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Harshness, envy, flattery, vindictiveness and callousness, and all the contrary passions conceived in us, is a list of certain tyrants and masters, who enslave the soul to their own power, as if it were a captive of the spear. But if one should also consider the misfortunes concerning the body, those intertwined and interwoven with our nature, I mean the various and manifold forms of diseases, of all of which humanity was at first without experience, much more will the tear increase, contemplating in parallel the painful things instead of the good, and setting the evil things against the better ones. Therefore, he who blesses mourning seems to teach this in secret, that the soul should look to the true good, and not be submerged in the present deceit of life; for it is not possible for one who has examined matters with precision to live without tears, nor for one who plunges into the pleasures of this life to think he is in painful circumstances; just as one can see such a thing in irrational animals; whose constitution of nature is pitiable; (for what is more pitiable than the deprivation of reason?) but they have no perception of their misfortune, but their life too is spent in a certain pleasure; and the horse exults, and the bull raises dust; and the boar bristles its mane; and the puppies play, and the calves leap about, and it is possible to see each of the animals showing its pleasure through certain signs, which, if they had any understanding of the grace of reason, would not have spent their dull and wretched life in pleasure. So it is also with humans, who have no knowledge of the good things, 44.1229 of which our nature has been deprived, for these the conduct of the present life is according to pleasure. But it follows from taking pleasure in present things, not to seek the better things. And he who does not seek, would not find that which comes only to those who seek. Therefore, for this reason the Word blesses mourning, not judging it to be blessed for its own sake, but because of what comes from it. And the pairing of the saying shows, that for them mourning is blessed because of its reference to comfort. For, he says, Blessed are those who mourn, and he did not stop the saying there, but added, For they shall be comforted. Which it seems to me the great Moses had pre-conceived (or rather, the Word who ordained these things in him, in the mystical observances of the Passover); that he legislated for them unleavened bread on the feast days; and to make bitter herbs the relish for their food, so that through such riddles we might learn, that it is not possible to partake of that mystical feast otherwise, unless the bitter herbs of this life are willingly mixed with the simple and unleavened life. For this reason also the great David, although seeing around himself the highest measure of human good fortune (I mean the kingdom); lavishly casts bitter herbs upon his own life, groaning in lamentation, and bewailing the extension of his sojourning in the flesh, and fainting, from the desire for greater things, says, Woe is me, that my sojourning is prolonged. And elsewhere, looking intently upon the beauty of the divine tabernacles, he says he faints with longing, judging it more precious for himself to be ranked in the last place there, than to be first in present things. But if anyone should wish to understand more precisely the power of this mourning that is called blessed, let him examine for himself the narrative concerning Lazarus and the rich man, in which such a doctrine is made clearer to us. For remember, says Abraham to the rich man, that you received your good things in your life; and likewise Lazarus the evil things; for this reason he is comforted, but you are in anguish. For it seems, since thoughtlessness, or rather, evil counsel, turned us away from God's good economy for man—for God legislated that the good in our enjoyment be unmixed with evil, and forbade mixing the experience of evil with the good—since we through gluttony willingly sated ourselves with the contrary (I mean, having tasted disobedience to the divine Word); for this reason it is altogether necessary for the ... to be in both

13

ἀπήνεια, φθόνος, κολακεία, μνησικακία τε καὶ ἀναλγησία, καὶ πάντα τὰ κατὰ τὸ ἐναντίον ἐν ἡμῖν νοούμενα πάθη, τυράννων ἐστί τινων καὶ δεσπο τῶν ἀπαρίθμησις, τῶν πρὸς τὸ ἴδιον κράτος τὴν ψυχὴν οἷόν τινα δορυάλωτον καταδουλούντων. Εἰ δέ τις καὶ τὰς περὶ τὸ σῶμα συμφορὰς ἀναλογίζοιτο, τὰς τῇ φύσει ἡμῶν συμπεπλεγμένας τε καὶ συστρε φομένας, τὰς ποικίλας λέγω καὶ πολυτρόπους τῶν νοσημάτων ἰδέας, ὧν πάντων τὸ κατ' ἀρχὰς ἀπεί ρατον ἦν τὸ ἀνθρώπινον, πολὺ μᾶλλον πλεονάσει τὸ δάκρυον, ἐκ παραλλήλου θεωρῶν ἀντὶ τῶν ἀγαθῶν τὰ λυπηρὰ, καὶ ἀντιπαρατιθεὶς τὰ κακὰ τοῖς βελ τίοσιν. Τοῦτο οὖν ἔοικεν ἐν ἀποῤῥήτῳ διδάσκειν ὁ μακαρίζων τὸ πένθος, τὸ πρὸς τὸ ἀληθινὸν ἀγαθὸν τὴν ψυχὴν βλέπειν, μηδὲ τῇ παρούσῃ ἀπάτῃ τοῦ βίου καταβαπτίζεσθαι· οὐ γὰρ ἔστιν οὔτε ἀδακρυτὶ ζῇν τὸν ἐπεσκεμμένον δι' ἀκριβείας τὰ πράγματα, οὔτε ἐν λυπηροῖς εἶναι νομίζειν τὸν ταῖς βιωτικαῖς ἡδοναῖς ἐμβαθύνοντα· καθάπερ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀλόγων τὸ τοιοῦτον ἔστιν ἰδεῖν· οἷς ἐλεεινὴ μὲν ἡ τῆς φύσεώς ἐστι κατασκευή· (τί γὰρ ἐλεεινότερον τῆς τοῦ λόγου στερήσεως;) αἴσθησις δὲ τῆς συμφορᾶς αὐτοῖς οὐδε μία, ἀλλὰ κατά τινα ἡδονὴν κἀκείνοις ἡ ζωὴ διεξ άγεται· καὶ ὁ ἵππος γαυριᾷ, καὶ ὁ ταῦρος κονίζεται· καὶ ὁ σὺς φρίσσει τὴν λοφιάν· καὶ οἱ σκύλακες παί ζουσι, καὶ διασκιρτῶσιν οἱ μόσχοι, καὶ ἕκαστον τῶν ζώων ἔστιν ἰδεῖν διά τινων τεκμηρίων τὴν ἡδονὴν ἐνδεικνύμενον, οἷς εἴ τις κατανόησις ἦν τῆς τοῦ λόγου χάριτος, οὐκ ἂν τὸν κωφὸν αὐτῶν καὶ ταλαί πωρον βίον ἐν ἡδονῇ διετίθεντο. Οὕτως καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἀνθρώπων, οἷς οὐδεμία τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐστι γνῶσις, 44.1229 ὧν ἡ φύσις ἡμῶν ἀπεστέρηται, τούτοις καθ' ἡδονὴν ἡ τῆς παρούσης ζωῆς διαγωγή. Ἀκολουθεῖ δὲ τῷ τοῖς παροῦσιν ἥδεσθαι, τὸ μὴ ζητεῖν τὰ βελτίω. Ὁ δὲ μὴ ζητῶν, οὐκ ἂν εὕροι τὸ μόνοις ζη τοῦσι παραγενόμενον. Οὐκοῦν διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Λόγος μα καρίζει τὸ πένθος, οὐ δι' ἑαυτὸ κρίνων εἶναι μακάριον, ἀλλὰ διὰ τὸ ἐξ ἐκείνου παραγενόμενον. ∆είκνυσι δὲ τοῦ λόγου ἡ συζυγία, ὅτι τῆς πρὸς τὴν παράκλη σιν ἀναφορᾶς τὸ πενθεῖν αὐτοῖς ἐστι μακάριον. Μα κάριοι γὰρ, φησὶν, οἱ πενθοῦντες καὶ οὐκ ἔστησεν ἐν τούτῳ τὸν λόγον, ἀλλὰ προσέθηκεν, Ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρακληθήσονται. Ὅ μοι δοκεῖ προκατανενοηκὼς ὁ μέγας Μωϋσῆς (μᾶλλον δὲ, ὁ ἐν ἐκείνῳ ταῦτα δια τάσσων Λόγος, ἐν ταῖς μυστικαῖς τοῦ Πάσχα παρατη ρήσεσιν)· ἄζυμον μὲν αὐτοῖς ἄρτον ἐν ταῖς ἑορτασί μοις ἡμέραις νομοθετῆσαι· ὄψον δὲ τῇ βρώσει πικρί δας ποιήσασθαι, ὡς ἂν διὰ τῶν τοιούτων μάθοιμεν αἰ νιγμάτων, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστι τῆς μυστικῆς ἐκείνης ἑορτῆς μετασχεῖν ἄλλως, εἰ μὴ αἱ πικρίδες τοῦ βίου τούτου τῇ ἁπλῇ καὶ ἀζύμῳ ζωῇ ἑκουσίως καταμιγνύοιντο. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ὁ μέγας ∆αβὶδ, καίτοι τὸ ἀκρότατον τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης εὐκληρίας μέτρον (λέγω δὴ τὴν βα σιλείαν) περὶ ἑαυτὸν βλέπων· δαψιλῶς ἐπιβάλλει τῶν πικρίδων τῇ ἑαυτοῦ ζωῇ στενάζων ἐν οἰμωγῇ, καὶ θρηνῶν τὴν παράτασιν τῆς ἐν σαρκὶ παροικίας, καὶ ἐκλείπων, ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν μειζόνων ἐπιθυμίας, φησὶν, Οἴμοι ὅτι ἡ παροικία μου ἐμακρύνθη, Ἑτέρωθι δὲ πρὸς τὸ κάλλος τῶν θείων σκηνωμάτων ἀτενὲς ἀπο βλέπων, ἐκλιπεῖν ὑπὸ τῆς ἐπιθυμίας φησὶ, τὸ ἐν ἐσχάτοις ἐκεῖ τετάχθαι, τοῦ πρωτεύειν ἐν τοῖς παρ οῦσι, προτιμότερον ἑαυτῷ κρίνων. Εἰ δέ τις ἀκρι βέστερον κατανοῆσαι βούλοιτο τοῦ μακαριζομένου τούτου πένθους τὴν δύναμιν, ἐπισκεψάσθω ἑαυτῷ ἐν τῷ κατὰ τὸν Λάζαρον καὶ τὸν πλούσιον διηγήματι, ἐν ᾧ γυμνότερον τὸ τοιοῦτον δόγμα ἡμῖν σαφηνίζεται. Μνήσθητι γὰρ, φησὶν ὁ Ἀβραὰμ πρὸς τὸν πλούσιον, ὅτι ἀπέλαβες τὰ ἀγαθά σου ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου· ὁμοίως δὲ καὶ ὁ Λάζαρος τὰ κακά· διὰ τοῦτο οὗτος μὲν πα ρακαλεῖται, σὺ δὲ ὀδυνᾶσαι. Ἔοικε γὰρ, ἐπειδὴ τῆς ἀγαθῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ τὸν ἄνθρωπον οἰκονομίας ἀπ έστησεν ἡμᾶς ἡ ἀβουλία, μᾶλλον δὲ ἡ κακοβουλία τοῦ γὰρ Θεοῦ ἀμιγὲς τοῦ κακοῦ τὸ ἀγαθὸν ἐν τῇ ἀπο λαύσει ἡμῶν νομοθετήσαντος, καὶ καταμιγνύναι τῷ καλῷ τὴν τοῦ κακοῦ πεῖραν ἀπαγορεύσαντος, ἐπειδὴ ἡμεῖς ὑπὸ λαιμαργίας ἑκουσίως τοῦ ἐναντίου ἐνεφο ρήθημεν (λέγω δὲ τῆς τοῦ θείου Λόγου παρακοῆς ἀπογευσάμενοι)· διὰ τοῦτο χρὴ πάντως ἐν ἀμφοτέροις γενέσθαι τὴν