One thing seemed to be for the just and the impious, for the good and the evil, for the pure and the impure, and for the one who propitiates God and the one who does not. For when the unjust and the good, when the perjurer and the one who completely avoids an oath, were hoped to be driving toward the same end, a certain condemnation underlies the fact that all come to a similar end. But now I know that these are the thoughts of foolish men, and errors and deceptions. And they say many things, such as that the one who has died is completely gone; and that the living is to be preferred to the dead, even if he lies in darkness, even if he goes through life in the manner of a dog, over the lion that is dead. For the living at least know this, that they will die; but the dead know nothing at all. And rewards for nothing lie ahead after one has paid the debt. Both the enmity and the friendship toward the dead have an end. For of them, whether zeal, it has ceased; whether life, it has vanished. And there is a share of nothing for the one who has once departed from here. Error, still chanting these things, also gives such counsel: What are you doing, O man, and not living luxuriously, nor filling yourself with all kinds of foods, and over-filling yourself with wine? Do you not perceive that these things have been given by God for unhindered enjoyment? Put on a 1012 freshly washed garment, and having anointed your head with myrrh, see this woman, and that one, and vainly pass through the vain life? For nothing else is left to you besides these things, not here, nor after death. But do whatever comes to hand. For no one will demand an account of these things from you; nor are the things done by men known at all outside of men. And Hades, whatever it is, to which we are said to be departing, is devoid of wisdom and perception. These things, the vain say. But I know well that neither will those who seem swiftest accomplish that great race, nor will the powerful and those deemed fearsome among men win the fearsome war. But neither is prudence tested in an abundance of food, nor is understanding accustomed to associate with wealth. Nor do I rejoice with those who think that all will obtain similar things. But those who think such things seem to be quite asleep, and not considering that, becoming snatched away like fish and birds, they will be worn down in evils, suddenly receiving their deserved punishment. But I consider wisdom so great a thing, that even a small city inhabited by few, but besieged by the hand of a great king, I consider great and mighty, if it should have even one wise man, a poor citizen. For this man would be able to save his own city both from its enemies and from their siege-works. And others do not know that wise poor man; but I very much prefer the strength in wisdom to this popular power. But here wisdom cohabiting with poverty is dishonored; but hereafter it will be heard crying out above potentates and tyrants who long for evil things. For wisdom is mightier even than iron; And the folly of one works danger for many, even if it is despised by many.

CHAPTER 10 1 For flies falling into myrrh, and being drowned in it, unseemly of the sweet

ointment, they make both its appearance and its application; but it is not fitting to mention wisdom and folly in the same breath. The wise man indeed guides himself to the right side of affairs; but the foolish man has inclined to the left, nor 1013 is there a time when he will use folly as a guide to good affairs. And his thoughts are vain, filled with foolishness. And if ever a hostile spirit should fall upon you, O friend, stand firm, knowing that God is able to forgive a multitude of even many sins. But these are the works of a tyrant, and of the father of all wickedness: for the foolish man to be lifted to a height, and for the rich man to be humbled in his prudence; and for slaves of sins to be seen carried on horseback, but holy men walking dishonorably, while the wicked exult. But if anyone plots against another, he is unaware of himself

ἓν ἐδόκει δι καίου τε καὶ ἀσεβοῦς, ἀγαθοῦ τε καὶ κακοῦ, καθαροῦ τε καὶ ἀκαθάρτου, καὶ Θεὸν ἱλασκομένου καὶ μή. Ὅτε γὰρ ἄδικος καὶ ὁ ἀγαθὸς, ὅτε ἐπίορκος, καὶ ὁ τέλεον ὅρκον ἐκτρεπόμενος, εἰς ταὐτὸ τέλος ἐλαύνειν ἠλπίζετο, κατάγνωσίς τέ τις ὕπεισι τοῦ εἰς ὅμοια τελευτᾷν ἅπαντας. Γινώσκω δὲ νῦν ὡς ἀφρόνων ταῦτα ἐνθυμήματα, καὶ πλάναι καὶ ἐξαπάται. Καὶ πολλὰ λέγουσιν, ὡς ὁ ἀποθανὼν οἴχεται τέλεον· καὶ προτι μητέον τὸν ζῶντα τοῦ τεθνηκότος, κᾶν ἐν σκότῳ κείμενος ᾖ, κἂν κυνὸς τρόπον, τὸν βίον διαπορεύηται, παρὰ τὸν λέοντα τὸν τεθνηκότα. Οἱ μὲν γὰρ ζῶντες τοῦτο γοῦν ἐπίστανται, ὅτι τεθνήξονται· οἱ δὲ νεκροὶ οὐδ' ὁτιοῦν γινώσκουσιν. Ἀμοιβαὶ δὲ οὐδενὸς πρό κεινται μετὰ τὸ ἀποπληρῶσαι τὸ χρεών. Ἥ τε ἔχθρα καὶ ἡ φιλία ἡ πρὸς τοὺς τεθνηκότας, τέλος ἔχει. Ἐκείνων γὰρ, εἴτε ζῆλος, ἐξέλιπεν· εἴτε βίος, ἠφά νισται. Μέτεστι δὲ οὐδενὸς τῷ ἅπαξ ἐντεῦθεν ἀπελ θόντι. Ταῦτα ἡ πλάνη ἐπᾴδουσα ἔτι, καὶ τοιαῦτα συμβουλεύει· Τί πράττεις, ὦ οὗτος, καὶ οὐ τρυφᾷς, οὐδὲ ἐμφορῇ μὲν ἐδεσμάτων παντοίων, οἴνου δὲ ὑπερ εμπίπλασαι; Οὐκ αἰσθάνῃ, ὡς ἐκ Θεοῦ ταυτὶ δέδοται πρὸς ἀπόλαυσιν ἀνεπικώλυτον; Περιβαλοῦ ἐσθῆτα 1012 νεόπλυτον, καὶ μύρῳ τὴν κεφαλὴν χρισάμενος, ὅρα τὴν γυναῖκα ταύτην, κἀκείνην δὲ ματαίως τὸν μά ταιον πάρελθε βίον; Ἕτερον γὰρ οὐδὲν ὑπολεί πεταί σοι παρὰ ταῦτα, οὐκ ἐνθάδε, οὐδὲ μετὰ θάνατον. Ἀλλὰ πράττε τὰ προστυχόντα. Οὔτε γὰρ λογισμὸν σέ τις τούτων εἰσπράξεται· οὔθ' ὅλως γινώσκεται ἐκτὸς ἀνθρώπων τὰ ὑπ' ἀνθρώπων γινόμενα. Ἅιδης δὲ, ὅ τί ποτε καὶ ἔστιν, εἰς ὃν ἀπιέναι λεγόμεθα, σοφίας καὶ αἰσθήσεως ἀμοιρεῖ. Ταῦτα μὲν οἱ μά ταιοι. Ἐγὼ δὲ εὖ οἶδα, ὡς οὔτε οἱ κουφότατοι δο κοῦντες τὸν μέγαν δρόμον ἐκεῖνον ἀνύσουσιν, οὔτε οἱ δυνατοὶ καὶ φοβεροὶ παρὰ ἀνθρώποις δεδοξασμέ νοι, τὸν φοβερὸν πόλεμον νικήσουσιν. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἐν ἐδωδῆς πλήθει φρόνησις δοκιμάζεται, οὐδὲ σύνεσις πλούτῳ κοινωνεῖν εἴωθεν. Οὐδὲ συγχαίρω τοῖς οἰο μένοις ἅπαντας τῶν ὁμοίων τεύξεσθαι. Πάνυ δὲ ὑπνώττειν ἐοίκασιν οἱ τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐνθυμούμενοι, καὶ μὴ λογιζόμενοι, ὡς δίκην ἰχθύων καὶ ὀρνέων ἀνάρ παστοι γινόμενοι, ἐν κακοῖς κατατριβήσονται, ἄφνω τῆς ἀξίας λαχόντες ἐπιτιμίας. Ἐγὼ δὲ σοφίαν οὕτω τι μέγα ἡγοῦμαι, ὡς καὶ πόλιν μικρὰν ὑπ' ὀλίγων μὲν οἰκουμένην, ὑπὸ δὲ μεγάλου πολιορκουμένην βα σιλέως χειρὶ, πολλὴν καὶ μεγάλην ἡγοῦμαι, εἰ καὶ ἕνα σοφὸν ἄνδρα πολίτην ἔχοι πένητα. ∆ύναιτο γὰρ ἂν οὗτος καὶ ἐκ τῶν πολεμίων, καὶ ἐκ τῶν χαρακω μάτων τὴν ἑαυτοῦ διασῶσαι πόλιν. Καὶ ἄλλοι μὲν τὸν σοφὸν ἐκεῖνον οὐ γινώσκουσι πένητα· ἐγὼ δὲ καὶ πάνυ προκρίνω τὴν ἐν σοφίᾳ ἰσχὺν ταύτης τῆς δη μώδους δυνάμεως. Ἀλλ' ἐνθάδε μὲν ἀτιμάζεται σοφία πενίᾳ συνοικοῦσα· ἀκουσθήσεται δὲ μετέ πειτα ὑπερφωνοῦσα δυνάστας καὶ τυράννους κακῶν ὀρεγομένους. Σοφία γὰρ καὶ σιδήρου δυνατωτέρα· Ἀφροσύνη τε ἑνὸς πολλοῖς κίνδυνον ἐργάζεται, κἂν πολλοῖς καταφρόνητος ᾖ.

ΚΕΦΑΛ. Ιʹ 1 Καὶ γὰρ μυῖαι ἐμπεσοῦσαι μύρῳ, καὶ ἐναποπνι γεῖσαι, ἀσχήμονα τοῦ ἡδέος

ἐκείνου χρίσματος, τήν τε ὄψιν, καὶ τὴν χρίσιν ἐργάζονται· σοφίας δὲ καὶ ἀφροσύνης οὐδὲν ἐν ταυτῷ μεμνῆσθαι προσῆκον. Ὁ μέν γε σοφὸς ἑαυτὸν ἐπὶ δεξιὰ τῶν πραγμάτων ὁδηγεῖ· ἄφρων δὲ εἰς ἀριστερὰ ἀπονένευκεν, οὐδ' 1013 ἔστιν ὅτε καλῶν ὁδηγῷ πραγμάτων ἀφροσύνῃ χρήσε ται. Μάταια δὲ αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰ ἐνθυμήματα, ἀφροσύ νης ἀναπεπλησμένα. Εἰ δὲ καὶ πνεῦμά σοί ποτε, ὦ φίλος, πολέμιον προσπέσοι, ἔνστηθι ἐῤῥωμένως, γι νώσκων ὡς καὶ πολλῶν ἁμαρτημάτων πλῆθος Θεὸς ἱλάσασθαι δύναται. Τυράννου δὲ ἔργα ταῦτα, καὶ πα τρὸς πάσης πονηρίας· τὸν μὲν ἄφρονα εἰς ὕψος αἴρε σθαι, τὸν πλούσιον δὲ φρονήσει ταπεινοῦσθαι· καὶ δούλους μὲν ἁμαρτιῶν ἐπὶ ἵππον φερομένους, ἄνδρας δὲ ἱεροὺς βαδίζοντας ἀτίμως ὁρᾶσθαι, τῶν πονηρῶν γαυρουμένων. Εἰ δέ τις ἑτέρῳ ἐπιβουλεύει, λέληθεν αὑτὸν