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of untimely desires, I mean of a full table, and of unmixed wine, and of other such things, are more greatly distressed; but if they should wish to afflict themselves a little 55.44 and endure, they enjoy much roominess, and putting aside that which chokes, they delight henceforth in pure health; so also it happens in the case of affairs. For nothing is so accustomed to create relief as affliction which leads away from all worldly things. How do you think the Jews were in affliction, even when they were in prosperity? Or were not these the words of a soul in fever and distraught and tossed about, to say: ‘Make for us gods who will go before us; for this Moses, who brought us out of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him’? Or were not those the words of a soul practicing philosophy and recovering from worldly passions, when being afflicted they showed such great prayer, as to draw down the very inclination of God? But this prophet himself, when he was at ease, how he was afflicted, distressed and torn by wicked desire? but when he was in affliction, you know how he was at ease. For the fire did not touch him, but indeed the entire flame was extinguished. For nothing so causes affliction, as for the soul to be besieged by the passions. For the others attack from without, but these spring up from within, and this most of all is the great affliction. Even if the world grieves us, but we do not grieve ourselves, nothing will be terrible to us. Therefore it is in our power to be afflicted, and not to be afflicted. 4. But that you may learn also from the apostolic voice, how much roominess comes from affliction, hear Paul himself speaking of the fruit of affliction: ‘But affliction produces endurance; and endurance, approvedness; and approvedness, hope; and hope does not put to shame.’ Did you see unspeakable roominess, did you see a harbor of gladness? Affliction, he says, produces endurance. For what is more bearable than a most steadfast man, who is able to bear all things easily? and what could be stronger than one who is approved? and what is equal to the delight that comes from this? For he says that three pleasures are born from this for us: endurance, approvedness, and the hope of good things to come. Discoursing on these things now the Prophet said: ‘In affliction you have given me room.’ For since he said, ‘God heard me,’ he says in what manner He heard. Not in riches; for he sought nothing of the sort; not that he might prevail over his enemies; for he did not ask for these things; but in the relief that came in the midst of the affliction. ‘Have pity on me, and hear my prayer.’ What are you saying? Above you mention righteousness, here pity and mercy; and where might these things have coherence? A great one indeed, and very much connected to the former things. For even if we should accomplish ten thousand things, we are heard out of pity and loving-kindness. Even if we ascend to the very summit of virtue, we are saved by mercy. From this we learn that with righteousness there is need also of a contrite spirit. For even if someone who is a sinner should pray with humility, which is a part of virtue, he will be able to accomplish great things; and if one who is righteous should approach with arrogance, he will fall away from all good things. Both examples the publican and the Pharisee taught. 55.45 Therefore, one must also know the manner of prayer. And what is the manner of prayer? Learn from the publican, and do not be ashamed to take him as a teacher, who so accomplished this, as to achieve everything from mere words. For since his mind was well prepared, even one word was sufficient to open heaven to him. And how was it prepared? He called himself wretched, he beat his breast, he could not bear even to look up to heaven. If you too are about to pray in this way, you will make your prayer lighter than a feather. For if the sinner became righteous from his prayer, consider how great the righteous man will be, if he should learn to offer such a supplication. For this reason, therefore, not even here simply himself

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ἐπιθυμιῶν τῶν ἀκαίρων, τραπέζης λέγω πληθούσης, καὶ ἀκράτου, καὶ τοιούτων ἑτέρων, μειζόνως στενοχωροῦνται· εἰ δὲ βουληθεῖεν ἑαυτοὺς ὀλίγον θλί 55.44 ψαντες καρτερῆσαι, πολλῆς ἀπολαύουσι τῆς εὐρυχωρίας, καὶ τὸ πνῖγον ἀποθέμενοι καθαρᾷ λοιπὸν ἐντρυφῶσιν ὑγείᾳ· οὕτω καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων συμβαίνει. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω ποιεῖν ἄνεσιν εἴωθεν, ὡς θλίψις τῶν βιωτικῶν ἀπάγουσα πάντων. Πῶς οἴει τοὺς Ἰουδαίους γεγενῆσθαι ἐν θλίψει, καὶ ὅτε ἦσαν ἐν εὐημερίᾳ; Ἢ οὐχὶ πυρεττούσης ταῦτα ψυχῆς καὶ ἀλυούσης καὶ ῥιπταζομένης, τὸ λέγειν· Ποίησον ἡμῖν θεοὺς, οἳ προπορεύσονται ἡμῶν· ὁ γὰρ Μωϋσῆς οὗτος, ὃς ἐξήγαγεν ἡμᾶς ἐκ τῆς Αἰγύπτου, οὐκ οἴδαμεν τί γέγονεν αὐτῷ; Ἢ οὐχὶ ἐκεῖνα φιλοσοφούσης ψυχῆς καὶ ἀναπνεούσης ἐκ τῶν βιωτικῶν παθῶν τὰ ῥήματα, ὅτε τοσαύτην ἐπεδείξαντο τὴν εὐχὴν θλιβόμενοι, ὡς αὐτὴν ἐπισπάσασθαι τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ῥοπήν; Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ προφήτης οὗτος, ὅτε ἦν ἐν ἀνέσει, πῶς ἐθλίβη ὑπὸ τῆς πονηρᾶς ἐπιθυμίας στενοχωρούμενος καὶ σπαρασσόμενος; ὅτε δὲ ἐν θλίψει γέγονεν, ἴστε πῶς γέγονεν ἐν ἀνέσει. Οὔτε γὰρ ἥπτετο αὐτοῦ τὸ πῦρ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ φλὸξ ἅπασα κατεσβέσθη. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω ποιεῖ θλίψιν, ὡς τὸ πολιορκεῖσθαι τὴν ψυχὴν ὑπὸ τῶν παθῶν. Αἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλαι ἔξωθεν προσπίπτουσιν, αἱ δὲ ἔνδοθεν φύονται, καὶ αὕτη μάλιστά ἐστιν ἡ πολλὴ θλίψις. Κἂν ὁ κόσμος ἡμᾶς λυπῇ, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἑαυτοὺς μὴ λυπῶμεν, οὐδὲν ἔσται ἡμῖν δεινόν. Ἄρα ἐν ἡμῖν τὸ θλίβεσθαι, καὶ μὴ θλίβεσθαι. δʹ. Ἵνα δὲ μάθῃς καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς ἀποστολικῆς φωνῆς, πόση ἀπὸ τῆς θλίψεως εὐρυχωρία γίνεται, ἄκουσον αὐτοῦ τοῦ Παύλου τὸν καρπὸν λέγοντος τῆς θλίψεως· Ἡ δὲ θλίψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται· ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμὴν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα· ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει. Εἶδες εὐρυχωρίαν ἄφατον, εἶδες λιμένα εὐφροσύνης; Ὑπομονὴν, φησὶν, ἡ θλίψις κατεργάζεται. Τί γὰρ ἀνδρὸς καρτερικωτάτου, καὶ πάντα δυναμένου ῥᾳδίως φέρειν, ἀνεκτότερον; τί δὲ δοκίμου γένοιτ' ἂν ἰσχυρότερον; τί δὲ τῆς ἐντεῦθεν τρυφῆς ἴσον; Τρεῖς γὰρ ἡμῖν ἡδονὰς ἐντεῦθεν λέγει τικτομένας, τὴν ὑπομονὴν, τὴν δοκιμὴν, καὶ τὴν ἐλπίδα τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν. Περὶ τούτων νῦν φιλοσοφῶν ὁ Προφήτης ἔλεγεν· Ἐν θλίψει ἐπλάτυνάς μοι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ εἶπεν, Εἰσήκουσέ μου ὁ Θεὸς, λέγει ἐν ποίῳ τρόπῳ εἰσήκουσεν. Οὐκ ἐν χρήμασιν· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐζήτει τοιοῦτον· οὐχ ἵνα ἐχθρῶν κρατήσῃ· οὐδὲ γὰρ ταῦτα ᾔτει· ἀλλ' ἐν ἀνέσει τῇ ἐν μέσῳ τῆς θλίψεως γενομένῃ. Οἰκτείρησόν με, καὶ εἰσάκουσον τῆς προσευχῆς μου. Τί λέγεις; Ἄνω δικαιοσύνης μέμνησαι, ἐνταῦθα οἰκτιρμοῦ καὶ ἐλέου· καὶ ποῦ ταῦτα ἀκολουθίαν σχοίη; Πολλὴν μὲν οὖν, καὶ σφόδρα τοῖς προτέροις συνημμένην. Κἂν γὰρ μυρία κατορθώσωμεν, ἀπὸ οἰκτιρμῶν ἀκουόμεθα καὶ φιλανθρωπίας. Κἂν πρὸς αὐτὴν ἀνέλθωμεν τῆς ἀρετῆς τὴν κορυφὴν, ἀπὸ ἐλέους σωζόμεθα. Ἐντεῦθεν μανθάνομεν, ὅτι μετὰ τῆς δικαιοσύνης χρεία καὶ γνώμης συντετριμμένης. Κἂν γὰρ ἁμαρτωλός τις ὢν μετὰ ταπεινοφροσύνης εὔξηται, ὅπερ ἐστὶ μέρος ἀρετῆς, μεγάλα ἀνύσαι δυνήσεται· κἂν δίκαιος ὢν μετὰ ἀλαζονείας προσίῃ, πάντων ἐκπεσεῖται τῶν ἀγαθῶν. Ἀμφότερα τὰ ὑποδείγματα ὁ τελώνης καὶ ὁ Φαρισαῖος ἐδίδαξαν. 55.45 ∆εῖ τοίνυν καὶ τρόπον εὐχῆς εἰδέναι. Τίς δὲ ὁ τρόπος τῆς εὐχῆς; Μάθε ἀπὸ τοῦ τελώνου, καὶ μὴ αἰσχυνθῇς τοῦτον λαβεῖν διδάσκαλον, τὸν οὕτω τοῦτο κατορθώσαντα, ὡς ἀπὸ ψιλῶν ῥημάτων τὸ πᾶν ἀνύσαι. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ἡ διάνοια αὐτῷ καλῶς παρεσκευασμένη ἦν, ἤρκεσε καὶ ῥῆμα ἓν ἀνοῖξαι αὐτῷ τὸν οὐρανόν. Πῶς δὲ ἦν παρεσκευασμένη; Ἐταλάνιζεν ἑαυτὸν, τὸ στῆθος ἔτυπτεν, οὐδὲ ἀναβλέψαι εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἠνείχετο. Ἂν οὕτω καὶ σὺ μέλλῃς εὔχεσθαι, πτεροῦ κουφοτέραν ἐργάσῃ τὴν εὐχήν. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ ἁμαρτωλὸς δίκαιος γέγονεν ἀπὸ τῆς εὐχῆς, ἐννόησον ὁ δίκαιος ἡλίκος ἔσται, εἰ τοιαύτην προσάγειν μάθοι δέησιν. ∆ιὰ δὴ τοῦτο οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα ἁπλῶς ἑαυτὸν