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being surrounded, and wearing the same grey or black worn cloak, which the seriousness of life sets forth, at least according to my law and reason. And the fair flower of the sublime, the paleness, or the orderly and quiet tone of voice, or the grave and gentle gait, yesterday we called philosophy, but today vainglory; and the same power over spirits or diseases, at one time we have attributed to Jesus, at another to Beelzebul, and we judge these things not by a just measure, but by contentiousness and anger.

6. And just as the same earth stands still for the strong and unaffected, but moves for those who are dizzy and reeling, the affliction of the viewers passing over to the thing being viewed; or if you will, just as the same interval between pillars appears greater to those nearer and closer, but smaller to those farther away, the air being stolen by the distance, and the sight joining together the thicker parts; so we too are easily deceived by enmity, and concerning the same things we do not judge the same things, whether we are friends or not; and the occasion readily appoints for us many saints, and many atheists contrary to what is likely, or rather, all of us wretched; not only because we look to an evil example (since wickedness is at hand even without an enticement), but because we also readily grant everything to everyone for the one purpose of raging together. And formerly indeed it was not safe to utter even a superfluous word, but now we revile even the most pious; and at one time it was not permitted to read even a secular law, nor to invoke confessions (which is, as it seems to me, the consent of the people); but now we use the profane as arbiters even of the secret mysteries, throwing the holy things to the dogs, and casting the pearls before swine. Not only this, but we also feast their ears with insults against each other; and we are not even able to perceive this, that it is not safe to trust an enemy with a weapon, nor one who hates Christians with an argument against a Christian. For that with which we have reproached today, tomorrow we have been reproached; and the enemy fawns at what is said, not because he praises it, but because he stores it up bitterly, so that in due time he may vomit out the venom against the one who trusted him. 35.1140

7. Why do we suffer these things, O you people, and for how long? When will we become sober from this drunkenness, or remove the film from our eyes, and look up to the light of truth? What is this dizziness? what night-battle? what storm, not distinguishing the face of friends and foes? Why have we become a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and derision to those around us? What is this ambition for evil? From where do we so immortally toil? or rather, we do not even toil, but we are strengthened in evil, an affliction of madmen, and we take pleasure in being consumed. And nowhere is there a word, no friend, no ally, no physician, either treating with medicine, or cutting out the disease; no ministering angel, no God; but in addition to the other things, we have also shut out from ourselves the loving-kindness of God. Why, O Lord, have you stood afar off? and how will you turn away to the end? And when will you make your visitation of us? and where will these things proceed and stop? I fear lest the present things be smoke of the expected fire, lest upon these things the Antichrist come, and take our stumblings and weaknesses as an opportunity for his own dominion. For he will not attack those who are healthy, perhaps, nor those compacted by love; but the kingdom must be divided against itself, then the strong reason within us must be tempted and bound, then his goods be plundered, and we must suffer these things, which we now see the enemy suffering from Christ.

8. For these things I weep, says Jeremiah in Lamentations, and I seek for my eyes fountains of tears sufficient for the suffering, and I call the wise women, that they may work, or work with me in, the lamentation; and I feel pain in my belly, and I am in turmoil...

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περικειμένων, καὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἀμπεχομένων φαιὸν ἢ μέλαν τριβώνιον, ὃ σεμνότης βίου προβάλλεται, κατά γε τὸν ἐμὸν νόμον καὶ λόγον. Καὶ τὸ καλὸν ἄνθος τῶν ὑψηλῶν, τὴν ὠχρότητα, ἢ τὸ τῆς φωνῆς εὔτακτον καὶ ἡσύχιον, ἢ τὸ τοῦ βαδίσματος ἐμβριθές τε καὶ ἥμερον, χθὲς μὲν φιλοσοφίαν, σήμερον δὲ κενοδοξίαν προσηγορεύσαμεν· καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν κατὰ πνευμάτων ἢ νόσων δύναμιν, ποτὲ μὲν τῷ Ἰησοῦ, ποτὲ δὲ τῷ Βεελζεβοὺλ προσ εθήκαμεν, καὶ χρώμεθα τούτων οὐ δικαίᾳ στάθμῃ, τῇ φιλονεικίᾳ καὶ τῷ θυμῷ.

ςʹ. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἡ αὐτὴ γῆ ἕστηκε μὲν τοῖς ἐῤῥω μένοις καὶ οὐ πεπονθόσι, κινεῖται δὲ τοῖς ἰλιγγιῶσι καὶ περιτρεπομένοις, τοῦ τῶν ὁρόντων πάθους ἐπὶ τὸ ὁρώμενον μεταβαίνοντος· εἰ βούλει δὲ, ὥσπερ τὸ αὐτὸ τῶν κιόνων διάστημα, πλεῖον μὲν τοῖς ἐγγυτέρω καὶ προσεχέσιν, ἔλαττον δὲ τοῖς ποῤῥωτέρω φαίνεται, κλεπτομένου τοῦ ἀέρος τῷ διαστήματι, καὶ συναπτούσης τῆς ὄψεως τὰ παχύτερα· οὕτω καὶ ἡμεῖς ῥᾳδίως ἐξαπατώμεθα διὰ τὴν ἔχθραν, καὶ περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν οὐ τὰ αὐτὰ, φίλοι τε ὄντες καὶ μὴ, γινώσκομεν· καὶ χειροτονεῖ ῥᾳδίως ἡμῖν πολ λοὺς μὲν ἁγίους, πολλοὺς δ' ἀθέους παρὰ τὸ εἰκὸς ὁ καιρὸς, μᾶλλον δὲ πάντας ἀθλίους· οὐ μόνον τῷ πρὸς πονηρὸν παράδειγμα βλέπειν ἡμᾶς (ἐπειδὴ πρόχειρον ἡ κακία καὶ δίχα τοῦ ἕλκοντος), ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ πᾶσι πάντα συγχωροῦμεν ἑτοίμως ὑπὲρ ἑνὸς τοῦ συμμαίνεσθαι. Καὶ πρότερον μὲν οὐδὲ ῥῆμα τῶν περιττῶν τι φθέγγεσθαι τῶν ἀκινδύνων ἦν, νῦν δὲ λοιδορούμεθα καὶ τοῖς εὐσεβεστάτοις· καὶ ποτὲ μὲν οὐδ' ἀναγινώσκειν ἔξω νόμον ἐξῆν, οὐδ' ὁμολογίας ἐπικαλεῖσθαι (τὸ δέ ἐστιν, ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ, τὴν τοῦ λαοῦ συγκατάθεσιν)· νῦν δὲ καὶ τῶν ἀποῤῥήτων τοῖς βεβήλοις χρώμεθα διαιτηταῖς, ῥιπτοῦντες τὰ ἅγια τοῖς κυσὶ, καὶ βάλλοντες τοὺς μαργαρίτας ἔμπροσθεν τῶν χοίρων. Οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἀκοὰς αὐτῶν ἑστιῶμεν ταῖς κατ' ἀλλήλων ὕβρεσι· καὶ οὐδ' ἐκεῖνο δυνάμεθα συνορᾷν, ὅτι οὐκ ἀσφαλὲς ὅπλον ἐχθρῷ πιστεύειν, οὐδὲ μισοῦντι Χριστιανοὺς κατὰ Χριστιανοῦ λόγον. Ὃ γὰρ σήμερον ὠνειδίσα μεν, αὔριον ὠνειδίσθημεν· καὶ σαίνει τὸ λεγόμενον ὁ ἐχθρὸς, οὐχ ὅτι ἐπαινεῖ, ἀλλ' ὅτι θησαυρίζει πικρῶς, ἵν' ἐν καιρῷ τὸν ἰὸν ἐμέσῃ κατὰ τοῦ πιστεύ σαντος. 35.1140

Ζʹ. Τί ταῦτα πάσχομεν, ὦ οὗτοι, καὶ μέχρι τίνος; Πότε δὲ τῆς μέθης ἐκνήψομεν, ἢ τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν τὴν λήμην περιαιρήσομεν, καὶ πρὸς τὸ τῆς ἀληθείας φῶς ἀναβλέψομεν; Ποία σκοτόμαινα ταῦτα; τίς νυ κτομαχία; τίς ζάλη, φίλων καὶ πολεμίων ὄψιν οὐ διακρίνουσα; ∆ιατί γεγόναμεν ὄνειδος τοῖς γείτο σιν ἡμῶν, μυκτηρισμὸς καὶ χλευασμὸς τοῖς κύ κλῳ ἡμῶν; Τίς ἡ φιλοτιμία τοῦ κακοῦ; Πόθεν οὕτως ἀθάνατα κάμνομεν; μᾶλλον δὲ οὐδὲ κάμνομεν, ἀλλ' ἐῤῥώμεθα τῷ κακῷ, μαινομένων τὸ πάθος, καὶ ἡδό μεθα δαπανώμενοι. Καὶ οὐδαμοῦ λόγος, οὐ φίλος, οὐ σύμμαχος, οὐκ ἰατρὸς, ἢ φαρμακεύων, ἢ ἐκτέμνων τὸ πάθος· οὐ παραστάτης ἄγγελος, οὐ Θεός· ἀλλὰ πρὸς τοῖς ἄλλοις, καὶ τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ φιλανθρωπίαν ἡμῖν αὐτοῖς ἀπεκλείσαμεν. Ἵνα τί, Κύριε, ἀφέστη κας μακρόθεν; καὶ πῶς ἀποστρέφῃ εἰς τέλος; Καὶ πότε ἐπισκοπὴν ἡμῶν ποιήσῃ; καὶ ποῦ προβή σεται ταῦτα καὶ στήσεται; ∆έδοικα μὴ καπνὸς ᾖ τοῦ προσδοκωμένου πυρὸς τὰ παρόντα, μὴ τούτοις ὁ Ἀν τίχριστος ἐπιστῇ, καὶ καιρὸν λάβῃ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ δυναστείας τὰ ἡμέτερα πταίσματά τε καὶ ἀῤῥωστή ματα. Οὐ γὰρ ὑγιαίνουσι προσβαλεῖ τυχὸν, οὐδὲ τῇ ἀγάπῃ πεπυκνωμένοις· ἀλλὰ δεῖ μερισθῆναι τὴν βασιλείαν ἐφ' ἑαυτὴν, εἶτα πειρασθῆναι καὶ δεθῆναι τὸν ἰσχυρὸν ἐν ἡμῖν λογισμὸν, εἶτα τὰ σκεύη διαρπα γῆναι, καὶ ταῦτα παθεῖν ἡμᾶς, ἃ νῦν ὁρῶμεν τὸν ἐχθρὸν παρὰ Χριστοῦ πάσχοντα.

Ηʹ. ∆ιὰ ταῦτα ἐγὼ κλαίω, φησὶν Ἱερεμίας ἐν Θρή νοις, καὶ ζητῶ τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς μου πηγὰς δακρύων ἀρκούσας τῷ πάθει, καὶ καλῶ τὰς σοφὰς, ἵνα τὸν θρῆνον ἐργάσωνται, ἢ συνεργάσωνται· καὶ τὴν κοι λίαν ἀλγῶ, καὶ μαιμάσσω τὰ