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taught the passions of nature. Therefore, neither untimely deaths, nor any other hardships that befall us unexpectedly, will ever dismay us who are instructed by the word of piety. For instance, I had a young son, the sole heir to my life, the comfort of my old age, the ornament of my family, the flower of his peers, the pillar of the house; he was in the most charming season of his youth. This son was snatched away and is gone; and he has become earth and dust, who a short while ago uttered sounds sweet to the ear, and was the sweetest sight to his father's eyes. What then shall I do? Shall I tear my garment, and bring myself to roll on the ground, and to lament, and to be distraught, and to show myself to those present like some child crying out and convulsing from blows? Or, attending to the necessity of what happens—that the law of death is inexorable, and passes equally through every age, and dissolves all composite things in turn—shall I not be astonished at the event? Nor be overturned in my mind, as if struck down by an unexpected blow, having been taught long ago that, being mortal, I had a mortal son, and that nothing human is stable, nor is it its nature to remain completely with those who possess it? But also great and famous cities, distinguished by the splendor of their constructions, and by the power of their inhabitants, and by the remaining abundance in both country and marketplace, now bear the signs of their ancient majesty only in ruins. And a ship, often saved from the sea, having sailed swiftly ten thousand times, and having transported countless cargo for merchants, has vanished with a single gust of wind. And armies that have often conquered their enemies 31.236 in battles, when their good fortune was reversed, have become a pitiful sight and story.

And whole nations and islands that advanced to great power, and raised many trophies on land and many at sea, and amassed much wealth from spoils, were either consumed by time, or, having become captives, exchanged freedom for slavery. And in general, whatever you might mention of the greatest and most unbearable evils, life already possesses the examples beforehand. Just as then we distinguish weights by the inclinations on the scale, and test the quality of gold by rubbing it against the touchstone; so by bringing our memory back to the measures set forth for us by the Lord, we would never fall outside the bounds of moderation. Whenever, then, something undesirable befalls you, first, with a prepared mind, do not suffer disturbance, and then, by the hope of future things, make present things lighter. For just as those with weak eyes, turning their gaze away from things that are too bright, rest them on flowers and grasses; so also must the soul not continually gaze at what is grievous, nor dwell on present sorrows, but turn its eye to the contemplation of things that are truly good. In this way you will succeed in always rejoicing; if your life always looks to God, and the hope of recompense lightens the sorrows of life.

Have you been dishonored? But look to the glory laid up in heaven through patience. Have you suffered loss? But gaze upon the heavenly wealth and the treasure, which you have stored up for yourself through good works. Have you been driven from your homeland? But you have the heavenly Jerusalem as your homeland. Have you lost a child?

But you have angels, with whom you will dance around the throne of God, and you will rejoice with eternal joy. Thus by setting the expected good things against the present sorrows, you will keep for yourself the soul's freedom from grief and turmoil, to which the Apostle's rule calls us.

Let neither the bright side of human affairs create immoderate joy in your soul, nor the sorrowful things humble its exultation and loftiness with dejection and shrinking. For not so

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φύσεως πάθη δεδιδαγμένους. Οὔτε οὖν ἀωρίαι θανάτου, οὔτε ἄλλαι τινὲς δυσκληρίαι ἀδοκήτως ἐμπεσοῦσαι, ἐκπλήξουσιν ἡμᾶς ποτε τοὺς παιδαγωγουμένους τῷ λόγῳ τῆς εὐσεβείας. Οἷον, παῖς μοι ἦν νεανίας, μόνος τοῦ βίου διάδοχος, παραμύθιον γήρως, ἐγκαλλώπισμα γένους, ἄνθος τῶν ὁμηλίκων, στήριγμα τῆς οἰκίας, αὐτὸ τῆς ἡλικίας ἦγε τὸ χαριέστατον· οὗτος ἀνάρπαστος οἴχεται· καὶ γῆ καὶ κόνις γέγονεν, ὁ πρὸ βραχέως ἡδὺ μὲν ἄκουσμα φθεγγόμενος, ἥδιστον δὲ θέαμα ὢν τοῖς τοῦ γεννήσαντος ὀφθαλμοῖς. Τί οὖν ποιήσομαι; Καταῤῥήξομαι τὴν ἐσθῆτα, καὶ καταδέξομαι κυλινδεῖσθαι χαμαὶ, καὶ ποτνιᾶσθαι, καὶ δυσανασχετεῖν, καὶ δεικνύειν ἐμαυτὸν τοῖς παροῦσιν οἱονεὶ παῖδά τινα ὑπὸ πληγῶν ἐκβοῶντα καὶ ἀποσπαίροντα; Ἢ τῷ ἀναγ-καίῳ τῶν γινομένων προσέχων, ὅτι ἀπαραίτητος ὁ τοῦ θανάτου νόμος, καὶ διὰ πάσης ὁμοίως ἡλικίας χωρῶν, καὶ πάντα ἐφεξῆς τὰ σύνθετα διαλύων, οὐ ξενισθήσομαι τῷ συμβάντι; οὐδ' ἀνατραπήσομαι τὸν νοῦν ὡς ὑπὸ πληγῆς ἀπροσδοκήτου καταῤῥαχθεὶς, πάλαι προπεπαιδευμένος, ὅτι, θνητὸς ὢν, θνητὸν εἶχον τὸν παῖδα, καὶ ὅτι οὐδὲν τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων βέβαιον, οὐδὲ εἰς τὸ παντελὲς παραμένειν τοῖς κτησαμένοις πέφυκεν; Ἀλλὰ καὶ πόλεις μεγάλαι καὶ περιφανεῖς τῇ τε τῶν κατασκευασμάτων λαμπρότητι, καὶ τῇ δυνάμει τῶν ἐνοικούντων, καὶ τῇ λοιπῇ κατά τε τὴν χώραν καὶ τὴν ἀγορὰν εὐθηνίᾳ διαπρέπουσαι, ἐν ἐρειπίοις νῦν μόνοις τῆς παλαιᾶς σεμνότητος τὰ σύμβολα φέρουσι. Καὶ πλοῖον, πολλάκις ἐκ θαλάττης διασωθὲν, καὶ μυριάκις μὲν ταχυναυτῆσαν, μυρίον δὲ φόρτον τοῖς ἐμπορευομένοις διακομίσαν, μιᾷ προσβολῇ πνεύματος ἠφανίσθη. Στρατόπεδα δὲ κρατήσαντα μάχαις πολλάκις τῶν ἐναν 31.236 τίων, περιτραπείσης αὐτοῖς τῆς εὐημερίας, ἐλεεινὸν θέαμα καὶ διήγημα γέγονεν.

Ἔθνη δὲ ὅλα καὶ νῆσοι ἐπὶ μέγα δυνάμεως προελθοῦσαι, καὶ πολλὰ μὲν κατὰ γῆν, πολλὰ δὲ κατὰ θάλασσαν ἐγείρασαι τρόπαια, πολὺν δὲ πλοῦτον ἐκ λαφύρων ἀθροίσασαι, ἢ χρόνῳ καταναλώθησαν, ἢ αἰχμάλωτοι γενόμεναι, δουλείαν τῆς ἐλευθερίας ἠλλάξαντο. Καὶ ὅλως, ὅπερ ἂν εἴπῃς τῶν μεγίστων καὶ ἀφορήτων κακῶν, ἤδη προλαβὼν ὁ βίος ἔχει τὰ ὑποδείγματα. Ὥσπερ οὖν τὰ βάρη ταῖς ἐπὶ τοῦ ζυγοῦ ῥοπαῖς διακρίνομεν, καὶ τοῦ χρυσοῦ τὴν διαφορὰν τῇ λίθῳ προστρίβοντες δοκιμάζομεν· οὕτω πρὸς τὰ ἐκτεθέντα ἡμῖν παρὰ τοῦ Κυρίου μέτρα τὴν μνήμην ἐπαναφέροντες, οὐδαμοῦ ἂν τῶν ὅρων τῆς σωφροσύνης ἐκπέσοιμεν. Ἐπειδὰν οὖν σοί ποτε προσπέσῃ τῶν ἀβουλήτων τι, μάλιστα μὲν τῷ προευτρεπισμένῳ τῆς διανοίας τὴν ταραχὴν μὴ παθεῖν, ἔπειτα δὲ τῇ ἐλπίδι τῶν μελλόντων κουφότερα ποιεῖν τὰ παρόντα. Ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ ἀσθενεῖς τὰ ὄμματα, τῶν ἄγαν λαμπρῶν τὰς ὄψεις ἀπάγοντες, ἐν ἄνθεσι καὶ πόαις προσαναπαύουσιν· οὕτω χρὴ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν μὴ συνεχῶς καταβλέπειν τὸ λυπηρὸν, μηδὲ τοῖς παροῦσιν ἀνιαροῖς προσκεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν θεωρίαν τῶν ὄντως ἀγαθῶν περιάγειν αὐτῆς τὸ ὄμμα. Οὕτω κατορθωθήσεταί σοι τὸ πάντοτε χαίρειν· ἐὰν ὁ μὲν βίος σοι ἀεὶ πρὸς Θεὸν ἀποβλέπῃ, ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς τῆς ἀντιδόσεως κουφίζῃ τοῦ βίου τὰ λυπηρά. Ἠτιμάσθης; Ἀλλὰ πρὸς τὴν δόξαν, τὴν διὰ τῆς ὑπομονῆς ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς ἀποκειμένην, ἀπόβλεψον. Ἐζημιώθης; Ἀλλ' ἐνατένισον τῷ πλούτῳ τῷ ἐπουρανίῳ καὶ τῷ θησαυρῷ, ὃν ἀπέθου σεαυτῷ διὰ τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἔργων. Ἐξέπεσες τῆς πατρίδος; Ἀλλ' ἔχεις πατρίδα τὴν ἐπουράνιον Ἱερουσαλήμ. Τέκνον ἀπέβαλες;

Ἀλλ' ἀγγέλους ἔχεις, μεθ' ὧν χορεύσεις περὶ τὸν θρόνον τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ εὐφρανθήσῃ τὴν αἰώνιον εὐφροσύνην. Οὕτως ἀντιτιθεὶς τοῖς παροῦσιν ἀνιαροῖς τὰ προσδοκώμενα ἀγαθὰ, φυλάξεις σεαυτῷ τὸ ἄλυπον τῆς ψυχῆς καὶ ἀτάραχον, ἐφ' ὃ προκαλεῖται ἡμᾶς ἡ νομοθεσία τοῦ Ἀποστόλου. Μήτε τὰ φαιδρὰ τῶν ἀνθρωπίνων πραγμάτων περιχαρείας ἀμέτρους ἐμποιείτω σου τῇ ψυχῇ, μήτε τὰ λυπηρὰ κατηφείαις καὶ συστολαῖς τὸ γαῦρον αὐτῆς καὶ ὑψηλὸν ταπεινούτω. Μὴ γὰρ οὕτω