2

robbers and thieves, who do not climb over the wall of the courtyard, but either plunder by shamelessness, or steal by deceit, so as to sacrifice, and to kill, and to destroy, seizing plunder, devouring souls, as one of the prophets said. But I fear the side-door, lest someone finding it unlocked, one of our own from yesterday and before, then entering as if he belongs, should plot against us as a stranger. For many and varied are the methods of him who works such things; and no one is such an architect of anything varied, as the adversary is a sophist of evil. And I now fear even dogs, who force themselves to be shepherds, and the paradox is, they contribute nothing to shepherding, except to shear locks, which they have badly styled; who have neither remained dogs, nor become shepherds, except to tear, and to scatter, and to destroy the labor of another. Since it is always easier to destroy than to preserve; and a man is born to trouble, says Job, and a ship is built, and a house is constructed; but to kill, or to demolish, or to burn down, is for anyone who wishes. Therefore let them not now be proud, those who have set the dogs against the flock, who could not say they have brought in or saved a single sheep; for they have not learned to do good, having practiced wickedness. But if they disturb the flock, this is but a small squall, this a slight disease, this a single beast suddenly attacking. Let them therefore stop, those who boast in their own shame; and ceasing from their wickedness, if they are indeed able, let them worship, and fall down, and weep before the Lord who made them, and let them be mixed with the flock, as many as are not completely incurable.

IV. These things I, a timid and circumspect shepherd, and for this reason accused of indolence for my caution. For I am not one of those shepherds who devour the milk, and clothe themselves with the wool, and slaughter the fatling, and either work it with toil, or sell it and say: Blessed be the Lord, and we have become rich; who shepherd themselves, not the sheep, if you remember any of the prophetic voices, through which they drive out the bad shepherds; but rather one of those who are able to say with Paul: Who is weak, and I am not 35.1233 weak? who is made to stumble, and I do not burn, or am not concerned? For I do not seek what is yours, but you. And: I was being scorched with the heat of the day, and being oppressed by the frost of the night; the voice of a patriarch shepherd, whose flocks are marked, and who practiced grafting them with ivies from there. Thus indeed, and for these reasons I have come to you, and so things stand. But since I have come, let us give an account to each other of what we have accomplished in the meantime. Since it is good to think that an account is required of us not only of word and deed, but also of every season, and of the very instantaneous and most subtle hour. You then report to me your work; and I will set forth what I have philosophized upon, when I was with myself in quiet.

V. What contemplation of high things have you either received from me and kept, or contributed from yourselves, either concerning theology, or concerning the other doctrines, which I have set before you many times and often? For I seek not only the loan, but also the interest; not only the talent, but also the work done with it; lest anyone, having hidden and buried what was entrusted to him, should then also speak falsely against the one who entrusted it, as being harsh and desiring what belongs to others. And what praiseworthy action, either without the left hand knowing it, have you brought forth, or so that your light may shine before men; that the tree may be shown by its fruit, and the teacher may be known through his disciples, and that one of those who observe our affairs (and there are many, some for good will, and others out of curiosity) may say that God is truly among you, not only being preached soundly, but also being worshipped? For just as there is no approved action without faith (since many also practice what is good for the sake of reputation, and of nature thus

2

λῃστὰς καὶ κλέπτας, μὴ διὰ τῆς αὐλῆς ὑπερβάντες, ἢ ἀναιδείᾳ συλήσω σιν, ἢ δι' ἀπάτης κλέψωσιν, ὥστε θῦσαι, καὶ ἀπο κτεῖναι, καὶ ἀπολέσαι, ἁρπάζοντες ἁρπάγματα, ψυχὰς κατεσθίοντες, ὥς τις ἔφη τῶν προφητῶν. ∆έδοικα δὲ τὴν παράθυρον, μή τις ἄκλειστον εὑρὼν τῶν χθὲς ἡμετέρων καὶ πρώην, εἶτα ὡς ἴδιος εἰσελθὼν, ἐπιβουλεύσῃ ὡς ἀλλότριος. Πολλαὶ γὰρ καὶ ποικίλαι τοῦ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐνεργοῦντος αἱ μεθοδεῖαι· καὶ οὐδεὶς οὕτως ἀρχιτέκτων οὐδενὸς τῶν ποικίλων, ὡς σοφι στὴς κακίας ὁ ἀντικείμενος. ∆έδοικα δὲ ἤδη καὶ κύ νας, ποιμένας εἶναι βιαζομένους, καὶ τὸ παράδοξον, οὐδὲν εἰς ποιμαντικὴν εἰσενεγκόντας, ἢ τὸ κεῖραι κόμας, ἃς κακῶς ἤσκησαν· οἳ μήτε κύνες ἔμειναν, μήτε ποιμένες γεγόνασι, πλὴν τοῦ σπαράξαι, καὶ διασπεῖραι, καὶ διαλῦσαι κόπον ἀλλότριον. Ἐπειδὴ ῥᾷον ἀεὶ τὸ διαφθείρειν τοῦ συντηρεῖν· καὶ γεννᾶται μὲν ἄνθρωπος κόπῳ, φησὶν ὁ Ἰὼβ, καὶ ναυπηγεῖται ναῦς, καὶ οἰκία συνίσταται· ἀποκτεῖναι δὲ, ἢ καταλῦσαι, ἢ ἐμπρῆσαι, τοῦ βουλομένου παντός. Ὥστε μηδὲ νῦν μέγα φρονείτω σαν οἱ τῇ ποίμνῃ τοὺς κύνας ἐπαναστήσαντες, οἳ πρόβατον μὲν ἓν οὐκ ἂν ἔχοιεν εἰπεῖν, ὡς προσήγα γον, ἢ διέσωσαν· οὐ γὰρ ἔμαθον καλὸν ποιεῖν, πονη ρίαν ἀσκήσαντες. Εἰ δὲ τὴν ποίμνην ταράσσουσι, τοῦτο καὶ ζάλη μικρὰ, τοῦτο καὶ νόσος ὀλίγη, τοῦτο καὶ θηρίον ἓν ἀθρόως ἐπιπεσόν. Στήτωσαν οὖν οἱ τῇ ἑαυτῶν αἰσχύνῃ μεγαλαυχούμενοι· καὶ παυσάμενοι τῆς κακίας, ἂν ἄρα δύνωνται, προσκυνησάτωσαν, καὶ προσπεσέτωσαν, καὶ κλαυσάτωσαν ἐναντίον Κυρίου τοῦ ποιήσαντος αὐτοὺς, καὶ τῇ ποίμνῃ μιχθήτω σαν, ὅσοι μὴ παντελῶς ἀνίατοι.

∆ʹ. Ταῦτα ὁ δειλὸς ἐγὼ ποιμὴν καὶ περιεσκεμμέ νος, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο τὴν ἀσφάλειαν ὡς ῥᾳθυμίαν ἐγκα λούμενος. Οὐ γάρ εἰμι ποιμὴν ἐκείνων τις τῶν τὸ γάλα κατεσθιόντων, καὶ τὰ ἔρια περιβαλλομένων, καὶ τὸ παχὺ σφαζόντων, καὶ μόχθῳ κατεργαζομέ νων, ἢ ἀπεμπωλούντων καὶ λεγόντων· Εὐλο γητὸς Κύριος, καὶ πεπλουτήκαμεν· ποιμαινόντων ἑαυτοὺς, οὐ τὰ πρόβατα, εἴ τι τῶν προφητικῶν φω νῶν μέμνησθε, δι' ὧν ἐκεῖνοι τοὺς κακοὺς ποι μένας ἐλαύνουσιν· ἀλλ' ἐκείνων μᾶλλον τῶν δυναμέ νων εἰπεῖν μετὰ Παύλου· Τίς ἀσθενεῖ, καὶ οὐκ 35.1233 ἀσθενῶ; τίς σκανδαλίζεται, καὶ οὐκ ἐμὴ πύρω σις, ἢ φροντίς; Οὐ γὰρ ζητῶ τὰ ὑμῶν, ἀλλ' ὑμᾶς. Καί· Ἐγενόμην συγκαιόμενος τῷ καύ σωνι τῆς ἡμέρας, καὶ τῷ παγετῷ τῆς νυκτὸς πιεζόμενος· πατριάρχου φωνὴ ποιμένος, οὗ τὰ ἐπί σημα πρόβατα, καὶ ταῖς ἐκεῖθεν ληνοῖς ἐγκισσᾷν μελετήσαντα. Οὕτω μὲν οὖν, καὶ διὰ ταῦτα ἐπέστην ὑμῖν, καὶ οὕτως ἔχουσιν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐπέστην, δῶμεν λόγον ἀλλήλοις, ὧν μεταξὺ κατωρθώσαμεν. Ἐπειδὴ καλὸν μὴ ῥήματος μόνον καὶ πράξεως, ἀλλὰ καὶ καιροῦ παντὸς, καὶ ὥρας αὐτῆς τοῦ ἀκαριαίου καὶ λεπτοτάτου οἴεσθαι λόγον ἀπαιτεῖσθαι ἡμᾶς. Ὑμεῖς μὲν ἀπαγγείλατέ μοι τὴν ἐργασίαν τὴν ὑμετέ ραν· ἐγὼ δὲ εἰς μέσον θήσω, ἃ καθ' ἡσυχίαν ἐμαυ τῷ συγγενόμενος ἐφιλοσόφησα.

Εʹ. Τίνα μὲν θεωρίαν τῶν ὑψηλῶν, ἢ παρ' ἐμοῦ λαβόν τες ἐφυλάξατε, ἢ παρ' ὑμῶν αὐτῶν εἰσηνέγκατε, ἢ περὶ θεολογίας, ἢ περὶ τῶν ἄλλων δογμάτων, ἃ πολλὰ καὶ πολλάκις ὑμῖν παρεθέμην; Ζητῶ γὰρ οὐ τὸ δάνειον μό νον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὸν τόκον· οὐ τὸ τάλαντον μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν ἐργασίαν· μή τις κατακρύψας καὶ καταχώσας τὸ πιστευθὲν, ἔτι καὶ καταψεύδηται τοῦ πιστεύσαν τος, ὡς σκληροῦ τε καὶ τῶν ἀλλοτρίων ἐπιθυμοῦντος. Τίνα δὲ πρᾶξιν τῶν ἐπαινουμένων, ἢ μηδὲ τῆς ἀρι στερᾶς γινωσκούσης, ἐκαρποφορήσατε, ἢ ὥστε λάμ πειν τὸ φῶς ὑμῶν ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων· ἵν' ἐκ τοῦ καρποῦ τὸ δένδρον δειχθῇ, καὶ διὰ τῶν μαθητῶν ὁ διδάσκαλος γνωρισθῇ, καὶ εἴπῃ τις τῶν ἐπ οπτευόντων τὰ ἡμέτερα (πολλοὶ δέ εἰσιν, οἱ μὲν δι' εὐ δοκίαν, οἱ δὲ καὶ περιέργως), ὅτι ὄντως ὁ Θεὸς ἐν ὑμῖν ἐστιν, οὐ κηρυσσόμενος ὑγιῶς μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ λατρευόμενος; Ὡς γὰρ οὐκ ἔστι χωρὶς πίστεως πρᾶξις ἔγκριτος (ἐπειδὴ καὶ δόξης ἕνεκεν οἱ πολλοὶ τὸ καλὸν ἐπιτηδεύουσι, καὶ φύσεως οὕτως