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did he command with royal authority? But he was not looking for plunder, his mind was not on the destruction of piety, nor the care of treasures, but on the gathering of armies; not a woman’s consent. Therefore, flee, women, the assemblies of others; do not give evil counsel to men; but be secured by what has been said. Have we extinguished your flame? has your heart been softened? But I know that you, the daughters of Mary, will indeed be helped; but others, sated without wine and drunk on the love of money, as the blessed Paul cries out and preaches, saying: The love of money is the root of all evils. Thus also foolish women stop their own ears, and instead of good seed, they bring forth thorns. But, I beg you, let us not cast our seed as if upon a rock. We are God's tillage, from whom we may hear: Well done, good servant, enter into my house; lest instead of this voice it be said, Well done, evil servant.

But, I beg you, let your way of life shine before men, let us not make our salt foolish, but let us glorify, give thanks, the rich to the rich one, the poor to the man-loving, and poor-loving Christ, the powerful to his mighty hand. And these things are concerning you. But perhaps God allows me to suffer these things which they plan against me, so that in misfortunes he might test the things concerning me; because in labors victory is surely laid up, and in contests a crown is prepared. For indeed the divine Paul said: I have finished the race, I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness; of which crown may the Master of all deem you worthy unto the ages. Amen.

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βασιλικῇ ἐξουσίᾳ διέταττεν; Ἀλλ' οὐ πρὸς ἁρπαγὴν ἔβλεπεν, οὐκ εἰς καθαίρεσιν εὐσεβείας ἦν αὐτῷ τὸ φρόνημα, οὐδὲ μέριμνα θησαυρῶν, ἀλλὰ τῆς στρατοπέδων συλλογῆς· οὐ γυναικὸς συγκατάθεσιν. Φεύγετε οὖν, γυναῖκες, τὰς ἀλλοτρίας συλλογάς· μὴ συμβουλεύετε τοῖς ἀνδράσι συμβουλίαν κακήν· ἀλλ' ἀσφαλίσθητε τοῖς λεχθεῖσιν. Ἆρα ἐσβέσαμεν ὑμῶν τὴν φλόγα; ἆρα ἐμαλάχθη ὑμῖν ἡ καρδία; Ἀλλ' οἶδα ὅτι ὠφεληθήσεσθε μὲν αἱ τῆς Μαρίας θυγατέρες· ἄλλαι δὲ ἄνευ οἴνου κεκορεσμέναι καὶ μεθύουσαι τῇ φιλαργυρίᾳ, ὡς ὁ μακάριος Παῦλος βοᾷ καὶ κηρύττει λέγων· Ῥίζα πάντων τῶν κακῶν ἡ φιλαργυρία. Οὕτω καὶ αἱ ἀσύνετοι γυναῖκες ἀποφράττουσιν ἑαυτῶν τὰ ὦτα, καὶ ἀντὶ σπόρου ἀγαθοῦ ἀκάνθας τίκτουσιν. Ἀλλὰ, παρακαλῶ, μὴ ἡμῶν τὸν σπόρον ὡς ἐπὶ πέτραν καταβάλλωμεν. Χριστοῦ ἐσμεν γεώργιον, παρ' οὗ ἀκούσωμεν· Εὖ, δοῦλε ἀγαθὲ, εἴσελθε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν μου· μὴ ἀντὶ τῆς φωνῆς ταύτης λεχθῇ, Εὖ, δοῦλε κακέ.

Ἀλλὰ, παρακαλῶ, λαμψάτω ὑμῶν ἡ πολιτεία ἔμπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, μὴ μωράνωμεν ἡμῶν τὸ ἅλας, ἀλλὰ δοξάσωμεν, εὐχαριστήσωμεν, οἱ πλούσιοι τῷ πλουσίῳ, οἱ πένητες τῷ φιλανθρώπῳ, καὶ φιλοπτώχῳ Χριστῷ, οἱ δυνατοὶ τῇ κραταιᾷ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ταῦτα μὲν περὶ ὑμῶν. Ἴσως δὲ συγχωρεῖ ὁ Θεὸς ταῦτά με πάσχειν ἅπερ βουλεύονται κατ' ἐμοῦ, ἵνα ἐν συμφοραῖς δοκιμάσῃ τὰ κατ' ἐμέ· ὅτι ἐν τοῖς πόνοις ἐναπόκειται νίκη πάντως, καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσιν ἡτοίμασται στέφανος. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ θεσπέσιος Παῦλος ἔλεγε· Τὸν δρόμον τετέλεκα, τὴν πίστιν τετήρηκα· λοιπὸν ἀπόκειταί μοι ὁ τῆς δικαιοσύνης στέφανος· οὗ στεφάνου καταξιώσει ὑμᾶς ὁ τῶν ὅλων ∆εσπότης εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας. Ἀμήν.