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being distressed, but as advancing to greater honor and glory, we rather boast in the afflictions that befall us. Then, since he said that the greatest glory and boasting and adornment come from tribulations; and it is clear that glory also has pleasure; for where there is pleasure, there is certainly also glory, and where there is such glory, there is certainly also pleasure; since, therefore, he has shown that being afflicted is brilliant and glorious and a cause for adornment, he speaks of another of its greatest achievements, and a certain very great and paradoxical fruit. And what this is, let us see. Knowing therefore, he says, that tribulation produces patience, and patience, approvedness, and approvedness, hope, and hope does not put to shame. What is it: Knowing that tribulation produces patience? This has the greatest fruit, this makes the one afflicted stronger. For just as with trees, those nurtured in the shade and standing in windless places, flourishing in appearance, become softer and spongy, quickly harmed by every assault of the winds; but those standing on the higher peaks of mountains, and buffeted by many and great winds, and enduring the constant inclemency of the air, and shaken by the harshest storm, and pelted by much snow, are rendered stronger than any iron; and similarly bodies, those conversant with many and various pleasures, and adorned with soft clothing, and using constant baths and perfumes, and indulging in various foods beyond 51.164 need, are rendered entirely useless for the toils and labors for the sake of piety, being liable to the greatest punishment; so indeed also with souls, those pursuing a life without hardship, and full of ease, and being pleasantly disposed towards present things, and preferring the painless life over being afflicted for the kingdom according to all the saints, becoming softer and weaker than any wax, are set forth as food for eternal fire; but those given over to dangers and labors and hardships of affliction for God's sake, and being conversant in them, are stronger and nobler than iron itself or adamant, from continually suffering evil, becoming unconquerable by what comes upon them, and having acquired a certain invincible habit of patience and courage. And just as those who first board a ship are seasick and dizzy, being troubled and disturbed, seized by nausea and vertigo; but those who have crossed many and vast seas, and have braved ten thousand waves, and have endured constant shipwrecks, undertake such a voyage with confidence; so indeed also the soul, having endured many temptations and borne great tribulations, is established henceforth in the practice of labors and the habit of endurance, not being timid, nor easily frightened, nor troubled by the grievous things that befall it, but from the constant exercise of what happens, and from the frequent practice of what occurs, it bears all dreadful things that come with great ease. Therefore the wise architect of the heavenly commonwealth, declaring this, said: Not only so, but we also glory in tribulations; because before the kingdom and the heavenly crowns we reap from this the greatest reward, from being continually afflicted, our soul becoming more enduring, and our reasonings being made stronger. Knowing all these things, therefore, beloved, let us bear nobly the grievous things that befall us, both because it seems good to God, and for our own benefit, and let us not be distressed, nor give up at the onset of temptations, but standing with all courage, let us give thanks to God continually for all the benefits accomplished for us, so that we may both enjoy the present good things, and obtain the future gifts, by the grace and compassions and love for mankind of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father be glory and power, together with the Holy and

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ταλαιπωροῦντες, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐπὶ μείζονι προκόπτοντες τιμῇ καὶ δόξῃ, καυχώμεθα μᾶλλον ἐπὶ τοῖς συμβαίνουσι θλιβεροῖς. Εἶτα, ἐπειδὴ δόξαν ἔφησεν εἶναι μεγίστην καὶ καύχημα ἀπὸ τῶν θλίψεων καὶ καλλωπισμόν· ἡ δὲ δόξα εὔδηλον ὅτι καὶ ἡδονὴν ἔχει· ὅπου γὰρ ἡδονὴ, πάντως ὅτι καὶ δόξα, ὅπου δὲ δόξα τοιαύτη, πάντως καὶ ἡδονή· ἐπειδὴ τοίνυν ἔδειξε λαμπρὸν καὶ περιφανὲς τὸ θλίβεσθαι καὶ ποιοῦν καλλωπίζεσθαι, λέγει ἕτερον αὐτοῦ κατόρθωμα μέγιστον, καὶ καρπὸν μέγιστόν τινα καὶ παράδοξον. Τίς δὲ οὗτός ἐστιν, ἴδωμεν. Εἰδότες οὖν, φησὶν, ὅτι ἡ θλίψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται, ἡ δὲ ὑπομονὴ δοκιμὴν, ἡ δὲ δοκιμὴ ἐλπίδα, ἡ δὲ ἐλπὶς οὐ καταισχύνει. Τί ἐστίν· Εἰδότες ὅτι ἡ θλίψις ὑπομονὴν κατεργάζεται; Τοῦτο μέγιστον ἔχει τὸν καρπὸν, ἰσχυρότερον ποιεῖ τὸν θλιβόμενον τοῦτο. Καθάπερ γὰρ τῶν δένδρων τὰ μὲν σκιατροφούμενα καὶ ἐν ἀπηνέμοις ἑστηκότα χωρίοις, εὐθαλοῦντα τῇ ἰδέᾳ, μαλακώτερα γίνεται καὶ χαῦνα, πάσῃ ἀνέμων προσβολῇ ταχέως βλαπτόμενα· τὰ δὲ ἐν κορυφαῖς ὀρέων ὑψηλοτέροις ἑστῶτα, καὶ πολλοῖς καὶ μεγάλοις ῥιπιζόμενα τοῖς ἀνέμοις, καὶ ἀνωμαλίαν ἀέρων συνεχῆ φέροντα, καὶ χαλεπωτάτῃ ζάλῃ κλονούμενα, καὶ χιόνι πολλῇ βαλλόμενα, σιδήρου παντὸς ἰσχυρότερα μᾶλλον καθέστηκε· καὶ σώματα δὲ ὁμοίως τὰ πολλαῖς καὶ ποικίλαις ἡδοναῖς συστρεφόμενα, καὶ μαλακοῖς ἱματίοις κοσμούμενα, καὶ συνεχέσι λουτροῖς καὶ μύροις κεχρημένα, καὶ πολυειδέσι τροφαῖς ὑπὲρ 51.164 τὴν χρείαν τρυφῶντα, παντάπασιν ἄχρηστα πρὸς τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς εὐσεβείας ἱδρῶτας καὶ πόνους καθίστανται, κολάσεως ὄντα μεγίστης ὑπεύθυνα· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ψυχαὶ, αἱ μὲν τὸν ἀταλαίπωρον βίον μετιοῦσαι, καὶ ἀνέσεως γέμουσαι, καὶ τὸ ἡδέως διακεῖσθαι πρὸς τὰ παρόντα, καὶ τὸν ἀνάλγητον τοῦ διὰ τὴν βασιλείαν θλίβεσθαι κατὰ τοὺς ἁγίους ἅπαντας προτιμῶσαι βίον, κηροῦ παντὸς μαλακώτεραι μᾶλλον καὶ ἀσθενέστεραι καθιστάμεναι, αἰωνίου πυρὸς κατάβρωμα πρόκεινται· αἱ δὲ κινδύνοις καὶ πόνοις καὶ ταλαιπωρίαις τῆς διὰ τὸν Θεὸν θλίψεως ἐπιδεδομέναι, καὶ ἐν αὐταῖς συστρεφόμεναι, αὐτοῦ τοῦ σιδήρου ἢ τοῦ ἀδάμαντος στεῤῥότεραι καὶ γενναιότεραι μᾶλλόν εἰσιν ἐκ τοῦ συνεχῶς πάσχειν κακῶς, τοῖς ἐπιοῦσιν ἀχείρωτοι καθιστάμεναι, καὶ ἕξιν τινὰ προσλαβοῦσαι ὑπομονῆς καὶ ἀνδρείας ἀκαταμάχητον. Καὶ καθάπερ οἱ μὲν πρῶτον νηὸς ἐπιβάντες ναυτιῶσί τε καὶ ἰλιγγιῶσι, ταραττόμενοι καὶ θορυβούμενοι ἀηδίᾳ καὶ σκοτοδινίᾳ κατεχόμενοι· οἱ δὲ πολλὰ καὶ μακρὰ διαβάντες πελάγη, καὶ μυρίων κυμάτων κατατολμήσαντες, καὶ ναυαγίων συνεχῶν ἀνασχόμενοι, μετὰ τοῦ θαῤῥεῖν ἅπτονται τῆς τοιαύτης ἀποδημίας· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἡ ψυχὴ πολλοὺς ὑπομείνασα πειρασμοὺς, καὶ μεγάλας θλίψεις ἀνασχομένη, ἐν μελέτῃ λοιπὸν πόνων καὶ ἕξει καρτερίας καθίσταται, οὐχ ὑπάρχουσα ψοφοδεὴς, οὐδὲ εὐπτόητος, οὐδὲ ταραττομένη τοῖς προσπίπτουσι λυπηροῖς, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ τῆς συνεχοῦς γυμνασίας τῶν συμβαινόντων, καὶ τῆς πυκνῆς μελέτης τῶν γινομένων, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς εὐκολίας ἅπαντα φέρουσα τὰ ἐπιόντα δεινά. Τοῦτο τοίνυν ὁ σοφὸς ἀρχιτέκτων τῆς οὐρανίου πολιτείας δηλῶν, ἔλεγεν· Οὐ μόνον δὲ, ἀλλὰ καὶ καυχώμεθα ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν· ὅτι πρὸ τῆς βασιλείας καὶ τῶν οὐρανίων στεφάνων μέγιστον ἐντεῦθεν καρπούμεθα τὸν μισθὸν, ἀπὸ τοῦ συνεχῶς θλίβεσθαι καρτερικωτέρας τῆς ψυχῆς ἡμῶν γινομένης, καὶ τῶν λογισμῶν ἰσχυροτέρων κατασκευαζομένων. Ταῦτ' οὖν ἅπαντα εἰδότες, ἀγαπητοὶ, φέρωμεν γενναίως τὰ προσπίπτοντα λυπηρὰ, διά τε τὸ τῷ Θεῷ δοκοῦν, καὶ ἐπὶ τῷ ἡμετέρῳ συμφέροντι, καὶ μὴ ἀλύωμεν, μήτε ἀναπίπτωμεν τῇ τῶν πειρασμῶν ἐπαγωγῇ, ἀλλὰ καὶ μετὰ ἀνδρείας ἁπάσης ἱστάμενοι, εὐχαριστῶμεν τῷ Θεῷ διηνεκῶς ὑπὲρ πασῶν τῶν εἰς ἡμᾶς τελουμένων εὐεργεσιῶν, ἵνα καὶ τῶν παρόντων ἀπολαύσωμεν ἀγαθῶν, καὶ τῶν μελλουσῶν ἐπιτύχωμεν δωρεῶν, χάριτι καὶ οἰκτιρμοῖς καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, ἅμα τῷ ἁγίῳ καὶ