Book V.

1. How great is the skill required for the teacher in contending earnestly for the truth, has been sufficiently set forth by us. But I have to mention one more matter beside this, which is a cause of numberless dangers, though for my own part I should rather say that the thing itself is not the cause, but they who know not how to use it rightly, since it is of itself a help to salvation and to much good besides, whenever thou findest that earnest and good men have the management of it. What then, do I mean by this? The expenditure of great labor upon the preparation of discourses to be delivered in public. For to begin with, the majority of those who are under the preachers’ charge are not minded to behave towards them as towards teachers, but disdaining the part of learners, they assume instead the attitude of those who sit and look on at the public games; and just as the multitude there is separated into parties, and some attach themselves to one, and some to another, so here also men are divided, and become the partisans now of this teacher, now of that, listening to them with a view to favor or spite. And not only is there this hardship, but another quite as great. For if it has occurred to any preacher to weave into his sermons any part of other men’s works, he is exposed to greater disgrace than those who steal money. Nay, often where he has not even borrowed anything from any one, but is only suspected, he has suffered the fate of a thief. And why do I speak of the works of others when it is not permitted to him to use his own resources without variety? For the public are accustomed to listen not for profit, but for pleasure, sitting like critics of tragedies, and of musical entertainments, and that facility of speech against which we declaimed just now, in this case becomes desirable, even more than in the case of barristers, where they are obliged to contend one against the other. A preacher then should have loftiness of mind, far exceeding my own littleness of spirit, that he may correct this disorderly and unprofitable pleasure on the part of the multitude, and be able to lead them over to a more useful way of hearing, that his people may follow and yield to him, and that he may not be led away by their own humors, and this it is not possible to arrive at, except by two means: indifference to their praise, and the power of preaching well.150    Chrysostom’s own sermons were often interrupted by applause, which he always severely reprimanded.

2. For if either of these be lacking, the remaining one becomes useless, owing to its divorce from the other, for if a preacher be indifferent to praise, and yet cannot produce the doctrine “which is with grace seasoned with salt,”151    Col. iv. 6. he becomes despised by the multitude, while he gains nothing from his own nobleness of mind; and if on the other hand he is successful as a preacher, and is overcome by the thought of applause, harm is equally done in turn, both to himself and the multitude, because in his desire for praise he is careful to speak rather with a view to please than to profit. And as he who neither lets good opinion influence him, nor is skillful in speaking, does not yield to the pleasure of the multitude, and is unable to do them any good worth mentioning, because he has nothing to say, so he who is carried away with desire for praise, though he is able to render the multitude better service, rather provides in place of this such food as will suit their taste, because he purchases thereby the tumult of acclamation.

3. The best kind of Bishop must, therefore, be strong in both these points, so that neither may supplant the other. For if when he stands up in the congregation and speaks words calculated to make the careless wince,152    ἐπιστύψαι, literally, to purse up the mouth, as at the taste of what is tart or sour. he then stumbles, and stops short, and is forced to blush at his failure, the good of what he has spoken is immediately wasted. For they who are rebuked, being galled by what has been told them, and unable to avenge themselves on him otherwise, taunt him, with jeers at this ignorance of his, thinking to screen their own reproach thereby. Wherefore he ought, like some very good charioteer, to come to an accurate judgment about both these good things, in order that he may be able to deal with both as he may have need; for when he is irreproachable in the eyes of all, then he will be able, with just so much authority as he wishes, both to correct and to remit from correction all those who are under his rule. But without this it will not be easy for him to do so. But this nobleness of soul should be shown not only up to the limit of indifference to praise, but should go further in order that the gain thus gotten may not in its turn be fruitless.

4. To what else ought he then to be indifferent? Slander and envy. Unseasonable evil speaking,153    κακηγορία—if κατηγορία be read, “accusation” will be the meaning. however (for of course the Bishop undergoes some groundless censure), it is well that he should neither fear nor tremble at excessively, nor entirely pass over; but we ought, though it happen to be false, or to be brought against us by the common herd, to try and extinguish it immediately. For nothing so magnifies both an evil and a good report as the undisciplined mob. For accustomed to hear and to speak without stopping to make inquiry, they repeat at random everything which comes in their way, without any regard to the truth of it. Therefore the Bishop ought not to be unconcerned about the multitude, but straightway to nip their evil surmisings in the bud; persuading his accusers, even if they be the most unreasonable of all men, and to omit nothing which is able to dispel an ill-favored report. But if, when we do all this, they who blame us will not be persuaded, thenceforward we should give them no concern. Since if any one be too quick to be dejected by these accidents, he will not be able at any time to produce anything noble and admirable. For despondency and constant cares are mighty for destroying the powers of the mind, and for reducing it to extreme weakness. Thus then must the Priest behave towards those in his charge, as a father would behave to his very young children; and as such are not disturbed either by their insults or their blows, or their lamentations, nor even if they laugh and rejoice with us, do we take much account of it; so should we neither be puffed up by the promises of these persons nor cast down at their censure, when it comes from them unseasonably. But this is hard, my good friend; and perhaps, methinks, even impossible. For I know not whether any man ever succeeded in the effort not to be pleased when he is praised, and the man who is pleased at this is likely also to desire to enjoy it, and the man who desires to enjoy it will, of necessity, be altogether vexed and beside himself whenever he misses it. For as they who revel in being rich, when they fall into poverty are grieved, and they who have been used to live luxuriously cannot bear to live shabbily; so, too, they who long for applause, not only when they are blamed without a cause, but when they are not constantly being praised, become, as by some famine, wasted in soul, particularly when they happen themselves to have been used to praise, or if they hear others being praised. He who enters upon the trial of preaching with desires of this kind, how many annoyances and how many pangs dost thou think that he has? It is no more possible for the sea to be without waves than that man to be without cares and grief.

5. For though the preacher may have great ability (and this one would only find in a few), not even in this case is he released from perpetual toil. For since preaching does not come by nature, but by study, suppose a man to reach a high standard of it, this will then forsake him if he does not cultivate his power by constant application and exercise. So that there is greater labor for the wiser than for the unlearned. For there is not the same degree of loss attending negligence on the part of the one and the other, but the loss is in exact proportion to the difference between the two possessions. For the latter154    Sc. The unlearned. no one would blame, as they furnish nothing worth regarding. But the former, unless they are constantly producing matter beyond the reputation in which all hold them, great censure attends on all hands; and besides these things, the latter would meet with considerable praise, even for small performances, while the efforts of the former, unless they be specially wonderful and startling, not only fail to win applause, but meet with many fault-finders. For the audience set themselves to be critics, not so much in judgment of what is said as of the reputation of the speaker, so that whenever any one excels all others in oratorical powers, then especially of all others does he need laborious study. For this man is not allowed to avail himself of the usual plea which human nature urges, that one cannot succeed in everything; but if his sermons do not throughout correspond to the greatness of the expectations formed, he will go away without having gained anything but countless jeers and censures; and no one takes this into consideration about him, that dejection and pain, and anxiety, and often anger, may step in, and dim the clearness of his thoughts and prevent his productions from coming from him unalloyed,155    εἰλικρινῆ—literally, so that the sunlight fails to discern a flaw in them. and that on the whole, being but a man, he cannot be constantly the same, nor at all times acquit himself successfully, but naturally must sometimes fall short of the mark, and appear on a lower level of ability than usual. None of these things, as I said, are they willing to take into consideration, but charge him with faults as if they were sitting in judgment on an angel; though in other cases, too, a man is apt to overlook the good performances of his neighbor, though they be many and great, and if anywhere a defect appears, even if it be accidental, even if it only occur at long intervals, it is quickly perceived, and always remembered, and thus small and trifling matters have often lessened the glory of many and great doings.

6. Thou seest, my excellent friend, that the man who is powerful in preaching has peculiar need of greater study than others; and besides study, of forbearance also greater than what is needed by all those whom I have already mentioned. For thus are many constantly springing up against him, in a vain and senseless spirit, and having no fault to find with him, but that he is generally approved of, hate him; and he must bear their bitter malice nobly, for as they are not able to hide this cursed hatred, which they so unreasonably entertain, they both revile, and censure, and slander in private, and defame in public, and the mind which has begun to be pained and exasperated, on every one of these occasions, will not escape being corrupted by grief. For they will not only revenge themselves upon him by their own acts, but will try to do so by means of others, and often having chosen some one of those who are unable to speak a word, will extol him with their praises and admire him beyond his worth. Some do this through ignorance alone,156    Another reading is μανί‹, infatuation. some through ignorance and envy, in order that they may ruin the reputation of the other, not that they may prove the man to be wonderful who is not so, and the noble-minded man has not only to struggle against these, but often against the ignorance of the whole multitude; for since it is not possible that all those who come together should consist of learned men, but the chances are that the larger part of the congregation is composed of unlearned people, and that even the rest, who are clearer headed than they, fall as far short of being able to criticize sermons as the remainder again fall short of them; so that only one or two are seated there who possess this power; it follows, of necessity, that he who preaches better than others carries away less applause, and possibly goes home without being praised at all, and he must be prepared to meet such anomalies nobly, and to pardon those who commit them in ignorance, and to weep for those who acquiesce in them on account of envy as wretched and pitiable creatures, and not to consider that his powers have become less on either of these accounts. For if a man, being a pre-eminently good painter, and superior to all in his art, sees the portrait which he has drawn with great accuracy held up to ridicule, he ought not to be dejected, and to consider the picture poor, because of the judgment of the ignorant; as he would not consider the drawing that is really poor to be something wonderful and lovely, because of the astonishment of the inartistic.

7. For let the best artificer be himself the critic of his own designs, and let his performances be determined to be good or poor, according as the mind which designed them gives sentence upon them. But let him not even consider the opinion, so erroneous and inartistic, of the outside world. Let, therefore, the man who undertakes the strain of teaching never give heed to the good opinion of the outside world, nor be dejected in soul on account of such persons; but laboring at his sermons so that he may please God, (For let this alone be his rule and determination, in discharging this best kind of workmanship, not acclamation, nor good opinions,) if, indeed, he be praised by men, let him not repudiate their applause, and when his hearers do not offer this, let him not seek it, let him not be grieved. For a sufficient consolation in his labors, and one greater than all, is when he is able to be conscious of arranging and ordering his teaching with a view to pleasing God.

8. For if he be first carried away with the desire for indiscriminate praise, he will reap no advantage from his labors, or from his power in preaching, for the mind being unable to bear the senseless censures of the multitude is dispirited, and casts aside all earnestness about preaching. Therefore it is especially necessary to be trained to be indifferent to all kinds of praise. For to know how to preach is not enough for the preservation of that power, if this be not added: and if any one would examine accurately the man who is destitute of this art, he will find that he needs to be indifferent to praise no less than the other,157    i.e., The skillful preacher. for he will be forced to do many wrong things in placing himself under the control of popular opinion. For not having the energy to equal those who are in repute for the quality of their preaching, he will not refrain from forming ill designs against them, from envying them, and from blaming them without reason, and from many such discreditable practices, but will venture everything, even if it be needful to ruin his own soul, for the sake of bringing down their fame to the level of his own insignificance. And in addition to this, he will leave off his exertions about his work; a kind of numbness, as it were, spreading itself over his mind. For much toil, rewarded by scanty praise, is sufficient to cast down a man who cannot despise praise, and put him into a deep lethargy, since the husbandman even when he spends time over some sorry piece of land, and is forced to till a rock, quickly desists from his work, unless he is possessed of much earnestness about the matter, or has a fear of famine impending over him. For if they who are able to speak with considerable power, need such constant exercise for the preservation of their talent, he who collects no materials at all, but is forced in the midst of his efforts to meditate; what difficulty, what confusion, what trouble will he experience, in order that he may be able at great labor to collect a few ideas! and if any of those clergy who are under his authority, and who are placed in the inferior order, be able in that position to appear to better advantage than he; what a divine mind must he have, so as not to be seized with envy or cast down by despondency. For, for one to be placed in a station of higher dignity, and to be surpassed by his inferior in rank, and to bear this nobly, would not be the part of any ordinary mind, nor of such as my own, but of one as hard as adamant; and if, indeed, the man who is in greater repute be very forbearing and modest, the suffering becomes so much the more easily borne. But if he is bold and boastful and vainglorious, a daily death would be desirable for the other; he will so embitter his life, insulting him to his face, and laughing at him behind his back, wresting much of his authority from him, and wishing to be everything himself. But he is possessed of the greatest security, in all these circumstances, who has fluency in preaching, and the earnest attention of the multitude about him, and the affection of all those who are under his charge. Dost not thou know what a passion for sermons has burst in upon the minds of Christians now-a-days? and that they who practice themselves in preaching are in especial honor, not only among the heathen, but among them of the household of the faith? How then could any one bear such disgrace as to find that all are mute when he is preaching, and think that they are oppressed, and wait for the end of the sermon, as for some release from work; while they listen to another with eagerness though he preach long, and are sorry when he is about to conclude; and almost angry when it is his purpose to be silent. If these matters seem to thee to be small, and easily to be despised, it is because of thine inexperience. They are truly enough to quench zeal, and to paralyze the powers of the mind, unless a man withdraw himself from all human passions, and study to frame his conduct after the pattern of those incorporeal powers, who are neither pursued by envy, nor by longing for fame, nor by any other morbid feeling. If then there be any man so constituted as to be able to subdue this wild beast, so difficult to capture, so unconquerable, so fierce; that is to say, public fame, and to cut off its many heads, or rather to forbid their growth altogether; he will easily be able to repel these many violent assaults, and to enjoy a kind of quiet haven of rest. But he who has not freed himself from this monster, involves his soul in struggles of various kinds, and perpetual agitation, and the burden both of despondency and of other passions. But why need I detail the rest of these difficulties, which no one will be able to describe, or to learn unless he has had actual experience of them.

ΛΟΓΟΣ Εʹαʹ. Ὅτι πολλοῦ πόνου καὶ σπουδῆς αἱ ἐν τῷ κοινῷ ὁμιλίαι δέονται Ὅσης μὲν ἐμπειρίας τῷ διδασκάλῳ δεῖ πρὸς τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἀληθείας ἀγῶνας, ἱκανῶς ἡμῖν ἀποδέδεικται: ἔχω δέ τι καὶ πρὸς τούτοις ἕτερον μυρίων αἴτιον κινδύνων εἰπεῖν. Μᾶλλον δὲ οὐκ ἐκεῖνο εἴποιμι ἂν αἴτιον ἔγωγε, ἀλλὰ τοὺς οὐκ εἰδότας αὐτῷ χρῆσθαι καλῶς, ἐπεὶ τό γε πρᾶγμα αὐτὸ σωτηρίας τε καὶ πολλῶν πρόξενον γίνεται ἀγαθῶν, ὅταν τοὺς διακονουμένους εὕρῃ σπουδαίους τε ἄνδρας καὶ ἀγαθούς. Τί οὖν τοῦτό ἐστιν; Ὁ πολὺς πόνος ὁ περὶ τὰς διαλέξεις τὰς κοινῇ πρὸς τὸν λαὸν γινομένας ἀναλισκόμενος. Πρῶτον μὲν γὰρ τὸ πλέον τῶν ἀρχομένων οὐκ ἐθέλουσιν ὡς πρὸς διδασκάλους διακεῖσθαι τοὺς λέγοντας, ἀλλὰ τὴν τῶν μαθητῶν τάξιν ὑπερβάντες ἀντιλαμβάνουσι τὴν τῶν θεατῶν τῶν ἐν τοῖς ἔξωθεν καθεζομένων ἀγῶσι. Καὶ καθάπερ ἐκεῖ τὸ πλῆθος μερίζεται, καὶ οἱ μὲν τούτῳ, οἱ δὲ ἐκείνῳ προσνέμουσιν ἑαυτούς, οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα διαιρεθέντες, οἱ μὲν μετὰ τούτου, οἱ δὲ μετὰ ἐκείνου γίνονται, πρὸς χάριν καὶ πρὸς ἀπέχθειαν ἀκούοντες τῶν λεγομένων. Καὶ οὐ τοῦτο μόνον ἐστὶ τὸ χαλεπόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἕτερον οὐδὲν ἔλαττον τούτου: ἢν γάρ τινα συμβῇ τῶν λεγόντων μέρος τι τῶν ἑτέροις πονηθέντων ἐνυφῆναι τοῖς λόγοις αὐτοῦ, πλείονα τῶν τὰ χρήματα κλεπτόντων ὑφίσταται ὀνείδη, πολλάκις δὲ οὐδὲ λαβὼν παρ' οὐδενὸς οὐδέν, ἀλλ' ὑποπτευθεὶς μόνον, τὰ τῶν ἑαλωκότων ἔπαθε. Καὶ τί λέγω τῶν ἑτέροις πεπονημένων; Αὐτὸν τοῖς εὑρήμασι τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ συνεχῶς χρήσασθαι οὐκ ἔνι: οὐ γὰρ πρὸς ὠφέλειαν, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τέρψιν ἀκούειν εἰθίσθησαν οἱ πολλοί, καθάπερ τραγῳδῶν ἢ κιθαρῳδῶν καθήμενοι δικασταί, καὶ ἡ τοῦ λόγου δύναμις ἣν ἐξεβάλομεν νῦν, οὕτως ἐνταῦθα γίνεται ποθεινὴ ὡς οὐδὲ τοῖς σοφισταῖς ὅταν πρὸς ἀλλήλους ἀγωνίζεσθαι ἀναγκάζωνται. Γενναίας οὖν δεῖ κἀνταῦθα ψυχῆς καὶ πολὺ τὴν ἡμετέραν ὑπερβαινούσης σμικρότητα ἵνα τὴν ἄτακτον καὶ ἀνωφελῆ τοῦ πλήθους ἡδονὴν κολάζῃ καὶ πρὸς τὸ ὠφελιμώτερον μετάγειν δύνηται τὴν ἀκρόασιν, ὡς αὐτῷ τὸν λαὸν ἕπεσθαι καὶ εἴκειν, ἀλλὰ μὴ αὐτὸν ταῖς ἐκείνων ἄγεσθαι ἐπιθυμίαις. βʹ. Ὅτι τὸν εἰς τοῦτο τεταγμένον καὶ ἐγκωμίων ὑπερορᾶν χρὴ καὶ δύνασθαι λέγειν Τούτου δὲ οὐδαμῶς ἔστιν ἐπιτυχεῖν, ἀλλ' ἢ διὰ τούτοιν τοῖν δυοῖν, τῆς τε τῶν ἐπαίνων ὑπεροψίας καὶ τῆς ἐν τῷ λέγειν δυνάμεως. Κἂν γὰρ τὸ ἕτερον ἀπῇ, τὸ λειπόμενον ἄχρηστον γίνεται τῇ διαζεύξει θατέρου: ἄν τε γὰρ ἐπαίνων ὑπερορῶν μὴ προσφέρῃ διδασκαλίαν τὴν ἐν χάριτι καὶ ἅλατι ἠρτυμένην, εὐκαταφρόνητος ὑπὸ τῶν πολλῶν γίνεται, οὐδὲν ἀπὸ τῆς μεγαλοψυχίας κερδάνας ἐκείνης: ἄν τε τοῦτο καλῶς κατορθώσας τὸ μέρος τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν κρότων δόξης ἡττώμενος τύχῃ, εἰς ταὐτὸν πάλιν περιΐσταται τὰ τῆς ζημίας αὐτῷ τε καὶ τοῖς πολλοῖς, πρὸς χάριν τῶν ἀκουόντων μᾶλλον ἢ πρὸς ὠφέλειαν λέγειν μελετῶντι, διὰ τὴν τῶν ἐπαίνων ἐπιθυμίαν. Καὶ καθάπερ ὁ μήτε πάσχων τι πρὸς τὰς εὐφημίας, μήτε λέγειν εἰδὼς οὔτε εἴκειν ταῖς τοῦ πλήθους ἡδοναῖς, οὔτε ὠφελεῖν ἀξιόλογόν τινα δύναται ὠφέλειαν τῷ μηδὲν ἔχειν εἰπεῖν, οὕτω καὶ ὁ τῷ πόθῳ τῶν ἐγκωμίων ἑλκόμενος, ἔχων ἀμείνους ἐργάσασθαι τοὺς πολλούς, ἀντὶ τούτων παρέχει τὰ τέρψαι δυνάμενα μᾶλλον, τούτων τοὺς ἐν τοῖς κρότοις θορύβους ὠνούμενος. γʹ. Ὅτι ἂν μὴ ἀμφότερα ἔχῃ, ἄχρηστος ἔσται τῷ πλήθει Ἀμφοτέρωθεν οὖν ἰσχυρὸν εἶναι τὸν ἄριστον ἄρχοντα δεῖ ἵνα μὴ θατέρῳ θάτερον ἀνατρέπηται: ὅταν γὰρ ἀναστὰς ἐν τῷ μέσῳ λέγῃ τὰ τοὺς ῥαθύμως ζῶντας ἐπιστῦψαι δυνάμενα, εἶτα προσπταίῃ καὶ διακόπτηται, καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς ἐνδείας ἐρυθριᾶν ἀναγκάζηται, διερρύη τὸ κέρδος τῶν λεχθέντων εὐθέως. Οἱ γὰρ ἐπιτιμηθέντες, ἀλγοῦντες τοῖς εἰρημένοις καὶ οὐκ ἔχοντες αὐτὸν ἑτέρως ἀμύνασθαι, τοῖς τῆς ἀμαθίας αὐτὸν βάλλουσι σκώμμασι, τούτοις οἰόμενοι τὰ ἑαυτῶν συσκιάζειν ὀνείδη. Διὸ χρή, καθάπερ τινὰ ἡνίοχον ἄριστον, εἰς ἀκρίβειαν τούτων ἀμφοτέρων ἥκειν τῶν καλῶν, ἵνα ἀμφότερα πρὸς τὸ δέον αὐτῷ μεταχειρίζειν ἐξῇ: καὶ γὰρ ὅταν αὐτὸς ἀνεπίληπτος ἅπασι γένηται, τότε δυνήσεται μεθ' ὅσης βούλεται ἐξουσίας καὶ κολάζειν καὶ ἀνιέναι τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτῷ ταττομένους ἅπαντας: πρὸ δὲ τούτου οὐκ εὐμαρὲς τοῦτο ποιεῖν. Τὴν δὲ μεγαλοψυχίαν οὐ μέχρι τῆς τῶν ἐπαίνων ὑπεροψίας δείκνυσθαι χρὴ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περαιτέρω προάγειν, ἵνα μὴ πάλιν ἀτελὲς ᾖ τὸ κέρδος.
δʹ. Ὅτι μάλιστα βασκανίας τοῦτον δεῖ καταφρονεῖν Τίνος οὖν δεῖ καὶ ἑτέρου καταφρονεῖν; Βασκανίας καὶ φθόνου. Τὰς δὲ ἀκαίρους κατηγορίας_καὶ γὰρ ἀνάγκη τὸν προεστῶτα μέμψεις ὑπομένειν ἀλόγους_οὔτε ἀμέτρως δεδοικέναι καὶ τρέμειν, οὔτε ἁπλῶς παρορᾶν καλόν, ἀλλὰ χρή, κἂν ψευδεῖς τυγχάνωσιν οὖσαι, κἂν παρὰ τῶν τυχόντων ἡμῖν ἐπάγωνται, πειρᾶσθαι σβεννύναι ταχέως αὐτάς. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως αὔξει φήμην πονηράν τε καὶ ἀγαθὴν ὡς τὸ πλῆθος τὸ ἄτακτον: ἀβασανίστως γὰρ καὶ ἀκούειν καὶ ἐκλαλεῖν εἰωθός, ἁπλῶς τὸ ἐπελθὸν ἅπαν φθέγγεται, τῆς ἀληθείας οὐδένα ποιούμενον λόγον. Διὰ ταῦτα οὐ δεῖ τῶν πολλῶν καταφρονεῖν, ἀλλ' ἀρχομένας εὐθέως ἐκκόπτειν τὰς ὑποψίας τὰς πονηράς, πείθοντα τοὺς ἐγκαλοῦντας, κἂν ἀλογώτατοι πάντων εἶεν, καὶ μηδὲν ὅλως ἐλλείπειν τῶν δυναμένων ἀφανίσαι δόξαν οὐκ ἀγαθήν, ἢν δέ, πάντα ποιούντων ἡμῶν, μὴ θέλωσιν οἱ μεμφόμενοι πείθεσθαι, τὸ τηνικαῦτα καταφρονεῖν. Ὡς ἐὰν φθάσῃ τις ταπεινοῦσθαι τοῖς συμπτώμασι τούτοις, οὐ δυνήσεταί ποτε γενναῖόν τι καὶ θαυμαστὸν ἀποτεκεῖν_ἡ γὰρ ἀθυμία καὶ αἱ συνεχεῖς φροντίδες δειναὶ καταβαλεῖν ψυχῆς δύναμιν καὶ εἰς ἀσθένειαν καταγαγεῖν τὴν ἐσχάτην_, οὕτως οὖν χρὴ τὸν ἱερέα διακεῖσθαι πρὸς τοὺς ἀρχομένους ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ πατὴρ πρὸς παῖδας ἄγαν νηπίους διακέοιτο: καὶ καθάπερ ἐκείνων οὔτε ὑβριζόντων, οὔτε πληττόντων, οὔτε ὀδυρομένων ἐπιστρεφόμεθα, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἡνίκα ἂν γελῶσι καὶ προσχαίρωσιν ἡμῖν, μέγα ἐπὶ τούτῳ φρονοῦμέν ποτε, οὕτω καὶ τούτων μήτε τοῖς ἐπαίνοις ἐξογκοῦσθαι, μήτε καταπίπτειν τοῖς ψόγοις ὅταν ἀκαίρως γίνωνται παρ' αὐτῶν. Χαλεπὸν δὲ τοῦτο, ὦ μακάριε, τάχα δέ, οἶμαι, καὶ ἀδύνατον: τὸ γὰρ μὴ χαίρειν ἐπαινούμενον, οὐκ οἶδα εἴ τινι ἀνθρώπων ποτὲ κατώρθωται, τὸν δὲ χαίροντα, εἰκὸς καὶ ἐπιθυμεῖν ἀπολαύειν αὐτῶν, τὸν δὲ ἀπολαύειν ἐπιθυμοῦντα, πάντως καὶ ἐν ταῖς τούτων ἀποτυχίαις ἀνιᾶσθαι καὶ ἀλγεῖν ἀνάγκη. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ γανύμενοι τῷ πλουτεῖν, ἡνίκα ἂν καταπέσωσιν εἰς πενίαν, ἄχθονται καὶ οἱ τρυφᾶν εἰωθότες οὐκ ἂν ἀνάσχοιντο ζῆν εὐτελῶς, οὕτω καὶ οἱ τῶν ἐγκωμίων ἐρῶντες, οὐχ ὅταν ψέγωνται μόνον εἰκῇ, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὅταν μὴ ἐπαινῶνται συνεχῶς, καθάπερ λιμῷ τινι διαφθείρονται τὴν ψυχὴν καὶ μάλιστα ὅταν αὐτοῖς ἐντραφέντες τύχωσιν ἢ καὶ ἑτέρους ἐπαινουμένους ἀκούωσι. Τὸν δὲ μετὰ ταύτης τῆς ἐπιθυμίας εἰς τὸν τῆς διδασκαλίας ἀγῶνα παρελθόντα, πόσα πράγματα καὶ πόσας ἔχειν οἴει τὰς ἀλγηδόνας; Οὔτε τὴν θάλατταν ἔστι κυμάτων ἐκτὸς εἶναί ποτε, οὔτε τὴν ἐκείνου ψυχὴν φροντίδων καὶ λύπης. εʹ. Ὅτι ὁ λόγους εἰδὼς πλείονος δεῖται σπουδῆς ἢ ὁ ἀμαθής Καὶ γὰρ ὅταν πολλὴν ἐν τῷ λέγειν δύναμιν ἔχῃ_τοῦτο δὲ ἐν ὀλίγοις εὕροι τις ἄν_, οὐδὲ οὕτω τοῦ πονεῖσθαι διηνεκῶς ἀπήλλακται: ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐ φύσεως ἀλλὰ μαθήσεως τὸ λέγειν, κἂν εἰς ἄκρον αὐτοῦ τις ἀφίκηται, τότε αὐτὸν ἀφίησιν ἔρημον, ἂν μὴ συνεχεῖ σπουδῇ καὶ γυμνασίᾳ ταύτην θεραπεύῃ τὴν δύναμιν, ὥστε τοῖς σοφωτέροις μᾶλλον ἢ τοῖς ἀμαθεστέροις μείζων ὁ πόνος: οὐδὲ γὰρ ὑπὲρ τῶν αὐτῶν ἡ ζημία ἀμελοῦσι τούτοις κἀκείνοις, ἀλλὰ τοσοῦτον αὕτη πλείων ὅσον καὶ τῆς κτήσεως ἑκατέρας τὸ μέσον. Κἀκείνοις μὲν οὐδ' ἂν ἐγκαλέσειέ τις, μηδὲν ἄξιον λόγου παρέχουσιν: οὗτοι δέ, εἰ μὴ μείζονα τῆς δόξης ἧς ἅπαντες ἔχουσι περὶ αὐτῶν ἀεὶ προφέροιεν, πολλὰ παρὰ πάντων ἕπεται τὰ ἐγκλήματα. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις ἐκεῖνοι μὲν καὶ ἐπὶ μικροῖς μεγάλων ἂν τύχοιεν ἐπαίνων: τὰ δὲ τούτων, ἂν μὴ λίαν ᾖ θαυμαστὰ καὶ ἔκπληκτα, οὐ μόνον ἐγκωμίων ἐστέρηται, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς μεμφομένους ἔχει πολλούς. Οὐ γὰρ τοῖς λεγομένοις, ὡς ταῖς τῶν λεγόντων δόξαις, κάθηνται δικάζοντες οἱ ἀκροαταί, ὥστε ὅταν κρατῇ τις ἁπάντων ἐν τῷ λέγειν, τότε μάλιστα πάντων αὐτῷ δεῖ πεπονημένης σπουδῆς: οὐδὲ γὰρ τοῦτο ὃ κοινὸν τῆς ἀνθρωπείας φύσεώς ἐστι, τὸ μὴ πάντα ἐπιτυγχάνειν, ἔξεστιν ἐκείνῳ παθεῖν, ἀλλ' ἂν μὴ δι' ὅλου συμφωνῇ τῷ μεγέθει τῆς ὑπολήψεως αὐτοῦ τὰ λεγόμενα, σκώμματα μυρία καὶ μέμψεις λαβὼν ἄπεισι παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν. Καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐκεῖνο λογίζεται πρὸς αὐτὸν ὅτι καὶ ἀθυμία προσπεσοῦσα καὶ ἀγωνία καὶ φροντίς, πολλάκις δὲ καὶ θυμὸς ἐπεσκότισε τῷ τῆς διανοίας καθαρῷ καὶ τὰ τικτόμενα οὐκ ἀφῆκε προελθεῖν εἰλικρινῆ, καὶ ὅτι ὅλως, ἄνθρωπον ὄντα, οὐκ ἔστι διὰ παντὸς εἶναι τὸν αὐτόν, οὐδὲ ἐν ἅπασιν εὐημερεῖν, ἀλλ' εἰκός ποτε καὶ διαμαρτεῖν καὶ ἐλάττονα τῆς οἰκείας δειχθῆναι δυνάμεως. Τούτων οὐδέν, ὅπερ ἔφην, ἐννοῆσαι βούλονται, ἀλλ' ὥσπερ ἀγγέλῳ δικάζοντες ἐπάγουσι τὰς αἰτίας. Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ πέφυκεν ἄνθρωπος τὰ μὲν κατορθώματα τοῦ πλησίον καὶ πολλὰ ὄντα καὶ μεγάλα παρορᾶν: ἢν δὲ ἐλάττωμά που φανῇ, κἂν τὸ τυχὸν ᾖ, κἂν διὰ πολλοῦ συμβεβηκός, καὶ ἐπαισθάνεται ταχέως καὶ ἐπιλαμβάνεται προχείρως καὶ μέμνηται διαπαντός, καὶ τὸ μικρὸν τοῦτο καὶ εὐτελὲς, τὴν τῶν πολλῶν καὶ μεγάλων ἠλάττωσε δόξαν πολλάκις. Ϛʹ. Ὅτι τῆς ἀλόγου τῶν πολλῶν ψήφου οὔτε πάντῃ καταφρονεῖν, οὔτε πάντῃ φροντίζειν δεῖ Ὁρᾷς, ὦ γενναῖε, ὅτι μάλιστα τῷ λέγειν δυναμένῳ πλείονος δεῖ τῆς σπουδῆς, πρὸς δὲ τῇ σπουδῇ καὶ ἀνεξικακίας τοσαύτης ὅσης οὐδὲ ἅπαντες ὅσους πρότερόν σοι διῆλθον ἐδέοντο: πολλοὶ γὰρ αὐτῷ συνεχῶς ἐπιφύονται μάτην καὶ εἰκῇ καὶ οὐδὲν ἔχοντες ἐγκαλεῖν πλὴν τοῦ παρὰ πᾶσιν εὐδοκιμεῖν ἀπεχθάνονται. Καὶ δεῖ γενναίως φέρειν τὴν πικρὰν τούτων βασκανίαν: τὸ γὰρ ἐπάρατον τοῦτο μῖσος ὅπερ εἰκῇ συλλέγουσιν οὐ στέγοντες κρύπτειν, καὶ λοιδοροῦνται καὶ μέμφονται καὶ διαβάλλουσι λάθρᾳ καὶ πονηρεύονται φανερῶς. Ψυχὴ δὲ ἀρξαμένη καθ' ἕκαστον τούτων ἀλγεῖν καὶ παροξύνεσθαι οὐκ ἂν φθάσειε διαφθαρεῖσα τῇ λύπῃ: καὶ γὰρ οὐ δι' ἑαυτῶν αὐτὸν ἀμύνονται μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ δι' ἑτέρων τοῦτο ποιεῖν ἐπιχειροῦσι καὶ πολλάκις τινὰ τῶν οὐδὲν δυναμένων εἰπεῖν ἐκλεξάμενοι, τοῖς ἐπαίνοις ἐπαίρουσι καὶ θαυμάζουσιν ὑπὲρ τὴν ἀξίαν, οἱ μὲν μανίᾳ, οἱ δὲ καὶ ἀμαθίᾳ καὶ φθόνῳ τοῦτο ποιοῦντες, ἵνα τὴν δόξαν τούτου καθέλωσιν, οὐχ ἵνα δείξωσι θαυμαστὸν τὸν οὐκ ὄντα τοιοῦτον. Οὐ πρὸς τούτους δὲ μόνους ἐκείνῳ τῷ γενναίῳ ὁ ἀγών, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς ἀπειρίαν ὅλου δήμου πολλάκις: ἐπειδὴ γὰρ οὐκ ἔνεστιν ἐξ ἐλλογίμων ἀνδρῶν συλλέγεσθαι τοὺς συνερχομένους ἅπαντας, ἀλλὰ τὸ πλέον τῆς Ἐκκλησίας μέρος ἐξ ἰδιωτῶν συνῆχθαι συμβαίνει, τοὺς δὲ λοιποὺς καὶ αὐτοὺς ἐκείνων μὲν εἶναι συνετωτέρους, τῶν δὲ λόγους κρῖναι δυναμένων λείπεσθαι πολλῷ πλέον ἢ ὅσον ἐκείνων οἱ λοιποὶ πάντες, ἕνα δὲ μόνον ἢ δεύτερον καθῆσθαι τὸν ταύτην κεκτημένον τὴν ἀρετήν, ἀνάγκη τὸν ἄμεινον εἰπόντα ἐλάττονας ἀπενέγκασθαι κρότους, ἔστι δὲ ὅτε μηδὲ ἐπαινεθέντα ἀπελθεῖν. Καὶ δεῖ πρὸς ταύτας γενναίως παρεσκευάσθαι τὰς ἀνωμαλίας, καὶ τοῖς μὲν δι' ἀμαθίαν ταῦτα πάσχουσι συγγινώσκειν, τοὺς δὲ διὰ φθόνον τοῦτο ὑπομένοντας δακρύειν ὡς ἀθλίους ὄντας καὶ ἐλεεινούς: μηδ' ἑτέρῳ δὲ τούτων ἐλάττω τὴν αὐτοῦ νομίζειν γεγενῆσθαι δύναμιν. Οὐδὲ γάρ, εἰ ζωγράφος ὢν ἄριστος καὶ πάντων κατὰ τὴν τέχνην κρατῶν, τὴν μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἀκριβείας ἀναγεγραμμένην εἰκόνα ὑπὸ τῶν τῆς τέχνης ἀπείρων σκωπτομένην ἑώρα, ἔδει καταπεσεῖν καὶ τῇ κρίσει τῶν οὐκ εἰδότων φαύλην ἡγεῖσθαι τὴν γραφήν, ὥσπερ οὐδὲ τὴν ὄντως φαύλην θαυμαστήν τινα καὶ ἐπέραστον ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν ἀτέχνων ἐκπλήξεως. ζʹ. Ὅτι πρὸς τὸ τῷ Θεῷ ἀρέσκον μόνον δεῖ τοὺς λόγους ῥυθμίζειν Ὁ γὰρ ἄριστος δημιουργὸς αὐτὸς ἔστω καὶ κριτὴς τῶν αὐτοῦ τεχνημάτων καὶ καλὰ καὶ φαῦλα ταύτῃ τιθέσθω τὰ γινόμενα, ὅταν ὁ τεχνησάμενος αὐτὰ νοῦς ταύτας φέρῃ τὰς ψήφους, τὴν δὲ τῶν ἔξωθεν δόξαν, τὴν πεπλανημένην καὶ ἄτεχνον μηδὲ εἰς νοῦν βαλέσθω ποτέ. Μὴ τοίνυν μήτε ὁ τῆς διδασκαλίας ἀναδεξάμενος τὸν ἀγῶνα ταῖς τῶν ἔξωθεν εὐφημίαις προσεχέτω, μηδὲ ἀπὸ τούτων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ καταβαλλέτω ψυχήν, ἀλλ' ἐργαζόμενος τοὺς λόγους ὡς ἂν ἀρέσειε τῷ Θεῷ_οὗτος γὰρ αὐτῷ κανὼν καὶ ὅρος ἔστω μόνος τῆς ἀρίστης δημιουργίας ἐκείνων, μὴ κρότοι, μηδὲ εὐφημίαι_, εἰ μὲν ἐπαινοῖτο καὶ παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, μὴ διακρουέσθω τὰ ἐγκώμια, μὴ παρεχόντων δὲ αὐτὰ τῶν ἀκροατῶν, μὴ ζητείτω, μηδὲ ἀλγείτω: ἱκανὴ γὰρ αὐτῷ παραμυθία τῶν πόνων καὶ πάντων μείζων, ὅταν ἑαυτῷ συνειδέναι δύνηται πρὸς ἀρέσκειαν τοῦ Θεοῦ συντιθεὶς καὶ ῥυθμίζων τὴν διδασκαλίαν. ηʹ. Ὅτι ὁ μὴ καταφρονῶν ἐπαίνων πολλὰ ὑποστήσεται δεινά Καὶ γὰρ ἂν φθάσῃ τῇ τῶν ἀλόγων ἐπαίνων ἐπιθυμίᾳ ἁλῶναι, οὐδὲν αὐτῷ τῶν πολλῶν πόνων ὄφελος, οὐδὲ τῆς ἐν τῷ λέγειν δυνάμεως: τὰς γὰρ ἀνοήτους τῶν πολλῶν καταγνώσεις μὴ δυναμένη φέρειν ψυχὴ ἐκλύεται καὶ τὴν περὶ τὸ λέγειν ῥίπτει σπουδήν. Διὰ τοῦτο χρὴ μάλιστα πάντων πεπαιδεῦσθαι ἐπαίνων ὑπερορᾶν: οὐ γὰρ ἀρκεῖ τὸ λέγειν εἰδέναι πρὸς τὴν ταύτης τῆς δυνάμεως φυλακήν, ἂν μὴ καὶ τοῦτο προσῇ. Εἰ δέ τις ἀκριβῶς ἐξετάζειν ἐθέλοι καὶ τὸν ἐν ἐνδείᾳ καθεστῶτα ταύτης τῆς ἀρετῆς, εὑρήσει δεόμενον τοῦ τῶν ἐπαίνων καταφρονεῖν οὐχ ἧττον ἢ τοῦτον. Καὶ γὰρ πολλὰ ἁμαρτάνειν ἀναγκασθήσεται, τῆς τῶν πολλῶν δόξης ἥττων γενόμενος: ἀτονῶν γὰρ ἐξισωθῆναι τοῖς εὐδοκιμοῦσι κατὰ τὴν τοῦ λέγειν ἀρετήν, ἐπιβουλεύειν τε καὶ διαφθονεῖσθαι αὐτοῖς καὶ μέμφεσθαι μάτην καὶ πολλὰ τοιαῦτα ἀσχημονεῖν οὐ παραιτήσεται, ἀλλὰ πάντα τολμήσει, κἂν τὴν ψυχὴν ἀπολέσαι δέῃ, ὑπὲρ τοῦ τὴν ἐκείνων δόξαν εἰς τὴν τῆς ἰδίας εὐτελείας καταγαγεῖν ταπεινότητα. Πρὸς δὲ τούτοις καὶ τῶν ἱδρώτων ἀποστήσεται τῶν περὶ τὸ πονεῖν, νάρκης ὥσπερ τινὸς κατασκεδασθείσης αὐτοῦ τῆς ψυχῆς: τὸ γὰρ πολλὰ μοχθοῦντα ἐλάττονα καρποῦσθαι ἐγκώμια ἱκανὸν καταβαλεῖν καὶ τρέψαι πρὸς ὕπνον βαθὺν τὸν οὐ δυνάμενον ἐγκωμίων καταφρονεῖν, ἐπεὶ καὶ γεωργός, ὅταν εἰς λεπτόγειον κάμνῃ χωρίον καὶ πέτρας ἀναγκάζηται γεωργεῖν, ταχέως ἀφίσταται τοῦ πονεῖν, ἢν μὴ πολλὴν περὶ τὸ πρᾶγμα κεκτημένος ᾖ τὴν προθυμίαν ἢ λιμοῦ δέος ἐπικείμενον ἔχῃ. Εἰ γὰρ οἱ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐξουσίας δυνάμενοι λέγειν τοσαύτης δέονται τῆς γυμνασίας πρὸς τὴν τῆς κτήσεως φυλακήν, ὁ μηδὲν ὅλως συναγαγών, ἀλλ' ἐν τοῖς ἀγῶσιν ἀναγκαζόμενος μελετᾶν, πόσην ὑποστήσεται τὴν δυσχέρειαν, πόσον θόρυβον, πόσην ταραχήν, ἵνα πολλῷ τῷ μόχθῳ μικρόν τι συναγαγεῖν δυνηθῇ; Ἂν δέ τις καὶ τῶν μετ' αὐτὸν τεταγμένων καὶ τὴν ἐλάττω τάξιν λαχόντων, ἐν τῷ μέρει τούτῳ μᾶλλον ἐκείνου διαφανῆναι δυνηθῇ, θείας τινὸς δεῖ ψυχῆς ἐνταῦθα ὥστε μὴ ἁλῶναι βασκανίᾳ, μηδὲ ὑπὸ ἀθυμίας καταπεσεῖν: τὸ γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν ἐλαττόνων παρευημερεῖσθαι αὐτὸν ἐν ἀξιώματι καθεστῶτα μείζονι καὶ φέρειν γενναίως, οὐ τῆς τυχούσης, οὐδὲ τῆς ἡμετέρας, ἀλλά τινος ἀδαμαντίνης ἂν εἴη ψυχῆς. Κἂν μὲν ἐπιεικὴς ᾖ καὶ μέτριος ἄγαν ὁ παρευδοκιμῶν, φορητὸν ὁπωσοῦν γίνεται τὸ πάθος: ἂν δὲ καὶ θρασὺς καὶ ἀλαζὼν καὶ φιλόδοξος, θάνατον ἐκείνῳ καθ' ἑκάστην εὐκτέον ἡμέραν, οὕτως αὐτῷ πικρὰν καταστήσει τὴν ζωήν, ἐπεμβαίνων φανερῶς, καταμωκώμενος λάθρᾳ, τῆς ἐξουσίας πολλὰ παρασπῶν τῆς ἐκείνου, πάντα αὐτὸς εἶναι βουλόμενος. Μεγίστην δὲ ἐν ἅπασι τούτοις ἀσφάλειαν τὴν ἐν τῷ λέγειν κέκτηται παρρησίαν καὶ τὴν τοῦ πλήθους περὶ αὐτὸν σπουδὴν καὶ τὸ φιλεῖσθαι παρὰ τῶν ἀρχομένων ἁπάντων. Ἢ οὐκ οἶδας ὅσος ταῖς τῶν χριστιανῶν ψυχαῖς λόγων ἔρως εἰσεκώμασε νῦν καὶ ὅτι μάλιστα πάντων οἱ τούτους ἀσκοῦντες ἐν τιμῇ, οὐ παρὰ τοῖς ἔξωθεν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ παρὰ τοῖς τῆς πίστεως οἰκείοις; Πῶς οὖν ἄν τις ἐνέγκοι τοσαύτην αἰσχύνην, ὅταν αὐτοῦ μὲν φθεγγομένου πάντες σιγῶσι καὶ διενοχλεῖσθαι νομίζωσι καὶ τοῦ λόγου τὸ τέλος ὥσπερ τινα πόνων ἀνάπαυσιν περιμένωσι, θατέρου δὲ καὶ μακρὰ λέγοντος μετὰ μακροθυμίας ἀκούωσι καὶ παύσεσθαι μέλλοντος δυσχεραίνωσι καὶ σιγᾶν βουλομένου παροξύνωνται; Ταῦτα γὰρ εἰ καὶ μικρά σοι δοκεῖ νῦν εἶναι καὶ εὐκαταφρόνητα, διὰ τὸ ἀπείρατον, ἀλλ' ἱκανά γέ ἐστι προθυμίαν σβέσαι καὶ ψυχῆς παραλῦσαι δύναμιν, ἢν μὴ πάντων τις ἑαυτὸν τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων ἀνασπάσας παθῶν, ὁμοίως ταῖς ἀσωμάτοις μελετήσῃ διακεῖσθαι δυνάμεσιν αἳ μήτε φθόνῳ, μήτε δόξης ἔρωτι, μήτε ἑτέρῳ τινὶ τοιούτῳ θηρῶνται νοσήματι. Εἰ μὲν οὖν τίς ἐστιν ἀνθρώπων τοιοῦτος ὡς δύνασθαι τὸ δυσθήρατον τοῦτο καὶ ἀκαταγώνιστον καὶ ἀνήμερον θηρίον, τὴν τῶν πολλῶν δόξαν, καταπατεῖν καὶ τὰς πολλὰς αὐτῆς ἐκτεμεῖν κεφαλάς, μᾶλλον δὲ μηδὲ φῦναι τὴν ἀρχὴν συγχωρεῖν, δυνήσεται εὐκόλως καὶ τὰς πολλὰς ταύτας ἀποκρούεσθαι προσβολὰς καὶ εὐδίου τινὸς ἀπολαύειν λιμένος: ταύτης δὲ οὐκ ἀπηλλαγμένος πόλεμόν τινα πολυειδῆ καὶ θόρυβον συνεχῆ καὶ ἀθυμίας καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν παθῶν τὸν ὄχλον κατασκεδάζει τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ψυχῆς. Τί δεῖ τὰς λοιπὰς καταλέγειν δυσκολίας ἃς οὔτε εἰπεῖν οὔτε μαθεῖν δυνήσεταί τις, μὴ ἐπὶ τῶν πραγμάτων γενόμενος αὐτῶν;