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I prayed, having turned into myself, to become sober and to belong to the safer and better portion, so that, when the grieving thing had departed, like a kind of tare in the seed, and the base reasonings had yielded to the better ones, the Spirit might win a pure victory, and taking me, might have me for His own service and ministry, for the perfecting of this people, for the steering of souls, 35.824 for teaching in word, and in deed, and in example, through the weapons of righteousness on the right hand and on the left, for suitable shepherding, tearing away from the world, bringing near to God, spending the body, adding to the spirit, fleeing darkness, rejoicing in light, driving away wild beasts, gathering the fold, guarding against cliffs and deserts, driving towards mountains and heights. Concerning which things it seems to me that the most admirable Micah also speaks, drawing us up from below to our own heights: Draw near to the everlasting mountains. Arise and go, for this is not your rest, even if to some the things that crawl on the ground and are turned downwards seem to be.

4. Teach me this art of shepherding, O friends who are now my shepherds and fellow shepherds. Give me its precepts, you our common Father, who have in your time perfected and surpassed many shepherds, and you, the tester and judge of my philosophy. But (that you may receive my word philosophically), are we able, while tossed and buffeted in the midst of the storm, to shepherd with knowledge, and to feed the flock? He who is more philanthropic among the sheep (if you are not displeased with me), when we partook of the irrational pasture, or among the shepherds, when we were deemed worthy of the spiritual one. You have us, what you longed for, under your hands, and you have conquered the unconquerable; and behold, for you, along with the others, is the discourse which you knew and sought, and which, by praising it, you struck while it was idle with the many and thick snowflakes of your words.

5. But I have something to blame friendship for as well; who of our common friends will judge me? Or who will be an incorruptible judge, to cast the just vote, and not suffer the fate of the many, and show partiality in judgment? Do you bid me to state the blame, and you will not let loose your speech against me again? Something secret has happened on your part towards us, O wonderful one, a thing truly secret and incredible, and never before heard of concerning 35.825 us. We were not persuaded, but we were forced. O the wonder! How all things have become new! And how much has separated us! what would you have me say, the throne, or the greatness of the grace? Nevertheless, lead, and prosper, and reign, and shepherd us who shepherd. As we are ready to follow, and to be led by your shepherding soul, which is lofty and divine; for the truth shall be spoken, if we have dared anything even against the law out of love. Teach your love for the flocks, your care which is both diligent and intelligent, your oversight, your vigils, the yielding of your flesh, which has yielded to the spirit, the bloom of your complexion as you labor for the flock, your intensity in meekness, your tranquility and gentleness in action (a thing not found in many, nor having many examples), the wars for the flock, the victories which you have won in Christ.

6. Tell to which pastures one must lead, to which springs one must go, and which ones must be avoided, whether pastures or streams; which ones must be shepherded with the staff, which with the pipe; when to lead them to pasture, and when to call them back from pasture; how one must fight the wolves, and how one must not fight the shepherds; and especially in the present time, when the shepherds have acted foolishly, and have scattered the sheep of the pasture, so that I may lament the same things with the most holy prophets. How shall I strengthen the weak, and raise up the fallen, and bring back the wandering, and seek out the lost, and guard the strong? How may I both learn these things and guard them according to the right principle of shepherding, and according to yours; lest I become a bad shepherd, eating the milk, and the

2

ἐδεήθην, εἰς ἐμαυτὸν συστραφεὶς, ἐκνῆψαι καὶ γενέσθαι τῆς ἀσφαλεστέρας μοίρας καὶ κρείττονος, ἵνα, τοῦ λυποῦντος ὑπεξελθόντος, ὥσπερ ζιζανίων ἐν σπέρμα τι, καὶ τῶν φαύλων λογισμῶν εἰξάντων τοῖς ἀμεί νοσι, νικήσῃ καθαρῶς τὸ Πνεῦμα, καί με λαβὸν ἔχῃ πρὸς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ διακονίαν καὶ λειτουργίαν, πρὸς τὸν καταρτισμὸν τοῦ λαοῦ τούτου, πρὸς ψυχῶν κυβέρ 35.824 νησιν, πρὸς διδασκαλίαν τὴν ἐν λόγῳ, καὶ τὴν ἐν ἔργῳ, καὶ ὑποδείγματι, διὰ τῶν ὅπλων τῆς δικαιοσύνης τῶν δεξιῶν καὶ ἀριστερῶν, πρὸς ποιμαντικὴν εὔθετον, ἀποσπῶσαν κόσμου, Θεῷ προσάγουσαν, δαπανῶσαν σῶμα, πνεύματι προστιθεῖσαν, σκότος φεύγουσαν, φωτὶ χαίρουσαν, θῆρας ἐλαύνουσαν, μάνδραν συνάγουσαν, κρημνοὺς φυλασσομένην καὶ ἐρημίας, ὄρεσι καὶ ὕψεσι προσελαύνουσαν. Περὶ ὧν μοι δοκεῖ καὶ ὁ θαυμασιώτατος Μιχαίας λέγειν, χαμόθεν ἡμᾶς ἀνέλκων ἐπὶ τὰ ἡμέτερα ὕψη· Ἐγγίσατε ὄρεσιν αἰωνίοις. Ἀνάστα καὶ πορεύου, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι σοι αὕτη ἀνάπαυσις, κἂν δοκῇ τισιν εἶναι τὰ χα μαιπετῆ καὶ κάτω στρεφόμενα.

∆ʹ. Ταύτην με διδάξατε τὴν ποιμαντικὴν, ὦ φίλοι λοιπὸν ἐμοὶ ποιμένες καὶ συμποιμένες. Ταύτης δότε μοι τὰ συνθήματα, σύ τε ὁ κοινὸς Πατὴρ, καὶ πολλοὺς τῷ χρόνῳ καταρτίσας καὶ παραμείψας ποιμένας, σύ τε ὁ τῆς ἐμῆς φιλοσοφίας βασανιστὴς καὶ κριτής. Ἀλλ' (ὅπως μοι φιλοσόφως δέξῃ τὸν λόγον), ἢ δυνάμεθα, καὶ ἐν μέσῃ ζάλῃ στρεφόμε νοι καὶ περιηχούμενοι, ποιμαίνειν ἐπιστημόνως, καὶ ἐκτρέφειν τὸ ποίμνιον; Ὁ φιλανθρωπότερος ἐν προβάτοις (εἰ μή μοι δυσχεραίνῃς), ἡνίκα τῆς ἀλόγου νομῆς μετείχομεν, ἢ ἐν ποιμέσιν, ἡνίκα τῆς πνευματικῆς ἠξιώθημεν. Ἔχεις μὲν, ὅπερ ἐπό θεις, ὑπὸ χεῖρας ἡμᾶς, καὶ νενίκηκας τὸν ἀήττητον· καὶ ἰδού σοι μετὰ καὶ τῶν ἄλλων ὁ λόγος, ὃν εἰδὼς ἐπεζήτεις, καὶ ὃν ἐπαινῶν, ἔβαλλες ἀργοῦντα πολλαῖς τῶν σῶν λόγων καὶ πυκναῖς ταῖς νιφά σιν.

Εʹ. Ἀλλ' ἔχω τι τῇ φιλίᾳ καὶ μέμψασθαι· τίς δικά σει μοι τῶν κοινῶν φίλων; ἢ τίς ἀδέκαστος ἔσται κριτὴς, ἵνα τὴν δικαίαν ἐνέγκῃ ψῆφον, ἀλλὰ μὴ τὸ τῶν πολλῶν πάθῃ, καὶ λάβῃ ἐν κρίσει πρόσωπον; Εἴπω κελεύεις τὴν μέμψιν, καὶ οὐκ ἐπαφήσεις μοι πάλιν τὸν λόγον; Ἐγένετό τι καὶ σοὶ πρὸς ἡμᾶς ἀπόῤῥητον, ὦ θαυμάσιε, πρᾶγμα ὄντως ἀπόῤῥη τόν τε καὶ ἄπιστον, καὶ οὔπω πρότερον περὶ 35.825 ἡμῶν ἀκουσθέν. Οὐκ ἐπείσθημεν, ἀλλ' ἐβιάσθημεν. Ὢ τοῦ θαύματος! Ὡς γέγονε πάντα καινά! Καὶ ὅσον διέστησεν ἡμᾶς! τί βούλει καὶ εἴπω, τὸν θρόνον, ἢ τὸ τῆς χάριτος μέγεθος; Πλὴν ἡγοῦ, καὶ κατευ οδοῦ, καὶ βασίλευε, καὶ ποίμαινε ἡμᾶς ποιμαίνοντας. Ὡς ἕτοιμοί γε ἡμεῖς ἕπεσθαι, καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς σῆς ποι μαντικῆς ψυχῆς ἄγεσθαι τῆς ὑψηλῆς καὶ ἐν θέου· εἰρήσεται γὰρ τἀληθὲς, εἴ τι καὶ παρὰ τὸν νό μον ἐξ ἀγάπης τετολμήκαμεν. ∆ίδαξον τὴν σὴν ἀγάπην περὶ τὰ ποίμνια, τὸ σὸν ἐπιμελές τε ὁμοῦ καὶ εὐσύνετον, τὴν ἐπιστασίαν, τὰς ἀγρυπνίας, τὴν τῶν σῶν σαρκῶν ὑποχώρησιν, ἣν τῷ πνεύματι ὑπ εχώρησαν, τὸ τοῦ σοῦ χρώματος ἄνθος τῇ ποίμνῃ κάμνοντος, τὸ ἐν πραΰτητι σύντονον, τὸ ἐν τῷ πρακτικῷ γαληνόν τε καὶ ἥμερον (πρᾶγμα οὐκ ἐν πολλοῖς εὑρισκόμενον, οὐδὲ πολλὰ ἔχον τὰ παραδεί γματα), τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς ποίμνης πολέμους, τὰς νίκας ἃς ἐν Χριστῷ σὺ νενίκηκας.

ςʹ. Εἰπὲ τίσι τῶν νομῶν προσακτέον, ἐπὶ ποίας πηγὰς ἰτέον, καὶ τίνας φευκτέον, ἢ νομὰς, ἢ νάμα τα· τίνας ποιμαντέον τῇ βακτηρίᾳ, τίνας τῇ σύ ριγγι· πότε ἀκτέον ἐπὶ νομὰς, καὶ πότε ἀνακλη τέον ἀπὸ νομῶν· πῶς πολεμητέον τοῖς λύκοις, καὶ πῶς τοῖς ποιμέσιν οὐ πολεμητέον· καὶ μάλιστα ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ, ὅτε ποιμένες ἠφρονεύσαντο, καὶ διέσπειραν τὰ πρόβατα τῆς νομῆς, ἵνα τοῖς ἁγιωτάτοις προφήταις τὰ αὐτὰ συνοδύρωμαι. Πῶς τὸ ἀσθενὲς ἐνισχύσω, καὶ τὸ πεπτωκὸς ἀναστήσω, καὶ τὸ πλανώμενον ἐπιστρέψω, καὶ τὸ ἀπολωλὸς ἐκζητήσω, καὶ φυλάξω τὸ ἰσχυρόν; Πῶς ταῦτα καὶ μάθω, καὶ φυλάξω κατὰ τὸν ὀρθὸν τῆς ποιμαντικῆς λόγον, καὶ τὸν ὑμέτερον· ἀλλὰ μὴ γένωμαι κακὸς ποιμὴν, τὸ γάλα κατεσθίων, καὶ τὰ