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when it was necessary that he shine in form, and show his divinity, and reveal the one hidden in the flesh, who go up with him (for not all were spectators of the wonder)? Peter, and James, and John, who were both in fact and in count before the others. And to be present with him when he was in agony, and withdrawing a 36.196 little before the passion, and praying, who? The same again. This was the preference of Christ. And how great was the rest of the good order and arrangement? One thing Peter asks, another Philip, another Judas, another Thomas, another someone else, and not all the same thing, nor one person all things, but each in turn, and one by one. What each one needed, you might say? But that at least, what does it seem to you? Philip wants to say something, and does not dare alone, but also takes Andrew with him. Peter needs to ask something, and he puts forward John by a sign. Where is the austerity here? Where is the love of rule? How could they have better shown themselves to be disciples of Christ, the meek and humble in heart, and a servant for us his servants, and who in all things sends up all glory to the Father, that he might give us a model of good order and moderation? Which we are so far from honoring, that I should be content if we were not also the most audacious of all, we who display this very quality concerning the greatest matters, even in the case of the greatest men.

XIX. Do you not know, that humility is not judged so much in small things (for it might come about even for show and a false appearance of virtue), as it is tested in greater things? And to me, the humble-minded is not one who says small things about himself, and this to a few, and seldom, nor one who humbly greets the less honorable, but one who speaks moderately about God; and knows what things to say, and what to keep back, and of what things to confess his ignorance, and yields the floor to one who has been entrusted with it, and accepts that there is someone more spiritual, and more advanced in contemplation. For it is shameful, in clothing and diet, not to choose the higher, but the cheaper, and by calluses on the knees, and fountains of tears, and moreover by fastings, and vigils, and sleeping on the ground, by toil and all bodily mortifications to show humility, and the awareness of one's own weakness; but to be an autocrat and a tyrant in discourses about God, and to yield to no one at all, and to raise the eyebrow above every teacher of the law; where humility has with its good repute also its safety.

XX. What then? Shall we be silent about God, and is this what you command? (some of the more hot-headed interrupted). And about what shall we speak more than this? And where shall we put the verse, 'His praise shall continually be in my mouth;' and, 'I will bless the Lord at all 36.197 times;' and, 'My throat shall meditate on truth;' and, 'Behold, I will not refrain my lips;' and he will say such well-rehearsed and definite words? To whom one must answer gently and not harshly with words, teaching good order from this very point. I am not commanding you to be silent, O wisest one, but not to stand contentiously; not to hide the truth, but not to teach contrary to the law. I am the first of those who praise wisdom, and those who are occupied with the divine words, or at least wish to be occupied; and may I never place anything before this occupation, nor be called wretched by Wisdom herself, as one who despises wisdom and instruction. Yet I flee from the excessive, and I punish insatiability; and I would accept being more idle than is right, than being over-curious, if it is not possible to escape both, and to attain moderation; and to be more timid than is right, than more audacious. But you do something similar, as if you were to accuse me, when I forbid excess in food, of forbidding food altogether; or of praising blindness, when I recommend seeing with self-control.

XXI. If you have a word of understanding, answer, it says, and no one will prevent you; but if not, let a bond be placed on your lips. How much more does this suit those who are to teach

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δεῆσαν, ἵνα τῇ μορφῇ λάμψῃ, καὶ τὴν θεότητα παραδείξῃ, καὶ γυμνώσῃ τὸν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ κρυπτό μενον, τίνες συναναβαίνουσιν (οὐ γὰρ πάντες ἐπόπ ται τοῦ θαύματος); Πέτρος, καὶ Ἰάκωβος, καὶ Ἰωάννης, οἱ πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων καὶ ὄντες καὶ ἀριθμού μενοι. Παρεῖναι δὲ ἀγωνιῶντι, καὶ ἀναχωροῦντι μι 36.196 κρὸν πρὸ τοῦ πάθους, καὶ εὐχομένῳ, τίνες; Οἱ αὐτοὶ πάλιν. Αὕτη μὲν ἡ τοῦ Χριστοῦ προτίμησις. Ἡ λοιπὴ δὲ εὐκοσμία καὶ τάξις, ὅση; Τὸ μὲν Πέτρος ἐρωτᾷ, τὸ δὲ Φίλιππος, τὸ δὲ Ἰούδας, τὸ δὲ Θωμᾶς, τὸ δὲ ἄλλος τις, καὶ οὐδὲ τὸ αὐτὸ πάντες, οὐδὲ τὰ πάντα εἷς, ἀλλ' ἕκαστος ἐν μέρει, καὶ καθ' ἕν. Οὗ περ ἕκαστος ἔχρῃζεν, εἴποις ἄν; Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνό γε, τί σοι φαίνεται; Βούλεταί τι Φίλιππος εἰπεῖν, καὶ οὐ θαῤῥεῖ μόνος, ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἀνδρέαν προσλαμβάνει. Χρῄζει πυθέσθαι τι Πέτρος, καὶ Ἰωάννην προβάλλεται διὰ νεύματος. Ποῦ τὸ αὐστηρὸν ἐνταῦθα; Ποῦ δὲ τὸ φίλαρχον; Πῶς ἂν μᾶλλον ἔδειξαν ὄντες μαθη ταὶ Χριστοῦ, τοῦ πράου καὶ ταπεινοῦ τὴν καρδίαν, καὶ δούλου δι' ἡμᾶς τοὺς αὐτοῦ δούλους, καὶ πᾶσαν τῷ Πατρὶ τὴν δόξαν ἐν πᾶσιν ἀναπέμποντος, ἵν' ἡμῖν δῷ τύπον εὐταξίας καὶ μετριότητος; Ἣν τοσοῦτον τιμᾷν ἀπέχομεν, ὥστε ἀγαπῴην ἂν, εἰ μὴ καὶ θρα σύτεροι πάντων εἴημεν, οἵ γε περὶ μεγίστων κἂν τοῖς μεγίστοις ταύτην ἐπιδεικνύμεθα.

ΙΘʹ. Οὐκ οἶσθα, ὅτι τὸ ταπεινὸν, οὐκ ἐν τοῖς μι κροῖς κρίνεται τοσοῦτον (γένοιτο γὰρ ἂν καὶ δι' ἔν δειξιν καὶ ψευδῆ μόρφωσιν ἀρετῆς), ὅσον ἐν τοῖς μείζοσι δοκιμάζεται; Καὶ ταπεινόφρων ἐμοὶ, οὐχ ὅστις περὶ ἑαυτοῦ μικρὰ διαλέγεται, καὶ τοῦτο πρὸς ὀλίγους, καὶ ὀλιγάκις, οὐδ' ὅστις ταπεινῶς προσαγο ρεύει τὸν ἀτιμότερον, ἀλλ' ὅστις μετρίως περὶ Θεοῦ φθέγγεται· καὶ τὰ μὲν εἰπεῖν οἶδε, τὰ δὲ κατέχειν, τῶν δὲ ὁμολογεῖν τὴν ἄγνοιαν, καὶ παραχωρεῖ τοῦ λόγου τῷ πιστευθέντι, καὶ εἶναί τινα πνευματι κώτερον δέχεται, καὶ διαβεβηκότα μᾶλλον ἐν θεωρίᾳ. Αἰσχρὸν γὰρ ἐσθῆτος μὲν καὶ διαίτης, μὴ τὴν ὑψηλοτέραν αἱρεῖσθαι, ἀλλὰ τὴν εὐτελεστέραν, καὶ τύλοις γονάτων, καὶ δακρύων πηγαῖς, ἔτι δὲ νη στείαις, καὶ ἀγρυπνίαις, καὶ χαμευνίαις, κόπῳ καὶ πᾶσιν ὑπωπιασμοῖς τὸ ταπεινὸν ἐπιδείκνυσθαι, καὶ τὴν τῆς ἰδίας ἀσθενείας συναίσθησιν· αὐτοκρά τορα δὲ εἶναι καὶ τύραννον ἐν τοῖς περὶ Θεοῦ λόγοις, καὶ μηδενὶ τὸ παράπαν ὑφίεσθαι, καὶ τὴν ὀφρὺν αἴ ρειν ὑπὲρ πάντα νομοδιδάσκαλον· ἔνθα τὸ ταπεινὸν μετὰ τῆς εὐδοξίας ἔχει καὶ τὴν ἀσφάλειαν.

Κʹ. Τί οὖν; σιωπησόμεθα περὶ Θεοῦ, καὶ τοῦτο κελεύεις (ὑπέκρουέ τις τῶν θερμοτέρων); Καὶ περὶ τίνος μᾶλλον, ἢ τούτου φθεγξόμεθα; Καὶ ποῦ θήσομεν τὸ, ∆ιὰ παντὸς ἡ αἴνεσις αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ στόματί μου· καὶ, Εὐλογήσω τὸν Κύριον ἐν παντὶ 36.197 καιρῷ· καὶ, Ἀλήθειαν μελετήσει ὁ λάρυγξ μου· καὶ, Ἰδοὺ, τὰ χείλη μου οὐ μὴ κωλύσω· καὶ τοιαῦτα ἐρεῖ μεμελετημένα, καὶ ὡρισμένα ῥή ματα; Πρὸς ὃν δεῖ πράως καὶ μὴ χαλεπῶς ἀπαντῆ σαι τοῖς λόγοις, ἐντεῦθεν διδάσκοντας εὐταξίαν. Οὐ σιωπᾷν διακελεύομαι, ὦ σοφώτατε, ἀλλὰ μὴ φι λονείκως ἵστασθαι· οὐ κρύπτειν τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ἀλλὰ μὴ διδάσκειν παρὰ τὸν νόμον. Ἐγὼ πρῶτος τῶν ἐπαινούντων εἰμὶ σοφίαν, κἀν τοῖς θείοις λόγοις ἀσχο λουμένων, ἢ ἀσχολεῖσθαί γε βουλομένων· καὶ μή ποτε πρὸ ταύτης τι θείην τῆς ἀσχολίας, μηδὲ ταλαί πωρος ὑπ' αὐτῆς ἀκούσαιμι τῆς Σοφίας, ὡς σοφίαν καὶ παιδείαν ἐξουθενῶν. Φεύγω δ' ὅμως τὸ ἄμετρον, καὶ κολάζω τὴν ἀπληστίαν· καὶ ἀργὸς εἶναι μᾶλλον τοῦ δέοντος, ἢ περίεργος δέχομαι, ἂν μὴ ἀμφότερα διαφεύγειν ἐξῇ, καὶ τοῦ μετρίου τυγχάνειν· καὶ δειλότερος μᾶλλον τοῦ δέοντος, ἢ θρασύτερος. Σὺ δὲ ποιεῖς παραπλήσιον, ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ κωλύοντά με τροφῆς ἀμετρίαν, καὶ καθόλου τροφὴν κωλύειν κατῃτιῶ· ἢ καὶ τυφλότητα ἐπαινεῖν, σω φρόνως ὁρᾷν εἰσηγούμενον.

ΚΑʹ. Εἰ ἔστι σοι λόγος συνέσεως, ἀποκρί θητι, φησὶ, καὶ οὐδεὶς ὁ κωλύσων· εἰ δὲ μὴ, δε σμὸς κείσθω σοῖς χείλεσι. Πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἁρμόζει τοῦτο τοῖς εἰς τὸ διδάσκειν