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there is need of commands and laws for this, that widows should nourish their children; but he speaks here of the care of righteousness, the upbringing with godliness; since those who do not nourish them so, are child-killers rather than mothers. This I say not to women only, but also to men. For often many of the fathers do and arrange everything, so that their child might have a fine horse, and a splendid house, and a costly field; but that he might have a good soul and a pious disposition, they have no concern. And this is what overturns the whole world, that we neglect our own children, and we care for their possessions, but we despise their souls, enduring a matter of utter folly. For possessions, even if they are many and costly, if there is not a good person able to manage them with virtue, will all be lost and gone with him, and would bring the greatest harm to the one who possessed them; but if the soul becomes noble and wise, even if nothing is laid up within, it will be able to hold all things with security. We must therefore consider, not how we may make them rich in silver and gold and such things, but how they might become most well-off of all in godliness and wisdom and the possession of virtue; how they might not need many things, how they might not be alarmed about the things of this life and youthful desires. And one must carefully observe their comings in, and their goings out, their pastimes, their companionships, knowing that if these things are neglected, we will have no pardon from God. For if we are required to give an account for our care of others (For let no one seek his own, he says, but that of his neighbor), how much more for that of our children? Did I not give him to you, he says, from the beginning? Did I not set you over him as a teacher and a guardian and a caretaker and a ruler? Bearing all his authority, did I not place it into your hands? I commanded you to mold and shape him while he was tender; what pardon could you have, if you should overlook him when he has gone astray? For what would you say? That he is hard to rein in and harsh? But you should have foreseen these things from the beginning, when he was easy to rein in, and very young, to bridle him with precision, to accustom him to what is necessary, to shape him, to punish the diseases of his soul. When the work was easier, then you should have cut out the thorns, when his age was more tender they were more easily plucked up, and his passions, being neglected and growing, would not have become difficult to manage. For this reason he says, Bend his neck from his youth, when his training would be easier. He not only commands, 51.328 but he also assists you in the work. And how, and in what way? He who speaks evil of father or mother, he says, let him surely die. Do you see how much fear he has set over them? How much anxiety he has built up? How he has made your authority powerful? What defense then could we give, when He Himself, whenever we are insulted, does not even spare their life; but we, when God is insulted by them, do not even endure to be indignant with them? I, He says, do not shrink even from killing the one who insults you; but you do not even endure to distress with a word, He says, the one who tramples on my laws. And where are these things worthy of pardon? You see him insulting his Maker, and you are not displeased, tell me, nor do you frighten and rebuke him, and this knowing, that God Himself has forbidden this, not because any harm comes to Him who is insulted (for the Divine is indestructible), but for the sake of that one's salvation? For he who has become ungrateful and senseless toward God will be able much more to act insolently toward his own parent, and toward his own soul. 8. Let us not, therefore, be negligent, knowing that when things are well with them in respect to God, they will also be esteemed and illustrious in the present life. For everyone reveres and honors the one who lives with virtue and moderation, even if he be poorer than all, just as everyone turns away from and hates the wicked and perverse person, even if he possesses great wealth. And not only to others

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προσταγμάτων ὑπὲρ τούτου χρεία καὶ νόμων, ἵνα τὰ ἔκγονα τρέφωσιν αἱ χῆραι· ἀλλὰ τὴν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἐπιμέλειαν, τὴν ἀνατροφὴν τὴν μετ' εὐλαβείας ἐνταῦθά φησιν· ὡς αἵ γε μὴ οὕτω τρέφουσαι, παιδοκτόνοι μᾶλλόν εἰσιν ἢ μητέρες. Τοῦτο οὐ πρὸς γυναῖκας μόνον λέγω, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς ἄνδρας. Καὶ γὰρ πολλοὶ πολλάκις τῶν πατέρων, ὅπως μὲν ἵππος γένοιτο καλὸς τῷ παιδὶ, καὶ ὅπως οἰκία λαμπρὰ, καὶ ὅπως πολυτελὴς ἀγρὸς, πάντα ποιοῦσι καὶ πραγματεύονται· ὅπως δὲ αὐτῷ ψυχὴ γένοιτο καλὴ καὶ προαίρεσις εὐσεβὴς, οὐδένα ἔχουσι λόγον. Καὶ τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὃ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἀνατρέπει πᾶσαν, ὅτι τῶν οἰκείων ἀμελοῦμεν παίδων, καὶ τῶν μὲν κτημάτων αὐτῶν ἐπιμελούμεθα, τῆς δὲ ψυχῆς αὐτῶν καταφρονοῦμεν, ἐσχάτης ἀνοίας πρᾶγμα ὑπομένοντες. Τὰ μὲν γὰρ κτήματα κἂν πολλὰ ᾖ καὶ πολυτελῆ, τοῦ δυναμένου μετ' ἀρετῆς αὐτὰ οἰκονομεῖν οὐκ ὄντος σπουδαίου, πάντα ἀπολεῖται καὶ οἰχήσεται μετ' αὐτοῦ, καὶ βλάβην ἐσχάτην ἐνέγκοι τῷ κεκτημένῳ· ἂν δὲ ἡ ψυχὴ γενναία γένηται καὶ φιλόσοφος, κἂν μηδὲν ἔνδον ἀποκείμενον ᾖ, τὰ πάντων δυνήσεται μετὰ ἀδείας συσχεῖν. ∆εῖ τοίνυν σκοπεῖν, οὐχ ὅπως αὐτοὺς πλουσίους ἐν ἀργυρίῳ καὶ χρυσίῳ καὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις ποιήσωμεν, ἀλλ' ὅπως ἐν εὐλαβείᾳ καὶ φιλοσοφίᾳ καὶ κτήσει τῆς ἀρετῆς πάντων γένοιντ' ἂν εὐπορώτεροι· ὅπως μὴ πολλῶν δέοιντο, ὅπως μὴ περὶ τὰ βιωτικὰ καὶ τὰς νεωτερικὰς ἐπιθυμίας ὦσιν ἐπτοημένοι. Καὶ τὰς εἰσόδους αὐτῶν, καὶ τὰς ἐξόδους μετ' ἀκριβείας περιεργάζεσθαι χρὴ, τὰς διατριβὰς, τὰς συνουσίας, εἰδότας ὅτι τούτων ἀμελουμένων, οὐδεμίαν ἕξομεν παρὰ τῷ Θεῷ συγγνώμην. Εἰ γὰρ τῆς τῶν ἄλλων προνοίας ἀπαιτούμεθα τὰς εὐθύνας (Ἕκαστος γὰρ μὴ τὸ ἑαυτοῦ ζητείτω, φησὶν, ἀλλὰ τὸ τοῦ πλησίον), πόσῳ μᾶλλον τῆς τῶν παίδων; Οὐ κατῴκισά σοι, φησὶν, αὐτὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς; ἐπέστησα δέ σε αὐτῷ διδάσκαλον καὶ προστάτην καὶ κηδεμόνα καὶ ἄρχοντα; τὴν ἐξουσίαν αὐτοῦ πᾶσαν φέρων εἰς τὰς σὰς ἐνέθηκα χεῖρας; Ἁπαλὸν ὄντα διαπλάττειν ἐκέλευσα, καὶ ῥυθμίζειν· ποίαν ἂν ἔχοις συγγνώμην, εἰ περιίδοις αὐτὸν ἀποσκιρτήσαντα; Τί γὰρ ἂν εἴποις; ὅτι δυσήνιός ἐστι καὶ τραχύς; Ἀλλ' ἐξ ἀρχῆς ἔδει ταῦτα προορῶντα, ὅτε εὐήνιος ἦν, καὶ κομιδῆ νέος, χαλινοῦν μετ' ἀκριβείας, ἐθίζειν πρὸς τὰ δέοντα, ῥυθμίζειν, κολάζειν αὐτοῦ τὰ νοσήματα τῆς ψυχῆς. Ὅτε εὐκολωτέρα ἡ ἐργασία, τότε τὰς ἀκάνθας ἐκτέμνειν ἔδει, ὅτε ἁπαλωτέρας οὔσης τῆς ἡλικίας εὐκολώτερον ἀνεσπῶντο, καὶ οὐκ ἂν ἀμελούμενα τὰ πάθη, καὶ αὐξανόμενα, δυσκατέργαστα γέγονε. ∆ιὰ τοῦτό φησι, Κάμψον ἐκ νεότητος τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ, ὅτε εὐκολωτέρα γένοιτ' ἂν ἡ παιδαγωγία. Οὐκ ἐπιτάττει 51.328 δὲ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς συνεφάπτεταί σοι τοῦ ἔργου. Καὶ πῶς, καὶ τίνι τρόπῳ; Ὁ κακολογῶν πατέρα ἢ μητέρα, φησὶ, θανάτῳ τελευτάτω. Ὁρᾷς πόσον αὐτοῖς ἐπέστησε φόβον; πόσην ἐπετείχισεν ἀγωνίαν; πῶς δυνατήν σου τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐποίησε; Τίνα οὖν ἀπολογίαν ἔχοιμεν ἂν εἰπεῖν, ὅταν αὐτὸς μὲν, ἐπειδὰν ἡμεῖς ὑβριζώμεθα, μηδὲ τῆς ζωῆς αὐτῶν φείδηται· ἡμεῖς δὲ, ὑβριζομένου τοῦ Θεοῦ παρ' αὐτῶν, μηδὲ ἀγανακτεῖν αὐτοῖς ὑπομένωμεν; Ἐγὼ, φησὶν, οὐδὲ ἀποκτεῖναι παραιτοῦμαι τὸν ὑβρίζοντά σε· σὺ δὲ οὐδὲ ῥήματι λυπεῖν ἀνέχῃ, φησὶ, τὸν τοὺς ἐμοὺς καταπατοῦντα νόμους. Καὶ ποῦ ταῦτα συγγνώμης ἄξια; Ὁρᾷς αὐτὸν ὑβρίζοντα εἰς τὸν πεποιηκότα, καὶ οὐ δυσχεραίνεις, εἰπέ μοι, οὐδὲ φοβεῖς καὶ ἐπιτιμᾷς, καὶ ταῦτα εἰδὼς, ὅτι καὶ τοῦτο αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς ἐκώλυσεν, οὐκ ἐπειδὴ βλάβη τις εἰς ὑβριζόμενον γίνεται (ἀνώλεθρον γὰρ τὸ Θεῖον), ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐκείνου σωτηρίας; Ὁ γὰρ περὶ τὸν Θεὸν ἀγνώμων γενόμενος καὶ ἀναίσθητος, πολλῷ μᾶλλον εἰς τὸν γεγεννηκότα, καὶ εἰς τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν ἐμπαροινῆσαι δυνήσεται. ηʹ. Μὴ τοίνυν ἀμελῶμεν, εἰδότες ὅτι τῶν κατὰ Θεὸν αὐτοῖς εὖ διακειμένων, καὶ κατὰ τὸν παρόντα βίον ἔσονται εὐδόκιμοι καὶ λαμπροί. Τὸν γὰρ ἀρετῇ συζῶντα καὶ ἐπιεικείᾳ πάντες αἰδοῦνται καὶ τιμῶσι, κἂν ἁπάντων πενέστερος ᾖ, ὥσπερ οὖν τὸν πονηρὸν καὶ διεστραμμένον ἀποστρέφουσι καὶ μισοῦσιν ἅπαντες, κἂν εὐπορίαν ᾖ κεκτημένος πολλήν. Οὐ τοῖς ἄλλοις δὲ μόνον