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And yet if we had sought it, not even so would it have been an accusation; for it is likely that those sent from God to men, as ambassadors now come from heaven, should enjoy great honor. But out of abundance we do none of these things, that we may stop the mouths of our adversaries. 3. And it is not possible to say that we act so toward you, but not so toward others. For so also writing to the Corinthians he said: For you bear it, if a man brings you into bondage, if a man devours you, if a man takes of you, if a man exalts himself, if a man smites you on the face; and again, But his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible; and again, Forgive me this wrong. For he shows there also, that he was exceedingly humble from having suffered so many things. But here he also says concerning money: Being able to be burdensome, as the apostles of Christ. But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherishes her own children, so being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the Gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because you were dear to us. But we were, he says, gentle; that is, We showed nothing 62.403 troublesome nor offensive nor burdensome nor boastful. And the phrase, Among you, is such as one might say, of you, not taking the higher position. As a nurse, he says, cherishes her own children. So ought the teacher to be. Does the nurse flatter, that she may obtain glory? does she ask for money from the little children? is she burdensome to them and troublesome? are they not more gentle than mothers? Here he shows his tender affection. So, he says, being affectionately desirous of you, that is, longing for you; so are we bound to you, he says, that not only would we take nothing, but if it were necessary to impart our souls also, we would not have refused. Is this then, tell me, of human thought? and who is so foolish as to say this? We are willing, he says, to impart to you, not only the Gospel of God, but also our own souls. So that this is greater than that. And what is the gain? For from the Gospel, there is gain; but to give one's soul, in terms of difficulty, is greater than that. For it is not the same to simply preach, and to give one's soul; for the former is more honorable, but the latter was of greater difficulty. We wished, he says, if it were possible, even to empty out our souls into you. Since then he has praised and does praise, for this reason he says that, Not seeking money, not flattering you, not desiring glory, do we do this. For see: if they had struggled much, and it was necessary for them to be praised and admired in an extraordinary way, so as to become stronger, the praise would have held suspicion. For this reason, warding off suspicion, he speaks of the dangers. And again, lest it should be thought that he speaks of the dangers for this reason, as one who toils for them and ought to be honored by them for it, after speaking of the dangers, he added: Because you have become beloved to us; showing that for this reason we would gladly have given you our souls also, because we were exceedingly bound to you. The Gospel, then, since God commanded it, we proclaim; but we love you so much, that if it were possible, we would have given our souls also. Thus ought one to love the one who loves, that if even his soul be asked for, and it be possible, not to refuse. What do I say, be asked for? But so that he himself runs to such a gift. For nothing, nothing could be sweeter than such love; nothing grievous will befall there. Truly a faithful friend is a medicine of life; truly a faithful friend is a strong shelter. For what would a genuine friend not accomplish? How much pleasure would he not create? How much benefit? How much security? And if you should speak of ten thousand treasures, nothing is of equal worth to a genuine friend. And first let us speak of friendship itself, how much pleasure it has. He is brightened at seeing him and is gladdened, he is entwined with him in a certain embrace of the soul that has an unspeakable pleasure; and if he only remembers him, he is roused in the

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Καίτοι γε εἰ καὶ ἐζητήσαμεν, οὐδὲ οὕτως ἦν ἔγκλημα· εἰκὸς γὰρ τοὺς παρὰ Θεοῦ πρὸς ἀνθρώπους ἀποσταλέντας, ὡσανεὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ νῦν ἥκοντας πρέσβεις, πολλῆς ἀπολαῦσαι τιμῆς. Ἀλλ' ἐκ περιουσίας ἡμεῖς οὐδὲν τούτων πράττομεν, ἵνα τὰ τῶν ἐναντίων ἐμφράξωμεν στόματα. γʹ. Καὶ οὐκ ἔνι εἰπεῖν ὅτι πρὸς μὲν ὑμᾶς οὕτω, πρὸς δὲ ἑτέρους οὐχ οὕτως. οὕτω γὰρ καὶ Κορινθίοις γράφων ἔλεγεν· Ἀνέχεσθε γὰρ, εἴ τις ὑμᾶς καταδουλοῖ, εἴ τις κατεσθίει, εἴ τις λαμβάνει, εἴ τις ἐπαίρεται, εἴ τις ὑμᾶς εἰς πρόσωπον δέρει· καὶ πάλιν, Ἡ δὲ παρουσία τοῦ σώματος ἀσθενὴς, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἐξουθενημένος· καὶ πάλιν, Χαρίσασθέ μοι τὴν ἀδικίαν ταύτην. ∆είκνυσι γὰρ κἀκεῖ, ὅτι σφόδρα ταπεινὸς ἦν ἀπὸ τοῦ τοσαῦτα παθεῖν. Ἐνταῦθα δὲ καὶ περὶ χρημάτων φησὶ τό· ∆υνάμενοι ἐν βάρει εἶναι ὡς Χριστοῦ ἀπόστολοι. Ἀλλ' ἐγενήθημεν ἤπιοι ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν. ὡς ἂν τροφὸς θάλπῃ τὰ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα, οὕτως ἱμειρόμενοι ὑμῶν, εὐδοκοῦμεν μεταδοῦναι ὑμῖν, οὐ μόνον τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχὰς, διότι ἀγαπητοὶ ἡμῖν ἐγενήθητε. Ἀλλ' ἐγενήθημεν, φησὶν, ἤπιοι· τουτέστιν, Οὐδὲν 62.403 φορτικὸν οὐδὲ ἐπαχθὲς οὐδὲ βαρὺ οὐδὲ κόμπον ἔχον ἀπεδειξάμεθα. Καὶ τὸ, Ἐν μέσῳ ὑμῶν, τοιοῦτόν ἐστιν, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, ἐξ ὑμῶν, οὐχὶ τὴν ἄνω λαβόντες λῆξιν. Ὡς ἐὰν τροφὸς, φησὶ, θάλπῃ τὰ ἑαυτῆς τέκνα. Οὕτω δεῖ τὸν διδάσκαλον εἶναι. Μὴ ἡ τροφὸς κολακεύει, ἵνα δόξης τύχῃ; μὴ χρήματα αἰτεῖ παρὰ τῶν παίδων τῶν μικρῶν; μὴ βαρεῖα αὐτοῖς ἐστι καὶ φορτική; οὐχὶ μᾶλλον τῶν μητέρων εἰσὶ προσηνεῖς; Ἐνταῦθα τὴν φιλοστοργίαν δείκνυσιν. Οὕτω, φησὶν, ἱμειρόμενοι ὑμῶν, τουτέστιν, ἐπιθυμοῦντες· οὕτως ὑμῖν προσδεδέμεθα, φησὶν, ὅτι οὐ μόνον οὐδὲν λαμβάνωμεν, ἀλλ' εἰ δεῖ καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς μεταδοῦναι, οὐκ ἂν παρῃτησάμεθα. Τοῦτο οὖν, εἰπέ μοι, ἀνθρωπίνης διανοίας; καὶ τίς οὕτως ἀνόητος, ὡς τοῦτο εἰπεῖν; Εὐδοκοῦμεν, φησὶ, μεταδοῦναι ὑμῖν, οὐ μόνον τὸ Εὐαγγέλιον τοῦ Θεοῦ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἑαυτῶν ψυχάς. Ὥστε τοῦτο μεῖζον ἐκείνου. Καὶ τί τὸ κέρδος; Ἀπὸ μὲν γὰρ τοῦ Εὐαγγελίου, κέρδος· τὸ δὲ τὴν ψυχὴν δοῦναι, κατὰ τὴν δυσκολίαν μεῖζον ἐκείνου. Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἴσον ἁπλῶς κηρῦξαι, καὶ ψυχὴν δοῦναι· ἐκεῖνο μὲν γὰρ τιμιώτερον, τοῦτο δὲ πλείονος δυσκολίας ἦν. Ἐβουλόμεθα, φησὶν, εἴ γε ἐνῆν, καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς εἰς ὑμᾶς κενῶσαι. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐπῄνεσε καὶ ἐπαινεῖ, διὰ τοῦτο λέγει, ὅτι Οὐ χρήματα ζητοῦντες, οὐ κολακεύοντες ὑμᾶς, οὐ δόξης ἐφιέμενοι, τοῦτο ποιοῦμεν. Ὅρα γάρ· εἰ πολλὰ ἦσαν ἀθλήσαντες, καὶ παραδόξως ἔδει αὐτοὺς ἐπαινεθῆναι καὶ θαυμασθῆναι, ὥστε στεῤῥοτέρους γενέσθαι, εἶχεν ὁ ἔπαινος ὑποψίαν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο, ἀποκρουόμενος τὴν ὑποψίαν, τοὺς κινδύνους λέγει. Καὶ πάλιν, ἵνα μὴ νομισθῇ διὰ τοῦτο τοὺς κινδύνους λέγειν, ὡς κάμνων ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν, καὶ ὀφείλων τιμηθῆναι παρ' αὐτῶν, ὑπὲρ τούτου, μετὰ τὸ εἰπεῖν τοὺς κινδύνους, ἐπήγαγε· ∆ιότι ἀγαπητοὶ ἡμῖν γεγένησθε· δηλῶν ὅτι διὰ τοῦτο καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς ἡδέως ἂν ὑμῖν ἔδομεν, ὅτι Σφόδρα ὑμῖν προσεδέθημεν. Τὸ μὲν οὖν Εὐαγγέλιον, ἐπειδὴ ὁ Θεὸς ἐκέλευσε, καταγγέλλομεν· τοσοῦτον δὲ ὑμᾶς φιλοῦμεν, ὅτι εἰ ἐνῆν, καὶ τὰς ψυχὰς ἂν ἐδώκαμεν. Οὕτω δεῖ φιλεῖν τὸν φιλοῦντα, ὡς, εἰ καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν αἰτηθῇ, καὶ δυνατὸν ᾖ, μὴ κωλῦσαι. Τί λέγω, αἰτηθῇ; ἀλλ' ὥστε αὐτὸν ἐπιτρέχειν τῇ τοιαύτῃ δόσει. Οὐδὲν γὰρ, οὐδὲν τῆς τοιαύτης ἀγάπης γλυκύτερον γένοιτ' ἄν· οὐδὲν ἐκεῖ λυπηρὸν συμπεσεῖται. Ὄντως φίλος πιστὸς φάρμακον ζωῆς· ὄντως φίλος πιστὸς σκέπη κραταιά. Τί γὰρ οὐκ ἂν ἐργάσαιτο φίλος γνήσιος; πόσην μὲν οὐκ ἂν ἐμποιήσειεν ἡδονήν; πόσην δὲ ὠφέλειαν; πόσην δὲ ἀσφάλειαν; Κἂν μυρίους θησαυροὺς εἴπῃς, οὐδὲν ἀντάξιον γνησίου φίλου. Καὶ τὰ αὐτῆς πρῶτον εἴπωμεν τῆς φιλίας πόσην ἔχει τὴν ἡδονήν. Γάννυται ὁρῶν αὐτὸν καὶ διαχεῖται, συμπλέκεται συμπλοκὴν αὐτῷ τινα κατὰ τὴν ψυχὴν ἄῤῥητον ἔχουσαν τὴν ἡδονήν· κἂν ἀναμνησθῇ μόνον αὐτοῦ, διανέστη τῇ