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Of Xanthus. Xanthus the wise, seeing at the doors of a beautiful woman a home-wrecker, said: This man buys a small pleasure with great danger. Of Charicleia. For the exchange of amorous glances becomes a reminder to the one who suffers, and the sight inflames the mind, just as matter becomes kindling for a fire. For an amorous word is kindling for desire.

DISCOURSE 4. Concerning courage and strength. 15Ε_044 Matt. 16. If any man will come after me, let him deny himself,

and take up his cross, and follow me. Prov. 21. There is no wisdom for man, nor is there courage, nor is there counsel

against the Lord. 745 The horse is prepared for the day of battle: but help is from the Lord. Sirach 13. Do not associate with one stronger than yourself. What fellowship has a pot with a cauldron?

the one will strike, and the other will be broken. Eph. 6. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against

the wiles of the devil, etc. Of Basil. He endured, therefore, not without suffering nor without feeling. For what reward is there

for insensibility? But with hardship and with countless pains, nevertheless he endured, like some noble athlete, his strength and his courage, demonstrating not only by striking his opponents, but also by bearing steadfastly the blows from them; and like some wise and untroubled helmsman, from his great experience in sailing, preserving his soul upright and un-submerged and higher than any storm.

Of the Theologian. Confidence and recklessness, though they are close in name, are very much

separated from each other in meaning; and we speak of courage and cowardice. For to be confident in things that should be dared is courage, just as to yield is cowardice. But where the danger is greater, to advance and push on, but not be held back, is of recklessness, just as to withdraw is of safety.

15Ε_046 Chrysostom. One must neither refuse the contests, nor

leap at them. For thus our victory is more glorious, and the defeat for the devil more ridiculous. For having been dragged in, we must stand nobly; but not being called, we must be quiet and await the opportune moment for good things; that we may show both freedom from vainglory and nobility.

Socrates. Seeing the gates of the Corinthians securely shut,

said: Do women live here? Of Menander, Strength without sense delivers those who fall into it to the grave.

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Ξάνθου. Ξάνθος ὁ σοφός, θεασάμενος ἐπί θύραις εὐπρεποῦς γυναικός ἄνδρα

οἰκοφθόρον, ἔφη· Οὗτος ἡδονήν μικράν ὠνεῖται μεγάλῳ κινδύνῳ. Χαρικλείας. Ἡ γάρ τῶν ἐρωτικῶν ἀντίβλεψις, ὑπόμνησις τοῦ πάσχοντος

γίνεται, καί ἀναφλέγει τήν διάνοιαν ἡ θέα, καθάπερ ὕλη πυρί γενομένη ὑπέκκαυμα. Ὑπέκκαυμα γάρ ἐπιθυμίας λόγος ἐρωτικός.

ΛΟΓΟΣ ∆´. Περί ἀνδρείας καί ἰσχύος. 15Ε_044 Μαθ. ις´. Εἴ τις θέλῃ ὀπίσω μου ἐλθεῖν, ἀπαρνησάσθω ἑαυτόν,

καί ἀράτω τόν σταυρόν αὑτοῦ, καί ἀκολουθείτω μοι. Παροιμ. κα´. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἀνθρώπῳ σοφία, οὐδέ ἔστιν ἀνδρεία, οὐδέ ἔστι βουλή

κατέναντι Κυρίου. 745 Ἵππος ἑτοιμάζεται εἰς ἡμέραν πολέμου· παρά δέ Κυρίου βοήθεια. Συράχ ιγ´. Ἰσχυροτέρῳ σου μή κοινώνει. Τί κοινωνήσει χύτρα πρός λέβητα;

αὕτη προσκρούσει, καί αὕτη συντριβήσεται. Ἐφ. στ΄. Ἐνδύσασθε τήν πανοπλίαν Θεοῦ, πρός τό δύνασθαι ὑμᾶς στῆναι πρός

τάς μεθοδείας τοῦ διαβόλου, κ. τ. ἑ. Βασιλείου. Ὑπένεγκεν τοίνυν οὐκ ἀπαθῶς οὐδ᾿ ἀναισθήτως. Τίς γάρ μισθός

ἀναλγησίας; ἀλλ᾿ ἐπιπόνως μέν καί σύν ἀλγηδόσι μυρίαις, πλήν ὑπένεγκε, ὥσπερ τις γενναῖος ἀγωνιστής, τήν ἰσχύν καί τήν ἀνδρείαν, οὐ μόνον ἐκ τοῦ τύπτειν τούς ἀντιπάλους, ἀλλά καί ἐκ τοῦ φέρειν στεῤῥῶς τάς παρ᾿αὐτῶν πληγάς ἐπιδεικνύμενος· καί ὥσπερ τις κυβερνήτης σοφός καί ἀτάραχος ὑπό τῆς ἄγαν περί τόν πλοῦν ἐμπειρίας, ὀρθήν καί ἀβάπτιστον καί παντός χειμῶνος ὑψηλοτέραν τήν ψυχήν διασώζων.

Θεολόγου. Θάρσος καί θράσος, κἄν τοῖς ὀνόμασι πλησιάζει, πλεῖστον

ἀλλήλων τῇ δυνάμει κεχώρισται· ἀνδρείαν τε εἶναί φαμεν καί ἀνανδρείαν. Τό μέν γάρ ἐν τοῖς τολμητέοις θαῤῥεῖν, ἀνδρείας ἐστίν, ὥσπερ τό ὑφίεσθαι, δειλίας. Οὗ δέ πλεῖον ὁ κίνδυνος, ὁμόσε χωρεῖν καί ὠθίζεσθαι, ἀλλά μή κατέχεσθαι, θράσεως, ὥσπερ τό ὑποχωρεῖν ἀσφαλείας.

15Ε_046 Χρυσοστ. Οὔτε παραιτεῖσθαι δεῖ τούς ἀγῶνας, οὔτε πρός

τούτους ἐπιπηδᾷν. Οὕτω γάρ καί ἡμῖν ἡ νίκη λαμπροτέρα ἔστι, καί ἡ ἥττα τῷ διαβόλῳ καταγελαστοτέρα. Ἑλκυσθέντας μέν γάρ γενναίως ἑστάναι· μή καλουμένους δέ, ἡσυχάζειν καί τόν καιρόν ἀναμένειν, τῶν ἀγαθῶν· ἵνα καί τό ἀκενόδοξον, καί τό γενναῖον ἐπιδειξώμεθα.

Σωκράτης. Θεασάμενος τάς τῶν Κορινθίων πόρτας ἐσχυρῶς κεκλεισμένα,

ἔφη· Μή γυναῖκες ἐνθάδε κατοικοῦσιν; Μενάνδρου, Ἰσχύς νοῦν οὐκ ἔχουσα, τάφῳ τούς ἐμπίπτοντας παραδίδωσιν.