11

a cross, and the life-giving resurrection existed, which because of the defiled name of "Veneto-Prasino," which we placed upon ourselves, and we were abominated by Christ who sanctified us by his divine name, were delivered into defiled hands and were defiled. 96.473 TITLE 9. -Concerning those who are ruled; that according to the evil dispositions of those who are ruled, so also does divine judgment appoint pestilent rulers. From Philo, from the first of the Questions on Genesis. -Just as pillars support whole houses, so also do the divine powers support the whole cosmos, and the best and most God-beloved race of humanity. TITLE 12. -Concerning anarchy; that it is harmful and dangerous, and a cause of confusion. Hosea. -Hear the word of the Lord, you children of Israel; for there is a judgment against the inhabitants of the land, because there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God upon the earth, and blood is mixed with blood. Therefore the land will mourn, and will be diminished among all who dwell in it. Scholion. Let us learn through this divine word, and what follows, what is the cause of the anarchy and confusion that has befallen us, and how God is not unjust who has brought upon us the oppression from the gentiles. For we have defiled, in addition to our countless transgressions, with civil blood the holy city of our God, which is revered by the whole world, so that the precious cross, our life, has become an emigrant from it. TITLE 13. -Concerning the best men; that their oversight and supervision is salutary for affairs and for the people. From the same (Philo) from the Questions on Genesis. -If someone in a house or a village, or a city, or a nation becomes a lover of wisdom, it is necessary that that house and that city should live a better life 96.476. For the virtuous man is a common good for all, readily offering the benefit that comes from himself. TITLE 10. -Concerning those who are unstable in thought, and unsettled in opinion. From Philo, from the Questions on Genesis. - The foolish man is naturally disposed to stand upon no dogma and be fixed by none. At one time he holds one opinion, at another time another, and concerning the same things it happens, when nothing more ordinary has happened concerning them, the opposite; and his whole life is in suspense, having no unshakable foundation, but always toward things that pull in opposite directions and drag it about. TITLE 18. -Concerning those who bring messages and mediate an answer. From Saint Ignatius, from the Epistle to the Ephesians. -Whomever the master of the house sends for his own stewardship, thus we ought to receive him, as the one who sent him. TITLE 21. -Concerning sins, and that our sins cause and bring evils upon us. From Cyril, from the 15th Against Julian. -We all stumble in many ways. For nature is sick with an inclination to sin, on account of the passion that took up its abode from the beginning. From Clement, from the 8th Stromata. - Let us fear, not the disease from without, but the sins for which the disease comes. From the same (Philo) from the Questions on Exodus. -The impulse of evils whirls and spins the soul, putting a vertigo upon it, which covers, and forces to close the sight that is proper by nature, but is blinded by practice. From the same. -Nothing is so contrary and opposed to the most holy powers of God, as injustice. TITLE 42. -Concerning one who sins and errs; that he ought to be ashamed, and not to speak against the one who reproves. From Philo, from the Questions on Genesis. - Not to sin at all is the greatest good; for one who sins to turn aside from it is akin to that; a younger, as one might say, compared to an elder. For there are those who rejoice in their sins as in good deeds, having a disease that is hard to cure, or rather, incurable. TITLE 44. -Concerning holy and blessed men, for what they do, and for what they have received. From the Bishop of Nyssa, from the homily on Saint Romanus. -The wonder-workers of Christ do not run along a thin thread, nor somersaulting over naked swords, do they escape wounds by skill, but instead of a rope, they run along the narrow and precipitous path of piety with an unshaken step. And the edges of tyrannous swords they blunt with an ambition for wounds 96.477, not

11

σταυρὸς, καὶ ἡ ζωηφόρος ἀνάστασις ὑπῆρχον, ἅτινα διὰ τὸ μεμιαμμένον Βενετοπράσινον ὄνομα, ὃ ἐπεθήκαμεν ἑαυτοῖς, καὶ ἐβδελύχθημεν ὑπὸ Χριστοῦ τοῦ ἁγιάσαντος ἡμᾶς τῷ θείῳ αὐτοῦ ὀνόματι, εἰς χεῖρας μεμιαμμένων παρεδόθησαν καὶ ἐμιάνθησαν. 96.473 ΤΙΤΛ. Θʹ. -Περὶ ἀρχομένων· ὅτι πρὸς τὰς προαιρέσεις τῶν ἀρχομένων πονηρὰς, οὕτω καὶ ἄρχοντας λοιμοὺς καθιστᾷ τὸ θεῖον κρίμα. Φίλωνος, ἐκ τοῦ αʹ τῶν ἐν Γενέσει ζητουμένων. -Ωσπερ κίονες οἰκίας ὅλας ὑπερείδουσιν, οὕτω καὶ αἱ θεῖαι δυνάμεις τὸν σύμπαντα κόσμον, καὶ τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου τὸ ἄριστον καὶ θεοφιλέστατον γένος. ΤΙΤΛ. ΙΒʹ. -Περὶ ἀναρχίας· ὅτι ἐπιβλαβὴς καὶ ἐπικίνδυνος, καὶ συγχύσεως αἰτία. Ὠσῆε. -Ἀκούσατε λόγον Κυρίου, υἱοὶ Ἰσραήλ· ὅτι κρίσις πρὸς τοὺς κατοικοῦντας τὴν γῆν, διότι οὐκ ἔστιν ἀλήθεια, οὐδὲ ἔλεος, οὐδὲ ἐπίγνωσις Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς, καὶ αἵματα ἐφ' αἵμασι μίσγουσι. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο πενθήσει ἡ γῆ, καὶ σμικρυνθήσεται ἐν πᾶσι τοῖς κατοικοῦσιν αὐτήν. Σχόλ. Μάθωμεν διὰ τοῦ θείου τούτου, καὶ τῶν ἑξῆς, τί τὸ αἴτιον τῆς καταλαβούσης ἡμᾶς ἀναρχίας καὶ συγχύσεως, καὶ ὡς οὐκ ἄδικος ὁ Θεὸς ὁ ἐπαφήσας ἡμῖν τὴν καταδυναστείαν τὴν ἐξ ἐθνῶν. Ἐμολύναμεν γὰρ πρὸς τοῖς μυρίοις ἡμῶν ἀτοπήμασι, καὶ ἐμφυλίῳ αἵματι τὴν ἁγίαν καὶ τῷ παντὶ κόσμῳ σεβασμίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν πόλιν, ὡς καὶ μετανάστην γενέσθαι ταύτης τὸν τίμιον σταυρὸν τὴν ζωὴν ἡμῶν. ΤΙΤΛ. ΙΓʹ. -Περὶ ἀρίστων ἀνδρῶν· ὅτι σωτήριος ἡ τούτων ἐφορία καὶ ἐπιστασία τοῖς πράγμασι καὶ τῷ λαῷ. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ (Φίλωνος) ἐκ τῶν ἐν Γενέσει ζητουμένων. -Ἐάν τις κατ' οἰκίαν ἢ κώμην, ἢ πόλιν, ἢ ἔθνος γένηται φρονήσεως ἐραστὴς, ἀνάγκη, τὴν οἰκίαν καὶ τὴν πόλιν ἐκείνην ἀμείνονι βίῳ χρήσα 96.476 σθαι. Ὁ γὰρ ἀστεῖος κοινὸν ἀγαθόν ἐστιν ἅπασιν, ἐξ ἑτοίμου τὴν ἀφ' ἑαυτοῦ προτείνων ὠφέλειαν. ΤΙΤΛ. Ιʹ. -Περὶ ἀκαταστάτων ἐν λογισμῷ, καὶ τῇ γνώμῃ ἀνιδρύτων. Φίλωνος, ἐκ τῶν ἐν Γενέσει ζητουμένων. - Πέφυκεν ἄφρων ἐπὶ μηδενὸς ἑστάναι καὶ ἐρηρεῖσθαι δόγματος. Ἄλλοτε γοῦν ἀλλοῖα δοξάζει, καὶ περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἐστιν, ὅτε μηδενὸς περὶ αὐτὰ συμβεβηκότος κοινοτέρου, τἀναντία· καί ἐστιν ἡ ζωὴ αὐτοῦ πᾶσα κρεμαμένη, βάσιν ἀκράδαντον οὐκ ἔχουσα, ἀλλὰ πρὸς τῶν ἀντισπώντων καὶ ἀντιμεθελκόντων ἀεὶ πραγμάτων. ΤΙΤΛ. ΙΗʹ. -Περὶ ἀγγελλόντων καὶ μεσαζόντων ἀπόκρισιν. Τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰγνατίου, ἐκ τῆς πρὸς Ἐφεσίους Ἐπιστολῆς. -Πάντα ὃν ἂν πέμπῃ ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης εἰς ἰδίαν οἰκονομίαν, οὕτως ἡμᾶς δεῖ ὑποδέξασθαι, ὡς αὐτὸν τὸν πέμψαντα. ΤΙΤΛ. ΚΑʹ. -Περὶ ἁμαρτημάτων, καὶ ὅτι τὰ ἡμέτερα ἁμαρτήματα προξενοῦσι καὶ ἄγουσιν ἐφ' ἡμᾶς τὰ κακά. Κυρίλλου, ἐκ τοῦ ιεʹ κατὰ Ἰουλιανοῦ. -Πολλὰ πταίομεν ἅπαντες. Νοσεῖ γὰρ ἡ φύσις τὸ εἰς ἁμαρτίαν εὔκολον, διὰ τὸν ἐξ ἀρχῆς εἰσοικισάμενον τὸ πάθος. Κλήμεντος, ἐκ τοῦ ηʹ Στρωμ. - Φοβηθῶμεν, οὐχὶ νόσον τὴν ἔξωθεν, ἀλλὰ ἁμαρτήματα δι' ἃ ἡ νόσος. Τοῦ αὐτοῦ (Φίλωνος) ἐκ τῆς τῶν ἐν Ἐξόδῳ Ζητημάτων. -Ἡ φορὰ τῶν κακιῶν ἀνακυκᾷ καὶ στροβεῖ τὴν ψυχὴν, ἴλιγγον αὐτῇ περιτιθεῖσα, τὸν καλύπτοντα, καὶ καμμύειν ἐκβιαζόμενον τὴν φύσει μὲν πρέπουσαν ὄψιν, ἐπιτηδεύσει δὲ τυφλουμένην. Τῶν αὐτῶν. -Οὐδὲν ἀναντίον καὶ μαχόμενον ταῖς ὁσιωτάταις τοῦ Θεοῦ δυνάμεσιν, ὡς ἀδικία. ΤΙΤΛ. ΜΒʹ. -Περὶ ἁμαρτάνοντος καὶ σφάλλοντος· ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν ἐντρέπεσθαι, καὶ μὴ ἀντιῤῥημονεῖν τῷ ἐλέγχοντι. Φίλωνος, ἐκ τῶν ἐν Γενέσει Ζητουμένων. - Τὸ μὴ ἁμαρτάνειν μηδὲν τὸ παράπαν, μέγιστον ἀγαθόν· τὸ ἁμαρτάνοντα ἐκτραπῆναι, συγγενὲς ἐκείνου· νεώτερον ὡς ἄν τις εἴποι παρὰ πρεσβύτερον. Εἰσὶ γὰρ οἱ ἐπὶ ἁμαρτανομένοις, ὡς ἐπὶ κατορθώμασιν ἀγαλλόμενοι, δυσίατον, μᾶλλον δὲ ἀνίατον νόσον ἔχοντες. ΤΙΤΛ. Μ∆ʹ. -Περὶ ἁγίων καὶ μακαριζομένων ἀνδρῶν, ἐφ' οἷς δρῶσι, καὶ ὑπὲρ ὧν τετύχασιν. Τοῦ Νύσσης, ἐκ τοῦ εἰς τὸν ἅγιον Ῥωμανόν. -Οὐ μήρυνθον λεπτὴν διαθέουσιν οἱ θαυματοποιοὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, οὐδὲ ξίφεσιν ἐπικυβιστῶντες γυμνοῖς, τέχνῃ τὰς πληγὰς διαφεύγουσι, ἀλλ' ἀντὶ μὲν σχοινίου τὴν στενὴν καὶ ἀμφίκρημνον τῆς εὐσεβείας ὁδὸν ἀσαλεύτῳ βήματι διατρέχουσι. Τῶν δὲ τυραννουμένων ξιφῶν τὰς ἀκμὰς τῇ τῶν πληγῶν φιλοτιμίᾳ 96.477 ἀμβλύνουσιν, οὐ