist. If Xerxes, O sophist (for I will argue with you from your own stock), after yoking the Hellespont, could not yoke the spirit of the Athenians with the yoke of slavery, but though he moved everything and made innovations in the law laid down for the elements, he did not move them from their convictions, you thought that by mere advice you would move our resolve and turn it to flattery. How is that not absurd? Stop, then, giving us advice of this sort; otherwise we shall exclude you from the company of our friends.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.23 (PG 78 78:745; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-23)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.230":{"o":"ΑΦΡΟΔΙΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΚαιρίως ἂν τὰ γραφέντα παρὰ σοῦ ἐλέγετο τοῖς “ εἰς σὲ πεπαρῳνηκόσιν, εἴ γε μὴ ὡμολόγουν ἐσφάλθαι. Ὁμολογούντων δὲ, ἄωρος τούτων ἡ μνήμη, τῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ συμμαχίας ἀμοιροῦσα","t":"To Aphrodisius the presbyter. What you wrote would have been timely to say to those who behaved insolently toward you, if they did not admit that they had erred. But since they admit it, the reminder of it is untimely, lacking the help of the right moment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.230 (PG 78 78:911; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-230)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.231":{"o":"ΑΝΤΙΟΧΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Οὐ φείσεται ὀφθαλμός μου.» Τίνος ἕνεκεν, ἔφης, εἶπεν ἡ τῆς ἡμερότητος πηγή διὰ τοῦ Ἰεζεκιήλ περὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, « Οὐ φείσεται ὁ ὀφθαλμός μου, οὐδὲ μὴ ἐλεήσω;» \"Ακουε τοίνυν. Ἐπειδὴ ἐν πολλοῖς χρόνοις ἦσαν συγγνώμης ἁμαρτάνοντες μείζονα, καὶ μήτε τοὺς τῶν προφητῶν προσιέμενοι λόγους, μήτε τὰς θείας εὐεργεσίας ἐννοοῦντες εἰς ἀνήκεστον ἐκπεπτώκασι κακίαν· αὐτοτελὴς δὲ κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐξενήνεκτο ἀπόφασις, ὥστε παραδοθῆναι τοῖς Βαβυλωνίοις, καὶ ἔργον τῆς τῶν πολεμίων γενέσθαι δεξιᾶς, ᾔδει γὰρ αὐτῶν τὸ ἀμετανόητον· οὐδένα οἶκτον λήψομαι, φησὶν, ἐπὶ τοῖς πάσχουσιν ὃ δὴ ἐπὶ τῶν Νινευϊτῶν πεποίηκα Ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ ἡ ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον αὐτῶν ῥοπή τε καὶ τροπὴ καιρὸν παρέσχεν, ἀνακληθῆναι τοὺς κατακρίτους καὶ ἀνατραπῆναι τὴν ἀπόφασιν. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ οὐδενὸς ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον βλέποντος, ἀλλὰ πάντων ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω ῥεπόντων, ἀναγκαίως ἡ κατὰ πάντων ἐκφέρεται ψῆφος.","t":"To Antiochus. [On \"My eye will not spare.\"] You asked for what reason the fount of gentleness said through Ezekiel about the Jews, \"My eye will not spare, nor will I have mercy.\" Listen, then. Since for a long time they had been committing sins too great for pardon, neither accepting the words of the prophets nor considering the divine benefits, they fell into incurable vice; and a final sentence had been pronounced against them, that they be handed over to the Babylonians and become the work of the enemy's right hand, for he knew their impenitence. \"I will take no pity,\" he says, \"on those who suffer,\" which I did in the case of the Ninevites. For there their inclination and turning to the better gave occasion for the condemned to be recalled and the sentence overturned. But here, since no one looked to the better but all inclined to the worse, the verdict was necessarily pronounced against all.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.231 (PG 78 78:911; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-231)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.232":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΟ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\n\"Οτι πάσης ἐπέκεινα τόλμης, τὸ δογματίζειν τοὺς βιοῦντας αἰσχρῶς. Καὶ εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον, • Γνῶναι τὰς ὁδούς μου ἐπιθυμοῦσιν, ὡς λαὸς δικαιοσύνην πεποιηκώς. Χρὴ τὸν μέλλοντα περὶ Θεοῦ λόγον κινεῖν ταῖς ἀπὸ τῆς πολιτείας διαλάμπειν ἀρεταῖς. Τῷ γὰρ κακίας ἐραστῇ, οὐδὲ περὶ τῶν δικαιωμάτων αὐτοῦ, μήτιγε αὐτοῦ κινεῖν γλῶτταν, ἐπιτρέπει, ὡς ὑβριζομένων τῶν θείων νόμων, ὅταν διὰ μιαρᾶς προφέρωνται γλώττης. « Τῷ γὰρ ἁμαρτωλῷ, φησὶν, εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς, Ἵνα τί σὺ ἐκδιηγῇ τὰ δικαιώματά μου· καὶ ἀναλαμβάνεις τὴν διαθήκην μου διὰ στόματός σου;» Καὶ διὰ τοῦ Ἡσαΐου μεμφόμενος τοὺς βίου μὲν ἀρίστου μὴ ἐπιμελομένους, τὰς δὲ οἰκονομίας αὐτοῦ αἰτιωμένους, φησί· « Γνῶναί μου τὰς ὁδοὺς ἐπιθυμοῦσιν, ὡς λαὸς δικαιοσύνας πεποιηκὼς, καὶ κρίσιν Θεοῦ αὐτοῦ μὴ ἐγκαταλελοιπώς. » Εἰ δὲ οἱ τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτοῦ, τουτέστι τὰς οἰκονομίας πολυπραγμονοῦντες, πάντολμοι ἂν εἶεν, πῶς οὐκ ἂν ἐπέκεινα πάσης τόλμης χωροῦσιν, οἱ περὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ μιαρᾷ γλώττῃ λόγον κινοῦντες, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν τί ἐστι πολυπραγμονῶσι; Χρὴ δὲ μὴ τί ἐστι περιεργάζεσθαι, ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι ἐστὶν ἰσχυρίζεσθαι. Καὶ σιωπῶ, ὅτι παρὰ Λακεδαιμονίοις, τοῖς σκιὰς τῶν πράξεων τοὺς λόγους εἶναι εἰκότως ὁρισαμένοις, τὸν αἰσχρῶς βεβιωκότα, οὐδὲ γνώμην ἀγαθὴν ἀποφήνασθαι ἐξῆν. Εἰ τοίνυν ὀρθῶς σοι πιστεύοντι, καὶ εὖ πράττοντι ἐπιφύονταί τινες πράγματά σοι παρέχοντες, μὴ ταράττου. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ τῶν φαύλων τὸ ἔθος. Ἡττώμενοι γὰρ περιφανῶς τῷ βίῳ, ἐπὶ τὴν ἔρευναν τοῦ θείου καταφεύγουσιν, ὡς ἐκ τούτου πράγματα παρέξοντες τοῖς εὖ βιοῦσι, καὶ τὴν παῤῥησίαν αὐτῶν ἀποκλείσοντες. Ἐχρῆν δὲ αὐτοὺς, ἐννοοῦντας ὅτι οἱ περὶ τὸ δῆλον πταίοντες, περὶ τοῦ δοκοῦντος ἀδήλου οὐκ ἂν εἶεν ἀξιόπιστοι λέγοντες, πρῶτον ἑαυτῶν τὸν βίον ῥυθμίσαι καὶ οὕτως ἐπὶ τὴν ζήτησιν παρελθεῖν τῶν ἀνεφίκτων.","t":"To Paul the monk. [That it is beyond all daring for those who live shamefully to teach doctrine; and on what is written, \"They desire to know my ways, as a people that has done righteousness.\"] The one who is to discuss God must shine with the virtues of his way of life. For he does not allow the lover of vice to move his tongue even about his statutes, let alone about himself, since the divine laws are outraged when uttered by a foul tongue. \"For to the sinner,\" it says, \"God said: Why do you recount my statutes and take my covenant in your mouth?\" And through Isaiah, blaming those who do not care for an excellent life but find fault with his dispensations, he says: \"They desire to know my ways, as a people that has done righteousness and has not forsaken the judgment of its God.\" If, then, those who pry into his ways, that is, his dispensations, are all-daring, how do those not go beyond all daring who move a discourse about God himself with a foul tongue, and especially when they pry into what he is? One must not be curious about what he is, but maintain that he is. And I say nothing of the fact that among the Spartans, who rightly defined words as shadows of deeds, a man who had lived shamefully was not allowed even to propose a good opinion. If, then, some attack you, who believe rightly and do well, and cause you trouble, do not be disturbed. Such is the custom of base people. Being plainly defeated in their life, they take refuge in the investigation of the divine, as if from this they could cause trouble to those who live well and shut off their freedom of speech. But they ought to consider that those who stumble about what is plain would not be trustworthy speaking about what seems unclear, and first set their own life in order, and so go on to the investigation of things beyond reach.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.232 (PG 78 78:913; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-232)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.233":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΧρὴ τὰς ἀρχὰς τῶν λόγων ἀληθεῖς εἶναι καὶ πιστάς. Ψευδοῦς γὰρ οὔσης τῆς ὑποθέσεως, ἀναγκαίως καὶ τὸ συμπέρασμα ἀσύστατον εὑρεθήσεται.","t":"To the same. The premises of arguments must be true and trustworthy. For if the premise is false, the conclusion too will necessarily be found unsound.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.233 (PG 78 78:915; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-233)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.234":{"o":"ΑΛΥΠΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΜὴ δυσχεράνῃς, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἐὰν ἐπαφῶ τὴν γλῶτταν τοῖς φιλαργύροις. Πρᾶγμα γὰρ λέξω σαφές, καὶ ἁπλοῦν, καὶ μαρτυρίας μὴ δεόμενον. Τοσοῦτον γάρ κεχείρωνται τῷ νοσήματι, ὡς μηδὲ νόσημα αὐτὸ ἡγεῖσθαι. Καθάπερ γὰρ οἱ οὐρανοπολῖται, οἱ ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι, φημί, μοναχοὶ, οὐδὲ ἴσασι τί ἐστι πλεονεξία· οὕτως οὐδὲ οὗτοι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχ ὁμοίως, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπεναντίας ἐκείνοις. Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ διὰ τὸ πόῤῥω εἶναι τοῦ πάθους ἀγνοοῦσι τὸ νόσημα · οὗτοι δὲ οὐδὲ νόσημα αὐτὸ ἡγοῦνται εἶναι. Οὕτω γὰρ παρώσατο τὴν ἀρετὴν ἡ κακία, καὶ τυραννεῖ καὶ πάντα ἄνω καὶ κάτω ποιεῖ, ὡς μηδὲ κακία εἶναι νομίζεσθαι.","t":"To Alypius the bishop. Do not be vexed, excellent friend, if I loose my tongue against the money-lovers. For I will state a thing clear, simple and needing no witness. They are so mastered by the disease that they do not even think it a disease. For just as the citizens of heaven, I mean the monks in the mountains, do not even know what greed is, so neither do these, but not in the same way: in the opposite way to them. The former do not know the disease because they are far from the passion; the latter do not even think it a disease. For vice has so thrust aside virtue, tyrannizes, and turns everything upside down, that it is not even thought to be vice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.234 (PG 78 78:915; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-234)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.235":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\n\"Ὅτι ἀθάνατος ἡ ψυχή. Τὸ νομίζειν σε φθείρεσθαι μετὰ τοῦ σώματος τὴν ψυχὴν, κομιδῇ γελοῖον καὶ ἡλίθιον, καὶ τῷ ὄντι σαρκικοῦ ἀνθρώπου, καὶ βουλομένου μὲν μετὰ τὸν ἐνταῦθα βίον μηδὲν εἶναι, βεβαιοῦντος δὲ τὰ παρὰ πάσης ἡλικίας περὶ σοῦ τραγῳδούμενα. Δυσωπῆσαι μὲν οὖν σε ὀφείλουσι, καὶ φιλόσοφοι καὶ ποιηταὶ, καὶ ῥήτορες, καὶ συγγραφεῖς, ὅσοι τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἀθανασίαν ἐδογμάτισαν, ὧν εἰ καὶ ἄπειρος εἶ, ὡς ἀπαίδευτος ὢν ἐν πᾶσιν, ἀλλά γε παρὰ τῶν πεπαιδευμένων μαθεῖν δίκαιος ἂν εἴης. Δυσωπήσει δὲ καὶ λογισμὸς ἀναντίῤῥητος. Ἡ γὰρ τοῦ σώματος ἀεὶ ῥέοντος καὶ φθειρομένου ἐπιλαμβανομένη, καὶ τὸ θνητὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ῥευστὸν ἐπισφίγγουσα, καὶ τὸ πίπτον ἐγείρουσα, καὶ παρέχουσα τοῖς μὲν ἀποῤῥέουσι τροφὴν, τοῖς δὲ μαραινομένοις ἀναβλάστησιν, οὐκ ἂν δήπου καθ' ἑαυτὴν γενομένη ἀπολείπῃ τὴν οἰκείαν δύναμιν, δι' ἧς καὶ τὸ σῶμα συνεῖχε, καὶ διέσωζεν. Εἰ δὲ μήτε τοὺς ἔξωθεν σοφοὺς δυσωπηθείης, μήτε τούτῳ τῷ ἀναγκαίῳ λογισμῷ πεισθείης, ἅτε πολλῇ καὶ συγγνώμης μείζονι κακίᾳ βεβαπτισμένος · χρησμόν σοι θεῖον ἀναγνωσόμεθα, δι' οὗ διαῤῥήδην ἡ τῆς ψυχῆς ἀθανασία κηρύττεται. Τί [οὖν] οὗτός φησι; • Μὴ φοβηθῆτε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτεινόντων τὸ σῶμα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν μὴ δυναμένων ἀποκτεῖναι. » Μὴ τοίνυν ἐκ τῆς ὑπερβολῆς ὧν ἔδρασας κακῶν. (Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἄπρακτον, ὡς φασι, κατέλειψας) ἀσεβῆ δόγματα σαυτῷ δογμάτιζε· ἀλλὰ πιστεύων ἀθάνατον εἶναι τὴν ψυχήν· καὶ ὅτι πολλάκις μὲν κἀνταῦθα, πάντως δ' ἐκεῖσε δώσεις δίκην, ὡς οὐ λησόμενος τὴν δίκην, ἀπαλλάγηθι κἂν ὀψέ ποτε, τῆς πονηρίας.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. [That the soul is immortal.] Your thinking that the soul perishes with the body is utterly laughable and foolish, and truly the mark of a fleshly man who wishes there to be nothing after this life, and who confirms what people of every age tell tragically of you. Philosophers, poets, orators and historians, as many as taught the soul's immortality, ought to put you to shame; and even if you are unacquainted with them, being uneducated in everything, you ought to learn from the educated. An irrefutable reasoning too will put you to shame. For the soul that takes hold of the body, which is always flowing and perishing, binds together its mortal and fluid part, raises what falls, and supplies nourishment to what flows away and new growth to what withers, would surely not, when it comes to be by itself, lose its own power, by which it held the body together and preserved it. And if you are neither shamed by the wise outside nor persuaded by this compelling reasoning, being plunged in a vice great and beyond pardon, we will read you a divine oracle by which the soul's immortality is proclaimed expressly. What does it say? \"Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.\" Do not, then, because of the excess of the evils you have done (for you have left nothing undone, as they say), make impious doctrines for yourself; but believing that the soul is immortal, and that you will often pay the penalty here and certainly there, since you will not escape justice, be rid of wickedness, even late.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.235 (PG 78 78:915; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-235)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.236":{"o":"ΕΥΛΟΓΙΩ.\nὈλίγα εἰπὼν, ὃ βούλομαι φράσω. Βοιωτούς τις εἰς ἀπαιδευσίαν σκώπτων ἔφη· « Ὦ Βοιωτοί, ὡς σφόδρα ἐστὲ Βοιωτοί. » Δίκαιος δέ τις ἀνὴρ ἀδίκῳ πράγματι παρακαλούμενος ὑπὸ Μιλησίων συμπρᾶξαι ἔφη, «Ὦ Μιλήσιοι, ὡς σφόδρα ἐστὲ Μιλήσιοι. » ᾿Αλέξανδρος δὲ ἐρωτηθεὶς, διὰ τί λίαν τιμᾷ ᾿Αντίπατρον, ἔφη, • Ὅτι ἀντὶ πατρός μοί ἐστιν. · Ἐγὼ δὲ φράσω, ὦ Εὐλόγιε, ὡς σφόδρα εἱ Εὐλόγιος, ἐπαινεῖν ἐμὲ καὶ τοὺς κατ᾿ ἐμὲ προῃρημένος.","t":"To Eulogius. Saying a few things, I will tell you what I mean. Someone, mocking the Boeotians for lack of education, said, \"O Boeotians, how very Boeotian you are!\" A just man, asked by the Milesians to join in an unjust matter, said, \"O Milesians, how very Milesian you are!\" Alexander, asked why he honoured Antipater so much, said, \"Because he is in place of a father (anti patros) to me.\" And I will say, Eulogius, how very Eulogius you are, \"speaker of good words,\" since you have chosen to praise me and those like me.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.236 (PG 78 78:917; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-236)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.237":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Πᾶς ἀνὴρ φαίνεται δίκαιος. » Πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων (ὀκνῶ γὰρ εἰπεῖν πάντες, καίτοι τῆς Γραφῆς τοῦτο δοκούσης λέγειν), οὐ τῷ δικαιοσύνην ἀσπάζεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τῷ τοῖς ἀδικωτέροις ἑαυτοὺς παραβάλλειν τῇ συγκρίσει τῶν χειρόνων τὴν τῆς δικαιοσύνης φαντασίαν καρποῦνται οὐκ αὐτὰς καθ' ἑαυτὰς τὰς θείας ἐντολὰς δοκιμάζοντες, καὶ πρὸς τὸν τούτων κανόνα ῥυθμίζοντες τὸν οἰκεῖον βίον, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ῥαθυμοῦσι τῶν πέλας παραμετροῦντες τὴν ἑαυτῶν πολιτείαν. Διὸ καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἐῤῥέθη, ὅπερ μαθεῖν ἠθέλησας. « Πᾶς ἀνὴρ φαίνεται ἑαυτῷ δίκαιος. • Πρὸς μὲν γὰρ τὰ κατορθώματα τῶν πέλας τυφλώττει, τὰ δὲ ἐλαττώματα ὀξέως ὁρᾷ· καὶ καθάπερ οἱ γύπες λειμῶνας πολλάκις καὶ παραδείσους παρατρέχοντες, τοῖς νεκροῖς ἐφίπτανται σώμασιν. Ἐπήγαγε γοῦν· « Κατευθύνοι δὲ καρδίας ὁ Κύριος, » ἢ τῶν τὴν τοιαύτην φαντασίαν δηλονότι ἐξορισάντων, ἢ τῶν πρὸς τὰς θείας ἐντολὰς τὸν ἑαυτῶν ῥυθμισάντων βίον, ἢ τῶν ὑπερβεβηκότων τὸ ἄνθρωποι εἶναι, καὶ εἰς κρείττονα τάξιν τε καὶ ἀξίαν, διὰ τῆς ἀρίστης πολιτείας ἀναβιβασθέντων, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον, « Ἐγὼ εἶπα· θεοί ἐστε, καὶ υἱοὶ Ὑψίστου πάντες. »","t":"To Heron the monk. [On \"Every man appears righteous.\"] Many people (I hesitate to say all, though Scripture seems to say so) gain an appearance of righteousness not by embracing righteousness but by comparing themselves with the more unjust, through comparison with the worse; not testing the divine commandments by themselves and setting their own life by their rule, but measuring their own way of life against the careless among their neighbours. That is why this was said, which you wished to learn: \"Every man appears righteous to himself.\" For he is blind to the achievements of his neighbours but sees their faults sharply; and like vultures, which often pass by meadows and gardens and fly to dead bodies. It added, indeed: \"But the Lord directs hearts,\" plainly the hearts of those who have banished such a fancy, or of those who have set their life by the divine commandments, or of those who have gone beyond being mere men and been raised by an excellent way of life to a higher rank and dignity, according to the saying, \"I said, You are gods and sons of the Most High, all of you.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.237 (PG 78 78:917; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-237)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.238":{"o":"ΠΑΜΠΡΕΠΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤί ἐστι τὸ, - Ἱερεῖς, λαλήσατε εἰς τὴν καρδίαν Ἱερουσαλήμ. δ Ἐπειδὴ τὸ μὲν λόγοις φιλοσοφεῖν ῥάδιον, τὸ δὲ ἔργοις δύσκολον, καὶ τὸ μὲν τὰς ἀκοὰς τέρπει, τὸ δὲ τὰς ψυχὰς παιδεύει. Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Θεὸς, τοῖς τῆς ἱερωσύνης λειτουργίαν ἐστεμμένοις βοᾷ τοῦθ᾽ ὅπερ μαθεῖν ἠθέλησας. « Ἱερεῖς, λαλήσατε εἰς τὴν καρδίαν Ἱερουσαλήμ. · Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἱ διὰ λόγων φιλοσοφοῦντες οὐ μόνον ἐνοχλοῦσι τοὺς ἀκούοντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' ὧν τὰ ἐναντία οἷς λέγουσι πράττουσι, κωμῳδεῖσθαι ἑαυτοὺς παρασκευάζουσι· διὰ τοῦτο τὴν τῶν ἔργων ἀρετὴν τούτους ἀπαιτεῖ, τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς τῶν ἀκροατῶν ἀπτομένην. Ωστε ἱερὸν εἶναι χρὴ τὸν ἱερωμένον. Ἱερᾶσθαι γὰρ τὸν ἀνίερον οὐ θέμις.","t":"To Pamprepius the deacon. [What is meant by \"Priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem.\"] Since philosophizing in words is easy but in deeds difficult, and the one delights the ears while the other educates souls, for this reason God cries to those crowned with the ministry of the priesthood what you wished to learn: \"Priests, speak to the heart of Jerusalem.\" For since those who philosophize in words not only annoy their hearers but also make themselves ridiculous by doing the opposite of what they say, for this reason he demands of them the virtue of deeds, which touches the souls of the hearers. So the one consecrated must be holy. For it is not right for the unholy to serve as priest.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.238 (PG 78 78:917; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-238)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.239":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\n\"Ὅτι χαλεπῶς (Γ. χαλεπὸν) ή κακοδοξία· καὶ ἀκόνητοι (Γ. ἀνόνητοι) τῶν ταύτῃ κεκρατημένων οἱ πόνοι. ᾿Ανάκτησαι σαυτοῦ, ὦ βέλτιστε, τὴν ὑπόληψιν, οὐ νοσήσασαν καὶ διαφθαρεῖσαν, καὶ εἰς τὸ μὴ ὂν χωρήσασαν · ἧττον γὰρ ἂν ἦν ἴσως κακόν · ἀλλ᾽ εἰς κακοδοξίαν τραπεῖσαν.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. [That ill repute is grievous, and the labours of those overcome by it are unprofitable.] Recover your reputation, excellent friend, which has not merely fallen sick and perished and passed into non-existence (that would perhaps be a lesser evil), but has turned into ill repute.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.239 (PG 78 78:919; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-239)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.24":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΟ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nὉ δεινὸς καὶ πάντολμος τῆς φιλοχρηματίας ἔρως, κόρον οὐκ εἰδὼς, ἐπὶ τὸ ἔσχατον τῶν κακῶν τὴν ἀλοῦσαν ψυχὴν ἐλαύνει. Οὐκοῦν μάλιστ᾽ ἐν προοιμίοις αὐτὸν ἀπελάσωμεν. Κρατήσας γὰρ, ἀχείρωτος ἔσται.","t":"To Martyrius the reader. The terrible and all-daring passion for money, knowing no satiety, drives the soul it has captured to the extremity of evils. Let us, then, drive it away above all at its beginnings. For once it has prevailed, it will be unconquerable.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.24 (PG 78 78:747; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-24)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.240":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nΟἶδα μὲν, ὦ ἁγνείας ἀνάκτορον, ὅτι εἰκότως δυσχεραίνεις, Ζωσίμου τε καὶ Μαρτινιανοῦ, Μάρωνός τε καὶ Εὐσταθίου ἱερᾶσθαι δοκούντων, ἀνθρώπων πάσῃ μὲν ἀρετῇ ἀπροσίτων τε καὶ ἀβάτων, πάση δὲ κακίᾳ ἱππήλατον ἑαυτοὺς κατασκευασάντων ὁδόν τε καὶ χῶρον. Αλλ' εὖ εἰδέναι ὀφείλεις, ὅτι ὅσῳ μείζονος ἠξιώθησαν τιμῆς, τοσούτῳ καὶ μείζονα δώσουσι δίκην, ὅτι μηδὲ τῇ εὐεργεσίᾳ βελτίους ἐγένοντο.","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. I know, you palace of purity, that you are rightly vexed that Zosimus and Martinianus, Maron and Eustathius are supposedly priests, men inaccessible and impassable to every virtue, who have made themselves a highway and ground for every vice to ride on. But you ought to know well that the greater the honour they were thought worthy of, the greater the penalty they will pay, because they did not become better even by the benefit.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.240 (PG 78 78:919; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-240)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.241":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΑὐτὸς μὲν ἴσως πολλῶν τε λόγων καὶ νοημάτων ἔχειν με νομίζεις παρασκευὴν, ἐγὼ δὲ οἶδα σαφῶς, ὅτι οὐδὲν οἶδα Εἰ δὲ τι λεχθείη εὐδόκιμον, τῷ Θεῷ τὴν αἰτίαν λογιστέον τῷ καὶ ἰδιώτας, διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀκουόντων ὠφέλειαν, πολλάκις σοφίζοντι.","t":"To the same. You perhaps think that I have a store of many words and thoughts, but I know clearly that I know nothing. And if anything well esteemed is said, the cause must be ascribed to God, who often makes even unlearned men wise for the benefit of the hearers.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.241 (PG 78 78:919; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-241)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.242":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΑΜΜΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ τῷ δεινὸς εἶναι προλαβὼν τὴν ἀπολογίαν διέσυρας γεγραφὼς, εἰπὲ πάλιν ὅτι τῷ δόγματι οὐ λυμαίνεται ἡ ὑπερφυὴς Μαρτινιανοῦ καὶ Ζωσίμου, Μάρωνός τε καὶ Εὐσταθίου κακία, ὧν ὁ βίος λοιπὸν σκηνοβατεῖται, ἀδοξίαν καὶ κωμῳδίαν τῇ ἱερωτάτῃ θρησκείᾳ προστριβόμενος. ᾿Αλλ' ἔγωγε οὐκ ἂν ἀποσταίην τῆς ἀληθείας, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτῇ πρὸς ἀπολογίαν χρησαίμην. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἔχων ὅ τι καὶ μέμψοιο τὴν θειοτάτην θρησκείαν, εἴς τινας τῶν ἱερωμένων ἔτρεψας τὴν κατηγορίαν, εὐφώρατός σοι ἡ σκαιωρία γέγονεν ὑπὸ πάντων τῶν συνέσεως οὐκ ἀμοιρούντων, τῶν τὴν μὲν θείαν ὑπερεπαινεσάντων πολιτείαν, τὴν δὲ κατηγορίαν εἰς ἐκείνους τρεψάντων. Εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς τῆς φιλονεικίας ἀποσταίης, ἀποδείξῃ τὰ εἰρημένα. Τί γὰρ ἄτοπόν φαμεν, λέγοντες, ὅτι αὐτὸ τὸ πρᾶγμα βασανίζεσθαι χρή · καὶ εἰ μὲν καλὸν φωραθείη, ἀσπαστέον, κἄν τινες τῶν δοκούντων αὐτὸ μετιέναι, εἰς αὐτὸν τῆς κακίας τὸν πυθμένα κατέπεσον· εἰ δ' αἰσχρὸν, φευκτέον, κἄν τινες τῶν δοκούντων αὐτῷ προσκεκλίσθαι εἰς αὐτὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς δοκοῖεν ἐληλακέναι τὴν κορυφήν; χρὴ γὰρ τὴν μὲν ἀρετὴν ἀσπαστὴν εἶναι, κἂν πάντες ψέγωσιν οἱ τὴν κρίσιν τῶν πραγμάτων οὐκ ἔχοντες ὀρθὴν τὴν δὲ κακίαν φευκτὴν, κἂν πάντες οἱ τῶν κακῶν ἐρασταὶ αὐτὴν ἀνακηρύττωσιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν νοσούντων, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τῶν ὑγιαινόντων χρὴ λαμβάνειν τὰς περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ψήφους Εἰ γὰρ τοῖς νοσοῦσιν ἐψόμεθα, καὶ φιλοσοφίας καταγνωσόμεθά.","t":"To Nilammon the scholasticus. Even though, being clever, you anticipated the defence and ridiculed it in writing, say again that the extraordinary vice of Martinianus and Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius, whose life is now acted on the stage and brings disrepute and ridicule on the most holy religion, does not harm the doctrine. But I would not depart from the truth; I would use it for my defence. Since, having nothing to blame in the most divine religion, you turned the accusation against some of the ordained, your malice has been detected by all who are not without understanding, who praised the divine way of life highly and turned the accusation against those men. And if you too give up your love of quarrelling, you will accept what has been said. For what absurdity do we utter in saying that the thing itself must be examined, and, if it is found good, embraced, even if some who seem to pursue it have fallen to the very bottom of vice; and if shameful, fled, even if some who seem attached to it seem to have reached the very summit of virtue? For virtue must be embraced even if all who do not judge rightly blame it, and vice fled even if all lovers of evil proclaim it. For one must take verdicts about things not from the sick but from the healthy. For if we follow the sick, we shall condemn even philosophy.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.242 (PG 78 78:919; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-242)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.243":{"o":"ΕΥΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Αὕτη κληθήσεται γυνὴ, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς ἐλήφθη. » Σὺ μὲν οὐ κατὰ λόγον ἔφης εἰρῆσθαι τὸ, Αὕτη κληθήσεται γυνὴ, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς αὐτῆς ἐλήφθη. Ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ μόνον κατὰ λόγον, ἀλλὰ καὶ θαυμασίως αὐτὸ γεγράφθαι φημὶ, καὶ ὅπως, ἄκουε. Ἡ γυνή παρὰ τὴν γονὴν εἴρηται. Αὕτη γοῦν κληθήσεται γυνή, τουτέστι γονίμη, ὅτι ἐκ τοῦ [ἀνδρὸς] αὐτῆς τοῦ μέλλοντος γόνιμον ποιεῖν, ἐλήφθη. Τὴν γὰρ παρθένον ὁ ἀνὴρ συναπτόμενος, γυναίκα, τουτέστι γόνιμον ποιεῖ. Διὸ καὶ παρ' Αθηναίοις ἡ συνάφεια ἡ κατὰ νόμον, ἐπ᾿ ἀρότρῳ παίδων ἐλέγετο γίνεσθαι, καὶ γονεῖς οἱ τεκόντες καλοῦνται. Τοὺς γὰρ λέγοντας παρὰ τὰ γυῖα, τουτέστι τὰ μέλη, εἰρῆσθαι, οὐδὲ λόγου ἀξιωτέον. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ μέλει καὶ μέρει τὸ ὅλον καὶ τὸ πᾶν ἀντιδιαστέλλεται. Τῇ δὲ γυναικὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ, τουτέστι τῷ σπείροντι γεωργῷ καὶ ἀνορύττοντι τὴν γυναικείαν χώραν παρ᾿ ὁ καὶ ἀνὴρ, ὡς οἷμαι, λέγεται. Τὸ γὰρ ἄνθρωπος κοινὸν αὐτοῖς ἐστιν ὄνομα · ἡ σπειρομένη γῆ καὶ διὰ τοῦτο γόνιμος γινομένη. Τῶν πρός τι γὰρ ἡγοῦμαι καὶ τοῦτ' εἶναι. ῞Ἅμα γὰρ εἴποις ἄνδρα, καὶ γυνὴ τῇ ἐννοίᾳ συνεισέρχεται · ὡς καὶ πατρὸς ῥηθέντος, ὁ παῖς συνυπακούεται, καὶ δεσπότου λεχθέντος, ὁ δοῦλος συνεπινοεῖται.","t":"To Eudaemon. [On \"She shall be called woman, because she was taken out of her man.\"] You said that \"She shall be called woman, because she was taken out of her man\" was said without reason. I say that it was written not only with reason but wonderfully; and hear how. The word gyne (woman) is from gone (generation). \"She shall be called woman,\" then, that is, fruitful, because she was taken from her [man] who would make her fruitful. For the man, uniting with the virgin, makes her a woman, that is, fruitful. That is why among the Athenians lawful union was said to take place \"for the ploughing of children,\" and those who bear children are called parents (goneis). Those who say it comes from gyia, that is, limbs, do not deserve a word. For to a limb and part, the whole and the all are opposed; but to the woman, the man, that is, the farmer who sows and digs the woman's field (from which, I think, he is also called aner), while she is the earth that is sown and thereby becomes fruitful; for \"human being\" is a name common to both. For I think this too belongs to relative terms. As soon as you say \"man,\" \"woman\" comes into the mind with it; just as when \"father\" is said, \"child\" is understood with it, and when \"master\" is said, \"slave\" is thought of together.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.243 (PG 78 78:921; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-243)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.244":{"o":"ΔΙΟΣΚΟΡΩ.\nΧρὴ μὴ μόνον ὑπὲρ ὧν εὐηργετήθης χάριν εἰδέναι ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὲρ ὧν κωλύῃ ἀδικεῖν. Καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ εἰ καὶ παράδοξόν σοι φαίνεται, εὐεργεσίας εἶδος μέγιστον τυγχάνει.","t":"To Dioscorus. You must be grateful not only for the benefits you have received but also for being prevented from doing wrong. For this too, even if it seems paradoxical to you, is a very great kind of benefit.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.244 (PG 78 78:923; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-244)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.245":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰκότως, ὦ θαυμάσιε, τὴν Πηλουσιωτῶν νῦν καταθρηνεῖς πόλιν, καί τοι πρότερον μακαρίσας. Ὅτε μὲν γὰρ, οἷα δὴ μήτηρ ἐπ᾿ ἀριστοτόκοις παιδὸς ὠδῖσι, τῇ τοῦ ἀοιδίμου Αμμωνίου τοῦ ὄντως ἐπισκόπου προστασίᾳ ἐνηβρύνετο, εἰκότως ἐμακαρίζετο, ἅτε δὴ καὶ τῶν θείων, καὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἀγαθῶν ἀνάπλεως οὖσα. Ὅτε δὲ μιαρὸν καὶ ξένον καὶ ἀνθρωπόμορφον θηρίον τὴν οἰκονομίαν αὐτῆς ἐνεχειρίσθη, νους καὶ εἰς ἐσχάτην ἐρημίαν κατηνέχθη, εἰκότως ὀλοφυρμῶν ἐστιν ἀξία. Ἐπ᾿ ἐκείνου μὲν γὰρ, ὥσπερ αἱ τὴν βασιλίδα τοῦ σμήνους ἐν εὐδρόσοις λειμώνων ἄνθεσι περιιζάνουσι μέλιτται· οὕτω πάντες αὐτὸν περιεῖπον, καὶ περὶ αὐτὸν ἐχόρευον. Ὄντως γὰρ ἦν καὶ τὴν ὁμιλίαν, καὶ τὴν φωνὴν μελισταγής, καὶ χειρωτικὸν ἐκέκτητο θέλγητρον. Ἐπὶ δὲ τούτου· ἀλλ' οὐδὲν βούλομαι δυσχερὲς εἰπεῖν· οἱ ὑπολειφθέντες τὸ πανηγυρικὸν ἀμείψαντες σχῆμα καταθρηνοῦσι τὰς σφῶν συμφοράς. Τὸ δὲ αἴτιον, ὡς φασι, τουτέστι, τὸ ἐπ᾿ ἐκείνου μὲν τὸ θεῖον θυσιαστήριον τῆς προσηκούσης τυγχάνειν ἁγιστείας, ἱερέων αὐτὸ περιεπόντων εὐαγῶν, ἐπὶ δὲ τούτου τοὺς μὲν ἐναγεῖς ἐγκρίνεσθαι · τοὺς σπουδαίους δ' ἀπελαύνεσθαι. Ὡς τῶν ἀναγκαίων τοιγαροῦν ἐῤῥαθυμημένων, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα διέφθαρται. Τῶν γὰρ ἀδύτων ὑπὸ μιαρῶν ἀνθρώπων πατουμένων, ἄβατος καὶ ἡ πόλις εἰκότως τοῖς πολλοῖς γεγένηται. Μή τοίνυν, ὦ ἱερὰ κεφαλή, καταθρήνει μόνον αὐτὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὔχου, ὅπως εἰς τὴν ἀρχαίαν ἀρετήν τε καὶ εὐημερίαν ἀναδράμοι.","t":"To Theodosius the bishop. Rightly, admirable friend, you now lament the city of the Pelusiotes, though you formerly called it blessed. When, like a mother in the travail of excellent children, it prided itself on the leadership of the renowned Ammonius, truly a bishop, it was rightly called blessed, being full of goods both divine and human. But when a foul, foreign beast in human form was entrusted with its stewardship, and it was brought down to the last desolation, it is rightly worthy of lamentation. Under the former, as bees settle round the queen of the swarm on the dewy flowers of the meadows, so all attended him and danced round him. For he was truly honey-dropping in his conversation and his voice, and possessed a subduing charm. But under this man (but I wish to say nothing harsh), those who are left have exchanged their festive bearing and lament their misfortunes. The cause, they say, is this: under the former the divine altar received the holiness befitting it, being attended by holy priests; under this man the polluted are admitted and the earnest driven away. Since the essentials, then, have been neglected, everything else too has been ruined. For when the sanctuaries are trodden by foul men, the city too has rightly become impassable to many. Do not, then, holy head, only lament it, but also pray that it may run back to its ancient virtue and prosperity.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.245 (PG 78 78:923; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-245)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.246":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\nἩ εἰρήνη τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ συγκεκραμένη θεῖόν ἐστι χρῆμα· εἰ δὲ θατέρα ἄνευ τῆς ἑτέρας εἴη, λυμαίνεται τῷ τῆς ἀρετῆς κάλλει. Ἔστι μὲν γὰρ εἰρήνη καὶ λῃσταῖς πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς καὶ λύκοις· τοῖς μὲν ἐπὶ λύμῃ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τοῖς δὲ ἐπ᾿ ὀλέθρῳ τῶν προβάτων. Ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἂν καλέσαιμι ταύτην εἰρήνην τὴν τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ μὴ κοσμουμένην. Εἰ δ' αὐτῇ συνέλθοι, ὄντως εἰρήνη κεκλήσεται. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἔφη· « Οὐκ ἦλθον βαλεῖν εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, ἀλλὰ μάχαιραν. » Ὅτι γὰρ οὐ πᾶσαν εἰρήνην, ἀλλὰ τὴν τῇ κακίᾳ συνεζευγμένην ἀποκηρύττει, ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν, « Εἰρήνην τὴν ἐμὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν. › Εἰρήνη γὰρ ὄντως ἐκείνη ἐστὶν, ἡ τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ, καὶ τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ σεμνυνομένη.","t":"To Peter. Peace blended with justice is a divine thing; but if one is without the other, it spoils the beauty of virtue. For there is peace among robbers with one another, and among wolves: for the former to the ruin of people, for the latter to the destruction of the sheep. But I would not call that peace which is not adorned with justice; if it comes together with justice, it will truly be called peace. That is why Christ too said, \"I did not come to bring peace on earth, but a sword.\" That he rejects not every peace, but the peace yoked to vice, he says elsewhere: \"My peace I give to you.\" For that is truly peace which takes pride in justice and piety.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.246 (PG 78 78:923; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-246)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.247":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΜὴ φοβοῦ, ὦ μισοπονηρίας ἱερὸν τέμενος, τοὺς ἐλέγχειν μὲν ἀδυνατοῦντας, ἐλέγχεσθαι δὲ παραιτουμένους, ἀλλὰ τὴν παῤῥησίαν θρασύτητος μὲν ἀπηλλαγμένην, προσηνείᾳ δὲ κεκραμένην ἐπιδεικνύμενος, προσδόκα ἀνύειν τὰ πρέποντα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ μὴ ἀνύσειας, ὡς γέγραφας, καὶ Εὐσέβιος, καὶ οἱ παρ' αὐτοῦ οὐ δεόντως χειροτονηθέντες ἀντὶ τοῦ ἀμείβεσθαι κακηγοροῦσι, μὴ ὀλιγώρει. Ὁ γὰρ ἀκοίμητος καὶ πανεπόπτης ὀφθαλμὸς ὁ μισοπόνηρος καὶ φιλάγαθος, σὲ μὲν ἀμείψεται, ἐκείνους δὲ ἀμυνεῖται.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Do not fear, you sacred precinct of hatred for evil, those who cannot refute but refuse to be refuted; but, showing a frankness free of rashness and mixed with gentleness, expect to achieve what is fitting. And if you do not achieve it, and, as you wrote, Eusebius and those he improperly ordained speak ill of you instead of thanking you, do not lose heart. For the sleepless, all-seeing eye, which hates evil and loves good, will repay you and punish them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.247 (PG 78 78:925; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-247)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.248":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΛόγος ἡμῖν ἔναγχος περὶ ἀρετῆς καὶ κακίας ἐκεκίνητο καὶ πολλῶν πολλὰ λεγόντων, ἔφην ἐγὼ, ὅτι ἡγοῦμαι πάντας ἀνθρώπους καὶ ἐλαττώματα ἔχειν, καὶ πλεονεκτήματα· ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὲν εὐδοκίμους καὶ ἀρίστους, μικρὰ μὲν ἔχειν καὶ εὐτελῆ τὰ ἐλαττώματα, μέγιστα δὲ καὶ ὑπερφυῆ τὰ κατορθώματα· τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους ἢ ἀναλογοῦντα τοῖς ἐλαττώμασι τὰ πλεονεκτήματα, ἢ καὶ πλεονεκτοῦντα, ἢ καὶ πλεονεκτούμενα. Εἰσὶ γὰρ ἄνθρωποι, ἀπάνθρωποι μὲν, σώφρονες δὲ · ἢ ἀσελγεῖς μὲν, ἐλεήμονες δὲ · ἢ θρασύτατοι μὲν, ῥᾳδίως δὲ μεταβαλλόμενοι ἢ ἄδικοι μὲν, μετριόφρονες δὲ· ἢ ἄρπαγες μὲν, ἐγκρατεῖς δὲ · ἢ ἀκρατεῖς μὲν γλώττης, ἐγκρατεῖς δὲ ἡδονῶν· ἢ ἀκρατεῖς μὲν ἡδονῶν, ἐγκρατεῖς δὲ & γλώττης ἢ γαστρὸς μὲν ἥττονες, ὀργῆς δὲ κρείττονες · καὶ συλλήβδην εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἂν ῥᾳδίως πιστεύσαιμι εἶναι ἄνθρωπον, οὔτ᾽ ἐλαττωμάτων ἄμοιρον, οὔτε κατορθωμάτων ἔρημον. Καὶ προὔφερον πρὸς ἀπόδειξιν, τῶν μὲν τὸν κριτὴν τῆς ἀδικίας, τὸν μήτε τὸν Θεὸν φοβούμενον, μήτε ἄνθρωπον ἐντρεπόμενον, ὅστις ἐποίησε καλὸν, τὴν συνεχῶς ἱκετεύουσαν αὐτὸν ἐλεήσας χήραν, καὶ ἐπεξελθὼν τοῖς ἀδικοῦσι. Τῶν δὲ τὸ • Τίς καυχήσεται ἁγνὴν ἔχειν τὴν καρδίαν, ἢ τις παρρησιάσεται, καθαρὸς εἶναι ἀπὸ ἁμαρτιῶν. » Ὡς δὲ πάντες οἱ παρόντες ἐπήνουν, καὶ κρότος ὑπὲρ πᾶσαν ἐλπίδα ἀνεῤῥήγνυτο, ἐγὼ μὲν ἠρυθρίασα· πρὸς γὰρ τοὺς ἐπαίνους ἐρυθριᾶν μᾶλλον πέφυκα, ἢ θρασύνεσθαι. Εἷς δὲ τῶν παρόντων, καὶ λόγῳ καὶ βίῳ εὐδόκιμος (οὐ γὰρ ἀποκρυψαίμην τὴν ἀλήθειαν, εἰ καὶ ἀνατρέπειν τὰ παρ' ἐμοῦ λελεγμένα ἐπειρᾶτο) ὀλίγα ἐφησυχάσας, ὦ βέλτιστε Ζώσιμε, καὶ τὸν σὸν προφέρων βίον, ἐλέγχειν τὸν λόγον ἐπειρᾶτο· πάντα μὲν τὰ ἐλαττώματα ἐν σοὶ χορεύειν τὰς ἱκεσίας, γράφειν ἐπηγγειλάμην. Σὸν δ᾽ ἂν εἴη δεικνὺς, κατορθώματος δὲ οὐδὲ ἴχνος Ὡς δὲ ἠπίστουν ἐγὼ, πάντες οἱ ὄντες ἐμαρτύρουν αὐτῷ ὡς ἀληθεύοντι, καὶ ὡς ἡττωμένης πάσης γλώττης, εἰς τὸ τὰ σὰ ἀκριβῶς ἐκφράσαι κακά. Ὡς δὲ ἀκούων ἡσυχίαν ἦγον· ζυγομαχεῖν γὰρ ἄτοπον ἡγούμην· ἔφασαν ἐκεῖνοι· « Οὐ τὸν σὸν ἀνατρέποντες, ὦ σοφώτατε, λόγον, ταῦτά φαμεν · ἀληθὴς γάρ ἐστι καὶ πάσης εὐφημίας κρείττων· ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τοῦ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀποδοκιμάζοντες εἶναι γένους, καὶ ἀνθρωπόμορφον θηρίον, ἢ δαίμονα ἀλάστορα, καὶ τῆς φύσεως ἐχθρὸν ὁριζόμενοι. » Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν σχεδὸν πάντες ὥσπερ ἐξ ἑνὸς στόματος ἐφθέγγοντο. Τινές δὲ ἐξ αὐτῶν λιπαρῶς παρεκάλουν, αὐτὰ ταῦτα μηνυθῆναί σοι· τάχα πῶς γνωσιμαχήσειας. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν ἀνεβαλλόμην · ὕστερον δὲ ἐνδοὺς πρὸς λοιπὸν τὰ κατὰ σαυτὸν σκοπῆσαι, ἵνα κωμῳδίας καὶ γέλωτος, καὶ τιμωρίας ἀπαλλαγείης Εἱ δὲ νομίζων τὸν θάνατον εἰς ἀνυπαρξίαν παραπέμπειν, ἀδεῶς πλημμελεῖς, σεαυτὸν͵ ἀπατῶν λανθάνεις. Ὁ θάνατος γὰρ ὁ δοκῶν τὸ εὐγενὲς φυτὸν μαραίνειν, οὐδὲν ἔτερόν ἐστιν ἢ χωρισμός ψυχῆς τε καὶ σώματος Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς, ἄκουε Πλάτωνος λέγοντος, Ἐπιόντος θανάτου ἐπὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον, τὸ μὲν θνητὸν, ὡς ἔοικεν, αὐτοῦ ἀποθνήσκει· τὸ δὲ ἀθάνατον, σῶον καὶ ἀδιάφθορον οἴχεται, ὑποχωρήσαν τῷ θανάτῳ","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Lately a discussion arose among us about virtue and vice, and when many had said many things, I said that I think all people have both faults and excellences; but that the esteemed and best have small and trivial faults and very great and extraordinary achievements, while the others have excellences either equal to their faults, or exceeding them, or exceeded by them. For there are people who are inhuman but chaste; or licentious but merciful; or very rash but easily changed; or unjust but modest; or rapacious but abstinent; or unrestrained in tongue but restrained in pleasures; or unrestrained in pleasures but restrained in tongue; or mastered by the belly but masters of anger; and, in a word, I could not easily believe that there is a man either without faults or devoid of achievements. And as proof I brought forward, for the one side, the unjust judge, who neither feared God nor respected man, yet did a good thing, taking pity on the widow who kept petitioning him and avenging her on her wrongdoers; for the other side, the saying, \"Who will boast of having a pure heart, or who will claim boldly to be clean from sins?\" When all present praised it and applause broke out beyond all expectation, I blushed; for I am more inclined to blush at praise than to be emboldened by it. But one of those present, esteemed in speech and life (for I would not hide the truth, even though he tried to overturn what I had said), after keeping quiet a little, excellent Zosimus, brought forward your life and tried to refute the argument, showing that all faults dance in you, but not a trace of any achievement. When I did not believe it, all present bore witness to him as speaking the truth, and said that every tongue is defeated in describing your evils exactly. When I, hearing this, kept quiet (for I thought it absurd to fight against them), they said: \"We say this not to overturn your argument, most wise friend, for it is true and above all praise, but rejecting that man from the human race and defining him as a beast in human form, or an avenging demon and an enemy of nature.\" And almost all spoke these words as with one mouth. Some of them earnestly begged that this very thing be made known to you; perhaps you might acknowledge defeat. At first I put it off; but later, yielding to their entreaties, I promised to write. It would be yours, then, to consider your own affairs at last, so that you may be freed from ridicule, laughter and punishment. And if, thinking that death sends one into non-existence, you sin without fear, you are deceiving yourself without knowing it. For death, which seems to wither the noble plant, is nothing other than the separation of soul and body. If you do not believe it, hear Plato saying: \"When death comes upon a man, the mortal part of him, it seems, dies, but the immortal part goes away safe and incorruptible, having withdrawn before death.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.248 (PG 78 78:925; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-248)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.249":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, ε Ἐξολοθρευθήσεται χρίσμα» καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ἐξ ἱερωσύνης καὶ βασιλείας [ὦ] ὁμώνυμε, τὰ πράγματα συνέστηκεν Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πολλῷ ἀλλήλων διαφέρουσιν· ἡ μὲν γὰρ ὡς ψυχή ἐστιν, ἡ δὲ σῶμα· ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἓν ὁρῶσι τέλος, τὴν τῶν ὑπηκόων σωτηρίαν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἡνίκα τὰ Ἰουδαϊκὰ πράγματα ἀρχὴν ἐλάμβανεν, ἡ ἱερωσύνη ἀναγκαιοτέρα ἐθεσμοθετήθη, καὶ ἐπὶ πολὺ διήρκεσεν · ἐπειδὴ δὲ σαρκικώτεροι ὄντες καὶ παχύτεροι, καὶ βασιλείαν ἐξεζήτησαν, καὶ αὕτη ἐδόθη, χρησιμωτάτη οὖσα, καὶ ἀναστέλλουσα τὰ πταίσματα τῶν τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ μὴ πειθομένων. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν πῆ μὲν, τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἔχοντες διέλαμπον, πῆ δὲ, τὴν βασιλείαν κτησάμενοι διεσώζοντο, ἀμφοτέρων δ᾽ ἀναιρουμένων, οὐδεμία αὐτοῖς ὑπελείπετο σωτηρίας ὑπόθεσις · βουλόμενος δεῖξαι ὁ προφήτης Δανιὴλ τὴν παντελῆ τῶν Ἰουδαϊκῶν πραγμάτων μετὰ τὸν σταυρὸν καθαίρεσιν, καὶ ὡς οὐδὲ λείψανον αὐτοῖς χρηστῆς ἐλπίδος περιλειφθήσεται, οὐδέ τις προσδοκία αὐτοῖς ἀμείνων φανεῖται, ἔφη, « Ἐξολοθρευθήσεται χρῖσμα, καὶ κρίμα οὐκ ἔσται ἐν αὐτῇ. » Διὰ μὲν τοῦ χρίσματος τὴν ἱερωσύνην μηνύων· διὰ δὲ τοῦ κρίματος, τὴν βασιλείαν, καὶ τὴν πολιτικὴν κατάστασιν. Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ διὰ τῆς ἀναιρέσεως τῆς ἱερωσύνης, καὶ τὴν τῆς βασιλείας, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων συνανέφηνε Τοῦ γὰρ κεφαλαιωδεστέρου καὶ κυριωδεστέρου παντάπασι καταλυομένου, οὐδ᾽ ἄλλο τι συστῆναι ἠδύνατο · ἐπεὶ καὶ τῆς βασιλείας ἡ κρηπὶς, ἡ πρὸς τὸ Θεῖον ἐτύγχανεν εὐσέβεια, ἥτις ἐν τῇ πρὸς Θεὸν ἐκρίνετο λατρείᾳ. Πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν βασιλείαν ἔφη τελευτήσειν, παντελῆ προαναφαίνων τῆς Ἰουδαῖκῆς πολιτείας τὴν ἀναίρεσιν. Καὶ μαρτυρεῖ τὰ πράγματα, ἐπὶ βελτίονα πολλῷ καὶ θειοτέραν θρησκείαν ἐπαναχθέντα.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [On \"Anointing will be destroyed,\" and what follows.] Affairs, namesake, are composed of priesthood and kingship. For even if they differ greatly from one another (the one is like the soul, the other the body), they look to one end, the salvation of their subjects. That is why, when Jewish affairs were beginning, the priesthood, being more necessary, was established and lasted a long time; but when, being more fleshly and grosser, they also asked for a king, kingship too was given, being most useful and checking the faults of those who did not obey the priesthood. Since, then, they shone in one respect by having the priesthood and were preserved in another by acquiring kingship, and when both were taken away no ground of salvation was left to them, the prophet Daniel, wishing to show the complete destruction of Jewish affairs after the cross, and that not even a remnant of good hope would be left them nor any better expectation appear, said, \"Anointing will be destroyed, and there will be no judgment in it.\" By \"anointing\" he signified the priesthood; by \"judgment,\" kingship and the civil order. For indeed, by the abolition of the priesthood he showed together that of kingship and of everything else; for when the chief and most sovereign thing is wholly dissolved, nothing else could stand, since the foundation of kingship too was piety toward God, which was judged by the worship of God. Yet he also said that the kingship would end, foretelling the complete abolition of the Jewish polity. And the facts bear witness, having been led up to a far better and more divine religion.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.249 (PG 78 78:927; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-249)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.25":{"o":"ΣΥΡΙΩΝΙ.\nὉ γενναῖος Παῦλος ὁ ἄριστος στρατηγὸς, ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως τὴν χειροτονίαν μὴ ἀτιμάσας, ὁ τὰ καθ' ἑαυτὸν παριδὼν, ἵνα τὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπανορθώσηται, ἅτε μηδὲν πλέον ὁρῶν τοῦ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας συμφέροντος, ἐπεβόα χρῆναι πάντα πρὸς οἰκοδομὴν γίνεσθαι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας. Ἡμεῖς δὲ τὸ φαινόμενον ἡμῖν συμφέρον, πρὸς δόξαν γὰρ ἑαυτῶν ὁρῶμεν, τοῦ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας προτιμῶμεν. Καίτοι τὸ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας κλέος, πάντως καὶ εἰς ἡμᾶς ἀνατρέχει· ἡ δὲ ἡμῶν δόξα, οὐ πάντως εἰς τὸ κοινὸν διαβαίνει. Εἰ γὰρ ἵν᾿ ἑαυτοὺς δόξωμεν συνιστᾶν τῆς τῶν πέλας ὀλιγωροίημεν οἰκοδομῆς, πῶς οὐ μείζων ἔσται τοῦ κέρδους ἡ ζημία;","t":"To Syrion. The noble Paul, the best of generals, who did not dishonour the King's appointment, who overlooked his own interests in order to set right those of others, since he regarded nothing more than the advantage of the church, cried out that all things must be done for the building up of the church. But we prefer what seems advantageous to us (for we look to our own glory) to what is advantageous to the church. Yet the glory of the church always redounds to us too; but our glory does not always pass to the common good. For if, in order to seem to commend ourselves, we neglect the building up of our neighbours, how will the loss not be greater than the gain?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.25 (PG 78 78:747; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-25)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.250":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον ἐν τῷ νόμῳ· - Πένητα οὐκ ἐλεήσεις ἐν κρίσει. Ἐπειδὴ ὁ μὲν δεόμενος δεῖται τοῦ δώσοντος· ὁ δὲ ἀμφισβητῶν τοῦ δικάσοντος· οὐ τὴν πενίαν φιλοπραγμονεῖν βούλεται, ἀλλὰ παρακαλεῖν. Εἰ δὲ τὴν παράκλησιν ἀφεῖσα, εἰς συκοφαντίαν τραπείη, ἐλεεῖσθαι ἐν κρίσει οὐκ ἂν εἴη δικαία. Διὰ τοῦτο ἔφη, οὐκ ἐλεήσεις πτωχὸν ἐν κρίσει. Ἐλεητέον μὲν γὰρ, οὐ κρινόμενον δὲ, ἀλλ᾽ ἀντιβολοῦντα. Εἰ δὲ τὸ παρακαλεῖν εἰς τὸ ἐγκαλεῖν τρέψειεν, τὸ δίκαιον ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ ἐλέου θετέον· οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον τὸ δίκαιον διαφθείρεσθαι.","t":"To the same. [On what is written in the law, \"You shall not pity a poor man in judgment.\"] Since the one in need needs someone to give, and the one in dispute someone to judge, the law does not wish poverty to be meddlesome but to entreat. And if, leaving entreaty, it turns to false accusation, it would not deserve to be pitied in judgment. That is why it said, \"You shall not pity a poor man in judgment.\" For one must pity him, not when he is on trial, but when he is entreating. And if he turns entreating into accusing, justice must be put before pity; for it is not just that justice be corrupted.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.250 (PG 78 78:929; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-250)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.251":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΟὐ πλοῦτος οὐ ῥώμη, οὐκ εὐγλωττία, οὐ λαμπρὸν ἢ ὑπέρλαμπρον ἀξίωμα, οὐχ ὁ τῶν ὑπάρχων θρόνος, οὐχ ἀλουργὶς, καὶ διάδημα σεμνύνειν τοὺς ἔχοντας πέφυκεν, ὡς ἀρετὴ καὶ φιλοσοφία. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν οἱ πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων περὶ μὲν ἐκεῖνα ἐπτόηνται, τούτων δὲ ἦττον φροντίζουσιν; Ἐπειδὴ οἱ μὲν τὰ δοκοῦντα πρὸ τῶν ὄντων θηρεύουσιν, οἱ δὲ τὸ αὐτίκα μάλα τοῦ μικρὸν ὕστερον συνοίσοντος προτιμῶσιν · οἱ δὲ τὴν κρίσιν τῶν πραγμάτων διεφθαρμένην ἔχουσιν, οἱ δὲ οὐδ᾽ εἶναι τι μετὰ τόνδε τὸν βίον νομίζουσιν. Ὡς οἱ γε φιλάρετοι, καὶ αὐτὴν καθ᾿ ἑαυτὴν τὴν ἀρετὴν τιμῶσι, καὶ τοὺς μέλλοντας στεφάνους ὀνειροπολοῦντες μετίασιν αὐτήν.","t":"To the same. Not wealth, not strength, not eloquence, not a brilliant or more than brilliant rank, not the prefects' throne, not the purple and the diadem naturally dignify those who have them as virtue and philosophy do. Why, then, are most people excited about those things and care less for these? Because some hunt appearances before realities; some prefer the immediate to what will be useful a little later; some have a corrupted judgment of things; and some do not even think there is anything after this life. But lovers of virtue honour virtue for its own sake and pursue it dreaming of the crowns to come.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.251 (PG 78 78:929; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-251)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.252":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ· · Ἡ δ' ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγεσθε ἀπ' αὐτοῦ. • Λίαν θαυμάζω καὶ ἐκπλήττομαι, πῶς οἱ φιλαμαρτήμονες ἀεὶ ἀποθνήσκοντες, οὐδέποτε τεθνηκέναι νομίζουσι. Διὸ καὶ ζήτημα, ὡς γέγραφας, οἷόν τε εἶναι ἐκεῖνο τὸ πρὸς τοὺς πρωτοπλάστους εἰρημένον. « Ἡ δ' ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπὸ τοῦ ξύλου, θανάτῳ τότε κυρίως ἀποθνήσκει ὅταν τοὺς νόμους παραβαίη, καὶ τὸ ἁμάρτημα ἐργάσοιτο, κἂν δοκοίη ζῇν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μὴ τῇ πείρᾳ, ἀλλά γε τῇ ἀποφάσει, καὶ τῷ δικαίῳ τέθνηκεν · εἰ καὶ δοκοίη μηδέπω εἰς τὰς τῶν νόμων σαγήνας ἐμπεπτωκέναι. Εἱ δὲ καὶ θάνατον τῆς ἀθανάτου ψυχῆς ὁρίζεται τὴν τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἀποφοίτησιν· οὐ γὰρ κατοικήσει ἐν σώματι κατάχρεῳ ἁμαρτίας· καὶ οὕτω νοείσθω. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ σῶμα ζῇ παρούσης ψυχῆς, οὕτω καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ παρόντος τοῦ θείου Πνεύματος · καὶ ὥσπερ ἀναχωρησάσης τῆς ψυχῆς νεκρὸν μένει τὸ σῶμα, οὕτω καὶ ἀποφοιτήσαντος τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος ἀπολέσει ἡ ψυχὴ τὴν μακαρίαν ζωὴν, οὐκ εἰς τὸ μὴ άποθανεῖσθε. » Ὁ γὰρ κακουργὸς καὶ ὁ ἀνδροφόνος. -ἂν ἀναλυομένη, ἀλλὰ θανάτου παντὸς χαλεπωτέραν βιοῦσα ζωήν. « Ἄφες γὰρ, φησὶν ὁ Χριστὸς, τοὺς νεκροὺς θάψαι τοὺς ἑαυτῶν νεκρούς.» Καὶ· «Ὁ υἱός μου οὗτος νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησε. » Τὸ γὰρ λεγόμενον παρά τινων ὅτι πρὸ τῆς τῶν χιλίων ἐτῶν συμπληρώσεως ἐτεθνήκεσαν · γέγραπται γάρ· « Μία ἡμέρα Κυρίου ὡς χίλια ἔτη » οὐκ ἀγνοούμενον πιθανὸν εἶναι μοι δοκεῖ, καὶ τοῖς ἁπλουστέροις μᾶλλον εὐπαράδεκτον.","t":"To Dorotheus, a man of the highest rank. [On what was said by God: \"In the day that you eat of it.\"] I greatly wonder and am astonished how those who love sin, always dying, never think they have died. That is why, as you wrote, that saying to the first-formed is a question: \"In the day that you eat of the tree, you shall die by death.\" For the evildoer and the murderer die properly at the moment they transgress the laws and commit the sin, even if they seem to live. For even if not in experience, yet by the sentence and by justice he is dead, even if he seems not yet to have fallen into the nets of the laws. And if one defines the death of the immortal soul as the departure of the Holy Spirit (for \"he will not dwell in a body enslaved to sin\"), let it be understood in this way too. For as the body lives when the soul is present, so too the soul when the divine Spirit is present; and as, when the soul departs, the body remains dead, so too, when the Holy Spirit departs, the soul will lose the blessed life, not dissolved into non-existence, but living a life harder than any death. \"For leave the dead,\" says Christ, \"to bury their own dead\"; and \"This my son was dead and is alive again.\" As for what some say, that they died before the thousand years were complete (for it is written, \"One day of the Lord is as a thousand years\"), I am aware that it is plausible and more readily accepted by the simpler.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.252 (PG 78 78:931; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-252)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.253":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nπαρά τινων δὲ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων συγγραμμάτων τῶν Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας λόγον, μᾶλλον δὲ εἰ χρὴ εἰπεῖν τἀληθές, λογίδιόν μοι πρώην γεγράφθαι περὶ τοῦ μὴ εἶναι εἰμαρμένην, παρά τινων μὲν ἐνθειασθὲν, εἰς τοῦτο παρά τινων πεπονημένων προκριθὲν, καὶ παρεκάλεσας τοῦτό σοι πεμφθῆναι, πέπομφα αὐτό τοιγαροῦν μὴ ἀπὸ τῆς φήμης ψηφίζου· ἀλλὰ ἀκριβῶς βασανίσας δοκίμασον. Καὶ εἰ μὲν εὖ ἔχει, τῷ Θεῷ ἴσθι· εἰ δὲ δόξει σοι ἐλλιπεῖ γεγράφθαι, τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ ἀσθενείᾳ συγγίνωσκε τῇ μὴ δυναμένῃ ὡς βούλεται φράσαι.,","t":"To Herminus the count. Since you wrote that a discourse, or rather, if I must tell the truth, a little discourse was recently written by me on there being no fate, which was received with enthusiasm by some and preferred by others even to other writings composed on this subject, and you asked that it be sent to you, I have sent it. Do not, then, vote from its reputation, but test it after examining it carefully. If it is good, know that it is God's; if it seems to you deficient, pardon human weakness, which cannot express things as it wishes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.253 (PG 78 78:931; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-253)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.254":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ ῥητόν· ι ῾Ο βλέπων γυναῖκα. › Ἐπειδὴ ἐκ τοῦ ὁρᾶν τὸ ἐρᾶν τίκτεται, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τὸν ἀκολάστως ἑστιῶντα τὰς ὄψεις μοιχὸν εἶναι ἀπεφήνατο, οὐ τὴν πρᾶξιν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἔννοιαν προαναστέλλων, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ φόνου δὲ, ὁ μὲν νόμος τὸν ἀνδροφόνον, ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς καὶ τὸν ὀργιζόμενον τιμωρεῖται. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τῇ ψυχῇ, ὁ δὲ τῇ χειρὶ νομοθετεῖ· καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ συγχωρῆσαι φύναι τὴν ῥίζαν, καὶ τοὺς κλάδους προαναστέλλει. Χαλίνου τοίνυν καὶ τὸν ὀφθαλμὸν καὶ τὸν θυμὸν, ἵνα μὴ ὁ μὲν εἰς μοιχείαν, ὁ δὲ εἰς φόνον σε χειραγωγήσῃ.","t":"To Paul. [On the text \"Whoever looks at a woman.\"] Since love (eran) is born from seeing (horan), Christ declared an adulterer the one who licentiously feasts his eyes, checking in advance not only the act but also the thought. And with murder too, the law punishes the murderer, but Christ also the one who is angry. For the one legislates for the soul, the other for the hand; and by not allowing the root to grow, he checks the branches in advance. Bridle, then, both the eye and anger, so that the one may not lead you to adultery nor the other to murder.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.254 (PG 78 78:933; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-254)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.255":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΜὴ μεταβαλλέτω σε, ὦ ἄριστε, ὡς ἕνα τῶν πολλῶν, εὐημερίας αὖρα· ἀλλὰ φυλαττέτω βέβαιον τοῖς φίλοις ἡ σύντροφος φιλοσοφία. Ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ τοῖς ἀπειροκάλοις καὶ ἀγελαίοις εἴωθε συμβαίνειν · τοῦτο δὲ τοῖς κομιδῇ σοφοῖς, ὧν εἰς τὸν σύλλογον ἐνεγράφης.","t":"To Herminus the count. Let no breeze of prosperity change you, excellent friend, as it does one of the many; but let the philosophy that has grown up with you keep you steadfast for your friends. The former usually happens to the vulgar and common; the latter to the truly wise, in whose company you have been enrolled.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.255 (PG 78 78:933; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-255)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.256":{"o":"ΕΥΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ.\nἘτόλμησα ἂν εἰς τὸν ἀγῶνα τῶν ἐγκωμίων τοῦ θεοφιλοῦς Θεοδοσίου τοῦ ἐπισκόπου κατελθεῖν, εἰ μὴ ἐδεδοίκειν μήποτε ἐνδεῶς εἰπὼν, τῶν προσόντων αὐτῷ ἀγαθῶν ἐλαττώσω τὴν δόξαν. Ἀλλ᾿ ἐπειδὴ πᾶσα λόγου δύναμις παραχωρεῖ τῷ μεγέθει τῆς ὑποθέσεως, εἰκότως καὶ αὐτὸς σιγὴν ἐμαυτοῦ κατεψηφισάμην. Καί τοι γινώσκω, ὅτι ἐὰν ὁ ἐγκωμιαζόμενος ἐκ τῆς ἀληθείας τὴν μαρτυρίαν ἔχῃ, οὐδὲν ἡ τῆς ἀρετῆς κτῆσις καταβλάπτεται ὑπὸ τῆς ἀσθενείας τοῦ λέγοντος. Ἐν γὰρ ταῖς ὑπερβολαῖς οὐχ ὁ ἡττηθεὶς τῆς ἀξίας κατήσχυνεν, ἀλλὰ πλέον ἐλάμπρυνε, δείξας ἑαυτὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ τῶν πραγμάτων μεγέθους καλυφθέντα.","t":"To Eudaemon. I would have dared to enter the contest of praises of Theodosius the bishop, beloved of God, had I not feared that by speaking inadequately I might lessen the glory of the goods he has. But since all power of speech yields to the greatness of the subject, I have rightly condemned myself to silence. And yet I know that if the one praised has the testimony of truth, the possession of virtue is not harmed at all by the weakness of the speaker. For in such excesses the one who fell short of the worth did not disgrace it but made it more brilliant, showing himself overwhelmed by the greatness of the facts.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.256 (PG 78 78:933; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-256)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.257":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον· « \"Οτι καὶ τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὸ ἅγιον διαφθερεῖ σὺν τῷ ἐρχομένῳ ἡγουμένῳ . Τὸ εἰρημένον παρὰ τοῦ ἀγγέλου τῷ Δανιήλ, • Ὅτι καὶ τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὸ ἅγιον διαφθερεῖ σὺν τῷ ἡγουμένῳ [ τῷ ἐρχομένῳ,], εἱ μὲν περὶ ἄλλου τινὸς οἴονται εἰρῆσθαι, ἑρμηνευέτωσαν ὡς βούλονται, τῆς ἀληθείας μηδὲν παραβλαπτομένης. Εἰ δὲ ὁ Χριστὸς ἐστιν ὁ λεγόμενος ἔρχεσθαι κατὰ τὰς Γραφάς· • Εὐλογημένος γὰρ ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι Κυρίου. καί· « Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόμενος, ἢ ἕτερον προσδοκῶμεν; > τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· οὐ μόνον ὁ Πατὴρ πάντα τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὰ σεμνὰ καὶ περίβλεπτα ἀνατρέψει, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ παρ᾿ αὐτῶν ὡς λυτρωτὴς αὐτῶν προσδοκώμενος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ βασιλέως ἐπαρώνησαν, ἄξια τὰ ἐπίχειρα πείσονται Οὐ μόνον γὰρ ἡ πόλις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἅγιον διαφθαρήσεται, τουτέστιν ὁ ναὸς καθαιρεθήσεται. Καὶ θέα τὴν ἀκρίβειαν. Οὐκ εἶπε· Διαφθαρήσεται σὺν τῷ ἡγουμένῳ, ὡς οἴονταί τινες, ἀλλὰ, « Διαφθερεῖ ὁ Πατήρ τὸν ναὸν καὶ τὴν πόλιν, » συμπράττοντος τοῦ ἡγουμένου τοῦ παροινηθέντος δηλονότι παρ' αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ἐπιφανείᾳ. Εἰ δὲ ἀσαφές ἐστι, λελέξεται πάλιν σαφέστερον. Ὁ Θεὸς καὶ ὁ ἡγούμενος, τουτέστιν ὁ Χριστός· « Ἐκ σοῦ, γὰρ, φησὶ πρὸς τὴν Βηθλεέμ, ἐξελεύσεται ἡγούμενος, ὅστις διαφθερεῖ τὴν πόλιν καὶ τὸν νεών. » Ὥστε εἰ καὶ Ῥωμαίοις ἀνήφθη τοὔργον, ἀλλά γε θεήλατος ἦν ἡ ὀργὴ, καὶ μάρτυς Ἰώσηπος, λέγων, « Μὴ προσχαρίζεσθαι Ῥωμαίοις, ὅτι πάντας ἡμᾶς ὁ πρὸς αὐτοὺς πόλεμος διέφθειρεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐκείνων ἰσχύϊ ταῦτα συμβέβηκεν, ἀλλὰ ἡ κρείττων γενομένη αἰτία, τὸ δοκεῖν ἐκείνοις νικᾷν παρέσχε. · Ποία δὲ ἦν ἡ αἰτία; Η δηλονότι τὸ ἁμάρτημα τῆς Ἱερουσαλήμ τὸ εἰς τὸν Σωτῆρα, ὅπερ τὰ Ἰουδαίων πράγματα εἰς γόνυ ἔκλινε, μᾶλλον δὲ ἠφάνισε Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστοῦσιν Ἰουδαῖοι, εἰπάτωσαν δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν αἰχμαλωσίαν νῦν ὑπομένουσιν ἀνακλήσεως ἄμοιρον.","t":"To Paul. [On the saying, \"He will destroy both the city and the sanctuary with the leader who is coming.\"] As for what the angel said to Daniel, \"He will destroy both the city and the sanctuary with the leader who is coming,\" if they think it was said of someone else, let them interpret it as they wish, since the truth is not harmed at all. But if Christ is the one said to be coming according to the Scriptures (\"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,\" and \"Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?\"), it means this: not only will the Father overturn all the venerable and conspicuous things of the Jews, but so will Christ, whom they expected as their redeemer. For since they outraged the King's own Son, they will suffer a worthy recompense. For not only the city but also the sanctuary will be destroyed, that is, the temple will be pulled down. And see the exactness. He did not say, \"It will be destroyed with the leader,\" as some think, but \"The Father will destroy the temple and the city,\" the leader whom they outraged at his first appearing acting with him. If this is unclear, it will be said again more clearly. God and the leader, that is, Christ: \"For from you,\" he says to Bethlehem, \"will come a leader, who will destroy the city and the temple.\" So, even if the work was attached to the Romans, the wrath was sent by God; and Josephus is witness, saying, \"Let no one credit the Romans, because the war against them destroyed us all. For this did not happen by their strength; a greater cause gave them the appearance of victory.\" And what was the cause? Plainly the sin of Jerusalem against the Saviour, which brought Jewish affairs to their knees, or rather destroyed them. And if the Jews disbelieve, let them say for what reason they now endure a captivity without recall.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.257 (PG 78 78:933; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-257)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.258":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ Χαιρήμων ὁ δοκῶν εἶναι διάκονος, παραπλήσιόν ποιεῖ, ὡσπερανεὶ καὶ νόσος ἀνίατος ἐξουσίαν λάβοι μηδενὸς ὧν ὀρέγεται φείδεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐπαγγελλομένοις ἰᾶσθαι, ἐῤῥῶσθαι φράσασα, ἐκ τῶν τὸν θάνατον ὠδινόντων ἑαυτὸν ἑστιάσει. Αλλ' ἐγὼ οὐκ αὐτὸν τοσοῦτον ὡς Εὐσέβιον τὸν τὰ θεῖα αὐτῷ μυστήρια ἐμπιστεῦσαι τολμήσαντα, αἴτιον ἡγοῦμαι τῶν τοσούτων κακῶν. Ὁ γὰρ τὰ σπέρματα παρασχὼν, τῶν φυτῶν δηλονότι αἴτιος.","t":"To Athanasius the presbyter. Even if Chaeremon, the supposed deacon, acts like an incurable disease that has gained licence to spare nothing it reaches for, but, bidding farewell to those who promise to heal it, feasts itself on the things that breed death, I consider not him so much as Eusebius, who dared to entrust the divine mysteries to him, the cause of so many evils. For the one who supplied the seeds is plainly the cause of the plants.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.258 (PG 78 78:935; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-258)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.259":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ,\nἘγὼ τῷ διδασκάλῳ δύο ταῦτα προσεῖναι παντὶ σθένει νομίζω, τήν τε τοῦ βίου καθαρότητα, τὴν τε τοῦ λόγου ἱκανότητα, ἣν σκιάν τις τῶν ἔργων ὀριζόμενος, οὐκ ἄν μοι δοκῇ διαμαρτάνειν τῆς ἀληθείας, ἵνα πῆ μὲν ῥυθμίζῃ τὸν φοιτητὴν, πῆ δὲ σωφρονίζῃ τὸν ἀπειθῆ. \"Ωσπερ γὰρ οἱ γραμματισταὶ τὴν γραφίδα λαβόντες μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ κάλλους τὰ στοιχεῖα χαράττουσι, καὶ τοῖς ἀρτιμαθέσι παρέχουσιν, ἵν᾿ ὡς οἷόν τε μιμήσασθαι δυνηθεῖεν · οὕτω καὶ τοὺς ὑφηγητὰς χρὴ τὴν πολιτείαν τὴν ἑαυτῶν εἰκόνα τινὰ σοφῶς γεγραμμένην τοῖς μαθηταῖς προτιθέναι, ἵν᾿ ὡς οἷόν τε μιμήσωνται. Εἰ δ᾽ ἐκεῖνοι μὴ μόνον βίον ἄληπτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ θαυμάστον ὁρῶντες, οὐκ ἐνάγονται εἰς ἀρετὴν, τοῦτο οὐκ ἔτι τοῦ διδασκάλου τις ὁριεῖται ἔγκλημα, τοῦ μηδὲν παραλείψαντος τῶν ὀφειλόντων πραχθῆναι, ἀλλὰ τῆς τῶν μαθητῶν ῥαθυμίας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ φασί τινες· Δι᾿ ἣν γὰρ αἰτίαν τῷ φόβῳ οὐκ ἀπείργουσι τοὺς φοιτητὰς τῶν ἐγκλημάτων φαμέν· Καὶ τὶς ὁ τοῦ παραπαιδευτοῦ φόβος ἐπιτιμήσαι; Τοῦτο πολλάκις γεγενημένον οὐκ ἴσχυσε. Πεῖσαι τῇ βακτηρίᾳ ; ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἔξεστιν. ᾿Αποκηρύξαι; καὶ τοῦτο ἐξελήλεγκται; Τῆς πόλεως ἐκβαλεῖν; ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τοσούτου γε κύριος. Έπαγγείλασθαι τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν; ἀλλὰ μῦθος εἶναι δοκεῖ τοῖς ῥαθυμοτέροις. ᾿Απειλῆσαι τὴν κρίσιν ; ἀλλὰ γελῶσιν ἀκούοντες Ἐξελάσαι τῆς Ἐκκλησίας; Πρόχειρον μὲν, ἐπανόρθωμα δὲ οὐκ ἔχον. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ παρὰ τοῦ δεῖνος δικαίως κατεψηφισμένῳ πᾶσα ἐφεξῆς ἦν ἡ Ἐκκλησία ἄβατος, καὶ συνηγανάκτουν ἅπαντες τῷ ταύτην θεμένῳ τὴν ψῆφον, ἴσως ἂν ἐκεῖνος σωφρονισθεὶς ἐγνωσιμάχει. Νῦν δὲ ἄμα κατέγνωσταί τις ὑπὸ τούτου, καὶ παρ᾿ ἄλλου πολλάκις θεραπεύεται, καὶ Ἐκκλησία ἑτέρα ἀναπεπταμένη, καὶ δορυφορία καὶ δῶρα, καὶ γίνεται τῷ ἐκβεβλημένῳ χρηματισμός, ἡ μετάστασις. Εἶθ' ὅτι μὲν καταγνωσθεὶς ἐξεβλήθη, οὐ λέγει· ὡς δ᾽ ἑκὼν ἀπεπήδησε, τοῦτο δὲ πλάττεται Κἂν ἔρηταί τις, διὰ τί, λογοποιεῖ καὶ δεινὰ καὶ τὰ τῆς ὑποδεξαμένης δοκοῦντα. Λαβόντες δὲ ταῦτα οὐκ ὀρθῶς βιοῦντές τινες, καὶ ὥσπερ ἀπολογίαν τῶν οἰκείων μὲν εἰ πῆ δὲ τῇ μέν εἰ τῇ δὲ. μελημάτων. ὁ τοῦ παραπαιδευτοῦ ὁ παρὰ τοῦ παιδευτοῦ. σαι. λεκται. ἀλλὰ μῦθος εἶναι δοκεῖ τοῖς ῥαθυμοτέροις; ἀπειλῆσαι τὴν κρίσιν, συνεπήμυνον πάντες. νῦν δὲ ἅμα, νῦν δ᾽ ὅτε. ΙD. 650, καὶ δῶρον, καὶ χρηματισμὸς γίνεται τῷ ἐμβεβλημένῳ ἡ μετάστασις· εἶθ᾿ ὁ μὲν ὅτι και ταγν., εἶναι. νεῖν, παρὸν, τόγε ἐφ' ἡμῖν, σώζειν, ἡνίκα ἔξεστιν. πταισμάτων ταύτην ἔχειν οἰόμενοι, μεγαλύνουσιν, ἐμπιπλῶσι τὰ πάντα ῥημάτων, τοῖς κατεσκευακόσι πρεπόντων. Ἐκ δὲ τούτων ὁ μὲν πταίσας οὐδὲν ἀμείνων καθίσταται· τῷ σωφρονιστῇ δὲ, τὸ δοκεῖν εἶναι μιαρῷ περιγίνεται. Διὰ ταῦτα, ὦ σοφώτατε, καὶ οἱ εὐδόκιμοι τῶν διδασκάλων (ὀλίγοι δέ εἰσιν οὗτοι) ἀπενάρκησαν σωφρονίζειν τοὺς πλημμελοῦντας· ἐπειδὴ οἱ μὴ προσηκόντως εἰς ταύτην εἰσκωμάσαντες τὴν ἀρχὴν (πολλοὶ δὲ εἰσιν οὗτοι ) τὰς τῶν ἄλλων εὐδοκιμήσεις οἰκείας ἡγούμενοι συμφοράς, τῶν εἰκότως ἀγανακτούντων τὰς ψήφους ἀνατρέπειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν, ἵνα μὴ σβεσθῇ ἡ κακία, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπιτρίβοιτο. Περὶ ὧν φορτικώτερα μὲν οἶδα λέξων, ὅμως δ' ἐρῶ. Τάχα πως διόρθωσίς τις παρακολουθήσει. Τί γὰρ ὄφελος ἀπολωλότας θρη Οἱ γὰρ μηδ᾽ ἐν τοῖς ὑπηκόοις ὀφείλοντες τετάχθαι, οὗτοι ἐπιπηδᾷν τῷ διδασκαλικῷ θρόνῳ τολμῶσι, καὶ τοῦ βήματος κρατεῖν οἴονται, οἱ μηδ᾽ ἑαυτῶν κεκρατηκότες, καὶ ἄλλων ἐξηγεῖσθαι νομίζουσιν, οἱ μηδ' ἑαυτῶν ἄρξαι δυνηθέντες, δι' οὓς ἄνω καὶ κάτω γέγονε τὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας πράγματα.","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. I think a teacher must have these two things with all his strength: purity of life and competence in speech (one who defines speech as a shadow of deeds would not, I think, miss the truth), so that he may in one way shape the pupil and in another chasten the disobedient. For just as schoolmasters, taking the stylus, trace the letters with great beauty and give them to beginners, so that they may imitate them as far as they can, so guides too must set before their disciples their own way of life as a kind of image wisely drawn, so that they may imitate it as far as they can. And if the disciples, seeing a life not only blameless but admirable, are not led to virtue, no one will define this as the teacher's fault, since he left nothing undone of what ought to be done, but as the carelessness of the disciples. But since some say, \"For what reason do they not keep the pupils from offences by fear?\", we say: and what fear is there from the tutor? To rebuke? This has often been done and has not prevailed. To strike with the rod? But it is not permitted. To disown? This too has been tried and proved useless. To expel from the city? But he has no such authority. To promise the kingdom of heaven? But it seems a fable to the more careless. To threaten the judgment? But they laugh when they hear it. To drive out of the church? That is ready to hand, but has no power to correct. For if to one justly condemned by a certain bishop every church in turn were closed, and all joined in indignation with the one who passed the sentence, perhaps he would be brought to his senses and acknowledge defeat. But now, as soon as someone is condemned by this one, he is often courted by another; another church is open to him, with a bodyguard and gifts, and the change of place becomes a source of profit to the one expelled. Then he does not say that he was expelled after condemnation, but invents that he leapt away of his own will. And if anyone asks why, he makes up terrible stories, even about the things that seem to belong to the church that received him. Some who do not live rightly, taking this up and thinking to have it as a defence of their own faults, magnify it and fill everything with words befitting those who contrived it. As a result the offender becomes no better, and the one who chastened him gains the appearance of being foul. For this reason, most wise friend, even the esteemed among the teachers (and these are few) have grown numb at chastening offenders, since those who have improperly burst into this office (and these are many), regarding others' good reputations as their own misfortunes, try to overturn the verdicts of those who are rightly indignant, so that vice may not be quenched but even increase. About these I know I shall say rather burdensome things, but I will speak; perhaps some correction will follow. For what use is it to lament the lost, when it is possible, as far as lies with us, to save them while one may? For those who ought not even to be ranked among the subjects dare to leap upon the teacher's throne; and those who have not mastered themselves think to master the tribunal; and those who could not rule themselves think to guide others; through them the church's affairs have been turned upside down.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.259 (PG 78 78:937; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-259)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.26":{"o":"ΚΑΣΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΚατὰ τῶν λεγόντων, εἶναι γένεσιν, ἤτοι εἰμαρμένην, ἢ τὴν λεγομένην τύχην. Οὐκ ἔστιν, ὦ βέλτιστε, δεινὸν, τὸ δεινὰ πράξαντας, δεινὰ καὶ παθεῖν. Τὸ δὲ μηδὲν δεινὸν πράξαντας, δεινὰ παθεῖν, πάντη δεινότατον. Πῶς οὖν τοῖς ἐγκαλοῦσι περὶ τούτου ἀπολογησαίμεθα; Οἶμαι οὐδαμῶς ἄλλως, ἢ περὶ μὲν τῶν πρώτων λέγοντες, ὅτι δικαίως· περὶ δὲ τῶν δευτέρων, ὅτι δοκίμως. Ἡ γὰρ δίκη τοὺς μὲν ἡμύνατο, τοῖς δὲ στεφάνων ὑπόθεσιν προὐξένησεν. Οἱ γὰρ γένεσιν ὁριζόμενοι περὶ ἀμφοτέρων ἀπορήσουσιν ἀποκρίνασθαι. Οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον, οὔτε τὸν ἀναγκασθέντα δρᾶσαί τινα, οὔτε τὸν μηδὲν δράσαντα δεινὸν, δεινὰ παθεῖν. Οἱ δὲ Πρόνοιαν εἶναι διαβεβαιούμενοι, καὶ εὐστομοῦμεν, καὶ εὐσεβοῦμεν, καὶ αἰτίας εὐλόγους λέγομεν.","t":"To Cassius the presbyter. [Against those who say that there is a horoscope, that is, fate, or what is called fortune.] It is not terrible, excellent friend, that those who have done terrible things should suffer terrible things. But that those who have done nothing terrible should suffer terrible things is most terrible of all. How, then, shall we answer those who accuse us about this? In no other way, I think, than by saying of the first that they suffer justly, and of the second that they suffer to be proved. For justice punished the one and procured for the other an occasion for crowns. Those who posit a horoscope will be at a loss to answer about either. For it is not just that the man compelled to do something, or the man who has done nothing terrible, should suffer terrible things. But we who affirm that there is Providence both speak well and act piously, and give reasonable causes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.26 (PG 78 78:747; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-26)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.260":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\n᾿Ανήρ τις οὐ μόνον αἰσχρῶν λημμάτων κρείττων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα τοῖς δεομένοις διανέμων, πυθόμενος ὅτι ἰχθῦς ὀλίγους εἰληφὼς παρά τινος ἐπιορκήσαντος, ἀπολῦσαι αὐτὸν, τόγε ἐπὶ σοὶ, τοῦ ἁμαρτήματος ἐτόλμησας, στενάξας μέγα, τὸ Δημοσθενικὸν ἐκεῖνο ἀπεφθέγξατο, ὡς ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ · καὶ γὰρ εἰ φορτικώτερον εἶναι τὸ ῥηθησόμενον δόξει, λέξω, καὶ οὐκ ἀποκρύψομαι· κατὰ τοῦτό γε αὐτὸ ἄξιον αὐτὸν εἶναι θανάτῳ ζημιῶσαι, ἵνα ἐν ἄδου θῇ τοῖς ἀσεβέσι τοῦτον τὸν νόμον. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μὲν ἐκεῖνος περιαλγὴς γενόμενος ἔφη· ἐμοὶ δ᾽ ἔδοξε καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς παροῦσι μηδὲν ἀπεικὸς εἰρηκέναι. Οὐ γὰρ τὸ σὲ δώροις ἐξευμενισθῆναι, ἀπολύει ἐκεῖνον τοῦ ἐγκλήματος, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀπολαβεῖν τὰ οἰκεῖα τὸν ἐκ τῆς ἐπιορκίας ἀδικηθέντα. Μὴ τοίνυν κέρδους ἕνεκεν αἰσχροῦ ἢ παραποίει ἢ παρερμήνευε τοὺς θείους χρησμούς. Οὐ γὰρ ἀδικεῖν μὲν, προσφέρειν δὲ τοῖς ἱερωμένοις προστάττουσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀδικηθεῖσιν ἀπολογεῖσθαι διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων θεσπίζουσι. Τὸ γὰρ, « Ἐὰν δήσητε, » περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων εἴρηται· καὶ τὸ, « Ἐὰν λύσητε, · περὶ τῶν γνωσιμαχούντων. Ἀπολύεται δὲ τοῦ ἐγκλήματος, οὐχ ὁ τὸν ἱερέα ἐκμειλισσόμενος, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ τὸν ἀδικηθέντα ἐξευμενιζόμενος. Εἰ γὰρ τοῖς ἱερωμένοις νομίζεις δεδόσθαι τὴν τοιαύτην ἐξουσίαν, τῶν πλημμελούντων μὴ σπουδαζόντων ἀποτρίψασθαι τὰ πταίσματα, τυραννικὸς μὲν εἶναι δόξει ὁ χρησμὸς, καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἱερατικὸν κέρδος μόνον ὁρᾷν τῶν δὲ ἀδικηθέντων οὐδένα ποιούμενος λόγον· ὠμότατοι δὲ ἀπανθρωπότατα οἱ τὴν τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἐστεμμένοι λειτουργίαν, μὴ πάντας ἀπολύοντες τῶν ἐγκλημάτων. Ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἔστι ταῦτα, οὐκ ἔστι. Μὴ σαυτὸν παραλογίσῃ, μᾶλλον δὲ μὴ σαυτὸν καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντάς σου εἰς βάραθρον ὥσῃς, μηδὲ τὰ τῶν Γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων κακὰ ἀνανεώσῃς, τῶν παραμυθίας τινὰς τοῖς ἐπιορκοῦσι δι' αἰσχρὸν κέρδος ἐπινοησάντων, καὶ τοὺς παῖδας κατὰ τῶν γονέων ὁπλισάντων, καὶ τὰς θείας παρερμηνευσάντων, καὶ ἀνατρεψάντων ἐντολάς· ἀλλ᾽ εὐαγῶς καὶ εἰλικρινῶς τοῖς διὰ τῶν χρησμῶν θεσμοθετηθεῖσιν ἕπου· οἷς καὶ ὁ ἱερὸς ᾿Απόστολος ἀκολούθως ἔλεγεν· « Οὐ γὰρ δυνάμεθά τι κατὰ τῆς ἀληθείας, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας. » Ἢ ἂν μὲν πλούσιος ᾗ ὁ ἐπιορκήσας, καὶ προσενέγκῃ τῷ ἱερεῖ, ἀπολύεται· ἐὰν δὲ πένης καὶ μὴ προσενέγκῃ, εὐθύνεται. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα οὗ φημι πράττειν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ἐννοεῖν θέμις. Ἐρεῖ γάρ σοι ὁ κριτής· · Ὑπέλαβες ἄν με ὅτι ἔσομαί σοι ὅμοιος; › Καὶ πῶς οἷόν τε; Ὁ γὰρ προστάξας τοῖς ὑπηκόοις δῶρα ἐπ᾿ ἀθώοις μὴ δέχεσθαι, οὐκ ἂν δή που τοὺς ἱερωμένους τούτοις καταῤῥυπαίνεσθαι τοῖς αἰσχροῖς κέρδεσι προσέταττεν. Ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἔφη, ἵνα μετὰ τὴν ἀπολογίαν τῶν ἀποστερηθέντων συνευχόμενοι, καὶ συννηστεύοντες τοῖς πταίσασι, λύσιν αὐτοῖς οὐρανόθεν πορίσοιντο· ἐκεῖνο μηδ᾽ εἰς νοῦν λαμβάνοντες τό· « Δεῦτε, κληρονομήσωμεν ἑαυτοῖς τὸ θυσιαστήριον τοῦ Θεοῦ. » Λειτουργοὶ γάρ εἰσιν, οὐ κοινωνοί· πρέσβεις, οὐ κριταί· μεσίται, οὐ βασιλεῖς. Οἱ γὰρ καὶ περὶ οἰκείων ἁμαρτημάτων, ὡς ἔφη ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, θυσίας προσφέροντες, οὐκ ἂν δήπου ἐξ αὐθεντίας καὶ τοῖς ἁμετανοήτοις, εἰ καὶ πλούσιοι εἶεν, δύναιντ᾿ ἀφεῖναι ἁμαρτίας. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐ τοῖς ἱερωμένοις καπηλεύειν τὰ πράγματα ἐπέτρεψεν, οὐδὲ πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον κέρδος ὁρᾶν ἐθέσπισεν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ τῶν ἀρχομένων συμφέρον πάντα ἐνομοθέτησεν ὁ πάσης ἁγνείας καὶ καθαρότητος, ἀνάκτορον αὐτοὺς εἶναι βουλόμενος, μεμήνυκε μὲν καὶ διὰ τοῦ ἱεροφάντου Μωσέως, μεμήνυκε δὲ καὶ δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ· διὰ μὲν τοῦ νομοθέτου φήσας, ὅτι • Εἴ τις παρακαταθήκην νοθεύσειε, πρῶτον μὲν ἀποδιδότω τὰ ἀφαιρεθέντα, εἶτα ἡκέτω εἰς τὸν νεών, οὐ τὸν ἱερέα, ἀλλὰ τὸν κριτὴν ἐξιλασόμενος· · διὰ δὲ ἑαυτοῦ· « Λάβετε Πνεῦμα ἅγιον· ἄν τινων ἀφῆτε τὰς ἁμαρτίας, ἀφέωνται· καὶ ὧν ἂν κρατῆτε, κεκράτηνται. » Εἰ τοίνυν διὰ τὸ θεῖον Πνεῦμα ταύτην εἰλήφασι τὴν ἐξουσίαν, οἱ δι᾽ ὧν ἁμαρτάνουσι, τοῦτο ἀπελαύνοντες, ταύτην δηλονότι τὴν ἐξουσίαν οὐκ ἔχουσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνοι οἱ διὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος εἰδότες, τίνες μὲν εἰσιν ἀφέσεως, τίνες δὲ κατακρίσεως ἄξιοι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸν ἀνθρώπινον τοῦτο ὑπερβαίνει νοῦν, ὁ Παράκλητος ὁ τῆς θείας οὐσίας καὶ δόξης κοινωνὸς, διδάσκαλος τοῖς ἀξίοις τῆς ὑποδοχῆς αὐτοῦ ἐγίνετο, ὧν ὁ ἀνθρώπινος νοῦς οὐκ ἀφικνεῖτο.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. A man who is not only above shameful gains but also distributes his own goods to the needy, learning that, having received a few fish from a man who had committed perjury, you dared, as far as lay with you, to release him from his sin, groaned deeply and uttered, as it seems to me, that saying of Demosthenes (for even if what will be said seems rather burdensome, I will say it and not hide it): that for this very thing you deserve to be punished with death, so that you may lay down this law for the impious in Hades. He said this in great pain; but to me and all present he seemed to have said nothing unreasonable. For it is not your being propitiated with gifts that releases that man from the charge, but the restoration of his own to the one wronged by the perjury. Do not, then, for shameful gain either falsify or misinterpret the divine oracles. For they do not command people to do wrong and make offerings to the priests, but decree that they make their defence to those wronged by deeds. For \"If you bind\" was said of those who sin, and \"If you loose\" of those who acknowledge their fault. And the one released from the charge is not the one who sweetens the priest, but the one who appeases the one wronged. For if you think such authority has been given to priests, while offenders make no effort to wipe off their faults, the oracle will seem tyrannical and to look only to the priests' gain, taking no account of the wronged; and those crowned with the ministry of the priesthood will be most cruel and most inhuman if they do not release all from their charges. But it is not so, it is not so. Do not deceive yourself, or rather do not thrust yourself and your hearers into the pit, nor renew the evils of the scribes and Pharisees, who for shameful gain devised consolations for perjurers, armed children against their parents, and misinterpreted and overturned the divine commandments; but follow purely and sincerely what was ordained by the oracles, in agreement with which the holy Apostle too said, \"For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth.\" Or is it that if the perjurer is rich and makes an offering to the priest, he is released, but if he is poor and makes none, he is held to account? I do not say it is not right to do this; it is not right even to think it. For the Judge will say to you, \"Did you suppose that I would be like you?\" And how could it be? For the one who commanded his subjects not to accept gifts against the innocent would surely not have commanded priests to be soiled with these shameful gains. But he said this so that, after restitution has been made to those defrauded, praying and fasting with the offenders, they might obtain release for them from heaven; not even taking into their minds the words, \"Come, let us take for ourselves the altar of God as an inheritance.\" For they are ministers, not partners; ambassadors, not judges; mediators, not kings. For those who, as the Apostle said, offer sacrifices even for their own sins could surely not by their own authority forgive the sins of the impenitent, even if they are rich. And that he did not permit priests to trade in these things, nor ordain that they look to their own gain, but legislated everything for the advantage of the ruled, wishing them to be a palace of all purity and cleanness, he showed both through Moses, the revealer of sacred things, and through himself: through the lawgiver, saying, \"If anyone defrauds a deposit, let him first restore what was taken, then come to the temple, propitiating not the priest but the Judge\"; and through himself: \"Receive the Holy Spirit; if you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain them, they are retained.\" If, then, they received this authority through the divine Spirit, those who drive him away by their sins plainly do not have this authority; but those who know through the Holy Spirit who are worthy of forgiveness and who of condemnation. For since this surpasses the human mind, the Paraclete, who shares the divine essence and glory, became the teacher of those worthy to receive him in what the human mind could not reach.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.260 (PG 78 78:939; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-260)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.261":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὭσπερ αἱ ἔχεις τῷ τῆς μητρὸς θανάτῳ, οὕτω καὶ ἁμαρτίαι τῷ τῶν τικτόντων μαιοῦνται ὀλέθρῳ.","t":"To the same. Just as vipers are born by the death of their mother, so sins are delivered by the destruction of those who bear them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.261 (PG 78 78:943; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-261)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.262":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ\nἮκεν εἰς σὲ ὁ φίλος, ὁμηρεύσων ὑπὲρ τοῦ πατρὸς, κἀκεῖνον ἀπολύσων τοῦ δεσμωτηρίου· σύμπραττε τοίνυν αὐτῷ, οὐ χρημάτων ἕνεκεν, ἀλλ᾽ εὐσεβείας καὶ εὐκλείας πρὸς τοῦτον ἀποδυσαμένῳ τὸν ἀγῶνα.","t":"To Heraclius the bishop. Our friend has come to you to be a hostage for his father and free him from prison. Help him, then, not for money, but for the sake of the piety and glory of one who has stripped for this contest.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.262 (PG 78 78:943; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-262)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.263":{"o":"ΑΥΣΟΝΙΟ ΚΟΡΡΗΚΤΩΡΙ.\nΚαλῶς ἂν, ὦ ἐλλογιμώτατε, διοικήσειας τὴν ἀρχὴν, εἰ τοῦ μὲν δικαίου φύλαξ ἀκλινὴς γένοιο, ἴσον δ' ἀπόσχοιο ἀπεχθείας ἀδίκου καὶ χάριτος· καὶ ἐν μὲν τοῖς ἤθεσι τὴν δίκην, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς αἰδῶ, ἐν δὲ τοῖς χείλεσι τὴν πειθώ χορεύουσαν ἔχοις · τὸ δὲ ξίφος ἄχραντον, ὡς ἐνδέχεται, τηρήσειας, ταῖς ἀπειλαῖς τὰ πταίσματα προαναστέλλων.","t":"To Ausonius the corrector. You would govern your office well, most eloquent friend, if you became an unbending guardian of justice, kept equally clear of unjust enmity and of favour, had justice dancing in your character, modesty in your eyes and persuasion on your lips, and kept the sword unstained as far as possible, checking offences in advance by threats.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.263 (PG 78 78:943; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-263)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.264":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· · ᾿Αναπεσὼν ἐκοιμήθης ὡς λέων. › Ἐγὼ, εἰ καὶ παράδοξον εἶναι δόξει τὸ ῥηθησόμενον μεγαλοφροσύνην τὴν μετὰ λόγου φρόνησιν εἶναι, ὁρίζομαι. Οὐ γὰρ εἴ τις μὴ εἴη κόλαξ, τοῦτον ἀλαζόνα γραπτέον· οὐδ᾽ εἴ τις κόλαξ εἴη καὶ ἀγεννής, τοῦτον μετριόφρονα νομιστέον· ἀλλὰ τὸν τὰ πρέποντα μὲν πράττοντα, μὴ φυσώμενον δὲ κατὰ τῶν πέλας, μηδ' αὐτὸν ὑπερτιθέντα ἁπάντων, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῇ προσηκούσῃ τάξει τῇ ἐλευθέροις πρεπούσῃ ἑαυτὸν φυλάττοντα. Μεγαλόψυχον μὲν γὰρ εἶναι χρή, οὐχ ὑπερήφανον· ἀνδρεῖον, οὐ θρασύν· ἐπιεικῆ, οὐ δουλοπρεπῆ· μετριόφρονα, οὐ ταπεινοφροσύνην ὑποκρινόμενον· ἐλευθέριον, οὐκ ἀνδραποδώδη. Οἷος ἦν καὶ ὁ θεοφιλὴς ᾿Αβραάμ ὃς λαφύρων μὲν ὑπερεφρόνει Περσικῶν καὶ σκύλων βαρβαρικῶν· ξενοδοχῶν δὲ, ἁπάντων ταπεινότερος ἦν; τὰ οἰκετῶν διαπραττόμενος, καὶ θείας ὁμιλίας ἀξιούμενος, ἔλεγεν Εγώ εἰμι γῆ καὶ σποδός · · τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὡς ἀληθῶς συναγαγεῖν εἰς ταυτὸ μετριοφροσύνην καὶ ταπεινότητα καὶ ὕψος, καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν ἐλευθεριότητα δεῖξαι ὑπερηφανίας ἀπηλλαγμένην. Οἱ δὲ ταῖς κακίαις τὰ τῶν ἀρετῶν ὀνόματα περιτιθέντες, καὶ ταῖς ἀρεταῖς τὰ τῶν κακιῶν, καὶ πάντα χρήματα μιγνύντες ἵνα ἡ ἀρετὴ δυσδιάγνωστος γένηται, αὐτὴν τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐξοστρακίζειν μοι δοκοῦσιν.","t":"To the same. [On \"Having lain down, you slept like a lion.\"] I, even if what will be said seems paradoxical, define greatness of mind as prudence joined with reason. For one must not register as a boaster anyone who is not a flatterer, nor think modest anyone who is a flatterer and ignoble; but the one who does what is fitting, is not puffed up against his neighbours, and does not set himself above all, but keeps himself in the proper rank that befits the free. One must be magnanimous, not arrogant; brave, not rash; gentle, not servile; modest, not feigning humility; free, not slavish. Such was Abraham, beloved of God, who despised the Persian booty and the barbarian spoils, but, in receiving guests, was humbler than all, doing the work of servants; and, thought worthy of converse with God, he said, \"I am earth and ashes.\" This is truly to bring together modesty, humility and loftiness; this is to show freedom of spirit free of arrogance. But those who put the names of virtues on vices and of vices on virtues, and mix all things together so that virtue becomes hard to recognize, seem to me to banish virtue itself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.264 (PG 78 78:943; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-264)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.265":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἘπὶ μὲν τῶν ἔξωθεν ἀγώνων ἄλλος ἐστὶν ὁ ἐγωνιστὴς, καὶ ἄλλος ὁ κήρυξ, ὁ τοὺς νικῶντας ἀνακηρύττων. Ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν θείων τὸν στεφανίτην, καὶ κήρυκα εἶναι νενομοθέτηται. Μὴ τοίνυν τινὲς τῶν εἰς τὸν διδασκαλικὸν ἱδρυθέντων θρόνον, ὡς ἀγῶνα ἄλλοις διατιθέντες, τῶν ἀγώνων ἔξω εἶναι νομιζέτωσαν μήτ' ἀρκεῖν αὐτοῖς ἡγείσθωσαν τὸ ἐνακηρύττειν τοὺς νενικηκότας, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτοὶ σεμνότητός τε καὶ πάσης ἀρετῆς ἀγωνισταὶ καὶ στεφακίται τυγχάνοντες, καὶ ἀλειφέτωσαν τοὺς ἀγωνιουμένους, καὶ ἀνακηρυττέτωσαν τοὺς νενικηκότας. Εt δὲ θάτερον χρῆναι μόνον προσεἶναι αὐτοῖς νομίζοντες ἑαυτοὺς παραλογίζονται, κωμῳδηθήσονται μὲν παρὰ πάντων, καὶ ἐξευτελισθήσονται ὡς ἄνανδροι ἐλεγχθήσονται δὲ καὶ παρὰ τοῦ Παύλου φράζοντος· « Ὑπωπιάζω μου τὸ σῶμα καὶ δουλαγωγῶ, μήπως ἄλλοις κηρύξας, αὐτὸς ἀδόκιμος γένωμαι., Ὁ δὲ λέγει τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν. Οὐκ εἰς ἀγωνοθέτας μόνον ἐμαυτὸν ἐνέκρινα, οὐδ᾽ ἐς κέρυκας, οὐδὲ τούτοις σεμνύνομαι τοῖς ὀνόμασιν· ἀλλ᾿ ἀξιόνικος ἐν τῇ πολι εἰᾳ ὀφθεὶς καὶ ὀφθῆναι γλιχόμενος τὴν παροῦσαν ἀρχὴν ἐνεχειρίσθην, καὶ ἵνα μὴ καθυβρίσω τὰ τοῖς ἀγωνισταῖς πρέποντα διαπονῶ· οὐ τῷ δόξαι τετιμῆσθαι εἰς ῥαθυμίαν ἀποκλίνων, ἀλλὰ τοῖς πόνοις τὸ εἰκότως τετιμῆσθαι δηλῶν, καὶ τὴν δωρεάν διατηρῶ ἀκέραιον, καὶ τὸ μὴ ἀνέσεσιν, ἀλλ᾿ ἰδρῶσιν ἐμαυτὸν ἐκδιδόναι.","t":"To Apollonius the bishop. In the contests outside, the contestant is one person and the herald who proclaims the victors another. But in the divine contests it is laid down that the crowned victor is also the herald. Let not some, then, of those seated on the teacher's throne think, as though they were arranging a contest for others, that they are outside the contests, nor think it enough for them to proclaim the victors; but, being themselves contestants and crowned victors in dignity and every virtue, let them both train those who are to contend and proclaim those who have won. And if they deceive themselves, thinking that only one of the two need belong to them, they will be mocked by all and despised as unmanly, and refuted by Paul, who says: \"I pummel my body and enslave it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.\" What he says is something like this: \"I have not enrolled myself only among the presidents of the games, nor among the heralds, nor do I pride myself on these names; but, having been seen worthy of victory in my way of life and longing to be seen so, I was entrusted with my present office, and, so as not to outrage what befits contestants, I labour hard, not declining to carelessness because I seem to be honoured, but showing by labours that I am rightly honoured; and I keep the gift intact, and give myself up not to ease but to sweat.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.265 (PG 78 78:945; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-265)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.266":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΣωφροσύνη κυρίως εἴρηται, ἡ ἀντιδιαστελλομένη τῇ μανίᾳ παρὰ τὸ σώας ἔχειν τὰς φρένας. Τοῦτο οὐ μόνοι οἱ ἔξωθεν ἴσασι σοφοί, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ Θεσπέσιος ἠπίστατο Παῦλος. Τοῦ γὰρ ἡγεμόνος εἰρηκότος αὐτῷ. « Μαίνῃ, Παῦλε, τὰ πολλά σε γράμματα εἰς μανίαν περιτρέπει Οὐ μαίνομαι, φησὶ, κράτιστε, ἀλλὰ σωφροσύνης καὶ ἀληθείας ῥήματα ἀποφθέγγομαι, τῇ μανίᾳ τὴν σωφροσύνην ἀντιδιαστείλας, » Καὶ ἄλλοις δὲ πάλιν ἔγραφεν. « Εἴτε ἐξέστημεν, Θεῷ, εἴτε σωφρονοῦμεν, ὑμῖν· ὁ τῇ ἐκστάσει τῶν φρενῶν, τὸ σώας αὐτὰς ἔχειν κάνταῦθα ἀντιδιαστείλας. Σωφροσύνη μὲν οὖν πᾶν τὸ ἀναμάρτητον. Νέμουσι δὲ αὐτῷ τὴν προσηγορίαν κατ' ἐξοχὴν εὖ ποιοῦντές τινες, τῷ τῆς ἁγνείας πράγματι ἐξοχωτάτῳ τῶν ἄλλων ὑπάρχοντι. Εἰ μὲν οὖν τῇ μανίᾳ ἀντιδιασταλείη τὸ καθεστάναι μηνύει· εἰ δὲ τῇ λαγνείᾳ, τὴν ἐγκράτειαν καὶ τὴν ἀγνείαν. ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Ἴσθι, ὦ ἱερὰ κεφαλὴ, ὅτι τὰ παραδείγματα ου κατὰ πάντα λαμβάνεται, καὶ τοῖς προκειμένοις ἀρμόζεται (ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἂν εἴη παραδείγματα, ἀλλὰ ταυτότης), ἀλλὰ χρὴ τὸ χρήσιμον ἡμᾶς, καὶ εἰς ὅ παρείληπται ἐκλεξαμένους, τὸ λοιπὸν ἅπαν χαίρειν ἐᾷν. Καὶ ἵνα ἓν ἢ δύο προβαλλόμενος καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς ἀνατέμω ἑρμηνείας ὁδὸν, ἄκουσον τί φησιν ὁ πατριάρχης περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος· « ᾿Αναπεσὼν ἐκοιμήθη ὡς λέων. » Αρ᾽ οὖν πάντα τὰ τῷ θηρίῳ προσόντα προσαρμόσωμεν τῷ Χριστῷ; Ἄπαγε· ἀλλὰ τὸ ἄμαχον καὶ φοβερὸν, καὶ βασιλικὸν ἐκλαμβάνοντες, τὸ θηριῶδες, καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο πρόσεστι τῷ λέοντι, εὖ ποιοῦντες παριππεύσομεν. Καὶ ὅταν λέγῃ· • ᾿Απαντήσομαι αὐτοῖς ὡς ἄρκτος ἀπορουμένη, » τὸ τιμωρητικὸν μόνον ἐκληψόμεθα. Οὐκ ἄλλο τι τῶν τῇ ἄρκτῳ προσόντων. Οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν λοιπῶν παραδειγμάτων ποιεῖν χρή. Δίδου γὰρ σοφῷ ἀφορμὴν, καὶ σοφώτερος ἔσται.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Sophrosyne, \"soundness of mind,\" is properly so called as opposed to madness, from keeping the mind sound (sos, phren). Not only the wise outside know this, but the divine Paul also understood it. For when the governor said to him, \"You are mad, Paul; your great learning is turning you to madness,\" he said, \"I am not mad, most excellent one, but I speak words of soundness of mind and truth,\" setting soundness of mind against madness. And he wrote again to others, \"If we are out of our mind, it is for God; if we are of sound mind, it is for you,\" here too setting keeping the mind sound against being out of one's mind. Sophrosyne, then, is all sinlessness. But some, rightly, give it the name by pre-eminence to purity, which is the most eminent of the others. If, then, it is set against madness, it denotes composure; if against lust, self-control and purity. [Letter 3.267] To the same. Know, holy head, that examples are not taken in every respect and fitted to the matters in hand (otherwise they would not be examples but identity); we must pick out what is useful and that for which they were adopted, and let all the rest go. And to put forward one or two and open a road of interpretation for the rest, hear what the patriarch says about the Saviour: \"Having lain down, he slept like a lion.\" Shall we, then, apply to Christ everything belonging to the beast? Far from it; but taking the invincible, fearful and royal, we shall rightly ride past the savage and whatever else belongs to the lion. And when he says, \"I will meet them like a bear robbed of her cubs,\" we shall take only the punishing quality, nothing else belonging to the bear. So one must do with the other examples. \"Give an occasion to a wise man, and he will be wiser.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.266 (PG 78 78:945; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-266)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.268":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\n\"Ὅτι κορυφὴ ἀρετῶν ἡ εὐσέβεια. Ἡ συμμετρία τῶν ἀρετῶν τὸ τῆς δικαιοσύνης κάλλος δημιουργεῖ, ὅπερ ἔννοιάν τε ὑπερβάλλει πᾶσαν καὶ σοφίαν, ὁπόση χειρός τε καὶ χρωμάτων. ᾿Αλλ' ὥσπερ ἐπὶ τοῦ σώματος τὸ τυραννικώτερον μέρος τῆς εὐμορφίας τὸ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἐστι κάλλος, οὕτως καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ κορυφαιότατον μέρος τῆς εὐμορφίας ἐστὶν ἡ εὐσέβεια. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἡ συμμετρία τῶν ἀρετῶν συνδράμοι, ὑπέρκαλον γενήσεται τὸ κάλλος.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [That piety is the summit of the virtues.] The proportion of the virtues creates the beauty of righteousness, which surpasses every thought and all skill of hand and colours. But just as in the body the most commanding part of good looks is the beauty of the eyes, so in the soul the very chief part of good looks is piety. And if the proportion of the virtues joins it, the beauty will be surpassingly fair.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.268 (PG 78 78:947; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-268)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.269":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nὍτι χαλεπῶς κακοδοξία, καὶ ἀνόνητοι τῶν ταύτῃ κεκρατημένων οἱ πόνοι. Ἐπειδὴ οἱ κακῶς δογματίσαντες θανάτου μείζονα τιμωρίαν τοῖς ἀπερισκέπτως πιστεύσασιν ἔτεκον, ἔστω τοῖς βεβλημένοις ἄριστον φάρμακον ἡ μετάγνωσις.","t":"To Paul. [That wrong belief is a grievous thing, and the labours of those overcome by it are unprofitable.] Since those who have taught wrongly have bred for those who believed them without consideration a punishment greater than death, let a change of mind be the best medicine for those who have been struck.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.269 (PG 78 78:949; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-269)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.27":{"o":"ΑΓΑΘΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς ἁγίας Τριάδος. Τὰ μὲν τὸν ἑνικὸν ὑπερβαίνοντα ἀριθμὸν ἐν τῇ ἱερᾷ Γραφῇ, τῆς τῶν ὑποστάσεων διαφορᾶς ἐστι παραστατικά· τὰ δ᾽ ἑνικῶς ἐξενηνεγμένα, τῆς ταυτότητος τῆς φύσεως. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ εἴρηται, ἵνα Σαβέλλιος καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐπιστομισθῶσι· τὰ δ᾽ ἵνα ῎Αρειος καὶ Εὐνόμιος, καὶ Ἕλληνες στηλιτευθῶσιν. Οἱ γὰρ πλατύνοντες μὲν εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν Τριάδα τὸν τῶν ἰδιοτήτων ἀριθμὸν, συστέλλοντες δὲ εἰς μίαν οὐσίαν, ὀρθότατα δογματίζουσι, καὶ ταῖς τῶν οὐρανίων χρησμῶν ἔπονται διδασκαλίαις, μήτ᾽ εἰς πολυθείαν διὰ τῆς φύσεως διαφορὰν ἐκπίπτοντες, μετ' εἰς Ἰουδαϊσμὸν, διὰ τὴν τοῦ ἑνὸς προσώπου σύστασιν όλισθαίνοντες","t":"To Agathus the presbyter. [On the holy Trinity.] What in holy Scripture exceeds the singular number points to the distinction of the hypostases; what is expressed in the singular points to the identity of the nature. The former were said so that Sabellius and the Jews might be silenced; the latter so that Arius and Eunomius and the Greeks might be exposed. For those who expand the number of the properties into the holy Trinity, but contract them into one essence, teach most rightly and follow the teachings of the heavenly oracles, neither falling into polytheism through a difference of nature nor slipping into Judaism through the compression into one person.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.27 (PG 78 78:747; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-27)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.270":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\n᾿Αποδέχομαι μέν σε τῆς περὶ τὴν πόλιν εὐνοίας, ἐκεῖνο δὲ παραινέσαι δίκαιον ψήθην, μὴ θρήνοις, ἀλλ᾽ εὐχαῖς αὐτὴν ἀνακτήσασθαι Εἰ γὰρ καὶ, ὡς γέγραφας, Αμμωνίῳ θανόντι συντέθνηκεν ἡ πόλις, ἀλλ᾽ ἐλπίς ἐστι, τῆς θείας προηγουμένως βοηθούσης ῥοπῆς, πάλιν αὐτὴν ἀναστῆναι. Ὄντως γὰρ, ἔφης, εὐανδρίᾳ πρώην καὶ χρήμασι κομῶσα καὶ ἀρετῇ κεκοσμημένη, διὰ τὰς ἐκείνου τοῦ ἀοιδίμου εὐχὰς, νῦν εἰς τοσαύτην κατηνέχθη πενίαν, καὶ σωμάτων, καὶ χρημάτων, καὶ οἰκοδομημάτων, ὡς τῶν ὑπολειφθέντων τοὺς μὲν ἀποπτῆναι τῆς πατρίδος, τοὺς δὲ τυπτομένους ἐν δεσμωτηρίοις ἀποθανεῖν· τοῦ δοκοῦντος ἡγεῖσθαι, μηδεμίαν ποιουμένου πρόνοιαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐντρυφῶντος μὲν ἀφ᾽ ὧν οὐ θέμις, τὰς ἀναγκαίας τῶν πενήτων τροφὰς εἰς ἰδίας φιλοτιμίας ἀναλίσκοντος· πραγματευομένου δὲ τὰς ἀλλοτρίας συμφοράς, καὶ μήτε δάκρυον αἰδουμένου ἐν τοσαύτῃ κακῶν ἀνάγκῃ, μήτε χεῖρα ὀρέγοντος. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν τοιαῦτα καταθρηνῶν γέγραφας καὶ παρακέκληκας ὥστε ἡμᾶς αὐτῷ γράψαι, ἴσθι ὅτι πᾶσα ἰατρικὴ τέχνη ἥττηται τῷ νοσήματι τἀνδρός. Πολλὰ γὰρ καὶ προσηνῆ καὶ δραστήρια γράμματα δεξάμενος, ἀπώνατο οὐδέν. Διὸ καὶ τὴν σιγὴν λοιπὸν τὴν πρὸς αὐτοὺς τετιμήκαμεν. Εἰ τοίνυν δύναιο δι' εὐχῶν κατορθῶναί τι σαυτῷ τε καὶ τῇ πόλει, ἀφέμενος τὸν θρῆνον, ἔχου τάχα πως ὁ καὶ τὰ ἀνήκεστα ἰώμενος πάθη, ποιήσει καὶ αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς τοσαύτης μανίας ἀνενεγκεῖν, καὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐπὶ γόνυ κειμένην, μᾶλλον δὲ, ὡς ἔφης, τεθνηκυῖαν ἀναστῆναι.","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. I approve your goodwill toward the city, but I thought it right to advise you to restore it not by laments but by prayers. For even if, as you wrote, the city died with Ammonius when he died, there is hope that, with divine help leading the way, it will rise again. For truly, you said, once abounding in good men and money and adorned with virtue through the prayers of that renowned man, it has now been brought to such poverty of persons, money and buildings that of those left some have fled their homeland and others have died beaten in prisons, while the one who seems to lead takes no thought for it, but lives luxuriously on what is not lawful, spending the necessary food of the poor on his own ambitions, trading in others' misfortunes, and neither respecting a tear in such a pressure of evils nor stretching out a hand. Since, then, lamenting such things, you have written and asked us to write to him, know that every art of healing has been defeated by the man's disease. For having received many letters, both gentle and forceful, he profited nothing. That is why we have now honoured silence toward them. If, then, you can achieve something for yourself and the city by prayers, leave lamenting and hold to them. Perhaps he who heals even incurable passions will make him recover from such great madness, and make the city, which lies on its knees, or rather, as you said, is dead, rise again.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.270 (PG 78 78:949; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-270)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.271":{"o":"ΑΦΡΟΔΙΣΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ πολιτείας, ὅτι ἀπροσωπόληπτα τὰ θεῖα χαρίσματα. Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας· Δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν οὐ πᾶσιν ἡ θεία ἐφίπταται χάρις, ἴσθι, ὦ θαυμάσιε, | ὅτι] ἐπειδὴ τὴν προαίρεσιν ἐξετάζουσα πρῶτον οὕτως ἐπιφοιτᾷ. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ χάρις ἐστὶν, οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἐκχεῖται, ἀλλὰ τὰ μέτρα παρὰ τῶν δεχομένων λαμβάνουσα τοσοῦτον ἐπιῤῥεῖ, ὅσον ἂν εὔρῃ σκεῦος πίστεως αὐτῇ προσενεχθέν. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ τὰ παρ' ἡμῶν πρῶτον ἐζήτει πᾶσιν ἂν ἐπέπτη. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὴν προαίρεσιν ἐξετάζει, καὶ οὕτω παραγίνεται, ὡς καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἀριστέως Παύλου · • Σκεῦος γάρ μοι, φησὶν, ἐστὶν ἐκλογῆς οὗτος · · τοῖς μὲν ἐπιφοιτᾷ, καὶ παραμένει, τῶν δὲ ἀποφοιτᾷ· εἰς δὲ τοὺς οὐδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν καθίεται.","t":"To Aphrodisius the presbyter. [On the way of life: that the divine gifts are without partiality.] Since you have written, \"For what reason does divine grace not fly to all?\", know, admirable friend, that it is because it first examines the will and then visits. For even if it is grace, it is not poured out at random; but taking its measures from those who receive it, it flows in as much as it finds a vessel of faith brought to it. For if it did not first seek our part, it would have flown to all. But since it examines the will and so comes, as also in the case of the champion Paul (\"For he is a chosen vessel to me,\" he says), it visits some and remains, departs from others, and does not descend upon others at all.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.271 (PG 78 78:949; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-271)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.272":{"o":"ΚΥΡΩ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΕἰ τὸ μὴ συμμαίνεσθαι αὐτῷ μανίαν ἡγεῖται καὶ καλεῖ Εὐσέβιος, ὡς γέγραφας, ὁ ἐπίσκοπος, μὴ θορυβηθῇς. \"Αμεινον γὰρ νήφοντα δοκεῖν μεθύειν, ἢ μεθύοντα δοκεῖν νήφειν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας ἐκβακχευθεὶς κατὰ κράτος ἐχειρώθη, πάντας παραφρονεῖν βούλεται, ἵνα τοὺς ἐλέγχους ὧν παρανόμως δρᾷ διαφύγοι.","t":"To Cyrus the monk. If Eusebius the bishop, as you wrote, considers and calls it madness not to be mad along with him, do not be disturbed. For it is better to seem drunk while sober than to seem sober while drunk. For since, carried away by vice, he has been utterly overcome, he wants everyone to be out of their minds, so that he may escape refutation for what he does lawlessly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.272 (PG 78 78:951; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-272)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.273":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nΕίθε ἦλθες συμμεθέξων τοῦ ἄθλου, καὶ τοῦ στεφάνου ἀπολαύσων, καὶ τῆς ἀναῤῥήσεως κοινωνήσων. Φίλον γὰρ ἐρῶντα τῆς οὐρανίου φιλοσοφίας, εἶτ᾿ ὀλίγον ἀπονυστάξαντα παραινέσει καὶ προτροπῇ, τῆς θείας ῥοπῆς προηγουμένως βοηθησᾶσης, ἐπανηγάγομεν Καὶ νῦν πανηγυρίζοντες ᾄδομεν τὸ ἐπινίκιον μέλος, καὶ λόγων κρατῆρα κεράσαντες, λογικά τε ἐδέσματα παρασκευάσαντες, ἐστιῶμεν τοὺς φίλους. Ἦκε τοιγαροῦν καὶ ἡμῖν συνησθησόμενος. κἀκείνοις συναγαλλιασόμενος, καὶ τοῖς ἐπιτηδείοις συνευφρανθησόμενος, καὶ τῇ ἀρετῇ συσκιρτήσων, τῇ τε κακίᾳ ἐπιτιμήσων, ᾗ τοσαύτη ἀναισχυντία πρόσεστιν, ὡς καὶ τοῖς φεύγουσιν αὐτὴν ἐπιπηδᾷν.","t":"To Apollonius the bishop. Would that you had come to share in the contest, enjoy the crown and take part in the proclamation. For with divine help leading the way, we have brought back by exhortation and encouragement a friend who loved the heavenly philosophy but then dozed off a little. And now, keeping festival, we sing the victory song, and mixing a bowl of words and preparing rational dishes, we feast our friends. Come, then, to share our pleasure, to rejoice with them, to be glad with our intimates, to leap for joy with virtue and to rebuke vice, which has such shamelessness that it leaps even upon those who flee it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.273 (PG 78 78:951; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-273)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.274":{"o":"ΑΦΡΟΔΙΣΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤῆς σοφίας Ἰησοῦ, εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον· · Μὴ ζήτει γενέσθαι κριτής. » Μάλα θαυμάζω πῶς καὶ τὰ λίαν σαφῆ, ἀσαφῆ εἶναι πολλοῖς δοκεῖ Τὸ γάρ· « Μὴ ζήτει γενέσθαι κριτὴς, » οὐδὲν ποικίλον ἔχει, οὐδὲ σοφὸν, ἀλλὰ διαῤῥήδην βοᾷ. « Ἐπειδὴ δυσδιάγνωστόν ἐστι τὸ δίκαιον. » Πολλοὶ γὰρ διὰ βραδυτῆτα διανοίας, οὐκ ἐφικνοῦνται τούτου· πολλοὶ δὲ δι᾽ ὀξύτητα μὲν διανοίας ἐφικνοῦνται, διὰ δὲ χρήματα, ἢ φόβον, ἢ αἰδὼ, ἢ φιλίαν, ἢ ἔχθραν, παραφθείρουσι τοῦτο. Σὺ σαυτὸν μὴ ἐπίῤῥιπτε τοιούτῳ πράγματι, ὅ ἔργον μὲν ἐστι καταλαβεῖν· τὸ δὲ εὑρόντα μὴ διαφθεῖραι, ἐργωδέστερον τυγχάνει. ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΩ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΕΥ-","t":"To Aphrodisius the presbyter. [From the Wisdom of Jesus, on what is written: \"Do not seek to become a judge.\"] I greatly wonder how even very clear things seem unclear to many. For \"Do not seek to become a judge\" has nothing intricate or subtle but cries out plainly: \"Since what is just is hard to discern.\" For many through slowness of mind do not attain it; and many through sharpness of mind attain it, but corrupt it through money, fear, respect for persons, friendship or enmity. Do not throw yourself into such a matter, which is a task to grasp, and a harder task, once found, not to corrupt.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.274 (PG 78 78:951; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-274)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.275":{"o":"ΣΤΑΘΙΟ.\nΤὰ παρὰ πάντων σχεδὸν ἀνθρώπων συμφώνως περὶ ὑμῶν ἀπαγγελλόμενα, ὦ τί ὑμᾶς καλέσας ἀξίως ὀνομάσω; οὐ συγχωρεῖ με ἠρεμεῖν, καίτοι βουλόμενον· ἀλλὰ καθάπερ κέντρα νύττει μου τὴν ψυχήν, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ γράφειν διεγείρει. Φείσασθε τοίνυν ἑαυτῶν, καὶ μετανοήσατε. Ιερωσύνης γὰρ ἀξίωμα τοῖς ἀναξίως τῆς τιμῆς ζῇν προῃρημένοις προσθήκη κολάσεως γίνεται.","t":"To Martinianus, Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius. What almost all people report with one voice about you (what fitting name shall I call you?) does not let me keep quiet, though I wish to; but it pricks my soul like goads and rouses me to write. Spare yourselves, then, and repent. For the dignity of the priesthood becomes an addition to punishment for those who have chosen to live unworthily of the honour.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.275 (PG 78 78:953; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-275)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.276":{"o":"ΑΦΘΟΝΙΩ.\nΕἱ μὲν ἐν τοῖς βιωτικοῖς πράγμασιν εὐδόκιμος φανεῖσθαι ποθεῖς, ἄλλους ζήτει τοὺς συμβουλεύσοντας· ἐγὼ γὰρ καὶ ἀποτρεψαίμην· κινδύνους γὰρ οὐ μόνον ἀνωφελεῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ σφαλεροὺς καὶ εἰς θάνατον τελευτῶντας ὠδίνουσιν. Εἰ δ᾽ ἐν τοῖς κατὰ Θεὸν, αὐτὸς, καὶ μὴ κληθεὶς, ἧκον ἂν ἐπὶ τὴν παραίνεσιν, οὗ φημι κεκλημένος. Εἰ βούλοιο τοίνυν λάμψαι, καὶ πείθοιο τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ γνώμῃ, ἐκεῖνα φαίνοιο πράττων, ἃ τοῖς ἁγίοις σε ἁμιλλᾶσθαι παρασκευάσει. Τῶν γὰρ τῇδε βραχὺς ἦν αὐτοῖς ὁ λόγος, τῶν δὲ μετὰ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίαν, πολύς · καὶ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον βλέποντες τὸν σκοπὸν, ἅπαντα ἔπραττον.","t":"To Aphthonius. If you long to appear esteemed in worldly affairs, look for others to advise you; for I would even turn you away from it, since such things breed dangers not only useless but also perilous and ending in death. But if in the things of God, I would have come to advise you even uncalled, let alone called. If, then, you wish to shine and are persuaded by my opinion, be seen doing those things that will make you rival the saints. For they took little account of things here and much of those after their departure, and did everything looking to that goal.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.276 (PG 78 78:953; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-276)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.277":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον περὶ τοῦ ἄρχοντος, « \"Ὅτι δικαίως τὸ δίκαιον διώξῃ. Τοὺς ἀπὸ μὲν ἀρετῆς ἀρχομένους, εἰς δὲ κακίαν τελευτῶντας, ἀζήλους καὶ ταλαιπώρους ἡγητέον. Οὗτοι δὲ εἰσιν οἱ ἀπὸ μὲν τῆς τῶν πενήτων προστασίας προοιμιαζόμενοι, εἰς δὲ τὸν ἴδιον χρηματισμὸν καταλήγοντες. Οὓς ἀναστέλλων ὁ θεῖος χρησμός φησι· · Δικαίως διώξῃ τὸ δίκαιον. › Οὐ γὰρ χρή τῇ δικαίᾳ τῶν πενήτων φροντίδι ὁπλιζομένους, αὐτοὺς μὲν ἀποστερεῖν ἐκείνους, τοὺς δι' οὓς ὡπλίσθησαν, σφετερίζεσθαι δὲ τὰ ἐκείνων.","t":"To Paul the presbyter. [On what is written about the ruler: \"You shall pursue justly what is just.\"] Those who begin from virtue but end in vice must be thought unenviable and wretched. These are those who begin with the protection of the poor but end in their own money-making. Checking them, the divine oracle says, \"You shall pursue justly what is just.\" For those armed with the just care of the poor must not rob those for whose sake they were armed and appropriate their goods.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.277 (PG 78 78:953; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-277)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.278":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΔιὰ τί, ὁ μὲν Φαρισαῖος μεγαληγορήσας κατεκρίθη, ὁ δὲ Ἰὼβ πλείονα καὶ μείζονα μεγαφωνήσας ἐπῃνέθη. Θαυμάζειν ἔφης καὶ ἐκπλήττεσθαι, πῶς ὁ μὲν Φαρισαῖος μεγαληγορήσας προσέκρουσεν, ὁ δὲ Ἰὼβ πλείονα καὶ μείζονα εἰρηκὼς ηὐδοκίμησεν. \"Ακουε τοίνυν συντόμως· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄλλως δυναίμην. Ὁ μὲν μηδενὸς παρακινοῦντος, μηδὲ ἐρεθίζοντος, μεγαληγορῶν, καὶ τῆς οἰκουμένης ἁπάσης φρονῶν μεῖζον ὁ Φαρισαῖος, εἰκότως προσκρούει, ὑπερηφανίαν γὰρ ἐνόσει. Ὁ δὲ ἐν μὲν τῷ εὐδοκιμεῖν κρύπτων τὰ οἰκεῖα πλεονεκτήματα, ἐν δὲ τῷ κακηγορεῖσθαι [φράζοντος] φράζων πρὸς τὸ ἀπολύσασθαι τὰ ἐπιφερόμενα ἐγκλήματα, ὥσπερ ὁ ἀοίδιμος, καὶ πάσης εὐφημίας κρείττων πεποίηκεν Ἰὼβ, πάσης αἰτίας ἔξω καθέστηκεν, εἰς τοὺς οὐ δεόντως κακηγορήσαντας, τῆς αἰτίας παλινδρομούσης· ψυχρὸν μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἔστι καὶ δοκεῖ τὸ σεμνύνειν ἑαυτόν· καὶ εἰκότως δοκεῖ, μηδεμιᾶς ἀνάγκης ἐκβιαζομένης· εἰ δέ τις ἀκούων ἃ μὴ προσῆκεν, εἰς τοιούτους ἄκων ἐμπέσοι λόγους, τοῖς τὴν ἀνάγκην κατεσκευακόσι καὶ ἡ αἰτία προστρίπτεται. Διόπερ καὶ ἡ θεία ψῆφος τὸν μὲν ἑαυτὸν μηδενὸς παροινοῦντος δικαιώσαντα, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων καταψηφισάμενον, καὶ μηδὲ τὸν παρόντα τελώνην αἰδεσθέντα, οὐκ ἀπεδέξατο· τὸν δὲ ἐξ ἀνάγκης εἰς τοῦτο ἀχθέντα (τί γὰρ τῶν ἐρεθίσαι δυναμένων οἱ φίλοι παραλελοίπασι;) μεγίστοις ἐγκωμίοις ἐστεφάνωσεν.","t":"To Hierax the presbyter. [Why the Pharisee was condemned for boasting, while Job was praised though he spoke more and greater things.] You said that you wonder and are astonished how the Pharisee, boasting, gave offence, while Job, saying more and greater things, was esteemed. Hear, then, briefly; for I could not do otherwise. The Pharisee, boasting with no one provoking or irritating him and thinking himself greater than the whole world, rightly gave offence; for he was sick with arrogance. But the one who in good repute hid his own excellences, and when slandered spoke of them to clear himself of the charges brought against him, as the renowned Job, above all praise, did, stands outside all blame, the blame running back upon those who slandered him improperly. For to praise oneself both is and seems cold, and rightly seems so when no necessity compels; but if someone, hearing what was not fitting, falls unwillingly into such words, the blame is laid on those who created the necessity. That is why the divine verdict did not accept the one who justified himself when no one had insulted him, condemned all others, and did not even respect the tax collector present; but it crowned with the highest praises the one brought to this by necessity (for what did his friends leave out of all that could provoke him?).","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.278 (PG 78 78:953; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-278)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.279":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\nὭσπερ οἱ ἐπιστήμονες τῶν ἰατρῶν ἐν τοῖς προοιμίοις τῶν παθῶν οὐ ῥᾳδίως προσφέρουσι βοηθήματα, διὰ τὸ τὴν ἐπιφορὰν τοῦ ῥεύματος ἐξυδαροῦν τὰ προσφερόμενα φάρμακα· ἀλλ᾽ ἐνδόντες ὀλίγον λωφῆσαι τὰ πάθη, οὕτως ἐπὶ τὴν ἰατρικὴν βαδίζουσιν· οὕτως οὐδ᾽ ἀκμαζούσης τῆς λύπης δεῖ τῷ ὑπὸ ταύτης μεθύοντι ἐπιπλήττειν· εἰ δὲ μὴ λήσομεν τὸν λόγον, ὥσπερ κολλούριον ἄχρηστον καθιστῶντες, ἀλλὰ συλλυπηθέντες βραχὺ καὶ ἐνδόντες ὀλίγον ῥαῖσαι τὸ πάθος· οὕτως ἐπὶ τὴν θεραπείαν ὁδεῦσαι. Οὗ δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς χάριν βραδύτερον ἐπὶ τὴν θεραπείαν τὴν σὴν ἐληλύθαμεν. Ανάνευσον τοιγαροῦν, ὦ φίλος, ἐκ τῆς ἀκράτου λύπης, ἐννοῶν ὅτι οὔτε μόνος, οὔτε πρῶτος τοῦτο πέπονθας· ἀλλὰ κοινόν ἐστι πάθος, καὶ ὅσον οὐδέπω καὶ ἡμεῖς τὴν αὐτὴν βαδιούμεθα ὁδὸν, λόγον τῶν πεπραγμένων ὑφέξοντες.","t":"To Peter. Just as skilled physicians do not readily apply remedies at the onset of illnesses, because the onrush of the flux dilutes the medicines applied, but let the illnesses abate a little and then proceed to treatment, so one must not rebuke someone drunk with grief while it is at its height; otherwise we shall make our word like a useless eye-salve; but, grieving with him a little and letting the suffering ease a little, then go on to the cure. That is why we too have come rather late to your healing. Lift yourself up, then, friend, from undiluted grief, considering that you are neither the only one nor the first to suffer this; it is a common suffering, and very soon we too shall go the same road, to give account of what we have done.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.279 (PG 78 78:955; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-279)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.28":{"o":"ΑΦΘΟΝΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nἈπὸ τῶν ὁμολογουμένων τὰ ἀμφίβολα χρὴ κρίνεσθαι, οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀμφιβόλων τὰ ὁμολογούμενα. Οἷόν τι λέγω· ὁπηνίκα ἀπὸ τοῦ Βαβυλωνίου τὸ ὄναρ τῆς εἰκόνος ἀπέπτη, καὶ ἐζήτει μαθεῖν οὐ μόνον τὴν ἑρμηνείαν τοῦ δειχθέντος, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴν τὴν ὄψιν, καὶ πάντες ἠπόρησαν, τότε ὁ Δανιὴλ οὐ πρῶτον τὰ ζητούμενα ἔφη, πρὶν περὶ τῶν δήλων ποιήσασθαι τὴν ἐξήγησιν· τὰ γὰρ κατὰ διάνοιαν αὐτῷ βουληθέντα ὑφηγησάμενος, ἀξιόπιστον ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἀνύποπτον περὶ τῶν ἀμφισβητουμένων καθίστη. Ἡ γὰρ περὶ τῶν ὁμολογουμένων διδασκαλία, τὴν τοῦ πλάττεσθαι τὰ λεγόμενα κατηγορίαν ἀνήρει,","t":"To Aphthonius the bishop. Doubtful things should be judged from things agreed, not things agreed from doubtful ones. I mean something like this. When the dream of the image had flown from the Babylonian and he sought to learn not only the interpretation of what was shown but the vision itself, and all were at a loss, Daniel did not speak of what was sought before he had explained what was plain. By setting out what the king had been thinking in his mind, he made himself trustworthy and above suspicion about what was in dispute. For his teaching about the things agreed removed the charge that what he said was invented.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.28 (PG 78 78:749; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-28)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.280":{"o":"ΕΫΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἘχθροὺς μὲν μὴ ἔχειν τοὺς φιλαρέτους, οἶμαι ἀδύνατον· δυνατὸν δὲ τὴν ἔχθραν καλῶς μεταχειρίσασθαι. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ οὐ πταίουσι φιλοσοφοῦντες, ἑαυτοὺς μὲν ὠφελοῦσιν, ἐκείνους δὲ ἀμύνονται· εἰ δὲ πταίουσιν, ὠφελοῦνται παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν. Πολλάκις γὰρ προσπεσοῦσα λοιδορία, νόσον ψυχῆς ἢ ἀγνοουμένην, ἢ ἀμελουμένην ἐθεράπευσε. Δεῖ γὰρ τοῖς εὐδοκίμοις, ἢ γνησίων φίλων, ἢ διαπύρων ἐχθρῶν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ νουθετοῦντες, οἱ δὲ λοιδοροῦντες ἀποτρέπουσι τῶν πταισμάτων. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ νῦν ἡ φιλία ἰσχνόφωνος, μᾶλλον δ᾽ ἄφωνός ἐστι τοῦ παῤῥησιάζεσθαι καὶ τὸ μὲν στωμύλον αὐτῆς καὶ θωπευτικὸν, λάλον ἐστὶ καὶ γεγωνόφωνον· τὸ δὲ νουθετοῦν καὶ ἐπιπλῆττον ἄφωνον· καὶ ἀκουστέον παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν τὴν ἀλήθειαν, καὶ διορθωτέον.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. For lovers of virtue not to have enemies is, I think, impossible; but it is possible to handle enmity well. If they do not stumble while practising philosophy, they help themselves and take vengeance on their enemies; if they stumble, they are helped by their enemies. For abuse that falls on one has often healed a disease of the soul either unknown or neglected. For the esteemed need either genuine friends or ardent enemies: the former turn them from faults by admonishing, the latter by abusing. And since now friendship is weak-voiced, or rather voiceless, in speaking frankly, while its chattering and flattering side is talkative and loud, and its admonishing and rebuking side silent, one must even hear the truth from one's enemies and correct oneself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.280 (PG 78 78:955; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-280)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.281":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΟὐδὲν κολάκων οἶμαι ἀργαλεώτερον οἳ τῆς τῶν πλουσίων γλώττης ἀπηρτημένοι, ὀμνύουσι μὲν ὅτι πάντων ἄριστον, εἰ προέλοιντό τι ἐκεῖνοι καὶ τῶν ἀτοπωτάτων θαυμάσαι, κακίζουσι δὲ ἡ τάχος, εἰ καὶ αὐτὴν ἐπιχειρήσουσι κακῦναι τὴν ἀρετήν. Χρὴ τοιγαροῦν τοὺς ἐχέφρονας φεύγειν καὶ τὸ κολακεύειν καὶ τὸ κολακεύεσθαι. \"Αμφω γὰρ, ἵνα παρῶ τὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων γέλωτα, καὶ κακίαν ἀνήκεστον, καὶ τιμωρίαν ἀνύποιστον ὠδίνει.","t":"To the same. Nothing, I think, is more grievous than flatterers, who, hanging on the tongues of the rich, swear that something is the best of all if those men choose to admire even the most absurd things, and promptly disparage even virtue itself if those men try to disparage it. The sensible, then, must flee both flattering and being flattered. For both, to pass over people's laughter, breed incurable vice and unbearable punishment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.281 (PG 78 78:957; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-281)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.282":{"o":"ΑΡΧΟΝΤΙΩ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΩ.\nΜάλα ἀκριβῶς οἶδα, ὅτι εἴ σε ἐροίμην, πότερον ἐγὼ τὴν σύνεσιν ἀμείνων, ἢ Παῦλος · αὐτὴν τὴν ἐρώτησιν εἰς ἀλαζονείαν θήσεις. Πῶς οὖν ὁ μὴ ἴσχυσεν ἐκεῖνος παρ' ἐμοῦ ζητεῖς κατορθωθῆναι; Εἰ γὰρ ἐκείνῳ τῷ ὑποπτέρῳ γεωργῷ (ἵνα τοὺς καθ᾿ ἕνα παραλείψω, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἐπυροῦτο) καὶ τὸ Γαλατῶν γένος ἐξεπολεμήθη εἰς Ἰουδαϊσμὸν ἀποκλῖναι· καὶ οἱ ἐκ τῆς ᾿Ασίας οὐ προσέσχον, καὶ οἱ ψευδαπόστολοι διαπρύσιον ἐπολέμουν μάχην, καὶ οὐδεὶς αὐτὸν αἰτιᾶται· ἀλλ᾿ ἀπὸ τῆς γνώμης στεφανοῖ, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν ἐμὲ αἰτιᾷ, τὸν, ὡς φὴς, πολλοὺς μὲν εἰς ἀρετὴν παρακαλέσαντα καὶ πεπεικότα· πολλοὺς δ᾽ ἐκ τῆς κακίας ἐξαρπάσαντα· ὅτι δὲ Εὐσέβιος, καὶ Μαρτινιανὸς, Ζώσιμός τε, καὶ Μάρων οὐκ ἐπείσθησαν ταῖς παραινέσεσιν; ᾿Αλλ' ὅρα, μὴ δοκῶν ἐμὲ αἰτιᾶσθαι, αὐτὸς ἀνοίας ὀφλήσῃς γέλωτα, ἅτε τὸν τῆς αὐτεξουσιότητος ὅρον ἀγνοῶν, καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν τῶν οὐ πεισθέντων ἐπὶ τὸν οὐ πείσαντα μεταφέρων.","t":"To Archontius, member of the city council. I know very well that if I asked you whether I or Paul is better in understanding, you would consider the very question arrogance. How, then, do you seek to have achieved by me what he could not? For if even against that winged farmer (to pass over the individuals over whom he burned) the race of the Galatians was turned to incline to Judaism, and those from Asia did not heed him, and the false apostles waged a loud-voiced war, and no one blames him but crowns him for his intention, for what reason do you blame me, who, as you say, have exhorted and persuaded many to virtue and snatched many out of vice, because Eusebius, Martinianus, Zosimus and Maron have not been persuaded by my exhortations? See to it that, seeming to blame me, you do not yourself incur ridicule for folly, as one who does not know the definition of free will and transfers the blame of those not persuaded to the one who did not persuade them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.282 (PG 78 78:957; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-282)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.283":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΗνίκα Ἐζεκίας ὁ τῶν Ἑβραίων βασιλεὺς εἶδε τρόπαιον κατὰ Περσῶν ἐγηγερμένον, καὶ θαύματος κρεῖττον, καὶ πάσης ἀνθρωπίνης ῥώμης τε καὶ ἐλπίδος ὑψηλότερον, τότε δὴ, τότε νόσῳ βάλλεται, ἵνα τὰ σκιρτήματα τῆς ψυχῆς χαλινοῦ ἀξιωθέντα μὴ ἔξω τοῦ πρέποντος αὐτὸν παριππεῦσαι ἀναγκάσωσι, καὶ τὴν τῆς νίκης ὑπόθεσιν ἀλαζονείας διαδέξηται πόλεμος. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ τῇ σῇ μεγαλονοία, εὐημερία ἐλπίδος κρείττων ἐπέστη, μηδὲν ἀπηχὲς, μηδὲ λέγε μηδὲ πρᾶττε· ἀλλὰ καὶ κόλαζε τὴν ἀμετρίαν τῆς χαρᾶς· λύπης γὰρ αὕτη πλέον καταβλάπτειν πολλάκις πέφυκε.","t":"To Theodosius the scholasticus. When Hezekiah, king of the Hebrews, saw a trophy raised against the Persians that was beyond wonder and higher than all human strength and hope, then, then indeed he was struck by sickness, so that the leaps of his soul, being bridled, might not force him to ride beyond what is fitting, and so that a war of arrogance might not succeed the occasion of victory. If, then, prosperity beyond hope has come to your magnanimity too, neither say nor do anything discordant, but restrain the excess of joy; for this often naturally harms more than grief.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.283 (PG 78 78:959; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-283)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.284":{"o":"ΘΕΟΠΕΜΠΤΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΤό εἰς τό)· · Εἰ δυνατὸν, τὸ ἐξ ὑμῶν, μετὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων, εἰρηνεύοντες.» Πάντων μὲν τῶν κατ' ἀνθρώπους ἀγαθῶν ὑπόθεσις ἐστι καὶ κρηπὶς ἡ ὁμόνοια, καὶ χρὴ μηδενὶ διδόναι πολέμου καὶ μάχης ἀφορμήν. Εἰ δὲ που τὴν εὐσέβειαν παραβλαπτομένην, ἢ τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς ἀδικουμένους θεάσαιο, μὴ προτίμα τὴν εἰρήνην τῆς ἀληθείας· ἀλλ᾽ ἴστασο γενναίως, ἕως αἵματος πρὸς τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἀνταγωνιζόμενος. Διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ εἴρηται τῷ ᾿Αποστόλῳ τοῦθ᾽ ὅπερ ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν· « Εἰ δυνατὸν τὸ ἐξ ὑμῶν, μετὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων εἰρηνεύοντες.» Ἔστι γὰρ ὅπου οὐ δυνατὸν, οἷον, ὅταν περὶ εὐσεβείας, ὡς ἔφθην εἰπὼν, ὁ λόγος· ἢ ὅταν περὶ ἀδικουμένων ὁ ἀγών. Καὶ τί θαυμάζεις, εἰ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἀνθρώπων τοῦτο οὐ πανταχοῦ δυνατὸν, ὅπου γε καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναικὸς τῶν εἰς μίαν σάρκα τελούντων, ταύτην ἔλυσε τὴν ἀνάγκην, εἰπών· · Εἰ δὲ ὁ ἄπιστος χωρίζεται, χωριζέσθω.","t":"To Theopemptus the bishop. [On \"If possible, so far as it depends on you, living at peace with all people.\"] Concord is the foundation and base of all human goods, and one must give no one occasion for war and strife. But if you see piety being harmed or the weak being wronged, do not prefer peace to truth; stand nobly, contending against sin to the point of blood. For this is why the Apostle said what you wished to learn: \"If possible, so far as it depends on you, living at peace with all people.\" For there are cases where it is not possible: for instance, when, as I said, the matter concerns piety, or when the contest concerns the wronged. And why do you wonder if this is not everywhere possible with other people, when even in the case of husband and wife, who become one flesh, he loosed this necessity, saying, \"But if the unbeliever separates, let him separate\"?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.284 (PG 78 78:959; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-284)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.285":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὍμοιον Ἐγὼ οὔτ᾽ ἀναμάρτητός εἰμι, οὔτ᾽ ἀναμαρτήτους ζητῶ φίλους οὐ γὰρ εὑρήσω· ἀλλὰ τοὺς πολλὰ μὲν καὶ μέγιστα ἔχοντας κατορθώματα, ὀλίγα δὲ καὶ ἐλάχιστα ἐλαττώματα ἐγκρίνω τῷ χορῷ· τοὺς δ᾽ ἐναντίως τοῖς εἰρημένοις διακειμένους οὔτε καταριθμῶ, οὔτε ἀποκηρύττω. Οὐ καταριθμῶ μὲν, ἵνα μὴ διαβολὴν ἐργάσωνται τῷ συλλόγῳ · εἰώθασι γὰρ πάντες ἀπὸ τῶν συνόντων τοὺς ἄνδρας κρίνειν οὐκ ἀποκηρύττω δὲ, ἐλπίδα αὐτοῖς ἀγαθὴν ἐγκαταλείπων. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ καὶ συμβούλοις καὶ φίλοις χρῶμαι· τοῖς δὲ οὐ πολεμῶ μὲν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐνδεχομένην εἰρήνην νέμω (τὸ ἀποστολικὸν φυλάττειν σπουδάζων θέσπισμα· « Εἰ δυνατὸν, τὸ ἐξ ὑμῶν, μετὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων εἰρηνεύοντες.» Παραινῶ δὲ ἀπέχεσθαι μὲν κακίας, ἀντέχεσθαι δὲ ἀρετῆς. Εἰ δ' αὐτοὶ τὴν παραίνεσιν ἔχθρας ὑπόθεσιν κατασκευάσουσι, λύπην μοι οὐ μικρὰν τῷ μὴ ὠφελεῖσθαι, οὐ τῷ ἐκπολεμεῖσθαι προξενήσουσιν.","t":"To the same. I am neither sinless myself nor do I seek sinless friends, for I shall not find them; but I admit to the circle those who have many and very great achievements and few and very small faults; those disposed in the opposite way I neither count among them nor disown. I do not count them, so that they may not bring discredit on the company (for everyone is accustomed to judge men by their companions); I do not disown them, leaving them good hope. The former I use as counsellors and friends; with the latter I do not make war, but grant them what peace is possible (eager to keep the apostolic decree, \"If possible, so far as it depends on you, living at peace with all people\"). And I exhort them to keep from vice and hold to virtue. But if they make the exhortation an occasion for enmity, they will cause me no small grief, because they are not helped, not because I am made their enemy.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.285 (PG 78 78:959; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-285)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.286":{"o":"ΗΛΙΑ.\nὍτε ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἥλιος οὐρανόθεν ἐπ᾿ εὐεργεσίᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων δεῦρ᾽ ἐπεφάνη, τότε δὴ τότε καθάπερ ἔν τινι παλιῤῥοίᾳ πραγμάτων εἰς ὀσιότητα τὰ ὅλα μετέστη. Πανηγυρικῆς γὰρ εὐκοσμίας τυγχάνοντα ἄμοιρα, καὶ ἑορτῶν μὲν ὀνόμασιν ἀναβρυνόμενα, κακίας δὲ δράμασι καθυβριζόμενα, εἰς θείαν καὶ ὑπερκόσμιον μετεβρυθμίσθη πανήγυριν, διδαχθέντα ὁμηγύριον ὄντως ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν εὐσέβειαν, ὅταν μάλιστα ὑπὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς, ὥσπερ εὐαγοῦς ἰερείας, θεραπεύηται.","t":"To Elias. When the Sun of righteousness appeared here from heaven for the benefit of humankind, then indeed, as in a kind of reversal of affairs, everything was changed to holiness. For things that had no share in festal good order, priding themselves on the names of feasts but outraged by the dramas of vice, were reshaped into a divine festival above the world, being taught to regard piety as the true assembly, above all when it is served by virtue as by a holy priestess.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.286 (PG 78 78:961; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-286)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.287":{"o":"ΤΟΙΣ ΒΟΝΘΟΥ ΤΟΥ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΟΥ\nΦΟΙΤΗΤΑΙΣ \"Ωσπερ σώφρων γυνὴ ἐπὶ τοῦ προσώπου τῆς ἀγνείας τὰ σύμβολα φέρουσα, τὰς τῶν ἀκολάστως ὁρώντων κολάζει προσδοκίας· οὕτω καὶ σώφρων ψυχὴ ἐπὶ τῶν αἰσθήσεων φέρουσα τῆς ἀρετῆς τὰ συνθήματα τὰς τῶν διαφθείρειν αὐτῆς τὴν ὥραν βουλομένων διεκκόπτει ἐλπίδας. Τίς γὰρ τὸν τοιοῦτον ὁρῶν ὀφθαλμὸν, ἡμερότητι καὶ ἐλευθεριότητι κεκραμένον, προσελθεῖν τολμήσεις; Τίς δὲ γλώτταν σεμνότητος οὖσαν τέμενος, οὐκ ἄβατον αὐτῷ τὴν ὁμιλίαν νομιεῖ; Τις δὲ τὰς ἄλλας αἰσθήσεις θεώμενος, ἀρετῶν οὔσας ὄργανα, οὐ φοβηθήσεται παρασυμβουλευσαι; Οὐκοῦν καὶ ὑμεῖς, ὦ φίλου λέοντος εὐγενῆ βλαστήματα, ἀβάτους ἑαυτοὺς βλαπτούσαις συνουσίαις διατηρήσατε, ἵνα καὶ τὸ ἑαυτῶν καὶ τὸ πατρῷον αὐξήσητε κλέος.","t":"To the pupils of Bonthus the presbyter. Just as a chaste woman, bearing the tokens of purity on her face, punishes the expectations of those who look at her licentiously, so a chaste soul, bearing the signs of virtue on its senses, cuts off the hopes of those who wish to corrupt its bloom. For who, seeing such an eye, mixed with gentleness and freedom, will dare to approach? Who, seeing a tongue that is a sanctuary of dignity, will not think converse with it inaccessible? Who, beholding the other senses, which are instruments of virtues, will not be afraid to give bad counsel? You too, then, noble offshoots of a lion who is our friend, keep yourselves inaccessible to harmful company, so that you may increase both your own and your father's fame.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.287 (PG 78 78:961; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-287)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.288":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΑΜΜΩΝΙ ΚΑΙ ΝΕΙΛΑΜΜΩΝΙ.\nΤὴν μὲν ὁμωνυμίαν ὑμῖν οἱ γονεῖς, τὴν δὲ συνωνυμίαν οἱ τρόποι ἐπέθηκαν. Τὴν μὲν γὰρ παρὰ τῶν τεκόντων ἐσχήκατε, τὴν δὲ παρὰ τῶν πραχθέντων ἐκτήσασθε. Ἥν εἰ μὲν ἐπὶ τοῖς καλλίστοις εἶδον οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἤσθην ἄν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐναντίοις, λίαν ἄχθομαι. Ὄμμα γὰρ ἀναιδὲς καὶ αὐχὴν μετέωρος, καὶ ὀφρύων συνεχὴς κίνησις καὶ βάδισμα σεσοβημένον, καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ μηδενὶ τῶν αἰσχρῶν ἐρυθριᾷν τεκμήριον ψυχῆς ἐστιν αἰσχίστης, τοὺς ἀφανεῖς τῶν οἰκείων παθῶν χαρακτῆρας ἐντυπούσης τῷ σώματι.","t":"To Nilammon and Nilammon. Your parents gave you a shared name; your ways have given you a shared meaning. The one you had from those who bore you, the other you acquired from what you did. If people saw it in the finest things, I would be glad; but since it is in the opposite, I am greatly grieved. For a shameless eye, a lifted neck, constant movement of the brows, a strutting gait and blushing at nothing shameful are signs of a most shameful soul, which stamps the hidden marks of its passions on the body.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.288 (PG 78 78:963; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-288)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.289":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΠερὶ Ἰησοῦ. Περὶ τῆς Μωσέως μεγαλονοίας, ὅτι οὐδένα τῶν υἱῶν τῆς Ἰησοῦ ἀρετῆς προετίμησεν· καὶ ὅτι οὐ δεῖ παισὶ βασιλείαν ἢ ἑτέραν ἀρχὴν ἐγχειρίζειν, εἰ μὴ ὁ τρόπος ᾗ τῆς ἡγεμονίας ἁρμόδιος. Ἐν πολλοῖς μὲν καὶ ἄλλοις ἄγαμαι τὸν θεοφιλή Μωσέα· ἐν τούτῳ δὲ διαφερόντως, ὅτι παντὸς πάθους κρείττων ὢν, καὶ τῆς φυσικῆς φιλοστοργίας ἐκράτησε· δύο γὰρ ἔχων υἱοὺς τεχθέντας μὲν παρ' αὐτοῦ, τῆς δὲ πατρώας ἀρετῆς μὴ γεγονότας ζηλωτὰς ἀρετὰς οὐδένα αὐτῶν διάδοχον τῆς στρατηγίας ἐχειροτόνησεν, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἀρετῇ μᾶλλον ἢ γένει προσήκοντα· τὴν ἀρετὴν προκρίνας τῆς πρὸς τὴν τοῦ καλοῦ διάκρισιν πολλάκις τυφλωττούσης φύσεως. Οἱ γὰρ ἐκ πατρῶν νομίζοντες δίκαιον εἶναι τὰς ἀρχὰς ἐπὶ τοὺς παῖδας καταβαίνειν, τυφλώττουσι πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν. Χρεωστεῖται τὸ γέρας, οὐ γένει, ἀλλ' ἀρετῇ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸν βασιλέως υἱὸν ἂν ἀνάξιος εἴη τοῦ πράγματος, εἰς τὴν ἀξίαν ἐγγραπτέον, ἀλλὰ τὸν βασιλικὴν ἔχοντα ψυχὴν, καὶ τὴν τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐπιστήμην χωρῆσαι δυνάμενον. Τοῦτο γοῦν ἐκεῖνον τὸν πραότατον π λαμπρῶς ἔδειξε, μηδὲ τὸν ἀδελφὸν χάριτι εἰς τὴν ἱερωσύνην προενηνοχέναι· ὁ γὰρ τοὺς ἐκ τῶν λαγόνων αὐτοῦ φύντας μὴ ἀξιώσας τοιαύτης τιμῆς, ἀλλὰ περιγενόμενος τῆς φύσεως τυραννίδος, οὐκ ἂν τὸν ἀδελφὸν χάριτι τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ ἐστεφάνωσεν· ἀλλὰ κατὰ θείους χρησμούς. Διὸ καὶ οἱ κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐπιλυττήσαντες, καὶ νομίσαντες οὐ θείᾳ ψήφῳ, ἀλλὰ κρίσει λογισμῶν οἰκείᾳ κεχειροτονηκέναι τὸν ὁμαίμονα δίκας ἀήθεις ἔδοσαν. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἡ γῆ χανδὸν κατέπιεν· οἱ δὲ πυρὸς αἰθερίου ἔργον ἐγένοντο.","t":"To Theodore, a man of the highest rank. [On Joshua. On Moses' magnanimity, in that he preferred none of his sons to Joshua's virtue; and that one must not entrust kingship or any other office to sons unless their character is fit for leadership.] I admire Moses, beloved of God, in many other things, but especially in this: that being superior to every passion, he mastered even natural affection. For having two sons, born of him but not emulators of their father's virtue, he appointed neither of them successor in his command, but the one fitted by virtue rather than by birth, preferring virtue to nature, which is often blind in discerning the good. For those who think it just that offices descend from fathers to sons are blind to the truth. The prize is owed not to birth but to virtue. Not even the son of a king, if he is unworthy of the thing, should be enrolled in the dignity, but the one who has a royal soul and can take in the science of rule. And this clearly showed that this most gentle man did not advance even his brother to the priesthood by favour; for the one who did not think those sprung from his own loins worthy of such honour, but overcame the tyranny of nature, would not have crowned his brother with the priesthood by favour, but according to divine oracles. That is why those who raged against him, thinking that he had appointed his kinsman not by divine vote but by the judgment of his own reasonings, paid an unaccustomed penalty: the earth opened and swallowed some, and others became the work of heavenly fire.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.289 (PG 78 78:963; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-289)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.29":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰ δεῖγμα σαφὲς τῶν ἑκάστου τρόπων ἡ τῶν συνόντων ἐστὶ πολιτεία, μὴ θαύμαζε εἰ Εὐσέβιος τοὺς περὶ Μαρτινιανὸν καὶ Ζώσιμον καὶ Μάρωνα, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους τοὺς ὁμοτρόπους αὐτοῖς, διὰ τιμῆς ἔχει. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἰ ἀρετῆς ἦν ἐραστὴς, οὐκ ἂν τῶν φιλαρέτων ἑτέρους προετίμησεν· οὕτως ἐπειδὴ σύντροφον καὶ φίλην τὴν κακίαν ἔχει, τοῖς ὁμοτρόποις χρῆται.","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. If the way of life of a man's companions is a clear sign of his character, do not be surprised that Eusebius holds in honour Martinianus, Zosimus and Maron and the others of like character with them. For just as, if he were a lover of virtue, he would not have preferred others to the lovers of virtue, so, since he has vice as his foster-sister and friend, he uses those of like character.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.29 (PG 78 78:749; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-29)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.290":{"o":"ΧΑΙΡΗΜΟΝΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ Εὐσέβιος, ὡς γέγραφας, τῇ κακίᾳ σπενδόμενος, τῇ ἀρετῇ πολεμεῖ, ὀξὺς μὲν ὧν ἐκ διαβολῆς εἰς ἐπιβουλὰς ἐπαχθῆναι πρόχειρος δὲ ὑπονοίαις μὴ προσηκούσαις ἑαυτὸν πιστώσασθαι· καὶ ἐν μὲν τοῖς ἐπιτιμίοις τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων ἀπαραίτητος, ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἀμοιβαῖς τῶν κατορθούντων ὀκνηρότατος · ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε αὐτὸς οὐκ ἂν εἴης δίκαιος ἐκεῖνον κωμῳδεῖν, ὁ τὰ αὐτὰ αὐτῷ, ὣς φασιν, ἵνα μὴ λέγω ἀργαλεώτερα, πλημμελῶν. Ἢ γὰρ μὴ πρᾶττε τοιαῦτα, ἢ μὴ κωμῴδει τοὺς δρῶντας. Τάχα δὲ τοῦτ᾽ αὐτῷ κατ᾿ ἀξίαν συνέβη, ὅτι σε τοιοῦτον ὄντα χειροτονήσας, οὐκ ἔλαθε τὴν δίκην. Ὁ γὰρ ἀποκεκλεισμένον ἀπὸ τῶν ἐκκλησιαστικῶν θεσμῶν στόμα οὐ δεόντως ἀνοίξας, καθ' ἑαυτοῦ, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἤνοιξε· καὶ κατὰ τῶν εὐδοκίμων νομίσας ἀθύρωτον ὁπλίζειν γλῶτταν, καθ' ἑαυτοῦ ὥπλισεν.","t":"To Chaeremon the deacon. Even if Eusebius, as you wrote, making a truce with vice, wars against virtue, being quick to be drawn by slander into plots, ready to trust improper suspicions, inexorable in penalties for those who sin, and very slow in rewards for those who do well, you nevertheless ought not to mock him, since, as they say, you commit the same offences as he, not to say worse ones. Either do not do such things, or do not mock those who do them. Perhaps this has happened to him deservedly, that, having ordained you, such as you are, he did not escape justice. For having improperly opened a mouth closed by the church's ordinances, he opened it, it seems, against himself; and thinking to arm an unbarred tongue against the esteemed, he armed it against himself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.290 (PG 78 78:965; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-290)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.291":{"o":"ΓΕΡΜΑΝΩ.\nὉ μὲν τὰς πολλοῖς ἀμάχους εἶναι δοκούσας ἡδονὰς σωφροσύνῃ καὶ ἐγκρατείᾳ τυραννικῶς βιαζόμενος, οὗτος ἐλευθέραν παντὸς αἰσχροῦ πάθους ἔχων τὴν ψυχὴν, τροπαίοις λαμπροῖς καὶ πολλοῖς ἐναγάλλεσθαι δίκαιος. Ὁ δὲ ἐκείναις μὲν κατακράτος ἁλοὺς, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν βαρβαρικῶν τοῦ σώματος παθῶν τυραννούμενος, βαρβαρικοῖς δὲ τροπαίοις ἐναβρυνόμενος, οὗτος καὶ ἡλίθιος εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ, καὶ ἀνδραποδώδης. Δειλίᾳ γὰρ καὶ φόβῳ μειζόνων κακῶν (εἰ καὶ παράδοξον καὶ εἰπεῖν καὶ ἀκοῦσαι) ἀνδρεῖος εἶναι δοκεῖ. Φοβούμενος γὰρ δουλείαν ἢ ἑαυτοῦ ἢ τῶν παίδων, πολεμεῖ.","t":"To Germanus. The one who tyrannically overpowers by self-control and continence the pleasures that seem invincible to many, having a soul free of every shameful passion, rightly exults in brilliant and many trophies. But the one who has been utterly captured by them, tyrannized by the barbarian passions of the body, yet prides himself on trophies over barbarians, seems to me both foolish and slavish. For through cowardice and fear of greater evils (even if it is paradoxical to say and to hear), he seems brave. For he fights fearing slavery for himself or his children.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.291 (PG 78 78:965; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-291)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.292":{"o":"ΔΑΝΙΗΛ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤὸν λαμπρᾶς ἀπτόμενον ὑποθέσεως, καὶ τὸν νοῦν τῶν ἱερῶν Γραφῶν ἑρμηνεῦσαι πειρώμενον, χρὴ τὴν μὲν γλῶτταν ἔχειν σεμνήν τε καὶ τρανὴν, τὴν δὲ γνώμην εὐσεβῆ τε καὶ εὐαγῆ, ἀκολουθεῖν τε αὐταῖς, καὶ μὴ ἡγεῖσθαι, μηδὲ πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον βούλημα, τὸν ἐκείνων νοῦν ἐκβιάζεσθαι. Τοῖς γὰρ παραποιεῖν καὶ παρερμηνεύειν τολμῶσι, κίνδυνος ἐπήρτηται μέγιστος εἰς αὐτὴν τὴν ψυχὴν βλέπων.","t":"To Daniel the presbyter. The one who takes up a brilliant subject and tries to interpret the mind of the holy Scriptures must have a tongue dignified and clear and a mind pious and holy, and must follow them and not lead, nor force their meaning to his own intention. For over those who dare to falsify and misinterpret hangs a very great danger that reaches the soul itself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.292 (PG 78 78:965; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-292)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.293":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΑΜΜΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΦυσιολογεῖν μὲν ἐμοὶ οὐ πολλὴ σπουδή, ἵνα δὲ μή σε λυπήσω, γράφω. Ὅτι διὰ τὴν τῶν κράσεων διαφορὰν, τινὲς μὲν τῶν μεθυόντων ὠχροὶ γίνονται καὶ θυμοειδεῖς, τινὲς δὲ πυῤῥοὶ καὶ ὕφαιμοι, ἢ ὑπ᾿ ἐκστάσεως τοῦ αἵματος ὑπονοστήσαντος εἰς τὸ βάθος, καὶ ὠχρὰν τοῦ προσώπου τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν καταλελοιπότος· ἢ τῆς κινήσεως τὸ ἐν βάθει θερμὸν εἰς τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν ἀνεκκαλεσαμένης. Εἴτε δ' οὕτω τις, εἴτ' ἐκείνως εἴη κεκραμένος, δύναται ὁ λογισμὸς, καθάπερ ἡνίοχος ἄριστος, ἢ μὴ συγχωρῆσαι ὅλως κινηθῆναι τὸ πάθος, ἢ κινηθὲν μεταῤῥυθμίσαι εἰς ἁρμονίαν καὶ πραότητα.","t":"To Nilammon the presbyter. I have no great eagerness to discuss natural science, but so as not to grieve you, I write. Because of the difference of temperaments, some drunkards become pale and irascible, others ruddy and bloodshot: either by displacement of the blood retreating to the depth and leaving the surface of the face pale, or by the movement calling up the heat in the depth to the surface. But whether one is tempered this way or that, reason, like an excellent charioteer, can either not allow the passion to be moved at all, or, if moved, reshape it into harmony and gentleness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.293 (PG 78 78:967; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-293)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.294":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΟ.\nΟἱ πάντολμοι Ἰουδαῖοι οὐδεπώποτε ὑπομεμενηκότες αἰχμαλωσίαν ἀνακλήσεως ἄμοιρον, ἢ ταύτην τὴν μετὰ τὸν σταυρὸν, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως, γνωσιμαχεῖν οὐκ ἀνέχονται · καὶ ταῦτα καὶ τῶν Γραφῶν καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἡμῖν μὲν μαρτυρούντων, ἐκείνων δὲ καταψηφιζομένων. Περιεῖναι οὖν συνεχωρήθησαν, ἵνα καὶ τὰς τοῦ πολέμου ἐκτραγῳδήσωσι συμφοράς, καὶ ὥσπερ αἰχμάλωτοι καὶ μαστιγίαι τὴν ὑφ᾽ ἥλιον περιθέοντες, ἴδωσιν πανταχόσε ἀνθοῦν τοῦ Σταυρωθέντος τὸ σέβας Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν εἰς τοσοῦτον. Ἐπὶ δὲ τοῖς τολμῶσιν ὀρφανοὺς ἀδικεῖν, ἐκεῖνό φημι ὅτι ὁ τῶν βασιλευόντων Βασιλεὺς, καὶ τῶν κυριευόντων Κύριος· Ὁ δοῦλος μὲν γὰρ Ναβουχοδονόσορ, φησὶ, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν δοῦλόν μου Δαβίδ. Τὸν μὲν γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς δεσποτείας μόνον οὕτω καλεῖ· τὸν δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς πολιτείας · οὗτος πατήρ τῶν ὀρφανῶν, καὶ κριτὴς τῶν χηρῶν καλούμενος χαίρει. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ὑψηλῶν, τὸ τῆς δεσποτείας ὄνομα τάττει· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ταπεινῶν, τὸ τῆς κηδεμονίας. Ἐκείνων μὲν γὰρ δεσπότης εἶναι διαβεβαιοῦται· τούτων δὲ πατήρ. Μηδεὶς τοιγαροῦ· ὀρφανὸν ἀδικείτω, τὸν πατέρα ἐννοῶν· μηδὲ χήραν καταπονείτω, τὸν κριτὴν φανταζόμενος · μηδὲ ἄλλον τινὰ πλεονεκτείτω, τον ἀδέκαστον κριτὴν ὀνειροπολῶν. Εἰ δὲε τις συνέσεως χηρεύων, καὶ τὰ παρόντα μόνον ὁρῶν, περὶ δὲ τὰ μέλλοντα τυφλώττων, κέρδη εἶναι νομίζει τὰς ἁρπαγὰς, ἀκουέτω, ὅτι – κἀνταῦθα πολλάκις κινδύνους ὠδίνουσιν αἱ πλεονεξίαι, καὶ οὐ μόνον τῶν ὑπαρχόντων στερίσκονται ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτὴν προσαφαιροῦνται. Οὐ γὰρ εἴ τι λῆμμα, καὶ κάλλιστον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο μόνον, ὁ τῷ καλῷ συμπέφυκε· τούτου δ' ἀπόντος, ὁδῷ βαδίζει ἐπὶ τὰς συμφοράς. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐν θήρα καὶ τὸ ἑλεῖν καλὸν, καὶ τὸ διαμαρτεῖν κάλλιον (εἰ τὸ μὲν ἀκινδύνως· τὸ δὲ, ἐπὶ τῷ χαλεπόν τι παθεῖν γίγνοιτο), οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κερδῶν. Αἰσχύνην γὰρ προσοφλισκάνουσι, καὶ κινδύνους κληρονομοῦσιν· εἴ γε πλεονεκτεῖν, μετὰ τοῦ δικαίου τὰς εὐπορίας ἔχειν δυνάμενοι, ἐπιχειροῖεν. Εἰ δὲ τις φαίη • Τίς οὐκ ἂν ἐθελήσειε λαμβάνων εὐπορεῖν; – Τίς δ᾽ ἂν ἕλοιτο κερδήσας ἀπολωλέναι; φαίην ἄν· τὸ γὰρ ἀφ᾽ ὧν κινδυνεύειν περίεστι, κερδαίνειν ἐθέλειν, οὐ κέρδη θηρωμένων ἐστὶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀδοξίας καὶ συμφοράς ἐπειδὴ τῶν κερδῶν τὰ μὲν αἰσχρὰν ἔχει τὴν ὑπόθεσιν, τὰ δὲ ἐπικίνδυνον τὴν πλεονεξίαν. Εἴτε οὖν διὰ τὰ παρόντα, εἴτε διὰ τὰ μέλλοντα, βαρυτάτην τὴν ζημίαν τὸ κακῶς κερδαίνειν ἡγούμενοι, παντὶ σθένει τὴν ἀδικίαν φευγέτωσαν.","t":"To Peter. The all-daring Jews, who never endured a captivity without recall except this one after the cross, somehow will not bear to acknowledge defeat, though both the Scriptures and the facts bear witness for us and condemn them. They have been allowed to survive, then, so that they may tell the tragedy of the war's misfortunes, and, running over the earth like captives and whipped slaves, may see everywhere the worship of the Crucified blossoming. So much for that. As for those who dare to wrong orphans, I say this: the King of kings and Lord of lords (who says, \"Nebuchadnezzar my servant,\" and \"to my servant David,\" calling the one so only from his lordship, the other also from his way of life) rejoices to be called father of orphans and judge of widows. For with the lofty he uses the name of lordship; with the lowly, that of care. Of the former he declares himself master, of the latter father. Let no one, then, wrong an orphan, considering the Father; nor oppress a widow, picturing the Judge; nor defraud anyone else, imagining the impartial Judge. And if someone, lacking understanding, seeing only the present and blind to the future, thinks that plunder is gain, let him hear that even here greed often breeds dangers, and people are not only deprived of their possessions but lose their very soul besides. For not every gain is good, but only that which is united with the good; without it, it travels the road to misfortunes. For just as in hunting it is good to catch, but better to miss (if the one is without danger and the other would bring suffering something grievous), so too with gains. For they incur shame besides and inherit dangers, if they undertake greed when they could have wealth with justice. And if someone says, \"Who would not wish to grow rich by taking?\", I would say, \"And who would choose to gain and be ruined?\" For to wish to gain from things from which danger results is the mark not of those who hunt gains but of those who hunt disgrace and misfortunes; since of gains some have a shameful occasion and others a dangerous greed. Whether, then, for the present or for the future, let them flee injustice with all their strength, considering unjust gain the heaviest loss.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.294 (PG 78 78:967; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-294)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.295":{"o":"ΧΑΙΡΗΜΩΝΙ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\n\"Ὅτι ἀθάνατος ἡ ψυχή. Μὴ νομίζοντες, ὦ βέλτιστοι, μετὰ τῶν σωμάτων σβέννυσθαι τὰς ψυχὰς, ἀδεῶς ἁμαρτάνετε, ὡς δίκας μὴ ὑφέξοντες· ἀλλὰ παρὰ τοῦ κριτοῦ τὴν ἀλήθειαν μαθόντες, ὅτι καὶ ἀθάνατοί εἰσι καὶ δίκην ὑφέξουσι, παλινῳδίαν ἄσατε. «Μὴ φοβηθῆτε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτεινόντων τὸ σῶμα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν μὴ δυναμένων ἀποκτεῖναι» (αὕτη ἀναντίῤῥητος τῆς ἀθανασίας τῆς ψυχῆς ἡ μαρτυρία) · · φοβήθητε δὲ μᾶλλον τὸν δυνάμενον καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα ἀπολέσαι ἐν γεέννῃ. » ( Αὕτη καὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως καὶ τῆς κολάσεως ἀψευδὴς ἀπόδειξις. Τὴν γὰρ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ ἀπόφασιν πάσης ἀποδείξεως ἰσχυροτέραν χρὴ νομίζειν. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ Διαθήκῃ οἱ εὐδόκιμοι καὶ λαμπροὶ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ᾔδεσαν ἀθανασίαν, ἀκούσατε τῶν τριῶν παίδων ἐν τῇ καμίνῳ λεγόντων· • Εὐλογεῖτε, πνεύματα καὶ ψυχαὶ δικαίων, τὸν Κύριον. • Αξιόπιστοι δὲ δήπουθέν εἰσιν, οἱ τὸν τύραννον μὴ φοβηθέντες, ἀλλὰ τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἐπιδειξάμενοι, καὶ τὸ πῦρ δυσωπήσαντες. Ὁ δὲ τῶν Σεραφὶμ θεωρὸς βοῶν, « Τίς ἀναγγελεῖ ὑμῖν ὅτι πῦρ καίεται; » τί ἄλλο ἢ τὴν γέενναν, καὶ τὴν τῶν ψυχῶν ἀθανασίαν, καὶ τὴν τῶν σωμάτων ἀναβίωσιν κηρύττει; Μὴ οὖν μύθους ἡγήσησθε τοὺς ἐπασθέντας ὑμῖν παρὰ τῆς Γραφῆς· λόγους, ἀλλ᾽ ἀνενέγκατε. Ἔξεστι γὰρ ἕως ἐνθάδε ἐσμέν. Οὐ γὰρ θέλει ὁ Θεὸς τὸν θάνατον τοῦ ἁμαρτωλοῦ, ὡς τὸ ἐπιστρέψαι αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ αὐτοῦ τῆς πονηρᾶς, καὶ ζῇν αὐτὸν τὴν ἀοίδιμον ζωήν. Εἰ γὰρ προφθάσοιμεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐξομολογήσει, τουτέστιν, εἰ πρὸ τῆς κυρίας διὰ πραγμάτων αὐτὰ ἀπολογησόμεθα, ἐν τῇ κρίσει ἐλεηθησόμεθα. Τὴν γὰρ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ, ὡς ἔφην, ἀπόφασιν πάσης ἀποδείξεως ἰσχυροτέραν χρὴ νομίζειν.","t":"To Chaeremon, Zosimus and Maron. [That the soul is immortal.] Do not, excellent friends, thinking that souls are extinguished with bodies, sin without fear as though you will not undergo judgment; but, learning the truth from the Judge, that they are immortal and will undergo judgment, sing a recantation. \"Do not fear,\" he says, \"those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul\" (this is an irrefutable testimony to the soul's immortality); \"rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna\" (this is an unerring proof both of the resurrection and of punishment). For one must consider the Creator's declaration stronger than every proof. And that the esteemed and illustrious under the Old Covenant too knew the soul's immortality, hear the three young men in the furnace saying, \"Bless the Lord, spirits and souls of the righteous.\" And they are surely trustworthy, who did not fear the tyrant but displayed piety and put the fire to shame. And the one who beheld the seraphim, crying, \"Who will tell you that a fire is burning?\", what else does he proclaim but Gehenna, the immortality of souls and the coming to life of bodies? Do not, then, think the words chanted to you by Scripture fables, but recover. For it is possible while we are here. For God does not desire the death of the sinner so much as that he turn from his wicked way and live the renowned life. For if we come before his face with confession, that is, if before the appointed day we make our defence for these things by deeds, we shall find mercy in the judgment. For, as I said, one must consider the Creator's declaration stronger than every proof.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.295 (PG 78 78:969; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-295)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.296":{"o":"ΑΓΑΘΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠῶς νοητέον τὸ εἰρημένον τῷ ᾿Αβραάμ, « Πληθύνων πληθυνῶ. › Οὐρανίοις ἄστροις καὶ ψάμμῳ θαλαττίᾳ παρεικάσειν τὸ τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ ἐπηγγείλατο σπέρμα ὁ Θεὸς, μηνύων ὅτι τινὲς μὲν ἐξ αὐτῶν διαλάμψουσιν (οἷοι ἦσαν οἱ προφῆται καὶ οἱ δίκαιοι, ἀπόστολοί τε καὶ οἱ ἐξ αὐτῶν πιστεύσαντες, καὶ ἔργοις διαπρέψαντες, οἷς ὁ Σωτὴρ μὲν ἔφη, «Λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων· · ὁ δὲ ᾿Απόστολος, « Ἐν οἷς φαίνεσθε ὡς φωστῆρες ἐν κόσμῳ,») τινὲς δὲ χαμαιπετεῖς καὶ χαμαίζηλοι ἀλώσονται, ἀβέβαιοί τε καὶ ὑπὸ παντὸς ἀνέμου περιφερόμενοι, οἵτινες καὶ ἐξευτελισθήσονται, ὡς ψάμμος θαλαττία τε καὶ ἄκαρπος λογισθέντες.","t":"To Agathon the presbyter. [How what was said to Abraham, \"Multiplying I will multiply,\" is to be understood.] God promised to liken Abraham's seed to the stars of heaven and the sand of the sea, showing that some of them would shine (such as the prophets and the righteous, the apostles and those of them who believed and excelled in works, to whom the Saviour said, \"Let your light shine before people,\" and the Apostle, \"among whom you shine as lights in the world\"), while others would be found grovelling and earthbound, unstable and carried about by every wind, who will also be despised, reckoned as the sand of the sea and fruitless.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.296 (PG 78 78:971; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-296)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.297":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΕἰ μὲν ὡς διαλλαγησόμενοι οἱ πρώην φίλοι διαφέρονται, ἧττόν ἐστι κακόν · εἰ δὲ ὡς ἄσπονδοι διαμενοῦντες, μεῖζον. Πλὴν ὅπως ἂν διακέοιντο, σπούδασον εἰς εἰρήνην θᾶττον αὐτοὺς συναλλάξαι, μήποτε καὶ χρόνος δυσχερέστερον τοῦτο κατασκευάσῃ.","t":"To Paul. If former friends quarrel intending to be reconciled, it is a lesser evil; if intending to remain irreconcilable, a greater one. But however they are disposed, be eager to reconcile them to peace quickly, lest time make this harder.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.297 (PG 78 78:971; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-297)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.298":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον ἐν τῷ νόμῳ· - Πένητα οὐκ ἐλεήσεις ἐν κρίσει. › Ὁ τῇ πενίᾳ εἰς φιλοπραγμοσύνην καταχρώμενος, οὐ μόνον ἐλέους τυχεῖν οὐκ ἂν εἴη δίκαιος, ἀλλὰ καὶ μίσους ἄξιός ἐστι. Δέον γὰρ τὰς ἡσυχίας ἄγοντα παρακαλεῖν, ἐγκλήματα ῥάπτει. Διὸ δὴ καὶ ἡ τῆς δικαιοσύνης πηγή, μὴ ἐλεεῖσθαι τὸν πένητα ἐν κρίσει ἐθέσπισεν, ἐλεεῖσθαι μὲν αὐτὸν βουλομένη, συκοφαντεῖν δὲ ἀπαγορεύουσα. Εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖνο τὸ τοῦ ἱκέτου σχῆμα ἀφέμενος, τὸ τοῦ διαδίκου ἀναλαβεῖν τολμήσειε, τὸ δίκαιον κρατείτω παρὰ τῷ ψηφιζομένῳ. Κύριος μὲν γὰρ ἐστιν ὁ ἐγκληθεὶς καὶ νικήσας, μετὰ τὴν νίκην οἰκτεῖραι τὸν ἡττηθέντα· οὐ μὴν ὁ τῆς ψήφου κύριος, δίκαιος ἂν εἴη λυμήνασθαι τὸ δίκαιον.","t":"To the same. [On what is written in the law, \"You shall not pity a poor man in judgment.\"] The one who misuses poverty for meddlesomeness not only would not deserve to obtain pity but is even worthy of hatred. For when he ought to keep quiet and entreat, he stitches together accusations. That is why the fount of justice ordained that the poor man not be pitied in judgment: wishing him to be pitied, but forbidding him to accuse falsely. For if he dares to leave the posture of a suppliant and take up that of a litigant, let justice prevail with the one who votes. For the one accused who has won is free, after the victory, to pity the defeated; but the one who holds the vote ought not to corrupt justice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.298 (PG 78 78:971; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-298)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.299":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΊ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ αὐτὴ καθ' ἑαυτὴν ἡ κακία Ζωσίμου δοκιμαζομένη, ὡς γέγραφας, χαλεπή τυγχάνει, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις παραβαλλομένη χαλεπωτέρα εὑρίσκεται, τὸ δὲ μηδὲ εἰδέναι αὐτὸν ὅτι νοσεῖ, χαλεπωτάτην αὐτὴν δείκνυσι, τί ἡμῖν ἐνοχλεῖς, ὡς δυναμένοις ἀνήκεστον θεραπεῦσαι νόσημα; Τοῦτο γὰρ Θεοῦ μόνου χρήζει, τοῦ καὶ παθῶν καὶ πάσης περιγινομένου κακίας.","t":"To Theon the bishop. Even if Zosimus's vice, examined by itself, is, as you wrote, grievous, and compared with others is found more grievous, and his not even knowing that he is sick shows it most grievous, why do you trouble us, as though we could cure an incurable disease? For this needs God alone, who prevails over passions and every vice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.299 (PG 78 78:971; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-299)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.3":{"o":"ΑΜΜΩΝΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, Ὁ μὴ ὢν καθ' ἡμῶν, ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐστιν. Ἐν καιρῷ πολέμου οὐ μόνον τὸν συντοξεύοντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἐν τοῖς ἐναντίοις μὲν τετάχθαι δοκοῦντα, μὴ κατατοξεύοντα δὲ, φίλον τρόπον τινὰ ἡγητέον. Διὸ καὶ ὁ θεῖος χρησμὸς βοᾷ· « Ὁ μὴ ὢν καθ' ὑμῶν, ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἐστιν.","t":"To Ammonius. [On \"He who is not against us is for us.\"] In time of war one should regard as a friend, in a way, not only the man who shoots alongside us, but also the one who seems to be ranged among the enemy yet does not shoot at us. That is why the divine oracle cries: \"He who is not against you is for you.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.3 (PG 78 78:729; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-3)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.30":{"o":"ΑΡΧΟΝΤΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nὉ μὴ διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀντιπάλων ἀσθένειαν περιγινόμενος, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ μέγεθος τῆς οἰκείας ῥώμης τῶν ἰσχυρῶν κρατῶν, ἀοίδιμός ἐστι, καὶ ἀναῤῥήσεως ἄξιος. Μὴ τοίνυν ἐναβρύνου, εἰ ἑνὸς καὶ δευτέρου κεκράτηκας. Εἰ γὰρ τῶν ἄκρων εἰς ἀρετὴν περιγένοιο, ὄντως τροπαιοῦχος ἀνακηρυχθήση.","t":"To Archontius the presbyter. The one who prevails not through the weakness of his opponents but by the greatness of his own strength, overcoming the strong, is renowned and worthy of proclamation. Do not, then, be puffed up if you have overcome one or two. If you prevail over the foremost in virtue, you will truly be proclaimed victor.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.30 (PG 78 78:749; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-30)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.300":{"o":"ПЕТРО.\nΠερὶ τῆς ἐν ταῖς δημηγορίαις παῤῥησίας τοῦ Παύλου. Λίαν θαυμάζω τοῦ ἀοιδίμου Παύλου τὴν ἀνδρίαν, πῶς καὶ κρινόμενος ἐδημηγόρει, καὶ εὐθύνας ἀπαιτούμενος ἐδίδασκε. Διδασκάλου μὲν γάρ ἐστι τὸ μετ᾿ ἐξουσίας λέγειν, κρινομένου δὲ τὸ μετρεῖν τῷ καιρῷ τοὺς λόγους. ᾿Αλλ' οὗτος εἰς τοὐναντίον ἐχώρει· εἶχε γὰρ ἐν ἑαυτῷ τὸν τῆς σοφίας χορηγόν τε καὶ πρύτανιν.","t":"To Peter. [On Paul's frankness in his public speeches.] I greatly admire the courage of the renowned Paul: how, even on trial, he addressed the people, and, when called to account, he taught. For it belongs to a teacher to speak with authority, and to one on trial to measure his words by the occasion. But he went the opposite way; for he had in himself the giver and president of wisdom.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.300 (PG 78 78:973; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-300)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.301":{"o":"ΑΡΧΟΝΤΙΩ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΩ.\nἜοικας ἀγνοεῖν, ὅτι τὸ αὐτὸ ῥῆμα, καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ὄνομα, καὶ ὁ αὐτὸς λόγος, μὴ μετὰ τοῦ αὐτοῦ τόνου λεγόμενος, ποτὲ μὲν ἐμφαίνει λογισμοῦ, ποτὲ δὲ ὀργῆς καρπόν.","t":"To Archontius, member of the city council. You seem not to know that the same word, the same name and the same speech, said not in the same tone, sometimes shows the fruit of reason and sometimes of anger.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.301 (PG 78 78:973; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-301)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.302":{"o":"ΑΛΥΠΙΩ.\nὉ φίλος ὁ σὸς, παύσων τοὺς ὀνειδίσαντας αὐτῶν τὴν πρὸς σὲ γεγενημένην αὐτῷ μικροψυχίαν, ἐκεῖσε ἀφῖκτο· ἧκε γὰρ τὴν νυνὶ φιλοφροσύνην οὐ μόνον καλύψων, ἀλλὰ καὶ σβέσων τὴν προλαβοῦσαν δυσμένειαν· δέδεξο τοίνυν αὐτὸν ὑπτίαις χερσίν","t":"To Alypius. Your friend has arrived there to silence those who reproached him for the meanness he showed toward you; for he has come not only to cover but to quench his former ill will by his present friendliness. Receive him, then, with open arms.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.302 (PG 78 78:973; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-302)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.303":{"o":"ΑΓΑΘΟΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ τισιν ἴσως κολακεύουσί σε, ἔδοξε λογισμοῦ εἶναι, οὐκ ὀργῆς ἡ ἀπόκρισις, ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ θρασύτητος μᾶλλον εἶναι ἢ θράσους ὁ καρπός. Διὸ δὴ παραινῶ σοι ἔμπροσθεν τῆς ὀργῆς τιθέναι τὸν λογισμόν, καὶ οὕτω καὶ λέγειν καὶ γράφειν. Εἰ γὰρ συγχωρήσειας αὐτῇ προπηδᾶν τοῦ λογισμοῦ, πάντα ἄνω καὶ κάτω ποιήσει.","t":"To Agathodaemon the grammarian. Even if to some, perhaps those who flatter you, your answer seemed to be the fruit of reason and not of anger, to me it seems rather the fruit of rashness. That is why I advise you to put reason before anger, and so both speak and write. For if you allow anger to leap ahead of reason, it will turn everything upside down.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.303 (PG 78 78:973; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-303)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.304":{"o":"ΘΕΟΦΙΛΟ ΥΠΟΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὍτι μὲν τῇ πείρᾳ τὴν φήμην ὑπερέβη ὁ μακάριος Τιμόθεος, καὶ κρείττων ἦν ἀκοῆς εἰς θέαν ἐρχόμενος, ἅπαντες οἱ τῆς μειλιχίου ἐκείνης ἀξιωθέντες συνουσίας ἴσασιν. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς ηὐχόμην τοσοῦτον δυνηθῆναι φράσαι, ὁπόσον καὶ βούλομαι, οὐδεὶς, ὡς οἶμαι, ἀμφιβάλλει. Ἐπειδὴ εὔξασθαι μὲν ῥάδιον, τυχεῖν δὲ ἀπορώτερον, ἢ ὅσα πρόχειρον εὔξασθαι, ἐγὼ μὲν σιγήσω· σὺ δ᾽ ἐξ ὧν ἀκριβῶς οἶσθα, τὸ ἐγκώμιον αὐτῷ ὑφᾶναι μὴ παραιτήσῃ. Ὅτε οἱ ἀλιτήριοι Ἰουδαῖοι τῆς ἀγγελικῆς συμμαχίας, διὰ τὸ κατὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου τὴν πάντολμον ἐκείνην λύσσαν δεδραματουργηκέναι, ἐγυμνώθησαν· τότε δὴ τῇ Ῥωμαίων παραδοθέντες ἀσπίδι, τοσοῦτοι μὲν ἑάλωσαν, ὡς τοὺς τεθεαμένους ἀπιστεῖν, εἴ τις ἀπώλετο· τοσοῦτοι δὲ οἱ πεπτωκότες εὑρέθησαν, ὡς ἀπορεῖν ἅπαντας εἴ τις ἑάλωκεν. Ὅτε μὲν γὰρ περὶ τοὺς συνδούλους ἡ μανία ἐθήγετο, μετρίως ἐσωφρονίζοντο. Ὅτε δὲ κατὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου ἐμάνησαν, ὡς συγγνώμης μείζονα πταίσαντες, πανωλεθρίᾳ παρεδόθησαν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ πυρὸς καὶ σιδήρου, οἱ δὲ λιμοῦ ἔργον ἐγένοντο. Οἱ δὲ περιλειφθέντες διὰ τοῦτο περιεἶναι συνεχωρήθησαν, ἵνα καὶ τὰς τοῦ πολέμου τραγῳδήσωσι συμφορὰς, καὶ ὥσπερ αἰχμάλωτοι μαστιγίαι τὴν ὑφ᾽ ἡλίῳ περιιόντες, ἴδωσι πανταχόσε ἀνθοῦν σταυρωθέντος τὸ σέβας.","t":"To Theophilus the subdeacon. That the blessed Timothy surpassed his fame by experience, and was greater than his report when one came to see him, all who were thought worthy of that gentle company know. And that I too prayed to be able to say as much as I wish, no one, I think, doubts. But since it is easy to pray and harder to obtain than all that is readily prayed for, I will be silent; but you, from what you know exactly, do not refuse to weave his praise. [Letter 3.305] When the accursed Jews, for having staged that all-daring madness against the Master, were stripped of the angelic alliance, then, handed over to the Roman shield, so many were captured that those who saw it doubted whether anyone had perished, and so many were found fallen that all doubted whether anyone had been captured. For when their madness was sharpened against fellow servants, they were chastened moderately; but when they raged against the Master, as having sinned beyond pardon, they were handed over to utter destruction. Some became the work of fire and iron, others of famine. Those left over were allowed to survive for this reason: that they might tell the tragedy of the war's misfortunes, and, going about the earth like captive and whipped slaves, see everywhere the worship of the Crucified blossoming.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.304 (PG 78 78:973; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-304)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.306":{"o":"ΚΥΡΙΛΛΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nὭσπερ βασιλεὺς ὑπὸ τῶν νόμων ἀρχόμενος, ἔμψυχός ἐστι νόμος · οὕτω καὶ ἱερεὺς ὑπὸ τῶν θεσμῶν βασιλευόμενος, κανών ἐστιν ἄφθογγος","t":"To Cyril the bishop. Just as a king ruled by the laws is a living law, so a priest governed by the ordinances is a voiceless rule.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.306 (PG 78 78:975; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-306)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.307":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΗ.\nὭσπερ οἱ γνήσιοι καὶ διάπυροι τῆς σωφροσύνης ἐρασταὶ ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας ἁγνείας, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ περὶ μὴ ὄντων τοιούτων πολλάκις καθαρὰς τὰς ψήφους φέρουσι, καὶ οὐδένα ἡγοῦνται ἀκόλαστον εἶναι· οὕτω καὶ οἱ τῷ τῆς ἀσελγείας οἴστρῳ λυττῶντες, ὧν εἷς καὶ αὐτὸς, ὥς φασι, τυγχάνεις, ἐκ τῆς σφῶν λαγνείας, καὶ τοὺς μὴ ὄντας τοιούτους, τοιούτους εἶναι ψηφίζονται. Ἕκαστοι γὰρ ἐκ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ τὰς περὶ τῶν ἄλλων φέρουσι ψήφους.","t":"To Isaiah the soldier. Just as genuine and ardent lovers of chastity, from their own purity, often cast pure verdicts even about others who are not such, and think no one licentious, so those raving with the frenzy of licentiousness, of whom you too, as they say, are one, judge from their own lust that even those who are not such are such. For each casts his verdicts about others from his own case.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.307 (PG 78 78:975; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-307)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.308":{"o":"ΑΜΜΩΝΙΟ ΤΡΙΒΟΥΝΩ.\nΚαὶ ὁ καιρὸς τῆς πανηγύρεως ἐπαληθεύων ἑαυτὸν ) εὐμοιρίᾳ φύσεως κεκόσμηται. Ἵνα γὰρ παρῶ τὸ τῶν ψυχῶν ἔαρ, τὸ μετὰ τὸν χειμῶνα τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀνθῆσαν, οὐδὲ τὸ τῶν σωμάτων ἔξω θαύματος καθέστηκε. Τῆς γὰρ χειμερίου δυσκρασίας δεύτερον ὁρμηθὲν, τῆς θερινῆς ὀχλήσεως προτρέχει, ἵνα δείξῃ, ὅτι ὁ τοῦ χειμῶνος τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἀπαλλαγεὶς, εἰ μὴ ἑαρινὴν καὶ ᾿βεβηκυῖαν κατάστασιν ἐν ἑαυτῷ φυλάξοι, τῷ πυρὶ τῆς κρίσεως παραδοθήσεται. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἀνάγκῃ τινὶ μετὰ τὸ ἔαρ τὸ θέρος, οὕτω καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀνεξικακίαν ἡ κρίσις πάντως ἐπιφοιτήσει.","t":"To Ammonius the tribune. The season of the festival too, proving itself true, has been adorned with nature's good fortune. For to pass over the spring of souls, which has blossomed after the winter of sins, that of bodies too is not without wonder. For having set out a second time from winter's bad weather, it runs ahead of summer's oppression, to show that the one freed from the winter of sins, unless he keeps a spring-like and settled condition in himself, will be handed over to the fire of judgment. For just as summer necessarily follows spring, so judgment will certainly come after forbearance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.308 (PG 78 78:975; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-308)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.309":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ βούλει, ὦ βέλτιστε, μεγάλα δεῖξαι τὰ σαυτοῦ κατορθώματα, μὴ μέγα φρόνει, καὶ τότε ταῦτα μείζονα ἀποφαίνεις. Μὴ νομίσῃς τι πεποιηκέναι, καὶ τότε λαμπρότερος ἔσῃ. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς νομίζων εἶναι τοῦθ᾽ ὅπερ ἐστὶ, δίκαιος γίνεται (ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ τελώνης)· ὁ δίκαιος ἁμαρτωλὸν ἑαυτὸν ἡγούμενος, πῶς οὐ σεμνότερός ἐστι καὶ εὐκλεέστερος; Ἡ εὐγνωμοσύνη στέφανον ἁμαρτωλῷ ἤνεγκεν (οὐδὲ γὰρ ταπεινοφρονῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀληθεύων ἔλεγε), ταπεινοφροσύνη δικαίῳ πῶς οὐ μυρίους πλέξει στεφάνους; Πολλοὶ μὲν ἀνθρώπων (πάντας γὰρ αἰτιᾶσθαι οὐχ ὅσιον), τὰ μὲν κακὰ καὶ μὴ μαθόντες δρῶσι, τὰ δὲ ἀγαθὰ οὐδὲ διδασκόμενοι συνίασιν· ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν τιμωρίας πνέοντα ἀφ᾿ ἑαυτῶν ποιοῦντες διατελοῦσι· τὰ δὲ στεφάνων πρόξενα, οὐδ᾽ ἀναγκαζόμενοι διαπράττονται· κἀκεῖνα μὲν μηδὲ παραδείγματα πολλάκις ἔχοντες τίκτουσι· ταῦτα δὲ, καὶ παραδείγματα ὁρῶντες παραγράφονται. Τοσοῦτον ἀπέχουσι τοῦ μιμεῖσθαι. Τοῦ χάριν δὴ ταῦτα γράφω, τυχόν οὐκ ἀγνοεῖς· ὅτι Ζωσίμου καὶ Μάρωνος τοὺς βίους ἐκωμώδησας.","t":"To Martyrius the presbyter. If you wish, excellent friend, to show your achievements great, do not think highly of yourself, and then you make them greater. Do not think you have done anything, and then you will be more brilliant. For if the sinner, thinking himself what he is, becomes righteous (as did the tax collector), how is the righteous man who considers himself a sinner not more venerable and more glorious? If honesty brought a crown to a sinner (for he spoke not out of humility but truthfully), how will humility not weave countless crowns for the righteous? [Letter 3.310] Many people (for it is not holy to accuse all) do evil things without even learning them, but do not understand good things even when taught; they keep doing of themselves what breathes punishment, but do not accomplish what wins crowns even under compulsion; they give birth to the former often without even having examples, but reject the latter even when they see examples. So far are they from imitating. Why I write this, you perhaps know: because you mocked the lives of Zosimus and Maron.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.309 (PG 78 78:977; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-309)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.31":{"o":"ΟΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΟ.\nΠῶς εἴρηται τό· - Πρωτότοκος πάσης φύσεως. » Τὰ καθημαξευμένα παρεὶς, σαφῶς εἶποιμι τὸ νενοημένον, εἰ καὶ δόξαιμί τισι καινοτέραν ἑρμηνείας ἀνατέμνειν ὁδόν. Ὁ πρωτότοκος, εἰ μὲν ἡ δευτέρα ὀξύνοιτο συλλαβή, τὸν τεχθέντα πρῶτον· εἰ δ' ἡ παρεσχάτη, τὸν πρώτως τεκόντα μηνύει. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἀκριβῶς ἴστε μάλιστα ὑμεῖς οἱ ὁμηρίζοντες. Πρωτοτόκος γὰρ ἡ πρώτως τεκοῦσα ἐκείνῳ εἴρηται. Εἰκὸς οὖν, μᾶλλον δ᾽ ἀναγκαῖον ἐννοεῖν, ὅτι κάνταῦθα τοιαύτῃ τινὶ ἐννοίᾳ ὁ θεσπέσιος ἐχρήσατο Παῦλος, οὐ πρῶτον τῆς κτίσεως αὐτὸν ἐκτίσθαι δογματίζων, ἅπαγε, ὅς γε ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης, καὶ χαρακτῆρα τῆς ὑποστάσεως τῆς πατρικῆς αὐτὸν καλεῖ· ἀλλὰ πρῶτον τετοκέναι, τουτέστι, πεποιηκέναι τὴν κτίσιν, ἶν᾿ ἧ τῆς τρίτης συλλαβῆς ὀξυνομένης, πρωτογό νος, οὐ πρωτογενής· πρωτοκτίστης, οὐ πρωτόκτιτογόνος πon πρωτογενής, ὁ τόκος, στος. Εἰ δ᾽ ὁ τόκος ἐνταῦθα ἀντὶ τῆς κτίσεως παρελήφθη, θαυμαζέτω μηδεὶς, ἐπεὶ καὶ ἑτέρωσε εἴρηται· « Θεὸν τὸν γεννήσαντά σε ἐγκατέλιπες· · καί • Υἱοὺς ἐγέννησα καὶ ὕψωσα· » καί· · Ἐγὼ εἶπα· Θεοί ἐστε καὶ υἱοὶ Ὑψίστου πάντες. » Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ καὶ γεννήσας ὁ Θεὸς ἀπαθῶς ἐγέννησε, καὶ κτίζων ἀπαθῶς καὶ θεοπρεπῶς καὶ ἀμογητὶ δημιουργεῖ, τούτοις τοῖς ὀνόμασι κέχρηται ἡ Γραφή, οὐχ ἵνα τὴν γέννησιν κτίσιν, καὶ τὴν κτίσιν γέννησιν ὑπολάβωμεν, ὡς κακουργοῦντες οἱ αἱρετικοὶ κατασκευάζειν δοκοῦσιν· ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τὴν εὐκολίαν καὶ τὴν ἀπάθειαν τοῦ Θεοῦ παραστήσῃ. Εἰ δέ τις προλήψει μόνῃ δουλεύων, καὶ μὴ τἀληθὲς σκοπῶν, ἀντείποι, οὔτ᾽ ἐγὼ τὴν ψῆφον ἐμαυτῷ θήσομαι, οὔτ᾽ ἐκεῖνος ἑαυτῷ ἂν εἴη δίκαιος. Οὐκοῦν ἐπιτρέψωμεν οἱ ἀκροαταί. Εἱ μὲν οὖν ἐκεῖνος ἔχει δεῖξαι, δειξάτω. Εἰ δὲ ἐμὲ ἀπαιτεῖ τὴν ἀπόδειξιν, αὐτὸν τὸν τοῦτ᾽ εἰρηκότα, παρακομίσω μάρτυρα. Μετὰ γὰρ τὸ εἰπεῖν, « Πρωτοτόκος πάσης κτίσεως, » ἐπήγαγεν· • Ὅτι ἐν αὐτῷ ἐκτίσθη τὰ πάντα, τὰ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς, καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. • Εἰ μὲν οὖν εἶπε, Μετ' αὐτὸν ἐκτίσθη, ψηφίσασθε τῷ κατηγόρῳ. Εἰ δ' Ἐν αὐτῷ· ἐν γὰρ τῷ κτίστῃ ἐστὶν ἡ πάντων δημιουργία καὶ διαμονή · ὅπερ καὶ σαφηνίζων ἀλλαχόσε ἔφη • Ἐν αὐτῷ γὰρ ζῶμεν καὶ κινούμεθα καὶ ἐσμέν·· ἀναντίῤῥητος ἡμῶν, ὡς οἶμαι, ἡ νίκη. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὰ ἐξῆς φράσαιμι, ἐπιφανέστερόν ἐστι τὸ τρόπαιον. Φησὶ γάρ· · Καὶ αὐτός ἐστι πρὸ πάντων. » Οὐκ εἶπεν, Αὐτὸς γέγονε πρὸ πάντων, ἀλλ', « Ἔστι πρὸ πάντων, καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῷ συνέστηκεν. » Οὐκ εἶπε, Μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, οὐδὲ, Μετ᾿ αὐτὸν ἐκτίσθη· διὰ τί δὲ παραγράφονται τοὺς λέγοντας, μονογενής μὲν κατὰ τὴν θεότητα, πρωτότοκος δὲ τῆς νέας κτίσεως κατὰ τὴν ἀνθρωπότητα; εἰ γὰρ μήτε οὕτω νοηθείη, μήτε μὴν πρωτοκτίστης κληθείη, τὸ πρωτότοκον, εἰ μὲν τῷ μονογενεῖ συναφθείη, δύναται τὴν εὐγένειαν ἐμφῆναι· δύναται γὰρ εἶναί τις καὶ πρωτότοκος, καὶ μονογενὴς υἱός· εἰ δὲ τοῖς κτίσμασιν, οὐκ ἔχει χώραν. Ἢ γὰρ μονόκτιστος, ἢ πρωτογενής. Θάτερον γὰρ θατέρου ἀναιρετικόν ἐστι. Τί δ' ἄρα ἐκώλυε σαφῶς αὐτὸν εἰπεῖν, Πρωτόκτιστος πάσης κτίσεως; Πῶς δὲ, εἰ πρωτόκτιστος νοεῖται, μονογενής ἐστι; Τὸ μὲν γὰρ μόνον, ἄλλο οὐ προσίεται· τὸ δὲ πρῶτον, τὸ πρᾶγμα ἀδεκάστοις κριταῖς, καὶ ἔστωσαν κριταὶ τὸ μόνον παραγράφεται. Τί δὲ διαφέρει τῶν κτισμάτων κατ᾿ αὐτὸ τοῦτο, εἴ γε καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκτίσθη; Πῶς δὲ οὐκ ἐρυθριῶσι, κτίσματι προσκυνοῦντες, καὶ ταῖς ἑαυτῶν μαχόμενοι ψήφοις; ᾿Απαγορεύοντες καὶ τὸ τῇ κτίσει προσκυνεῖν, ὡς Ἑλληνικὸν αὐτοὶ τοῦτο δρῶντες ἑαυτοὺς λανθάνουσι. Χρὴ δὲ καὶ τοῦτ᾽ εἰδὲναι, ὅτι οὐ τὰ αὐτὰ ὀνόματα πάντως καὶ τὰ αὐτὰ μηνύει πράγματα · οὔθ᾽ ἡ ὁμωνυμία συνωνυμίαν ἐκ παντὸς τρόπου ἐμφαίνει. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ Υἱοῦ κυρίως λέγεται ἡ γέννησις· ἐπὶ· δὲ τῶν κτισμάτων καταχρηστικῶς. Ἐπ' ἐκείνου τῆς ἀληθείας ἕνεκεν καὶ τῆς ὁμοουσιότητος· ἐπὶ δὲ τούτων τιμῆς ἕνεκεν καὶ υἱοθεσίας. Βουληθεὶς γὰρ ἀπεκύησεν ἡμᾶς λόγῳ ἀληθείας. Μὴ τοίνυν ἡ ὁμωνυμία τὴν ὁμοτιμίαν ἐνταῦθα τικτέτω, μηδὲ τὰ καταχρηστικῶς εἰρημένα κυρίως λελέχθαι νομιζέσθω Ἐπεὶ καὶ τὸν θυμὸν, καὶ τὴν ὀργὴν, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα τὰ τῇ θείᾳ μὴ πρέποντα φύσει, καταχρηστικῶς λελεγμένα οὐκ ἄν τις εὐφρονῶν κυρίως πεφράσθαι φαίη. Δῆλον γάρ ἐστιν ὅτι ἑκάστῳ χωρίῳ καὶ ἑκάστῃ λέξει ἡ πρέπουσα καὶ ἁρμόζουσα ἑρμηνεία προσαγομένη τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὠδίνει.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. [How \"Firstborn of all nature\" is meant.] Passing over the beaten tracks, I will say plainly what I have understood, even if I seem to some to be cutting a new road of interpretation. Prototokos, if the second syllable is accented, denotes the one born first; if the penultimate, the one who first bore. And you who study Homer know this very well; for the poet calls a mother who has given birth for the first time prototokos. It is likely, or rather necessary, to understand that here too the divine Paul used some such sense, not teaching that he was created first of creation (far from it! for he calls him \"the radiance of the glory\" and \"the imprint\" of the Father's \"hypostasis\"), but that he first bore, that is, made, creation: so that, with the third syllable accented, he is the first begetter, not the first begotten; the first creator, not the first created. And if \"bearing\" is used here for creation, let no one be surprised, since elsewhere it is said, \"You have forsaken God who begot you,\" and \"I begot sons and raised them up,\" and \"I said, You are gods and sons of the Most High, all of you.\" For since God, when he begot, begot without passion, and when he creates, fashions without passion, in a manner worthy of God and without toil, Scripture has used these names, not so that we should take begetting to be creation and creation begetting, as the heretics are seen to contrive with malice, but in order to show God's ease and freedom from passion. But if anyone, a slave only to prejudice and not looking to the truth, contradicts me, neither shall I cast the vote for myself, nor would he rightly do so for himself. Let us, then, entrust the matter to impartial judges, and let the hearers be the judges. If he can prove his case, let him prove it. But if he demands proof from me, I will bring forward as witness the one who said it. For after saying, \"Firstborn of all creation,\" he added, \"for in him all things were created, in heaven and on earth.\" If he had said, \"After him they were created,\" vote for the accuser. But if \"in him\" (for in the Creator is the making and continuance of all things, which he also made plain elsewhere, saying, \"For in him we live and move and have our being\"), our victory is, I think, beyond dispute. And if I state what follows, the trophy is more conspicuous still. For he says, \"And he is before all things.\" He did not say, \"He came to be before all things,\" but \"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.\" He did not say, \"With him,\" or \"After him they were created.\" And why do they reject those who say that he is only-begotten according to the Godhead and firstborn of the new creation according to the humanity? For if it is not understood in this way, and he is certainly not to be called first-created, \"firstborn,\" if joined to \"only-begotten,\" can show his nobility of birth; for someone can be both the firstborn and the only-begotten son; but joined to created things, it has no place. For either one is the only one created, or the first among others: the one cancels the other. What prevented him from saying plainly, \"First-created of all creation\"? And how, if he is thought of as first-created, is he only-begotten? For \"only\" admits no other, while \"first\" rules out \"only.\" And in what does he differ from created things in this very respect, if he too was created? And how do they not blush, worshipping a creature and fighting their own votes? Forbidding the worship of creation as pagan, they do not notice that they themselves do it. One must also know this: the same names do not always mean the same things, nor does a shared name in every case show a shared meaning. Begetting is said of the Son properly, but of created things by extension: of him for the sake of truth and sameness of essence, of them for the sake of honour and adoption. \"For of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth.\" Let not, then, the shared name here beget equal honour, and let what is said by extension not be thought to have been said properly. For no one in his right mind would say that anger and wrath and all the other things unfitting to the divine nature, which are said by extension, were said properly. For it is plain that the fitting and suitable interpretation, brought to each passage and each word, brings forth the truth.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.31 (PG 78 78:749; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-31)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.311":{"o":"ΔΑΝΙΗΛ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nὉ σοφὸς Εὐστάθιος ὁ πρεσβύτερος, ὁ ὑπὸ θείας μισοπονηρίας, καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ ὁμωνυμίᾳ τοῦ ἐναγοῦς, ὡς οἶσθα, Εὐσταθίου βαρυνόμενος, καὶ ἀμεῖψαι ἑαυτοῦ τὴν προσηγορίαν βουλόμενος οἴχεται. Τέθνηκε γὰρ, εἰπεῖν ἴσως οὐ θέμις. Ἡ γὰρ τῶν φιλαρέτων ἀνδρῶν κοίμησις, ὧν εἷς ἦν καὶ αὐτὸς, τελευτὴ μὲν ἐστι τῶν λυπηρῶν, ἀρχὴ δὲ τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Τὸ γὰρ τῶν ἄθλων πέρας, ἀρχὴ τῶν στεφάνων καθέστηκε. Ἔχει τι ἡ ψυχή μου ἐπιῤῥεπὲς, ὦ φίλε, εἰς τὸ πιστεύειν μὲν τοῖς μεγίστοις κατορθώμασιν, ἀπιστεῖν δὲ τοῖς μεγάλοις ἁμαρτήμασι. Διὸ καὶ τοὺς ἐκεῖνα μὲν διηγουμένους ἐπαινῶ· τοὺς δὲ ταῦτα, εἰ μὲν δυναίμην, ἐπιστομίζω· εἰ δὲ μὴ, τῷ στυγνάζειν ἀναστέλλω. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ τὸν σὸν ἐχθρὸν ἄῤῥητά τινα κατὰ σοῦ ῥητορεύσαντα ἐπεστόμισα, μὴ ἐμοὶ χάριν ἴσθι, ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ τοιαύτην μοι προαίρεσιν χαρισαμένῳ. Καὶ πειρῶ ἐκεῖνον, δι' ὧν πράττεις, ἐλέγχειν. Οὕτω γὰρ ἐγὼ χάριν εἴσομαι, εἰ μὴ ἐλεγχοίμην ὑπὲρ σοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας τὸν λόγον ποιησάμενος.","t":"To Daniel the presbyter. The wise Eustathius the presbyter, burdened by divine hatred of evil and by sharing the name, as you know, of the polluted Eustathius, and wishing to change his name, has departed. For perhaps it is not right to say he has died. For the falling asleep of virtuous men, of whom he was one, is the end of sorrows and the beginning of good things; for the end of the contests is the beginning of the crowns. [Letter 3.312] My soul has a certain inclination, friend, to believe the greatest achievements and to disbelieve great sins. That is why I praise those who tell the former; those who tell the latter I silence if I can, and if not, I check by looking gloomy. If, then, I silenced your enemy when he declaimed unspeakable things against you, do not thank me, but God, who granted me such a disposition. And try to refute him by what you do. For so I shall be thanked, if I am not refuted for having spoken on your behalf, but on behalf of the truth.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.311 (PG 78 78:977; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-311)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.313":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς θείας ἐπιδημίας. Ἴσθι, ὦ σοφίας αὐτοφυὲς ἄγαλμα, ὅτι ὁ καλλίνικος τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλεὺς, ὁ ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν ἐπιδημίαν τῇδε ποιησάμενος, πᾶν τὸ ἁμαρτάνον ὡς βάρβαρον χειρωσάμενος, ὡς οἰκεῖον μετὰ τὴν νίκην ᾤκτειρε.","t":"To Lampetius the deacon. [On the divine coming among us.] Know, you self-grown statue of wisdom, that the triumphant King of heaven, who made his coming here for the salvation of humankind, having subdued all that sins as a barbarian, pitied it after the victory as his own.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.313 (PG 78 78:977; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-313)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.314":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nὉ μὴ μόνον τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις ἐπαμύνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅπως μηδεὶς ἀδικήσῃ προμηθούμενος, οὗτος οὐ μόνον ἄρχων δραστήριος, ἀλλὰ καὶ νομοθέτης σοφὸς δίκαιος ἂν εἴη καλεῖσθαι· τὸ μὲν τῇ ἀρχικῇ δυνάμει, τὸ δὲ τῇ ψυχικῇ συνέσει διαπραττόμενος. Ὁ μήτε χάριτι, μήτε δυσμενείᾳ, μήτε δωροδοκία λυμαινόμενος τὸ δίκαιον, οὗτος καὶ ἄριστός ἐστι τοῦ δικαίου κανὼν, καὶ ἀδέκαστος τῶν ἀμφισβητουμένων κριτής.","t":"To Peter the scholasticus. The one who not only defends the wronged but also takes forethought that no one may do wrong deserves to be called not only an effective ruler but also a wise legislator, accomplishing the one by the power of office and the other by understanding of soul. [Letter 3.315] The one who corrupts justice neither by favour, nor by enmity, nor by bribery is the best rule of justice and an impartial judge of disputes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.314 (PG 78 78:979; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-314)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.316":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\n• Διδοὺς σοφίαν τοῖς σοφοῖς, καὶ φρόνησιν τοῖς εἰδόσι σύνεσιν. » ἐθνῶν ἀριστεύσας, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ Ἰουδαίων, τῶν Τὸ ῥηθὲν τῷ Δανιήλ, « Διδοὺς σοφίαν τοῖς σοφοῖς, καὶ φρόνησιν τοῖς εἰδόσι· » σύνεσιν μάλιστα μὲν περὶ ἑαυτοῦ εἶπεν. Ἐπειδὴ οὐ μόνον αὐτῷ τὸ ἐνύπνιον τοῦ βασιλέως (ὅπερ αὐτὸς ὁ ἑωρακὼς οὐκ ᾔδει) ἀπεκάλυψεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν, δι᾽ ἣν ἐδείχθη ἡ \"ὄψις ἐκείνη; καὶ τὴν σύγκρισιν. Ἡ δὲ αἰτία ἦν, τοῦ βασιλέως τὰ βουλεύματα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὡς εἰκὸς, ὠφρύωτο τοῖς τροπαίοις, οὐ μόνον κατὰ τῶν ἄλλων πολλὰ καὶ μεγάλα αὐχούντων εὐηργετῆσθαι ἐπί τε τῆς Αἰγύπτου, ἐπί τε τῆς ἐρήμου, ἐπί τε τῆς Παλαιστίνης ἐνενόησεν, ὡς εἰκὸς, θεασάμενος πολλὰς βασιλείας σβεσθείσας (ἦν γὰρ καὶ ἡ τῶν ᾿Ασσυρίων τελευτήσασα), εἰ καὶ αὐτῷ μεταβολή τις γενήσεται. Ακολούθως τοιγαροῦν τοῖς βουλεύμασιν ἡ ὄψις γέγονεν. Ὁ δὲ προφήτης τὰ βεβουλευμένα αὐτῷ πρῶτον διηγήσατο, ἵνα ἀπὸ τῶν ὡμολογημένων καὶ τὰ λανθάνοντα ἀξιόπιστα γένωνται, καὶ ἡ ἑρμηνεία εὐπαράδεκτος εἴη. Οὕτως οὖν καὶ ὁ βασιλεὺς κατεδέξατο τὸ λεχθέντα. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον ἀφ᾿ ὧν τὰ κατὰ διάνοιαν ἔφη, ἐστοχάσατο ὡς ἀληθῆ τὰ εἰρημένα τυγχάνει · ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνεπόλησεν ἴσως τὸ ὀφθὲν, καὶ εἰς Ο μνήμην ἦλθεν ὑπὸ τῆς ἀκριβείας τῶν λεχθέντων. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον. Εἰ δὲ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων τοῦτο ἔφη, σοφοὺς, οἷμαι, καλεῖ τοὺς τὸν θεῖον κτησαμένους φόβον (« ᾿Αρχὴ γὰρ σοφίας, φόβος Κυρίου)· · εἰδότας δὲ σύνεσιν, τοὺς πεπαιδευμένους τὸν νόμον. Εἰ γὰρ τῆς τῶν εἰδώλων ἀποσταῖεν ἀπάτης, ἔψονται δὲ τοῖς οὐρανίοις χρησμοῖς, λήψονται τὴν τῶν ἀῤῥήτων γνῶσιν. « Δίδωσι γὰρ σοφίαν τοῖς σοφοῖς, ὁ τουτέστι τὴν θείαν χάριν τοῖς φοβουμένοις ὀρέγει· ε φρόνησιν δὲ τοῖς εἰδόσι σύνεσιν, » τουτέστι τῶν κεκρυμμένων τὴν γνῶσιν τοῖς συνετῶς ἐπὶ τὸν τὰ τοιαῦτα ἀποκαλύπτειν δυνάμενον κατατρέχουσιν. Η πάλιν, σοφίαν μὲν τοῖς σοφῶς ἑαυτοὺς ἄγουσι· φρόνησιν δὲ, τοῖς σύνεσιν γεωργοῦσιν, ἵν᾿ ἡ προαίρεσις τὴν χάριν ἐπισπάσηται, καὶ μὴ κατὰ ἀποκλήρωσιν δόξῃ χαρίζεσθαι. Πρὸς γὰρ τὰς παρασκευὰς καὶ ἡ χάρις ἐφίπταται. Ἢ πάλιν, ἐπειδὴ πολλοὶ καὶ τῶν ἔξωθεν σοφῶν καὶ συνετῶν προσελθόντες τῷ θείῳ κηρύγματι τὴν ὄντως σοφίαν, καὶ τὴν τῷ ὄντι σύνεσιν δρέψασθαι ἤμελλον, τοῦτο προεφήτευσε.","t":"To Hierax the presbyter. [\"Giving wisdom to the wise and prudence to those who know understanding.\"] What Daniel said, \"Giving wisdom to the wise and prudence to those who know understanding,\" he said above all about himself. For God revealed to him not only the king's dream (which the one who saw it did not know), but also the cause for which that vision was shown, and its interpretation. The cause was the king's thoughts. For since, as was likely, he was puffed up by his trophies, having excelled not only against the other nations but also against the Jews, who boasted many and great things of having received benefits in Egypt, in the desert and in Palestine, he considered, as was likely, seeing many kingdoms extinguished (for that of the Assyrians too had ended), whether some change would come upon him too. The vision, then, came in accordance with his thoughts. The prophet first told him what he had been thinking, so that from what was agreed the hidden things too might become credible and the interpretation acceptable. And so the king accepted what was said. For not only from his telling what was in his mind did he conjecture that what was said was true, but perhaps he also recalled what he had seen, and it came to his memory through the exactness of what was said. So much for this. And if he said this about the others too, I think he calls wise those who have acquired the fear of God (\"for the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom\"), and those who know understanding those educated in the law. For if they depart from the deceit of idols and follow the heavenly oracles, they will receive the knowledge of ineffable things. \"For he gives wisdom to the wise,\" that is, he holds out divine grace to those who fear him; \"and prudence to those who know understanding,\" that is, the knowledge of hidden things to those who run with understanding to the one who can reveal such things. Or again: wisdom to those who conduct themselves wisely, and prudence to those who cultivate understanding, so that the will may draw grace and he may not seem to grant it by lot. For grace flies to meet the preparations. Or again: since many of the wise and understanding outside, coming to the divine preaching, were to pluck the true wisdom and real understanding, he prophesied this.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.316 (PG 78 78:979; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-316)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.317":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ.\nΟὐχ ἡ δύναμις μόνον, ὦ θαυμάσιε, τοῦ κηρύγματος, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ βίος τῶν κηρυττόντων συμβαίνων τῷ κηρύγματι, τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐπηγάγετο. Τίς γὰρ ἂν ἐπείσθη ἀνθρώποις, ἄλλα μὲν φράζουσιν, ἕτερα δὲ πράττουσιν; Εἰ γὰρ νῦν πολλοὶ ῥιζωθέντες ἐν τῇ πίστει, ἐκ τοῦ βίου τῶν ὑφηγητῶν, οὐ μόνον ἐσαλεύθησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτόπρεμνοι ἀνεσπάσθησαν· τίς ἂν παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν μὴ ὁρῶν πολιτείαν τοῖς λεγομένοις συμβαίνουσαν ἐπείσθη; καὶ ταῦτα, κελευόμενος τῶν πατρῴων θεῶν τε καὶ ἐθῶν ἀποστῆναι, καὶ πλοῦτον μὲν καὶ τρυφὴν καὶ ἡδονὴν μισῆσαι, ἀσπάσασθαι δὲ ἀκτημοσύνην καὶ νηστείαν, καὶ ἁγνείαν, καὶ πρὸς καθημερινοὺς παρασκευάσασθαι θανάτους. Οὐδὲν δυνατώτερον ἀρετῆς, ὦ ὁμώνυμε, οὐδὲ τυραννικώτερον. Αὕτη γὰρ ἐλέγχουσα τὰς τῶν πραγμάτων μεταβολὰς, ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐλέγχεσθαι οὐκ ἀνέχεται· ἀλλὰ πάσας τὰς ἡνίας τοῦ πρέποντος ἐπιβάλλουσα, ἡνιοχεῖ καὶ ἄγει πρὸς ὅπερ βούλεται.","t":"To Theon. Not only the power of the preaching, admirable friend, but also the life of the preachers, agreeing with the preaching, drew people. For who would have been persuaded by people saying one thing and doing another? For if now many who were rooted in the faith have not only been shaken but torn up by the roots because of the life of their guides, who at the beginning would have been persuaded without seeing a way of life agreeing with what was said? And that when commanded to depart from ancestral gods and customs, to hate wealth, luxury and pleasure, and to embrace poverty, fasting and purity, and to prepare for daily deaths. [Letter 3.318] Nothing is more powerful than virtue, namesake, nor more sovereign. For refuting the changes of affairs, it does not allow itself to be refuted by them; but putting on all the reins of what is fitting, it drives and leads wherever it wishes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.317 (PG 78 78:981; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-317)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.319":{"o":"ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς Εὐσεβίου, ὡς γέγραφας, ἀναρχίας (τὴν γὰρ ἀρχὴν αὐτοῦ ἀναρχίαν εἰκότως κέκληκας) τῶν ἐγκλημάτων τιμωρία προηγεῖται, καὶ αἱ κολάσεις τοὺς ἐλέγχους φθάνουσι, μὴ θαύμαζε. Αλογίας γὰρ ὧν θρέμμα, καὶ πάσης δικαιοσύνης ἀμύητος, ταράττειν τὸ δίκαιον οὐκ ὀκνεῖ. Χρὴ δὲ οὐχ οὕτως · ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐγκλήμασι τὴν κρίσιν συμπεφυκέναι, καὶ μετὰ τοὺς ἐλέγχους τὴν πίστιν ἕπεσθαι· καὶ τελευταίαν τὴν ψῆφον φέρεσθαι, τὴν τοῦ πταίσματος φύσιν, μέτρον τῆς δίκης ὁρίζουσαν. – ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Πῶς νοητέον τὸ τῷ ἐκκλησιαστικῷ γεγραμμένον, • Μὴ γίνου δίκαιος πολύ. • Ἐπειδὴ ὅπως εἴρηται τὸ, « Μὴ γίνου δίκαιος πολύ, » ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν, οἶμαι διττὴν ἑρμηνείαν ἔχειν· ἡ, Μὴ γίνου ἀκριβοδίκαιος, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπέρβαινέ τοῦτο τῇ ἀγαθότητι. Δίκαιον μὲν γὰρ τὸ μὴ ἀδικεῖσθαι· φιλόσοφον δὲ τὸ ἀδικούμενον φέρειν· ἢ, « Τὴν μέσην ὁδὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς βάδιζε. » Αἱ γὰρ ὑπερβολαὶ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐλλείψεις τῆς ὀρθῆς ἀπάγουσαι ὁδοῦ, εἰς ἁμαρτήματα τελευτῶσιν. Ὅτι δὲ εἰς τοῦτο ὁρᾷ ἡ σοφωτάτη παραίνεσις, τὸ ἑξῆς ἐγγυήσεται. Καὶ μὴ σοφίζου, φησὶ, περιττὰ, ἵνα μὴ καταπλαγῆς. Ὅπερ ἢ κεκλοφώς τις, ὡς οἶμαι, τῶν ἑπτὰ θρυλλουμένων σοφῶν ἢ συμπεσὼν τῇ γνώμῃ (κλοπὴ μὲν γάρ ἐστιν ἡ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ὑφαίρεσις· συνέμπτωσις δὲ, ἀπερίπτωτος ἐμφέρεια πραγμάτων), ἀπεφήνατο, « Μέτρον ἄριστον • ῎Ἄλλος δέ τις τοῦτο παραφράσας, « Μηδὲν ἄγαν » ἔφη. Οὐκ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀρετῶν δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς εὐσεβείας τοῦτο κρατοῦν ἔστιν ἰδεῖν. Ἡ γὰρ εὐσέβεια, ἀσεβείας καὶ δεισιδαιμονίας μέση τυγχάνουσα, ἑκατέραν ἀποκηρύττει. Ἐπειδὴ ὅπως καὶ αἱ ἀρεταὶ μεσότητές εἰσιν, ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν, ἴσθι, ὅτι ἡ μὲν φρόνησις, μέση ἀφελείας καὶ κακουργίας ἕστηκεν· ἡ δὲ ἐλευθεριότης, ἀσωτίας καὶ φειδωλίας· ἡ δὲ μεγαλοψυχία, ἀλαζονείας καὶ ταπεινότητος· ἡ δὲ ἀνδρία, θρασύτητος καὶ δειλίας. Χρὴ οὖν τὰς μὲν ἀκρότητας φεύγειν, τὰς δὲ μεσότητας διώκειν. Μὴ ζήτει πλοῦτον, ὦ βέλτιστε, τὸν τῆς ὑπερηφανίας πατέρα, τὸν τῆς ὑπεροψίας γεννήτορα, τὸν τῶν ἡδονῶν χορηγὸν, τὸν πάσης κακίας δημιουργὸν, τὸν τῆς πρὸς Θεὸν φιλίας ἀποσυλῶντα τὸν ἄνθρωπον· ἀλλ᾿ ἀρετὴν, τὴν πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἀπαλλάττουσαν. Εἰ δὲ ἱδρῶτας ἔχει καὶ πόνους, μὴ διὰ τοῦτο αὐτὴν ἀποφύγοις, ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο μάλιστα περίπτυξαι, λογιζόμενος, ὅτι καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων πραγμάτων τὸ μετὰ πόνων καὶ ἰδρώτων κτηθὲν κἂν μικρὸν τυγχάνῃ, ποθεινότερὸν ἐστι. Τὸ δὲ αὐτομάτως προσπεσὸν, εὐκαταφρόνητον, κἂν ὑπάρχῃ μέγα. ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Ἐπειδὴ αἱ παραινέσεις ἴσχυσαν οὐδὲν, τῆς σῆς μανίας, τῆς περὶ τὴν κακίαν, κρείττονος διορθώσεως εὑρεθείσης, εἰς εὐχὰς πάλιν τρεπόμεθα. Εἴη τοίνυν σὲ ἀποφοιτῆσαι μὲν τῆς μανίας εἰς νοῦν δὲ σώφρονα ἥκειν.","t":"To Asclepius the bishop. Even if under the misrule of Eusebius, as you wrote (for you rightly called his rule misrule), punishment precedes charges and penalties outrun proofs, do not be surprised. For being a nursling of unreason and uninitiated in all justice, he does not hesitate to confound what is just. But it ought not to be so; judgment should grow together with the charges, belief should follow the proofs, and the verdict should come last, making the nature of the offence the measure of the penalty. [Letter 3.320] To the same. [How what is written in Ecclesiastes, \"Do not be very righteous,\" is to be understood.] Since you wished to learn how \"Do not be very righteous\" is said, I think it has a twofold interpretation: either \"Do not be exact in justice, but go beyond it by goodness\" (for it is just not to be wronged, but philosophic to bear being wronged); or \"Walk the middle road of virtue.\" For the excesses and defects of the virtues, leading away from the right road, end in sins. And that the most wise exhortation looks to this, what follows will guarantee: \"And do not be over-wise,\" it says, \"lest you be astounded.\" One of the seven much-talked-of sages, either having stolen this, I think, or having coincided with its thought (for theft is the taking of what belongs to others, while coincidence is an accidental likeness of things), declared, \"Measure is best\"; and another, paraphrasing it, said, \"Nothing in excess.\" And one can see this prevailing not only in the virtues but also in piety. For piety, being the mean between impiety and superstition, rejects both. [Letter 3.321] Since you wished to learn how the virtues too are means, know that prudence stands midway between simplicity and knavery, liberality between prodigality and stinginess, magnanimity between boastfulness and abjectness, courage between rashness and cowardice. One must, then, flee the extremes and pursue the means. [Letter 3.322] Do not seek wealth, excellent friend, the father of arrogance, the begetter of haughtiness, the supplier of pleasures, the maker of all vice, who robs man of friendship with God; but seek virtue, which frees from all evils. And if it has sweat and labours, do not flee it for that reason, but embrace it for that reason above all, considering that in other things too what is acquired with labours and sweat, even if small, is more desirable, while what falls to one of itself is easily despised, even if it is great. [Letter 3.323] To Zosimus the presbyter. Since exhortations have achieved nothing, your madness for vice having proved too strong for correction, we turn again to prayers. May you, then, depart from madness and come to a sound mind.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.319 (PG 78 78:981; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-319)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.32":{"o":"– ΗΣΑΙΑ ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΗ.\nΛίαν ἐκπλήττομαι πῶς μάλα ἀκριβῶς ἐπιστάμενος τὴν μὲν θείαν δύναμιν ἄμαχον οὖσαν, καὶ ἀεὶ κατὰ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ ὡσαύτως ἔχουσαν, τῶν δ᾽ ἀνθρωπίνων βέβαιον οὐδὲν, οὐδ᾽ ἀσφαλὲς, ἀλλὰ κἂν ἄγαν δυνατὸν εἶναι δοκοίη, ἀμφίβολόν ἐστιν. Ὁμολογουμένην γὰρ κέκτηται τὴν εἰς τουναντίον μεταβολήν· ὅταν μὴ τὴν ἄνωθεν ἔχῃ ῥοπὴν, καὶ πτῶσιν ἐξαίσιον ὠδίνει, οὐ μετρεῖς αὐτοῦ τὸ φρόνημα, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπερφυῶς ἐξογκούμενος τὴν ἐναντίαν προκαλῇ μεταβολήν.","t":"To Isaiah the soldier. I am greatly astonished that, though you know very well that the divine power is invincible and always the same and unchanging, while nothing human is firm or secure, but even if it seems very powerful it is uncertain (for it has an acknowledged tendency to change into its opposite, and when it lacks help from above it is in labour with a monstrous fall), you do not measure your pride but, swelling beyond measure, provoke the change to the opposite.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.32 (PG 78 78:753; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-32)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.324":{"o":"ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΙΩ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΟἱ ἀρετῆς ἐρῶντες καὶ σοφίας ἑαλωκότες, ἀκόρεστοι τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ὄντες, οὐ διαλιμπάνουσι τὸν θεῖον τοῦτον πυρσὸν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς ἀνάπτοντες. Τοῦτο μὲν ἔργον, τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλα πάντα νομίζοντες εἶναι πάρεργα. Μικρὰ γοῦν αὐτοῖς τὰ τοῖς ἄλλοις μεγάλα εἶναι δοκοῦντα φαίνεται, καὶ γελῶσι τὰ περιμάχητα, καὶ πατοῦσι τὰ ἀπόβλεπτα, καὶ τῶν ὑπερκοσμίων μόνων ἐφίενται. Εἰς τὸν τοιοῦτον τοίνυν χορὸν, καὶ αὐτὸς τελέσαι προῃρημένος, ἀκοίμητον δίκαιος ἂν εἴης τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς ὅμμα διατηρῆσαι. Λίαν θαυμάζω πῶς πρότερον μὲν τὰ ἴδια χρήματα εἰς τὴν κοινὴν ὠφέλειαν, οἱ τῷ θείῳ λόγῳ μαθητευθέντες προὐτίθεσαν, νυνὶ δέ τινες τῶν ὑφηγητῶν τοῦ λόγου (οὐ γὰρ πάντων καταψηφίζεσθαι θέμις) τὰ κοινὰ σφετερίζεσθαι τολμῶσι. Πεποιήκασι γοῦν ἀπὸ ταύτης τῆς ἀτοπίας, καὶ τοὺς καρποφορεῖν εἰωθότας ἀποναρκῆσαι. Δέον γὰρ ἐν τῇ εὐγνωμοσύνῃ τῶν ὑπηκόων ἀποκεῖσθαι τοὺς τῆς Ἐκκλησίας θησαυροὺς, τοῦτο οὐ συγχωροῦσι γίνεσθαι. Εἱ οἱ ἱερωμένοι, καὶ οἱ ὑπὲρ ὧν ἡ ἱερωσύνη τελεῖται ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῖς, τίς ἐξιλάσεται τὸ Θεῖον; Χρὴ τοίνυν ἐν μὲν ταῖς τῶν ἀρχομένων γνώμαις ἀποκεῖσθαι τοὺς τῶν πενήτων θησαυροὺς, τοὺς δὲ ἱερωμένους τῇ ἱερουργίᾳ μόνῃ σχολάζειν, ἵνα δυνηθεῖεν εὐμενὲς τὸ Θεῖον ἑαυτοῖς τε καὶ τοῖς ὑπηκόοις καθιστᾷν. Εἰ δὲ θεώμενοι οἱ λαοὶ τοὺς τὴν ἱερωσύνης ἁγιστείαν κεκληρωμένους, πάντα τὰ βιωτικά μεταχειριζομένους, ἐξήμβλωσαν τὴν εὐλάβειαν, οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς τοσοῦτον μέμψασθαι, ὅσον ἐκείνοις τοῖς ἐμπόροις, καὶ παλιγκαπήλοις, καὶ πᾶσαν κινοῦσι πραγματείας ὁδὸν ἄδικον. Εἰ γὰρ τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς οὗτοι διορθώσονται, ἐλπίς ἐστι καὶ τὰ τῶν λαῶν ἔψεσθαι. ὧν μέντοι πρόχειρος ὁ πορισμός, τούτων ἡ κτῆσις εὐκαταφρόνητος. καταμαθεῖν, ὅτι τοσούτῳ τἀγαθὰ μᾶλλον εὐφραίνει, ὅσῳ ἂν μᾶλλον προπονήσας τις ἐπ᾿ αὐτὰ ἀπίο:. – ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ. Εἰ καὶ τῷ νόμῳ Μωϋσέως ἐπερειδόμενος, ἀμύνασθαι διέγνως· ἀλλ᾽ ἴσθι ὅτι ἔστι καὶ ἀμέτρως ἀμυνόμενον ἀδικεῖν. Ὅταν γάρ τις μείζους τῶν πταισμάτων ἐπιφέρῃ τὰς τιμωρίας, δεύτερον ἄρχει πάλιν. Οὐκοῦν ἄμεινον μὲν τὸ μὴ ἀμύνασθαι, ἀλλὰ φιλοσοφεῖν · οὐκ ἀπίθανον δὲ καὶ τὸ ἀμύνεσθαι μετρίως τὸν φιλοσοφεῖν μὴ ἐπιστάμενον. Τὸ γὰρ ἀμέτρως εἰς τὴν τοῦ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀδικοῦντος τάξιν παραπέμπει τὸν ἀμυνόμενον. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν εἰς τοσοῦτον. Μὴ ἀγνόει δὲ, ὦ σοφὲ, ὡς ὁ νομοθέτης Μωσῆς προαναστέλλων τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὴν ἀκάθεκτον ὁρμὴν (ἵνα φόβῳ τοῦ παθεῖν μὴ δράσοιεν), τοῦτο συνεχώρησε μᾶλλον ἢ","t":"To Strategius the monk. Those who love virtue and are captured by wisdom, being insatiable in their desire, do not cease kindling this divine torch in themselves, thinking this their work and all else a side matter. What seems great to others seems small to them; they laugh at what is fought over, trample on what is admired, and aim only at things above the world. Since you too have chosen to join such a choir, you ought to keep the eye of the soul sleepless. [Letter 3.325] I greatly wonder how formerly those taught by the divine Word laid their own goods at the service of the common good, but now some of the guides of the Word (for it is not right to condemn all) dare to appropriate what is common. By this absurdity they have made even those accustomed to bear fruit grow numb. For while the church's treasures ought to be stored in the goodwill of the faithful, they do not allow this to happen. If the consecrated and those for whom the priesthood is exercised are occupied with the same things, who will propitiate the Godhead? The treasures of the poor, then, should be stored in the minds of those ruled, and the consecrated should be free for the sacred ministry alone, so that they may make the Godhead favourable to themselves and their subjects. But if the people, seeing those allotted the holiness of the priesthood handling all worldly affairs, have miscarried their reverence, they are not so much to be blamed as those merchants and retailers who set in motion every unjust road of trade. For if these correct their own affairs, there is hope that those of the people will follow. [Letter 3.326] … to learn that good things gladden the more, the more one has laboured before coming to them; but those whose acquisition is easy are easily despised in possession. [Letter 3.327] To Strategius the scholasticus. Even if, relying on the law of Moses, you have decided to retaliate, know that one can also do wrong by retaliating beyond measure. For when someone inflicts penalties greater than the offences, he begins a second wrong. It is better, then, not to retaliate but to practise philosophy; yet it is not unreasonable for one who does not know how to practise philosophy to retaliate in measure. For retaliating beyond measure puts the retaliator in the rank of the one who did wrong at the beginning. So much for that. And know, wise friend, that Moses the lawgiver, checking in advance the unrestrained impulse of the Jews (so that by fear of suffering they might not act), permitted this rather than …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.324 (PG 78 78:985; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-324)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.328":{"o":"ΑΕΤΙΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΟἱ τοῖς ἐξ ἀρχῆς εὐεργετήσασιν εἰς ἅπαντα κατακολουθεῖν σπουδάζοντες, κἂν μὴ δίκαια ἐκεῖνοι αἰτοῖεν, ἁμαρτάνειν μοι δοκοῦσι· κἂν δοκῶσι κοινωνοῦντες οὐ δικαίῳ πράγματι, δικαίῳ ἑτέρῳ περιστέλλειν τὴν μέμψιν, τῷ ἀμείβεσθαι τοὺς εὖ ποιήσαντας. Χρὴ δὲ τὸν εὖ παθόντα ἀντευποιεῖν ἐν καλοῖς ἀμειβόμενον, οὐκ ἐν κακοῖς συμπράττοντα. Αὕτη γὰρ οὐκ ἔστιν ἀμοιβὴ, ἀλλ᾿ ἀδικία.","t":"To Aetius the count. Those who are eager to follow their first benefactors in everything, even if they ask for unjust things, seem to me to sin, even if, sharing in an unjust deed, they seem to cover the blame by another just thing, repaying those who did them good. But the one who has received good ought to do good in return by repaying in good things, not by joining in bad ones. For this is not repayment but injustice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.328 (PG 78 78:987; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-328)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.329":{"o":"ΜΑΚΑΡΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « \"Ασατε τῷ Κυρίῳ ᾄσμα καινόν. Ὅτε οἱ ἀλιτήριοι δαίμονες μετὰ τοῦ στρατηγοῦντος αὐτοῖς διαβόλου, οὐδὲν εἴασαν ἐν τάξει μένειν, ἀλλὰ πάσης ἀδικίας καὶ πλεονεξίας ἐμφορούμενοι, καὶ ὕβρεως κόρον οὐκ εἰδότες ἐπὶ τὸ ἔσχατον τῶν παθῶν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἀπήλασαν· τότε δὴ τότε ὁ τῶν ἁπάντων βασιλεὺς, ὁ πατρῷος Λόγος, τῶν μὲν μισήσας τὴν τυραννίδα, τῶν δὲ οἰκτείρας τὰς συμφορὰς, ἀνθρωπείαν ὑποδὺς φύσιν, ἐπὶ τῆς παρατάξεως ἔστη. Τρόπαια τοιγαροῦν τὰ μὲν εἰστήκει, τὰ δὲ ἡγείρετο, τὰ δὲ ἦν ἐν ἐλπίσι. Καὶ τὸ μὲν βάρβαρον τῶν δαιμόνων στίφος μετὰ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ τὰς συμφορὰς ἔστενεν· ἡ φύσις δὲ ἡ ἀνθρωπεία εἰς ἐλευθερίαν ἀνέτρεχε. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Μελῳδὸς ἄσμα καινὸν ᾄδειν τοῖς ἐλευθερωθεῖσι παρεκελεύετο. Προφητικοῖς γὰρ ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐθεᾶτο τὸ μέλλον.","t":"To Macarius the presbyter. [On \"Sing to the Lord a new song.\"] When the accursed demons, with the devil leading them, let nothing remain in order, but, gorged with all injustice and greed and knowing no satiety of insolence, drove people to the extremity of the passions, then indeed the King of all, the Father's Word, hating their tyranny and pitying the others' misfortunes, put on human nature and took his stand in the battle line. Trophies, then, some stood, some were being raised, some were in hope. The barbarian band of demons with its general lamented its misfortunes, while human nature ran back to freedom. That is why the Psalmist urged those set free to sing a new song; for with prophetic eyes he beheld the future.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.329 (PG 78 78:987; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-329)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.33":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ\nΤι σημαίνει τὸ, ἐπὶ μέτρου μολύβδου τὸν προφήτην Ζαχαρίαν καθιεμένην ἰδεῖν τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Ἐπειδὴ ἔφης· Δι᾿ ἣν αἴτιαν ἐπὶ μέτρου μολύβδου καθεδουμένην τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἑώρακεν ὁ Ζαχαρίας; φημὶ, ὅτι ὁ μὲν μόλυβδος δηλοῖ τὸ βάρος τῆς ἁμαρτίας. Οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐπαχθέστερον οὐδὲ φορτικώτερον τῆς ἁμαρτίας, τῆς εἰς τὸν πυθμένα τοῦ ᾅδου κατακοντιζούσης τοὺς ἁλόντας. Τὸ δὲ μέτρον, τὸ τέλος μηνύει τῆς περὶ τοὺς ἁμαρτήσαντας μακροθυμίας, καὶ τῆς τιμωρίας τὴν ἀρχήν. Οὐ γὰρ ἀμέτρως, οὐδ' ἀεὶ ἁμαρτάνειν συγχωρηθήσονται · ἀλλ᾿ ὅσον οὐδέπω, πικροτάτας εἰσπραχθήσονται δίκας.","t":"To Paul. [What is meant by the prophet Zechariah's seeing sin seated on a measure of lead.] Since you asked, \"For what reason did Zechariah see sin seated on a measure of lead?\", I say that the lead shows the weight of sin. For nothing is heavier or more burdensome than sin, which hurls those it has caught to the bottom of Hades. The measure shows the end of God's patience toward sinners and the beginning of punishment. For they will not be allowed to sin without measure or for ever; but very soon they will pay the bitterest penalties.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.33 (PG 78 78:753; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-33)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.330":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΟἴκτῳ καὶ πραότητι, ὦ σοφώτατε, καταπραΰνειν πειρῶ τὰς τῶν πειρασμοῖς περιπεπτωκότων συμφορὰς, καὶ ἐκβιάζου αὐτοὺς λόγῳ ἡπίῳ πρὸς εὐθυμίαν, καὶ ἀναμόχλευε τὰς τῆς ἀθυμίας ῥίζας. Εἰ γὰρ γνοῖεν παρὰ σοῦ, ὅτι εἰ μὲν δικαίως ἐπήχθησαν, κουφισμὸν τῶν πταισμάτων ἐργάζονται, εἰ δὲ συνεχωρήθησαν ἐπελθεῖν μηδὲν φαῦλον δράσασι, στεφάνους προξενοῦσιν· οὐ μόνον τὴν ἀθυμίαν ἐξοστρακιοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ θυμηδίας ἐμπλησθήσονται.","t":"To Theodosius the bishop. Try, most wise friend, to soothe with pity and gentleness the misfortunes of those who have fallen into trials, press them with mild words toward good cheer, and pry out the roots of despondency. For if they learn from you that trials, if justly brought on them, lighten their sins, and if permitted to come on them though they had done nothing wrong, procure crowns, they will not only banish despondency but be filled with delight.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.330 (PG 78 78:987; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-330)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.331":{"o":"ΔΑΝΙΗΛ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nὍτι μὲν ὁ μακάριος Εὐστάθιος πρεσβύτερος τὰς μὲν τῶν αἰσχρῶν λημμάτων ἐπιθυμίας κατακράτος ἐχειρώσατο, ὅ τι δὲ ἦν καὶ ἀνδραγαθίας οἰκεῖον, εἰς τοῦτο ῥέπων ἑωρᾶτο, οὐδὲ ἡ σὴ ἀγνοεῖ σύνεσις. Ὅτι δὲ τούτου εἰς τὴν ἄνω σύγκλητον μεταπεμφθέντος, οἱ μὲν ἀνδραποδώδεις (ὧν εἷς ἐστι καὶ ὁ ἐναγὴς Εὐστάθιος ὁ διάκονος, οὗ ἐπὶ τῇ ὁμωνυμίᾳ κομιδῇ ἐκεῖνος, ὡς οἶσθα, ἤχθετο), ὡς τεθνεῶτος ἐχάρησαν · οἱ δὲ φιλάρετοι ἐλυπήθησαν τῆς αὐτοῦ συνουσίας στερηθέντες, τοῦτο παρ' ἐμοῦ μάνθανε.","t":"To Daniel the presbyter. That the blessed presbyter Eustathius utterly mastered the desires for shameful gains and was seen inclining to whatever belonged to manly virtue, your understanding too is not unaware. But that, when he was summoned to the senate above, the slavish (one of whom is the polluted Eustathius the deacon, at whose sharing his name, as you know, he was greatly vexed) rejoiced as at his death, while lovers of virtue grieved at being deprived of his company, learn this from me.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.331 (PG 78 78:989; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-331)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.332":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ.\nΠερὶ τῆς ἀλλοιώσεως καὶ ἀποκαταστάσεως τοῦ Ναβουχοδονόσωρ. Ὁπηνίκα τῶν Βαβυλωνίων ὁ βασιλεὺς πέρα τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως καὶ φρονήσας, καὶ φράσας, καὶ πράξας ἐφωράθη, ἐξηλάθη μὲν τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων συνουσίας τε καὶ τιμῆς, τοῖς δὲ θηρίοις συνέστιος καὶ σύνοικος γέγονεν. Ὅτε δὲ τὴν προσήκουσαν ἔσχε περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ δόξαν, τότε καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν δόξαν ἀπέλαβε. Τῆς γὰρ συμφορᾶς ὅρος ἦν ἡ τοῦ κρείττονος ἐπίγνωσις.","t":"To Heron. [On the change and restoration of Nebuchadnezzar.] When the king of the Babylonians was caught thinking, speaking and acting beyond human nature, he was driven from human company and honour and became a table-companion and housemate of beasts. But when he held the proper opinion about God, then he also received back his own glory. For the limit of the misfortune was the recognition of the One who is greater.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.332 (PG 78 78:989; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-332)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.333":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΩ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ,\nΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΩ. Πότερος ἄρα πότερον ἀδικεῖν ἤρξατο καὶ παρανομεῖν, οὐδεὶς ἔχει ῥᾳδίως λέγειν, οὕτως ἀντίπαλον τὴν κακίαν ἐπὶ κακῷ τῆς ἑαυτῶν κεφαλῆς ἔχετε. Ὥσπερ οὖν οὐ ῥᾴδιον τὸν κατάρξαντα καὶ τὸν ἀκολουθήσαντα εἰδέναι, οὕτως οὐδὲ τὸ καταπαῦσαι τὴν μανίαν ὑμῶν εὐχερὲς, ἀλλὰ καὶ πάνυ δύσκολον εἶναι νομίζουσι · τῷ ἔκαστον τὸν ἕτερον ἐν τῇ πονηρίᾳ ὑπερβάλλειν φιλοτιμεῖσθαι, οὐκ ἀγνοοῦντα (ἡ γὰρ ἂν ἴσως καὶ συνεγνώσθη), ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιστάμενον μὲν, ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς ἀνανταγωνίστου ἔχθρας εἰς τοῦτο τρεπόμενον.","t":"To Martinianus, Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius. Which of you began first to do wrong and break the law no one can easily say, so evenly matched is the vice you have, to the harm of your own heads. As, then, it is not easy to know who led and who followed, so it is not easy to stop your madness; indeed people think it very difficult, since each of you is ambitious to surpass the other in wickedness, not in ignorance (that might perhaps have been pardoned), but knowingly, turned to it by an unrivalled enmity.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.333 (PG 78 78:989; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-333)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.334":{"o":"ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς - τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου πρὸς τὴν Σαμαρείτιδα, « Ἡμεῖς προσκυνοῦμεν ὃ οἴδαμεν » Μάλιστα μὲν οὐδ᾽ ἀποκρίσεως ἐχρῆν τυχεῖν τοὺς Εὐνομίῳ πεισθέντας, ἀνθρώπῳ δεινῷ μὲν εἶναι οἰηθέντι, εἰπεῖν δὲ τολμήσαντι, ὅτι τῶν προσκυνούντων ἐστὶν ὁ Υἱὸς, καὶ μὴ δυνηθέντι ἐννοῆσαι, ἢ, ὡς ἔγωγε οἶμαι, μὴ βουληθέντι ὑπὸ προλήψεως καὶ φιλαρχίας εἰπεῖν τοῦθ᾽ ὅπερ καὶ ἀληθές ἐστι, καὶ σοφοί τε καὶ ἀνόητοι ἐννοοῦσιν, ὅτι πρὸς τὴν ὑπόνοιαν τῆς Σαμαρείτιδος, τῆς ὡς Ἰουδαίῳ αὐτῷ διαλεγομένης, καὶ τὰ ἑαυτῆς τῶν Ἰουδαϊκῶν προκρινούσης, τὴν ἀπόκρισιν ταύτην πεποίηται, ὅτι « Ἡμεῖς προσκυνοῦμεν ὃ οἴδαμεν· · εὔδηλον γὰρ ὅτι τῶν προςκυνουμένων ἐστί. Πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα μὴ δόξωμεν ὑπεροψίας γραφὴν γράφεσθαι παρ' αὐτῶν, ἀκροβολιζόμενος πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἰπὲ, ὅτι ᾿Αβελτηρίαν ἐσχάτην νοσεῖτε, πεισθέντες ἀνθρώπῳ δογματίσαι τολμήσαντι, ἀσύγκριτον εἶναι τὸν Πατέρα, καὶ παραγραψαμένῳ τὸν θεσπέσιον Παῦλον εἰρηκότα· « Οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ. • Τὸ γὰρ μεῖζον, ὃ προφέρετε πρὸς ἐλάττωσιν τοῦ Υἱοῦ, ἐκ συγκρίσεως εἴρηται, καὶ οὐκ ἐκ τῆς ἀσυγκρίτου ὑπεροχῆς. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐξ οὐκ ὄντων, ὥς φατε, γέγονεν, οὐδὲ τὸ μεῖζον ἴσταται καθ' ὑμᾶς. Ποία γὰρ σύγκρισις τοῦ ἀεὶ ὄντος πρὸς τὰ ἐκ μὴ ὄντων γεγονότα; Εἰ δὲ ἀχρόνως καὶ ἀπαθῶς γεγενῆσθαι αὐτὸν ἐκ τῆς πατρικῆς ἰδιότητος ὁμολογήσετε, κἂν μὴ δυνηθείητε τῆς ἀκριβοῦς ἐννοίας ἐφικέσθαι, ἧς ἕνεκεν εἴρηται, « Ὁ Πατήρ μου μείζων μού ἐστιν. • Οὐ γὰρ διδασκαλίας, ἀλλὰ παραμυθίας ἕνεκεν μόνης τοῦτο εἴρηται τοῖς ἀποστόλοις τεθνηκόσι τῷ δέει, ὡς αὐτίκα μάλα ἀλλασσομένοις ἵνα θαῤῥοῖεν, ὡς πρὸς τὸν δοκοῦντα αὐτοῖς μείζονα, πορευομένου αὐτοῦ. Καὶ τούτου ἀπόδειξις ἐναργὴς, τὸ μὴ ἐν ἄλλῳ καιρῷ, ἐν αὐτῇ δὲ τῇ νυκτὶ μόνῃ, ἐν ᾗ ἔμελλε παραδίδοσθαι, τοῦτο εἰρῆσθαι, ἐν ᾗ καὶ εἰς τοσαύτην ταπεινότητα ἐσχημάτισε τὰ λεγόμενα, ὡς εἰπεῖν, « Δοκεῖτε ὅτι οὐ δύναμαι παρακαλέσαι τὸν Πατέρα μου, καὶ δώσει μοι δώδεκα λεγεῶνας ἀγγέλων;» Τί γὰρ τοσούτων ἔδει, ἑνὸς ἐπὶ Ἐζεχίου ρπε' χιλιάδας ἀνελόντος, καὶ τὴν Περσικὴν δύναμιν ἀποκείραντος; Αλλ' ὡς ἔφην, πρὸς τὴν δειλίαν αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν ὑπόνοιαν ἐφθέγξατο. Εἰ τοίνυν ταύτης ἀληθοῦς ἐννοίας οὐκ ἐφικνεῖσθε, ἀφεστάναι δὲ τῆς τῶν ᾿Ανομοίων ἀσεβείας προήρησθε, δύνασθε λέγειν, ὁ ἔφησέ τις πρὸς αὐτοὺς διαλεγόμενος, ὅτι καὶ τὸ μεῖζον ἵσταται, ᾗ γεννήτωρ, καὶ τὸ ἴσον καθ' ὁ Θεὸς καὶ ὁμοούσιος.","t":"To Ischyrion the presbyter. [On what the Lord said to the Samaritan woman, \"We worship what we know.\"] Those persuaded by Eunomius ought properly not even to receive an answer, since he thought himself clever and dared to say that the Son is among the worshippers, and could not understand, or, as I think, through prejudice and love of rule would not say, what is true and what wise and foolish alike understand: that he gave this answer, \"We worship what we know,\" to the opinion of the Samaritan woman, who was talking with him as with a Jew and preferring her own things to those of the Jews. For it is evident that he is among those worshipped. Yet, lest we seem to be accused by them of haughtiness, skirmish with them and say: \"You are sick with the utmost folly, being persuaded by a man who dared to teach that the Father is incomparable, and who set aside the divine Paul, who said, 'He did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.' For the 'greater' which you bring forward to lessen the Son is said by comparison, not from an incomparable superiority. If, then, he came into being from nothing, as you say, not even the 'greater' stands according to you. For what comparison is there between the One who always is and things that came to be from nothing? But if you confess that he was begotten timelessly and without passion from the Father's property, even if you cannot attain the exact meaning for which 'My Father is greater than I' was said (for it was said not for teaching but only for comfort, to the apostles who were dead with fear, as he was about to depart at once, so that they might take courage, since he was going to one who seemed to them greater; and a clear proof of this is that it was said not at another time but only on the very night on which he was to be betrayed, on which he also shaped his words to such lowliness as to say, 'Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will give me twelve legions of angels?' For what need of so many, when one in Hezekiah's time killed a hundred and eighty-five thousand and cut down the Persian power? But, as I said, he spoke to their cowardice and their opinion). If, then, you do not attain this true meaning, but have chosen to stand apart from the impiety of the Anomoeans, you can say what someone said in arguing with them: that the 'greater' stands in that he is the Begetter, and the 'equal' in that he is God and of the same essence.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.334 (PG 78 78:989; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-334)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.335":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕ! πνευματικοῖς πνευματικά (δηλονότι ῥήματα καὶ ὀνόματα) συγκρίνειν ὁ θεσπέσιος ἐνομοθέτησε Παῦλος, προσήκει καὶ ἡμᾶς τῷ κανόνι τούτῳ πειθομένους, τὰς θείας βασανίζειν Γραφάς. Πρῶτον τοιγαροῦν, τὸ μὴ δύνασθαι πῶς εἴρηται, σκοπητέον· καὶ οὕτως ἐπὶ τὴν λύσιν τοῦ ζητουμένου βαδιστέον. ῎Ακουε τοίνυν πρῶτον τοῦ νομοθέτου Μωσέως. Δίκαιον γὰρ ἀπὸ μὲν τῆς Παλαιᾶς Διαθήκης θεμελιῶσαι τὸ νόημα· ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς Καινῆς στεφανῶσαι. Τί φησι τῷ λαῷ; « Οὐ δυνήσῃ τὸ Πάσχα ποιεῖν ἐν οὐδεμιᾷ τῶν πόλεών σου, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸν τόπον ὃν ἂν ἐκλέξηται Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου. » Τὸ, οὐ δυνήσῃ, ἀντὶ τοῦ, μὴ ἐξόντος, μηδὲ ἐγχωροῦντος, μηδὲ συγκεχωρημένου, μηδὲ ἐνδεχομένου τεθεικώς. Ὅτι γὰρ ἠδύναντο ποιῆσαι τὸ Πάσχα καὶ ἐν ἄλλαις πόλεσι, δῆλόν ἐστι. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ νῦν ποιοῦσι μὲν, παρανομοῦντες δὲ. Τί οὖν ἐστιν, « Οὐ δυνήσῃ;» Οὐκ ἔξεστί σοι, οὐ προσάξεις, οὐ ποιήσεις. Ὅτι δὲ ταύτῃ τῇ ἐννοίᾳ εἴρηται, ἄκουσον καὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων τῷ νομοθέτῃ ἀκολουθούντων καὶ φραζόντων· « Ἡμεῖς οὐ δυνάμεθα, ἃ ἠκούσαμεν καὶ εἴδομεν, μὴ λαλεῖν. Τί οὖν; οὐκ ἠδύναντο σιγῆσαι; Πάνυ μὲν οὖν. Τί οὖν εἰπεῖν ἐβουλήθησαν; Οὐκ ἐνδέχεται, οὔτε πρέπει σιγῇ παραδοθῆναι τὰ ἀνακηρυχθῆναι λαμπρῶς καὶ σαφῶς ὀφείλοντα. Καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι δὲ ἔφασαν (σεμνὴ δὲ δήπουθεν καὶ ἡ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μαρτυρία)· \"Ὅτι γὰρ γνωστὸν σημεῖον γέγονε, φανερὸν, καὶ οὐ δυνάμεθα ἀρνεῖσθαι. Διὰ τοῦ μὴ δύνασθαι, τὸ μὴ ἐγχωροῦν μηνύοντες. Καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος δέ φησι περὶ τοῦ ( Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρός· · Ἐν οἷς ἀδύνατον ψεύσασθαι Θεόν. » Οὐκ ἀσθένειάν τινα κατηγορῶν τῆς παγκρατοῦς δυνάμεως, ἀλλὰ μεγίστην ῥώμην, ὅτι ἀνεπίδεκτός ἐστι τοῦ ψεύδους ὁ τῆς ἀληθείας πατήρ. Καὶ ἀλλαχόσε δὲ ταύτην ὀχυρῶν τὴν ἔννοιαν ἔφη • Ἐὰν ἀρνησώμεθα αὐτὸν, ἐκεῖνος πιστὸς μένει· ἀρνήσασθαι γὰρ ἑαυτὸν οὐ δύναται. » Καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ οὐκ ἀσθενείας ἐστὶν ἀπόδειξις, ἀλλ᾽ ἀνυπερβλήτου ἰσχύος, ὅτι οὐκ ἐγχωρεῖ τὴν θείαν φύσιν ἑαυτὴν ἀρνήσασθαι. Εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος, οὗ τὴν λέξιν κακούργως ἑρμηνεύειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν οἱ αἱρετικοὶ, μαρτυρίαν χρὴ προσαγαγεῖν, ἄκουσον αὐτοῦ φράζοντος · · Οὐ δύνανται οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ νυμφῶνος νηστεύειν, ἐφ᾽ ὅσον μετ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐστιν ὁ Νυμφίος. » ᾿Αντὶ τοῦ, οὐκ ἐγχωρεῖ, οὐ πρέπει, οὐ προσήκει, οὐκ ἐνδέχεται, οὐχ ἁρμόττει. Τούτων τοιγαροῦν οὕτως εἰρημένων, ὁ σκοπὸς ὁ σωτήριος δῆλός ἐστι. Τὸ γὰρ, • Οὐ δύναται ὁ Υἱὸς ποιεῖν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ οὐδὲν, » οὐκ ἀσθένειαν αὐτοῦ κατηγορεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ μεγίστην ῥώμην, ὅτι ἀνεπίδεκτός ἐστι τοῦ ἐναντίον τι τῷ Πατρὶ ποιεῖν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὑπωπτεύετο παρ' αὐτῶν ὡς ἀντίθεος, καὶ ἀλλοτρίαν σφετεριζόμενος δόξαν, τοῦτο ἔφη, μονονουχί φράζων Μὴ νομίζετέ με παρὰ γνώμην τι τοῦ Πατρὸς ποιεῖν, οὐ δύναται τοῦτο γενέσθαι. Οὐκ ἐνδέχεταί με παρὰ σκοπὸν αὐτοῦ πράττειν τι· οὐκ ἐγχωρεῖ ἐναντιωθῆναί με τῷ Πατρί. Καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο μηνύει, δῆλον μὲν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν εἰρημένων, δῆλον δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἄγαν ταπεινῶς τεθεικέναι τὸ ῥῆμα. Τί γὰρ ἔφη; « Οὐ δύναται ὁ Υἱὸς ποιεῖν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ οὐδέν. » Εἱ μὲν γὰρ εἶπεν, ὅτι τὰ μὲν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ποιεῖ, τὰ δὲ οὐκ ἀφ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ, τάχα ἂν οὐκ ἀπεικὸς ἦν ἐννοῆσαι ὅτι δι᾽ ἀσθένειαν τοῦτο ἔφη. Εἰ δὲ οὐδὲν ἔφη δύνασθαι ποιεῖν, αὐτὸ τοῦτ᾽ ἀναγκάζει καὶ τοὺς μὴ βουλομένους ὑψηλόν τι ἐννοῆσαι καὶ γενναῖον, εἰς ἔννοιαν ἀναπηδῆσαι θεο- γεῖν πειραθείημεν, οὐδ᾽ εἰ παύσασθαι βουληθείημεν, πρεπῆ καὶ τῆς θείας ἐκείνης οὐσίας ἀξίαν, λέγοντας· Οὐδὲν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ποιεῖ; Καὶ μὴν τὸ μέγιστον κατόρθωμα, καὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἁπάντων τὸ κεφάλαιον, ὁ πατριάρχαι μὲν ὤδινον, προφῆται δὲ προέλεγον, οἱ δ᾽ οὐράνιοι δῆμοι ἐξεπλήττοντο, αὐτὸς πεποίηκε. Καὶ βοᾷ τὸ σκεῦος τῆς ἐκλογῆς ὁ τῶν θείων μυστηρίων ταμίας, ὁ τοῦ κηρύγματος μυσταγωγός, φράζων·ι Ὃς ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ, ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσε μορφὴν δούλου λαβών. » Οὐδὲν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ποιεῖ; Καὶ μὴν αὐτὸς διαῤῥήδην βοᾷ · « Καὶ ὁ Υἱὸς, οὓς θέλει, ζωοποιεῖ. • Οὐδὲν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ποιεῖ; Καὶ μὴν τὸν μὲν ἑκατόνταρχον μαρτυρήσαντα αὐτῷ – αὐτοκρατορικὴν δύναμίν τε καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἀνεκήρυξε, βεβαιῶν τὸ δόγμα, ἵνα μὴ μόνον τῆς τοῦ ἑκατοντάρχου γνώμης, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος ψήφου, νομισθείη τὸ λεχθέν. Τῷ δὲ λεπρῷ τὸ μὲν δύνασθαι αὐτὸν λαμπρῶς ὁμολογήσαντι· ὑπὲρ δὲ τοῦ βούλεσθαι τὴν ἱκετηρίαν σαφῶς ποιησαμένῳ, καὶ φήσαντι, « Ἐὰν θέλῃς, δύνασαί με καθαρίσαι, καὶ ἐντελῆ αὐτῷ ἐξουσίαν σαφῶς ἀφιερώσαντι, ἔφη, κυρῶν τὴν γνώμην τῇ ἀποφάσει· « Θέλω, καθαρίσθητι. » Οὐδὲν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ ποιεῖ; Καὶ μὴν τῇ Χαναναίᾳ ἔφη, « Γενηθήτω σοι ὡς θέλεις· · καὶ τῷ μὲν ἀνέμῳ ἐπετίμησε καὶ τῇ θαλάσσῃ· τὸν δὲ τυφλὸν ὠμμάτωσε· καὶ τὸν μὲν παράλυτον ἔσφιγξε · τὸν δὲ Λάζαρον ἤγειρεν. Αλλ' εἰ πάντα τὰ τὴν αὐθεντίαν τοῦ Υἱοῦ ἀνακηρύττοντα εἰς μέσον ἀγαἴσως δυνηθείημεν. Διόπερ ταῦτα παρέντες ἀπὸ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτοὺς συλλογισώμεθα. Οὐδὲν ἀφ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ ποιεῖ; Καὶ μὴν ἡμεῖς, ὧν οὐδὲν εὐτελέστερον γένοιτ' ἂν, πολλὰ οἴκοθεν πράττομεν, καὶ κακίαν φεύγομεν, καὶ ἀρετὴν διώκομεν. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν δρῶμεν, οὔτε δίκην ἁμαρτάνοντες δοῦναι δίκαιοι ἂν εἴημεν, οὔτε κατορθοῦντες στεφάνων ἀπολαῦσαι. Ὁρᾶς ὅτι ἡ ταπεινότης τοῦ ῥήματος, μεθ' ὑπερβολῆς τεθειμένη, καὶ τοὺς ἀγνώμονας πείθει μετ' εὐσεβοῦς διανοίας καταδέξασθαι τὸ ὕψος τῶν λελεγμένων; Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὴν ἀντιδιαστολὴν βασανίσειας, εὑρήσεις αὐτὴν οὕτως εἰρημένην, ὡς παρ' ἡμῶν ἡρμηνεύθη. Οὔτε γὰρ εἶπεν, Οὐ δύναται ὁ Υἱὸς ποιεῖν ἀφ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ οὐδὲν, ἐὰν μὴ λάβῃ τὸ δύνασθαι παρὰ τοῦ Πατρός. Τοῦτο γὰρ τῷ ὄντι, τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι ἀντιδιασταλῆναι ἐχρῆν (εἴγε ἀσθένειαν αὐτοῦ κατηγορεῖν ἔμελλε τὸ ῥηθέν)· ἀλλὰ τί; « Ἐὰν μήτι βλέπῃ τὸν Πατέρα ποιοῦντα. » Ὁρᾶς πῶς τὴν ἰσοτιμίαν καὶ τὸ ἰσοσθενὲς, καὶ τὸ ὁμοούσιον κηρύττει;","t":"To the same. If the divine Paul laid down that we compare spiritual things with spiritual (that is, words and names), it befits us too, obeying this rule, to examine the divine Scriptures. First, then, we must consider how \"cannot\" is said, and so go on to the solution of the question. Hear first the lawgiver Moses; for it is right to lay the foundation of the thought from the Old Covenant and to crown it from the New. What does he say to the people? \"You cannot keep the Passover in any of your cities, but in the place that the Lord your God chooses.\" He put \"you cannot\" for \"it is not allowed, not permitted, not granted, not admissible.\" For that they could keep the Passover in other cities too is plain; indeed they do so even now, but lawlessly. What, then, is \"You cannot\"? \"It is not lawful for you; you shall not offer; you shall not do it.\" And that it is said in this sense, hear the apostles too, following the lawgiver and saying, \"We cannot but speak of what we have heard and seen.\" What then? Could they not have kept silent? Certainly they could. What, then, did they mean? \"It is not admissible or fitting to consign to silence what ought to be proclaimed brilliantly and clearly.\" And the Jews too said (and the testimony of enemies is surely weighty), \"For that a notable sign has been done is manifest, and we cannot deny it,\" meaning by \"cannot\" \"it is not admissible.\" And the Apostle says of God the Father, \"in which it is impossible for God to lie,\" not charging the almighty power with any weakness but with the greatest strength, that the Father of truth does not admit falsehood. And elsewhere, confirming this sense, he said, \"If we deny him, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny himself.\" For this too is a proof not of weakness but of unsurpassable strength, that it is not admissible for the divine nature to deny itself. And if one must bring forward the testimony of the Saviour himself, whose wording the heretics try to interpret maliciously, hear him saying, \"The sons of the bridechamber cannot fast while the bridegroom is with them,\" instead of \"it is not admissible, not fitting, not proper, not allowed, not suitable.\" These things being so said, the Saviour's aim is plain. For \"The Son can do nothing of himself\" does not charge him with weakness but declares the greatest strength: that he does not admit doing anything contrary to the Father. For since they suspected him of being a rival god and appropriating another's glory, he said this, all but saying: \"Do not think that I do anything against the Father's will; this cannot happen. It is not admissible that I act contrary to his purpose; it is not possible for me to oppose the Father.\" And that this is what it means is plain both from what has been said and from his having put the saying very humbly. For what did he say? \"The Son can do nothing of himself.\" If he had said that he does some things of himself and others not of himself, perhaps it would not be unreasonable to think he said this through weakness. But if he said he can do nothing, this very thing compels even the unwilling to think something lofty and noble, and to leap to a thought worthy of God and of that divine essence, saying: Does he do nothing of himself? Yet the greatest achievement and the sum of all good things, which the patriarchs were in labour with, the prophets foretold and the heavenly peoples were amazed at, he himself did. And the chosen vessel cries, the steward of the divine mysteries, the initiator into the preaching, saying, \"Who, being in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant.\" Does he do nothing of himself? Yet he himself cries plainly, \"And the Son gives life to whom he wills.\" Does he do nothing of himself? Yet he proclaimed the sovereign power and authority to which the centurion bore witness, confirming the doctrine, so that what was said might be thought to come not only from the centurion's opinion but also from the Saviour's own verdict. And to the leper, who brilliantly confessed his power and clearly made his petition about his will, saying, \"If you will, you can make me clean,\" and plainly ascribed full authority to him, he said, confirming the opinion by his decree, \"I will; be clean.\" Does he do nothing of himself? Yet he said to the Canaanite woman, \"Be it done for you as you will\"; and he rebuked the wind and the sea; he gave sight to the blind man; he braced the paralytic; he raised Lazarus. But if we tried to bring forward everything that proclaims the Son's authority, we could perhaps not stop even if we wished. So let us pass these over and reason from our own case. Does he do nothing of himself? Yet we, than whom nothing could be more paltry, do many things of ourselves, flee vice and pursue virtue. And if we do not act of ourselves, we would deserve neither to be punished for sinning nor to enjoy crowns for doing well. You see that the lowliness of the saying, put with exaggeration, persuades even the unreasonable to accept with pious understanding the height of what is said? And if you examine the contrast too, you will find it said as we have interpreted. For he did not say, \"The Son can do nothing of himself unless he receives the ability from the Father\"; for that is what ought really to have been contrasted with \"cannot\" (if indeed the saying was to charge him with weakness); but what? \"Unless he sees the Father doing something.\" You see how it proclaims equal honour, equal power and sameness of essence?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.335 (PG 78 78:993; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-335)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.336":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΩ.\nΤοῖς ἐν τῇ σκηνῇ, ὦ βέλτιστε, σπουδή μεγίστη, οὐ τὸ σωφρονίζειν πολλοὺς τοῖς σκώμμασιν, ὡς ἔφης, σαυτὸν, καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντάς σου παραλογιζόμενος, ἀλλὰ τὸ πολλοὺς ἁμαρτάνειν. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ κακίᾳ τῶν θεατῶν τὴν εὐημερίαν ἔχουσιν, ὥστε εἰ ἐκεῖνοι βελτίους γένοιντο, τούτοις ἂν ἀπόλοιτο ἡ τέχνη. Οὔτε οὖν ἕλοιντο ἐπανορθῶσαι τοὺς πταίοντας, καὶ βουληθεῖσιν, οὐχ οἷόν τε. Πέφυκε γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἐπὶ τὸ βλάπτειν ἡ μίμησις.","t":"To Heron, member of the city council. Those on the stage, excellent friend, are most eager, not to chasten many by their jests, as you said, deceiving yourself and your hearers, but for many to sin. For they have their prosperity in the vice of the spectators, so that if these became better, their art would perish. They would neither choose to correct those who stumble, nor could they if they wished. For their imitation is by nature directed to harm.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.336 (PG 78 78:997; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-336)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.337":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nὭσπερ ἄριστος ἰατρὸς τέχνῃ πρὸς συμμαχίαν τῆς ἀῤῥωστούσης φύσεως ὡπλισμένος, ὅταν πολύτροποι νοσημάτων ἰδέαι τὸ σῶμα πολιορκῶσι, πρὸς τὸ κατεπείγον ἱστάμενος (ὁ γὰρ ἐξὸν σῶσαι, περιορῶν, τῆς ἀπωλείας δηλονότι αἴτιος) τὰ ἀναβολὴν καὶ ὑπέρθεσιν ἐπιδεχόμενα τηρεῖ δεύτερα, ἵνα μὴ ταῦτα δόξας νενικηκέναι, ὑπ᾿ ἐκείνου λάθη νικώμενος τοῦ καὶ τὴν δόξασαν γεγενῆσθαι νίκην εἰς ἧτταν περιτρέποντος· οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς, τῇ συνέσει τὴν τῆς θεραπείας τῶν ψυχῶν ἐπιστήμην κεράσας, πρὸς τὸ κατεπείγον βλέψον. Ἐκείνου γὰρ ἰαθέντος ἐλπὶς καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ συνιαθήσεσθαι.","t":"To Theodosius the bishop. Just as an excellent physician, armed with art to help an ailing nature, when manifold forms of disease besiege the body, attends to what is urgent (for the one who overlooks what he could save is plainly the cause of the loss) and keeps for later what admits delay and postponement, so that he may not, thinking he has conquered these, be unknowingly conquered by that which turns even the apparent victory into defeat; so you too, mixing understanding with the science of healing souls, look to what is urgent. For when that is healed, there is hope that the rest will be healed together with it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.337 (PG 78 78:997; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-337)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.338":{"o":"ΩΡΙΩΝΙ.\nΑἱ μὲν τοῦ σώματος ἡδοναὶ στωμύλαι εἰσὶ, καὶ δειναὶ γοητεῦσαι, καὶ τὸν λογισμὸν τῆς ἡγεμονίας ἐκβάλλειν, καὶ πάντα ἄνω καὶ κάτω ποιεῖν. ᾿Αλλ' εἰ ὁ θυμὸς τῷ λογισμῷ συμμαχήσειε, καὶ καθάπερ ὑπασπιστὴς βασιλεῖ ὑπακούσειε, ῥᾳδίως ἐκεῖναι καταγωνισθήσονται. Δικαίας γὰρ ὀργῆς κατ' αὐτῶν κινηθείσης οὐχ ὑποστήσονται τὴν ἀπειλὴν, ἀλλὰ φροῦδοι οἰχήσονται, τὸ νικᾶν, τῷ νικᾷν ὀφείλοντι λογισμῷ ἐπιτρέψασαι. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ὅπερ ὁ Μελῳδὸς μὲν παρεκελεύσατο, σὺ δὲ μαθεῖν ἠθέλησας· « Ὀργίζεσθε, καὶ μὴ ἁμαρτάνετε. »","t":"To Orion. The pleasures of the body are wheedling, clever at bewitching, at throwing reason out of command and turning everything upside down. But if anger fights on reason's side and obeys it like a shield-bearer his king, they will easily be defeated. For when just anger is roused against them, they will not withstand the threat but will vanish, yielding victory to reason, which ought to win. And this is what the Psalmist commanded and you wished to learn: \"Be angry, and do not sin.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.338 (PG 78 78:997; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-338)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.339":{"o":"ΝΕΜΕΣΣΙΑΝΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΩσπερ Ἕλληνας, καὶ Ἰουδαίους, καὶ εἴ τινες τὰ ἐκείνων ἐζήλωσαν, ἀσεβεῖς τε καὶ ἀνοήτους ὁρίζομαι, ἀποφαινομένους μηδὲν περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος τοὺς προφήτας εἰρηκέναι· οὕτως τοὺς πᾶσαν τὴν Παλαιάν εἰς αὐτὸν μεταφέρειν πειρωμένους, οὐκ ἔξω αἰτίας τίθημι, ἅτε δὴ ἐν τῇ καθ᾽ ἡμῶν μάχῃ τρόπον τινὰ τοῖς διαδίκοις συμπράττοντας. Τῷ γὰρ ἐλέγχεσθαι παρ' ἐκείνων περὶ αὐτοῦ μὴ εἰρημένα εἰς αὐτὸν ἕλκειν ἐκβιαζόμενοι, τούτων κἀν τοῖς περὶ αὐτοῦ ἀληθῶς καὶ διαῤῥήδην εἰρημένοις, ὑπόνοιαν τίκτουσι. Χρὴ δ' οὐχ οὕτως, ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν εἰς αὐτὸν εἰρημένα, σαφῶς λέγειν, τὰ δὲ περὶ ἄλλων πραγμάτων ἐᾶν περὶ ἐκείνων εἰρῆσθαι, περὶ ὧν εἴρηται. Οὗτος γὰρ καὶ ἀληθείας καὶ ἀποδείξεως ὅρος. Οἱ δὲ τὰ μὴ προσήκοντα προφέροντες, καὶ τὰ προσήκοντα ἀνατρέπεσθαι παρασκευάζουσι. Ανὴρ ἐλλόγιμος καὶ ὀρθὸς μὲν τὸν τρόπον, λαμπρὸς δὲ τὸν βίον (τὸ γὰρ καὶ ἀξιώματι αὐτὸν λαμπρῷ κεκοσμῆσθαι, παρήσω· σκιὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ ὄναρ), ἐντυχὼν ἡμῖν ἀπήγγειλεν, ὅτι προσῆλθε μὲν τῷ σεπτῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ τῶν θείων μυστηρίων μεταληψόμενος· θεασάμενος δέ σε αὐτῷ παρεστῶτα, ἄνθρωπον πρεσβύτην μὲν τὴν ἡλικίαν, πρεσβύτερον δὲ τὴν ἀξίαν, ἀκμάζοντα δὲ τῇ λαγνείᾳ, καὶ πάντας τοὺς ἐπ᾿ ἀσελγείᾳ βεβοημένους ὑπερακοντίσαντα, εἰς τοὐπίσω κεχώρηκε, μὴ ἀξιώσας τὰ ἱερὰ μυστήρια διὰ μιαρᾶς χειρὸς δέξασθαι. Ἐγὼ δ᾽ ὅπως μὲν ἐπλήγην τὴν ψυχὴν ταῦτα ἀκούσας, παρήσω· ἃ δ᾽ ἐκεῖνον κατακράτος ἐμεμψάμην, λέξω. Οὐδὲν, ἔφην, ὦ σοφώτατε, παραβλάπτεται ὁ δεχόμενος, εἰἱ καὶ ὁ διδοὺς ἀνάξιος εἶναι δοκοίη, οὐδὲ τὰ ἄχραντα χραίνεται μυστήρια, εἰ ὁ ἱερεὺς πάντας ἀνθρώπους \"εἰς κακίαν παρελάσειεν. Εἰ δ᾽ ἀπιστεῖς, ἐννόει τὸν κόρακα, τὸ ἀκάθαρτον καὶ μισότεκνον ζῶον, δι' οὗ ὁ οὐρανοδρόμος καὶ οὐρανοπολίτης Ἠλίας ἐτρέφετο. \"Καὶ ἄλλα δὲ πολλὰ ἔφην, ἅπερ γράψαι σοι δυεῖν ἕνεκεν παρῃτησάμην, τοῦ τε μὴ μῆκος περιττὸν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ προσθεῖναι, τοῦ τε μὴ δόξαι λίαν τὰ σὰ ἐκτραγῳδεῖν κακά. Ωσπερ τοίνυν ἐκείνῳ ἐμεμψάμην, οὕτω καὶ σοὶ παραινῶ, ἢ μεταγνῶναι, ἢ ἀποστῆναι τοῦ σεπτοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, ἵνα μὴ τοὺς προσιέναι αὐτῷ προῃρημένους διὰ τῶν σαυτοῦ πράξεων ἀπελαύνοις. Εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον - Οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος. ) Ἐπειδὴ Ἑβραῖοι τεσσαράκοντα ἔτη τῷ μάννα τρεφόμενοι, οὐκ ἀξιοπίστῳ, ὅσον κατ᾿ ἀνθρώπινον λογισμὸν, πρὸς ἰσχὺν σωμάτων τυγχάνοντι, διέμενον ἐπὶ τῆς ἴσης ἀλκῆς τε καὶ ῥώμης, ἴσως δὲ καὶ μείζονος ἀπέλαυον δυνάμεως (οὐ γὰρ ἡ τροφή, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ θεῖος ὄρος διεκράτει καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς καὶ τὰ σώματα), ἔφη ὁ νομοθέτης, ὅπερ μαθεῖν [ἢ] ἐθέλησας · Οὐκ ἐπ᾿ ἄρτῳ μόνῳ ζήσεται ἄνθρωπος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ παντὶ ῥήματι ἐκπορευομένῳ διὰ στόματος Θεοῦ. » Ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς διακρουόμενος τὸ διαβολικὸν μηχάνημα, προεβάλλετο, καὶ κατέσεισε τοῦ πειράζοντος τὴν ἰσχύν. Περὶ ᾿Αρειανῶν καὶ Εὐνομιανῶν. Λανθάνουσιν αἱρετικοὶ δι' ὧν κατασκευάζουσι, διὰ τούτων ἁλισκόμενοι, καὶ δι᾽ ὧν νικᾶν οἴονται, διὰ τούτων λαμπρῶς ἡττώμενοι. Εἰ γὰρ κτίσμα ἐστὶν ὁ Υἱὸς, οὐδὲ τὸ μεῖζον κατ᾿ αὐτοὺς ἵσταται. Τὸ γὰρ μεῖζον λέγεται ἐκ συγκρίσεως, καὶ οὐκ ἐκ τῆς ἀσυγκρίτου ὑπεροχῆς. Ποίαν οὖν σύγκρισιν ἔχει τὸ κτίσμα πρὸς τὸν Κτίστην; λεγέτωσαν οἱ σοφοί.","t":"To Nemessianus the scholasticus. Just as I define as impious and foolish the pagans and Jews, and any who have emulated them, who declare that the prophets said nothing about the Saviour, so I do not hold blameless those who try to transfer the whole Old Testament to him, since in the fight against us they in a way assist our opponents. For by forcing to apply to him things that are refuted by those opponents as not said about him, they breed suspicion even about what was truly and expressly said about him. It ought not to be so; rather, one should state clearly what was said of him, and allow what concerns other matters to be said of those of which it is said. For this is the rule of both truth and proof. Those who bring forward what is not fitting cause even what is fitting to be overturned. [Letter 3.340] A learned man, upright in character and brilliant in life (I pass over his being adorned with a brilliant rank, for that is a shadow and a dream), met us and reported that he had approached the venerable altar to receive the divine mysteries; but seeing you standing at it, an old man in age, a presbyter in rank, but in the prime of lust and outdoing all notorious for licentiousness, he drew back, not thinking it right to receive the holy mysteries from a foul hand. How my soul was struck when I heard this I will pass over; but what I strongly blamed him for, I will say. \"The one who receives,\" I said, \"most wise friend, is not harmed at all, even if the one who gives seems unworthy; nor are the undefiled mysteries defiled, even if the priest outstrips all people in vice. If you disbelieve, consider the raven, the unclean bird that hates its young, by which Elijah, who ran his course to heaven and is a citizen of heaven, was fed.\" And I said many other things, which I declined to write to you for two reasons: not to add superfluous length to the letter, and not to seem to make too much of a tragedy of your evils. As, then, I blamed him, so I advise you either to repent or to withdraw from the venerable altar, so that you may not by your deeds drive away those who have chosen to approach it. [Letter 3.341] [On what is written, \"Man shall not live by bread alone.\"] Since the Hebrews, fed forty years on the manna, which by human reasoning was not trustworthy for bodily strength, remained in equal vigour and strength, and perhaps enjoyed even greater power (for it was not the food but the divine word that sustained both souls and bodies), the lawgiver said what you wished to learn: \"Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.\" Christ too put this forward to beat off the devil's device and shook the tempter's strength. [Letter 3.342] [On the Arians and Eunomians.] The heretics do not notice that they are caught by what they construct, and brilliantly defeated by what they think will win. For if the Son is a creature, not even the \"greater\" stands for them. For \"greater\" is said by comparison, not from incomparable superiority. What comparison, then, has the creature with the Creator? Let the wise tell us.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.339 (PG 78 78:999; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-339)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.34":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ..\nΔεινὸν ὄντα καὶ δραστήριον τὸν τῆς φιλοτιμίας ἔρωτα, καὶ δεινῶς κρατοῦντα τοῦ ἀνθρωπίνου γένους, ὁ σωτήριος Λόγος σοφῶς τε καὶ ἐπιστημόνως καταστέλλων, καὶ πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον μετοχετεύων, φησί · « Προσέχετε τὴν δικαιοσύνην ὑμῶν μὴ ποιεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι αὐτοῖς· εἰ δὲ μή γε, μισθὸν οὐκ ἔχετε παρὰ τῷ Πατρὶ ὑμῶν τῷ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. · Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ᾔδει ἅτε ποιητὴς ὢν καὶ δημιουργός, καλῶς ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐμπεφυτευμένο τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ τῆς φιλοτιμίας σπέρματα, οὐλ ἁπλῶς, οὐδ᾽ εἰκῆ, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα διάπυροι τῆς τιμῆς τυγχάνοντες ἐρασταὶ ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον ἐπιδοῖεν, κάλλιστον κεκτημένοι φυλακτήριον, πρὸς τὸ μὴ δουλεύειν τοῖς ἀνελευθέροις πάθεσι, τὸν τῆς δόξης πόθον· μετοχετεύσαντας δὲ πρὸς τουναντίον τὸ ἔμφυτον δῶρον, καὶ πρὸς τὴν γηΐνην τιμὴν τραπέντας, λήθῃ τῆς οὐρανίου, πάλιν ὥσπερ ἄριστος γεωργὸς ἐπιμελόμενος τῆς ψυχῆς, τὰς μὲν πρὸς τὸ χεῖρον βλάστας ἐκκόπτει, καὶ τῶν κακίστων πρὸς τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην δοξομανίαν δεινῶς ὑλομανοῦσαν ἐπέχει τὴν φοράν· ὅσον δὲ αὐτῆς ἥμερόν τε καὶ γόνιμον πρὸς τὴν τῶν ὑπερκοσμίων τιμῶν καρποφορίαν, οὐ μόνον ὑπολείπεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ζωπυρεῖ, καὶ γονιμώτερον κατασκευάζει, τὴν μὲν ἐπίδειξιν, ἣν οἱ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης ὀρεγόμενοι δόξης ποιοῦνται, αὐτόπρεμνον ἀνασπάσας, τὴν δὲ πρὸς Θεὸν μόνον ὁρῶσαν, εἰκότως κατὰ κράτος φιλοτιμεῖσθαι ἐπιτρέψας.","t":"To Eutonius. The love of honour is terrible and powerful and rules the human race terribly; and the saving Word, restraining it wisely and skilfully and diverting it toward the better, says, \"Take care not to do your righteousness before people in order to be seen by them; otherwise you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.\" For since he knew, being its maker and fashioner, that the seeds of love of honour had been planted in human beings well from the beginning, not simply nor at random, but so that, ardent lovers of honour obtaining it, they might advance toward the better, possessing in the desire for glory a most excellent safeguard against being enslaved to servile passions; and since they diverted the innate gift to its opposite and turned to earthly honour, forgetting the heavenly, again, like an excellent farmer caring for the soul, he cuts away the shoots that grow toward the worse and checks the rush of the worst of them toward human glory-madness, which runs terribly wild; but whatever in it is tame and fruitful for bearing the fruit of honours above the world, he not only leaves but also kindles and makes more fruitful, tearing up by the root the display made by those who reach for human glory, but rightly allowing the desire for honour that looks to God alone to be pursued with all one's strength.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.34 (PG 78 78:753; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-34)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.343":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΟ.\nΟὐ μικρὸν συνετὸς ἀκροατὴς, ὁ μὴ μόνον θαύματι διακόπτων τοῦ λόγου τὸν δρόμον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπινοῶν τὰ δυσθεώρητα, καί τι παρ' ἑαυτοῦ εἰσφέρειν δυνάμενος. Ὅτι δὲ οὐ μικρὸν, μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν μεγάλων καὶ ἐξαιρέτων ὧν ἠπείλησεν ὁ Θεὸς ἀπὸ τῆς Ἱερουσαλήμ παραιρεῖσθαι καὶ τὸν συνετὸν ἀκροατὴν ἐνέταξεν· οὐκ ἂν τοῦτο φήσας, εἰ μηδὲν μέγα συνετέλει. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Παροιμιαστὴς ἔφη, « Οὖς ἀκροατοῦ, ἐπιθυμία σοφοῦ. » Οὐ γὰρ πολλοὺς πόνους, οὔθ᾿ ἰδρῶτας αὐτῷ παρέχει, ἀλλ᾽ ἀφορμὰς μόνον καὶ σπέρματα ἀπαιτεῖ. Πρὸς γὰρ τὴν γεωργίαν ἡ σύνεσις ἀρκεῖ.","t":"To Peter. An intelligent hearer is no small thing: one who not only interrupts the course of the discourse with wonder, but also perceives what is hard to see and can contribute something of his own. That it is no small thing, God ranked the intelligent hearer among the other great and choice things that he threatened to take away from Jerusalem; he would not have said this if it contributed nothing great. That is why the Proverb-writer said, \"The ear of a hearer is the desire of the wise.\" For it gives him neither many labours nor sweat, but asks only for occasions and seeds; for understanding suffices for the farming.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.343 (PG 78 78:1001; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-343)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.344":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nἼσθι, ὦ καθαρότητος τέμενος, ὡς ἄδῃ κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν πόλιν· παράδοξον γὰρ ἔργον ἀνύσας παραδοξότερον αὐτὸ πεποίηκας τῷ τάχει. ὧν μὲν γὰρ καὶ αὐτὸ καθ' ἑαυτὸ μέγα, τὸ δὲ τάχος μεῖζον, μᾶλλον δὲ μέγιστον αὐτὸ ἔδειξε, κοσμῆσαν τὴν χάριν καὶ χαριεστέραν πεποιηκός. Διάλαμπε τοίνυν ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις κατορθώμασι. Πρέπει γάρ σοι.","t":"To Hierax, a man of the highest rank. Know, you precinct of purity, that you are being celebrated throughout the city. For having accomplished an extraordinary deed, you made it more extraordinary by its speed. For being great in itself, its speed showed it greater, or rather greatest, adorning the favour and making it more gracious. Shine, then, in such achievements; for it befits you.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.344 (PG 78 78:1001; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-344)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.345":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nΠερὶ τῆς δυνάμεως τοῦ θείου κηρύγματος. Εἰ ἀγχίνοια ἀνθρώπου τῆς τῶν γραμμάτων εἰδήἰδιῶται ὄντες καὶ ἀγράμματοι τῆς θείας ἐμπεπλησμένοι σοφίας, καὶ τῶν διαλεκτικῶν, καὶ τῶν ῥητόρων ἐκράτησαν; Εἰ γὰρ τὸν μὲν ἀναγινώσκοντα μὴ εἰδέναι τὴν ἑρμηνείαν εἰκὸς, τὸν δὲ ἀγνοοῦντα τῶν γραμμάτων τοὺς χαρακτῆρας τὸν νοῦν ἐπίστασθαι τῶν γεγραμμένων ἀδύνατον. ᾿Αλλ' ἔστι πολλάκις τὸν μὲν ἀναγινώσκοντα μὴ εἰδέναι τὸν νοῦν τὸν δ᾽ ἀκούοντα ὀξύτερον ὄντα καὶ συνέσει διαφέροντα εἰδέναι, καίτοι τῶν γραμμάτων μὴ ἐπιστάμενον τοὺς χαρακτῆρας. Ο γὰρ ἀδύνατος ἡ κατάληψις τῶν ἐγκειμένων διὰ τὴν ἄγνοιαν τῶν στοιχείων, τούτῳ ἡ σύνεσις ἀκμάζει πολλάκις, ἄλλων ἀναγινωσκόντων. Εἰ τοίνυν ἀγχίνοια τῆς ἐπιστήμης κρατεῖ, πῶς οὐ θεία σοφία, λόγων τέχνης περιέσται; σεως προκρίνεται, τί θαυμαστὸν εἰ οἱ Ἀπόστολοι,","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. [On the power of the divine preaching.] If a man's quickness of mind is preferred to knowledge of letters, what wonder is it if the apostles, being unlearned and illiterate, filled with divine wisdom, overcame both dialecticians and orators? For while it is likely that one who reads does not know the interpretation, it is impossible for one who does not know the shapes of the letters to understand the meaning of what is written. Yet it often happens that the reader does not know the meaning, while the hearer, being sharper and excelling in understanding, knows it, though he does not know the shapes of the letters. For the one for whom grasping what is written is impossible through ignorance of the letters often has understanding at its height when others read. If, then, quickness of mind prevails over knowledge, how will divine wisdom not prevail over the art of words?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.345 (PG 78 78:1001; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-345)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.346":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ βωμοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ ἄμαχος καὶ ἀναντίῤῥητος πᾶς λόγος παρὰ τῶν ἐναντίων συνομολογούμενος, ἑκάστῳ ἔθνει ἀπὸ τῶν παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς νενομισμένων διαλεκτέον, ὁ καὶ τῶν [τοῦ] Χριστοῦ νοημάτων ταμίας ἐποίει Παῦλος, Ἰουδαίοις μὲν ἀπὸ τῶν Γραφῶν διαλεγόμενος, ᾿Αθηναίοις δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ βωμοῦ. Διὸ καὶ ἔφη, « Ἐγενόμην τοῖς ἀνόμοις, ὡς ἄνομος. » Ὡς γὰρ ἀνήκοος ὧν τοῦ νόμου, ἀπὸ τοῦ βωμοῦ τὴν παραίνεσιν ἐποιεῖτο, οὐ τὸν βωμὸν ἀξιοπιστότερον τῶν Γραφῶν ἡγούμενος, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀπιστοῦντας αὐταῖς, ἀπὸ τῶν οἰκείων χειρούμενος δογμάτων. Παλαιὸς λόγος διαγορεύει, καὶ θεσμὸς εὖ ἔχειν ἅπασιν ἀνθρώποις δόξας, μὴ ἐπεμβαίνειν τοῖς πεπτωκόσι, μηδὲ κατασφάττειν τοὺς κειμένους, ἀλλ᾿ αἰδεῖσθαι ὡς ἱκέτας, καὶ χεῖρα ὀρέγειν τοῖς ἑαλωκόσιν. ᾿Ακούω δὲ ὅτι τὰ θηρία, οἷς μέτεστι φρονήματος, τὸ μὲν ἀνθεστηκὸς ἀμύνεται· τὸ δὲ ἀπειρηκὸς αἰδεῖται. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις, καὶ παρὰ θηρσίν εἰσιν ἔχθρας καὶ πολέμου ὅροι, οὓς οὐ χρὴ ὑπερβαίνειν· μηδὲ αὐτὸς ὀργίζου τοῖς ἡττημένοις, μηδὲ τοῖς χαμαὶ κειμένοις ὡς ἀντιπάλοις ἔγκεισο,","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. [On the altar.] Since every argument agreed to by opponents is invincible and incontestable, one must argue with each nation from what is customary among them, as Paul, the steward of Christ's thoughts, did, arguing with the Jews from the Scriptures and with the Athenians from the altar. That is why he also said, \"To those outside the law I became as one outside the law.\" For as one who had not heard the law, he made his exhortation from the altar, not thinking the altar more trustworthy than the Scriptures, but overcoming those who did not believe them from their own doctrines. [Letter 3.347] An ancient saying declares, and a law thought good by all people, not to trample on the fallen, nor slaughter those who lie on the ground, but to respect them as suppliants and stretch out a hand to the captured. And I hear that wild beasts which have some spirit fight off what resists them but respect what has given up. If, then, both among people and among beasts there are limits of enmity and war which one must not overstep, do not yourself be angry with the defeated, nor press upon those lying on the ground as if they were opponents,","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.346 (PG 78 78:1003; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-346)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.348":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ.\nΕἱ μὲν τοῦτο δεδιώς, μὴ φθάσῃ ἐγκαλέσας ὁ παροινηθεὶς παρὰ σοῦ, ᾠήθης προλαβὼν ἐπισκιάσασθαι τὰς αἰτίας, καὶ τὰς μέμψεις τὰς κατὰ σαυτοῦ ὑποτεμεῖσθαι, σοφὸν τῷ ὄντι, ἵνα μὴ κακοῦργον εἴπω, καὶ τοῦτο μηχάνημα· εἰ δὲ ὡς ἀληθῶς αἱρήσειν προσδοκῶν, ἡλίθιόν τι πέπονθας. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἁλοίη ἐφ᾿ οἷς ἤδη ἑάλως κατὰ τὴν τῶν γραψάντων ἀψευδῆ μαρτυρίαν.","t":"To Isaiah. If, fearing that the man you insulted might bring charges first, you thought to anticipate him, overshadow the accusations and cut short the complaints against you, this device is truly clever, not to say knavish; but if you really expect to win, you have suffered something foolish. For he could not be convicted of what you yourself have already been convicted of, according to the truthful testimony of those who wrote.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.348 (PG 78 78:1003; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-348)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.349":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἼσθι, ὦ θαυμασιώτατε, ὅτι μήτ᾽ ἐξειπὼν, μήτε κοινωσάμενός μοι ὁ δοκῶν εἶναι φίλος (ᾔδει γὰρ οὐκ ἀνεξόμενον, οὐδὲ συγχωρήσοντα αὐτῷ λύσαι πολυχρόνιον φιλίαν) πέπραχεν ἃ πέπραχε. Διὸ καὶ τῆς φιλίας ἡμῶν ἀπεκηρύχθη. Περὶ τοῦ, « Φάσκοντες εἶναι σοφοὶ ἐμωράνθησαν. Κινδυνεύεις ἀγνοεῖν, ὅτι οἱ ποιηταὶ τοὺς πλεονεκτήμασιν εὐγενείας ἐμπρέπειν οὐκ ἔχοντας, μυθολογίαις ἀπίστοις ἐσέμνυναν.","t":"To Theodosius the presbyter. Know, most admirable friend, that the man who seems to be a friend did what he did without telling or consulting me (for he knew I would not bear it, nor allow him to break a long friendship). That is why he has been disowned from our friendship. [Letter 3.350] [On \"Claiming to be wise, they became fools.\"] You are in danger of not knowing that the poets glorified with incredible myths those who could not distinguish themselves by the advantages of noble birth.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.349 (PG 78 78:1005; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-349)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.35":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἭ μᾶλλον, ἢ οὐχ ἧττον τῆς σῆς μεγαλονοίας ἐφροντίσαμεν, ὅπως τὸ γε ἡμέτερον μέρος, Χαιρήμων τε καὶ Ζώσιμος καὶ Μάρων μεταγνοῖεν, καὶ ἀμείνονα γνώμην ἀναλαβόντες, ἀπαλλαγεῖεν τῆς αἰσχύνης. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ὡς ἔοικεν, εἰς ἀνανταγώνιστον ( ἐκπεπτωκότες κακίαν, οὐδέπω ἀνενεγκεῖν ἡβουλήθησαν· διὸ καὶ παρά τινων μὲν, ὡς ταύτῃ ἀνανήψαντες, καταθρηνοῦνται, παρά τινων δ᾽ ἀπηγορεύθησαν, ὡς εἰς ἀναλγησίαν ἐξοκείλαντες· ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε πάλιν οὐδὲν ἐλλείψει τῶν εἰς ἡμᾶς ἡκόντων, τάχα πως κἂν ὀψέ ποτε γνωσιμαχήσαντες, σπείσονται πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν, ἢ ἀκηρύκτως πολεμεῖν οὐκ αἰσχύνονται. Τοῦτο μὲν ἔργον, τὰ δ᾽ ἄλλα νομίζοντες εἶναι πάρεργα ΧΑΙΡΗΜΩΝΙ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΕΥ","t":"To Hierax the presbyter. We have taken care, more than or no less than your magnanimity, that, as far as our part goes, Chaeremon, Zosimus and Maron might change their minds, take up a better purpose, and be rid of their disgrace. But since, it seems, having fallen into a vice that has no rival, they have not yet been willing to recover, they are lamented by some as though they might recover in this way, and given up by others as having run aground on insensibility. Nevertheless we on our part shall leave nothing undone, in case perhaps, even late, they acknowledge defeat and make peace with virtue, or else are not ashamed to make war without truce. …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.35 (PG 78 78:755; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-35)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.351":{"o":"ΑΝΤΩΝΙΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nὉ τῆς παρθενίας ἀγὼν, μέγας μὲν καὶ λαμπρὸς καὶ ἔνθεος (πρὸς γὰρ τὴν ἔμφυτον τοῦ σώματος ἡδονὴν ὁ πόλεμος), ἐν δὲ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἐξευμαρίζει τοὺς πόνους. Ῥαδίως γὰρ φιλοχρηματίας κρατήσει, κόσμου σωματικοῦ, ἀνδρός τε καὶ παίδων μὴ φροντίζουσα, δι᾽ ὁ ὁ τῶν χρημάτων πορισμὸς ἀναγκαῖος εἶναι τοῖς ἀφιλοσόφοις δοκεῖ· πένθει τε ἀνάλωτος ἔσται. Οὐ γὰρ ἤνθησε κλάδους, οἷς συνανθοῦσι καὶ αἱ φροντίδες καὶ τὰ πένθη Ζώντων μὲν γὰρ τῶν παίδων, ἀναγκάζονται μεριμνᾶν, ε τεθνεώτων δὲ πενθεῖν. Ὀδυνῶν τε καὶ ἀθυμιῶν ἔξω ἐσκήνωται, μηδ' ἀνδρὸς δουλευομένη φρονήματος, μήτε ὠδῖσι ταῖς τοῦ θανάτου γείτοσι διακοπτομένη. Οὐ παρευδοκιμουμένη ζηλοῖ, οὐκ ἀγαπωμένη ὑπτιοῦται. Οὐκ ἀποστρεφόμενον κολακεύει, οὐ μισοῦντα θωπεύει, οὐχ ὑβρίζοντα ἀποστρέφεται, ἀλλὰ πάντων τούτων τῶν ἀνηκέστων κακῶν ἀπαλλαγή, ἡ πρὸς τὴν ἔμφυτον ἐπιθυμίαν μάχη, ἧς κρατοῦσα, πάντα ἐκεῖνα ὑποκύπτοντα ἔχει. Διὸ καὶ ὁ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων ἀκριβῶς βασανίσας τὴν φύσιν, ἔγραφε περὶ τῶν πάντα ὑπομενόντων τὰ δυσχερή, ἵνα μόνον τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας λύτταν μὴ χειρώσωνται, « Θλίψιν τῇ σαρκὶ ἔξουσιν οἱ τοιοῦτοι. Ἐγὼ δὲ ὑμῶν φείδομαι. » Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ πολλοὶ μὲν τὴν ἀποστολικὴν συμβουλὴν, ὡς διὰ πραγμάτων μὴ δεικνυμένην ἀτιμάζοντες, τὸ δ᾽ ἀληθὲς τῇ ἡδονῇ συνηγοροῦντές φασιν, ὅτι, θλίψιν μὲν οὐκ ἔχουσιν οἱ τὸν γάμον ἀσπασάμενοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τέρψιν καὶ τρυφήν πολλοὶ δὲ δεινότητι χρώμενοι, καὶ ἀνδρειοτέρους ἑαυτοὺς τῶν τὴν ἁγνείαν ἐστεμμένων οἰόμενοι, οὐ δεόντως λέγουσιν, ὅτι ἀγεννοῦς τοῦτο ψυχῆς τεκμήριον. Ταῖς γὰρ τῆς ἀγαμίας ἁγιστείαις ἀφιερώσαντες ἑαυτοὺς, ἀπέκλεισαν τῇ γενέσει τὰς διεξόδους, γάμων ἀμύητοι μείναντες, καὶ τῇ τῶν ἀναγκῶν γυμνότητι πρὸς τὰς μεταβολὰς τῶν πραγμάτων νεανιευσάμενοι, παραπλήσιόν τι ποιοῦσιν, ὡσπερανεί τις ἀσώματος τυγχάνων ἐνηβρύνετο τῷ ἄτρωτος εἶναι. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ αὐτοὶ τὰς παραλόγους τῶν ἀβουλήτων ἐφόδους δείσαντες, τὸν τῆς παιδογονίας θεσμὸν ἡτίμασαν, άτεκνίᾳ ἑαυτοὺς πρὸς τὰς μεταβολὰς ὀχυρώσαντες, καὶ τὸ ἀνάλωτον διὰ ταύτης πραγματευσάμενοι. Ἡμεῖς δὲ ταῖς τῆς μεταβολῆς παραλόγοις ῥοπαῖς παραδόντες ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ οὐ ψιλῶν τάξιν πρὸς αὐτὴν ταγέντες, ἔξω τῆς φάλαγγος ἔστημεν, ἀλλὰ - τοῖς βέλεσιν αὐτοῖς ὑποθέντες τὴν πολιτείαν, καὶ ἀφθονίαν παρασχόντες εἰς ἃ βούλοιντο πλήττειν πρὸς ἐκείνην ἐφραξάμεθα, ὡς καὶ τιτρωσκομένους μὴ πλήττεσθαι, καὶ βληθέντας, ἄκεντρα τοξεύεσθαι, καὶ ἐν τῇ τῶν δυσκόλων πείρᾳ τὸ δόγμα βεβαιούμενοι, ὡς ἀρετὴ μεταβολῆς ἀδέσποτος, τὴν ἀκριβεστάτην ἐκφέρομεν βάσανον. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν τοιαῦτά τινα συνείροντες καταρητορεύουσιν, αἰσχυνόμενοι μὲν ἐπὶ τῷ ἀπολελεῖφθαι τῶν τῆς παρθενίας ἄθλων, εὐπρόσωπον δὲ δοκοῦντες ἀπολογίαν προβάλλεσθαι, εἴσονται μὲν διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐπὶ τῶν ἐπάθλων, ὅσον γυναικὶ μὲν ἀνὴρ, ἀνδρὶ δὲ γυνὴ, καὶ γυναικὸς καὶ παίδων φροντίδες ἐμπόδιόν ἐστι πρὸς σωτηρίαν· ἐλέγχονται δὲ καὶ νῦν εἰς τῶν κακῶν πυθμένα, διὰ ταῦτα συνελαυνόμενοι, δι' ἃ καὶ οἱ μὲν τρυφῆς καὶ ἀνέσεως ἀπολαύσεσθαι, οἱ δὲ καὶ μειζόνων στεἔρεισμα δοθεὶς, δύναται μὲν σώζειν τοὺς φυλάττον φάνων ἀξιωθήσεσθαι προσεδόκησαν. Ποίοις γὰρ πάθεσιν οὐχ ὑπόκεινται ; Ποίαν δὲ καπηλείαν οὐ μεταχειρίζονται; Πόσας δὲ ἀηδίας ὑπομένοντες, οὐκ αἰσθάνονται; Τί γὰρ τῶν καλῶν αὐτοὺς οὐ παριππεύει; Τί δὲ κατασκηνοῖ παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς ἐπαίνου ἄξιον; Καὶ ταῦτα, οὐ τοὺς τὸν τίμιον γάμον ἀσπαζομένους ἀποκηρύττων λέγω (ἄπαγε) ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀθυρώτῳ καὶ ὀλισθηρᾷ γλώττῇ τολμῶντας τὸν γάμον τῆς παρθενίας ὑπερτιθέναι κωμῳδῶν. Ὅσον γὰρ οὐρανὸς γῆς, καὶ ψυχὴ σώματος διαφέρει· τοσοῦτον ἡ παρθενία τοῦ γάμου διενήνοχεν. Ἐκείνη μὲν γὰρ τὰ πρωτεῖα ἐν τῇ παρατάξει ἔχει, καὶ τὸ μέτωπον κοσμεῖ τῆς φάλαγγος, καὶ τὰ λαμπρὰ τρόπαια ἴστησιν· οὗτος δὲ σύμμετρος ὢν, καὶ τοῖς ἀσθενεστέροις τας, οὐ μὴν εἰς τὴν τῆς παρθενίας ἀνάξει κορυφήν. Διὸ καὶ ὁ πνευματικὸς νόμος τοὺς γήμαντας καὶ ἀμπέλους φυτεύσαντας εἰς τὸν κατὰ τῶν πνευματικῶν τῆς πονηρίας πόλεμον ἐξελθεῖν ἀπηγόρευσε. Μὴ τοίνυν οἱ τοιούτῳ κατεχόμενοι δεσμῷ τοῖς λελυμένοις ἁμιλλᾶσθαι οἰέσθωσαν· οὐδὲ γὰρ οἷόν τε. Μηδὲ οἱ χρηματισμῷ καὶ κόσμῳ σωματικῷ ὅλον ἑαυτῶν ἀναθέντες τὸν βίον, νομιζέτωσαν ἴσα ἄθλα λήψεσθαι τῶν ἀφιερωσάντων ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ τὰ τοῦ Κυρίου μεριμνώντων· ἀλλὰ ἐν τῇ προσηκούσῃ τάξει ἑαυτοὺς φυλάττοντες, μὴ ὁπλιζέτωσαν γλῶτταν κατὰ τῶν εἰς τὴν οὐράνιον κορυφὴν ἀναβάντων. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ γάμος κακόν· ἄπαγε· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔννομον καὶ σύμμετρον ἀγαθόν. ᾿Ἀλλὰ τὰ ἐπισυρέντα τῷ γάμῳ κακά, ἱκανὰ καὶ τὴν τοῦ γάμου ἀμβλῦναι ἡδονήν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ μηδὲν τούτων ἐπήγετο, οὐδ᾽ οὕτως τῇ παρθενίᾳ παραβάλλεσθαι δίκαιος ἦν. Ὁ δὲ με καὶ ἐπειγόμενον παραδραμεῖν οὐκ ἐᾷ, τοῦτο ῥητέον· ὅτι ἡ μὲν παρθενία καὶ τἄλλα χειροῦται πάθη, ὁ δὲ γάμος καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἀλίσκεται πάθεσι. Τίς γὰρ ἵνα παισὶ χορηγήσῃ τροφὰς, οὐ πάντα ποιεῖ τὰ μὴ πρέποντα καὶ εἰς κινδύνους ἑαυτὸν ῥιπτεῖ, καὶ εἰς πέλαγος, καὶ εἰς θηρίων βοράν. Οὗτοι οὖν ὡς ἀνδρεῖοι καὶ τροπαιοῦχοι ἐναβρύνεσθαι θέλουσι Καὶ τίς ἀνέξεται ; τίς γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἐπαρκέσει καιρὸς πρὸς τὸ ταῦτα τὰ τραύματα θεραπεῦσαι; Τίς δὲ οὐ συναλγήσει τοῖς ὑπὸ τοσούτων βελῶν κατατετρωμένοις; Τοσαῦτα γὰρ αὐτοὺς περιέχει κακὰ, οἷα οὐδ᾽ ἐννοῆσαι, οὐδὲ φράσαι διὰ τὸ πλῆθος δυνατόν. Παυέσθωσαν οὖν τῶν τοιούτων λόγων, καὶ μὴ κατὰ τῆς παρθενίας ὁπλιζέτωσαν τὴν γλῶτταν· ἀλλ᾽ ὡς βασιλίδα αὐτὴν γεραιρέτωσαν, καὶ ὑπ᾿ αὐτῇ ταττέσθωσαν, ἵνα ἔχοιεν αὐτὴν καὶ ὑπερασπίζουσαν καὶ πρεσβεύουσαν. Ἡλίῳ μὲν γὰρ τοὺς τὴν παρθενίαν» (ἵνα καὶ οὐρανίοις χρήσωμαι παραδείγμασι)· :)· σελήνῃ δὲ τοὺς τὴν ἐγκράτειαν, ἄστροις \" δὲ τοὺς τὸν τίμιον γάμον ἀσπασαμένους καὶ διατηρήσαντας, παραβάλλεσθαι θέμις, μάλιστα ἐπιψηφίσαντος τοῦ θεσπεσίου Παύλου, καὶ λέγοντος· « ῎Αλλη δόξα ἡλίου, καὶ ἄλλη δόξα σελήνης, καὶ ἄλλη δόξα ἀστέρων. » Ἐκεῖνον μόνον ἂν ἔγωγε ζῇν κυρίως ὁρισαίμην, τὸν τῶν σωματικῶν παθῶν κρείττονα καὶ ἀνώτερον. Ὁ γὰρ ἐκείνοις ἑαυτὸν ὑποζεύξας, καὶ κατὰ κράτος ὑπ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐλαυνόμενος, οὐ μόνον εἰς τὸ ἔσχατον τελευτᾷ βάραθρον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ζῇν ἐνταῦθα δύναται διὰ τὰς ἐξ αὐτῶν λύπας, καὶ τοὺς φόβους, καὶ τοὺς κινδύνους, καὶ τὸν μυρίον αὐτῶν ἐσμόν. \"Αν τε γὰρ θάνατος προσδοκηθῇ, τέθνηκε καὶ πρὸ τοῦ θανάτου τῷ δέει· ἄν τε νόσος, ἄν τε ὕβρις, ἄν τε πενία, ἄν τε ἕτερόν τι τῶν ἀδοκήτων, ἀπόλωλε καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ὑπονοίας μόνης, καὶ διέφθαρται. Ἀλλ᾽ οὐχ ὁ τῶν παθῶν κρατῶν τοιοῦτος· ἀλλὰ καὶ φόβων, καὶ κινδύνων, καὶ μεταβολῆς ἁπάσης ἕστηκεν ὑψηλότερος, οὐ τῷ μηδὲν ὑπομένειν (τοῦτο γὰρ ἴσως ἀμήχανον), ἀλλ' ὁ καὶ πολλῷ μεῖζόν ἐστι καὶ παραδοξότερον ποιεῖ τὸ τρόπαιον τῷ καὶ προσβαλλόντων αὐτῶν καὶ ἀκροβολιζομένων καὶ κατατοξευόντων καταφρονεῖν.","t":"To Antonius the scholasticus. The contest of virginity is great, brilliant and divine (for the war is against the body's innate pleasure), but in other matters it lightens the labours. For she will easily master love of money, caring for neither bodily adornment nor husband and children, for whose sake getting money seems necessary to those who do not practise philosophy; and she will be beyond the reach of mourning. For she has not put forth branches with which cares and griefs blossom together; for while children live, parents must worry, and when they die, mourn. She dwells outside pains and despondencies, neither enslaved to a husband's will nor cut short by labour pains, the neighbours of death. Outdone in esteem, she is not jealous; loved, she is not puffed up. She does not flatter one who turns away, nor fawn on one who hates, nor turn away from one who insults; but the fight against innate desire is a release from all these incurable evils, and when she masters it she holds all those things in subjection. That is why the one who examined exactly the nature of human affairs wrote of those who endure all difficulties merely in order not to be overcome by the frenzy of desire: \"Such will have affliction in the flesh, and I would spare you.\" But many dishonour the apostolic counsel as not shown by facts, and, in truth pleading for pleasure, say that those who embrace marriage have not affliction but delight and luxury; and many, using cleverness and thinking themselves braver than those crowned with purity, say improperly that it is a sign of an ignoble soul. \"For dedicating themselves to the holy rites of celibacy,\" they say, \"they shut the passages of generation, remained uninitiated in marriage, and, showing youthful bravado against the changes of affairs by being stripped of necessities, do something like a man who, being bodiless, boasts of being invulnerable. For they too, fearing the unexpected attacks of unwelcome things, dishonoured the ordinance of begetting children, fortifying themselves against changes by childlessness and procuring invulnerability through it. But we, giving ourselves up to the unexpected turns of change, and not ranged against it in the order of light-armed troops, did not stand outside the phalanx; but, setting our way of life under the very arrows and giving them abundant room to strike where they would, we fenced ourselves against it, so as to be wounded without being struck and to be shot at with blunted arrows; and confirming the doctrine in the trial of difficulties, that virtue owns no master in change, we bring forth the most exact test.\" Since, then, stringing together such things, they declaim against it, ashamed at having been left behind in the contests of virginity but thinking to put forward a plausible defence, they will know by the facts at the time of the prizes how great a hindrance to salvation a husband is to a wife, a wife to a husband, and the cares of wife and children; and they are refuted even now, being driven to the bottom of evils by the very things through which some expected to enjoy luxury and ease, and others to be thought worthy of greater crowns. For to what passions are they not subject? What trading do they not handle? How many disagreeable things do they endure without perceiving it? What good thing does not ride past them? What praiseworthy thing dwells with them? And I say this not disowning those who embrace honourable marriage (far from it), but mocking those who with an unbarred and slippery tongue dare to set marriage above virginity. For as far as heaven differs from earth and soul from body, so far does virginity differ from marriage. The one holds the first place in the battle line, adorns the front of the phalanx and sets up the brilliant trophies; the other, being moderate and given as a support to the weaker, can save those who keep it, but will not lead them up to the summit of virginity. That is why the spiritual law forbade those who had married and planted vineyards to go out to the war against the spiritual forces of evil. Let not those held by such a bond, then, think to compete with those who are loosed; for it is not possible. Nor let those who have devoted their whole life to money-making and bodily adornment think they will receive prizes equal to those who have dedicated themselves and care for the things of the Lord; but keeping themselves in the proper rank, let them not arm their tongue against those who have gone up to the heavenly summit. For marriage is not evil (far from it!), but a lawful and moderate good. But the evils dragged along with marriage are enough to blunt even the pleasure of marriage. And even if none of these followed, even so it would not deserve to be compared with virginity. And what does not allow me, though in haste, to run past it must be said: virginity masters the other passions too, while marriage is caught by the other passions too. For who, to supply food for his children, does not do everything unfitting and throw himself into dangers, into the sea, and to be the food of beasts? And these want to pride themselves as brave and victorious! And who will bear it? What time will suffice them to heal these wounds? Who will not share the pain of those wounded by so many arrows? For such evils surround them as cannot be thought or told for their number. Let them, then, stop such words and not arm their tongue against virginity, but honour her as queen and be ranked under her, so that they may have her as shield-bearer and ambassador. For (to use heavenly examples too) it is right to compare those who keep virginity to the sun, those who keep continence to the moon, and those who embrace and keep honourable marriage to the stars, the divine Paul above all casting his vote and saying, \"There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars.\" [Letter 3.352] I would define as properly alive only the man who is superior to and above the bodily passions. For the one who has yoked himself to them and is driven by them with force not only ends in the lowest pit, but cannot even live here, because of the griefs, fears and dangers that come from them, and their countless swarm. If death is expected, he has died before death from fear; if disease, insult, poverty or anything else unexpected, he has perished and been ruined by the mere suspicion. But not so the one who masters the passions: he stands above fears, dangers and every change, not by suffering nothing (that is perhaps impossible), but, what is much greater and makes the trophy more extraordinary, by despising them as they attack, skirmish and shoot at him.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.351 (PG 78 78:1005; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-351)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.353":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ Χαιρήμων, ὡς γέγραφας, ὁ Εὐσεβίου ὑπασπιστὴς, ἐκ τῆς αὐτοῦ συνουσίας ἠκονημένος πρὸς πᾶσαν κακίαν οἰστρᾷ, καὶ πίστιν οὐκ οἶδεν, ἀλλ' ἐπ᾿ ἀδικίας ἀδείᾳ κέχρηται τοῖς ὅρκοις (σπένδεται γὰρ, καὶ μένει ἀκήρυκτος· συνθήκας ποιεῖται καὶ λύει· ὅμνυσι καὶ πανουργίας ἐφόδιον ἔχει τοὺς ὅρκους)· ἀλλά γε ὁ τοῦτον συγκροτῶν, παρ' ἐμοὶ κριτῇ, νῦν μὲν καρποῦται τῶν κακιῶν τὴν αἰτίαν· ὕστερον δὲ καὶ τῆς δίκης τὸ πλέον καρπώσεται.","t":"To Timothy, a man of the highest rank. Even if Chaeremon, as you wrote, the shield-bearer of Eusebius, sharpened by his company, is goaded to every vice and knows no faith, but uses oaths with licence for injustice (he makes truces and remains in undeclared war; he makes covenants and breaks them; he swears and has oaths as a provision for villainy), yet the one who applauds him, in my judgment, now reaps the blame for his vices, and later will reap the greater part of the punishment too.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.353 (PG 78 78:1011; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-353)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.354":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤῷ ἱερωμένῳ πλοῦτος μὲν ὁ τῆς ἀρετῆς κόσμος, ἡδονὴ δὲ ἡ σωφροσύνη, τρυφὴ δὲ ἡ αὐτάρκεια, εὐφροσύνη δὲ ἡ τῶν ὑπηκόων πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἐπίδοσις· εἰ δὲ τις τἀναντία τούτων ἐπιτηδεύων ἱερωσύνης ὀνόματι ἐναβρύνεται, οὗτος ἀνίερος τυγχάνει, καὶ τῆς ἀρχῆς ἀνάξιος.","t":"To Paul the presbyter. For one consecrated, wealth is the adornment of virtue, pleasure is chastity, luxury is self-sufficiency, and gladness is the progress of his subjects in virtue. But if someone practising the opposite prides himself on the name of priesthood, he is unholy and unworthy of the office.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.354 (PG 78 78:1011; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-354)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.355":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ ᾿Αρειανῶν καὶ εὐνομιανῶν. Εἱ μὲν τοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις πάθεσιν (ὅπερ οὐδὲ εἰπεῖν θέμις κατὰ πάντα ἔψοιτο ὁ τὴν θείαν γέννησιν ὑπογράφων, ἀκοῦσαι ἂν εἴη δίκαιος, ὅτι εἴ σοι πάθος πλάττεται περὶ τὴν γέννησιν, κἀμοὶ περὶ τὴν κτίσιν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τὸ κτιζόμενον ( εἰ τοῖς ἀσθενέσι τῶν ἀνθρώπων λογισμοῖς ἐψοίμην) ἀπαθῶς κτίζεται· εἰ δὲ θεοπρεπῶς, τὰ μὲν ἁρμόττοντα τῇ ἀκηράτῳ οὐσίᾳ καταδέξοιτο, τὰ δὲ ἀπηχῆ παριππεύσειεν, ἐννοῆσαι ὀφείλει εἴγε τὸ λογιστικὸν ἐῤῥωμένον ἔχει ὅτι ἐπειδὴ ὁ θνητὸς οὕτως τίκτει, ὁ ἀθάνατος οὐχ οὕτως · ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ κτίζων, ὁ μὲν μετὰ πόνου, ὁ δὲ ἀμογητὶ κτίζει. Ταῦτα γὰρ ἐννοήσας καὶ ὁ πολυόμματος νοῦς, καὶ ὥσπερ ἔνθους γενόμενος, πάντα τὰ γήϊνα παραδείγματα παραδραμὼν, ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης, καὶ χαρακτῆρα τῆς ὑποστάσεως τῆς πατρικῆς, τὸν υἱὸν εἰκότως ὡρίσατο· τῷ μὲν τὸ συναΐδιον, τῷ δὲ τὸ ἐνυπόστατον παριστάς. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸ πρῶτον ἀνυπόστατον φαντασίαν ἴσως τισὶν ἔτικτε, διὰ τοῦ δευτέρου τὴν ὑποστάσεων ποιητικὴν ὑπόστασιν ἐχαρακτήρισε. Ἔοικας οὐ συνορᾶν τὰ μέχρι νῦν γινόμενα, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο γεγραφέναι, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν Δαρείου τοῦ Μήδου τρεῖς τακτικοὺς χειροτονήσαντος (ὧν εἷς ἦν καὶ ὁ Δανιήλ), ὥστε ἄρχειν τῶν χειροτονηθέντων παρὰ αὐτοῦ ἑκατὸν εἴκοσιν ἀρχόντων, συγκρίνουσα αὐτὸν ἡ Γραφή, δέον τοῖς ἴσοις μόνον συγκρῖναι, καὶ τοῖς πολλῷ ὑποδεεστέροις συνέκρινεν. Ἤρκει γὰρ, ἔφης, ἡ τῶν συντεταγμένων ὑπεροχὴ, καὶ τὴν κατὰ τῶν ὑποτεταγμένων νίκην ἐνδείξασθαι. Νῦν δὲ φησι· • Καὶ ἦν Δανιὴλ ὑπὲρ τοὺς τακτικοὺς καὶ τοὺς σατράπας· τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, σοφώτερος ἀπεδείχθη, καὶ κατὰ τὴν διοίκησιν ἐπιτηδειότερος, οὐ μόνον τῶν δυοῖν τῶν ἐξόχων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν μετ᾿ αὐτούς. Ἡ δὲ λύσις τοῦ ζητουμένου αὕτη. Ἐπειδὴ ἐνεδέχετο τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως κρίσιν οὐχ ὑγιῆ τυγχάνουσαν, πολλάκις τοὺς • φαυλοτέρους εἰς ἀρχὴν φέρειν (ὃ δὴ φιλεῖ γίνεσθαι, οὐ μόνον ἐπὶ τῶν βασιλειῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν· τί γὰρ δεῖ θαυμάζειν, εἰ οἱ βιωτικὰ πράγματα ἐγκεχειρισμένοι τοιαῦτα ἁμαρτάνουσιν, ὁπότε καὶ εἰς τὰ ἅγια εἰσεκώμασεν αὕτη ἡ ἀλογία;) εἶναι δὲ τινας ἐν τῷ πλήθει συνέσει τούτων προύχοντας, ἀναγκαίως τὴν σύγκρισιν τοῦ δικαίου οὐ πρὸς τοὺς δύο μόνους ἐποιήσατο τακτικοὺς, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τοὺς τῶν στρατιωτικῶν τάξεων ἡγουμένους, καὶ τάττοντας ταύτας ὅποι χρὴ, εἴτε ἐν πολέμῳ, εἴτε ἐν εἰρήνῃ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας· οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς κρατοῦντος γνώμης, τῆς πολλάκις διαμαρτανούσης, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ἀληθείας αὐτὸν στεφανοῦσα Υπερέφερε γὰρ οὐ μόνον τῶν δοξάντων τῷ βασιλεῖ συνετῶν εἶναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ὄντως συνετῶν. Διὸ καὶ [ὁ] βασιλεὺς μὲν κατέστησεν αὐτὸν ἐφ᾿ ὅλης τῆς βασιλείας, ἐκ τῶν πραγμάτων, κρείττονα τῶν λοιπῶν δηλονότι ὀφθέντα· οἱ δ' ἄλλοι δόλους καὶ σκευωρίας ῥάπτειν διεγίνωσκον. Φθόνος γὰρ ταῖς εὐπραγίαις ἀντιστρατεύεσθαι πέφυκεν.","t":"To Martyrius the presbyter. [On the Arians and Eunomians.] If the one who describes the divine generation were to follow human passions in everything (which it is not even right to say), he would deserve to hear: \"If you imagine passion in the begetting, I may do so in the creating. For what is created is not created without passion either, if I follow the weak reasonings of human beings.\" But if, in a manner worthy of God, he accepts what suits the pure essence and rides past what is discordant, he ought to understand, if he has his reasoning sound, that since the mortal begets in this way, the immortal does not; just as in creating, the one creates with toil and the other without labour. The many-eyed mind, understanding this and as if inspired, running past all earthly examples, rightly defined the Son as \"the radiance of the glory\" and \"the imprint of the hypostasis\" of the Father, showing by the one his co-eternity and by the other that he subsists in himself. For since the first perhaps produced in some the fancy of something without subsistence, by the second he characterized the subsistence that produces subsistences. [Another letter] You seem not to perceive what happens even now, and for that reason to have written asking why, when Darius the Mede appointed three presidents (of whom Daniel was one) to rule over the hundred and twenty officials appointed by him, Scripture, in comparing him, when it should have compared him only with his equals, compared him also with those far beneath him. For, you said, his superiority over his colleagues was enough to show his victory over those under them. But now it says, \"And Daniel was above the presidents and the satraps\"; that is, he was shown wiser and more fit for administration, not only than the two outstanding ones but also than those after them. The solution of the question is this. Since the king's judgment, not being sound, might often bring the baser into office (which tends to happen not only in kingdoms but also in churches; for why should one wonder if those entrusted with worldly affairs make such mistakes, when this unreason has burst even into the sanctuary?), and since there were some in the multitude who surpassed these in understanding, Scripture necessarily made the comparison of the righteous man not with the two presidents only (that is, the leaders of the military ranks, who draw them up wherever needed, in war or in peace), but also with all the others, crowning him not from the opinion of the ruler, which often errs, but from the truth of the facts. For he surpassed not only those whom the king thought intelligent but also those who really were. That is why the king set him over the whole kingdom, since he was plainly seen from the facts to be better than the rest; while the others resolved to stitch together plots and intrigues. For envy naturally campaigns against success.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.355 (PG 78 78:1011; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-355)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.356":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙĄ.\nΒλέπε μήποτε ἡ ἀνυπέρβλητός σου ἀλαζονεία ἀναγκάσῃ τὴν θείαν καὶ ἡμερωτάτην φύσιν τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπιδείξασθαι δύναμιν, τὴν κἀνταῦθα πανολεθρίαν σε παραδοῦναι, κἀκεῖσε πικροτάτας ἀπαιτῆσαι δίκας δυναμένην.","t":"To Isaiah. See that your unsurpassable arrogance does not compel the divine and most gentle nature to display its own power, which can both hand you over to utter destruction here and exact the bitterest penalties there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.356 (PG 78 78:1013; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-356)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.358":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὉ χρημάτων κρείττων, οὔτε εἰς τοὺς πλούτῳ κομῶντας, οὔτε εἰς τοὺς δυσνουθετήτῳ θηρίῳ, τῇ πενίᾳ φημὶ μαχομένους, παρὰ νόμον τι ἀξιοῖ διαπράξασθαι. Οὔτε γὰρ ἐκείνους ἀδικεῖ ἁρπάζων τὰ χρήματα· οὔτε τούτους, λήμματι παραφθείρων τὸ δίκαιον.","t":"To the same. The one who is superior to money does not think fit to do anything against the law either toward those abounding in wealth or toward those fighting with poverty, that beast hard to admonish. For he neither wrongs the former by seizing their money nor the latter by corrupting justice with a bribe.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.358 (PG 78 78:1013; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-358)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.359":{"o":"ΑΥΣΟΝΙΟ ΚΟΡΡΗΚΤΟΡΙ.\nἘπειδὴ δεινὸν ἡ κολακεία οὐ μόνον τῶν ἀνδρείων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐμφρόνων κλέψαι τὸν νοῦν· διὰ τοῦτο εἰκότως τοῦ φόβου ταύτην φημὶ δυνατωτέραν εἶναι. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ αἰσχύνονται πολλοὶ εἶξαι· τῆς δὲ ἡδέως ἡττῶνται, ἀκρίτως καὶ ἀβασανίστως ἑαυτοὺς ἐνδιδόντες.","t":"To Ausonius the corrector. Since flattery is clever at stealing the mind not only of the brave but also of the sensible, I rightly say that it is more powerful than fear. For many are ashamed to yield to fear, but are gladly defeated by flattery, giving themselves up without judgment or examination.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.359 (PG 78 78:1015; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-359)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.36":{"o":"ΣΤΑΘΙΩ.\nΕἰ κρίσιν μὴ προσδοκῶντες, δρᾶτε ἃ δρᾶτε, ἀλλὰ τοῦτ᾽ εἰδέναι ὀφείλετε, ὅτι ἡ μὲν κακία, καὶ χωρὶς ἑτέρας κολάσεως, κόλασίς ἐστιν· ἡ δ᾽ ἀρετὴ, καὶ δίχα στεφάνων, στέφανος. Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ κἀκ τῶν κἀνταῦθα κολασθέντων, ὁ περὶ τῆς μελλούσης κρίσεως λόγος ἀξιόπιστός ἐστι καὶ ἀληθὴς, καὶ παρὰ πάντων ὁμολογούμενος. Εἰ δὲ εἰς τοσαύτην ὑμᾶς ἡ κακία φρενοβλάβειαν ἐξεβάκχευσεν, ὡς τοῦτον ἐκ τῆς ὑμετέρας γνώμης ἀνελεῖν· ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε ἵνα παρῶ τὸ πολλοὺς κἀνταῦθα δεδωκέναι δίκην, μὴ μικρὰν εἶναι νομίσητε κόλασιν, τὸ ἐνταῦθα παρὰ πάντων κωμῳδεῖσθαι καὶ μισεῖσθαι, μηδὲ μικρὸν στέφανον, τὸ εὐσχημόνως καὶ σεμνῶς, καὶ μετ᾿ ἐγκωμίων τὸν ἐνταῦθα διανύσαι βίον. Ατοπώτατον εἶναι μοι φαίνεται, τὸ ἐκείνων μὲν ἐν οἷς διηνέχθησαν οἱ τ᾽ ἔξωθεν σοφοὶ καὶ αἱ ἱεραὶ Γραφαὶ, πολὺν ποιεῖσθαι λόγον· ἐν οἷς δὲ συνήχθησαν, ὀλίγον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τῆς κρίσεως λόγος καὶ εὔλογος ὧν καὶ δίκαιος, καὶ λογικοῖς πρέπων, καὶ παρ' ἡμῶν καὶ παρ' ἐκείνων ὁμολογούμενος, ὀλίγους δή τινας ἐπισπᾶται εἰς τὸ τὰ δέοντα πράττειν. Οἱ γὰρ πολλοί ( καὶ μή τις θυμοῦ τὸ λεγόμενον εἶναι νομιζέτω) ὡς μήτε κρίσεως οὔσης, μήτε προνοίας ἐφεστώσης καὶ καθορώσης τὰ δρώμενα, καθάπερ ἐν ἀσελήνῳ νυκτὶ δρῶσιν ἃ δρῶσιν. Ὁ δ' ἀμφισβητήσιμος καίτοι ἀπίθανος ὢν τοὺς πολλοὺς χειροῦται. Πολιτείας μὲν γὰρ ἀκριβοῦς ὀλιγωροῦσι, τὴν δὲ γλῶτταν ὑπὲρ τὸ δέον θήγουσι, καὶ σωφροσύνης μὲν αὐτοῖς λόγος οὐδεὶς · περὶ δὲ ὕλης ἀγεννήτου, καὶ ἄλλων τινῶν φλυαροῦσιν, ἃ μήτε γινωσκόμενα μέγα τι εἰς σωτηρίαν συντελεῖ, μήτ'· ἀγνοούμενα καταβλάπτει τοὺς μὴ πεπαιδευμένους. Μανθανέτωσαν οὖν πρῶτον τὸν παρά τε ἡμῶν καὶ αὐτῶν ὁμολογούμενον τῆς κρίσεως λόγον ἀνακινεῖν, καὶ βίου ὀρθοῦ ἔχεσθαι· ἀτοπώτατον γὰρ τὸ μὲν ἐν οἷς συνέβησαν, σιωπᾶν τὰ δ᾽ ἐν οἷς διενέχθησαν, ἄνω καὶ κάτω θρυλλεῖν. – ΣΕΡΙΝΩ. Ἐν τοῖς κοινοῖς καὶ ἀνηκέστοις κακοῖς κλῆρον οὐκ ἔχει ὁ οἶκτος. Πάντες γὰρ τὰ οἰκεῖα στένοντες πάθη, σχολὴν οὐκ ἄγουσι τοὺς πέλας ἐλεεῖν.","t":"To Chaeremon, Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius. Even if you do what you do because you do not expect judgment, you ought at least to know this: that vice, even without any further punishment, is punishment, and virtue, even without crowns, is a crown. Indeed, from those who are punished even here, the account of the coming judgment is trustworthy and true and acknowledged by all. But if vice has so driven you into frenzy and madness as to remove this from your thinking, still (to pass over the fact that many have paid the penalty even here) do not think it a small punishment to be mocked and hated by all here, nor a small crown to finish life here with decency and dignity and praise. [Letter 3.37] It seems to me most absurd to make much of the points on which the wise outside and the holy Scriptures differ, and little of those on which they agree. For the account of the judgment, though it is reasonable and just and befits rational beings, and is acknowledged both by us and by them, draws only a few to do what they ought. For most people (and let no one think I say this in anger) do what they do as though there were no judgment and no providence presiding and watching what is done, as on a moonless night. But the disputed doctrine, though unpersuasive, captivates most. For they neglect a strict way of life but sharpen their tongues beyond what is fitting; they have no concern for chastity, but babble about unbegotten matter and other things which neither contribute much to salvation when known nor harm the uneducated when unknown. Let them learn, then, first to raise the account of the judgment which both we and they acknowledge, and to hold to an upright life. For it is most absurd to be silent on the points where they agree and to harp up and down on those where they differ. [Letter 3.38] To Serenus. In common and incurable evils pity has no portion. For all, lamenting their own sufferings, have no leisure to pity their neighbours.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.36 (PG 78 78:755; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-36)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.360":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΩ.\nΜὴ θαύμαζε, ὦ ἄριστε, μηδὲ ἔξω τοῦ πρέποντος ἐξακοντιζέσθω σου τὸ φρόνημα, εἰ κεκλεισμένης ὡς γέγραφας, Ζωσίμου τῆς παῤῥησίας, οὐ κιγκλίσι καὶ θύραις τισὶν, ἅς τινες ἂν καὶ παρανοίξειαν, ἀλλὰ τοσούτοις καὶ τηλικούτοις ἐγκλήμασιν, ἔτι καὶ ἀθυρογλωττεῖ. \"Ωσπερ γὰρ τοῖς κατορθοῦσι μετριάζειν μετὰ τὰ κατορθώματα ἔθος, οὕτω καὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσι μετὰ τὰ πταίσματα ἐπαίρεσθαι. Εἰ δὲ βούλει ἀπόδειξιν τούτου λαβεῖν, θέα τοὺς τρεῖς παῖδας ἐκείνους τοὺς κρείττονας τοῦ πυρὸς διὰ δικαιοσύνην ἀποφανθέντας, τί φασιν· « Ἡμάρτομεν, ἠνομήσαμεν, ἠδικήσαμεν. » Οἱ δὲ Ἰουδαῖοι, οἷς οὐδὲν ἁμάρτημα ἄπρακτον, οὐδὲ λόγος αἰσχρὸς ἄῤῥητος ἦν, ἔφασκον· • Ἐφυλάξαμεν τὰ προστάγματά σου, καὶ τὰ δικαιώματά σου· καὶ νῦν μακαρίζομεν ἀλλοτρίους. » Μὴ τοίνυν μηδὲ αὐτὸς ταράττου, μηδὲ ἀπηχές τι φθέγγου καὶ ἀπῳδὸν, γινώσκων ὅτι τοῦτο μάλιστα δεῖγμά ἐστι τῆς ἐσχάτης αὐτοῦ παραπληξίας.","t":"To Leontius. Do not wonder, excellent friend, nor let your spirit be shot beyond what is fitting, if, though Zosimus's freedom of speech has been shut, as you wrote, not by lattices and doors, which some might open, but by so many and such great charges, he still has an unbarred tongue. For just as it is the custom of those who do well to be modest after their achievements, so it is the custom of sinners to be lifted up after their faults. If you want proof of this, see what the three young men say, who were shown superior to fire through their righteousness: \"We have sinned, we have done lawlessly, we have done wrong.\" But the Jews, who left no sin undone and no shameful word unsaid, said, \"We have kept your ordinances and your statutes; and now we call the arrogant blessed.\" Do not, then, be troubled yourself, nor utter anything discordant or unseemly, knowing that this above all is a sign of his utter derangement.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.360 (PG 78 78:1015; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-360)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.361":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΟὐ χαλκῆ εἰκὼν χρυσῷ ἀπαστράπτουσα τῆς σῆς πράξεως ἀξία, ἀλλὰ ζωὴ τέλος οὐκ ἔχουσα. Τὴν μὲν γὰρ ὁ χρόνος ἀφανίζει· τὴν δὲ αἰῶνες στεφανοῦσι, τελευτὴν μὴ ἐπιστάμενοι.","t":"To Hierax, a man of the highest rank. Not a bronze statue flashing with gold is worthy of your deed, but a life without end. For time destroys the one, while ages that know no end crown the other.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.361 (PG 78 78:1015; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-361)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.362":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nὭσπερ λόγος ἄπρακτος ἀτελής· οὕτως καὶ πρᾶξις ἄλογος. Ἐκ τούτων γὰρ ἀμφοῖν, εἰ καὶ μὴ βούλοιντο οἱ τὴν ἐλλόγιμον σοφίαν, φαῦλόν τι καὶ πεπατημένον πρᾶγμα παραλόγως οἰόμενοι, ὁ ὀρθὸς καὶ λαμπρὸς χαρακτηρίζεται τῶν ὑφηγητῶν βίος. « Ὃς γὰρ ἂν ποιήσῃ καὶ διδάξῃ, μέγας κληθήσεται ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν. › Εἰ δὲ χρὴ σύγκρισιν ἀμφοῖν ποιήσασθαι, ἄμεινον πράττειν μὴ λέγοντα, ἢ λέγειν μὴ πράττοντα.","t":"To Hermogenes the bishop. As speech without action is incomplete, so is action without speech. For by both of these, even if those who think eloquent wisdom a base and trodden thing unreasonably do not wish it, the upright and brilliant life of guides is characterized. \"For whoever does and teaches will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.\" But if one must compare the two, it is better to act without speaking than to speak without acting.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.362 (PG 78 78:1015; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-362)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.363":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἘπειδὴ τὸ βιάζεσθαι καὶ ἕλκειν πρὸς εὐσέβειαν τοὺς ἀντεξουσίους γεγονότας, εὐπρεπὲς οὔτ᾽ ἐστὶν, οὔτε δοκεῖ· τῷ πείθειν οὗ καιρός ἐστι χρησάμενος, φώτιζε τῷ σαυτῷ βίῳ τοὺς ἐν σκότῳ διατρίβοντας.","t":"To Apollonius the bishop. Since it neither is nor seems seemly to force and drag to piety those who have been made with free will, use persuasion where there is occasion for it, and enlighten by your own life those who live in darkness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.363 (PG 78 78:1015; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-363)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.364":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΑΜΜΩΝΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΟἱ μὲν πταίοντες, καὶ τοῖς ἱεροῖς μυστηρίοις προσιέναι μὴ τολμῶντες, εὐγνώμονές εἰσι, καὶ ταχέως καὶ εἰς τὸ μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν περιστήσονται. Οἱ δὲ καὶ πλημμελοῦντες, καὶ τῶν ἀχράντων μυστηρίων μιαραῖς χερσὶ τολμῶντες ἅπτεσθαι, ὧν εἷς, καθὼς γέγραφας, καὶ Ζώσιμος, μυρίων εἰσὶ τιμωριῶν ἄξιοι. Ἐνόχους γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς ἀποφαίνουσι, κατὰ τὴν ἀψευδή τοῦ Παύλου φωνὴν, τοῦ σώματος καὶ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ Κυρίου. Διὸ δὴ τοῖς μὲν πρώτοις οὐ πάνυ ἐπιτίθεται ὁ διάβολος, εἰδὼς ὅτι καὶ πταίουσιν, ἀλλ᾿ οὖν γε γινώσκοντες τοῖς θείοις τὸ σέβας φυλάττουσι· τοῖς δὲ δευτέροις τοῖς καὶ πλημμελοῦσι καὶ μὴ γινώσκουσιν, ἢ γινώσκουσι μὲν, καταφρονοῦσι δὲ, καὶ τῶν ἱερῶν μυστηρίων τολμῶσιν ἅψασθαι, ὅλος ἐπικωμάζει, τεκμήριον τῆς ἀναλγησίας καὶ τῆς διαφθορᾶς τῆς παντελοῦς, τοῦτ᾽ εἶναι εἰκότως οἰόμενος. Ο δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ προδότου πεποίηκεν. Οὐ γὰρ, ὡς ἡγῇ, τοῦ Δεσποτικοῦ καταφρονῶν σώματος εἰσῆλθεν εἰς αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ τῆς πονηρίας αὐτοῦ καταγνοὺς, ὅτι λοιπὸν ἀνίατα νοσεῖ · προδοῦναι μὲν διανοούμενος, μετασχεῖν δὲ μὴ παραιτούμενος, ᾤχετο ἄγων. Εἰ γὰρ εἶδεν αὐτὸν εὐλαβῶς ἔχοντα περὶ τὸ θεῖον μυστήριον, καὶ παραιτησάμενον, ἴσως ἂν ὡς ἔτι νήφοντα παρώδευσεν. Ἐπεὶ δ' εἶδεν αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τῆς φιλοχρηματίας καρηβαροῦντα, καὶ μηκέτι τὸν ὀρθὸν ἔχοντα λογισμὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκβακχευθέντα ὑπὸ τῆς ἀκορέστου μέθης. Οὐ μὴν δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τολμήσαντα ἅψασθαι, ὧν ἅψασθαι τοιοῦτον ὄντα οὐκ ἐχρῆν, τῆς ἀναλγησίας αὐτοῦ καταγνοὺς, ὅλος εἰς αὐτὸν ἐχώρησε.","t":"To Nilammon the deacon. Those who stumble and do not dare to approach the holy mysteries are right-minded and will quickly come round to not sinning. But those who both offend and dare to touch the undefiled mysteries with foul hands, one of whom, as you wrote, is Zosimus, deserve countless punishments. For they make themselves guilty, according to Paul's truthful voice, of the body and the blood of the Lord. That is why the devil does not attack the former much, knowing that, though they stumble, they still keep reverence for divine things; but against the latter, who offend and either do not know it, or know it but despise it, and dare to touch the holy mysteries, he bursts in wholly, rightly thinking this a sign of their insensibility and complete corruption. This he did in the case of the traitor too. For he did not enter him, as you think, in contempt of the Lord's body, but because he recognized his wickedness, that he was now incurably sick: intending to betray, yet not declining to partake, he went off leading him. For if he had seen him reverent toward the divine mystery and declining it, he would perhaps have passed him by as still sober. But when he saw him heavy-headed with love of money, no longer having right reason but carried away by insatiable drunkenness, and even daring to touch what such a man ought not to touch, condemning his insensibility, he went into him wholly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.364 (PG 78 78:1017; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-364)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.365":{"o":"ΤΑΥΡΩ ΥΠΑΡΧΩ.\nΤότε ὁ ὀρθὸς τῆς δίκης ὄρος σώζεται, ὦ ἀρχικῆς ἀρετῆς ἀψευδέστατον βασανιστήριον, ὅταν τῇ μὲν αἰτιάσει ἡ κρίσις ἀκολουθήσῃ, τῇ δὲ κρίσει ὁ ἔλεγχος, τῷ δὲ ἐλέγχῳ ἡ ψῆφος, ἡ πρὸς τὴν ποιότητα τοῦ ἁμαρτήματος τὴν τιμωρίαν ὁρίζουσα. -- ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΩ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ,","t":"To Taurus the prefect. The right rule of justice is kept, you most truthful touchstone of the virtue of rule, when judgment follows the accusation, proof follows judgment, and the verdict follows proof, fixing the punishment by the quality of the sin.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.365 (PG 78 78:1017; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-365)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.366":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ.\nΚινδυνεύετε, ὡς πυνθάνομαι, πεφραγμένας ἀπογνώσει τὰς ἀκοὰς ἔχειν, καὶ ὡς ἂν ἔκπαλαι καθοσιώσαντες ἑαυτοὺς ταῖς τιμωρίαις, παροξύνεσθαι πρὸς τοὺς παραινοῦντας τὰ κάλλιστα. Ἐγὼ δὲ εὔχομαι ὑμᾶς ἀνενεγκεῖν ἐκ τῆς μανίας, οὐχ ὅτι βλάβην ὑποστήσομαι μὴ ἀνενεγκόντων ὑμῶν, πλὴν εἰ μή τις λέγει τὴν ἀθυμίαν τὴν προγιγνομένην μοι ἐκ τούτου. Εἰς γὰρ τὸν τοῦ μισθοῦ λόγον οὐδὲν παραβλαβήσομαι. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ ποθεινοτέρα μοι ὑμῶν ἡ σωτηρία, τῆς τῶν μισθῶν ἀπολαύσεως. Εἰ δὲ τις ἀπιστεῖ, πόῤῥω μὲν τυγχάνων φιλικῆς ἕξεως ἀλώσεται καὶ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ μόνον ζητῶν φωραθήσεται Εἰ δὲ ἐλεγχόμενος εἰς ἀναισχυντίαν τραπείη, καὶ μηδένα ἀνθρώπων τοῦτο κατωρθωκέναι φαίη, ἐλεγχθήσεται καὶ παρὰ τοῦ θεοφιλοῦς Μωσέως, καὶ παρὰ τοῦ σοφωτάτου Παύλου. Ὧν ὁ μὲν ἐξαλειφθῆναι τῆς θείας βίβλου ηὔξατο, εἰ μὴ συγγνωσθεῖεν Ἰουδαῖοι, ὁ δὲ καὶ ἀνάθεμα ηύξατο εἶναι, ἵνα Ἰουδαῖοι πάντες πιστεύσωσιν. Εἰ δὲ πάλιν φαίη· Ἐκείνοις οὖν τοῖς ἀνδράσι παραβάλλεις σαυτόν; Εἴποιμ᾽ ἂν ὅτι ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασι πλεονεκτήμασιν ἁπάντων σχεδὸν ἀνθρώπων ἐλαττούμενος· οὔ φημι τούτοιν μόνον τοῖν δυοῖν· τούτου μόνου ἐκθύμως περιέχομαι, τοῦ βούλεσθαι πάντας, τόγε ἡμέτερον μέρος, σωθῆναι. ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΚΑΙ ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΕΠΙ","t":"To Martinianus, Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius. You are in danger, I hear, of having your ears fenced with despair, and, as though you had long since devoted yourselves to punishment, of being provoked against those who give you the best advice. But I pray that you may recover from your madness, not because I shall suffer harm if you do not recover (unless one counts the despondency that comes to me from it), for in respect of my reward I shall lose nothing; but because your salvation is dearer to me than enjoying rewards. If anyone disbelieves, he will be found far from a friendly disposition and caught seeking only his own. And if, refuted, he turns to shamelessness and says that no human being has achieved this, he will be refuted by Moses, beloved of God, and by Paul, most wise: the one prayed to be blotted out of the divine book if the Jews were not forgiven; the other even prayed to be accursed so that all the Jews might believe. And if he says again, \"Do you compare yourself with those men?\", I would say that, falling short of almost all people in all other excellences (I do not say of these two only), I hold eagerly to this alone: wishing all to be saved, as far as lies with us.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.366 (PG 78 78:1017; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-366)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.367":{"o":"ΣΚΟΠΟ.\nἘπειδὴ, ὡς γεγράφατε, δεινότατος ὧν Εὐσέβιος ἐπιτιμῆσαι ἑτέροις, καὶ αἰτιάσασθαι τὰ ψεύδη καὶ μέμψεις ἀτόπους συμπλάσαι, αὐτὸς μὲν παντὸς μᾶλλον ἕνοχός ἐστιν οἷς αἰτιᾶται, διὰ δὲ μηχανῆς ταύτης λήσειν οἴεται, μανθανέτω, ὅτι τὸ σοφὸν αὐτῷ, ἠλίθιον ἔσται. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ μάλιστα οὐ λανθάνει, ὅτι λαθεῖν μηχανώμενος, μᾶλλον ἀλίσκεται.","t":"To Hermogenes and Lampetius, bishops. Since, as you wrote, Eusebius, very clever at rebuking others, charging them with falsehoods and fabricating absurd complaints, is himself guilty above all of what he charges, and thinks to escape notice by this device, let him learn that his cleverness will prove folly. And it is precisely this that does not escape notice: that by scheming to escape notice he is caught all the more.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.367 (PG 78 78:1019; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-367)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.368":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤὰ μεμηνότα καὶ λυττῶντα τῆς σαρκὸς πάθη τιθασσεύειν καὶ ἐξημεροῦν καὶ πραΰνειν χρή. Εἰ δὲ μὴ πείθοιντο, καὶ κολάζειν, ὡς δέχεται. Σὺ δὲ, ὡς φασι, τὰς ἡνίας αὐτοῖς ἐνδοὺς, ἄγῃ ὅποι δ᾽ ἂν ἐκεῖνα βούλοιντο. Βούλονται δὲ εἰς ὅλεθρον καὶ ἀπώλειαν τελευτᾶν. Ἵν' οὖν μὴ εἰς τὸν πυθμένα τῶν κακῶν ἐξακοντισθείης, φρόντισον αὐτὰ ἀνασειράσαι.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. The maddened and raging passions of the flesh must be tamed, domesticated and soothed, and if they do not obey, punished as far as possible. But you, as they say, giving them the reins, are led wherever they wish; and they wish to end in ruin and destruction. So that you may not be shot to the bottom of evils, take care to rein them in.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.368 (PG 78 78:1019; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-368)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.369":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἱ μὲν κεκάκωτό σου τὸ λογιστικὸν τῆς ψυχῆς εὐθὺς ἀπὸ γονῆς, ἢ διὰ νόσους τινὰς ἀνιάτους ἠφάνιστο, ἴσως ἂν συγγνώμης ἔτυχες ἐπὶ τοῖς δρωμένοις. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο μὲν οὐ πέπονθας, ὑπὸ δὲ ἀνυπερβλήτου ῥαθυμίας κατέχωσας τοῦτο, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐνέκρωσας, οὐδὲ συγγνώμης τυγχάνεις παρὰ τῶν θεωμένων. Δυνάμενος γὰρ τοῦτο αὖθις ἀναζωπυρῆσαι ταῖς δεούσαις ἐπιμελείαις, οὐ μόνον οὐ φροντίζεις, ὅπως τοῦτο γένηται, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅπως μηδέποτε γένηται κατασκευάζεις. Τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἡ κακία τὴν ἀρετὴν παρὰ σοὶ παρηυδοκίμησεν, ὡς μηδὲ κακία εἶναι νομίζεσθαι. Εἰ τοίνυν βούλει τῆς κωμῳδίας ἀπαλλαγῆναι, ἀνάνευσον μικρὸν, ἵνα γνοὺς οἱ τῶν κακῶν ἐξηκοντίσθης, σπουδάσειας ἀναδραμεῖν. ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ. Πολλοὶ μὲν τροπαιοῦχοι ἀνδρίαν κτησάμενοι, φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοὺς ὑπηκόους διεσώσαντο. Καὶ οὓς ἄκοντας κατεδουλώσαντο, τούτους ἑκόντας ἐχειρώσαντο. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἀνδρία δεινὴ τὸ μὴ ὑπάρχον κτήσασθαι, ἡ δὲ πραότης αὐτὸ τὸ κτηθὲν ἀμείνων φυλάξαι. Οἱ δὲ τοῦ πράου τροπαιούχου αὐχοῦντες εἶναι φοιτηταὶ, καὶ τοῦ οὐρανίου βασιλέως στρατιῶται, οὓς οἱ παρά τὴν ἀρχὴν ὑπασπισταὶ πραότητι ἑκόντας ἐχειρώσαντο, τούτους ἀλαζονείᾳ ἄκοντας ἀποσοβοῦσιν. Οῦς γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι ἑκόντας εἰς τὴν ἀρχὴν παρεστήσαντο, τούτους καὶ μὴ βουλομένους διὰ τῆς ἑαυτῶν τυραννίδος ἀπελαύνουσιν. Ὡς γὰρ λυμεῶνες καὶ ἀλάστορες, οὐχ ὡς ποιμένες τοῖς ὑπηκόοις προσφέρονται. Τί οὖν ποιητέον, ἔφης; Οὐδὲν ἄλλο ἢ ἀρετὴν ἀσκοῦντας, τὸ θεῖον ἀναμένειν δικαστήριον","t":"To Eustathius the deacon. If the reasoning part of your soul had been damaged from birth, or destroyed by some incurable diseases, you would perhaps have obtained pardon for what you do. But if you have not suffered this, but have buried it, or rather deadened it, by unsurpassable carelessness, you get no pardon from those who see you. For though you could rekindle it with the needed care, you not only take no thought that this should happen, but even contrive that it never may. For vice has so outdone virtue with you that it is not even thought vice. If, then, you wish to be rid of ridicule, look up a little, so that, knowing to what point of evil you have been shot, you may hasten to run back. [Letter 3.370] To Herminus the count. Many victors who acquired courage preserved their subjects by humanity, and those whom they enslaved unwillingly, they won over willingly. For courage is clever at acquiring what one does not have, but gentleness is better at keeping what has been acquired. But those who boast of being disciples of the gentle Victor and soldiers of the heavenly King drive away by arrogance, against their will, those whom his shield-bearers at the beginning won over willingly by gentleness. For those whom the former brought willingly under rule, these drive away even against their will by their own tyranny. For they behave toward their subjects as destroyers and avenging spirits, not as shepherds. \"What, then, must we do?\" you asked. Nothing else than to practise virtue and await the divine tribunal.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.369 (PG 78 78:1019; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-369)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.371":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nὉ μὲν τὸν ἐγκρατέστατον καὶ αὐταρκέστατον βίον ἑλόμενος, τῇ μὲν ψυχῇ λαμπρός ἐστι καὶ μέγας, τῷ δὲ βίῳ εὐτελής. Πολλοῦ γὰρ ἄξιος ὢν, ἀναλίσκει ὀλίγα. Ὁ δὲ τὸν ἁβροδίαιτον βίον τιμῶν, καὶ τὴν φλεγμαίνουσαν τράπεζαν διώκων, τῇ μὲν ψυχῇ ταπεινός ἐστι καὶ μικρὸς, καὶ χαρίτων ἔρημος, τῷ δὲ βίῳ πολυτελής. Οὐδενὸς γὰρ ἄξιος ὢν πλεῖστα ἀναλίσκει. Διὸ ἐκεῖνος μὲν ὁ ὀλίγοις ἀρκούμενος, πλουσιώτατον ἑαυτὸν εἶναι ἡγεῖται· οὗτος δὲ πολλὰ ἀναλίσκων, εἰς τὰς τῶν πέλας οὐσίας τὰς μιαρὰς ἑαυτοῦ ῥίπτει χεῖρας. Διὸ καὶ πενέστατον ἑαυτὸν εἶναι ἡγεῖται. Τίς οὖν τῶν ἐχεφρόνων τὸν μὲν πρότερον οὐ ζηλώσει, τὸν δὲ δεύτερον οὐ μισήσει;","t":"To Theodosius the presbyter. The one who has chosen the most self-controlled and self-sufficient life is brilliant and great in soul, but cheap in living; for being worth much, he spends little. But the one who honours a luxurious life and pursues an inflamed table is low and small in soul and devoid of graces, but costly in living; for being worth nothing, he spends very much. That is why the former, content with little, thinks himself very rich; while the latter, spending much, throws his foul hands on his neighbours' property, and so thinks himself very poor. Who of the sensible, then, will not emulate the former and hate the latter?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.371 (PG 78 78:1021; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-371)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.372":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ Μάρωνος. Λίαν ἤσθην πυθόμενος ὅτι ὁ σὸς διάδικος ὥρμησε μὲν κατὰ σοῦ ὡς αὐτοβοεὶ περιεσόμενος. Ἐῤῥάγη δὲ καθάπερ ἐν τοῖς Ὀλυμπικοῖς ἀγῶσιν ὑπὸ τῆς σῆς φιλοσοφίας νενικημένος. ΕΡΜΙΝΩ, ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ, ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ Ὁ μὲν ἀρετὴν ἀσκῶν, στέφανον ἔχει λαμπρόν· ὁ δὲ κατορθῶν μὲν, μὴ ἡγούμενος κατωρθωκέναι, καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ οὕτω διακεῖσθαι χάριν, στέφανον ἕξει λαμπρότερον. Αντίῤῥοπον γὰρ τῶν κατορθωμάτων ἐστὶ, τὸ κατορθοῦντα μὴ ἡγεῖσθαι κατωρθωκέναι. Μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦτο παρὸν μὲν κἀκεῖνα δείκνυσι μεγάλα, ἀπὸν δὲ καὶ τὰ μέγιστα κατασμικρύνει. Ὁ βουλόμενος τοιγαροῦν μεγάλα ἑαυτοῦ ποιῆσαι τὰ τότε ἔσται μεγάλα κατορθώματα, μὴ ἡγείσθω αὐτὰ εἶναι μεγάλα, καὶ","t":"To Theon the presbyter. [On Maron.] I was greatly pleased to learn that your opponent at law rushed against you, meaning to prevail by a mere shout, but was thrown, as in the Olympic contests, defeated by your philosophy. [Letter 3.373] To Herminus, Dorotheus and Hierax, men of the highest rank. The one who practises virtue has a brilliant crown; but the one who does well yet does not think he has done well will have, for that very disposition, a more brilliant crown. For not thinking one has done well, while doing well, weighs as much as the achievements themselves. Rather, when present it shows them great, and when absent it shrinks even the greatest. The one, then, who wishes to make his achievements great, so that they may then be great, let him not think them great, and","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.372 (PG 78 78:1021; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-372)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.374":{"o":"ΑΡΧΟΝΤΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἩ μὲν ἀρετὴ καὶ τὴν εὐημερίαν καὶ τὴν δυσημερίαν κοσμεῖν εἴωθεν· ἡ δὲ παίδευσις, τῆς μὲν δοκεῖ κόσμος εἶναι, τῆς δ᾽ ὅρμος. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἄμφω ἔχειν δυνατὸν, εὖ ἂν ἔχοι. Εἰ δὲ θάτερον λείπεται, ἄμεινον ἐλέσθαι τὴν ἀρετήν. Τὸ γὰρ εἶναι τοῦ δοκεῖν ἄριστον, παρ᾿ ἐμοὶ κριτῇ προτιμότερον. Θαυμαστά τινα περὶ σοῦ οἱ τῆς σῆς θέας ἀπολαύσαντες περιάδουσιν, ὅτι ἡμερότητος τυγχάνων ἄγαλμα, καὶ ἐπανθοῦσαν ἔχων τῷ προσώπῳ τὴν αἰδὼ, τῷ βλοσυρῷ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, τοὺς πλημμελεῖν προῃρημένους προαναστέλλεις · τὴν μὲν γαλήνην τοῖς ὀρθῶς βιοῦσι, τὸν δὲ φόβον τοῖς ῥᾳθύμοις ἐπιδεικνύμενος. Τὴν μὲν γὰρ τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις προτείνεις, τὸν δὲ τοῖς ἀδικοῦσιν ἐφοπλίζεις. Χρῶ τοίνυν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, διὰ τέλους τοῖς θαυμαστοῖς τούτοις πλεονεκτήμασι. ΤΙΝΙ ΗΓΝΟΗΜΕΝΩ. Μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἐπωνυμιῶν τῶν μεγάλων καὶ θαυμαστῶν, καὶ τῆς θείας αὐτοῦ φύσεως τὴν μεγαλοπρέπειαν, ὡς ἐνδέχεται, σημαινουσῶν, καὶ λόγος κληθῆναι καταξιώσας, οὐ μισεῖ τοὺς λόγους, οὐδὲ ἡ σοφία τὴν σοφίαν ἀποκηρύττει. ῾Αλλὰ τότε κἀκείνους, καὶ ταύτην ἔξω ἱερῶν περιβόλων ἀπελαύνει, ὅταν τὴν κακίαν ἐπαινῶσι, καὶ τὴν εἰδωλολατρείαν συγκροτῶσιν. Εἰ δὲ μηδὲν τούτων ποιοῖεν, καὶ ἀσπάζεται καὶ προσίεται, καὶ τοῖς ἱεροῖς συλλόγοις συνεστίους ποιεῖ καὶ ὁμοτραπέζους.","t":"To Archontius the presbyter. Virtue usually adorns both prosperity and adversity; but education seems to be the ornament of the one and the harbour of the other. If, then, it is possible to have both, it would be well. But if one is lacking, it is better to choose virtue. For to be best rather than to seem so is, in my judgment, preferable. [Letter 3.375] Those who have enjoyed the sight of you sing wonderful things about you: that, being a statue of gentleness and having modesty blossoming on your face, you check in advance by the sternness of your eyes those who have chosen to offend, showing calm to those who live rightly and fear to the careless. For you hold out the one to the wronged and arm the other against wrongdoers. Use, then, admirable friend, these admirable excellences to the end. [Letter 3.376] To someone unknown. He who, among his other great and wonderful titles which signify, as far as possible, the magnificence of his divine nature, deigned to be called Word, does not hate words, nor does Wisdom disown wisdom. But he drives both out of the sacred precincts when they praise vice and applaud idolatry. If they do none of these things, he both embraces and welcomes them, and makes them table-companions and fellow guests of the holy assemblies.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.374 (PG 78 78:1023; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-374)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.377":{"o":"ΓΕΡΜΑΝΟ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΟὐχ ὁ τοὺς ἔξωθεν βαρβάρους νικῶν, τροπαιοῦχος ἂν εἰκότως καλοῖτο· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ τὸν ἔσω πόλεμον τῶν ἡδονῶν χειρούμενος. Πολλοὶ μὲν ἐκείνους νενικηκότες, ὑπὸ τούτων αἰσχρῶς καὶ ἐλεεινῶς ἑάλωσαν. Ὁ φίλος ὁ σὸς ἐν μεγίστῳ κλύδωνι πραγμάτων ἀποληφθεὶς, καὶ πᾶσαν κινήσας μηχανὴν, ὥσπερ οἱ κυβερνῆται, ὧν ὁ χειμὼν τὴν τέχνην ἐβάπτισεν, ἐν εὐχαῖς σαλεύει. Εὔχου τοίνυν καὶ αὐτὸς ὅπως κρείττων χειμῶνος γένηται.","t":"To Germanus the count. Not the one who conquers the barbarians outside would rightly be called victor, but the one who masters the war within, that of the pleasures. Many who conquered the former were shamefully and pitiably captured by the latter. [Letter 3.378] Your friend, caught in a very great storm of affairs and having set every device in motion, like pilots whose skill the storm has swamped, is tossing in prayers. Pray, then, yourself too, that he may prove stronger than the storm.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.377 (PG 78 78:1023; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-377)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.379":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΟὔτε ἀλαζόνα εἶναι χρὴ, οὔτε κόλακα · ἀλλ' ἀμφοτέρων τῶν κακιῶν τούτων τὴν ἀμετρίαν κολάζοντα, ἐλευθέριον εἶναι, μήτε εἰς αὐθάδειαν ἀποκλίνοντα, μήτε εἰς δουλοπρέπειαν καταπίπτοντα.","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. One must be neither a boaster nor a flatterer, but, restraining the excess of both these vices, be free, neither inclining to self-will nor falling into servility.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.379 (PG 78 78:1025; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-379)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.380":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΜάνθανε, ὦ σοφώτατε, καὶ ῥητορικώτατε, ὅπερ κινδυνεύεις, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἀγνοεῖν, ὅτι εἰ συμβαίη φίλοις πρὸς ἀλλήλους διενεχθῆναι, ἢ ἐχθροῖς, οὐχ ὁμοίως διαγωνιοῦνται· ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν ὡς διαλλαγησόμενοι διοίσονται, οἱ δὲ ὡς ἀκήρυκτον ἕξοντες τὸν πόλεμον.","t":"To Timothy the scholasticus. Learn, most wise and most eloquent friend, what you seem in danger of not knowing: that if it happens that friends or enemies quarrel with each other, they will not contend in the same way; the former will quarrel as men who will be reconciled, the latter as men who will keep the war without truce.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.380 (PG 78 78:1025; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-380)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.381":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nἘγὼ καὶ μετριόφρονα καλῶ καὶ μεγαλόφρονα, τὸν μέγιστα μὲν κατορθοῦντα, τῆς δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ μεγάλα πράττειν μὴ ἀντιποιούμενον δόξης, ἀλλὰ σιωπῇ κρύπτοντα τὰ πλεονεκτήματα, καὶ κατὰ τῶν πέλας μὴ ἐπιφυόμενον. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ πρᾶξαι μεγάλα, μεγάλως ἐφρόνησε, τῷ δὲ κρύψαι, μετρίως· τῷ γὰρ μικρόφρονι τὸν μεγαλόφρονα ἀντισταλτέον, καὶ οὐ τῷ ταπεινόφρονι. Μικρὰ γὰρ φρονεῖ, ὁ τὰ γήϊνα ὀνειροπολῶν. Μεγάλα δὲ, ὁ τὰ ὑπερκόσμια ζητῶν. Διὸ δὴ καὶ ἀπὸ μεγάλης μὲν καὶ ὑψηλῆς διανοίας τίκτεσθαι συμβαίνει τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην, ἀπὸ δὲ μικρᾶς καὶ φαύλης τὴν ἀλαζονείαν. Εὐγνώμονα δὲ οὐ ταπεινόφρονα κλητέον, τὸν πταίοντα μὲν, ὁμολογοῦντα δὲ καὶ γνωσιμαχοῦντα, οἷος ἦν ὁ τελώνης. Κενόδοξον δὲ, τὸν ἐφ᾽ οἷς μὴ πράττει δοξάζεσθαι βουλόμενον· φιλόδοξον δὲ, τὸν ἐφ᾽ οἷς πράττει ἐναβρυνόμενον· ὑπερήφανον δὲ, τὸν πράττοντα μὲν, σεμνυνόμενον δὲ, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους ὀνειδίζοντα· μεγαλόψυχον δὲ, τὸν καὶ τὴν εὐημερίαν μετρίως, καὶ τὴν δυσπραγίαν γενναίως φέροντα· μικρόψυχον δὲ, τὸν τἀναντία τῷ μεγαλοψύχῳ πράττοντά τε καὶ πάσχοντα.","t":"To Dorotheus, a man of the highest rank. I call both modest and great-minded the man who achieves very great things but does not lay claim to glory for doing great things, but hides his excellences in silence and does not attack his neighbours. By doing great things he showed greatness of mind; by hiding them, modesty. For the great-minded must be contrasted with the small-minded, not with the humble. He thinks small who dreams of earthly things; great, who seeks things above the world. That is why humility happens to be born of a great and lofty mind, and boastfulness of a small and base one. And one should call right-minded, not humble, the man who stumbles but confesses and acknowledges his fault, as the tax collector did. Vainglorious is the man who wishes to be glorified for what he does not do; glory-loving, the one who prides himself on what he does; arrogant, the one who acts but gives himself airs and reproaches others; magnanimous, the one who bears prosperity with moderation and adversity nobly; small-souled, the one who does and suffers the opposite of the magnanimous.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.381 (PG 78 78:1025; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-381)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.382":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ, ὡς γέγραφας, ὁ λόγος τὸν κρότον ἐγέννησεν· ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε καὶ ὁ κρότος τὸν λόγον ἐπέῤῥωσεν ἔρεισμα τῷ τεκόντι φανείς. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ πολλάκις ὁ κρότος τὸν μὲν λόγον νευροῖ, τὸν δὲ τρόπον τοῦ λέγοντος λυμαίνεται, εἰς ὑπτιότητα αὐτὸν χειραγωγῶν, παραινῶ τῇ σῇ συνέσει, μάλιστα μὲν τῷ Θεῷ εἰδέναι χάριν, τῷ καὶ τοιαύτην δεδωκότι χάριν· εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐπαινεῖν βούλει (ὡς γὰρ ἔφης ἀδύνατον, μὴ κρότοις τὸν λόγον ἀμείβεσθαι), τὸν λόγον ἐπαινῶν, ὡς βούλει, μὴ ἄμετρα ὕφαινε κατ' ἐμοῦ ἐγκώμια, ἵνα μή με ὑπτιώσῃς.","t":"To the same. Even if, as you wrote, the speech gave birth to the applause, still the applause strengthened the speech, appearing as a support to its parent. But since applause often unnerves the speech and corrupts the character of the speaker, leading him to conceit, I advise your understanding above all to give thanks to God, who has given such a gift; and if you also wish to praise (for, as you said, it is impossible not to repay the speech with applause), praise the speech as you wish, but do not weave immoderate praises of me, lest you make me conceited.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.382 (PG 78 78:1025; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-382)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.383":{"o":"ΔΙΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\n᾿Αδελφὰ ἁμαρτάνειν μοι δοκοῦσιν, οἵ τε ἐπὶ τοῖς μεγίστοις κατορθώμασι σιγῇ προέμενοι τὴν ἀλήθειαν, (φθόνῳ γὰρ τήκονται, πάθει χαλεπωτάτῳ, καὶ συγγνώμης παρά γε τοῖς ἐχέφροσιν ἀμοίρῳ) καὶ οἱ προχείρως ἐπαινοῦντες τοὺς πάσης εὐφημίας ἐρήμους. Τὴν γὰρ τῶν κολάκων ἐναπομάττονται δύσκλειαν, τοῦ σωφρονισμοῦ δεομένους ἐγκωμιάζειν ἐπιχειροῦντες.","t":"To Diogenes the presbyter. Those seem to me to commit kindred sins who pass over the truth in silence about the greatest achievements (for they waste away with envy, a most grievous passion, without share in pardon among the sensible) and those who readily praise those devoid of all good report. For they take on the ill repute of flatterers, trying to extol those who need correction.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.383 (PG 78 78:1027; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-383)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.384":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nὍτι μὲν τὸ πρᾶον οὐκ εὐκαταφρόνητον ἔχεις, οὐδὲ τὸ ἀνδρεῖον ἀνήμερον (ἡ γὰρ φιλανθρωπία κολάζει τὴν ὠμότητα) ἅπαντες ἴσμεν. Ὅτι δὲ χρή σε καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἀρετὰς ἀναδήσασθαι, ἵνα ἐν πᾶσι διαλάμποις, τοῦτο παρ' ἐμοῦ μάνθανε.","t":"To Timothy, a man of the highest rank. That your gentleness is not contemptible nor your courage savage (for humanity restrains cruelty), we all know. But that you must also bind on the other virtues, so that you may shine in all, learn this from me.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.384 (PG 78 78:1027; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-384)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.385":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟὐχ ἁπλῶς ἐπιτίθεται ὁ δεινὸς πειράτης τοῖς ταύτην τὴν χειμῶνος γέμουσαν πλέουσι θάλατταν, ἀλλὰ πρῶτον διακωδωνήσας, καὶ τὰς ῥοπὰς καὶ τὰς ὁρμὰς τῆς ψυχῆς καταμαθών, οὕτως ἐπιχειρεῖ, καὶ τὰς μηχανὰς πλέκει. Διὰ τί γὰρ εἰς πορνείαν οὐκ ὤθησε τὸν Ἰούδαν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς προδοσίαν; Ὅτι ἐκεῖνο μὲν τὸ μέρος ἑώρα ἠσφαλισμένον· τὸ δὲ περὶ φιλοχρηματίαν σφαλερὸν καὶ σαθρόν. Ἐκ γὰρ τῆς κλοπῆς τοῦ γλωσσοκόμου ἤλπισε καὶ εἰς προδοσίαν αὐτὸν ῥᾳδίως ὁρμήσειν. Τὰς ὁρμὰς οὖν ἑκάστου καὶ τὰς – συγκαταθέσεις πολυπραγμονῶν, καὶ οὐδένα καιρὸν οὐδ' ὥραν παραλείπων, οὕτως τὰς ὕλας ἔξωθεν χορηγεῖ, καὶ εἰς ὃ ἐπιῤῥεπῶς ἔχοντα αἰσθάνεται, εἰς ἐκεῖνο τιτρώσκει. Χρὴ οὖν πανταχόθεν ἠσφαλίσθαι τὸν εὐδόκιμον. Πολλάκις γὰρ πολιτείαν ὥσπερ πόλιν ἀπορθήτοις τείχεσι πεπυργωμένην, διὰ μέρους σαθροῦ παρεστήσατο, ματαίαν τὴν τῶν λοιπῶν τειχῶν δείξας ὀχυρότητα.","t":"To Theodosius the presbyter. The terrible pirate does not simply attack those who sail this storm-filled sea, but first, having sounded them out and learned the inclinations and impulses of the soul, he makes his attempt and weaves his devices. For why did he not push Judas into sexual immorality but into betrayal? Because he saw that part secured, but the part concerning love of money tottering and rotten. For from his theft from the money-box he hoped to rush him easily into betrayal too. Prying into each person's impulses and assents, then, and leaving no moment or hour, he supplies fuel from outside and wounds him where he perceives him to be inclined. The esteemed man, then, must be secured on every side. For often he has captured a way of life, like a city fortified with impregnable walls, through one rotten part, showing the strength of the other walls to be vain.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.385 (PG 78 78:1027; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-385)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.386":{"o":"ΕΛΙΣΣΑΙΟ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΠερὶ Ἀρειανῶν καὶ Εὐνομιανῶν. Εἱ ὁ ἅγιος Δανιὴλ ἄγγελον θεασάμενος, καὶ ἀγασθεὶς τὸ κάλλος τοῦ ὀφθέντος, πρηνὴς ἔπεσεν, ἐκπλαγεὶς πρὸς τὸ παράδοξον τῆς θέας · ποίαν ἔξουσιν ἀπολογίαν, οἱ Πατρὶ καὶ Υἱῷ μεσιτεύειν τολμῶντες, καὶ τὴν ἄῤῥητον φύσιν λόγοις ζυγοστατεῖν ἐπιχειροῦντες;","t":"To Elisha the monk. [On the Arians and Eunomians.] If holy Daniel, seeing an angel and admiring the beauty of what he saw, fell on his face, astounded at the extraordinary sight, what defence will they have who dare to mediate between Father and Son and try to weigh the ineffable nature with words?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.386 (PG 78 78:1027; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-386)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.387":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἘγώ σε, ὦ ἁγνείας ἀνάκτορον, οὐκ ἐκ τῆς ἱερωσύνης θαυμάζω· ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι προσηκόντως ταύτης τετύχηκας. Πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῇ ἐπεκώμασαν οὐκ εὐαγῶς· οἱ δὲ εἰκότως τετυχηκότες τῆς τιμῆς, καὶ διὰ τέλους ἑαυτοὺς οὐ μόνον μέμψεως κρείττους, ἀλλὰ καὶ θαύματος ἀξίους ἀποφήναντες, οὗτοι παρὰ πάντων ἀναῤῥηθῆναι ἂν εἶεν δίκαιοι. Ὧν εἷς καὶ αὐτὸς τυγχάνων, μυρίοις ὀφθαλμοῖς τὰ κατὰ σαυτὸν περισκόπει· μή ποτέ τι παροφθὲν, τῇ τοσαύτῃ λυμήνηται ἀρετῇ.","t":"To Leontius the bishop. I do not admire you, palace of purity, for the priesthood, but because you obtained it fittingly. For many have burst into it unholily; but those who obtained the honour rightly and showed themselves to the end not only above blame but worthy of wonder deserve to be proclaimed by all. Since you are one of them, look round your affairs with countless eyes, lest something overlooked spoil so great a virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.387 (PG 78 78:1027; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-387)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.388":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ ἀναγνώσεως, κατὰ Ἑλλήνων. Περὶ τῆς χάριτος τῶν θεοπνεύστων Γραφῶν, καὶ τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὠφελείας. Οἱ θεῖοι καὶ οὐράνιοι χρησμοὶ τοῖς μὲν τῶν καλῶν ἀνεράστοις γράμματα μόνον εἶναι δοκοῦσι τοῖς δὲ ὑπερκοσμίοις [καὶ] φιλοθεάμοσι, λειμῶνές εἰσιν εὐανθεῖς, ὥσπερ ἐξ οὐρανίου νέκταρος βρύοντες ἀκηράτοις ἄνθεσιν. Ἐξαρκοῦσι μὲν γὰρ καὶ μόνον ῥηθέντες πρὸς ἔκπληξιν· κατανοοῦσι δὲ σχολὴν ἄγειν οὐκ ἐπιτρέπουσιν, ἀλλὰ παρασκευάζουσι πᾶσαν τὴν νοερὰν αἴσθησιν τρέπειν εἰς ἑαυτοὺς, ὡς πρὶν τὸ παρὸν ἀκριβῶς θεάσασθαι, ποθεῖν τὸ ἑξῆς· κἀκεῖνο θεασαμένους, ὅπερ ἀπέλιπον ζητεῖν, καὶ τὸ τρίτον ἰδόντας, οὐκ ἔχειν ὅτι θαυμάσουσιν. Εἴσω γὰρ τοῦ γράμματος παραπέμποντες τὸν νοῦν, τοσούτου πίμπλανται θαύματος, καὶ τοσαύτης πληροῦνται χάριτος, ὥστε μηδὲν ἔτι χωρῆσαι τῶν ἐπιγείων πραγμάτων δύνασθαι, μηδὲ ἂν πάντα πρὸς αὐτοὺς συρρέῃ τὰ περιμάχητα, λήθης ὧν πρότερον ἐθαύμαζον ἐκνικησάσης.","t":"To Hierax the presbyter. [On reading, against the Greeks. On the grace of the divinely inspired Scriptures, and the benefit from them.] The divine and heavenly oracles seem to those who have no love of the beautiful to be mere letters; but to those who love to contemplate things above the world they are flowery meadows, teeming as with heavenly nectar with pure flowers. For even merely spoken they suffice to astound; and they do not allow those who understand them to be idle, but make them turn all their intellectual perception to themselves, so that before they have exactly beheld what is present they long for what follows, and having beheld that, seek what they left behind, and having seen the third, do not know what to wonder at. For sending the mind inside the letter, they are filled with such wonder and such grace that they can no longer take in anything of earthly affairs, not even if all things fought over flowed to them, forgetfulness having overcome what they formerly admired.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.388 (PG 78 78:1029; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-388)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.389":{"o":"ΔΙΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΜΑΓΙΣΤΡΙΑΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον, · Ἐὰν ἴδῃς τὸ ὑποζύγιον τοῦ ἐχθροῦ σου πεπτωκὸς ὑπὸ τὸν γόμον, οὐ παρελεύσῃ ἀλλὰ συνεγείρῃς. Καὶ ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ Διαθήκῃ, ὦ σοφὲ, ἐπειδήπερ ἀπὸ ταύτης μόνης ἡμῖν διαλέγῃ, τὴν Νέαν παρεὶς, εἰ καὶ μὴ φανερῶς μηδὲ διαῤῥήδην, ἀλλ᾽ αἰνιγματωδῶς ἡμῖν ἐνομοθέτησεν ἡ ἡμερωτάτη φύσις, καταλλάττεσθαι τῷ ἐχθρῷ, φήσασα· · Ἐὰν ἴδῃς τὸ ὑποζύγιον τοῦ ἐχθροῦ σου πεπτωκὸς ὑπὸ τὸν γόμον, οὐ παρελεύσῃ, ἀλλὰ συνεγείρῃς αὐτό. » Εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἐφικνῇ ἀτενίσαι πρὸς τὸ βάθος τοῦ χρησμοῦ, ἐγώ σοι τοῦτον ἑρμηνεῦσαι, καὶ τοῦ νομοθέτου ἀναπτύξαι τὸ βούλημα πειράσομαι. Οὐ γὰρ τοῦ ζώου τοσοῦτον κηδόμενος, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτῶν ἕνεκα μάλιστα τῶν ἀνθρώπων τοῦτ᾽ ἐθέσπισεν. Ὁ γὰρ ἐχθρὸς ἐρχόμενος εἰς τὸ συνεγεῖραι τὸ πεπτωκὸς ζῶον, πάντως ὁμιλήσει τῷ ἐχθρῷ, καὶ λέξει, ἐκεῖθεν σὺ ἔγειρον, κἀγὼ ἐντεῦθεν. Ὁμιλία δὲ προοίμιόν ἐστι καταλλαγῆς, καὶ ὁδὸς ἐπὶ φιλίαν ἄγουσα. Τρία τοίνυν κάλλιστα ἐσπούδασε κατορθωθῆναι ἡ θεία γαληνότης, ἓν μὲν, τὸ μὴ διαφθαρῆναι τὸ ζῶον· ἕτερον δὲ, τὸ μὴ ζημιωθῆναι τὸν δεσπότην. Τρίτον δὲ, τὸ καταλλαγῆναι πρὸς φιλίαν τοὺς ἐχθρούς. Ὁ γὰρ παθὼν εὖ, εἰ καὶ λίθων ἀναισθητότερος εἴη, σπουδάσει ἀμείψασθαι τὸν εὐεργέτην· ὁ δὲ εὐεργέτην ἐπιγραφόμενος, οὐκ ἂν δήπου ἐχθρὸν ἔτι ὁριεῖται. Ὁρᾶς πῶς ἡ ἄῤῥητος σοφία πρὸς ἀγαθότητα καὶ φιλανθρωπίαν βλέπουσα νομοθετεῖ","t":"To Diogenes the magistrianus. [On what is written, \"If you see your enemy's beast of burden fallen under its load, you shall not pass by but help raise it.\"] In the Old Covenant too, wise friend (since you argue with us from it alone, leaving aside the New), the most gentle nature legislated for us, if not openly or expressly, yet in a riddle, to be reconciled with our enemy, saying, \"If you see your enemy's beast of burden fallen under its load, you shall not pass by, but help raise it.\" And if you cannot gaze into the depth of the oracle, I will try to interpret it for you and unfold the lawgiver's intention. For he decreed this not so much caring for the animal as above all for the sake of the people themselves. For the enemy, coming to help raise the fallen animal, will certainly speak with his enemy and say, \"You lift from there, and I from here.\" And conversation is the prelude of reconciliation and a road leading to friendship. The divine serenity, then, was eager to achieve three excellent things: first, that the animal should not perish; second, that its master should suffer no loss; third, that the enemies should be reconciled to friendship. For the one who has been treated well, even if he were more insensible than stones, will be eager to repay his benefactor; and the one who has registered someone as a benefactor will surely no longer define him as an enemy. You see how the ineffable wisdom legislates looking to goodness and love for humankind","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.389 (PG 78 78:1029; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-389)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.39":{"o":"ΧΑΙΡΗΜΟΝΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤὸν ἐναγῆ οὔ φημι περὶ δογμάτων, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ περὶ ἄλλου τινὸς χρῆναι ἀνοίγειν στόμα, ἕως ἂν δι' εἶλικρινοῦς μετανοίας καθαρθείη· εἰ γὰρ τῷ ἁμαρτωλῷ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· ε Ἱνατὶ σὺ διηγῇ τὰ δικαιώματά μου;» πολλῷ μᾶλλον τὸν οὕτω διακείμενον, καὶ τὰ δόγματα ἐρευνᾷν τολμῶντα ἐπεστόμισε. Τοσοῦτον γὰρ τὰ δόγματα τῶν δικαιωμάτων ἐστὶν ἀνώτερα, ὅσον ὐρανὸς γῆς, καὶ ψυχὴ σώματος. Πέπαυσο τοίνυν τῷ βίῳ μὲν ἡττώμενος, περὶ δὲ δογμάτων ἁμιλλώμενος· ἵνα μὴ καὶ τῷ δόγματι ἧτταν προξενήσῃς. Εἰώθασι γὰρ πολλοὶ ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν λεγόντων δόξης τοῖς λεγομένοις ψηφίζεσθαι","t":"To Chaeremon the deacon. I say that the polluted man ought not to open his mouth about doctrines, nor indeed about anything else, until he has been cleansed by sincere repentance. For if God said to the sinner, \"Why do you recount my statutes?\", much more did he silence the man so disposed who dares to search into doctrines. For doctrines are as far above statutes as heaven is above earth and soul above body. Stop, then, being defeated in your life while contending about doctrines, lest you bring defeat on the doctrine too. For many are accustomed to vote on what is said according to the reputation of those who say it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.39 (PG 78 78:757; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-39)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.390":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ ὑπερβολικῶς νομιοῦσί τινες εἰρῆσθαι τὸ ῥηθησόμενον (οἶδα γὰρ πολλοὺς ἀγεννῶς καὶ ἀνάνδρως διακειμένους) ἐγὼ τὴν ἐμαυτοῦ γνώμην φράσω. Ἡγοῦμαι γὰρ, εἶναί τινας τοὺς ἀποδεξομένους · εἰ δὲ καὶ μηδεὶς ἀποδέξοιτο, ἡ ἀλήθεια προκεκρίσθω. Τί οὖν ἐστιν ὁ βούλομαι φράσαι; Συντόμως λεκτέον. \"Ηδιστα ἂν πάντας εὐεργετήσας, ὡς πάντας ἀδικήσας, δοίην δίκην, ἢ ἀδικήσας τινὰ, ὡς πάντας εὐεργετήσας, στεφανωθείην καὶ ἀναῤῥηθείην. Τοῦ Δευτερονομίου. Εἰς τὸ εἰρημένον περὶ τῶν ἀστέρων, «Ἃ ἀπένειμε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. › Τί ἐστιν, ἔφης, τὸ περὶ τῶν οὐρανίων φωστήρων εἰρημένον, « \"Α ἀπένειμε Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου πᾶσι τοῖς ἔθνεσιν; » \"Ακουε τοίνυν, ἀπένειμε πρὸς διδασκαλίαν, πρὸς παίδευσιν, πρὸς γνῶσιν, ἵν᾿ ἐκ τοῦ μεγέθους, καὶ τῆς καλλονῆς τῶν κτισμάτων ὁ γενεσιουργός, ἀόρατος ὢν, θεωρῆται. Τοῦτο δὲ ἔφη, ἐπειδὴ τοῖς Ἑβραίοις μετὰ τῆς κτίσεως καὶ ἡ τοῦ νόμου διδασκαλία ἐδόθη, ἀνακηρύττουσα τὸν δημιουργὸν καὶ τεχνίτην. Εἰ δέ τινες οἴονται ἀπονενεμῆσθαι πρὸς τὸ προσκυνῆσαι αὐτοῖς, λαμπρῶς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀπαιδευσίαν στηλιτεύουσι πάσης τῆς ἱερᾶς Γραφῆς αἰτιωμένης, καὶ καταφορικῶς κατηγορούσης τῶν τοῦτο ποιῆσαι τολμησάντων. Ἀρετῆς σημεῖον οὐ μικρὸν, ὦ ἄριστε, ἀλλ' ὡς δυνατὸν καὶ μέγιστον ἐκφέρεις, προῃρημένος δόξαν καλὴν κτήσασθαι μᾶλλον ἢ πλοῦτον μέγαν συναγαγεῖν Ὥστε ἂν ἐμμείνῃς ταύτῃ τῇ γνώμῃ, οὐκ ἀπορήσεις τῶν ἐγκωμιασομένων͵ καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις τὴν σὴν φρόνησιν ἀγόντων","t":"To Lampetius the deacon. Even if some think that what will be said is said hyperbolically (for I know many are ignobly and unmanfully disposed), I will state my own judgment. For I think there are some who will accept it; and even if no one accepts it, let truth be preferred. What, then, do I wish to say? It must be said briefly. I would most gladly, having done good to all, pay the penalty as though I had wronged all, rather than, having wronged someone, be crowned and proclaimed as though I had done good to all. [Another letter] [From Deuteronomy, on what is said about the stars: \"which the Lord your God allotted to all the nations.\"] What, you asked, is meant by what is said about the heavenly lights, \"which the Lord your God allotted to all the nations\"? Hear, then: he allotted them for teaching, for education, for knowledge, so that from the greatness and beauty of the creatures the Maker, being invisible, may be contemplated. He said this because to the Hebrews, together with creation, the teaching of the law was also given, proclaiming the Creator and Craftsman. But if some think they were allotted for the nations to worship them, they brilliantly expose their own lack of education, since the whole of holy Scripture blames and vehemently accuses those who have dared to do this. [Another letter] You show no small sign of virtue, excellent friend, but as great as possible, in choosing to acquire a good name rather than to gather great wealth. So if you remain in this resolve, you will not lack those who praise you, and all people will hold your prudence","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.390 (PG 78 78:1031; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-390)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.391":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ΄,\nΟἱ τὰς τῶν λόγων δυνάμεις ἀποδοκιμάζοντες, οὐ λανθάνουσι τὸ τῆς οἰκείας ἀλογίας ὄνειδος ἐπὶ ταύτας μεταφέρειν τολμῶντες. Οἱ δὲ ταύτας ἀποδεχόμενοι μὲν, ὅταν τῇ ἀληθείᾳ συναγωνίζοιντο, κακίζοντες δὲ ὅταν τῇ κακίᾳ συμπράττοιεν· οὗτοι καὶ τὴν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος εὐγένειαν ἴσασιν, ὅτι λόγῳ τετίμηται, καὶ τὴν τῆς κακουργίας τῶν οὐκ ὀρθῶς τοῖς λόγοις χρωμένων οὐκ ἀγνοοῦσι σκαιότητα.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. Those who reject the powers of speech do not notice that they dare to transfer to it the reproach of their own unreason. But those who accept it when it fights alongside truth and blame it when it acts with vice both know the nobility of humanity, that it has been honoured with reason, and are not ignorant of the perversity of those who misuse words.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.391 (PG 78 78:1033; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-391)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.394":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nἈπιστεῖν μέν σοι οὐκ ἔχω· παραινῶ δὲ μὴ σκανδαλίζεσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀναμένειν τὴν ἀδέκαστον κρίσιν. Καὶ γὰρ παραινέσας τοιαῦτα, καὶ ἄλλον ἄνδρα μισοπόνηρον ἀνέστειλα, ταὐτά σοι φράσαντα καὶ καταῤῥητορεύσαντα αὐτὴν, καὶ φήσαντα · Οἱ μὲν ἀπόστολοι, ἅτε τῷ θείῳ Πνεύματι σεσοφισμένοι, καὶ τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ὡς δεσποτικὴν νύμφην οὕτω διεκόσμησαν, ὡς μήτε τῶν χειρόνων αὐτῇ μηδὲν διενοχλεῖν, μήτ' εἶναί τι κάλλιον, ἢ χρὴ τῷ θεσμῷ προστεθῆναι. Τινὲς δὲ τῶν νῦν τὸν διδασκαλικὸν οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως ἐμπεπιστευμένων θρόνον, τολμῶσι νεωτερίζειν, καὶ τὸν παρ' ἐκείνων κοσμίως καὶ εὐσεβῶς θεμελιωθέντα θεσμὸν ἀτιμάσαντες, τὰ οἰκεῖα προκρίνουσι, τὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς κόσμον ἀτιμότερον, δι' ὧν ποιοῦσι νομίζοντες. Ἵνα γὰρ τὰ ἄλλα παρῶ, ἓν εἰς ὃ πάντα τείνει λέξω· ἐκείνῳ γὰρ τῷ χρήμασιν ὠνήσασθαι προσδοκήσαντι τὴν ἀποστολικὴν ἀξίαν, ἐπιπληξάντων καὶ φησάντων, « Τὸ ἀργύριόν σου σὺν σοὶ εἴη εἰς ἀπώλειαν, ὅτι τὴν δωρεὰν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐνόμισας διὰ χρημάτων κτᾶσθαι, οὐκ ἔστι σοι μερὶς οὔτε κλῆρος ἐν τῷ λόγῳ τούτῳ· · οὗτοι τούτοις μάλιστα τοῖς ἱερωσύνην ἐνεχείρισαν, τοῖς ὥσπερ ἐξ ἀγορᾶς αὐτὴν ὠνησαμένοις. Καὶ οὐ τοῦτό πω δεινὸν, καίπερ ὂν δεινόν· ἀλλὰ καὶ μείζον φρονοῦσιν ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἢ ἕτεροι ἐπὶ καλοκάγαθίᾳ καὶ ἀκτημοσύνῃ. Καὶ ὅταν μὲν δόξωσι παρά τινων λοιδορεῖσθαι, εὐθὺς τὸ ἀποστολικὸν ἀξίωμα προφέρουσιν (οὐ γὰρ ἡμᾶς, φασὶν, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐπισκοπὴν ὕβρισαν) · ὅταν δὲ δέῃ τι πρᾶξαι τῶν δεόντων, οὐκ ἔτι τοῦτο προφέρουσιν, ὡς ἐξὸν αὐτοῖς τιμᾶσθαι μὲν ὡς ἀποστόλους, μὴ πράττειν δὲ ὡς ἀποστόλους. Ὥσπερ τοίνυν ἐκεῖνος πεισθεὶς τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ παραινέσει, καὶ ἀκούσας ὅτι ἀτοπώτατόν ἐστι τὰ ἑαυτῶν παρέντας κακὰ, τὰ τῶν ἄλλων περιεργάζεσθαι, ἀπῆλθε χαλινὸν ἐμβαλὼν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ γλώττῃ, καὶ σιγὴν ἑαυτοῦ καταψηφισάμενος · οὕτω καὶ σὺ πείσθητι, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν διδασκάλων, πρὸς σαυτὸν τρέψον τὴν ἔρευναν. ΠΕΤΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ. Πανήγυριν ἔγωγε κυρίως εἶναί φημι, τὴν ὑπὸ μηδεμιᾶς αἰσχρᾶς ἐπιμιξίας χραινομένην, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἁγνείᾳ καὶ ταῖς ἀρεταῖς ἐναβρυνομένην. ΑΥΣΟΝΙΟ ΚΟΡΡΗΚΤΩΡΙ. Ἡ σύνεσις, ὅταν τὸν τῶν χρημάτων ἐξοστρακίσῃ ἔρωτα, βασανιστήριόν ἐστι δικαιοσύνης ἀψευδέστατον. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτον προσίοιτο, καπηλεῦσαι τὸ δίκαιον, καὶ νοθεῦσαι τὴν ψῆφον οὐ παραιτήσοιτο.","t":"To Dorotheus, a man of the highest rank. I cannot disbelieve you; but I advise you not to be scandalized, but to await the impartial judgment. For with advice of this kind I also restrained another man who hates evil, who said the same things to you and declaimed against it, saying: \"The apostles, made wise by the divine Spirit, so ordered the church, as the Lord's bride, that nothing worse troubled her and there was nothing better that ought to be added to the ordinance. But some of those now somehow entrusted with the teacher's throne dare to innovate, and, dishonouring the ordinance decently and piously founded by them, prefer their own, thinking the original order less honourable, judging by what they do. For, to pass over the rest, I will say one thing, to which all tends. Whereas the apostles rebuked the man who expected to buy the apostolic dignity with money, saying, 'May your silver perish with you, because you thought to obtain the gift of God with money; you have neither part nor lot in this matter,' these men entrust the priesthood above all to those who have bought it as from the market. And this is not yet the terrible thing, terrible though it is; but they are prouder of this than others are of nobility of character and poverty. And when they think they are abused by some, they at once bring forward the apostolic dignity ('It is not us,' they say, 'but the episcopate they have insulted'); but when they must do something of what is required, they no longer bring it forward, as though they might be honoured as apostles without acting as apostles.\" As, then, that man, persuaded by our advice and hearing that it is most absurd to leave one's own evils and busy oneself with those of others, went away putting a bridle on his tongue and condemning himself to silence, so you too be persuaded, and turn your inquiry from the teachers to yourself. [Letter 3.395] To Peter the scholasticus. I say that a festival properly so called is one defiled by no shameful mingling, but taking pride in purity and the virtues. [Letter 3.396] To Ausonius the corrector. Understanding, when it banishes love of money, is a most truthful touchstone of justice. But if it admits it, it will not refuse to trade in justice and falsify its verdict.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.394 (PG 78 78:1033; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-394)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.397":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΟἶδα πολλάκις ἐμαυτῷ παραινέσας τοιαῦτά τινα· Ὣ Ἰσίδωρε, ἐπειδὴ τὰ μεγάλα πράγματα μεγάλοις κινδύνοις φιλεῖ κατορθοῦσθαι, χρῆσαι τῇ πρεπούση παῤῥησίᾳ· τάχα πως ἐρυθριάσουσιν, οἱ μηδὲ ἐρυθριᾶν ἐν τοῖς πταίσμασιν εἰδότες. Ἴσως μὲν γὰρ κατορθώσειας. Εἰ δὲ τι καὶ πείσαιο ἄχαρι, μετὰ τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ τῶν ἀποστόλων, καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ἁγίων πείσῃ, μεθ' ὧν σοι εὐκταῖόν ἐστιν ἑνὶ τῶν πολλῶν ὄντι, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἐν τοῖς κατορθώμασιν, ἀλλ' οὖν γε ἐν τοῖς παθήμασιν ἀριθμεῖσθαι. ᾿Αλλ' ἀνταπεκρίθην ἐμαυτῷ λέγων, ὅτι τὰ μὲν ἄλλα εὖ λέγεις, καί σοι ἕτοιμός εἰμι πείθεσθαι. Πῶς δὲ δὴ παῤῥησιασόμεθα; Ἆρα ἀκράτῳ τῇ παῤῥησίᾳ χρησάμενοι, ἢ κεράσαντες αὐτὴν προσηνεία; Οἶδα γὰρ τινὰς μὲν ὑπὸ τῆς σφοδρᾶς ἐπιτιμήσεως ἰαθέντας · τινὰς δὲ ἐπιτριβέντας, καὶ εἰς χαλεπωτέραν παιδοτριβηθέντας κακίαν· ἄλλους δὲ τῆς μετρίας συμβουλῆς καὶ παῤῥησίας ͵ καταγελάσαντας, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτὴν εἶναι ἡγησαμένους. Πῶς οὖν τις τοσούτοις πάθεσιν ἓν προσενέγκῃ φάρμακον; Πῶς δὲ θεραπεύσει, τῶν αἰτιῶν ἐξ ἐναντίων παθῶν φυουσῶν; Οὐκοῦν ἔφην πρὸς ἐμαυτὸν, ὅπερ καὶ πρὸς σὲ νῦν φημι· ὅτι Εἱ μὲν σὺ μόνος ἀποτυγχάνειν ἔμελλες, ὀκνεῖν ἐχρῆν, εἰ καὶ Μωσῆς καὶ Ἠλίας καὶ Ἰωάννης, οἱ θεοφιλεῖς ἄνδρες, οὔτε συμβουλεύσαντες, οὔτε παρρησιασάμενοι ὤνησαν ἐκείνους· οὐ μὴν τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς χεῖρον διέθεσαν, χρὴ τῇ μὴν παῤῥησίᾳ μιγνύναι τὴν προσήνειαν· τῇ δὲ θείᾳ δεξιᾷ ἐπιτρέπειν τὴν ἰατρείαν· τὰ κακὰ γὰρ ἴσασι πάντες ἄνθρωποι σχεδὸν ἀφ' ἑαυτῶν· τὰ καλὰ δὲ, οὐδὲ παρ᾽ ἄλλων ἀκούοντες, μαθεῖν ἐθέλουσιν,","t":"To Theodosius the bishop. I know that I have often advised myself in some such way: \"Isidore, since great things are usually achieved through great dangers, use fitting frankness; perhaps those who do not know how to blush at their faults will blush. Perhaps you will succeed. And if you suffer something unpleasant, you will suffer with the prophets, the apostles and the other saints, with whom it is to be prayed for that you, one of the many, may be numbered, if not in their achievements, at least in their sufferings.\" But I answered myself, saying: \"The rest you say well, and I am ready to obey you. But how shall we speak frankly? Using undiluted frankness, or mixing it with gentleness? For I know some who were healed by vehement rebuke, others who were exasperated and trained into worse vice, and others who laughed at moderate counsel and frankness and thought it nothing. How, then, can one bring one medicine to so many passions? How will one heal, when the causes grow from opposite passions?\" So I said to myself what I now say to you too: if you alone were going to fail, you ought to hesitate; but if even Moses, Elijah and John, men beloved of God, benefited those people neither by counselling nor by speaking frankly, yet did not make their own condition worse, one must mix gentleness with frankness and leave the healing to the divine right hand. For almost all people know evil things of themselves, but good things they are unwilling to learn even when they hear them from others,","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.397 (PG 78 78:1035; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-397)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.398":{"o":"ΑΛΥΠΙΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ πιστευθέντος τὰ ε' τάλαντα. Καταβολὴν, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἀργυρίου λέγει, τὴν τῶν θείων Γραφῶν διδασκαλίαν· τόκον δὲ ἀκροάσεως, τὴν τῶν ἔργων ἐπίδειξιν. Ὄφελος γὰρ οὐδὲν ἀκροάσεως, ὅταν ἡ διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἐπίδειξις μὴ συμβαίνει τοῖς λεγομένοις. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἀληθὲς, τιμωρία ἔπεται τῷ μὲν διδάσκοντι καὶ πράττοντι, εἰ μὴ καὶ φράσειεν· τῷ δὲ ἀκούοντι, εἰ μὴ καὶ πράξειεν.","t":"To Alypius. [On the one entrusted with the five talents.] By the deposit of silver, excellent friend, he means the teaching of the divine Scriptures; by the interest on hearing, the display of works. For there is no benefit in hearing when the display through works does not agree with what is said. And that this is true: punishment follows the teacher if, while acting, he does not also speak, and the hearer if he does not also act.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.398 (PG 78 78:1035; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-398)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.399":{"o":"ΑΡΧΟΝΤΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Καθ' ἡμέραν ἀποθνήσκω. » • Καθ' ἡμέραν ἀποθνήσκω, › ἔφη ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, τῷ πρὸς τοῦτο παρεσκευάσθαι. Ὁ γὰρ παρασκευαζόμενος εἴς τι, εἰ καὶ μὴ τῇ πείρᾳ αὐτὸ ὑποσταίη, ὑφίσταται τῇ προσδοκίᾳ καὶ τῇ προθυμίᾳ. Ἀπὸ γὰρ τῶν ἐπιχειρημάτων, οὐκ ἐκ τῶν ἀποτελεσμάτων τὰ πράγματα, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ, κρίνεται· ἀπὸ τῆς γνώμης, οὐκ ἀπὸ τοῦ τέλους ὁ στέφανος πλέκεται. Εἰ δὲ καὶ, ὅτι κινδυνεύουσιν οἱ ὀρθῶς ἁπτόμενοι φιλοσοφίας, λέληθε τοὺς πολλοὺς ὅτι τῷ κόσμῳ ἀποθνήσκουσι, διὰ τοῦ νεκροῦν τὰς ἡδονὰς, ἐπίστησον. Ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ πιθανώτερον, τοῦτο δὲ πικρότερον.","t":"To Archontius. [On \"I die daily.\"] \"I die daily,\" said the Apostle, by being prepared for it. For the one preparing for something, even if he does not undergo it in experience, undergoes it in expectation and eagerness. For things are, for the most part, judged by attempts, not by results; the crown is woven from the intention, not from the end. And if it has escaped most people that those who rightly take up philosophy are in danger, note also that they die to the world by deadening their pleasures. The first is more plausible, the second more bitter.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.399 (PG 78 78:1037; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-399)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.4":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΚαὶ ἔπεσε ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀστέρων, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς δυνάμεως. Ἐπειδὴ καὶ τοὺς κομιδῇ προσέχοντας τῇ ἀναγνώσει τὸν νοῦν τοῦτο διέλαθεν, οὐκ ἄν σε αίτιασαίμην, ὡς μὴ ἀναγινώσκοντα· ἀλλὰ συντόμως φράσαιμι· Ωσπερ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος ἀστέρας καλεῖ τοὺς διὰ τῆς ἀρίστης πολιτείας τοὺς θεωμένους φωτίζοντας, γράφων· · Ἐν οἷς ἐστε ὡς φωστῆρες ἐν κόσμῳ· · οὕτω καὶ ὁ Δανιὴλ ἀστέρας καλεῖ τοὺς λαμπροὺς μὲν δι᾽ εὐσέβειαν, ἀρίστους δὲ διὰ πολιτείαν. Φησὶ γάρ· · Καὶ ἔπεσεν ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἀπὸ τῶν ἀστέρων καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς δυνάμεως· · οὐχ ὡς τῶν ἄστρων πεπτωκότων, ὡς ψήθησάν τινες· ἄπαγε· ἀλλ᾿ ὡς Ἀντιόχου τοῦ Ἐπιφανοῦς (περὶ γὰρ αὐτοῦ ἦν τῷ ἀγγέλῳ ὁ λόγος) ὑπὸ τῶν Μακκαβαίων λαμπρῶς ἡττηθέντος, καὶ τῆς Ἰουδαϊκῆς ἀρχῆς ἐκπεπτωκότος. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν· Οἱ ἀστέρες ἔπεσαν· ἀλλ᾿ ἐκεῖνος ὑπὸ τῶν ἀστέρων λαμπρῶς ἀγωνισαμένων πέπτωκε, τουτέστιν ἡττήθη. Εἰ δέ τις τὸ ἔπεσεν, ἐπάταξεν ἐκλάβοι· (καὶ οὕτως γὰρ πολλάκις λέγεται, ὡς τὸ «Ἕπαισεν,» ἀντὶ τοῦ ἐπάταξε, «καὶ αἱ χεῖρες αὐτοῦ ἰάσαντο, » τῆς δευτέρας συλλαβῆς [διὰ] διφθόγγου γραφομένης, δύναται λέγειν, ὅτι ἐπάταξε τοὺς ἑπτὰ ἀδελφοὺς καὶ τὴν μητέρα, Ἐλεάζαρόν τε τὸν ἱερέα, λαμπρὰν καὶ ἀστράπτουσαν πολιτείαν ἐπιδειξαμένους, καὶ καθάπερ ἀστέρας ἐν γῇ φανέντας. Μακκαβαῖος γὰρ ἑρμηνεύεται, οἱονεὶ παρὰ Πέρσαις, κοίρανος, τουτέστι δεσπότης. Ἐν τοῖς καιροῖς τοιγαροῦν ἐκείνοις, ἐν οἷς ἡ κατὰ τῶν εὐδοκιμωτάτων ἐκείνων ἀνδρῶν ἐτολμήθη τῷ ᾿Αντιόχῳ τραγῳδία, οἱ Μακκαβαίοι συστάντες, ἐξήλασαν ἐκεῖνον τῆς χώρας. Διὸ καὶ τοῖς βασανισθεῖσι τοὔνομα ἐξενίκησε. Μακκαβαῖοι γὰρ ἐκλήθησαν καὶ οἱ ἐν τοῖς Μακκαβαῖκοῖς χρόνοις τὰ ἀνήκεστα ὑπομεμενηκότες, καὶ μὴ ἐξομοσάμενοι τοὺς πατρῴους νόμους.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. [\"And it fell to the earth from the stars and from the power.\"] Since this has escaped even those who attend very closely to their reading, I would not blame you as though you did not read; but I will explain it briefly. Just as the Apostle calls stars those who by an excellent way of life give light to those who see them, writing, \"among whom you shine as lights in the world,\" so too Daniel calls stars those who are bright through piety and excellent in their way of life. For he says, \"And it fell to the earth from the stars and from the power,\" not meaning that the stars fell, as some have supposed (far from it!), but that Antiochus Epiphanes (for the angel was speaking about him) was brilliantly defeated by the Maccabees and fell from rule over the Jews. For he did not say, \"The stars fell,\" but that he fell by the stars who fought brilliantly, that is, he was defeated. But if someone takes \"fell\" (epesen) as \"struck\" (epaisen) (for so it is often used, as in \"He struck,\" instead of \"he smote,\" \"and his hands healed,\" where the second syllable is written with a diphthong), it can mean that he struck the seven brothers and their mother, and Eleazar the priest, who displayed a brilliant and shining way of life and appeared like stars on the earth. For \"Maccabee\" is interpreted, as among the Persians, \"koiranos,\" that is, master. In those times, then, when Antiochus dared that tragedy against those most renowned men, the Maccabees rose up and drove him out of the land. That is why the name prevailed also for those who were tortured. For those too who in the Maccabean times endured the unbearable and did not abjure their ancestral laws were called Maccabees.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.4 (PG 78 78:729; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-4)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.40":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nὉ μὲν ἀδελφὸς, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ὁ σὸς, διὰ τρόπον θαυμάζεται, σὺ δὲ διὰ λόγον· ἐκεῖνος δι᾽ ὀρθότητα γνώμης, σὺ δὲ διὰ δεινότητα γλώττης· ἐκεῖνος διὸ μετριότητα ἤθους, σὺ δὲ διὰ φράσεως ὄγκον· ἐκεῖνος ὡς καρπῷ βρύων, σὺ δ᾽ ὡς φύλλοις κομῶν. Εἰ τοίνων τοῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, ζήλου τὸν σαυτοῦ ἀδελφὸν, ἵνα κατ᾿ ἄμφω εὐδόκιμος εἴης. Οὐ γὰρ τοσοῦτον ἐκεῖνος τῶν σῶν, ὅσον σὺ τῶν ἐκείνου, χρήζεις πλεονεκτημάτων.","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. Your brother, admirable friend, is admired for his character, and you for your eloquence; he for rightness of judgment, you for skill of tongue; he for moderation of manners, you for weight of diction; he as one laden with fruit, you as one luxuriant with leaves. If this is so, emulate your brother, so that you may be esteemed on both counts. For he does not need your advantages as much as you need his.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.40 (PG 78 78:759; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-40)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.400":{"o":"ΚΑΣΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤὸ μὲν εἰδέναι αἰσχύνεσθαι ἃ δεῖ, αἰσχύνης ὄντως ἀπαλλάττει. Τὸ δὲ μὴ εἰδέναι, αἰσχύνῃ ἀθανάτῳ περιβάλλει. Εἰ οἱ νηστείαις καὶ χαμευνίαις καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις σκληραγωγίαις τὸ σῶμα δαμάζοντες, καὶ ταύτῃ τὴν ἄλογον τῶν παθῶν ἐξουσίαν κολάζοντες, ἀλλ᾽ οἱ ἐν ἅπαξ ὑπὸ ἐπιθυμίας κεχειρωμένοι, οὐ συγγνωσθήσονται· οἱ τὸ ἀκόλαστον παρακαλοῦντες, καὶ διὰ τῆς τρυφῆς τοῦτο διεγείροντες, ὧν ἕνα σε φασιν εἶναι, ποίας ἀπολαύσειαν συγγνώμης;","t":"To Cassius the presbyter. To know what one should be ashamed of truly frees from shame; not to know it surrounds one with immortal shame. [Letter 3.401] If those who subdue the body with fasts, sleeping on the ground and the other hardships, and so punish the unreasonable power of the passions, but are once overcome by desire, will not be pardoned, what pardon would those enjoy who summon licentiousness and rouse it by luxury, of whom they say you are one?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.400 (PG 78 78:1037; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-400)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.402":{"o":"ΚΑΣΣΙΑΝΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤῆς Νέας, τῶν δ' Εὐαγγελίων. Εἰς τὸ, «Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος. » Ὁ θεολόγος καὶ θεοφιλὴς Ἰωάννης, ὁ τῆς βροντῆς ὄντως υἱὸς, θεοφράστῳ γλώττῃ (ὑπὸ ἁγίου γὰρ Πνεύματος ἐκινεῖτο) τὴν τοῦ θείου Λόγου ὑπόστασίν τε καὶ ἰδιότητα, ἀϊδιότητά τε καὶ βασιλείαν, οὐκ ἐπίκτητον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐσιώδη τυγχάνουσαν ἀνεκήρυξε. Καὶ τῷ πολλάκις τὸ ἦν εἰπεῖν, τὸ ἐκ μὴ ὄντων, ἐξωστράκισε.","t":"To Cassian the deacon. [From the New Testament, the four Gospels: on \"In the beginning was the Word.\"] The theologian John, beloved of God, truly the son of thunder, with a tongue speaking divine things (for he was moved by the Holy Spirit), proclaimed the subsistence and property, the eternity and kingship of the divine Word, which is not acquired but essential. And by saying \"was\" many times, he banished \"from things that are not.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.402 (PG 78 78:1037; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-402)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.403":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΟ.\nΚιρνᾷν χρὴ, ὦ σοφώτατε, τῇ τῶν δογμάτων ὀρθότητι, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς πολιτείας φιλοσοφίαν, εἴγε ἀληθές ἐστιν, ἀληθὲς δὲ, ὅτι ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων νεκρά ἐστιν. Εἰ δὲ τὸ μεῖζον χωρὶς τοῦ ἐλάττονος νεκρόν ἐστιν, εὔδηλον ὅτι καὶ τὸ ἔλαττον χωρὶς τοῦ μείζονος Εἰ δ' ἀμφότερα κερασθείη, καὶ τρόπον τινὰ ἑνωθείη, τότε δὴ, τότε ἡ τελεία καὶ ἀκροτάτη εὐδοκίμησις ἀναφαίνεται εὐσεβείας καὶ ἀρετῆς εἰς ταὐτὸν συνδραμούσης.","t":"To the same. One must mix, most wise friend, the philosophy of one's way of life with the rightness of doctrines, if it is true (and it is true) that faith without works is dead. And if the greater without the lesser is dead, it is evident that the lesser too is dead without the greater. But if both are mixed and in a way united, then indeed perfect and supreme esteem appears, piety and virtue running together into one.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.403 (PG 78 78:1037; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-403)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.404":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nἘπειδὴ μικραὶ αἰτίαι μεγάλους πολλάκις ἀνάπτουσι πολέμους, παραινῶ σοι μὴ σπινθῆρας φιλονεικιῶν ἐμβάλλειν. ᾿Αναῤῥιπιζόμεναι᾿ γὰρ αἱ μάχαι, πάντα τὰ καλὰ ἐκ τῆς τῶν διαφερομένων ἐκριζοῦσι ψυχῆς.","t":"To Maron. Since small causes often kindle great wars, I advise you not to throw in sparks of contention. For quarrels, when fanned up, uproot all good things from the souls of those at variance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.404 (PG 78 78:1039; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-404)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.405":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Δὶ ὑμᾶς βλασφημεῖται τὸ ὄνομά μου ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας τί ἐστι, « Τὸ ὄνομά μου δι᾽ ὑμᾶς βλασφημεῖται· » φημὶ, ὅτι ἐπειδὴ Ἰουδαῖοι μὲν ἁμαρτάνοντες, αἰχμαλωσίαις παρεδίδοντο · οἱ δ᾽ αἰχμαλωτεύοντες, οὐ τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὀργῇ, ἀλλὰ τῇ τῶν οἰκείων ξοάνων δυνάμει τὴν νίκην ἐπιγράφοντες τῆς παγκρατούσης δεξιᾶς ἀσθένειαν κατεψηφίζοντο· διὰ τοῦτο, τοῦτο ἔφη. Αἴτιοι γάρ τε ἐγίνοντο ἁμαρτάνοντες καὶ παραδιδόμενοι τῆς τοιαύτης ὑπονοίας τε καὶ βλασφημίας. Ἴσως δὲ ἐπειδὴ καὶ τἀναντία ὧν προσετάττοντο ποιεῖν ἔπραττον, ὅπερ καὶ ἐφ᾽ ἡμῶν νυνὶ κινδυνεύει συμβαίνειν· κελευσθέντες γὰρ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἀγαπᾶν, οὐδὲ τοὺς φίλους ἀγαπῶμεν · καὶ ἀκτημοσύνην ἀσκεῖν, οὐ μόνον οἷς ἔχομεν οὐκ ἀρκούμεθα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων χρηματιζόμεθα συμφορῶν· καὶ ἠρεμεῖν προσταχθέντες, φιλοπραγμονοῦντες καὶ τοῖς ἡσυχάζουσι παρενοχλοῦμεν. Καὶ οὐ μόνον ταῦτα δρῶμεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ διδάσκειν ἄλλους ἐπιχειροῦμεν, ἃ ποιεῖν οὐκ ἐθέλομεν· τὰ γὰρ ἄλλα παρίημι· οὐδὲν γὰρ βούλομαι δυσχερὲς εἰπεῖν. Ταῦτ᾽ οὖν ἀκούοντες οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ ὁρῶντες, ἄλλα μὲν ὑμᾶς διδάσκειν ἐπιχειροῦντας, ἄλλα δὲ δρῶντας, ὥσπερ εἰρωνεύεσθαι ἡμᾶς καὶ παίζειν ἐν οὐ παικτοῖς ἡγούμενοι, κατὰ τῆς θείας προνοίας ἀκονῶσι τὰς γλώττας · ἥτις καὶ αὐτοὺς μὲν, ἡμᾶς δὲ πλέον ἀμυνεῖται, τοὺς αἰτίους τῆς τοιαύτης βλασφημίας γινομένους.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. [On \"Because of you my name is blasphemed among the nations.\"] Since you have written asking what \"My name is blasphemed because of you\" means, I say: since the Jews, when they sinned, were handed over to captivities, and their captors, ascribing the victory not to God's wrath but to the power of their own idols, condemned the almighty right hand as weak, he said this for that reason. For by sinning and being handed over they became the cause of such suspicion and blasphemy. And perhaps also because they did the opposite of what they were commanded, which is in danger of happening with us too now. For commanded to love our enemies, we do not even love our friends; commanded to practise poverty, we are not only not content with what we have, but even make money out of others' misfortunes; commanded to keep quiet, we meddle and trouble those who are at peace. And we not only do these things, but also try to teach others what we are unwilling to do (I pass over the rest, for I wish to say nothing harsh). People, then, hearing and seeing this, us trying to teach some things and doing others, think we are being ironic and making sport of what is not for sport, and sharpen their tongues against divine providence, which will punish them, but us more, since we become the causes of such blasphemy.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.405 (PG 78 78:1039; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-405)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.406":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΕἰ μὲν τὰ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν ἀπαραλείπτως, καὶ μετὰ πάσης σπουδῆς γίγνοιτο, τότε καὶ τὴν θείαν ῥοπὴν κλητέον εἰς συμμαχίαν· ἥξει γὰρ παντὶ τρόπῳ τὴν νίκην πρυτανεύουσα. Εἰ δὲ μηδὲν τῶν δεόντων παρ' ἡμῶν γίγνοιτο, περιττὴ καὶ ἡ κλῆσις· εἰρωνείας γὰρ οὐκ ἀνέξεται, οὐδ᾽ ἐπιφοιτήσει τοῖς ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τὸ ἀχανὲς τῆς ἀπωλείας ἀσμένως ῥίπτουσι πέλαγος. Συγγνώμης μείζονα, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἁμαρτάνεις, τὴν Εὐσεβίου τυραννίδα πρὸ τοῦ δικαίου θεραπεύων. Ἢ τοίνυν συνὼν, αἴσθησιν αὐτῷ ἐμποίει τῆς ἀνηκέστου νόσου, ἢ ἀπόστηθι, ἐπιτρίβων αὐτοῦ τὴν κακίαν.","t":"To Zosimus and Maron. If our part is done without omission and with all zeal, then divine help must also be called into alliance; for it will come in every way presiding over the victory. But if nothing of what is required is done on our part, even the call is superfluous; for it will not bear irony, nor will it visit those who gladly throw themselves into the gaping sea of destruction. [Letter 3.407] You sin beyond pardon, excellent friend, by courting Eusebius's tyranny before justice. Either, then, if you stay with him, make him aware of his incurable disease, or withdraw, since you are aggravating his vice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.406 (PG 78 78:1039; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-406)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.408":{"o":"ΖΗΝΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ. Ὅτι μὲν ἀκμαζούσης τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ μήπω νενοσηκυίας, τὰ θεῖα περὶ αὐτὴν ἐχόρευε χαρίσματα, τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος δημαγωγοῦντος, καὶ τῶν προεστώτων ἕκαστον κινοῦντος, καὶ οὐρανὸν τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ποιοῦντος, πᾶσι δῆλόν ἐστιν. Ὅτι δὲ νοσησάσης καὶ στασιασάσης, ἀπέπτη πάντα ἐκεῖνα, καὶ ἀπεπήδησεν, οὐ τὰ χαρίσματα μόνον· οὐ γὰρ ἦν οὕτω δεινὸν εἰ τοῦτο μόνον ἦν· ἀλλὰ καὶ βίος καὶ ἀρετὴ, καὶ τοῦτο πᾶσι δῆλον. Ἵνα γὰρ τἄλλα παρῶ, ἐξ ἑνὸς πράγματος καὶ περὶ τῶν λοιπῶν αἰνίξομαι. μὲν γὰρ τῆς εἰρήνης ὄνομα, πανταχοῦ · τὸ δὲ πρᾶγμα, οὐδαμοῦ. ᾿Αλλ' ἔοικεν Ἐκκλησία γυναικί τινι τῆς ἀρχαίας εὐημερίας ἐκπεσούσῃ, καὶ τὰ σύμβολα μόνον ἐχούσῃ. Τὰς μὲν γὰρ θήκας τῶν κοσμίων ἔχει καὶ τὰ κιβώτια· τοῦ δὲ πλούτου ἐστέρηται, οὐ παρὰ τὴν τοῦ ἐξ ἀρχῆς κοσμήσαντος ἀμέλειαν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὴν τῶν οὐ δεόντως τὰ πράγματα μεταχειριζομένων κακίαν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ πωλεῖν, οἱ δὲ ἀγοράζειν τὴν ἱερωσύνην τολμῶσιν. Οἱ μὲν πράττουσιν, ἃ μηδὲ λέγειν τολμῶ ἐξόν· οἱ δὲ λέγουσιν, ἃ μηδ' ἐννοεῖν θέμις. Εἰκότως οὖν ἠπείλησε τοῖς τοιούτοις ὁ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας Δεσπότης καὶ νυμφίος τοῦθ᾽ ὅπερ μαθεῖν ἐζήτησας, ὅτι \"Ηξει ὁ Κύριος τοῦ δούλου ἐκείνου, καὶ διχοτομήσει αὐτὸν, καὶ τὸ μέρος αὐτοῦ μετὰ τῶν ἀπίστων θήσει. Ἀλλὰ μῦθος αὐτοῖς ἡ τοιαύτη ἀπειλὴ, καὶ ἡ ἀπόφασις, ἀγυρτική νομίζεται λογοποιία· καίτοι λοιπὸν τοῦ κόσμου εἰς τέλος ἐπειγομένου, καὶ τὴν τιμωρίαν ὠδίνοντος. ᾿Αλλὰ σὺ, ὦ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας θρέμμα περίβλεπτον, μὴ τοῖς ναυαγοῦσι πρόσεχε, μηδὲ τοῖς ῥαθυμοῦσι παράβαλλε σεαυτὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ φῶς τῆς γνώσεως λαμπρότερον κατασκεύαζε, ποτίζων αὐτὸ διὰ τῆς κατὰ τὸν βίον ἀρετῆς. Καὶ τὸν νυμφίον περίμενε, εἰσελευσόμενον μὲν μετὰ τῶν παρθένων ψυχαῖς τε καὶ σώμασι μετελευσόμενον δὲ τοὺς τὸ τῆς παρθενίας καὶ τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἀξίωμα, δι' ὧν δεδράκασιν, ἐνυβρίσαντας.","t":"To Zeno the monk. That while the church flourished and was not yet sick, the divine gifts danced around her, the Holy Spirit leading the people, moving each of those who presided and making the church a heaven, is plain to all. But that when she fell sick and into factions, all those things flew away and leapt off, not the gifts only (that would not be so terrible if it were only that), but also life and virtue, this too is plain to all. To pass over the rest, I will hint at the others from one thing. The name of peace is everywhere, but the reality nowhere. The church is like a woman fallen from her ancient prosperity who keeps only the tokens: she has the cases and caskets of her jewels, but is deprived of the wealth, not through the neglect of the one who adorned her at the beginning, but through the wickedness of those who handle affairs improperly. For some dare to sell the priesthood, others to buy it. Some do what I do not dare even to say, others say what it is not right even to think. Rightly, then, the Master and Bridegroom of the church threatened such people with what you sought to learn: \"The master of that servant will come, and will cut him in two and put his portion with the unbelievers.\" But to them such a threat is a fable, and the sentence is thought a mountebank's tale, though the world is now hastening to its end and is in labour with the punishment. But you, conspicuous nursling of the church, do not look to the shipwrecked nor compare yourself with the careless, but make the light of knowledge brighter, feeding it with the virtue of your life. And await the Bridegroom, who will enter with the virgins in soul and body, but will punish those who have outraged by their deeds the dignity of virginity and of the priesthood.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.408 (PG 78 78:1041; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-408)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.409":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἘξανύσων, τὸ παρὰ σοῦ προσταχθησόμενον ἄσμενος ἧκεν ὁ φίλος, εὖ εἰδὼς ὅτι τὰ παρὰ σοῦ κελευόμενα, εἰς εὐσέβειαν καὶ δικαιοσύνην βλέπει. Ἀγασθεὶς οὖν τὴν προθυμίαν, ἄμειψαι τῇ εὐμενείᾳ.","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. Our friend has gladly come to carry out what you will command, knowing well that your commands look to piety and justice. Admiring his eagerness, then, repay it with kindness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.409 (PG 78 78:1041; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-409)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.41":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΘαυμάζοντές σε τινες δι' οξύτητα νοῦ, καὶ γλώττης δεινότητα, γράφονται ὡς δύσεριν καὶ δυσπρόσιτον καὶ δύσκολον. Δέον γὰρ τοῖς ὑποδεεστέροις συγκατιέναι, οὐδὲ τοῖς κρείττοσι παραχωρεῖς. Οὐκοῦν εἰ ταῦθ' οὕτως ἔχει, μὴ καθύβριζε τὴν ἀρίστην παίδευσιν τῇ τῆς γνώμης σκαιότητι· ἀλλὰ κίρνα τῇ εὐφυΐᾳ τὴν εὐμένειαν, καὶ τῇ τῶν λόγων δεινότητι τὴν τῶν τρόπων ἡμερότητα, ἵνα ἐκατέρωθεν ἀοίδιμος γένοιο.","t":"To the same. Some who admire you for sharpness of mind and skill of tongue charge you with being quarrelsome, unapproachable and difficult. For whereas you ought to condescend to those beneath you, you do not even give way to those above you. If, then, this is so, do not outrage an excellent education by perversity of disposition; but mix kindness with your natural gifts and gentleness of manners with skill of speech, so that you may be celebrated on both sides.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.41 (PG 78 78:759; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-41)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.410":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἘγὼ οὔτε ἄπταιστός εἰμι, οὔτε ἀπταίστους ζητῶ φίλους· οὐ γὰρ εὑρήσω· ἀλλὰ τοὺς πλεῖστα μὲν ἔχοντας καὶ μεγάλα κατορθώματα, ὀλίγα δὲ καὶ εὐτελῆ ἐλαττώματα (δεῖ γὰρ πάντως τὸν ἄνθρωπον τυγχάνοντα ἐλεγχθῆναι) εἰς τοὺς φίλους ἐγγράφω. Οἱ γὰρ διὰ μικρὸν ἐλάττωμα, καὶ τὸ μέγιστον πλεονέκτημα ἐξευτελίζοντες, οὔτε τὰνθρώπινα σκοποῦσιν, οὔτε τῷ ἀποστόλῳ πείθονται Παύλῳ παραινοῦντι· ᾿Αλλήλων τὰ βάρη βαστάζετε, καὶ οὕτως ἂν ἀναπληρώσετε τὸν νόμον τοῦ Χριστοῦ. » Ὁ γὰρ μὴ φέρων τὸ μικρὸν ἐλάττωμα, οὔτε τοῦ μεγίστου κατορθώματος ἀπολαύσει, οὔτε τὸν νόμον τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τὴν ἀγάπην πληρώσει. Εἰ δὲ φαίης, ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ οὖν Διαθήκῃ οὐκ εἴρηται - • ᾿Αγαπήσεις τὸν πλησίον σου ὡς ἑαυτόν· · φαίην ὅτι μάλιστα μὲν κἀκείνην αὐτὸς ἐθέσπισεν, ἔπειτα δὲ ἐν τῇ παρουσίᾳ αὐτοῦ τῇ κατὰ σάρκα, προσέθηκέ τι πλέον, εἰπὼν ὅτι· Ἐντολὴν καινὴν δίδωμι ὑμῖν, ἵνα ἀγαπᾶτε ἀλλήλους, καθὼς ἐγὼ ἠγάπησα ὑμᾶς. » Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀγαπῆσαι καὶ ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ κεῖται · τὸ δὲ, «Καθὼς ἐγὼ ἡγάπησα ὑμᾶς, προσέθηκε. Διὸ καὶ καινὴν ἐντολὴν αὐτὴν ἐκάλεσεν. \"Αλλο γὰρ τὸ ἀγαπῆσαι τὸν πέλας ὡς ἑαυτόν· ἄλλο καὶ τὰ οἰκεῖα παριδεῖν, ἵνα τὰ τῶν πέλας ἐπανορθώσῃ. \"Ωσπερ γὰρ αὐτὸς οὐ πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον ὕψος, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὄφελος εἶδε, καὶ ταπεινώσας ἑαυτὸν, μορφὴν δούλου κατηξίωσε λαβεῖν, ἵνα τοὺς δούλους εἰς υἱοθεσίαν ἀγάγῃ · οὕτω καὶ ἕκαστον ἡμῶν ἐκέλευσε, μὴ πρὸς τὸ οἰκεῖον κέρδος ὁρᾶν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ τῶν πέλας ὄφελος βλέπειν. Εἰ δὲ νομίζει τις βλάπτεσθαι – συγκαταβαίνων, μανθανέτω, ὅτι ἡ συγκατάβασις αὕτη εἰς αὐτὴν αὐτὸν ἀνάγει τῆς τιμῆς τὴν κορυφήν.","t":"To Martinianus the presbyter. I am neither without stumbling nor do I seek friends without stumbling, for I shall not find them; but I enrol among my friends those who have very many and great achievements and few and trivial faults (for one who is human must certainly be convicted of something). For those who, because of a small fault, despise even the greatest excellence neither consider human nature nor obey the apostle Paul, who exhorts: \"Bear one another's burdens, and so you will fulfil the law of Christ.\" For the one who does not bear a small fault will neither enjoy the greatest achievement nor fulfil the law of Christ, that is, love. And if you say, \"Was it not said in the Old Covenant, 'You shall love your neighbour as yourself'?\", I would say that he himself decreed that too; and then, in his coming in the flesh, he added something more, saying, \"A new commandment I give you, that you love one another as I have loved you.\" For loving is found in the Old as well, but \"as I have loved you\" he added; that is why he called it a new commandment. For it is one thing to love one's neighbour as oneself, another to overlook one's own interests in order to set right those of one's neighbours. For just as he looked not to his own height but to the benefit of human beings, and, humbling himself, deigned to take the form of a servant in order to bring the servants into adoption, so he commanded each of us to look not to his own gain but to the benefit of his neighbours. And if anyone thinks he is harmed by condescending, let him learn that this condescension leads him up to the very summit of honour.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.410 (PG 78 78:1041; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-410)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.411":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\nΔιὰ τι ὁ νόμος τοὺς λεπρῶντας, ἢ ἑτέρους νοσήματα ἀκούσια νοσοῦντας, ἔξω εἶναι τῶν ἱερῶν περιβόλων προσέταξε. Τὸ μὲν ἐκ δυσκρασίας τῶν γονέων καὶ τὰ τικτόμενα δύσκρατα εἶναι, καὶ εἰκὸς καὶ δῆλον͵· τὸ δ' ἐξ ἀκρασίας, ἄδηλον μὲν, εἰκὸς δέ. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐκ νοσούντων, καὶ πάθεσι [τισὶ] προσκαταληφθέντων ἀσθενῆ τίκτεσθαι, οὐκ ἀπεικός· τὸ δὲ ἐξ ὑγιαινόντων μὲν, ἀκρασίᾳ δὲ προσεχόντων, εἰκὸς μὲν, ἄδηλον δέ. Διὸ, ὡς οἶμαι, καὶ ὁ προφήτης Ἰεζεχιὴλ μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων ἁμαρτημάτων ἔταξε τὸ καὶ πρὸς γυναῖκα ἐν ἀφέδρῳ οὖσαν εἰσεληλυθέναι τὸν ἁμαρτωλόν. Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ τοῦτ᾽ ἔφη, τὸ πρέπον τῇ φύσει φυλάττων, καὶ καθαιρομένην αὐτὴν ἐνοχλεῖσθαι, ἀτοπώτατον εἶναι ἡγούμενος· ἔπειτα δὲ ἵνα μὴ καὶ τοῖς τικτομένοις νοσημάτων εἰδεχθῶν αἴτιοι γένοιντο Μιγνύμενον γὰρ τὸ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς σπέρμα τῷ ἀκαθάρτῳ τῆς θηλείας αἵματι, σώματα ἀποτίκτει νοσήμασι διαφόροις ὑποκείμενα. Ἐναπομάσσονται γὰρ τρόπον τινὰ τὴν τῶν γονέων ἀκρασίαν. Εἰ τοίνυν, φησί, φροντίζετε τῆς τῶν τικτομένων εὐκρασίας τε καὶ ὑγιείας, καὶ οὐ βούλεσθε αὐτὰ Ἐκκλησίας Κυρίας χωρίζεσθαι, φυλάττεσθε, καὶ καιρὸν συνουσίας γινώσκετε, ἵνα μὴ καὶ τὰ τέκνα τῆς ἀκολασίας ὑμῶν τὰ σύμβολα περιφέρωσι.","t":"To Peter. [Why the law ordered lepers, or others suffering involuntary diseases, to be outside the sacred precincts.] That children of parents of bad constitution are also of bad constitution is both likely and plain; that they are so from incontinence is unclear, but likely. For that sickly children are born of the sick and of those seized by certain illnesses is not unreasonable; that this happens with the healthy who give themselves to incontinence is likely but unclear. That is why, I think, the prophet Ezekiel also listed among the other sins the sinner's going in to a woman in her impurity. He said this above all keeping what befits nature, thinking it most absurd that she should be troubled while being purified; and then so that they might not become causes of loathsome diseases for those who are born. For the man's seed, mixed with the woman's impure blood, produces bodies subject to various diseases; for they bear in a way the imprint of their parents' incontinence. \"If, then,\" he says, \"you care for the good constitution and health of those who are born, and do not wish them to be separated from the assembly of the Lord, be on guard and know the time for intercourse, so that your children may not carry about the tokens of your licentiousness.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.411 (PG 78 78:1043; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-411)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.412":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ ΚΑΙ ΜΑΡΟΝΙ.\nΕἰ καὶ τὸ εἶδος τῆς μέθης τῶν ἐπὶ οἴνῳ καὶ χρήμασι λυττώντων ἐστὶ διάφορον (τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ οἴνου, τὸ δὲ ἀπὸ χρημάτων γίνεται), ἀλλὰ γε τὸ πάθος ὅμοιον. Καὶ γὰρ ἀμφότεροι ὁμοίως ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἀτόπῳ κεχείρωνται. Ὅ τε γὰρ φίλοινος ὅσῳ ἂν πλείους ἐκπίῃ κύλικας, τοσούτῳ πλειόνων ὀρέγεται· ὅ τε ἐρασιχρήματος, ὅσῳπερ ἂν πλείω συνάγη, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον ἀνάπτει τῆς ἐπιθυμίας τὴν κάμινον. Τούτῳ μὲν οὖν ἔοικεν · ἑτέρῳ δὲ πάλιν ἡ φιλάργυρος πλεονεκτεῖ. Ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ, εἰ καὶ πάσης ἐστὶ καταγνώσεως ἄξιος, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε πρᾶγμα πάσχει κατὰ φύσιν (ὁ γὰρ οἶνος θερμὸς ὧν καὶ διακαὴς, καὶ τὴν ἔμφυτον ἐπιτείνων ξηρότητα, τοὺς μεθύοντας ποιεῖ διψῆν)· οὗτος δὲ πόθεν ἀεὶ πλειόνων ὀρέγεται, οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν πόθεν. Ἐπειδὰν γὰρ μειζόνως πλουτήσῃ, τότε μάλιστά ἐστιν ἐν πενίᾳ. ῎Απορον γὰρ τοῦτο τὸ νόσημα, καὶ αἰνίγματι μᾶλλον ἐοικός. Οὐκοῦν εἰ θεραπευόμενον ἐπιτρίβεται, καὶ τῷ ἐπινενοημένῳ ( φαρμάκῳ χαλεπώτερον γίνεται, παυσώμεθα ὕλην παρέχοντες τῷ τοιούτῳ πυρὶ, καὶ τὴν προϋπάρχουσαν ἢ ἀθρόως, ἢ κατὰ μικρὸν ὑπεξέλωμεν · ἵνα μὴ ἄσβεστον γενόμενον κἀνταῦθα ἡμᾶς τεφρώσῃ, κἀκεῖσε τῷ ἀσβέστῳ παραπέμψῃ πυρί.","t":"To Martinianus and Maron. Even if the form of drunkenness of those who rave for wine and for money is different (the one comes from wine, the other from money), the passion is alike. For both are equally overcome by an absurd desire. For the wine-lover, the more cups he drinks, the more he longs for; and the money-lover, the more he gathers, the more he kindles the furnace of desire. In this, then, they are alike; but in another respect the love of money has the advantage. For the drunkard, even if he deserves all condemnation, still suffers something according to nature (for wine, being hot and burning and increasing the natural dryness, makes drinkers thirsty); but whence the other always longs for more, I cannot say. For when he becomes richer, then above all he is in poverty. This disease is baffling and more like a riddle. If, then, it is aggravated by treatment and becomes harsher by the medicine devised, let us stop supplying fuel to such a fire and remove what is already there, either all at once or little by little, lest, becoming unquenchable, it reduce us to ashes here and send us to the unquenchable fire there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.412 (PG 78 78:1045; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-412)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.413":{"o":"ΔΙΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἩγοῦμαι ὅτι ἕκαστος ἐξ ὧν πράττει, καὶ περὶ τῶν μελλόντων ἀποφαίνεται. Οὐδεὶς γοῦν τῶν ὀρθῶς καὶ σεμνῶς βεβιωκότων, καὶ πολιτείαν ἀρίστην ἐπιδειξαμένων, ἀπιστεῖ τῇ κρίσει. Οἱ δὲ ῥάθυμοι, τῷ πονηρῷ ἀγχόμενοι συνειδότι, οὔτε κρίσιν, οὔτε ἀντίδοσιν εἶναι ἐθέλοντες, ὃ βούλονται, καὶ δογματίζουσιν, οὐ τὴν ἀλήθειαν σκοποῦντες, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἰδίαν βούλησιν κυροῦντες Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν τὴν κρίσιν καὶ ποιητῶν καὶ ῥητόρων καὶ συγγραφέων καὶ φιλοσόφων οἱ ἐνδοξότατοι κηρύττουσιν (ἡ γὰρ μερικῶς ἐνταῦθα γινομένη, τὴν γενικὴν ἐγγυᾶται), μηδεὶς ἀκρίτως τῇ κρίσει ἀπιστείτω· ἀλλ᾽ ἀρετὴν μὲν ἀσκῶν, στεφάνους · κακίαν διαπραττόμενος, κολάσεις προσδοκάτω.","t":"To Diogenes the presbyter. I think that each person declares about the future from what he does. At any rate, none of those who have lived rightly and decently and displayed an excellent way of life disbelieves in the judgment. But the careless, choked by an evil conscience and wishing there to be neither judgment nor recompense, also teach as doctrine what they wish, not looking to the truth but ratifying their own will. Since, then, the most renowned of poets, orators, historians and philosophers proclaim the judgment (for the partial judgment that happens here guarantees the general one), let no one disbelieve in the judgment without judging; but practising virtue, let him expect crowns, and doing vice, punishments.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.413 (PG 78 78:1045; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-413)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.42":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΣοφὸν τῷ λόγῳ ἔγωγε ὁρισαίμην, τὸν σαφῶς παραστῆσαι δυνάμενον τὸ νοηθὲν, οὐ τὸν ὑπερσόφοις καὶ ὑψηλαῖς λέξεσι καὶ τὰ σαφῆ ἐπισκιάζοντα. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τὸ λεληθὸς εἰς φῶς ἄγει· ὁ δὲ καὶ τὸ πᾶσι δῆλον ἐν σκότῳ κατακρύπτει. Διὸ ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἅτετῆς τῶν ἀκροατῶν ὠφελείας ἐφιέμενος, πολυύμνητος· οὗτος δὲ ἅτε τῆς ἰδίας δόξης ὀρεγόμενος, ἀγέραστος. ΠΑΥΛΩ. Θαυμαστὸν οὐδὲν εἰ οἱ φθόνῳ πυρσευόμενοι, οὐδὲ ταῖς εὐεργεσίαις γίνονται βελτίους. Πρὸς γὰρ τὰς χάριτας μᾶλλον παροξύνονται, ἐπειδήπερ συνίσασιν ἑαυτοὺς δεηθέντας χρηστότητος.","t":"To the same. I would define as wise in speech the man who can set out his thought clearly, not the one who with oversubtle and lofty words overshadows even what is clear. The one brings what was hidden to light; the other hides even what is plain to all in darkness. So the one, since he seeks the benefit of his hearers, is much praised; the other, since he reaches for his own glory, goes without honour. [Letter 3.43] To Paul. It is no wonder that those inflamed by envy do not become better even through kindnesses. Rather they are provoked by favours, since they know that they have needed goodness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.42 (PG 78 78:759; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-42)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.44":{"o":"ΣΕΡΑΠΙΩΝΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἘπειδὴ τῶν ἀποδείξεων τῶν ἀφανῶν πραγμάτων ἀρχαὶ διτταὶ τυγχάνουσιν (ἢ γὰρ ἐξ αἰσθήσεως ἢ ἐκ νοήσεως ἐναργοῦς πᾶσα ἀπόδειξις καὶ πίστις ἄρχεται), κάμὲ ἀναγκαῖόν ἐστιν, ἢ θατέρῳ τούτων ἢ ἀμφοτέροις κεχρῆσθαι πρὸς τὸ κοιμίσαι σου τὸν θυμὸν, ἐκ μέσης καρδίας, ὡς γέγραφας, ζέοντα· οὐτῶν δὲ τῶν διὰ τοῦ λόγου κρίσεων, οὐχ ἅπασιν ὁμοίως εὐπετῶν, οὐδὲ ῥᾳδίων· ἐπειδὴ καὶ συνετὸν εἶναι χρὴ τὸν θηρᾶσαί τι τῶν ἀδήλων βουλόμενον, καὶ γεγυμνάσθαι κατὰ τὴν πρώτην ἡλικίαν ἐν τοῖς ἀκονῶσι τὸν λογισμὸν παιδεύμασιν· ἄμεινον ἀπὸ τῆς πείρας, καὶ τῶν συμβεβηκότων εἰς τὸν Δεσπότην Χριστὸν ἄρξασθαι. Τούτοις γὰρ καὶ οἱ ἀμαθεῖς καὶ οἱ λίαν συνετοὶ παρακολουθῆσαι δύνανται. Τί τοίνυν ἀγανακτεῖς ὅτι Εὐσέβιος, ὁ δοκῶν ἐπίσκοπος, ὡς γέγραφας, μεθύει κατὰ πάσης τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, καὶ τὴν παροινίαν οὐ μόνον κατὰ πάντων, ἀλλὰ κατὰ σοῦ τοῦ πολλάκις αὐτὸν εὐεργετήσαντος προφέρει; ᾿Αλλὰ μακροθύμει, ὦ φιλότης. Ἀφεὶς γὰρ ἀπὸ λογισμῶν καὶ συλλογισμῶν τοῦτ᾽ ἀποδείξαι, ἀπὸ τῶν Δεσποτικῶν παθῶν τὴν ἀπόδειξιν ποιησαiμην. Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ καὶ τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἀλιτηρίων Ἰουδαίων εἰς αὐτὸν γενόμενα, ἀφόρητα ἦν, καὶ πάσης συγγνώμης μείζονα· πλὴν δεδόσθω φορητά εἶναι. Τί ἂν φαίης καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἀλάστορος Ἰούδα, τοῦ εἰς τὸν θεῖον ἐκεῖνον καταριθμηθέντος χορὸν, καὶ εἰς τὸν περὶ τὸν βασιλέα σύλλογον, καὶ κατὰ δαιμόνων, καὶ νοσημάτων, καὶ θανάτου ἐξουσίαν εἰληφότος, καὶ λαμπροῦ οὕτω καὶ περιφανοῦς ἐξ ἀδόξου καὶ ἀφανοῦς γεγενημένου; Οὐχὶ προὔδωκε τὸν τοσούτων αὐτῷ αἴτιον γεγενημένον ἀγαθῶν; Τὸ γὰρ ἀτίθασσον ἐκεῖνο θηρίον (οὕτω γὰρ καλεῖν θέμις τοὺς μηδὲ εὐεργεσίαις ἀμείνους γινομένους) τῆς τοῦ Σωτῆρος ὑπερεμπλησθὲν ἀνεξικακίας, κατ' αὐτοῦ τὸν κόρον ἤνεγκε. Ταύταις τοιγαροῦν ταῖς ἐπῳδαῖς πραΰνειν πειρῶ καὶ τιθασσεύειν τὸ πῦρ τῆς ὀργῆς · εἴκει γὰρ τοῖς ταῦτα κατεπάδουσιν.","t":"To Serapion the bishop. Since the proofs of hidden matters have two starting points (every proof and belief begins either from sense perception or from clear understanding), I too must use one of these or both to put to sleep your anger, which, as you wrote, is boiling from the depth of your heart. But since judgments made by reasoning are not equally easy or simple for everyone (for one who wants to hunt out something unclear must be intelligent and trained from early youth in studies that sharpen the reason), it is better to begin from experience and from what happened to the Master, Christ. For both the unlearned and the very intelligent can follow these. Why, then, are you indignant that Eusebius, the supposed bishop, is, as you wrote, drunk against the whole church and directs his drunken insolence not only against everyone but even against you, who have often been his benefactor? Be patient, my friend. Setting aside proof from reasonings and syllogisms, I would make my proof from the Lord's sufferings. Indeed, what was done to him by the accursed Jews was unbearable and beyond all pardon; but let it be granted that it was bearable. What would you say of the avenging spirit Judas, who was counted in that divine company and in the circle about the King, who received authority over demons and diseases and death, and who from inglorious and obscure became so brilliant and renowned? Did he not betray the one who had been the cause of so many goods to him? For that untamed beast (for so it is right to call those who do not become better even by kindnesses), sated with the Saviour's forbearance, turned that surfeit against him. Try, then, to soothe and tame the fire of your anger with these charms; for it yields to those who sing them over it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.44 (PG 78 78:759; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-44)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.45":{"o":"ΩΡΙΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΚανόνα σε φιλίας εὐθύτατον λέγων τίς οὐκ ἂν διαμάρτοι τῆς ἀληθείας. ῾Απλοῦς γὰρ εἴ τὴν γλῶτταν, ἁπλούστερος δὲ τὴν γνώμην, ἁπλούστατος δὲ τὸν βίον. Διὰ τι ὁ νόμος τοὺς λεπρῶντας, ἢ ἑτέρους νοσήματα ἀκούσια νοσοῦντας, ἔξω εἶναι τῶν ἱερῶν περιβόλων προσέταξεν. Τὴν ἀκρασίαν τῶν γονέων κολάζων ὁ νομοθέτης, ὦ σοφώτατε (πολλοὶ γὰρ οὐκέτι καθαιρομέναις ταῖς γυναιξὶν ὁμιλοῦσιν, ἡδονῆς μόνης, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ παιδοποιίας ἕνεκεν νομίζοντες πεπλάσθαι τὴν γυναῖκα), ἱερῶν περιβόλων ἀπεῖρξε τοὺς ἐκ συνουσιῶν οὐ καθαρῶν τικτομένους, ἵν᾽ εἰ μὴ ἑκόντες, ἄκοντες γοῦν σωφρονοῖεν καὶ σεμνῶς βιοῦν ἑαυτοὺς ἀναγκάσειαν, ὡς τῆς τιμωρίας εἰς τοὺς ἐξ αὐτῶν τεχθησομένους βαδιουμένης. Τί γὰρ ἂν γένοιτο τοῖς τοκεῦσιν ἀλγεινότερον τοῦ τοὺς παῖδας, οὓς εὔχονται εὐδοκιμωτέρους καὶ λαμπροτέρους ἑαυτῶν ἰδεῖν, θεάσασθαι μήτε κοινῶν, μήτε ἱερῶν συνόδων μετέχοντας; Ταύτην μὲν οὖν ἀναγκαίαν αὐτοῖς καὶ παρὰ πόδας ἐπήγαγε τὴν δίκην, ἵνα φόβῳ τῆς τιμωρίας τὴν ἀκολασίαν κολάζωσι· τὰ γὰρ ἐξ ἀκαθάρτου αἵματος πλαττόμενα σώματα, ταῖς τοιαύταις νόσοις εὐάλωτα. Πολλοὶ δὲ καὶ ἄλλην κἀνταῦθα δεδώκασι δίκην, οἱ μὲν σαφῶς, οἱ δὲ λεληθότως, κἀκεῖ δὲ πάντως δώσουσιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν τοὺς ἐξ αὐτῶν φύντας ἀτιμάσας διὰ τὴν τῶν γονέων ἀκρασίαν, αὐτοὺς τοὺς πλημμελήσαντας ἀτιμωρήτους ἀφήσει.","t":"To Orion the monk. Who would miss the truth in calling you a most straight rule of friendship? For you are simple in tongue, simpler in purpose, simplest in life. [Letter 3.46] [Why the law ordered lepers, or others suffering involuntary diseases, to be outside the sacred precincts.] Punishing the incontinence of parents, most wise friend (for many have intercourse with their wives when they are no longer being purified, thinking that woman was formed for pleasure alone and not for the begetting of children), the lawgiver barred from the sacred precincts those born of impure intercourse, so that, if not willingly, at least unwillingly, the parents might be chaste and compel themselves to live decently, since the punishment would pass to those to be born of them. For what could be more painful to parents than to see the children whom they pray to see more esteemed and brilliant than themselves sharing neither in public nor in sacred assemblies? This penalty, then, he imposed on them as necessary and immediate, so that by fear of punishment they might punish their licentiousness; for bodies formed from impure blood are easily caught by such diseases. And many have paid another penalty even here, some openly, some secretly, and there they will certainly pay it. For he who did not spare dishonour to those born of them because of their parents' incontinence will not leave unpunished those who themselves sinned.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.45 (PG 78 78:761; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-45)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.47":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ ἀνάγκη τοῖς συνοῦσιν Εὐσεβίῳ, δυοῖν θάτερον συμπεσεῖν, ἢ μεμισῆσθαι, ἢ μετέχειν τῆς ἀκρασίας· ἐπειδὴ τοὺς μὲν σώφρονας ἀπελαύνει, τοὺς δ' εἰδότας ἀσχημονεῖν, ἀγαπᾶ· παραινέσαιμί σοι φεύγειν τὴν τῶν αὐτῶν διατριβὴν μὴ λοιμικοῦ νοσήματος παραπολαύσῃς τεκμήριον · ἀλλ᾿ ἰδιώτης μὲν ὢν, ὑψηλὸς τυγχάνοι· Οὐκ ἀποδέχομαι, ὦ μετριοφροσύνης αὐτόξεστον ἄγαλμα, τὸν ἐν μὲν τῷ ἰδιωτεύειν ταπεινὸν ἄγαν φαινόμενον, ἐν δὲ τῷ ἄρχειν μείζονα τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως φανταζόμενον· ἀγεννοῦς γὰρ καὶ ἀνάνδρου καὶ ἰδιωτικῆς τῷ ὄντι τοῦθ᾽ ἡγοῦμαι ψυχῆς εἶναι ἄρχων δ᾽ ἀποφανθεὶς, ἐπιεικὴς καὶ μέτριος, καὶ τὰ ἐφεδρεύοντα ἑκατέρῳ πράγματι νοσήματα διαφύγοι, οὗ μὲν τὴν ταπεινότητα, οὗ δὲ τὴν ὑπεροψίαν.","t":"To the same. If those who keep company with Eusebius must fall into one of two things, either being hated or sharing in his incontinence (since he drives away the chaste and loves those who know how to behave shamefully), I would advise you to flee the company of these men, lest you catch something of the pestilential disease. [Letter 3.48] I do not approve, you self-carved statue of modesty, of the man who appears very humble while a private person but, when in office, fancies himself greater than human nature. For I consider this to belong truly to an ignoble, unmanly and petty soul. Rather, while a private person, let him be lofty, and when declared a ruler, gentle and moderate, and so escape the diseases that lie in wait on each state: in the one, abjectness; in the other, arrogance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.47 (PG 78 78:763; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-47)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.49":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΩ.\nὍταν τῆς κακίας ἀπόσχοιο, τότε καὶ περὶ ἀρετῆς σκοπεῖν ἂν εἴης δίκαιος. Ἐὰν γὰρ ἐκείνην ἀποτρίψαιο, τότε καὶ περὶ τοῦ τίνα τρόπον ἀρετῆς ἀντιλάβοιο, ἐξέσται σκοπεῖν. Πρὶν δὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν καὶ τὴν κρηπίδα ὀρθῶς ὑποθέσθαι, περιττὸν ἡγοῦμαι περὶ τῆς τελευτῆς καὶ τῆς κορωνίδος διεξελθεῖν","t":"To Palladius. When you have kept away from vice, then you may rightly consider virtue. For if you rub that off, then it will be possible to consider how you may lay hold of virtue. But before the beginning and the foundation have been rightly laid, I think it superfluous to discuss the end and the finishing touch.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.49 (PG 78 78:763; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-49)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.5":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος περὶ τῆς ῾Εκκλησίας, ὅτι «Πύλαι ᾄδου.» Οὐχ ὡς μηδενὸς πολεμήσοντος, καὶ σβέσαι ἐπιχειρήσοντος, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς ἀντιστησομένων μὲν πολλῶν, ἡττηθησομένων δὲ κατὰ κράτος, εἴρηται· « Καὶ πύλαι ᾅδου οὐ κατισχύσουσιν αὐτῆς, τῆς Ἐκκλησίας δὲ δηλονότι. Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ γέγονεν. Ἐπολεμήθη μὲν γὰρ, οὐχ ἥττηθη δὲ ᾿Αλλ᾿ αὐτῶν τῶν σβέσαι ἐπιχειρησάντων λαμπροτέρα ἀπεφάνθη. Τί τοίνυν θαυμάζεις, εἰ καὶ οἱ ἅγιοι ἐνταῦθα πολεμοῦνται; Ἐκ γὰρ τῶν πολέμων λαμπρότερα φαίνεται τὰ τρόπαια, καὶ σεμνότερα τὰ σκύλα. ΗΡΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ. Ὅταν ὁ Θεὸς διαλέγηται ἢ ἐπαγγέλληται, καὶ λογισμοὶ καὶ συλλογισμοὶ, καὶ πιθανότητες ῥημάτων, ἐκποδὼν οἰχέσθωσαν. Ταῦτα γὰρ πάντα οὐδὲν, παραβαλλόμενα τῷ τοῦ λέγοντος ἀξιώματι.","t":"To the same. [On what the Saviour said about the church: \"the gates of Hades.\"] It was said, not as though no one would make war on her or try to extinguish her, but as though many would oppose her and be utterly defeated: \"And the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it,\" that is, against the church. And so it has in fact turned out. She was warred against, but not defeated; rather, she was shown more brilliant than those who tried to extinguish her. Why then are you surprised if the saints too are warred against here? For it is from wars that trophies appear more brilliant and spoils more glorious. [Letter 3.6] To Heron the scholasticus. When God speaks or promises, let reasonings and syllogisms and plausible words get out of the way. For all these are nothing when compared with the dignity of the one who speaks.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.5 (PG 78 78:729; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-5)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.50":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΟ ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΑΛΙΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ βασιλεὺς τις εἴη, καὶ περιῤῥέοντα ἔχοι τὸν πλοῦτον, καὶ εὐφροσύνης ἔμπλεως ᾖ, ἅμαχόν τε κεκτημένος τὴν δύναμιν παρὰ πάντων ἐπαινοῦτο καὶ μακαρίζοιτο, ἅτε πᾶσι τοῖς δοκοῦσιν ἀγαθοῖς κομῶν, τὸ πρὸ βραχέος, καὶ τὸ μετὰ βραχὺ ἐννοῆσαι ἂν εἴη δίκαιος, καὶ μὴ πρὸς ὕβριν ἐπαίρεσθαι. Εἰ δ' οὐ δυνατὸν ταῦτα πάντα συνελθεῖν· οὐ γὰρ τῷ πλούτῳ πάντως καὶ εὐφροσύνη πρόσεστι, πολέμων ἔσθ' ὅτε λυμαινομένων τῇ ἀνέσει, οὐδ᾽ εἰ θυμηδία καὶ πλοῦτος συνδράμοιεν, ἀσφάλεια προσέσται, τῶν ἐν τέλει τινὸς τυραννίδα μελετῶντος. Ὡς τὰ πολλὰ γὰρ ἡ ἔνδοθεν φύονται ἐπιβουλαὶ, ἢ ἔξωθεν ἀναῤῥιπίζονται πόλεμοι· δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν ἀφ᾿ ἑνὸς τῶν δοκούντων ἀγαθῶν εἰς ὑπεροψίαν χωροῦμεν, καὶ κατὰ πάντων φρονοῦμεν ; Τό· « Πῶς ἄσομεν τὴν ᾠδὴν Κυρίου ἐπὶ γῆς ἀλλοτρίας; » διττήν μοι δοκεῖ ἔχειν τὴν ἑρμηνείαν. Μάλιστα μὲν ἐπειδὴ μὴ ἐξῆν ἔξω τῆς Ἱερουσαλήμ, μήτε Πάσχα ποιεῖν, μήτε τὰς ἄλλας ἑορτὰς· διὸ καὶ ἐνεκαλοῦντό τινες, ὡς ἀναγνόντες ἔξω νόμου ἔπειτα δὲ ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἔσβεστο αὐτῶν ἡ παῤῥησία ἀπὸ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας, ἔφασκον · Πῶς δυνάμεθα τὰ ἐπὶ τῆς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ τῆς ἐρήμου, καὶ τῆς Παλαιστίνης γεγενημένα θαυμάσια, τά τε κατ' Αἰθιόπων, καὶ κατὰ τοῦ ᾿Ασσυρίου, ὅτε καὶ ἑκατὸν ὀγδοηκονταπέντε χιλιάδες ἄνευ πολέμου καὶ μάχης ἀνῃρέθησαν, διηγήσασθαι, ἀπιστούμενοι δι᾽ ὧν νῦν ἁλόντες ἐν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ διατρίβομεν; Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὰ πράγματα ἀφήρητο τῶν λόγων τὴν παῤῥησίαν, ὠνειδίζοντο γὰρ ὡς μάτην αὐχοῦντες τὰς εὐεργεσίας, ἔργοις δ' ἐλεγχόμενοι, μονονουχὶ ἔλεγον, ὅπερ καὶ οἱ παῖδες οἱ τρεῖς ἐν τῇ καμίνῳ • Οὐκ ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἀνοῖξαι στόμα. Τουτἐστιν, Οὐ δυνάμεθα παῤῥησιάσασθαι ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀρχαίοις σεμνολογήμασιν, αἰσχύνη καὶ ὄνειδος ἐγενήθη τοῖς δοῦλοίς σου. Ἡ γὰρ συμφορὰ ἔσβεσε τὴν παῤῥησίαν. Διὸ καὶ ὀνειδιζόμενοι, ἄφωνοι διαμένομεν. Οὐ γὰρ πιστευθησόμεθα ᾄδοντες μὲν τὰ τρόπαια, τεταπεινωμένοι δὲ καὶ δουλεύοντες.","t":"To Theodore the Augustalis. Even if someone were a king, had wealth flowing round him, were full of good cheer, possessed invincible power, and were praised and called blessed by all, as one abounding in all that seems good, he ought to consider what was a little before and what will be a little after, and not be lifted up to insolence. But if all these cannot come together (for good cheer does not always go with wealth, since wars sometimes spoil one's ease; nor, even if delight and wealth concur, will security be added, when one of those in office is plotting tyranny; for mostly either plots grow up within or wars are fanned from without), for what reason do we proceed to arrogance on the strength of one of the apparent goods and think ourselves above everyone? [Letter 3.51] The verse \"How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a foreign land?\" seems to me to have a twofold interpretation. First, because it was not permitted to keep the Passover or the other feasts outside Jerusalem; which is why some were accused of having celebrated them outside the law. Next, because their freedom of speech had been quenched by the captivity, they said: \"How can we recount the wonders done in Egypt, in the desert and in Palestine, those against the Ethiopians and against the Assyrian, when a hundred and eighty-five thousand were destroyed without war or battle, when we are disbelieved because of the captivity in which we now live as prisoners?\" For since events had taken away the boldness of their words (for they were reproached as boasting in vain of God's benefits, being refuted by the facts), they all but said what the three young men in the furnace said: \"We cannot open our mouth\"; that is, we cannot speak boldly of our ancient glories; \"shame and reproach have come upon your servants.\" For the disaster quenched our boldness. So when we are reproached we remain speechless. For we shall not be believed if we sing of trophies while we are humbled and in slavery.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.50 (PG 78 78:763; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-50)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.52":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΗ.\nΜὴ, ἐπειδὴ κατὰ ῥοῦν σοι φέρεται τὰ πράγματα, εἰς ὑπερηφανίαν χωρήσῃς, ὡς οὐδὲν πεισόμενος δεινὸν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐννοῶν ὅτι φιλεῖ εἰς τουναντίον τὰ πράγματα μεταχωρεῖν, μέτριον ἔχε τὸ φρόνημα· καὶ μὴ ἔξω τῶν τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ὅρων χώρει. Δίκη γὰρ ἐφορᾷ τὰ δρώμενα, ἥτις τοὺς κρείττονας κολάσεως ἔσεσθαι ἡγησαμένους, δι᾽ ὧν ἐνόμισαν διαφεύγειν, διὰ τούτων εἰς τιμωρίαν ὑπηγάγετο.","t":"To Isaiah the soldier. Do not, because your affairs are going with the current, proceed to arrogance as though you will suffer nothing terrible; but considering that affairs tend to change into their opposite, keep your pride in measure, and do not go beyond the bounds of humanity. For Justice watches what is done, and those who thought they would be above punishment she has brought to punishment through the very means by which they thought to escape.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.52 (PG 78 78:765; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-52)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.53":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠρὸς Ἐφεσίους· Τί ἐστι τὸ εἰρημένον· «Τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασι καταργήσας. » Πολλὴ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου πρὸς τὸν νόμον ἡ ὑπεροχή. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ νόμος εἰς τοὺς ὁμοφύλους μόνους συγκλείει τὴν φιλανθρωπίαν · τὸ δ᾽ Εὐαγγέλιον καὶ εἰς τοὺς ἀλλοφύλους ἐπεκτείνει. Καὶ ὁ μὲν τοὺς φίλους ἀγαπᾶν παρακελεύεται· τὸ δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἀγαπᾶν προτρέπει. Ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ ὡς παιδίοις νομοθετεῖ, τοῦτο δὲ ὡς φιλοσόφοις δόγματα ὑπερφυῆ ὑποτίθεται. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ὁ ἡθέλησας μαθεῖν, « Τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασι καταργήσας. » Κατήργησεν, οὐκ ἀνατρέψας, ἀλλὰ τῇ μείζονι φιλοσοφίᾳ ἐμπεριειληφώς. Τῷ γὰρ μὴ ἰδεῖν ἀκολάστως, καὶ τὸ μὴ μοιχεύειν μάλιστα ἐμπεριέχεται · καὶ τῷ μὴ ὀργισθῆναι, καὶ τὸ μὴ φονεύειν ἐμπεριλαμβάνεται,","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. [To the Ephesians: what is meant by \"having abolished the law of commandments in decrees.\"] The superiority of the Gospel to the law is great. For the law confines love of humankind to fellow tribesmen alone, but the Gospel extends it to foreigners also. The one commands to love friends; the other urges to love even enemies. The former legislates as for children; the latter sets out sublime decrees as for philosophers. And this is what you wished to learn: \"having abolished the law of commandments in decrees.\" He abolished it not by overturning it, but by including it in a greater philosophy. For in not looking licentiously, not committing adultery is above all included; and in not being angry, not murdering is included.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.53 (PG 78 78:765; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-53)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.54":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ οὐδὲ εἰς γῆρας βαθὺ ἐληλακὼς, παλινῳδίαν ᾄδεις, πότε μετανοήσεις; Αἰδέσθητι κἂν τοὔνομα παρὰ τοῦ γήρως, ὅπερ εἴρηται παρὰ τὸ γῆς ἐρᾶν, Ὡς τοίνυν τοῦ σώματος μὲν εἰς γῆν λοιπὸν ἀναλυθησομένου, τῆς δὲ ψυχῆς ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει μετὰ αὐτοῦ πικροτάτας ὑποστησομένης τιμωρίας (διψᾷ γὰρ ἡ δίκη τὰς κατὰ τῶν καταφρονησάντων αὐτῆς κολάσεις), γνωσιμάχησον. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ καιρὸν οὐκ ἔχεις ἀυτάρκη τὰ τοσαῦτα θεραπεῦσαι τραύματα, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε οὐ μικράν σοι τοῦτο προξενήσει ἐν τοῖς δεινοῖς ἐκείνοις παραμυθίαν. Οἶμαι μέν σε μὴ ἠπατῆσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ οἴκοθεν σοφίσασθαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν βεβουλῆσθαι. Εἰ δ' ὄντως ἀπατηθεὶς διήμαρτες τῆς ἀληθείας, μαθὼν παλινῳδίαν. ᾄσον. Ὁ γὰρ ἀδελφὸς ὁ σὸς αἰτίαν εὔλογον εἰπὼν, – ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πρόφασιν σκηψάμενος ἐγνωσιμάχησε..","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. If you do not sing a recantation even now that you have come to deep old age, when will you repent? Respect at least the name of old age (geras), which is said to come from \"loving the earth\" (ges eran). Since, then, your body will soon be dissolved into earth, and your soul at the resurrection will undergo with it the bitterest punishments (for Justice thirsts for the punishment of those who have despised her), acknowledge defeat. For even if you do not have time enough to heal so many wounds, still this will procure you no small comfort amid those terrors. [Letter 3.55] I think that you were not deceived, but that you wished of your own accord to play the sophist with the truth. But if you were really deceived and missed the truth, now that you have learned, sing a recantation. For your brother, giving a reasonable cause and not alleging a pretext, acknowledged defeat.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.54 (PG 78 78:767; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-54)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.56":{"o":"ΤΟΥ ΔΩΡΟΘΕΟΥ ΠΑΙΣΙΝ.\nΕἰ καὶ ὥρμησεν ἐφ᾽ ὑμᾶς ὁ διάδικος, ὡς αἱρήσων ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς καὶ παραστησόμενος· ἀλοὺς δὲ, τῆς μὲν νίκης διήμαρτεν, ἱκέτου δὲ σχῆμα ἀνείληφεν · ἀλλ᾽ ὑμεῖς αἰδέσθητε τὸν ἐπὶ τῶν ἱκετῶν νόμον, ἵνα καὶ βεβαιωτέρα ὑμῖν ἡ νίκη, καὶ τὸ κλέος ἀοίδιμον γένηται.","t":"To the children of Dorotheus. Even if your opponent at law rushed upon you, meaning to take you by assault and subdue you, but was caught, missed the victory, and has taken on the posture of a suppliant, you should respect the law concerning suppliants, so that your victory may be more secure and your fame celebrated.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.56 (PG 78 78:767; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-56)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.57":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nκειμένῳ συμβαλλομένων παραίτησις. Ωσπερ γὰρ τὰ Συντομία ἀληθής μετὰ σαφηνείας, οὐχ ἡ τῶν ἀποδείξεων παράλειψις, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ τῶν μηδὲν τῷ προἔξωθεν ὑποθέσεως παρέλκον τιθέναι · οὕτως ἀναγκαῖον μηδὲν τῶν πρὸς σύστασιν παραλιμπάνειν. Μὴ τοίνυν μηδ᾽ αὐτὸς, εἰ ἀγωνιστικὸς καὶ ἀποδεικτικὸς ἐμπέσοι λόγος, αἰτιῶ τὸ μῆκος, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνο σκόπει, ὅτι σαφηνίσαι ἄλλως οὐχ οἷόν τε ἦν τὸ ζητούμενον, εἰ μὴ πολλῇ περιδρομῇ ἐχρήσατο. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἀποφήνασθαι προκέοιτο, σύντομος ἔστω ὁ λόγος · εἰ δὲ ἀποδεῖξαι, ἀνάγκη καὶ εἰς μῆκος μὲν ἐκταθῆναι, πᾶσαν δὲ περιττότητα, καὶ ταυτολογίαν διαφυγεῖν.","t":"To Isidore the scholasticus. True brevity with clarity is not the omission of proofs, but the refusal of whatever contributes nothing to the subject in hand. For just as one should not put in what is outside the subject as superfluous, so it is necessary to omit nothing that serves to establish it. Do not, then, if a contentious and demonstrative argument comes your way, blame its length; but consider this, that it was not possible to make the question clear otherwise than by using a long circuit. If the task is to declare, let the speech be brief; if to prove, it must be extended in length, but must avoid all excess and repetition.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.57 (PG 78 78:767; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-57)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.58":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠρὸς ᾿Εβραίους. Ερμηνεία εἰς τὸ · - \"Ος ῶν ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης καὶ χαρακτὴρ τῆς ὑποστάσεως. ) Εἰ μὲν τοῖς ἀνθρωπίνοις πάθεσιν, ὅπερ οὐδ᾽ εἰπεῖν θέμις, κατὰ πάντα ἔψοιτο ὁ τὴν θείαν γέννησιν ὑπογράφων, ἀκοῦσαι ἂν εἴη δίκαιος, ὅτι εἴ σοι πάθος πλάττεται περὶ τὸν τόκον, κἀμοὶ περὶ τὴν κτίσιν. Οὐ γὰρ τὸ κτιζόμενον, εἰ τῇ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀκολουθήσαιμι ἀσθενείᾳ, ἀπαθῶς οἶδα κτιζόμενον. Εἰ δὲ θεοπρεπέστερον τὰ μὲν πρέποντα καταδέξοιτο, τὰ δὲ ἀπηχῆ παριππεύσειεν, ἐννοῆσαι ὀφείλει, ὅτι ἐπειδὴ ὁ θνητὸς ἐμπαθῶς γεννᾷ, ὁ ἀθάνατος ἀπαθῶς· ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ κτίζων ὁ μὲν μετὰ πόνου, ὁ δὲ ἀμογητὶ κτίζει. Ταῦτα γὰρ ἐννοήσας καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος, καὶ ὥσπερ ἔνθους γενόμενος, πάντα τὰ γήϊνα παραδείγματα ὑπερνηξάμενος, ἀπαύγασμα τῆς δόξης, καὶ χαρακτῆρα τῆς ὑποστάσεως τῆς πατρικῆς, τὸν Υἱὸν εἶναι ὡρίσατο· διὰ μὲν τοῦ πρώτου τὸ συναίδιον, διὰ δὲ τοῦ δευτέρου παραδείγματος, τὸ ἐνυπόστατον μηνύων.","t":"To Apollonius the bishop. [To the Hebrews: an interpretation of \"who, being the radiance of his glory and the imprint of his hypostasis.\"] If the one who describes the divine generation were to follow human passions in everything (which it is not even right to say), he would deserve to hear: \"If you imagine passion in the begetting, I may do so in the creating. For if I follow human weakness, I do not know of anything being created without passion.\" But if, in a manner more worthy of God, he accepts what is fitting and rides past what is discordant, he ought to understand that, since the mortal begets with passion, the immortal begets without passion, just as in creating, the one creates with toil and the other without labour. The divine Paul, understanding this and as if inspired, swimming above all earthly examples, defined the Son as \"the radiance of the glory\" and \"the imprint of the hypostasis\" of the Father, showing by the first example that he is co-eternal and by the second that he subsists in himself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.58 (PG 78 78:769; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-58)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.59":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠοίοις ὀφθαλμοῖς εἰς τοὺς φίλους ἔτι τοὺς σαυτοῦ, εἴ γ᾽ ἔχεις φίλους, βλέψεις, ἀνθρώπῳ εὐεργέτῃ καὶ φίλῳ ἐπιβουλεύσας; Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἀδεέστερον ὡς ἐπυθόμην, συνῆν, ἀναμφισβήτητον ἐνέχυρον οἰόμενος ἔχειν τοῦ μηδὲν ἂν ἐξ ἐπιβουλῆς παθεῖν, τὸ τῆς εὐνοίας καὶ τὸ τῆς εὐεργεσίας μέγεθος. Σὺ δὲ καὶ αὐτοὺς τοὺς θῆρας τῇ ἀγριότητι, καὶ τῇ ὠμότητι νενίκηκας· εἰσὶ γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς οἱ καὶ τοῖς εὐεργέταις χάριν ἴσασι καὶ ἐναβρύνῃ τῷ κακῷ. Πότε οὖν στήσῃ λοιπὸν καταποντίζων τὴν σαυτοῦ ψυχὴν, τοῦ φέρεσθαι κάτω διηνεκῶς ἀνάγκην αὐτῇ ἐπιτιθείς;","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. With what eyes will you still look at your friends, if indeed you have friends, after plotting against a man who was your benefactor and friend? He, as I learned, kept company with you without fear, thinking he had an indisputable pledge against suffering anything from a plot in the greatness of his goodwill and his kindness. But you have surpassed the very beasts in savagery and cruelty (for there are some among them that know gratitude to their benefactors), and you even pride yourself on the evil. When, then, will you stop sinking your own soul, laying on it the necessity of being borne continually downward?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.59 (PG 78 78:769; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-59)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.60":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὉ τὴν εὐκαιρίαν τῶν πραγμάτων προδιδοὺς, τῆς τῶν καλῶν ἐκπεσεῖται θήρας. Τίς γὰρ γεωργὸν ἀποδέξοιτο, παρὸν ἀφοῦν καὶ σπείρειν, ἵν' εὖσταχυ έχῃ τὸ λήῖον, ἀργοῦντα καὶ θυραυλοῦντα ; τίς δ᾽ ἀμπελουργὸν, ἐξὸν θεραπεύειν τὴν ἄμπελον, ἵν᾿ εὐστάφυλον αὐτὴν ἔχοι, καὶ τὴν ληνὸν μεθύουσαν, τοῖς ἑτέρων ἐφεδρεύοντα πόνοις; Τίς δὲ πλωτῆρα, δέον εὐκαίρως πλεῖν, ἵνα τὴν ἐμπορίαν αὐξήσῃ, ἐν λιμέσι μένοντα, καὶ ἐν καπηλείοις καλινδούμενον : Οὐδεὶς δή που. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, τίς ἀποδέξοιτο Χριστιανὸν, ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῶν ἀγώνων τοὺς στεφάνους ἐπιζητοῦντα; Τὰ μὲν γὰρ τῇδε ἀγώνων ἐστὶ καὶ στεφάνων ὑπόθεσις· τὰ δὲ ἐκεῖ, γερῶν καὶ τιμῶν. Μὴ τοίνυν τὴν εὐκαιρίαν τῶν πραγμάτων προδῶμεν, ἵνα μὴ ἐκεῖ ἀνόνητα μεταμεληθῶμεν. ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΕΥ","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. The one who throws away the right moment for action will fall short in the hunt for good things. For who would approve of a farmer who, when he could plough and sow so as to have a field of fine ears, is idle and lounges out of doors? Who would approve of a vine-dresser who, when he could tend the vine so as to have it rich in clusters and the wine-press drunk, waits to live on the labours of others? Who would approve of a sailor who, when he should sail in season to increase his trade, stays in harbour and wallows in taverns? No one, surely. If, then, this is so, who would approve of a Christian seeking crowns in the season of contests? For the things here are the occasion for contests and crowns, the things there for rewards and honours. Let us not, then, betray the right moment, lest there we repent to no purpose.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.60 (PG 78 78:769; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-60)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.61":{"o":"ΣΤΑΘΙΩ.\nΠολλοὶ τῶν παρ' \"Ελλησι δόξης μόνης ἀντιποιησαμένων, μηδὲν ἴσως προσδοκήσαντες μετὰ τὴν ἐνθένδε ἀποδημίαν· μᾶλλον δὲ καταγνόντες τῆς κακίας, καὶ τὸ μηδὲν εἶναι νομίσαντες τὰ βιωτικὰ πράγματα, ἀρετὴν ἀσκήσαντες, ἀοίδιμοι γεγόνασι, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἁπάντων περιφέρονται στόμασιν. Ὑμεῖς δὲ δι' ἣν αἰτίαν οὔτε δόξης ἕνεκεν, οὔτε κρίσεως, οὔτε ὑπολήψεως, οὔτ᾽ ἀμοιβῆς, οὔτ᾽ ἄλλου οὐδενὸς, τῶν τοὺς σφόδρα ἀναλγήτως διακειμένους εἰς τὸ ποιῆσαί τι χρηστὸν ἐκβιαζομένων, προτρέπεσθε ἀποστῆναι τῆς κακίας, λίαν τεθαύμακα.","t":"To Maron, Palladius, Zosimus and Eustathius. Many among the Greeks who laid claim to glory alone, perhaps expecting nothing after their departure from here, or rather condemning vice and thinking the affairs of this life nothing, practised virtue, became renowned, and are in everyone's mouth. But I am greatly astonished why you are moved to depart from vice neither for the sake of glory, nor of judgment, nor of reputation, nor of reward, nor of any other of the things that compel even the utterly callous to do some good.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.61 (PG 78 78:771; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-61)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.62":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\n῎Αδω τὴν καλουμένην παλινωδίαν. Ημαρτον γὰρ σκοποῦ, ἢ, τόγε ἀληθέστερον εἰπεῖν, γνώμης, μὴ εὐρών σε τοιοῦτον οἷον νομίζων ἐγκωμιάζειν ἐπεχείρουν. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐκ ἐμὸν, ἀλλὰ τῆς σῆς μεταβολῆς τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω νευσάσης ἐστὶν ἔγκλημα. Ἐγὼ μὲν γὰρ, ἐπειδήπερ καὶ πιστεύω τοῖς ἐγκωμιάζουσι, καὶ τοὺς ἐπαινουμένους συγκροτῶ (ἔχω γάρ τινα ῥοπὴν πρὸς τὸ καλόν), πεπίστευκα τοῖς σε ἐπαινέσασι. Βούλομαι γὰρ πάντας εὐδοκίμους εἶναι· αὐτὸς δὲ μεταβληθεὶς σαυτὸν, οὐκ ἐμὲ ἥλεγξας. Ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὲν ἀπεγίνωσκον, οὐκ ἂν ταῦτ᾽ ἔγραφον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀρίστην μεταβολὴν προσδοκῶ, καὶ γράφω, καὶ προτρέπω, ὥστε εἰς τὴν ἀρχαίαν ἀρετὴν σαυτὸν ἐπαναγαγεῖν.","t":"To Athanasius the presbyter. I sing what is called a recantation. For I missed the mark, or, to put it more truly, my judgment, not finding you such as I tried to praise you for being. But this is not my fault; the charge belongs to your change, which has inclined to the worse. For since I both believe those who praise and applaud those who are praised (for I have a certain leaning toward the good), I believed those who praised you. For I wish everyone to be esteemed. But you, by changing, have refuted yourself, not me. Yet if I despaired, I would not be writing this. But since I expect an excellent change, I both write and urge you to bring yourself back to your former virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.62 (PG 78 78:771; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-62)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.63":{"o":"ΘΕΟΠΟΜΠΩ.\nΠερὶ ᾿Αρειανῶν καὶ Εὐνομιανῶν. Οὐδὲν οὕτω τῆς θείας φύσεως ἴδιον, ὡς τὸ ἀΐδιον. Ὁ τοίνυν μεταγενέστερον τὸν Υἱὸν λέγων τοῦ Πατρὸς, ἐξ οὗ ἀνάρχως ἐξέλαμψεν, οὗτος αὐτὸ τὸ χαρακτηρίζον τὴν ἀκήρατον οὐσίαν, τό γε αὐτοῦ μέρος, ἀναιρεῖ. Καὶ ἀριθμοῦ γὰρ καὶ χρόνου ἐστὶν ἀνωτέρα· καὶ τοῦ πρὸ καὶ μετὰ οὐκ ἀνέχεται, οὐδὲ τὸ πρῶτον καὶ δεύτερον προσίεται· ἀπρόσιτος γάρ ἐστιν ὥσπερ τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασι, καὶ τούτοις τοῖς ὀνόμασι, δι᾽ ὧν τὰ κτίσματα χαρακτηρίζεται.","t":"To Theopompus. [On the Arians and Eunomians.] Nothing is so proper to the divine nature as eternity. The one, then, who says that the Son is later than the Father, from whom he shone forth without beginning, does away, as far as in him lies, with the very thing that characterizes the pure essence. For it is above both number and time; it does not admit \"before\" and \"after,\" nor does it accept \"first\" and \"second\"; for it is inaccessible to these names, by which created things are characterized, as to all others.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.63 (PG 78 78:771; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-63)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.64":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΟ.\nἘπυθόμην ὡς σὺ μὲν σοφῶς ποιῶν, ἑκὼν δέδωκας τοῦ λαθεῖν ἐξουσίαν. Ὁ δὲ βέλτιστος Χαιρήμων ὑπὸ Αμμωνίου μὲν καθαιρεθείς, παρὰ δὲ Εὐσεβίου οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως χειροτονηθεὶς, δόξας μὴ πεφωρᾶσθαι οὐκ ἠρυθρίασεν· ἀλλὰ καὶ φλυαρίαις τὴν σὴν ἡμείψατο · φιλοσοφίαν. Μὴ τοίνυν δυσχεράνῃς, εἰ ἄνθρωπος μήτ' ἀρετῆς φροντίζων, μήτε φόβον θεῖον ἐν στέρνοις ἔχων, κατὰ τῆς σῆς ἐπιεικείας ὥπλισε τὴν γλώτταν, ἀλλὰ προσδόκα καὶ ὑπὲρ τούτου στέφανον.","t":"To Paul. I have learned that you, acting wisely, willingly gave him the chance to remain unnoticed. But the excellent Chaeremon, deposed by Ammonius and somehow ordained by Eusebius, thinking he had not been found out, did not blush, but even repaid your philosophy with nonsense. Do not, then, be vexed if a man who cares neither for virtue nor has the fear of God in his breast has armed his tongue against your gentleness; rather expect a crown for this too.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.64 (PG 78 78:773; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-64)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.65":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἩ ἀλήθεια πάσας τὰς τέχνας καὶ τὰς ἐπιστήμας κοσμεῖ· εἰ δ᾽ αὐτὴ ἀπείη, οὐδεμίαν ἔχουσι κοσμιότητος ὥραν. Φιλοσοφία μὲν γὰρ ἡ παρ' Ἕλλησι τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐπαγγελλομένη ζητεῖν, ταύτης ἐκπέπτωκε. Ῥητορικὴ δὲ δεινότητος καὶ ἁβρότητος μόνον φροντίζει. Γραμματικὴ δὲ τὴν τῶν λόγων ἐμπειρίαν διδάσκειν αὐχεῖ. Εἰ μὲν οὖν αὗται τῇ ἀληθείᾳ καλλωπίζονται, ποθειναὶ ὀφείλουσιν εἶναι τοῖς ἐχέφροσιν. Εἰ δὲ κατ᾿ αὐτῆς ὁπλίζοιντο, ἀτιμάζεσθαί εἰσι δίκαιαι.","t":"To Nilus the deacon. Truth adorns all arts and sciences; if it is absent, they have no grace of order. For the philosophy of the Greeks, which professes to seek the truth, has fallen away from it. Rhetoric cares only for skill and elegance. Grammar boasts that it teaches experience of words. If, then, these are adorned with the truth, they ought to be desired by the sensible; but if they are armed against it, they deserve to be dishonoured.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.65 (PG 78 78:773; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-65)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.66":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠῶς νοητέον· « Εἱ ὀφθαλμός σου ἢ χείρ σου σκανδαλίζει σε. › Οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλογος ὁ εὐαγγελικὸς χρησμὸς, ἀλλὰ νοῦ καὶ λογισμοῦ μεστός· μεγάλου γὰρ καὶ δοκοῦντος καὶ ὄντος τοῦ κρατεῖν ἐπιθυμίας, μεῖζόν ἐστι τὸ προνοεῖν ὅπως μὴ ἁλοίη [τις] τῇ νόσῳ. Τοῦτο γοῦν αὐτὸ κατασκευάζων ὁ Χριστὸς ἔφη · · Πᾶς ὁ βλέπων γυναῖκα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι, ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἑαυτοῦ· · οὐ τὸν ἐκ παρόδου καὶ ἐξαίφνης ἑωρακότα, καὶ τρωθέντα, καὶ ἐξελκύσαντα τὸ βέλος, καὶ τὸ τραῦμα θεραπεύσαντα, μοιχὸν ἀποφαίνων · οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, Ὁ θεασάμενος, ἀλλ᾽, Ὁ θεώμενος, › ὁ ἐκ προενθυμήσεως τὸ πάθος ἐπισπασάμενος, καὶ παρ' ἑαυτῷ τρέφων καὶ συνεχῶς φοιτῶν πρὸς τὴν θεαθεῖσαν, καὶ περιεργαζόμενος κάλλος ἀλλότριον, καὶ διὰ τῆς συνεχοῦς θέας τρόπον τινὰ τῆς ἡδονῆς ἀπολαύων. Σὺ μὲν οὖν ἀσφαλῶς τὰ κατὰ σαυτοῦ οἰκονομῶν εἰκότως φρίττεις τὸν χρησμὸν, καὶ ἑρμηνευθῆναί σοι παρακαλεῖς, καὶ ἀπιστεῖς τοῖς εἰς τοσοῦτον ἥκουσιν ἀναισθησίας, ὡς λέγειν ὅτι οὐδὲν ἡ θέα βλάπτει τὸν ὁρῶντα. Ἐγὼ δὲ σε μὲν ἀποδέχομαι φροντίζοντα τῆς οἰκείας σωτηρίας. Περὶ δὲ ἐκείνων φημὶ, ὅτι κρείττων ἀσφάλεια φιλοτιμίας ἐπισφαλοῦς Καὶ τὸ τοὺς θείους χρησμοὺς τῶν οἰκείων λογισμῶν προτιμοτέρους ἄγειν, καὶ εὐαγὲς, καὶ δικαιότατον Εἰ δε τις οὐ πείθεται, ἀκουέτω κἂν τοῦ παροιμιαστοῦ πρὸ τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ χρησμοῦ εἰρηκότος· « Μὴ ἐπιστήσῃς τὸ σὸν ὄμμα πρὸς αὐτὴν, ἀλλὰ ἀποπήδησον, μὴ ἐγχρονίσῃς ἐν τῷ τόπῳ· · καὶ τοῦ παναρέτου συγγραφέως ποτὲ μὲν λέγοντος· « Ἐν κάλλει γυναικὸς πολλοὶ ἐπλανήθησαν» ποτὲ δέ· «Μὴκαταμάνθανε κάλλος ἀλλότριον. • Οὐκ εἶπε, Μὴ ἴδῃς (συμβαίνει γὰρ ἀπὸ ταὐτομάτου γίνεσθαι τοῦτο), ἀλλὰ, Μὴ καταμάνθανε, τὴν ἐκ μελέτης κατανόησιν, τὴν περίεργον ὄψιν, τὴν μετ᾿ ἐπιθυμίας θεωρίαν ἀναιρῶν. « Φιλία γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐκ τούτου ὡς πῦρ ἀνακαίεται· · τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, ἔρως αἰσχρὸς ἐκ τούτου τίκτεται. Καὶ τοῖς ἔξωθεν δὲ ἀνθρώποις, μὴ πάνυ ταύτης τῆς ἀκριβείας πεφροντικόσι, τοῦτο καὶ εἰκὸς καὶ ἀληθὲς ἔδοξεν εἶναι Καὶ Σωκράτης δὲ, λέξω γὰρ καὶ τὰ ἐκείνων, ἐπειδὴ πρὸς σωφροσύνην ἀλείφει, ἰδών τινα φιλήσαντα νέον εὔμορφον· « Οὗτος, ἔφη, ῥᾳδίως ἂν καὶ εἰς μαχαίρας κυβιστήσειεν, καὶ εἰς πῦρ ἁλοίη, ὁ τοσαύτην δηλονότι τολμήσας ἐν ἑαυτῷ ἀνάψαι διὰ τοῦ φιλήματος τὴν πυράν.» Διογένης δ᾽ ἰδὼν μειράκιον ἀσελγέστερον ἢ κατ᾿ ἄνδρα κεκοσμημένον, ἔφη· • Εἰ μὲν πρὸς ἄνδρας, ἀτυχεῖς· εἰ δὲ πρὸς γυναῖκας, ἀδικεῖς. » Θηρῶσι γὰρ διὰ τοῦ καλλωπισμοῦ οἱ μὲν ἄνδρες τὰς γυναῖκας· αἱ δὲ γυναῖκες, καὶ οἱ ἀνδρόγυνοι, τοὺς ἄνδρας. ᾿Αγησίλαος δὲ παῖδα εὔμορφον, οὗ ἤρα, βουλόμενον αὐτὸν φιλῆσαι διεκώλυεν. ᾿Αλέξανδρος δὲ οὐδὲ ἰδεῖν τὴν Δαρείου ὑπέμεινεν· αἰσχρὸν νομίσας τοὺς ἄνδρας ἑλόντα γυναικὶ ἡττηθῆναι. Εἰ δὲ μὴ μόνον Ἑλληνικοῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ Βαρβαρικοῖς χρὴ παραδείγμασι χρήσασθαι, οὐδὲ τοῦτο ποιῆσαι παραιτήσομαι. Κῦρος γοῦν ὁ Περσῶν βασιλεὺς οὐδὲ ἰδεῖν τὴν Πάνθειαν ἀφορισθεῖσαν αὐτῷ, καὶ ἀμήχανόν τι κάλλος ἔχειν μαρτυρουμένην, ἐτόλμησεν · ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ ὁρῶντι συνεχῶς καὶ μηδὲν λέγοντι πάσχειν δεινὸν, παρήνει μὴ συνεχῶς εἰς αὐτὴν ὁρᾷν. « Τὸ μὲν γὰρ πῦρ, φησὶ, τοὺς ἐγγὺς ὄντας κατακαίει· τὸ δὲ κάλλος, καὶ τοὺς πόῤῥω ἑστῶτας. Καὶ οὐκ ἐψεύσατο. Ἑάλω γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ὁ κρείττων εἶναι φήσας τῆς ἡδονῆς. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ πείθειν οὐκ ἠδύνατο (σώφρων γὰρ ἦν ἐκείνη)· βίαν αὐτῇ ἐπάξειν ἠπείλησεν, ἕως ἐκείνη τῷ Κύρῳ ἐμήνυσεν. Ὅστις συγγνοὺς ὅτι ἀμάχῳ θηρίῳ συγκαθειργμένος, ἔπαθεν ὅπερ ἔπαθεν, ἐδήλωσε τῷ μηδὲν ἐκ τῆς θέας βλάπτεσθαι ἀλαζονευομένῳ· « Εἰ μὲν πείθεις τὴν γυναῖκα, καὶ δὴ· εἰ δὲ βιάζῃ, οὐ συγχωρῶ. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ ὁ εὐαγγελικὸς χρησμὸς καὶ ὁ τῶν Παροιμιῶν συγγραφεύς, ὁ τὴν Σοφίαν συντάξας, καὶ τὰ Ἑλληνικὰ καὶ Περσικά παραδείγματα εἰς τοῦτο συμβαίνουσι, φυλακτέον παντὶ σθένει, καὶ χαλινωτέον τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς, καὶ ἐφεκτέον τῆς περιέργου, καὶ ἀκολάστου θέας, ὡς τῶν καιρίων καθαπτομένης. Μεγίστη γὰρ ἐκ ταύτης εἰς τὴν ψυχὴν εἰσρεῖ κακία· τὰ γὰρ καίρια αὐτῆς προκατασχοῦσα, καὶ τὸν λογισμὸν ἐξελάσασα, ὅλην αὐτὴν τοῦ πάθους εἶναι ποιεῖ.","t":"To the same. [How \"If your eye or your hand causes you to stumble\" is to be understood.] The Gospel oracle is not unreasonable but full of mind and reasoning. For while mastering desire is great, and both seems and is so, it is greater to take forethought that one may not be caught by the disease. To establish this very point Christ said, \"Everyone who looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart,\" not declaring an adulterer the man who saw in passing and suddenly, was wounded, drew out the arrow and treated the wound. For he did not say, \"the one who saw,\" but \"the one who looks\": the one who has drawn the passion to himself by premeditation, nurses it in himself, continually visits the woman he saw, busies himself with another's beauty, and through continual gazing in a way enjoys the pleasure. You, then, managing your own affairs securely, rightly shudder at the oracle and ask that it be explained to you, and you disbelieve those who have come to such insensibility as to say that looking does the onlooker no harm. I approve of you for caring for your own salvation. Of them I say that safety is better than dangerous ambition, and that to rank the divine oracles above one's own reasonings is both pious and most just. And if anyone is not persuaded, let him listen at least to the writer of proverbs, who said before the Gospel oracle: \"Do not fix your eye on her, but leap away, do not linger in the place\"; and to the all-virtuous writer, who says at one point, \"By the beauty of a woman many have been led astray,\" and at another, \"Do not study another's beauty.\" He did not say, \"Do not see\" (for that happens of itself), but \"Do not study,\" doing away with deliberate contemplation, curious looking, gazing with desire. \"For from this,\" he says, \"affection is kindled like fire\"; that is, shameful love is born from it. And even to those outside, who did not care much for this strictness, this seemed both reasonable and true. And Socrates (for I will cite their examples too, since they train for chastity), seeing someone kiss a handsome youth, said, \"This man would easily turn somersaults onto swords and leap into fire,\" meaning the one who dared to kindle such a blaze in himself by the kiss. Diogenes, seeing a young man adorned more wantonly than befits a man, said, \"If it is for men, you are unfortunate; if for women, you do wrong.\" For by adornment men hunt women, and women and effeminate men hunt men. Agesilaus prevented a handsome boy whom he loved from kissing him. Alexander would not even bear to see the wife of Darius, thinking it shameful, having conquered men, to be defeated by a woman. And if one must use not only Greek but also barbarian examples, I will not refuse to do this either. Cyrus, king of the Persians, did not dare even to see Panthea, who had been set apart for him and was attested to have extraordinary beauty; and he advised the man who looked at her continually and said he suffered nothing terrible not to look at her continually. \"For fire,\" he said, \"burns those who are near, but beauty burns even those who stand far off.\" And he did not lie. For the man who said he was stronger than pleasure was caught. And since he could not persuade her (for she was chaste), he threatened to use force on her, until she informed Cyrus. Cyrus, recognizing that, shut up with an invincible beast, he had suffered what he suffered, made it known to the man who had boasted that he was harmed in nothing by looking: \"If you persuade the woman, well and good; but if you use force, I do not allow it.\" If, then, the Gospel oracle, the writer of Proverbs, the composer of Wisdom, and the Greek and Persian examples agree on this, one must guard with all one's strength, bridle the eyes, and refrain from curious and licentious gazing, since it strikes at the vital parts. For the greatest evil flows into the soul from it: seizing its vital parts first and driving out reason, it makes the whole soul belong to the passion.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.66 (PG 78 78:773; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-66)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.67":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠυθόμενος ὅτι δέον σε προσδραμεῖν τῇ μετανοίᾳ, δέον αἰτῆσαι συγγνώμην ἐπὶ τοῖς πεπλημμελημένοις, ἐπαγωνίζῃ τοῖς προτέροις, ἐπαποδύῃ τοῖς μιάσμασιν, ἀεὶ τὰ πρότερα τοῖς δευτέροις ἀποκρύψαι φιλοτιμούμενος. Εἶτα δακρύσας ἔφην πρὸς ἐμαυτόν· Ὦ Ἰσίδωρε, τί μάτην κάμνεις, κατὰ πετρῶν σπείρων; Τί ὠφελῆσαι σπεύδεις τὸν ὠφεληθῆναι μὴ βουλόμενον ; τί πονεῖς, καὶ ἀγρυπνεῖς, τοῦ, δι᾽ ὃν ἡ ἀγρυπνία γίνεται, τῷ μὴ ποιεῖν τὰ γραφόμενα, ματαίαν αὐτὴν ἀποφαίνοντος; Παῦσαι ματαιοπονῶν, καὶ Αἰθίοπα σμήχων, καὶ εἰς πῦρ ξαίνων, καὶ λίθον ἐψῶν Ὡς δὲ κόρον ἔλαβον ἐμαυτὸν αἰτιώμενος, χρηστή πάλιν ἐλπὶς ἔφυ, ἡ τις καὶ ἄκοντα ἐξεβιάσατο, καὶ ταῦτα πάλιν χαράξαι τὰ γράμματα. Αὐτὸς τοιγαροῦν σκοπήσας οἱ τῶν κακῶν ἐχώρησας, εἰς μετάνοιαν παλινδρομῆσαι προθυμήθητι.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Learning that, when you ought to run to repentance and ought to ask pardon for your offences, you are contending to add to your former deeds, stripping for new defilements, and always striving to hide the earlier by the later, I wept and said to myself: \"Isidore, why do you labour in vain, sowing on rocks? Why do you hasten to help one who does not want to be helped? Why do you toil and stay awake, when the one for whose sake you stay awake makes it vain by not doing what is written? Stop labouring in vain, washing an Ethiopian white, carding wool into the fire, and boiling a stone.\" But when I had had my fill of blaming myself, good hope sprang up again, and it forced me, even unwilling, to write these letters once more. Consider, then, to what point of evil you have come, and be eager to run back to repentance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.67 (PG 78 78:777; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-67)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.68":{"o":"ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΛίαν θαυμάζω, πῶς οἱ μὴ ἐπισφίγγοντες τὸ χαῦνον, καὶ τὸ ἐπὶ τῷ προεδρίας ἠξιῶσθαι παρὰ τοὺς πολλοὺς οἴημα, μεῖζον τοῦ δικαίου φρονοῦσι· καὶ οὐδ᾽ αὐτὸ λοιπὸν παραχωρῆσαι ἀξιοῦσι, τῷ ἡττηθῆναι τῷ δικαίῳ ὕβριν ἡγούμενοι. ΝΕΙΛΩ. Ἐπεὶ μέγα τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης τὸ ὕψος, καὶ τῆς ἀλαζονείας τὸ πτῶμα, συμβουλεύω σοι ἐκεῖνο μὲν ἀσπάσασθαι, τούτῳ δὲ μὴ περιπεσεῖν.","t":"To Theognostus the presbyter. I greatly wonder how those who do not restrain their conceit, and the self-esteem at having been thought worthy of precedence over the many, think more highly of themselves than is just, and no longer think fit even to yield, considering defeat by justice an outrage. [Letter 3.69] To Nilus. Since the height of humility is great, and the fall of arrogance great, I advise you to embrace the one and not fall into the other.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.68 (PG 78 78:777; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-68)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.7":{"o":"ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΓενναίας μὲν οὐκ ἔστιν ἔργον ψυχῆς, τὸ μνησικακεῖν, ἀλλὰ ταλαιπώρου καὶ φαύλης. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ πάντες περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν πραγμάτων τὴν αὐτὴν φέρουσι ψῆφον, ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν τῷ ταχέως θεραπευθῆναι τὸν παροινηθέντα τοῦ συνειδέναι, οἱ δὲ τοῦ μὴ συνειδέναι τοῖς εἰρημένοις, τεκμήριον ποιοῦνται· χρὴ τὸν ἔμφρονα τοῖς σοφωτέροις μᾶλλον ἀκολουθεῖν, καὶ τὴν ἐκείνων ψῆφον βεβαίαν ἡγεῖσθαι. Ἔστι δ᾽ αὕτη, τὸ ταχίστην δέχεσθαι τὴν ἰατρείαν. Τὸ γὰρ ψευδὲς ὄνειδος οὐ περαιτέρω τῆς ἀκοῆς ἀφικνεῖται. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ γέγραφας· « Τί οὖν εἰ μὴ λαμβάνει κόρον ὁ ὑβριστὴς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιτρέβεται τῇ τοῦ παροινηθέντος φιλοσοφίᾳ ; » φαίην, ὅτι μάλιστα μὲν ἄπιστόν ἐστι τοῦτο· πλὴν τὸν τοιοῦτον ὡς θηρίον ἀτίθασσον φευκτέον. Τὸ γὰρ γραφὲν παρὰ σοῦ ὡς λεχθὲν παρά τινος, ὅτι « Καὶ συντυγχάνω καὶ φιλοσοφῶ· μεῖζον γάρ μοι τὸν ἔπαινον παρασκευάζει», μεγάλου μὲν ἔστι (χρὴ τἀληθῆ λέγειν) ἀνδρὸς, εἴ γε τοῖς ἔργοις φιλοσοφοίη, οὐ μὴν τὴν τῶν ἁγίων ἀνδρῶν ὑπερβεβηκότος ἀρετὴν. Οἱ γὰρ ἅγιοι παρ' ἡμῖν, οὐ τοὺς οἰκείους στεφάνους ἀπὸ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων πλέκεσθαι βούλονται συμφορῶν, ἀλλὰ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτοὺς πολλάκις ἀμελοῦσιν, ἵνα τὰ τῶν πλησίον ἐπανορθώσωνται. Οὐ γὰρ ἵνα ἑαυτοῖς μεῖζον κατασκευάσωσι τὸ κλέος, ἄλλους εἰς κρημνὸν τρέπουσιν· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὲν ὠφελεῖν δυνηθεῖεν, συμβουλεύουσιν· εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἀποφεύγουσιν, ἵνα μὴ ἐκεῖνοι εἰς μείζον ὀλισθήσοιειν βάραθρον. Οὐ γὰρ φιλοτιμούμενοι, ἀλλὰ τῆς σωτηρίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων φροντίζοντες, δρῶσιν ἃ δρῶσιν.","t":"To Antiochus the scholasticus. To bear a grudge is not the work of a noble soul but of a wretched and base one. But since not everyone passes the same verdict on the same matters, and some take a man's quickly accepting a remedy after he has been insulted as proof that he knows the charge is true, while others take it as proof that he knows nothing of what was said, the sensible man should rather follow the wiser and hold their verdict firm. And it is this: to accept the remedy as quickly as possible. For a false reproach goes no further than the ear. But since you have written, \"What then if the insulter does not get his fill, but is only provoked further by the patience of the man he insulted?\", I would say that this is, above all, hard to believe; but such a man must be fled like an untamed beast. As for what you wrote, that someone said, \"I keep meeting him and bear it with philosophy, for it wins me greater praise,\" it is the mark (one must tell the truth) of a great man, if indeed he practises philosophy in deeds, but not of one who has surpassed the virtue of holy men. For our saints do not wish to weave their own crowns from the misfortunes of others; rather, they often neglect their own affairs in order to set right those of their neighbours. They do not drive others over a cliff in order to win greater glory for themselves; but if they can help, they give counsel, and if not, they flee, so that those people may not slide into a deeper pit. For they do what they do not out of love of honour but out of care for people's salvation.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.7 (PG 78 78:731; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-7)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.70":{"o":"- ΟΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nΟὐκ ἠϊόνες μόναι, ὡς \"Ομηρος μὲν ἔφη, σὺ δὲ γέγραφας, βοῶσιν ἐρευγομένης ἁλὸς ἄχνην· ἀλλὰ γῆ τε καὶ θάλαττα, τὰς παρὰ Ζωσίμου καινουργηθείσας παρανομίας ἐκτραγῳδεῖ. Τοσοῦτος γὰρ, ὣς φασιν, εἰς ἀναλγησίαν ἤρθη, ὡς μὲν τοὺς θείους χρησμούς, ἀγυρτικάς λογοποιΐας νομίζειν· τοὺς δὲ τῶν δεόντων παραινέτας ληρεῖν ὑπολαμβάνειν, καὶ κατὰ πάσης ὁμοῦ ἡλικίας τε καὶ ἀξίας ἐπικωμάζειν. Τίς οὖν οὐ δακρύσει; τίς οὐ καταθρηνήσει οὐ μόνον αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν τούτῳ τὴν εὐαγὴ ἱερωσύνην ἐμπιστεῦσαι τολμήσαντα ; Δεινὸν μὲν γὰρ τὸ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀγελαίοις καὶ ἀφανέσι τελοῦντά τινα τοσούτοις καταμολυνθῆναι κακοῖς· τὸ δὲ καὶ εἰς ἱερωσύνην εἰσβιασάμενον, πάντη δεινότατον. Ἴσμεν οὖν ταῦτα, καὶ συνεχῶς ἀκούοντες, ὀλοφυρόμεθα, καὶ παραινοῦντες οὐκ ἐπαυσάμεθα· ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ παυσόμεθα ἕως ἂν ἐμπνέωμεν. Μὴ γὰρ δὴ ὡς ἀνηκόους διδάσκειν πειρῶ τὰ μήτε λήθῃ, μήτε σιγῇ παραδοθῆναι δυνάμενα. Τινὲς μὲν γὰρ ὡς ἡμιθνῆτα τυγχάνοντα, ἀνακαλοῦνται· τινὲς δ᾽ ὡς νεκρὸν καταθρηνοῦσιν. ᾿Αλλ' οὔτε ἐκεῖνοι, οὔτε οὗτοι ἀνύουσιν, ἀλλὰ γέλωτα παρ᾿ αὐτῷ ὀφλισκάνουσιν.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. Not only do the shores roar, as Homer said and you wrote, when the sea belches out its foam; but land and sea alike cry out against the lawless deeds newly devised by Zosimus. For he has been carried to such insensibility, they say, as to consider the divine oracles mountebanks' tales, to regard those who urge him to his duty as triflers, and to revel insolently against every age and rank alike. Who, then, will not weep? Who will not lament, not only him, but also the one who dared to entrust the holy priesthood to him? For it is terrible that one of the common and obscure should be defiled by so many evils; but that one who has forced his way into the priesthood should be, is most terrible of all. We know this, then; hearing it continually, we lament; and we have not ceased admonishing him, nor shall we cease as long as we breathe. Do not try to teach us, as though we had not heard, what can be given neither to forgetfulness nor to silence. For some call to him as one half-dead, and others lament him as dead; but neither these nor those achieve anything; they only incur his laughter.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.70 (PG 78 78:779; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-70)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.71":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΑΜΜΩΝΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ ΙΑΤΡΟ.\nὍτι μὲν φιλάνθρωπός ἐστιν ὁ Θεὸς, μάλ᾽ ἀκριβῶς οἶδα. \"Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἀπαιτεῖ δίκας σφοδροτάτας τοὺς τῆς φιλανθρωπίας καταφρονήσαντας, καὶ αἱ ἱεραὶ χρησμῳδοῦσι Γραφαὶ, καὶ τὰ πράγματα μαρτυρεῖ. Τις γὰρ τὸν κατακλυσμὸν ἐπήγαγε; Τίς τὴν Σοδομιτῶν μετὰ τῶν οἰκητόρων ἐνέπρησε γῆν; Τίς τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ μετῆλθε; Τίς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους ἠχμαλώτευσε, καὶ πανταχοῦ γῆς ὡς δραπέτας καὶ μαστιγίας περιήγαγε; Μὴ τοίνυν τῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ μόνῃ θαῤῥοῦντες ἁμαρτάνωμεν· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐννοοῦντες, γνωσιμαχῶμεν· ἵνα κἀκεῖσε ἡμῖν ὀφθῇ φιλάνθρωπος· ἡ γὰρ τῆς προαιρέσεως μετάνοια εύλογον παρασκευάζει τῷ κριτῇ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας τὴν ὁδόν.","t":"To Nilammon, deacon and physician. That God loves humankind I know very well. But that he also exacts the severest penalties from those who have despised his love for humankind, both the holy Scriptures proclaim and the facts bear witness. For who brought the flood? Who burned the land of Sodom with its inhabitants? Who visited Jerusalem? Who took the Jews captive and drove them round every part of the earth like runaways and whipped slaves? Let us not, then, sin trusting in his love for humankind alone; but, considering his justice too, let us acknowledge our faults, so that there too he may appear to us loving. For repentance of the will prepares for the Judge a reasonable way to show his love for humankind.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.71 (PG 78 78:779; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-71)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.72":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nΟἱ ἑκόντων ἄρχοντες οὗτοί μοι δοκοῦσιν ὄντως ἄρχειν, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν περίοπτοι ὦσι δι' ἀρετὴν οἱ ἀρχόμενοι, δι' οὓς καὶ τὸ ἄρχειν ἐστὶ περιμάχητον. Οἱ δ᾽ ἀκόντων ἄρχειν νομίζοντες, οὗτοί μοι δοκοῦσι παραπλήσιοι εἶναι τῶν τιμωρίαν διδόντων μᾶλλον, ἢ ἀρχὴν διεπόντων. ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΩ. ῎Ετι ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων οὐ σώζει τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Κινδυνεύεις, ὦ τί σε καλέσας ἀξίως προσονομάσω! ἀγνοεῖν τὰ καὶ τοῖς ἄγαν παισὶ πρόδηλα. Μὴ γὰρ δὴ νόμιζε, ὅτι ἡ πίστις (εἴ γε πίστιν χρὴ καλεῖν τὴν ὑπὸ τῶν ἔργων τῶν σῶν ἐλεγχομένην), σῶσαί σε δυνήσεται. Ἡ γὰρ πίστις ἡ ἐξ ἀρχῆς δικαιώσασα, πράξεις ἁρμοδίας ἑαυτῇ ἀπαιτεῖ, ὧν ἄνευ σωθῆναι οὐχ οἷόν τε. Τὸν γὰρ κατὰ χάριν προσληφθέντα, δίκαιον καὶ οἰκείοις ἐναβρύνεσθαι πλεονεκτήμασιν, εἴ γε μὴ μέλλοι καὶ ἀχαριστίας ἁλώσεσθαι.","t":"To Heraclius the bishop. Those who rule willing subjects seem to me truly to rule, especially when those ruled are conspicuous for virtue, on whose account ruling is something to be contended for. But those who think they rule the unwilling seem to me to resemble men undergoing punishment rather than exercising rule. [Letter 3.73] To Palladius. [That faith without works does not save a person.] You are in danger (what fitting name shall I call you?) of not knowing what is plain even to small children. Do not think that faith (if indeed one should call faith what your works refute) will be able to save you. For the faith that justified at the beginning demands deeds fitting to itself, without which it is impossible to be saved. For the one who has been received by grace ought to adorn himself also with virtues of his own, if he is not to be convicted of ingratitude as well.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.72 (PG 78 78:779; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-72)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.74":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nὉ τῆς ἀρχῆς ὅρος ὦ ἀρχικῆς ἐπιστήμης ἀκριβέστατον βασανιστήριον, ἐκεῖνός ἐστιν ὁ πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον τῶν ὑπηκόων ἅπαντα πραγματευόμενος. Ὁ γὰρ τὴν τῆς ἀρχῆς εὐκοσμίαν εἰς τυραννίδα καὶ ἀκοσμίαν μετασχηματίσας, καὶ τοὺς μὲν πόνους τοῖς ἀρχομένοις προξενῶν· τὰς δ᾽ ἡδονὰς ἑαυτῷ θηρώμενος, οὗτος οὐ τὸν τῆς ἀρχῆς ὅρον, ἀλλὰ τὸν τῆς τυραννίδος διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων ὑπογράφει.","t":"To Theodosius the bishop. The definition of rule, you most exact touchstone of the science of ruling, is this: the one who does everything for the advantage of his subjects. For the one who has changed the good order of rule into tyranny and disorder, procuring labours for those he rules and hunting pleasures for himself, describes by his deeds not the definition of rule but that of tyranny.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.74 (PG 78 78:781; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-74)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.75":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Παραστήσατε τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν θυσίαν ζῶσαν, εὐάρεστον τῷ Θεῷ. Ἐκείνους, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος ὁρίζεται ἱερέας, τοὺς μὴ θύμασι τὴν εὐσέβειαν, ἀλλὰ γυμνῇ πληροῦντας τῇ φύσει, καὶ μόνους καθαρῶς ἐκ τῶν σωμάτων οἴκοθεν σπένδοντας. Θῦμα γάρ κάλλιστον, τὸ τὴν γνώμην ἔχειν εὐαγῆ, καὶ τὴν σάρκα ἁγνήν. Διὸ καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἔφη, ὅπερ μαθεῖν ἠθέλησας· « Παραστήσατε τὰ σώματα ὑμῶν θυσίαν ζῶσαν, εὐάρεστον τῷ Θεῷ, τὴν λογικὴν λατρείαν ὑμῶν. Οὐ γὰρ ἱερεῦσι μόνοις γράφων, ὡς ἡγῇ, ἐπέστειλε ταῦτα, ἀλλ᾽ ὁλοκλήρῳ Ἐκκλησίᾳ. Ἕκαστον γὰρ ἑαυτοῦ ἐν τούτῳ τῷ μέρει ἱερέα εἶναι προσέταξεν. Εἰ δὲ τοὺς ὑπηκόους ἡ ἁγνεία ἱερέας χειροτονεῖ, ἡ λαγνεία δηλονότι τοὺς ἱερέας ἀποχειροτονεῖ. Καὶ τοῦτο μὲν οἱ θεσμοὶ διαγορεύουσι · γίνεται δὲ τοῦτο οὐ πάνυ · δι᾽ ἂς δ' αἰτίας οὐκ ἐμὸν λέγειν. Οἱ δὲ τὴν θείαν ἱερωσύνην ἐστεμμένοι, καὶ τῆς προεδρίας ἀξίως τετυχηκότες, εἰ καὶ τὴν τοῦ σώματος ἁγνείαν φυλάξοιεν, ὄντως ἱερῶν εἰσιν ἱερώτεροι. \"Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς Παλαιᾶς Διαθήκης ἱερᾶσθαι οὐκ ἐξῆν, εἰ μὴ τοῖς ἱερεῦσι μόνοις· ἐν δὲ τῷ καιρῷ τοῦ Πάσχα, πάντες τρόπον τινὰ ἱερωσύνῃ ἐτιμῶντο (ἔκαστος γὰρ τὸ πρόβατον ἔθυεν) · οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς Καινῆς καὶ ἀδιαδόχου, ἔχουσι μὲν κατ' ἐξαίρετον τὴν ἱερουργίαν τῆς ἀναιμάκτου θυσίας, οἷς ἔξεστι ταύτην προσενεγκεῖν· ἕκαστος δὲ οἰκείου σώματος ἱερεὺς κεχειροτόνηται, οὐχ ἵνα ἀχειροτόνητος ἐπιπηδοίη τῇ τῶν ὑπηκόων ἀρχῇ, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τῆς κακίας ἄρξας, τὸ σῶμα τέμενος ἡ ἱερὸν τῆς ἁγνείας κατασκευάσῃ.","t":"To the same. [On \"Present your bodies a living sacrifice, pleasing to God.\"] The divine Paul, admirable friend, defines as priests those who fulfil piety not with victims but with bare nature, and who alone pour out a pure libation from their own bodies, from their own store. For the finest victim is to have a holy mind and pure flesh. That is why he also said what you wished to learn: \"Present your bodies a living sacrifice, pleasing to God, your reasonable worship.\" For he did not write this only to priests, as you suppose, but to the whole church. For he commanded each one to be in this respect his own priest. And if purity ordains subjects as priests, plainly lust unordains priests. The ordinances declare this; but it is not quite what happens; for what reasons, it is not for me to say. But those crowned with the divine priesthood, who have worthily obtained the chief seat, if they also guard the purity of the body, are truly more priestly than priests. For just as under the Old Covenant it was permitted to none but the priests to exercise the priesthood, yet at the time of the Passover all were in a way honoured with priesthood (for each sacrificed the lamb), so too under the New Covenant, which has no successor, those to whom it is permitted to offer the bloodless sacrifice have its ministry as a special privilege; but each one has been ordained priest of his own body, not so that he may leap, unordained, upon rule over those under authority, but so that, ruling over vice, he may make his body a precinct and temple of purity.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.75 (PG 78 78:781; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-75)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.76":{"o":"Ἔοικας τοῦ νομοθέτου Μωσέως, μήτε τὴν σοφίαν, ἣν ἔλαβε παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ, κεχωρηκέναι, μήτε τὴν διάνοιαν τεθηρευκέναι, ἀλλὰ τοσοῦτον αὐτοῦ ἀπολελεῖφθαι τῆς μεγαλονοίας, ὅσον καὶ τῆς πολιτείας. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς δέον τὰς μὴ εἰς τὸν τῶν γάμων θεσμὸν παρανομούσας ἐκβάλλειν, ἀλλὰ μεῖζον καὶ ἀργαλεώτερον βουλόμενος ἀναστεῖλαι κακὸν, τὸ ἔλαττον οὐκ ἐθέσπισεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπέτρεψεν· οὐ μόνον κρείττονα κρίνας τῆς λαθραίου παρ᾿ αὐτῶν ἂν τολμηθείσης μοιχείας (οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἄκνησαν ταῖς ἀλλήλων χρῆσθαι γυναιξὶ) τὸν φανερὸν γάμον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἅμεινον ἡγησάμενος ἐκβληθῆναι αὐτὰς ἔξω, ἢ σφαγῆναι ἔνδον. Διέστησε γὰρ τοὺς συνεῖναι μὴ δυναμένους. Οἱ γὰρ προφητικῶν αἱμάτων γευσάμενοι, οὐκ ἂν γυναικῶν μισουμένων ἐφείσαντο· οὐδ᾽ οἱ αὐτὸν τὸν νομοθέτην ἀνελεῖν πολλάκις φανερῶς ἐπιχειρήσαντες, τοῦ ἢ φανερῶς ἢ δόλοις ἀνελεῖν, ἢ μοιχείας γράψασθαι ἐκείνας ἀπέσχοντο. Τὸ οὖν μείζον κακὸν προαναστέλλων, τὸ ἔλαττον συνεχώρησε μᾶλλον, ἢ διηγόρευσεν. Ὅτι δὲ οὐχ ἁπλῶς καταστοχάζομαι τῆς τοῦ πανσόφου ἐκείνου διανοίας, μάλιστα μὲν δῆλον, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ τοὺς προφήτας ὡς αἱμάτων διψῶντας, καὶ τοὺς ἀλλοτρίους γάμους διορύττοντας, αὐτοὺς διαῤῥήδην αἰτιᾶσθαι, οὐχ ἥκιστα δὲ καὶ ἐκ τοῦ λεχθησομένου. Ὁ γὰρ Χριστὸς δεῦρ᾽ ἐπιφοιτήσας, ταύτης αὐτῷ προσενεχθείσης τῆς πεύσεως, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐμέμψατο τὸν Μωσέα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπεραπελογήσατο, τὸ ἔγκλημα εἰς ἐκείνους τρέψας, δι' οὓς ἠναγκάσθη κἀκεῖνος τὸ πρέπον τῇ φύσει παριδεῖν, καὶ συγχωρῆσαι ἀπολῦσαι τὴν σύνευνον. Ἔφη γάρ· · Μωσῆς πρὸς τὴν σκληροκαρδίαν ὑμῶν ἐπέτρεψεν ὑμῖν ἀπολύειν τὰς γυναῖκας ὑμῶν, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, διὰ τὸ ἀπειθὲς ὑμῶν καὶ ἀνάγωγον· Ἐξ ἀρχῆς δὲ, φησὶν, οὐκ ἐγένετο οὕτως. Εἰς τὸν τῶν γάμων μὲν θεσμὸν παρανομούσας, καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκβάλλειν ἐκέλευσε· τούτου δὲ μὴ συμβαίνοντος, πάντα τὰ ἄλλα ἐλαττώματα τῶν γυναικῶν φέρειν προσέταξε, μᾶλλον δ᾽ ἀναγκαῖον εἶναι ἀπεφήνατο. Οὐχ ἁπλῶς, οὐδὲ εἰκῆ. Εἰς ἕκαστον μὲν γὰρ τῶν νόμῳ γάμου συνιόντων τὰ ἄλλα ἁμαρτήματα [οὐ] βλέπει· ἡ δὲ μοιχεία εἰς τὰς τοῦ γάμου συνθήκας ὁρᾷ καὶ τὴν τῶν παίδων καθυβρίζει εὐγένειαν, καὶ τὰς συγγενείας διασπᾷ, καὶ πάντα τὸν βίον ἀνατρέπει τὸν ἀνθρώπινον.","t":"[Why the lawgiver allowed husbands to give a bill of divorce to wives they hated.] You seem neither to have grasped the wisdom that the lawgiver Moses received from God nor to have tracked down his meaning, but to fall as far short of his greatness of mind as of his way of life. For he did not allow it on the ground that wives who do not transgress against the ordinance of marriage ought to be put out; rather, wishing to check a greater and more grievous evil, he did not command the lesser but permitted it. He judged an open marriage better than the secret adultery they would have dared (for they would not have hesitated to use one another's wives), and he also thought it better that the women be put out of doors than slaughtered inside. So he separated those who could not live together. For men who had tasted the blood of the prophets would not have spared wives they hated; and those who more than once openly tried to kill the lawgiver himself would not have refrained from killing these women, openly or by treachery, or from indicting them for adultery. So, checking the greater evil in advance, he conceded the lesser rather than ordained it. That I am not merely guessing at the mind of that all-wise man is clear above all from the fact that the prophets expressly accuse these people of thirsting for blood and of breaking into other men's marriages, and not least from what will now be said. For Christ, when he came among us and was asked this question, not only did not blame Moses but even defended him, turning the charge against those because of whom Moses had been forced to overlook what befits nature and to allow a man to put away his wife. For he said: \"Moses, because of your hardness of heart, allowed you to put away your wives\", that is, because of your disobedience and lack of discipline; \"but from the beginning it was not so.\" Wives who transgress against the ordinance of marriage he himself also commanded to be put out; but where this does not happen, he ordered all the other faults of wives to be borne, or rather declared it necessary. And not simply or without reason. For each of the other sins of those who come together by the law of marriage looks only to the one who commits it; but adultery looks to the covenant of marriage itself: it outrages the good birth of the children, tears kinships apart, and overturns the whole of human life.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.76 (PG 78 78:783; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-76)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.77":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠνευματικὰ ἔσεσθαι τὰ σώματα ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει, ἔφησεν ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος, διὰ δύο ταῦτα· διά τε τὸ κοῦφα, καὶ αἰθέρια, καὶ παντὸς κρείττονα πάθους, καὶ βάρους, μέλλειν ἔσεσθαι, καὶ διὰ τὸ τῷ θείῳ Πνεύματι μόνῳ λοιπὸν εἴκειν. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ κἂν παρῇ, τὸ κῦρος τῶν πραττομένων ἔχει ἡ ψυχή. Τότε δὲ δοχεῖα μᾶλλον ἔσται τοῦ Πνεύματος. Οὐ γὰρ μόνον αὐτὰ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πνευματικὴ ἔσται, ἅπαντα κατὰ τοὺς ἐκείνου νόμους διαπραττομένη. \" Εἰ δὲ περὶ τῶν σωμάτων τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ζητήσει τις, φήσομεν ὅτι ἢ κατὰ τὴν προτέραν ἐκδοχὴν κοῦφα ἔσται καὶ αἰθέρια, ἢ ὅτι ὑπὸ πυρὸς βασανισθήσεται μὲν, οὐκ ἀναλωθήσεται δὲ · ἢ ὅτι κἂν ἐθελήσωσιν ἁμαρτεῖν, οὐ δυνήσονται.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. The divine Paul said that bodies will be spiritual at the resurrection for these two reasons: because they will be light, ethereal and above all suffering and weight, and because they will thenceforth yield to the divine Spirit alone. For now, even if the Spirit is present, the soul has authority over what is done; but then the bodies will rather be vessels of the Spirit. For not only they but the soul too will be spiritual, doing everything according to his laws. And if anyone asks about the bodies of sinners, we shall say either that, according to the first sense, they will be light and ethereal, or that they will be tormented by fire but not consumed, or that even if they wish to sin, they will not be able to.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.77 (PG 78 78:785; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-77)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.78":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤί ἐστι, · Βασιλεὺς ἤμην ἐν μονοζώνοις. Ἐπειδὴ τὸ εἰρημένον παρὰ τοῦ ἀοιδίμου Ἰὼβ μαθεῖν ἠθέλησας, «Βασιλεὺς ἤμην ἐν μονοζώνοις, οἶμαι ὅτι, ἐπειδὴ οἱ μονόζωνοι, ἢ στρατιωτικά τάγματα μηνύουσιν, ἢ βαρβαρικά στίφη, ἢ λῃστρικά συγκροτήματα, τοιοῦτόν τι εἰρηκέναι· Ἢ ὡς στρατιωτῶν νομίμως ἐπῆρχον, ἢ ὡς βαρβάρων ἀνδρείως ἐκράτουν, ἢ ὡς λῃσταῖς φόβον ἐνεποίουν, καὶ ἐκώλυον τοῖς αὐτῶν χρῆσθαι τρόποις· εἰ δὲ μὴ ἐπείθοντο, εἰς τὴν τῶν νόμων σαγήνην συνέκλειον.","t":"To the same. [What is meant by \"I was king among the single-girdled.\"] Since you wished to learn what was said by the renowned Job, \"I was king among the single-girdled,\" I think that, since the single-girdled denote either army ranks, or barbarian bands, or gangs of robbers, he said something like this: \"I commanded lawfully as over soldiers, or I mastered them bravely as over barbarians, or I struck fear into them as into robbers and prevented them from following their ways; and if they did not obey, I shut them up in the net of the laws.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.78 (PG 78 78:785; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-78)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.79":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ.\nἘπειδὴ οὐ τοῦ εἰδέναι χάριν, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἀπὸ τοῦ εἰδέναι ἀντιποιούμενος δόξης, ὡς πυνθάνομαι, δοκεῖς πονεῖν, βούλομαί σε, καὶ τοῦτο κατορθῶσαι, τὸ τῆς ἀληθείας μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς δόξης ἐφίεσθαι. Εἰ δὲ μεθύων νυνὶ τῷ τῆς φιλοδοξίας πάθει δυσχεραίνεις, εὖ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι σωφρονήσας χάριν εἴσῃ.","t":"To Palladius. Since, as I hear, you seem to labour not for the sake of knowing but to lay claim to the glory that comes from knowing, I want you to achieve this too: to aim at truth rather than glory. And if, drunk now with the passion of love of glory, you are vexed, I know well that when you have come to your senses you will be grateful.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.79 (PG 78 78:785; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-79)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.8":{"o":"ΑΠΡΟΔΙΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἘπειδὴ φέρει τινὰ παραμυθίαν τῷ ὑπὸ λύπης βεβαπτισμένῳ τῶν λυπηρῶν ἡ ἀφήγησις, καὶ μάλισθ' ὅταν πρὸς γνησίους γίνεται (ἡ γὰρ σιωπή πολλοὶ γοῦν καρτερήσαντες, καὶ σιγῇ ταῦτα παραδεδωκότες, εἰς χαλεπὰ περιέπεσον πάθη)· χρή τοὺς βουλομένους τὰς ἑαυτῶν διηγεῖσθαι συμφορὰς, ἡμέρως προσίεσθαι, καὶ μετὰ τὸ κουφισθῆναι διὰ τῶν λόγων τὸ πάθος, τότε τὴν ἐνδεχομένην προφέρειν θεραπείαν. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς αὐτοὺς ἐπιστομίσομεν, καὶ ἀσυμπαθῶν κτησόμεθα δόξαν, καὶ τὸ βοήθημα ἀσθενὲς ἀποφανοῦμεν, τῆς ἀκμῆς αὐτὸ παρωθουμένης. Εἰ δὲ μετὰ τὸ κουφισθῆναι τὸν πόνον ἐπιθείημεν τὸ φάρμακον, δύο κερδανοῦμεν, καὶ τὸ συμπαθεῖς εἶναι, καὶ τὸ μὴ διαμαρτεῖν τῆς θεραπείας. ΑΥΣΟΝΙΩ, ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΟ ΚΟΡΡΙΚΤΟΡΙI. Χρὴ τοὺς τῶν πραγμάτων κριτὰς, ὀξυτάτους εἶναι περὶ τὸ νοεῖν, ἵνα καὶ τὴν τῶν λεγόντων δεινότητα, καὶ τὴν τῶν λεγομένων πιθανότητα παρέντες, εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ βάθος τῶν νοημάτων χωρῆσαι δυνηθεῖεν, κἀκεῖθεν θηρεύσαντες, ἀνιμήσασθαι τὴν ἀλήθειαν.","t":"To Aphrodisius the presbyter. Since telling of one's troubles brings some comfort to a man overwhelmed by grief, especially when it is told to true friends (for silence … ; many at least who endured and buried these things in silence fell into grievous illnesses), we should receive gently those who wish to tell of their misfortunes, and only after their suffering has been lightened by speaking should we offer what remedy we can. For if we stop their mouths from the start, we shall gain a name for lacking sympathy and make our help weak, since the height of the grief pushes it aside. But if we apply the medicine after the pain has been lightened, we shall gain two things: being sympathetic, and not missing the cure. [Letter 3.9] To Ausonius the corrector. Judges of affairs must be very sharp in understanding, so that, passing over both the cleverness of the speakers and the plausibility of what is said, they may be able to reach the very depth of the thoughts, hunt the truth out from there, and draw it up.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.8 (PG 78 78:731; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-8)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.80":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΦασί τινες ὡς ἱππήλατον σαὐτὸν πᾶσι τοῖς αἰσχροῖς καὶ ἀνελευθέροις πάθεσι καταστήσας, τοῖς χρηστοῖς καὶ ἐλευθερίοις ἄβατον πάντη διατηρεῖς· οὐκ ἀπάτῃ καὶ παραλογισμοῖς, ἐκεῖνα μὲν ἀσμενίζων, ταῦτ' ἀπωθούμενος· ἀλλὰ κρίσει καὶ βουλήσει, καὶ τῷ μηδὲν ὀρθὸν ἐθέλειν διαπράττεσθαι. Διὸ καὶ δύσκολός ἐστί σοι ἡ ἐπὶ τὰ καλὰ ὁρμή. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν εἴποιμι ἐπάνοδος· οὐδεπώποτε γάρ σε λέγουσιν ὀρθῶς οὔτε βεβουλεῦσθαι, οὔτε πεπραχέναι. Εννοήσας τοίνυν ὡς εἰς βαθὺ λοιπὸν γῆρας ἐλαύνων, πρόδηλον ἔχεις τὸν θάνατον · κἂν ὀψὲ τοῦ καιροῦ κόρον λαβών, τῶν κακῶν ἀπόστηθι. .","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Some say that, having made yourself a highway for horses to all shameful and servile passions, you keep yourself wholly impassable to the good and noble ones; and not by deception and false reasoning, welcoming the former and thrusting away the latter, but by judgment and will, and by being unwilling to do anything right. That is why the movement toward the good is difficult for you. For I would not say \"return\"; for they say that you have never either planned or done anything rightly. Consider, then, that as you drive on into deep old age, death is plainly before you; and, even late in the day, having had your fill, depart from evil.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.80 (PG 78 78:785; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-80)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.81":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΟ.\nΟὐ θαυμάζω εἰ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασιν ἀπαίδευτος ὧν, κἂν τούτῳ τὴν ἀμαθίαν τὴν σαυτοῦ ἐπεδείξω. Ἀλλὰ τότ᾽ ἂν ἐθαύμασα, εἰ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις πταίων, ἐν τούτῳ οὐ διήμαρτες· τὰ μὲν οὖν αἰσχρὰ πάθη οἶσθα ἀπὸ σαυτοῦ, καὶ οὐδὲν δεῖ λόγων. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὰ χρηστὰ καὶ φιλάνθρωπα ἀγνοεῖς, ταῦτα φράσω. Εἰσὶ δὲ ἔλεος, φιλανθρωπία, οἶκτος, εὐμένεια, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ τούτων ἀδελφά. Εἰ δὲ σε ταράττει τὸ καὶ ταῦτα πάθη λέγεσθαι, καὶ ἐγγυητὰς καὶ μάρτυρας τούτου ἀξιοπίστους ἄνδρας παρέξομαι. Οἶδα μὲν οὖν ὅτι αὐτὸς οὐ παρακολουθήσεις τοῖς λεγομένοις, ἅτε ἀπαιδευσίας τυγχάνων θρέμμα, ὅμως δ᾽ οὖν αὐτὸς ἐρῶ. Δημοσθένης μὲν οὖν ὁ ῥήτωρ, τὸ τῆς Ἑλλάδος κεφάλαιον περὶ τοῦ Φιλίππου λέγων, ὅτε παρεκαλεῖτο δοῦναι τοὺς Ὀλυνθίους αἰχμαλώτους, ἔφη· « Ὥστε τὸν Φίλιππον παθεῖν τι, καὶ δοῦναι τὴν χάριν. » Ἰώσηππος δὲ, ἀνὴρ ἐπὶ παιδεύσει καὶ εἰδήσει λόγων ἐπισημότατος, περὶ τῶν στασιαστῶν τῶν ἐν τῇ ἁλώσει τῆς Ἱερουσαλήμ ἀκμασάντων γράφων ἔφη · « Ὅταν ἀτίθασσος καὶ ἀμείλικτος φύσις ἄσκησιν τὴν εἰς τὸ ἀνήμερον προσλάβῃ, διχόθεν ἄβατος, καὶ ἀπρόσιτος οἴκτῳ γίνεται, καὶ χρηστῷ πάθει καὶ φιλανθρώπῳ. • Οὐδὲν δὲ οὕτως χρηστὸν πάθος ἀπολώλει, ὡς ἔλεος. Καὶ Φίλων δὲ, ἄνθρωπος Πλάτωνος ἢ ὁμιλητὴς ἢ ὑφηγητής τις εἶναι δόξας, διὰ τὸ τῆς φράσεως ὕψος· ἐῤῥέθη γὰρ περὶ αὐτῶν. « Ἢ Πλάτων ἐφιλώνισεν, ἢ Φίλων ἐπλατώνισεν· ἐγκωμιάσας μὲν τὸν Μωσέα, ὡς μισοπόνηρον, ἔφη· • Περιπαθήσας δὲ καὶ δικαίας ὀργῆς ἐμπλησθεὶς, διαβάλλει τινὰς Αἰγυπτίους, τοὺς ἐργοδιώκτας φημὶ τοῦ Φαραώ. » Πάσχει γάρ τι ἡ ψυχή, καὶ ἡ εἰς ἔλεον, ἢ εἰς εὐμένειαν, ἢ εἰς χρηστότητα, ἢ εἰς μισοπονηρίαν νεύει. Εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἐπικλασθείη τις, οὐκ ἂν τὸν ἱκέτην ἐλεήσειεν· εἰ μὴ ἐπικαμφθείη, οὐκ ἂν τὸν δεόμενον οἰκτειρήσειεν· εἰ μὴ πάθοι τι, οὐκ ἂν τὸν ἐχθρὸν εὐεργετήσειεν· εἰ μὴ νομίσει ἡδικεῖσθαι τὴν δικαιοσύνην, οὐκ ἂν εἰς μισοπονηρίαν τραπείη. Την δὲ τροπὴν ταύτην καὶ πάθος καλοῦσιν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ ἀπὸ τοῦ βελτίονος ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον τρεπόμενος, πάσχει οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἀπὸ τῶν χειρόνων ἐπὶ τὸ ἄμεινον τρεπόμενος, πάσχει τι. Τροπῆς γάρ ἐστι τὸ πάθος ὄνομα. Τοιγαροῦν καὶ αὐτὸς, κἂν ὀψέ ποτε τῆς ἡλικίας τὰ αἰσχρὰ φεῦγε πάθη, ἵνα μὴ ποτε ἐπαινέσῃς τὴν παραίνεσιν, ὅτε τῶν ἐπαίνων σοι ὄφελος οὐδέν.","t":"To the same. I am not surprised if, uneducated in everything else, you have shown your ignorance in this too. I would have been surprised if, stumbling in other things, you had not erred in this. The shameful passions you know from yourself, and there is no need of words. But since you do not know the good and humane ones, I will tell you them. They are mercy, humanity, pity, kindness and the others akin to these. And if it troubles you that these too are called passions, I will furnish trustworthy men as guarantors and witnesses of this. I know that you will not follow what is said, being a nursling of lack of education; nevertheless I will speak. Demosthenes the orator, the chief of Greece, speaking of Philip, when he was asked to give back the Olynthian captives, said: \"so that Philip was moved by some passion and granted the favour.\" Josephus, a man most distinguished for education and knowledge of letters, writing of the rebels who flourished at the capture of Jerusalem, said: \"When an untamed and implacable nature takes on training in savagery, it becomes doubly impassable and inaccessible to pity, a good and humane passion.\" And no good passion had so perished as mercy. And Philo, a man thought to be either a pupil or a teacher of Plato because of the loftiness of his diction (for it was said of them, \"Either Plato philonizes or Philo platonizes\"), praising Moses as a hater of evil, said: \"Being deeply moved and filled with just anger, he denounces certain Egyptians, I mean Pharaoh's taskmasters.\" For the soul undergoes something when it inclines to mercy, kindness, goodness, or hatred of evil. For unless someone is softened, he would not pity the suppliant; unless he is bent, he would not take pity on the one in need; unless he is moved, he would not do good to his enemy; unless he thinks justice wronged, he would not turn to hatred of evil. This change too they call a passion. For just as one who turns from the better to the worse undergoes something, so too one who turns from the worse to the better undergoes something. For passion is the name of a change. You too, then, even late in life, flee the shameful passions, so that you may not some day praise this advice when praise will be of no use to you.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.81 (PG 78 78:787; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-81)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.82":{"o":"ΑΜΜΩΝΙ.\nὍτι ὁ τῆς μακαρίας μνήμης Τιμόθεος, τοῦ ἀτιθάσσου θηρίου ἐτιθάσσευε τὰς ὁρμὰς, καὶ τὸ ἀμείλικτον εἰς τὸ ἐμμελὲς μετεῤῥύθμιζεν, ἡ μετὰ τὴν ἐκείνου τελευτὴν ἐπικωμάσασα τῷ ἀλιτηρίῳ Εὐσεβίῳ μανία, σαφῶς ἔδειξεν.","t":"To Ammonius. That Timothy of blessed memory tamed the impulses of that untamed beast and changed its harshness into harmony, the madness that broke out in the accursed Eusebius after his death has clearly shown.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.82 (PG 78 78:789; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-82)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.83":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ τὸ κάλλος τοῦ σώματος οὐδ᾽ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκπλήξεων ἀλλοιοῦται, σώζει δ᾽ αὐτὸ κἂν ἐν δακρύοις ᾗ· πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἢ τῆς ψυχῆς ὥρα ὑπὸ τῶν ἐμπιπτόντων πειρασμῶν ἀλλοιωθῆναι οὐκ ὀφείλει, κἂν ἐν συμφοραῖς τυγχάνῃ.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. If the beauty of the body is not altered even by shocks, but keeps its beauty even in tears, much more ought the bloom of the soul not to be altered by the trials that befall it, even in misfortunes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.83 (PG 78 78:789; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-83)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.84":{"o":"ΑΓΑΘΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΔιὰ τι προσέταξεν ὁ νόμος, λίνον καὶ ἔριον καὶ πορφύραν μὴ συνυφαίνεσθαι, ἐν δὲ τῷ Λευϊτικῷ καὶ λέπραν ἱματίων καὶ λίθων πολυπραγμονεῖ. Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας τί βουλόμενος ὁ Μωσῆς ἐνομοθέτησε, λίνον μὲν καὶ ἔριον μὴ συνυφαίνεσθαι· ἐν δὲ τοῖς λινοῖς ἱματίοις πορφύραν μὴ συνυφαίνειν, λέπραν τε ἱματίων καὶ λίθων πολυπραγμονεῖν, εἶχον ἐν καὶ τὰς ις θεωρίας αὐτῶν μηνῦσαι. Ἔχουσι γάρ ἀρίστας ἀλληγορίας ὠφελῆσαι δυναμένας, τοὺς μὴ ἀγύμναστον ἔχοντας πρὸς θεωρίαν τὸν νοῦν· ἀλλ᾿ ἐπειδὴ οἶδα πολλοὺς μὲν νομίζοντας τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα λέγοντας, ἀμαθίᾳ τοὺς ἀγῶνας ἐκλύειν· σὲ δὲ τοῖς πράγμασι, καὶ μόνῃ τῇ ἑρμηνείᾳ τῶν Γραφῶν χαίροντα, εὐθεῖαν τὴν ἀπόκρισιν ποιήσομαι, κύκλων ἀπηλλαγμένην. Οἷμαι τοίνυν ὅτι εἰς φιλοσοφίαν τοὺς ὑπηκόους ἐνάγων, καὶ τῆς χρείας μόνης γενέσθαι βουλόμενος, πᾶσαν βλακείαν ἐξωστράκισε, διὰ μὲν τοῦ μὴ συνυφαίνειν λίνον καὶ ἔριον, τὴν ποικιλίαν ἐξορίζων· διὰ δὲ τοῦ πορφύραν μὴ συνυφαίνειν τοῖς λινοῖς ἱματίοις, τὴν πολυτέλειαν καὶ τὸν καλλωπισμόν· διὰ δὲ τοῦ λέπραν ἱματίων καὶ λίθων περιεργάζεσθαι, τὸ πλέον τῆς χρείας κτήσασθαι, καὶ ἀποθέσθαι ἀπαγορεύων. Τοῖς γὰρ χρονίοις ἱματίοις καὶ οἰκίαις τοῦτο συμβαίνειν εἴωθε. Τῆς χρείας γὰρ ἔσο, φησὶ, μηδὲν περιττὸν, μήτε κτώμενος, μήτε ἀποτιθέμενος, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ καλλωπιζόμενος, ἀλλὰ πᾶσαν τὴν φροντίδα καὶ τὴν σπουδὴν, εἰς τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμέλειαν μετάστησον Εἰ δὲ βουληθείης, καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἔξωθεν ὠφεληθῆναι· φασὶ γὰρ τὰς τῶν καρπῶν ἀποῤῥεούσας ἡμέρους συκᾶς, διὰ τῶν ὀλύνθων τῶν ἀγρίων συσφίγγεσθαι φαίην, ὅτι καὶ Ισοκράτης, ὅτε Δημονίκῳ τοὺς παραινετικοὺς ἔπεμπε λόγους, παρήνει· « Ἔσο περὶ τὴν ἐσθῆτα φιλόκαλος, ἀλλὰ μὴ καλλωπιστής. Φιλοκάλου μὲν γὰρ τὸ μεγαλοπρεπές, καλλωπιστοῦ δὲ τὸ περίεργον· · καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο ἀληθές ἐστι, δι' ὧν Διογένης εἶπε, σαφῶς δείκνυται. Θεασάμενος γάρ τινα μειρακίσκον ἀσελγέστερον ἢ κατ᾿ ἄνδρα κεκοσμημένον, ἔφη αὐτῷ· · Εἰ μὲν πρὸς ἄνδρας, ἀτυχεῖς· εἰ δὲ πρὸς γυναῖκας, ἀδικεῖς. » τοίνυν οἱ ἔξωθεν τοῦ πρέποντος ἐπεμελήθησαν, πῶς οὐκ ἔμελλεν ὁ ἱερὸς ἐκεῖνος καὶ θεοφιλὴς ἀνὴρ εἰς φιλοσοφίαν ἐνάγων, πᾶσαν μὲν ποικιλίαν καὶ βλακείαν, καὶ καλλωπισμὸν ἐκ τῶν ὑπηκόων ἐξορίζειν, κοσμιότητα δὲ καὶ σεμνότητα νομοθετεῖν, δι' ὧν ὁ ἄριστος κατορθοῦται βίος ;","t":"To Agathus the presbyter. [Why the law commanded that linen, wool and purple not be woven together, and in Leviticus also concerns itself with leprosy of garments and stones.] Since you have written asking what Moses intended in legislating that linen and wool not be woven together, that purple not be woven into linen garments, and in concerning himself with leprosy of garments and stones, I could have shown their spiritual meanings too. For they have excellent allegories able to benefit those whose minds are not untrained for contemplation. But since I know that many think those who say such things evade the contest through ignorance, and since you delight in the facts and in the interpretation of the Scriptures alone, I will give you a straight answer, free of circuits. I think, then, that leading his subjects to philosophy and wishing them to be content with need alone, he banished all softness: by not weaving linen and wool together, he banished gaudiness; by not weaving purple into linen garments, extravagance and adornment; and by concerning himself with leprosy of garments and stones, he forbade acquiring and storing up more than need. For this tends to happen to old garments and houses. \"Keep to need,\" he says, \"neither acquiring nor storing anything superfluous, nor adorning yourself, but transfer all your care and zeal to the care of the soul.\" And if you wish to be helped also by those outside (for they say that cultivated fig trees that shed their fruit are firmed up by the wild unripe figs), I would say that Isocrates too, when he sent his hortatory discourse to Demonicus, advised: \"Be fond of beauty in dress, but not a dandy. For the fond of beauty aims at magnificence, the dandy at excess.\" And that this is true is clearly shown by what Diogenes said. For seeing a youth adorned more wantonly than befits a man, he said to him: \"If it is for men, you are unfortunate; if for women, you do wrong.\" If, then, those outside cared for what is fitting, how would that holy and God-loving man, leading to philosophy, not banish all gaudiness, softness and adornment from his subjects and legislate decency and dignity, by which the best life is achieved?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.84 (PG 78 78:789; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-84)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.85":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\n\"Απληστον εἶναί σε φασί τινες σιτοκάπηλον, καὶ ἀνάλγητον καὶ τηροῦντα τοὺς καιροὺς, καὶ καταπραγματευόμενον τὰς ἐνδείας, καὶ τὰς συμφορὰς γεωργοῦντα. Ἀλλ᾽ ἴσθι ὡς ἐκείνοις μὲν σαυτοῦ σπλάγχνα, σαυτῷ δὲ τὰ θεῖα ἀποκλείεις Ἐννοῶν τοίνυν, ὡς οὐ τοσοῦτον ἄλλοι σου χρήζουσιν, ὡς σὺ τοῦ Θεοῦ· τὸ συγγενὲς αἰδέσθητι.","t":"To Martinianus the presbyter. Some say that you are an insatiable grain-dealer, callous, watching for the right moments, trading on shortages and farming misfortunes. But know that you are shutting your heart to them and the divine mercies to yourself. Consider, then, that others do not need you as much as you need God, and respect your kinship with them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.85 (PG 78 78:791; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-85)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.86":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΩ ΒΙΒΛΙΟΦΟΡΩ.\nΤὸν στιχισμὸν τῶν βιβλίων, ὧν γέγραφά σοι, τῷ φίλῳ δήλου μετ' ἀκριβείας, ἵνα μὴ ἔρψασα λήθη, σοὶ μὲν ζημίαν, αὐτῷ δὲ ψῆφον ἀγνωμοσύνης ἐπαγάγῃ.","t":"To Zosimus the book-carrier. Make known to our friend accurately the line-count of the books about which I wrote to you, so that forgetfulness creeping in may not bring loss on you and on him a verdict of ingratitude.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.86 (PG 78 78:791; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-86)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.87":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΤὸ τῆς φιλίας προοίμιον, καὶ ὁ τῆς ἀγάπης σπινθήρ, καὶ τὸ τρῶσαν ἀμφοτέρους, ἐμέ τε καὶ τὸν ἄριστον Εὐτόνιον, εἰς τὸν πρὸς ἀλλήλους πόθον, τὸ μισοπόνηρόν ἐστιν ἦθος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶδον αὐτὸν οὐ μόνον ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν φιλαρέτων ἡδέως κινδυνεύοντα, ἀπὸ τούτου καὶ τὴν λοιπὴν φιλοσοφίαν τἀνδρὸς ἰχνηλατήσας, ἐτρώθην πρὸς φιλίαν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ σοφιστομανοῦντές τινες τὰ δόγματα τῆς εὐσεβείας λυμήνασθαι ἐμηχανῶντο, ἐνταῦθα φραξάμενοι τοῖς ἐκείνων ὅπλοις, καὶ τοῖς συλλογισμοῖς πατάσσοντες, οὐ πρότερον ἀνήκαμεν, ἢ τελέως τρέψασθαι, καὶ τὸ κράτος καθαρῶς ἀναδήσασθαι. Οὗτος δεύτερος ἡμῖν τῆς ἀγάπης οὐκ ἔτι σπινθήρ, ἀλλ᾽ ἤδη πυρσὸς περιφανῶς ἐξήφθη, καὶ παρέμηνε. Τοιοῦτος γὰρ τοῦ θείου ἔρωτος ὁ νόμος. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ σωματικὸς, ἅτε χαμαίζηλος ὢν (ἐπειδὴ ἀπὸ ῥευστῶν συνίσταται σωμάτων), ῥεύσει, καὶ δίκην ἀνθῶν μαραίνεται. Οὔτε γὰρ πῦρ μένει τῆς ὕλης τῆς τὴν ὑπόθεσιν τῇ φλογί δεδωκυίας ἀναλωθείσης, ἀλλὰ σὺν αὐτῇ συναπέρχεται· οὔτε πόθος ἵσταται μαραινομένου τοῦ ὑπεκκαύματος. Ὁ δὲ κατὰ Θεὸν καὶ σώφρων, ἐπειδὴ πράγματος ἑστῶτός ἐστι, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ μόνιμος· καὶ ὅσῳ τὸ κάλλος αὐτῷ τῆς ἀρετῆς φαντάζεται, τοσούτῳ ἑαυτῷ τε καὶ ἀλλήλοις συνδεῖ τοὺς τῶν αὐτῶν ἑραστάς.","t":"To Leontius the bishop. The prelude of friendship, the spark of love, and what wounded both me and the excellent Eutonius into longing for each other, is a character that hates evil. For when I saw him gladly running risks not only for virtue but also for lovers of virtue, I traced from this the rest of the man's philosophy and was wounded into friendship. And when some, mad for sophistry, schemed to corrupt the doctrines of piety, we, fencing ourselves there with their own weapons and striking with syllogisms, did not let go until we had routed them completely and bound on the victory purely. This second thing kindled in us no longer a spark of love but already, conspicuously, a torch, and it has remained. For such is the law of divine love. Bodily love, being earthbound (since it is made up of flowing bodies), flows away and withers like flowers. For neither does fire remain when the material that supplied the flame is consumed, but it departs along with it; nor does longing stand when its kindling withers. But love according to God and chaste, since it belongs to a thing that stands, is for that reason lasting; and the more the beauty of virtue appears to it, the more it binds the lovers of the same things to itself and to one another.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.87 (PG 78 78:791; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-87)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.88":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ εἰσί τινες, ὡς ἔφης, τῶν τὴν προστασίαν τῶν λαῶν ἀναδησαμένων, ἀπὸ μὲν τῆς τῶν πενήτων σκήψεως ἀρχόμενοι, εἰς δὲ τὸν ἴδιον χρηματισμὸν τελευτῶντες · ἀλλά γε αὐτὸς μὴ τοῖς ναυαγοῦσι πρόσεχε, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τοὺς οἴακας ἀσφαλῶς μεταχειρίζουσι, καὶ ἐξ οὐρίας πλέουσι.","t":"To the same. Even if there are some, as you said, among those who have taken on the leadership of the people, who begin with the pretext of the poor and end in their own money-making, do not look to those who are shipwrecked, but to those who handle the tiller safely and sail with a fair wind.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.88 (PG 78 78:793; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-88)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.89":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤὰς ἐβδομάδας τοῦ Δανιὴλ πῶς ἑρμηνεύει Ἐπειδὴ φιλόπονος ὧν καὶ φιλομαθής, ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν πῶς ἐπληρώθησαν αἱ παρὰ τῷ Δανιὴλ ἀναγεγραμμέναι ἑξήκοντα καὶ ἐννέα ἑβδομάδες τῶν ἐτῶν, αἱ ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκοδομῆς τῆς Ἱερουσαλήμ ἀριθμούμεναι, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἄλωσιν αὐτῆς τελευτῶσαι· ἴσθι, ὅτι οὐκ ἐπὶ Κύρου ᾠκοδομήθη, ἀλλὰ τῷ κ' ἔτει τῆς βασιλείας τοῦ Μακρόχειρος. Τότε γὰρ, ὡς Ἔσδρας διηγεῖται, Νεεμίας ἐλθὼν, τὴν πόλιν ἔκτισε. «Πῶς οὖν, ἔφης, ἑβδομήκοντα ἑβδομάδες συνετμήθησαν ἐπὶ τὸν λαόν σου, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν τὴν ἁγίαν; »Ὅτι ἐν μὲν τῇ ἔθ', τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τῷ τρίτῳ καὶ ὀγδοηκοστῷ καὶ τετρακοσιοστῷ ἔτει, ἀρχὴν ἔσχεν ὁ πόλεμος · τῇ δ᾽ ἐξῆς ἑβδομάδι τῶν ἐτῶν ἐτελεύτησε, συντελευτησάντων καὶ τῶν Ἰουδαϊκῶν πραγμάτων. Εἰ δὲ λέγεις · Πῶς; ἰστέον, ὅτι μετὰ τὸ κ' ἔτος τοῦ Μακρόχειρος ἕως τελευτήσει ἡ Περσική βασιλεία, ἔτη διεγένοντο ἑκατὸν δέκα τρία, μεθ᾽ ἣν ἡ Μακεδονικὴ διήρκεσεν ἕως ἐτῶν διακοσίων ἐνενήκοντα τεσσάρων· εἶτα ἡ Ῥωμαϊκή, Αὐγούστου μὲν βασιλεύοντος, ἔτη τεσσαράκοντα τρία· Τιβερίου δὲ, εἰκοσιδύο· Γαΐου, τέσσαρα · Κλαυδίου, ἑπτά. Τῷ γὰρ ὀγδόῳ [αὐτοῦ] ἔτει, ἤρξατο Ἰουδαίοις ἡ τῶν πραγμάτων κίνησις, ἀφ᾿ ἧς ὁ πρὸς Ῥωμαίους αὐτοῖς ἐξήφθη πόλεμος, ὁ τὴν ἄλωσιν ἀποτεκών. Ἐπὶ γὰρ Νέρωνος τοῦ διαδεξαμένου Κλαύδιον, λαμπρῶς καὶ κατὰ κράτος πολεμηθέντες ὑπὸ Οὐεσπασιανοῦ, τὸ τηνικάδε Νέρωνι στρατηγοῦντος, ὕστερον δὲ βασιλεύσαντος, ἑάλωσαν. ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Μανθάνω ὡς, ἐπὶ μὲν τοῖς δοκοῦσιν ἐπονειδίστοις, λίαν ἄχθῃ· ἐπὶ δὲ τοῖς ὄντως οὖσιν, οὐ μόνον οὐ καταδύῃ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀναβρύνῃ. Τὸ μὲν ἐκ δούλου σε γεγενῆσθαι πατρὸς, ὅπερ οὐκ ἔστι προαιρέσεως ὄνειδος, οὐδ᾽ ἐν λόγῳ τίθεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τοσοῦτον καταγινώσκειν τῆς παρούσης ἀντιποίησαι δόξης · εἰ βασιλείας οὐκ τῶν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν παρακαλούντων, ὅσον ἔδει τῶν ἐπὶ τὴν ῥαθυμίαν ἀγόντων καταψηφίζεσθαι. Καὶ εἰ μὲν εἰς τοὺς ὑπηκόους ἐτέλεις, μάλιστα μὲν οὐδ᾽ οὐτως καταφρονῆσαι ἐχρῆν, ἀλλὰ συμβουλαῖς καὶ παραινέσεσιν ἀνιμήσασθαί σε ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ τῆς κακίας, καὶ θέμις ἦν καὶ πρεπωδέστατον· πλὴν ἀλλ' οὐ τοσαύτη ζημία τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ καὶ αἰσχύνη ἔμελλεν ἔσεσθαι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἰς τοὺς ἱερέας δοκεῖς τελεῖν (τὸ δ᾽ ὅπως παρίημι, οὐ γὰρ πλῆξαί σε, ἀλλ᾿ ἰάσασθαι προἡρημαι)· οὐδὲ τοὺς ἐθέλοντας ἡσυχάζειν καὶ ἠρεμεῖν συγχωρεῖς. Πολλοὶ γὰρ Ἕλληνες καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι τῇ Ἐκκλησίᾳ ἐπιφύονται ὀνειδίζοντες, καὶ τὸν σὸν βίον προφέροντες, καὶ διὰ τούτου τῷ δόγματι λυμαίνεσθαι νομίζοντες. Εἰ τοίνυν τὴν κρίσιν οὐ δέδοικας, κἂν ἐρᾶς, κἂν ὑπολήψεως χρηστῆς ἐράσθητι· εἰ στεφάνων οὐκ ἐπιθυμεῖς, κἂν ὀνειδῶν ἀπαλλάγηθι. Εἰ ἐναῤῥήσεως οὐ φροντίζεις, κἂν μὴ τοῦ κωμῳδεῖσθαι ἀντιποιήθητι· εἰ τὴν ἀκοίμητον δίκην οὐ φρίττεις, κἂν τοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων νόμους φοβήθητι, μήποτε καὶ ἐπ᾿ αὐτοφώρῳ ληφθεὶς, τὴν ἐσχάτην ὑπομείνῃς τιμωρίαν. ΘΕΟΦΙΛΩ ΥΠΟΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Τιμόθεος ὁ τὴν τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἁπάντων κατάῤῥυτον λῆξιν, βασιλείαν οὐρανῶν προσαγορευομένην, νυνὶ νεμόμενος, τοσαύτην ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς τοῖς ὁρῶσιν ἐδημιούργει ὠφέλειαν, ὡς καὶ ἀπὸ μνήμης μόνον σωφρονίζει τοὺς μνημονεύσαντας. Ἤρκει γὰρ καὶ μόνον ἐλθὼν εἰς ἔννοιαν, αἰδὼ συνεισπέμψαι, καὶ τῶν ἀτόπων παθῶν ἀχράντους τοὺς μνησθέντας ἐργάζεσθαι. ΟΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ. Παρὰ μὲν ὑμῖν τοῖς γραμματικοῖς, τὸ ὁμώνυμον ταὐτὸν ἐστι τῷ συνωνύμῳ · παρὰ δὲ τοῖς φιλοσόφοις, οὐχὶ· ἀλλ᾽ ὁμώνυμα λέγεται, ὧν ὄνομα μόνον κοινὸν, ὁ δὲ κατὰ τοὔνομα λόγος τῆς οὐσίας ἕτερος · συνώνυμα δὲ, ὅσα καὶ πράγματι καὶ τρόπῳ καὶ ὀνόματι συντρέχει. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ἄμοιρος ὧν τῶν τοιούτων μαθημάτων, καὶ ἀγύμναστον ἔχων τὸν νοῦν, ἠξίωσας ἐπὶ γραφικῶν ῥήσεων τὰς ἐννοίας ταύτας μεταῤῥυθμισθῆναι, ὡς ἂν οἷός τε ὦ πειράσομαι λαμπράν σοι ἀνοῖξαι τῶν νοημάτων τὴν θύραν. Ἡ ἔρευνα ἐν ταῖς ἱεραῖς Γραφαῖς λέγεται καὶ ἐπὶ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ ἀνθρώπων· ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ μὲν Θεοῦ τὸ ἀκριβὲς τῆς γνώσεως μηνύει· ἐπὶ δ᾽ ἀνθρώπων, τὸ μετὰ πόνου καὶ βασάνου εὑρίσκεσθαι τὸ ζητούμενον. Ἔνθα τοίνυν τοὔνομα τοῦτο κεῖται, καὶ ἐπὶ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐπὶ ἀνθρώπου ὁμωνυμεῖ, οὐ συνωνυμεῖ· οἷον τό· Ἐρευνᾶτε τὰς Γραφὰς, τῷ περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰρημένῳ· « ῾Ὁ δὲ ἐρευνῶν τὰς καρδίας, οἶδε τί τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πνεύματος · · ὁμωνυμεῖ μὲν, οὐ συνωνυμεῖ δέ. Τὸ δὲ· «Ὁ ἐρευνῶν τὰς καρδίας, » τῷ, «Τὸ δὲ Πνεῦμα πάντα ἐρευνᾷ καὶ τὰ βάθη τοῦ Θεοῦ · · συνωνυμεῖ, τῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Πατρὸς, καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, τὴν ἀκριβεστάτην γνῶσιν δηλοῦσθαι. Οἶμαι μὲν οὖν σεσαφηνίσθαι τὸ νόημα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἄλλου ὀνόματος τοῦτο γυμνασθῆναι βούλει, καὶ τοῦτο ποιήσω. Τὸ ἀγαθὸν λέγεται μὲν ἐπὶ Θεοῦ καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἀνθρώπων, ἀλλ᾽ ὁμωνυμίαν ἐμφαίνει. Τὸ γὰρ, ὁ ἀγαθὸς ἄνθρωπος, τῷ, «Ὡς ἀγαθὸς τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, › ὁμωνυμεῖ. Τὸ δὲ, Ὡς ἀγαθὸς ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἰσραὴλ, › τῷ, «Τὸ Πνεῦμά σου τὸ ἀγαθὸν ὁδηγήσει με ἐν γῇ εὐθείᾳ, » συνωνυμεῖ. Οὐ γὰρ ὀνόματός ἐστιν ἐνταῦθα κοινωνία, ἀλλὰ καὶ πράγματος. Καὶ ὁ θυμὸς δ᾽ ἐπὶ Θεοῦ λεγόμενὸς, καὶ ἐφ' ἡμῶν, οὐ συνωνυμεῖ, ἀλλ᾽ ὁμωνυμεῖ. Ἑπὶ μὲν γὰρ Θεοῦ μηνύει τὴν ἀπαθῶς ἐπιπεμπομένην τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσι τιμωρίαν· ἐπὶ δὲ ἡμῶν, τὴν ἐμπαθῆ κίνησιν, καὶ τὴν τῶν λογισμῶν ταραχήν. Καὶ τὸ, « Πρόσθες ἀνομίαν ἐπὶ τῇ ἀνομίᾳ αὐτῶν, › ὁμωνυμεῖ. \"Ο γὰρ λέγει, τοῦτ' ἔστιν· Ἑπίθες τιμωρίαν ἐπὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν αὐτῶν. Καὶ τὸ, « Εἴ τις τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ φθείρει, φθερεῖ τοῦτον ὁ Θεὸς, » όμωνυμεῖ. \"Ο γὰρ λέγει τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· Εἴ τις μολύνει τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ, τιμωρηθήσεται ὑπ᾿ αὐτοῦ.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [How he interprets the weeks of Daniel.] Since, being industrious and eager to learn, you wished to learn how the sixty-nine weeks of years recorded in Daniel were fulfilled, which are counted from the building of Jerusalem and end at its capture, know that it was not built under Cyrus, but in the twentieth year of the reign of Longimanus. For then, as Ezra relates, Nehemiah came and built the city. \"How then,\" you asked, \"were seventy weeks decreed upon your people and upon the holy city?\" Because in the sixty-ninth week, that is, in the four hundred and eighty-third year, the war began; and in the next week of years it ended, and with it Jewish affairs also ended. And if you say, \"How?\", know that after the twentieth year of Longimanus, until the Persian kingdom ended, one hundred and thirteen years passed; after which the Macedonian lasted two hundred and ninety-four years; then the Roman: in the reign of Augustus, forty-three years; of Tiberius, twenty-two; of Gaius, four; of Claudius, seven. For in his eighth year began the unrest among the Jews from which the war against the Romans was kindled that gave birth to the capture. For under Nero, Claudius's successor, they were brilliantly and mightily warred upon by Vespasian, who was then Nero's general and later emperor, and were captured. [Letter 3.90] To Zosimus the presbyter. I learn that you are greatly vexed at things that seem disgraceful, but at those that really are, you not only do not sink in shame but even pride yourself. That you were born of a slave father, which is no reproach of choice, you ought not to take into account at all; but you condemn those who call you to virtue as much as you ought to condemn those who lead you to idleness. If you were one of those under authority, even so you ought certainly not to be despised; rather, to draw you up by counsels and exhortations from the depth of vice would have been both right and most fitting; yet the loss and disgrace to the church would not have been so great. But since you seem to be numbered among the priests (how, I pass over, for I have chosen not to strike you but to heal you), you do not allow even those who wish to keep quiet and be at peace to do so. For many pagans and Jews attack the church with reproaches, bringing forward your life and thinking to damage the doctrine by it. If, then, you do not fear the judgment, at least love a good reputation; if you do not desire crowns, at least be rid of reproaches; if you do not love the kingdom, at least lay claim to the present glory; if you do not care for good report, at least do not court mockery; if you do not shudder at the sleepless Justice, at least fear human laws, lest you be caught in the act and undergo the extreme penalty. [Letter 3.91] To Theophilus the subdeacon. Timothy, who now enjoys the lot that flows with all good things, called the kingdom of heaven, produced such benefit by his virtue in those who saw him that he makes those who remember him chaste even by memory alone. For it was enough for him only to come to mind to bring modesty with him and make those who remembered him undefiled by unseemly passions. [Letter 3.92] To Ophelius the grammarian. Among you grammarians, the homonymous is the same as the synonymous; but among the philosophers it is not. Things are called homonymous whose name alone is common, while the definition of the essence corresponding to the name is different; synonymous, those that agree in thing, manner and name. But since, having no share in such studies and having an untrained mind, you asked that these notions be applied to scriptural sayings, I will try, as far as I can, to open for you a bright door of thoughts. \"Searching\" is said in the holy Scriptures both of God and of human beings; but of God it shows the exactness of his knowledge, of human beings that what is sought is found with toil and testing. Where, then, this word stands both of God and of man, it is homonymous, not synonymous: for instance, \"Search the Scriptures,\" compared with what is said of God, \"He who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit,\" is homonymous, not synonymous. But \"He who searches the hearts\" compared with \"The Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God\" is synonymous, because in both, of the Father and of the Holy Spirit, the most exact knowledge is shown. I think the idea has been made clear. But if you wish to be exercised on another word as well, I will do this too. \"Good\" is said of God and of human beings, but it shows homonymy. For \"the good man\" is homonymous with \"How good to Israel.\" But \"How good is God to Israel\" is synonymous with \"Your good Spirit will lead me on level ground.\" For here there is a sharing not of the name only but of the thing. And \"wrath,\" said of God and of us, is not synonymous but homonymous. For of God it means the punishment sent without passion upon sinners; of us, the passionate movement and the disturbance of the thoughts. And \"Add iniquity to their iniquity\" is homonymous. For what it says is this: \"Lay punishment upon their sin.\" And \"If anyone destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him\" is homonymous. For what it says is something like this: \"If anyone defiles the temple of God, he will be punished by him.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.89 (PG 78 78:793; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-89)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.93":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤὸ ἀγαθὸν Θεὸν μὲν ἔχει κατὰ φύσιν, οὐκ ἀβούλητον, ἀλλὰ προαιρετικὴν, οὐδὲ βιαίαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἑκούσιον. Ἡμεῖς δὲ κατὰ ἄσκησιν καὶ προκοπὴν ἀναλαμβάνομεν. Οὐκ ἀναφαίρετον ἔχοντες τοῦτο, ὥσπερ ἡ θεία φύσις· ἀλλὰ μεταπίπτον, εἰ ῥαστώνης ἔρως ἀχορεύτως χορεύσειεν.","t":"To the same. God has the good by nature, not involuntarily but by choice, not by compulsion but willingly. We take it up by training and progress, not having it as something that cannot be taken away, as the divine nature has it, but as something that can fall away, if love of ease should dance its dance that is no dance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.93 (PG 78 78:797; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-93)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3.94":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤ\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον· « Προφήτην ὑμῖν ἀναστήσει Κύριος ὁ Θεός. Εἰπὲ τῷ πρὸς σὲ διενεχθέντι Ἰουδαίῳ, καὶ μηδὲν μὲν γενναῖον, μηδὲ νεανικὸν φράσαντι, ἀγυρτικὰς δὲ λογοποιίας ἐμέσαντι, καὶ φήσαντι περὶ τοῦ παιδὸς Ναυῆ εἰρῆσθαι τό - « Προφήτην ὑμῖν ἀναστήσει ὁ Θεὸς ἐκ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ὑμῶν ὡς ἐμὲ, ὅτι κατὰ πολλὰ πλημμελεῖς, καὶ νοῶν οὐχ ὑγιῶς, καὶ φεύγων τὸ μαθεῖν, καὶ κρύπτων τὰ μείζονα ἢ κατὰ Μωσέα. Εἴρηται γάρ · · Αὐτοῦ ἀκούσεσθε κατὰ πάντα ὅσα ἂν ἐντείληται. Ἔσται δὲ ψυχὴ, ἥτις ἂν μὴ ἀκούσῃ τοῦ προφήτου ἐκείνου, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται ἀπὸ τοῦ λαοῦ αὐτῆς. » Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ μετὰ τὴν χειροτονίαν ἐκείνου, ταῦθ᾽ ὁ Μωσῆς ἔνθους γενόμενος ἐθέσπισε. Δεύτερον, ὅτι, εἱ μὲν ὁ τοῦ Ναυῆ παῖς ὑπερέβη τὸν Μωσέα, πιθανὸν μὲν ἦν τὸ λεγόμενον, οὐκ ἀληθὲς δέ Εἰ δὲ πολλῷ αὐτοῦ καταδεέστερος ἦν, ἀδρανὴς αὕτη ἡ ἔννοια φαίνεται. Τρίτον, ὅτι οὐδὲ προσἐθηκέ τι τὸ νόμῳ· ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐκείνου ἐπολιτεύετο θεσμοῖς. Τέταρτον, ἐχρῆν, εἴ γε περὶ αὐτοῦ ἦν ὁ λόγος, εἰπεῖν, οὐκ ἀναστήσει, ἀλλ᾽, ᾿Ανέστησε. Πέμπτον, ὅτι ἔδει φράσαι· · Ἔσται δὲ πᾶσα ψυχὴ, ἥτις ἂν μὴ ἀκούσῃ τοῦ προφήτου τούτου. » Τῷ δ᾽ εἰπεῖν, ἐκείνου, τοῦτον παρεγράψατο. Ἔκτον, πῶς πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην μετὰ πολλὰς γενεὰς τεχθέντα ἀπέστειλαν, πευσόμενοι, εἰ αὐτὸς εἴη ὁ προφήτης · κἀκεῖνος ἔφη· « Οὐκ εἰμί; » Προφήτης μὲν γὰρ ἦν· ὁ προφήτης δὲ οὐκ ἦν. Ἔβδομον, πῶς τοῦ Σωτῆρος δεῦρο φοιτήσαντος, οἱ τὰ θαύματα θεώμενοι ἔλεγον· « Οὗτός ἐστιν ἀληθῶς ὁ προφήτης. • Συνοράτω οὖν πόσα αὐτῷ ἐναντιοῦται, καὶ τὸν ἀληθῆ προγνώστην τε καὶ βασιλέα ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Εἰς τὸ· « Κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ καθ' ὁμοιότητα. Ἐπειδὴ ὁ σοφώτατος καὶ ὀξύτατος τὸ πολυθρύλητον πρόβλημα έρμηνευθῆναί σοι συντόμως καὶ σαφῶς, καὶ μὴ διὰ κύκλων τινῶν, παρεκάλεσας, θάτερον δὲ θατέρῳ ἀντίκειται· τὸ μὲν γὰρ σαφὲς, πολλῶν δεῖται λόγων· τὸ δὲ σύντομον, ὀλίγων· ὡς ἂν οἷός τε ὦ, συγκεράσας τὴν σαφήνειαν τῇ συντομία, ( ἐπιστέλλω. Κρεῖττον μὲν ποιοῦσιν τῷ κρείττονι μέρει τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, τὸ κρεῖττον παραβάλλοντες. Εἰ δ' ἀσαφὲς εἶναι δοκεῖ τὸ εἰρημένον, σαφέστερον εἰρήσεται. \"Αμεινον μὲν ποιοῦσιν, οἱ τῷ βελτίονι μέρει τἀνθρώπου, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι τῇ λογικῇ ψυχῇ τὸ θεῖον ἐξεικονίζοντες. Οἱ γὰρ ἀνθρωπόμορφον αὐτὸ ἡγούμενοι, πάμπαν ἡλίθιοι, ἐπειδὴ τοῖς συγκαταβατικῶς εἰρημένοις περιπλέκονται· καὶ οὐδὲν θειότερον ἐννοεῖν ἀνέχονται. Πῶς γὰρ εἴρηται· « Ἐν σκέπῃ τῶν πτερύγων σου σκεπάσεις με, » καί · « Ἑπτὰ ὀφθαλμοὶ Κυρίου ἐπιβλέποντες ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν, » τοῦ ἀνθρώπου μήτε πτέρυγας, μήθ' ἑπτὰ ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντος; Πῶς δ᾽ ὁ Παῦλος ἀπεφήνατο, μηδ' ἐνθυμήσεως ἀνθρώπου τὸ θεῖον εἶναι ὅμοιον; Πῶς δ' ὁ Ἡσαΐας εἶπεν, « Εἰ πάντα τὰ ἔθνη ὡς σταγὼν ἀπὸ κάδου, καὶ ὡς σίελος ἐλογίσθησαν, ὁ δὲ Λίβανος οὐχ ἱκανὸς εἰς καῦσιν, καὶ πάντα τὰ τετράποδα οὐχ ἱκανὰ εἰς ὀλοκάρπωσιν, τίνι ὁμοιώσετε Κύριον; » Πῶς δὲ Μωσῆς οὗ τὴν λέξιν κακούργως ἑρμηνεύειν πειρῶνται, ἔφησε· « Καὶ φυλάξεσθε σφόδρα ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑμῶν· ὅτι οὐκ ἴδετε πᾶν ὁμοίωμα ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, ἡ ἐλάλησε πρὸς ὑμᾶς; › Πλὴν οὐδ᾽ ἐκεῖνοι τὸ ἀκριβὲς, ὥς γε ἡγοῦμαι, δογματίζουσιν. Ἀρχῆς γὰρ καὶ βασιλείας ἐστὶν εἰκὼν ὁ ἄνθρωπος, οὐκ οὐσίας· εἰ δὲ εὖ πράξοι, καὶ ἀρετῆς. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἀθάνατον ὁριζόμεθα εἶναι τὴν νοερὰν ψυχήν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τῆς θειοτάτης ἐκείνης καὶ ἀνάρχου φύσεως ὁμοούσιον, ἀλλὰ τοσοῦτον ἀπέχουσαν, ὅσον εἰκὸς κτίσμα τοῦ Κτίσαντος. Εἰ γὰρ ἡ ψυχὴ κατ' εἰκόνα, δηλονότι καὶ ἡ τῆς γυναικός. Τί οὖν δήποτε εἶπεν ὁ Παῦλος· « ᾿Ανὴρ μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ὀφείλει κατακαλύπτεσθαι τὴν κεφαλὴν, εἰκὼν καὶ δόξα Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων· ἡ δὲ γυνὴ δόξα ἀνδρός ἐστι ; » Τῆς γὰρ ψυχῆς τῆς γυναικὸς ἀθανάτου, καὶ ἀφθάρτου οὔσης, ὥσπερ καὶ τῆς τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, τί δήποτε μετὰ διορισμοῦ τινος τοῦτ᾽ ἔφρασεν ὁ Παῦλος; Εἱ δὲ πρὸς ταῦτα ἀνθυπενέγκοιεν, ἀνθοπλίζοντες τὸν Μωσέα τῷ Παύλῳ, τό· • Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν, καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν, ο μάλιστα μὲν δυνατὸν εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ἑνικόν ἐστι τὸ εἰρημένον, καὶ οὐ περὶ ἀμφοτέρων εἴρηται, πλὴν οὐ λέξομεν. Εἰ δὲ τὸ ἑξῆς προαγάγοιεν τὸ καὶ ἀρχέτωσαν, πρὸς ἡμῶν ἔσται τὸ εἰρημένον. Δείκνυται γὰρ λαμπρῶς τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα, ἐν τῷ ἀρχικῷ χαρακτηριζόμενον. Εἰ δ' εἴποιεν· Πῶς οὖν ὁ Παῦλος, τὸν μὲν, εἰκόνα θείαν, τὴν δὲ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἀπεφήνατο; φήσομεν, ὅτι ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν ὁμότιμος ἦν ἡ γυνὴ, καὶ τῆς αὐτῆς ἠξιοῦτο ἀρχῆς· ἐπειδὴ δ᾽ ἔπταισεν, ἠλαττώθη, καὶ ἠκρωτηριάσθη αὐτῆς ἡ ἀρχὴ, καὶ ὑπὸ τὸν ἄνδρα γεγένηται. « Οὐκ ἤνεγκας, φησὶ, τὴν ἰσοτιμίαν, δέχου τὴν ἐλάττωσιν. Πρὸς τὸν ἄνδρα σου ἡ ἀποστροφή σου, καὶ αὐτός σου κυριεύσει.» Ὥστε ἡ μὲν κοσμοποιία τὴν πρὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας τῆς γυναικὸς δηλοῖ ἀρχὴν· τὸ δ᾽ ἀποστολικὸν λόγιον, τὴν μετὰ τὸ πταϊσμα ὑποταγήν. Ὅτι δὲ τῷ κεχειροτονῆσθαι πάντων τῶν ἐπιγείων ἄρχοντα τὸν ἄνθρωπον, τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα σώζεται· ἄκουσον τοῦ Μελῳδοῦ τὰς θείας δέλτους, καὶ τὰς βασιλικὰς συλλαβὰς ἑρμηνεύοντος, καὶ φράζοντος· « Δόξη καὶ τιμῇ ἐστεφάνωσας αὐτὸν, καὶ κατέστησας αὐτὸν ἐπὶ πάντα τὰ ἔργα τῶν χειρῶν σου. • Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ Θεῖον πάντων οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἄνθρωπος τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς βασιλεύει. Ἔχει μὲν οὖν τὸ ἀρχικὸν σῶζον τὴν βασιλικὴν εἰκόνα. Τὸ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν, εἰ μὴ δοκοίη τισὶν ἐκ παραλλήλου λέγεσθαι ὡς τὸ·· Ἐὰν [δὲ] ἐκοιμήθην καὶ ὕπνωσα, » καὶ τό· « Μακάριος ὁ συνιὼν ἐπὶ πτωχὸν καὶ πένητα · · οὕτως ἑρμηνευτέον, ὅτι τὴν ἀρχὴν αὐτῷ ἐνεχείρισεν ὁ Θεὸς, ἵν᾿ ἐπιδείξηται τὴν ἀρετὴν, καὶ σώσῃ τὴν ὁμοιότητα . Ἐδέξω, φησὶ, τὴν τιμὴν, δεῖξον τὴν ἀρετήν· ἵνα τὸ μὲν τῇ δημιουργίᾳ, τὸ δὲ τῇ προαιρέσει τοῦ δημιουρἀρχῆς μὲν εἰρῆσθαι· « Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν· · ὕστερον δέν • Καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς τὸν ἄνθρωπον, κατ' εἰκόνα Θεοῦ ἐποίησεν αὐτὸν, » οὐ προστεθέντος τὸ, καθ' ὁμοίωσιν· ἢ ὡς τὸ αὐτὸ ἐμφαινούσης τῆς λέξεως, ὡς ἔφθην εἰπὼν, ἀναρτηθείσης τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἵν᾿ ᾗ τὸ τοιοῦτον τὸ εἰρημένον, « Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα ἡμετέραν, » ἵν᾽ ἐκ προαιρέσεως γένηται καθ' ὁμοίωσιν · διὸ πρὸ μὲν τῆς δημιουργίας ἀμφότερα ἐἶπε· μετὰ δὲ τὴν δημιουργίαν, θάτερον. Ο μονογενής γοῦν Θεὸς ἐπιδημήσας, φησί· « Γίνεσθε ὅμοιοι τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑμῶν τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· · ὡς τῆς [μὲν] δημιουργίας, τὸ κατ' εἰκόνα σωζούσης· τῆς δὲ προαιρέσεως, τὸ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν. Εἰ δὲ φαῖεν γηθέντος ἀνακέηται. Καὶ τάχα τοῦτο δηλοῖ, τὸ ἐξ Πῶς οὖν, εἴ γε τὴν ἀρχὴν πάντων τὴν ἐπὶ γῆς εἶληφεν ὁ ἄνθρωπος, τὰ θηρία δέδοικε; παρεὶς ἐκείνην τὴν ἀπολογίαν, εἴτε ἀληθὴς εἴη, εἴτε μὴ, ἦν τινες ἔφασαν, ὅτι ἐν ταῖς θείαις δέλτοις, ἡ ἀρχὴ τῶν θηρίων οὐκ ἐνέκειτο · ἀλλ᾽ ὕστερον παρά τινων προσετέθη· ἐξ εὐθείας τὴν ἀπολογίαν ποιήσομαι. Ὅτι ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν αὐτῷ ὅτε ἔλαμπεν ἡ εἰκὼν, πάντα ὑπέκειτο (διὸ καὶ ὀνόματα αὐτοῖς ἐπέθηκεν), ἐπειδὴ δὲ παρήκουσεν, ἠκρωτηριάσθη αὐτοῦ εἰκότως ἡ ἀρχὴ, καὶ πάσης μὲν οὐκ ἐξεβλήθη (ἵνα μὴ ἕωλος ἡ χάρις εὑρεθῇ), ἠκρωτηριάσθη δέ· οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον ἦν τὸν ἡττηθέντα καὶ στεφανωθῆναι, ἀλλὰ τῷ φόβῳ τῶν θηρίων σωφρονισθῆναι. \"Ὅτι δὲ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἀληθὲς, ὅτε ὁ Νῶε τὴν εἰκόνα ταύτην ἀνεκάθηρε, τῷ δικαιοσύ ην ενίσαιο ἦλθε πρὸς αὐτὸν πάντα τὰ θηρία, τὴν ἀρχαίαν δουλείαν ὁμολογοῦντα, καὶ μονονουχί τὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἁμαρτόντα, καὶ μέρος τῆς ἀρχῆς ἀπολέσαντα καταμεμφόμενα. Καὶ τὸν Δανιὴλ δὲ οἱ λέοντες ἠδέσθησαν, καὶ τὸ πῦρ τοὺς παῖδας τοὺς τρεῖς Καὶ ἡ ἔχις τὸν Παῦλον οὐδὲν ἔβλαψε. Δι' ὧν οὖν ἀνενεώσαντο τὴν προγονικὴν ἀρχὴν, δῆλός ἐστι κἀκεῖνος εἰληφὼς μὲν ὁλόκληρον, ἐκ μέρους δ' ἀπολέσας. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν παρ' ἡμῶν. Εἰ δὲ τις ἔχοι βέλτιον λέγειν καὶ λεγέτω, καὶ ἀκουέσθω. ΠΑΥΛΩ. Πᾶσαι μὲν αἱ τέχναι, ταῖς μὲν μελέταις συγκροτοῦνται, καὶ μείζους γίνονται· ταῖς δ᾽ ἀργίαις ἀπόλλυνται, μάλιστα δὲ ἡ τῶν λόγων δύναμις. Θεραπευομένη μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἀρδευομένη, μεγίστη γίνεται ἀμελουμένη δὲ, ῥᾳδίως ἀποφοιτᾷ καὶ ἀφίπταται. Ὅτου δὲ χάριν ταῦτα λέγω, ἴσως οὐκ ἀγνοεῖς ὁ τὴν θείαν σοφίαν καὶ τὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐργασίαν δίκαιος ὧν ταῖς προσθήκαις αὔξειν, καὶ μείζους καθιστᾶν. ΖΩΣΙΜΩ. Πρεσβύτερον ὄντα σε διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν, καὶ καλούμενον, δια τὴν χειροτονίαν, φασὶ νεωτερίζειν τοῖς τρόποις, καὶ πάντα ἀκμάζοντα ἀποκρύπτειν, πράττοντα, λόγῳ μὲν αἰδοῦμαι λέγειν, αὐτὸς δὲ οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως πράττειν οὐκ ἐρυθριᾷς. Εἰ τοίνυν ἀληθεύουσιν, ἀρίστην κἂν ἐπὶ γήρως δείξον μεταβολὴν, ἵνα κἀκεῖνοι παυσάμενοι τῶν κωμῳδιῶν, παλινῳδίαν ᾄσοιεν. ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΙΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ. Ἥσθην ὑπερφυῶς πυθόμενος τὴν σὴν ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον προκοπήν, καὶ τοὺς φίλους συνησθῆναι παρεσκεύασα, τὴν εὐκταιοτάτην αὐτοῖς καὶ ἐρασμιωτάτην εὐαγγελισάμενος ἀκοήν. Εἰ τοίνυν βούλει ἡμᾶς μὲν ἐπὶ πλεῖον πανηγυρίζειν (ἥδιον γὰρ τὰς ἑορτάζομεν εὐδοκιμήσεις), σαὐτῷ δὲ κλέος οὐρανόμηκες κατασκευάσαι, μὴ παύσοιο ταῦτα θηρώμενος, ἃ καὶ ε παρὰ Θεῷ εὐδόκιμον καὶ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις ἀοίδιμόν σε παρασκευάσει. ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Οἱ τῷ κανόνι τοὺς μὴ κανόνας προσάγοντες, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὸν καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους κανονίσαι δίκαιον ὄντα δοκιμάζοντες, οὗ μοι δοκοῦσι τὴν κρίσιν τῶν πραγμάτων ἔχειν ὀρθήν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐκακώθησαν τὸ λογιστικὸν τῆς ψυχῆς δι᾽ ἑκουσίας νόσου, σφάλλονται λοιπὸν καὶ περὶ τὴν κρίσιν τῶν πραγμάτων. Το γοῦν δικαίῳ, καὶ ἀνδρείῳ, καὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσι φοβερῷ, τῦφον καὶ ὀφρὺν ἐπιφημίζουσι· διὰ τούτου πᾶσι τοῖς τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐρασταῖς, τὸν εἰς αὐτὴν δρόμον ἐγκόψαι μηχανώμενοι. Τῇ γὰρ σύνεγγυς κακίᾳ τὴν ἀρετὴν ὀνομάζειν τολμῶσιν. Οὐκοῦν μεμφέσθωσαν οἱ τοιοῦτοι καὶ τῷ λέοντι, ὅτι βλοσυρὸν, καὶ βασιλικὸν, καὶ οὐ πιθήκειον βλέπει, καὶ τοὺς μίμους τῶν γελοίων ἀποδεχέσθωσαν, ὅτι γέλωτα κινοῦσιν ἄτοπον.","t":"To the same. [On the saying \"The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you.\"] Say to the Jew who argued with you, who said nothing noble or vigorous but vomited out mountebanks' tales, and claimed that \"God will raise up for you a prophet from your brothers like me\" was said of the son of Nun: that you err in many ways, understanding unsoundly, fleeing instruction, and hiding what is greater than in Moses' case. For it is said: \"You shall listen to him in everything he commands. And every soul that does not listen to that prophet will be destroyed from its people.\" First, Moses uttered this under inspiration after Joshua's appointment. Second, if the son of Nun had surpassed Moses, what is said would be plausible, though not true; but if he was far inferior to him, this idea is plainly feeble. Third, he added nothing to the law but lived by Moses' ordinances. Fourth, if the word were about him, it should have said not \"will raise up\" but \"has raised up.\" Fifth, it should have said, \"Every soul that does not listen to this prophet\"; but by saying \"that one\" it excluded this one. Sixth, how did they send to John, born many generations later, to ask whether he was the Prophet, and he said, \"I am not\"? For he was a prophet, but he was not the Prophet. Seventh, how, when the Saviour had come here, did those who saw his miracles say, \"This is truly the Prophet\"? Let him see, then, how many things oppose him, and [acknowledge] the true foreknower and king. [Letter 3.95] To Isidore the deacon. [On \"according to image and according to likeness.\"] Since you, most wise and sharp friend, asked that the much-discussed problem be explained to you briefly and clearly and not by any circuits, and the one is opposed to the other (for clarity needs many words, brevity few), I write, as far as I can, mixing clarity with brevity. Those do better who compare the better with the better part of the human being. And if what has been said seems unclear, it will be said more clearly. Those do better who make the divine an image in the better part of man, that is, in the rational soul. For those who think it human in form are utterly foolish, since they get entangled in what is said by condescension and will not bear to think anything more divine. For how is it said, \"In the shelter of your wings you will shelter me,\" and \"Seven eyes of the Lord looking upon all the earth,\" when man has neither wings nor seven eyes? How did Paul declare that the divine is not like even man's thought? How did Isaiah say, \"If all the nations are counted as a drop from a bucket and as spittle, and Lebanon is not enough for burning and all the four-footed beasts not enough for a whole burnt offering, to whom will you liken the Lord?\" How did Moses, whose wording they try to interpret with malice, say, \"And guard your souls carefully, for you saw no likeness on the day he spoke to you\"? Yet not even the others, as I think, teach the exact truth. For man is an image of rule and kingship, not of essence; and, if he does well, of virtue too. For even if we define the intelligent soul as immortal, it is not of the same essence as that most divine and beginningless nature, but as far removed as a creature probably is from its Creator. For if the soul is according to the image, plainly the woman's soul is too. Why then did Paul say, \"A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but the woman is the glory of man\"? For since the woman's soul is immortal and incorruptible, like the man's, why did Paul say this with a distinction? And if against this they object, arming Moses against Paul, \"Let us make man according to our image and according to likeness,\" it would be possible to say that what is said is singular and not said of both; but we shall not say it. And if they bring forward what follows, \"and let them rule,\" what is said will be on our side. For \"according to the image\" is brilliantly shown to be characterized by ruling. And if they say, \"How then did Paul declare him the divine image, but her the man's?\", we shall say that from the beginning the woman was of equal honour and was thought worthy of the same rule; but since she stumbled, she was lessened, her rule was cut short, and she came to be under the man. \"You did not bear equality of honour,\" he says; \"accept the lessening. Your turning shall be to your husband, and he shall rule over you.\" So the account of the world's making shows the woman's rule before her sin, and the apostolic saying her subjection after the fall. And that \"according to the image\" is kept by man's having been appointed ruler of all earthly things, hear the Psalmist interpreting the divine tablets and the royal syllables and saying, \"You crowned him with glory and honour and set him over all the works of your hands.\" For as the Godhead reigns over all, so man reigns over the things on earth. His ruling, then, keeps the royal image. \"According to likeness,\" unless some think it said in parallel, as in \"I lay down and slept\" and \"Blessed is he who considers the poor and needy,\" is to be interpreted thus: God entrusted rule to him so that he might show virtue and keep the likeness. \"You have received the honour,\" he says; \"show the virtue,\" so that the one may be ascribed to the creation and the other to the choice of the one created. And perhaps this is what is shown by its being said at the beginning, \"Let us make man according to our image and according to likeness,\" but later, \"And God made man; according to the image of God he made him,\" without \"according to likeness\" being added; either because the expression shows the same thing, as I said before, or because virtue was left in suspense, so that what was said, \"Let us make man according to our image,\" means that he may become \"according to likeness\" by choice. That is why before the creation he said both, and after the creation one. The only-begotten God, indeed, when he came among us, says, \"Become like your Father in heaven,\" as though the creation kept \"according to the image\" and choice \"according to likeness.\" And if they say, \"How then, if man received rule over all things on earth, does he fear the wild beasts?\", passing over the defence that some have given, whether true or not, namely that rule over the wild beasts was not in the divine tablets but was added later by certain people, I will make the defence directly. From the beginning, when the image shone in him, all things were subject to him (which is why he gave them names); but when he disobeyed, his rule was rightly cut short; he was not thrown out of all of it (lest grace be found stale), but it was cut short. For it was not just that the defeated man should also be crowned; he was to be chastened by fear of the beasts. And that this is true: when Noah cleansed this image by righteousness, all the beasts came to him, acknowledging their ancient servitude and all but reproaching the one who sinned at the beginning and lost part of his rule. And the lions respected Daniel, and the fire the three young men, and the viper did Paul no harm. By those, then, who renewed the ancestral rule, it is plain that he too received it whole but lost it in part. So much from us. If anyone can say something better, let him say it, and let him be heard. [Letter 3.96] To Paul. All arts are strengthened by practice and grow greater, but perish by idleness; and above all the power of speech. For when it is tended and watered, it becomes very great; but when neglected, it easily departs and flies away. Why I say this, you perhaps do not fail to know, you who ought to increase divine wisdom and the working of virtue by additions and make them greater. [Letter 3.97] To Zosimus. Though you are a presbyter, an elder, by age and are so called by ordination, they say that you are youthful in your ways and outdo all those in their prime, doing things I am ashamed to name in words, while you somehow do not blush to do them. If, then, they speak the truth, show an excellent change even in old age, so that they too may stop their mockery and sing a recantation. [Letter 3.98] To Strategius the monk. I was extraordinarily pleased to learn of your progress toward the better, and I made our friends share my pleasure by announcing to them the most longed-for and delightful news. If, then, you wish us to celebrate still more (for we keep your good reputation as a feast with great delight) and to win for yourself sky-high fame, do not stop hunting those things that will make you esteemed before God and celebrated among men. [Letter 3.99] To Hermogenes the bishop. Those who apply what are not rules to the rule, and on that basis test the one who ought to regulate others, do not seem to me to judge matters rightly. For since they have corrupted the reasoning part of the soul by a voluntary disease, they go wrong thereafter in judging matters too. To the just, the brave, the man fearsome to sinners, they attach the name of conceit and haughtiness, scheming by this to cut off the course toward virtue for all its lovers. For they dare to call virtue by the name of the vice next to it. Then let such people blame the lion too, because he looks grim and kingly and not like a monkey, and let them approve the mimes of buffoonery, because they raise unseemly laughter.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 3.94 (PG 78 78:797; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/3-94)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.1":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰς τὸν στέφανον ἐνιαυτοῦ καὶ τροχοῦ γενέσεως. Ἐπειδὴ κυκλικόν ἐστι τοῦ χρόνου τὸ σχῆμα, τῆς μὲν ἡμέρας ἑπτάκις ἀνακυκλουμένης, τῆς δὲ ἑβδομάδος εἰς μῆνα, τῶν δὲ μηνῶν εἰς ἐνιαυτόν · καὶ πάλιν εἰς τὰ αὐτὰ σημεῖα ἀποκαθίσταται · διὰ τοῦτο πῆ μὲν στέφανον ἐνιαυτοῦ, πῆ δὲ τροχὸν γενέσεως ἐκάλεσεν ἡ Γραφή· κύκλου γὰρ καὶ στεφάνου καὶ τροχοῦ τὸ αὐτὸ σχῆμα. Τῶν τεσσάρων ὡρῶν, ἐαρινῆς, φημὶ, καὶ θερινῆς, μετοπωρινῆς καὶ χειμερινῆς, τρόπον τινὰ τὰς χεῖρας συναπτουσῶν καὶ τὸν ἐνιαυτὸν ἑλιττουσῶν, ἀρίστην χορείαν χορεύουσιν Οὕτω γὰρ σοφῶς καὶ ἐναρμονίως ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀριστοτέχνου Θεοῦ ἐδημιουργήθησαν, ὡς ἡρέμα ἑκάστης τὸ τέλος τῇ ἀρχῇ τῆς ἄλλης κιρνώμενον λανθανόντως καὶ ἀνεπαισθήτως καὶ ἀβλαβῶς ἐν τοῖς σώμασι χορεύειν. Ἵνα δὲ σαφέστερον γένηται τὸ λεγόμενον, δι' αὐτοῦ τοῦ πράγματος ὁ λόγος βαδιείτω. Τὸ ἀκρότατον θέρος οὐκ εὐθὺς εἰς χειμῶνα ἄκρον παραπέμπει· ἡ γὰρ ἂν ἐβλάβη τὰ σώματα καὶ τὰ σπέρματα καὶ τὰ φυτά, τῆς ἀθρόας μεταβολῆς μὴ ἐνεγκόντων τὴν ἔφοδον· ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν τῷ μετοπώρῳ παραχωρῆσαν λήγει, τὸ δὲ κατὰ μὲν τὴν ἀρχὴν τῷ θέρει, κατὰ δὲ τὴν τελευτὴν ἠρέμα καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν τῷ χειμῶνι ὁμοιωθὲν, ἀβλαβῶς τῷ χειμῶνι παραπέμπει, εἶτα ὁ χειμὼν τῷ ἔαρι παραχωρήσας, λήγει · τὸ δὲ κατὰ μικρὸν λανθανόντως κιρνώμενον παραπέμπει τῷ θέρει.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. [On \"the crown of the year\" and \"the wheel of becoming.\"] Since the shape of time is circular (the day revolving seven times into a week, the week into a month, and the months into a year, and then it returns again to the same points), Scripture for this reason called it in one place \"the crown of the year\" and in another \"the wheel of becoming\"; for circle, crown, and wheel have the same shape. The four seasons, spring, I mean, and summer, autumn, and winter, as it were joining hands and turning the year round, dance a most excellent dance. For they were made by God, the supreme craftsman, so wisely and harmoniously that the end of each, gently mingled with the beginning of the next, dances in our bodies unnoticed, imperceptibly, and without harm. To make what I say clearer, let the argument proceed through the thing itself. The height of summer does not pass straight into the depth of winter; otherwise bodies, seeds, and plants would have been harmed, unable to bear the onset of a sudden change. Rather, summer ends by giving way to autumn; and autumn, like summer at its beginning and gradually and little by little becoming like winter at its end, passes on to winter without harm. Then winter ends by giving way to spring; and spring, mingled little by little and unnoticed, passes on to summer.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.1 (PG 78 78:1047; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-1)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.10":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου, « Εὐχόμεθα δὲ τῷ Θεῷ, μὴ ποιῆσαι ὑμᾶς μηδέν κακόν. Γέγραφας, τί ἐστιν ὁ ἔφη ὁ Παῦλος, « Εὐχόμεθα δὲ τῷ Θεῷ, μὴ ποιῆσαι ὑμᾶς μηδὲν κακὸν, οὐχ ἵνα ἡμεῖς δόκιμοι φανῶμεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑμεῖς τὸ καλὸν ποιῆτε, ἡμεῖς δὲ ὡς ἀδόκιμοι ὦμεν. » \"Ἄκουε τοίνυν συντόμως. Ἐπειδὴ ἡ λόγῳ τικτομένη κατὰ τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων τιμωρία, οἷον ἡ κατὰ τῶν περὶ ᾿Ανανίαν καὶ Σάπφειραν, καὶ ἡ κατὰ τοῦ τυφλωθέντος μάγου, τοὺς μὲν ἁμαρτάνοντας ἐταπείνου, τοὺς δὲ κολάζοντας λαμπροὺς καὶ ἐπισήμους καὶ φοβεροὺς ἀπέφαινε, διὰ τοῦτό φησιν, ὅτι Οὐ βουλόμεθα ἐκ τῆς ὑμετέρας κακίας λαμπροὶ φαίνεσθαι, ἀλλ᾿ ἡδέως ἄσημοι διὰ τοῦτ᾽ ἂν εἴημεν, ἵνα ὑμεῖς εὐδόκιμοι εἴητε. Οἱ γὰρ βουλόμενοι τῆς οἰκείας ἀρετῆς τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν ἐκ τῆς τῶν κολαζομένων συμφορᾶς τίκτεσθαι, οὗ μοι δοκοῦσι πατέρες εἶναι ἢ διδάσκαλοι ἀλλὰ λυμεῶνες καὶ ἐχθροὶ καὶ τύραννοι. Περὶ τοῦ Κάϊν καὶ τοῦ Λάμεχ. Διὰ τί, ἔφης, ὁ Κάϊν καὶ ὁ Λάμεχ φόνον δράσαντες οὐχ ὁμοίως ἐκολάσθησαν; Ὁ μὲν γάρ δίκας ἔδωκεν· ὁ δὲ συνεγνώσθη. Ἐπειδὴ ὁ μὲν καὶ ἐλεγχόμενος ἠρνήσατο· ὁ δὲ μὴ ἐλεγχόμενος ἐξωμολογήσατο. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἴσα, ἀλλὰ τὰ μετὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἴσα. Θεῖος γάρ ἐστι χρησμός παρακελευόμενος · « Λέγε σὺ τὰς ἁμαρτίας σου πρῶτος ἵνα δικαιωθῇς.» Οὐκοῦν μάλιστα μὲν σπουδάζωμεν μὴ πλημμελεῖν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ πλημμελήσωμεν, μὴ διὰ τῆς ἀρνήσεως χαλεπωτέραν ἑαυτοῖς τὴν δίκην παρασκευάσωμεν. Θ'. – ΕΥΔΑΙΜΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Διὰ τὸ ἐν τῇ καμίνῳ οἱ παῖδες κοινῇ πᾶσι παρεκελεύσαντο εὐλογεῖν τὸν Θεόν, ἰδίως δὲ τῷ Δανιήλ. Διὰ τί, ἔφης, οἱ παῖδες οἱ τρεῖς μετὰ τὸ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις κοινῇ παρακελεύσασθαι, εὐλογεῖν τὸν Θεὸν, ἰδίᾳ τῷ Δανιήλ παρεκελεύσαντο. Φημὶ τοίνυν, ὅτι ἐπειδὴ οἱ μὲν κοινῆς προνοίας, οἱ δὲ καὶ ἰδικῆς καὶ ἐξαιρέτου προστασίας ἀπήλαυσαν· καὶ οἱ μὲν τὸν ἔμφυτον εἶχον· οἱ δὲ καὶ τὸν γραπτὸν ἐδέξαντο νόμον. 1'. ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Περὶ τοῦ ῥητοῦ τῆς ἐπιστολῆς Ἰακώβου· « Ἡ γλῶσσα πῦρ. , Διττήν μοι δοκεῖ, τὴν μὲν πιθανωτέραν, τὴν δὲ πικροτέραν ἑρμηνείαν ἔχειν τὸ παρὰ σοῦ ζητηθέν· « Ἡ γλῶσσα πῦρ, ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας.» Μάλιστα μὲν ἐπειδὴ εὔστροφος οὖσα καὶ ῥᾴστη εὐχερῶς πολλὰ λαλοῦσα κακά. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ κατηγορεῖ, καὶ κακηγορεῖ, καὶ ἐπιορκεῖ, καὶ ψεύδεται, καὶ ψευδομαρτυρεῖ, καὶ πολλοὺς ἀδίκως εἰς πῦρ ἐμβάλλει, καὶ εἰς ξίφος, καὶ εἰς πέλαγος ὠθεῖ. Κόσμον δὲ οἶδε καλεῖν ἡ Γραφὴ τὸ πλῆθος. « Ὁ κόσμος γὰρ, φησὶν, αὐτὸν οὐκ ἔγνω· · τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τὸ πλῆθος. Ἡ γλῶσσα οὖν, φησὶν, ἢ πῦρ ἐστι, πλῆθος ἀδίκως κατακαίουσα, ἢ πλήθους πυρὸς ἀδίκου δοχεῖον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πολλοὶ τῇ κακίᾳ συμπράττοντες, καὶ τὴν ἀδικίαν σεμνύνοντες, δεινότατοι ὄντες ῥητορεύειν ἐπὶ πράξεσι πονηραῖς καὶ παρανόμοις, λόγων εὐπρέπειαν ἐχόντων οὐκ ἀποροῦντες, λανθάνουσι καθ' ἑαυτῶν τὴν ψῆφον τιθέμενοι, καὶ δεῖγμα τῆς ἑαυτῶν προαιρέσεως τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ φαῦλα ῥεπούσης διὰ τῶν λόγων τούτων ἐκφέρουσιν, ἴσως στηλιτεύων αὐτοὺς τοῦτ᾽ ἔφη· « Ἡ γλῶσσα πῦρ, ὁ κόσμος τῆς ἀδικίας· · ὡς ἂν εἰ ἔλεγεν, ὅτι ὁ τῆς εὐγλωττίας πυρσὸς, ὅταν τοὺς μεγάλα πταίοντας κοσμῇ, ἐγκαλλώπισμα δοκεῖ τῆς ἀληθείας. Χρὴ τοιγαροῦν τῇ δεινότητι κεχρῆσθαι οὐ πρὸς τὸ τὴν κακίαν κοσμεῖν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ τὴν ἀρετὴν σεμνύνειν, τὴν καὶ χωρὶς λόγων ὑπέρλαμπρον. Εἰς τὸ· · Ἐὰν πεινᾶ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμιζε αὐτόν. › Αγνοεῖς, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὅτι ἡ νέα φιλοσοφία τῆς ὡς νηπίοις διαγορευθείσης τῆς παλαιᾶς παραινέσεώς ἐστιν ὑψηλοτέρα. Τὸ γὰρ θαυμασθὲν παρὰ σοῦ, • Ἐὰν πεινᾷ ὁ ἐχθρός σου, ψώμισον αὐτόν· ἐὰν διψᾷ, πότιζε αὐτόν· · οὐ λίαν μέγα καὶ νεανικὸν, ἀλλ᾽ εὐχῆς ἔργον ἐστί. Τὸ γὰρ εἰς τοσαύτην ἐμπεσεῖν ἐκεῖνον ἀνάγκην ὡς τῶν ἀναγκαίων δεηθῆναι καὶ παρὰ τοῦ ἐχθροῦ ἐλεηθῆναι, πάσης συμφορᾶς ἔγωγε εἶναι ὁρίζομαι βαρύτερον καὶ πάσης τιμωρίας χαλεπώτερον. Οὕτω γοῦν οἱ πολλοὶ τοῦθ᾽ ὅρκον μέγιστον νενομίκασι, λέγοντες · Μὴ λάβω παρὰ ἐχθρῶν μου ἔρανον. Εἰ τοίνυν τοῖς μὲν ποιοῦσι κατ' εὐχὴν, τοῖς δὲ πάσχουσι κατὰ τιμωρίαν γίνεται, τί θαυμάζεις; Καὶ μάλιστα, ὅταν μηδὲ ἁπλῆ ἡ εὐεργεσία, ἀλλὰ τιμωρίας μείζονος ποιητική. Τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν, φησὶν, ἄνθρακας πυρὸς σωρεύσεις ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτοῦ. Εἰ τοίνυν αὐτὸ καθ' ἑαυτὸ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἐν τιμωρίας γίνεται μέρει, καὶ ἡ αἰτία δι᾽ ἣν γίνεται, διὰ κόλασιν ἄλλην γίνεται. Τοῖς γὰρ λέγουσιν, ὅτι Θερμανεῖς αὐτοῦ τὸ ἡγεμονικὸν, καὶ ἀνανήψαι ποιήσεις, οὐ πάνυ προσεκτέον. Ἡ γὰρ ἂν οὐ τὴν ἀνάγκην τοῦ λιμοῦ προσέθηκεν, ἀλλ' ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ καλῶς χρῆσθαι προσέταξεν. Οὐ θαυμάζω ἔγωγε τοὺς τοῦτο ποιοῦντας, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἐν εὐημερίᾳ ὁρῶντας τοὺς ἐχθροὺς, μὴ μόνον τοὺς δυσχεραίνοντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπαινοῦντας, καὶ εὐχομένους ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, ὥσπερ ἡ νέα φιλοσοφία προστάττουσα φησίν· • ᾿Αγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ὑμῶν· καλῶς ποιεῖτε τοὺς μισοῦντας ὑμᾶς· προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων ὑμᾶς καὶ διωκώντων. » Ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ ἀνάγκη ἐπικλᾷν οἶδεν· ἐνταῦθα δὲ γυμνή ἐστι τῆς διανοίας ἡ βάσανος. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὁ ᾿Απόστολος τῇ παλαιᾷ ἐχρήσατο παραινέσει, ἀλλὰ πᾶσι δῆλόν ἐστιν, ὅτι πρὸς ἀτελεστέρους ὁ λόγος ἦν αὐτῷ.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. [On what the Apostle said: \"We pray to God that you do no wrong.\"] You have written asking what Paul meant when he said, \"We pray to God that you do no wrong, not that we may appear approved, but that you may do what is right, though we may be as if unapproved.\" Listen, then, briefly. Punishment brought on sinners by a word, such as that on Ananias and Sapphira and that on the magician who was blinded, humbled the sinners but made those who punished them illustrious, conspicuous, and feared. That is why he says: we do not wish to appear illustrious through your wickedness, but we would gladly be obscure on that account, so that you may be well approved. Those who want the distinction of their own virtue to be born from the misfortune of those who are punished seem to me to be not fathers or teachers, but destroyers, enemies, and tyrants. [Letter 4.8] [On Cain and Lamech.] Why, you asked, were Cain and Lamech not punished alike, though both committed murder? For the one paid the penalty, while the other was pardoned. Because the one denied it even when he was convicted, while the other confessed without being convicted. Even if the sins were equal, what came after the sin was not equal. For there is a divine oracle that commands, \"Tell your sins first, that you may be justified.\" So let us strive above all not to offend; but if we do offend, let us not make the penalty harsher for ourselves by denial. [Letter 4.9] To Eudaemon the deacon. [Why the young men in the furnace urged all in common to bless God, but Daniel separately.] Why, you asked, did the three young men, after urging all men in common to bless God, urge Daniel separately? I say, then, that it is because the ones enjoyed a common providence, while the other enjoyed also a particular and special protection; and the ones had the natural law, while the other received also the written law. [Letter 4.10] To Isidore the bishop. [On the saying in the letter of James: \"The tongue is a fire.\"] The saying you asked about, \"The tongue is a fire, the world of unrighteousness,\" seems to me to have a double interpretation, one more plausible, the other more bitter. Chiefly, because the tongue is nimble and very easily speaks many evils: it accuses, slanders, perjures, lies, and bears false witness, and it casts many unjustly into fire and thrusts them to the sword and into the sea. And Scripture is accustomed to call the multitude \"world\": \"For the world,\" it says, \"did not know him,\" that is, the multitude. The tongue, then, he says, is either a fire that unjustly burns up a multitude, or a vessel of a multitude of unjust fire. But since many who cooperate with vice and dignify injustice, being very clever at speaking for wicked and lawless deeds and never short of handsome words, unwittingly cast their vote against themselves and display through these words a sample of their own will leaning toward what is base, he perhaps said this to pillory them: \"The tongue is a fire, the adornment of unrighteousness\"; as if he were saying that the torch of eloquence, when it adorns those who commit great faults, seems to be an embellishment of the truth. One must therefore use cleverness not to adorn vice, but to dignify virtue, which is resplendent even without words. [Letter 4.11] [On \"If your enemy is hungry, feed him.\"] You do not know, it seems, that the new philosophy is loftier than the old exhortation, which was addressed as to infants. For what you admired, \"If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink,\" is not very great or bold, but is the matter of a prayer. For that the other should fall into such need as to want the necessities of life and to be pitied by his enemy, I for my part define as heavier than any misfortune and harder than any punishment. That is why most people regard this as the greatest oath, saying, \"May I never take a contribution from my enemies.\" If, then, it happens to those who do it as the answer to a prayer, and to those who suffer it as a punishment, why do you admire it? Especially when the benefit is not simple, but produces a greater punishment: \"For by doing this,\" he says, \"you will heap coals of fire on his head.\" If, then, the deed in itself counts as a punishment, the reason for which it is done is also for the sake of a further chastisement. For those who say, \"You will warm his ruling faculty and bring him to his senses,\" should not be heeded much; otherwise he would not have added the constraint of hunger, but would have commanded us to do good at every time. I do not admire those who do this, but those who see their enemies prospering and not only do not resent it, but praise them and pray for them, as the new philosophy commands: \"Love your enemies; do good to those who hate you; pray for those who abuse you and persecute you.\" There, necessity is apt to bend a man; here the testing of the mind is naked. And if the Apostle too used the old exhortation, it is clear to all that his word was addressed to the less perfect.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.10 (PG 78 78:1055; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-10)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.100":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤί ἐστιν, « Εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ. • Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας, Τί ἐστιν, « Εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ; » φημὶ, ὅτι ἐπειδὴ ὅτε ἡ ἀνθρωπεία φύσις ἐμάνη, καὶ ἀνύποιστος ἦν τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ή τυραννὶς, καὶ καιρὸς ἀποφάσεως ἦν, πανολεθρία καταδικαζούσης τὸ γένος (πᾶς γὰρ ἱατρείας ἐξηλέγχθη τρόπος, καὶ οὔτε νόμος, οὔτε προφητικός λόγος τὸν ἐπιπολάσαντα λοιμὸν ἀπελάσαι ἴσχυεν)· τότε δὴ λύτρον τὸν Μονογενῆ ἐπεισήγαγεν, ἵν᾿ ἔχῃ λόγον ἡ χάρις · διὰ τοῦτ' ἔφη ὁ ᾿Απόστολος · « Εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ. › Ἱερεῖον γὰρ προσηνέχθη ἓν ὑπὲρ πάντων, καὶ ὑπὲρ τὴν ἁπάντων ἀξίαν. Καὶ τότε ἡ ὀργὴ ἐλύθη, καὶ ἡ καταλλαγή γέγονε, καὶ ἡ ἔχθρα εἰς φιλίαν μετεῤῥυθμίσθη, καὶ ἀντὶ τῆς ἀποφάσεως, τὸ ὑπερφυὲς τῆς υἱοθεσίας ἐδόθη χάρισμα, καὶ μυρία δῶρα ἐχόρευσε κοσμοῦντα τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν, ἵν᾿ ὁμοῦ καὶ ἡ δικαιοσύνη δειχθῇ, καὶ ἡ περιουσία τῆς ἀγαθότητος δηλωθῇ. Εἰς τὸ, « Δέδωκεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς πνεῦμα κατανύξεως. Επειδὴ τὸ, « Δέδωκεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Θεὸς πνεῦμα κατανύξεως, ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν, καὶ ὦτα τοῦ μὴ ἀκούειν, ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας, » σαφηνισθῆναί σοι ἠξίωσας, ἄκουε· Τὸ, ἔδωκε, καὶ τὸ παρέδωκε, κατὰ τοὺς τῆς ἱερᾶς Γραφῆς νόμους καὶ τὰ Ιδιώματα, ἀφῆκεν εἰσὶ καὶ συνεχώρησεν. Εἰ δὲ οὐ καταδέχῃ, δι' ἀποδείξεως ὁ λόγος βαδιεῖται· Φησὶν ὁ Παῦλος περὶ τῶν τὸ θεῖον σέβας εἰδώλοις ἐπιφημισάντων· « Παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς εἰς πάθη ἀτιμίας· τουτέστιν, ἀφῆκεν, ἐγκατέλιπε. Πῶς γὰρ οὐκ ἔμελλον καὶ τὴν φύσιν ἀγνοεῖν καὶ ὑπερορίοις ἐγκαλινδεῖσθαι πταίσμασιν, οἱ τὴν κτίσιν παρὰ τὸν κτίστην προσκυνήσαντες ; Καὶ πάλιν· « Παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν, ποιεῖν τὰ μὴ καθήκοντα. • Εἶτα ἑαυτὸν ἑρμηνεύων ἔφη · • Πεπληρωμένους πάσῃ ἀδικίᾳ, κακίᾳ, πλεονεξίᾳ. • Εἰ τοίνυν πεπληρωμένοι ἦσαν, πῶς παρέδωκε; Θέα τῆς ἀκριβείας Οὐκ εἶπε· Παρέδωκε πληρωθησομένους, ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι πεπληρωμένους ἀφῆκεν· ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις ποιμὴν ἀγαθὸς πρόβατα λοιμικῇ νόσῳ ἑαλωκότα, ἔξω τῆς ἀγέλης ἀπελάσειε, καὶ τρόπον τινὰ τοῖς λύκοις παραδοίη, οὐ τῷ εἰς τὰ τῶν λύκων ἐκβαλεῖν στόματα, ἀλλὰ τῷ γυμνῶσαι τῆς οἰκείας ἐπιμελείας καὶ προστασίας. Τὸ μὲν οὖν, ἔδωκε, τοιαύτην ἔχει τὴν ἔννοιαν Τὸ δὲ πνεῦμα τῆς κατανύξεως, καταπλήξεως καὶ κατατρώσεως. Τὸ γὰρ νύττειν, τιτρώσκειν ἐστὶ καὶ πλήττειν, κατὰ τὸ, « Ἔνυξαν τὴν πλευρὰν τοῦ Χριστοῦ τῇ λόγχῃ» Ἐπεὶ οὖν πλῆξαι ἐστὶ τὸ νύξα, τὸ κατατρωθῆναι καὶ κατανυγῆναι εἰκότως εἴρηται. Εἶτα ἑρμηνεύων αὐτὸς τὸ κατένυξεν, ὅτι κατέπληξαν ἐστὶν, ἔφη· « Ὀφθαλμοὺς τοῦ μὴ βλέπειν, καὶ ὦτα τοῦ μὴ ἀκούειν. » Τοῦτο γὰρ συμβαίνειν εἴωθε τοῖς καταπληττομένοις. \"Ατε γὰρ τοῦ νοῦ ταραχθέντος, αἱ αἰσθήσεις τὰς οἰκείας ἐνεργείας ἀρνοῦνται. \"Ὅτι δὲ τοῦτο μηνύει, ἄκουε τῆς Γραφῆς, λεγούσης · • Μακάριος, ὃς οὐ κατενύγη ἐν λύπῃ ἁμαρτίας.. Καὶ μὴν ἡ κατὰ Θεὸν λύπη μετάνοιαν εἰς σωτηρίαν ἀμεταμέλητον κατεργάζεται. Τί οὖν ἐστι ὅφησιν; Εἰ μὲν οὖν εἴποιμεν, ὡς οἴονταί τινες, τὸν μηδ᾽ ὅλως ἁμαρτήσαντα μακαρίζεσθαι ἐνταῦθα, τάχα οὐδεὶς τοῦ μακαρισμοῦ τούτου ἀπολαύσειε. Πάντες γὰρ ἐν ἐπιτιμίοις ἐσμέν. Τις γὰρ καυχήσεται, ἁγνὴν ἔχειν τὴν καρδίαν; ἢ τίς παῤῥησιάσεται καθαρὸς εἶναι ἀπὸ ἁμαρτίας; Εἰ δὲ φαίημεν, ὅτι μακαρίζει οὐ τὸν μὴ λυπηθέντα, ἀλλὰ τὸν μὴ καταπληγέντα ὑπὸ τῆς λύπης, καὶ προδεδωκότα τὴν οἰκείαν σωτηρίαν, οἷον ἔπαθεν Ἰούδας, ἀγχόνῃ ἑαυτὸν ἀνελὼν ( δ καὶ δεδιὼς ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος μὴ καὶ ὁ πεπορνευκὼς παρὰ Κορινθίοις πάθοι, ἔλεγεν · προσέσθαι αὐτὸν μετανοήσαντα, μή πως τῇ περισσοτέρᾳ λύπῃ καταποθῇ ὁ τοιοῦτος) · τάχα πως τῆς ἀληθείας ἁψόμεθα τοῦ ῥητοῦ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ καλοῦ γίνεται ἡ κατάνυξις, θαυμαζέτω μηδείς · κἀκεῖ γὰρ τὸ τρωθῆναι τοῖς καλοῖς ἑρμηνεύει· ὡς καὶ ἡ τὸν θεῖον ἔρωτα ἐρῶσα ψυχὴ ἐβόα· « Ὅτι τετρωμένη ἀγάπης ἐγώ. » Χρὴ δὲ εἰδέναι, ὅτι οὐ πάντως τὰ αὐτὰ ὀνόματα ἢ ῥήματα τὸ αὐτὸ παρίστησι νόημα. Ἐπειδὴ καὶ ὁ Δαβὶδ ἔλεγεν · « Ὅπως ἂν ψάλῃ σοι ἡ δόξα μου, καὶ οὐ μὴ κατανυγῶ, ὅπερ, οἶμαι, δηλοῦν τὸ, Οὐ μὴ καταπλαγῶ οὐδὲ μεταστῶ εἰς τὸ μηκέτι ὑμνεῖν. » Ἐπήγαγε γάρ· • Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου, εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι. » Καὶ οἱ περὶ Συμεῶνα δὲ καὶ Λευΐ. μετὰ τὸ ὑβρισθῆναι εἰς αὐτὴν τὴν σωφροσύνην τὴν ἀδελφὴν, κατενύγησαν, τουτέστι, κατεπλάγησαν καὶ κατετρώθησαν ὑπὸ ζήλου· καὶ οὕτως εἰς ἀμετάθετον ἐξέπεσαν ὀργὴν, ὡς καὶ δόλῳ οὐ μόνον τὸν ὑβριστὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσαν αὐτοῦ τὴν πόλιν ἡβηδὸν κατασφάξαι. Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας· Εἰ συνεβούλευσεν ὁ Παῦλος · • Θέλεις δὲ μὴ φοβεῖσθαι τὴν ἐξουσίαν, τὸ ἀγαθὸν ποίει, καὶ ἕξεις ἔπαινον ἐξ αὐτῆς· · πῶς μετά βραχέα φησίν· « ᾿Απόδοτε τῷ τὸν φόβον, τὸν φόβον;» οἶμαι, ὅτι εἰ μὴ περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ τινες αὐτὸ βούλονται εἰρῆσθαι ( γέγραπται γάρ· « Τίμα τὸν Κύριον, καὶ ἰσχύσεις · πλὴν δὲ αὐτοῦ μὴ φοβοῦ ἄλλον »)· ἐκεῖνο μὲν εἶπε, τῷ τὸν φόβον ἀπὸ τοῦ ξίφους τοῖς πλημμελοῦσιν ἐπηρτημένον διαδιδράσκειν τὸν φιλάρετον, καὶ τοῦ ἀρχοντικοῦ ἐπαίνου τυγχάνειν· τοῦτο δὲ τὸν ἐκ τῆς συντυχίας καὶ τῆς αἰδοῦς καὶ τῆς τιμῆς τῆς κεχρεωστημένης τοῖς ἡγουμένοις χρεωστεῖν φόβον. Οὐδὲ γάρ ἐστιν ἀτελὴς τούτου, τοῦ μηδὲν αὐτὸν παραβλάπτοντος, ἀλλὰ καὶ αἰδεσιμώτερον καὶ λαμπρότερον ἀποφαίνοντος. Εἴκειν γὰρ χρὴ παντὶ σθένει, ἐν οἷς μήτ᾽ εὐσέβεια μήθ' ἡ ἀρετὴ καταβλάπτεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ βασιλικωτέρα καὶ ἐπιφανεστέρα ἐκ τῆς τῶν μετιόντων ἐπιεικείας ἀναφαίνεται. РΓ'. ΕΠΙΜΑΧΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ. Εἰς τὸ· « Ὑμεῖς ἐστε σῶμα Χριστοῦ. Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας· Τί ἐστιν · « Ὑμεῖς ἐστε σῶμα Χριστοῦ, καὶ μέλη ἐκ μέρους;» οἶμαι, ὅτι ἐπειδὴ οἱ μὲν ἀπανταχοῦ τῆς ὑφ᾽ ἡλίῳ Ἐκκλησίας σῶμα Χριστοῦ, Κορίνθιοι δὲ μέρος ἦσαν τούτου τοῦ σώματος, διὰ τοῦτο ἔφησεν· « Ἐκ μέρους· · οἷον, Μέλος ἐστὶν ἡ παρ' ὑμῖν Ἑκκλησία τῆς ἁπανταχοῦ. Ὥστε δίκαιοι ἂν εἴητε οὐ μόνον πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς (ἐστασίαζον γὰρ), ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς πάντας τοὺς κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ὁμοπίστους ὁμονοεῖν, πᾶσαν διχόνοιαν ἐκ ποδῶν ποιησάμενοι.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [What is meant by \"for a demonstration of his righteousness.\"] Since you have written asking what \"for a demonstration of his righteousness\" means, I say this. When human nature went mad, and the tyranny of sins was unbearable, and it was the time for sentence, with total destruction condemning the race (for every way of healing had been tested and found wanting, and neither the law nor the prophetic word could drive off the plague that had spread), then he brought in the Only-begotten as a ransom, so that grace might have its reason. That is why the Apostle said, \"for a demonstration of his righteousness.\" One victim was offered for all, and above the worth of all. Then the wrath was dissolved, the reconciliation came about, the enmity was changed into friendship, and instead of the sentence the extraordinary gift of adoption was given, and countless gifts came dancing in to adorn the Church, so that his righteousness might be shown and the abundance of his goodness made plain together. [Letter 4.101] [On \"God gave them a spirit of stupor.\"] Since you asked that \"God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes not to see and ears not to hear, to this very day\" be made clear to you, listen. \"Gave\" and \"gave up,\" by the laws and idioms of the holy Scripture, mean \"let go\" and \"permitted.\" If you do not accept this, the argument will proceed by proof. Paul says of those who ascribed the worship of God to idols, \"He gave them up to dishonourable passions,\" that is, he let them go, he abandoned them. For how could they fail to be ignorant even of nature and to wallow in outlandish faults, when they worshipped the creature rather than the Creator? And again, \"He gave them up to a debased mind, to do what is not fitting.\" Then, interpreting himself, he said, \"filled with all unrighteousness, wickedness, covetousness.\" If, then, they were already filled, how did he give them up? See the precision. He did not say, \"He gave them up to be filled,\" but that he let them go when they were filled; just as a good shepherd might drive sheep caught by a pestilential disease out of the flock and in a way hand them over to the wolves, not by throwing them into the wolves' mouths, but by stripping them of his own care and protection. That is the sense of \"gave.\" And the spirit of stupor is a spirit of being struck down and pierced through. For \"to prick\" is to wound and strike, as in \"They pierced the side of Christ with the spear.\" Since, then, to prick is to strike, \"being pierced through\" and \"being stunned\" are fittingly said. Then, explaining \"he stunned\" as \"he struck down,\" he himself said, \"eyes not to see and ears not to hear.\" For this usually happens to those who are struck dumb: since the mind is troubled, the senses refuse their proper work. That this is what it indicates, hear the Scripture saying, \"Blessed is he who was not stunned in the grief of sin.\" And yet godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation and brings no regret. What, then, does it mean? If we were to say, as some think, that it is one who has never sinned at all who is called blessed here, perhaps no one would enjoy this blessing; for we are all under penalties. \"For who will boast of having a pure heart? Or who will speak boldly, saying he is clean from sin?\" But if we say that it calls blessed not the one who has not grieved, but the one who was not crushed by grief and did not betray his own salvation, as Judas did when he killed himself by hanging (which the divine Paul also feared the man who had committed sexual immorality at Corinth might suffer, and so told them to receive him when he repented, \"lest such a one be swallowed up by excessive grief\"), perhaps we shall touch the truth of the saying. If compunction also occurs in a good sense, let no one wonder; for there too being wounded is used of good things, as the soul in love with divine love cried, \"For I am wounded with love.\" One must know that the same names or words do not always present the same meaning. For David also said, \"That my glory may sing to you, and I may not be stunned,\" which I think means, \"that I may not be struck down or change so as no longer to sing hymns\"; for he added, \"O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.\" And Simeon and Levi, after their sister was outraged in her very chastity, were \"stung,\" that is, struck and wounded by zeal; and they fell into such unchangeable anger that by deceit they slaughtered not only the man who had outraged her, but his whole city, every grown man. [Letter 4.102] Since you have written, \"If Paul advised, 'Would you have no fear of the authority? Then do what is good, and you will have praise from it,' how does he say shortly after, 'Pay fear to whom fear is due'?\", I think that, unless some wish this to be said of God (for it is written, \"Honour the Lord and you will be strong; and besides him fear no other\"), he said the first because the lover of virtue escapes the fear that hangs from the sword over offenders and receives praise from the ruler; and the second because he owes the fear that comes from meeting rulers, and from the respect and honour owed to those who govern. He is not exempt from this, which does him no harm but makes him more respected and illustrious. For one must yield with all one's strength in matters where neither piety nor virtue is harmed, but rather appears more royal and more conspicuous through the reasonableness of those who practise it. [Letter 4.103] To Epimachus the reader. [On \"You are the body of Christ.\"] Since you have written asking what \"You are the body of Christ, and members in part\" means, I think that since the Church everywhere under the sun is the body of Christ, and the Corinthians were a part of this body, he therefore said \"in part\"; that is, \"The church among you is a member of the Church everywhere.\" So you ought to be of one mind not only among yourselves (for they were divided into factions), but with all those of the same faith throughout the world, putting every dissension out of the way.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.100 (PG 78 78:1165; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-100)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.104":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Ὑμῖν ἐχαρίσατο ὁ Θεὸς, οὐ μόνον τὸ εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ πάσχειν.) Τὰ μεγάλα κατορθώματα μεγάλοις καὶ τὰ μέγιστα μεγίστοις πόνοις κατορθοῦσθαι πέφυκε Μὴ τοίνυν μικρὰ καὶ φαῦλα πράττων, οἷου τῶν μεγίστων ἐπάθλων τεύξεσθαι· μηδὲ τὸν ἀκίνδυνον καὶ ὑγρὸν ἑλόμενος βίον, ἔλπιζε ἐν τῷ μετώπῳ τῆς φάλαγγος λάμψειν. Τοῦ γὰρ κινδυνεύσαντος· καὶ τρόπαια στήσαντός ἐστι καὶ τὸ ἀνακηρύττεσθαι. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τελευτήσειεν ἐν τῇ μάχῃ, τῇ μνήμῃ ἀτελεύτητος μένει καὶ τὰ ἔπαθλα μείζονα ἕξει ἢ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον. Ὁ δὲ γενναῖος τοῦ Χριστοῦ στρατηγὸς, καὶ τὰ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ παθήματα στεφάνους εἶναι εἰκότως νομίζει, λέγων· « Ὑμῖν ἐχαρίσατο ὁ Θεὸς, οὐ μόνον τὸ εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ πάσχειν. » Ἵνα γὰρ παρῶ, φησὶ, τὰ μέλλοντα ἀγαθὰ, αὐτὰ τὰ πάθη, δι' ὧν καὶ τῷ Δεσπότῃ κοινωνοῦμεν, μέγιστά ἐστι βραβεία, καὶ στέφανοι κάλλιστοι.","t":"To Hierax the deacon. [On \"To you it has been granted by God, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.\"] Great achievements are naturally accomplished by great labours, and the greatest by the greatest. So do not imagine that, while doing small and paltry things, you will obtain the greatest prizes; nor, having chosen a soft life without danger, hope to shine in the front of the battle line. Being proclaimed victor belongs to the one who has run the risk and set up trophies. And if he dies in the battle, he remains undying in memory and will have prizes greater than any human reward. The noble general of Christ rightly considers even sufferings for him to be crowns, saying, \"To you it has been granted by God, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer for him.\" For, to pass over the goods to come, he says, the very sufferings through which we share with the Master are the greatest prizes and the fairest crowns.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.104 (PG 78 78:1171; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-104)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.105":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛ[Ε]ΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ δαιμόνων. Ἐπειδὴ θαυμάζειν ἔφης, πῶς τινες τῶν ἀλιτηρίων δαιμόνων δίκαιον ἠξίουν εἶναι τὸν θεραπευτὴν αὐτῶν, οἱ δὲ τὰ ἄδικα δρᾷν πραττόμενοι ὑπέμενον· ἡγοῦμαι, ὅτι δίκαιον μὲν ἠξίουν εἶναι τὸν θεραπεύοντα, διότι θεοὶ εἶναι ὑπεκρίνοντο. Ὑπηρέτουν δὲ τὰ ἄδικα, διότι πονηροὶ γεγόνασιν ἐκ προαιρέσεως. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ᾔδεσαν πολλοὺς τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὴν ἀρετὴν τιμῶντας, τοὺς φιλαρέτους ἀγαπᾶν προσποιούμενοι, ἵν᾿ ἀγαθοὶ νομισθεῖεν εἶναι, μετ᾿ οὐ πολὺ ταῖς ἐναγέσι πράξεσιν ἤλεγχον ἑαυτῶν τὴν ἐπὶ τὰ κακὰ ῥέπουσαν διάνοιαν. PG΄. – ΕΠΙΜΑΧΟ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ. Περὶ τοῦ τὰ ἐ καὶ τοῦ τὰ β' τάλαντα πιστευθέντος. Ἐπειδὴ ἔφης · Διὰ τὸ ὁ τὰ πέντε τάλαντα λαβών, καὶ διπλασιάσας, καὶ ὁ τὰ δύο, τῆς αὐτῆς ἔτυχεν ἀποδοχῆς· φημὶ, ὅτι εἰκότως. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐχ ἡ ῥαθυμία τούτου, οὐδὲ ἡ προθυμία ἐκείνου, ἀλλ᾿ ἡ τῆς παρακαταθήκης ποσότης παρεσκεύασεν ἣν πρὸς τὴν δύναμιν τῶν ἐργασαμένων δέδωκεν ὁ δεσπότης· εἰκότως οὖν ὁ ἔπαινος ὁ αὐτὸς, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἡ πρόσοδος ἡ αὐτή. Διὰ τι γέγραπται περὶ τῆς γῆς· · Οὐ κλιθήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. Ἐπειδὴ τὸ περὶ τῆς γῆς εἰρημένον, « Οὐ κλιθήσεται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος, ο παραβάλλων τῷ, • Ὁ ἐπιβλέπων ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ποιῶν αὐτὴν τρέμειν, ὁ ἐνόμισας ἐναντίον τι μηνύειν, ἴσθι, ὅτι σαλευθήσεται μὲν, οὐ κλιθήσεται δέ. Σαλευθήσεται μὲν, ἵνα δείξῃ τὸν φόβον· οὐ κλιθήσεται δὲ, ἵνα δείξῃ τὸν ὄρον. Τῷ μὲν τρόμῳ τὴν δουλείαν ὁμολογεῖ· τῷ δὲ μὴ ἐξίστασθαι τῆς οἰκείας στάσεως, τὸν θεῖον ὅρον μηνύει. Εἰς τὸ, « ᾿Απεκδυσάμενος τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας ἐδειγμάτισε, θριαμβεύσας ἐν αὐτῷ. Ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο τὸν ἀθλητὴν ῥωμαλεώτερον καὶ τεχνικώτερον ἀποδείκνυσιν, ὅταν ταῖς τῶν ἀντιπάλων κεκρατημένος λαβαῖς, ἀπεκδυσάμενος αὐτοὺς προσρήξῃ τῷ σκάμματι διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς τὴν διὰ σταυροῦ πρὸς τοὺς δαίμονας κατεδέξατο μάχην, ἵν᾿ ἐπιφανέστερον αὐτοὺς τροπαίοις θριαμβεύσῃ · καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ὅπερ ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν - • ᾿Απεκδυσάμενος τὰς ἀρχὰς καὶ τὰς ἐξουσίας ἐδειγμάτισεν ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ θριαμβεύσας αὐτοὺς ἐν αὐτῷ. · Τῷ γὰρ ὄντι ἐθριαμβεύθησαν δαίμονες, προσηλωμένῳ χεῖρας καὶ πόδας ἀθλητῇ ἡττηθέντες. Τῷ ὄντι ἐστηλιτεύθη ὁ διάβολος, σαρκὶ μιᾷ ἐπὶ σταυροῦ κρεμαμένῃ ἡττηθεὶς καὶ παραχωρήσας.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. [On demons.] Since you said you wondered how some of the accursed demons required their worshipper to be just, while others submitted to being made to do unjust things, I think that they required the worshipper to be just because they pretended to be gods, but served unjust ends because they had become wicked by choice. Since they knew that many people honour virtue, they pretended to love the lovers of virtue so as to be thought good; but before long they exposed by their accursed deeds their own mind, which leans toward evil. [Letter 4.106] To Epimachus the reader. [On the one entrusted with five talents and the one entrusted with two.] Since you asked why the one who received five talents and doubled them, and the one who received two, met with the same approval, I say that it was right. For since it was not the slackness of the one or the zeal of the other, but the size of the deposit, which the master gave according to the ability of those who worked with it, that made the difference, the praise is rightly the same, even if the return is not the same. [Letter 4.107] [Why it is written of the earth, \"It shall not be moved forever and ever.\"] Since, comparing the saying about the earth, \"It shall not be moved forever and ever,\" with \"Who looks on the earth and makes it tremble,\" you thought it indicated something contrary, know that it will be shaken but will not be moved. It will be shaken, to show its fear; it will not be moved, to show its boundary. By its trembling it confesses its servitude; by not departing from its own position it shows the boundary God set. [Letter 4.108] [On \"Having stripped off the principalities and the powers, he made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him.\"] It shows an athlete to be stronger and more skilful when, held fast in his opponents' grips, he strips them off and dashes them to the ground of the arena. That is why Christ too accepted the battle against the demons through the cross, so that he might triumph over them the more conspicuously with his trophies. And this is what you wished to learn: \"Having stripped off the principalities and the powers, he made a public example of them, triumphing over them openly in him.\" For truly the demons were led in triumph, defeated by an athlete nailed hand and foot. Truly the devil was pilloried, defeated by one flesh hanging on a cross, and gave way.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.105 (PG 78 78:1171; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-105)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.109":{"o":"ΠΙΣΤΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤῶν Παροιμιῶν. Τί ἐστιν· · Ὁ εἰσελθὼν εἰς γυναῖκα ὕπανδρον, οὐκ ἀθωωθήσεται; Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας· Δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν μετὰ τὸ γεγράφθαι, « Ὁ εἰσελθὼν πρὸς γυναῖκα ὕπανδρον, οὐκ ἀθωωθήσεται· · ἐῤῥέθη· · Οὐδὲ πᾶς ὁ ἁπτόμενος αὐτῆς; φημὶ, ὅτι τὸ μὲν εἰσελθεῖν ἔλαβεν ἐπὶ τοῦ συνεισελθεῖν, κατὰ τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τῆς Σάῤῥας πρὸς τὸν ᾿Αβραάμ· · Εἴσελθε πρὸς τὴν παιδίσκην μου, καὶ τεκνοποίησον ἐξ αὐτῆς. • Τὸ δ' ἄψασθαι, ἐπὶ τοῦ φιλεῖν, ἢ ἐφάψασθαι Εἰ γὰρ καὶ παραβαλλόμενα τῇ συνόδῳ, οὐ δοκεῖ ἁμαρτήματα εἶναι, ἀλλά γε ἀληθείας δικαζούσης πταίσματα καὶ αὐτὰ εἰκότως ἂν εἴη. Εἰ γὰρ ἡ περίεργος θέα μοιχεία εἶναι κέκριται, ἡ ἀφὴ πολλῷ πλέον κριθήσεται. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν εἰκόνων χρῶμα γραμμῆς κινητικώτερόν ἐστιν· οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν σωμάτων ἀφὴ θέας κινητικώτερον. Εἰ τοίνυν ἡ θέα λεπτοτέρα οὖσα κατακέκριται, ἡ ἀφὴ παχυτέρα οὖσα ἀπόλαυσις, οὐκ ἀπεικότως ἀπηγόρευται.","t":"To Pistus the deacon. [From Proverbs. What is meant by \"He who goes in to a married woman shall not be held innocent\"?] Since you have written asking why, after it is written, \"He who goes in to a married woman shall not be held innocent,\" it was said, \"nor anyone who touches her,\" I say that \"going in\" was used for sexual union, as in what Sarah said to Abraham, \"Go in to my maidservant and have children by her\"; and \"touching\" for kissing or handling. For even if, compared with intercourse, these do not seem to be sins, yet when truth is the judge they too would rightly be faults. For if the curious look has been judged to be adultery, the touch will be judged so much more. Just as in paintings colour is more stirring than line, so with bodies touch is more stirring than sight. If, then, sight, which is subtler, has been condemned, touch, which is a grosser enjoyment, has not unreasonably been forbidden.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.109 (PG 78 78:1173; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-109)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.110":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΤί ἐστι· « Καὶ ἔσονται ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων ὡς περιστεραὶ μελετητικαί ;ι Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας· Τί ἐστι τὸ γραφὲν παρὰ τοῦ Ἰεζεκιήλ· « Καὶ ἔσονται ἐπὶ τῶν ὀρέων ὡς περιστεραὶ μελετητικαί ; » φημὶ, ὅτι πολυεπείας μὲν χρήζει ἡ ἑρμηνεία· ὅμως, ὡς ἂν οἷός τε ὦ, συντεμὼν φράσω· Περὶ τῶν ἐν τῇ Βαβυλωνίου ἐφόδῳ ἀνασωθέντων εἰς τὰ ὄρη, ἦν τῷ προφήτῃ ὁ λόγος, ὅτι οὐδ᾽ ἂν δόξωσι διαπεφευγέναι τοὺς πολεμίους, διαφεύξονται τὴν δίκην. Ὅταν γὰρ τὰς ἐρήμους κατειληφότες ἔξω τῶν δεινῶν εἶναι ἡγήσωνται, τότε γυναϊκάς τε καὶ παῖδας καὶ τῶν ἄλλων οἰκείων τὸν ὄλεθρον θρηνοῦντες διατελοῦσι· τῷ δὲ τῶν περιστερῶν παραδείγματι τὸ περιώδυνον τῶν ψυχῶν παρέστησεν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ βοῶντες καὶ πρὸς τοὺς πέλας τὸ πάθος ἐκφέροντες οὐ μικρὰν λαμβάνουσι τοῦ πάθους παραμυθίαν. Κουφίζεται γὰρ τρόπον τινὰ τῇ διηγήσει τὰ πάθη · οἱ δ᾽ ὑπὸ δέους, ἢ ἄλλης τινὸς αἰτίας σιγῇ τὰς συμφορὰς κατακρύπτοντες, μόνῳ δὲ τῷ στεναγμῷ τὴν ὀδύνην ἐμφαίνοντες, ἀνύποιστον ἔχουσι τοῦ κακοῦ τὴν ἔφοδον, ἅτε εἰς θεραπείαν μὲν μὴ νεύουσαν, εἰς ἐπίτασιν δὲ βλέπουσαν. Δηλῶσαι οὖν βουλόμενος τῆς τιμωρίας τὸ μέγεθος, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ δέους τὴν ὑπερβολὴν, εἴγε μηδὲ ἐκβοᾷν τολμῶμεν, τῆς ὑποψίας ἀεὶ τὴν ἔφοδον τῶν πολεμίων ὀνειροπολούσης, τῇ τοιαύτῃ εἰκόνι ἐχρήσατο. · Ἐὰν προσφέρῃς τὸ δῶρόν σου ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον. Μέγιστον τῷ Θεῷ Λόγῳ ὁ περὶ τῶν πρὸς ἀλλήλους καταλλαγῶν λόγος. Ὁ γὰρ διαλλάξας τὰ οὐράνια τοῖς ἐπιγείοις, οὗτος καὶ τὰς ἔχθρας παραλύει, μήτε φῦναι συγχωρῶν, καὶ βλαστησάσας ἀπὸ τῶν ῥιζῶν αὐτὰς κατασείων· λέγει μὲν γάρ· « Μή ὀργίζου τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου εἰκῆ. » Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οἶδε τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ἀσθένειαν ὀλισθαίνουσαν καὶ μετὰ τὸ γενέσθαι διαλύει τὰς ῥίζας, καὶ τὸ οἰκεῖον δῶρον μένειν ἀτέλεστον ἀνέχεται, ἕως ἂν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς σπεισώμεθα· ἔχει μὲν οὖν φιλανθρωπίαν ἀκροτάτην τὸ λεχθέν· οὐκ ἀμοιρεῖ δὲ καὶ λογισμοῦ δικαίου. Σὺ μὲν γὰρ, φησὶ, φιλανθρωπίαν ζητεῖς· ἀλλ᾿ ὁ ἡδικημένος ἐκδίκησιν. Σὺ μὲν καλεῖς ἐλεήμονα · ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνος δίκαιον. Σὺ συγγνώμην αἰτεῖς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνος μὴ βοηθηθεὶς καταβοᾷ. Παῦσον ἐκεῖνον δικαίως καταβοῶντα, καὶ οὐκ ἀμοιρήσεις τῆς ἐμῆς εὐμενείας · διάλλαξον σαυτῷ τὸν ἀδικηθέντα, καὶ τότε ἐμὲ διαλλαγῆναί σοι ἀντιβόλησον. Οὐ πιπράσκω δώρῳ ἀλλοτρίας ἐκδικήσεως δίκαιον. Οὐ νοθεύω τὸ ἀδέκαστον κριτήριον · οὐ μεταδίδωμί σοι τῷ ἀδικήσαντι τῆς εὐμενείας, ἕως ἂν ὁ ἀδικηθεὶς ὀλοφύρηται· ἐκεῖνό σοι δωροῦμαι, οὐ μικρὸν ὂν, ἀλλὰ καὶ κομιδῇ μέγιστον · ὑπερτίθημι τὴν διάγνωσιν· οὐκ ἐκφέρω εὐθὺς αὐτοτελῆ ἀπόφασιν. Δίδωμί σοι καιρὸν ἀπολογήσασθαι τῷ ἀδικηθέντι. Περὶ συντάξεως τοῦ ἀποστολικοῦ ῥήματος, ἔνθα φησί· · Κωλυόντων γαμεῖν › Ἐπειδὴ, τί ἐστι τὸ εἰρημένον τῷ Παύλῳ, « Κωλυόντων γαμεῖν· καὶ ἀπέχεσθαι βρωμάτων, ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν, ἴσθι, ὅτι τινὲς μὲν, προσποιούμενοι ἀγνοεῖν ὅτι χάρισμα γνώσεως καὶ σοφίας εἴληφε, καὶ ὅτι Ἑρμῆς εἶναι ἐνομίσθη, φασὶ μὴ κεκρατηκέναι τὸν ᾿Απόστολον τῆς φράσεως, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τοὐναντίον περιενεχθῆναι. Τὸ γὰρ, « Κωλυόντων γαμεῖν, » κατὰ κοινοῦ θεὶς τῷ ἀπέχεσθαι εἰς τὴν ἐναντίαν ἀφώρισε τάξιν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐκώλυον ἀπέχεσθαι · ἐχρῆν γὰρ εἰπεῖν· Κωλυόντων γαμεῖν, καὶ κελευόντων ἀπέχεσθαι βρωμάτων. Εἰ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἀλλαχόσε τοῦτο ὑπέμεινεν ὁ θαυμάσιος ἐκεῖνος ἀνὴρ, δεδόσθω καὶ τοῦτο. Οὐ γὰρ φιλονεικητέον \"Ὅρα δὲ μὴ ποτε περὶ ἓν στοιχεῖον ἢ μίαν κεραίαν σφάλμα· Κωλυόντων γαμεῖν, ἀντέχεσθαι βρωμάτων • ἢ, Κωλυόντων γαμεῖν, καὶ ἔχεσθαι βρωμάτων. Ἡ δὲ Ἐκκλησία, ὥσπερ τὸν γάμον τίμιον ἡγεῖται, οὕτω καὶ τὰ βρώματα οὐ βδελύττεται· ἀλλ᾿ οὐδὲ ἀντέχεσθαι προστάττει, ἀλλὰ μέσην χώραν καὶ τῷ γάμῳ καὶ τοῖς βρώμασιν ἀπονέμει. Κρείττων μὲν γὰρ ὁ τῆς ἀπολαύσεως αὐτῶν ὑψηλότερος· ὁ δὲ μετρίως ἀπολαύων, οὐ μεμπτός· ὁ δὲ διαβάλλων, ἔξω ἱερῶν περιβόλων ἐσκήνωται \"Ὅτι δὲ πολλάκις ἓν στοιχεῖον ἢ μεταστοιχειωθὲν, ἢ παραλειφθὲν, ἢ προστεθὲν, τὸν νοῦν τῶν λεγομένων συνταράττει, δῆλόν ἐστιν ἐκ τοῦ φερομένου ἐν ταῖς Πράξεσι τῶν ἀποστόλων· Εἰ δὲ πνεῦμα ἐλάλησεν αὐτῷ, ἡ ἄγγελος. • Καὶ τὸ ἐν τῇ πρὸς Ἑβραίους • Εἰ μὲν οὖν τελείωσις διὰ τῆς Λευϊτικῆς ἱερωσύνης ἦν. » Εἱ μὲν οὖν ἐστιν ἐπεὶ, καὶ συγκόπτεται τὸ νόημα, καὶ τούναντίον τῇ ἀποστολικῇ γνώμῃ κατασκευάζεται, καὶ τὸ, γνήσιε σύζυγε, γνησία ἐστὶ, τοῦ ἰῶτα στοιχείου ἢ προστεθέντος ἢ συγγραφομένου μὲν, μὴ συνεκφωνουμένου δέ. Καὶ τὸ ἐν ταῖς Παροιμίαις· « Ὕστερον περιπατήσει γυμνότερος ὑπέρου, ὕπερον εἰ ἔστι τοὔνομα· οὐ γὰρ εἶπε γυμνὸς ἢ γυμνότατος, ὥσπερ ὕπερον, ὅπερ, εἴτε τὸ ὕπερον εἴτε τὸ ὑπερῷον μηνύει, ὤφειλε λεχθῆναι, ἀλλὰ γυμνότερον Καὶ τὸ εἰς τὸν ψαλμὸν, «Ἔσται εἰς αὖραν,» εἰρημένον, τουτέστιν εἰς πραεῖαν καὶ ἐαρινὴν κατάστασιν μετεποιήθη, Ἔστη εἰς αὖραν. Καὶ πάλιν· «Κύριος τὸν κατακλυσμὸν κατοικιεῖ, καὶ καθιεῖται·, τουτέστι, καταπραΰνεῖ, καὶ καταπραϋνθήσεται ὁ κατακλυσμός. Οὐκ εἶπε τὸ, Κατοικίσει ὥς τινες οἷονται, ἀλλὰ κατοικιεῖ· ὡς τὸ, « Κατοικίζει στεῖμαν ἐν οἴκῳ· · καὶ τὸ, « Κύριος κατοικίζει μονοτρόπους ἐν οἴκῳ· · καὶ, « Σὺ, Κύριε, καταμόνας ἐπ' ἐλπίδι κατῴκισάς με· • ἄλλο γὰρ τὸ οἰκίσαι. Τινὲς δ᾽ ἴσως μὴ νοήσαντες ἔγραψαν, « Καὶ καθιεῖται Κύριος βασιλεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. · Ἐλέγχει δ' αὐτοὺς τὰ ἀκρόστιχα, ἀπὸ τοῦ Κύριος τὴν ἀρχὴν ἔχοντα. • Κύριος βασιλεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα. » Καί· « Κύριος ἰσχὺν τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ δώσει. Κύριος εὐλογήσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν εἰρήνῃ. » Καὶ εἰς τὰ Ἄσματα τῶν ἀσμάτων· « Ὥρκισα ὑμᾶς, θυγατέρες Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἐγείρεσθε καὶ ἐξεγείρεσθε τὴν ἀγάπησιν ἕως οὗ θελήσει·· ἀντὶ τοῦ, Συγχωρῆσαι τὴν ἀγάπην εἰς ὕψος οὓς ἂν βουληθείη ἀναπτῆναι. Τὸ δὲ, ἐὰν, μὴ νοήσαντες ὅτι συγχωρήσατε ἐστὶ, μετέγραψαν, « Ἐὰν ἐγείρητε καὶ ἐξεγείρητε τὴν ἀγάπην. · Ἐχρῆν οὖν προστεθῆναι, Ἐὰν ἐγείρητε, τόδε γενήσεται, καὶ μὴ μετέωρον αὐτὸ ἀφιέναι. ᾿Αλλ' ἵνα μὴ πλέον τοῦ δέοντος μηκύνω τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, ταῦτα εἰπὼν, ἃ τὸν νοῦν τῶν Γραφῶν οὐ μόνον οὐ λυμαίνεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνίστησι, βέβαιον τε καὶ πάγιον ἀποφαίνει, καὶ τὴν δοκοῦσαν ἀσάφειαν διαλύει, καταπαύσω, τοῖς ἐντευξομένοις παραινῶν, ἄνευ φιλονεικίας συνιδεῖν· καὶ εἰ μὲν ὀρθῶς εἴρηται, τῷ Θεῷ χάριν εἰδέναι· εἰ δὲ μὴ, τῷ γεγραφότι συγγνώμην νεῖμαι, τῷ μὴ ἀποφηναμένῳ, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἐντευξομένοις ἐπιτρέψαντι τὴν ψῆφον.","t":"To Leontius the bishop. [What is meant by \"And they shall be on the mountains like moaning doves\"?] Since you have written asking what is meant by Ezekiel's words, \"And they shall be on the mountains like moaning doves,\" I say that the interpretation needs many words; yet, as far as I can, I shall put it briefly. The prophet was speaking of those who escaped to the mountains during the Babylonian's attack: even if they seem to have escaped the enemy, they will not escape justice. For when they have taken refuge in the wilderness and think they are out of danger, then they will keep lamenting the destruction of their wives, children, and other relatives; and by the example of the doves he presented the anguish of their souls. Those who cry aloud and pour out their suffering to their neighbours receive no small consolation for it; for sufferings are in a way lightened by being told. But those who, from fear or some other cause, hide their misfortunes in silence and show their pain only by groaning, find the onset of the evil unbearable, since it does not turn toward healing but grows more intense. Wishing, then, to show the greatness of the punishment and also the excess of fear, when people do not even dare to cry out, since suspicion is always dreaming of the enemy's attack, he used such an image. [Letter 4.111] [On \"If you are offering your gift at the altar.\"] For God the Word, the word about reconciliation with one another is of the greatest importance. He who reconciled heavenly things with earthly also dissolves enmities, neither allowing them to grow nor failing to shake them out by the roots when they sprout. For he says, \"Do not be angry with your brother without cause.\" But since he knows that human weakness slips, he dissolves the roots even after it has happened, and allows his own gift to remain unfinished until we make peace with one another. The saying has the highest love for humankind; but it does not lack just reasoning either. \"You,\" he says, \"seek kindness, but the one you wronged seeks vindication. You call on the Merciful, but he calls on the Just. You ask for pardon, but he, finding no help, cries out against you. Stop him from crying out justly, and you will not lack my favour; reconcile the one you wronged to yourself, and then entreat me to be reconciled to you. I do not sell for a gift what is just in another's vindication. I do not corrupt the incorruptible court. I do not give you, the wrongdoer, a share in my favour while the one you wronged is lamenting. This I give you, which is not small but very great: I postpone the trial; I do not at once bring a final sentence. I give you time to make amends to the one you wronged.\" [Letter 4.112] [On the construction of the Apostle's saying, where he says, \"forbidding to marry.\"] Since you wished to learn what Paul's saying, \"forbidding to marry and to abstain from foods,\" means, know that some, pretending not to know that he received the gift of knowledge and wisdom and was thought to be Hermes, say that the Apostle did not master his phrasing but was carried round to the opposite meaning. For by setting \"forbidding\" in common with \"to abstain\" he gave it the opposite sense: they did not forbid abstaining; he ought to have said, \"forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods.\" If, then, that wonderful man suffered this elsewhere as well, let this be granted too; one must not be contentious. But see whether the error is not perhaps a matter of one letter or one stroke: \"forbidding to marry, and to hold to foods,\" or \"forbidding to marry, and holding to foods.\" The Church, just as it regards marriage as honourable, does not abhor foods either; but neither does it command clinging to them; it assigns a middle place to marriage and to foods alike. One who rises above enjoying them is better; one who enjoys them moderately is not to be blamed; but one who slanders them has pitched his tent outside the sacred precincts. That one letter changed, left out, or added often confuses the sense of what is said is clear from what is found in the Acts of the Apostles: \"If a spirit or an angel spoke to him.\" And in the Letter to the Hebrews: \"If, then, perfection were through the Levitical priesthood\": if it is read \"since,\" the thought is cut short and the opposite of the Apostle's meaning is produced. And \"true yokefellow\" becomes feminine, \"true\" (γνησία), when the letter iota is either added, or written but not pronounced. And the saying in Proverbs, \"Afterwards he will walk about more naked than a pestle,\" if \"pestle\" is the noun: for he did not say \"naked\" or \"most naked\" as a pestle is, which ought to have been said whether it means a pestle or an upper room, but \"more naked.\" And what was said in the psalm, \"It will be for a breeze,\" that is, it was changed into a gentle and springlike state, was altered to \"It stood for a breeze.\" And again: \"The Lord will settle the flood, and it will be put down,\" that is, he will calm it, and the flood will be calmed. He did not say \"he will found,\" as some think, but \"he will settle\"; as in \"He settles the barren woman in a house,\" and \"The Lord settles the solitary in a house,\" and \"You, Lord, alone have made me dwell in hope\"; for \"to found\" is something else. Some, perhaps not understanding, wrote, \"And the Lord will sit as king forever.\" But they are refuted by the beginnings of the lines, which start with \"Lord\": \"The Lord is king forever,\" and \"The Lord will give strength to his people; the Lord will bless his people with peace.\" And in the Song of Songs: \"I have adjured you, daughters of Jerusalem: let it rouse and awaken love until it please,\" in place of \"Allow love to fly up to whatever height it may wish.\" But not understanding that \"let\" here means \"allow,\" they changed it to \"If you rouse and awaken love.\" Then something should have been added: \"If you rouse it, this will happen,\" and the sentence should not have been left hanging. But so as not to lengthen the letter beyond what is needed, having said these things, which not only do not spoil the sense of the Scriptures but even establish it, show it firm and fixed, and dissolve the apparent obscurity, I shall stop, urging those who read it to consider it without contentiousness; and if it is rightly said, to give thanks to God; if not, to pardon the writer, who did not pronounce a verdict but left the vote to his readers.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.110 (PG 78 78:1175; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-110)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.113":{"o":"ΟΥΡΑΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Διαθήκη γὰρ ἐπὶ νεκροῖς βεβαία. Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας, νομίζω εἰς τοὺναντίον οὗ προείρηται εἶπον περιτετράφθαι τὸν Παῦλον, Τι ἐστι, « Διαθήκη γὰρ ἐπὶ νεκροῖς βεβαία· ἐπεὶ μὴ ποτε ἰσχύει ὅτε ζῇ ὁ διαθέμενος; · ἀντεπιστέλλω, ὅτι τὸ μή ποτε, τότε ἐστὶ, μιᾶς κεραίας ἑνὶ στοιχείῳ, ὑπό τινων ἴσως ἀμαθῶς προστεθείσης · οὕτω γὰρ εὗρον καὶ ἐν παλαιοῖς ἀντιγράφοις. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν θείῳ πνεύματι κοσμηθεὶς, καὶ Ἑρμῆς εἶναι νομιζόμενος, εἰς τοὐναντίον περιετράπη· · Ἐπειδὴ μή ποτε ἰσχύει ὅτε ζῇ ὁ διαθέμενος, μετὰ θάνατον βεβαιοῦται. » Εἰ δὲ μή ποτε κέοιτο, εἰς τὸ μὴ τὸν τόνον ἀναπεμπτέον, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸ μὴ ποτε, ἵνα μηδαμῶς.","t":"To Uranius the deacon. [On \"For a will is valid at death.\"] Since you have written, as though Paul had been turned round to the opposite of what he had said before, asking what \"For a will is valid at death, since it is never in force while the testator lives\" means, I write back that \"never\" (μή ποτε) is \"not then\" (μὴ τότε), one stroke having been added to one letter, perhaps through ignorance, by some; for so I found it also in ancient copies. For a man adorned with the divine Spirit, and thought to be Hermes, would not have been turned round to the opposite meaning: \"Since it is not then in force, while the testator lives, it is confirmed after death.\" But if \"μή ποτε\" stands, the accent should not be thrown back on \"μή\" (as in \"lest perhaps\"), but it should be read \"μὴ ποτέ,\" meaning \"not at all.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.113 (PG 78 78:1183; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-113)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.114":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΊ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον· « \"Ωσπερ οὐχ ὅμοια πρόσώπα προσώποις, οὕτως οὐδὲ αἱ καρδίαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Εἰ· καὶ πᾶσαι ἀρεταὶ ἐπέραστοι τοῖς τῶν καλῶν μὴ ἀνεράστοις, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε περί τινας αὐτῶν μᾶλλόν τινες διετέθησαν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τὴν σωφροσύνην, οἱ δὲ τὴν δικαιοσύνην, οἱ δὲ τὴν φρόνησιν, οἱ δὲ τὴν ἀνδρείαν, οἱ δὲ ἄλλας ἀρετὰς κατ᾿ ἐξαίρετον τετιμήκασιν, οἱ τῶν ἄλλων ἀπολειφθέντες, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τούτων γνωριμώτεροι καταστάντες. Οἷον (ἵνα ἓν αὐτῶν, ἢ δεύτερον, ἢ τρίτον εἰς μέσον ἀγάγωμεν), σωφρονέστατος εἶναι λέγεται ὁ Ἰωσὴφ, καίτοι πολλὰς ἀρετὰς ἄλλας ἀσκήσας· φιλόξενος καὶ πιστὸς Ἀβραὰμ, καίτοι ἐν ἄλλοις πολλοῖς κομῶν ἀγαθοῖς• ἀνδρεῖος ὁ Ἰὼβ, καίτοι πᾶσαν ἐπελθὼν ἀρετήν· ἀπὸ γὰρ τοῦ πλείστου δυναμοῦντος, ἐξενίκησεν ἑκάστῳ τοὔνομα Ὅτι δὲ ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχει, τὸν κανόνα τῆς ἀληθείας, τὰς θείας φημὶ Γραφὰς κατοπτεύσωμεν. Τί οὖν φησιν « Ὥσπερ οὐκ ἔστιν ὅμοια πρόσωπα προσώποις, οὕτως οὐδὲ αἱ καρδίαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων.» Ὢ τοῦ θαύματος! ὁ αὐτὸς ἔνεστι πᾶσι χαρακτήρ, καὶ ἐν τοσαύτῃ πληθύῖ διαφορά πάντως ἔνεστι προσώπων, ὡς ἀσύγχυτον τοῖς ὁρῶσιν εἶναι τὴν γνῶσιν. Εἰ γὰρ καί ποτε ἕν τισιν ἐνεῖναι δόξει ὁμοιότης, ἀλλ' εὑρεθήσεταί τι πάντως τὸ διορίζον. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ εὐόφθαλμοί εἰσι πολλοί, ἀλλὰ κὰν τούτοις ἐστὶ διαφορά. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ χαροποὶ, οἱ δ᾽ οἰνίζοντες, οἱ δὲ μελανόμματοι εὑρίσκονται, οἱ δὲ καὶ λευκοί. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἐν θριξὶν ἰδιότης ἐστίν· εἰ δὲ καὶ σιμοὶ, ἀλλ᾿ οὐ πάντες ὁμοίως· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν τοῦτο, ὁ δὲ ἐκεῖνο τὸ μέλος κάλλιον ἔχει· καὶ ὁ μὲν λευκὸς, ὁ δὲ μέλας· καὶ πάντως ἐστὶ τὸ διορίζον. Οὐ γὰρ πάντα οἷον εἰπεῖν· οὕτω καὶ αἱ καρδίαι τῶν ἀνθρώπων· οὐ γὰρ πᾶσι τὰ αὐτὰ ἀρέσκει· ἀλλὰ τοῖς μὲν ταῦτα, τοῖς δ' ἐκεῖνα. Καὶ αὐτοὶ δὲ οἱ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐρασταὶ οὐχ ὁμοίως περὶ τὰ ἐπέραστα ἔχουσιν· ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν μειζόνων, οἱ δὲ μετρίων ἐφίενται. Πόσοι σώφρονές εἰσιν! ἀλλ' οὐχ ὁμοίως. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τὴν παρθενίαν, οἱ δὲ τὴν ἐγκράτειαν, οἱ δὲ τὸν ἔντιμον γάμον ἡσπάσαντο. Πόσοι ἐλεήμονες! ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτῶν διαφέρουσι. Πόσοι δίκαιοι! ἀλλὰ διαλλάττουσιν. Οὐ μόνον ἐπὶ τῶν ἀρετῶν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν κακιῶν τὸ αὐτὸ ἔστιν ἰδεῖν. Πόσοι εἰσὶ κάκιστοι! ἀλλὰ διορισμῷ γνωρίζονται. Πόσοι λάγνοι ! ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πάντες τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἑάλωσαν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἁλοῖεν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πάντες ὁμοίως διάκεινται· ἀλλὰ οἱ μὲν ταῖς κατὰ φύσιν, οἱ δὲ ταῖς ὑπερορίαις τέρπονται ἡδοναῖς· οἱ μὲν εἰς τὴν ἔννομον φύσιν παροινοῦσιν· οἱ δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐδραστήριον ὑβρίζουσιν. Οἱ μὲν ψοφοδεεῖς εἰσιν· οἱ δὲ ῥιψοκίνδυνοι. Οἱ μὲν φειδωλοί · οἱ δὲ ἄσωτοι. Οἱ μὲν οὐδὲ λόγου ἀκοῦσαι δύνανται· οἱ δὲ οὐδὲ τὰς τιμωρίας φρίττουσιν. Οἱ μὲν κόλακές εἰσιν· οἱ δὲ κολακεύεσθαι βούλονται. Οἱ μὲν μέθῃ ἥδονται· οἱ δὲ θέαις. Οἱ μὲν ᾠδαῖς, οἱ δὲ θρήνοις· οἱ μὲν ἐν ταῖς ἐρήμοις, οἱ δὲ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι ληστεύουσιν. Οἱ μὲν φονῶσιν· οἱ δὲ οὐδὲ ἄλογον σφαττόμενον ἰδεῖν ὑπομένουσιν. Οἱ μὲν δειλοί εἰσιν· οἱ δὲ θρασεῖς. ᾿Αλλ' εἰ πάντα τὰ ἁμαρτήματα καταριθμήσασθαι ἐπιχειρήσαιμι, οὐδ᾽ εἰ παύσασθαι βουλοίμην, δυναίμην. Διὸ ἐκθειάσας τὰς ἱερὰς καὶ θείας Γραφὰς, καταπαύσω, Εἰς τὸ συγκριτικὸν περὶ μοιχείας καὶ κλοπῆς γεγραμμένον· · Ἐὰν ἀλῷ τις κλέπτων. Ἔοικας ἀγνοεῖν, ὅτι ἐπὶ τῶν ὁμογενῶν οὐχ ἐπὶ τῶν ἑτερογενῶν ὁ συγκριτικός χαρακτήρ λαμβάνεται οὐκ εἰς τὴν ἐναντίαν τάξιν ἐξωθῶν τὰ συγκρινόμενα· ἀλλ᾽ ἐλάττωσιν ἐμφαίνων καὶ ὑπεροχήν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τοῖς πταίσμασι τὸ μὲν ἔστι κακὸν, τὸ δὲ κάκιον, τὸ δὲ κάκιστον (κακὸν μὲν γὰρ ἡ κλοπή· κάκιον δὲ ἡ πορνεία· κάκιστον δὲ ἡ μοιχεία)· οὕτως κὰν τοῖς κατορθώμασι, τὸ μὲν καλὸν, τὸ δὲ κάλλιον, τὸ δὲ κάλλιστον· καλὸν μὲν γὰρ ὁ γάμος· κάλλιον δὲ ἡ ἐγκράτεια, κάλλιστον δὲ ἡ παρθενία Τὸ οὖν τοῦ καλλίστου ἔλαττον, οὐκ εἰς τὴν ἐναντίαν ἐξωθεῖται τάξιν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὴν ἐλάττονα μὲν, τὴν αὐτὴν δέ. Οὐ γὰρ ἄν τις σωφρονῶν τῇ πορνείᾳ τὴν παρθενίαν παραβάλλοι, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐγκράτειαν καὶ τὸν τίμιον γάμον. Καὶ ἡ Γραφὴ δὲ κλοπῆς καὶ μοιχείας σύγκρισιν ποιουμένη, ἔφη· « Οὐ θαυμαστὸν, ἐὰν ἁλῷ τις κλέπτων· κλέπτει γὰρ, ἵνα ἐκπλήσῃ ψυχὴν πεινῶσαν. Ὁ δὲ μοιχὸς δι' ἕνδειαν φρενῶν ἀπώλειαν τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῇ περιποιεῖται. » Οὐ γὰρ συγγνώμην παρέχουσα τῷ κλέπτοντι, καὶ ἀπολύουσα αὐτὸν τῶν ἐγκλημάτων, τοῦτο ἔφη· ἀλλὰ τῇ μοιχείᾳ, κακίστῃ οὔσῃ, τὴν κλοπὴν παραβάλλουσα, ἡμερωτέραν αὐτὴν ἔφη εἶναι καὶ κουφοτέραν, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν ὑπὸ πενίας τίκτηται. Περὶ Λαζάρου καὶ τοῦ πλουσίου. Ἕοικας τεθορυβῆσθαι, διὰ τὸ ἀκηκοέναι, ὅτι ἐνταῦθα καὶ ὁ Λάζαρος τὰ πταίσματα, καὶ ὁ πλούσιος τὰ κατορθώματα ἀπείληφεν· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ προσεῖχες τῷ εἰρημένῳ, οὐκ ἂν ἔπαθες. Τὸ γὰρ μὴ εἰπεῖν, ἔλαβες, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπέλαβες (τὸ μὲν γὰρ χάριν μηνύει, τὸ δὲ ἀμοιβὴν), πᾶσαν σαφηνίζει καὶ ἐγγυᾶται τὴν ἔννοιαν, τὴν παρ᾿ ἡμῶν εἰρημένην. Ὅτι δὲ οὐ μόνον οἱ εἰς ἄκρον ἀρετῆς ἐληλακότες ἔχουσιν ἀνθρώπινόν τι πταῖσμα ( μόνον γὰρ τὸ Θεῖον ἀναμάρτητον), ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ εἰς τὸν πυθμένα τῆς κακίας ἐμπεπτωκότες, ἔχουσί τι κατόρθωμα, ἡ ἱερὰ κηρύττει Γραφή· περὶ μὲν ἐκείνων λέγουσα· « Τίς καυχήσεται, ἁγνὴν ἔχειν τὴν καρδίαν; ἢ τις παῤῥησιάσεται, καθαρὸς εἶναι ἀπὸ ἁμαρτιῶν; ο περὶ δὲ τούτων, ὅτι Ὁ κριτὴς ἀδικίας, ὁ ) μήτε Θεὸν φοβούμενος, μήτε ἄνθρωπον ἐντρεπόμενος, ἐποίησέ τι χρηστὸν, τὴν συνεχῶς προσιοῦσαν αὐτῷ χήραν ἐλεήσας, καὶ ἐπεξελθὼν τοῖς ἀδικοῦσιν. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ ἐν τοῖς λίαν ἀρίστοις εὑρίσκεταί τις μέμψις, καὶ ἐν τοῖς κακίστοις ἀρετή· τί θαυμάζεις, εἰ ἐνταῦθα διαλυσάμενοι ἑκάτεροι, ἐκεῖσε ἀπηνέχθησαν, ὁ μὲν γυμνὸς ἁμαρτημάτων, ὁ δὲ ἔρημος κατορθωμάτων ; Διὸ ὁ μὲν καθαρὰν ἐτρύγα τὴν εὐφροσύνην· ὁ δὲ ἀπαραμύθητον ὑπέμενε τὴν τιμωρίαν. Διὰ τι ὁ νόμος τοὺς λεπρῶντας, ἢ ἑτέρους νοσήματα ἀκούσια νοσοῦντας, ἔξω εἶναι τῶν ἱερῶν περιβόλων προσέταξεν Ἕοικας οὐκ ἀποδέχεσθαι τοὺς ἐπὶ τὰς θεωρίας τοὺς ἀναγινώσκοντας παρακαλοῦντας. Σοφωτέρους γὰρ, ὡς ἔφης, τῶν Γραφῶν ἑαυτοὺς ἡγούμενοι, εἰς ἅπερ βούλονται μετακομίζοντες τὰ θεῖα Λόγια, πολλὰ σφάλλουσι τοὺς ἀκούοντας. Ἐγὼ δ' οὔτ᾽ ἐκείνους αἰτιασαίμην, εἰ σοφόν τι ἐξευρεῖν ἐπαγγέλλονται, οὔτε σὲ, μὴ βουλόμενον, ἀλληγορεῖν ἀναγκάσαιμι, ἀλλ' ἐξ εὐθείας τὴν ἀπολογίαν ποιησαίμην. Ἔφης γάρ· Τοῦ χάριν ὁ νομοθέτης τοὺς λεπρῶντας, καὶ ἕτερα νοσήματα ἀκούσια νοσοῦντας, ἔξω εἶναι ἱερῶν περιβόλων ἐθέσπισεν; ῎Ακουε δὴ συντόμως, συναγαγών σου τὸν νοῦν (οὐ γὰρ θέμις σαφῶς τὰ τῆς φύσεως δημοσιεύειν μυστήρια)· Ὅτι τὰς ἀκρασίας τῶν γονέων ἀναστέλλων, καὶ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς χαλινοὺς ἐπιτιθεὶς, καὶ μέτρα ὁρίζων ταῖς συνουσίαις, τοῦτο προσέταξεν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλοὶ ὅτε οὐ θέμις συνέρχονται, καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἀκαίρου συνουσίας ἀκάθαρτα καὶ δυσεχθή τίκτονται σώματα, ἵνα μὴ τοῦτο γένηται, ἐφρόντισεν. Ὅτι δὲ οὐ τοῖς τεχθεῖσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τεκοῦσι μᾶλλον μεγίστην φέρει κόλασιν, οὐδεὶς, ὡς οἶμαι, ἀγνοεῖ. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ οὐδὲ τιμωρίαν ἴσως ἡγοῦνται τὸ πρᾶγμα, τῆς συνηθείας τὴν κόλασιν ἐκλυούσης· οἱ δ᾽ ἀνήκεστον ὑπομένουσι τιμωρίαν, οὓς ηὔχοντο ἀμείνους ἑαυτῶν εἶναι, τούτους εἰργομένους ἱερῶν συνόδων θεώμενοι. Καὶ τοῖς μὲν τὸ εἶναι ἀκούσιον τὸ πάθος ἐξευμαρίζει τὴν συμφοράν· τοῖς δὲ τὸ συνειδέναι ὅτι τῆς ἀκρασίας αὐτῶν ἐστι σύμβολον ἑκουσίου, ἀνύποιστον ποιεῖ τὴν ὀδύνην. Εἰς τὸ· « Καὶ ποτήριον ψυχροῦ διδόναι. Ἔοικας καὶ σαυτὸν παραλογίζεσθαι, καὶ τὰς θείας παρερμηνεύειν Γραφάς. Τὸ γὰρ « διδόναι ποτήριον ψυχροῦ, ὁ πρὸς τοὺς τοῦτο μόνον ἔχοντας βλέπει, οὐ πρὸς τοὺς πλούτῳ κομῶντας, τοὺς καὶ ἄμφια δυναμένους τοῖς ὑπὸ λιμοῦ καὶ νόσου καὶ γυμνότητος πολιορκουμένοις ὀρέγειν. Καὶ μὴ θαύμαζε, εἰ ὁ ὕδωρ παρέχων, οὐκ ἀμισθὶ τοῦτο ποιεῖ. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῆς δόσεως, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τῆς προαιρέσεως ἡ ἐλεημοσύνη κρίνεται· ὁπότε καὶ ὁ λόγος ἀποδοχῆς ἀξιοῦται. • Ἰδοὺ γὰρ, φησὶ, λόγος ὑπὲρ δόμα ἀγαθόν. » ᾿Αλλ' εἰ καὶ εἴρηται «᾿Αμφότερα δὲ παρ᾿ ἀνδρὶ κεχαριτωμένῳ·· τούτῳ δηλονότι, ᾧ καὶ τὸ δοῦναι δυνατόν. Εἰ γὰρ τοσοῦτον τὸ δοθὲν, ὅσον ἡ περιουσία καὶ ἡ προαίρεσις τοῦ παρέχοντος ζητεῖται. Πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἀπὸ πολλῶν ὀλίγα, πολλοὶ δὲ ἀπὸ ὀλίγων πολλὰ παρέχουσιν. Οὐ γὰρ τὸ μέτρον τῶν διδομένων, ἀλλ᾿ ἡ τῶν παρεχόντων περιουσία τοιαύτη κρίνεται. Διὸ καὶ ἡ τὰ δύο λεπτὰ εἰσαγαγοῦσα, πάντας ὑπερηκόντισε τοὺς πολλὰ προσοίσαντας · οἱ μὲν γὰρ μέρος προσήνεγκαν, ἡ δὲ πᾶσαν αὐτῆς τὴν ὑπόστασιν ἀφιέρωσεν.","t":"To Heron the presbyter. [On what is written: \"As faces are not like faces, so neither are the hearts of men.\"] Even if all the virtues are lovely to those who are not without love for what is good, still some people are more drawn to some of them. Some have honoured temperance above all, others justice, others prudence, others courage, others other virtues; they fell short in the rest but became better known for these. For example (to bring one, or a second, or a third of them into the open), Joseph is called most chaste, though he practised many other virtues; Abraham hospitable and faithful, though he was rich in many other good things; Job courageous, though he went through every virtue; for each one's name won out from what was strongest in him. That this is so, let us look into the rule of truth, I mean the divine Scriptures. What does it say? \"As faces are not like faces, so neither are the hearts of men.\" O the wonder! The same features are in all, and yet in so great a multitude there is always a difference of faces, so that those who see them can know them without confusion. Even if a likeness sometimes seems to be in some, something will always be found that distinguishes them. Though many have fine eyes, there is difference among them too: some are found grey-eyed, some wine-dark, some black-eyed, some light. There is individuality in the hair too; and if some are snub-nosed, still not all alike; one has this feature finer, another that; one is fair, another dark; and there is always something that distinguishes. So too the hearts of men: not the same things please everyone, but these please some and those others. And even those who love the same things are not alike in their love for them, but some aim at greater things, others at moderate ones. How many are chaste! But not alike: some have embraced virginity, others continence, others honourable marriage. How many are merciful! But they differ from one another. How many are just! But they vary. Not only with the virtues but also with the vices one can see the same. How many are very wicked! But they are known by their distinguishing marks. How many are lustful! But not all have been caught by the same things. And even if they are caught by the same, not all are alike disposed: some delight in pleasures according to nature, others in pleasures beyond its bounds; some outrage the nature that the law allows, others outrage even the body's seat. Some are timid, others reckless. Some are stingy, others prodigal. Some cannot bear even to hear a word of reproof, others do not even shudder at punishments. Some are flatterers, others want to be flattered. Some delight in drunkenness, others in shows. Some in songs, others in laments; some rob in the deserts, others in the cities. Some commit murder, others cannot bear to see even an animal slaughtered. Some are cowardly, others bold. But if I tried to count up all the sins, I could not stop even if I wished to. So, having marvelled at the sacred and divine Scriptures, I shall stop. [Letter 4.115] [On the comparison written about adultery and theft: \"If anyone is caught stealing.\"] You seem not to know that the comparative form is used of things of the same kind, not of different kinds; it does not push the things compared into opposite classes, but shows a lesser and a greater degree. Just as among faults one thing is bad, another worse, another worst (theft is bad, sexual immorality worse, adultery worst), so among good deeds one thing is good, another better, another best: marriage is good, continence better, virginity best. What is less than the best, then, is not pushed into the opposite class, but into a lesser place within the same class. For no one in his right mind would compare virginity with sexual immorality, but with continence and honourable marriage. And Scripture, when it compares theft and adultery, says: \"It is no wonder if anyone is caught stealing; for he steals to fill his hungry soul. But the adulterer, through lack of sense, procures destruction for his own soul.\" It did not say this to grant pardon to the thief and release him from the charges, but, comparing theft with adultery, which is the worst, it said that theft is milder and lighter, especially when it is born of poverty. [Letter 4.116] [On Lazarus and the rich man.] You seem to have been troubled by hearing that here Lazarus received his faults and the rich man his good deeds; but if you had paid attention to what was said, you would not have been. For his not saying \"you received\" but \"you received back\" (the one indicates a favour, the other a recompense) makes clear and guarantees the whole meaning we have stated. That not only those who have reached the height of virtue have some human fault (for God alone is sinless), but also those who have fallen to the bottom of vice have some good deed, the holy Scripture proclaims. Of the former it says, \"Who will boast of having a pure heart? Or who will speak boldly, saying he is clean from sins?\"; and of the latter, that the unjust judge, who neither feared God nor respected man, did something good, when he took pity on the widow who kept coming to him and proceeded against those who wronged her. If, then, some blame is found even in the very best, and some virtue in the very worst, why do you wonder if both, having settled their accounts here, were carried off there, the one stripped of sins, the other bereft of good deeds? So the one gathered pure joy, while the other endured a punishment without consolation. [Letter 4.117] [Why the law ordered lepers, or others suffering from involuntary diseases, to be outside the sacred precincts.] You seem not to approve of those who urge readers on to spiritual contemplation. For, as you said, they think themselves wiser than the Scriptures and carry the divine oracles over to whatever they wish, and so they mislead their hearers greatly. I would neither blame them, if they profess to find something wise, nor force you to allegorize against your will, but I would make the defence directly. For you asked, \"Why did the lawgiver decree that lepers, and those suffering from other involuntary diseases, should be outside the sacred precincts?\" Listen briefly, then, gathering your mind (for it is not right to publish the mysteries of nature plainly). He commanded this to check the incontinence of parents, to put a bridle on pleasures, and to set limits to intercourse. For since many come together when it is not lawful, and from untimely intercourse impure and loathsome bodies are born, he took care that this should not happen. That it brings the greatest punishment not on those who are born but rather on those who begot them, no one, I think, is unaware. The children perhaps do not even regard the matter as a punishment, since habit relaxes the chastisement; but the parents endure an incurable punishment, seeing those whom they prayed would be better than themselves excluded from the sacred assemblies. For the children, the fact that the affliction is involuntary eases the misfortune; for the parents, the awareness that it is a token of their own voluntary incontinence makes the pain unbearable. [Letter 4.118] [On \"and to give a cup of cold water.\"] You seem both to deceive yourself and to misinterpret the divine Scriptures. For \"to give a cup of cold water\" looks to those who have only this, not to those who abound in wealth, who can also hold out clothing to those besieged by hunger, disease, and nakedness. And do not wonder that one who provides water does not do it without reward. For almsgiving is judged not by the gift but by the intention; since even a word is thought worthy of acceptance: \"For behold,\" it says, \"a word is better than a good gift.\" But if it is also said, \"Both are found with a gracious man,\" that is, of course, the one who is also able to give. For the gift is required to be as great as the means and the intention of the giver. Many give little out of much, and many give much out of little. It is not the measure of what is given that is judged, but the means of those who give. That is why the woman who put in two lepta surpassed all who offered much: they offered a part, but she dedicated her whole livelihood.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.114 (PG 78 78:1185; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-114)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.119":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ.\nΤῆς Ἐπιστολῆς Πέτρου. Διὰ τί τοὺς ἄνδρας ὡς ἀσθενεστέρῳ σκεύει τῷ γυναικείῳ κελεύει τιμὴν ἀπονέμειν. Εἰ καὶ τίμιός ἐστιν ὁ γάμος, καὶ ἔννομος ἡ εὐνή, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀεὶ αὐτῇ ἐπιπηδητέον· ἀλλὰ καιρούς τινὰς σχολαστέον, καὶ παραχωρητέον τῇ φύσει, ἕως ἂν καθαρὰ μένῃ, καὶ ἐπιτηδεία πρὸς παιδοποιίαν γένηται. Καὶ τοῦτο μὲν ὁ νόμος ἐθέσπισεν. Ἡ δὲ χάρις καὶ διὰ τὴν ἁγνείαν, καὶ τὰς συνεχεῖς προσευχὰς τοῦτο γίνεσθαι συνεβούλευσε· καὶ διὰ μὲν Παύλου λέγουσα· • Ἵνα σχολάσητε τῇ προσευχῇ·- διὰ δὲ Πέτρου τοῦθ᾽ ὅπερ μαθεῖν ἠθέλησας. Χρῆναι γὰρ ἔφη τοὺς ἄνδρας ὡς ἀσθενεστέρῳ σκεύει τῷ γυναικείῳ ἀπονέμειν τιμήν. Εἰς τό· « Εἰ δυνατὸν, τὸ ἐξ ὑμῶν. Εἰ καὶ μηδεμίαν τὸν ὑβριστὴν ὁ λοιδορηθεὶς τῆς τόλμης ἐν δικαστηρίῳ διὰ τὸ οἰκεῖον ἐπάγγελμα ἐγράψατο γραφὴν (ἢ γὰρ ἂν παρέστησεν αὐτὸν δίκας ὧν ἔδρασεν ἀπαιτηθησόμενον), ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε ἔτι ἐναύλους ἔχει τὰς᾽ ὕβρεις. Ἐπεὶ οὖν δίκαιον αὐτὸν θεραπευθῆναι, ἄλλος ἰατρὸς οὐκ ἔστι τῶν τοιοὐτων παθῶν, οἷος, ἢ ὡς ὁ πλήξας αὐτὸς, παρασκευάσων αὐτὸν ἀπολογήσασθαι τἀνδρί.","t":"To Heron. [From the Letter of Peter. Why he commands husbands to pay honour to the woman as to the weaker vessel.] Even if marriage is honourable and the marriage bed lawful, one must not always leap upon it; rather one must abstain at certain times and give way to nature, until she is pure and becomes fit for begetting children. This the law decreed. And grace counselled that this be done also for the sake of purity and constant prayer, saying through Paul, \"that you may devote yourselves to prayer,\" and through Peter what you wished to learn. For he said that husbands must pay honour to the woman as to the weaker vessel. [Letter 4.120] [On \"If possible, so far as it depends on you.\"] Even if the man who was reviled did not, because of his profession, bring any suit in court against the man who insulted him for his daring (otherwise he would have brought him to pay the penalty for what he did), still he has the insults ringing in his ears. Since, then, it is right that he be healed, there is no other physician for such sufferings than the one who struck the blow, who should make ready to make amends to the man.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.119 (PG 78 78:1193; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-119)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.12":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΔιὰ τὶ ὁ Παῦλος, εἰπών· - Θέλεις δὲ μὴ φοβεῖσθαι τὴν ἐξουσίαν; · μετ' ὀλίγον φησίν· • ᾿Απόδοτε, φησὶ, τῷ τὸν φόβον, τὸν φόβον ᾿Αντεπισταλῆναι μέν σοι οὐκ ἐχρῆν, παρακαλέσαντι ἄνευ προκατασκευῆς καὶ ἀποδείξεως τὸ ἀποστολικὸν μεταφρασθέν χωρίον, ὁ καὶ μετὰ προκατασκευῆς καὶ μακρᾶς περιόδου μόλις σαφηνίζεται. Ἐπειδὴ δ' ὑπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τυραννούμενος ἐξεβιάσθην, φημὶ (σὸν δ᾽ ἂν εἴη κρῖναι, εἰ δύναμαι συντόμως θηρεῦσαι φεῦγον τὸ τοῦ ᾿Αποστόλου βούλημα), ὅτι ὅ φησι, τοῦτό ἐστιν. Εἰ δοῦλος ὧν ἐκλήθης εἰς τὴν πίστιν, μὴ ἄλυε, μηδὲ δυσχέραινε, ὡς ταύτῃ παραβλαπτόμενος. Ὅτι γὰρ οὐδέν ἐστι τοῦτο δεινὸν, συμβουλεύσω σοι, ὅτι εἰ καὶ δύνασαι γενέσθαι ἐλεύθερος, μᾶλλον χρήσασθαι τῇ δουλείᾳ. Ἐλάττονα γὰρ λόγον ἐν ταῖς εὐθύναις ἀπαιτηθήσῃ, ἅτε μὴ μόνον αὐτῷ τῷ Κυρίῳ δουλεύων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ σωματικῷ δεσπότῃ. Ὁ γὰρ κληθεὶς εἰς τὴν πίστιν, καὶ ἐλευθερωθεὶς ἀπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, εἰ δοῦλος εἴη, ἀπελεύθερος ὢν τῷ Κυρίῳ, τῷ ἠλευθερῶσθαι μὲν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῆς δουλείας τῆς ἁμαρτίας· μετὰ τοῦ δὲ αὐτοῦ ὑποκεῖσθαι χρεωστεῖν ὑπηρεσίας καὶ τῷ σωματικῷ δεσπότῃ, οὐκ ἀκριβὲς ἀπαιτηθήσεται τὸ λογοθέσιον. Ὁ δὲ ἐλεύθερος, καὶ μηδενὶ ὑποκείμενος, δοῦλος ὢν Χριστοῦ, κατὰ πάντα αὐτῷ ὑποκείσεται. Δι' ὃ καὶ ἀκριβεστέραν ἀπαιτηθήσεται δίκην. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν εἰς τὴν παράφρασιν τοῦ ῥητοῦ εἰρήσθω. Εἰ δὲ βούλει πλατύτερον καὶ ἀποδεικτικώτερον μαθεῖν, ἔντυχε τῇ ἐπιστολῇ τῇ πρὸς τὸν ἐπίσκοπον περὶ τούτου πρώην μοι γραφείσῃ, καὶ εἴσῃ ἀκριβῶς. ІГ΄. - ΣΥΡΩΝΙ Εἰς τὸ, « Τοῖς κατὰ πρόθεσιν κλητοῖς οὖσιν. \"Απαντες ἄνθρωποι τούτοις καὶ συμμαχεῖν καὶ προσέχειν ἐθέλουσιν, οὓς ἂν θεάσωνται οὐ καθεύδοντας οὐδὲ ῥαθυμοῦντας, ἀλλὰ παρασκευαζομένους καὶ παρατεταγμένους, καὶ πράττειν ἐθέλοντας, ἃ χρή. Πῶς σὺ τὴν ἀήττητον συμμαχίαν, καθεύδων καὶ ῥέγχων, καὶ μὴ φροντίζων τῆς σαὐτοῦ σωτηρίας, ἐπιπτῆναί σοι παρακαλεῖς, καὶ διαμαρτάνων δυσχεραίνεις; Ηγείσθω τοίνυν τὰ παρὰ σοῦ, καὶ τὰ παρ' ἐκείνης ἔψεται. Οὐ γὰρ λόγοις καλουμένη μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔργοις παρακαλουμένη, ὥσπερ αὐτεπάγγελτος ἥξει. Ἡ γὰρ τοὺς καθεύδοντας διεγείρουσα, καὶ τοὺς μὴ βουλομένους προτρέπουσα, οὐκ ἂν τοὺς ἀφ᾿ ἑαυτῶν ἑλομένους τὴν ἀρετὴν, ἐγκαταλείψει, ἀλλὰ καὶ συμπράξει, καὶ εἰς τέλος αἴσιον τὸ κατόρθωμα ἄξει.","t":"To Theodore the deacon. [Why Paul, having said, \"Would you have no fear of the authority?\", says shortly after, \"Pay fear to whom fear is due.\"] I ought not to have written back to you, since you asked for the apostolic passage to be paraphrased without preparation or proof, when even with preparation and a long circuit it is barely made clear. But since I was compelled, under the tyranny of love, I say (it would be for you to judge whether I can briefly catch the Apostle's elusive meaning) that what he says is this. If you were called to the faith while a slave, do not be distressed or resentful, as if harmed by it. To show that this is nothing terrible, I advise you that even if you can become free, you should rather make use of your slavery. For you will be asked for a smaller account at the audit, since you serve not only the Lord himself but also your bodily master. For one who has been called to the faith and freed from sin, if he is a slave, is the Lord's freedman, in that he has been freed by him from slavery to sin; but since he is also bound to owe service to his bodily master, a strict reckoning will not be demanded of him. But the free man, subject to no one, being Christ's slave, will be subject to him in everything; therefore a stricter account will be demanded of him. Let this be said by way of paraphrasing the saying. If you wish to learn about it more broadly and with proof, read the letter I wrote earlier to the bishop on this, and you will know exactly. [Letter 4.13] To Syron. [On \"to those who are called according to his purpose.\"] All people want to fight alongside and attend to those whom they see not sleeping or idle, but prepared and drawn up for battle, and willing to do what they must. How then do you, sleeping and snoring and not caring for your own salvation, ask the invincible alliance to fly to you, and resent it when you fail? Let your part lead, then, and its part will follow. For when it is summoned not only by words but also by deeds, it will come as if of its own accord. For the help that rouses the sleeping and urges on the unwilling would not abandon those who choose virtue of themselves, but will work with them and bring their achievement to a happy end.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.12 (PG 78 78:1059; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-12)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.121":{"o":"ΚΑΣΙΑΝΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ πάσης εἰς ἄκρον ἥκοντα ταλαιπωρίας τὸν Λάζαρον ὁ τῆς εὐαγγελικῆς διηγήσεως ὑπογράφει λόγος, ἀλλ᾽ εὐπραγίας αὐτῷ ὑπόθεσις μεγίστη καὶ ἀληθείας γέγονεν ἡ συμφορά. Εἰ μὴ γὰρ εἰς τοσοῦτον δυσπραγίας ἀφῖκτο, οὐκ ἂν πρὸς τοσοῦτον εὐκλείας ἀνέβη. Τί γὰρ εὐκλεέστερον ( ἵνα παρῶ τὰς ἐκεῖσε ἀμοιβὰς) τοῦ ἐν Εὐαγγελίοις ὑμνεῖσθαι, καὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἐπαινέτην, καὶ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ κεκτῆσθαι συνήγορον; Εἰς τὸ· « Πᾶς ὁ βλέπων γυναῖκα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμήσαι, ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτήν. » Εἰ μὲν τῶν προπυλαίων μόνων, καὶ μὴ τῶν ἀδύτων ἤπτετο ὁ μολυσμὸς, ἴσως εὐΐατον ἦν τὸ πάθος. Εἰ δὲ αὐτῆς καθάπτεται τῆς ψυχῆς, μὴ ἕκαστος ἑαυτὸν παραλογιζέσθω. Εἰ δὲ φαίη τις ἀνθρώπους ἀπατῶν, « Οὐδεὶς στεφανοῦται, εἰ μὴ νομίμως ἀθλήσει, » νόμιμον πάλην εἶναι νομίζων τὴν θέαν. εἰ τῆς πράξεως ἀπόσχοιτο, μανθανέτω, ὅτι ὁ ἀγωνοθέτης καὶ κριτὴς τῶν τοιούτων παλαισμάτων εἶπεν· Ὁ βλέπων γυναῖκα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι, ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ ἑαυτοῦ. » Νόμιμος οὖν ἐστι πάλη, οὐχ ἡ παρὰ τῆς ἑκάστου ῥαθυμία; καὶ προλήψεως, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ παρὰ τοῦ ἀδεκάστου κριτοῦ θεσμοθετηθεῖσα.","t":"To Cassian the deacon. Even if the Gospel narrative depicts Lazarus as having reached the extreme of every wretchedness, his misfortune became for him the greatest foundation of good fortune and of truth. Had he not come to such adversity, he would not have risen to such renown. For what is more glorious (to pass over the rewards there) than to be celebrated in the Gospels, to have God to praise him and Abraham to plead for him? [Letter 4.122] [On \"Everyone who looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her.\"] If the defilement touched only the porch and not the inner sanctuary, the affliction would perhaps be easily cured. But since it lays hold of the soul itself, let no one deceive himself. And if anyone, deceiving people, says, \"No one is crowned unless he competes lawfully,\" thinking that looking is lawful wrestling if he keeps from the act, let him learn that the president and judge of such contests said, \"Whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.\" Lawful wrestling, then, is not the kind set by each person's negligence and prejudice, but the kind laid down by the incorruptible Judge.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.121 (PG 78 78:1195; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-121)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.123":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ..\nὁ· « ῾Ὁ δὲ θέλων ἑαυτὸν δικαιώσαι, εἶπε· Καὶ τίς ἐστί μου πλησίον; › Εἰς τὸ· Τί ἐστιν, ἔφης, τὸ ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις εἰρημένον περὶ τοῦ νομικοῦ· « Ὁ δὲ θέλων ἑαυτὸν δικαιῶσαι, εἶπε· Καὶ τίς ἐστί μου πλησίον; » ῎Ακουε τοίνυν. Ὁ Νομικὸς πλησίον μόνον ἐνόμιζε εἶναι τὸν δίκαιον τῷ δικαίῳ, τὸν ὑψηλὸν τῷ ὑψηλῷ, κατ᾿ ἀρετήν φημι. Οὐ γὰρ τῇ οὐσίᾳ μιᾷ οὔσῃ, τὸν πλησίον ἔκρινεν, ἀλλ᾿ ἢ τοῖς ἀξιώμασιν, ἢ ταῖς πράξεσι. Διὸ καὶ θέλων ἑαυτὸν δικαιῶσαι, τουτέστιν δίκαιον ἀποδείξαι, ὡς ὑψηλὸς εἴη κατὰ τὴν ἀρετὴν, ἢ μέγας κατὰ τὸ διδάσκαλος εἶναι, φησί· « Καὶ τίς ἐστί μου πλησίον; · Δεῖξόν μοι τὸν οὕτω μέγαν. Ὁ δὲ Σωτὴρ, ἅτε δὴ ποιητὴς (μικρὸν γὰρ καὶ μέγαν αὐτὸς ἐποίησεν), οὐ ταῖς πράξεσιν, οὐδὲ τοῖς ἀξιώμασιν, ἀλλὰ τῇ φύσει ὡρίσατο τὸν πλησίον, μονουχὶ λέγων· Ούπω σοι τέως λέγω, ὅτι οὐδὲν τῶν ἄλλων διενήνοχας, ἵνα μὴ οἱ ὄντως φιλάρετοι νομίσειαν χρεωστεῖν τοῖς πέλας τὴν ἀγάπην, δόγμα τὸ σὸν ἔλεγχον νομίσαντες εἶναι· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ καὶ οὕτως ἔχει (δεδόσθω γάρ), σὺ σπούδασον τοῦ δεομένου πλησίον εἶναι, οὐ τῷ τόπῳ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ διαθέσει, καὶ τῇ εἰς αὐτὸν ἐπιμελείᾳ. Διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο καὶ τὸν Σαμαρείτην σοι ἐχαρακτηρίσατο. Τὸ γὰρ πλησίον τῇ φύσει κρίνεται, οὐ τῇ ἀρετῇ· τῇ οὐσίᾳ, οὐ τῷ ἀξιώματι· τῇ συμπαθείᾳ, οὐ τῷ τόπῳ· - τῆς θεραπείας τρόπῳ, καὶ οὐ τοῦ τόπου ἐγγύτητι. Ἐκεῖνον μάλιστα ἡγοῦ εἶναι πλησίον, τὸν δεόμενον, καὶ αὐτεπάγγελτος ἐπὶ τὴν βοήθειαν βάδιζε.","t":"To Isidore the presbyter. [On \"But he, wishing to justify himself, said, 'And who is my neighbour?'\"] You asked what is meant by the saying in the Gospels about the lawyer: \"But he, wishing to justify himself, said, 'And who is my neighbour?'\" Listen, then. The lawyer thought that only the just man is neighbour to the just, the lofty to the lofty, in virtue, I mean. For he judged the neighbour not by the nature, which is one, but either by rank or by deeds. That is why, wishing to justify himself, that is, to show himself just, as lofty in virtue or great as a teacher, he says, \"And who is my neighbour? Show me one so great.\" But the Saviour, as the maker (for he himself made small and great), defined the neighbour not by deeds or by ranks but by nature, all but saying: \"I do not yet tell you that you differ in nothing from the others, lest those who truly love virtue should think that they owe love to their neighbours only on such terms, taking your doctrine as a rule; but even if it is so (let it be granted), strive to be near to the one in need, not only in place, but in disposition and in care for him.\" That is why he portrayed the Samaritan for you. For neighbourliness is judged by nature, not by virtue; by essence, not by rank; by compassion, not by place; by the manner of care, and not by nearness of place. Consider him above all to be your neighbour who is in need, and go to his help of your own accord.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.123 (PG 78 78:1195; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-123)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.124":{"o":"ΑΙΓΥΠΤΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς ψυχῆς. Θείαν μὲν ἡγούμεθα τὴν ψυχὴν εἶναι (οὐ μὴν τῆς θειοτάτης καὶ βασιλικωτάτης φύσεως ὁμοούσιον ) καὶ ἀθάνατον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τῆς ἀνάρχου καὶ ποιητικῆς καὶ ἀϊδίου μέρος. Εἰ γὰρ ἐκείνης τῆς ἀῤῥήτου ἦν μέρος, οὐκ ἂν ἥμαρτεν, οὐκ ἐκρίθη. Εἰ δὲ ταῦτα πάσχει, τῆς ἀνωτάτω οὐσίας· ποίημα δικαίως ἂν πιστευθείη, οὐ μέρος, ἵνα μὴ ἑαυτὴν ἡ θεία φύσις κρίνουσα φωραθείη. ΠΡΟΕΣΧΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΟ ΙΑΤΡΟ. Περὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Πυθαγόρας μὲν, καὶ Πλάτων, καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι ἔνδοξοι παρ' Ἕλλησι σοφοί, ἀποδεικτικαῖς ἀνάγκαις ἐπόμενοι, ἡγεμονικωτέραν τὴν ψυχὴν τοῦ σώματος εἰκότως ἀπεφήναντο· καὶ ἐκάλεσαν τὴν μὲν τεχνίτην, τὸ δὲ ὄργανον, τὴν μὲν ἀσώματον· τὸ δὲ τριχῆ διαστατόν τὴν δ᾽ ἀθάνατον καὶ ἄφθαρτον Εἰ γὰρ καὶ περὶ ἄλλα τινὰ διήμαρτον τῆς ἀληθείας, εν τούτῳ κατὰ σκοποῦ ἠνέχθησαν. Γαληνὸς δὲ (οὐ γὰρ ἔλαθε τοὺς συνετῶς ἀναγινώσκοντας, ἁρμόνιον αὐτὴν λύραν οὐ λυρῳδὸν ἡγησάμενος) θνητὴν ἀπεφήνατο Προσθέμενος γὰρ εἶπεν, ὅτι τῇ κράσει τοῦ σώματος ἕπονται αἱ τῆς ψυχῆς δυνάμεις, εἰς τὸ φάναι τὸ μηδὲ εἶναι ψυχὴν ἀσώματον καὶ ἀθάνατον ἐτελεύτησεν, τὴν κρᾶσιν ψυχὴν οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως όρισάμένος· ὡς ἐλέγχεσθαι αὐτὸν μάτην μὲν· τὸ ὄνομα τῆς ψυχῆς θρυλλοῦντα· διὰ δὲ τὸ μὴ δόξαι πολλοῖς σοφοῖς ἀντιλέγειν, τοῦτο συγχωροῦντα, τῷ πράγματι μαχόμενος, τούνομα συγχωρεῖ. ᾿Αλλ' οὐ προσεκτέον αὐτῷ ἐν τούτῳ. Τῷ γὰρ ἰατρικῷ δόγματι ἑπόμενος, καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν τέχνην συστῆναι βουλόμενος, τῆς ἀληθείας οὐκ ἐφρόντισε. Σωμάτων γὰρ περὶ θεραπείας, ἐπειδὴ τεχνίτης ἐν ταύτῃ ὁ ἀνὴρ περιελαλεῖτο, ὡς βούλεται (οὐ γὰρ ἀφαιρήσομαι αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦτοις ἀξίαν), ψυχῆς δ' ἕνεκεν μὴ ἁμιλλάσθω τοῖς σοφωτέροις, μηδὲ καταβαινέτω εἰς ἀγῶνα, οὗ καὶ ἀνάσκητός ἐστι καὶ ἀμελέτητος· μηδὲ ἀθλητὴς ὧν τὴν μουσικὴν κρινέτω· μηδὲ περὶ τὰ σώματα ὅλην ἑαυτοῦ κενώσας τὴν σύνεσιν, περὶ ψυχῆς δογματιζέτω· μηδὲ πιστευέτω ἐν τῷ κατασκευάζειν τὴν ἁρμονίαν τῶν στοιχείων εἶναι ψυχήν. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο καθ' ὑπόθεσιν δοθείη (μὴ γὰρ δή τις τῶν συνετῶν οὕτω φρονήσειεν), ἐπειδὴ μάλα ἀλήθεια οὕτως ἔχει, μετ' αὐτοῦ, μᾶλλον δὲ μετὰ τοῦ σώματος σβεσθήσεται. Εἰ γὰρ ἁρμονία, καὶ τελευταία συνίσταται, καὶ πρώτη ἀπόλλυται (ἡ γὰρ λύρα καὶ αἱ χορδαὶ ἁρμοσθεῖσαι μὲν, τὴν ἁρμονίαν τίκτουσι · διαλυθεῖσαι δὲ χρόνον τινὰ διαμένουσι, τῆς ἁρμονίας προαπολομένης)· τἱ οὖν φαίη ὁ βέλτιστος περὶ τῶν παρὰ ποιηταῖς καὶ φιλοσόφοις καὶ λογογράφοις φιλοσοφηθέντων, ὡς πάντη τε καὶ πάντως ἐσομένων ἐν τῇ κρίσει κολαστηρίων; Ποῖον δὲ γέρας τοῖς τῇδε βιοῦσιν ὀρθῶς ἐπινοήσει; Τοῖς γὰρ οὕτω πολιτευομένοις, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ, ἄθλα μεγίστων πόνων καὶ ἱδρώτων μεστὰ, ἕως τῆς ἐνθάδε τελευτῆς προετέθη. Ποῖ δὲ τὴν τιμωρίαν ὀριεῖ, τοῖς κακίαν μὲν πᾶσαν μεταδιώκουσιν ἕως θανάτου, καὶ πλούτου καὶ τιμῆς ἀπολαύουσι; Πῶς διερμηνεύσει τὴν παρ' Ομήρῳ τοῦ λογιστικοῦ πρὸς τὸ θυμικὸν παραίνεσιν · Τέτλαθι, κραδίη; Πῶς δὲ, Ψυχή τε μένει, ᾿Αϊδόσδε βεβήκει; Πῶς δὲ, Η ῥά τί ἐστι καὶ εἰν ᾿Αΐδαο δόμοισιν; Ὁ ἐστιν, ἀληθῶς δὴ ἔστι τι κἀκεῖ. Πῶς δὲ Εὐριπίδης, ὃν σοφὸν εἶναι ὁρίζετε ἔφη· Εὖ σοι γένοιτο καὶ ἐν ἄϊδος δόμοις Πῶς δὲ, εἰ ἁρμονία εἴη, εἰς ἀναρμοστίαν μεταπίπτει, καὶ ἄμουσον καὶ ἀπηχὲς ἀποτελεῖ μέλος; Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἀρετὴ ἐμμελές τι καὶ ἐναρμόνιον· ἡ δὲ κακία ἄμουσον καὶ ἀπηχές. Πῶς δὲ ἐπαινεῖν οἴεται δεῖν τοὺς τὰς ἐπιστήμας μετιόντας, εἴ γε ἀπὸ κράσεως εἶεν τοιοῦτο ; Πῶς δὲ ψέξει τοὺς τὰς ματαιοτεχνίας μεταχειριζομένους, εἰ ὑπὸ φύσεως εἰς ταῦτα ἐπαιδοτριβήθησαν; Πῶς δὲ διαβάλῃ τὸν ἀπὸ τῶν εὐμόρφων σωμάτων πορισμὸν, εἴγε ἡ κρᾶσις τοῦτο προὐξένησε; Πῶς δὲ ἀπολογήσεται περὶ τῶν καθ᾽ ἑκάστην ἡμέραν γινομένων μεταβολῶν; Πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ ἀσελγεῖς εἰς σωφροσύνην ἀνέπτησαν · πολλοὶ δὲ σώφρονες εἰς λαγνείαν καταπεπτώκασιν· οὐ γὰρ δὴ ἡ κρᾶσις μετέπεσε· νέοι γὰρ ὄντες τινὲς καὶ ἀσελγεῖς, ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἀκμῇ τῆς ἡλικίας εἰς κοσμιότητα ἐπανῆλθον· οὐ τῆς κράσεως ἐν ταυτῷ μεταβληθείσης, ἀλλὰ τῆς προαιρέσεως κατορθωσάσης. ᾿Αλλ' ἵνα μὴ πάσας λέγων τὰς γεγενημένας μεταβολὰς μηκύνω τὴν ἐπιστολὴν, ταύτας ἀφεὶς, ἐπὶ τὴν δόξασαν αὐτῷ ἰσχυρὰν ἀντιλογίαν χωρήσω. Τίς οὖν ἐστιν αὕτη; Εἰ ἀθάνατος, φησὶν, ἡ ψυχὴ, ὡς ὁ Πλάτων βούλεται, διὰ τί χωρίζεται ψυχθέντως σφοδρῶς, ἢ ὑπερξηρα[ν]θέντος, ἢ ὑπερυγρανθέντος τοῦ ἐγκεφάλου; Πρὸς ταύτην τοιγαροῦν τὴν ἐρώτησιν, παρεὶς τὸ ἐλέγξαι αὐτὸν, ὅτι πολλάκις ἐκ τοῦ σφυγμοῦ, ὃν ἴσως ἁρμονίαν καλεῖ, θάνατόν τισι προειπὼν καὶ ζωὴν ἄλλοις ἐπαγγειλάμενος, διήμαρτε, τῶν μὲν ζησάντων, τῶν δὲ τεθνεώτων· οὕτως· τὴν τέχνην στοχαστικὴν οὖσαν τἀληθὲς διαφεύγει· παρεὶς δὲ κἀκεῖνο, ὅτι πολλῶν δηλητηρίοις φαρμάκοις καταγοητευθέντων αἱ ψυχαὶ οὐκ ἀπέστησαν · οὕτως οὐ πάντως ψυχθέντος τοῦ ἐγκεφάλου χωρίζεται ἡ ψυχή· ἐκεῖνο φαίην, ὅτι θεῖός ἐστι δεσμὸς συνδέων τὰ πολὺ ἀλλήλων διαφέροντα, καὶ κοινωνία ἄῤῥητος ἀσωμάτου ψυχῆς πρὸς σῶμα, καὶ συμπάθεια ἄλεκτος ἀθανάτου οὐσίας πρὸς θνητὸν ὄργανον, ὡς καὶ αὐτῷ τῷ Πλάτωνι δοκεῖ. Ὁ δὲ Γαληνὸς τοῦτο οὐδὲ ἐννοεῖν δύνασθαι προσποιεῖται. Τοῦτο δὲ γέγονεν, ἵν᾿ ἡ ψυχὴ περὶ πολλοῦ ποιῆται τὸ ἐπιμελεῖσθαι τοῦ σώματος, οὐχ ὥστε πολυσαρκίᾳ ἐξογκοῦσθαι, ἀλλ' ὥστε ὑγιαίνειν, ὡς- εἰ μὴ τοῦτο ποιήσειεν, συναπολαύσουσα τῆς δυσκρασίας κατὰ συμπάθειαν, εἰ καὶ μὴ κατὰ προηγουμένην καὶ ἰδιάζουσαν βλάβην. Ἡ γὰρ δυσκρασία τοῦ σώματος καὶ ἡ μέθη καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ παραπέμπει τὸ πάθημα· ἡ δὲ, καθάπερ κυβερνήτης ἐν πολλῷ κλύδωνι, ταράττεται, καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπιστήμην οὐκ ἐπιδείκνυται βυθισθεῖσα ὥσπερ δὲ ὑποβρύχιος γεγενημένη, ἄγεται καὶ φέρεται πολλάκις, ὅπου ἂν ἡ ὑγρότης ἡ τὸ κλυδώνιον ἐργασαμένη χειραγωγήσῃ. Οὐ γὰρ τὸ μὴ εἶναι ψυχὴν ἀθάνατον τοῦτο δείκνυσιν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐμποδίζεσθαι ἀὐτῆς τὰς ἐνεργείας· ἐπειδὴ μήτε μουσικὸς ἄριστος, ἄμουσον λύραν ἔχων, ἢ εἰς πέλαγος ἐμπεσὼν, ἐναρμόνιον ἀποτελέσει μέλος. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἀπὸ λογισμῶν εἰρήσθω· ἐπιφερέσθω δ' ἤδη ἡ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ ψῆφος, ἐπισφραγίζουσα τὸ εἰρημένον καὶ λέγουσα· «Μη φοβηθῆτε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτεινόντων τὸ σῶμα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν μὴ δυναμένων ἀποκτεῖναι. » Ὡς ἀθανάτου τοιγαροῦν οὔσης τῆς ψυχῆς, οὕτω καὶ διαγώμεθα καὶ διαπραττώμεθα.","t":"To Aegyptius the presbyter. [On the soul.] We hold the soul to be divine (yet not consubstantial with the most divine and kingly nature) and immortal, but not a part of the nature that is without beginning, creative, and eternal. For if it were a part of that ineffable nature, it would not have sinned, it would not have been judged. But since it undergoes these things, it would rightly be believed to be a work of the highest essence, not a part of it, lest the divine nature be found judging itself. [Letter 4.125] To Proeschius, scholasticus and physician. [On the same.] Pythagoras, Plato, and the other famous wise men among the Greeks, following the compulsion of demonstration, rightly declared the soul to be more sovereign than the body, and called the one the craftsman and the other the instrument; the one incorporeal and the other extended in three dimensions; the one immortal and incorruptible. Even if they missed the truth on some other matters, on this they hit the mark. But Galen (for it did not escape those who read him intelligently that he held the soul to be the tuned lyre, not the lyre-player) declared it mortal. Having laid down that the powers of the soul follow the mixture of the body, he ended by saying that there is no incorporeal and immortal soul at all, defining the mixture as the soul, I do not know how; so that he stands convicted of babbling the name of soul in vain, and of conceding it so as not to seem to contradict many wise men: fighting against the reality, he concedes the name. But one must not attend to him in this. For, following medical doctrine and wishing to establish his own art, he cared nothing for the truth. As for the treatment of bodies, since the man was celebrated as an expert in that, let him say what he likes (I will not take away his standing in these matters); but about the soul let him not compete with those wiser than he, nor go down into a contest for which he is untrained and unpractised; nor, being an athlete, judge music; nor, having spent all his understanding on bodies, lay down doctrine about the soul; nor trust, in building his case, that the harmony of the elements is the soul. For if this were granted by way of supposition (let no person of understanding think so), then, since it would truly be so, the soul will be extinguished with that harmony, or rather with the body. For if it is a harmony, it is the last to be composed and the first to perish: the lyre and its strings, when tuned, produce the harmony, but when they are taken apart they remain for some time, while the harmony has perished first. What, then, would this excellent man say about what poets, philosophers, and prose writers have taught, that there will surely and certainly be punishments in the judgment? What reward will he devise for those who live rightly here? For those who live so are for the most part set contests full of the greatest labours and sweat until their death here. Where will he place the punishment of those who pursue every vice until death and enjoy wealth and honour? How will he interpret Homer's exhortation of the rational part to the spirited part, \"Endure, my heart\"? Or, \"The soul had gone to Hades\"? Or, \"So there is something even in the house of Hades,\" that is, truly there is something there too? How did Euripides, whom you define as wise, say, \"May it be well with you even in the halls of Hades\"? And if the soul is a harmony, how does it fall into disharmony and produce an unmusical and discordant song? For virtue is something tuneful and harmonious, and vice unmusical and discordant. How does he think he must praise those who pursue the sciences, if they are such from their mixture? How will he blame those who busy themselves with vain arts, if they were trained to them by nature? How will he condemn the profit made from beautiful bodies, if the mixture procured it? How will he account for the changes that happen every day? Many licentious people have flown up to chastity, and many chaste people have fallen into lust; yet the mixture did not change. Some, young and licentious, returned to decency at the very peak of their age, not because the mixture changed at that moment, but because their will set things right. But so as not to lengthen the letter by telling all the changes that have happened, I shall leave these and go on to the objection that seemed strong to him. What is it? \"If the soul is immortal,\" he says, \"as Plato would have it, why does it depart when the brain is greatly chilled, or overdried, or overmoistened?\" To this question, then, I shall pass over refuting him by the fact that he often foretold death to some and promised life to others from the pulse, which perhaps he calls a harmony, and was wrong, the latter dying and the former living (so the art, being conjectural, misses the truth); I shall pass over this too, that the souls of many who were bewitched with deadly drugs did not depart, so that the soul does not always depart when the brain is chilled. I would say this: that there is a divine bond binding together things that differ greatly from one another, an ineffable fellowship of an incorporeal soul with a body, an unspeakable sympathy of an immortal essence with a mortal instrument, as even Plato himself holds. Galen pretends that he cannot even conceive of this. This came about so that the soul might make much of caring for the body, not so as to swell with fleshiness, but so as to be healthy; for if it did not, it would share in the body's bad mixture by sympathy, even if not by a primary and proper harm of its own. The body's bad mixture, and drunkenness, pass the affection on to the soul; and the soul, like a helmsman in a great surge, is troubled and does not display its own skill, but, sunk and as though submerged, is often carried here and there wherever the moisture that made the surge leads it. This does not show that the soul is not immortal, but that its activities are hindered; since not even the best musician will produce a harmonious song if he has an untuned lyre, or if he has fallen into the sea. Let this be said from reasoning; and now let the verdict of the Creator be added, sealing what has been said: \"Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.\" Since the soul is immortal, then, let us so live and so act.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.124 (PG 78 78:1197; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-124)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.126":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸς Τῷ δὲ ἁμαρτωλῷ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Ἵνα τὶ σύ, » κ. τ. λ. Πάσης ἔγωγε τόλμης ἐπέκεινα χωρεῖν ὑπολαμβάνω τοὺς βίου μὲν ἀρίστου μηδεμίαν ποιουμένους πρόνοιαν, περὶ δὲ δογμάτων συνεχῶς ζυγομαχοῦντας. Κεκλεισμένης γὰρ αὐτῶν τῆς παῤῥησίας οὐ θύραις καὶ σημάντροις, ἅτινα ἄν τις καὶ παρασαλεύσειεν, ἀλλὰ θείοις βοῶσι χρησμοῖς· · Τῷ δὲ ἁμαρτωλῷ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Ἵνα τί σὺ ἐκδιηγῇ τὰ δικαιώματά μου, καὶ ἀναλαμβάνεις τὴν διαθήκην μου διὰ στόματός σου;» αὐτοὶ εἰς τοσοῦτον κεχωρήκασι τόλμης, ὡς μὴ μόνον περὶ τῶν δικαιωμάτων, ὧν ἐξόμνυνται, λογοκρινεῖν (ἧττον γὰρ ἦν κακὸν ἴσως), ἀλλὰ περὶ τῆς ἀῤῥήτου καὶ ἀχράντου φύσεως διαφέρεσθαι. Συμβουλεύσαιμ᾽ ἂν τοίνυν τοῖς τοιούτοις, μὴ μιαρῷ καὶ ἐναγεῖ στόματι τόγε ἑαυτῶν μέρος σπαράσσειν τὰ θεῖα, τὰ καὶ τοῖς λίαν εὐδοκιμωτάτοις μόλις εὐθήρατα· ἀλλὰ περὶ ἑαυτοὺς στρέφειν τὴν βάσανον· τάχα πως τὰς κηλίδας ἀποτρίψονται, ὡς οὐ δεόντως ἑαυτοῖς προσετρίψαντο.","t":"To Isidore. [On \"But to the sinner God said, 'Why do you …'\" and so on.] I think it goes beyond all daring for those who take no thought for the best life to wrangle constantly about doctrines. Their freedom of speech is shut, not by doors and seals that someone might tamper with, but by divine oracles that cry, \"But to the sinner God said, 'Why do you recount my ordinances, and take my covenant in your mouth?'\"; yet they have gone to such daring that they not only pass judgment on the ordinances they have forsworn (which would perhaps be a lesser evil), but quarrel about the ineffable and undefiled nature. I would advise such people, then, not to tear at divine things, so far as it lies with them, with a foul and accursed mouth, when even the most highly approved can hardly catch them, but to turn the examination on themselves; perhaps they will wipe off the stains which they have wrongly smeared on themselves.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.126 (PG 78 78:1203; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-126)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.127":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ « Ὁ ψυχικὸς ἄνθρωπος οὐ δέχεται τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος. · Τί πνευματικὸς, καὶ ψυχικὸς καὶ σαρκικός. Πνευματικούς καλεῖ, ὦ σοφὲ, ὁ Παῦλος τοὺς πνευματικῷ κεκοσμημένους χαρίσματι· καὶ οὐ μόνον τῆς φύσεως ἀνωτέρω χωρήσαντας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν τῶν λόγων ἀκολουθίαν διὰ τῆς πίστεως ὑπερβεβηκότας Ὧν εἷς ἦν καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Παῦλος, κἀκεῖνοι οἷς ἔγραφεν· · Οὐκ ἐστὲ ἐν σαρκὶ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν πνεύματι, εἶπερ Πνεῦμα Θεοῦ οἰκεῖ ἐν ὑμῖν. » Ψυχικοὺς δὲ, περὶ ὧν γέγραπται· « Ψυχικοὶ πνεῦμα μὴ ἔχοντες· · τοὺς τοῖς λογισμοῖς καὶ συλλογισμοῖς καὶ διαλογισμοῖς μᾶλλον ἐπερειδομένους, καὶ τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὸ συμφέρον ἐκ τούτων νομίζοντας εὑρίσκειν · οἷοί εἰσιν οἱ παρ' Ἕλλησι σοφοί. Σαρκικοὺς δὲ τοὺς τοῖς πάθεσι τῆς σαρκὸς ἡττηθέντας, ἀπὸ τοῦ πλειστοδυναμοῦντος αὐτοὺς καλῶν · οἷοι πάντες οἱ ἐναγεῖς, καὶ ἀκάθαρτοι, καὶ περὶ τὰς συνουσίας λυττῶντες. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ πνευματικὸς σῶμα ἔχει καὶ ψυχὴν, καὶ ὁ ψυχικὸς σῶμα ἔχει, καὶ ὁ σαρκικὸς ψυχήν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τοῦ κρατοῦντος ἕκαστος καλεῖται Ωσπερ γὰρ γήϊνον λέγεται τὸ σῶμα, καίτοι καὶ τῶν ἄλλων στοιχείων μετέχον, τῷ κατὰ τὸ πλεῖστον μέρος τῆς γῆς μετέχειν· οὕτω κἀκείνοις ἀπὸ τοῦ κρατοῦντος ἐξενίκησε τοὔνομα.","t":"To Nilus the deacon. [On \"The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit.\" What is meant by spiritual, natural, and carnal.] Paul, wise friend, calls spiritual those who are adorned with a spiritual gift, and who have gone not only above nature but also beyond the sequence of reasonings through faith; of whom Paul himself was one, and those to whom he wrote, \"You are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.\" He calls natural, those of whom it is written, \"natural men, not having the Spirit,\" those who rely rather on reasonings, syllogisms, and calculations, and think they find what is just and profitable from these; such are the wise among the Greeks. And he calls carnal those who have been defeated by the passions of the flesh, naming them from what dominates them; such are all the accursed and impure, and those mad for sexual intercourse. For even though the spiritual man has a body and a soul, and the natural man has a body, and the carnal man a soul, each is named from what prevails in him. Just as the body is called earthy, though it shares in the other elements, because for the most part it shares in earth, so with them too the name has won out from what prevails.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.127 (PG 78 78:1203; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-127)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.128":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΕΦΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸν ἀοίδιμον θάνατον τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἡμῶν Πόθεν, ἔφης, δῆλόν ἐστιν, ὅτι ἑκὼν ἐπὶ τὸν θάνατον ἦλθεν ὁ Χριστός Μάλιστα μὲν ἐκ τοῦ νεκροὺς Δεσποτικῇ αὐθεντίᾳ ἐγηγερκέναι. Ὁ γὰρ νεκροῖς ζωὴν χαρισάμενος, οὐκ ἂν δήπου ἄκων ἐπὶ τὸ πάθος ἤχθη. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τῇ θεϊκῇ ἐξουσίᾳ οὐκ ἤθελε χρήσασθαι, ἀλλά γε ἐξῆν ἀπολογησάμενον ἐκφυγεῖν, εἴγε ἤθελε. Καὶ γὰρ εἶχε καὶ τὸν Πιλάτον εἰς τοῦτο αὐτῷ συμπράττοντα, καὶ λέγοντα, ποτὲ μέν· « Οὐχ εὑρίσκω ἐν αὐτῷ οὐδὲ μίαν αἰτίαν θανάτου· · ποτὲ δέ · • ᾿Αθῶός εἰμι ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος τούτου. » Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἀπολογήσασθαι ἤθελεν, ἐκκαλέσασθαι κατὰ Παῦλον ἐξῆν. Καὶ γὰρ ὑπὸ Ῥωμαίους ἦσαν. Λοιπὸν γὰρ Αύγουστος ὁ Ῥωμαίων αὐτοκράτωρ χειρωσάμενος ἅπαντας, ἐν οἷς ἦσαν καὶ αὐτοὶ, ἐκέλευσεν ἀπογράψασθαι πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην, πρὸ τοῦ τὸν Σωτῆρα τὸ κατὰ σάρκα γεννηθῆναι· καὶ Ῥωμαίων ἡγεμὼν ἦν παρ' αὐτοῖς ὁ Πιλάτος, διέπων τὰ πράγματα, καὶ τοὺς ἐκκαλουμένους πέμπων εἰς τὴν Ῥωμαίων, καὶ τηρῶν αὐτοῖς τὸ ἄσυλον· ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ Φῆστος, εἰ δὲ βούλει, ὁ χιλίαρχος, τὸν Παῦλον καὶ διέσωσεν ἐκ τῆς φονώσης συνόδου, καὶ εἰς Ῥώμην πρὸς Καίσαρα ἀνέπεμψεν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲν τούτων πεποίηκεν ὁ Χριστός· οὔτε γὰρ τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ, οὔτε͵ τῇ ἀπολογίᾳ, οὔτε τῇ ἐκκλήτῳ ἐχρήσατο, ἵνα λαμπρῶς δείξῃ, ὅτι τὸν θάνατον θανατώσων δεῦρ᾽ ἀφῖκτο.","t":"To Eustephius. [On the celebrated death of our Saviour.] You asked, \"How is it clear that Christ came to his death willingly?\" Above all from his having raised the dead by the Master's authority. For one who granted life to the dead would surely not have been led to the passion against his will. And even if he did not wish to use his divine power, he could still have escaped by making a defence, had he wished. For he even had Pilate working with him to that end, saying at one time, \"I find in him no cause of death,\" and at another, \"I am innocent of this blood.\" And if he did not wish to make a defence, he could have appealed, as Paul did. For they were under the Romans. Augustus, emperor of the Romans, having subdued all peoples, among whom were they, ordered the whole world to be enrolled before the Saviour's birth in the flesh; and Pilate was the Roman governor among them, administering affairs, sending appellants to the Romans, and keeping their protection safe for them; just as Festus, or if you prefer, the tribune, both rescued Paul from the murderous council and sent him to Rome to Caesar. But Christ did none of these things. He used neither his power, nor a defence, nor an appeal, so as to show splendidly that he had come here to put death to death.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.128 (PG 78 78:1205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-128)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.129":{"o":"Πολλὰς, ὦ μακάριε, δυνατὸν εἰς τὸ· Παν ἁμάρτημα, ὁ ἐὰν ποιήσῃ ἄνθρωπος, ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματός ἐστιν· ὁ δὲ πορνεύων, εἰς τὸ ἴδιον σῶμα ἁμαρτάνει, ἀνοῖξαι τῷ βουλομένῳ νοημάτων θύρας. Καὶ πρῶτον μὲν ταύτην· οὐκ εἶπε, Διὰ τοῦ σώματος ἁμαρτάνει, ὅπερ οἱ πολλοὶ νομίζοντες πράγματα παρέχουσι τοῖς ἑρμηνεύουσιν, ἀλλ᾽, Εἰς αὐτὸ ἁμαρτάνει, εἰς αὐτὸ σφάλλεται, αὐτὸ μολύνει, αὐτὸ ἐναγὲς ἀποφαίνει. Ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι· Ὁ δεῖνα ἑαυτὸν ὑβρίζει, ἄλλον δοκῶν ὑβρίζειν. Νῦν γὰρ βλέπει τῷ ᾿Αποστόλῳ ὁ λόγος οὐ πρὸς τὴν μετὰ ταῦτα͵ ἐψομένην τῷ ἁμαρτήματι τιμωρίαν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν ἐν τῇ πράξει γινομένην τῷ σώματι ἐκ τῆς συμπλοκῆς ὕβριν, τουτέστιν, τὸν μολυσμόν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ φονεύων, ἄλλον φονεύει· ὁ δὲ πορνεύων, ἑαυτὸν καθυβρίζει. Καὶ ὁ τὰ ἄλλα πταίσματα δρῶν, εἰς ἄλλον δρᾷ· ὁ δὲ λαγνεύων, ἑαυτὸν ᾿καταισχύνει, ἑαυτὸν μιαίνει. Ὅθεν καὶ ἀπολούονται τὸν μολυσμὸν ἐννοοῦντες, καὶ τὴν ἀτοπίαν βδελυττόμενοι. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλα πλημμελήματα καὶ εἰς τὸν ἀδικούμενον βλέπει· τοῦτο δ' εἰς τὸν ἀδικοῦντα. Τὰ ἄλλα ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματός ἐστι τοῦ δρῶντος · τοῦτο δὲ τὸν δρῶντα μολύνει · ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἄλλους ἀδικεῖ · ἐν τῇ πορνεία ἑαυτόν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ δευτέραν βούλει σοι ἀνοιγῆναι θύραν, ἐννόει, ὅτι, ἐπειδὴ πολλάκις ἀνθρώπῳ οὐ συγγνώμης μείζονα ἔχοντι ἁμαρτήματα παραινοῦντες λέγομεν· ᾿Αδελφὲ, ἀπόστηθι ἀπὸ τούτου τοῦ νοσήματος· τοῦτο πάντων ἐστὶ κάκιον · οὐκ ἐπειδὴ πάντα ὑπερβαίνει, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι κἀκείνου αὐτὸν ἀπαλλάξαι βουλόμεθα· μήποτε καὶ ὁ Ἀπόστολος ἐπὶ τῆς πορνείας τοῦτο ἔφη. Τὸν γὰρ πορνεύσαντα παρὰ Κορινθίοις σωφρονίσαι βουλόμενος, ταύτην ἔρβηξε τὴν φωνήν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τρίτην, ἐννόει, ὅτι ὥσπερ ὁ εἰς θάλατταν σἶτον ἢ ἕτερόν τι σπέρμα ῥίπτων εἰς τὸν σπόρον ἁμαρτάνει, κωλύων αὐτὸν εἰς γένεσιν ἐλθεῖν· οὕτω καὶ ὁ εἰς ἑταίραν ῥίπτων τὸ ἑαυτοῦ σπέρμα, εἰς τὸ οἰκεῖον σῶμα ἁμαρτάνει, ἐκείνης οὐ τὸ τεχθὲν ἀναιρούσης μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τεχθῆναι κωλυούσης Εἰ δὲ τετάρτην· ἐννοεῖν χρὴ, ὅτι καθ᾽ ὅ δρᾷ, καὶ πάσχει Εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἔπαθεν, οὐκ ἂν ἔῤῥευσεν · εἰ δὲ ἔῤῥευσεν, ἐφθάρη· εἰ δὲ ἐφθάρη, ὑβρίσθη. Αμέλει ἐπ᾿ οὐδεμιᾷ ἄλλῃ πράξει, ἢ ἐπὶ μόνῃ τῇ ἀνδρὸς πρὸς γυναῖκα συνόδῳ λέγεται ἐφθάρθαι τὴν παρθένον καὶ τὸν νεανίσκον πειραθέντας. Εἰ δὲ καὶ πέμπτην, ἐννόει, ὅτι τῷ” πόρνῃ συνερχομένῳ εἰ τεχθείη παιδίον, εἰς πορνείαν τρέφεται, καὶ ὁ ὁρῶν μετὰ ταῦτα, λέξει· Ὄντως ἑαυτὸν ἐκεῖνος ἠδίκησεν· ἰδοὺ γὰρ τὸ σπέρμα, μᾶλλον δὲ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ πορνεύει. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔκτην, ἐπίστησον, ὅτι εἰ δούλῃ τις κοινωνήσειε, δοῦλον ἔσται τὸ τικτόμενον · πῶς οὖν οὐκ εἰς ἑαυτὸν ἁμαρτάνει, ὁ δοῦλον σπουδάζων τεκεῖν; Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἑβδόμην, ὅρα ὅτι καὶ τὸ τικτόμενον ἀδικεῖται, νόθον καλούμε νον, καὶ ἄτιμον πανταχοῦ γινόμενον, κἂν ἐν βουλευτηρίῳ, κἂν ἐν δικαστηρίῳ δὲ εἰσέλθῃ, ἐκβάλλεται · δι᾽ οὗ καὶ ὁ φυτευσάμενος συναπολαύει τῆς αἰσχύνης · ὑπόμνημα γὰρ τῆς οἰκείας λαγνείας κατέλειψεν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὀγδόην, δοκιμάσωμεν καὶ τὸ ῥηθησόμενον · ἐπειδὴ ὁ πορνεύων, ἓν πρὸς τὴν πορνευομένην γίνεται, ὡς τὰ σἰκεῖα μέλη ποιῶν πόρνης μέλη, εἰς ἑαυτὸν τῷ ὄντι ἁμαρτάνει. Φόνῳ μὲν γάρ τινες εὗ ἐχρήσαντο (ὡς Μωσῆς καὶ Φινεὲς), καὶ ὀργῇ (ὁ Πέτρος καὶ Παῦλος)· πορνείᾳ δὲ οὐδεὶς πώποτε εὖ ἐχρήσατο. Διὸ καὶ τὸν δρῶντα μολύνει. Σιωπῶ γὰρ, ὅτι τοὺς ἐν πολέμῳ φονεύοντας καὶ στηλῶν καὶ ἀναῤῥήσεων ἀξιοῦσιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τραπῆναι ἡμᾶς βούλει εἰς τὴν τῆς ἀλληγορίας ὁδὸν, ἐννάτη ἔστω ἡ λεχθησομένη. Ἐπειδὴ ἓν σῶμά ἐστιν ἡ Ἐκκλησία, οἱ δὲ καθεῖς ἀλλήλων μέλη, ὁ δὲ πορνεύων εἰς πάντας ἁμαρτάνει · ἀνατρέχει γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὸ σφάλμα ἐπὶ τὸ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας πλήρωμα, οὗ καὶ ἐκκοπῆναι αὐτὸν προσέταξεν, ἕως ἂν μετανοήσῃ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ δεκάτην βούλει, λεχθείη ἂν, ὅτι ἐπειδὴ οἱ νόμῳ τοῦ τιμίου γάμου συνιόντες ἓν σῶμα γίνονται Ἔσονται γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ δύοεἰς σάρκα μίαν·, διὸ καὶ ἡ γυνὴ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος οὐκ ἐξουσιάζει, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ἀνήρ· οὐδ᾽ ὁ ἀνὴρ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος ἐξουσιάζει, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ γυνή)· εἰκότως ὁ πορνεύων μὲν ἀνὴρ, εἰς τὴν γαμετὴν, τουτέστιν εἰς τὸ ἴδιον σῶμα ἁμαρτάνει · ἡ δὲ πορνευομένη, εἰς τὸ ἴδιον σῶμα, τουτέστι, τὸν ἄνδρα, σῶμα αὐτῆς γενόμενον, ἁμαρτάνει. Διὸ τὰ μὲν ἄλλα ἁμαρσυνεζευγμένον ἀνατρεχούσης. τήματα ἐκτὸς τοῦ σώματός ἐστι τοῦ ἰδίου τοῦ ἐννόμου συναχθέντος εἰς ἕν.· Οὔτε γὰρ ἐὰν ἐπιορκήσῃ, ἢ φονεύσῃ, ἢ κλέψῃ, ἢ ἄλλο τι δράσῃ ὁ ἀνὴρ χαλεπὸν, εἰς τὴν γυναῖκα φθάνει τὸ ἁμάρτημα · ὡς αὖ πάλιν οὐδὲ γυνή, ἐὰν φονεύσῃ, ἢ ἐπιορκήσῃ, εἰς τὸν ἄνδρα ἀνατρέχει τὸ ἁμάρτημα· ἡ δὲ πορνεία μόνη τῆς συνοικήσεως καὶ τῆς συνόδου ἅπτεται, καὶ θάτερος θάτερον ἀδικεῖ, εἰ ταύτην δράσειε, καὶ τὴν τῶν τέκνων γνησιότητα ὑποπτεύεσθαι παρασκευάζει, καὶ πάντα ἐκ βάθρων τὸν οἶκον σαλεύει · διὸ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς πάντα τὰ ἐλαττώματα τὰ τῆς γυναικὸς καταδέχεσθαι τὸν ἄνδρα ἀναγκαῖαν εἶναι ἔφη · οὐ γὰρ εἰς αὐτὸν βλέπει τὰ γινόμενα· ἐπὶ δὲ πορνείᾳ μόνῃ ἐκβάλλειν ἐκέλευσεν, ὡς τῆς ἀδικίας ταύτης εἰς τὸν","t":"[On \"Every sin that a man commits is outside the body.\"] Many doors of meaning, blessed one, can be opened for whoever wishes on \"Every sin that a man commits is outside the body; but the fornicator sins against his own body.\" First this one: he did not say, \"He sins through the body\", which many suppose and so give trouble to interpreters, but \"He sins against it\": he offends against it, defiles it, makes it accursed; as one might say, \"So-and-so insults himself while he thinks he insults another.\" For here the apostle's word looks not to the punishment that will follow the sin afterwards, but to the outrage done to the body in the act by the union, that is, the defilement. The murderer kills another; the fornicator outrages himself. The man who commits other offences commits them against another; the lecher shames himself, defiles himself. Hence people wash, thinking of the defilement and loathing the indecency. Other offences look to the one wronged; this one to the wrongdoer. The others are outside the body of the doer; this defiles the doer. In the others one wrongs others; in fornication, oneself.\n\nIf you wish a second door to be opened to you, consider that often, when we exhort a man who has sins greater than can be pardoned, we say, \"Brother, keep away from this disease; it is worse than all\", not because it surpasses all, but because we want to free him from that one too; perhaps the apostle said this too about fornication, for he burst out with this saying when he wished to correct the man who had committed fornication among the Corinthians.\n\nIf a third: consider that as one who throws grain or any other seed into the sea sins against the sowing, preventing it from coming to birth, so one who throws his seed into a harlot sins against his own body, since she not only destroys what is born but prevents it from being born.\n\nIf a fourth: one must consider that in what he does he also suffers. For if he did not suffer, he would not have flowed; if he flowed, he was corrupted; if he was corrupted, he was outraged. Indeed, in no other act but only in the union of man with woman are the virgin and the young man said to be corrupted when they have had experience of it.\n\nIf a fifth: consider that if a child is born to one who goes in to a harlot, it is brought up for harlotry, and whoever sees it afterwards will say: \"Truly that man wronged himself; see, his seed, or rather his body, plays the harlot.\"\n\nIf a sixth: observe that if a man has intercourse with a slave woman, what is born will be a slave; how then does he not sin against himself who takes pains to beget a slave?\n\nIf a seventh: see that the child too is wronged, being called a bastard and dishonoured everywhere; whether he enters a council chamber or a law court, he is thrown out; so his begetter shares the shame, for he has left behind a memorial of his own lust.\n\nIf an eighth, let us test what will be said: since the fornicator becomes one with the woman with whom he fornicates, making his own members the members of a harlot, he truly sins against himself. Some have used killing well (as Moses and Phinehas), and anger well (Peter and Paul); but no one has ever used fornication well. Therefore it defiles the doer. I pass over the fact that people judge those who kill in war worthy even of monuments and proclamations.\n\nIf you wish us also to turn to the road of allegory, let the ninth be what follows. Since the church is one body, and we are each members of one another, the fornicator sins against all; for his fault runs back to the fullness of the church, from which he also commanded him to be cut off until he repents.\n\nIf you wish a tenth too, it might be said: since those who come together by the law of honourable marriage become one body (for \"the two,\" it says, \"shall become one flesh\"; therefore \"the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband; nor does the husband have authority over his own body, but the wife\"), it is fitting that the husband who commits fornication sins against his wife, that is, against his own body, and the wife who commits fornication sins against her own body, that is, against her husband, who has become her body. Therefore the other sins are outside the body that is one's own, the one joined to oneself lawfully into one. For if the husband perjures himself, or kills, or steals, or does any other grievous thing, the sin does not reach his wife; nor again, if the wife kills or perjures herself, does the sin run back to her husband. But fornication alone touches the marriage and the union: each wrongs the other if one commits it; it makes the legitimacy of the children suspect and shakes the whole house from its foundations. Therefore Christ said that the husband must accept all the faults of his wife, for what is done does not look to him; but for fornication alone he commanded her to be put away, since this injustice … [the rest of the letter is lost in the scan].","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.129 (PG 78 78:1205; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-129)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.130":{"o":"ΥΠΑΤΙΩ.\nΤί κοινὸν παρέχειν ἑαυτὸν, καὶ τί ἴσον· καὶ τὶ ἀμφισβητεῖν, καὶ μὴ φιλονεικεῖν· καὶ τί εὐφραίνεσθαι· καὶ τί ἥδεσθαι. Πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οὐ μόνον τῶν ἐν τοῖς ἔξωθεν ἀγῶσιν ἁμιλλωμένων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν τὰς θείας ἑρμηνεύειν πειρωμένων Γραφὰς οὐχ ὁμοίως ἀκροατὰς παρέχοντες ἑαυτοὺς, πολλῶν καὶ ποικίλων κακῶν αἴτιοι γίνονται· οἱ μὲν γὰρ τῆς ἀληθείας μηδὲν φροντίζοντες, πρὸς χάριν τῶν λεγόντων κροτοῦσιν ὥσπερ ἡνιόχων ἡ ὀρχηστῶν τυγχάνοντες ἐρασταί· οἱ δὲ πρὸς ἔχθραν συρίττουσι· καὶ ταῦτα πολλάκις μηδ᾽ ἀκριβῶς ἐπακούσαντες τῶν λεγομένων, μήτι γε νοήσαντες· καὶ ἐκ τούτων πολλάκις τῶν οὐ σοφῶν, οὐδὲ καλῶς λεγόντων τινές· τυχὸν δὲ καὶ κακῶς φραζόντων· οὐ τὴν τῶν ἀκουόντων εὔνοιαν, οὐ τὴν τῶν πρὸς αὐτοὺς φιλίαν, οὐ τὴν τῶν ἐναντίων ἔχθραν, δι᾿ ἣν ἐκροτήθησαν, ἐννοοῦντες, οὐ μόνον ὑπὸ τῶν κρότων πτερωθέντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὸ φιλαυτίας μεθύοντες, οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὸ προλήψεως κεχειρωμένοι, δογματίζουσι πολλάκις ἄδοξά τινα καὶ καταγέλαστα δόγματα· ἔπειτα, δέον μηδὲ διὰ γλώττης προφέρεσθαι, κρατύνειν πειρῶνται. Χρὴ τοιγαροῦν τοὺς ἐν τοῖς τοιοῖσδε λόγοις φοιτῶντας, γινώσκοντας, ὅτι περὶ ψυχῆς ἐστιν ὁ κίνδυνος, καὶ ὅτι τῆς ἀληθείας οὐδὲν προὐργιαίτερον· οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐννοοῦντας τὰ κακὰ, τὰ ἐκ τῆς ἔχθρας καὶ τῆς προλήψεως τικτόμενα, κοινοὺς μὲν ἑαυτοὺς παρέχειν τοῖν λεγόντοιν ἀκροατὰς, οὐ μὴν ἴσους· ἔστι δ᾽ οὐ ταυτὸν, ὡς οἴονταί τινες. Κοινῇ μὲν γὰρ χρὴ ἀκροᾶσθαι ἀμφοτέρων· οὐ μὴν ἑκατέρῳ νέμειν τὸ ἴσον· ἀλλὰ τῷ μὲν συνετωτέρῳ μᾶλλον, τῷ δὲ ἀμαθεστέρῳ ἥττον· καὶ τῷ μὲν σοφῷ ἐπαίνους, τῷ δὲ ἀπαιδεύτῳ, εἰ μὲν ὑπὸ ψόγων οἷός τε εἴη σωφρονισθῆναι, ψόγους· εἰ δὲ μὴ, σιγήν. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν περὶ τῶν ἀκροωμένων εἰρήσθω. Τοὺς δὲ λέγοντας, πρεπωδέστερον εἶναί φημι, ἀμφισβητεῖν μὲν, μὴ ἐρεθίζειν δέ. ᾿Αμφισβητοῦσι μὲν γὰρ πολλάκις πρὸς φίλους· φιλονεικοῦσι δὲ οἱ δυσμενεῖς. Οὕτω γὰρ καλλίστη καὶ ὠφελιμωτάτη ἡ συνουσία τοῖς τε φράζουσι, τοῖς τ᾿ ἀκούουσι γενήσεται. Οἱ τε γὰρ λέγοντες, μάλιστα ἂν ἐν τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις οὕτως εὐδόκιμοι ἦσαν μὲν, οὐκ ἐπαινοῦντο δέ. Εὐδόκιμοι μὲν γάρ ἐστι κυρίως τὸ ἀποδοχῆς ἀξιοῦσθαι ἐν ταῖς ψυχαῖς τῶν ἀκουόντων, ταῖς ἄνευ ἀπάτης ἀδεκάστως τὰς ψήφους φερούσαις· ἐγκωμιάζεσθαι ἐν λόγῳ πολλάκις κολακείαν πνέοντι, καὶ μηδὲν ἀληθεύοντι. Οἱ τε ἀκούοντες μάλιστα εὐφραίνοιντο μὲν, οὐχ ἥδοιντο δέ. Εὐφραίνεσθαι μὲν γὰρ ἐστι, τὸ μαθεῖν τι τῶν καλλίστων, καὶ τὴν φρόνησιν ἐπὶ τὸ ἄμεινον ἀκονῆσαι· ἥδεσθαι δὲ, ἐσθίοντα ἡ τι τοιοῦτον διαπραττόμενον διὰ τοῦ σώματος. Ταῦτα κεκρίσθω· ταῦτα ὡρίσθω· ταῦτα πεφυλάχθω· καὶ πολλὴ ἐπίδοσις ἔσται οὐ μόνον ἐν τοῖς ἀκροωμένοις εἰς ἀρετὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς λέγειν πειρωμένοις εἰς φιλοσοφίαν. \"ὅτι οὐκ ἦν συμφέρον τῶν πάντων γνῶσιν ἔχειν ἡμᾶς. Πολλῶν προβλημάτων ἐσμὸν συντόμως ἐπιλῦσαι πειράσομαι. Φημὶ τοίνυν, ὅτι ἡ θήρα τῆς γνώσεως τῶν μελλόντων ἡμῖν κατὰ τόνδε τὸν βίον ἢ πράττεσθαι ἢ συμβαίνειν, κἂν εἰ ὡς ἔφης, ἐφικτή καὶ ἀλώσιμος, παντελῶς καὶ ἀνωφελὴς καὶ σφαλερὰ τυγχάνει. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ οὐκ ἔστι φυλάξασθαι, ἀφαιρεῖται ἡμῶν τὴν πρὸς τὰ συμπίπτοντα παρασκευασθῆναι ὀφείλουσαν ἀρετήν. Τοῦ γὰρ προσπίπτοντος ἀδοκήτως, οὐδὲν οὕτως τὴν εὐθημοσύνην πορίζειν εἴωθεν, ὡς ἡ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἄσκησις. Οἱ γὰρ πᾶσαν ἐλπίδα ἀγαθὴν ἐκ τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἐξορίσαντες ψυχῆς, οὐδὲν τῶν δεόντων πρᾶξαι ἐκ τοῦ προμαθεῖν προθυμηθήσονται.","t":"To Hypatius. [What it is to offer oneself as common and what as equal; what it is to dispute and not to quarrel; and what it is to be gladdened and what to be pleased.] Many people, not only of those who compete in the contests outside the Church, but also of those who try to interpret the divine Scriptures, become causes of many and varied evils because they do not offer themselves as hearers in the right way. Some, caring nothing for the truth, applaud to please the speakers, as if they were fans of charioteers or dancers; others hiss from enmity; and this often without even hearing exactly what is said, let alone understanding it. And as a result, some of those who speak neither wisely nor well, perhaps even badly, not considering that it was the goodwill of their hearers, or their friendship toward them, or their enmity toward their opponents, for which they were applauded, are not only given wings by the applause but are drunk with self-love and mastered by prejudice as well; and they often lay down disreputable and ridiculous doctrines, and then try to establish what they ought not even to have uttered. Those who attend such discourses, then, knowing that the danger concerns the soul and that nothing is more important than truth, and considering the evils born of enmity and prejudice, must offer themselves as common hearers to both speakers, but not as equal ones; for this is not the same thing, as some think. One must listen to both in common, but not allot the same to each; rather, more to the wiser and less to the more ignorant; and to the wise man praise, and to the uneducated man blame, if he can be corrected by blame; if not, silence. So much about the hearers. As for the speakers, I say it is more fitting for them to dispute, but not to provoke. Friends often dispute with friends; it is enemies who quarrel. In this way the meeting will be finest and most beneficial for speakers and hearers alike. For the speakers would thus be most highly esteemed among their hearers, though not praised. To be esteemed properly means to be found worthy of acceptance in the souls of the hearers, which cast their votes without deception and incorruptibly; to be praised is to be eulogized in speech that often breathes flattery and says nothing true. And the hearers would most be gladdened, though not pleased. To be gladdened is to learn something of the finest things and to sharpen one's understanding for the better; to be pleased is what happens when one eats or does some such thing through the body. Let these things be judged, defined, and kept; and there will be great progress, not only for the hearers in virtue, but also for those who try to speak in philosophy. [Letter 4.131] [That it was not to our advantage to have knowledge of all things.] I shall try to resolve briefly a whole swarm of problems. I say, then, that the hunt for knowledge of what we are to do or what will happen to us in this life, even if, as you said, it were attainable and could be caught, is entirely useless and perilous. If what is foreknown cannot be guarded against, it takes from us the virtue that ought to be prepared for what befalls. For nothing usually gives composure against what befalls unexpectedly as the practice of virtue does. And those who have banished every good hope from their soul will not be eager to do anything they ought because of what they have learned in advance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.130 (PG 78 78:1211; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-130)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.133":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΤὸ τὴν ἀνάγνωσιν κατεῤῥυθμῆσθαι τῶν θείων Γραφῶν, καὶ τὸ ἕκαστον τὰ οἰκεῖα πάθη τῶν θείων προκρίνειν χρησμῶν, τῶν τοσούτων τραγῳδιῶν αἰτιον γέγονε. Πόλεμος γὰρ ἄσπονδος καὶ ἀκήρυκτος ἐμπέπτωκε τοῖς τῆς εἰρήνης βραβευταῖς· ἥδιστ᾽ ἂν ἀλλήλων, εἰ ἠδύναντο, γεύσοιντο· περὶ παντὸς δὲ ποιήσαιντο, ζῶντας μὲν ἀποκτεῖναι · ταφέντας δὲ ἀποκηρύξαι · τὰς δ' οἰκίας ἀνασκάψαι· μνημεῖον δὲ ἅπαν ἀφανίσαι. Οὕτως κατ᾿ ἀλλήλων ὁπλίζονται, καὶ μηχανὰς πλέκουσιν, οἱ μεμαθηκότες, ὅτι οὐκ ἀπὸ σημείων ὁ Χριστὸς, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης τοὺς οἰκείους ἐχαρακτήρισε φοιτητάς. Διὰ τοῦτο οὖν, οἶμαι, καὶ τὰ παρὰ τῶν ὑπηκόων οὐχ ἕπεται. Οὐκ ἔτι γὰρ ὡς πρὸς ὑφηγητὰς φοιτηταὶ, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς πρὸς κατακρίτους δικασταὶ διάκεινται, ἀπολογίαν τῶν οἰκείων πταισμάτων τὴν τῶν διδασκάλων ῥαθυμίαν, ἀθλίως μὲν καὶ ταλαιπώρως, ὅμως δ᾽ οὖν ἔχειν οἰόμενοι. Τι οὖν ποιητέον; φής. Εἰ μὲν δυνατὸν, διορθωτέον · εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἡσυχαστέον.","t":"To Leontius the bishop. The neglect of the reading of the divine Scriptures, and each person's preferring his own passions to the divine oracles, has been the cause of so many tragedies. For a truceless and undeclared war has fallen upon those who should be the arbiters of peace. They would most gladly devour one another if they could; they would make it their whole business to kill the living, anathematize the buried, raze their houses, and obliterate every memorial of them. So they arm themselves against one another and weave their devices, they who have learned that Christ marked out his own disciples not by signs but by love. That, I think, is why those under them do not follow them either. They are no longer disposed toward them as pupils toward teachers, but as judges toward the condemned, thinking, wretchedly and miserably indeed, yet still thinking, that they have in the negligence of their teachers a defence for their own faults. What then must be done, you say? If possible, correct it; if not, keep quiet.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.133 (PG 78 78:1215; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-133)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.134":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΤὰ νομικὰ καὶ προφητικὰ μαθήματα προπαιδεύματά εἰσι τῆς νέας καὶ εὐαγγελικῆς φιλοσοφίας. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ τῇ χειρὶ, ἡ δὲ τῇ ψυχῇ νομοθετεῖ. Καὶ τὰ μὲν τὴν πρᾶξιν, ἡ δὲ τὴν ἔννοιαν εὐθύνει καὶ οἰακίζει· τὰ μὲν γὰρ γραμματιστῇ, τὰ δὲ ἄκρως φιλοσόφῳ ἔοικεν.","t":"To Hierax, most illustrious. The teachings of the law and the prophets are preliminary schooling for the new philosophy of the gospel. For they legislate for the hand, it for the soul; they direct and steer action, it intention; they are like an elementary teacher, it like a consummate philosopher.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.134 (PG 78 78:1215; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-134)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.135":{"o":"ΙΑΚΩΒΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΕἰς τό· « Ὁ δεχόμενος προφήτην εἰς ὄνομα προφήτου, μισθὸν προφήτου λήψεται. Τὸ, « Ὁ δεχόμενος προφήτην εἰς ὄνομα προφήτου, μισθὸν προφήτου λήψεται, · ὡς ἐν βραχέσι, τοιοῦτὸν ἐστιν· Οὐκ εἴ τις, ὦ βέλτιστε, καθ' ἑτέραν τινὰ χρείαν ἢ πρόφασιν τιμῆς ἀξιοῦ τὸ καλὸν, ἤδη καὶ τῆς τοῦ καλοῦ μεθέξει δόξης· ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνος τῷ ἀγαθῷ συνδοξασθήσεται, ὁ αὐτὸς τὸ ἀγαθὸν δι' αὐτὸ τοῦτο τιμήσας. Πολλοὶ γὰρ προφήτας ἢ δικαίους τιμῶσιν, ἢ διὰ δόξαν ἀνθρωπίνην, ἢ διὰ κέρδος βιωτικόν. Εἰσὶ γὰρ οἱ τοῖς τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐπιτηδεύουσι, καὶ χρήματα παρέχοντες, οὓς οὐκ ἄν τις φαίη μισθὸν προφήτου λαμβάνειν. Εἰ δὲ τις ἄνευ τῶν τοιούτων ἐπικαλυμμάτων γυμνῇ τῇ ψυχῇ πρὸς τὸ ἀγαθὸν βλέπων τιμήσειε τοὺς ἁγίους, ὁ τοιοῦτος μετὰ τῶν ἁγίων εἰκότως συνδοξασθήσεται,","t":"To James the reader. [On \"He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward.\"] The saying, \"He who receives a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward,\" means in brief this: it is not the case, my good friend, that if someone honours what is good for some other need or pretext he will at once share in the glory of the good; rather, he will be glorified together with the good who honours the good for its own sake. For many honour prophets or righteous men either for human glory or for worldly gain. There are some who give money to those who pursue such things, and no one would say that they receive a prophet's reward. But if anyone, without such cloaks, looks to the good with a naked soul and honours the saints, such a one will rightly be glorified together with the saints.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.135 (PG 78 78:1215; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-135)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.136":{"o":"ΑΛΥΠΙΩ.\nΠῶς ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται. Τὰ ἔπαθλα μείζονα ὄντα πάσης ἀνθρωπίνης ἀξίας, καὶ ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ περιόντος τὴν τοῖς πόνοις χρεωστουμένην ἀμοιβὴν ὑπερβαίνοντα· οὐκ ἄξια γὰρ τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι εἰς ἡμᾶς, ἔφη τὸ σκεῦος τῆς ἐκλογῆς· καὶ τὴν ἀσθένειαν τῆς φύσεως ἐκβιάζεται. Διὸ καὶ ἐῤῥέθη· « Ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν. » Ποῖοι βιασταί; Οἱ τὸ οἰκεῖον σῶμα νηστείαις, καὶ σωφροσύνῃ, καὶ τῇ ἄλλῃ ἀρετῇ ἐκβιαζόμενοι καὶ τοῖς τοῦ πνεύματος νόμοις ὑποτάξαντες, καὶ εὐήνιον καὶ ὁρμητήριον ἀρετῆς ἀποφήναντες. Εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον· « Φρόνιμοι ὡς οἱ ὄφεις, καὶ ἀκέραιοι ὡς αἱ περιστεραί. Τὰ παραδείγματα οὐχ ἅπαντα λαμβάνεται· ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἂν εἴη παραδείγματα, ἀλλὰ ταυτότης. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὸ ἀκέραιον καὶ ἀκακόηθες προσέταξε μιμεῖσθαι τῆς περιστερᾶς, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀνόητον ἐκκλίνειν χρή· ὅπερ ἐστὶ τὸ εἰς ἐκείνους καταφεύγειν, τοὺς θηρᾶν σπουδάζοντας. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μὴ βλάπτειν χρὴ, ἀλλὰ οὐδὲ εἰς τὰ καίρια βλάπτεσθαι προσήκει· οὐδὲ εἰς ἐκείνους τρέχειν, ὧν κέρδος μέγιστον ἡ ἀπαλλαγή. Εἰ δὲ καὶ μαρτυρίαν θέλεις ἐναργῆ λαβεῖν τῶν λεγομένων, ἄκουε τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος· « Καὶ ἦν Ἐφραὶμ ὡς περιστερὰ ἄνους, οὐκ ἔχουσα καρδίαν.» Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν ζητεῖς, εὐθὺς αὐτὸς ἐπάγει· • Αἴγυπτον ἐπεκαλεῖτο· καὶ εἰς Ἀσσυρίους ἐπορεύετο. » Δύο, φησὶν, ἐθνῶν, τυραννίδα καὶ μίσος, καὶ ἀρχαίαν νοσούντων πλεονεξίαν, τὸ μὲν ἐπεκαλεῖτο εἰς βοήθειαν· πρὸς δὲ τὸ καταφεύγων ὡς σωτηρίας τευξόμενος. Τίς οὖν, φησὶ, τούτου ἀνοητότερος γένοιτ' ἂν, τοῦ πρὸς ἐκείνους ὁρμῶντος τοὺς μὲν τὴν αἰχμαλωσίαν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν δουλείαν ὀνειροπολοῦντας;","t":"To Alypius. [How the kingdom of heaven suffers violence.] The prizes, being greater than all human worth and far surpassing the reward owed to labours (\"for the sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us,\" said the vessel of election), also overpower the weakness of nature. That is why it was said, \"The kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent seize it.\" What violent men? Those who force their own body by fasting, chastity, and every other virtue, subject it to the laws of the Spirit, and make it obedient and a base of operations for virtue. [Letter 4.137] [On what is written: \"Wise as serpents and innocent as doves.\"] Examples are not taken in every respect; otherwise they would not be examples but identity. Even though he commanded us to imitate the dove's innocence and guilelessness, one must still avoid its senselessness, which is to fly for refuge to those who are eager to hunt it. For even if one must do no harm, it is not right to be harmed in vital matters either, or to run to those from whom release is the greatest gain. If you want clear testimony to what is said, hear the prophet saying, \"And Ephraim was like a senseless dove, without heart.\" And if you seek the reason too, he adds at once: \"He called upon Egypt and went to the Assyrians.\" Of two nations, he says, sick with tyranny, with hatred, and with ancient greed, he called on the one for help, and fled to the other as if he would find salvation. Who, then, he says, could be more senseless than one who rushes to those who dream of his captivity and slavery?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.136 (PG 78 78:1217; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-136)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.138":{"o":"ΑΛΥΠΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· · Ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ θλίψιν ἕξετε. › Τῇ ἐλπίδι τῶν μελλόντων δίδοσθαι ἀγαθῶν τοῖς τὰ τρόπαια στήσασι κατὰ τῆς κακίας λαμπρὰ ὁπλίζων σαυτὸν, καὶ περιφράττων καλῶς πάντοθεν, καὶ εὐχαῖς τοῦτο τὸ τεῖχος ἰσχυρὸν κατασκευάζων, ἀποκρούου τῆς ἀθυμίας τὴν ἔφοδον. Δείνὴ γάρ έστι καὶ γενναίαν ψυχὴν χειρώσασθαι, ἂν μὴ διὰ παντὸς ἐκείνη τοὺς στεφάνους ὀνειροπολοῦσα, ὑποφέρῃ τὰ λυπηρά.","t":"To Alypius. [On \"In the world you will have tribulation.\"] Arm yourself splendidly with the hope of the goods to be given to those who have set up trophies against vice, fence yourself well on every side, make this wall strong with prayers, and beat off the onset of despondency. For it is a terrible thing, able to master even a noble soul, unless the soul constantly dreams of the crowns and so endures what is painful.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.138 (PG 78 78:1217; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-138)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.139":{"o":"ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΩ.\nΕἰς τό·· Καὶ σὺ ἐὰν διαστείλῃς τῷ ἀνόμῳ, καὶ μὴ ἀναστρέψῃ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας αὐτοῦ, ὁ ἄνομος ἐν τῇ ἀνομίᾳ τὴν ψυχήν σου ῥύσῃ. • Τοὺς ἐπιτιμητὰς τῶν κακιῶν οἱ μοχθηροί, πλείους ὄντες, καὶ διηχοῦντες κακῶς, ἀποναρκῆσαι πολλάκις πεποιήκασι πρὸς τὸ μὴ τῇ παῤῥησίᾳ ἀναστέλλειν τὰ πταίσματα. Χρὴ τοιγαροῦν μιγνύναι τῇ παῤῥησίᾳ τὴν προσήνειαν, καὶ τῷ ἐλέγχῳ κιρνᾷν τὴν ἀγάπην, καὶ οὕτω νουθετεῖν. Εἰ δὲ μηδ᾽ οὕτως ὠφελοῦνται ἐκεῖνοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ κακῶς ἀπαγορεύσειαν τοὺς μεγίστων στεφάνων ἀξίους, καὶ πάντως καὶ παρὰ Θεοῦ κηρυχθησομένους καὶ παρὰ τοῖς συνετοῖς ἀποδοχῆς ἀξιωθησομένους γένναίως φερέτωσαν οἱ σωφρονισταὶ τῶν κακῶν, καὶ λυπείσθωσαν, μὴ τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ἐννοοῦντες, ὅτι μηδὲν ἕτερον, ἢ τὸ δοκεῖν μιαροὺς περιγέγονεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐκείνων διαστροφῆς καὶ μανίας, ὅτι ἀνίατα οὕτως νοσοῦσιν, ὡς καὶ τοὺς ἰατροὺς κακηγορεῖν. Περὶ ἀναγνώσεως, κατὰ Ἑλλήνων. Περὶ τῆς χάριτος τῶν θεοπνεύστων Γραφῶν, καὶ τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὠφελείας. Τῶν μὲν ἔξωθεν πολλοὶ πολλὰ γεγράφασιν, ἀ μήτε τοῖς πεισθεῖσιν ὠφέλειαν, μήτε τοῖς ἀνηκόοις ζημίαν φέρει · αἱ δὲ θεῖαι Γραφαὶ τοῖς μὲν πεισθεῖσι μέγιστον κέρδος, τοῖς δὲ ἀπειθήσασιν οὐ μικρὰν ὠδίνουσι βλάβην. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ δόξαν θηρώμενοι γεγράφασιν· αἱ δὲ πρὸς σωτηρίαν τῶν ἀκουόντων ὁρῶσιν. Διὰ τὸ ὁ νόμος τοὺς λεπρῶντας ἢ ἑτέρους νοσήματα ἀκούσια νοσοῦντας ἔξω εἶναι τῶν ἱερῶν περιβόλων προσέταξεν. Τὴν μὲν δυσκρασίαν τῶν σωμάτων, καὶ τὰ εἰδεχθῆ νοσήματα ἀπὸ ἀκρασίας τῶν γονέων πολλοῖς συμβαίνειν εἰκός· οὐ μὴν τὴν ἀκρασίαν πάντως ἀπὸ δυσκρασίας (εἰ μὲν γὰρ λεπρὸς λεπρὸν τίκτει, καὶ γονοῤῥύης γονοῤῥύην, ἀκριβῶς οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν· ὅτι δὲ ποδαλγὸς ποδαλγὸν τίκτει πάντες ἂν συμφήσαιεν)· τῷ μὲν οὖν νομοθέτῃ, ὡς οἶμαι (οὐ γὰρ χρὴ ἀποφαίνεσθαι περὶ τῶν ἀδήλων, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀκουσομένοις ἐπιτρέπειν τὴν κρίσιν), περὶ τῆς ἀκρασίας ἦν ὁ λόγος, ὅπως μὴ ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ συνέρχοιντο, ὡς τῆς βλάβης εἰς τὰ ἐξ αὐτῶν τεχθησόμενα διαβησομένης. Ὅτι δὲ οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο ἀπὸ σκοποῦ, τεκμήριον τὸ τοὺς ποδαλγοὺς ἱερῶν περιβόλων μὴ εἰρχθῆναι. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐξ ἀρχῆς τοῦτο νοσήσαντες τὸ πάθος, οὐκ ἀπὸ δυσκρασίας, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπὸ πονηρᾶς διαίτης, καὶ τρυφῆς, καὶ βλακείας, καὶ ἀργίας τοῦτ᾽ ἐσχήκασι· δι᾿ ὅ καὶ δι' αὐτοῦ ἐκολάσθησαν · οἱ δ' ἐξ αὐτῶν τεχθέντες, οὐκ ἐκωλύθησαν ἱερῶν κοινωνῆσαι συνόδων. Τῆς γὰρ δυσκρασίας, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τῆς ἀκρασίας τῶν γονέων γεγόνασιν᾿ ἀναγκαίως κληρονόμοι· οἱ δὲ τὴν ἀκολασίαν τῶν γονέων ἐν τοῖς σώμασιν ἀπομαξάμενοι, οὐκ ἐκολάσθησαν μὲν (οὐ γὰρ ἐκέλευσεν αὐτοὺς καταλευσθῆνὰι· ἀβούλητον γὰρ ἦν τὸ πάθος), ἡτιμώθησαν δὲ, πρὸς σωφρονισμὸν τῶν τεκόντων. Εἰ δέ τις οἴεται, τοῦτο μὴ εὐλόγως νενομοθετῆσθαι, τί φαίη περὶ τοῦ θανάτου, ὅτι μιᾶς ἁμαρτησάσης (φημὶ δὴ τῆς Εὔας), ὅλον τὸ γένος θανάτῳ κατεκρίθη, καίτοι πολλῶν εὐδοκιμησάντων, καὶ τοῖς πταίσμασι τοῖς προγονικοῖς μὴ ἀκολουθησάντων; Εἰ δ' ἐκεῖ τῆς ῥίζης τεθνεώσης ἀναγκαίως καὶ οἱ κλάδοι, ὡς κληρονόμοι τῆς ἀποφάσεως, συναπήλαυσαν τοῦ πάθους· τί θαυμαστὸν, εἰ κἀνταῦθα διὰ τὴν ῥίζαν ὁ κλάδος ἡτιμώθη, παραπέμπων ἀναγκαίως καὶ εἰς τὴν ῥίζαν τὸ πάθος΄; Τοῦ γὰρ ἀτιμωθέντος κλάδου τῇ ῥίζῃ͵ οὐκ ἐλάττων ἡ ὀδύνη. Ἡ γὰρ εὐχομένη τὸν κλάδον ἄριστον ἰδεῖν, ὅταν αἴσθηται, ὅτι ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς ἀκολασίας τὸ πάθος εἰς ἐκεῖνον διέβη, ἐνταῦθα μὲν τοῖς οἰκείοις λογισμοῖς καταικισθήσεται· ἐκεῖσε δὲ καὶ τῇ κρίσει. Εἰ δὲ καὶ προγινώσκων αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς πονηροὺς ἐσομένους προκατέσχε τούτοις τοῖς δεσμοῖς, καὶ ἐχαλίνωσε τοῖς πάθεσιν, ἀκριβῶς οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν· ὅτι δὲ καὶ στεφάνων πολλοῖς αἴτια γέγονε ταῦτα τὰ νοσήματα, θαῤῥούντως διισχυρισαίμην. Εἰ δὲ σκιἂν εἶχεν ὁ νόμος τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν, καὶ οὐκ αὐτὴν εἰκόνα τῶν πραγμάτων, οἶμαι, ὅτι μὲν διὰ τοῦ λεπροῦ τὸν ποικίλον καὶ κακούργον, διὰ δὲ τοῦ γονοῤῥυοῦς, τὸν πόρνον καὶ τὸν ἀσελγῆ· διὰ δὲ τοῦ ἀκαθάρτου ἐπὶ ψυχῇ ἀνθρώπου, τουτέστι διὰ τοῦ ἁπτομένου νεκροῦ σώματος, τὸν ψυχῇ ἁμαρτανούσῃ συμπράττοντα καὶ συναιρόμενον · διὰ δὲ τοῦ πενθοῦντος, τὸν ἐπὶ ταῖς συμφοραῖς πενθήρη καὶ θρηνώδη, τῆς τῶν ἀμώμων ἱερᾶς συνόδου καὶ Ἐκκλησίας ἐξοστρακισθῆναι ἐθέσπισεν. PMΒ΄. – ΗΛΙΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Εἰς τὸ· · Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος. » Τὴν ἄχρονον καὶ ἀΐδιον καὶ ἀμεσίτευτον, καὶ παντὸς λόγου καὶ νοῦ κρείττονα πρόοδον τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀπὸ Πατρὸς, γέννησιν καλοῦσιν αἱ Γραφαὶ, οὐχ ἵνα πάθος ὑπογράψωσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα τὸ ὁμοούσιον στήσωσιν. Ὁμοούσια γὰρ τῷ ὄντι τὰ τικτόμενα τοῖς τίκτουσιν Ἵνα δὲ μὴ νεώτερον ἐπινοηθείη, ، Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ Λόγος, ο φασίν. Εἶτα καὶ τὴν σχέσιν κηρύττουσι τὴν πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα· · καὶ ὁ Λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν Θεόν. » Εἶτα καὶ τὴν ἀξίαν· « Καὶ Θεὸς ἦν ὁ Λόγος. » Ἑκ μὲν τοῦ Υἱοῦ τὸ ὁμοούσιον· ἐκ δὲ τοῦ Λόγοὺ τὸ ἀπαθές· ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ἐν ἀρχῇ εἶναι, τὸ συναΐδιον· ἐκ δὲ τοῦ πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν εἶναι, τὴν πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα οἰκειότητα· διὰ δὲ τοῦ Θεὸν εἶναι, τὴν ἀξίαν αὐτοῦ καταμαθόντες· καὶ ἐξ ἑκάστου ὀνόματος τὸ ἐφορμοῦν ἀπρεπὲς ἀποπεμψάμενοι· οἷον, ἀπὸ μὲν τοῦ Υἱοῦ τὸ νεώτερον, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ Λόγου τὸ ἀνυπόστατον, Θεὸν ἀΐδιον, ὁμοούσιον, ἀπαθῶς καὶ ἀχρόνως ἐκ τοῦ Πατρὸς προελθόντα εἰδείημέν τε καὶ προσκυνήσαιμεν. РМГ΄. ΠΡΟΣ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΝ. Οἷς τὸ ἄρχειν καθέστηκεν ἔννομον, τούτοις δήπου καὶ εὖ ὑπάρξει ἀκόλουθον· εὖ δὲ πράσσειν κατορθωθήσεται, ἡνίκα κρατύνηται ἡ εὐσέβεια, τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὸ ἀκρότατον, καὶ τῶν θείων προσταγμάτων κεφάλαιον, ἣν συνίστησιν ἡ ὀρθὴ περὶ τὸ θεῖον δόξα, καὶ εἰλικρινὴς ὁμολογία, φόβος τε ὁ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐμφανίζει καὶ ἀγάπησις, καὶ ἡ πρὸς τὸ ὁμόφυλον ἀγάπη τε καὶ συμπάθεια· ἐν οἷς ἅπας ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται κρέμανται. Τὸ καὶ ἐν ἀρχαῖς τι ὑπερκόσμιον, τὸ προύχον καὶ κράτιστον. \"Ἤδε ἐστὶν ἐπιστασία ἔννομος, καὶ τοῦ παντὸς ὑπηκόου πρὸς τὸ λυσιτελὲς ἐπιμέλεια · ὥσπερ δὴ ἐκ τοῦ ἐναντίου, τυραννίς ἐστι δυναστεία αὐτόνομος ἐπὶ τὸ οἰκεῖον μόνον συμφέρον τῷ τυραννοῦντι μετερχομένη. Ὅσοι τοίνυν ταύτην διέπειν τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀποκεκλήρωνται, ἀναδούμενοι ὥσπερ στέφανον χρυσοῦ ἐκ λίθων τιμίων συνηρμοσμένον, τὴν εὐσέβειαν δικαιοσύνην τε ὥσπερ άλουργίδα ἐνδιδυσκόμενοι, ἐν Θεῷ τε ἄρχειν, καὶ κρατεῖν δικαίαν μάλα ἀρχὴν φιλοτιμήσονται· δεικνῦσι γὰρ ἐφ' ἑαυτοῖς τὸ ἱερὸν ἀληθέστατον λόγιον, τὸ φάσκον· • Δι᾿ ἐμοῦ βασιλεῖς βασιλεύουσι, καὶ δυνάσται γράφουσι δικαιοσύνην. » Ἴσασι γὰρ, ὅτι ᾿Αρχὴ ὁδοῦ ἀγαθῆς ποιεῖν δίκαια. ᾿Ανεπίγραφος. Τὴν τιμίαν κέλευσιν τοῦ εὐσεβοῦς καὶ θεοπροβλήτου ἡμῶν μεγάλου βασιλέως, πρῶτον μὲν διὰ τοῦ βασιλικοῦ ἀποκρισιαρίου μαθόντες, καὶ τὴν ἐν Κυρίῳ ὑγείαν καὶ σωτηρίαν τῆς εὐσεβοῦς ὑμῶν βασιλείας, καὶ χαρᾶς μεγίστης πλησθέντες, δόξαν καὶ εὐχαριστίαν τῷ Θεῷ ἡμῶν ἐκτενῶς ἀνεπέμψαμεν, καὶ ἐκ τῆς ἀῤῥωστίας ἡμῶν ἀνεῤῥώσθημεν, καὶ προθυμίας πολλῆς ἐνεπλήσθημεν. Ἐντυχὼν δὲ τῇ τιμίᾳ κελεύσει, εὗρον, ὅπως ὁ περὶ τῆς εἰρήνης λόγος παρηκολούθησεν ἐπὶ τῶν πρώην ἀρξάντων. Καὶ ἡμεῖς μὲν ἤδη καὶ πρὸ μικροῦ χρόνου περὶ τούτου μερικῶς ἀκηκόαμεν· ἐν ἀπορίᾳ δὲ γεγόναμεν τοῦ συγκαταθέσθαι τῷ λογισμῷ, εἰδότες ὅτι τὸ τόλμημα, ὃ οὐδεὶς τῶν Χριστιανῶν ἐπετήδευσεν, οὐδὲ εἰς νοῦν ἤγαγε τῶν προλαβόντων, ἐθάρσησαν ποιῆσαι. Φαίνεται δὲ ἡμῖν, ἢ ἐκ πολλῆς ἀπειρίας καὶ ἀμαθίας τῶν Χριστιανῶν δογμάτων, ἢ ἐκ πολλῆς ἀπιστίας καὶ καταφρονήσεως τῶν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐντολῶν ἐγένετο. Εἰ γὰρ θείων λογίων κατήκοοι ἐγένοντο, τὸ τῆς εὐαγοῦς καὶ ἀμωμήτου ἡμῶν θρησκείας σεβάσμιον ἐφύλαττον, καὶ τοὺς ἐθνικοὺς καὶ ἀλόγους τῶν παρ᾿ ἡμῖν ἁγίων καὶ σεβασμίων ἅψασθαι οὐ συνεχώρουν· οὔτε αὐτοὶ τοῖς μιάσμασι καὶ βδελύγμασι τῶν ἐθνικῶν κατὰ τοὺς ὅρκους αὐτῶν τοὺς ἐναγεῖς καὶ ἀλλοκότους έκοινώνουν. Τί γὰρ τὸ διάφορον, εἰ Χριστιανὸς καὶ ἐθνικὸς, αὐτοῖς τε ὅρκοις καὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἔθεσιν ἐμπιστεύοντες, ἀλλήλους βεβαιοῦν δοκοῦσιν, ἐφ' οἷς χαλεπαίνειν καὶ ὀργίζεσθαι τὸν Θεὸν ἐπιστάμεθα; Ἐντέταλται γὰρ ὁ τῶν ὅλων Θεὸς καὶ Δεσπότης διὰ Γραφῶν ἁγίων αὐτοῦ· « Μὴ ἐκκλίνετε ἀπὸ τῆς γεγραμμένης, εἰς δεξιὰν, ἢ εἰς εὐώνυμον. » Εἰς τὸ, « Τίς ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ πιστὸς δοῦλος καὶ φρόνιμος, ὃν καταστήσει ; › Τὴν ἄνοιαν, μᾶλλον δὲ τὴν ἀπόνοιαν, ὦ μακάριε, τῶν ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιῤῥιπτόντων ἀμηχάνῳ πράγματι ἢ ῥᾳδίως αὐτὸ καταδεχομένων, κωμῳδήσας, οὐκ οἶδα ὅπως ἐκεῖνο παραλέλοιπας, ὁ μάλιστα αὐτὴν δείκνυσι. Τί οὖν ἐστι τοῦτο; Οὐ πάντες ἄνθρωποι τοῖς αὐτοῖς νοσήμασιν ἑάλωσαν· οὐδὲ πάντες τῇ αὐτῇ θεραπείᾳ εἴκουσιν · ἀλλὰ πολλῶν ὄντων καὶ ποικίλων καὶ παντοδαπῶν τῶν παθῶν, τὰ βοηθήματα πλείονα εἶναι ὀφείλει καὶ ποικιλώτερα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ θορυβεῖ σε τὸ εἰρημένον, μικρὸν ἀνάμεινον, καὶ ὁ νῦν σε κατέχων θόρυβος εἰς τὸ ἐκείνους πλέον ταλανίσαι μεταπεσεῖται. Πολλῶν γὰρ καὶ παντοδαπῶν ὄντων τῶν ἀῤῥωστημάτων, πρῶτον μὲν ἄνθρωπον ὄντα χαλεπὸν συνιδεῖν, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ μαθόντα, τὸ εἰδέναι, ποῖον ἁρμόττει φάρμακον. Οὐ γὰρ πᾶσι τὰ αὐτὰ ἀρμόττει βοηθήματα, οὐδὲ πάντες τοῖς αὐτοῖς θεραπεύονται· ὁ γὰρ τοῦτον ὠφέλησεν, ἄλλον ἔβλαψε · καὶ τὸ ἄλλῳ κατάλληλον, ἕτερον ἐπέτριψε· καὶ ἵνα μὴ δόξαιμί σοι παράδοξά τινα λέγειν, ἀπαμφιάτω τὸ λεγόμενον. Οὐχ οἱ λόγῳ ἀγόμενοι, καὶ παραδείγματι σωφρονίζονται· ἀλλὰ ὁ μὲν τούτῳ, ὁ δὲ ἐκείνῳ, εἰς βελτίονα κατάστασιν ἄγονται. Οὐδὲ οἱ κέντρων δεόμενοι, οὗτοι καὶ χαλινῶν ἀνέχονται · ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν νωθροὶ καὶ δυσκίνητοι τὸ καλὸν, τῇ λογικῇ πληγῇ διεγείρονται · οἱ δὲ θερμότεροι τοῦ δέοντος καὶ δυσκάθεκτοι, καὶ καθάπερ πῶλοι πόρρω τῆς νύσσης ὁρμῶντες, τῷ ἄγχεσθαι καὶ ἀνακόπτεσθαι ὠφελοῦνται. Οἱ μὲν ἐπαίνοις, οἱ δὲ ψόγοις σωφρονίζονται, ἣν ἀμφότερα καιρίως γένοιντο · εἰς τοὐναντίον δὲ μεταπεσεῖται, εἰ ἔξω τῶν καιρῶν φέροιντο. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ παρακλήσει εἴκουσιν, οἱ δὲ ἐπιτιμήσει· οἱ μὲν ἐν συλλόγοις ἐλεγχόμενοι, οἱ δὲ ἐν παραβύστῳ νουθετούμενοι ἀποτρίβονται τὰ ἐλαττώματα· φιλοῦσι γὰρ οἱ μὲν καταφρονεῖν τῶν διαλεγομένων δημοσίᾳ ἐπιτιμήσει σωφρονιζόμενοι· οἱ δὲ πρὸς τοὺς δημοσίους ἐλέγχους μᾶλλον ἀποδυόμενοι καὶ τὴν αἰσχύνην ἀποσείεσθαι, τῷ τῆς ἐπιτιμήσεως μυστηριώδει καὶ τῇ συμπαθείᾳ πρὸς εὐπείθειαν παιδοτριβούμενοι. Τοὺς μὲν κατὰ πάντα παρατηρεῖν προσήκει, ὅσους τὸ οἴεσθαι λανθάνειν, ἐπειδὴ τοῦτο μηχανῶνται, ὡς σοφωτέρους ἐφύσησε· τῶν δ᾽ ἔστιν ἃ καὶ παρορᾶν χρεὼν, ἵνα μὴ πρὸς ἀναλγησίαν ἐρεθίζωνται, καὶ τελευταῖον πρὸς ἅπαντα γένωνται ἀκάθεκτοι, τὸ μέγιστον εἰς πειθὼ φάρμακον τὴν αἰδὼ ἀποτριψάμενοι. Καὶ ὀργίζεσθαι δ᾽ ἔτι εἰς ὃ χρὴ, οὐκ ὀργιζομένους, καὶ ὑπερορᾶν οὐχ ὑπερορῶντας, καὶ ἀπογινώσκειν οὐκ ἀπογινώσκοντας· καὶ ἄλλους μὲν ἐπιεικείᾳ θεραπεύειν, ἄλλους δὲ χωρισμῷ· καὶ τοὺς μὲν νικᾶν, τῶν δὲ καὶ ἡττᾶσθαι δοκεῖν, ὅσοις τοῦτο λυσιτελεί. Τοσούτων οὖν ὄντων καὶ τῶν ἀῤῥωστημάτων καὶ τῶν βοηθημάτων, καὶ πάντων μὴ τοῖς αὐτοῖς εἰκόντων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὐναντίον εἰς χείρονα πλημμελήματα ἐρεθιζομένων τίς μὴ τῷ θείῳ Πνεύματι τὴν ψυχὴν φωτισθεὶς, εἰδέναι ἢ ἐπαρκέσαι δυνήσεται; ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ἄρχειν, εἰ καὶ ἀρχὴν νομίζουσιν ἐπιτηδείαν αὐτοῖς, τολμῶσι, μήτε τὴν δυσχέρειαν ἐννοοῦντες, μήτε τῆς Δεσποτικῆς φωνῆς ἀκούοντες, οὕτω τὸ σπάνιον ἐνδεικνυμένης, ὡς καὶ ἐπαπορητικῇ χρήσασθαι λέξει· « Τίς ἄρα ἐστὶν ὁ πιστὸς δοῦλος καὶ φρόνιμος, ὃν καταστήσει ὁ Κύριος ἐπὶ τῆς οἰκίας αὐτοῦ, τοῦ διδόναι αὐτοῖς τὸ σιτομέτριον; » PMG΄. – ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. • Καὶ ἀπαλλάξῃ τούτους. ») Τί ἐστιν, ἔφης, « Καὶ ἀπαλλάξῃ τούτους, ὅσοι φόβῳ θανάτου διὰ σύμπαντος τοῦ ζῇν ἔνοχοι ἦσαν δουλείας; › ῎Ακουε τοίνυν. Οὐχ ὁ θάνατος, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἀλλὰ τὸ δικαστήριον τὸ μετὰ τὸν θάνατον, ἀποτρέπει τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων. Οἱ γὰρ ἀσεβεῖς, σπινθῆρα νομίσαντες εἶναι τὴν ψυχὴν, οὗ ἀποσβεσθέντος ὡς ἔφασαν, τέφρα ἀποβήσεται τὸ, σῶμα, μόνον τεθνᾶναι νομίζοντες, μὴ κρίνεσθαι δὲ (ταῦτα γὰρ ἐν τῇ ἐπιγεγραμμένη Σοφίᾳ Σολομῶντος εἰρήκασιν, ὡς οἶσθα· εἰ δ᾽ ἀγνοεῖς, λαβὼν μετὰ χεῖρας τὸ βιβλίον, εἴσῃ), οὐδὲν ἄπρακτον εἴασαν· ὡς γὰρ μηκέτι ὄντες μετὰ θάνατον, πάντα δρᾶν τὰ αἰσχύνης καὶ θανάτων καὶ κολάσεως ἄξια ἐπεχείρουν, λέγοντες· « Αὕτη ἡ μερὶς ἡμῶν, καὶ ὁ κλῆρος οὗτος. • Ἧκε τοίνυν ὁ Σωτὴρ, μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων, ὧν κατώρθωσε, καὶ ταύτης ἀπαλλάξων τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τῆς ὑπονοίας. Τὴν γὰρ τῆς ψυχῆς ἀθανασίαν ὁρισάμενος, ἐν τῷ φάναι· · Τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν μὴ δυναμένων ἀποκτεῖναι· καὶ τὴν τῶν σωμάτων ἀνάστασιν εὐαγγελισάμενος διὰ τοῦ εἰπεῖν· · Ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει τῶν νεκρῶν οὔτε γαμοῦσιν οὔτε γαμίζονται, ἀλλ᾽ ἔσονται ὡς ἄγγελοι·» τήν τε κρίσιν μηνύσας διὰ πολλῶν μὲν ἄλλων, καὶ ἐν τῷ φρᾶσαι δὲ· · Φοβηθῆτε τὸν δυνάμενον καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶμα ἀπολέσαι ἐν γεέννῃ · · πάσης ἐκείνης ἠλευθέρωσεν ἅπαντας τῆς ὑπονοίους μᾶλλον δ᾽ ἀληθέστερον εἰπεῖν, τῆς δουλείας. Τὸ γὰρ θεῖον δικαστήριον ἐν νῷ λαμβάνοντες, καὶ ὡς πρὸς σκοπὸν τὸ ὄμμα τείνοντες, καὶ οὐδὲν φαῦλον πρᾶξαι τολμήσειαν. Οἶμαι μὲν οὖν σεσαφηνίσθαι τὸ ῥητόν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ μεταφρασθῆναι αὐτὸ βούλει, φήσαιμι· Ἐπειδὴ ὡς μέλλοντες ἀποθνήσκειν, ἐδούλευσαν ἀφειδῶς ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις (ὁ γὰρ τοῦ θανάτου φόβος, βλοσυρὸν αὐτοῖς ἐνορῶν, καὶ τὴν τοῦ μηκέτι εἶναι ἔννοιαν τίκτων, εἰς πᾶσαν αὐτοὺς δουλείαν ἁμαρτίας παρέπεμπε), διὰ τοῦτο ἧκεν ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ ταύτης αὐτοὺς ἀπαλλάξων τῆς δουλείας. Εἰ δὲ μηδ' οὕτως νενόηται, σαφέστερον εἰρήσεται · πολλοῖς γὰρ ἁλώσιμον οὐκ ἔστι τὸ νόημα τὸ ἀποστολικόν. ᾿Απαλλάξει, φησὶ, τούτους τοῦ φόβου τοῦ θανάτου, τοῦ ἀνυπαρξίαν αὐτοῖς ἀποτελοῦντος, καὶ ἀγάγοι εἰς ἔννοιαν τοῦ μετὰ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν τελευτὴν ἀδεκάστου δικαστηρίου. Οὗτοι γὰρ ἄσμενοι τὴν ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν φέρουσαν ὁδὸν ἔτρεχον, τῇ ἐλπίδι τῶν στεφάνων πτερούμενοι, καὶ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἔφευγον, τῷ φόβῳ τῶν ἐσομένων τιμωριῶν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς ἄλλο ἐνθύμημα βλέπει ὁ νοῦς ὁ ἀποστολικὸς, τῆς συνέσεως τῆς σῆς ἐστι κρῖναι. Εἰκὸς γὰρ καὶ τι τοιοῦτον αὐτὸν ἐμφαίνειν· Ἐπειδὴ πολλοὶ τὸν θάνατον δεδιότες, ὡς εἰς ἀνυπαρξίαν παραπέμποντα, πολλὰ καὶ παρὰ γνώμην καὶ δρᾶσαι καὶ παθεῖν αἰσχρὰ ὑπέμενον, ἵνα μὴ τιμωρηθεῖεν παρὰ τῶν δυνατωτέρων (ἐρῶντες γὰρ, καὶ μὴ τυγχάνοντες τοῦ σκοποῦ, δόλους καὶ ἐπιβουλὰς θάνατον τίκτοντας κατεσκεύαζον, ὡς δηλοῦσι τὰ κατὰ τὸν Ἰωσὴφ, ἥ τε κατὰ τὴν Σωσάνναν ἱστορία)· ἧκε παιδεύσων τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ὅτι ὁ θάνατος αἱρετώτερός ἐστι τῆς κακίας, καὶ χρὴ μᾶλλον τοῦτον καταδέχεσθαι, ἡ τι τῶν αἰσχίστων δρᾶσαί τε καὶ παθεῖν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς ἀναστάσεως σβεσθήσεται· τὰ δὲ εἰς κολάσεις καταλήξουσιν. Εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον, « Εἰ γὰρ αὐτοὺς Ἰησοῦς κατέπαυσεν, Οὐ περὶ τῆς καταπαύσεως τῶν Ἑβραίων, τῆς γενομένης ἐν τῇ Παλαιστίνῃ διὰ τῆς Ἰησοῦ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ Ναυῆ στρατηγίας, τῷ θεσπεσίῳ Παύλῳ ὁ λόγος· ἐκείνης γὰρ οὐδεὶς λόγος αὐτῷ· εἰς δὲ τὴν προσδοκωμένην ἔσεσθαι βλέπει, καὶ κατ᾿ ἐκείνης ὁ τῶν νοημάτων σκοπὸς συντείνεται. Ὅτι δὲ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἀληθὲς, αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἑρμηνεύει λέγων· ε Εἰ γὰρ αὐτοὺς Ἰησοῦς (δῆλον δ᾽ ὅτι ὁ τοῦ Ναυή) κατἐπαυσεν, οὐκ ἂν περὶ ἄλλης ἐλάλει μετὰ ταῦτα ἡμέρας. ῎Αρα ὑπολείπεται σαββατισμὸς τῷ λαῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ. - - Εἰ γὰρ αὐτοὺς, φησὶν, ἐκεῖνος κατἐπαυσεν, οὐκ ἂν ὁ Δαβὶδ μετὰ τὰ πολλὰς γενεὰς περὶ καταπαύσεως διαλεγόμενος ἔλεγε· Σήμερον ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε, μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν, ὡς ἐν τῷ παραπικρασμῷ. • «Οὐκοῦν, φησὶν, ἡ ἀληθινὴ ἀνάπαυσις τῷ λαῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ, ὁ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι, τοῖς εὐδοκίμως μετὰ τὴν πίστιν πολιτευσαμένοις, ἀπόκειται, οὐκ ἐν τῇ Παλαιστίνῃ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῇ ὑπερκοσμίῳ Ἱερουσαλὴμ εὐτρεπισθεῖσα. Εἰς τὸ, « Καὶ ὁ ἀδικῶν ἐνευλογεῖται. › Τί ἐστιν, ἔφης, τὸ, « Καὶ ὁ ἀδικῶν ἐνευλογεῖται;» \"Ακουε τοίνυν. Παρὰ τὸ εὖ λέγεσθαι ἐνταῦθα εἴρηται τὸ εὐλογεῖται, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἐπαινεῖται, ἐγκωμιάζεται παρὰ τῶν κολακευόντων αὐτὸν, καὶ ἐπιτριβόντων αὐτοῦ τὴν κακίαν, καὶ μὴ αἴσθησιν τῆς νόσου διὰ τῆς σιωπῆς ἐμποιῆσαι ἀνεχομένων· διὸ καὶ ἀνήκεστος ὁ τοιοῦτος εὑρίσκεται. Τῷ γὰρ μηδ' αἴσθησιν τοῦ πάθους ἔχειν, θεραπείαν οὔτε ζητεῖ οὔτε προσίεται. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστι τὸ πάντων δεινότατον, ὅταν ἡ κακία ἐπαινῆται, καὶ μηδὲ κακία εἶναι νομίζηται. Διὸ χρὴ μάλιστα μὲν, εἰ δυνατὸν, διορθοῦν τὸν τοιοῦτον. Εἰ δὲ μὴ, μηδὲ κολακεύειν, μηδ' ἐπιτρίβειν τὸ πάθος· ἀλλὰ τῇ σιωπῇ αἴσθησιν αὐτῷ τῆς πονηρίας ἐμποιεῖν. Εἰ δὲ μηδὲ τοῦτο βούλοιτό τις ποιεῖν, φεύγειν προτροπάδην· ἵνα μὴ κοινωνὸς τῆς ἀδικίας διὰ τῆς κολακείας ὀφθεὶς, κοινωνὸς αὐτῷ κὰν ταῖς τιμωρίαις εὑρεθῇ. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ εἰς ἀρετὴν ἐνἀγων στεφανοῦται, κἂν μηδὲν ἀνύσῃ (τὸ γὰρ ἑαυτοῦ πεπλήρωκεν)· οὕτω καὶ ὁ εἰς ἀδικίαν ἀλείφων κολάζεται, κἂν μηδὲν ἰσχύσῃ· τὸ γὰρ ἑαυτοῦ καὶ οὗτος ἐποίησεν.","t":"To Theognostus. [On \"But if you warn the lawless man and he does not turn from his lawlessness, the lawless man shall die in his lawlessness, and you will have delivered your soul.\"] The wicked, being more numerous and spreading evil talk, have often numbed those who rebuke vice, so that they do not check faults with frankness. One must therefore mix gentleness with frankness, blend love with reproof, and so admonish. But if even so those people are not helped, and even denounce wickedly those who are worthy of the greatest crowns, who will surely be proclaimed by God and accepted by those of understanding, let those who correct evils bear it nobly, and let them grieve, not over their own situation (that nothing has come of it for them except to seem loathsome), but over the perversity and madness of those people, who are so incurably sick that they even revile their physicians. [Letter 4.140] [On reading, against the Greeks. On the grace of the divinely inspired Scriptures and the benefit that comes from them.] Many of those outside have written many things that bring neither benefit to those who are persuaded nor loss to those who do not listen; but the divine Scriptures bring the greatest gain to those who are persuaded, and give birth to no small harm for those who disobey. For those writers wrote hunting for glory, but the Scriptures look to the salvation of their hearers. [Letter 4.141] [Why the law commanded lepers, or others suffering from involuntary diseases, to be outside the sacred precincts.] It is likely that a bad constitution of the body and loathsome diseases befall many people from the incontinence of their parents; but not that incontinence always comes from a bad constitution. (Whether a leper begets a leper, and a man with a discharge a child with a discharge, I cannot say exactly; but that a gouty man begets a gouty son, all would agree.) The lawgiver's word, then, as I think (for one must not pronounce on unclear matters, but leave the judgment to the hearers), was about incontinence, that they should not come together at every time, since the harm would pass to those who would be born from them. That this is not off the mark is shown by the fact that the gouty were not shut out from the sacred precincts. For those who first contracted this disease got it not from a bad constitution but from a bad diet, luxury, sloth, and idleness, and were punished by it for this; but those born from them were not prevented from sharing in the sacred assemblies, since they had necessarily inherited their parents' bad constitution, not their incontinence. But those who bore in their bodies the stamp of their parents' licentiousness were not punished (for he did not command them to be stoned, since the affliction was involuntary), but were dishonoured for the correction of their parents. If anyone thinks this was not reasonably legislated, what would he say about death, that when one woman sinned (I mean Eve), the whole race was condemned to death, though many were approved and did not follow the faults of their forebears? If there, when the root had died, the branches too necessarily shared its affliction, as heirs of the sentence, what wonder if here too the branch was dishonoured because of the root, and so necessarily passed the affliction back to the root? For the root's pain is not less than that of the dishonoured branch. The mother who prayed to see her branch excellent, when she perceives that the affliction passed into it from her own licentiousness, will be tormented here by her own thoughts, and there by the judgment as well. Whether God, foreknowing that they would be wicked, restrained them in advance with these bonds and bridled their passions, I cannot say exactly; but that these diseases have been the cause of crowns for many, I would confidently affirm. And if the law had a shadow of the good things to come and not the very image of the realities, I think that by the leper it signified the changeable and villainous man; by the one with a discharge, the sexually immoral and licentious man; by the one unclean through a human soul, that is, through touching a dead body, the one who works with and helps a soul that sins; and by the mourner, the one who mourns and laments over misfortunes; and that it decreed these should be banished from the sacred assembly of the blameless and from the Church. [Letter 4.142] To Elias the deacon. [On \"In the beginning was the Word.\"] The timeless, eternal, and unmediated procession of Christ from the Father, beyond all speech and mind, the Scriptures call begetting, not to describe a passion but to establish that he is consubstantial; for what is begotten is truly consubstantial with what begets. And so that he may not be thought younger, they say, \"In the beginning was the Word.\" Then they proclaim his relation to the Father: \"and the Word was with God.\" Then also his dignity: \"and the Word was God.\" From \"Son\" we learn his consubstantiality; from \"Word,\" his impassibility; from his being \"in the beginning,\" his co-eternity; from his being \"with God,\" his closeness to the Father; from his being \"God,\" his dignity; and from each name we reject the unfitting idea that suggests itself, such as being younger, from \"Son,\" and being without subsistence, from \"Word\"; so let us know and worship him as God eternal, consubstantial, proceeding from the Father impassibly and timelessly. [Letter 4.143] To Basilius. Those for whom ruling has been lawfully established will surely also have good fortune following; and they will fare well when piety is made strong, the highest of goods and the summary of the divine commands, which right belief about God and sincere confession establish, which fear of God and love for him make manifest, and love and sympathy toward our own kind; on these hang the whole law and the prophets. This, in governments too, is something above the world, what is pre-eminent and best. This is lawful governance and care for the advantage of all subjects; just as, on the contrary, tyranny is a self-willed power pursuing only the advantage of the tyrant. All, then, who have been allotted to administer this rule, binding on piety like a crown of gold set with precious stones, and putting on justice like a purple robe, will strive to rule in God and to hold a truly just rule. For they show in themselves the truth of the sacred oracle that says, \"By me kings reign, and rulers decree righteousness.\" For they know that \"the beginning of a good way is to do what is just.\" [Letter 4.144] [Without heading.] Having learned the honoured command of our pious and God-appointed great emperor, first through the imperial envoy (apocrisiarius), and the health and safety in the Lord of your pious majesty, we were filled with the greatest joy, earnestly sent up glory and thanksgiving to our God, recovered from our sickness, and were filled with great eagerness. On reading the honoured command, I found how the matter of the peace had proceeded under those who governed before. We had already heard about this in part a little while ago; but we were at a loss to give it our assent in our minds, knowing that they had dared to do a daring thing which no Christian has ever undertaken, nor has it even entered the mind of any of our predecessors. It seems to us to have come about either from great inexperience and ignorance of Christian doctrine, or from great unbelief and contempt for God's commandments. For if they had listened to the divine oracles, they would have guarded the venerable character of our holy and blameless religion, and would not have allowed the heathen and irrational to touch our holy and venerable things; nor would they themselves have shared in the pollutions and abominations of the heathen in their accursed and outlandish oaths. For what difference is there, if a Christian and a heathen, trusting in the same oaths and the same customs, think they are confirming one another in things at which we know God is angry and wrathful? For the God and Master of all has commanded through his holy Scriptures, \"Do not turn aside from what is written, to the right or to the left.\" [Letter 4.145] [On \"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master will set?\"] Having satirized, blessed friend, the folly, or rather the madness, of those who throw themselves into an impossible task or accept it lightly, I do not know how you left out what shows it most. What is that? Not all people are caught by the same diseases, nor do all yield to the same treatment; but since the passions are many, varied, and of every kind, the remedies must be more numerous and more varied. If what I say troubles you, wait a little, and the trouble that now holds you will turn into pitying them the more. Since the ailments are many and of every kind, it is hard, first, for one who is only a man to discern them, and then, once he has learned them, to know what medicine fits. For not the same remedies fit all, nor are all healed by the same things; what helped this one harmed another, and what suited one ruined someone else. And so that I may not seem to you to be saying something paradoxical, let what I say be laid bare. Those who are led by reason are not also corrected by example; but one is brought to a better state by this, another by that. Nor do those who need the goad also tolerate the bridle; but those who are sluggish and slow to move toward the good are roused by the stroke of reason, while those who are hotter than they should be and hard to hold, rushing like colts far from the turning post, are helped by being curbed and checked. Some are corrected by praise, others by blame, if both come at the right time; but the result will turn to the opposite if they come out of season. Some yield to exhortation, others to rebuke; some rub off their defects when reproved in assemblies, others when admonished in private. For some, when corrected by public rebuke, tend to despise those who speak with them, while others, stripping themselves rather for public reproofs, shake off their shame; they are trained to compliance by the secrecy and sympathy of the rebuke. Some must be watched in everything, those whom the thought of escaping notice has puffed up as cleverer, since that is what they contrive; but in others some things must even be overlooked, lest they be provoked to callousness and in the end become uncontrollable in everything, having rubbed off shame, the greatest medicine for persuasion. And one must be angry where it is needed without being angry, overlook without overlooking, and despair without despairing; heal some with gentleness and others by separation; defeat some, and with others seem to be defeated, where this is profitable. Since, then, the ailments and the remedies are so many, and all do not yield to the same things, but are even provoked by them to the opposite and to worse faults, who, unless his soul has been enlightened by the divine Spirit, will be able to know them or be equal to them? But they dare to rule, if they even think the office suitable for them, neither considering its difficulty nor hearing the Master's voice, which shows its rarity so plainly that it even uses a questioning expression: \"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the Lord will set over his household, to give them their measure of grain?\" [Letter 4.146] To Isidore the bishop. [\"And deliver those.\"] You asked what is meant by \"and deliver those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lifetime.\" Listen, then. It is not death, my good friend, but the court after death that turns people away from sins. The impious, thinking the soul a spark, at whose extinction, as they said, the body would turn to ash, and thinking that they would only die and not be judged (they said this in the book entitled the Wisdom of Solomon, as you know; and if you do not, take the book in hand and you will know), left nothing undone. As though they would no longer exist after death, they set about doing everything that deserves shame, death, and punishment, saying, \"This is our portion, and this our lot.\" So the Saviour came, along with all else that he accomplished, to deliver people from this supposition too. For he defined the immortality of the soul by saying, \"but cannot kill the soul\"; he proclaimed the resurrection of bodies by saying, \"In the resurrection of the dead they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but will be like angels\"; and he showed the judgment by many other sayings and by saying, \"Fear him who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna\"; and so he freed all from that supposition, or, to speak more truly, from that slavery. For those who keep the divine court in mind and fix their eye on it as on a target would not dare to do anything base. I think the saying has been made clear. But if you want it paraphrased as well, I would say: since, expecting to die, they served sins unsparingly (for the fear of death, looking grim to them and begetting the thought of no longer existing, delivered them over to every slavery of sin), for this reason Christ came, to deliver them from this slavery too. If even so it is not understood, it will be said more clearly; for the Apostle's thought is not easily caught by many. He will deliver them, he says, from the fear of death, which brings them to non-existence, and lead them to think of the incorruptible court after the end here. For these people would run gladly on the road that leads to virtue, given wings by the hope of crowns, and would flee sin from fear of the punishments to come. Whether the Apostle's mind also looks to another idea is for your understanding to judge. It is likely that he also shows something like this: since many, fearing death as sending them into non-existence, submitted to doing and suffering many shameful things, even against their will, so as not to be punished by the more powerful (for those who desired someone and did not attain their aim contrived deceits and plots that brought death, as the stories of Joseph and of Susanna show), he came to teach people that death is preferable to vice, and that one should accept it rather than do or suffer anything most shameful. For death will be extinguished by the resurrection, while those things end in punishments. [Letter 4.147] [On what is written: \"For if Joshua had given them rest.\"] The divine Paul's word is not about the rest of the Hebrews that came about in Palestine through the generalship of Joshua the son of Nun; he takes no account of that; he looks to the rest expected to come, and the aim of his thought is directed to that. That this is true he himself shows, interpreting himself: \"For if Joshua (clearly the son of Nun) had given them rest, he would not afterward have spoken of another day. So there remains a sabbath rest for the people of God.\" For if he had given them rest, he says, David, discoursing about rest many generations later, would not have said, \"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the provocation.\" Therefore, he says, the true rest is laid up for the people of God, that is, for those who have lived worthily after believing, and it has been prepared not in Palestine but in the Jerusalem above the world. [Letter 4.148] [On \"And the one who does wrong is blessed.\"] You asked what is meant by \"And the one who does wrong is blessed.\" Listen, then. \"Is blessed\" is said here from \"being well spoken of\": that is, he is praised and eulogized by those who flatter him and inflame his vice, and who will not give him a sense of his disease by keeping silent. That is why such a man is found incurable: since he has no sense of his affliction, he neither seeks nor admits treatment. And this is the most terrible thing of all, when vice is praised and not even thought to be vice. So one must above all, if possible, correct such a man; if not, neither flatter him nor inflame the affliction, but give him a sense of his wickedness by silence. And if one is not willing to do even this, one must flee headlong, lest, being seen to share in his injustice through flattery, one be found to share his punishments too. For just as one who leads another toward virtue is crowned even if he achieves nothing (for he has fulfilled his own part), so one who spurs another on to injustice is punished even if he prevails in nothing; for he too has done his own part.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.139 (PG 78 78:1219; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-139)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.14":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· «Ὁ δοκῶν ἐστάναι, βλεπέτῳ μὴ πέσῃ » Απειλεῖ μὲν ἡ πάντων βασιλεύουσα φύσις τοῖς πταίουσι τιμωρίας, ἵνα ἀκέραιον ἔχωσι τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ κάλλος· πεσοῦσι δὲ δεξιὰν σωτήριον ὀρέγει, καὶ συγγνώμην μετανοοῦσι νέμει. Τοῖς μὲν γὰρ βοᾷ· «Ὁ δοκῶν ἑστάναι, βλεπέτω μὴ πέσῃ. • Τοῖς δέ· « Μὴ ὁ πίπτων οὐκ ἀνίσταται· · τοῖς δὲ· « Ἵδε ὑγιὴς γέγονας, μηκέτι ἁμάρτανε. »","t":"To Hierax the presbyter. [On \"Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.\"] The nature that reigns over all threatens punishments to those who stumble, so that they may keep the beauty of the soul unharmed; but to those who have fallen it stretches out a saving right hand and grants pardon to those who repent. To the one group it cries, \"Let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall\"; to others, \"Does not he who falls rise again?\"; and to others, \"See, you have been made well; sin no more.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.14 (PG 78 78:1061; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-14)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.149":{"o":"ΗΛΙΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « \"῞Απαξ ἐλάλησεν ὁ Θεὸς, › εἰς τὸν ξα' ψαλμόν. Τὸ θήραμα, ὦ βέλτιστε, ὁ θηρεῦσαι ποθεῖς, τοῖς μὲν συνετωτέροις ἐστὶ δυσθήρατον· τοῖς δὲ παχυτέροις ἀθήρατον. Ἔφης γάρ· Τί ἐστιν· « \"Απαξ ἐλάλησεν ὁ Θεός· δύο ταῦτα ἤκουσα; » Οἶμαι τοίνυν ( ἐπειδὴ τοῦ νοήματος χρὴ ἀνοῖξαι τὰς θύρας, καὶ τοῖς συνετωτέροις ἐφεῖναι τὸ τὰ ἀδύνατα τοῦ ῥητοῦ κατοπτεῦσα:) οὕτως εἰρῆσθαι, ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι· Ὁ δεῖνα ἅπαξ μέν μοι συνέτυχε· περὶ δὲ διαφόρων διελέχθη πραγμάτων. Οὗτος μὲν οὖν ὁ πρόχειρος νοῦς. Ὁ δὲ βαθύτερος καὶ εἰλικρινέστερος ἐν πάσαις μὲν διέσπαρται ταῖς Γραφαῖς· ἓν δὲ ἢ δεύτερον μεταχειρισάμενος φράσω, εἰ καὶ ἐπὶ πολλὰς ἔστιν ἐκδοχὰς τρέψαι τὴν διάνοιαν, ἐχομένας τῆς τοῦ Μελῳδοῦ μεγαλονοίας Ἐπειδὴ εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς τῷ ᾿Αδάμ· « Γῆ εἶ, καὶ εἰς γῆν ἀπελεύσῃ· · οὐ προσέθηκε δὲ, ᾿Αφανι-σθήσῃ, οὐδὲ μὴ ἐπανελεύσῃ· ἐγὼ διὰ τοῦ ταῦτα παρασεσιωπῆσθαι, τὴν ἀνάστασιν προσυπήκουσα. Έλπίδα γὰρ ἐπανόδου τῷ ἐξορίστῳ ἔδωκεν. Ἡ γὰρ ἀπόφασις, μονότροπος εἶναι δοκοῦσα ἐμφαίνει βασιλικὴν φιλανθρωπίαν, καὶ ἐπανόδου τίκτει ἐλπίδα. Καὶ Νινευῖται δὲ ἄνθρωποι βάρβαροι, σχεδὸν ἀπόφασιν καθαρὰν δεξάμενοι, οὐδὲν βάρβαρον ἔπαθον, ἀλλ᾿ ἐννοήσαντες τὸ, « Ἔτι τρεῖς ἡμέραι, καὶ Νινευῖ καταστραφήσεται, » ὅτι ἐμφαίνει θείαν φιλανθρωπίαν (ἡ γὰρ ἀπόφασις, ἀπειλῆς ἀπαραιτήτου γέμουσα αἴρεσιν λανθάνουσαν εἶχε τῇ συνεζευγμένῃ ὑπερθέσει κεκρυμμένην. Οὐ γὰρ περιείχε. Μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας· ἀλλὰ τοιοῦτόν τί ἐστι· Τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἀνέχομαι ὑμῶν), καὶ γνωσιμαχήσαντες, τὴν μὲν ἀπώλειαν διεκρούσαντο, τὴν δὲ σωτηρίαν ἐκαρπώσαντο. Οὐ γὰρ ἔν τι ἔχειν ἐδόκει ἡ ἀπόφασις· ἀλλὰ δύο, ἢ ἀμετανοήτοις τιμωρίαν, ἢ μετανοοῦσι σωτηρίαν. Ὅπερ οὖν καὶ τὸ τέλος ἔδειξε, τῇ ἑρμηνείᾳ μᾶλλον τῆς ἀποφάσεως ἀκολουθῆσαν. Πρὸς Κορινθίους α΄. Διὰ τί εἶπεν ὁ Παῦλος· « Οὐ γὰρ ἔκρινά τι εἰδέναι ἐν ὑμῖν, εἰ μὴ Χριστὸν καὶ τοῦτον ἐσταυρωμένον. Τίνος ἕνεκεν, φὴς, τὰ σεμνὰ ἐκεῖνα καὶ λαμπρὰ, ἃ περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀνεκήρυττεν ὁ Παῦλος παρεὶς, ἔγραψε Κορινθίοις· « Οὐκ ἔκρινά τι εἰδέναι ἐν ὑμῖν, εἰ μὴ Ἰησοῦν Χριστὸν, καὶ τοῦτον ἐσταυρωμένον;» Οἶμαι τοίνυν, ὅτι καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ ἐπονείδιστα μεγίστης ἔβρυον ῥώμης τε καὶ τιμῆς· διὰ τοῦτο ἔφη ταῦτα, μονονουχί βοῶν· Δεδεμένον εἰς μέσον φέρω τὸν ἀθλητὴν, ἵν᾿ Ὀλυμπιονίκην γενόμενον σφοδρότερον ἀνακηρύξας, εὐτελεστάτην καὶ ὕβρεως μεστὴν ἀνατίθημι τῷ στρατηγῷ πανοπλίαν, ἵνα στενάξῃ πυκνότερον ὁ τὴν πολυθεΐαν νοσῶν, ὅπλοις εὐτελέσι νενικημένος. Τί ἐστιν, « Ἡ ὁ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ναίων, οὐκ ἐφορᾷ ; Τὸ γεγραμμένον, • Ἡ ὁ τὰ ὑψηλὰ ναίων, οὐκ ἐφορᾷ; · μαθεῖν ἐθέλων γέγραφας. ῎Ακουε τοίνυν. Ὁ τὰ ὑψηλὰ οἰκῶν (τοῦτο γὰρ ἐστι τὸ ναίων, ἀφ᾿ οὗ καὶ ὁ νεὼς, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ὁ ναός · ὥσπερ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ οἴκου τὸ οἰκεῖν, οὕτω καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ναοῦ τὸ ναίειν), οὗτος ἐφορᾷ πάντα, καὶ οὐδὲν αὐτὸν διαδιδράσκει. Η οὖν οὐκ ἐφορᾷ, φησὶν, ὁ τὰ ὑψηλὰ οἰκῶν; ἀντὶ τοῦ, Ναὶ, ἐφορᾷ. Ὅπερ ὁ Μελῳδὸς σαφέστερον εἶπεν· « Ὁ οἰκεῖν, ἐν ὑψηλοῖς κατοικῶν, καὶ τὰ ταπεινὰ ἐφορῶν. • Οἱ δὲ παῖδες οἱ τρεῖς σαφέστατα· « Εὐλογητὸς εἶ, ὁ βλέπων ἀβύσσους, καθήμενος ἐπὶ τῶν Χερουβίμ. » Ὁ γὰρ ὑπερκείμενος, φησὶ, τῶν ἄνω δήμων, οὐ παρορᾷς τὴν ἡμετέραν εὐτέλειαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἀοράτων δεσπόζων δυνάμεων, νεύμασιν ἡμερωτάτοις καὶ τὰ ἐν τοῖς βυθοῖς διοικεῖς.","t":"To Elias the deacon. [On \"Once God has spoken,\" in Psalm 61.] The quarry, my good friend, that you long to hunt is hard to catch for the more intelligent and impossible to catch for the duller. For you asked, \"What is meant by 'Once God has spoken; these two things I have heard'?\" I think, then (since one must open the doors of the thought, and leave it to the more intelligent to look into the inner shrine of the saying), that it is said as someone might say, \"So-and-so met me once, but spoke about different matters.\" This is the obvious sense. The deeper and purer sense is scattered through all the Scriptures; I shall take one or two instances and speak of them, though the thought can be turned to many interpretations that keep to the Psalmist's greatness of mind. When God said to Adam, \"You are earth, and to earth you will go,\" but did not add, \"You will vanish,\" or, \"You will not return,\" I, because these words were passed over in silence, heard the resurrection implied. For he gave the exile a hope of return. The sentence, which seems to have a single sense, shows a king's love for humankind and gives birth to a hope of return. And the Ninevites, barbarian men, who received what was almost an unqualified sentence, suffered nothing barbarous; but perceiving that \"Yet three days, and Nineveh will be overthrown\" shows God's love for humankind (for the sentence, full of an inexorable threat, held a hidden choice concealed in the delay joined to it: it did not say, \"After three days,\" but something like, \"I bear with you three days\"), they acknowledged their fault, warded off destruction, and reaped salvation. For the sentence did not hold one thing only, but two: either punishment for the unrepentant or salvation for the repentant. And the outcome showed this, following the interpretation of the sentence rather than its letter. [Letter 4.150] [First Corinthians. Why Paul said, \"For I decided to know nothing among you except Christ and him crucified.\"] Why, you ask, did Paul pass over the solemn and splendid things that he proclaimed about Christ, and write to the Corinthians, \"I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified\"? I think, then, that even the things counted shameful teemed with the greatest power and honour; that is why he said this, all but crying out: \"I bring the athlete forward in chains, so that when he has become an Olympic victor I may proclaim him the more loudly; I dedicate to the general a panoply most cheap and full of insult, so that the one sick with the worship of many gods may groan the more, defeated by cheap weapons.\" [Letter 4.151] [What is meant by \"Does not he who dwells on high look down?\"] You wrote wishing to learn what is meant by the words, \"Does not he who dwells on high look down?\" Listen, then. He who dwells on high (for this is the meaning of ναίων, from which comes νεώς, that is, ναός, temple; just as \"to dwell\" comes from \"house,\" so ναίειν comes from ναός) looks down on all things, and nothing escapes him. \"Does he not look down, then,\" he says, \"he who dwells on high?\" Meaning, \"Yes, he looks down.\" The Psalmist said this more clearly: \"Who dwells on high and looks upon what is lowly.\" And the three young men most clearly of all: \"Blessed are you who look upon the depths, seated upon the cherubim.\" For you who are above the hosts on high, he says, do not overlook our lowliness, but, being master of the invisible powers, govern even the things in the depths with the gentlest nods.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.149 (PG 78 78:1233; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-149)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.15":{"o":"ΕΠΙΜΑΧΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\n᾿Απημφίασε μὲν ὁ κοινὸς ἁπάντων ἐχθρὸς, ἅτε δὴ τυραννίδα νοσῶν, τὸ ἀνθρώπινον γένος τῶν προσόντων αὐτῷ ἐμφύτων πλεονεκτημάτων, καὶ τὴν ἐναντίαν τῆς ἀρετῆς περιέστειλε πολιτείαν, τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων ῥώμην ὑπήκοον δεξάμενος. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν τοσαύτην γνώμην εἶχε καθ' ἑαυτὸν, εἰ μὴ ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν ἀπατηθέντων ῥαθυμίας κομιδῇ ἐπεῤῥώσθη. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ ἔδει φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ ἐνδύσασθαι πάλιν τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς ὅπλα, δεῦρ' ἐπεφοίτησεν ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος, καὶ ὑφηνάμενος ἡμῖν τὴν ἀγάπην, ὥσπερ ἀγγελικὴν στολὴν, τὰ πάντα ἐν αὐτῇ ἐτεκτήνατο. Τὰ γὰρ κατ' εἶδος ἐπαριθμούμενα τῶν ἀρετῶν κατορθώματα μία γενικὴ ἀρετὴ περιέλαβεν, ἧς ἡ ἀγάπη τοὔνομα. Εἰς τὸ· · ᾿Απόδοτε τῷ τιμὴν, τὴν τιμήν. ᾿Αποδοτέον, ὦ ἐλλογιμώτατε, καὶ τῷ τιμῆς ἀξίῳ τὴν τιμὴν, οὐ θωπείαν ἐπιδεικνύμενον, οὐδὲ τὴν ἐκείνου εὐμένειαν θηρώμενον (δέος γὰρ διὰ ταῦτα εἰς εὐτέλειαν ἐκπεσεῖν, καί τινα κολακείαν βωμολόχον ἐξασκήσαντα καταισχύνειν ἑαυτόν)· ἀλλὰ σὺν κόσμῳ προσήκοντι τὸ πρέπον ἀπονεμητέον. Οἷόν τε γὰρ τὸ προσηκόντως τὸ χρέος ἀποδοθῆναι. -Απὸ πασῶν τῶν ἱερῶν Γραφῶν δεῖξαι δυνάμενος, ὅτι τὰ Ἰουδαϊκὰ πράγματα τέλεον οἴχεται καὶ παλιγγενεσίαν οὐχ ἕξει ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς τῆς ῥήσεως, ἧς ἰσχυριζόμενος ὁ πρὸς σὲ διενεχθεὶς Ἰουδαῖος ἐνόμισεν αὐτὰ ἀναστήσεσθαι, τὸν παντελῆ αὐτῶν ἀφανισμὸν δεῖξαι πειράσομαι. Τίς οὖν ἐστιν αὕτη, ἐφ' ἡ ἐκεῖνος μέγα φρονεῖ ; « Καὶ ἔσται, φησὶν, ἡ δόξα τοῦ οἴκου, ἡ ἐσχάτη ὑπὲρ τὴν πρώτην.» ᾿Ἀλλὰ πρὶν εἰς τὴν ἑρμηνείαν χωρήσω, οὖκ οἶδα τί δράσω, πότερον καταγνῶ αὐτοῦ τῆς ἀπαιδευσίας, ἢ μισήσω τὴν κακουργίαν. Τὸν μὲν γὰρ ἀμαθῆ διδάσκειν χρή· τὸν δὲ κακοῦργον ἐλέγχειν. Μᾶλλον δὲ ἐπειδὴ ἑρμηνεία καὶ παίδευσις ἔσται τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσι, καὶ ἔλεγχος τοῖς κακουργοῦσι, φέρε, αὐτὴν τὴν ῥῆσιν εἰς μέσον ἀγάγωμεν. Φημὶ τοίνυν ὅτι, Σολομῶνος ἀναστήσαντος, ὁ Βαβυλώνιος αὐτὸν ἔκλινε, καὶ τοὺς Ἰουδαίους αἰχμαλωτεύσας ἀπήγαγεν. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν μετὰ τὴν ἐπάνοδον ἔμελλον τοῦτον ἐγείρειν οὐδεμία δὲ χρημάτων ὑπεφαίνετο πρόσοδος, εἰς χρηστὰς ἐλπίδας αὐτοὺς ἄγων ὁ Θεὸς, ὅπως ἄψωνται τοῦ ἔργου, ἔφη· « Ἐμὸν τὸ ἀργύριον, καὶ ἐμὸν τὸ χρυσίον. Καὶ ἔσται ἡ δόξα τοῦ οἴκου τούτου ἡ ἐσχάτη ὑπὲρ τὴν πρώτην. » Ωδέ μοι πρόσεχε τὸν νοῦν. Ὁ Ζοροβάβελ ἥψατο τῆς δευτέρας οἰκοδομίας, καὶ χρησμὸς εἴρηται περὶ αὐτοῦ · • Αἱ χεῖρες Ζοροβάβελ ἐθεμελίωσαν τὸν οἶκον τοῦτον, καὶ αἱ χεῖρες αὐτοῦ ἐπιτελοῦσιν αὐτόν. » Τὸ δ', ἐθεμελίωσαν, δείκνυσι μὲν καὶ τὴν μετὰ τὴν Βαβυλῶνα παντελῆ ἐρημίαν· δείκνυσι δὲ καὶ τὴν δευτέραν οἰκοδομίαν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἀνέστη ὁ ναὸς, καὶ εἰς τὴν λαμπροτέραν τῆς προτέρας ἠνέχθη εὐπρέπειαν· πάλιν πταισάντων τῶν Ἰουδαίων, εἰς τὰ κατὰ τὸν Χριστὸν, παρεδόθη τῇ τῶν Ῥωμαίων χειρὶ, ἥτις αὐτὸν εἰς τοῦδαφος κατήνεγκεν. Εἱ μὲν οὖν ἤμελλε πάλιν ἀναστήσεσθαι, εἶπεν ἄν· « Ἔσται ἡ δόξα τοῦ οἴκου τούτου ἡ δευτέρα ὑπὲρ τὴν πρώτην. › Τὸ δὲ, ὑπὲρ τὴν πρώτην, τὴν δευτέραν ἐσχάτην ἀπέφηνεν. Ωσπερ οὖν οὐκ ἔστι τῆς προτέρας προτέρα, οὐδὲ τῆς ἐσχάτης ὑστέρα. Εἱ μὲν γὰρ εἶπεν· Ἡ δευτέρα ὑπὲρ τὴν ἔμπροσθεν, εἰκὸς ἦν καὶ τρίτην προσδοκᾷν. Εἰ δὲ τὴν δευτέραν ἐσχάτην ἐκάλεσε, πᾶσα αὐτοῖς ἀποκέκλεισται ἀναισχυντίας ὁδός.","t":"To Epimachus the reader. The common enemy of all, sick with lust for tyranny, stripped the human race of the natural advantages that belonged to it and clothed it in the way of life opposed to virtue, once he had received the strength of men as his subject. For he would not have had such purpose of his own, had he not been greatly strengthened by the negligence of those he deceived. But since, by the Creator's love for humankind, it was necessary to put on the armour of virtue again, God the Word came here, and, having woven love for us like an angelic robe, fashioned everything in it. For the achievements of the virtues, counted one by one by their kinds, are embraced by one generic virtue, whose name is love. [Letter 4.16] [On \"Pay honour to whom honour is due.\"] One must pay, most eloquent friend, honour to the one worthy of honour, not displaying flattery or hunting his favour (for by that there is a danger of falling into cheapness and disgracing oneself by practising a buffoonish flattery), but rendering what is fitting with proper decorum. For it is possible for the debt to be paid fittingly. [Letter 4.17] Although I could show from all the holy Scriptures that the Jewish order is entirely gone and will have no rebirth, I shall try to show its complete disappearance from the very saying on the strength of which the Jew who disputed with you thought it would be restored. What then is this saying in which he takes such pride? \"And the glory of the house,\" it says, \"the latter, shall be greater than the former.\" But before I proceed to the interpretation, I do not know what to do: whether to condemn his lack of learning or to hate his villainy. For the ignorant must be taught, and the villain refuted. Rather, since the interpretation will be instruction for those who do not know and refutation for those who act villainously, come, let us bring the saying itself into the open. I say, then, that when Solomon had raised the temple, the Babylonian laid it low and led the Jews away captive. Since, then, after the return they were going to raise it, but no supply of money appeared, God, leading them to good hopes so that they would set their hands to the work, said: \"Mine is the silver, and mine the gold. And the latter glory of this house shall be greater than the former.\" Pay attention to me here. Zerubbabel set his hand to the second building, and an oracle was spoken about him: \"The hands of Zerubbabel laid the foundation of this house, and his hands will complete it.\" The \"laid the foundation\" shows both the complete desolation after Babylon and the second building. When, then, the temple rose and was brought to a splendour brighter than the former, the Jews stumbled again, in what concerned Christ, and it was handed over to the hand of the Romans, which brought it to the ground. If, then, it was going to be raised again, he would have said, \"The second glory of this house shall be greater than the first.\" But \"than the former\" declared the second to be the last. Just as there is nothing earlier than the earliest, so there is nothing later than the last. If he had said, \"The second shall be greater than the one before,\" it would be reasonable to expect a third as well. But since he called the second the last, every road of shamelessness has been closed to them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.15 (PG 78 78:1063; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-15)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.152":{"o":"ΔΙΔΥΜΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Μακρόθυμος ἀνὴρ πολὺς ἐν φρονήσει. › Τῷ ὄντι μακρόθυμος ἀνὴρ πολὺς ἐν φρονήσει. Εἴρηται γὰρ παρὰ τὸ μακράν τινα καὶ μεγάλην ἔχειν ψυχὴν, καὶ ὑπὸ μηδενὸς ἐλεγχομένην· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν θυμὸν, τὸν πάντων παθῶν ὀξύτερον τὸν καὶ τὰς ἐννοίας λανθάνοντα, καὶ τοὺς λογισμοὺς προπηδῶντα, χαλινοῦν, καὶ εἴσω τῶν οἰκείων ὅρων συγκλείειν οὗ μεγαλοψύχου κατὰ ἀντιδιαστολὴν καὶ τὸν μικρόψυχον ἔταξεν, εἰπών · « Ὁ δὲ ὀλιγόψυχος ἰσχυρῶς ἄφρων. » Ὁ γὰρ ὑπὸ πάντων διὰ μικροψυχίαν σαλευόμενος τῶν παθῶν, κομιδῇ ἐστιν ἄνους.","t":"To Didymus the scholasticus. [On \"A long-suffering man is great in understanding.\"] Truly \"a long-suffering man is great in understanding.\" The word comes from having a long and great soul, overcome by nothing, which also bridles anger, the sharpest of all passions, which slips past our thoughts and leaps ahead of our reasonings, and shuts it within its proper bounds. In contrast to this great-souled man he set the small-souled, saying, \"But the faint-hearted is mightily foolish.\" For one who is shaken by every passion through smallness of soul is utterly senseless.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.152 (PG 78 78:1237; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-152)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.153":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον, « Ἐγὼ πᾶσι τοῖς ἄστροις ἐνετειλάμην· · καὶ εἰς τὸ, « Τὰ ἄστρα δὲ οὐ καθαρὰ ἐνώπιον· · ὅπερ ἐστὶ τοῦ Ἰώβ. Τὸ, · Ἐγὼ τοῖς ἄστροις ἐνετειλάμην, » συναπτόμενον τῷ, « Εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, Κύριε, ὁ λόγος σου διαμένει ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, » οὐδεμίαν μέμψιν ἢ παράβασιν παρίστησιν. Εἱ μὲν γὰρ περὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου φαῖεν λελέχθαι τὸ, « Εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, Κύριε, ὁ λόγος σου διαμένει ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ, » πευσόμεθα αὐτῶν, τίνος ἕνεκεν οὐ πανταχοῦ εἴρηται; Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ὁ πάντα συνέχων καὶ συγκροτῶν. Εἰ δ' ἐλεγχόμενοι φήσουσι, τὸν διατεταγμένον αὐτοῖς νόμον, ὅπως χρὴ θέειν, ἐνταῦθα δηλοῦσθαι, ἐπειδήπερ ἐν γῇ παρεβάθη, φαμέν Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκα ἐνταῦθα παράγεται τὸ, « ῎Αστρα δὲ οὐ καθαρὰ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ; » Δείκνυται γὰρ τῷ λόγῳ αὐτοῦ ἀκολουθοῦντα, καὶ οὐ παραβαίνοντα διάταξιν. Εἰ δὲ τούτων οὕτω λεγομένων καὶ ἀποδειχθέντων, ἀπαιτηθείημεν ἡμεῖς. Τί δ' ἐστὶν, • ῎Αστρα οὐ καθαρὰ ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ; » φαίημεν, ὅτι Κατὰ μὲν τὴν ἑαυτῶν φύσιν τὰ ἄστρα καθαρά ἐστιν, ὥσπερ καὶ γεγένηται παρὰ τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ. Αὐτῷ δὲ τῷ ποιητῇ παραβαλλόμενα τοσοῦτον ἀπέχει, ὅσον μύρμηξ οὐρανοῦ ἢ ἡλίου, ἤ τινος τῶν ἄλλων κτισμάτων δι' ὃ οὐδ᾽ ἀπολελυμένως εἶπεν, « οὐ καθαρά· · τοῦτο γὰρ ἦν δεῖξαι αὐτὰ πταίοντα· ἀλλὰ προσέθηκεν, « ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ. » Καὶ οὐ σύγκρισιν νοείτω τὸ εἰρημένον, κατὰ τὸ ἀλλαχοῦ ῥηθὲν, πρὸς αὐτόν· « Μὴ εἰσέλθῃς εἰς κρίσιν μετὰ τοῦ δούλου σου, ὅτι οὐ δικαιωθήσεται ἐνώπιόν σου πᾶς ζῶν.» Δικαιωθήσεται μὲν γὰρ πᾶς δίκαιος καθ' ἑαυτὸν κρινόμενος· αὐτῷ δὲ παραβαλλόμενος, ἢ πρὸς αὐτὸν κρινόμενος, οὐχί. Εἰς τὸ, - Δικαιοσύνην μάθετε, οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες. • Τοῖς μεγαληγοροῦσι μὲν ἐν τῷ φανερῷ καὶ τὰ θεῖα σεμνύνουσι, κρύβδην δὲ τάναντία πράττουσιν, ἅτε φιλοσοφοῦσιν ἐν λόγοις, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐν ἔργοις, ὁ μεγαλόφωνος Ἡσαΐας βοᾷ· « Μάθετε καλὸν ποιεῖν οἱ ἐνοικοῦντες ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· πέπαυται γὰρ ὁ ἀσεβής. » Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῖς προφητικοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τὴν παντὸς κρείττονα λόγου τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἔνσαρκον εἶδεν ἐπιδημίαν, τὴν μυρία μὲν καὶ παντὸς ἐπέκεινα θαύματος ἀγαθὰ τῷ τῶν ἀνθρώπων κατορθώσασαν γένει, τὸν δὲ τύραννον ἐκνευρίσασαν, ἐβόα· Μάθετε δικαιοσύνην ποιεῖν. Πέπαυται γὰρ ὁ τύραννος, τοῦ κατὰ παντὸς καὶ πάσης χωρεῖν· καὶ ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ πάντα εἰσὶ, πλὴν ἐκείνων, τῶν ἑαυτοὺς ἑκόντων ὑποκατακλινόντων καὶ καθυποβαλλόντων τῇ ἐκείνου ἀπάτῃ. ᾿Απατᾷν γὰρ, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐκβιάζεσθαι δύναται ΩΡΙΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ. Εἰς τὸ, «Οἱ ἑρόμενοι ἐκ κοιλίας αὐτῶν, καὶ παιδευόμενοι ἕως γήρως. Τὸ, « Ἐρόμενοι ἐκ κοιλίας, καὶ παιδευόμενοι, συνάδει τῷ, « Πάντοτε μανθάνοντες, καὶ μηδέποτε εἰς ἐπίγνωσιν ἀληθείας ἐλθεῖν δυνάμενοι. » Οἱ ἐρόμενοι γὰρ, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, ἐρόμενοι καὶ ἀκούοντες μὲν, τῇ δὲ ἀμαθίᾳ συγκαταγηράσκοντες · οὐχ ὅτι δι᾽ ὅλου τοῦ βίου φιλομαθεῖς ἦσαν (ἢ γὰρ ἂν αὐτοὺς ἀπεδέξατο), οὐχ ὅτι ὀψιμαθεῖς (καὶ γὰρ καὶ τοῦτο δευτέρα ἀρετή· κρεῖττον γὰρ ὀψιμαθεῖς, ἢ ἀμαθεῖς εἶναι), ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι ἀεὶ μανθάνειν προσποιούμενοι, τὴν δ᾽ ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς σοφίας ἀπωθούμενοι, ἀπαιδευσίας ἑάλωσαν εἶναι γνήσια θρέμματα. Τί ἐστι, « Τὸ ποτήριον τῆς πτώσεως, καὶ τὸ κόνδυ τοῦ θυμοῦ. • Τὸ ποτήριον πτώσεως καὶ κόνδυ θυμοῦ τιμωρίας τοῖς πταίσασιν ἀπειλεῖ Θεὸς εἰς διόρθωσιν, ποτὲ μὲν Βαβυλωνίοις, ποτὲ δὲ ᾿Ασσυρίοις ἐγχειρίζων· ἅπερ ἐκπυθέντα ὑπὸ Ἑβραίων, αὐτοὺς μὲν ἐμέθυσε, βελτίονος δὲ ζωῆς οὐκ ἠξίωσεν. Ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς, ἐπὶ ξύλου ποτήριον πιῶν, καὶ πικρίαν ἰάτρευσε, καὶ εὐφροσύνην ἐπήγαγεν. Τί ἐστι τὸ εἰρημένον, « Ἐπὶ πάσῃ ψυχῇ τετελευτηκυίᾳ οὐκ εἰσελεύσῃ. • Τὸ, « Ἐπὶ ψυχῇ τετελευτηκυίᾳ οὐκ εἰσελεύσῃ, » βουλόμενος ἴσως μαθεῖν γέγραφας. ῎Ακουε τοίνυν. Ψυχῇ ἁμαρτησάσῃ μὴ κοινωνήσῃς. Ὅτι γὰρτὸ, « Οὐκ εἰσελεύσῃ, » Μὴ κοινωνήσῃς, ἐστὶν, ἄκουσον τί φησιν ἡ Σάῤῥα τῷ ᾿Αβραάμ· « Εἴσελθε εἰς τὴν παιδίσκην μου, καὶ τεκνοποίησον ἐξ αὐτῆς. » Ὅτι δὲ νεκρὸν σῶμα οὐ μιαίνει (τὰ γὰρ φυσικὰ ἀναίτια), μάθε παρ' αὐτοῦ νομοθετήσαντος, Μωσέως φημὶ, τοῦ διὰ σκιῶν καὶ συμβόλων τὴν ἀλήθειαν ὑπογράψαντος. Ἐκεῖνος γὰρ ὁ ταῦτα διαταξάμενος, τὰ ὀστᾶ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ περιέφερε. Πρὸς ὃν δικαίως ἄν τις εἴποι· Τί ποιεῖς, ὦ Μωσῆ; Τί πράττεις, ἃ κωλύεις; Τί ἐγγειρεῖς, οἷς ἀπαγορεύεις; μᾶλλον δὲ, τί πράττεις ἃ νόμῳ ἀπεκήρυξας; γραφήν σε τις, ὡς ἔοικε, γράψαιτο ὡς πρῶτον λύοντα τὸν νόμον. Οὐ λύω, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τούτου ἐμφαίνω τὸ δηλούμενον διὰ τοῦ γράμματος πρᾶγμα περιεργάζεσθαι. Ἐγὼ γὰρ νεκρὸν σώφρονα οὐκ οἶδα· ἐγὼ νεκρὸν τὸν τοὺς ἐπιβουλεύσαντας εὐεργετήσαντα οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι· ζῇ τῷ Θεῷ, κἂν ἡμῖν τέως νεκρὸς φαίνηται. Καὶ ὑμῖν δὲ παραινῶ, μὴ μόνον τὴν νεκρὰν φεύγειν ἁμαρτίαν, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσι κοινωνεῖν. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ φυσικὰ ἐλαττώματα αἰτίας ἔξω ἐσκήνωται· τὰ δὲ ἐκ προαιρέσεως, κατηγορίας καὶ τιμωρίας ἄξια. Καὶ εἰ βασανίσετε τὴν λέξιν, τοῦθ᾽ εὑρήσετε. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπον· Ἐπ᾿ ἀνθρώπῳ, ἢ σώματι τετελευτηκότι, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ ψυχῇ. Ψυχὴ γὰρ ἁμαρτάνουσα, ἀποθανεῖται. Εἰ γὰρ τὸ νεκρὸν σῶμα μολυσμὸς, πῶς καὶ Σολομῶν (χρὴ γὰρ καὶ ἡμᾶς προσθεῖναι τῇ Μωσέως ἀπολογία) ἔλεγεν· « ᾿Αγαθὸν τὸ πορευθῆναι εἰς οἶκον πένθους, ἢ εἰς οἶκον γέλωτος; ) Πῶς δὲ περιστολῆς καὶ ἐκκομιδῆς ἐτύγχανε τὰ σώματα; Πῶς δὲ τῇ οἰκίᾳ παρεδίδοτο, εἰ οὐδὲ τὸ ὁσιοῦν τὰ σώματα ὅσιον εἶναι ἐνόμιζε ; Πῶς δὲ τὸ σῶμα Ἑλισσαίου, νεκρὸν ὂν, νεκρὸν ἀνέστησεν;","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [On what is written, \"I commanded all the stars\"; and on \"The stars are not pure before him,\" which is from Job.] \"I commanded the stars,\" joined with \"Forever, O Lord, your word abides in heaven,\" presents no blame or transgression. If they say that \"Forever, O Lord, your word abides in heaven\" was said of God the Word, we shall ask them why it was not said that it abides everywhere; for he is the one who holds together and binds all things. But if, refuted, they say that the law appointed for the stars, how they must run, is indicated here, since it was transgressed on earth, we say: Why then is \"The stars are not pure before him\" brought in here? For the stars are shown to follow his word and not to transgress his ordinance. And if, when these things have been said and shown, we are asked, \"What then is meant by 'The stars are not pure before him'?\", we would say that by their own nature the stars are pure, as they were made by the Creator; but compared with the Maker himself they are as far below him as an ant is below heaven, or the sun, or any other creature. That is why he did not say absolutely, \"not pure,\" which would show them sinning, but added, \"before him.\" And let no one take the saying as a comparison in judgment, as what was said to him elsewhere: \"Do not enter into judgment with your servant, for no one living will be justified before you.\" For every righteous man will be justified when judged by himself; but compared with him, or judged against him, no. [Letter 4.154] [On \"Learn righteousness, you who dwell on the earth.\"] To those who talk big in public and dignify divine things, but in secret do the opposite, philosophizing in words but not in deeds, the loud-voiced Isaiah cries: \"Learn to do good, you who dwell on the earth; for the ungodly one has ceased.\" For since with prophetic eyes he saw the Saviour's coming in the flesh, beyond all words, which accomplished countless goods for the human race, beyond all wonder, and hamstrung the tyrant, he cried: \"Learn to do righteousness; for the tyrant has ceased from attacking everyone and everything, and all are in safety,\" except those who willingly lie down under his deceit and submit themselves to it. For he can deceive, but not force. [Letter 4.155] To Orion the monk. [On \"who ask from the womb and are instructed until old age.\"] \"Asking from the womb and being instructed\" agrees with \"always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.\" \"Asking\" means asking and hearing, yet growing old in ignorance: not that they were lovers of learning all their life (otherwise he would have approved of them), nor that they learned late (for that too is a second-best virtue: it is better to learn late than never to learn), but that they always pretended to learn while thrusting away the desire for wisdom, and so were caught being the true nurslings of lack of education. [Letter 4.156] [What is meant by \"the cup of falling and the bowl of wrath.\"] The cup of falling and the bowl of wrath are punishments that God threatens to those who have stumbled, for their correction, handing them over now to the Babylonians, now to the Assyrians; the Hebrews drained them, and they made them drunk, but did not make them worthy of a better life. But Christ, drinking a cup upon the tree, both healed the bitterness and brought in gladness. [Letter 4.157] [What is meant by the saying, \"You shall not go in to any dead soul.\"] You wrote, perhaps wishing to learn what \"You shall not go in to a dead soul\" means. Listen, then. Do not have fellowship with a soul that has sinned. That \"You shall not go in\" means \"Do not have fellowship,\" hear what Sarah says to Abraham: \"Go in to my maidservant, and have children by her.\" That a dead body does not defile (for what is natural is blameless), learn from the lawgiver himself, Moses, I mean, who sketched the truth through shadows and symbols. For he who ordained these things carried the bones of Joseph. One might justly say to him: \"What are you doing, Moses? Why do you do what you forbid? Why do you put your hand to what you prohibit? Or rather, why do you do what you outlawed? Someone, it seems, might indict you as the first to break the law.\" \"I do not break it,\" he says, \"but by this I show that one must look into the reality that the letter indicates. For I do not know a chaste man as dead; I do not regard as dead one who did good to those who plotted against him; he lives to God, even if for now he seems dead to us. And I exhort you not only to flee sin, which is dead, but not even to have fellowship with those who sin. For natural defects dwell outside of blame, but those that come from choice deserve accusation and punishment. And if you examine the wording, you will find this. For I did not say, 'over a dead man' or 'over a dead body,' but 'over a soul.'\" For \"the soul that sins, it shall die.\" If a dead body were a defilement, how could Solomon too (for we must add to Moses' defence) have said, \"It is better to go to the house of mourning than to the house of laughter\"? How did bodies receive laying out and burial? How were they committed to the tomb, if he did not think it holy even to perform holy rites for bodies? And how did the body of Elisha, though dead, raise a dead man?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.153 (PG 78 78:1237; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-153)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.158":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, · Ἑπτάκις πεσεῖται ὁ δίκαιος. › Τὸ, ε Ἑπτάκις πεσεῖται ὁ δίκαιος, » εἴρηται οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ ὁ νομίμως παλαίων, ἀναγκαίως καὶ ἀθλητικῶς πίπτει. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐ πάντως ἥττης ἐστὶν αἴτιον· ἀλλὰ πολλάκις καὶ νίκης. Πολλοὶ γὰρ πεπτωκότες, τῶν δοκούντων ἑστάναι τὴν δύναμιν ἐξενεύρισαν, διὰ τοῦ ποδὸς ἅπαν τὸ σῶμα εἰς τοὔδαφος ῥίψαντες, καὶ τὴν νίκην ἁρπάσαντες. Διὸ οὐ μόνον ὅτι πεσεῖται εἶπεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ ἀναστήσεται προστέθεικεν ἵνα τὸν στέφανον μηνύσῃ. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ὅτε πταίσει ὁ ἄνθρωπος, θᾶττον ἀνανήψει, ὡς ἄριστος ἐπίστησον.","t":"To Nilus. [On \"The righteous man will fall seven times.\"] \"The righteous man will fall seven times\" is not said without reason, but because one who wrestles lawfully necessarily falls, as athletes do. This is not always a cause of defeat, but often of victory. For many who have fallen have hamstrung the strength of those who seemed to be standing, throwing their whole body to the ground with a foot and snatching the victory. That is why he not only said that he will fall, but added that he will also rise, to indicate the crown. And if a man recovers quickly when he stumbles, recognize him as excellent.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.158 (PG 78 78:1243; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-158)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.159":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν. Καὶ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο ἐναντίον τῷ, • Προσέχετε τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ὑμῶν, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Τοῖς μὲν ἐπὶ τῶν χρηστῶν διατρίβουσι ἔργων, τὸ φανεροὺς εἶναι τοῦτο ποιοῦντας, εἰς κέρδος τελεῖ · διὸ καὶ ὁ Σωτήρ ἔφη · · Λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὅπως· ἴδωσιν ὑμῶν τὰ καλὰ ἔργα, καὶ δοξάσωσι τὸν Πατέρα ὑμῶν τὸν ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς. Ἐπειδὴ δέ τινες οὐ πρὸς τὴν Δεσποτικὴν ἀφορῶσι φωνὴν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτῶν παραίνεσιν· « Προσέχετε τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ὑμῶν, μὴ ποιεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Εἰ δὲ μήγε, μισθὸν οὐκ ἔχετε·, διὰ μὲν τῶν προτέρων τὸ ἐπιεικὲς καὶ φιλάγαθον ἐμφαίνων, ὅπερ οὐδὲ βουλομένων τῶν πραττόντων κρύπτεσθαι δύναται· διὰ δὲ τῶν δευτέρων τὴν φιλοδοξίαν ἀναστέλλων. Καὶ δι᾽ ἐκείνων μὲν, τὴν κακίαν, διὰ δὲ τούτων, τὴν ἐπίδειξιν κωλύων. Οὐ γὰρ ἐναντίον ἐστὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἐκείνῳ ἀλλὰ τὰς παραπεπηγυίας καὶ ἐφέδρους κακίας ταῖς ἀρεταῖς κωλύει. Αρετὴ γὰρ πᾶσα ἄνευ ἐπιδείξεως γινομένη, ἀρετὴ ἂν κυρίως καλοῖτο καὶ εἴη. Εἰ δὲ καὶ πρὸς φιλοδοξίαν ἐλκυσθείη, καὶ τὸ εἶναι εἰλικρινὴς ἀρετὴ ἀπόλλυσι. Σιωπῶ γὰρ, ὅτι οἱ μετ' ἐπιδεῖξεων ἐλεοῦντες, οὐ καλοκάγαθίᾳ τοῦτο δρῶσιν, ἀλλὰ τὰς ἀλλοτρίας ἐκπομπεύοντες συμφοράς. Ἐλεήμονες γὰρ καλεῖσθαι γλιχόμενοι, τὰς ἀλλοτρίας οὐ παραιτοῦνται ἐκτραγῳδεῖν δυσημερίας. Τὸ γὰρ, • Λαμψάτω τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν, » εἴρηται, οὐχ ἵν᾿ ἡμεῖς ἐναβρυνώμεθα, ἀλλ' ὡς τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ ἔργου σιγηθῆναι μὴ ἀνεχομένου, κἂν οἱ ποιοῦντες κρύπτωσιν. \"Ονπερ γὰρ τρόπον λαμπὰς ἐν ἀσελήνῳ νυκτὶ φανεῖσα, αὐτομάτως τὰς ὄψεις ἐπάγεται· οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἀρετὴ καὶ ἀκόντων τῶν κεκτημένων πάντας φωτίζειν πέφυκεν.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. [On \"Let your light shine,\" and that this is not contrary to \"Beware of your almsgiving,\" and what follows.] For those who are engaged in good works, being seen to do them turns to gain; that is why the Saviour said, \"Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.\" But since some look not to the Master's word but to display, he also gave his exhortation, \"Beware of practising your almsgiving before men; otherwise you have no reward\": by the first showing the reasonableness and love of good which cannot be hidden even if those who do it wish; by the second checking vainglory; by the one preventing vice, by the other display. This is not contrary to that, but prevents the vices that are attached to the virtues and lie in wait for them. Every virtue done without display would properly be called virtue and be virtue; but if it is drawn toward vainglory, it loses even its being sincere virtue. I say nothing of the fact that those who show mercy with display do it not out of nobility but by parading other people's misfortunes; craving to be called merciful, they do not refrain from dramatizing other people's calamities. For \"Let your light shine\" was said, not that we might pride ourselves, but because a good work cannot bear to be silenced, even if those who do it hide it. Just as a torch that appears on a moonless night draws the eyes of its own accord, so virtue too naturally gives light to all, even against the will of those who possess it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.159 (PG 78 78:1243; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-159)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.160":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤί ἐστι· · Καὶ ἐκσπάσω ἐξ αὐτῶν καρδίαν λιθίνην, καὶ δώσω αὐτοῖς καρδίαν σαρκίνην. Τὸ μὲν, « Ἐκσπάσω ἐξ αὐτῶν» (δῆλον δὲ ὅτι τῶν ἑκουσίως προσιόντων τῇ θείᾳ παιδεύσει) « τὴν λιθίνην καρδίαν, » τὴν ἀναίσθητον καὶ ἀνάλγητον τῆς ψυχῆς μηνύει ἕξιν, τὴν τοῖς θείοις ἀντιπράττουσαν νόμοις· τὸ δὲ, « Καὶ δώσω αὐτοῖς καρδίαν σαρκίνην, » τὴν εὔεικτον καὶ πειθήνιον, καὶ τοῖς πνευματικοῖς εἴκουσαν θεσμοῖς· ἐξ ὧν καὶ ὁ περιώνυμος τῆς ἀρετῆς πέφυκε τίκτεσθαι χορός. Εἰ δὲ καὶ διὰ παραδειγμάτων βούλει τοῦτο μαθεῖν, ἄκους • ὅτι ὥσπερ γραμματικοὶ καὶ σοφισταί, τοὺς παῖδας δεχόμενοι ῥυπῶντας, καθάραντες ἀποπέμπουσιν, οὐ τὰς γλώττας ἀνηβῶντες (οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε), ἀλλὰ τέχνην ἐντιθέντες · οὐδὲ τὰς ψυχὰς ἀλλάττοντες, τὴν δὲ ῥαθυμίαν ἐκβάλλοντες· οὕτω καὶ ἡ θεία σοφία τὴν κακίαν καὶ τὴν ἄγνοιαν ἐξοστρακίζουσα, σύνεσιν καὶ ἐπιστήμην ἐντίθησιν.","t":"To Theodosius the presbyter. [What is meant by \"And I will take the heart of stone out of them and give them a heart of flesh.\"] \"I will take out of them\" (clearly, out of those who come willingly to the divine instruction) \"the heart of stone\" indicates the insensible and callous state of the soul, which acts against the divine laws; and \"I will give them a heart of flesh\" indicates the yielding and obedient state, which gives way to the spiritual ordinances, and from which the famous chorus of the virtues is naturally born. If you want to learn this by examples as well, listen: just as grammarians and sophists receive boys who are unpolished and send them away cleansed, not by making their tongues young again (for that is impossible), but by implanting art; and not by changing their souls, but by casting out their negligence; so the divine wisdom too, banishing vice and ignorance, implants understanding and knowledge.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.160 (PG 78 78:1245; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-160)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.161":{"o":"ΑΡΤΕΜΙΔΩΡΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, • Παρέστη πάσῃ ὁδῷ οὐκ ἀγαθῇ· καὶ εἰς τὸ, « Ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ εὐλογηθήσεται. » Τὸ μὲν, « Παρέστη πάσῃ ὁδῷ οὐκ ἀγαθῇ;, περὶ ἁμαρτωλοῦ εἰρημένον ἀνδρὸς, ἐβοήθησεν ἐστὶ, συνηγόρησεν, ἐδικαιολογήσατο. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἄμαχος ῥήτωρ τοῖς δικάζουσι παρεστὼς, ὑπὲρ τῶν βοηθείας δεομένων τὴν οἰκείαν κινεῖ τέχνην· οὕτω κἀκεῖνος παντὶ σθένει τῇ κακίᾳ συνηγορῆσαι οὐ παρῃτήσατο. Τὸ δὲ, « Ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ εὐλογηθήσεται, » περὶ κακίστου πάλιν ἀνδρὸς εἰρημένον, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν· Εὖ λεχθήσεται, ἀντὶ τοῦ, ἐπαινεθήσεται, ἐγκωμιασθήσεται, μακαρισθήσεται. Ἡ γὰρ εὐλογία, παρὰ τὸ εὖ λέγειν, τὴν εὐφημίαν μηνύει. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλοὶ, τῷ τὴν κρίσιν τῶν πραγμάτων αὐτοῖς διεφθάρθαι, ἐπαινοῦσι καὶ μακαρίζουσι τοὺς ταλανίζεσθαι καὶ θρηνεῖσθαι δικαίους ὄντας, διὰ τὸ πλούτῳ κομᾶν, καὶ τρυφῆς ἀπολαύειν, κἂν μυρία δρῷεν κακὰ, ὧν καὶ μικρὸν ὕστερον ἀπαιτηθήσονται δίκας οὐκ ἐννοοῦντες ἀλλὰ τὴν παροῦσαν ἀπόλαυσιν βλέποντες· τὴν τούτων κρίσιν τὴν διεφθαρμένην κωμῳδῶν ὁ Μελῳδὸς, καὶ ὅτι οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐπιτιμῶσι τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσιν, οὐδὲ μόνον κολακεύουσιν· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ δέοι πρὸς χάριν ἐκείνων καὶ αὐτὴν κακῦναι τὴν ἀρετὴν, κακίζουσι δέ • ἔφη, ὅτι • Ἡ ψυχὴ αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ εὐλογηθήσεται. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸ, ἐν τῇ ζωῇ, εἴρηται· μετὰ θάνατον γὰρ κολασθήσεται · τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ τὸ ἑξῆς μηνύει· « Εἰσελεύσεται γὰρ εἰς γενεὰν πατέρων αὑτοῦ. » εἰσελευσόμενος, οὐκ εἰς τὸ μὴ ὂν χωρεῖ, ὡς οἷονταί τινες · ἀλλ᾽ ἐν χώρῳ κατακλεισθήσεται, ἐν ᾧ δηλονότι ἕως αἰῶνος οὐκ ὄψεται φῶς· ἐν γὰρ τῷ σκότω τῷ ἀσβέστῳ μετὰ τῶν ἐγκωμιασάντων καθειρχθήσεται, δίκας ὧν ἔδρασεν ἀπαιτηθησόμενος.","t":"To Artemidorus the presbyter. [On \"He has stood by every way that is not good,\" and on \"His soul will be blessed in his life.\"] \"He has stood by every way that is not good,\" said of a sinful man, means he helped it, pleaded for it, argued its case. Just as an invincible orator, standing before the judges, sets his art in motion for those who need help, so that man did not decline to plead for vice with all his strength. And \"His soul will be blessed in his life,\" said again of a very wicked man, means this: he will be well spoken of, that is, praised, eulogized, called happy. For \"blessing,\" from \"speaking well,\" indicates acclaim. Since many, their judgment of things being corrupted, praise and call happy those who deserve to be pitied and mourned, because they abound in wealth and enjoy luxury, even if they do countless evils, for which they will pay the penalty a little later (not considering this, but looking at their present enjoyment), the Psalmist, satirizing their corrupted judgment, and the fact that they not only do not rebuke sinners, nor only flatter them, but even disparage virtue itself if need be to please them, said, \"His soul will be blessed in his life.\" And \"in his life\" is said because after death he will be punished; for what follows shows this as well: \"For he will go to the generation of his fathers.\" Going there, he does not pass into non-existence, as some think; but he will be shut up in a place where, clearly, he will not see light forever; for he will be imprisoned in the unquenchable darkness with those who praised him, paying the penalty for what he did.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.161 (PG 78 78:1245; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-161)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.162":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nΠῶς νοητέον τὸ, « Ἔδεσθε αὐτοῦ μετὰ σπουδῆς. Τὸ τεθεσπίσθαι· « Φάγεσθε τὸ Πάσχα μετὰ σπουδῆς· ἐνόμισάν τινες, ὡς ἔοικε, λελέχθαι, διὰ τὸ ὀξέως χρῆναι ἀπὸ τῆς Αἰγύπτου ἐκφοιτῆσαι. Νοείτωσαν μὲν οὖν καὶ οὕτως (ἀγροίκου γάρ ἐστι σοφία, φιλονεικεῖν περὶ τῶν μηδεμίαν βλάβην τοῖς ἀκροαταῖς οἰσόντων)· κινδυνεύει δὲ ἡ σπουδὴ πρᾶξις εἶναι πρὸ πράξεως Διὸ καὶ σπουδαῖοι καλοῦνται οἱ εὐδόκιμοι· καὶ τοῖς φαύλοις ἀντιδιαστέλλονται. Καὶ τοῦτο ἐγγυᾶται Ἰσοκράτης, ὁ ἄνω καὶ κάτω παρὰ σοῦ θαυμαζόμενος, γράφων πρὸς Δημόνικον· « Τὰς μὲν τῶν φαύλων συνηθείας ὀλίγος χρόνος διέλυσε· τὰς δὲ τῶν σπουδαίων, οὐδ᾽ ἂν ὁ πᾶς αἰὼν ἐξαλείψειε.» Σπουδαῖον οὖν χρὴ τυγχάνειν, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι φιλάρετον τὸν μέλλοντα ἐσθίειν τὸ θεῖον καὶ ἀληθινὸν Πάσχα. Ἴσασι δ' οἱ μύσται τὸ λεγόμενον, κατὰ τὴν τοῦ νομοθέτου πνευματικὴν διάταξίν.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. [How \"You shall eat it in haste\" is to be understood.] Some, it seems, have thought that the ordinance, \"You shall eat the Passover in haste,\" was given because they had to leave Egypt quickly. Let them understand it so (for it is the wisdom of a rustic to quarrel about things that will do no harm to the hearers); but the word for \"haste\" (σπουδή) is likely to mean earnest action, action before action. That is why the approved are called σπουδαῖοι, \"earnest,\" and are set in contrast to the base. Isocrates, whom you admire up and down, vouches for this when he writes to Demonicus: \"A short time dissolves the friendships of the base, but not all eternity would blot out those of the earnest.\" So the one who is going to eat the divine and true Passover must be earnest, that is, a lover of virtue. The initiated know what is meant, according to the lawgiver's spiritual ordinance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.162 (PG 78 78:1247; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-162)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.163":{"o":"ΕΥΛΟΓΙΩ.\nΚατὰ ᾿Ωριγένους. Τὸν περὶ τῆς τῶν ψυχῶν ἐκπτώσεως λόγον, ἀληθῆ μὲν, ὡς οἶμαι, οὐκ ὄντα, πιθανὸν δὲ δοκοῦντα, πολλὰ μὲν καὶ ἄλλα, δύο δὲ κατά γε τὸν ἡμέτερον λογισμὸν, ἀνατρέπειν δοκεῖ· ἓν μὲν, τὸ μὴ σαφῶς κεκηρύχθαι ἐν ταῖς Γραφαῖς· δεύτερον δὲ, ἡ ἄκρατος λήθη. Οὐ συνορῶσα γὰρ ποῖον ἔμελλε τίκτεσθαι, σκάνδαλον ἐκ τοῦ διαρρήδην κηρυχθῆναι· ῥᾷον γὰρ ἐπὶ τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἐπαλινδρόμει κατάστασιν · ἣν καταπεσοῦσα τοῦτο μαθοῦσα ψυχὴ, τίς ἡ ἄκρατος αὕτη καὶ βαθεῖα λήθη, ὡς μηδὲν αὐτὴν τῶν ἐκεῖσε μεμνῆσθαι, καίτοι μνημονεύουσα, ἀνέδραμεν ἂν τὴν ταχίστην, ὅθεν ἐξέπεσεν, καὶ εἰ μυρίους ἐχρῆν ὑποστῆναι πόνους. Καὶ γὰρ εἰ βασιλέως υἱὸς, ἀπὸ ῥαθυμίας τῆς βασιλικῆς μὲν δόξης ἐκπέσοι, μετὰ λῃστῶν δὲ καὶ ἀνδροφόνων συνδιατρίβειν ἕλοιτο, ἡ μνήμη τῆς πρώτης εὐημερίας δυνήσεται ἀπόνως τάχιστα ἐπαναγαγεῖν ἐπὶ τὴν πατρώαν ἀξίαν. Εἰ δὲ παντελῶς ἀποσβεσθείη ἀπὸ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτοῦ ἡ προτέρα μνήμη, οὔτε βαρεῖαν διαιτηθήσεται τὴν μετὰ τῶν λῃστῶν διαγωγήν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἥδιστα αὐτοῖς συνδιατρίβοι· οὔτε τι πράξοι τῶν ἐπαναγαγεῖν αὐτὸν δυναμένων ἐφ᾽ ἣν μηδ' οἶδε βασιλείαν· μὴ πράττων δὲ τὰ φέροντα αὐτὸν ἐκεῖσε, οὐκ ἂν ἐπανέλθοι ποτέ. Ὁ μὲν οὖν τῆς μνήμης λόγος, εἴγ᾿ ἀληθὴς ἦν ἡ ἔκπτωσις, πάντας ἀνθρώπους ἤλασεν ἐπὶ τὴν ἐπάνοδον· ἡ δὲ σαφὴς τῶν Γραφῶν διδασκαλία πλέον ἂν ἐβεβαίωσε. Πιστεύομεν δὲ ἄλλα τινὰ μείζονα ἡμῶν ὄντα τῆς ἀξίας ἀποκεκρύφθαι· ἀλλ᾽ αὕτη, ὡς γε οἶμαι, φαίνεται ὠφελιμωτάτη, τὸ μηδὲ ὁπότερον γεγενῆσθαι, πολλὰ δόγματα εἰς τὸν βίον εἰσεκώμασε τὸν ἡμέτερον. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ οἷονται σβέννυσθαι μετὰ τοῦ σώματος τὴν ψυχήν· οἱ δὲ ὅτι ἀπολαύσοντες μόνον τῶν ἐν τῷδε τῷ βίῳ καλῶν παρήχθησαν εἰς τὸν βίον· καὶ οἱ μὲν αὐτοματισμὸν ἐφαντάσθησαν· οἱ δὲ εἰμαρμένῃ καὶ γενέσει καὶ τύχῃ τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ἐπέτρεψαν· καὶ οἱ μὲν γεννητὸν εἶναι τὸν κόσμον ἀπεφήναντο οἱ δὲ τὸν μὲν οὐρανὸν προνοίας ἠξιῶσθαι· τὴν δὲ γῆν οὐχὶ· οἱ δ᾽ ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας τὸ σῶμα πεπλᾶσθαι, καὶ μὴ δύνασθαι ἀρετῆς ὄργανον εἶναι· καὶ ἄλλα μυρία· ἅπερ, ἵνα μὴ τὸ λογίδιον μηκύνωμεν, παραλείψω. Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα ἐσβέσθη ἣν ἡ μνήμη τῆς προτέρας καταστάσεως ἐνυπῆρχε τῇ ψυχῇ, εἴγε ἀληθὴς ἦν ὁ τῆς ἐκπτώσεως λόγος, καὶ εἰ ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς χρησμοῖς σαφέστατα ἐκηρύχθη αὐτῆς ἡ ἔκπτωσις, καλοῦσα ἐπὶ τὴν ἐπάνοδον. Διὰ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ πρώτου καὶ Ἕλληνες καὶ βάρβαροι· διὰ δὲ τοῦ δευτέρου, Ἰουδαῖοί τε καὶ Χριστιανοὶ, καὶ ὅσοι ταῖς ἱεραῖς Γραφαῖς πείθονται, ἔγνωσαν ὅπερ ἀναγκαῖον ἦν τὸ γνῶναι· καὶ τὸ δεσμωτήριον δὲ ὁρῶ, οὐ κωλυτικὸν, ἀλλ᾽ αὐξητικὸν ἁμαρτημάτων. Πῶς γὰρ τιμωρεῖται, ἡ μείζονα ἄνεσιν δεξαμένη εἰς τὸ πλημμελῆσαι: Τί δὲ ἄρα πεπλημμέληται τῇ ψυχῇ μεῖζον φόνου, ἢ μοιχείας, ἢ φαρμακείας Εἰ μὲν οὖν κατηργεῖτο ἡ ψυχὴ, ὡς καὶ ἄκουσα σωφρονισθῆναι, λόγον εἶχεν ὁ τοιοῦτος λόγος Ποίαν δὲ τιμωρίαν ὑπέχει ἡ ψυχή, τὸ σῶμα τρυφαῖς καὶ πορνείαις καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις παρὰ φύσιν παραδοῦσα ἡδοναῖς, ἡ μηδὲ τὸ δεσμωτήριον ἔτι καταλεῖψαι βουλομένη, ἡ εὐχομένη γῆρας βαθύ, ἡ πάντα ποιοῦσα ὅπως μηδὲν κωλύσῃ τὴν ἡδονὴν, ἡ καὶ κοιμώμενον διεγείρουσα πολλάκις, καὶ πορείαν δοῦσα, καὶ παρακαλοῦσα τὸ ἀκόλαστον; Οὐδεὶς βουλόμενος κολάσαι τὸν ἁμαρτήσαντα, ἀφορμὰς μείζους αὐτῷ ἀκολασίας δίδωσι. Διὰ τί λέγει ὁ Προφήτης· « Ἐκ κοιλίας μητρός μου, Θεός μου εἶ σὺ, › εἰ καὶ πρὸ τούτου ἦν; Πῶς δ᾽ ἀνάστασις σωμάτων καταγγέλλεται, καὶ οὐκ ἀποκατάστασις ψυχῶν εἰς τὸ ἀσώματον; Πῶς δὲ ὁ ᾿Αβραὰμ καὶ ἡ Ἄννα τὴν ἀπαιδίαν ὠλοφύροντο; Πῶς δὲ, εἰ ἐν εὐλογίας μέρει ἔσται τὸ, « Αὐξάνεσθε καὶ πληθύνεσθε, καὶ πληρώσατε τὴν γῆν; » ᾿Αγωνιούμενοι γὰρ παρήχθημεν, οὐ δίκας ὑπὲρ προτέρων πταισμάτων δώσοντες. Εἰ δ᾽ ἐν τῷ ἀγῶνι διὰ ῥαθυμίαν ἀναπέσωμεν ἄνεσιν δὲ ζητήσωμεν, τότε δὴ, τότε δικαίως ἀστεφάνωτοι γενώμεθα. Πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ οἱ κακίαν δογματίσαντες, ἀρετῆς ἀντέχεσθαι παρήνεσαν (ταύτην γὰρ ἐνόμισαν εἶναι ἀρίστην χειραγωγὸν πρὸς τὴν ἐπάνοδον), καὶ ἡ Ἐκκλησία, ἡ εἰς ἀγῶνα τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τετάχθαι ἰσχυριζομένη, εἰς ἀρετὴν παρακαλεῖ· διὰ γὰρ ταύτης τοὺς νενικηκότας, ἐν οὐρανῷ ἀνακηρυχθῆναι καὶ στεφθῆναι ἐπαγγέλλεται· ἀφέμενοι τοίνυν τοῦ ζυγομαχεῖν περὶ τῶν ἀμφισβητησίμων, εἰς τὸ ὁμολογούμενον ἑαυτοὺς συνελάσωμεν. Εἰ γὰρ κἀκεῖνοι καὶ ἡμεῖς παντὶ σθένει τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐκθειάζομεν ἀλλὰ ταύτην ἀτιμάσαντες τὴν ὑπὸ ἑκατέρων τῶν μερῶν θαυμαζομένην παρὰ τοῦ δοκοῦντος ἀδήλου πράγματος ἑαυτοὺς παρέχομεν. Εἴτε γὰρ ἐκπέπτωκεν, ὡς ἐκεῖνοἱ φασιν, ἀρετῆς χρεία πρὸς τὴν ἐπάνοδον· εἴτε ἀγωνιουμένη παρήχθη, ὡς ἡμεῖς φαμεν, δι᾽ ἀρετῆς οἱ στέφανοι πλέκονται.","t":"To Eulogius. [Against Origen.] The account of the fall of souls, which is not true, I think, though it seems plausible, is overturned by many other things, but in our reckoning by two above all: first, that it is not clearly proclaimed in the Scriptures; second, the total forgetfulness. For I do not see what scandal would have come of its being expressly proclaimed: the soul that had fallen, on learning this, would more easily have run back to its original state. And what is this total and deep forgetfulness, so that it remembers nothing of the things there? If it remembered, it would have run back very quickly to the place from which it fell, even if it had to undergo countless labours. For if a king's son, through negligence, fell from his royal glory and chose to live with robbers and murderers, the memory of his first prosperity could bring him back quickly and painlessly to his father's dignity. But if his former memory were completely extinguished from his soul, he would not find life with the robbers burdensome, but would live with them most pleasantly; nor would he do anything that could bring him back to a kingdom he does not even know of; and since he would not do what leads him there, he would never return. The argument from memory, then, if the fall were true, would have driven all people toward the return; and the clear teaching of the Scriptures would have confirmed it still more. We do believe that some other things have been hidden because they are greater than our worth; but this, I think, is plainly something it would have been most useful to know, since the fact that neither the memory nor the teaching was given has brought many doctrines into our life. Some think that the soul is extinguished with the body; others that they were brought into life only to enjoy the good things of this life; some imagined that all happens by chance, others entrusted their affairs to fate, the stars at birth, and fortune; some declared that the world came into being and will perish, others that heaven is thought worthy of providence but not the earth; others that the body was fashioned by evil and cannot be an instrument of virtue; and countless others, which I shall pass over so as not to lengthen this little discourse. All these would have been extinguished if the memory of its former state had remained in the soul, if the account of the fall were true, and if its fall had been most clearly proclaimed in the sacred oracles, calling it to return. For through the first, Greeks and barbarians, and through the second, Jews and Christians and all who obey the holy Scriptures, would have known what it was necessary to know. And I see that the prison does not prevent sins but increases them. For how is the soul being punished, when it has received greater licence to offend? And what greater offence has the soul committed than murder, or adultery, or sorcery? If the soul were held idle, so as to be corrected even against its will, such an argument would have reason. But what punishment does a soul undergo that has given the body over to luxury, to sexual immorality, and to the other pleasures against nature, that does not even want to leave the prison, that prays for a ripe old age, that does everything so that nothing hinders its pleasure, that often even rouses licentiousness when it is asleep, gives it passage, and summons it? No one who wishes to punish an offender gives him greater opportunities for licentiousness. Why does the Prophet say, \"From my mother's womb you are my God,\" if the soul existed before that? How is the resurrection of bodies proclaimed, and not a restoration of souls to the bodiless state? How did Abraham and Hannah lament their childlessness? And how can \"Increase and multiply, and fill the earth\" count as a blessing? For we were brought forth to compete, not to pay the penalty for earlier faults. If in the contest we fall back through negligence and seek relaxation, then, then indeed we would rightly go without a crown. However, since those who taught this doctrine urged people to hold fast to virtue (for they thought it the best guide for the return), and the Church, which insists that people have been set in a contest, calls them to virtue (for through it she promises that the victors will be proclaimed and crowned in heaven), let us stop wrangling about what is disputed and drive ourselves toward what is agreed. For both they and we extol virtue with all our strength; but we despise this, which both sides admire, and give ourselves over to what seems an unclear matter. For whether the soul has fallen, as they say, virtue is needed for the return; or whether it was brought forth to compete, as we say, the crowns are woven by virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.163 (PG 78 78:1247; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-163)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.164":{"o":"ΙΩΑΝΝΗ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « \"Ὅτι τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ. › Τὸ, « Τοῖς ἀγγέλοις αὐτοῦ ἐντελεῖται περὶ σοῦ· ἐπὶ χειρῶν ἀροῦσί σε, μή ποτε προσκόψῃς πρὸς λίθον τὸν πόδα σου, » καὶ περὶ ἀνδρὸς δικαίου εἰρημένον, καὶ κακῶς τῷ διαβόλῳ νενοημένον (ἢ γὰρ παραλογίσασθαι ἠβουλήθη νενοηκώς, ἢ κακῶς ἐνόησε), σαφέστατα καὶ συντομώτατα ἤλεγξεν ὁ Χριστὸς, φράσας· « Γέγραπται· Οὐκ ἐκπειράσεις Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου. Κινδυνεύοντι γὰρ, οὐκ ἐκπειράζοντι Θεὸς ἐπηγγείλατο τὴν βοήθειαν· ἐν χρείᾳ καθεστῶτι, οὐκ ἐπιδεικνυμένῳ καὶ κενὴν θηρωμένῳ δόξαν. Οὔπω γὰρ λέγω οὐ περὶ ἐμοῦ, οὗ καὶ ἄγγελοι χρήζουσιν· ἀλλὰ περὶ δικαίου ἀνδρὸς εἴρηται τῷ Μελῳδῷ.","t":"To John the deacon. [On \"For he will command his angels concerning you.\"] The saying, \"He will command his angels concerning you; on their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone,\" was spoken of a righteous man and was wrongly understood by the devil (for either he wished to deceive though he had understood it, or he understood it badly). Christ refuted him most clearly and briefly, saying, \"It is written, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'\" For God promised help to one who is in danger, not to one who tempts him; to one in need, not to one who shows off and hunts for empty glory. \"I am not yet saying that it was not said of me, whom even the angels need; but the Psalmist said it of a righteous man.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.164 (PG 78 78:1253; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-164)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.165":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Οὐ πάντες χωροῦσι τὸν λόγον τοῦτον. › Τὸ περὶ παρθενίας ῥηθέν· · Οὐ πάντες χωροῦσι τὸν λόγον τοῦτον, ἀλλ᾽ οἷς δέδοται· · εἴρηται, οὐχ ὅτι κατὰ ἀποκλήρωσίν τινά τισιν ἐδόθη (οὐ γὰρ ἂν αὐτοῖς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν ἔπαθλον προὐτίθει), ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα δείξῃ, πρῶτον μὲν τῆς θείας ῥοπῆς χρήζοντας τοὺς πρὸς τοῦτον ἀγωνισαμένους τὸν ἀγῶνα τὸν ὑπερφυῆ· ἔπειθ' ὅτι οὐρανόθεν αὕτη κάτεισιν ἡ συμβουλή, οὐ νόμῳ θεσπίζουσα, ἀλλὰ παραινέσει χρωμένη. Τρίτον, ὅτι δέδοται τοῖς κρείττοσιν ἀκρασίας, τοῖς τὴν ἄνωθεν καλοῦσι συμμαχίαν, καὶ νηστείαις καὶ ἀγρυπνίαις φυλάττουσι τὸ κειμήλιον, καὶ μὴ ἑαυτοὺς τῷ θηρίῳ διὰ ῥαθυμίας καὶ τρυφῆς προϊεμένους. Εἱ μὲν γὰρ κατὰ ἀποκλήρωσιν ἐδόθη, περιττὸν τὸ γέρας. Οὐ κατὰ χάριν ἐδόθη, ἀλλὰ δέδοται τοῖς λαβεῖν ἐθέλουσι Τοῖς γὰρ μὴ βουλομένοις οὐδεὶς ὁ δώσων Εἰς τὸ, « Ἐν αὐτῷ κατοικεῖ πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς θεότητος σωματικῶς. » Τὸ, « Ἐν αὐτῷ κατοικεῖ πᾶν τὸ πλήρωμα τῆς θεότητος σωματικῶς, » αὐτὸς μὲν ἔφης μὴ νοεῖν· ἐγὼ δ' οἶμαι εἰρῆσθαι ἀντὶ τοῦ, οὐσιωδῶς. Οὐ γὰρ ἐνέργεια θεότητος, ἣν ἐνουσία τίκτει, τὸν ναὸν ἐκεῖνον ἐκυβέρνα τὸν ἄχραντον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐσία μυρίας ἐνεργείας ἔχουσα· οὐ μερικὸν ἔχουσα χάρισμα, ἀλλ᾿ ἡ πηγὴ τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Αὐτὸς, φησὶν, ὁ τῷ Πατρὶ συμβασιλεύων καὶ τὰς τῶν ὑπερκοσμίων ἡνίας κατέχων, καὶ τὰ ἐπίγεια οἰακίζων, ἐνηνθρώπησε, καὶ στρατηγικοῖς ὅπλοις ἐπὶ τῆς παρατάξεως ἔστη, ἵνα κἀκεῖνα κοσμήσῃ, καὶ νίκην τῷ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένει κατορθώσῃ, καὶ τοὺς ἀλιτηρίους τροπώσηται δαίμονας, καὶ τὸν στρατηγὸν αὐτῶν μέγα φυσῶντα καταλύσῃ, καὶ μυρίων χαρισμάτων τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ἐμπλήσῃ. Ὁ βασιλεὺς, φησὶν, ἐστρατήγησεν, οὐχ ὁ στρατηγός βασιλικῷ ἀξιώματι ἐκεκόσμητο· ὁ βασιλεὺς τῇ τοῦ δούλου μορφῇ ἔκρυψεν ἑαυτοῦ τὴν ἀξίαν ἐν τῇ παρατάξει, οὐ στρατιώτης βασιλέως ἀξίωμα ἑαυτῷ ἐπεφήμιζε. Βασιλεὺς ἦν νομοθετῶν, οὐ στρατιώτης νομοθετεῖν ἐπιχειρῶν· τὸ γὰρ, « Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, » βασιλέως. Τὸ γὰρ, « Θέλω, καθαρίσθητι, » αὐτοκράτορος· τὸ, « Γενηθήτω σοι ὡς θέλεις,» αὐτοτελῆ τὴν ἐξουσίαν ἔχοντος· τὸ, « Σιώπα, πεφίμωσο, » δεσπότου· καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα, ἵνα μὴ πάντα καταλέγων μηκύνω τὸν λόγον Εἱ δὲ τὸ πάθος σε ταράττει, τὸ κατὰ Θεοῦ μὲν τολμηθὲν, σαρκὸς δὲ ἀψάμενον ἄκουε τοῦ κορυφαίου τῶν ἀποστόλων λέγοντος · « Χριστοῦ οὖν παθόντος σαρκί. » Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ τὰς κλεῖς τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐγκεχειρισμένος τὴν σάρκα κυρίως ἀπεφήνατο πεπονθέναι, τὴν παθῶν δεκτικὴν (ἀπαθὲς γὰρ τὸ Θεῖον)· εἰ καὶ, ὡς τὸν κληρονόμον ἀποκτείναντες Ἰουδαῖοι πεπόνθασι τραγῳδίας ἁπάσης μείζονα μὴ ταραττέτω σε τὸ πάθος · ἀλλ᾽ εἰς εὐχαριστίας μέγεθος χειραγωγείτω· ὅτι ὁ βασιλεὺς ὁ ἀπαθὴς, ὁ σκιὰν τροπῆς μὴ ἐπιδεχόμενος τὴν οἰκείαν ἐκδέδωκε σάρκα καὶ πολλὰ ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἀσθενὴς φθεγξάμενος, ἵνα στρατηγήματι ἕλῃ τὸν πανοῦργον, τρόπαιά τε στήσας λαμπρὰ, ἀνέβη εἰς τοὺς οὐρανοὺς, τὴν ἀπαρχὴν τῆς ἡμετέρας φύσεως ἡμφιεσμένος. Εἰ δὲ ἄνθρωπος ἦν, ὣς φασι, ψιλός, θεία χάριτι κοσμηθεὶς, δι' ἣν αἰτίαν πολλοὺς ἀνελόντες ἄνδρας ἁγίους Ἰουδαῖοι, οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον πεπόνθασιν· ἐπὶ δὲ τούτῳ πᾶσα νενίκηται τραγωδία παραβαλλομένη τοῖς τούτων πάθεσιν; ἀλλὰ δῆλον ὅτι μὲν ἦσαν ἅγιοι, ὁ δὲ μονογενὴς Υἱὸς ἐνανθρωπῆσαι καταξιώσας. Τὸ γὰρ μὴ ἀπὸ τῆς αὐτῆς ἀξίας ἤκειν ἐπὶ τὰ πάθη, ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὲν εἶναι δούλους, τὸν δὲ Δεσπότην, ἀσύγγνωστον ἔτεκεν Ἰουδαίοις τὴν δίκην. « Οὗτος γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐστὶνὁ κληρονόμος οἱ ἀμπελουργοὶ τὸν κληρονόμον ἀποκτεῖναι ὥρμησαν, οὐ τὸν σύνδουλον, τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ οἰκοδεσπότου τὸν γνήσιον, οὐχ ἕνα ἐξ αὐτῶν εἰς υἱοθεσίας ἀξίωμα ἀνακομισθέντα. Πῶς γὰρ μετὰ τοὺς δούλους Υίὸς ἀπεστάλη, ἂν καὶ ἐντραπῆναι ἐχρῆν; Πῶς δὲ δεύτερος ἄνθρωπος ἐξ οὐρανοῦ εἴρηται; πῶς δὲ Θεὸς ἐπεδήμησεν, ἢ ἀνθρώπῳ συνέπραξεν; πῶς δὲ ἐταπείνωσεν ἑαυτὸν, ἴσα Θεῷ ὑπάρχων; πῶς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς τὸν Υἱὸν ἔπεμψεν, ὁμοιώματι σαρκός ἁμαρτίας; Ἢ πῶς οὐκ ἐξευτελίζεται τὰ ἄχραντα μυστήρια, σῶμα καὶ αἷμα ἀνθρώπου δοκοῦντα εἶναι; πῶς δὲ ἔφη · - Σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι; » Πῶς δὲ ἀναγκαῖον, ἔχειν τι καὶ τοῦτον, ὃ προσενέγκῃ; πῶς δὲ διὰ τοῦ ἰδίου αἴματος τοὺς αἰχμαλώτους ἑλυτρώσατο; ἢ πῶς τὸν Κύριον τῆς δόξης ἐσταύρωσαν; πῶς δὲ ὁ Λόγος σάρξ ἐγένετο; πῶς δὲ πολυμερῶς καὶ πολυτρόπως ὁ Πατήρ λαλήσας ἐν τοῖς προφήταις, ὕστερον ἐλάλησεν ἐν Υἱῷ; ἢ πῶς παραπλησίως Υἱὸς μετέσχε τῶν αὐτῶν; ᾿Αλλ' ἵνα μὴ πάντα καταλέγοντες ὄχλον πολὺν τῇ σῇ ἀκοῇ παρασκευάσωμεν, ἅπαντα τοίνυν λέξω· τὸ Θεὸν ὄντα ταπεινὰ φθέγξασθαι, καὶ οἰκονομικόν ἐστι καὶ χρειώδες, καὶ οὐδὲν τὴν ἄχραντον ἀξίαν καταβλάπτον· τὸ δ᾽ ἄνθρωπον ὄντα θεῖά τινα καὶ ὑπερφυῆ φράζειν, τῆς ἀνωτάτω τυγχάνει τόλμης. Βασιλεῖ μὲν γὰρ ἔξεστι μετριολογεῖν καὶ μετριοφρονεῖν· στρατιώτῃ δὲ ἢ στρατηγῷ βασιλικὰς ἀφιέναι φωνάς, οὐ θέμις. Εἰ μὲν οὖν Θεὸς ἦν, ὥσπερ καὶ ἦν, ἐνανθρωπήσας, καὶ τὰ ταπεινὰ χώραν ἔχει· εἰ δ' ἄνθρωπος ἦν, τὰ ὑψηλὰ χώραν οὐκ ἔχει.","t":"To Hierax the presbyter. [On \"Not all receive this saying.\"] The saying about virginity, \"Not all receive this saying, but those to whom it is given,\" was said, not because it was given to some by a kind of allotment (otherwise he would not have set the kingdom of heaven before them as a prize), but to show, first, that those who strive in this extraordinary contest need the weight of divine help; then, that this counsel comes down from heaven, not decreeing by law but using exhortation; third, that it is given to those who are stronger than incontinence, who call on the alliance from above, guard their treasure with fasts and vigils, and do not give themselves up to the beast through negligence and luxury. If it were given by allotment, the prize would be superfluous. It was not given as a mere favour, but is given to those who wish to receive it; for no one will give it to the unwilling. [Letter 4.166] [On \"In him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.\"] You said that you do not understand, \"In him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily\"; but I think it is said instead of \"essentially.\" For it was not an operation of the Godhead, such as indwelling produces, that governed that undefiled temple, but the essence itself, which has countless operations; not something with a partial gift, but the fount of good things. He himself, he says, who reigns with the Father, holds the reins of the beings above the world, and steers the things on earth, became man and stood in the battle line with a general's arms, so as to adorn those beings, win victory for the human race, rout the accursed demons, destroy their arrogant general, and fill the Church with countless gifts. It was the king, he says, who served as general, not the general who was adorned with royal rank; the king hid his dignity in the form of a servant in the battle line, not a soldier who ascribed royal rank to himself. He was a king making laws, not a soldier trying to make laws; for \"But I say to you\" belongs to a king; \"I will; be clean\" to an emperor; \"Be it done for you as you will\" to one whose authority is absolute; \"Be silent, be still\" to a master; and so on, that I may not lengthen my discourse by listing everything. And if the passion troubles you, which was dared against God but touched the flesh, hear the chief of the apostles saying, \"Since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh.\" If, then, the one entrusted with the keys of heaven declared that it was properly the flesh that suffered, which can receive suffering (for the divine is impassible), then, even though the Jews, as killers of the heir, suffered things greater than any tragedy, let the passion not trouble you, but lead you on to great thanksgiving: that the impassible king, who admits no shadow of turning, gave up his own flesh, and, having uttered many things as a weak man in order to capture the villain by a stratagem, and having set up splendid trophies, went up to heaven clothed with the firstfruits of our nature. If he was a mere man, as they say, adorned with divine grace, why did the Jews, who killed many holy men, suffer nothing like this, while for this one every tragedy is surpassed when compared with their sufferings? Clearly, those men were saints, but he was the only-begotten Son, who deigned to become man. That they did not come to their sufferings from the same rank, but the others were slaves and he the Master, brought upon the Jews a penalty beyond pardon. \"For this,\" it says, \"is the heir\": the vinedressers set out to kill the heir, not a fellow slave; the true son of the householder, not one of themselves raised to the rank of adoption. For how was a Son sent after the slaves, one whom they ought to have respected? How is he called the second man from heaven? How did God come to dwell among us, or did he merely work with a man? How did he humble himself, being equal with God? How did God send his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh? Or how are the undefiled mysteries not made cheap, if they are thought to be the body and blood of a man? How did he say, \"But a body you have prepared for me\"? How was it necessary for this one too to have something to offer? How did he redeem the captives by his own blood? Or how did they crucify the Lord of glory? How did the Word become flesh? How did the Father, who spoke in many parts and in many ways in the prophets, speak at last in a Son? Or how did the Son likewise share in the same things? But so as not to bring a great crowd into your hearing by listing everything, I shall sum it all up: for one who is God to say lowly things is part of his saving plan and is useful, and in no way harms his undefiled dignity; but for one who is a man to say divine and supernatural things is the height of daring. A king may speak and think modestly; but for a soldier or a general to utter royal words is not lawful. If, then, he was God made man, as indeed he was, the lowly sayings too have their place; but if he was a man, the lofty sayings have no place.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.165 (PG 78 78:1253; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-165)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.167":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς σοφίας Δανιὴλ καὶ τῶν παίδων. Τοὺς Βαβυλωνίους τότε ὠφρυωμένους ἐπὶ τοῖς πολεμικοῖς πλεονεκτήμασι, καὶ ἐπηρμένους ἐπὶ τοῖς τροπαίοις, καὶ ἐναβρυνομένους ἐπὶ προῤῥήσει, κατέπληξε τὸ Θεῖον, παῖδας αἰχμαλώτους οὐ σοφωτέρους αὐτῶν κατὰ σύγκρισιν (ἐπὶ τῶν ὁμογενῶν γὰρ ἡ σύγκρισις), ἀλλὰ σοφωτάτους ἀποφῆναν. РЕН. – ΙΩΑΝΝΗ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Εἰς τὸ, · Ἀθετήσας τις νόμον Μωσέως, χωρίς οἰκτιρμῶν ἐπὶ δυσὶν ἢ τρισὶ μάρτυσιν ἀποθνήσκει. ν Τοῦ νόμου τοὺς συγγνώμης ἁμαρτάνοντας μείζονα ἀπαραιτήτως κολάζοντος, ἡ χάρις ἐπιφοιτήσασα, καὶ τὸν θνητὸν καὶ ἐμπαθῆ θανατώσατα διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος βίον, διὰ παλιγγενεσίας αὖθις ὥσπερ ἐκ μηχανῆς εἰς ἄλλον ἀνεγέννησε βίον, καὶ προσέταξεν, διὰ πολιτείας ἀρίστης τὰ τοῦ σώματος μαρᾶναι, μᾶλλον δὲ νεκρῶσαι πάθη· τοῖς δὲ πταίσασι, καὶ μὴ μετανοήσασι, μᾶλλον ἢ ὁ νόμος πικροτέρως ἐκόλασε, καὶ ἠπείλησε τὰς τιμωρίας. Οἱ γὰρ τοσαύτης ἀξιωθέντες δωρεᾶς, καὶ εἰς τιμὴν βασιλικὴν ἀνακομισθέντες, καὶ θείων γενόμενοι μυστηρίων τε καὶ χαρισμάτων κοινωνοί, εἶτα ῥαθυμήσαντες, μείζονος ἂν εἶεν τιμωρίας ἄξιοι. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυᾶται ὁ Παῦλος φράζων τοῦθ᾽ ὅπερ μαθεῖν ἠθέλησας· « ᾿Αθετήσας τις νόμον Μωσέως, χωρὶς οἰκτιρμῶν, ἀντὶ τοῦ χωρὶς ἐλέους καὶ παραιτήσεως καὶ συγγνώμης, ἐπὶ δυσὶν ἢ τρισὶ μάρτυσιν ἀποθνήσκει τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι λιθοβολεῖται · πόσῳ δοκεῖτε χείρονος ἀξιωθήσεται τιμωρίας, ὁ τὸν ἐλευθερώσαντα, φησὶ, καὶ τιμήσαντα, δι᾽ ὧν πράττει, καθυβρίζων;","t":"To Nilus. [On the wisdom of Daniel and the young men.] The Babylonians were then proud of their military advantages, elated at their trophies, and priding themselves on their predictions; and God astounded them by showing that captive boys were not wiser than they by comparison (for comparison is made between things of the same kind), but supremely wise. [Letter 4.168] To John the deacon. [On \"Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.\"] While the law punished inexorably those who committed sins too great for pardon, grace came, put to death through baptism the mortal life of the passions, gave birth again through regeneration, as if by a stage machine, to another life, and commanded that the passions of the body be withered, or rather put to death, by an excellent way of life; but those who stumble and do not repent it punishes, and threatens with punishments, more bitterly than the law did. For those who have been granted so great a gift, raised to royal honour, and made sharers in divine mysteries and gifts, and who then grow negligent, would deserve a greater punishment. Paul vouches for this, saying what you wished to learn: \"Anyone who has set aside the law of Moses dies without mercies\" (that is, without pity, entreaty, or pardon) \"on the testimony of two or three witnesses\" (that is, is stoned): \"how much worse punishment, do you think, will he deserve\" who outrages, by what he does, the one who freed and honoured him?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.167 (PG 78 78:1259; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-167)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.169":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, - Μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί. Τοὺς εἰρηνοποιοὺς ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐμακάρισε, καὶ υἱοὺς ἐπηγγείλατο Θεοῦ γενέσθαι τοὺς πρῶτον μὲν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς εἰρηνεύοντας, καὶ μὴ διαστασιάζοντας, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἐμφύλιον πόλεμον καταλύοντας, τῷ τὸ σῶμα τῷ πνεύματι ὑποτάττειν, καὶ πείθειν τὸ ἔλαττον τῷ κρείττονι δουλεύειν, δουλείαν πάσης έλευθερίας καὶ βασιλείας ἀμείνω· ἔπειτα καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς τε πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς τοῖς τε πρὸς ἀλλήλους στασιάζουσιν εἰρήνην βραβεύοντας. Οὐκ ἂν δὲ τις ἄλλῳ πρυτανεῦσαι δίκαιος ἂν εἴη, ὃ μὴ αὐτὸς ἔχει. Ὅθεν καὶ ἄγαμαι τῆς θείας φιλανθρωπίας τὴν ἀνυπέρβλητον φιλοτιμίαν, ὅτι τὰς ἀγαθὰς ἀντιδόσεις, οὐ μόνον πόνοις καὶ ἱδρῶσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐπαθείαις τρόπον τινὰ ὀρέγειν ὑπισχνεῖται, εἴ γε ἡ κορυφὴ τῶν εὐφραινόντων ἡ εἰρήνη ἐστὶν, ἧς ἀπούσης, οὐδὲν τῶν εἰς θυμηδίαν ἡκόντων ἰσχύσει, πολέμου τὴν εἰρήνην κατασβεννύντος · εὖ δὲ καὶ φάναι, υἱοὺς Θεοῦ κληθήσεσθαι τοὺς εἰρηνοποιούς· καὶ τὸ ἔπαθλον ἐκεῖνο τούτῳ τῷ ἄθλῳ ἀπονενεμηκέναι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αὐτὸς, γνήσιος ὢν Υἱὸς, εἰρηνοποίησε τὰ πάντα, τὸ μὲν σῶμα ὁρμητήριον τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀποφήνας, τοὺς δὲ δύο τόν τε ἐξ Ἰουδαίων καὶ τὸν ἐξ ἐθνῶν πεπιστευκότας κτίσας εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον· τά τε οὐράνια τοῖς ἐπιγείοις συνάψας, εἰκότως τοὺς τὰ αὐτὰ ὡς ἐνδέχεται ποιοῦντας, τῆς αὐτῆς ἀξιωθήσεσθαι προσηγορίας ἔφη, καὶ εἰς τὴν τῆς υἱοθεσίας εἰσποιηθήσεσθαι ἀξίαν, ἥτις ἐστὶν ὁ ἀκρότατος τῆς μακαριότητος ὅρος. Ποίων ἁμαρτημάτων ἄφεσιν ἐδίδου ὁ νόμος διὰ θυσιῶν. Τῶν μὲν δοκούντων εἶναι ἁμαρτημάτων, ὁ νόμος ἄφεσιν, ἢ διὰ θυσιῶν, ἢ δι᾽ ἐλεημοσύνης, ἢ διὰ καθαρσίων, παρείχε· τῶν δὲ ὄντων οὐχί. Τὰ γὰρ συγγνώμης μείζονα, κατεδίκαζε θανάτῳ. Καταλύεσθαι γὰρ παντὶ τρόπῳ τοὺς ταῦτα δρῶντας προσέταττεν, οὐχ ἵνα τὰ αὐτὰ δρῶμεν · λαθών δὲ λίθον ἀκοντίσαι κατὰ τοῦ ἁλόντος· ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα οἱ τῶν ἀσυγγνώστων πταισμάτων καθαρεύοντες, τὴν τιμωρίαν κατὰ τῶν πταιόντων ἀποφέροιεν. Ατοπώτατον γάρ ἐστι καὶ λίαν δεινότατον, τοὺς μείζονα πολλοὺς πταίοντας μὲν, λανθάνοντας δὲ, παρορᾷν· καταλιθοῦν δὲ τὸν ἐπὶ ἐλάττονι μὲν πταίσαντα, φωραθέντα δέ.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. [On \"Blessed are the peacemakers.\"] The Saviour blessed the peacemakers and promised that they would become sons of God: those, first, who are at peace within themselves and are not divided by faction, but end the civil war by subjecting the body to the spirit and persuading the lesser to serve the greater, a slavery better than any freedom or kingship; and then those who arbitrate peace for others, both for those at faction within themselves and for those at faction with one another. For no one could rightly preside over for another what he does not have himself. That is why I admire the unsurpassable generosity of God's love for humankind, because he promises to hold out good rewards not only for labours and sweat, but in a way for enjoyment too, since peace is the summit of all that gladdens, and without it nothing that leads to delight will avail, when war extinguishes peace. And well did he say that the peacemakers will be called sons of God, and assign that prize to this contest. For since he himself, being the true Son, made peace for all things, making the body a base of operations for virtue, creating the two, those who believed from among the Jews and from among the Gentiles, into one new man, and joining heavenly things to earthly, he rightly said that those who do the same, as far as possible, will be thought worthy of the same name and adopted into the dignity of sonship, which is the highest bound of blessedness. [Letter 4.170] [For what sins the law gave forgiveness through sacrifices.] For what seemed to be sins the law gave forgiveness, either through sacrifices, or through almsgiving, or through purifications; but not for real sins. Those too great for pardon it condemned to death. It ordered that those who did such things be destroyed in every way, not so that we might do the same things and, while hiding our own guilt, hurl a stone at the one who was caught, but so that those who are pure of unpardonable faults might carry out the punishment on those who stumble. For it is most absurd and very terrible to overlook the many who commit greater faults but escape notice, and to stone the one who committed a lesser fault but was detected.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.169 (PG 78 78:1261; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-169)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.171":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΟὐ μόνον τοῖς οὐκ ἐφ' ἡμῖν, ὦ σοφὲ, ὡς ἡγῇ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν αὐτοῖς ἐφ᾽ ἡμῖν, εἰ μὴ πολλὴ ἡμῖν ῥοπὴ παρὰ τῆς θείας προνοίας ἐπιφοιτήσει, οὐκ ἂν δυνηθείημεν αὐτὰ εἰς τέλος ἄρτιον ἀγαγεῖν. Ἐπιφοιτήσει δὲ πάντως, τοῖς πάντα τὰ παρ᾿ ἑαυτῶν ἄνευ σκήψεως εἰσφέρουσι, καὶ μηδὲν παραλιμπάνουσι τῶν εἰς τοῦτο φερόντων. Ἡ γὰρ τοὺς μὴ βουλομένους προτρέπουσα, τοὺς βουλομένους, καὶ πάντα ποιοῦντας, καὶ πραγματευομένους, πάντως εἰς αὐτὴν τῶν κατορθωμάτων ἀνοίσει τὴν κορυφήν. Οὐ μικρὰ ἐκ τῶν μεγίστων κατορθωμάτων διηγήσεως ὠφέλεια. Τὰς μὲν γὰρ κοιμωμένας ψυχάς διεγείρει πρὸς ἀρετήν· τὰς δὲ νωθρὰς ὀξυτέρας παρασκευάζει· τὰς δὲ κακίαν ἀσπαζομένας ἐρυθριᾶν διδάσκει, καὶ εἰς μετάνοιαν ὁδηγεῖ. Καὶ τοῦτο ὁ σοφὸς δεικνὺς Παροιμιαστὴς ἔφη· « Κηρία μέλιτος λόγοι καλοί. • Καλοὺς λέγει, τοὺς περὶ εὐσεβείας καὶ ἀρετῆς κινουμένους, οὐ τοὺς ἐπικτήτῳ· κομμωτικῇ σεμνυνομένους, ἀλλὰ τοὺς οἴκοθεν ἐπαγομένους τῆς ἀληθείας τὸ κάλλος· οὐ τοὺς ἐφ᾿ ἄρματος ποιητικοῦ ἢ ῥητορικοῦ ὀχουμένους, ἀλλὰ τοὺς τὴν ἔμφυτον καὶ θεοδώρητον πεζὴν πορείαν ποιουμένους· καὶ τί τὸ ἐντεῦθεν ὄφελος; Δίδαξον, ὦ σοφέ. • Γλύκασμα δὲ αὐτῶν ἴασις ψυχῆς. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν οὐ μικρὰν ὠδίνει τὴν ὠφέλειαν τὰ τῶν παλαιῶν ἀνδραγαθήματα, συνεχῶς τὰς τούτων ἀριστείας ἐν συλλόγοις καὶ διαλόγοις ἐν μέσῳ φέρωμεν. Πολλά γάρ ψυχικὰ νοσήματα, καὶ λανθάνοντα, καὶ δῆλα, θεραπείας προσφόρου τεύξεται.","t":"To Heron the scholasticus. Not only in things that are not in our power, wise friend, as you think, but even in those that are in our power, unless much weight of help comes to us from divine providence, we could not bring them to a perfect end. But it will surely come to those who contribute all their own part without excuse and leave out nothing that leads to it. For the providence that urges on the unwilling will surely bring the willing, who do everything and labour, to the very summit of achievement. [Letter 4.172] [That no small benefit comes from telling of the greatest achievements.] For it rouses sleeping souls to virtue, makes sluggish souls sharper, teaches those who embrace vice to blush, and leads them to repentance. The wise author of Proverbs showed this when he said, \"Good words are honeycombs.\" He calls good those words that are concerned with piety and virtue, not those that pride themselves on borrowed cosmetics but those that bring the beauty of truth from within; not those that ride on the chariot of poetry or rhetoric, but those that make the natural and God-given journey on foot. And what is the benefit of them? Teach us, wise one. \"Their sweetness is healing for the soul.\" Since, then, the brave deeds of the ancients bring forth no small benefit, let us constantly bring their exploits into the open in our gatherings and conversations. For many diseases of the soul, both hidden and plain, will find suitable treatment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.171 (PG 78 78:1263; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-171)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.173":{"o":"ΗΛΙΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Οἰκονομήσει τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ ἐν κρίσει.» Οὐ χρὴ, ὦ σοφώτατε, τοὺς πρὸς χάριν ἐπαινοῦντας, καὶ πρὸς ἀπέχθειαν ψέγοντας, εἰς ἀνθρώπους ἀριθμεῖν· ἀλλ᾽ ἐκείνους τοὺς κρίσει καὶ φιλοῦντας καὶ ἐλέγχοντας. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Μελῳδὸς τὸν δίκαιον ἀνακηρύττων, μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων πλεονεκτημάτων καὶ τοῦτο προσέθηκεν· « Οἰκονομήσει τοὺς λόγους αὐτοῦ ἐν κρίσει. » Κρίσεως γὰρ ὑγιοῦς ἴσον οὐδέν. Οἱ γὰρ ταύτης ἅμοιροι, καὶ ταῖς οἰκείαις ἐπιθυμίαις ἑπόμενοι, καὶ τοὺς μὴ ἐλέγχεσθαι ὀφείλοντας, κολακεύοντες, τοὺς δὲ ἐγκωμιάζεσθαι δικαίους κακίζοντες· οὗτοι ἀνδραποδωδέστατοί εἰσι, μᾶλλον δὲ εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀλόγων δικαίως ἂν καταχθεῖεν φύσει ψῆτον","t":"To Elias the deacon. [On \"He will order his words with judgment.\"] One must not count as men, most wise friend, those who praise to please and blame out of hatred, but those who both love and rebuke with judgment. That is why the Psalmist, proclaiming the righteous man, added this to his other advantages: \"He will order his words with judgment.\" For nothing equals sound judgment. Those who lack it, following their own desires, flattering those who ought to be rebuked and reviling those who deserve praise, are the most servile of men, or rather would rightly be reduced to the nature of irrational beasts.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.173 (PG 78 78:1263; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-173)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.174":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον· · Ἰδοὺ ἡ θεοσέβειά ἐστι σοφία.» Οἱ μοι δοκεῖ ὁ ἀοίδιμος Ἰὼβ, ὁριζόμενος τὴν σοφίαν καὶ τὴν ἐπιστήμην, εἰρηκέναι · • Ἰδοὺ ἡ θεοσέβειά ἐστι σοφία. » Τὸ δὲ ἀπέχεσθαι κακῶν, ἐστὶν ἐπιστήμη· τῷ ὄντι γὰρ ἡ ἀκροτάτη σοφία ἐστὶν ἡ ὀρθὴ περὶ Θεοῦ διάληψις· καὶ ἡ θειοτάτη ἐπιστήμη, ἀρίστη πρᾶξις· ἡ μὲν τὸ Θεῖον ὀρθῶς δοξάζουσα, ἡ δὲ κακῶν ἀπεχομένη· ἡ μὲν διὰ πραγμάτων θεολογοῦσα, ἡ δὲ διὰ πράξεων εὐδοκιμοῦσα. Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ θεοφιλὴς καὶ φιλόθεός ἐστι καὶ ἐπιστήμων, καὶ τὴν θεωρητικὴν ἔχει ἀρετὴν, καὶ τὴν πρακτικὴν, τὴν μὲν ὡς ψυχὴν, τὴν δὲ ὡς σῶμα· τί περιττὰ δοκοῦμεν φιλοσοφεῖν, πολιτείας μὲν ἀρίστης ὀλιγωροῦντες, εὐγλωττίας δὲ μόνης ἐπιμελόμενοι. Εἰς τὸ, « Τῷ τύπτοντί σε εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα. Οὐκ ἂν, ὦ σοφὲ, εἰ τὸ τυπτηθῆναι καὶ ἀδικηθῆναι ἧττα ἦν, καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς καὶ ὁ Παῦλος τἀναντία ἔφησαν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Δεσπότης τῷ τύπτοντι εἰς τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην παρέχειν ἐθέσπισεν· ὁ δὲ ᾿Απόστολος· « Διὰ τί οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ἀδικεῖσθε ; ι παρήνεσε. Καινὸς γὰρ οὗτος τῶν παλαισμάτων ὁ νόμος, ἐπειδὴ καὶ καινότερος τῶν ἐπάθλων ὁ τρόπος· οὐ γὰρ κότινος, καὶ σίτησις ἐν πρυτανείῳ, οὐδὲ χαλκαῖ εἰκόνες χρυσῷ ἀπαστράπτουσαι· τὰ οἰκτρὰ ταῦτα καὶ εὐτελῆ ἔπαθλά εἰσιν· ἀλλὰ καὶ βασιλεία οὐρανῶν, καὶ ζωὴ τέλος μὴ ἐπισταμένη. Μὴ τοίνυν, εἰ ὑποχωρήσεις καὶ φιλοσοφήσεις, νόμιζε ἡττᾶσθαι ἀλλὰ δίωκε τὴν νίκην ἐν τῇ δοκούσῃ ἥττῃ κειμένην. Εἰ δὲ θαυμάζεις τὸ εἰρημένον, παραδείγματι, ὃ λέγω, ποιήσω σαφές. Λέγεταί τις βασιλεὺς μέλλων ναυμαχεῖν πρὸς τοὺς ἐναντίους, καὶ ἰδὼν πολλῷ πλέονας τὰς τῶν πολεμίων ναῦς, καὶ ὑποχωρήσας τοῖς πολεμίοις ἐπερχομένοις, εἰρηκέναι · Οὐ φεύγω · ἀλλὰ καὶ διώκω τὸ συμφέρον ὀπίσω κείμενον. Εἰ τοίνυν κἀνταῦθα ἐν τῇ δοκούσῃ ἥττῃ καὶ ὑποχωρήσει τὸ συμφέρον καὶ ἡ νίκη κεῖται, μὴ ὁμόσε τοῖς τύπτουσιν ἢ ἀδικοῦσι χωρῶμεν, ἀλλὰ παραχωρῶμεν αὐτοῖς. Οὗτος γὰρ καὶ τῶν οὐρανίων ἄθλων ὁ νόμος.","t":"To Maron the bishop. [On the saying, \"Behold, the fear of God is wisdom.\"] So, it seems to me, the celebrated Job, defining wisdom and knowledge, said, \"Behold, the fear of God is wisdom, and to keep from evil is knowledge.\" For truly the highest wisdom is a right understanding of God, and the most divine knowledge is excellent conduct: the one thinks rightly of God, the other keeps from evil; the one speaks of God through realities, the other wins approval through actions. If, then, the one dear to God is both a lover of God and a man of knowledge, and has both the contemplative virtue and the practical, the one as soul and the other as body, why do we think we are philosophizing about things that are superfluous, neglecting the best way of life and caring only for eloquence? [Another letter.] [On \"To him who strikes you on the right cheek.\"] If being struck and wronged were defeat, wise friend, Christ and Paul would not have said the opposite. For the Master decreed that we should also offer the other cheek to him who strikes the right one; and the Apostle exhorted, \"Why not rather be wronged?\" New is this law of wrestling, since newer is the kind of prizes: not the olive wreath, or meals in the town hall, or bronze statues gleaming with gold (those are pitiful and cheap prizes), but the kingdom of heaven and a life that knows no end. So do not think, if you give way and show philosophy, that you are defeated; but pursue the victory that lies in apparent defeat. If you wonder at what I say, I shall make it clear by an example. A certain king, it is said, who was about to fight a sea battle against his enemies, seeing that the enemy's ships were far more numerous, withdrew before them as they advanced and said, \"I am not fleeing, but pursuing the advantage that lies behind me.\" If, then, here too advantage and victory lie in apparent defeat and withdrawal, let us not close with those who strike or wrong us, but give way to them. For this is the law of the heavenly contests.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.174 (PG 78 78:1265; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-174)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.175":{"o":"ΕΥΛΟΓΙΩ.\nΟὐχ ἱστορίαν ἁπλῶς ψυχαγωγῆσαι δυναμένην ὁ ἱεροφάντης ἔγραψε Μωσῆς· ἀλλ᾿ ἐπειδὴ νομοθετεῖν ἔμελλε, τὸν δημιουργὸν καὶ κριτὴν τοῦ παντὸς προτάττει, καὶ τὴν τοῦ κόσμου δημιουργίαν, ἵνα μὴ τοῖς μέρεσι τοῦ κόσμου τὸ σέβας ἀπονέμοιεν · εἶτα τῶν ὁσίων τὰ γέρα, καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν τὰς κολάσεις προσθεὶς, οὕτως ἐπὶ τὸ νομοθετεῖν ὥρμησεν, ἵνα ἀπὸ τῶν γεγενημένων καὶ τὰ μέλλοντα πιστωσάμενος, εἰς εὐσέβειαν καὶ δικαιοσύνην τοὺς ὑπηκόους προτρέψειεν.","t":"To Eulogius. Moses, the revealer of sacred things, did not write a history merely able to entertain; but since he was going to give laws, he set first the Creator and Judge of all and the creation of the world, so that people should not give worship to the parts of the world; then, after adding the rewards of the holy and the punishments of sinners, he went on to legislate, so that, having confirmed from what had happened what is to come, he might urge those under him to piety and justice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.175 (PG 78 78:1267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-175)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.177":{"o":"ΦΙΛΙΤΡΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· « Ἔδει σε βαλεῖν τὸ ἀργύριον. » Οὕτω πόῤῥω καθέστηκεν αἰσχύνης, τὸ τὰ βέλτιστα πράττοντά τε καὶ φράζοντα μὴ δυνηθῆναι πεῖσαι, ὡς αὐτὸν τὸν κριτὴν ψηφίσασθαι καὶ εἰπεῖν, τῷ μηδὲν εἰς τὴν τῶν πέλας σωτηρίαν εἰσενηνοχότι· « \"Ἕδει σε καταβαλεῖν τὸ ἀργύριόν μου ἐπὶ τοὺς τραπεζίτας, κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν ἀπῄτησα ἂν αὐτό· ›· τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν· Ἐχρῆν διαμαρτύρασθαι · ἔδει βίον ἄληπτον ἐπιδεικνύμενον. Τὸ γὰρ εἰς τέλος ἀγαγεῖν τὸ κατόρθωμα, οὐ τοῦ λέγοντος, ἀλλὰ τοῦ ἀκούοντος δῆλον ὅτι καθέστηκεν · ὡς ἡ ἀδέκαστος ψῆφος τοῦ Χριστοῦ δεδήλωκεν","t":"To Philitrius. [On \"You ought to have put the money.\"] It is so far from shameful for one who does and says what is best to be unable to persuade, that the Judge himself gave his verdict and said to the one who had contributed nothing to the salvation of his neighbours, \"You ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received it back\"; that is to say, \"You ought to have borne witness; you ought to have shown an irreproachable life.\" For to bring the achievement to completion clearly belongs not to the speaker but to the hearer, as the incorruptible verdict of Christ has shown.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.177 (PG 78 78:1267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-177)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.178":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΕἰς τὸν ᾿Ἀβραὰμ ἐγκώμιον, ἐπὶ τῇ τοῦ Ἰσαὰκ σφαγή. Οὐδὲν οὗ φημι λαμπρότερον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν ἴσον ἔχεις εἰπεῖν τρόπαιον, οὗ ἔστησεν ὁ πατριάρχης ᾿Αβραάμ· οὐ γὰρ κατὰ τυράννων, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τῆς τυραννικωτάτης φύσεως τοῦτ᾽ ἤγειρε. Πάντων γὰρ τῶν λογισμῶν οὐ δόρασιν, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἐμφύτῳ συμπαθείᾳ ὡπλισμένων, κἀκείνων κατατιτρωσκόντων, αὐτὸς ἔμενεν ἄτρωτος· καὶ ἦν τὴν μὲν φύσιν αὐτὴν ἰδεῖν χαμαὶ ἐῤῥιμμένην μετὰ τῶν ὅπλων καὶ τῶν στρατοπέδων· αὐτὸν δὲ ἑστηκότα, καὶ τὴν χεῖρα ἀνατείνοντα, οὐχὶ στέφανον ἔχουσαν, ἀλλὰ μάχαιραν παντὸς στεφάνου λαμπροτέραν. Διὸ καὶ πάντες μὲν οἱ λογισμοὶ καταπτήξαντες τὸ παράστημα τἀνδρὸς, ἑστήκεσαν αὐτῷ ὑποτεταγμένοι, καὶ τρέμοντες μᾶλλον ἢ βασιλέα οἱ δορυφόροι· βλέμματι γὰρ βλοσυρῷ πάντας κατέστειλεν. Ὁ δὲ τῶν ἀγγέλων ἄνωθεν ἐπεκρότει δῆμος· καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἀνεκήρυττεν. Εἰ δὲ βούλει τοῦτ᾽ ἀληθὲς σκοπῆσαι, ἀπὸ τῶν έξωθεν τοῦτο θεάσῃ πραγμάτων. Εἰ γὰρ ἀθλητοῦ νικήσαντος μὴ κήρυξ κάτωθεν ἑστῶς, ἀλλ᾽ ἄνωθεν καθήμενος αὐτὸς ὁ βασιλεὺς ἀναστὰς ἀνακηρύξεις τὸν Ὀλυμπιονίκην, οὐχὶ τῶν στεφάνων αὐτῷ τοῦτο λαμπρότερον εἶναι δόξῃ Δῆλον ἅπασίν ἐστιν. Ὅταν οὖν μὴ βασιλεὺς θνητός, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτὸς ὁ ἀΐδιος, οὐκ ἐν θεάτρῳ ἀνθρωπίνῳ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀγγέλων καὶ ἀρχαγγέλων καὶ τῶν ἄνω δυνάμεων, ἀνακηρύττει λαμπρᾷ τῇ φωνῇ βοῶν οὐρανόθεν. οὐχὶ πάντα ὑπερβάλλει τοῦτο λαμπρότητος ὅρον; Κομιδῇ ἔγωγε ἰσχυρισαίμην. Οὐκοῦν εἰ καὶ ἡμεῖς βουλοίμεθα ἀνακηρυχθῆναι, καὶ στεφανωθῆναι, ἑαυτοὺς ἀφιερώσωμεν, καὶ μηδὲν θνητὸν, μηδὲ βιωτικὸν χορευέτω ἐν ἡμῖν πάθος· ἀλλὰ πᾶσι χαίρειν φράσαντες, τὰ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἄξια καὶ φράζωμεν καὶ πράττωμεν.","t":"To Dorotheus the scholasticus. [Encomium of Abraham, on the sacrifice of Isaac.] You can name no trophy more splendid, I say, or even equal to the one the patriarch Abraham set up; for he raised it not against tyrants but against nature, the most tyrannical of all. All his thoughts, armed not with spears but with natural affection, were wounding him, yet he remained unwounded; and one could see nature itself thrown to the ground with its arms and its armies, while he stood and raised his hand, holding not a crown but a knife brighter than any crown. That is why all his thoughts, cowering before the man's resolve, stood subject to him, trembling more than bodyguards before a king; for with a grim look he checked them all. And the host of angels applauded from above, and God proclaimed him. If you want to see that this is true, you can see it from affairs outside. If, when an athlete has won, not a herald standing below but the king himself, sitting above, should rise and proclaim the Olympic victor, would this not seem to him more splendid than his crowns? That is clear to all. When, then, not a mortal king but the Eternal himself proclaims him, not in a human theatre only but in one of angels, archangels, and the powers above, crying from heaven with a splendid voice, does this not surpass every limit of splendour? I would certainly affirm it. So if we too wish to be proclaimed and crowned, let us dedicate ourselves, and let no mortal or worldly passion dance within us; but let us bid farewell to everything, and both say and do what is worthy of heaven.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.178 (PG 78 78:1267; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-178)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.179":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον ἀπὸ τοῦ Κυρίου, Εἰς ἐμὲ βλέπετε. Οὐδένα, οἶμαι, τοιαῦτα πεπαρῳνῆσθαι οἷα ὁ τῶν οὐρανίων βασιλεὺς, δεῦρο ἐπιφοιτήσας, πεπαρῴνηται παρ' ἐκείνων, οὓς ἀφῖκτο σώσων· ὅς γε οὐδὲ λῃστοῦ καὶ ἀνδροφόνου προεκρίθη, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκολαφίσθη. Εἰ δὲ καί τις τὰ ὅμοια πέπονθε (δεδόσθω γὰρ), ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ ἀπὸ τῆς ἴσης ἀξίας ὁρμᾶσθαι τοὺς πεπονθότας, ἄνισα πάλιν δείκνυσι τὰ πάθη. Οὐ γὰρ ταὐτὸν, βασιλέα ὑβρίσαι καὶ ἰδιώτην· οὐδὲ δεσπότην καὶ δοῦλον· ἀλλὰ τὰ μὲν κατὰ τοῦ βασιλέως, κἂν μικρὰ ᾖ, μεγάλα τῇ ἀξίᾳ τοῦ πεπονθότος κρίνεται· τὰ δὲ κατὰ τοῦ ἰδιώτου, κἂν μέγιστα ᾖ, ὑποτέμνεται τὴν ὀργὴν, καὶ εἰς συγγνώμην πολλάκις ὁρᾷ. Ταῦτα δ᾽ ἔφην, ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας, τί ἐστι τὸ παρὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ λεχθέν· « Εἰς ἐμὲ βλέπετε. ›Ὃ γὰρ λέγει, συντόμως τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἱ πάντολμοι Ἰουδαῖοι ἐπιλυττήσαντες ἐδραματούργησαν τραγῳδίαν, κατὰ Θεοῦ μὲν τολμηθεῖσαν, σαρκὸς δὲ ἁψαμένην (ἀπαθὲς γὰρ τὸ θεῖον κυρίως)· οἱ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα μέλλοντες ὑβρίζεσθαι, ἴσως ἀγανακτεῖν ἥμελλον, ὡς παρὰ τὴν αὐτῶν ἀξίαν τοιούτοις περιπεπτωκότες πάθεσιν, ἔφη· . Εἰς ἐμὲ βλέπετε. • Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ, φησὶ, καὶ τὰ παρὰ τῶν ἀλιτηρίων Ἰουδαίων τολμηθέντα, ἀφόρητα ἦν· πλὴν δεδόσθω φορητὰ εἶναι· τί ἄν τις φαίη καὶ περὶ τοῦ προδότου, ὅς γε τῆς ἐμῆς ὑπερεμπλησθεὶς ἀνεξικακίας, κατ᾿ ἐμοῦ τὸν κόρον ἤνεγκε; Ταύταις ταῖς ἐπῳδαῖς καταπραΰνετε τὰς ὕβρεις, καὶ τιθασσεύετε. Είξουσι γὰρ ῥᾳδίως τοῖς ταῦτα κατεπάδουσιν.","t":"To Nilus. [On the Lord's saying, \"Look to me.\"] No one, I think, has been so outraged as the King of heaven, when he came here, was outraged by those he came to save; he was not even preferred to a robber and murderer, but was even struck. And even if someone else has suffered similar things (let it be granted), the fact that the sufferers do not start from equal rank shows again that the sufferings are unequal. For it is not the same to outrage a king and a private citizen, a master and a slave; but what is done against a king, even if it is small, is judged great because of the dignity of the one who suffers it, while what is done against a private citizen, even if it is very great, cuts anger short and often looks toward pardon. I said this because you wrote asking what Christ's saying, \"Look to me,\" means. What he says is, in brief, this. Since the Jews, who dared everything, raged and staged a tragedy that was dared against God but touched the flesh (for the divine is, properly speaking, impassible), and those who would be outraged afterwards would perhaps be indignant, as having fallen into such sufferings beneath their dignity, he said, \"Look to me.\" \"Above all,\" he says, \"what the accursed Jews dared was unbearable; but let it be granted that it was bearable: what would one say about the traitor, who, glutted with my forbearance, turned his satiety against me?\" Soothe and tame insults with these charms; for they yield easily to those who chant them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.179 (PG 78 78:1269; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-179)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.18":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nΕἰς τὸ· · Ἐπὶ τῆς Μωσέως καθέδρας͵ ἐκάθισαν οἱ Γραμματεῖς. Ἅπας μὲν ὁ λόγος χηρεύων πραγμάτων νεκρός ἐστι καὶ ἀχρεῖος· μάλιστα δὲ ὁ παρὰ τῶν τῇ εὐαγεστάτῃ ἱερωσύνῃ σεμνυνομένων προφερόμενος. Ὅσον γὰρ δοκοῦσι προχειρότατα αὐτῷ χρῆσθαι, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον οἱ τῷ βίῳ αὐτῶν προσέχοντες ἀπιστοῦσιν αὐτῷ. Πολλὴν τοιγαροῦν τὴν μετάστασιν, καὶ μεγάλην δεικτέον τὴν μεταβολὴν, ἀσκοῦντας καὶ ἠρεμοῦντας, καὶ μὴ χρηματιζομένους, εἴπερ βούλοιντό τινας αὐτοῖς προσέξειν τὸν νοῦν. Εἰ γὰρ ταῦτα πράξοιεν, οὐ μόνον τὰ τῶν ὑπηκόων εὖ διακείσεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀναῤῥηθήσονται. Μὴ γὰρ δὴ τὸ εἰρημένον, πρὸς τὸ μηδεμίαν σκῆψιν ὑπολειφθῆναι τοῖς ὑπηκόοις· « Ἐπὶ τῆς καθέδρας Μωϋσέως ἐκάθισαν οἱ Γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι. Πάντα οὖν ὅσα ἂν λέγωσιν ὑμῖν ποιεῖν, ποιεῖτε· · πρὸς τὴν οἰκείαν ἀπολογίαν, καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἐπιστομίσαι τοὺς ἄλλους προφερέτωσαν. Ἡ γὰρ δοκοῦσα ἀπολογία αὔξει τὴν κατηγορίαν, οὐ μόνον ἀπαραίτητον τιμωρίαν ὠδίνουσα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀνοίας ὄνειδος προστριβομένη. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τοῖς φοιτηταῖς τοῦτο λυσιτελεῖ ἀκοῦσαι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τοῖς ὑφηγηταῖς πρέπει προφέρειν, τὸ τὴν ῥαθυμίαν αὐτῶν ἐκπομπεῦον. Ἐῤῥέθη γάρ· « Κατὰ δὲ τὰ ἔργα αὐτῶν μὴ ποιεῖτε. Λέγουσι γὰρ, καὶ οὐ ποιοῦσιν. • Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Χριστὸς, πρόφασιν πᾶσαν ἐξορίσαι βουλόμενος, ἐκέλευσε, μήτε τῷ βίῳ προσέχειν τῶν διδασκάλων, ὅταν λαβὴν τοῖς ὁρῶσι παρέχῃ, μήτε τοῖς κατ᾿ ἰδίαν πραττομένοις εἰ μὴ τοῖς χρησμοῖς συνάδοιεν τοῖς οὐρανίοις, ἀλλὰ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ μόνῃ, τῇ ἐπὶ τῶν Ἐκκλησιῶν γινομένῃ. Διὸ καὶ τῆς καθέδρας Μωϋσέως ἐμνημόνευσε τῆς τοῦ νομοθέτου. Τότε γὰρ οὐ τὰ ἑαυτῶν, ἀλλὰ τὰ τῶν Γραφῶν φράζουσιν· αὐτοὶ δ᾽ οὐκ ἂν δίκαιοι εἶεν ταῦτα προφέρειν, ἃ πᾶσαν αὐτῶν δείκνυσι τὴν πονηρίαν· ἀλλὰ σπουδάζειν, ὡς ἐνδέχεται, πᾶσαν ἐκκόπτειν πρόφασιν. Εἰ δὲ λαμπρῶς πολιτευόμενοι οὐκ ὠφελοῦσί τινας, οὐδὲν πρὸς αὐτούς. Ὥσπερ γὰρ κακῶς πολιτευόμενοι οὐκ εἰσὶ συμμερισταὶ τῶν στεφάνων, τοῖς εὐδοκίμοις ἀποκειμένων · οὔτε λαμπρῶς βιοῦντες κοινωνήσουσι ταῖς τῶν πταιόντων τιμωρίαις. Σὺ γὰρ φησὶ, διάθου τὰ κατὰ σαυτόν· τὸν βίον φημὶ καὶ τὸν λόγον· ταῦτα ἀπαιτῶ παρὰ σοῦ, καὶ ὠφελοῦντι μὲν συνησθήσομαι· μὴ ὠφελήσαντα δὲ, οὐκ ἀτιμάσω, ἀλλὰ καὶ στεφανώσω. Ἕκαστος γὰρ τὸν ἴδιον μισθὸν λήψεται, κατὰ τὸν ἴδιον κόπον, οὐ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ καμάτου ἔκβασιν Ταῦτ᾽ οὖν ἐννοοῦντες καὶ ὑφηγηταὶ καὶ φοιτηταὶ, εἰς ἀρετὴν ἑαυτοὺς συνελαυνέτωσαν, πᾶσαν σκῆψιν ἐξοστρακίζοντες.","t":"To Leontius the bishop. [On \"The scribes have sat on the seat of Moses.\"] Every word bereft of deeds is dead and useless, especially one put forward by those who are dignified with the most holy priesthood. For the more readily they seem to use it, the more those who look at their life disbelieve it. They must therefore show a great conversion and a great change, practising discipline, living quietly, and not making money, if they want anyone to pay attention to them. If they do this, not only will the affairs of those under them be in good order, but they themselves will be proclaimed. Let them not bring forward for their own defence, or to muzzle others, the saying that was spoken so that no pretext might be left to those under them: \"The scribes and the Pharisees have sat on the seat of Moses; so do whatever they tell you to do.\" For this apparent defence increases the accusation, not only bringing forth a punishment that cannot be averted but also attaching the reproach of folly. Even if it profits disciples to hear this, it does not befit teachers to put it forward, since it parades their own negligence. For it was said, \"But do not do according to their works; for they say and do not do.\" Christ, wishing to banish every pretext, commanded them to attend neither to the life of their teachers, when it gives a handle to those who see it, nor to what they do in private unless it agrees with the heavenly oracles, but only to the teaching given in the churches. That is why he mentioned the seat of Moses the lawgiver: for then they speak not their own things but the Scriptures'. But the teachers themselves would have no right to put forward these words, which show all their wickedness; rather they should strive, as far as possible, to cut away every pretext. If, living splendidly, they do not benefit some people, that is nothing to them. For just as those who live badly do not share in the crowns stored up for the approved, so those who live splendidly will not share the punishments of those who stumble. \"You,\" he says, \"set in order what concerns yourself, your life, I mean, and your word; these I demand of you; and if you benefit others, I will rejoice with you, but if you do not, I will not dishonour you but will even crown you.\" For each will receive his own reward according to his own labour, not according to the outcome of the toil. Considering this, then, let teachers and disciples alike drive themselves to virtue, banishing every pretext.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.18 (PG 78 78:1065; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-18)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.180":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΔιὰ τὶ ἐπὶ τὸν σταυρὸν ἐρχόμενος ὁ Χριστὸς ταῖς κοπτομέναις γυναιξὶν ἐπετίμησεν. Οὔτε τὸν γενναῖον ἀθλητὴν εἰς τὸν ἀγῶνα καθέντα, καὶ κονιζόμενον, καὶ τυπτόμενον, θρηνητέον · εἰς στεφάνους γὰρ αὐτῷ οἱ πόνοι τελευτῶσιν· οὔτε τὸν ἀριστέα ἐν πολέμῳ ἐξιόντα, καὶ τραύματα, καὶ σφαγὰς μέλλοντα ὑπομένειν, ὀλοφυρτέον· τροπαιοῦχος γὰρ ἐπανήξει, καὶ στηλῶν καὶ ἀναῤῥήσεων τεύξεται· ἀλλ᾽ ἐκείνους θρηνητέον, τοὺς ἐπὶ ληστείαις καὶ ἀνδροφονίαις θέοντας, μάλιστα μὲν ὅταν κακουργῶσιν, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ ὅταν κολάζωνται. Πῶς οὖν ἐζήτησας μαθεῖν, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν θρηνούσας τὰς γυναῖκας, ὅτε ἐπὶ τὸν σταυρὸν ὡς τροπαιοῦχος ἀπῄει ὁ Χριστὸς οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀπεδέξατο, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπετίμησε; Δῆλον γὰρ ὅτι τῷ μὲν ἀκοντὶ πάσχοντι ἡ συμπάθεια παράκλησις, τῷ δὲ ἑκοντὶ ὕβριν φέρει. \"Ὕβρις γὰρ ἐκείνῳ τὸ συμπαθὲς, ᾧ μὴ τὸ πάθος ἀβούλητον. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν καὶ αὐτὸς ἑκὼν ἐπὶ τὸ πάθος ἤρχετο, καὶ τὸν θάνατον σβέσων, καὶ τὸν διάβολον ἐκνευρίσων· ἐθρήνουν δὲ ἐκεῖναι τὸν εὐφημεῖσθαι καὶ κροτεῖσθαι δίκαιον ὄντα· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ, ὡς νομίζουσί τινες, κατηράσατο· ὡς δὲ ἡ ἀλήθεια ἔχει, προεμήνυσε τὰ μέλλοντα αὐταῖς συμβήσεσθαι κακά. Θρηνεῖσθαι γὰρ οὐ θέμις τὸν τροπωσάμενον τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, καὶ σπεύδοντα ἐπὶ τῷ καὶ τὸν θάνατον θανατῶσαι, καὶ τὸν διάβολον δῆσαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ὑπὸ τούτων ἁπάντων ἀλόντας","t":"To Theodosius the presbyter. [Why Christ, going to the cross, rebuked the women who were lamenting.] One should not lament a noble athlete who has gone down into the contest, covered in dust and taking blows; for his labours end in crowns. Nor should one bewail a champion who goes out to war and is about to endure wounds and slaughter; for he will return victorious and receive monuments and proclamations. But one should lament those who run to robbery and murder, above all when they do evil, and then too when they are punished. How then could you seek to learn why Christ, when he went to the cross as a victor, not only did not accept the lamenting women but even rebuked them? Clearly, to one who suffers unwillingly, sympathy is a consolation; but to one who suffers willingly, it brings insult. For sympathy is an insult to one for whom the suffering is not against his will. Since, then, he was going willingly to the passion, to extinguish death and to hamstring the devil, while they were lamenting one who deserved acclaim and applause, he, as some think, cursed them; but, as the truth is, he foretold the evils that were going to befall them. For it is not right to lament the one who routed sin and was hastening to put death to death and to bind the devil, but rather those who were caught by all these …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.180 (PG 78 78:1271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-180)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.181":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· « Μὴ δῶτε τὰ ἅγια τοῖς κυσί, » καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ὄντως ἀξιάγαστος ὁ θεῖος χρησμὸς, ὃν ἑρμηνευθῆναί σοι παρεκελεύσω. Τὸ γάρ· · Μὴ δῶτε τὰ ἄγια τοῖς κυσὶ, μηδὲ ρίψητε τοὺς μαργαρίτας ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων, μήποτε καταπατήσωσιν αὐτοὺς τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῶν, καὶ στραφέντες ῥήξωσιν ὑμᾶς, ὁ τοιοῦτόν τινα ὠδίνει νοῦν. Ἐπειδὴ ἅγιος καὶ μαργαρίτης ὄντως τιμαλφέστατος ὁ θεῖος λόγος, κύνες δὲ καὶ χοῖροι οὐ μόνον οἱ περὶ τὰ δόγματα, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ περὶ τὰς πράξεις πταίοντες, καταπάτησις δὲ ἡ περὶ αὐτῶν ἔρις καὶ ζυγομαχία, τῶν μὲν τὴν ὀρθότητα τῶν δογμάτων ἀνατρέπειν πειρωμένων, τῶν δὲ τὴν ἀρίστην πολιτείαν ἐξυβριζόντων· ῥῆξις δὲ τῶν τὸν θεῖον λόγον πρεσβευόντων, καὶ τῶν ἄριστα συμβουλευόντων, ἡ τῶν οὐκ ὀρθῶς βιούντων καταφρόνησις καὶ ἀτιμία · διὰ τοῦτο ἔφη· Μὴ ὡς εὔωνόν τινα καὶ εὐπόριστον ῥίπτετε τὸν λόγον, ἵνα μὴ καὶ αὐτὸς παροινηθείη, καὶ ὑμεῖς κωμῳδηθείητε παρὰ τῶν ὀρθῶς μηδὲν μήτε λεγόντων, μήτε πραττόντων. Τινὲς δὲ φασιν οὐκ ἀπὸ σκοποῦ, ὅτι καὶ τὴν ἱερωσύνην διαγορεύει μὴ δοθῆναι τοῖς ἀσελγέσι καὶ ἀκαθάρτοις, ἵνα μὴ καὶ αὐτὴν ὑβρίσειαν, καὶ κατὰ τῶν χειροτονησάντων ὁρμήσαιεν, ἣν εἶχον πρὸ τούτου σεμνὴν δόξαν διαῤῥηγνύντες. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσι λαϊκοῖς, τὰ θεῖα μὴ δίδοσθαι μυστήρια, ἐπίστησον. Εἱ δὲ καὶ τοῖς προσποιουμένοις μὲν προσιέναι τῇ πίστει, μὴ ἀφισταμένοις δὲ τῶν παρόντων ἐπιτηδευμάτων, ἀπαγορεύει τὸ θεῖον δίδοσθαι βάπτισμα, ἐπίστησον. РПВ΄. – ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ. Τοῦ ψαλτηρίου. Περὶ τῆς τῶν Ψαλμῶν ἐπιγραφῆς. Ὅτε μὲν ὁ Μελοποιὸς ἐμελῴδει, ἐπεγράφετο ψαλμός· ᾠδὴ τῷ Δαβίδ Ὅτε δὲ αὐτὸς μὲν ἐμελᾠδει, ἄλλος δὲ ἐμελοποίει, ἢ εἰς αὐτὸν τὸ μέλος παρ' ἄλλων ᾔδετο, ἢ εἰς τὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ τὸ κατὰ σάρκα Χριστὸν ἀνήγετο, Ψαλμὸς τῷ Δαβίδ. Οὐ γὰρ πάντες οἱ μελογράφοι ᾔδον, οὐδὲ πάντες οἱ ἄδοντες ἐμελογράφουν· ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν τοῦτο, οἱ δὲ ἐκεῖνο· οἱ δὲ καὶ ἀμφότερα διεπράττοντο, τοῦ θείου Πνεύματος ἑκάστῳ τὸ πρόσφορον ἀπονέμοντος.","t":"To Hierax the presbyter. [On \"Do not give what is holy to the dogs,\" and what follows.] Truly admirable is the divine oracle which you urged me to interpret. \"Do not give what is holy to the dogs, nor throw your pearls before the swine, lest they trample them under their feet and turn and tear you\" brings forth some such sense as this. Since the divine word is holy and truly a most precious pearl, and the dogs and swine are those who stumble not only in doctrines but also in actions, the trampling is the strife and wrangling about these things, as some try to overturn the rightness of doctrines and others outrage the best way of life; and the tearing of those who champion the divine word and give the best counsel is the contempt and dishonour they meet from those who do not live rightly. That is why he said: \"Do not throw the word about as something cheap and easily come by, lest it be abused and you be mocked by those who neither say nor do anything rightly.\" Some say, not off the mark, that he also forbids the priesthood to be given to the licentious and impure, lest they outrage it too and turn on those who ordained them, tearing apart the venerable reputation they had before. Consider too whether he forbids the divine mysteries to be given to lay people who sin. And consider whether he forbids divine baptism to be given to those who pretend to come to the faith but do not give up their present practices. [Another letter.] To Isidore the deacon. [From the Psalter. On the titles of the Psalms.] When the composer himself sang, the title was, \"A psalm; a song of David.\" When he himself sang but another composed, or the song was sung by others about him, or referred to Christ, his descendant according to the flesh, the title was, \"A psalm of David.\" For not all who composed songs sang them, nor did all who sang compose them; some did the one, some the other, and some did both, the divine Spirit assigning to each what was fitting.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.181 (PG 78 78:1271; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-181)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.182":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἘπὶ τῆς θείας ἐνεργείας, τὶ, Πῶς μὴ ἐχέτω χώραν. \"Ὅταν ἡ θεία δύναμις ἐνεργῇ, τὸ Πῶς μὴ ἐχέτω χώραν. Εἰ γὰρ πολλὰ ὑπὲρ φύσιν, καὶ λογισμῶν ἀκολουθίαν, καὶ γέγονε καὶ γίνεται, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν ἐστιν ὑπὲρ Θεὸν, τὸν εὐμαρῶς καὶ τὰ παρ᾽ ἐλπίδα δημιουργοῦντα.","t":"To Paul the deacon. [On divine operation: that \"How?\" should have no place.] When divine power is at work, let \"How?\" have no place. For even though many things beyond nature and the sequence of reasoning have happened and do happen, nothing is beyond God, who easily brings about even what is beyond hope.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.182 (PG 78 78:1273; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-182)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.184":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΩ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΒασιλειῶν γ'. \"Οτι παράνομος οὐ διαφεύξεται δίκην, ὡς οὐδὲ Ἰωάβ. Ὅτι παράνομος οὐ διαφεύξεται τὴν δίκην, ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ἐνταῦθα ἢ ἐκεῖθεν τηρηθήσεται πολλοὶ δὲ κάνταῦθα κἀκεῖσε ἐτιμωρήθησαν, οὐχ ὁ ἡμέτερος λογισμὸς ὑποβάλλει, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ θεῖα λόγια. Τοὺς μὲν οὖν πολλοὺς παραλείψω· ἑνὸς δὲ ἐπιμνησθήσομαι, δόξαντος σοφίᾳ τινὶ καὶ πανουργίᾳ κατεσκευακέναι τὸ διαφεύγειν τὴν δίκην, καὶ μὴ δυνηθέντος ὁ Ἰωάβ, ὁ τοῦ Δαβὶδ στρατηγός, γνώμῃ μὲν στρατηγικῇ, καὶ ῥώμῃ καὶ δόρατι διαπρέπων, φθόνῳ τε καὶ δόλῳ τοὺς συστρατηγήσαντας ἀνελὼν, οὐκ ἔλαθεν εἰς τέλος τὴν δίκην. Νομίσας γὰρ τέχνῃ τινὶ καὶ μεθόδῳ διακρούεσθαι ταύτην, τὸν ᾿Αδωνίαν βασιλειῶντα φίλον οὐκ ἀπεστρέψατο ἀλλὰ συνέπραξεν εἰς τὴν χειροτονίαν, προσδοκῶν, μὴ μόνον ἀποφεύξεσθαι τὴν τιμωρίαν ὧν ἔπραξε φόνων, εἰ προεξευμενίσαιτο τὸν βασιλεύσοντα, ἀλλὰ καὶ χάριν ἀπολήψεσθαι· ὃς δὲ διὰ τοῦτο μᾶλλον τετιμώρηται. Ὅπερ γάρ φοβούμενος γενέσθαι συνέπραξε τῷ τυράννῳ, τοῦτο ἡ κατασκευὴ αὐτῷ προυξένησε· καὶ δι' ὧν ᾤετο ἐκφεύγειν τὰς ἀρὰς τοῦ Δαβίδ, διὰ τούτων αὐτὰς εἰς ἔργον ἤγαγε· καὶ τὸ σόφισμα παγὶς ἐγίνετο· καὶ ὅπερ ἔφυγε μὴ παθεῖν, φεύγων ἔπαθε· καὶ τὸ· ἀποτρεπτικὸν τῶν λυπηρῶν, κατασκευαστικὸν ηὑρίσκετο τῶν συμφορῶν. Εἰ τοίνυν οὐκ ἔστι διαδράναι τὴν δίκην, πῶς, ὦ πᾶσαν ὠμότητα καὶ ἀγριότητα κατὰ ψυχὴν ὡπλισμένοι, δόλοις, καὶ μηχαναῖς, καὶ στρατηγίαις νομίζετε τὰς, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἐπλημμελήσατε, διαδιδράσκειν τιμωρίας;","t":"To Martianus, Zosimus, and Maron. [Third Kingdoms. That a lawbreaker will not escape justice, as Joab did not.] That a lawbreaker will not escape justice, but that it will be kept for him either here or there, and that many have been punished both here and there, is suggested not only by our reasoning but also by the divine oracles. I shall pass over the many and recall one who seemed to have contrived by a certain cleverness and villainy to escape justice, and could not. Joab, David's general, distinguished in generalship, in strength, and with the spear, who killed his fellow generals through envy and deceit, did not in the end escape justice. Thinking to ward it off by some art and method, he did not turn away from Adonijah, who was making himself king, but helped to raise him up, expecting not only to escape punishment for the murders he had committed, if he won the favour of the future king in advance, but even to receive gratitude. But for this very reason he was punished the more. For the very thing he feared would happen, and to prevent which he worked with the usurper, his contrivance brought upon him; by the means through which he thought to escape David's curses, he brought them into effect; his sophism became a snare; what he fled from suffering, he suffered in fleeing; and what was meant to avert pain was found to produce calamity. If, then, it is not possible to run away from justice, how do you, who are armed in soul with every cruelty and savagery, think to escape by deceits, devices, and generalship the punishments for the wrongs you have done?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.184 (PG 78 78:1275; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-184)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.185":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΟ.\nΕἰς τὸ· ῎Αφετε, καὶ ἀφεθήσεται ὑμῖν. Ὅτι μὲν, εἰ χρήματα ἔσχες παρέσχες ἂν τοῖς δεομένοις, εὖ οἶδα· ὅτι δὲ συγγνώμην ἀπαιτούμενος δυσχεραίνεις, θαυμάζω. Καίτοι τὸ ἀδάπανου τοῦτο βοήθημα, τοῦ πολυτελοῦς οὐχ ἧττον ἡμᾶς ὠφελεῖν εἴωθεν. Ἐν γὰρ τῇ ἡμετέρᾳ ἐπιεικείᾳ, καὶ τῷ μὴ συγχωρεῖν τοῖς εἰς ἡμᾶς πταίουσι, κινδυνεύεται ἡμῖν τὰ τῆς σωτηρίας. ᾿Αφίετε γὰρ, καὶ ἀφεθήσεται ὑμῖν, ὁ θεῖος βοᾷ χρησμός.","t":"To Peter the scholasticus. [On \"Forgive, and you will be forgiven.\"] That you would have given to those in need if you had had money, I know well; but that you resent being asked for pardon, I wonder at. Yet this help that costs nothing usually benefits us no less than the costly kind. For our salvation is at risk in our reasonableness, and in our refusing to pardon those who sin against us. \"Forgive, and you will be forgiven,\" cries the divine oracle.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.185 (PG 78 78:1275; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-185)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.186":{"o":"ΟΛΥΜΠΙΟΔΩΡΩ.\nὍπου τάξις, ἐκεῖ ἀναγκαῖος ταξίαρχος· καὶ ὅπου ἱππικὸν τεταγμένον, ἐκεῖ ἵππαρχος. Καὶ ὅπου ἡ ναῦς, δῆλος ὁ τεχνίτης· καὶ ἔνθα μουσικὰ ὄργανα, δῆλος καὶ ὁ ἁρμονικός. Οὐκοῦν χρὴ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ κóσμου τὸν ἀόρατον καθορᾶν λογισμοῖς, οὐκ ὀφθαλμοῖς, νῷ, οὐ βλέμματι.","t":"To Olympiodorus. Where there is order, there must be one who orders; where cavalry is drawn up, a cavalry commander; where there is a ship, its builder is evident; and where there are musical instruments, so is the musician. So from the world too one must perceive the Invisible One with reasonings, not with eyes; with the mind, not with sight.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.186 (PG 78 78:1277; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-186)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.187":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ ΣΤΡΑΤΙΩΤΗ.\n῞Οτι μείζονα τίσουσι δίκην, τῶν πάλαι ἁμαρτησάντων, οἱ μετὰ τὴν χάριν τὸν Θεὺν παροργίζοντες. Ὄντως ἐστὶ τῶν αἰσχρῶν, μᾶλλον δὲ τῶν αἰσχίστων, τὸ μὴ μόνον τὰ ἔμφυτα τῆς ἀρετῆς σπέρματα ἡμᾶς νεκρῶσαι ἃ τῶν ἀρχαίων ἐπιεικέστερα ἐγεώργησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ὑπὸ τῆς Χριστοῦ ἐπιδημίας κρείττονα λόγου συμμαχίαν προδοῦναι. РЛА΄.","t":"To Isaiah the soldier. [That those who provoke God after grace will pay a greater penalty than those who sinned of old.] It is truly among the shameful things, or rather the most shameful, that we not only put to death the natural seeds of virtue, which the ancients cultivated more reasonably, but also betray the help, beyond all words, that came to us through Christ's coming.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.187 (PG 78 78:1277; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-187)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.188":{"o":"ΛΟΥΚΙΩ ΑΡΧΙΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ ΠΗΛΟΥΣΙΟΥ.\nΠερὶ τῶν ἐκ φιλαργυρίας νοσούντων. Οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ ἐπισκόπου τυγχάνουσιν οἱ τοῦ σεπτοῦ θυσιαστηρίου διάκονοι · σὺ δὲ τούτων κατὰ Θεοῦ συγχώρησιν ἄρχεις, ὅλος ὀφθαλμὸς ὀφείλεις ὑπάρχειν, ὡς τὰ ζῶα τὰ πολυόμματα· ἐπειδὴ καὶ τῇ πρὸς Θεὸν ἐκεῖνα μιμῆσαι᾿ ἐγγύτητι, οὐχὶ βίῳ, ὡς μανθάνω, ἀλλὰ μόνῃ τῇ λειτουργίᾳ· καὶ μὴ σκοτίζειν τοῖς φαύλοις ἐπιτηδεύμασι καὶ τὸν τίμιον ἐκεῖνον θίασον καὶ χορὸν, καὶ τὸν πειθόμενόν σοι ἀκρίτως ἐπίσκοπον, καὶ χραίνειν τὸ θεῖον βῆμα πλεονεξίᾳ, καὶ πόρους ἑαυτῷ ἀπὸ τιμῆς χειροτονιῶν ἀθροίζειν. Τοὺς γὰρ πωλοῦντας τὰς περιστερὰς ἐξέβαλεν ἀπὸ τοῦ ναοῦ μαστίξας ὁ Κύριος. Ἵνα τοίνυν μὴ σὺν ἐκείνοις ὡσθῇς, παῦσαι οὕτως πλουτῶν, καὶ ὕλην τῷ μέλλογτι ἑτοιμάζων πυρί.","t":"To Lucius, archdeacon of Pelusium. [On those sick with love of money.] The deacons of the venerable altar are the bishop's eyes; and you, who by God's permission rule over them, ought to be all eye, like the many-eyed living creatures, since you imitate them in nearness to God, not in your life, as I learn, but only in your ministry. You ought not to darken that honoured company and choir with base practices, and the bishop who trusts you without discernment, nor to stain the divine sanctuary with greed and gather revenues for yourself from the price of ordinations. For the Lord scourged those who sold doves and drove them out of the temple. So that you may not be thrust out with them, stop getting rich in this way and preparing fuel for the fire to come.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.188 (PG 78 78:1277; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-188)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.189":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠῶς οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ἐπελάβοντο τοῦ Σωτῆρος, ὡς μετὰ τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐσθίοντος. Οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ἐπελάβοντο τοῦ Σωτῆρος, ὡς μετά τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν ἑστιωμένου · ἐπειδήπερ ὁ νόμος διέστελλεν ἀνὰ μέσον ἁγίου καὶ βεβήλου, ἀγνοοῦντες, ὅτι Χριστὸς ὑπὲρ τὴν νομικὴν κρίσιν παρείχε τὴν φιλάνθρωπον χάριν. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἐξέκοπτεν, ἡ δὲ μετέβαλε τὸ κακόν· καὶ μαρτυροῦσι Ζακχαῖος, καὶ Ματθαῖος, καὶ ὅσοι ἀνεμαχέσαντο τὰς ἥττας. Εἰς τόν « Μακάριοὶ ἐστε, ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. (Ἰστέον, ὅτι αὗται ὕστερον εὐρέθησαν ἐπιστολαί.) Ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς ἐμακάρισε τοὺς δι' αὐτὸν ἀκούοντας ῥητά τε καὶ ἄῤῥητα, εἰ ψευδόμενοι οἱ λέγοντες ἁλοῖεν. Χρὴ οὖν εἰδέναι, ὅτι ἀμφότερα δεῖ προσεῖναι τῷ εἰς τὴν ἀκροτάτην μακαριότητα ἀφιξομένῳ· καὶ τὸ δι᾽ αὐτὸν πάσχειν, καὶ τὸ ψευδῆ εἶναι τὰ λεγόμενα, ὧν εἰ μὴ θάτερον προσῇ, καὶ τὸ ἕτερον οὐ τοσοῦτον ὠφελεῖ· ὠφελεῖ μὲν γὰρ, οὐ τοσοῦτον δέ. Εἴτε γὰρ δι᾿ αὐτὸν πάσχοντες, τἀληθῆ ἀκούοιμεν, ἐρυθριᾷν ἀνάγκη· καθ' ἓν γὰρ μέρος εὐδοκιμοῦντες, κατὰ τὸ ἕτερον ἐλεγχόμεθα. Εἴτε μὴ δι' αὐτὸν μὲν, ψευδῆ δὲ, ὑπομονῆς μὲν κομιούμεθα μισθόν· οὐ μὴν τοῦ ἄκρου τύχοιμεν μακαρισμοῦ, οὗ τύχωμεν ἂν, εἰ ἀμφότερα συνδράμοι. PLA΄. – ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Ὁ μὴ μόνον νοσῶν τὴν ἀργαλεωτάτην νόσον, τὴν κακίαν φημὶ, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ ἀπαλλαγῆναι βουλόμενος· πρὸς δὲ τούτους καὶ τοὺς ἀπηλλαγμένους ὀδυρόμενος· ἁπάντων ἀθλιώτερός ἐστι καὶ ἐλεεινότερος, κἂν αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν δι᾽ ἀνήκεστον ῥαθυμίαν μακαρίζει.","t":"To Apollonius the bishop. [How the Pharisees criticized the Saviour for eating with tax collectors and sinners.] The Pharisees criticized the Saviour for feasting with tax collectors and sinners, since the law distinguished between holy and profane, not knowing that Christ offered a grace of love for humankind beyond the judgment of the law. For the law cut off evil, but grace changed it; witnesses are Zacchaeus and Matthew, and all who fought back after their defeats. [Another letter.] [On \"Blessed are you when they revile you,\" and what follows. (It should be known that these letters were found later.)] Christ the Master blessed those who, for his sake, hear things that can and cannot be spoken, if those who say them are caught lying. One must know, then, that both must be present in one who is to reach the highest blessedness: suffering for his sake, and that what is said be false. If one of these is missing, the other does not benefit so much; it benefits, but not so much. For if we suffer for his sake but hear the truth, we must blush; approved in one respect, we are convicted in the other. If not for his sake, but the charges are false, we shall receive the reward of endurance; yet we shall not attain the highest blessedness, which we would attain if both came together. [Another letter.] To Athanasius the presbyter. He who not only suffers the most grievous disease, vice I mean, but does not even wish to be freed from it, and besides that mourns over those who have been freed, is more wretched and pitiable than anyone, even if through incurable negligence he calls himself blessed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.189 (PG 78 78:1277; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-189)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.19":{"o":"(addressee not recovered)\n– ΔΩΡΟΘΕΟ Ἀπῆρας μὲν ἐντεῦθεν ὡς τάχιστα ἥξων · ἀπέμεινας δ' ἐκεῖσε οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως περὶ τὰς ἐπαγγελίας· τάχα δ' ὠφελήσων τοὺς ἐκεῖσε, καὶ θηράσων, καὶ τῷ Χριστῷ προσοίσων. Εἰ τοίνυν ἀληθὴς ἡ ὑπόνοια, δήλου, ἵνα τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἀπουσίας ἀνίαν τῇ προσδοκίᾳ τοῦ κατορθώματος ἀπελάσωμεν. Ὑπερορίοις γὰρ ῥᾳδίως παραχωρήσει, τῇ δόξῃ τῇ Δεσποτικῇ τοὺς ὅρους ῥᾳδίως παραχωρήσασα. Οἱ περὶ τὸ ὁμολογούμενον λαμπρῶς πταίοντες, οὐκ ἂν εἶεν ἀξιόχρεῳ περὶ τοῦ δοκοῦντος ἀμφισβητησίμου ἀποφαινόμενοι. Εἰ γὰρ τοῖς κακίαν ἀσπαζομένοις, οὐδὲ περὶ τῶν θείων δικαιωμάτων λόγον κινεῖν θέμις· « Τῷ γὰρ ἁμαρτωλῷ εἶπεν ὁ Θεός· Ἵνα τί σὺ ἐκδιηγῇ τὰ δικαιώματά μου;» πῶς τοῖς καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ δικαιώματα δι' ὧν πράττουσιν ὑβρίζουσι περὶ δογμάτων διαλέγεσθαι θέμις; Εἰ τοίνυν ἡ ἀρετὴ τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἐγγυᾶται, σπουδαστέον αὐτὴν ἔχειν, δι᾿ ἣν ἡ εὐσέβεια ἀξιόχρεως ἀποφανθήσεται. Τῷ γὰρ οὐκ εὖ βιοῦντι οὐδεὶς πεισθήσεται, τῆς κακίας καὶ τὰ ὀρθὰ καθυβριζούσης δόγματα, καὶ καταδεχθῆναι μὴ συγχωρούσης. Ἀρετῆς τοίνυν καὶ εὐσεβείας ἀνθεκτέον· ὡς ἡ μὲν θεμέλιός ἐστιν, ἡ δὲ στεφάνη καὶ ἐγκαλλώπισμα.","t":"To Dorotheus. You left here as if to come back very soon; but you have stayed there, I do not know how, beyond your promises; perhaps to benefit the people there, to hunt them and bring them to Christ. If, then, our guess is true, let us know, so that we may drive away the pain of your absence with the expectation of your success. For having readily yielded its bounds to the Master's glory, it will readily make way for those abroad. [Letter 4.20] Those who stumble conspicuously over what is agreed would not be credible when pronouncing on what seems disputed. For if those who embrace vice are not even permitted to raise a word about the divine ordinances (\"For to the sinner God said: Why do you recount my ordinances?\"), how is it permitted to those who outrage the very ordinances by what they do to discourse about doctrines? If, then, virtue guarantees piety, one must strive to possess it, since through it piety will be shown to be credible. For no one will be persuaded by one who does not live well, since vice outrages even right doctrines and does not let them be accepted. Hold fast, then, to virtue and piety; for the one is the foundation, the other the crown and ornament.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.19 (PG 78 78:1069; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-19)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.190":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· « Τίμιος ὁ γάμος. • Ὁ μὲν τίμιος γάμος ἐχέτω τὰ ἐγκώμία τὰ οἰκεῖα, ὑπὸ Θεοῦ τε δοθεὶς, καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τιμηθείς· πρὸς δὲ τὴν παρθενίαν μὴ ἁμιλλάσθω, ἀλλ' ἐν τοῖς οἰκείοις μενέτω ὅροις. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ θέλων αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τὸ δέον κοσμῆσαι καὶ σεμνῦναι, ἔφης, ὅτι καὶ οὐρανὸν μὲν γῇ διὰ τῶν ὑετῶν ὁμιλεῖν, ἥλιόν τε τὴν σελήνην φωτίζειν· ποταμοὺς δὲ θαλάττης ἀνακιρνᾶσθαι, καὶ τὰ παντοῖα γένη τῶν χερσαίων, καὶ ἀεροπόρων, καὶ ἐναλίων ὑπὸ τούτου κυβερνώμενα ταῖς διαδοχαῖς διατηρεῖσθαι, ἀλλ᾿ ἡττᾶσθαι πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀγγέλων συγκρινόμενος πολιτείαν οἷς ἡ τοῦ γάμου χρείᾳ περιττὴ καὶ ἀνέραστος. Ἔχομεν οὖν δεῖξαι πολλὰ γένη καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἄνευ συνόδου τικτόμενα· πλὴν τοῦτο οὐ ποιήσω· ἀλλὰ καὶ χρειώδη καὶ ἀναγκαίαν ταύτην ὀρίζομαι, εἰ πρὸς παιδοποιίαν καὶ μὴ πρὸς ἀσέλγειαν βλέπει. Ἐκεῖνο δὲ μᾶλλον εἴποιμι, ὅτι πρὸς τὴν οὐράνιον ἀξίαν συγκρίνεσθαι οὐκ ἂν εἴη δίκαιος. Κοσμικοῖς μὲν γὰρ ὁ γάμος ἐναβρυνέσθω ὑποδείγμασιν· ὑπερκοσμίοις δὲ μὴ κεχρήσθω ὑπεροχαῖς. Κοσμικοὶ γοῦν καὶ εἰσὶ καὶ καλοῦνται οἱ τοῦτον ἀσπασάμενοι Οἱ δὲ τῆς παρθενίας ἐρασταὶ γνήσιοι εἰς τὰς τῶν ἀγγέλων τεταγμένας ἐνεγράφησαν ἀξίας. Λέγει γὰρ τὸ Ασμα τὸ μυστικὸν, θάμβος αὐτοῖς προσεῖναι ὡς τεταγμένων. Οὐδὲν γὰρ παρ᾽ ἐκείνοις ἄτακτον, οὐδὲ ἀνώμαλον, ἀλλὰ πάντα τάξει καὶ ῥυθμῷ καὶ ἁρμονίᾳ κεκόσμηται. Ωσπερ τοίνυν οὐρανὸς γῆς καὶ ψυχὴ σώματος διαφέρει, οὕτω καὶ ἡ παρθενία τοῦ γάμου. Κατὰ μὲν γὰρ τὴν ἁγνείαν τοῖς ἀγγέλοις ὁμοιοῦται ἄνθρωπος· κατὰ δὲ τὸν γάμον τῶν θηρίων οὐδὲν διενήνοχεν, οἷς ἡ συνουσία ἀναγκαία ἐστὶ, καὶ δοκεῖ τὴν διαδοχὴν τοῦ γένους μηχανᾶσθαι.","t":"To Theodosius the scholasticus. [On \"Marriage is honourable.\"] Let honourable marriage have its own praises, since it was given by God and is honoured by men; but let it not compete with virginity, but stay within its own bounds. For even if, wishing to adorn and dignify it beyond what is fitting, you said that heaven consorts with earth through the rains, that the sun gives light to the moon, that rivers mingle with the sea, and that all the kinds of land creatures, birds, and sea creatures, governed by it, are preserved by succession, yet it is defeated when compared with the way of life of the angels, for whom the need of marriage is superfluous and holds no attraction. We could show that many kinds even on earth are born without intercourse; but I will not do this. Rather, I define marriage as useful and necessary, if it looks to the begetting of children and not to licentiousness. But I would rather say this: that it could not rightly be compared with heavenly rank. Let marriage pride itself on worldly examples; let it not lay claim to superiorities above the world. Those who embrace it are, and are called, people of the world; but the genuine lovers of virginity have been enrolled in the ranks of the angels, drawn up in order. For the mystical Song says that awe belongs to them as to ranks drawn up for battle. Among them nothing is disorderly or uneven; all is adorned with order, rhythm, and harmony. Just as heaven differs from earth and the soul from the body, so virginity differs from marriage. By purity a man becomes like the angels; by marriage he differs in nothing from the beasts, for which intercourse is necessary, and by which the succession of the race seems to be contrived.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.190 (PG 78 78:1279; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-190)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.191":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς τὰ δύο λεπτὰ βαλούσης. Ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν βιωτικῶν πραγμάτων οὐ πάντως τοῖς βουλομένοις ἔπεται τὸ δύνασθαι· τὰς γὰρ ἰδιωτικὰς δυνάμεις ὑπερβαίνουσι μεγαλουργίαι· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν πνευματικῶν ἔπεται τοῖς βουλομένοις ἡ δύναμις. Τὸ γὰρ κατὰ δύναμιν κατορθωθὲν, οὐρανομῆκες δείκνυται. Δύο οὖν λεπτὰ εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν γαζοφυλάκιον βαλοῦσα χήρα γυνή, ὡς πάντας τοὺς βασιλέας καὶ πάσας τὰς βασιλίδας ὑπερακοντίσασα ᾄδεται· οὐ γὰρ τὸ τεθὲν ἔκρινεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν προαίρεσιν αὐτῆς τὴν πᾶσαν περιουσίαν ἀφιερώσασαν, ἐστεφάνωσεν ὁ κριτής. Περὶ τοῦ, « Φάσκοντες εἶναι σοφοί, ἐμωράνθησαν. Ἐξ ὧν ὁ Μουσικός τις ὥς φασι (δίκαιον γὰρ ἐξ ὧν φλυαροῦσιν, αὐτοὺς καταγωνίσασθαι), πᾶσαν κινήσας μελῳδίαν εἰς θήραν, σώφρονος οὐ περιγέγονε κόρης, ἐκ τούτων καὶ ὁ περὶ τῆς μουσικῆς διαγράφεται λόγος. Θέλγει μὲν γὰρ ἴσως, τουτέστι (χρὴ γὰρ καὶ ἐτυμολογῆσαι θέλοντα ἄγει· οὐ μὴν καταδουλοῦται τὸ φρόνημα, οὐδ᾽ ἐκβιάζεται · οὐδὲ τοσαύτην ἔχει τὴν ἰσχὺν, ὡς μὴ βουλόμενον χειρώσασθαι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ περὶ γενέσεως, ὡς φής, ληροῦσιν, εἰπὲ πρὸς αὐτοὺς · Πῶς ὅν φατε μαντικώτατον εἶναι, ᾧ καὶ τὸ τοῦ ἡλίου ἐπιψεύδεσθε ὄνομα, ἠγνόησεν ὅτι σώφρων ἐστὶν ἡ κόρη, καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἀλοίη ἡδονῇ; Εἴτε γὰρ ἐκ τῆς μαντικῆς, εἴτε ἐκ τοῦ σοφὸς εἶναι, καὶ δυνατώτατος τῶν ταῦτα, ὥς φατε, κατασκευαζόντων ἢ σημαινόντων, ἐχρῆν αὐτὸν εἰδέναι. Εἰ δὲ διὰ πάντων ἄγνοιαν δυστυχῶν ἐφωράθη, παύσασθε, ὦ δεινότατοι, δι' ὧν φατε, ἑαυτοὺς ἐλέγχοντες. PLE΄. – ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ \"Οτι χαλεπὸν, ἐὰν τὰ πάθη τὰ σωματικὰ ἡμῶν κατακυριεύσωσιν. Ἐξ ὧν μετέρχῃ ἄθλων, θαυμάσιε, πέπεισο στάδιον ἡμῖν τὰ παρόντα προκεῖσθαι ἀόρατον, ἐν ᾧ θηρίοις οὐκ αἰσθητοῖς, ἀλλὰ νοητοῖς πάθεσι προσπαλαίομεν, ἅπερ εἰ τῆς ἐν ἡμῖν ῥώμης κρατήσουσιν, οὐ μέχρι τοῦ σώματος ἱστῶσι τὸν κίνδυνον, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτῇ τῇ ψυχῇ τὸν θάνατον φέρουσιν. Εἰ δὲ κρατηθῶσιν, ἢ δραπετεύσωσι, στεφάνων καὶ ἀναῤῥήσεων μεγάλων τευξόμεθα, καὶ ἐνταῦθα μὲν πολλάκις· μετὰ ταῦτα δὲ πάντως, ἐπειδὴ τὰ ἔπαθλα ὁ μέλλων αἰὼν ἐμπιστεύεται, ὡς οὗτος τὰ σκάμματα. ΔΑΝΙΗΛ Περὶ σοφίας, ἀδικίας, καὶ ὕβρεως παράθεσις· • Εἰ μὲν κακῶς ἐλάλησα, μαρτύρησον περὶ τοῦ κακοῦ· εἰ δὲ καλῶς, τί με δέρεις; › Ἔξεστιν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ἄλλων ὑβριζόντων, μὴ ὑβρίζεσθαι καὶ ἀδικούντων, μὴ ἀδικεῖσθαι. Εἰ δ' αἴνιγμά σοι τοῦτ᾽ εἶναι δοκεῖ, ταχέως αὐτὸ λῦσαι πειράσομαι. Ὁ γὰρ φιλοσοφῶν, καὶ πράως τὰς παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν φέρων ὕβρεις καὶ ἀδικίας, οὔθ' ὑβριζόντων ὑβρίζεται, οὔτ᾽ ἀδικούντων ἀδικεῖται. ᾿Αλλ᾽ εἰ χρὴ τάληθὲς εἰπεῖν, ἐκεῖνοἱ εἰσιν οἱ ἀδικούμενοι καὶ ὑβριζόμενοι, οἱ καὶ παρὰ ἀνθρώπων καταγινωσκόμενοι καὶ καταβοώμενοι. Ὁ δ' ὑψηλότερος ὢν καὶ ὕβρεως καὶ ἀδικίας, κἀνταῦθα τοῖς ἐγκωμίοις παρὰ πάντων στεφθήσεται, μὴ μόνον τοῦ ἐχθροῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ θυμοῦ κεκρατηκώς, κἀκεῖσε παρὰ Θεοῦ μεγίστας ἕξει τὰς ἀμοιβάς. Εἰ δὲ φαίης, πολὺν ἔχειν ἰδρῶτα καὶ πόνον, τὸ ὑβριζόμενον φέρειν, οὐδ᾽ αὐτὸς ἀρνησαίμην· ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο λέξαιμι, ὅτι οἱ μέγιστοι πόνοι στεφάνους τίκτουσιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ παραδείγματι εὐπαραβλήτῳ καταπραΰναι βούλει τὴν φλεγμονὴν τῆς ψυχῆς, ἐκεῖνο ἐννόει, ὅτι τῆς μιαρᾶς ἐκείνης χειρὸς, τὸ ἱερὸν ἐκεῖνο ῥαπισάσης πρόσωπον, φιλοσοφίας κρείττονα καὶ ὑψηλότερα ἐφθέγξατο ῥήματα· « Εἰ μὲν κακῶς ἐλάλησα, μαρτύρησον περὶ τοῦ κακοῦ· εἰ δὲ καλῶς, τί με δέρεις; » Καὶ ταύτῃ τῇ ἐπῳδῇ μὴ παύσαιο τὴν ψυχὴν ἰώμενος. PLΖ΄. – Περὶ Καππαδοκῶν. Ἐν τῷ κομιδῇ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἐλαφρίαν θαυμάζω, ὅτι βραχύ πνεῦμα καὶ ὀλίγωρον τοῦ Καππαδόκου οὕτως ἅπαντας ὑμᾶς ὡς καλάμην ἐδόνησε, καὶ ταῖς ἀσεβέσιν αὐτοῦ κατασκευαῖς ὑπουργεῖτε, δέει τοῦ μὴ τὰ ὅμοια τοῖς ἤδη πεπονθόσι παθεῖν. Εἰ τοίνυν συναπολήγειν αὐτῷ καὶ συμμεταίρειν παυομένῳ βεβούλησθε, εἰκότως τὴν πατρίδα ληΐζεσθε. Εἱ δὲ ὁ μὲν παύσεται καὶ ἀπελεύσεται, ὑμεῖς δὲ μενεῖτε ἐφ᾿ ἧς πεφύκατε, τῶν ἐναντίων ἀπόσχεσθε, τῶν δ᾽ οἰκείων ἀντέχεσθε.","t":"To Nilus. [On the woman who put in the two lepta.] In the affairs of this life, ability does not always follow the will, for great deeds exceed private means; but in spiritual matters ability follows the will. For what is achieved according to one's ability is shown to reach to heaven. So a widow who put two lepta into the sacred treasury is celebrated as having surpassed all kings and all queens; for the Judge did not judge what was put in, but crowned her intention, which dedicated her whole substance. [Letter 4.192] [On \"Claiming to be wise, they became fools.\"] From the story they tell of a certain musician (for it is right to defeat them from their own nonsense), who set every melody in motion for the hunt but did not prevail over a chaste girl, from this the account they give of music is also refuted. Music charms (θέλγει), perhaps, that is (for one must also give the etymology) it leads the willing (θέλοντα ἄγει); it does not enslave the mind or force it, nor has it such strength as to overpower one who is unwilling. And since they also talk nonsense about birth-stars, as you say, say to them: \"How did the one whom you call most prophetic, to whom you even falsely give the name of the sun, not know that the girl was chaste and would not be caught by pleasure? Whether from his prophecy, or from being wise and the most powerful of those who, as you say, bring these things about or signify them, he ought to have known. And if he was caught in misfortune through ignorance on every count, stop refuting yourselves, most clever men, by what you say.\" [Another letter.] To Timothy the reader. [That it is grievous if the passions of the body master us.] From the contests you pursue, admirable friend, be persuaded that the present life is set before us as an invisible arena, in which we wrestle not with beasts that the senses perceive but with passions that the mind perceives; and if these master our strength, they do not stop the danger at the body, but bring death to the soul itself. But if they are mastered or run away, we shall obtain crowns and great proclamations, often here, but certainly afterwards, since the age to come is entrusted with the prizes as this one is with the arenas. [Another letter.] To Daniel. [On wisdom, injustice, and insult: a citation, \"If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness about the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike me?\"] It is possible, admirable friend, not to be insulted when others insult, and not to be wronged when they do wrong. If this seems a riddle to you, I shall try to solve it quickly. One who practises philosophy and bears gently the insults and wrongs of his enemies is neither insulted by those who insult him nor wronged by those who do him wrong. But, to tell the truth, it is they who are wronged and insulted, since they are condemned and decried by people. The one who rises above insult and injustice will be crowned here with praises from all, having mastered not only his enemy but also his anger, and there he will receive the greatest rewards from God. If you say that bearing insult takes much sweat and toil, I would not deny it myself; but I would say this: the greatest labours give birth to crowns. And if you want to soothe the inflammation of your soul with a fitting example, think of this: when that foul hand struck that sacred face, he uttered words higher than philosophy: \"If I have spoken wrongly, bear witness about the wrong; but if rightly, why do you strike me?\" And never stop healing your soul with this charm. [Another letter.] [On the Cappadocians.] I greatly wonder at your fickleness, that a slight and contemptible breath from the Cappadocian has so shaken you all like straw, and that you serve his impious contrivances for fear of suffering the same as those who have already suffered. If, then, you have resolved to stop when he stops and move off with him, you are right to plunder your homeland. But if he will stop and depart, while you will remain where you were born, keep away from what is hostile to it and hold fast to what is your own.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.191 (PG 78 78:1281; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-191)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.197":{"o":"ΔΟΜΙΤΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἘνέτυχόν ποτε ἱστορίᾳ Περσικῇ, τοιαῦτά τινα περιεχούσῃ, ὅτι οἱ παῖδες ἐμάνθανον μὲν μηδὲν ψευδὲς μήτε λέγειν, μήτε ἀκούειν· μήτε τὸ συμφέρον δίκαιον, ἀλλὰ τὸ δίκαιον ἡγεῖσθαι συμφέρον· καὶ τοῦ διδόναι τὸ λαμβάνειν εἶναι λυσιτελέστερον Ὅτε δ᾽ ἤμελλον εἰς ἄνδρας τελέσειν, ὤμνυον ὅρκον, ὀλίγα μὲν κομιδῇ περιέχοντα μεγίστην δὲ δύναμιν περιέχοντα ῥήματα, καὶ ὑπὲρ πάσας τὰς τῶν Ἑλλήνων φιλοσοφίας. Ὤμνυε γάρ ἕκαστος, ὡς ἐγὼ καταφρονήσω μὲν παντὸς κέρδους πονηροῦ· καταφρονήσω ἡδονῆς σώματος· καταφρονήσω δόξης κενῆς· ζηλώσω δὲ ἀρετὴν, καὶ τιμήσω τὸ θεῖον, καὶ γονεῖς· ἀληθῆ λέγων, ἀγαθὰ πράσσων· οὐδέ τι τούτων ὑπερβήσομαι εἰδὼς οὐδ᾽ ἑκών. Εἰ τοίνυν τὸ σέλας μὴ φέρων τῶν θείων Γραφῶν, ὥσπερ οἱ ὀφθαλμιῶντες τὸν ἥλιον, οὔτ᾽ αὐτὸς ἀναγινώσκεις, οὔτε τοὺς σαυτοῦ υἱεῖς συγχωρεῖς, κἂν ταῦτα καὶ σαυτὸν καὶ τοὺς σαυτοῦ παῖδας, φέρειν ἐπὶ μνήμης ἔθιζε. Πιστεύω γὰρ, ὅτι κινήσουσιν ὑμᾶς καὶ τοῖς θείοις λόγοις ἐντυχεῖν. Ἐνταῦθα μὲν, ὦ βέλτιστε, οὐχ οἷόν τε ἀμφότερα συνδραμεῖν, σφοδρότητα λέγω τιμωριῶν καὶ παραμονήν. Θάτερον γαρ θατέρῳ πολεμεῖ, διὰ τὸ φθαρτὴν οὖσαν τοῦ σώματος τὴν φύσιν μὴ φέρειν αὐτῶν τὴν σύνοδον. Ἐκεῖσε δὲ τῆς ἀφθαρσίας εἰσβιασαμένης καὶ τὴν φθορὰν ἐξοστρακισάσης, καὶ ἡ τῆς μάχης ταύτης διάλυσις γένοιτ' ἂν, ὡς τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῶν βασανιστηρίων μήτε τὴν ψυχὴν ἐξελάσαι τοῦ σώματος, μήτε τὸ σῶμα εἰς τὸ μὴ ὂν παραπέμψαι.","t":"To Domitius the deacon. I once read a Persian history which contained something like this: that their boys learned neither to say nor to hear anything false; not to think the advantageous just, but the just advantageous; and that giving is more profitable than receiving. When they were about to be enrolled among the men, they swore an oath of very few words but of the greatest force, beyond all the philosophies of the Greeks. Each one swore: \"I will despise all wicked gain; I will despise the pleasure of the body; I will despise empty glory; I will strive for virtue, and honour the divine and my parents, speaking the truth and doing good; and I will not transgress any of these knowingly or willingly.\" If, then, unable to bear the brightness of the divine Scriptures, as those with diseased eyes cannot bear the sun, you neither read them yourself nor allow your sons to, at least accustom yourself and your children to keep these words in memory. For I believe they will move you to read the divine words as well. [Letter 4.198] Here, my good friend, the two cannot go together, I mean the intensity of punishments and their duration. For the one wars against the other, because the nature of the body, being corruptible, cannot bear their combination. But there, when incorruption has forced its way in and banished corruption, this battle will be brought to an end, so that the excess of the torments will neither drive the soul from the body nor send the body into non-existence.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.197 (PG 78 78:1285; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-197)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.2":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ.\nΕἰς τὸ, - Καθήλωσον ἐκ τοῦ φόβου σου τὰς σάρκας μου. Γέλωτα ὀφλισκάνεις (ὦ τί σε καλέσας τῆς σῆς ἀναλγησίας καθάψομαι); εὐχόμενος· « Καθήλωσον ἐκ τοῦ φόβου σου τὰς σάρκας μου. • Τῶν μὲν γὰρ τὰ παρ' ἑαυτῶν εἰσφερόντων, καὶ νηστευόντων καὶ τῇ αὐταρκείᾳ χρωμένων, καὶ τοῦ σώματος κολαζόντων τὰ σκιρτήματα, ἐστὶν αὕτη ἡ εὐχὴ, ἐπικουρίαν τῇ αὐτῶν ἀσκήσει πεμφθῆναι οὐρανόθεν παρακαλούντων. Τῶν δὲ, ὥσπερ σὺ, κραιπάλῃ ἀμέτρῳ πιαινόντων τὸ σῶμα, καὶ τρυφῇ ποικίλῃ καὶ παντοδαπῇ τὰ σκιρτήματα αὐτῆς διεγειρόντων, καὶ τῇ εὐεξίᾳ τοὺς ἀθλητὰς ἀποκρυπτόντων, οὐκ ἔστι. Ταὐτὸν γὰρ ποιεῖς, ὡς ἂν εἰ καὶ ἑταίρᾳ συμπλεκόμενος καὶ ἐρῶν αὐτῆς, εὔξοιο σωφροσύνην λαβεῖν. Τῶν γὰρ ἀνωτέρω τῶν δικτύων ἐκείνης πετομένων ἐστὶν. ἡ εὐχή· οὐ τῶν ἄρκυσιν ὑποκυπτόντων ἑαυτοὺς ταῖς αὐτῆς ἢ ὡς ἂν ἀπὸ πλοίου εἰς πέλαγος ἄπειρον σαὐτὸν ῥίπτων, ἀντιβολοίης σωθῆναι ἐμβρόντητε, σαυτῷ κατασκεύαζων τὸν κίνδυνον, εὐχῇ σωθῆναι Καὶ πῶς οἷόν τε; Τῶν γὰρ πάντα τὰ παρ' ἑαυτῶν πληρούντων, καὶ παρακαλούντων μὴ βαπτισθῆναι τὴν οἰκείαν τέχνην ὑπὸ τοῦ χειμῶνος, ἐστὶν αὕτη ἡ δέησις· οὐ τῶν ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τὸ πέλαγος καὶ πρὸ τοῦ κλύδωνος ῥιπτούντων. Παῦσαι τοίνυν τρυφῶν. Εἰ γὰρ γαστρὸς περιέσῃ, καὶ τῶν μετὰ γαστέρα κρατήσεις, καὶ γέλωτα οὐκ ὀφλήσεις, ὡς τὰναντία ὧν διαπράττῃ λαβεῖν προσευχόμενος.","t":"To Zosimus. [On \"Nail down my flesh with fear of you.\"] You make yourself a laughing-stock (oh, what shall I call you, to rebuke your insensibility?) when you pray, \"Nail down my flesh with fear of you.\" This prayer belongs to those who bring their own contribution: who fast, live with little, and chastise the leaping of the body, and who ask that help be sent from heaven for their discipline. It does not belong to those who, like you, fatten the body with immoderate drinking, rouse its leaping with luxury of every kind, and outdo athletes in good condition. You are doing the same as if you embraced a courtesan, in love with her, and prayed to receive chastity. The prayer belongs to those who fly above her nets, not to those who stoop beneath her snares. Or it is as if you threw yourself from a ship into the boundless sea and begged to be saved, you thunderstruck man, preparing the danger for yourself and asking to be saved by prayer. How is that possible? This petition belongs to those who fulfil everything on their part and ask that their skill not be sunk by the storm, not to those who throw themselves into the sea even before the surge comes. Stop living in luxury, then. If you master your belly, you will also master what follows the belly, and you will not make yourself a laughing-stock by praying to receive the opposite of what you do.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.2 (PG 78 78:1049; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-2)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.200":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nΤίνος χάριν ὁ Μωσῆς τοὺς ἐπανελθόντας ἀπὸ πολέμου ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολής καθαρθησομένους ἀπέπεμψεν. Εἰ τῶν φόνων οἱ μὲν ἄλλως συμβαίνοντες, οὐκ εὐαγεῖς, τῶν δὲ πολέμων τὸ μύσος ἄπεστι διὰ τί, ἔφης, ὁ Μωσῆς τοὺς ἀπὸ πολέμου ἐπανελθόντας ἔξω τῆς παρεμβολῆς καθαρθησομένους ἔπεμψε; Φημί τοίνυν ὅτι, εἰ καὶ νόμιμοι εἶναι δοκοῦσιν αἱ τῶν ἐναντίων ἐν πολέμοις σφαγαὶ, καὶ στῆλαι τῶν νικώντων ἐγείρονται κηρύττουσαι τὰ κατορθώματα· ἀλλά γε τῆς ἀκριβοῦς συγγενείας ἐξεταζομένης οὐδὲ αὗται ἀθῶοί εἰσιν, διόπερ αὐτοῖς καὶ καθαρσίοις καὶ περιῤῥαντηρίοις χρήσασθαι ἐπέταξεν.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. [Why Moses sent those who returned from war outside the camp to be purified.] If, among killings, those that happen in other ways are impure, but the defilement is absent from wars, why, you asked, did Moses send those who returned from war outside the camp to be purified? I say, then, that even if the slaughter of enemies in war seems lawful, and monuments to the victors are raised proclaiming their achievements, yet, when the close kinship of all people is examined, not even these killings are guiltless; that is why he commanded them to use purifications and sprinklings.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.200 (PG 78 78:1287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-200)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.201":{"o":"ΕΡΜΕΙΑ.\nΠερὶ ἀναστάσεως. Εἰ μὲν μόνη κατώρθωσεν ἡ ψυχή, μόνη καὶ στεφανούσθω. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἐμερίσατο τοὺς ἄθλους, μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ καὶ στεφανούσθω. Δίκαιον γὰρ, καὶ εὔλογον, καὶ εἰκὸς, καὶ πρεπωδέστατον τοῦτο τυγχάνει.","t":"To Hermias. [On the resurrection.] If the soul alone had achieved virtue, let it alone be crowned. But if the body too shared in the contests, let it be crowned with the soul. For this is just, reasonable, fitting, and most proper.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.201 (PG 78 78:1287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-201)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.202":{"o":"ΑΛΦΙΩ.\nὉ θειότατος τοῦ Πατρὸς Υἱός τε καὶ Λόγος, ὁ τῶν ἁπάντων Δημιουργός, ὁ ἀἰδιός τε καὶ ἄῤῥητος, δεῦρ' ἐπιφοιτήσας, τὴν ἀσάφειαν τοῦ κηρύγματος τῇ οἰκείᾳ ἡρμήνευσε δυνάμει· διὸ καὶ θεοδιδάκτους ἔσεσθαι πάντας τὸ προφητικὸν προεμήνυσε λόγιον. Πάντες τοιγαροῦν οἱ νοῦ καὶ φρονήσεως οὐκ ἀμοιροῦντες, ἅτε ὑπὸ τῆς ἀνωτάτω σοφίας παιδευθέντες, ἁπάντων τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἀφέμενοι, καὶ τῶν λογισμῶν ἀνωτέρω χωρήσαντες, τὰ ὑπερκόσμια φαντάζονται. ΣΓ΄. ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Εἰς τὸ· « Πρὸ τοῦ ἡλίου διαμένει τὸ ὄνομα · αὐτοῦ. • Ὁ θεῖος καὶ ἀκήρατος νοῦς, εἴ ποτέ τι τῶν μελλόντων προμηνύσαι ἠβούλετο, οὐχ ἁπλῶς ἔρριπτε τὴν προφητείαν· ἐγέλασαν γὰρ ἂν πλατὺ οἱ ἀπαίδευτοι Ἰουδαῖοι, οἱ καὶ πρὸς τὰ λίαν σαφῆ ἀπαιδευτοῦντες ἀλλὰ κεράσας τοῖς παροῦσι τὴν τῶν μελλόντων γνῶσιν, οὕτω τὴν προφητείαν ἐσέμνυνεν, ὅπως καὶ οἱ τότε ἀκροώμενοι ἀπολαύσωσί τινος ὠφελείας, καὶ οἱ μετὰ ταῦτα ἐκ τῆς περιβολῆς τῶν πραγμάτων τὸ ἀκριβὲς γνοῖεν. Καὶ ἵνα μὴ πάσας περιερχόμενος τὰς προφητείας δόξω μακρηγορεῖν, ἕνα προφητείας τρόπον παραθεὶς, διὰ τούτου καὶ τοὺς λοιποὺς τοῖς συνετωτέροις σαφηνίσω. Γέγραπται γάρ ψαλμὸς εἰς Σολομῶντα, οὗ ὀλίγα μὲν εἰς Σολομῶντα βλέπει· τὰ δὲ πλεῖστα καὶ μέγιστα εἰς τὸν Χριστόν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πρόχειρος νοῦς τὸν Σολομῶντα ἐδόκει ἄδειν· ὁ δὲ εἰλικρινέστερος καὶ ὀξυωπέστερος τὸν τῷ ὄντι εἰρηνικόν · καὶ ἦν καὶ τοῖς τότε οὖσι παραμυθία μεγίστη, καὶ τοῖς ἐσομένοις παραμυθία ἀρίστη. Τὸ γάρ· « Πρὸ τοῦ ἡλίου διαμένει τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ, καὶ πρὸ τῆς σελήνης εἰς γενεάς γενεῶν, ὁ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντὰ τὰ ὑπερφυῆ, καὶ θεοπρεπῆ, καὶ μείζονα οὐ μόνον ἢ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τὰς ἄνω δυνάμεις, εἰς τὸν Χριστὸν ᾔδετο. Τὸ δὲ· · Καὶ προσεύξονται περὶ αὐτοῦ διὰ παντὸς, » περὶ Σολομῶντος εἴρηται. Μὴ τοίνυν νομίζωμεν ἁπλῶς τὴν ἀκήρατον σοφίαν διὰ τῶν προφητῶν τὴν μέλλουσαν προμεμηνυκέναι γνῶσιν· ἀλλὰ κεράσαντες τοῖς ἐνεστῶσι τὰ μέλλοντα, μηδὲ ἐπειδάν τι ταπεινὸν ἀκούσωμεν, καὶ τῆς θείας τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἐπιδημίας ἀλλότριον, πάντως εἰς αὐτὸν εἰρῆσθαι νομίσωμεν· ἀλλὰ μηδὲ τὰ μεγαλοπρεπῆ, καὶ τῇ θείᾳ, μόνῃ ἀξίᾳ πρέποντα, περὶ Σολομῶντος εἰρῆσθαι ἡγώμεθα, τοῦ μηδὲ ἄμεμπτον ἐσχηκότος τὸ πέρας · μηδὲ ἐκβιαζώμεθα τὰς προφητείας μηδὲ τοῦ ὁμαλισμοῦ χάριν τῶν προφητικῶν χωρίων εἰς ἀγυρτικὰς ἐμπίπτωμεν λογοποιίας· ἀλλὰ νουνεχῶς καὶ καθ' ἱστορίαν εἰρημένα νοῶμεν, καὶ τὰ κατὰ θεωρίαν προφητευθέντα ἐκλαμβάνωμεν, μηδὲ τὰ σαφῶς ἱστορηθέντα εἰς θεωρίαν ἐκβιαζόμενοι, μήτε τὰ λαμπρῶς θεωρηθῆναι ὀφείλοντα εἰς ἱστορίαν καταβιβάζοντες, ἀλλ' ἀμφοτέροις πρόσφορον καὶ κατάλληλον νοῦν ἐφαρμόζοντες. Εἰ δὲ τοιαύτη εὑρεθείη προφητεία, καὶ τὴν ἱστορίαν ἀρηρότως καὶ τὴν θεωρίαν ἀβιάστως σώζουσα, χρηστέον αὐτῇ κατ᾿ ἄμφω. Εἰς τὸ·","t":"To Alphius. The most divine Son and Word of the Father, the Creator of all, eternal and ineffable, coming here, interpreted the obscurity of the preaching by his own power; that is why the prophetic oracle foretold that all would be taught by God. So all who are not without mind and sense, being instructed by the highest wisdom, leave all human things behind, go higher than reasoning, and contemplate things above the world. [Letter 4.203] To Leontius the bishop. [On \"His name endures before the sun.\"] The divine and pure Mind, whenever it wished to foretell something of the future, did not simply cast out a prophecy (for the uneducated Jews, who were uneducated even toward very clear things, would have laughed broadly), but mixed knowledge of the future with the present, and so dignified the prophecy, so that those who heard it then might enjoy some benefit, and those afterwards might learn its precise meaning from the outcome of events. And so as not to seem long-winded by going round all the prophecies, I shall set out one mode of prophecy and through it make the rest clear to the more intelligent. A psalm is written for Solomon, of which a few things look to Solomon, but most, and the greatest, to Christ. The obvious sense seemed to sing of Solomon; the purer and sharper-sighted sense, of the one who is truly peaceful; and it was both the greatest consolation to those living then and the best consolation to those to come. For \"Before the sun his name endures, and before the moon for generations of generations,\" and all the other supernatural and God-befitting things, greater not only than any human but even than the powers above, were sung of Christ. But \"And they shall pray for him continually\" was said of Solomon. So let us not think that the pure Wisdom foretold knowledge of the future through the prophets in a simple way, but that it mixed the future with the present. And when we hear something lowly and foreign to the Saviour's divine coming, let us not think that it was said of him at all costs; nor let us think that the magnificent things, which befit the divine dignity alone, were said of Solomon, whose end was not even blameless. Let us not force the prophecies, nor fall into charlatans' story-making for the sake of smoothing out the prophetic passages; but let us understand with intelligence what is said according to history, and take what is prophesied according to contemplation, neither forcing what is clearly historical into contemplation, nor dragging down into history what ought to be splendidly contemplated, but fitting to both a suitable and appropriate sense. And if a prophecy is found that keeps the history fittingly and the contemplation without forcing, it should be used in both ways.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.202 (PG 78 78:1287; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-202)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.204":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ\nἘὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ἡ δικαιοσύνη ὑμῶν, » καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Ὁπηνίκα ὁ πρωτόπλαστος ἄνθρωπος ἐξ αὐτῆς, ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι, γραμμῆς τῆς θείας ἐντολῆς ἀλογήσας τὴν ἀπάτην προὐτίμησε τοῦ αὐτὸν ἀπολέσαι παντελῶς μηχανησαμένου, τὸ τηνικαῦτα καὶ τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ γέγονεν οὐ μόνον θνητὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ παθητόν. Πολλὰ γὰρ ἐλαττώματα ἐβλάστησε, καὶ βαρὺς καὶ δυσήνιος ὁ ἵππος κατέστη. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν καὶ εἰς πάντας ἡ δυσκλεής αὕτη καὶ πάσης ζημίας βαρυτέρα κληρονομία κατεπέμφθη καὶ ταῖς τῆς προαιρέσεως ῥαθυμίαις ηύξήθη ἡ ἀπευκτὴ περιουσία, δεῦρο δὴ ἐπιφοιτήσας ὁ Χριστὸς, κουφότερον ἡμῖν τὸ σῶμα διὰ τοῦ βαπτίσματος πεποίηκε, τῷ πτερῷ τοῦ Πνεύματος διεγείρων· διὰ τοῦτο μείζονα τῶν παλαιῶν ἡμῖν προσετέθη καὶ ἄθλα καὶ ἔπαθλα. Οὐ γὰρ φόνου καθαροὺς εἶναι βούλεται μόνον, ἄλλα καὶ ὀργῆς· οὐδὲ μοιχείας καὶ πορνείας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀκολάστου θέας· οὐδὲ ἐπιορκίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐορκίας. Καὶ μετὰ τῶν φίλων καὶ τοὺς δυσμενεῖς κελεύει φιλεῖν· καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις δὲ ἅπασι μακρότερα ἐποίησε τὰ στάδια · καὶ τοῖς μὴ πειθομένοις πῦρ ἄσβεστον ἠπείλησε, δεικνὺς, ὅτι οὐ τῆς φιλοτιμίας τῶν ἀγωνιζομένων ἐστὶ ταῦτα, ὥσπερ ἡ ἀκτημοσύνη, καὶ ἡ παρθενία· ἐκεῖ γὰρ προϋτρέψατο · · Εἰ θέλεις τέλειος εἶναι· » καί · · Ὁ δυνάμενος χωρεῖν, χωρείτω. » ᾿Αλλὰ πάντως αὐτὰ ἀνυσθῆναι βούλεται · καὶ γὰρ τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐστί. Διὸ καὶ ἔφη τοῦθ᾽, ὅπερ μαθεῖν ἠθέλησας· « Ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ὑμῶν ἡ δικαιοσύνη πλέον τῶν Γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, » τουτέστιν, εἰ μὴ τοσοῦτον ὑπερακοντίσητε τοὺς ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ εὐδοκιμηκότας· οὐ γὰρ περὶ τῶν δίκην δωσόντων νυνὶ διαλέγομαι· ὅσον ὁ οὐρανὸς τῆς γῆς διενήνοχεν · · οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. » Τοῖς γὰρ ἄθλοις καὶ τὰ ἔπαθλα εἰκότως ἀκολουθεῖ. Ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ σύμμετρον πολιτείαν τινὰ πολιτευόμενοι, γῆν καὶ μακροημερίαν ἔσχον τὴν ἀμοιβήν. « Τίμα γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν πατέρα καὶ τὴν μητέρα σου, ἵνα εὖ σοι γένηται, καὶ ἔσῃ μακροχρόνιος ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, ἣν Κύριος ὁ Θεός σου δίδωσί σοι. » Ἡμῖν δὲ τοῖς τοὺς εὐαγγελικοὺς διαύλους δραμοῦσιν, οὐρανὸς ἀπόκειται, καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῷ ἀγαθά.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [On \"Unless your righteousness exceeds,\" and what follows.] When the first-formed man, from the very starting line, so to speak, of the divine commandment, disregarded it and preferred the deceit of the one who contrived to destroy him utterly, his body then became not only mortal but also subject to passion. Many defects sprouted, and the horse became heavy and hard to rein. Since, then, this inglorious inheritance, heavier than any loss, was passed down to all, and this detestable abundance was increased by the negligence of our will, Christ came here and made the body lighter for us through baptism, rousing it with the wing of the Spirit; and for this reason greater contests and prizes than those of the ancients were set before us. For he wants us to be pure not only of murder but also of anger; not only of adultery and sexual immorality, but also of the licentious look; not only of perjury, but also of swearing truly. He commands us to love our enemies along with our friends; in all other things too he has made the course longer; and he has threatened unquenchable fire to those who disobey, showing that these things are not left to the generosity of the competitors, as are poverty and virginity (for there he urged, \"If you wish to be perfect,\" and \"Let him who can receive it receive it\"), but that he wants them accomplished in every case, for they are among the things that are necessary. That is why he said what you wished to learn: \"Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees\" (that is, unless you surpass those who were approved in the Old Testament, for I am not now speaking of those who will pay the penalty, as far as heaven differs from earth), \"you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.\" For prizes rightly follow contests. They, living a moderate kind of life, received land and long life as their reward: \"Honour your father and your mother, that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the land which the Lord your God gives you.\" But for us who run the double course of the gospel, heaven and the good things in it are laid up.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.204 (PG 78 78:1291; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-204)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.205":{"o":"ΟΛΥΜΠΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ, ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nὍτι μὲν πρὸ πολλῶν ἂν δωρεῶν καὶ μεγίστης εὐκλείας ἐθέμην, τὸ περὶ ὧν πρώην γέγραφα πεπεικὼς ἀνῦσαι, οὐκ ἂν ἔξαρνος, ὦ φίλε, ἐγενόμην Ταύτῃ γε αἰτίας εἴσω ὑπελάμβανον εἶναι δόξας, εἴ τινες τὰ βέλτιστα ἀκούοντες, μὴ προσέχοιεν τὸν νοῦν, καὶ ταύτης τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν λόγων ὠφελείας ἀποστερήσειαν ἑαυτούς· ἀλλ᾽ ἤλπιζον ἁπλῶς ἕκαστον ἢ ἐπὶ τοὺς μὴ πεισθέντας τὴν μέμψιν οἴσειν, ἢ μήτ᾿ ἐμοὶ, μήτ' ἐκείνοις ἐπιτιμήσειν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ εἰς τοσοῦτον προήκεις, ὡς ἐμοὶ μέμψασθαι· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν μηδὲν ἔχων εἰπεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ πάντα ἐκθειάζων ἓν δὲ ἰσχυρὸν ἔχειν νομίζων, τὸ μὴ δεδυνῆσθαι πεῖσαι· ἀνάγκη σοι περὶ τούτου χαράξαι γράμματα, καὶ μὴ σιγὴν τὴν αἰτίαν ἐνεγκεῖν. ῎Ἄτοπον γὰρ, σὲ μὲν τολμᾷν ἃ μὴ προσήκει γράφειν· ἐμὲ δ' ἀντεπιστέλλειν τὰ δίκαια κατοκνεῖν. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ εἶπες, μὴ ἐπέστειλας δὲ, τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἂν ἦγον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ μεμήνυκας, ἃ μήτε ἐγὼ σεσίγηκα, καὶ τῆς σῆς σοφίας τῷ δοκεῖν τἀληθῆ μέμψασθαι περιγίνεται. Βουλοίμην μὲν οὖν μηδὲν πικρὸν μηδὲ καταφρονητικὸν ἐκθεῖναι ταῖς ἀποδείξεσιν· οὐ γὰρ ἑτέροις ἥκω κακῶς λέξων· ἀλλ' ὡς οὐκ αὐτὸς ἥμαρτον ἀποδείξων. Εἰ δὲ τι ὑπ᾿ αὐτῆς τῆς ἀνάγκης εἰπεῖν ἐκβιασθῶ, τῇ τῶν πραγμάτων φύσει, οὐ τῇ τοῦ γράφοντος γνώμῃ τὴν αἰτίαν λογιστέον. ῎Αρξομαι δὲ ἀφ᾿ ὧν αὐτὸς ἔγραψας. Εἰ γὰρ γεγραφὼς πολλάκις ὡς φημι προσῆκεν· ὅνπερ δὴ προσῆκε τρόπον· πρὸς Εὐσέβιον καὶ Μαρτιανὸν, Ζώσιμόν τε καὶ Μάρωνα, ὥστε κακίας μὲν ἀποστῆναι, τῆς κατ᾿ ἀρετὴν δὲ ἀντιλαμβάνεσθαι, εἶτα τοῦτ᾽ οὐκ ἔπεισα, ποτέρων ἡ κατηγορία; καί μοι δοκεῖς λόγῳ μὲν ἐμὲ αἰτιᾶσθαι· ἔργῳ δ᾽ ἐκείνους κωμῳδεῖν. Ὁ μὴ πειθόμενος κορυφαίῳ, χορός ἄμουσος· ὁ μὴ πειθόμενος ἰατρῷ, ἄθλιος. Ὁ δὲ κορυφαῖος καὶ ἰατρὸς, ἔξω αἰτίας ἐσκήνωνται. Τῶν γὰρ μάλιστα δυνηθέντων εἰπεῖν, καὶ μεγίστην δόξαν ἐπὶ φρονήσει λαβόντων, οὐδείς ἐστιν, ὃς τοῦτ' ἐξέφυγεν, οὐ παρὰ τὴν οἰκείαν ἀσθένειαν, ἀλλὰ τῆς αὐτεξουσιότητος, ὡς ἔφην, ὅρον. Αρ' οὖν, εἰ παρὰ τὸ τοὺς ἀκροατὰς κυρίους εἶναι τοῦ τέλους, διὰ τὸν τῆς αὐτεξουσιότητος ὅρον. Διὸ καὶ ὁ τῆς κρίσεως βέβαιος ὑπάρχει λόγος. Καὶ τί δεῖ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους λέγειν, ἐξὸν ἐξ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Σωτῆρος λαβεῖν τῶν παραδειγμάτων τὴν ἀρχὴν; Ὅτε γὰρ Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ ὁ τούτων ἐπώνυμος, οἱ μὲν ἠπίστουν, καὶ ἀνελεῖν ἐπεχείρουν, ὁ δὲ προδιδόναι ἐπειρᾶτο, τοιούτοις λόγοις ἐχρήσατο ὁ Λόγος · καίπερ οὐ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὁ λόγος οἳ καὶ τὴν τῶν λίθων φύσιν εἰκότως δεινότατοι ἦσαν ἐπικάμψαι · ποτὲ μὲν τοῖς τοῦ δικαίου λογισμοῖς ἀνείργων · ποτὲ δὲ τῇ τῶν τιμωριῶν ἀπειλῇ ἀναστέλλων αὐτῶν τὴν κακίαν. Τί οὖν; Ἔπεισεν; Οὐδαμῶς. Διὰ τί; Ἐπειδὴ τοῦ πεισθῆναι καὶ μὴ, τοὺς ἀκούοντας κυρίους εἶναι χρὴ διὰ τὸν κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνον ἐγεγόνεις τὸν χρόνον, προσῆλθες ἂν τῷ Θεῷ Λόγῳ, καὶ κατῃτιάσω; Οὐκ ἔσωσας τὸν Ἰούδαν. Καίτοι λέγων οὐκ ἔσωσεν· ἀλλ᾽ οἶμαι πάντας ἄν σε παραπληξίας καὶ τῆς ἐσχάτης γράψασθαι ἀπαιδευσίας. Τοῦ μὲν γὰρ διδάσκοντός ἐστι, τὸ μηδὲν παραλεῖψαι τῶν φερόντων εἰς πειθώ· τῶν δ᾽ ἀκροωμένων, τὸ πεισθῆναι, καὶ μή. Τούτου τοίνυν οὐδὲν διαφέρει καὶ τὸ παρὸν, εἰ τὴν αἰτίαν τῶν μὴ πεισθέντων ὁ μὴ πεπεικὼς οἴσομαι. Εἰ δ' Ἕλληνες ἢ Ἰουδαῖοι πρὸς τοῦτο ἀντείποιεν· χρὴ γὰρ μυρίοις ὀφθαλμοῖς τὰς ἀντιθέσεις περισκοπεῖν, καὶ ταύτας ἀνατρέπειν · πρὸς μὲν ἐκείνους φήσομεν· Δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν ὁ Ζεὺς; ὥς φησιν Ὅμηρος, οὐκ ἔσωσε τῶν κινδύνων φίλτατον, ἀλλὰ συνεβούλευσε μόνον; \" Πρὸς δὲ τούτους, Διὰ τί ἐν τῇ Παλαιᾷ διὰ Μωσέως καὶ τῶν ἄλλων προφητῶν λαλήσας ὁ Θεὸς, οὐκ ἔσωσεν ἀλλὰ παρακουόμενος τιμωρίαις αὐτοὺς μετῆλθεν; Ὅταν γὰρ τις δίκην δῷ, ὁμοῦ τε κεκόλασται, καὶ τὸ μὴ πεπεῖσθαι τῷ νομοθέτῃ δείκνυσι · μᾶλλον δὲ αὐτὸς ὁ νομοθέτης, ὅτι οὐ πείσῃ πάντας χρηστοὺς εἶναι, προεῖδεν. Ὁ γὰρ ὁρίζων περὶ τιμωρίας, ὡς οὐ καθέξει τοὺς πονηροὺς, δῆλός ἐστιν εἰδώς. Ὅπερ γὰρ ἂν εἰς τοῦτο ἀπολογήσωνται, τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰούδα λελέξεται. Ἔδει μὲν οὖν ἐνταῦθα στῆναι τὴν ἀπόδειξιν· πᾶν γὰρ ὅτι ἂν ἐπὶ τῷδε λεχθείη παράδειγμα, τοῦδ᾽ ἔλαττον. Τί γὰρ θαυμαστὸν, εἰς ἄνθρωπον ἐλθεῖν, ὃ καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ Λόγου ἥψατο; τὸ δὲ μὴ δοκεῖν εὐπρόσωπον τεθηρευκέναι ῥαθυμίαν, οὐδὲ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀφέξομαι. Δι' ἣν αἰτίαν τοίνυν Μωσῆς κατελιθοῦτο ἱεροφάντης, Ἠσαΐας δὲ ἐπρίζετο, ὁ τῶν Σεραφίμ θεωρός, Ἱερεμίας δὲ εἰς λάκκον βορβόρου κατεκλείετο, καὶ Πέτρος μὲν ἀνῃρεῖτο, Παῦλος δὲ ἀπετέμνετο; Οὐκ ἐπειδὴ μὴ πάντες τοῖς λόγοις προσεῖχον, καὶ ταῖς παραινέσεσιν; Εἰ δὲ διὰ τὸ λόγων ῥητορικῶν ἢ συλλογιστικῶν ἀπείρους εἶναι, φαίης ταῦτα πεπονθέναι, εἰς τοὺς ἔξωθεν, τοὺς καὶ ἐπὶ λόγῳ, καὶ δεινότητι, καὶ πειθοί μεγίστην δόξαν ἐσχηκότας, τρέψομαι. Διὰ τί γὰρ Πλάτων, ὁ Ἑλλήνων θησαυρὸς, καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἐξέπεσεν; Οὐκ ἐπειδὴ μηδένα τύραννον πεῖσαι ἡδυνήθη; Πυθαγόρας δὲ, ὁ μέγα ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ φρονήσας, τῆς Φαλάριδος συνουσίας διὰ τί ἀπεπήδησεν ; Οὐκ ἐπειδὴ καὶ μετὰ τὴν τοσαύτην διδασκαλίαν ἐκεῖνος πάλιν τύραννος ἦν; Διὰ τί δὲ Σωκράτης, ὁ πάντων τῶν τότε σοφῶν περιγενόμενος, κωνείῳ κατακριθεὶς ἀπέθανεν ; Οὐκ ἐπειδὴ τοὺς σωφρονιστὰς οὐ φέρουσιν ἄνθρωποι; Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ᾿Αριστοτέλει κινδυνεύεις ἡττᾶσθαι, ἄκουε τί φησιν ἐκεῖνος· « Οὔθ᾽ ὁ ῥητορικὸς παντὶ τρόπῳ πείσει, οὔθ' ὁ ἰατρικὸς ὑγιάσει, ἀλλ᾽ ἐὰν τῶν ἐνδεχομένων μηδὲν παραλίπῃ, ἱκανῶς ἔχειν αὐτὸν τὴν ἐπιστήμην φήσομεν. » Πῶς γὰρ Περικλῆς ἑάλω, ὃς ἀπὸ δέκα ποδῶν ἤρει τοὺς ῥήτορας, καὶ προσέτι γε αὐτοῦ, κατὰ τὸ κωμικὸν, πειθώ τις ᾤκει ἐν τοῖς χείλεσιν; Οὐ γὰρ ἂν, εἰ ἐδυνήθη πεῖσαι, ἑκὼν ἂν ἐζημιώθη. Πῶς δὲ Θεμιστοκλῆς, ὁ ἐπὶ φύσεως δυνάμει ἀνακηρυττόμενος, καὶ αὐτοσχεδιάζων τὸ δέον, ἐζημιοῦτο φυγῇ; Πῶς δὲ Δημοσθένης ὁ τὰ αὐτὰ δυνατὰ, καὶ πάλιν ἀδύνατα δεικνὺς, ἵνα τἄλλα πάντα παρῶ, καὶ τὰς ἥττας, καὶ τὸν περὶ τῶν ᾿Αρπαλείων χρημάτων λόγον σιωπήσω, τὸν Μειδίαν οὐχ εἶλε, τὸν τοσαῦτα αὐτὸν κακὰ διαθέντα ; Ὅτι μὲν γὰρ ἐβούλετο αὐτὸν ἑλεῖν, διὸ καὶ παντὶ σθένει τὴν κατηγορίαν ἔγραψε, δῆλον· διὰ τί οὖν οὐχ εἶλεν; Οὐκ ἐπειδὴ ἀσθενεστέρους τοὺς λόγους τῆς τῶν ἐχθρῶν δυναστείας ἐνόμισεν· οὐ γάρ τι λαβὼν, ὡς Αἰσχίνης ἔφη, ἀπέδοτο τὴν καταχειροτονίαν · οὐ γὰρ δέχεται τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς αἰσχροκερδείας ἡ μεγαλοψυχία τοῦ ῥήτορος· οὐδ᾽ ὁ τοῖς ἐπιτρόποις εὐποδοῦσιν ἀφεὶς τὰ πατρῷα μετὰ τὴν νίκην, οὗτος ἂν ἔλαβεν αἰσχρῶς ἀπὸ τῆς κεφαλῆς· ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἰσχυροὺς ἡγησάμενος τοῦ λόγου, καὶ ὡς πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνων βίαν οὐδαμοῦ φανεῖσθαι τὴν τέχνην λογισάμενος εὐπρεπῶς κατέθετο τὴν συμφορὰν, ἄμεινον ἡγησάμενος τὸ πραότητι καθυφεῖναι δόξαι, τοῦ κρίσει δικαστῶν ἡττᾶσθαι· καίτοι τὸ διὰ τὸν φόβον τοῦτον ὑποστῆναι, ταυτόν ἐστι τῷ παραδόντα τὸν Μειδίαν · ἑλεῖν μὴ δυνηθῆναι· μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ λαμπροτέραν τοῦτο ἔχει τὴν ἧτταν. Ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ ἦν πρὸς τοὺς δικάζοντας οὐκ ἰσχύσαι τὸν λόγον. τοῦτο δὲ καὶ παρ᾿ αὐτῷ τῷ γεγραφότι, ταύτην λαβεῖν τὴν δόξαν. Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ τοιοῦτος λόγος οὐ παρέστησεν ἐλπίδα πειθοῦς τῷ ῥήτορι, ὃς μὴ πείσειν ἤλπιζεν πῶς οὖν οὐ δεινὸν, ὦ δεινότατε, ἐκείνων μὲν ἀπὸ τῆς γνώμης ἕκαστον κρίνεσθαι, καὶ μὴ τὴν ἑτέρων ἀπείθειαν ἑτέροις βλάβην εἶναι, ἢ δόξαι· ἐπὶ δ᾽ ἐμοῦ καινοτομεῖσθαι καὶ νεωτερίζεσθαι τὸ πρᾶγμα; Ταῦτα δ᾽ οὐκ ἐπαίνων ἀπολαῦσαι ὀρεγόμενος γέγραψα· οἶσθα γὰρ ὅπως αὐτῶν καταφρονῶ. Εἰ γὰρ ἐπαίνων ἤρων, ἀπηριθμησάμην ἂν καὶ οὓς ἔπεισα ἀρετὴν ἀσπάσασθαι, πολλοὺς ὄντας καὶ εὐδοκίμους· ἀλλὰ δεῖξαι σπουδάζων, ὅτι ἄν τε πείσῃ τις, ἄν τε μὴ πείσῃ, τὴν γνώμην χρὴ ἐξετάζεσθαι τοῦ συμβουλεύοντος, καὶ μὴ ἀπὸ τοῦ τέλους τῶν πραγμάτων, οὗ οὐκ ἔστι κύριος, κρίνεσθαι.","t":"To Olympius, presbyter and scholasticus. I would not deny, my friend, that I would have valued above many gifts and the greatest renown having succeeded in persuading them about what I wrote earlier. But I did not suppose that I would be thought blameworthy if some, hearing what is best, did not pay attention and deprived themselves of the benefit of my words; I simply expected that each person would either lay the blame on those who were not persuaded, or rebuke neither me nor them. But since you have gone so far as to blame me (having nothing else to say, and even extolling everything else, but thinking you have one strong point, that I was not able to persuade), I must write to you about this and not bring the charge on myself by silence. For it would be absurd for you to dare to write what is not fitting, while I hesitated to write back what is just. If you had said it but not written it, I would have kept quiet. But since you have put in writing what I have not kept silent about either, your wisdom gains the appearance of rightly blaming me. I would wish to put nothing bitter or contemptuous into my proofs; for I have not come to speak ill of others, but to show that I myself have not done wrong. If I am compelled by necessity itself to say anything of the kind, the blame must be reckoned to the nature of the facts, not to the intention of the writer. I shall begin from what you yourself wrote. If I wrote often, as I say, and as was fitting, and in the way that was fitting, to Eusebius and Martianus, Zosimus and Maron, urging them to depart from vice and lay hold of the life of virtue, and then I did not persuade them, whose is the accusation? You seem to me to blame me in word, but in fact to satirize them. A chorus that does not obey its leader is out of tune; one who does not obey his physician is wretched; but the leader and the physician dwell outside of blame. Of those who were most able in speech and won the greatest reputation for wisdom, there is no one who escaped this, not because of his own weakness, but because of the boundary set by free will, as I said. Was it, then, their fault, or because the hearers are masters of the outcome, through the boundary of free will? That is why the account of the judgment stands firm. And why speak of men, when one can take the first of the examples from the Saviour himself? When the Jews, and the one who bore their name, the ones refusing to believe and trying to kill him, the other attempting to betray him, the Word used such words with them (though they were not men, but more able by nature to bend the nature of stones), at one time restraining them by arguments of justice, at another checking their wickedness by the threat of punishments. What then? Did he persuade them? Not at all. Why? Because the hearers must be masters of being persuaded or not. If you had lived at that time, would you have gone to God the Word and accused him: \"You did not save Judas\"? Yet, though he spoke, he did not save him; but I think everyone would have indicted you for derangement and the utmost lack of education. For it belongs to the teacher to leave out nothing that leads to persuasion, and to the hearers to be persuaded or not. The present case differs in nothing from that, if I, who did not persuade, am to bear the blame for those who were not persuaded. If Greeks or Jews should object to this (for one must look round at objections with countless eyes and overturn them), to the former we shall say: \"Why did Zeus, as Homer says, not save his dearest from dangers, but only gave counsel?\" To the latter: \"Why did God, who spoke in the Old Testament through Moses and the other prophets, not save them, but, when he was disobeyed, pursued them with punishments?\" For when someone pays the penalty, he is punished and at the same time shows that he did not obey the lawgiver; or rather, the lawgiver himself foresaw that he would not persuade all to be good. For one who lays down laws about punishment plainly knows that he will not restrain the wicked. Whatever defence they make for this will be said also in the case of Judas. The proof ought to have stopped here; for every example that might be given after this is less than this one. What wonder is it that this happens to a man, when it touched the Word himself? But so as not to seem to have hunted for a fair-seeming excuse for ease, I shall not hold back from men either. Why, then, was Moses, who revealed sacred things, stoned; Isaiah, who beheld the seraphim, sawn in two; Jeremiah shut up in a pit of mire; Peter put to death, and Paul beheaded? Was it not because not all paid attention to their words and exhortations? And if you say they suffered this because they had no experience of rhetorical or syllogistic speech, I shall turn to those outside, who had the greatest reputation for speech, cleverness, and persuasion. Why did Plato, the treasure of the Greeks, lose even his freedom? Was it not because he could not persuade a single tyrant? Why did Pythagoras, who prided himself greatly on his wisdom, leap away from the company of Phalaris? Was it not because, even after so much teaching, that man was still a tyrant? Why did Socrates, who surpassed all the wise men of his time, die condemned to hemlock? Was it not because people do not bear those who correct them? And since you are perhaps inferior to Aristotle, hear what he says: \"Neither will the orator persuade in every way, nor will the physician heal; but if he leaves out none of the possible means, we shall say that he has his science adequately.\" How was Pericles convicted, who used to overpower orators at ten feet and on whose lips, moreover, as the comic poet says, a kind of persuasion dwelt? He would not willingly have been fined if he had been able to persuade. How was Themistocles, celebrated for the power of his nature and for improvising what was needed, punished with exile? And how did Demosthenes, who showed the same things to be possible and again impossible (to pass over everything else, and to say nothing of his defeats and of the affair of Harpalus's money), not convict Meidias, who had done him so many wrongs? That he wanted to convict him, and so wrote the accusation with all his strength, is clear. Why then did he not convict him? Was it not because he thought his words weaker than the power of his enemies? For he did not sell the conviction for a price, as Aeschines said; the orator's greatness of soul does not admit the charge of base gain; nor would one who, after his victory, let his guardians off the paternal estate have taken money shamefully for an outrage to his own head. Rather, judging his enemies stronger than his speech, and reckoning that his art would make no showing against their violence, he set aside the calamity decently, thinking it better to seem to have given way through mildness than to be defeated by the verdict of the jurors. Yet to undergo this through fear is the same as giving Meidias up and being unable to convict him; or rather it makes the defeat more conspicuous. For the one would have meant that his speech did not prevail with the jurors; the other means that he had this reputation even in the judgment of the man who wrote it. If, then, such a speech did not give the orator hope of persuading, so that he did not expect to persuade, how is it not terrible, most clever friend, that each of those men should be judged by his intention, and the disobedience of some not be counted harm or disgrace to others, while in my case the matter is turned into something new and revolutionary? I have not written this out of a desire to enjoy praise; you know how I despise it. If I loved praise, I would have counted up those whom I did persuade to embrace virtue, who are many and well approved. I wrote it to show that, whether one persuades or not, it is the intention of the one who gives counsel that must be examined, and that he must not be judged by the outcome of affairs, of which he is not master.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.205 (PG 78 78:1293; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-205)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.206":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον· · Τίς οὐκ οἶδε τὴν Ἐφεσίων πόλιν νεωκόρον οὖσαν τῆς μεγάλης ᾿Αρτέμιδος; › Ἐπειδὴ ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν τὸ ἐν ταῖς πράξεσι τῶν ἀποστόλων κείμενον· « Τίς οὐκ οἶδε τὴν Ἐφεσίων πόλιν νεωκόρον εἶναι τῆς μεγάλης ᾿Αρτέμιδος, καὶ τοῦ διοπετοῦς; › ἴσθι, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι τῆς Γραφῆς ἡ φωνὴ, ἀλλὰ τοῦ γραμματέως τῶν Ἐφεσίων · καὶ περιττὸν ποιοῦμαι, ἀγυρτικὰς λογοποιίας ἑρμηνεύειν· περὶ ὧν οἶμαι καὶ τὸν Μελῳδὸν εἰρηκέναι · « Διηγήσαντό μοι παράνομοι ἀδολεσχίας· ἀλλ' οὐχ ὡς ὁ νόμος σου, Κύριε. τ","t":"To Theodosius the deacon. [On the saying, \"Who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Artemis?\"] Since you wished to learn the meaning of what is found in the Acts of the Apostles, \"Who does not know that the city of the Ephesians is temple-keeper of the great Artemis and of the image fallen from heaven?\", know that this is not the voice of Scripture but of the town clerk of the Ephesians; and I consider it superfluous to interpret charlatans' tales, about which I think the Psalmist too said, \"The lawless told me idle tales, but not like your law, O Lord.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.206 (PG 78 78:1299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-206)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.207":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἘπειδὴ φιλομαθὴς ὢν, πολυμαθὴς ἐθέλεις εἶναι, καὶ τοῦτο φράσω, ἵνα μὴ δόξαιμί σε λυπεῖν. Οἱ παρ' Ἕλλησι τὰ ξόανα κατασκευάσαντες, φόβον ἐμποιῆσαι τοῖς ὁρῶσι βουλόμενοι, ἔφασκον, ὅτι ἐξ οὐρανοῦ παρὰ τοῦ Διὸς ἐπέμφθη ἢ κατέπτη, κρείττον ἁπάσης ἀνθρωπίνης χειρός. Διὸ καὶ διοπετὲς αὐτὸ καὶ οὐράνιον βρέτας προσηγόρευον. Βρέτας δὲ, παρὰ τὸ βροτῷ ἐοικέναι. Τὸ δ᾽ οὐ τοιοῦτον ἦν· ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀγαλματοποιοὺς ἢ φυγαδεύοντες ἢ ἀποκτείνοντες, ἵνα μηδεὶς εἰπεῖν ἔχοι, ὅτι χειροποίητὸν ἐστι τὸ ξόανον, ταύτην τὴν φήμην πλανᾶσθαι ἐν ταῖς ἀκοαῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἠφίεσαν· ἥτις καὶ τὴν Ἐφεσίων ἐπλάνα πόλιν. Διὸ καὶ ὁ γραμματεὺς αὐτῶν τοῦτο αὐτοῖς ἔφη. Τινὲς μὲν οὖν φασιν, ὅτι περὶ τοῦ τῆς ᾿Αρτέμιδος ἀγάλματος εἴρηται· « Τουτέστι τῆς μεγάλης Αρτέμιδος » Ὅτι δὲ ἀληθές ἐστι τὸ ἢ ἀποκτείνεσθαι τοὺς ἀγαλματοποιούς, ἢ φυγαδεύεσθαι, μαρτυρεῖ τὸ χθὲς καὶ πρώην ἐν Ἀλεξανδρείᾳ τῇ πρὸς Αἴγυπτον γεγενημένον. Πτωλεμαίου γὰρ συναγαγόντος τεχνίτας, ὥστε τὸν τῆς ᾿Αρτέμιδος ἀνδρίαντα δημιουργῆσαι, μετὰ τὸ ἔργον βόθρον μέγαν κελεύσας όρυγῆναι, καὶ στιβάδα μηχανησάμενος, καὶ κρύψας τὸν δόλον, ἐκέλευσεν αὐτοὺς δειπνεῖν. Οἱ δὲ δειπνοῦντες, εἰς τὸ χάσμα ἐκεῖνο κατενεχθέντες, ἀπέθανον, δικαίαν, ὥς γέ μοι δοκεῖ, δίκην δεδωκότες, ὅτι πλάττειν ἐπεχείρουν ξόανα πρὸς ἀπάτην τῶν ἐντευξομένων· ὅμως δ' ἐκεῖνος βουλόμενος ἐκποδὼν ποιῆσαι τοὺς τεχνίτας, ἵνα ἀχειροποίητος δόξῃ ὀνομαζόμενος Θεὸς, ἂν καὶ ἀχειρομίαντον κέκληκε, τοῦτο δέδρακεν. ᾿Αλλ' οὐκ ἔλαθε. Προϋπτου γὰρ γενομένου τοῦ δράματος, κατ᾿ ἐνιαυτὸν θρήνοις τοὺς οὕτω τεθνεῶτας ἡμείβετο.","t":"To the same. Since, being a lover of learning, you want to be learned in many things, I will tell you this too, so as not to seem to disappoint you. Those among the Greeks who made the wooden images, wishing to instil fear in those who saw them, used to say that the image had been sent, or had flown down, from heaven from Zeus, and was superior to every human hand. That is why they called it \"fallen from Zeus\" (diopetes) and a heavenly image (bretas); and bretas comes from \"resembling a mortal\" (brotos). But it was not so; rather, by exiling or killing the sculptors, so that no one could say that the image was made by hands, they let this rumour wander in people's ears; and it deceived the city of the Ephesians too. That is why their clerk said this to them. Some say that it was said of the statue of Artemis: \"that is, of the great Artemis.\" That it is true that the sculptors were either killed or exiled is attested by what happened recently in Alexandria by Egypt. Ptolemy gathered craftsmen to make a statue of Artemis, and after the work he ordered a great pit to be dug, contrived a couch of leaves over it, hid the trick, and ordered them to dine. As they dined they fell into that chasm and died, paying a just penalty, it seems to me, for undertaking to fashion images to deceive those who would come upon them. Yet he did this because he wished to put the craftsmen out of the way, so that the so-called god might seem not made by hands; he even called it \"undefiled by hands.\" But it did not go unnoticed. When the deed came to light, the city repaid those who had died in this way with laments every year.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.207 (PG 78 78:1299; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-207)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.208":{"o":"ΣΗ. ΗΡΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ ἀναγνώσεως κατὰ Ἑλλήνων. Περὶ τῆς χάριτος τῶν θεοπνεύστων Γραφῶν, καὶ τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὠφελείας. Μὴ καταφρόνει, ὦ φίλος, τῆς μελισταγοῦς ἀκροάσεως τῶν θείων Γραφῶν. Διαβολικῆς γὰρ τοῦτο μεθόδου, οὐ συγχωρούσης τὸν θησαυρὸν θεάσασθαι ἵνα μὴ τὸν πλοῦτὸν κερδάνωμεν. Οὐδὲν γάρ φησιν εἶναι τὴν ἀκρόασιν τῶν θείων νοημάτων ἵνα μὴ τὴν πρᾶξιν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀκροάσεως ἴδῃ προσγενομένην.","t":"To Heron the scholasticus. [On reading, against the Greeks. On the grace of the divinely inspired Scriptures and the benefit that comes from them.] Do not despise, my friend, the honey-sweet hearing of the divine Scriptures. For this is a stratagem of the devil, who does not let us see the treasure, so that we may not gain its wealth. He says that hearing the divine thoughts is nothing, so that he may not see action arising from the hearing.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.208 (PG 78 78:1301; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-208)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.209":{"o":"ΘΕΟΛΟΓΙΩ.\nΕἰς τό - Οφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Εἷς μὲν ἐστιν ἀμφοτέρων τῶν διαθηκῶν ὁ νομοθέτης· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν νόμος δυσηνίοις οὖσι τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις τὰς πράξεις ἀπηγόρευε μόνον· τὸ δὲ Εὐαγγέλιον ἅτε φιλοσόφοις δογματίζων, καὶ τὰς ἐννοίας, ἀφ᾿ ὧν αἱ πράξεις φύουσιν, ὥσπερ πηγὰς τῶν κακῶν προαναστέλλει, οὐ γενόμενα μόνον τὰ ἁμαρτήματα κολάζον ἀκριβῶς, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ γενέσθαι, κωλύον ἀσφαλῶς. Εἱ δὲ βούλει, καὶ αὐτὰ γυμνάσωμεν τὰ ῥήματα · οὐδὲν δὲ, οἷον αὐτῆς ἀκοῦσαι τῆς Γραφῆς. « Ἐῤῥέθη, φησὶ, τοῖς ἀρχαίοις· Ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, καὶ ὀδόντα ἀντὶ ὁδόντος. Ἐγὼ δὲ λέγω ὑμῖν, μὴ ἀντιστῆναι τῷ πονηρῷ. » Ὁ μὲν μέτρον τῆς δίκης ὁρίζει τὴν ἰσότητα τοῦ πάθους, τοσοῦτον δρᾶσαι τοῖς ἡδικημένοις συγχωρήσας, οἷον πεπόνθασιν ἐν τῷ φόβῳ τοῦ μὴ τὰ αὐτὰ παθεῖν προαναστέλλων τὸ κακόν. Αὕτη γὰρ ἡ ἐκδοχὴ τῆς τοῦ νομοθέτου βαθείας ἅπτεται φρενός· τὸ δ᾽ ἐν τῇ πραότητι τοῦ παθόντος, ἔστησε τῆς κακίας τὴν ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω πρόοδον. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῶν ἀμυνομένων ἡ ἀδικία δικαίως ὥριστο, καὶ πρὸς τὸ μηδὲν πραχθῆναι δεινὸν νενομοθέτητο, μίμησις ἦν τῶν ὁμοίων· ἔδρα γὰρ ἕκαστος ὅπερ ἠδικημένος ἐνεκάλει· καὶ οὐ λῆξις ἦν τῶν προτέρων τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρόκλησις ἀργαλεωτέρων κακῶν· τοῦ μὲν αὖθις παροξυνομένου καὶ δρῶντος · τοῦ δὲ καὶ δεύτερον ἀμύνασθαι φιλονεικοῦντος· ὅρον δὲ τῶν κακῶν οὐδένα εἰδότος· οὐδὲ τῇ ἀμύνῃ τελευτὴν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀρχὴν μειζόνων συμφορῶν ὠδίνουσαν, εἰς ἄσπονδόν τινα ἐκπεπτωκότων ἔριν, καὶ τοῦ νόμου τὸ σοφὸν ἐκβιαζομένων ἐφόδιον ποιεῖσθαι κακίας, ὃ τῶν πταισμάτων ἔταξεν ἀναιρετικόν. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν τοσαῦτα ἐτίκτετο κακὰ, τὴν ἀρχὴν ὥσπερ πῦρ σβέσαν τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον, ἔστησε τοῦ κακοῦ τὴν εἰς τὸ πρόσω φοράν.","t":"To Theologius. [On \"An eye for an eye,\" and what follows.] The lawgiver of both covenants is one; but the law forbade only actions to the Jews, who were hard to rein, while the Gospel, laying down doctrine as for philosophers, checks in advance the thoughts from which actions grow, as the springs of evil, not only punishing sins exactly once they have happened, but surely preventing them from happening. If you like, let us exercise ourselves on the words themselves; nothing is like hearing Scripture itself. \"It was said,\" it says, \"to those of old: An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say to you, do not resist the evil man.\" The one sets equality of suffering as the measure of justice, allowing the wronged to do as much as they suffered, and checks evil in advance by the fear of suffering the same; this interpretation reaches the deep mind of the lawgiver. The other, by the mildness of the one who suffers, stops the progress of wickedness toward worse. For since the retaliation of the wronged had been justly defined, and legislated so that nothing terrible would be done, it became an imitation of like deeds: each did what he complained of having suffered; and this was not an end of what went before, but a provocation of more grievous evils, as one was provoked again and acted, and the other strove to retaliate a second time, knowing no limit of evils and finding in retaliation not an end but a beginning pregnant with greater misfortunes. They fell into a truceless strife and forced the wisdom of the law, which was set to abolish faults, into a provision for wickedness. Since so many evils were being born, the Gospel quenched the beginning like a fire and stopped evil's rush forward.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.209 (PG 78 78:1303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-209)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.21":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ.\nΕἰς τὸ αὐτό. Ἄρα σαυτὸν λέληθας, ὅτι οὐκ ἔχεις τὴν κρίσιν πραγμάτων ὀρθὴν, ἢ ἐμὲ ἔχειν ταύτην ἐῤῥωμένην. Εἰ μὲν οὖν σαυτὸν λέληθας, χρῆσαι σφοδρῷ διδασκάλῳ· εἰ γὰρ ζητήσειας, εὕροις ἄν· ζητήσεις δὲ, εἴγε οἰηθείης μηδὲν εἰδέναι. Τὸ γὰρ οἴεσθαι εἰδέναι, τοῦ μηδὲ εὐρεῖν αἴτιόν ἐστιν. Εἰ δὲ ἐμὲ ἔλαθε, δεῖξον διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν κρίσιν· δείξειας δὲ, εἰ συνδράμοι ὁ βίος τῷ λόγῳ.","t":"To Theon. [On the same.] Either you have failed to notice that your judgment of things is not right, or I have failed to notice that you have it sound. If you have failed to notice it, use a vigorous teacher; for if you seek, you will find; and you will seek if you think you know nothing. For thinking one knows is the cause of not even finding. But if it is I who have failed to notice it, show your judgment through your deeds; and you will show it if your life runs together with your word.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.21 (PG 78 78:1069; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-21)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.210":{"o":"ΝΕΜΕΣΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον· · Μὴ ἐκκλίνῃς δεξιὰ, ἢ ἀριστερά. • Καὶ ὅτι πόνῳ κατορθοῦται ἡ ἀρετή. Ἐπειδὴ ἡ μὲν ἐλευθερία μέση ἐστὶν ἀσωτίας καὶ φειδωλίας, ἡ δὲ μεγαλοψυχία ὑπερηφανίας καὶ ταπεινότητος· ἡ δὲ εὐσέβεια δεισιδαιμονίας καὶ ἀσεβείας · διὸ καὶ ἀγχιθύρους εἶναι τὰς κακίας ταῖς ἀρεταῖς σοφοὶ ὁρισάμενοι ἄνδρες, τὴν μέσην χώραν ταῖς ἀρεταῖς ἀπέδοσαν · κἀμοὶ εἰς πάσας τὰς ἀρετὰς μεσαιτάτη ὁδὸς ἀρίστη φαίνεται. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, ὅπερ ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν · • Μὴ ἐκκλίνῃς δεξιά, μηδ' ἀριστερά. » Ὁδῷ βασιλικῇ πορεύου. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αἱ παρεκκλίσεις τῶν ἀρετῶν εἰς κακίαν λήγουσι· θέλησας γάρ τις εἶναι οἰκονομικὸς, πολλοῖς εἰς φειδωλίαν ἀνέπεσεν, ἢ φιλότιμος εἰς ἀσωτίαν· οὐ μόνον ἀμείνονα τὴν μέσην, ἀλλὰ καὶ βασιλικωτάτην εἰκότως εἶναι ὡρίσαντο.","t":"To Nemesius. [On the saying, \"Do not turn aside to the right or to the left.\" And that virtue is achieved by toil.] Since liberality is the mean between prodigality and stinginess, magnanimity between arrogance and abjectness, and piety between superstition and impiety, wise men, defining the vices as next-door neighbours to the virtues, gave the middle ground to the virtues; and to me too the middlemost road seems best for all the virtues. And this is what you wished to learn: \"Do not turn aside to the right or to the left.\" Walk on the royal road. For since deviations from the virtues end in vice (for many who wished to be thrifty have fallen into stinginess, or, wishing to be generous, into prodigality), they rightly defined the middle as not only better but also most royal.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.210 (PG 78 78:1303; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-210)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.211":{"o":"ΑΔΑΜΑΝΤΙΩ.\nΤί ἐστι τὸ εἰρημένον ἐν τῇ ᾠδῇ ᾿Αβακούμ· «Ἐκάλυψεν οὐρανοὺς ἡ ἀρετὴ αὐτοῦ. › Ἐπειδὴ νοῦς τὰ ὑπὲρ νοῦν νοῆσαι οὐ δύναται, οὐδὲ λόγος τὰ ὑπὲρ λόγον φράσαι · τοῦτο γὰρ οὕτως ἔχον ἰσχυρίζεται τὰ θεῖα λόγια, λέγοντα • Δόξα Κυρίου κρύπτει λόγον, » τουτέστι, παντὸς λόγου κρείττων ἐστὶ καὶ ἀνωτέρα ἡ δόξα ἡ δεσποτική · καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, ἡ φύσις, ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἡ δόξα, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ δόξα ἡ ἐκ τῆς οὐσίας· παραχωρείτω πᾶσα ἀνθρωπίνη φύσις τῷ μεγέθει τοῦ πράγματος· καὶ μὴ τὴν οὐσίαν περιεργαζέσθω, ἀλλὰ προσκυνείτω τὴν ἀξίαν· παραχωρείτω δὲ πᾶς ὁ τῶν ἀγγέλων, καὶ ἀρχαγγέλων, καὶ τῶν ἄνω δυνάμεων δῆμος. Εἰς τοῦτο γὰρ βλέπει τὸ ῥητὸν, ὅπερ ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν· « Ἑκάλυψεν οὐρανοὺς ἡ ἀρετὴ αὐτοῦ. » Μηνύει γὰρ, ὅτι πάσης τῆς ἀγγελικῆς πληθύος καὶ τῶν ἁγίων ταγμάτων μείζων ἐστὶν ὁ περὶ τῆς θείας οὐσίας λόγος..","t":"To Adamantius. [What is meant by the saying in the song of Habakkuk, \"His virtue covered the heavens.\"] Since the mind cannot conceive what is beyond mind, nor speech express what is beyond speech (for the divine oracles affirm that this is so, saying, \"The glory of the Lord hides speech,\" that is, the Master's glory is greater than and higher than all speech; and it did not say \"the nature, from which the glory comes,\" but \"the glory,\" which comes from the essence), let all human nature give way before the greatness of the matter; let it not pry into the essence, but worship the dignity; and let the whole host of angels, archangels, and powers above give way too. For it is to this that the saying you wished to learn looks: \"His virtue covered the heavens.\" It shows that the account of the divine essence is greater than the whole multitude of angels and the holy orders.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.211 (PG 78 78:1305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-211)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.212":{"o":"ΟΥΑΡΣΕΝΟΥΦΙΟ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Μάθετε καλὸν ποιεῖν. ι Ἐπειδὴ πολλοὶ τῶν τὰ μέγιστα παραινούντων οὐδὲ τὰ μικρὰ ποιεῖν ἀνέχονται ἀλλ᾽ ἐν λόγοις φιλοσοφοῦντες, ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αἰσχύνην ὀφλισκάνουσι, διὰ τοῦτ᾽ εἴρηται τό, « Μάθετε καλὸν ποιεῖν. • Οὐκοὖν χρὴ συμβαίνοντα τῷ λόγῳ τὸν βίον ἔχειν, τὸν μὴ μέλλοντα ὀνείδη τε ἕξειν, καὶ τιμωρίαν ὑφέξειν.","t":"To Varsenuphius. [On \"Learn to do good.\"] Since many who urge the greatest things cannot bear to do even small ones, but, philosophizing in words, incur shame in their deeds, it was said, \"Learn to do good.\" So whoever does not want to have reproaches and undergo punishment must have a life that agrees with his word.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.212 (PG 78 78:1305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-212)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.213":{"o":"ΘΩΜΑ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nἸεζεκιήλ. Τί ἐστι τὸ γεγραμμένον· « Τὰ δικαιώματά μου ἀπώσαντο· καὶ ἐν τοῖς νόμοις μου οὐκ ἐπορεύθησαν. › Ἐπειδὴ ἔφης, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν εἶπεν ὁ Θεὸς διὰ τοῦ Ἰεζεκιήλ· « Τὰ δικαιώματά μου ἀπώσαντο· καὶ ἐν τοῖς νομίμοις μου οὐκ ἐπορεύθησαν, » συντόμῳ ἑρμηνείᾳ κεχρήσομαι. Οὐ μόνον, φησὶν, ἀσεβεῖς ἐφωράθησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ περὶ τοὺς πέλας πονηροὶ ἀναπεφήνασιν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ γενικῇ τινι διαιρέσει εἰς δύο ταῦτα τέμνεται τὰ νόμιμα, εἴς τε τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ θεραπείαν, εἴς τε τῶν ὁμοφύλων φιλανθρωπίαν · διὸ καὶ δύο πλάκας γεγράφθαι ἐνεδέχετο δὲ κατὰ τὸ πρότερον σφαλλέσθαι τὸ πλῆθος ἀγνοίᾳ τοῦ κρείττονος, καὶ ἀπάτῃ τῶν φενακίζειν βουλομένων, ἅτε καὶ ἀοράτου ὄντος τοῦ Θείου, καὶ πολυσχιδοῦς τῆς περὶ αὐτὸ δόξης· τὸ δεύτερον ἐπἡγαγεν, ὅ τοῖς πᾶσι πρόδηλόν ἐστιν. Οὐδεὶς γάρ ἐστιν, ὃς ἀγνοεῖ, ὡς κακὸν καὶ κολάσεως ἄξιον φόνος, καὶ μοιχεία, καὶ πλεονεξία, καὶ τἄλλα τούτων ἀδελφά. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ἐπ᾿ ἀσεβείᾳ ἔσκωπτε τὸν Ἰουδαϊκὸν λαὸν, ὡς ἂν μὴ σκήπτοιντο ἄγνοιαν, ἢ συγγνώμης σφᾶς αὐτοὺς ἀξίους εἶναι φαῖεν, ὡς δελεασθέντες ὑπό τινων δεινῶν περὶ τὰ τοιαῦτα, ἐλέγχει τὴν περὶ τοὺς ὁμοφύλους ἀδικίαν, καὶ πάσης συγγνώμης ἔξω καθίστησιν, εἴπερ μηδ' ὧν ἡ κοινὴ φύσις τῶν ἀνθρώπων κατήγορος τυγχάνει, ἀπέστησαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀνέδην ἐπὶ τὰς παρανομίας ἐχώρησαν. Δι' ὧν οὖν τὸ δῆλον παρέθη διὰ τοῦτο ἔδειξε καὶ τὸ δοκοῦν ἄδηλον ἐθελοκάκως καὶ κακοήθως παραβαθέν.","t":"To Thomas the monk. [Ezekiel. What is meant by the words, \"They rejected my ordinances and did not walk in my laws.\"] Since you asked why God said through Ezekiel, \"They rejected my ordinances and did not walk in my statutes,\" I shall use a brief interpretation. Not only, he says, were they found impious, but they were also shown to be wicked toward their neighbours. For the statutes are divided, by a general division, into these two, the service of God and love toward one's own kind; that is why two tablets were written. The multitude could err in the first through ignorance of what is better and through the deceit of those who wished to cheat them, since the divine is invisible and opinion about it much divided; so he added the second, which is plain to all. For there is no one who does not know that murder, adultery, greed, and their kindred are evil and deserve punishment. Since he was reproaching the Jewish people for impiety, then, lest they plead ignorance, or say that they deserved pardon as people led astray by some clever men in such matters, he convicts them of injustice toward their own kin and puts them outside all pardon, since they did not abstain even from what the common nature of mankind condemns, but went headlong into lawlessness. So through what was plainly transgressed he showed that what seemed unclear had also been transgressed wilfully and maliciously.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.213 (PG 78 78:1305; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-213)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.214":{"o":"ΕΡΜΕΙΑ.\nΕἰς τὸ ἐν τῇ Σοφίᾳ Ἰησοῦ γεγραμμένον · · Μὴ ζήτει γενέσθαι κριτής Εἰ οὔτε ἀνιχνεῦσαι τὸ δίκαιον ῥάδιον, οὔτε τὸ θηράσαντα μὴ προδοῦναι· (οἱ μὲν γὰρ διὰ νωθρίαν οὐχ εὑρίσκουσι τοῦτο· οἱ δὲ δι᾽ ὀξύτητα μὲν νοῦ θηρῶνται, διὰ δὲ ἀνελεύθερα πάθη προδιδόασιν, ἢ φόβῳ, ἢ ἀνανδρίᾳ, ἢ χρήμασιν, ἢ φιλίᾳ, ἢ ἔχθρᾳ, διαφθείροντες ·) εἰκότως ὁ παραινέτης συνεβούλευσε · « Μὴ ζήτει γενέσθαι κριτής.","t":"To Hermias. [On what is written in the Wisdom of Jesus: \"Do not seek to become a judge.\"] Since it is neither easy to track down justice, nor, once it is caught, not to betray it (for some do not find it through sluggishness, while others hunt it down by sharpness of mind but betray it through servile passions, corrupting it through fear, cowardice, money, friendship, or enmity), the counsellor rightly advised, \"Do not seek to become a judge.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.214 (PG 78 78:1307; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-214)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.215":{"o":"ΘΩΜΑ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Ἔστωσαν ὑμῶν αἱ ὀσφύες περιεζωσμέναι Ἐπειδὴ τὰ μέγιστα καὶ θειότατα συντόμως μαθεῖν βούλει, ἴσθι, ὅτι διὰ τοῦτ᾽ ἔφη ὁ Σωτήρ· Ἔστωσαν ὑμῶν οἱ λύχνοι καιόμενοι, ἵν᾿ ἀρετὴν ἀσκοῦντες, καὶ τὸν προφορικὸν, καὶ τὸν ἐνδιάθετον λόγον διὰ παντὸς ἀστράπτοντες ἔν τε τῇ ψυχῇ, ἔν τε τῇ γλώττῃ ἔχωμεν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἔνδον ὢν, ἡμᾶς φωτίζει· ὁ δ᾽ ἔξω, τοὺς ἄλλους ὁ μέντοι διδασκαλικὸς λύχνος ψυχούσθω, καὶ ἀρδευέσθω, καὶ τρεφέσθω ὑπὸ τῆς πατρικῆς ἀρετῆς, ἵνα μὴ σκοτεινὸς εἴη καὶ ἀλαμπής.","t":"To Thomas the monk. [On \"Let your loins be girded.\"] Since you wish to learn the greatest and most divine things briefly, know that the Saviour said, \"Let your lamps be burning,\" so that, practising virtue, we may have both the spoken word and the inner word always shining, in the soul and on the tongue. For the inner word gives light to us, the outer to others. But let the lamp of teaching be given life, watered, and nourished by the virtue of the Father, so that it may not be dark and without light.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.215 (PG 78 78:1309; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-215)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.216":{"o":"ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον ·· Ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ἡ δικαιοσύνη ὑμῶν πλέον τῶν Γραμματέων· · καὶ ὅτι τοῦτο οὐκ ἐναντιοῦται τῷ, • Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, Γραμματεῖς. » Ἐπειδὴ ἴσως ἐναντιολογίαν τινὰ ἐνόμισας κεῖσθαι ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις, γέγραφας, εἰρηκέναι τὸν Σωτῆρα, τοῖς μὲν Φαρισαίοις ὡς ἐρήμοις ἀρετῆς· · Οὐαὶ ὑμῖν, Γραμματεῖς, καὶ Φαρισαῖοι, ὑποκριταί· · τοῖς δ᾽ ἀποστόλοις, « Ἐὰν μὴ περισσεύσῃ ὑμῶν ἡ δικαιοσύνη πλέον τῶν Γραμματέων καὶ Φαρισαίων, οὐ μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. » Αντεπιστέλλω, ὅτι νοεῖν χρὴ, πλέον, εἰρῆσθαι, τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἧς εἰκὸς, μᾶλλον δὲ ἐχρῆν ἐκείνους ἔχειν. Οὐ γὰρ οἱ τῶν ταλανιζομένων καὶ καταθρηνουμένων πλέοντες βασιλεῦσαι δίκαιοι ἂν εἶεν· ἀλλ᾽ οἱ τοὺς κατὰ νόμον εὐδοκίμους ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ περιόντος ὑπερβαίνοντες, καὶ οὐρανῷ πρέπουσαν πολιτείαν πολιτευσάμενοι","t":"To Ischyrion. [On the saying, \"Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes,\" and that this does not contradict \"Woe to you, scribes.\"] Since you perhaps thought that some contradiction lies in the holy Gospels, you wrote that the Saviour said to the Pharisees, as people destitute of virtue, \"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites,\" but to the apostles, \"Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.\" I write back that \"exceeds\" must be understood as said of the righteousness which they would be expected, or rather ought, to have had. For it is not those who exceed people who are pitied and lamented that would deserve to reign, but those who far surpass the approved under the law and have lived a way of life that befits heaven.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.216 (PG 78 78:1309; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-216)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.217":{"o":"ПЕТРО.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον· καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερῶ αὐτόν. › Ἐπειδὴ ἐνόμισας ἐναντιολογίαν τινὰ γεγράφθαι ἐν τῷ Εὐαγγελίῳ, ἐμήνυσας, δι' ἣν αἰτίαν ψευδομαρτυρίαν ἐκάλεσε τὸ εἰρηκέναι περὶ τῆς λύσεως καὶ ἀναστάσεως τοῦ ναοῦ · εἴρηται γάρ· • Λύσατε τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγειρῶ αὐτόν·, φημί· ὅτι ἐκεῖνοι μὲν περὶ τοῦ ἱεροῦ ἔλεγον· αὐτὸς δὲ περὶ τοῦ σώματος. Εἰ δὲ φαίης ἀπίθανον τοῦτο· οὐ γὰρ ᾔδεσαν τοῦτο αὐτοί ποτε, οὐδὲ οἱ μαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ, εἰ μὴ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνέστη · φήσαιμι· ὅτι εἰ καὶ μὴ ᾔδεσαν, οὐδὲ οὕτω τἀληθῆ ἐμαρτύρησαν. Θάτερον γὰρ ἐπηγγείλατο ποιήσειν, οὐχ ἑκάτερον. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ λῦσαι ἐκείνοις ἔπρεπε · τὸ δὲ ἀναστῆσαι ἑαυτῷ. Λύσατε γὰρ ὑμεῖς, κἀγὼ ἀναστήσω. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ λῦσαι, καὶ τοῦ τυχόντος ἦν· τὸ δὲ ἀναστῆσαι, Θεοῦ","t":"To Peter. [On \"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.\"] Since you thought that some contradiction had been written in the Gospel, and asked why it called false witness the report of what he said about the destruction and raising of the temple (for it is written, \"Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up\"), I say that they were speaking of the sanctuary, but he of his body. If you say this is implausible, since they never knew it, nor did his disciples until he rose from the dead, I would say that, even if they did not know it, not even so did they testify truly. For he promised to do one of the two things, not both. Destroying fitted them, raising fitted himself: \"You destroy, and I will raise.\" For destroying belonged to anyone, but raising to God.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.217 (PG 78 78:1309; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-217)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.218":{"o":"ΟΥΑΛΕΝΤΙΝΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· «Μὴ μεριμνήσητε, πῶς ἢ τι λαλήσητε. Καὶ εἰς τὸ· · Ἔτοιμοι ἀεὶ πρὸς ἀπολογίαν. 1 Ἐπειδὴ θαυμάζειν ἔφης, πῶς ὁ μὲν Σωτὴρ ἔφη · « Μὴ μεριμνήσητε, πῶς ἢ τί λαλήσετε· · εἷς δέ τις ἐκ τοῦ ἀποστολικοῦ χοροῦ παρήνεσεν· « Έτοιμοι ἀεὶ πρὸς ἀπολογίαν· · ἴσθι ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐναντιολογία, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν περὶ μαρτυρίου εἴρηται· τὸ δὲ περὶ διδασκαλίας. Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ ἐν συλλόγῳ φίλων ᾖ, κελευόμεθα καὶ ἡμεῖς μεριμνᾷν. Ἄτοπον γὰρ, μὴ εἰδέναι, ὃ διδάσκειν ἐπαγγελλόμεθα. Ὅταν δὲ δικαστήριον ᾗ φοβερὸν, καὶ δῆμοι, καὶ δήμιοι λυττῶντες, καὶ πάντοθεν δέος, τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπηγγείλατο παρέξειν ῥοπήν. Καὶ γὰρ μέγιστον ἦν, ἀνθρώπους τῶν ἰχθύων ὀλίγον κατὰ τὴν ἀφωνίαν διαφέροντας, τυράννων καθεζομένων, καὶ ὑπάρχων, καὶ στρατηγῶν παρεστώτων, καὶ ξιφῶν γεγυμνωμένων, καὶ πάντων ἐκείνων συμμαχούντων, εἰσελθόντας δεδεμένους, καὶ εἰς γῆν κύπτοντας δυνηθῆναι ῥῆξαι φωνήν· ὡς εἰκότως οἱ μὲν τῆς θείας ἀπολαύουσι ῥοπῆς· οἱ δὲ διδάσκονται μὴ τῷ τῆς ἀμαθείας ἐκδιδόναι ἑαυτοὺς ὕπνῳ. Σοφοὶ γὰρ εἶναι ὀφείλουσιν οἱ τῆς σοφίας φοιτηταί.","t":"To Valentinus the presbyter. [On \"Do not be anxious how or what you will speak,\" and on \"Always ready to give a defence.\"] Since you said you wondered how the Saviour said, \"Do not be anxious how or what you will speak,\" while one of the apostolic choir exhorted, \"Always ready to give a defence,\" know that there is no contradiction: the one is said of martyrdom, the other of teaching. When one is in a gathering of friends, we too are commanded to take care; for it is absurd not to know what we profess to teach. But when there is a fearful court, crowds and raging executioners, and fear on every side, he promised to give his own help. For it was a very great thing that men who differed little from fish in their speechlessness, with tyrants seated, governors and generals standing by, swords drawn, and all those things allied against them, should come in bound and bowed to the ground and be able to break into speech. So rightly the one enjoy the help of God, while the others are taught not to give themselves up to the sleep of ignorance; for the disciples of wisdom ought to be wise.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.218 (PG 78 78:1311; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-218)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.219":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· · Εἴ τις ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρέγεται. Ἐπειδὴ μὴ τὸν ἀποστολικὸν κατώπτευσας νοῦν, τὸν ἐν τῷ γράμματι κρυπτόμενον, ἀλλ' αὐτὸ μόνον θεασάμενος τὸ γράμμα ἄνω καὶ κάτω θρυλλεῖς· « Εἴ τις ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρέγεται, καλοῦ ἔργου ἐπιθυμεῖ, › ὡς δέον ἱερᾶς τῆς τοιαύτης ἀρχῆς ἔχω μὲν δι' ὧν δείξω, μὴ οὕτως εἰρηκέναι τὸν ᾿Απόστολον, ὡς σὺ φής· ὅμως δὲ συγχωρήσας ἀνατρέψω τοῦτο. Ἔστω γὰρ, ἐκεῖνος τοιοῦτόν τι ἔφρασε· σὺ δι᾽ ἣν αἱτίαν τὰ κατὰ σαυτὸν ἀγνοῶν, καὶ μηδὲ σαυτοῦ ἄρξαι δυνηθεὶς, ἐρᾷς τοιαύτης ἀρχῆς, ἥτις καὶ βασιλείας ἐστὶν οὐ μόνον ὑψηλοτέρα, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπιπονωτέρα; Καὶ μὴ νομίζεις ἀνεύθυνον εἶναι ἐξουσίαν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχ ὑπεύθυνον λειτουργίαν; ᾿Αλλ' εἰ καὶ αὐτὸς πάσης ἐπέκεινα μανίας χωρεῖς, ἀλλὰ κἀγὼ μανοίμην ἂν, εἰ φαινοίμην μή σου τὸ πάθος θεραπεῦσαι πειρώμενος. Ἐμοὶ γὰρ, ὦ μακάριε, καὶ τὸ, « Εἴ τις, » φοβερόν ἐστι, καὶ ἐκ βάθρων αὐτὴν κατασείει τὴν ψυχήν. Τοῦ γὰρ μεγέθους τῆς ἀρχῆς ἐστιν ἐνδεικτικόν. Εἰ δὲ φαίης, πῶς; εἴποιμι ἂν, ὅτι οὐκ ἐθάρσησε προστάξαι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδ᾽ οὐ προτρέψαι, οὐδὲ συμβουλεῦσαι· οὐδὲ γὰρ εἶπε· Πᾶς τις ἐπισκοπῆς ὀρεγέσθω · καλῶς ποιεῖ. Ἡ γὰρ ἂν τὸν σὸν περὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα ἔρωτα ἴσως τινὲς ἀπεδέξαντο· ἀλλ᾽ ἀναρτήσας μέσην τὴν τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἐπιθυμίαν, οὔτε παρορμᾶ ἐπ᾿ αὐτὴν ἵνα μὴ τοὺς ἀναξίους ἐπεγείρῃ πράγματι ἀμηχάνῳ, καὶ πᾶσαν ὑπερβαίνοντι πολιτείαν τε καὶ ἀξίαν· οὔτ᾽ ἀπείργει, ἵνα μὴ φευκτὸν καταστήσῃ τὸ πάσης βασιλείας μεῖζον· ἀλλὰ μετέωρον τὴν παραίνεσιν ἀφεὶς, καὶ ἕκαστον τῆς ἑαυτοῦ διανοίας κριτὴν καταστήσας, αὐτὸς οὔτε ἐπιθυμεῖν, οὔτε φεύγειν προστάττει, μονονουχί βοῶν, καὶ ὀφθαλμοῖς, καὶ ὀφρῦσι, καὶ παντὶ τῷ προσώπῳ, φόβου κέντρα τοῖς ἀκούουσιν ἐνιείς· Ἐγὼ μὲν πρᾶγμα τῆς θείας ἠρτημένον ψήφου τε καὶ χειροτονίας, ἀνθρώπων ἐπιθυμίαις οὐκ ἐκδίδωμι παραινῶ δὲ καὶ διαμαρτύρομαι, ὅτι ὁ τούτου ἐπιθυμῶν, ἴστω μὴ τῶν τυχόντων ἐρῶν. Λειτουργίας γὰρ, οὐκ ἀνέσεώς ἐστι τὸ τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς ὄνομα δηλωτικόν. Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς, τὰ ἐξῆς ἀναγνοὺς γνοίης τὸν ἡμέτερον νοῦν. Δεῖ γὰρ τὸν ἐπίσκοπον πάσαις κομᾶν ταῖς ἀρεταῖς · καὶ τὰς ἀλλοτρίας οἰκειοῦσθαι συμφοράς. Οὐ γὰρ ἑαυτῷ, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀρχομένοις ζῇ · καὶ ὑπὸ μυρίων ὀφθαλμῶν καὶ γλωττῶν ὁ ἐκείνου βασανίζεται βίος.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. [On \"If anyone aspires to the office of bishop.\"] You have not looked into the Apostle's meaning, which is hidden in the letter, but, seeing only the letter itself, you keep repeating up and down, \"If anyone aspires to the office of bishop, he desires a good work,\" as though one ought to aspire to such a sacred rule. I have the means to show that the Apostle did not say it as you claim; still, granting it, I shall overturn your view. Suppose he did say something of the kind: why do you, who are ignorant of your own affairs and unable to rule even yourself, love such a rule, which is not only higher than kingship but also more laborious? Do you think it an authority that gives no account, and not a ministry that must render account? Even if you go beyond all madness, I would be mad myself if I were seen not trying to heal your affliction. For to me, blessed friend, even the \"if anyone\" is fearful and shakes my very soul from its foundations; for it shows the greatness of the office. If you ask how, I would say that he did not dare to command it, nor to urge it, nor to advise it; for he did not say, \"Let everyone aspire to the office of bishop; he does well.\" Then perhaps some would have approved your love for the thing. But he left the desire for the priesthood hanging in the middle: he neither urges people toward it, lest he rouse the unworthy to an impossible task that exceeds every way of life and every dignity, nor holds them back from it, lest he make what is greater than any kingship something to be fled. Leaving the exhortation in suspense and making each the judge of his own mind, he himself commands neither desiring nor fleeing, all but crying out with his eyes, his brows, and his whole face, and implanting goads of fear in his hearers: \"I do not hand over to human desires a matter that depends on the divine vote and ordination; but I exhort and solemnly testify that whoever desires this should know that he loves no ordinary thing. For the name of the episcopate signifies ministry, not ease.\" If you do not believe it, read what follows and you will know my meaning. For the bishop must abound in all the virtues and make the misfortunes of others his own. He lives not for himself but for those he rules, and his life is examined by countless eyes and tongues.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.219 (PG 78 78:1311; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-219)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.22":{"o":"ΖΗΝΩΝΙ.\nΠρὸς Φιλιππησίους. Εἰς τὸ · · ᾿Αλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν· · καὶ τί ἐστι· • Τοῦτο φρονείσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, ὃ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. › Ἀριπρεπὲς μὲν καὶ ἀρίδηλον τὸ βούλημα τὸ ἀποστολικόν· εἰ δὲ σοι βαθὺ καὶ δυσέφικτον φαίνεται, συντόμως αὐτὸ σαφηνίσαι πειράσομαι. Ὁ ἀπόστολος εἰς μετριοφροσύνην παρακαλῶν καὶ εἰπών· « ᾿Αλλήλους ἡγούμενοι ὑπερέχοντας ἑαυτῶν, » ἔφη· • Τοῦτο φρονείσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, ὅ καὶ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ, ὃς ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχων, οὐχ ἁρπαγμὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσα Θεῷ, ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἐκένωσε μορφὴν δούλου λαβών. › Εἱ μὲν οὖν οὐκ ἦν ἴσος, περιττὸν τὸ ὑπόδειγμα, εἶχε τῷ μείζονι ὑπακούσας κελεύσαντι, πεποίηκεν ὁ πεποίηκεν. Εἰ δὲ ἴσος, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἴσος, ἁρμόδιον τὸ ῥηθὲν, καὶ πρὸς ταπεινοφροσύνην βλέπον. Εἰ ἔρμαιον ἡγήσατο τὸ εἶναι ἴσον, οὐκ ἂν ἑαυτὸν ἐταπείνωσεν, ἵνα μὴ ἡ ὑπερισσεία πρόκριμα ποιήσῃ τῇ ἀξίᾳ. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ἐκ φύσεως ἴσος ἦν, καὶ οὐσιώδη εἶχε τὴν εὐγένειαν, καὶ οὐ κατὰ χάριν δωρηθεῖσαν, ταπεινῶσαι ἑαυτὸν οὐ παρῃτήσατο. Δοῦλος μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἐλευθερωθεὶς, καὶ υἱοθεσίᾳ τιμηθεὶς, ἄτε ἄρπαγμα ἢ εὔρεμα τὴν ἀξίαν ἡγησάμενος, οὐκ ἂν ὑποσταίη οἰκετικὸν ἔργον ἀνῦσαι· ὁ δὲ γνήσιος υἱὸς, ὁ σύμφυτον ἔχων καὶ τὴν εὐγένειαν, καὶ τὴν ἀξίαν, οὐκ ἂν παραιτήσαιτο τοιοῦτόν τι ἀνῦσαι, πάσης ὑποψίας ἐκποδὼν οίχομένης. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ ἡ ἀρχαία δουλεία ὑποψίαν τίκτει εὐτελείας· τῷ δὲ ἡ ἔμφυτος εὐγένεια οὐδὲ τικτομένην τὴν ὑπόνοιαν προσίεται. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ δύναται τῆς υἱοθεσίας ἐκπεσεῖν· ὁ δὲ τῆς ἐμφύτου εὐγενείας τε καὶ ἀξίας οὐδέποτε ἀποπεσεῖται.","t":"To Zeno. [To the Philippians. On \"counting one another better than yourselves,\" and what \"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus\" means.] The Apostle's meaning is distinguished and very clear; but if it seems deep and hard to reach to you, I shall try to make it clear briefly. The Apostle, urging humility, after saying, \"counting one another better than yourselves,\" said: \"Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not count being equal with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant.\" If, then, he was not equal, the example is superfluous: he obeyed the greater one who commanded him and did what he did. But if he is equal, as indeed he is equal, what was said is apt and looks to humility. Had he considered being equal a windfall, he would not have humbled himself, lest the excess of humility should prejudice his dignity. But since he was equal by nature, and had his nobility by essence and not as a gift of grace, he did not decline to humble himself. A slave who has been freed and honoured with adoption, regarding his dignity as a prize or a lucky find, would not submit to performing a servant's work; but the genuine son, whose nobility and dignity are inborn, would not decline to perform such a thing, since every suspicion is out of the way. In the one, his former slavery breeds a suspicion of meanness; in the other, inborn nobility does not admit even the birth of such a suspicion. For the one can fall from his adoption; the other will never fall from his inborn nobility and dignity.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.22 (PG 78 78:1071; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-22)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.220":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἘπειδὴ γέγραφας, δι' ἣν αἰτίαν οὐκ εἶπεν ὁ Παῦλος ἁπλῶς· « Μετὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων εἰρηνεύετε, ὁ ἀλλὰ προσέθηκεν· «᾿ Εἰ δυνατὸν, · ἀντιγράφω· Ἐπειδή ἐστιν ὅπου οὐ δυνατὸν, ὅταν περὶ εὐσεβείας ὁ λόγος ὅταν περὶ δικαίου πράγματος, ὅταν περὶ σωφροσύνης, ὅταν περὶ πασῶν ἁπλῶς τῶν ἀρετῶν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ εὐσεβὴς τῷ ἀσεβεῖ πῶς εἰρηνεύσει; ὁ δίκαιος τῷ ἀδίκῳ, ἢ σώφρων τῷ λάγνῳ; τῷ πολλάκις οὐ μόνον τὴν τῶν ἄλλων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ βουλομένῳ διαφθεῖραι ὥραν. Εἰ δὲ λογισμοὺς οἴει τούτους εἶναι, θέα αὐτὸν τὸν Παῦλον, εἰ μετὰ πάντων εἰρήνευσεν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἀνωτέρω τὸν λόγον βούλοιο ἀγαγεῖν, θέα τὸν Χριστὸν, εἰ μετὰ πάντων ἐσπείσατο. Εἰς τοσαύτην οὖν ἐξεβακχεύθησαν οἱ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἄρχοντες μανίαν, ὡς καὶ σταυρῷ αὐτὸν προσηλῶσαι, Τί οὖν ἐστιν, « Εἰ δυνατόν; » Σὺ, φησὶ, μὴ δίδου τινὶ λαβὴν ἔχθρας, μηδὲ δικαίως καὶ εὐλόγως ἔχε ἐχθρόν. Εἰ δὲ ἀλόγως ἐκεῖνοι, καὶ ὑπὸ φθόνου ὑποσμυχόμενοι ἀπεχθάνονται, σὲ τοῦτο οὐ παραβλάψει. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ὁ Χριστὸς, εἰρηκὼς, Ἐμίσησάν με δωρεάν, » ἐκέλευσε μὴ ἔχειν ἐχθρούς· τούτου γὰρ οὐκ ἐσμὲν κύριοι· ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ ἀδικεῖν, τὸ μὴ κατασπείρειν ῥίζαν πολέμου, καὶ μάλιστα, ὅταν ἡ εὐσέβεια οὐδὲν παραβλάπτηται. Εἰ δ' οἱ πονηροὶ τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς μισοῦσι, μὴ θαυμάζητε. Καὶ γὰρ οἱ ψευδαπόστολοι τοὺς ἀποστόλους, καὶ οἱ ψευδοπροφῆται τοὺς προφήτας ἐμίσουν. \"Οπερ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Παῦλος σαφῶς ἐπιστάμενος, ἔγραφε· « Δίωκε δὲ εἰρήνην μετὰ πάντων τῶν ἐπικαλουμένων τὸν Κύριον ἐκ καθαρᾶς καρδίας. » Μὴ τοίνυν αἰτιῶ τὸν ἐχθροὺς ἔχοντα, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἑαυτῷ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς κατασκευάζοντα. Εἰ δὲ μὴ συμβαίνει τῷ φωτὶ τὸ σκότος· οὐδὲ γὰρ οἷόν τε· οὐδὲν· παρὰ τὸ φῶς· εἰ οὐ βούλεται ὁ ἀσεβὴς [τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἀσπάζειν, οὐδὲν παρὰ τὸν εὐσεβὴ· εἰ οὐ βούλεται ὁ λάγνος τὴν ] σωφροσύνην ἀσκῆσαι, οὐδὲν παρὰ τὸν σώφρονα· εἰ οὐ βούλεται ὁ ἄδικος ἀποστῆναι τῆς ἀδικίας, οὐδὲν παρὰ τὸν δίκαιον· ἀλλὰ παρ᾽ ἐκείνους, τοὺς ἔλεγχον ἡγουμένους τῆς σφῶν κακίας τὰς τῶν πέλας ἀρετάς.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. Since you have written asking why Paul did not say simply, \"Live at peace with all men,\" but added, \"If possible,\" I write back: because there are cases where it is not possible, when the matter is piety, or a just cause, or chastity, or, in short, any of the virtues. How will the pious man be at peace with the impious, the just with the unjust, or the chaste with the lustful, who often wants to corrupt not only other people's bloom but his own as well? If you think these are mere reasonings, look at Paul himself, whether he was at peace with everyone. And if you want to take the argument higher, look at Christ, whether he made peace with everyone. The rulers of the Jews were driven to such madness that they even nailed him to a cross. What, then, does \"If possible\" mean? \"For your part,\" he says, \"give no one a handle for enmity, and do not have an enemy with just cause and reason. If they are hostile without reason, smouldering with envy, this will not harm you.\" For not even Christ, who said, \"They hated me without cause,\" commanded us not to have enemies (for that is not in our power), but not to do wrong, and not to sow a root of war, especially when piety suffers no harm. If the wicked hate the good, do not wonder. False apostles hated the apostles, and false prophets the prophets. Paul himself knew this clearly when he wrote, \"Pursue peace with all who call on the Lord from a pure heart.\" So do not blame the one who has enemies, but the one who makes enemies for himself. If darkness does not agree with light (for that is not even possible), it is not the light's fault; if the impious man does not wish to embrace piety, it is not the pious man's fault; if the lustful man does not wish to practise chastity, it is not the chaste man's fault; if the unjust man does not wish to give up his injustice, it is not the just man's fault; the fault is theirs, who regard the virtues of their neighbours as a reproof of their own vice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.220 (PG 78 78:1313; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-220)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.221":{"o":"ΑΛΥΠΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ ἀναγνώσεως, κατὰ Ἑλλήνων, περὶ τῆς χάριτος τῶν θεοπνεύστων Γραφῶν, καὶ τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὠφελείας. Ἐπειδὴ, ὡς ἔφης, πηγαὶ λόγων ἡσυχάζουσαι ψυχὴν ἐθέλουσαν ἀρδεύεσθαι μαραίνουσιν· ἐκείνας, ὦ ἐλλογιμώτατε, μάλιστα ἀναμοχλεύειν σοι παραινῶ, τὰς πλουσίοις καὶ ἀεννάοις νάμασι κομώσας, καὶ μὴ τὰς ἀρδείας ἑτέρωθεν δεομένας. ΣΚΒ΄. Εἰς τὸ, · Ἐγὼ ὁ Θεὸς ᾿Αβραὰμ, καὶ Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ Ἰακώβ·, καὶ εἰς τὸ· · Ὑπερασπιῷ τῆς πόλεως ταύτης διὰ Δαβὶδ, τοῦ σῶσαι αὐτήν. › Θεῖόν ἐστι χρῆμα ἡ ἀρετὴ, ὦ μακάριε, καὶ θεοφιλὲς, καὶ μακάριον, καὶ ἀθάνατον, καὶ ὑπὸ λήθης μὴ ἡττώμενον. Αοίδιμος μὲν γὰρ ἐστι παρὰ ἀνθρώποις, παρὰ δὲ Θεῷ ἀείμνηστος, τῷ ποτὲ μὲν φράζοντι • Ἐγὼ ὁ Θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ, καὶ Ἰσαὰκ, καὶ Ἰακώβ·» ποτὲ δὲ, « Ὑπερασπιῶ τῆς πόλεως ταύτης τοῦ σῶσαι αὐτὴν, διὰ Δαβὶδ τὸν παῖδά μου. • Εἰς τοσοῦτον ἤκουσι τῷ Θεῷ φροντίδος τε καὶ τιμῆς, καὶ τελευτήσαντες, οἷς ἀρετὴ περισπούδαστον. Εἰ δὲ ἐνταῦθα οὕτως αὐτοὺς ἀνακηρύττει, ποίαις οὐκ ἀμείψεται αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖσε δωρεαῖς;","t":"To Alypius the scholasticus. [On reading, against the Greeks; on the grace of the divinely inspired Scriptures and the benefit that comes from them.] Since, as you said, springs of words that lie idle wither a soul that wishes to be watered, I urge you, most eloquent friend, to open up above all those springs which abound in rich and everflowing streams and do not need to be watered from elsewhere. [Letter 4.222] [On \"I am the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob,\" and on \"I will defend this city to save it, for the sake of David.\"] Virtue, blessed friend, is a divine thing, dear to God, blessed, immortal, and not overcome by forgetfulness. It is celebrated among men and ever remembered by God, who says at one time, \"I am the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob,\" and at another, \"I will defend this city to save it, for the sake of David my servant.\" To such a degree of God's care and honour do those come for whom virtue is precious, even after they have died. If he proclaims them so here, with what gifts will he not repay them there?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.221 (PG 78 78:1315; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-221)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.223":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ.\nΘυμὸς καὶ ὀργὴ δοκεῖ μὲν ἔν τι εἶναι καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ τάχα · ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν μηνύει τὴν ὀξεῖαν τοῦ πάθους κίνησιν, τὴν καὶ τὰς ἐννοίας κλέπτουσαν· ἡ δὲ τὴν χρονίαν ἐν τῷ πάθει διατριβήν. Διὸ καὶ ὁ μὲν παρὰ τὴν ἀναθυμίασιν εἴρηται· ὁ δὲ παρὰ τὸ ὀργᾷν, καὶ ἀμύνης ἐρᾶν.","t":"To Heron. Anger (θυμός) and wrath (ὀργή) seem perhaps to be one and the same thing; but the first denotes the sharp movement of the passion, which steals even one's thoughts away, while the second denotes a lasting dwelling in the passion. So the first is named from boiling up, the second from swelling and longing for revenge.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.223 (PG 78 78:1317; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-223)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.224":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· « Λύκοι καὶ ἄρνες ἅμα βοσκηθήσονται. » Λίαν θαυμάζω, πῶς τὸ μὲν κλέος τῶν συγγραμμάτων, ὧν ἀπολέλοιπεν ὁ πάνσοφος Ἰωάννης πανταχόσε φοιτησάντων ἄχρι τῆς γῆς καὶ θαλάττης τερμάτων ἔφθασεν, τῆς δὲ σῆς οὐ καθήψατο ἀμαθίας. Θαυμάζων δὲ οὐκ ἐκεῖνον αἰτιῶμαι, ἀλλὰ τὴν σὴν μέμφομαι ἀνυπέρβλητον ῥαθυμίαν, τὴν ταὐτὸ πεπονθυῖαν τοῖς ἐν σταθηρᾷ μεσημβρίᾳ καὶ λευκῇ γαλήνῃ τὸν ἥλιον μὴ καθορῶσι, διὰ τὸ τὴν ὀπτικὴν αὐτοῖς παντελῶς ἐσβέσθαι δύναμιν. Δι' ὧν γὰρ λέγεις, σαυτοῦ κατηγορεῖς, ὅτι ἀνέραστος εἶ τῶν καλῶν. Τίς γὰρ οὐχ ἑάλω ἐκείνοις; Τίς δὲ τῶν μετ' αὐτὸν τεχθέντων ἀνθρώπων οὐ χάριν ἔχειν οἶδε τῇ θείᾳ προνοίᾳ, ὅτι μετ᾿ αὐτὸν ἐτέχθη; καὶ οὐκ ἄπειρος ἀπῆλθε τῆς θείας λύρας, τῆς τὸν Ὀρφικὸν μῦθον, τὸν τῇ ὑπερβολῇ τῶν λεγομένων δικαίως ἀπιστούμενον, σφετερισαμένης. Οὐ γὰρ τὰ θηρία ἁλῶναι τῇ θείᾳ μουσικῇ πεποίηκεν· ἀλλὰ τοὺς θηριώδεις ἀνθρώπους ἐτιθάσσευσε, τὴν ἀγριότητα αὐτῶν ἐξημερῶν, καὶ εἰς πραότητα καὶ ἀρμονίαν καθιστῶν Λύκοι γὰρ καὶ ἄρνες, οὐ μορφῇ, ἀλλὰ τρόποις πρὸς ἀλλήλους σπεισάμενοι, ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ συνῆψαν. \"Αψας τοίνυν ἐκείνης τῆς λύρας, καὶ πᾶσα ἡ νῦν ἐν σοὶ χορεύουσα ἀκοσμία τέλεον οἰχήσεται, καὶ παραχωρήσει τῇ ἐνάρθρῳ ἐκείνῃ μουσικῇ.","t":"To Heraclius. [On \"Wolves and lambs shall feed together.\"] I greatly wonder how the fame of the writings left by the all-wise John, which have travelled everywhere, has reached the ends of land and sea, yet has not touched your ignorance. In wondering, I do not blame him, but I censure your unsurpassable negligence, which has suffered the same as those who do not see the sun at steady noon and in a bright calm because their power of sight has been entirely extinguished. By what you say, you accuse yourself of having no love for what is good. For who has not been captivated by those writings? Who of those born after him does not know to give thanks to divine providence that he was born after him, and has not departed this life without experience of that divine lyre, which made its own the Orphic myth, rightly disbelieved for the exaggeration of its claims? For it did not make wild beasts captive to divine music; it tamed men who were like beasts, gentling their savagery and bringing them to meekness and harmony. For wolves and lambs made peace with one another, not in form but in character, and came together in the same place. Take up that lyre, then, and all the disorder now dancing within you will depart entirely and give way to that articulate music.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.224 (PG 78 78:1317; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-224)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.225":{"o":"ΕΥΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΚατὰ Ἰουδαίων. Ἔνθα καὶ Ἰωσήπου χρῆσις περὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος αὐταῖς λέξεσι κεῖται. Ἐπειδὴ καὶ Ἕλλησι καὶ βαρβάροις, καὶ πᾶσιν ἀνθρώποις ἡ τῶν ἐχθρῶν μαρτυρία εἰκότως δοκεῖ ἀξιόχρεος εἶναι, Ἰουδαῖοι δὲ πᾶσαν ὑπερβαλλόμενοι κακίαν, οὐ μόνον τοῖς προφήταις οὐκ ἐπίστευσαν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ αὐτῷ τῷ Θεῷ· ἐγένετο δέ τις Ιώσηπος Ἰουδαῖος ἄκρος καὶ τοῦ νόμου ζηλωτὴς, καὶ τὴν Παλαιὰν Διαθήκην μετὰ ἀληθείας παραφράσας, καὶ ὑπὲρ Ἰουδαίων ἄριστα ἀνδρισάμενος, κατὰ πάντα τε τὰ ἐκείνων κρείττονα λόγου ἀποφαίνων, τῇ δὲ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀληθείᾳ παραχωρῆσαι ἀξιώσας · οὐ γὰρ ἐζήλωσε τῶν ἀσεβῶν τὴν γνώμην· ἀναγκαῖον οἶμαι τὰς ἐκείνου παραθέσθαι ῥήσεις. Τί οὖν φησι; « Γίνεται δὲ κατ' ἐκεῖνον τὸν χρόνον Ἰησοῦς, σοφὸς ἀνὴρ, εἴ γε αὐτὸν ἄνδρα λέγειν χρή. ἦν γὰρ παραδόξων ἔργων ποιητὴς, διδάσκαλος ἀνθρώπων τῶν ἡδονῇ τἀληθῆ δεχομένων· καὶ πολλοὺς μὲν Ἰουδαίους, πολλοὺς δὲ καὶ τοῦ Ἑλληνικοῦ ἐπηγάγετο. Ὁ Χριστὸς οὗτος ἦν, καὶ αὐτὸν ἐνδείξει τῶν πρώτων ἀνδρῶν παρ' ἡμῖν σταυρῷ ἐπιτετιμηκότος Πιλάτου, οὐκ ἐπαύσαντο οἱ τὸ πρῶτον ἀγαπήσαντες. Ἐφάνη γὰρ αὐτοῖς τρίτην ἔχων ἡμέραν πάλιν ζῶν, τῶν θείων προφητῶν ταῦτά τε περὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἄλλα μυρία θαυμάσια εἰρηκότων. Εἰς δὲ τὸ νῦν τῶν Χριστιανῶν, ἀπὸ τοῦδε ὠνομασμένων, οὐκ ἐπέλιπε τὸ φῦλον. » Ἐγὼ δὲ λίαν θαυμάζω τἀνδρὸς ἐν πολλοῖς μὲν τὸ φιλάληθες· μαλίστα δὲ, ἐν οἷς εἶπε, « Διδάσκαλος ἀνθρώπων τῶν ἡδονῇ τἀληθῆ δεχομένων.» Εἰσὶ γὰρ οἱ δι᾽ ἀνυπέρβλητον ῥαθυμίαν, ὧν ἦσαν καὶ οἱ ἀπιστήσαντες Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ τὰ λίαν σαφῆ καὶ θεῖα περιγραφόμενοι ἀπὸ τῆς οἰκείας ῥᾳθυμίας, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ἀσαφείας φέροντες τὴν ψῆφον. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ οἱ ἐχθροὶ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ ἀντιβλέψαι οὐκ ἐτόλμησαν, τίς ὁ ἀπιστήσων τοῖς ἡλίου φανερωτέροις πράγμασιν;","t":"To Eudaemon the deacon. [Against the Jews. Where a passage of Josephus about the Saviour is set down in his very words.] Since among Greeks and barbarians and all people the testimony of enemies is rightly thought trustworthy, while the Jews, surpassing all wickedness, believed neither the prophets nor God himself; and since there was a certain Josephus, an eminent Jew and a zealot for the law, who paraphrased the Old Testament truthfully, fought most bravely for the Jews, and showed all their affairs to be beyond words, yet thought it right to yield to the truth of the facts (for he did not imitate the mind of the impious), I think it necessary to set out his words. What, then, does he say? \"At that time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man. For he was a doer of wonderful works, a teacher of people who receive the truth with pleasure; and he won over many Jews, and many of the Greek nation too. He was the Christ. And when Pilate, on the accusation of the leading men among us, had condemned him to the cross, those who had loved him at first did not cease. For he appeared to them on the third day, alive again, the divine prophets having foretold these and countless other wonderful things about him. And to this day the tribe of Christians, named after him, has not died out.\" I greatly admire the man's love of truth in many things, but especially where he said, \"a teacher of people who receive the truth with pleasure.\" For there are those who, through unsurpassable negligence (among whom were the Jews who did not believe), limit even things that are very clear and divine, bringing their verdict from their own negligence and not from any unclearness in the facts. If, then, even enemies did not dare to stand against the truth, who will disbelieve things clearer than the sun?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.225 (PG 78 78:1319; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-225)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.226":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\n\"Οτι χρη τοὺς τῇ ὀρθότητι τῶν δογμάτων λάμποντας, καὶ τὸν βίον ἔχειν τῷ λόγῳ συντρέχοντα Εἰ νικῶμεν αἱρετικοὺς, Ἕλληνάς τε καὶ Ἰουδαίους διὰ τὴν τῶν δογμάτων ὀρθότητα, δίκαιοι ἂν εἴημεν καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοὺς νικῆσαι ἵνα μὴ ἡττώμενοι ἐν ἐκείνῳ, ἐν τούτῳ νικᾶν νομίσωσι, μηδὲ προφέρωσιν ἡμῖν τὸν βίον, οἱ τὴν πίστιν ἀρνησάμενοι· μηδὲ λέγειν ἔχοιεν, Οἱ περὶ τὰ δῆλα πταίοντες, πῶς ἀξιοῦτε πιστεύεσθαι περὶ τῶν ἀδήλων; Εἰ γὰρ καὶ προηγούμενόν ἐστι καὶ κεφαλαιωδέστερον ἡ εὐσέβεια, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε χρείαν ἔχει καὶ τῆς ὀρθῆς πολιτείας, ἵνα τελειοτάτη καὶ ἀκροτάτη ἡ εὐδοκίμησις ἀποφανθείη. Καὶ τούτοις ἐπιψηφίζεται ἡ θεία Γραφή, φάσκουσα· « Ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων νεκρά ἐστι. » Παντὶ τοίνυν σθένει εἰς τὴν τῆς πολιτείας ἀκρίβειαν ἑαυτοὺς συνελάσωμεν, ἵνα κατὰ πάντα νικῶντες, καὶ σιγῶντες τοὺς ἀντιπάλους λέγειν τολμῶντας ἐπιστομίσωμεν.","t":"To Paul. [That those who shine with right doctrines must also have a life that runs with their word.] If we defeat heretics, Greeks, and Jews by the rightness of our doctrines, we ought to defeat them in our works as well, so that, defeated in the one, they may not think they win in the other, and those who have denied the faith may not reproach us with our life, or be able to say, \"You who stumble in plain things, how can you expect to be believed about things that are unclear?\" For even if piety comes first and is more important, it still needs right living too, so that our approval may be shown most perfect and complete. And the divine Scripture votes for this, saying, \"Faith without works is dead.\" Let us drive ourselves with all our strength, then, to exactness of life, so that, winning in everything, we may muzzle our opponents, who dare to speak, even while we keep silent.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.226 (PG 78 78:1321; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-226)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.227":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΟ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Προσέχετε τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ὑμῶν μὴ ποιεῖν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰς τὸ θεαθήναι › Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας, Πῶς οἷόν τε μὴ φανῆναι τὸν ἐλεήμονα; φημὶ, ὅτι τὴν γνώμην νυνὶ ἐξετάζει τοῦ ἐλεοῦντος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἷς τις ἀρέσκειν θέλει, παρὰ τούτων θηρᾶται τὸν ἔπαινον· ὁ δὲ Θεῷ ἀρέσαι βουλόμενος, παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ κομίσασθαι βούλεται τὸν ἔπαινον, τοῦτ᾽ ἔφη. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ θεαθεὶς πάντως πρὸς τὸ θεαθῆναι ποιεῖ, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ θεωρεῖσθαι βουλόμενος, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο δημοσιεύων τὸ μυστήριον. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα οὐκ ἀνέχεται κρύπτεσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ ἐλεῶν οὐκ ὀφείλει ἐπιδείκνυσθαι· ὁ γὰρ τοῦτο δρῶν, καὶ τοὺς λαμβάνοντας ἐκπομπεύει, καὶ ἑαυτοῦ τὸν μισθὸν καὶ τὸν ἔπαινον κηρύττει.","t":"To Herminus the count. [On \"Beware of practising your almsgiving before men in order to be seen.\"] Since you have written, \"How is it possible for the merciful man not to be seen?\", I say that here he is examining the intention of the one who shows mercy. Since one seeks praise from those one wants to please, while one who wants to please God wants to receive his praise from him, he said this. For the one who is seen does not necessarily act in order to be seen; it is the one who wants to be watched, and therefore makes the mystery public. For even if the deed cannot be hidden, the merciful man ought not to display it; one who does this parades those who receive his gifts and proclaims his own reward and praise.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.227 (PG 78 78:1321; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-227)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.228":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΠερὶ τῶν παραδειγμάτων, δι' ὧν ὁ σοφὸς πολυειδῶς προσωποποιεῖ τὴν σοφίαν. Ἐπειδὴ ἔφης, Δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν τὰ παραδείγματα οὐχ ἅπαντα λαμβάνεται; φαίην, ἵνα ᾗ παραδείγματα, καὶ μὴ ταυτότης εἴη. Καὶ ἀφέμενος τὸ λεγόμενον ἀνὴρ, ὁ τοῦ Σιράχ φημι, ὁ τὴν σοφίαν ἐκείνην συγγράψας, προσωποποιήσας τὴν σοφίαν, καὶ μὴ εὑρὼν δι᾽ ἑνὸς ὑποδείγματος ἢ δι᾽ ἑνὸς φυτοῦ τὸ αὐτῆς κάλλος τε καὶ ὕψος καὶ τὴν εὐωδίαν, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα τὰ τῇ σοφίᾳ προσόντα παραστῆσαι, περιελθὼν ὡς οἷός τε ἦν πάντα τὰ φυτά, καὶ ἀφ᾿ ἑκάστου συλλεξάμενος τὸ ἁρμόζον καὶ πρεπωδέστατον πρὸς παράστασιν αὐτῆς, οὕτω τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ὑπέγραψεν, ἵνα ἀπὸ μὲν τούτου τοῦ φυτοῦ τὸ κάλλος, ἀπὸ δ᾽ ἄλλου τὸ ὕψος, ἀπὸ δὲ ἑτέρου τὴν εὐωδίαν ἐρανισάμενος, καὶ ὥσπερ ἐν θησαυρῷ τινι, οὐ πάντα τὰ προσόντα τοῖς φυτοῖς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνα, ὧν χρείαν εἶχεν ἡ εἰκὼν, παραλαβών, ἄξιόν τι τῆς σοφίας ἐννοῆσαι παρεσκεύασε. Καὶ ἵνα μὴ φαινοίμην λεληθώς σοι σαφηνίσαι ὡς ἂν οἷός τε ὦ πειράσομαι. Σοφός τις ὄνειδος ἀμαθίας προστριβόμενος, αὐτὰς οὐκ ἔταξα τὰς ῥήσεις ἃς ἐναύλους ἔχειν σε εἰκός.","t":"To Palladius the reader. [On the examples by which the wise man personifies Wisdom in many forms.] Since you asked why examples are not taken in every respect, I would say: so that they may be examples, and not identity. And the man, the son of Sirach I mean, who wrote that book of Wisdom, personified Wisdom; and not finding a way to present her beauty, her height, her fragrance, and the other things that belong to Wisdom by one example or one plant, he went round all the plants as far as he could, gathered from each what was fitting and most suitable for presenting her, and so sketched her for people: collecting the beauty from this plant, the height from another, and the fragrance from another, and taking, as from a treasury, not everything that belongs to the plants but those things the image needed, he enabled us to conceive something worthy of Wisdom. And so that I may not seem to have escaped you, I shall try to make it clear as well as I can. A wise man would incur a reproach of ignorance if I set it out at length; I have not set down the sayings themselves, which you probably have ringing in your ears.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.228 (PG 78 78:1321; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-228)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.229":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς θείας ἐπιδημίας. Ἡ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἁμαρτιῶν.... ἡ τοῦ Υἱοῦ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἔνσαρκος ἐπιφάνεια, πάντας μὲν ἐφόβησε καὶ ἀνθρώπους καὶ δαίμονας, τοὺς μὲν φείδεσθαι τῆς φύσεως πείσασα, ὡς Θεῷ ἑνωθείσης· τοὺς δὲ ἀπέχεσθαι τῆς κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐπιβουλῆς ἀναγκάσασα, ὡς ἀναμαρτήτου λοιπὸν γενομένης· σὲ δὲ οὐδὲν τούτων ἐμάλαξεν, οὐδὲ δεδιέναι παρεσκεύασεν, οὐδὲ σωφρονεῖν ἐπαιδαγώγησεν. Εἰ τοίνυν ἄνθρωπος εἶ, τῷ προτέρῳ παιδεύθητι· εἰ δὲ δαίμων, τῷ δευτέρῳ διδάχθητι, μὴ κατακεχρῆσθαι τῇ καλλίστῃ φύσει εἰς πάθη. \"Ἥξεις γὰρ εἰς κρίσιν, τούτων ἁπάντων εὐθύνας ὑφέξων, καὶ τῆς μακρᾶς ἀναλγησίας μακρὸν εἰσπραχθησόμενος λόγον.","t":"To Zosimus. [On the divine coming.] The coming in the flesh of the Son of God, which took away human sins …, made all afraid, both men and demons: it persuaded the one to spare their nature, since it had been united to God, and compelled the other to abstain from plotting against it, since it had now become sinless. But none of this has softened you, nor made you afraid, nor trained you to self-control. If, then, you are a man, be taught by the first; if a demon, learn from the second not to misuse the finest nature for the passions. For you will come to judgment to render account for all these things, and you will be required to give a long account of your long insensibility.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.229 (PG 78 78:1323; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-229)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.23":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠῶς ὁ ᾿Αχαάβ, καίτοι προμαθὼν τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ, φυλάξασθαι οὐκ ἠδυνήθη. Αὐτὸς μὲν ἔφης λίαν θαυμάζειν, πῶς ὁ ᾿Αχαάβ, καίτοι προμαθὼν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ θάνατον, διαφυγεῖν οὐκ ἠδυνήθη. Ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ θαυμάζω· οὐδὲ γὰρ διαφεύγειν οἷόν τε τὴν δίκην. Κλέπτουσα γὰρ τὰς τῶν κλέπτειν αὐτὴν φρένας πειρωμένων, τοὺς βουλομένους αὐτὴν ἐκκλῖναι, εἰς τὰ ἑαυτῶν δίκτυα, δι᾽ ὧν μηχανῶνται, ἐμπίπτειν παρασκευάζει.","t":"To Theon the scholasticus. [How Ahab, though he had learned of his death in advance, could not guard against it.] You said you greatly wondered how Ahab, though he learned of his own death in advance, could not escape it. I do not wonder; for it is not possible to escape justice. It steals away the wits of those who try to steal away from it, and makes those who want to evade it fall into their own nets, through the very things they contrive.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.23 (PG 78 78:1071; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-23)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.230":{"o":"ΑΛΦΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ Σεναχειρήμ. Ἐπειδὴ ὁ Σεναχειρὴμ ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως καὶ δυνάμεως μείζονα ἠπείλησε τῷ Ἐζεκίᾳ, διὰ τοῦτο ἔγνω τῆς οἰκείας ἀσθενείας τὴν οὐδένειαν. Ὁ γὰρ ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς καὶ αὐτοβοεὶ προσδοκήσας ἑλεῖν τὴν Ἱερουσαλήμ, πᾶσαν σχεδὸν τὴν στρατιὰν ἄνευ πολέμου καὶ μάχης ἀποβαλών, ἀγαπητὸν ἡγήσατο τὸ διασωθῆναι μόνον. Διαφυγών δ᾽ οἴκαδε, ὑπὸ τῶν οἱκείων ἀνῃρέθη ἵν᾿ ὁμοῦ καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν ἀσθένειαν γνοίη, καὶ μὴ διαφύγοι τὴν δίκην.","t":"To Alphius the bishop. [On Sennacherib.] Since Sennacherib threatened Hezekiah with things beyond human nature and power, he was made to learn the nothingness of his own weakness. He who expected to take Jerusalem at a rush and at the first shout lost almost his whole army without war or battle, and thought himself lucky merely to be saved. When he had escaped home, he was killed by his own sons, so that he might both learn his own weakness and not escape justice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.230 (PG 78 78:1323; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-230)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.24":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Πάτερ ἡμῶν Αὐτὸς μὲν ἔοικας θαυμάζειν τῆς εὐχῆς τὴν βραχυλογίαν · ἐγὼ δὲ ἡγάμην ἀεὶ, καὶ ἄγαμαι τὴν ἐν βραχέσι ῥήμασιν ὑπερφυῆ φιλοσοφίαν. Ει γὰρ καὶ ἡ τῶν λόγων ἀπαγγελία εὔκολος, ἀλλὰ οὐ τῶν φωνῶν. Οὐ γὰρ λόγων ἀκροατὴς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔργων ποιητής. Πάσης τοιγαροῦν ἐπέκεινα τόλμης χωρεῖν ὑπολαμβάνω, τὸν μὴ πράττοντα μὲν τὰ υἱῷ εὐδοκίμῳ πρέποντα, τολμᾷν δὲ πατέρα καλεῖν τὸν Δεσπότην· καὶ δρῶντα μὲν ἐξ ὧν δυσφημηθήσεται τὸ θεῖον ὄνομα, ἐπιχειροῦντα δὲ λέγειν· « ῾Αγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου· · καὶ τοῦ τυράννου ὄντα δορυφόρον ἐπισημότατον, φράζειν· « Ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου· · ὄφθητι, τουτέστι, τοῖς τυραννουμένοις βασιλεὺς νικηφόρος, παρέχων τὴν κατὰ τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀήττητον συμμαχίαν· ἔτι τε μηδὲν ὧν θέλει ὁ Θεὸς, διαπραττόμενον, ὑποκρίνεσθαι ἀρετὴν, καὶ λέγειν• • Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, ὡς ἐν οὐρανῷ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς· · τρυφῇ τε καὶ ἀσωτίᾳ ἐκδεδωκότα ἑαυτόν· καὶ πολλὰ προαποθέμενον, οὐ μόνον εἰς τροφὴν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς γαστριμαργίαν ἐφόδια, εὔχεσθαι· « Τὸν ἄρτον ἡμῶν τὸν ἐπιούσιον (τουτέστιν, ἢ τὸν τῇ ψυχῇ ἀρμόδιον, ἢ τὸν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτάρκη) δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον. » Τὸ γὰρ ε σήμερον · τὴν καθημερινὴν οἰκονομίαν μηνύει. Εἰς γὰρ τὴν ἀκροτάτην φιλοσοφίαν ἀγαγὼν τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ νοερὸν, καὶ αὐτὸν ὁρίζει τῆς αἰτήσεως τὸν χρόνον. Εἶτα ἀμείλικτον ὄντα καὶ ὠμὸν, λέγειν· ῎Αφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν·, μνησικακοῦντα δὲ, καὶ πέρα τοῦ μέτρου ἀμυνόμενον, λέγειν· « Καθὼς καὶ ἡμεῖς ἀφίεμεν τοῖς ὀφειλέταις ἡμῶν·, τὸν δ᾽ εἰς πειρασμοὺς ἑαυτὸν ῥίπτοντα, καὶ πᾶσαν τεμόντα ὁδὸν ἐπὶ κινδύνους ἄγουσαν, φράζειν · · Μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμόν·, καὶ γελοῖον εἶναι δοκεῖ, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀγανακτήσεως ἁπάσης ἄξιόν ἐστι. Τὸ δὲ καὶ ἀσμένως ἀκολουθοῦντα. τῷ ἐχθρῷ (οὐ γὰρ βίᾳ, οὐδὲ τυραννίδι, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπάτῃ περιγίνεται) λέγειν· « ᾿Αλλὰ ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ, ὁ πᾶσαν εἰρωνείαν ὑπερβάλλει. Τὸ δὲ φράζειν μέν· « Ὅτι σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία, καὶ ἡ δύναμις, καὶ ἡ δόξα· · καταφρονεῖν δὲ τοῦ πᾶσαν δύναμιν καὶ δόξαν πηγάζοντος, συγγνώμης μεῖζον. Οὐκοῦν ἐκεῖνοι μόνοι μετὰ τὰς θαυμασίους ὠδῖνας τὰς ἐν τῷ θείῳ βαπτίσματι, καὶ τὸν ξένον καὶ παράδοξον λοχευμάτων νόμον, δίκαιοι ἂν εἶεν τὸ « Πάτερ ἡμῶν» λέγειν, υἱῶν ἐπιδεικνύμενοι γνησιότητα· καὶ τὸ, ὁ Ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου, » οἱ μηδὲν ἐναγὲς διαπραττόμενοι · καὶ τὸ, « Ἐλθέτω ἡ βασιλεία σου, οἱ φεύγοντες τὰ τῷ τυράννῳ ἡδονὴν τίκτοντα· καὶ τὸ, « Γενηθήτω τὸ θέλημά σου, » οἱ διὰ τῶν πράξεων τοῦτο δηλοῦντες· καὶ, « Τὸν ἄρτον τὸν ἐπιούσιον δὸς ἡμῖν σήμερον, » οἱ τρυφαῖς καὶ ἀσωτίαις ἀποταττόμενοι · καὶ τὸ, : ῎Αφες ἡμῖν τὰ ὀφειλήματα ἡμῶν, οἱ τοῖς εἰς αὐτοὺς πταίσασι συγγινώσκοντες· καὶ τὸ, « Μὴ εἰσενέγκῃς ἡμᾶς εἰς πειρασμὸν, » οἱ μήτε ἑαυτοὺς μήτε ἄλλους εἰς τοῦτον ἐμβάλλοντες · καὶ τὸ, - Ῥῦσαι ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ τοῦ πονηροῦ, » οἱ πρὸς τὸν Σατανᾶν ἄσπονδον ἔχοντες τὴν μάχην· καὶ τὸ, « Ὅτι σοῦ ἐστιν ἡ βασιλεία καὶ ἡ δύναμις, καὶ ἡ δόξα, » οἱ τρέμοντες αὐτοῦ τοὺς λόγους, καὶ ἔργοις αὐτοὺς ἐπιδεικνύμενοι. Οὐ γὰρ τοσοῦτον πέφυκεν ἀνύειν ἡ τῆς εὐχῆς ἐπιστήμη, ὅσον ὁ τρόπος καὶ ὁ βίος τοῦ εὐχομένου.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. [On \"Our Father.\"] You seem to wonder at the brevity of the prayer; but I have always admired, and still admire, the extraordinary philosophy in its brief words. For even if reciting the words is easy, the prayer is not a matter of sounds; it asks not only for a hearer of words, but for a doer of works. I consider it beyond all daring that one who does not do what befits an approved son should dare to call the Master Father; that one who does things for which the divine name will be blasphemed should undertake to say, \"Hallowed be your name\"; that one who is the tyrant's most distinguished bodyguard should say, \"Your kingdom come\" (that is, appear as a victorious king to those under tyranny, granting the invincible alliance against sin); that one who does none of the things God wills should feign virtue and say, \"Your will be done, as in heaven, so also on earth\"; and that one who has given himself up to luxury and profligacy, and has stored up many provisions not only for food but for gluttony, should pray, \"Give us today our daily bread\" (that is, either the bread fit for the soul or the bread sufficient for the flesh). For \"today\" indicates provision day by day: having led the mind of the soul to the highest philosophy, he also limits the time of the request. Then, that one who is implacable and cruel should say, \"Forgive us our debts\"; that one who bears grudges and retaliates beyond measure should say, \"as we also forgive our debtors\"; and that one who throws himself into temptations and cuts every road that leads to dangers should say, \"Lead us not into temptation\": this seems laughable, or rather it deserves all indignation. And that one who gladly follows the enemy (for he prevails not by force or tyranny but by deceit) should say, \"But deliver us from the evil one\" surpasses all irony. And to say, \"For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory,\" while despising the one who is the fountain of all power and glory, is too great for pardon. So only those, after the wondrous birth-pangs of divine baptism and the strange and paradoxical law of that birth, have the right to say \"Our Father,\" showing that they are genuine sons; and \"Hallowed be your name,\" those who do nothing accursed; and \"Your kingdom come,\" those who flee what gives the tyrant pleasure; and \"Your will be done,\" those who show it by their actions; and \"Give us today our daily bread,\" those who renounce luxury and profligacy; and \"Forgive us our debts,\" those who pardon those who have sinned against them; and \"Lead us not into temptation,\" those who throw neither themselves nor others into it; and \"Deliver us from the evil one,\" those who wage a truceless war against Satan; and \"For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory,\" those who tremble at his words and display them in their works. For knowledge of the prayer does not achieve as much as the character and life of the one who prays.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.24 (PG 78 78:1073; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-24)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.25":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ « Τί δὲ βλέπεις τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου, τὴν δὲ ἐν τῷ σῷ ὀφθαλμῷ δοκὸν οὐ κατανοεῖς; › Κοινὸν μὲν πάθος εἶναι δοκεῖ, οὐ μόνον τὸ τυφλώττειν μὲν περὶ τὰ ἴδια, ὀξέως δ' ὁρᾶν τὰ τῶν πέλας πταίσματα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἑαυτοῖς μὲν καὶ τὰς οὐκ οὔσας ἀπολογίας πορίζεσθαι, τὸ δ᾽ ἀλλοτρίων πικροὶ καὶ ἀπαραίτητοι καθῆσθαι δικασταί. Οἱ δὲ τῷ ὄντι φιλαυτίας ἀπηλλαγμένοι, καὶ τὸ δίκαιον οἰόμενοι δεῖν κρατεῖν, τὴν αὐτὴν φέρουσι καθ' ἑαυτῶν ἁμαρτάνοντες ψῆφον, ἥνπερ ἂν καὶ κατὰ τῶν πέλας ἐνέγκοιεν · καὶ μᾶλλον ἑαυτοὺς διὰ τῆς μετανοίας κολάζουσι, τὸν ἀκόλαστον ὅλεθρον εἰδότες. Εἰς ταύτην γὰρ ἡμᾶς τὴν ἀκριβῆ βάσανον ἐμβάλλων ὁ Χριστὸς, ἔφη· « Τί βλέπεις τὸ κάρφος τὸ ἐν τῷ ὀφθαλμῷ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου· τὴν δὲ ἐν τῷ σῷ ὀφθαλμῷ δοκὸν οὐ κατανοεῖς; › Οὐ γὰρ προσήκει τῶν ἄλλων εἶναι πικρὸν δικαστὴν τὸν τὰ οἰκεῖα παρορῶντα.","t":"To Athanasius the presbyter. [On \"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?\"] It seems to be a common affliction not only to be blind about one's own faults while seeing the faults of one's neighbours sharply, but also to supply oneself with defences that do not even exist, while sitting as bitter and inexorable judges of others. But those who are truly free of self-love, and think that justice must prevail, cast against themselves, when they sin, the same vote they would cast against their neighbours; and they rather punish themselves through repentance, knowing the destruction that awaits the uncorrected. For it was to put us to this exact test that Christ said, \"Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?\" For it is not fitting for one who overlooks his own faults to be a bitter judge of others.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.25 (PG 78 78:1075; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-25)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.26":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον περὶ τοῦ Ἡσαῦ· - Μετανοίας τόπον οὐχ εὖρε, καίπερ μετὰ δακρύων ἐκζητήσας αὐτήν. Αὐτὸς μὲν θαυμάζειν ἔφης, ὅπως ὁ Παῦλος τὴν μετάνοιαν, ἣν καὶ αὐτὸς ἐκήρυττε, καὶ ὁ Θεὸς ἐστεφάνου, μηδὲν δεδυνῆσθαι ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἡσαῦ διισχυρίσατο, λέγων· « Μετανοίας γὰρ τόπον οὐχ εὖρε, καίπερ μετὰ δακρύων ἐκζητήσας αὐτήν. » Ἔγωγε θαυμάζω, πῶς τοῦτό σε διέλαθεν. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς τὴν μετάνοιαν ἀτιμάσαντος τοῦ κριτοῦ, τοῦτο ἔφη, ἀλλ' ὡς τὸν μισθὸν, τουτέστι, τὴν εὐλογίαν, τὴν τῇ ἀρετῇ μᾶλλον ἢ τῇ πρεσβυγενείᾳ χρεωστουμένην, τῷ διαπωλήσαντι αὐτὴν μὴ δεδωκότος. Οὐ γὰρ δίκαιον ἦν, ἐκεῖνον, ἵνα καὶ δοίημεν τῇ πρεσβυγενείᾳ τὸ γέρας χρεωστεῖσθαι, τὸ κτῆμα ὅπερ ἐπώλησεν ἀνακομίσασθαι εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἀποσπασθὲν ἦν, ἔδει ἀποδοθῆναι· εἰ δὲ πραθὲν, καὶ ὑπὸ τὴν νομὴν τοῦ ἀγοράσαντος ἦν οὐ δίκαιον τὸ ἀποσπασθῆναι. Κλαύσαντος γοῦν πικρῶς οὐ μόνον αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦ γεννήτορος, τὸ δίκαιον ἴσχυσεν. Ὅτι δὲ οὕτως ἔχει, ἄκουε τῶν πρὸς αὐτὸν εἰρημένων · · Μή τις πόρνος, ἢ βέβηλος, ὡς Ἡσαῦ, ὃς ἀντὶ βρώσεως μιᾶς ἀπέδοτο τὰ πρωτοτόκια αὐτοῦ. Ἴσθε γὰρ, ὅτι καὶ μετέπειτα θέλων κληρονομῆσαι τὴν εὐλογίαν, ἀπεδοκιμάσθη. » Ὁρᾷς, ἵνα παρῶ τέως τὸ πεπράσθαι τὰ πρεσβεία, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἀρετὴν ἦν ἀσκήσας, ἀλλ' οἷς πέπρακε πρεσβείοις ἐπερειδόμενος, τὴν εὐλογίαν, τὴν τῇ ἀρετῇ, ὡς ἔφην, χρεωστουμένην, κληρονομῆσαι ἠβούλετο· ὅπερ ἀδύνατον ἦν· εἰ γὰρ καὶ μετὰ τῆς τοῦ τεκόντος εὐνοίας καὶ τὴν τῶν πρεσβείων εἶχε τιμὴν οὐκ ἂν ἀπέτυχε τῶν θείων εὐλογιῶν. Ἀρετὴ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ στεφανουμένη. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ πέπρακεν ἐννόμως τὰ πρωτοτόκια, ἀναμφισβήτητος τοῦ Ἰακὼβ ἡ νίκη. Ἐὰν γάρ τις ἀγρὸν πωλήσας, καὶ τὸ τίμημα εἰληφὼς, καὶ εἰς νομὴν τοῦ κτήματος τὸν ἀγοράσαντα εἰσκομίσας, ὕστερον χωρὶς τοῦ ἀποδοθῆναι τὸ τίμημα λέγω (οὐδ᾽ ἀποδιδόντος μὲν οὖν συγχωροῦσιν οἱ νόμοι ἄκοντος τοῦ ἀγοράσαντος τὸ ἀποσπασθῆναι τὸ κτῆμα· ἀλλ᾿ ὅμως λελέχθω), χωρὶς τοῦ ἀποδοῦναι τὸ τίμημα, εἰ ἀμφισβητοίη περὶ τῆς κτήσεως, ποῖος νόμος, ἢ τίς δικαστὴς ἀποκρίνεται αὐτῷ, κἂν μυρία ἐκεῖνος δακρύοι, καὶ ἐλεεινὰ φθέγγοιτο; Οὐδὲ εἷς δήπου. Εἰκότως οὖν οὐκ εἴληφε πρῶτον μὲν ἀρετὴν οὐκ ἀσκήσας, εὐλογίαν δὲ κληρονομῆσαι θελήσας, ἧς ἀνάξιον ἑαυτὸν ἀπέφηνε · δεύτερον δὲ καὶ πωλήσας τὸ γέρας· τρίτον ἐκκλεισθεὶς εἰκότως ὑπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ. Εἰ γὰρ ὄντως ἦν μεταγνοὺς, καὶ τὰς ἥττας πάσας ἀναμαχησάμενος, οὐκ ἂν παρώφθη παρὰ Θεοῦ. Πλούσιος γὰρ ἂν ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ πλουτῶν στεφάνοις ἄλλοις, κοσμῆσαι ἐδύνατο. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ τὰς εὐλογίας, ἃς πέπρακεν, ἀνακομίσασθαι οὐχ οἷός τ᾽ ἦν, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε ἄλλοις ἂν στεφάνοις ἐκοσμήθη· καὶ πρῶτον μὲν τῷ τὸν Θεὸν ἴλεω ἔχειν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἀρετῆς μὲν οὐκ ἐφρόντιζεν, εύλογιῶν δ᾽ ἀντεποιεῖτο τῶν τῇ ἀρετῇ χρεωστουμένων, εἰκότως ἀπέτυχεν.","t":"To Isidore the presbyter. [On what was said about Esau: \"He found no place for repentance, though he sought it with tears.\"] You said you wondered how Paul could declare that repentance, which he himself preached and which God crowned, had availed nothing in Esau's case, when he said, \"For he found no place for repentance, though he sought it with tears.\" I for my part wonder how this escaped you. He did not say this as if the Judge had dishonoured repentance, but because he had not given the reward, that is, the blessing, which was owed to virtue rather than to seniority of birth, to the one who had sold it. For it was not just (even if we grant that the privilege was owed to seniority of birth) that he should recover the possession he had sold. If it had been snatched from him, it ought to have been restored; but if it had been sold and was in the purchaser's possession, it was not just for it to be snatched away. So although not only he but also his father wept bitterly, justice prevailed. That this is so, hear what is said about him: \"Let no one be sexually immoral or profane like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. For you know that afterwards, when he wished to inherit the blessing, he was rejected.\" You see (to pass over for now the sale of the birthright) that he had not practised virtue either, but, relying on the birthright he had sold, he wished to inherit the blessing which, as I said, was owed to virtue; and that was impossible. For if, with his father's goodwill, he had also had the honour of the birthright, he would not have missed the divine blessings. For it is virtue that is crowned by God. But since he had lawfully sold the birthright, Jacob's victory is beyond dispute. Suppose someone sold a field, received the price, and put the buyer in possession of the property, and later, without returning the price, I say (indeed, even if he does return it, the laws do not allow the property to be taken from the buyer against his will; but let it be said anyway), without returning the price, disputed the ownership: what law, what judge would answer him, even if he wept endlessly and uttered pitiful words? None, surely. Fittingly, then, he did not receive it: first, because he had not practised virtue but wished to inherit a blessing of which he had shown himself unworthy; second, because he had sold the privilege; third, because he was fittingly shut out by the time. For if he had truly repented and fought back against all his defeats, he would not have been overlooked by God. For God is rich, and rich in other crowns, and could have adorned him. Even if he could not recover the blessings he had sold, he would at any rate have been adorned with other crowns, and first of all with having God gracious to him. But since he cared nothing for virtue, while laying claim to the blessings owed to virtue, he fittingly failed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.26 (PG 78 78:1077; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-26)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.27":{"o":"ΟΛΥΜΠΙΟΔΩΡΩ.\nὍτι Ἕλληνες, δι' ὧν τὰ Χριστιανῶν δοκοῦσι σμικρύνειν, διὰ τούτων τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἀνατρέπουσιν. Θαυμάζω, ὅπως οὐ μόνον οἱ παιδεύσεως ἄμοιροι τῶν Ἑλλήνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ σοφίαν ἐπαγγελλόμενοι, καὶ οἱ ἐπὶ εὐγλωττίᾳ ἐναβρυνόμενοι, ἐπὶ διαλεκτικῇ τε αὐχοῦντες, καὶ συλλογισμοῖς ἐπερειδόμενοι, καὶ τὰς μὲν ἐναντιώσεις τῶν λογισμῶν ὁρῶντες, τὰς δὲ τῶν πραγμάτων μὴ καθορῶντες, οὐκ αἰσθάνονται, δι' ὧν τὸ κήρυγμα τὸ θεῖον κατατοξεύουσι, διὰ τούτων μᾶλλον ἑαυτοὺς καταισχύνοντες. Φέρει γάρ τινα φιλοτιμίαν τοῖς κεκρατημένοις, ἡ τῶν κεκρατηκότων ὑπεροχή. Αὐτοὶ δὲ φάσκουσι νεκρὸν τὸν Ἰησοῦν, ἶνα νεκροῦ ἀποφανθῇ τῶν παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς θεῶν ὁ δῆμος ἀδρανέστερος. Κωμῳδοῦσι τὸν σταυρὸν, ἵνα κωμῳδηθῶσι σφοδρότερον, ἀτίμως πεπορθημένοι καὶ νενικημένοι σταυρῷ. Σκώπτουσι τὴν τῶν ἀποστόλων ἀμαθίαν, ἵνα λαμπρότερον οἱ θρυλλούμενοι παρ' αὐτῶν στηλιτευθῶσι σοφοὶ, ἰδιωτῶν ἀνδρῶν διδασκαλίᾳ ἡττηθέντες. Τὸν τοῦ Χριστοῦ προσκυνούμενον χλευάζουσι τάφον, ἵν᾿ οἱ παρ' αὐτοῖς περιφανεῖς ναοὶ, γέλωτα ὀφλείωσι μείζονα, χλευαζομένῳ παραχωρήσαντες τάφῳ. Παντὸς ἐπιλαμβάνονται ὡς εὐτελοῦς τοῦ κηρύγματος, ἵνα τὰ παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς περιφανῆ πλέον ὀφθῇ καταγελαστότερα, τῇ τῶν εὐτελῶν ὑποκύψαντα φύσει.","t":"To Olympiodorus. [That the Greeks overturn their own position by the very means by which they think they belittle that of the Christians.] I wonder how not only the uneducated among the Greeks, but also those who profess wisdom, who pride themselves on eloquence, boast of dialectic, and rely on syllogisms, who see the contradictions of arguments but do not perceive those of facts, fail to realize that by the very things with which they shoot at the divine preaching they rather disgrace themselves. For the superiority of the victors brings some honour to the vanquished. They say that Jesus is a dead man, so that the crowd of their gods may be shown to be weaker than a dead man. They mock the cross, so that they may be mocked the more, having been shamefully sacked and conquered by a cross. They jeer at the apostles' lack of learning, so that their celebrated wise men may be pilloried more conspicuously, defeated by the teaching of unlettered men. They scoff at the venerated tomb of Christ, so that their famous temples may incur the greater laughter, having yielded to a tomb that is scoffed at. They seize on everything in the preaching as cheap, so that their own famous things may appear the more ridiculous, having bowed to the nature of cheap things.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.27 (PG 78 78:1079; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-27)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.28":{"o":"ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΩ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Λανθάνουσιν Ἑλλήνων παῖδες, δι' ὧν λέγουσιν, ἑαυτοὺς ἀνατρέποντες. Εξευτελίζουσι γὰρ τὴν θείαν Γραφὴν, ὡς βαρβαρόφωνον καὶ ὀνοματοποιίαις ξέναις συντεταγμένην, συνδέσμων δὲ ἀναγκαίων ἐλλείπουσαν καὶ περιττῶν παρενθήκῃ τὸν νοῦν τῶν λεγομένων ἐκταράττουσαν. Ἀλλ᾿ ἀπὸ τούτων μανθανέτωσαν τῆς ἀληθείας τὴν ἰσχύν. Πῶς γὰρ ἔπεισεν ἡ ἀγροικιζομένη τὴν εὐγλωττίαν ; πάτωσαν οἱ σοφοὶ, πῶς βαρβαρίζουσα κατακράτος καὶ σολοικίζουσα νενίκηκε τὴν ἀττικίζουσαν πλάνην· πῶς Πλάτων μὲν, τῶν ἔξωθεν φιλοσόφων ὁ κορυφαῖος, οὐδενὸς περιεγένετο τυράννου · αὕτη δὲ γῆν τε καὶ θάλατταν ἐπηγάγετο ;","t":"To Asclepius the sophist. [On the same.] The children of the Greeks fail to notice that by what they say they overturn themselves. For they disparage the divine Scripture as barbarous in speech, composed with foreign coinages, lacking necessary conjunctions, and confusing the sense of what is said by the addition of superfluous ones. But from these very things let them learn the strength of the truth. How did the rustic one persuade eloquence? Let the wise say how she who speaks with utter barbarism and solecism has defeated Attic-speaking error; how Plato, the chief of the outside philosophers, prevailed over no tyrant, while she brought land and sea under her.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.28 (PG 78 78:1079; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-28)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.29":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΟ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Ὁ σταυρὸς, ὦ βέλτιστε, ὁ ὑπὸ τῶν εἰδωλολατρῶν κωμῳδούμενος, τὴν πολύθεον ἐσταύρωσε πλάνην· καὶ τὸ πάθος τοὺς ἀλιτηρίους ἐστηλίτευσε δαίμονας · καὶ ὁ θάνατος τὸν θάνατον ἀπέκτεινε· καὶ ἡ νέκρωσις τῆς σαρκὸς, τὰς τῶν σταυρωσάντων ἐνέκρωσεν ἐλπίδας· καὶ ὁ τάφος τὸν μὲν διάβολον κατέθαψε, πᾶσι δὲ πηγὴν ζωῆς ἀνώμβρησε. Διὸ καὶ ὁ θεῖος κήρυξ βοᾷ · · Οὐ γὰρ ἐπαισχύνομαι τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον. » Εὐχῆς γὰρ ἡμῖν εὐαγγελίζεται κρείττονα.","t":"To Herminus the count. [On the same.] The cross, my good friend, mocked by idolaters, crucified the error of many gods; the passion pilloried the accursed demons; death killed death; the putting to death of the flesh put to death the hopes of those who crucified him; and the tomb buried the devil, but poured forth a spring of life for all. That is why the divine herald cries, \"For I am not ashamed of the gospel.\" For it brings us good news better than our prayers.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.29 (PG 78 78:1081; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-29)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.3":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ αὐτό. Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας, τί ἐστι τό· « Καθήλωσον ἐκ τοῦ φόβου σου τὰς σάρκας μου» (ἴσως γὰρ ἀγνοῶν ᾔτεις ὁ μὴ ἐβούλου λαβεῖν)· ἄκουε. Πῆξον αὐτὰς, νέκρωσον, ἀκινήτους ποίησον πρὸς ἡδονὴν, ἀντὶ ἥλων ὁ φόβος ὁ σὸς πηγνύτω αὐτὰς, καὶ νεκρούτω, καὶ σταυρούτω, καὶ ἀκινήτους καὶ ἀνενεργήτους πρὸς ἁμαρτίαν παρασκευαζέτω. Γνοὺς οὖν τὴν ἑρμηνείαν ὁ τρυφῶν, τοῦτο μὴ αἴτει· ἢ αἰτῶν μὴ τρύφα· καὶ μάλιστα, ὅτι οὐδ᾽ ἡ τρυφὴ οἴκαδέ σοι παρασκευάζεται, ἀλλ' ἀλλοτρίαις ἀναισχύντως ἐπιπηδῶν τραπέζαις· ὅπερ ἓν τῶν ἀπευκταίων καὶ ἀθλίων ὡρίσατο εἶναι ὁ Σολομών· τὴν σάρκα οὐ δεόντως ὅλως πιαίνεις. Οὐ γὰρ τῆς χρείας γίνῃ· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν κόρον ὑβρίζεις.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] Since you have written asking what \"Nail down my flesh with fear of you\" means (perhaps in ignorance you were asking for what you did not wish to receive), listen. Fix it fast, put it to death, make it immovable toward pleasure; instead of nails, let your fear fix it fast, put it to death, and crucify it, and make it immovable and inactive toward sin. Now that you know the interpretation, you who live in luxury, do not ask for this; or, if you ask for it, do not live in luxury. All the more so because your luxury is not even provided at home: you shamelessly leap upon other people's tables, which Solomon defined as one of the detestable and wretched things. You fatten your flesh altogether improperly; for you do not stop at need, but outrage even satiety.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.3 (PG 78 78:1051; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-3)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.30":{"o":"ΔΟΜΕΤΙΟ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Αὐτὸ τοῦτο, ὅ νομίζεις, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἀπόδειξιν εἶναι τοῦ μὴ εἶναι θεῖον τὸ κήρυγμα, δείκνυσιν αὐτὸ θεῖον καὶ ὑπερφυές. Ἵνα γὰρ παρῶ Πλάτωνα ὡς ὑπερβαίνοντά σου τὰς ἀκοὰς, φήσαντα, ὅτι φιλοσόφων μὲν ἀνάξιον ἡ εὐγλωττία, μειρακίων δὲ παιζόντων ἡ φιλοτιμία· ἐν οἷς τὸν διδάσκαλον ἑαυτοῦ εἰσήγαγε λέγοντα· · Οὐ γὰρ ἂν δήπου πρέποι ὦ ἄνδρες, τῇδε τῇ ἡλικίᾳ, ὥσπερ μειρακείῳ, πλάττοντα λόγους, εἰς ὑμᾶς εἰσιέναι. » Ὅμηρον δὲ, ὃν ἐπὶ γλώττης ἔχεις, μάρτυρα προβαλοῦμαι, λέγοντα· Αὐτοδιδακτός εἰμι· θεὸς δὲ μοι ἐν φρεσὶν Παντοίας ἐνέθηκεν, [οἴμας ἤγουν ὥπασεν ὀμφάς. Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ ἐκθειαζόμενος παρὰ σοῦ ποιητὴς ἐγγυητὴς, μᾶλλον δὲ Ὅμηρος ὄντως ὧν τῶν παρ᾿ ἡμῖν νυνὶ λεγομένων, ἀπεφήνατο, ὅτι οἱ τὰ θεῖα καταγγέλλοντες, οὔτε θνητῶν ἀνθρώπων φοιτηταὶ, οὔτε τοιούτων παιδεύσεων ἔμπειροι εἶναι δίκαιοι ἂν εἶεν· διατί ἀπιστεῖς, εἰ διὰ τῶν ἰδιωτῶν καὶ ἀμαθῶν ἀνδρῶν ἀῤῥήτῳ παιδευθέντων σοφίᾳ, ὁ περὶ τοῦ θείου κηρύγματος διηγγέλθη λόγος; ᾿Αλλ', οἶμαι, οὐκέτι ἀπιστήσεις. Ὁ γὰρ ἐνόμιζες ἐλάττωμα εἶναι, τοῦθ' εὗρες πλεονέκτημα.","t":"To Dometius the count. [On the same.] The very thing you think, my good friend, to be proof that the preaching is not divine shows it to be divine and supernatural. To pass over Plato, as beyond your hearing, who said that eloquence is unworthy of philosophers and that ambition for it belongs to boys at play (in the passage where he introduced his teacher saying, \"For it would surely not befit me, gentlemen, at this age, to come before you fashioning speeches like a youth\"), I shall bring forward as witness Homer, whom you have always on your tongue, who says: \"I am self-taught; and a god planted in my mind all kinds of paths of song\" (that is, granted voices). If, then, the poet whom you deify stands surety, or rather is truly a hostage for what we now say, and declared that those who proclaim divine things ought to be neither pupils of mortal men nor experienced in such learning, why do you disbelieve that the message of the divine preaching was proclaimed through unlettered and unlearned men taught by an ineffable wisdom? But, I think, you will disbelieve no longer; for what you thought a deficiency you have found to be an advantage.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.30 (PG 78 78:1081; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-30)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.31":{"o":"ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΩ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\n᾿Αντίθεσις ἀξιάκουστος πρὸς \"Ελληνα, περὶ τῆς ἀναστάσεως τοῦ Σωτῆρος. Οἶδά ποτε διαλεγόμενον πρός με δεινὸν \"Ελληνα, καὶ παρὰ πολλοῖς ἐπὶ δυνάμει λόγων μεγίστην δόξαν ἔχοντα, ἐν βραχέσιν ἐπιστομίσας. Προσφέροντος γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὰ πάθη, καὶ τὸν σταυρὸν, καὶ πλατὺν καταχέοντος γέλωτα, ἀπεκρίθην ἐγὼ αὐτῷ πράως· • Πόθεν γὰρ ἔχεις δεῖξαι ότι ἐσταυρώθη;» Πάντων δὲ τῶν ἀκροωμένων καταπλαγέντων, καὶ ἐννοούντων, τί ἄρα κατασκευάσαι βουλόμενος τοῦτο ἔφην, ἀπεκρίνατο ἐκεῖνος, ὡς δὴ τὴν νίκην ἀπονητὶ ἀναιρησόμενος· « Ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις γέγραπται. » Ὦ εὐθὺς ἀντεπῆγον· « Οὐκοῦν ἐν αὐτοῖς, ὅτι καὶ ἀνέστη, καὶ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἀνῆλθε, γέγραπται. Εἰ μὲν οὖν πιστεύεις τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις, καὶ τοῦτο κἀκεῖνο λέγουσι πίστευσον. Εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἀτοπώτατον ποιεῖς, τὸ μὲν ἐγκρίνων, τὸ δὲ εἰσβάλλων Μὴ γὰρ δὴ περὶ τὰς ὕβρεις ἀναπεπετασμένας καὶ ὀξυτάτας ἔχετε τὰς ἀκοὰς, περὶ δὲ τὰ λαμπρὰ καὶ θεῖα πεφραγμένας; Καὶ μάλιστα ἐπειδὴ οἱ λεγόμενοί σου θεοὶ ὑπὸ τοῦ σταυρωθέντος ἡττήθησαν. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐσταυρώθη, δῆλον ὅτι καὶ εἰς οὐρανοὺς ἀνῆλθεν. Εἰ δὲ τὰ λαμπρὰ παραγράφῃ, μηδὲ τὰ ἐπονείδιστα πρόφερε. Θάτερον γὰρ θατέρου ἤρτηται, καὶ διαζευχθῆναι οὐκ ἀνέχεται. » Τούτων τοιγαροῦν εἰρημένων, τοσοῦτος ἐξερράγη κρότος, ὡς κἀμὲ κἀκεῖνον ἐρυθριᾶσαι · ἐμὲ μὲν, ὅτι ὑπὲρ τὴν ἐμὴν ἀξίαν ὁ ἔπαινος ἦν· ἐκεῖνον δὲ, ὅτι ταῖς οἰκείαις συνεδέθη φωναῖς. Ταῦτα μηνύσας, ἀποκεκρίσθαι οἶμαι σαφῶς πρὸς τὰ παρὰ τῆς σῆς συνέσεως ἀποσταλέντα.","t":"To Asclepius the sophist. [A rejoinder worth hearing against a Greek, on the resurrection of the Saviour.] I remember once silencing, in a few words, a clever Greek who was disputing with me and who had a very great reputation among many for power of speech. When he brought up the sufferings and the cross and poured out broad laughter, I answered him gently, \"From where can you show that he was crucified?\" All the hearers were astonished and wondered what I meant to establish by saying this; and he answered, as one about to carry off the victory without effort, \"It is written in the Gospels.\" At once I retorted: \"Then it is also written in them that he rose and went up into the heavens. If, then, you believe the Gospels, believe them when they say both the one and the other. If not, you act most absurdly, admitting the one and throwing out the other. Surely you do not keep your ears wide open and very sharp for insults, but blocked against the splendid and divine things? Especially since your so-called gods were defeated by the one who was crucified. If, then, he was crucified, it is clear that he also went up into the heavens. But if you strike out the splendid things, do not bring forward the shameful ones either; for the one depends on the other and does not allow itself to be separated.\" When this was said, such applause broke out that both he and I blushed: I, because the praise was beyond my worth; he, because he was bound by his own words. Having reported this, I think I have answered clearly what your intelligence sent me.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.31 (PG 78 78:1083; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-31)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.32":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΟ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΠερὶ δόξης τοῦ τιμίου σταυροῦ. Τὸν ἀοίδιμον σταυρὸν δίκαιον προσειπεῖν, οὐ μόνον γῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ οὐρανοῦ ἔρεισμά τε καὶ ἀγλάϊσμα. Τὴν γὰρ κτίσιν πᾶσαν ἀνέσχε, τοῖς μὲν ὑπερκοσμίοις χαρὰν, τοῖς δ᾽ ἐπιγείοις ἐλευθερίαν πρυτανεύσας, καὶ τὰ διεστῶτα συνάψας.","t":"To Dorotheus, most illustrious. [On the glory of the precious cross.] It is right to call the celebrated cross the support and the splendour not only of earth but also of heaven. For it upheld the whole creation, bestowing joy on those above the world and freedom on those on earth, and joining together what had been separated.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.32 (PG 78 78:1083; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-32)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.33":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ πολιτείας. Εἰ εὐγνωμόνως καὶ νουνεχῶς ἐντυχεῖν ἐθελήσειας ταῖς ἱεραῖς Γραφαῖς, οὐ πρὸς τὸν ἔρωτα τῆς θείας φιλοσοφίας ὀρμήσειας μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς αὐτὴν τῶν δογμάτων τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν, ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἡ οὐρανῷ πρέπουσα πολιτεία ἔχει τὴν ὑπόθεσιν.","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. [On the way of life.] If you were willing to read the holy Scriptures with good sense and attention, you would be moved not only to love of the divine philosophy, but also to desire for its very teachings, from which the way of life that befits heaven takes its foundation.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.33 (PG 78 78:1085; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-33)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.34":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ Ὥσπερ τὸν φιλόσοφον οὐχ ἡ στολὴ καὶ βακτηρία δείκνυσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἡ παῤῥησία καὶ ἡ πολιτεία· οὕτω καὶ τὸν Χριστιανὸν οὐ σχῆμα καὶ λόγος, ἀλλὰ τρόπος καὶ βίος τῷ ὀρθῷ λόγῳ ἐφάμιλλος.","t":"To Paul. [On the same.] Just as it is not the cloak and the staff that show the philosopher, but his frankness and his way of life, so it is not dress and words that show the Christian, but a character and a life that match right reason.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.34 (PG 78 78:1085; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-34)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.35":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ ζωοφθορίας, ἧς ὁ νομοθέτης ἐμνήσθη· καὶ εἰς τὸ · · ᾿Απόστητε ἀπ᾿ ἐμοῦ, πάντες οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν › Ωσπερ ἡ μυθευομένη τῶν ἑτερογενῶν σύνοδος ἀλλόκοτα ἔτικτε σώματα, Μινώταυρόν τινα καὶ κενταύρους · ὧν ὁ μὲν τοὺς Ἀττικοὺς ἐθοινᾶτο παῖδας, οἱ δὲ τὰς ἀλλοτρίας ἥρπαζον γυναῖκας· οὕτως καὶ ἡ τῶν κακίστων ἀνδρῶν συνουσία, ἀλλόκοτα καὶ ἄτοπα ἤθη τίκτει, μικροῦ τὰ τῶν κενταύρων μιμούμενα τολμήματα. Δι' ὃ καὶ ὁ Μελῳδὸς τούτους ἀπήλαυνεν ὡς ποῤῥωτάτω, λέγων· « ᾿Απόστητε ἀπ' ἐμοῦ, πάντες οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν. • Οὐ γὰρ μικράν ἡ τούτων συνουσία τίκτει βλάβην, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς αὐτὴν βλέπουσαν τὴν ψυχὴν, ἧς οὐδὲν τιμιώτερον. Εἰ μὲν οὖν, ὡς φασί τινες, ἔργα γεγόνασιν οἱ μῦθοι (δι' ὃ καὶ ὁ νομοθέτης τοῦθ᾽, ὅπερ ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν, ἐθέσπισε, τὴν πρὸς ζῶα κωλύων σύνοδον, καὶ θανάτῳ τοὺς συνιόντας κολάζων, ὥστε μὴ τερατώδη τίκτεσθαι σώματα, καὶ τραγῳδίας βλαστάνειν), θαυμαζέσθω τοῦ νομοθέτου ἡ προμήθεια. Εἰ δὲ, ὡς φασί τινες, καὶ αὐτὸς μᾶλλον πείθομαι, ἠθῶν ποικίλων ἐπιμιξίαν δηλοῦσιν οἱ μῦθοι (οὐδὲν γὰρ, φασὶ, τῶν ἐξ ἀρχῆς γενομένων ἐπιλεῖψαι ἠνέσχετο), καὶ οὕτως φυλαττέσθωσαν τὴν τῶν πονηρῶν συνουσίαν· ὅτι γὰρ τὰ μέγιστα βλάπτει δηλοῖ μὲν καὶ τὸ· Φθείρουσιν ἤθη χρηστὰ ὁμιλίαι κακαί. Δηλοῦσι δὲ καὶ Ἀμνῶν ὁ πρεσβύτατος, καὶ ᾿Αβεσσαλώμ ὁ νεώτατος υἱὸς τοῦ Μελῳδοῦ, αἰσχρῶς μὲν ζήσαντες, ἐλεεινῶς δὲ τὸν βίον καταστρέψαντες. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τῆς ὁμοπατρίου ἀδελφῆς ἐρασθεὶς, καὶ αἰσχυνόμενος τὴν φύσιν καθ' ἑαυτὴν ἐπιφυομένην συνάψαι, ἐκοινώσατο τὸ πάθος τινὶ τῶν δοκούντων φίλων· ὁ δὲ οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἔσβεσε τὸ πάθος, οὐδὲ ἀπεστρέψατο τοῦ ἄγους· οὐδὲ εἶπε· Μὴ καινὰ εἰσενέγκῃς εἰς τὸν βίον δράματα· ἀλλὰ καὶ μέθοδον αὐτῷ ἐφεῦρεν, ὅπως δράσειε τὸ ἄγος. Δράσας τοίνυν, δίκην δέδωκε τὴν ἐσχάτην, τοῦ ὁμομητρίου τῆς ὑβρισθείσης ἀδελφῆς διὰ τῶν οἰκετῶν σφαγῇ μετελθόντος τὸν ὑβριστήν. Οὕτω μὲν οὖν αἰσχρῶς καὶ ἐλεεινῶς ὁ ᾿Αμνῶν τὸν βίον κατέστρεψεν. Ὁ δὲ τοῦτον δίκας ἀπαιτήσας, εἴτε τυραννίδος ἐρῶν (εἴτε μνησικακῶν τῷ πατρὶ, ὅτι οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐξεδίκησε τῆς θυγατρὸς τὴν ὕβριν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν ἀμυνάμενον ἀπεστρέφετο, καὶ παρακληθεὶς, οὐδὲ οὕτως αὐτὸν ἐδέχετο εἰς ὄψιν, εἰ μὴ ὕστερον ἡ τοῦ στρατηγοῦ σοφία τοῦτο κατεσκεύασεν), ἐπανίσταται τῷ πατρὶ, καὶ τῷ κακῶς αὐτῷ συμβουλεύσαντι, καὶ τοὺς τῆς φύσεως ἀνατρέψαι θεσμοὺς, καὶ τοὺς τῆς μίξεως ὑβρίσαι νόμους, ἐπείσθη. Τοσοῦτόν ἐστι κακὸν ἡ τῶν κακίστων συνουσία. ᾿Αλλ' οὐ διέφυγεν οὔθ' οὗτος, οὔτε ὁ παρασυμβουλεύσας, τὴν ἄφυκτον δίκην· ἀλλὰ δίκην ἔδοσαν. Ἵν᾿ οὖν μηδὲν τοιοῦτον μήτε δράσωμεν, μήτε πάθωμεν, φεύγωμεν τὴν τῶν ἐναγῶν ὁμιλίαν.","t":"To Heron the scholasticus. [On bestiality, which the lawgiver mentioned; and on \"Depart from me, all you who work lawlessness.\"] Just as the fabled union of different kinds produced monstrous bodies, a Minotaur and centaurs (the one feasted on Attic children, the others carried off other men's wives), so the company of the worst men produces monstrous and absurd characters, which all but imitate the outrages of the centaurs. That is why the Psalmist drove such men as far away as possible, saying, \"Depart from me, all you who work lawlessness.\" For the harm their company produces is not small: it reaches the very soul, than which nothing is more precious. If, then, as some say, the myths were actual deeds (which is why the lawgiver decreed what you wished to learn about, forbidding intercourse with animals and punishing with death those who have it, so that monstrous bodies should not be born and tragedies sprout), let the lawgiver's foresight be admired. But if, as others say (and I am rather persuaded of it myself), the myths signify the mixing of various characters (for nothing, they say, of what happened from the beginning has been allowed to be lost), even so let people guard against the company of the wicked. That it does the greatest harm is shown by the saying, \"Bad company corrupts good morals,\" and it is shown also by Amnon, the eldest son of the Psalmist, and Absalom, his younger son, who lived shamefully and ended their lives pitiably. The one fell in love with his sister by the same father, and, ashamed to couple his own nature with itself, he shared his passion with one of his supposed friends. That man not only did not quench the passion or turn him away from the abomination, nor say, \"Do not bring new tragedies into life,\" but even invented a way for him to commit the abomination. When he had committed it, he paid the ultimate penalty: the brother of the outraged sister by the same mother pursued the outrager and had him slaughtered by his servants. So Amnon ended his life shamefully and pitiably. And the one who exacted the penalty from him, whether from lust for tyranny or from a grudge against his father (because his father had not only failed to avenge his daughter's outrage but had turned away from the avenger, and even when entreated would not receive him into his presence, until later the general's cleverness arranged it), rose up against his father, and was persuaded by the one who counselled him badly both to overturn the ordinances of nature and to outrage the laws of intercourse. So great an evil is the company of the worst men. But neither he nor his counsellor escaped the inescapable justice; they paid the penalty. So that we may neither do nor suffer anything like this, let us flee the company of the accursed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.35 (PG 78 78:1085; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-35)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.36":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ.\nΤό· « Εἰ δυνατὸν τὸ ἐξ ὑμῶν μετὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων εἰρηνεύοντες. Ἔστιν, ὦ σοφὲ, καὶ πόλεμος εὐαγὴς, καὶ εἰρήνη πάσης ἀσπόνδου μάχης ἀργαλεωτέρα, κατὰ τό· ε Ἐζήλωσα ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀνόμοις, εἰρήνην ἁμαρτωλῶν θεωρῶν. » Λῃσταὶ μὲν γὰρ πρὸς ἀλλήλους σπένδονται κατὰ τῶν μηδὲν ἀδικούντων ὁπλιζόμενοι· λύκοι δὲ συναγελάζονται, ὅταν αἱμάτων διψῶσι· καὶ ὁ μὲν μοιχὸς εἰρηνεύει πρὸς τὴν μοιχευομένην· ὁ δὲ πόρνος πρὸς τὴν πορνευομένην. Μὴ τοίνυν πανταχοῦ τὴν εἰρήνην νόμιζε εἶναι καλόν. Ἔστι γὰρ πολλάκις παντὸς πολέμου χαλεπωτέρα. Ὅταν γάρ τις πρὸς τοὺς κατὰ τῆς προνοίας ὑλακτοῦντας εἰρηνεύῃ, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς τοῖς βίοις ἀχρείους τὴν κοινὴν λοχῶντας καὶ λυμαινομένους πολιτείαν σπένδηται· οὗτος τῶν τῆς εἰρήνης ὅρων πόῤῥω που ἐσκήνωται καὶ μακράν. Δι᾿ ὁ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ἔλεγεν ; « Εἰ δυνατὸν τὸ ἐξ ὑμῶν μετὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων εἰρηνεύοντες. » Σαφῶς γὰρ ἠπίστατο, ὅτι ἐστὶν ὅπου οὐ δυνατόν.","t":"To Peter the monk. [On \"If possible, so far as it depends on you, living at peace with all men.\"] There is, wise friend, both a holy war and a peace more grievous than any truceless battle, as in the words, \"I was jealous of the lawless, seeing the peace of sinners.\" For robbers make treaties with one another, arming themselves against those who do no wrong; wolves herd together when they thirst for blood; the adulterer is at peace with the woman with whom he commits adultery, and the sexually immoral man with the woman with whom he commits sexual immorality. So do not think that peace is everywhere a good thing; for it is often harsher than any war. When someone is at peace with those who bark against providence, and makes treaties with those who, useless in their own lives, lie in wait for the common life and ruin it, he has pitched his tent somewhere far away from the bounds of peace. That is why Paul said, \"If possible, so far as it depends on you, living at peace with all men\"; for he knew clearly that there are cases where it is not possible.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.36 (PG 78 78:1087; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-36)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.37":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΌμοιον. Χρὴ οὐ τοῖς μὴ σπενδομένοις ἄσπονδον εἶναι, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον σπένδεσθαι, τόγε ἡμέτερον μέρος, καὶ τοῖς ἀσπόνδοις, εἴγε μηδὲν ἡ εὐσέβεια παραβλάπτοιτο. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστὶν ἄρα ὅπερ ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος παρεκελεύσατο, φράζων· « Εἰ δυνατὸν τὸ ἐξ ὑμῶν μετὰ πάντων ἀνθρώπων εἰρηνεύοντες. » ῎Ατε γὰρ ἀκριβῶς ἐπιστάμενος τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν φύσιν, καὶ εἰδὼς, ὅτι πολλοὶ τοῖς φιλαρέτοις διὰ μάχης ἀεὶ ἐλθεῖν οὐ παραιτοῦνται, τόγε ἧκον εἰς ἡμᾶς ἀπῄτησεν, εἴγε ἡμῶν πάντα ποιούντων, ἄλλοι πόλεμον ἀκήρυκτον, ἢ τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ ἀντιστρατευόμενοι, ἢ τῇ ἀρετῇ ἀντιπολιτευόμενοι, ἐπαγγέλλοιντο.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. [Similar.] One should not be at war with those who refuse peace, but rather, so far as our part goes, be at peace even with those who refuse it, provided piety suffers no harm. And this is what the divine Paul urged, saying, \"If possible, so far as it depends on you, living at peace with all men.\" Since he knew exactly the nature of things, and knew that many do not decline to be always at war with lovers of virtue, he required what falls to us, in case, while we do everything, others should declare an undeclared war, either campaigning against piety or opposing virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.37 (PG 78 78:1087; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-37)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.38":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον· « Μετὰ βουλῆς πάντα ποίει.) Οἱ μὲν θυμῷ πλέον στρατηγούμενοι, εἰς χαλεπὸν, ὡς τὰ πολλὰ, καταστρέφουσι τέλος· οἱ δὲ συνέσει μὲν στρατηγούμενοι, τὰ δὲ σώματα ὄργανα ταύτης ἡγούμενοι, οὐκ ἀμοιροῦσι τῆς ἐπὶ τοῖς καλλίστοις δόξης. Καὶ τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν, ὅπερ ἔφη ὁ Παροιμιαστής· • Μετὰ βουλῆς πάντα ποίει · · τὸ γὰρ ἀπερίσκεπτον, σφαλερόν","t":"To Peter. [On what is written: \"Do everything with counsel.\"] Those who are led more by anger come, for the most part, to a grievous end; but those who are led by understanding, and treat their bodies as its instruments, do not miss the glory that belongs to the noblest deeds. And this is what the author of Proverbs said: \"Do everything with counsel\"; for thoughtlessness is perilous.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.38 (PG 78 78:1089; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-38)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.39":{"o":"ΝΕΜΕΣΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ αὐτό. Χρὴ τὸν βουλόμενον καθαρὰν εὐθυμίαν καρπώσασθαι, πρῶτον βουλόμενον οὕτως ἥκειν ἐπὶ τὸ λέγειν τε καὶ πράττειν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐχ οἷόν τε τὰ λεχθέντα ἢ πραχθέντα ἀνακαλέσασθαι ῥᾳδίως, χρὴ πειθόμενον τῷ Παροιμιαστῇ, λέγοντι· « Μετὰ βουλῆς πάντα ποίει· · τὸν μὴ βουλόμενον διὰ τῆς μεταγνώσεως ἑαυτὸν νύκτωρ καὶ μεθ᾽ ἡμέραν μαστίζειν, τὴν παραίνεσιν διὰ πραγμάτων ἐπιδείξασθαι.","t":"To Nemesius. [On the same.] One who wishes to reap pure cheerfulness must first deliberate, and only so come to speaking and acting. For since what has been said or done cannot easily be called back, one who obeys the author of Proverbs when he says, \"Do everything with counsel,\" and does not wish to scourge himself night and day with regret, must show the exhortation in his deeds.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.39 (PG 78 78:1089; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-39)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.4":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ αὐτό. Ὁ μὲν τῆς ἀρετῆς γνήσιος ἐραστὴς, καὶ τὸ θεῖον εἰς τὸ ἀγαγεῖν τὸ ποθούμενον εἰς πέρας δίκαιος ἂν εἴη καλεῖν· ὁ δὲ ἄσπονδος ἐχθρὸς, οὐδὲ ἂν καλέσας ἐπήκοον ἕξει τὸ Θεῖον. Τί τοιγαροῦν τὴν σάρκα τὴν σαυτοῦ κραιπάλαις καὶ μέθαις καταπιαίνων, καὶ πῦρ ἐπὶ πῦρ ὀχετεύων, καὶ πᾶσαν καινοτομῶν ὁδὸν ἡδονῆς, καὶ τὸ ἀκόλαστον καὶ κοιμώμενον διεγείρων τε καὶ παρακαλῶν, ἐν ταῖς εὐχαῖς λέγεις · • Καθήλωσον ἐκ τοῦ φόβου σου τὰς σάρκας μου;» Τῷ μὲν γὰρ νηστείαις καὶ χαμευνίαις, καὶ παννυχίσι τὴν οἰκείαν κατατήκοντι σάρκα, καὶ εὐήνιον αὐτὴν τῷ πνεύματι κατασκευάζοντι, πρεπωδεστάτη αὕτη ἡ εὐχή· τῷ δὲ, ὥσπερ σὺ, σκιρτᾷν παρασκευάζοντι τὴν σάρκα, καὶ τὰς ἀσώτους συνεστιάσεις καὶ τὰς κραιπάλας διώκοντι, ἐξ ὧν ἡδοναὶ βρύουσιν, οὐ μόνον ἀπρεπὴς αὕτη ἡ εὐχὴ, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰρωνείας, μᾶλλον δὲ κινδύνου μεστή Ὅταν γὰρ τὸν ἀκήρατον νοῦν ταῦτα αἰτῇ, ἃ ποιεῖν οὐ θέλει, οὐ μόνον ἀνθρώπους, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸν παρακρούεσθαι θέλει τὸν κριτήν.","t":"To the same. [On the same.] The genuine lover of virtue may rightly call on God to bring what he longs for to completion; but the implacable enemy will not find God listening even if he calls. Why then, while you fatten your flesh with drinking bouts and drunkenness, channel fire upon fire, open every new road to pleasure, and rouse and summon licentiousness even when it sleeps, do you say in your prayers, \"Nail down my flesh with fear of you\"? For one who wastes his own flesh with fasts, sleeping on the ground, and all-night vigils, and makes it obedient to the spirit, this prayer is most fitting; but for one who, like you, makes the flesh leap and pursues profligate banquets and carousals, from which pleasures teem, this prayer is not only unfitting but full of irony, or rather of danger. For when someone asks the pure Mind for things he does not want to do, he wants to deceive not only men but the Judge himself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.4 (PG 78 78:1051; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-4)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.40":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠερὶ τῶν τριῶν Σολομῶντος βιβλίων, Παροιμιών, Ἐκκλησιαστικῶν ᾿Ασμάτων. Ἐπειδὴ περὶ τῆς τάξεως τῶν τριῶν βιβλίων Σολομῶντος ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν, ἴσθι, ὅτι τὸ μὲν ἠθικὴν παιδεύει ἀρετήν· τὸ δὲ δεικνύει τῶν περὶ βιωτικά ἑπτοημένων τὴν ματαιοπονίαν · τὸ δὲ τῆς ταῦτα πεπαιδευμένης ψυχῆς τὸν περὶ τὰ θεῖα ἔρωτα. Διὰ τοῦτο τὸ μὲν πρῶτον, τὸ δὲ δεύτερον, τὸ δὲ τρίτον τέτακται. Ο δὲ γὰρ τὰ ἠθικὰ κατορθώσας, τῷ μεμαθητεῦσθαι τῷ Παροιμιαστῇ, καὶ· τὴν βιωτικὴν φαντασίαν καταπατήσας τῷ πεφοιτηκέναι παρὰ τῷ Ἐκκλησιαστῇ οὐκ ἂν περὶ τὸ τῶν ἀσμάτων Ασμα ἐλθὼν εἰς σαρκικὸν καὶ ἠθικὸν ἔρωτα ὀλισθήσειεν · ἀλλὰ περὶ τὸν ἄχραντον καὶ θεῖον πτερωθείη νυμφίον, τὸν μακαρίους τοὺς τρωθέντας ἀποφαίνοντα. Παραινῶ τοιγαροῦν τοῖς νέοις, μὴ πρότερον ἅπτεσθαι τοῦ τρίτου συγγράμματος, πρὶν ἢ τὰ ἐν τοῖς δυσὶ κατορθώσειαν. ῎Ατοπον γὰρ, μᾶλλον δὲ ῥιψοκίνδυνον, καὶ παρὰ τοὺς μυστικοὺς θεσμοὺς, τοῖς ἀδύτοις ἐπιπηδᾷν, τοὺς μηδὲ τῶν προθύρων ἀξίους. \"Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐν τῷ ναῷ τὰ μὲν ἔξω πᾶσίν εἰσι βάσιμα· τὰ δ᾽ ἔνδον ἱερὰ, ὅσα τῷ περισχοινίσματι περιείληπτο, βατὰ ὄντα, τοῖς πολλοῖς ἀνιέροις καὶ βεβήλοις ἄβατα ἦν· τὰ δὲ ἔνδον ἱερῶν ἱερώτερα, καὶ ἁγίων ῞Αγια, οἷς οὐδὲ τοῖς τὸν ἀνεπίληπτον ἔχουσι βίον ἐπιβῆναι ἦν θέμις, ἀλλὰ τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ μόνῳ, τῷ ἑαυτὸν δηλονότι ἀφιερώσαντι, καὶ πᾶσαν θνητὴν ἀποσεισαμένῳ κηλίδα · οὕτω κἀπὶ τῶν βιβλίων τούτων διακεῖσθαι τοὺς νέους χρὴ, πρῶτον μὲν τῇ τῶν ἠθῶν λαμπρύνεσθαι ἀρετῇ· ἔπειτα καταγινώσκειν τῆς τῶν βιωτικῶν πραγμάτων οὐδενείας· καὶ οὕτως ἅψασθαι τῶν τοῖς πολλοῖς ἀνεφίκτων. Οἱ γὰρ ἔξω περιῤῥαντηρίων εἶναι ὀφείλοντες, εἰ φιλονεικήσειαν μὴ μεμυημένοι τῇ θείᾳ τελετῇ, ῥιψοκινδύνως ἐπικωμᾶσαι, δίκην δώσουσι τὴν ἐσχάτην. Εἰς τὸ «Μὴ ποιεῖν τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων. Θαυμάζω σου τὴν κεχρεωστημένην ἀφροσύνην. Οὐ γὰρ οἷμαί σε εἰς τοσαύτην ἄνοιαν ἐληλακέναι, ὡς νομίσαι, τοὺς ἐλεοῦντας μὲν, ἐπιδεικνυμένους δὲ, τῶν μὴ ἐλεούντων χείρους εἶναι. Ἐγὼ δὲ ὡς ἔχω γνώμης περὶ τούτων φράσω· ὅτι ἐλεήμων μέν ἐστι κυρίως ἐκεῖνος, ὁ εὐεργετῶν μὲν, μὴ ἐκπομπεύων δὲ τὰς τῶν εὖ πασχόντων συμφοράς. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ δι' αὐτὸ τὸ καλόν τις πράξειε, μείζονα ἔχει τὸν μισθὸν τοῦ διὰ μισθὸν αὐτὸ ποιοῦντος· εἰ δὲ διὰ μισθὸν θεῖον, ἐν δευτέρᾳ τάξει τετάξεται · εἰ δὲ δι' ἔπαινον ποιεῖ, ἕξει τοῦτο δι' ὃ καὶ πεποίηκεν. Ὁ δὲ μήτε δι᾿ αὐτὸ τὸ καλὸν, μήτε διὰ τὸν θεῖον μισθὸν, μήτε δι' ἀνθρώπινον ἔπαινον ποιῶν τὸ δέον, οὐδὲ ἄνθρωπος εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ, ἀλλ᾽ ἀλιτήριος δαίμων. Δι' ἣν τοίνυν αἰτίαν σὺ τῶν θείων χρησμῶν ἀκούσας, παρακελευομένων μὴ ποιεῖν τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οὐ διὰ φιλοδοξίαν ἀνεχόμενός τι ποιεῖν χρηστὸν, τοὺς διὰ φιλοτιμίαν ποιοῦντας αἰτιᾷ; ῞Οσῳ γὰρ κρείττων ὁ διὰ τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων δόξαν σωφροσύνην ἀσκῶν, τοῦ μηδὲ διὰ ταύτην σωφρονοῦντος · τοσοῦτον ὁ διὰ φιλοδοξίαν εὖ ποιῶν, τοῦ μηδόλως εὖ ποιοῦντος ἀμείνων. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τοὺς ἀνθρώπους, ὁ δὲ οὔτε τοὺς ἀνθρώπους οὐδὲ τὸν Θεὸν ἠδέσθη.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. [On the three books of Solomon: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs.] Since you wished to learn about the order of the three books of Solomon, know that the first teaches moral virtue; the second shows the vain toil of those excited about worldly things; and the third, the love for divine things of the soul that has been trained in these. That is why one is placed first, the next second, and the last third. One who has set his moral life right by becoming a disciple of the author of Proverbs, and has trampled on the illusion of worldly life by attending the Preacher's school, would not, on coming to the Song of Songs, slip into carnal and human love, but would be given wings toward the undefiled and divine Bridegroom, who pronounces blessed those who are wounded by love. I advise the young, therefore, not to touch the third writing until they have achieved what is in the other two. For it is absurd, or rather reckless and against the mystic ordinances, for those not worthy even of the porch to leap into the inner sanctuary. In the temple the outer parts were open to all; the sacred parts within, enclosed by the cordon, though they could be entered, were closed to the many who were unholy and profane; and the parts within that were holier than the holy, the Holy of Holies, not even those of blameless life were permitted to enter, but only the high priest, who had of course consecrated himself and shaken off every mortal stain. So too the young must be disposed toward these books: first, to be made bright by moral virtue; then, to condemn the nothingness of worldly things; and so to touch what is out of reach for the many. For those who ought to stay outside the vessels of purification, if they insist on rushing in recklessly without being initiated into the divine rite, will pay the ultimate penalty. [Letter 4.41] [On not doing almsgiving before men.] I wonder at your folly, which was only to be expected. For I do not think you have reached such senselessness as to think that those who show mercy but make a display of it are worse than those who show no mercy at all. I will say what my opinion is about this. The merciful man in the proper sense is the one who does good without parading the misfortunes of those who receive it. If someone does it for the sake of the good itself, he has a greater reward than one who does it for a reward; if for the divine reward, he will be placed in the second rank; and if he does it for praise, he will have that for which he did it. But one who does not do what he ought, either for the sake of the good itself, or for the divine reward, or for human praise, seems to me not even a man, but an accursed demon. Why then, when you have heard the divine oracles commanding us not to do our almsgiving before men, do you, who cannot bear to do any good even for vainglory, accuse those who do it from love of honour? As much as one who practises chastity for the sake of human glory is better than one who is not chaste even for that, so much is one who does good from love of glory better than one who does no good at all. For the one respected men; the other respected neither men nor God.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.40 (PG 78 78:1089; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-40)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.42":{"o":"ΜΑΡΚΩ.\nΔιὰ τὶ τὸν μέθυσον καὶ τὸν λοίδορον ὁ ᾿Απόστολος μετὰ τῶν τὰ μέγιστα ἡμαρτηκότων έταξεν. Θαυμάζειν ἔφης, πῶς τὸν μέθυσον καὶ τὸν λοίδορον ὁ ᾿Απόστολος μετὰ τῶν μοιχῶν καὶ τῶν ἡταιρηκότων ἔταξε. Φημὶ τοίνυν, ὅτι εἰ μὲν τὴν αὐτὴν ἐκείνοις ἔφησεν αὐτοὺς δώσειν δίκην, λύσιν ἐχρῆν ἑπιζητεῖν. Εἰ δὲ τῆς βασιλείας ὁμοίως ἐκείνοις ἐκπεσεῖσθαι ἔφη, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν αἴνιγμά σοι δοκεῖ τὸ ῥηθέν; ῎Ἄλλο γὰρ τὸ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι ἔξω πάσης τιμῆς τε καὶ δόξης κείσονται, καὶ ἄλλο, τὸ φάναι· Τὴν αὐτὴν δώσουσι δίκην. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν· Τὴν ἴσην δώσουσι δίκην, ὅ σὺ ἴσως μὴ νοήσας τὸ ῥηθὲν ἐνόμισας εἰρῆσθαι, ἀλλὰ, « Βασιλείαν Θεοῦ οὐ κληρονομήσουσι. » Τῆς μὲν γὰρ δόξης, φησὶ, παντὶ τρόπῳ ἔξω κείσονται · πρὸς δὲ τὴν ποσότητα καὶ τὴν ποιότητα καὶ πηλικότητα τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων κριθήσονται. Πολλὴ γὰρ τοῦ θείου δικαστηρίου ἡ ἀκρίβεια.","t":"To Mark. [Why the Apostle ranked the drunkard and the reviler with those who have committed the greatest sins.] You said you wondered how the Apostle could rank the drunkard and the reviler with adulterers and those who have prostituted themselves. I say, then, that if he had said that they will pay the same penalty as those, one would have to look for a solution. But if he said that they, like those, will fall from the kingdom, why does the saying seem a riddle to you? For it is one thing to say that they will lie outside all honour and glory, and another to say, \"They will pay the same penalty.\" He did not say, \"They will pay an equal penalty,\" as you perhaps supposed, not having understood the saying, but \"They will not inherit the kingdom of God.\" From the glory, he says, they will be shut out in every case; but they will be judged according to the number, the kind, and the size of their sins. For great is the exactness of the divine court.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.42 (PG 78 78:1093; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-42)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.43":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΤίνος ἡ ἔννοια τοῦ διὰ κόρακος τρέφεσθαι τὸν Ἠλίαν. Ἴσθι, ὦ σοφὲ, ὅτι ἡ πηγὴ τῆς ἀγαθότητος τὴν δικαίαν τοῦ προφήτου κατὰ Ἰουδαίων ἀγανάκτησιν ἐκμάξαι βουλομένη (λιμὸν γὰρ ἐπήγαγεν, ἵνα τὸν κόρον ὕβριν ὠδίνοντα σωφροσύνη σωφρονίσαι) παρεσκεύασεν αὐτὸν διὰ κόρακος τρέφεσθαι, μισοτέκνου πτηνοῦ, καὶ τίκτοντος μὲν, οὐ τρέφοντος δέ· διὸ καὶ ὁ Μελῳδὸς καίτοι πάσης τῆς κτίσεως φυσικῷ λόγῳ εἰς τὸν Δημιουργὸν ἀποβλεπούσης· «Οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ γὰρ πάντων, φησὶν, εἰς σὲ ἐλπίζουσι, καὶ σὺ δίδως τὴν τροφὴν αὐτῶν ἐν εὐκαιρίᾳ· · κοράκων ἐμνημόνευσε, λέγων· « Τῷ διδόντι τοῖς κτήνεσι τροφὴν αὐτῶν, καὶ τοῖς νεοσσοῖς τῶν κοράκων, τοῖς ἐπικαλουμένοις αὐτόν. » Μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ πάντα ἡ θεία πρόνοια τρέφει, φησὶ, διαφερόντως δὲ τοὺς νεοσσοὺς τῶν κοράκων, τοὺς παρὰ τῶν τεκόντων ἀμελουμένους· ζωΰφια γὰρ ταῖς καλιαῖς περιιπτάμενα τροφὴ γίνεται τούτοις. Μονονουχὶ γὰρ συνεβούλευσεν ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἠλίᾳ, μὴ ἄγαν τῇ ἀγανακτήσει χρήσασθαι, μηδὲ τῆς τοῦ μισοτέκνου πτηνοῦ φιλανθρωπίας ἀπάνθρωπον ὀφθῆναι μᾶλλον. Τὸ μὲν γάρ σε διὰ τὴν ἐμὴν πρόσταξιν τρέφει· σὺ δὲ τῆς ἀγανακτήσεως ὅλος γενόμενος τὰ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας ὑπερεῖδες δίκαια.","t":"To Hierax, most illustrious. [What is meant by Elijah's being fed by a raven.] Know, wise friend, that the fount of goodness, wishing to wipe away the prophet's just indignation against the Jews (for he had brought on a famine, so that restraint might chasten the satiety that was giving birth to insolence), arranged for him to be fed by a raven, a bird that hates its young, which gives birth to them but does not feed them. That is why the Psalmist, although the whole creation by natural reason looks to the Creator (\"The eyes of all,\" he says, \"hope in you, and you give them their food in due season\"), made mention of ravens, saying, \"Who gives the beasts their food, and the young of the ravens that call upon him.\" Divine providence feeds all things, he says, but especially the young of ravens, which are neglected by their parents: small creatures flying about their nests become their food. God all but advised Elijah not to give too much rein to his indignation, and not to appear more inhuman than the kindness of the bird that hates its young: \"It feeds you at my command; but you, wholly given over to indignation, have overlooked the claims of kindness.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.43 (PG 78 78:1093; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-43)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.44":{"o":"ΔΑΝΙΗΛ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤί ἐστι τό· · Οἱ πατέρες ἔφαγον ὄμφακα, καὶ οἱ ὀδόντες τῶν τέκνων ὠμοδίασαν. σεως ψῆφος, τὸ, « Οἱ πατέρες ἔφαγον ὄμφάκα, καὶ οἱ ὀδόντες τῶν τέκνων ὠμοδίασαν. · Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ μείζονα τῶν προγόνων πταίοντες, ὥοντο ὑπὲρ ἐκείνων εἰσπράττεσθαι δίκας, τοῦτ᾽ ἔλεγον· ὁ δὲ θεῖος καὶ ἀδέκαστος κριτής, παριστὰς, ὡς οὐχ ὑπὲρ ἄλλων, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτῶν ἀπῃτοῦντο δίκας, ἔλεγεν· « Ζῶ ἐγὼ, λέγει Κύριος, εἰ ἔτι ῥηθήσεται ἡ παραβολή αὕτη, ἣν φενακίζοντες ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἀκούοντας ἐπλάσαντο. Έκαστος γὰρ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἁμαρτίᾳ ἀποθανεῖται. Ψυχὴ γὰρ ἡ ἁμαρτάνουσα, αὐτὴ ἀποθαἼσθι, ὦ βέλτιστε, ὅτι οὐ τῆς Γραφῆς ἐστιν ἀπόφασις, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἀσεβησάντων Ἰουδαίων κρίνεῖται. »","t":"To Daniel the presbyter. [What \"The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge\" means.] Know, my good friend, that \"The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge\" is not a pronouncement of Scripture, but the verdict of the judgment of the impious Jews. For since they sinned more than their forefathers and thought they were paying the penalty for them, they said this. But the divine and incorruptible Judge, showing that they were being punished not for others but for themselves, said: \"As I live, says the Lord, this proverb shall no longer be spoken\" (the proverb that they had invented, deceiving themselves and their hearers). \"For each shall die in his own sin. For the soul that sins, it shall die.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.44 (PG 78 78:1095; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-44)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.45":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΚΑΙ ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕ-\nΡΟΙΣ. Τοῦ Δανιήλ· Περὶ τῆς σώφρονος Σωσάννης. Ὅτε οἱ ἀκρατεῖς ἐκεῖνοι ἐρασταὶ βεβαπτισμένοι τῷ πόθῳ, ἧκον ἐπὶ τὴν σωφρονεστάτην Σωσάνναν (ἀκολασία γὰρ καὶ μέθη παροινεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐπαίδευσαν), τότε δὴ τοὺς δοκοῦντας διδασκάλους ἡ τελοῦσα ἐν τοῖς μαθητευομένοις τὴν θείαν καὶ ἀδέκαστον ἐδίδασκε κρίσιν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ὁ πόθος τὸν φόνον παρεγράψατο, καὶ τὸ πάθος τὸν λόγον οὐ παρεδέξατο, ἐβόησεν ἐκείνη, τὸ τῆς σωφροσύνης κειμήλιον ἀκέραιον καὶ ἀνέπαφον φυλάξαι ἐπειγομένη. Ὡς δ᾽ αὐτὴ μὲν ἤνυσεν ὅπερ ἐβούλετο, ἐκεῖνοι δ᾽ ἀπέτυχον, οὗπερ ἐπιτυχεῖν οὐκ ὤφελον˙ τότε δὴ ἐγράψαντο γραφὴν, ἣν γραφῆναι ἦσαν δίκαιοι, ἀλλ᾿ ἡ παράλογος ψῆφος ἀντιπεριέστησεν εἰς ἑαυτοὺς τὸ ἔγκλημα. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ Εὐσέβιος, ὡς γεγράφατε, τῷ διδασκαλικῷ ἀξιώματι ὠφρυωμένος, καὶ τολμῶν ἃ μὴ θέμις, οὐδὲ συμβουλῆς ἀνέχεται, ἄνω καὶ κάτω τὸ τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς, οὐ τὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς προφέρων ἀξίωμα, μὴ ὀλιγωρεῖτε. \"Αξια γὰρ πάντων, ἢ ἐνταῦθα ἢ ἐκεῖσε, τῶν δρωμένων ἀπαιτηθήσεται τὰ ἐπίχειρα.","t":"To Hierax and Dionysius, presbyters. [From Daniel: on the chaste Susanna.] When those incontinent lovers, drowned in desire, came upon the most chaste Susanna (for licentiousness and drunkenness had taught them to behave outrageously), then indeed she who was counted among the disciples taught the supposed teachers the divine and incorruptible judgment. When desire had prescribed murder, and passion would not admit reason, she cried out, eager to keep the treasure of her chastity whole and untouched. When she had achieved what she wished, and they had failed to obtain what they ought not to have obtained, they brought an indictment, one which they themselves deserved to have brought against them; but the unexpected verdict turned the charge back upon themselves. If, then, Eusebius too, as you have written, is puffed up with the dignity of a teacher, dares what is not lawful, and will not even tolerate counsel, parading up and down the dignity of the episcopate, not that of virtue, do not lose heart. For the wages fitting for all that is done will be exacted, either here or there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.45 (PG 78 78:1095; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-45)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.46":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Εἰ καὶ ἐγνώκαμεν κατὰ σάρκα Χριστόν. Ἴσως ἐπειδὴ ἀδελφοὺς ἐκάλεσεν ὁ Χριστὸς τοὺς ποιοῦντας τὸ πατρῷον θέλημα, καὶ ἔδειξε τὴν κατὰ σάρκα συγγένειαν ἄνευ τῆς κατὰ πνεῦμά φημι · καὶ εἶπεν ὁ Ἀπόστολος · « Εἰ καὶ ἐγνώκαμεν κατὰ σάρκα Χριστὸν, ἀλλὰ νῦν οὐκέτι γινώσκομεν· · οἷον· Εἰ καὶ ἐσεμνυνόμεθα πρώην οἱ ἐξ Ἰουδαίων πιστεύσαντες τῇ κατὰ σάρκα αὐτοῦ συγγενείᾳ, νῦν οὐ ταύτῃ ἐναβρυνόμεθα, ἀλλὰ τῇ κατ' οἰκειότητα αὐτοῦ ἀγχιστείᾳ, ἣν διὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς καρπούμεθα. Διὸ καὶ ἔλεγε· « Μιμηταί μου γίνεσθε, καθὼς κἀγὼ Χριστοῦ • ὡσανεὶ ἔλεγε· Τῇ μιμήσει σεμνύνομαι μᾶλλον ἢ τῇ κατὰ σάρκα ἀγχιστείᾳ. ῞Οτι χρὴ τὸ φρόνημα τῶν σφαλλομένων, μὴ οἰομένων δὲ σφάλλεσθαι, καθαιρεῖν· γνωσιμαχοῦσι δὲ συγγνώμην νέμειν. Ἴσθι, ὦ βέλτιστε, ὅτι οὐ λήσεται οὐδεὶς τὸν φανότατον καὶ ἀκοίμητον ὀφθαλμὸν, οὐδ᾽ εἰ ἐν παραβύστῳ τι δράσειε. Γυμνὰ γὰρ αὐτῷ πάντα, κἂν ἀπόκρυφα εἶναι δοκῇ. Διὸ καὶ τοὺς ἁμαρτάνοντας καὶ μὴ μὲτανοοῦντας, ποταμοί τινες ἀένναοι ὑποδέξονται, πῦρ φοβερὸν ἀναζέοντες, ὧν τὰ ῥεῖθρα φλόγες εἰς τιμωρίαν κυμαίνουσαι. Τοιγαροῦν φοβηθῶμεν τὸ θεῖον· φοβερὸν γάρ· καὶ σέβωμεν, ὅτι δὴ ἀγαθόν· αἰτῶμέν τε αὐτῷ πρέποντα δοῦναι, καὶ ἡμῖν συμφέροντα λαβεῖν · πρὸς γὰρ τοῦτο ἐπήκοον· καὶ γνωσιμαχῶμεν πταίοντες· καὶ εὐεργετικὸν γὰρ, καὶ δεκτικὸν τῶν γνησίως μεταγινωσκόντων· μηδαμῶς δὲ ὀλιγωρῶμεν, ὅτι δὴ δυνατὸν καὶ ἀπαραλόγιστον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκθύμως ἀγαπῶμεν. Τοῖς γὰρ ποθοῦσιν οἷς λόγοις καὶ μειλίχιον.","t":"To Dorotheus the reader. [On \"Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh.\"] Perhaps since Christ called those who do his Father's will his brothers, and showed that kinship according to the flesh, without kinship according to the spirit, is of no account, I say, the Apostle too said, \"Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know him so no longer\"; as if to say: even though we who believed from among the Jews once took pride in our kinship with him according to the flesh, now we do not glory in this, but in the closeness of belonging to him, which we reap through virtue. That is why he also said, \"Be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ\"; as if he said: I take pride in imitating him rather than in kinship according to the flesh. [Letter 4.47] [That one must pull down the pride of those who err but do not think they err, and grant pardon to those who acknowledge their fault.] Know, my good friend, that no one will escape the most luminous and sleepless eye, not even if he does something in a corner. For all things are naked to it, even if they seem hidden. That is why those who sin and do not repent will be received by everflowing rivers boiling up with fearful fire, whose streams are flames surging for punishment. Let us therefore fear God, for he is fearful; and revere him, for he is good; let us ask of him what is fitting for him to give and profitable for us to receive, for to this he listens; let us acknowledge our faults when we stumble, for he is beneficent and receives those who genuinely repent; and let us by no means make light of him, for he is powerful and cannot be deceived, but let us love him ardently. For to those who long for him he is also gentle.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.46 (PG 78 78:1097; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-46)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.48":{"o":"ΑΜΜΩΝΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· · Ἐγείρεσθε, ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦθεν. • ἵνα μὴ προλήψει, πάθει ἀργαλεωτάτῳ, καὶ δυσκόλως ἀναμοχλευθῆναι δυναμένῳ κατεχόμενοι ἐν τῇ γῇ, τῶν οὐρανίων εἰργοίμεθα γερῶν, ἔφη ὁ Σωτήρ· « Ἐγείρεσθε, ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦθεν. Τῇ γὰρ πεμφθείσῃ φωνῇ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ καταμίξας δύναμιν τοὺς γνησίους αὐτοῦ φοιτητὰς τῶν τυραννικῶν παθῶν ἐλευθερώσας, εἰς τὴν ὑπερκόσμιον μετεκόμισε σύγκλητον.","t":"To Ammonius. [On \"Rise, let us go hence.\"] So that we might not be held fast on earth by prejudice, a most grievous passion and hard to lever out, and be shut out from the heavenly rewards, the Saviour said, \"Rise, let us go hence.\" For mixing his own power with the word he uttered, he freed his genuine disciples from the tyrannical passions and transferred them to the senate above the world.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.48 (PG 78 78:1097; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-48)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.49":{"o":"ΩΡΙΩΝΙ.\nΕἰς τό· « Εἰ δὲ ἐστι γεῦμα ἐν ῥήμασι κενοῖς. Ἴσθι, ὅτι ἐῤῥωμένης τῆς νόσου, καὶ τὴν δύναμιν καταπαλαιούσης, καὶ εἰς τελευτὴν ἐλαυνούσης καὶ ἀπειλούσης τὴν ψυχὴν μὲν χωρίσαι, τὸ δὲ σῶμα νεκρῶσαι, ὀλίγα φροντίσαντες, τὰ γραφέντα παρά σοῦ ἑρμηνεῦσαι προεθυμήθημεν νῦν· τό· « Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔστι γεῦμα ἐν ῥήμασι κενοῖς, » οἶμαι δύο μηνύειν· ἢ ὅτι τὸ ψευδὲς ὄνειδος οὐ περαιτέρω τῆς ἀκοῆς ἀφικνεῖται· οὐ γὰρ ἅπτεται τῆς τοῦ ἀκούοντος διανοίας· ἢ ὅτι χρὴ μετρίοις ἄλασι τὸν λόγον ἡρτύσθαι, ἵνα καὶ ἡδὺς ᾗ τοῖς εὐγνώμοσι, καὶ τρόφιμος, καὶ καθάπτηται τῆς τῶν ἀκουόντων διανοίας. ῞Αλες δὲ τῶν παραινετικῶν λόγων ἡ τῶν θείων λογίων μαρτυρία, ὅ τε τῆς κρίσεως φόβος, καὶ τῆς βασιλείας λόγος, ἰσχυροτέραν καὶ δραστικωτέραν καὶ τροφιμωτέραν δημιουργοῦντες τὴν παραίνεσιν, καὶ οὐ μόνον τοῖς εὐστομάχοις, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς κακοσίτοις πρόσφορον καὶ κατάλληλον τροφὴν ὀρέγοντες. Πρὸς τὸ εἰρημένον ὑπὸ τοῦ δήμου τῷ Ἡρώδῃ· • Θεοῦ φωνή, καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώπου. Ἴσθι, ὅτι οἱ μὲν γινώσκοντές σε οὐκ ἐξενίσθησαν, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἀνακηρύττεις οἱ δὲ ἀγνοοῦντες, ἔγνωσαν· οἱ δὲ φθονοῦντες, ἔτι μᾶλλον ὑπὸ τῆς νόσου κατεδαπανήθησαν, καὶ δίκην ἔδοσαν, ἧς μείζονα οὐκ ἂν δύναιο παρ᾿ αὐτῶν λαβεῖν. Εἰ τοίνυν βούλει τοὺς μὲν πάλιν θυμηδίας ἐμπλῆσαι, τοῖς δὲ ἀκριβεστέραν γνῶσιν ἐνθεῖναι, τοὺς δὲ δίκας ἀπαιτῆσαι, τῇ σαυτοῦ καλοκαγαθίᾳ πρόσθες. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν ἐς τοσοῦτον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ γέγραφας, δι' ἣν αἰτίαν, ἄλλων ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀξίαν κολακευσάντων τὸν Ἡρώδην, καὶ εἰπόντων· « Θεοῦ φωνὴν, καὶ οὐκ ἀνθρώπου, » αὐτὸς δίκην δέδωκε· φημὶ ὅτι οὐκ ἐπέπληξεν ἐκεῖνος, οὐδὲ τὴν κολακείαν ἀσεβοῦσαν καὶ μαινομένην ἀπετρίψατο. Τῷ γὰρ καταδέξασθαι, καὶ εἰς μείζονα αὐτοὺς ἀσέβειαν ἐπαιδοτρίβησεν. Εἰκὸς δὲ κάκείνους, εἰ καὶ μὴ παραυτίκα, ἀλλ᾽ ὕστερον δεδωκέναι δίκην. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐνταῦθα διέφυγον, τὰ ἐκεῖσε οὐ διαφεύξονται.","t":"To Orion. [On \"If there is taste in empty words.\"] Know that, though the illness is strong, wrestling down my strength, driving me toward the end, and threatening to separate my soul and make my body a corpse, I have paid it little heed and have been eager to interpret now what you wrote. The saying \"If there is taste in empty words\" indicates, I think, one of two things: either that a false reproach goes no further than the hearing, since it does not touch the hearer's mind; or that speech must be seasoned with salt in moderation, so that it may be pleasant to the well-disposed and nourishing, and may lay hold of the minds of the hearers. The salt of words of exhortation is the testimony of the divine oracles, the fear of judgment, and the message of the kingdom: these make the exhortation stronger, more effective, and more nourishing, and offer food suitable and fitting not only for those with good stomachs but also for those with poor appetites. [Letter 4.50] [On what the people said to Herod: \"The voice of a god, and not of a man.\"] Know that those who know you were not surprised at what you are acclaimed for; those who did not know you have come to know you; and those who envy you have been consumed still more by their disease and have paid a penalty greater than any you could exact from them. If, then, you wish to fill the first again with delight, to give the second a more exact knowledge, and to exact the penalty from the third, add to your own nobility of character. So much for this. But since you have written asking why, when others flattered Herod beyond his worth and said, \"The voice of a god, and not of a man,\" it was he who paid the penalty, I say that it was because he did not rebuke them or brush off their impious and mad flattery. By accepting it he trained them in greater impiety. And it is likely that they too paid the penalty, if not at once, then later. And if they escaped here, they will not escape there.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.49 (PG 78 78:1099; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-49)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.5":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤί ἐστι γεγραμμένον ἐν τοῖς \"Ασμασι, «Ἑξήκοντά εἰσι βασίλισσαι. Γέγραφας, τί ἐστιν, « Ἑξήκοντά εἰσι βασιλίδες, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. ῎Ακουε τοίνυν· Ἐχέτω μὲν ἡ ἄμωμος καὶ παρθένος Ἐκκλησία, ἡ ὀρθὴν περὶ τὸ Θεῖον τὴν πίστιν ἔχουσα, τὰ πρωτεῖα· καὶ αὐτὴ καλείσθω περιστερὰ τελεία, ὅλων τῶν ταγμάτων ὑπερβαίνουσα τὴν ἀξίαν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ εἰς πράξεις αὐτὸ ἐκλαβεῖν χρὴ, λελέχθω καὶ τάδε· Ἑξήκοντά εἰσι βασιλίδες, αἱ τῆς βασιλείας ἕνεκεν εἰσπράττουσαι ψυχαί· καὶ ὀγδοήκοντα παλλακαὶ, αἱ φόβῳ τῆς κολάσεως ἀπεχόμεναι τοῦ κακοῦ · καὶ νεάνιδες, ὧν οὐκ ἔστιν ἀριθμὸς, αἱ διά τινας προφάσεις κοσμικὰς σωφρονοῦσαι, καὶ τὸ δίκαιον διώκουσαι, αἱ οὐδὲ πόθῳ τῆς βασιλείας, οὐδὲ φόβῳ τῆς κρίσεως τὸ δέον πράττουσιν ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα πλούτου, ἢ δόξης, ἢ τιμῆς τινος μὴ στερηθῶσι. Μία ἐστὶ περιστερὰ τελεία, ἡ τὸ καλὸν δι᾿ αὐτὸ τὸ καλὸν πράττουσα, τῶν ἄκρων ἁγίων σύνοδος· ἡ οὔτε διὰ μισθὸν, οὔτε διὰ τιμωρίαν, οὔτε διὰ πρόφασίν τινα βιωτικὴν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ τῷ Θεῷ φίλον, πράττουσα τὸ δέον. Δῆλον δ᾽ ὅτι τὸν Θεὸν ἔχουσα, καὶ πάντα τὰ αὐτοῦ ἔχει· κἀκεῖναι μὲν ἀκοῦσαι δυνήσονται· Χάρις τῇ βασιλείᾳ, καὶ τῇ γεέννῃ, τῇ παρασκευασάσῃ ἡμᾶς ἀριστεῦσαι. Αὕτη δὲ οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἀκούσεται, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρὰ πάντων μακαρισθήσεται.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. [What is meant by what is written in the Song: \"There are sixty queens.\"] You have written asking what \"There are sixty queens,\" and what follows, means. Listen, then. Let the spotless and virgin Church, which holds the right faith about God, have the first place, and let her be called the perfect dove, surpassing the dignity of all the ranks. But if it must also be taken of conduct, let this too be said. The sixty queens are the souls who do good for the sake of the kingdom; the eighty concubines are those who abstain from evil for fear of punishment; and the maidens without number are those who live chastely and pursue justice for some worldly reasons, doing what is right neither from longing for the kingdom nor from fear of judgment, but so as not to be deprived of wealth, glory, or some honour. The one perfect dove is the one who does the good for the sake of the good itself, the company of the highest saints, which does what is right neither for reward nor for fear of punishment nor for any worldly pretext, but because it is dear to God. Clearly, having God, she has all that is his. The others will be able to hear, \"Thanks to the kingdom, and to Gehenna, which made us excel\"; but she will hear nothing of the kind, and will be called blessed by all.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.5 (PG 78 78:1053; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-5)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.51":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ.\nΕἰς τὸ· · Τοῖς κατὰ πρόθεσιν κλητοῖς οὖσιν. Ἡ θεία χάρις τῇ ἀνθρωπίνῃ κιρνωμένη προθυμία, σώζει τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Διόπερ καὶ ὁ τὸν Χριστὸν ἔχων ἐν ἑαυτῷ λαλοῦντα εἶπε· « Συνεργεῖ τοῖς κατὰ πρόθεσιν κλητοῖς οὗσιν. » Οὐ γὰρ ἡ κλῆσις μόνον (πάντες γὰρ ἐκλήθησαν μὲν, οὐχ ὑπήκουσαν δέ)· ἀλλὰ καὶ πρόθεσις τῶν κεκλημένων τὴν σωτηρίαν εἰργάσατο. Οὐ γὰρ ἠναγκασμένη γέγονεν ἡ κλῆσις, οὐδὲ βεβιασμένη, ἀλλ᾽ ἑκούσιος.","t":"To Theon. [On \"to those who are called according to purpose.\"] Divine grace, mingled with human eagerness, saves a man. That is why he who had Christ speaking in him said: \"It works together for those who are called according to purpose.\" For it was not the calling alone (for all were called, but did not obey), but also the purpose of those called that brought about their salvation. For the calling was not compelled or forced, but voluntary.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.51 (PG 78 78:1101; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-51)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.52":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\n῞Οτι ἡ ἁμαρτία τοῦ θανάτου χαλεπωτέρα. Εἰς τὸ·· Εἰ γὰρ τὰ ὀψώνια τῆς ἁμαρτίας θάνατος·, καί · . Μὴ βασιλευέτω ἐν ὑμῖν ἡ ἁμαρτία· · καὶ πάλιν· « Τὸ δὲ κέντρον τοῦ θανάτου ἡ ἁμαρτία. » Ἡ ἁμαρτία πολλῷ τοῦ θανάτου ἐστὶ χαλεπωτέρα. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Παῦλος, ὁ μάλιστα πάντων τὰ τοιαῦτα διασκέπτεσθαι δεινὸς τὴν μὲν βασιλίδα εἶπε, τὸν δ᾽ ὀψώνιον, ὡς τοῦτον ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνην ταττόμενος Βασιλίδα δὲ, οὐ διὰ τὴν ἀξίαν (οὐδὲν γὰρ αὐτῆς αἰσχρότερον)· ἀλλὰ διὰ τὴν σφοδρὰν τῶν ἁλόντων ὑπακοήν. Εἰ γοῦν τὰ ὀψώνια τῆς ἁμαρτίας θάνατος, μὴ βασιλευέτω ἐν ὑμῖν ἡ ἁμαρτία, ἡ τοῦ θανάτου, τοῖς γε νοῦν ἔχουσιν, ἀργαλεωτέρα. Εἰ γοῦν αἵρεσις προκέοιτο, καὶ δυνατὸν εἴη, ἑλοίμην ἂν ἀποθανεῖν μὴ ἁμαρτήσας, ἢ ἁμαρτήσας μὴ ἀποθανεῖν. Οὕτω τοῦτο ἐκείνου δεινότερόν ἐστι, παρ᾿ ἐμοὶ κριτῇ. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ θάνατος ὑπ' ἀναστάσεως σβεσθήσεται· ἡ δὲ ἁμαρτία καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν τιμωρηθήσεται ὥστε οὐδὲν κερδάνῃ ὁ ἁμαρτάνων͵ μὲν, μὴ ἀποθνήσκων δὲ (καθ' ὑπόθεσιν δὲ εἰρήσθω), εἴγε καὶ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν τιμωρίαν ὑφέξει. Καὶ ἄλλῳ δὲ παραδείγματι ἐναργεῖ τοῦτ᾽ ἐποίησε δῆλον, εἰπών· • Τὸ δὲ κέντρον τοῦ θανάτου ἡ ἁμαρτία. » \"Ωσπερ τοίνυν ὄφιν ἢ σκορπίον ὀδόντας ἢ κέντρον μὴ ἔχοντας, δι' ὧν τὸν ἰὸν παραπέμψουσιν, οὐκ ἄν τις φοβηθείη, οὕτω καὶ τὸν θάνατον, εἰ μὴ δι' ἁμαρτίαν προσάγοιτο, ἀδεῶς καταδεκτέον · εἰ δὲ καὶ ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς, ἀσμενέστερων Οὐχ ἡγῇ τοῦτο δυνατόν; Μάρτυρας δέχου τοὺς μάρτυρας τοὺς καθάπερ προοίμιον ἀθανασίας τὸν θάνατον ἀσπασαμένους.","t":"To Athanasius the presbyter. [That sin is worse than death. On \"For the wages of sin is death,\" and \"Let not sin reign in you,\" and again, \"The sting of death is sin.\"] Sin is far worse than death. That is why Paul, who more than anyone was skilled at examining such things, called sin a queen and death its wages, placing death under it. A queen, not because of its dignity (for nothing is more shameful than sin), but because of the vehement obedience of those it has captured. If, then, the wages of sin is death, let not sin reign in you, for to those with sense it is more grievous than death. Indeed, if a choice were set before me, and it were possible, I would choose to die without sinning rather than to sin and not die. So much more terrible is the one than the other, in my judgment. For death will be extinguished by the resurrection, but sin will be punished even after the resurrection; so that one who sins but does not die (let it be said by way of supposition) would gain nothing, since even after the resurrection he will undergo punishment. And he made this clear by another vivid example, saying, \"The sting of death is sin.\" Just as no one would fear a snake or a scorpion that had no teeth or sting through which to send its venom, so death too, unless it comes on account of sin, is to be accepted without fear; and if it comes for virtue's sake, all the more gladly. Do you not think this possible? Take as witnesses the martyrs, who embraced death as the prelude to immortality.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.52 (PG 78 78:1101; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-52)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.53":{"o":"ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\n• \"Όσα ἂν θέλητε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν. : συμβουλῆς εἰσήγαγε, λέγων· « Πάντα, ὅσα ἐὰν Εὐδόκιμοι μὲν οἱ τῷ ἐμφύτῳ νόμῳ παιδαγωγηθέντες, καὶ τὸ δέον πεποιηκότες· ἔχει γὰρ ἡ φύσις ἐν ἑαυτῇ τῶν ἀρετῶν ἀκριβὲς καὶ ἀδέκαστον τὸ κριτήριον, ὅπερ καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς ἐν παραινέσεως μέρει καὶ θέλητε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ ὑμεῖς ὁμοίως ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς. » Εἶτα δεικνὺς ὅτι κανών ἐστιν οὗτος καὶ εὐσεβείας καὶ φιλανθρωπίας ἔφη· « Οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται. » Ἐπειδὴ δ᾽ ὤκλασεν ἡ φύσις, καὶ ἡμαύρωσε τοὺς τῆς ἀρετῆς χαρακτῆρας, ἐδόθη καὶ ὁ νόμος γραπτός. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς παρεβάθη, ὁ τῶν προφητῶν χορὸς ἐνεχειρίσθη τὴν διόρθωσιν. Ὡς δὲ καὶ οὗτος ἀπεῖπεν· « Ἰατρεύσαμεν, λέγων, τὴν Βαβυλῶνα, καὶ οὐκ ἰάθη· · δεῦρ᾽ ἐπεφοίτησεν ὁ καὶ τῇ φύσει ἐνθεὶς τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς σπέρματα, καὶ διὰ τοῦ νόμου διδάξας, καὶ διὰ τῶν προφητῶν κηρύξας. Ἐλθόντος τοίνυν τοῦ τῶν οὐρανῶν Βασιλέως, ἀναγκαίως καὶ δόγματα οὐρανῷ πρέποντα ἐθεσπίσθη, καὶ πολιτεία ἀγγέλοις μᾶλλον ἢ ἀνθρώποις ἁρμόζουσα ἀρέσκουσα καθάπερ ἐν βασιλικοῖς διατάγμασιν, ἐν τοῖς ἱεροῖς Εὐαγγελίοις διηγορεύθη. ΝΔ'. – ΠΑΥΛΩ ΥΠΟΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Εἰς τὸ αὐτό. Ἡ ἄῤῥητος σοφία, ἵνα μὴ ζυγομαχῶμεν, τί ἐστιν ἀρετὴ ζητοῦντες, τελειότατον ἔργον τὴν ἑκάστου βούλησιν πηξαμένη, ἔφη· « Πάντα ὅσα ἐὰν θέλητε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς. » Εἰ τοίνυν ἐν σεαυτῷ ἔχεις καὶ τὸν κανόνα τῶν ἀρετῶν, μὴ παρ᾿ ἄλλοις τοῦτο ζήτει ἀλλὰ χρῶ τῷ οἰκείῳ θησαυρῷ.","t":"To Dionysius the scholasticus. [On \"Whatever you wish that men should do to you.\"] Approved are those who have been trained by the natural law and have done what is right; for nature has within itself an exact and incorruptible criterion of the virtues, which Christ too introduced by way of exhortation and counsel, saying, \"All things whatever you wish that men should do to you, do you likewise to them.\" Then, showing that this is the rule both of piety and of love for others, he said, \"For this is the law and the prophets.\" But since nature faltered and dimmed the features of virtue, the written law was also given. When that too was transgressed, the choir of the prophets was entrusted with the correction. And when it too gave up, saying, \"We have healed Babylon, and she was not healed,\" he came who had placed the seeds of virtue in nature, taught through the law, and proclaimed through the prophets. When, then, the King of the heavens had come, doctrines befitting heaven were necessarily decreed, and a way of life suited to angels rather than to men was proclaimed in the holy Gospels, as in royal edicts. [Letter 4.54] To Paul the subdeacon. [On the same.] The ineffable Wisdom, so that we should not quarrel in asking what virtue is, fixed each person's own wish as the most perfect standard and said, \"All things whatever you wish that men should do to you, do you also to them.\" If, then, you have the rule of the virtues within yourself, do not seek it from others, but use your own treasure.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.53 (PG 78 78:1103; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-53)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.55":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\n῎ὅτι ἀπὸ φιλαρχίας ἢ προλήψεων φύονται αἱρέσεις. Ἡ φιλαρχία ἁπάντων αἰτία τῶν κακῶν, ἢ καὶ τὰ καθεστῶτα ἀνατρέπειν πειρωμένη, δεινοὺς πολέμους οὐ μόνον ἐφ᾿ ἡμῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν παλαιῶν ἐπικωμάσαι παρεσκεύασεν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ Πυθαγόρειοι σιγὴν ἠσκηκότες, τοὺς μέγα φρονοῦντας ἐπὶ εὐγλωττίᾳ ἀπεκήρυττον. Οἱ δὲ Ὁμηρίζοντες, τοὺς Πλατωνίζοντας διέσυρον· οἱ δὲ Πλατωνίζοντες τοὺς Ὁμηρίζοντας ἀσεβείας ἐγράφοντο· καὶ οἱ μὲν ᾿Αριστοτελικοὶ πρὸς τοὺς Πλατωνίζοντας ἐπαπεδύσαντο· οἱ δὲ Στοϊκοὶ πρὸς τοὺς Ἀριστοτελικοὺς ἐφράξαντο. Έπικουρείων δὲ, τῶν τῇ κακίᾳ ἐπικουρῆσαι τολμησάντων, καὶ μεμνῆσθαι ἀτοπώτατον. Καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ἰατρικῆς δὲ τὸ αὐτὸ ἐπηκολούθησαν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ Λογικοὶ τοὺς Μεθοδικοὺς ἐστηλίτευσαν · οἱ δὲ Μεθοδικοὶ κατὰ τῶν Λογικῶν ἐφράξαντο. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ πολλὰς καὶ ποικίλας ῥίζας ἔφασαν τῶν παθῶν· διὸ καὶ ποικίλοις ἐχρῶντο βοηθήμασι, τὰς ῥίζας πολυπραγμονοῦντες τῶν νοσημάτων, καὶ οὕτως ἀναστέλλοντες τὰς πηγὰς τῶν παθῶν. Οἱ δὲ δύο μόνας αἰτίας ὡρίσαντο, στέγνωσιν καὶ ῥῦσιν· διὸ καὶ τὸ, ἢ κενωτέον, ἢ στακτέον, ἐδογμάτισαν. Οἱ δὲ Ἐμπειρικοὶ καὶ τοῦτους κἀκείνους ἔσκωπτον. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὰς τῶν ῥητόρων, καὶ τὰς τῶν ποιητῶν, καὶ τὰς τῶν συγγραφέων πρὸς ἀλλήλους διαφορὰς εἰπεῖν ἐθελήσαιμι, πολὺς καὶ λόγος καὶ χρόνος ἀναλωθήσεται. Καὶ θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν. Ὅπου γὰρ οἱ φιλοσοφίας ὀνόματι βρενθυόμενοι οὐκ ἄκνησαν διαπρύσιον καθ' ἑαυτῶν κινῆσαι πόλεμον, σχολῇ γ᾽ ἂν τοῖς ῥήτορσι καὶ τοῖς ποιηταῖς ἐμέλησεν εἰρήνης, οἴ γε καὶ πρὸς τοὺς ἐγκράτειαν, καὶ δικαιοσύνην, καὶ σωφροσύνην ἐγκρίνοντας Σωκρατικοὺς διεφέροντο, οὓς Πλάτων ἐκκωμῳδήσας ἐν διαλόγοις, ἀνεκωμῳδήθη παρὰ τῶν Κυνικῶν, ὧν εἷς ἦν καὶ Λουκιανὸς, ὁ τοὺς διαλόγους κατὰ πάντων ὁμοῦ σχεδὸν τῶν τε εἰρημένων, τῶν τε παραλελειμμένων συντάξας. \"Ον οἱ μὲν Πλατωνικοὶ διὰ τὸ τοὺς παρὰ τῶν ποιητῶν ἀναπλασθέντας θεοὺς τεθεατρικέναι, ἀπεδέξαντο. Οἱ δὲ τῶν ποιητῶν τρόφιμοι δύσφημον ἀπεκάλεσαν · δεινῶς γὰρ τοὺς παρ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐκθειαζομένους θεοὺς ἐξεκωμῴδησε. Τίς οὖν τολμήσει τὰ τῶν Ἑλλήνων πρεσβευόντων εἰπεῖν, ὅτι πολλαὶ παρὰ Χριστιανοῖς αἱρέσεις ἐτέχθησαν, τοσαύτας ὁρῶν καὶ παρ' ἐκείνοις διὰ φιλαρχίαν (χρὴ γὰρ τἀληθῆ λέγειν) τεχθείσας; Εἰ δ' αὕτη ἐξοστρακισθείη ἐκ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐλπίς ἐστι χρηστὴ, πάντας εἰς τὸ θεῖον κήρυγμα ὁμοφώνως καὶ ὀρθοδόξως συνδραμεῖν. Περὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Ἢ ἐκ φιλαρχίας, οἶμαι, ἢ ἐκ προλήψεως, δύο δυσκαταγωνίστων παθῶν, τὰς αἱρέσεις τετέχθαι. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ὑπηκόοις μὴ ἀξιώσαντες εἶναι μηδὲ καταδεξάμενοι, νεωτέρας διδασκαλίας σπέρμα καταβεβλήκασι, τοῖς καθεστῶσιν ἐμμένειν μὴ καταξιώσαντες","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. [That heresies grow from love of power or from preconceptions.] Love of power, the cause of all evils, which tries even to overturn what is established, has caused terrible wars to break out not only in our time but also among the ancients. The Pythagoreans, who practised silence, denounced those who prided themselves on eloquence. The Homerists disparaged the Platonists; the Platonists indicted the Homerists for impiety; the Aristotelians stripped for a fight against the Platonists; the Stoics barricaded themselves against the Aristotelians. As for the Epicureans, who dared to come to the aid of vice, it is most absurd even to mention them. The same happened in medicine. The Logicians pilloried the Methodists, and the Methodists barricaded themselves against the Logicians. The first said that diseases have many and various roots, and so they used various remedies, searching out the roots of illnesses and so stopping up the sources of the disorders; the others defined only two causes, constriction and flux, and so laid it down that one must either evacuate or restrain. And the Empirics mocked both. If I wished to tell also the quarrels of orators, poets, and historians with one another, much speech and much time would be spent. And no wonder. Where those who preened themselves on the name of philosophy did not hesitate to stir up a resounding war among themselves, the orators and the poets would hardly have cared for peace. They quarrelled even with the Socratics, who approved of self-control, justice, and temperance; and Plato, who satirized the poets in his dialogues, was satirized in turn by the Cynics, one of whom was Lucian, who composed his dialogues against almost everyone, both those I have mentioned and those I have passed over. The Platonists welcomed him because he had put on stage the gods invented by the poets; but the nurslings of the poets called him a blasphemer, for he satirized fiercely the gods they deified. Who, then, of those who champion the cause of the Greeks will dare to say that many heresies have been born among Christians, when he sees as many born among them too through love of power (for one must tell the truth)? If this were banished from among men, there is good hope that all would run together into the divine preaching with one voice and in right belief. [Letter 4.56] [On the same.] Heresies have been born, I think, either from love of power or from preconception, two passions hard to fight down. Some, not deigning or consenting to be among those who obey, have sown the seed of a newer teaching, not deigning to abide by what is established …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.55 (PG 78 78:1105; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-55)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.57":{"o":"ΑΔΑΜΑΝΤΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ αὐτό. Τί θαυμάζεις, εἰ μετὰ τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος ἔνσαρκον παρουσίαν πολλαὶ αἱρέσεις ἐτέχθησαν, τοῦ διαβόλου, ἅτε δὴ σαφῶς καὶ διαῤῥήδην ἀκούσαντος, ὅτι πάντα κρίσει καθυποβληθήσεται καὶ δίκην δώσει, τοῦ ταύτας κατασπείραντος ἵν᾿ ἔχῃ πολλοὺς τοὺς συγκολασθησομένους, ὁπότε καὶ πρὸ τῆς παρουσίας αὐτοῦ οὐκ ὀλίγαι ἦσαν αἱρέσεις ; Τῶν γὰρ ἀνθρώπων οἱ μὲν μηδὲ εἶναι τὸ Θεῖον ἐνόμιζον· οἱ δὲ εἶναι μὲν, μὴ προνοεῖν δὲ · καὶ οἱ μὲν προνοεῖν μὲν, τῶν δ᾽ οὐρανίων μόνον· οἱ δ' οὐ μόνων τῶν οὐρανίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν ἐπιγείων, οὐ πάντων δὲ, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐξόχων, οἷον βασιλέων τε καὶ ἀρχόντων. Καὶ οἱ μὲν αὐτοματισμὸν, οἱ δ᾽ εἰμαρμένην, οἱ δ᾽ εἰκῆ φέρεσθαι τὰ πάντα ἀπεφήναντο. Καὶ οἱ μὲν τὰ εἴδωλα προςκυνεῖν εὐσεβὲς ἐνόμιζον· οἱ δὲ τὸ μητρογαμεῖν· καὶ οἱ μὲν τὸ ἀνθρωποθυτεῖν, οἱ δὲ τὸ ζωοθυτεῖν· οἱ μὲν τὸ βουθυτεῖν, οἱ δὲ καμηλοσφαγεῖν· καὶ οἱ μὲν τὸ ἀλληλοφαγεῖν, οἱ δὲ τὸ ποηφαγεῖν ᾿Αλλ' εἰ πάντα εἰς μέσον ἀγάγοιμι, ἴσως ἂν ἀπιστηθήσομαι μὲν, οὐκ ἐλεγχθήσομαι δέ. Εἰ τοίνυν ἀεὶ πρὸς ἑαυτὸ ἐστασίαζε τὸ γένος καὶ οὐ τὰ αὐτὰ ἐδόξαζε (κατὰ καιροὺς γὰρ ἄνθρωποι νεωτεροποιοί ἢ καὶ στασιάζοντες, τὰ καθεστῶτα μὲν ἐκίνουν, ἐνομοθέτουν δὲ τὰ δοκοῦντα)· τί θαυμάζεις, εἰ καὶ νῦν περὶ πρᾶγμα θεῖον καὶ λόγου κρείττον διαφωνεῖν προσποιοῦνται ὑπὸ φιλαρχίας ἐκβακχευόμενοι ;","t":"To Adamantius. [On the same.] Why do you wonder that after the Saviour's coming in the flesh many heresies were born (the devil sowed them, since he had heard clearly and expressly that all things will be brought to judgment and he will pay the penalty, so that he might have many to be punished with him), when even before his coming there were not a few heresies? For some men thought that God does not even exist; others that he exists but does not exercise providence; some that he exercises providence, but only over heavenly things; others not only over heavenly but also over earthly things, yet not over all of them, but only over the eminent, such as kings and rulers. Some declared that all things are carried along by chance, others by fate, others at random. Some thought it pious to worship idols, others to marry their mothers; some to sacrifice human beings, others to sacrifice animals; some to sacrifice oxen, others to slaughter camels; some to eat one another, others to eat grass. But if I were to bring everything into the open, I might perhaps not be believed, but I would not be refuted. If, then, the human race was always at strife with itself and did not hold the same opinions (for at times men, out of love of novelty or faction, disturbed what was established and legislated what seemed good to them), why do you wonder if now too, about a matter that is divine and beyond reason, they make a show of disagreeing, driven mad by love of power?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.57 (PG 78 78:1107; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-57)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.58":{"o":"ΙΩΑΝΝΗ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤῆς Ἰούδα Ἐπιστολῆς. Τί ἐστιν Αστέρες πλανῆται, οἷς ὁ ζόφος τοῦ σκότους εἰς αἰῶνα τετήρηται. » Εἰ μὲν αὐτὸς μόνος ἐπέστειλας, εἰσόμενος, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν εἴρηται · « Αστέρες πλανῆται, οἷς ὁ ζόφος τοῦ σκότους εἰς αἰῶνα τετήρηται · · ἴσως ἄν σοι καταγνοὺς ἀμαθίαν, καὶ συντόμως ἐπιστείλας τοῖς ἀνδράσιν οὐ τοῖς ἀστράσιν, ἀπηλλάγην. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πολλοὶ, καὶ τῶν δοκούντων εἶναι συνετῶν, τοῦτ᾽ ἐζήτησαν μαθεῖν, καὶ πολλὰ κινήσαντες, ὕστερον μαθόντες ἐξεθείασαν, καταγνώσομαι μὲν σου οὐδαμῶς, ἑρμηνεῦσαι δὲ αὐτὸ σαφέστερον πειράσομαι. Φημὶ τοίνυν, ὅτι περὶ ἀνθρώπων συγγνώμης πταιόντων ὑψηλότερα ἦν τῷ ἐπιστείλαντι ὁ λόγος, οὐ περὶ ἄστρων καὶ νεφελῶν, κυμάτων τε καὶ δένδρων· οἷς δὴ παραδείγμασι κέχρηται · ὅπερ ἔχουσιν ἐκεῖνα κατὰ φύσιν, τοῦτο πεπονθέναι τοὺς ἀνθρώπους κατὰ προαίρεσιν αἰτιώμενος. Ωσπερ γὰρ αἱ νεφέλαι αἱ ἄνυδροι, αἱ ὑπὸ ἀνέμων ἐλαυνόμεναι, καὶ τὰ ἄκαρπα δένδρα, ἃ δισσῶς ἔφη ἀποθανόντα, οὐ τιμωρηθήσονται· ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τὰ κύματα τὰς ἑαυτῶν ἀπαφρίζουσιν αἰσχύνας, ἄλογα ὄντα καὶ αἰσθήσεως ἄμοιρα· οὕτως καὶ οἱ λεγόμενοι ἀστέρες πλανῆται οὐ τὸν ζόφον κληρονομοῦσιν, ἀλλ᾽ οἱ ἄνθρωποι, οἱ κατὰ προαίρεσιν ἁμαρτάνοντες · περὶ ὧν καὶ τὰ ὑποδείγματα ταῦτα ἐλήφθη, ὡς εἶναι τοιοῦτον τὸ λεγόμενον· οἱ ἄνθρωποι οὗτοι, περὶ ὧν ὁ λόγος, ὥσπερ πλανῆταί εἰσιν ἀστέρες, τῆς εὐθείας ἐκτρεπόμενοι, καὶ τὴν ἐναντίαν αὐτῇ ὁδὸν βαδίζοντες· διὸ αὐτοῖς ὁ ζόφος τετήρηται, οὐχὶ τοῖς ἀστράσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀνδράσιν. Οὐ γὰρ περὶ ἄστρων, ἢ νεφελῶν, ἢ κυμάτων ἦν αὐτῷ, ὡς ἔφθην εἰπὼν, ὁ λόγος, ἀλλὰ περὶ ἀνθρώπων εἰς θηριωδίαν, καὶ ἀσέλγειαν, καὶ ἀλαζονείαν ἐκπεπτωκότων, καὶ διὰ τῆς συνουσίας καὶ τοὺς πλησιάζοντας λυμαινομένων. Ὅτι δὲ ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχει, γυμνάσωμεν, εἰ δοκεῖ, τὸν λόγον. Οἱ μὲν οὖν περὶ ταῦτα δεινοὶ, οὔτε εἰκότα, οὔτε πιθανὰ τοῖς πολλοῖς λέγουσιν. Τῇ γὰρ ἐναργείᾳ καὶ διὰ τῶν ὄψεων μαρτυρίᾳ μάχονται. Λέγουσι δ' οὖν ὅμως, ὅτι οἱ πλανῆται τὸν μὲν οἰκεῖον δρόμον ἔχουσιν, ἀπὸ δυσμῶν εἰς ἀνατολάς· καὶ τοῦτον ἐπείγονται ἀνύειν· ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς τῶν ἀπλανῶν ἐναντίας καὶ ὀξυτέρας κινήσεως ἐκνικώμενοι εἰς δύσιν φέρονται. Καὶ ὑποδείγματι τοιούτῳ χρῶνται. Ὥσπερ τροχοῦ ὀξέως φερομένου, μύρμηξ τὴν ἐναντίαν αὐτῷ κίνησιν πορευομένη οὐδὲν τοσοῦτον ἀνύει (ἐκνικᾶται γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ τροχοῦ ὠχυτάτης κινήσεως), οὕτω καὶ οἱ πλανῆται πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀπλανῶν διάκεινται κίνησιν. Τὸ μὲν οὖν ἐλέγχον αὐτοὺς, ὅτι μὲν ὡς θεοὺς ἐκθειάζουσι, ποτὲ δὲ μύρμηξι παραβάλλουσι, μόνον ἐπισημαινόμενος ( εἰς ἄλλο γὰρ ἐπείγομαι) νυνὶ παρήσω · ἐπὶ δὲ τὸ ζητούμενον ἥξω. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐκεῖνοι. Ἐγὼ δ᾽ οἶμαι, διὰ τὸ χρήσασθαι καὶ τὴν Γραφὴν τούτῳ τῷ ὀνόματι, ἢ κυριολεκτοῦσαν, ἢ καταχρωμένην, ἢ τῇ τῶν πολλῶν συνηθείᾳ ἐπομένην, ὅτι, ἐπειδὴ τὸν ἥλιον καὶ τὴν σελήνην, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους πέντε ἀστέρας, οὐ πολλοῖς γνωρίμους φαίνοντά τε καὶ φαέθοντα, στίλβοντα τε καὶ πυῤῥόην, καὶ μὴν καὶ φωσφόρον εἰς τοὺς πλανήτας τάττουσιν οἱ σου ἀνοητότεροι, τινῶν δὲ ἐπὶ γῆς δυναστευσάντων καὶ αἰσχρῶς βεβιωκότων, καὶ εὐκλεῶς τὸν βίον καταστρεψάντων τὰς προσηγορίας ἐπέθεσαν. Ὁ δ' ἥλιος εἰς τὸ πλάτος κατ' ἐνιαυτὸν περιπολεῖ τὰ ἀρκτῷα καὶ τὰ νότια μέρη· ἡ δὲ σελήνη κατὰ μῆνα, ὅθεν οἶμαι καὶ τὸν μῆνα, οὐ διὰ τὸ μηνοειδή γίνεσθαι τὴν σελήνην, ὥς φασί τινες· ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὸ κατὰ μῆνα πάντα ἑαυτῆς πληροῦν τὸν κανόνα. Μήνη γὰρ ἡ σελήνη καλεῖται. Οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι πάντες ἀναλόγως τοῖς ἑαυτῶν κύκλοις τε καὶ δρόμοις τὴν περίοδον ταύτην ἀποτελοῦσι · διὰ τοῦτο πλανήτας αὐτοὺς κεκλῆσθαι. Πλὴν εἴτε τοῦτο, εἴτ᾽ ἐκεῖνο ἀληθὲς εἴη, τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ ἀνακηρύττει τὴν ἐπιστήμην, τοῦ καὶ τάξαντος, καὶ νομοθετήσαντος, ὡς καὶ αὐτὸς μὲν φησιν· « Ἐγὼ τοῖς ἄστροις ἐνετειλάμην. » ῾Ὁ δὲ – Μελῳδὸς, δεικνὺς ὡς ἐν γῇ μὲν παρεβάθη τὸ θεῖον πρόσταγμα, τῶν ἀνθρώπων εἰς παρανομίαν αὐτομολησάντων, ἐν οὐρανῷ δὲ ἐφυλάχθη, ἔφη· « Εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, Κύριε, ὁ λόγος σου διαμένει ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ. » Εἰ δὲ διὰ τὸ εἰρῆσθαι, « Τοῖς ἄστροις ἐνετειλάμην, » ζῶα λογικὰ αὐτὰ καὶ αὐτεξούσια ὁριοῦνταί τινες (οἶδα γάρ τινας οὐ μόνον τῶν ἔξω τῆς πίστεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν πεπιστευκότων τοῦτο δογματίσαντας), περιττὴν καὶ ἀνωφελὴ τὴν ζήτησιν ταύτην εἶναι ἡγούμενος ( « Μειζότερα γάρ σου, φησὶ, μὴ ζήτει· καὶ ἰσχυρότερά σου μὴ ἐξέταζε · ἃ προσετάγη σοι, ταῦτα διανοοῦ· οὐ γάρ ἐστί σοι χρεία τῶν κρυπτῶν), οὐκ ἐγκρίναιμι τοῦτο, οὔτ᾽ ἀποψηφίσαιμι· ἐκεῖνο δὲ μᾶλλον εἴποιμι, ὅτι περὶ ἀλόγων καὶ ἀναισθήτων τούτῳ τῷ ὀνόματι κέχρηται ἡ Γραφή, λέγουσα· « Ἐνετείλατο Κύριος καύσωνι·, καί· · Ἐνετείλατο Κύριος νεφέλαις· · καί· • Ἐνετείλατο Κύριος σκώληκι. » Εἴτε οὖν λογικά ἐστι ζῶα, ὡς φασί τινες, εἴτε πύρινοι σφαίραι, εἴτε δισκοειδή σώματα, ἐκ τοῦ αἰθερίου πυρὸς ἐξαφθέντα, εἶτε σφαιροειδεῖς πυρὸς πτήσεις εἴτε μυδροὶ (τινὲς γὰρ τῶν φιλοσόφων τοῦτ᾽ ἐδογμάτισαν), εἴτε χρήματα δεκτικὰ τοῦ ἀΰλου καὶ ὑπερκοσμίου φωτός, οὐ σφόδρα ἰσχυρισαίμην· οὐδὲν γὰρ τοῦτο πρὸς ἀρίστην πολιτείαν συντείνειν ἡγοῦμαι· ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο εἴποιμι, ὅτι οὐ μόνον περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς, ὅταν ἐκτραπείη τῆς ἀρετῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ σώματος, ὅταν διαμάρτῃ τῆς προκειμένης ὁδοῦ, τὸ τῆς πλανήσεως ὄνομα κεῖται ἐν ταῖς Γραφαῖς. • Εἶδε γὰρ, φησὶ, τὸν Ἰωσὴφ ἄνθρωπος πλανώμενον ἐν τῇ ὁδῷ καὶ πάλιν· · Ἑπλάνησεν αὐτοὺς ἐν ἀβάτῳ, καὶ οὐχ ὁδῷ.» Οὐδὲν οὖν θαυμαστὸν, εἰ καὶ τὴν τῶν ἑπτὰ ἀστέρων ἄνω καὶ κάτω περιτρεχόντων ἀρκτώαν τε καὶ νότιον περιπόλησιν, πλάνησίν τινες κεκλήκασιν, ὡς πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἁπλανῶν μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδὸν περιθεόντων. Εἰ τοίνυν ἐμμελῶς καὶ ἐναρμονίως περιπολοῦσι, τίνος ἕνεκεν διδόασι δίκας ; Εἰ μὲν γὰρ, ὅπερ οὐδὲ εἰπεῖν θέμις, ἀγενήτους καὶ αἰτίας κρείττους εἶναι φαῖεν Ἕλληνες, μάλιστα μὲν ἐκ τῆς ἐμμελείας αὐτῶν καὶ τῆς εὐταξίας ἐλεγχθήσονται. Ἡ γὰρ τάξις τὸν ταξίαρχον κηρύττει. Εἰ δ᾽ οὐ πείθονται, ἀκουέτωσαν μὲν Πλάτωνος λέγοντος · ᾿Αγαθός ἐστιν ὁ τοῦδε τοῦ παντὸς δημιουργός. Εὐριπίδης δὲ · Ὡς ἥλιος μὲν νύξ τε δουλεύει βροτοῖς. Καὶ παυέσθωσαν τῆς τοιαύτης ἀσεβείας. Ἡ δ' καὶ εἰκότως δίκας ὤφειλον δοῦναι. Εἰ δὲ τὸν προστααἴτιον ἔχουσι καὶ ποιητὴν, ὡς ἀληθὲς ἔχει, καὶ Ἕλλησιν ἔδοξε, καὶ Ἰουδαίοις, καὶ Χριστιανοῖς, καὶ πᾶσι τοῖς νοῦ καὶ φρονήσεως οὐκ ἀμοιροῦσι, τὸν καὶ τὴν κίνησιν καὶ τὴν ἁρμονίαν ῥυθμίζοντα, δι᾽ ὧν καὶ αἱ ὧραι τοῦ ἔτους, καὶ αἱ νύκτες μεγάλαι τε καὶ μικραὶ ἀποτελοῦνται· δῆλον ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι μεμπτὴ αὐτῶν ἡ θαυμαστὴ καὶ ἐμμελεστάτη περιπόλησις. Εἰ δ' οὐκ ἔστι μεμπτὴ, πῶς ἀπαιτοῦνται δίκας; Εἰ γὰρ καὶ λογικὰ καὶ προαιρετικὰ εἶεν ζῶα, ὅπερ τινὲς ἡγοῦνται (δεδόσθω γὰρ τοῦτο καθ' ὑπόθεσιν, μείζονα κατασκευάζον τὸν κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ἔλεγχον)· οὐδ᾽ οὕτω δίκην δοῦναι δίκαιοι ἂν εἶεν. Εἰ μὲν ὅπη ἐβούλοντο, ἐπορεύοντο, καὶ ἅπερ ἤθελον κατεσκεύαζον, οὐ μόνον τούτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν λεγόντων ποιητικοὺς αὐτοὺς εἶναι κακῶν, λόγον ἂν εἶχεν ὁ λόγος, χθέντα αὐτοῖς δι' αἰῶνος θέουσι δρόμον, οὐ ποιητικοὺς αὐτοὺς κακῶν λεκτέον· ἀσεβὲς γὰρ καὶ ἄλογον. Αλλ' εἰ καὶ καθ᾽ ὑπόθεσιν ὅπερ τινές φασιν (οὐ γὰρ ἔγωγε φαίην), δοθείη (ἄτοπον γὰρ τῶν ἀδήλων κατατολμᾷν) σημαντικοὺς αὐτοὺς δοῦναι, οὐδ᾽ οὕτω δώσουσι δίκας· οὐδὲ γὰρ οἱ προφῆται τὰ μέλλοντα παρὰ τῶν Ἰουδαίων πράττεσθαι κακὰ προμηνύσαντες. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπειδὴ προεμήνυσαν, γέγονεν· ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ἔμελλον γίνεσθαι, προεμήνυσαν Ἡ γὰρ κακία τῶν Ἰουδαίων τῆς προφητείας γέγονεν αἰτία· οὐχ ἡ προφητεία τῆς κακίας. Δῆλον τοίνυν, ὡς οἱμαι, πᾶσι γέγονε, πάσης ἐκποδὼν οἰχομένης ἀντιλογίας, ὅτι οὐ περὶ ἄστρων, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ κυμάτων, ἢ δένδρων, ἢ νεφελῶν ἦν τῷ ἐπιστείλαντι ὁ λόγος· καθὡς καὶ ὁ πάσης τῆς ἐπιστολῆς νοῦς μηνύει· ἀλλὰ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτησάντων ἀνθρώπων, οἷς ὁ ζόφος τοῦ σκότους εἰς αἰῶνα τετήρηται. Ἀρξάμενος γὰρ ἀπὸ παραδειγμάτων, εἰς τοὺς περὶ ὧν ἦν ὁ λόγος αὐτῷ, ἐτελεύτησεν.","t":"To John the deacon. [From the Letter of Jude. What is meant by \"Wandering stars, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved forever.\"] If you alone had written to learn why it is said, \"Wandering stars, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved forever,\" I might perhaps have charged you with ignorance, written briefly that it is said of men, not of stars, and been done with it. But since many, even of those who are thought intelligent, have sought to learn this, and after stirring up much debate learned it at last and admired it, I will by no means condemn you, but will try to interpret it more clearly. I say, then, that the writer's word was about men whose faults were beyond pardon, not about stars and clouds, waves and trees, which he used as examples, blaming men for having fallen by choice into what those things have by nature. Just as the waterless clouds driven by winds, and the fruitless trees, which he called twice dead, will not be punished, nor do the waves foam out their own shames, being irrational and without sense, so too the so-called wandering stars do not inherit the gloom, but the men who sin by choice, about whom these examples were taken. So the saying means this: these men of whom he speaks are like wandering stars, turning aside from the straight way and walking the opposite road; therefore the gloom has been reserved for them, not for the stars but for the men. For his word was not about stars or clouds or waves, as I said before, but about men who have fallen into brutishness, licentiousness, and boasting, and who corrupt those near them by their company. That this is so, let us, if you like, exercise the argument. Those who are skilled in these matters say things that most people find neither probable nor credible, for they fight against plain evidence and the testimony of the eyes. Still, they say that the planets have their own course, from west to east, and hasten to complete it, but, overcome by the opposite and swifter motion of the fixed stars, are carried toward the west. And they use this example: just as an ant walking against a fast-turning wheel achieves little, since it is overcome by the wheel's very swift motion, so the planets stand toward the motion of the fixed stars. What refutes them, that they at one time deify the planets as gods and at another compare them to ants, I shall now pass over, merely pointing it out (for I hasten to something else), and come to the question. That is what they say. But I think that Scripture too used this name, whether in its proper sense, or by extension, or following common usage, because those more foolish than you rank among the planets the sun and the moon and the other five stars, not known to many: Phaenon, Phaethon, Stilbon, Pyroeis, and Phosphorus; and they gave them the names of certain men who held power on earth, lived shamefully, and ended their lives ingloriously. The sun circles in latitude each year over the northern and southern parts, and the moon each month; from this, I think, the month is named, not because the moon becomes crescent-shaped, as some say, but because it completes its whole cycle each month: for the moon is called Mene. All the others complete this circuit in proportion to their own circles and courses; that is why they are called planets, that is, wanderers. But whether this or that is true, it proclaims the knowledge of the Creator, who ordered them and gave them their laws, as he himself says: \"I commanded the stars.\" And the Psalmist, showing that the divine command was transgressed on earth, when men deserted to lawlessness, but kept in heaven, said: \"Forever, O Lord, your word abides in heaven.\" But if, because it was said, \"I commanded the stars,\" some define them as rational and free living beings (for I know some who taught this, not only among those outside the faith but also among believers), I regard this inquiry as superfluous and useless (\"Do not seek,\" it says, \"what is greater than you, and do not examine what is stronger than you; think on what has been commanded you, for you have no need of hidden things\"), and I would neither approve it nor reject it. I would rather say that Scripture uses this word of irrational and senseless things too, saying, \"The Lord commanded the scorching wind,\" and, \"The Lord commanded the clouds,\" and, \"The Lord commanded a worm.\" Whether they are rational living beings, as some say, or fiery spheres, or disc-shaped bodies kindled from the ethereal fire, or spherical flights of fire, or red-hot masses (for some of the philosophers taught this), or things that receive the immaterial light above the world, I would not strongly affirm; for I think none of this contributes to the best way of life. But I would say this: that the Scriptures use the word \"wandering\" not only of the soul when it turns aside from virtue, but also of the body when it misses the road before it. \"A man,\" it says, \"found Joseph wandering in the way\"; and again: \"He made them wander in a trackless place and not on the way.\" It is no wonder, then, if some have called the northward and southward circuit of the seven stars, running up and down, a \"wandering,\" in comparison with the fixed stars, which run round on one and the same road. If, then, they circle harmoniously and in tune, for what are they punished? If the Greeks say (what it is not lawful even to say) that they are unbegotten and above any cause, they will be refuted above all by their harmony and good order; for order proclaims the one who ordered it. If they are not persuaded, let them hear Plato saying, \"The maker of this universe is good,\" and Euripides, \"The sun and night are slaves to mortals,\" and let them stop such impiety. … and rightly they would have owed a penalty. But if they have a cause and maker (as is true, and as Greeks, Jews, Christians, and all who have a share of mind and sense have held), who regulates their motion and their harmony, by which the seasons of the year and the long and short nights are brought about, it is clear that their wonderful and most harmonious circuit is not blameworthy. And if it is not blameworthy, how are they punished? Even if they were rational living beings with choice, as some think (let this be granted by way of supposition, since it makes the refutation against them stronger), not even so would they deserve to be punished. If they went where they wished and arranged what they wanted, the argument would have reason to blame not only them but also those who say they cause evils; … but since they run forever the course appointed for them, they must not be called causes of evils, for that is impious and irrational. And even if, by way of supposition, what some say were granted (I would not say it myself, for it is absurd to be rash about what is unclear), that they give signs, not even so will they be punished; nor were the prophets punished for foretelling the evils the Jews would commit. For it did not happen because they foretold it; they foretold it because it was going to happen. The wickedness of the Jews was the cause of the prophecy, not the prophecy of the wickedness. It has become clear to all, I think, with every objection out of the way, that the writer's word was not about stars, any more than about waves or trees or clouds, as the sense of the whole letter shows, but about men who have sinned, for whom the gloom of darkness has been reserved forever. For he began from examples and ended with those about whom he was speaking.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.58 (PG 78 78:1109; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-58)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.59":{"o":"ΠΟΛΥΧΡΟΝΙΩ.\nΤῆς πρὸς Ῥωμαίους ᾿Επιστολῆς. Εἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον· « Παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν, ποιεῖν, › κ. τ. λ. Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίον παρέδωκεν αὐτοὺς ὁ Θεὸς εἰς ἀδόκιμον νοῦν, ἐρῶ· ὅτι εἰ τὸ ἐξῆς ἀναγνώσῃ, καὶ γνώσῃ, καὶ ἀπαλλαγήσῃ πάσης ἀμφιλογίας Φησὶ γὰρ, « Πεπληρωμένους πάσης ἀδικίας. » Γενικῶς γὰρ ὀνομάσας πᾶσαν τὴν κακίαν, καὶ κατ' εἶδος ἐν τοῖς ἑξῆς διεξέρχεται. Εἰ τοίνυν οὐ πληρωθησομένους, ἀλλὰ πεπληρωμένους παρέδωκε, τί ἄτοπον εἴη πεποιηκώς; Εἰ δ᾽ ἀσαφὲς εἶναι νομίζεις, καίτοι σαφὲς ὂν, σαφέστερον αὐτὸ ἑρμηνεῦσαι πειράσομαι Οὐκ εἶπεν, Ἐπειδὴ παρεδόθησαν, ἐπληρώθησαν, οὔτε μὴν, Παρεδόθησαν πληρωθησόμενοι, ἀλλὰ, « Πεπληρωμένους παρέδωκε • τουτέστιν ἀφῆκε, γυμνώσας τῆς ἑαυτοῦ βοηθείας· ὡς ἂν στρατηγός μὴ πειθομένους στρατιώτας τοῖς παραγγέλμασιν αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ τὸ γε αὐτῶν μέρος ἡττηθέντας, ἀφίησι, γυμνῶν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ σοφίας. Τοὺς γὰρ οἴκοθεν πεπληρωμένους πάσης κακίας, εἰκότως τῷ ἐγκαταλείψαι παρέδωκεν, οὐκ ὠθήσας εἰς τὸν ἀδόκιμὸν νοῦν, ἀλλ᾽ ὁρμήσαντας εἰς αὐτὸν ἀφείς.","t":"To Polychronius. [From the Letter to the Romans. On what is written: \"God gave them up to a debased mind, to do …\" and so on.] Since you have written asking why God gave them up to a debased mind, I will say that if you read what follows you will both understand and be freed from all doubt. For he says, \"filled with all unrighteousness.\" Having named all vice in general, he goes through it kind by kind in what follows. If, then, he gave them up not as people who would be filled but as people already filled, what wrong would he have done? But if you think it unclear, though it is clear, I shall try to interpret it more clearly. He did not say, \"Since they were given up, they were filled,\" nor, \"They were given up so as to be filled,\" but, \"He gave them up, filled\"; that is, he let them go, stripping them of his help; as a general lets go soldiers who do not obey his orders but have been defeated by their own fault, stripping them of his skill. Those who were filled with every vice of themselves he rightly gave up by abandoning them, not thrusting them into the debased mind, but letting them go when they rushed into it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.59 (PG 78 78:1115; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-59)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.6":{"o":"ΕΠΙΜΑΧΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Εἴ τις δοκεῖ σοφὸς εἶναι, γενέσθω μωρός. Γέγραφας, τί ἐστι τῷ Παύλῳ εἰρημένον· « Εἴ τις δοκεῖ ἐν αἰῶνι τούτῳ σοφὸς εἶναι, γενέσθω μωρὸς, ἵνα γένηται σοφός. » \"Ακουε τοίνυν συντόμως. Ἡ οἴησις προκοπῆς ἐστιν ἐγκοπή Ὥστε κενῶσαι χρὴ τὸν ὄγκον καὶ τὴν φλεγμονὴν (τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ Ἑλληνικὴ σοφία, οὐδὲν ἔχουσα στερέμνιον, οὐδὲ σταθηρὸν καὶ οὕτως ἐμπλησθῆναι τῆς θείας παιδεύσεως. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ τὸ φύσημα κενωθείη, ἡ στεῤῥά διαφθαρήσεται τροφή. Εἰ δὲ βούλει, καὶ διὰ παραδείγματος χωρήσει ὁ λόγος. Ονπερ γὰρ τρόπον ἐπὶ τοῦ σώματος, ἐὰν πνεῦμα κενὸν ἐν τῇ γαστρὶ οἰκήσῃ, λυμαίνεται τὴν πέψιν· οὕτω καὶ ἀπόνοια, ὑγείαν τῆς ψυχῆς. Μεγίστη δὲ ὑπόθεσις ὑγείας ταπεινοφροσύνη, ἣν καὶ ἡ φύσις ἡμῶν, ὅθεν γέγονε, βοῶσα διδάσκει, κόνις καὶ τέφρα τυγχάνουσα, καὶ τὸ φρύαγμα τῶν ἀλαζονείαν νοσούντων δι' αὐτῶν τῶν πραγμάτων καταστέλλουσα. Λ ἐὰν ἀποκλείσῃ τῷ λόγῳ τὴν εἴσοδον, λυμαίνεται τὴν","t":"To Epimachus the reader. [On \"If anyone thinks he is wise, let him become a fool.\"] You have written asking what Paul meant by \"If anyone thinks he is wise in this age, let him become a fool, that he may become wise.\" Listen, then, briefly. Conceit is a hindrance to progress. So one must empty out the swelling and inflammation (for such is Greek wisdom, which has nothing solid or stable), and so be filled with divine instruction. For unless the inflation is emptied out, the solid food will be spoiled. If you like, the argument will also proceed by an example. Just as in the body, if empty wind settles in the stomach, it spoils digestion, so arrogance spoils the health of the soul. The greatest foundation of health is humility, which our very nature loudly teaches by its origin, since it is dust and ashes, and which checks by the facts themselves the snorting of those sick with boasting. If it shuts the entrance against reason, it spoils the …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.6 (PG 78 78:1053; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-6)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.60":{"o":"ΘΕΟΛΟΓΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον· « Οὐ μόνον αὐτὰ ποιοῦσιν. › Ἐπειδὴ πάλιν ἀποστολικοὺς θησαυροὺς ἀνιχνεύειν ἡμᾶς παρεσκεύασας (ἔφης γὰρ· Τί ἐστι τό· «Οὐ μόνον αὐτὰ ποιοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνευδοκοῦσι τοῖς πράττουσι, » καὶ ἐπήγαγες · Εἰ τοῦ ποιεῖν τὸ συνευδοκεῖν χαλεπώτερόν ἐστι, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν οὕτως αὐτὸ ἔταξεν ὁ Παῦλος ;)· ὀλίγον συναγαγὼν σαυτοῦ τὸν νοῦν, ὥστε θηρεῦσαι φεύγοντα τὸν ἀποστολικὸν νοῦν, ἄκουε. Τινὲς μὲν οὖν μὴ νοήσαντες τὸ εἰρημένον, ἀλλ᾽ ὥσπερ σὺ διαπορήσαντες, καὶ παραπεποιῆσθαι τὰς λέξεις τὰς ἀποστολικὰς νομίσαντες, οὕτως αὐτὰς ἡρμήνευσαν· « Οὐ μόνον οἱ ποιοῦντες αὐτὰ, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ συνευδοκοῦντες τοῖς πράττουσιν. » Οὕτω γὰρ εἶχεν, ἔφασαν, τὸ παλαιὸν ἀντίγραφον, ἵνα μεῖζον ᾗ τὸ ποιεῖν τοῦ συνευδοκεῖν. Ἐγὼ δ᾽ οὔθ᾽ ἡμαρτῆσθαι ἐν τούτῳ φήσας τὰ ἀποστολικά βιβλία, οὔτε καταδραμὼν τῶν μὴ νενοηκότων (ἴσως γὰρ εἰ καὶ ἐν τούτῳ πλεονεκτοῦνται, ἐν ἄλλοις πλεονεκτοῦσι, καί τινα ἐνόησαν, ὧν αὐτὸς οὐδ᾽ εἰς ἔννοιαν ἀφικόμην), τὸ νενοημένον φράσας, τοῖς ἐντευξομένοις ἐπιτρέψω τὴν ψῆφον. Φημὶ τοίνυν, ὅτι, ἐπειδὴ τοῦ πλημμελεῖν τὸ ἐπαινεῖν τοὺς πλημμελοῦντας πολλῷ ἀργαλεώτερόν ἐστι, καὶ μεῖζον εἰς κολάσεως λόγον, εἰκότως εἴρηται · · Οὐ μόνον αὐτὰ ποιοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνευδοκοῦσι τοῖς πράττουσιν. » Ὁ μὲν γὰρ μετὰ τὸ πλημμελεῖν καταγινώσκων τῆς ἁμαρτίας, δυνήσεται χρόνῳ ἑαυτόν ποτε ἀνακτήσασθαι, μεγίστην βοήθειαν ἔχων εἰς τὸ μεταγνῶναι τὴν κατάγνωσιν τῆς ἁμαρτίας· ὁ δ᾽ ἐπαινῶν τὴν πονηρίαν, τῆς ἐκ τοῦ μετανοῆσαι βοηθείας ἑαυτὸν ἀποστερεῖ. Ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν διεφθαρμένης ἐστὶ γνώμης, καὶ ψυχῆς ἀνίατα νοσούσης αὕτη ἡ ψῆφος, εἰκότως τοῦ πλημμελοῦντος ὁ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐπαινῶν, πολλῷ παρανομώτερος εἶναι κέκριται. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τὴν ταχίστην, ὁ δ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ὅλως ἀποφοιτήσει τῆς ἁμαρτίας, εἴγε καὶ ἑκατέρα κρατήσει ψῆφος.","t":"To Theologius the deacon. [On the saying, \"Not only do they do them.\"] Since you have again made us search out the Apostle's treasures (for you said, \"What does 'Not only do they do them, but they also approve those who practise them' mean?\" and added, \"If approving is worse than doing, why did Paul put it this way?\"), gather your mind a little, so as to catch the Apostle's elusive meaning, and listen. Some, not understanding the saying but perplexed as you are, and thinking that the Apostle's words had been altered, interpreted them thus: \"Not only those who do them, but also those who approve those who practise them.\" For so, they said, the ancient copy read, so that doing would be the greater thing and approving the lesser. But I, without saying that the Apostle's books are in error here, and without running down those who have not understood (for perhaps, if they are outdone in this, they excel in other things, and have understood things that never even entered my mind), will state what I have understood and leave the verdict to my readers. I say, then, that since praising those who do wrong is much more grievous than doing wrong, and weighs more toward punishment, it was rightly said, \"Not only do they do them, but they also approve those who practise them.\" For one who condemns his sin after doing wrong will be able in time to recover himself, since he has the greatest help toward repentance in condemning his sin; but one who praises wickedness deprives himself of the help that comes from repentance. Since, then, this verdict belongs to a corrupted judgment and an incurably sick soul, one who praises sin has rightly been judged far more lawless than one who does wrong. For the one will leave his sin very quickly, the other not at all, if each verdict holds.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.60 (PG 78 78:1117; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-60)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.61":{"o":"– ΑΜΜΩΝΙΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ· « Δόξα, καὶ τιμή, καὶ εἰρήνη παντὶ τῷ ἐργαζομένῳ τὸ ἀγαθόν. › Διὰ τί εἶπεν, ἔφης, ὁ Παῦλος· « Δόξα δὲ καὶ τιμὴ καὶ εἰρήνη παντὶ τῷ ἐργαζομένῳ τὸ ἀγαθὸν, Ἰουδαίῳ τὸ πρῶτον, καὶ Ἕλληνι, » καὶ οὐδαμοῦ τοῦ Χριστιανοῦ ἐμνημόνευσεν; Ἴσθι τοίνυν, ὅτι περὶ τῶν πρὸ τῆς ἐνσάρκου τοῦ Χριστοῦ παρουσίας ἦν τῷ Παύλῳ ὁ λόγος. Οὐδέπω γὰρ εἰς τοὺς τῆς χάριτος χρόνους ἐνδιατρίβων ἐτύγχανεν. Ἕλληνας δὲ ἐνταῦθά φησιν, οὐ τοὺς εἰδωλολάτρας, ἀλλὰ τοὺς εὐσεβεῖς, τοὺς ἐν τῷ ἐμφύτῳ πολιτευομένους νόμῳ, τοὺς ἄνευ τῶν Ἰουδαϊκῶν παρατηρήσεων πάντα τὰ πρὸς εὐσέβειαν βλέποντα παραφυλάσσοντας · οἷοι ἦσαν Μελχισεδέκ, Ἰὼβ, Κορνήλιος.","t":"To Ammonius. [On \"glory and honour and peace to everyone who does good.\"] Why, you asked, did Paul say, \"But glory and honour and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,\" and nowhere mention the Christian? Know, then, that Paul's word was about those who lived before Christ's coming in the flesh; for he was not yet dealing with the times of grace. And by \"Greeks\" here he means not the idolaters, but the pious, who lived by the natural law, and who, without the Jewish observances, kept everything that looks to piety: such as Melchizedek, Job, and Cornelius.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.61 (PG 78 78:1119; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-61)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.62":{"o":"ΕΠΙΜΑΧΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΕἰς τό· « Χωρὶς δὲ νόμου ἁμαρτία νεκρά. Ἐπειδὴ, πῶς χωρὶς νόμου ἡ ἁμαρτία νεκρὰ, ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν, φημὶ ὅτι τοῦτο βούλεται εἰπεῖν ὁ Παῦλος, ὅτι οὔπω ἦν γνώριμος. Οὐ γὰρ ταῦτα αἰνἱττεται, ὅτι οὐκ ᾔδεσαν ἁμαρτάνοντες, ἐπεὶ ἀλόγως εὑρεθεῖεν κολασθέντες οἱ πρὸ τοῦ νόμου · οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὕδατος, οἱ δὲ πυρὸς ἔργον ἐγένοντο· ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι ᾔδεσαν μὲν, οὐχ οὕτω δὲ ἀκριβῶς. Διὸ ἐκολάζοντο μὲν, οὐχ οὕτω δὲ σφοδρῶς.","t":"To Epimachus the reader. [On \"Apart from the law sin is dead.\"] Since you wished to learn how sin is dead apart from the law, I say that Paul means that it was not yet known. He does not hint that they did not know they were sinning, since then those before the law, some of whom became the work of water and others of fire, would be found to have been punished unreasonably; but that they knew it, though not so exactly. That is why they were punished, but not so severely.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.62 (PG 78 78:1119; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-62)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.63":{"o":"ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ. › Παῦλος ὁ ἄριστος στρατηγὸς, ὁ τῆς θείας χειροτονίας μὴ καθυβρίσας τὴν ψῆφον, ὁ ἁμιλλώμενον τῇ χάριτι τὸν βίον ἐπιδειξάμενος, καὶ προτρέπων ὁμοῦ τοὺς τὸν ἱερὸν ὄντως πολεμοῦντας πόλεμον, καὶ οὐκ ἀφιεὶς μέγα φρονεῖν, ἅτε νικωμένους τῇ τῶν στεφάνων ἀντιδόσει, στρατηγικώτερον ἐβόα· « Λογίζομαι γὰρ, ὅτι οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι εἰς ἡμᾶς. » Ἀποκαλυφθῆναι δὲ εἶπε δεικνὺς, ὡς καὶ νῦν ἐστι μὲν, κρύπτεται δὲ, τοὺς τῶν τροπαιούχων ἀναμένουσα πόνους. Εἰ δὲ τὸ μέλλειν λυπεῖ, τοῦτο εὐφραινέτω μᾶλλον τοὺς τῶν παθῶν καὶ τῶν δαιμόνων καθαιροῦντας τὰ ὀχυρώματα. Τὸ γὰρ μεγίστη εἶναι, καὶ λόγον καὶ νοῦν καὶ τὴν παροῦσαν κατάστασιν ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ περίοντος ὑπερβαίνειν, ἐκεῖ τεταμίευται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἁπλῶς εἶπε· Τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ· ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα δείξῃ αὐτὰ οὐχ ὅτι ποιότητι μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ποσότητι νικώμενα (τὰ μὲν γὰρ τῷ παρόντι συγκαταλύεται βίῳ· τὰ δὲ ἀθανάτοις συμπαρεκτείνεται αἰῶσιν)· ἅπερ, ἐπειδὴ οὔτε σαφῶς οὔτε κατὰ μέρος παραστῆσαι τῷ λόγῳ εἶχεν, ἀπὸ τῆς μάλιστα δοκούσης εἶναι παρ᾿ ἡμῖν ἐπεράστου δόξης, αὐτὰ προσηγόρευσεν. Ἡ γὰρ κορυφὴ τῶν ἀρετῶν αὕτη εἶναι δοκεῖ.","t":"To Ischyrion the presbyter. [\"The sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing.\"] Paul, the best of generals, who did not outrage the vote of his divine appointment, who displayed a life that rivalled grace, at once urging on those who are truly fighting the holy war and not allowing them to think highly of themselves, since they are outdone by the reward of crowns, cried out like a true general: \"For I consider that the sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.\" He said \"to be revealed,\" showing that it exists even now, but is hidden, waiting for the labours of the victors. If its being in the future grieves anyone, let this rather gladden those who are pulling down the strongholds of the passions and of the demons; for that it is very great, and surpasses speech, mind, and our present state by far, is what is stored up there. Nor did he say simply, \"The sufferings of the present time\"; he said it to show that they are outdone not only in quality but also in quantity (for these end with the present life, while that extends through the immortal ages). And since he could not present those things clearly or one by one in words, he named them after what seems to us most desirable, glory; for this seems to be the summit of the virtues.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.63 (PG 78 78:1119; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-63)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.64":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\n• Τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου ἐνανθρωπῆσαι καταξιώσαντος, καὶ τὰ πάθη τὰ ἀνθρώπινα, κυμαίνοντα πρώην, καταστορέσαντος, καὶ τὴν σάρκα ὁρμητήριον ἀρετῆς ἀποφήναντος, καὶ τὰς πονηρὰς φάλαγγας ὑπὸ τοὺς πόδας τῶν οἰκείων φοιτητῶν παρασκευάσαντος, καὶ τὰ ἄθλα μείζονα τῶν παλαιῶν εἰκότως ὁρίσαντος, τὰ τε ἔπαθλα οὐράνια καὶ ὑπερκόσμια εὐτρεπίσαντος · οἱ ἡττώμενοι ἑαυτοῖς ἂν εἶεν δίκαιοι λογίσασθαι τὴν ἧτταν· ἡ γὰρ νίκη λοιπὸν παρ' ἡμῖν οὖσα, εἶτ᾿ οὐχ εὑρίσκουσα τοὺς εἰδότας νικᾶν, ἐν ὀλίγοις οἰκείαν δύναμιν ἐπιδεικνυμένη, τοῖς μὴ βουλομένοις διὰ πόνων αὐτὴν κτήσασθαι, τὴν αἰτίαν τῆς ἥττης.","t":"To Theodore the deacon. Since God the Word deigned to become man, calmed the human passions that once surged, made the flesh a base of operations for virtue, put the hostile ranks under the feet of his own disciples, rightly set the contests higher than those of old, and prepared prizes that are heavenly and above the world, those who are defeated would rightly reckon the defeat to themselves. For victory is now with us; and if it does not find those who know how to win, and shows its power in only a few, it lays the cause of defeat on those who are unwilling to gain it by labour.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.64 (PG 78 78:1121; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-64)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.65":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ· ὅτι ἡ πίστις χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων οὐ σώζει τὸν ἄνθρωπον. Δεῦρο μὲν ἐπιφοιτήσας ὁ Θεὸς Λόγος, πίστιν ἀπαιτήσας, χάριτι ἐδικαίωσεν (οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἀπὸ δικαιοσύνης σωθῆναι τοὺς οἴκοθεν προδοθέντας · καὶ τοῦθ᾽ ὁ Μελῳδὸς καὶ τὸ Σκεῦος τῆς ἐκλογῆς ἀπεφήναντο· ὁ μὲν διαβεβαιωσάμενος· « Οὐκ ἔστι δίκαιος οὐδὲ εἷς · · ὁ δέ· « Πάντες ἥμαρτον, καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ Θεοῦ, » διῖσχυρισάμενος)· πιστεύσαντας δὲ δικαιοσύνην ἀκροτάτην εἰκότως ἀπήτησεν· ὥστε παρὰ μὲν τὴν πρώτην, ἡ χάρις ἐδικαίωσε, τοὺς δὲ δικαιωθέντας, ἔργων ἀγαθῶν ἀντιλαβέσθαι ἐθέσπισεν, ὡς οὐκ ἐνὸν ἀπὸ πίστεως μόνον σωθῆναι. Χρὴ γὰρ τῇ πίστει κρίνεσθαι τὰς πράξεις, καὶ ἀπὸ τούτων αὐτὴν ψυχοῦσθαι. Νεκρὰ γὰρ ἂν εἴη τούτων χωρίς. Διὰ τί πάντα τὰ θεῖα τῷ τοῦ πυρὸς ὀνόματι χαρακτηρίζεται. Διὰ τί, ἔφης, πάντα τὰ θεῖα τῷ τοῦ πυρὸς ὀνόματι σχεδόν χαρακτηρίζεται; Πῦρ γὰρ εἴρηται ὁ Θεός· καὶ οἱ ἄγγελοι πῦρ φλέγοντες καὶ ὤφθησαν τοῖς ἀποστόλοις γλῶσσαι ὡσεὶ πυρός· καὶ, τῷ Πνεύματι ζέοντες; Οἶμαι τοίνυν, ὅτι διὰ τὸ ἄφθονον καὶ πλούσιον, ὅτι ἀπὸ ἑνὸς λύχνου μυρίας ἀνάπτει λαμπάδας καὶ οὐ μειοῦται, ἀλλὰ πάλιν ἑτέρας τοσαύτας καὶ πλείους ἀνάψαι δύναται· τὴν δὲ ἐπὶ τὰ σώματα φέρουσαν ὁδὸν ἀνακεχώρηκε, τῷ τὰ ἄνω μόνον τὸ πῦρ τῶν ἐπιγείων διώκειν. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ τὴν γῆν, τὸ δὲ τὸν οὐρανὸν ποθεῖ· καὶ τὰ μὲν τὴν κάτω φορὰν, τὸ δὲ τὴν ἄνω οἶδεν ὁδόν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ λίθος καὶ τὸ ὕδωρ τὴν ἄνω ὁδὸν ἀγνοεῖ, οὕτω καὶ τὸ πῦρ τῆς κάτω οὐκ ἀνέχεται.","t":"To the same. [On the same: that faith without works does not save a man.] God the Word, coming here and requiring faith, justified by grace (for it was not possible for those who had betrayed themselves to be saved by righteousness; the Psalmist and the Vessel of election declared this, the one affirming, \"There is none righteous, not even one,\" and the other insisting, \"All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God\"); but from those who believed he rightly required the highest righteousness. So at the first grace justified, but he decreed that those who had been justified should lay hold of good works, since it is not possible to be saved by faith alone. For deeds must be judged by faith, and faith given life by them; for without them it would be dead. [Letter 4.66] [Why all divine things are characterized by the name of fire.] Why, you asked, are almost all divine things characterized by the name of fire? For God has been called fire; and the angels, flaming fire; and tongues as of fire appeared to the apostles; and \"fervent in the Spirit.\" I think, then, that it is because of its ungrudging richness: from one lamp it kindles countless torches and is not diminished, but can kindle as many again and more. And it has withdrawn from the road that leads down to bodies, because fire alone of earthly things pursues what is above. They long for the earth, it for heaven; they know the downward motion, it the upward road. Just as stone and water do not know the upward road, so fire does not tolerate the downward one.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.65 (PG 78 78:1121; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-65)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.67":{"o":"ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠερὶ ἀναγνώσεως, κατὰ Ἑλλήνων. Περὶ τῆς χάριτος τῶν θεοπνεύστων Γραφῶν, καὶ τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὠφελείας. Πολλάκις ἐθαύμασα τῶν τοὺς διαλόγους συντιθέντων, καὶ τοὺς διεξοδικοὺς λόγους συγγραψαμένων, ὅτι τῆς μὲν οἰκείας δόξης λίαν ἐφρόντισαν ὑψηλῷ καὶ ὑπερσόφῳ χρησάμενοι λόγῳ· τῆς δὲ τῶν ἀκουσομένων ὠφελείας ἡμέλησαν, ἧς εἰκὸς ἦν μᾶλλον αὐτοὺς ποιήσασθαι πρόνοιαν. Τῶν μὲν γὰρ συγγραφέων τοσαύτην δόξαν λαβόντων, οὐδὲν ἂν γένοιτο πλέον τοῖς ἄλλοις · τῶν δ᾽ ἄλλων ὠφελουμένων, πολλή ἡ ἐπίδοσις γένοιτ' ἂν τῆς ἀρετῆς. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ τὸ ἑαυτῶν εἶδον, τὸ τῶν ἄλλων παρεῖδον, διὸ καὶ τὴν θείαν αἰτιῶνται Γραφὴν, μὴ τῷ περιττῷ καὶ κεκαλλωπισμένῳ χρωμένην λόγῳ, ἀλλὰ τῷ ταπεινῷ καὶ πεζῷ. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἡμεῖς μὲν αὐτοῖς ἀντεγκαλῶμεν τῆς φιλαυτίας ὅτι δόξης ὀρεχθέντες τῶν ἄλλων ἥκιστα ἐφρόντισαν· τὴν δὲ θείαν ὄντως Γραφὴν ἀπαλλάττωμεν τῶν ἐγκλημάτων, λέγοντες ὅτι οὐ τῆς οἰκείας δόξης, τῆς δὲ τῶν ἀκουσόντων σωτηρίας ἐφρόντισεν. Εἰ δὲ ὑψηλῆς φράσεως ἐρῷεν, μανθανέτωσαν ὅτι ἄμεινον παρὰ ἰδιώτου τἀληθὲς, ἢ παρὰ σοφιστοῦ τὸ ψεῦδος μαθεῖν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἁπλῶς καὶ συντόμως φράζει· ὁ δὲ πολλάκις ἀσαφείᾳ καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐπικρύπτει κάλλος, καὶ τὸ ψεῦδος τῇ καλλιεπείᾳ κοσμήσας, ἐν χρυσίδι τὸ δηλητήριον ἐκέρασεν. Εἰ δ᾽ ἡ ἀλήθεια τῇ καλλιεπείᾳ συναφθείη, δύναται μὲν τοὺς πεπαιδευμένους ὠφελῆσαι, τοῖς δ' ἄλλοις ἅπασιν ἄχρηστος ἔσται καὶ ἀνωφελής. Δι' ὃ καὶ ἡ Γραφὴ τὴν ἀλήθειαν πεζῷ λόγῳ ἡρμήνευσεν, ἵνα καὶ ἰδιῶται, καὶ σοφοὶ, καὶ παῖδες, καὶ γυναῖκες μάθοιεν. Ἐκ μὲν γὰρ τούτου οἱ μὲν σοφοὶ οὐδὲν παραβλάπτονται· ἐκ δ᾽ ἐκείνου τὸ πλέον τῆς οἰκουμένης μέρος παρεβλάβη ῎Αν τινων οὖν ἐχρῆν φροντίσαι, μάλιστα μὲν τῶν πλειόνων. Ἐπειδὰν δὲ καὶ πάντων ἐφρόντισε, δείκνυται λαμπρῶς θεία οὖσα καὶ οὐράνιος.","t":"To Theognostus the deacon. [On reading, against the Greeks. On the grace of the divinely inspired Scriptures and the benefit that comes from them.] I have often wondered at those who composed dialogues and wrote elaborate discourses, that they cared greatly for their own glory, using lofty and over-subtle speech, but neglected the benefit of their hearers, for which they ought rather to have provided. For when the writers have won such glory, nothing more comes of it for anyone else; but when others are benefited, there would be great progress in virtue. But since they looked to their own interest and overlooked that of others, they also blame the divine Scripture for using not elaborate and embellished speech but humble, prosaic speech. Let us, for our part, accuse them in turn of self-love, because in their craving for glory they cared least of all for others; and let us clear the truly divine Scripture of the charges, saying that it cared not for its own glory but for the salvation of its hearers. If they are in love with lofty phrasing, let them learn that it is better to learn the truth from an unlettered man than falsehood from a sophist. The one speaks simply and briefly; the other often hides the beauty of truth by obscurity, and, adorning falsehood with fine language, mixes poison in a golden cup. Even if truth were joined to fine language, it could benefit the educated, but it would be useless and unprofitable to everyone else. That is why Scripture expressed the truth in plain speech, so that the unlettered and the wise, children and women alike, might learn. By this the wise suffer no harm; by the other way the greater part of the world was harmed. If one had to care for some, it should above all be for the many. And since it cared for all, it is shown splendidly to be divine and heavenly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.67 (PG 78 78:1123; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-67)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.68":{"o":"ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟὐ ταὐτὸν, ὦ βέλτιστε, τὸ κελεῦσαι καὶ τὸ ἐπιτρέψαι· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ὡς παντὶ τρόπῳ ἀνυσθῆναι ὀφεῖλον προστάττεται· ὡς τὸ· « Οὐ μοιχεύσεις, Οὐ φονεύσεις, Οὐ κλέψεις, » καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα· τὸ δὲ οἱκονομίας τινὸς ἕνεκεν συγχωρεῖται. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ θεσπίζεται· τὸ δ᾽ οὐ κωλύεται· καὶ τοῦτο ἀπὸ τῶν Γραφῶν πιστώσομαι. Οἱ ἀπόστολοι οὐκ ἐκήρυττον μὲν, οὐδ᾽ ἐνομοθέτουν περιτομήν· συνεχώρουν δὲ, οὐχ ὅτι δεῖ γενέσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι σοφῆς συγκαταβάσεως ἦν χρεία Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐπέτρεψαν ἢ ὡς δέον τῶν παρὰ τοῖς ἀπίστοις ἐστιωμένων ἔφη ὁ Παῦλος · • Εἴ τις καλεῖ ὑμᾶς τῶν ἀπίστων, καὶ θέλετε πορεύεσθαι, πᾶν τὸ παρατιθέμενον ὑμῖν, ἐσθίετε. » Οὐ κελεύω, φησὶν, ἀπελθεῖν· εἰ δὲ βούλεσθε, οὐ κωλύω. ῎Ἄλλο γὰρ τὸ κελεύειν, ἄλλο τὸ μὴ κωλύειν τὸ μὲν γὰρ νομοθεσίας ἐστὶ, τὸ δ᾽ οἰκονομίας. φυλάττεσθαι, περὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐφύλαττον. Καὶ περὶ","t":"To Theognostus the presbyter. Commanding and permitting, my good friend, are not the same. The one is ordered as something that must be done in every way, as \"You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal,\" and the like; the other is allowed for the sake of some arrangement. The one is decreed; the other is not prevented. And I shall confirm this from the Scriptures. The apostles did not preach or legislate circumcision; but they allowed it, not because it must be done, but because there was need of a wise condescension. For they would not have permitted … As something allowed, Paul said of those who dine with unbelievers: \"If one of the unbelievers invites you and you wish to go, eat whatever is set before you.\" I do not command you to go, he says; but if you wish, I do not prevent it. For commanding is one thing, not preventing another: the one belongs to legislation, the other to concession. … they kept at the beginning. And about …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.68 (PG 78 78:1125; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-68)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.69":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΔιὰ τὸ ἐν τῷ βωμῷ ἐπεγέγραπτο, « Αγνώστῳ Θεῷ. › Δύο φασὶν αἰτίας εἶναι, τοῦ ἐπιγεγράφθαι ᾿Αθήνῃσι τῷ βωμῷ· « ᾿Αγνώστῳ Θεῷ. › Οἱ μὲν γάρ φασιν, ὡς Φιλιππίδην ἔπεμψαν ᾿Ἀθηναῖοι ἡμεροδρόμον πρὸς Λακεδαιμονίους περὶ συμμαχίας, ἡνίκα Πέρσαι ἐπεστράτευσαν τῇ Ἑλλάδι · διὸ κατὰ τὸ Παρθένειον ὄρος Πανὸς φάσμα ἐντυχὸν, ᾐτιᾶτο μὲν ᾿Αθηναίους ὡς ἀμελοῦντας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἄλλους θεοὺς θεραπεύοντας, βοηθεῖν δὲ ἐπηγγέλλετο.: Νικήσαντες οὖν, βωμὸν ᾠκοδόμησαν, καὶ ἐπέγραψαν · • ᾿Αγνώστῷ Θεῷ· » Ἄλλοι δέ φασιν, ὅτι λοιμὸς κατέσκηψεν ᾿Αθήναζε, καὶ εἰς τοσοῦτον αὐτοὺς ἐξέκαυσεν, ὡς μηδὲ τῶν λεπτοτάτων σινδόνων ἀνέχεσθαι. Τοὺς νομιζομένους οὖν θεοὺς ἑαυτῶν θεραπεύοντες, οὐδὲν ἀπώναντο. Ἐννοήσαντες οὖν, ὅτι ἐστὶν ἴσως θεός τις, ὃν αὐτοὶ κατέλιπον ἀγέραστον, ὁ τὸν λοιμὸν καταπέμψας, ναὸν δειμάμενοι καὶ βωμὸν, ἐπιγράψαντες, • ᾿Αγνώστῳ Θεῷ, καὶ θύσαντες, εὐθέως ἐθεραπεύθησαν. Ταῦτα λαβὼν ὁ Παῦλος ἐκ τῶν οἰκείων δογμάτων, τοὺς μέγα ἐπὶ σοφίᾳ φρονοῦντας ᾿Αθηναίους ἐχειρώσατο. 0'. ΟΥΡΣΕΝΟΥΦΙΟ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ. Διὰ τοῦτο εὐχείρωτοί ἐσμεν, ὦ βέλτιστε, καὶ εὐάλωτοι, ὅτι κατ' ἀλλήλων όπλιζόμεθα στρατηγῷ τῷ κοινῷ ἐχθρῷ χρώμενοι. Δέον γὰρ μετ' ἀλλήλων κατ᾿ ἐκείνου στρατεύειν, κατ᾿ ἀλλήλων μετ' ἐκείνου ὁπλιζόμεθα, στρατηγῷ ἐκείνῳ χρώμενοι τῷ ἀμφότερα τὰ μέρη ἀπολέσαι διψῶντι. Ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν αἰτιᾶσθαι ῥάδιον, καὶ παντὸς εἴη τὸ δ᾽ εἰπεῖν, ὅπως παυσαίμεθα πρὸς ἀλλήλους πολεμοῦντες, τοῦτ᾽ ἔστι συμβούλου. Φημὶ τοίνυν, ὅτι, ἐπειδὴ καὶ πλοῦτον καὶ δόξαν καὶ τὰ ἄλλα βιωτικά, τὰ χόρτου δίκην μαραινόμενα, μεγάλα εἶναι νομίζομεν Εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖνα φαῦλα καὶ εὐτελῆ, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔστιν, ἡγεῖσθαι ἑαυτοὺς ἐδιδάξαμεν, οὐκ ἂν περὶ αὐτῶν ἀσπόνδους ἔχθρας καὶ ἀκηρύκτους πολέμους πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἐκηρύξαμεν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰρήνην ἂν καὶ ἀγάπην ἠσπασάμεθα, δι᾽ ἣν ἅπας πόλεμος καὶ μάχη καὶ διαφορὰ οἴχεται.","t":"To Heron the presbyter. [Why \"To an unknown god\" was inscribed on the altar.] They say there are two reasons why \"To an unknown god\" was inscribed on the altar at Athens. Some say that when the Persians marched against Greece, the Athenians sent Philippides as a courier to the Lacedaemonians about an alliance; and on Mount Parthenion an apparition of Pan met him, blamed the Athenians for neglecting him and serving other gods, but promised to help. So when they had won, they built an altar and inscribed it, \"To an unknown god.\" Others say that a plague struck Athens and burned them so fiercely that they could not bear even the finest linen. Though they served those whom they held to be their gods, they got no benefit. Reflecting, then, that there was perhaps some god whom they had left unhonoured, who had sent the plague, they built a temple and an altar, inscribed it, \"To an unknown god,\" and sacrificed, and at once they were healed. Taking this from their own beliefs, Paul overcame the Athenians, who prided themselves on their wisdom. [Letter 4.70] To Ursenuphius the reader. This is why we are easily overcome and easily captured, my good friend: because we arm ourselves against one another and take the common enemy as our general. When we ought to campaign together against him, we arm ourselves with him against one another, taking as our general the one who thirsts to destroy both sides. But to blame is easy and belongs to anyone; to say how we may stop fighting one another is the work of a counsellor. I say, then, that it is because we think wealth and glory and the other things of this life, which wither like grass, are great. If we had taught ourselves to regard them as worthless and cheap, as they are, we would not have declared truceless enmities and undeclared wars against one another over them, but would have embraced peace and love, by which all war, battle, and quarrel vanish.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.69 (PG 78 78:1127; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-69)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.71":{"o":"ΚΑΣΙΑΝΩ,\n῞Οτι οὐκ ἔστιν αἴτιος τῶν κακῶν ὁ Θεός, Πολλοὶ κατὰ τὴν τοῦ σώματος λάμψαντες ὥραν, καὶ κατὰ τὴν τῆς ψυχῆς διέλαμψαν. Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς, θέα τὸν σωφρονέστατον Ἰωσήφ. Καλὸς γὰρ ῶν τῷ εἶδει καὶ ὡραῖος τῇ ὄψει σφόδρα, ὡς μαρτυρεῖ περὶ αὐτοῦ ἡ Γραφὴ, καὶ ἡ Αἰγυπτία αὐτῷ ἐπιλυττήσασα· ἀλλὰ τῇ τῆς σωφροσύνης ἀρετῇ πλεῖον ἤστραψε, καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἡλικίας ἔσβεσε φλόγα (οὐδὲ γὰρ λίθινος ἦν), καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς κολακείας κατεπάτησε τυραννίδα. Φόβου δὲ κολακεία, παρ' ἐμοὶ κριτῇ, δυνατωτέρα. Ἐννοεῖν δὲ χρὴ, ὅτι καὶ δέσποινα ἦν ἡ κολακεύουσα, καλλωπιζομένη, καὶ τὸν χιτῶνα τῆς ἡδονῆς ἀναῤῥιπίζουσα, καὶ γυνή, δεινὸς καταγοητεῦσαι ῥήτωρ τοὺς μὴ προσέχοντας, καὶ παλαιὸν τοῦ διαβόλου ὅπλον, δι' οὗ πολλοὺς ἀνδρείους κατέβαλεν. Αλλ' ὅμως τούτων ἁπάντων τῶν μηχανημάτων ὑψηλότερος ὤφθη. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὴν γυναικωνῖτιν ἐθέλοις ἰδεῖν ἐν τούτῳ στεφανουμένην, θέα τὴν εὐγενεστάτην Σωσάνναν, τὴν ἐν νέῳ σώματι καὶ ἀφράστῳ κάλλει ἐλέγξασαν τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τὴν ἀσέλγειαν, καὶ τὸ τῆς σωφροσύνης μὴ ἀπολέσασαν κειμήλιον. Εἰ δὲ πολλοὶ διασύρουσι τοὺς καλοὺς καὶ ἀγαθοὺς, μὴ θαυμάσῃς. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ διὰ τοὺς κακῶς κεχρημένους τῇ ὥρᾳ δοκοῦσι διασύρειν. Δεύτερον δὲ, ὅτι πολλοὶ ἔργον τίθενται τὸ κατηγορεῖν Τρίτον, ὅτι πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἐπειδὴ αὐτῆς τῆς ψυχῆς καθικέσθαι οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν, τὸν γοῦν ἔξωθεν αὐτοῖς περικείμενον κόσμον τρῶσαι ἐπιχειροῦσι. Καὶ μαρτυροῦσιν ( οὐδὲν γὰρ κωλύει πάλιν τοῖς αὐτοῖς παραδείγμασι χρήσασθαι) αὐτός τε ὁ Ἰωσήφ, ὁ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀδελφῶν καὶ τῆς δεσποίνης συκοφαντηθείς· αὕτη τε ἡ Σωσάννα, ἡ ὑπὸ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων κατακριθείσα. ᾿Αλλ᾿ ἀδέκαστος κριτής κἀκεῖνον καὶ ταύτην ἐστεφάνωσε. Μή τοίνυν τὸ κάλλος αἰτιῶ, ἀλλὰ τὴν αἰσχρὰν ψυχὴν, τὴν ἐν τῷ καλλίστῳ σώματι οἰκοῦσαν, καὶ τοῦτο ἐνυβρίζουσαν.","t":"To Cassian. [That God is not the cause of evils.] Many who shone with beauty of body shone also with beauty of soul. If you do not believe it, look at the most chaste Joseph. He was handsome in form and very beautiful in appearance, as Scripture testifies about him, and as the Egyptian woman who went mad for him also testifies; but he flashed more brightly with the virtue of chastity, quenched the flame of youth (for he was not made of stone), and trampled on the tyranny of flattery. And flattery, in my judgment, is more powerful than fear. One must consider that the one who flattered him was his mistress, adorned and fanning the tunic of pleasure; and a woman, a clever orator at bewitching those who are not on their guard, and the devil's old weapon, by which he has overthrown many brave men. Yet he showed himself higher than all these devices. If you would like to see womankind too crowned in this, look at the most noble Susanna, who, with a young body and inexpressible beauty, exposed the licentiousness of the elders and did not lose the treasure of her chastity. If many disparage those who are beautiful and good, do not wonder. First, they seem to disparage them because of those who have used beauty badly. Second, because many make accusing their business. Third, because many people, unable to reach the soul itself, at least try to wound the adornment that surrounds it from outside. Witnesses to this (for nothing prevents me from using the same examples again) are Joseph himself, slandered by his brothers and by his mistress, and Susanna, condemned by the elders. But the incorruptible Judge crowned both him and her. So do not blame beauty, but the shameful soul that dwells in the most beautiful body and outrages it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.71 (PG 78 78:1129; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-71)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.72":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠερὶ [τοῦ] αὐτοῦ. Ἡ μὲν ἄλογος εὐπραγία ὡς τὰ πολλὰ εἰς ὕβριν χωρεῖ· ἡ δὲ κατὰ λόγον, πολλάκις ἀγαθὸν ὠδίνει πέρας. Πλήν τινες καὶ τῶν παραλόγως δυναστευσάντων τὴν τῆς εὐπραγίας αὖραν μετρίως ἐνεγκόντες, ἐπαίνων τετυχήκασι· καὶ τῶν εὐπατριδῶν καὶ εὐπρογόνων λαμπρῶν εἰς ὕβριν τιμὴν ἔτρεψαν. Διὸ χρὴ τὴν προαίρεσιν μᾶλλον αἰτιᾶσθαι τῶν πέρα τοῦ μετρίου ταῖς δυναστείαις χρωμένων. ог'. – ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ Εἰς τὴν κιβωτὸν, καὶ τὸ ἱλαστήριον, καὶ τὰ χερουβίμ, καὶ τὸ μάννα, καὶ τὴν ῥάβδον ᾿Ααρών. Ἡ μὲν κιβωτὸς, καὶ τὸ ἱλαστήριον, ὅπερ ἦν τῆς κιβωτοῦ ἐπίθεμα ἀνθρώπου φυλάττοντος τὰ θεῖα λόγια, καὶ ἵλεων ἔχοντος τὸν Θεὸν, καὶ φυλαττόμενον ὑπὸ τῶν θείων δυνάμεων, καθώς φησιν ὁ Μελῳδός · « Ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου ἔκρυψα τὰ λόγιά σου·, διὸ καὶ ἔλεγεν· « Ἐν σκέπῃ τῶν πτερύγων σου σκεπάσεις με· · οἷον τῶν δυνάμεων τὰ χερουβίμ τοῖς πτέρυξι καὶ τὴν κιβωτὸν ἐφύλαττον καὶ τὸ ἱλαστήριον· φυσικώτερον δὲ, τοῦ τὸν νόμον πληρώσαντος Χριστοῦ, τοῦ γενομένου ἱλασμοῦ περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν, ἐδήλου ἐναργῆ τεκμήρια· ὅστις τὸν νόμον πληρῶν, οὗτος ἱλάσεται τοῦ κόσμου τὴν ἁμαρτίαν. Προέθετο γὰρ αὐτὸν ὁ Θεὸς, ὡς φησιν ὁ τῶν Δεσποτικῶν χρησμῶν ταμίας, ἱλαστήριον· ὥστε ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι ἐνδείξασθαι τὴν οἰκείαν δικαιοσύνην. ᾿Αντεισήγαγε γὰρ λύτρον τὸν Μονογενῆ, ἵνα ἔχῃ λόγον ἡ χάρις. Ἕν γὰρ ὑπὲρ πάντων, καὶ ὑπὲρ τὴν πάντων ἀξίαν ἱερεῖον δεξάμενος, καὶ τὴν ἔχθραν ἔλυσε, καὶ τὴν καταδίκην ἀφῆκε, καὶ εἰς υἱοθεσίαν ἀνῆγε καὶ μυρίοις ἀγαθοῖς ἐκόσμησε. Τὰ δὲ χερουβίμ, θρόνος ὄντα καὶ ἄρμα τοῦ Θεοῦ (« Ὁ καθἡμενος γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν χερουβίμ, ἐμφάνηθι»), ἐδήλου τὸν ᾧ κατεσκεύασται ὁ ναὸς, ὅτι ἀχώριστός ἐστι καὶ ἀσχημάτιστος. Τῆς δὲ βασιλείας αὐτοῦ σύμβολον ἔκειτο ταῦτα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ναοῦ λόγος οὐδεὶς, ὃν μὴ στέφει ἄγαλμα· ὁ δὲ τούτων ἡγεμὼν καὶ ποιητής ἐπέκεινα πάσης φύσεώς ἐστι καὶ ἀνθρωπίνης ἐπινοίας, διὰ τοῦ θρόνου τοῦ παμβασιλέως Δεσπότου ἐχαρακτήρισε Τὸ δὲ μάννα, καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος Ἀαρὼν ἡ βλαστήσασα, μηνύει, τὸ μὲν, ὅτι θείας ἀπολαύσεώς τε καὶ τροφῆς ὁ τῶν θείων θεσμῶν φύλαξ κοινωνήσειεν· ἡ δὲ, ὅτι οἱ παραβαίνοντες αὐτοὺς, καὶ οἱ τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ οὐ δεόντως ἐπιπηδῶντες, σωφρονισθήσονται.","t":"To Heron the scholasticus. [On the same.] Prosperity without reason mostly turns to insolence; but prosperity in accordance with reason often brings forth a good end. Yet some of those who came to power unexpectedly have borne the breeze of prosperity with moderation and won praise; while some of the well-born, with illustrious ancestors, have turned their honour into insolence. So one should rather blame the choice of those who use power beyond moderation. [Letter 4.73] To Eusebius the bishop. [On the ark, the mercy seat, the cherubim, the manna, and the rod of Aaron.] The ark, and the mercy seat, which was the lid of the ark, were signs of a man who keeps the divine oracles, has God gracious to him, and is guarded by the divine powers, as the Psalmist says, \"In my heart I have hidden your words\"; and that is why he also said, \"In the shelter of your wings you will shelter me\": just as the cherubim among the powers guarded both the ark and the mercy seat with their wings. More properly, they were clear signs of Christ, who fulfilled the law and became the propitiation for our sins: whoever fulfils the law will make propitiation for the sin of the world. For God set him forth, as the steward of the Lord's oracles says, as a mercy seat, so as to show his own righteousness in his blood. He brought in the Only-begotten as a ransom in exchange, so that grace might have its reason. Receiving one victim for all, and above the worth of all, he dissolved the enmity, remitted the condemnation, raised us to adoption, and adorned us with countless goods. The cherubim, being the throne and chariot of God (\"You who sit upon the cherubim, shine forth\"), showed that the one for whom the temple was made cannot be contained in a place and has no shape. They lay there as a symbol of his kingship. For since no temple is thought of without a statue to crown it, while their ruler and maker is beyond all nature and human conception, he was represented by the throne of the Master who is king of all. The manna and the rod of Aaron that budded indicate, the one, that the keeper of the divine ordinances will share in divine enjoyment and food; the other, that those who transgress them, and those who improperly leap into the priesthood, will be chastened.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.72 (PG 78 78:1131; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-72)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.74":{"o":"ΜΗΝΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠερὶ τῆς τῶν Ἰουδαίων αἰχμαλωσίας. Ἡνίκα τὸν πολυθρύλλητον ἐκεῖνον ναὸν, καὶ τὴν περιβόητον καὶ πολλοὺς πολέμους ἀναιμακτὶ νικήσασαν τῶν Ἰουδαίων μητρόπολιν πῦρ Ῥωμαϊκὸν, διὰ τὸ τετολμῆσθαι ἐν αὐτῇ κατὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὰ ἀτόλμητα, ἔκλινε · τότε δὴ καὶ αὐτοὶ πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης αἰχμαλώτων τρόπον διεσπάρησαν. Δυνάμενος γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἀνελεῖν αὐτὸς ὁ παροινηθεὶς, διὰ πολλὰ τοῦτο οὐ πεποίηκε· πρῶτον μὲν καιρὸν αὐτοῖς μετανοίας διδούς · δεύτερον δὲ ἵνα καὶ τὰς ἀποφάσεις αὐτοῦ ἴδωσιν εἰς ἔργον ἐκβεβηκυίας. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἦν· « Ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος· ἡ δὲ, « Οὐ μὴ μείνῃ λίθος ἐπὶ λίθον, ὃς οὐ καταλυθήσεται· · τρίτον, ἵνα πανταχοῦ τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ διαλάμπουσαν θεώμενοι, παρακνίζωνται, καὶ ἐννοήσαντες ὅτι ἐπὶ τῶν προγόνων καὶ εἰδωλολατροῦντες, καὶ παιδοκτονοῦντες, καὶ προφήτας σφάζοντες, οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἔπαθον, ἀλλὰ σωφρονιζόμενοι, πάλιν οἴκαδε ἐπανήγοντο· νῦν δὲ αἰχμαλωσίαν ὑπομένουσιν ἀνακλήσεως ἄμοιρον· καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἐπιγνοῖεν. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ὑπὸ τῶν πραγμάτων παιδευθεῖεν, διὰ τῶν ἐκεῖσε τιμωριῶν καὶ ἄκοντες ὁμολογήσουσιν, ὅτε αὐτοῖς τῆς μεταγνώσεως ὄφελος οὐδέν.","t":"To Menas the deacon. [On the captivity of the Jews.] When Roman fire laid low that much-famed temple and the renowned metropolis of the Jews, which had won many wars without bloodshed, because of the unheard-of outrages dared in it against Christ, then they themselves were scattered over the whole world like captives. For the one who had been outraged, though he could have destroyed them, did not do so, for many reasons: first, to give them time for repentance; second, so that they might see his sentences come to pass in fact (the one was, \"Behold, your house is left to you desolate\"; the other, \"There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down\"); third, so that, seeing his glory shining everywhere, they might be stung, and, reflecting that under their forefathers, though they worshipped idols, killed their children, and slaughtered the prophets, they suffered nothing like this, but were corrected and brought home again, while now they endure a captivity with no recall, they might come to know the truth. And if they are not taught by events, they will confess it even against their will through the punishments there, when repentance will be of no benefit to them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.74 (PG 78 78:1133; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-74)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.75":{"o":"ΑΔΑΜΑΝΤΙΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ αὐτό. Εἰ τὰ ἐπίχειρα τῶν ἀλιτηρίων Ἰουδαίων, τῶν κατὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπιλυττησάντων, γνῶναι βούλει, ἔντυχε τῇ Ἰωσήπου, ἀνδρὸς Ἰουδαίου μὲν, φιλαλήθους δὲ, περὶ τῆς ἁλώσεως ἱστορίᾳ, ἵνα ἴδῃς θεήλατον ἱστορίαν οἴαν οὐδὲ ὁ σύμπας εἶδε χρόνος, ἀφ' οὗ δὴ καὶ ἐφ᾽ ὅσον ἄνθρωποι. Ἵνα γὰρ μηδεὶς ταῖς ἀπίστοις αὐτῶν καὶ παραλόγοις ἀπιστήσῃ συμφοραῖς, οὐκ ἀλλόφυλόν τινα ( ἡ γὰρ ἂν ἴσως, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀναγκαίως ἡπιστήθη), ἀλλ᾽ ὁμόφυλον αὐτὸν καὶ ζηλωτὴν παρεσκεύασεν ἡ ἀλήθεια τὰ ἀλλόκοτα ἐκεῖνα ἐκτραγῳδῆσαι πάθη.","t":"To Adamantius. [On the same.] If you wish to know the wages of the accursed Jews who raged against Christ, read the history of the capture by Josephus, a Jew, but a lover of truth, so that you may see a history driven by God such as the whole of time has not seen since there have been men. For so that no one should disbelieve their incredible and extraordinary calamities, truth arranged that not a foreigner (for he might perhaps, or rather necessarily, have been disbelieved), but their own countryman and zealot should recount those strange sufferings as a tragedy.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.75 (PG 78 78:1135; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-75)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.76":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ εἰρημένον, « ῾Ομοία ἐστὶν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν κόκκῳ σινάπεως. • Ἡ περὶ τὴν ἑρμηνείαν δεινότης ἐμφάσεσι τρανοτέραις παρίστησι τὸ λεγόμενον, καὶ οἷον ὑπ᾿ ὄψιν ἄγει τὸ λανθάνον · δι᾽ ἣν καὶ οἱ ἀκροαταὶ ὥσπερ ὑπὸ λύρας ἔχονται καὶ μάλισθ' ὅταν μηδὲ περὶ τῶν συνήθων ἡ βάσανος, ἢ μηδὲ τῶν καθημαξευμένων, ἀλλὰ τῶν τοῖς πολλοῖς ἀδήλων, καὶ ἡ σοφία τῶν φραζόντων, ἀφ᾿ ἧς καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῶν ἀκουόντων ἐναργής · ἑλκτικὸν γὰρ τὸ μὴ σφόδρα σύνηθες. Ταῦτα δὲ ἔφην, ἐπειδήπερ μεμήνυκας· Τί ἐστι τὸ ὡμοιῶσθαι τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν κόκκῳ σινάπεως; Βραχὺς μέν ἐστι σπειρόμενος ὁ τοῦ θείου κηρύγματος λόγος, καὶ τῶν πώποτε λεγομένων παρὰ τῶν δοξάντων σοφῶν δογμάτων, καὶ ἐν βραχυτάτοις ἐπαγγέλλεται ῥήμασιν, οὐ μόνον διὰ τὴν συντομίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὴν ἰδιωτικὴν λέξιν. Γεωργούμενος δ' αὔξει, καὶ πλατύνεται, καὶ ὑπὲρ πάντας τοὺς πώποτε θαυμασθέντας λόγους εὑρίσκεται, ἅτε δὴ ἀλήθειαν ὠδίνων, καὶ οὐ τὸ ψεῦδος κοσμῶν. Μεῖζον δὲ ἀληθείας οὐδέν. Διὸ καὶ οἱ τῷ τῆς φιλοσοφίας ἐναβρυνόμενοι ὀνόματι, τοῖς οἰκείοις δόγμασι πολλὰ χαίρειν φράσαντες, ἐφίενται τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ σκιᾶς, καὶ καταφεύγουσι πρὸς αὐτὴν Πόσοι γὰρ Πυθαγόρειοι τύφου καὶ ὑπεροψίας πεφηνότες διδάσκαλοι, φοιτηταὶ γεγόνασι τοῦ λόγου! πόσοι δὲ Πλατωνικοὶ, τὴν ὀφρὺν τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς καλλιεπείας κατασπάσαντες, ὑπὸ τὴν σκιὰν αὐτοῦ ἱδρύνθησαν! πόσοι Αριστοτελικοὶ καὶ Στωϊκοὶ, τὴν ἐφ' ᾗ ἐσεμνύνοντο, σοφίαν ἀτιμάσαντες ἠγάπησαν ἐν τοῖς ὑπηκόοις τετάχθαι! Περὶ ἀρετῆς τοῦ Ἰωσήφ. Ἡ μὲν Αἰγυπτία τοῦ νέου ἤρα· ὁ δὲ νέος τῆς σωφροσύνης. Διὸ καὶ ἡ μὲν θηρῶσα αὐτὸν, οὐκ ἐπέτυχε τῆς θήρας, καίτοι πάντα τὰ λῖνα τῆς θήρας ἀναπετάσασα· ὁ δὲ ἐπέτυχε τῆς θήρας, πάντων δικτύων ἐκείνης ὑπερενεχθείς. Τῇ μὲν γὰρ ὁ ἐχθρὸς, τῷ δὲ ὁ νομοθέτης, τῆς σωφροσύνης ἠγωνίζετο он'. – ΑΡΣΕΝΟΥΦΙΟ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ. Περὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς τοῦ Ἰωσήφ. Λίαν χαίρω, ὅτι χαίρεις τοῖς περὶ τοῦ Ἰωσὴφ διηγήμασιν. Ὁ γὰρ τοὺς σώφρονας ἀνακηρύττων, δῆλός ἐστι σωφροσύνης ὢν ἐραστής. Ἐκεῖνα γὰρ μάλιστα τὰ εἴδη τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐπαινεῖν εἰώθαμεν, περὶ ἃ γνησίως μάλιστα διακείμεθα. Σὺ δὲ μετὰ τοῦ ἐραστὴς εἶναι τῆς ἁγνείας, κἀκεῖνο θέα, ὅπως ἡ ἀρετὴ ἀρχικόν ἐστι χρῆμα, κἂν ὁ ταύτης ἀσκητὴς εἰς δουλείαν περιπέσῃ· ἦρχε μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἐν τῇ πατρώᾳ ἐστίᾳ, τῷ ἔχειν τὸν γεννήτορα τῶν τρόπων ἐραστήν · ἦρχε καὶ ἐν τῇ Αἰγυπτιακῇ δουλείᾳ, καίτοι πραθείς· εἶχε γὰρ τοῦ πριαμένου διὰ τρόπων κοσμιότητα τὴν εὐμένειαν, ἣν ἡ θεία χάρις αὐτῷ ἐνέχεεν. Ἦρξε καὶ τῆς δεσποίνης, μᾶλλον δὲ τῆς ἡδονῆς, τῆς πολλῶν νέων βασιλικῶς κρατησάσης. Ἦρξε καὶ ἐν τῷ δεσμωτηρίῳ, καίτοι ἐπὶ μοιχείᾳ αἰτιαθείς· εἶχε γὰρ τὴν τοῦ ἀρχιδεσμοφύλακος εὔνοιαν, ἐπιτροπεύουσαν αὐτῷ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῶν ἐκεῖσε καθειργμένων, οἷς καὶ ἰατρὸν οἶμαι ἐκεῖσε πεπέμφθαι τῶν συμφορῶν. Πῶς γὰρ ὁ ὠμὸς καὶ ἀμείλικτος, καὶ τὰς ἀλλοτρίας πραγματευόμενος συμφοράς (τοιοῦτοι γὰρ σχεδὸν πάντες οἱ δεσμοφύλακες), τῷ ἡμερωτάτῳ καὶ πραοτάτῳ δεσμωτήριον ἐπέτρεπε, τῷ κέρδος μὲν μηδὲν περιποιουμένῳ ἐκ τούτου, τὰς δὲ ἀλγηδόνας τῶν εἴτε δικαίως εἴτε ἀδίκως ἐμβληθέντων λόγῳ χρηστῷ καὶ παραινέσεσι μειλιχίοις ἱωμένῳ; ᾿Αλλὰ δήλη κάνταῦθα ἡ θεία χάρις, ἡ τὴν ἀρετὴν πανταχοῦ στεφανοῦσα. Ἡρξεν ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις, ὅτε ὁ τῆς Αἰγύπτου τύραννος τὴν τυραννίδα εἰς βασιλείαν μετέστησε πάντα γὰρ αὐτῷ παρεχώρησε πλὴν ὀνόματος. Ἦρξε καὶ τῶν ἀδελφῶν δεύτερον, ὅτε καὶ ἀγνοούμενος ὡς ἀδελφὸς, προσεκυνήθη ὡς βασιλεύς. Ἠρξε καὶ τῆς Αἰγύπτου · μέλλουσαν γὰρ λιμῷ διαφθείρεσθαι, τὴν τῶν ἄλλων χωρῶν τροφὸν θείᾳ προμηθείᾳ διέθρεψεν. Ἦρξε καὶ αὐτὸς ἑαυτοῦ τὴν μεγίστην ἀρχὴν, ἐν μὲν τοῖς ταπεινοῖς ὑψηλὸς ὀφθεὶς, ἐν δὲ τοῖς ὑψηλοῖς ταπεινός· καὶ ἐν μὲν τοῖς αἰσχίστοις ἀδούλωτος καὶ ἐλεύθερος, ἐν δὲ τοῖς πρέπουσι προθυμότατος καὶ ἀοκνότατος. Οὔτε γὰρ ἐν τῇ πατρῷᾳ, οὔτε ἐν τῇ Αἰγυπτιακῇ οἰκίᾳ, ἤρθη εἰς ἀτασθαλίαν, ὁρῶν ἑαυτὸν παρὰ πάντων ἀγαπώμενον· οὐδὲ ἤλεγξεν ἐκείνης τὴν λαγνείαν, ἔχων τὸ μὲν κάλλος τοῦ ἔρωτος ἐκείνης ἀξιόπιστον μάρτυρα, τὴν δὲ εὔνοιαν τοῦ δεσπότου συναγωνιζομένην. Ος δὴ, τῆς κατηγορίας σφαγὴν ὠδινούσης, οὐδὲ μαστίξας εἰς δεσμωτήριον ἐνέβαλεν. Εἰ δὲ τις νομίζει, διὰ τὸ μὴ δεδυνῆσθαι ἀμύνασθαι, πεφιλοσοφηκέναι ἐννοείτω, ὅτι οὐδὲ βασιλεύσας αὐτὴν ἡμύνατο. Οὔτε οὖν συκοφαντηθεὶς ἤλεγξεν, οὔτε εἰς τὸ οἴκημα ἐμπεσῶν, καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν τῶν ἐκεῖσε ἐμπιστευθεὶς μέγα ἐφρόνησε, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους κατεπάτησεν· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐκούφισεν αὐτῶν, ὡς ἐνεδέχετο, τὸ τῆς λύπης ἄχθος, ἐκ τῶν καθ᾽ ἑαυτὸν ἴσως, ὅτι ἀδίκως ἐβέβλητο, καὶ περὶ ἐκείνων λογισάμενος. Εἰώθασι γὰρ ἅπαντες ἐκ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων τὰς ψήφους φέρειν· μάλιστα δ᾽ ἐκεῖνος, ὁ πανταχοῦ δοκίμια τῆς ἀρετῆς δεδωκὼς, ὡς χρυσὸς ἐν πυρὶ βασανισθεὶς, καὶ τῆς οἰκείας δείξας τὰ γνωρίσματα. Καὶ τί λέγω, ἐν τῷ οἰκἡματι; Ἔνθα καὶ τοῖς μὴ λίαν ἀναλγήτοις τίκτεταί τις ταπεινοφροσύνη καὶ ἐπιείκεια, ἢ ἐκ τοῦ συνειδότος, ἢ ἐκ τοῦ τόπου φυομένη, ὁπότε οὔτε ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ ἡλέγχθη· ἀλλὰ κἀκεῖ τὴν αὐτὴν πραότητα ἐπεδείξατο, τρέφων μὲν Αἰγυπτίους, καὶ τοῖς πανταχόθεν ἤκουσι χεῖρα σωτηρίας ὀρέγων· τοὺς δὲ ἀδελφοὺς οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἀμυνόμενος, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐεργετῶν. Ὦ τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ δοῦλον μεγαλόφρονα ἐπιδειξάσης, καὶ βασιλέα ταπεινόφρονα! ὦ τῆς ἁπανταχοῦ τὰ οἰκεῖα τεκμήρια σημηναμένης! ὦ τῆς ἀταπεινώτου μὲν ἐν συμφοραῖς, ἐπιεικοῦς δὲ ἐν ὑπεροχαῖς! ὦ τῆς μήτε τῇ ἀσελγείᾳ ἡττηθείσης, μήτε ἐπὶ τῇ συκοφαντίᾳ δυσχερανάσης! ὦ τῆς πᾶσι μὲν βασιλικῶς, τῇ δ᾽ ἡδονῇ τυραννικῶς χρησαμένης! ὦ τῆς καὶ εἰς ἀνάγκην ἐμπεσούσης διηγήσασθαι τὰ καθ' ἑαυτὴν, καὶ ἐρυθριασάσης τὴν ἀλήθειαν εἰπεῖν, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ στέφανον σωφροσύνης ἑαυτῇ περιτιθέναι! Οὔτε γὰρ τῶν ἀδελφῶν τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν ἐξέφηνεν, οὔτε τὸν τῆς Αἰγυπτίας ἔρωτα· ἀλλ᾽ ἔφη· « Κλοπῇ ἐκλάπην ἐκ γῆς Ἑβραίων, καὶ ὧδε ἐποίησα οὐδὲν κακόν· ἀλλ᾿ ἐνέβαλόν με εἰς τὸν τόπον τοῦ λάκκου τούτου. » Δικαίως ἄρα ὁ τῆς σωφροσύνης νομοθέτης καὶ πρύτανις ἐβράβευσεν αὐτῷ τὸν στέφανον, ἀπόβλεπτον μὲν τοῖς πάλαι, ἀοίδιμον δὲ τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα ἀποφήνας.","t":"To Heron the presbyter. [On the saying, \"The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed.\"] Skill in interpretation presents what is said with clearer images and, as it were, brings what is hidden before the eyes; through it the hearers are held as by a lyre, especially when the inquiry is not about familiar or well-worn matters but about things unclear to most people, and when the wisdom of the speakers is evident, which makes the desire of the hearers plain as well; for what is not very familiar draws one on. I said this because you asked, \"What does it mean that the kingdom of heaven is likened to a grain of mustard seed?\" The word of the divine preaching is small when it is sown, smaller than the doctrines ever spoken by those reputed wise, and it is announced in the briefest words, not only because it is concise but also because its diction is plain. But when it is cultivated it grows and spreads, and is found to surpass all the words ever admired, since it brings forth truth and does not adorn falsehood; and nothing is greater than truth. That is why those who pride themselves on the name of philosophy bid a long farewell to their own doctrines, seek the shade of God, and take refuge in it. How many Pythagoreans who had been teachers of conceit and arrogance have become disciples of the Word! How many Platonists, lowering the eyebrow raised by fine speech, have settled under its shade! How many Aristotelians and Stoics, despising the wisdom on which they prided themselves, have been glad to be ranked among those who obey! [Letter 4.77] [On the virtue of Joseph.] The Egyptian woman loved the young man; the young man loved chastity. So she, hunting him, did not succeed in her hunt, though she spread every net of the chase; but he succeeded in his, rising above all her nets. For on her side the enemy was contending; on his, the lawgiver of chastity. [Letter 4.78] To Arsenuphius the reader. [On the virtue of Joseph.] I rejoice greatly that you rejoice in the narratives about Joseph. For one who proclaims the chaste plainly loves chastity; we usually praise those kinds of virtue to which we are most genuinely disposed. But since you love purity, consider this too: how virtue is a thing made to rule, even if the one who practises it falls into slavery. He ruled his brothers in his father's house, because his father loved his character. He ruled also in his Egyptian slavery, though he had been sold; for by the decorum of his ways he had the goodwill of the man who bought him, which divine grace poured into him. He ruled his mistress too, or rather pleasure, which has ruled many young men like a king. He ruled also in prison, though accused of adultery; for he had the goodwill of the chief jailer, who entrusted him with charge over those confined there, to whom, I think, he had also been sent as a physician of their misfortunes. For how would a cruel and implacable man, who traffics in other people's misfortunes (and almost all jailers are such), have entrusted the prison to the gentlest and meekest of men, who made no profit from it, but healed with kind words and gentle exhortations the pains of those thrown in, whether justly or unjustly? But here too divine grace is plain, which crowns virtue everywhere. He ruled in the palace, when the tyrant of Egypt changed his tyranny into a kingship; for he yielded everything to him except the name. He ruled his brothers a second time, when, unrecognized as a brother, he was bowed down to as a king. He ruled Egypt too: when it was about to perish by famine, he nourished, by divine foresight, the land that nourishes other lands. He ruled himself as well, which is the greatest rule, showing himself lofty in lowly circumstances and lowly in lofty ones; unenslaved and free in the most shameful circumstances, and most eager and unhesitating in what was fitting. For neither in his father's house nor in the Egyptian's was he lifted up to recklessness when he saw himself loved by all; nor did he expose her lust, though he had his own beauty as a credible witness of her passion and his master's goodwill fighting on his side. And his master, when the accusation was pregnant with slaughter, did not even scourge him, but threw him into prison. If anyone thinks he showed this philosophy because he could not take revenge, let him consider that not even when he reigned did he take revenge on her. So neither when slandered did he expose her, nor, when he fell into the prison and was entrusted with charge over those there, did he become proud and trample on the others; rather he lightened the burden of their grief as far as he could, reasoning perhaps from his own case, since he had been thrown in unjustly, about theirs as well. For all are accustomed to judge others from their own case, and he above all, who everywhere gave proofs of virtue, tested like gold in the fire, and showed its marks as his own. And why do I say \"in the prison\"? There even those who are not very insensitive acquire some humility and gentleness, born either of conscience or of the place; but he did not prove otherwise even in the kingship. There too he displayed the same meekness, feeding the Egyptians, stretching out a saving hand to those who came from everywhere, and not only not taking revenge on his brothers, but even doing them good. O virtue, which showed a slave high-minded and a king humble! O virtue, which marked its own signs everywhere! Unhumbled in misfortunes, gentle in eminence! Neither defeated by licentiousness nor resentful at slander! Treating all royally, but pleasure as a tyrant! Even when it was compelled to tell its own story, it blushed to tell the truth, lest it seem to place the crown of chastity on itself! For he exposed neither his brothers' plot nor the Egyptian woman's passion, but said: \"I was indeed stolen out of the land of the Hebrews, and here I have done nothing evil, but they have put me into this pit.\" Rightly, then, the lawgiver and president of chastity awarded him the crown, making him admired by the ancients and celebrated by later generations.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.76 (PG 78 78:1135; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-76)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.80":{"o":"ΑΡΣΕΝΟΥΦΙΟ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΠερὶ τοῦ Ἀποστόλου, ὅτι - Σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς μοί ἐστιν οὗτος. • Σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς μοἱ ἐστιν οὗτος, » περὶ Παύλου φησὶν ὁ Χριστὸς, ὅτε τὸ ἀποστολικὸν αὐτῷ κήρυγμα ἐνεχείρισεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν, ὑπὲρ ἧς τὸ τίμιον αὐτοῦ αἷμα ἐξέχεεν Ἐκκλησίας, ταύτην φέρων παραδέδωκε διδασκάλῳ μὴ μέλλοντι τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀντίῤῥοπον συνοίσειν τῇ χάριτι· ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ταύτην ἐποιεῖτο τὴν μαρτυρίαν, μὴ συμβαίνουσαν ὁρῶν αὐτοῦ τὴν προθυμίαν τῷ μεγέθει τοῦ πράγματος. Τρέχειν γὰρ τὸ κήρυγμα πανταχοῦ ἐβούλετο, οὐ μόνον τῷ λόγῳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ τρόπῳ τῶν κηρυττόντων νευρούμενον. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ σημεῖα καὶ ὑπόνοιαν δύναται δέξασθαι πονηράν βίος δὲ ὀρθὸς, καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ διαβόλου ἐμφράττει τὸ στόμα. Μὴ τοίνυν ἐκ τῶν σημείων μόνον νομιζέσθωσαν κεκρατηκέναι τὸ κήρυγμα, οἱ μηδεμίαν βίου ὀρθοῦ βουλόμενοι ποιεῖσθαι πρόνοιαν. Συνέπραττε γὰρ τοῖς γινομένοις καὶ λεγομένοις καὶ ὁ τῶν κηρυττόντων βίος, μηδεμίαν λαβὴν διδούς. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ νῦν ὁ τῶν ὑφηγητῶν βίος ἡμιλλᾶτο τῇ ἀποστολικῇ πολιτείᾳ, ἴσως μὲν καὶ σημεία ἐγίνετο ἄν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ μὴ ἐγίνετο, ἤρκει πρὸς φωτισμὸν τῶν ὁρώντων.","t":"To Arsenuphius the reader. [On the Apostle: that \"This man is a chosen vessel to me.\"] \"This man is a chosen vessel to me,\" Christ says of Paul when he entrusted the apostolic preaching to him. For he would not have taken the Church for which he poured out his precious blood and handed it over to a teacher who was not going to bring virtue to match the grace; nor would he have given this testimony if he had seen that his eagerness did not match the greatness of the task. For he wanted the preaching to run everywhere, braced not only by the word but also by the character of those who preached. Signs can admit an evil suspicion; but an upright life stops the mouth of the devil himself. So let those who will take no thought for an upright life not imagine that the preaching prevailed by signs alone. For the life of the preachers worked together with what was done and said, giving no handle to anyone. If, then, the life of teachers now rivalled the apostolic way of life, perhaps signs would happen too; and even if they did not, it would be enough for the enlightenment of those who saw it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.80 (PG 78 78:1141; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-80)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.81":{"o":"ΝΕΜΕΣΙΩ ΜΑΓΙΣΤΡΙΑΝΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Πάντα, ὅσα ἂν εἶπεν ὁ Κύριος, ποιήσομεν, καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα. » Καὶ εἰς τὸ, Ὁ ψυχικὸς ἄνθρωπος οὐ δέχεται τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος. Καὶ εἰς τὸ, «Οὐ δύναται δένδρον πονηρὸν καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖν. • Σὺ μὲν ἴσως ἀλλόκοτον νομίζεις τὴν φωνὴν, ἅτε παρὰ Ἰουδαίων, τῶν μηδὲν ὀρθὸν μήτε λεγόντων μήτε πραττόντων, ῥηθεῖσαν· ἐγὼ δὲ, ἐπειδὴ ὁ νομοθέτης αὐτοὺς εἰς τοῦτο οὐ κατεμέμψατο, ἡγοῦμαι, ὅτι ἃ χρὴ μανθάνοντας πράττειν, ταῦτα διὰ τοῦ πράττειν μανθάνομεν, διὰ τοῦτο εὖ εἰρῆσθαι· « Πάντα ὅσα εἶπε Κύριος, ποιήσομεν καὶ ἀκουσόμεθα. • Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλο τι μανθάνοντες εἰκότως ἀκούουσι, και τότε ποιοῦσιν· οἱ δὲ τὰς θείας ἐντολὰς εἰς ἔργον φέρειν προηγούμενοι, ἀπὸ τῆς πράξεως μανθάνουσιν, οὐ τοῦ λόγου τοσοῦτον, ὅσον τῆς πράξεως τὴν γνῶσιν τικτούσης Τῷ ὄντι γὰρ ὁ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀσκητής δι' αὐτῆς τῆς ἀσκήσεως παιδεύεται τὴν ἀρετὴν, καὶ τρόπον τινὰ μανθάνει, ὅτι χρησιμωτάτη καὶ πρεπωδεστάτη καὶ φυλακτικωτάτη ἐστὶ, καὶ συμφερόντως νενομοθέτηται. Καὶ περὶ μὲν τούτου ἄλις. Τὸ δὲ, « Οὐ δύναται δένδρον πονηρὸν καρποὺς καλοὺς ποιεῖν, ὁ οὐ τὴν μετάνοιαν ἀναιρεῖ, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἐν τῇ διατριβῇ τῆς κακίας διαμονὴν κωμῳδεῖ. Πονηρὸν γὰρ ὂν, οὐ δύναται καρποὺς φέρειν ἀγαθούς· μεταβληθὲν δὲ εἰς ἀρετὴν, οἴσει. Εἱ μὲν γὰρ περὶ δένδρων ἦν ὁ λόγος τῷ Σωτῆρι, κρατείτω ὁ σὸς λόγος· εἰ δὲ περὶ ἀνθρώπων, ὑποδείγματι δὲ ἐχρήσατο (ὅπερ γὰρ ἡ φύσις ἐκείνοις, τοῦθ᾽ ἡμῖν ἡ προαίρεσις), ἀνατρεπέσθω ἡ ὑπόνοια · ὁποῖον γὰρ εἶναί σοι δοκεῖ δένδρον ὁ Πέτρος; Καλῶν; Καὶ πῶς ἡρνήσατο; Κακόν; Καὶ πῶς πᾶσα γῆ τε καὶ θάλασσα τοὺς ἄθλους αὐτοῦ ἄδει καὶ τὰ τρόπαια; Ὁποῖον δὲ Ἰούδας; Κακόν; Καὶ πῶς τῆς ἀποστολικῆς ἠξιώθη τιμῆς; Καλόν; Καὶ πῶς προὔδωκεν; ᾿Αλλ᾽ εἰ πάσας τὰς γεγενημένας μεταβολὰς ἐν ἀνθρώποις εἰς μέσον ἀγάγοιμι, λάθοιμι πλῆθος λόγων ἐπεισαγαγεῖν. Διόπερ ἐκεῖνά σοι παρεὶς ἀναλέξασθαι ἐκ τῶν Γραφῶν, ἐπὶ τὴν ἑρμηνείαν τοῦ ἀποστολικοῦ ῥητοῦ χωρήσω· « Ὁ ψυχικὸς, εἰ κὰὶ μὴ δέχεται τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος, » ἀλλὰ δέξεται· οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν· Οὐ δέξεται, ἀλλ', «Οὐ δέχεται. » Καὶ πάλιν· • Οὐ δύναται γνῶναι· · καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, Οὐ δυνήσεται. Ὥσπερ γὰρ εἴ τις σίδηρον πεπυρακτωμένον ἴδοι, καὶ εἴποι· Οὐ δύναται ψυχρὸς εἶναι, δυνήσεται δὲ· οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν εἰρημένων· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐνεστῶτός ἐστι χρόνου, τὸ δὲ μέλλοντος.","t":"To Nemesius the magistrianus. [On \"All that the Lord has said we will do and hear\"; and on \"The natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit\"; and on \"A bad tree cannot bear good fruit.\"] You perhaps think the saying strange, since it was spoken by Jews, who neither said nor did anything right; but I, since the lawgiver did not blame them for it, think it was well said, \"All that the Lord has said we will do and hear,\" because what we must do while learning, we learn by doing. Those who are learning anything else rightly hear first and then do; but those who undertake first to put the divine commandments into practice learn from the practice, since it is not speech so much as practice that gives birth to knowledge. For truly the one who practises virtue is taught virtue by the practice itself, and learns, in a way, that it is most useful, most fitting, and most protective, and that it has been legislated for our benefit. Enough about this. As for \"A bad tree cannot bear good fruit,\" it does not abolish repentance, but satirizes persistence in a habit of vice. While it is bad it cannot bear good fruit; but once changed to virtue it will bear it. If the Saviour's word were about trees, let your view prevail; but if it is about men, and he used an example (for what nature is to them, choice is to us), let the supposition be overturned. What kind of tree does Peter seem to you? Good? Then how did he deny? Bad? Then how do all land and sea sing his contests and trophies? And what kind was Judas? Bad? Then how was he thought worthy of the apostolic honour? Good? Then how did he betray? But if I brought into the open all the changes that have happened in men, I would without noticing bring in a multitude of words. So, leaving those for you to gather from the Scriptures, I shall go on to interpret the Apostle's saying. \"The natural man,\" even if he \"does not receive the things of the Spirit,\" yet will receive them; for he did not say, \"He will not receive,\" but \"He does not receive.\" And again, \"He cannot know\"; and he did not say, \"He will not be able.\" Just as if someone saw red-hot iron and said, \"It cannot be cold\" (yet it will be able to), so it is with these sayings: the one is in the present tense, the other in the future.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.81 (PG 78 78:1141; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-81)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.82":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ.\n῎ὅτι οὐκ ἦν συμφέρον, τῶν πάντων γνῶσιν ἔχειν ἡμᾶς. Σοφὸν ἔγωγε καὶ τοῦτ᾽ εἶναι ἡγοῦμαι, ὁ σὺ φὴς παράλογον. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ πάντα ἦν δῆλα ποῦ τῇ συνέσει ἐχρησάμεθα, μὴ οὔσης ζητήσεως; Εἰ δὲ πάντα ἄδηλα, καὶ οὕτως ἀναπεπτώκειμεν ἂν, μὴ οὔσης εὑρέσεως. Νῦν δὲ διὰ τῶν δῆλων, καὶ τὰ ἄδηλα τρόπον τινὰ καταλαμβάνεται. Εἰ δὲ διαφύγοι, καὶ οὕτως ἡμᾶς ὠφελεῖ, τὸ φύσημα ἡμῶν καταστέλλοντα.","t":"To Athanasius. [That it was not to our advantage to have knowledge of all things.] I think this too is wise, which you call unreasonable. For if all things were clear, where would we use our understanding, since there would be no inquiry? And if all things were unclear, we would likewise have given up, since there would be no discovery. But as it is, through what is clear, what is unclear is also in some way grasped. And if it escapes us, even so it benefits us by checking our conceit.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.82 (PG 78 78:1143; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-82)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.83":{"o":"ΕΥΛΟΓΙΩ.\nΠερὶ ἀκαταλήπτου Τὰ μὲν ἐφικτὰ ῥάδιον θηρᾶται, ἅτε οὐ πολλῆς δεόμενα πραγματείας· τὰ δὲ δυσέφικτα, εἰ καὶ ἐργωδέστερα, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἀλωτὰ καθέστηκε· τὰ δὲ ἀνέφικτα, οὐδαμῶς ἁλώσιμα ὄντα, πόνον μὲν προξενεῖ τοῖς τολμῶσιν ἐπὶ θήραν ἐξελθεῖν· καὶ οἱῳδήποτε καιρῷ πρᾶγμα πάσης θήρας κρεῖττον θηρᾶν ἐπιχειροῦντες, τοῦ τέλους διαμαρτάνουσιν.","t":"To Eulogius. [On the incomprehensible.] Things within reach are easily hunted, since they need no great effort; things hard to reach, though more laborious, can still be caught; but things beyond reach, which cannot be caught in any way, only bring toil to those who dare to go out and hunt them; and those who at any time try to hunt what is beyond all hunting miss their goal.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.83 (PG 78 78:1145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-83)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.84":{"o":"ΛΟΥΚΙΑΝΩ.\nΚακὸν μὲν τὸ ἀδικεῖν· κάκιον δὲ τὸ ἀδίκως ψηφίζεσθαι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐλπίδα βοηθείας καταλιμπάνει τῷ ἀδικηθέντι· τὸ δὲ καὶ ταύτην ἀφαιρεῖται, βεβαιῶσαν τὸ ἀδίκημα. Μήτ᾽ οὖν ἀδικῶμεν· μήτ', ἂν κριταὶ εὐρεθείημεν ἀδίκως ψηφιζώμεθα.","t":"To Lucian. To do wrong is bad; to vote unjustly is worse. The one leaves the person wronged a hope of help; the other takes even this away, confirming the wrong. So let us neither do wrong, nor, if we are found to be judges, vote unjustly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.84 (PG 78 78:1145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-84)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.85":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Θεὸν ὁμολογοῦσιν εἰδέναι· τοῖς δὲ ἔργοις ἀρνοῦνται. Κινδυνεύεις, ὦ σοφὲ, ἀγνοεῖν, ὁ πάντες ἴσασι' γέγραφας γάρ· Τί ἐστι, « Θεὸν ὁμολογοῦσιν εἰδέναι, τοῖς δὲ ἔργοις ἀρνοῦνται; › Ὅτι γὰρ πάντες τοῦτο ἴσασιν, οὐ μόνον οἱ τῶν ἱερῶν χρησμῶν τρόφιμοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ μηδαμῶς τούτων ἐντετυχηκότες, μαρτυρεῖ καὶ Δημοσθένης λέγων· Ὡς ἅπας μὲν λόγος, ἂν ἀπόντα ἔργα ἔχῃ, μάταιόν τι φαίνεται καὶ κενόν Καὶ οἱ ἔξωθεν δὲ νομοθέται οὐκ ἀπὸ ῥημάτων, ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ πραγμάτων τοὺς ἐπὶ καθοσιώσει κρινομένους κολάζουσιν Ὁ δὲ Χριστὸς δύο προθεὶς ἑνὸς πατρὸς παῖδας, τὸν μὲν ἀκούσαντα, εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα ἀπελθεῖν, καὶ ἐργάσασθαι, ὑποσχόμενον μὲν, μὴ ἀπεληλυθότα δὲ, ἐμέμψατο· τὸν δὲ μὴ ἐπαγγειλάμενον ἐργασάμενον δὲ, ἀπεδέξατο. Οὐ γὰρ τοῖς ῥήμασιν αἱ γνῶμαι, τοῖς δὲ δρωμένοις ἄμεινον κρίνονται. Οἷον, Θεὸν ὁμολογεῖς εἶναι· καλῶς μὲν ἔφης· ἔστι γάρ. Ἀλλὰ μικρὸν ὁ λόγος, μὴ τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων μαρτυρίας προσούσης. Ἐὰν γὰρ Θεὸν ὁμολογῶν εἶναι, πράττῃς ἅπερ ἄν τις πράξῃ ἐννοῶν μὴ εἶναι Θεὸν, πῶς οὐ τὸ ἔργον ἐλέγξει τὸ ῥῆμα, καὶ ὁ τρόπος παραγράψεται τὸν λόγον; Δι᾽ ὧν τοίνυν πράττεις, ὁμολόγει Θεὸν εἶναι· καὶ ὁ λόγος καὶ ὁ τρόπος τοῦτο κηρύττῃ, καὶ οἱ ἀκούοντες πείθωνται· ἐὰν δὲ ἄχρι τοῦ λόγου σταίης, περὶ δὲ τὸ πράττειν τὸ δέον ὀλιγωροίης · οὐχ ὁρῶ λόγον, ὅστις, ἄνευ τοῦ ποιεῖν σε ἃ προσήκει, δυνηθήσεται τοὺς ἀκούοντας πεῖσαι. Πς. – ΠΑΥΛΩ, Εἰς τὸ, « Οφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, · καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Κινδυνεύεις ἀγνοεῖν, ὅτι καὶ τὰ δοκοῦντα εἶναι ἀπάνθρωπα τοῦ νόμου, ἡμερότητα πνεῖ· τὸ γὰρ νενομοθετῆσθαι· « Ὀφθαλμὸν ἀντὶ ὀφθαλμοῦ, ἐκκολάπτεσθαι οὐκ ὠμὸν καὶ ἀπάνθρωπον, ἀλλὰ δικαιοσύνης μὲν γέμει ἐκ τοῦ προχείρου λαμβανόμενον· νοούμενον δὲ, καὶ φιλανθρωπίας, ὡς ἔφην. Ἵνα γὰρ τῷ φόβῳ τοῦ παθεῖν τὸν μέλλοντα δρᾶν σωφρονίσῃ, καὶ ἀναστείλῃ τὴν κακίαν τοῦτο εἰκότως διηγόρευσεν.","t":"To Heron the scholasticus. [On \"They profess to know God, but deny him by their works.\"] You are in danger, wise friend, of not knowing what everyone knows; for you wrote, \"What does 'They profess to know God, but deny him by their works' mean?\" That everyone knows this, not only those nourished on the sacred oracles but also those who have never read them, Demosthenes testifies, saying, \"All speech, if it lacks deeds, appears something vain and empty.\" The lawgivers outside the faith, too, punish those tried for impiety not on the basis of words but of deeds. And Christ, setting before us two sons of one father, blamed the one who, told to go into the vineyard and work, promised but did not go, and approved the one who did not promise but worked. For intentions are better judged not by words but by deeds. For example, you profess that God exists: you said well, for he exists. But the word counts for little without the testimony of works. If, while professing that God exists, you do what someone would do who thought there was no God, how will the deed not refute the word, and your character cancel your speech? So profess that God exists by what you do; let both word and character proclaim it, and let your hearers be persuaded. But if you stop at words and neglect to do what is right, I see no argument that will be able to persuade your hearers without your doing what is fitting. [Letter 4.86] To Paul. [On \"An eye for an eye,\" and what follows.] You are in danger of not knowing that even those parts of the law that seem inhuman breathe gentleness. For the law that an eye is to be put out for an eye is not cruel and inhuman: taken at face value it is full of justice, and when understood it is full also of love for humankind, as I said. It rightly decreed this so as to chasten the one who intends to do harm by the fear of suffering it, and to check vice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.85 (PG 78 78:1145; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-85)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.87":{"o":"ΠΑΝΕΛΛΗΝΙΩ.\nΤῆς ᾿Εξόδου. - Αἰτήσασθε ἕκαστος παρὰ τοῦ πλησίον σκεύη ἀργυρᾶ καὶ χρυσᾶ, · καὶ τὰ λοιπά. Καὶ αὐτὸ, ὃ φὴς προβεβλῆσθαι τὸν πρὸς σὲ διενεχθέντα, δικαιοσύνης ἀκροτάτης πνεῖ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τοῖς Ἑβραίοις μακρὸν δουλεύσασιν οἱ Αἰγύπτιοι χρόνον τὸν μισθὸν οὐκ ἀπέδοσαν, ἄκοντας αὐτοὺς εἰσπραχθῆναι παρεσκεύασεν ἡ τῆς δικαιοσύνης πηγή. Διὰ τοῦτ᾽, ἔφη, χρησάσθω ἕκαστος παρὰ τῆς γείτονος αὐτοῦ καὶ συσκήνου σκεύη ἀργυρᾶ καὶ χρυσᾶ. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ μὴ δουλεύσασι τοῦτο προσέταξεν, ἴσως ἄν τις ἄδικον τοῦτο ἐνόμισεν εἶναι. Εἰ δὲ τοὺς τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ἀφελομένους χρήμασιν ἀμύνασθαι ἐκέλευσεν, οὐ μόνον μὴ ἠδικῆσθαι ἐκείνους ἂν ἔγωγε φαίην, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ τὴν ἴσην τιμωρίαν ἀπητῆσθαι· ποῦ γὰρ ἴσον, χρημάτων στέρησις, καὶ ἐλευθερίας, ὑπὲρ ἧς οὐ μόνον τὰς οὐσίας προΐεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀποθνήσκειν οἱ νῦν ἔχοντες ἐθέλουσιν;","t":"To Panhellenius. [From Exodus: \"Let each ask of his neighbour articles of silver and gold,\" and the rest.] The very thing that you say was put forward by the man who disputed with you breathes the highest justice. Since the Egyptians had not paid the Hebrews their wages for serving them a long time, the fount of justice arranged for it to be exacted from them against their will. That is why he said, \"Let each woman ask of her neighbour and of the woman who lodges with her articles of silver and gold.\" If he had ordered this for people who had not served, someone might perhaps have thought it unjust. But since he commanded them to make those who had taken away their freedom pay with money, I would say not only that the Egyptians were not wronged, but that not even an equal penalty was exacted. For how are loss of money and loss of freedom equal? For freedom, those who now have it are willing not only to give up their property but even to die.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.87 (PG 78 78:1147; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-87)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.88":{"o":"ΖΩΙΛΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠερὶ λήθης. Καὶ ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος, καίτοι πνευματικοῖς και μῶν χαρίσμασι, τῆς ἀναγνώσεως οὐ μικρὰν ἐποιεῖτο σπουδήν. Διὸ καὶ τῷ θρέμματι αὐτοῦ τῷ περιβλέπτῳ ἔγραφε· « Πρόσεχε τῇ ἀναγνώσει. » Δεινὸν γὰρ μάλιστα τῷ γευσαμένῳ τῆς θείας σοφίας ἐστερῆσθαι ταύτης, οὐ μόνον τῆς μνήμης οὐ προσγινομένης, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ὑπαρχούσης λήθῃ διολλυμένης. Αὕτη γὰρ μάλιστα ἡ δύναμις, εἰ μὴ καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν θεραπεύηται, ἀποφοιτᾷν πέφυκεν, ἀργίας καὶ ῥαθυμίας καὶ σκήψεως μὴ ἀνεχομένη Ὅπερ οἱ πολλοὶ ἀγνοοῦντες, μᾶλλον δὲ τὴν οἰκείαν ἀμαθίαν περιστέλλοντες, κωμῳδοῦσι τοὺς φιλολόγους καὶ σοφοὺς, οὐκ εἰδότες ὅτι ἡ σοφία σοφοῖς φοιτηταῖς μάλιστα χαίρει.","t":"To Zoilus the presbyter. [On forgetfulness.] Even the divine Paul, though rich in spiritual gifts, gave no small effort to reading. That is why he wrote to his illustrious pupil, \"Attend to reading.\" For it is terrible, above all for one who has tasted divine wisdom, to be deprived of it, when not only is nothing added to memory, but what is there is destroyed by forgetfulness. This faculty above all, unless it is cared for every day, tends to depart, since it does not tolerate idleness, negligence, and excuses. Not knowing this, or rather cloaking their own ignorance, most people mock lovers of learning and the wise, not knowing that wisdom rejoices most in wise pupils.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.88 (PG 78 78:1149; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-88)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.89":{"o":"ΦΙΛΙΤΡΟ.\nΕἰς τὸ γεγραμμένον ἐν τῷ νόμῳ, « Πένητα οὐκ ἐλεήσεις ἐν κρίσει, » Καὶ τῆς δυναστείας τὴν ἀπληστίαν, καὶ τῆς πενίας τὴν φιλοπραγμοσύνην κολάζων ὁ νομοθέτης, ἐθὲσπισε· · Μὴ ἐλεήσεις πένητα ἐν κρίσει· › οὐκ ἀπανθρωπίαν διδάσκων, ἀλλὰ τὴν κακουργίαν ἀναστέλλων, ἵνα μὴ τῇ πενίᾳ εἰς φιλοπραγμοσύνην καταχρήσωνται. Εἰ δὲ τὸν πτωχὸν, τὸν τῷ δυσνουθετήτῳ θηρίῳ μαχόμενον τῇ πενίᾳ, ἀπεἶπεν ἐλεεῖσθαι, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τῶν πλουσίων τὴν ἀπληστίαν ἐκόλασεν. 4. – ΑΛΥΠΙΩ. Περὶ ἀναγνώσεως. Κατὰ Ἑλλήνων. Περι τῆς χάριτος τῶν θεοπνεύστων Γραφῶν, καὶ τῆς ἐξ αὐτῶν ὠφελείας. Καὶ τοῖς ἕως τῶν τῇδε ὁριζομένοις εἶναι τὰ πράγματα, μετριωτέρα οἶμαι, ἡ τοῦ βίου τελευτή τῆς ἐν τῇ ζωῇ ἀμαθίας. Εἰ δ' ἐκείνοις, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἡμῖν τοῖς εἰς αἰῶνα τὸν σκοπὸν ἔχουσι, καὶ τὴν σύνεσιν καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἀκονᾶν ἐκ τῶν θείων λογίων ὀφείλουσιν. Περὶ τοῦ αὐτοῦ. Πολύτροποι τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ αἱ περὶ τοὺς λόγους ἐπιθυμίαι. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῶν ἀγαπῶσι τὸ παλαιῶς ᾿Αττικίζειν, οἱ δὲ τὸ σαφῶς εἰπεῖν τοῦ ᾿Αττικισμοῦ πρότερον ἄγουσι, λέγοντες· Τί τὸ κέρδος ἐκ τοῦ Αττικίζειν, ὅταν τὰ λεγόμενα ὥσπερ ἐν σκότῳ κρύπτηται, καὶ ἄλλων δέηται τῶν εἰς φῶς αὐτὰ ἀξόντων; ῎Ἄλλοι δὲ χαίρουσι τῇ ἐποποιίᾳ · καὶ ἕτεροι μὲν τῇ σεμνότητι τῆς τραγῳδίας, ἄλλοι δὲ τῇ στωμυλότητι τῆς κωμῳδίας · καὶ ἄλλοι τῇ ἁβρότητι τῆς ῥητορικῆς. ᾿Αλλ' οὐδὲ οὗτοι συμβαίνουσιν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τὸ ὕψος τοῦ Πλάτωνος ἀποδέχονται, οἱ δὲ τὴν Θουκυδίδου σεμνότητα καὶ οἱ μὲν τὴν Ἰσοκράτους λιτότητα οἱ δὲ τὴν Δημοσθένους δεινότητα. Πάσας γὰρ αὐτῶν σεσιτῆσθαι τὰς τῶν λόγων τέχνας οἴονται, καὶ ἐν τῷ δεινῷ καὶ πικρῷ καὶ παθητικῷ καὶ ἐναγωνίῳ πάντας ὑπερβάλλεσθαι Καὶ οἱ μὲν τὴν Λυσίου φανεράν ἅπασι καὶ τετριμμένην λέξιν ἀγαπῶσιν· οἱ δὲ Ἰσαίου, τὸ δικανικώτερον μὲν Ἰσοκράτους, ὑψηλότερον δὲ Λυσίου · οἱ δὲ Αἰσχίνου τὸ σαφὲς καὶ τὸ λευκόν. Τοσούτων οὖν ὄντων τῶν διαφερομένων, πῶς τις συγγραφέων πᾶσιν ἀρέσειεν, οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν. Οἱ μὲν οὖν πρὸς δόξαν ὁρῶντες, ὡς βούλονται γραφέτωσαν · οἱ δὲ ἱεροὶ καὶ οὐράνιοι χρησμοὶ, ἐπειδὴ πρὸς ὠφέλειαν πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ἐῤῥέθησαν καὶ ἐγράφησαν, τῇ σαφηνείᾳ ἐκράθησαν. Ἐκ μὲν γὰρ ταύτης, οἱ ταῖς ἄλλαις ἀρεταῖς τῶν λόγων χαίροντες (ὀλίγοι δ᾽ εἰσὶν οὗτοι), οὐδὲν παραβλάπτονται, ἅπαξ νοοῦντες τὰ χρησθέντα· πάντες δ' οἱ γεωργίαις καὶ τέχναις καὶ ταῖς ἄλλαις ἀσχολίαις τοῦ βίου σχολάζοντες, ὠφελοῦνται ἐκ τῆς σαφηνείας· καὶ τὸ πρέπον, καὶ τὸ δίκαιον, καὶ τὸ συμφέρον ἐν ἀκαριαίᾳ καιροῦ ῥοπῇ μανθάνοντες. Εἰς τοσαύτην γὰρ συντομίαν ἡ θεία συνετμήθη παίδευσις, ὡς τὸ ἑκάστου βούλημα ὄρον εἶναι τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀποφήνασθαι· « Πάντα γὰρ, φησὶν, ὅσα ἂν θέλητε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς ὁμοίως · οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται. • Τί πρὸς ταύτην τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ τὴν συντομίαν καὶ τὴν σαφήνειαν οἱ Πλατωνικοὶ διάλογοι, ἢ [ἡ] Ομηρικὴ δέλτος, ἢ οἱ τῶν νομοθετῶν κώδικες, ἢ αἱ Δημοσθένους βίβλοι, ἢ ἡ τῆς τραγῳδίας περιπέτεια, ἢ ἡ τῆς κωμῳδίας ὑπόθεσις ; Κρινάτωσαν ὀρθῶς οἱ χλευάζοντες τὴν ἰδιωτείαν τῶν ῥημάτων, καὶ τὴν ψῆφον ἀδέκαστον οἴσουσι. Πόσους διαλόγους συνέγραψεν ὁ ἐλλογιμώτατος Πλάτων, δεῖξαι ἐθέλων, τί τὸ δίκαιον, καὶ μηδὲν σαφὲς φράσας, μηδὲ πείσας τινὰς, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτῆς τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἐκπεσὼν ἐτελεύτησε; Πόσα συνέγραψεν ᾿Αριστοτέλης, ἐναντιούμενος Πλάτωνι, καὶ τὰ δόγματα αὐτοῦ κωμῳδῶν; ᾿Αλλ' οὐδὲ αὐτός τι ὤνησε, πλὴν τοῦ μάχην λόγων τῷ βίῳ γεννῆσαι. Πόσα οἱ Στοϊκοὶ πρὸς ᾿Αριστοτέλην φραξάμενοι συνέγραψαν; ᾿Αλλ' ἐσβέσθη κἀκείνων τὰ δόγματα. Συγκρινέτωσαν τοίνυν τοῖς λεγομένοις σοφοῖς τὴν τῶν θείων λογίων σαφήνειαν, καὶ παυέσθωσαν φλυαροῦντες, καὶ τὴν θείαν τῶν χρησμῶν φράσιν ἀποδεχέσθωσαν, οὐ πρὸς φιλοτιμίαν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ὠφέλειαν τῶν ἀκουόντων βλέψασαν.","t":"To Philitrus. [On what is written in the law, \"You shall not pity the poor in judgment.\"] Chastising both the insatiability of power and the meddlesomeness of poverty, the lawgiver decreed, \"You shall not pity the poor in judgment,\" not teaching inhumanity but checking villainy, so that the poor should not abuse their poverty to meddle. And if he forbade pity even for the poor man, who is fighting poverty, a beast hard to tame, much more did he chastise the insatiability of the rich. [Letter 4.90] To Alypius. [On reading. Against the Greeks. On the grace of the divinely inspired Scriptures and the benefit that comes from them.] Even for those who hold that reality goes no further than this world, the end of life is, I think, more tolerable than ignorance during life. If that is so for them, much more for us, who have our goal in eternity and ought to sharpen our understanding every day from the divine oracles. [Letter 4.91] [On the same.] People's desires concerning literature are of many kinds. Some love to write Attic in the old manner; others put plain speaking before Atticism, saying, \"What is the gain from writing Attic, when what is said is hidden as in darkness and needs others to bring it to light?\" Others delight in epic poetry; others in the solemnity of tragedy, others in the glibness of comedy, and others in the elegance of rhetoric. But even these do not agree. Some approve the loftiness of Plato, others the solemnity of Thucydides; some the plainness of Isocrates, others the force of Demosthenes, for they think he has fed on all the arts of speech and surpasses everyone in force, sharpness, feeling, and combat. Some love the style of Lysias, clear to all and familiar; others that of Isaeus, more forensic than Isocrates and loftier than Lysias; others the clarity and brightness of Aeschines. With so many disagreeing, I cannot say how any writer could please them all. So let those who look to glory write as they please. But the sacred and heavenly oracles, since they were spoken and written for the benefit of all humanity, were blended with clarity. By this, those who delight in the other virtues of speech (and they are few) suffer no harm, once they understand what was revealed; while all who are occupied with farming, crafts, and the other business of life are benefited by its clarity, learning in an instant what is fitting, just, and profitable. For divine instruction has been cut down to such brevity that it declares each person's own wish to be the standard of virtue: \"All things whatever you wish that men should do to you, do you likewise to them; for this is the law and the prophets.\" What are the dialogues of Plato beside this excellence, brevity, and clarity, or the tablet of Homer, or the codes of the lawgivers, or the books of Demosthenes, or the reversals of tragedy, or the plots of comedy? Let those who mock the plainness of the words judge rightly, and they will cast an incorruptible vote. How many dialogues did the most eloquent Plato write, wishing to show what justice is, yet he said nothing clear and persuaded no one, and even lost his own freedom before he died? How much did Aristotle write, opposing Plato and satirizing his doctrines? But he too achieved nothing, except to beget a battle of words for life. How much did the Stoics write, barricading themselves against Aristotle? But their doctrines too were extinguished. Let them compare the clarity of the divine oracles with the so-called wise, then, and stop babbling, and accept the divine phrasing of the oracles, which looks not to ambition but to the benefit of the hearers.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.89 (PG 78 78:1149; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-89)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.92":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ,\nΜὴ σκιαμάχει ὦ φίλος· μηδὲ περὶ τῶν τυχόντων φιλονεικῶν, ἐν τοῖς μεγίστοις καὶ καιρίοις σαυτὸν κατάβλαπτε· μηδὲ ζήλου τοὺς τὴν κάμηλον καταπίνοντας, καὶ τὸν κώνωπα διυλίζοντας.","t":"To Peter. Do not shadow-box, friend; do not quarrel over trivial things and harm yourself in the greatest and most vital ones; and do not imitate those who swallow the camel and strain out the gnat.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.92 (PG 78 78:1153; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-92)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.93":{"o":"ΔΑΝΙΗΛ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τὸ, « Μακάριοὶ ἐστε, ὅταν ὀνειδίσωσιν ὑμᾶς οἱ ἄνθρωποι, » καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. Μάλιστα μὲν πᾶσαι αἱ ὕβρεις οὐ διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν γίνονται, ἀλλ᾽ ἔστιν ὅτε καὶ δι᾽ ἡμᾶς αὐτοὺς, ἢ ἀδικοῦντας ἢ ἄλλο τι δρῶντας. Ἔστι δὲ ὅτε καὶ δι᾿ αὐτὸν μὲν γίνονται· ἀληθεῖς δὲ εἰσι, καὶ οὐ πεπλασμέναι. Δύο τοίνυν ζητεῖ ὁ ἀκρότατος τῆς εὐδοκιμήσεως ὅρος, καὶ τὸ ψευδεῖς εἶναι τὰς ὕβρεις, καὶ τὸ δι᾿ αὐτὸν γίνεσθαι. Εἰ δὲ θάτερον ἀπολειφθείη θάτερον οὐκ ἀναιρεθήσεται μὲν, οὐδ᾽ ἀργήσει · ἄτοπον γὰρ τοῦτο· εἰς δὲ τὴν ἀκροτάτην μακαριότητα οὐ καταλήξει. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ διὰ τὸν Χριστὸν λοιδορούμεθα, ἀληθεῖς δὲ εἰσιν αἱ ὕβρεις, ὑποτέμνεται ὁ μισθός. Εἰ δὲ μὴ διὰ Χριστὸν μὲν, ψευδεῖς δ᾽ εἰσὶ, πάλιν ὁ μισθὸς οὐ κορυφαιότατος. Ἔχει μὲν γὰρ ἑκάτερον μισθὸν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τοσοῦτον, ὅσον εἰ συναφθείη ἀμφότερον. Τὸ δὲ, «Ἕνεκεν ἐμοῦ, λέγων, οὐ ταπεινὰ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ παρίστησι νοεῖν, οὐδὲ ὅλως μέτρια, καὶ κτίσεως ἀξίαν ἔχοντα • ὑπέροπτον γὰρ, τοῖς τοιούτοις ἅπασι τὸ μὴ Θεὸν προτίθεσθαι σκοπὸν, ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτοὺς, ὡς καὶ δι' ἀγώνων μεγίστων καὶ ἐσχάτων κινδύνων ἀξιοσπουδάστους. Εἰς τὸ, - Ὥστε μὴ πρὸ καιροῦ κρίνετε. Οἶδα ἐγὼ τινὰς μὲν ἀκολασίας ἑτέρας ἐπιθυμίᾳ μελετῶντας σωφρονεῖν τινὰς δὲ, αὐτοφυεῖς πρὸς τὴν τούτου ῥοπὴν τοὺς λογισμοὺς ἐπικλίναντας· καί τινας μὲν, εὐημερίας χάριν δεομένους τὸ Θεῖον· τινὰς δὲ, εὐσεβείας ἕνεκα μόνης τὸ ἁγνὸν μετερχομένους· καί τινας μὲν εἰς ἀδικίαν βλέποντας, προκάλυμμα τῆς ἀδικίας τὴν δικαιοσύνην ἐπανῃρημένους· τινὰς δὲ, τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ δίκαιον φορᾶς ἡγεμόνα τὴν γνώμην ἔχοντας. Εἰ τοίνυν ἐγὼ, ἄνθρωπος ὧν εὐτελὴς, καὶ πρὸς σύνεσιν βραδὺς, ἐδυνήθην καταλαβεῖν, ὅτι πολλοὶ τοῦ καλοῦ τὰς ῥίζας οὐκ ἀπὸ ἀρετῆς ἐπήξαντο, ἀλλὰ πρός τι βλέποντες ἕτερον, τὸ καλὸν ἐτίμησαν· ἡ ἄῤῥητος σοφία, ἡ ἄφραστος σύνεσις, ἡ ἐπισταμένη πάντα πρὶν γενέσεως, ἀνέξεται ἀπὸ τῶν κλάδων ἐνέγκαι τὰς ψήφους, τῆς ῥίζης ἐναντίως διακειμένης; Οὐκ ἔγωγε οἶμαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ῥίζας καὶ τὰς ἀπαρχὰς καὶ τὰς ῥοπὰς καὶ τὰς ὁρμὰς τῆς ψυχῆς εἰς ακριβῆ βάσανον παράγουσα, ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας κρίσεως τῆς ἀδεκάστου τὴν ψῆφον οἴσει. Οἶμαι σεσαφηνίσθαι τὸ παρὰ σοῦ προβληθὲν ἀποστολικὸν χωρίον, « Ὥστε μὴ πρὸ καιροῦ τι κρίνετε. » Δῆλον δὲ, ὅτι ἢ περὶ τῶν ἀδήλων, καὶ μὴ ῥᾳδίως ἀνιχνευομένων ἢ περὶ τῶν ἀδιαφόρων βρωμάτων περὶ ὧν καὶ Ῥωμαίοις ἐπιστέλλων πολὺν ἀνάλωσε λόγον. Περὶ γὰρ τῶν δήλων καὶ ἔκρινε καὶ κρίνειν προσέταξε, καὶ ἐξέβαλε, καὶ ἐκβάλλειν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐκέλευσε· περὶ δὲ τῶν ἀδήλων ἀναμένειν παρεκελεύσατο, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὁ Κύριος· ἄτοπον γὰρ, ἁρπάζειν τοῦ κριτοῦ τὴν ἀξίαν, καὶ τὴν ψῆφον ἀκρίτως φέρειν, καὶ μὴ ἐπιτρέπειν ταύτην τῷ κανόνι τῆς ἀληθείας – ΠΑΥΛΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Εἰς τὸ, « Διὰ τί οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ἀδικεῖσθε ; ι Εἰ καί τις, ὡς γέγραφας, τὴν ψυχὴν ἐπιθυμίᾳ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων εἰς ἀπόνοιαν ἐρεθίζει οὐ μόνον ἀδικεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ φλυαρεῖν διεγνωκώς · Γέγραπται· • Διὰ τὶ οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ἀδικεῖσθε; » ἀκουέτω, εἴ γε ὦτα ἔχει, καὶ μὴ ταῦτα ἡ φιλοχρηματία ἀπέφραξεν, ὅτι Εἰ καὶ τοῦτο ἐμοὶ γέγραπται, σοὶ οὐ γέγραπται ἀποστερεῖν. Μὴ τοίνυν σοι γινέσθω πλεονεξίας πρόφασις ἡ ἀποστολική παραίνεσις · μηδ' ἐπειδὴ παρᾐνεσεν ἐμοὶ ἀποστερεῖσθαι, σοὶ χώραν νόμιζε δεδόσθαι τοῦ ἀδικεῖν· ἐμοὶ γὰρ σωτηρίαν τὸ ἀδικεῖσθαι, σοὶ δὲ τιμωρίαν τὸ ἀποστερεῖν, φέρει[ν]. Ζ'. - ΜΑΡΤΙΑΝΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Διὰ τὸ ἐπὶ τὸν σταυρὸν ἐρχόμενος ὁ Χριστὸς ταῖς κοπτομέναις γυναιξὶν ἐπετίμησεν. Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας, δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν ὁ Χριστὸς ἐπὶ τὸν σταυρὸν ἐρχόμενος ἢ ἀπαγόμενος, ἐπετίμησε ταῖς κοπτομέναις αὐτὸν γυναιξίν (εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἀγνοίας τὸ πρᾶγμα ἦν, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε καὶ ἐννοίας εἶχε γνώρισμα)· φημὶ, ὅτι ἐπειδὴ μὴ ἀκούσιον μηδ' ἀβούλητον ἦν αὐτῷ τὸ πάθος, ὕβρεως αὐτῷ εἶναι εἰκότως τὸ συμπαθὲς ἔδοξεν. Οὐχ ἡδὺ γὰρ, οὐδ᾽ ἀποδοχῆς ἄξιον τὸ συμπαθὲς, ᾧ μὴ πάθος ἀβούλητον τὸ πάθος. 4. - ΝΕΙΛΑΜΜΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΧΟ Εἰ ἔδει τὸν Χριστὸν παθεῖν, διὰ τί οἱ σταυρώσαντες ἀπητήθησαν δίκας ; Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας, Εἰ ἔδει τὸν Χριστὸν παθεῖν, διὰ τί οἱ σταυρώσαντες ἀπέτισαν δίκας; φημὶ, ὅτι τὸ, Ἔδει παθεῖν, τὴν ἑκούσιον ὁρμὴν τὴν εἰς τὸ πάθος καὶ τὴν θείαν οἰκονομίαν δείκνυσιν, οὐκ ἀπολογίαν τοῖς δεδρακόσι μνᾶται· οὐ γὰρ συνῇδε τῇ θείᾳ βουλήσει ἡ τῶν ἀλιτηρίων ἐπιβουλή. Ἡ δὲ τοῦτ᾽ ἐσπούδαζεν ἀναλῦσαι, ὅπερ ᾠκονόμει ὁ Θεός. Ὥστε τοῖς μὲν ἀλάστορσιν ἐκείνοις τὸ δρᾶμα ἀσέβημα ἦν· Θεῷ δὲ σοφὴ οἰκονομία, καὶ ἀνθρώποις ἐλευθερία · τὸ καὶ τὴν πονηρίαν ἐκείνων εἰς τὴν τοῦ γένους εὐεργεσίαν προστρίψαι καὶ χρήσασθαι σαρξὶν ἐχίδνης πρὸς ἀλεξιφαρμάκου βοηθήματος κατασκευήν. Περὶ τῆς ἐν Νικαίᾳ συνόδου.","t":"To Daniel the presbyter. [On \"Blessed are you when men revile you,\" and what follows.] Not all insults come because of Christ; sometimes they come because of ourselves, when we do wrong or something else. And sometimes they come because of him, but are true and not invented. The highest standard of approval, then, requires two things: that the insults be false, and that they come because of him. If one of the two is lacking, the other will not be annulled or go for nothing (that would be absurd), but it will not reach the highest blessedness. If we are reviled for Christ's sake but the insults are true, the reward is cut down; if not for Christ's sake but they are false, again the reward is not the very highest. Each has a reward, but not as great as when both are joined. And in saying \"for my sake\" he does not present himself as lowly, or merely moderate, or of a creature's rank; for it would be arrogant for any such being to set itself as the goal instead of God, as if it were worth striving for through the greatest contests and the utmost dangers. [Letter 4.94] [On \"Therefore do not judge before the time.\"] I know some who practise chastity out of desire for a different licentiousness; and others whose thoughts lean toward it by nature; some who beseech God for the sake of prosperity, and others who pursue purity for the sake of piety alone; some who look to injustice and have put on justice as a cloak for it, and others who have their judgment as the guide of their inclination toward justice. If, then, I, a mean man and slow of understanding, have been able to perceive that many have not fixed the roots of the good in virtue, but have honoured the good with an eye to something else, will the ineffable Wisdom, the inexpressible Understanding, which knows all things before they come to be, consent to give its verdict from the branches when the root is disposed the opposite way? I do not think so. Rather, it will bring the roots, beginnings, inclinations, and impulses of the soul to exact examination, and give its verdict from its own incorruptible judgment. I think the Apostle's passage that you put forward, \"Therefore do not judge anything before the time,\" has been made clear. It plainly concerns either things that are unclear and not easily traced, or the indifferent foods, about which he spent many words when writing to the Romans. For about clear matters he both judged and commanded us to judge, and he expelled and ordered expulsion from the Church; but about unclear things he urged us to wait until the Lord comes. For it is absurd to snatch the Judge's dignity, to cast the vote without a trial, and not to entrust it to the rule of truth. [Letter 4.95] To Paul the presbyter. [On \"Why not rather be wronged?\"] If someone, as you have written, inflames his soul to madness with desire for other people's property, having resolved not only to do wrong but also to talk nonsense, saying, \"It is written, 'Why not rather be wronged?',\" let him hear, if he has ears and avarice has not stopped them: even if this was written for me, it was not written for you to defraud. So do not let the Apostle's exhortation become a pretext for greed; and do not think that, because he exhorted me to let myself be defrauded, room has been given you to do wrong. For being wronged brings me salvation, but defrauding brings you punishment. [Letter 4.97] To Martianus the presbyter. [Why Christ, going to the cross, rebuked the women who were lamenting.] Since you have written asking why Christ, as he went, or was led, to the cross, rebuked the women who were lamenting him (for even if what they did came from ignorance, it still bore a mark of good feeling), I say that since his passion was neither involuntary nor against his will, sympathy rightly seemed an insult to him. For sympathy is not pleasant or acceptable to one for whom the suffering is not a suffering against his will. [Letter 4.98] To Neilammon the monk. [If Christ had to suffer, why were those who crucified him punished?] Since you have written, \"If Christ had to suffer, why did those who crucified him pay the penalty?\", I say that \"He had to suffer\" shows his voluntary impulse toward the passion and the divine arrangement; it does not plead a defence for those who did it. For the plot of those accursed men did not agree with the divine will; rather, it strove to undo what God was arranging. So for those wretches the deed was impiety; for God it was a wise arrangement, and for men, freedom; for he turned even their wickedness to the benefit of the race, using the flesh of the viper to prepare an antidote. [On the synod at Nicaea.]","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.93 (PG 78 78:1153; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-93)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.96":{"o":"Οὐκ ὀλίγα, οὐδὲ μικρὰ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλὰ, καὶ μεγάλα, τῷ τετράρχῃ πεπλημμέλητο. Ὠμοῦ γὰρ λέοντος ἦν δυσγενὲς βλάστημα Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ δεδιὼς μὴ νόθος υἱὸς τοῦ οἰκείου πατρὸς νομισθείη, τοῦ τὰ βρέφη τὰ ἐν Βηθλεὲμ ἀνελόντος, τοιαύτην ἔπλεξε τραγῳδίαν, ὡς ἂν ἁμιλληθῇ σχεδὸν τῷ τεκόντι, καὶ οἶμαι τετράρχης καὶ διὰ τοῦτο λελέχθαι, οὐχ ὅτι τετάρτην μοῖραν τῆς πατρώας βασιλείας μόνον διεῖπεν, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν τεσσάρων γενικῶν εἰδῶν τῆς κακίας ἤρχθη. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ παρανόμως ἄγεται τὴν Ἡρωδιάδα· εἶτα ἐλεγχθεὶς παρὰ τοῦ Βαπτιστοῦ, δέον σωφρονισθῆναι, εἰς δεσμωτήριον ἐμβάλλει οὐ παρανομοῦντα, ἀλλὰ παρανομίαν ἐλέγχοντα. Ἔπειτα, βουλόμενος ἀποκτεῖναι, φοβεῖται τὸν ὄχλον, τὸν ἀδέκαστον ὀφθαλμὸν μὴ φοβηθείς. Εἶτα ἀπερισκέπτως καὶ ἀορίστως ὀμνύει, τῇ θυγατρὶ τῆς τὸ δρᾶμα συνθησάσης καὶ ἄξια τὰ μέρη τοῦ γάμου παρασκευάσαι οἰηθείσης, πᾶν ὅπερ ἂν αἰτήσηται, παρασχεῖν τὸ δὲ ὀρθὰ καὶ δίκαια δώσειν, οὐ προσδιώρισεν· ἀλλ᾽ οὕτως ἀπροβούλευτον ἔχει τὸν λογισμὸν, ὡς καὶ τὸ ἥμισυ τῆς βασιλείας ἐπαγγείλασθαι · οὐ λογισάμενος, ὅτι ἀργαλεώτερόν ἐστι δικαιοσύνης ἐκπεσεῖν ἢ βασιλείας. Εἶτα εὐορκίας προσχήματι πᾶσαν ἐπιορκίαν ὑπερβαίνει. ῎Αμεινον γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ἐναγέσι τὰ κακῶς ἐπαγγελθέντα σατο. Ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἐσιωπήθη, ἀλλὰ λαμπροτέρως λύειν καλῶς, ἢ τὸ δοκεῖν εὐορκεῖν κακῶς μᾶλλον δὲ τοῦτο σκῆψις ἦντοῦ φόβου. Ωσπερ γὰρ οἰκέτης που νηρός δεδιὼς τὸν δεσποτικὸν ἔλεγχον, οὕτω καὶ οὗτος ἐδεδοίκει τὸν Βαπτιστήν. ᾿Αληθὴς γὰρ δεσπότης, ὁ τὰ δέοντα πράττων τε καὶ προστάττων, οὐχ ὁ τὴν ἁλουργίδα περικείμενος, καὶ τῶν ὅπλων τὸ κράτος ἔχων. Παραπέτασμα οὖν τοῦ φόβου τὸν ὅρκον προ βαλλόμενος, καὶ ἐπιτειχίσας τῇ προαιρέσει τὸν ἐκ τοῦ δοκεῖν ἐπιορκεῖν κίνδυνον, ἐπὶ τὸν φόνον ὥρμης σεν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ σχῆμα δικαστηρίου, οἷα πολλοὶ πεποιήκασι, προὔθηκεν, οὐδὲ κατηγόρους ἔστησεν, οὐδὲ μάρτυρας ἐμισθώσατο· ᾔδει γὰρ κολάζων οὐκ ἀδικοῦντα, ἀλλ' ἀδικίαν στηλιτεύοντα. ᾿Αλλ' ὁ μὲν ὡς κρύψων τὸν ἔλεγχον, ἀκρίτως τὸ ἄγος εἰργά κηρύσσεται. Κατὰ πᾶσαν γὰρ τὴν ὑφ᾽ ἥλιον ἔτι καὶ νῦν βοᾷ· Οὐκ ἔξεστί σοι ἔχειν τὴν γυναῖκα Φιλίππου τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ σου. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὴν αἰτίαν ἐθέλεις μαθεῖν (πολύτροπος δὲ εἶναι λέγεται), δῆλον ὅτι οἱ μὲν τὸν Μωσέως φασὶ βεβηλωκέναι νόμον. Ἔχοντος γὰρ τοῦ ἀδελφοῦ αὐτοῦ σπέρμα, τὴν γυναῖκα αὐτοῦ ἠγάγετο, ὅπερ οὐκ ἐξῆν. ᾿Ατέκνου γὰρ ὄντος, ἐπέτρεψεν ὁ νόμος λαβεῖν, ἕως ἀναστήσει σπέρμα τῷ τετελευτηκότι· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡ ἀτεκνία μέγιστον κακὸν εἶναι ἐνομίζετο, ὡς παντελῶς σθεννυμένης τῆς μνήμης τῶν τεθνεώτων. Πῶς δὲ καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ τὸν γεννήτορα ἀφεῖσα, καὶ τῷ μοιχῷ καὶ τῇ μοιχαλίδι συνῆν, καὶ τὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ τες κόντος λόγον πεποιημένον ἀνελεῖν ἐσπούδαζε Δεδόσθω γὰρ, ὡς μήτηρ τῷ πόθῳ ἐμέθυε · πῶς καὶ ἡ θυγάτηρ συγκατεσκεύαζε τὸ δρᾶμα; Οἱ δὲ, ὧν ἐστι καὶ Ἰώσηπος, λέγουσιν ὅτι, ζῶντος τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, καὶ θυγάτριον ἔχοντος, ἔσχε τὴν γυναῖκα· λέγει γοῦν ὁ Ἰώσηπος, ἐν τῇ ὀκτωκαιδεκάτη ἱστορίᾳ, ὅτι μετὰ Σαλώμης γονὰς Ἡρωδιὰς ἐπὶ συγχύσει φρονήσασα τῶν πατρίων, Ἡρώδῃ γαμεῖται, τῷ ὁμοπα τρίῳ ἀδελφῷ διαστασιάζοντι ᾧ ἀπαντῆσαί τις δύνα· ται, λέγων· Πῶς οὖν οὐχ ὡς μοιχῷ, ἀλλ' ὡς παρανόμως γήμαντι ἐνεκάλει ὁ Ἰωάννης; Πρὸς ὄν τις δύναται ἀπαντῆσαι λέγων· Ἴσως διὰ βιβλίον ἀποστασίου ἦν ἀποστᾶσα. ᾿Ἀλλὰ καὶ πάλιν ἀπαντήσει· Πῶς οὖν τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου συγκεχωρημένον, παράνομον καλεῖ ὁ Ἰωάννης; Οὐδέπω γὰρ ἦν ὁ τοῦ Εὐαγ γελίου χρησμὸς δοθεὶς, ὁ τὴν τοιαύτην συνάφειαν μοιχείαν ἀποφαίνων. Οἱ δὲ φασιν, ὅτι φονεύσας τὸν ἀδελφὸν· δι᾽ ἐπιθυμίαν τῆς βασιλείας, καὶ τὴν γυν ναῖκα (ἤρα γὰρ αὐτῆς ἐκ πολλοῦ προσαφείλετο οἷς εὐτρεπὴς ὁ ἔλεγχος προβεβλήσεται· Πῶς οὖν τὸν φόνον αὐτῷ οὐκ ὠνείδισεν ὁ Βαπτιστής; Τοσοῦτον γὰρ χαλεπώτερον εἶναι δοκεῖ, ὅσῳ καὶ ἀδελφοκτονία φόνου ἐναγεστέρα. Εἴτε οὖν τὴν πρώτην, ὡς ἔγωγε οἶμαι, εἴτε τὴν δευτέραν, εἴτε τὴν τρίτην αἰτίαν εἶχεν ὁ ἔλεγχος, ὁ ἀνδρεῖος καὶ γενναῖος καὶ ἐλέγξας καὶ ἀποθανὼν, ὡς τοῖς θείοις νόμοις συνηγορήσας, ἀδέσθω. Εἰ δὲ τις φαίη · Διὰ τί οὖν συνεχωρήθη τοῦτο παθεῖν; φήσαιμι, ὅτι αὐτὸς μὲν ἐβλάβη οὐδέν. Εἰ γὰρ πάντως χρὴ τὸν βίον ἐξελθεῖν ὁ λαμπρῶς διεξιὼν μακαριστότερος ἂν εἴη. Ἔπειθ᾽ ὅτι ἡ θεία ἐνδίδωσι τοῖς πλημμελοῦσι καιρὸν μετανοίας. Εἰ δὲ μηδ' οὕτως μετανοήσαιεν, χαλεπωτέρας ὁριεῖ τὰς τιμωρίας · καὶ γὰρ, ὡς φασί τινες, ἡ κακία ἐν κόσμῳ βασιλεύουσα ἀντικαθίσταται πρὸς τὸ ἀγαθὸν, φέρειν τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν ὀνειροπολοῦσα· διὸ ἀρίστῳ ἀνδρὶ φαῦλος πολεμεῖ, ἀλλὰ ῥᾳδίως ἁλίσκεται. Ἵνα γὰρ τὰ λαμπρὰ ὡς δι᾽ ἑνὸς ἅπαντα μηνύσω, τῷ γὰρ βασιλεῖ τῆς δικαιοσύνης δεῦρ᾽ ἐπιφανέντι προσεπολέμησαν οἱ τῆς ἀδικίας ὑπασπισταί· ἀλλὰ γὰρ τοσοῦτον ἑάλωσαν καὶ ἐσβέσθησαν, ὡς ἐκεῖνον μὲν πανταχοῦ ἀνυμνεῖσθαι · τοὺς δὲ νομίσαντας τὴν ζωὴν ἄπρακτον εἶναι, πάσαις ταῖς ψήφοις ἡττᾶσθαι.","t":"[On Herod the tetrarch, the Baptist, and Herodias.] Not few nor small but many and great were the sins of the tetrarch. He was the base offspring of a savage lion. As if afraid that he might be thought not the true son of his own father, who killed the infants in Bethlehem, he wove a tragedy such as almost to rival his begetter. And I think he was called tetrarch for this reason too: not only because he ruled a fourth part of his father's kingdom, but because he was ruled by the four general kinds of vice. First, he takes Herodias unlawfully; then, rebuked by the Baptist, when he ought to have come to his senses, he throws into prison not a lawbreaker but one who rebuked lawbreaking. Next, wanting to kill him, he fears the crowd, without fearing the incorruptible eye. Then he swears rashly and without limit to give the daughter of the woman who had contrived the drama, and who thought she had prepared parts worthy of the marriage, whatever she might ask; he did not add that he would give what was right and just, but had his reason so unadvised as to promise even half of his kingdom, not reckoning that it is worse to fall from righteousness than from a kingdom. Then, under the pretext of keeping his oath, he goes beyond every perjury. For in wicked matters it is better to break well what was badly promised than to seem to keep an oath badly; or rather this was a pretext of his fear. For as a worthless servant fears his master's rebuke, so he feared the Baptist; for the true master is the one who does and commands what is right, not the one clothed in purple and holding the power of arms. So, putting forward his oath as a screen for his fear, and fortifying his resolve with the danger of seeming to forswear himself, he rushed to murder. He did not even set up the form of a court, as many have done, nor put up accusers nor hire witnesses; for he knew he was punishing not a wrongdoer but one who denounced wrongdoing. He wrought the crime without trial, meaning to hide the rebuke. But the rebuke was not silenced; it is proclaimed more brightly. For throughout all the world under the sun it still cries out even now: \"It is not lawful for you to have your brother Philip's wife.\" Since you wish to learn the cause (for it is said to be of several kinds): some say that he profaned the law of Moses, for he took his brother's wife although his brother had offspring, which was not lawful. When a brother was childless, the law permitted him to take her, so as to raise up seed for the dead man; for childlessness was thought the greatest evil, as if the memory of the dead were wholly extinguished. But how, then, did the daughter leave her father, live with the adulterer and the adulteress, and seek to kill the man who had spoken on her father's behalf? Grant that the mother was drunk with desire; how did the daughter too join in contriving the drama? Others, among whom is Josephus, say that he had the woman while her husband was alive and had a little daughter. Josephus says, in his eighteenth book, that after Salome's birth Herodias, minded to confound the ancestral customs, married Herod, separating from his brother by the same father. Someone might answer this by saying: Then why did John charge him not as an adulterer but as one who had married unlawfully? To him one might reply: Perhaps she had left him by a bill of divorce. But he will answer again: Then how does John call unlawful what the law allowed? For the oracle of the Gospel, which declares such a union adultery, had not yet been given. Others say that he killed his brother out of desire for the kingdom and took his wife as well (for he had long loved her); against them this refutation lies ready: Then why did the Baptist not reproach him with the murder? It seems so much worse, as fratricide is more accursed than murder. Whether the rebuke had the first cause, as I think, or the second or the third, let the brave and noble man who rebuked and died, as an advocate of the divine laws, be sung. And if someone says, \"Why, then, was he allowed to suffer this?\", I would say that he himself was harmed in nothing; for if one must leave life in any case, the one who passes through it gloriously would be the more blessed. Then, divine providence grants sinners a time for repentance, and if not even so they repent, it will appoint harsher punishments. And, as some say, vice reigning in the world sets itself against the good, dreaming of bearing off the glory; therefore the wicked man wars against the best man, but is easily taken. To show all the glorious examples in one: against the King of righteousness when he appeared here the shield-bearers of injustice made war; but they were so taken and extinguished that he is praised in hymns everywhere, while those who thought his life fruitless are defeated by every vote.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.96 (PG 78 78:1157; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-96)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4.99":{"o":"ΕΥΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἘπειδὴ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὡς γέγραφας, οἱ μὲν μηδ' εἶναι τὸ θεῖόν φασιν, οἵτινες τὰ ἐπ᾿ ἀσεβείᾳ νικητήρια ἤραντο · οἱ δὲ εἶναι μὲν, μὴ προνοεῖν δέ· ἄλλοι δὲ προνοεῖν μὲν, ἀλλὰ τῶν ἐπουρανίων · ἄλλοι δὲ καὶ τῶν ἐπιγείων μὲν, οὐ πάντων δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ βασιλέων καὶ ἀρχόντων· ἄλλοι δὲ πάντων μὲν (καὶ γὰρ καὶ μέχρι μυρμήκων τὴν πρόνοιαν αὐτοῦ διήκειν), οὐ μὴν Τριάδα ὁμοούσιον προσκυνεῖν· καὶ οἱ μὲν αὐτοματισμὸν, οἱ δὲ εἰμαρμένην εἶναι ὁρίζονται · καὶ οἱ μὲν διὰ Μωϋσέως μόνου τὸ Θεῖον νενομοθετηκέναι οἴονται, οἱ δὲ ἐναντίαν δύναμιν· καὶ οἱ μὲν μὴ ἐπιδεδημηκέναι τὸν ἐκ Θεοῦ φύντα Λόγον, οἱ δὲ κατὰ φαντασίαν ἐπιδεδημηκέναι· καὶ οἱ μὲν σύγχυσιν καὶ κρᾶσιν καὶ ἀφανισμὸν τῶν οὐσιῶν ἐδογμάτισαν· οἱ δὲ ἐν ἀνθρώπῳ γεγενῆσθαι· καὶ οἱ μὲν ἐλάττονα τοῦ Πατρὸς, οἱ δὲ κτίσμα ὡρίσαντο· καὶ οἱ μὲν τὸ θεῖον Πνεῦμα οὐ Θεὸν ὁμολογοῦσιν· οἱ δὲ λειτουργικὸν καὶ ἁγιαστικὸν ὀνομάζουσιν · οὐ χρὴ ταῖς τῶν νοσούντων ἔπεσθαι ψήφοις ἀλλ᾿ ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ὑγιαινόντων κρίσεως λαμβάνειν τὰς ἀποδείξεις· καὶ τῇ ἁγίᾳ συνόδῳ τῇ συγκροτηθείσῃ κατὰ Νικαίαν ἀκολουθεῖν, μήτε προστιθέντας, μήτε ἀφαιροῦντας. Ἐκείνη γὰρ θεόθεν ἐμπνευσθεῖσα, τἀληθὲς ἐδογμάτισεν.","t":"To Eudaemon the presbyter. Since, as you have written, some men say that God does not even exist (these have carried off the prizes for impiety); others that he exists but does not exercise providence; others that he does, but only over the heavenly things; others that he does over earthly things as well, yet not over all, but only over kings and rulers; others that he does over all (for his providence reaches even to the ants), yet they do not worship the consubstantial Trinity; and some define chance as ruling, others fate; some think that God gave the law through Moses alone, others that an opposing power gave it; some that the Word born of God did not come to dwell among us, others that he came only in appearance; some taught a confusion, mixing, and disappearance of the natures, others that he came to be in a man; some defined him as less than the Father, others as a creature; some do not confess the divine Spirit to be God, others call him a ministering and sanctifying power: we must not follow the votes of the sick, but take our proofs from the judgment of the healthy, and follow the holy synod that was assembled at Nicaea, neither adding nor taking away. For it, inspired by God, taught the truth.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 4.99 (PG 78 78:1163; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/4-99)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.1":{"o":"ΑΝΤΙΟΧΩ.\nὭσπερ ἐν τοῖς σώμασιν ἀπὸ πλεονεξίας αἱ δυσκρασίαι γίνονται· ὅταν γὰρ τοὺς οἰκείους ὅρους ἀφέντα τὰ στοιχεῖα, ὑπερόρια γίνηται καὶ εἰς ἀμετρίαν ἐκπέσῃ, τότε αἱ νόσοι καὶ οἱ χαλεποὶ συμβαίνουσι θάνατοι· οὕτω κἀπὶ τῶν ψυχῶν. Εἰ γὰρ ἀπὸ τοῦ σώφρονος βίου εἰς ὀργὴν ἐκκυλισθείημεν, καὶ τετυφωμένοι καὶ δουλοπρεπεῖς γινόμεθα, δι' ἐκείνου μὲν μισητοὶ, διὰ τούτου δὲ καταγέλαστοι γινόμενοι. Ἐναντίας γὰρ κακίας κιρνῶντες, ἀπόνοιάν τε ὁμοῦ καὶ κολακείαν, καὶ μίσος κερδαίνομεν, καὶ γέλωτα ὀφλισκάνομεν. Αλλ' ἐὰν τὴν πλεονεξίαν τοῦ πάθους περικόψωμεν, καὶ ταπεινοὶ μετὰ ἀκριβείας, καὶ ὑψηλοὶ μετὰ ἀσφαλείας ἐσόμεθα. Τοιαύτη γὰρ ἡ παρ' ἡμῖν φιλοσοφία, μετριοφροσύνην καὶ ὕψος εἰς μίαν συνείει ψυχήν· μετριοφροσύνην μὲν, τῷ κατὰ μηδενὸς ἐπαίρεσθαι· ὕψος δὲ, τῷ μηδένα ἀξιοῦν κολακεύειν,","t":"To Antiochus. Just as in bodies imbalances of temperament arise from excess (for when the elements leave their proper bounds, overstep them and fall into immoderation, then diseases and grievous deaths result), so it is also with souls. For if we roll from a temperate life into anger, we become both puffed up and servile, hated for the one and laughable for the other. For by mixing opposite vices, arrogance and flattery together, we both earn hatred and incur ridicule. But if we cut back the excess of the passion, we shall be humble with exactness and lofty with safety. For such is our philosophy: it brings modesty and loftiness together into one soul; modesty, by exalting itself over no one; loftiness, by deigning to flatter no one, …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.1 (PG 78 78:1325; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-1)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.100":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἘπειδὴ ἀνάγκη φέρειν τὰ λυπηρά, καίπερ ὄντα δύσφορα (τὸ γὰρ ὀλιγωρεῖν οὐ μειοῖ, τάχα δὲ καὶ αὔξει τὰ δεινὰ), γενναίως ἔνεγκον τὰ συμβεβηκότα, καὶ μάλιστα τῷ παρεληλυθέναι κατὰ τὸ πλεῖστον μέρος ἐκνενευρισμένα. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἀποφοιτήσας πειρασμός αὐτίκα μάλα πρὸς λήθην βλέπει, ὁ δὲ προσδοκώμενος τοσαυτάκις ἀνιᾷ, ὁσάκις ἂν ἐλπισθῇ. ΠΕΤΡΟ. Τὴν εἰς Θεὸν πίστιν οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως ἐξευτελίζουσιν οἱ ἄπιστοι · ἧς εὐμαρὴς μὲν ἡ γνῶσις, ἀσφαλὴς δὲ ἡ κτῆσις, ἀήττητον δὲ τὸ πέρας.","t":"To the same. Since one must bear painful things, hard to bear though they are (for making light of them does not lessen terrible things, and perhaps even increases them), bear nobly what has happened, especially since, being past, it has for the most part lost its sinews. For a trial that has gone away at once looks toward oblivion, but one that is expected gives pain as often as it is anticipated. [Letter 5.101] To Peter. Unbelievers somehow belittle faith in God, though its knowledge is easy, its possession secure, and its end invincible.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.100 (PG 78 78:1383; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-100)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.102":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\n῎Αγαμαί σου τὴν ἔμφρονα παῤῥησίαν, ἣν οἱ ἀγεννεῖς καὶ δουλοπρεπεῖς κακίζουσιν, ἔλεγχον τῆς σφῶν κακίας τε καὶ ἀνανδρίας ταύτην εἰκότως εἶναι ἡγούμενοι. Μεθύοντες γὰρ τῷ φόβῳ τῶν κακῶς αὐτοῖς δρωμένων, καὶ κατασειόμενοι κατὰ τῶν καθαρῶς νηφόντων, τὰς ἀκρατεῖς ἑαυτῶν ὁπλίζουσι γλώττας.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. I admire your sensible frankness, which the ignoble and servile disparage, rightly thinking it a refutation of their own wickedness and cowardice. For, drunk with fear because of the wrongs they do, and shaken in their attacks on those who are purely sober, they arm their unrestrained tongues.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.102 (PG 78 78:1383; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-102)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.103":{"o":"ΟΛΥΜΠΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐπιτιμᾶν ῥάδιον, καὶ παντὸς ἐστιν ἀνθρώπου, τὸ δὲ ὑπὲρ τῶν πρεπόντων ὅ τι χρή πράττειν ἀποφαίνεσθαι, ἀρίστου συμβούλου· ἀλλ᾿ οὔτε ἐπιτιμᾶσθαι ἀνέχονται οἱ περὶ Ζώσιμον καὶ Μάρωνα, οὔτε συμβουλεύεσθαι· ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τοσαύτην ἤλασαν μανίαν, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς ἐπιτιμῶντας λοιδορεῖν, καὶ τοὺς συμβουλεύοντας κακηγορεῖν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τινες οὔτε ἐπιτιμηθέντες, οὔτε συμβουλευθέντες, θρηνηθέντες δὲ ἀνήνεγκαν, καὶ τοῦτο τὸ εἶδος τῆς θεραπείας ἤλεγξαν· γελῶσι γὰρ τοὺς τοῦτο ἐκ πολλῆς φιλοστοργίας δρῶντας. Τί οὖν χρὴ ποιῆσαι; Ἐγὼ γάρ σε λοιπὸν ἐρήσομαι, τὸν πράγματα ἡμῖν παρέχοντα, καὶ ἐνοχλοῦντα ὡς δυναμένοις ἀπελάσαι αὐτῶν τὴν μανίαν. Εἴθε μὲν οὖν ἐδυνάμην, καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἐδεήθην τοῦ συμβουλεύοντος, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτὸς ἂν ταχίστην ἐποιησάμην τὴν διόρθωσιν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ κρεῖττον πάσης θεραπείας ἐστὶ τὸ πάθος, καὶ τοῖς ἱατρικοῖς φαρμάκοις ἐπιτρίβεται μᾶλλον, τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν ἁγίων σου εὐχῶν χάρισαι αὐτοῖς βοήθειαν · τάχα πως ὁ καὶ παθῶν καὶ πάσης περιγινόμενος κακίας αὐτοὺς ἰάσεται.","t":"To Olympius the presbyter. Even if rebuking is easy and belongs to anyone, while declaring what one must do about what is fitting belongs to the best of counsellors, still the circle of Zosimus and Maron will bear neither rebuke nor counsel; they have driven into such madness that they revile those who rebuke them and slander those who counsel them. And since some, neither rebuked nor counselled, but lamented over, have come to their senses, they have tested this kind of treatment too; for they laugh at those who do it out of great affection. What then must be done? For I shall ask you in my turn, you who give us trouble and pester us as though we could drive away their madness. Would that I could! I would not have needed an adviser, but would myself have made the correction very quickly. But since the passion is stronger than all treatment and is made worse by medicines, grant them the help that comes from your holy prayers; perhaps he who overcomes passions and all wickedness will heal them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.103 (PG 78 78:1385; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-103)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.104":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟὐκ ἀγνοοῦμεν ὅτι ἡ ἀρχὴ τοῦ πρὸς τὸν σὸν διάδικον πολέμου ἐκ πλεονεξίας λαβοῦσα τὸ σπέρμα, καὶ διὰ πλειόνων ἄλλων χωρήσασα, ἔληξεν εἰς κατηγορίαν· συμβουλεύω δὲ, ὅτι δίκαιος ἂν εἴης ἀρκεσθῆναι τοῖς γεγενημένοις. Πολλὰ γὰρ δράσας, πλείονα πέπονθεν, ἵνα μὴ τὸ δοκοῦν τέλος εἶναι τῆς μάχης, ἀρχὴ γένηται μειζόνων συμφορῶν. Δέξαι οὖν τοὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ παρακαλοῦντας, καὶ κατάθου τὸ πρᾶγμα · ἄμεινον ἡγησάμενος χρηστότητι καθυφεῖναι μᾶλλον ἢ κρίσει δικαστῶν ἡττηθῆναι. ῎Αδηλον γὰρ τὸ πέρας, καὶ πολλοὶ μυρίοις ὠχυρωμένοι δικαίοις, ὡς οὐδὲν ἔχοντες ἰσχυρὸν ἡττήθησαν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ σαφὴς ἦν ἡ νίκη, τὸ χρηστότητι μᾶλλον χρήσασθαι λαμπρότερόν σε ἀποφανεῖ τοῦ νενικηκέναι.","t":"To Heron the presbyter. We are not unaware that the beginning of the war with your opponent at law took its seed from greed and, passing through many other stages, ended in an accusation. But I advise that you would do right to be content with what has happened. For though he did much, he has suffered more; so do not let what seems the end of the battle become the beginning of greater misfortunes. Receive, then, those who plead on his behalf, and lay the matter to rest, thinking it better to yield out of kindness than to be defeated by the judgement of the judges. For the outcome is uncertain, and many fortified by countless just claims have been defeated as if they had nothing strong. And even if victory were clear, showing kindness instead will make you more illustrious than having won.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.104 (PG 78 78:1385; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-104)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.105":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΩ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ.\nἸκανὸν μὲν σύμβολον, καὶ μέγιστον τεκμήριον τῆς ἐμῆς εἰς ὑμᾶς γνώμης αὐτὸ τὸ συμβουλεύειν ἐλέσθαι · ἅπασα γὰρ συμβουλὴ τὸ τῶν ἀκροωμένων ζητεῖ συμφέρον. Οἷς δὲ ἐκπορίζει τις τὰ χρηστὰ, τούτοις οὐκ ἔνι φῆσαι δυσμενῶς ἔχειν τὸν παραινοῦντα · ὡς δ᾽ ἂν μηδὲ σκιὰ, οἶμαι, αἰτιάσεως ὑπῇ τοῖς ἑτοίμως διασύρειν ἐθέλουσι πρὸ τῆς εἰσηγήσεως, μᾶλλον δὲ ἡ εὐχὴ εἰσήγησις ἔστω, εὔξομαι πρὸς τὸ θεῖον, ὥστε νοῦν ὑμῖν βελτίονα ἐνθεῖναι, καὶ πειθήνιον ὑμῶν κατασκευάσαι τὴν καρδίαν πρὸς τὸ τὴν μὲν ἀρετὴν, τὴν ἔμφυτον ἔχουσαν καὶ ἀκαπήλευτον τὸ κάλλος, ἀσπάσασθαι, τὴν δὲ κακίαν ἧς ἐκθύμως περιέχεσθε, τὴν θηριόμορφον, καὶ τὴν ἀναλγησίαν ἐξοστρακίσαι, και εὔεικτον καὶ Σκύλλης ἁπάσης ἀτερπεστέραν, τοῖς δὲ τὸν νοῦν ἀπολωλεκόσιν, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως ἡδεῖαν, διαφυγεῖν. Εἰ δὲ τέλεον ἀπηλγήσατε · ἡ γὰρ παραμονὴ ἡ ἐπὶ τὴν πονηρίαν τοῦτ᾽ ἐγγυᾶται · κἂν διὰ τοὺς σκανδαλιζομένους ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν, παύσασθε μὲν κατὰ τῆς θειοτάτης θρησκείας ἀκονῶντες τὰς γλώττας· ἑαυτῶν δὲ γένεσθε, καὶ τοῦ μὴ διὰ τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀσέβειαν καὶ ἄλλους εἰς τὸν πυθμένα τῆς κακίας παραπέμψαι. – ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ. Μήτε ἀρχὴ, ὦ θαυμάσιε, μήτε ὄγκος ἀξιώματος, μήτε εὐπραγία βιωτικὴ τὴν φιλοσοφίαν τὴν σὴν διασαλεῦσαι ἰσχύσῃ· ἃ μάλιστα τῶν ἀνθρώπων φιλεῖ τὴν γνώμην εἰς ὕψος αἴρειν. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα πάντα σκιὰς ἡγούμενος καὶ ὀνείρατα, ἀρετὴν ἄσκει· αὕτη γάρ ἐστι τῶν κτησαμένων ἀπαλαίωτος ἁλουργίς. & φαῦλα εἴη τὰνταῦθα, τέλος ἔχει, καὶ τοῦτο τάχιστον·","t":"To Martinianus, Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius. The very fact that I choose to counsel you is a sufficient token and the greatest proof of my disposition toward you; for all counsel seeks the advantage of the hearers, and one cannot say that the adviser is hostile to those for whom he procures good things. But so that not even a shadow of blame may lurk, I think, for those ready to disparage, before the proposal (or rather, let the prayer be the proposal), I shall pray to God to put a better mind in you, and to make your heart obedient, so that you may embrace virtue, which has a beauty inborn and unadulterated, and banish the wickedness to which you cling so passionately, which is beastlike, and insensibility, … more disagreeable than any Scylla, yet somehow sweet to those who have lost their mind, and escape it. But if you have become altogether past feeling (for your persistence in wickedness guarantees it), then at least for the sake of those you scandalize, stop sharpening your tongues against the most divine religion; come to yourselves, and stop sending others too to the bottom of wickedness through your impiety. [A further letter] To Herminus the count. Let neither office, admirable man, nor the weight of dignity, nor worldly success be able to shake your philosophy, things which most of all tend to lift people's minds to the heights. But, considering all these things shadows and dreams, practise virtue; for this is the purple robe of those who have acquired it, which never grows old. (… are bad, have an end, and that very quickly.)","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.105 (PG 78 78:1385; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-105)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.106":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤῶν ἀθανάτων φρόντιζε πραγμάτων, τῶν δὲ μετ' ὀλίγον οὐκ ἔτι ὄντων ἀμέλει. Εἴτε γὰρ ἀγαθὰ, εἴτε τὰ δὲ ἐκεῖ πέρας οὐκ οἶδε, τέλος οὐκ ἐπίσταται. Ταῦτα τὰ γράμματα εἰ καὶ ὀλίγα ἐστὶν, ἀλλά γε φίλα, καὶ διαθέσεως βρύοντα.","t":"To the same. Care for the things that are immortal, and neglect those that will soon be no more. For whether the things here are good or …; but the things there know no limit and admit no end. These lines, even if few, are friendly and teeming with affection.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.106 (PG 78 78:1387; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-106)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.107":{"o":"ΑΙΛΙΑΝΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΠάσχομεν πολλὰ πολλάκις οἱ ἄνθρωποι, ἐπειδὴ τῶν μὲν φροντίδος ἀξίων ὀλιγωροῦμεν, τῶν δὲ ὄντως ὀλιγωρίας ἀξίων ἐκθύμως περιεχόμεθα. Σπουδῆς μὲν τὰ παιδιᾶς, παιδιᾶς δὲ τὰ σπουδῆς ἄξια κρίνοντες. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἔργα πάρεργα εἶναι ἡγούμεθα τὰ δὲ πάρεργα ὡς ἀναγκαῖα καὶ προηγούμενα ἀνύομεν. ᾿Αλλ᾿ ἡ φιλαυτία μὴ κρίνουσα ὀρθῶς, λύπην τίκτει ἐκείνοις οἷς ἥκιστα χρή. Οὐ γὰρ δικαίως πάσχοντας, ἀλλ᾽ ἀδίκως πάσχοντας λυπεῖσθαι χρή.","t":"To Aelianus the scholasticus. We human beings often suffer many things because we neglect what deserves our care and cling passionately to what truly deserves neglect, judging things of play worthy of seriousness and things of seriousness worthy of play. For we consider our real tasks to be side-tasks, and we carry out side-tasks as necessary and primary. [Letter 5.108] But self-love, not judging rightly, produces grief in those in whom it ought least to. For one ought to grieve not when suffering justly, but when suffering unjustly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.107 (PG 78 78:1387; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-107)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.109":{"o":"ΦΙΛΗΤΡΙΩ.\nΟἱ κατ᾿ ἀρετὴν κράτιστοι ὄντες, καὶ δι᾽ εὐσέβειαν ὑπερφέροντες καὶ ἔγκριτοι, καὶ τοσοῦτον τοὺς ἄλλους ὑπερβαίνοντες, ὅσον ὁ ἑωσφόρος τοὺς ἄλλους ἀστέρας, οὗτοι φωστῆρες ἂν εἰκότως χρηματίζοιεν, μὴ μόνον ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τοσαύτην ἀναγαγόντες ἀξίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς τυφλώττοντας φωτίζοντες, καὶ εἰς τὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς χειραγωγοῦντες περιωπήν. Τούτους τοίνυν ζήλου, καὶ μὴ τοὺς πάντα ποιοῦντας, ὅπως καὶ τοὺς ὁρῶντας σκοτίσοιεν.","t":"To Philetrius. Those who are most excellent in virtue, outstanding and distinguished for piety, and surpassing others as much as the morning star surpasses the other stars, would rightly be called lights, since they have not only raised themselves to such dignity, but also give light to the blind and lead them by the hand to the height of virtue. Emulate these, then, and not those who do everything to darken even those who see.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.109 (PG 78 78:1389; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-109)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.110":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nΣοφοὺς ἔγωγε ὁρίζομαι (οὐ γὰρ νομοθετῶ, ἀλλὰ γνώμην ἀποφαίνομαι) τοὺς τῶν νοερῶν ἀρεταῖς κεκοσμημένους, οἷοι ἦσαν οἱ λόγον ἔχοντες καὶ σοφίαν γνώσεως· ἀγαθοὺς δὲ, τοὺς ταῖς παρά τινων καλουμέναις ἀλόγοις. Οἷοι ἦσαν οἱ σοφὸν μὲν εἰπεῖν οὐδὲν δυνάμενοι, διὰ δὲ τῆς ἀρίστης πολιτείας τοὺς θεωμένους παιδεύοντες· ὧν ἡ σιγὴ τοῦ λόγου τοῦ ἐρήμου πράξεων χρησιμωτέρα. Εἰ δέ τις καὶ τὰς νοερὰς, καὶ ἄς φασιν ἀλόγους ἔχοι, τοῦτον καὶ ἀγαθὸν καὶ σοφὸν ὁρισαίμην. Συγγνώμης Ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας, πόθεν τὸ τῆς συγγνώμης ὄνομα ἐπὶ τῆς ἀφέσεως καὶ συγχωρήσεως παραλαμβάνεται· ἡγοῦμαι, ὅτι ἐπειδὴ ὁ γνοὺς ἑαυτὸν, τουτέστιν, ὁ μήτε ἐπὶ τοῖς πταίσμασιν ἀγνοῶν, ὅτι ἔπταισεν, ἀλλὰ φυλάττων τὸ σοφὸν ἀπόφθεγμα τὸ, « Γνῶθε σαυτόν· · μήτε ἐν τοῖς κατορθώμασιν, εἰ καί ποτε ὀλίγον ἀπονυστάξας εἰς ἀλαζονείαν ἤρθη μέγα φρονῶν· ἀλλὰ τὴν οἰκείαν φύσιν καὶ ἀσθένειαν καταμανθάνων, καὶ μὴ πέρα τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως φανταζόμενος γνωσιμαχεῖ. Ὁ συγγνούς, τουτέστιν, ὁ συννοήσας, ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ἔργῳ παλινῳδίαν ἄδει, συγχωρεῖ τῷ γνόντι ἑαυτόν· ὁ δὲ μὴ συγγνοὺς οὐ συγχωρεῖ. Διὸ καὶ ὁ μὲν, μέμψεως ἄξιος, μὴ γνοὺς ἑαυτόν· ὁ δὲ μὴ συγγνοὺς τῷ γνόντι ἑαυτόν. Πολλά ἐστι καὶ διάφορα, ὦ προσφιλέστατε, λυμαινόμενα τῇ τῶν χρημάτων κτήσει· οὐ μόνον γὰρ σῆτες, καὶ χρόνος μακρὸς, ἀλλὰ καὶ συκοφαντίαι, καὶ λῃσταὶ, καὶ οἰκέται, καὶ τὸ τοῦ μέλλοντος ἄδηλον, καὶ τέλος ὁ θάνατος ( ὃν οὐκ ἔστι διαφυγεῖν, εἰ καὶ τὰ ἄλλα διαφεύγοιμεν) καὶ τῶν κτημάτων καὶ τῶν χρημάτων ἀποστερήσειν ἂν τὸν δοκοῦντα κεκτῆσθαι· ἐν ὀνόμασι γὰρ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐν πράγμασιν ἔχειν τὰ ἀγαθά. Ὁ δὲ δι' ἐλεημοσυνῶν καὶ εὐεργεσιῶν ἐνθάδε τὸν πλοῦτον ἀποθέμενος, καὶ φρονίμου καὶ βεβαίου ψήφῳ στεφανωθείη, τόπον εὑρὼν ἄσυλον, καὶ ᾧ μηδὲν τῶν ῥηθέντων ἐπιβῆναι θέμις. Τοιοῦτος γὰρ χῶρός ἐστιν ὁ οὐρανὸς, πάσῃ μὲν ἄβατος ὢν κακουργία, πάσης δὲ εὐφορώτερος γῆς· καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς δαψιλείας τῶν ἐν αὐτῷ καταβληθέντων σπερμάτων διδοὺς τοῖς παρακαταθεμένοις διὰ παντὸς τρυγᾷν τοὺς καρπούς.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. I define as wise (for I am not legislating but stating an opinion) those adorned with the intellectual virtues, such as were those who had the word and wisdom of knowledge; and as good those adorned with what some call the non-rational virtues, such as were those who could say nothing wise but educated those who saw them by their excellent way of life, whose silence was more useful than speech empty of deeds. And if someone has both the intellectual virtues and those they call non-rational, him I would define as both good and wise. [Letter 5.111] On \"pardon\" (syngnōmē). Since you have written asking why the word syngnōmē is used for remission and forgiveness, I think it is because the man who has come to know himself (that is, who neither in his failings is unaware that he has failed, keeping the wise saying \"Know yourself,\" nor in his successes, if he has ever dozed a little and been lifted up to boasting, thinks highly of himself, but learns his own nature and weakness and does not imagine himself beyond human nature) acknowledges his fault. The one who \"knows with\" him (syngnous), that is, who perceives together with him that he is singing a recantation in deed, forgives the one who has come to know himself; but the one who does not \"know with\" him does not forgive. So the one deserves blame for not knowing himself, and the other for not \"knowing with\" the one who knows himself. [Letter 5.112] Many and various things, dearest friend, ruin the possession of money. Not only moths and long time, but also false accusations, robbers, servants, the uncertainty of the future, and finally death (which cannot be escaped, even if we escape the rest) would deprive the one who seems to possess them of both property and money; for he has his goods in names, not in reality. But the one who has stored his wealth by almsgiving and acts of kindness here would be crowned by the vote of a prudent and steadfast man, having found a place safe from plunder, on which none of the things mentioned may set foot. For such a place is heaven: inaccessible to every evildoing and more fruitful than any land, and with great abundance of the seeds sown in it, it gives those who have deposited them a harvest of fruits for ever.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.110 (PG 78 78:1389; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-110)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.113":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\n῞Α καὶ ἄκων πολλάκις ἐχθροῖς καταλείψεις, ἑκὼν δός· καὶ τὴν ἀνάγκην ποίησον φιλοτιμίαν, ἵνα μὴ ἀμεταμέλητα θρηνήσειας· ἀλλὰ προπέμψας αὐτὰ εἰς τὸν ἀγήρω αἰῶνα, ἕξεις χρησιμεύοντα.","t":"To Maron. What you will often leave to your enemies even against your will, give willingly; turn necessity into generosity, so that you may not lament with unavailing regret; but by sending it ahead into the ageless world, you will have it serving you.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.113 (PG 78 78:1391; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-113)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.114":{"o":"ΘΕΟΦΙΛΩ.\nΠρὸ βραχέος, ὄρθρου ἔτι ὄντος (ἐκιρνᾶτο γὰρ νύξ τε καὶ ἡὼς) ἐντυχών μοί τις τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἀπήγγελλεν, ὡς πυθόμενοί τινες ἐλλόγιμοι στειλάμενόν σε ἀποδημίαν μακρὰν, οὐχ ὑπὲρ ἀρετῆς, οὐδὲ ὥστε σαυτὸν ἢ ἄλλον τινὰ εἰς φιλοσοφίαν ἐναγαγεῖν (ἡ γὰρ ἂν καὶ ἀπεδέξαντο), ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ τοῦ χρηματίσασθαι, κομιδῇ σου κατεφρόνησαν, εἰ προῃρημένος τὸν τῆς νεότητος χρόνον τὰς ἡσυχίας ἄγειν, νῦν ἐπὶ γήρως ἀποδημεῖν ἐπεχείρησας· ὅτε εἰκὸς ἦν σοι, εἰ καὶ πρότερον ἄλλοθί που διέτριβες, οἴκαδε ἐπανήκειν, οὕτως ὑπογυίου σου τῆς τελευτῆς οὔσης. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ νέους ἐλπὶς εἰς γῆρας ἤξειν βαθύ· οἱ δὲ γεγηρακότες οὐδὲν ἕτερον, ἢ τὸν θάνατον ὀνειροπολεῖν δίκαιοι ἂν εἶεν. Ἐγὼ δὲ τὴν αἰτίαν ἀκριβῶς μὴ ἐπιστάμενος, δι᾽ ἣν ἐντεῦθεν ἀπῆρας, οὔτε ἀπελογησάμην, οὔτε κατεψηφισάμην, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπηγγειλάμην γράφειν. Αὐτὸς τοίνυν τὸ δέον πρᾶξαι προθυμήθητι. Ποῖος ἄρα δοκεῖ τῇ σῇ παιδεύσει εὐκλείας καὶ δόξης ἀγαθῆς δίκαιος εἶναι τυχεῖν, ὁ μηδὲν μὲν προθυμηθεὶς γενναῖον διαπράξασθαι, ἐν εὐημερίᾳ δὲ τυγχάνων καὶ πλούτῳ, καὶ τοῖς δοκοῦσι λαμπροῖς ἀξιώμασιν; Η ὁ μηδὲν μὲν, ὧν οἷός τε ἦν ἐλλιπών, ἀλλὰ πάντα πράξας, ὅσα αὐτόν τε ἀναῤῥήσεως ἄξιον εἶναι ποιεῖ, καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους εἰς ἀρετὴν διεγείρει, δυσπραγῶν δὲ καὶ πενίᾳ συζῶν; Ἐμοὶ μὲν οὗτος δοκεῖ· εἰ δὲ καὶ σοὶ, μὴ τἀναντία φαίνου ψηφιζόμενος.","t":"To Theophilus. A little while ago, while it was still early dawn (for night and daybreak were mingling), one of my close friends met me and reported that some learned men, having learned that you had set out on a long journey, not for virtue's sake, nor to lead yourself or anyone else into philosophy (for then they would have approved), but to make money, utterly despised you, since you had chosen to live in quiet in the time of your youth and now in old age had undertaken to travel; when it would have been fitting for you, even if you had formerly lived somewhere else, to return home, your death being so near. For the young have the hope of reaching a ripe old age; but the old would rightly dream of nothing else than death. Not knowing exactly the reason why you departed from here, I neither defended nor condemned you, but promised to write. Be eager, then, to do what is needful yourself. [Letter 5.115] Which man does your learning judge worthy to obtain renown and good fame: the one who was eager to accomplish nothing noble, but lives in prosperity, wealth and dignities that seem brilliant; or the one who left undone nothing of which he was capable, but did everything that makes him worthy of public praise and stirs others to virtue, but lives in misfortune and poverty? To me it is the latter; and if to you too, do not be seen to vote the opposite.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.114 (PG 78 78:1391; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-114)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.116":{"o":"ΚΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἘπειδὴ γέγραφας θαυμάζειν, ὅπως τὸ ἱερᾶσθαι Σώσιμον δεινὸν ὂν, οὐ δεινὸν εἶναι δοκεῖ τῷ παρανόμως χειροτονήσαντι · ἀντεπιστέλλω, ὅτι σὺ μὲν ἀπὸ μισοπονήρου τρόπου εἰκότως ἀγανακτεῖς· οὐδεὶς γὰρ πρὸς τοῦτο ἀντείποι· ἐκεῖνο δέ σοι παραινέσαιμι, καθαρὰν κακηγορίας τὴν γλῶτταν διαφυλάξαι. Εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος μυρίων ἄξιος, ὡς γέγραφας, σκηπτῶν, μηδὲ τῇ τιμῇ βελτιωθεὶς, ἀλλ᾽ ὅπλῳ κακίας τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ χρησάμενος, καὶ τολμῶν ἀτόλμητα· ἀλλὰ σὺ γε τὸ σαυτοῦ στόμα μιαίνειν οὐκ ὀφείλεις, τὰς μιαρὰς ἐκείνου πράξεις ἐκτραγῳδῶν καὶ τὴν τῶν τρόπων σκαιότητα διηγούμενος. Εἰ πᾶς λογισμὸς καὶ πᾶσα ἐνθύμησις, ὡς φὴς, παρὰ τῆς εἰμαρμένης τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐπιφοιτᾷ, ἀτοπώτατόν τι πάσχουσα φωραθήσεται. Εἰ τοῖς μὲν καταπέμπει ἐνθυμήματα, ὥστε ὑπεραπολογεῖσθαι αὐτῆς, τοῖς δὲ τέχνην καὶ ἐπιστημονικούς λόγους ὀρέγει, δι᾽ ὧν ταύτην ἀνατρέψουσιν. Εἰ τοίνυν αὐτὴ ἑαυτὴν ἀνατρέπει, δι' ὧν χορηγεῖ τοῖς ἀνατρέπουσιν αὐτὴν ἐνθυμημάτων, πῶς συστῆναι αὐτὴν οἷόν τε.","t":"To Casius the presbyter. Since you have written that you wonder how Zosimus's being a priest, terrible as it is, does not seem terrible to the man who ordained him unlawfully, I reply that you are rightly indignant from your hatred of evil; no one would contradict that. But I would advise you to keep your tongue clean of abuse. For even if he deserves, as you have written, countless thunderbolts, since he has not been improved even by the honour but has used the priesthood as a weapon of wickedness and dares what should not be dared, still you ought not to defile your own mouth by declaiming his foul deeds and recounting the perversity of his ways. [Letter 5.117] If every thought and every reflection comes to human beings from fate, as you say, fate will be caught suffering something most absurd: if it sends down to some arguments to defend it, and to others supplies skill and scientific arguments by which they will overthrow it. If, then, it overthrows itself by the arguments it supplies to those who overthrow it, how can it stand?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.116 (PG 78 78:1391; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-116)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.118":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤοῦτο τὸ νῦν τολμηθὲν παρὰ σοῦ τῶν δεινῶν ἐκείνων ἐστὶ δεινότερον· ἡμιλλήθης πρὸς σαυτὸν, καὶ νενίκηκας · τὰ πρωτεῖα τοίνυν ἐν τῷ τῆς ἀσεβείας καὶ ἀσελγείας ἀγῶνι κατὰ πάντων φέρῃ, ὑπερηκόντισας, πάντας ὑπερβέβηκας· διὸ καὶ δακρύων ἡμῖν ὑπόθεσις γέγονας ἀεννάων. Εἰ τοίνυν βούλει ἡμῶν τὴν λύπην τὴν ἐπὶ σοὶ ἰάσασθαι, πάντα ποίει, ὅπως ἀποτρίψαιο τὴν κακοδοξίαν","t":"To Eustathius the deacon. What you have now dared is more terrible than those terrible deeds of yours. You have competed with yourself and won; so you carry off the first prize over all in the contest of impiety and licentiousness; you have overshot and surpassed everyone. That is why you have become for us an occasion of ever-flowing tears. If, then, you wish to heal the grief we feel over you, do everything to rub off your bad reputation …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.118 (PG 78 78:1393; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-118)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.119":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΕἰ ὀξυτάτην ἔχεις τὴν γλῶτταν, μάλιστα μὲν αὐτὴν ἐπιστόμιζε, καὶ χαλινῷ ἀνασείραζε· εἰ δὲ ἀδυνατεῖς, χρῆσαι αὐτῇ εἰς δέον ὑπὲρ τῆς θείας καὶ ἀκηράτου δόξης, ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν ἀδικουμένων βοηθείας, ὑπὲρ τῆς τῶν καλλίστων συνηγορίας, κατὰ τῆς τῶν ἀδικούντων πλεονεξίας κατὰ τῆς τῶν δαίμοσι πονηροῖς τὴν τοῦ παντὸς Πρόνοιαν ἐπιτρεπόντων ἀμαθίας, κατὰ τῆς τῶν αἱρετικῶν φρενοβλαβείας, κατὰ τῆς Ἑλλήνων δεισιδαιμονίας, κατὰ τῆς Ἰουδαίων ἀπαιδευσίας, κατὰ τῆς τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων κατηγορίας. Εἰ δὲ τούτων ἀφέμενος, τῇ ὀξύτητι κατὰ τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων χρῷο, ἀτοπώτατόν τι ποιήσεις. Ταυτὸν γάρ τι πράξεις, οἷον ἂν εἰ μάχαιραν ἔχων ὀξεῖαν, κατὰ τῶν ἐπιτηδείων ἐπέφερες, ἢ ῥώμην, κατὰ τῶν πολιτῶν· δέον τῇ μὲν κατὰ τῶν πολεμίων, τῇ δὲ κατὰ τῶν ἀντιπάλων χρῆσθαι. Μὴ τοίνυν τὸ φάρμακον δηλητήριον κατασκεύαζε, ἀλλὰ δεόντως αὐτῷ κέχρησο. Ὅτι μὲν οἱ ἀναβαλλόμενοι πρᾶξαι τα δέοντα, ἰδεῖν ἐγγύθεν βούλονται τὰ δεινά. (Οἱ γὰρ διὰ ῥαθυμίαν εἰς τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐξυβρίζοντες, τὰς τιμωρίας ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς ἕλκουσι, διψώσας μετελθεῖν τοὺς ἀλόντας,) οἶμαι πάντας εἰδέναι· ὅτι δὲ εἰς κολάσεις περιστήσονται τὰ πλημμελήματα, ἂν μὴ μετανοίᾳ θεραπευθῶσι, καὶ ὁ κατακλυσμὸς, καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ Συδομιτῶν συμβάντα διαῤῥήδην βοᾷ. Ἐφ᾽ ὧν, εἰ καὶ μέλλησίς τις γέγονεν, ἀλλ' οὐκ εἰς τέλος ἀκίνητος ἔμεινεν, ἢ μόλις μὲν, πάντως δὲ κινουμένη δίκη. Οὐχ ὅταν πολὺς ὁ λόγος ῥέῃ, καὶ ἔξω τῶν καιρῶν φέρηται, θαυμαστός ἐστιν· ἀλλ᾽ ὅταν βραχὺς μὲν ᾗ τῷ μήκει, πολὺς δὲ τοῖς ἐνθυμήμασι, καὶ ἐν τῷ συντόμῳ τὸ ἀπαράλειπτον ἔχων, ὑπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ μάλιστα ψυχωθεὶς, ζωτικώτερος φαίνηται.","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. If you have a very sharp tongue, it is best to curb it and rein it in with a bridle; but if you cannot, use it as it should be used: for the divine and pure glory, for the help of the wronged, for the defence of the noblest things, against the greed of wrongdoers, against the ignorance of those who entrust the Providence of the universe to evil demons, against the madness of heretics, against the superstition of the Greeks, against the want of instruction of the Jews, in accusation of sinners. But if, leaving these aside, you use your sharpness against those you meet, you will do something most absurd. For you will act as if, having a sharp sword, you turned it on your friends, or strength, on your fellow citizens, when one should use the one against enemies and the other against opponents. So do not make the medicine a poison, but use it as you should. [Letter 5.120] That those who put off doing what they should want to see terrible things close at hand (for those who out of indolence outrage virtue draw upon themselves punishments that thirst to pursue those caught), I think everyone knows. But that offences will turn into punishments unless they are healed by repentance, both the flood and what happened to the Sodomites cry out clearly. In their case, even if there was some delay, justice did not remain unmoved to the end, but was moved, slowly perhaps, but surely. [Letter 5.121] Speech is not admirable when it flows abundantly and runs beyond what the occasion requires, but when it is brief in length but rich in arguments, leaves nothing out in its brevity, and, given life above all by the occasion, appears more alive.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.119 (PG 78 78:1393; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-119)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.12":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠολλοὶ μὲν (τὸ γὰρ πάντας εἰπεῖν τραχὺν ἴσως κατασκευάσει τὸν λόγον ) δεινῶς πάνυ καὶ πικρῶς σε κωμῳδοῦσιν· οὓς εὔχομαι μὴ ἀληθεύειν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ὁμογνήσιός σου ἀδελφὸς θρηνῶν σε καὶ ὁλοφυρόμενος τὰ αὐτὰ, ἵνα μὴ λέγω φορτικώτερα. ᾿Απήγγειλεν ἡμῖν, ἀντιβολῶν ἀνιμήσασθαί σε, εἰ οἷόν τε, ἀπὸ τοῦ βυθοῦ τῆς λαγνείας, ᾧ ἐπὶ τῷ κακῷ τῆς αὐτοῦ κεφαλῆς συγγεγήρακας, πολλὰ χαίρειν φράσας τῷ παραινέσαντι τοῖς κεκρατημένοις μὴ ἐγχειρεῖν. Γέγραφα ὅπως σαυτοῦ γενόμενος καὶ τὴν τῆς ἀσελγείας αἰσχύνην ἐννοήσας, τό τε γῆρας εἰς ὃ ἕρπεις, τήν τε θείαν ἱερωσύνην, εἰς ἣν οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως ἐπεκώμασας τὰ τε παρόντα ὀνείδη καὶ τὰ σκάνδαλα, τὴν τε μέλλουσαν κόλασιν· πᾶσι τοῖς κακοῖς ἐγκαλινδούμενος ἐπὶ γήραος οὐδῷ νεωτερίζων. Πῶς γὰρ τοῖς νέοις σωφρονεῖν παραινέσεις, σαυτῷ μηδὲ ἐπὶ γήραος παραινῶν; Πῶς δὲ οὐ φρίττεις τοιαῦτα δρῶν, καὶ τῳ θυσιαστηρίῳ πλησιάζων; Πῶς δὲ τολμᾶς τῶν ἀχράντων ἅψασθαι μυστηρίων; Παραινῶ τοίνυν, (εἰ γὰρ καὶ λυπεῖ, τὸ ἀληθὲς μετὰ παῤῥησίας λελέξεται,) ἢ παῦσαι τοιαῦτα δρῶν, ἢ τοῦ σεπτοῦ θυσιαστηρίου σαυτὸν χώρισον· μή ποτε πῦρ οὐρανόθεν ἐπὶ τὴν σαυτοῦ καλέσῃς κεφαλὴν, παρέχουσαν τοῖς ῥᾳθύμοις ἀφορμὰς ὧν ἐπιθυμοῦσι λόγων. ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Πυνθάνομαι ὅτι σοφός τις ἀνὴρ, καὶ χρημάτων κρείττων, καὶ ἀρετῇ συναγωνιστὴς ἐντυχών σοι· καὶ πάντα νικήσας ὅσα ἐχρῆν πρὸς ἐπανόρθωσιν, ἀπεπέμφθη ἄπρακτος μηδὲν ὠφελῆσαι σε δυνηθείς. Κρείττονος τοῦ σοῦ νοσήματος τῆς παρ᾿ αὐτῷ ἰατρικῆς τέχνης εὑρεθέντος. Δέον γάρ σε γοητευθέντα μὲν τῷ κάλλει τῶν νοημάτων, ἀγασθέντα δὲ τὴν σύνεσιν, αἰδεσθέντα δὲ τὸ φρόνημα παύσασθαι τῆς κακίας, οὐ μόνον ἄπρακτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ μεθ' ὕβρεως τοῦτον ἀπεπέμψω. Τί οὖν ποιητέον; Εἰ γὰρ ἕκαστος οὐδὲν ὠφελεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ παραίνεσις καταπεφρόνηται · καὶ ὁ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γέλως πεπάτηται· καὶ τὸ σκανδαλίζεσθαι παρὰ σοὶ πολλοὺς οὐδὲν κέκριται· καὶ ὁ θεῖος φόβος ἄβατός ἐστι παρὰ σοί· καὶ ἡ τῆς κρίσεως ἀπειλὴ γελᾶται, ἐλάθομεν λιθίνῃ καρδίᾳ διαλεγόμενοι.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Many (for to say all would perhaps make my words harsh) ridicule you very fiercely and bitterly; I pray that they are not telling the truth. But since your own full brother too, lamenting and bewailing you, reported the same things to us, not to say heavier ones, begging me to draw you up, if possible, from the depth of lechery in which you have grown old to the harm of your own head (and so I have bidden a long farewell to the one who advised not to take in hand those who are mastered by it), I have written so that you may come to yourself and consider the shame of licentiousness, the old age toward which you are creeping, the divine priesthood into which, I know not how, you burst like a reveller, the present reproaches and scandals, and the punishment to come, you who wallow in all evils and behave like a youth on the threshold of old age. For how will you urge the young to self-control, when you do not urge it on yourself even in old age? How do you not shudder, doing such things and approaching the altar? How do you dare to touch the undefiled mysteries? I advise you, then (for even if it grieves you, the truth will be spoken with frankness): either stop doing such things, or separate yourself from the venerable altar, lest you call down fire from heaven on your own head, which gives the careless pretexts for the talk they long for. [Letter 5.13] To the same. I learn that a wise man, superior to money and a fellow-contender for virtue, met with you, and having exhausted everything needed for your correction, was sent away without result, unable to benefit you at all, your disease having proved stronger than his art of healing. For when you ought to have been charmed by the beauty of his thoughts, admired his understanding, respected his good sense and stopped your wickedness, you sent him away not only without result but even with insult. What then must be done? If each of us does no good, but exhortation too is despised, and people's laughter is trampled underfoot, and that many are scandalized is reckoned as nothing by you, and the fear of God has no access to you, and the threat of judgment is laughed at, we have unwittingly been talking to a heart of stone.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.12 (PG 78 78:1331; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-12)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.122":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΩ.\nἘπειδὴ οὐ τῷ μόνον διαπράξασθαι ταῦτα, ἃ μηδεὶς πώποτε ἄλλος τῶν ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσχίστοις βεβοημένων, αἰσχύνην ὠφλήκατε, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ ἐναβρύνεσθαι ἐφ' οἷς ἐγκαλύπτεσθαι δίκαιον, πᾶσαν ὑπερηκοντίσατε μανίαν· δίκαιον ψήθην τοῦτο χαράξαι πρὸς ὑμᾶς τὸ γράμμα. Τοσούτῳ γὰρ ἐκείνων ἐστὲ, ὡς φασι, χείρους, ὅσον ἐκεῖνοι ἔπραττον μὲν, ἔκρυπτον δὲ · ὑμεῖς δὲ καὶ ἐγκαλλωπίζεσθε. Τὸν δὲ κολοφῶνα τῶν κακῶν ἐκείνων εἶναι φασιν, ὅτι καὶ μαίνεσθαι ὑμῖν δοκοῦσιν οἱ κοσμίως ζῶντες, καὶ παραπαίειν οἱ παραινοῦτες. Ποία οὖν ὑμῖν λελείψεται ἀπολογία; τίς ἔλεος, ποία συγγνώμη; Οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν.","t":"To Martinianus, Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius. Since you have incurred shame not only by doing what no one else among those notorious for the most shameful deeds ever did, but have also outrun every madness by priding yourselves on what you should rightly hide your faces for, I thought it right to engrave this letter to you. For you are as much worse than they, as people say, as they did these things but hid them, while you even glory in them. And the crowning evil of all, they say, is that those who live decently seem to you to be mad, and those who give advice to be out of their minds. What defence, then, will be left to you? What mercy, what pardon? I cannot say.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.122 (PG 78 78:1395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-122)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.123":{"o":"ΘΩΜΑ.\nΜόνης τῆς κτήσεως ἐκείνων ἐχώμεθα, ὧν μετὰ τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν τοῦδε τοῦ βίου δεηθησόμεθα· τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν καταφρονήσωμεν.","t":"To Thomas. Let us hold to the possession only of those things we shall need after our release from this life, and despise the rest.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.123 (PG 78 78:1395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-123)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.124":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nΤὸν διαβάλλοντα σχεδὸν πᾶσι πάντας, ἐμβριθεστέρᾳ ἀπειλῇ σωφρόνισον· ἵνα μὴ τιμωρίας ὕστερον δεηθείη.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. Bring to his senses with a weightier threat the man who slanders almost everyone to everyone, so that he may not need punishment later.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.124 (PG 78 78:1395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-124)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.125":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἩνίκα γράμματα δεχοίμην τῆς σῆς λογιότητος, καὶ παιδεύσεως πληροῦμαι, καὶ σφόδρα γέγηθα. Ἔστι γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ διαθέσεως, καὶ λόγων ἐπίδειξις. Εἰ δὲ πρὸς βραχὺ ὑπέρθοιο τὸ γράφειν, λίαν ἀθυμῶ, καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν ἀμβλύνομαι, οὔτε τῆς εὐφροσύνης μοι προσγινομένης, οὔτε τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν λόγων ὠφελείας. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀδίκει τὸν τῆς φιλίας θεσμὸν ἀλλὰ συχνῶς γράφε. Οὕτω γὰρ ἔσῃ μοι πλέον κεχαρισμένος. Ἐγὼ, ὅτι μὲν πρώην ἡ τοῦ Χριστοῦ Ἐκκλησία καὶ τοὺς διδασκάλους εἶχε λαμπροὺς, καὶ τοὺς φοιτητὰς εὐδοκίμους, μάλα ἀκριβῶς οἶδα · καὶ ἐπ᾿ ἐμοῦ γὰρ, οὐχὶ πάλαι μόνον, γέγονε ταῦτα ἀμφότερα· ὅτι δὲ καὶ νῦν τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστιν ἀδύνατον γενέσθαι, ὡς φῆς, ἀλλὰ δυνατὸν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀμφίβολον. Ἐὰν γὰρ παρὰ τῶν ὑφηγητῶν βεβαίως ὑπάρξῃ, καὶ παυσάμενοι τῆς τυραννίδος πατρικὴν κηδεμονίαν ἐπιδείξωνται, τότε καὶ περὶ τοῦ τίνα τρόπον σωθήσονται οἱ ὑπήκοοι, ἐξέσται σκοπεῖν· πρὶν δὲ τὴν κρηπίδα ὀρθῶς ὑποθέσθαι, λίαν περιττὸν ἡγοῦμαι, τὸν περὶ τῆς κορωνίδος ποιεῖσθαι λόγον. Οὐ γὰρ ἐθελήσωσιν ἐκεῖνοι, κἂν μυριάκις ἀκούσωσι, πείθεσθαι, ἂν μὴ διὰ πραγμάτων μάθοιεν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν παρὼν καιρὸς καὶ βουλῆς καὶ προνοίας δεῖται πολλῆς· ἐγὼ δὲ οὐχ ὅ τι χρὴ παραινέσαι, δυσκολώτατον ἡγοῦμαι. Αλλ' ἐκεῖνο ἀπορῶ, τίνα χρὴ τρόπον πρὸς αὐτοὺς εἰπεῖν. Πείθομαι γὰρ ἀκριβῶς, ἐξ ὧν καὶ παρὼν καὶ πυνθανόμενος σύνοιδα, τὰ πλείω τῶν θείων θεσπισμάτων αὐτοὺς ἐκφυγεῖν, τῷ μὴ θέλειν τὰ δέοντα πράττειν, οὕτω μὴ συνιέναι. Παραινῶ τοίνυν αὐτοῖς, ἐὰν μετὰ παῤῥησίας εἴποιμι, φέρειν τοῦτο, θεωμένους εἰ τὰληθῆ λέξαιμι καὶ διὰ τοῦτο, ἵνα βελτίους γένωνται. Ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ κολακεύειν ἐνίους, εἰς τοιαύτην ταραχὴν ἐνέπεσε τὰ τῶν Χριστιανῶν πράγματα. Τί οὖν χρὴ ποιεῖν; Συντόμως ἐρῶ, καὶ οὐκ ἀποκρύψομαι. Εἰ μὲν μύθους ἡγοῦνται τὰς θείας Γραφὰς, σιγὴν ἀσκείτωσαν· εἰ δὲ ὄντως οὐρανίους θεσμούς, πραττέτωσαν πρῶτον, εἶτα δημηγορείτωσαν· μὴ τοιούτων γὰρ αὐτῶν ὄντων, ὁ θεῖος νόμος ἀποκλείει τὸ στόμα. Ἐπειδὴ οὐδὲν μεγαλοφυὲς, οὐδὲ ὑπερφυὲς ἔχει ἡμῶν ἡ φύσις, ἐπὶ τὸ μέτριον αὐτὴν καὶ ἐπιεικὲς, ἅτε δὴ οἰκεῖον καὶ συγγενὲς, συνελάσωμεν, πᾶσαν ἀλαζονείαν ἐξορίζοντες. Σαρκικοὺς καλεῖ ἡ Γραφὴ τοὺς εἰς τὰ τῆς σαρκὸς κατολισθήσαντας, ψυχικοὺς δὲ τοὺς πέρα τῆς ἀκολουθίας τῶν λογισμῶν μηδὲν καταδεχομένους· πνευματικοὺς δὲ τοὺς θείῳ καὶ πνευματικῷ χαρίσματι κεκοσμημένους, τήν τε τῶν λογισμῶν ἀκολουθίαν ἀναβεβηκότας, καὶ τὰ ὑπὲρ φύσιν φωτιζομένους. Οἷον τὸ, τοὺς τρεῖς μειρακίσκους ἐμβληθέντας ἐν τῇ Βαβυλωνίᾳ καμίνῳ μὴ κατακαῆναι, οὐκ ἂν ἔχοι φύσιν, εἰ τὸ εἰκός τις ἐξετάζοι, καὶ τὴν τῶν λογισμῶν ἀσθένειαν θηρῷτο. Εἰ δὲ τὴν θείαν δύναμιν ἐννοήσει, τὴν καὶ φύσεως περιγιγνομένην, καὶ λογισμῶν ἀκολουθίαν ὑπερβαίνουσαν, καὶ πάσης κρείττονα μηχανῆς, καταδέχεται τὰ λεγόμενα.","t":"To the same. Whenever I receive letters from your eloquence, I am filled with learning and greatly delighted; for there is in them a display both of affection and of eloquence. But if you put off writing even for a short time, I become very despondent and my tongue grows dull, since neither gladness nor the benefit of your words comes to me. So do not wrong the law of friendship, but write often; so you will please me more. [Letter 5.126] I know very precisely that formerly the church of Christ had both brilliant teachers and esteemed pupils; for this happened in my own time too, not only long ago. And that this is not impossible now, as you say, but possible, is beyond doubt. For if it is firmly present on the part of the leaders, and they stop their tyranny and show a fatherly care, then it will be possible to consider how those under them will be saved. But before laying the foundation rightly, I think it quite superfluous to speak of the finishing touch. For they will not be willing to obey, even if they hear it ten thousand times, unless they learn it from deeds. The present time needs much counsel and forethought; and I do not think it very difficult to know what one should advise. But I am at a loss how one should speak to them. For I am precisely persuaded, from what I know both when present and by inquiry, that most of the divine oracles have escaped them because they do not wish to do what they should, and so do not understand. I urge them, then, if I should speak with frankness, to bear it, considering whether I speak the truth, and for this reason, that they may become better. For it is through flattering some that the affairs of Christians have fallen into such turmoil. What, then, must be done? I shall say it briefly and not hide it. If they think the divine Scriptures myths, let them practise silence; but if they think them truly heavenly laws, let them first act, then preach. For while they are not such, the divine law shuts their mouth. [Letter 5.127] Since our nature has nothing grand or extraordinary, let us drive it together to what is moderate and gentle, as being its own and akin to it, banishing all boastfulness. [Letter 5.128] Scripture calls \"fleshly\" those who have slipped down into the things of the flesh; \"natural\" those who accept nothing beyond the sequence of reasonings; and \"spiritual\" those adorned with a divine and spiritual gift, who have risen above the sequence of reasonings and are enlightened about things beyond nature. For instance, that the three youths thrown into the Babylonian furnace were not burned would have no basis in nature, if one examined what is likely and hunted for it with weak reasonings. But if one considers the divine power, which overcomes nature, surpasses the sequence of reasonings and is stronger than every device, one accepts what is said.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.125 (PG 78 78:1395; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-125)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.129":{"o":"ΘΕΟΠΟΜΠΩ.\nΤὸ μὲν ἐφ᾽ οἷς οὐ προσῆκεν, τοῖς μὴ λίαν ἀναλγήτως διακειμένοις, ἁλῶναι ἀλγεινόν· τὸ δὲ κριθῆναι, τοῖς σεμνοτέροις. Τὸ δὲ ὑποπτευθῆναι, τοῖς εἰς ἄκρον ἀναβεβηκόσιν ἀρετῆς μεγίστην ἔχει συμφοράν,","t":"To Theopompus. To be convicted of things that are unfitting is painful to those who are not utterly insensitive; to be put on trial, to the more dignified; but to be suspected brings the greatest misfortune to those who have reached the summit of virtue, …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.129 (PG 78 78:1399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-129)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.130":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΚαὶ ἠπείλει πάλαι τοῖς Ἑβραίοις ὁ Θεὸς, καὶ τὰ χρηστὰ ἐπηγγέλλετο. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ μόνον ἀπειλῶν, καὶ τὰ δεινὰ προλέγων, εἰς ἀπόγνωσιν τῶν κρειττόνων ἐρεθίζει, καὶ παντάπασι τοὺς ἀκροωμένους τοῖς χείροσιν ἐκδοῦναι ἑαυτοὺς ἀναπείθει· ἡ δὲ ἀγαθὴ ἐλπὶς νεύει καὶ πρὸς τὸ κρεῖττον παρασκευάζει. Ἐντεῦθεν πανταχοῦ ἀπειλῶν αὐτοῖς τὴν εἰς Βαβυλῶνα αἰχμαλωσίαν· καὶ τὴν ἐπάνοδον προὔλεγον.","t":"To Nilus. Of old, God both threatened the Hebrews and promised them good things. For one who only threatens and foretells terrible things provokes despair of better things and persuades the hearers to give themselves up entirely to worse; but good hope beckons and prepares for what is better. Hence the prophets everywhere, while threatening them with the captivity in Babylon, also foretold the return.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.130 (PG 78 78:1399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-130)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.131":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ ΑΝΑΧΩΡΗΤΗ,\nΑὐτοὶ οἱ τῆς ἀρετῆς καὶ τῆς κακίας αὐχοῦντες εἶναι διαιτηταὶ τὴν νικῶσαν ψῆφον δέον τῇ ἀρετῇ δοῦναι, τῇ κακίᾳ παρέχονται. Καὶ δι' ὧν τοὺς μὲν σπουδαίους ἐξοστρακίζουσι, τοὺς δὲ φαύλους συγκροτοῦσι, τοὺς τὰ δέοντα ποιεῖν βουλομένους, ἀθυμοτέρους πεποιήκασι. Καὶ τοσοῦτον πεπολεμήκασι τοὺς παῤῥησίαν ἔχοντας, ὡς σβέσαι σχεδὸν ἁπάντων τὴν ἐπὶ τὰ καλὰ ὁρμήν· λυττῶσι τοιγαροῦν οἱ κυνῶν καὶ χοίρων βίον ἔχοντες κατὰ τῶν ἀποστολικῶν τὸν βίον Καὶ δέον ἐκείνους ἀποσοβεῖν, γέλωτος ὑπόθεσιν τὰ θρήνου ἄξια ποιοῦνται, οὐ μόνον οὐδένα τῆς ἀρετῆς ποιούμενοι λόγον, ἀλλὰ καὶ καθ᾽ ἑαυτοὺς τῷ τοὺς ἀρετὴν ἀσκοῦντας τὰ τῶν κακίστων πάσχειν σεμνύνοντες καὶ ἀποδοχῆς ἀξιοῦντες. Τίς οὖν ὁ τοῖς οὕτω διακειμένοις ἐπιτιμήσων; Τίς ὁ διορθώσων; Τίς ὁ ἐλέγξων; τίς ὁ σβέσων αὐτῶν τὰ φρονήματα; Τίς ὁ κατασπάσων τὴν ὀφρύν; Τίς ὁ παραινέσων, μὴ μόνον ἐπὶ τῇ ἀρχῇ σεμνύνεσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῇ ἀρετῇ; Τίς ὁ πείσων αὐτοὺς, ὅτι χαλεπωτάτας ὑφέξουσι τὰς εὐθύνας; Εἰ γὰρ ὁ κριτὴς ἐν τοῖς Εὐαγγελίοις χρησμῳδῶν οὐ πιστεύεται, τίς ὁ παρ᾿ αὐτοῖς πιστευθησόμενος, καὶ λυττῶσαν αὐτῶν τὴν μανίαν, καὶ στῆναι μὴ βουλομένην, ἀλλ' ὁσημέραι ἀργαλεωτέραν γενομένην κωλύσων; Πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐπιχειρήσαντες, ἐκείνους μὲν ὧνησαν οὐδὲν, ἑαυτοὺς δὲ μεγίστοις διέπειραν κακοῖς. \"Οτι δὲ ἐκεῖσε μεγίστους λήψονται στεφάνους, ἐγὼ μὲν ἀκριβῶς οἶδα· οἱ δὲ παχύτεροι ἀπὸ τῶν τῇδε γινομένων καὶ ἐνάγονται εἰς ἀρετὴν, καὶ φεύγουσι τὴν κακίαν. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν τοῦτο μόνον ἐκ τῶν ἐλέγχων περιγέγονε, τὸ παθεῖν ἀδίκως τι κακὸν τὸν παῤῥησιασάμενον, μηδὲν δὲ ὠφεληθῆναι τοὺς τὴν συμβουλὴν δεξαμένους, διὰ τοῦτο μᾶλλον νῦν ἢ πρότερον τὸ τὰ βέλτιστα λέγειν φοβερώτερον γέγονεν. Εἰ δὲ, ὡς φὴς, τινὲς αὐτῶν καὶ παραινέτας ζητοῦσιν, (οὐ γὰρ πάντες εἰς τὸ βάραθρον τῆς φιλαυτίας καὶ τῆς κακίας κατηνέχθησαν) ἀκοῦσαι ἂν εἴησαν δίκαιοι, ὅτι μάλιστα μέν εἰσιν αἱ θεῖαι Γραφαὶ, αἷς ἀκολουθοῦντες τὸ δέον γνοίητε. Εἰ δὲ καὶ συμβούλου δεῖσθε, παύσασθε δρῶντες ἃ δρᾶτέ, καὶ τότε ζητεῖτε τὸν παραινέτην, Ἐπειδὰν γὰρ τούτων παύσησθε, καὶ τὴν τοῦ τὰ βέλτιστα λέγειν ὁδὸν κατασκευάσητε ἀσφαλῆ, τηνικαῦτα τὸν συμβουλεύοντα τὰ δέοντα ζητεῖτε. Πρὶν δὲ παύσησθε, μὴ ζητεῖτε, τις ὑμῖν φράσας τὰ κάλλιστα ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν ἐξοστρακισθῆναι θελήσει· οὐ γὰρ εὑρήσετε, Ταῦτα δὲ γράφω, οὐχ ὡς δεδιώς τι παθεῖν ἐνταῦθα, ( πολλὰ γὰρ τούτου ἕνεκα, ὡς οἶσθα, πέπονθα) καὶ εἶπον τῷ κατασκευάσαντι· • Ἐστεφάνωσας οὐχ ἑκών· · κάμοὶ γὰρ · ἐχαρίσατο ὁ Θεὸς, οὐ μόνον τὸ • εἰς αὐτὸν πιστεύειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ πάσχειν· ἀλλ᾽ ἐκείνους ἐπιστομίσαι βουλόμενος, τοὺς προσποιουμένους σύμβουλον ζητεῖν, οὐχ ἵνα συμβουλευθῶσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα ἐπιβουλεύσωσιν, Ὅτι γὰρ οὐ φόβου ἕνεκεν ταῦτα γέγραφα, ἀκουέτωσαν τοιοῦτοι (ὅτι ὑμεῖς δι' ὧν πράττετε, καὶ τοὺς ἀρχομένους εἰς κακίαν χειραγωγεῖτε, καὶ διπλῆν τιμωρίαν ὑφέξετε) ὅτι τε μὴ τὸ δέον ἐπράξατε, ὅτι τε ὑπεσκελίσατε τοὺς σωθῆναι δυναμένους ἂν, εἰ μὴ παρ' ὑμῶν ἐσκανδαλίσθησαν. Παύσασθε τοιγαροῦν τοιαῦτα δρῶντες, ἃ οὐδὲ οἱ ἐχθροὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ πρὸς βλασφημίαν τοῦ ὀνόματος αὐτοῦ δρῶσιν. Σβέσατε τὸ ἐπὶ τῷ προεδρίας ἠξιώσθαι παρὰ τοὺς πολλοὺς οἴημα· χαλάσατε τὸν τύφον· κατασπάσατε τὴν ὀφρὺν, ἐννοήσατε, ὅτι γῆ ἐστε καὶ σποδός· σκοπήσατε τὸ πρὸ βραχέος, καὶ τὸ μετὰ βραχύ. Ἐπίγνωτε τοὺς ἑαυτῶν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀμείνους· μὴ τοῖς ὅπλοις τῆς ἱερωσύνης κατ᾿ αὐτῆς τῆς ἱερωσύνης χρήσεσθε· μὴ εἰς τὸν τῆς ἀκτημοσύνης χρηματιζόμενοι παροινήσατε διδάσκαλον. Μὴ μύθους ἡγεῖσθε τοὺς ἐπασθέντας ὑμῖν εὐαγγελικοὺς λόγους· μὴ νομίζετε ἁμαρτάνειν ἀτιμωρητί· μὴ τὸ θεῖον ἄδικον εἶναι νομίσητε· μὴ τὸν παντεπόπτην Θεὸν παρορᾶν οἰηθῆτε. Μὴ τοὺς φιλαρέτους ἐξοστρακίσητε· μὴ τοὺς πᾶσαν μετιόντας κακίαν συγκροτήσητε· μὴ παιδοτριβήσητε τοὺς ὁρῶντας εἰς κακίαν· μὴ σβέσητε τῶν θείῳ ζήλῳ ἐχόντων τὴν παῤῥησίαν· μὴ τὰς ἀλλοτρίας πραγματεύεσθε συμφοράς· μὴ λόγῳ τὸ δέον ὑποτιθέμενοι, ἔργῳ τοῦτο ἀτιμάσητε, ἀλλὰ τί χρὴ μηκύνειν, καὶ τούτων ἱκανῶν ὄντων τοὺς μὴ λίαν ἀναισθήτως ἔχοντας κατατοξεῦσαι; Διόπερ παυσάμενος ἐπὶ σιγὴν τρέψομαι, ἀνύσιμον τουτὶ γενέσθαι τὸ γράμμα, τὸ θεῖον ἀντιβολῶν. Περὶ οὗ γέγραφας, ἔχω μὲν εἰπεῖν· σοὶ δ᾽ εἰπεῖν οὐκ ἔχω, θείῳ πειθόμενος χρησμῷ παρακελευομένῳ, • Μὴ δῶτε τὰ ἅγια τοῖς κυσίν. • Εἰ δὲ τῶν κυνῶν τὴν λύσσαν ἀποτρίψαιο, καὶ τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης εύγενείας τὴν πραότητα ἐπιδείξαιο, καὶ μὴ ἐρωτῶντι φράσω, τῇ μεταβολῇ οὐ τῆς μορφῆς, ἀλλὰ τῶν τρόπων ἡσθείς.","t":"To Paul, presbyter and anchorite. The very men who boast of being arbiters of virtue and vice give to vice the winning vote they should give to virtue. And by banishing the earnest and applauding the worthless, they have made those who want to do what is right more despondent. They have warred so hard against those who speak frankly that they have almost quenched everyone's impulse toward good things. So those who live the life of dogs and swine rage against those whose life is apostolic; and when they ought to drive them off, they make what deserves lament an occasion for laughter, not only taking no account of virtue, but even priding themselves, among themselves, on the fact that those who practise virtue suffer the fate of the worst, and thinking it worthy of approval. Who, then, will rebuke men so disposed? Who will correct them? Who will refute them? Who will quench their pride? Who will pull down their brows? Who will urge them to take pride not only in office but also in virtue? Who will persuade them that they will undergo the severest reckoning? For if the Judge prophesying in the Gospels is not believed, who will be believed by them and check their madness, which rages and will not stop but grows more grievous every day? Many who have tried have done them no good, but have pierced themselves with the greatest evils. That they will receive the greatest crowns there I know precisely; but the duller sort are led to virtue and flee vice by what happens here. Since, then, the only result of rebukes has been that the one who spoke frankly suffers some evil unjustly, while those who received the counsel are not benefited at all, for this reason it has now become more fearful than before to say what is best. But if, as you say, some of them are even looking for advisers (for not all have been carried down into the pit of self-love and wickedness), they would do right to hear this: above all there are the divine Scriptures, by following which you would know what you must do. But if you also need a counsellor, stop doing what you are doing, and then look for the adviser. For when you have stopped these things and made the road of saying what is best safe, then look for one to counsel you as you need. But before you stop, do not look for one; who, after telling you what is best, will want to be banished by you? You will not find one. I write this not as one afraid of suffering anything here (for, as you know, I have suffered much on this account, and I said to the one who contrived it: \"You have crowned me unwillingly\"; for God has granted to me too not only to believe in him but also to suffer for him), but wishing to stop the mouths of those who pretend to seek a counsellor, not in order to be counselled but in order to plot. That I have not written this from fear, let such men hear: that by what you do you lead those you govern by the hand into wickedness, and you will undergo a double punishment, both because you did not do what you should, and because you tripped up those who could have been saved had they not been scandalized by you. Stop, then, doing such things as not even the enemies of Christ do to blaspheme his name. Quench the conceit of having been counted worthy of the first seat above the many; relax your pride; pull down your brows; consider that you are earth and ashes; look at what you were a little before and what you will be a little after. Recognize those better than yourselves in virtue; do not use the weapons of the priesthood against the priesthood itself; do not make money and so outrage the teacher of poverty. Do not think myths the gospel words sung over you; do not think you sin with impunity; do not think God unjust; do not suppose that the all-seeing God overlooks things. Do not banish the lovers of virtue; do not applaud those who pursue every wickedness; do not train those who look on in wickedness; do not quench the frankness of those who have divine zeal; do not make a business of other people's misfortunes; do not, while prescribing what is right in word, dishonour it in deed. But why must I be long, when these words are enough to pierce those who are not utterly insensible? So I stop and turn to silence, begging God that this letter may be effective. [Letter 5.132] About what you have written, I have something to say; but I cannot say it to you, obeying the divine oracle that commands: \"Do not give what is holy to the dogs.\" But if you rub off the madness of dogs and show the gentleness of human nobility, I shall tell you even without your asking, delighted by the change, not of form, but of character.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.131 (PG 78 78:1399; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-131)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.133":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΟ.\n῾Ὁ ἐπιστολιμαῖος χαρακτήρ μήτε παντάπασιν ἀκόσμητος ἔστω, μήτε μὴν εἰς θρύψιν κεκοσμημένος ἢ τρυφήν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ εὐτελὲς, τὸ δὲ ἀπειρόκαλον· τὸ δὲ μετρίως κεκοσμῆσθαι, καὶ πρὸς χρείαν, καὶ πρὸς κάλλος ἀρκεῖ","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. Let the epistolary style be neither entirely unadorned nor adorned to the point of daintiness or luxury. For the one is cheap, the other tasteless; but moderate adornment suffices both for use and for beauty.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.133 (PG 78 78:1403; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-133)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.134":{"o":"ΜΗΝΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΟἱ ἐν τοῖς χαλεποῖς πάθεσι, θυμῷ λέγω καὶ πλεονεξίᾳ, νικᾷν δοκοῦντες, ἥττης ἁπάσης χαλεπωτέραν νικῶσι νίκην. Ἔστι γὰρ ὅπου νίκη χείρων ἥττης ἐστὶ, καὶ οὐ δεῖ χαίρειν ἐπὶ τῇ τοιαύτῃ νίκῃ, ὅταν ἀδίκως συμβαίνῃ. Ἡ γὰρ ἐκ ταύτης ἡδονὴ ἐπ᾿ ὀλίγον χρόνον εὐφραίνουσα, αἰωνίαν αἰσχύνην προϊόντος τίκτει τοῦ χρόνου.","t":"To Menas the deacon. Those who seem to win in grievous passions, I mean anger and greed, win a victory more grievous than any defeat. For there are times when victory is worse than defeat, and one should not rejoice in such a victory when it comes about unjustly. For the pleasure from it, delighting for a short time, gives birth to eternal shame as time goes on.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.134 (PG 78 78:1403; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-134)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.135":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἘπειδὴ τῶν δεινῶν, ὧν δρῶμεν, αἴσθησιν οὐδ᾽ αὐτοὶ ἔχομεν διὰ ῥαθυμίαν καὶ φιλαυτίαν, οὔτε ἑτέροις παρέχομεν, διὰ τὸ κἀκείνους μηδὲν ἄμεινον ἡμῶν διακεῖσθαι, διὰ τοῦτο νομίζοντες ὑγιαίνειν, οὔτε ἰατροὺς ἐπιζητοῦμεν, οὔτε θεραπευθήναι βουλόμεθα· ἀλλ' οὐδ᾽ αὐτὸ τοῦτο, ὅτι νοσοῦμεν, ἴσμεν· ὅπερ ἐσχάτης ἐστὶν ἀναλγησίας, μᾶλλον δὲ νεκρώσεως. Ὅτι μὲν παντὶ τρόπῳ πονηρία τιμωρίαν ὠδίνει, μάλα ἀκριβῶς οἶσθα· ὅτι δὲ καὶ ἡ ἀγαθότης τῷ ἄγαν θεία εἶναι, ἢ τῷ ἄγαν εἰς τὸ Θεῖον ἡμᾶς ἄγειν, τὰ νοῦν ὑπερβαίνοντα τίκτει γέρα· καὶ τοῦτ᾽ οἶσθα. Οὐκοῦν τὴν μὲν φεῦγε, τὴν δὲ δίωκε· καὶ μὴ τὴν θείαν μακροθυμίαν ἀμέλειαν ἡγοῦ. Πάντως γὰρ εἰς κρίσιν ἀκριβεστάτην προοίσει τὰ πρόβατα","t":"To Hierax the deacon. Since through indolence and self-love we neither perceive the terrible things we do ourselves, nor allow others to perceive them, because they are no better disposed than we are, for this reason, thinking we are healthy, we neither seek physicians nor wish to be healed; indeed we do not even know that we are sick, which is a sign of utter insensibility, or rather of deadness. [Letter 5.136] You know very precisely that wickedness in every way gives birth to punishment; and you also know that goodness, because it is exceedingly divine, or because it leads us exceedingly to God, gives birth to rewards beyond understanding. So flee the one and pursue the other, and do not think the divine patience to be neglect. For he will surely bring the sheep to a most exact judgment …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.135 (PG 78 78:1403; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-135)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.137":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΚαλὸν μὲν τὸ τοὺς φίλους ποιεῖν εὖ· κάλλιον δὲ τὸ καὶ πάντας τοὺς δεομένους · τὸ δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς, κάλλιστον· «Τὸ μὲν γὰρ καὶ τελῶναι καὶ ἐθνικοὶ ἀνύουσι, » τὸ δὲ οἱ τῷ θείῳ πειθόμενοι νόμῳ, τὸ δὲ οἱ οὐρανῷ πρέπουσαν πολιτείαν πολιτευόμενοι· ὅσῳ οὖν ἄγγελοι νομίμως βιούντων ἀνθρώπων διαφέρουσιν, τοσοῦτον οὗτοι τῶν τελωνῶν. Τοσοῦτον γὰρ πλεονεκτοῦσι τούτων, ὅσον ἐκείνων λείπονται. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ εὔλογόν ἐστι, τὸ δὲ φιλάνθρωπον, τὸ δὲ λόγου κρεῖττον. Τῷ τοὺς μὲν φίλους εὐεργετεῖν, ἢ εὐεργετήσαντας, ἢ ἀντευεργετήσοντας καὶ ἀμειψομένους. Τοὺς δὲ καὶ τοὺς τυχόντας, οὐ πάντως ἀντευποιήσοντας. Τοὺς δὲ καὶ τοὺς κακόν τι διατιθέντας, ἔσθ' ὅτε δὲ καὶ τοὺς αὖθις βλάψοντας. Πολλοὶ γὰρ οὐδὲ ταῖς εὐεργεσίαις ἀμείνους γίνονται, τοῦ φθόνου αὐτοὺς, οὗ φημι εἰς τὴν τῶν θηρίων, (εἰσὶ γὰρ ἐν αὐτοῖς καὶ εὐποιιῶν ἀμοιβαὶ) ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὴν τῶν δαιμόνων καταλέγοντος πληθὺν, τὴν ποιεῖν μὲν βουλομένην οὐδὲν κάλλιστον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς βουλομένοις ἐμποδίζουσαν. Ὁ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς ἐμακάρισε τοὺς δι' αὐτὸν ἀκούσαντας ῥητά τε καὶ ἄῤῥητα, εἰ ψευδόμενοι οἱ ἐλέγχοντες ἀλοῖεν. Χρὴ οὖν εἰδέναι, ὅτι ἀμφότερα δεῖ προσεῖναι τῷ πρὸς τὴν ἀκροτάτην μακαριότητα ἀφιξομένῳ, καὶ τὸ δι' αὐτὸν πάσχειν, καὶ τὸ ψευδῆ εἶναι τὰ λεγόμενα. Ὡς ἂν μὴ θατέρῳ προσῇ καὶ τὸ ἕτερον, οὐ τοσοῦτον ὠφελεῖ· ὠφελεῖ μὲν γὰρ, οὐ τοσοῦτον δέ. Εἴτε γὰρ δι' αὐτὸν πάσχοντες τἀληθῆ ἀκούοιμεν, ἐρυθριᾷν ἀνάγκη· καθ᾽ ἓν γὰρ μέρος εὐδοκιμοῦντες κατὰ τὸ ἕτερον ἐλεγχόμεθα. Εἴτε μὴ δι᾿ αὐτὸν μὲν, τὰ ψευδῆ δὲ, ὑπομονῆς μὲν κομιούμεθα μισθὸν, οὐ μὴν τοῦ ἄκρου τύχοιμεν μακαρισμοῦ· οὗ τύχοιμεν ἂν, εἰ ἀμφότερα συνδράμοι.","t":"To Paul. It is good to do good to friends; better, to do it to all who are in need; and best of all, to do it even to enemies. \"For the first even tax collectors and Gentiles accomplish\"; the second, those who obey the divine law; the third, those who live a life befitting heaven. As much, then, as angels surpass people who live lawfully, so much do these surpass the tax collectors; for they exceed the latter as much as they fall short of the former. For the first is reasonable, the second humane, the third beyond words: benefiting friends, who have benefited us or will repay and return the kindness; benefiting anyone at all, who will not necessarily return it; and benefiting even those who do us harm, and sometimes those who will harm us again. For many are not made better even by kindnesses, since envy enrolls them, I do not say among the beasts (for among them there are returns for kindnesses), but among the host of demons, which wishes to do nothing good and even hinders those who wish to. [Letter 5.138] Christ the Master blessed those who for his sake hear things speakable and unspeakable, if those who reproach them are caught lying. One must know, then, that both must belong to the one who will reach the highest blessedness: suffering for his sake, and what is said being false. If the one is present without the other, it does not benefit as much; it benefits, but not as much. For if, suffering for his sake, we hear what is true, we must blush; for though approved in one respect, we are refuted in the other. And if it is not for his sake, but the things said are false, we shall receive the reward of endurance, but we would not attain the highest blessing; which we would attain if both came together.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.137 (PG 78 78:1405; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-137)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.139":{"o":"ΗΛΙΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ μὲν τῶν προπυλαίων μόνων, καὶ μὴ τῶν ἀδύτων ἤπτετο ὁ μολυσμὸς, ἴσως ἂν ἰατὸν ἦν τὸ πάθος. Εἰ δὲ αὐτῆς καθάπτεται τῆς ψυχῆς, μὴ ἕκαστος ἑαυτὸν παραλογιζέσθω. Εἰ δὲ φαίη τις ἀνθρώπους ἀπατῶν· « Οὐδεὶς στεφανοῦται εἰ μὴ νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ, νόμιμον πάλην εἶναι νομίζων τὴν θέαν, εἰ τῆς πράξεως ἀπόσχοιτο· μανθανέτω, ὅτι ὁ ἀγωνοθέτης καὶ κριτὴς τῶν τοιούτων παλαισμάτων εἶπεν. « Ὁ βλέπων γυναῖκα πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι, ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῇ καρδία αὑτοῦ. » Νόμιμος οὖν ἐστι πάλη, οὐχ ἡ παρὰ τῆς ἑκάστου ῥᾳθυμίας καὶ προλήψεως, ἀλλ᾿ ἡ παρὰ τοῦ ἀδεκάστου κριτοῦ θεσμοθετηθεῖσα. Ἔοικας ἀγνοεῖν καὶ τὰ ψόγου καὶ τὰ ἐπαίνου ἄξια, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο συγχύσεως ἐμπεπληκέναι τὸν λόγον. Τὰ γὰρ ἀβούλητα τοῖς ἑκουσίοις κεράσας, συγχύσεως πολλῆς τόγε σαυτοῦ μέρος τὰ πράγματα ἐνέπλησας. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ εἶναι Εὐσέβιον, ὡς ἔφης, ἀνθρώπιον, μικρὸν μὲν τὸ σῶμα, αἰσχρὸν δὲ τὴν ὄψιν, βάρβαρον δὲ τὴν γλῶτταν, εἰς ψόγον αὐτοῦ οὐκ ἀνάγεται, ἀληθείας δικαζούσης. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ παρὰ τὴν φύσιν, τὸ δὲ παρὰ τὴν ἀνατροφὴν γεγένηται· τὸ δὲ εἶναι τὸν τρόπον μιξοβάρβαρον, καὶ τὴν γλῶτταν ἀκρατῆ, καὶ τὸν θυμὸν θηριώδη, καὶ τῇ ἀρετῇ πολέμιον, καὶ τῇ κακίᾳ σύμμαχον· τοὺς μὲν γὰρ σπουδαίους ἐξοστρακίζει, τοὺς δὲ φαύλους συγκροτεί· τοῦτ᾽ ἀληθῶς παρ' αὐτὸν γίγνεται, καὶ πάσης συγγνώμης ἐστὶ μεῖζον. Μαθὼν οὖν τί ψέγειν, καὶ τί ἐπαινεῖν δέοι, μὴ ἀπερισκέπτως εἰς ἑκάτερον χώρει.","t":"To Elias the deacon. If the defilement touched only the gateway and not the inner sanctuary, the passion might perhaps be curable. But if it lays hold of the soul itself, let no one deceive himself. And if anyone, deceiving people, says, \"No one is crowned unless he competes lawfully,\" thinking that looking is a lawful bout provided one abstains from the act, let him learn that the president and judge of such contests has said: \"Whoever looks at a woman to desire her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.\" The lawful bout, then, is not the one set by each person's indolence and preconceptions, but the one laid down by the incorruptible Judge. [Letter 5.140] You seem not to know what deserves blame and what deserves praise, and for this reason you have filled your account with confusion. For by mixing what is involuntary with what is voluntary you have, for your part, filled the matter with great confusion. That Eusebius is, as you said, a little fellow, small in body, ugly in face and barbarous in speech, does not count to his blame when truth is the judge; for the first come from nature and the last from upbringing. But that his character is half-barbarous, his tongue unrestrained, his temper beastlike, hostile to virtue and allied to vice (for he banishes the earnest and applauds the worthless), this truly comes from himself and is too great for any pardon. Having learned, then, what one must blame and what one must praise, do not go rashly to either.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.139 (PG 78 78:1405; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-139)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.14":{"o":"ΑΙΔΕΣΙΩ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΩ.\nἘπειδὴ θυμῷ μὲν ἀναπτομένῳ συνάπτεται πόλεμος, σβεννυμένῳ δὲ οὐ σβέννυται, μηδέποτε σαυτὸν εἰς πολέμους ἔμβαλλε χαλεπούς · καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν μηδὲ περὶ εὐσεβείας ἢ ἀρετῆς ὁ λόγος ᾖ· ἐν γὰρ ταύταις χρεία ἕως αἵματος ἀγωνίζεσθαι, μήτε ἐκείνην, μήτε ταύτην προδιδόντα","t":"To Aedesius the curial. Since war is joined when anger is kindled, but is not extinguished when anger is quenched, never throw yourself into grievous wars, especially when the dispute is not about piety or virtue; for in these one must contend to the point of blood, betraying neither the one nor the other.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.14 (PG 78 78:1333; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-14)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.141":{"o":"ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΩ.\nἘπειδὴ λίαν μοι δοκεῖς ὡρμῆσθαι πρὸς τὰ πολιτικά πράγματα, ὡς πάντως ἐν αὐτοῖς εὐδοκιμήσων, παραινῶ μὴ σαυτὸν εἰς πέλαγος ἐμβάλῃς φροντίδων. Εὖ γὰρ ἴσθι, ὅτι περιπαρεὶς αὐταῖς, οὔτε τοὺς τὰ χρήσιμά σοι συμβουλεύσοντας λογισμοὺς εὑρήσεις, ἀλλὰ φροῦδοι οἰχήσονται, οὔθ' ὅταν θελήσῃς, ἀνανήψεις · ἀλλὰ τὴν μὲν ἀπώλειαν, εἰς ἣν τελευτήσεις, προόψει καθάπερ ὑπὸ ῥεύματος εἰς αὐτὴν φερόμενος· βοηθῆσαι δὲ σαυτῷ ἀδυνατήσεις. Ἕως οὖν ἀπρόληπτος εἶ, βούλευσαι τὸ δέον. Τὸ δεινὸν καὶ δυσίατον, καὶ τοῖς ἐπινενοημένοις φαρμάκοις ἐπιτριβόμενον μᾶλλον τῆς φιλοχρηματίας νόσημα, ἄλλως οὐ λήξει, εἰ μὴ τοῦ δοκοῦντος εἶναι κέρδοὺς ἀποσταίη ὁ ἀλούς· δοκοῦντος δὲ εἶπον. ἐπειδὴ τῷ ὄντι ζημία ἐστὶ μεγίστη. Εἰ δὲ τις ἀπιστεῖ, πεισθῆναι δίκαιος ἂν εἴη τῷ θείῳ Δικαστῇ φήσαντι· « Τι γὰρ ὠφελήσει ἄνθρωπον, ἐὰν τὸν κόσμον ὅλον κερδήσῃ, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ζημιωθῇ;» Εἰ γὰρ τοῦ συνάγειν ἀποσταίη κατὰ μικρὸν, καὶ εἰς τὸ μεταδοῦναι ἤξει, καὶ εἰς τελείαν ὑγίειαν ἀνακομισθήσεται.","t":"To Dionysius. Since you seem to me to be rushing eagerly into civic affairs, as if you would certainly win esteem in them, I urge you not to throw yourself into a sea of cares. For know well that once you are caught up in them, you will neither find thoughts that will advise you what is useful (they will be gone and vanish), nor will you come to your senses when you want; but you will see beforehand the ruin in which you will end, carried toward it as by a current, and be unable to help yourself. So while you are still uncaught, decide what is needful. [Letter 5.142] The terrible and hard-to-cure disease of avarice, which is made worse by the remedies devised for it, will not cease otherwise than if the one caught by it withdraws from what seems to be gain. I said \"seems,\" since in reality it is the greatest loss. If anyone disbelieves, he would do right to be persuaded by the divine Judge, who said: \"What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?\" For if he withdraws little by little from gathering, he will also come to sharing, and will be brought back to perfect health.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.141 (PG 78 78:1407; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-141)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.143":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἘπειδὴ τὸ κοινὸν μῖσος ἀνθρώποις μάλιστ' ἄπιστον εἶναι δοκεῖ εἰς φιλίαν, καὶ ἐν πολλοῖς διαφερόμενοι, ἐν ἐκείνοις συμβαίνουσιν, ἐν οἷς τοὺς αὐτοὺς ἐχθροὺς ἡγοῦνται. Παραφυλακτέον τὰ τοιαῦτα· μάλιστα μὲν γὰρ φιλοσοφητέον, καὶ οὐκ ἀμυντέον. Εἰ δὲ οὐδέπω δυνατὸν, παραφυλακτέον, μήποτε θατέρῳ κατὰ τοῦ ἑτέρου συμπράξαντες, ὅπως δόξωμεν ἑνὸς ἐχθροῦ ἀπαλλάττεσθαι, ὕστερον καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀλῶμεν τῷ ἰσχυροτέρῳ ἀπὸ τῆς ἡμετέρας συμμαχίας γεγενημένῳ.","t":"To Serenus the deacon. Since a common hatred seems to people the most trustworthy ground for friendship, and those who differ in many things agree in this, that they consider the same people enemies, one must be on guard against such things. Above all one must practise philosophy and not retaliate. But if that is not yet possible, one must take care not to join with one party against the other, so as to seem to be rid of one enemy, and then later be caught ourselves by the stronger one, who has become stronger through our alliance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.143 (PG 78 78:1409; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-143)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.144":{"o":"ΜΑΚΡΟΒΙΩ.\nΜὴ τῷ ἅπαξ ἢ δεύτερον νενικηκέναι τὸν θυμὸν καὶ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν, τὰ τῶν ἄλλων παθῶν τυραννικώτερα, ἀναπέσῃς καὶ νομίσῃς τέλεον νενικηκέναι, καὶ πάσης ἀπηλλάχθαι μάχης· ἀλλὰ τῷ μάλιστα νενικηκέναι, ἀγρύπνει καὶ φρόντιζε, μήποτε καὶ τὰ πρότερα τρόπαια ἀμαυρωθείη. Πολλοὶ γὰρ, οὗ φημι τρίτον, ἀλλὰ μυριάκις νενικηκότες, ὕστερον ἑάλωσαν, καὶ ἐλεεινὸν γεγένηνται θέαμα μετὰ τὰ πολλὰ τρόπαια αἰχμάλωτοι ἀπαχθέντες. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐννοήσας τις ἐκ τοῦ ἀποστολικοῦ χοροῦ ἐβόα, λέγων • « Βλέπετε, μὴ ἀπολέσητε ὁ εἰργάσασθε, ἀλλὰ μισθὸν πλήρη ἀπολάβητε.» Καὶ Παῦλος δὲ, ὁ μυρία τρόπαια κατὰ τῆς ἐμφύτου ἐπιθυμίας στήσας· « Ὑπωπιάζω μου τὸ σῶμα καὶ δουλαγωγῶ, μή πως ἄλλοις κηρύξας, αὐτὸς ἀδόκιμος γένωμαι. » Ἤδει γάρ, ἅτε διεσκεμμένος ἀνὴρ, καὶ μὴ ἀπερισκέπτως εἰς τοὺς ἀγῶνας χωρῶν, καὶ τοῦ διαβόλου τὰς μηχανὰς, καὶ τῆς σαρκὸς τὴν ἐπανάστασιν (ὅτι ὁ μὲν ταῖς ἥτταις μᾶλλον παροξύνεται) καὶ οὐκ εἰδὼς τὴν ἐξ εὐθείας μάχην · ἑάλω γὰρ ἂν ῥᾳδίως· φιλίας προσωπείον ὑποδὺς, τοὺς νενικηκότας πολλάκις ὑπτιοῖ, καὶ ὡς οὐδέποτε ἡττηθήσονται ἀπατήσας, ἐκλύσας τε τὸν πόνον, καὶ τὴν παρασκευὴν ἅπασαν διαλύσας, οὕτως αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ βάραθρον τῆς ἀσελγείας κατήνεγκεν Ἡ δὲ ὑπάττει καὶ σκιρτᾷ, καὶ οὐδὲ τοῖς κατατήκουσιν αὐτὴν εἴκει ῥᾳδίως· ἀλλ᾽ ἡττηθεῖσα πολλάκις ἐν νεότητι, ἐν γήρᾳ, ἀνεμαχέσατο τὰς ἥττας, καὶ τὰ λαμπρὰ ἐκεῖνα τρόπαια τὰ κατ᾿ αὐτῆς ἐγηγερμένα ἠφάνισε. Τίς οὖν οὕτως ἀνόητος, ἢ τίς οὕτως ἀπερίσκεπτος, ὅστις ὁρῶν τὸν πνευματοφόρον ἄνδρα μετὰ μυρία τρόπαια ἐναγώνιον τῷ ἅπαξ ἢ δεύτερον κεκρατηκέναι, ὑπτιωθήσεται, καὶ ἐκλύσας τὴν παρασκευὴν καὶ τὴν ἀγωνίαν, ἀήττητος εἶναι οἰήσεται; ᾿Αλλ' οὐχὶ πλέον παρασκευάσεται, οὐχὶ τὸ νενικηκέναι ἤδη, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ νικηθῆναι ἕως τέλους μέγα ἡγούμενος; Τοῖς γὰρ μάλιστα θησαυρὸν ἀρετῶν ἔχουσι πρέπει ἀγρυπνεῖν, ἢ τοῖς μηδὲν καλὸν κτησαμένοις · οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἔχουσιν, οἱ δὲ οὐκ ἔχουσιν ὁ φυλάξωσι· καὶ οὐχ οὕτω λυπεῖ τὸ μὴ κτηθὲν, ὡς ἡ τῶν ὑπαρξάντων στέρησις.","t":"To Macrobius. Do not, because you have once or twice defeated anger and desire, the most tyrannical of the passions, relax and think you have won completely and are rid of all battle; but precisely because you have won, keep watch and take care that your earlier trophies are not obscured. For many who had won, I do not say three times, but ten thousand times, were later caught, and became a pitiable sight, led away captive after many trophies. Considering this, one of the apostolic choir cried out: \"Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what you have worked for, but receive a full reward.\" And Paul, who set up countless trophies against the inborn desire, said: \"I pummel my body and bring it into slavery, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.\" For, being a circumspect man who did not go into contests without forethought, he knew both the devil's devices and the rebellion of the flesh: the devil is rather provoked by defeats, and not knowing how to fight openly (for he would easily be caught), he puts on the mask of friendship, often makes the victors complacent, deceives them into thinking they will never be defeated, slackens their toil, breaks up all their preparation, and so carries them down into the pit of licentiousness. The flesh rises up and leaps, and does not easily yield even to those who waste it; but though defeated often in youth, in old age it has fought back from its defeats and wiped out the brilliant trophies raised against it. Who, then, is so foolish, or so heedless, that, seeing the Spirit-bearing man still in the contest after countless trophies, he will grow complacent because he has prevailed once or twice, and slacken his preparation and his striving, and think himself invincible? Will he not rather prepare all the more, thinking it a great thing not to have won already, but not to be defeated until the end? For it befits those who have a treasure of virtues to keep watch more than those who have acquired nothing good; for the one have something to guard, and the others have not; and what has not been acquired does not grieve as much as the loss of what one had.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.144 (PG 78 78:1409; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-144)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.145":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΛόγου ἀρεταὶ μὲν, ἀλήθεια, συντομία, σαφήνεια, εὐκαιρία· κακίαι δὲ, ψεῦδος, μακρηγορία, ἀσάφεια, τὸ ἔξω τῶν καιρῶν φέρεσθαι. Τί γὰρ ὄφελος, εἰ ἀληθὴς μὲν εἴη, μὴ σύντομος δὲ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐνοχλεῖ τοὺς ἀκούοντας; ἢ σύντομος μὲν, μὴ σαφὴς δέ; ἢ σαφής μὲν, μὴ καίριος δέ; εἰ δὲ πάσας ἔχοι τὰς ἀρετὰς, τότε δραστήριος ἔσται, καὶ γοργὸς καὶ ἔμψυχος, τῇ μὲν ἀληθείᾳ τοὺς ἀκούοντας χειρούμενος, τῇ δὲ συντομίᾳ καταγωνιζόμενος· καὶ τῇ μὲν σαφηνείᾳ καθαπτόμενος, τῇ δὲ εὐκαιρίᾳ στεφανούμενος. Αἱ κόραι αἱ εἴσω τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, καθάπερ παρθένοι ἐν θαλάμοις ἱδρυμέναι, καὶ τοῖς βλεφάροις καθάπερ παραπετάσμασι κεκαλυμμέναι, δίκαιαι ἂν εἶεν ὑπὸ σώφρονος λογισμοῦ ἐπιτροπεύεσθαι, ἵνα ἐρυθριῶσι μὲν ἀεὶ, καὶ αἰσχύνωνται ἃ δεῖ. Εἰ δὲ ποτε καὶ ἀλλότριον κάλλος θεάσοιντο, πλέον έρυθριῶσι, καὶ ἕλκωσι τὰ παραπετάσματα, καὶ κάτω κύπτωσι, καὶ τὴν γῆν ἅτε μητέρα περισκοπῶσι τὴν παιδεύουσαν, οὐ μόνον τὴν ἡμετέραν φύσιν, ἀλλ᾿ ὅτι καὶ τὸ ὀφθὲν κάλλος ἐξ αὐτῆς ἤνθησε, καὶ εἰς αὐτὴν ὑποστρέψει μαρανθησόμενον. Εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο δράσαιεν, φυλάξαιεν ἀληθῶς τὸ πρέπον παρθένοις· εἰ δὲ ἀκρατῶς καὶ ἀναισχύντως καθορῷεν, κύνες ἀντὶ παρθένων εὑρεθήσονται, τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις κάλλεσιν ἐπιλυττῶσαι. Εἱ μὲν ἀγνοῶν Εὐσέβιος ἐχειροτόνησεν αὐτοὺς, ἕξει μετρίαν ἀπολογίαν ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ· εἰ δὲ, ὡς φὴς, μάλα ἀκριβῶς ἐπιστάμενος, λύκοις μὲν διὰ τὰς ἁρπαγὰς, κυσὶ δὲ διὰ τὰς λαγνείας, ἀλώπεξι δὲ διὰ τὴν κακουργίαν παραδέδωκε τὸ ποίμνιον (ὑπὲρ οὗ καὶ τὸ τίμιον αὐτοῦ αἷμα ἐξέχεεν ὁ Χριστός) · πάσης ἀπολογίας ἥμαρτε μείζονα. Ταῦτα δέ φημι, οὐχ ὡς ἐκείνων ἀνευθύνων ἐσομένων, καὶ δίκας μὴ ἀπαιτηθησομένων, ἀλλ' ὡς τοῦ τὰ σπέρματα τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων παρασχόντος, μειζόνως κολασθησομένου. Ο γὰρ τὴν αἰτίαν διδοὺς, τῶν ἐκβαινόντων αἴτιος καθέστηκεν. Τὸ κυνικὸν καὶ θηριῶδες τῶν ὀρέξεων οὐχ ἑστιατέον τραπέζῃ πολυτελεῖ, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀναγκαίοις εὐωχητέον · εἴ γε ἡ εὐωχία τὸ εὖ ἔχειν μηνύει, ἵνα καὶ ἥμερον ἡμῖν καὶ χειρόηθες γένηται. Οἱ γὰρ τὴν αὐτάρκειαν ὑπερνηχόμενοι, καὶ τὸν κόρον διὰ τῆς πλησμονῆς ὑβρίζουσι, καὶ τὰς αἰσθήσεις καταμαραίνουσι, καὶ λανθάνουσι διὰ τῆς ἡδονῆς τὴν ἡδονὴν τῆς τροφῆς ἀπολλύντες.","t":"To Nilus. The virtues of speech are truth, brevity, clarity and timeliness; its vices are falsehood, long-windedness, obscurity and going beyond the occasion. For what use is it if it is true but not brief, and annoys the hearers? Or brief but not clear? Or clear but not timely? But if it has all the virtues, then it will be effective, vigorous and alive, subduing the hearers by its truth, overpowering them by its brevity, laying hold of them by its clarity, and crowned by its timeliness. [Letter 5.146] The pupils within the eyes, like maidens set in their chambers and covered by the eyelids as by curtains, ought to be governed by a temperate reason, so that they may always blush and be ashamed at what they should. And if they ever look at another's beauty, let them blush the more, draw the curtains, bend down, and gaze round at the earth as at a mother who teaches not only our own nature, but also that the beauty seen blossomed from her and will return to her to wither. If they do this, they will truly keep what befits maidens; but if they look without restraint and shamelessly, they will be found to be dogs instead of maidens, raging after the beauty of others. [Letter 5.147] If Eusebius ordained them in ignorance, he will have a moderate defence in his ignorance. But if, as you say, knowing very precisely, he has handed over the flock (for which Christ poured out his precious blood) to wolves for their plundering, to dogs for their lechery and to foxes for their villainy, he has sinned beyond all defence. I say this not as if they will be free of account and not be called to pay the penalty, but because the one who supplied the seeds of their sins will be punished more severely. For the one who gives the cause is responsible for what follows. [Letter 5.148] The doglike and beastly element in our appetites must not be feasted at a costly table, but treated well with necessities (if indeed \"feasting\" [euōchia] signifies \"being well\" [eu echein]), so that it may become tame and gentle for us. For those who swim past sufficiency both outrage satiety by surfeit and dull the senses, and through pleasure they unwittingly lose the pleasure of food.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.145 (PG 78 78:1411; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-145)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.149":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΚομψοφανὴς καὶ δικαιοφανὴς, οὐ μὴν δικαία ἔδοξέ μοι ἡ αἰτία ἣν γέγραφας. Οὐκοῦν εἰ πείθῃ Πλάτωνι εἰρηκότι · · Οὗτος γὰρ ἔσχατός ἐστιν ὅρος κακίας, τὸ δοκεῖν δίκαιον εἶναι μὴ ὄντα. » Μὴ τὰ δοκοῦντα, ἀλλὰ τὰ ὄντα δίκαια θήρα · οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ὁ Θεός σε ἐπαινέσεται, καὶ ἄνθρωποι ἀποδέξονται, καὶ ὁ διάδικος ὁ σὸς εὐμερῶς διακείσεται, καὶ τῆς ἀπεχθείας ἐπιλήσεται. Μὴ φαίνοιο, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἀγριώτερον νοσῶν, ἐφ᾽ οἷσπερ ἁλοὺς πρώην δίκην δέδωκας · ἵνα μὴ ὡς ἀνάλγητος, καὶ μηδὲ τῇ τιμωρίᾳ σωφρονισθεὶς, καταγνωσθείης. Κατ' ἔχνος χρὴ βαίνειν τῶν τοὺς θείους φυλαξάντων νόμους, ἀλλὰ μὴ τῶν παραβεβηκότων αὐτούς· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς, τὸ δὲ σφαλερὸν, διὸ οὐδὲ ζηλωτόν. Δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν τοίνυν τοιαῦτα δρῶν οὐκ ἀξιοῖς δοῦναι δίκην; ἐπειδή τινες δράσαντες οὐ δεδώκασιν ἐνταῦθα. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ἴσθι, ὅτι πολλοὶ μὲν κἀνταῦθα ἕδοσαν. Εἰ δὲ τινες διέφυγον, ἐπὶ κακῷ τῆς ἑαυτῶν κεφαλῆς· ἀπελθόντες γὰρ, ἐκεῖ δώσουσι χαλεπωτέραν· σὺ δὲ ὅτι τὸ ἀζήλωτον ἐζήλωσας, μείζονα πάντως μὲν ἐκεῖ. Ἐσθ᾽ ὅτε δὲ κάνταῦθα δίκην δοίης· οὐ γὰρ εἴ τι ἐν τοῖς παρεληλυθόσι χρόνοις παράλογον ἐπράχθη (σὺ δὲ τοῦτ᾽ ἐζήλωσας), διὰ τοῦτ' ἀποφύγοις, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ μᾶλλον δώκειας. \"Ωσπερ γὰρ εἴ τις ἐκείνων προήλω, σὺ τάδ' οὐκ ἂν ἔδρασας· οὕτως ἂν σὺ ἁλῷς, ἄλλος οὐ δράσειεν.","t":"To Theodosius the scholasticus. The case you have written of seemed to me clever-looking and just-looking, but not just. So if you trust Plato, who said, \"For this is the utmost limit of wickedness, to seem just without being so,\" hunt not for what seems just but for what is just. For so God will praise you, people will accept you, and your opponent at law will be well disposed and forget his enmity. [Letter 5.150] Do not appear, my good man, to be more fiercely sick with the things for which you were recently caught and paid the penalty, so that you may not be condemned as insensible and not brought to your senses even by punishment. [Letter 5.151] One must walk in the footsteps of those who have kept the divine laws, not of those who have transgressed them; for the one is safe, the other slippery, and therefore not to be emulated. For what reason, then, do you think you should not pay the penalty when you do such things? Because some who did them have not paid it here? But know that many have paid it here too. And if some escaped, it was to the harm of their own heads; for when they depart they will pay a heavier penalty there. And you, because you emulated what is not to be emulated, will certainly pay a greater one there, and sometimes you may pay it here too. For if something unreasonable was done in times past (and you have emulated it), you will not escape for that reason, but will pay much more. For just as, if one of them had been caught first, you would not have done these things, so, if you are caught, another will not do them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.149 (PG 78 78:1413; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-149)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.15":{"o":"ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nὍταν ἡ μεγαλοφροσύνη μὴ πρὸς αὐθάδειαν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἐπιείκειαν βλέπῃ, τότε καὶ τὴν ἀλαζονείαν ἐκφεύγει καὶ τὴν δουλοπρέπειαν, οὐκ ἐῶσα κερασθῆναι τὸ ἄσχημον τῷ εὐπρεπεῖ. ΠΕΤΡΩ. Εἰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς Εὐσεβίου, ὡς γέγραφας, τυραννίδος αἰτίαν τῆς ἀπωλείας τῶν φιλαρέτων οὐδεὶς ἢ τὴν ἀρετὴν μόνην οἶδεν (ἡ γὰρ δίκη τὴν κρίσιν φθάνει, ἡ δὲ τῆς μελλούσης κρίσεως μνήμη ὀξύτερός ἐστι τοῖς μνησθεῖσιν ὅλεθρος), ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε μὴ ὀλιγώρει. Οὐ γὰρ μὴ συγχωρήσει ὁ παντεπόπτης ὀφθαλμός, τὴν ἀρετὴν ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας διὰ τέλους παρευδοκιμεῖσθαι· ἀλλὰ ποιήσει ἐκεῖνα ἃ αὐτῷ μὲν πρέπει, τῇ δὲ ἀρετῇ καὶ τῇ κακίᾳ χρεωστεῖται. Ἴσθι ὅτι ἕρπον τὸ δοκοῦν μικρὸν πταῖσμα εἶναι, εἰς μέγα ἕρπει κακόν. Τὸ γὰρ λέγειν, Οὐδὲν παρὰ τοῦτο τὴν κακίαν ἐπικωμάσαι τῷ βίῳ πεποίηκε. Πολλοὶ γὰρ νομίζουσι τὸ περιεργάζεσθαι τὰ ἀλλότρια κάλλη μηδὲν εἶναι· ἐκ δὲ τούτου αἱ μοιχεῖαι τίκτονται, καὶ αἱ τῶν οἴκων ἀνατροπαί. Σιωπῶ γὰρ","t":"To Ischyrion the scholasticus. When magnanimity looks not toward arrogance but toward gentleness, then it escapes both boastfulness and servility, not allowing the unseemly to be mixed with the seemly. [Letter 5.16] To Peter. Even if under the tyranny of Eusebius, as you have written, no one knows any cause of the ruin of the lovers of virtue except virtue alone (for the penalty comes before the trial, and the memory of the coming judgment is a sharper ruin to those who remember it), still, do not lose heart. For the all-seeing eye will surely not allow virtue to be outdone by wickedness to the end, but will do what befits him and what is owed to virtue and to wickedness. [Letter 5.17] Know that what seems to be a small slip creeps on into a great evil. For saying \"This is nothing\" has made wickedness burst in upon life. Many think it nothing to busy themselves with other people's beauty; but from this adulteries are born, and the overthrow of households. For I pass over …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.15 (PG 78 78:1333; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-15)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.152":{"o":"ΦΙΛΕΑ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΩ.\nΤεταραγμένῳ δεινῶς, διὰ τὸ δόξης πολιτικῆς διημαρτηκέναι, ὡς ἐπυθόμην, ἔοικας. Εννοήσας τοίνυν τὴν εὐδοξίαν τοῦ βίου τούτου, τῶν ἀραχνῶν μὲν εὐτελεστέραν, ὀνείρων δὲ ἀδρανεστέραν, εἰς τὸν ὑπερκόσμιον μετάγαγε σαυτοῦ τὸν νοῦν, καὶ στήσεις ῥᾷον τὸν θόρυβον τῆς ψυχῆς. Οὐ γὰρ ἀμφοτέρων ὀρεγόμενον, ἀμφοτέρων ἔστιν ἐπιτυχεῖν· τυχεῖν μὲν ἀμφοτέρων ἔστιν, ὅταν μὴ ἀμφοτέρων, ἀλλὰ τῆς μιᾶς τῆς ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν, ἐρῶμεν· ἀμφοτέρων δὲ ἐρῶντα, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀμφοτέρων ἐπιτυχεῖν· ὥστε εἰ δόξης ἐφίεσαι, ἔρα τῆς θείας, ᾗπερ καὶ ἡ ἐνταῦθα πολλάκις ἀκολουθεῖ.","t":"To Phileas the curial. You seem, as I learned, to be terribly troubled at having failed to win civic glory. Consider, then, the glory of this life, cheaper than spiders' webs and feebler than dreams, and transfer your mind to what is above the world, and you will more easily calm the turmoil of your soul. For one who reaches for both cannot obtain both. It is possible to obtain both when we love not both but the one that comes from heaven; but one who loves both cannot obtain both. So if you long for glory, love the divine glory, which the glory here often follows as well.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.152 (PG 78 78:1413; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-152)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.153":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ ἐν οἷς ἐπαίνων εἶ μεγίστων ἄξιος, ἐν τούτοις αὐτοῖς ὑπὸ τῶν οἰκείας νομιζόντων συμφορὰς τὰς ἑτέρων ἀρετὰς ψέγῃ, μὴ ἀθύμει. Τοῦτο γὰρ αὐτὸ μάλιστα δείγμα μέγιστόν ἐστιν ἀρετῆς.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. If you are blamed for the very things for which you deserve the greatest praise, by those who consider other people's virtues their own misfortunes, do not lose heart. For this itself is the greatest proof of virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.153 (PG 78 78:1415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-153)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.154":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠυνθάνομαι διενηνέχθαι σε πρὸς ὃν οὐ βούλομαι λέγειν· μὴ γὰρ εἴη μνήμης ἄξιος, ζῇν προῃρημένος βαρέως, καὶ πρὸς τοὺς φιλαρέτους δυσκόλως. Πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ εἰ μὲν γνωσιμαχῇ, δέξαι ἀπολογούμενον· εἰ δὲ μὴ, γινώσκεις δὲ εἰ πρῶτος ἐπιπηδήσειας τῇ εἰρήνῃ ὠφεληθησόμενον, καὶ τοῦτο ποίησον. Διπλοῦν γὰρ ἕξεις τὸν στέφανον, τῆς τε σαυτοῦ φιλοσοφίας, τῆς τε ἐκείνου διαθέσεως.","t":"To the same. I learn that you have quarrelled with someone I do not wish to name; for may he not be worthy of remembrance, since he has chosen to live harshly and to be difficult toward lovers of virtue. Still, if he acknowledges his fault, accept his apology; and if not, but you know that he will be benefited if you are the first to leap toward peace, do that too. For you will have a double crown, for your own philosophy and for his reform.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.154 (PG 78 78:1415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-154)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.155":{"o":"ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤὸν γεγενημένον μοι πρός τινα βραχὺν διάλογον δηλώσας σαφῶς, οἶμαι ἀποκεκρίσθαι πρὸς τὰ γραφέντα παρὰ σοῦ. Ἑντυχόντος γάρ μοί ποτέ τινος, καὶ λέγοντος, Ποίησόν με δίκαιον· ἀπεκρινάμην· Καὶ πῶς δύναιο γενέσθαι ἁμαρτάνων; Τοῦ δὲ φήσαντος μηκέτι ἁμαρτάνειν· ἔφην· Οὐκοῦν εἰ ἀληθεύεις, γέγονας ὅπερ ἠθέλησας. Ἐνέτυχέ μοι ὁ ἀνὴρ περὶ οὗ γέγραφας, δοκῶν μὲν λυπεῖσθαι, κινδυνεύων δὲ χαίρειν. Τῷ γὰρ προσώπῳ αὐτοῦ καίτοι προσποιουμένῳ σκυθρωπάζειν, σαφής ἐνέστακτο νοῦς ἡδονῆς. Ὡς δὲ βασανίζων αὐτὸν λόγοις, τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα εἰς φῶς ἐξενεγκεῖν ἡνάγκασα, τότε δὴ οἷον ἀλοὺς, μειδίαμα θυμῷ κεκραμένον διὰ τῆς παρειᾶς ἔπεμψεν· εἶτα πλατὺν γέλωτα ἀνακαγχάσας, ἡσθῆσθαι λίαν ἐπὶ τοῖς συμβεβηκόσι διαῤῥήδην ὡμολόγησε. Χρὴ, ὡς ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ, θάπτειν τὸ σῶμα, καὶ ὁσιοῦν εἰς τὸν τόπον, εἰς ὃν καὶ ἐτελεύτησε. Γυναικείας γὰρ οἶμαι καὶ μικρᾶς διανοίας τὸ ἀπὸ πόλεων εἰς πόλεις μετακομίζειν, καὶ τὰ μυστήρια τῆς φύσεως δημοσιεύειν, πάσης τῆς γῆς πατρίδος οὔσης.","t":"To Ischyrion the deacon. By setting out clearly a short dialogue I once had with someone, I think I have answered what you wrote. For someone once met me and said, \"Make me righteous.\" I answered, \"And how could you become so while you sin?\" When he said he would sin no more, I said, \"Then, if you are telling the truth, you have become what you wished.\" [Letter 5.156] The man you wrote about met me, seeming to grieve but more likely rejoicing. For on his face, though it pretended to scowl, a mind full of pleasure was clearly instilled. And when, testing him with words, I forced him to bring his secrets to light, then, as if caught, he sent a smile mixed with anger across his cheek; then, bursting into a broad laugh, he openly admitted that he was very pleased at what had happened. [Letter 5.157] One should, as it seems to me, bury the body and consecrate it to rest in the place where it died. For I think it the mark of a womanish and small mind to carry bodies from city to city and to make public the mysteries of nature, since the whole earth is our fatherland.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.155 (PG 78 78:1415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-155)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.158":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ.\nΜὴ τραπέζῃ πληθούσῃ, καὶ ὠδῷ ἀνειμένῳ, καὶ πλούτῳ ῥέοντι τὴν μακαριότητα ὁρίζου, ἀλλ᾽ αὐταρκείᾳ, καὶ τῷ μηδενὸς τῶν ἀναγκαίων λείπεσθαι· ἐκεῖνὰ μὲν γὰρ ἀνελεύθερον τὴν ψυχὴν, ταῦτα δὲ παρασκευάζει βασιλίδα.","t":"To Hierax the deacon. Do not define blessedness by a full table, unrestrained song and flowing wealth, but by sufficiency and lacking none of the necessities. For the former make the soul servile, but the latter make it a queen.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.158 (PG 78 78:1415; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-158)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.159":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΟ.\nΚακὸν μὲν τὸ ἁμαρτάνειν, κάκιον δὲ τὸ καὶ ἁμαρτάνοντα ἀναισθήτως ἔχειν· τὸ δὲ καὶ τὴν προαίρεσιν διεφθάρθαι, καὶ μηδὲ τὴν κρίσιν τῶν πραγμάτων ἔχειν ὀρθὴν, κάκιστόν τις εἰκότως ὁριεῖται. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἴσως παύσεται, ὁ δὲ αἴσθησιν τυχὸν λήψεται τῶν τραυμάτων, καὶ ἰατρὸν ζητήσει· ὁ δὲ τῇ κακίᾳ ἥδιστα ἐνδιατρίβων, καὶ ἐγκωμιάζει τοὺς ταῦτα δρῶντας. Ὅσῳ οὖν χείρων ὁ μὴ αἰσθόμενος τέως τῆς νόσου τοῦ εἰδότος ὅτι νοσεί, τοσούτῳ χαλεπώτερος τοῦ μὴ αἰσθομένου ὁ καὶ συνηγορῶν τῇ νόσῳ· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο Παῦλος ἔφη · · Οὐ μόνον αὐτὰ ποιοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνευδοκοῦσι τοῖς πράττουσι.» Τὸ γὰρ ἐπαινεῖν καὶ συνηγορεῖν, τοῦ πράττειν χεῖρον εἰκότως ὡρίσατο· ὅπερ τινὲς μὴ συνέντες, ἑρμηνεῦσαι βουληθέντες, παραπεποιῆσθαι ἐνόμισαν, καὶ οὕτως αὐτὸ τάξαι οὐκ ὤκνησαν · ι Οὐ μόνον οἱ ποιοῦντες αὐτὰ, ἀλλὰ καὶ οἱ συνευδοκοῦντες τοῖς πράττουσιν · · ἵνα μεῖζον ᾗ τὸ ποιεῖν, καὶ ἔλαττον τὸ συνευδοκεῖν. ᾿Αλλ᾿ ἡγνόησαν, ὅτι τὸ μὲν ῥαθυμίας ἦν, τὸ δὲ διεφθαρμένης γνώμης· καὶ τὸ μὲν παραλογισμοῦ, τὸ δὲ κρίσεως οὐχ ὑγιοῦς. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ῥαθυμῶν καὶ ἐρυθριάσει, καὶ εἰς μετάνοιαν ἴσως ἐλεύσεται· ὁ δὲ τὴν οἰκείαν ψῆφον συνηγοροῦσαν ἔχων τῷ πάθει, οὔτε ἀφέξεται τῆς κακίας, οὔτε ἐρυθριάσει, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐναβρυνεῖται.","t":"To Peter. To sin is bad; worse is to sin and be insensible of it; but to have one's very will corrupted and not even to have a right judgement of things, one would rightly define as worst of all. For the first will perhaps stop; the second may come to feel his wounds and seek a physician; but the third, lingering most pleasantly in wickedness, even praises those who do such things. As much worse, then, as one who does not yet perceive his disease is than one who knows he is sick, so much more grievous than the one who does not perceive it is the one who even pleads for the disease. That is why Paul said: \"Not only do they do them, but they also approve of those who practise them.\" For he rightly defined praising and pleading for as worse than doing. Some who did not understand this, wishing to interpret it, thought it had been tampered with, and did not hesitate to arrange it thus: \"Not only those who do them, but also those who approve of those who practise them,\" so that doing would be greater and approving less. But they did not know that the one comes from indolence, the other from a corrupted mind; the one from being misled, the other from an unsound judgement. For the indolent man will blush and may perhaps come to repentance; but the one whose own vote pleads for the passion will neither abstain from wickedness nor blush, but will even pride himself on it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.159 (PG 78 78:1417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-159)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.16":{"o":"(addressee not recovered)\nτέως, ὅτι παρ' ἡμῖν καὶ πρὸ τῆς πράξεως ὁ ἀκολάστως ὁρῶν, ὡς μοιχὸς κολάζεται. Σιωπῶ δὲ, ὅτι πρὸς σε μοι νῦν ὁ λόγος, τὸν ταῖς ἱεραῖς μὲν Γραφαῖς μὴ πιστεύοντα, Δημοσθένει δὲ ἐκθύμως πείθεσθαι λέγοντα. Ἴσθι τοίνυν, ὦ βέλτιστε, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐκεῖνον τὸ τοιοῦτο διέλαθεν, ἀλλὰ διαῤῥήδην βοᾷ · Ἡ καθ' ἡμέραν ῥᾳστώνη καὶ ῥαθυμία, ὥσπερ τοῖς ἰδίοις βίοις, οὕτω κἂν ταῖς πόλεσιν οὐκ ἀφ' ἑκάστου τῶν ἀμελουμένων ποιεῖ τὴν αἴσθησιν εὐθέως, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῷ κεφαλαίῳ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀπαντᾷ Εἰ τοίνυν ἀξιόπιστον αὐτὸν ἡγῇ, κἂν αὐτῷ πείθοιο, καὶ τὰ μικρὰ περίκοπτε πταίσματα, ἵνα τὰ μεγάλα μηδὲ ἀρχὴν λάβοιεν. Πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐκ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτοὺς καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων τὰς ψήφους ἐκφέρουσιν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ φιλοχρήματος οὐ πιστεύει εἶναί τινα ἀκτήμονα, οὐδὲ ὁ ἀσελγὴς σώφρονα, οὐδὲ ὁ ὠμὸς φιλάνθρωπον, οὐχ ὁ πλεονέκτης ἐλεήμονα· καὶ τοὐναντίον ὁ σώφρων πολλοὺς εἶναι τοιούτους νομίζει, καὶ ὁ ἀκτήμων ὁμοίως, καὶ ὁ φιλάνθρωπος· εἰ τοίνυν πάντων καταψηφίσῃ ὁ τὴν ψῆφον αὐτὴν ἔχων παρὰ πάντων, ὥς φασι, δικαίως οὐ θαυμάζομεν. Τὸ γὰρ εἰκὸς καὶ ἐπὶ σοὶ συμβέβηκε. ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Πολλοὶ πταίσαντες καὶ ἀναμαχησάμενοι, τρόπαια ἔστησαν κατὰ τῶν παθῶν· ἐφ᾽ ὧν πρότερον ὁμολογήσαντες ἦσαν τὴν ἧτταν. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ αὐτὸς πολλάκις ἔπταισας, γνωσιμάχησον.","t":"[Letter 5.17, continued] … for now that among us, even before the act, the man who looks licentiously is punished as an adulterer. I pass over too that my words are now addressed to you, who do not believe the sacred Scriptures but say that you are ardently persuaded by Demosthenes. Know then, my good man, that not even he missed such a thing, but he cries out plainly: \"Daily ease and carelessness, as in private lives, so also in cities, do not make themselves felt at once in each thing neglected, but meet one in the sum of affairs.\" If, then, you think him trustworthy, at least obey him, and cut off small slips, so that the great ones may not even begin. [Letter 5.18] Many people pass verdicts on others from their own case. The money-lover does not believe that anyone is free of possessions, nor the licentious man that anyone is chaste, nor the cruel man that anyone is humane, nor the grasping man that anyone is merciful; and conversely the chaste man thinks many are such, and likewise the man without possessions and the humane man. If then the man who has the vote of all against himself, as they say, condemns all, we rightly do not wonder. For what was to be expected has happened in your case too. [Letter 5.19] To the same. Many who stumbled and then fought again set up trophies against the passions to which they had earlier confessed defeat. If, then, you too have often stumbled, admit it and change your course.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.16 (PG 78 78:1335; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-16)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.160":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰ παντί που δῆλόν ἐστιν, ὡς ὁ κολαστὴς τῶν ἀδικούντων μείζονα δίκην εἰκότως δοίη ἂν, εἰ φωραθείη ταῦτα δρῶν, ἃ κωλύειν ἑτέρους ἑτάχθη· τί σαυτὸν φενακίζεις, ὡς λησόμενος τὸν ἀκοίμητον ὀφθαλμόν;","t":"To Theon the bishop. If it is plain to everyone that the punisher of wrongdoers would rightly pay a greater penalty if he were caught doing the things he was appointed to prevent in others, why do you deceive yourself that you will escape the notice of the sleepless eye?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.160 (PG 78 78:1417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-160)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.161":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΣοὶ μὲν, ὡς γέγραφας, τοῦ μηδένα ἀγνοεῖν· ἄλλῳ δὲ ἴσως τοῦ ὑπὸ μηδενὸς ἀγνοεῖσθαι· ἐμοὶ δὲ τοῦ ἀρετῆς ἀντέχεσθαι, εἰ καὶ μηδεὶς ἀνθρώπων γνοίη, μεμέληκεν. Πότερος οὖν ἡμῶν νοῦν ἔχει μᾶλλον ἐῤῥωμένον, τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσι καταλελείφθω κρίνειν. Θεῖον μέν τοι χρῆμα ὁ λόγος· θεῖον γάρ ἐστι δῶρον, καὶ ἐκ λογικῆς τικτόμενον ψυχῆς, δι᾽ ἣν καὶ λόγος καλεῖται· ψυχῆς γὰρ λογικῆς ἐστι σκοπὸς ὁ λόγος. Διὸ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ζώων πλεονεκτοῦμεν· ὡς τοῖς γε σωματικοῖς πλεονεκτήμασι καὶ σφόδρα αὐτῶν λειπόμεθα καὶ τάχει, καὶ ῥώμῃ, καὶ μεγέθει, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις σχεδὸν ἅπασι. Διὸ καὶ τῶν ποιητῶν ὁ κορυφαῖος ἔφη · Οὐδὲν ἀκιδνότερον γαῖα τρέφει ἀνθρώποιο Ὅτι δὲ θεῖόν ἐστι δῶρον, ἄκουε τοῦ Δημιουργοῦ τῷ Ἰὼβ διαλεγομένου· «Ἢ σὺ λαβὼν χοῦν ἀπὸ γῆς, ἔπλασας ζῶον, καὶ λαλητὸν αὐτὸ ἔθου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. • Τὸ γὰρ λαλητὸν εἰ καί τινές οἷονται περιβόητον εἶναι, εὖ μηνύει μᾶλλον τὸ λογικὸν, τὸ διὰ τοῦ λαλεῖν γνωριζόμενον. Πῶς γὰρ ἔμελλε διαβόητον εἶναι, οὐκ ὄντων τῶν διὰ λόγου κηρυττόντων; Καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δὲ κορυφαιότατον τῶν οὐρανίων χαρισμάτων τὸν λόγον τῆς σοφίας ὡρίσατο. Θεῖον μὲν οὖν τι χρῆμα ὁ λόγος, θειότερον δὲ ἡ ἀρετὴ, θειότατον δὲ ἡ πίστις· καὶ τὸν μὲν ὁρίζομαι εἶναι ὡς κόσμον, τὴν δὲ ὡς σῶμα, τὴν δὲ ὡς ψυχήν. Ὁ μὲν οὖν τὰ τρία πρόσεστιν, οὗτος ἀνυπέρβλητός ἐστι καὶ τέλειος· ᾧ δὲ ὁπότερον λείπει, καὶ μάλιστα τὸ προτιμότερον, οὗτος ἀτελής ἐστι κατ' ἐκεῖνο, καθ' ὅ ἐλλείπει. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πολλή ἐστιν αὐτῶν ἡ διαφορά· τὸ μὲν γάρ ἐστιν αὐτῶν μέγα, τὸ δὲ μεῖζον, τὸ δὲ μέγιστον· ἀλλ᾽ ἀναγκαία αὐτῶν ἡ σύνοδος. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ λόγος, κἂν ὑπὲρ τοὺς ποταμοὺς ῥέῃ, πῶς κοσμήσει τὸν μὴ ἔχοντα ἀρετὴν, καθάπερ σῶμα; Μὴ ὄντος γὰρ τοῦ κοσμουμένου, καὶ τὸ κοσμοῦν περιττόν. Πῶς δὲ οὐκ ἐνοχλεῖ τὰς ἀκοὰς διὰ φωνῆς μόνης φιλοσοφῶν; \"Αμεινον γὰρ σῶμα ἔχειν ἄνευ κόσμου, ἢ κόσμον ἄνευ σώματος. Ἡ δὲ ἀρετὴ πῶς οὐκ ἔσται νεκρὰ, ὑπὸ τῆς πίστεως καθάπερ ψυχῆς μὴ ψυχουμένη; Πῶς δὲ ἡ πίστις φανεῖται, μὴ ἔχουσα ἀρετὴν δι' ἧς ἐνεργήσει; Καθάπερ γὰρ μουσικὸς ἄριστος λύραν μὴ ἔχων, οὐδὲ τὴν ἐπιστήμην ἐπιδείξεται, οὕτω καὶ ἡ εὐσέβεια μὴ δι' ἔργων καθάπερ ὀργάνων δεικνυμένη, νεκρὰ καὶ ἀνενέργητος εἶναι δοκεῖ, οὐ τοῖς ἔξωθεν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ταῖς θείαις Γραφαῖς· « Ἡ πίστις γὰρ, φησὶ, χωρὶς τῶν ἔργων νεκρά ἐστι.» Μήτ᾽ οὖν οἱ λόγον μόνον ἔχοντες ἐναβρυνέσθωσαν, ὡς τὸ πᾶν κατορθώσαντες (λείπει γὰρ αὐτοῖς τὰ προτιμότερα, ἀρετή τε καὶ εὐσέβεια)· μήτε οἱ ἀρετὴν ἔχοντες ἄνευ λόγου καὶ πίστεως σεμνυνέσθωσαν (λείπει γὰρ αὐτοῖς λόγος τε καὶ πίστις)· μήτε οἱ πίστιν ἔχοντες, ἔργων δὲ καὶ λόγου χηρεύοντες, τοὺς ἄλλους κατακρινέτωσαν (ἐλέγχονται γὰρ τοῖς ἔργοις ταύτην ἀρνούμενοι)· ἀλλὰ τὸ λεῖπον ἕκαστοι κτήσασθαι σπουδαζέτωσαν· ἵν᾿ ἔχοντες τὴν μὲν πίστιν ὡς ψυχὴν, τὴν δὲ ἀρετὴν ὡς σῶμα, τὸν δὲ λόγον ὡς ἐγκαλλώπισμα, κἀνταῦθα ἀοίδιμοι τυγχάνοιεν, κάκεῖσε εὐδόκιμοι καὶ στεφανίται πομπεύσειαν, ΤΟΙΣ ΔΟΜΕΤΙΟΥ ΠΑΙΣΙΝ. Εἰ καὶ ὁ ἀδελφὸς ὁ ὑμέτερος μὲν κατὰ σάρκα, ἡμέτερος δὲ κατὰ πνεῦμα, ἀπῆρε μὲν ἐντεῦθεν πρώην, ὡς μηκέτι ἐπιφοιτήσων, εἰ μὴ ὑμᾶς θηρεύσειεν· ἐπεφοίτησε δὲ πάλιν, ὡς μηκέτι ὑποστρέψων, ἐπειδὴ ἀπέτυχε τῆς θήρας· ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ τῆς ἀγάπης ἀναγκαζόμενος, ἤξει πάλιν, θηρεύσων ὑμᾶς εἰς ζωήν.","t":"To the same. You, as you have written, have cared to be ignorant of no one; another perhaps to be unknown to no one; but I have cared to hold fast to virtue even if no human being should know it. Which of us, then, has the sounder mind, let readers judge. [Letter 5.162] Speech is indeed a divine thing; for it is a divine gift, born of the rational soul, from which it is also called logos; for speech is the aim of the rational soul. That is why we surpass the other animals, since in bodily advantages we fall far short of them, in speed, strength, size and almost everything else. That is why the chief of the poets said: \"Earth nourishes nothing feebler than man.\" And that it is a divine gift, hear the Creator speaking to Job: \"Did you take dust from the earth and fashion a living creature, and set it as a speaking being on the earth?\" For \"speaking\" (lalētos), even if some think it means \"much talked of,\" rather indicates well the rational, which is made known through speaking. For how could he be much talked of, if there were none to proclaim him by speech? And Paul defined the word of wisdom as the very chief of the heavenly gifts. Speech, then, is a divine thing, virtue more divine, faith most divine; and I define the first as adornment, the second as body, the third as soul. The one who has all three is unsurpassable and perfect; but the one who lacks either of the others, and above all the more precious, is imperfect in what he lacks. For even if the difference between them is great (for one is great, another greater, another greatest), yet their union is necessary. For speech, even if it flows beyond the rivers, how will it adorn one who does not have virtue, as a body? For if there is nothing to be adorned, the adornment too is superfluous. And how will one who philosophizes by voice alone not annoy the ears? For it is better to have a body without adornment than adornment without a body. And how will virtue not be dead if it is not given life by faith, as by a soul? And how will faith appear, if it has no virtue through which to act? For just as an excellent musician who has no lyre will not display his skill, so piety, if it is not shown through works as through instruments, seems dead and inactive, not only to outsiders but also to the divine Scriptures: \"For faith,\" it says, \"without works is dead.\" So let those who have speech alone not pride themselves as if they had achieved everything (for they lack the more precious things, virtue and piety); nor let those who have virtue without speech and faith take pride (for they lack speech and faith); nor let those who have faith but are bereft of works and speech condemn the others (for they are refuted as denying it by their works); but let each strive to acquire what is lacking, so that, having faith as soul, virtue as body and speech as ornament, they may be celebrated here and parade there as approved and crowned. [Letter 5.163] To the sons of Dometius. Your brother, yours according to the flesh but ours according to the Spirit, departed from here recently, intending never to come back unless he could win you; and he came again, intending never to return, since he failed in the hunt. But, compelled by love, he will come again to hunt you for life.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.161 (PG 78 78:1417; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-161)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.164":{"o":"ΤΟΙΣ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ.\nΕἰ καὶ δῆλοι πᾶσι γεγόνατε καὶ φανεροὶ ἀποδιδράσκοντες τὴν θειοτάτην θρησκείαν, δι' ἕτερον μὲν οὐδὲν (ἐκθειάζετε γὰρ αὐτὴν, ὡς ἐπυθόμην), διὰ δὲ τὸ μὴ βούλεσθαι ἀρετὴν ἀσκεῖν (τοῖς γὰρ σωματικοῖς πάθεσιν ἐγκαλινδεῖσθαι, ὥς φασι, προήρησθε), ἀλλὰ γε κἂν ὀψε ποτε δίκαιοι ἂν εἴητε ἑαυτοὺς πεῖσαι, ὅτι ἡ μὲν κακία αἰσχύνην καὶ ὄνειδος καὶ κόλασιν ἔχει, ἡ δὲ ἀρετὴ τιμὴν καὶ κλέος καὶ στεφάνους. Καὶ εἰ ἡδονὴν νομίζετε ἔχειν τὴν κακίαν, τὴν δ᾽ ἀρετὴν πόνους καὶ ἰδρῶτας · ἀλλ᾽ ἐννοεῖν ὀφείλετε, ὅτι ἡ μὲν ἡδονὴ πρὶν σχεδὸν φανῆναι σβέννυται, ἡ δ᾽ ἀρετὴ ἀθάνατον ἔχει τὴν εὐφροσύνην· καὶ ἡ μὲν διὰ πλατείας καὶ εὐρυχώρου βαδίζουσα ὁδοῦ, εἰς στενὸν καὶ ἀδιεξόδευτον χῶρον τελευτᾷ· ἡ δὲ διὰ πόνων καὶ ἱδρώτων ὁδεύουσα, εἰς εὐθυμίαν πλατεῖαν καταντᾷ. Εἰ δὲ τοῖς ἡμετέροις ἀπιστεῖτε, ἀπὸ τῶν ὑμετέρων ὑμᾶς πεῖσαι πειράσομαι. Πλάτων μὲν γὰρ φιλοσοφήσας ἀοίδιμος γέγονε, Διονύσιος δὲ τυραννήσας ἐσβέσθη· καὶ Σωκράτης μὲν ἄδεται, ᾿Αρχέλαος δὲ ὁ βασιλεὺς σεσιώπηται· καὶ Σόλων μὲν ἀνυμνεῖται, Κροῖσος δὲ ὁ πάντων ἀνθρώπων νομίσας εἶναι εὐδαιμονέστερος, καὶ ζῶν ἑάλω, καὶ πυρὸς ἔργον Περσικοῦ ἔμελλε γίγνεσθαι. Εἰ δὲ τούτους φιλοσόφους ἡγεῖσθε, ἥξω καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς πολιτευσαμένους, καὶ στρατηγήσαντας μετὰ φιλοσοφίας. Ἐπαμινώνδας ὁ Θηβαίων στρατηγὸς, ὁ Λακεδαιμονίους ἐν Λεύκτροις χειρωσάμενος, ἓν ἱμάτιον ἔχων, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο εἰς ἐκκλησίαν ἐλθεῖν μὴ δυνάμενος, ἐπειδὴ κατ' ἐκείνην τὴν ἡμέραν πλυνόμενον ἔτυχε, καὶ ἕτερον περιβαλέσθαι οὐκ εἶχε, πάντων τῶν Περσικῶν βασιλέων ἐπισημότερος γέγονεν. Αριστείδης δὲ τοσαύτῃ πενίᾳ συμβιώσας, ὡς τὴν ᾿Αθηναίων πόλιν αὐτὸν μὲν θάψαι ἀποθανόντα, τὰς δὲ θυγατέρας˙ αὐτοῦ προικίσασαν ἀνδράσιν ἐκδοῦναι, πάντων ἐκείνων τῶν περὶ Καλλίαν τὸν λακκόπλουτον καὶ ᾿Αλκιβιάδην, τῶν καὶ πλούτῳ καὶ γένει καὶ δυναστείᾳ κρατούντων, λαμπρότερος ἦν. Αἰδεσθέντες τοίνυν κἂν ἃ πρεσβεύετε, ἀσπάσασθε τὴν ἀρετὴν, δι' ἧς ῥᾳδίως καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν θειοτάτην θρησκείαν βαδιείσθε.","t":"To the same. Even if you have become plain and manifest to all as running away from the most divine religion for no other reason (for you revere it, as I learned) than that you do not wish to practise virtue (for you have chosen, as they say, to wallow in bodily passions), still, even if late, you would do right to persuade yourselves that wickedness brings shame, reproach and punishment, and virtue honour, glory and crowns. And if you think that wickedness brings pleasure and virtue labours and sweat, you ought to consider that pleasure is quenched almost before it appears, while virtue has an immortal gladness; and the one, walking along a broad and spacious road, ends in a narrow place with no way out, while the other, travelling through labours and sweat, arrives at a broad good cheer. But if you disbelieve our writings, I shall try to persuade you from yours. Plato, who practised philosophy, has become celebrated, while Dionysius, who played the tyrant, has been extinguished; Socrates is sung, while King Archelaus is passed over in silence; Solon is hymned, while Croesus, who thought himself the happiest of all men, was taken alive and was about to become the prey of Persian fire. And if you consider these philosophers, I shall come also to those who governed and commanded armies with philosophy. Epaminondas, the general of the Thebans who overcame the Spartans at Leuctra, had one cloak, and for that reason could not go to the assembly, since on that day it happened to be in the wash and he had no other to put on; yet he became more famous than all the kings of Persia. Aristides lived in such poverty that the city of the Athenians buried him when he died and gave his daughters in marriage with dowries; yet he was more illustrious than all those around Callias the cistern-rich and Alcibiades, who excelled in wealth, birth and power. Out of respect, then, at least for what you profess, embrace virtue, through which you will easily go on to the most divine religion.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.164 (PG 78 78:1421; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-164)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.165":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ ὡς ἄριστος ἰατρὸς, ἐν ἀλλοτρίοις κακοῖς ἰδίας καρπούμενος λύπας, ἀπέκαμες, τὸ δυσίατον Ζωσίμου νόσημα, μὴ μόνον κατανοῶν ἀλλὰ καὶ κατακαίων, πυρί τε καὶ σιδήρῳ τῷ διὰ λόγων χρώμενος · καὶ πολλὰ μὲν πρὸς τὴν ἀσέβειαν ἀποτομώτατα φράσας, πολλὰ δὲ προσηνῆ καὶ σωτήρια συμβουλεύσας, οὐδὲν τοῦ χλευασθῆναι καὶ μισηθῆναι παρ' αὐτοῦ πλέον ἀπηνέγκω· μὴ ὀλιγωρήσῃς, ἀλλ' ἴσθι παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ μεγίστας ἕξων τὰς ἀμοιβάς. ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Εἰ καὶ οἱ τῶν δαιμόνων τῶν πονηρῶν, καὶ τῶν εἰδώλων τῶν ἀκινήτων προσκυνηταὶ, οὔτε λόγῳ ῥητὰ, οὔτε ἔργῳ φορητά, κατὰ τῶν τὸ θεῖον κηρυττόντων κήρυγμα ἐπενόησαν βασανιστήρια, ὡς ταύτῃ αὐτοὺς καταπλήξοντες, καὶ τοῦ ὀρθοῦ φρονήματος ἐκστήσοντες· ἀλλά γε πάντα αὐτοῖς ἑάλω, καὶ πάντα ὑπέκυψεν, ὥσπερ εἰς τὴν τῶν πολεμηθέντων νίκην εὐκλεεστέραν, καὶ εἰς τὸν τῶν παρασκευασαμένων ὄλεθρον εὐτρεπισθέντα.","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. Even if, like an excellent physician who reaps grief of his own from others' ills, you have grown weary, not only examining but also cauterizing the hard-to-cure disease of Zosimus, using the fire and steel of words, and, after saying many very severe things against his impiety and advising many gentle and saving things, you have gained from him nothing more than being mocked and hated, do not lose heart, but know that you will have the greatest rewards from God. [Letter 5.166] To Isidore the bishop. Even if the worshippers of evil demons and of motionless idols devised against the preachers of the divine message tortures unspeakable in word and unbearable in deed, so as to strike them with terror and drive them from right belief, yet all these things were taken captive by them and all bowed down, as though prepared to make the victory of those warred against more glorious and to bring ruin on those who prepared them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.165 (PG 78 78:1423; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-165)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.167":{"o":"ΔΙΔΥΜΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠολλῷ μὲν κρεῖττον, ὦ σοφώτατε, τὸ καθαρὰν ἥττης ἔχειν τὴν νίκην, τοῦ μετὰ τὴν ἧτταν νικῆσαι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ εἰ καὶ τῷ τέλει συνάπτεται, ἀλλ᾽ ἔχει καὶ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀνακηρύττουσαν· τὸ δὲ εἰ καὶ τῷ τέλει συμβαίνει, τῇ παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀμαυροῦται ἥττῃ. ῎Αμεινον μὲν οὖν τὸ πρότερον· εἰ δὲ διαφεύγοι, δεύτερον ἔστω τὸ δεύτερον. Ἄμεινον γὰρ τοῦ μεῖναι ἐν τῇ ἥττῃ τὸ ἀναμαχέσασθαι ταύτην. Οὐ τοσοῦτον γὰρ τοῦ πρώτου ἀπολείπεται, ὅσῳ τοῦ τελευταίου ὑπερέχει· μᾶλλον δὲ ὁ μὲν, εἰ καὶ μὴ ὡς ὁ πρότερος, ὅμως δ᾽ οὖν ἀνακηρύττεται· ἐκεῖνος δὲ καταγέλαστός ἐστι, καὶ κωμῳδίας ἅπασι πρόκειται ὑπόθεσις.","t":"To Didymus the presbyter. It is much better, most wise man, to have a victory pure of defeat than to win after a defeat. For the first, even if it is joined to the end, also has a beginning that proclaims it; but the second, even if it comes about at the end, is dimmed by the defeat at the beginning. The first, then, is better; but if it escapes us, let the second be second. For to fight back from defeat is better than to remain in it. For it falls short of the first by less than it surpasses the last; or rather, the one, even if not like the first, is still proclaimed, while the other is laughable and set before everyone as a subject for comedy.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.167 (PG 78 78:1423; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-167)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.168":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ.\nΤὸν ἄρχοντα, ὡς ἔμοιγε δοκεῖ, χρὴ καὶ ἀγαθὸν εἶναι καὶ φοβερόν Ἵν' οἱ μὲν εὖ βιοῦντες θαρῥοῖεν, οἱ δὲ ἁμαρτάνοντες ὀκνοῖεν· θάτερον γὰρ θατέρου χωρὶς ἀναρχία μᾶλλον ἐστιν ἢ ἀρχή. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἦσαν πάντες οἱ ὑπήκοοι φιλάρετοι, ἀγαθότητος ἦν χρεία μόνης· εἰ δὲ φιλαμαρτήμονες, φόβου. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἀγαθοὺς καὶ πονηροὺς εἶναι ἀνάγκη ἐν τοῖς ἀρχομένοις, ἀμφότερα μεταχειριστέον τῷ ἄρχοντι ἵν᾿ ἡ μὲν ἀγαθότης στηρίζῃ τοὺς σώφρονας, ὁ δὲ φόβος προαναστέλλῃ τῶν κακίστων τὰ πταίσματα.","t":"To Timothy. A ruler, as it seems to me, should be both good and fearsome, so that those who live well may take courage and those who sin may hesitate; for either without the other is anarchy rather than rule. If all the subjects were lovers of virtue, there would be need only of goodness; if lovers of sin, of fear. But since among the governed there must be both good and wicked, the ruler must use both, so that goodness may strengthen the temperate and fear may check beforehand the offences of the worst.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.168 (PG 78 78:1423; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-168)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.169":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰ καί τινες τῶν σοὶ συνδιατριψάντων σβέσαι μου τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ ἐπιστεῖλαί σοι ὁρμὴν πειρώμενοι ἔφασαν, ὡς τοὺς μὲν κολακεύοντας ἄγαν τιμᾶς, τῶν δὲ συμβουλευόντων καταφρονεῖς. ᾿Αλλ' ἐμὲ οὐκ ἄν τις πείσειεν, ὡς οἷόν τε τοσοῦτον καὶ τῇ φρονήσει καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις διενεγκεῖν, ἣν μή τις τῶν μὲν μαθητὴς, τῶν δὲ ἀκροατὴς, τῶν δὲ εὑρετὴς τυγχάνῃ. Διά ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐπέστειλα· εἰ δὲ παῤῥησιαστικώτερον, ἢ οἱ πεπλησιακότες σοι γράφω, μὴ διὰ τοῦτο θορυβηθῇς· ἀλλὰ δι' αὐτό με τοῦτο ἀπόδεξαι, ὅτι τὸ πρέπον ἐμοὶ πρὸ τοῦ συμφέροντος εἰλόμην. Ο τι οὖν βούλομαι εἰπεῖν, αὐτίκα μάλα εἰρήσεται· οὐ γὰρ προκατασκευῆς δέονται οἱ σοφοὶ, ἀλλὰ τὸ καλὸν ἀτέχνως ἐπιτηδεύειν εἰώθασιν. Εἰ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀσκεῖς, μὴ τῷ ἐπιδείκνυσθαι ἀμαυροῦν τὸ ταύτης κάλλος ἀνέχου. Μέγα μὲν γὰρ ἀρετὴ, ἀλλ᾿ ὅταν ἑαυτῇ μὴ μαρτυρῇ, μείζων καὶ ὡραιοτέρα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις δείκνυται Εἰ δὲ νομίζεις λήσεσθαι, εἰ μὴ ἐπιδείξαιο, τούναντίον νόμιζε, ὅτι τότε λάμψεις, ὅταν μὴ ἐπιδείξαιο. Φιλόνεικον γάρ πως τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος ἐστί· καὶ πρὸς μὲν τοὺς μεγαλαυχοῦντας ἀντιστρατεύεται, τοῖς δὲ ταπεινοῦν ἑαυτοὺς σπουδάζουσι μεθ' ἡδονῆς ἡττᾶται· κἀκείνοις μὲν ἀναστέλλον αὐτῶν τὸ φιλότιμον, καὶ τὰ μὴ προσόντα προστρίβεται κακά· τούτοις δὲ καὶ τὰ μὴ προσόντα ἐπιφημίζει καλά. Ἄλλως δὲ οὐδὲ ἀρετὴν οἷόν τε λαθεῖν, ἀλλὰ κἂν πρὸς ὀλίγον φθόνῳ ἐπισκιασθῇ, αὖθις ἀναλάμπει, καὶ τῶν ἐπισκιασάντων κρατεί. Ὥσπερ γὰρ τὸ φῶς οὐχ οἷόν τε λαθεῖν, οὕτως οὐδὲ τὴν ἀρετὴν· καὶ ταῦτα μὲν λελέχθω· περὶ τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ψήφου. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὴν θείαν ἐθέλεις μαθεῖν, ἔχεις ἐν τοῖς θείοις Εὐαγγελίοις τὰ κατὰ τὸν Φαρισαῖον καὶ τὸν τελώνην λαμπρῶς στηλογραφηθέντα. Ἔοικας δεδοικέναι, μὴ τὴν δόξαν τοῦ κατορθώματος τὸ μῆκος ἐλαττώσῃ τοῦ χρόνου· ἀλλὰ χρὴ εἰδέναι, ὅτι τοῦ μετὰ τάχους σφαλεροῦς τὸ μετὰ βραδυτῆτος ἀσφαλὲς λυσιτελέστερον. Οὐχ ἧττον γὰρ ἀλλὰ καὶ μᾶλλον εὐκλεέστεροι κατὰ τάχος λαμπρῶν οἱ συνέσει καὶ βραδυτῆτι τὰ ἴσα πράξαντες. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ καὶ χρήματα καὶ σώματα ἀναλώσαντες νενικηκέναι δοκοῦσιν· οἱ δὲ ἄνευ ζημίας τὴν νίκην καρποῦνται. καὶ οἱ μὲν οὐκ ἔχουσι καθαρὰν ἀθυμίας ἡδονὴν, οἱ δὲ εἰλικρινῆ καρποῦνται τὴν εὐφροσύνην. – ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ, ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ, ΑΛΦΕΙΟ, ΕΠΙ","t":"To Apollonius the bishop. Some of those who have spent time with you, trying to quench my eagerness to write to you, said that you greatly honour flatterers and despise counsellors. But no one could persuade me that it is possible to excel so much in prudence and in deeds unless one is the pupil of some, the hearer of others and the discoverer of yet other things. For these reasons, then, I have written. And if I write more frankly than those who have been close to you, do not be troubled on that account, but accept me for this very reason, that I chose what is fitting for me before what is advantageous. What I want to say, then, will be said at once; for the wise do not need preparatory arguments, but are accustomed to practise the good without art. If you practise virtue, do not allow its beauty to be dimmed by displaying it. For virtue is a great thing, but when it does not bear witness to itself it appears greater and lovelier to people. And if you think you will go unnoticed unless you display it, think the opposite: that you will shine precisely when you do not display it. For the human race is somehow contentious: it campaigns against boasters, but is gladly defeated by those who strive to humble themselves; and checking the ambition of the former, it smears them even with evils they do not have, while to the latter it ascribes even good things they do not have. Besides, virtue cannot go unnoticed; even if it is overshadowed by envy for a while, it shines out again and prevails over those who overshadowed it. For just as light cannot be hidden, neither can virtue. So much for the verdict of people. If you also wish to learn the divine verdict, you have the story of the Pharisee and the tax collector brilliantly inscribed in the divine Gospels. You seem to fear that the length of time may diminish the glory of the achievement; but you should know that what is safe with slowness is more profitable than what is hazardous with speed. For those who have achieved the same things with understanding and slowness are no less, but even more glorious than those who achieved brilliantly with speed. For the one seem to have won after spending both money and bodies; the others reap victory without loss. And the one do not have a pleasure pure of despondency, while the others reap an unmixed gladness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.169 (PG 78 78:1425; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-169)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.170":{"o":"ΣΚΟΠΟΙΣ.\nΤὸ δεδογμένον καλὸν γινέσθω, καὶ τοῖς βεβουλευμένοις ἡ διὰ τῶν ἔργων πίστις ἐπέσθω. Οἷς μὲν γὰρ οὐχ ἔπεται πρὸς τὸ φυλάττειν ἡ δύναμις, οὗτοι ἀναγκαίως πλημμελοῦσι καθ' ἑκάτερον, καὶ ψηφιζόμενοι ἀνέφικτα, καὶ λύοντες αὖθις τὰ δόξαντα · ὧν τὸ μὲν ἀνυπέρβλητον ἄνοιαν, τὸ δὲ μετρίαν συγγνώμην ἔχει. Οἷς δ' ἄμφω οἷόν τε συνδραμεῖν, καὶ τὸ βουλεύεσθαι, καὶ τὸ δύνασθαι εἰς πέρας ἄγειν τὰ δόξαντα, τούτοις θάτερον παραβαίνουσιν ἀπαραίτητος κατηγορία.","t":"To Leontius, Lampetius and Alpheius, bishops. Let what has been decided well be carried out, and let the proof given by deeds follow what has been resolved. Those who do not have the power to keep their decisions necessarily go wrong in both respects, by voting for what cannot be achieved and by undoing again what they decided; of which the first shows unsurpassable folly, the second deserves moderate pardon. But for those in whom both can come together, the deliberating and the ability to bring decisions to completion, there is no escaping the charge if they transgress in either.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.170 (PG 78 78:1427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-170)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.171":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nὉ κηδόμενος τῶν συνόντων καὶ προπονῶν, καὶ συνηδόμενος μὲν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς αὐτῶν· ἀχθόμενος δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς δυσκόλοις, δεινός ἐστι θηρατὴς τοῦ τῆς φιλίας χρήματος. Τοσούτους γὰρ ἑαυτῷ προσδήσει, ὅσους καὶ θεάσοιτο · τοσούτους δὲ θεάσοιτο, ὅσους ἡ εὐκλεὴς φήμη πρὸς αὐτὸν χειραγωγήσει· τοσοῦτοι δὲ χειραγωγηθήσονται, ὅσοι τῶν καλῶν ἐπιτηδευμάτων διάπυροί εἰσιν ἐρασταί. Τις οὖν τοῦ τοιούτου εὐκλεέστερος, ἢ τίς μακαριστότερος τοῦ ὑπὸ τοσούτων φίλων δορυφορουμένου ; Ἢ ὁρῶν μὴ ἔρα, ἢ ἐρῶν μὴ ὅρα. Εἰ δὲ τὸ πρότερον τισὶ μὲν δύσκολον φαίνεται, τισὶ δὲ ἀδύνατον, τὸ δεύτερον ἀσκητέον· ἄμεινον γὰρ ἀσφάλεια φιλοτιμίας ἀκρίτου · καὶ τοῦτο ἡμῖν μὲν θεῖος προστάττει χρησμός. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ σὺ τὰ Ἑλλήνων πρεσβεύεις, κὰκεῖθέν σοι τοῦ χρησμοῦ τὴν ἀλήθειαν παραστῆσαι πειράσομαι. Τὰς μὲν οὖν αἰτίας τοῦ τε Ἰλιακοῦ πολέμου, καὶ τοῦ Μεσσηνιακοῦ, τοῦ τε Κιῤῥαίων πρὸς ᾿Αργείους, τοῦ τε Θηβαίων πρὸς Φωκέας παρήσω, ὡς κατημαξευμένας· πάντες γὰρ οὗτοι καὶ δεκαετεῖς, καὶ διὰ γυναῖκας ἐγένοντο. ᾿Απὸ δὲ τῶν Ξενοφῶντος, οἷς καὶ κεχείρωσαι, τὴν ἀπόδειξιν ποιήσομαι. Ἴσθι τοίνυν, ὡς ὁ μὲν Κῦρος μηδὲ ἰδεῖν τὴν Πάνθειαν ἀνασχόμενος, καίτοι ἀμήχανον κάλλος ἔχειν μαρτυρουμένην, οὐ μόνον τοῦ τῆς λαγνείας χειμῶνος οὐκ ἐπειράθη, ἀλλὰ καὶ σωφροσύνῃ διέλαμψεν. Ὁ δὲ ᾿Αράσπας, καίπερ μεγαλοφρονήσας ὡς καὶ ὁρῶν καὶ μὴ ἐρῶν, εἰς τοσαύτην κατέπεσεν αἰσχύνην, ἐρασθεὶς αὐτῆς, καὶ ἱκετεύσας, καὶ διαμαρτὼν τῆς ἐπιθυμίας, ὡς ἀναγκασθῆναι τὸν Κῦρον μυρίαις μηχαναῖς καὶ ἐπινοίαις χρήσασθαι, ὥστε ἀπαλλάξαι ἐκεῖνον αἰσχρᾶς ὑπολήψεως. Τίς οὖν ἀμείνων παρὰ σοὶ, ὁ ἀσφαλῶς τὰ καθ' ἑαυτὸν διαθεὶς, καὶ μέχρι νῦν ἐπὶ σωφροσύνῃ ἀνυμνούμενος, ἢ ὁ φιλοτιμίᾳ ἀκαίρῳ ἑαυτὸν καταισχύνας, καὶ τότε μὲν τὴν οἰκείαν παῤῥησίαν σβέσας, τοῖς δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα παραδοὺς κωμῳδῆσαι καὶ τὴν προτέραν ἀλαζονείαν, καὶ τὴν δευτέραν ἀδοξίαν; Τοιγαροῦν καὶ αὐτὸς τὰ κατὰ σεαυτὸν καλῶς οἱάκιζε, καὶ μὴ ἀκαίρῳ φιλοτιμίᾳ ἐκβακχευόμενος, κατὰ τῶν τῆς ἀσελγείας βαράθρων σαυτὸν φέρων κατακρήμνιζε.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. The one who cares for his companions and labours for them beforehand, who rejoices with them in their good fortune and is grieved at their troubles, is a skilful hunter of that possession, friendship. For he will bind to himself as many as he sees; and he will see as many as his good report leads to him by the hand; and as many will be led as are ardent lovers of good pursuits. Who, then, is more glorious than such a man, or who more blessed than one escorted by so many friends? [Letter 5.172] Either do not love while you look, or do not look while you love. If the first seems hard to some and impossible to others, the second must be practised; for safety is better than ill-judged ambition; and this is what the divine oracle commands us. But since you profess the religion of the Greeks, I shall try to show you the truth of the oracle from there too. I shall pass over the causes of the Trojan war, the Messenian, that of the Cirrhaeans against the Argives and that of the Thebans against the Phocians, as well-worn; for all these lasted ten years and were fought over women. I shall make my proof from Xenophon, whom you have mastered. Know, then, that Cyrus, who would not even bear to see Panthea, though she was attested to have extraordinary beauty, not only did not experience the storm of lust, but shone in self-control. But Araspas, though he prided himself on being able to see and not love, fell into such shame, having fallen in love with her, entreated her and failed in his desire, that Cyrus was forced to use countless devices and contrivances to free him from a shameful reputation. Who, then, is better in your eyes: the one who ordered his own affairs safely and is still celebrated for self-control, or the one who disgraced himself by untimely ambition, and then quenched his own freedom of speech and left to later generations the ridicule of both his first boastfulness and his later disgrace? So steer your own affairs well too, and do not, frenzied by untimely ambition, throw yourself headlong down the pits of licentiousness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.171 (PG 78 78:1427; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-171)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.174":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΟ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΑὐτὸς μὲν ἄξιος ἑπαίνων τυγχάνεις, ὁ δὲ πρεσβύτερός σου ἀδελφὸς ἀξιώτερος, ὁ δὲ πρεσβύτατος ἀξιώτατος. Ταῖς γὰρ ἡλικίαις καὶ ἡ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐπίδοσις συνέδραμεν· ὅθεν καὶ ἐπὶ σοὶ, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ πρεσβυτέρῳ χρηστὴ ἐλπὶς ἀνθεῖ, ὡς τοῦ πρεσβυτάτου προκοπτούσης τῆς ἡλικίας οὐκ ἀπολειφθήσεσθε, ἀλλ᾽ ἀοίδιμοι κατ' ἐκεῖνον γενήσεσθε. Ἔχοντες οὖν συγγενικά κατορθώματα, πρὸς αὐτὰ τείνατε τὸν σκοπόν. Εἰ καὶ πρὸς κέρδος ἀνελεύθερον ὁρῶν, καὶ φιλοχρηματίας ἐρῶν, κάλλιστον σαυτῷ ἡγῇ πεπράχθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἃ μάλιστα μὲν καὶ αὐτὸς βούλοιο, πρὸς τιμὴν καὶ δόξαν ἐστὶν αἴσχιστα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ τὴν πάντη τε καὶ πάντως ἐψομένην τοῖς τοιούτοις τολμήμασι λογίσαιο δίκην, εὖ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι καταθρηνήσειας σαυτόν. Σκόπει οὖν τὸ δέον· τὸ γὰρ τέλος τὸ κἀνταῦθα κἀκεῖ τοῖς · πταίουσιν ἑπόμενον οἶδας. Ακόλαστος Ὁ ἀκόλαστος, τουτέστιν, ὁ ῥᾳθύμως βιοὺς, καὶ τὰς οἰκείας μὴ κολάζων ἐπιθυμίας, ἀλλὰ τὰς ἡνίας αὐτοῖς ἐνδιδοὺς τοῦ ὅπου βούλοιντο χωρεῖν, εἰ ἐπιχειροίη τὰς τῶν ἄλλων κολάζειν, καταγέλαστος ἔσται καὶ ἐπονείδιστος. Οὐ μόνον γὰρ οὐδὲν ἀνύσει, ἀλλὰ καὶ κωμῳδίας ὑπόθεσις γενήσεται, κατορθῶσαι ἐν ἄλλοις πειρώμενος, ἅπερ αὐτὸς οὐ κατώρθωσεν. Οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν, οὐκ ἔστι τῶν ἀλλοτρίων κρατῆσαι παθῶν, τὸν τῶν οἰκείων μὴ περιγινόμενον· ταυτὸν γὰρ ποιεῖ, οἷον ἂν εἴ τις στρατηγὸς τὴν μὲν οἰκείαν πόλιν, ἐμφύλιον ἔχουσαν πόλεμον, καὶ νοσοῦσαν, καὶ στασιάζουσαν εἰς ὁμόνοιαν ἀγαγεῖν μὴ δυνηθείη, τῶν δὲ ἔξωθεν πολέμων περιέσεσθαι ἐπαγγέλλοιτο. Πρὸς ὅν τις εἰκότως φαίη· Ἐμβρόντητε, ἴσως ἀγνοεῖς, ὅτι οὐ τοσοῦτον οἱ ἀλλόφυλοι πόλεμοι, ὅσον οἱ ἐμφύλιοι διαφθείρουσι; Χρὴ οὖν πρῶτον τὸν μάχεσθαι.","t":"To Paul the monk. You yourself deserve praise, your elder brother more, and the eldest most of all. For the progress of virtue has kept pace with your ages; hence for you and for the elder a good hope flourishes that, as your age advances, you will not fall short of the eldest, but will become celebrated as he is. Having, then, achievements in your own family, aim at them. [A further letter] Even if, looking to servile gain and in love with avarice, you think you have done very well for yourself, yet what you would most wish for is most shameful with regard to honour and glory. And if you also reckon the penalty that will in every way and certainly follow such audacity, I know well that you would lament for yourself. So consider what is needful; for you know the end that follows those who stumble, both here and there. [A further letter] On the licentious man. The licentious man (akolastos), that is, the one who lives indolently and does not chasten (kolazōn) his own desires but gives them the reins to go where they like, if he tries to chasten those of others, will be laughable and a reproach. For not only will he achieve nothing, but he will become a subject for comedy, trying to set right in others what he has not set right himself. For it is not, it is not possible for one who does not overcome his own passions to master those of others. He acts like a general who could not bring his own city, which has civil war, is sick and torn by faction, to concord, yet promised to prevail in foreign wars. One might rightly say to him: \"Thunderstruck fool, do you perhaps not know that foreign wars do not destroy as much as civil ones?\" One must, then, first … fight.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.174 (PG 78 78:1429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-174)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.175":{"o":"ΕΠΙΦΑΝΙΩ.\nἔνδον σβέσαι πόλεμον, καὶ τότε τοῖς ἔξω πολεμίοις Ἐπειδὴ θαυμάζειν ἔφης, ὅπως οἱ μὲν θεῖοι χρησμοὶ ἡσυχίαν ἡμᾶς ἄγειν φασὶ χρῆναι, κἄν τις ἡμᾶς ἀδικῇ, οἱ δὲ τούτων ἑρμηνευταὶ οὐ βούλονται ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν, οὐδενὸς αὐτοὺς ἀδικοῦντος. Κἄν τις αὐτοὺς ἐλέγχειν ἐπιχειροίη, λοιδορεῖσθαι φάσκουσι, καὶ ὡς ἐπὶ καθοσιώσει ἁλόντα δίκας πράττουσι Ταῦτα δὲ δρῶντες δυσχεραίνουσιν, ὅτι παρ' Ἑλλήνων τε καὶ Ἰουδαίων κωμῳδοῦνται. Σὲ μὲν ἐλέγχειν ὡς λογοποιὸν οὐκ ἔχω· ἡδέως δὲ τοὺς ταῦτα δρῶντας (οὐδὲ γὰρ κατὰ πάντων τὴν ψῆφον ἐνεκτέον) ἐροίμην· Τί δή ποτε τἀναντία ὧν φατε διαπράττεσθε; Τί ἄλλα μὲν διδάσκειν, ἄλλα δὲ ποιεῖν ἐπιχειρεῖτε; Τί Ἑλλήνων τε καὶ Ἰουδαίων τὴν γλῶτταν ἀκονᾶτε, καὶ κατὰ τῆς θειοτάτης θρησκείας ὁπλίζεσθαι παρασκευάζετε, οὓς ἀρετῇ χρὴ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ δυναστείᾳ χειρωθῆναι; Η οὖν παυστέον τούτων τῶν πράξεων, ἢ μηδένα τοσοῦτον αἰτιατέον τοῦ πάντα φαύλως ἔχειν, ἢ ἡμᾶς αὐτούς. Ὁ τὰ πρόδηλα κακὰ φανερῶς δρῶν, καὶ μὴ ἐρυθριῶν, οὗτος δῆλον ὅτι λανθάνων οὐδὲν· τῶν ἀπορῥήτων ἄπρακτον ἐάσει· καὶ τοῖς μεγίστοις ἐγχειρῶν, οὐκ ἂν δήπου περὶ τὰ εὐτελέστερα ὀκνηρῶς διακείσεται· ὁ δὲ τὰ μικρὰ φυλαττόμενος, καὶ τὰ μέγιστα, ὡς εἰκὸς, φυλάξεται.","t":"To Epiphanius. (… quench the war within, and then … the enemies outside.) Since you said you wonder how the divine oracles say that we must keep quiet even if someone wrongs us, while their interpreters do not wish to keep quiet when no one wrongs them; and if anyone tries to refute them, they say they are being abused and exact penalties from him as one caught in treason; and while doing this they are annoyed that they are ridiculed by Greeks and Jews. You I cannot refute as a teller of tales; but I would gladly ask those who do these things (for one must not pass the verdict against all): Why ever do you do the opposite of what you say? Why do you undertake to teach one thing and do another? Why do you sharpen the tongues of Greeks and Jews and prepare them to arm themselves against the most divine religion, when they should be won by virtue and not by power? Either, then, we must stop these doings, or blame no one so much as ourselves for everything being in a bad state. [Letter 5.176] The one who openly does manifest evils and does not blush will clearly leave none of the secret ones undone when unobserved; and one who takes in hand the greatest will surely not be hesitant about the cheaper ones. But one who guards against small things will, as is likely, also guard against the greatest.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.175 (PG 78 78:1429; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-175)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.179":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἩ μὲν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις νενεκρωμένης ψυχῆς ἀνάστασις ἐνταῦθα τελεῖται, ὅταν ταῖς τῆς δικαιοσύνης πράξεσιν εἰς ζωὴν ἀναστοιχειωθῇ. Νέκρωσιν δὲ χρὴ νοεῖν ψυχῆς τὴν κακοπραγίαν, οὐ τὸν εἰς τὸ μὴ εἶναι ἀφανισμόν. Διὸ καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἀσώτου παιδὸς ἔτι ζῶντος ἐῤῥέθη· «Νεκρὸς ἦν καὶ ἀνέζησε. » Καὶ τῷ ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας νεκρωθέντι, καὶ ταφέντι ἐῤῥέθη· «Ἔγειραι ὁ καθεύδων, καὶ ἀνάστα ἐκ τῶν νεκρῶν, καὶ ἐπιφαύσει σοι ὁ Χριστός.» Τῷ γὰρ τὸν θάνατον τῆς ἁμαρτίας διὰ μετανοίας ἀποσεισαμένῳ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἀνατελεῖ· ἡ δὲ τοῦ σώματος ἐκεῖσε τελεσθήσεται, πάντων μὲν ὁμοίως διὰ τὴν ἀθανασίαν, οὐ πάντων δὲ ὁμοίως διὰ τὴν εὔκλειαν. Ἡ γὰρ δόξα ἀναλόγως τοῖς ἐνταῦθα πεπραγμένοις ἑκάστῳ πρυτανευθήσεται, καθὼς τὰ ἀψευδῆ τῆς Γραφῆς περιέχει λόγια.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. The resurrection of a soul deadened by sins is accomplished here, when it is re-formed to life by deeds of righteousness. By the deadening of the soul one must understand evildoing, not its vanishing into non-existence. That is why it was said of the prodigal son while he was still alive: \"He was dead and has come to life.\" And to the one deadened and buried by wickedness it was said: \"Awake, sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.\" For to the one who has shaken off the death of sin by repentance the true light will rise. But the resurrection of the body will be accomplished there, for all alike as regards immortality, but not for all alike as regards glory. For glory will be awarded to each in proportion to what was done here, as the unerring oracles of Scripture contain.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.179 (PG 78 78:1431; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-179)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.180":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕὐηνίῳ καὶ πιθανῷ λόγῳ κολάσαι, μᾶλλον δὲ διδάξαι χρὴ τοὺς ἀμειλίκτῳ ὀργῇ χρωμένους, τῆς ἑκουσίου μανίας ἀποπαύσασθαι. ᾿Ανοιδοῦσα γὰρ εἰς ἀνδροφονίαν τελευτᾷ.","t":"To Leontius the bishop. Those who give way to implacable anger must be chastened, or rather taught, by gentle and persuasive words to stop their voluntary madness. For as it swells it ends in murder.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.180 (PG 78 78:1431; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-180)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.181":{"o":"ΥΠΑΤΙΟ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΩ.\nΟἱ πῦρ σβέσαι βουλόμενοι, οὐχ ὕλην εὐκατάπρηστον προστιθέασιν, οὐδὲ τροφὴν ἄλλην παρέχουσιν αὐτῷ, δι᾿ ἧς αὔξεταί τε καὶ ἀχείρωτον γίνεται, ἀλλὰ σβεστηρίοις χρώμενοι τὴν φλόγα καταπαύουσιν. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ αὐτὸς βούλει τὴν τῆς φιλοχρηματίας σβέσαι κάμινον, τῇ ὑπεξαιρέσει, ἀλλὰ μὴ τῇ προσθήκῃ τοῦτο ῥᾳδίως ἀνύσειν ἔλπιζε· σβεστήρια δὲ φιλαργυρίας, ἐλεημοσύνη, καὶ ἡ τῶν δεομένων εὐεργεσία.","t":"To Hypatius the curial. Those who want to put out a fire do not add easily kindled material or provide it with other fuel by which it grows and becomes unmanageable, but use extinguishers to stop the flame. If, then, you too wish to quench the furnace of avarice, hope to accomplish it easily by taking away, not by adding. And the extinguishers of the love of money are almsgiving and kindness to those in need.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.181 (PG 78 78:1431; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-181)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.182":{"o":"ΛΟΥΚΑ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nὈρθὸν τὸ δίκαιον ἐκείνῳ φαίνεται, τῷ χρημάτων κρείττονι, ᾧ οὐδὲν κέρδος τοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμοῖς ἐπισκοπεῖ. Εἰ γὰρ δῶρα ἐκτυφλοῦ ὀφθαλμοὺς σοφῶν, τοὺς ἀσόφους τί οὐκ ἐργάζεται; Ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐὰν ἐπὶ θάτερα τοῦ ζυγοῦ χρυσίον προσενέγκῃς, καθέλκεται ἡ πλάστιγξ, καὶ ἄνισον δείκνυσι τὸν ζυγόν· οὕτω καὶ ὅταν ὁ τῆς ψήφου κύριος χρυσίον λάβοι, οὐδὲν ἂν ὀρθῶς οὐδ᾽ ὑγιῶς ψηφιεῖται· ὁ δὲ τῶν κρίσεων ὅρον τὸ δίκαιον, οὐ τὴν οἰκείαν βούλησιν ποιούμενος, ἐκεῖ ῥέπειν παρασκευάζει τὰς ψήφους, ἔνθα τὴν δίκην νεύουσαν θεάσοιτο. ΑΛΦΕΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ. Ἠλιθίους ἔγωγε ἡγοῦμαι τοὺς ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν λόγων τὰς ἐναντιώσεις ὁρῶντας, ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ἔργων μὴ καθορῶντας. Τὸ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν συλλογισμῶν εὔλογον προβαλλόμενοι, τὰναντία ὧν φασι δρᾶν οὐ παραιτοῦνται. Τὴν γοῦν ἀκτημοσύνην μέγιστον ἀγαθὸν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔστιν, ὑποτιθέμενοι ἐκ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων κερδαίνουσι συμφορῶν· καὶ τὴν ἐλεημοσύνην ἐκθειάζοντες, τὰ τῶν ἐλεεῖσθαι δεομένων σφετεριζόμενοι οὐκ ἐρυθριῶσι· καὶ τὸ κοινωνικὸν καὶ εὐμετάδοτον ἀνακηρύττοντες, χρηματιζόμενοι οὐκ αἰσχύνονται.","t":"To Lucas, a most illustrious man. What is just appears straight to the man who is superior to money, whose soul's eyes no gain overshadows. For if gifts blind the eyes of the wise, what will they not do to the unwise? For just as, if you put gold on one side of the balance, the pan is dragged down and shows the scale uneven, so too when the one who holds the vote takes gold, he will vote nothing rightly or soundly. But the one who makes justice, not his own will, the standard of his judgements makes his votes incline where he sees justice leaning. [Letter 5.183] To Alpheius the bishop. I consider those fools who see contradictions in arguments but do not notice them in deeds. For while putting forward what is reasonable from their syllogisms, they do not refuse to do the opposite of what they say. They propose poverty as the greatest good, as indeed it is, yet profit from others' misfortunes; they extol almsgiving, yet are not ashamed to appropriate what belongs to those who need mercy; they proclaim sharing and generosity, yet are not ashamed to make money.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.182 (PG 78 78:1433; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-182)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.184":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠάντες σχεδὸν, οἷς ἀρετῆς λόγος, φασὶν, ὡς ὀξὺ μὲν πρὸς τὴν κακίαν ὁρᾷς, τυφλώττεις δὲ πρὸς τὰ κάλλιστα. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, ἀνακάθαρον σαυτοῦ τὸν νοῦν· οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ τῆς ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμός τάχα πως τά τε καλὰ καὶ τὰ αἰσχρά διακρίναι δυνηθείης. Ἐκ γὰρ ταύτῃς τῆς βασάνου τὰ μὲν ἑλεῖν, τὰ δὲ φυγεῖν προθυμηθείης.","t":"To Hierax the deacon. Almost everyone who cares for virtue says that you see sharply where wickedness is concerned but are blind to the finest things. If that is so, cleanse your mind, for it is the eye of the soul; perhaps you may be able to distinguish the good from the shameful. For from this testing you would be eager to choose the one and flee the other.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.184 (PG 78 78:1433; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-184)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.185":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nὍτι μὲν οἱ ἐν διεφθαρμένοις ἤθεσι τρεφόμενοι παῖδες, οὐ ῥᾳδίως μετ' ἀρετῆς εἰς ἀνδρίαν ἐκβήσονται, καὶ ἡ σὴ σύνεσις δι' ὧν ἔγραψεν, ἐδήλωσεν. Ὅτι δὲ καὶ οὕτως ἔχει τὸ πρᾶγμα, αὐτίκα μάλα εἰρήσεται. Τὴν μὲν γὰρ σωφροσύνην αὐτοῖς παραιρεῖται τὸ τοῖς ἀσελγαίνουσι συνδιατρίβειν· τὴν δὲ φρόνησιν τὸ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς προσήκουσιν ἀναγνώσμασιν ἱδρῶτας ἀποδιδράσκειν· τὴν δὲ ἀνδρίαν ἡ τῶν ὀρχηστῶν ἀνανδρία· τὴν δὲ δικαιοσύνην ἡ τῶν μίμων ἐπιορκία. Τίνι δ᾽ ἂν ἢ συναχθεσθεῖεν ἢ συνησθεῖεν μετὰ τῆς πρεπούσης καταστάσεως, οἷς δυοῖν ἀνάγκὴ θάτερον, ἢ γελᾶν, ἢ τεταράχθαι; Ὧν τὸ μὲν τῆς σκηνῆς, τὸ δὲ τοῦ ἱπποδρόμου δῶρόν ἐστιν. Δεινὸν ἡγούμενος τὸ τῇ θέᾳ ἑαλωκέναι τοὺς νέους, εἶργε τούτους, μάλιστα μὲν λόγῳ, εἰ δὲ μὴ πείθοιντο, φόβῳ. Ῥᾷστα γὰρ ἂν οὕτως ἀρίστους ἄνδρας καὶ δεινοὺς ῥήτορας δημιουργήσεις. Εἰ δὲ, ὡς γέγραφας, δεινὸν ἡγοῦνται τὸ τῆς τέρψεως ἐκείνης εἴργεσθαι, ἥτις ἀτεχνῶς ἔοικε τῇ τῶν Σειρήνων ᾠδῇ, ἧς ἡ σιγὴ χρησιμωτέρα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις. \"Ην ἰσχυρίζωνταί τε νενομίσθαι ταύτην καὶ συγκεχωρῆσθαι, ἐκεῖνο μανθανέτωσαν, ὅπερ ἴσως μετὰ τῶν ἄλλων καλῶν ἀγνοοῦντες, ἀδικεῖσθαι οἴονται τὴν νεότητα καὶ παρανομεῖσθαι· ὅτι οἱ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς τέρψεως ταύτης θανατηφόρον ἡδονὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς εἰς τὰς πόλεις εἰσαγαγόντες, καὶ τὸ δηλητήριον κατὰ γνώμην τοῦ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ἐχθροῦ (τοῦ καὶ τὰς ἐμπιπτούσας προφάσεις εἰς ἀπώλειαν τρέποντος ταῖς ψυχαῖς τῶν θεωμένων) κεράσαντες, οὐκ ἂν ἁπλῶς ἦλθον ἐπὶ τοῦτο (ἡ γὰρ ἂν οὐδὲ οἱ ἔξωθεν νόμοι ἐπέτρεψαν ), ἀλλὰ μετ᾿ εὐλόγου δῆθεν αἰτίας. Ὁρῶντες γὰρ στρατόπεδα μὲν τοῖς βασιλεῦσιν ἐξηρτυμένα, καὶ ταῦτ᾽ ἐξασκοῦντας διὰ τοῦ βίου, τοὺς δ᾽ ἐν ταῖς πόλεσι δήμους ἀτέλειαν ἔχοντας τῶν ἐν τοῖς ὅπλοις κινδύνων, καὶ πολλὴν ἄγοντας τὴν σχολήν· γινώσκοντές τε τοὺς ἐν τοιαύτῃ ῥᾳστώνῃ ὄντας (οὐ γὰρ πάντες τῇ σχολῇ ἐπὶ καλῷ χρῶνται), πολλάκις νεώτερόν τι βουλεύοντας· ἐκκόψαι δεῖν οἰηθέντες αὐτόπρεμνον τῶν ἐπαναστάσεων τὴν ῥίζαν, καὶ μὴ διπλοῦν ἐᾶσαι τοῖς ἡγουμένοις τὸν πόλεμον, τὸν μὲν ἔξωθεν, τὸν δὲ ἔνδοθεν, ἀσχολίαν τινὰ ταύτην ἐξηύραντο, καὶ κατεσκεύασαν τοῖς ἀπερισκέπτως ὁτιοῦν τολμᾷν εἰωθόσι· καὶ δεδώκασιν αὐτοῖς εἰς φιλονεικίαν ἀφορμὴν, τοσοῦτον μὲν οὐδὲν ἀνῦσαι ἰσχύουσαν, δεινὴν δὲ τὸν θυμὸν δαπανῆσαι περὶ αὐτήν· τοῦτ᾽ ἔστιν ἡ τῶν ἵππων συνεχὴς ἅμιλλα, πολιτική τις ἔρις, ἐπιστρέφουσα πρὸς τουτονὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα τοὺς ὑπὸ τοῦ μηδὲν χρηστὸν ἐθέλειν ποιεῖν, ἴσως ἄν τι ἀργαλεώτερον ἐννοήσοντας· τοῦθ᾽ ἡ περὶ τὴν ὀρχήστραν ποικιλία · τοὺς μὲν γὰρ θεάμασιν ἑστιῶσα, τῶν δὲ ἀκούσμασι τὴν ἀκοὴν γοητεύουσα, ἔδοξε, καίτοι πονηρίας γέμουσα, στασιώδους βουλῆς ἐμπόδισμα. Ταῦτα συνεχώρησαν τῶν ἑλαττόνων (ὡς ψήθησαν) ὠνούμενοὶ τὰ μείζω, τὴν ἡσυχίαν τὴν ἀσφάλειαν· νέους δὲ τρεφομένους εἰς ἀρετὴν, καὶ τὴν καλλίστην ἁρμονίαν ἁρμοττομένους, οὐ θέμις ἐπὶ τὴν μετουσίαν τούτων ἰέναι, οὐδ᾽ ἄνδρας δὲ τῶν οἰκείων ψυχῶν ἐπιμελουμένους· οὐκοῦν οὐδ᾽ ἀπέρχονται μεθέξοντες, ἀλλ' ἀμείνους παρὰ πάντων εἶναι κέκρινται, κρείττους ὄντες τῆς ὀλεθρίου ταύτης τέρψεως καὶ μάλισθ᾽ ὅτι καὶ πόλεώς τ᾽ εἰ καὶ πάντες οἱ συρφετώδεις καὶ ἀγοραῖοι γνωσιμαχήσαντες τὰς ἡσυχίας ἦγον, καὶ φιλοσοφίαν ἠσπάζοντο, ἐκέκλειστο μὲν ἂν τὰ θέατρα ἢ καὶ ἀνοιγόμενα οὐδένα ἐπήγετο· ἀπώλετο δ᾽ ἂν καὶ ἡ τῶν αὐτοῖς κακῶς ἀγωνιζομένων τέχνη, μᾶλλον δὲ κακοτεχνία· καὶ τρία τὰ μέγιστα κατώρθωτο ἂν, ἤ τε τῶν ψυχῶν σωτηρία, ἡ τε τῶν πόλεων κατάστασις, ἢ τε τῶν ἀρχόντων ἀσφάλεια. Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἀκουόντων παρὰ τῆς σῆς παιδεύσεως. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ τὴν ἐμὴν κινῆσαι γλῶτταν δεῖν ᾠήθης, ὡς μεγάλα τινὰ (ὅπερ οὐκ οἶμαι) ἀνύσουσαν, ἵνα μὴ δόξω σε λυπεῖν, καὶ πρὸς αὐτοὺς γέγραφα.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. That boys brought up among corrupt habits will not easily come to manhood with virtue, your understanding has shown by what it wrote. That this is how the matter stands will be said at once. Spending time with the licentious robs them of self-control; running away from the sweat of proper reading robs them of prudence; the unmanliness of the dancers robs them of courage; and the perjury of the mimes robs them of justice. With what could they be grieved or pleased with a fitting composure, who must necessarily do one of two things, either laugh or be agitated? Of which the one is the gift of the stage, the other of the hippodrome. Thinking it a terrible thing that the young should be captured by the show, keep them away, above all by reason, and if they do not obey, by fear. For in this way you will very easily fashion excellent men and able orators. And if, as you have written, they think it terrible to be kept from that delight, which is just like the song of the Sirens, whose silence is more useful to people, and if they insist that it is customary and permitted, let them learn this, which perhaps, together with other good things, they do not know when they think the youth are wronged and treated illegally: those who first brought this deadly pleasure of delight into the cities and mixed the poison according to the mind of the enemy of humankind (who turns every pretext that offers to the ruin of the souls of the spectators) would not have come to this simply (for then not even the laws of outsiders would have permitted it), but with an apparently reasonable cause. For seeing armies equipped for the emperors, practising these things throughout their lives, while the populace in the cities were exempt from the dangers of arms and had much leisure; and knowing that those in such ease (for not all use leisure for good) often plot revolution; thinking they must cut out root and branch the root of insurrections, and not leave the rulers a double war, one outside and one within, they invented this occupation and contrived it for those accustomed to dare anything heedlessly. They gave them an occasion for rivalry that can achieve nothing great, but is powerful at spending their passion on itself: that is, the continual contest of horses, a kind of civic strife, which turns toward this contest those who, from not wishing to do anything useful, would perhaps think of something more grievous; and that is the variety around the orchestra, which, feasting some with spectacles and bewitching the hearing of others with sounds, seemed, though full of wickedness, a hindrance to seditious counsel. These things they permitted, buying the greater things with the lesser (as they thought): quiet and safety. But it is not right for young men being brought up to virtue and tuned to the finest harmony to go to share in these things, nor for men who care for their own souls. Such men, then, do not go to take part, but are judged by all to be better, being superior to this ruinous delight; and especially since, if all the rabble and the people of the market-place too admitted their error and kept quiet and embraced philosophy, the theatres would be closed, or if opened would draw no one; the art, or rather the bad art, of those who compete wickedly in them would perish; and three very great things would be achieved: the salvation of souls, the stability of cities and the safety of rulers. Let them hear these things from your learning. And since you thought you must move my tongue too, as if it would achieve something great (which I do not think), so as not to seem to grieve you, I have written to them too.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.185 (PG 78 78:1433; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-185)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.186":{"o":"ΕΛΛΗΝΩΝ ΠΑΙΣΙΝ.\nὮ μειράκια (χρὴ γὰρ ὑμῖν ἀρχομένοις τοῦ βίου μηδὲν παράλογον φράσαι, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἀπαμφιάσαι), πάντων τῶν ὄντων ἢ δοκούντων ἀγαθῶν μέγιστόν τε καὶ κάλλιστόν ἐστιν ἡ ἀρετή· καὶ ταυτὸν εἰσιν οἱ ταύτῃ συμβιοῦντες πρὸς τοὺς ἀμοιροῦντας, ὅπερ ἐκεῖνοι μὲν πρὸς τὰ θηρία· ἄγγελοι δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἀνθρώπους· βαδίζουσι γοῦν διὰ τῆς ἀγορᾶς ἀγγέλοις ἐοικότες. \"Ωσπερ γὰρ λαμπτῆρες ἐν σκότῳ ἐξαίφνης ἀρθέντες ἐπιστρέφουσι πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς τὰς τῶν ἄλλων ὄψεις, οὕτω καὶ οὗτοι τοὺς ἄλλους καὶ ἐκπλήττουσι καὶ φωτίζουσιν. Οἱ δὲ ἀφέντες τὰ οἰκεῖα ἕπονται πρὸς τὴν φωνὴν ἀγαλλόμενοι · καὶ γίγνονται πρὸς ἐκείνους, ὃ δὴ πρὸς τοὺς ποιμένας τὰ πρόβατα, συγχωροῦντες ἄγειν αὐτοὺς ὅπῃ ᾗ βέλτιον · οἱ δὲ παραλαβόντες πειθηνίους, ἐξηγοῦνται καθάπερ προφῆται τὰ μέλλοντα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλοὶ τῶν οὐ πολὺν τῆς ἀρετῆς ποιουμένων λόγον, παρ' οἷς ἡ παραυτίκα ἡδονὴ καὶ ῥᾳστώνη μεῖζον ἰσχύει τοῦ ποθ᾽ ὕστερον συνοίσοντος. Οἳ διὰ μὲν ἀπληστίαν καὶ ἀδικίαν τὰ παρόντα ἀγαπῶσι, διὰ δὲ σκαιότητα τρόπων τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα οὐδὲν προορῶσι, τῶν ἐν χεροῖν μόνον φροντίδα τιθέμενοι φράζουσι· « Τὸ παρὸν εὖ τίθει· · · ἐκεῖνοι τὰ μέλλοντα σκοποῦντες προμηνύουσι, καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐκβάντων κατὰ τοὺς λόγους στεφανοῦνται καὶ ἀνακηρύττονται. Οὗτοι ζῶντες μὲν τὰς κεκλιμένας μὲν ὀρθοῦσι, τὰς δ᾽ ἑστώσας κοσμοῦσι πόλεις, τελευτήσαντες δὲ ἐγκαταλείπουσι κέντρον τοῦ πόθου· ἐπίσημοι γὰρ οἱ τάφοι, ἐν τιμῇ δὲ τὰ γένη, διηνεκής δὲ ἡ μνήμη δικαίων. ᾿Αρετῆς γὰρ ἐκτήσαντο φύσιν, ἧς οὐ πέφυκεν ἅπτεσθαι τελευτή. Τῶν μὲν γὰρ σωματικῶν πλεονεκτημάτων ῥᾳδίως ἕκαστον ἀποσβέννυται, καὶ πρόσκαιρον ἔχει τὴν χάριν, - οἷον κάλλος, τάχος, ῥώμη. Τοῦ σώματος γὰρ φθειρομένου, ἀναγκαίως κἀκεῖνα φροῦδα οἴχεται· ἀρετῆς δὲ μόνης ἅτε ἐν ἀθανάτῳ ψυχῇ τρεφομένης, οὐ πέφυκεν ἅπτεσθαι μεταβολή. Οὐκοῦν παντὶ σθένει προσήκει τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀσκεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐχ ἡγεῖσθαι δοκεῖν ἀσκεῖν. ᾿Αλλὰ μηδ' εἰς πλοῦτον κεχηνότες καταμελεῖτε ταύτης. Ἔστι γὰρ ἐκεῖνος τῆσδὲ εὐτελέστερος· τὸν μὲν γὰρ ῥᾳδίως ἄν τις ἀφέλοιτο· τοῦτο μὲν λαθών, τοῦτο δὲ μεῖζον ἰσχύων. Τῆς δὲ οὐκ ἂν ἀποστερήσειεν, οὐδὲ εἰ τοῦ σώματος χωρίσειας. ᾿Αρετὴν δὲ φημι (μὴ γὰρ δὴ ἡ ὁμωνυμία ὑμᾶς σφαλλέτω), οὐ τὴν ἐν πολέμοις ἀνδρίαν, ἧς πολλάκις τὸ πλέον τοῖς πονηροῖς, ἢ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς μέτεστιν· οὐδὲ τὴν Ὀλυμπιάσι νίκην, ἢ καὶ τοῖς ἐπιτυχοῦσιν ἐφίπταται· ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τὴν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις δεινότητα· εὖ γὰρ ἔφησε Θουκυδίδης· « Ὅτι ἀμαθία μετὰ σωφροσύνης ὠφελιμώτερον, ἢ δεξιότης μετὰ ἀκολασίας. » Οὐδ᾽ ἄλλο οὐδὲν τῶν τῷ παρόντι συγκαταλυομένων βίῳ· ἀλλὰ τὴν διὰ σωφροσύνης καὶ φρονήσεως, δικαιοσύνης τε καὶ ἀνδρίας, πραότητός τε καὶ ἐπιεικείας, φιλοσοφίας τε καὶ τῶν ἄλλων τῶν τοιούτων συγκροτουμένην καὶ συμπληρουμένην. ᾿Αλλὰ πολλοὶ, φασὶ, παρὰ τὴν ἀξίαν εὐημεροῦσι, καὶ ἀρετῆς χωρὶς πλουτοῦσιν. Ὁμολογῶ μὲν κἀγώ· τοῦτο δὲ πῶς ἂν εἰκότως ἀποτρέψειε τῆς ἀρετῆς, οὐ συνορώ. Εἱ μὲν γὰρ εἶχε τις σαφῶς ἀποδείξαι, νόμῳ φύσεως κεκωλυμένα ταῦτα ἀμφότερα συνελθεῖν, ἀρετήν τε, φημὶ, καὶ εὐημερίαν, μάλιστα μὲν οὐδ᾽ οὕτως εὔλογον ἦν τὸν πλοῦτον πρὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἑλέσθαι, τῇ ῥαθυμίᾳ δ᾽ ἂν ἴσως τοῦτο σκηπτομένῃ παρείχε συγγνώμην. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοὺς αὐτοὺς εὕροι τις ἂν καὶ τὴν γνώμην ἀρίστους, καὶ λαμπροὺς καὶ τὸν παρόντα βίον, τί φεύγετε τὴν ἀρετὴν ὡς πάντως τὸν πλοῦτον ἕξοντες, εἰ μὴ ταύτην κτήσησθε; Οὐ γὰρ ἐν τῷ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐστερῆσθαι τὸ κεκτῆσθαι τὸν πλοῦτόν ἐστιν. ᾿Αλλὰ καὶ ἀρετῇ προσγένοιτ' ἂν πολλάκις, τῆς θείας προνοίας τοῖς μὲν τὸ πρὸς ἀξίαν νεμούσης, τῶν δὲ τὴν ταλαιπωρίαν οἰκτειρούσης. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῶν ὄντως ἀγαθῶν, τῶν οὐρανίων φημὶ, ἑαυτοὺς ἐστέρησαν, τὰ πρόσκαιρα αὐτοῖς χαρίζεται, καὶ ταύτῃ ἐκκόπτων αὐτῶν τὴν ἀπολογίαν. Σκοπήσετε δὴ τοῦτο, ὅτι ἀρετῆς ἀπούσης εὐημεροῦσί τινες, ἀλλά τινες ἄν ποτε ἦσαν ἐν τῷ εὐημερεῖν, τῆς ἀρετῆς προσούσης. Καὶ μὴν εἴ τις ἐθέλοι μετὰ ἀκριβείας ζητεῖν (εἰ γὰρ καὶ παράδοξον δόξει τὸ λεχθησόμενον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως λελέξεται), ἐκ τοῦ παντὸς αἰῶνος μετὰ τῶν εὐφρονούντων, ἢ τῶν φαύλων εὕροι τὴν ἀληθῆ εὐημερίαν γεγενημένην · εὐημερίαν ἔγωγε ὁρίζομαι τὴν αὐτάρκειαν· ὀλισθηρὸν γὰρ εἰς ἀκολασίαν ἡ τῆς χορηγίας ἑτοιμότης. Πάντως δὲ ὑμεῖς οὐκ ἀπιστήσετε, ἔναυλον ἔχοντες τὴν Ἰσοκράτους παραίνεσιν, οὐχ ἁπλῶς εἰρημένην, οὐδὲ ῥᾳδίως ἐλεγχομένην, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ ὠχυρωμένην. Πλοῦτος δὲ κακίας μᾶλλον ἢ καλοκαγαθίας ὑπηρέτης ἐστίν· ἐξουσίαν μὲν τῇ ῥαθυμίᾳ παρασκευάζων, ἐπὶ δὲ τὰς ἡδονὰς τοὺς νέους παρακαλῶν· › Εἰ δὲ τοῖς πολλοῖς τούναντίον δοκεῖ, διὰ τὸ τὴν δοκοῦσαν καὶ οὐ τὴν οὖσαν εὐπραγίαν περιεργάζεσθαι, θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν. Οἵ τε γὰρ παρὰ τὴν ἀξίαν πλουτοῦντες, αὐτῷ τούτῳ τῷ παρ᾿ ἀξίαν γνωριμώτεροι καθίστανται · οἱ δὲ εἰκότως εὐημεροῦντες, αὐτῷ τῷ εἰκότως εὐημερεῖν οὐ παρέχουσί τινι θαυμάζειν. Το γὰρ παράδοξον, πλείω ποιεῖ τὸν ὑπὲρ ἑαυτοῦ λόγον. Διὰ τοῦτ᾽ ἴσως ἐλάττους ὄντες οἱ παρὰ τὴν ἀξίαν εὐφερόμενοι, τὴν τοῦ πλείονος εἶναι δόξαν ἀπηνέγκαντο. Θῶμεν τοίνυν (χρὴ γὰρ καὶ ἀπὸ συγκρίσεως τὸ δέον σκοπῆσαι) ἴσους αὐτοὺς εἶναι · καὶ σκεψώμεθα, πότερον ἅμεινον μετ' ἀρετῆς ὁ πλοῦτος, ἢ καθ' ἑαυτόν. Καὶ μὴν ὁ μὲν τῆς εὐημερίας ἐπιλειπούσης, τῷ κτήματι τῆς ἀρετῆς ἔχει θαῤῥεῖν· τὸν δὲ οἰχομένης τῆς εὐπραγίας ἄτιμον ἀνάγκη κεῖσθαι. Ὑποθώμεθα δὲ πᾶσαν ῥαθυμίας ὁδὸν ἐκκόπτοντες, καὶ κεχωρίσθαι ταῦτα τῇ φύσει, καὶ τοῖς μὲν τὴν ἀρετὴν, τοῖς δὲ τὸν πλοῦτον μεμερισμένως περιγίνεσθαι, καὶ μὴ μεταπίπτειν τὴν εὐημερίαν, ὥσπερ τὴν Κροίσου. Τίς οὖν οὐκ ἂν εἴλετο μᾶλλον Σόλων εἶναι ἢ Κροῖσος; Τίς δὲ οὐχὶ Πλάτων, ἢ Διονύσιος; τίς δὲ οὐ Σωκράτης μᾶλλον, ἢ ᾿Αρχέλαος; καὶ τί δεῖ πολλοὺς φιλοσόφους καταλέγειν, καὶ συγκρίνειν τυράννοις, ὧν καὶ ἡ μνήμη ἂν ἐσβέσθη, εἰ μὴ διὰ τὴν ἐκείνων ἀρετήν τε καὶ σοφίαν; διὸ καὶ τούτους παρεὶς, ἐπὶ τὸν συμβουλευτικὸν τρόπον τὸν λόγον τρέψαιμι. Εἰ τοίνυν ἀρετὴ μὲν κρείττων χρημάτων, ἡ δὲ εὐημερία ἡ ἀληθὴς τοῖς σπουδαίοις ἀκολουθεῖ, καὶ ἡ δοκοῦσα δὲ αὐτοῖς ἕπεται· εἰ καὶ διὰ τὸ εἰκότως εὐδοκιμεῖν οὐ παρέχουσι θαυμάζειν, τῶν φαύλων διὰ τὸ παρ' ἀξίαν πλουτεῖν γνωριμωτέρων καθεστώτων, καὶ πλειόνων δοκούντων. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἴσοι εἶεν τῷ ἀριθμῷ, ἀμείνους οἱ μετ᾿ ἀρετῆς εὐημεροῦντες. Εἰ δὲ καὶ κεχώριστο ταῦτα τῇ φύσει, τὴν ἀρετὴν πρὸ τῆς εὐημερίας αἱρετέον· τί καταῤῥᾳθυμοῦμεν τὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς προδιδόντες στέφανον; Τούτων μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλων πολλῶν ἕνεκεν, ὦ παῖδες ἐκ νέας ἡλικίας χρὴ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀσκεῖν· οὐχ ἥκιστα δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ μάλιστα τοῦ ῥηθησομένου· ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐν γήρᾳ ταύτην ἀσπασάμενος, ὅλον ἀναλίσκει τὸν ἐπίλοιπον χρόνον, ἵνα δυνηθῇ τὰ ἁμαρτηθέντα αὐτῷ κατὰ τὴν πρώτην καὶ δευτέραν καὶ τρίτην ἡλικίαν ἀποτρίψασθαι, καὶ πᾶσα αὐτῷ ἡ σπουδὴ εἰς τοῦτο δαπανᾶται. Καὶ οὐδ᾽ οὕτω πολλάκις ἀρκεῖ· εἴγε ἀσύγγνωστα εἴη, καὶ μεγάλα τὰ ἐπταισμένα, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπελεύσεται πρὸς τὸν ἀδέκαστον κριτὴν, λείψανα τῶν τραυμάτων ἐπιφερόμενος. Ὁ δὲ ἐκ νέας ἡλικίας τὴν ἀρετὴν περιπτυξάμενος, οὐκ εἰς τοῦτο ἀναλίσκει τὸν χρόνον, οὐδὲ κάθηται ὥσπερέν ἰατρείῳ, δυσίατα ἕλκη θεραπεύων, καὶ παρὰ τῶν παροδευόντων ἄθλιος εἶναι νομιζόμενος· ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ προοιμίων λαμπρὰ δέχεται τὰ βραβεῖα· κἀκεῖνος μὲν στέργει, καὶ ἀγαπητὸν ἡγεῖται, ἣν τὰς ἥττας ἀναμαχέσασθαι πάσας δυνηθῇ. Οὗτος δὲ ἐκ βαλβίδος αὐτῆς τροπαίοις καὶ ἀναῤῥήσεσιν ἀγάλλεται, καὶ νίκας συνάπτει νίκαις · καὶ καθάπερ Ὀλυμπιονίκης ἀπὸ γραμμῆς δι ἀναῤῥήσεων ἐπὶ τὸ γέρας ὁδεύων, οὕτως ἀπελεύσεται πρὸς τὸν ἀγωνοθέτην καὶ κριτὴν τῶν τοιούτων παλαισμάτων, πολλοῖς καὶ λαμπροῖς τὴν κεφαλὴν ἀναδησάμενος στεφάνοις. Ὅτι γὰρ ἔστιν μετὰ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίαν θεῖον δικαστήριον, οὐ μόνον πραγμάτων, οὐδὲ ῥημάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐννοιῶν ἐξεταστικὸν, καὶ φιλόσοφοι, καὶ λογοποιοὶ, καὶ ῥήτορες, καὶ ποιηταὶ, καὶ συγγραφεῖς ἐγγυῶνται. Ὧν καὶ τὰς ῥήσεις παρεθέμην ἂν τῇδε τῇ παραινέσει, εἰ μὴ λεληθὸς ὄνειδος ᾤμην ὑμῖν προστρίβεσθαι, ἔναυλα ἔχουσι τὰ μαθήματα. Εἰ δὲ κρίσις ἐστὶν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔστι, τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀσκητέον· εἰ δὲ καί τισιν εἶναι δυσχερής δοκεῖ, ῥᾳδία ὑμῖν ἔσται, εἰ φύγοιτε τὰ θέατρα καὶ τοὺς ἱπποδρόμους, τὴν κοινὴν τῆς οἰκουμένης λύμην· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐ τῆς οἰκουμένης, ἀλλὰ τῶν πόλεων τῶν ἐχουσῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα θεάματα · μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ τῶν πόλεων, ἀλλὰ τῶν βουλομένων, καὶ ὑποκατακλινομένων τοῖς τοιούτοις κακοῖς. Παντὶ τοίνυν θυμῷ πρὸς τοὺς τῆς ἀρετῆς ἄθλους ἁποδυτέον· οἱ μὲν ἐκ λαμπρῶν γονέων τεχθέντες, μὴ καταισχύνοντες τὸ γένος · οἱ δὲ ἐκ ταπεινῶν φύντες, λαμπρύνοντες τοὺς τεκόντας · οἱ μὲν πλούσιοι κόσμον, οἱ δὲ πένητες ὅρμον κατασκευάζοντες ἑαυτοῖς· οἱ μὲν ὑμέτεροι πατέρες ὑμᾶς αἰδείσθωσαν· οἱ δὲ ἑτέρωθεν ἥκοντες παῖδες, πατέρας ὑμᾶς ἡγείσθωσαν. Οὕτω γὰρ ὑμῖν πολιτευομένοις, καὶ λαμπρὰν ἀνάπτουσι τῆς ἀρετῆς τὴν λαμπάδα, καὶ τὸ θεῖον ὑμῖν οὐρανόθεν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐπιφανεῖται καὶ ἐπισπάσεται πρὸς ἑαυτὸ σέλας, ἀποκαλύπτον ὑμῖν καὶ τὴν τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείαν, καὶ τὴν ἐν αὐτῇ τῶν ἁγίων ὑπέρλαμπρον ἀξίαν.","t":"To the children of the Greeks. Young men (for to you who are beginning life one must say nothing unreasonable, but must lay the truth bare), of all things that are or seem good, the greatest and most beautiful is virtue. Those who live with it are to those who have no share in it what those are to the beasts, and what angels are to human beings; they walk through the market-place like angels. For just as lamps suddenly raised in the dark turn everyone's eyes toward themselves, so these men both astonish and enlighten others. And others leave their own affairs and follow their voice rejoicing, and become to them what sheep are to shepherds, allowing them to lead wherever is best; and they, receiving them obedient, expound the future like prophets. For many who take little account of virtue, with whom immediate pleasure and ease count for more than what will profit later, who love the present through greed and injustice and through perversity of character foresee nothing of what comes after, caring only for what is in their hands, say: \"Make the present good.\" But these men, looking to the future, warn beforehand, and when events turn out according to their words they are crowned and proclaimed. While living, they set upright cities that have fallen and adorn those that stand; and when dead they leave behind a goad of longing; for their tombs are famous, their families in honour, and the memory of the righteous everlasting. For they have acquired the nature of virtue, which death cannot touch. Each of the bodily advantages is easily extinguished and has a temporary charm, such as beauty, speed, strength; for when the body perishes, these too necessarily vanish. But virtue alone, since it is nourished in an immortal soul, change cannot touch. So it is fitting to practise virtue with all one's strength, and not to think it enough to seem to practise it. And do not neglect it, gaping after wealth. For wealth is cheaper than virtue; one could easily take it away, either by stealth or by greater strength; but no one could deprive you of virtue, not even if you separated it from the body. By virtue I mean (do not let the sameness of the name mislead you) not courage in war, in which the wicked often have a greater share than the good; nor victory at Olympia, which flies even to chance comers; nor yet cleverness in speech (for Thucydides said well: \"Ignorance with self-control is more useful than cleverness with licentiousness\"); nor anything else that is dissolved together with the present life; but the virtue that is welded together and completed by self-control and prudence, justice and courage, gentleness and fairness, philosophy and other such things. \"But many,\" they say, \"prosper beyond their deserts and are rich without virtue.\" I agree too; but how this could reasonably turn anyone from virtue I do not see. If someone could clearly show that the two, virtue and prosperity, are prevented by a law of nature from coming together, even so it would not be reasonable to choose wealth before virtue, though perhaps it would grant pardon to indolence that made this its excuse. But since one could find the same people both excellent in mind and illustrious in the present life, why do you flee virtue as if you would certainly have wealth if you do not acquire it? For possessing wealth does not consist in being deprived of virtue. It may often come to virtue as well, divine providence distributing to some according to their worth, and pitying the wretchedness of others. For since they have deprived themselves of the truly good things, the heavenly, I mean, he grants them the temporary ones, and so cuts off their excuse. Consider this: if some prosper when virtue is absent, others may sometimes prosper when virtue is present. Indeed, if one wished to inquire exactly (for even if what is about to be said seems paradoxical, it will nevertheless be said), one would find that throughout all ages true prosperity has been with the sensible rather than with the worthless. By prosperity I mean sufficiency; for ready supply is a slippery slope to licentiousness. You will surely not disbelieve it, since you have ringing in your ears the exhortation of Isocrates, not said idly nor easily refuted, but fortified by truth: \"Wealth is the servant of vice rather than of nobility, providing licence for indolence and inviting the young to pleasures.\" If the many think the opposite, because they busy themselves with apparent rather than real good fortune, it is no wonder. For those who are rich beyond their deserts become better known by that very fact, while those who prosper deservedly give no one cause to wonder, precisely because they prosper deservedly. For the paradoxical produces more talk about itself. That is perhaps why those who prosper undeservedly, though fewer, have won the reputation of being more. Let us suppose, then (for one must also consider what is needful by comparison), that they are equal, and let us consider whether wealth is better with virtue or by itself. Surely the one, when prosperity fails, can take courage in the possession of virtue; but the other, when good fortune is gone, must lie without honour. And let us suppose, cutting off every road of indolence, that these things are separated by nature, that virtue falls to some and wealth to others in separate portions, and that prosperity does not change, as Croesus's did. Who, then, would not choose to be Solon rather than Croesus? Who would not choose to be Plato rather than Dionysius, Socrates rather than Archelaus? And why list many philosophers and compare them with tyrants, whose very memory would have been extinguished were it not for the virtue and wisdom of those men? So, passing over these, let me turn my words to the advisory mode. If, then, virtue is better than money, and true prosperity follows the earnest, and the apparent kind also attends them (even if, because they are deservedly esteemed, they give no cause for wonder, while the worthless, because they are rich undeservedly, are better known and seem more numerous); and if, even were they equal in number, those who prosper with virtue are better; and if, even were these things separated by nature, virtue must be chosen before prosperity: why are we indolent, betraying the crown of virtue? For these and many other reasons, children, one must practise virtue from an early age, and not least, but most of all, for the reason I am about to give. The one who embraces virtue in old age spends all his remaining time trying to rub off the sins of his first, second and third ages of life, and all his effort is spent on this. And often even so it is not enough, if the failings were unpardonable and great; he will depart to the incorruptible Judge bearing the scars of his wounds. But the one who has embraced virtue from an early age does not spend his time on this, nor does he sit as in a surgery treating hard-to-heal sores and thought wretched by passers-by; but from the outset he receives brilliant prizes. The one is content and thinks it enough if he can fight back from all his defeats; the other, from the very starting line, rejoices in trophies and proclamations and joins victories to victories; and like an Olympic victor going from the line through proclamations to the prize, so he will depart to the president and judge of such contests, his head bound with many brilliant crowns. For that after our departure from here there is a divine tribunal which examines not only deeds, nor words, but even thoughts, philosophers, prose writers, orators, poets and historians guarantee. I would have set their sayings in this exhortation, had I not thought it would cast a hidden reproach on you, who have these lessons ringing in your ears. If there is a judgment, as indeed there is, virtue must be practised. And if it seems difficult to some, it will be easy for you if you flee the theatres and the hippodromes, the common bane of the world; or rather not of the world, but of the cities that have such spectacles; or rather not even of the cities, but of those who are willing and surrender themselves to such evils. With all your spirit, then, you must strip for the contests of virtue: those born of illustrious parents, by not disgracing their family; those sprung from humble parents, by making their parents illustrious; the rich, by making virtue their adornment; the poor, their harbour. Let your own fathers respect you; and let the children who come from elsewhere think of you as fathers. For if you live so and kindle the bright torch of virtue, the divine light of Christ will shine on you from heaven and draw you to itself, revealing to you both the kingdom of heaven and the surpassingly brilliant dignity of the saints in it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.186 (PG 78 78:1437; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-186)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.187":{"o":"ΑΙΓΥΠΤΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΘείαν μὲν ἡγούμεθα εἶναι τὴν ψυχὴν, οὐ μὴν τῆς θειοτάτης καὶ βασιλικωτάτης φύσεως μοῖραν· καὶ ἀθάνατον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τῆς ἀνάρχου καὶ ποιητικῆς φύσεως ὁμοούσιον. Εἰ γὰρ ἐκείνης τῆς ἀῤῥήτου ἦν μέρος, οὐκ ἂν ἥμαρτεν, οὐδὲ ἐκρίθη· εἰ δὲ ταῦτα πάσχει, τῆς ἀνωτάτω οὐσίας ποίημα δικαίως ἂν πιστευθείη, Ɖ οὐ μέρος· ἵνα μὴ ἑαυτὴν ἡ θεία φύσις κρίνουσα, μᾶλλον δὲ κατακρίνουσα φωραθείη.","t":"To Aegyptus the presbyter. We consider the soul divine, but not a portion of the most divine and royal nature; and immortal, but not of one essence with the nature that is without beginning and is the Creator. For if it were a part of that ineffable nature, it would not have sinned or been judged. But since it undergoes these things, it would rightly be believed to be a work of the highest essence, and not a part; so that the divine nature may not be caught judging, or rather condemning, itself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.187 (PG 78 78:1443; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-187)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.188":{"o":"ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὭσπερ οἱ ἄριστοι τῶν ἀγαλματοποιῶν σταθμῶνται τὴν συμμετρίαν, ἐφ᾿ ἧς ἡ δημιουργία τὴν συμμετρίαν διαβαίνει· οὕτω καὶ οἱ τῆς ἀρετῆς δημιουργοὶ τὴν συμμετρίαν ἐκβαίνειν οὐκ ἂν εἶεν δίκαιοι· παρυφεστήκασι γὰρ ἑκατέρωθεν κακίαι ταῖς ἀρεταῖς, ἀπατῆσαι τὸν φιλάρετον μηχανώμεναι. Οἷον, ἡ εὐσέβειά ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλή, καὶ ὁ θεμέλιος, καὶ ἡ κρηπὶς τῶν καλῶν· ἀλλὰ ταύτῃ ἑκατέρωθεν ἐφεδρεύει ἀσέβειά τε καὶ δεισιδαιμονία· ἡ μὲν κατ᾿ ἔλλειψιν, ἡ δὲ καθ᾽ ὑπερβολὴν τὸ δὲ ἀφαιρουμένη· καὶ τῇ ἀνδρείᾳ θρασύτης καὶ δειλία παρυφεστήκασι, τὸ αὐτὸ δρᾶσαι βουλόμεναι · διὸ χρὴ τὸν εὐδόκιμον τὰς κακίας ἀτιμάσαντα, τὰς ἀρετὰς αἱρεῖσθαι, καὶ μὴ τῇ φαντασίᾳ τῶν ἀρετῶν εἰς τὰς ἐφεδρευούσας κακίας ἐκπίπτειν.","t":"To Evangelius the deacon. Just as the best sculptors measure out the proportion beyond which the work oversteps proportion, so too the craftsmen of virtue ought not to overstep proportion. For vices stand beside the virtues on either side, contriving to deceive the lover of virtue. For example, piety is the head, foundation and base of good things; but impiety and superstition lie in wait for it on either side, the one by deficiency, the other by excess. And beside courage stand rashness and cowardice, wishing to do the same. So the man of good repute must dishonour the vices and choose the virtues, and not, deceived by the appearance of the virtues, fall into the vices lying in wait.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.188 (PG 78 78:1443; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-188)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.189":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ.\nΚαὶ θυμοῦ καὶ φρονήματος μεστὸν εἶναί σε φασιν οἱ συνδιατρίβοντες. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, ἔμβαλε ἡνίαν τῷ θυμῷ, ἵνα μὴ προπηδῶν τοῦ λογισμοῦ σβέσῃ καὶ τὸ φρόνημα· διὸ καὶ τὴν ὀφρὺν, ὡς φασι, γείτονα κροτάφων ἐπαίρεις.","t":"To Isaiah. Those who spend time with you say that you are full of both anger and pride. If that is so, put a rein on your anger, so that it does not leap ahead of reason and quench even your spirit. That is why, as they say, you raise your brows up to your temples.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.189 (PG 78 78:1445; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-189)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.190":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἘπειδὴ νενικημένος ὁ πρώην σου διάδικος, ὑφ᾽ ὧν πέπονθεν, οὔπω νενίκηκεν ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὸ χρῆναι θεραπευθῆναι, μὴ παύσαιο διὰ γραμμάτων ἀπολογούμενος · εὖ γὰρ ποιεῖς, τὰ κακῶς γινόμενα καλῶς ἰώμενος. Καὶ ἡμεῖς γὰρ καταντλοῦντες, ἡπίοις λόγοις τὸ πάθος πειρώμεθα αὐτοῦ ἰάσασθαι.","t":"To the same. Since your former opponent at law, defeated by what he has suffered, has not yet overcome himself so as to consent to be healed, do not stop making your defence by letters; for you do well to heal well what was done badly. We too, pouring gentle words over him, are trying to heal his passion.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.190 (PG 78 78:1445; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-190)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.191":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ ΙΑΤΡΟ.\nἘπειδὴ χρῆμα σαφὲς καὶ ὁμολογούμενον καὶ ταῖς ἱεραῖς Γραφαῖς, καὶ τοῖς σοφωτέροις τῶν ἔξωθεν, διὰ παραδειγμάτων ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν, ὡς ἂν οἷός τε ὦ, πολλὰ δι᾽ ὀλίγων φράσαι πειράσομαι. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ἔφης · Πόθεν δῆλον, ὅτι τὰ ἀσώματα τῶν σωμάτων ἐστὶν ἀπαθέστερα καὶ ἰσχυρότερα; φημὶ, ὅσῳ τὰ ἐγγὺς τῆς ἀσωματότητος σώματα ἰσχυρότερα καὶ ἀπαθέστερά ἐστι, τῶν παχυτέρων σωμάτων, τοσούτῳ καὶ τὰ ἀσώματα οὐ μόνον τῶν παχυτάτων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν λεπτοτάτων ἐστὶν ἀπαθέστερα. Οἷον ἡ πέτρα τοῦ ὕδατός ἐστι παχυτέρα, διὸ ῥηγνυμένη οὐκέτι συνάπτεται, τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ διαιρεθὲν, πάλιν συναφθέν ἑνοῦται. Ὅσῳ γὰρ λεπτότερον, τοσούτῳ ἀπαθέστερον. Ὁ δὲ ἀὴρ (χρὴ γὰρ ἐπὶ λεπτότερον βαδίσαι παράδειγμα) οὐδὲ διαστῆναι δύναται· ἐὰν γοῦν ἢ εἰς κέραμον, ἢ εἰς ἀσκὸν ἀποκλεισθείη, καὶ εἰς βυθὸν ῥιφείη, οὐκ ἀνέχεται, ἀλλ' ἐπιπολάζει καὶ ἐπινήχεται, καὶ τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν ζητεῖ, καὶ τὸ συγγενὲς θηρᾶται. Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ μὲν ἀὴρ τοῦ ὕδατος, τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ τῆς πέτρας ἐστὶ λεπτότερον, διὸ καὶ ἀπαθέστερον· τί θαυμάζεις, εἰ καὶ τὰ ἀσώματα ἰσχυρότερά ἐστιν ; Ἴδε οὖν καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν μὴ φαινομένην μὲν (ἀόρατος γάρ ἐστιν), ἰσχὺν δὲ τῷ σώματι καὶ ῥώμην παρέχουσαν · ἧς ἀποφοιτησάσης, οὐ μόνον νεκρὸν μένει τὸ σῶμα, ἀλλὰ καὶ διαλύεται. Καὶ ἐν τοῖς βοηθήμασι δὲ τοῖς ἰατρικοῖς ( χρὴ γὰρ καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς σῆς τέχνης τὸν ἔλεγχον ποιήσασθαι) ἡ δύναμις ἀσώματος οὖσα, ἰσχυροτέρα ἐστὶ τοῦ σώματος. Ὅταν οὖν τὸ ἑαυτῆς ποιήσῃ καὶ ἀποφοιτήσῃ, τότε ἡ ἔμπλαστρος κεῖται ἀχρηστοτάτη. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἡ ἐγκειμένη δύναμις ἀσώματος οὖσα, καὶ πράττουσα τὸ ἑαυτῆς, ἀφίπτατο, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν ἀμείβεις τὰ βοηθήματα τῶν ὑλῶν σωζομένων; ᾿Αλλὰ δῆλόν ἐστιν, ὡς ζῇ μὲν τὸ βοήθημα τῆς δυνάμεως ἐνούσης, ἀποθνήσκει δὲ ἐκείνης ἀποφοιτησάσης.","t":"To Dorotheus, deacon and physician. Since you wished to learn by examples something clear and agreed both by the sacred Scriptures and by the wiser of those outside, I shall try, as far as I can, to say much in few words. Since, then, you said, \"How is it clear that incorporeal things are less subject to affection and stronger than bodies?\", I say: as much as bodies near to incorporeality are stronger and less subject to affection than the denser bodies, so much are incorporeal things less affected not only than the densest but also than the finest bodies. For example, rock is denser than water; so when broken it is no longer joined, but water, when divided, unites again when brought together. For the finer it is, the less it is affected. And air (for one must go on to a finer example) cannot even be separated; if it is shut up in a jar or a wineskin and thrown into the deep, it does not stay there, but rises to the surface and floats, seeking the surface and hunting for what is akin to it. If, then, air is finer than water, and water than rock, and therefore less affected, why do you wonder if incorporeal things are stronger? Look then at the soul, which is not seen (for it is invisible), yet gives strength and vigour to the body; when it departs, the body not only remains dead but even dissolves. And in medical remedies too (for one must also draw the proof from your own art), the power, being incorporeal, is stronger than the body. So when it has done its work and departed, the plaster lies utterly useless. For if the incorporeal power residing in it did not fly away after doing its work, why do you change the remedies while the materials remain? But it is clear that the remedy lives while the power is in it, and dies when that has departed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.191 (PG 78 78:1445; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-191)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.192":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΤὰ παραινετικὰ καὶ ὠφελείας πνέοντα τῆς σῆς παιδεύσεως δεξάμενος γράμματα, Γότθος ὁ ἀπαίδευτος (οὕτω γὰρ αὐτὸν καλεῖν θέμις), ὅπως μὲν διετέθη, ἀκριβῶς μὲν οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν, ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν τῷ προσώπῳ ἐπανθησάντων σημείων καὶ αὐτὸς ἂν τεκμήραιο. Μειδιάσας γὰρ ἡρέμα, ἔφηνε τῷ προσώπῳ ἡδονὴν ἐκνικώσης ὀργῆς.","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. On receiving the letter of your learning, full of exhortation and breathing benefit, Gothus the uneducated (for so it is right to call him), how he was disposed I cannot say exactly; but you yourself could infer it from the signs that blossomed on his face. For, smiling gently, he showed on his face a pleasure that overcame his anger.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.192 (PG 78 78:1447; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-192)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.193":{"o":"ΑΚΥΛΛΑ, ΑΜΜΩΝΙΩ, ΩΡΙΩΝΙ.\nΠολλοὶ, ὦ βέλτιστοι, ἀντιπάλους ἢ και μείζω ἐνταῦθα ὧν ἐπεπόνθεισαν, δρᾶσαι προσδοκήσαντες, ἀργαλεώτερα ὧν παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπεπόνθεσαν ἔπαθον, οὐ τοῦ δικαίου ἡττηθέντος, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸν μετέπειτα βίον λαμπρῶς ταμιευθέντος. Διὸ χρὴ ἡσυχίᾳ μᾶλλον καὶ φιλοσοφίᾳ τοὺς κακῶς ἡμᾶς ποιοῦντας ἀμύνασθαι. Ἐκεῖσε γὰρ πάντως ἡ δίκη τὸ δίκαιον ὁριεῖ, ἡ καὶ στεφάνων ὑποθέσεις τοὺς τῇδε πειρασμοὺς ἀποφαίνουσα.","t":"To Aquila, Ammonius and Orion. Many, my good men, who expected to do to their opponents here as much as or more than they had suffered, suffered worse than what they had suffered at the beginning; not because justice was defeated, but because it was stored up brilliantly for the life hereafter. So we must rather repay those who treat us badly with quiet and philosophy. For there justice will certainly determine what is just, and it shows the trials here to be occasions for crowns.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.193 (PG 78 78:1447; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-193)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.194":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἱ μὲν ἀληθῆ τὰ ἀπαγγελθέντα περὶ σοῦ, πιθανὴν μὲν ἴσως ἀπολογίαν λογοποιήσεις, ἀληθῆ δὲ οὐ φράσεις · εἰ δὲ ψευδῆ, γράφε δὴ τὴν ἀπολογίαν, ἥντινα ἡμεῖς ταῖς ἀκοαῖς τῶν κωμῳδούντων σε ἐγκαθιδρύσωμεν. Εἰ δὲ παύσοιο τῆς τρυφῆς τῆς εἰς πᾶσαν ἄλογον ὁρμὴν χωρούσης, καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἀπολογίας οἶμαι αὐτοὺς παλινῳδίας ἄσειν. ΗΣΑΙΑ. Οὐ λανθάνεις, ὦ δεινότατε ἀδικῶν· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὴν μὲν εὐθυδικίαν φεύγων, ἐπὶ δὲ παραγραφὰς καταφεύγων, τὰς πρὸς βοήθειαν τῶν ἀδικουμένων, ἀλλ' οὐκ εἰς ἀποφυγὴν τῶν ἀδικούντων ἐπινοηθείσας. Γνοὺς οὖν ὡς πεφώρασαι, ἐξ εὐθείας ἀπολογοῦ.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. If what has been reported about you is true, you may perhaps make up a plausible defence, but you will not speak the truth; but if it is false, write the defence, and we shall plant it in the ears of those who ridicule you. And if you stop your luxury, which proceeds to every irrational impulse, I think they will sing a recantation even before the defence. [Letter 5.195] To Isaiah. You do not escape notice, most clever wrongdoer; that is why you flee straightforward justice and take refuge in procedural objections, which were devised to help the wronged, not to let wrongdoers escape. Knowing, then, that you have been found out, make your defence directly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.194 (PG 78 78:1447; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-194)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.196":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nὍσῳ τῇ τιμῇ παρὰ σοὶ τῶν ἄλλων πλεονεκτῶ, τοσούτῳ πειράσομαι τοὺς λοιποὺς εὐνοίᾳ παρενεγκεῖν. Καὶ γὰρ ἄτοπον, πρὸ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων παρὰ σοὶ τετάχθαι, μετὰ δὲ τῶν οὐχ οὕτω τιμωμένων ἐν τοῖς σοῖς σιωπῆσαι. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν γέγραφας, ὡς Εὐσέβιος ὁ ἐπίσκοπος τοῦ Πηλουσίου καὶ πρὸς ὀρμήν ἐστιν ὀξύῤῥοπος, καὶ πρὸς ἀρπαγὴν τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἕτοιμος, καὶ πρὸς τὸ παροξυνθῆναι ταχὺς, καὶ πρὸς τὰς ἀμοιβὰς τῶν δεόντων βραδύς· καὶ συλλήβδην εἰπεῖν, πάντων τῶν ἀνελευθέρων παθῶν ἀκρατής τε καὶ ἔστι καὶ νομίζεται· αὐτὸς εἴγε εὐδοκιμῆσαι βούλει, τῶν τοιούτων ὀνειδῶν ἄχραντον σαυτὸν διατήρησον. \"Ατοπον γάρ σε ἁλῶναι τοῖς αὐτοῖς, οἷς ἕτερον περιπεπτωκότα αἰτιᾷ· καὶ ἰατρὸν ἄλλου ἐθέλειν εἶναι τὸν ἔλκεσι βρύοντα· καὶ πράττειν ἐκεῖνα, ὧν πικρὸς τυγχάνεις κατήγορος.","t":"To Theon the bishop. As much as I surpass others in the honour I have with you, so much will I try to surpass the rest in goodwill. For it would be absurd to be ranked before others with you, and to keep silent about your affairs along with those not so honoured. Since, then, you have written that Eusebius, the bishop of Pelusium, is quick to impulse, ready to seize what belongs to others, swift to be provoked and slow to make due return, and, in short, both is and is thought to be without control over all servile passions, keep yourself, if you wish to be well thought of, undefiled by such reproaches. For it is absurd for you to be caught in the same things for which you blame another who has fallen into them, for one teeming with sores to want to be another's physician, and to do the things of which you are a bitter accuser.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.196 (PG 78 78:1447; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-196)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.197":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἘπειδὴ γέγραφέ σου ἡ σύνεσις, ὅτι καὶ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι εἶχον τὸ τῆς υἱοθεσίας ἀξίωμα (γέγραπται γάρ· • Υἱοὺς ἐγέννησα καὶ ὕψωσα, αὐτοὶ δὲ με ἠθέτησαν· · καὶ, « Θεὸν τὸν γεννήσαντά σε ἐγκατέλιπες»). φημὶ, ὅτι οὐχ εὑρίσκω ὅλως ἐξ ὧν προήνεγκας μαρτυριῶν ἀπολελυμένην, οὐδὲ καθαρὰν τὴν τιμὴν, ἀλλὰ τῇ κατηγορίᾳ συμπεπλεγμένην. Ὥστε εἰ μὴ κατηγορῆσαι αὐτῶν ἠθέλησεν, οὐκ ἂν ἣν φὴς τιμὴν ἀνεκήρυξεν. Εἰ μὴ ἔπταισαν, οὐκ ἂν ἔτυχον ἴσως τῆς προσηγορίας · ἀλλ᾽ εἰς μείζονος κατηγορίας ὑπόθεσιν τὴν τιμὴν τῇ μέμψει συνέζευξε· καθαπτόμενος γὰρ αὐτῶν καὶ ἐκπομπεῦσαι τὴν ἀναισθησίαν βουλόμενος, τῇ αἰτιάσει τὴν τιμὴν παρέπλεξε · μᾶλλον δὲ ἐκ τῆς τιμῆς τὴν κατηγορίαν μείζονα συγγνώμης ἀπέφηνε, περὶ δὲ τῶν ἐν τῇ χάριτι βοᾷ ὁ τῆς βροντῆς υἱός · · Ὅσοι δὲ ἔλαβον αὐτὸν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι. » Ἰδοὺ ἄνευ κατηγορίας τιμή· ἰδοὺ τῆς υἱοθεσίας τὸ ἀξίωμα· ἰδοὺ τῆς ὑπερκοσμίου συγκλήτου τὸ σύνθημα. Ὁ ἄνω καὶ κάτω προφέρων ὁ Σωτὴρ ἔλεγεν· « Ὅπως γένησθε ὅμοιοι τοῦ Πατρὸς ὑμῶν τοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς·» καὶ, « Οἶδεν ὁ Πατήρ ὑμῶν ὁ οὐράνιος, ὧν χρείαν ἔχετε, πρὸ τοῦ αἰτήσασθαι αὐτόν. Αὐτὸς μὲν οὖν ὁ τῆς υἱοθεσίας αἴτιος τὸ ἀξίωμα πανταχοῦ ἀνακηρύττει. Ὁ δὲ ἐξ Ἰουδαϊκῆς ἐπάλξεως εὐαγγελικὸν μηχάνημα γεγονὼς, δεικνὺς τὴν τιμὴν ταύτην ἔργῳ βεβαιωθεῖσαν, ἔφη · · Οὐ γὰρ ἐλάβετε πνεῦμα δουλείας πάλιν εἰς φόβον, ἀλλὰ πνεῦμα υἱοθεσίας, ἐν ᾧ κράζομεν, ᾿Αββᾶ ὁ Πατήρ · αὐτὸ τὸ πνεῦμα συμμαρτυρεῖ τῷ πνεύματι ἡμῶν, ὅτι ἐσμὲν τέκνα Θεοῦ · εἰ δὲ τέκνα καὶ κληρονόμοι· κληρονόμοι μὲν Θεοῦ, συγκληρονόμοι δὲ Χριστοῦ. » Βαβαὶ τῆς τιμῆς ! Πῶς ἄνω ἀνήγαγε τοὺς χαμαὶ κειμένους; Ὁμοῦ τε γὰρ καὶ τὴν Ἰουδαίων μικροπρέπειαν δείκνυσιν ὁ ᾿Απόστολος, καὶ τὴν Χριστιανῶν μεγαλοπρέπειαν· ἣν παντὶ σθένει δίκαιοι ἂν εἴημεν φυλάξαι· ἵνα μὴ τῆς ἀξίας ἐκπεσόντες, ἀργαλεώτερον κολασθῶμεν, ὡς μηδὲ τῇ τοσαύτῃ τιμῇ βελτιωθέντες.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. Since your understanding has written that the Jews too had the dignity of adoption (for it is written: \"Sons I have begotten and raised up, but they have rejected me\"; and: \"You have forsaken the God who begot you\"), I say that I do not find at all, from the testimonies you have brought, that the honour is free or pure, but that it is interwoven with accusation. So that if he had not wished to accuse them, he would not have proclaimed the honour you speak of. If they had not stumbled, they would perhaps not have obtained the title; but he yoked the honour to the reproach as an occasion for a greater accusation. For, reproving them and wishing to expose their insensibility, he wove the honour into the charge; or rather, from the honour he showed the accusation to be too great for pardon. But about those under grace the son of thunder cries out: \"But to as many as received him he gave power to become children of God.\" Behold, honour without accusation; behold the dignity of adoption; behold the watchword of the senate above the world. The Saviour, bringing it forward again and again, said: \"So that you may become like your Father in heaven\"; and: \"Your heavenly Father knows what you need before you ask him.\" He himself, then, the cause of adoption, proclaims the dignity everywhere. And he who from a Jewish battlement became a siege-engine of the gospel, showing that this honour was confirmed in deed, said: \"For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but a spirit of adoption, by which we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God; and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.\" What an honour! How high he has raised those who lay on the ground! For the Apostle shows at once both the meanness of the Jews and the magnificence of Christians, which we would do right to guard with all our strength, so that we may not fall from the dignity and be punished more grievously, as not having been improved even by so great an honour.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.197 (PG 78 78:1449; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-197)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.198":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nΩσπερ ἄριστος ζωγράφος ἴππον γαῦρον καὶ ὑψαύχενα γράφων, μονονουχὶ ἔμπνουν αὐτὸν ποιῆσαι φιλοτιμούμενος, καὶ πρὸς τὴν φύσιν ἁμιλλώμενος, ἐμβάλλει μὲν αὐτῷ μετὰ τοῦ χαλινοῦ φρόνημα, ἴστησι δὲ αὐτὸν ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ θέλειν ἑστάναι · οὕτω καὶ ἡ σὴ παίδευσις διὰ τοῦ λόγου σαφῶς ἡμῖν τὸ φρόνημα τἀνδρὸς ἐνεχάραξεν, ὡς αὐτὸν ἐκεῖνον ὁρᾶν τοὺς ἀναγινώσκοντας μᾶλλον ἢ τὰ γράμματα.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. Just as an excellent painter, painting a proud horse with its neck held high, ambitious to make it all but breathe and vying with nature, puts spirit into it together with the bridle and makes it stand as if of its own will, so your learning has clearly engraved for us in words the spirit of the man, so that readers see the man himself rather than the letters.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.198 (PG 78 78:1451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-198)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.199":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὩς ἐδέξατο τῆς σῆς καλοκἀγαθίας τὰ γράμματα ἐκεῖνος, ὃν οὐ βούλομαι λέγειν (μὴ γὰρ εἴη γραφῆς καὶ μνήμης ἄξιος), ὀλέθριον μέν τι καὶ σεσηρὸς προσεμειδίασεν· οἷον εἰώθει, εἴποτε ὀργῆς ἐμπλησθείη· ἄθλου δὲ ἥψατο φρικώδους, καὶ ἀποτελεσθέντος ἂν ἴσως, εἰ μὴ αὐτὸς ἐγένετο ἆθλος τοῖς ἐκκλησιαστικοῖς θεσμοῖς.","t":"To the same. When the man I do not wish to name (may he not be worthy of writing or remembrance) received the letter of your excellence, he smiled a deadly, grinning smile, as he usually did whenever he was filled with anger; and he set his hand to a dreadful contest, which might perhaps have been carried out, had he not himself become a prize for the church's laws.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.199 (PG 78 78:1451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-199)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.2":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΚΑΙ ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ, ΚΑΙ ΛΕΟΝΤΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΙΣ.\nΕἰ καὶ πρὸς Ζώσιμον, καὶ Εὐστάθιον, καὶ Μάρωνα, ἄνδρας μήτε τι χρηστὸν οἴκοθεν κεκτημένους, μήτε τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν πραγμάτων δεχομένους διδασκαλίαν, μήτε τὴν παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων συμβουλὴν προσιεμένους, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ὡμολογημένην ἀπώλειαν ἐκπεπτωκότας πάρελκόν ἐστι, κρίνετε, περὶ τῶν προσηκόντων διαλέγεσθαι· ἀλλάγε δίκαιοι ἂν εἴητε εὐχαῖς πρὸς τὸ θεῖον χρήσασθαι τάχα, πῶς αὐτοὺς ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ τῆς κακίας ἀνιμήσητε· θεῖον γάρ ἐστιν ὡς ἔοικε τὸ ἔργον","t":"To Hermogenes, Lampetius and Leontius, bishops. Even if you judge it superfluous to discuss what is fitting with Zosimus, Eustathius and Maron, men who neither possess anything good of their own, nor accept the teaching that comes from events, nor admit counsel from others, but have fallen into acknowledged ruin, yet you would surely do right to turn to God in prayers, perhaps to learn how you may draw them up from the depth of wickedness; for the work, it seems, is divine …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.2 (PG 78 78:1325; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-2)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.20":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΟ.\nΚινδυνεύεις ἀγνοεῖν, ὦ μακάριε, ὅτι οὐ τοσοῦτον ἡ φρόνησις τοῦ λέγοντος, οὐδὲ ἡ εὐγλωττία τοῦ παραινοῦντος δύναται τὸν πταίοντα δυσωπῆσαι, ὅσον τοῦ συμβουλευομένου ἡ εὐγνωμοσύνη. Τοῦ γὰρ πεισθῆναι καὶ μὴ, αὐτὸς κύριος καθέστηκεν. Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς, ἑνὶ παραδείγματι χρησάμενος, ᾧ ἕτερον οὐδὲν παραβληθῆναι δυνήσεται, πεῖσαι δυνήσομαι. Τί γὰρ τοῦ Λόγου ἐλλογιμώτερον, ἢ τί τῆς σοφίας σοφώτερον τῆς τοσαῦτα καὶ τηλικαῦτα φησάσης καὶ προσηνῆ καὶ δραστήρια, ὥστε ἀναστεῖλαι τοῦ Ἰούδα τὴν φιλοχρηματίαν, καὶ μὴ ἀνυσάσης; οὐ παρὰ τὴν οἰκείαν ἀσθένειαν, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὸ τὸν ἀκούοντα κύριον εἶναι τῆς οἰκείας γνώμης, διὰ τῆς αὐτεξουσιότητος ὅρον, δι' ὃν καὶ ὁ τῆς κρίσεως ἀξιόχρεώς ἐστι λόγος· εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ' οὕτως ἔχει, ἀποδοχῆς μὲν ἄξιος ὁ τὰ αὐτοῦ πληρῶν· μέμψεως δὲ καὶ κατηγορίας ὁ ταῖς ἀγαθαῖς παραινέσεσι μὴ πειθόμενος· ὁ δὲ τὴν τοῦ πεισθέντος κατηγορίαν ἐπὶ τὸν μὴ πείσαντα τρέπων, ἠλίθιος, ἅτε καὶ τῶν θείων καὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων ἀγνοῶν τὴν φύσιν.","t":"To Peter. You seem not to know, blessed man, that it is not so much the prudence of the speaker or the eloquence of the adviser that can shame the one who stumbles, as the good sense of the one advised. For he himself is master of being persuaded or not. If you disbelieve it, I shall be able to persuade you by using one example, with which nothing else can be compared. For what is more eloquent than the Word, or what is wiser than the Wisdom which said so many and such great things, both gentle and forceful, to check the avarice of Judas, and did not succeed? Not through its own weakness, but because the hearer is master of his own will, by the boundary of free will, because of which the account rendered at the judgment is also just. If, then, this is so, the one who fulfils his own part is worthy of approval; the one who does not obey good exhortations is worthy of blame and accusation; and the one who turns the accusation due to the one who should have been persuaded upon the one who failed to persuade is foolish, since he is ignorant of the nature of both divine and human affairs.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.20 (PG 78 78:1335; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-20)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.200":{"o":"ΟΦΕΛΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΛίαν ἄγαμαι τὴν παλαιὰν Λακεδαίμονα, κοσμεῖσθαι ἀπαγορεύσασαν ταῖς σώφροσι τῶν γυναικῶν· ἑταίραις γὰρ πρέπειν τοῦτ᾽ ἐνόμισε, ταῖς καὶ πάγας καὶ δίκτυα ἐπὶ θήρᾳ τῶν ἀκολάστων νέων ἐπινοούσαις. Ἡ γὰρ κοσμία καὶ σώφρων εἶναι δοκοῦσα, εἰ τοῦτο δράσειε, τὴν οἰκείαν ἐκπομπεύει νόσον. Απερ ἀποκηρύττουσα ἡ θεία Γραφὴ παραινεῖ, μὴ χρυσῷ καὶ μαργαρίταις, ἢ ἐσθῆτι πολυτελεῖ, ἀλλ᾽ ἔργοις ἀγαθοῖς κοσμεῖσθαι τὰς τῆς θεοσεβείας ἐφιεμένας. Εἰ δὲ χρὴ καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ πρᾶγμα καθ' ἑαυτὸ σκοπῆσαι, φημὶ ὅτι ὅρμοι, καὶ αὐγαὶ λίθων, καὶ περιδέῤῥαια καὶ ταῖς δυσειδέσι, καὶ ταῖς ἄγαν ὡραίαις ἀντιπράττουσι· τὰς μὲν γὰρ ἐλέγχουσι, τῶν δὲ ἀπάγουσι· τὰς μὲν ἐλέγχουσι, κακίονας ἐπιδεικνυμένας · τῶν δὲ ἀπάγουσιν. Αφέμενοι γὰρ τοῦ περὶ αὐτῶν φράσαι, περὶ τῶν κοσμίων διαλέγονται.","t":"To Ophelius the scholasticus. I greatly admire ancient Sparta, which forbade its chaste women to adorn themselves; for it thought this befitting courtesans, who devise snares and nets to hunt licentious young men. For a woman who seems decorous and chaste, if she does this, parades her own disease. Proclaiming against this, divine Scripture urges women who aspire to godliness to adorn themselves not with gold and pearls or costly clothing, but with good works. And if one must consider the matter itself, I say that necklaces, gleaming stones and collars work against both the plain and the very beautiful: the plain they expose, the beautiful they detract from. The plain they expose, showing them to be worse; from the beautiful they detract, for people stop speaking about the women and talk about their ornaments.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.200 (PG 78 78:1451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-200)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.201":{"o":"ΕΛΑΦΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΔεινὸς λόγων ἔρως ταῖς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ψυχαῖς εἰς τοῦτον τὸν καιρὸν ἐπεκώμασε· λόγων δὲ, φημὶ, οὐ τῶν σωφρονίζειν, ἀλλὰ τῶν τέρπειν τοὺς ἀκούοντας δυναμένων, οὐ πνευματικῶν, ἀλλὰ σοφιστικῶν· οὐκ ἀποστολικῶν, ἀλλὰ Δημοσθενικῶν· οὐ προφητικῶν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐριστικῶν· οὐ τῶν τὴν ψυχὴν εὐφρᾶναι δυναμένων, ἀλλὰ τῶν τὴν ἀκοὴν θέλγειν εἰωθότων· οὐ τῶν διὰ τοῦ ἐμπνεῖσθαι ὑπὸ τῶν πράξεων τοῦ λέγοντος ζώντων, ἀλλὰ τῶν διὰ τὴν εὐγλωττίαν εἰς ἀκοὰς νεκρὰς ἐνηχουμένων. Τί οὖν ποιητέον; σιωπητέον, καὶ οὐδὲν λεκτέον; ἀλλ᾽ ἐπικίνδυνον. ᾿Αλλὰ ῥητέον; ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ εἰς ὠφέλειαν ὁ λόγος καὶ ἔργων ἐπίδειξιν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς κρότον μόνον τελευτᾷ· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ καὶ οὕτω ταῦτα ἔχει, ἄμεινον, ὡς οἶμαι, εἰπόντα μὴ ἀκουσθῆναι, ἢ μὴ εἰπόντα ἐγκληθῆναι· « Διατί τὸ ἀργύριόν μου οὐ κατέβαλες ἐπὶ τοὺς τραπεζίτας, κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν ἀπῄτησα ἂν αὐτὸ σὺν τῷ τόκῳ;» Λεγέτω τοιγαροῦν ὁ δυνάμενος, ἵνα πρὸς τοὺς ἀκούοντας ᾖ τῷ κριτῇ ὁ λόγος.","t":"To Elaphius the bishop. A terrible love of words has burst into people's souls at this time; of words, I mean, that can delight hearers, not bring them to their senses; not spiritual but sophistic, not apostolic but Demosthenic, not prophetic but contentious; not able to gladden the soul, but accustomed to charm the ear; not living because inspired by the speaker's deeds, but echoing into dead ears for their eloquence. What, then, must be done? Must one keep silent and say nothing? But that is dangerous. Must one speak? But the speech ends not in benefit and the display of works, but only in applause. Yet even if this is so, it is better, I think, to speak and not be heard than not to speak and be charged: \"Why did you not deposit my money with the bankers, so that when I came I could have demanded it with interest?\" Let him who can, then, speak, so that the account he gives to the Judge may concern the hearers.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.201 (PG 78 78:1451; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-201)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.202":{"o":"ΟΛΥΜΠΙΟΔΩΡΩ.\nΑφέμενος, ὦ σοφὲ, τῶν μεταρσιολεσχῶν, καὶ μετεωροσοφιστῶν, καὶ λεξιθήρων, τῶν πλέον λόγων ἐχόντων μηδὲν, εἰς τὴν πρακτικὴν ἀρετὴν σαυτὸν σύντεινον, τὴν μακαρίους ἀποφαίνουσαν τοὺς ἐραστάς· εἰ δὲ οἴει ταῖς τῶν ἀρχαίων γνώμαις δίκαιον εἶναι μᾶλλον ἀκολουθεῖν, τοὺς ἄλλους τέως παρεὶς, αὐτὸν τὸν παρ᾿ αὐτῶν σοφώτατον ἁπάντων ἀνθρώπων κηρυττόμενον, ἐγγυητὴν τῶν ἐμαυτοῦ λόγων παρέξομαι. Τί οὖν φησι Ξενοφῶν περὶ αὐτοῦ « Οὐδεὶς πώποτε Σωκράτους οὐδὲν ἀσεβὲς, οὐδὲν ἀνόσιον, οὔτε πράττοντος εἶδεν, οὔτε λέγοντος ἤκουσεν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ περὶ τῆς τῶν πάντων φύσεως, ἅπερ τῶν ἄλλων οἱ πλεῖστοι διελέγοντο, σκοπῶν ὅπως ὁ καλούμενος ὑπὸ τῶν σοφιστῶν κόσμος ἔχει, καὶ τίσιν ἀνάγκαις ἕκαστα γίνεται τῶν οὐρανίων, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς φροντίζοντας τοιαῦτα, μωραίνοντας ἐπεδείκνυε. Καὶ πρῶτον μετ᾿ αὐτῶν ἐσκόπει, πότερόν ποτε νομίσαντες ἱκανῶς ἤδη τἀνθρώπινα εἰδέναι, ἔρχονται ἐπὶ τὸ τοιούτων φροντίζειν· ἢ τὰ μὲν ἀνθρώπινα παρέντες, τὰ δαιμόνια δὲ σκοποῦντες ἡγοῦνται τὰ προσήκοντα πράττειν· ἐθαύμαζε δὲ, εἰ μὴ φανερόν ἐστιν αὐτοῖς, ὅτι ταῦτα οὐ δυνατὸν ἀνθρώποις εὑρεῖν. Ἐπεὶ καὶ τοὺς μέγιστον φρονοῦντας ἐπὶ τῷ περὶ τούτων λέγειν, οὐ τὰ αὐτὰ δοξάζειν ἀλλήλοις, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μαινομένοις ὁμοίως διακεῖσθαι πρὸς ἀλλήλους. • Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν Ξενοφῶν ἔγραψεν· καὶ Πλάτων δὲ ὁ τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων ἐλλογιμώτερος, καὶ μάλιστα πάντων τὸν Σωκράτην ἐπιστάμενος, τὰ αὐτὰ τῷ Ξενοφῶντι διὰ πάντων ἑαυτοῦ σχεδὸν τῶν διαλόγων κατεσκεύασεν. Εἰ τοίνυν κἀκεῖνος, μᾶλλον δὲ κἀκεῖνοι, καὶ ἐπετήδευον, καὶ ἔλεγον, καὶ ἔγραφον, τὴν πρακτικὴν ἀσκεῖν· αὕτη γὰρ, ὡς καὶ τῷ Πλάτωνι δοκεῖ, καλλίστη ἐστὶν ὁδὸς, ἐπὶ τὴν εὐσέβειαν ἄγουσα, καὶ εἰς πλατεῖαν εὐρυχωρίαν τελευτῶσα.","t":"To Olympiodorus. Leave aside, wise man, the chatterers about the heavens, the sophists of the sky and the hunters of words, who have nothing more than words, and devote yourself to practical virtue, which makes its lovers blessed. And if you think it more right to follow the opinions of the ancients, leaving the others aside for now, I shall offer as the guarantor of my words the man they themselves proclaim the wisest of all men. What, then, does Xenophon say about him? \"No one ever saw Socrates doing, or heard him saying, anything impious or unholy. For he did not discuss the nature of all things, as most of the others did, examining how what the sophists call the cosmos is constituted and by what necessities each of the heavenly things comes about; but he even showed that those who think about such things are fools. And first he examined with them whether they come to think about such things because they believe they already know human things sufficiently, or whether, neglecting human things and examining divine things, they think they are doing what is fitting. And he wondered that it was not plain to them that it is not possible for human beings to discover these things; since even those who pride themselves most on speaking about them do not hold the same opinions as one another, but behave toward one another like madmen.\" So Xenophon wrote; and Plato, more eloquent than all the others and knowing Socrates best of all, established the same as Xenophon in almost all his dialogues. If, then, he, or rather they, both practised and said and wrote that one should practise the practical life (for this, as Plato too thinks, is the finest road leading to piety and ending in a broad spaciousness) …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.202 (PG 78 78:1453; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-202)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.203":{"o":"ΚΑΣΣΙΑΝΩ.\nἄβουλος καὶ ἀβούλητος. Οὐ ταυτὸν τὸ ἄβουλον, καὶ τὸ ἀβούλητον· τὸ μὲν γὰρ τὸ ἀπερίσκεπτον, τὸ δὲ τὸ ἀκούσιον μηνύει· καὶ τὸ μὲν εἰς τὸ πράττειν, τὸ δὲ εἰς τὸ πάσχειν βλέπει. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐστιν ἄσκεπτος πρᾶξις, τὸ δὲ κατηναγκασμένον πάθος.","t":"To Cassian. Thoughtless (aboulos) and unwilled (aboulētos). \"Thoughtless\" and \"unwilled\" are not the same. The first signifies what is unconsidered, the second what is involuntary; the first looks to acting, the second to suffering. For the one is an unconsidered act, the other a suffering under compulsion.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.203 (PG 78 78:1455; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-203)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.204":{"o":"ΑΥΣΟΝΙΩ.\nἩ μὲν ἀμφισβήτησις κρίσει ἀναρτάσθω· ἡ δὲ κρίσις τοὺς ἐλέγχους βασανιζέτω· ἡ δὲ βάσανος τὸ δέον ὁριζέτω· ὁ δὲ ὅρος γεγράφθω· τὰ δὲ γεγραμμένα κυρούσθω· τὰ δὲ κυρωθέντα βεβαιούσθω τοῖς ἔργοις· πᾶσά τε ἁψιμαχία οἰχέσθω, καὶ φιλία χορευέτω· ἧς ἴσον οὐδέν· καὶ εἰς ἀρετῆς, καὶ εὐδοκιμήσεως, καὶ εἰς εὐφροσύνης λόγον","t":"To Ausonius. Let the dispute hang on a trial; let the trial test the proofs; let the testing define what is right; let the definition be written; let what is written be ratified; let what is ratified be confirmed by deeds; let all skirmishing depart, and let friendship dance, to which nothing is equal, whether for virtue, good repute or gladness …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.204 (PG 78 78:1455; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-204)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.205":{"o":"ΦΙΛΗΤΡΙΩ.\nἜμελλες ἄρα, ἢ φιλίας, ἢ τοῦ τετρῶσθαι ὑπὸ φιλίας ἐπώνυμος ὢν καὶ ἄλλους εἰς ταύτην ἐμβαίνειν. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ καὶ ἡμᾶς πόῤῥω τυγχάνοντας, καὶ μηδεπώποτε συντετυχηκότας διὰ γραμμάτων, εἰς τὴν σαυτοῦ ἀγάπην ἐξεβάκχευσας καὶ τοσοῦτον κατέτρωσας, ὡς μηδὲ πρὸς τὸ ἀκαρὲς δύνασθαι ἀμνημονεῖν.","t":"To Philetrius. You were bound, then, being named either after friendship or after being wounded by friendship, to bring others into it too. For see, even us, who are far away and have never met you, you have driven wild with love for you by letters and wounded so deeply that we cannot forget you even for a moment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.205 (PG 78 78:1455; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-205)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.206":{"o":"ΔΙΔΥΜΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΤὸν πρεσβύτατόν σου τῶν παίδων πρὸς τὸν νεώτατον διαφέρεσθαί τινές φασι, καὶ σὲ μὲν εἰδέναι, προσποιεῖσθαι δὲ μὴ εἰδέναι· θᾶττον τοίνυν ἀποθέμενος τὴν ἑκούσιον ἄγνοιαν, πειράθητι αὐτοὺς εἰς φιλίαν συναλλάξαι, μή ποτέ τι ἀνήκεστον τεχθείη κακόν· οὐ γάρ τι χρηστὸν ἡ φιλονεικία ὠδίνει· ἵν᾿ ὥσπερ τοῦ εἶναι μετὰ τὴν πρόνοιαν αὐτοῖς κατέστης αἴτιος, οὕτω καὶ τοῦ εὖ εἶναι κατασταίης.","t":"To Didymus the scholasticus. Some say that the eldest of your sons is at odds with the youngest, and that you know but pretend not to know. Lay aside quickly, then, your willed ignorance, and try to reconcile them in friendship, lest some incurable evil be born; for contentiousness gives birth to nothing good. So that, as after providence you became the cause of their being, you may also become the cause of their well-being.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.206 (PG 78 78:1455; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-206)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.207":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὭσπερ ἡ ἀπέχθεια εὐπαράδεκτόν πως τὴν παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἐργάζεται λοιδορίαν, οὕτως ἡ φιλία διακρούεται ταύτην καὶ ἀκοντίζει","t":"To the same. Just as enmity somehow makes abuse from enemies easy to accept, so friendship beats it off and hurls it back …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.207 (PG 78 78:1455; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-207)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.208":{"o":"ΩΡΙΩΝΙ.\nἭσθην ὑπερφυῶς, μαθών σου τὴν ἀρίστην μεταβολήν· καὶ πιστεύω, ὡς ἀποτρίψῃ μὲν ὡς τάχιστα τὴν ἀδοξίαν, τὴν ἐκ τῆς κακίας πρώην προσγενομένην· ἀναλήψῃ δὲ τὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς κόσμον καὶ κλέος ἀοίδιμον ἕξεις, ἐνταῦθα μὲν παρὰ πάντων ἀνακηρυττόμενος, ἐκεῖσε δὲ παρὰ τοῦ κριτοῦ στεφανούμενος.","t":"To Orion. I was delighted beyond measure to learn of your excellent change; and I trust that you will very quickly rub off the disrepute that formerly came to you from wickedness, take up the adornment of virtue, and have a celebrated fame, proclaimed by all here and crowned there by the Judge.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.208 (PG 78 78:1455; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-208)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.209":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nἘγὼ οὐ καταψηφιοῦμαι, οὔτε καταποφανοῦμαι ἀνδρὸς, οὗ μήτε ἀκροατὴς ἐγενόμην, μήτε δικαστής· εἰ δὲ κρινόμενος ἁλοίη, τὸ τηνικαῦτα ἡ κατ' αὐτοῦ ἐξενεχθήσεται ψῆφος. ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Εἰ οὐ βούλει θεραπεύειν τι, καὶ ἐπιτείνεις τῶν πενήτων τὰ τραύματα, τί τοῖς μαχομένοις τῷ δυσνουθετήτῳ καὶ δυσμάχῳ τῆς πτωχείας θηρίῳ χαλεπώτερον κατασκευάζεις τὸν ἀγῶνα, τὸν παρὰ τῶν ἐλεημόνων αὐτοῖς εἰς τροφὴν παρεχόμενον ἔρανον σφετεριζόμενος; Τί ἐκ τοιούτων κερδῶν τὴν ἀκόρεστον σαυτοῦ ἐμπιπλῶν γαστέρα, νομίζεις ἀπολαύειν ; Διάβλεψον μικρὸν ἀνενεγκὼν ἐκ τῆς τοιαύτης παραπληξίας. Εἰπὲ πρὸς ἑαυτόν · εἰ ὁ τὰ οἰκεῖα εἰς ἐλεημοσύνην μὴ προϊέμενος, εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν πέμπεται τοῦ πυρὸς, ἀφόρηταὶ βασανισθησόμενος · ὁ καὶ τὰ τῶν πενήτων ἰδιοποιούμενος, τί πείσεται; Εἰ ὁ τὰ ἑαυτοῦ μὴ διδοὺς οὐ συγγνωσθήσεται, ὁ καὶ τὰ διδόμενα ἀποσυλῶν ποῦ χωρήσει; Εἱ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὸ πενίας ἀναγκαζόμενος τὴν καινὴν ταύτην ληστείαν, μᾶλλον δὲ τυμβωρυχίας χείρονα κακουργίαν ἐπενόησας, ἦν ἄν σοι καὶ ἴχνος ἀναισχύντου ἀπολογίας. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τρυφῶν καὶ σκιρτῶν, τὰς ἀλλοτρίας συμφορὰς δέον ἐπικουφίζειν, ἐπιτρίβεις, ποία σοι λελείψεται ἀπολογία; Τίς ἔλεος; ποία συγγνώμη; Ταῦτα δάκρυσι σχεδὸν κεράσας τὸ μέλαν, ἀπέστειλα. Τάχα πως σαυτὸν μὲν γνοίης, τοὺς δὲ πένητας ἀδικῶν ἀποσταίης, τὸν δὲ κριτὴν ἐξιλάσαιο, ἡμᾶς τε ἐπὶ τῇ σαυτοῦ μετανοίᾳ εὐφροσύνης ἐμπλήσας","t":"To Peter the scholasticus. I will not vote against or pronounce against a man whom I have neither heard nor judged; but if he is tried and convicted, then the verdict will be brought against him. [Letter 5.210] To Zosimus the presbyter. If you do not wish to heal, and even worsen the wounds of the poor, why do you make the contest harder for those fighting with the hard-to-tame and hard-to-fight beast of poverty, appropriating the contribution given them by the merciful for their food? Why do you think you enjoy it, filling your insatiable belly from such gains? Look up a little, recovering from such derangement. Say to yourself: if the one who does not give his own possessions in almsgiving is sent into the river of fire to be tortured unbearably, what will the one suffer who appropriates the possessions of the poor? If the one who does not give his own will not be pardoned, where will the one go who plunders what is given? If you had devised this new robbery, or rather this crime worse than grave-robbing, compelled by poverty, you would have had at least a trace of a shameless defence. But since in luxury and frolicking you crush the misfortunes of others, which you ought to lighten, what defence will be left you? What mercy? What pardon? I have sent this, having almost mixed the ink with tears. Perhaps you may come to know yourself, stop wronging the poor, propitiate the Judge, and fill us with gladness at your repentance …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.209 (PG 78 78:1457; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-209)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.21":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΌντως, καθὼς γέγραφας, πολλαὶ εἰς τὰς Ἐκκλησίας ἐπεκώμασαν ταραχαί. Ὅπου γὰρ τὸ τῆς εἰρήνης ὄνομα, ἐκεῖσε τὰ τοῦ πολέμου ἔργα χορεύει. Ταῦτα δὲ συμβαίνει ἐκ τοῦ πολλὰ καὶ παντοδαπὰ ἡμαρτῆσθαι τοῖς τὸ διδασκαλικὸν ἀξίωμα ἐγκεχειρισμένοις· ὧν τὸ καθ' ἓν ἐάσας, ἓν εἰς ὃ πάντα βλέπει γράψω, πρᾶγμα ἔντιμον καὶ μέγα καὶ λαμπρόν · καὶ ὅ τοὺς ἀποστόλων συλλόγους, ὡς φωστῆρας πανταχοῦ τῆς οἰκουμένης εἶναι πεποίηκε · νῦν ῥαθυμηθὲν συγχύσεως ἐνέπλησε τὰς Ἐκκλησίας· τἱ δὲ ἐστι τοῦτο; φράσω μετὰ παῤῥησίας, καὶ γὰρ οὐδ᾽ ἂν ἄλλως δυναίμην· ὅτι τότε μὲν οἱ φιλάρετοι εἰς ἱερωσύνην προήγοντο, νυνὶ δὲ οἱ φιλάργυροι· τότε οἱ φεύγοντες τὸ πρᾶγμα διὰ τὸ μέγεθος τῆς ἀρχῆς, νῦν δὲ οἱ ἐπιπηδῶντες τῷ πράγματι, διὰ τὸ μέγεθος τῆς τρυφῆς. Τότε οἱ ἀκτημοσύνῃ ἑκουσίῳ ἐναβρυνόμενοι, νυνὶ δὲ οἱ πλεονεξίᾳ ἑκουσίῳ χρηματιζόμενοι· τότε οἱ πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἔχοντες τὸ θεῖον δικαστήριον, νυνὶ δὲ οἱ μηδὲ ἔννοιαν τούτου ἔχοντες · τότε οἱ τύπτεσθαι · νῦν δὲ οἱ τύπτειν ἕτοιμοι · καὶ τί δεῖ τὰ πολλὰ λέγειν ; μεταπεπτωκέναι λοιπὸν τὸ ἀξίωμα ἔδοξεν ἀπὸ ἱερωσύνης εἰς τυραννίδα · ἀπὸ ταπεινοφροσύνης εἰς ὑπερηφανίαν· ἀπὸ νηστείας εἰς τρυφὴν, ἀπὸ οἰκονομίας εἰς δεσποτείαν· οὐ γὰρ ὡς οἰκονόμοι ἀξιοῦσι διοικεῖν, ἀλλ᾿ ὡς δεσπόται σφετερίζεσθαι. Ταῦτα δὲ οὐ κατὰ πάντων εἴρηται, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τῶν ἐνόχων · εἰσὶ γάρ εἰσιν οἱ κατὰ τὸν ἀποστολικὸν μὲν ζῶσι χαρακτήρα, ῥῆξαι δὲ φωνὴν μὴ τολμῶντες· εἰ καὶ λίαν εἰσὶ κατὰ τοῦτο μόνον μεμπτοὶ, ὅτι δεδοικότες τῶν ἀκολάστων τὸ πλῆθος, τό γε εἰς αὐτοὺς ἧκον, τῆς τηλικαύτης διορθώσεως ἀμελοῦσι.","t":"To Leontius the bishop. Truly, as you have written, many disturbances have burst into the churches. For where the name of peace is, there the works of war dance. These things happen because many and various sins have been committed by those entrusted with the teaching office. Leaving them one by one, I shall write of the one thing on which all depend, a thing honourable, great and splendid, which made the companies of the apostles like lights everywhere in the world, but now, neglected, has filled the churches with confusion. What is it? I shall say it with frankness, for I could not do otherwise: then lovers of virtue were advanced to the priesthood, but now lovers of money; then those who fled the office because of the greatness of the charge, now those who leap upon the office because of the greatness of the luxury; then those who prided themselves on voluntary poverty, now those who make money by voluntary greed; then those who had the divine tribunal before their eyes, now those who have not even a thought of it; then those ready to be beaten, now those ready to beat. And why say much? The dignity seems at last to have passed from priesthood to tyranny, from humility to arrogance, from fasting to luxury, from stewardship to despotism; for they do not think fit to manage as stewards, but to appropriate as masters. These things are not said against all, but against the guilty; for there are some who live according to the apostolic stamp but do not dare to break into speech; though in this one respect they are very blameworthy, that, fearing the multitude of the licentious, they neglect so great a correction, as far as it lies with them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.21 (PG 78 78:1337; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-21)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.211":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\n᾿Ανὴρ διαφερόντως τῇ θειοτάτῃ θρησκείᾳ ἀνακείμενος, καὶ τοῖς τὰ αὐτὰ αὐτῷ μετιοῦσιν ἐντυχεῖν περί πολλοῦ ποιούμενος, κἀκεῖσε ἀφῖκται. Ξεναγὸς τοίνυν ἀγαθὸς αὐτῷ γενοῦ· ἵνα σε τε καὶ τὰς ἄλλας τῆς ἀρετῆς θεασάμενος εἰκόνας, ἐμπλήσῃ τὸν οἰκεῖον ἔρωτα.","t":"To Theodosius the presbyter. A man especially devoted to the most divine religion, who sets great store on meeting those who pursue the same things, has arrived there too. Be a good guide to him, so that, seeing you and the other images of virtue, he may satisfy his longing.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.211 (PG 78 78:1457; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-211)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.212":{"o":"ΑΥΣΟΝΙΟ ΚΟΡΡΗΚΤΩΡΙ.\nἘπειδὴ ἀνήρ τις ἀγοραῖος πράγματα βουλόμενος παρασχεῖν ἀνθρώπῳ ἀπραγμοσύνῃ συζῶντι, εἴλκυσεν αὐτὸν εἰς δικαστήριον· καταξίωσον, θᾶττον μὲν κωλύσαι τοῦτον ἀδικῆσαι· χαριῇ γὰρ αὐτῷ· τὸν δὲ εἰς τὴν ἀγροικίαν πέμψαι, τῆς φίλης γεωργίας τὴν ἀντίδοσιν ἀσπασόμενον.","t":"To Ausonius the corrector. Since a man of the market-place, wishing to make trouble for a man who lives a quiet life, has dragged him into court, deign quickly to prevent him from doing wrong (for you will do him a favour), and send the other back to the countryside, to enjoy what his beloved farming returns.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.212 (PG 78 78:1457; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-212)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.213":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟὐ τῇ φράσει χρὴ, ὦ βέλτιστε, καταγοητεύειν τοὺς ἀκροωμένους, ἀλλὰ τῇ πράξει χειροῦσθαι τοὺς θεωμένους· ὁ τρόπος γάρ ἐστι τοῦ πείθοντος ὁ αἰδέσιμος, οὐχ ὁ λόγος. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ δυσωπεῖ, ὁ δὲ ἐνοχλεῖ. Τί τοίνυν βούλομαι εἰπεῖν, φράσω· ᾿Ανήρ τις τῶν ἀρετῇ κεκοσμημένων, πολὺς ἔῤῥει κατὰ σοῦ, πολλὰ μὲν φράζων, ἓν δὲ θαυμάζων, πῶς κηλὶς ὢν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ἀκηλίδωτον βίον ἐν ταῖς εὐχαῖς λαβεῖν ἀξιοῖς. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ τὰ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ, φησὶν, εἰσφέρει, αἰτείτω· εἰ δὲ καὶ ἄλλους μιᾶναι ἐκ τῶν αἰσχίστων αὐτοῦ πράξεων οἷός τέ ἐστι, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν τοῦτο εὔχεται λαβεῖν, ὅ ἔχειν οὐ θέλει; Ἐγὼ μὲν οὖν ἠρυθρίων ἀκούων, καὶ προσεῖχον εἰς γῆν, καὶ οὐδὲ διᾶραι τὸ στόμα ἴσχυον · οἱ δὲ παρόντες κρότοις ἐκεῖνον ἐστεφάνουν λαμπροῖς, ἓν μόνον αἰτιώμενοι, τὸ μὴ δεδυνῆσθαι ἐπαξίως τῆς σῆς ἀπαιδευσίας φράσαι· Αὐτὸς οὖν σκόπει, ὅπως ταύτην ἀποτρίψῃ τὴν κωμῳδίαν.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. One must not bewitch the hearers by speech, my good man, but win the onlookers by action; for it is the character of the persuader that commands respect, not his words. The one shames, the other annoys. What I want to say, I shall tell you. A man adorned with virtue was pouring out much against you, saying many things but wondering at one: how, being a stain on the church, you think fit to ask in your prayers for a stainless life. \"If he contributes his own part,\" he said, \"let him ask; but if he is able to defile others by his most shameful deeds, for what reason does he pray to receive what he does not wish to have?\" I blushed as I listened, fixed my eyes on the ground, and could not even open my mouth; but those present crowned him with loud applause, blaming him for one thing only, that he had not been able to speak worthily of your want of discipline. Consider, then, how you may rub off this ridicule.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.213 (PG 78 78:1459; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-213)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.214":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΜὴ περὶ μικρῶν καὶ φαύλων, ἀλλὰ περὶ ὧν λέγειν ἄξιον τοῖς ἐντυγχάνουσι φράζε. Φλυαρεῖν γάρ σε νομίζοντες πολλοὶ, καὶ ἀποφοιτῶσι ταχέως, καὶ αἰτιῶνται ῥᾳδίως, καὶ πείθουσιν ὀξέως.","t":"To Paul the presbyter. Speak to those you meet not about small and trivial things, but about things worth saying. For many, thinking you talk nonsense, quickly go away, readily blame you, and swiftly persuade others.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.214 (PG 78 78:1459; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-214)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.215":{"o":"ΔΑΝΙΗΛ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΜή σου, ὦ μακάριε, τὸν εἰς τὴν ἀρετὴν δρόμον τὸ μιαρὸν καὶ θεομισῆ, ὡς γέγραφας, Ζώσιμον ἱερᾶσθαι τολμᾷν· ἀλλ᾿ αὐτὸ τοῦτό σε μᾶλλον ῥωννύτω εἰς τὸ πιστεύειν πάντως εἶναι κρίσιν, ἐν ᾗ ἑκάστῳ τὸ πρόσφορον ἀπονεμηθήσεται. Εἰ γὰρ πάντες ἐνταῦθα ἀπελάμβανον τὰ προσήκοντα, οἱ μὲν τὰς ἀμοιβὰς, οἱ δὲ τὰπίχειρα, περιττὸς ἦν ὁ τῆς κρίσεως λόγος. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πολλοὶ μὲν φαῦλοι εὐημεροῦσι, πολλοὶ δὲ σπουδαῖοι παρευημεροῦνται, αὐτὸ τοῦτο ὅ τὸν θόρυβον ποιεῖ, τοῦ θορύβου καὶ τῆς ταραχῆς ὀφείλει εἶναι ἀναιρετικὸν, ὅτι ἑκάστῳ τὸ πρέπον ἀποδοθήσεται. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν δίκαιος ὢν ὁ Θεὸς ταῦτα περιεῖδε γινόμενα, εἰ μὴ ἔμελλε καὶ λόγων καὶ πράξεων καὶ ἐννοιῶν μετὰ ταῦτα ἀπαιτεῖν εὐθύνας· καὶ τοῖς μὲν τιμὰς, τοῖς δὲ τιμωρίας ὁρίζειν.","t":"To Daniel the presbyter. Do not let it hinder your course toward virtue, blessed man, that the foul and God-hated Zosimus, as you have written, dares to act as priest; rather let this very thing strengthen you to believe that there is certainly a judgment, in which what is fitting will be allotted to each. For if all received their due here, some their rewards and others their wages, the doctrine of the judgment would be superfluous. But since many worthless men prosper and many earnest men are passed over, the very thing that causes the disturbance ought to remove the disturbance and confusion, namely, that to each will be rendered what is fitting. For God, being just, would not overlook these things happening, unless he were going to demand an account of words, deeds and thoughts afterward, and to assign honours to some and punishments to others.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.215 (PG 78 78:1459; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-215)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.216":{"o":"ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΙΟ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nἬδη με, σὺν Θεῷ δὲ εἰρήσθω, προσδόκησον ἐν τῷ μοναστηρίῳ· ἥξω γὰρ τὴν σὴν πρό γε πάντων ὀψόμενος θεοσέβειαν, καὶ τὸν διὰ πάντα θαυμάσιον Θεοδόσιον, διὰ μακροῦ φίλον ὄντα, καὶ σφόδρα ἡμῖν τετιμημένον, περιπτυξόμενος.","t":"To Strategius the monk. Expect me soon (God willing, be it said) at the monastery; for I shall come to see your godliness before all else, and to embrace Theodosius, admirable in every way, a friend of long standing and greatly honoured by me.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.216 (PG 78 78:1459; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-216)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.217":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nΤῶν συγγραφέων οἱ μὲν αἰσχρὸν ἡγοῦνται μὴ σαφὲς εἰπεῖν, οἱ δὲ ἐν τῇ ἀσαφείᾳ τίθενται τὴν ἰσχὺν, καὶ οἱ μὲν τιμῶσι τὸ μέτριον, οἱ δὲ ἔξω φέρονται τῶν καιρῶν· οἱ μὲν τῶν ἡκριβωμένων ὥτων στοχάζονται, τοῖς δὲ ἀρκεῖ τὰ μειράκια σεῖσαι· καὶ οἱ μὲν ἀμείνονες εἰς προοιμίου χρείαν, οἱ δὲ ἐν παραδείγμασίν εἰσι πλούσιοι· οἱ μὲν οἶκτον ἐμβαλεῖν δεινοὶ, οἱ δὲ θυμόν· τῶν μὲν τὸ βραδὺ λυπηρόν, τῶν δὲ τὸ ταχὺ τερπνόν · οἱ μὲν ὕπνον ἐμποιοῦσι, μιᾷ καταχρώμενοι ἰδέᾳ, οἱ δὲ καὶ ἀφαιροῦσι ταῖς μεταβολαῖς. Χρὴ τοίνυν τὸν βασανίσαι συγγράμματα δεινὸν, πάσης καὶ χάριτος καὶ ἀπεχθείας ὄντα κρείττονα, ἑκάστου συγγραφέως καὶ τὴν κακίαν καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν εἰδέναι· καὶ τῇ μὲν ψηφίσασθαι, τῇ δὲ μέμψασθαι.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. Of writers, some think it shameful not to speak clearly, while others place their strength in obscurity; some honour moderation, others go beyond what the occasion requires; some aim at refined ears, while others are content to excite young lads; some are better at the work of the introduction, others are rich in examples; some are skilled at stirring pity, others anger; with some slowness is tiresome, with others speed is delightful; some induce sleep by using a single style, others remove it by their variations. So the one who is skilled at testing writings, superior to all favour and enmity, must know the vice and the virtue of each writer, and approve the one and blame the other.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.217 (PG 78 78:1461; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-217)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.218":{"o":"ΑΦΘΟΝΙΟ.\nΚαὶ ἡ παρθενία, ὦ βέλτιστε, καὶ ἡ πορνεία τὰ μέτρα τοῦ νόμου ἐξέβησαν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ὑπερέπτη, ἡ δὲ παρέβη. Καὶ ἡ μὲν τὰ κοῦφα καὶ ἀνωφερῆ, καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν πολοῦντα, ἡ δὲ τὰ κατωφερῆ καὶ βαρέα σώματα ἐμιμήσατο· ἡ μὲν διώκει τὰ μεταβολῆς κρείττονα, ἡ δὲ ἐκεῖνα, ὧν ἡ μεταβολὴ συμφυὴς, καὶ ἡ κόλασις σύντροφος. ὁ δὲ τίμιος γάμος τούτων ἑκατέρων μέσος τυγχάνων, τῆς μέν ἐστι κατώτερος πολλῷ, τῆς δὲ ἀνώτερος πλέον, ἢ ὅσον αὐτὸς τῆς παρθενίας ἐστὶ ταπεινότερος. Διὸ καὶ τῆς μὲν στεφανουμένης, τῆς δὲ κατακρινομένης, οὗτος σύμμετρον ἔχει τὸ ἐγκώμιον.","t":"To Aphthonius. Both virginity, my good man, and sexual immorality have gone beyond the measures of the law, but not in the same direction. For the one flew over it, the other transgressed it. The one imitated light bodies that rise upward and range the heavens, the other heavy bodies that sink downward. The one pursues what is above change, the other what has change as its nature and punishment as its companion. But honourable marriage, lying midway between the two, is much lower than the one, and higher than the other by more than it is lower than virginity. So, while the one is crowned and the other condemned, marriage has a proportionate praise.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.218 (PG 78 78:1461; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-218)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.219":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ λόγους ἔφασκον ἔχειν πάσης κακίας ἀναιρετικοὺς, εἰκότως ἂν εἶχον ἀλαζονείας αἰτίαν. Εἰ δὲ τοῦτο μάλιστα πάντων ἐπίσταμαι, ὅτι τοῦ μὲν παραινοῦντός ἐστι τὸ εἰπεῖν τὰ βέλτιστα· τοῦ δὲ συμβουλευομένου τὸ πεισθῆναι. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ λέγειν, ὁ δὲ τοῦ πράττειν Κύριός ἐστι· τί παρεὶς συγγινώσκειν, εἴγε ἀποδέξασθαι μὴ βούλοιο, αἰτιᾷ τὸν τόγε αὐτοῦ μέρος κατορθώσαντα; εἰ δὲ μηδ' οὕτω καταδέχῃ, ὥρα σε καὶ τὴν ἄῤῥητον σοφίαν αἰτιάσασθαι, τὴν μήτε τοὺς ἀποστατήσαντας Ἰουδαίους, μήτε τὸν προδότην πείσασαν. Τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἀπέσχον τοῦ πεισθῆναι, ὅτι ὁ μὲν προὔδωκεν, οἱ δὲ ἐσταύρωσαν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ μὴ πείσασα καὶ σώσασα, παρὰ πάντων ἀνακηρύττεται· ἀπὸ γὰρ τῆς προαιρέσεως, οὐκ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκβάσεως τὰ πράγματα κρίνεται· τί αἰτιᾷ τὸν τοσαῦτα πεποιηκότα, καὶ μὴ δυνηθέντα πεῖσαι Μαρτινιανόν τε καὶ Ζώσιμον, καὶ Μάρωνα, καὶ Εὐστάθιον ἀποσχέσθαι κακίας; Τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἀπέχω τοῦ ἐρυθριᾶν ἐπὶ τούτῳ (καίτοι ἐρυθριᾷν παντὸς μᾶλλον, ὥς γε ἐμαυτὸν, ἐν οἷς τὸ ἐρυθριᾷν καλὸν, ἐπιστάμενος), ὅτι καὶ σεμνύνομαι ἐπὶ τῷ κἂν ἐκ μέρους τοῖς Δεσποτικοῖς πάθεσι κεκοινωνηκέναι.","t":"To Theodore the deacon. If I claimed to have words that destroy all wickedness, I would rightly be charged with boastfulness. But if I know this best of all, that it belongs to the adviser to say what is best and to the one advised to be persuaded (for the one is master of speaking, the other of doing), why, instead of pardoning, if you will not approve, do you blame the man who has done his own part well? And if you will not accept even that, it is time for you to blame the ineffable Wisdom too, which persuaded neither the apostate Jews nor the traitor. For they were so far from being persuaded that the one betrayed him and the others crucified him. And if, though not persuading, it saves and is proclaimed by all (for things are judged by the intention, not by the outcome), why do you blame the one who has done so much and could not persuade Martinianus, Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius to abstain from wickedness? For I am so far from blushing at this (though I know myself to blush more than anyone, at things where blushing is good), that I even take pride in having shared, even in part, in the Master's sufferings.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.219 (PG 78 78:1461; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-219)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.22":{"o":"ΔΑΝΙΗΛ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ ὁ χρεωστῶν σοι ἀπολογίαν οὔτε ἀπαιτεῖται ἀπὸ σοῦ, οὔτε ἄγχεται· διὸ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀπολογίαν ἡγῇ ἔχειν τοῦ μὴ ἐκείνῳ συγκεχωρηκέναι τὸ τῶν εἰς σὲ πταισμάτων χρέος, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτὸς καὶ μὴ παρακαλοῦντι, μηδὲ συγγνώμην αἰτοῦντι δίδου ταύτην, εἰ κατὰ σαυτὸν, καὶ μὴ φαίνου δρῶν τὰ τῶν ἀμύνεσθαι ἐπιθυμούντων · οὕτω γὰρ κἀκεῖνος αἰδεσθείς σου τὴν φιλοσοφίαν, ἑαυτὸν ἀμυνεῖται, ὡς ἁγίῳ ἀνδρὶ προσκεκρουκώς. μὲν δυνατὸν, ἐκεῖνον μεταπεμψάμενος· εἰ δὲ μὴ,","t":"To Daniel the presbyter. Even if the man who owes you an apology is neither asked for it by you nor pressed for it, and for that reason you think you yourself have an excuse for not having forgiven him the debt of his offences against you, still, give him forgiveness yourself, even though he does not ask or beg pardon, as far as it rests with you, and do not appear to act like those who long to retaliate. For so he too, respecting your philosophy, will punish himself as one who has offended a holy man. … if possible, by sending for him; but if not, …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.22 (PG 78 78:1337; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-22)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.220":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ μηδὲν μετ᾿ ἀκολασίας ἔργον ἄπρακτον, μήτε λόγον αἰσχρὸν ἄῤῥητον, ὡς φὴς, παραλελοιπότες Ζώσιμός τε καὶ Μάρων, ἔτι καὶ κατὰ τῶν ἀρίστων ἐπιφύονται, ἃ μήτε λόγῳ ῥητά, μήτε ἔργῳ φορητά καὶ φράζοντες καὶ πράττοντες· μὴ τῆς θείας δίκης ἀμέλειαν καταψηφίσῃ, ἀλλὰ θαύμαζε αὐτῆς τὴν μακροθυμίαν, τὴν νῦν μὲν εἰς μετάνοιαν αὐτοὺς καλοῦσαν, καὶ τὴν ἀπολογίαν ἀποτεμνομένην, μικρὸν δὲ ὕστερον ἢ ἐνταῦθα, ἢ ἐκεῖ κολάσει σφοδροτάτῃ μετελευσομένην. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ οἱ πρὸ τοῦ κατακλυσμοῦ ἃ μὴ θέμις δράσαντες, ἢ ἐν Σοδόμοις ὑπερόρια πταίσαντες, ἢ οἱ κατὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου ἐπιλυττήσαντες Ἰουδαῖοι ἀτιμώρητοι διέφυγον, διαφεύξονται καὶ οὗτοι. Εἰ δὲ ἐκείνων ἐνταῦθα οἱ μὲν κατεκλύσθησαν, οἱ δὲ πυρὸς, οἱ δὲ πολέμου ἔργον γεγένηνται, ὡς πάσας καὶ τὰς ἔμπροσθεν, καὶ τὰς μετὰ ταῦτα ἀποκρύψαι τραγῳδίας, κἀκεῖσε δὲ τὰς ἐσχάτας πείσονται τιμωρίας· δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν ὀλιγωρεῖς, ὡς ἀτιμωρήτων τούτων ὄντων; Ὅτι γὰρ κἀκεῖ δώσουσι δίκην, δῆλον, ἐκ τοῦ τὴν ἀλήθειαν εἰρηκέναι. • ᾿Ανεκτότερον ἔσται γῇ Σόδομων καὶ Γομόῤῥων, ἢ τῇ πόλει ἐκείνῃ, » τῇ διωξάσῃ δηλονότι τοὺς τῆς ἀληθείας κήρυκας· τοῦτο δὲ εἶπεν, ὡς ἐκείνων μὲν ἀργαλεωτέραν δωσόντων δίκην, Σοδομιτῶν δὲ ἡμερωτέραν, οὐ μόνον διὰ τὸ κἀνταῦθα δεδωκέναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ διὰ τὸ τοὺς μὲν κατὰ τῆς φύσεως πεπαρῳνηκέναι, τοὺς δὲ κατὰ τοῦ Δεσπότου τῆς φύσεως λελυττηκέναι.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. If Zosimus and Maron, as you say, having left no licentious deed undone and no shameful word unspoken, still attack the best men, both saying and doing things neither speakable in word nor bearable in deed, do not condemn divine justice for negligence, but admire its patience, which now calls them to repentance and cuts off their excuse, but a little later will pursue them with most severe punishment, either here or there. For if those before the flood who did what is not lawful, or those in Sodom who sinned beyond all bounds, or the Jews who raged against the Master escaped unpunished, these too will escape. But if, of those, some were drowned here, others became the prey of fire, and others of war, so as to overshadow all the tragedies before and after, and there too they will suffer the ultimate punishments, for what reason do you make light of it, as if these men will go unpunished? That they will also pay the penalty there is clear from the fact that the Truth said: \"It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that city,\" clearly the one that persecuted the heralds of the truth. He said this because those would pay a more grievous penalty, but the Sodomites a milder one, not only because they had already paid here, but also because the latter outraged nature, while the former raged against the Master of nature.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.220 (PG 78 78:1463; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-220)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.221":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΟ.\nἼσθι, ὦ ἀγαθὲ, ὅτι εἰ οἰστὰ καὶ φορητὰ καὶ εὐΐατα πταίσοιμεν, καὶ πάθοιμέν τι ἐνταῦθα δεινὸν, ἀποτριβόμεθα τὰ πταίσματα · εἰ δὲ ἀπάνθρωπα καὶ δεινὰ, κἀκεῖσε τιμωρηθησόμεθα, κουφότερον μὲν, εἰ κἀνταῦθά τι πάθοιμεν, βαρύτερον δὲ, εἰ ἀπαθεῖς ἀπέλθοιμεν· ἀλλ᾿ ἵνα μὴ λέγειν ἔχοις ὡς αὕτη ἀπόφασίς ἐστι καὶ οὐκ ἀπόδειξις, διὰ μαρτυριῶν ἀξιοχρέων βαδιεῖται ὁ λόγος. Περὶ οὖν τῶν ἐνταῦθα ἀποτριβομένων τὰ πταίσματα, μάρτυς παραγραφὴν μὴ ἐπιδεχόμενος ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος, λέγων περὶ τῶν ἀναξίως τῶν μυστηρίων μετειληφότων· « Διὰ τοῦτο ἐν ὑμῖν πολλοὶ ἀσθενεῖς καὶ ἄῤῥωστοι, καὶ κοιμῶνται ἱκανοί· εἰ γὰρ ἑαυτοὺς διεκρίνομεν, οὐκ ἂν ἐκρινόμεθα· κρινόμενοι δὲ, ὑπὸ Κυρίου παιδευόμεθα, ἵνα μὴ σὺν τῷ κόσμῳ κατακριθῶμεν. » Καὶ τὸ εἰρημένον δὲ πρὸς τὸν ἀποτηγανιζόμενον πλούσιον, ταύτης ἐστὶ τῆς ἐννοίας, ὅτι « ᾿Απέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου, ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ Λάζαρος τὰ κακά · • τουτέστιν, Εἰ πέπρακταί σοί τι χρηστὸν, τοῦτ᾽ ἀπείληφας, τρυφήσας καὶ μηδεμιᾶς πειραθεὶς μεταβολῆς. Εἰ δὲ τι κἀκείνῳ πεπλημμέληται, τοῦτ᾽ ἀπείληφεν ἐν τῇ ἀπαραμυθήτῳ πενίᾳ δεδαπανημένος· περὶ δὲ τῶν κἀνταῦθα δεδωκότων δίκην, κἀκεῖ δωσόντων, αὐτὸς ὁ κριτὴς ἐν Εὐαγγελίοις ἀπεφήνατο· « ᾿Ανεκτότερον ἔσται γῇ Σοδόμων καὶ Γομόῤῥων, ἢ τῇ πόλει ἐκείνῃ. » Καίτοι κἀνταῦθα δεδώκασι δίκην καὶ Σοδομῖται καὶ Ἰουδαῖοι, οἱ μὲν πυρὶ δαπανηθέντες, οἱ δὲ πολέμῳ καὶ λιμῷ παραδοθέντες, καὶ εἰς τοσαύτην ἀπορίαν καταστάντες, ὡς καὶ τῶν οἰκείων γεύσασθαι παίδων · πάντως γὰρ ὑπ᾽ ὀδόντας ἐλθεῖν ἡ ἀνάγκη ἐξεβιάσατο.","t":"To the same. Know, good man, that if we commit tolerable, bearable and easily healed sins and suffer something terrible here, we wipe off the sins; but if they are inhuman and terrible, we shall be punished there too, more lightly if we suffer something here as well, more heavily if we depart without suffering. But so that you may not say that this is assertion and not demonstration, the argument will proceed by trustworthy testimonies. About those who wipe off their sins here, the divine Paul is a witness who admits no objection, saying of those who partook of the mysteries unworthily: \"That is why many of you are weak and ill, and a number have fallen asleep. For if we judged ourselves, we would not be judged; but when we are judged, we are disciplined by the Lord, so that we may not be condemned along with the world.\" And what was said to the rich man being roasted has this meaning: \"You received your good things in your lifetime, and Lazarus likewise his bad things\"; that is: if anything good was done by you, you have received it, living in luxury and experiencing no change; and if anything was done amiss by him, he has received it, worn down by comfortless poverty. And about those who have paid the penalty here and will pay it there, the Judge himself declared in the Gospels: \"It will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah than for that city.\" And yet both the Sodomites and the Jews paid the penalty here, the one consumed by fire, the others handed over to war and famine, and brought to such distress that they tasted their own children; for necessity forced them to put them under their teeth.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.221 (PG 78 78:1463; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-221)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.222":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὍπερ πρώην περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἔφην, τοῦτο νῦν περὶ τῶν κατορθωμάτων ἐρῶ· ὅτι μικρὰ καὶ εὐτελῆ κατορθώσας, εἰ ἀπολαύσει τινὸς χρηστοῦ ἐνταῦθα, ἀφέξει τὸν μισθόν: Εἰ δὲ μεγάλα καὶ ὑπερφυῆ καὶ ἀξιοθαύμαστα, κἀκεῖσε ἀπολήψεται, μετρίως μὲν, εἰ κὰνταῦθα ἀπείληφε. Τὸ γὰρ ἐνταῦθα λαβεῖν ὑποτέμνεται μισθοῦ μέρος οὐ μικρόν · ὑπερβαλλόντως δὲ, εἰ μὴ ἀπείληφεν. Καὶ εἰ βούλει, διὰ παραδείγματος σαφηνίσω τὸ λεγόμενον. Ἔστωσαν ὑποθέσεως χάριν δύο δίκαιοι, ἄκροι τὴν ἀρετήν· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν ἐνταῦθα πλουτείτω, ὁ δὲ πενέσθω· ὁ μὲν δοξαζέσθω, ὁ δὲ ὑβριζέσθω· ὁ μὲν παρὰ πάντων ἐπαινείσθω, ὁ δὲ κωμῳδείσθω. Αρα ἀπελθόντες ἐκεῖ τὸν ἴσον λήψονται στέφανον; Οὔ φημι ἔγωγε, καίτοι ἴσους γε ἑαυτοὺς ἔφαμεν εἶναι κατὰ τὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς λόγον· ἀλλ᾿ ἡ τοῦ ἐνταῦθα βίου ἀνωμαλία τὴν ἰσότητα τῆς ἀρετῆς εἰς τὸ ἄνισον καταστήσει· οὐ τοῦ ἀδεκάστου κριτοῦ ἄδικον ψηφιουμένου, ἀλλὰ τῷ μὲν κἀνταῦθα κἀκεῖ τὸν μισθόν συμμετρησομένου, τῷ δὲ ἄκρατον τὴν εὐφροσύνην βεβαιώσαντος · δίκαιον γὰρ τοσαῦτα μὲν κατορθώσαντα, μὴ τῶν αὐτῶν δὲ ἀπολαύσαντα, μείζονι καὶ λαμπροτέρῳ κοσμηθῆναι στεφάνῳ. Οὐ μόνον δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν κατορθωμάτων, ὦ μακάριε, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων τὸ αὐτὸ ἀκολουθεῖ. Ἔστωσαν γὰρ, εἰ δοκεῖ, δύο ἁμαρτωλοὶ, εἰς αὐτὴν τῆς κακίας φθάσαντες τὴν κορυφὴν, ὡς μηδὲν ἕτερον ἑτέρου διαφέρειν· ὧν ὁ μὲν πλουτείτω, ὁ δὲ πτωχευέτω · ὁ μὲν τιμάσθω, ὁ δὲ ὑβριζέσθω· ὁ μὲν ἀρχέτω, ὁ δὲ κολαζέσθω. Ἆρα ἀπελθόντες ἐκεῖ τὴν αὐτὴν δώσουσι δίκην ; οὐκ ἔγωγε οἶμαι, καίτοι ἴσους γε αὐτοὺς ἔφημεν εἶναι κατά τὸν τῆς κακίας λόγον· ἀλλ᾽ ἡ τοῦ ἐνταῦθα βίου κατάστασις τὴν ἰσότητα τῆς κακίας ἄνισον εἰς τὸν τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἀποφαίνει καιρὸν, οὐ τῆς δίκης τὸ δίκαιον παροψομένης, ἀλλὰ τῷ μὲν κἀνταῦθα κἀκεῖ τὴν τιμωρίαν συμμετρησομένης, τῷ δὲ ἐκεῖ ἀπαραμύθητον τὴν κόλασιν ψηφιουμένης. Δίκαιον γὰρ τὸν τὰ αὐτὰ μὲν δεδρακότα, μὴ τὰ αὐτὰ δὲ πεπονθότα, μείζονα δοῦναι δίκην.","t":"To the same. What I said before about sins I shall now say about good deeds: one who has done small and cheap good deeds, if he enjoys some good thing here, will have received his reward in full. But if he has done great, extraordinary and admirable deeds, he will receive there too, moderately if he has received here as well (for receiving here cuts off no small part of the reward), but surpassingly if he has not received. If you like, I shall make what I say clear by an example. Let there be, for the sake of argument, two righteous men, supreme in virtue; but let one be rich here and the other poor; let one be honoured and the other insulted; let one be praised by all and the other ridiculed. Will they receive an equal crown when they depart there? I say not, though we said they were equal in virtue; but the unevenness of life here will make the equality of virtue unequal; not because the incorruptible Judge will vote unjustly, but because he will measure out the reward to the one both here and there, and secure an unmixed gladness to the other. For it is just that one who has done as much but has not enjoyed the same things should be adorned with a greater and more brilliant crown. And not only with good deeds, blessed man, but also with sins the same follows. Let there be, if you like, two sinners who have reached the very peak of wickedness, so that one differs in nothing from the other; let one be rich and the other a beggar; let one be honoured and the other insulted; let one rule and the other be punished. Will they pay the same penalty when they depart there? I do not think so, though we said they were equal in wickedness; but the condition of life here makes the equality of wickedness unequal at the time of the resurrection; not because justice will overlook what is just, but because it will measure out the punishment to the one both here and there, and vote the other a comfortless punishment there. For it is just that one who has done the same things but not suffered the same should pay a greater penalty.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.222 (PG 78 78:1465; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-222)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.223":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nΟἶδα ὅτι παρά τινων μὲν ἀπιστηθήσομαι, παρά τινων δὲ ὑπερβολῇ κεχρῆσθαι νομισθήσομαι· πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδήπερ οἷσθά μου τὸν τρόπον (ἄλλο γὰρ ἴσως οὐκ ἂν εἶπον· οἶδα γὰρ πολλοὺς ἐκ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τὰς περὶ τῶν ἄλλων φέροντας ψήφους), φημὶ, ὅτι ἀσμενέστερον ἀρετὴν ἀσκῶν ἐνταῦθα πάσχω κακῶς, ἢ κακίαν μετιὼν στεφανοῦμαι. Ἵνα γὰρ παρῶ τὸν στέφανον τὸν τῇ ἀρετῇ ἐκεῖσε εὐτρεπισθέντα, καὶ τὴν κόλασιν τὴν τῇ κακίᾳ ἑτοιμασθεῖσαν, αὐτὴ ἡ ἀρετὴ στέφανος εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ, καὶ ἡ κακία κόλασις. Καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἐλοίμην, εἰ τὴν μὲν ἀρετὴν ὑβρίζοιέν τινες, τὴν δὲ κακίαν στεφανοῖεν, τῆς μὲν ἀποφοιτῆσαι, τῆς δὲ ἀντιλαβέσθαι · ἀλλὰ τὴν μὲν καὶ ὑβριζομένην ἀσπάζομαι καὶ φιλῶ, τὴν δὲ καὶ στεφανουμένην βδελύττομαι καὶ μισῶ.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. I know that some will disbelieve me, and some will think I exaggerate; but since you know my character (for perhaps I would not have said it to another, since I know that many pass verdicts on others from their own case), I say that I would rather suffer ill here while practising virtue than be crowned while pursuing wickedness. For, to pass over the crown prepared there for virtue and the punishment prepared for wickedness, virtue itself seems to me a crown, and wickedness a punishment. And I would not choose, if some insulted virtue and crowned wickedness, to abandon the one and take hold of the other; but I embrace and love the one even when insulted, and loathe and hate the other even when crowned.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.223 (PG 78 78:1467; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-223)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.224":{"o":"ΥΠΑΤΙΟ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΩ.\n᾿Επειδὴ χαλεπὸν, τουτέστι δύσκολον, τὸν εἰς ἔρωτα χρημάτων ἐμπεσόντα ἀνανεῦσαι (δυσδιόρθωτος γὰρ, ἵνα μὴ εἴπω ἀδιόρθωτος, ὁ τοιοῦτος γίνεται ), πάντα χρὴ πράττειν, ὥστε μὴ ἀλῶναι τῷ δεινῷ. Εὐκολώτερον γὰρ μὴ ἀλῶναι, ἢ ἀλόντα ἀνακτήσασθαι ἑαυτόν.","t":"To Hypatius the curial. Since it is hard, that is, difficult, for one who has fallen into love of money to look up again (for such a man becomes hard to correct, not to say incorrigible), one must do everything not to be caught by this terrible thing. For it is easier not to be caught than, once caught, to recover oneself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.224 (PG 78 78:1467; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-224)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.225":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ τοὺς ὑπηκόους τῶν νόμων, καθ' ὧν πολιτεύονται, ἀνηκόους εἶναι οὐ χρὴ, πολλῷ μᾶλλον τοὺς ἄρχειν λαχόντας· πῶς γὰρ ἂν τοῖς ἀρχομένοις διαλεχθεῖεν, ἢ τὸ δίκαιον ἐκ τοῦ ἀδίκου διακρίνοιεν, οἱ μηδὲ ὅπως χρὴ ἄρχειν ἐπιστάμενοι; Ὅσοι οὖν τούτων ἄπειροι ὄντες, καὶ οὐδὲ καλῶς ἄρχεσθαι μεμαθηκότες (καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ οὐ μικρὸν), ἄρχειν ἐπεχείρησαν, ταυτὸν πεπόνθασι τοῖς ἀπείροις μέν που ἡνιοχεῖν, ἐπιβῆναι δὲ τοῖς δίφροις τολμήσασι, καὶ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τοὺς ἵππους προσαπολέσασιν · ἢ τοῖς ἀπειροθαλάττοις μὲν, εἰς τοσαύτην δὲ μανίαν ἐξοκείλασιν, ὡς καὶ μυριαγωγὸν ὁλκάδα οἰακίσαι ἐπιχειρῆσαι, μεθ' ἧς εἰς τὸν βυθὸν τῆς θαλάττης ἐχώρησαν. Ὁ τοίνυν τῆς σωτηρίας ἑαυτοῦ ἀντιποιούμενος, μάλιστα μὲν εἰς τὴν τῶν ἀρχομένων ἑαυτὸν καταταττέτω πληθύν· εἰ δὲ ἄτοπος ἀρχῆς ἔρως αὐτῷ ἐπιπταίη, ἐξελαυνέτω τοῦτον ἀφ᾿ ἑαυτοῦ, ἢ διὰ τοῦ καλῶς ἄρχεσθαι τὸ δύνασθαι καλῶς ἄρξαι παιδευέσθω· καὶ μὴ ἐπιῤῥιπτέτω μὲν ἑαυτὸν τῷ πράγματι· εἰ δὲ κληθείη, παραιτείσθω, εἰ οἷόν τε· ἄμεινον γάρ· εἰ δὲ μὴ, κἂν ὑπὸ τῶν νόμων, βασιλευόμενος ἀρχέτω.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. If subjects ought not to be ignorant of the laws by which they live, much more those allotted to rule; for how could they speak with the governed, or distinguish the just from the unjust, who do not even know how one ought to rule? So all who, being inexperienced in these things and not having even learned to be governed well (and this is no small thing), have attempted to rule, have suffered the same as those inexperienced in driving chariots who dared to mount them and destroyed both themselves and their horses; or as those inexperienced at sea who ran aground in such madness as to try to steer a ship of ten thousand measures, with which they went to the bottom of the sea. So let the one who cares for his own salvation above all rank himself among the multitude of the governed; and if an untimely love of office befalls him, let him drive it out from himself, or let him be trained by being governed well to be able to govern well. Let him not throw himself upon the office; if he is called, let him decline if possible, for that is better; but if not, let him rule at least as one himself governed by the laws.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.225 (PG 78 78:1467; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-225)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.226":{"o":"ΟΥΡΑΝΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤί εἰς πολλοὺς καταφεύγεις, ἐξὸν εἰς ἕνα; τί πολλοὺς κολακεύεις, παρὸν ἕνα ἀντιβολεῖν; Τί τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς ἐπὶ συμμαχίαν καλεῖς, δέον ἐπὶ τὴν ἀήττητον δεξιὰν καταφεύγειν, καὶ παντὸς ἀπηλλάχθαι πειρασμοῦ; Πειρασμὸς γάρ ἐστιν, οὐ τὸ περιπεσεῖν πειρασμῷ, ὡς ἡγῇ, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἡττηθῆναι αὐτῷ· ὅτι δὲ τοῦτο, εἰ καὶ δοκεῖ πολλοῖς ἄπιστον εἶναι, ἀληθές ἐστιν, ὀλίγα τινὰ ἐκ τῶν ἱερῶν μεταχειρισάμενος Γραφῶν, δῆλον ποιήσω. Τὸ μὲν οὖν παρὰ τοῦ Παύλου ῥηθὲν, • Οὐδεὶς στεφανοῦται, εἰ μὴ νομίμως ἀθλήσῃ, ἐπειδήπερ τισὶ δοκεῖ μόνους τοὺς τῆς ἀρετῆς αἰνίττεσθαι πόνους, παραλείψω, ἐφ᾽ ἑτέραν δὲ ἥξω ῥῆσιν. Εἶπεν ὁ ἀνδρειότατος Ἰώβ· • Πειρατήριόν ἐστιν ὁ βίος ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς. » Εἰ τοίνυν αὐτὸς ὁ βίος πειρατήριόν ἐστι, πῶς οἷόν τε τὸν ἐν τῷ πειρασμῷ ὄντα, πειρασμῷ μὴ περιπεσεῖν; Τὸ γὰρ παρὰ τῆς ᾿Αληθείας λεχθὲν, « Προσεύχεσθε μὴ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς πειρασμὸν, » τοιοῦτόν ἐστι· Προσεύχεσθε, ἵνα μὴ ἡττηθῆτε τῷ πειρασμῷ. Οὐ γὰρ εἶπεν, μὴ ἐμπεσεῖν, ἀλλὰ μὴ εἰσελθεῖν, τουτέστι, μὴ καταποθῆναι ὑπ' αὐτοῦ. Μὴ ἐμπεσεῖν μὲν γὰρ, οὐχ οἷόν τε, ἐμπεσόντα δὲ ἀνευρίσασθαι καὶ στεφανωθῆναι οἷόν τε. Καὶ εἰ βούλει, διὰ παραδείγματος συντομωτάτου τοῦτο ποιήσω σαφές. Δυνατὸν μὲν γὰρ ἐμπεσόντα τινὰ εἰς λέοντα διασωθῆναι ἢ ῥώμῃ, ἢ τέχνῃ· καὶ τί λέγω διασωθῆναι; Τινὲς γὰρ καὶ ἐχειρώσαντο τοιούτους θῆρας. Τὸν δὲ καταβρωθέντα καὶ εἰς τὴν κοιλίαν τοῦ θηρὸς γεγενημένον, πῶς ἔνεστι διαφυγεῖν; Τοῦτο τοίνυν ἐστὶ τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ῥηθέν· ὅτι ἀδύνατον μέν ἐστι μὴ περιπεσεῖν πειρασμῷ, δυνατὸν δὲ περιγενέσθαι· καὶ ἑκατέρου τούτων καὶ ἐγγυηταὶ καὶ μάρτυρες οἱ ἅγιοι πάντες, οὓς τοσαῦται νιφάδες πειρασμῶν κατετόξευσαν, ὡς ὅλον σχεδὸν τὸν τῇδε βίον διαθλῆσαι. Οὐδεὶς οὖν αὐτῶν εἰσηκούσθη, φαίη τις ἄν· Εἰσηκούσθησαν μὲν οὖν · τὸ δὲ εἰσακουσθῆναι τοῦτο ἦν, οὐ τὸ μὴ ἐμπεσεῖν εἰς πειρασμόν· ἀδύνατον γάρ· ἀλλὰ τὸ ἐμπεσόντα, μὴ μόνον ἀβλαβῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ στεφάνων ἐκ τοῦ σταδίου ἐξελθεῖν. Μὴ τοίνυν τοῦτο ζητῶμεν, τὸ μὴ πειρασμοῖς περιπίπτειν, ἀλλὰ τὸ περιπεσόντες λαμπρότεροι ἀποφανθῆναι.","t":"To Uranius the deacon. Why do you flee to many, when you may flee to one? Why do you flatter many, when you can entreat one? Why do you call the weak to your aid, when you ought to flee to the invincible right hand and be rid of every temptation? For temptation is not, as you think, falling into temptation, but being defeated by it. That this is true, even if it seems incredible to many, I shall make plain by handling a few passages of the sacred Scriptures. Paul's saying, \"No one is crowned unless he competes lawfully,\" I shall pass over, since some think it hints only at the labours of virtue, and come to another saying. The most courageous Job said: \"The life of man on earth is a place of trial.\" If, then, life itself is a place of trial, how can one who is in trial not fall into temptation? For what the Truth said, \"Pray that you may not enter into temptation,\" means this: pray that you may not be defeated by temptation. For he did not say \"not fall in\" but \"not enter,\" that is, not be swallowed up by it. Not falling in is impossible; but having fallen in, to win through and be crowned is possible. And if you like, I shall make this clear by a very short example. It is possible for someone who has encountered a lion to be saved, by strength or by skill; and why do I say saved? Some have even overpowered such beasts. But one who has been devoured and has entered the belly of the beast, how can he escape? This, then, is what Christ said: that it is impossible not to fall into temptation, but possible to prevail. And of both of these all the saints are guarantors and witnesses, whom such snowstorms of temptations shot down that they struggled almost their whole life here. \"Was none of them heard, then?\" someone might say. They were heard; but being heard was this: not that they did not fall into temptation (for that is impossible), but that, having fallen in, they came out of the stadium not only unharmed but even with crowns. So let us not seek never to fall into temptations, but, having fallen into them, to be shown more brilliant.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.226 (PG 78 78:1469; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-226)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.227":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἼσθι, ὦ βέλτιστε, ὡς κὰν τούτῳ πταίομεν, τὰ μὲν εἰς ἑαυτοὺς δρώμενα ἐκδικοῦντες, τὰ δὲ εἰς τὸν Θεὸν παρορῶντες. Ὅταν μὲν γὰρ ἡμεῖς ἀδικώμεθα, ἡ πραότης χρησιμωτάτη· ὅταν δὲ τὸ Θεῖον, τόγε τῶν παροινούντων μέρος (οὐδεμία γὰρ εἰς τὴν ἀκήρατον ἐκείνην φύσιν διαβαίνει βλάβη), τῆς ἐπιεικείας ὁ θυμὸς ὡραιότερος· ἡμεῖς δὲ τοὐναντίον δρῶμεν, τοῖς μὲν ἡμετέροις ἐχθροῖς ἀσύγγνωστοι, τοῖς δὲ κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ὀπλίζουσι τὴν γλῶτταν ἥμεροι ὄντες καὶ φιλάνθρωποι. Ἠγανάκτησέ ποτε Μωϋσῆς ὁ πραότατος κατὰ τῶν μοσχοποιησάντων ἀγανάκτησιν πάσης πραότητος κρείττονα, καὶ Ἠλίας κατὰ τῶν εἰδωλολατρῶν, καὶ Ἰωάννης καθ' Ἡρώδου, καὶ Παῦλος κατὰ τοῦ Ἐλύμα· οὐχ ἑαυτοὺς, ἀλλὰ τὸ Θεῖον ἐκδικοῦντες, ἀρκοῦν μὲν ἑαυτῷ, τὴν δὲ τῶν φιλαρέτων μισοπονηρίαν ἀποδεχόμενον τὰς δὲ εἰς ἑαυτοὺς ὕβρεις παρεώρων· ταύτην γὰρ ἀρετὴν εἶναι ἐνόμιζον καὶ φιλοσοφίαν.","t":"To Theon the bishop. Know, my good man, that we go wrong in this too: we avenge what is done to ourselves, but overlook what is done against God. When we ourselves are wronged, gentleness is most useful; but when God is (as far as the offenders' part goes, for no harm passes over to that pure nature), anger is more fitting than forbearance. But we do the opposite: unforgiving toward our own enemies, but mild and humane toward those who arm their tongue against God. Moses, the gentlest of men, was once indignant against those who made the calf, with an indignation better than all gentleness; Elijah against the idolaters, John against Herod, Paul against Elymas: avenging not themselves but God, who is sufficient to himself but accepts the hatred of evil shown by the lovers of virtue; but the insults against themselves they overlooked, for they thought this to be virtue and philosophy.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.227 (PG 78 78:1469; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-227)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.228":{"o":"ΑΥΣΟΝΙΟ ΚΟΡΡΗΚΤΩΡΙ.\nΠρέπει τῇ σῇ ἀνδρίᾳ, τῇ τῶν νόμων ὡπλισμένῃ ἰσχύϊ ἀναγκάζειν ἀπέχεσθαι τοῦ ἀδικεῖν, τοὺς ὅθεν οὐ χρὴ κερδαίνειν ἐπιχειροῦντας κατὰ τῶν ἀσθενεστέρων ὁπλίζοντας τὴν δεξιάν.","t":"To Ausonius the corrector. It befits your courage, armed with the strength of the laws, to compel those who try to make gain from where they should not, arming their right hand against the weaker, to abstain from wrongdoing.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.228 (PG 78 78:1471; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-228)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.229":{"o":"ΙΑΚΩΒΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nἘμοὶ εἰ καὶ ἐπίπονὸς ἐστιν ἡ ἀρετὴ, ἀλλά γε καὶ αὐτὸ τὸ ἔργον αὐτῆς, ᾧ ὁ μισθὸς ἕπεται, ἕτερον δῶρον εἶναι δοκεῖ. Καὶ λίαν θαυμάζω τῆς θείας μεγαλοδωρεᾶς τὴν φιλοτιμίαν, ὅτι στέφανον στεφάνῳ χαρίζεται, τὴν ἀκίβδηλον ἀρετὴν τῇ τῶν οὐρανῶν βασιλείᾳ κοσμοῦσα.","t":"To James the reader. Even if virtue is laborious, to me the very work of it, which the reward follows, seems another gift. And I greatly admire the generosity of the divine munificence, that it grants crown upon crown, adorning genuine virtue with the kingdom of heaven.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.229 (PG 78 78:1471; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-229)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.23":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΟὐκ αἰσχρὸν ἡττᾶσθαι τούτων, ὧν ἀμήχανον περιεῖναι· μὴ τοίνυν μηδὲ αὐτὸς ἡττᾶσθαι νομίσῃς τοὺς τοῖς σοῖς ἐπαίνοις τοὺς λόγους ἐξισῶσαι μὴ δυναμένους, ἀλλὰ τὴν προαίρεσιν ἀποδεχόμενος συγγίνωσκε τῇ ἀσθενείᾳ. \"Αμεινον γὰρ ἡγούμενοι τὸ ἐνδεῶς φράσαι τοῦ ὀλιγωρίας γραφὴν ὑποστῆναι, κατατολμῶσιν ἀνεφίκτου πράγματος.","t":"To Theodosius the bishop. It is not shameful to be defeated by things it is impossible to overcome. So do not think yourself that those who cannot make their words equal to your praises are defeated; but accept their intention and pardon their weakness. For, thinking it better to speak inadequately than to incur a charge of neglect, they venture upon an unattainable task.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.23 (PG 78 78:1339; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-23)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.230":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΜὴ καταβόα τῆς θείας ἀνεξικακίας διὰ τὴν Εὐσεβίου καὶ τῶν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ συγκροτουμένων εὐημερίαν· οἵτινες τὴν μὲν ἀρετὴν ὑβρίζοντες, τὴν δὲ κακίαν στεφανοῦντες καὶ ἐναβρύνονται· ἀλλὰ θαύμαζε αὐτὴν, τὴν δι᾽ ὑπερβάλλουσαν χρηστότητα εἰς μετάνοιαν αὐτοὺς καλοῦσαν · καὶ εὐξαί γε αὐτοὺς μεταγνῶναι· ἵνα σὺ μὲν σκανδάλου ἀπαλλαγείης, αὐτοὶ δὲ τιμωρίας, ἡ δὲ θρησκεία, κωμῳδίας · εἰ δὲ, ὁ μὴ γένοιτο, ἕως τέλους ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας ἐκβακχευθῶσι, καὶ οἴστρῳ καὶ μανίᾳ λυττήσωσι, δι' ὧν ἐκεῖσε πείσονται, γνώσονται, ὅτι ἅμεινον ἦν τὸ σωφρονεῖν.","t":"To the same. Do not cry out against the divine forbearance because of the prosperity of Eusebius and those applauded by him, who insult virtue, crown wickedness and even pride themselves on it; but admire it, since by its surpassing goodness it calls them to repentance; and pray that they may change their minds, so that you may be freed from scandal, they from punishment, and religion from ridicule. But if (may it not happen) they are frenzied by wickedness to the end and rage with goad and madness, they will learn from what they suffer there that it would have been better to be sensible.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.230 (PG 78 78:1471; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-230)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.231":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ οἱ νέοι ἄδηλον ἔχουσι τὸ πέρας, ἀλλά γε οἱ γεγηρακότες πρόδηλον. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ, εἰ καὶ οὐδένα αἰδεῖται ὁ θάνατος (κατὰ πάσης γὰρ καὶ ἡλικίας καὶ ἀξίας χωρεῖ), ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε ἐλπίδα τινὰ ἔχουσι εἰς γῆρας ἤξειν· οἱ δὲ οὐδὲν ἕτερον, ἢ τὸ γῆ γενέσθαι (κατὰ τὸ σῶμα γάρ φημι) προσδοκῶσι. Τὸ γὰρ γῆρας εἴρηται παρὰ τὸ γῆς ἐρᾷν. Διὸ καὶ οἱ γεγηρακότες τρόπον τινὰ κυρτοῦνται καὶ κυρτοβατοῦσι, τὸ εἰς γῆν ἐπείγεσθαι διαμαρτυρόμενοι. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦτα οὕτως ἔχει, δι' ἣν αἰτίαν ἐπὶ γήρως οὐδῷ νεωτερίζεις τοῖς ἀδικήμασιν","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Even if the young have an uncertain end, the old have a manifest one. For the young, even if death respects no one (for it advances against every age and rank), still have some hope of reaching old age; but the old expect nothing else than to become earth (I mean as to the body). For \"old age\" (gēras) is said from \"loving earth\" (gēs eran). That is why the old are in a way bent and walk stooping, bearing witness that they are hastening to the earth. If, then, this is so, for what reason do you behave like a youth in wrongdoing on the threshold of old age …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.231 (PG 78 78:1471; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-231)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.232":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΤὸ μὲν ἀδικηθέντα μὴ ἀμύνασθαι, θεῖον ἡγοῦμαι· τὸ δὲ ἀμύνασθαι μετρίως, νόμιμον καὶ ἀνθρώπινον · τὸ δὲ ἀμέτρως, παράνομον καὶ ἀλιτήριον, μᾶλλον δὲ διαβολικόν. Πολλοὺς γὰρ ἄρξαι χειρῶν ἀδίκων μὴ πείσας, τῷ δήλην εἶναι τὴν ἁμαρτίαν, διὰ τοῦ ἀμέτρως ἐπεξιέναι εἰς τὸ τῶν καταρξάντων ἔγκλημα, περιέστησεν. Ὁ γὰρ ἐκβαίνων τῶν ἀδικημάτων τὸ μέτρον, καὶ μείζους τῶν πταισθέντων ἀπαιτῶν τὰς δίκας, εἰ καὶ δοκεῖ δικαίως πεποιηκέναι, εἰς τὸ τοῦ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀδικήσαντος (εἰ καὶ παράδοξον εἶναι δόξει τὸ λεχθησόμενον), περιίσταται ἔγκλημα· δεύτερος γὰρ ἄρχει πάλιν","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. Not to retaliate when wronged I consider divine; to retaliate moderately, lawful and human; but to retaliate immoderately, lawless and accursed, or rather devilish. For many whom one could not have persuaded to strike the first unjust blow, because the sin is plain, have been brought round to the charge of those who began it by retaliating immoderately. For the one who exceeds the measure of the wrongs and demands penalties greater than the offences, even if he seems to have acted justly, falls (paradoxical as this may seem) under the charge of the one who did wrong at the beginning; for he becomes in turn the second aggressor.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.232 (PG 78 78:1473; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-232)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.233":{"o":"ΘΕΟΠΕΜΠΤΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nὍταν μὲν λόγος ἔργου χηρεύῃ, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ὠφελεῖ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐνοχλεῖν εἴωθε τοὺς ἀκούοντας· ὅταν δὲ ἔργον λόγου ἔρημον εἴη, δυσωπεῖν πέφυκε τοὺς θεωμένους. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἄμφω συμβαίη, καὶ ὁ λόγος ὑπὸ τῆς πράξεως κοσμηθείη, τὸ τηνικαῦτα πολλὴ ἐπίδοσις ἔσται τοῖς φοιτηταῖς, εἰ εὐγνώμονες εἶεν.","t":"To Theopemptus the presbyter. When word is bereft of deed, it not only does not benefit but usually annoys the hearers; when deed is without word, it naturally puts the onlookers to shame. But if both come together, and the word is adorned by the action, then there will be great progress for the pupils, if they are well disposed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.233 (PG 78 78:1473; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-233)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.234":{"o":"ΑΛΥΠΙΩ.\nΛίαν θαυμάζω, πῶς τῶν μὲν ἑτέροις πεπλημμελημένων καὶ ἁμαρτανομένων πικροὶ καθήμεθα δικασταὶ, τὰ δὲ ἑαυτῶν πταίσματα, συγγνώμης ὄντα πολλάκις μείζονα, παρορῶμεν· καὶ περὶ μὲν τὰ οἱκεῖα τυφλώττομεν, τὰ δὲ τῶν πέλας ὀξέως ὁρῶμεν· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν κατορθωμάτων τουναντίον πάσχομεν, τὰ μὲν γὰρ οἰκεῖα, κἂν μικρὰ ἢ καὶ εὐτελῆ, μεγάλα φαίνεται· τὰ δὲ τῶν πλησίον, κἂν μεγάλα ᾗ καὶ θαυμαστά, μικρὰ καὶ φαῦλα. Οἶμαι τοίνυν, ὅτι ἡ φιλαυτία τούτων αἰτία καθέστηκεν, ἡ τὴν ὀρθὴν τῶν πραγμάτων κρίσιν λυμαινομένη, καὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς τὰ τε ἡμέτερα καὶ τὰ τῶν πέλας θεάσασθαι μὴ συγχωροῦσα.","t":"To Alypius. I greatly wonder how we sit as bitter judges of what others have done wrong and sinned, but overlook our own failings, often too great for pardon; we are blind to our own, but see our neighbours' sharply. With good deeds we do the opposite: our own, even if small and cheap, appear great, but our neighbours', even if great and admirable, appear small and worthless. I think, then, that self-love is the cause of this, which corrupts the right judgement of things and does not allow us to look at our own affairs and our neighbours' with the same eyes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.234 (PG 78 78:1473; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-234)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.235":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΑὐτὸς μὲν ἴσως σαυτὸν ἀπατᾷς, ὡς ὁρῶν τὸ σαυτοῦ συμφέρον· ἐγὼ δὲ φαίην, ὅτι δοκεῖς μὲν ὁρᾶν, ὁρᾷς δὲ οὐδαμῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ κομιδῇ πρὸς αὐτὸ τυφλώττεις. Εἰ δὲ ἀμφίδοξόν σοι εἶναι δοκεῖ τὸ ἔνδοξον, μήτε ἐμοὶ, μήτε σαυτῷ τὴν κρίσιν ἐπιτρέψῃς· ἀλλὰ ἀνακοινωσάμενος τοῖς συνέσει διαφέρουσι, παρ' αὐτῶν δέχου τὴν ψῆφον.","t":"To Hierax the deacon. You yourself perhaps deceive yourself that you see your own advantage; but I would say that you seem to see but do not see at all, and are utterly blind to it. If this seems doubtful to you, entrust the judgement neither to me nor to yourself, but consult those who excel in understanding and accept their verdict.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.235 (PG 78 78:1475; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-235)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.236":{"o":"ΙΑΚΩΒΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΦεῦγε, ὦ φίλτατε, τοὺς πονηροὺς, ἅτε λυμικήν τινα κατάστασιν τῇ ψυχῇ λανθανόντως διὰ τῆς συνηθείας κατασκευάζοντας πολλοὶ γὰρ ἀπατήσαντες ἑαυτοὺς ὡς ἄριστοι καὶ κράτιστοι, καὶ ὑπὸ τοιούτων συντυχιῶν μὴ καταβλαπτόμενοι, ἔλαθον εἰς τὰ αὐτὰ ἐκείνοις ἠρέμα καὶ κατὰ μικρὸν κατενεχθέντες βάραθρα. Μέγα γὰρ ἡ συνήθεια, καὶ δεινὸν εἰς φύσιν καταστῆναι · δευτέραν γὰρ εἶναι φύσιν τὴν συνήθειάν τινες ἀπεφήναντο. ῎Ἄλλοι δὲ καὶ τὴν φύσιν ὑπὸ τῆς συνηθείας νικᾶσθαι ὡρίσαντο, φήσαντες· Πέτραν κοιλαίνει ῥανὶς ὕδατος ἐνδελεχοῦσα Καίτοι τί πέτρας σκληρότερον; τί δὲ ὕδατος μαλακώτερον; ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως τῇ συνεχείᾳ τῆς πληγῆς περιεγένετο τῆς φύσεως.","t":"To James the reader. Flee wicked people, dearest friend, since through familiarity they create a ruinous condition in the soul without being noticed. For many, deceiving themselves that they were excellent and strong and not harmed by such company, were brought down unawares, quietly and little by little, into the same pits as those men. For habit is a great thing, and terribly able to become nature; some have declared habit to be a second nature. Others have defined that even nature is conquered by habit, saying: \"A persistent drop of water hollows out a rock.\" Yet what is harder than rock, or softer than water? But by the continuity of the blow it overcame nature.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.236 (PG 78 78:1475; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-236)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.237":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ μὲν τῆς ὑγιείας τοῦ σώματος φροντίζεις, τὴν αὐτάρκειαν τίμα· αὕτη γὰρ ἐκείνην ὠδίνει· εἰ δὲ διὰ τῆς τρυφῆς σφριγᾷν καὶ σκιρτᾷν αὐτὸ παρασκευάζεις, λανθάνεις μὴ μόνον ὁπλίζων αὐτὸ κατὰ τῆς ψυχῆς, καὶ δυσήνιον ποιῶν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ῥίζαν καὶ πηγὴν τῶν ἀνηκέστων νοσημάτων εἶναι παρασκευάζων.","t":"To Hierax the deacon. If you care for the health of the body, honour sufficiency, for it gives birth to health. But if by luxury you make the body swell and frisk, you are unwittingly not only arming it against the soul and making it hard to rein, but also making it a root and spring of incurable diseases.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.237 (PG 78 78:1475; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-237)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.238":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΤὸ, - Ὡς ἂν βιώσῃς, λοιδορηθῆναί σε δεῖ, » ὡς γέγραφας, οὐκ εἰς ἀποτροπὴν ἀρετῆς εἰρῆσθαι νομιστέον · οὐ γὰρ ἵνα εἰς κακίαν βαδίσοιεν, ὡς ἔφης, οἱ ἀκροώμενοι· ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα εἰς φιλοσοφίαν ἐναχθεῖεν εἴρηται. Οὐ γὰρ ἐπειδὴ πάντως λοιδορηθῆναι δεῖ καὶ τὸν εὖ βιοῦντα, τὴν ἡδονὴν αἱρετέον· ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι πάντως ὑπὸ τῶν πονηρῶν τοὺς ἀρίστους κακηγορεῖσθαι συμβαίνει, φιλοσοφητέον. Ἐῤῥέθη γὰρ οὐκ εἰς τὸ φυγεῖν ἀρετὴν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὸ τοὺς ἀσκοῦντας αὐτὴν, κακιζομένους φιλοσοφεῖν· ὁ γὰρ φθόνος αὐτοῖς ἀντιστρατευόμενος κωμῳδεῖσθαι αὐτοὺς πολλάκις παρασκευάζει. ῎Αμεινον οὖν, εἰ πάντως λοιδορηθῆναι δεῖ, ἀδίκως τοῦθ᾽ ὑπομεῖναι· τὸ γὰρ δικαίως, τοῖς πονηροῖς πρόσεστι.","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. The saying, \"However you live, you must be reviled,\" as you have written, must not be thought to have been said to turn people from virtue. For it was said not so that the hearers might go to wickedness, as you said, but so that they might be led to philosophy. For not because even the one who lives well must certainly be reviled should pleasure be chosen; but because it always happens that the best are slandered by the wicked, one must practise philosophy. It was said not to make people flee virtue, but so that those who practise it may bear reproach philosophically; for envy, campaigning against them, often makes them ridiculed. It is better, then, if one must certainly be reviled, to endure it unjustly; for to be reviled justly belongs to the wicked.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.238 (PG 78 78:1475; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-238)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.239":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\nἪ ἐκ φιλαρχίας, οἶμαι, ἢ ἐκ προλήψεως, δύο δυσκαταγωνίστων παθῶν, τὰς αἱρέσεις τετέχθαι Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἐν τοῖς ὑπηκόοις μὴ ἀξιώσαντες εἶναι, οἱ δὲ μετὰ τὸ προληφθῆναι, διδαχθῆναι μὴ καταδεξάμενοι, νεωτέρας διδασκαλίας σπέρματα καταβεβλήκασι, τοῖς καθεστηκόσιν ἐμμεῖναι μὴ ἀξιώσαντες.","t":"To Peter. Heresies, I think, have been born either from love of office or from prejudice, two passions hard to overcome. For some, not deigning to be among the subjects, and others, after being prejudiced, not accepting to be taught, have sown the seeds of new teaching, not deigning to abide by what is established.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.239 (PG 78 78:1477; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-239)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.24":{"o":"ΣΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤὸ μὲν πρότερόν σου παρανόμημα, πρόφασις εὐπρεπὴς ἐδόκει ποιεῖν συγγνωστὸν ὁ ἀδελφός σου ἐκδεδικῆσθαι νομιζόμενος· τοῦ δὲ νῦν παρανομήματος οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἔχεις παραπέτασμα, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς προτέρας συγγνώμης ἐξέπεσες· εἰ γὰρ διὰ τὸν ἀδικηθέντα σου ἀδελφὸν πρώην ἡμύνου, πῶς αὐτὸν νυνὶ τὸν ὑπὲρ οὗ τότε, ὡς φὴς, ἡμύνου ἀδικῶν καὶ ἐλαύνων πάντοθεν οὐκ αἰσχύνη; Δῆλος τοίνυν γέγονας ἐκ τούτου κἀκεῖνο ἐκ προαιρέσεως ποιήσας· ὁ γὰρ ἀδελφοῦ μὴ φειδόμενος, πῶς ἂν ἀλλοτρίου ἐφείσατο; Οὐχ ὑφάσματος ἁλουργὲς αἶθος, οὐδὲ λίθων ποικίλων αὐγὰς πρὸς χρυσὸν κερασθείσας κόσμον γυναικὸς εἶναι νομιστέον· πολλαὶ γὰρ τῶν ἀπειροκάλων καὶ κόσμον τοιοῦτον θηρωμένων, προσκορεῖς καὶ μισηταί τοῖς συνοικοῦσι γεγένηνται. ᾿Αλλὰ τὸ τῆς ψυχῆς κάλλος τὸ ἐξ ἀρετῶν συγκείμενον, ὅπερ καὶ πόθου ἐστὶ πρὸς τὸν σύμβιον συναγωγὸν, καὶ εὐνοίας τυγχάνει φάρμακον.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Your earlier transgression seemed to have a plausible pretext that made it pardonable, since you were thought to be avenging your brother; but for your present transgression you have no such screen, and you have even forfeited the earlier pardon. For if you were formerly retaliating on behalf of your wronged brother, how are you not ashamed now to wrong and drive out on every side the very man on whose behalf, as you say, you retaliated then? From this you have shown that you did that too by deliberate choice; for one who does not spare a brother, how would he spare a stranger? [Letter 5.25] Not the purple sheen of woven cloth, nor the gleams of many-coloured stones blended with gold, are to be thought a woman's adornment; for many tasteless women who hunt after such adornment have become tiresome and hateful to their husbands. But the beauty of the soul composed of virtues, which both draws the husband's longing and proves a remedy that wins his goodwill.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.24 (PG 78 78:1339; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-24)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.240":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΤυφλὸς μὲν ὁ τῶν ἀρετῶν χορὸς, ὀρθοῦ μὴ καθηγουμένου δόγματος· ἀργὸν δὲ καὶ τὸ ὀρθὸν καθηγούμενον δόγμα, εἰ ὁ τῶν ἀρετῶν χορὸς ἀπολειφθείη· εἰ δὲ τὸ μὲν κορυφαῖον ταξιαρχοίη, αἱ δὲ χορεύοιεν, παντὶ τρόπῳ ὁ χορὸς στεφθήσεται, ὡς νομίμως τὸν ἀγῶνα διαθείς.","t":"To Nilus the scholasticus. The choir of virtues is blind if right doctrine does not lead it; and right doctrine leading is idle if the choir of virtues is left behind. But if the one, as chief, commands, and the others dance, the choir will in every way be crowned, as having conducted the contest lawfully.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.240 (PG 78 78:1477; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-240)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.241":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ αὐτὸς αἰτιᾷ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγὼ κὰν τούτῳ κομιδῇ ἄγαμαι τοῦ νομοθέτου τὴν σοφίαν, ὅτι ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ περιόντος τὰς ἀσελγείας ἐξοστρακίσαι, καὶ τὰς ἀκολάστους γνώμας χαλινῶσαι προήρητο. Ὁ γὰρ τὴν ἀκούσιον ἔκκρισιν μολύνειν ἀποφηνάμενος, τὴν ἑκούσιον πρᾶξιν πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἀπηγόρευσε. Τῷ γὰρ τὴν ἀβούλητον ῥύσιν, τὴν μήτε ἁμάρτημα τυγχάνουσαν, μήτε ὑπὸ τιμωρίαν ἄγουσαν, μολυσμὸν εἶναι φῆσαι, καὶ καθαρσίων ἀξιῶσαι, τὸ ἑκούσιον πλημμέλημα μᾶλλον ἀνέστειλεν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὴν μοιχείαν μόνην ἐνόμισας αὐτὸν ἀπηγορευκέναι, δοκεῖς μοι ἢ μὴ ἀνεγνωκέναι τὸ Δευτερονόμιον, ἢ μὴ νενοηκέναι, καίτοι σαφῶς κείμενον· « Οὐκ ἔσται γὰρ, ἔφη, πόρνος ἀπὸ υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, καὶ οὐκ ἔσται πόρνη ἀπὸ θυγατέρων Ἰσραήλ. » Εἰ γὰρ καὶ χαλεπωτέρα πολλῷ ἡ μοιχεία τῆς πορνείας, καὶ συγγνώμης μείζων, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ πορνεία τιμωριῶν ἀξία, εἰ καὶ τοῦτο τοῖς ἔξωθεν νομοθέταις, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως, παραλέλειπται. Τοῖς γὰρ ὀρθῶς βιοῦσι καθαρευτέον καὶ ἀπὸ ταύτης· « Πορνεία γὰρ, φησὶν ὁ᾿ Απόστολος, καὶ ἀκαθαρσία μηδὲ ὀνομαζέσθω ἐν ὑμῖν, καθὼς πρέπει ἁγίοις. • Καὶ πάλιν φησὶ περὶ τῆς ἁγνείας, ὅτι μεγίστων ἀγαθῶν πρόξενος γίνεται· : Εἰρήνην διώκετε καὶ τὸν ἁγιασμὸν, οὗ χωρὶς οὐδεὶς ὄψεται τὸν Κύριον. »","t":"To the same. Even if you blame him, I greatly admire the wisdom of the lawgiver in this too, that he chose with great abundance to banish licentiousness and bridle unchaste minds. For he who declared that the involuntary emission defiles forbade the voluntary act much more. By saying that the unwilled flow, which is neither a sin nor brings punishment, is a defilement, and requiring purifications for it, he checked the voluntary offence all the more. And since you thought that he forbade only adultery, you seem to me either not to have read Deuteronomy or not to have understood it, though it is clearly written: \"There shall be no male prostitute of the sons of Israel, and there shall be no prostitute of the daughters of Israel.\" For even if adultery is much more grievous than sexual immorality and beyond pardon, yet sexual immorality too deserves punishments, even if this has somehow been left out by the lawgivers outside. For those who live rightly must be pure of this too: \"Sexual immorality,\" says the Apostle, \"and impurity must not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints.\" And again he says of purity that it brings the greatest goods: \"Pursue peace and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.241 (PG 78 78:1477; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-241)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.242":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΜάλιστα μὲν ἃ μὴ δεῖ ποιεῖν, μηδὲ ὑπονοοῦ ποιεῖν. Εἰ δ' οὕτω διακειμένῳ καὶ φεύγοντι μὴ μόνον τὸ κατ' ἀλήθειαν αἰσχρὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸ ἐκ τῆς δόξης ἅτοπον, ἐπιλυττῶσί τινες, καὶ τὸν φθόνον ἑαυτῶν κακηγορίαις θεραπεύουσι, τοῦτό σε μὴ λυπείτω. Εἰώθασι γὰρ οἱ πολλοὶ, οἷς οὔτε λόγος αἰσχρὸς ἄῤῥητος, οὔτε ἔργον ἀπρεπὲς ἄπρακτον, διὰ τούτων τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς περιστέλλειν.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Above all, do not even be suspected of doing what one must not do. But if, while you are so disposed and flee not only what is truly shameful but also what is unseemly in reputation, some rage against you and nurse their envy with slanders, do not let this grieve you. For the many, for whom no shameful word is unspoken and no unseemly deed undone, usually cover up their own affairs in this way.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.242 (PG 78 78:1479; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-242)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.243":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΟἱ λίαν ῥάθυμοι καὶ πρὸς τὰ ῥάδια δυσκόλως ἔχουσιν· οἱ δὲ γενναῖοι καὶ ἀνδρεῖοι, οὐδὲ τὰ σφόδρα δυσχερή φρίττουσιν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ταῦτα μάλιστα ἀποδύονται. Ἐπιφανεστέραν γὰρ καὶ λαμπροτέραν τὴν νίκην ἔσεσθαι προσδοκῶσι, καὶ τὸ κλέος ἐνδοξότερον.","t":"To the same. The very indolent find even easy things difficult; but the noble and brave do not shudder even at very hard things, but strip for these most of all. For they expect the victory to be more conspicuous and brilliant and the glory more renowned.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.243 (PG 78 78:1479; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-243)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.244":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΣκηνῆς οὐδὲν, ὦ βέλτιστε, ὁ παρὼν διενήνοχε βίος, οὐδὲν βέβαιον, ἢ μόνιμον, ἢ σταθερὸν, ἢ πάγιον ἔχων. Σκιὰ γὰρ τὰ θνητῶν, λέγει ἡ κωμῳδία· οἷς οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως ἑάλως, καίτοι τὸν κωμικὸν θαυμάζων. Ἐνταῦθα μὲν γὰρ καὶ τὰ ἀγαθὰ καὶ τὰ χαλεπὰ πέρας ἔχει, καὶ τοῦτο τάχιστον· ἐκεῖ δὲ ἀθανάτοις ἀμφότερα παρεκτείνεται αἰῶσιν.","t":"To Paul. The present life, my good man, differs in nothing from a stage, having nothing firm, lasting, stable or fixed. For \"shadow are the things of mortals,\" says comedy; by which, I know not how, you have been caught, though you admire the comic poet. For here both good things and hard things have an end, and that very quickly; but there both extend through immortal ages.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.244 (PG 78 78:1479; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-244)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.245":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΟ.\nΨυχρὸν μὲν ἐστι, εἰ καὶ μὴ τοῖς λεξιθήραις δοκεῖ, τὸ σμικρολογεῖν, καὶ περὶ τοιούτων ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ἅμιλλαν. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ μέγα φρονεῖς ἐπὶ τῷ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἀκριβῶς εἰδέναι, οὐκ ἄτοπον εἶναί μοι φαίνεται σβέσαι σου τὸ ἐπὶ τούτοις φρόνημα. Ὁ γὰρ πρεσβύτατος καὶ ὁ νεώτατος, οὐκ ἐπὶ δυοῖν ἀδελφοῖν, ὡς φὴς, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ πολλῶν λέγεται. Ἐπὶ δυοῖν γὰρ, ὁ πρεσβύτερος καὶ ὁ νεώτερος, ὡς ἄλλων οὐκ ὄντων μέσων εἰ δὲ εἶεν, τοῖς ἐπιτατικοῖς ὀνόμασι τοὺς ἄκρους κλητέον,","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. It is frigid, even if word-hunters do not think so, to quibble over trifles and to make such things a subject of rivalry. But since you pride yourself on knowing such things exactly, it does not seem out of place to me to quench your pride in them. \"Eldest\" and \"youngest\" are said not of two brothers, as you say, but of many. Of two, one says \"elder\" and \"younger,\" since there are no others in between; but if there are, the extremes must be called by the superlative names …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.245 (PG 78 78:1479; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-245)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.246":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠάντες κομιδῇ θαυμάζουσι καὶ ἐκπλήττονται, πῶς οὐκ ἐρυθριᾷς, οὓς ζῶντας ἐκολάκευες, τούτους τελευτῶντας κακηγορῶν.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Everyone utterly wonders and is astonished that you do not blush to slander when dead those whom you flattered while living.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.246 (PG 78 78:1479; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-246)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.247":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ.\nΕἰ ἀκριβῶς ἐπίστασαι, ὅπερ καὶ ἀληθές ἐστι, κἂν οἱ ῥάθυμοι παραγράψωνται, ὅτι ἡ μὲν ἀκολασία κόλασιν ὠδίνει, ἡ δὲ ἁγνεία ἁγιωσύνης στέφανον· δι' ἣν αἰτίαν διώκεις μὲν ἣν φεύγειν χρή, φεύγεις δὲ ἣν διώκειν θέμις;","t":"To Hierax the deacon. If you know exactly what is true, even if the indolent object, that licentiousness (akolasia) gives birth to punishment (kolasis) and purity to the crown of holiness, for what reason do you pursue what you ought to flee and flee what it is right to pursue?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.247 (PG 78 78:1481; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-247)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.248":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΠολλάκις κατ' ἐμαυτὸν ἐννοῶν, πῶς ὁ τῶν ἀνθρώπων φόβος τοῦ θείου ἐστὶν ἰσχυρότερος, καὶ μηδὲ τὴν ἔννοιαν τῆς ἀτοπίας χωρῶν, κατεγίγνωσκον τῆς ἀλέκτου ῥαθυμίας. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ δυνατωτέρους καὶ ὑβρίζοντας φέρομεν μετὰ ἐπιεικείας πολλῆς, τοῦ φόβου ἀντὶ χαλινοῦ γινομένου, καὶ περαιτέρω προβῆναι μὴ ἐπιτρέποντος · πρὸς δὲ τοὺς ἀσθενεστέρους μηδὲ λελυπηκότας ἀπεχθανόμεθα, καίτοι τοῦ Χριστοῦ παρακελευσαμένου • • Μὴ ὀργίζου τῷ ἀδελφῷ σου εἰκῆ. » Ὅπερ πολλῷ ἐστιν εὐκολώτερον τοῦ φέρειν ἕτερον ὑβριζόμενον εἰκῆ. Ἐκεῖ μὲν γὰρ πολλὴ τοῦ πυρὸς ἡ ὕλη, ἐνταῦθα δὲ ὕλης μὴ ὑποκειμένης τὴν φλόγα ἀνάπτομεν · οὐκ ἔστι δὲ ἑτέρου πῦρ φέροντος μὴ κατακαίεσθαι, ἴσον, καὶ μηδενὸς παρενοχλοῦντος ἡσυχάζειν καὶ ἠρεμεῖν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐκείνου κρατήσας, ἀκροτάτης φιλοσοφίας δοκίμια δέδωκεν· ὁ δὲ τοῦτο ποιών, θαύματός ἐστιν ἄμοιρος. Ὅταν οὖν τὸ μεῖζον διὰ τὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων φόβον ἀνύοντες, διὰ τὸν θεῖον μηδὲ τὸ ἔλαττον βουλώμεθα ἀνύσαι, ποία ἡμῖν λελείψεται ἀπολογία;","t":"To Paul. Often, considering by myself how the fear of men is stronger than the fear of God, and unable even to grasp the absurdity of it, I condemned our unspeakable indolence. For we bear the more powerful even when they insult us with much forbearance, since fear acts as a bridle and does not let us go further; but we become hostile toward the weaker even when they have not grieved us, although Christ commanded: \"Do not be angry with your brother without cause.\" This is much easier than bearing another's insults without cause. For there the fuel of the fire is abundant, while here, with no fuel lying ready, we kindle the flame. It is not the same thing not to be burned when another brings fire, and to keep quiet and calm when no one is troubling one. For the one who masters the first has given proof of the highest philosophy; but the one who does the second has no share in what is admirable. When, then, we accomplish the greater thing through fear of men, but will not accomplish even the lesser through the fear of God, what defence will be left us?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.248 (PG 78 78:1481; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-248)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.249":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nὍταν ἡ κεφαλή, ἡ καθάπερ ἀκρόπολις τοῦ σώματος οὖσα, καὶ τῶν ἀναγκαιοτάτων καὶ τιμιωτάτων ἀνθρώποις αἰσθήσεων οἰκητήριον, ὀφείλουσα τοὺς ἐκ τοῦ σώματος ἀναπεμπομένους ἀτμοὺς πονηροὺς διοικῆσαι, καὶ εἰς τὸ δέον καθιστᾶν, μὴ μόνον τοῦτο μὴ διαπράττηται, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὴ καθ' ἑαυτὴν ἀσθενὴς οὖσα τύχῃ, τὰς νοσώδεις αἰτίας ἀποκρούσασθαι μὴ δυναμένη· ποία ἐλπὶς τῷ σώματι ἢ σωτηρίας, ἢ ῥώσεως; Οὐδεμία. Διὸ καὶ κατὰ τὸ Πηλούσιον, ὡς γέγραφας, Ἐκκλησία ἡ ὑπὸ Εὐσεβίου οἰκονομουμένη, μυρίαις νοσημάτων καὶ παθῶν ἐμπέπλησται κακίαις, τοῦ δοκοῦντος ἡγεῖσθαι ταύτης, εἰς αὐτὴν ἐγκατασκήψαντος.","t":"To Herminus the count. When the head, which is like the citadel of the body and the dwelling of the most necessary and precious senses of human beings, and which ought to govern the evil vapours sent up from the body and set them in order, not only fails to do this but is itself weak and unable to repel the causes of disease, what hope is there for the body of either safety or strength? None. That is why at Pelusium, as you have written, the church governed by Eusebius is filled with countless evils of diseases and passions, since the one who seems to lead it has fallen upon it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.249 (PG 78 78:1481; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-249)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.250":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΕἰ οἱ νομοθέται, ὦ σοφὲ, οἱ μυρίας τοῖς ἁμαρτάνουσι τιμωρίας ἐπανατεινόμενοι, οὐ πάντας πεπείκασιν· οἱ λόγῳ καὶ παραινέσει πειρώμενοι πείθειν κακίας ἀπέχεσθαι, πάντως πείσουσιν; ἢ μὴ πείσαντες ἐγκληθήσονται; καὶ πῶς οὐκ εὔηθες; Εἰ δὲ χρὴ καὶ αὐτῶν τῶν νομοθετῶν ὑπεραπολογήσασθαι, φαίην ἂν, ὅτι τὰ μεγέθη τῶν τιμωριῶν τετυπώκασιν οὐχ ὡς μισάνθρωποι, ἀλλ' ὡς κηδεμόνες τοῦ γένους. Αὕτη γὰρ αὐτοῖς ἡ σπουδή, πεῖσαι μὴ πονηρεύεσθαι· τὸ δὲ τῆς τιμωρίας, δεύτερόν τι καὶ τοῖς οὐ πειθομένοις ὁριζόμενον· οὐ γὰρ τοῦτ᾽ ἐσπούδασαν, εἶναί τε πολλοὺς πονηροὺς, καὶ κολάζεσθαι· τὸ ἐναντίον δὲ, πάντας εἶναι χρηστοὺς καὶ μηδεμιᾶς χρείαν εἶναι ζημίας. ᾿Αλλ' οἱ μὲν φοβοῦσιν, οἱ δὲ πονηροὶ κακουργοῦσι. Χρόνος δὲ οὐδεὶς καθαρὸς κακίας, ἀλλὰ πολλὰ καὶ παντοδαπὰ ἐπιπολάζει νοσήματα, δι' ὧν δεικνύουσι μὴ πείθεσθαι τοῖς νόμοις. Ὅταν γάρ τις δίκην δῷ, ὁμοῦ τε κεκόλασται, καὶ τὸ μὴ πεπεῖσθαι τοῖς νομοθέταις δείκνυσι. Μᾶλλον δὲ αὐτοὶ οἱ νομοθέται ὡς οὐ πείσουσι πάντας εἶναι ἀγαθοὺς, ἴσασιν· οἱ γὰρ ὁρίζοντες τὰς τιμωρίας, ὡς οὐ καθέξουσι τοὺς πονηροὺς, δῆλοί εἰσιν εἰδότες. Αρ᾿ οὖν ἐναντίοι εἰσίν ; Οὐ δήπου. Ἀλλ᾿ οὐδ᾽ ἀπόλλυται αὐτοῖς τὸ νομοθέτας εἶναι. ᾿Αλλ᾿ ἐκεῖνοι μὲν ἄδονται, οἱ δὲ κακουργοῦντες κακίζονται. ῾Ο αὐτὸς τοίνυν λόγος ἔστω καὶ περὶ τῶν παραινούντων, μὴ ἀνυόντων δὲ· οὐ γὰρ εἰ Εὐσέβιός τε καὶ Μαρτινιανὸς, Ζώσιμός τε καὶ Μάρων κρείττονα θεραπείας νοσοῦσι νόσον, ἤδη τοῖς παραινέσασι μὲν, μὴ ἀνύσασι δὲ ἐγκλητέον· ἀλλὰ τούτους μὲν ἀποδεκτέον, ἐκείνους δὲ εἰς τὸ μηδὲ θεραπείαν προϊεμένους ὠστέον.","t":"To Dorotheus, a most illustrious man. If lawgivers, wise man, who threaten wrongdoers with countless punishments, have not persuaded everyone, will those who try by word and exhortation to persuade people to abstain from wickedness persuade everyone without fail? Or will they be blamed if they do not persuade? And how is that not foolish? And if one must defend the lawgivers themselves, I would say that they have laid down the great penalties not as haters of humankind but as guardians of the race. For their aim is to persuade people not to do evil; the punishment is something secondary, set for those who do not obey. For what they strove for was not that there should be many wicked people and that they should be punished, but the opposite, that all should be good and there should be no need of any penalty. But they threaten, and the wicked do wrong. No time is pure of wickedness, but many and various diseases rise to the surface, by which people show that they do not obey the laws. For when someone pays the penalty, he is both punished and shows that he did not obey the lawgivers. Or rather the lawgivers themselves know that they will not persuade all to be good; for those who define punishments clearly know that they will not restrain the wicked. Are they, then, contradicting themselves? Surely not. Nor do they lose the name of lawgivers. But they are celebrated, while the wrongdoers are reproached. Let the same account hold for those who exhort but do not succeed. For if Eusebius and Martinianus, Zosimus and Maron are sick with a disease beyond treatment, those who exhorted them but did not succeed are not therefore to be blamed; rather these are to be approved, and those to be pushed away as men who refuse even treatment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.250 (PG 78 78:1481; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-250)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.251":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠρὸς μὲν χρηστοὺς ταπεινὸν εἶναι χρὴ, πρὸς δὲ θρασεῖς ὑψηλόν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἱ μὲν ἀρετὴν εἶναι ἡγοῦνται τὴν ἐπιείκειαν, οἱ δὲ ἀνδρίαν τὴν θρασύτητα, ἐκείνοις μὲν τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην χρὴ προσφέρειν, τούτοις δὲ τὴν ἀνδρίαν, σβεννύουσαν αὐτῶν τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς θρασύτητος δόξαν· ἵνα τοὺς μὲν ὠφελήσῃ, τοὺς δὲ ταπεινώσῃ τὸ φρόνημα. Οὐ γὰρ πάντες τοῖς αὐτοῖς χαίρουσιν, οὐδὲ πάντες τοῖς αὐτοῖς θεραπεύονται βοηθήμασιν· ἀλλ᾽ ὅσος τῶν παθῶν ὁ ἐσμὸς, τοσοῦτος καὶ ὁ τῶν θεραπειῶν.","t":"To the same. One must be humble toward the good and lofty toward the bold. For since the one think gentleness a virtue and the other think boldness courage, to the first one must offer humility, to the second courage, quenching the reputation they have from their boldness, so as to benefit the one and humble the pride of the other. For not all delight in the same things, nor are all healed by the same remedies; but as great as the swarm of passions is, so great is that of treatments.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.251 (PG 78 78:1483; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-251)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.252":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ ἔοικε τῷ τεθνεῶτι φίλῳ παρὰ σοὶ ἡ μνήμη συντεθνηκέναι, παρ' ἐμοί ἐστιν ἀθάνατος · ἐνταῦθα μὲν μὴ ἀποθνήσκουσα, ἐκεῖσε καὶ μᾶλλον ζωοποιηθησομένη.","t":"To Dorotheus the presbyter. Even if with you the memory of our dead friend seems to have died with him, with me it is immortal; not dying here, and there it will be made even more alive.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.252 (PG 78 78:1483; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-252)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.253":{"o":"ΑΛΥΠΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nἩ μὲν παρθενία θειοτάτη ἐστὶ καὶ ὑπερφυὴς, ὁ δὲ νόμιμος γάμος τίμιος, ἡ δὲ πορνεία παράνομος. Διὸ καὶ ἡ μὲν τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐστιν ἀξία, ὁ δὲ τῆς γῆς, ἡ δὲ τοῦ ᾅδου· τῇ μὲν γὰρ στέφανος χρεωστεῖται, τῷ δὲ σύμμετρον ἐγκώμιον, τῇ δὲ τιμωρία. Μοιχεία γὰρ, καὶ φόνος καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πταίσματα, ὧν οὐδὲ μνησθῆναι θέμις, τοσούτῳ ἐστὶ καὶ τῆς πορνείας βαρύτερα, ὅσῳ τῶν κατὰ φύσιν πταισμάτων τὰ παρὰ φύσιν μιαρώτερα. ᾿Αλλὰ ταῦτα πάντα τὰ κακὰ μετάνοια εἰλικρινής θεραπεύειν ἐπίσταται, παρὰ τοῦ κριτοῦ τὴν ἐπιστήμην ταύτην ἐγκεχειρισμένη.","t":"To Alypius the scholasticus. Virginity is most divine and extraordinary, lawful marriage honourable, and sexual immorality unlawful. That is why the first is worthy of heaven, the second of earth, the third of Hades; to the first a crown is owed, to the second a proportionate praise, to the third punishment. For adultery, murder and the other offences which it is not right even to mention are as much heavier than sexual immorality as offences against nature are fouler than those according to nature. But sincere repentance knows how to heal all these evils, having been entrusted with this skill by the Judge.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.253 (PG 78 78:1483; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-253)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.254":{"o":"ΤΙΜΟΘΕΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nἘπειδὴ τὸ μηδὲν παθεῖν ἐν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ κρεῖττον ἢ κατὰ ἄνθρωπον, ἄμεινον τὸ ἀδίκως τι παθεῖν ἢ δικαίως Τὸ μὲν γὰρ φιλοσόφων ἐστὶ, τὸ δὲ κακούργων· τὸ μὲν εὐδοκίμων, τὸ δὲ ἐργολάβων· καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐστι στεφάνων ὑπόθεσις, τὸ δὲ ἁμαρτημάτων ἀντίδοσις· τὸ μὲν ὀφειλέτην καθίστησι τὸν Θεὸν, τὸ δὲ ὀφλημάτων ἐστὶ διάλυσις.","t":"To Timothy the scholasticus. Since suffering nothing in the present life is beyond what is human, it is better to suffer something unjustly than justly. For the one belongs to philosophers, the other to evildoers; the one to the esteemed, the other to the unscrupulous; the one is an occasion for crowns, the other a requital for sins; the one makes God a debtor, the other is a settlement of debts.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.254 (PG 78 78:1485; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-254)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.255":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΛίαν θαυμάζω, πῶς τινὲς μὲν τῶν ἀρχαίων τὰς τυραννίδας εἰς πατρικήν κηδεμονίαν ἔτρεψαν· τινὲς δὲ τῶν νυνὶ νεωτεριζόντων, καὶ τὴν ποιμενικὴν φιλοστοργίαν εἰς τυραννικὴν αὐτονομίαν μετέβαλον· οὐχ ὑπεύθυνον ἀρχὴν ἐμπεπιστεῦθαι, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτοκρατορικὴν ἐξουσίαν κεκληρῶσθαι νομίσαντες.","t":"To Lampetius the deacon. I greatly wonder how some of the ancients turned tyrannies into fatherly care, while some of those who now make innovations have changed even pastoral affection into tyrannical self-rule, thinking that they have been entrusted not with an accountable office but have been allotted an autocratic power.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.255 (PG 78 78:1485; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-255)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.256":{"o":"ΚΥΡΩ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΟἱ νοῦ καὶ φρονήσεως ἀμοιροῦντες, ἐκείνους διατελοῦσι μισοῦντες, οὓς ἂν ὑποπτεύσωσι βελτίους ἑαυτῶν ὄντας· καὶ τὸ μίσος τρέφουσιν οὐκ ἀφ᾽ ὧν ἠδικήθησαν (ἧττον γὰρ ἂν ἦν ἴσως κακὸν), ἀλλ᾽ ἀφ᾿ ὧν τῆς κατ᾿ ἀρετὴν εὐκλείας ἀπολιμπάνονται.","t":"To Cyrus the monk. Those who have no share of mind and prudence go on hating those whom they suspect to be better than themselves; and they nourish their hatred not from wrongs they have suffered (that would perhaps be a lesser evil), but from falling short of the glory that comes from virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.256 (PG 78 78:1485; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-256)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.257":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΜὴ τὴν ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας ῥαθυμίας ψῆφον, τὴν ὑπὸ τῶν τὰ αὐτὰ σοι δρώντων κυρουμένην, τῆς ἀληθείας εἶναι νομίσῃς ἀξιοπιστοτέραν (εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἡ χειρωσαμένη σε τῆς κακίας νόσος ταῦτά σοι νομοθετεῖ, καὶ τοὺς τὰ αὐτά σοι νοσοῦντας ἐπαινέτας ἔχει)· ἀλλ' εἴ γε μὴ εἰς ἀνήκεστον ἦλθες ῥαθυμίαν, οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν νοσούντων δίκαιος ἂν εἴης λαβεῖν τὰς περὶ τῶν πραγμάτων ψήφους (εἰ γὰρ τούτοις ἔψοιο, καὶ ἰατρικῆς καὶ φιλοσοφίας καταψηφίσῃ), ἀλλ᾿ ἀπὸ τῶν ὑγιαινόντων. Εἰ δ᾽ οὐδείς σοι ὑγιαίνειν δοκεῖ, μάλιστα μὲν νοσεῖς εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς, ταῖς θείαις Γραφαῖς ἐντυχὼν, εἴσῃ καὶ τοῦ νοσήματος τὴν κακίαν, καὶ τῆς κακίας τὴν ἀπαλλαγήν.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Do not think the verdict that comes from your own indolence, ratified by those who do the same things as you, more trustworthy than the truth (for even if the disease of wickedness that has overcome you lays down these laws for you, it also has those sick with the same disease as its praisers). But if you have not come to incurable indolence, you would do right to take your verdicts on things not from the sick (for if you follow them, you will condemn both medicine and philosophy), but from the healthy. And if no one seems to you to be healthy, you are most certainly sick; and if you disbelieve it, read the divine Scriptures, and you will know both the wickedness of the disease and the release from the wickedness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.257 (PG 78 78:1485; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-257)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.258":{"o":"ΑΔΑΜΑΝΤΙΟ.\nἼσθι, ὡς ὁ φίλος ὁ σὸς ὁ μεγαλήγορος καὶ λεξιθήρας ἦλθε μὲν ὡς ἀναστρέψων οἴκαδε, παρέμεινε δὲ ἀλοὺς τῷ τῆς φιλοσοφίας ἔρωτι· καὶ νῦν τὴν γλῶτταν ἐπιστομίζων, τῆς γνώμης ἐπιμελεῖται· μικρὸν πρᾶγμα τὴν εὐγλωττίαν πρὸς τὴν φιλοσοφίαν εἶναι παιδευθείς. ΔΙΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Διατί, ὦ βέλτιστε, τὴν θείαν συμμαχίαν δευτέραν τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἐπικουρίας ἡγῇ, ἢ τοῦ χάριν τὴν τῶν θνητῶν φιλίαν προτέραν ἄγεις τῆς θείας; Καίτοι χρῆν δήπου τὸν λογισμὸν τὸ δέον σκοποῦντα, μὴ τῇ ἀσθενεῖ τῶν ἀνθρώπων δυνάμει τὴν τῆς νίκης ἐπιτρέπειν ψῆφον, ἀλλὰ τῆς ἀηττήτου ἔχεσθαι δεξιᾶς· ἧς ὁ ἀντεχόμενος κρείττων δήπου τῶν πειρασμῶν ἀποφανθήσεται.","t":"To Adamantius. Know that your friend, the grandiloquent word-hunter, came intending to return home, but stayed, captured by love of philosophy; and now, curbing his tongue, he cares for his mind, having been taught that eloquence is a small thing compared with philosophy. [Letter 5.259] To Diogenes the deacon. Why, my good man, do you consider divine aid second to human help, or why do you put the friendship of mortals before the divine? Yet surely one who considers what is needful ought not to entrust the verdict of victory to the weak power of human beings, but to hold fast to the invincible right hand; whoever holds to it will surely be shown stronger than temptations.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.258 (PG 78 78:1487; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-258)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.26":{"o":"ΠΟΛΥΧΡΟΝΙΩ.\n\"Ωσπερ ἐπὶ τῶν πόλεων ἡ εὐκαιρία τῆς θέσεως τὴν εὐκαιρίαν τῶν ὡρῶν ἐπισπᾶται, οὕτω κἀπὶ τῶν ψυχῶν ἡ εὔνοια ἡ πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν τὴν θείαν συμμαχίαν θηρᾶται. Εἰ οἱ τοῖς ὀξέσι τῆς κοσμικῆς δόξης κέντροις πληττόμενοι πόνους αὐθαιρέτους ἀσπάζονται· οἱ τοῖς ὀξυτάτοις τῆς ὑπερκοσμίου εὐκλείας βέλεσι τετρωμένοι πολλῷ μᾶλλον νεανικῶς ἐπὶ τὸν τῶν πόνων ἀγῶνα ἀποδύεσθαι ἂν εἶεν δίκαιοι.","t":"To Polychronius. As in cities a favourable position of the site attracts favourable seasons, so too in souls goodwill toward virtue hunts out the divine alliance. [Letter 5.27] If those who are struck by the sharp goads of worldly glory embrace self-chosen labours, those who are wounded by the sharpest arrows of glory beyond the world would with much more right strip vigorously for the contest of labours.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.26 (PG 78 78:1339; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-26)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.260":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΩ.\nΜὴ νομίζετε, ὦ βέλτιστοι, ἀτιμωρητὶ ἁμαρτάνειν· μηδὲ ἀμέλειαν τὴν θείαν μακροθυμίαν ἡγήσησθε, μηδὲ ῥᾳστώνην τὴν ἀνεξικακίαν· μηδὲ ἐπειδὴ παραχρῆμα οὐκ ἐκολάσθητε, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν μετὰ ταῦτα διαφυγεῖν ὑπολάβητε· ἀλλ᾿ ἕως ἔξεστι, μετανοήσατε. Ατοπώτατον γὰρ, τὴν θείαν ἀνεξικακίαν τὴν εἰς μετάνοιαν καλοῦσαν, ἐφόδιον μειζόνων ποιεῖσθαι ἁμαρτημάτων. Εἰ δὲ διὰ τὸ μηδέπω δεδωκέναι δίκην οὐδὲ δοῦναι προσδοκᾶτε· εὖ ἴστε, ὡς τὸ Θεῖον ὥσπερ φιλάνθρωπόν ἐστιν, οὕτω καὶ ἀψευδὲς καὶ δυνατόν· φιλανθρωπεύεται γοῦν, καὶ τὰ πρῶτα τῶν πταισμάτων παρίησιν ἀτιμώρητα, καιρὸν ἐπανορθώσεως χαριζόμενον· ὁμοίως δὲ, ἢ καὶ μᾶλλον τῶν πλημμελημάτων ἀκμαζόντων, τελευταῖον ἀμύνεται· καὶ ὁμοῦ πάντων, τῶν τε ἔμπροσθεν, τῶν τε ὕστερον τολμηθέντων δίκας εἰσπράττεται.","t":"To Martinianus, Zosimus and Eustathius. Do not think, my good men, that you sin with impunity; do not consider the divine patience negligence, or forbearance laxity; and do not suppose that because you were not punished at once, you will also escape in the time to come; but repent while it is possible. For it is most absurd to make the divine forbearance, which calls to repentance, provision for greater sins. And if, because you have not yet paid the penalty, you do not expect to pay it, know well that God, as he is humane, so also is truthful and powerful. He shows humanity, and lets the first offences go unpunished, granting time for amendment; but likewise, or rather all the more when the offences are at their height, he finally retaliates, and exacts the penalty for all together, both those dared before and those dared afterwards.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.260 (PG 78 78:1487; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-260)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.261":{"o":"ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ.\nΕἰ καὶ θαυμαστὸν καὶ παράδοξον εἶναί σοι δόξει τὸ ῥηθησόμενον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως ἀληθὲς ὃν λελέξεται· ὅτι ὁ μεγάλα πταίσας, λαθὼν δὲ καὶ μηδένα σκανδαλίσας, τοῦ καταδεέστερα μὲν πεπλημμεληκότος, μετὰ παρῥησίας δὲ καὶ τοῦ πολλοὺς ὑποσκελίσαι, ἐλάττονα δώσει δίκην. Εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς, καὶ ὑπερβολὴν καταγινώσκεις τοῦ λόγου, τὴν ψῆφόν σοι ταύτην οἴσω ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ τὸν νόμον τοῦτον ἐκεῖθεν ἀναγνώσομαι. Τὸν γὰρ πανάριστον Μωσέα, τὸν πᾶσαν ἐπελθόντα ἀρετὴν, οὐδὲν ἕτερον ἐκώλυσε μετὰ τὸ πέλαγος καὶ τοῦ λιμένος τυχεῖν, ἢ τὸ σκανδαλίσαι τοὺς συνόντας αὐτῷ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὕδατος. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πρώην τινὰ παρηκολούθησε (καὶ γὰρ ἀντεῖπε τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἅπαξ καὶ δὶς, πεμπόμενος εἰς Αἴγυπτον), καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα εἶπεν· « Ἑξακόσιαι χιλιάδες εἰσὶ πεζῶν· καὶ σὺ εἶπας· Κρέα δώσω αὐτοῖς, καὶ φάγονται μῆνα ἡμερῶν. Μὴ πρόβατα καὶ βόες σφαγήσονται ; ἢ πᾶν τὸ ὄψον τῆς θαλάσσης συναχθήσεται, καὶ ἀρκέσει αὐτοῖς; » Καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα κατωλιγώρησε, καὶ τοῦ δήμου τὴν προστασίαν παρῃτήσατο· ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν ἔτερον αὐτὸν ἐκώλυσεν εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν γῆν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ἧς ἕνεκεν τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων ἦν καὶ ἡγεμὼν καὶ δημαγωγός, ἢ τὸ ἐπὶ τοῦ ὕδατος συμβάν. Διὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ ἀκήρατος νοῦς τῆς ἁμαρτίας τὴν φύσιν ἐκπομπεύων, καὶ παραδηλῶν ὅθεν γέγονεν ἀσύγγνωστος, ἔφη, ὅτι « Οὐχ ἡγιάσατέ με ἐνώπιον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραὴλ, διὰ τοῦτο οὐκ εἰσαγάγητε τὴν συναγωγὴν ταύτην εἰς τὴν γῆν, ἣν ἔδωκα αὐτοῖς. » Τῇ μὲν γὰρ φύσει ἔλαττον ἦν ἐκείνων τοῦτο τὸ πταῖσμα. τῷ δὲ μετὰ τῆς ἑτέρων κραθῆναι βλάβης, οὐ μόνον ἐκείνων, ἀλλὰ καὶ συγγνώμης μείζον ἐγένετο. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ κατ᾿ ἰδίαν καὶ λανθανόντως, τὸ δὲ ἐπὶ τοῦ δήμου παντὸς ἡμαρτάνετο.","t":"To Ischyrion. Even if what is about to be said seems to you astonishing and paradoxical, it will nevertheless be said, being true: the one who has sinned greatly but secretly and has scandalized no one will pay a lesser penalty than the one who has offended less, but openly and so as to trip up many. And if you disbelieve and condemn my words as exaggeration, I shall bring you this verdict from heaven and read you this law from there. For nothing else prevented the all-excellent Moses, who traversed every virtue, from reaching the harbour after the sea, than scandalizing those with him at the water. For even if some things had happened earlier (for he contradicted God once and twice when he was being sent to Egypt), and afterwards he said, \"There are six hundred thousand on foot; and you have said, I will give them meat, and they shall eat a whole month. Shall sheep and oxen be slaughtered? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together and suffice them?\", and after this he lost heart and begged off the leadership of the people, still nothing else prevented him from entering the land of promise, for whose sake he was the leader and guide of all the others, than what happened at the water. That is why the pure Mind, exposing the nature of the sin and indicating why it was unpardonable, said: \"You did not sanctify me before the sons of Israel; therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them.\" For by its nature this sin was less than those; but by being mixed with harm to others, it became greater not only than those but than pardon. For those were committed privately and secretly, but this one before the whole people.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.261 (PG 78 78:1487; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-261)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.262":{"o":"ΑΔΑΜΑΝΤΙΩ.\nὉ φίλος ὁ σὸς ἦλθε μὲν οὐ μαθησόμενος, ὡς ἔλεγεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπιδειξόμενος καὶ διδάξων, καὶ τὸ φρόνημα τῶν δοκούντων τι εἰδέναι σβέσων. ᾿Απῆλθε δὲ παθὼν, ὃ δρᾶσαι προσεδόκησεν.","t":"To Adamantius. Your friend came not to learn, as he said, but to show off and teach, and to quench the pride of those who seemed to know something. But he went away having suffered what he expected to do.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.262 (PG 78 78:1489; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-262)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.263":{"o":"ΟΥΡΑΝΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἩ τῶν ὀρθῶς καὶ μετὰ πόνου διδασκόντων ψυχή (πολλοὶ γὰρ μετ' ἐπιδείξεως καὶ καταφρονήσεως ἐξηγούμενοι ἐκλύουσι καὶ τῶν ἀκροατῶν τὴν προθυμίαν), πρῶτον μὲν διὰ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ἐμφαίνει τὴν εὐλάβειαν · πολλὰ γὰρ αὐτῶν πρὸς τὸν λόγον τὰ κέντρα· ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ διὰ τῶν ὀφρύων διασημαίνει τὸν νοῦν τῶν διδαγμάτων: λόγῳ δὲ μετρίῳ χρῆται, οὔτε ὑπὸ τρυφῆς ἐξυβρίζοντι, οὔτε ὑπὸ ταπεινότητος ἐξευτελιζομένῳ. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἡ φράσις εἴη ἀναττίκιστος, ἀλλά γε τὰ ὑποδείγματα καὶ τὸ εἰς εὐλάβειαν βλέπειν διαναστήσει τοὺς φοιτητάς.","t":"To Uranius the deacon. The soul of those who teach rightly and with labour (for many who expound with display and contempt slacken even the eagerness of their hearers) first shows its reverence through the eyes, for they have many goads for the word; then it signifies the meaning of the teachings through the brows. It uses a moderate style, neither running riot with luxury nor cheapened by lowliness. For even if the diction is not Attic, the examples and the look toward reverence will rouse the pupils.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.263 (PG 78 78:1489; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-263)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.264":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ.\nΜὴ τῷ δεινὸς εἶναι πράγμασι χρῆσθαι, ὡς ἀδρανεῖς ψέγε τοὺς τῆς ἀπραγμοσύνης ἐρῶντας ἀλλὰ τῷ πολλάκις εἰς χειμῶνας χαλεποὺς ἐμπεπτωκέναι, μακάριζε τοὺς, ὡς ἐνδέχεται, εἰς τὸν λιμένα τῆς ἡσυχίας ὁρμῶντας. Εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτοῖς πολλάκις σπιλάδες κατασκήπτουσιν, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἔστιν ἶσον τὸ μὴ μόνον τὰ πελάγη τῶν πραγμάτων διαπλεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὸ πέλαγος τῶν παθῶν ἐμβάλλειν, καὶ τὸν πειρασμὸν ἐνεγκεῖν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ῥιψοκινδύνων ἐστὶν ἀνδρῶν, καὶ ἐμπορικὸν βίον ἀνῃρημένων· τὸ δὲ δικαίων δοκιμαζομένων, καὶ ὥσπερ χρυσός βασανιζομένων. Εἰ δὲ τὸ πρακτικόν σοι καὶ δραστήριον ἀρέσκει, μάνθανε ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο ὃ σὺ φής· ἐπεὶ κατὰ μικρὸν προϊὼν, καὶ τοὺς συκοφάντας τῶν φιλοσόφων προτιμήσεις, καὶ τοὺς παλιγκαπήλους τῶν ἐλευθερίως μεταχειριζομένων τὰ πράγματα, καὶ τοὺς τὰς μηχανὰς πλέκοντας, καὶ δόλους ῥάπτοντας τῶν τὸ δίκαιον ἐπὶ γλώττης φερόντων· ἀλλὰ τὸ τὰς ἀρετὰς ἀσκεῖν, καὶ περὶ ταύτας πᾶσαν τὴν σπουδὴν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι.","t":"To Isaiah. Do not, because you are clever at handling affairs, blame those who love freedom from affairs as feeble; but, because you have often fallen into grievous storms, count blessed those who make for the harbour of quiet as far as possible. And even if reefs often strike them too, it is not the same to sail through the seas of affairs and throw oneself into the sea of passions, as to bear temptation. For the one belongs to reckless men who have taken up a merchant's life, the other to the righteous being tested and tried like gold. And if the practical and active life pleases you, learn that it is not what you say; for proceeding little by little you will prefer false accusers to philosophers, hucksters to those who handle affairs honourably, and those who weave devices and stitch together deceits to those who carry justice on their tongue. But the practical life is to practise the virtues and show all one's zeal for them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.264 (PG 78 78:1489; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-264)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.265":{"o":"ΗΛΙΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΒουλεύεσθαι χρὴ τὸν ὑφηγητὴν μὴ τί εἴποι μόνον, ἀλλὰ τί πράξας πείσοι τοὺς φοιτητάς. Πᾶς μὲν γὰρ λόγος, ὅταν ἔργου χηρεύῃ, οὐ μόνον μάταιόν τι φαίνεται καὶ κενὸν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς ὄνειδος περιίσταται· μάλιστα δὲ ὁ παρὰ τῶν ἐξηγητῶν προφερόμενος. Ὅσῳ γὰρ ἑτοιμότατα αὐτῷ χρῆσθαι σπουδάζουσι, τοσούτῳ μᾶλλον ἀπιστοῦσιν ἅπαντες αὐτῷ· ἀλλὰ καὶ γέλωτος ὑπόθεσιν αὐτὸν εἶναι νομίζουσιν. Οὐκοῦν μάλιστα μὲν πρακτέον, καὶ λεκτέον· εἰ δὲ μὴ βούλοιντο, οὐδὲ λεκτέον.","t":"To Elias the deacon. The teacher must consider not only what he will say, but by doing what he will persuade his pupils. For every word bereft of deed not only appears vain and empty but even turns into a reproach, and above all the word put forward by expositors. For the more readily they are eager to use it, the more everyone disbelieves it; and they even think it a subject for laughter. So, above all, one must act and speak; but if they will not act, they should not speak either.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.265 (PG 78 78:1491; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-265)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.266":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἵνα μὴ ῥέων ὁ χρόνος ἄδηλος ᾗ, πολλοῖς σημείοις κατάδηλος γέγονεν, ἡμέρᾳ καὶ νυκτὶ, ἑβδομάδι καὶ μηνὶ, ἐνιαυτῷ τε καὶ Ὀλυμπιάδι. Πρώην γὰρ ταῖς Ὀλυμπιάσι διεγινώσκετο· Ῥωμαίων δὲ βασιλευσάντων, ταῖς ὑπατείαις γνώριμος καθίσταται. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ οὐρανοῦ κίνησις, ὥς φησι Πλάτων, τὸν χρόνον ἐγέννησεν· ἀλλ᾽ ἥλιος μετρεῖ καὶ ὑπατεία μορφοῖ (τῷ γὰρ ἐνιαυτῷ τοῦτο ὄνομα, ὧνπερ καὶ ὑπάτων ἠξίωται). Ταῦτα δὲ πάντα γέγονε τὰ σημεῖα, οὐ μόνον διὰ τὰ σώματα καὶ τὰ βιωτικὰ, ὡς φασί τινες, πράγματά τε καὶ συμβόλαια (καὶ γὰρ καὶ αἱ διαθῆκαι, καὶ τὰ γραμματεῖα, καὶ πάντα, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, τὰ τῆς ἀσφαλείας ἐνέχυρα διὰ τούτων σφραγίζεται), δῆλά τέ ἐστι καὶ σαφῆ· ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα καὶ ἡμεῖς μὴ ὡς ἀδήλῳ πελάγει πλέοντες, καὶ σημείοις μὴ ἀναμετροῦντες τοῦτο, αὐτομάτως εἰς τοὺς λιμένας ἐλθόντες κεναῖς ὁρμισθῶμεν χερσίν· ἀλλὰ τῷ χρόνῳ ὀξυτάτῳ ὄντι, καὶ μήτε ἄγχεσθαι, μήτε παλινδρομῆσαι, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ στῆναι ἐπισταμένῳ συνθεούσας τὰς ἀγαθὰς πράξεις κεκτημένοι, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐμπορίας εἰς τοὺς λιμένας ἐλάσωμεν. Ἐχώμεθα τοίνυν τοῦ χρόνου πλησιάζοντος · ἔξεστι γὰρ τότε καὶ λαβέσθαι καὶ κατασχεῖν· παραδραμόντος γὰρ μεταδιώκειν ἀνήνυτον. Ἐπτερωμένος γὰρ ὧν καὶ ὠκὺς, πόῤῥωθεν μὲν ἀφίησι τοὺς διώκοντας, ἀμήχανος δὲ ἐστι καὶ γενομένοις ἐγγὺς ληφθῆναι.","t":"To Theon the presbyter. … so that flowing time may not be unknown, it has been made known by many signs: by day and night, week and month, year and Olympiad. For formerly it was known by Olympiads, but since the Romans have ruled it is made known by consulships. For even if the motion of heaven, as Plato says, begot time, the sun measures it and the consulship gives it form (for the year is given the name of those who have been made consuls). All these signs have come about, not only for bodily needs and, as some say, the affairs and contracts of life (for wills, deeds and, so to speak, all the pledges of security are sealed by them), and they are plain and clear; but also so that we, not sailing as on an unknown sea and not measuring it by signs, may not come into harbour by chance and moor with empty hands; but that, possessing good deeds that run alongside time, which is very swift and knows neither how to be checked nor how to run back nor even how to stand still, we may sail into harbour with much merchandise. Let us, then, hold on to time while it is near; for then it is possible both to seize it and to hold it fast; but once it has run past, pursuing it is useless. For being winged and swift, it leaves its pursuers far behind and cannot be caught even by those who come near it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.266 (PG 78 78:1491; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-266)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.267":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἩ πονηρία ὅταν ἀκαθέκτως λυττήσῃ, καὶ μηδὲ σωφρονισμὸν προσίηται, ὑπὸ τιμωρίας μόνης κωλύεσθαι πέφυκεν.","t":"To the same. When wickedness rages uncontrollably and does not even admit correction, it is naturally stopped by punishment alone.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.267 (PG 78 78:1491; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-267)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.268":{"o":"ΚΥΡΙΛΛΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΠάλαι μὲν ἡ ἱερωσύνη πταίουσαν τὴν βασιλείαν διωρθοῦτο καὶ ἐσωφρόνιζε, νῦν δὲ ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνην γέγονεν, οὐ τὸ οἰκεῖον ἀξίωμα ἀπολέσασα, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἐγχειρισθέντας οὐχ ὁμοίους τοῖς ἐπὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων προγόνων ἔχουσα. Πρώην μὲν γὰρ εὐαγγελικὸν καὶ ἀποστολικὸν πολιτευομένων βίον τῶν τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἐστεμμένων, εἰκότως ἡ ἱερωσύνη τῇ βασιλείᾳ ἦν φοβερά· νῦν δὲ ἡ βασιλεία τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ· μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ αὐτῇ, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἱερᾶσθαι μὲν δοκοῦσι, δι' ὧν δὲ πράττουσιν αὐτὴν ὑβρίζουσι. Διό μοι δοκεῖ καὶ ἡ βασιλεία εἰκότως ποιεῖν· οὐ γὰρ τὴν ἱερωσύνην ὑβρίσαι προῃρημένη, ἣν ἐκθειάζει, ἀλλ' ἐκδικῆσαι ὑβριζομένην, τοὺς οὐ δεόντως αὐτῇ χρωμένους σωφρονίζει.","t":"To Cyril the bishop. Of old the priesthood corrected the kingship when it erred and brought it to its senses; but now it has come under the kingship, not having lost its own dignity, but having those entrusted with it unlike those in the time of our forefathers. For formerly, when those crowned with the priesthood lived an evangelical and apostolic life, the priesthood was rightly fearsome to the kingship; but now the kingship is fearsome to the priesthood, or rather not to the priesthood but to those who seem to be priests yet insult it by what they do. That is why the kingship too seems to me to act rightly. For it does not choose to insult the priesthood, which it reveres, but to avenge it when it is insulted, and so it chastens those who do not use it as they should.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.268 (PG 78 78:1491; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-268)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.269":{"o":"ΗΛΙΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ\nΟὐ τοὺς πταίοντας, ὦ τᾶν, καὶ κολαζομένους ἐνταῦθα θρηνεῖν χρὴ, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ἀτιμωρητὶ πταίοντας. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οὐ τὸ νοσεῖν δεινὸν, ἀλλὰ τὸ νοσοῦντα θεραπείαν μὴ προσίεσθαι· οὐδὲ τὸ ἔχειν σηπεδόνα θρήνων ἄξιον, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἔχοντα μὴ ἀπολαύειν ἰατρικῆς τέχνης (ὁ γὰρ τεμνόμενος καὶ καιόμενος πρὸς θεραπείαν ὁδεύει, τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἀλγηδόνος θεραπείαν καρπωσάμενος)· οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ψυχῶν διακεῖσθαι χρή. Αἱ μὲν γὰρ κολαζόμεναι ἐνταῦθα, πρὸς ὑγείαν ἕλκονται· αἱ δὲ ἀτιμωρητὶ πταίουσαι, εἰς ἀναλγησίαν ὁδεύουσιν.","t":"To Elias the deacon. One should lament, my friend, not those who sin and are punished here, but those who sin with impunity. For just as it is not terrible to be sick, but to be sick and not accept treatment; and having gangrene is not worthy of lament, but having it and not benefiting from the physician's art (for the one who is cut and cauterized is on the way to cure, having reaped healing from the pain); so too one must think about souls. Those punished here are drawn toward health; those that sin with impunity go on to insensibility.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.269 (PG 78 78:1493; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-269)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.270":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΟὐ πάντως τὰ αὐτὰ πάθη τὰς αὐτὰς ῥίζας ἔχουσιν, οὐδὲ πᾶσαι αἱ κολάσεις ἐνταῦθα ἐκ πλημμελημάτων τὰς ὑποθέσεις ἔχουσιν· ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν δι᾽ ἁμαρτήματα κολάζονται, οἱ δὲ διὰ τὸ δοκιμασθῆναι πάσχουσιν, ἵν᾿ οἱ μὲν δίκας, οἱ δὲ δοκίμια τῆς ἀρετῆς δοῖεν. Καθάπερ γὰρ ἡ βασανῖτις λίθος τὸν χρυσὸν δοκιμάζει, ἐξ ἧς λίθου οἶμαι καὶ τὸ βασανίζεσθαι ὠνοματοπεποιῆσθαι· οὕτω καὶ οἱ πειρασμοὶ τοὺς δικαίους ἐλέγχουσιν, ὡς καὶ τῷ Ἰὼβ ἐῤῥέθη· « Οἴει με ἄλλως σοι κεχρηματικέναι, ἢ ἵνα ἀναφανείης δίκαιος;» Οἱ δὲ ἀνόητοι ἀπὸ τῶν πειρασμῶν καὶ τοὺς βίους τῶν πειραζομένων διαβάλλουσιν. Ὅπερ καὶ οἱ τοῦ Ἰὼβ φίλοι, καὶ ὁ Σεμεεὶ, καὶ οἱ βάρβαροι πεπόνθασιν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἔλεγον τῷ ἀοιδίμῳ στεφανίτῃ τῷ πᾶσαν τοῦ διαβόλου συγκόψαντι τὴν δύναμιν· · Οὐκ ἄξια ὧν ἡμάρτηκας μεμαστίγωσαι; » Ὁ δὲ ἀνδροφόνον ἐκάλει τὸν πραότατον, ἀπὸ τῆς συμφορᾶς ταύτην φέρων περὶ αὐτοῦ τὴν ψῆφον. Οἱ δὲ ἐπειδὴ ὁ ἔχις τῆς χειρὸς εἶχετο τῆς ἀποστολικῆς, ἔφασκον· « Πάντως φονεύς ἐστιν ὁ ἄνθρωπος οὗτος, ὃν διασωθέντα ἐκ τῆς θαλάττης ἡ δίκη ζῇν οὐκ εἴασεν. »","t":"To Herminus the count. The same sufferings do not always have the same roots, nor do all punishments here have their grounds in offences; some are punished for sins, others suffer in order to be tested, so that the one may pay penalties and the other give proofs of virtue. For just as the touchstone tests gold (from which stone, I think, the word \"to be tested\" [basanizesthai] was coined), so too temptations prove the righteous, as was said to Job: \"Do you think I have dealt with you for any other reason than that you might be shown to be righteous?\" But fools, from the temptations, also slander the lives of those tempted. This is what happened to Job's friends, to Shimei and to the barbarians. For the first said to the celebrated champion who had cut down all the devil's power: \"Have you not been scourged less than your sins deserve?\" The second called the gentlest of men a murderer, passing this verdict on him from his misfortune. And the last, when the viper clung to the apostle's hand, said: \"No doubt this man is a murderer, whom justice has not allowed to live though he was saved from the sea.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.270 (PG 78 78:1493; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-270)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.271":{"o":"ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΩ.\nΟὐδὲν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ὁ πλοῦτος, κἂν πολὺς ἢ καὶ πάντοθεν ἐπιῤῥέῃ· οὐδὲν τὸ ἀξίωμα, κἂν βασιλικὸν · οὐδὲν ἡ σύνεσις, κἂν εὐγλωττίᾳ κοσμῆται, εἰ μὴ τῇ ἐλπίδι τῇ πρὸς τὸ Θεῖον κιρνᾶται Πλοῦτος μὲν γὰρ σαθρὸς, ᾧ τὸ Θεῖον οὐκ ἐπιψηφίζεται· συνανεσπάσθη γὰρ πολλάκις καὶ ῥιζωθεὶς τοῖς κτησαμένοις, ὥσπερ τι φυτὸν ἄκαρπον καὶ ἀνήμερον, καὶ τοῖς πλησίον λυμαινόμενον δένδροις · σφαλερὰ δὲ καὶ βασιλεία, παρὰ τῆς ἀηττήτου δεξιᾶς μὴ οἱακιζομένη· φρόνησις δὲ μὴ κοσμουμένη τῇ θείᾳ σοφίᾳ, ἀνό[ν]ητος, ἅτε δὴ μὴ ἀνθηνιοχουμένη. Αποστρέφει γὰρ φρονίμους εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω, καὶ τὴν βουλὴν αὐτῶν μαραίνει. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ τὰ ἐνταῦθα σαθρὰ τοῖς πρὸς τὸ Θεῖον σαθροῖς, καὶ τὰ μέλλοντα χαλεπώτερα, ἐχώμεθα τῆς ἱερᾶς ἀγκύρας.","t":"To Theognostus. Wealth is nothing, admirable man, even if it is great and flows in from every side; dignity is nothing, even if it is royal; understanding is nothing, even if adorned with eloquence, unless it is mixed with hope toward God. For wealth on which God does not set his seal is rotten; for even when rooted it has often been pulled up together with its owners, like a fruitless and wild plant that also harms the trees near it. Kingship too is unsafe if not steered by the invincible right hand; and prudence not adorned with divine wisdom is useless, since it is not guided. For \"he turns the wise backward and makes their counsel foolish.\" If, then, the things here are rotten for those who are rotten toward God, and the things to come more grievous, let us hold fast to the sacred anchor.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.271 (PG 78 78:1493; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-271)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.272":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΤολμηρὸν μὲν ὄντως τὸ παρὰ σοῦ γραφὲν, ἀληθὲς δὲ· ὅτι ἡ κρείττων πάσης ἐλπίδος τε καὶ εὐχῆς τῶν πραγμάτων ἐπανόρθωσις ἡ ὑπὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ γεγενημένη, κινδυνεύει ἀμαυροῦσθαι ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ τιμηθέντων ἀνυπερβλήτου κακίας· ὡς γὰρ εἰς τοῦτο προχειρισθέντες, ἵνα τῷ τιμήσαντι πολεμήσοιεν, οὕτως ἅπαντα δρῶσιν, ἃ ἂν εἰς τὴν ἐκείνου διαβαίνει βλασφημίαν. Τίς οὖν ἐξέλοιτο τούτους ἢ κατηγορίας ἢ δίκης, τοὺς τοῖς ὅπλοις τῆς ἱερωσύνης κατὰ τοῦ ὁπλίσαντος χρησαμένους, καὶ τὰ τῶν ἀπίστων στόματα ἀνοίξαντας, καὶ τὸ ὑπερφυὲς κατόρθωμα μηδὲν παρασκευάσαντας;","t":"To Nilus. What you wrote is truly bold, but true: that the restoration of things brought about by Christ, beyond all hope and prayer, is in danger of being obscured by the unsurpassed wickedness of those honoured by him. For as if they had been appointed for this, to make war on the one who honoured them, they do everything that leads to blasphemy of him. Who, then, would rescue from accusation or punishment those who have used the weapons of the priesthood against the one who armed them, opened the mouths of unbelievers, and made the extraordinary achievement as nothing?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.272 (PG 78 78:1495; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-272)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.273":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΟὐδεὶς μὲν ἀξιωθείη τῆς οὐρανίου πανηγύρεως, μὴ γνωρίσμασιν ἀρετῆς ἐμπρέπων· ἐπειδὴ δὲ λόγοις μὲν ταύτην σεμνύνοντές τινες, ὡς ἔφης, ἔργοις δὲ οὐ μόνον πανηγύρεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ τιμωρίας ἄξια δρῶσι, δῆλοί εἰσιν ἄλλα μὲν διὰ γλώσσης φέροντες, ἄλλα δὲ διὰ γνώμης ἔχοντες· οὓς οὐ χρὴ ζηλοῦν, ἀλλὰ κομιδῇ καταθρηνεῖν.","t":"To Dorotheus, a most illustrious man. No one would be counted worthy of the heavenly festival unless adorned with the marks of virtue. But since some, as you said, honour it in words but in deeds do things worthy not of the festival but of punishment, they clearly carry one thing on their tongue and hold another in their mind. One should not emulate them, but rather lament them deeply.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.273 (PG 78 78:1495; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-273)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.274":{"o":"ΔΙΟΣΚΟΡΩ ΚΑΙ ΤΙΜΟΘΕΟ.\nΟὐκ ἔστιν ὅπως αἱ αἰτίαι, ὦ βέλτιστοι, ἃς καθ' ὑμῶν λογοποιοῦσί τινες, καίτοι ἀξιόπιστοι εἶναι δοκοῦντες, κωλύσουσί με παραινέσαι τὰ δέοντα. Δεινὸν γὰρ ἂν εἴη, εἰ τὴν ἡμετέραν πρὸς ὑμᾶς εὔνοιαν αἱ παρ' ἐκείνων διαβολαὶ ἀνέλοιεν. Τί οὖν βούλομαι φράσαι, συντόμως ἀκούσατε· ὅτι δίκαιοι ἂν εἴητε δεῖξαι ἐκείνους μὴ ἀληθεύοντας· εἰ δὲ ἀληθεύουσι, γνωσιμαχήσατε· εἰ δὲ οὐ βούλεσθε, ἴστε τοῦ χοροῦ τῶν φίλων ἐκκριθησόμενοι.","t":"To Dioscorus and Timothy. There is no way, my good men, that the charges some fabricate against you, though they seem trustworthy, will prevent me from advising what is needful. For it would be terrible if their slanders destroyed my goodwill toward you. What, then, I want to say, hear briefly: you would do right to show that they are not telling the truth; but if they are, acknowledge it; and if you will not, know that you will be removed from the choir of friends.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.274 (PG 78 78:1495; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-274)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.275":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΚομιδῇ γελοῖον, ἑτέρων ἄρχειν ἐπιχειρεῖν τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἄρξαι μὴ δυνηθέντα. Ὁ γὰρ τὰ οἰκεῖα πάθη λυττῶντα μὴ μόνον μὴ ὑποτάξας, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἄδειαν αὐτοῖς τοῦ πάντα ὅσα βούλονται καὶ δύνανται ποιεῖν δεδωκώς, οὗτος καταγέλαστος ἔσται, τὰ τῶν ἄλλων πειρώμενος διορθοῦν. Ταυτὸν γὰρ ποιεῖ, ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις ἰατρὸς ἕλκεσι βρύων τὰ τῶν πέλας θεραπεύειν ἐπιχειροίη.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. It is utterly ridiculous for one who could not rule himself to try to rule others. For the one who has not only not subdued his own raging passions, but has even given them licence to do all they wish and can, will be laughable when he tries to correct those of others. He does the same as a physician teeming with sores who tried to heal those of his neighbours.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.275 (PG 78 78:1495; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-275)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.276":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΚαὶ οἱ πιπράσκοντες καὶ οἱ ἀγοράζοντες, ὡς γέγραφας, τὴν ἱερωσύνην, μέγιστον καθ' ἑαυτῶν ἐκφέρουσι δείγμα, ἧς ἔχουσι περὶ τοῦ πράγματος δόξης. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἐτόλμησαν, οἱ μὲν πωλῆσαι, οἱ δὲ ἀγοράσαι πρᾶγμα θεῖον, καὶ ὃ πολιτείᾳ ἀρίστῃ καὶ τρόποις ὀρθοῖς χρεωστεῖται. Κανὼν γὰρ τοῦ πράγματος ἡ ἐπιτηδειότης τοῦ λαμβάνοντος, εἰ μὴ παίγνιον αὐτὸ εἶναι ἡγήσαιτο. Ποία οὖν ἀποκείσεται τιμωρία τοῖς παίζουσιν ἐν οὐ παικτοῖς, ἡ σὴ ἂν εἰδείη φρόνησις. Πάλαι μὲν οὖν ἐπὶ τῶν Ἑβραίων ἐκ γένους καταγομένης τῆς ἱερωσύνης, ἐμέμφοντο πολλοὶ, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν τῷ γένει, ἀλλ' οὐ τῇ ἀρετῇ ἀπενεμήθη • ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ βέλτιον μετεκοσμήθη, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἀρετὴν μετεκομίσθη, μειζόνως παροινεῖται, ἢ ὅτε καὶ ἐλάττων ἦν, καὶ τῷ γένει ἀπεκεκλήρωτο. Τότε μὲν γὰρ εἰ καὶ ἦσάν τινες ἀνάξιοι, ἀλλὰ ἦσαν καὶ ἄριστοι· τὸ δὲ χρήμασιν ὠνεῖσθαι παντελῶς ἀπηγόρευτο· νυνὶ δὲ ὅτε καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον ἐπιδέδωκε, καὶ τῇ ἀρετῇ ἀπενεμήθη, μειζόνως κατεπατήθη. Τίς γὰρ τῶν ἀρίστων ἀξιώσει κολακεῦσαι, ὥστε ταύτης τυχεῖν; ἢ τίς τολμήσει χρήμασιν ὠνήσασθαι χρῆμα ἀγγέλοις πρέπον; Εἰ τοίνυν οὗτοι οὔτε κολακεύειν ἀξιοῦσιν, οὔτε ἀγοράσαι τολμῶσιν· εἰσὶ δ', ὡς ἔφης, οἱ κολακείαις καὶ χρήμασι τὴν ἱερωσύνην προπίνοντες (οἱ μυρίων ἄξιοι δῆλον ὅτι τιμωριῶν), οὗτοι καὶ κολακεῦσαι καὶ ἀγοράσαι οὐκ ἂν παραιτήσοιντο. Λόγος τοίνυν περιφοιτᾷ κατὰ γῆν καὶ θάλατταν, ὅτι οὐδεὶς τῶν εὖ βιούντων λοιπὸν εἰς ἱερωσύνην προχειρισθήσεται, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ τοὺς ἀξίους οὐκ ἔχει τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ οὐ μόνον τῷ τῶν πολλῶν κρύπτονται πλήθει, ἀλλὰ καὶ μισοῦνται, καὶ ἐπιβουλεύονται, καὶ ἐξοστρακίζονται, ὡς τῶν πολλῶν ἐλέγχοντες τὸν βίον.","t":"To Herminus the count. Both those who sell and those who buy the priesthood, as you have written, bring forward against themselves the greatest proof of the opinion they hold of it. For they would not have dared, the one to sell and the other to buy, a divine thing, owed to the best way of life and upright character. For the rule of the matter is the fitness of the one who receives it, unless he thinks it a game. What punishment, then, is laid up for those who play with what is not to be played with, your prudence would know. Of old, among the Hebrews, when the priesthood descended by birth, many complained that it was allotted to birth and not to virtue; but since it has been changed for the better and transferred to virtue, it is outraged more than when it was lesser and allotted to birth. For then, even if some were unworthy, there were also excellent ones, and buying it with money was entirely forbidden; but now, when it has advanced to the better and been allotted to virtue, it has been trampled on more. For which of the best men will deign to flatter so as to obtain it? Or who will dare to buy with money a thing befitting angels? If, then, these neither deign to flatter nor dare to buy, but there are, as you said, those who squander the priesthood for flatteries and money (who clearly deserve countless punishments), these would not refuse either to flatter or to buy. So a report goes round over land and sea that no one who lives well will henceforth be advanced to the priesthood; not because the office has no worthy candidates, but because they are not only hidden in the multitude, but also hated, plotted against and banished, since they refute the life of the many.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.276 (PG 78 78:1497; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-276)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.277":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἼσθι, ὦ θαυμάσιε, ὡς δόξαν μεγαλοψυχίας ἐκτήσω ἐχθροῦ φεισάμενος· καὶ τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸ μὲν τοὺς σοὺς ἀκριβῶς ἐπιστάμενος τρόπους προὔλεγον, ὡς μετὰ τὸ χειρώσασθαι δείξει μεγαλοφροσύνην, καὶ ἐλέγξει τοὺς μικροψύχους· ἦσαν δὲ οἱ ἀπιστοῦντες, οἵτινες ἐκ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτοὺς καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ψηφίζονται· ὅμως τὸ τέλος ἔδειξεν, ὡς οὐ διήμαρτον. Ὃν γὰρ ἐλεῖν ἐσπούδασας, ἑλὼν ἀφῆκας, ἵνα μὴ ἀσθενὴς νομισθείης, ἀλλὰ δυνατὸς καὶ φιλάνθρωπος.","t":"To the same. Know, admirable man, that you have acquired a reputation for magnanimity by sparing an enemy. I foretold this very thing, knowing your character exactly: that after overpowering him you would show magnanimity and refute the small-minded. There were some who disbelieved, who judge others from themselves; but the end showed that I was not mistaken. For the one you were eager to capture, having captured, you released, so that you might be thought not weak but powerful and humane.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.277 (PG 78 78:1497; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-277)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.278":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\nΣὺ μὲν θαυμάζεις, δι' ἣν αἰτίαν ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν προγόνων εἰλικρινὴς τιμὴ παρὰ πάντων τοῖς ἐστεμμένοις τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἀπενέμετο, νῦν δὲ οἱ μὲν φρονήματος ἐμπλησθέντες φανερῶς αὐτοὺς κωμῳδοῦσιν· οἱ δὲ κατὰ πρόσωπον αἰδοῦνται, λάθρα δὲ κακίζουσι. Καὶ οἱ μὲν φεύγουσιν, οἱ δὲ καίτοι κολακεύοντες αὐτοὺς, διὰ τὸ καὶ ἐπιβουλεύειν δύνασθαι, διασύρουσιν. Ἐγὼ δὲ οὐ τοῦτο θαυμάζω. Οὐ γὰρ τὰ αὐτὰ ἐκείνοις πράττοντες τῶν αὐτῶν οὐ τυγχάνουσιν, ἀλλὰ τἀναντία ἐκείνοις ἐπιτηδεύοντες, τῶν ἐναντίων πειρῶνται. Τοὐναντίον γὰρ ἂν ἦν θαυμαστὸν, εἰ μηδὲν ποιοῦντες τῶν προγόνων ἴσον, καὶ [τῆς] αὐτῆς τιμῆς ἐκείνοις ἐτύγχανον. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ ἐκείνων καὶ βασιλεῖς πταίοντες ἐσωφρονίζοντο, ἐπὶ δὲ τούτων οὐδὲ ἰδιῶται πλούσιοι · κἂν σωφρονίσαι δὲ τινα πένητα ἐπιχειρήσωσιν, ὀνειδίζονται, ὡς ἐπὶ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἁλόντες πολλάκις, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἐκείνους σωφρονίσαι τετολμήκασι. Διόπερ πρώην μὲν ἦν ὁ ἱερεὺς τῷ λαῷ φοβερὸς, νῦν δὲ ὁ λαὸς τῷ ἱερεῖ.","t":"To Peter. You wonder why, in the time of our forefathers, sincere honour was paid by all to those crowned with the priesthood, but now some, full of pride, ridicule them openly, others respect them to their face but disparage them in secret; some avoid them, others, though they flatter them because they can plot against them, mock them. I do not wonder at this. For it is not that, doing the same as those men, they do not obtain the same; but practising the opposite, they experience the opposite. On the contrary, it would be astonishing if, doing nothing equal to our forefathers, they obtained the same honour. For in their time even kings who erred were brought to their senses; but in the time of these, not even rich private persons; and if they try to correct some poor man, they are reproached as having often been caught in the very things for which they dared to correct him. That is why formerly the priest was fearsome to the people, but now the people to the priest.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.278 (PG 78 78:1497; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-278)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.279":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΜέγα μὲν ὄντως τὸ πταῖσμα, ἀλλ' οὐ συγγνώμης μεῖζον· διὸ χρὴ κολάσαι μὲν τὴν ἑτοιμίαν, συγγνώμην δὲ νεῖμαι. Τάχα πως ἐπὶ θεραπείαν ὁδεύσει τὸ πάθος· ἐπεὶ καὶ οἱ τῶν ἰατρῶν ἄριστοι, ὅταν τις πολλὰ περικέηται τραύματα, οὐ τοσαύτην ἐπάγουσι θεραπείαν, ὅσην ἀπαιτεῖ τῆς τέχνης ἡ ἀκρίβεια, ἀλλ᾽ ὅσην φέρει τοῦ κάμνοντος ἡ δύναμις, ἵνα μὴ τὰ τραύματα θεραπεύσαντες, τὸν κάμνοντα διαφθείρωσιν.","t":"To Heraclides the bishop. The fault is truly great, but not greater than pardon. So one must punish the readiness to sin, but grant pardon. Perhaps the passion will proceed to healing. For the best physicians too, when someone has many wounds, do not apply as much treatment as the exactness of the art demands, but as much as the patient's strength can bear, so that they may not, by healing the wounds, destroy the patient.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.279 (PG 78 78:1499; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-279)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.28":{"o":"ΔΙΔΥΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΑφροδισίῳ τῷ μακαρίῳ, τῷ σῷ μὲν ἀδελφῷ, πρεσβυτέρῳ δὲ τὴν ἀξίαν, αἰδὼς μὲν ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς κατῴκει, πειθὼ δὲ ἐν χείλεσι, σοφία δὲ ἐπὶ γλώσσης · καὶ αὐτάρκεια μὲν ἐν γαστρὶ, ἐγκράτεια δὲ ἐν τοῖς μετὰ γαστέρα, καὶ συλλήβδην εἰπεῖν, πασῶν σχεδὸν τῶν ἀρετῶν κοινὸν ἦν ταμιεῖον, καὶ ἐνδιαίτημα. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν περὶ τὰς οὐρανίους αὐλὰς μετεπέμφθη, ἄξιὰ τῶν πόνων δεξάμενος τὰ γέρα, οὐ χρὴ λυπεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον χαίρειν ὅτι τῶν ἄθλων λοιπὸν καρποῦται τὰ ἔπαθλα. Ὁ γὰρ τὴν ἐνθάδε τῶν ἁγίων οἰκτείρων τελευτὴν, δίκαιος ἂν εἴη παρὰ πάντων τῶν εὖ φρονούντων οἰκτείρεσθαι, Ὡς καὶ ὁ τοὺς νενικηκότας καὶ στεφθέντας θρηνῶν, οἴκτου ἂν εἴη καὶ δακρύων ἄξιος. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν εἰς τοσοῦτον. Ἴσθι δὲ οὖν ὅτι μόνος ὁ τῆς ἀρετῆς πλοῦτος ἐπ᾿ ἀσφαλείαις ὀχεῖται, ὅταν ὁ τοῦτον κεκτημένος μὴ τῇ ῥαστώνῃ προδοίη τὸ κτῆμα, μηδὲ ἀρχῆς ἐρασθείη· πάσης γὰρ ἐπέκεινα τόλμης, οὐ σὺ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἔγωγε, χωρεῖν ὑπολαμβάνω τοὺς μηδὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἀθλητικοὺς ἁψαμένους πόνους, καὶ τοῖς στεφανίταις ἐπαποδυομένους· οἵτινες μηδὲ γνησίοις ἐγγραφέντες μαθηταῖς, εἰς τοὺς ἡγεμόνας ἀνατρέχειν φιλονεικοῦσιν· ὧν οὐχ ὁ τρόπος τὸν τόπον, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ τόπος τὸν τρόπον πιστεύεται · ὠνοῦνται γὰρ τὰς ἀρχὰς, ἵνα ὑβρίσωσι τὰς ἀρετάς· καὶ λέγειν ἐπιχειροῦσιν, ἃ μηδὲ μαθεῖν κατεδέξαντο· καὶ προστάττειν τοιαῦτα τολμῶσιν, ἃ μηδὲ ἀκοῦσαι ἠνέσχοντο. Τις οὖν ὑπὸ τοιούτοις ἡγεμόσι πράττων μέγα τι καὶ γενναῖον, ἢ πρᾶξαι ἢ συνιδεῖν δυνήσεται; – τίς δὲ οὐκ ἐρυθριάσει ἀνδρῶν χθὲς καὶ πρώην ἐν καπηλείοις ἢ δικαστηρίοις κατατριβέντων ἀκροατής γινόμενος; τίς δὲ τῶν ἐχθρῶν οὐ γελάσειε, καὶ σκηνὴν καὶ ὑπόκρισιν νομίσειε τὸ πρᾶγμα; ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ γέγραφας, τί ποιητέον, φημὶ οὐδὲν ἕτερον, ἀλλ᾽ ἀρετὴν ἀσκητέον καὶ ἡσυχαστέον, καὶ τὴν κρίσιν προσδοκητέον, καὶ τὰς διαβολικάς μεθόδους διακρουστέον. Δεινὸς γὰρ καὶ ποικίλος ὁ τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ἐχθρὸς, τὰ μὲν κολακείαις, τὰ δὲ παραλογισμοῖς καταγοητεῦσαι· καὶ μάλιστα ὅτε οὐκ οἶδε τὴν ἐξ εὐθείας μάχην· οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἑάλω ταχέως· ἀλλὰ προσχήματι φιλίας πολλάκις κρύπτει τὸν τῆς πορνείας ἰόν. Ὡς γὰρ εἰς ἰσοθείαν ἀγαγὼν τὸν ἄνθρωπον, τῶν ἀλόγων κατέστησεν ἐλεεινότερον · οὐ μόνον τὰ προσόντα πλεονεκτήματα ἀπαμφιάσας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ μὴ προσόντα ἐλαττώματα προξενήσας, ἰδρῶτάς φημι καὶ πόνους, θάνατόν τε καὶ φθοράν. ᾿Αλλ' ἐπειδὴ πολλοὶ θηρώμενοι αὐτοῦ τὰς μεθόδους, ἀργὰς ἀποδείξαντες ἑλεπόλεις χρὴ καὶ πάντα, οἷς φρονήσεως μέτεστι καὶ σωτηρίας ἐστὶ λόγος, τὰ μηχανήματα αὐτοῦ ἀνιχνεύειν καὶ φυλάττεσθαι ὡς ἐνδέχεται· ὅταν μάλιστα φιλίας προσχήματι δελεάζῃ · τότε γὰρ δυσάλωτός ἐστι καὶ δύσμαχος. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ περὶ δογμάτων ἐμήνυσας, ἴσθι ὅτι ἤκουσά ποτέ τινος δεινοῦ καταμαθεῖν ἀνδρῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν διάνοιαν, ὅτι τόκου τοῦ γνησίου τοῦνομα ἔστρεφον, κατασκευάζοντες τὸ μὴ κτίσμα εἶναι τὸν Υἱόν. Ἔφασαν γάρ· Τοῖς πιστεύουσιν εἰς τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ δεδόσθαι ἐξουσίαν τέκνα Θεοῦ γενέσθαι. Καί· Ὁ ἐὰν αἰτήσητε ἐν τῷ ὀνόματί μου λήψεσθε· ὄνομα δὲ τοῦ πολυωνύμου κυριώτερον τῶν ἄλλων ἡ τοῦ Υἱοῦ προσηγορία, τὸ γνήσιον ἐμφαίνουσα, καὶ τὴν τοῦ κτίσματος ἔννοιαν ἐξοστρακίζουσα. Δῆλον τοίνυν ὅτι τοῖς μὲν Υἱὸν αὐτὸν λέγουσιν ἐδόθη ἡ χάρις, τοῖς δὲ κτίσμα αὐτὸν λέγειν τολμῶσιν ἡ χάρις οὐκ ἐπιφοιτᾷ. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ περὶ πολιτείας ἐδήλωσας, πάντα ὁμοῦ μαθεῖν γλιχόμενος, ἀντεπιστέλλω συντόμως· ὅτι οἱ μὲν παρ' Ἕλλησι σοφοί, οἱ δόξαν ἐπὶ σεμνότητι καὶ δυνάμει λόγων παρὰ πᾶσιν ἐσχηκότες, βουλόμενοι παραστῆσαι τί τὸ δίκαιον, καὶ τί τὸ πρέπον, καὶ τί τὸ νόμιμον καὶ τὶ τὸ καλὸν, μυρίους λόγους ἀναλώσαντες, καὶ διαλόγους μακροὺς λαβυρίνθων οὐδὲν διαφέροντας συνιέντες, τοσοῦτον ἀπέσχον τοῦ εἰπεῖν τι τῶν δεόντων, ὅτι καὶ πλέον τοὺς ἀναγινώσκοντας συγχέουσιν. Ὁ δὲ θειότατος Λόγος δεῦρ᾽ ἐπιφοιτήσας, καὶ τὸν ἔμφυτον ἀνακινήσας τῶν ἀνθρώπων λογισμὸν, καὶ τὴν ἑκάστου βούλησιν ὅρον τοῦ δικαίου, καὶ τοῦ πρέποντος, τοῦ τε νομίμου καὶ τοῦ καλοῦ πηξάμενος, διὰ βραχείας ῥήσεως τοῦτο διεσάφησεν εἰπών · • Πάντα ὅσα θέλετε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς. » Εἶτα ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ ἄγραφον νόμον κατ' ἐγγράφου τιθέναι, ἐπισφραγιζόμενος τὰ εἰρημένα καὶ δεικνὺς, ὅτι πάντα συντόμως περιείληφεν, ἔφη· Οὗτος γὰρ ἐστιν ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται. Ἐν αὐτοῖς τοιγαροῦν ἔχοντες πάντων τῶν καλῶν τὸν κανόνα, ὃ βουλόμεθα παρὰ τῶν ἄλλων ὑμῖν ὑπαρχθῆναι, τοῦτο παρ' ἡμῶν εἰς ἐκείνους γενέσθω. Ἴσθι δὲ καὶ τοῦτο, ὅτι οἱ τῷ μεγέθει καὶ τῷ κάλλει τῶν κτισμάτων οὐκ εἰς εὐσεβείας ὑπόθεσιν ἀποχρησάμενοι, ἀλλὰ καὶ προσπταίσαντες αὐτοῖς (οὐ γὰρ μόνον τὸν Δημιουργὸν οὐκ ἔγνωσαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτοῖς τὸ σέβας ἀνέθεσαν (οὗτοι σοφοὶ οἰηθέντες εἶναι, εἰς τὸ τῆς ἀμαθίας ἐναυάγησαν πέλαγος· τῶν γὰρ κτισμάτων ἀνακηρυττόντων τὸν τεχνίτην ( οὐδὲ γὰρ ἄνευ ἀρχιτέκτονος οἰκία οἰκοδομεῖται, οὔτε ἄνευ ναυπηγοῦ ναῦς, οὐδὲ ἄνευ ἁρμονικοῦ μουσικὸν συσταίη όργανον), ἐκεῖνοι τῇ τέχνῃ μᾶλλον ἢ τοῖς τεχνηθεῖσι προσπταίσαντες, τὸν δημιουργὸν παρεγράψαντο. Τοῖς οὖν τοιούτοις εἰκότως, καὶ τὸ τῆς πολιτείας διέφθαρται. Τὸν γὰρ Ἡγεμόνα τοῦ παντὸς ἐκ τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἐκβάλλοντες ψυχῆς, πᾶν εἶδος ἀδικίας τε καὶ πονηρίας ἀδεῶς δρᾶν οὐ παραιτοῦνται. Έπειδὴ δὲ καὶ περὶ τῶν ἐλλογίμων ζητεῖς ἴσθι ὅτι ὁ θειότατος Λόγος τὸν ἐλλόγιμον οὐκ ἀποσείεται, εἰ λόγῳ τὸν οἰκεῖον ῥυθμίζοι βίον · εἰ δὲ ἐν λόγοις φιλοσοφῶν, ἔργοις ἀφιλόσοφος ὀφθείη, εὐλόγως οὐδὲ ὁ λόγος τὸν τοιοῦτον προσίεται ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΟ Ἡ πολλὴ καὶ ἀκατάπαυστος τρυφὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν παρὰ φύσιν παιδοτριβεῖ ἔρωτα, καὶ πᾶσαν τοῦ μὲν σώματος τὴν ὑγείαν· τῆς δὲ ψυχῆς λυμαίνεται τὴν εὐγένειαν. Παύσασθε τοιγαροῦν ταύτης· καὶ μὴ νηστείαις, ἀλλά γε τῇ αὐταρκείᾳ τῇ ὄντως σώφρονι τρυφῇ, χρῆσθαι ἑαυτοὺς παιδεύσατε· καὶ οἰχήσεται ἡ νῦν καθ᾽ ὑμῶν παρὰ πάντων ἀδομένη κωμῳδία. Εἰ δὲ ἑαυτοὺς εἰς τὴν ἄβυσσον τῆς λαγνείας ἐμβάλλετε, μὴ τοῖς κωμῳδοῦσι χαλεπαίνετε, ἀλλὰ τῆς οἰκεῖας τρυφῆς καταψηφίζεσθε, τῆς, ὡς φασιν, οὐκ οἴκοθεν παρασκευαζομένης (περίψηφοι γάρ ἐστε), ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τοῦ ἀλλοτρίαις ἐπιῤῥίπτειν τραπέζαις. Ἐὰν γὰρ διασκεδάσητε τὴν ἀχλὺν, τότε ὄψεσθε τῆς σωφροσύνης τὸ κάλλος, ὁ νῦν ἐστιν ὑμῖν ἀθέατον.","t":"To Didymus the presbyter. In the blessed Aphrodisius, your brother and a presbyter in rank, modesty dwelt in the eyes, persuasion on the lips, wisdom on the tongue; self-sufficiency in the belly, and self-control in what lies below the belly; and, to put it briefly, he was a common treasury and dwelling of almost all the virtues. Since, then, he has been summoned to the heavenly courts, having received rewards worthy of his labours, one should not grieve, but rather rejoice that he is now reaping the prizes of his contests. For the man who pities the departure of the saints from this life would himself deserve to be pitied by all sensible people, just as one who mourns those who have conquered and been crowned would deserve pity and tears. So much for that. Know, then, that only the wealth of virtue rides in safety, provided its owner does not betray the possession to indolence nor fall in love with office. For I think, and not you alone, that those go beyond all audacity who have not so much as touched the athlete's labours and yet strip for the contests that win crowns; men who, not even enrolled among genuine disciples, strive eagerly to run up to the rank of leaders; whose character does not vouch for their place, but whose place is trusted to vouch for their character. For they buy offices in order to insult virtues; they attempt to speak of what they did not deign even to learn, and they dare to command such things as they could not bear even to hear. Who then, under such leaders, will be able to do or even see anything great and noble? Who will not blush to become the hearer of men worn down only yesterday or the day before in taverns or law courts? Which of our enemies will not laugh, and think the whole thing a stage and a play? But since you have written asking what must be done, I say nothing else than this: virtue must be practised, quiet kept, the judgment awaited, and the devil's schemes beaten off. For the enemy of humankind is terrible and many-sided, bewitching some by flatteries and others by fallacies, especially since he does not know how to fight openly (for he would quickly be caught); but often under a show of friendship he hides the poison of sexual immorality. For as if leading man to equality with God, he made him more pitiable than the irrational animals, not only stripping off the advantages he had, but also procuring for him defects he did not have: sweat, I mean, and toil, death and corruption. But since many, hunting down his methods, have shown his siege-engines to be useless, all who have a share in prudence and for whom salvation is a concern must track down his devices and guard against them as far as possible, above all when he baits his hook with a show of friendship; for then he is hard to catch and hard to fight. Since you have also asked about doctrines, know that I once heard a man skilled in understanding the meaning of the evangelists say that they turned about the name of true offspring, establishing that the Son is not a creature. For they said: \"To those who believe in his name, power has been given to become children of God\"; and: \"Whatever you ask in my name you will receive.\" And of the names of the one who has many names, the title \"Son\" is more proper than the others, since it shows genuineness and banishes the notion of a creature. It is clear, then, that grace has been given to those who call him Son, but grace does not come to those who dare to call him a creature. Since you have also written about conduct, eager to learn everything at once, I reply briefly: the wise men among the Greeks, who had a reputation with everyone for the dignity and power of their words, wishing to set out what is just, what is fitting, what is lawful and what is good, spent countless words and composed long dialogues no different from labyrinths, and fell so far short of saying anything needful that they confuse their readers even more. But the most divine Word, coming here and stirring up the reasoning implanted in human beings, and fixing each person's own will as the boundary of what is just and fitting, lawful and good, made this clear in a brief saying: \"Whatever you wish that people should do to you, do also to them.\" Then, so that he might not seem to set an unwritten law against the written one, sealing what had been said and showing that he had briefly embraced everything, he said: \"For this is the Law and the Prophets.\" Having in these words, then, the rule of all good things, let what we wish to be done to us by others be done by us to them. Know this too: those who did not use the greatness and beauty of created things as a ground for piety, but even stumbled over them (for not only did they not know the Creator, but they also gave worship to the creatures themselves), these, thinking themselves wise, were shipwrecked on the sea of ignorance. For while the creatures proclaim the craftsman (for neither is a house built without an architect, nor a ship without a shipwright, nor could a musical instrument be put together without one skilled in harmony), they, stumbling over the art rather than over the works of art, struck out the Creator. With such people, then, conduct too has naturally been corrupted. For, casting the Ruler of the universe out of their own soul, they do not refrain from fearlessly doing every kind of injustice and wickedness. Since you also ask about the learned, know that the most divine Word does not reject the learned man, if he orders his own life by reason; but if, philosophizing in words, he should be seen to be unphilosophical in deeds, the Word rightly does not admit such a man either. [Letter 5.29] To Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius. Great and unceasing luxury both trains people for unnatural love and ruins all the health of the body and the nobility of the soul. Stop it, then; and train yourselves to use, if not fasts, then at least self-sufficiency, which is truly a temperate luxury; and the comedy now sung about you by everyone will be gone. But if you throw yourselves into the abyss of lechery, do not be angry with those who mock you, but condemn your own luxury, which, as they say, is not furnished from your own house (for you are bankrupt), but from throwing yourselves upon other people's tables. For if you scatter the mist, then you will see the beauty of self-control, which is now hidden from your sight.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.28 (PG 78 78:1341; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-28)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.280":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ πᾶσι δῆλόν ἐστιν, ὅτι ἄνοιαν ὀφλισκάνων καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς ἔχθρας μεθύων ὁ σὸς διάδικος, ὅμως ἐκλαλεῖ ταῦτα, ἃ δυνηθεὶς πράξει. ᾿Αλλά σε τοῦτο μὴ ταραττέτω, μηδὲ εἰς τὸ ἀδιάλλακτον χειραγωγείτω, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὸ εὖ ποιεῖν αὐτὸν προτρεπέσθω. Εἰ γὰρ θηρίον εἴη, καὶ παντὸς λίθου ἀναισθητότερος, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως αἰδεσθεὶς τὴν εὐεργεσίαν, κατάθοιτο τὴν ἔχθραν.","t":"To Peter. Even if it is plain to all that your opponent at law, incurring the charge of folly and drunk with enmity, still blurts out what he will do if he can, do not let this trouble you or lead you to irreconcilability, but let it urge you even to do him good. For even if he is a beast and more insensible than any stone, still, respecting the kindness, he would lay aside his enmity.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.280 (PG 78 78:1499; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-280)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.281":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ\nΤῆς θείας σοφίας ἡ μὲν λέξις πεζή, ἡ ἔννοια δὲ οὐρανομήκης · τῆς δὲ ἔξωθεν λαμπρὰ μὲν ἡ φράσις, χαμαιπετὴς δὲ ἡ πρᾶξις. Εἰ δὲ τις δυνηθείη τῆς μὲν ἔχειν τὴν ἔννοιαν, τῆς δὲ τὴν φράσιν, σοφώτατος ἂν δικαίως κριθείη· δύναται γὰρ ὅργανον εἶναι τῆς ὑπερκοσμίου σοφίας ἡ εὐγλωττία, εἰ καθάπερ σῶμα ψυχῇ ὑποκέοιτο, ἢ ὥσπερ λύρα λυρῳδῷ, μηδὲν μὲν οἴκοθεν καινοτομοῦσα νεώτερον, ἑρμηνεύουσα δὲ τὰ οὐρανομήκη ἐκείνης νοήματα· εἰ δ' ἀντιστρέφοι τὴν τάξιν, καὶ δουλεύειν ὀφείλουσα, ἡγεῖσθαι, μᾶλλον δὲ τυραννεῖν οἷα τε εἶναι νομίζοι, ἐξοστρακισθῆναι ἂν εἴη δικαία.","t":"To Peter. The diction of divine wisdom is prosaic, but its meaning reaches to heaven; the phrasing of outside wisdom is brilliant, but its practice grovels on the ground. If someone could have the meaning of the one and the phrasing of the other, he would rightly be judged most wise. For eloquence can be an instrument of the wisdom above the world, if it is subordinate to it as body to soul, or as the lyre to the lyre-player, innovating nothing of its own but interpreting its heaven-high thoughts. But if it reverses the order and, though it ought to serve, thinks it can lead, or rather tyrannize, it would deserve to be banished.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.281 (PG 78 78:1499; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-281)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.282":{"o":"ΒΟΗΘΩ ΜΟΝΑΧΩ.\nΜὴ θορυβείτω σε τὸ πολλοὺς τῶν φιλαρέτων μυρία ἐνταῦθα πάσχειν δεινά, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἔννοιαν ἀγέτω, ὅτι καὶ οἱ τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς βασιλέων φίλοι, οὗτοι μάλιστα παρακινδυνεύουσιν ἐν πολέμοις, καὶ τραύματα ἔχουσι, δι' ὧν τὰ τρόπαια ἔστησαν, ἀποδημίας τε μακρὰς στέλλονται. Εἰ δὲ οὐ καταδέχῃ, ἐννόει ὅτι εἰσί τινες καὶ τῶν δικαίων κἀνταῦθα εὐημεροῦντες. Ὥστε εἰ σκανδαλίζουσί σε, ἅτε ἀσθενέστερον ὄντα, οἱ ἐν πειρασμοῖς, οἰκοδομείτωσάν σε οἱ ἐν ἀνέσει. Καὶ εἰ σκανδαλίζουσί σε οἱ ἐν ἀνέσει τῶν πονηρῶν, ὀρθούτωσάν σε οἱ ἐν κολάσει καὶ τιμωρίαις.","t":"To Boethus the monk. Do not let it trouble you that many lovers of virtue suffer countless terrible things here; let it bring to mind that the friends of earthly kings too are the ones who run the greatest risks in wars, bear the wounds by which they set up trophies, and are sent on long journeys. And if you do not accept this, consider that there are also some of the righteous who prosper here. So, if those in temptations scandalize you, being weaker, let those at ease edify you. And if the wicked who are at ease scandalize you, let those of them who are in punishment and penalties set you upright.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.282 (PG 78 78:1501; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-282)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.283":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΛίαν θαυμάζω τῶν καὶ τὰ πράγματα καὶ τὰ ὀνόματα συγχεόντων. Εἰς τοσοῦτον γὰρ σοφίας ἥκουσιν, ὡς τὴν μὲν παῤῥησίαν ἀναισχυντίαν καλεῖν, τὴν δὲ ἀναισχυντίαν παῤῥησίαν, κατ' ἄμφω ἁμαρτάνοντες. Τοῦτο γὰρ δρῶσιν, ἢ ἵνα τὴν παῤῥησίαν ἐπιστομίσωσιν, ἢ ἵνα τὴν ἀναισχυντίαν εἰς μείζονα κακίαν παιδοτριβήσωσιν, οὐκ εἰδότες, ἢ εἰδότες μὲν, παραλογιζόμενοι δὲ ἑαυτοὺς, ὅτι ἀναισχυντία μέν ἐστιν ἡ ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσχίστοις πάθεσιν ἀναιδής φλυαρία, παρῥησία δὲ ἡ ἐπὶ τοῖς καλλίστοις εὔτολμος ἀπολογία. Χρὴ οὖν μὴ ταῖς τῶν διεφθαρμένων γνώμαις ἕπεσθαι, ἀλλὰ τῇ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀληθείᾳ. Οὐδὲ γὰρ κατὰ ἀνθρώπων μόνον ὁπλίζουσιν οἱ τοιοῦτοι τὰς γλώττας, ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ τῆς θείας δυνάμεως. Τὴν γὰρ μακροθυμίαν αὐτῆς ἀμέλειαν προσαγορεύοντες οὐκ ἐρυθριῶσιν. Οὐδὲν οὖν θαυμαστὸν, εἰ ὀνόματα ἀμείβουσιν οἱ πάντολμοι, ὁπότε καὶ εἰς οὐρανὸν τὰ βέλη πέμπουσι.","t":"To Theodosius the scholasticus. I greatly wonder at those who confuse both things and names. For they have come to such wisdom as to call frankness shamelessness and shamelessness frankness, sinning in both respects. They do this either to silence frankness or to train shamelessness in greater wickedness, not knowing, or knowing but deceiving themselves, that shamelessness is impudent babbling about the most shameful passions, while frankness is a bold defence of the finest things. So one must follow not the opinions of the corrupt but the truth of things. For such people arm their tongues not only against men but even against the divine power; for they are not ashamed to call its patience negligence. It is no wonder, then, that the all-daring change names, when they even shoot their arrows at heaven.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.283 (PG 78 78:1501; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-283)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.284":{"o":"ΠΡΙΜΟ\nὉ στέφανον ἐπαγγελλόμενος τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀσκοῦντι, δύο χαρίζεται δωρεάς · μίαν μὲν τὴν πρᾶξιν, ἑτέραν δὲ τὴν ἀμοιβήν. Ἐμοὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ ἄθλος αὐτὸς, εἰ καὶ ἐπίπονὸς ἐστι, τοῦ ἐπάθλου οὐχ ἧττον δωρεά εἶναι δοκεῖ, εἴγε ἡ μὲν ἀρετὴ ὑπόθεσις ἐστι τοῦ στεφάνου, ὁ δὲ στέφανος οὐ δίδοται ἄνευ ἀρετῆς.","t":"To Primus. The one who promises a crown to the one who practises virtue grants two gifts: one the action, the other the reward. For to me the contest itself, even if laborious, seems no less a gift than the prize, since virtue is the ground of the crown and the crown is not given without virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.284 (PG 78 78:1501; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-284)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.285":{"o":"ΩΡΙΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΠολὺ ἀσφαλέστερόν ἐστι τὸ μὴ πολεμεῖσθαι τοῦ συμμαχεῖσθαι· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἡσυχίαν ἀπράγμονα ἔχει, τὸ δὲ ἀναγκάζει συμπολεμεῖν τοῖς βοηθήσασι, καὶ εἰ ἀδίκως πολεμοῖεν. Πολλάκις γὰρ ἀδικούμενοί τινες συμμαχίαν ἐπεκαλέσαντο· ἧς καὶ τυχόντες, τοῖς συμμαχήσασι δικαίως πολεμουμένοις, οὐ δικαίως ἀμύνουσι, χάριν ἄδικον ἀντὶ δικαίας ἐκτιννύντες,","t":"To Orion the monk. It is much safer not to be warred against than to have allies. For the one brings untroubled quiet; the other compels one to fight together with one's helpers, even if they fight unjustly. For often some who were wronged called for an alliance, and having obtained it, they defend their allies when these are justly attacked, though not justly, repaying an unjust favour for a just one, …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.285 (PG 78 78:1501; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-285)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.286":{"o":"ΖΗΝΩΝΑ.\nνουθετεῖν καὶ θέλγειν Νουθετεῖν, ὦ σοφώτατε, χρὴ τοὺς νέους, οὐ θέλγειν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ εἴρηται παρὰ τὴν τοῦ νοῦ θέσιν, τὸ δὲ παρὰ τὸ εἰς ὃ θέλει ἄγειν, ἢ παρὰ τὸ θέλοντα ἄγεσθαι. Τοῦ οὖν θελήματος ἀπακτέον, καὶ εἰς τὸ πρέπον ἀκτέον, καὶ διδακτέον τῆς μὲν ἀρετῆς ἀντέχεσθαι, τῆς δὲ κακίας ἀπέχεσθαι. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ στεφάνους, ἡ δὲ κολάσεις ὠδίνει.","t":"To Zeno. To admonish and to charm. One must admonish (nouthetein) the young, most wise man, not charm (thelgein) them. For the first is said from setting the mind (nou thesis), the second from leading where one wishes (thelei agein), or from being led as one wishes. So one must lead them away from their own will, lead them to what is fitting, and teach them to hold fast to virtue and keep away from vice. For the one gives birth to crowns, the other to punishments.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.286 (PG 78 78:1503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-286)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.287":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΕἰ ἐπ᾿ ἀνδρὸς καὶ γυναικὸς δυοῖν ὄντοιν λέλεκται· «Α ὁ Θεὸς συνέζευξεν, ἄνθρωπος μὴ χωριζέτω· › ὁ τὴν ψυχὴν βιαίως χωρίζων ἀπὸ τοῦ σώματος, καὶ ἢ ἀγχόνῃ ἑαυτὸν παραδιδοὺς, ἢ σφαγῇ, πῶς συγγνωσθήσεται; Τοὺς τοιούτους γοῦν καὶ ἐπαράτους καὶ ἀτίμους, καὶ μετὰ θάνατον οἱ παλαιοὶ ἡγοῦντο· καὶ τὴν χεῖρα ἀποκόψαντες τοῦ ἑαυτὸν χειρωσαμένου, ἔξω που τοῦ ἄλλου σώματος καὶ μακρὰν ἔθαπτον · οὐχ ὅσιον εἶναι νομίζοντες, τὴν διακονησαμένην τῷ φόνῳ, τῷ λοιπῷ σώματι συνοσιοῦν. Εἰ δὲ ἡ χεὶρ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις δίκην καὶ μετὰ θάνατον ἀπῃτήθη, ἡ ψυχὴ ἡ καὶ τὴν χεῖρα παρορμήσασα ποίας τεύξεται συγγνώμης;","t":"To Nilus. If of husband and wife, who are two, it was said, \"What God has joined together, let man not separate,\" how will the one who violently separates the soul from the body, and gives himself up to the noose or the sword, be pardoned? The ancients considered such people accursed and dishonoured even after death; and cutting off the hand of the one who had laid hands on himself, they buried it somewhere apart and far from the rest of the body, thinking it unholy to give the same rites to the hand that had served the murder as to the rest of the body. If the hand was made to pay the penalty among men even after death, what pardon will the soul obtain that urged on the hand?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.287 (PG 78 78:1503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-287)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.288":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΟἱ ἀμοιβῆς ἕνεκεν τὸ δέον πράττοντες, καταδεέστεροι μέν εἰσι τῶν πόθῳ τῷ πρὸς τὸ καλὸν εὐδοκιμούντων, ἀμείνους δὲ τῶν φόβῳ καὶ οὐ πόθῳ τοῦτο ποιούντων, πλέον ἢ ὅσον αὐτοὶ ἡττῶνται τῶν πόθῳ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀσκούντων.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. Those who do what is right for the sake of a reward are inferior to those who are esteemed for their longing for the good, but better than those who do it from fear and not from longing, by more than they fall short of those who practise virtue out of longing.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.288 (PG 78 78:1503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-288)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.289":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ καί τινες δεινοί εἰσι παραλογιζόμενοι μὲν λαθεῖν, ἀλόντες δὲ παρακρούσασθαι· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ σοφὸς κρείττων τούτων ὧν φωράσει μὲν τὴν ἀπάτην, διελέγξει δὲ τὴν δεινότητα.","t":"To the same. Even if some are clever at escaping notice when they deceive and, when caught, at evading, the wise man is stronger than these, since he will detect the deception and refute the cleverness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.289 (PG 78 78:1503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-289)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.29":{"o":"ΕΡΜΟΓΕΝΕΙ, ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΚΑΙ ΑΙΛΙΑΝΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟΙΣ.\nΕἰ μὴ ἡ ὑπερφυὴς ὑμῶν ἀρετὴ ἐλέγχουσά μου τὸν λόγον, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν νῦν, (πλείω γὰρ ἴσασι) καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἐσομένων, (μείζω γὰρ ἢ πιστεύσουσιν) εἰπεῖν ἂν κατῆλθον εἰς τὸν ἀγῶνα τῶν ὑμετέρων ἐγκωμίων.","t":"To Hermogenes, Theodosius and Aelianus, bishops. Were it not that your extraordinary virtue refutes my words, both in the present (for people know more of it) and in the future (for it will be greater than they will believe), I would have entered the contest of praising you.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.29 (PG 78 78:1345; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-29)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.290":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΔΗ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟἶμαι, ὅτι οὐ τύπτειν, οὐ λοιδορεῖν, ἢ ὁμόσε χωρεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐλέγχειν μόνον μετὰ παῤῥησίας, μήτε αἰδούμενον, μήτε φοβούμενον χρὴ τὸν παραινέτην· εἰ δ' ἀμφιβάλλεις, τοὺς θείους σοι ἀναγνώσομαι χρησμούς· τἱ γὰρ ἔφη ὁ Θεὸς τῷ Ἰεζεκιήλ; « Καὶ σὺ ἐὰν διαστείλῃ τῷ ἀνόμῳ, καὶ μὴ ἀποστρέψῃ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀνομίας αὐτοῦ ὁ ἄνομος, ἐν τῇ ἀνομίᾳ αὐτοῦ ἀποθανεῖται· σὺ δὲ τὴν ψυχήν σου ῥύσῃ.» Σιωπῶν μὲν γὰρ, καὶ μὴ παῤῥησιαζόμενος, κοινωνεῖς ἐκείνῳ, φησὶ, τῆς τιμωρίας. Προείρηκα γὰρ,· Ἐὰν μὴ διαστείλῃ, τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῆς χειρός σου ἐκζητήσω. » Τὰ περὶ σαυτοῦ δὲ εἰσφέρων ἀπαλλάττῃ τῆς καταδίκης. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ καὶ ἀργαλεωτέρα γενήσεται ἡ κόλασις, μηδὲ τὴν σὴν παραδεξαμένῳ παραίνεσιν. Σὺ δὲ τὸ κελευσθὲν διαπραξάμενος, ἀνεύθυνος ἔσῃ. Οὐδὲν γὰρ τοῦ διδασκάλου ἐστὶν, ἢ ἄληπτον παρέχοντα τὸν βίον παιδεύειν, μηδαμῶς αἰδούμενον τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων τὴν ἀξιοπιστίαν. Τὸ δὲ πράττειν ἢ μὴ, τῆς τῶν μαθητευομένων ἤρτηται γνώμης, παντί τε καὶ πανταχοῦ τοῦ αὐτεξουσίου φυλαττομένου. Εἰ δὲ φαίης· Πῶς οὖν ὁ Παῦλος τὸν πεπορνευκότα ἀπεῖρξε; μείζον ἢ ἐγὼ βούλομαι λέγεις · οὐ γὰρ ἐτύπτησεν ἢ ὕβρισεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐχώρισε τῆς ἀγέλης, ἵνα μὴ καὶ εἰς τὰ λοιπὰ πρόβατα τὸ λοιμῶδες διαδοθῇ νόσημα. Εἰ δὲ πάλιν φαίης· Πῶς οὖν ὁ Ἡλεὶ νουθετήσας, καὶ μὴ ἀνύσας δέδωκε δίκην; φήσαιμι, ὅτι παντὶ μὲν σθένει ἐπὶ παίδων καὶ ἱερέων χρὴ καὶ ἐπεξιέναι, καὶ κωλύειν τῆς ἁγιστείας, καὶ ἐξ ὄψεως ποιεῖν, καὶ ἀποχειροτονεῖν· καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν εἰς τὸ θεῖον ἡ ὕβρις διαβαίνῃ. Διὸ καὶ προσέκρουσεν· ἐχρῆν γὰρ αὐτὸν μὴ πέρα τοῦ δέοντος εἶναι φιλόπαιδα, ἀλλὰ τοῖς θείοις νόμοις ἐπαμῦναι ὑβριζομένοις. Ποτὲ δέ τις ἀπολογήσασθαι ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ βουληθεὶς ἔφη, ὅτι φαίνεται οὐκ ἂν αὐτὸς δίκην δοὺς τοσοῦτον, ὅσον οἱ παῖδες · ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ ὀργῆς ἐπιπολασάσης θείας, αἰσχρῶς καὶ ἐλεεινῶς ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ ἀπέθανον, οὗτος δὲ μετὰ γῆρας βαθὺ ἐν τῇ πόλει · καὶ αὐτὴ δὲ ἡ ἀπόφασις, εἰ τὰς θείας τις συλλαβάς περιεργάσοιτο, φαίνεται οὐ κατ' αὐτοῦ, ἀλλὰ κατὰ τοῦ οἴκου ὁρισθεῖσα· · Ωμοσα γὰρ, φησὶ, τῷ οἴκῳ Ἡλεὶ, εἰ ἐξιλάσεται ἁμαρτία οἴκου Ἡλεὶ, ἢ ἐν θυμιάμασιν, ἢ ἐν θυσίαις, ἕως αἰῶνος. Οὐκ εἶπε, φησὶν, Ὤμοσα τῷ Ἡλεί· οὐδ᾽, ὅτι Οὐκ ἐξιλάσεται ἁμαρτία Ἡλεὶ (ἤρκεσε γὰρ αὐτῷ ἴσως πρὸς σωφρονισμὸν ταύτης μόνης τῆς ἀμελείας · τὰ γὰρ ἄλλα ἦν θαυμαστός· τὰ τῇδε αὐτῷ συμβεβηκότα ἀνιαρὰ) ἀλλὰ ᾿Οἴκῳ Ἡλεί· ἀντὶ τοῦ, πάντως τοὺς ἡμαρτηκότας ἀπολέσθαι χρή. Εἰ δὲ, ἐπειδὴ μετέστησεν εἰς ἑτέραν συγγένειαν τὴν ἱερωσύνην, λέγοι τις · Εἶπεν ὁ ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τὴν ἀπολογίαν ἀναδεξάμενος, ὅτι εἰκότως. Τοὺς γὰρ ἐκ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ τῶν ἡμαρτηκότων, καὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ τοῦ γεννήτορος καταπεφρονηκότων τεχθέντας, οὐκ ἔτι ἐχρῆν ἱερᾶσθαι.","t":"To Heraclides the presbyter. I think that the one who admonishes must not strike, revile or come to blows, but only rebuke with frankness, neither ashamed nor afraid. If you doubt it, I shall read you the divine oracles. For what did God say to Ezekiel? \"And if you warn the lawless man, and the lawless man does not turn from his lawlessness, he shall die in his lawlessness, but you will have delivered your soul.\" For if you keep silent and do not speak frankly, he says, you share his punishment; for I have said beforehand: \"If you do not warn him, I will require his blood at your hand.\" But by contributing your own part you are freed from condemnation. For him the punishment will be more grievous, since he did not accept even your admonition; but you, having done what was commanded, will be free of account. For the teacher's only task is to teach, offering a blameless life, in no way respecting the reputation of those who sin. Whether to act or not depends on the will of those taught, free will being preserved for everyone everywhere. And if you say, \"How then did Paul shut out the man who had committed sexual immorality?\", you say more than I want; for he did not strike or insult him, but separated him from the flock, so that the plague might not spread to the other sheep. And if again you say, \"How then did Eli, who admonished and did not succeed, pay the penalty?\", I would say that with children and priests one must with all one's strength both proceed against them, bar them from the sacred service, put them out of sight and depose them, especially when the insult passes over to God. That is why he gave offence; for he ought not to have loved his children beyond what was right, but to have defended the divine laws when they were insulted. Once someone who wished to defend him said that he clearly did not pay as great a penalty as his sons; for they, when divine wrath rose up, died shamefully and pitiably in war, while he died in the city after a ripe old age. And the sentence itself, if one examines the divine syllables carefully, appears to have been decreed not against him but against his house: \"For I have sworn,\" he says, \"to the house of Eli, that the sin of the house of Eli shall not be atoned for by incense or by sacrifices for ever.\" He did not say, he says, \"I have sworn to Eli,\" nor \"the sin of Eli shall not be atoned\" (for perhaps what happened to him here, grievous as it was, was enough to correct this one negligence, since in other respects he was admirable), but \"to the house of Eli\"; that is, those who sinned must certainly perish. And if someone says this because he transferred the priesthood to another family, the one who undertook his defence said that it was rightly done; for those born of his sons, who had sinned and despised both God and their father, ought no longer to serve as priests.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.290 (PG 78 78:1503; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-290)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.291":{"o":"ΗΛΙΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤὴν ἀκόλαστον ὄψιν, τὴν τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις κάλλεσιν ἑστιῶσαν ἑαυτὴν, κολάσειν εἰκότως ἠπείλησεν ὁ Σωτήρ, πραγμάτων ἡμᾶς ἀπαλλάττων καὶ ἀμηχανίας πολλῆς · ἵνα μὴ τὸ κάλλος διὰ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν εἰσρυὲν τὸν νοῦν καταδουλώσηται· καὶ τὰ καίρια τῆς ψυχῆς προκαταλαβὸν, τὸν λογισμὸν πείσῃ τῷ πάθει παραχωρῆσαι· οὗ κρατηθέντος, δυσίατον, ἵνα μὴ λέγω ἀνίατον, γίνεται τὸ κακόν. Φυλάττου τοίνυν, ὅπως μὴ τὸ τυραννικὸν πάθος τῆς ἡδονῆς χειρωσάμενον τὴν ψυχὴν, ἀδύνατον μὲν οὐδαμῶς, δύσκολον δὲ αὐτῆς κατασκευάσῃ τὴν θεραπείαν.","t":"To Elias the deacon. The Saviour rightly threatened to punish the licentious look that feasts itself on others' beauty, freeing us from trouble and much helplessness, so that beauty, flowing in through the eyes, may not enslave the mind, and, seizing beforehand the vital parts of the soul, persuade reason to give way to the passion; once reason is overpowered, the evil becomes hard to cure, not to say incurable. Be on guard, then, lest the tyrannical passion of pleasure overpower the soul and make its cure, though by no means impossible, difficult.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.291 (PG 78 78:1505; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-291)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.292":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ δὲ πάντες εἰώθασιν ἐν ταῖς ἀσπόνδοις συμφοραῖς προτιμότερον ἄγειν τὸ τυχεῖν ὧν αὐτοὶ βούλονται, ἢ τὸ τοὺς πολεμίους ὧν ὀρέγονται διαμαρτεῖν· ἀλλ᾿ ἡμεῖς οἱ τοῦ Χριστοῦ σεμνυνόμενοι εἶναι μαθηταὶ, μὴ τὸ ἑαυτῶν συμφέρον μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν πρὸς ἡμᾶς διαφερομένων ζητῶμεν. Ἐν γὰρ τῷ συμφέροντι τῶν πέλας (εἰ καὶ παράδοξον τὸ λεχθησόμενον) καὶ τὸ ἡμέτερον συμπεριέχεται.","t":"To the same. Even if everyone, in truceless quarrels, usually prefers getting what they want themselves to their enemies' failing to get what they desire, let us who pride ourselves on being disciples of Christ seek not only our own advantage but also that of those at odds with us. For in our neighbours' advantage (paradoxical as this may sound) ours too is included.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.292 (PG 78 78:1507; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-292)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.293":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ πολλὰ, ὡς ἔφης, ῥήματα τῶν ἱερῶν λογίων πρὸς ὅπερ ἄν τις θέλῃ παρακρουόμενος, ἕλκειν καὶ βιάζεσθαι ῥᾴδιόν ἐστιν· ἀλλ᾽ ἡ ἀλήθεια πάντων τῶν κακούργως αὐτὰ ἢ παραποιῆσαι, ἢ παρερμηνεῦσαι τολμησάντων καὶ περιγέγονε, καὶ περιγίνεται, καὶ περιέσται.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. Even if, as you said, it is easy for one who deceives to drag and force many words of the sacred oracles to whatever he wishes, the truth has prevailed, prevails and will prevail over all who have dared maliciously to falsify or misinterpret them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.293 (PG 78 78:1507; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-293)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.294":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΑγνοεῖς, ὡς ἔοικεν, ὅτι ταῖς ὑπεροχαῖς τῶν πράξεων ἐπισυμβαίνειν εἴωθεν ὁ φθόνος· καὶ τοῦτον οὐκ ἔστιν ἐκφυγεῖν τοὺς λαμπρῶς ἀνακηρυττομένους, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἔοικας τεθορυβῆσθαι. Τοῦτο οὖν μαθὼν, ἀπαλλάγηθι τοῦ θορύβου· ἄμεινον γὰρ ἀρετὴν μετιόντας κακηγορεῖσθαι παρὰ τῶν μηδένα εἶναι βουλομένων εὐδόκιμον, ἢ κακίαν ἀσπαζομένους κροτεῖσθαι παρὰ τῶν τὴν ὀρθὴν τῶν πραγμάτων κρίσιν μὴ κεκτημένων. ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ. Εἰ μὲν πάντες οἱ ταῖς Γραφαῖς ὡμιληκότες, πρὸς τὴν ἐκείνων εἰσήγησιν κατεστήσαντο τὸν βίον, εἶχέ σού τινα λόγον ὁ λόγος · εἰ δὲ πολλοὶ οὓς οἶδα ἐγὼ, ἴσως δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς, τὰς παραινέσεις ᾄδοντες, ἐν μέσῳ ἐκθειάζοντες, πᾶν τοὐναντίον λάθρα τολμῶσιν, οὐ διὰ τοῦτο τὰς Γραφὰς γραψόμεθα. Ἔφησαν μὴ ἀδικεῖν, καὶ πολλοὶ ἀδικοῦσι. Τί τοῦτο πρὸς αὐτάς; Ἔγραψα ἐγὼ Ζωσίμῳ ἀποστῆναι τῆς ἀσελγείας· αὐτὸς δὲ πλέον ἐγκαλινδεῖται τῷ βορβόρῳ· τἱ τοῦτο πρὸς ἐμέ; Οὐδὲν πλὴν εἰ μὴ τὴν ἀθυμίαν εἴποι τις ἄν.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. You do not know, it seems, that envy usually comes upon eminent deeds, and those brilliantly proclaimed cannot escape it; that is why you seem to be troubled. Having learned this, then, be rid of your trouble; for it is better to be slandered while pursuing virtue by those who want no one to be esteemed, than to be applauded while embracing vice by those who have no right judgement of things. [Letter 5.295] To Ischyrion. If all who are conversant with the Scriptures had ordered their life by their teaching, your argument would have had some reason; but if many, whom I know and perhaps you too, sing the exhortations and extol them in public, while daring the very opposite in secret, we shall not for this reason indict the Scriptures. They said not to do wrong, and many do wrong. What has that to do with them? I wrote to Zosimus to give up his licentiousness, and he wallows the more in the mire. What has that to do with me? Nothing, unless one were to mention my despondency.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.294 (PG 78 78:1507; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-294)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.296":{"o":"ΑΛΦΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΛίαν θαυμάζω, ὅπως οὐ τοῖς αὐτοῖς χαίρουσι πάντες ἄνθρωποι· ἀλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν συγγινωσκόμενοι ἐφ' οἷς πταίουσιν, εἰς ἀρετὴν, οἱ δὲ εἰς κακίαν παιδοτριβοῦνται· καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἡ χρηστότης σωτήριον εὑρίσκεται βοήθημα, τοῖς δὲ ὀλέθριον δηλητήριον · τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ῥώννυσι, τοὺς δὲ ἐκλύει· τοὺς μὲν δυσωπεῖ, τῶν δὲ καὶ τὸ ἐρυθριᾷν προσαφαιρεῖται. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οὐδὲ τῷ, παραπόδας ἀπαιτεῖσθαι δίκας, πάντες ὁμοίως ὠφελοῦνται. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὡς ἀπάνθρωπον τοῦτο αἰτιῶνται· οἱ δὲ φόβῳ μὲν, οὐ πόθῳ δὲ, τῶν κακῶν ἀπέχονται. Καὶ οἱ μὲν φιλονεικοῦντες τῇ δίκῃ, ἀδικεῖν πειρῶνται· οἱ δὲ παθεῖν φεύγοντες, οὐ δρῶσιν ἃ δρᾶν ἐθέλωσιν· ἀμείνους μὲν ὄντες τῶν μηδὲ φόβῳ σωφρονιζομένων, καταδεέστεροι δὲ τῶν πόθῳ εὐδοκιμούντων, πλέον ἢ ὅσον αὐτοὶ ἀμείνους εἰσὶ τῶν μηδὲ τὴν δίκην δεδοικότων. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τὴν τιμωρίαν, οἱ δὲ τὴν σωτηρίαν φεύγουσι· καὶ οἱ μὲν τὸ μὴ δοῦναι δίκην, οἱ δὲ τὸ δοῦναι διώκουσιν. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν τί ποιητέον ἔφης ἐν τοσαύτῃ συγχύσει, ἀκριβῶς μὲν οὐκ ἔχω λέγειν. Ὁ γὰρ τὰς καρδίας ἐμβατεύων οἶδε · πλὴν ὡς, ἔγωγε οἶμαι, χρὴ ἐπὶ μὲν τοῖς μικροῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν, εἰ μὲν λανθάνοντες βελτιοῦνται, μηδὲ εἰδέναι προσποιεῖσθαι· εἰ δὲ εἰς τὸ χεῖρον τρέπονται, μετὰ τὸν ἔλεγχον καὶ τὴν μετρίαν ἐπιτίμησιν, συγγνώμην νέμειν, ἐπὶ δὲ τοῖς μεγάλοις ταύτην ταμιεύεσθαι, καὶ σωφρονίζειν τοὺς πταίοντας, καὶ χωρισμῷ καὶ ἐπιτιμίᾳ, ἕως ἂν μετανοήσωσι, καὶ τότε προσίεσθαι.","t":"To Alphius the bishop. I greatly wonder how not all people take pleasure in the same things. Some, when pardoned for their faults, are trained to virtue, others to wickedness; for some kindness proves a saving remedy, for others a deadly poison; it strengthens some and slackens others; it shames some and takes from others even the ability to blush. Nor are all benefited alike by penalties exacted on the spot. Some blame this as inhuman; others abstain from evil from fear, not from longing. Some, contending with justice, try to do wrong; others, fleeing suffering, do not do what they would like to do; they are better than those not brought to their senses even by fear, but inferior to those esteemed for longing for the good, by more than they are better than those who do not even fear justice. For the one flee punishment, the others salvation; the one pursue not paying the penalty, the others paying it. Since, then, you asked what must be done in such confusion, I cannot say exactly, for he who searches hearts knows. But, as I think, with small sins, if people improve unnoticed, one should not even let on that one knows; if they turn to worse, after rebuke and moderate reproof, grant pardon. But with great sins one should hold pardon in reserve and correct the offenders with separation and penance until they repent, and then receive them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.296 (PG 78 78:1509; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-296)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.297":{"o":"ΙΩΣΗΦ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ μὲν τὸ τῶν ἄλλων οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως προκεκρίσθαι, καὶ εἰς ἱερωσύνην κατατετάχθαι, ἐφύσησέ σε, καὶ μέγα φρονεῖν παρεσκεύασεν, ὡς μηδὲ τοὺς ἐν τοῖς ὑπηκόοις τελοῦντας μὲν, εὐδοκιμοῦντας δὲ ζηλοῦν, ἐλεῶ σε τῆς ἀνοίας. Εἰ δὲ οὐκ ἀξιοῖς πρὸς ἐλάττους ὁρᾶν, καὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸ δεινότατον· εἰ τῶν τοσοῦτον, ὡς οἴει, λειπομένων τῇ ἀξίᾳ χείρων ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις φανείης· καὶ ὧν κρατεῖν͵ οὐδὲν ἡγῇ θαυμαστὸν, τούτων ἡττᾶσθαι δόξεις. Καὶ μὴν εἰ κἀκείνων ῥαθυμίας ἔπνει ὁ βίος, σὲ οὐκ ἔδει τὴν περὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐπιμέλειαν προέσθαι. Τὸ γὰρ μέσον πρὸς ἐκείνους σοι οὐκ ὀλίγον ὑπάρχον ἀφῃρεῖτο τὴν συγγνώμην. Εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖνοι μὲν λαμπρότεροι καὶ εὐδοκιμώτεροί εἰσιν, καίτοι τὸν ἡγησόμενον οὐκ ἔχοντες, σὺ δὲ (ἀλλ' οὐδὲν βούλομαι δυσχερὲς εἰπεῖν) θέα ποῖ τελευτᾷ τὸ κακόν. Μὴ νόμιζε τῷ ἀσκεῖν ἀρετὴν, τὰς διαβολὰς διακρούεσθαι· μάλιστα γὰρ οἱ τοιοῦτοι ἐπιβουλεύονται παρὰ τῶν τιμὴν μὲν οὐκ ἐχόντων, διὰ τὸ μὴ ἀσκεῖν ἀρετὴν, τοῖς δὲ ἀπ᾿ ἀρετῆς τιμωμένοις φθονούντων. ῎Αμεινον τοίνυν ἀσκοῦντας, γενναίως φέρειν τὰς τῶν βασκάνων κακοηθείας, ἢ τὸ φθονεῖσθαι παραιτουμένους ἀρετῆς ἀφίστασθαι.","t":"To Joseph the presbyter. If having somehow been preferred to others and appointed to the priesthood has puffed you up and made you think so highly of yourself that you do not emulate even those who are counted among the subjects yet are esteemed, I pity your folly. And if you do not deign to look at lesser men, this itself is most terrible, if you appear worse in deeds than those who, as you think, fall so far short of you in rank, and seem to be defeated by those whom you think it nothing remarkable to surpass. And indeed, even if their life breathed indolence, you ought not to have abandoned the care of virtue; for the great distance between you and them took away your excuse. But if they are more brilliant and esteemed, though they have no one to lead them, while you (but I do not want to say anything harsh), see where the evil ends. [Letter 5.298] Do not think that by practising virtue you will beat off slanders; for such people are plotted against most of all by those who have no honour, because they do not practise virtue, and envy those honoured for virtue. It is better, then, for those who practise it to bear nobly the malice of the envious than, refusing to be envied, to depart from virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.297 (PG 78 78:1509; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-297)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.299":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΘαυμάζω, πῶς τὸν Παῦλον θαυμάζοντές τινες τῶν νῦν τὸν διδασκαλικὸν θρόνον ἐπανῃρημένων, δι᾽ ὧν θαυμαστὸς ἐγένετο ἐκεῖνος οὐκ ἐξετάσουσιν. Ἐκεῖνος γὰρ (ἵνα τὰ σημεῖα παρῶ, καὶ τὰς νηστείας, καὶ τὰς ἀγρυπνίας καὶ φροντίδας, καὶ τὸν πεπυρωμένον ζῆλον· ὅτι τε τοῖς ἀσθενέσι συνησθένει, καὶ ἄλλων σκανδαλιζομένων αὐτὸς ἐπυροῦτο), ἀφ᾿ ἧς πεποίηται δημηγορίας πρὸς τοὺς φοιτητὰς, λαμπρὸς εἰκότως καὶ περίβλεπτος ἀπεφάνθη. Ἔφη γὰρ, « Αργυρίου, ἢ χρυσίου, ἢ ἱματισμοῦ, οὐδενὸς ὑμῶν ἐπεθύμησα· αὐτοὶ γινώσκετε, ὅτι ταῖς χρείαις μου, καὶ τοῖς οὖσι μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ ὑπηρέτησαν αἱ χεῖρες αὗται. » Οὗτοι δὲ ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲν βούλομαι δυσχερὲς εἰπεῖν) οὐκ ἐρυθριῶσιν ἑαυτοὺς τοιούτῳ παραβάλλοντες ἀνδρὶ, καὶ φάσκοντες ἐκείνου εἶναι διάδοχοι. ᾿Αλλ' οὐ λανθάνουσι, διὰ τοῦτο ἐκεῖνον θαυμάζοντες, οὐχ ἵνα μιμήσωνται, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα θείου ἀνδρὸς διάδοχοι νομισθέντες τιμηθῶσιν, οὐκ ἀφ᾿ ὧν αὐτοὶ πράττουσιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀφ᾽ ὧν ἐκεῖνος πράξας θαυμάζεται.","t":"To Herminus the count. I wonder how some of those who have now mounted the teacher's throne admire Paul but do not examine the things by which he became admirable. For he (to pass over the signs, the fasts, the vigils and cares, and the burning zeal; that he was weak with the weak and burned when others were made to stumble) was rightly shown brilliant and conspicuous by the address he made to his disciples. For he said: \"I coveted no one's silver or gold or clothing; you yourselves know that these hands ministered to my needs and to those who were with me.\" But these men (I do not want to say anything harsh) do not blush to compare themselves with such a man and to say they are his successors. But they do not escape notice: they admire him for this reason, not to imitate him, but to be honoured as successors of a divine man, not for what they themselves do, but for what he did and is admired for.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.299 (PG 78 78:1511; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-299)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.3":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΕἰ ὁ πλοῦτος, καὶ τὸ κάλλος, καὶ ἡ ῥώμη, καὶ ἡ δόξα, καὶ ἡ δυναστεία, καὶ πάντα τὰ δοκοῦντα εἶναι καλά, θᾶττον μαραίνεται, καὶ καπνοῦ δίκην διαλύεται· τίς οὗτος ἀνόητος, ὡς ἐφ᾿ ἑνὶ τῶν εἰρημένων ἐναβρύνεσθαι καὶ μέγα φρονεῖν; Τοῦ γὰρ πάντα ὁμοῦ ταῦτ' ἔχοντος γυμνουμένου καὶ ἐρήμου γιγνομένου, ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε μὲν καὶ ζῶντος πάντως καὶ τεθνεῶτος· ὁ μὴ πάντα ἔχων ὁμοῦ (οὐδὲ γὰρ πάντα οἷόν τε συνελθεῖν πῶς οὐ γέλωτα ὀφλήσει σεμνυνόμενος ἐπὶ σκιαῖς καὶ ὀνείρασι καὶ ἀτρανώτοις φαντασίαις;","t":"To Paul. If wealth, beauty, strength, glory, power, and all the things that seem to be good wither quickly and dissolve like smoke, who is so foolish as to pride himself and think highly of himself on account of any one of them? For since the one who has all of them together is stripped and left bare, sometimes even while alive, and certainly when dead, how will the one who does not have them all together (for it is not possible for all to come together) not incur ridicule, priding himself on shadows, dreams and indistinct fancies?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.3 (PG 78 78:1327; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-3)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.300":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ τῷ Παύλῳ παραχωροῦσι διὰ τὸ εἰρηκέναι τὸν Σωτῆρα, « Σκεῦος ἐκλογῆς μοί ἐστιν οὗτος·, τί φαῖεν καὶ περὶ τοῦ Σαμουήλ, τοῦ ἐν χρόνοις πολιτευσαμένου μηδὲ τελείαν ἀπαιτοῦσιν ἀρετήν; Καὶ γὰρ κἀκεῖνος τοῖς ὑπηκόοις τὴν περὶ αὐτοῦ ψῆφον ἐπιτρέψας, καὶ προκαλεσάμενος τὸν βουλόμενον ἐλέγξαι, εἰ ἐπιθυμήσας τινὸς ὡς ἄρχων ἠδίκησε τοὺς ἀρχομένους, ὑπ᾽ οὐδενὸς ἐνεκλήθη, οὔτε ἑάλω, ἐφ' οἶσπερ συνεχῶς οὗτοι ἁλίσκονται.","t":"To the same. If they yield to Paul because the Saviour said, \"This man is a chosen vessel of mine,\" what would they say about Samuel, who lived in times that did not demand perfect virtue? For he too entrusted the verdict about himself to his subjects and challenged anyone who wished to prove whether he had coveted anything as ruler and wronged the governed; and he was charged by no one, nor convicted of the things in which these men are continually caught.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.300 (PG 78 78:1511; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-300)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.301":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΕἰ οἰκονόμος εἴρηται παρὰ τὸ ἑκάστῳ τὸ οἰκεῖον νέμειν, ἢ παρὰ τὸ ἑκάστῳ τῶν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ τὸ πρὸς ἀξίαν νέμειν · εἰκότως θαυμάζεις, πῶς Εὐσέβιος μηδὲν τοιοῦτο διαπραττόμενος, ἀλλὰ καὶ δημοβόρος ὢν, ἔτι καὶ δημηγορεῖν τολμᾷ, τὰ μὲν τῶν πενήτων σφετεριζόμενος, στόμα δὲ ἀνοῖξαι ἐπιχειρῶν ὑπὸ τῶν Γραφῶν κεκλεισμένον. \"Ωσπερ ἡ ἀνωμαλία ἡ ἐν τῷδε τῷ βίῳ χορεύουσα τῆς ἰσότητος εἶναι δοκεῖ διαφορὰ οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι αἰῶνι ἀνισότης. Οὐ γὰρ πάντες τῶν αὐτῶν ἀπολαύσονται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ δίκαιον τοῖς μὴ τὸ ἴσον πεποιηκόσι τὸ ἴσον ἀπονεμηθῆναι· ἰσότητός ἐστι καὶ δικαιοσύνης ἀπόδειξις. Ἀλλ᾿ ἡ μὲν ἐνταῦθα ἀνωμαλία μελέτης καὶ γυμνασίας ἕνεκα συγκεχώρηται· ἡ δὲ ἐκεῖθεν, δικαιοσύνης ἕνεκεν καὶ εὐδοκιμήσεως γενήσεται.","t":"To Hierax, a most illustrious man. If \"steward\" (oikonomos) is said from distributing to each what is his own, or from distributing to each of those in the house according to his worth, you rightly wonder how Eusebius, who does nothing of the kind but is even a devourer of the people, still dares to preach, appropriating the goods of the poor and trying to open a mouth that the Scriptures have shut. [Letter 5.302] Just as the unevenness that dances in this life seems to be a departure from equality, so too is the inequality in the age to come. For not all will enjoy the same things; for it is not just that those who have not done equally should be allotted equally; this is the proof of equality and justice. But the unevenness here has been permitted for the sake of practice and exercise; that there will come about for the sake of justice and good repute.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.301 (PG 78 78:1511; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-301)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.303":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nἘν ταῖς πρὸς τὸ Θεῖον εὐχαριστίαις χρὴ πάντας συνεισενεγκεῖν ὅ ἔχομεν, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἔχομεν ἃ χρεωστοῦμεν· τί γὰρ καὶ προσενέγκοιμεν ἄξιον τῷ πάσης ἀμοιβῆς κρείττονι;","t":"To Paul. In thanksgiving to God we must all contribute what we have, since we do not have what we owe; for what worthy thing could we offer to him who is above all recompense?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.303 (PG 78 78:1513; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-303)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.304":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\nΤὸ ἄδοξα πράττοντα, ἔνδοξον δοκεῖν εἶναι, πολλοῖς μὲν εὐκταῖον, σοφοῖς δὲ οὐκ ἐράσμιον. Ἡ γὰρ ἔξωθεν δόξα τὴν ἔνδον ἀδοξίαν νευροῖ· καὶ τὸ δοκεῖν ὑγιαίνειν τοῦ ὄντως ὑγιαίνειν φαντασίαν ἐμποιοῦν, οὐδὲ θεραπείαν προσίεσθαι συγχωρεί. Ὥσπερ εἴγε χρὴ ὅλως ἐναβρύνεσθαι, οὐκ ἐπὶ τῷ πράττειν ἁπλῶς ἃ μὴ δεῖ χρὴ σεμνύνεσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τῷ πράττειν ἃ χρή· ἔστι γὰρ ἀπραξία πράξεως αἱρετωτέρα. Οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ ἀδοξεῖν ἁπλῶς οὐ χρὴ λυπεῖσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τῷ δικαίως ἀδοξεῖν· ἔστι γὰρ ἀδοξία δόξης ἀσφαλεστέρα.","t":"To Peter. To seem glorious while doing inglorious things is desirable to many, but not lovely to the wise. For outward glory strengthens the inward ingloriousness; and seeming to be healthy, producing an illusion of being truly healthy, does not allow one even to accept treatment. [Letter 5.305] Just as, if one must take pride at all, one should take pride not simply in acting, but in doing what one must (for inaction is preferable to action that is wrong), so too one should not grieve simply at being without glory, but at being justly without glory; for ingloriousness is safer than glory.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.304 (PG 78 78:1513; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-304)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.306":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΩ.\nἩ τρυφή, ἡ πάσης ἀκολασίας καὶ μήτηρ καὶ τροφὸς, ὅταν τραπέζῃ πληθούσῃ, καὶ παντοίοις ὄψοις καὶ ἡδύσμασι κομώσῃ, τὴν μὲν γεῦσιν τῶν ὁρώντων πρὸς ἐπιθυμίαν κινήσῃ, τὸν δὲ νοῦν τῶν χρωμένων ἐπιβρίθουσα χρήσασθαί τινα ἀναπείσῃ, τὸ τηνικαῦτα ναυάγιον αὐτῷ προξενεῖ, εἰς τὸν βυθὸν τῶν παθῶν καταποντίσασα· φυλάττου τοίνυν ταύτην, καὶ τὴν αὐτάρκειαν τίμα · εὖ εἰδὼς, ὅτι οὔτε τὸ αἰσχρὸν οἷόν τε ἀγαθὸν γενέσθαι τῇ τῶν πραττόντων συμφωνίᾳ κοσμούμενον, κἂν πάντες ῥήτορες καὶ σοφισταὶ συναγωνίζωνται· οὔτε τὸ καλὸν μεταπεσεῖται εἰς τοὐναντίον, κἂν εἷς μόνος, μᾶλλον δὲ μηδ' εἷς φαίνηται τούτου ἐραστής. Παρεὶς τοίνυν τὴν τῶν πολλῶν ψῆφον, αὐτῆς ἔχου τῆς ἀρετῆς· καὶ πάντα μὲν ποίει, καὶ μυρίοις ὀφθαλμοῖς τὰ κατὰ σαυτὸν περισκόπει, ὅπως μηδεμία παρὰ σοῦ τοῖς πέλας ἐπιφύηται βλάβη, τῷ πᾶσαν σκανδάλου ῥίζαν ἐκτέμνειν. Εἰ δὲ οὕτω σου διακειμένου, τινὲς τῶν μηδὲν μὲν ἀγαθὸν πραττόντων, τοῖς δὲ πράττουσι φθονούντων κατηγορῶσι μὴ δίδου σαυτὸν ἔκδοτον τῇ ἀθυμίᾳ· ἀλλὰ καὶ ταύτην γενναίως ἔνεγκον τοῦ ἐχθροῦ τὴν προσβολὴν, ἐννοῶν, ὅτι οὐκ ἂν ταύτῃ χρήσαιτο τῇ μηχανῇ πρὸς τὸ καταβαλεῖν σου τὴν πεπυργωμένην πολιτείαν, εἰ μὴ ἄκρως αὐτοῦ καθάψαιτο τῆς σῆς εὐδοκιμήσεως τὸ κλέος.","t":"To Theodosius. Luxury, the mother and nurse of all licentiousness, when with a full table abounding in all kinds of dishes and seasonings it moves the taste of the onlookers to desire, and, weighing down the mind of the users, persuades someone to partake, then procures him a shipwreck, sinking him into the depth of the passions. Guard against it, then, and honour sufficiency, knowing well that what is shameful cannot become good by being adorned with the agreement of those who do it, even if all orators and sophists fight on its side; nor will the good change into its opposite, even if only one person, or rather not even one, appears as its lover. Leaving aside the vote of the many, then, hold fast to virtue itself; do everything, and watch over your affairs with countless eyes, so that no harm may grow from you to your neighbours, by cutting out every root of scandal. And if, while you are so disposed, some who do nothing good themselves but envy those who do accuse you, do not give yourself up to despondency, but bear nobly this assault of the enemy too, considering that he would not use this device to bring down your towering way of life unless the fame of your good repute had touched him to the quick.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.306 (PG 78 78:1513; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-306)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.307":{"o":"ΕΥΑΓΓΕΛΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ οὐ ῥάδιον περιοφθέντα καιρὸν ἀνακαλέσασθαι (ὀξυτάτῃ γὰρ φορᾷ χρώμενος οὐκ ἐᾷ ἀναδραμεῖν τοὺς πταίσαντας ἐπὶ τὴν τῶν ἁμαρτηθέντων ἐπανόρθωσιν)· ἀλλά γε ἡ θεία φιλανθρωπία καὶ λόγων καὶ νόμων καὶ χρόνων κρείττων τυγχάνουσα τοὺς μεταγινώσκοντας προσίεται, καὶ τῇ ἐκείνων προθυμίᾳ τὴν οἰκείαν ἀγαθότητα ἐγκαταμίξασα, καὶ τῷ βραχεῖ χρόνῳ τὸ εὔτονον τῆς μετανοίας κεράσασα, θεραπείαν ὀρέγει τοῖς πταίσασιν.","t":"To Evangelus. Even if it is not easy to recall a moment that has been neglected (for, moving with the swiftest course, it does not let those who have failed run back to set right their sins), yet the divine love for mankind, which is stronger than words, laws and times, receives those who repent, and, mixing its own goodness with their eagerness and blending the vigour of repentance with the short time, offers healing to those who have failed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.307 (PG 78 78:1515; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-307)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.308":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΟἱ τοὺς θείους ἢ παραποιῆσαι, ἢ παρερμηνεῦσαι χρησμοὺς τολμήσαντες, πάσης ἀπολογίας καὶ συγγνώμης ἔπταισαν μείζονα· τῷ γὰρ νομίζειν σοφώτερόν τι ἐπινενοηκέναι καὶ ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τοὺς πεισθέντας εἰς τὸ τῆς ἀμαθίας ἔῤῥιψαν πέλαγος. Πολλὰς γὰρ ῥήσεις τῶν ἱερῶν λογίων παρακρουόμενοι, τοὺς ἀκούοντας ἑλκύσαντες πρὸς ὅπερ ἠθέλησαν, καὶ βιασάμενοι, τοῦ βουλήματος τοῦ νομοθέτου διήμαρτον · οὐ τὰ ἐκείνῳ δόξαντα φράσαντες, ἀλλὰ τὰς ἑαυτῶν βουλήσεις κυρώσαντες.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. Those who have dared to falsify or misinterpret the divine oracles have sinned beyond all defence and pardon. For by thinking they had devised something wiser, they have thrown both themselves and those they persuaded into the sea of ignorance. For deceiving with many sayings of the sacred oracles, dragging their hearers to whatever they wished and forcing them, they have missed the intention of the lawgiver, not saying what seemed good to him but ratifying their own wishes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.308 (PG 78 78:1515; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-308)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.309":{"o":"ΑΡΑΒΙΑΝΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΧρὴ τὸν παραίνεσιν γράφοντα, ἅτε λαμπρᾶς ἁπτόμενον ὑποθέσεως (οὐδὲν γὰρ λαμπρότερον τοῦ ψυχὴν πεπλανημένην ἐπαναγαγεῖν εἰς τὴν τῆς ἀληθείας ὁδὸν) πλεονάζειν μὲν τῷ λόγῳ, ὅπου διατρίβειν συμφέρει· παραδηλοῦν δὲ μόνον, ἔνθα τούτου εἴη καιρός· καὶ μεθοδεύειν μὲν, ὅπου μεταχειρήσεως χρεία· διαῤῥήδην δὲ λέγειν, ὅσα σαφῶς ῥηθῆναι πρεπωδέστατον. Μόλις γὰρ ταύταις ταῖς ἀρεταῖς τοῦ λόγου χρώμενος δυνηθείη ψυχὴν ὑπὸ τῶν παθῶν βεβαπτισμένην ἀνιμήσασθαι.","t":"To Arabianus the bishop. One who writes an exhortation, since he is touching a brilliant subject (for nothing is more brilliant than bringing back a wandering soul to the way of truth), must be ample in words where it is profitable to linger, only hint where that is timely, proceed by method where handling is needed, and speak plainly what is most fitting to be said clearly. For only by using these virtues of speech could he draw up a soul drowned by the passions.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.309 (PG 78 78:1515; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-309)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.31":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠολλοὶ μέν φασιν, ὅτι οὐκ ὀρθῶς βιῶν, ἀλλὰ περιστέλλειν βουλόμενος τὰ ἑαυτοῦ πταίσματα, τὴν τοῦ φιλομαθὴς εἶναι δόξαν θηρώμενος, ἀκολουθεῖς τοῖς σοφοῖς· ἐγὼ δὲ τοῦτο μὲν οὐ φήσαιμι, ἀλλὰ τῇ πείρᾳ μαθὼν, ὅτι οὐ διὰ τὸ εἰδέναι τὰ τῆς Γραφῆς ἄδυτα ἐρευνᾷν προσποιῇ, ἀλλὰ δόξαν παρὰ ἀνθρώπων μνώμενος· οὐκ ἀποκρινοῦμαί σοι, θείῳ πειθόμενος χρησμῷ παρακελευομένῳ μὴ διδόναι τὰ ἅγια τοῖς κυσὶ, μηδὲ ῥίπτειν τοὺς μαργαρίτας ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. Many say that, because you do not live rightly but wish to cover up your own failings, you follow the wise, hunting for a reputation for love of learning. I would not say that; but having learned by experience that you pretend to search out the hidden sanctuaries of Scripture not for the sake of knowing them but courting glory from men, I shall not answer you, obeying the divine oracle that bids us not give what is holy to the dogs nor throw pearls before swine.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.31 (PG 78 78:1345; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-31)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.310":{"o":"ΣΥΜΜΑΧΙΟ.\nὩς φὴς, εἰ τῶν μὲν καθ' ἡμᾶς ἡ μεταβολὴ κυρία, τὰ δὲ οὐράνια μεταβολῆς τυγχάνει κρείττονα· δι' ἣν αἰτίαν, ὦ σοφώτατε, μὴ τῶν μὲν καταφρονεῖς, τῶν δὲ ἐκθύμως περιέχῃ, καὶ βεβαιοῖς τοῖς ἔργοις τοὺς λόγους;","t":"To Symmachius. If, as you say, change is master of our affairs, while heavenly things are above change, for what reason, most wise man, do you not despise the one and cling passionately to the other, and confirm your words by deeds?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.310 (PG 78 78:1515; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-310)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.311":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΩ, ΜΑΓΩΝΙ,\nΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΩ. Ἴσθε, ὡς ἄνθρωπος ἀλήθειαν μὲν ἀεὶ πρεσβεύων, κακηγορίαν δὲ ἀποστρεφόμενος, ὃν οὐδὲ παραγράψασθαί τις δυνηθείη, τὴν ὑμετέραν πρώην ἐξεκωμῴδει φαυλότητα, λέγων· ὅτι ἐκείνους κακία μὲν ὤδινε, πονηροὶ δὲ καὶ ἀτίθασσοι ἐτιθηνήσαντο δαίμονες. Πᾶσι γὰρ ἀγαθοῖς ἀπεχθάνονται καὶ ἀνθρώποις καὶ πράγμασι. Λυπηρὸν δὲ ἄπαν νομίζουσιν, ὁπόσον ἀρετῆς δόξαν ἡνέγκατο. Κατὰ μὲν γὰρ τῶν εὐσεβῶν νεανιεύονται, κατὰ δὲ τῶν σπουδαίων κωμάζουσιν, ὑβρισταὶ ὄντες καὶ ἀτάσθαλοι, καὶ κόρον τῶν κακῶν οὐκ εἰδότες. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἀκούων, οὔτε ἐπιστομίσαι αὐτὸν ἡδυνάμην (πάντες γὰρ οἱ παρόντες ὡς ἀληθῆ αὐτὸν ἐκρότουν), οὔτε παντελῆ σιωπὴν ἤσκησα. ᾿Αλλ᾽ εἰπὼν αὐτῷ, πιστεύω καὶ παλινῳδίας ἄσειν οὐ γὰρ οὕτως εἰσὶν ἀνάλγητοι, ὡς ἐλέσθαι τοσούτοις ἐμπαρῆναι μέχρι τέλους κακοῖς ἐπὶ τὸ χαράξαι τὰ γράμματα ταῦτα παρῆλθον. Ὑμεῖς οὖν ἂν εἴητε δίκαιοι ἤδη σκέψασθαι περὶ ἑαυτῶν, ὅπως, εἰ καὶ τῆς κρίσεως ὑμῖν λόγος οὐδεὶς, τὴν τοιαύτην ἀδοξίαν ἀποτρίψησθε.","t":"To Martinianus, Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius. Know that a man who always honours truth and turns away from slander, whom no one could object to, recently ridiculed your worthlessness, saying: \"Wickedness gave birth to them, and evil and untamed demons nursed them. For they are hostile to all good things, both people and deeds; and they think painful whatever has won a reputation for virtue. They act the young bully against the pious, and revel against the earnest, being insolent and reckless and knowing no satiety of evils.\" Hearing this, I could neither silence him (for all present applauded him as speaking the truth), nor did I keep complete silence; but having told him that I believe you will even sing a recantation (for you are not so insensible as to choose to be impaled on such great evils to the end), I came to engrave this letter. You would do right, then, to consider your own case now, so that, even if you take no account of the judgment, you may rub off such disgrace.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.311 (PG 78 78:1515; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-311)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.312":{"o":"ΕΡΜΗΣΑΝΔΡΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nὉ συναλγεῖν μὲν δοκῶν ταῖς συμφοραῖς, δυνάμενος δὲ ἐπανορθοῦν, καὶ παραιτούμενος, σημεῖον μέγιστον καθ' ἑαυτοῦ ἐκφέρει, τοῦ μὴ συναλγεῖν, ἀλλὰ χρηστότητα ὑποκρίνεσθαι τῷ μὴ βεβοηθηκέναι. Εἰ γὰρ, φέρε εἰπεῖν, κύριος ὧν τοῦ λῦσαι τὸν τοῦ πένητος λιμὸν, δέον λῦσαι καὶ ἀπαλλάξαι κἀκεῖνον συμφορᾶς, καὶ ἑαυτὸν λύπης, συναλγεῖν προσποιεῖται, οὐ φιλάνθρωπός ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ φιλανθρωπίαν ὑποκρίνεται.","t":"To Hermesander the presbyter. The one who seems to share in grief at misfortunes but, though able to set them right, declines, brings forward against himself the greatest proof that he does not share the grief but pretends to kindness, since he has not helped. For if, for example, being able to end a poor man's hunger, when he ought to end it and free both the man from misfortune and himself from grief, he pretends to sympathize, he is not humane but play-acts humanity.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.312 (PG 78 78:1517; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-312)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.313":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΠολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἢ διὰ βραδύτητα γνώμης ἀνιχνεῦσαι τὸ δίκαιον οὐχ οἷοἱ τὲ εἰσιν, ἢ ἀνιχνεύσαντες προδιδόασιν. Η γὰρ ἀνάνδρως φοβηθέντες, ἢ διὰ καπηλείαν πεπρακότες, ἢ διὰ φιλίαν αἰδεσθέντες, ἢ ὑπ᾿ ἔχθρας ἐρεθισθέντες, τὴν ὀρθὴν οὐ φέρουσι ψῆφον. Χρὴ οὖν τὸν μέλλοντα δικάσαι πρῶτον μὲν συνέσει κομᾷν, ἵνα μὴ διαλάθῃ τὸ θήραμα· ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ ἀνδρίᾳ, καὶ καθαρότητι, καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ, καὶ ἀμνησικακίᾳ κεκοσμῆσθαι, ἵνα μὴ τὸ θηρευθὲν προδοθείη.","t":"To Hierax, a most illustrious man. Many people either cannot track down what is just through slowness of mind, or, having tracked it down, betray it. For either from cowardly fear, or having sold it for gain, or out of respect for friendship, or provoked by enmity, they do not cast the right vote. So the one who is going to judge must first abound in understanding, so that the quarry does not escape him; and then be adorned with courage, purity, justice and freedom from resentment, so that what has been caught is not betrayed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.313 (PG 78 78:1517; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-313)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.314":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΔυνατὸν, ὦ βέλτιστε, κρείττονα γενέσθαι πειρασμοῦ τὸν φιλάρετον. Γίνεται δὲ ὑψηλότερος πειρασμοῦ, καὶ λύει αὐτὸν, οὐκ ἐν τῷ κωλύειν παντελῶς ἰέναι (πολλάκις γὰρ ὁ Θεὸς συγχωρεῖ δοκιμασθῆναι), ἀλλὰ ἐν τῷ ἀνδρείως φέρειν τὰ συμπίπτοντα. Χρὴ γὰρ λύειν τὸν πειρασμὸν, εἰ καὶ ἄλυτος εἶναι δοκοίη, διὰ σοφίας, καὶ ἀρετῆς, οὐ δι' ἀπογνώσεως λύει δὲ δι' ἀρετῆς καὶ σοφίας οὐ τῷ πάντῃ κωλύειν, ἀλλὰ τῷ συνεθίζειν γενναίως φέρειν τὰ συμπίπτοντα. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ βαρὺ τὸ πρᾶγμα, ἀλλ᾿ ἰᾶται τὴν βαρύτητα διὰ τῆς φρονήσεως, μετρίως φέρειν δυνάμενος τὰ λυπηρά. Ἴασις γὰρ τῶν οὐκ ἐφ᾿ ἡμῖν ἡ ἐν ἡμῖν φιλοσοφία. Καὶ λύσις τῶν ἀναγκαίων, εἰ καὶ καθ᾽ ἑαυτὰ ἄλυτά τισιν ἔδοξεν εἶναι, ἡ ἐν μὲν τοῖς δεινοῖς ἀνδρία, ἐν δὲ τοῖς δεξιοῖς (καὶ γὰρ ταῦτα δοκιμασίας ἕνεκεν πολλάκις δίδοται) μεγαλοψυχία.","t":"To Theon the scholasticus. It is possible, my good man, for the lover of virtue to become stronger than temptation. He becomes higher than temptation and loosens it, not by preventing it from coming at all (for God often permits him to be tested), but by bravely bearing what befalls. For one must loosen temptation, even if it seems indissoluble, by wisdom and virtue, not by despair; and he loosens it by virtue and wisdom not by preventing it altogether, but by accustoming himself to bear nobly what befalls. For even if the thing is heavy, he heals its heaviness by prudence, being able to bear grievous things with moderation. For the healing of what is not in our power is the philosophy that is in us. And the loosening of necessities, even if in themselves they seemed to some indissoluble, is courage in terrible things, and in favourable things (for these too are often given for testing) magnanimity.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.314 (PG 78 78:1517; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-314)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.315":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤὸν μέλλοντα ἀπολαύειν τῆς ἀηττήτου συμμαχίας, τοιαῦτα αἰτεῖν χρὴ, ἃ καὶ τὸν τοῦ δικαίου λόγον ἔχει, ἵνα τῇ φύσει τῆς αἰτήσεως τὴν ῥοπὴν ἐπισπάσηται· τοῖς γὰρ ἐξ εἰρωνείας καὶ διὰ πλεονεξίας καλοῦσιν οὐκ ἐπιφοιτᾷ ἡ αὐτοκλήτως τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις ἐπιφοιτῶσα.","t":"To the same. The one who is to enjoy the invincible alliance must ask for such things as have a claim of justice, so as to draw the divine favour by the nature of the request. For the help that comes of its own accord to the wronged does not come to those who call upon it in pretence or out of greed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.315 (PG 78 78:1519; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-315)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.316":{"o":"ΠΡΙΜΟ.\n","t":"To Primus.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.316 (PG 78 78:1519; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-316)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.317":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nΑὐτὸ τοῦτο, ὁ φὴς αἴτιον εἶναι ζητήσεως, λύσεώς ἐστι παρ᾿ ἐμοὶ κριτῇ αἴτιον. Εἰ γὰρ ἀποταξάμενος τῷ κόσμῳ, θλίψει περιεπάρης καὶ πειρασμοῖς, μὴ θαυμάσῃς· ὁ γὰρ Χριστὸς εἶπεν, « Θλίψιν ἔξετε ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ. » Πῶς τοίνυν ζητεῖς ἄνεσιν, τοῦ ἀγωνοθέτου τοῦτο εἰπόντος; Τότε γὰρ εἰκὸς ἦν σκανδαλίζεσθαι, εἰ τἀναντία ὧν εἶπεν ἐγίνετο. Εἰ δὲ κατὰ ἀκολουθίαν πάντα προβαίνει, τίνος ἕνεκεν σκανδαλίζῃ; Ὁ γὰρ ἐν τῷ καιρῷ τῶν παλαισμάτων ἄνεσιν ἐπιζητῶν, καὶ ἀστεφάνωτος μένει, καὶ συγχέει τοὺς καιρούς. Συνεχῶς, ὦ ἐλλογιμώτατε, τοῖς φοιτῶσι παισὶ τὰ περὶ ἀρετῆς καὶ σωφροσύνης παραίνει, καὶ ἀναγίνωσκε συγγράμματα λέγων· Ὦ παῖδες, ἔστω ὑμῖν μὴ πόνος μόνος ὁ περὶ λόγους, ἀλλὰ καὶ κόσμος ὁ περὶ τρόπους τὸ σπούδασμα. Ψυχὴ γὰρ καθαρὰ κακίας παιδείαν εἰλικρινῆ προσίεται, καὶ παρ' οἷς ἂν ἡ σωφροσύνη λάμπῃ τὸ τῶν ἀρετῶν τιμιώτατον. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ σωφροσύνη πᾶν τὸ ἀναμάρτητον, ἀλλὰ νέμουσιν αὐτῆς τὴν προσηγορίαν εὖ ποιοῦντές τινες τῷ τῆς ἀγνείας πράγματι, κοσμιωτάτῳ ὄντι, καὶ ἐξοχωτάτῳ τῶν ἄλλων. Τούτοις καὶ ἡ σοφία συνοικήσει· ἂν γὰρ ἡγεμόνι χρῆσθαι πρὸς ἅπαντα ταύτῃ τῇ ἀρετῇ θελήσητε, ὑμεῖς μὲν γενήσεσθε ἄνδρες ἀγαθοὶ καὶ μακάριοι, ἐγὼ δὲ ἐφ᾽ ὑμῖν οὐ μεῖον, οἵπερ ἐγέννησαν, ἀμείνω δόξαν καρπώσομαι.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. The very thing you say is a cause of inquiry is, in my judgement, a cause of its solution. If, having renounced the world, you have been pierced by affliction and temptations, do not wonder; for Christ said: \"In this world you will have affliction.\" How then do you seek relief when the president of the games has said this? For it would have been reasonable to be scandalized if the opposite of what he said had happened. But if everything proceeds in accordance with it, why are you scandalized? For one who seeks relief in the time of the wrestling bouts both remains uncrowned and confuses the times. [A further letter] Continually, most learned man, urge the boys who attend your school about virtue and self-control, and read writings to them, saying: \"Boys, let your concern be not only labour over words, but also the adornment of character. For a soul pure of wickedness receives a sincere education, and among those in whom self-control shines, the most precious of the virtues. For even if self-control means all sinlessness, some rightly give its name to purity, which is most decorous and pre-eminent among the others. With these, wisdom too will dwell; for if you are willing to use this virtue as your guide in everything, you will become good and blessed men, and I shall reap from you no less glory than those who begot you, and a better one.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.317 (PG 78 78:1519; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-317)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.318":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἙαυτοῖς, ὦ σοφὲ, ἀδοξίαν προστρίβονται, καὶ τὸ ἐξεστηκέναι τῶν ὀρθῶν λογισμῶν ὑποφαίνουσιν, οἱ καὶ τὸ τοῖς ὀρθῶς λεγομένοις ἀντιλέγειν σοφίαν εἶναι οἱόμενοι· σοφὸν γὰρ τἀληθὲς, μάλιστα ὅταν ἁπλοῦν ᾗ καὶ σύντομον· δεινὸν καὶ τὸ ψεῦδος, κἂν δεινότητι καὶ καλλιεπείᾳ δοκῇ κεκοσμῆσθαι.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. Those, wise man, who think it wisdom to contradict what is rightly said bring disgrace on themselves and show that they have departed from right reasoning. For truth is wise, especially when it is simple and concise; and falsehood is a terrible thing, even if it seems adorned with cleverness and elegance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.318 (PG 78 78:1519; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-318)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.319":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἼσθω σου τοῦτο ἡ φρόνησις, εἰ ἀγέρωχος γυνή καλλωπιζομένη καλοίη πρὸς ἑαυτὴν τοὺς ὁρῶντας, κἂν μὴ ἔλῃ τὸν ἀπαντῶντα, δίκην δίδωσιν ἡ ἑλοῦσα. Τὸ γὰρ κώνειον κατεσκεύασε, καὶ τὸν κυκεῶνα ἐκέρασε, καὶ τὴν κύλικα προσήγαγεν, εἰ καὶ μὴ εὑρέθη ὁ πίνων. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποτελεσμάτων, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐπιχειρημάτων τὰ πράγματα ὡς τὰ πολλὰ κρίνεται. Οἶδα ὅτι κρειττόνων ἢ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς τετυχήκασιν ἀξιωμάτων· διὰ τοῦτο πλημμελεῖν ἀδεῶς οἰόμενοι, οὐδὲν ἕτερον, ἢ τὴν θείαν φιλανθρωπίαν τὴν παντὸς ἐπαίνου κρείττονα, ὑπόθεσιν τῶν οἰκείων πταισμάτων ὁρίζονται, ὅπερ οὐδὲ εἰπεῖν θέμις. ᾿Αλλ' οὐ τοὺς εὐφρονοῦντας οὕτω διακεῖσθαι χρὴ, οὐδὲ εἰς τὴν αὐτὴν ἐκείνοις ἐλαύνειν μανίαν, ἀλλὰ τότε μάλιστα σπουδάζειν τῇ τιμῇ συμβαίνοντα παρέχεσθαι τὸν βίον, καὶ ὡς ἐνδέχεται λαμπρύνεσθαι τοῖς ἔργοις· ἵνα καὶ γλῶτταν εὔφημον, καὶ διάνοιαν εὐγνώμονα ἔχοντες τοὺς κατὰ τῆς θείας μακροθυμίας ὁπλίζοντας τὰς γλώττας ἐπιστομίζωμεν. Οὐκ ἴσην, ὦ μακάριε, πρὸ τοῦ ἱερωσύνης ἠξιῶσθαι, καὶ μετὰ τὸ ἀξιωθῆναι, εἰ πταίσωμεν, δίκην δώσομεν, ἀλλὰ πολλῷ πικροτέραν. Οἱ γὰρ μηδὲ τῷ τῆς τιμῆς τοιαύτης ἠξιῶσθαι βελτιωθέντες, ἀργαλεώτερον δίκαιοι ἂν εἶεν κολάζεσθαι. Γίγνεται γὰρ εἰκότως τὸ τῆς τιμῆς μέγεθος μείζονος τιμωρίας ἐφόδιον. Ὥσπερ ἐν νηῖ, ὅταν μὲν ναύτης σφαλείη, βραχεῖαν τὴν βλάβην τοῖς συμπλέουσι φέρει, ὅταν δὲ ὁ κυβερνήτης, κοινὸν ὄλεθρον παρασκευάζει, οὕτω τὰ μὲν τῶν ὑπηκόων πταίσματα, οὐκ εἰς τὸ κοινὸν τοσοῦτον, ὅσον εἰς αὐτοὺς φέρει τὴν βλάβην · τὰ δὲ τῶν ἱερωμένων εἰς πάντας ἀφικνεῖται.","t":"To Heron the presbyter. Let your prudence know this: if a bold woman adorns herself and calls the onlookers to herself, even if she does not catch the one who meets her, she pays the penalty as having caught him. For she prepared the hemlock, mixed the draught and offered the cup, even if no one was found to drink it. For things are mostly judged not by their results but by their attempts. [Letter 5.320] I know that they have obtained dignities greater than they deserve; and therefore, thinking that they may sin with impunity, they make nothing other than the divine love for mankind, which is above all praise, the ground of their own failings, which it is not even right to say. But those who are sensible ought not to be so disposed, nor drive into the same madness as they, but then most of all be eager to offer a life consistent with their honour and to shine in deeds as far as possible, so that, having a well-speaking tongue and a right-minded understanding, we may stop the mouths of those who arm their tongues against the divine patience. [Letter 5.321] We shall not, blessed man, pay an equal penalty if we sin before being counted worthy of the priesthood and after being counted worthy, but a much bitterer one. For those who have not been improved even by being counted worthy of such honour would rightly be punished more grievously; for the greatness of the honour rightly becomes provision for a greater punishment. [Letter 5.322] Just as in a ship, when a sailor errs, he brings little harm to those sailing with him, but when the helmsman errs, he prepares common ruin, so the failings of subjects do harm not so much to the common good as to themselves, but those of the ordained reach everyone.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.319 (PG 78 78:1521; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-319)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.32":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ.\nἘν τῇ ἑρμηνείᾳ τῆς πρὸς Ῥωμαίους Ἐπιστολῆς μάλιστα, ὦ ὁμώνυμε, ἡ Ἰωάννου τοῦ πανσόφου σοφία τεθησαύρισται. Οἶμαι γὰρ, καὶ μὴ τίς με πρὸς χάριν λέγειν νομιζέτω, ὅτι εἰ Παῦλος ὁ θεσπέσιος Αττικὴν εἴληφε γλῶτταν, ὥστε ἑαυτὸν ἑρμηνεῦσαι, οὐκ ἂν ἄλλως ἡρμήνευσεν, ἢ ὡς ὁ προειρημένος ἀοίδιμος ἀνήρ· οὕτω καὶ ἐνθυμήμασι, καὶ κάλλει, καὶ κυριολεξίᾳ κεκόσμηται ἡ ἑρμηνεία.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. It is above all in the commentary on the Epistle to the Romans, my namesake, that the wisdom of the all-wise John is treasured up. For I think (and let no one suppose I say it to please) that if the divine Paul had taken up the Attic tongue to interpret himself, he would not have interpreted himself otherwise than that celebrated man has; so adorned is the commentary in its arguments, its beauty and its propriety of expression.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.32 (PG 78 78:1347; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-32)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.323":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ μόλις, ὦ ἀγαθὲ, κατορθοῦντες οἱ τὴν τῆς ἱερωσύνης ἐστεμμένοι λειτουργίαν ὠφελῆσαι δυνηθεῖεν (οἱ γὰρ ἀρχόμενοι τὰ μὲν κατορθώματα κἂν μεγάλα ᾖ, βραδέως, τὰ δὲ πταίσματα κἂν μικρὰ ᾖ, ὀξέως ὁρῶσιν), οἱ ῥᾳθύμως ζῶντες, καὶ μηδεμίαν τῶν ὑπηκόων ποιούμενοι πρόνοιαν, ποίαν οὐκ ἐνστάζουσι κακίαν τοῖς ὥσπερ ἀπολογίαν ἔχειν οἱομένοις τῶν οἰκείων πταισμάτων τὰ τῶν ἡγεμόνων ἁμαρτήματα, καὶ ἀδεῶς ἐπὶ πᾶσαν παρανομίαν χωροῦσι; Μάλιστα τοίνυν τοὺς ἱερωμένους φροντίζειν χρὴ, ὡς καὶ ὑπὲρ ἑαυτῶν, καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν ὑπηκόων λόγον ἀποδώσοντας.","t":"To the same. If, good man, those crowned with the ministry of the priesthood can scarcely be of benefit even when they do right (for the governed see good deeds, even if great, slowly, but failings, even if small, sharply), what wickedness do those who live indolently and take no care of their subjects not instil in those who think that the sins of their leaders are a kind of excuse for their own failings, and so go fearlessly to every lawlessness? So the ordained must take the greatest care, since they will give account both for themselves and for their subjects.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.323 (PG 78 78:1521; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-323)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.324":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΚρίνειν τὰ τε τῶν ὕβρεων, τὰ τε τῶν κολάσεων μεγέθη οἱ ἄνθρωποι τῷ πλήθει τῶν συνειδότων εἰώθασι. Τὰς γὰρ αὐτὰς ὕβρεις, καὶ τὰς αὐτὰς κολάσεις μὴ ἐπὶ πολλῶν γινομένας, οὐχ ὁμοίως βαρυτάτας ἡγοῦνται. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, σκόπει πῶς διακεισόμεθα, ἐπὶ πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, καὶ τοῦ τῶν ἀγγέλων δήμου μέλλοντες εὐθύνας ὑφέξειν, ὅταν μάλιστα καὶ πᾶσα ἀναισχυντία χώραν οὐχ ἕξει, τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων ἡμῖν ὥσπερ σκιῶν ἀκολουθούντων. Ἐπὶ μὲν ἀνθρώπων ἢ ἀμυνομένων, ἢ ἀμειβομένων, οὐ πάντως ἡ δύναμις τῇ βουλήσει ἕπεται· ἐπὶ δὲ τῆς θείας δίκης, τῆς ἀμύνεσθαι μὲν ἀναγκαζομένης, ἀμείβεσθαι δὲ βουλομένης· ἐπειδήπερ ἡ δύναμις τῆς βουλήσεως οὐκ ἔστιν ἀσθενεστέρα · πάντως ἀμφότερα εἰς ἔργον ἐκβήσεται. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἀμυνεῖται, τοὺς δὲ ἀμείψεται. - ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ. Εἰ καὶ παράδοξον εἶναι ὑμῖν δόξει τὸ ῥηθησόμενον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως λελέξεται. Φημὶ τοίνυν ὅτι οὐδεὶς οὔτε διαβάλλει χρηστός, οὔτε διαβάλλεται πονηρός. Εἰ δὲ αἴνιγμα δοκεῖ τὸ ῥηθὲν, σαφέστερον εἰρήσεται. Ὁ ἀγαθὸς, κἂν εἰπεῖν τι ἢ ὑπὸ μισοπονηρίας, ἢ πρὸς διόρθωσιν προαχθείη, οὐ διαβάλλει · οὐ γὰρ τὰ ψευδῆ πλάττει, ἀλλὰ τἀληθῆ φράζει. Ὁ δὲ πονηρὸς οὐ διαβάλλεται · καὶ γὰρ εἰ καὶ ἡ διαβολὴ πλάσμα ἐστὶ ψευδὲς, ἀλλὰ τἀληθῆ ἀκούει.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. People usually judge the size of insults and punishments by the number of those who know of them; for they do not consider the same insults and the same punishments equally grievous if they do not happen before many. If, then, this is so, consider how we shall be disposed when we are about to undergo the reckoning before all humanity and the people of the angels, especially when there will be no room for any shamelessness, since our sins will follow us like shadows. [Letter 5.325] With human beings, whether they retaliate or reward, power does not always follow the will; but with divine justice, which is compelled to retaliate but wishes to reward, since its power is not weaker than its will, both will certainly be carried into effect. For it will retaliate on some and reward others. [Letter 5.326] To Martinianus, Zosimus and Maron. Even if what is about to be said seems paradoxical to you, it will nevertheless be said. I say that no good man slanders, and no wicked man is slandered. If this seems a riddle, it will be said more clearly. The good man, even if he is led to say something from hatred of evil or for correction, does not slander; for he does not invent falsehoods, but speaks the truth. And the wicked man is not slandered; for even if slander is a false invention, he hears the truth.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.324 (PG 78 78:1523; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-324)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.327":{"o":"ΤΟΙΣ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ.\nΠάντες ἄνθρωποι τούτοις καὶ συμπράττειν καὶ συμπονεῖν ἐθέλουσιν, οἷς ἂν ὁρῶσι τὴν προθυμίαν τοῦ πράττειν ἃ χρὴ ἀκμάζουσαν· τοὺς γὰρ καθεύδειν καὶ ῥαθυμεῖν προῃρημένους, καὶ τὴν οἰκείαν σωτηρίαν προδιδόντας, οὐδὲ λόγου εἰκότως ἀξιοῦσιν. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ' οὕτως ἔχει, εἰκότως καὶ ἡ θεία ῥοπὴ οὐ πᾶσιν ἐπιφοιτᾷ· ἀλλ' ἐκείνους ἀφεῖσα, τοὺς τὴν ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίαν διὰ ῥαθυμίαν προπίνοντας · τοῖς πράττειν ἃ χρὴ προῃρημένοις τὴν οἰκείαν νέμει συμμαχίαν.","t":"To the same. All people want to work and toil together with those in whom they see eagerness to do what is right at its height; but those who have chosen to sleep and be indolent and betray their own salvation they rightly think not even worth a word. If, then, this is so, the divine favour too rightly does not come to all, but leaving those who squander their own salvation through indolence, it grants its alliance to those who have chosen to do what is right.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.327 (PG 78 78:1523; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-327)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.328":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ.\nΤὸν φιλάρετον πάντα τὰ περιττὰ χρὴ περικόπτειν · οὐ γὰρ ἐν τροφῇ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ἀμφιάσει, καὶ ἐν οἰκήσει καὶ ἐν ἐπίπλοις, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις τὴν χρείαν χρὴ τιμᾶν, καὶ τὴν αὐτάρκειαν μὴ ὑβρίζειν. Τί γὰρ, εἰ νηστεύοις μὲν, χρηματίζῃ δέ; ἢ μὴ χρηματίζῃ μὲν, οἴκησιν δὲ ζητοίης τῆς χρείας κρείττονα; Τί δὲ, εἰ μετρίᾳ μὲν οἰκήσει χρῷο, ἀμφιάσει δὲ περιέργῳ καλλωπίζοιο; Μέτριον γὰρ εἶναι χρὴ καὶ λόγῳ, καὶ σχήματι, καὶ φωνῇ, καὶ βλέμματι, καὶ βαδίσματι. Πολλοὶ γὰρ καὶ πλούτου ὄντες ἔρημοι, καὶ οἰκημάτων καὶ ἐνδύσεως λαμπρᾶς ἐνδεεῖς, τοσαύτην διὰ τοῦ βαδίσματος ἐμφαίνουσι τὴν βλακείαν, ὡς γέλωτα ὀφλισκάνειν.","t":"To Serenus the deacon. The lover of virtue must cut off all superfluities. For not only in food, but also in clothing, dwelling, furniture and everything else one must honour need and not outrage sufficiency. For what if you fast but make money? Or do not make money but seek a dwelling beyond your need? Or what if you use a moderate dwelling but beautify yourself with elaborate clothing? One must be moderate in speech, bearing, voice, glance and gait. For many, though without wealth and lacking dwellings and splendid clothing, show such affectation in their gait that they incur laughter.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.328 (PG 78 78:1523; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-328)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.329":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠρὸς τὸ τέλος λοιπὸν ὁ κόσμος ἐπείγεται· οὐ γὰρ δὴ ψεύσεται ἡ ἀλήθεια, συντέλειαν ἔσεσθαι προμηνύσασα. Εἰ δὲ κἀκείνη πόῤῥω τισὶν εἶναι δόξειεν, ἀλλ' ὁ γε ἑκάστῳ χρόνος καθ' ἡμέραν δαπανᾶται, καὶ τὴν τελευτὴν ὠδίνει, καὶ πρὸς τὸ πέρας ὁρᾷ. Τῶν μὲν γὰρ πρεσβυτέρων δήλη ἐστὶν ἡ τελευτὴ, τῶν δὲ ἀκμαζόντων ἄδηλος ἡ ζωή. Προθεσμίαν γὰρ μίαν μὴ ἔχοντος τοῦ βίου, ἀλλὰ πᾶσαν ἡλικίαν τοῦ θανάτου ἐπινεμομένου, πάντας γρηγορεῖν χρὴ, καὶ προσδοκᾶν τὸ πάντως ἐσόμενον. Ἀλλ᾿ ἡμεῖς πάντα μᾶλλον ἢ τοῦτο προσδοκῶμεν· τὰ μὲν γὰρ ἀδόκητα καὶ ἀνέλπιστα καθ' ἑκάστην ὥραν ὀνειροπολοῦμεν καὶ ἐλπίζομεν· τὸ δὲ πάντῃ τε καὶ πάντως ἐσόμενον, καὶ αὐτίκα δὴ μάλα πολλάκις ἐπιστησόμενον, οὐδὲ ἐννοεῖν ἀξιοῦμεν· ἀλλὰ θνητοὶ ὄντες κατὰ τὸ σῶμα καὶ ἐπίκηροι, ὡς ἀθάνατοι διανοούμεθα· καὶ τῆς μὲν ἀθανάτου ψυχῆς ἀμελοῦμεν, μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ἔχειν ψυχὴν νομίζομεν· τὸ δὲ θνητὸν σῶμα ἀθάνατον εἶναι ἡγούμενοι, περὶ αὐτὸ πᾶσαν τὴν σπουδὴν ἀναλίσκομεν. Ποίας οὖν ἀπολαύσομεν συγγνώμης, τῆς μὲν ἀθανάτου θάνατον καταψηφιζόμενοι, τὸ δὲ θνητὸν πάσης τιμῆς ἀξιοῦντες; κἀκείνην παραβλάπτοντες, ἵνα τοῦτο κοσμήσωμεν; κἀκείνην λιμῷ τήκοντες, ἵνα τοῦτο σκιρτᾶν καὶ τρυφᾷν ἔχοι; Χρὴ γὰρ τὰ μὲν πρωτεῖὰ τῇ ψυχῇ, τὰ δὲ δευτερεῖα τῷ σώματι νέμειν · οὐ γὰρ ἐναντίον αὐτῆς ἐστιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὄργανον καὶ κιθάρα· ἐπιμελείας γὰρ δεῖται, οὐκ ἀπολαύσεως ἀνωφελοῦς· τροφῆς, οὐ τρυφῆς · αὐταρκείας, οὐ πλησμονῆς · εἴ γε μέλλοι μὴ πολέμιον, ἀλλὰ σύμμαχον τῇ ψυχῇ εἶναι. Τὸν μέλλοντα διασαλεύειν καὶ ἀναμοχλεύειν δόξαν παλαιὰν καὶ πεπηγυῖαν, καὶ καλὴν εἶναι τῷ κακῶς προληφθέντι νομιζομένην, ἐπειδὴ τὸ κομιδῇ παράδοξον, οὐκ ἂν εἴη προοιμίων ἄνευ εὐπαράδεκτον · οὐκ εὐθὺς τάναντία φράζειν χρή. Ἐπεὶ καταγέλαστος ἔσται καὶ κωμῳδηθήσεται ὑπὸ τῶν προκαταληφθέντων τῇ ἐναντία ψήφῳ. ἀλλὰ πρότερον ὑπορύξαντα καλῶς δι᾽ ἑτέρων πολλῶν, τότε εἰς τοὺναντίον περιτρέπειν. Οὕτω γὰρ εὐπαράδεκτος ἔσται, καὶ τὴν πειθώ δημιουργήσει.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. The world is now hastening toward its end; for the Truth, which foretold that there will be a consummation, will not lie. And even if that seems far off to some, each person's time is spent day by day, is in labour with its end and looks toward its limit. For the death of the old is plain, and the life of those in their prime uncertain. Since life has no single fixed term, but death ranges over every age, all must keep watch and expect what will certainly come. But we expect everything rather than this. Things unexpected and unhoped for we dream of and hope for every hour, but what will in every way and certainly come, and often very soon, we do not deign even to think of. Though mortal and perishable in body, we think as if immortal; we neglect the immortal soul, or rather do not even think we have a soul; and considering the mortal body immortal, we spend all our zeal on it. What pardon, then, shall we obtain, condemning the immortal to death and counting the mortal worthy of all honour, harming the one to adorn the other, wasting the one with hunger so that the other may frisk and live in luxury? For one must give the first place to the soul and the second to the body; for it is not its opposite but its instrument and lyre. It needs care, not useless enjoyment; nourishment, not luxury; sufficiency, not surfeit; if it is to be not the soul's enemy but its ally. [Letter 5.330] One who is going to shake and lever up an old and settled opinion, thought good by the one who has been wrongly prejudiced, must not state the opposite at once, since what is utterly paradoxical would not be acceptable without introductions; for he will be laughed at and ridiculed by those prejudiced in favour of the opposite verdict. But first, having undermined it well by many other things, then he should turn it round to the opposite. For so he will be acceptable and will produce persuasion.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.329 (PG 78 78:1525; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-329)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.33":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἘνέτυχόν ποτε ἀνδρὶ ἁγίῳ, οὗ τὸ μὲν ὄμμα διδάσκοντος φοβερὸν ἐτύγχανε καὶ σοφόν. Πολλὰ γὰρ αὐτῷ ἦν πρὸς τὸν λόγον τὰ κέντρα· ἡ δὲ ὀφρὺς ὑπερβεβλημένη τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς διεσήμαινε τὸν νοῦν τῶν διδαγμάτων. Καὶ ὅλος, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, ὠφελείας ἔπνεε, δεινὸν τοῖς ὁρῶσιν ἐνιεὶς τῆς θείας σοφίας τὸν ἔρωτα.","t":"To the same. I once met a holy man whose eye, when he taught, was awe-inspiring and wise. For he had many goads for his words; and his brow, overhanging his eyes, signified the meaning of his teachings. And the whole man, so to speak, breathed benefit, instilling in those who saw him a fierce love of divine wisdom.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.33 (PG 78 78:1347; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-33)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.331":{"o":"ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΩ ΠΟΙΗΤΗ.\nΛίαν θαυμάζω, πῶς τινες τῶν ἀνθρώπων (ὧν εἷς καὶ αὐτὸς κινδυνεύεις εἶναι) ἐνὸν πολλάκις διὰ τῶν γραφῶν, ἢ διὰ τῶν ἀγαλμάτων ὠφελεῖσθαι· τοῦτο μὲν οὐκ ἐννοοῦσιν, εἰς ὕβριν δὲ βλέπουσιν. Εἰ γὰρ σωφρονέστατος καὶ σοφώτατος ἦν ὁ Σωκράτης (Πλάτων γὰρ καὶ Αἰσχίνης καὶ Ξενοφῶν καὶ Εὐριπίδης τοῦτο διισχυρίσαντο· ᾿Αριστοφάνει γὰρ οὐ προσεκτέον, ὡς οὐδὲν οὕτω καλῶς εἰδότι, ὡς τὸ κακῶς εἰπεῖν, καὶ κωμῳδήσαντι τὸν διδάσκαλον, ἴσως περὶ φιλοσοφίας αὐτῷ παραινέσαντι), Αὐτοῦ δὲ ἐστιν ἔργον τὸ τὰς χάριτας γυμνὰς, ὡς φατε, καὶ παρθένους γλύψαι, οὐκ εἰς ἀσέλγειαν τοὺς νέους παρακαλῶν, ὡς ἡγῇ, τοῦτο πεποίηκεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν φύσιν αὐτῶν (δεινὸς γὰρ ἦν καὶ περὶ ταῦτα) διὰ τῶν ἀγαλμάτων ἐξηγούμενος. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλοὶ ἤ κέρδους, ἢ ἀμοιβῆς, ἢ φιλίας, ἢ δόξης, ἢ ἄλλου τινὸς ἕνεκεν τὰς χάριτας διδόασι· τοῦτο αὐτὸ παιδεῦσαι τοὺς ὁρῶντας (ὡς γε ἐμαυτὸν πείθω) ἠθέλησεν, ὅτι δεῖ τὰς χάριτας δίδοσθαι, παρθένους μὲν καὶ ἀμιγεῖς παντὸς κέρδους, παντὸς δὲ ἐπικαλύμματος ἐλευθέρας ἵνα πρὸς μηδὲν ἄλλο τις βλέπων, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ καλὸν, εὐεργετῇ τοὺς δεομένους, καὶ μὴ λήμματος ἐφιέμενος, ἢ δόξης, ἐκτραγῳδῇ τῶν λαμβανόντων τὰς συμφοράς. Λίαν θαυμάζω τὴν ἀπληστίαν καὶ τὴν δουλοπρέπειαν τῶν ἀεὶ μὲν χάριν αἰτούντων, μὴ παρεχόντων δὲ, καὶ τεκμήριον εἶναι τοῦθ᾽ ἡγοῦμαι ἀνελευθέρου καὶ ἀκορέστου ψυχῆς. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ χάρις τοὺς λαμβάνοντας εἰς ὑπόχρεω καθίστησι ταπεινότητα, τοὺς δὲ παρέχοντας εἰς ἐλευθεροπρέπειαν αὔξειν πέφυκεν. Ἐλευθέριον γὰρ τὸ κατάρχειν εἰς ἕτερον χάριτος οἰκετικὸν δὲ τὸ λαμβάνοντα χάριν, ὑπεύθυνον ἀεὶ διὰ ταύτην διατελεῖν. Αναγκαίως γὰρ ὁ χάριτι δουλωθεὶς, καθάπερ ἄχθος ἔχων ἐπὶ κεφαλῆς, τοὺς ἔργῳ μὴ δυναμένους ἀμείψασθαι αἰτιώμενος. οὐ πρότερον ὀρθοῦται τὴν ψυχὴν, οὐδὲ ἐξίσης πρὸς τὸν εὐεργετήσαντα βλέπει, πρὶν ἂν διαλύσηται τὸ χρέος. Ταῦτα δὲ φημι, οὐ τοὺς ὄντως δεομένους μὴ αἰτεῖν χάριν νομοθετῶν, οὐδὲ συμβουλεύων τοῖς χειμαζομένοις μὴ καταφεύγειν εἰς λιμένα· ἀλλ᾽ οὐδὲ ῎Απαγε· οὐδὲ μὴν τοὺς ἔργῳ μὴ δυναμένους, κἂν λόγῳ τὰς χάριτας ὁμολογεῖν ἀναγκάζων. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ χρὴ τὸν μὲν εὐεργετήσαντα ἐπιλανθάνεσθαι, τὸν δὲ εὐεργετηθέντα μεμνῆσθαι τῆς χάριτος. Ἀλλ᾿ οὐ τοῦτο νυνὶ φράσαι βούλομαι· ἀλλ᾿ ἐκείνους αἰτιῶμαι τοὺς μηδενὸς μὲν δεομένους, διὰ δὲ φιλοχρηματίαν ἀεὶ μὲν λαμβάνειν σπουδάζοντας, παρέχειν δὲ οὐ βουλομένους. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἐν χρείᾳ τυγχάνοντας, οὐκ ἄτοπον χάριν αἰτεῖν, τοὺς τε παρέχειν δυναμένους αἰτεῖν, ἀτοπώτατον. Δὶς γὰρ ἁμαρτάνουσι μέγιστα, ἓν μὲν, αὐτοὶ διὰ πόθον ἀκόρεστον αἰτοῦντες· ἕτερον δὲ, καὶ τοῖς ὄντως δεομένοις ἀποκλείοντες τοὺς τῆς φιλανθρωπίας λιμένας· ἀναλίσκουσι γὰρ κακῶς τὰ καλῶς δοθῆναι ὀφείλοντα.","t":"To Alexander the poet. I greatly wonder how some people (of whom you are perhaps one), when they could often be benefited by paintings or by statues, do not consider this but look toward insolence. For if Socrates was most temperate and most wise (for Plato, Aeschines, Xenophon and Euripides affirmed this; Aristophanes must not be heeded, since he knew nothing so well as how to speak ill, and ridiculed his teacher, who perhaps had advised him about philosophy), and if it is his work to have carved the Graces naked, as you say, and as maidens, he did this not to invite the young to licentiousness, as you think, but to explain their nature through the statues (for he was skilled in this too). For since many give favours (charites) for the sake of gain, or return, or friendship, or glory, or something else, he wished, as I persuade myself, to teach the onlookers this very thing: that favours must be given as maidens, unmixed with any gain, and free of every covering, so that one may benefit those in need looking to nothing else but the good itself, and not, desiring profit or glory, make a tragic show of the misfortunes of those who receive. [Letter 5.332] I greatly wonder at the insatiability and servility of those who always ask for favours but do not give them, and I think this a proof of a servile and insatiable soul. For a favour puts those who receive it into the humility of the indebted, but naturally increases the free bearing of those who give. For it is free to begin a favour toward another, but servile, having received a favour, to remain always accountable because of it. For one enslaved by a favour, like one carrying a burden on his head, necessarily blames those who cannot repay it in deed; he does not straighten his soul or look his benefactor in the eye until he has discharged the debt. I say this not legislating that those truly in need should not ask a favour, nor advising those in a storm not to flee to harbour, far from it; nor compelling those who cannot repay in deed not to acknowledge favours at least in word. For even if the benefactor must forget and the one benefited remember the favour, that is not what I now wish to say; but I blame those who, needing nothing, out of avarice always strive to receive but are unwilling to give. For it is not absurd for those in need to ask a favour, but for those able to give to ask is most absurd. For they sin greatly twice: once by asking from insatiable longing; and again by shutting the harbours of humanity to those truly in need, for they spend badly what ought to be given well.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.331 (PG 78 78:1527; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-331)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.333":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤοὺς εὐεργέτας οὐ μόνον ἀφ᾿ ὧν ἠδυνήθησαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀφ᾿ ὧν ἠβουλήθησαν μὲν, οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν δὲ, ἀνυμνεῖσθαι χρὴ, καὶ εἰδέναι μὲν αὐτοῖς χάριν ἀφ᾿ ὧν ἠθέλησαν, τὸ μὴ δεδυνῆσθαι δὲ μὴ αἰτιᾶσθαι. ῾Ο γὰρ μὴ ἀπὸ τῆς προαιρέσεως, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπὸ τῆς ἐκβάσεως τὰ πράγματα κρίνων, ἀπαίδευτός ἐστι, καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων οὐ γινώσκει τὴν φύσιν, τὴν οὐ πάντως τῇ βουλήσει ἑπομένην, ἀλλ᾽ ἔσθ᾽ ὅτε καὶ ἐναντιουμένην.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. Benefactors must be praised not only for what they were able to do, but also for what they wished but were not able to do; one must be grateful to them for what they willed, and not blame them for not having been able. For the one who judges things not by the intention but by the outcome is uneducated and does not know the nature of things, which does not always follow the will but sometimes even opposes it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.333 (PG 78 78:1529; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-333)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.334":{"o":"ΑΓΑΘΟΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nἩ παίδευσις τὸν μὲν ὀξὺν, ἄκρον ποιεῖ· τὸν δὲ βραδὺν ἀμείνονά πως ἑαυτοῦ καθίστησιν. Ωσπερ γὰρ οὐ πάντες οἱ ἐν παιδοτριβίοις γυμνασθέντες ἀθληταὶ ἀποτελοῦνται, οὕτως οὐδὲ πάντες οἱ ἐν μουσείοις φοιτήσαντες ῥήτορες· ταῖς γὰρ εὐφυΐαις καὶ ταῖς δυνάμεσιν αἱ μελέται προσομιλοῦσαι ἄκρους ἀποτελοῦσιν. Εἰ δὲ μήτε ἀλκὴν, μήτε εὐφυΐαν εὕρωσιν, ἀσκοῦσι μὲν τῶν μὲν τὰς ψυχὰς, τῶν δὲ τὰ σώματα, οὐ μὴν ἀοιδίμους αὐτοὺς δημιουργοῦσιν.","t":"To Agathodaemon the grammarian. Education makes the quick-witted excellent, and makes the slow somewhat better than themselves. For just as not all who have trained in wrestling schools turn out athletes, so not all who have attended schools turn out orators; for practice, joined to natural gifts and abilities, makes people excellent. But if it finds neither strength nor natural gift, it trains the souls of some and the bodies of others, but does not make them celebrated.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.334 (PG 78 78:1529; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-334)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.335":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἘπειδὴ εἰκότως νομίζων τὴν θείαν ἀρετὴν ἀνέφικτον καὶ ἀμίμητον, γέγραφας θαυμάζων, πῶς ὁ Σωτὴρ καὶ τὸν Πατέρα καὶ ἑαυτὸν μιμεῖσθαι ἡμᾶς παρακελεύεται. Φημὶ, ὅτι εἰκότως τὰ πράγματα ἀπὸ τῶν μειζόνων λαμβάνει τὰ παραδείγματα, ἵνα κἂν τοῦ ἐλάττονος ἐφικοίμεθα. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἀμίμητος ἡ Δεσποτικὴ ἀρετὴ, ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε ὅταν κατὰ δύναμιν μιμεῖσθαι αὐτὴν σπουδάζωμεν, τῆς μιμήσεως οὐκ ἀπολειφθησόμεθα. Ωσπερ γὰρ οἱ γραμματισταὶ λαμβάνοντες τὴν γραφίδα, τοῖς παισὶ μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ κάλλους τὰ στοιχεῖα γράφουσιν, ἵνα κἂν πρὸς τὸ καταδεέστερον ἔλθωσι τῆς μιμήσεως, οὕτω καὶ ἡ θεία χάρις ὑποδείγματα ἡμῖν ἀρετῆς προὔθηκεν, ἵν᾿ ὡς ἐφικτὸν μιμησώμεθα. Μὴ τοίνυν τὸ μὴ ἄκρως δύνασθαι μιμεῖσθαι, τοῦ ἐνδεχομένου ἡμᾶς ἀποσοβείτω, ἀλλὰ τοῦτο μάλιστα μέγα ἡμῖν φαινέσθω, τὸ ἠξιῶσθαι μερικῶς μιμήσεως θείας εἰκόνος ἐντὸς γενέσθαι.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. Since, rightly thinking divine virtue unattainable and inimitable, you have written wondering how the Saviour commands us to imitate both the Father and himself, I say that things rightly take their examples from what is greater, so that we may at least attain the lesser. For even if the Master's virtue is inimitable, yet when we strive to imitate it according to our power, we shall not fall short of imitation. For just as schoolmasters, taking the pen, write the letters for the boys with great beauty, so that they may at least come to an inferior imitation, so divine grace has set before us examples of virtue, that we may imitate them as far as possible. So do not let the inability to imitate perfectly drive us away from what is possible; but let this seem most great to us, that we have been counted worthy to come, in part, within the imitation of the divine image.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.335 (PG 78 78:1529; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-335)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.336":{"o":"ΓΕΝΝΑΔΙΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ παράδοξόν σοι εἶναι δόξει τὸ λεχθησόμενον, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως εἰρήσεται· φημὶ γὰρ ὅτι ἡ κενοδοξία ἀπὸ ψυχῆς ταπεινῆς καὶ εὐτελοῦς τίκτεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπεροψία τῶν ἐπαίνων καὶ ἡ καταφρόνησις ἀπὸ μεγαλοφυοῦς, μᾶλλον δὲ ὑπερφυοῦς. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ θαυμάζει τὸν χόρτου δίκην μαραινόμενον τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἔπαινον, ἡ δὲ ἀποστρέφεται· ἡ μὲν μεγίστην ἡγεῖται τὴν πεπλανημένην καὶ ἐσφαλμένην τῶν πολλῶν ψῆφον, ἡ δὲ εὐτελεστάτην. Ὅτι δὲ ταῦθ' οὕτως ἔχει, ἔρεσθαί σε βούλομαι. Τι νομίζεις τοὺς πολλοὺς, οἷς οὐδεὶς περὶ ἀρετῆς λόγος; εὔδηλον ὅτι ῥᾳθύμους, καὶ οὐδενὸς ἀξίους λόγου. Ὅπερ γὰρ αὐτοὶ περὶ τῆς ἀρετῆς ψηφίζονται, τοῦτο τοὺς σοφοὺς δίκαιον ἂν εἴη περὶ αὐτῶν ψηφίζεσθαι. \"Ἕλοιο τοίνυν· κατ' ἐκείνους γενέσθαι οὐκ ἄν μοι δοκεῖς. Πῶς οὖν οὐ κομιδῇ σχέτλιον, μᾶλλον δὲ γελοῖον, τὴν τούτων θηρᾶσθαι δόξαν, ὧν οὐκ ἂν ἕλοιο γενέσθαι παραπλήσιος ; εἰ δὲ φαίης, ὅτι οἱ πολλοὶ κατὰ ταυτὸν συνεστηκότες ἀξιόπιστον ἔχουσι τὴν ψῆφον· αὐτὸ τοῦτο λέξεις, δι' ὅ καταφρονεῖσθαι ὀφείλουσιν. Οἱ γὰρ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ὄντες εὐκαταφρόνητοι, πολλῷ μᾶλλον συγκροτηθέντες τοῦτο πείσονται. Ἡ γὰρ ἑκάστου ἄνοια ὁμοῦ συναχθεῖσα, μείζων ὑπὸ τοῦ πλήθους αὐξηθεῖσα γίνεται. Διὸ καὶ καθ᾿ ἕνα μὲν ἄν τις αὐτῶν καὶ διορθώσειεν, εἰ λάβοι ποτέ · ὁμοῦ δὲ ὑπάρχοντας οὐκ ἂν δυνηθείη, διὰ τὸ τὴν ἄνοιαν ἐπὶ τὸ μείζον αἴρεσθαι, καὶ ταῖς παρ᾿ ἀλλήλων δόξαις συγκροτεῖσθαι.","t":"To Gennadius. Even if what is about to be said seems paradoxical to you, it will nevertheless be said: I say that vainglory is born of a low and cheap soul, while disdain and contempt for praise are born of a great, or rather an extraordinary, one. For the one admires human praise, which withers like grass, the other turns away from it; the one thinks the erring and mistaken vote of the many the greatest thing, the other the cheapest. That this is so, I want to ask you. What do you think of the many, who take no account of virtue? Clearly that they are indolent and not worth a word. For what they themselves vote about virtue, the wise would rightly vote about them. You would not choose, then, to become like them, it seems to me. How then is it not utterly wretched, or rather ridiculous, to hunt for the glory of those whom you would not choose to resemble? And if you say that the many, agreeing together, have a trustworthy vote, you will be stating the very reason why they ought to be despised. For those who are contemptible by themselves will be much more so when gathered together; for the folly of each, collected together, becomes greater, increased by the number. That is why one might correct them one by one, if one ever caught them; but together one could not, because their folly is raised to greater heights and strengthened by each other's opinions.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.336 (PG 78 78:1529; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-336)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.337":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΦιλοδόξου καὶ κενοδόξου Οὐκ ἔστιν ὁ φιλόδοξος κενόδοξος· ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἀρετὴν ἀσκῶν, ὁ δὲ μὴ ἀσκῶν δόξαν θηρᾶται· καὶ ὁ μὲν τῆς προσηκούσης, ὁ δὲ τῆς μηδαμόθεν αὐτῷ προσηκούσης ὑπολήψεως ἐφίεται· ὁ μὲν οἰκείῳ κάλλει σεμνύνεται, ὁ δὲ ἀλλοτρίῳ καλλωπίζεσθαι βούλεται· ὁ μὲν τοῖς οἰκείοις θησαυροῖς μέγα φρονεῖ· ὁ δὲ τοῖς μηδαμῶς αὐτῷ προσήκουσιν· ὁ μὲν δικαίως, ὁ δὲ ἀδίκως τιμᾶσθαι βούλεται· ὁ μὲν οὖν πρῶτος, εἰ καὶ μὴ τέλειός ἐστι (χρὴ γὰρ καὶ ἀρετὴν ἀσκεῖν, καὶ δόξης μὴ ὀρέγεσθαι), ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε τοῦ δευτέρου κρείττων ἐστί· καὶ τοσοῦτον αὐτοῦ πλέον ἀπέχει, ἢ ὅσον τοῦ τελείου αὐτὸς ἀπολείπεται· μᾶλλον δὲ εἰ χρὴ τὸ ἀκριβὲς εἰπεῖν, οὐδὲ παραβάλλεσθαι πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἂν εἴη δίκαιος, τὸν μηδὲν μὲν πράξαντα χρηστὸν, τῆς δὲ ἐπὶ τῷ πεπραχέναι ἀντιποιησάμενον δόξης, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἐκεῖνον, τὸν καὶ πεπραχότα, καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ τῷ πεπραχέναι καταφρονήσαντα δόξης.","t":"To the same. On the lover of glory and the vainglorious. The lover of glory is not vainglorious. For the one hunts glory while practising virtue, the other without practising it; the one desires the reputation that belongs to him, the other one that in no way belongs to him; the one prides himself on his own beauty, the other wishes to adorn himself with another's; the one thinks highly of his own treasures, the other of those that in no way belong to him; the one wishes to be honoured justly, the other unjustly. The first, then, even if he is not perfect (for one must both practise virtue and not reach for glory), is still better than the second, and stands further above him than he himself falls short of the perfect. Or rather, if one must speak exactly, he should not even be compared with the man who has done nothing good yet laid claim to the glory of having done it, but with the man who has both done it and despised the glory of having done it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.337 (PG 78 78:1531; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-337)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.338":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΜεγαλοψυχία καὶ φιλοτιμία Οὐκ ἔστι μεγαλοψυχία ἡ φιλοτιμία, ὡς ἔφης· ἡ μὲν γὰρ πάντα μὲν τὰ δυσχερῆ γενναίως, πάντα δὲ τὰ τοὺς ἄλλους φυσῶντα μετρίως φέρει· ἡ δὲ πρὸς δόξαν μόνον ὁρᾷ. Καὶ ἡ μὲν ἀρκεῖται ἑαυτῇ καὶ μηδενὸς ἐπαινοῦντος, ἡ δὲ ἐὰν μὴ ἔχῃ τοὺς ἐγκωμιάζοντας, οὐδὲ καλόν τι δρᾷ. Ἡ μὲν εἶναι, ἡ δὲ δοκεῖν ἀρίστη βούλεται· ἡ μὲν δι' αὐτὸ τὸ ἀγαθὸν, ἡ δὲ διὰ τιμὴν ἀσπάζεται· ἡ μὲν εὐεργετεῖ, μέγιστον εἶναι χρῆμα τὴν εὐποιΐαν ἡγουμένη· ἡ δὲ διὰ δόξαν ἐλεεῖ. Ὅσα οὖν κρείττων ὁ αὐτὸς τὸ ἀγαθὸν δι' αὐτὸ δρῶν τοῦ δρῶντος μὲν, ἐπὶ μισθῷ δὲ τοῦτο ποιοῦντος, τοσοῦτον καὶ ἡ μεγαλοψυχία τῆς φιλοτιμίας, εἰ καὶ δοκεῖ τὰ αὐτὰ δρᾶν, διενήνοχεν.","t":"To the same. Magnanimity and love of honour. Love of honour is not magnanimity, as you said. For the one bears all hardships nobly and all that puffs others up with moderation, while the other looks only to glory. The one is sufficient to itself even with no one praising; the other does nothing good unless it has people to praise it. The one wishes to be best, the other to seem so; the one embraces the good for its own sake, the other for honour; the one does good, thinking well-doing a very great thing, the other shows mercy for glory. As much, then, as the one who does good for its own sake is better than the one who does it for a reward, so much does magnanimity differ from love of honour, even if they seem to do the same things.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.338 (PG 78 78:1531; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-338)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.339":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΤΡΙΒΟΥΝΩ.\nΕἰ πάντα τὰ ὀνόματα τὰ τῇ θείᾳ καὶ ἀκηράτῳ περιαπτόμενα φύσει, ὑπερβαίνει τὰ μέτρα τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος, ἐν τῷ κατὰ φύσιν ἡμῖν καὶ δυνατῷ τὸ Θεῖον μιμεῖσθαι πρεπωδέστατον. Τί δὲ τοῦτό ἐστιν; Ἡ ταπεινοφροσύνη. Τί γὰρ ἔχομεν τοιοῦτο, ὁ καὶ ἐπᾶραι ἡμᾶς εἰς ἀλαζονείαν δεινὸν ὑπάρχει; κατὰ μὲν τὸν πατριάρχην, « Γῆ ἐσμεν καὶ σποδός· · κατὰ δὲ τὸν νομοθέτην, χοῦς· καὶ κατὰ μὲν τὸν Μελῳδὸν, ποτὲ μὲν σκώληξ, ποτὲ δὲ χόρτος· κατὰ δὲ τὸ σκεῦος τῆς ἐκλογῆς, ταλαιπωρία· οἷς γὰρ ἑαυτὸν οἰκτίζεται, πάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος καταψηφίζεται. Διατί μὴ ἐν ᾧ ἡ τῆς φύσεως ἡμᾶς ἀνάγκη κατείργει, ἐν τούτῳ • Τὸν ἐν μορφῇ Θεοῦ ὑπάρχοντα καὶ ἑαυτὸν ταπεινώσαντα μιμησώμεθα. » Πᾶσαν τοίνυν παρὰ φύσιν ἡμῖν ὑπάρχουσαν φλεγμονὴν καταστείλαντες, τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην, τὴν τῇ φύσει καὶ συνυπάρχουσαν καὶ σύντροφον ἀσκήσωμεν.","t":"To Serenus the tribune. If all the names applied to the divine and pure nature exceed the measures of humanity, it is most fitting to imitate God in what is natural and possible for us. And what is that? Humility. For what do we have that could lift us up to boastfulness? According to the patriarch, \"We are earth and ashes\"; according to the lawgiver, dust; according to the psalmist, now a worm, now grass; according to the chosen vessel, wretchedness, for in pitying himself he passes sentence on all humanity. Why, then, in what the necessity of nature confines us to, should we not imitate \"him who, being in the form of God, also humbled himself\"? Restraining, then, all inflammation that is contrary to our nature, let us practise humility, which coexists with our nature and is its companion.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.339 (PG 78 78:1533; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-339)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.34":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΩ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ,\nΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΩ. ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ἑαυτὸν καὶ ἄλλους ὠφελεῖν εἰωθότα, Πυθόμενος ὅτι θῆρας ὠμοβόρους ὑπερβαλλόμενοι, καὶ πολέμου παντὸς ἀργαλεωτέραν εἰρήνην σπεισάμενοι πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς, πρᾷον καὶ μειλίχιον λοιδορῆσαι οὐκ ἐφοβήθητε ἐκεῖνα αὐτῷ εἶπόντες, ὅσα ὑμῖν ἔπρεπεν ἀκοῦσαι· λίαν τε ὑμᾶς κατεθρήνησα, ὅτι οὐδ᾽ εἰ τῶν κακῶν ἐστε γινώσκετε · μαθόντες τοίνυν ἀνενέγκατε.","t":"To Zosimus, Maron, Palladius and Eustathius. Having learned that, outdoing flesh-eating beasts, and having made among yourselves a peace more grievous than any war, you were not afraid to revile a gentle and kindly man, accustomed to benefit both himself and others, saying to him the things that it befitted you to hear, I wept bitterly for you, because you do not even know whether you are among the wicked. Now that you have learned it, come to your senses.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.34 (PG 78 78:1347; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-34)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.340":{"o":"ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΩ.\nΔύσκολον εἶναί μοι δοκεῖ, τὸν παραινοῦντα τῷ ἃ μὴ θέμις δρῶντι, μὴ εἰς ἀπρεπεῖς ἐμπεσεῖν λόγους· ἃ γὰρ μὴ πράττειν θέμις, οὐδὲ λέγειν θέμις. Τί οὖν ποιητέον; Αν μὲν γὰρ σεμνῶς εἴπῃς, οὐ δυνήσῃ καθάψασθαι τοῦ ἐνόχου τοῖς λεγομένοις ὄντος· ἂν δὲ βουληθείης καθικέσθαι σφοδρῶς, ἀνάγκην ἔχεις ἀπαμφιάσαι, καὶ τὸ παραπέτασμα ἀνελεῖν. Διὸ καὶ ἐπαινεῖται ὁ εἰρηκώς · · Φοβοῦμαι, μὴ τὰ προσήκοντα περὶ σοῦ λέγων, εἰς οὐ προσήκοντας ἐμαυτῷ λόγους ἐμπέσω. • Οὐκοῦν μέσην τινὰ χώραν βαδιστέον, δι' ἧς μήτε ἑαυτόν τις αἰσχύνῃ λέγων ἃ μὴ δεῖ, μήτε ἐκεῖνον ἀνωφελῆ καταλείψῃ.","t":"To Marcian. It seems to me difficult for one who admonishes a person doing what is not lawful not to fall into unseemly words; for what it is not lawful to do, it is not lawful to say either. What, then, must be done? If you speak with dignity, you will not be able to touch the one guilty of the things spoken of; but if you wish to strike home vigorously, you must strip things bare and remove the curtain. That is why the man is praised who said: \"I fear that in saying what befits you, I may fall into words that do not befit me.\" So one must walk a middle way, by which one neither disgraces oneself by saying what one should not, nor leaves the other unbenefited.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.340 (PG 78 78:1533; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-340)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.341":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΕἰώθασι πολλοὶ τῷ ἐκ τῆς ἄγαν ἀρετῆς λαμπρυνομένῳ φθονεῖν, ἐπαχθῆ γὰρ καὶ φορτικὸν ἡγούμενοι τὸν μὴ τὰ αὐτὰ τοῖς αὐτοῖς δρῶντα, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τῶν καλλίστων προνομίων ἐναβρυνόμενον, ἅτε τὸν σφῶν βίον ἐλέγχοντα, ταῖς κακηγορίαις καὶ ταῖς ἐπιβουλαῖς βάλλουσιν, ὃν καὶ ζηλοῦν καὶ στεφανοῦν ὤφειλον. Λίαν τῆς σῆς καταψηφίζομαι ἀβελτηρίας, ὅτι οὐκ αὐτὴν καθ᾽ ἑαυτὴν κρίνει τὴν θείαν θρησκείαν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ τῆς ἐνίων πονηρίας αὐτὴν κακίζει. Τί γὰρ ἐκείνη ἡδίκησεν, εἰ Ζώσιμος, καὶ Μάρων, ὡς φής, καὶ Εὐστάθιος ἀτόλμητα τολμῶντες, σεμνυνόμενοί τε ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἐπαισχύνεσθαι δίκαιον· πάντας τε ἀποκρύψαντες τοὺς κακίᾳ βεβοημένους, καὶ μηδὲ ἐν τοῖς λαϊκοῖς εἶναι ὀφείλοντες εἰς κλῆρον δοκοῦσί τε; Διὰ τί δὲ μὴ ἀπὸ τῶν κατορθούντων αὐτὴν ἀνακηρύττεις, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπὸ τῶν πταιόντων διασύρεις; καὶ δοκεῖς εὐπρόσωπον ῥαθυμίαν τεθηρευκέναι τοῦ μὴ δύνασθαι δι' αὐτοὺς τῇ θειοτάτῃ προσελθεῖν φιλοσοφία; εἰ δὲ οὐ βούλει ἀπὸ τῶν διαλαμπόντων τὴν ψῆφον ἐνεργεῖν, αὐτὸ τὸ πρᾶγμα καθ' ἑαυτὸ βασάνισον · καὶ ὄψει αὐτὸ τοσούτων ἐπαίνων ἄξιον, ὡς καὶ τοὺς λίαν ῥητορικωτάτους ἀπαγορεῦσαι, εἰ δεήσειεν αὐτοῦ ἐγκώμιον ὑφῆναι. Μεῖζον γάρ ἐστιν, ἢ ὡς ἂν λόγῳ τις εἴποι. Εἰ δὲ μήτε αὐτὸ ἐξετάσειας, μήτε ἐκ τῶν εὐδοκίμων αὐτῷ ψηφίσαιο, ἀλλ᾿ ἐκ τῶν πταιόντων κακίσαι τολμήσειας, οὔτε δίκαια ποιήσειας, οὔτε εἰκότα. Εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖνο ἀποδεχόμενος, ἀγανακτοίης κατὰ τῶν οὐ δεόντως αὐτῷ χρωμένων, εὐγνώμονος καὶ φρονίμου ἀνδρὸς ἀποίσεις δόξαν, τῷ μὴ τὰ τῶν πταιόντων πλημμελήματα εἰς πρᾶγμα τρέπειν θεῖον καὶ δίκαιον, καὶ ἐκδικήσεως τυχεῖν διὰ τὴν τῶν παρανόμως αὐτὸ μετιόντων παράνοιαν.","t":"To Herminus the count. Many usually envy the one who shines with great virtue; thinking burdensome and tiresome the man who does not do the same things as they but prides himself on the noblest privileges, as refuting their own life, they pelt with slanders and plots the one they ought to emulate and crown. [Letter 5.342] I strongly condemn your folly, in that you do not judge the divine religion by itself, but disparage it because of the wickedness of some. What wrong has it done, if Zosimus, Maron, as you say, and Eustathius dare what should not be dared, pride themselves on what they should be ashamed of, outdo all those notorious for wickedness, and, though they ought not even to be among the laity, are reckoned among the clergy? Why do you not proclaim it from those who do right, instead of disparaging it from those who fail? And do you think you have hunted down a plausible excuse for your indolence, that because of them you cannot come to the most divine philosophy? If you do not wish to cast your vote from those who shine, test the thing itself by itself, and you will see it worthy of such praise that even the most eloquent would give up if they had to weave its encomium; for it is greater than anyone could say in words. But if you neither examine it nor vote for it from the esteemed, but dare to disparage it from those who fail, you would do neither what is just nor what is reasonable. But if, accepting it, you were indignant against those who do not use it as they should, you would win the reputation of a fair and prudent man, by not turning the offences of those who fail against a divine and just thing, and having it punished for the madness of those who pursue it unlawfully.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.341 (PG 78 78:1533; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-341)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.343":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΑἱ μὲν τῶν περιπιπτόντων ταῖς συμφοραῖς ἀρεταὶ τὰ πάθη διπλασιάζειν εἰώθασι. Τῷ γὰρ ἀνάξια ὧν κατώρθωσαν πεπονθέναι τοὺς ἀκροωμένους παρασκευάζουσι μεγίστης ἐμπλησθῆναι λύπης. Διὸ καὶ αἱ τραγῳδίαι τὸν οἶκτον διεγείρουσιν, ὅταν ἀνήκεστα πεπονθότας τοὺς ἀρίστους εἰσάγουσιν. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν παρ' ἐκείνοις θρυλλείσθω, τοῖς ἕως τῶν τῇδε νομίζουσιν εἶναι τὰ ἀνθρώπινα πράγματα. Λελήθασι γὰρ ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἥδεσθαι προσῆκον ἦν, ἐπὶ τούτοις ἀχθόμενοι. Ἡμεῖς δὲ οἱ πρὸς ἄλλην βίου κατάστασιν τὸ ὄμμα τῆς ψυχῆς εἰκότως τείνοντες, ἴσμεν ἀκριβῶς, ὅτι οὐ τοῦ ταλανίζεσθαι οἱ φιλάρετοι ἄξιοι, ὅταν τι πάθωσι δεινὸν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ μακαρίζεσθαι καὶ ἀνακηρύττεσθαι. Λαμπρότεροι γὰρ αὐτοῖς διὰ τούτων κατασκευάζονται οἱ τῆς εὐδοκιμήσεως στέφανοι.","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. The virtues of those who fall into misfortunes usually double the sufferings; for by having suffered what is unworthy of their achievements they fill the hearers with the greatest grief. That is why tragedies stir up pity when they present the best men suffering incurable things. But let these things be repeated among those who think human affairs reach only as far as this life; for without knowing it they are grieved at what they ought to rejoice at. But we, who rightly direct the eye of the soul to another condition of life, know precisely that the lovers of virtue, when they suffer something terrible, deserve not to be pitied but to be blessed and proclaimed; for by these things the crowns of their good repute are made more brilliant for them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.343 (PG 78 78:1535; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-343)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.344":{"o":"ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΩ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\n᾿Ανεγνώσθη σου ὁ λόγος, ὃν μοι ἀπέστειλας. Καὶ θαυμασθεὶς τῆς δεινότητος, οὐκ ἔλαθες κλέψας τὸ κολακευτικὸν τῷ δοκεῖν συμβουλῆς προσχήματι συγγεγραφέναι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ δόξαν κολακείας ἔχει τὸ ἐπαινεῖν τοὺς μεγάλα δυναμένους, ἄλλην ὑπόθεσιν πεποίηκας, καὶ ἄλλην εἰργάσω. Ὡς γὰρ δεῖξαι βουλόμενος τὴν αἰτίαν, δι᾽ ἣν ἐπιτήδειός ἐστιν ἡγεῖσθαι, οὕτω τὸ ἐγκώμιον ἐπλήρωσας. Τὴν γνώμην οὖν οὐκ ἀποδεξάμενοι τὴν τέχνην ἐθαυμάσαμεν.","t":"To Asclepius the sophist. The speech you sent me was read; and, admired as you were for its cleverness, you did not escape notice in smuggling in flattery under the guise of having written counsel. For since praising the powerful has the reputation of flattery, you proposed one subject and worked out another. For as if wishing to show the reason why he is fit to govern, you filled out the encomium. So, while we did not approve the intention, we admired the art.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.344 (PG 78 78:1535; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-344)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.345":{"o":"ΔΑΝΙΗΛ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἘπειδὴ ἐζήτησας μαθεῖν, τί ἐστι βασιλεία Θεοῦ, καὶ βασιλεία οὐρανῶν, ἀντιεπιστέλλω, ὅτι τινὲς μὲν οἴονται τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ μείζονα εἶναι καὶ θειοτέραν, τὴν δὲ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἐλάττονα καὶ καταδεεστέραν. Τινὲς δὲ φασι μίαν αὐτὴν οὖσαν καθ᾽ ὕπαρξιν, διαφόρως ἐκπεφωνῆσθαι, ποτὲ μὲν ἀπὸ τοῦ βασιλεύοντος Θεοῦ, ποτὲ δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν βασιλευομένων ἀγγέλων τε καὶ ἁγίων κληθεῖσαν.","t":"To Daniel the presbyter. Since you sought to learn what the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven are, I reply that some think the kingdom of God to be greater and more divine, and the kingdom of heaven lesser and inferior. But others say that, being one in reality, it is spoken of differently, called at one time from God who reigns, at another from the angels and saints who are reigned over.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.345 (PG 78 78:1535; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-345)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.346":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ τὰ ἐφ᾽ οἷσπερ ἁλοὺς πρώην ἐκολάσθης, νοσῶν ἀγριώτερον αὖθις ἐφωράθης· ἀλλά γε εἰ παύσοιο τῆς μανίας, θεραπείας τεύξῃ · εἰ δὲ δυσχερές σοι δοκεῖ τὸ ἀποφοιτῆσαι τῆς κακίας, χαλεπώτερον εἶναι δοξάτω τὸ τῆς κολάσεως μέγεθος. Εἰ δ᾽ οὐκ οἴει κολάζεσθαι, ἐννόει τοὺς ἐκεῖ τιμωρηθησομένους. Εἰ δ᾽ ἀπιστεῖς τοῖς ἐκεῖσε, θέα τοὺς κἀνταῦθα κολασθέντας, καὶ κολαζομένους · καὶ ἀνένεγκον ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ τῆς ἀσελγείας. Απόνοια Ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἡ ἀπόνοια τῆς συμμετρίας καὶ τοῦ δέοντος ἐκπεσοῦσα, καὶ ἄπο, τουτέστι, πόῤῥω τοῦ νοῦ γινομένη, δι' ὃ καὶ ἀπόνοια λέγεται, ἀλαζονείαν ἐργάζεται, τὴν νουθεσίαν παραληπτέον, ἤπερ εἴρηται παρὰ τὴν τοῦ νοῦ θέσιν. Τάχα πως ἀκούσαντες οἱ τοιοῦτοι, ἔνθεσθε καρδίαν, εἰς ταπεινοφροσύνην ἀσμένως βαδίσωσιν.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Even if you have again been caught more fiercely sick with the things for which you were recently convicted and punished, yet if you stop your madness, you will obtain healing. And if it seems hard to you to depart from wickedness, let the greatness of the punishment seem harder. And if you do not think you will be punished, consider those who will be punished there. And if you disbelieve what is there, look at those punished and being punished here too, and come up from the depth of licentiousness. [Letter 5.347] On folly. Since folly (aponoia), falling away from proportion and what is fitting, and becoming apo, that is, far from the mind (nous), which is why it is called aponoia, produces boastfulness, one must take up admonition (nouthesia), which is named from setting the mind (nou thesis). Perhaps, when such people hear \"Set your heart,\" they will gladly walk into humility.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.346 (PG 78 78:1537; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-346)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.348":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nΤοῖς δυσηνίοις μαθηταῖς ὦ σοφιστὰ, τὸν χαλινὸν τοῦ φόβου ὥσπερ πώλοις ἔμβαλλε · καὶ ἐπιστόμιζε αὐτοὺς, ἐπειδὰν ἀγέρωχόν τι καὶ παρὰ τὴν ἡνίαν πράττοιεν, ἵνα καὶ οἱ εὐήνιοι πλέον ἐπιδοῖεν πρὸς ἀρετήν. Τὸ γὰρ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀξιοῦσθαι τοὺς μὴ τὰ αὐτὰ πράττοντας, ἀτοπώτατόν ἐστι, καὶ τῇ ἀρετῇ ἐμπόδιον. Εἰς ἀθυμίαν γὰρ ἐμβάλλων τοὺς ἀρίστους ναρκᾷν παρασκευάζει. Τρόπων οὖν μᾶλλον, ἢ λόγων ἡγούμενος εἶναι σαυτὸν παιδευτὴν, δείκνυε αὐτοῖς ἀρχέτυπόν τινα χαρακτῆρα τὸν σαυτοῦ βίον· οὐ γὰρ ὁ λόγος τοσοῦτον, ὅσον ὁ βίος εἰς ἀρετὴν ἐνάγει.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. Put the bridle of fear on unruly pupils, sophist, as on colts, and curb them when they do something wild and against the rein, so that the docile may also make more progress toward virtue. For that those who do not do the same things should be counted worthy of the same things is most absurd and a hindrance to virtue; for by throwing the best into despondency it makes them grow numb. Considering yourself a teacher of character rather than of words, then, show them your own life as an archetypal pattern; for it is not words so much as life that leads to virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.348 (PG 78 78:1537; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-348)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.349":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὍτι πρὸς τοὺς ἐπαίνους ἐρυθριᾷν πέφυκα, μάλα ἀκριβῶς οἶδέ σου ἡ παίδευσις. Ἡνίκα γὰρ μετὰ τῶν σῶν φοιτητῶν ἐντυχεῖν ἡμῖν κατηξίωσας καὶ ἐρωτῆσαί τι τῶν ἱερῶν Γραφῶν ἠβουλήθης, ἐγὼ δὲ εἶπον ὡς οἷόν τε ἦν· τὸ τηνικαῦτα παρ᾽ ὑμῶν μὲν κρότος ἐξεφοίτησε καὶ ἐπαίνου ῥόθιον. Ἐγὼ δὲ οὕτω κατεπλάγην καὶ ἠρυθρίασα, ὡς ἐπὶ πολὺ ἀχανὴς μεῖναι. Τί δήποτε τοίνυν ἐπαίνους συνθεὶς, πολλῷ τὴν ἡμετέραν ὑπερβαίνοντα ἀξίαν ἐπέστειλας;","t":"To the same. Your learning knows very precisely that I naturally blush at praise. For when you deigned to meet us with your pupils and wished to ask something about the sacred Scriptures, and I spoke as well as I could, then applause and a roar of praise came from you; but I was so struck and blushed so much that I remained speechless for a long time. Why ever, then, did you compose and send me praises that far exceed our worth?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.349 (PG 78 78:1537; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-349)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.35":{"o":"ΔΙΟΝΥΣΙΩ.\nΠυνθάνομαι ὅτι δεινότατος εἶ σχηματίσασθαι δόξαν καινὴν, καὶ ὑπόληψιν οὐδέν σοι προσήκουσαν συλλέξασθαι. Εἰ τοίνυν τὸ σχῆμά σοι τῆς ἀρετῆς αἰδέσιμον φαίνεται, διατὶ μὴ τὴν ἀρετὴν αὐτὴν ἀσκεῖς; ᾿Αλλὰ τοῦ καρποῦ ἀμελῶν, τοῖς φύλλοις σεμνύνῃ; Εἰ γὰρ καὶ διὰ τοὺς πόνους ἡ ῥίζα τισὶ πικρὰ εἶναι δοκεῖ, ἀλλ' ὁ καρπὸς γλυκὺς καὶ ἐράσμιος.","t":"To Dionysius. I learn that you are most clever at assuming a new appearance and collecting a reputation that does not belong to you at all. If, then, the appearance of virtue seems to you worthy of respect, why do you not practise virtue itself? Do you neglect the fruit and pride yourself on the leaves? For even if, because of the labours, the root seems bitter to some, yet the fruit is sweet and lovely.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.35 (PG 78 78:1347; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-35)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.350":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ.\nΩσπερ τὸ σωματικὸν κάλλος οὐδ᾽ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐκπλήξεων ἀλλοιοῦται, σώζει δὲ αὐτὸ, κἂν ἐν δακρύοις ὑπάρχῃ, οὕτω καὶ τὸ ψυχικὸν, τὸ ὑπὸ τῆς συμμετρίας τῶν ἀρετῶν συγκροτούμενον, σώζει ἑαυτὸ, κἂν ἐν συμφοραῖς τυγχάνῃ. Τοῦτο τοίνυν ἀσκῶμεν, καὶ οὐδεὶς πειρασμὸς τῆς ἀηττήτου προηγουμένως βοηθούσης δεξιᾶς ἡμᾶς καταγωνιεῖται. Δυοῖν ποτε ἀδελφοῖν πιστοῖν καὶ φίλειν ἀρίστοιν, καὶ εἰς ἀρετὴν ἁμιλλωμένοιν, κριτήν με ἑλομένοιν, καὶ ὅρκῳ στέρξειν τὰ κριθησόμενα ἰσχυρισαμένοιν, ἐκεῖνον ἐψηφισάμην κρείττονα εἶναι, ὃς ἐν τοῖς ἄλλοις ἅπασιν ἰσάμιλλος ὢν, ἐν τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ πλεονεκτεῖ. Αἰδέσθητι τὸν σαυτοῦ πατέρα, τὸν ἐν οἷς ἔξεστιν ἐπιτάττειν παρακαλοῦντα· καὶ ἐπάνελθε πρὸς ἀρετὴν, ἵνα μὴ ἀναγκάσῃς αὐτὸν χρήσασθαι τοῖς οἰκείοις ὅπλοις. Δύσμαχος γάρ ἐστι φύσει τε καὶ νόμοις δορυφορούμενος· καὶ εἰ μὴ πεισθείσῃ τῇ φιλανθρωπία, χρήσεται τῇ ἐξουσία.","t":"To Eutonius. Just as bodily beauty is not altered even by shocks, but keeps itself even in tears, so too the beauty of the soul, put together by the proportion of the virtues, keeps itself even in misfortunes. Let us practise this, then, and no temptation will overcome us, since the invincible right hand helps us first. [Letter 5.351] Once two faithful brothers, the best of friends, vying with one another in virtue, chose me as judge and affirmed on oath that they would accept the verdict; I voted that the better was the one who, being equal in all other things, excelled in humility. [Letter 5.352] Respect your own father, who exhorts you in matters where he could command, and return to virtue, so that you may not force him to use his own weapons. For he is hard to fight, being guarded by both nature and the laws; and if humaneness does not persuade you, he will use his authority.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.350 (PG 78 78:1539; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-350)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.353":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ οὐκ αἰδῇ τὴν φύσιν, φοβήθητι τοὺς νόμους, ἵνα μὴ καὶ τῶν θείων καὶ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων διαμάρτης.","t":"To the same. If you do not respect nature, fear the laws, so that you may not fail of both divine and human things.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.353 (PG 78 78:1539; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-353)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.354":{"o":"ΑΥΣΟΝΙΩ.\nΩσπερ ὁ ἀμύνεσθαι ἐπιθυμῶν μὲν, ἀδυνατῶν δὲ, τὸ γε εἰς αὐτὸν ἦκον, ἡμύνατο· οὕτω καὶ ὁ ἀμείψασθαι βουλόμενος, μὴ δυνάμενος δὲ, ἡμείψατο. Τὸ γὰρ αὐτοῦ πᾶν καὶ οὗτος ἐποίησε. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐ πάντως τῇ βουλήσει ἡ δύναμις ἕπεται, ἀπὸ τῆς γνώμης τὰ πράγματα κρίνεται. Εἰ καὶ ἐν τῷδε τῷ βίῳ πολλὰ τοῖς παλαιοῖς οἱ νῦν παραπλήσια ἢ καὶ θαυμασιώτερα δρῶντες, οὐ παραπλησίας δόξης τυγχάνουσιν (παρὰ γὰρ τὴν τῶν ὑμνησάντων ἀσθένειαν, ἢ φθόνον ἢ σπάνιν, ἔλαττον ἔχειν δοκοῦσιν), ἀλλά γε ἐν τῷ μέλλοντι τοσαύτης τεύξονται, ὅσης ἂν τυχεῖν δίκαιον τοὺς εὐκλεῶς μὲν ζήσαντας, ἀκλεῶς δὲ τελευτήσαντας. - ΕΡΜΙΝΩ, ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ, ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜ","t":"To Ausonius. Just as one who desires to retaliate but cannot has retaliated as far as it rested with him, so one who wishes to repay but cannot has repaid; for he too has done all that was his. For since power does not always follow the will, things are judged by the intention. [Letter 5.355] Even if in this life many now who do things like those of the ancients, or even more wonderful, do not obtain like glory (for through the weakness, envy or scarcity of those who would celebrate them they seem to have less), yet in the future they will obtain as much as it is just for those to obtain who lived gloriously but died without glory.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.354 (PG 78 78:1539; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-354)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.355":{"o":"ΠΡΟΤΑΤΟΙΣ.\nΜὴ καταβοᾶτε, ὦ βέλτιστοι, τῆς θείας προνοίας, ὅτι Ζώσιμον, εἰ καὶ μὴ κεκέλευκεν, ἀλλά γε οὐκ ἐκώλυσεν ἱερᾶσθαι. ᾿Αλλά θαυμάζετε αὐτῆς τὴν μακροθυμίαν, τὴν μικρὸν ὕστερον, εἰ μὴ γνωσιμαχήσειε, τοιαύτας αὐτὸν εἰσπραξομένην δίκας, ὡς τοὺς νῦν καταβοῶντας, τὴν ἀδέκαστον αὐτῆς ἀνακηρύξαι ψῆφον.","t":"To Herminus, Dorotheus and Hierax, most illustrious men. Do not cry out, my good men, against divine providence because, even if it did not command Zosimus to be a priest, it did not prevent it. But admire its patience, which a little later, unless he acknowledges his fault, will exact such penalties from him that those who now cry out will proclaim its incorruptible verdict.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.355 (PG 78 78:1539; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-355)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.357":{"o":"ΤΟΙΣ ΑΥΤΟΙΣ.\nΟὐκ ἔστι ταυτὸν κελεύειν, καὶ μὴ κωλύειν· οὐδὲ χειροτονεῖν, καὶ συγχωρεῖν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ὡς δέον, γίνεσθαι προστάττεται· τὸ δὲ διὰ τὴν τοῦ αὐτεξουσίου προαίρεσιν, ᾗ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον κεκόσμηται γένος, συγχωρεῖται. Μὴ τοίνυν τῶν ἀγοραζόντων τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἀφέμενοι, τὸν συγχωροῦντα αἰτιᾶσθε. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἀνεύθυνος ἦν ἡ ἀρχὴ, εἰκότως ἐδυσχεραίνετε. Εἰ δὲ τοσαύτην ἀπαιτεῖται τὴν δίκην ὁ ταύτην διέπων, ὅσον καὶ τὴν τιμὴν ἔσχε, καταθρηνεῖσθαι ἂν εἴη δίκαιος, ὅτι τῇ θείᾳ μακροθυμίᾳ εἰς κακίας ἐφόδιον ἐπεχρήσατο.","t":"To the same. To command and not to prevent are not the same; nor are ordaining and permitting. The one is ordered to happen as what is right; the other is permitted because of the choice of free will, with which the human race has been adorned. So do not leave aside those who buy the priesthood and blame the one who permits. If the office were free of account, you would rightly be annoyed; but if the one who administers it is required to pay a penalty as great as the honour he had, he would rightly be lamented, because he used the divine patience as provision for wickedness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.357 (PG 78 78:1541; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-357)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.358":{"o":"ΖΟΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ πέρα τοῦ δέοντος πρώην ὤφθη σοι φορτικὸς καὶ ἐπαχθὴς ὁ παντὸς ἐπαίνου κρείττων, Ἑρμογένης ὁ ἐπίσκοπος, πληκτικωτέρῳ χρησάμενος λόγῳ, καὶ μακρὰν κατὰ τῆς σῆς ῥαθυμίας ἀποτείνας τὴν κατηγορίαν, μὴ δυσχεράνῃς. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ αὐτὸ τοῦτο, λυπῆσαί σε προελόμενος μόνον, τὰ σὰ γεγωνότερον ἐξετραγώδησε κακά, εἰκότως ἐδυσχέραινες. Εἰ δὲ πρὸς τὸ συμφέρον σοι μόνον βλέπων, τὴν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις ἄωρον καὶ ἐπιβλαβή χάριν παρεῖδεν, ἵνα τὰ πράγματα διορθώσεως τύχῃ, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἀποδέξασθαι βούλει τῆς εὐνοίας αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ συγγνῶναι τῆς τοσαύτης φιλοστοργίας δίκαιος ἂν εἴης. Καὶ γὰρ σφόδρα δέδοικεν, μὴ παρὰ τῆς θείας προνοίας, οὕτω διὰ τὴν σὴν ῥαθυμίαν καὶ κακίαν δυσφημουμένης, δίκας αὐτὸς ἀπαιτηθείη, ὡς μηδὲ φωνὴν ῥῆξαι τολμήσας τοιούτων δραματουργουμένων τραγῳδιῶν. Ἢ οὖν παῦσαι τοιαῦτα δρῶν, ἢ μὴ ἐπαιτιῶ τοὺς τὴν σὴν καταθρηνοῦντας μανίαν.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Even if Hermogenes the bishop, who is above all praise, recently seemed to you burdensome and tiresome beyond what was right, using rather cutting words and extending his accusation against your indolence at length, do not be annoyed. If he had proclaimed your evils more loudly only because he chose to grieve you, you would rightly be annoyed. But if, looking only to your advantage, he overlooked the untimely and harmful pleasantness of words so that things might be corrected, then, even if you will not accept him for his goodwill, you would do right to pardon such great affection. For he greatly fears that he himself will be called to account by divine providence, so ill spoken of through your indolence and wickedness, as one who did not dare even to utter a word while such tragedies were being enacted. Either, then, stop doing such things, or do not blame those who lament your madness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.358 (PG 78 78:1541; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-358)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.359":{"o":"ΙΑΚΩΒΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nἩ θεία καὶ ἀκήρατος καὶ ἀήττητος δεξιὰ ἀναλλοίωτός ἐστι καὶ ἀεὶ κατὰ τὰ αὐτὰ, καὶ ὡσαύτως ἔχει, οὔτε προκοπὴν ἐπιδεχομένη τὴν ἐπὶ τὸ κρεῖττον · ἀκροτάτη γάρ ἐστιν ἀρετή · οὔτε μεταβολὴν τὴν ἐπὶ τὰ χείρω · οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε. Μεταβάλλει δὲ καὶ ἀλλοιοῖ τὰ βελτιώσεως δεόμενα. Διὸ καὶ Ψαλμὸς ἐπιγέγραπται « τῶν ἀλλοιωθησομένων· τουτέστι, τῶν βελτίωσιν ἐπιδεξομένων, καὶ εἰς τὸ κρεῖττον καὶ ἄμεινον ἀναχθησομένων· εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, οὐκ ἔστι περισκελὲς, ὅπερ ἠθέλησας μαθεῖν, « Αὕτη ἡ ἀλλοίωσις τῆς δεξιᾶς τοῦ Ὑψίστου· · οὐχ ἣν ἀλλοιοῦται, ἀναλλοίωτος γὰρ ἐστι καὶ πάσης μεταβολῆς κρείττων· « Ἴδετε γὰρ, φησὶν, ἴδετε, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι, καὶ οὐκ ἠλλοίωμαι · · ἀλλὰ ἣν ἀλλοιοῖ, καὶ μεταβάλλει, καὶ βελτιοῖ, καὶ εἰς ἀμείνονα κατάστασιν ἄγει τοὺς ταύτης δεομένους. Εἰ τὸ πλέον τῶν ἀναγκαίων λέγειν, οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνδρὸς, τὸ πλέον τῶν ἀναγκαίων γράφειν, εἴη γυναικός. Οὐκοῦν καὶ λέγοντες, καὶ γράφοντες τὴν συμμετρίαν τιμῶμεν.","t":"To James the reader. The divine, pure and invincible right hand is unchangeable and always the same and in the same state, admitting neither progress toward the better (for it is the highest virtue) nor change toward the worse (for that is impossible). But it changes and alters what needs improvement. That is why a psalm is entitled \"For those who will be changed\", that is, for those who will receive improvement and be led up to what is better and greater. If, then, this is so, what you wished to learn is not difficult: \"This is the change of the right hand of the Most High\"; not the change it undergoes, for it is unchangeable and above every alteration (\"See, see,\" he says, \"that I am, and I have not changed\"), but the change it makes, altering, transforming, improving, and leading those who need it to a better state. [Letter 5.360] If saying more than is necessary is not the mark of a man, writing more than is necessary would be the mark of a woman. So both in speaking and in writing let us honour proportion.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.359 (PG 78 78:1541; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-359)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.36":{"o":"ΝΕΜΕΣΙΩ.\nΠάντων εὐπορωτέρους ὁρίζομεν εἶναι καὶ βασιλικωτέρους τοὺς τὸν ἔρωτα τοῦ πλούτου καταπατήσαντας, ὡν παντὶ σθένει ἐναρίθμιοι σπουδάσωμεν γενέσθαι· εἰ γὰρ καὶ πολλοὶ τὴν τούτου τυραννίδα, καθάπερ τὴν εἰκόνα τοῦ Βαβυλωνίου προσεκύνησαν · ἀλλ᾽ ἡμεῖς μιμησάμενοι τῶν τριῶν παίδων τὴν ἀνδρίαν, κἂν φωναὶ σαλπίγγων καὶ συρίγγων, καὶ πάσης μουσικῆς πρὸς τὸν αἰθέρα φερομένης περιηγῶσιν ἡμῶν τὰς ἀκοὰς καὶ κάμινος πενίας ἀνακαίοιτο, μὴ προσέχωμεν τοῖς τυμπάνοις, μηδὲ τοῖς αὐλοῖς, μηδὲ τῇ λοιπῇ τοῦ πλούτου φαντασίᾳ. Ἀλλὰ κἂν εἰς κάμινον ἐμπεσεῖν δέῃ, πτωχείαν ἑλώμεθα, ὥστε μὴ προσκυνῆσαι ἐκείνῳ, καὶ ἔσται ἡμῖν ἡ φιλοσοφία, ἐνταῦθα μὲν ὥσπερ δρόσος ἐν μέσῳ διασυρίζουσα, καὶ ἐλευθερίαν ἅπασαν ὠδίνουσα, ἐκεῖ δὲ τοὺς στεφάνους τῆς ὑπομονῆς ἀποτίκτουσα.","t":"To Nemesius. We define those who have trampled on the love of wealth as richer and more kingly than all; let us strive with all our strength to be numbered among them. For even if many have worshipped its tyranny like the image of the Babylonian, let us imitate the courage of the three youths; and even if the sounds of trumpets and pipes and all kinds of music rising to the sky ring round our ears, and the furnace of poverty is kindled, let us not heed the drums or the flutes or the rest of the show of wealth. But even if we must fall into the furnace, let us choose poverty rather than worship that image; and our philosophy will be for us here like a dew whistling in the midst of the flames and bringing forth complete freedom, and there it will give birth to the crowns of endurance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.36 (PG 78 78:1347; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-36)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.361":{"o":"ΣΕΡΑΠΙΩΝΙ.\nὩς οὐκ ἀνεξομένου μου, εἴ τι ἄτοπον δράσειας· ἀλλὰ πάντως τὸ ἐμαυτοῦ ποιήσοντος καὶ ἐξοστρακίσοντός σε τοῦ χοροῦ τῶν φίλων, οὕτω διανοοῦ.","t":"To Serapion. Think of me as one who will not put up with it if you do something improper, but will certainly do my part and banish you from the choir of friends.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.361 (PG 78 78:1543; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-361)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.362":{"o":"ΕΠΙΦΑΝΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὉ μὲν διὰ κακίαν κολαζόμενος αἰσχύνεσθαι, ὁ δὲ δι' ἀρετὴν ἐναβρύνεσθαι δίκαιος ἂν εἴη. Οὐ γὰρ τὰ αὐτὰ φρονεῖν αὐτοὺς χρὴ, τῆς ὑποθέσεως, ἀφ᾿ ἧς γίνεται, πλεῖστον διαλλαττούσης. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἰ λῃστὴς καὶ μάρτυς τὰ αὐτὰ πείσονται, ὁμοίως διακείσονται. Τῷ μὲν γάρ ἐστι τιμωρία τὰ γινόμενα · τῷ δὲ στεφάνων ὑπόθεσις· διὸ ὁ μὲν ταλανίζειν ἑαυτὸν ὀφείλει, ὁ δὲ μακαρίζειν.","t":"To Epiphanius the deacon. The one punished for wickedness ought to be ashamed, but the one punished for virtue would rightly be proud. For they must not think the same, since the ground from which it comes differs greatly. For even if a robber and a martyr suffer the same things, they will not be similarly disposed; for to the one what happens is punishment, to the other an occasion for crowns. So the one ought to count himself wretched, the other blessed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.362 (PG 78 78:1543; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-362)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.363":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΟὐχ ὁ δικαίως καὶ ἀδίκως πάσχων τι ἐνταῦθα λυπηρὸν, ὁμοίως διακεῖσθαι ὀφείλουσι· τῷ μὲν γὰρ κατ' ἀξίαν συμβαίνει, τῷ δὲ δι' εὐδοκίμησιν. Διὸ καὶ ὁ μὲν λέγειν δίκαιος ἂν εἴη· « Οὐκ ἄξια ὧν ἥμαρτον μεμαστίγωμαι. » Ὁ δὲ οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν. » Οὕτω γὰρ ὁ μὲν εὐγνωμόνως ὑπομείνας ἀποτρίψεται τὰ πταίσματα · ὁ δὲ εἰ γενναίως οἴσει, στεφάνους ἕξει τιμαλφεστέρους.","t":"To the same. Those who suffer something painful here justly and unjustly ought not to be similarly disposed; for to the one it happens according to his deserts, to the other for his proving. So the one would rightly say, \"I have not been scourged as my sins deserved,\" and the other, \"The sufferings of the present time are not worth comparing with the glory to come.\" For so the one, enduring with good sense, will wipe off his failings, and the other, if he bears it nobly, will have more precious crowns.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.363 (PG 78 78:1543; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-363)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.364":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΛαμπρὰν μὲν ἔσχες τῶν ἀγώνων τὴν ἀρχὴν· διὰ τοῦτο καὶ σκιρτῶμεν, καὶ χαίρομεν, καὶ πανηγύρεως ὑπόθεσιν τὴν σὴν εὐδοκίμησιν ποιούμεθα. Δίκαιος δ' ἂν εἴης ἀγρυπνεῖν καὶ φροντίζειν, ὅπως λαμπροτέραν ἕξεις τὴν τελευτήν· ἔξεις δὲ, εἰ τῶν μὲν ὅπισθεν ἐπιλάθοιο, τοῖς δὲ ἔμπροσθεν ἐπεκτείνοιο· · καὶ μὴ νομίσας ἤδη ἐστεφανῶσθαι, τῶν πόνων παύσοιο. Πολλοὶ γὰρ λαμπρῶς προοιμιασάμενοι, καὶ ὑπτιωθέντες, τελευτῶντες αἰσχρῶς κατέστρεψαν· ὅπερ ἀπείη τῆς ἱερᾶς σου κεφαλῆς.","t":"To Peter the monk. You have made a brilliant beginning of your contests; that is why we leap and rejoice and make your good repute an occasion for festivity. But you would do right to keep watch and take care that you have a more brilliant end; and you will, if you forget what lies behind and strain forward to what lies ahead, and do not stop your labours thinking you are already crowned. For many who began brilliantly grew complacent and ended shamefully; may that be far from your sacred head.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.364 (PG 78 78:1543; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-364)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.365":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΡΕΤΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠολλὴ μὲν τοῦ θείου δικαστοῦ ἡ ἀκρίβεια, καὶ ῥήματα καὶ πράγματα, καὶ ἐνθυμήματα βασανίζουσα, καὶ ἕως ἀδύτων χωροῦσα, καὶ διὰ πάντων ἄγουσα τὴν ἔρευναν. Πολλὴ δὲ καὶ ἡμῶν ἡ ἀμέλεια. Καὶ ταῦτα εἰδότων, ὅτι πάντως δίκην ὑφέξομεν, εἰ καὶ μὴ τὴν αὐτὴν ἅπαντες. Οὐ γὰρ οἱ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἁμαρτήμασι περιπεσόντες, πάντως τὴν αὐτὴν δώσουσι δίκην, τῷ καὶ αἰτίας ἐξετάζεσθαι, καὶ καιροὺς καὶ τόπους· οἷόν τι λέγω· ἐναγὴς ὁ φόνος. Τις γὰρ οὐ φήσει; ᾿Αλλ' ὅταν καὶ ἐν ἁγίαις ἡμέραις γένηται, ἐναγέστερος γίνεται· εἰ δὲ καὶ ἐν ἱερῷ τόπῳ, ἐναγέστατος· τοῦ κακοῦ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ καιροῦ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου αὐξανομένου, καὶ προσθήκην εἰς τιμωρίαν λαμβάνοντος, καὶ ἡ πορνεία μία εἶναι δοκοῦσα, καὶ ἀπὸ καιροῦ, καὶ ἀπὸ τόπου βαρυτέρα γίνεται. Ἕν τοίνυν σκοπῶμεν ὅπως τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς εὖ διαθῶμεν· τῷ δὲ κριτῇ ἐπιτετράφθω ἡ ἀκριβὴς βάσανος. Οὐ γὰρ εἰ ἡμεῖς νῦν ὁριοῦμεν, αὐτὸς ἐπιψηφιεῖται. ᾿Αλλὰ ἀνάγκη ἡμᾶς τὴν ἀδέκαστον ἀναμένειν ψῆφον.","t":"To Lampetius the deacon. Great is the exactness of the divine Judge, testing words, deeds and thoughts, going even into the inner sanctuaries and carrying the inquiry through everything. Great too is our negligence, though we know that we shall certainly undergo judgment, even if not all the same judgment. For those who have fallen into the same sins will not necessarily pay the same penalty, since causes, times and places are examined. For example: murder is accursed; who will deny it? But when it is committed on holy days it becomes more accursed; and if in a holy place, most accursed, the evil being increased by both time and place and receiving an addition to its punishment. And sexual immorality, which seems to be one thing, becomes heavier from both time and place. Let us consider one thing, then, how to set our own affairs in order, and let the exact testing be entrusted to the Judge. For he will not ratify what we now determine; we must await the incorruptible verdict.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.365 (PG 78 78:1543; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-365)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.366":{"o":"ΥΠΑΤΙΩ.\nἜχει μὲν ἡ ἀρετὴ εὐφροσύνην εἰλικρινῆ καὶ ἔνδοξον καὶ ἀτελεύτητον, ὑπὸ μὲν τοῦ ἀγαθοῦ συνειδότος τικτομένην, ὑπὸ δὲ τῶν ὑπερκοσμίων στεφάνων τιθηνουμένην καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν μελλόντων ἐλπίδος τρεφομένην· ἔχει δὲ καὶ πόνους, καὶ ἀγρυπνίας, καὶ ἀσκήσεις, δι' ὧν κατορθοῦται. Οὐ γὰρ ὁ ῥαθυμῶν καὶ καθεύδων τρόπαιον στήσει, ἀλλ' ὁ λαμπρῶς πρὸς τοὺς ἐναντίους ἀγωνισάμενος. Εἰ δὲ φαίης πάλιν, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔφης, οἷόν τε εἶναι τὸν τὰ βιωτικά πράγματα μεταχειριζόμενον στεφθῆναι, πάντα τὰ εἴδη τῆς ἀρετῆς κατορθώσαντα, καὶ σπουδάζων, ἀλλὰ μὴ παίζων ἀκριβῶς ταῦτα φῆς· μὴ φθονήσῃς διδάξαι με τὸ παράδοξον τοῦτο καὶ νεώτερον μάθημα. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ῥᾳδίας καὶ πλατείας, καὶ ἱππηλάτου οὔσης τῆς τοιαύτης ὁδοῦ, πράγματα βούλομαι αὐτός τε ἔχειν, καὶ τοῖς ἄλλοις παρέχειν, λέγων τὸ ἀποστολικὸν, ὅτι « Διὰ πολλῶν θλίψεων δεῖ ἡμᾶς εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τῶν οὐρανῶν. » Ὁ γὰρ Δεσπότης Χριστὸς ἀπεφήνατο, στενὴν εἶναι τὴν πύλην, καὶ τεθλιμμένην τὴν ὁδὸν, τὴν ἀπάγουσαν εἰς τὴν ζωὴν, καὶ ὀλίγους εἶναι τοὺς εὐρίσκοντας αὐτὴν. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ τοῦτο οὐ δύναμαι μαθεῖν, οὐ γὰρ ἐᾷς σὺ καὶ δι' ὧν λέγεις, καὶ δι' ὧν πράττεις, ἀντιφθεγγόμενος ταύτῃ τε τῇ ψήφῳ, καὶ τοῖς θείοις χρησμοῖς, καὶ τὰναντία παιδεύων.","t":"To Hypatius. Virtue has a gladness that is pure, glorious and endless, born of a good conscience, nursed by crowns above the world and fed by the hope of things to come; but it also has labours, vigils and ascetic exercises, by which it is achieved. For it is not the one who is idle and sleeps who will set up a trophy, but the one who has fought brilliantly against his opponents. But if you say again, as you did say, that one who handles worldly affairs can be crowned, having achieved every form of virtue, and if you say this exactly, in earnest and not in jest, do not grudge to teach me this paradoxical and novel lesson. For if such a road were easy, broad and fit for horses, I would not wish to have trouble myself and give it to others by quoting the apostolic saying, \"Through many afflictions we must enter the kingdom of heaven.\" For Christ the Master declared that the gate is narrow and the road hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. But I cannot learn this from you, for you do not let me, contradicting both this verdict and the divine oracles by what you say and what you do, and teaching the opposite.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.366 (PG 78 78:1545; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-366)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.367":{"o":"ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠέπτωκεν ὁ διάβολος, εἰ καὶ ἀπερισκέπτως θρασύνεται. Θρασύνεται δὲ, τὴν ἡμετέραν ῥαθυμίαν ἐφόδιον τῆς οἰκείας ἀπονοίας ποιούμενος. Τὸ γὰρ μέγιστον καὶ θεῖον τρόπαιον, ὅπερ ὁ Σωτήρ δεῦρο ἐπιφοιτήσας κατ' αὐτοῦ ἔστησε, κινδυνεύει ἐκ τῆς ἡμετέρας κακίας ἀμαυρωθῆναι· οὐ τὴν οἰκείαν ἀπολέσαν δύναμιν, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ τῆς ἀτονίας καὶ κακίας τῶν περιφερόντων αὐτὸ καθυβριζόμενον. Οἱ γὰρ τοῦ καλλινίκου βασιλέως αὐχοῦντες εἶναι στρατιῶται, καὶ τὸ θεῖον αὐτοῦ ὄνομα ὥσπερ ἀξίωμα μέγα, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔστι, περιφέροντες, τρυφῇ καὶ χρηματισμοῖς ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδιδόντες, καὶ δι᾽ ἑαυτοὺς ἡττηθῆναι δίκαιοι ὄντες, διὰ τὴν τοῦ βασιλέως δόξαν περιγίνονται· μονονουχὶ γὰρ καὶ νῦν αὐτοῖς ἐπιφωνεῖ · · Οὐ δι᾽ ὑμᾶς ἐγὼ ποιῶ, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ ὄνομά μου, ἵνα μὴ βεβηλωθῇ. » Εἰ μὴ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἦν ὁ νυνὶ συγκροτῶν τὴν οἰκείαν θρησκείαν καὶ πάντα αὐτῇ ὑποχείρια παρασκευάζων, πάλαι ἂν διὰ τὴν τῶν μεταχειριζομένων αὐτὴν οὐ δεόντως ῥαθυμίαν ὠλιγωρήθη· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τῆς οἰκείας ἀντιποιεῖται δόξης, τὸν μὲν εἰς ὕψος αἴρει, τοὺς δὲ δίκας πικροτάτας μικρὸν ὕστερον εἰσπράξεται. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἀνέξεται ταῦτα τολμᾶσθαι ἀτιμωρητὶ, οὐδὲ τοὺς τὸ θεῖον αὐτοῦ ὄνομα τόγε εἰς αὐτοὺς ἧκον βλασφημηθῆναι παρασκευάσαντας, ἀτιμωρήτους ἀφήσει· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀργαλεωτέρας ἀπαιτήσει δίκας τοὺς καὶ ἐν τῷ πλημμελεῖν προστασίας τοσαύτης ἀπολαύσαντας, καὶ μηδὲ οὕτω σωφρονισθέντας, ἀλλ' ἐφόδιον τῆς οἰκείας ῥαθυμίας τὴν θείαν μακροθυμίαν ποιησαμένους, καὶ δι᾽ ὧν γνωσιμαχεῖν ἐχρῆν, διὰ τούτων ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον ἐλάσαντας.","t":"To Theognostus the presbyter. The devil has fallen, even if he grows bold heedlessly. And he grows bold by making our indolence provision for his own folly. For the greatest and divine trophy, which the Saviour set up against him when he came here, is in danger of being obscured by our wickedness; not because it has lost its own power, but because it is insulted by the weakness and wickedness of those who carry it about. For those who boast of being soldiers of the gloriously victorious King, and carry about his divine name as a great dignity, as indeed it is, while giving themselves up to luxury and money-making, deserving to be defeated on their own account, prevail because of the King's glory. For he all but cries out to them even now: \"Not for your sakes do I act, but for my name's sake, so that it may not be profaned.\" For were it not he himself who now upholds his own religion and makes all things subject to it, it would long ago have been despised because of the indolence of those who handle it improperly. But since he lays claim to his own glory, he raises it on high, and a little later will exact the bitterest penalties from them. For he will not bear these things to be dared with impunity, nor will he let go unpunished those who, as far as lay with them, have caused his divine name to be blasphemed; but he will exact more grievous penalties from those who enjoyed such great protection even in their offences, and were not corrected even so, but made the divine patience provision for their own indolence, and by what should have led them to acknowledge their fault, drove on to worse.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.367 (PG 78 78:1545; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-367)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.368":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ.\nΜέγας, καὶ ὀξυδερκὴς, καὶ ἀκοίμητος ὁ τῆς θείας δίκης ἐστὶν ὀφθαλμός· καὶ οὐ μόνον τὰ ἐν φανερῷ δρώμενα ἐφορᾷ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ ἐν παραβύστῳ τολμώμενα ἀνιχνεύει, καὶ τὰ τῆς καρδίας κινήματα καταλαμβάνει. Τοιοῦτον τοιγαροῦν ἔχοντες κριτὴν, ἀντεχώμεθα μὲν ἀρετῆς, ἀπεχώμεθα δὲ κακίας. Τὴν μὲν γὰρ ἀμείψεται, τὴν δὲ ἀμυνεῖται.","t":"To Isaiah. The eye of divine justice is great, sharp-sighted and sleepless; it not only oversees what is done openly but also tracks down what is dared in secret, and grasps the movements of the heart. Having such a Judge, then, let us hold fast to virtue and keep away from wickedness; for the one he will reward, the other he will punish.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.368 (PG 78 78:1547; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-368)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.369":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΟὐ μέλλειν, ὦ σοφὲ, ἀλλὰ πράττειν χρὴ τὰ βέλτιστα · οὔτε γὰρ τὸν τῆς τελευτῆς ἴσμεν καιρὸν, οὔτε τὴν τοῦ διαβόλου κακουργίαν, ἣν καθ' ἡμῶν μηχανᾶται, ἐκκρούων μὲν ἀεὶ τοῦ παρόντος, τὸ δὲ μέλλον ὀνειροπολεῖν παρασκευάζων. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οἶδεν, ὅτι κατὰ τὸ παρὸν ζῶμεν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, τὸ δὲ μέλλον ἀμφίβολον, καταστρατηγεῖ· καὶ τὸ μὲν παρὸν ἀπατῶν, τὸ δὲ μέλλον ὑποτιθέμενος, ἐκτραχηλίζει τοὺς πειθομένους, τὸ σήμερον ἀεὶ παρὸν λογιζομένους. Διὸ καὶ τὸν τοῦ πράττειν καιρὸν εἰς τὸ μηδὲν παρασκευάζεσθαι ἀναλίσκοντες, διαμαρτάνουσι τῆς εὐκαιρίας. Ὁ γὰρ χρόνος τὸ βράδος οὐ περιμένει · ἀλλὰ καὶ ἃς ἐν τῷ μεταξὺ χρόνῳ ὅλας ἀπατῶμεν ἑαυτοὺς παρασκευάζειν, οὐδὲν οἷόν τε ποιεῖν ἐξελέγχονται.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. One must not delay, wise man, but do what is best; for we know neither the time of our death nor the villainy that the devil contrives against us, always pushing us out of the present and making us dream of the future. For since he knows that we human beings live in the present while the future is uncertain, he outmanoeuvres us; deceiving us about the present and suggesting the future, he throws down those who believe him, who always reckon \"today\" as present. So, spending the time for action on preparing nothing, they miss the opportunity. For time does not wait for slowness; and the plans we deceive ourselves into preparing in the meantime are shown to be able to do nothing.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.369 (PG 78 78:1547; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-369)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.37":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ.\nΕἰ μὲν τῶν ἀρχομένων τινὰς ἐχειροῦτο ἡ κακία, οὐδὲν (χρὴ γὰρ τἀληθῆ λέγειν ) ἂν ἦν τοσοῦτο δεινὸν, καίπερ ὃν δεινόν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἕρπουσα πρὸς τὰ χείρω, καί τινας τῶν ἱερᾶσθαι λαχόντων ἐπιβόσκεται· καὶ ὡς γέγραφας ( τὸ τῶν κακῶν κεφάλαιον, καὶ πάσης συμφορᾶς βαρύτερον) ἀπολογίαν, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως, τοῦτο τοῖς ὑπηκόοις τίκτει. Ακουέτωσαν οἱ ταῦτα λέγοντες, μὴ τοῖς κακῶς ἱερωμένοις παραμετρεῖν τὸν οἰκεῖον βίον, ἀλλὰ ταῖς ἐντολαῖς. Ὁ γὰρ κριτὴς ἀδέκαστος ὢν, ἀπολογίαν ἄλογον οὐ δέξαιτο, ἀλλ᾽ ἐρεῖ μάλιστα μὲν ὅτι πολλοὶ τῶν ἱερωμένων ηὐδοκίμησαν, οἷς ἐχρῆν προσέχοντας ὑμᾶς τὸν νοῦν διορθῶσαι τὸν οἱκεῖον βίον. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἐφωράθητε τῆς κακίας ὄντες ἐρασταὶ, ἐξ ὧν οὐ τοῖς ἀριστεύσασιν ἀτενῶς προσεσχήκατε, ἀλλὰ τοῖς πταίσασι, κἀκεῖνοι μὲν δώσουσι δίκην ἀξίαν ὧν ἔδρασαν, καὶ ὑμεῖς ἐπειδὴ ἀρετὴν ἠτιμάσατε καὶ κακίαν ἡσπάσασθε, καὶ οὔτε βασιλείας πόθος, οὔτε γεέννης φόβος ἐποίησε φύλακας τῶν ἐμῶν γενέσθαι νόμων, τὴν ἐσχάτην δώσετε τιμωρίαν.","t":"To Leontius the bishop. If wickedness overcame only some of those who are governed, it would not be so terrible (for one must tell the truth), though it is terrible. But since, creeping on to worse, it also grazes upon some of those who have been allotted the priesthood, and, as you have written (the height of evils and heavier than every calamity), this somehow breeds an excuse for those under them, let those who say such things hear: do not measure your own life against those who are wickedly ordained, but against the commandments. For the judge, being incorruptible, would not accept an irrational excuse, but will say above all that many of the ordained have been approved, to whom you should have paid attention and corrected your own life. \"But since you have been caught out as lovers of wickedness, in that you fixed your gaze not on those who excelled but on those who stumbled, they will pay a penalty worthy of what they did, and you, since you dishonoured virtue and embraced wickedness, and neither longing for the kingdom nor fear of hell made you keepers of my laws, will pay the ultimate penalty.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.37 (PG 78 78:1349; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-37)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.370":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ δειναὶ ἐν τοῖς πράγμασι συμβαίνουσαι ἀπορίαι τὸ εἰκὸς ἀνελεῖν, καὶ τοῦ πρέποντος ἀναγκάζουσι τὸ παρεμπίπτον ἑλέσθαι· ἀλλ᾽ οὖν οἱ φρονήσεως οὐκ ἀμοιροῦντες, καὶ τῇ θείᾳ δεξιᾷ τὰ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιτρέποντες, τὸ πρέπον μᾶλλον τοῦ παραυτίκα δοκοῦντος αἱρούμενοι, οὐ τῷ δόξαι ἡττῆσθαι δυσχεραίνουσιν, ἀλλὰ τῷ ὄντως νενικηκέναι ἀγάλλονται. Νίκη γὰρ ἀληθῶς οὐ τὸ δοκεῖν παραχρῆμα νενικηκέναι, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀρετῆς καὶ εὐσεβείας μὴ ἐκπεπτωκέναι.","t":"To Apollonius the bishop. Even if the difficulties that arise in affairs are terribly able to remove what is reasonable and compel one to choose what comes to hand over what is fitting, yet those who do not lack prudence and entrust their affairs to the divine right hand, choosing the fitting over what seems advantageous at the moment, are not annoyed at seeming to be defeated, but exult in having truly won. For true victory is not seeming to have won at once, but not having fallen from virtue and piety.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.370 (PG 78 78:1549; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-370)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.371":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΑΙ ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nἩ ἀκήρατος καὶ θεία δύναμις μόνη μὲν ἐθέλει κατ᾿ ἀξίαν τιμᾶν. Μόνη δὲ καὶ ἔχει δι' ὧν τιμήσει, τῇ βουλήσει τῆς δυνάμεως ἁμιλλωμένης. Οὐκοῦν ἀγαπήσωμεν αὐτὴν, τὴν μόνην καὶ ἐθέλουσαν ἡμᾶς τιμῆσαι, καὶ ἔχουσαν, δι᾽ ὧν οὐ μόνον κατ᾿ ἀξίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀξίαν τιμήσει· « Οὐκ ἄξια γὰρ, φησὶ, τὰ παθήματα· τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι. » ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΕΠΑΡΧΩ. ᾿Αριστον δημαγωγὸν καὶ ἡγεμόνα ἐκεῖνον ἂν ἔγωγε ὁρισαίμην, οὐ τὸν μισθοδοσίαις στάσεις κινοῦντα, καὶ τῶν ἑαυτοῦ ἴσων (οὐ γὰρ ἂν εἴποιμι χειρόνων) ὥσπερ δεσποτῶν τὰς φωνὰς ἐξωνούμενον· ἀλλὰ τὸν δι᾽ ἀρετῆς καὶ εὐσεβείας τοὺς δήμους ἐξαρτώμενον, καὶ οὐκ ἐν ταῖς φωναῖς μόνον ἀνακηρυττόμενον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ταῖς γνώμαις στεφανούμενον. ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΧΑΙΡΗΜΟΝΙ, ΚΑΙ","t":"To Herminus and Hierax, most illustrious men. The pure and divine power alone wishes to honour according to desert; and it alone has the means to honour, since its power vies with its will. So let us love it, the only one that both wishes to honour us and has the means to honour us not only according to desert but beyond desert. \"For the sufferings of the present time,\" he says, \"are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed.\" [Letter 5.372] To Theodore the prefect. I would define the best leader of the people and governor as one who does not stir up factions by largesse and buy the voices of his equals (I would not say his inferiors) as if they were masters, but one who attaches the people to himself by virtue and piety, and is not only proclaimed in their voices but crowned in their minds.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.371 (PG 78 78:1549; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-371)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.372":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΩ.\nἘλλόγιμοι καὶ ἀληθεῖς ἄνδρες ἐκτόπως ὑμᾶς τῆς κακίας διαβεβαιοῦνται εἶναι ἐραστὰς, καὶ τὰ κατ' εἶδος πλημμελήματα ὑμῶν ἐκκωμῳδοῦντες, πολλὴν καταχέουσι τοῖς μὴ ἀναλγήτοις τὴν ὀδύνην. Ἐγὼ δὲ αὐτὰ οὐ φράσω δυοῖν ἕνεκεν. Οὔτε γὰρ βούλομαι μολῦναι τὴν γλῶτταν, οὔτε εἰ βουλοίμην, δυναίμην· οὕτως ἅπαντα λόγον ὑπερβαίνει. Ὑμῶν οὖν ἐστι σκοπεῖν, ὅπως παύσησθε τῶν τοιούτων δραμάτων, ἃ καὶ τοὺς λέγοντας ἐρυθριᾷν παρασκευάζει.","t":"To Zosimus, Maron, Chaeremon and Eustathius. Learned and truthful men affirm that you are extraordinary lovers of wickedness, and, ridiculing your offences one by one, they pour much pain on those who are not insensible. I shall not tell them, for two reasons: I do not wish to defile my tongue, and even if I wished I could not, so far do they exceed all words. It is for you, then, to consider how to stop such plays, which make even those who speak of them blush.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.372 (PG 78 78:1549; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-372)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.374":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΤὰς ἀρετὰς τίμα, μὴ τὰς εὐημερίας θεράπευε. Αἱ μὲν γὰρ ἀθάνατόν εἰσι χρῆμα, αἱ δὲ ῥᾳδίως σβέννυνται.","t":"To Paul. Honour virtues; do not court prosperity. For the one is an immortal thing, the other is easily extinguished.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.374 (PG 78 78:1549; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-374)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.375":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὉ μὴ ἀποφαινόμενος, ἀλλ' ἐρωτῶν, καὶ τῇ κρίσει τῶν ἀκροατῶν τὴν ψῆφον ἐπιτρέπων, ἐμφατικωτέραν καὶ δραστικωτέραν τῇ ἐρωτήσει τὴν ἀπόδειξιν ποιεῖται. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἀποφαινομένους, αὐθαδείας οἱ πολλοὶ γράφονται. Τοὺς δὲ ἐρωτῶντας, καὶ προπετείας κρείττονας εἶναι ἡγοῦνται, καὶ ἀσμένως στεφανοῦσι, τῷ τὰ λεγόμενα καταδέχεσθαι καὶ ἐγκρίνειν ἀεί. \"Απαξ γὰρ ψηφισάμενοι, ἀνατρέψαι τὰ κεκριμένα αἰσχύνονται. Τοιοῦτό τι καὶ ὁ Χριστὸς, ἡ ἄῤῥητος σοφία, πολλαχοῦ μὲν πεποίηκε, μάλιστα δὲ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀμπελουργῶν. Ἐρωτήσας γάρ· « Τί ποιήσει τοῖς γεωργοῖς ἐκείνοις; » εἶτα ἐκείνων φησάντων· • Κακοὺς κακῶς ἀπολέσει αὐτοὺς, καὶ τὸν ἀμπελῶνα ἐκδώσεται ἑτέροις γεωργοῖς· · αὐτὸς τὴν ἀπόφασιν ἐκείνων ἐκύρωσε. Δυνάμενος γὰρ ἀποφήνασθαι, ἠνάγκασεν ἐκείνους διὰ τῆς ἐρωτήσεως τὴν ψῆφον ἐξενεγκεῖν, καὶ οὕτως αὐτὸς ἐβεβαίωσεν. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Παῦλος ὁ τῆς σοφίας φοιτητὴς ἐποίησε· δυνάμενος γὰρ εἰπεῖν· « Οὔτε πρέπει γυναῖκα ἀκατακάλυπτον τῷ Θεῷ προσεύχεσθαι. • Διὰ τῆς ἐρωτήσεως ζητητικωτέραν τὴν ἀπόδειξιν κατεσκεύασεν εἰπὼν, « Ἐν ὑμῖν αὐτοῖς κρίνατε, πρέπον ἐστὶ γυναῖκα ἀκατακάλυπτον τῷ Θεῷ προσεύχεσθαι; » Καὶ αὐτὸς τοίνυν μὴ διατείνου, καὶ διαβεβαιοῦ, καὶ διαπληκτίζου, εἴ ποτέ τι ἀποδείξαι βουληθείης. Πολλοὶ γὰρ τοῖς οὕτω διακειμένοις, καὶ εἰ καλῶς φράζοιεν, ἀντιλέγουσιν· ἀλλὰ προσηνείᾳ, καὶ πραότητι, καὶ ἐρωτήσει ἐμφατικωτέραν τὴν ἀπόδειξιν κατασκεύαζε. Οὕτω γὰρ κερδανεῖς μετὰ τοῦ νικῆσαι καὶ τὴν τοῦ πρᾶος εἶναι δόξαν.","t":"To the same. One who does not assert but asks, and entrusts the verdict to the judgement of the hearers, makes the demonstration more emphatic and effective by the question. For the many charge those who assert with arrogance, but think those who ask to be above rashness and gladly crown them, by always accepting and approving what is said; for once they have voted, they are ashamed to overturn their judgement. Christ, the ineffable Wisdom, did something like this in many places, and especially in the case of the vine-dressers. For having asked, \"What will he do to those tenants?\", and when they said, \"He will put those wretches to a wretched death and let out the vineyard to other tenants,\" he himself ratified their sentence. For though he could have declared it, he compelled them by the question to pronounce the verdict, and so himself confirmed it. So too Paul, the pupil of wisdom, did; for though he could have said, \"It is not fitting for a woman to pray to God uncovered,\" he made the demonstration more searching by the question, saying, \"Judge for yourselves: is it fitting for a woman to pray to God uncovered?\" So you too, if you ever wish to prove something, do not strain, affirm and wrangle; for many contradict people so disposed, even when they speak well; but make the demonstration more emphatic by gentleness, mildness and questioning. For so, together with victory, you will gain the reputation of being gentle.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.375 (PG 78 78:1551; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-375)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.376":{"o":"ΜΗΝΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΜὴ λοξὰς καὶ πλαγίας καὶ βεβιασμένας τοῖς ἐρωτῶσι τὰς ἀποκρίσεις ποιώμεθα, ἀλλ᾽ ὀρθὰς καὶ ἀβιάστους· οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἱεροὶ χρησμοὶ πᾶσι τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασι τὰ ἱάματα σαφῆ προσάγουσιν. Ωσπερ δὲ ἰατροὶ ἕτερον ἀνθ᾽ ἑτέρου φάρμακον προσάγοντες τοῖς κάμνουσιν, οὐκ ἂν ὠφελήσαιεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ λυμανοῦνται. Οὕτω καὶ οἱ μὴ τὰς κυρίας θεραπείας ἑκάστῳ πταίσματι προσφέρειν εἰδότες, καὶ ἰατρικῆς εἰσιν ἄπειροι τέχνης, καὶ τὰ πάθη ἐπιτρίβουσι. Σοφώτεροι γὰρ εἶναι βουλόμενοι τῶν λογίων, καὶ τὰ δοκοῦντα ἑαυτοῖς δογματίζοντες, οὐ μόνον ἑαυτοὺς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὥσπερ εἰς λιμένας καταφεύγοντας σφάλλουσι τῆς ἐλπίδος, εἰς πέλαγος αὐτοὺς ζητημάτων ἐξακοντίζοντες.","t":"To Menas the deacon. Let us not give oblique, sideways and forced answers to those who ask, but straight and unforced ones. For the sacred oracles apply clear remedies to all sins. Just as physicians who give the sick one medicine in place of another would not help but even harm them, so those who do not know how to apply the proper treatment to each failing are inexperienced in the healing art and make the passions worse. For wishing to be wiser than the oracles and laying down as doctrine what seems good to themselves, they disappoint the hope not only of themselves but of those who flee to them as to harbours, hurling them out into a sea of questions.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.376 (PG 78 78:1551; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-376)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.377":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΟὐχ ὁ πάσης ἀφορμῆς πρὸς ἀδικίαν ἔρημος ὢν, δίκαιος κεκλῆσθαι δίκαιος, ἀλλ᾿ ὅστις τὴν ἐξουσίαν τοῦ πράγματος ἔχων, ἀδικίας οὐχ ἅπτεται· οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ ὁ ἀνάγκῃ σωφρονῶν σώφρων εἰκότως κεκλήσεται, ἀλλ᾽ ὅστις τὴν ἐξουσίαν τῶν ἡδονῶν ἔχων ἑκούσιον σωφροσύνην ἀσπάζεται. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι δρᾶν ἃ βούλονται, ἐπιείκειαν πολλάκις πλάττονται · ἐν ἐξουσίᾳ δὲ γενόμενοι, ἐλέγχονται. Οἱ δὲ ἄριστοι τότε μάλιστα καρτεροῦσι, καὶ τοῦ δικαίου ἔχονται, ὅτε ἡ ἐξουσία τὴν ἀδικίαν τίκτει. ΜΑΡΚΙΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Ὁ ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἔργων λαμπρυνόμενος ἀρετῆς, οὗτος γνήσιος ἱερωσύνης τυγχάνει κόσμος. Ὅστις δὲ ἔνδον τῆς ἀξίας οὐ φορῶν τὰ γνωρίσματα, ἀλλοτρίαν σχηματιζόμενος εὐπρέπειαν, τῇ τιμῇ μόνῃ ἐναβρύνεται, οὗτος ὑπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας εἰς τοὺς νόθους ἀπέρριπται. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ὁ μὲν θεοφιλής Ἑρμογένης ὁμολογοῦσαν τῇ ἀρετῇ καὶ τὴν ἀξίαν ἔσχε· πρὸς γὰρ τὸ οἰκεῖον ἑκάτερον ἔσπευσεν, ὁ μὲν τῆς ἁγιστείας κόσμος τὸν ἄξιον ἐπιζητήσας, τὸ δὲ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀρχικὸν τὴν παρὰ τῆς θείας χάριτος ὀφειλομένην προσθήκην· ὁ δὲ θεομισὴς, ὡς γέγραφας, Εὐσέβιος ἀρετῆς χηρεύων, τῇ ἱερωσύνῃ μόνῃ σεμνύνεται. Ὁ μὲν παρὰ πάντων ᾄδεται, ὡς ὁμολογοῦσαν τῇ ἀξίᾳ καὶ τὴν προαίρεσιν εἰσενεγκάμενος· ὁ δὲ κακίζεται ὡς νόθος, καὶ εἰς μηδαμόθεν αὐτῷ προσήκουσαν κληρονομίαν εἰσβιασάμενος.","t":"To Paul. Not the one who lacks every opportunity for injustice would rightly be called just, but the one who, having the power to do it, does not touch injustice; nor will the one who is temperate by necessity rightly be called temperate, but the one who, having the power of pleasures, embraces voluntary self-control. For the former often pretend to fairness because they cannot do what they wish, but are shown up when they come into power; but the best hold out most of all and keep to justice precisely when power breeds injustice. [Letter 5.378] To Marcion the presbyter. The one who shines with the virtue of deeds is the genuine adornment of the priesthood; but whoever does not bear within the marks of the dignity, but assumes another's comeliness and prides himself on the honour alone, is cast by the truth among the bastards. Since, then, the God-beloved Hermogenes had a dignity in agreement with his virtue (for each hastened to its own: the adornment of the sacred office sought the worthy man, and the leadership of virtue the addition owed it by divine grace), while the God-hated Eusebius, as you have written, bereft of virtue, prides himself on the priesthood alone, the one is sung by all as having brought an intention in agreement with his dignity, while the other is reproached as a bastard who has forced his way into an inheritance that in no way belongs to him.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.377 (PG 78 78:1553; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-377)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.379":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΟ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΜὴ τοὺς μόλις, καὶ διὰ μυρίων ἀγώνων ἀρετὴν κατορθώσαντας, καὶ εἰς τὴν εὐαγεστάτην ἱερωσύνην τελέσαντας, ἀπὸ τῶν ἐξ ἐπιδρομῆς ἐπιπηδησάντων αὐτῇ χαρακτήριζε· ἀλλ᾽ ἐκείνους μὲν ἀνακήρυττε, τούτους δὲ ἀποκήρυττε. Τοῖς γὰρ μὴ ἀπὸ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὰ αὐτὰ ἤκουσιν, οὐχ ὁμοίως προσενεκτέον· ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὲν ἀρετῆς ἄθλον τὴν ἱερωσύνην ἐσχηκότας ἐγκωμιαστέον καὶ μακαριστέον. Τοὺς δὲ ἐπιπηδήσαι αὐτῇ τολμήσαντας, τόδ' ὅπως φράσω, αἰτιατέον καὶ ἐλεητέον· ὅτι τὴν φέρουσαν ὁδὸν ἐπὶ τὴν θείαν λειτουργίαν παριδόντες, καὶ τὴν ὁσιωτάτην καὶ εὐαγεστάτην ἐν πολλῷ χρόνῳ τῶν φιλαρέτων πόνων ὑπομονὴν ἀτιμάσαντες, θεσμούς τε καὶ τὰς ἄλλας ἁγιαστείας τὰς ἀπὸ τῆς ὀρθῆς πολιτείας παρωσάμενοι, ἀποχρῶσαν ἐνόμισαν ἑαυτοῖς τὴν χειροτονίαν· δι᾽ ἣν καὶ μόνην ἐναβρυνόμενοι, κατὰ τῶν ὀρθῶς βιούντων ἐπιφύονται.","t":"To Dorotheus, a most illustrious man. Do not characterize those who with difficulty and through countless contests achieved virtue and were admitted to the most holy priesthood by those who leapt upon it in a rush; but proclaim the former and denounce the latter. For those who have come to the same place by different roads must not be treated alike. Those who have obtained the priesthood as the prize of virtue must be praised and counted blessed; but those who dared to leap upon it must be, how shall I say it, blamed and pitied, because, overlooking the road that leads to the divine ministry, dishonouring the most holy and sacred endurance of virtuous labours over a long time, and pushing aside the rules and the other sacred practices that come from a right way of life, they thought ordination alone sufficient for themselves; and priding themselves on that alone, they attack those who live rightly.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.379 (PG 78 78:1553; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-379)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.38":{"o":"ΑΒΡΑΑΜ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΛίαν θαύμαζω τὴν τῶν πολλῶν ῥαθυμίαν, ὅτι οἱ μὲν γενναῖοι καὶ θαυμαστοὶ ἄνδρες τοὺς πόνους τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀρετῆς προθύμως ὑπομένουσιν, οὗτοι δὲ οὐδὲ τοὺς λόγους ἐξ ὧν οἱ τῆς ἀρετῆς εἰώθασι φύεσθαι πόνοι, ἀκούειν ἀνέχονται. Τίς οὖν αὐτοῖς πιστεύει, ὅτι τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἱδρῶτας γνησίως ἐπαναιροῦσιν ὅταν τοὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς λόγους ἴδωσιν αὐτοὺς δυσκόλως προσιεμένους. Παραίνει τοίνυν ἐκείνοις περὶ ὧν καὶ γέγραφας, ἔχεσθαι τῆς τῶν Γραφῶν ἀναγνώσεως. Ἐντεῦθεν γὰρ καὶ ἡ γνῶσις τίκτεται.","t":"To Abraham the bishop. I greatly wonder at the indolence of the many: while noble and admirable men eagerly endure the labours undertaken for virtue, these will not even bear to hear the words from which the labours of virtue usually spring. Who, then, will believe that they genuinely take up the sweat of virtue, when they see that they hardly admit the words spoken on its behalf? So urge those about whom you have written to hold fast to the reading of the Scriptures; for from there knowledge too is born.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.38 (PG 78 78:1349; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-38)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.380":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ..\n᾿Ανάγκη τὸν μιᾷ σχολάζοντα τέχνῃ, ἄριστα αὐτὴν διηκριβῶσθαι. Οἱ γὰρ πολλαῖς ἑαυτοὺς παρέχοντες, εἰ καὶ δόξειαν πολλὰς εἰδέναι, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ πασῶν εἰς τὸ ἀκρότατον ἀφίξονται. ᾿Αλλ' εἰ χρὴ τὸ ἀκριβὲς εἰπεῖν, ὅλας ἡμιτελεῖς καὶ ἀώρους κεκτήσονται. Εἰ δὲ καὶ δοκοῖεν πλεονεκτεῖν τῷ πολλὰς εἰδέναι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀντιπλεονεκτοῦνται τῷ λείπεσθαι τοῖς εἰς τὴν ἑκάστην τέχνην ἄκροις.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. One who devotes himself to a single art must master it excellently. For those who give themselves to many, even if they seem to know many, will not reach the summit of all; or rather, if one must speak exactly, they will possess all of them half-finished and unripe. And even if they seem to have the advantage in knowing many, they are at a disadvantage in falling short of those who excel in each art.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.380 (PG 78 78:1553; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-380)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.381":{"o":"ΚΑΣΣΙΑΝΩ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΩ.\nΠαραπλήσιόν τι πέπονθεν ὁ σὸς ἀδελφὸς τοῖς ὑπηρέταις, τοῖς πεμφθεῖσι μὲν ἀγαγεῖν τὸν Χριστὸν, ἐπανελθοῦσι δὲ μετὰ πολλοῦ τοῦ θαύματος. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι ἐχειρώθησαν ἀπὸ τῆς δημηγορίας, καὶ πεμφθέντες δῆσαι, ἐπανῆλθον δεθέντες τῷ θαύματι · οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς, ὡς ἔφη, ἀλοὺς τῷ κάλλει τῶν εἰρημένων, οὐ μόνον τοῦ ἐναντιοῦσθαι τῇ θειοτάτῃ θρησκείᾳ ἀπέστη, ἀλλὰ καὶ κήρυξ αὐτῆς καὶ συνήγορος κατέστη. Οὐδὲν γὰρ τῆς ἀληθείας σαφέστερον, οὐδὲ ἁπλούστερον, ὅταν τις μὴ κακουργῇ. Ωσπερ οὖν ἐὰν κακουργῇ, οὐδὲν δοκεῖ δυσκολώτερον. Συγχαίρων τοίνυν ἡμῖν εὔχου, ὅπως οἱ ἐντυγχάνοντες μὴ μόνον μὴ βλάπτωνται, ἀλλὰ καὶ φωτίζωνται τὴν διάνοιαν.","t":"To Cassian the curial. Your brother has had an experience like that of the officers who were sent to bring Christ and came back full of wonder. For just as they were overcome by his teaching and, sent to bind, returned bound by wonder, so he too, as he said, captured by the beauty of what was said, not only stopped opposing the most divine religion but became its herald and advocate. For nothing is clearer or simpler than the truth, when one does not twist it; just as, when one does, nothing seems more difficult. So rejoice with us and pray that those who meet it may not only not be harmed but be enlightened in mind.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.381 (PG 78 78:1555; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-381)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.382":{"o":"ΕΥΛΟΓΙΩ.\nΟὐ μικρὸν ἔγωγε ἡγοῦμαι τὸ μεταβολὴν πραγμάτων ἀνδρείως ἐνεγκεῖν· πολλοὶ μὲν οὖν δυσκολώτερον εἶναι ἡγοῦνται τὸ ἀπὸ εὐημερίας εἰς δυσπραγίαν ἐμπεπτωκότα τινὰ φυλάξαι ἀταπείνωτον τὸ φρόνημα. Ἐγὼ δὲ δυσκολώτατον ἡγοῦμαι τὸ ἀπὸ δυσπραγίας εἰς εὐημερίαν ἀναδραμόντα, φυλάξαι μέτριον τὸ φρόνημα. Καὶ τοῦτο γὰρ κἀκεῖνο ἐμοὶ ἀνδρείας τεκμήριον, μήτε ἐξυβρίζειν ἐν ταῖς εὐημερίαις, μήτε ταπεινοῦσθαι ἐν ταῖς δυσημερίαις, ἀλλ᾿ ὁμαλὸν τὸ φρόνημα ἔχειν.","t":"To Eulogius. I think it no small thing to bear a change of fortune bravely. Many think it harder for one who has fallen from prosperity into misfortune to keep his spirit unhumbled; but I think it hardest for one who has risen from misfortune to prosperity to keep his spirit moderate. Both this and that are to me a proof of courage: neither to run riot in prosperity nor to be humbled in adversity, but to keep an even spirit.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.382 (PG 78 78:1555; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-382)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.383":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ ΚΟΡΡΗΚΤΩΡΙ.\nὉ ἄρχειν λαχών, ὑπὸ τῶν νόμων δίκαιος ἂν εἴη ἄρχεσθαι. Εἰ δὲ αὐτὸς ἀκυροῖ τούτους, πῶς ἂν νόμιμος εἴη ἄρχων, αὐτὸς ὑπὸ τῆς κακίας ἀρχόμενος; Δικαίως τοιγαροῦν καὶ νομίμως ἄρχε, αὐτὸς μὲν σαυτοῦ τὴν μεγίστην ἀρχὴν, τῶν δὲ ἀρχομένων δεόντως. Εἰ δ' ἄγνοιαν τοῦ δικαίου σκήπτῃ, ἀνακοίνου τοῖς σοφοῖς, καὶ συνετοῖς, καὶ τὸ δίκαιον μὲν τιμῶσιν, αἰσχρῶν δὲ λημμάτων καταφρονοῦσιν. Εἰ δὲ καὶ ἔλαθέ τι, ἐπανόρθου· εἰ δὲ οἴει τοῦτο κατάγνωσιν φέρειν, ἴσθι ὅτι ἔπαινον μέγιστον τίκτει· καὶ τοῦτο οὐκ ἀπ᾿ ἐμαυτοῦ τοσοῦτον λέγω, ὅσον ἀρχαίαις ἱστορίαις ἐντυχών. Βασιλεὺς γάρ τις λίαν τοῦ δικαίου φροντίζων ἔγραφε ταῖς πόλεσιν· « ῎Αν τι γράψω παρὰ τοὺς νόμους παρατάττων γίνεσθαι, μὴ προσέχειν ὡς ἡγνοηκότι. » Εἰ δὲ ἐκεῖνος βασιλεὺς ὢν, καὶ εὐθύνας παρὰ ἀνθρώπων μὴ μέλλων ἀπαιτεῖσθαι (τῇ γὰρ θείᾳ δίκῃ μόνος ὁ τοιοῦτος ὑπεύθυνος. Διὸ καὶ ὁ Μελῳδὸς ἔλεγε· « Σοὶ μόνῳ ἥμαρτον »), οὕτω τοῦ δικαίου ἐφρόντιζε, σὲ τὸν καὶ βασιλεῦσι καὶ ἄρχουσι μείζοσιν ὑποκείμενον, δίκαιον ἂν εἴη τοῦ δικαίου ἔχεσθαι, καὶ μηδαμῶς τοῦτο παραβαίνειν· ἐννοοῦντα, ὅτι εἰ καὶ τὴν ἐνταῦθα διαφύγοις δίκην, τὴν θείαν οὐ διαφεύξῃ.","t":"To Peter the corrector. The one allotted to rule would rightly be ruled by the laws. But if he himself makes them void, how could he be a lawful ruler, being himself ruled by wickedness? Rule, then, justly and lawfully: yourself, with the greatest rule, and your subjects as you should. And if you plead ignorance of what is just, consult the wise and understanding, who honour justice and despise shameful gains. And if anything has escaped you, correct it; and if you think this brings condemnation, know that it gives birth to the greatest praise. I say this not so much from myself as from having read ancient histories. For a certain emperor who cared greatly for justice wrote to the cities: \"If I write anything ordering it to be done contrary to the laws, do not heed it, as written by one who did not know.\" And if he, being emperor and not about to be called to account by men (for such a one is accountable to divine justice alone; that is why the psalmist said, \"Against you alone have I sinned\"), cared so much for justice, it would be right for you, who are subject to emperors and greater rulers, to hold to justice and never transgress it, considering that even if you escape the penalty here, you will not escape the divine one.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.383 (PG 78 78:1555; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-383)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.384":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nὉ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀνελευθέρων τῆς σαρκὸς παθῶν ἐξανδραποδισθεὶς (ἵνα καὶ παχυτέρῳ χρήσωμαι παραδείγματι), ἔοικεν ἡνιόχῳ, ἐκπεπτωκότι μὲν τοῦ ἄρματος, συρομένῳ δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν ἡνιῶν, τῶν μὴ ἀπολυουσῶν αὐτὸν, ἀλλὰ συμπλεκομένων αὐτῷ, δίκην τῆς ῥαθυμίας ἀπαιτουμένῳ. Ἔνθα δὴ τῶν κατὰ φύσιν τἀναντία ἐκβαίνει. Δέον γὰρ τὸ ἅρμα ὑπὸ τῆς τέχνης τοῦ ἡνιόχου ἄγεσθαι καλῶς, ὁ ἡνίοχος ὑπὸ τῶν ἵππων σύρεται κακῶς. Τῆς γὰρ κατὰ φύσιν ἡγεμονίας ἀνατροπή, ἡ παρὰ φύσιν παρατροπή, διὸ χρὴ τὸν νοῦν κυβερνᾶν τὸ σῶμα.","t":"To Maron. One who has been enslaved by the servile passions of the flesh (to use a rather crude example) is like a charioteer who has fallen from the chariot and is dragged by the reins, which do not let him go but entangle him, exacting a penalty for his indolence. There the opposite of what is natural happens; for when the chariot ought to be well led by the charioteer's skill, the charioteer is badly dragged by the horses. For the perversion contrary to nature is an overthrow of the natural rule. So the mind must steer the body.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.384 (PG 78 78:1557; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-384)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.385":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤὸ μὲν λελογισμένον καὶ γενναῖον, ἀνδρεῖον ἔγωγε καλῶ· τὸ δὲ ἄλογον, καὶ τὴν ἄνευ νοῦ ἀλκὴν, θρασύτητα προσαγορεύω.","t":"To the same. What is reasoned and noble I call courageous; but what is irrational, strength without mind, I call rashness.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.385 (PG 78 78:1557; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-385)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.386":{"o":"ΑΛΦΕΙΟ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΤῆς μὲν τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἕνεκα κτήσεως μόνης ἢ μάλιστα, οἱ πόλεμοι ἀναῤῥιπίζονται· οὐ πάντας δὲ τοὺς πολεμοῦντας αἰτιατέον· ἀλλὰ τοὺς μὲν ἄρξαντας ἢ χειρῶν ἀδίκων ἢ ἁρπαγῆς, ὡς ἀλιτηρίους δαίμονας νομιστέον. Τοὺς δὲ ἀμυνομένους μετρίως, οὔτε μεμπτέον ὡς ἀδίκους. Νόμιμον γὰρ πρᾶγμα ποιοῦσιν· οὔτε μὴν θαυμαστέον ὡς φιλοσόφους καὶ ἀνακηρυκτέον, ἅτε οὐρανῷ πρέπουσαν πολιτείαν πολιτευομένους, οὐκ ἐν τῷ ἀντιδρᾷν ἃ πεπόνθασιν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῷ γενναίως ἐνεγκεῖν τὴν ἀνανδρίαν κρίναντας. Τοὺς δὲ δικαίως μὲν ἀμυνομένους, ὑπερβαίνοντας δὲ τῆς ἀμύνης τὸ μέτρον, ὡς ἀδικοῦντας γραπτέον. Οἱ γὰρ ἀμέτρως ἀμυνόμενοι, δεύτεροι πάλιν κατάρχουσιν. Αντιμετρεῖν γὰρ χρὴ τοῖς πλημμελήμασι τὰς τιμωρίας, οὐχ ὑπερβαίνειν · ἵνα μὴ τὸ δίκαιον καὶ τὸ νόμιμον ὑπερβάντες, καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τῷ δικαίως ἐπεξεληλυθέναι δόξαν λυμηνάμενοι, εἰς τοὺς ἀλάστορας ἐγγραφῶσιν.","t":"To Alpheius the monk. Wars are fanned only, or chiefly, for the acquisition of what belongs to others; but not all who fight are to be blamed. Those who began unjust hostilities or plunder are to be thought accursed demons; those who defend themselves moderately are neither to be blamed as unjust (for they do a lawful thing) nor admired and proclaimed as philosophers, as living a life befitting heaven, which consists not in doing in return what one has suffered but in bearing nobly what one has judged unmanly. But those who defend themselves justly yet exceed the measure of defence must be charged as wrongdoers. For those who defend themselves immoderately become the aggressors in their turn. For punishments must be measured against offences, not exceed them, so that they may not, having overstepped what is just and lawful and ruined the reputation of having proceeded justly, be enrolled among the avenging demons.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.386 (PG 78 78:1557; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-386)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.387":{"o":"ΟΛΥΜΠΙΩ.\nὍτι τὸ εἰδέναι οἴεσθαι τοῦ μὴ εἰδέναι αἴτιον καθέστηκεν· εἰ καὶ αἴνιγμα δοκεῖ εἶναί σοι τὸ εἰρημένον. Μαρτυρεῖ Πλάτων, ὃν ἀεὶ ἐπὶ στόματος φέρεις, λέγων πρὸς τὸν ᾿Αλκιβιάδην. Σωκ· « Πότερον σαυτὸν λέληθας, ὅτι οὐκ ἐπίστασαι τοῦτο; ἢ ἐμὲ ἔλαθες μανθάνων, καὶ φοιτῶν εἰς διδασκάλου, ὅς σε ἐδίδασκε διαγινώσκειν τὸ δικαιότερόν τε καὶ ἀδικώτερον; · ᾿Αλκ. « Τί δὲ, εἰ μὴ ἔχω; » Σωκ. « Οὐκ ἂν οἴει με ἄλλως εἰδέναι περὶ τῶν δικαίων καὶ ἀδίκων; ναὶ, εἴγε εὕροις· » ᾿Αλκ. « ᾿Ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἄν με εὑρεῖν ἡγῇ;» Σωκ. «Καὶ μάλα γε, εἰ ζητήσειας. » ᾿Αλκ. «Εἶτα ζητῆσαι οὐκ ἂν οἴει με ; ) Σωκ. (Ἔγωγε, εἰ οἰηθείης μὴ εἰδέναι » Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, τότε εἰσόμεθα, ὅταν μὴ εἰδέναι οἰόμενοι τοὺς διδάσκοντας ἐπιζητήσωμεν.","t":"To Olympius. That thinking one knows is the cause of not knowing, even if what is said seems a riddle to you, Plato bears witness, whom you always have on your lips, speaking to Alcibiades. Socrates: \"Have you failed to notice that you do not know this? Or did you escape my notice learning and going to a teacher who taught you to distinguish the more just from the more unjust?\" Alcibiades: \"And what if I have not?\" Socrates: \"Do you not think I would know about just and unjust things in some other way? Yes, if you found it out.\" Alcibiades: \"But do you not think I would find it out?\" Socrates: \"Certainly, if you searched.\" Alcibiades: \"Then do you not think I would search?\" Socrates: \"I do, if you thought you did not know.\" If, then, this is so, we shall know when, thinking we do not know, we seek out those who teach.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.387 (PG 78 78:1557; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-387)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.388":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΚΑΙ ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΩ.\nὍτι μὲν ὁ μακάριος Τιμόθεος μιμητικώτατος ἐγένετο καὶ θαυμασιώτατος ἅπασαν ἐκμάξασθαι παραδείγματος ἀρετὴν, ἴστε κἂν μὴ γράφω. Ὅτι δὲ πάντων μάλιστα ἡμῖν προσανέκειτο, καὶ ἐξ ἡμῶν ἡγεῖτο (εἰ καὶ μὴ οὕτως εἶχε τὸ πρᾶγμα) τὴν ἀρχὴν αὐτῷ γεγενῆσθαι τῆς ἐπὶ τὸ ἄμεινον προκοπῆς, πολλὰ ἔχων εἰπεῖν, παραλείψω, φυλαττόμενος τὸ λυπῆσαί τινας ἐφ' οἷς σεμνύνομαι. Ἕν δὲ φράσω, οὗ πάντες καὶ φίλοι καὶ ἐχθροὶ τυγχάνουσι μάρτυρες - ὅτι τοσοῦτον ἥττητο, καὶ τοσαύτην περὶ ἡμᾶς εἶχεν αἰδὼ, ὡς εἰ αἵρεσις αὐτῷ προετέθη, ποῖ βούλεται, ἐν τοῖς βασιλείοις διατρίψαι ἢ παρ᾿ ἐμοὶ, τοῦτο ἂν ἀσυγκρίτως ἑλέσθαι. Δυοῖν τοίνυν ἕνεκεν βαρέως ἐνεγκὼν τὴν τούτου τελευτὴν, ἑνὸς μὲν, διὰ τὴν ἀνυπέρβλητον ἀρετὴν, ἑτέρου δὲ διὰ τὴν ἀσύγκριτον φιλίαν, ὑπὸ δυοῖν ἐθεραπεύθην, τοῦ τε εὐκλεῶς ἐντεῦθεν ἀποπεφοιτηκέναι, τοῦ τε παρὰ Θεοῦ ἐστεφανῶσθαι.","t":"To Athanasius and Theognostus. That the blessed Timothy was most apt at imitation and most wonderful at copying every virtue from example, you know even if I do not write it. That he was devoted to us above all and believed (even if it was not so) that the beginning of his progress toward the better came from us, though I could say much, I shall pass over, taking care not to grieve some with things in which I take pride. But I shall mention one thing, of which all, friends and enemies, are witnesses: that he was so won over and had such reverence for us that, if the choice had been put to him where he wished to spend his time, at the imperial court or with me, he would have chosen the latter beyond comparison. So, having borne his death heavily for two reasons, one his unsurpassed virtue, the other his incomparable friendship, I was consoled by two things: that he departed from here with glory, and that he has been crowned by God.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.388 (PG 78 78:1559; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-388)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.389":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΑΝΑΧΩΡΗΤΗ.\nἈρκεῖ τοῦτο, τὸ μαρτυρῆσαί μοι τὴν σὴν ἁγιωσύνην, ὅτι οὐκ ἦν δυσκολία τρόπων ἐπὶ μικροῖς ποιουμένη τὴν ὀργὴν, ἀλλ' ἐμπειρία πραγμάτων διεφθαρμένων, καὶ ἐπί γε τὸ χεῖρον ἡξόντων, εἰ μὴ τις ἀνάγκη κωλύσειεν· ἔδειξε γὰρ, ὡς ἔφης, τὸ πρᾶγμα, πῶς Εὐσταθίῳ, καὶ Ζωσίμῳ, καὶ Μάρωνι ἐπηυξήθησαν οἱ περὶ τὴν τρυφὴν καὶ τὴν ἀσέλγειαν μανίαι. Οἰστρῶντες γὰρ καὶ λυττῶντες, μικροῦ τοὺς κενταύρους ἀπέκρυψαν. Λείπεται οὖν οὐδὲν, ἢ τὸ καταθρηνεῖν αὐτούς· εἰ δὲ καὶ χαρίσαιο αὐτοῖς τὰς σαυτοῦ εὐχὰς, εὖγε ποιήσειας.","t":"To Theodosius the anchorite. This is enough, that your holiness bears witness for me that it was not a difficult temper that made me angry over small things, but experience of affairs that were corrupt and would go from bad to worse unless some necessity prevented them. For the event, as you said, has shown how the frenzies of luxury and licentiousness have increased in Eustathius, Zosimus and Maron. For in their goaded rage they have almost outdone the centaurs. Nothing remains, then, but to lament them; and if you would also grant them your prayers, you would do well.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.389 (PG 78 78:1559; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-389)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.39":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠολλοὶ δόξαντες ἀνδρεῖοι εἶναι καὶ γενναῖοι οὐδὲ τὴν προσβολὴν καὶ τὸν ἀκροβολισμὸν τῶν πειρασμῶν ἤνεγκαν· ἐλεγχθέντες οὖν ἐν μόνῃ τῇ δόξῃ, ἀλλ᾽ οὐκ ἐν τῇ πράξει, τὴν τῆς ἀνδρείας οἴησιν παρὰ τοῖς θεαταῖς κεκαρπῶσθαι, κατέσπασαν τὴν ὀφρύν. Δι᾿ ὁ καὶ συγχωροῦνται, ὡς οἶμαι, πειρασθῆναί τινες, τὸν τοῦ μεγάλοι δοκεῖν εἶναι καὶ δύσμαχοι ἔννοιαν ἰαθησόμενοι, καὶ πρὸς μετριοφροσύνην συνελαθησόμενοι οὐ μικρὰ αὕτη ψυχῆς ὠφέλεια, τὸ σβεσθῆναι τὸ φρόνημα τῶν μηδὲ τὴν πεῖραν, οὗ φημι τὸν ἀγῶνα, ἐνεγκεῖν δυνηθέντων. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ μετὰ πολλὰ τρόπαια ἡττηθεὶς, ἴσως συγγνωστός· ὁ δὲ ἐν αὐτοῖς τοῖς ἀκροβωλισμοῖς πεσὼν ἐσχάτης ἀσθενείας, μᾶλλον δὲ ῥαθυμίας ἐκφέρει δείγμα.","t":"To Isidore the deacon. Many who seemed brave and noble did not withstand even the first assault and skirmishing of temptations; and so, shown to have reaped a reputation for courage among the spectators in appearance only and not in deed, they lowered their brows. That is why, I think, some are allowed to be tempted: to heal the notion that they are great and invincible, and to be driven together into modesty. This is no small benefit to the soul, that the pride of those who could not bear even the trial, not to say the contest, should be quenched. For one who is defeated after many victories may perhaps be pardoned; but one who falls in the very first skirmishes shows a sign of utter weakness, or rather indolence.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.39 (PG 78 78:1349; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-39)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.390":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΟἶδά τινας, ἴσως δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς, τὰ διδόμενα γέρα μὴ προσιεμένους· οὐ τῷ κρείττους εἶναι κερδῶν (πάσης γὰρ ἂν ἦσαν ἀναῤῥήσεως ἄξιοι), ἀλλὰ τῷ μειζόνων ἐφίεσθαι· οἵτινες καὶ δόξαν σκαιότητος κερδαίνουσι, τῆς ὄντως εὐκλείας γυμνούμενοι. Χρὴ τοίνυν μάλιστα μὲν κρείττονας εἶναι κερδῶν· εἰ δὲ μὴ, ἀγαπᾶν τὸ μέτριον· ἵνα μὴ τὸ ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀξίαν ζητοῦντες, καὶ τοῦ κατ᾿ ἀξίαν ἐκπέσωμεν, καὶ σκαιότητος δόξαν σχοίημεν, οὐκ ἐπὶ τῷ λαβεῖν τι ἀγαθὸν ἐγκωμιαζόμενοι, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τῷ προσλαβεῖν τι κακὸν κωμῳδούμενοι. ΝΕΙΛΩ. Οἱ μὲν μετρίως λυπούμενοι καὶ δακρύειν ἰσχύουσιν· οἱ δὲ καταπληττόμενοι ἐπὶ ταῖς μεγίσταις συμφοραῖς, οὐδὲ δακρύσαι δύνανται, τῇ τοῦ πάθους ὑπερβολῇ ἑαλωκότες, καὶ πᾶν ὅσον εἶχον ὑγρὸν τῇ τοῦ πυρὸς ἀκμῇ δαπανήσαντες. ᾿Αχανεῖς γοῦν καὶ κατηφεῖς εἰσι· μήτε λόγον, μήτε δάκρυα προϊέμενοι, τῇ δὲ τοῦ προσώπου στυγνότητι ἐμφαίνοντες τῆς ψυχῆς τὴν κατάστασιν. Τοῦτο δὲ αὐτοῖς τίκτει τὸ ἀδόκητον· τὸ γὰρ μὴ πάλαι μελετηθὲν τῷ λογισμῷ, τῷ ἀθρόως συμβαίνειν, ἐξίστησιν.","t":"To Paul. I know some, and perhaps you do too, who do not accept the rewards given them, not because they are above gain (then they would deserve every proclamation), but because they aim at greater ones; and they gain a reputation for perversity, being stripped of true glory. So it is best to be above gain; but if not, to love moderation, so that by seeking what is beyond our deserts we may not fall from what accords with them and get a reputation for perversity, being ridiculed not for receiving something good but for taking on something bad. [Letter 5.391] To Nilus. Those who grieve moderately can also weep; but those stunned by the greatest misfortunes cannot even weep, caught by the excess of the passion and having consumed all the moisture they had in the heat of the fire. So they are speechless and downcast, uttering neither word nor tears, but showing the state of their soul by the gloom of their face. What causes this in them is the unexpected; for what reason has not practised beforehand drives them out of their senses by happening all at once.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.390 (PG 78 78:1559; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-390)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.392":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ πολλὴ καὶ πολύπλοκος τῆς κακίας ἡ σκαιωρία, ἀλλὰ σὺ τῇ ἀρετῇ ταύτην καταγωνίζου. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἀρετῆς μὲν λαμπρότερον οὐδὲν, κακίας δὲ οὐδὲν ζοφωδέστερον, πολλοὶ πολλάκις τῶν μήτε εἰπεῖν, μήτε πρᾶξαί τι λαμπρὸν βουλομένων, ὁρῶντες ἑαυτῶν μὲν τὴν αἰσχρότητα, τῶν δὲ φιλαρέτων τὴν λαμπρότητα· ἐκλεξάμενοί τινα τῶν μηδὲν ἀγαθὸν, μήτε εἰπεῖν, μήτε ποιῆσαι προῃρημένων, ἐπαίρουσι καὶ θαυμάζουσιν ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀξίαν, οἱ μὲν ἀμαθίᾳ, οἱ δὲ βασκανίᾳ τοῦτο δρῶντες, ἵνα τὴν δόξαν καθέλωσι τῶν φιλοπόνων, οὐχ ἵνα δείξωσι θαυμαστὸν ὄντα τὸν μὴ ὄντα τοιοῦτον. Ἀλλὰ τὸν σπουδαῖον μάλιστα μὲν καὶ ἐπαίνων εἶναι κρείττονα χρή· εἰ δὲ καὶ διψῴη τούτων, συνορᾶν τὸν δόλον, ὅτι ἐκεῖνοι ἢ ἐκκόψαι αὐτῷ τὸν εἰς τὴν ἀρετὴν δρόμον βουλόμενοι, ἢ λυπῆσαι, ἐπήνεσαν τὸν κακηγορίας ἄξιον. Καὶ τοὺς μὲν δι᾽ ἀμαθίαν τοῦτο ποιοῦντας, συγγνώμης ἀξιοῦν· τοὺς δὲ διὰ φθόνον, θρηνεῖν· ὅτι τοσοῦτον ἀπέχουσι τοῦ πρᾶξαί τι καλὸν, ὅτι οὐδὲ πρὸς τὸν ἐνάρετον σπένδονται.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Even if the villainy of wickedness is great and intricate, overcome it by virtue. For since nothing is brighter than virtue and nothing gloomier than wickedness, many of those who wish neither to say nor to do anything brilliant, seeing their own shamefulness and the brilliance of the lovers of virtue, often pick out someone who has chosen neither to say nor to do anything good and exalt and admire him beyond his worth, some doing this from ignorance, others from envy, in order to pull down the glory of the industrious, not to show that one who is not admirable is so. But the earnest man should above all be above praise; and if he thirsts for it, he should see through the deceit: that they praised one who deserves blame wishing either to cut off his course toward virtue or to grieve him. And he should think those who do it from ignorance worthy of pardon, and lament those who do it from envy, because they are so far from doing anything good that they will not even make peace with the virtuous man.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.392 (PG 78 78:1561; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-392)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.393":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΔῆλος μὲν ἦς ἔκπαλαι τὴν ἱερωσύνην οὐκ εὐαγῶς κτώμενος · οὐ γὰρ διὰ πολιτείας ἀρίστης κτήσασθαι ἐδικαίους, ἀλλὰ χρήμασιν ὠνήσασθαι ὠνειροπόλεις. Δῆλος δὲ εἶ καὶ νῦν τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν εἰς ἔργον ἀγαγών, καίτοι εἰς δυσμὰς ὢν λοιπὸν τοῦ βίου. Τις οὖν σοι συγγνώμη λελείψεται, τῇ κακίᾳ συναποθανεῖν προηρημένῳ;","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. You were plain long ago, gaining the priesthood unholily; for you did not think fit to gain it by an excellent way of life, but dreamed of buying it with money. And you are plain now too, having carried your desire into action, though you are already at the sunset of life. What pardon, then, will be left for you, who have chosen to die together with your wickedness?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.393 (PG 78 78:1561; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-393)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.394":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ.\nΕἰ θεασοίμην, ὦ ὁμώνυμε, ἄνδρα δεινὸν μὲν ἐκ τῶν φαινομένων τὸ εἰκὸς συμβαλεῖν δεινότερον δὲ ἐκ τῶν ἀφανῶν τὸ δέον συνιδεῖν· ἔν τε τοῖς πειρασμοῖς καὶ τοῖς κινδύνοις τὸ δῆγμα τῶν συνόντων λόγοις τε παρακλητικοῖς, καὶ τῷ καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἀδεεῖ δυνάμενον ἐκβαλεῖν· τοῦτον καὶ συνετώτατον, καὶ ἀνδρειότατον ὁρισαίμην.","t":"To Isidore. If, namesake, I should see a man skilled at conjecturing what is likely from what is visible, and more skilled at perceiving what is needful from what is hidden, and able in temptations and dangers to cast out the sting felt by his companions by words of encouragement and by his own fearlessness, I would define him as most intelligent and most courageous.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.394 (PG 78 78:1561; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-394)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.395":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nἘκεῖνον μόνον ἔγωγε βασιλέα καὶ ἡγεμόνα εἶναι ἡγοῦμαι, ὃς ἄρξας ἑαυτοῦ τὸ ὑπήκοον ἐπιεικείᾳ καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ ἀνηρτήσατο. Τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους τυράννους κλητέον, τοὺς τοῖς ἑτέρων πόνοις ἑαυτοῖς ἡδονὰς ἀθεμίτους πορίζοντας. ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Εἰ πᾶς ἄνθρωπος θανάτου ὄφλημα τυγχάνει, καὶ ἀδύνατον τοῦτο [μή] ἀποδοθῆναι τὸ χρέος, ὃ μήτε βασιλεῖς, μήτε τύραννοι, μήτε σατράπαι, μήτε σοφοί, μήτε δίκαιοι ἀκυρῶσαι ἠδυνήθησαν (θεία γάρ ἐστιν ἀπόφασις ἡ τοῦτ᾽ ἀπαιτοῦσα)· τοὺς μὲν ἄλλους ἐλεητέον καὶ θρηνητέον, οἷς ἡ τελευτὴ ἀρχὴ γίνεται τιμωριῶν· ἐκείνους δὲ εὐφημητέον καὶ ἀνακηρυκτέον, ὧν ἡ τελευτὴ τῶν ἀγώνων εἰς τὴν ἀρχὴν τῶν στεφάνων περιέστη. Τῆς γὰρ ἄκρας μακαριότητος εὑρηκότες τὸν ὄρον, τῶν ἄλλων ἁπάντων ἀμελήσαντες, μόνην τὴν ψυχὴν ἐκόσμησαν, ἧς καὶ τὸ σῶμα ἀνάκτορον ἁγνείας ἀπέφηναν· ὁ καὶ ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει ἐπὶ τὸ κρείττον μετακοσμηθὲν, τῇ ψυχῇ τὴν ἀθάνατον συζήσει ζωήν.","t":"To Apollonius the bishop. I consider only that man a king and ruler who, having ruled himself, has attached his subjects to himself by fairness and humanity. The others must be called tyrants, who procure unlawful pleasures for themselves from the labours of others. [Letter 5.396] To Athanasius the deacon. If every human being owes the debt of death, and it is impossible for this debt not to be paid, which neither kings nor tyrants, satraps, sages nor righteous men have been able to cancel (for it is a divine sentence that demands it), then the others must be pitied and lamented, for whom death becomes the beginning of punishments; but those must be praised and proclaimed whose death has turned the end of their contests into the beginning of their crowns. For having found the limit of highest blessedness and neglected everything else, they adorned the soul alone, whose body too they made a sanctuary of purity; which, changed for the better at the resurrection, will live the immortal life together with the soul.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.395 (PG 78 78:1563; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-395)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.397":{"o":"ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΦεύγειν χρὴ, ὦ βέλτιστε, τοὺς πονηροὺς, καὶ διώκοντας· εἰ μὴ βούλοιντο γνωσιμαχεῖν· καὶ διώκειν τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς, καὶ φεύγοντας, εἰ καὶ μὴ βούλοιντο ἡρεμεῖν. Ὅτι μὲν τὸ τὰς ὕβρεις καὶ τὰς ἀδικίας φέρειν, κἀνταῦθα μὲν φέρει δόξαν, κἀκεῖσε δὲ κλέος οἴσει μέγιστον, μάλα ἀκριβῶς οἶδα· ὅτι δὲ τὸ εἰδέναι χάριν τῷ ἀδικοῦντι καὶ ὑβρίζοντι, ὡς εἰς μείζονα φιλοσοφίαν συνελαύνοντι, καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν πολλάκις τοῦτο ποιῶν καὶ ἐναβρύνοιτο (ἵνα μὴ λέγω, ὅτι τοὺς ἡμετέρους στεφάνους βούλομαι ἐκ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ὑφαίνεσθαι συμφορῶν), μέγιστόν ἐστι, καὶ τῆς ἐμῆς δυνάμεως μεῖζον, τῆς φέρειν μὲν τὸ ὑβρίζεσθαι καὶ ἀδικεῖσθαι δυναμένης, μηδέπω δὲ κατορθωσάσης τὸ χάριν εἰδέναι τοῖς ἀδικοῦσι, καὶ ὑπερεύχεσθαι καθαρῶς τῶν διὰ παντὸς ἐπηρεαζόντων· καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν μηδὲ μεταγινώσκειν ἐθέλωσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν εὐχομένους γελῶσι. Τοῦτο παρ' ἐμοῦ μάνθανε· εἰ δὲ αὐτὸς καὶ τοῦτο κατώρθωσας, λίαν σε ἐπαινῶ καὶ κροτῶ τῆς μεγαλοψυχίας. Ἐγὼ γὰρ (οὐ γὰρ ἀποκρυψαίμην ἐμαυτοῦ τὸ ἐλάττωμα) πολλάκις καθαρῶς εὐξάμενος ὑπὲρ τῶν κατὰ περίστασιν τινα γεγονότων ἐχθρῶν, θελήσας δὲ εὔξασθαι καὶ ὑπὲρ τῶν κατὰ μελέτην καὶ σπουδὴν, διὰ τοῦ στόματος μόνου τοῦτο πεποιηκὼς ἑάλων. Οὐ μὴν ἀπιστῶ τοῖς εἰς τοσοῦτον ἀρετῆς ἀναβεβηκόσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ χαίρω καὶ συγχαίρω, καὶ εὐξαίμην εἰς τοῦτο φθάσαι τὸ μέτρον. Οὐ γὰρ πάθοιμι τὸ πολλῶν πάθος, οἱ ὅταν τινὸς μὴ δυνηθῶσιν ἐπιλαβέσθαι ἀρετῆς, ἄτοπόν τι δρῶσιν· ἢ γὰρ ἀπιστοῦσι τοῖς κατωρθωκόσιν, ἐξ ὧν πράττουσι καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων ψηφιζόμενοι (πεφύκασι γὰρ σχεδὸν ἅπαντες ἐκ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτοὺς καὶ τὰς περὶ τῶν πέλας φέρειν ψήφους)· ἢ αἰσχυνόμενοι τὸ ἐπὶ μικροψυχίᾳ ἀλῶναι, ἐναβρύνονται ὡς κατορθώσαντες · καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν περὶ ἀδήλου πράγματος ὁ λόγος ᾖ · ἢ εἰς θεωρίας καταφεύγουσι, τὸ πρᾶγμα ἀποδιδράσκοντες, ἵνα δόξοιεν μὴ ἐκ ῥαθυμίας, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ κρίσεως ὑγιοῦς μὴ κατωρθωκέναι. \"Οπερ τινὰς οἶδα παθόντας ἐγὼ τῶν μὴ δυνηθέντων κατορθῶσαι, μηδὲ δύο χιτῶνας. Ἐχρῆν γὰρ μὴ εἰπεῖν, ὅτι θεωρηθῆναι χρὴ, ἀλλὰ θαυμάσαι μὲν τοὺς κατορθώσαντας, ὁμολογῆσαι δὲ τούτου τοῦ ἄθλου ἀπολελεῖφθαι. Ἐγὼ γὰρ ἐκείνους μάλιστα ἀνακηρύττω, τοὺς ἀνύσαντας ἅπερ τέως ἀνύσαι οὐκ ἠδυνήθην.","t":"To Ischyrion the presbyter. One must flee the wicked, my good man, even when they pursue, if they will not acknowledge their faults; and pursue the good, even when they flee, even if they will not keep still. [Letter 5.398] That bearing insults and wrongs brings glory here and will bring the greatest fame there, I know very precisely. But being grateful to the one who wrongs and insults, as to one who drives one on to greater philosophy, especially when he often does this and prides himself on it (not to say that I want my crowns to be woven from the misfortunes of others), is the greatest thing, and beyond my power: for my power can bear being insulted and wronged, but has not yet achieved being grateful to those who wrong me and praying sincerely for those who continually abuse me, especially when they will not even repent, but laugh at those who pray for them. Learn this from me; and if you yourself have achieved this too, I greatly praise and applaud your magnanimity. For I (I would not hide my own shortcoming) have often prayed sincerely for those who became enemies through some circumstance, but when I wished to pray also for those who are enemies by design and zeal, I was caught doing it with the mouth only. Yet I do not disbelieve those who have climbed to such heights of virtue, but rejoice and rejoice with them, and would pray to reach that measure. For I would not suffer what many suffer, who, when they cannot lay hold of some virtue, do something absurd: either they disbelieve those who have achieved it, judging others from what they themselves do (for almost all naturally pass verdicts on their neighbours from their own case); or, ashamed to be caught in pettiness, they pride themselves as if they had achieved it, especially when the matter is not open to view; or they take refuge in contemplation, running away from the deed, so as to seem to have failed not from indolence but from sound judgement. I know some who suffered this, who could not achieve even not having two tunics. They ought not to have said that it must be understood spiritually, but to have admired those who achieved it and confessed that they fell short in this contest. For I proclaim most of all those who have accomplished what I have not yet been able to accomplish.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.397 (PG 78 78:1563; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-397)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.399":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΟ.\n῎Αριστόν ἐστιν, ὦ φίλτατε, τὸ χρόνου φείδεσθαι· οὐκ ἀνέχεται γὰρ αὖθις ἐπιφοιτᾶν, οὔτε μάτην ἀναλωθεὶς τὴν αὐτὴν ὑποστρέφειν ὁδόν· νόμῳ δὲ φύσεως ἀλύτῳ πειθόμενος (ὠκύτατος γάρ ἐστι καὶ ταχύτατος), θέει μὲν ἀκίχητον δρόμον, λαβέσθαι δὲ τοῖς βουλομένοις οὐ δίδωσιν. Οὐκοῦν χρὴ ἔχεσθαι αὐτοῦ πλησιάζοντος · οἷόν τε γὰρ τότε ἑλεῖν καὶ κατασχεῖν. Παριππεύσαντος γὰρ καὶ τὸ μεταδιώκειν ἀνήνυτον, καὶ τὸ καταλαμβάνειν ἀμήχανον.","t":"To Martyrius. It is best, dearest friend, to be sparing of time; for it does not consent to come again, nor, once spent in vain, to return by the same road; obeying an indissoluble law of nature (for it is most swift and fast), it runs an uncatchable course and does not allow those who wish to lay hold of it. So one must hold on to it while it is near; for then it is possible to seize and hold it. Once it has ridden past, pursuing is useless and catching it impossible.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.399 (PG 78 78:1565; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-399)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.4":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΧρὴ, ὦ βέλτιστε, πεῖσαι διὰ πραγμάτων τοὺς ἀκούοντας, ὅτι ἐστὶ βασιλεία οὐρανῶν, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν αὐτῆς τρέψαι τοὺς ἀκροωμένους. Πείθονται δὲ οἱ ἀκούοντες, ὅταν βασιλείας ἄξια πράττοντα τὸν διδάσκαλον ἴδωσι. Εἰ δὲ κολάσεως ἄξια ὥσπερ σὺ πράττων περὶ βασιλείας φιλοσοφοίη, πῶς πείσει τοὺς ἀκροατάς ; Ταυτὸν γὰρ ποιεῖ, ὡς ἄν τις πράγματος ἐρᾶν πείθοι τοὺς πεισθέντας παρ᾿ αὐτοῦ πρότερον, ὅτι τοῦτο οὐχ ὑφέστηκεν.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. One must, my good man, persuade the hearers by deeds that there is a kingdom of heaven, and turn the listeners to desire it. And hearers are persuaded when they see the teacher doing things worthy of the kingdom. But if someone doing things worthy of punishment, as you do, should philosophize about the kingdom, how will he persuade his hearers? He does the same as one who would persuade people to love a thing after first persuading them himself that it does not exist.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.4 (PG 78 78:1327; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-4)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.40":{"o":"ΤΑΥΡΟ ΥΠΑΡΧΩ.\nΕὖ ἴσθι, ὦ ἀγχινοίας τέμενος, ὅτι εἰ τοὺς ἀρίστους τῶν φίλων, τοὺς ἀληθείας, φημὶ, συντρόφους, καὶ χρημάτων κρείττονας κοινωνοὺς ποιήσειας τῆς ἀρχῆς ( ἐπισφαλὲς γὰρ ὡς τὰ πολλὰ τὸ ἐφ᾽ ἑνὶ τοσοῦτον ὄγκον ὀρμεῖν πραγμάτων), ταῖς τῶν ἀντιλαμβανομένων ἀρεταῖς ἀριστοκρατείαν ἀποτελέσειας τὴν ἀρχήν. – ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Μωρία δοκεῖ τῷ ψυχικῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τὰ θεῖα· ἐπειδή τῷ οὐ θελόντι πεισθῆναι πρότερον, ὅτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν ὑφέστηκεν, ἔρωτα αὐτῆς τεχθῆναι ἀδύνατον. Δεινὸν οὐ τὸ βράδιον δοῦναι δίκην τὸν ὡς φής σε ἠδικηκότα, ἀλλὰ τὸ τάχιον δόντα, φανῆναι ὕστερον μὴ ἀδικήσαντα, ὅπερ πολλάκις συνέβη· μὴ σπεῦδε τοιγαροῦν ἐπὶ τὸ δίκην ἀπαιτῆσαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐπὶ τὸ δοκιμάσαι εἰ ἀληθῶς ἡδίκηκεν, ἀπὸ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ μελλησμοῦ οὐδὲν βλαβήσῃ, ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ τάχους, εἰ μὴ ἀδικήσαντα ἀπαιτήσεις δίκην, κομιδῆ ἀδικηθήσῃ.","t":"To Taurus the prefect. Know well, you sanctuary of sagacity, that if you make the best of your friends, those, I mean, who are nursed on truth and are superior to money, partners in your office (for it is generally hazardous to moor so great a mass of affairs on one anchor), you will make your rule an aristocracy by the virtues of those who help you. [Letter 5.41] To Lampetius the deacon. Divine things seem foolishness to the natural man; since in one who is not willing first to be persuaded that the kingdom of heaven exists, love for it cannot be born. [Letter 5.42] What is terrible is not that the man who, as you say, has wronged you should pay the penalty rather late, but that, having paid it rather quickly, he should later be shown not to have done wrong, which has often happened. So do not hurry to demand a penalty, but to test whether he truly did wrong; for you will suffer no harm from delay, but from haste, if you demand a penalty from one who did no wrong, you will yourself be badly wronged.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.40 (PG 78 78:1351; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-40)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.400":{"o":"ΕΡΜΙΝΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΜὴ θαύμαζε, εἰ τοσούτων ποιμένων λεγομένων τὰ πρόβατα λυκοῦται. Τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἀπέχουσί τινες ἐξ αὐτῶν (οὐ γὰρ πάντας αἰτιατέον) τοῦ φυλάττειν καὶ ἐπιμελεῖσθαι, ὅτι οὐδὲ κυνῶν μιμοῦνται τρόπον φυλαττόντων, ἀλλὰ τὰ λύκων δρῶσι, τὰ πρόβατα κατεσθίοντες. Οὐ γὰρ ἤρκεσεν αὐτοῖς τὰ ἔρια καὶ τὸ γάλα, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτῶν ἥψαντο, οὐχὶ τῶν σωμάτων (ἧττον γὰρ ἂν ἦν), ἀλλὰ τῶν ψυχῶν· πᾶν μὲν λιπαρὸν κατασφάζοντες, πᾶν δὲ ἀσθενὲς παρορῶντες, πᾶν δὲ τετραυματισμένον οὐ θεραπεύοντες, τὸ δὲ ἰσχυρὸν καὶ μὴ εἶκον τῇ ἀσωτίᾳ αὐτῶν, δόλοις καὶ ἐπιβουλαῖς κατεργαζόμενοι. Ἡδέως ἂν καὶ ἀσμένως τὴν ἀλήθειαν τιμῶν ἡττῆσθαι δοκῶ, ἢ ψευδόμενος νικῶ. ᾿Αληθεύων μὲν γὰρ, κἂν ἡττῆσθαι δόξω, νενίκηκα· ἀπάτῃ δὲ κρατήσας, κἂν νενικηκέναι δόξω, ἥττημαι. ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΕΥ","t":"To Herminus the count. Do not wonder that, though there are said to be so many shepherds, the sheep are turned into wolves. For some of them (one must not blame all) are so far from guarding and caring for them that they do not even imitate the way of guard dogs, but do the deeds of wolves, devouring the sheep. For the wool and the milk were not enough for them, but they laid hands on the sheep themselves, not on their bodies (that would be less), but on their souls: slaughtering every fat one, overlooking every weak one, not healing every wounded one, and destroying by deceits and plots the strong one that does not yield to their profligacy. [Letter 5.401] I would gladly and willingly seem to be defeated while honouring truth, rather than win by lying. For speaking the truth, even if I seem defeated, I have won; but prevailing by deceit, even if I seem to have won, I am defeated.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.400 (PG 78 78:1565; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-400)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.401":{"o":"ΣΤΑΘΙΩ.\nἘπειδὴ ἀγνοεῖν προσποιεῖσθε, ὅτι ἡ κακία πάσης τιμωρίας ἐστὶ χαλεπωτέρα, ἐδικαίωσα αὐτὸ τοῦτο μηνῦσαι. Εἰ δὲ ἑαυτοὺς παραλογίζεσθε ὑπὸ τῶν ἡδονῶν κολακευόμενοι, ἐννοήσατε καὶ τὰς κολάσεις τὰς τῇ ἀκολασίᾳ χρεωστουμένας, καὶ πάντως ἀποδοθησομένας, καὶ ἀπόστητε ταύτης.","t":"To Martinianus, Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius. Since you pretend not to know that wickedness is more grievous than any punishment, I thought it right to tell you this very thing. And if you deceive yourselves, flattered by pleasures, consider the punishments (kolaseis) owed to licentiousness (akolasia), which will certainly be paid, and depart from it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.401 (PG 78 78:1567; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-401)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.402":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ.\nἜστιν ὅτε χαρὰ ἄμετρος λύπης πλέον τὴν ψυχὴν ἀδικεῖ. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἀναπτεροῖ καὶ παράφρονα αὐτὴν ἐργάζεται, καὶ τῆς φύσεως λήθην ἐμποιεῖ. Ἡ δὲ τὸ φρόνημα αὐτῆς ταπεινοῖ, καὶ τὸ φύσημα κενοῖ, καὶ τῆς φύσεως ὑπομιμνήσκει, καὶ εἰς ἀρετὴν συνελαύνει. Χρὴ οὖν καὶ χαρᾶς καὶ λύπης ὑψηλότερον εἶναι, καὶ μετρίως καὶ ἐπιστημόνως τὴν ἑκατέρας φέρειν ἔφοδον.","t":"To Serenus. Sometimes immoderate joy harms the soul more than grief. For the one gives it wings, makes it out of its senses, and makes it forget its nature; the other humbles its pride, empties its conceit, reminds it of its nature and drives it toward virtue. So one must be above both joy and grief, and bear the onset of each with moderation and understanding.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.402 (PG 78 78:1567; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-402)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.404":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ\nΚαὶ τοῦ ἰατροῦ κἂν ἄριστος εἴη, καὶ τῶν βοηθημάτων κἂν πολλὰ εἴη καὶ πολυτελῆ, καὶ τοῦ νοσήματος κἂν εὐΐατον εἴη, μᾶλλον δύναται ἡ τοῦ νοσοῦντος προαίρεσις, εἰ πείσειεν ἑαυτὸν ὅτι νοσεῖ, καὶ εἰς θεραπείαν ὁδεῦσαι σπουδάσειεν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἐκεῖνα πάντα συνδράμοι, καὶ μηδὲν παραλειφθείη τῶν φερόντων εἰς ὑγείαν, οὐδὲν τοσοῦτον δυνήσονται τῆς προαιρέσεως τοῦ κάμνοντος ἀντιπραττούσης, καὶ τούτοις ἅπασι πολεμούσης. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ αὐτὸς οἶδας ὅτι νοσεῖς (οὐ μικρὸν δὲ καὶ τοῦτο · πολλοὶ γὰρ νοσοῦντες οὐδὲ ὅτι νοσοῦσιν ἴσασι), σπούδασον καὶ ἰατρείας τυχεῖν. Τύχοις δὲ, εἰ σαυτὸν συντείνοις, καὶ τὴν θείαν καλέσειας ἐπὶ σαυτὸν ἐπιστήμην, τὴν καὶ φύσεως, καὶ νοσημάτων, καὶ πάσης περιγινομένην κακίας. Εἰ καὶ ὁ λοιδορηθεὶς παρὰ σοῦ δῆλός ἐστιν ἐξωργισμένος, ὑποφαίνων τε ὡς οὐκ εἰς μακρὰν δίκας ἀπαιτήσει τοῦ τολμήματος, ἅτε ὑβριστὴν ὄντα καὶ ἀτάσθαλον· ἀλλὰ πιστεύω, ὡς εἴξει τῇ παραινέσει, καὶ οὐκ ἀμυνεῖται. Εἰ τοίνυν διαφύγοις νυνὶ τὴν παρὰ ἀνθρώποις δίκην (διαφεύξῃ δὲ, ὡς οἶμαι), σαυτὸν σωφρόνισον, καὶ τὴν δίκην ἀπαίτησον, τῇ μὲν μετανοίᾳ σαυτὸν μαστίζων, τῇ δὲ ἀπολογίᾳ τὸν ὑβρισθέντα θεραπεύων, καὶ τῷ μηκέτι τὰ αὐτὰ δρᾷν τὴν ἀσφάλειαν ποριζόμενος. Εἰ γὰρ τοῖς αὐτοῖς ἐπιμένοις, εἰ καὶ τὴν παρὰ ἀνθρώποις λάθοις δίκην, τὴν θείαν οὐ λήσεις.","t":"To Hierax the deacon. The will of the sick man can do more than the physician, even if he is excellent, and the remedies, even if they are many and costly, and the disease, even if it is easily cured, if he persuades himself that he is sick and is eager to go to treatment. For even if all those things come together and nothing that leads to health is left out, they will not be able to do much if the will of the patient works against them and fights against them all. If, then, you too know that you are sick (and this is no small thing, for many who are sick do not even know that they are), be eager to obtain healing. And you would obtain it if you exerted yourself and called upon yourself the divine skill, which overcomes nature, diseases and all wickedness. [Letter 5.405] Even if the man you reviled is plainly enraged and hints that before long he will exact the penalty for your audacity, as you are insolent and reckless, I trust that he will yield to my exhortation and will not retaliate. If, then, you escape the penalty among men now (and you will, I think), correct yourself and exact the penalty from yourself, scourging yourself with repentance, healing the insulted man with an apology, and securing your safety by not doing the same things again. For if you persist in the same things, even if you escape the penalty among men, you will not escape the divine one.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.404 (PG 78 78:1567; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-404)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.406":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ.\nΕἰ τοῖς ἀρετὴν ἀσκοῦσι, μετὰ παῤῥησίας νῦν τε ἔξεστι βιῶσαι, καὶ μετὰ τὸν ἐνταῦθα βίον παραστῆναι τῷ θείῳ δικαστηρίῳ· τοῖς δὲ κακίαν ἀσπαζομένοις αἰσχύνη νῦν τε ἔπεται, κἀκεῖσε ἔψεται · διατί μὴ ἐκείνην μὲν περιπτυσσόμεθα· ταύτην δὲ προτροπάδην φεύγομεν;","t":"To Serenus. If those who practise virtue may both live now with frankness and after this life stand before the divine tribunal, while shame follows those who embrace wickedness now and will follow them there, why do we not embrace the one and flee the other headlong?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.406 (PG 78 78:1569; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-406)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.407":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nἩ ἀρετὴ χρῆμά ἐστι καὶ ἀναγκαῖον, καὶ συμφέρον, καὶ καλὸν, καὶ πρέπον καὶ λυσιτελὲς, καὶ χρήσιμον. Αναγκαῖον μὲν, ὅτι τοῦ πολιτεύεσθαι ὀρθῶς οὐδὲν ἀναγκαιότερον· συμφέρον δὲ, ὅτι πρὸς μακαριότητα ἄγει· καλὸν δὲ, ὅτι σεμνύνει τοὺς ἔχοντας· πρέπον δὲ, ὅτι κοσμεῖ τοὺς κεκτημένους· λυσιτελὲς δὲ, ὅτι λύει τὸ τέλος αὐτῆς τοὺς πόνους· χρήσιμον δὲ, ὅτι οὐδὲν αὐτῆς χρησιμώτερον. Τίς τοιγαροῦν μὴ λίαν ἐξεστηκὼς οὐ λίαν αὐτῆς ἀνθέξεται;","t":"To Heron the monk. Virtue is a thing necessary, advantageous, noble, fitting, profitable and useful. Necessary, because nothing is more necessary than living rightly; advantageous, because it leads to blessedness; noble, because it dignifies its possessors; fitting, because it adorns those who have acquired it; profitable (lysiteles), because its end (telos) releases (lyei) its labours; useful, because nothing is more useful than it. Who, then, unless he is quite out of his mind, will not cling to it firmly?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.407 (PG 78 78:1569; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-407)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.408":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ.\nὍτι μὲν τῇ μὲν μεγαλοψυχίᾳ καὶ ἡ μεγαλοπρέπεια ἔπεται, τῇ δὲ μικροψυχίᾳ ἡ μικροπρέπεια, μάλα ἀκριβῶς οἷμαί σε εἰδέναι. \"Οτι δὲ δικαίως τῇ μὲν πρέπει τὸ κλέος, τῇ δὲ τὸ δέος, καὶ τοῦτο οἶμαι εἰδέναι. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ καὶ τὴν εὐημερίαν μετρίως, καὶ τὴν δυσημερίαν ἀνδρείως φέρει. Ἡ δὲ πῆ μὲν ἄγαν ὑψηλὴ, πῆ δὲ λίαν ταπεινή γίνεται, τοῖς πράγμασι συμμεταβαλλομένη, καὶ εὐρίπου οὐδὲν διαφέρουσα.","t":"To Isaiah. That magnificence follows magnanimity and meanness follows pettiness, I think you know very precisely. And that glory rightly befits the one and fear the other, I think you know too. For the one bears prosperity with moderation and adversity with courage; the other becomes now very lofty, now very low, changing with circumstances and no different from a tidal strait.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.408 (PG 78 78:1569; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-408)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.409":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ περιῤῥέοντα τὸν ἄδικον πλοῦτον ὁρῶν, πλούσιον σαυτὸν ἡγῇ, καὶ τοὺς φιλοσοφοῦντας ταλανίζεις, ὡς χαλεπῷ θηρίῳ τῇ πενίᾳ μαχομένους· ἴσθι ὅτι ὅπερ ἐκείνους ἡγῇ, τοῦτ᾽ αὐτὸς πρὸς ἐκείνους ἐξεταζόμενος πάσχεις· εἰ δὲ οὐκ αἰσθάνῃ, θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν. Ἐπεὶ καὶ οἱ μανίᾳ λυττῶντες, δρῶντες ἃ δρῶσιν, ἑαυτοὺς μὲν μακαρίζουσι· τῶν δὲ ὄντως ὑγιαινόντων καταγελῶσιν.","t":"To the same. If, seeing unjust wealth flowing about you, you think yourself rich and pity those who practise philosophy as fighting with poverty, a cruel beast, know that what you think of them you yourself suffer when compared with them. And if you do not perceive it, it is no wonder; for even those raging with madness, while doing what they do, count themselves blessed and laugh at those who are truly healthy.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.409 (PG 78 78:1569; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-409)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.410":{"o":"ΑΙΜΙΛΙΑΝΩ.\nΔιὰ τοῦτο δύσκολόν ἐστιν, ὡς ἔοικε, διαφυγεῖν τὸν τῆς φιλοδοξίας λογισμόν· ἐπειδήπερ ὁ ποιεῖ τις εἰς καθαίρεσιν αὐτοῦ, τοῦτο ἀρχὴ ἑτέρας φιλοδοξίας εὑρίσκεται. Τοὺς μὲν οὖν ἐρήμους ὄντας ἀγαθῶν πράξεων, δοξάζεσθαι δὲ ποθοῦντας, ὡς δυσιάτους μεταδιδακτέον, λέγοντας, ὅτι ᾿Ασκήσατε ἀρετὴν, καὶ τότε ζητεῖτε δόξαν. Τοὺς δὲ πράξεσι σεμνυνομένους, δόξης δὲ μὴ καταφρονοῦντας, ὡς εὐϊάτους θεραπευτέον, λέγοντας, ὅτι Μείζους ἔσονται καὶ λαμπρότεραι αἱ πράξεις, ὅταν καὶ τῆς δόξης καταφρονήσητε, τῆς καὶ πεσεῖν αἰσχυνομένης, καὶ στῆναι μὴ δυναμένης, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸ μὴ ὂν χωρῆσαι ῥᾳδίως ἐπισταμένης. Τὸ εἰκὸς μὲν γὰρ ζητεῖτε, ἀλλ᾽ οὐδέπω τούτῳ καιρός. Ἥξει χρόνος ὅτε λάμψετε ὡς ἥλιος · τοὺς δὲ τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑψηλοτέρους δόξης, ὡς φιλοσόφους ἀναῤῥητέον.","t":"To Aemilianus. That is why, it seems, it is hard to escape the thought of love of glory: whatever one does to tear it down is found to be the beginning of another love of glory. Those who are bereft of good deeds but long to be glorified must be re-taught as hard to cure, by saying: \"Practise virtue, and then seek glory.\" But those who pride themselves on their deeds but do not despise glory must be treated as easy to cure, by saying: \"Your deeds will be greater and more brilliant when you despise glory too, which is ashamed to fall, cannot stand, and knows how to pass easily into non-existence. You seek what is reasonable, but this is not yet the time for it. A time will come when you will shine like the sun.\" And those who are above human glory must be proclaimed as philosophers.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.410 (PG 78 78:1569; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-410)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.411":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nφιλοδοξίας καὶ κενοδοξίας. Θειότερον μὲν τὸ πράττοντά τι χρηστὸν, μὴ ζητεῖν τὴν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων δόξαν· εἰ δὲ πράττων τις ζητοίη, φιλόδοξος ὁ τοιοῦτός ἐστιν, οὐ κενόδοξος. Ὁ γὰρ κενὸς ὢν πράξεων ἀγαθῶν, δόξαν δὲ ζητῶν μὴ προσήκουσαν, κενόδοξός ἐστιν, ἐφ᾽ οἷς μὴ πράττῃ σεμνυνόμενος, καὶ ἀλλοτρίῳ προσώπῳ ἐναβρυνόμενος. Οὐ γὰρ τὴν δόξαν κενὴν μόνον χρὴ νομίζειν (εἰ γὰρ τοῦτο δοθείη καὶ ὁ φιλόδοξος κενόδοξος εἰκότως ἂν κληθείη), ἀλλ᾽ εἰ κυριολεκτοῖτο τοῦνομα, ὁ κενὸς ὢν ἔργων χρηστῶν, ἀντιποιούμενος δὲ δόξης, κενόδοξος ἂν δικαίως καλοῖτο.","t":"To the same. On love of glory and vainglory. It is more divine, when doing something good, not to seek glory from men; but if someone doing it seeks it, such a man is a lover of glory, not vainglorious. For the one who is empty (kenos) of good deeds but seeks a glory that does not belong to him is vainglorious (kenodoxos), priding himself on what he does not do and boasting in another's role. For one must not think only that the glory is empty (for if this were granted, the lover of glory too might rightly be called vainglorious); but if the name is used in its proper sense, the one who is empty of good works but lays claim to glory would justly be called vainglorious.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.411 (PG 78 78:1571; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-411)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.412":{"o":"ΠΡΟΣΕΧΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΟ ΙΑΤΡΩ.\nΟὐχ ὥσπερ ἐν πελάγει, ὦ σοφὲ, παρὰ τὴν τῶν ἀγρίων ἀνέμων ἐμβολὴν γίνεται, οὕτω καὶ ἐν ψυχῇ, ἀλλὰ παρὰ τὴν αὐτῆς ῥαθυμίαν. \"Αν γὰρ μὴ αὐτὴ ἀνάψῃ τὴν φλόγα, ἂν μὴ τροφὴν δῷ τῷ πυρὶ, ἂν μὴ τὰς εὐμόρφους ὄψεις πολυπραγμονῇ, ἂν μὴ τὰ ἀλλότρια κάλλη περιεργάζηται, ἂν μὴ εἰς θέατρα ἔνθα τῶν ἡδονῶν αἱ νιφάδες ἀναβαίνῃ, ἂν μὴ πιαίνῃ τρυφῇ τὴν σάρκα, ἂν μὴ καταποντίζῃ οἴνῳ τὸν ἡνιοχοῦντα λογισμὸν, οὐκ αἴρεται ἡ φλὸξ, οὐκ ἀνάπτεται ἡ πυρὰ, οὐ γίνεται ἀργαλεώτερον τὸ θηρίον, οὐ διακόπτεται καθάπερ ὑπὸ πνευμάτων ῥαγδαίων τῆς διανοίας ἡ καθαρότης.","t":"To Prosechius, scholasticus and physician. It is not, wise man, as in the sea, where storms arise from the onset of wild winds; so too in the soul, but from its own indolence. For if it does not itself kindle the flame, if it does not give the fire fuel, if it does not busy itself with shapely faces, if it does not meddle with the beauty of others, if it does not go up to the theatres where the snowstorms of pleasures are, if it does not fatten the flesh with luxury, if it does not drown in wine the reason that holds the reins, the flame does not rise, the pyre is not kindled, the beast does not become more grievous, the purity of the mind is not broken up as by violent winds.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.412 (PG 78 78:1571; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-412)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.413":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΧΑΙΡΗΜΟΝΙ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΑμπελος ἡμερὶς λέγεται, παρὰ τὸ ἡμεροῦν ἡμᾶς τὸν οἶνον, καιρίως καὶ μετρίως προσφερόμενον· πίστιν τε γὰρ ἀνθρώποις καὶ φιλίαν ὁμηρεύει, εὐφροσύνης τε αἴτιος, πένθους ἀλεξιφάρμακον, καὶ ῥαθυμίας ἀναιρετικὸν τυγχάνει· καὶ νοσοῦσι μὲν βοήθημα ἁπλοῦν ποικίλων τε παθῶν παιώνιον · ὑγιαίνουσι δὲ ἔρεισμα, καὶ τῆς ὑγιείας τηρητικόν. Εἰ δέ τις τὸ, «μηδὲν ἄγαν, καὶ τὸ, «Μέτρον ἄριστον, ἀτιμάσας παροινήσειεν εἰς αὐτὸν, ἀμυνεῖται τὴν ὕβριν· καὶ κεφαλὴν μὲν καὶ κροτάφους σφακελίσει, τὴν δὲ ῥώμην ἀπελάσει, καὶ πᾶν τὸ σῶμα ἐκλύσει· χεῖρας δὲ καὶ πόδας δήσας (τὰ γὰρ ἄλλα τὰ τούτων ἀτοπώτερα, οὐδὲ λέγειν καλὸν), παραδώσει καὶ φίλοις καὶ ἐχθροῖς εἰς γέλωτα.","t":"To Zosimus, Chaeremon and Maron. The vine is called \"cultivated\" (hēmeris) from the fact that wine tames (hēmeroun) us when taken at the right time and in moderation. For it is a pledge of trust and friendship among people, a cause of gladness, an antidote to grief and a remover of sluggishness; to the sick a simple remedy and a cure for various ailments, to the healthy a support and a preserver of health. But if anyone, disregarding \"Nothing in excess\" and \"Measure is best,\" abuses it, it will avenge the insult: it will make head and temples throb, drive away strength and loosen the whole body; and binding hands and feet (other things worse than these it is not even decent to mention), it will hand him over to friends and enemies to be laughed at.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.413 (PG 78 78:1571; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-413)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.414":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΩ.\nἩ ἀρετὴ τοσοῦτον ἀπέχει τοῦ ἀπὸ τῶν μεταβολῶν ἐλέγχεσθαι, ὅτι καὶ αὐταῖς τὰς πρεπούσας ἐπιβάλλουσα ἡνίας εὐθύνει πρὸς τὸ δέον. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ πλούτῳ τὸ οἰκονομικὸν συγκιρνᾷ, τῇ δὲ δόξῃ τὴν μετριότητα· καὶ τῇ μὲν ἀρχῇ τὴν ἀτυφίαν. Τῇ δὲ πενίᾳ τὴν ἀνδρείαν. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ τῶν πραγμάτων τοὺς νεωτερισμοὺς νικᾷ, καὶ ἀοίδιμον κἀνταῦθα ἔχει κἀκεῖσε ἕξει τὸ κλέος, διατί μὴ ταύτην ἀσπαζόμεθα;","t":"To Leontius. Virtue is so far from being shown up by changes that it even puts fitting reins on them and steers them to what is right. With wealth it mixes good management, with glory moderation, with office freedom from conceit, with poverty courage. If, then, it overcomes even the upheavals of affairs and has a celebrated fame both here and there, why do we not embrace it?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.414 (PG 78 78:1573; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-414)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.415":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nΤὰ μὲν ἐπὶ ταῖς ταφαῖς τοῖς ἀφιλοσόφοις καὶ ἀπειροκάλοις εἰωθότα πληροῦσθαι, ἄλλοις ἐατέον. Σὺ δὲ ταῖς ἐντελεστέραις εὐφημίαις περίστελλε τὸν μεταστάντα, καὶ τοῖς ἀσύλοις καὶ πρεπωδεστάτοις ἐνταφίοις κόσμει, τὴν τοῦ λόγου δωρούμενος χάριν· ἵνα κἀκεῖνον τιμήσῃς, καὶ τοὺς μεθ᾽ ἡμᾶς εἰς ζῆλον ἀγάγῃς.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. The things usually done at funerals by the unphilosophical and tasteless must be left to others. But you, clothe the departed with more perfect praises and adorn him with funeral gifts that cannot be stolen and are most fitting, bestowing the grace of words, so that you may both honour him and lead those after us to emulation.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.415 (PG 78 78:1573; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-415)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.416":{"o":"ΓΕΣΙΩ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ νενικημένος ὑφ᾽ ὧν πέπονθας, οὔπω νικῆσαι σαυτὸν ἴσχυσας εἰς τὸ μὴ ἀμύνασθαι, ἀλλὰ δίκας ἀπαιτῆσαι τὸν ὑβρίσαντα ὀνειροπολεῖς· μάλιστα μὲν ἀλλότριον τοῦτο Χριστιανοῦ. Εἰ δὲ τῷ νόμῳ ἐπερείδῃ, τέως ἔνδος· ἢ γὰρ ὁ χρόνος σε θεραπεύσει, ἢ ἐκεῖνος ἀπολογήσεται, εἴπερ τοσαύτη ἐστὶν ἡ ὀργή· καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα αὐτὸν ἀμύνασθαι δυνήσῃ, οὐδὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ χρόνου εἰς τὸ μὴ δοῦναι δίκην ἐκεῖνον παραβλαπτόμενος. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν εἰς τοσοῦτον. Εἰπὲ δὲ τῷ σαυτοῦ φίλῳ· Ἐλθὲ ὡς ἡμᾶς, ἢ μεταδώσων ὧν ἔχεις, ἢ μεθέξων ὧν οὐκ ἔχεις. Σὺ μὲν γὰρ σοφίαν ἔχειν φὴς μεγαληγορεῖν οὐ παραιτουμένην, ἡμεῖς δὲ φαμεν ἀλήθειαν ἁπλότητι καὶ αἰδοῖ κεκοσμημένην. Ἢ γὰρ κρείττοσιν εὑρεθεῖσι κατακολουθήσεις ἄσμενος, ἢ ἐπανήξεις οἴκαδε μηδὲν ζημιωθείς.","t":"To Gesius the curial. Even if, overcome by what you have suffered, you have not yet been able to overcome yourself so as not to retaliate, but dream of exacting penalties from the man who insulted you, this above all is foreign to a Christian. But if you rely on the law, give way for now; for either time will heal you, or he will apologize, if your anger is so great; and afterwards you will be able to take your revenge, suffering no loss from time as regards his paying the penalty. So much for that. But say to your friend: \"Come to us, either to share what you have or to share in what you do not have.\" For you say he has a wisdom that does not refuse to speak grandly, while we say we have truth adorned with simplicity and modesty. For either you will gladly follow what is found better, or you will return home having lost nothing.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.416 (PG 78 78:1573; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-416)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.417":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἱ μὲν μόνος σοι ὁ τῆς φιλοχρηματίας ἔρως καὶ ἐπῆλθε καὶ εἶλεν, οὐκ ἂν τοσαύτην παρὰ πάντων ὑπέμενες γραφήν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ πάντες ἐν σοὶ, ὥς φασιν, ἀχορεύτως χορεύσαντες εἶλον, μείζονά σε πάσης τιμωρίας ἁμαρτάνειν ἡγούμενοι, ὡς ποικίλον καὶ πολύμορφον θηρίον ἐκτρέπονται. Εἰ τοίνυν βούλει τὴν τοιαύτην ἀποτρίψασθαι ἀδοξίαν, τὰ ἀνθρώποις φιλαρέτοις πρέποντα καὶ λέγε καὶ πρᾶττε.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. If only the love of money had come upon you and seized you, you would not undergo such an indictment from everyone. But since all the passions, as they say, have danced their undancing dance in you and seized you, people think you sin beyond all punishment and turn away from you as from a many-coloured and many-shaped beast. If, then, you wish to rub off such disrepute, say and do what befits lovers of virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.417 (PG 78 78:1573; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-417)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.418":{"o":"ΑΥΣΟΝΙΟ ΚΟΡΡΗΚΤΩΡΙ.\n῎Αγαμαί σου τὸ σοφὸν φρόνημα, ὅτι φόβον πραότητι μίξας οὐδένας ἔχεις, οὔτε τοὺς διὰ τὸν φόβον μισοῦντας, οὔτε τοὺς διὰ τὴν πραότητα πταίοντας · ἀλλά σοι τὴν ἀκόλουθον κρᾶσιν ἀντιδιδόασιν οἱ ἀρχόμενοι, σωφροσύνῃ φιλίαν συνάψαντες· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὰ πλεῖστον ἀπ᾿ ἀλλήλων διεστῶτα ἐκέρασας, καὶ αὐτοὶ τὴν ἴσην σοι ἀποδιδόασιν ἀμοιβὴν, παρὰ σοῦ παιδευθέντες συνάπτειν τὰ κεχωρισμένα.","t":"To Ausonius the corrector. I admire your wise spirit, that by mixing fear with gentleness you have none who hate you because of fear, nor any who sin because of gentleness; but your subjects give you a corresponding blend in return, joining friendship to self-control. For since you have blended things that stand very far apart, they too give you an equal return, having been taught by you to join what is separated.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.418 (PG 78 78:1573; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-418)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.419":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤὰ μὲν σὰ κατορθώματα (ὦ πραότατον τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις ὄμμα, εἰ καὶ τοῖς ἀδικοῦσίν ἐστι φοβερώτατον) μείζονά ἐστι τῆς τῶν ἐγκωμιαζόντων αὐτὰ γλώττης. Εὔχονται δὲ πλέον ἡττᾶσθαι, τῆς σῆς ἐπὶ τὸ μεῖζον προκοπτούσης ἀρετῆς.","t":"To the same. Your achievements (O eye most gentle to the wronged, though most fearsome to wrongdoers) are greater than the tongue of those who praise them. And they pray to be defeated even more, as your virtue advances to greater heights.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.419 (PG 78 78:1575; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-419)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.420":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὉ τοῖς μὲν τὰ ἤθη μετρίοις ἀτύφως προσφερόμενος, τοὺς δὲ ταῖς γνώμαις ἐξωγκωμένους, καὶ πρὸς ἀλαζονείαν βλέποντας μὴ καταπληττόμενος, οὗτος ἀρετῆς μέγιστον ἐκφέρει τεκμήριον.","t":"To the same. The one who treats those of moderate character without conceit, and is not dismayed by those puffed up in mind and looking to boastfulness, gives the greatest proof of virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.420 (PG 78 78:1575; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-420)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.421":{"o":"ΛΟΥΚΑ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΠαῤῥησίας, Οὔτε τὴν παῤῥησίαν ἀναισχυντίαν κλητέον, οὔτε τὴν ἀναισχυντίαν παῤῥησίαν· ἀλλὰ τὴν μὲν τοὺς πταίοντας κοσμίως ἐλέγχουσαν, παῤῥησίαν· τὴν δὲ τοὺς κατορθοῦντας ὑβρίζουσαν, ἀναισχυντίαν. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἰατρικῇ ἔοικεν, ἡ δὲ λοιμικῇ καταστάσει, τῷ τὴν μὲν τοὺς ἀῤῥωστοῦντας ἰᾶσθαι, τὴν δὲ τοὺς ὑγιαίνοντας ταράττειν.","t":"To Lucas, a most illustrious man. On frankness. Neither must frankness be called shamelessness, nor shamelessness frankness; but that which decorously rebukes those who fail is frankness, and that which insults those who do right is shamelessness. For the one is like the medical art, the other like a pestilential condition, in that the one heals the sick and the other disturbs the healthy.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.421 (PG 78 78:1575; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-421)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.422":{"o":"ΚΥΡΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ πάσης ἐστὶ βασιλείας ὑψηλοτέρα καὶ ἀξιωτέρα ἡ ἱερωσύνη, ἀλλὰ τοὺς ταύτην λαχόντας οὐ χρὴ κατὰ τῶν ἄλλων διὰ ταύτην ἐπαίρεσθαι, ἀλλὰ πρεπωδέστατον καὶ ἁρμοδιώτατον ταύτης κόσμον ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν μετὰ συνέσεως πραότητα· ἐννοοῦντας, ὅτι κρείττων μέν ἐστι πάσης ἀνθρωπίνης τιμῆς τε καὶ ἀξίας· διὰ δὲ τὴν θείαν χάριν τε καὶ διάταξιν ταύτην εἰλήφασι τῆς τῶν ἄλλων ὠφελείας ἕνεκεν, ἣν οὐκ ἂν εἶεν δίκαιοι τῇ τυραννίδι καθυβρίζειν.","t":"To Cyrus the presbyter. Even if the priesthood is higher and worthier than any kingship, those who have obtained it must not exalt themselves over others because of it, but must consider gentleness with understanding its most fitting and suitable adornment; considering that, while it is above all human honour and dignity, they have received it by divine grace and ordinance for the benefit of others, and would not rightly outrage it by tyranny.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.422 (PG 78 78:1575; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-422)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.423":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nἬστην ποτὲ δύο ὁμογνησίω ἀδελφὼ, διενεχθέντε πρὸς ἑαυτὼ τοσοῦτον, ὡς καὶ τοὺς εἰς συμβατηρίους λόγους τολμῶντας ἐλθεῖν, ἐχθροὺς ἡγεῖσθαι. Ἐγὼ δὲ (δεῖ γὰρ τἀληθῆ λέγειν) τὴν ἀποτυχίαν δεδιὼς ὤκνουν αὐτῷ παρὰ τὴν πρώτην διαλεχθῆναι· ὕστερον δὲ ἀγεννὲς εἶναι τοῦτο νομίσας, καὶ παρακελευσάμενος ἐμαυτῷ τοῦτο πάντως χρῆναι γενέσθαι, κἂν διαμάρτοιμι τοῦ σκοποῦ, ἧκον ἐπὶ τοῦργον· νομίσας μὲν αὐτὸ ἐργῶδες εἶναι, ὅμως δὲ καὶ τοῖς ἀδοκήτοις ἐγχειρῶν. Τοσούτῳ δ' εὗρον ῥάδιον τοῦτο, ὡς μηδὲ ἀκροβολισμῶν δεηθῆναι. Ἥρκεσε γὰρ ἐκείνῳ τὸ ἐμὲ τῶν λόγων ἅψασθαι. Οὐκοῦν καὶ αὐτὸς μὴ τῇ τοῦ πράγματος δυσκολίᾳ πρόσεχε, ἀλλ᾽ ἅψαι τῶν ἄλλων· ἴσως γὰρ οὐδὲ πόνων δεήσῃ.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. There were once two full brothers who had quarrelled with each other so much that they considered as enemies even those who dared to come to them with words of reconciliation. I (for one must tell the truth), fearing failure, hesitated at first to talk with them; but later, thinking this ignoble and urging myself that it must by all means be done, even if I should miss the mark, I came to the task, thinking it laborious, yet undertaking it even against expectation. And I found it so easy that I did not even need preliminary skirmishes; it was enough for them that I set my hand to words. So you too, do not heed the difficulty of the matter, but set your hand to the rest; perhaps you will not even need labours.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.423 (PG 78 78:1575; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-423)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.424":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὍταν φάλαγξ σωφροσύνης, καὶ πειθοῦς, καὶ τάξεως, καὶ στρατηγικῆς ἀρετῆς μετέχῃ, τότε τοῖς ἐναντίοις δεινὴ καταφαίνεται, καὶ πρὸ τῆς εὐτολμίας τὰ τρόπαια πολλάκις ἴστησι, τῶν ἐχθρῶν πρὸς ἱκεσίαν χωρούντων καὶ πρεσβευομένων. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ταῦτα παρ᾿ ἡμῶν ὀφείλοντα γενέσθαι κατὰ τῶν δαιμόνων, οὐ γίνεται· οὐ γὰρ μετ' ἀλλήλων κατ᾿ ἐκεῖνων, ἀλλὰ κατ᾿ ἀλλήλων μετ᾿ ἐκείνων στρατευόμεθα· οὐ θαυμαστὸν, εἰ ἡττώμεθα· ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἐκεῖνο, εἰ μηδὲν ποιοῦντες ὧν τοῖς νικῶσι προσῆκε, νικᾶν ἀξιοῦμεν.","t":"To the same. When a phalanx has self-control, obedience, order and the virtue of good generalship, then it appears terrible to its opponents, and often sets up trophies even before it shows its daring, the enemy coming to supplicate and send embassies. Since, then, these things, which ought to be done by us against the demons, are not done (for we do not campaign together against them, but against one another together with them), it is no wonder if we are defeated; it is rather a wonder if, doing none of the things that befit victors, we expect to win.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.424 (PG 78 78:1575; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-424)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.425":{"o":"ΤΟΙΣ ΑΡΧΟΝΤΙΟΥ ΠΑΙΣΙΝ.\nἜπεμψα τὸν πανάριστον Εὐτόνιον, λόγων συμβατηρίων ὑμῖν καθηγησόμενον. Αἰδέσθητε τοίνυν πρῶτον μὲν τὸ πρέπον, δεύτερον δὲ ἑαυτοὺς, τρίτον ἐμὲ, τὸν ἐν οἷς ἔξεστιν ἐπιτάττειν, συμβουλεύοντα· τέταρτον, τὸν καταδεξάμενον τοσοῦτον ὑπομεῖναι διὰ τὴν ὑμετέραν εἰρήνην κάματον. Καὶ πᾶσαν ἀπέχθειαν ἐξορίσαντες, ἄσμενοι τὴν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς φιλίαν ἀσπάσασθε.","t":"To the sons of Archontius. I have sent the most excellent Eutonius to lead you in words of reconciliation. Respect, then, first what is fitting, second yourselves, third me, who advise where I could command, and fourth the man who has agreed to endure such toil for your peace. And banishing all enmity, gladly embrace friendship with one another.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.425 (PG 78 78:1577; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-425)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.426":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ ἐνταῦθα, ὦ πάντα μικρὰ πρὸς τὴν σὴν ἀναλγησίαν φθέγξασθαι, χῶρος εἰσδέχεται τοὺς οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν αὐτῶν ἥκοντας, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖσε διάκρισις ἔσται ἀκριβής. Πρώην μὲν οὖν, ἡνίκα οἱ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας παιδευταὶ καὶ δι᾿ ἀρίστην πολιτείαν τῷ θείῳ ἐλαμπρύνοντο Πνεύματι, κἀνταῦθα ἐχωρίζοντο οἱ πταίοντες· καὶ γνωσιμαχοῦντες, πάλιν κατηριθμοῦντο εἰς τὸν ἱερὸν τῆς Ἐκκλησίας σύλλογον. Νῦν δὲ (ἀλλ᾿ οὐδὲν βούλομαι δυσχερὲς εἰπεῖν) πάντα ἀναίδην τολμᾶται, καὶ οὐδεὶς ὁ ἐπεξιών. Ἀλλὰ τοῖς μὲν φιλαρέτοις εἰσὶ βαρεῖς, τοῖς δὲ φιλαμαρτήμοσι προσηνεῖς. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἀποναρκῆσαι παρασκευάζουσι, τοὺς δὲ εἰς κακίαν μείζονα παιδοτριβοῦσι· μάλιστα ὅταν καὶ πλοῦτος αὐτοῖς περιῤῥέῃ. Μὴ τοίνυν, ἐπειδὴ καὶ Εὐσέβιος (ὁ οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅπως σε χειροτονήσας, τῇ ἀρετῇ πολέμιος τυγχάνων) σὲ εἰς ἐσχάτην κακίαν ἐλάσαντα οὐκ ἀπελαύνει τοῦ πληρώματος τῆς Ἐκκλησίας, ἤδη νόμιζε κἀκεῖσε μηδὲν πείσεσθαι δεινόν. Τοσοῦτον γὰρ κἀκεῖνον καὶ σὲ μετελεύσεται ἡ δίκη, ὅσον ἐνταῦθα μακροθυμήσασα οὐδὲν ὤνησεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ βλασφημηθῆναι δι᾽ ὑμᾶς κατεδέξατο.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Even if here, you to whose insensibility everything one could say is small, one place admits those who have not come by the same road, there will be an exact separation there. Formerly, when the church's teachers were made brilliant by the divine Spirit through an excellent way of life, those who sinned were separated here too, and when they acknowledged their fault they were counted again in the sacred assembly of the church. But now (I do not wish to say anything harsh) everything is dared shamelessly, and there is no one to proceed against it. They are harsh to the lovers of virtue and gentle to the lovers of sin; they make the one grow numb and train the other in greater wickedness, especially when wealth flows around them. So do not think, because Eusebius too (who ordained you, I know not how, being an enemy of virtue) does not drive you, who have gone to the utmost wickedness, from the fullness of the church, that you will suffer nothing terrible there. For justice will pursue both him and you as much as its patience here achieved nothing, but even consented to be blasphemed because of you.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.426 (PG 78 78:1577; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-426)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.427":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤὸν ὥσπερ σὺ ἄγευστον τῶν πόνων, οὐ δίκαιον λέγειν ἀναπαύλης δεῖσθαι. Δευτέρα γὰρ τῶν πόνων ἡ ἀνάπαυλα· χωρὶς δὲ ἐκείνων, τρυφὴ δικαίως ἂν καλοῖτο. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ πόνων λήγοντας ἀναπαύεσθαι χρή· τοὺς δ᾽ ὅλως ἀφεστηκότας τοῦ πονεῖν, ἀσώτους κλητέον καὶ ἀργούς. Ὥστε ἕως ἂν σὺ μὴ παραδέξαιο τοὺς ἰδρῶτας, ἀφεκτέον καὶ τοῦ τῆς ἀναπαύσεως ὀνόματος. – ΑΥΣΟΝΙΩ ΚΟΡΡΗΚΤΩΡΙ. Οἱ μὲν νόμοι τὸν εἰς σὲ παροινήσαντα συλλαβόντες παρέπεμψαν ὑπὸ τὰς σὰς χεῖρας δίκην ὑφέξοντα· σὺ δὲ (κρείττων γὰρ εἶ καὶ ὕβρεως καὶ λοιδορίας, διὸ καὶ φιλοσοφίαν τῇ νομίμῳ ἀρχῇ ἐκέρασας) μικρὰ νουθετήσας τοῦτον, τῷ συγγνώμης ἀξιῶσαι βελτίω κατάστησον· τὸ μὲν γὰρ κολάσαι προχείρως, καὶ τῶν τυχόντων ἐστί· τὸ δὲ συγγνώμην νεῖμαι, τῶν, οἷος αὐτὸς τυγχάνεις.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. One who, like you, has not tasted labours cannot rightly say he needs rest. For rest comes second to labours; without them it would rightly be called luxury. Those who are ceasing from labours must rest; but those who have altogether given up labouring must be called profligate and idle. So until you accept the sweat, you must abstain even from the word \"rest.\" [Letter 5.428] To Ausonius the corrector. The laws have arrested the man who insulted you and handed him over into your hands to pay the penalty; but you (for you are above insult and abuse, which is why you have mixed philosophy with lawful authority), having admonished him a little, make him better by thinking him worthy of pardon. For to punish readily belongs to anyone; but to grant pardon belongs to such as you are.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.427 (PG 78 78:1577; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-427)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.429":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ.\nἜοικας ἐκ τοῦ συνεχῶς συγγνώμης ἐφ᾽ οἷς πταίοις τυγχάνειν, καὶ εἰς τὸ συγγνώμης μείζονα ἁμαρτάνειν πεπαιδοτριβῆσθαι. Τῷ χαλινῷ τοίνυν τῆς ἐγκρατείας χρησάμενος, ἀνείργειν σαυτὸν πειρῶ τοῦ κατὰ κρημνῶν φέρεσθαι · καὶ τὸ τῆς συγγνώμης φάρμακον μὴ ἀχρεῖον κατασκεύαζε, ἵνα μὴ ὡς ἀγνώμονά σε καὶ ἀνάλγητον ἡ θεία λοιπὸν μετέλθοι δίκη.","t":"To Isaiah. You seem, from continually obtaining pardon for your failings, to have been trained to sin beyond pardon. Using the bridle of self-control, then, try to keep yourself from being carried over the cliffs, and do not make the medicine of pardon useless, lest divine justice at last pursue you as ungrateful and insensible.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.429 (PG 78 78:1579; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-429)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.43":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ ΛΑΜΠΡΩ.\nἘνταῦθα μὲν, ὦ βέλτιστε, οὐχ οἷόν τε ἀμφότερα συνδραμεῖν, σφοδρότητα λέγω τιμωριῶν καὶ παραμονήν. Θάτερον γάρ θατέρῳ πολεμεῖ, διὰ τὸ φθαρτὴν οὖσαν τοῦ σώματος τὴν φύσιν μὴ φέρειν αὐτῶν τὴν σύνοδον· ἐκεῖ δὲ τῆς ἀφθαρσίας εἰσβιασαμένης, καὶ τὴν φθορὰν ἐξοστρακισάσης, καὶ ἡ τῆς μάχης ταύτης διάλυσις γένοιτ' ἂν ὡς τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῶν βασανιστηρίων, μήτε τὴν ἰσχὺν ἐξελάσαι τοῦ σώματος, μήτε τὸ σῶμα εἰς τὸ μὴ ὂν παραπέμψαι,","t":"To Dorotheus, a man of rank. Here, my good man, it is not possible for both to go together, I mean severity of punishment and duration. For the one wars against the other, because the nature of the body, being corruptible, cannot bear their combination. But there, when incorruption has forced its way in and banished corruption, this conflict too would be resolved, so that the extremity of the torments neither drives out the strength of the body nor sends the body into non-existence, …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.43 (PG 78 78:1351; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-43)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.430":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nΜεγίστης ἐστὶ συγγραφῆς καὶ διδασκαλίας ἀρετή, αἰτιολογία καὶ ἀπόδειξις. Οὐ γὰρ προσήκει μόνον διισχυρίζεσθαι, ὅτι τόδε ὄν ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ διότι ἐστὶν, εἰ οἷόν τε, ἀποδεικνύναι. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἐστιν ἀληθῶς εἰδέναι, τὸ μετὰ αἰτίας εἰδέναι.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. The greatest virtue of writing and teaching is the giving of reasons and demonstration. For it is not fitting only to affirm that a thing is so, but also, if possible, to demonstrate why it is. For truly to know is to know with the cause.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.430 (PG 78 78:1579; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-430)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.431":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ,\nΜὴ πέρα τῆς φύσεως, μηδ' ἔξω τοῦ μετρίου ἐμφορεῖσθαι τῆς εὐημερίας ἀξίου· ἀλλὰ πανταχοῦ ͵ τὸ ἀνθρώπινον σκόπει, καὶ πρὸς τὰς μεταβολὰς ὅρα, τὰς ἐν μιᾷ πολλάκις ἡμέρᾳ πρὸς τὰναντία τὰ πράγματα μεταστοιχειῶσαι δυναμένας. Οὕτως γὰρ καὶ ἀσπαστὸς ἔσῃ, καὶ τὴν εὐπραγίαν βεβαίαν ἕξεις. Εἰ δὲ καὶ συμβαίη μεταβολὴ, οὐδὲν ἀργαλέον πείσῃ, ἅτε προαποθέμενος σαυτῷ τῆς φιλανθρωπίας τοὺς θησαυρούς.","t":"To Serenus. Do not think fit to take your fill of prosperity beyond nature or beyond moderation; but everywhere consider the human condition and look to the changes that can often transform things into their opposites in a single day. For so you will be welcome and will have stable good fortune. And if a change should come, you will suffer nothing grievous, since you have laid up beforehand treasures of humanity for yourself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.431 (PG 78 78:1579; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-431)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.432":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤοῖς ἀδίκοις ἡ δίκη χρεωστεῖ τὴν δικαίαν τιμωρίαν, καὶ πάντως ἀποδώσει, εἴπερ μὴ μέλλοι ἄδικος εἶναι ἡ δίκη, ἡ πάντα δικαίως διέπουσα, καὶ τῆς δικαιοσύνης πολλὴν ποιουμένη πρόνοιαν. ΔΙΔΥΜΟ ΚΑΙ ΗΡΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΟΙΣ. Οὐ χρὴ θαυμάζειν, εἰ οἱ πονηροὶ τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἐκπεπολέμωνται. « Τουναντίον γὰρ ἦν θαυμαστὸν, εἰ μὴ οὕτως εἶχον · εἰ γὰρ καὶ λίαν ἅτοπον δοκεῖ, καὶ οὔτε λόγῳ ῥητὸν, οὔτε ἔργῳ φορητόν ἐστι τοῦτο, ἀλλ᾽ ὅμως κατὰ λόγον γίνεται. Ἐναντιοῦται γὰρ τὸ σκότος φωτί· καὶ λῃσταὶ τοὺς λύχνους σβεννύντες ἐπὶ τὸ λῃστεύειν τρέπονται. Ἔλεγχον γὰρ ἡγούμενοι τοῦ σφῶν βίου τὸν ἐκείνων τρόπον, ἐκποδὼν αὐτὸν ποιῆσαι πραγματεύονται.","t":"To Serenus the deacon. Justice owes the unjust their just punishment, and will certainly pay it, unless justice, which administers all things justly and takes great forethought for righteousness, is to be unjust. [Letter 5.433] To Didymus and Heron, presbyters. One should not wonder that the wicked are at war with the good. For it would be a wonder if it were not so. For even if this seems very absurd and neither speakable in word nor bearable in deed, yet it happens according to reason. For darkness opposes light, and robbers put out the lamps when they turn to robbery. For thinking the character of the good a refutation of their own life, they try to put it out of the way.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.432 (PG 78 78:1579; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-432)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.434":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ.\nΠαράδοξον Παράδοξόν ἐστιν, ὦ βέλτιστε, τὸ τῆς κρατούσης δόξης κρείττον, καὶ τῆς συνηθείας ἀλλότριον.","t":"To Theon. Paradox. A paradox, my good man, is what is beyond prevailing opinion and foreign to custom.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.434 (PG 78 78:1581; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-434)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.435":{"o":"ΛΕΟΝΤΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΜηδὲν, ὦ ἄριστε, ἐπὶ τῆς σῆς ἀρετῆς ἄχαρι, μηδ' ἀπηχὲς, τό γε ἐπὶ σαυτῷ, συγχωρήσῃς γενέσθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῖς νεώτερά τινα εἰς τοὺς ἐκκλησιαστικοὺς θεσμούς βουλεύουσι, λέγε ὡς οἰμώξονται κἀνταῦθα κἀκεῖσε, εἰ μὴ τοῦ νεωτερισμοῦ λήξειαν. Ωσπερ γὰρ σὺν ἀλογίᾳ ἤρθησαν, τόλμῃ ἀκρίτῳ μᾶλλον ἐπαρθέντες εἰς τὴν ἐπιχείρησιν, ἢ ἀξιώσεως δικαίᾳ κρίσει, οὕτω, κατὰ τὸ εἰκὸς, καὶ καθαιρεθήσονται πάλιν. ᾿Ασθενὲς γὰρ ἀεὶ τὸ παρ᾿ ἀξίαν · καὶ τῶν κατὰ τόλμαν ἀλόγιστον ἐπαιρομένων οὐδὲν βέβαιον, ταχείαν δὲ ἔχει τὴν μεταβολὴν, εἰ μὴ σὺν ἀρετῇ γίγνοιτο.","t":"To Leontius the deacon. Do not, excellent man, allow anything ungracious or discordant to happen to your virtue, as far as it rests with you; but say to those who plan innovations against the church's laws that they will lament both here and there unless they cease their innovation. For just as they were raised without reason, lifted to the undertaking by reckless daring rather than by just judgement of worth, so, as is likely, they will be brought down again. For what is beyond desert is always weak; and nothing is stable of those raised up by irrational daring; it has a swift change, unless it comes about with virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.435 (PG 78 78:1581; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-435)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.436":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΔεινὸν μὲν καὶ τὸ τρυφῇ καὶ λαγνείᾳ ἑαλωκέναι ἄνθρωπον εἰς ἱερωσύνην ὅπως δήποτε δοκοῦντα τελεῖν. Τὸ δὲ πάντων σχετλιώτατον ἐκεῖνό ἐστιν, ὅτι τὰ τῶν ἀνιέρων καὶ ἐναγῶν πράττεις, τῆς δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ δοκεῖν ἱερωσύνην κεκτῆσθαι ἀντιποιῇ δόξης.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. It is terrible for a man who somehow seems to hold the priesthood to be caught in luxury and lechery. But the most wretched thing of all is that you do the deeds of the unholy and accursed, while laying claim to the glory that comes from seeming to possess the priesthood.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.436 (PG 78 78:1581; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-436)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.437":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΣὺ μὲν εἰκότως θαυμάζεις, ὅπως ὁ ἄθλιος Ζώσιμος ἐκθύμως τῆς κακίας ἔχεται, καὶ δεσμὸς οὗτός ἐστιν ἀῤῥαγὴς, ὃν οὐκ ἂν διακόψας οἴχεται φερόμενος ἐπὶ τὰς ἀτόπους πράξεις. Ἕτεροι δὲ οὐ θαυμάζουσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰκότως τῇ ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἀναστροφῇ τὴν κακίαν ηὐξῆσθαι νομίζουσι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἐκ δούλου πατρὸς πεφυτεῦσθαι, παραλιμπάνουσιν εἰκότως. Πολλοὶ γὰρ οἰκέται ἐλευθέρων εἶναι δοκούντων ἀμείνους εἰσὶ κατὰ τοὺς τρόπους· τὴν δὲ ἐξ ἐφήβου ἀγωγὴν κακίζουσιν, ὡς πάσης κακίας οὖσαν μεστήν· διὸ καὶ συνηνδρώθη αὐτῷ τῶν κακῶν ἡ διάθεσις, καὶ εἰς ἕξιν προὔβη ἡ πονηρία. ᾿Αφέμενος τοίνυν τοῦ θαυμάζειν, τὴν διὰ τῶν εὐαγῶν σαυτοῦ προσευχῶν αὐτῷ χάρισαι θεραπείαν· τάχα πως μεταγνοίη.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. You rightly wonder how the wretched Zosimus clings so passionately to wickedness, and how this bond is unbreakable, which he does not break before he goes off rushing to monstrous deeds. But others do not wonder, but rightly think that his wickedness has grown with his upbringing from the start. That he was begotten of a slave father they rightly pass over; for many servants are better in character than those who seem free. But they blame his upbringing from youth as full of all wickedness; that is why the disposition to evil grew up with him into manhood, and his wickedness advanced into a fixed habit. So stop wondering, and grant him the healing of your holy prayers; perhaps he may change his mind.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.437 (PG 78 78:1581; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-437)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.438":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ οἱ φιλότιμοι δι' ἐπαίνων μάλιστα παραθήγονται (διψῶσι γὰρ ἐπαίνων μᾶλλον, ἢ ποτῶν), ἀλλὰ μετρίως χρὴ τούτους ποιεῖσθαι, καὶ μὴ ἄγαν ὑφαίνειν. Πολλοὶ γὰρ ἐκ τῆς ὑπερβολῆς τῶν ἐγκωμίων ἐκλυθέντες, ἐκλύουσι τὴν εἰς τοὺς πόνους παρασκευήν. ΑΓΑΘΟΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ ΚΑΙ ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑ","t":"To Nilus. Even if the ambitious are spurred on most by praise (for they thirst for praise more than for drink), one must use it in moderation and not weave too much. For many, slackened by excessive encomiums, slacken their readiness for labours.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.438 (PG 78 78:1581; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-438)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.439":{"o":"ΤΙΚΟΙΣ,\nἘπειδὴ αἱ μονοειδεῖς μελέται τε καὶ παραινέσεις κόπτουσι τρόπον τινὰ τῆς τῶν ἀμελεστέρων ψυχῆς τὰ νεῦρα (δοκεῖ γὰρ αὐτοῖς πᾶσα μεταβολὴ σχήματος ἡδὺ), χρὴ τὰ συγγράμματα ἐκ σπουδῆς καὶ ψυχαγωγίας κεκρᾶσθαι. Ἐκ μὲν γὰρ τῆς ψυχαγωγίας οἱ ἐμμελεῖς οὐδὲν παραβλαβήσονται, ὑπὸ δὲ τῆς σπουδῆς τῆς τῇ ψυχαγωγίᾳ κεκραμένης οἱ μὴ λίαν ῥάθυμοι ὠφεληθήσονται.","t":"To Agathodaemon and Ophelius, grammarians. Since monotonous exercises and exhortations in a way cut the sinews of the souls of the more careless (for every change of form seems pleasant to them), writings must be mixed of seriousness and entertainment. For the diligent will suffer no harm from the entertainment, and those who are not utterly indolent will be benefited by the seriousness mixed with entertainment.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.439 (PG 78 78:1581; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-439)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.44":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὭσπερ πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων μέγιστον ἀγαθὸν νομίζοντες εἶναι τὴν ὑγίειαν τοῦ σώματος, οὐ πάνυ αὐτῆς φροντίζουσι. Τὰ γὰρ ἡδέα τῶν ὠφελίμων προτιμῶντες, διαμαρτάνουσι ταύτης· οὕτω καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐπαινοῦντες, τὴν ὁδὸν τὴν ἐπὶ ταύτην φέρουσαν ἀποδιδράσκουσιν.","t":"To Serenus the deacon. Just as many people, though they think health of body the greatest good, take no great care of it (for by preferring pleasant things to beneficial ones they miss it), so too people who praise virtue run away from the road that leads to it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.44 (PG 78 78:1353; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-44)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.440":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ.\nΟἶδα μὲν ἐξ ὧν ἀκούω, ὡς οὐχ ὑπὲρ λίαν ἀρχαίων πραγμάτων λέγων, ἀδεῶς πράττεις τὴν κατὰ τοῦ ἀθλίου Ζωσίμου κατηγορίαν, συναγωνιστὴν οὐκ ἔχων εἰς ψευδολογίαν τὸν χρόνον · αὐτὰ γὰρ ἔχεις μαρτυροῦντα τὰ πράγματα. Ἀλλὰ χρὴ μὴ τοσοῦτον τὴν γλῶτταν ὁπλίζειν εἰς τὴν κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ κατηγορίαν, ὅσον εἰς τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν θρήνους καὶ τὰς προσευχάς. Κατηγορούμενος γὰρ, πλέον εἰς κακίαν, ὡς ἔοικεν, ἐρεθίζεται · θρηνούμενος δὲ, ἴσως ἀνενέγκοι.","t":"To Theodosius. I know from what I hear that, since you are not speaking about very ancient matters, you press your accusation against the wretched Zosimus fearlessly, not having time as an ally for falsehood; for you have the facts themselves as witnesses. But one must arm the tongue not so much for accusation against him as for laments and prayers for him. For when accused, he is, it seems, provoked further into wickedness; but when lamented, he might perhaps recover.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.440 (PG 78 78:1583; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-440)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.441":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ.\nΠολλοὶ μὲν, ὦ βέλτιστε, παρ' Ἕλλησι τὴν ἠθικὴν κατορθώσαντες ἀρετὴν ἄδονται · εἰ δὲ καὶ τὸ ῥαθυμεῖν ἐκείνοις πάτριον καὶ σύνηθες ἦν, οὐδ᾽ οὕτως ἡμᾶς προσῆκεν τὴν περὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐπιμέλειαν προέσθαι. Τὸ γὰρ μέσον ἡμῖν πρὸς ἐκείνους οὐκ ὀλίγον ὑπάρχον ἀφαιρεῖται τὴν συγγνώμην.","t":"To Zosimus. Many among the Greeks, my good man, who achieved moral virtue are celebrated. And even if indolence had been ancestral and customary among them, not even so would it befit us to abandon the care of virtue. For the great difference between us and them takes away our excuse.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.441 (PG 78 78:1583; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-441)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.442":{"o":"ΜΑΚΑΡΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΕἰ τοιούτοις χρησάμενος λόγοις ὁ λόγος, οἱ καὶ τὴν ἄψυχον φύσιν εἰκότως ἂν ἔκαμψαν, οὐκ ἔπεισε τὸ ἀμείλικτον ἐκεῖνο θηρίον τὸ κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ ἐπιλυττῆσαν· ἔδειξε λαμπρῶς, ὅτι τὸ πεισθῆναι καὶ μὴ, τῶν ἀκουόντων ἐστὶ, διὰ τὸν τῆς αὐτεξουσιότητος ὅρον, δι᾽ ὃν καὶ ὁ τῆς κρίσεως ἀξιόλογός ἐστι λόγος.","t":"To Macarius the bishop. If the Word, using such words as would rightly have bent even soulless nature, did not persuade that implacable beast who raged against him, he showed clearly that being persuaded or not belongs to the hearers, because of the boundary of free will, on account of which the account of the judgment too is significant.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.442 (PG 78 78:1583; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-442)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.443":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΥΡΙΟ.\nΤοὺς μὲν εὐριπίστους καὶ ἀβεβαίους καὶ χαρὰ καὶ λύπη τῆς πρεπούσης καταστάσεως ἐξακοντίζουσιν · ἡ μὲν πτεροῦσα καὶ παροινεῖν ἀναπείθουσα, ἡ δὲ ταπεινοῦσα καὶ ψοφοδεεῖς παρασκευάζουσα. Τοὺς δὲ βεβαίους καὶ ἐρηρεισμένους, καὶ κρηπίδα φρονήσεως ἔχοντας, οὐδ᾽ ὁποτέρα τούτων τοῦ προσήκοντος ἐξίστησι. Τῆς μὲν γὰρ καταστέλλουσι τὰ σκιρτήματα, καθάπερ χαλινῷ τινι τῷ λογισμῷ ἀνασειράζοντες · τῆς δὲ κρείττονες εὑρίσκονται, τὴν ἀμετρίαν αὐτῆς κολάζοντες.","t":"To Martyrius. Both joy and grief throw the unstable and wavering out of their proper state, the one giving them wings and persuading them to riot, the other humbling them and making them timid. But neither of them moves from what is fitting those who are steady, firmly set and have a foundation of prudence. For they check the leaps of the one, reining it in with reason as with a bridle, and prove stronger than the other, chastening its excess.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.443 (PG 78 78:1583; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-443)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.444":{"o":"ΑΓΑΘΟΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ.\nΚαινότερόν τι τεθέαμαι, ὃ οὐκ ἄν τις ῥᾳδίως καταδέξοιτο, μὴ ἀκριβῶς τὸ πρᾶγμα πυθόμενος. Τριῶν γὰρ ὁμοῦ φίλων περὶ ἑνὸς παρακαλούντων πράγματος, ὁ μὲν δεινότατος προσπαρώξυνεν, ὁ δὲ ἦττον δεινὸς ἐπράϋνεν· ὁ δὲ ἠμεληκὼς τοῦ λέγειν ἔπεισε. Καὶ ἡδυνήθη μὲν ὁ ἀμαθὴς τοσοῦτον, ὅσον ἐχρῆν τὸν δεινότατον· ἔπαθε δὲ ὁ ῥητορικώτατος, ὅπερ ἐχρῆν τὸν ἀμαθέστατον. Ὡς δὲ ἡρωτᾶτο ἐκεῖνος, ᾧ τὴν πρεσβείαν προσέφερον, ἔφη, « τῷ τρόπῳ τῶν παρακαλούντων προεσχηκέναι οὐ τῷ λόγῳ· τῇ πολιτείᾳ πεπεῖσθαι, οὐ τῇ εὐγλωττίᾳ. Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ βίος τοῦ λόγου περιγίνεται, καὶ ἡ γνώμη τῆς γλώττης, πρῶτον τὴν γνώμην, εἶτα τὴν γλῶτταν κοσμητέον· εἰ δὲ ἀπιστεῖς ταῦτα γεγενῆσθαι, εἰς τὴν Ὁμηρικὴν πρεσβείαν, ἣν ἀεὶ ἐπὶ γλώττης ἔχεις, τὸν νοῦν παράπεμψον· ἔνθα ὁ μὲν Ἰθακήσιος δεινότατος ὢν, πλέον παρώξυνε τὸν Πηλέως. Ὁ δὲ ἧττον δεινὸς, ὁ παιδαγωγός φημι, κατεπράϋνεν. Ὁ δὲ Τελαμώνιος, ὁ λίαν ἡμεληκὼς τοῦ λέγειν, ἔπεισε· καὶ δεδύνηται μὲν ὁ Τελαμώνιος τοσοῦτον, ὅσον ἐχρῆν τὸν Λαέρτου· ἕπαθε δὲ οὗτος, ὅπερ ἐχρῆν ἐκεῖνον.","t":"To Agathodaemon. I have seen something rather novel, which one would not easily accept without learning the matter exactly. Three friends were together pleading about one matter: the most eloquent provoked the man further, the less eloquent calmed him, and the one who had neglected speaking persuaded him. The uneducated man achieved as much as the most eloquent ought to have, and the most rhetorical suffered what the most uneducated ought to have. When the man to whom they brought the embassy was asked, he said that he had heeded the character of the petitioners, not their words; he had been persuaded by their way of life, not their eloquence. If, then, life prevails over words and the mind over the tongue, one must adorn first the mind and then the tongue. And if you disbelieve that this happened, turn your mind to the Homeric embassy, which you always have on your tongue: there the man of Ithaca, most eloquent as he was, provoked the son of Peleus further; the less eloquent, the tutor I mean, calmed him; and the son of Telamon, who had greatly neglected speaking, persuaded him. The son of Telamon achieved as much as the son of Laertes ought to have, and the latter suffered what the former ought to have.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.444 (PG 78 78:1583; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-444)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.445":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤὴν ἐμαυτοῦ γνώμην σαφῶς εἰπεῖν βούλομαι. Εἰ δὲ τις ὑπερβολικῶς εἰρῆσθαι δόξει, δοκείτω. Οἱ γὰρ τῆς ἀρετῆς ἐρασταὶ μαρτυρήσουσι τῷ ῥηθησομένῳ. Φημὶ τοίνυν, εἰ μὲν τῇ ἀρετῇ τιμωρία, τῇ δὲ κακίᾳ στέφανος ἀπέκειτο, ἥδιστ᾽ ἂν δίκην δέδωκα φιλάρετος ὢν, ἢ ἐστέφθην κακίας ὧν ἐραστής. Οὕτως ἡ μὲν κακία, κἂν στέφανον προξενοίη, πάσης μοι τιμωρίας δοκεῖ χαλεπωτέρα εἶναι. Ἡ δὲ ἀρετὴ τιμαλφεστέρα, κἂν τιμωρίας μὴ ἀμοιροίη. Ἡ μὲν οὖν εἰρημένη μοι ἥδε ὑπερβολή, ὡς φαῖεν τινες, ὧδε ἔχει καὶ ἄλις ἐχέτω. Εἰ δὲ καὶ πάντως τῇ μὲν ἀρετῇ στέφανος, τῇ δὲ κακίᾳ τιμωρία ἀπόκειται, τί ἐστι τὸ πεῖσάν σε εἰς τὸν πυθμένα τῆς κακίας καταποντῶσαι σαυτόν; ἡδέως ἄν σου πυθοίμην ἐγώ.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. I want to state my own view clearly; and if anyone thinks it is said with exaggeration, let him think so, for the lovers of virtue will bear witness to what will be said. I say, then, that if punishment were laid up for virtue and a crown for wickedness, I would most gladly pay the penalty as a lover of virtue rather than be crowned as a lover of wickedness. So true is it that wickedness, even if it procured a crown, seems to me more grievous than any punishment, while virtue is more precious, even if it had its share of punishment. This, then, is what I have said, an exaggeration, as some might say; and let it suffice. But if a crown is in every way laid up for virtue and punishment for wickedness, what is it that has persuaded you to sink yourself to the bottom of wickedness? I would gladly learn it from you.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.445 (PG 78 78:1585; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-445)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.446":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΑνθρώπιον φαῦλον, καὶ βδελυρὸν, καὶ κίβδηλον, καὶ τὶ γὰρ οὐ τῶν αἰσχρῶν καλέσας ἐν τοῖς αὐτοῦ γράμμασι Ζώσιμον, ἀληθῆ μὲν λέγεις · δέδοικα δὲ μὴ καὶ αὐτὸς μικρὸν ὕστερον τοιοῦτος εὑρεθείης. Ἐκεῖνα γὰρ, ὥς φασί τινες, ἤρξω πράττειν, ἃ ἐκεῖνος πράττων εἰς ἀνήκεστον ἀναλγησίαν τετελεύτηκε.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. In calling Zosimus in your letter a worthless, loathsome and counterfeit little fellow, and every other shameful thing, you speak the truth; but I fear that you yourself may shortly be found to be such. For, as some say, you have begun to do the things by doing which he has ended in incurable insensibility.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.446 (PG 78 78:1585; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-446)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.447":{"o":"ΜΩΣΕΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἛν μόνον καλὸν ἔχειν μοι δοκεῖ ὁ πλοῦτος, ὅτι τοῖς μάλιστα φιλοῦσιν αὐτὸν κινδύνους ἐξαισίους ἀποτίκτει.","t":"To Moses the deacon. Wealth seems to me to have only one good thing: that it breeds extraordinary dangers for those who love it most.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.447 (PG 78 78:1585; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-447)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.448":{"o":"ΖΗΝΩΝΙ.\nὉ βούλομαι συντόμως φράσαι περὶ τοῦ πάντα ἀρίστου Ἑρμογένους, τοῦ ὄντως ἐπισκόπου, τοῦτό ἐστιν· ὅτι τοσοῦτον ἀρετῇ τοὺς ἄγαν εὐδοκίμους παριὼν, ὅσον ἐκεῖνοι τοὺς ἄλλους ἅπαντας, ὡς μηδὲν μέγα διαπραττόμενος, οὕτω διάκειται, οὕτως ψήθη δεῖν τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην, ὥσπερ φρούριον ἢ φυλακτήριον τῶν ἄλλων κατορθωμάτων ἔχειν.","t":"To Zeno. What I want to say briefly about the all-excellent Hermogenes, truly a bishop, is this: though he surpasses in virtue the very esteemed as much as they surpass all others, he is disposed as one achieving nothing great, so much did he think he must keep humility as a fortress or safeguard of his other achievements.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.448 (PG 78 78:1585; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-448)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.449":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὭσπερ ἔνια τῶν ἐγκλημάτων εἴωθεν ἄπιστα ποιεῖν ὁ τῶν κρινομένων βίος, εὐδόκιμος ὧν καὶ λαμπρός · οὕτως ἔνια τῶν ἐγκωμίων πέφυκεν ἄπιστα ποιεῖν ὁ τῶν ἐγκωμιαζομένων τρόπος, σκαιὸς ὢν καὶ φαῦλος. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, τῶν μηδὲν λόγου ἄξιον ποιεῖν ἐθελόντων, χαίρουσι μὲν ταῖς διαβολαῖς, δυσχεραίνουσι δὲ ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐγκωμίοις (τὰς μὲν γὰρ καὶ καθ' ἑαυτῶν ἡγοῦνται λέγεσθαι, τῶν δὲ οὐδέποτε ἀπολαῦσαι προσδοκῶσιν)· ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε οἱ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἐστεμμένοι, τοὺς μὲν ἀρίστους ἐφ᾽ οἷς οὐ συνίασι, διαβαλλομένους, καὶ πρὸ διαγνώσεως ἀπαλλάττουσι τῶν ἐγκλημάτων. Τοὺς δὲ φαύλους, εἰ πρὸς χάριν ἐγκωμιασθεῖεν, ἀναξίους εἶναι τῶν ἐπαίνων νομίζουσιν, οὐκ ἀπὸ τῶν λεγομένων, ἀλλ᾽ ἀπὸ τῶν πραττομένων τὰς ψήφους φέροντες. Οὐκοῦν μήτε οἱ ἄριστοι διαβαλλόμενοι δυσχεραινέτωσαν, (οὐδὲν γὰρ πρὸς αὐτοὺς τὰ λεγόμενα), μήθ' οἱ κάκιστοι ἐγκωμιαζόμενοι ἀγαλλέσθωσαν. ᾿Αλλότρια γὰρ αὐτῶν ἐστι τὰ ἐγκώμια.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Just as the life of those on trial, when it is esteemed and brilliant, usually makes some charges incredible, so the character of those praised, when it is perverse and worthless, naturally makes some praises incredible. For even if many people who are unwilling to do anything worthy of note rejoice at slanders and are vexed at praises (for they think the former are said against them too, and never expect to enjoy the latter), those crowned with virtue acquit the best men of charges even before investigation when they are slandered about things they know nothing of; and when the worthless are praised to curry favour, they consider them unworthy of the praises, casting their votes not from what is said but from what is done. So let neither the best be vexed when slandered (for what is said has nothing to do with them), nor the worst exult when praised; for the praises do not belong to them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.449 (PG 78 78:1587; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-449)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.45":{"o":"ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὉ οἶνος, εἰ καιρίως καὶ μετρίως ποθείη, ἅτε τιμηθεὶς, εὐφροσύνης αἴτιος γίνεται. Εἰ δὲ παροινηθείη, ἀμύνεται τὴν ὕβριν, καὶ δίκας ἀπαιτεῖ τοὺς ὑβριστὰς, γέλωτα καὶ αἰσχύνην, καὶ κωμῳδίαν, καὶ μώλωπας αὐτοῖς προξενῶν. Οὐ μόνον τὸ σῶμα ἀνέπαφον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς βολὰς τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν, ἃς κόρας διὰ τοῦτο καλοῦμεν, παρθένους εἶναι χρὴ, καὶ μὴ πιστεύειν αὐταῖς ἀναισχύντως καὶ ἀκρατῶς ἑστιᾶσθαι τοῖς ἀλλοτρίοις κάλλεσιν, ἵνα μὴ ἀπὸ τῆς θέας ἐπὶ τὴν πρᾶξιν παιδαγωγηθῶσιν. Ἐπειδὴ χρὴ ἀπὸ τῶν γραμμάτων τῶν σῶν καταστοχάσασθαι τῆς σῆς διανοίας, αἴσθομαί σε τοὺς μὲν ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀρετῆς πόνους ἡδέως ὑπομένοντα, καὶ τοὺς ὑπὲρ αὐτῆς καρποὺς μεγάλους εἶναι νομίζοντα· άθυμοῦντα δὲ τῷ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις νομίζεσθαι δυστυχεῖν, ὀλίγα γράψαι διέγνωκα. Λανθάνεις γὰρ σαυτὸν ἐπὶ τούτοις δυσχεραίνων, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἥδεσθαι προσῆκεν. Εἰ γὰρ οὐκ ἀμφιβάλλεις, ὅτι μέγας σοι καρπὸς ἔσται παρὰ Θεῷ τῆς περὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν εὐνοίας, τί σε ταράττει ἡ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὑπόνοια, εἰ καὶ δοίημεν οὔτως αὐτοὺς ὑποπτεύειν; ὅτι δὲ οὕτω νομίζουσι, ῥᾷστα δείξαι πειράσομαι. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ σὺ μόνος τῶν ἀρετὴν ἠσκηκότων τοιαῦτ' ἔπαθες, ἦν μὲν οὐδὲ τότε ἀληθὴς ἡ ὑπόνοια. Πλὴν ἀλλ᾽ εἶχον οἱ τοῖς καλοῖς ἀπεχθανόμενοι σκιὰν γοῦν ἀναισχυντίας. Εἰ δὲ οὔτε πρῶτος, οὔτε μόνος τοιαύταις συμφοραῖς περιέπεσες, ἀλλὰ πάντες σχεδὸν οἱ ἄριστοι, οὐ μόνον παρὰ Χριστιανοῖς, ἀλλ᾽, εἰ χρὴ πάντας περιλαβεῖν, καὶ σβέσαι σου τὴν ἀθυμίαν, καὶ παρ' Ἰουδαίοις πάλαι καὶ \"Ἕλλησι, καὶ βαρβάροις, τἱ ἀλύεις; Εἰ γὰρ κἀκεῖνοι, ὥσπερ ἀθληταὶ γενναῖοι τυπτόμενοι, καὶ τραυματιζόμενοι, καὶ αἵμασι καταῤῥεόμενοι καὶ θανάτοις όμιλοῦντες διετέλεσαν, τί σὺ τῇ ἀθυμίᾳ καταβλάπτεις σαυτὸν, καὶ ποιεῖς τὸν ἀνταγωνιστὴν ἰσχυρότερον; Ταυτὸν γὰρ ποιεῖς, ὡς ἂν εἰ ἔλεγες, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν οὐδένα τῶν θεατῶν πλήττει ὁ ἀνταγωνιστής, ἀλλ᾿ αὐτὸν τὸν ἀπογραψάμενον καὶ εἰς τὸ στάδιον εἰσφοιτήσαντα; Μὴ τοίνυν ἄλυε τοιαῦτα πάσχων οἷα κάκεῖνοι, «ὧν οὐκ ἦν ἄξιος ὁ κόσμος· · ἀλλ᾽ εὐφραίνου, οἱ ὅτι ὥσπερ τῶν ἄθλων μετέσχες, οὕτω καὶ τῆς εὐκλείας καὶ τῆς ἀναῤῥήσεως μεθέξεις.","t":"To Anatolius the deacon. Wine, if drunk at the right time and in moderation, being honoured, becomes a cause of gladness. But if it is abused, it avenges the insult and exacts penalties from those who insulted it, procuring them laughter, shame, ridicule and bruises. [Letter 5.46] Not only the body must be untouched, but the glances of the eyes too, which for this reason we call \"maidens\" (pupils), must be virgins, and must not be trusted to feast shamelessly and without restraint on the beauty of others, lest from looking they be led on to the act. [Letter 5.47] Since one must judge your mind from your letters, I perceive that you gladly endure the labours undertaken for virtue and think its fruits great, but are disheartened at being thought unfortunate by people; so I have decided to write a few words. Without realizing it you are vexed at things in which you ought to rejoice. For if you do not doubt that you will have a great fruit from God for your devotion to virtue, why does people's suspicion trouble you, even if we grant that they suspect this? That they think so I shall try to show very easily. For even if you alone of those who have practised virtue had suffered such things, the suspicion would not even then have been true; but those who hate the good would have had at least a shadow of shamelessness. But if you are neither the first nor the only one to have fallen into such misfortunes, but almost all the best people, not only among Christians but, if we must include everyone and quench your despondency, also of old among Jews, Greeks and barbarians, why are you distressed? For if they too, like noble athletes, continued to be beaten, wounded, drenched with blood and familiar with death, why do you harm yourself by despondency and make your opponent stronger? You do the same as if you said: \"For what reason does the opponent strike none of the spectators, but only the man who enrolled himself and entered the stadium?\" Do not, then, be distressed at suffering such things as those also suffered \"of whom the world was not worthy\"; but rejoice that, as you have shared in the contests, so you will share in the glory and the proclamation of victory.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.45 (PG 78 78:1353; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-45)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.450":{"o":"ΗΡΑΚΛΕΙΟ.\nΠόσοι τοῦ πλείονος ἐπιθυμήσαντες, τοῦ παντὸς ἐξέπεσον, καὶ τὰ περιττὰ συναγαγόντες, καὶ τὰ ἀναγκαῖα ἀπώλεσαν; καὶ ὑπερβάντες τοὺς νενομισμένους ὅρους, καὶ τῶν μετρίων ἐγυμνώθησαν; Χρὴ οὖν περικόπτειν τὰ περιττὰ, ἵν᾽ ἐν τοῖς ἀναγκαίοις πλουτῶμεν · οὐ γὰρ τὸν πλοῦτον ἔχειν, ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ δεῖσθαι πλούτου, πλοῦτός ἐστι μέγιστος.","t":"To Heraclius. How many, desiring more, have fallen from everything; gathering superfluities, have lost even necessities; and overstepping the customary bounds, have been stripped even of moderate means? So one must cut away superfluities, so as to be rich in necessities; for the greatest wealth is not having wealth but not needing it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.450 (PG 78 78:1587; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-450)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.451":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΟὐ ταυτὸν, ὦ θαυμάσιε, τὸ ὑποπτευθῆναι τῷ ἁλῶναι· τὸ μὲν γὰρ καὶ κατὰ τοῦ μὴ δράσαντος λέγεται, τὸ δὲ κατὰ τοῦ φωραθέντος. Εἰ δὲ Εὐσέβιος, ὡς φὴς, τοὺς μὲν μάτην ὑπονοουμένους καὶ διαβαλλομένους ἐξοστρακίζει, τοὺς δὲ ἁλόντας μείζονος ἀξιοῦ βαθμοῦ, πῆ μὲν κολακείαις πειθόμενος, πῆ δὲ χρημάτων ὀρεγόμενος, μὴ θαυμάσῃς. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ τ' ἄλλα πάντα κατὰ λόγον αὐτῷ ἐπράττετο, ἴσως καὶ τοῦτο διορθώσεως ἠξίωσεν. Εἰ δὲ πάντα δρᾷ ἃ δρᾶν οὐ θέμις, καὶ τοῦτο ἄξιον ὂν τῶν αὐτοῦ τρόπων μηδένα ξενιζέτω.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Being suspected, admirable man, is not the same as being convicted; for the one is said even of one who did nothing, the other of one who has been caught. If Eusebius, as you say, banishes those who are suspected and slandered in vain, and counts those convicted worthy of a higher rank, persuaded now by flatteries and now reaching for money, do not wonder. For if everything else were done by him according to reason, perhaps he would have thought this too worth correcting; but if he does everything that it is not right to do, let this too, being worthy of his ways, surprise no one.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.451 (PG 78 78:1587; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-451)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.452":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΟὐ πάντως ὁ πολλὰς ἐπιστήμας ἢ τέχνας μεμαθηκὼς, οὐδ᾽ ἂν πάντων ἀνθρώπων εὐφυέστατος ᾖ, ἑκάστην αὐτῶν εἰς ἄκρον ἀκριβοῖ, τοῦ χρόνου τοῦ ὀφείλοντος εἰς τὴν ἄσκησιν καὶ τὴν μελέτην τῆς πρώτης τέχνης ἀναλωθῆναι, εἰς ἄλλης τέχνης ἀνάληψιν δαπανωμένου· ἀλλὰ πλεονεκτεῖ μὲν τῷ πολλὰς εἰδέναι, ἀντιπλεονεκτεῖται δὲ παρ᾿ ἑκάστου τῶν μίαν τέχνην εἰς ἄκρον ἡσκηκότων. Μὴ τοίνυν μηδ' αὐτὸς πάντα εἰδέναι θέλε. Ἐκ γὰρ τούτου τὸ μηδὲν ἀκριβῶς εἰδέναι περὶ ἕκαστον γίγνεται Ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἕνα βλέπων σκοπὸν, ἐκεῖ τεῖνον τὸ ὄμμα τῆς διανοίας. Οὕτω γὰρ περιέσῃ τοῦ πράγματος.","t":"To Paul. The one who has learned many sciences or arts, even if he is the most gifted of all people, does not necessarily perfect each of them to the utmost, since the time that ought to be spent on the practice and study of the first art is spent on taking up another. He has the advantage of knowing many, but is surpassed by each of those who have practised one art to the utmost. So do not wish to know everything yourself; for from this comes knowing nothing exactly about each thing. But looking to one aim, direct the eye of your mind there; for so you will master the matter.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.452 (PG 78 78:1587; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-452)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.453":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕὔφημον μὲν ἔχειν χρὴ καὶ σεμνὴν τὴν γλῶτταν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοὺς εἰς αὐτὸν τῆς κακίας τὸν πυθμένα νεναυαγηκότας ἀνιμᾶσθαι χρὴ, ἀτοπώτατον δὲ δοκεῖ τὸν ἄλλους ἀναστῆσαι βουλόμενον, αὐτὸν καταπίπτειν. Ὡς ἂν οἷός τε τυγχάνει, δίκαιος ἂν εἴη περιστέλλειν τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων αἰσχρότητα τῇ τῶν λέξεων σεμνότητι · ἵνα μὴ ἐπιστύψαι ἐκείνους βουλόμενος τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γλῶτταν καταῤῥυπαίνοι· μηδὲ ἀπαλλάξαι μολυσμοῦ ἐθέλων, αὐτὸς μολύνοιτο. Εἰ δὲ φαίης ὅτι οὐ δυνατόν ἐστι καὶ σεμνὸν εἰπεῖν καὶ καθάψασθαι τοῦ ἀκούοντος· φαίην, ὅτι ὁ τοῦ μετρίου ἐλέγχου καταφρονῶν, οὗτος καὶ τοῦ ἀμέτρου καὶ γυμνοῦ πλέον ὀλιγωρήσειεν. Εἰ γὰρ ἡ πραότης τοῦ λέγοντος, καὶ ἡ τῆς λέξεως σεμνότης οὐκ ὠφελεῖ, σχολῇ γε γυμνὴ τῶν πεπραγμένων αὐτῷ ἡ προφορὰ ὠφελήσει.","t":"To the same. One must have a well-spoken and dignified tongue; but since one must draw up those who have been shipwrecked to the very bottom of wickedness, and it seems most absurd for one who wishes to raise others to fall himself, one would do right, as far as one can, to cover the shamefulness of the deeds with dignity of expression, so as not, wishing to reprove them, to soil one's own tongue, nor, wishing to free them from defilement, to be defiled oneself. And if you say that it is not possible both to speak with dignity and to touch the hearer, I would say that one who despises moderate rebuke would think even less of immoderate and naked rebuke. For if the gentleness of the speaker and the dignity of the expression do not benefit, hardly will the naked recital of his deeds benefit him.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.453 (PG 78 78:1589; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-453)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.454":{"o":"ΑΓΑΘΟΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nΠολλάκις ὅ ἐπινοεῖ τις εἰς ἀσφάλειαν ἑαυτοῦ, τοῦτο εὑρίσκεται χαλεπωτάτων αἴτιον συμφορῶν. Καὶ ἵνα τὰ ἄλλα παρῶ, ἓν, δι' οὗ πάντα μηνύσω, λέξω. Μιθριδάτης, ὡς φασιν, ὁ Παρθυέων καὶ ἄλλων πολλῶν ἐθνῶν βασιλεύσας, ἐπὶ μέγα δυνάμεως προελθὼν, καὶ πλούτῳ κομῶν καὶ συμμαχίᾳ, καὶ εἰς αὐτὸν ἐλάσας τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης εὐημερίας τὸν ὅρον, φοβηθεὶς μὴ δηλητηρίῳ ἀναιρεθείη, ἀλεξιφάρμακον ἑαυτῷ κατεσκεύασεν. Μεταβαλούσης οὖν αὐτῷ τῆς εὐημερίας, εἰς τοσαύτην ἦλθεν ἀνάγκην, ὡς εἰς φαρμακοποσίαν τραπῆναι. Ὡς δὲ οὐδὲν ἤνυεν (ἔτυχε γὰρ, ὡς ἔφην, πρόπομα πρὸς πᾶν φάρμακον ἀνδροφόνον ἀλεξιφάρμακον προπιών, ὥστε μὴ τὰ δηλητήρια αὐτὸν βλάψαι), οὗ προκατειληφυία ἡ δύναμις, τὸν ἐκ τοῦ δηλητηρίου ἱὸν οὐκ εἴασε κρατῆσαι. Τί οὖν τοὐντεῦθεν; Τινὰ τῶν δορυφόρων ἑαυτοῦ καὶ σκηπτούχων ἐφελκυσάμενος, κελεύει πατάξαι καιρίαν εἰς τὸ στέρνον τῷ ἀκινάκῃ. Ὃς δὲ πατάξας ἀνεῖλεν· οὕτως οὐδὲν ἐκεῖνον ὠφέλησεν ἡ δόξασα αὐτῷ ἀσφάλεια. Παρ᾽ ἐχθρῶν γὰρ τοῦτο πείσεσθαι προσδοκήσας, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τῷ ἀλεξιφαρμάκῳ χρησάμενος, οὐδὲ βουλόμενος ἀποθανεῖν ἠδυνήθη, ἕως ἂν τὸ ξίφος κατὰ τοῦ στέρνου διηλάθη: Χρὴ οὖν μηδὲν τοιοῦτον ἐννοεῖν, ἀλλὰ ζῇν ἁπλότητι μᾶλλον προσκείμενον, καὶ τῇ θείᾳ προνοίᾳ ἐπιτρέποντα τὰ καθ' ἑαυτόν.","t":"To Agathodaemon the grammarian. Often what someone devises for his own safety is found to be the cause of the most grievous misfortunes. To pass over other cases, I shall tell one through which I shall show all. Mithridates, they say, who reigned over the Parthians and many other nations, having advanced to great power, abounding in wealth and alliances and reaching the very limit of human prosperity, feared that he might be killed by poison and prepared an antidote for himself. When his prosperity changed, he came to such necessity that he turned to drinking poison. But when it achieved nothing (for he had, as I said, drunk beforehand an antidote against every deadly poison, so that poisons would not harm him), its power, having taken possession first, did not allow the venom of the poison to prevail. What then? Drawing to him one of his bodyguards and sceptre-bearers, he ordered him to strike a mortal blow to his breast with his sword; and he struck and killed him. So the safety he thought he had did him no good. For expecting to suffer this from enemies, and therefore using the antidote, he could not die even when he wished, until the sword was driven into his breast. So one must not think of any such thing, but live devoted rather to simplicity, entrusting one's affairs to divine providence.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.454 (PG 78 78:1589; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-454)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.455":{"o":"ΑΜΠΕΛΙΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nΟὐδὲν οὕτω ποιεῖ νομίμως ἄρχειν, ὡς τὸ νομίμως ἦρχθαι. Ὁ γὰρ ἀγαθὸς ἐν ὑπηκόοις, ἀγαθὸς ἔσται καὶ ἐν ἡγεμόσιν. Οἱ δ᾽ ἐν τῷ ἰδιωτεύειν καὶ πρωτοστατεῖν πρόχειροι, καὶ πρὸς τὸ ἄρχεσθαι ἀνεπιτήδειοι, οὗτοι καὶ εἰς ἀρχὴν ἀνεπιτηδειότατοι.","t":"To Ampelius the count. Nothing makes one rule lawfully so much as having been lawfully ruled. For the one who is good among subjects will also be good among rulers; but those who in private life are quick to push to the front and unfit to be ruled are also most unfit for office.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.455 (PG 78 78:1591; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-455)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.456":{"o":"ΔΗΜΩ ΠΗΛΟΥΣΙΩ.\nΑσμένως ἐδέξατο τὴν πρεσβείαν ὁ τὴν ἀρχὴν ὑμῶν λαχών. Καὶ πάλαι γὰρ ὡρμημένος ἥκειν, καὶ τὰ καθ᾽ ὑμᾶς ἐν ἀμείνονι ὄψει καταστῆσαι, τὴν ἡμετέραν ἀνέμενε γνώμην · ἧς λαβόμενος, ὡς αὐτόκλητος μᾶλλον ἢ ὡς κεκλημένος ἀφίξεται.","t":"To the people of Pelusium. The man who has been allotted rule over you gladly received the embassy. For he had long been eager to come and put your affairs on a better footing, and was waiting for our opinion; having received it, he will arrive as one coming of his own accord rather than as one invited.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.456 (PG 78 78:1591; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-456)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.457":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nὉ τῇ σῇ θεοσεβείᾳ προσφέρων τουτὶ τὸ γράμμα, αὐτάρκως οἴκαδε καὶ καθ' ἑαυτὸν ὡς παρὰ παιδοτρίβου ἀσκηθεὶς, καὶ ῥώμην καὶ τέχνην ἐν τοῖς τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀγῶσιν οὐ μικρὰν συλλεξάμενος, ὥρμησεν ἐπὶ τὴν ἔρημον, τοῖς κηρύγμασιν ἑαυτὸν ὑποθήσων τοῖς Ὀλυμπικοῖς, καὶ τὰ περὶ ψυχῆς Ὀλύμπια ἀγωνισόμενος. Δείκνυε τοίνυν αὐτῷ δι' ὧν πράττεις τοὺς τῶν παλαισμάτων νόμους· ἵνα μήτε ἐξαγώνιος γενόμενος διαμάρτοι τοῦ σκοποῦ, μήτε εἰς τοὺς ἀγῶνας καταστὰς ἡττηθείη · ἀλλ᾽ εὐδόκιμος ἀποφανθεὶς, στεφάνων καὶ ἀναῤῥήσεων ἀξιωθείη.","t":"To Theodosius the presbyter. The man who brings this letter to your godliness, having trained sufficiently at home and by himself as under a gymnastic trainer and gathered no little strength and skill in the contests of virtue, has set out for the desert, to submit himself to the Olympic heralds and to compete in the Olympic games of the soul. Show him, then, by what you do, the laws of the wrestling, so that he may neither go out of the contest and miss the mark nor, entering the contests, be defeated, but, shown approved, be counted worthy of crowns and proclamations.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.457 (PG 78 78:1591; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-457)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.458":{"o":"ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΩ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nἉρποκρᾶς, ὁ τρόπων μᾶλλον ἢ λόγων παιδευτὴς, ὁ τῇ θείᾳ θρησκείᾳ διαφερόντως ἀνακείμενος. (ᾧ ὄνομα μὲν ἦν σοφιστὴς, ὁ δὲ βίος ἐκ φιλοσοφίας ἀκιβδήλου), ὁ μὴ πλῆθος νέων περιιὼν καὶ θηρεύων, ἀλλ᾽ οὓς ἑώρα δεικνύντας ἀρετῆς σύμβολα ἐγκαταλέγων τῷ χορῷ· ὁ μὴ ἀφ᾿ ὧν μισθοὺς λήψοιτο τούτους ἀγαπῶν, ἀλλ᾽ οὓς ᾔδει σπουδαίους ἐσομένους, τούτων ἐπιμελούμενος, τὸν βίον κατέστρεψε. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν παιδευτοῦ χρήζει ἡ πόλις, μήνυσόν τινα, καὶ ἀλύουσα οὐκ ἂν διαμάρτοι.","t":"To Asclepius the sophist. Harpocras, a teacher of character rather than of words, especially devoted to the divine religion (whose name was sophist, but whose life came from unadulterated philosophy), who did not go round hunting a crowd of young men, but enrolled in his choir those he saw showing signs of virtue, loving not those from whom he would receive fees but caring for those he knew would become earnest, has ended his life. Since, then, the city needs a teacher, point someone out, and in its distress it would not miss its aim.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.458 (PG 78 78:1591; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-458)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.459":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nὉ μὲν ἀρετὴν ἀσκῶν, δίκαιος ἂν εἴη καὶ τὴν θείαν εἰς βοήθειαν ἐπικαλεῖσθαι ῥοπήν· ὁ δὲ μηδόλως φροντίζων ἀρετῆς, οὐδ᾽ ἂν καλοίη, ἐπήκοον ἕξει τὸ Θεῖον. Τῷ γὰρ πάντα τὰ παρ' ἑαυτοῦ πληροῦντι εὐμενῶς ἐπινεύει. Ἵνα δὲ καὶ διὰ παραδειγμάτων βαδίσας ὁ λόγος σαφέστερον τοῦτο ποιήσῃ, παρεὶς τὸ φάναι. Εἰ ἡ πόρνη βούλεται μὲν σωθῆναι, οὐ βούλεται δὲ σωφρονῆσαι, πῶς σωθήσεται; Ἐκεῖνο φράσω. Ἔστω τις γράμματα μὲν ἐπιθυμῶν μαθεῖν, εἰς διδασκάλου δὲ μὴ φοιτῶν· εἶτα τῷ γραμματιστῇ ἀγοράζοντι ἐντυχὼν λέξοι· Ποίησόν με μαθεῖν γράμματα· ἄρ᾽ οὐχ ἡγῇ ἐκεῖνον λαμπρῶς ἀποκρίνεσθαι λέγοντα· Ἐμβρόντητε, καὶ πῶς ἂν δύναιο μαθεῖν, μήτε εἰς διδασκάλου φοιτῶν, μήτε γραφίδα καὶ δέλτον κεκτημένος, μήτε πονεῖν βουλόμενος; Τῇ μὲν γὰρ ἐπιθυμίᾳ τῇ σῇ εἰ ὁ πόνος συναφθείη καὶ ἡ ἐμὴ σπουδή, ἔσται τι πλέον. Εἰ δὲ λέγοις μὲν ἐπιθυμεῖν, μηδὲ ποιοῖς ὧν οἱ ἐπιθυμοῦντες ποιοῦσι, πῶς μαθεῖν δυνήσῃ; Τοιοῦτοί εἰσι καὶ οἱ ἀρετῆς λέγοντες μὲν ἐπιθυμεῖν, τὴν δὲ εἰς αὐτὴν φέρουσαν ὁδὸν ἀποδιδράσκοντες.","t":"To Isidore the bishop. The one who practises virtue would rightly call upon the divine favour for help; but the one who does not care for virtue at all will not have God listening even if he calls. For he graciously nods to the one who fulfils everything on his own part. And so that the argument may make this clearer by proceeding through examples, passing over the saying, \"If the prostitute wishes to be saved but does not wish to be chaste, how will she be saved?\", I shall tell this. Suppose someone desires to learn letters but does not go to a teacher; then, meeting the schoolmaster in the market, he says, \"Make me learn letters.\" Do you not think he would answer brilliantly, saying, \"Thunderstruck fool, how could you learn, neither going to a teacher, nor having pen and tablet, nor willing to labour? If labour were joined to your desire, and my effort, there would be some progress; but if you say you desire it but do none of the things those who desire it do, how will you be able to learn?\" Such are those who say they desire virtue but run away from the road that leads to it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.459 (PG 78 78:1593; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-459)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.460":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΜηδὲν τίμιον εἶναι νόμιζε, ὁ μὴ πρὸς ἀρετὴν φέρῃ, μηδὲ ποιῇ ἀμείνους τοὺς περὶ αὐτὸ σπουδάζοντας. Φέρει δὲ εἰς ἀρετὴν τὸ τοῖς φιλαρέτοις ἀκολουθεῖν, καὶ ὁμιλεῖν τοῖς σωφρονεστάτοις, ἀλλὰ μὴ τοῖς ἀσελγεστάτοις· τοῖς εἰρηνικωτάτοις καὶ οἷς συνδιατρίβειν λυσιτελὲς, ἀλλὰ μὴ τοῖς μαχιμωτάτοις. Εὖ γὰρ εἰδέναι χρὴ, ὅτι κακίας τις ῥᾷον μεταλαμβάνει ἢ ἀρετῆς. Εἰ γὰρ ἦν ῥᾷον τὸ ἀρετῆς μετασχεῖν, ἐχρῆν καὶ τοῖς κακίστοις συνεῖναι τοὺς δυναμένους ταύτην χαρίσασθαι. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῦτο δύσκολον, ἄμεινον ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ εἶναι, καὶ φεύγειν τοὺς πονηρούς. Εἰ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι οὐκ ὠφελοῦνται, δι' ἣν αἰτίαν αὐτὸς ζημιοῦσαι;","t":"To Heron the presbyter. Consider nothing precious that does not lead to virtue or make those who strive for it better. It leads to virtue to follow the lovers of virtue and to associate with the most temperate, not the most licentious; with the most peaceable, with whom it is profitable to spend time, not with the most quarrelsome. For one must know well that one takes on wickedness more easily than virtue. If it were easier to share in virtue, those who could impart it ought to associate even with the worst; but since this is difficult, it is better to be safe and flee the wicked. For if they are not benefited, why do you harm yourself?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.460 (PG 78 78:1593; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-460)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.461":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἩ φύσις ἀνάγκῃ καὶ ὅροις δέδεται, ἡ δὲ προαίρεσις ἐλευθερίᾳ καὶ ἐξουσίᾳ τετίμηται. Τί τοιγαροῦν τὸ σῶμα καλλωπίζων, τῆς ψυχῆς ἀμελεῖς; Μυρία μὲν ἐὰν μηχανήσῃ, τὸ εἰδεχθὲς σῶμα εὔμορφον οὐ ποιήσεις. Ῥᾷον δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν εἰς αὐτὴν τοῦ κάλλους ἀναγάγοις, εἰ βούλοιο, τὴν κορυφήν· καὶ τὸ μὲν, εἰ καὶ δυνατὸν ἦν, ἀνωφελὲς ἦν καὶ ἐπίφθονον· τὸ δὲ καὶ ὠφέλιμον, καὶ φθόνου κρεῖττον, καὶ βασκανίας ἀνώτερον. Εἰ δὲ νομίζεις δύσκολον εἶναι τὸ ἀναβῆναι ἐπὶ τὴν κορυφὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς, μάλιστα μὲν εἰσὶν οἱ καὶ τοῦτο ἀνύσαντες, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ τῆς κακίας πρὸς ἄκρον ἀναβεβηκότες ἀρετῆς. Εἰ δέ σοι δύσκολον εἶναι τοῦτο δοκεῖ, καὶ ἀπόστηθι τῆς κακίας, καὶ ἅψαι τῆς ἐπὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν φερούσης ὁδοῦ· τὸ γὰρ ἔτι μικρὸν ἑαυτοῦ διαφέρειν, οὐ δεῖ μικρὸν ἡγεῖσθαι. Τοῦτο δὲ ἔσται, εἰ τοῖς μὲν πονηροῖς ἐπιτηδεύμασι μήτε αὐτὸς χρῆσθαι βουληθείης, μήτε τοῖς χρωμένοις χρῆσθαι, τοῖς δὲ ἀγαθοῖς καὶ πράγμασι καὶ ἀνδράσι συνάψειας σαυτόν. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ ἀγαθοὺς οὐδὲ μισούμενον φεύγειν χρὴ, τοὺς δὲ πονηροὺς καὶ φιλούμενον.","t":"To Hierax the deacon. Nature is bound by necessity and limits, but the will is honoured with freedom and authority. Why, then, do you beautify the body and neglect the soul? Though you contrive countless things, you will not make an ugly body shapely; but you could more easily bring the soul to the very peak of beauty, if you wished. And the one, even if it were possible, would be useless and invite envy; but the other is both useful and above envy and malice. And if you think it difficult to climb to the peak of virtue, there are above all those who have accomplished this too, and have climbed from the depth of wickedness to the summit of virtue. And if this seems difficult to you, at least depart from wickedness and take hold of the road that leads to virtue; for one must not think it a small thing to differ even a little from oneself. This will happen if you are willing neither to use wicked practices yourself nor to associate with those who use them, and join yourself to good things and good men. For the good one must not flee even when hated, and the wicked one must flee even when loved.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.461 (PG 78 78:1593; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-461)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.462":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΑΥΓΟΥΣΤΑΛΙΩ.\nΟὐ τὸ ἀλαζονικὸν καὶ ὑπέρογκον δεῖγμα ἀρχοντικοῦ ἐστιν, ὡς ἡγῇ, φρονήματος, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἥμερον καὶ εὐπρόσιτον, καὶ τὸ πᾶσιν μετ' ἐπιεικείας προσφέρεσθαι. Ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ θηριοπρεπὲς καὶ ὀφιῶδες, τοῦτο δὲ ἀρχικὸν, καὶ τοῖς ὑπηκόοις λυσιτελέστατον. Οὐ γὰρ ἀπὸ φρονήματος, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ φρονήσεως τῶν ἡγεμόνων τὰ τῶν ὑπηκόων κατορθοῦται πράγματα. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ καὶ αὐτοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἀρχομένοις σφαλερὸν, ἡ δὲ ἑκατέροις ἀσφαλής· τοῖς μὲν εἰ τὸ ἀρχικὸν ἐπὶ τὸ δημοτικώτερον νεύειν ἀναπείθοιεν· τοῖς δὲ, εἰ τὴν ἐπιείκειαν τὴν ἡγεμονικὴν εἰς ἀγάπην μείζονα τοῦ φόβου τυγχάνουσαν τρέψοιεν.","t":"To Theodore the Augustalis. The sign of a ruler's spirit is not, as you think, what is boastful and overbearing, but what is gentle and approachable, and treating everyone with fairness. For the former is beastly and snakelike, but the latter is fit for rule and most profitable to subjects. For the affairs of the subjects are set right not by the pride of governors but by their prudence. For pride is hazardous both to themselves and to the governed, but prudence safe for both: for the former, if they persuade the ruling element to incline to the more popular; for the latter, if they turn the governor's fairness into love greater than fear.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.462 (PG 78 78:1595; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-462)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.463":{"o":"ΑΛΥΠΙΩ.\nὉ θεατρομανὴς, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἐρωτομανὴς γίνεται. Φεῦγε τοίνυν ἐκεῖνο, ἵνα μὴ τοῦτο τεχθείη. \"Αμεινον γὰρ μὴ ῥιζωθῆναι τὴν νόσον, ἢ ῥιζωθεῖσαν ἀνασπασθῆναι, ὅπερ τισὶ μὲν δύσκολον, τισὶ δὲ ἀδύνατον εἶναι δοκεῖ","t":"To Alypius. The man mad about the theatre, my good man, becomes mad with lust. So flee the one, lest the other be born. For it is better that the disease not take root than that it be torn up after taking root, which seems to some difficult and to others impossible.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.463 (PG 78 78:1595; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-463)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.464":{"o":"ΔΙΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΤῆς γνησίας καὶ εἰλικρινοῦς φιλίας τὸ ἀδεὲς ἐγγυωμένης, δι' ἣν αἰτίαν αὐτὸς τοὺς ἐμπιστευθέντας σοι παρὰ τῶν φίλων εἰς προὗπτον ἔῤῥιψας κίνδυνον ; Ἀλλ᾽ ἴσως φιλίας εἰλικρινοῦς ἄγευστος ὧν καὶ ἀτέλεστος τοῦτο διεπράξω.","t":"To Diogenes the deacon. Since genuine and sincere friendship guarantees security, for what reason have you thrown those entrusted to you by your friends into manifest danger? But perhaps, being untasted and uninitiated in sincere friendship, you did this.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.464 (PG 78 78:1595; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-464)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.465":{"o":"ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΩ.\nἘπειδὴ δεῖξαι ἴσως βουλόμενος τῆς σοφίας τῆς κοσμικῆς κρείττονα τὴν ἐν τοῖς πολέμοις ἀνδρείαν, ἀπετείχισας ἡμῖν τὸν ῥήτορα φάσκοντα · Ὅσῳ τὸ φανερῶς τοῦ λάθρα κρεῖττον, καὶ τὸ νικῶντας ἢ παρακρουσαμένους πράττειν ὁτιοῦν ἐντιμότερον, τοσούτῳ κάλλιον Κόνωνα τὰ τείχη στῆσαι Θεμιστοκλέους. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ λαθών, ὁ δὲ νικήσας τοὺς κωλύσαντας ταῦτα ἐποίησεν. Ἐκεῖνό φημι, ὅτι μάλιστα μὲν οὔτε ταύτην, οὔτε ἐκείνην ἀποδεχόμεθα · ἀλλὰ τὴν μὲν, εἰ μὴ κοσμηθείη τῇ θείᾳ παιδεύσει, οὐδὲν εἶναι ἡγούμεθα· τὴν δὲ κακίζομεν. ᾿Αδικεῖσθαι γὰρ, οὐκ ἀδικεῖν μεμαθήκαμεν. ᾿Ανδρείαν δὲ ἡγούμεθα, τὴν κατὰ τῶν δυσχερῶν ὑπεροψίαν, καὶ τὸ γενναίως φέρειν τὰ συμβαίνοντα. Εἰ δὲ χρή τι καὶ πρὸς τὸν ῥήτορα εἰπεῖν, εἴποιμ᾽ ἄν· ᾿Αλλ᾿ ὁ σοφίᾳ περιγενόμενος, ὦ ῥητόρων ἄριστε, δῆλος ἦν ὅτι καὶ νικήσας, εἰ συνέβη, πολεμῶν περιεγένετ᾽ ἂν μείζονως· ὁ δὲ ἀνδρείᾳ κρατήσας ἄδηλος ἦν, εἰ σοφίᾳ περιεγένετο τοῖς ὅπλοις ἡττηθείς.","t":"To Asclepius. Since, wishing perhaps to show that courage in war is better than worldly wisdom, you walled us off with the orator who says: \"As much as doing anything openly is better than doing it secretly, and doing it by victory more honourable than by deceit, so much finer was it for Conon to set up the walls than for Themistocles; for the one did it by escaping notice, the other by defeating those who would prevent him,\" I say this: above all we accept neither the one nor the other. The first we consider nothing unless it is adorned by divine instruction; the second we reproach. For we have learned to be wronged, not to do wrong. We consider courage to be contempt for hardships and bearing nobly what befalls. And if one must say something to the orator too, I would say: \"But the one who prevailed by wisdom, best of orators, clearly would also have prevailed more greatly by fighting, had it come to that; while it is unclear whether the one who conquered by courage would have prevailed by wisdom had he been defeated in arms.\"","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.465 (PG 78 78:1595; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-465)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.466":{"o":"ΖΗΝΩΝΙ.\nἙρμογένης ὁ ἐπίσκοπος, ἀγαθὸς, εἰ καί τις ἄλλος γέγονεν, ἀνήρ. Τραφεὶς γὰρ ἐν τοῖς τοῦ Χριστοῦ νόμοις, παιδευθεὶς δὲ ἐν τοῖς ἀποστολικοῖς παραδείγμασιν, ἐπισκοπῆς δὲ ἄξια καὶ φρονήσας καὶ πράξας, συνηβῶσαν τῷ χρόνῳ τὴν δόξαν καὶ τὴν τιμὴν κέκτηται. Ὁ γὰρ τοῖς ἄλλοις τοῖς τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀσκοῦσιν ἀντοφθαλμεῖν μεμελετηκὼς φθόνος, τούτῳ διὰ τὸ μέγεθος τῆς πραότητος καὶ τῆς μετριοφροσύνης οὐδ᾽ ἀντιβλέψαι ἐτόλμησεν. Ἡ γὰρ πρὸς τὰ ἐνδοξότατα τῶν ἔργων σύντροφος ἀγρυπνία κοσμηθεῖσα τῇ ταπεινοφροσύνῃ, καὶ τὸν τῶν καλλίστων λυμεῶνα φθόνον κατεδουλώσατο. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ αὐτὸς κατ᾽ ἴχνος ἐκείνου βαδίσαι προήρησαι, καθάπερ εἰς ἀρχέτυπόν τινα εἰκόνα ὁρῶν, σφράγιζε τὴν ἀρετὴν τῇ μετριοφροσύνῃ. Καλὴν γὰρ ἀσφάλειαν καὶ μέγιστον σήμαντρον τῷ ταμείῳ τῶν κατορθωμάτων ἐπιθήσεις.","t":"To Zeno. Hermogenes the bishop has been a good man, if anyone ever was. For, brought up in the laws of Christ, trained in the apostolic examples, and thinking and doing things worthy of the episcopate, he has acquired a glory and honour that have grown up with time. For envy, which has practised setting itself against all others who practise virtue, did not dare even to look him in the face because of the greatness of his gentleness and modesty. For watchfulness, the companion of the most glorious deeds, adorned with humility, has enslaved even envy, the destroyer of the noblest things. If, then, you too have chosen to walk in his footsteps, looking at him as at an archetypal image, seal your virtue with modesty; for you will put a fine security and a very great seal on the treasury of your achievements.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.466 (PG 78 78:1597; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-466)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.467":{"o":"ΗΛΙΑ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nὉ διδάσκειν μὲν μὴ δυνάμενος, μαθεῖν δὲ βουλόμενος ἀποδοχῆς ἐστιν ἄξιος. Ὁ δὲ πρὸς τῷ μὴ εἰδέναι καὶ διδάσκειν ἐπαγγελλόμενος, ἐσχάτην ἀπαιδευσίαν νοσῶν, οὐδὲ μαθεῖν δυνήσεται, τοῦ δοκεῖν εἰδέναι χώραν μὴ παρέχοντος.","t":"To Elias the presbyter. One who cannot teach but wishes to learn deserves approval. But one who, besides not knowing, even professes to teach, sick with the utmost want of education, will not even be able to learn, since seeming to know leaves no room.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.467 (PG 78 78:1597; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-467)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.468":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ ὧν ἠμφισβήτησας μὴ τυχών, ἀλλὰ λαμπρῶς ἡττηθεὶς, νῦν χάριν δοκεῖς αἰτεῖν, δῆλος εἶ τῷ τῆς χάριτος ὀνόματι λῦσαι τὰ κριθέντα πειρώμενος. Εἰ δὲ λέγοις καὶ παρὰ τοῦ δικάσαντος ἠδικῆσθαι (τὸ μὲν ὡς δικαίως ἡττηθεὶς, ἐάσω λέγειν), τὸ δὲ, ὡς κέκριται, λέξω. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν οὐδ᾽ οὕτω κεκριμένον ἦν, τοῦ δικάσαντος ἀδεκάστου τυγχάνοντος, εἰ μὴ τὸ δικαίως προσῆν. Πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ τὸ νικῆσαι τὴν χάριν δίδωμι, ὅς γε οὐδ᾽ ἂν ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἠγωνισάμην, εἴγε καταγνοὺς σαυτοῦ συγγνώμην ᾔτησας. Χρὴ γὰρ τὸ φρόνημα τῶν σφαλλομένων μὲν, μὴ οἰομένων δὲ ἐσφάλθαι, καθαιρεῖν· γνωσιμαχοῦσι δὲ συγγνώμην νέμειν.","t":"To Serenus the deacon. If, having failed to obtain what you disputed and having been brilliantly defeated, you now seem to ask a favour, you are clearly trying to undo the verdict under the name of a favour. And if you say you were wronged by the judge too (I will let pass saying that you were justly defeated), I will say this: it would not have been judged so, the judge being incorruptible, unless justice was on that side. Yet even after winning I grant the favour, I who would not have contended at all from the beginning if you had condemned yourself and asked for pardon. For one must bring down the pride of those who err but do not think they have erred, and grant pardon to those who acknowledge their fault.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.468 (PG 78 78:1597; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-468)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.469":{"o":"ΠΡΩΝΙ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΩ.\nΜὴ ὥσπερ ταῦρος καὶ ἀγέρωχος, καὶ ἀτιμαγέλας τὰς ἱερὰς συνόδους ἀτίμαζε· ἀλλὰ μέγιστον ἡγοῦ κόσμον τὸ τοῖς ἁγίοις συναγελάζεσθαι. Τοῦτο γὰρ οὐ μόνον κόσμον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀσφάλειάν σοι προξενήσει, πρὸς τὸ μὴ θηριάλωτον γενέσθαι. Εἰ δεινὴ, ὡς γέγραφας, καὶ ἀσέληνος νὺξ τὰ πράγματα ἐπὶ Εὐσεβίου κατέχει· ἕπονται γὰρ ταῖς διαβολαῖς αἱ τιμωρίαι, οὐδεμίαν ἀνακωχὴν εἰς τὸ διαγνωσθῆναι τὴν ἀλήθειαν παρέχουσαι, καὶ ἀγνοουμένων ἔτι τῶν ἐγκλημάτων ἡ ἐπ' ὀλέθρῳ τῶν συκοφαντουμένων ψῆφος ἐκφέρεται· αἱ δὲ πεπλασμέναι κατηγορίαι ἐλέγχων χηρεύουσαι ἀναρπάζουσι τοὺς ἀνευθύνους, τῶν θεσμῶν εἰς ἀκοσμίαν νεωτερισθέντων. Οἱ γὰρ περὶ αὐτὸν ὄντες πρὸς τοὺς αὐτοῦ βλέποντες τρόπους, καὶ τὸν ἑαυτῶν ῥυθμίζοντες βίον, ἐκ τῶν ὑπευθύνων τὰς διαβολὰς εἰς τοὺς ἀνεγκλήτους μεταφέρειν οὐ παραιτοῦνται· τοὺς μὲν ὄντως πονηρούς μισθοδοσίαις ἀφιέντες, τοὺς δὲ μὴ πριαμένους τὸν ἔχοντα τὴν ἐξουσίαν τῆς μηνύσεως ἐπὶ τοῖς αἰσχίστοις καταγγέλλοντες. Διὰ γὰρ τὸ συκοφαντεῖν ἐξεῖναι, οἱ μὲν τοῖς ἀργαλεωτάτοις ὑπεύθυνοι χρυσῷ τῆς κολάσεως κρατοῦσιν. Οἱ δὲ μὴ μόνον καθαρεύοντες, ἀλλὰ καὶ πλεονεκτήμασι κομῶντες, ὡς πονηροὶ ἀλίσκονται· χρήμασι τὴν ἄδικον ἐπιβουλὴν ἢ μὴ δυνηθέντες, ἢ μὴ ἀξιώσαντες καταπραῦναι. Ἐπὶ δὲ τὴν ἱερωσύνην οὐχ ὁ ἀρετῆς ἀνάπλεως ἕλκεται, ἀλλ᾿ ὅστις πλούτῳ κομῶν, χρυσῷ τὴν ἀξίαν ἀγοράσαι προήρηται, κἂν τῆς ἀν[ωτ]άτης ᾗ πονηρίας ἔμπλεως. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ ταῦτα, καὶ τούτων πλείονά τε καὶ μείζονα δρῶν, οὐδέπω δίκην δέδωκε, μὴ καταψηφίζου ἀμέλειαν τῆς θείας προνοίας· ἀλλὰ τὴν μὲν μακροθυμίαν αὐτῆς θαύμαζε, τὴν εἰς μετάνοιαν τοὺς πταίοντας καλοῦσαν. Τῶν δὲ μὴ μετανοούντων καταθρήνει τὴν ἀναλγησίαν, τὴν εἰς πικροτάτας αὐτοὺς βασάνους προάγουσαν.","t":"To Heron the curial. Do not, like a bull, proud and straying from the herd, dishonour the sacred assemblies; but consider it the greatest adornment to be herded together with the saints. For this will procure you not only adornment but also safety, so as not to become the prey of beasts. [Letter 5.470] If, as you have written, a terrible and moonless night holds affairs under Eusebius (for punishments follow slanders, allowing no pause for the truth to be discerned, and while the charges are still unknown the verdict is pronounced for the ruin of those falsely accused; and fabricated accusations, bereft of proofs, carry off the blameless, the laws having been overturned into disorder; for those around him, looking to his ways and ordering their own lives by them, do not refuse to transfer the slanders from the guilty to the blameless, releasing the truly wicked for bribes and denouncing on the most shameful charges those who have not bought the one with power of information; for because false accusation is allowed, those guilty of the most grievous crimes master punishment with gold, while those who are not only pure but abound in merits are convicted as wicked, because they either could not or would not appease the unjust plot with money; and to the priesthood it is not the man full of virtue who is drawn, but whoever, abounding in wealth, has chosen to buy the dignity with gold, even if he is full of the utmost wickedness), if, then, though he does these things and more and greater, he has not yet paid the penalty, do not condemn divine providence for negligence; but admire its patience, which calls those who fail to repentance, and lament the insensibility of those who do not repent, which leads them on to the bitterest torments.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.469 (PG 78 78:1597; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-469)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.471":{"o":"ΕΥΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἘπειδὴ ἥκει καιρὸς, ἀρετῆς μὲν ἐπίδειξιν ἀπαιτῶν, δεικνὺς δὲ ὅσον ἀνδρείᾳ τῶν πολλῶν διενήνοχας, δέξαι ἀντ' ἄλλου τινὸς ἑρμαίου τὴν δραματουργηθεῖσαν κατὰ σοῦ ἐπιβουλήν· καὶ καλοῦντι τῷ καιρῷ πρὸς ἀρετὴν ἄκουσον, μηδὲν ἀγεννὲς, μηδὲ ἄνανδρον ἐπιδεικνύμενος, ἀλλὰ κρείττων τοῦ πειρασμοῦ ἀναφανῆναι πειρώμενος.","t":"To Eudaemon the presbyter. Since a time has come that demands a display of virtue and shows how much you excel the many in courage, accept, as some windfall, the plot staged against you; and listen to the time that calls you to virtue, showing nothing ignoble or cowardly, but trying to appear stronger than the temptation.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.471 (PG 78 78:1599; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-471)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.472":{"o":"ΠΟΣΕΙΔΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤὸ προσκροῦσαι τῷ τετιμηκότι Θεῷ, πάσης συμφορᾶς καὶ τιμωρίας ἡγεῖσθαι χρὴ ἀργαλεώτερον. Οὐ γὰρ τοσοῦτον ἔγωγε νομίζω ἔσεσθαι τὸν ἀπὸ τῆς κολάσεως πόνον, ὅσον τὴν αἰσχύνην τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ τῷ δοξάσαντι προσκροῦσαι συμβησομένην · τὸ δὲ καὶ αὐτὰ τὰ ὅπλα, δι' ὧν ἐτιμήθησαν, κατ᾿ αὐτοῦ κινοῦντας ἁλῶναι, καὶ τιμῇ κατὰ τοῦ τιμήσαντος κεχρημένους φωραθῆναι, πᾶσαν ὑπερβάλλει μανίαν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀνυπέρβλητον ἄνοιαν, τὸ δὲ ἀνήκεστον μανίαν ἔχει. Χρὴ τοιγαροῦν τοὺς ἱερωμένους, ὥσπερ ἀνάκτορα, παντὸς τυραννικοῦ καὶ αἰσχροῦ πάθους ἀβάτους ἑαυτοὺς διατηρεῖν.","t":"To Poseidon the presbyter. To offend God, who has honoured us, must be thought more grievous than any misfortune and punishment. For I do not think the pain of punishment will be as great as the shame that will come from having offended the one who glorified us. But to be caught moving against him the very weapons by which they were honoured, and to be found using the honour against the one who honoured them, surpasses all madness. For the first shows unsurpassable folly, the second incurable madness. So the ordained must keep themselves, like sanctuaries, inaccessible to every tyrannical and shameful passion.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.472 (PG 78 78:1599; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-472)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.473":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nἘκ τῶν πραγμάτων ὡς τὰ πολλὰ αἱ φῆμαι φύονται· αἱ μὲν οὖν ἀληθεῖς οὐ ῥᾳδίως, τάχα δὲ οὐδ' ὅλως σβέννυνται. Αἱ δὲ ψευδεῖς, καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν φθόνου ἕνεκεν πραττόμεναι, ὡς τὰ ἀράχνεια ὑφάσματα, θᾶττον διαλύονται. Πέπαυσο τοίνυν τῶν ἀτόπων πράξεων· εἰ δὲ μὴ, μὴ ἀγανάκτει κατὰ τῆς φήμης, ὡς πανταχόσε κωμῳδούσης. Οὐδὲ γὰρ οἷόν τε ῥίζης κλάδους μὴ ἀναφῦναι. ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ. Πιστεύω, ὅτι εἰ γνοίη παρὰ τῆς σῆς ὁσιότητος ὁ τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ἐπιτρέπων δυνάμει, ὅτι, σὺν Θεῷ φάναι, τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ἐκ τῆς ἄνωθεν βοηθείας ὠχυρωμένης, καὶ τῶν νόμων ἐῤῥωμένων, οὐδεὶς παρὰ τὸ δίκαιον ἐκβιάσασθαι τὸν πένητα ἐφ᾽ ὕβρει τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τῆς ὀρεγούσης τοῖς ἀδικουμένοις τὴν χεῖρα δυνήσεται, ἀποστήσεται τῆς κατὰ τοῦ πένητος ἀδικίας, μᾶλλον δὲ τῆς καθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ. Οὐ γὰρ τοσοῦτον ὁ πάσχων (τέως γὰρ οὕτως εἰρήσθω), ὅσον ὁ δρῶν ἀδικεῖται.","t":"To Maron. Reports mostly grow from deeds. True ones are not easily, perhaps not at all, extinguished; but false ones, spread by enemies out of envy, dissolve more quickly than spiders' webs. So stop your monstrous deeds; but if not, do not be indignant at the report for ridiculing you everywhere. For it is not possible for branches not to spring up from a root. [Letter 5.474] To Isidore the bishop. I trust that if the man who relies on his own power learns from your holiness that, God willing, since the church is fortified by help from above and the laws are strong, no one will be able to force the poor man contrary to justice, to the insult of the church which stretches out its hand to the wronged, he will desist from his injustice against the poor man, or rather against himself. For the one who suffers (to put it so for now) is not wronged as much as the one who does it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.473 (PG 78 78:1601; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-473)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.475":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠρώην μὲν ἑτέρων ἤκουον, νῦν δὲ ἔγνων δεινότατον ὄντα σε ῥητορεύειν· ὃς ἐπὶ πράξεσιν οὕτω παρανόμοις καὶ πονηραῖς λόγων εὐπρέπειαν ἐχόντων οὐκ ἠπόρησας. ᾿Αλλ' οὐχ ὁ τέχνῃ τάληθοῦς περιγενόμενος, ἐπαίνων ἄξιος, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ τὸ ἀληθὲς ἀτέχνως φράζων. ᾿Αφέμενος τοίνυν τῆς δεινότητος, ἔχου τῆς ἀληθείας, καὶ τὸν βίον τὸν σαυτοῦ πρὸς ταύτην βλέπων ῥύθμιζε. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ ἀνθρώπους παραλογίσασθαι δυνηθείης, εἰ καὶ ὅτι μάλιστα δὲ παρ' αὐτοῖς ἐφωράθης, ἀλλὰ τὸν ἀπαραλόγιστον οὐ φενακίσεις κριτήν. - ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ,","t":"To Athanasius the presbyter. Formerly I heard it from others, but now I know that you are most clever at rhetoric, since you were not at a loss for words with a fair appearance to cover such lawless and wicked deeds. But it is not the one who overcomes the truth by art who deserves praise, but the one who states the truth artlessly. So give up your cleverness, hold to the truth, and order your life looking to it. For even if you could mislead people, and even if you were not at all found out by them, you will not cheat the Judge who cannot be misled.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.475 (PG 78 78:1601; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-475)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.476":{"o":"ΕΥΣΤΑΘΙΩ.\nἘνέτυχον ἁγίῳ ἀνδρὶ, ᾧ ἔργον ἐστὶ τὸ ὑπὲρ τῶν πταιόντων ἱκετεύειν τὸ Θεῖον (ἴστε δὲ ὃν λέγω), καὶ εἶδον ὑπόθεσιν αὐτῷ δακρύων ἀενάων τὸν ὑμέτερον γεγενῆσθαι βίον. Αἰσχυνόμενος γὰρ ἐπὶ τοῖς παρὰ πάντων περὶ ὑμῶν κωμῳδουμένοις, ἔλεγε τοῖς παρακαλεῖν πειρωμένοις· « \"Αφετε, πικρῶς κλαύσομαι, μὴ κατισχύετε παρακαλεῖν με. » Εἶτα ὡς ἀνένευσεν ὀλίγον ἐκ τῶν θρήνων, οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅ τι ἐννοήσας (οὐ γὰρ ἀσφαλὲς τῶν ἀδήλων κατατολμᾷν), ὥσπερ ἔνθους γενόμενος, καὶ εἰς οὐρανὸν ἀναβλέψας, ὡς αὐτὸν ὁρῶν τὸν πάντων Δεσπότην, ἐβόησεν· « Δόξα σοι, βασιλεῦ, δόξα σοι. Πόσης μακροθυμίας πέλαγος παρὰ σοί! πόσης ἀνεξικακίας θησαυρός ! Οἱ διὰ τὸ ὄνομα τὸ σὸν ἐξ ἀφανῶν καὶ ἀτίμων λαμπροὶ καὶ περίβλεπτοι γεγονότες, τῇ τιμῇ κατὰ σοῦ τοῦ τετιμηκότος κέχρηνται, καὶ τολμῶσιν ἀτόλμητα, καὶ ἐνυβρίζουσιν εἰς τὰ ἅγια, συγγνώμης ἁμαρτάνοντες μείζονα. • Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ ὁ ὑπὲρ τῶν ἄλλων πρεσβεύων, διὰ τὰ ὑμέτερα πταίσματα τὴν θείαν ἐξεπλάγη μακροθυμίαν, τίς ὑπὲρ ὑμῶν ἱκετεύσει; τίς πρεσβεύσει; τίς παραστήσεται; Ἐννοοῦντες οὖν, οἱ τῶν κακῶν ἐστε, παύσασθε ἀσύγγνωστα πταίοντες. Φύλλον Σοφὸν ἔγωγε ἡγοῦμαι οὐ τὸν τὰς τῶν ποιητῶν ῥαψῳδίας, καὶ τὰς τῶν ῥητόρων δεινότητας, καὶ τὰς τῶν σοφῶν τερθρείας, ὡς νομίζεις, ἐπὶ γλώττης ἔχοντα, ἀλλὰ τὸν τὸ ἦθος ἐξασκήσαντα, καὶ τὸν τρόπον ῥυθμίσαντα. Τὸν γὰρ τοιοῦτον οὐδ᾽ ὑπ᾽ ἐκείνων ἐκτραχηλίζεσθαι οἶμαι. Πονηρία γὰρ τὴν τοῦ λέγειν ἐμπειρίαν προσλαβοῦσα, πολλῷ ἀργαλεώτερα τῆς ἀμαθίας ἐργάζεται κακά. Εἰ δὲ θαυμάζεις τὸ εἰρημένον, ἐγγυήσεται Θουκυδίδης λέγων· « Αμαθία μετὰ σωφροσύνης ὠφελιμώτερον, ἢ δεξιότης μετὰ ἀκολασίας. » Εἰ τοίνυν οὐδὲ τὴν εὐφυΐαν ἐκεῖνος ἀπεδέξατο (πρὸς κακοῦ γὰρ γίνεται τοῖς μὴ καλῶς αὐτὴν γεωργοῦσι), σχολῇ γε περὶ τῆς ἔξωθεν παιδεύσεως ἀποφανούμεθα ὡς ἀξίας λόγου, ὅταν ὁ τρόπος ἀκόλαστος εἴη. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ἄμφω συνέβαινε, φρόνησίς τε καὶ παίδευσις, τουτέστι, τρόπος καὶ λόγος, εὖ ἂν ἔχοι. Εἰ δὲ θάτερον λείπηται, ἄμεινον ἑλέσθαι τὸ κρεῖττον. Ὅτι δὲ ταῦθ' οὕτως ἔχει, ἐγγυήσεται καὶ Πλάτων, ὃν αὐτὸς καὶ μόνον ὀνομάζων ἐναβρύνῃ. Φησὶ γάρ· « Φημὶ τὰς ψυχὰς τὰς εὐφυεστάτας κακῆς παιδαγωγίας τυχούσας, διαφερόντως κακὰς γίνεσθαι'» καὶ τὰ μεγάλα ἀδικήματα, καὶ τὴν ἄκρατον πονηρίαν ἐκ φαύλης, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐκ νεανικῆς φύσεως, τροφῇ διολλυμένης γίγνεσθαι· ἀσθενῆ δὲ φύσιν μεγάλων οὔτε κακῶν, οὔτε ἀγαθῶν αἰτίαν ποτὲ ἔσεσθαι. Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ ὁ τῶν ἱστοριογράφων ἄκρος, καὶ ὁ τῶν φιλοσόφων κορυφαῖος τὸ ἦθος τοῦ λόγου, καὶ τὸν τρόπον τῆς πολυμαθίας προκρίνοντες ὤφθησαν, τί ἄτοπόν φημι, τὸν καρπὸν λέγων ἀναγκαιότερον τῶν φύλλων ἡγεῖσθαι; Καρπὸν μὲν γὰρ ὁρίζομαι εἶναι τὴν ἀρετὴν, φύλλα τὴν εὐγλωττίαν. Ποιεῖ μὲν οὖν τινα κόσμον τῷ δένδρῳ τὰ φύλλα περισειόμενα, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ καρπός ἐστιν ὁ ζητούμενος, δι᾿ ὅν καὶ τὰ φύλλα γεγένηται. Καὶ ἴσως οὕτω κέκληται παρὰ τὸ φυλάττειν αὐτόν. Αὐτὸς μὲν λίαν ἐξεθαύμασας τὰ πρώην ἐπισταλέντα · κινδυνεύεις δὲ αὐτὰ ἀνατρέπειν τῷ γεγραφέναι, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν Ζώσιμος, καὶ Εὐστάθιος, καὶ Μάρων μήτε λόγῳ, μήτε βίῳ διαπρέποντες, ἀλλ᾿ ἀπαιδευσίαν ἐσχάτην ἐν ἑκατέρῳ νοσοῦντες, καὶ κωμῳδία καὶ γέλως πᾶσι προκείμενοι, δοκοῦσιν εἰς ἱερωσύνην τελεῖν. Ἐγὼ δὲ ἁπλῆν καὶ σαφῆ τὴν ἀπολογίαν ποιήσομαι. Εἰ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν τὸν λόγον ἐποιησάμην, τὴν ἀρετὴν τῆς παιδεύσεως προκρίνων, εἰκότως ἄν με εἰς ἀνάγκην ἀπολογίας κατέστησας · εἰ δὲ προσώπων μὲν λόγος ἦν οὐδεὶς, αὐτὸ δὲ τὸ πρᾶγμα καθ' ἑαυτὸ ἐβασανίζετο· ὡς καὶ αὐτόν σε ἐκπλαγέντα, ὡς ἔφης, τὸ κάλλος καὶ τὴν ἀλήθειαν τῶν γεγραμμένων, μείζους ἢ κατ᾿ ἐμὲ ἐπαίνους ὑφῆναι. Τί δήποτε νῦν ἀνθρώπους ὅπως δήποτε βιοῦντας εἰς μέσον προὔθηκας, ἐξελέγχειν τὰ πρώην γραφέντα ἐπιχειρῶν; Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἰ μυρίων ἐκεῖνοι γέμουσι κακῶν, καὶ πάντας ἀπέκρυψαν, ὡς γέγραφας, ταῖς παρανομίαις, ἤδη ὁ λόγος ὁ παρ᾿ ἡμῶν ὁ τῇ ἀληθείᾳ ὠχυρωμένος ἀνατραπήσεται. Ἀλλ᾿ ἐκεῖνοι μὲν ἤδη τοιοῦτοί εἰσι μετὰ τοῦ κωμῳδεῖσθαι, καὶ δίκην ἀνύποιστον δώσουσιν· ἡ δὲ ἀλήθεια διαλάμψει μειζόνως, οὐ παρ᾿ ὀλίγων πονηρῶν ἐλεγχομένη, ἀλλὰ ταύτῃ μάλιστα λαμπροτέρα γινομένη, ὅτι τοὺς μὴ ἐρῶντας αὐτῆς, δυσκλεεῖς ἀποφαίνουσα, τοὺς ἐραστὰς εὐκλεεστάτους ἀπεργάζεται.","t":"To Martinianus, Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius. I met a holy man whose work it is to entreat God for those who fail (you know whom I mean), and I saw that your life had become for him an occasion of ever-flowing tears. Ashamed at what everyone ridicules about you, he said to those who tried to comfort him: \"Let me be, I will weep bitterly; do not try to comfort me.\" Then, when he looked up a little from his laments, having thought of I know not what (for it is not safe to venture on what is hidden), as though inspired, he looked up to heaven, as if seeing the Master of all himself, and cried out: \"Glory to you, King, glory to you! What a sea of patience is with you! What a treasure of forbearance! Those who for your name's sake have become brilliant and conspicuous from obscure and dishonoured men use their honour against you who honoured them, dare what should not be dared, outrage the holy things, and sin beyond pardon.\" If, then, even the one who intercedes for others was astonished at the divine patience because of your offences, who will entreat for you? Who will intercede? Who will stand by you? Considering, then, whose you are, stop committing unpardonable sins. [Letter 5.477] Leaf. I consider wise not the man who has on his tongue, as you think, the rhapsodies of the poets, the cleverness of the orators and the subtleties of the sages, but the one who has trained his character and ordered his ways. For I think such a man will not be thrown down even by those things. For wickedness that has acquired skill in speaking produces evils much more grievous than ignorance. And if you wonder at what is said, Thucydides will vouch for it, saying: \"Ignorance with self-control is more useful than cleverness with licentiousness.\" If, then, he did not accept even natural talent (for it turns to harm for those who do not cultivate it well), much less shall we declare outside learning worthy of note when the character is licentious. If both come together, prudence and learning, that is, character and speech, it would be well. But if one is lacking, it is better to choose the better. That this is so Plato too will vouch, whom you take pride in naming alone. For he says: \"I say that the most gifted souls, if they meet with a bad upbringing, become exceptionally bad,\" and that great crimes and unmixed wickedness come not from a feeble but from a vigorous nature corrupted by its rearing, while a weak nature will never be the cause of great things, either evil or good. If, then, both the summit of historians and the chief of philosophers have been seen to prefer character to speech and conduct to wide learning, what absurdity am I saying in holding the fruit more necessary than the leaves? For I define the fruit as virtue and the leaves as eloquence. The leaves shaken about give a certain adornment to the tree, but the fruit is what is sought, for whose sake the leaves too have come into being; and perhaps they are so called (phyllon) from guarding (phylattein) it. [Letter 5.478] You yourself greatly admired what I sent you earlier; but you risk overturning it by writing to ask why Zosimus, Eustathius and Maron, distinguished neither in speech nor in life but sick with the utmost want of education in both, and set before all as a comedy and a laughing-stock, are reckoned among the priesthood. I shall make a simple and clear defence. If I had made my argument on their behalf, preferring virtue to learning, you would rightly have put me under the necessity of a defence. But if there was no talk of persons, but the matter itself was examined by itself, so that you yourself, struck, as you said, by the beauty and truth of what was written, wove praises greater than I deserve, why ever have you now set before us men living in whatever way, attempting to refute what was written before? For even if they are full of countless evils and, as you have written, have outdone all in lawlessness, the argument we made, fortified by truth, will not therefore be overturned. They are already such, besides being ridiculed, and will pay an unbearable penalty; but the truth will shine more greatly, not refuted by a few wicked men, but becoming more brilliant precisely in this, that by showing those who do not love it to be inglorious, it makes its lovers most glorious.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.476 (PG 78 78:1601; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-476)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.479":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠόσους οἴει τῶν ἀνθρώπων ἀνωνύμους καὶ ἀδόξους εἶναι πολλῷ σπουδαιοτέρους γεγενημένους τῶν ἀδομένων ; τῷ τοὺς μὲν ποιητῶν τυχεῖν καὶ λογοποιῶν, τῶν πᾶν τὸ πραττόμενον μὴ πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν κρινόντων, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἣν εἶχον εὔνοιαν ὑπολαμβανόντων, καὶ τὸ κατορθωθὲν οὐρανόμηκες ποιούντων · τοὺς δὲ μὴ ἐσχηκέναι τοὺς ὑμνήσαντας διὰ φθόνον, ὅπερ ταῖς λαμπραῖς πράξεσιν ἀκολουθεῖν εἴωθεν. Ἐνταῦθα μὲν οὖν εἰ καὶ ἔδοξαν οἱ μὲν ἀνακεκηρύχθαι, οἱ δὲ σεσιωπῆσθαι, τοῦ κόσμου λοιπὸν εἰς τέλος ἐπειγομένου, ἐκεῖσε τοὺς ὄντως λαμπροὺς καὶ ἐνδόξους ὀψόμεθα, τῆς θείας δίκης οὐκ ἀνεξομένης ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων δόξης ἐνεγκεῖν τὴν ψῆφον, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῆς οἰκείας, τῆς εἰλικρινοῦς καὶ ἀδιαπτώτου. Μὴ οὖν ὀλιγώρει, εἰ οὐρανοπολίτης ὢν τὰς τῶν φθονούντων σοι γλώττας αἰχμῆς νεηκόνου ὀξυτέρας αἰσθάνῃ κατὰ σαυτοῦ φερομένας, ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο μάλιστα λαμπρότερος ἔσεσθαι προσδόκησον.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. How many people do you think, nameless and inglorious, have been far more earnest than those who are sung? Because the latter found poets and prose writers, who judge every deed not by the truth but take it according to the goodwill they had and make the achievement reach to heaven; while the former, through envy, which usually follows brilliant deeds, had no one to hymn them. Here, then, even if some seemed to be proclaimed and others passed over in silence, with the world now hastening to its end, there we shall see those truly brilliant and glorious, since divine justice will not consent to bring its verdict from human glory, but from its own, sincere and unerring. So do not lose heart if, being a citizen of heaven, you feel the tongues of those who envy you, sharper than a newly whetted spear, borne against you; but expect for this very reason to be the more brilliant.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.479 (PG 78 78:1605; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-479)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.48":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\n῎Αμεινον μὲν ὑβριζόμενον σιγῇ φέρειν, καὶ φιλοσοφεῖν· οὐκ ἄκομψον δὲ καὶ τὸ παρὰ σοῦ γεγονός. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὑπ' ἀνθρώπων μοχθηρῶν καὶ παρασήμων Ζωσίμου, φημὶ, καὶ Μάρωνος, Εὐσταθίου καὶ Μαρτινιανοῦ, ἐπεπόνθεις κακῶς· ἡγήσω δὲ, τὸ μὲν ψήφῳ δικαστηρίου τιμωρήσασθαι τούτους, πικρόν· τὸ δὲ σιωπῇ φέρειν, ταπεινόν· λογικῇ μετῆλθες τοὺς ὑβριστὰς δίκῃ, τοῖς σκώμμασιν ὁρισάμενος τὴν τιμωρίαν· ἃ τοὺς ἐνόχους δάκνειν μὲν εἴωθε, κινδύνῳ δὲ οὐ περιβάλλει. Αμείνονα τοίνυν ἐγὼ κρίνω τοῦ συγγράμματος τὸν λογισμὸν, ὑφ᾽ οὗ γράφειν ἤρξω. Συμβουλεύοιμί σοι καὶ τὸ λοιπὸν προσθεῖναι, φημὶ δὴ τὸ φέρειν γενναίως καὶ κατηγορίας ἐλευθέραν ἔχειν τὴν γλῶτταν. Εἰ γὰρ κἀκεῖνοι δίκαιοι ταῦτα καὶ τούτων χαλεπώτερα ἀκοῦσαι, ἀλλὰ σοὶ οὐ πρέπει φράσαι, ἀγνείας ἀνάκτορον ἔχοντι τὴν γλῶτταν.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. It is better, when insulted, to bear it in silence and to practise philosophy; but what you have done is not without elegance either. For when you had been badly treated by wicked and counterfeit men, Zosimus, I mean, and Maron, Eustathius and Martinianus, you thought it bitter to punish them by the verdict of a court, and abject to bear it in silence; so you pursued the insulters with a penalty of words, limiting their punishment to jests, which usually bite the guilty but do not put them in danger. I judge, then, the reasoning that led you to begin writing to be better than the writing itself. I would advise you to add the rest too: to bear it nobly and to keep your tongue free of accusation. For even if those men deserve to hear these things and worse, it does not befit you to say them, since your tongue is a sanctuary of purity.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.48 (PG 78 78:1355; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-48)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.480":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἼσθι, ὅτι τοῖς τῆς ἀρετῆς πόνοις ἐκ πρώτης μέχρι τελευτῆς ἐγκαρτερῆσαι οὐχ οἷόν τε, μὴ τῆς προσδοκίας τῶν γερῶν κιρναμένης ἠρέμα τῷ ἱδρῶτι, καὶ κατὰ βραχὺ ἀλύπως τε καὶ κούφως, καὶ τρόπον τινὰ μετ' εὐφροσύνης παραπεμπούσης ἐπὶ τὸ τῶν ἀγώνων τέλος. Εἰ τοίνυν θεάσοιο ἄνθρωπον τοὺς πόνους τῆς ἀρετῆς, τὰς τῆς τρυφῆς τοῖς ἐχέφροσιν ἡδονὰς, φεύγοντα, ἴσθι ὅτι ἐλπὶς αὐτῷ χρηστὴ οὐκ ἀνθεῖ.","t":"To the same. Know that it is impossible to persevere in the labours of virtue from the first to the end unless the expectation of the rewards is gently mixed with the sweat and, little by little, painlessly and lightly and in a way with gladness, escorts one to the end of the contests. If, then, you see a man fleeing the labours of virtue, which are to the sensible the pleasures of luxury, know that no good hope blossoms in him.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.480 (PG 78 78:1605; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-480)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.481":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΟ.\nΦοβερόν ἐστι, καὶ λίαν φοβερὸν τὸ εἰς ἱερωσύνην νυνὶ τελέσαι. Δυοῖν γὰρ αὐτῷ θάτερον συμβήσεται· ἢ κατὰ τοὺς ἀρχαίους καὶ ἀποστολικοὺς κανόνας ζῶντα μισηθῆναι καὶ ἐπιβουλευθῆναι παρὰ τῶν τὴν νυνὶ ἐπιπολάσασαν ἐπιβλαβῆ καὶ παράνομον συνήθειαν ὡς νόμον θεῖον φυλαττόντων, καὶ τοὺς ὀρθῶς βιοῦντας ἐξοστρακιζόντων· ἢ ὑποκατακλίναντα ἑαυτὸν, καὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἀφειδῆσαι σωτηρίας, καὶ ἄλλους πολλοὺς σκανδαλίσαι, ὑπὲρ ὧν καὶ δίκας σφοδροτάτας δώσει. Μακάριον μὲν οὖν τὸ μηδὲ ἁλῶναί ποτε τῷ τοιούτῳ ἔρωτι. Εἰ δὲ μὴ ἁλοὺς χειροτονηθείη, ἐχέσθω τοῦ προτέρου σκοποῦ, καὶ μετὰ παῤῥησίας τὰ ἀρχαῖα καὶ ἀποστολικὰ πράγματα ἀνανεούτω, μὴ τοῖς νῦν προπίνουσι τὴν ἱερωσύνην, καὶ πάντα καὶ λέγειν καὶ πράττειν ἐξεῖναι αὐτοῖς νομίζουσιν, εἰς τὰ πταίσματα συμπράττων. Κρείττον γὰρ τὸ ἐπιβουλευθῆναι καὶ ἀποχειροτονηθῆναι, τοῦ μετὰ τοιούτων ἀνδρῶν τετάχθαι.","t":"To the same. It is fearful, very fearful, to be admitted to the priesthood now. For one of two things will befall the man: either, living according to the ancient and apostolic canons, he will be hated and plotted against by those who keep the harmful and lawless custom that has now spread as if it were divine law, and who banish those who live rightly; or, yielding, he will be careless of his own salvation and scandalize many others, for whom he will pay the severest penalties. Blessed, then, is it never to be caught by such a desire. But if he is ordained without being caught by it, let him hold to his former aim and with frankness renew the ancient and apostolic practices, not cooperating in the failings of those who now squander the priesthood and think it permitted to them to say and do anything. For it is better to be plotted against and deposed than to be ranked with such men.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.481 (PG 78 78:1607; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-481)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.482":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΟὐ κωμῳδεῖν, ἀλλὰ καταθρηνεῖν ὀφείλεις Εὐσέβιόν τε καὶ Χαιρήμονα καὶ Ζώσιμον, τοὺς, ὡς γέγραφας, κορυφαιοτάτους τῶν κακῶν, καὶ μηδενὶ ὑπερβολὴν καταλείψαντας. Εἰ δὲ καὶ Εὐστάθιος καὶ Μάρων τοῖς ἴχνεσιν αὐτῶν ἀκολουθοῦντες, οὐδέπω μὲν ἁμιλληθῆναι δεδύνηνται, δῆλοι δὲ εἰσι καὶ ὑπερβαλούμενοι· εἰς εὐχὴν τρεψοίμην, ὥστε κἀκείνοις καὶ τούτοις μετάγνωσιν ὥσπερ ἐκ μηχανῆς τινος ἐπιφανῆναι. Τάχα πως εἰ καὶ μὴ ἀναμαχέσασθαι δυνηθεῖεν τὰς τοσαύτας καὶ τηλικαύτας ἥττας, ἀλλὰ κἂν παραμυθία τις αὐτοῖς ἐν τοῖς δεινοῖς ἐκείνοις βασανιστηρίοις τεχθείη.","t":"To Lampetius the bishop. You ought not to ridicule but to lament Eusebius, Chaeremon and Zosimus, who, as you have written, are the very chiefs of evils and have left no one room to surpass them. And if Eustathius and Maron, following in their footsteps, have not yet been able to rival them but are plainly going to surpass them, I would turn to prayer, that a change of mind may appear for both those and these, as if from some machine. Perhaps, even if they cannot fight back from so many and such great defeats, at least some consolation may be born for them in those terrible torments.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.482 (PG 78 78:1607; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-482)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.483":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΟ.\nΟὐκ αἰσχρὸν τῶν μεγίστων ἐγκωμίων ἡττᾶσθαι, οἷς ἐξισῶσαι τοὺς λόγους οὐχ οἷόν τε· οὔτε μὴν δίκαιον, τῆς ἀξίας ὑστεροῦσιν, ἤδη καὶ τὸ κατὰ δύναμιν ἐλλείπειν. Ὁ γὰρ ἐπαινέσαι φιλονεικήσας μὲν, ἡττηθεὶς δὲ, τῇ τῆς προαιρέσεως δόξῃ κεκόσμηται· οὐκοῦν εἴγε σκαιότητος ἀδοξίαν ἀποῤῥίψασθαι βουλόμεθα, πειρώμεθα κἀκείνους ἐπαινεῖν, οἷς ὑπὲρ λόγους ὁ ἔπαινος. \"Αμεινον γὰρ ἐν τοῖς λόγοις ἡττωμένους τῇ τῆς προαιρέσεως καλλωπίζεσθαι εὐγνωμοσύνῃ.","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. It is not shameful to be defeated by the greatest praises, to which it is impossible to make one's words equal; nor is it right, when falling short of their worth, to fall short also of what one can do. For the one who strove to praise but was defeated is adorned with the glory of his intention. So, if we wish to throw off the disgrace of perversity, let us try to praise those too whose praise is beyond words. For it is better, when defeated in words, to be adorned with the good feeling of our intention.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.483 (PG 78 78:1607; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-483)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.484":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΠολλῷ ἀσφαλέστερον τὸ μὴ πολεμεῖσθαι τοῦ συμμαχεῖσθαι. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἡσυχίαν ἔχει ἀπράγμονα, τὸ δὲ ἀναγκάζει συμπολεμεῖν πολλάκις τοῖς βοηθήσασι, καὶ εἰ ἀδίκως πολεμοῖεν, καὶ χάριν ἄδικον ἀντὶ δικαίας ἐκτίνειν.","t":"To the same. It is much safer not to be warred against than to have allies. For the one has untroubled quiet; the other often compels one to fight together with one's helpers, even if they fight unjustly, and to repay an unjust favour for a just one.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.484 (PG 78 78:1607; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-484)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.485":{"o":"ΙΣΧΥΡΙΩΝΙ.\nἜοικας ἀγνοεῖν τῆς βιωτικῆς φαντασίας τὸν ζόφον, καὶ τῆς θείας φιλοσοφίας τὸ φῶς. Οὐκοῦν ἕνα σοι τῶν ἑκατέρου πράγματος πεῖραν εἰληφότων χρὴ μάρτυρα ἀξιόπιστον παραγαγεῖν· ἡμῖν γὰρ ἴσως οὐ πεισθήσῃ. Τίνα οὖν ἡγῇ ἀξιόχρεων; Βούλει τὸν Σολομῶνα εἰς μέσον ἀγάγωμεν; Οὗτος γὰρ ἡνίκα μὲν τῷ τῶν βιωτικῶν πραγμάτων ἔρωτι κεκράτητο, μέγιστά τε αὐτὰ ἡγεῖτο, καὶ θαύματος κρείττονα, καὶ πᾶσαν περὶ αὐτὰ τὴν φροντίδα ἔστρεφε· λαμπράς μὲν οἰκοδομούμενος οἰκίας, χρυσίον δὲ συνάγων · καὶ μουσικοὺς μὲν χοροὺς συγκροτῶν, τραπεζοποιῶν δὲ γένη καὶ μαγείρων κτώμενος· καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ἐσθῆτος τρυφὴν, καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν παραδείσων τέρψιν, καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τῶν λαμπρῶν σωμάτων ἡδονὴν δαψιλῶς ἑαυτῷ παρασκευάζων, καὶ πᾶσαν, ὡς εἰπεῖν, λεωφόρον ψυχαγωγίας καὶ τέρψεως ἀνατέμνων. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ μικρὸν ἐκεῖθεν ὥσπερ ἀπὸ μανίας ἀνήνεγκε, καὶ καθάπερ ἐκ λαβυρίνθου τινὸς ζοφεροῦ πρὸς τὸ ὑπέρλαμπρον τῆς ὑπερκοσμίου φιλοσοφίας ἀναβλέψαι ἠδυνήθη φῶς, τὸ τηνικαῦτα τὴν ὑψηλὴν ἐκείνην καὶ τῶν οὐρανῶν ἀξίαν ἔῤῥηξε φωνήν· « Ματαιότης ματαιοτήτων, τὰ πάντα ματαιότης. • Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ μηδ' ἐν χρόνοις γεγενημένος πολλὴν ἀπαιτοῦσι φιλοσοφίας ἀκρίβειαν, ἠδυνήθη συνιδεῖν τὸ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀνόητον, καὶ πολλὴν αὐτῶν καταγνῶναι ματαιότητα · ποίαν ἕξομεν συγγνώμην οἱ πρὸς ὑψηλοτέραν κελευσθέντες ἀναβῆναι φιλοσοφίας κορυφὴν, καὶ μηδὲ τὴν αὐτὴν ἐκείνῳ δυνάμενοι ῥῆξαι φωνὴν, ἀλλ᾿ οὕτω περιεχόμενοι τῶν σκιῶν καὶ τῶν ὀνείρων, ὡς καὶ σωτηρίας ὑπεριδεῖν ;","t":"To Ischyrion. You seem not to know the darkness of the worldly illusion and the light of divine philosophy. So I must bring you one trustworthy witness who has had experience of both; for perhaps you will not believe us. Whom, then, do you think credible? Shall we bring Solomon forward? For when he was mastered by love of worldly affairs, he thought them the greatest things and beyond wonder, and turned all his care to them: building splendid houses, gathering gold, assembling choirs of musicians, acquiring kinds of table-makers and cooks, lavishly providing himself the luxury of clothing, the delight of gardens and the pleasure of splendid bodies, and cutting, so to speak, every highway of amusement and delight. But when he came up a little from there as from madness, and, as out of a dark labyrinth, was able to look up at the surpassingly bright light of the philosophy above the world, then he broke out in that lofty voice worthy of heaven: \"Vanity of vanities, all is vanity.\" If, then, he who lived in times that did not demand great exactness in philosophy could see the folly of these things and condemn their great vanity, what pardon shall we have, who have been commanded to climb to a higher summit of philosophy, and cannot even utter the same voice as he, but cling so to shadows and dreams as even to overlook salvation?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.485 (PG 78 78:1607; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-485)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.486":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ, ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΙΩ, ΚΑΣΙΩ.\nΑρα μὴ χρόνῳ φανὲν, τὸ γράμμα γραφῇ παραδοῦναι τῷ πόθῳ κεκμηκότες ἐσκέψασθε; Πείθομαι μὲν · οὐ μὴν ἐρήμην ἁλώσεται, τῇ σιγῆ τὴν κατηγορίαν καθ' ἑαυτοῦ βεβαιῶσαν· ἀλλὰ καὶ ῥᾷον καὶ θᾶττον ἀπολογήσεται, ὅτι σωματικὴ ἀῤῥωστία τὴν σιγὴν ἐγέννησεν.","t":"To Lampetius, Strategius and Casius. Did you, worn out with longing, consider committing to writing the letter that appeared after a long time? I am persuaded so; yet it will not be condemned by default, confirming the charge against itself by silence, but will more easily and quickly make its defence: that bodily illness caused the silence.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.486 (PG 78 78:1609; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-486)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.487":{"o":"\nὍτι ὁ δεῖνα ὀρφανῷ σοι γεγενημένῳ, ἀντὶ πατρὸς γέγονεν, οἶσθα. Ἐπεὶ τοίνυν ἐκεῖνος μὲν ἐξ ἀνθρώπων ᾤχετο· οἱ δὲ τούτου υἱεῖς δέονται τοῦ χεῖρα ὀρέξοντος, καὶ τὴν ὀρφανίαν παραμυθησομένου· εὖ ποιεῖς, εἰ καὶ αὐτὸς ἀντὶ πατρὸς αὐτοῖς γένοιο, τὴν πατρώαν εὐεργεσίαν εἰς τοὺς υἱοὺς κατατιθέμενος.","t":"[Without address.] You know that a certain man became a father to you when you were orphaned. Since, then, he has departed from among men, and his sons need someone to stretch out a hand and console their orphanhood, you would do well to become a father to them yourself, laying up your father's kindness for his sons.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.487 (PG 78 78:1609; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-487)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.488":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ,\nΕἰ καὶ καταφρονεῖ ἡ φιλοχρηματία πάσης κολάσεως, καὶ διὰ πάντων τῶν δεινῶν χωρεῖ, κόρον ἀκορέστῳ πάθει μηχανωμένη· ἀλλὰ τῷ μηδὲ ἐν τῷ κτᾶσθαι, κἂν τὰ πάντων λάβῃ, τυγχάνειν ἀνακωχῆς τινος, ἀλλ' ἀεὶ κορυφοῦσθαι τὸ νόσημα, καὶ εἰς τὸ ἀνίατον τελευτᾷν, παύσασθαι ἂν εἴη δικαία, ὡς διὰ τούτου μόνου θηρῶσα, ὁ θηρᾶσαι διὰ πολλῶν κινδύνων καὶ κολάσεων οὐκ ἠδυνήθη. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ παύσασθαι ὁ κόρος ἀκολουθεῖ, τῷ δὲ ἐπιζητεῖν τὸ πάθος ἐπιτρίβεται· καὶ τῷ μὲν ὀλίγοις ἀρκεῖσθαι ὁ πλοῦτος ὀρίζεται, τῷ δὲ πλειόνων ἐφίεσθαι ἡ πενία γνωρίζεται. Εἰ τοίνυν τούναντίον φιλεῖ συμβαίνειν τῷ τῶν χρημάτων ἐραστῇ (οὗ γὰρ ἐφίεται τυχεῖν οὐ δύναται), αὐτὸ τὸ πάθος προτροπάδην φεύγων, καὶ κόρου πλούτου, καὶ ἀνέσεως, καὶ τιμῆς ἀπολαύσεις.","t":"To Maron. Even if avarice despises every punishment and goes through every danger, contriving satiety for an insatiable passion, yet since it obtains no respite in acquiring, even if it takes everyone's goods, but the disease always mounts and ends in incurability, it would rightly stop, since by this alone it would hunt down what it could not hunt down through many dangers and punishments. For satiety follows stopping, but by seeking more the passion is aggravated; wealth is defined by being content with little, and poverty is recognized by craving more. If, then, the opposite usually happens to the lover of money (for he cannot obtain what he desires), by fleeing the passion itself headlong you will enjoy satiety, wealth, rest and honour.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.488 (PG 78 78:1609; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-488)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.489":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΤοῖς μὲν μηδὲν χρηστὸν περὶ τῶν χρηστῶν λέγουσι, τὸ μηδὲν ἀγαθὸν λαβεῖν · τοῖς δὲ καὶ κακηγοροῦσι τὸ κακόν τι προσλαβεῖν ἀκολουθεῖ. ΘΕΟΔΟΣΙΩ, ΕΠΙΜΑΧΩ, ΠΑΥΛΩ ΜΟΝΑ -","t":"To the same. For those who say nothing good about the good, the consequence is to receive nothing good; but for those who also slander them, it is to take on something bad besides.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.489 (PG 78 78:1611; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-489)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.49":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\n᾿Αγωνίζεσθαι μὲν χρὴ ὑπὲρ τῶν τῆς ἀρετῆς τροφίμων· οὐ μὴν αὐτοῖς ἐπιδείκνυσθαι δυοῖν ἕνεκεν, τοῦ τ᾽ ἐκείνους μὴ ὑπτιῶσαι, τοῦ τε κολακείας ὑπόνοιαν ἐκφυγεῖν. Διὸ οὐδὲ γέγραφα πρώην. Ἐπειδὴ παρ' ἄλλων πειθόμενος γέγραφας, τῇ μὲν σιωπῇ μεμφόμενος, τὰ δὲ γεγενημένα ἀκριβῶς βουλόμενος μαθεῖν· ἴσθι ὅτι ὡς ἔῤῥει ἐπὶ πολὺ ὁ σὸς διάδικος, ἅτε ἐκ ῥητορικῶν ὁρμώμενος μαθημάτων, ἐπαίνου τε ῥόθιον αὐτῷ παρὰ τῶν παρόντων ἠγείρετο, ἅτε ἀγνοούντων τὴν σὴν καλοκαγαθίαν, ὀλίγα τινὰ φράσας τῶν προσόντων σοι πλεονεκτημάτων (πάντα γὰρ ἴσως οὐ ῥᾴδιον), εἰς τοσαύτην μεταβολὴν μετερρυθμίσατο τὸ πρᾶγμα, ὡς ἐκεῖνον μὲν ἐρυθριάσαντα ἀποπηδῆσαι, τοὺς δὲ ἀκροατὰς παλινῳδίαν ἆσαι. Ὁ μὲν εἰς τὸ θεῖον πεποιθὼς, ἐπὶ μεγίστης καὶ λαμπρᾶς καὶ ἀδιαπτώτου· ὁ δὲ ἐπ᾿ ἄνθρωπον, ἐπὶ λεπτῆς καὶ ἀσθενοῦς καὶ σφαλερᾶς, καὶ ὡς τὰ πολλὰ διαπιπτούσης ἐλπίδος ὀχεῖται. Διὸ χρὴ τοὺς ἐχέφρονας, τῆς μὲν προτέρας ὡς ἱερᾶς ἀγκύρας ἀντέχεσθαι, τῆς δὲ δευτέρας ἀπέχεσθαι. Λίαν θαυμάζω τῶν πάντα μὲν, ὅσα ὁ κοινὸς ἐχθρὸς ἁπάντων διάβολος βούλεται, ἀσμένως πραττόντων, εἶτα ἐπιζητούντων, πόθεν τὰ τῆς εὐταξίας ἀπόλωλεν ἅπαντα. Ἢν γὰρ τὴν ὑπερβάλλουσαν καὶ ἀνήκεστον ῥαθυμίαν ἀπώθωνται, συναπώθωνται εὖ οἶδ᾽ ὅτι καὶ τὸ τὰ τοιαῦτα ζητεῖν.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. One must contend for those nurtured in virtue, but not make a display of it to them, for two reasons: so as not to make them complacent, and to escape the suspicion of flattery. That is why I did not write before. But since, having learned it from others, you have written, blaming my silence and wishing to know exactly what happened, know that when your opponent at law was flowing on at length, since he set out from rhetorical training, and a roar of praise was rising for him from those present, who did not know your excellence, I mentioned a few of the advantages you possess (for perhaps it is not easy to mention them all), and changed the matter round so completely that he leapt away blushing and the hearers sang a recantation. [Letter 5.50] The one who trusts in God rides on the greatest, brightest and most unfailing hope; the one who trusts in man rides on a slender, weak and slippery hope that usually fails. So sensible people must hold fast to the first as to a sacred anchor, and keep away from the second. [Letter 5.51] I greatly wonder at those who gladly do everything that the common enemy of all, the devil, wants, and then ask why all good order has perished. For if they would drive away their excessive and incurable indolence, they would, I well know, drive away with it any need to ask such questions.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.49 (PG 78 78:1355; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-49)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.490":{"o":"ΖΟΥΣΙΝ.\nνεις ὅρους, τὸν τεθνεῶτα κακηγορῶν; Σὺ γὰρ πρὸς Ἡ μὲν ἐγκρατὴς, ὦ βέλτιστοι, μετὰ τὴν ἧτταν ἐνίκησεν· ἡ παρθένος καθαρὰν ἥττης ἁπάσης ἔχει τὴν νίκην.","t":"To Theodosius, Epimachus and Paul, monks. (… do you overstep the bounds, slandering the dead man? For you … to …) The continent woman, my good men, won after defeat; the virgin has a victory pure of all defeat.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.490 (PG 78 78:1611; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-490)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.491":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟἱ μὲν ζῶντες, καὶ βάλλωνται δὲ τοὺς τεθνεῶτας, καὶ οἱ πολέμιοι σπένδονται. Τί τοίνυν καὶ τοὺς τῆς φύσεως θεσμούς, καὶ τοὺς τῆς ἔχθρας ὑπερβαίκόνιν καὶ τέφραν ἀκονᾷν τὴν γλῶτταν ἡγῇ · ἀλλὰ πρῶτον μὲν τὴν ὁσίαν αὐτὴν ὑβρίζεις, ἧς πάντες ἄνθρωποι ἀντιποιοῦνται. Ἔπειτα ψυχὴν ἀθάνατον ἔχει, ἧς ἔκδικός ἐστιν ὁ ἀκοίμητος ὀφθαλμός.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Even the living … and enemies make truce with the dead. Why, then, do you overstep the laws both of nature and of enmity … dust and ashes, you think you are sharpening your tongue; but first you insult the sacred due itself, which all people claim; then he has an immortal soul, whose avenger is the sleepless eye.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.491 (PG 78 78:1611; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-491)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.492":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΤὰ αὐτὰ ἁμαρτήματα καὶ παρὰ τὸν τόπον καὶ παρὰ τὸν καιρὸν ἀργαλεώτερα γίγνεται. Οἷον ὁ φόνος ἐστὶν ἐναγής· ἐὰν δὲ καὶ εἰς τόπον ἅγιον τολμηθῇ, ἐναγέστερος γίνεται · ἐὰν δὲ καὶ ἐν καιρῷ ἁγίῳ, ἐναγέστατος. Εἰ τοίνυν αὐτὸς καθ' ἑαυτόν ἐστι χαλεπὸς, προσλάβοι δὲ καὶ τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ τόπου καὶ τοῦ καιροῦ προσθήκην, μείζων καὶ ἀργαλεώτερος γίγνεται. ΠΑΥΛΩ ΥΠΟΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Μὴ τοῦτο ἐννόει, ὦ βέλτιστε, ὅπως μηδείς σοι ἐπηρεάσῃ, ἀλλ᾿ ὅπως κἂν βούληται μὴ δύνηται. Τοῦτο δὲ οὐδαμόθεν ἑτέρωθεν ἐντίκτεται, ἢ ἐκ τοῦ τῆς χρείας ἔχεσθαι, καὶ μὴ πλειόνων ὀρέγεσθαι.","t":"To Nilus. The same sins become more grievous because of the place and the time. For example, murder is accursed; if it is dared in a holy place, it becomes more accursed; and if at a holy time, most accursed. If, then, it is grievous in itself, and takes on the addition from place and time as well, it becomes greater and more grievous. [Letter 5.493] To Paul the subdeacon. Do not think about this, my good man, how no one may abuse you, but how, even if someone wishes, he may not be able. And this is born from nowhere else than from holding to what is needed and not craving more.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.492 (PG 78 78:1611; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-492)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.494":{"o":"ΕΛΙΣΑΙΟ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΕἰ καὶ τὴν συνουσίαν σοι τὴν πρὸς τὸν ἅγιον Θεοδόσιον μικρὰν ὁ χρόνος, ἀλλά γε τὴν ἀπ᾿ αὐτῆς ὄνησιν οἱ πόνοι καλὴν καὶ γενναίαν κατεσκεύασαν. Οὕτω γὰρ ταχέως καὶ πρὸς τὰ τῶν τρόπων ἤθη, καὶ πρὸς τὴν τῶν θείων Γραφῶν γνῶσιν ἐξετυπώθης, καὶ μιμητὴς ἀκριβέστερος τῶν ζωγράφων κατέστης, ὡς μήτε ἐκεῖνον ἄλλον πρὸ σοῦ, μήτε νομίζειν, μήτε ἔχειν ὁμιλητήν· σε τε, κἂν μὴ φράζοις παρ' ᾧ ἐφοίτησας, δῆλον εἶναι τοῖς δρωμένοις.","t":"To Elisaeus the monk. Even if time made your companionship with the holy Theodosius short, labours made its benefit fine and noble. For you were so quickly moulded both in the habits of character and in the knowledge of the divine Scriptures, and became a more exact imitator than painters, that he thinks and has no disciple before you, and that, even if you did not say with whom you studied, it is plain from what you do.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.494 (PG 78 78:1613; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-494)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.495":{"o":"ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΙΟ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nὉ φιλοσόφως ἐπισκεπτόμενος τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν φύσιν, ὅτι ποταμίων ῥευμάτων, καὶ καπνοῦ εἰς ἀέρα διαλυομένου, καὶ σκιᾶς θεούσης οὐδὲν ἄμεινον, ἀλλὰ καὶ χεῖρον διάκειται, οὔτε ὑπὸ τῶν χρηστῶν ἐπαρθείη ποτὲ, οὔτε ὑπὸ τῶν λυπηρῶν ταπεινωθείη· ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τῇ τούτων μεταβολῇ ἀμετάβλητον τηρήσει τὴν γνώμην. Ὁ γὰρ παρόντων τῶν χρηστῶν μὴ ἀντεχόμενος, οὐδὲ ἀπόντων ἀνιαθήσεται.","t":"To Strategius the monk. The one who examines the nature of things philosophically, that it is no better, but even worse, than river currents, smoke dissolving into air and a running shadow, would never be lifted up by good things nor humbled by painful ones, but would keep his mind unchanged in their changes. For the one who does not cling to good things when present will not grieve when they are absent either.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.495 (PG 78 78:1613; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-495)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.496":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ, ὡς φασί τινες, φαύλως δι' ἐσχάτην πενίαν ἤχθης, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν νῦν τὸν ἁβροδίαιτον διώκεις βίον; Καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ οἶδ᾽ ὅθεν παρατιθέμενος τὴν τράπεζαν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς τὰς Σικελικὰς παρατιθεμένοις ἐπιρρίπτων, ὧν εἷς ταῦτα ἐξεβιάσατο χαράξαι τὰ γράμματα. Εἰ γὰρ πολλοὶ τῶν ἁβροδιαίτων καὶ τῶν εὖ γεγονότων διὰ φιλοσοφίαν εὐτελῶς ἐπαίδευσαν ἑαυτοὺς ζῇν, μεγίστην ὠφέλειαν καὶ δόξαν ἐκ τούτου θηρώμενοι· πῶς σὺ ἔχων καὶ τὴν σύντροφον συνήθειαν συναγωνιζομένην, εἰς τοὐναντίον μετέπεσας; Ἐπανάγαγε τοίνυν σαυτὸν ἐπὶ τὴν φίλην σου καὶ ὁμοτράπεζον εὐτέλειαν, ἵνα μὴ καὶ σαυτῷ χειμῶνας (ἡ γὰρ τρυφὴ ὕβρεώς ἐστι μήτηρ ), καὶ τῇ θειοτάτῃ θρησκείᾳ ὄνειδος κατασκευάσῃς. Οἱ γὰρ διαφερόντως αὐτῇ ἀνακείμενοι, κομιδῇ κατὰ σοῦ ἀγανακτοῦσιν, ὅτι διὰ τὴν σὴν λαιμαργίαν ἐκείνη κωμῳδεῖται.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. If, as some say, you were brought up meanly in extreme poverty, for what reason do you now pursue the life of luxury? And that, setting your table I know not from where, but throwing yourself upon those who set out Sicilian tables, one of whom forced me to engrave this letter. For if many of the luxurious and well-born have trained themselves to live cheaply for the sake of philosophy, hunting the greatest benefit and glory from it, how have you, having the habit you grew up with as an ally, fallen into the opposite? Bring yourself back, then, to the frugality that was your friend and table-companion, so that you may not prepare storms for yourself (for luxury is the mother of insolence) and reproach for the most divine religion. For those especially devoted to it are utterly indignant with you, because through your gluttony it is ridiculed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.496 (PG 78 78:1613; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-496)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.497":{"o":"ΘΕΟΓΝΩΣΤΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟἱ τὴν σοφίαν τὴν πάντα τὰ καλὰ ἐν ἑαυτῇ περιέχουσαν (ὡς καὶ τὸν πάντων Δεσπότην τοῦτο μᾶλλον ἤ τι ἕτερον χαίρειν ἀκούοντα, ἐπειδὴ πολλοῖς ὀνόμασι καλεῖται) φαῦλον καὶ πεπατημένον πρᾶγμα ἡγούμενοι, πάντολμοι ἂν εἶεν παρ' ἐμοὶ κριτῇ. ᾿Αλλ', οἶμαι, ἔχειν μὲν ἐπιθυμοῦντες, τοὺς δὲ πόνους ὑπομεῖναι μὴ ἀξιοῦντες, οἷς ἡ θεία σοφία ἐπιφοιτᾷ, τῷ μὴ διὰ ῥαθυμίαν δοκεῖν αὐτοὺς ἀπολελεῖφθαι, φθονοῦντες τοῖς σοφοῖς διασύρουσι τὸ ἐκείνης ὄνομα. Σοφοὺς δὲ φημι οὐ τοὺς τὸ Πλάτωνος ὕψος, καὶ τὴν Θουκυδίδου σεμνότητα, καὶ τὴν Δημοσθένους δεινότητα ζηλοῦντας, ἀλλὰ τοὺς λόγον ἀποδοῦναι δυναμένους ὑπὲρ τῶν θείων δογμάτων, καὶ μὴ διὰ τῆς οἰκείας ῥαθυμίας σιγῇ τὴν ἧτταν καταδεχομένους. Οἱ γὰρ ἀκούοντες, οὐ τὴν τοῦ λέγοντος ἀπειρίαν, ἀλλὰ τὴν τοῦ δόγματος αἰτιῶνται σαθρότητα.","t":"To Theognostus the presbyter. Those who think wisdom, which contains all good things in itself (so that the Master of all rejoices, it seems, to be called by this rather than by any other of his many names), a worthless and trodden thing would be all-daring in my judgement. But I think that, desiring to have it but not deigning to endure the labours by which divine wisdom comes, so as not to seem to have fallen short through indolence, they disparage its name out of envy of the wise. By the wise I mean not those who emulate Plato's loftiness, Thucydides' dignity and Demosthenes' cleverness, but those able to give an account of the divine doctrines and not, through their own indolence, to accept defeat in silence. For hearers blame not the inexperience of the speaker but the weakness of the doctrine.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.497 (PG 78 78:1613; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-497)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.498":{"o":"ΑΛΦΙΩ.\nἘπειδὴ ἑκάστῳ τὸ οἰκεῖον κέρδος τοῦ κοινῇ καταστήσασθαί τι χρηστὸν προτιμότερον, διὰ τοῦτο τὰ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας προπέποται πράγματα. Καὶ τουναντίον συνέβη τοῖς γεγενημένοις ἐπὶ τῶν τῆς πίστεως προγόνων. Τότε μὲν γὰρ τὰ ἴδια εἰς τὸ κοινὸν προϋτίθεσαν, νῦν δὲ τὰ κοινὰ οἴκαδέ τινες μετακομίζοντες, οὐκ αἰσχύνονται ἐξ ἀλλοτρίων κερδαίνοντες συμφορῶν.","t":"To Alphius. Since to each his own gain is preferable to establishing something good for the common good, the affairs of the church have been squandered. And the opposite has happened to what happened in the time of our forefathers in the faith. For then they put their own possessions into the common fund, but now some carry what is common home, and are not ashamed to profit from others' misfortunes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.498 (PG 78 78:1615; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-498)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.499":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ.\nΤὸ μὲν παρὰ τῶν σεμνῶν καὶ σωφρόνων γελᾶσθαι, δεινόν· τὸ δὲ παρὰ τῶν ἀσελγῶν καὶ λάγνων, οὐ δεινόν. Τῆς γὰρ ὀρθῆς τῶν πραγμάτων διαμαρτάνοντες κρίσεως, γελῶσι τὰ θαύματος κρείττονα.","t":"To Nilus. To be laughed at by the dignified and temperate is terrible; but by the licentious and lecherous, not terrible. For, missing the right judgement of things, they laugh at what is beyond wonder.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.499 (PG 78 78:1615; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-499)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.5":{"o":"ΔΟΜΗΤΙΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nἯττὰ ἐστιν, ὦ σοφώτατε, οὐ τὸ τεθνάναι ἐν πολέμῳ, ἀλλὰ τὸ δεῖσαι τοὺς πολεμίους, καὶ ῥίψαι τὴν ἀσπίδα · ὃν δὲ ἐπέλιπε τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἀριστείας ἐπιθυμοῦντα ἐν τοῖς τροπαιούχοις ἀναγράφεσθαι, νόμος· ἐπεὶ καὶ τῶν ἀθλητῶν τοὺς ἐν αὐτῇ ἀποθανόντας πάλῃ, μᾶλλον τιμῶσιν οἱ τοὺς ἀγῶνας τούτους διαθέντες τῶν μὴ τοῦτο παθόντων. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, δι᾽ ἣν αἰτίαν νομίζεις τοὺς μάρτυρας τῷ τεθνάναι ἡττᾶσθαι καὶ μὴ διὰ τοῦτο μᾶλλον ἀνακηρύττεις; Τέλος γάρ ἐστι τῆς μάχης ταύτης οὐ τὸ σῶμα (ὁ καὶ δοκοῦν ζῇν ἐνέκρωσαν ) ἀλλὰ τὸ μὴ διαφθεῖραι τὸ τῆς ἀρετῆς κλέος.","t":"To Dometius the count. Defeat, most wise man, is not dying in war, but fearing the enemy and throwing away one's shield. As for one whose body failed him while he still longed for deeds of valour, the law is that he be enrolled among the victors; for those who organize athletic contests also honour the athletes who died in the wrestling itself more than those who did not suffer this. If, then, this is so, for what reason do you think the martyrs were defeated by dying, and do not rather proclaim them victors for this very reason? For the goal of this battle is not the body (which they put to death even while it seemed to live), but not to corrupt the glory of virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.5 (PG 78 78:1327; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-5)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.500":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\nΜέγα καὶ νεανικὸν φρόνημα οὐχ οἷόν τε τεχθῆναι τῷ μικρὰ καὶ φαῦλα πράττοντι. Τοῖς γὰρ ἔργοις καὶ τὰ φρονήματα ἕπεσθαι φιλεῖ. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τὰ βιωτικὰ μεταχειριζόμενος, οὐδὲν οὐράνιον, οὐδὲν ἀγγελικὸν φαντασθήσεται· ὁ δὲ τὴν οὐρανῷ πρέπουσαν πολιτείαν πολιτευόμενος, λήρους καὶ φλυαρίας, σκιάς τε καὶ ὀνείρατα, τὰ βιωτικὰ ἡγήσεται πράγματα. Διὸ καὶ ὁ μὲν, μικρόψυχος εἰκότως ἂν κληθείη, ἐπὶ μικροῖς ἐναβρυνόμενος· ὁ δὲ μεγαλόψυχος, τὰ ὄντως μεγάλα τῶν δοκούντων προκρίνων.","t":"To Peter. A great and vigorous spirit cannot be born in one who does small and worthless things; for spirits usually follow deeds. The one who handles worldly affairs will imagine nothing heavenly or angelic; but the one who lives a life befitting heaven will think worldly affairs nonsense and trifles, shadows and dreams. So the one would rightly be called small-souled, priding himself on small things; the other great-souled, preferring things truly great to those that seem so.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.500 (PG 78 78:1615; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-500)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.501":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΟὐδὲν οὕτως εὐκολώτατόν ἐστιν, ὄντων πολλῶν εὐκόλων, ὡς τὸ ἕκαστον ἑαυτὸν ἐξαπατῆσαι. Μέγα γὰρ ἑκάστῳ τὸ βούλημα. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐ τὰ πράγματα ὅπως πέφυκε σκοπεῖ, ἀλλὰ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ γνώμην παντὶ σθένει κυρῶσαι προαιρεῖται, ὃ βούλεται, τοῦτο καὶ οἴεται, καίτοι πραγμάτων πολλάκις ἀντιφθεγγομένων.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Of the many easy things, nothing is easier than for each person to deceive himself. For each person's wish is a great thing. Since he does not consider things as they are by nature, but chooses to ratify his own opinion with all his strength, what he wishes, that he also thinks, though things often contradict him.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.501 (PG 78 78:1615; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-501)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.502":{"o":"ΟΥΡΣΕΝΟΥΦΙΟ.\nΤοὺς μὲν ἀνδρείους κολακεία χειροῦται, τοὺς δὲ ἀνάνδρους φόβος· τοῖς μὲν γὰρ ἡ πειθὼ δοκεῖ ἀβίαστος εἶναι, τοῖς δὲ ὁ φόβος ἀπαραίτητος δεσπότης. Καὶ οἱ μὲν τῷ καθυφεῖναι τοὺς ἀντιπάλους ἡττῶνται· οἱ δὲ τῷ μὴ ἐνδιδόναι ἐνδιδόασι. Μὴ τοίνυν πάντας ἑνὶ βοηθήματι θεραπεύειν οἴου· ἀλλὰ τοῖς πάθεσι καὶ ταῖς δυνάμεσι τῶν πασχόντων κατάλληλα προσφέρων τὰ παιώνια, ἔλπιζε αὐτῶν κρατήσειν.","t":"To Ursenuphius. Flattery overcomes the brave, and fear the cowardly; for to the one persuasion seems free of force, to the other fear an inexorable master. The one are defeated by giving way to their opponents, the others give way by not yielding. So do not think to treat all with one remedy; but by applying cures suited to the passions and the strengths of the sufferers, hope to master them.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.502 (PG 78 78:1615; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-502)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.503":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ μὲν ὄντως τῶν βιωτικῶν κατέγνως πραγμάτων, μηδέν σοι κοινὸν πρὸς αὐτά. Εἰ δὲ δόξαν θηρώμενος, διαβάλλεις μὲν αὐτὰ, περιέχῃ δὲ ὡς ἀϊδίων, μὴ ἔλπιζε ἀπατᾶν τοὺς διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων τάναντία παρὰ σοῦ παιδευομένους.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. If you have truly condemned worldly affairs, have nothing in common with them. But if, hunting glory, you disparage them while clinging to them as if they were eternal, do not hope to deceive those whom you teach the opposite by your deeds.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.503 (PG 78 78:1617; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-503)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.504":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ δόξης ἐρᾷς, καταφρόνει δόξης, καὶ τότε αὐτῆς ἀπολαύσειας. Φιλόνεικον γάρ πως τὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων γένος ἐστὶ, καὶ πρὸς μὲν τὸ ὑπεραυχοῦν διακινδυνεύειν φιλεῖ· πρὸς δὲ τὸ ταπεινὸν μεθ' ἡδονῆς σπένδεσθαι πέφυκε. Νικᾶν μὲν γὰρ σπουδάζει τὸν νίκης ἐφιέμενον, ἡττᾶσθαι δὲ φιλεῖ μεθ᾽ ἡδονῆς τῷ νίκης μὴ ἐφιεμένῳ.","t":"To Serenus the deacon. If you love glory, despise glory, and then you will enjoy it. For the human race is somehow contentious: it likes to take risks against what is arrogant, but naturally makes peace gladly with what is humble. It strives to defeat the one who desires victory, but likes to be defeated with pleasure by the one who does not desire victory.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.504 (PG 78 78:1617; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-504)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.505":{"o":"ΤΟΙΣ ΚΛΗΡΙΚΟΙΣ ΤΟΥ ΠΗΛΟΥΣΙΟΥ.\nΒοήθεια, Ἐοίκατε ἀγνοεῖν τὸ τῆς βοηθείας ὄνομα, ὅπέρ εἴρηται παρὰ τὸ μετὰ βοῆς θέειν· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο βραδύτερον ἀφικόμενοι, καὶ σχολαιότερον βαδίζοντες ἀποτετυχήκατε τῆς θήρας. Ὁ γὰρ δεηθεὶς τῆς ἐπικουρίας, θήραμα καὶ ἔργον τῆς τῶν ἐπιβουλευσάντων ὠμότητος γέγονεν.","t":"To the clergy of Pelusium. On help. You seem not to know the name \"help\" (boētheia), which is said from running with a shout (meta boēs theein); and so, arriving rather slowly and walking at leisure, you have failed in the hunt. For the man who needed help has become the quarry and prey of the cruelty of those who plotted against him.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.505 (PG 78 78:1617; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-505)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.506":{"o":"ΑΛΥΠΙΩ.\nΤοῖς παισὶν ἔτι νηπίοις τυγχάνουσιν, πρῶτον μὲν τὸν περὶ τῆς ὑπεροχῆς τε τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ προνοίας, ἔπειτα δὲ καὶ τὸν περὶ ἀρετῆς χρὴ κατασπείρεσθαι λόγον· ἵνα συναυξανόμενος καὶ συνανδρούμενος θεοφιλεῖς καὶ ἐναρέτους ἄνδρας ἀποτελέσειεν.","t":"To Alypius. In children while they are still infants one must first sow the teaching about God's supremacy and providence, and then that about virtue, so that, growing up and coming to manhood with them, it may make them God-loving and virtuous men.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.506 (PG 78 78:1617; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-506)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.507":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nἘχρῆν μὲν νεανικώτερον ἐκτραγῳδηθῆναι τὰς σὰς πράξεις, τάχα κἂν οὕτως ἐρυθριάσαις· ἀλλ᾿ ἐπειδὴ οὐ χρὴ τοὺς σεμνότητος ἀντιποιουμένους μολύνειν ἑαυτῶν τὰς γλώττας, τάχιστα καὶ εὐπρεπέστατα λελέξεται, ὅτι μεγάλων κακῶν αἴτιαί εἰσιν αἱ μετὰ γαστέρα ἡδοναί.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Your deeds ought to have been proclaimed more vigorously; perhaps even so you would blush. But since those who lay claim to dignity must not defile their tongues, it will be said most briefly and decently: the pleasures below the belly are the causes of great evils.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.507 (PG 78 78:1617; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-507)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.508":{"o":"ΘΕΟΠΕΜΠΤΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟὔτε λόγος, οὔτε σκῆψις ὑπολείπεται τοῖς διδάσκειν μὲν τολμῶσι, τἀναντία δὲ ὧν λέγουσι πράττουσι. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ μήτε πράττοντας, μήτε διδάσκειν ἐπιχειροῦντας, εἰκὸς μετριωτέραν ἀπαιτηθῆναι τιμωρίαν. Τοὺς δὲ ἐναβρυνομένους μὲν ἐπὶ τῷ διδασκαλικῷ λόγῳ, μὴ ποιοῦντας δὲ ἅ φασιν, ἀπαραίτητον καὶ ἀσύγγνωστον.","t":"To Theopemptus the presbyter. Neither argument nor excuse is left to those who dare to teach but do the opposite of what they say. For it is reasonable that those who neither do nor attempt to teach should be required to pay a milder penalty; but those who pride themselves on the office of teaching but do not do what they say, an inexorable and unpardonable one.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.508 (PG 78 78:1617; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-508)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.509":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ περὶ τῶν σωματικῶν πολέμων, οὐ χρὴ τοὺς μείζω δύναμιν ἔχοντας, ὡς φανερᾶς οὔσης τῆς νίκης, διαβεβαιοῦσθαι· πολλὰ γὰρ παράδοξα πολλάκις ἐγένετο· καὶ τὸ μὲν εἶξαι εὐθὺς ἀνέλπιστον, τῷ δὲ ἀντιδρᾶν ἐθέλοντι ἐλπὶς ἀγαθὴ ἀκολουθεῖ· πολλῷ μᾶλλον τοὺς περὶ ψυχῆς ἀγωνιζομένους οὐ τὴν τῶν ἀντιπάλων χρὴ καταπτήσσειν δύναμιν, ἀλλὰ τὴν τῶν νικησάντων ἐνθυμουμένους πληθὺν, τῇ θείᾳ συμμαχίᾳ θαῤῥοῦντας ἐπὶ τὸν ἀγῶνα χωρεῖν.","t":"To the same. Even in bodily wars those with greater forces ought not to be confident as if victory were certain (for many unexpected things have often happened, and yielding at once is hopeless, while good hope follows the one who will resist); much more must those who contend for the soul not cower before the power of their opponents, but, considering the multitude of those who have conquered, go into the contest confident in divine alliance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.509 (PG 78 78:1617; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-509)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.510":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰς τοσαύτην ὠμότητα καὶ ἀπανθρωπίαν τινὲς ἐληλυθέναι σε φασιν, ὡς καὶ τὴν ἐναντίαν τῶν θείων χρησμῶν ἀνατέμνειν ὁδόν. Ἐκείνων γὰρ παρακελευομένων, μὴ κενοδοξεῖν ἐπὶ τῷ ποιεῖν ἐλεημοσύνην, σὲ οὐδὲ διὰ κενοδοξίαν ἐπικλᾶσθαι πρὸς τὰς δεήσεις ἰσχυρίζονται. Εἰδὼς τοίνυν ὡς ἄμεινον μὲν τὸ κρύπτειν, τὸ δὲ μηδ' ὅλως παρέχειν ἀπάνθρωπον, κἂν τὴν ἀμφοῖν μέσην βάδισον ὁδόν. Βέλτιον γὰρ τοῦ μηδ᾽ ὅλως ποιεῖν τὸ ὅπως δήποτε ποιεῖν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ εἰς ἐσχάτην τελευτᾷ τιμωρίαν, τὸ δὲ κἂν τὸν παρὰ τῶν θεωμένων ἔπαινον κερδαίνει.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Some say you have come to such cruelty and inhumanity as even to cut the road opposite to the divine oracles. For while they command not to seek vainglory in giving alms, they affirm that you do not even for vainglory's sake bend to requests. Knowing, then, that hiding it is better, but not giving at all inhuman, at least walk the middle road between the two. For to give in any way at all is better than not giving at all; for the one ends in the utmost punishment, while the other at least gains praise from the onlookers.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.510 (PG 78 78:1619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-510)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.511":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nἩ μὲν ὀλιγόδεια καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ὠφελεῖ, καὶ τὸ σῶμα ὑγιὲς καθίστησιν· ἡ δὲ πολυτέλεια ἄμφω λυμαίνεται, τῆς μὲν τὴν φρόνησιν, τοῦ δὲ τὴν ὑγίειαν ἐξοστρακίζουσα· καὶ ἡ μὲν καὶ τὰς ἐμφύτους ἐπιθυμίας κατευνάζει, ἡ δὲ καὶ τὰς παρὰ φύσιν διεγείρει. Τρυφὴ γὰρ γαστέρα πληρώσασα, καὶ τὰς ὑπογαστρίους ἀναστομοῖ ἡδονάς. Οὐκοῦν ἐκείνῃ μὲν χρηστέον, ταύτην δ᾽ ἀτιμαστέον.","t":"To the same. Frugality both benefits the soul and makes the body healthy; extravagance ruins both, banishing the prudence of the one and the health of the other. The one lulls even the natural desires, the other rouses even those contrary to nature. For luxury, having filled the belly, opens the way to the pleasures below the belly. So the one must be used, the other dishonoured.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.511 (PG 78 78:1619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-511)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.512":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ,\nὍτι μὲν μυρίοι χειμῶνες κατασκηνοῦσιν εἰς τὴν τοῦ ἐρασιχρημάτου ψυχὴν, οὐδεὶς ἀγνοεῖ· ὅτι δὲ ἐν τοῖς τοιούτοις χειμῶσιν, οὔτε ἀναπαύλης, οὔτε κόρου, οὔτε ἐλευθερίας, οὔτε ἄλλου τινὸς αἰσθάνεται, ἅτε ὑπὸ τοσούτων πνευμάτων διακοπτομένη, καὶ τοῦτο δῆλον. Τίς οὖν τοιοῦτον ἔλοιτ᾽ ἂν βίον, ἐν ᾧ πάντα μὲν σκόπελοι, καὶ θηρία, καὶ καταιγίδες, καὶ κύματα, εὐφροσύνη δὲ καὶ εἰρήνη ἐκποδών;","t":"To Maron. That countless storms take up their dwelling in the soul of the money-lover no one is unaware; and that in such storms it perceives neither rest, nor satiety, nor freedom, nor anything else, being broken up by so many winds, is plain too. Who, then, would choose such a life, in which everything is reefs, beasts, squalls and waves, while gladness and peace are out of the way?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.512 (PG 78 78:1619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-512)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.513":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ.\nΕἰ καὶ πλουτεῖν δοκεῖς, μὴ καταφρόνει τῶν πενήτων ὡς εὐαλώτων· μάλιστα μὲν διὰ τὴν δίκην, τὴν ταῖς ἀδικήμασι παρεπομένην. Εἰ δὲ ταύτης καταφρονεῖς, καὶ οὕτως ἀπέχου τῆς κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ἀδικίας · εἰδὼς, ὅτι κἂν ἀδικῆσαί σε οὐ δύνανται, ἀλλὰ συναπολέσθαι σοι δυνήσονται. Πολλοὶ γὰρ εἰς κατηγορίαν ἐτράπησαν, καὶ οὐ μόνον εἰς ἔδαφος κατήνεγκαν τὰς τῶν ἀδικησάντων ἑστίας, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ψυχῆς αὐτῆς στερηθῆναι παρεσκεύασαν.","t":"To Isaiah. Even if you seem to be rich, do not despise the poor as easily caught; above all because of the justice that follows wrongs. But if you despise that, abstain even so from wronging them, knowing that even if they cannot wrong you, they will be able to perish together with you. For many have turned to accusation and not only brought down to the ground the houses of those who wronged them, but have even caused them to be deprived of life itself.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.513 (PG 78 78:1619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-513)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.514":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΜεγίστων ἐγκωμίων καὶ στεφάνων ἀξίους εἶναί φημι τοὺς ἄνευ ἐγγράφων ὑποθηκῶν τὸ δέον πράξαντας, καὶ τὰς ἐμφύτους ἀφορμὰς εἰς καλοκἀγαθίαν γεωργήσαντας, ἐλευθέρως τε ταῖς πρὸς τὴν ἀρετὴν ὁρμαῖς χρησαμένους. Εἰ δὲ ταῦθ' οὕτως ἔχει, μετὰ νόμον καὶ χάριν πταίοντες, καὶ μηδὲ αὐτὴν ὁδεῦσαι ἐθέλοντες ὁδὸν, ὥσπερ οἱ παλαιοὶ ὥδευσαν, τίνος τύχοιεν ἐλέου;","t":"To the same. I say that those deserve the greatest praises and crowns who, without written precepts, did what was right, cultivated their inborn impulses toward nobility and freely used their urges toward virtue. If this is so, those who sin after the law and grace, and are not even willing to walk the road the ancients walked, what mercy could they obtain?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.514 (PG 78 78:1619; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-514)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.515":{"o":"ΑΝΑΤΟΛΙΩ.\nΛίαν σε τινες αἰτιῶνται, ὅτι οὓς μὲν οὐδ᾽ ὁρᾷν θέμις, τούτοις ὡς ἥδιστα λαλεῖς. Οἷς δὲ λαλεῖν αἴσχιστον, τούτους συνήθεις πεποίησαι. Οὓς δὲ παρόντας τιμᾶν ἀτιμίας ἄξιον, τούτους καὶ ἀπόντας ἀγαπᾶς. Εἰ τοίνυν ἀληθεύουσι, γνωσιμάχει· εἰ δὲ μὴ, δήλου· ἵνα ἐπιστομίσωμεν τοὺς ἐπὶ ταῖς σαῖς διαβολαῖς ἀγαλλομένους.","t":"To Anatolius. Some greatly blame you because you talk most pleasantly with those whom it is not right even to look at; you have made intimates of those with whom it is most shameful to talk; and those whom it deserves dishonour to honour when present, you love even when absent. If, then, they are telling the truth, admit it; but if not, make it known, so that we may silence those who exult in slanders against you.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.515 (PG 78 78:1621; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-515)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.516":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΩ, ΠΕΤΡΩ, ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nἩ ἐπὶ ταῖς ὕβρεσιν ἀνεξικακία λίαν τὴν ψυχὴν ὠφελεῖ· ἣν εἰ συμφέρουσαν μὲν ᾔδειν, χαλεπὴν δὲ γενέσθαι, κομιδῇ ἂν ἠχθέσθην · μὴ τὸ τὴν προσοῦσαν πραγματείαν φεύγειν, τὸ λυσιτελὲς προέσθαι· εἰ δὲ καὶ ῥᾳδία καὶ βελτίστη τυγχάνει. Τὸ γὰρ ἐπεξιέναι καὶ δύσκολον καὶ ἐργωδέστερον, καὶ χειμῶνος τὴν ψυχὴν πληροῖ· ἄμεινον τὸ φιλοσοφεῖν.","t":"To Nilus, Peter and Paul. Forbearance under insults greatly benefits the soul. If I knew it to be profitable but hard to attain, I would be very vexed, since fleeing the labour involved means giving up what is profitable; but in fact it is both easy and best. For retaliating is difficult and more laborious, and fills the soul with storm; it is better to practise philosophy.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.516 (PG 78 78:1621; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-516)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.517":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nΕἰ ἐν μὲν τῇ σκηνῇ γελῶσιν οἱ φιλοθεάμονες ἁπαλώτερον τοῦ δέοντος, ἐν δὲ τῷ ἱπποδρόμῳ θυμοῦνται πλέον ἢ προσῆκεν· ἐκεῖ μὲν ὑπὸ τῶν αἰσχρῶν δραμάτων ἐκθηλυνόμενοι, ἐνταῦθα δὲ ταῖς τῶν᾿ ἀμίλλαις πρὸς μανίαν ἐκβακχευόμενοι (μικροῦ γὰρ τὰ τῶν κενταύρων μιμοῦνται)· πότε ἐν τῇ προσηκούσῃ καταστάσει ὀφθήσονται; ἢ πότε τὰ ἀνδράσι πρέποντα πράξειαν; Οὐκοῦν χρὴ εἴτε πειθοῖ, εἴτε ἀνάγκῃ εἴργειν τοὺς τοιούτους ἀπὸ τῆς τοιαύτης ἀκοσμίας.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. If lovers of spectacles laugh more softly than they should at the stage, and are angrier than is fitting at the hippodrome, effeminate there through shameful plays, here driven to madness by the contests (for they all but imitate the centaurs), when will they be seen in a fitting state? Or when will they do what befits men? So one must keep such people from such disorder, whether by persuasion or by compulsion.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.517 (PG 78 78:1621; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-517)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.518":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὍταν τις, ὦ σοφίας αὐτοφυὲς ἄγαλμα, ἄνευ μὲν προπετείας παρέχηται τὸ ἀνδρεῖον, ἄνευ δὲ ὕβρεως τὸ βλοσυρόν· καὶ τὸ μὲν ἐμβριθὲς καθαρεῦον στυγνότητος, τὸ δὲ σῶφρον οὐκ ἀπάνθρωπον, ἀλλ' ἀῤῥήτῳ κεκραμένον φαιδρότητι· τότε καθαρὰς τῶν κακιῶν τῶν παραπεπηγυιῶν ταῖς ἀρεταῖς, αὐτὰς τὰς ἀρετὰς ἐπιδεικνύμενος, ἀοίδιμος ἔσται καὶ εὐκλεής.","t":"To Lampetius the deacon. When someone, you natural statue of wisdom, shows courage without rashness and sternness without insolence, gravity free of gloom and temperance not inhuman but blended with an ineffable cheerfulness, then, displaying the virtues themselves pure of the vices that adhere to them, he will be celebrated and glorious.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.518 (PG 78 78:1621; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-518)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.519":{"o":"ΣΤΡΑΤΗΓΙΩ ΜΟΝΑΖΟΝΤΙ.\nΕἰ καὶ εἰσί τινες δεινοὶ μὲν ἀπατῶντες λαθεῖν, δεινοὶ δὲ φωραθέντες παραλογίσασθαι· ἀλλ᾽ ὁ θεοφιλὴς κρείττων τούτων εὑρίσκεται. Σοφὸς μὲν ὢν συνιδεῖν τὴν ἀπάτην, σοφώτερος δὲ διελέγξαι τὴν ἐν τοῖς λόγοις κρυπτομένην δεινότητα. ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Οὐ ταῦτα χρὴ μανθάνειν μόνον, δι' ὧν ὁ μὲν ὀξὺς ἄκρος εἰπεῖν, ὁ δὲ βραδὺς ἀμείνων πως καθίσταται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ δι᾽ ὧν αἱ ψυχαὶ βελτιοῦνται· ἵνα μὴ μόνον τῷ τὴν γλῶτταν ἐκκεκαθάρθαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῷ τὴν γνώμην κεκοσμῆσθαι εὐδοκιμῶσιν.","t":"To Strategius the monk. Even if some are clever at escaping notice when they deceive, and clever at misleading when caught, the God-beloved man is found stronger than they, being wise enough to see through the deceit and wiser still to refute the cleverness hidden in their words. [Letter 5.520] To the same. One must learn not only the things by which the quick becomes excellent in speaking and the slow somewhat better, but also the things by which souls are improved, so that people may be esteemed not only for having cleansed the tongue but also for having adorned the mind.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.519 (PG 78 78:1621; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-519)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.52":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nἩ μονῳδία, ἣν γέγραφας εἰς Μαρτινιανὸν καὶ Ζώσιμον, Εὐστάθιόν τε καὶ Μάρωνα, ὡς οὐδέπω μὲν τεθνηκότας, ἀεὶ δὲ ἐν τῷ ἁμαρτάνειν ἀποθνήσκοντας, καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς ἐν τοῖς σώμασιν, ὥσπερ ἐν τάφοις κατωρυγμένας ἔχοντας, εἰ καὶ ἀληθῶς καὶ εἰκότως συγγέγραπται, παρ' ἐμοῦ αὐτοῖς οὐ πεμφθήσεται. Οὐ γὰρ ἂν δή σοι πολέμου αἴτιος γενοίμην. Αμείλικτα γάρ φασιν εἶναι αὐτοὺς καὶ ἀτίθασσα θηρία · εἰ μὲν γὰρ παραίνεσις ἦν, ἔπεμψα ἄν· ἐπεὶ δὲ θρῆνός ἐστι μονοειδὴς, οὐκ ἐδοκίμασα πέμψαι • εἰ δ᾽ αὐτὸς ὄντως βούλει, πέμψον· ἵν᾽ εἰ καὶ γένοιτο ἄσπονδος μάχη, μὴ εἰς ἄλλον ἔχῃς ἀνενεγκεῖν τὴν αἰτίαν.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. The monody you have written on Martinianus and Zosimus, Eustathius and Maron, as men not yet dead but always dying in sin, and having their souls buried in their bodies as in tombs, even if it has been composed truly and fittingly, will not be sent to them by me. For I would not become the cause of a war for you; they are said to be implacable and untamed beasts. If it were an exhortation, I would have sent it; but since it is a lament of a single kind, I did not think it right to send it. But if you yourself really wish it, send it, so that, if a truceless battle should arise, you may not have anyone else to lay the blame on.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.52 (PG 78 78:1357; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-52)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.521":{"o":"ΑΛΦΙΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\n῎Ατοπον τὰς αἰτίας τῶν οὐ πεισθέντων τοῖς καλοῖς ἐπὶ τοὺς μὴ πεπεικότας μεταφέρειν· καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν φαίνωνται διὰ πάντων τῶν ἐνδεχομένων ἐλθόντες, δι' ὧν ἡ πειθὼ δημιουργεῖται.","t":"To Alphius the presbyter. It is absurd to transfer the blame of those who were not persuaded to good things onto those who did not persuade them, especially when they plainly went through every possible means by which persuasion is produced.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.521 (PG 78 78:1623; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-521)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.522":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΟὐδὲν τοῦ δόξης ἐρῶντος ταπεινότερον, οὐδὲ τοῦ καταφρονοῦντος ὑψηλότερον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ οἴκοθεν μηδὲν ἔχων μέγα, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ ἐγκαλλωπισθείη, διὰ τῆς ἔξωθεν φαντασίας λαμπρότερος οἴεται δεῖν εἶναι. Ὁ δὲ ὥσπερ ἐξ οἰκείας πηγῆς σεμνυνόμενος, οὐδὲν τῆς ἔξωθεν δεῖται προσθήκης. Διὸ καὶ τοῦ μὲν οὐδὲν ἀθλιώτερον, τοῦ δὲ οὐδὲν εὐκλεέστερον γένοιτ' ἄν. ΑΛΕΞΑΝΔΡΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Ὅσῳ τοῦ διαπτύειν τὸ θαυμάζειν κρεῖττόν ἐστι, τοσοῦτόν μοι διαλλάττειν δοκοῦσιν οἱ μηδ᾽ ἀρετὴν τὴν ἀρετὴν εἶναι νομίζοντες, τῶν ἀρετὴν μὲν εἶναι αὐτὴν φασκόντων, μὴ ἀσπαζομένων δέ. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ κρίσεως διεφθαρμένης, καὶ τοῦ μὴ ὑγιαίνειν τὸν λογισμόν, καθ' ἑαυτῶν ψῆφον ἐκφέρουσιν. Οἱ δὲ τῷ ἐπαινεῖν αὐτὴν, κἂν μὴ πράττοιεν, δεικνύουσι μεγίστην περὶ αὐτὴν ἔχοντες δόξαν.","t":"To the same. Nothing is lower than one who loves glory, nothing loftier than one who despises it. For the one, having nothing great of his own to pride himself on, thinks he must be made more brilliant by outward show; while the other, taking pride as from his own spring, needs no outward addition. That is why nothing could be more wretched than the one, and nothing more glorious than the other. [Letter 5.523] To Alexander the presbyter. As much as admiring is better than spitting upon, so much do those who do not even think virtue to be virtue seem to me to differ from those who say it is virtue but do not embrace it. For the former pass sentence against themselves of corrupted judgement and unsound reason; but the latter, by praising it, even if they do not practise it, show that they hold the highest opinion of it.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.522 (PG 78 78:1623; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-522)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.524":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΟὐ θέμις τοῖς διὰ μοχθηρίαν κακηγορουμένοις ἐκεῖνα λέγειν, ἃ τοῖς φθονουμένοις δι᾽ ἀρετὴν, καὶ τοῦτο πάσχουσι, λέγειν θέμις. Ἢ πέπαυσο τοίνυν τοιαῦτα δρῶν, ἢ μὴ παυόμενος, ἐκεῖνα μὴ φράζε, ἃ τοῖς εὐδοκίμοις πρέπει. \"Ατοπον γὰρ τὰ αὐτὰ λέγειν, τῆς ὑποθέσεως, ἀφ᾿ ἧς ἐκατέροις γίγνεται, διαλλαττούσης.","t":"To Maron. Those slandered for their wickedness may not say what those envied for their virtue, and suffering it, may say. Either stop doing such things, then, or, if you do not stop, do not speak words that befit the esteemed. For it is absurd to say the same things when the ground from which it happens to each differs.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.524 (PG 78 78:1623; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-524)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.525":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΜὴ πᾶσι σαυτὸν πίστευε, ὦ φιλότης, τοῖς διδάσκειν περὶ ἀρετῆς ἐπαγγελλομένοις· οὐδὲ γὰρ πάντες ἐφεξῆς ἄξιοι λόγου· ἀλλ' ἐκείνοις, οἷς ὄντως ἡ ἀρετὴ διὰ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐμπρέπει. Νῦν γὰρ ἀξιῶ πείθειν οὐχ ἑνὶ χρῆσθαι διδασκάλῳ, ἀλλὰ μὴ χρῆσθαι πᾶσι τοῖς βουλομένοις.","t":"To Palladius the reader. Do not entrust yourself, dear friend, to all who profess to teach about virtue; for not all of them in turn are worth heeding; but to those in whom virtue truly shines through their deeds. For I now ask you to be persuaded, not to use only one teacher, but not to use all who wish to teach.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.525 (PG 78 78:1623; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-525)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.526":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΩ, ΣΕΡΗΝΩ, ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟΙΣ.\nὩς μὴ ἀνεξομένης τῆς θείας δίκης, εἰ μηδὲ μιαν κροθυμίᾳ βελτιωθησόμεθα, ἀλλὰ πάντως δίκας πραξομένης πικροτέρας τοὺς μηδὲ τῇ ἀνοχῇ εἰς βελτίονα προθυμηθέντας πολιτείαν ἑαυτοὺς μεταῤῥυθμίσαι, οὕτω διακεώμεθα.","t":"To Palladius and Serenus, deacons. Let us be disposed as knowing that divine justice will not bear it if we are not improved even by its patience, but will certainly exact more bitter penalties from those who were not eager even through its forbearance to reshape themselves to a better life.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.526 (PG 78 78:1623; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-526)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.527":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΤῷ λόγῳ μὲν τὴν ἀρετὴν κοσμοῦντι, ἔργῳ δὲ τὴν κακίαν πρεσβεύοντι· καὶ ἐοικότι τοῖς ἐπὶ σκηνῆς παίζουσιν· καὶ λέγοντι μὲν ἃ μὴ γινώσκει, μηδὲ τοῖς ἔργοις βεβαιοῦντι ἃ λόγοις σεμνύνει· παραινῶ τοῦ μὲν ἐπαινεῖν τὴν ἀρετὴν μὴ λήγειν (οὐδὲ γὰρ δίκαιον), ἀλλὰ λήγειν τῆς κακίας, ἵνα κατ' ἄμφω εὐδόκιμος εἴη.","t":"To Heron the bishop. To the man who adorns virtue in word but honours wickedness in deed, who is like those who act on the stage, and says what he does not know and does not confirm by deeds what he extols in words: I urge him not to stop praising virtue (for that is not right), but to stop his wickedness, so that he may be esteemed on both counts.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.527 (PG 78 78:1625; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-527)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.528":{"o":"ΔΟΜΙΤΙΩ ΚΟΜΗΤΙ.\nὍπερ ἐπὶ τῶν γυμνασίων τῶν τὴν ὑγίειαν διατηρούντων Ἰσοκράτης παρήνεσεν « ῎Ἄσκει γυμνασίων μὴ τὰ πρὸς ῥώμην, ἀλλὰ πρὸς ὑγίειαν συμφέροντα. » Τούτου δ' ἂν ἐπιτύχοις, εἰ λήγοις τῶν πόνων ἔτι πονεῖν δυνάμενος. Τοῦτο καὶ ἐπὶ βρώσεως καὶ πόσεως, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἄλλων, ὧν ἄνευ ζῇν οὐκ ἔστιν, εἰ μετενέγκοις, κομιδῇ ὠφεληθήσῃ· χρῶ τοῖς σιτίοις καὶ πότοις, μὴ τοῖς πρὸς ῥώμην, ἀλλὰ τοῖς πρὸς ὑγίειαν βλέπουσι. Τούτου δ' ἂν ἐπιτύχοις, εἰ λήγοις ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων, ἔτι φαγεῖν καὶ πιεῖν δυνάμενος. Εἰ δὲ φαίης · Διατί δὲ μὴ τὰ πρὸς ῥώμην; φαίην, ὅτι μάλιστα μὲν οὐκ ἀθλητῇ, ἀλλὰ φιλολόγῳ παρήνει. Ἔπειθ᾽ ὅτι καὶ κατ' αὐτὸν τὸν ῥήτορα, ῥώμη μετὰ μὲν φρονήσεως ὠφελεῖ, ἄνευ δὲ ταύτης τοὺς ἔχοντας βλάπτει. Καὶ τὰ μὲν σώματα τῶν ἀσκούντων κοσμεῖν δοκεῖ, ταῖς δὲ τῆς ψυχῆς ἐπιμελείαις ἐπισκοτεῖ Εἰ δὲ νομίζεις, τὸν σοφιστὴν ἰατρικῆς ὄντα ἄπειρον, καὶ τὸ ἀκριβὲς μὴ ἐπιστάμενον, ἀλλοτρίᾳ τέχνῃ οὐ δεόντως ἐναβρύνεσθαι\" - ἴσθι, ὅτι καὶ Ἱπποκράτης ὁ Κῷος, ᾧ πάντες εἴκουσιν, ἔφη « Τὴν ὑγίειαν διατηρεῖσθαι τῇ ἀκορίῃ. » Διὸ καὶ ἡ ἔνδεια μήτηρ ὑγιείας εἰκότως εἴρηται. Σοφὼ δὲ ἄνδρε εἰπάτην ὁ μὲν, « Μηδὲν ἄγαν, ὁ δὲ, « Μέτρον ἄριστον. • Εἰ τοίνυν καὶ ἐπὶ τροφῶν, καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν γυμνασίων τὸ παρὰ μικρὸν οὐκ ἔστι μικρὸν, (εἰς ὑγίειαν γὰρ βλέπει)· φυλάξωμεν, μήποτε τῷ κόρῳ τὴν ὑγίειαν ἐξορίσωμεν.","t":"To Domitius the count. What Isocrates advised about the exercises that preserve health, \"Practise those exercises that are conducive not to strength but to health; and you would achieve this if you stop labouring while still able to labour,\" if you transfer this to eating and drinking and the other things without which one cannot live, you will greatly benefit. Use foods and drinks that look not to strength but to health; and you would achieve this if you stop eating and drinking while still able to eat and drink. And if you say, \"Why not those for strength?\", I would say, first, that he was advising not an athlete but a lover of letters; and then that, according to the orator himself, strength with prudence benefits, but without it harms its possessors; and while it seems to adorn the bodies of those who practise it, it overshadows the care of the soul. And if you think that the sophist, having no experience of medicine and not knowing its exactness, prides himself improperly on another's art, know that Hippocrates of Cos, to whom all yield, also said: \"Health is preserved by not eating to satiety.\" That is why want is rightly called the mother of health. And two wise men said, the one, \"Nothing in excess,\" the other, \"Measure is best.\" If, then, in foods and exercises the \"little more or less\" is not little (for it looks to health), let us take care never to banish health by satiety.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.528 (PG 78 78:1625; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-528)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.529":{"o":"ΥΠΑΤΙΟ.\nΚἀνταῦθα, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἐπειδὴ τοῖς μέλλουσι διαπιστεῖς, ἡ ἀρετὴ λαμπροτέρους ἀποφαίνει τοὺς ἑαυτῆς ἐραστὰς, εἴτε εὐημερίᾳ, εἴτε δυσημερίᾳ χορεύσειαν. Εὖ πράττοντας γὰρ λαμπροτέρους, καὶ δυσκολίας συμβάσης οὐκ ἀφίησι καταπεσεῖν εἰς ἀγεννῆ δυσθυμίαν, τοῖς μὲν κόσμος, τοῖς δὲ ὅρμος γιγνομένη.","t":"To Hypatius. Even here, my good man, since you disbelieve the things to come, virtue makes its lovers more brilliant, whether they dance in prosperity or in adversity. For when they do well it makes them more brilliant, and when difficulty arises it does not let them fall into ignoble despondency, becoming an ornament to the one and a harbour to the other.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.529 (PG 78 78:1627; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-529)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.53":{"o":"ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΕΥ-\nΣΤΑΘΙΩ. Μονῳδίαν τις τῶν λίαν πεπαιδευμένων, καὶ εἰς ἄκραν ἀρετὴν ἀναβεβηκότων, πεποίηκεν εἰς ὑμᾶς. Ἔστι δὲ ἡ μονῳδία (οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι καὶ τοῦτο ἀγνοεῖτε), θρῆνος μονοειδής, μήτε προσωποποιίαν, μήτε ἠθοποιίαν ἔχων. Καὶ τὸ μεῖζον, οἱ μὲν ἄλλοι τοὺς ἐκπεπτωκότας φιλοσοφίας θρηνοῦσιν Οὗτος δὲ ὡς ἀλιτηρίους, καὶ μηδεπώποτε γευσαμένους αὐτῆς τεθρήνηκε. Πᾶν μὲν εἶδος ἁμαρτημάτων ῥητῶν τε καὶ ἀῤῥήτων ὑμᾶς διαπραττομένους εἰσαγαγών, τῶν δὲ τῆς ἀρετῆς μερῶν μηδὲ εἰς ἔννοιάν ποτε ἐληλυθέναι ἰσχυρισάμενος. Ὁ δὲ μέγιστον φάναι, τοῦτο οὐ πρὶν παύσομαι · ὅτι ἕκαστος τῶν ἐντυγχανόντων τῇ μονῳδίᾳ, ὑμᾶς μὲν ὡς ἀργαλέα θηρία, καὶ δαίμονας ἀλάστορας, καὶ τῆς κοινῆς φύσεως ἐχθροὺς ἀποστρέφεται · ἐκεῖνον δὲ μέμφεται, ἐπιχειρήσαντα μὲν, μὴ δυνηθέντα δὲ ἐφικέσθαι τῆς ἀκριβείας. Οὕτω καὶ λόγου παντὸς καὶ συγγράμματος μείζων ἡ κακία ἡ ὑμετέρα πᾶσιν εἶναι δοκεῖ. Ἕκαστος γὰρ τὸ ἐκείνῳ παραλειφθὲν ὑμῶν ἁμάρτημα ἐκκωμῳδῶν, ἐκεῖνον μὲν ἡττῆσθαι νομίζει, πρὸς τὴν ὑμῶν κακίαν ἁμιλληθῆναι τῷ λόγῳ τολμήσαντα. Τὰ γὰρ ἁμαρτήματα ὑμῶν οὐχὶ συγγνώμης μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τιμωρίας ἡγεῖται εἶναι μείζονα. Ὑμᾶς δὲ κακίζει ὅτι οὔτε παραδείγμασιν ἐκβιασθέντες, οὐθ᾽ ἕξοντες τοὺς μιμησομένους εἰς τοιαύτην ἠλάσατε κακίαν, ἧς οὐδεὶς τῶν ἄγαν πεπαιδευμένων ἐφικέσθαι τῷ λόγῳ δυνήσεται. Αλλ' ὡς πράξαντες ὅσα μηδεὶς τῶν πώποτε ἐπὶ παρανομίαις βεβοημένων, κἂν ὀψεποτε, γνωσιμαχήσατε.","t":"To Martinianus, Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius. One of those who are highly educated and have climbed to the summit of virtue has composed a monody on you. A monody (for I know you do not know this either) is a lament of a single kind, having neither impersonation nor character-drawing. And what is more, others lament those who have fallen away from philosophy, but he has lamented you as accursed men who have never even tasted it, presenting you as committing every kind of sin, both speakable and unspeakable, and asserting that not one of the parts of virtue has ever entered your minds. And, to say the greatest thing (I shall not stop before I say it), each person who reads the monody turns away from you as from grievous beasts, avenging demons and enemies of our common nature, but blames him, because he attempted but could not attain exactness. So greater than every word and writing does your wickedness seem to all. For each one, ridiculing some sin of yours that he left out, thinks that he was defeated in daring to compete in words with your wickedness. For he considers your sins too great not only for pardon but even for punishment. And he reproaches you because, neither compelled by examples nor likely to have imitators, you have driven into such wickedness as none of the most learned will be able to reach in words. But as men who have done what none of those ever notorious for lawlessness did, acknowledge it, even if late.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.53 (PG 78 78:1357; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-53)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.530":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠάντες, ὡς ἔπος εἰπεῖν, ἄνθρωποι ἐκ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτοὺς καὶ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων τὰς ψήφους ἐκφέρουσιν. Ο γοῦν δίκαιος δικαίους εἶναι πιστεύει πολλοὺς, καὶ ὁ σώφρων σώφρονας, καὶ ὁ λῃστὴς λῃστάς· καὶ ὁ ἀνδροφόνος ἀνδροφόνους. Μὴ τοίνυν θαύμαζε, εἰ καὶ Ζώσιμος, ὁ πάντας τοὺς ἐπὶ παρανομίαις βεβοημένους ἀποκρύψας, ἐκ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτὸν πάντας πονηροὺς εἶναι ψηφίζεται.","t":"To Athanasius the presbyter. Almost all people pass verdicts on others from their own case. The just man believes many are just, the temperate man that many are temperate, the robber that they are robbers, and the murderer murderers. So do not wonder if Zosimus, who has outdone all who are notorious for lawlessness, judges all to be wicked from his own case.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.530 (PG 78 78:1627; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-530)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.531":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ.\nΕἰ καὶ ἀνηκέστῳ σοι μανίᾳ κεχειρωμένῳ μαίνεσθαί σοι δοκοῦσιν οἱ σωφρονοῦντες, καὶ παραπαίειν οἱ νουθετοῦντες· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ ὀλίγον ἀνενέγκοις, παλινῳδίαν ἄσεις, καὶ τὴν ἐναντίαν ψῆφον οἴσεις.","t":"To Zosimus. Even if, overcome by incurable madness, you think that the temperate are mad and those who admonish you are deranged, if you come to your senses a little, you will sing a recantation and cast the opposite vote.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.531 (PG 78 78:1627; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-531)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.532":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ προπιών σοι τὴν ἱερωσύνην, ὁ μὲν ὑπὸ φιλαρχίας, ὁ δὲ ὑπὸ φιλαργυρίας μεθύων, ὁ μὲν ἐπώλησεν, ὁ δὲ ἠγόρασε τοὔνομα· οὐ γὰρ ἂν φαίην τὸ πρᾶγμα · ἀλλὰ δὸς σαυτὸν ταῖς ἱεραῖς Γραφαῖς, καί σε ποιήσουσιν ἱερέα. Ἐὰν γὰρ τοῖς νόμοις αὐτῶν πεισθείης, ὅπερ οὐ δεόντως ἐδέξω, δεόντως μεταχειρίσῃ.","t":"To the same. Even if the one who squandered the priesthood on you, both of you drunk, the one with love of office, the other with love of money, sold and bought the name (for I would not say the reality), still, give yourself to the sacred Scriptures, and they will make you a priest. For if you obey their laws, you will handle rightly what you did not rightly receive.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.532 (PG 78 78:1627; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-532)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.533":{"o":"ΑΜΜΟΝΙΟ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nΛέληθας τούτων ἕνεκα δυσχεραίνων, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἥδεσθαι προσῆκον ἦν. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ῥάθυμον, ἅπονον· καὶ οὐ μόνον ἀστεφάνωτον, ἀλλὰ καὶ κολάσεως πνεῖ. Τὸ δὲ μετὰ πόνων καὶ ἰδρώτων βιοῦν, ἀναῤῥήσεων καὶ στεφάνων αἴτιον. Τίσιν οὖν ἀσμένως καταριθμῇ; τοῖς τρυφῶσι μὲν ἐνταῦθα, κολασθησομένοις δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα · ἢ τοῖς ἀθλοῦσι μὲν τῇδε, ἐκεῖσε δὲ στεφθησομένοις; Ἐγὼ μὲν οἶμαι τούτους. Εἰ δὲ καὶ αὐτὸς τούτους ζηλοῖς, μὴ φεῦγε τοὺς πόνους, ἀλλὰ τὴν εὔκλειαν δίωκε.","t":"To Ammonius the reader. You are vexed, without realizing it, at things in which you ought to rejoice. For indolence is free of labour, and not only uncrowned but also breathes of punishment; but living with labours and sweat is a cause of proclamations and crowns. Among whom, then, would you gladly be counted: those who live in luxury here and will be punished afterwards, or those who contend here and will be crowned there? I think the latter. And if you too emulate them, do not flee labours, but pursue glory.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.533 (PG 78 78:1627; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-533)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.534":{"o":"ΔΙΔΥΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΜὴ μέμφου τοὺς τὸ ἀμείλικτον ἐκεῖνο θηρίον προτροπάδην φεύγοντας, τὸ ἐν τοῖς ἐλεεινοῖς ὠμότατον, ἐν δὲ τοῖς αἰσχίστοις ἀναιδέστατον, τὸ ἐχθροὺς ἡγούμενον τοὺς μήτε κατὰ γνώμην βλάπτοντας τοὺς πέλας, μήτε ἐξ ἐπιτάγματος.","t":"To Didymus the presbyter. Do not blame those who flee headlong from that implacable beast, most cruel toward the pitiable and most shameless in the most shameful things, who considers as enemies those who harm their neighbours neither by intent nor by command.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.534 (PG 78 78:1627; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-534)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.535":{"o":"ΟΥΑΛΕΝΤΙ.\nΤους παρ' ἀξίαν τυχόντας ἱερατικῆς τιμῆς ὑπακούειν ἀνάγκη τοῖς οὐ δεόντως δεδωκόσι, κἂν εἰς αὐτὸ τὸ θεῖον τὰ δρώμενα βλέπει · διὸ καὶ ἀλλήλοις τὴν ἄδικον ταύτην ἀντίδοσιν παρέχοντες, δύναμιν οὐ μικρὰν εἰς τὸ κατὰ τῶν εὖ βιούντων ὁπλίζεσθαι προσλαμβάνουσιν. Εἰ δὲ τις ἢ τούτους, ἢ ἐκείνους αἰτιάσοιτο, παρακινῶσι τοῖς δρωμένοις καὶ εἰρωνείαν, ὁ τῶν δρωμένων ἀλγεινότερον, τῷ συγχωρεῖν γίγνεσθαι, ταῦτα βούλεσθαι τὸ Θεῖον καταψευδόμενοι.","t":"To Valens. Those who have obtained priestly honour undeservedly must obey those who gave it improperly, even if what is done affects God himself; and so, offering one another this unjust exchange, they gain no small power to arm themselves against those who live well. And if anyone blames either the one or the other, they add to their deeds a mockery more painful than the deeds themselves, falsely claiming that God wills these things because he permits them to happen.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.535 (PG 78 78:1629; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-535)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.536":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΜισός σοι ἀνεφύη παρὰ πᾶσι διὰ τὴν ἀσέβειαν, τὴν Ζωσίμῳ φίλῳ τῷ σῷ τετολμημένην. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἀφειδέστεροί φασι, μὴ ἄμοιρόν σε εἶναι τῆς δραματουργίας· οἱ δὲ ἐπιεικέστεροι, ἄμοιρον μὲν εἶναι, δυνάμενον δὲ κωλῦσαι, μὴ βεβουλῆσθαι· διὸ καὶ δίκαιος ἂν εἴης παρὰ πάντων ταῖς κατηγορίαις βάλλεσθαι. Οἱ δὲ βεβουλῆσθαι μὲν, μὴ δεδυνῆσθαι δέ. ᾿Αλλ' οὐδὲ οὗτοι τὴν ἀφιεῖσαν περὶ σοῦ φέρουσι ψῆφον, ἀλλὰ φράζουσιν· εἰ καὶ μὴ κεκοινώνηκε τοῦ σκέμματος, ὅτι τοιούτου ἀνδρὸς φίλος γεγένηται, μεμόλυται. Αὐτὸς οὖν δίκαιος εἶ βουλεύσασθαι, ὅπως ταύτην ἀποτρίψαιο τὴν ἀδοξίαν.","t":"To Athanasius the presbyter. Hatred against you has sprung up among all because of the impiety dared by your friend Zosimus. The less sparing say you are not without a share in the play; the more fair-minded, that you had no share, but though able to prevent it did not wish to, and so you would rightly be pelted with accusations by all; others, that you wished to but could not. But not even these cast an acquitting vote about you; they say that even if he did not share in the plan, he has been defiled by having become the friend of such a man. You yourself, then, would do right to consider how to rub off this disrepute.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.536 (PG 78 78:1629; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-536)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.537":{"o":"ΕΥΔΑΙΜΟΝΙ ΦΙΛΙΠΠΟΥ.\nἘπειδὴ οὐκ ἐξ ἴσου τῶν διδασκάλων τὴν ἀκρόασιν ποιούμεθα, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μὲν ἐπὶ τὰ βιωτικὰ παρακαλοῦσι προσέχομεν τὸν νοῦν· τῶν δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν οὐράνιον φιλοσοφίαν καλούντων οὐδὲ τὴν φωνὴν ἀνεχόμεθα· διὰ τοῦτο τὰ μὲν ἔργα, τὰ δὲ ἡγούμεθα πάρεργα.","t":"To Eudaemon, son of Philip. Since we do not give equal hearing to teachers, but attend to those who urge us to worldly things while we cannot bear even the voice of those who call us to heavenly philosophy, for this reason we consider the one our real work and the other a side-task.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.537 (PG 78 78:1629; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-537)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.538":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΧρὴ κὰν τῷ λέγειν, κὰν τῷ γράφειν τιμᾶν τὸ μέτριον· καὶ μὴ ἔξω τῶν καιρῶν φέρεσθαι, εἰ μή γε ἡ τῶν ἀκροατῶν βραδυτὴς ἀναγκάσειεν ἄκοντα τὸν λέγοντα, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸ μακρηγορεῖν ἐκβιάζοιτο.","t":"To Heron the presbyter. In speaking and in writing one must honour moderation and not go beyond what the occasion requires, unless the slowness of the hearers compels the speaker against his will and forces him to speak at length.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.538 (PG 78 78:1629; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-538)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.539":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ ΚΑΙ ΧΑΙΡΗΜΟΝΙ.\nΕἰ καὶ μέγιστα καὶ συγγνώμης μείζονα ἐπλημμελήσατε, ἀλλά γε συγγνώμης ταῦτα ἀξιώσει ὁ Κριτὴς, εἴγε εἰλικρινεῖ μετανοίᾳ θεραπευθείη.","t":"To Zosimus, Maron and Chaeremon. Even if you have sinned most greatly and beyond pardon, the Judge will still think these sins worthy of pardon, if they are healed by sincere repentance.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.539 (PG 78 78:1629; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-539)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.54":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἘνίας τῶν κατηγοριῶν εἴωθεν ἀπίστους ποιεῖν ὁ τῶν ἐγκαλουμένων βίος. Πολλάκις γοῦν ἀνὴρ ἀγαθὸς ὁραθεὶς μόνον, καὶ μὴ ἀπολογησάμενος, οὐ μόνον πᾶσαν ἀπετρίψατο κατηγορίαν τε καὶ κακηγορίαν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπαίνοις στεφθεὶς ἀπῆλθεν. Εἰ τοίνυν βούλει τοὺς ἐχθροὺς τοὺς σαυτοῦ δίκας ἀπαιτῆσαι, ἀρετὴν ἄσκει. Τὰ γάρ σοι παρὰ πάντων ὑφαινόμενα ἐγκώμια, ἐκείνοις τιμωρίας ἁπάσης ἐστὶ βαρύτερά τε καὶ πικρότερα. Εἰ μέν τινες τῶν ὑπὸ σοῦ ἡνιοχουμένων, λύσσης τε καὶ ἀφροῦ μεστοὶ τυγχάνοντες, ἀγέρωχόν τι καὶ παρὰ τὴν ἡνίαν πράττοιεν, ἀνασείραζε τούτους καὶ ἐπιστόμιζε, ἵνα μὴ κατὰ κρημνῶν ἐνεχθεῖεν. Εἰ δὲ χρημάτων αἴσθοιο ἐραστὰς, ἀεὶ λέγε· Τίς ἡ καινὴ καὶ παράλογος τῆς φιλοχρηματίας μανία, ἢ τὸ προστιθέμενον ὕλη καὶ ὑπέκκαυμα τῆς τοῦ πλείονος ὀρέξεως γίγνεται; Πάντοτε γὰρ δεχομένη, οὐδέποτε πληροῦται· οἷον δὲ τις πολυκέφαλος ὕδρα μυρίοις στόμασι τὴν τροφὴν τῇ γαστρὶ τῇ ἀκορέστῳ παραπέμπουσα, τοσοῦτον αὐτῆς ὀρέγεται πλέον, ἢ ὅσον οὐδὲν εἰ παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐδέξατο. Τίς οὖν ταύτης εὖ φρονῶν ἔλοιτο εἶναι ἐραστὴς, τῆς κὰνταῦθα τῷ μὴ κορέννυσθαι κολαζούσης τὸν ἁλόντα, κἀκεῖσε εἰς τὸ ἄσβεστον πῦρ παραπεμπούσης;","t":"To Heron the deacon. The life of the accused usually makes some accusations incredible. Often, indeed, a good man, merely by being seen, without making any defence, has not only wiped off every accusation and slander but has even gone away crowned with praises. If, then, you want your enemies to pay the penalty, practise virtue. For the praises woven for you by everyone are heavier and more bitter to them than any punishment. [Letter 5.55] If some of those you drive as a charioteer, full of madness and foam, do something wild and against the rein, pull them back and curb them, so that they are not carried over the cliffs. But if you perceive that they are lovers of money, always say: What is this new and irrational madness of avarice, in which what is added becomes fuel and kindling for the desire for more? For always receiving, it is never filled; like some many-headed hydra sending food with countless mouths to an insatiable belly, it craves so much more of it, as if it had received nothing at the beginning. Who, then, in his right mind would choose to be a lover of this thing, which here punishes its captive by never being satisfied, and there sends him to the unquenchable fire?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.54 (PG 78 78:1359; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-54)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.540":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ\nΟἱ πρὸ τῶν κινδύνων τῷ φόβῳ δεδουλωμένοι, καὶ μὴ ἐνεγκεῖν τὴν προσδοκίαν δυνηθέντες, πρὸ τῶν πραγμάτων τοῦ καιροῦ τὴν μεταβολὴν θεραπεύσαντες, πῶς οὐκ ἔμελλον αὐτοῖς τοῖς δεινοῖς ἐμβεβηκότες ἄνανδροι ὀφθήσεσθαι; Οὐκοῦν εἰ παρόντες οὐδὲν ἂν ὤνησαν τοὺς συναγωνιστὰς, ἀπόντες τὰ μέγιστα ὠφέλησαν, καὶ τὴν λύπην τὴν ἐκ τῆς προδοσίας ἠμαύρωσαν.","t":"To Hierax the presbyter. Those who were enslaved by fear before the dangers and could not bear the expectation, who courted the change of the times before the events, how would they not have been seen to be cowards once they entered the terrible things themselves? So, if when present they would have helped their fellow combatants not at all, by being absent they helped them greatly, and dimmed the grief of the betrayal.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.540 (PG 78 78:1629; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-540)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.541":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ μὲν τὸ μὴ δοκεῖν φιλοσοφεῖν, ὡς φὴς, φιλοσοφίαν ἀρίστην εἶναι νενόμικας, εὖ ἂν ἔχοι· εἰ δὲ ἀρχὴν ῥαθυμίας, καὶ μεταβολὴν πολιτείας φαντασθεὶς, τοῦτο κατεκομψεύσω, κακίστῃ γνώμῃ ἐχρήσω. Χρή μὲν γὰρ ὀρθῶς, καὶ μὴ πρὸς ἐπίδειξιν βιοῦν. Εἰ δὲ τις ἀλοὺς ῥαθυμίᾳ, αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐρυθριῶν εἰπεῖν, ἀπὸ τοῦ μὴ δόξαι φιλοσοφεῖν ἀρξάμενος, εἰς τὸ μηδόλως φιλοσοφεῖν τελευτήσειεν, ἀμείνονα ἐπιδείξειε τὸν αὐτὸ τοῦτο σπουδάσαντα ἐπιδεῖξαι, ὅτι φιλοσοφεῖν προήρηται.","t":"To Athanasius the presbyter. If, as you say, you have thought that not seeming to practise philosophy is the best philosophy, it would be well. But if, imagining the beginning of indolence and a change of life, you dressed this up cleverly, you have used a very bad judgement. For one must live rightly and not for display. But if someone caught by indolence, ashamed to say so, begins from not seeming to practise philosophy and ends in not practising it at all, he would show the man who was eager to display that he had chosen philosophy to be better.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.541 (PG 78 78:1631; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-541)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.542":{"o":"ΔΑΝΙΗΛ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟὐ χρὴ λυμαίνεσθαι τὰς χάριτας τῷ ἐν ἀδίκοις πράγμασιν ἀνταποδιδόναι τὰς ἀμοιβάς. Ὁ γὰρ δικαίως μὲν βοηθηθεὶς, ἐν ἀδίκοις δὲ πράγμασι τῷ βοηθήσαντι ἐπαμύνων, οὐ δικαίως δικαίαν χάριν διαφθείρει. Καί μοι δοκεῖ ὁ μὴ οὕτω ἀμειψάμενος εὐγνώμων εἶναι. Ὁ γὰρ δικαίας ἐπικουρίας τυχών, δικαίως καὶ τὴν ἀμοιβὴν ἀποδοῦναι ὀφείλει, ἵνα σωθείη τῆς χάριτος ἡ προσηγορία. Ἀλλὰ μηδὲ οἱ ἐν οἷς θέμις εὐεργετήσαντες, ἐν οἷς μὴ θέμις ἀπαιτείτωσαν τὰς ἀμοιβὰς, μηδὲ ἀχαρίστους καλείτωσαν τοὺς ἐν οἷς μὴ ἔξεστι μὴ ἀμειψαμένους.","t":"To Daniel the presbyter. One must not ruin favours by repaying them in unjust matters. For the one who was justly helped but defends his helper in unjust matters unjustly destroys a just favour. And I think the one who does not repay in this way is grateful. For the one who received just help ought to make the return justly too, so that the name of favour may be preserved. But neither should those who have done kindness where it was right demand repayment where it is not right, nor call ungrateful those who do not repay where it is not permitted.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.542 (PG 78 78:1631; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-542)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.543":{"o":". ΠΕΤΡΩ ΠΟΛΙΤΕΥΟΜΕΝΩ.\nἘπέμφθης ἀνύσων οὐ προξενήσων τοῖς πέμψασι πράγματα· πρεσβεύσων, οὐ παραπρεσβεύσων· κατορθώσων, οὐ καταστρέψων. ἵνα οὖν μὴ παραπρεσβείας ὑποσταίης γραφὴν, ἧκε τὴν ταχίστην ἀπολογησόμενος, καὶ τὴν ἀδοξίαν ἀποτριψόμενος","t":"To Peter the curial. You were sent to accomplish, not to cause trouble for those who sent you; to act as envoy, not to betray the embassy; to set things right, not to overturn them. So, so that you may not be indicted for misconduct in the embassy, come as quickly as possible to make your defence and rub off the disrepute.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.543 (PG 78 78:1631; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-543)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.544":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nΜεγίστη, ὦ φίλος, ἱστορίας καὶ θεωρίας ἀρετή τε καὶ διάρθρωσις αἰτιολογία, καὶ τὸ τὰς ὑποθέσεις τοῖς ἀγνοοῦσιν ἀπογυμνοῦν. Εἰ δὲ ταύτης χηρεύσειε τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ τῆς ἀποδείξεως ἔρημος εἴη.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. The greatest virtue and articulation, friend, of history and of exposition is the giving of reasons and laying bare the subjects to those who do not know them. And if it lacks this virtue, it is also bereft of demonstration.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.544 (PG 78 78:1631; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-544)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.545":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΜὴ παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ, ἀλλὰ παρ᾿ αὐτῆς τῆς φύσεως τοῦ πράγματος μάνθανε, ὅτι κἂν μυρίους χρημάτων πόρους ἐπινοήσῃς, κόρον οὐχ εὑρήσεις · τοῖς μὲν γὰρ πόροις ὁ κόρος ἀκατάλλακτός ἐστι, τῇ δὲ αὐταρκείᾳ καὶ ὀλιγοδείᾳ, καὶ σπένδεται, καὶ συγχορεύει, καὶ συνοικεί. Πέπαυσο τοίνυν ἀκίχητα διώκων. Διωκόμενος γὰρ οὐ καταλαμβάνεται, μὴ διωκόμενος δὲ αὐτεπάγγελτος ἐπιφοιτᾷ, οὐ μόνον ἀνάπαυσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εὐφροσύνην ὠδίνων. Θαυμάζω, πῶς \"Ομηρος μὲν καὶ Πίνδαρος ἀξιοῦσιν ἀλκίμους εἶναι τοὺς οὐ μέλλοντας λήσειν, εἴποτε ἐγένοντο. Θουκυδίδης δὲ σαφῶς ἱκετεύει, μὴ φεύγειν τοὺς πόνους, ἢ μηδὲ τὰς τιμὰς διώκειν· Σοφοκλῆς δὲ φάσκει· Πόνου τοι χωρὶς οὐδὲν εὐτυχεῖ διὰ πόνων τὴν τοῦ βίου ἀείμνηστον δόξαν ὠνεῖσθαι τοὺς πειθομένους διδάσκοντες. Οἱ δὲ δόξης ἀμαράντου τυχεῖν γλιχόμενοι, καὶ βασιλείας οὐρανῶν ὀρεγόμενοι, οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως νομίζουσι διὰ ῥᾳστώνης φιλεῖν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις τὰ χρηστὰ παραγίνεσθαι.","t":"To Maron. Learn not from me but from the very nature of the thing that, even if you devise countless sources of money, you will not find satiety. For satiety is irreconcilable with sources of income, but with sufficiency and frugality it makes peace, dances together and dwells together. So stop pursuing what cannot be caught. For when pursued it is not caught, but when not pursued it comes of its own accord, bringing forth not only rest but also gladness. [Letter 5.546] I wonder how Homer and Pindar think fit that those should be brave who will not be forgotten once they have lived; and Thucydides plainly beseeches either not to flee labours or not to pursue honours either; and Sophocles says, \"Without labour, nothing prospers,\" teaching those who believe them to buy the ever-memorable glory of life through labours; while those who long to obtain unfading glory and reach for the kingdom of heaven somehow think that good things usually come to people through ease.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.545 (PG 78 78:1631; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-545)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.547":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΟ.\nἘπειδὴ οὐχ ὁ λέγων τοσοῦτον, εἰ καὶ πᾶσαν κινήσῃ δεινότητα καὶ τέχνην ῥητορικὴν, τεκταίνει τὴν πειθὼ, ὅσον ὁ ἀκούων· οὐ θέμις τὸν λέγοντα μὲν τὰ ἄριστα, μὴ πείθοντα δὲ, ψέγειν · ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνον τὸν τοῖς κρατίστοις πεισθῆναι μὴ ἐθελήσαντα.","t":"To the same. Since it is not so much the speaker, even if he sets in motion every skill and rhetorical art, who builds persuasion, as the hearer, it is not right to blame the one who says the best things but does not persuade, but the one who would not be persuaded by the best things.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.547 (PG 78 78:1633; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-547)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.548":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nὭσπερ ἀκρόπολις ἀπορθήτοις τείχεσι πεπυργωμένη, καταγελᾷ τῶν πολιορκούντων αὐτὴν, οὕτω καὶ ψυχὴ εἰ πάσαις ταῖς ἀρεταῖς ἑαυτὴν περιφράξειε, καὶ τῇ θείᾳ συμμαχίᾳ πυργώσειεν, εἰς αἰσχύνην καὶ γέλωτα παρασκευάζει τελευτῆσαι τοῖς πολιορκοῦσιν αὐτὴν τὰ μηχανήματα.","t":"To the same. Just as a citadel fortified with impregnable walls laughs at its besiegers, so too a soul that has fenced itself with all the virtues and fortified itself with divine alliance makes the siege-engines of those besieging it end in shame and laughter.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.548 (PG 78 78:1633; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-548)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.549":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ.\nΜὴ ἡ θεία μακροθυμία ἐπιτριβέτω σε εἰς κακίαν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς ἀρετὴν παρακαλείτω. Ατοπώτατον γὰρ τὸ διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν βλάπτεσθαι· ἀγαθὸν δὲ ἡ μακροθυμία ἔλεον μὲν τοῖς μετανοοῦσι, κρίσιν δὲ τοῖς ἀμετανοήτοις ὠδίνουσα.","t":"To Isaiah. Do not let divine patience wear you down into wickedness, but let it call you to virtue. For it is most absurd to be harmed by good things; and patience is a good thing, bringing forth mercy for those who repent and judgment for the unrepentant.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.549 (PG 78 78:1633; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-549)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.550":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΠυνθάνομαι, ὅτι τὸ νόσημα τῆς σῆς ψυχῆς ἀπὸ μικρῶν καὶ φαύλων ὁρμηθέν κατὰ τῶν καιρίων ἐχώρησεν, ἰατρικῆς τέχνης κρείττον γενόμενον. Εἰ τοίνυν ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, ἐπίτρεψον ἑαυτὸν τῇ ἐπιστημονικῇ καὶ θείᾳ χειρί· ᾗ οὔτε νόσημα, οὔτε χρόνος, οὔτε φύσις ἐστὶν ἀντίπαλος, καὶ ῥᾳδίως εἰς ὑγίειαν ἀναστοιχειωθήσῃ.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. I learn that the disease of your soul, starting from small and trivial things, has advanced against the vital parts, becoming stronger than the art of medicine. If this is so, entrust yourself to the skilled and divine hand, to which neither disease nor time nor nature is a match, and you will easily be restored to health.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.550 (PG 78 78:1633; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-550)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.551":{"o":"ΘΕΟΦΑΝΙΩ.\nΤοῦ παραυτίκα δεινοῦ τὸν λογισμὸν θᾶττον, ὦ φίλε, ἀπαγαγὼν, ὅλος γενοῦ τῆς μελλούσης ἐλπίδος · ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς, ὅτε ἡ φήμη τὸ δεινὸν ἐπήγγειλεν οὐ μικρῶς λυπηθέντες, ἀνενεγκεῖν ἑαυτοὺς πεπείκαμεν. ΗΛΙΑ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Εἰ καὶ μηδεμία σοι πρόσεστιν ὁμολογία, ἐμοὶ πρέπει συγγνώμην νεῖμαι τῷ, δι᾽ ὧν αἰσχύνεται ἀπολογήσασθαι, πεπλημμεληκέναι ὁμολογοῦντι. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀπόνοιάν σοι τικτέτω τὸ, ἐμὲ μὴ ἀναμεμενηκέναι τὴν σὴν ἀπολογίαν, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον εἰς ἀγάπην χειραγωγείτω. Ὅτι τοσαύτη μοι πρὸς εἰρήνην βλέπουσα πρόσεστι ῥοπὴ, ὡς καὶ τοῖς ἐρυθριῶσιν ἀπολογήσασθαι συγγνώμην νέμειν.","t":"To Theophanius. Quickly lead your reasoning away from the present calamity, friend, and give yourself wholly to the hope to come; since we too, when the report announced the calamity, were greatly grieved but persuaded ourselves to recover. [Letter 5.552] To Elias the deacon. Even if you have made no confession, it befits me to grant pardon to one who, by the very fact that he is ashamed to apologize, confesses that he has erred. So do not let my not having waited for your apology breed arrogance in you, but let it rather lead you by the hand to love; for I have such an inclination toward peace that I grant pardon even to those who blush to apologize.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.551 (PG 78 78:1633; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-551)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.553":{"o":"ΑΛΥΠΙΩ.\nἘγὼ τῆς γνώμης πρὸ τῆς γλώττης ἀξιῶ πεπαιδεῦσθαι τοὺς ἐμοὶ πλησιάζοντας· εἰ δὲ καὶ ἄμφω ἔχοιεν, καὶ λυπεῖ τινας, τἀληθὲς μετὰ παῤῥησίας λελέξεται. Ὥσπερ ἀγάλματα περιέπω, καὶ πᾶσιν ἐπιδείκνυμι μέγα φρονῶν ἐπὶ τῷ τοιούτους ἔχειν φίλους.","t":"To Alypius. I think those close to me should have been educated in mind before tongue; and if they have both (even if it grieves some, the truth will be spoken with frankness), I cherish them like statues and show them to all, taking pride in having such friends.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.553 (PG 78 78:1635; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-553)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.554":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΟ.\nΟἱ μὲν τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων κρίσιν ἔχοντες ὀρθὴν, ὑπὸ ῥαθυμίας δὲ καταπαλαιόμενοι, ἴσως καὶ ἀναμαχέσονται, καὶ στήσουσι κατ᾿ αὐτῆς τρόπαια· οἱ δὲ μηδ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο εἰδότες, ὅτι ἡττῶνται, πότε νίκης ἀντιποιήσονται ;","t":"To Peter the scholasticus. Those who have a right judgement of things but are overthrown by indolence will perhaps fight back and set up trophies against it; but those who do not even know that they are defeated, when will they lay claim to victory?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.554 (PG 78 78:1635; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-554)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.555":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ ΑΝΑΓΝΩΣΤΗ.\nἘπειδὴ δεινὸν μὲν καὶ ἀμήχανον τῆς ψυχῆς ἐστι κάλλος, ὅταν τῇ συμμετρίᾳ τῶν ἀρετῶν λαμπρύνηται· ἀργαλέον δὲ καὶ θηριόμορφον γίγνεται αὐτῆς τὸ εἶδος, ὅταν τὸ τῆς κακίας αἶσχος ἀπομάττηται· σπουδάσωμεν ἐκεῖνο μὲν κτήσασθαι, τοῦτο δὲ ἀποτρίψασθαι.","t":"To Peter the reader. Since the beauty of the soul is terrific and overwhelming when it shines with the proportion of the virtues, while its form becomes grievous and beastlike when it takes the impress of the ugliness of wickedness, let us be eager to acquire the one and rub off the other.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.555 (PG 78 78:1635; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-555)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.556":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ.\nΟἶδα μὲν, ὅτι τινὲς μὲν τὸ ταχέως, τινὲς δὲ τὸ βραδέως θεραπεύεσθαι ἐπὶ ταῖς ὕβρεσι, σύμβολον ποιοῦνται τοῦ μηδὲν ἑαυτοῖς συνειδέναι τῶν εἰρημένων. Ὅπως γὰρ ἂν ἕκαστοι διακέωνται, τοῦτ᾽ οἷονται χρῆναι ποιεῖν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἀνδρειότεροι καὶ γενναιότεροι τὸ ταχέως ἐνδιδόναι τεκμήριον ποιοῦνται ἀρετῆς, οὐ τὰ πράγματα σκοποῦντες, ἀλλὰ τὰς οἱκείας προλήψεις κυροῦντες. Εἰ δὲ ἔροιο, Τί χρὴ ποιεῖν; φαίην, ὅτι ἐπειδὴ παντὶ τρόπῳ χρὴ θεραπεύεσθαι, ἅμεινον μὲν ταχέως · εἰ δὲ μὴ κἂν βραδέως · τὸ γὰρ ἀθάνατον λυττᾶν οὐκ ἀνθρώπινον. – ΙΣΙΔΩΡΟ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΟ. Διήκει μὲν καὶ διαφοιτᾷ πανταχοῦ λόγος, τὰς σὰς ἀριστείας εὐαγγελιζόμενος· ὃν δίκαιος ἂν εἴης νευροῦν τοῖς ὁσημέραι κατορθώμασι. Φυλλοῤῥοεῖν γὰρ εἴωθε τῶν ὕστερον ῥαθυμούντων τὸ κλέος.","t":"To Apollonius. I know that some make being reconciled quickly after insults, and others being reconciled slowly, a token that they are conscious of none of the things said. For each thinks one should do whatever accords with his disposition. The braver and nobler make quick yielding a proof of virtue, not considering the facts but ratifying their own preconceptions. If you ask what must be done, I would say: since one must be reconciled in every way, it is better to be so quickly; but if not, then at least slowly; for to rage undyingly is not human. [Letter 5.557] To Isidore the bishop. A report spreads and travels everywhere, announcing the good news of your excellent deeds; you would do right to strengthen it by your daily achievements. For the fame of those who later grow indolent usually sheds its leaves.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.556 (PG 78 78:1635; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-556)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.558":{"o":"ΩΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nΟἱ μὲν ἄλλοι φιλόσοφοι τέχνην τεχνῶν, καὶ ἐπιστήμην ἐπιστημῶν ὡρίσαντο εἶναι τὴν φιλοσοφίαν. Πυθαγόρας δὲ, ζῆλον σοφίας. Πλάτων δὲ, κτῆσιν ἐπιστημῶν, Χρύσιππος δὲ, ἐπιτήδευσιν λόγου ὀρθότητος. Καὶ αὐτῶν οὖν τῶν δοκούντων ἄκρων εἶναι ὁμοίως ὁριζομένων, ἡμεῖς ἀληθῆ φιλοσοφίαν ὀριζόμεθα, τὴν μηδὲν τῶν ἡκόντων εἰς εὐσέβειαν καὶ ἀρετὴν παρορῶσαν.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. The other philosophers defined philosophy as the art of arts and the science of sciences; Pythagoras as zeal for wisdom; Plato as the acquisition of sciences; Chrysippus as the pursuit of correctness of reason. Since even those who seem to be the summits define it so variously, we define true philosophy as that which overlooks nothing of what pertains to piety and virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.558 (PG 78 78:1637; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-558)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.559":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ ἦλθεν ἐπὶ σὲ ὁ δὴ καὶ πάντων σχεδὸν τῶν εὐδοκίμων ἁψάμενος φθόνος, παρὰ τῶν οἰκείας τιθεμένων συμφορὰς τὰς ἑτέρων ἀρετὰς, μᾶλλον δὲ πλέον ἀχθομένων τοῖς ἑτέρων ἀγαθοῖς, ἢ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν κακοῖς, μὴ ταράττου· ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸ τοῦτο μάλιστα ἡγησάμενος ἀρετῆς εἶναι τεκμήριον, τῇ σαυτοῦ καλοκἀγαθίᾳ προστίθει. Οὕτω γὰρ σὺ μὲν ἀοίδιμος εἴης, ἐκεῖνοι δὲ δίκας εἰσπραχθήσονται, ὧν μείζους οὐκ ἂν δυνηθεῖεν δοῦναι.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Even if envy has come upon you, which has touched almost all the esteemed, from those who reckon others' virtues their own misfortunes, or rather are more pained at others' good things than at their own evils, do not be troubled; but, thinking this itself the greatest proof of virtue, add it to your own excellence. For so you will be celebrated, while they will be made to pay penalties than which they could pay none greater.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.559 (PG 78 78:1637; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-559)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.56":{"o":"ΔΟΜΕΤΙΩ.\nΟὐ τὸν πάντη τῶν εἰωθότων τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀνιαμῶν συμβαίνειν ἀπείρατον, μακάριον εἶναι οἱ πολλοὶ νομίζουσι (τοῦτο γὰρ ἀδύνατον), ἀλλὰ τὸν ὀλίγων μετεσχηκότα. Διὰ γὰρ πλῆθος συμφορῶν, αἴ τοὺς πλείστους καταβλύζουσι, μακάριον τὸν ὀλίγοις προσομιλήσαντα εἶναι ὁρίζονται. Ἡμεῖς δὲ καὶ τὸν πολλὰ μὲν τῇδε πεπονθότα, γενναίως δὲ ἐνηνοχότα, τοῦ ὀλίγα πεπονθότος μᾶλλον μακαρίζομεν· ὅτι πρὸς τὰ παλαίσματα καὶ οἱ στέφανοι πλέκονται, καὶ τοῖς ἄθλοις τὰ ἔπαθλα ἀκολουθεῖ. Κηλίδα, καὶ μίασμα, καὶ ἄγος, καὶ τί γὰρ οὐχὶ τῶν προδήλων αἰσχρῶν ὀνομάζοντές σε τινες, ὦ σχέτλιε Ζώσιμε, περιίασιν; οὓς οὔτε καιρὸς, οὔτε τὸ πάθος ἐπιστομίσαι δύναται, πάντων μαρτυρούντων τῶν ἀκουόντων, ὡς ὀλίγα ἀντὶ πολλῶν, καὶ σεμνὰ ἀντὶ αἰσχρῶν φράζουσι. Σκόπει τοίνυν, ὅπως τούτους ἐπιστομίσῃς· ἐπιστομίσεις δὲ, εἰ παύσοιο τῆς ἀκορέστου ῥαθυμίας.","t":"To Dometius. The many think blessed, not the man who is wholly without experience of the troubles that usually befall human beings (for that is impossible), but the one who has shared in few of them. For because of the multitude of misfortunes that pour over most people, they define as blessed the one who has met with few. But we count blessed the one who has suffered much here but borne it nobly, rather than the one who has suffered little; for crowns are woven to match the wrestling bouts, and prizes follow the contests. [Letter 5.57] Stain, pollution, abomination, and every other manifest disgrace: these are the names some go about calling you, wretched Zosimus. Neither the occasion nor your suffering can silence them, while all who hear them testify that they are saying little instead of much, and decent things instead of shameful ones. See, then, how you may silence them; and you will silence them if you stop your insatiable indolence.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.56 (PG 78 78:1361; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-56)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.560":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΟ.\nἘγὼ κανόνα φιλίας εὐθύτατον ἡγοῦμαι τὸν ἀπροφασίστως μὲν τοῖς ἀδελφοῖς συμπνέοντα, μήτε δὲ κολακείᾳ τὰς φιλίας προσαγόμενον, μήτε λάθρα μεταχειριζόμενον τὰς ἔχθρας· ἀλλὰ πρὸς ἅπαντα τὴν ψυχὴν γυμνὸν, ἁπλοῦν μὲν τυγχάνοντα τὴν γνώμην, ἁπλοῦν δὲ τὴν γλῶτταν, ἁπλούστερον δὲ ἔτι μᾶλλον τὸν βίον.","t":"To Peter. I consider the straightest rule of friendship to be the one who without pretext breathes in harmony with his brothers, neither winning friendships by flattery nor handling enmities in secret, but showing his soul bare to all, simple in mind, simple in tongue, and still simpler in life.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.560 (PG 78 78:1637; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-560)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.561":{"o":"ΝΕΙΛΑΜΜΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nὭσπερ οἱ ψοφοδεεῖς, καὶ πρὸς μόνην τὴν ἀκοὴν τῶν δεινῶν καταπλήττονται, καὶ οὐδὲ φύλλου φέρουσι κίνησιν, τοῦ δέους κατὰ τῶν τυχόντων μεγάλας ἐμποιοῦντος τὰς ὑποψίας · οὕτω καὶ οἱ πταίοντες, ἐλέγχοις πανταχόθεν βάλλονται, τοῦ συνειδότος καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐπαινούντων, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ψεγόντων, καὶ ἐκ τῶν συνειδότων, καὶ ἐκ τῶν μὴ συνειδότων κατατοξεύοντος τοὺς ἐργασαμένους.","t":"To Nilammon the scholasticus. Just as the timid are struck with terror merely at hearing of dangers and cannot bear even the movement of a leaf, since fear creates great suspicions against anything at all, so too those who sin are pelted with refutations from every side, their conscience shooting down the doers from those who praise and those who blame, from those who know and those who do not.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.561 (PG 78 78:1637; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-561)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.562":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nὍτι οὐδὲν ἀκόλαστον, οὐδὲ μειρακιῶδες χρὴ διαπράττεσθαι, ἀλλὰ σώφρονα καὶ κεκολασμένην ἔχειν ἐν παντὶ τῷ βίῳ τὴν δίαιταν, παντί που δῆλον τῷ νοῦ καὶ φρονήσεως οὐκ ἀμοιροῦντι. Τί τοίνυν τοιαύτην κωμῳδίαν περιορᾷς κατὰ σαυτοῦ ἀδομένην, λεγόντων τῶν σοφῶν, Οὔτε νέος ὢν περὶ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας ἐμετρίαζες διὰ τὴν πενίαν, οὔτε γεγηρακὼς διὰ τὴν εἶναι εἰ ὁμοίως ἡλικίαν; Τί τοσοῦτον λυττᾷς ; Τί τοὺς τῶν ἐπιθυμιῶν ὑπερβαίνεις ὅρους; Ἢ πέπαυσο τοίνυν τοιαῦτα δρῶν, ἢ εἴργε σαυτὸν τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. That one must do nothing licentious or childish, but keep a temperate and disciplined regimen throughout one's whole life, is plain to everyone who has a share of mind and prudence. Why, then, do you overlook such a comedy sung against you, when the wise say: \"Neither when young were you moderate in your desires because of poverty, nor in old age because of your age\"? Why do you rage so much? Why do you overstep the bounds even of desires? Either stop doing such things, or keep yourself away from the altar.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.562 (PG 78 78:1637; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-562)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.563":{"o":"ΣΕΡΗΝΩ ΤΡΙΒΟΥΝΩ.\nὍτι ἡμεροκαλές ἐστι, τουτέστιν, ἄνθος πρὸς μίαν μόνην σχεδὸν ἡμέραν ἀκμάζον, τὸ δοξάριον τοῦ κόσμου τούτου, ἡ δὲ τῆς ἀρετῆς εὔκλεια ἀμάραντός τε καὶ ἀτελεύτητος, πᾶς τις τῶν νοῦ καὶ φρονήσεως οὐκ ἀμοιρούντων ἰσχυρίζαιτο. Εἰ δὲ πολλοὶ ἐκείνου μὲν ἀντιποιοῦνται, ταύτης δὲ καταφρονοῦσι, θαυμαστὸν οὐδέν· ἐπεὶ καὶ οἱ νοσοῦντες τὰς μὲν ὑγιεινὰς παραιτοῦνται τροφὰς, ταῖς δὲ νοσώδεσιν ἥδονται· καὶ οἱ ἀκρατεῖς τὴν ἑταίραν ἀντὶ τῆς σώφρονος αἱροῦνται γυναικός. Ἀλλὰ χρὴ τοὺς ἐχέφρονας μὴ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀῤῥωστούντων, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῶν ὑγιαινόντων λαμβάνειν τὰς ψήφους.","t":"To Serenus the tribune. That the paltry glory of this world is a day-lily, that is, a flower blooming for scarcely a single day, while the fame of virtue is unfading and endless, everyone who has a share of mind and prudence would maintain. If many lay claim to the one and despise the other, it is no wonder; for the sick too refuse healthy foods and delight in unwholesome ones, and the incontinent choose the courtesan instead of a chaste wife. But the sensible must take their verdicts not from the sick but from the healthy.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.563 (PG 78 78:1639; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-563)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.564":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΚαὶ ἀσεβὲς εἶναι καὶ ἄνανδρον νενόμικα τοὺς μὴ εὖ βιοῦντας μὲν, δυναστείαν δὲ περιβεβλημένους περιέπειν· τῶν δὲ ἀρετῇ κεκοσμημένων, εἰ ἰδιωτεύοιεν, καταφρονεῖν · κἀκείνους ἐπαινεῖν, τούτους δὲ διασύρειν. Μὴ τοίνυν θαύμαζε, εἰ τὸ δίκαιον πρὸ τοῦ συμφέροντος τίθεμαι, καὶ τὸ πρέπον πρὸ τοῦ κέρδους, καὶ τὴν ἀρετὴν πρὸ τῆς δυναστείας. Εἰ γὰρ μὴ τοῦτ᾽ ἐποίουν, ἔδοξα ἂν Εὐτόνιον μὲν, ὅτι ἐπιβουλεύεται, παρεωρακέναι, Εὐσέβιον δὲ ὅτι τυραννεί τεθεραπευκέναι. Εὐτονίῳ γὰρ πολεμεῖ μὲν ἅπας ὁ κλῆρος, ὁ μὲν ἑκὼν, ὁ δὲ καὶ πρὸς τὸ τοῦ κρατοῦντος σύνθημα· ἔγκλημα δὲ τοῦ πολέμου τούτου, ἐγὼ μὲν οὐκ οἶδα οὐδέν. Φασὶ δὲ λεγόντων ἀκούειν, ὅτι ἀρετῆς ἐστι θρέμμα περίβλεπτον· τὸν δὲ τὸ σύνθημα τοῦ πολέμου δόντα εἰ καὶ πολλοὶ μισοῦντες καὶ κακηγοροῦντες κολακεύουσιν, ἐγὼ ἅτε ἐχθρὸν τῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ τῷ διαβόλῳ συμπράττοντα τῷ κατὰ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ψυχῶν σπείροντι τὰ ζιζάνια, οὐδ᾽ ἰδεῖν δύναμαι, οὐδ᾽ ἂν μυρίους ἀπειλήσῃ θανάτους.","t":"To the same. I have thought it both impious and cowardly to court those who do not live well but are clothed with power, and to despise those adorned with virtue if they are private persons, praising the former and disparaging the latter. So do not wonder if I put justice before advantage, the fitting before gain, and virtue before power. For if I did not do this, I would seem to have overlooked Eutonius because he is plotted against, and to have courted Eusebius because he plays the tyrant. For the whole clergy is at war with Eutonius, some willingly, others at the signal of the one in power; and of the charge in this war I know nothing at all. They say they hear people saying that he is a conspicuous nursling of virtue. As for the one who gave the signal for the war, even if many who hate and slander him flatter him, I, as an enemy of virtue and a fellow-worker with the devil who sows tares against human souls, cannot even look at him, not even if he threatens countless deaths.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.564 (PG 78 78:1639; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-564)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.565":{"o":"ΙΩΑΝΝΗ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nἘπειδὴ ἡ μὲν κακία διὰ τῶν παραυτίκα δοκούντων εἶναι τερπνῶν πορεύεται, καὶ τὴν ἡδονὴν ἔχει συμμετροῦσαν· ἡ δὲ ἀρετὴ πόνους προτείνεται καὶ ἀγῶνας· διὰ τοῦτο ἐκείνη μὲν πολλοὺς, αὐτὴ δὲ ὀλίγους ἐπεσπάσατο εἰς τὸν ἑαυτῆς ἔρωτα. Δέον γὰρ, συνορῶντας ὅτι ἡ μὲν τῆς κακίας ἡδονὴ ῥᾳδίως σβέννυται, ἡ δὲ τῆς ἀρετῆς εὐφροσύνη ἀοίδιμός ἐστι καὶ ἀθάνατος · καὶ ὅτι ἡ μὲν ἀδοξίαν καὶ αἰσχύνην, ἡ δὲ ἐπαίνους καὶ δόξαν τίκτει· καὶ ὅτι ἡ μὲν πρὸς τιμωρίαν, ἡ δὲ πρὸς τιμὴν τελευτᾷ. Καὶ ἡ μὲν τὸν διάβολον ἔχει συνήγορον, ἡ δὲ τὸν τῶν καλλίστων νομοθέτην Θεόν. Καὶ ἡ μὲν ἀνατρέπει, ἡ δὲ συγκροτεῖ τὸν ἡμέτερον βίον· καὶ ὅτι ἡ μὲν παρὰ τῶν παρόντων πολλάκις διασύρεται, ἡ δὲ καὶ παρὰ τῶν μὴ μετιόντων αὐτὴν θαυμάζεται· καὶ τῇ μὲν πῦρ, τῇ δὲ βασιλεία ηὐτρέπισται. Δέον τοίνυν ταῦτα πάντα ἐννοοῦντας, τὴν μὲν ἀποστραφῆναι, ὡς θηριόμορφον καὶ ὀφιώδη, τὴν δὲ ἀσπάσασθαι ὡς θείαν καὶ ὑπερκόσμιον. Τοὐναντίον ποιοῦσι, τὴν πόρνην ἀντὶ τῆς σώφρονος αἱρούμενοι γυναικός,","t":"To John the scholasticus. Since wickedness proceeds through things that seem pleasant for the moment and has pleasure keeping step with it, while virtue offers labours and contests, for this reason the one has drawn many and the other few to love it. Whereas they ought to see that the pleasure of wickedness is easily extinguished, but the gladness of virtue is celebrated and immortal; that the one breeds disrepute and shame, the other praise and glory; that the one ends in punishment, the other in honour; that the one has the devil as advocate, the other God, the lawgiver of the noblest things; that the one overturns our life, the other builds it up; that the one is often disparaged even by those who pursue it, while the other is admired even by those who do not; and that fire has been prepared for the one and the kingdom for the other. They ought, then, considering all these things, to turn away from the one as beastlike and snakelike, and to embrace the other as divine and above the world. But they do the opposite, choosing the prostitute instead of the chaste wife, …","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.565 (PG 78 78:1639; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-565)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.566":{"o":"ΠΕΤΡΩ.\nἸσχυρὸν μὲν τἀληθὲς, καὶ σιγητὸν πολλάκις· καὶ τοὺς κρύπτειν θέλοντας τὰ ἀπόῤῥητα κατήφεια προδίδωσι καὶ στεναγμὸς οὐχ ἑκούσιος· ἀλλ᾽ οὐ λανθάνουσι τοὺς σοφοὺς, οἵτινές σε καὶ ἐπιῤῥῶσαι δίκαιον ἡγουμένους ἡμᾶς ἐπὶ τὸ γράψαι παρώρμησαν. Οὐκοῦν, ὦ φίλε, ἐννοῶν τὸ ἐπίκηρον τῶν βιωτικῶν πραγμάτων, μὴ λυποῦ ἀποστὰς αὐτῶν, μηδὲ ἐντύγχανε συνεχῶς τοῖς εἰς αὐτὰ ἐγκαλινδουμένοις, καὶ πολλὰ τῶν ἰδίων παθῶν ταῖς ὁμιλίαις ἀναμιγνύουσιν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς ἀρετῇ μηδενὶ τῶν καθ' ἑαυτοὺς ὑφιεμένοις.","t":"To Peter. Truth is strong, and often silent; and dejection and involuntary groaning betray those who wish to hide their secrets. But they do not escape the notice of the wise, who urged us to write, thinking it right to strengthen you. So, friend, considering the perishability of worldly affairs, do not grieve at having left them, nor keep company continually with those who wallow in them and mix many of their own passions into their conversation, but with those who yield to no one in virtue.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.566 (PG 78 78:1641; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-566)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.567":{"o":"ΜΑΡΩΝΙ.\nΤὸ πρότερὸν σου παρανόμημα πρόφασις εὐπρόσωπος ἐδόκει συγγνωστὸν ποιεῖν, ὁ θεῖος ὁ σὸς ἐκδεδικῆσθαι νομιζόμενος · τοῦ δὲ νυνὶ παρανομήματος οὐδὲν τοιοῦτον ἔσχες παρακάλυμμα. Ἐκ γὰρ πλεονεξίας εἰς τοῦτο ὡρμῆσθαι ἔδοξας. Καὶ τὴν ἐπὶ τῇ προτέρᾳ ὠμότητι αἰτίαν ἀπημφιάσω, γυμνὴν σαυτοῦ τὴν πονηρὰν προαίρεσιν ἐπιδειξάμενος.","t":"To Maron. Your earlier transgression seemed to have a plausible pretext that made it pardonable, since your uncle was thought to have been avenged; but for your present transgression you have had no such covering, for you seemed to have rushed into it from greed. And you have stripped away the excuse for your earlier cruelty, showing your wicked intention naked.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.567 (PG 78 78:1641; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-567)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.568":{"o":"ΔΩΡΟΘΕΩ ΛΑΜΠΡΟΤΑΤΩ.\nΕἰ ὁ μὲν σύμβουλος τοῦ παραινεῖν ἐστι κύριος, ὁ δὲ συμβουλευόμενος τοῦ πεισθῆναι, καὶ ὁ μὲν τὸ αὐτοῦ πεποίηκεν, ὁ δὲ οὐ κεκύρωκε τὴν γνώμην τῷ εἰς πρᾶξιν αὐτὴν ἀγαγεῖν, τί πρὸς τὸν παραινέσαντα; Ὅμοιον γὰρ ποιεῖς, ὥσπερ ἂν ἐπὶ δικαστηρίου τοὺς μὲν δικαστὰς λόγον ἀπήτεις, τὸν δὲ ῥήτορα ψῆφον. Ὁ δὲ λέγω, τοιοῦτόν ἐστι· Δέχεται τὸ δικαστήριον καὶ τοὺς δικαστὰς καὶ τὸν ῥήτορα, τοὺς μὲν ψῆφον ἔχοντας, τὸν δὲ λόγον. Οὐκοῦν ὁ μὲν εἰπεῖν κύριος, ὁ δὲ ψηφίσασθαι. Τίθενται δὲ τὴν ψῆφον πρὸς τὸ δοκοῦν, ῥήτωρ δὲ οὐδεὶς ἑαυτῷ τὴν ψῆφον ἤνεγκεν. Εἰ μὲν οὖν εἰσελθὼν ὁ ῥήτωρ σιωπᾷ, πλημμελεῖ. Εἰ δὲ ὁ λέγων και δικαίως, καὶ μετὰ παντὸς τοῦ προσήκοντος, οὐ πείθει, τῶν κριτῶν ἐστι τὸ ἁμάρτημα, Ὥσπερ οὖν ἄτοπον λόγον παρὰ τῶν κρινόντων ἀπαιτεῖν, οὕτω καὶ παρὰ τοῦ συνηγόρου ψῆφον· εἰ δὲ οἱ δικάζοντες καὶ δεινῶς καὶ δικαίως λέγοντος τοῦ ῥήτορος ἀποψηφίσαιντο, τῆς μὲν νίκης ἀπεστέρησαν τὸν ῥήτορα, τῆς δὲ ἀρετῆς οὐδαμῶς. Τοιοῦτό τι νοείσθω καὶ περὶ τοῦ παραινέσαντος μὲν, μὴ πείσαντος δέ.","t":"To Dorotheus, a most illustrious man. If the adviser is master of advising and the one advised master of being persuaded, and the one has done his part while the other has not ratified the advice by putting it into practice, what has that to do with the adviser? You act as if, in a court, you demanded a speech from the judges and a verdict from the orator. What I mean is this: the court receives both judges and orator, the one having the vote, the other the speech. So the one is master of speaking, the other of voting. They cast the vote as seems good to them; no orator ever gave himself the vote. If, then, the orator comes in and keeps silent, he does wrong; but if one who speaks justly and with all that is fitting does not persuade, the fault belongs to the judges. Just as it is absurd to demand a speech from those who judge, so it is to demand a vote from the advocate. And if the judges vote against the orator though he spoke ably and justly, they have deprived him of victory, but not at all of virtue. Let something similar be understood of one who has advised but not persuaded.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.568 (PG 78 78:1641; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-568)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.569":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΠολλοὶ τῶν ἐν τέλει διαφερόντως τῇ θειοτάτῃ θρησκείᾳ ἀνακείμενοι, συνεχῶς ἡμῖν ἐπιφύονται, τὸν βίον τὸν σὸν προφέροντες, καὶ τοῦ χειροτονήσαντός σε καταβοῶντες, καὶ τὰ ἄχραντα ἀνάκτορα μολύνεσθαι λέγοντες, καὶ τὴν ἱερωσύνην παροινεῖσθαι φράζοντες, τοὺς βαπτιζομένους διὰ τῶν μιαρῶν σου χειρῶν εἰς τὰ σωτηριώδη ἀδικεῖσθαι σύμβολα φάσκοντες. Οὓς οὐχ ἁπλῶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ σφόδρα μετὰ κατασκευῆς ἱκανῆς, ὡς ἔγωγε ἡγοῦμαι, ἀποκρινάμενος ἐτρεψάμην· οὐ τοῦ σοῦ βίου (χρὴ γὰρ τἀληθὴ λέγειν) ὑπερασπίζων· ἢ γὰρ ἂν κατεγνώσθην · ἀλλὰ τοῦτο δεικνὺς, ὡς οὐδὲν ὁ λαϊκὸς παραβλάπτεται τοῦ ἱερέως μὴ εὖ βιοῦντος. Ὡς δὲ οὐδὲ οὕτως αὐτὸν ἐπεστόμισα, γεγωνότερον ἔφησαν· ὅτι ἡμᾶς μὲν ἱκανῶς ἔπεισας, τοὺς δὲ ἄλλους πάντας, τούς τε ἐλλογίμους, τούς τε ἀγελαίους τίς πείσει, τοὺς καθ' ἑκάστην ταῦτα κωμῳδοῦντας τὴν ἡμέραν; Τοσοῦτον ἐκπτύοντας, ἃ σιγᾶσθαι ἔπρεπεν, ὡς καὶ σκηνοβατεῖσθαι λοιπὸν τὰ παρ' αὐτοῦ δρώμενα; Ἵνα δὲ ἐκείνων ἀφιέμενοι, εἰς τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν κακῶν καταγενοίμεθα, δι᾿ ἣν αἰτίαν αὐτὸν τὸν κακῶν ἀρχιτέκτονα οὐ πείθεις ἀνενεγκεῖν ἐκ τῆς τοσαύτης μέθης; Δυοῖν γὰρ θάτερον ἀναγκαζόμεθα ἐννοεῖν, ἢ μὴ βούλεσθαι πεῖσαι καὶ σφόδρα δυνάμενον, ἢ μὴ δύνασθαι καὶ σφόδρα βουλόμενον. Ἀλλὰ μὴν εἰ τὸ πρότερον οὐκ ἔστι πιστεῦσαι κατὰ σοῦ, ὡς ἐξὸν ἐκείνου λῦσαι τὴν κακίαν, οὐ βούλει· λείπεται τὸ, ὡς ἀδύνατος εἶναι νομίζων, τὴν ἡσυχίαν ἀγαγεῖν. Ἐγὼ δὲ εἰ καὶ ταῦθ᾽ οὕτως ἔχει, τοῦτο μὲν οὐχ ὡμολόγησα ἐρυθριῶν. Τοσοῦτον δὲ ἔφην, ὅτι Ὑμεῖς μὲν ταῦτα σεμνολογεῖσθε, οὐκ εἰδότες ἴσως, ὅτι ἀνάγκῃ ποιῆσαί τινα ἀγαθὸν οὐκ ἔστιν. Ἐγὼ δὲ τὰ παρ᾿ ἐμαυτοῦ πάλιν ποιήσω. Οὕτως ἀποπέμψας ἐκείνους, καὶ δάκρυσι σχεδὸν κεράσας τὸ μέλαν, καὶ τοῦτο χαράξαι διέγνων τὸ γράμμα. Ὅτι γὰρ πολλάκις σοι γέγραφα, ἃ καὶ τὴν ἄψυχον φύσιν κάμψαι ἠδύνατο, αὐτόν σε καλῶ μάρτυρα, τὸν μὴ βουλόμενον ἀποστῆναι τῆς λαγνείας, ἵνα καὶ σαυτὸν καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐγκλημάτων ἀπαλλάξῃς, καὶ τοὺς ἐγκαλοῦντας ἐπιστομίσῃς. Ὅτι δὲ οὐδὲ νῦν σοι ἀποτάττομαι, ἀλλὰ κεκρατημένῳ ἐγχειρῶ, καὶ τὸ δοκοῦν ἀχείρωτον εἶναι πάθος, χειρώσασθαι πειρῶμαι, ταῦτα μαρτυρήσει τὰ γράμματα δριμύτερα ὄντα τῶν πρώην σοι ἐπισταλέντων. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τῆς πραοτέρας ἀγωγῆς κατεφρόνησας, ἀνάγκη καὶ τῇ δραστικωτέρᾳ χρήσασθαι. Τί τοιγαροῦν τοσοῦτον (ἀναγκάζομαι γὰρ ἃ μὴ βούλομαι φράσαι) κατὰ σαυτοῦ ἐμάνης; Τί τῆς κακίας ἀπρὶξ ἔχῃ; Τί ὑβρίζεις τόγε σαυτοῦ μέρος τὴν ἀρετήν; Τί χραίνεις τὰ ἀνάκτορα; τί τὴν θείαν τελετὴν ἐξορχούμενος οὐ φρίττεις; Τί παρασκευάζεις τοὺς ἀνθρώπους τῷ σῷ βίῳ προσέχοντας παραβλάπτεσθαι νομίζειν καὶ εἰς τὰ σωτηριώδη σύμβολα; Τί καὶ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν ἑτοιμοτάτους ὄντας εἰς τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν μεταφοιτῆσαι, ἀδικεῖς ἀποσοβῶν τὴν θύραν; Τί τὴν σκηνὴν νεωτέρων δραμάτων ἐνέπλησας; Τί καινὰ τῷ βίῳ εἰσφέρεις τὰ δράματα; Τί τὰς παλαιὰς ἀπέκρυψας τραγῳδίας; Εἰ τὸ θεῖον οὐ φοβῇ, ἐπειδήπερ τέως μακροθυμεῖ, κἂν τοὺς ἀνθρώπους αἰδέσθητι· εἰ κρίσιν μὴ δέδιας, κἂν χρηστῆς ὑπολήψεως ἀντιποίησαι. Εἰ μηδὲν εἶναι ἡγῇ μετὰ τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίαν (τοῦτο γὰρ αἱ σεμναί σου πράξεις λαμπρῶς βοῶσι), κἂν τὴν τῶν ἀνθρώπων κωμῳδίαν εὐλαβήθητι. Εἰ δὲ μηδὲ ταύτης λόγον ποιῇ, κἂν τὸ καθαιρεθῆναι φοβήθητι. Εἰκὸς γάρ σε τοῦτο παθεῖν. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ νῦν ταῦτα δρῶν οὐκ ἐξοστρακίζῃ · ἔοικε γὰρ ὁ χειροτονήσας σε τῇ κακίᾳ χαίρειν, ἀλλὰ ἴσως ὁ μετ᾿ αὐτὸν τοῦτο ποιήσει. Καὶ τῷ θείῳ, καὶ τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ, καὶ τοῖς ἀχράντοις μυστηρίοις, καὶ τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἀπολογησάμενος Πολλοί, ὦ ἄθλιε Ζώσιμε (ἀναγκάζομαι καὶ εἰς θρήνους ἐξελθεῖν) πρὸ σοῦ γεγόνασιν ἀσεβεῖς τε καὶ ἁμαρτωλοὶ, μήτε τὸ θεῖον φοβηθέντες, μήτε βίου χρηστοῦ ἐπιμεληθέντες· ἀλλὰ πάντας σὺ παρήλασας· πάντων ἐκείνων ἐγένου κορυφαῖος · ἄπιστον καὶ ἀμίμητον παράδειγμα γέγονας. Ἔσχον γὰρ ἐκεῖνοί τινας ἀρετὰς, σὺ δὲ τῇ μὲν κακίᾳ καὶ ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ἐσπείσω, πρὸς δὲ τὴν ἀρετὴν ἀκήρυκτον ἐπανείλου τὸν πόλεμον· πάντων γέγονας κωμῳδία καὶ γέλως καὶ σκάνδαλον · θεώμενοι γάρ σε ταῖς μιαραῖς χερσὶ τῶν ἱερῶν ἁπτόμενον μυστηρίων, ἀποπηδῶσιν, ἀμύητοι μᾶλλον αἱρούμενοι εἶναι, ἢ παρὰ ἀκαθάρτων καὶ μιαρῶν χειρῶν. τὰ ἄχραντα δέξασθαι δῶρα, καίτοι πολλὰ πολλάκις παρ᾿ ἐμοῦ ἀκούοντες, ὡς οὐδὲν ταύτῃ παραβλάπτονται, τινὲς μὲν αὐτῶν οὐ πείθονται, τινὲς δὲ οὐδὲ τὰς ἀκοὰς ὑπέχουσι ῥᾳψωδεῖν περὶ τούτου νομίζοντες. Καὶ τὸν Βαλαὰμ καὶ τὸν Καϊάφαν προςβαλόμην, ἀσεβεστάτους μὲν καὶ ἀδικωτάτους γεγονότας, εἶτα τὸν μὲν τὰς εὐλογίας ἀποφθεγξάμενον, τὸν δὲ προφητεύσαντα. Καὶ τοῦ κόρακος δὲ τοῦ ἀκαθάρτου καὶ μισοτέκνου πτηνοῦ ἐμνημόνευσα, δι' οὗ ὁ Ἠλίας ἐτράφη. Ἀλλὰ καίτοι ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς ἄλλοις πειθόμενοι, καὶ ἐκθειάζοντες, οὐκ ἐθέλουσι πείθεσθαι ἐν τοῖς περὶ σοῦ λεγομένοις. Ἐκ γὰρ τῆς ὑπερβολῆς τῶν πεπλημμελημένων σοι καὶ πλημμελουμένων τὴν ἐναντίαν φέρουσι ψῆφον, οὐ τοῖς λεγομένοις παρ' ἐμοῦ, ἀλλὰ τοῖς πραττομένοις παρὰ σοῦ προσέχοντες, καὶ τὰς παραινέσεις ἀποσειόμενοι. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὦ, τί σε καλέσας προσάψωμαι καὶ τῆς ἀληθείας; Τί δὲ εἰπὼν ἀπαλλάξω σε τῆς μανίας; Τί δὲ γράψας παύσω σε τῆς ἀσελγείας; ἢ πέπαυσο τοιαῦτα δρῶν, ἢ τῆς ἱερᾶς τραπέζης σαυτὸν χώρισον· ἵν᾿ ἀδεῶς λοιπὸν οἱ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας τρόφιμοι τοῖς θείοις προσέρχωνται μυστηρίοις, ὧν ἄνευ σωθῆναι οὐχ οἷόν τε.","t":"To Zosimus the presbyter. Many officials especially devoted to the most divine religion continually attack us, bringing up your life, crying out against the man who ordained you, saying that the undefiled sanctuaries are defiled and the priesthood outraged, and asserting that those baptized by your foul hands are wronged as regards the saving symbols. I answered them, not simply but, as I think, with quite sufficient argument, and turned them back; not defending your life (for one must tell the truth; for then I would have been condemned), but showing that the layman is in no way harmed when the priest does not live well. But since I did not silence them even so, they said more loudly: \"You have sufficiently persuaded us, but who will persuade all the others, both the learned and the common herd, who ridicule these things every day, spitting out so much of what ought to be kept silent that what he does is now even put on the stage? And, to leave them aside and come to the root of the evils, why do you not persuade the architect of evils himself to come up from such drunkenness? For we are forced to think one of two things: either that you do not wish to persuade him though well able, or that you are not able though well wishing. And if the first cannot be believed of you, that, when it is in your power to undo his wickedness, you do not wish to, it remains that you keep quiet thinking yourself unable.\" Even if this is so, I did not admit it, blushing; but I said this much: \"You talk solemnly of these things, not knowing perhaps that it is impossible to make anyone good by compulsion; but I shall again do my part.\" So, having sent them away, and having almost mixed the ink with tears, I decided to engrave this letter too. For that I have often written you things that could bend even soulless nature, I call you yourself as witness, who are unwilling to depart from lechery, so as to free both yourself and us from charges and stop the mouths of the accusers. And that even now I do not bid you farewell, but take in hand one who is mastered, and try to master a passion that seems unmasterable, this letter will testify, being sharper than those sent you before. For since you despised the gentler treatment, it is necessary to use the more drastic. Why, then (for I am forced to say what I do not wish), have you raged so much against yourself? Why do you cling tightly to wickedness? Why do you insult virtue, as far as lies with you? Why do you stain the sanctuaries? Why do you not shudder, making a mockery of the divine rite? Why do you make people who look at your life think that they are harmed even as regards the saving symbols? Why do you wrong even those from among the Gentiles who are most ready to come over to the church, by driving them from the door? Why have you filled the stage with new plays? Why do you bring new dramas into life? Why have you eclipsed the ancient tragedies? If you do not fear God, since he is patient for now, at least respect people; if you do not dread judgment, at least lay claim to a good reputation. If you think there is nothing after the departure from here (for your fine deeds proclaim this brilliantly), at least beware of people's ridicule. And if you take no account even of that, at least fear deposition; for it is likely that you will suffer it. For even if now, doing these things, you are not banished (for the man who ordained you seems to rejoice in wickedness), perhaps his successor will do it. And … having made your defence to God, to the altar, to the undefiled mysteries and to the people. Many, wretched Zosimus (I am forced to break out into laments too), have been impious and sinners before you, neither fearing God nor caring for a good life; but you have outstripped them all; you have become the chief of them all; you have become an incredible and inimitable example. For they had some virtues; but you have made a truce with wickedness and pleasures and declared an undeclared war on virtue. You have become a comedy, a laughing-stock and a scandal to all. For seeing you touch the sacred mysteries with foul hands, they leap away, choosing rather to remain uninitiated than to receive the undefiled gifts from impure and foul hands, although they often hear from me at length that they are in no way harmed by this. Some of them are not persuaded; others do not even lend their ears, thinking I am spinning tales about it. I put forward Balaam and Caiaphas, who were most impious and most unjust, and yet the one uttered blessings and the other prophesied. I mentioned the raven too, the unclean bird that hates its young, by which Elijah was fed. But though they are persuaded in everything else and revere it, they will not be persuaded in what is said about you. From the excess of the sins you have committed and are committing they cast the opposite vote, attending not to what I say but to what you do, and shaking off my exhortations. But, what shall I call you to make you take hold of the truth? What shall I say to free you from madness? What shall I write to stop your licentiousness? Either stop doing such things, or separate yourself from the holy table, so that the nurslings of the church may approach the divine mysteries without fear from now on, without which it is impossible to be saved.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.569 (PG 78 78:1643; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-569)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.58":{"o":"ΕΠΙΦΑΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nἩ εἰς τὴν ἄμαχον τοῦ τὰ πάντα οἰακίζοντος δεξιὰν ἐλπὶς, οὐ μόνον τὴν τῶν μελλόντων ὠδίνει ἀπόλαυσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς παρόντας ἐπικουφίζει πόνους. Ῥᾷον γάρ τις φέρει τοὺς ἄθλους τῇ τῶν στεφάνων ἐλπίδι πτερούμενος. Εἰ τοίνυν κὰνταῦθα ἡμῖν συναγωνίζεται καὶ συμμαχεῖ, κἀκεῖσε στεφάνοις ἡμᾶς κοσμεῖ καὶ φαιδρύνει, καὶ ἀποβλέπτους παρ' ἀγγέλοις καὶ ἀνθρώποις καθίστησι, ταύτην περιπτυξώμεθα, καὶ σύνοικον ἔχωμεν καὶ ὁμοτράπεζον.","t":"To Epiphanius the deacon. Hope in the invincible right hand of him who steers all things not only brings forth the enjoyment of things to come, but also lightens present labours. For one bears contests more easily when given wings by the hope of crowns. If, then, it fights beside us and is our ally here, and there adorns and brightens us with crowns and makes us admired among angels and men, let us embrace it and have it as our companion at home and at table.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.58 (PG 78 78:1361; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-58)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.59":{"o":"ΘΕΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΜὴ λίαν ἐκπλήττου, μηδὲ θαύμαζε, εἰ Ζώσιμος ἀπὸ οἰκετικῆς, ὡς φὴς, ῥίζης ὁρμώμενος φανητιᾷ, καὶ μέτριον οὐδὲν φρονεῖ. Εἴωθε γὰρ ἡ παρ' ἐλπίδα εὐημερία τοὺς ἀνοηταίνοντας πρὸς ὕβριν τρέπειν.","t":"To Theon the presbyter. Do not be too astonished or amazed if Zosimus, sprung, as you say, from a slave's root, shows off and thinks nothing moderate. For unexpected prosperity usually turns the foolish to insolence.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.59 (PG 78 78:1361; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-59)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.6":{"o":"ΠΑΑΛΑΔΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ.\nΕἰ οὔτε τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς τὸ μέγεθος, οὔτε τὸ μηδὲν ἄξιον αὐτῆς διαπράττεσθαι, οὔτε ἡ ἀποστολικὴ γλῶττα ἡ τὸν ἐπίσκοπον ὁποῖον εἶναι χρὴ διαπλάσασα· οὔτε τὸ ἀδέκαστον δικαστήριον τὸ ἀπαραλόγιστον τὴν ψῆφον οἶσον, οὔτε ἄλλο οὐδὲν τῆς μανίας σε ταύτης ἀπείργει, δι' ἧς ὑπὸ παραλόγου ἐπιθυμίας ἐκβακχευθεὶς τὴν ἀξίαν ἐξαγοράσαι προσδοκᾷς, κἂν ὑπὸ τῶν ἔξωθεν δυσωπήθητι. Φασὶ γὰρ ὡς Πιττακὸς λαβὼν τὴν ἀρχὴν παρὰ Μιτυληναίων, νενικηκὼς Φρύονα μονομαχίᾳ τὸν ἄρχοντα Ῥηγίου, ἀπεδίδου τὴν ἀρχὴν· τῶν δὲ μὴ βουλομένων κομίσασθαι, ἐβιάσατο, μὴ βουλόμενος τύραννος, ἀλλ᾿ ἰδιώτης εἶναι. Εἰ τοίνυν ὁ κινδύνοις οἰκείοις καὶ αἴματι κτησάμενος τὴν ἀρχὴν ἑκὼν ἀπέθετο τὸν κίνδυνον ἀναδεξάμενος, τὴν δὲ τυραννίδα ἀποσεισάμενος, καὶ ταῦτα ἀλογοθέτητον οὖσαν· σὺ ὁ μηδὲ ἐν ὑπηκόοις τελεῖν, ὡς φασι, δίκαιος ὢν, ἀρχὴν ὑπεύθυνον καὶ μυρίαις λογοθεσίαις ὑποκειμένην καὶ μείζονα πάσης ἀνθρωπίνης ἀξίας, ἣν οὐδὲ διδομένην δέξασθαι ὤφειλες, ἀγοράσαι ὀνειροπολῶν, οὐ μόνον οὐ καταδύῃ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐναβρύνῃ. Καὶ τίς σε τῆς τοσαύτης τόλμης γράψεται;","t":"To Palladius the deacon. If neither the greatness of the episcopate, nor your doing nothing worthy of it, nor the apostolic tongue that shaped what sort of man a bishop must be, nor the incorruptible tribunal that will cast a vote that cannot be led astray, nor anything else restrains you from this madness, by which, frenzied by an unreasonable desire, you expect to buy the dignity, at least be shamed by those outside. For they say that Pittacus, having received rule from the Mitylenaeans after defeating Phrynon, the ruler of Rhegium, in single combat, gave the rule back; and when they did not want to take it back, he forced them, since he did not wish to be a tyrant but a private citizen. If, then, the man who had gained rule by his own dangers and blood willingly laid it down, having taken on the danger but shaken off the tyranny, and that a tyranny subject to no audit, you, who, as they say, would not rightly be counted even among the subjects, dream of buying an office that is accountable, subject to countless audits and greater than every human dignity, which you ought not to accept even if it were offered, and you are not only not ashamed but even pride yourself on it. And who will indict you as such audacity deserves?","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.6 (PG 78 78:1327; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-6)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.60":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΣφόδρα ἀπατῶμεν ἑαυτοὺς, καὶ παραλογιζόμεθα, εἰ μηδὲν πράττοντες ὧν προσήκει πράττειν τοὺς νικᾷν βουλομένους, τῶν πάντα πραττόντων ἃ χρὴ πράττειν τοὺς νικήσειν μέλλοντας, περιέσεσθαι προσδοκῶμεν. Ταυτὸν γάρ ἐστι, τὸ καὶ τοὺς καθεύδοντας καὶ ῥέγχοντας τῶν ἐγρηγορότων καὶ σπουδαζόντων περιεῖναι, καὶ τοὺς ῥαθυμοῦντας καὶ ἀργοῦντας τῶν μηδὲν παραλιμπανόντων κρατεῖν.","t":"To Hierax the deacon. We greatly deceive and mislead ourselves if, doing none of the things that those who wish to win must do, we expect to prevail over those who do everything that those who are going to win must do. For it is the same as expecting those who sleep and snore to prevail over those who are awake and striving, and the indolent and idle to master those who leave nothing undone.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.60 (PG 78 78:1361; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-60)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.61":{"o":"ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΤὰ πολλῆς βασάνου καὶ μακρᾶς ἐξετάσεως δεόμενα ῥητὰ, οὐκ ἀποφάσει, ἀλλ᾽ ἀποδείξει σαφηνίζεται. Χρεία γὰρ καὶ κατασκευῆς, καὶ περιόδου, καὶ ἀποδείξεως, ὥστε δυνηθῆναι ταῦτα λαμπρᾶς τυχεῖν ἑρμηνείας. Εἰ δὲ τις ἀποφαινόμενος νομίζει ἀποδείξει κεχρῆσθαι, οὗτος ἔξω τῆς τῶν σοφῶν ἐσκήνωται συνόδου.","t":"To Marcian the presbyter. Sayings that need much testing and long examination are made clear not by assertion but by demonstration. For there is need of construction, of a sustained argument and of proof, so that they may receive a clear interpretation. If anyone thinks that by asserting he has used demonstration, he has pitched his tent outside the assembly of the wise.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.61 (PG 78 78:1363; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-61)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.62":{"o":"ΙΩΑΝΝΗ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ διδάσκαλοι καὶ πατέρες τῆς κολακείας ἀφέμενοι, ὡς τὰ μέγιστα βλαπτούσης καὶ λυμαινομένης, φόβον ἐπανατείνονται, οἱ μὲν τοῖς φοιτηταῖς, οἱ δὲ τοῖς παισί· χρὴ καὶ ἡμᾶς, εἴγε σωφρονοῦμεν, μᾶλλον τῶν ὑβριζόντων τοὺς κολακεύοντας ἀποστρέφεσθαι. Μείζονα γὰρ ἔχει λύμην τῆς ὕβρεως ἡ τοιαύτη τιμὴ τοῖς μὴ προσέχουσι · καὶ δύσκολον τούτου κρατῆσαι ἢ ἐκείνου τοῦ πάθους.","t":"To John the deacon. If teachers and fathers, giving up flattery as most harmful and ruinous, hold fear over their pupils and their children, we too, if we are sensible, ought to turn away from flatterers more than from those who insult us. For such honour does greater harm than insult to those who are not on their guard, and this passion is harder to master than that one.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.62 (PG 78 78:1363; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-62)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.63":{"o":"ΑΝΕΠΙΓΡΑΦΟΣ.\nΜόνη ἡ ἀρετὴ αὐτάρκης κοσμῆσαι τὸν ἔχοντα. Οὐδεὶς γοῦν τῶν ἐν τέλει καθ' ἑαυτὸν ἔχει τὸ γέρας, ἀλλὰ ἐν τοῖς ὑπηκόοις κέκτηται τὴν τιμήν· ὁ δὲ φιλάρετος καὶ ἐν ἑαυτῷ καὶ ἀναφαίρετον ἔχει τὸ κλέος.","t":"Without address. Virtue alone is sufficient to adorn its possessor. None of those in office has his honour in himself; he holds his dignity in his subjects. But the lover of virtue has his glory both in himself and beyond the reach of theft.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.63 (PG 78 78:1363; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-63)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.64":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὉ τοσοῦτον ἐσθίων ὅσον λῦσαι λιμὸν, καὶ τοιαῦτα περιβαλλόμενος ὅσον ἐσκεπάσθαι κοσμίως, ὄχημα καλὸν τῇ ψυχῇ παρασκευάζει τὸ σῶμα, καὶ τῷ κυβερνήτῃ εὐμεταχειρίστους τοὺς οἴακας, καὶ τῷ στρατιώτῃ εὐάρμοστα τὰ ὅπλα, καὶ τῷ ἁρμονικῷ μουσικὴν τὴν λύραν. Ὁ γὰρ τρυφῇ πιαίνων, καὶ ἱματίοις καλλωπίζων, σκιρτᾷν αὐτὸ παρασκευάζει, καὶ εἰς ἀτόπους ἐπιθυμίας ἐξάπτει, καὶ μαλακώτερον αὐτὸ ποιεῖ, καὶ τὴν εὐεξίαν αὐτοῦ λυμαίνεται, καὶ τῇ πολλῇ βλακείᾳ διαλύει αὐτὸ, καὶ τῇ ψυχῇ πολέμιον κατασκευάζει. Οὐκοῦν πέπαυσο κἀκεῖνο καὶ τοῦτο ποιῶν.","t":"To Hierax the deacon. The one who eats only enough to end his hunger, and wears only enough to be decently covered, prepares his body as a good vehicle for the soul, easily handled rudders for the helmsman, well-fitting arms for the soldier, and a tuneful lyre for the musician. But the one who fattens it with luxury and beautifies it with clothes makes it skittish, inflames it to monstrous desires, makes it softer, ruins its good condition, dissolves it with great sluggishness, and makes it an enemy of the soul. So stop doing both the one and the other.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.64 (PG 78 78:1363; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-64)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.65":{"o":"ΤΟ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΟὐχὶ ἁπλῶς, ὦ βέλτιστε, ὁ πλάσας κατὰ μόνας τὰς καρδίας ἡμῶν ἐνομοθέτησε μὴ ἰδεῖν ἀκολάστως εἰς γυναῖκα, ἀλλὰ πραγμάτων ἡμᾶς ἀπαλλάττων. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ πολλῷ εὐκολώτερον μὴ ἰδεῖν εὐπρόσωπον γυναῖκα, ἢ θεασάμενον καὶ τρωθέντα ἐξελκῦσαι τὸ βέλος, καὶ θεραπεῦσαι τὸ τραῦμα, τοῦτο προσέταξε. Κουφότεροι γὰρ ἐν προοιμίοις οἱ ἀγῶνες (μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ ἀγῶνος δεῖ) τῷ μὴ τὰς θύρας ἀνοίγοντι τῷ πολεμίῳ, μηδὲ τὰ σπέρματα δεχομένῳ. Εἰ τοίνυν ἐξὸν χωρὶς συμπλοκῆς στῆσαι τὸ τρόπαιον, τί πράγματα σαυτῷ παρέχεις περιττά; Οὐ γὰρ τοσοῦτος ἰδρὼς συμβαίνει ἐν τῷ μὴ ὁρᾶν, ὅσος ἐν τῷ ὁρῶντα κρατῆσαι · μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ πόνος τὸ πρότερον, ἀλλ᾿ ὁ πολὺς μόχθος μετὰ τὴν θέαν φύεται. Ὅταν οὖν καὶ τὸ κέρδος μέγιστον ᾖ, καὶ ὁ πόνος μικρὸς, τί σαυτὸν ἐμβάλλεις εἰς τὸ ἀδιεξόδευτον τῆς ἐπιθυμίας πέλαγος; οὐ γὰρ εὐχερέστερον μόνον ὁ μὴ θεώμενος, ἀλλὰ καὶ καθαρώτερον περιέσται. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ ὁρῶν μετὰ πόνου πλείονος καὶ κηλίδος ἀπαλλάττεται, ἐὰν ἄρα ἀπαλλαγῇ · οὕτως ὁ μὴ ἰδὼν καὶ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας ἐστὶ καθαρός.","t":"To the same. It was not idly, my good man, that he who fashioned our hearts one by one laid down the law that we must not look licentiously at a woman, but to rid us of trouble. For since it is much easier not to look at a beautiful woman than, having looked and been wounded, to draw out the arrow and heal the wound, he gave this command. For the contests are lighter at the outset (or rather there is no need of a contest at all) for the one who does not open the doors to the enemy nor receive his seeds. If, then, it is possible to set up the trophy without coming to grips, why do you cause yourself needless trouble? For not looking does not involve as much sweat as mastering oneself while looking; or rather, the first is not even a labour, but the great toil springs up after the sight. When, then, the gain is very great and the labour small, why do you throw yourself into the impassable sea of desire? For the one who does not look will prevail not only more easily but also more purely. For as the one who looks gets free with greater labour and with a stain, if indeed he gets free, so the one who has not looked is also pure of desire.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.65 (PG 78 78:1363; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-65)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.66":{"o":"ΟΦΕΛΙΩ ΓΡΑΜΜΑΤΙΚΩ.\nΟὐ πάντως τὰ δοκοῦντα ἡμῖν συμφέρειν, ταῦτα καὶ λυσιτελεῖ. Πολλοὶ γὰρ πολλοὺς νενικηκότες, ἐκείνους μὲν ἔβλαψαν οὐδὲν, ἑαυτοὺς δὲ τὰ χείριστα διέθηκαν· διὸ καὶ ἔδοξεν ἐκεῖνος διημαρτηκέναι τῆς ἀληθείας ὁ εἰπών· « Μακάριος ἐκεῖνος, ᾧ τὸ τόξον μεριμνήσειας ὁ συμφέρει πεσεῖν. » Ἐχρῆν γὰρ, εἴγε σοφὸς ἦν, εἰπεῖν· · Μακάριος ἐκεῖνος ᾧ τὸ τόξον μεριμνήσειας ὁ συμφέρει πεσεῖν. Πολλοί γὰρ ἐνζήλων καὶ λαμπρῶν ἐπιτυχόντες πραγμάτων, ἐκ τούτου εἰς χείρω ἑαυτοὺς ἤλειψαν κακά. Ἐπὶ γὰρ τοῖς προτέροις μεγάλα φρονήσαντες, τολμηροτέρως τοῖς δευτέροις ἐνεχείρησαν. Πολλοὶ δὲ ἀποτυχόντες, συμφερόντως ἐπαιδεύθησαν τοῖς ἀργαλεωτάτοις πράγμασι μὴ ἐγχειρεῖν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν τὸ τὰ συμφέροντα εἰδέναι τε καὶ διδόναι, τῇ θείᾳ ἀνήκει προνοίᾳ, ταῦτα παρ᾿ αὐτῆς αἰτῶμεν, καὶ διδόμενα στέργωμεν, εἰ καὶ ἐναντία δοκοίη εἶναι.","t":"To Ophelius the grammarian. Not everything that seems to us advantageous is also profitable. For many who have defeated many did their opponents no harm, but put themselves in the worst state. That is why the man who said, \"Blessed is he whose arrow … falls …\", seemed to have missed the truth. For he ought, if he was wise, to have said: \"Blessed is he whose arrow falls where it is profitable for it to fall.\" For many, having attained enviable and brilliant success, have from it driven themselves into worse evils; for, priding themselves on their first successes, they attempted their second ventures more rashly. But many who failed were profitably taught not to undertake the most troublesome ventures. Since, then, to know and to give what is profitable belongs to divine providence, let us ask these things from it, and be content with what is given, even if it seems contrary.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.66 (PG 78 78:1365; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-66)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.67":{"o":"ΗΡΩΝΙ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nὭσπερ ὁ διὰ παντὸς διψῶν, κἂν παρὰ ποταμοὺς καὶ πηγὰς κατακέηται, οὐκ αἰσθήσεται τῆς εὐφροσύνης, τῷ μὴ δύνασθαι σβέσαι τὸ πάθος· οὕτω καὶ ὁ πλειόνων ὀρεγόμενος, κἂν μυρίους ἔχει θησαυροὺς, οὐδέποτε ἡδονῆς αἰσθήσεται, τῷ μὴ εἰδέναι κόρον. Ὁ δὲ τῷ τῆς χρείας ὄρῳ εἴσω ἑαυτὸν διατηρῶν, οὐδέποτε τούτῳ τῷ ἀνηκέστῳ ἁλώσεται νοσήματι, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν θυμηδίᾳ ἔσται καὶ χαρᾷ, ἀνάλωτός τε τοῖς ἄλλοις πάθεσι διαμενεῖ, οἷς ὁ ἀεὶ ἐρῶν ἁλίσκεται. Οὐ γὰρ τὸ πολλὰ κεκτῆσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὸ ὀλίγων δεῖσθαι ἀναλώτους ποιεῖ, καὶ ἐν πάσῃ ἀσφαλείᾳ καθιστᾷ· ἐκεῖνος μὲν γὰρ, κἂν μὴ ἀδικηθῇ, ἀκμάζοντα ἔχει τὸν φόβον, ἅτε ἀδικηθῆναι δυνάμενος. Οὗτος δὲ μάλιστα μὲν ἀδικηθῆναι οὐ δυνηθήσεται. Ἢν δὲ καὶ ἠδικῆσθαι δόξῃ, τῶν οὐκ ἠδικημένων πολλῷ ἄμεινον διακείσεται, ἐν πλείονί τε ἔσται ἀγαλλιάσει, τῷ καὶ τὰ τῆς φιλοσοφίας γέρα προσδοκᾷν.","t":"To Heron the presbyter. Just as the man who is always thirsty, even if he lies beside rivers and springs, will feel no gladness, because he cannot quench his passion, so the one who craves more, even if he has countless treasures, will never feel pleasure, because he does not know satiety. But the one who keeps himself within the boundary of need will never be caught by this incurable disease, but will live in cheerfulness and joy, and will remain uncaptured by the other passions by which the man who is always craving is caught. For it is not having much but needing little that makes people uncapturable and sets them in complete safety. For the former, even if he is not wronged, has his fear in full bloom, since he can be wronged. But the latter, for the most part, cannot be wronged; and if he does seem to have been wronged, he will be in a far better state than those who have not been wronged, and in greater exultation, since he also expects the rewards of philosophy.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.67 (PG 78 78:1365; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-67)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.68":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΜὴ θαύμαζε, μηδὲ ἡγοῦ αἵνιγμα τὸ παρ᾿ ἡμῶν σοι προειρημένον, ὅτι οἱ πειρασμοὶ πολλάκις τῶν δυσχερῶν καὶ ἀνελευθέρων παθῶν ἀπαλλαγὴν καὶ ἐλευθερίαν τῇ ψυχῇ χαρίζονται. Ωσπερ γὰρ ἐπὶ τῶν τριῶν παίδων, οὐ μόνον οὐχ ἥψατο αὐτῶν τὸ πῦρ, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς τὴν τῶν δεσμῶν λύσιν ὑπηρετήσατο, ὅρον τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἐνεργείας ἐσχηκὸς τοῦ σιδήρου τὸν ἀφανισμόν · οὕτω καὶ οἱ πειρασμοὶ, ῥαθυμίαν περικόπτοντες, καὶ εἰς νῆψιν ἐπανάγοντες, λύουσι πολλοὺς ἀνθρώπους ἐκ τῶν δεσμῶν τῆς ἁμαρτίας.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. Do not wonder or think it a riddle, what I said to you before, that temptations often grant the soul release and freedom from troublesome and servile passions. For just as in the case of the three youths the fire not only did not touch them but even served to loose their bonds, having the destruction of the iron as the limit of its activity, so temptations too, cutting away indolence and bringing people back to sobriety, loose many from the bonds of sin.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.68 (PG 78 78:1367; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-68)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.69":{"o":"ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ.\nΣφαλερὰ μὲν ἐλπὶς, ἐξ ἀλλοτρίας κακοπραγίας, οὐκ ἐξ οἰκείας ἀρετῆς ἠρτημένη. Ἡ γὰρ τοιαύτη ῥᾳδίως οἰχήσεται. Εἱ δὲ τις οἴκοθεν ἔχοι τὰ τῆς ἀσφαλείας ἐνέχυρα, ἀνάλωτος ἔσται, καὶ τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων κρείττων. ΤΩ ΑΥΤΩ. Μὴ τοῦτ᾽ ἐννόει, ὅπως μηδείς σε ἀδικήσῃ, ἀλλ᾿ ὅπως κἂν βούληται, μὴ δύνηται· τοῦτο δὲ οὐδαμόθεν ἑτέρωθεν τίκτεται, ἢ ἐκ τοῦ τῆς χρείας ἔχεσθαι, καὶ μὴ πλειόνων ὀρέγεσθαι. Ὁ γὰρ πλειόνων ἐφιέμενος, πᾶσιν εὐάλωτός ἐστι, καὶ ἀνθρώποις καὶ πάθεσιν.","t":"To the same. A hope that hangs on another's misfortune and not on one's own virtue is slippery; for such a hope will easily vanish. But if someone has the pledges of safety from his own resources, he will be uncapturable and stronger than those who plot against him. [Letter 5.70] To the same. Do not think about how no one may wrong you, but how, even if someone wishes to, he may not be able to. And this is born from nowhere else than from holding to what is needed and not craving more. For the one who longs for more is easily captured by all, both by people and by passions.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.69 (PG 78 78:1367; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-69)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.7":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΥΠΟΔΙΑΚΟΝΟ.\nὉ ἐπιεικὴς φιλανθρωποτέραν δίκαιος ἂν εἴη ἔχειν τὴν γνώμην τοῦ λίαν δικαίου, καὶ ἀκριβοῦς. Πρέπει γὰρ αὐτῷ μᾶλλον τοῦ δικαίου κεχρῆσθαι τῇ φιλανθρωπία. ῎Αμεινον μὲν μὴ ἁλῶναι ἐπὶ κακίᾳ· ἀλόντα δὲ τὸ εἰδέναι ὅτι ἥλω, καὶ ταχέως ὥσπερ ἔκ τινος μέθης ἀνενεγκεῖν. Ὁ γὰρ ἀλοὺς μὲν, ἑαλωκέναι δὲ οὐκ οἰόμενος, ἀνήκεστα νοσεῖ.","t":"To Palladius the subdeacon. The equitable man ought to have a more humane judgement than the man who is strictly just and exacting. For it befits him to use humaneness more than strict justice. [Letter 5.8] It is better not to be caught in wickedness; but once caught, it is better to know that one has been caught, and quickly to come to one's senses as if from drunkenness. For the man who has been caught but does not think he has been caught is incurably sick.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.7 (PG 78 78:1329; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-7)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.71":{"o":"ΙΣΙΔΩΡΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΟἱ τῶν ἀνδρῶν ἄριστοι, ἅτε νῷ καθαρῷ καὶ ὑγιαίνοντι τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων, ὡς ἔνι μάλιστα, θεώμενοι φύσιν, πάσας μετρίως φέρουσι τὰς τούτων μεταβολάς. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ εὐδόκιμοι τραγῳδοὶ πᾶν δεχόμενοι πρόσωπον θαυμάζονται· οὕτω καὶ οἱ κράτιστοι, ὥσπερ ἀγωνισταὶ ὄντες τοῦ βίου, παντὶ τῷ δοθέντι εὐσχημόνως συνδιατίθενται. \"Ορα γὰρ τὸν ἀοίδιμον Ἰὼβ, ὃς ἐν πλούτῳ εὐδοκιμήσας, ἐν πενίᾳ πλέον διέλαμψε· καὶ θαυμασθεὶς ἐν ἐκείνῳ, ἐν ταύτῃ πλέον ἐθαυμάσθη. Ἔστι γὰρ περὶ πλοῦτον ἀσχημονεῖν, καὶ πενίας ἀπτόμενον εὐσχημονεῖν· οἱ δὲ νοῦν οὐκ ἔχοντες, τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν κακῶν ἀνιχνεῦσαι μὴ ἀνεχόμενοι, τοῖς μηδὲν ἢ μικρὸν λυποῦσι τὴν τῶν κακῶν ἀπονέμουσι ψῆφον. Δέον γὰρ τὴν οἰκείαν αἰτιᾶσθαι ἀνανδρίαν, τῶν πραγμάτων καταψηφίζονται. – ΓΕΝΝΑΔΙΩ. Εἰ καὶ μειζόνων ἢ κατὰ σὲ ἀκροατῶν δεῖται τὸ λεχθησόμενον, ἀλλ᾿ ὅμως λελέξεται· ὅτι εἰ πᾶσαν ὁμοῦ τὴν ἀφ᾿ οὗ γεγόνασιν ἄνθρωποι μακαριότητα τῷ λόγῳ τις συλλάβοι, καὶ εἰς ἓν ἀθροίσειεν, οὐδὲ μυριοστῷ μέρει τῶν ἐσομένων ἀγαθῶν εὑρήσει παραπλησίαν· ἀλλὰ πλέον τοῦ ἐν ἐκείνοις σμικροτάτου τὰ τῇδε κατὰ τὴν ἀξίαν λειπόμενα, ἢ ὅσα σκιὰ καὶ ὄναρ τῶν ἀληθῶν ἀφέστηκε πραγμάτων· μᾶλλον δὲ, ἵνα πρεπωδεστέρᾳ χρήσωμαι εἰκόνι, ὅσῳ ψυχὴ σώματος τιμιωτέρα, τοσούτῳ κἀκεῖνα τούτων διενήνοχεν. ΗΡΩΝΙ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ. Εἷς μὲν τῶν ἑπτὰ θρυλλουμένων σοφῶν παρήνεσε· • Μηδὲν ἄγαν. • Πλάτων δὲ ὁ τῶν φιλοσόφων κορυφαῖος ἔφη · · Τῷ ὄντι τὸ ἄγαν τι ποιεῖν, μεγάλην φιλεῖ εἰς τοὐναντίον μεταβολὴν ἀνταποδιδόναι ἐν ὥραις, καὶ ἐν φυτοῖς, καὶ ἐν σώμασι, καὶ δὴ καὶ ἐν πολιτείαις οὐχ ἥκιστα. » Ποτέρῳ τοίνυν ἀκολουθῆσαι προήρησαι; Τῷ τῶν σοφῶν ἄκρῳ, ἢ τῷ τῶν φιλοσόφων σὺ πλέον; τοῖν γὰρ ἀμφοῖν δίκαιος ἂν εἴης πεισθῆναι. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ παρήνεσεν· ὁ δὲ καὶ τὴν αἰτίαν δι᾽ ἣν χρὴ πεισθῆναι τῇ παραινέσει ἐδήλωσεν.","t":"To Isidore the presbyter. The best of men, since they observe the nature of things, as far as possible, with a pure and healthy mind, bear all their changes with moderation. For just as famous tragic actors are admired for taking on every role, so the most excellent, being as it were contestants in life, adapt themselves gracefully to whatever is given. Look at the celebrated Job, who, esteemed in wealth, shone even more in poverty; and, admired in the one, was admired more in the other. For it is possible to behave disgracefully in wealth and to behave gracefully when in the grip of poverty. But those who have no sense, not bearing to track down the root of evils, assign the verdict of evil to things that cause little or no grief; when they ought to blame their own unmanliness, they condemn circumstances. [Letter 5.72] To Gennadius. Even if what is about to be said needs greater hearers than you can be, still it will be said: if anyone gathered in words all the blessedness there has been since human beings came to be and collected it into one, he would not find it comparable to the ten-thousandth part of the good things to come; but the things here fall short in worth of the least of those even more than shadows and dreams fall short of real things; or rather, to use a more fitting image, as much as the soul is more precious than the body, so much do those things surpass these. [Letter 5.73] To Heron the scholasticus. One of the seven celebrated sages advised: \"Nothing in excess.\" And Plato, the chief of philosophers, said: \"Truly, doing anything in excess tends to repay it with a great change to the opposite, in seasons, in plants, in bodies, and not least in constitutions.\" Which of them, then, have you chosen to follow, the summit of the sages, or rather the summit of the philosophers? You would do right to obey both; for the one gave the advice, and the other also showed the reason why one must obey the advice.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.71 (PG 78 78:1367; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-71)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.74":{"o":"ΛΑΜΠΕΤΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὉ ἁμαρτάνων μέν τι, γινώσκων δὲ, τοῦ καὶ ἁμαρτάνοντος καὶ μὴ γινώσκοντος ἀμείνων εἶναι μοι δοκεῖ. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ὀρθὴν, ὁ δὲ διεφθαρμένην ἔχει τῶν πραγμάτων τὴν κρίσιν· καὶ ὁ μὲν εἰς μετάνοιαν βαδιεῖται, ὁ δὲ εἰς ἀναλγησίαν τελευτήσει· ὁ μὲν ἐρυθριάσει πταίων, ὁ δ᾽ οὐδ᾽ ἐρυθριάσει· πῶς γὰρ ἐρυθριάσει ὁ μηδὲ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ὅτι πταίει ἐπιστάμενος; Διὸ ὁ τῶν πραγμάτων ἀκριβῶς βασανίσας τὴν φύσιν, ἔφη · · Οὐ μόνον αὐτὰ ποιοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ συνευδοκοῦσι τοῖς πράττουσιν, » τὸ ἐπαινεῖν τοῦ πράττειν ἀργαλεώτερον εἶναι, εἰκότως ὁρισάμενος. Χρὴ οὖν τὸν μὲν εἰς μετάνοιαν παρακελεῦσαι· τῷ δὲ αἴσθησιν τῶν γιγνομένων ἐμποιῆσαι. Εἰ μὴ γὰρ αἴσθοιτο, οὔτε ἁμαρτάνειν παύσοιτο.","t":"To Lampetius the deacon. One who sins but knows it seems to me better than one who both sins and does not know it. For the one has a right judgement of things, the other a corrupted one; the one will walk toward repentance, the other will end in insensibility; the one will blush when he stumbles, the other will not even blush. For how will he blush who does not even know that he is stumbling? That is why the one who examined the nature of things precisely said: \"Not only do they do them, but they also approve of those who practise them,\" rightly defining praising as worse than doing. So one must urge the first to repentance, and create in the other a perception of what is happening. For unless he perceives it, he will not stop sinning either.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.74 (PG 78 78:1369; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-74)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.75":{"o":"ΔΙΟΓΕΝΕΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΑχαριστίας, Λίαν σοι μέμφομαι, ὅτι τέθνηκε παρὰ σοὶ ἡ χάρις, ἣν δεόμενος τότε ἀθάνατον ἕξειν διεβεβαιώσω ἴσθι τοιγαροῦν, ὅτι περιπεσὼν αὖθις συμφορᾷ οὐχ ἕξεις τὸν ἀντιληψόμενον· βοηθῶν γὰρ ἀναγκαίως ἀποροῦσιν οἱ ἐπιλήσμονες ὄντες χαρίτων.","t":"To Diogenes the deacon. On ingratitude. I greatly blame you, because the favour has died with you which, when you were in need, you then affirmed you would keep immortal. Know, then, that if you fall into misfortune again, you will have no one to help you; for those who forget favours are necessarily at a loss for helpers.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.75 (PG 78 78:1369; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-75)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.76":{"o":"ΑΣΚΛΗΠΙΩ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nἘκεῖνον ὄντως ἀνδρεῖον ὁρίζομαι, ὃν οὔτε δυσκολία πραγμάτων, οὔτε ἐχθρῶν ἤλεγξεν ἐπιβουλή. Τῶν γὰρ πολλῶν ὑπὸ τῶν τοιούτων εἰωθότων ἁλίσκεσθαι, ὁ μὴ ἐν τοῖς ἀβουλήτοις εὐάλωτος φωραθεὶς, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐπηρείας κοσμίως φέρων, καὶ δόξης ὑπόθεσιν ποιούμενος τὰς ἐπιβουλὰς, καὶ μὴ εἰς δουλοπρεπεῖς καταγιγνόμενος θωπείας, ἀλλ᾽ ὑψηλότερον τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων ἔχων τὸ φρόνημα, οὗτος ἀνδρεῖός ἐστι παρ᾿ ἐμοὶ κριτῇ. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἐν μὲν ταῖς εὐημερίαις ῥᾷστον καὶ τοῖς ἀνάνδροις φρονήματι χρήσασθαι, αἱ δυσκολίαι δὲ τοὺς ἀγαθοὺς κρίνουσι· τὸν μὲν ἐν εὐημερίᾳ μέτριον, ἐν δὲ δυσκολίᾳ πραγμάτων, ἀταπείνωτον, ἀνδρειότατον εἶναι ἔγωγε ὁρίζομαι. - ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ. Εἰ, ὡς φασί τινες, οὐδὲ οἱ λίαν δεινοὶ, καὶ τὸ λέγειν τέχνην πεποιημένοι, τὰς ὑμετέρας ῥᾳδίως τολμῶσι στηλιτεῦσαι τραγῳδίας (φοβοῦνται γὰρ τῶν μὲν νῦν τὸν ἔλεγχον, τῶν δὲ ἐσομένων τὴν ἀπιστίαν. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ πλείονα εἰδέναι φασὶν, ὧν ἂν εἰπεῖν δυνηθεῖεν· οἱ δὲ ἔλαττον ὑμᾶς δεδρακέναι τῶν ῥηθησομένων ἡγήσονται), τίς ἡ ἀνήκεστος αὕτη μανία, ἡ ἐκβακχεύσασα ὑμᾶς τοιαῦτα δρᾶσαι, ἃ καὶ τοὺς νυνὶ δεινοτάτους ἐλέγξει, καὶ τοὺς μετὰ ταῦτα ἀπιστῆσαι παρασκευάσει Οὐ γὰρ πιστεῦσαι ἐθελήσουσι ῥᾳδίως, ὅτι ἄνθρωποι τοιαῦτα ἔδρασαν, ἃ οὐδ᾽ ἂν δαίμονες ἀλιτήριοι δρᾶσαι ἐτόλμησαν. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὁρῶντες τὰ δραματουργούμενα, ἥττους τῶν τραγῳδιῶν τοὺς λόγους, οἱ δ᾽ ἀκούσαντες, μείζους ἡγήσονται. Οἱ μὲν μὴ δεδυνῆσθαι τὴν φράσιν ἐξισωθῆναι τῇ πράξει νομιοῦσιν· οἱ δὲ ἐξωγκῶσθαι, καὶ πρὸς τὸ μεῖζον ἦρθαι τὰ γεγενημένα ὑπολήψονται. Οἱ μὲν ἡττῆσθαι τοὺς ῥήτορας, οἱ δ᾽ ὑπερβεβηκέναι ψηφιοῦνται. Τοὺς μὲν γὰρ κατόπιν τῆς ὑποθέσεως ὑπολελείφθαι τοὺς δὲ ὑπερβεβηκέναι φήσουσιν. Εἰ τοίνυν πάντα μικρὰ πρὸς τὴν ὑμετέραν βδελυρίαν φθέγξασθαι, παύσασθε τοιαῦτα δρῶντες, ἃ καὶ τοὺς νῦν ἐλέγξει, καὶ τοὺς ἐσομένους ἀπιστῆσαι παρα– ΕΥΓΕΝΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Ἴσθι, ὦ μακάριε, ὅτι οὐκ εἰς τὸ μὴ λαβεῖν ἀμοιβὰς, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸ λαμπροτέρας λαβεῖν, εἰ ἐν πᾶσιν εὐδοκιμήσειας, τὸ μηδέπω λαβεῖν περιστήσεταί σοι. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ ἐνταῦθά τι λαβὼν λαμπρόν· ὁ δὲ μὴ λαβὼν, λαμπρότερον ἐκεῖσε ἕξει τὸν στέφανον. Μὴ τοίνυν, ὃ θυμηδίας ἐστὶ πρόξενον, τοῦτο ἀθυμίας σοι αἴτιον γινέσθω. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ ἐνταῦθα εἰληφότι, εἰκότως ὑποτέμνεται ὁ μισθός· τῷ δὲ μὴ εἰληφότι ἀκέραιος δῆλον ὅτι φυλάττεται.","t":"To Asclepius the sophist. I define as truly brave the man whom neither the difficulty of circumstances nor the plotting of enemies has shown up. For since most people are usually caught by such things, the man who is not found easily captured in what he does not want, but bears even abuse decorously, makes plots an occasion for glory, and does not sink into servile flatteries but keeps his spirit higher than his plotters, this man is brave in my judgement. For since in prosperity it is very easy even for cowards to show spirit, but difficulties sift the good, I for my part define as bravest the man who is moderate in prosperity and unhumbled in difficult circumstances. [Letter 5.77] To Martinianus, Zosimus and Maron. If, as some say, not even the very able, who have made speaking an art, readily dare to pillory your tragedies (for they fear the refutation of those now living and the disbelief of those to come; for they say that the former know more than they could tell, and the latter will think that you did less than will be told), what is this incurable madness that has driven you in frenzy to do such things as will both refute the ablest speakers now and make later generations disbelieve? For they will not readily be willing to believe that human beings did such things as not even accursed demons would have dared to do. Those who see what is being acted out will think the words weaker than the tragedies; those who hear will think them greater. The one will think that the speech could not be made equal to the deed; the others will suppose that what happened has been inflated and exaggerated. The one will vote that the orators were defeated, the others that they went too far. For they will say of the one that they fell short of the subject, of the others that they overshot it. If, then, everything one could say is small compared with your abomination, stop doing such things as will both refute those now living and make those to come disbelieve. [Letter 5.78] To Eugenius the deacon. Know, blessed man, that if you are esteemed in everything, your not yet having received rewards will turn out not to your receiving none, but to your receiving more brilliant ones. For the one who receives something here receives something brilliant; but the one who does not will have a more brilliant crown there. So do not let what is a source of gladness become a cause of despondency for you. For to the one who has received here, the reward is rightly cut down; but for the one who has not received, it is clearly kept intact.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.76 (PG 78 78:1371; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-76)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.79":{"o":"ΚΥΡΙΛΛΩ ΕΠΙΣΚΟΠΩ.\nΟἶδε πάντως ἡ σὴ σύνεσις, ὡς οὐδὲ τὸ ἄδικον κέρδος εἰς ἐλεημοσύνην ἐπιτήδειον· οὔτε ἡ ἀπληστία τῶν οἰκονομούντων τὴν Πηλουσιωτῶν Ἐκκλησίαν κόρον οἶδεν. \"Αριστα οὖν πράξειας, εἰ παύσειας τῶν τὰ ἐκκλησιαστικὰ διοικούντων χρήματα τὰς πλεονεξίας· εἰ γὰρ τὸ ἐξ ἀδικίας πορίζεσθαι τοῖς δεομένοις τὰ ἀναγκαῖα οὐκ εὐαγὲς, τὸ μηδὲ τοῖς δεομένοις αὐτὰ πορίζειν, ἀλλ᾽ οἰκείοις θησαυροῖς ἐναποκλείειν, πάντη ἐναγέστατον. Μανθανέτωσαν οὖν, ὅτι καὶ διανέμειν ὀφείλουσι καθαρῶς τοῖς πενομένοις τὰ δικαίως προσόντα καὶ ἀδικίας ἁπάσης καθαρεύειν, μάλιστα μὲν ἐπειδὴ τῷ Κριτῇ τοῦτο δοκεῖ· ἔπειτα δὲ, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐκείνων ἕνεκεν, ὧν φασι φροντίζειν, πλεονεκτοῦσιν, ἀλλὰ τοὺς οἰκείους θησαυροὺς ἐμπλῆσαι γλιχόμενοι. Εἰ γὰρ σβέσειας τῶν διοικούντων τὴν ἀπληστίαν, πολλῆς ἀπολαύονται οἱ πένητες εὐετηρίας.","t":"To Cyril the bishop. Your understanding surely knows that unjust gain is not fit even for almsgiving, and that the greed of those who manage the church of the Pelusiotes knows no satiety. You would do excellently, then, if you stopped the greed of those who administer the church's funds. For if providing necessities to the needy from injustice is not holy, then not even providing them to the needy, but locking them up in one's own treasuries, is altogether most unholy. Let them learn, then, that they must both distribute purely to the poor what rightly belongs to them and keep clean of all injustice: first because the Judge so decrees; then because they are not grasping even for the sake of those for whom they claim to care, but out of eagerness to fill their own treasuries. For if you quench the greed of the administrators, the poor will enjoy great plenty.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.79 (PG 78 78:1373; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-79)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.80":{"o":"ΑΡΠΟΚΡΑ ΣΟΦΙΣΤΗ.\nὉ μὲν ἐν τοῖς κομιδή ζητουμένοις ἔχων ἰσχυρὰν λύσιν ἐπαγαγεῖν, εἰκότως οὐ δέδοικε χαλεπωτέραν ποιῶν τὴν ἀντίθεσιν. Ὁ δὲ μὴ ἔχων, τὴν δὲ δύναμιν τῶν λόγων ἐν τῇ ἀντιθέσει ἐπιδεικνύμενος, ἐν δὲ τῇ λύσει ἀσθενὴς φαινόμενος, λανθάνει λαμπροτέραν τὴν οἰκείαν ἐπιδεικνύμενος ἧτταν. Οὐ γὰρ ἐχρῆν οὕτω παρὰ τὴν ἀρχὴν ἀγωνίσασθαι τὸν μέλλοντα ἡττηθήσεσθαι· μᾶλλον δὲ, εἰ δεῖ τἀκριβὲς εἰπεῖν, προδότης τῆς ἀληθείας φωραθήσεται, δι' ὧν τὴν δύναμιν τῶν λόγων τὴν ἐν τῇ ἀντιθέσει, οὐκ ἐπεδείξατο ἐν τῇ λύσει.","t":"To Harpocras the sophist. One who is able to bring a strong solution to questions that are really disputed rightly does not fear to make the objection harder. But one who is not able, who displays the power of his words in the objection but appears weak in the solution, unwittingly makes his own defeat more conspicuous. For one who was going to be defeated ought not to have fought like that at the start; or rather, if one must speak exactly, he will be caught as a traitor to the truth, since the power of words he showed in the objection he did not show in the solution.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.80 (PG 78 78:1373; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-80)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.81":{"o":"ΖΩΣΙΜΟ.\nΕἰ μὴ βούλει ὀνείδη τε ἕξειν, καὶ τιμωρίας ὑφέξειν οὗ φημι ἐνθάδε (καίτοι οὐ μικρὸν καὶ τοῦτο τῷ ἐχέφρονι), ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τοῖς εἴτε ἐπὶ γῆς, εἴτε καὶ ὁπουδηποτοῦν τοῦ παντὸς τυγχάνει δικαστηρίοις, τὴν ῥαθυμίαν ἀποσεισάμενος ἔχου τῆς ἀρετῆς. ΑΡΤΕΜΙΔΩΡΩ. Ὁ πάντα τὰ εἰς αὐτὸν ἥκοντα πληρώσας εἰς τὸ πεῖσαι, καὶ μὴ πείσας, ὡς ἀνύσας δίκαιος ἂν εἴη θαυμάζεσθαι· τοσοῦτον ἀπέχει τοῦ μέμψεως ἄξιος εἶναι. Εἰ δὲ θαυμαστὸν εἶναί σοι τοῦτο δόξει, ἐπιψηφιείται ὁ Παῦλος φάσκων· « Ἕκαστος δὲ τὸν ἴδιον μισθὸν λήψεται κατὰ τὸν ἴδιον κόπον· » οὐχ εἶπε· Κατὰ τὴν τοῦ καμάτου ἔκβασιν. Ὁ γὰρ μηδὲν παραλείψας τῶν ὀφειλόντων πεπρᾶχθαι, στεφάνων ἐστὶν εἰκότως ἄξιος.","t":"To Zosimus. If you do not wish to be reproached and to undergo punishments (I do not mean here, though even that is no small thing to a sensible man, but in the courts that exist, whether on earth or anywhere at all in the universe), shake off your indolence and hold fast to virtue. [Letter 5.82] To Artemidorus. The one who has done everything that rested with him to persuade, and has not persuaded, would deserve to be admired as if he had succeeded; so far is he from deserving blame. If this seems astonishing to you, Paul will cast his vote with me, saying: \"Each will receive his own reward according to his own labour\"; he did not say, according to the outcome of the toil. For the one who has left undone none of the things he ought to have done is rightly worthy of crowns.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.81 (PG 78 78:1373; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-81)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.83":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΛαμπρὸν ἑστιάτορα εἶναι ἐκεῖνον ἡγοῦμαι, οὐ τὸν φλεγμαινούσῃ τραπέζῃ ἐστιῶντα τοὺς δαιτυμόνας, καὶ τὸν κόρον ὑβρίζεσθαι παρασκευάζοντα, ἀλλὰ τὸν τῇ αὐταρκείᾳ τῶν παρασκευασθέντων κιρνῶντα τὴν λογικὴν παραίνεσιν, ἧς ἡ ὠφέλεια καὶ ψυχῆς ἄπτεσθαι πέφυκεν. ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΖΩΣΙΜΟ, ΜΑΡΩΝΙ, ΕΥ","t":"To Paul the deacon. I consider that man a splendid host, not the one who entertains his guests at a swollen table and causes satiety to run riot, but the one who mixes with the sufficiency of what has been prepared a rational exhortation, whose benefit naturally reaches the soul as well.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.83 (PG 78 78:1375; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-83)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.84":{"o":"ΣΤΑΘΙΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ πολλοὶ τὴν ὑμετέραν σωτηρίαν ἀπέγνωσαν, ἀλλ' ἐγὼ πάλιν ἥκω συμβουλεύσων μὲν ὑμῖν ἀποφοιτῆσαι τῆς κακίας, προτρέψων δὲ ἐπ᾿ ἀρετήν· καὶ προμηνύσων μὲν τὰ τοῖς φαύλοις ἀποδοθησόμενα ἐπίχειρα, προαγορεύσων δὲ τὰ τοῖς φιλαρέτοις δοθησόμενα ἔπαθλα. Εἰ τοίνυν τὸ λογιστικὸν μὴ παντελῶς ἐνεκρώσατε, ἀλλ᾽ ἔχει τι ἐμπύρευμα ἀναλάμψαι δυνάμενον, τοῦτ᾽ ἀναῤῥιπίσαντες ἐξάψατε. Τάχα πως κἂν ὀψέ ποτε τόδε γνοίητε.","t":"To Martinianus, Zosimus, Maron and Eustathius. Even if many have despaired of your salvation, I come again, to advise you to depart from wickedness, to urge you on to virtue, to forewarn you of the wages that will be paid to the wicked and to announce beforehand the prizes that will be given to the lovers of virtue. If, then, you have not utterly killed your reasoning faculty, but it has some spark that can flare up, fan it and kindle it. Perhaps you may come to know this, even if late.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.84 (PG 78 78:1375; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-84)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.85":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΛίαν θαυμάζω, ὅπως οἱ μὲν λῃσταὶ, οἱ ξίφη γυμνά ἐπισείοντες, καὶ κατὰ τῶν μηδὲν ἀδικούντων ὁπλιζόμενοι, ἁλῶν κοινωνήσαντες, οὐκ ἔτι εἰσὶ λῃσταὶ πρὸς οὓς ἂν σπείσωνται, ἀλλὰ μεταῤῥυθμίζει τὸν ἀμείλικτον τρόπον ἡ τράπεζα. Ἡμεῖς δὲ θείας ἀξιούμενοι τραπέζης, ἄσπονδον ἔχομεν πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς τὸν πόλεμον.","t":"To Hierax the deacon. I greatly wonder how robbers, who brandish naked swords and arm themselves against those who do no wrong, once they have shared salt, are no longer robbers toward those with whom they have made a truce, but the table reshapes their implacable character; while we, who are counted worthy of the divine table, wage a truceless war with one another.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.85 (PG 78 78:1375; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-85)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.86":{"o":"ΚΑΣΙΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΕἱ μὲν τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς τελευτὴν εἰς τὴν τῶν παίδων τιμωρίαν ἐκαιροφυλάκεις, δύο ἀγεννέσι πάθεσι σαυτὸν κεχειρῶσθαι δεικνύεις, ἀνανδρίᾳ τε καὶ μνησικακίᾳ. Πρὸς ἐκεῖνον μὲν γὰρ μὴ δυνηθεὶς, ἀνανδρίας· τούτους δὲ ἀμύνασθαι σπουδάζων, μνησικακίας ἐξοίσεις κατὰ σαυτοῦ δείγμα. Εἰ δὲ μηδὲ τούτους ἀμύνῃ, καὶ τὴν τῆς ἀνανδρίας ἀποτρίψῃ ὑπόληψιν. Δόξεις γὰρ καὶ τότε οὐ φόβῳ παρακεχωρηκέναι, ἀλλ᾽ ἔργῳ πεφιλοσοφηκέναι.","t":"To Casius the scholasticus. If you were watching for the father's death in order to take revenge on his children, you show yourself overcome by two ignoble passions, cowardice and resentment. For since you could do nothing against him, you will give proof against yourself of cowardice; and by being eager to take revenge on them, of resentment. But if you do not take revenge on them either, you will also rub off the suspicion of cowardice. For you will seem even then to have given way not from fear, but to have practised philosophy in deed.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.86 (PG 78 78:1375; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-86)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.87":{"o":"ΗΣΑΙΑ.\nΜὴ ἀπὸ τούτων, ὦ βέλτιστε, ἐπὶ τὸ χεῖρον τρέπου, ἀφ᾿ ὧν χρὴ σωφρονέστερον καθεστάναι· μηδὲ τὴν ὑπόθεσιν τῆς σωτηρίας πρόφασιν ἀπωλείας ἡγοῦ· ἀλλ᾽ αἰδεσθεὶς τὴν θείαν μακροθυμίαν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀντιλαβοῦ · οὐ γὰρ εἰς τέλος οἴσει καταφρονούμενος ὁ Κριτὴς, ἀλλ᾽ ἐποίσει τὴν χεῖρα τὴν κραταιάν. Διὸ καὶ προμηνύει καὶ προαπολογεῖται, ὡς οὐκ ἄκριτος αὐτοῦ ἡ ψῆφος κατὰ τῶν ὑπευθύνων φέρεται· « Τι γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐσιώπησα; μὴ καὶ ἀεὶ σιωπήσομαι, καὶ ἀνέξομαι; Ἐκστήσω, καὶ ξηρανῶ ἅμα. » μονονουχὶ λέγων· Εἰ μὲν γνωσιμαχήσετε· ὅπερ προείρηκα Εἰ δὲ ἐπιμείνοιτε, τόγε ἡμέτερον ἔξω αἰτίας. Ὑμεῖς γὰρ τὴν τιμωρίαν καθ᾽ ἑαυτῶν ἐλθεῖν ἐξεβιάσασθε.","t":"To Isaiah. Do not, my good man, turn to worse because of the very things that ought to make you more temperate, and do not think the occasion of salvation a pretext for ruin; but, respecting the divine patience, take hold of virtue. For the Judge will not bear being despised to the end, but will bring down his mighty hand. That is why he warns beforehand and makes his defence in advance, that his verdict against the guilty is not passed without trial: \"Why,\" he says, \"have I kept silent? Shall I always keep silent and endure? I will astonish and dry up at once\"; all but saying: if you acknowledge your fault, that is what I spoke of before; but if you persist, my part is free of blame. For you forced the punishment to come upon yourselves.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.87 (PG 78 78:1375; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-87)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.88":{"o":"ΠΑΥΛΩ.\nΤὸν εὐδόκιμον κρείττονα εἶναι χρὴ τῶν συμφορῶν. Τοῦτο δὲ ἔσται, εἰ τὸν λογισμὸν ὑψηλότερον τῶν παθῶν κατακτήσαιτο, καὶ καθάπερ κυβερνήτῃ μεταχειρίζειν τοὺς οἴακας καὶ οἱακίζειν ἐπιτρέψειεν. Εἰ δὲ τὸν κυβερνήτην καταβαπτίσειε, ναυάγιον ἀργαλεώτατον ὑποστήσεται, τῶν παθῶν κορυφουμένων, καὶ τὸν λογισμὸν εἰς αὐτὸν τοῦ πελάγους τὸν πυθμένα παραπεμπόντων.","t":"To Paul. The man of good repute must be stronger than misfortunes. And this will be so if he makes his reason master, higher than the passions, and allows it, like a helmsman, to handle and steer the rudder. But if he sinks the helmsman, he will suffer a most grievous shipwreck, as the passions rise in crests and send reason down to the very bottom of the sea.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.88 (PG 78 78:1377; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-88)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.89":{"o":"ΕΥΣΕΒΙΟ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ.\nΕἰ καὶ, ὡς γέγραφας, ἡ τῶν βασιλευόντων περὶ τὸ Θεῖον εὐλάβεια τὴν ἐπισκόπων ἀνευλάβειαν ἤλεγξεν· καὶ ἡ πρὸς αὐτοὺς ἐκείνων ὑπερβάλλουσα τιμὴ τοὺς τιμωμένους ἐξέλυσε, καὶ ἡ πολλὴ αὐτῶν φιλοτιμία τρυφῆς καὶ ἀσωτείας τούτοις ὑπόθεσις γέγονεν· ἀλλὰ σὺ μὴ σκανδαλίζου· οὐ γὰρ πάντες ἐχειρώθησαν τοῖς εἰρημένοις πάθεσιν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰσὶν οἱ σπουδάζοντες κατὰ τὸν ἀποστολικὸν ζῆσαι χαρακτῆρα. Εἰ δὲ φαίης, Ὀλίγοι κομιδῇ, οὐδὲ αὐτὸς ἀρνησαίμην· ἀλλὰ κὰν τούτῳ τὴν τοῦ Σωτῆρος πρόγνωσιν θαυμάσαιμι τοῦ φράσαντος· « Πολλοὶ μὲν κλητοὶ, ὀλίγοι δὲ ἐκλεκτοί. » ΜΑΡΚΙΑΝΩ ΠΡΕΣΒΥΤΕΡΩ. Μὴ ὕπεχε τοῖς λογοποιοῦσι τὰς ἀκοάς· εἰ γὰρ ῥᾳδίως πιστεύοις τοῖς κατηγοροῦσιν, οὐκ ἐπιλείψουσιν οἱ καταψευδόμενοι καὶ πλάττοντες· ἀλλ᾽ εἰ βούλει δὸς ἀκεραίους τὰς ἀκοὰς, καὶ ἀπολογήσεται μάλα γενναίως ὁ κατηγορηθείς· καὶ εἰς ἐκείνους τρέψεις τὴν εἰς αὐτὸν μάτην φυεῖσαν λύπην. Οὐ περὶ τῆς καταπαύσεως τῶν Ἑβραίων, τῆς γενομένης ἐν Παλαιστίνῃ διὰ Ἰησοῦ υἱοῦ Ναυή στρατηγίας, τῷ θεσπεσίῳ Παύλῳ ὁ λόγος· ἐκείνης γὰρ οὐδεὶς λόγος αὐτῷ, εἰς δὲ τὴν προσδοκωμένην ἔσεσθαι βλέπει, καὶ κατ᾿ ἐκείνης ὁ τῶν νοημάτων σκοπὸς συντείνεται· ὅτι δὲ τοῦτό ἐστιν ἀληθὲς, αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἑρμηνεύει λέγων· « Εἰ γὰρ αὐτοὺς Ἰησοῦς (δῆλον δὲ ἐστι τοῦ Ναυῆ) κατέπαυσεν, οὐκ ἂν περὶ ἄλλης ἐλάλει μετὰ ταῦτα ἡμέρας· ἄρα ἀπολείπεται σαββατισμὸς τῷ λαῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ. » Εἰ γὰρ αὐτοὺς, φησὶν, ἐκεῖνος κατέπαυσεν, οὐκ ἂν ὁ Δαβὶδ μετὰ πολλὰς γενεὰς γενόμενος, περὶ καταπαύσεως διαλεγόμενος ἔλεγε· « Σήμερον ἐὰν τῆς φωνῆς αὐτοῦ ἀκούσητε, μὴ σκληρύνητε τὰς καρδίας ὑμῶν. » Οὐκοῦν, φησὶν, ἀληθινὴ ἀνάπαυσις τῷ λαῷ τοῦ Θεοῦ, τουτέστι, τοῖς εὐδοκίμως μετὰ τὴν πίστιν πολιτευσαμένοις ἀπόκειται, οὐκ ἐν τῇ Παλαιστίνῃ, ἀλλ' ἐν τῇ ὑπερκοσμίῳ Ἱερουσαλήμ εὐτρεπισθεῖσα. Παραίνεσιν διεγνωκὼς πέμψαι σοι, βούλομαι, ὦ φίλος, προδιελθεῖν πρὸς σὲ, ὡς συνέβη διατεθῆναι τοῖς ἐμοῖς ἐπιτηδείοις, ἐπειδήπερ αὐτοῖς ἀνεκοινούμην, τὴν ὑπὲρ τῆς συμβουλῆς προαίρεσιν. Ἐκείνων τοίνυν οἱ μὲν καὶ κομιδῇ ἔδεισαν, μὴ ἔχθρας ὑπόθεσιν ἀπὸ τῆς προνοίας ταύτης κατασκευάσαιμι. – Δόξειν γάρ σοι ἐν εἰσηγήσεως σχήματι προῃρῆσθαί ( τοὺς λυπεῖν τολμήσοντας. Ἔπειτα δε εἰ καὶ τρωσε κακῶς λέγειν. Οὐκοῦν ἔφασαν θαυμάζειν, εἰ παρ' αὐτοὺς τοὺς λόγους πόλεμος μὴ Περσικός περισταίη · ἦσαν δὲ καὶ οἱ πάνυ θαῤῥεῖν προετρέποντο, ὡς ἀποδεξομένου σου · καὶ τοσοῦτον ἔφασαν ἀφεστάναι προσδοκᾷν τι δεινὸν, ὡς καὶ ἀνάῤῥησιν προσδοκἂν διὰ τοῦτο. Ἐμοὶ δὲ δοκοῦσιν ἀμφότεροι πῆ μὲν ἐστοχᾶσθαι τἀληθοῦς, πῆ δὲ διημαρτηκέναι. Ἐξ ἀρχῆς μὲν γὰρ ἀγανακτήσειν σε πεπίστευκα, εἰς τέλος δὲ οὐδαμῶς· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἀποδέξασθαί με κατὰ σαυτὸν προσδοκῶ, ἐπὶ πάντων δὲ ἥκιστα· ὅμως ἑκάτερον προσδοκῶν, οὐκ ἀποστήσομαι τὸ παριστάμενον εἰπεῖν. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ οἱ βέλτιστοι μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν ἔσονται, κωλύσοντες οὐ μόνον σὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους θῆναι συμβαίη τῇ ἀρετῇ συνηγοροῦντα, τοῦτο παθεῖν οὐ βαρύ. Τί οὖν ἐστιν ὁ βούλομαι εἰπεῖν; Εἰρήσεται· Ανεῤῥίφθω γὰρ κύβος· μάλιστα μὲν πέπαυσο κατὰ σαυτοῦ τὸ ξίφος ὠθῶν, καὶ παντὸς βαρβάρου βαρβαρικώτερον σαυτῷ χρώμενος· καὶ τοσαῦτα σαυτὸν διατιθεὶς κακὰ, ὅσα ἂν οὐδὲ οἱ κομιδῇ πολέμιοι διέθηκαν. Εἰ δὲ τῆς κακίας ἀπρὶξ ἔχεσθαι κέκρικας, καὶ τὸ δόγμα τοῦτο ἀκίνητόν ἐστι παρὰ σοἱ· κἂν τοὺς τῆς ἀρετῆς τροφίμους παῦσαι καταπολεμῶν. Τὸ γὰρ μὴ μόνον πταίειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς κατορθοῦντας δι᾿ ὧν τὴν γλῶτταν κατ᾿ αὐτῶν ὁπλίζεις, διασύρειν, ἔσχατος ὄρος κακίας, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀναλγησίας τεκμήριόν ἐστιν.","t":"To Eusebius the presbyter. Even if, as you have written, the reverence of the emperors toward God has shown up the irreverence of the bishops, and the excessive honour they pay them has slackened those so honoured, and their great generosity has become for them an occasion of luxury and prodigality, still, do not be scandalized. For not all have been overcome by the passions mentioned; there are some who strive to live according to the apostolic stamp. And if you say, \"Very few,\" I would not deny it myself; but in this too I would admire the foreknowledge of the Saviour, who said: \"Many are called, but few are chosen.\" [Letter 5.90] To Marcian the presbyter. Do not lend your ears to those who make up stories. For if you readily believe accusers, there will be no lack of people who lie and fabricate. But, if you will, keep your ears unprejudiced, and the accused will defend himself very nobly, and you will turn upon them the grief that grew up in vain against him. [Letter 5.91] The divine Paul's words are not about the rest of the Hebrews that came about in Palestine through the generalship of Joshua the son of Nun; he has no concern with that, but looks to the rest that is expected to come, and the aim of his thoughts is directed toward it. That this is true he himself interprets, saying: \"For if Jesus\" (clearly the son of Nun) \"had given them rest, he would not have spoken of another day after these things; so then there remains a sabbath rest for the people of God.\" For if, he says, that man had given them rest, David, who lived many generations later, would not have said, when speaking of rest: \"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.\" Therefore, he says, true rest is laid up for the people of God, that is, for those who after their faith have lived in an approved way, prepared not in Palestine but in the Jerusalem above the world. [Letter 5.92] Having decided to send you an exhortation, my friend, I want first to go over with you how my close friends were disposed when I shared with them my intention of giving advice. Some of them were very much afraid that by this forethought I might create an occasion of enmity. For you would think that, under the form of a proposal, I had preferred … those who would dare to cause grief. … Then … to speak ill. So they said they would wonder if a war worse than the Persian did not break out over these words. But there were also some who urged me to be quite confident, since you would welcome it, and they said they were so far from expecting anything terrible that they expected even a public proclamation because of it. To me both seem partly to have hit the truth and partly to have missed it. For I am convinced that at first you will be indignant, but not at all in the end; and I expect you to welcome me in your own mind, though least of all in front of everyone. Yet expecting both, I shall not refrain from saying what comes to mind. First, the best people will be on my side, restraining not only you but also the others … and if it should befall me to suffer while pleading for virtue, it is no hardship to suffer this. What, then, is it that I want to say? It will be said; let the die be cast. Above all, stop thrusting the sword against yourself, treating yourself more barbarously than any barbarian, and doing yourself such harm as not even your bitterest enemies would have done. But if you have decided to cling tightly to wickedness, and this resolve is immovable with you, at least stop warring against the nurslings of virtue. For not only to stumble, but also to disparage those who do right, against whom you arm your tongue, is the utmost limit of wickedness, or rather a proof of insensibility.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.89 (PG 78 78:1377; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-89)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.9":{"o":"ΑΜΜΩΝΙΟ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΟἱ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν παισὶν ἔτι νηπίοις οὖσιν ἐγκατασπείροντες πρῶτον μὲν τὸν περὶ τῆς θείας ὑπεροχῆς τε καὶ προνοίας λόγον · δεύτερον δὲ τὸν περὶ ἀρετῆς τρόπον, οὗτοι οὐ μόνον γονεῖς, ἀλλὰ καὶ διδάσκαλοι ἄριστοι τυγχάνοντες τεύξονται θείων ἀμοιβῶν. Οἱ δὲ πολυθεσίαν καὶ κακίαν αὐτῆς καταφυτεύσαντες, ἅτε θύσαντες αὐτῶν τὰ τέκνα τοῖς δαίμοσιν, ἄξια κομιοῦνται τὰ ἐπίχειρα. Ἐν τοῖς ἐμφυλίοις πολέμοις, εἰ καὶ οἱ νικῶντες τῶν ἡττωμένων εἰσὶν ἀθλιώτεροι· πλέον γὰρ ἐκείνων αἰσχύνονται, ὅσῳπερ ἂν πλείω τι τῶν ἄλλων ἐργάσωνται· ἀλλ᾽ οὖν γε διαλλαγησόμενοι διοίσονται. Ἐν δὲ ἡμῖν ἔνθα ὁ πόλεμος ἀργαλεώτερός ἐστι τοῦ ἐμφυλίου· σώματος γὰρ ἑνὸς ἐστιν ἅμιλλα· ὡς οὐ διαλλαγησόμενοι διαφέρονται. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐκεῖνος ἐγκαλλωπίζεσθαι δοκεῖ ὁ πλέον τῶν ἄλλων δράσας, καὶ ἐρυθριᾶν ὀφείλων. Τοῖς γὰρ δρῶσιν ἢ τοῖς πάσχουσιν ἡ τιμωρία ἀπόκειται. - ΜΑΡΤΙΝΙΑΝΩ, ΚΑΙ ΖΩΣΙΜΟ. Φεύγετε, ὦ βέλτιστοι, τὴν κακίαν. Δεινὴ γὰρ ἐκλυττῆσαι καὶ παράφρονας ἐργάσασθαι τοὺς οἰκείους ἐραστάς. Διώκετε δὲ τὴν ἀρετήν. Δεινὴ γὰρ σοφίσαι καὶ ἐν τῇ προσηκούσῃ καταστάσει διατηρῆσαὶ τοὺς ἀντεχομένους αὐτῆς. Ἡ γε καὶ διὰ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν πολλάκις ἤμερόν τι καὶ γαληνὸν βλεπόντων δείκνυσιν, ὡς ἐνέστακται ἔνδον ὁ νοῦς σωφροσύνης ἀνάπλεος.","t":"To Ammonius the scholasticus. Those who sow in their own children while they are still infants, first the teaching about the divine supremacy and providence, and second the way of virtue, are not only parents but also the best of teachers, and will obtain divine rewards. But those who plant in them polytheism and its wickedness, as having sacrificed their children to demons, will receive the wages they deserve. [Letter 5.10] In civil wars, even if the victors are more wretched than the vanquished (for they are the more ashamed, the more they have done beyond the others), yet they quarrel as men who will be reconciled. But among us, where the war is more grievous than a civil war (for it is a contest within one body), they quarrel as men who will not be reconciled. And yet the one who has done more than the others seems to pride himself, when he ought to blush. For punishment is laid up for those who do wrong rather than for those who suffer it. [Letter 5.11] To Martinianus and Zosimus. Flee wickedness, my good men; for it is terribly able to drive its own lovers mad and make them senseless. Pursue virtue; for it is wonderfully able to make wise and to keep in their proper state those who cling to it. Often it shows even through the eyes, which look gently and calmly, that the mind within is steeped and filled with self-control.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.9 (PG 78 78:1329; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-9)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.93":{"o":"ΠΑΛΛΑΔΙΟ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nΜετέσχες μὲν τοῦ τῶν μαθητῶν χοροῦ, καὶ κορυφαῖος ἐδόκεις, σφοδρότερον τῶν ἄλλων μεταδιώκων τὴν τῶν θείων λόγων θήραν· ἀλλὰ νῦν ἀμελήσας οὐ μόνον ἀποφοιτῆσαι διέγνως, ἀλλὰ καὶ τρυφαῖς, ὡς ἐπυθόμην, ἐκδέδωκας σαυτὸν, ταῖς τικτούσαις τὰ μετὰ γαστέρα πάθη. Γιγνώσκων τοίνυν, ὅτι ἀργαλεώτερον γίγνεται ἀμελούμενον τὸ κακὸν, εἰς τὴν ἐξ ἀρχῆς κοσμιότητα τὴν ταχίστην σαυτὸν μέταῤῥύθμισον. ΣΗΡΗΝΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ. Πολλοῖς αἱ παραυτίκα εὐημερίαι ἐπ' ἐνέδρᾳ συμβαίνουσιν, ἀνιάτων οὖσαι κακῶν προοίμια. Μὴ τοίνυν ἐν πᾶσι τὰς τοιαύτας ζητῶμεν νίκας, ἀλλ᾽ ἑνὸς γιγνώμεθα τοῦ πάντα τὰ συμβαίνοντα ὁμαλῶς καὶ μετρίως, καὶ μετὰ τοῦ πρέποντος σχήματος καὶ φρονήματος, διοικεῖν.","t":"To Palladius the deacon. You belonged to the company of the disciples and seemed to be its leader, pursuing the hunt for divine words more vigorously than the others; but now, having grown careless, you have not only decided to drop out, but have even given yourself up, as I learned, to luxuries, which give birth to the passions that lie below the belly. Knowing, then, that evil becomes more grievous when neglected, reshape yourself as quickly as possible to your original decorum. [Letter 5.94] To Serenus the deacon. For many, immediate successes come as an ambush, being the prelude to incurable evils. So let us not seek such victories in everything, but let us become one who manages all that happens evenly and moderately, with fitting bearing and spirit.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.93 (PG 78 78:1379; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-93)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.95":{"o":"ΑΘΑΝΑΣΙΩ.\nΕἰ χρὴ συντόμως τὴν ἀρετὴν καὶ τὴν κακίαν λόγῳ ὑπογράψαι, φήσαιμι, ὅτι \"Ωσπερ τὸ πῦρ πεπεδημένον τυγχάνον πρὸς τὴν κάτω ὁρμὴν, ἀεικίνητόν ἐστι πρὸς τὴν ἄνω φορὰν, οὕτω καὶ ἡ ἀρετή. Καὶ ὥσπερ τὰ βαρέα σώματα τὴν μὲν ἄνω φορὰν παντάπασιν ἀγνοεῖ, τὴν δὲ πρὸς τὰ κάτω ὁρμὴν ἐπίσταται, τοῦ βάρους τὴν φορὰν ἐπιτείνοντος, ὡς κρείττον λόγου εἶναι τὸ τάχος· οὕτω καὶ ἡ πονηρία. Οὐκοῦν ἐκείνης μὲν ἀνθεκτέον, ταύτης δὲ ἀφεκτέον.","t":"To Athanasius. If one must sketch virtue and vice briefly in words, I would say: just as fire, being fettered against downward motion, is ever moving in its upward course, so too is virtue. And just as heavy bodies know nothing at all of upward motion but know the downward rush, the weight increasing the motion so that its speed is beyond words, so too is wickedness. So we must hold fast to the one and keep away from the other.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.95 (PG 78 78:1381; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-95)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.96":{"o":"ΕΥΤΟΝΙΩ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὍτι μὲν ἐν ταῖς τῶν πέλας εὐπραγίαις τὰς οἰκείας σαφέστερον καθορᾶν εἰώθασι πάντες οἱ πειρασμοῖς περιπίπτοντες συμφορὰς, δῆλον· ὅτι δὲ ἐννοοῦντες τὴν ἑαυτῶν ἢ θεραπείαν, ἢ εὐδοκίμησιν (οἱ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν τιννύουσι δίκας, οἱ δὲ ἀγωνίζονται, ἵνα λαμπροτέρων τύχωσι στεφάνων), ῥᾷον ὀφείλουσι τοὺς πειρασμοὺς ἐνεγκεῖν, καὶ μὴ μόνον μὴ ἀλύειν, ἀλλὰ καὶ θυμηδίας ἐμφορεῖσθαι, θαῤῥούντως ἰσχυρισαίμην. Ὅτι γάρ τινες ἐνταῦθα θεραπεύονται, ἐγγυᾶται ὁ Παῦλος κράζων· « Κρινόμενοι δὲ ὑπὸ Κυρίου παιδευόμεθα, ἵνα μὴ σὺν τῷ κόσμῳ κατακριθῶμεν. » Ὅτι δέ τινες καὶ στεφάνων ἕνεκεν ἀγωνίζονται, μαρτυρεῖ ὁ θεῖος χρησμὸς, ὁ πρὸς τὸν Ἰὼβ εἰρημένος· « Οἴει με ἄλλως σοι κεχρηματικέναι, ἢ ἵνα ἀναφανῇς δίκαιος; » Οὐκοῦν εἴτε οὕτως, εἴτε ἐκείνως πάσχομεν, χρηστὰς ἔχωμεν ἐλπίδας.","t":"To Eutonius the deacon. That all who fall into temptations usually see their own misfortunes more clearly in the good fortune of their neighbours is plain. But I would confidently maintain that, if they consider either their own healing or their being proved (for some pay the penalty for sins, and others contend so as to win more brilliant crowns), they ought to bear temptations more easily, and not only not be distressed, but even be filled with gladness. That some are healed here Paul guarantees, crying out: \"When we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined, so that we may not be condemned along with the world.\" And that some contend for the sake of crowns is witnessed by the divine oracle spoken to Job: \"Do you think I have dealt with you for any other reason than that you might be shown to be righteous?\" So whether we suffer in this way or in that, let us have good hopes.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.96 (PG 78 78:1381; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-96)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.97":{"o":"ΘΕΟΔΩΡΩ ΣΧΟΛΑΣΤΙΚΩ.\nΜὴ τὴν ἀλήθειαν τοῖς ἐριστικοῖς λόγοις βιάζου, μηδὲ καθύβριζε αὐτὴν συσκιάζων τέχνῃ σοφιστικῇ τὴν ἀκριβῆ γνῶσιν· ἀλλὰ πάντα δεύτερα τοῦ ἀληθοῦς ἡγούμενος, ἀκαπήλευτον καὶ ἀδέκαστον τὴν περὶ αὐτοῦ ψῆφον ἔνεγκον.","t":"To Theodore the scholasticus. Do not do violence to the truth with contentious arguments, nor insult it by overshadowing exact knowledge with sophistic art; but, considering everything second to what is true, cast your vote on it without trafficking and without bribery.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.97 (PG 78 78:1381; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-97)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.98":{"o":"ΑΠΟΛΛΩΝΙΩ ΓΕΩΡΓΩ.\nἩ γεωργία καὶ ἀναγκαία, καὶ πασῶν τεχνῶν μήτηρ ἐστὶ καὶ τροφός Εὖ μὲν γὰρ αὐτῆς φερομένης κἀκεῖναι ἔῤῥωνται· ἀστοχησάσης δὲ αὐτῆς, σχεδὸν ἀποσβέννυνται. Μὴ τοίνυν αἰσχύνου ἐπὶ τῷ πράγματι, ἀλλὰ σεμνύνου, ἀναγκαιοτάτην καὶ χρησιμωτάτην τέχνην μεταχειρισάμενος. Οἱ γὰρ τὰς πρὸς ἡδονὴν μετιόντες, ἐρυθριᾶν ἂν εἶεν δίκαιοι.","t":"To Apollonius the farmer. Farming is both necessary and the mother and nurse of all the arts. For when it goes well, they too are strong; but when it fails, they are almost extinguished. So do not be ashamed of your occupation, but take pride in it, since you practise the most necessary and most useful of arts. It is those who pursue the arts that serve pleasure who ought to blush.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.98 (PG 78 78:1381; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-98)."},"isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5.99":{"o":"ΙΕΡΑΚΙ ΔΙΑΚΟΝΩ.\nὉ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἀκμῇ τοῦ χειμῶνος διασώζων τὴν ναῦν, καὶ μαινομένην χαλινῶν τὴν φύσιν, μυρίων ἀναῤῥήσεων καὶ μακαρισμῶν καὶ στεφάνων ἐστὶν ἄξιος· ἡ γὰρ ἐν γήρᾳ σωφροσύνη οὐκ ἐγκρατείας ἐστὶν, ἀλλ' ἀκολασίας ἀδυναμία: διὸ τὸ μὲν πρότερον ἀνακηρύττων ὁ χρησμῳδός Ἱερεμίας ἔλεγε· « Μακάριος ὃς ἦρε βαρὺ ζυγὸν ἐκ νεότητος αὐτοῦ. Τὸ δὲ δεύτερον οὐδεὶς μακαρίσαι ἠξίωσεν, ἀλλ' ἀγέραστον καταλελοίπασιν ἅπαντες. Μὴ τοίνυν περίμενε τὸ γῆρας, ὡς ἐν αὐτῷ σωφρονήσων. Χωρὶς γὰρ τοῦ ἄδηλον εἶναι τὸ εἰς αὐτὸ ἥξειν, οὐδὲ φιλοτιμίαν ἔχει τὸ πρᾶγμα.","t":"To Hierax the deacon. The man who saves the ship at the very height of the storm, and bridles his nature when it rages, deserves countless proclamations, blessings and crowns. For self-control in old age is not continence but an inability for licentiousness. That is why the prophet Jeremiah, proclaiming the former, said: \"Blessed is he who has borne a heavy yoke from his youth.\" But the latter no one has thought worthy of a blessing; all have left it without honour. So do not wait for old age, as if you will be self-controlled in it. For apart from its being uncertain whether you will reach it, the thing has no honour either.","f":"Isidore of Pelusium, <i>Ep.</i> 5.99 (PG 78 78:1383; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/isidore-pelusium-epistulae/5-99)."}}