Dialogus de vita Joannis Chrysostomi
honor, but he who is called by God. Thus 5 also Aaron, he says, did not glorify himself to become high priest. For although there were six hundred
the flight of concord, most of us who are active and eager for it have become fugitives from the country, being unable to live safely and without trou
he met with us, he did not share in words, nor in prayer, nor in communion but disembarking from the ship and running past the doors of the church, h
to share in the suffering and to do everything, so as to stop these evils. For he put a stop to none of their lawlessness here, but even after this he
and lamentations and fountains of tears in the marketplaces and the houses and in the desolate places and the whole part of the city was filled with
you are exhorted to contribute zeal from yourselves. For thus you will gratify not only us, 16 but also the community of the churches, and you will re
had fled on account of the threat contained in the imperial decree, that If anyone is not in communion with Theophilus and Arsakius and Porphyry, let
of Bishop John of the Constantinopolitans and, as it seems, it has not been accomplished. Therefore, I wrote again through the bishops and presbyters
savagery. This also the Savior God did, illuminating them with various revelations, so that also to Paul, the deacon of Saint Emilius, a most gentle
He who speaks a lie is not of God, and again from David, Because the mouth of those who speak unjust things was stopped. For he who lies truly wro
by his own choice, he was trained in the discourses for the ministry of the divine oracles. From there, being in the eighteenth year of his physical a
of those who have believed in him will be bound. {THE DEACON} But where did they recognize the presence of the Savior? {THE BISHOP} When they cried ou
of the rich, cutting away the abscesses of the soul, teaching them humility, to be of a humble mind towards other people, obeying the apostolic word,
she gives one thousand gold pieces, having made him swear by the table of the Savior that he would buy clothes and clothe the poorer women of the Alex
with his own hands on his neck, and after inflicting blows on his jaws, with clenched fingers he bloodied his nostrils, shouting 38 with a loud voice:
by an excess of conceit. But those men, driven by great necessity because they were changing places from place to place, arrive at the camp, where Bis
of the church, Dioscorus the bishop, who had grown old in the church but to the bishop John he writes: I think you are not ignorant of the decree of
of John for unlawful offenses, he took advantage of their fickleness and persuades them to submit bills of accusation against John, promising them to
Elijah was taken up did not Elisha prophesy? Paul was beheaded did he not leave behind Timothy, Titus, Apollos and ten thousand others? After these
these of the council but if as accusers, set them up for the trial, so that I may know how I should contend, whether as against adversaries or as jud
(for he is impetuous by nature, and rash and bold and exceedingly contentious—for there is nothing that appears to him by sight, <towards> which he do
brother Acacius and Antiochus whom they put forward as canons of the orthodox, because We are of the faith of those who set them forth, and our doub
reading the oracles, and others baptizing the catechumens, as was fitting because of Easter. These very things the corruptors of minds and deceivers o
a proof of the diligence of teachers, unceasingly setting right the unconquerable quality of their resolve. Theodore said: {THE DEACON} You have spoke
near him to the west), but in the western part, where the gate of the church is, the mule-team, on which he was accustomed to sit, having ordered it t
of a hierophant, a man more silent than a fish and more idle than a frog (for there are times when even action speaks, especially when the good is don
terrifying, just as bogeymen do children? Alas! Those who are clothed in worldly powers and ecclesiastical wealth with authority, with command even of
on the one hand, that he ate alone but I did not wish you, most harmonious Theodore, to ask about the things of gluttonous infants. For being a man,
he says, urging us to imitation Do not forget hospitality, he says, for by this some have entertained angels unawares. But the host must have the
fell from blessing? was it not when he served his belly, deceived by the food? When did Saul fall from the kingdom? was it not when he ate the best of
to eat bread and to put on a garment, all that you give me, I will tithe a tenth of it to you -he did not say, I will consume it at tables. That sp
to give glory to God <in> persecutions. in the refutations of error, is there any mention of a table? But again to Titus, the bishop of Crete, let us
they were seeking luxury. It was absurd to squander the food of the sick or the poor on the intemperance of the healthy. And what sort of law is this,
from seeing evil. For many of the so-called bishops, wishing to cut off the reasonable hatred directed at them on account of their own ways and their
First, that having melted down treasures he fashioned a silver object in the name of his son second, that having taken marbles from the entrance of t
love of money is a source of evils. For he who took bribes against the innocent and thought to sell the distribution of the Holy Spirit for silver,
Antoninus dies, with whom Eusebius had the lawsuit. Again a decree comes from Asia, this one from the clergy of the church of the Ephesians, and this
to buy the priesthood. They say that the ravager and falsely-named patriarch of the Jews changes the rulers of the synagogue every year, or even more
of those who deposed him and concluded the trial. <CHAPTER 19> {THE DEACON.} Forgive me, father, such things surpass drunkenness and madness and sport
ambidextrous (for even his so-called left hand was better than the right hand of others) who at first, having served in letters, was found blameles
slandering their life, waiting to have help from God. To these things Theodore, being astonished, said: {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} I see the facts as contrary to the n
Or is it proper at all to cast out any disciple, much less a monk? 100 {THE DEACON} Because they provoked him or spoke ill of him. {THE BISHOP} And ou
having led them back from vice to virtue, it will be clear that their persecutor deserves not to be persecuted, but to be pitied, as one who always ab
having provoked the physician and enchanter of souls and removed his interpreter from the workshop of salvation, 105 they were handed over to the phys
imitating him who, having found the one crushed by robbers, half-dead, on the way down to Jericho, placed him on his own beast of burden, having broug
did he give? And when Optimus died in Constantinople, he closed his eyes with his own hands. In addition to these things, he also refreshed in no smal
desiring to chasten the herd of men for their various desires towards the more austere part of life, he became his own judge and lawgiver, being stren
toward the north, and each man's axe in his hand and one man in the midst of them, clothed in a full-length robe, and a sapphire belt on his loins a
in many ways Who will boast that he has a pure heart? Or who will boldly claim to be pure from sin? but yet the blessed John did not know how to us
happen to us anonymously and beneficially? sifting the reasons, not obeying him who said: Eat whatever is sold in the meat-market, asking no question
two? {THE BISHOP} Especially if it is an unprofitable and charlatan crowd such as the one who said to Jesus: Teacher, I will follow you wherever you
an intemperate old man, and an old man who loves learning above an unlearned younger man, and a poor layman above an educated lover of money, and a vi
enjoying his disease nor raging with the same desires. For this is a fitting way of life for a teacher, not to linger with the crowds, but in quiet an
having subjected his body to shameful tortures by the cruelty of judges, to the point of knocking out his teeth, as the story goes, 127 they confined
knocking, they made the two-day journey into one, arriving late in the evening and departing in the dark of dawn, so that the stomach could not even k
and that these things are done and are prolonged and are strong, and that the good are afflicted and plundered, brings me to shudder at his approachin
Why shall I not be angry? looking upon me, marvel, and lay your hand upon your jaw. For if I remember, I am troubled, and pains take hold of my flesh.
when reviled, we bless when persecuted, we endure when slandered, we entreat we have become as the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all thi
sleepless or troubled in sleep, he suspects plots even from his own family, not trusting even himself, distrusting everyone as liars. Being such a per
each other, for which it was also fitting, having learned something, did you not decide to be quiet and remain still by yourselves even for the future
to his father and to his mother, I have not seen you, and his brothers he did not acknowledge he guarded your oracles, and kept your covenant. He d
foot-soldiers' machinations for the hindering of those who travel for the truth). How then do they dare to say: By God's economy John has been cast o
to share in the suffering and to do everything, so as to stop these evils. For he put a stop to none of their lawlessness here, but even after this he added to his former outrages. For when the most pious emperor drove out those who had shamelessly and unjustly assailed the church, and many of the bishops, seeing their lawlessness, withdrew to their own sees, fleeing their attack as if it were a fire devouring everything; we, on the one hand, were again recalled to the city and to the church, from which we had been unjustly driven out, with thirty bishops bringing us in, and the most God-fearing emperor having sent a notary for this purpose, he <but> ran away immediately, we not knowing for what reason and why. When we entered, therefore, we besought the most God-fearing emperor to assemble a synod for an investigation of what had happened. Therefore, being conscious of what he had done, and fearing the examination, when the imperial letters had been sent out everywhere and were gathering everyone from all quarters, he secretly in the middle of the night threw himself into a small boat, and thus fled, taking everyone with him. 12 But not even so did we desist, because we trusted in our own conscience, again asking the same things of the most pious emperor. And he, doing what was fitting for his piety, again sent word to him to come up from Egypt with haste, and all those with him, so that he might give an account of what had happened, and not think that the things so unjustly done by one party, and dared in our absence, and contrary to so many canons, were sufficient for his defense. But he would not even endure the imperial letters, but remained at home, putting forward as an excuse a sedition of the people and the inopportune zeal of some who supposedly supported him; and yet, before the imperial letters, this very people had washed him with countless insults. But we are not investigating these things now; but wishing to show this, that he was caught doing evil, we have said these things. Nevertheless, not even after this did we keep quiet, but we pressed on, demanding that there be a tribunal and a judgment and a hearing; for we were ready to show that we ourselves were guiltless, and that they had committed the worst transgressions. And there were also some Syrians left behind here from those who were with him at that time, who had jointly staged the whole drama with him. And we were ready to stand trial against these men, and we bothered them many times about this, demanding either that the records be given to us, or the bills of the accusers, or that the nature of the charges be made known, or the accusers themselves; and we obtained none of these things, but were again driven from the church. How then could I from this point narrate the things that surpass all tragedy? What word will set these things forth? What ear will hear them without a shudder? For as we were proposing these very things that I mentioned before, a sudden multitude of soldiers on the great Sabbath itself, as the day was already hastening towards evening, burst into the 13 churches, and drove out all the clergy with us by force, and the sanctuary was surrounded with weapons. And women from the oratories, having disrobed for baptism at that very moment, were put to flight naked from fear of this grievous assault, not even being permitted to put on the decorous clothing proper to women. And many who had also received wounds were cast out, and the baptismal fonts were filled with blood, and the sacred waters were reddened from such wounds. And not even here did the horror stop; but where the holy things were kept, the soldiers came (some of whom, as we learned, were also uninitiated) and saw everything within; and the most holy blood of Christ, as was likely in so great a commotion, was spilled upon the garments of the aforementioned men. And everything was dared, as in a barbarian captivity. And the populace was driven toward the wilderness, and all the people fled outside the city; and on such a feast day the churches became empty of their congregations, and more than forty bishops, who were in communion with us, were driven out with the people, rashly and to no purpose. And everywhere shrieks and wailing and lamentation
συναλγῆσαι καὶ πάντα ποιῆσαι, ὥστε στῆναι ταυτὶ τὰ κακά. οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐνταῦθα τῆς παρανομίας αὐτῶν κατέλυσεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα
τοῖς προτέροις ἐπαπεδύετο. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ εὐσεβέ στατος βασιλεὺς ἐπιπηδήσαντας τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ ἀναισχύντως καὶ ἀδίκως ἐξέβαλεν,
καὶ πολλοὶ τῶν ἐπισκόπων ἰδόντες αὐτῶν τὴν παρανομίαν εἰς τὰ ἑαυτῶν ἀνεχώρησαν, τὴν ἔφοδον αὐτῶν ὥσπερ πυρὰν πάντα ἐπινεμομένην
φεύγοντες· ἡμεῖς μὲν πάλιν εἰς τὴν πόλιν ἀνεκαλούμεθα καὶ εἰς τὴν ἐκκλησίαν, ἧς ἀδίκως ἐξεβλήθημεν, ἐπισκόπων δὲ ἡμᾶς τριάκοντα
εἰσαγαγόντων, καὶ τοῦ θεοσεβεστάτου βασιλέως νοτάριον εἰς τοῦτο ἀποστείλαντος, ἐκεῖνος <δὲ> ἐδραπέτευσεν εὐθέως, τίνος ἕνεκεν
καὶ διὰ τί μὴ γινώσκοντες. εἰσελθόντες οὖν παρεκαλοῦμεν τὸν θεοσεβέστατον βασιλέα σύνοδον συναγαγεῖν εἰς ἐκδικίαν τῶν γεγενημένων.
συνειδὼς τοίνυν ἅπερ ἔδρασε, καὶ τὸν ἔλεγχον δεδοικώς, τῶν γραμμάτων τῶν βασιλικῶν πανταχοῦ διαπεμφθέντων καὶ παν ταχόθεν
πάντας συναγαγόντων, λάθρᾳ μέσον νυκτῶν εἰς ἀκάτιον ἑαυτὸν ἐμβαλών, οὕτως ἀπέδρα μεθ' ἑαυτοῦ πάντας ἐπαγόμενος. 12 ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς
οὐδὲ οὕτως ἀπέστημεν, διὰ τὸ τῷ συνειδότι τῷ ἡμετέρῳ θαῤῥεῖν, τὰ αὐτὰ πάλιν παρακαλοῦντες τὸν εὐσε βέστατον βασιλέα. ὃς καὶ
πρέποντα ποιῶν αὐτοῦ τῇ εὐσεβείᾳ, ἔπεμψε πάλιν πρὸς αὐτὸν ἐν τάχει ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἀνιέναι καὶ τοὺς μετ' αὐτοῦ πάντας, ὥστε δοῦναι
λόγον τῶν γεγενημένων, καὶ μὴ τὰ ἀδίκως οὕτως ἐκ μιᾶς μοίρας καὶ ἀπόντων ἡμῶν τολμηθέντα, καὶ παρὰ τοσούτους κανόνας, νομίζειν
ἀρκεῖν εἰς ἀπολογίαν αὐτοῦ. ὁ δὲ οὐδὲ βασιλικῶν ἠνέσχετο γραμμάτων, ἀλλ' ἔμενεν οἴκοι προβαλλόμενος στάσιν τοῦ δήμου καὶ σπουδὴν
ἄκαιρόν τινων δῆθεν ἀντεχομένων αὐτοῦ· καί τοι γε πρὸ τῶν γραμμάτων τῶν βασιλικῶν αὐτὸς οὗτος ὁ δῆμος μυρίαις αὐτὸν ἦν πλύνας
λοιδορίαις. ἀλλ' οὐ ταῦτα περιεργαζόμεθα νῦν· ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο δεῖξαι βουλόμενοι, ὅτι κακουργῶν ἀπελήφθη, ταῦτ' εἰρήκαμεν. πλὴν
οὐδὲ μετὰ ταῦτα ἡμεῖς ἡσυχάσαμεν, ἀλλ' ἐπε κείμεθα ἀξιοῦντες δικαστήριον γενέσθαι καὶ κρίσιν καὶ ἀκρόα σιν· ἕτοιμοι γὰρ ἦμεν
δεῖξαι ἑαυτούς τε ἀνευθύνους ὄντας, ἐκείνους τε τὰ ἔσχατα παρανομήσαντας. ἦσαν δὲ καί τινες Σύροι τῶν τότε μετ' αὐτοῦ παρόντων
ἐνταῦθα ἀπολειφθέντες οἳ κοινῇ μετ' αὐτοῦ τὸ πᾶν ἐδραματούργησαν. καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἕτοιμοι ἦμεν δικάζεσθαι, καὶ πλειστάκις
ἠνωχλήσαμεν ὑπὲρ τούτου, ἀξιοῦντες ἢ ὑπομνήματα ἡμῖν δοθῆναι, ἢ λιβέλλους κατηγόρων, ἢ φύσεις ἐγκλημάτων γνωρισθῆναι, ἢ αὐτοὺς
τοὺς κατηγόρους· καὶ οὐ δενὸς τούτων ἐτύχομεν, ἀλλὰ πάλιν ἐξώσθημεν τῆς ἐκκλησίας. πῶς ἂν τὰ ἐντεῦθεν διηγησαίμην λοιπὸν πᾶσαν
ὑπερβαίνοντα τραγῳδίαν; τίς ταῦτα παραστήσει λόγος; ποία χωρὶς φρίκης δέξεται ἀκοή; ἡμῶν γὰρ αὐτὰ ταῦτα, ἅπερ ἔμπροσθεν εἶπον,
προτεινόντων, ἀθρόον στρατιωτῶν πλῆθος αὐτῷ τῷ μεγάλῳ σαββάτῳ, πρὸς ἑσπέραν λοιπὸν τῆς ἡμέρας ἐπειγομένης, ταῖς 13 ἐκκλησίαις
ἐπεισῆλθον, τόν τε κλῆρον ἅπαντα τὸν σὺν ἡμῖν πρὸς βίαν ἐξέβαλον καὶ ὅπλοις τὸ βῆμα περιεστοιχίζετο. καὶ γυναῖκες τῶν εὐκτηρίων
πρὸς τὸ βάπτισμα ἀποδυσάμεναι κατ' αὐτὸν τὸν καιρόν, γυμναὶ ἐφυγαδεύοντο ὑπὸ τοῦ φόβου τῆς χαλεπῆς ταύτης ἐφόδου, οὐδὲ τὴν
πρέπουσαν εὐσχημοσύνην γυναιξὶ συγχωρούμεναι περιθέσθαι. πολλαὶ δὲ καὶ τραύματα δεξάμεναι ἐξεβάλλοντο, καὶ αἵματος αἱ κολυμβῆθραι
ἐπλη ροῦντο, καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ ἀπὸ τῶν τοιούτων τραυμάτων ἐφοινίσσετο νάματα. καὶ οὐδὲ ἐνταῦθα εἱστήκει τὸ δεινόν· ἀλλ' ἔνθα τὰ
ἅγια ἀπέκειντο, ἐλθόντες οἱ στρατιῶται (ὧν ἔνιοι, καθὼς ἔγνω μεν, καὶ ἀμύητοι ἦσαν) πάντα ἐθεώρουν τὰ ἔνδον· καὶ τὸ ἁγιώ τατον
αἷμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, ὡς ἐν τοσούτῳ θορύβῳ, εἰς τὰ τῶν προειρημένων ἱμάτια ἐξεχεῖτο. καὶ ὡς ἐν αἰχμαλωσίᾳ βαρβα ρικῇ πάντα ἐτολμᾶτο.
καὶ ὁ δῆμος πρὸς τὴν ἐρημίαν ἠλαύνετο, καὶ πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ἔξω τῆς πόλεως ἔφευγεν· καὶ κεναὶ ἐν ἑορτῇ τοιαύτῃ αἱ ἐκκλησίαι τῶν
λαῶν ἐγίνοντο, καὶ πλείους ἢ τεσσα ράκοντα ἐπίσκοποι, οἱ κοινωνοῦντες ἡμῖν, μετὰ τοῦ λαοῦ εἰκῆ καὶ μάτην ἐλαυνόμενοι. καὶ
ὀλολυγαὶ πανταχοῦ καὶ οἰμωγαὶ καὶ κωκυτοὶ
