Dialogus de vita Joannis Chrysostomi

 honor, but he who is called by God. Thus 5 also Aaron, he says, did not glorify himself to become high priest. For although there were six hundred

 the flight of concord, most of us who are active and eager for it have become fugitives from the country, being unable to live safely and without trou

 he met with us, he did not share in words, nor in prayer, nor in communion but disembarking from the ship and running past the doors of the church, h

 to share in the suffering and to do everything, so as to stop these evils. For he put a stop to none of their lawlessness here, but even after this he

 and lamentations and fountains of tears in the marketplaces and the houses and in the desolate places and the whole part of the city was filled with

 you are exhorted to contribute zeal from yourselves. For thus you will gratify not only us, 16 but also the community of the churches, and you will re

 had fled on account of the threat contained in the imperial decree, that If anyone is not in communion with Theophilus and Arsakius and Porphyry, let

 of Bishop John of the Constantinopolitans and, as it seems, it has not been accomplished. Therefore, I wrote again through the bishops and presbyters

 savagery. This also the Savior God did, illuminating them with various revelations, so that also to Paul, the deacon of Saint Emilius, a most gentle

 He who speaks a lie is not of God, and again from David, Because the mouth of those who speak unjust things was stopped. For he who lies truly wro

 by his own choice, he was trained in the discourses for the ministry of the divine oracles. From there, being in the eighteenth year of his physical a

 of those who have believed in him will be bound. {THE DEACON} But where did they recognize the presence of the Savior? {THE BISHOP} When they cried ou

 of the rich, cutting away the abscesses of the soul, teaching them humility, to be of a humble mind towards other people, obeying the apostolic word,

 she gives one thousand gold pieces, having made him swear by the table of the Savior that he would buy clothes and clothe the poorer women of the Alex

 with his own hands on his neck, and after inflicting blows on his jaws, with clenched fingers he bloodied his nostrils, shouting 38 with a loud voice:

 by an excess of conceit. But those men, driven by great necessity because they were changing places from place to place, arrive at the camp, where Bis

 of the church, Dioscorus the bishop, who had grown old in the church but to the bishop John he writes: I think you are not ignorant of the decree of

 of John for unlawful offenses, he took advantage of their fickleness and persuades them to submit bills of accusation against John, promising them to

 Elijah was taken up did not Elisha prophesy? Paul was beheaded did he not leave behind Timothy, Titus, Apollos and ten thousand others? After these

 these of the council but if as accusers, set them up for the trial, so that I may know how I should contend, whether as against adversaries or as jud

 (for he is impetuous by nature, and rash and bold and exceedingly contentious—for there is nothing that appears to him by sight, <towards> which he do

 brother Acacius and Antiochus whom they put forward as canons of the orthodox, because We are of the faith of those who set them forth, and our doub

 reading the oracles, and others baptizing the catechumens, as was fitting because of Easter. These very things the corruptors of minds and deceivers o

 a proof of the diligence of teachers, unceasingly setting right the unconquerable quality of their resolve. Theodore said: {THE DEACON} You have spoke

 near him to the west), but in the western part, where the gate of the church is, the mule-team, on which he was accustomed to sit, having ordered it t

 of a hierophant, a man more silent than a fish and more idle than a frog (for there are times when even action speaks, especially when the good is don

 terrifying, just as bogeymen do children? Alas! Those who are clothed in worldly powers and ecclesiastical wealth with authority, with command even of

 on the one hand, that he ate alone but I did not wish you, most harmonious Theodore, to ask about the things of gluttonous infants. For being a man,

 he says, urging us to imitation Do not forget hospitality, he says, for by this some have entertained angels unawares. But the host must have the

 fell from blessing? was it not when he served his belly, deceived by the food? When did Saul fall from the kingdom? was it not when he ate the best of

 to eat bread and to put on a garment, all that you give me, I will tithe a tenth of it to you -he did not say, I will consume it at tables. That sp

 to give glory to God <in> persecutions. in the refutations of error, is there any mention of a table? But again to Titus, the bishop of Crete, let us

 they were seeking luxury. It was absurd to squander the food of the sick or the poor on the intemperance of the healthy. And what sort of law is this,

 from seeing evil. For many of the so-called bishops, wishing to cut off the reasonable hatred directed at them on account of their own ways and their

 First, that having melted down treasures he fashioned a silver object in the name of his son second, that having taken marbles from the entrance of t

 love of money is a source of evils. For he who took bribes against the innocent and thought to sell the distribution of the Holy Spirit for silver,

 Antoninus dies, with whom Eusebius had the lawsuit. Again a decree comes from Asia, this one from the clergy of the church of the Ephesians, and this

 to buy the priesthood. They say that the ravager and falsely-named patriarch of the Jews changes the rulers of the synagogue every year, or even more

 of those who deposed him and concluded the trial. <CHAPTER 19> {THE DEACON.} Forgive me, father, such things surpass drunkenness and madness and sport

 ambidextrous (for even his so-called left hand was better than the right hand of others) who at first, having served in letters, was found blameles

 slandering their life, waiting to have help from God. To these things Theodore, being astonished, said: {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} I see the facts as contrary to the n

 Or is it proper at all to cast out any disciple, much less a monk? 100 {THE DEACON} Because they provoked him or spoke ill of him. {THE BISHOP} And ou

 having led them back from vice to virtue, it will be clear that their persecutor deserves not to be persecuted, but to be pitied, as one who always ab

 having provoked the physician and enchanter of souls and removed his interpreter from the workshop of salvation, 105 they were handed over to the phys

 imitating him who, having found the one crushed by robbers, half-dead, on the way down to Jericho, placed him on his own beast of burden, having broug

 did he give? And when Optimus died in Constantinople, he closed his eyes with his own hands. In addition to these things, he also refreshed in no smal

 desiring to chasten the herd of men for their various desires towards the more austere part of life, he became his own judge and lawgiver, being stren

 toward the north, and each man's axe in his hand and one man in the midst of them, clothed in a full-length robe, and a sapphire belt on his loins a

 in many ways Who will boast that he has a pure heart? Or who will boldly claim to be pure from sin? but yet the blessed John did not know how to us

 happen to us anonymously and beneficially? sifting the reasons, not obeying him who said: Eat whatever is sold in the meat-market, asking no question

 two? {THE BISHOP} Especially if it is an unprofitable and charlatan crowd such as the one who said to Jesus: Teacher, I will follow you wherever you

 an intemperate old man, and an old man who loves learning above an unlearned younger man, and a poor layman above an educated lover of money, and a vi

 enjoying his disease nor raging with the same desires. For this is a fitting way of life for a teacher, not to linger with the crowds, but in quiet an

 having subjected his body to shameful tortures by the cruelty of judges, to the point of knocking out his teeth, as the story goes, 127 they confined

 knocking, they made the two-day journey into one, arriving late in the evening and departing in the dark of dawn, so that the stomach could not even k

 and that these things are done and are prolonged and are strong, and that the good are afflicted and plundered, brings me to shudder at his approachin

 Why shall I not be angry? looking upon me, marvel, and lay your hand upon your jaw. For if I remember, I am troubled, and pains take hold of my flesh.

 when reviled, we bless when persecuted, we endure when slandered, we entreat we have become as the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all thi

 sleepless or troubled in sleep, he suspects plots even from his own family, not trusting even himself, distrusting everyone as liars. Being such a per

 each other, for which it was also fitting, having learned something, did you not decide to be quiet and remain still by yourselves even for the future

 to his father and to his mother, I have not seen you, and his brothers he did not acknowledge he guarded your oracles, and kept your covenant. He d

 foot-soldiers' machinations for the hindering of those who travel for the truth). How then do they dare to say: By God's economy John has been cast o

savagery." This also the Savior God did, illuminating them with various revelations, so that also to Paul, the deacon of Saint Emilius, a most gentle and prudent man, the blessed apostle Paul appeared in the ship, saying to him: "See how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, knowing that the days are evil," - the dream hinting at their manifold deceit, both through gifts and flattery for the corruption of the truth. "Therefore, the same Valerianus the chiliarch," he says, "having come, put us into a very rotten ship, as was rumored, having given the price to the shipmaster for the destruction of the bishops who were sailing, along with twenty soldiers from different ranks, he immediately drove us out of Athyra. So, having sailed a considerable number of stades and being about to perish, we came to anchor at Lampsacus; and from there, having changed the merchant ship, we landed on the twentieth at Hydruntum in Calabria." But they could no longer tell us where the blessed bishop John was, or where now are the bishops with Demetrius and Cyriacus and Eulysius and Palladius, who with our bishops were sent on the embassy. {THE BISHOP} Come now, therefore, most holy one, lend me your mind, paying close attention to what is said; and in order I shall make known to you the satyric tumults in the midst of every tragedy, both from where they began their drunkenness, and up to what point they seemed to cease, but have not yet ceased. The source or beginning, as one might say, of all evils is the beauty-hating demon, always acting against the rational flocks of Christ like a wolf, mercilessly corrupting the experienced shepherds with manifold passions, just as the king of the Egyptians did the males of the Jews, and enticing with the deceits of earthly pleasures the impostors who practice falsehoods 25. But the channels of the wicked spring after this, as the whole terrestrial world knows, are Acacius and Antiochus and Theophilus and Severianus, who are called what they are not, but are what they cannot bear to be called; and of the order of the clergy, two presbyters, and five deacons, the one group gathered from an unclean, the other from a malicious number, -but I do not know if it is safe to call such men presbyters or deacons; and of the emperor's court only two or three, who also emboldened those around Theophilus, fighting alongside with military assistance; and of women, besides those well-known, three, widows indeed, but rich in men, possessing wealth from plunder to the ruin of their own salvation, trouble-makers and instigators, Marsa the wife of Promotus, and Castricia the wife of Saturninus, and Eugraphia, a certain utterly mad woman, -and the rest I am ashamed even to say. These women and these men, being dull of heart in the faith, like a wine-crazed phalanx, having gathered into one opinion of hatred for teaching, wrought a torrent of destruction against the peace of the church. {THE DEACON} Therefore, be eager, father, with God as witness, to tell us, both whence their hatred toward him came and what was the contention of Bishop John to grieve so many worthy persons; and at the same time, make known to us from where he began his life, and how he was brought to the bishopric of Constantinople, and how long he held it, and what his character was like, and what was the end of his life, if indeed he has fallen asleep, as we hear. Although a wonderful and virtuous memory of the man runs through all things, yet it is my custom not to believe rumors readily, until I learn for certain from those who know how to censure and praise correctly. {THE BISHOP} I praise your exactness, but I do not approve of your judgment, most truth-loving man and man of God, Theodore; for it was necessary for you, from our gray hair (that I may speak of myself) and 26 from our office, to be satisfied as to the proof of the truth; but since you have not done this, and you judge me twice, at least after this guarantee me an unprejudiced hearing, so that the courses of our words may not become foolish. For I know the things written in the divine law, that, "The Lord will destroy all who speak falsehood," and in the apostle John,

ἀνημερότητα." τοῦτο καὶ τοῦ Σωτῆρος Θεοῦ διαφόροις ἀποκαλύψεσιν αὐτοὺς φωτίσαντος, ὡς καὶ τῷ διακόνῳ τοῦ ἁγίου Αἰμιλίου Παύλῳ, ἀνδρὶ πραϋτάτῳ καὶ σώφρονι, ὀφθῆναι ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ τὸν μακάριον Παῦλον τὸν ἀπόστολον λέγοντα αὐτῷ· "Βλέπετε πῶς περιπατεῖτε, μὴ ὡς ἄσοφοι ἀλλ' ὡς σοφοί, εἰδότες ὅτι αἱ ἡμέραι πονηραί εἰσιν," -αἰνιττομένου τοῦ ὀνείρου τὴν πολύτροπον αὐτῶν ἀπάτην, τήν τε διὰ δώρων καὶ κολακείας ἐπὶ παραχαράξει τῆς ἀληθείας. "Ἐπιστὰς οὖν ὁ αὐτός," φησιν, "Οὐαλεριανὸς ὁ χιλίαρχος ἐνέβαλεν ἡμᾶς εἰς σαθρότατον πλοῖον, ὡς ἐθρυλεῖτο, δοὺς τὴν τιμὴν τῷ ναυκλήρῳ ἐπισκόπων τῆς ἀπωλ είας τῶν ἐμπλεόντων, ἅμα εἴκοσι στρατιώταις ἐκ τάξεων διαφόρων, παραχρῆμα ἐξέωσεν τῶν Ἀθύρων. διαπλεύσαντες οὖν ἱκανοὺς στα δίους καὶ μέλλοντες ἀπόλλυσθαι, προσωρμήσαμεν τῇ Λαμψάκῳ· κἀκεῖθεν ἀμείψαντες τὴν ὁλκάδα κατήχθημεν τῇ εἰκοστῇ ἐν Ὑδροῦντι τῆς Καλαβρίας." οὐκέτι δὲ ἡμῖν εὗρον εἰπεῖν ἐν τίσιν ὁ μακάριος ἐπίσκοπος Ἰωάννης ἢ ποῦ νῦν οἱ ἐπίσκοποι οἱ περὶ ∆ημήτριον καὶ Κυριακὸν καὶ Εὐλύσιον καὶ Παλλάδιον σὺν τοῖς ἡμετέροις ἐπισκόποις τὴν πρεσβείαν στειλάμενοι. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} ∆εῦρο δὴ λοιπόν, ἱερώτατε, ὑπόσχου μοι τὸν νοῦν, προσέχων σαφῶς τοῖς λεγομένοις· καὶ καθεξῆς σοι γνωρίσω πάσης τραγῳδίας τοὺς ἐν μέσῳ σατυρικοὺς θορύβους, πόθεν τε τῆς μέθης ἤρξαντο, καὶ μέχρι τίνος ἔδοξαν παύεσθαι, οὐδέπω δὲ πέπαυνται. ἡ μὲν ἁπάντων τῶν κακῶν, ὡς ἂν εἴποι τις, πηγὴ ἢ ἀρχή ἐστιν ὁ μισόκαλος δαίμων, ἀεὶ ἀντιπράττων ὡς λύκος ταῖς τοῦ Χριστοῦ λογικαῖς ἀγέλαις, λυμαινόμενος μὲν ἀφειδῶς τοὺς ἐμπείρους τῶν ἀγελαιοκόμων πάθεσι πολυτρόποις, καθάπερ ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Αἰγυπτίων τοὺς ἄῤῥενας τῶν Ἰουδαίων, λιπαίνων δὲ ταῖς ἀπάταις τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς ἡδονῶν τοὺς φένακας τῶν ψευδοποι 25 μένων. οἱ δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα τῆς πονηρᾶς πηγῆς ὀχετοί, ὡς ἅπας ὁ περίγειος ἐπίσταται χῶρός, εἰσιν Ἀκάκιος καὶ Ἀντίοχος καὶ Θεόφιλος καὶ Σευηριανός, οἱ λεγόμενοι μὲν ὃ μή εἰσιν, ὄντες δὲ ὃ λέγεσθαι οὐκ ἀνέχονται· τοῦ δὲ τάγματος τῶν κληρικῶν πρεσ βύτεροι δύο, διάκονοι δὲ πέντε, οἱ μὲν ἐξ ἀκαθάρτου, οἱ δὲ ἐκ κακωτικοῦ ἀριθμοῦ συναγόμενοι, -οὐκ οἶδα δὲ εἰ ἀκίνδυνον τοὺς τοιούτους λέγειν πρεσβυτέρους ἢ διακόνους· τῆς δὲ τοῦ βασιλέως αὐλῆς δύο ἢ τρεῖς μόνοι, οἳ καὶ ἐνεύρωσαν τοὺς περὶ Θεόφιλον, στρατιωτικῇ βοηθείᾳ συνεπαγωνιζόμενοι· γυναικῶν δὲ πρὸς ταῖς φημιζομέναις τρεῖς, χῆραι μέν, ἀνδρόπλουτοι δέ, ἐπ' ὀλέθρῳ τῆς ἑαυτῶν σωτηρίας τὰ ἐξ ἁρπαγῆς χρήματα κεκτημέναι, ταραξάν δριαι καὶ ἀνασείστριαι, Μάρσα Προμότου γυνή, καὶ Καστρικία ἡ Σατορνίνου, καὶ Εὐγραφία, ἀμφιμανής τις, -τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ αἰδοῦ μαι καὶ λέγειν. αὗται καὶ οὗτοι νωθροκάρδιοι ὄντες ἐν τῇ πίστει, καθάπερ φάλαγξ οἰνομανής, εἰς μίαν συναχθέντες μισοδιδασκα λίας γνώμην, χείμαῤῥον ἀπωλείας κατὰ τῆς ἐκκλησιαστικῆς εἰρήνης εἰργάσαντο. {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Τοιγαροῦν προθυμήθητι, πάτερ, ἐπὶ μαρτυροῦντος τοῦ Θεοῦ εἰπεῖν ἡμῖν, πόθεν τε τούτων τὸ πρὸς αὐτὸν μῖσος καὶ τίς ἡ φιλονεικία τοῦ ἐπισκόπου Ἰωάννου λυπῆσαι τοσαύτας ἀξίας· ὁμοῦ δὲ γνώρισον ἡμῖν πόθεν τε ἤρξατο τοῦ βίου, καὶ πῶς ἤχθη ἐπὶ τὴν Κωνσταντινουπόλεως ἐπισκοπήν, καὶ πόσον ἐκρά τησεν χρόνον, καὶ ὁποῖον τὸ τούτου ἦθος, καὶ τίς ἡ τοῦ βίου κατάλυσις, εἴ γε κεκοίμηται, ὡς ἀκούομεν. εἰ καὶ τὰ μάλιστα διὰ πάντων τρέχει θαυμασία καὶ ἐνάρετος μνήμη τοῦ ἀνδρός, ἀλλ' ὅμως σύνηθές μοι τὸ μὴ προχείρως πιστεύειν ταῖς φήμαις, πρὶν ἂν παρὰ τῶν ὀρθῶς ψέγειν καὶ ἐπαινεῖν εἰδότων μάθω βεβαίως. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Ἐπαινῶ μέν σου τὴν ἀκρίβειαν, οὐκ ἀποδέχομαι δὲ τὴν διάκρισιν, φιλαληθέστατε ἄνερ καὶ Θεοῦ ἄνθρωπε Θεόδωρε· ἔδει γάρ σε ἐξ αὐτῆς τῆς πολιᾶς ἡμῶν (ἵνα περιαυτολογήσω) καὶ 26 ἐκ τοῦ ἀξιώματος ἀρκεσθῆναι πρὸς ἀληθείας ἀπόδειξιν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῦτο μὲν οὐ πεποίηκας, δὶς δέ με κατακρίνεις, κἂν μετὰ ταῦτα ἀπροφάσιστόν μοι τὴν ἀκοὴν παρεγγύησαι, ἵνα μὴ εἰς ἀνόητον οἱ τῶν λόγων γένωνται δίαυλοι. ἐπίσταμαι γὰρ τὰ γεγραμμένα παρὰ τῷ θείῳ νόμῳ, τό, "Ἀπολεῖ Κύριος πάντας τοὺς λαλοῦντας τὸ ψεῦδος," καὶ παρὰ τῷ ἀποστόλῳ Ἰωάννῃ,