Homilies and Sermons 21.1–21.10
Authorship disputed: Most of these homilies are accepted as Basil's; a few (On Faith, On Humility, parts of the Ps. homilies) have been questioned. Judge each homily separately.
Greek text: PG 31.English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0).
Chapter 21
21.1PG 31:542
᾿Εγὼ μὲν ᾧμην, ἀγαπητοὶ, σφοδρότερον ἑχάστοτε τοῦ λόγου τὸ χέντρον προσάγων, λυπηρός τις εἶναι δόξειν ὑμῖν, ὡς περιττήν τίνα παῤῥησίαν ἐπιδειχνύμενος, καὶ οὔτε ξένῳ πρέπουσαν, οὔτε ἀνδρὶ χατειλημμένῳ παραπλησίυις ἐγχλήμασιν' ὑμεῖς δὲ ἐχ τῶν ἐλέγχων εἰς εὔνοιαν ἠρεθίσθητε, καὶ τὰς ἀπὸ τῆς γλώττης πληγὰς ὑπέχχαυμα πόθου πεποίησθε πλείονος. Καὶ οὐδὲν ξένον. Ἐστὲ γὰρ σοφοὶ τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος. "Ε.1εγΥχε δὲ σοφὸν, καὶ ἀγαπήσει σε, φησί που τῶν αὑτοῦ λόγων ὁ Σολομών. Διὰ ταῦτο, ἀδελφοὶ, καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ τὴν αὐτὴν ἕχω παραίνεσιν, ὅπηπερ ἂν οἷός τε ὦ, τῶν τοῦ διαδόλου διχτύων ὑμᾶς ἀπάγειν βουλόμενος. Πολὺν γὰρ, ἀγαπητοὶ, καὶ ποιχίλον ἐφ᾽ ἡμέραν ἡμῖν ὁ τῆς ἀληθείας ἐχθρὸς προσάγει τὸν πόλεμον. Προσάγει δὲ, ὡς ἴστε, τὰς ἡμετέρας ἐπιθυμίας χαθ᾽ ἡμῶν βέλη ποιούμενος, χοὶ παρ᾽ ἡμῶν εἰς τὸ βλάπτειν ἡ μᾶς ἀεὶ λαμθάνων ἰσχύν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ τὸ πολὺ τῇς ἐχείνου δυνάμεως ὁ Δεσπότης νόμοις ἀλύτοις χατέδησε, καὶ οὐχ εἴασεν εἰς ἅπαξ ὁρμήσαντα τὸ γένος ἐχτρῖψαι τῆς γῆς, χλέπτει τὴν καθ᾽ ἡμῶν νίχην λοιπὸν ἐχ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀνοίας ὁ βάσχανος. Καὶ χαθάπερ οἱ πονηροὶ καὶ πλεονετιχοὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οἷς ἔργον μέν ἐστι καὶ προαίρεσις ἐχ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων πλουτεῖν, δύναμις δὲ οὐ πάρἐστιν ὥστε μετὰ παῤῥησίας βιάζεσθαι, ταῖς ὁδοῖς ἐφεδρεύειν εἰώθασι" καὶ εἰ ἴδωσέ τι χωρίον περὶ αὐτὰς, ἣ φάραγξι βαθείαις διεῤῥωγὸς, ἣ φυτῶν πυχυότητι σύσχιον, εἰς τοῦτο χαταδυόμενοι. καὶ τὴν ἐχ πολλοῦ πρόοψιν τῶν ὁδοιπορούντων τοιούτοις ὑποτεὥστε μὴ πρότερον δυνηθῆναί τινα τοὺς τοῦ χινδύνου βρόχους ἰδεῖν πρὶν εἰς τούτους πεσεῖν " οὕτως ὁ δυσβενὴς ἄνωθεν ἡμῖν καὶ πολέμιος τὰς τῶν χοσμιχῶν τέρψεων ὑποτρέχων σχιὰς, αἵ περὶ τὴν ὁδὸν τοῦ βίου τούτου πεφύχασ: δειναὶ χρῦψα: λῃστὴν, καὶ τὸν ἐπιδουλεύοντα ποιῆσαι λαθεῖν, ἐντεῦθεν ἀπροόπτως τὰς τῆς ἀπωλείας ὑποσπείρε: παγίδας ἡμῖν. Δεῖ τοίνυν ἡμᾶς, εἴπερ ἐθέλοιμεν ἀσφαλῶς τὴν ὑποχειμένην ὁδὸν τοῦ βίου διαδραμεῖν, καὶ παραστῆσαι Χριστῷ τὴν ψυχήν τε ὁμοῦ καὶ τὸ σῶμα τῆς ἐχ τῶν τραυμάτων αἰσχύνης ἐλεύθερα, καὶ τοὺς ἐπὶ τῇ νίχῃ στεφάνους λαδεῖν, ἐγρηγορότας περιάγειν ἀεὶ πανταχόσε τοὺς τῆς ψυχῆς ὀφθαλμοὺς καὶ πάντα ὑποπτεύειν ὅσα τερπνὰ, καὶ παρατρέχειν εὐθὺς, καὶ μηδενὶ προσερείδειν τὴν ἔννοιαν, μηδὲ εἰ χρυσὸς φαίνοιτο χύδην προχείμενος, ἕτοιμος εἰς τὰς τῶν βουλομένων χεῖρας ἐλθεῖν (Πλοῦτος γὰρ, φησὶν, ἐὰν ἐέῃ, μὴ προστίθεσθε καρδίᾳ" μηδὲ εἰ γῇ βλαστάνουσα πᾶσαν τρυφὴν, καὶ πολυτελεῖς δειχνύουσα σχηνὰς ( Ἡμῶν γὰρ τὸ ποιϊίτευμα ἐν οὐραγῷ, ἐξ οὗ καὶ Σωτῆρα ἀπεχδεχόμεθε Χριστόν)" μηδὲ εἰ χορεῖαι, καὶ χῶμοι, καὶ μέθαι, καὶ καταυλού-. μεναι τράπεζαι (Ματαιότης γὰρ, φησὶν, ματαιοτή- α των, τὰ πάντα ματαιότης)" μηδὲ εἰ σωμάτων χάλλη (᾿Απὸ προσώπου γὰρ γυναικὸς ὡς ἀπὸ προσὦπου ὄφεως φεῦγε, φησὶν ὁ Σοφός)" μηδὲ εἰ δυναστεῖαι καὶ τυραννίδες, καὶ δορυφόρων ἣ χολάχων ἑσμοί" μηδὲ εἰ θρόνος ὑψηλὸς καὶ λαμπρὸς, ὑποζεύξας ἔθνη καὶ πόλεις εἰς δουλείαν ἐχούσιον (Πᾶσα γὰρ σὰρξ ὡς χόρτος, καὶ πᾶσα δόξα ἀγθρώπου ὡς ἄνθος χόρτον" ἐξηράνθη ὁ χόρτος, καὶ τὸ ἄνθος ἐξέπεσε). Τούτοις γὰρ δὴ πᾶσι τοῖς οὕτω τερποτε, τοῖς ὁρωμένοις δελεασθέντες, τῆς μὲν εὖθείας ἐχτραπῶμεν ὁδοῦ, πρὸς δὲ τὸν ἐχείνου λόχον ἑαυτοὺς ἀποχλίνωμεν. Καὶ δέος πολὺ μὴ ποτε, προσδραμόντες ἀφυλάχτως αὐτοῖς, καὶ τὴν ἐχ τῆς ἀπολαύσεως τέρψιν οὐδὲν ἡγησάμενοι βλαδερὸν, ἐγχεχρυμμένον τῇ πρώτῃ γεύσει τὸ τοῦ δόλου χαταπίωμεν ἄγχιστρον᾽ εἶτα ὑπὸ τούτου τὰ μὲν ἐχόντες, τὰ δὲ ἄχοντες, προσδεθῶμεν αὐτοῖς, καὶ πρὸς τὸ φοδερὸν τοῦ λῃστοῦ καταγώγιον τὸν θάνατον λάθωμεν ξλχυσθέντες ὑπὸ τῶν ἡδονῶν. ᾿ … χαθάπερ ὁδοιπόρους ἣ δρομέας στειλαμένους ἡμᾶς. καὶ πανταχόθεν τὸ χοῦφον ταῖς ψυχαῖς πρὸς τὸν δρόπὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ πέρας ἐπείγεσθαι. Καί με μηδεὶς ὑπολάδοι καινῶν ὀνομάτων γίνεσθαι ποιητὴν, ὅτι τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην ξωὴν ὁδὸν ἐχάλεσα νῦν, ἐπεὶ καὶ Δαβὶδ ὁ προφήτης οὕτω τὸν βίον ὠνόμασε" νῦν μὲν ὧδέ πὴ λέγων " Μακάριοι οἱ ἄμωμοι ἐν ὁδῷ, οἱ πορευόμενοι ἐν γόμῳ Κυρίου" νῦν δὲ πρὼς τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Δεσπότην βοῶν. ᾿Οδὺὸν ἀδικίας ἀπόστησον ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ, καὶ τῷ νόμῳ σου ἐλέησόν με. Ποτὲ δὲ ὑμνῶν τὴν ὀξεῖαν τοῦ Θεοῦ χατὰ. τῶν ἐπηρεαζόντων βοῆθειαν, καὶ τῇ λύρᾳ προσάγων μεθ᾽ ἡδονῆς, Καὶ τίς θεὸς πλὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν; ἔλεγεν’ Ὁ Θεὸς ὅ περιζωγνύων με δύγαμιν, καὶ ἔθετο ἄμωμον τὴν' ὁδόν μου" πανταχοῦ τὴν ἐπὶ γῆς τῶν ἀνθρώπων διατριδὴν, ἣ θαυμαζομένην ἢ φαύλην, οὕτω δεῖν προσαγορεύειν ἡγούμενος εἰχότως. “Ὥσπερ γὰρ οζ τὰς τῶν ποδῶν βάσεις ἀμιλλωμένας ἀλλήλαις εἰς δρόμον ἀμείδοντες, καὶ τὴν ἀεὶ προτέραν ἐπὶ τῇ; γῆς ἐρεισθεῖσαν δευτέραν ἀποδειχνύντες τῇ ταχείᾳ μεταθέσει τῆς ἄλλης, ῥᾳδίως ἐπὶ τὸ τῆς ὁδοῦ τέρμα χωροῦσιν" οὕτως οἱ πρὸς τὸ ζῇν παραχθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ χτίσαντος, εὐθὺς ἐν ἀρχῇ τοῖς τοῦ χρόνου τμήμᾶσιν ἐπεμῥαίνοντες, καὶ τὸ πρότερον ἀεὶ χαταλιμπάνοντες ὕστερον, ἐπὶ τὸ πέρας φθάνουσι τῆς ζωῆς. Ἢ οὐχὶ καὶ ὑμῖν δοχεῖ συνεχής τις ὁδὸς ὑφηπλῶσθαι … χίαις χαθάπερ σταθμοῖς, ἀρχὴν μὲν ἑχάστῳ τῆς ὁδοιπορίας παρέχουσα τὰς τῶν μητρῶν ὠδῖνας, τέρμα ὃς ὑποδειχνῦσχ τοῦ δρόμον τὰς τῶν τάφων σκηνὰς, καὶ πρὸς ἐχείνας ἅπαντας ἄγουσα,, τοὺς μὲν θᾶττον, τοὺς δὲ ϑραδύτερον, καὶ τοὺς μὲν διὰ πάνπων τῶν τοῦ χρόνου διαστημάτων ὀδεύσαντας, τοὺς δὲ οὐδὲ τοῖς πρώτοις ἐναυλισθέντας τοῦ βίον σταθμοῖς; Τὰς μὲν οὖν ἄλλας ὁδοὺς, ὅσαι πρὸς πόλιν ἐκ πόλεως ἄγουσιν, ἔστιν ἐχχλῖναι, καὶ μὴ ὁδεῦσαι τὸν μὴ βουλόμενον’ αὕτη δὲ, χἂν ἡμεῖς ἀναθάλλεσθαι βουληθῶμεν τὸν δρόμον, περιλαδοῦσα πρὸς βίαν, ἐπὶ τὸ τετάγμένον ὑπὸ τοῦ Δεσπότου πέρας ἕλχει τοὺς ἐπ᾿ αὐτῆς" καὶ οὐχ ἔστιν, ἀγαπητοὶ, τὸν ἅπαξ ὑπεχδραμόντα τὴν ἐπὶ τόνδε τὸν βίον φέρουσαν πύλην, καὶ τῆς ὁδοῦ ταύτης ἐπιδθάντα, μὴ καὶ πρὸς τὸ τέλος ταύτης ἐλθεῖν' ἔχαστος δὲ ἡμῶν, μετὰ τὸ τοὺς μυητρώους χόλπους ἀποφυγεῖν, εὐθὺς τοῖς τοῦ χρόνου ῥεύμασιν ἐνδεθεὶς ὑποσύρεται, χατόπιν ἀεὶ τὴν βεδιωμένην ἡμέραν ἐῶν, καὶ πρὸς τὴν χθὲς ἐπανελθεῖν οὐδέποτε, χἂν θελήσοι, δυνάμενος. Ἡμεῖς δὲ ἡδόμεθα μὲν ἐπὶ τὰ πρόσω φερόμενοι, καὶ τὰς ἦλιχίας ἀμείδοντες, ὥς τι προσλαμθάνοντες, καίρομεν" γαὶ μαχάριον χρίνομεν, ὅταν ἐχ παιδὸς μὲν ἀνὴρ, ἐκ ὁὲ ἀνδρὸς γένηταί τις πρεσδύτης" ἀγνοοῦμεν δὲ ἄρα, τοσοῦτον ἀπολλύντες ἑχάστοτε τῆς ζωΐ;ς, ὅσον ἐζήσαμεν, καὶ οὐχ αἰσθανόμεθα δαπανωμένου τοῦ βίον, καίτοιγε ἀεὶ μετροῦντες αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ παραδραμόντος καὶ παραῤῥεύσαντος, οὐδὲ ἐννοοῦμεν, ὡς ἄρα ἄδηλον ὁπόσον ὁ πρὸς τὴν ὁδοιπορίαν ταύτην ἐχπέμψας ἡμᾶς ἐνδοῦναι τῷ δρόμῳ χρόνον βουλήσεται, καὶ πότε ἑχάστῳ τῶν δρομέων ἀνοίξει τῆς εἰσόδου τὰς πύλας, κκαὶ ὅτι δεῖ παρεσχευασμένους ἐφ᾽ ἡμέραν εἶνα: πρὸς τὴν ἐντεῦθεν ἀποδημίαν ἡμᾶς, καὶ τὸ τοῦ Αεξσπότου νεῦμα περιμένειν ἑστῶσι τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς. “Ἕστωσαν γὰρ, φησὶν, αἱ ὀσφύες ὑμῶν περιεζωσμέναι, καὶ οἱ λύχνοι καιόμεγοι" καὶ ὑμεῖς ὅμοιοι ἀνθρῴποις προσδεχομέγοις τὸν κύριον ἑαυτῶν, πότε ἀναλύσει ἐκ τῶν γάμων, ἵνα, ἐλθόγτος καὶ χρούσαντος, εὐθέως ἀγοίξωσιν αὐτῷ. ὅ. Οὐδὲ ἐθέλομεν σχοπεῖν ἀχριδῶς, ποῖα μὲν κοῦφα φορτία πρὸς τὸν τοιοῦτον δρόμον ἡμῖν καὶ συμμεθίστασθαι δύναται τοῖς συλλέξασι, καὶ τὸν ἐχεῖ περιχαρῆ ποιεῖ βίον ἡ μῖν, ἴδια τῶν χτησαμένων γινόμενα" ποῖα δὲ βαρέα καὶ δυσχερῇ καὶ προσηλωμένα τῇ γῆ. καὶ οὐ πεφυχότα τοῖς ἀνθρώποις οἰχειοῦσθαι καθάπαξ, οὐδὲ συγχωρούμενα διὰ τῆς στενῆς ἐχείνῆς πύλης ἀχολουθῆσαι τοῖς ἔχουσιν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ ὅσα μὲν συλλέγειν ἐχρῆν, χατελίπομεν" ὧν δὲ ὑπερορᾷν προσἦχει, ταῦτα συλλέγομεν " καὶ ἃ μὲν ἡμῖν ἑνωθῆναι, καὶ χόσμος ὄντως γενέσθα! δύναται συμφυὴς ψυχῇ τε καὶ σώματι, τούτοις οὐδὲ προσέχομεν' ἃ δὲ ἀλλότρια μένει διηνεχῶς, μόνην ἡμῖν ἐναποματτόμενα τὴν … διαχενῆς, καὶ πονοῦντες πόνον, οἷονεί τις ἑαυτὸν ἀπατῶν, εἰς τετρημένον πίθον ἀντλεῖν ἐθελήσειε. Τοῦτο γὰρ δήπου γνώριμον οἶμαι καὶ νηπίοις πᾶτιν, ὡς οὐδὲν τῶν ἐν τῷ βίῳ τερπνῶν, ἐφ᾽ οἷς οἱ πλείους μεμήνασιν, ἡμέτερον ὄντως ἐστὶν, ἣ γίνεσθαι πέφυχεν" ἀλλ᾽ ὁμοίως ἁπάντων ἀλλότρια φαίνεται, τῶν τε ἀπολαύειν δοχούντων, τῶν τε οὔτε προσπελαζόντῶν αὐτοῖς. Οὐδὲ γὰρ εἰ χρυσόν τινες ἐν τῷ βίῳ συναγάγοιεν ἄπλετον, ἴδιος αὐτῶν μένει διηνεχῶς " ἀλλ᾽ ἢ ζῶντας ἕτι πανταχόθεν αὑτὸν περισφίγγοντας ἀποδιδράσχει, πρὸς τοὺς δυνατωτέρους μεταῤῥνεὶς, ἢ πρὸς τῷ θανάτῳ γεγενημένους ἤδη χαταλιμπάνει, καὶ οὐχ ἐθέλει τοῖς χτησαμένοις συνεχδη μεῖν. ᾿Αλλ᾽ οἱ μὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ πρὸς βίαν χωρίζοντος τὰς ψυχὰς τῦς τἀλαιπώρου ταύτης σαρχὸς ἑλχόμενοι πρὸς; τὴν ἀναγχαῖαν ὁδὸν, πυχνὰ μεταστρεφόμενοι πρὸς τὰ χρήματα, τοὺς ἐχ νεότητος ἐπ᾽ αὐτοῖς ἱδρῶτας ἀποδακχρύουσιν" ὁ πλοῦτος δὲ εἰς ἑτέρων χεῖρας ὁρᾷ, μόγον ἐχείνοις τὸν ἐπὶ τῇ συλλογῇ μόχθον καὶ τὸ τῇς πλεονεξίας ἔγκλημα προστριψάμενος. Οὔτε εἰ ἐπὶ γῆς πλέθρα χτήσαιτό τις μυρία, καὶ μεγαλοπρεπεῖς οἰκίας, καὶ ζώων ἀγέλας παντοδαπῶν, καὶ τὴν ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἅπασαν περιθάλοιτο δυναστείαν, ἀπολαύει δὲ … ἄλλοις πάλιν τῆς εὐπορίας ἐχστήσεται, βραχεῖαν γῆν αὐτὸς ὑποδὺς, πολλάχις δὲ καὶ πρὸ τοῦ τάφου, καὶ πρὸ τῆς ἐντεῦθεν ἀπαναστάσεως, εἰς ἐτέρους, καὶ πολεμίους τυχὸν, τὴν εὐπραγίαν ὄψεται μεταθαίνουσαν. Ἢ οὐχ ἴσμεν ὁπόσοι μὲν ἀγροὶ, πόσαι δὲ οἰχίαι, πόσα δὲ ἔθνη καὶ πόλεις, καὶ ζώντων ἔτι τῶν χτησαμένων, ἑτέρων ὀνόματα μετημφιάσαντο δεσποτῶν; καὶ ὡς οἱ μὲν πάλαι δουλεύοντες ἐπὶ τὸν τῆς ἀρχῆς θρόνον ἀνέδησαν, οἱ δὲ χύριοι καὶ δεσπόται χαλούμενοι στῆναι μετὰ τῶν ἀρχομένων ἢγάπησαν, καὶ τοῖς ἑαυτῶν δούλοις ὁπέχυψαν, ὥσπερ ἐν πραγμάτων αὐτοῖς; Τά γε μὴν εἰς βρῶσιν ἡμῖν ἐπινενοημένα καὶ … ἐμηχανήσατο πρὸς θεραπείαν τῆς ἀχαρίστου καὶ μηδὲν στεγούσης γαστρὸς, πότ᾽ ἂν ἡμέτερα γένοιτο, χἂν ἐπαντλῆται διηνεχῶς; “Α γε μιχράν τινα πῇ γεύσει μόνον ἐναποθέμενα χατὰ τὴν πάροδον ἡδονὴν, εὐθὺς ὡς ὀχληρὰ καὶ περιττὰ δυσχεραίνομεν, καὶ μετὰ σπουδῆς ἔξω ποι βάλλομεν, ὡς εἰ τοῖς σπλάγχνοις ἐγχρονίσοι, τὰ μέγιστα περὶ τοῦ ζῇν χινδυνεύσοντες. Πολλοῖς γοῦν ὁ χόρος ἤγαγε θάνατον, καὶ τοῦ μηδενὸς ἀπολαύειν ἔτι γεγένηται πρόξενος. Κοῖται δὲ ἀσελγεῖς, καὶ βέδηλοι συμπλοκαὶ, καὶ πάντα ὅσα λυττώσης ἔργα καὶ παραφόρου ψυχῆς, οὐχὶ πρόδηλος πάντη ζημία τῇ φύσει, καὶ ς βλάθη περιφανὴς, καὶ τῶν ἰδίων ὄντως ἑχάστου μᾶλλον ἀλλοτρίωσίς τε καὶ μείωσις, ἐλαττουμένου τοῦ σώματος ἐν ταῖς μίξεσι, καὶ τῆς γνησιωτάτης καὶ Τοιγαροῦν ἑκάστου τῶν ταῖς ἀσελγέσιν θέντων εὐναῖς, μετὰ τὴν πρᾶξιν εὐθὺς, ὅταν ὁ μὲν τῆς σαρχὸς οἶστρος ἀπομαρανθῇ, πρὸς τὸ βδελυρὸν δὲ ὧν ἐνεχείρησε πέρας ἐλθὼν ὁ νοῦς, ὥσπερ ἐχ μέθης ἢ χειμῶνός τινος, τοῦ λογίσασθαι, ποῖ ποτέ ἐστι, λάδοι σχολὴν, σφοδρός τις εἰσέρχεται τῆς ἀχρασέας μετάμελος. ᾿Αδρανεστέρου τε γὰρ αἰσθάνεται γεγενημένου τοῦ σώματος, καὶ πρὸς τὴν τῶν ἀναγ καίων ἐργασίαν νωθροῦ, καὶ παντάπασιν ἀσθενοῦς. Τοῦτο δὴ ἄρα καὶ τοῖς παιδοτρίδαις χατανοήσπασιν ὁ τῆς σωφροσύνης ἐν ταῖς παλαίστραις γέγραπται νόμος, ἄσυλα παρὰ τῶν ἡδονῶν τοῖς νεανίσχοις φυλάττων τὰ σώματα, καὶ οὐχ ἐπιτρέπων ἀγωνιζομένοις αὐτοῖς, οὐδὲ ὅσον προσϑλέψαι ταῖς λαμπούσαις μορφαῖς, εἴγε ἐθέλοιεν στεφανωθῆναι τὴν χεφα λὴν, ὡς τῆς ἀκρασίας γέλωτα ἀγούσης ἐν τῷ πα… Ταῦτα μὲν ὡς ἀλλότρια πάντη καὶ περιττὰ, καὶ οὐδενὸς ἴδια γενέσθαι δυνάμενα, παρατρέχειν χαλὸν, τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἐπιμύσαντας" τῶν δὲ ὄντως ἡμετέρων πρόνοιαν προσήχει ποιεῖσθαι πολλήν. Τί δὲ ὄντως ἡμέτερον; Ψυχή τε, ἧ ζῶμεν, λεπτή τις οὖσα καὶ νοερὰ, καὶ οὐδὲν δεομένη τῶν βαρυνόντων᾽ καὶ σῶμα, τὸ ταύτῃ δοθὲν ὄχημα πρὸς τὸν βίον παρὰ τοῦ χτίσαντος. Τοῦτο γὰρ ἄνθρωπος" νοῦς ἐνδεδεμένος προσφόρῳ καὶ πρεπούσῃ σαρχί. Τοῦτο ὑπὸ τοῦ πανσόφου τεχνίτου τῶν ὅλων ἐν τοῖς μητρῴοις ἡμῶν πλάτπεται χόλποις. Τοῦτο εἰς φῶς ἐχ τῶν σχοτεινῶν ἐχεΐ νων θαλάμων ὁ τῶν ὠδίνων ἄγει καιρός. Τοῦτο ἄρχειν ἐτάχθη τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς. Τούτῳ γυμνάσιον ἀρετῆς ἡ χτίσι; ὑφήπλωται. Τούτῳ χεῖται νόμος, μιμεῖσθαι πὸν πλάστην εἰς δύναμιν, καὶ τὴν ἐν οὐρανοὶς εὐτανον, ἀπανίσταται. Τοῦτο τῷ τοῦ πέμψαντος Θεοῦ παρἔσταται βήματι. Τοῦτο εὐθύνεται" τοῦτο δέχεται τὴν τῶν ἐνταῦθα πεπολιτευμένων ἀντίδοσιν. Καὶ τὰς ἀρετὰς δὲ ἡμέτερα χτήματα γινόμενα εὕροι τις ἂν, ὅταν ἐξ ἐπιμελείας συνυφανθῶσι τῇ φύσει" καὶ οὔτε ἐπὶ γῆς μοχθοῦντας ἡμᾶς ἀπολιμπάνειν ἐθέλουσιν, ἣν μὴ πρὸς βίαν αὐτὰς ἑχόντες ἀποδιώξωμεν ταῖς τῶν χειρόνων ἐπαγωγαῖς" ἐχεῖσέ τε ἐπειγομένων προπρέχουσι, καὶ τοῖς ἀγγέλοις τὸν χτησάμενον συντάττουτι, καὶ λάμπουσι δι᾽ αἰῶνος ὑπὸ τοῖς τοῦ κτίσαντος ὀφθαλμοῖς. Πλοῦτος δὲ, καὶ δυναστεία, καὶ περιφάνεια, καὶ τρυφὴ, καὶ πᾶς ὁ τοιοῦτος ὄχλος, ὁ καθ᾽ ἡμέραν ἐχ τῆς ἡμετέρας ἀνοίας αὐξανόμενος, οὔτε συμπροῆλθε πρὸς τὸν βίον ἡμῖν, οὔτε συναπλθέ τισιν, ἀλλὰ τὸ τῷ δικαίῳ πάλαι ῥηθὲν ἐπὶ παντὸς ἀνθρώπου πέπηγε καὶ χρατεῖ " Γυμνὸς ἐξηιῖθον ἐκ χοιλίας μητρός μου, γυμγὸς καὶ ἀπ-
᾿Egō men hǭmēn, agapētoi, sphodroteron hechastote tou logou to chentron prosagōn, lypēros tis einai doxein hymin, hōs perittēn tina parrhēsian epideichnymenos, kai oute xenǭ prepousan, oute andri chateilēmmenǭ paraplēsiuis enchlēmasin' hymeis de ech tōn elenchōn eis eunoian ērethisthēte, kai tas apo tēs glōttēs plēgas hypechchauma pothou pepoiēsthe pleionos. Kai ouden xenon. Este gar sophoi ta tou pneumatos. "E.1egYche de sophon, kai agapēsei se, phēsi pou tōn hautou logōn ho Solomōn. Dia tauto, adelphoi, kai nyn epi tēn autēn hechō parainesin, hopēper an hoios te ō, tōn tou diadolou dichtyōn hymas apagein boulomenos. Polyn gar, agapētoi, kai poichilon eph᾽ hēmeran hēmin ho tēs alētheias echthros prosagei ton polemon. Prosagei de, hōs iste, tas hēmeteras epithymias chath᾽ hēmōn belē poioumenos, choi par᾽ hēmōn eis to blaptein hē mas aei lamthanōn ischyn. Epeidē gar to poly tę̄s echeinou dynameōs ho Despotēs nomois alytois chatedēse, kai ouch eiasen eis hapax hormēsanta to genos echtripsai tēs gēs, chleptei tēn kath᾽ hēmōn nichēn loipon ech tēs hēmeteras anoias ho baschanos. Kai chathaper hoi ponēroi kai pleonetichoi tōn anthrōpōn, hois ergon men esti kai proairesis ech tōn allotriōn ploutein, dynamis de ou parestin hōste meta parrhēsias biazesthai, tais hodois ephedreuein eiōthasi" kai ei idōse ti chōrion peri autas, hē pharanxi batheiais dierrhōgos, hē phytōn pychyotēti syschion, eis touto chatadyomenoi. kai tēn ech pollou proopsin tōn hodoiporountōn toioutois hypoteōste mē proteron dynēthēnai tina tous tou chindynou brochous idein prin eis toutous pesein " houtōs ho dysbenēs anōthen hēmin kai polemios tas tōn chosmichōn terpseōn hypotrechōn schias, hai peri tēn hodon tou biou toutou pephychas: deinai chrypsa: lę̄stēn, kai ton epidouleuonta poiēsai lathein, enteuthen aprooptōs tas tēs apōleias hypospeire: pagidas hēmin. Dei toinyn hēmas, eiper etheloimen asphalōs tēn hypocheimenēn hodon tou biou diadramein, kai parastēsai Christǭ tēn psychēn te homou kai to sōma tēs ech tōn traumatōn aischynēs eleuthera, kai tous epi tę̄ nichę̄ stephanous ladein, egrēgorotas periagein aei pantachose tous tēs psychēs ophthalmous kai panta hypopteuein hosa terpna, kai paratrechein euthys, kai mēdeni prosereidein tēn ennoian, mēde ei chrysos phainoito chydēn procheimenos, hetoimos eis tas tōn boulomenōn cheiras elthein (Ploutos gar, phēsin, ean eeę̄, mē prostithesthe kardią" mēde ei gę̄ blastanousa pasan tryphēn, kai polyteleis deichnyousa schēnas ( Hēmōn gar to poiïiteuma en ouragǭ, ex hou kai Sōtēra apechdechomethe Christon)" mēde ei choreiai, kai chōmoi, kai methai, kai kataulou-. menai trapezai (Mataiotēs gar, phēsin, mataiotē- a tōn, ta panta mataiotēs)" mēde ei sōmatōn challē (᾿Apo prosōpou gar gynaikos hōs apo prosōpou opheōs pheuge, phēsin ho Sophos)" mēde ei dynasteiai kai tyrannides, kai doryphorōn hē cholachōn hesmoi" mēde ei thronos hypsēlos kai lampros, hypozeuxas ethnē kai poleis eis douleian echousion (Pasa gar sarx hōs chortos, kai pasa doxa agthrōpou hōs anthos chorton" exēranthē ho chortos, kai to anthos exepese). Toutois gar dē pasi tois houtō terpote, tois horōmenois deleasthentes, tēs men eutheias echtrapōmen hodou, pros de ton echeinou lochon heautous apochlinōmen. Kai deos poly mē pote, prosdramontes aphylachtōs autois, kai tēn ech tēs apolauseōs terpsin ouden hēgēsamenoi bladeron, enchechrymmenon tę̄ prōtę̄ geusei to tou dolou chatapiōmen anchistron᾽ eita hypo toutou ta men echontes, ta de achontes, prosdethōmen autois, kai pros to phoderon tou lę̄stou katagōgion ton thanaton lathōmen xlchysthentes hypo tōn hēdonōn. ᾿ … chathaper hodoiporous hē dromeas steilamenous hēmas. kai pantachothen to chouphon tais psychais pros ton dropo tēs hodou peras epeigesthai. Kai me mēdeis hypoladoi kainōn onomatōn ginesthai poiētēn, hoti tēn anthrōpinēn xōēn hodon echalesa nyn, epei kai Dabid ho prophētēs houtō ton bion ōnomase" nyn men hōde pē legōn " Makarioi hoi amōmoi en hodǭ, hoi poreuomenoi en gomǭ Kyriou" nyn de prōs ton heautou Despotēn boōn. ᾿Odyon adikias apostēson ap᾽ emou, kai tǭ nomǭ sou eleēson me. Pote de hymnōn tēn oxeian tou Theou chata. tōn epēreazontōn boētheian, kai tę̄ lyrą prosagōn meth᾽ hēdonēs, Kai tis theos plēn tou Theou hēmōn? elegen’ Ho Theos ho perizōgnyōn me dygamin, kai etheto amōmon tēn' hodon mou" pantachou tēn epi gēs tōn anthrōpōn diatridēn, hē thaumazomenēn ē phaulēn, houtō dein prosagoreuein hēgoumenos eichotōs. “Hōsper gar oz tas tōn podōn baseis amillōmenas allēlais eis dromon ameidontes, kai tēn aei proteran epi tę̄? gēs ereistheisan deuteran apodeichnyntes tę̄ tacheią metathesei tēs allēs, rhądiōs epi to tēs hodou terma chōrousin" houtōs hoi pros to zę̄n parachthentes hypo tou chtisantos, euthys en archę̄ tois tou chronou tmēmasin epemrhainontes, kai to proteron aei chatalimpanontes hysteron, epi to peras phthanousi tēs zōēs. Ē ouchi kai hymin dochei synechēs tis hodos hyphēplōsthai … chiais chathaper stathmois, archēn men hechastǭ tēs hodoiporias parechousa tas tōn mētrōn ōdinas, terma hos hypodeichnysch tou dromon tas tōn taphōn skēnas, kai pros echeinas hapantas agousa,, tous men thatton, tous de ϑradyteron, kai tous men dia panpōn tōn tou chronou diastēmatōn odeusantas, tous de oude tois prōtois enaulisthentas tou bion stathmois? Tas men oun allas hodous, hosai pros polin ek poleōs agousin, estin echchlinai, kai mē hodeusai ton mē boulomenon’ hautē de, chan hēmeis anathallesthai boulēthōmen ton dromon, periladousa pros bian, epi to tetagmenon hypo tou Despotou peras helchei tous ep᾿ autēs" kai ouch estin, agapētoi, ton hapax hypechdramonta tēn epi tonde ton bion pherousan pylēn, kai tēs hodou tautēs epidthanta, mē kai pros to telos tautēs elthein' echastos de hēmōn, meta to tous myētrōous cholpous apophygein, euthys tois tou chronou rheumasin endetheis hyposyretai, chatopin aei tēn bediōmenēn hēmeran eōn, kai pros tēn chthes epanelthein oudepote, chan thelēsoi, dynamenos. Hēmeis de hēdometha men epi ta prosō pheromenoi, kai tas ēlichias ameidontes, hōs ti proslamthanontes, kairomen" gai macharion chrinomen, hotan ech paidos men anēr, ek hoe andros genētai tis presdytēs" agnooumen de ara, tosouton apollyntes hechastote tēs zōï?s, hoson ezēsamen, kai ouch aisthanometha dapanōmenou tou bion, kaitoige aei metrountes auton apo tou paradramontos kai pararrheusantos, oude ennooumen, hōs ara adēlon hoposon ho pros tēn hodoiporian tautēn echpempsas hēmas endounai tǭ dromǭ chronon boulēsetai, kai pote hechastǭ tōn dromeōn anoixei tēs eisodou tas pylas, kkai hoti dei parescheuasmenous eph᾽ hēmeran eina: pros tēn enteuthen apodēmian hēmas, kai to tou Aexspotou neuma perimenein hestōsi tois ophthalmois. “Hestōsan gar, phēsin, hai osphyes hymōn periezōsmenai, kai hoi lychnoi kaiomegoi" kai hymeis homoioi anthrǭpois prosdechomegois ton kyrion heautōn, pote analysei ek tōn gamōn, hina, elthogtos kai chrousantos, eutheōs agoixōsin autǭ. ho. Oude ethelomen schopein achridōs, poia men koupha phortia pros ton toiouton dromon hēmin kai symmethistasthai dynatai tois syllexasi, kai ton echei pericharē poiei bion hē min, idia tōn chtēsamenōn ginomena" poia de barea kai dyscherę̄ kai prosēlōmena tę̄ gē. kai ou pephychota tois anthrōpois oicheiousthai kathapax, oude synchōroumena dia tēs stenēs echeinēs pylēs acholouthēsai tois echousin. ᾿All᾽ hosa men syllegein echrēn, chatelipomen" hōn de hyperorąn prosēchei, tauta syllegomen " kai ha men hēmin henōthēnai, kai chosmos ontōs genestha! dynatai symphyēs psychę̄ te kai sōmati, toutois oude prosechomen' ha de allotria menei diēnechōs, monēn hēmin enapomattomena tēn … diachenēs, kai ponountes ponon, hoionei tis heauton apatōn, eis tetrēmenon pithon antlein ethelēseie. Touto gar dēpou gnōrimon oimai kai nēpiois patin, hōs ouden tōn en tǭ biǭ terpnōn, eph᾽ hois hoi pleious memēnasin, hēmeteron ontōs estin, hē ginesthai pephychen" all᾽ homoiōs hapantōn allotria phainetai, tōn te apolauein dochountōn, tōn te oute prospelazontōn autois. Oude gar ei chryson tines en tǭ biǭ synagagoien apleton, idios autōn menei diēnechōs " all᾽ ē zōntas heti pantachothen hauton perisphingontas apodidraschei, pros tous dynatōterous metarrhneis, ē pros tǭ thanatǭ gegenēmenous ēdē chatalimpanei, kai ouch ethelei tois chtēsamenois synechdē mein. ᾿All᾽ hoi men hypo tou pros bian chōrizontos tas psychas tys talaipōrou tautēs sarchos helchomenoi pros? tēn ananchaian hodon, pychna metastrephomenoi pros ta chrēmata, tous ech neotētos ep᾽ autois hidrōtas apodakchryousin" ho ploutos de eis heterōn cheiras horą, mogon echeinois ton epi tę̄ syllogę̄ mochthon kai to tę̄s pleonexias enklēma prostripsamenos. Oute ei epi gēs plethra chtēsaito tis myria, kai megaloprepeis oikias, kai zōōn agelas pantodapōn, kai tēn en anthrōpois hapasan perithaloito dynasteian, apolauei de … allois palin tēs euporias echstēsetai, bracheian gēn autos hypodys, pollachis de kai pro tou taphou, kai pro tēs enteuthen apanastaseōs, eis eterous, kai polemious tychon, tēn eupragian opsetai metathainousan. Ē ouch ismen hoposoi men agroi, posai de oichiai, posa de ethnē kai poleis, kai zōntōn eti tōn chtēsamenōn, heterōn onomata metēmphiasanto despotōn? kai hōs hoi men palai douleuontes epi ton tēs archēs thronon anedēsan, hoi de chyrioi kai despotai chaloumenoi stēnai meta tōn archomenōn ēgapēsan, kai tois heautōn doulois hopechypsan, hōsper en pragmatōn autois? Ta ge mēn eis brōsin hēmin epinenoēmena kai … emēchanēsato pros therapeian tēs acharistou kai mēden stegousēs gastros, pot᾽ an hēmetera genoito, chan epantlētai diēnechōs? “A ge michran tina pę̄ geusei monon enapothemena chata tēn parodon hēdonēn, euthys hōs ochlēra kai peritta dyscherainomen, kai meta spoudēs exō poi ballomen, hōs ei tois splanchnois enchronisoi, ta megista peri tou zę̄n chindyneusontes. Pollois goun ho choros ēgage thanaton, kai tou mēdenos apolauein eti gegenētai proxenos. Koitai de aselgeis, kai bedēloi symplokai, kai panta hosa lyttōsēs erga kai paraphorou psychēs, ouchi prodēlos pantē zēmia tę̄ physei, kai s blathē periphanēs, kai tōn idiōn ontōs hechastou mallon allotriōsis te kai meiōsis, elattoumenou tou sōmatos en tais mixesi, kai tēs gnēsiōtatēs kai Toigaroun hekastou tōn tais aselgesin thentōn eunais, meta tēn praxin euthys, hotan ho men tēs sarchos oistros apomaranthę̄, pros to bdelyron de hōn enecheirēse peras elthōn ho nous, hōsper ech methēs ē cheimōnos tinos, tou logisasthai, poi pote esti, ladoi scholēn, sphodros tis eiserchetai tēs achraseas metamelos. ᾿Adranesterou te gar aisthanetai gegenēmenou tou sōmatos, kai pros tēn tōn anag kaiōn ergasian nōthrou, kai pantapasin asthenous. Touto dē ara kai tois paidotridais chatanoēspasin ho tēs sōphrosynēs en tais palaistrais gegraptai nomos, asyla para tōn hēdonōn tois neanischois phylattōn ta sōmata, kai ouch epitrepōn agōnizomenois autois, oude hoson prosϑlepsai tais lampousais morphais, eige etheloien stephanōthēnai tēn chepha lēn, hōs tēs akrasias gelōta agousēs en tǭ pa… Tauta men hōs allotria pantē kai peritta, kai oudenos idia genesthai dynamena, paratrechein chalon, tous ophthalmous epimysantas" tōn de ontōs hēmeterōn pronoian prosēchei poieisthai pollēn. Ti de ontōs hēmeteron? Psychē te, hē zōmen, leptē tis ousa kai noera, kai ouden deomenē tōn barynontōn᾽ kai sōma, to tautę̄ dothen ochēma pros ton bion para tou chtisantos. Touto gar anthrōpos" nous endedemenos prosphorǭ kai prepousę̄ sarchi. Touto hypo tou pansophou technitou tōn holōn en tois mētrǭois hēmōn platpetai cholpois. Touto eis phōs ech tōn schoteinōn echeï nōn thalamōn ho tōn ōdinōn agei kairos. Touto archein etachthē tōn epi gēs. Toutǭ gymnasion aretēs hē chtisi? hyphēplōtai. Toutǭ cheitai nomos, mimeisthai pon plastēn eis dynamin, kai tēn en ouranois eutanon, apanistatai. Touto tǭ tou pempsantos Theou parestatai bēmati. Touto euthynetai" touto dechetai tēn tōn entautha pepoliteumenōn antidosin. Kai tas aretas de hēmetera chtēmata ginomena heuroi tis an, hotan ex epimeleias synyphanthōsi tę̄ physei" kai oute epi gēs mochthountas hēmas apolimpanein ethelousin, hēn mē pros bian autas hechontes apodiōxōmen tais tōn cheironōn epagōgais" echeise te epeigomenōn proprechousi, kai tois angelois ton chtēsamenon syntattouti, kai lampousi di᾽ aiōnos hypo tois tou ktisantos ophthalmois. Ploutos de, kai dynasteia, kai periphaneia, kai tryphē, kai pas ho toioutos ochlos, ho kath᾽ hēmeran ech tēs hēmeteras anoias auxanomenos, oute symproēlthe pros ton bion hēmin, oute synaplthe tisin, alla to tǭ dikaiǭ palai rhēthen epi pantos anthrōpou pepēge kai chratei " Gymnos exēiithon ek choilias mētros mou, gymgos kai ap-
[1] I thought, beloved, that by applying the goad of the word more sharply each time I would seem burdensome to you, as displaying an excessive frankness, befitting neither a stranger nor a man held by similar charges; but you were roused to goodwill by the reproofs, and have made the blows of my tongue a kindling of greater longing. And no wonder; for you are wise in the things of the spirit. “Reprove a wise man, and he will love you,” Solomon says somewhere in his sayings. Therefore, brothers, now too I come to the same exhortation, wishing, as far as I am able, to lead you away from the nets of the devil. For the enemy of the truth, beloved, wages a great and varied war against us every day. He wages it, as you know, by making our own desires into arrows against us, and always taking from us the strength to harm us. For since the Master has bound most of his power with unbreakable laws, and has not allowed him to rush out at once and wipe our race from the earth, the envious one steals his victory over us from our own folly. And as wicked and greedy men, whose business and purpose is to grow rich from what belongs to others, but who lack the power to use force openly, are accustomed to lie in wait by the roads; and if they see some place beside them either broken by deep ravines or shaded by thick plants, they slip into it, and … the view from afar of those traveling by, so that no one can see the snares of danger before falling into them; so the one who has been our ill-wisher and enemy from the beginning, slipping under the shadows of worldly delights, which grow along the road of this life and are clever at hiding a robber and keeping the plotter unseen, from there secretly sows snares of destruction for us. We must therefore, if we wish to run safely the road of life before us, and to present to Christ soul and body together free from the shame of wounds, and to receive the crowns for victory, keep the eyes of the soul awake, always turning them in every direction, and suspect everything that is pleasant, and pass by at once, and fix our thought on nothing: not even if gold should appear lying about in heaps, ready to come into the hands of anyone who wants it (“If riches flow,” it says, “do not set your heart on them”); nor if the earth sprouts every delight and displays costly tents (“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also await a Savior, Christ”); nor if there are dances and revels and drinking bouts and tables accompanied by pipes (“Vanity of vanities,” it says, “all is vanity”); nor if there is beauty of bodies (“Flee from the face of a woman as from the face of a serpent,” says the Wise Man); nor if there are powers and tyrannies, and swarms of bodyguards or flatterers; nor if there is a high and splendid throne, subjecting nations and cities to voluntary servitude (“For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass; the grass withers, and the flower falls”). For with all these things that delight so … enticed by what is seen, we turn aside from the straight road and turn ourselves toward his ambush. And there is great fear lest, running to them unguardedly and thinking the delight of enjoyment nothing harmful, we swallow the hook of deceit hidden in the first taste; and then, partly willingly and partly unwillingly, we are bound to them by it, and are dragged off by our pleasures, before we notice, to that fearful den of the robber, death. … us, like travelers or runners stripped for the race, and having on every side lightness in our souls for the course … to hasten to the end of the road. And let no one suppose that I am inventing new names because I have now called human life a road; for David the prophet too so named life, now saying somewhere, “Blessed are the blameless in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord”; now crying to his Master, “Remove from me the way of injustice, and in your law have mercy on me.” And once, hymning God's swift help against those who abused him, and bringing it to the lyre with delight, he said, “And who is God but our God? God who girds me with power, and made my way blameless”; everywhere rightly thinking that the time men spend on earth, whether admired or base, should be so named. For as those who in a race alternate their steps as they vie with one another, always making the step that was first planted on the ground the second by quickly moving the other, easily reach the end of the road, so those brought into life by the Creator, stepping on the segments of time from the very beginning and always leaving the earlier behind, arrive at the end of life. Or does it not seem to you too that a continuous road has been spread out … with the ages for stations, providing for each the beginning of the journey in the labor-pains of mothers, and showing as the end of the course the dwellings of the tombs, and leading all to them, some more quickly and some more slowly, some having traveled through all the intervals of time, others not even having lodged at the first stations of life? Other roads, which lead from city to city, one can avoid and not travel if one does not wish; but this one, even if we wish to put off the course, seizes us by force and drags those on it to the end appointed by the Master; and it is not possible, beloved, for one who has once run out through the gate that leads into this life and set foot on this road not to come also to its end. Each of us, after escaping the mother's womb, is at once caught in the currents of time and swept along, always leaving behind the day he has lived, and never able, even if he wished, to return to yesterday. Yet we are glad to be carried forward and rejoice at changing our ages, as if gaining something; and we judge it a blessed thing when one becomes a man from a child and an old man from a man. But we do not realize that we are always losing as much of our life as we have lived, and we do not perceive life being spent, though we always measure it by what has run past and flowed away; nor do we consider how uncertain it is how much time the one who sent us on this journey will wish to grant to the course, and when he will open the gates of entrance to each of the runners, and that we must be prepared every day for the departure from here, and await the Master's nod with eyes fixed. “Let your loins be girded,” it says, “and your lamps burning; and be like men awaiting their master, when he will return from the wedding, so that when he comes and knocks they may open to him at once.”
[3] Nor are we willing to consider exactly which light burdens can go along with those who have gathered them on such a course, and make the life there joyful for us, becoming the property of those who acquired them; and which are heavy and troublesome and nailed to the earth, unable by nature to become man's own once for all, and not permitted to follow their owners through that narrow gate. What we ought to gather we have left behind, and what we ought to disregard, this we gather; and to the things that can be united to us and become a true adornment natural to soul and body we do not even attend, but things that remain always alien, leaving on us only their … in vain, laboring at labor, as if a man deceiving himself should wish to draw water into a perforated jar. For this, I think, is known even to all infants, that none of the delights of life, over which most people have gone mad, is truly ours or can by nature become so; they appear alike alien to all, both to those who seem to enjoy them and to those who do not even come near them. For not even if some gather immense gold in this life does it remain their own forever; but it either escapes them while they are still alive, though they clasp it on every side, flowing over to the more powerful, or leaves them already at their death and refuses to depart with its owners. And they, dragged on the necessary road by the one who forcibly separates souls from this wretched flesh, turning back often to their money, weep over the sweat they spent on it from their youth; but the wealth looks to the hands of others, having rubbed off on them only the toil of collecting it and the charge of greed. Nor if someone acquires countless acres of land, magnificent houses, and herds of animals of every kind, and invests himself with all the power there is among men, … he will give up his abundance to others in his turn, going down himself under a little earth; and often, even before the tomb and before his departure from here, he will see his prosperity passing to others, perhaps even to enemies. Or do we not know how many fields, how many houses, how many nations and cities have taken on the names of other masters while their owners were still alive? And how those who were formerly slaves ascended the throne of rule, while those called lords and masters were content to stand with the subjects and bowed to their own slaves, as in a … of fortunes?
[4] As for the things devised for our food, and … contrived for the service of the ungrateful belly that holds nothing, when could they become ours, even if they are poured in continually? Having left only a little pleasure on the taste in passing, they at once become burdensome and superfluous to us, and we eagerly cast them out somewhere, as if we would run the greatest risk to life were they to linger in the bowels. Satiety, at any rate, has brought death to many, and has been the cause of their enjoying nothing any longer. And licentious couches and profane embraces and all the works of a raging and deranged soul: are they not plainly a complete loss to our nature, a manifest harm, and an alienation and diminution of what is truly each one's own, the body being lessened in intercourse, and of the most genuine and … Therefore, for each of those who … licentious beds, immediately after the act, when the frenzy of the flesh has withered, and the mind, coming to the loathsome end of what it undertook, gains leisure, as if after drunkenness or a storm, to consider where it is, a vehement regret for its incontinence comes over it. For it perceives the body become feebler, sluggish for the work of necessities, and altogether weak. This is why trainers, having observed it, have written the law of chastity in the wrestling schools, keeping the young men's bodies inviolate from pleasures, and not allowing them, while they are contending, even to look at shining beauties, if they wish to be crowned on the head, since incontinence brings laughter in the …
[5] These things, then, as wholly alien and superfluous, and unable to become anyone's own, it is good to pass by with eyes closed; but for what is truly ours we must take much forethought. And what is truly ours? The soul, by which we live, being something subtle and intelligent and needing nothing that weighs it down; and the body, given to it by the Creator as a vehicle for life. This is man: a mind bound to a suitable and fitting flesh. This is fashioned by the all-wise Craftsman of all things in our mothers' wombs. This the time of birth-pangs brings from those dark chambers into the light. This was appointed to rule over the things on earth. For this, creation has been spread out as a training ground of virtue. For this a law is laid down: to imitate the Fashioner as far as possible, and … the [good order] in heaven … departs. This stands before the judgment seat of the God who sent it. This is called to account; this receives the recompense for the life lived here. And one would find the virtues too becoming our possessions, when they are woven together with our nature by diligence; they do not wish to leave us while we toil on earth, unless we drive them away by force by bringing in worse things; and when we hasten there, they run ahead and place their owner among the angels, and shine forever under the Creator's eyes. But wealth, power, distinction, luxury, and all such a crowd, which increases daily from our folly, neither came forth with us into life nor departed with anyone; but what was said long ago by the righteous man is fixed and holds for every man: “Naked I came out of my mother's womb, naked shall I also de-
Prov 9:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 62:10 (61:11 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Phil 3:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Eccl 1:2 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 40:6 (quotation, high confidence) · Isa 40:7 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:1 (118:1 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 119:29 (118:29 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 18:31 (17:32 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 18:32 (17:33 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 12:35 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 12:36 (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 7:14 (allusion, high confidence) · Job 1:21 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Life is a road on which the devil lies in ambush among worldly delights; wealth, food, lust and power cannot be truly ours, but only the soul, the body as its vehicle, and the virtues.
- Homily 21 (title in staged 21.0); this staged section holds sections 1–5. The numerals of 3, 4 and 5 are read in the scan (misread as ὅ, ἀ, ὃ) and marked; the numeral of 2 is lost, and its start (probably at “… us, like travelers or runners”) is not marked. Basil speaks as a “stranger” (ξένος), preaching away from his own church. Words lost under Migne's notes and Latin are marked “…”. Compared afterward with FOTC 9 (private check); no errors found. Quotations and allusions: Prov 9:8; Ps 62:10 (61:11 LXX); Phil 3:20; Eccl 1:2; Sir 21:2 (adapted: “woman” for “sin”); Isa 40:6–7; Ps 119:1, 29 (118:1, 29 LXX); Ps 18:31–32 (17:32–33 LXX); Luke 12:35–36; Matt 7:13–14; Job 1:21.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin translation; Greek words lost here; Migne's marginal note (variant) inside the text; Migne's marginal references and Latin translation inside the word προαίρεσις; Migne's notes on variants and Latin translation; Greek words lost here; column letter; column letter and Latin; footnote marker; section numeral; section numeral; Greek letters lost): ἀὰ. 2 1μις. χι, 8. 1" ΜΆ. χι, 99. ἴδ Ργον. νου, οἷα., ἰπ διιϊαυΐα ἀποῦμς ἢ τὶ ἀεδίἀογαίωγ. δε: → ; ΓΗ εἰ ἄν πι55. χαρδίᾳ. Οοάδχ πηὺβ χαρδίαν. Μοχ Βεξ. ρῥείπνιιβ τρυφὴν καὶ ἀπόλαυτιν, καὶ πολυτελεῖς..., ἐν οὐρανοῖς ὑπάρχει. Γῆ) 0 Γὰ5 50} 16 η.5, 4088 ἰὴ 0} 05 ν᾽ νία δὰ 06τοι Ἰαΐ ΓΟ 8. ᾿οβρί ἰπ ἐγα μάλ, δά πιογίθιι τὸ Εροῖ!, χχι, 2. 59 194. χι. 6, ἴ. ςίοφᾳ, οἱ υπά οι! οι Ἰεν δῖοι) ἀπίμαῦυς ΠΟ 5 δὰ σαγδῦχ τς ρον Ποϊπάτπι σοι οἰ ᾿Δη165, δ νἱῷ ἢ πη νοσανῖ; οἷ) οἱ αν ἃ ργορ]οία δ΄. Υἱΐϑιη ἀπδβιῖ ὄγδηῖ, σα 6 γ 6. Ορὸπὶ οΟἰἰΔυ ἀλη. οἱ δά ἰγ- Δρρο αν άδπι. Ο υοιαϊηοάπη οηΐ 4υϊ αἰ αοι ᾿τ6 Ὁ ἴπγ σοπίίηυ αυκ άδλῃ εἰ ροιτοοίᾶ Υἱὰ 6556, οἱ [16 Γ → … ; ἴδ ἰγϑῃ δ; ἠες ἤρτὶ ροίεβὶ, ἀΠ6οιἰ5βἰ], υἱ 15. αυΐ → … ; ἰηβείδης νι ποῦὶβ Υἱ 8 δι ῃλ ιγ,. Π " εἷς, μι, στα υόπετῖϊ, εἰ μιείδαυετγί!, οοπ[εείῖπι ἀρέ → … ; [υὁ. ὌΝ δ, εἰ ργοχίπιοβ ἀδβοσίς,. πες νεἱἱ 1666 υπᾶ εὐπὶ [15 δὲ] τη οἱ φυεπιδάπποάυπι) ἰΐ 4} ΟἹ ἢ βογνίτυ! δα ἀ]γϑῦο (ἀοιηϊηὶ Ποῦ ὙϑοΔθαηΐαγ, δὶ συμ 510 σθεὶς, → … ; πὴ) Υἱῷ αἰβουπθη νεηΐθηϊθϑ, δὶ ἴῃ Υἱϑοοῦῖ θυ 5 ὑδρίξων → … ; ἐχθρὸς Ὁ προσάγει → ἐχθρὸς προσάγει; καρδίᾳ [82]} → καρδίᾳ; ἄρα, Α 5ραϊίυτι ἃ τοσοῦτον → ἄρα, τοσοῦτον; ἀ. Τά γε μὴν → Τά γε μὴν; ὁ τῆς Ὁ σωφροσύνης → ὁ τῆς σωφροσύνης; ἐν τῷ παὃ. Ταῦτα μὲν → ἐν τῷ πα… Ταῦτα μὲν; Τί δὲ ὄντως Κοῖται δὲ καί. ἡμέτερον → Τί δὲ ὄντως ἡμέτερον; καὶ Α ἰᾶπὶ νοερὰ → καὶ νοερὰ.
Extrabiblical texts: Sir 21:2 (Sirach [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; allusion)
Topics: Ethics, Eschatology
Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. 21.1 (PG 31:542; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-variae/21-1/#p-21-1). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to the Benedictine divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 9 where it has the homily; otherwise re-read against the Greek (no public-domain English).
21.6PG 31:542
Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἄριστα βουλευόμενος, τῆς ψυχῆς ὅτ: μάλιστα φροντίσει, καὶ τοῦτο διὰ πάντων πειράσεπαι σώζειν εἰλιχρινές τε καὶ γνήσιον “ τῆς σαρχὸς δὲ ἣ λιμῷ τηχομένης, ἢ χρυμῷ καὶ θάλπει προσπαρά τινων βίαιον, ὀλίγον ποιήσεται τὸν λόγον, πὸ τοῦ Παύλου φωνῶν ἐφ᾽ ἑχάστου τῶν δυσχερῶν, καὶ φθεγγόμενος " Εἰ καὶ ὁ ἔξωθεν ἡμῶν ἄνθρωπος φθείρεται, ἀ.1. ὁ ἔσωθεν ἀναχιιγοῦται ἡμέραν καθ᾽ ἡμέραν. Καὶ οὔτε τοὺς ὑπὲρ τοῦ ζῇν κινδύνους προϊόντας ὁρῶν, φανήσεται δεδιὼς, ἀλλ᾽ ἑαυτῷ λέξει θαῤῥῶν - Οἴδαμεν, ὅτι, ἐὰν ἡ ἐπίγειος ἡμῶν οἰκία τοῦ σχήνους κατα.ϊυθῇ, οἰκοδομὴν ἐκ Θεοῦ ἔχομεν, οἰχίαν' ἀχειροποίητον, αἰώγιον ἐν τοῖς οὐρατοῖς. Ἐῤ δέ τις ἐθέλοι φείδεσθαι καὶ τοῦ σώματος, ὡς μόνου χτήματος ἀναγκαίου ψυχῇ, καὶ συνεργοῦντος αὑτῇ πρὸς τὸ ζῇν ἐπὶ γῆς, μικρὰ πρὺς τὰς τούτοῦ χρείας ἐπιστραφήσεται, καὶ ὥστε συνέχειν μόνον αὐτὸ, καὶ τῇ τῆς ψυχῆς ὑπηρεσίᾳ διὰ μετρίας ἐπιμελείας ἐῤῥωμένον τηρεῖν, μὴ μέντοιγε ἐπιτρέπειν ὑπὸ χόρου σκιρτᾷν. Εἰ δὲ ἴδοι ποτὲ ταῖς τοῦ πλείονος καὶ πέρα τοῦ λυσιτελοῦντος ἐπιθυμίαις φλεγόμενον, βοήσει πρὸς αὐτὸ τὸ τοῦ Παύλου νομοθετῶν" Οὐδὲν … … ὅτι οὐδὲ ἐξεγεγκεῖγ τι δυνάμεθα. Ἔχοντες δὲ διατροφὰς καὶ σκεπάσματα, τούτοις ἀρκεσϑησύμεθα. Ταῦτα μὲν γὰρ ἐπάδων αὑτῷ συνεγῶς καὶ βοῶν, εὐήνιόν τε αὐτὸ καὶ χοῦφον ἀεὶ πρὸς τὴν οὐράνιον ὁδοιπορίαν ἐργάσεται, καὶ μᾶλλον εἰς τὰ προνείμενα χτήσετα! συνεργόν εἰ δὲ ὑδρίζειν αὐτὸ συγχωρήσοι, καὶ πάντων ἐφ᾽ ἡμέραν ἐμπίπλασθαι, χαθἀπερ τι θηρίον ἀνήμερον, ὕστερον ταῖς βιαίοις αὑτοῦ πρὸς γὴν ἀνθολχαῖς συνεπισπασθεὶς, χείσεται στένων ἀνόνητα. Καὶ πρὸς τὸν Δεσπότην ἀχθεὶς, καὶ τῆς ἐπὶ γῆς πορείας τῆς ἐνδοθείσης αὐτῷ τὸν χαρπὸν ἀπαιτούμενος, εἶτα οὐχ ἔχων δοῦναι, θουυνήσει μαχρὰ, καὶ σχότος οἰχήσει διηνεχὲς, πολλὰ τῇ τρυφῇ καὶ τῇ ταύτης πλάνῃ μεμφόμενος, ὑφ᾽ ὃς τὸν τῆς σωτηρίας ἐσυλήθη καιρόν" οὐδὲν δὲ ἐκ τῶν δαχρύων ἕτι χερδαίνων. Ἐν γὰρ τῷ ἄδῃ τίς ἐξοιιοῖογήσεταί σοι; φησὶν ὁ Δαδίδ. Ἴ. Φύγωμεν οὖν ὅπως ἕνι τάχους, μὴ ἑαυτοὺς ἐχόντες συμπνίξωμεν. Εἰ δ᾽ ἄρα τις καὶ πάλαι δελεασθεὶς, ἣ πλούτου χόνιν ἐξ ἀδιχίας ἐφ᾽ ἑαυτὸν συνεφόρησε, καὶ τὸν νοῦν ταῖς τούτου μερίμναις χατέδησεν, ἢ μύσος ἀσελγείας προσῆψε τῇ φύσει: δυσέχνιπτον, ἣ τῶν ἄλλων ἐγχλημάτων ἐπλήρωσεν ἑαυτόν οὗτος, ὡς ἔτι χαιρὸς, πρὶν ἐλθεῖν εἰς τελείαν ἀπώλειαν, ἀποθέσθω τῶν φορτίων τὰ πλείονα, καὶ πρὶν ὑποθρύχιον γενέσθαι τὸ σχάφος, ἐχδολὴν ποιησάσθω τῶν ἀγωγίμων, ἃ μὴ δεόντως συνέλεξε, καὶ μιμησάσθω τοὺς τῆς θαλάττης ἐργάτας. Ἐχεῖγοι γὰρ, εἰ καί τι τῶν ἀναγκαίων ἐπὶ τῆς ντὸς ἄγονπὲς τύχοιεν, χλύδων δὲ ἐπαναστῇ ζέων ἐχ τοῦ πελάγους αὐτοῖς, καὶ χαλύπτειν ἀπειλήσῃ πεπιεσμέγὴν τῷ φόρτῳ τὴν ναῦν, ὅπως ἔχσυσι τάχους, τὸ πολὺ τοῦ βάρους ἀποσχενάζουσι, καὶ τὴν ἐμπορίαν ἀφειδῶς ἀντλοῦσιν εἰς θάλασσαν, ὥστε ὑψηλοτέραν ποιῆσαι τὴν ναῦν τοῦ χύματος, καὶ μόναις ταῖς ψυχαῖς, εἴπερ οἷόν τε, καὶ τοῖς σώμασιν ἐκ τοῦ χινδύνου δοῦναι φυγήν. Πολλῷ δὲ ἐχείνων δήπου μᾶλλον ταῦτα ἡμᾶς βουλεύεσθαί τε προσήχει καὶ πράττειν. Ἐχεῖνο! μὲν γὰρ ὅπερ ἂν ἀποῤῥίψωσιν, εὐθέως ἀπώλεσαν, καὶ περιίσταται λοιπὸν βία πενίας αὐτοῖς " ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐφ᾽ ὅσον ἂν τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξαντλήσωμεν φόρτον, πλείονα καὶ βελτίονα ταῖς ψυχαῖς ταν πλοῦτον ἐπισωρεύσομεν. Πορνεία μὲν γὰρ, καὶ ὅσα τοιαῦτα, ῥιφέντα διόλλυται, καὶ πρὸς τὸ μηδϑ εἶναι χωρεῖ, λυθέντα τοῖς δάκρυσιν" ἁγιότης δὲ καὶ Ζιχκαιοσύνη λοιπὸν εἰς τὸν ἐχείνων μεθίσταται χῶρον. πράγματα χοῦφα, καὶ οὐχ εἰδότα κύμασι χαλυφθηναί τισι. Τὰ χρήματά γε μὴν, ἐκθληθέντα καλῶς, οὔτε ἀπόλλυται τοῖς ἐχθαλοῦσι καὶ ῥίψασιν ἀλλ᾽ ὥτπερ εἰς ὀλχάδας ἄλλας ἀσφαλεστέρας τινὰς, τὰς τῶν πενήτων μετατεθέντα γαστέρας, διασώζεται καὶ … φθάνει πρὸς λιμένας ἐλθόντα, καὶ φυλάττεται τοῖς ἐχδάλλουσι, κόσμος, οὐ χίνδυνος.
Ho men oun arista bouleuomenos, tēs psychēs hot: malista phrontisei, kai touto dia pantōn peirasepai sōzein eilichrines te kai gnēsion “ tēs sarchos de hē limǭ tēchomenēs, ē chrymǭ kai thalpei prospara tinōn biaion, oligon poiēsetai ton logon, po tou Paulou phōnōn eph᾽ hechastou tōn dyscherōn, kai phthengomenos " Ei kai ho exōthen hēmōn anthrōpos phtheiretai, a.1. ho esōthen anachiigoutai hēmeran kath᾽ hēmeran. Kai oute tous hyper tou zę̄n kindynous proïontas horōn, phanēsetai dediōs, all᾽ heautǭ lexei tharrhōn - Oidamen, hoti, ean hē epigeios hēmōn oikia tou schēnous kata.ïythę̄, oikodomēn ek Theou echomen, oichian' acheiropoiēton, aiōgion en tois ouratois. Er de tis etheloi pheidesthai kai tou sōmatos, hōs monou chtēmatos anankaiou psychę̄, kai synergountos hautę̄ pros to zę̄n epi gēs, mikra prys tas toutou chreias epistraphēsetai, kai hōste synechein monon auto, kai tę̄ tēs psychēs hypēresią dia metrias epimeleias errhōmenon tērein, mē mentoige epitrepein hypo chorou skirtąn. Ei de idoi pote tais tou pleionos kai pera tou lysitelountos epithymiais phlegomenon, boēsei pros auto to tou Paulou nomothetōn" Ouden … … hoti oude exegenkeig ti dynametha. Echontes de diatrophas kai skepasmata, toutois arkesϑēsymetha. Tauta men gar epadōn hautǭ synegōs kai boōn, euēnion te auto kai chouphon aei pros tēn ouranion hodoiporian ergasetai, kai mallon eis ta proneimena chtēseta! synergon ei de hydrizein auto synchōrēsoi, kai pantōn eph᾽ hēmeran empiplasthai, chathaper ti thērion anēmeron, hysteron tais biaiois hautou pros gēn antholchais synepispastheis, cheisetai stenōn anonēta. Kai pros ton Despotēn achtheis, kai tēs epi gēs poreias tēs endotheisēs autǭ ton charpon apaitoumenos, eita ouch echōn dounai, thouynēsei machra, kai schotos oichēsei diēneches, polla tę̄ tryphę̄ kai tę̄ tautēs planę̄ memphomenos, hyph᾽ hos ton tēs sōtērias esylēthē kairon" ouden de ek tōn dachryōn heti cherdainōn. En gar tǭ adę̄ tis exoiioiogēsetai soi? phēsin ho Dadid. I. Phygōmen oun hopōs heni tachous, mē heautous echontes sympnixōmen. Ei d᾽ ara tis kai palai deleastheis, hē ploutou chonin ex adichias eph᾽ heauton synephorēse, kai ton noun tais toutou merimnais chatedēsen, ē mysos aselgeias prosēpse tę̄ physei: dysechnipton, hē tōn allōn enchlēmatōn eplērōsen heauton houtos, hōs eti chairos, prin elthein eis teleian apōleian, apothesthō tōn phortiōn ta pleiona, kai prin hypothrychion genesthai to schaphos, echdolēn poiēsasthō tōn agōgimōn, ha mē deontōs synelexe, kai mimēsasthō tous tēs thalattēs ergatas. Echeigoi gar, ei kai ti tōn anankaiōn epi tēs ntos agonpes tychoien, chlydōn de epanastę̄ zeōn ech tou pelagous autois, kai chalyptein apeilēsę̄ pepiesmegēn tǭ phortǭ tēn naun, hopōs echsysi tachous, to poly tou barous aposchenazousi, kai tēn emporian apheidōs antlousin eis thalassan, hōste hypsēloteran poiēsai tēn naun tou chymatos, kai monais tais psychais, eiper hoion te, kai tois sōmasin ek tou chindynou dounai phygēn. Pollǭ de echeinōn dēpou mallon tauta hēmas bouleuesthai te prosēchei kai prattein. Echeino! men gar hoper an aporrhipsōsin, eutheōs apōlesan, kai periistatai loipon bia penias autois " hēmeis de eph᾽ hoson an ton ponēron exantlēsōmen phorton, pleiona kai beltiona tais psychais tan plouton episōreusomen. Porneia men gar, kai hosa toiauta, rhiphenta diollytai, kai pros to mēdϑ einai chōrei, lythenta tois dakrysin" hagiotēs de kai Zichkaiosynē loipon eis ton echeinōn methistatai chōron. pragmata choupha, kai ouch eidota kymasi chalyphthēnai tisi. Ta chrēmata ge mēn, ekthlēthenta kalōs, oute apollytai tois echthalousi kai rhipsasin all᾽ hōtper eis olchadas allas asphalesteras tinas, tas tōn penētōn metatethenta gasteras, diasōzetai kai … phthanei pros limenas elthonta, kai phylattetai tois echdallousi, kosmos, ou chindynos.
[6] The one who takes the best counsel, then, will care above all for the soul, and will try in every way to keep it pure and genuine; and of the flesh, whether it is wasted by hunger or contending with cold and heat, or suffering some violence from others, he will make little account, uttering at each hardship the word of Paul: “Even if our outer man is being destroyed, the inner is being renewed day by day.” Nor will he appear afraid when he sees dangers to his life approaching, but will say to himself with confidence, “We know that if the earthly house of our tent is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” But if someone wishes to spare the body too, as the only possession necessary to the soul and its fellow worker for life on earth, he will turn a little to its needs, only so as to hold it together and keep it strong for the service of the soul by moderate care, but not allowing it to frisk from satiety. And if he ever sees it inflamed with desires for more, beyond what is profitable, he will cry out to it the legislation of Paul: “We brought nothing … … it is clear that we cannot carry anything out either. But having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” Chanting these words to it continually and crying them aloud, he will make it always tractable and light for the heavenly journey, and will have it as a better fellow worker for what lies ahead. But if he allows it to grow insolent and to be filled with everything every day, like an untamed beast, he will later be dragged down along with it by its violent pulls toward the earth, and will lie groaning to no purpose. And when he is brought before the Master and asked for the fruit of the journey on earth that was granted him, and then has nothing to give, he will lament long and dwell in perpetual darkness, much blaming luxury and its deceit, by which he was robbed of the time of salvation, but gaining nothing any longer from his tears. “For in Hades who will confess to you?” says David.
[7] Let us flee, then, as fast as we can, lest we willingly choke ourselves. And if anyone, enticed long ago, has heaped upon himself the dust of wealth from injustice and bound his mind to its cares, or has attached to his nature a defilement of licentiousness hard to wash out, or has filled himself with other charges, let him, while there is still time, before coming to complete destruction, put off most of his burdens, and before the boat goes under, jettison the cargo he gathered improperly, and imitate the workers of the sea. For even if they happen to be carrying something necessary on the ship, when a seething swell rises against them from the open sea and threatens to cover the ship weighed down by its load, they unload the greater part of the weight as quickly as they can, and pour out their merchandise into the sea without sparing, so as to make the ship ride higher than the wave and give escape from the danger to their souls alone, if possible, and to their bodies. Surely we ought to plan and do these things much more than they. For whatever they throw overboard they lose at once, and then the violence of poverty surrounds them; but the more of the wicked cargo we bail out, the more and better wealth we shall heap up for our souls. For sexual immorality and the like, once cast out, perish and come to nothing, dissolved by tears; and holiness and righteousness then move into their place, things that are light and do not know how to be covered by waves. And money, when it is cast out well, is not lost to those who cast it out and threw it away; but, as if transferred into other, safer cargo ships, the bellies of the poor, it is kept safe … reaches the harbors first, and is kept for those who cast it out, an adornment, not a danger.
2 Cor 4:16 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 5:1 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 6:7 (quotation, high confidence) · 1 Tim 6:8 (quotation, high confidence) · Ps 6:5 (6:6 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Matt 25:30 (echo, medium confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: The wise care first for the soul, accept bodily hardship with Paul's confidence, and give the body only what it needs.
- Staged as section 2; the scan reads Migne's numeral 6, and it is section 6. The quotation of 1 Tim 6:7–8 at the end is cut off by Migne's notes; it continues in staged 21.3. Compared afterward with FOTC 9 (private check). Quotations: 2 Cor 4:16; 2 Cor 5:1; 1 Tim 6:7.
- This staged section has no section number of its own: it ends section 6 (the rest of 1 Tim 6:7–8) and contains section 7 (marked [7]). Migne's Latin and notes are removed; a few Greek words lost under them are marked “…”. Compared afterward with FOTC 9 (private check); no errors found. Quotations and allusions: 1 Tim 6:7–8; Ps 6:5 (6:6 LXX); Matt 25:30; Matt 19:21.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin translation; Latin translation at the head of the page; the first words of 1 Tim 6:7 are lost; Latin translation inside the word ἐξαντλήσωμεν; Migne's marginal reference and Latin translation at the end of the page; Migne's notes on variants (ἀπειλήσῃ; φυγεῖν); column letter; column letter and Latin translation; column letter and Latin translation; Greek words lost here; hyphenated word; marginal Scripture references): ς ἀνοολίυμ. ἤος δὰ οὶ φυὶ ἰρϑιπὶ ἡ 51}, {τἰπὰπὶ Γιϊφοηῖ. Ὀἱν[ 55 νογο, οἱ ροϊοηιαῖυ8, οἱ οἰατίτυ4ο, οἱ ἀε! οἶς, οἵ οπιηΐβ οὐ ( αν". θ, [46 αυΐ 510] ορίίπιθ οοηϑι} ἢ, συγϑ ὶς δηϊμυοίοίυγ, δῖνα ἃ πιο} 8 Θχογυςίθι πγ, ϑῖνα ν]οἰοπδα τη ψοῖς. → οῖς. ; Ὁ παιπ ἱπ οαἰὶς 51. 5] → ; 81 Π| (ον. ν, ἴ. 5ἰῖ, αυᾷ: ἀπί πη ποΟοββΆ ἃ δὶ, οἰηυδ δὰ νἱΐμηι ἱπ → …; Πα οὐ πιονθο Γι πὶ δὲ βθιηροῦ δὰ ργοίδει ΟΠ θη «ἰνὶ σοι βιοϑίιατ ἢ ἰηαι λαν 4 5. 416 δρυὰ 56 σολοογνανϊ, θαταιάαθ σαν] Π ραν δα Οχ ράγις δἰ]εναηῖ, 20 "ΓΟ 5. ἐπ Ἰβ γί → … ; ρΠΐογεβ ρυββι τον βηϊ ἀϊν 18 ἀπίιμαθυ8. ποβιγὶβ ἢ → ; 8.} Τίῃ. νι, 7, δ. δ᾽ Ρρα]. νι, ὕ, → ; Βαϊ ἀπειλέσει. Αἱ πι58, ἀπειλήσῃ. ὁ Βαὶμ εὐ Βορ. βθουμιι5 δοῦναι φυγὴν. ἈΠ {γε 5 1155. φυγεῖν. → ; Α τιιπὶ ν᾽ ἀεἸ σε → … ; ὑφ᾽ ὃς τὸν Β τῆς → ὑφ᾽ ὃς τὸν τῆς; πελά- Ἴους → πελάγους.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. 21.6 (PG 31:542; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-variae/21-1/#p-21-6). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to the Benedictine divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 9 where it has the homily; otherwise re-read against the Greek (no public-domain English).
21.8PG 31:542
Βουλευσώμεθα τοίνυν, ἀγαπητοὶ, περὶ ἕαυτούς τι φιλάνθρωπον, καὶ τὸ τῆς εὐπορίας ἄχθος, εἴπερ ὅλως ἐθέλοιμεν ποιήσασθαι χέρδος ἡμέτερον, ρῶς, καὶ τοῖς τοῦ Δεσπότου χόλποις, ἀσύλοι; ταμείοις, ἐναποχλείσουσιν, Ὅπου σὴς οὐχ ἀφανίζει, οὐδὲ 1ησταὶ διορύττουσιν, οὐδὲ κλέπτουσι. Δῶμεν ἐξουσίαν ὑπερχυθῆναι βουλομένῳ πρὸς τοὺς δεομένους τῷ πλούτῳ. Μὴ παραδράμωμεν τοὺς ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς ἡμῶν ἔτι καὶ νῦν χειμένους Λαζάρους, μηδὲ τῶν ψιχίων τῆς ἡμετέρας τραπέζης ἀρχούντων αὐτοῖς εἰς χόρον βασχήνωμεν" μηδὲ, τὸν ἀνήμερον ἔχεῖνον ζηλώσαντες πλούσιον, πρὸς τὴν αὐτὴν ἐχεένῳ τῆς γεέννης φλόγα μετέλθωμεν. Ἐπεὶ πολλὰ μὲν τοῦ ᾿Αδραὰμ δεηθησόμεθα τότε, πολλὰ δὲ ἑχάστου τῶν βεδιωχότων χαλῶς " οὐδὲν δὲ ἔσται χέρδος ἡμῖν τῆς βοῆς ᾿Αδεϊφρὸς γὰρ οὗ «ἰυτροῦται, «ζυτρώσεται ἄγθρωπος; Ἔρεϊ δὲ ἔχαστος ἑχείνων ἡμῖν χεχραγώς" Μὴ ζήτει φιλανθρωπίαν, ἣν αὐτὸς ἐφ᾽ ἑτέρων ἠγνόησας “ μηδὲ βούλου λαδεῖν οὕτω μεγάλα σὺ τῶν ἐλαττόνων φεισάμενος. ᾿Απόλαυε τούτων ὧν ἐν τῷ βίῳ συνέλεξας. Δάχρυε νῦν, ἐπειδὴ τότε δαχρύοντα τὸν ἀδελφὸν ὁρῶν οὐχ ἠλέηδας. Ταῦτα ἐροῦσι, καὶ δικαίως, ἡμῖν. Δέδοικα δὲ ἐγὼ, μὴ καὶ πιχροτέροις ἡμᾶς τούτων βάλωσι ῥήμασιν, ἐπειδὴ καὶ νιχῶμεν ἐχεῖνον, ὡς ἴστε, τῇ πονηρίᾳ τὸν πλούσιον. Οὐδὲ γὰρ φειδόμενοι χαθάπαξ πλούτου, τοὺς ἐῤῥιμμένους χαμαὶ παρατρέχομεν ἀδελφοὺς, οὐδὲ τοῖς παισὶν ἣ τοῖς ἄλλοις οἰχείοις τὴν εὐπορίαν φυλάττοντες, ἀποχλείομεν τοῖς δεομένοις τὰς ἀχοάς ἀλλὰ τὴν δαπάνην μετατιθέντες ἐπὶ τοῖς χείροσι; καὶ τὸ φιλότιμον ἀχόνην πονηρίας ποιούμενοι τοῖς ταύτην ἐπιτηδεύουσι. Πόσαι γὰρ ἢ πόσοι τῶν ἑνίων περιεστήχασι τράπεζαν] οἱ μὲν αἰσχροῖς ῥήμασι τὸν ἑστιάτορα θέλγοντες, οἱ δὲ ἀτόποις βλέμμασί τε καὶ σχήμασι τὸ τῆς ἀχρασίας ἐχκαίοντες πῦρ᾽ οἱ δὲ τοῖς εἰς ἀλλήλους σχώμμασι γέλωτα τῷ χεχληχότι κατασχευάζειν ἐθέλοντες “ ἄλλοι δὲ ἐψευσμένοις ἐπαίνοις ἀπατῶντες αὐτόν. Καὶ οὐ “ὃ μὲν οὕτω: ἀπστιαθῆναι λαμπρῶς μόνον χερδαίνου-σιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς χεῖρας πεπληρωμένας πολυτελῶν δώρων χατάγουσι, καὶ μανθάνουσι παρ᾽ ἡμῶν, ὅτι ν λυσιτελεῖ μᾶλλον τῶν ἀρετῶν τὰ τοιαῦτα μετιέναι καὶ πράττειν αὐτοῖς. Εἰ ὃὲ παρασταίη πένης ἡμῖν, μόλις ὑπὸ τοῦ λιμοῦ καὶ φθεγγόμενος, ἀποστρεφόμεθα τὸν ὁμοφυῆ, βδελυττόμεθα, μετὰ σπουδῆς ἀποτρέχομεν, ὥσπερ δεδοιχότες μὴ καὶ τῆς δυσπραγίας αὐτῆς ἐχ τοῦ σχολαίτερον βαδίσαι μετάσχωμεν. Καὶ, εἰ μὲν εἰς γῆν νεύσο!, τὴν συμφορὰν αἰσχυνόμενος, ὑποχρίσεως εἶναι λέγομεν ἐργάτην αὐτόν" εἰ δὲ μετὰ παῤῥησίας προσδλέψοι διὰ τὸ βαρὺ τοῦ λιμοῦ χέντρον ἡμᾶς, ἀναιδῆ πάλιν καλοῦμεν καὶ βίαιον. Καὶ, χότος τινὸς, ὡς ἄπληστον ἀπελαύνομεν, καὶ ὀμνύμεθα προσποιεῖσθαι πενίαν αὐτόν" εἰ δὲ σχεπάζοιτο σεσηπόσι ῥαχίοις, ὡς ὀδωδότα πάλιν διώχομεν, καὶ οὔτε τὸ τοῦ χτίσαντος ὄνομα ταῖς ἱχετηρίαις ἐχεῖνος ἀναμιγνὺς, οὔτε τὸ μὴ τοιούτοις πάθεσι περιπεσεῖν ἡμᾶς ἐξορχῶν συνεχῶς, δύναται τὴν ἀνελεῃ χάμψαι προαίρεσιν. Διὰ ταῦτα ὑφορῶμαι βαρύτερον τῆς γεέννης τὸ πῦρ ἥπερ ἐχεῖνος ὁ πλούσιος. Εἰ μὲν οὖν ὁ καιρὸς ἐνεδίδου, δύναμίς τε ἀρχοῦσα ὑπῆν, πάντα ἂν ὑμῖν τὰ κατ᾽ ἐχεῖνον, ὅπως ἔδειξεν ἡ Βίδλος, ἐπεξελθὼν ἀπέδωχα τὴν ἐργασίαν τῶν λόγων " νῦν δὲ ὥρα διαφεῖναι πεπονηχότας ὑμᾶς. Αὐτοὶ δὲ εἰ καί τι παραλελοίπαμεν δι᾽ ἀσθένειαν ἐννοίας ἅμα καὶ γλώττης, ἑαυτοῖς ἀναπλάττοντες, ὥσπερ τινὰ φάρμαχα τοῖς τῶν ψυχῶν προσαγάγετε τραύμασι. Δίδου γὰρ σορῷ ἀφορμὴν, καὶ σοφώτερος ἔσται, φησὶν ἡ Γραφή. Δυγατὸς δὲ ὁ Θεὸς πᾶσαν χάριν περισσεῦσαι εἰς ὑμᾶς, ἵνα, ἐν παντὶ πάντοτα πᾶσαν αὐτάρκειαν ἔχοντες, πκερισσεύητε εἰς πᾶν ἔργον ἀγαθόν. ᾿
Bouleusōmetha toinyn, agapētoi, peri heautous ti philanthrōpon, kai to tēs euporias achthos, eiper holōs etheloimen poiēsasthai cherdos hēmeteron, rōs, kai tois tou Despotou cholpois, asyloi? tameiois, enapochleisousin, Hopou sēs ouch aphanizei, oude 1ēstai dioryttousin, oude kleptousi. Dōmen exousian hyperchythēnai boulomenǭ pros tous deomenous tǭ ploutǭ. Mē paradramōmen tous en ophthalmois hēmōn eti kai nyn cheimenous Lazarous, mēde tōn psichiōn tēs hēmeteras trapezēs archountōn autois eis choron baschēnōmen" mēde, ton anēmeron echeinon zēlōsantes plousion, pros tēn autēn echeenǭ tēs geennēs phloga metelthōmen. Epei polla men tou ᾿Adraam deēthēsometha tote, polla de hechastou tōn bediōchotōn chalōs " ouden de estai cherdos hēmin tēs boēs ᾿Adeïphros gar hou «iytroutai, «zytrōsetai agthrōpos? Ereï de echastos hecheinōn hēmin chechragōs" Mē zētei philanthrōpian, hēn autos eph᾽ heterōn ēgnoēsas “ mēde boulou ladein houtō megala sy tōn elattonōn pheisamenos. ᾿Apolaue toutōn hōn en tǭ biǭ synelexas. Dachrye nyn, epeidē tote dachryonta ton adelphon horōn ouch ēleēdas. Tauta erousi, kai dikaiōs, hēmin. Dedoika de egō, mē kai pichroterois hēmas toutōn balōsi rhēmasin, epeidē kai nichōmen echeinon, hōs iste, tę̄ ponērią ton plousion. Oude gar pheidomenoi chathapax ploutou, tous errhimmenous chamai paratrechomen adelphous, oude tois paisin hē tois allois oicheiois tēn euporian phylattontes, apochleiomen tois deomenois tas achoas alla tēn dapanēn metatithentes epi tois cheirosi? kai to philotimon achonēn ponērias poioumenoi tois tautēn epitēdeuousi. Posai gar ē posoi tōn heniōn periestēchasi trapezan] hoi men aischrois rhēmasi ton hestiatora thelgontes, hoi de atopois blemmasi te kai schēmasi to tēs achrasias echkaiontes pyr᾽ hoi de tois eis allēlous schōmmasi gelōta tǭ chechlēchoti katascheuazein ethelontes “ alloi de epseusmenois epainois apatōntes auton. Kai ou “ho men houtō: apstiathēnai lamprōs monon cherdainou-sin, alla kai tas cheiras peplērōmenas polytelōn dōrōn chatagousi, kai manthanousi par᾽ hēmōn, hoti n lysitelei mallon tōn aretōn ta toiauta metienai kai prattein autois. Ei hoe parastaiē penēs hēmin, molis hypo tou limou kai phthengomenos, apostrephometha ton homophyē, bdelyttometha, meta spoudēs apotrechomen, hōsper dedoichotes mē kai tēs dyspragias autēs ech tou scholaiteron badisai metaschōmen. Kai, ei men eis gēn neuso!, tēn symphoran aischynomenos, hypochriseōs einai legomen ergatēn auton" ei de meta parrhēsias prosdlepsoi dia to bary tou limou chentron hēmas, anaidē palin kaloumen kai biaion. Kai, chotos tinos, hōs aplēston apelaunomen, kai omnymetha prospoieisthai penian auton" ei de schepazoito sesēposi rhachiois, hōs odōdota palin diōchomen, kai oute to tou chtisantos onoma tais hichetēriais echeinos anamignys, oute to mē toioutois pathesi peripesein hēmas exorchōn synechōs, dynatai tēn aneleę̄ champsai proairesin. Dia tauta hyphorōmai baryteron tēs geennēs to pyr hēper echeinos ho plousios. Ei men oun ho kairos enedidou, dynamis te archousa hypēn, panta an hymin ta kat᾽ echeinon, hopōs edeixen hē Bidlos, epexelthōn apedōcha tēn ergasian tōn logōn " nyn de hōra diapheinai peponēchotas hymas. Autoi de ei kai ti paraleloipamen di᾽ astheneian ennoias hama kai glōttēs, heautois anaplattontes, hōsper tina pharmacha tois tōn psychōn prosagagete traumasi. Didou gar sorǭ aphormēn, kai sophōteros estai, phēsin hē Graphē. Dygatos de ho Theos pasan charin perisseusai eis hymas, hina, en panti pantota pasan autarkeian echontes, pkerisseuēte eis pan ergon agathon. ᾿
[8] Let us take counsel, then, beloved, for something humane toward ourselves, and the burden of our abundance, if we wish to make it our gain at all, … and they will shut it up in the Master's bosom, in inviolable storehouses, “where moth does not consume, nor thieves break in and steal.” Let us give our wealth leave to overflow, as it wishes, toward those in need. Let us not pass by the Lazaruses who still lie before our eyes even now, nor begrudge them the crumbs of our table, which are enough to fill them; nor, emulating that savage rich man, go over to the same flame of Gehenna as he. For then we shall beg much of Abraham, and much of each of those who have lived well; but there will be no gain to us from our outcry: “A brother does not redeem; will a man redeem?” Each of them will cry out to us: “Do not seek the kindness which you yourself ignored toward others; do not wish to receive such great things, you who were sparing with the lesser. Enjoy what you gathered in life. Weep now, since then you did not pity your brother when you saw him weeping.” This they will say to us, and justly. And I fear lest they strike us with still more bitter words, since, as you know, we outdo that rich man in wickedness. For it is not out of thrift with our wealth that we pass by the brothers thrown on the ground, nor because we are keeping our abundance for our children or other relatives that we shut our ears to those in need; but we transfer the expense to worse things, and make our munificence a whetstone of wickedness for those who practice it. For how many women and men stand around the tables of some: some charming the host with shameful words, others kindling the fire of incontinence with unseemly glances and postures, others wishing to provide laughter for the one who invited them by mocking one another, others deceiving him with false praises. And these not only gain a splendid feast, but also go away with their hands full of costly gifts, and learn from us that it profits them more to pursue and practice such things than the virtues. But if a poor man stands before us, scarcely able to speak for hunger, we turn away from our kinsman, we loathe him, we hurry off, as though afraid that by walking more slowly we might share his misfortune. If he looks at the ground, ashamed of his calamity, we say that he is a practiced hypocrite; but if, because of the heavy goad of hunger, he looks at us boldly, we call him shameless and violent in turn. And if … we drive him away as insatiable and swear that he is feigning poverty; but if he is covered with rotten rags, we chase him off again as smelling; and neither by mingling the Creator's name with his supplications, nor by continually adjuring us that we may never fall into such sufferings, can he bend our merciless will. That is why I suspect that the fire of Gehenna will be more grievous for us than for that rich man. If the time permitted, and I had sufficient strength, I would have gone through for you everything about him as the Book showed it, and so rendered the full work of my words; but now it is time to dismiss you, weary as you are. And if we have left out anything through weakness of thought and of tongue, shape it for yourselves and apply it like medicines to the wounds of your souls. “Give a wise man an occasion, and he will be wiser,” says Scripture. “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that, always having all sufficiency in everything, you may abound in every good work.”
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 6:20 (quotation, high confidence) · Luke 16:20 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 16:21 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 16:24 (allusion, high confidence) · Luke 16:25 (allusion, high confidence) · Ps 49:7 (48:8 LXX) (quotation, high confidence) · Prov 9:9 (quotation, high confidence) · 2 Cor 9:8 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil urges giving to the poor, warns that the rich who lavish money on flatterers while spurning beggars are worse than the rich man of the parable, and closes his exhortation.
- Staged as section 4; the scan reads Migne's numeral 8, and it is section 8. Words lost under Migne's notes and Latin are marked “…” (after “to make it our gain at all,” evidently a call to distribute it to the poor; after “And if,” evidently “he is clothed in a whole garment someone gave him”). Migne's notes give variants: “tearing with praises,” “mocking one another,” ἐφ᾽ ᾗ/ἐφ᾽ ἧς. Compared afterward with FOTC 9 (private check); one correction made (the verb “they will shut it up” refers to the poor). Quotations and allusions: Matt 6:20; Luke 16:19–31; Ps 49:7 (48:8 LXX); Prov 9:9; 2 Cor 9:8.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin translation; Latin translation inside the word καθάπαξ; Migne's notes on variants and Latin translation): οἱ ἴῃ θοιπίη! 5ἴπυν γεν ἴῃ ργοπιριυαγὶ 5 ἐς → ; - (ἱ θεῖπι, τι ἀϊν! {18 ἀ → ά; πιο. ὕοου!δ οὐ ποη τορογ Ὁ Γ ποαια ἴῃ 4}}18. {γῖ ἰδεῖυγα οἱ χυλ ἀποῖ} : δοιὰ τὰ ἰρβὰ ἱπίογγοβδιίοι δ τες, δυὶ πράττοντες, ἰη 60 [}}} υνἱἀδίυγ. Νβὲ γϑοί 9 βεγρίαπι (ἰ ἐπαίνοις πράττοντες, ἴῃ 4}}15 νὰ θυϑ, ἐπαίνοις σπαράττοντες. Αἱ εξ. ρῥγίπιι ἀλλήλων σχώμμασι. αυἱά ον πιθῃ (18 δἰ πιὰ] 36 ᾿ἰηριιο ἐπι 5 ἢ] Οον. ιχ, 8. πι85. ἐφ᾽ ἧ. ΑἸ! ἀτιο οἱ οὐ ἐφ᾽ ἧς. Βυ πὰς βεγὶδῦ → .
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. 21.8 (PG 31:542; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-variae/21-1/#p-21-8). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to the Benedictine divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 9 where it has the homily; otherwise re-read against the Greek (no public-domain English).
21.9PG 31:542
᾿Αλλὰ γὰρ ἤδη πρὸς λιμένας ἡμῖν, ὡς ὁρᾶτα, χαταχθέντα τὸν λόγον, εἰς τὸν τῆς συμδουλῇς δρόμον αὖθις ἀδελφοί τινες ἐπανάγουσ!, μὴ παραδραμεῖν τὰ χθὲς ὑπὸ τοῦ Δεσπότου θαυματουργηθέντα χελεύοντες, μηδὲ σιγῆσαι τὸ τοόπαιον, ὃ κατὰ τῆς τοῦ διαδόλου λύττης ἔστητεν ὁ Σωτήρ δοῦναι δὲ ἀφορμὴν τῶν τῆς ὑμνῳδίας σχιρτημάτων ὑμῖν. Πάλιν μὲν γὰρ, ὡς ἴστε, τὴν οἰχείαν ὁ διάδολος χαθ᾽ ἐμῶν ἐπεδείξατο λύτταν, καὶ φλογὶ πυρὸς ὁπλίσας ἑαυτὸν. τοῖς τῆς Ἐχχλησίας σηχοῖς ἔπεστράτευσε. Πάλιν δὲ ἡ χοινὴ μήτηρ ἐνίκησε, καὶ τῷ πολεμίῳ περιέτρεψε τὸ μηχάνημα, καὶ οὐδὲν ὑπῆρξεν αὐτῷ πλὴν τοῦ δτμοσιεῦσαι τὴν ἔχθραν. ᾿Αντέπνευσεν ἡ χάρις ταῖς τοῦ πολεμίου ῥοπαῖς " ἔμεινεν ὁ νεὼς ἀπαθής. Οὐχ ἴσχυσεν ὁ προσαχθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ πολεμίου χειμὼν τινάξαι τὴν πέτραν ἐφ᾽ ἧς ὁ Χριστὸς τὴν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ποίμνης ᾧχοδόμησε μάνδραν. Ἐτάχθη καὶ νῦν μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν ὁ καὶ πάλαι σδέσας ἐν Βαδυλῶνι: τὴν χάμινον. Πῶς οἴεσθε στένει σήμερον ὁ διάδολος, οὐκ ἀπολαύσας ἐφ᾽ ᾧπερ ἠδουλήθη τῆς ἐγχειρήσεως; Γείτονα μὲν γὰρ τῆς Ἐχχλησίας ὁ δυσμενὴς ἀνῆψε πυρὰν, ἵνα ταῖς ἣμετέραις εὐπραγίαις λυμήνηται" καὶ πανταχόθεν ἣ φλὸξ ἀναῤῥικιζομένη ταῖς βιαίοις ἐχείνου πνοαῖς, Α ὑπερεχεῖξο τῶν ὑποχειμένων αὐτῇ, καὶ τὸν ἀέρα τὸν ἐγγὺς ἐπενέμετο, ψαῦσαι τῶν ἀναχτόρων ἀναγχαζομένη, καὶ πρὸς χοινωνίαν ἡμᾶς χαθέλχουσα τῆς συμφορᾶς. Ὁ Σωτὴρ δὲ ἐπὶ τὸν ἀνάψαντα ταύτὴν ῥυῆναι πεποΐίηχε, καὶ συστεῖλαι τὴν μανίαν αὐτοῦ εἰς ἑαυτὸν πάλιν προσέταξε. Καὶ τὸ μὲν τῆς ἐπιδουλῆς τόξον ηὐτρέπισεν ὁ πολέμιος ἀφεῖναι ὃὲ τὸ βέλος χεχώλυται᾽ μᾶλλον δὲ ἀφῆκχε μὲν, ἀντἐστραπται δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ χεφαλήν. Αὐτὸς ἀπολαύει τῶν πιχρῶν ἐχείνων δαχρύων, ἅπερ ἡμῖν παρεσχεύασεν. ᾿Αλλὰ ποιήσωμεν, ἀδελφοὶ, τὸ τραῦμα τῷ δυσμενεῖ φορτιχώτερον, ἐπιτείνωμεν τὸ πένθος αὖτοῦ. Τὸ δὲ ὅπως, λέξω μὲν ἐγὼ, πράξατε δὲ ὑμεῖς. Εἰσί τινες ἐχ τῆς ἐπιχρατείας τοῦ πυρὸς ἀναρπασθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ κτίσαντος, καὶ μηδεμίαν ἔχοντες περιλελειμμένην αὐτοῖς βίου λοιπὸν ἀφορμὴν, ἀλλὰ Βόνῃ τῇ ψυχῇ καὶ τῷ σώματι διαφυγόντες τὸν χίνδυνον. Ἡμεῖς τοίνυν ὅσοι τῆς τῶν δυσχερῶν ἄγευστοι πείρας ἐμείναμεν, κοινὴν ἐχεΐνοις προθῶμεν τὴν εὐπορίαν τὴν ἑαυτῶν. Ἐναγχαλισώμεθα τοὺς ερισωθέντας μόλις τῶν ἀδελφῶν, εἴπωμεν πρὸς ἕχαστον ἕχαστος " Νεχρὸς ἦν, καὶ ἀνγέζησεν" ἀπο- «ἰω.Ἰὼς, καὶ εὑρέθη" καὶ τὸ συγγενὲς σῶμα σχεπάσωμεν. ᾿Αντιστήσωμεν ταῖς τοῦ δυσμενοῦς ἐπηρείαις τὴν ἡμετέραν παράχλησιν, ἵνα καὶ βλάπτων ἐχεῖνος μηδὲν μέγα βλάψαι δοχῇ, καὶ πολεμήσας, μηδένα δεῖξαι νενιχημένον, καὶ περιελὼν τὴν εὐπορίαν τῶν
᾿Alla gar ēdē pros limenas hēmin, hōs horata, chatachthenta ton logon, eis ton tēs symdoulę̄s dromon authis adelphoi tines epanagous!, mē paradramein ta chthes hypo tou Despotou thaumatourgēthenta cheleuontes, mēde sigēsai to toopaion, ho kata tēs tou diadolou lyttēs estēten ho Sōtēr dounai de aphormēn tōn tēs hymnǭdias schirtēmatōn hymin. Palin men gar, hōs iste, tēn oicheian ho diadolos chath᾽ emōn epedeixato lyttan, kai phlogi pyros hoplisas heauton. tois tēs Echchlēsias sēchois epestrateuse. Palin de hē choinē mētēr enikēse, kai tǭ polemiǭ perietrepse to mēchanēma, kai ouden hypērxen autǭ plēn tou dtmosieusai tēn echthran. ᾿Antepneusen hē charis tais tou polemiou rhopais " emeinen ho neōs apathēs. Ouch ischysen ho prosachtheis hypo tou polemiou cheimōn tinaxai tēn petran eph᾽ hēs ho Christos tēn tēs heautou poimnēs hǭchodomēse mandran. Etachthē kai nyn meth᾽ hēmōn ho kai palai sdesas en Badylōni: tēn chaminon. Pōs oiesthe stenei sēmeron ho diadolos, ouk apolausas eph᾽ hǭper ēdoulēthē tēs encheirēseōs? Geitona men gar tēs Echchlēsias ho dysmenēs anēpse pyran, hina tais hēmeterais eupragiais lymēnētai" kai pantachothen hē phlox anarrhikizomenē tais biaiois echeinou pnoais, A hyperecheixo tōn hypocheimenōn autę̄, kai ton aera ton engys epenemeto, psausai tōn anachtorōn ananchazomenē, kai pros choinōnian hēmas chathelchousa tēs symphoras. Ho Sōtēr de epi ton anapsanta tautēn rhyēnai pepoïiēche, kai systeilai tēn manian autou eis heauton palin prosetaxe. Kai to men tēs epidoulēs toxon ēutrepisen ho polemios apheinai hoe to belos chechōlytai᾽ mallon de aphēkche men, antestraptai de epi tēn heautou chephalēn. Autos apolauei tōn pichrōn echeinōn dachryōn, haper hēmin parescheuasen. ᾿Alla poiēsōmen, adelphoi, to trauma tǭ dysmenei phortichōteron, epiteinōmen to penthos autou. To de hopōs, lexō men egō, praxate de hymeis. Eisi tines ech tēs epichrateias tou pyros anarpasthentes hypo tou ktisantos, kai mēdemian echontes perileleimmenēn autois biou loipon aphormēn, alla Bonę̄ tę̄ psychę̄ kai tǭ sōmati diaphygontes ton chindynon. Hēmeis toinyn hosoi tēs tōn dyscherōn ageustoi peiras emeinamen, koinēn echeïnois prothōmen tēn euporian tēn heautōn. Enanchalisōmetha tous erisōthentas molis tōn adelphōn, eipōmen pros hechaston hechastos " Nechros ēn, kai angezēsen" apo- «iō.Iōs, kai heurethē" kai to syngenes sōma schepasōmen. ᾿Antistēsōmen tais tou dysmenous epēreiais tēn hēmeteran parachlēsin, hina kai blaptōn echeinos mēden mega blapsai dochę̄, kai polemēsas, mēdena deixai nenichēmenon, kai perielōn tēn euporian tōn
[9] But just when our speech, as you see, has been brought into harbor, some brothers lead it out again onto the course of exhortation, bidding me not to pass over the wonders the Master worked yesterday, nor to keep silent about the trophy which the Savior set up against the devil's rage, but to give you an occasion for leaping up in hymns. For again, as you know, the devil displayed his own rage against us, and, arming himself with flame of fire, marched against the precincts of the Church. But again the common mother conquered, and turned his device back on the enemy, and he gained nothing but to make his hostility public. Grace blew back against the enemy's onset; the church remained unharmed. The storm the enemy brought could not shake the rock on which Christ built the fold of his flock. He who long ago quenched the furnace in Babylon took his stand with us now too. How, do you think, the devil groans today, not having enjoyed from the attempt what he wished? For the enemy kindled a pyre next to the Church, to spoil our good fortune; and on every side the flame, fanned by his violent blasts, rose above what lay beneath it, and devoured the nearby air, forced to touch the sanctuary and dragging us into a share of the calamity. But the Savior made it flow back on the one who kindled it, and ordered his madness to contract back upon himself. The enemy made ready the bow of his plot, but was prevented from loosing the arrow; or rather he loosed it, but it turned back upon his own head. He himself enjoys the bitter tears he prepared for us. But let us, brothers, make the enemy's wound heavier; let us intensify his grief. How, I will say, and you must do it. There are some who were snatched by the Creator out of the grip of the fire, and have no means of livelihood left them, but escaped the danger with soul and body only. Let all of us, then, who have remained without experience of these hardships set our own abundance before them as common. Let us embrace the brothers who were barely saved; let each say to each, “He was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found”; and let us cover the body that is akin to ours. Let us set our encouragement against the enemy's abuses, so that even when he harms he may seem to have done no great harm, and having made war may show no one conquered, and having stripped [our brothers] of their abundance …
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
Matt 16:18 (allusion, high confidence) · Dan 3:25 (allusion, medium confidence) · Luke 15:24 (quotation, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Basil adds thanks for the church's escape from a fire set nearby, blamed on the devil, and asks the congregation to provide for those who lost everything in it.
- Staged as section 5; the scan reads Migne's numeral 9, and it is section 9. The fire had broken out near the church the day before (see the title in staged 21.0). The last words of the section (“… of our brothers, may be shown defeated by our munificence”) are misplaced by the scan into staged 21.6 and are translated in its note. Migne's note on “with us” gives the variant “with you.” Compared afterward with FOTC 9 (private check). Quotations and allusions: Matt 16:18; Dan 3:49–50 LXX (the furnace; Pr Azar 26–27); Luke 15:24.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin translation and Migne's note (variant μεθ᾽ ὑμῶν); column letter and Latin): τἀπὶ ἐπνδιί αν ἴθ 0 (οι θοῇδίαπο οἱ ἴῃ 8.118 ιτῖμὲ πι85. μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν, υδἱ ἴῃ νυϊραιὶα ἸερίιαΓ μεθ ὑμῶν, υοϑιδοι!, Ἀθη ἰΐἃ τρεῖς, → ; Β “ολπὶ εἴ περιλελειμμένην → περιλελειμμένην.
Extrabiblical texts: Pr Azar 26 (Prayer of Azariah and Song of the Three Young Men [in RC, EO, ETH canons]; allusion)
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. 21.9 (PG 31:542; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-variae/21-1/#p-21-9). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to the Benedictine divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 9 where it has the homily; otherwise re-read against the Greek (no public-domain English).
21.10PG 31:551
Ὑμεῖς δὲ οἱ διαφυγόντες τὸν χίνδυνον, ἀδελφοὶ, μὴ σφόδρα ἄχθεσθε τοῖς συμδεδηχόσι χαχοῖς, μηδὲ χατασεισθῆτε τὴν ἔννοιαν, ἀλλ᾽ ἀποτινάξασθε τὴν πῆς λύπης ἀχλὺν, καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς ἀναῤῥώσατε λογισμοῖς ἀνδρειοτέροις χρησάμενοι, καὶ τὸ συμδεθηχὸς στεφάνων ποιήσασθε πρόφασιν. "ἂν γὰρ ἀχατάσειστοι μείνητε, καὶ τῇ πίστει φανήσεσθε οι, καθάπερ χρυσὸς εὐγενὴς ἐχ τοῦ πυρὸς ἀναλάμμᾶλλον, ὡς οὐδὲ δάχρυον ὑμῖν δυνηθέντι χινῆσαι, ξι᾿ ὧν ἐπεδούλευσεν. ᾿Αναμνήσατε τῆς τοῦ Ἰὼδ ἑαυ- «οὺς χαρτερίας. Εἴπατε πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἅπερ ἐχεῖνος " Ὃ Κύριος ἔδωκεν, ὁ Κύριος ἀφείλετο" ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ ἔδοξεν, οὕτω καὶ ἐγένετο. Καὶ μηδεὶς ἐξ ὧν ἔπαθεν ἀναπεισθῇ λογίσασθαί τε καὶ λέγειν, ὡς ἄρα οὐδεμία πρόνοια τάττει τὰ χαθ᾽ ἡμᾶς, μηδὲ χατηγορεΐτω τῆς οἰχονομίας τοῦ Δεσπότου καὶ χρίσεως " ἀλλ᾽ εἰς τὸν ἀθλητὴν ἐχεῖνον ὁράτω, χἀχεῖνον σύμὅουλον ποιείσθω τοῦ χρείττονος. ᾿Αναλογιζέσθω τοὺς ἀγῶνας ἅπαντας ἐφεξῆς, ἐφ᾽ οἷς ἐχεῖνος ἠρίστευσε " καὶ πόσοις βέλεσιν ὑπὸ τοῦ διαδόλου βληθεὶς, οὐχ ἐδέξατο καιρίαν πληγὴν. Περιεῖλε μὲν γὰρ αὐτοῦ τὴν εὐπραγίαν τῶν οἰχείων, χαταχῶσαι δὲ αὐτὸν ταῖς ἐπαλλήλοις τῶν χαχῶν ἐδουλεύσατο φήμαις. “Ἔτι … λυντος, ἕτερος ἄγγελος Ὦρχετα, χειρόνων πραγμάτων φέρων χατήφειαν " ἀλλήλοις τε ἐπισυνήπτετο τὰ δεινὰ, καὶ τὴν τῶν χυμάτων ἐπιδρομὴν ἐζήλουν αἱ συμφοραὶ, καὶ τἰρὶν ἢ παυθῆναι τὸ πρότερον δάχρυον, ἑτέρου προσήγετο πρόφασις. Ὁ δίκαιος δὲ ὥσπερ τις πρόθολος εἰστήχει, τὰς τοῦ χειμῶνος ὑποδεχόμενος προσθολὰς, καὶ ἀλλοιῶν εἰς ἀφρὸν τῶν χυμάτων τὴν βίαν, καὶ τὴν εὐγνώμονα πρὸς τὸν Δεσπότην ἢφίει φωνήν’ Ὁ Κύριος ἔδωκεν, ὁ Κύριος ἀφείζετο" ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ ἔδοξεν, οὕτω καὶ ἐγένετο" καὶ οὐδὲν τῶν συμδαινόντων δαχρύων ἠξίωσεν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ ἧχέ τις ἀγγέλλων, ὡς τοῖς παισὶ καὶ ταῖς θυγατράσιν εὐωχαυμένοις ἐπετίναξε πνεῦμά τι βίαιον τὸ τῆς εὐφροσύνης δωμάτιον, τότε μό… χνύμενος συμπαθὲς, καὶ ὅτι πατὴρ. εἴη φιλόστοργος οἷς ἔπραττε μαρτυρόμενος. Πλὴν καὶ τότε ταῖς λύπαις ὄρον καὶ μέτρον ἐπιτιθεὶς, καὶ ταῖς εὐσεθέσιν ἐχείναις φωναῖς χοσμῶν τὸ γινόμενον, ἔλεγεν: Ὁ Κύριος ἔδωκε», ὁ Κύριος ἀφείλετο". ὡς τῷ Κυρίῳ ἔδοξεν, οὕτω καὶ ἐγένετο, μονονουχὶ τοιαῦτα βοῶν" Ἔχλήθην πατὴρ ἐφ᾽ ὅσαν ὁ τοῦτό με ποιήσας ἐθούλετο χρόνον. Περιελεῖν μου τὸν ἐχ τῆς γονῆς στέφανον ἐθουλεύσατα πάλιν, οὐ διαμάχομαι περὶ τῶν ἰδίων αὐτῷ. Κρατείτω τὰ τῷ Δεσπότῃ δοχοῦν αὐτός ἔστιν ὁ πλάστης τοῦ γένους, ἐγὼ δὲ ὄργανον. Τί με χρὴ δοῦλον ὄντα δυσχεραίνειν ἀνὄνητα, καὶ μέμφεσθαι ψῆφον ἣν οὐ δύναμαι λύειν: Τοιούτοις τὸν διάδολον ὁ δίχαιος χατηχόντιξε μᾶσιν.
Hymeis de hoi diaphygontes ton chindynon, adelphoi, mē sphodra achthesthe tois symdedēchosi chachois, mēde chataseisthēte tēn ennoian, all᾽ apotinaxasthe tēn pēs lypēs achlyn, kai tas psychas anarrhōsate logismois andreioterois chrēsamenoi, kai to symdethēchos stephanōn poiēsasthe prophasin. "an gar achataseistoi meinēte, kai tę̄ pistei phanēsesthe oi, kathaper chrysos eugenēs ech tou pyros analammallon, hōs oude dachryon hymin dynēthenti chinēsai, xi᾿ hōn epedouleusen. ᾿Anamnēsate tēs tou Iōd heau- «ous charterias. Eipate pros heautous haper echeinos " Ho Kyrios edōken, ho Kyrios apheileto" hōs tǭ Kyriǭ edoxen, houtō kai egeneto. Kai mēdeis ex hōn epathen anapeisthę̄ logisasthai te kai legein, hōs ara oudemia pronoia tattei ta chath᾽ hēmas, mēde chatēgoreïtō tēs oichonomias tou Despotou kai chriseōs " all᾽ eis ton athlētēn echeinon horatō, chacheinon symooulon poieisthō tou chreittonos. ᾿Analogizesthō tous agōnas hapantas ephexēs, eph᾽ hois echeinos ēristeuse " kai posois belesin hypo tou diadolou blētheis, ouch edexato kairian plēgēn. Perieile men gar autou tēn eupragian tōn oicheiōn, chatachōsai de auton tais epallēlois tōn chachōn edouleusato phēmais. “Eti … lyntos, heteros angelos Ōrcheta, cheironōn pragmatōn pherōn chatēpheian " allēlois te episynēpteto ta deina, kai tēn tōn chymatōn epidromēn ezēloun hai symphorai, kai tirin ē pauthēnai to proteron dachryon, heterou prosēgeto prophasis. Ho dikaios de hōsper tis protholos eistēchei, tas tou cheimōnos hypodechomenos prostholas, kai alloiōn eis aphron tōn chymatōn tēn bian, kai tēn eugnōmona pros ton Despotēn ēphiei phōnēn’ Ho Kyrios edōken, ho Kyrios apheizeto" hōs tǭ Kyriǭ edoxen, houtō kai egeneto" kai ouden tōn symdainontōn dachryōn ēxiōsen. Epeidē de hēche tis angellōn, hōs tois paisi kai tais thygatrasin euōchaumenois epetinaxe pneuma ti biaion to tēs euphrosynēs dōmation, tote mo… chnymenos sympathes, kai hoti patēr. eiē philostorgos hois epratte martyromenos. Plēn kai tote tais lypais oron kai metron epititheis, kai tais eusethesin echeinais phōnais chosmōn to ginomenon, elegen: Ho Kyrios edōke», ho Kyrios apheileto". hōs tǭ Kyriǭ edoxen, houtō kai egeneto, mononouchi toiauta boōn" Echlēthēn patēr eph᾽ hosan ho touto me poiēsas ethouleto chronon. Perielein mou ton ech tēs gonēs stephanon ethouleusata palin, ou diamachomai peri tōn idiōn autǭ. Krateitō ta tǭ Despotę̄ dochoun autos estin ho plastēs tou genous, egō de organon. Ti me chrē doulon onta dyscherainein anonēta, kai memphesthai psēphon hēn ou dynamai lyein: Toioutois ton diadolon ho dichaios chatēchontixe masin.
[10] But you who escaped the danger, brothers, do not be too grieved at the evils that have befallen you, nor be shaken in mind, but shake off the mist of grief and strengthen your souls by using more manly reasonings, and make what has happened an occasion for crowns. For if you remain unshaken, you will also appear … in faith, … like noble gold from the fire, … more, since he could not move even a tear in you by the things with which he plotted. Remind yourselves of the endurance of Job. Say to yourselves what he said: “The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away; as it seemed good to the Lord, so it has happened.” And let no one be persuaded by what he has suffered to reason and say that no providence orders our affairs, nor let him accuse the Master's dispensation and judgment; but let him look to that athlete, and make him his counselor for the better. Let him reckon up in order all the contests in which that man excelled, and how, struck by so many arrows from the devil, he received no mortal wound. The devil stripped him of the prosperity of his household, and planned to bury him under successive reports of evils. For while … another messenger came, bringing the gloom of worse news; the terrors were linked one to another, and the misfortunes emulated the onrush of waves; and before the first tear had ceased, the occasion for another was brought. But the righteous man stood like a breakwater, receiving the onsets of the storm and turning the violence of the waves into foam, and he uttered the grateful word to the Master: “The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away; as it seemed good to the Lord, so it has happened”; and he counted none of the events worthy of tears. But when someone came announcing that a violent wind had shaken down the banqueting room on his sons and daughters as they feasted, then … showing [a father's] sympathy, and bearing witness by what he did that he was an affectionate father. Yet even then he set a limit and measure to his grief, and adorned what had happened with those pious words, saying, “The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away; as it seemed good to the Lord, so it has happened”; all but crying out: “I was called a father for as long a time as the one who made me so wished. He decided in turn to remove from me the crown of offspring; I do not fight with him over what is his own. Let what seems good to the Master prevail. He is the fashioner of the family; I am an instrument. Why should I, a servant, be indignant to no purpose, and find fault with a sentence I cannot undo?” With such words the righteous man shot the devil down.
Textual problem in this passage: see the notes.
1 Pet 1:7 (allusion, medium confidence) · Jas 5:11 (allusion, medium confidence) · Job 1:21 (quotation, high confidence) · Job 1:16 (allusion, high confidence) · Job 1:19 (allusion, high confidence) · Job 1:20 (allusion, high confidence)
Notes and citation
Summary: Those who lost their goods in the fire should imitate Job, who met each report of disaster, even the death of his children, with “The Lord gave, the Lord has taken away.”
- Staged as section 6; the scan reads Migne's numeral 10, and it is section 10. Words lost under Migne's notes and Latin are marked “…”. In the middle of the sentence “For while … another messenger came” the scan inserts the misplaced end of section 9 (“… of our brothers, may be shown defeated by our munificence”) and a note of Migne's on it; the fragment is not translated here, and the gap (evidently “the first was still speaking”) is marked “…”. After “then” the words describing Job tearing his garment are lost. Compared afterward with FOTC 9 (private check). Quotations and allusions: 1 Pet 1:7; Jas 5:11; Job 1:21 (LXX); Job 1:13–19.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin translation; Latin translation; Greek words lost here; Migne's marginal references and notes, with a displaced fragment of section 9; Greek words lost here): Ῥ Τυς. χν, 8... "1001, 921. διάδολος. ΥεῖοΓ68 συδίθονῦ ἰἰ τί ηὐτρέπισεν ὁ πολέἀδελρῶν, ὑπὸ τῆς ἡμετέρας φιλοτιμίας φανεΐη νιχώ- 15 φυᾶ βἰ δὶ → … ; οοηιίζετο δἀἀυσλίυγ υἱ οορίοὶ δο ἀϊοαὶ αὐτοῦ. → ; - Ῥοιιΐμις αϑϑιμί : δἷσμε θοπιῖπο ρμίασμϊ!, ἐα οι [αεἴδεϊ, αἱ ὁχ 60 νϑυμίμηι [υμ 165 βολίιγοηΐ, νἱκαὶ → … .
Cite (SBL): Basil, Hom. 21.10 (PG 31:551; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/basil-homiliae-variae/21-1/#p-21-10). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek of Migne PG 31 (archive.org OCR; slips, Migne's Latin and notes removed as logged corrections; sections renumbered to the Benedictine divisions) and checked privately against FOTC 9 where it has the homily; otherwise re-read against the Greek (no public-domain English).