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they desire to seek, and not to be fully satisfied before, until they have received them back. Since, then, you lost paradise, He has not only given you heaven, but both paradise and heaven. Today you will be with me in paradise, He says; so that not only by the addition of greater things, but also by the recovery of what was lost, He might console the grieving soul. But, if you please, let us come to the very subject before us, and see how we lost the language. For the history is of no small account for our security. For he who has learned the manner of former security, will be more secure for the future. It is necessary to tell you everything; for instance, that of old there was one language for all men, that it later changed into many; until when it was one, and when it changed into many; and whether that one itself disappeared, and others were introduced, or whether while that one remained the others were added;56.181 why it was confounded, and from what cause; then in which of these many languages the Old Testament was composed; for it was on its account that we brought all these things up; whether in the ancient and older one, or in those introduced later. But do not be afraid; for even if we cannot pay back everything today, we will certainly pay it back to you later. For what reason, then, not intending to pay back everything today, did we read out to you the summary of all the debts? So that, anticipating the payment, you might always have us in mind. For one who has lent gold to someone, and has him responsible for the debt, both at table, and at home, and in the marketplace, and in bed, and everywhere imagines and dreams of the one who owes him; and the love of money along with the money causes that one also to be carried about constantly in the soul of the one who lent. So that we too, by the hope of the payment, might be kept constantly in your minds, both at home, and in the marketplace, and wherever you might be, for this reason we have acknowledged the debts, but we are not making the full payment today, so that by the expectation of what remains we might leave with you a reason for remembering us. For our great security is to enjoy your love continually, the love of such and so great a people. For he who enjoys love, will certainly also enjoy prayer. And how great a good this is, is clear from this: that Paul, who was caught up to the third heaven, who heard unspeakable words, who trampled on all the necessities of nature, who was henceforth in perfect security, also asked for the prayer of his disciples, and said: "Pray for me, that I may be delivered from those who are disobedient;" and again, "Pray, that a word may be given to me in the opening of my mouth." And everywhere you see him both asking for the prayers of his disciples, and thanking them after receiving them. For lest anyone say that he takes refuge in the prayers of his disciples out of humility, he also shows their power, saying thus: "Who delivered us from so great a death; and we have hoped that He will also deliver us, you also helping together in prayer for us, that the gift bestowed on us through many may be thankfully acknowledged on our behalf." And if the prayer of the multitude delivered Paul from dangers, how should we not also expect to reap great things from this protection? For since we are weak when praying by ourselves, but when we are gathered together, we become stronger, we prevail upon God by our number and by our alliance. So also a king, often having consigned someone to death, has not yielded to one person pleading for the condemned man, but has been moved by an entire city pleading, and the one being led to the pit, on account of the multitude of those pleading, he snatched from his condemnation, and restored him to life. So great is the power of the supplication of the multitude. For this reason we are all gathered here, so that we might more greatly draw God to pity. For since, when praying by ourselves, as I said before, we are weak, from the

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ζητεῖν ἐφίενται, καὶ μὴ πρότερον πληροφορεῖσθαι, ἕως ἂν αὐτὰ ἀπολάβωσιν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἀπώλεσας παράδεισον, οὐχὶ τὸν οὐρανόν σοι δέδωκε μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ παράδεισον καὶ οὐρανόν. Σήμερον μετ' ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ, φησίν· ἵνα μὴ μόνον τῇ τῶν μειζόνων προσθήκῃ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῇ τῶν ἀπολωλότων ἀνακτήσει παραμυθήσηται τὴν ὀδυνωμένην ψυχήν. Ἀλλ', εἰ δοκεῖ, καὶ ἐπ' αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἔλθωμεν τὸ προκείμενον, καὶ ἴδωμεν πῶς ἀπωλέσαμεν τὴν φωνήν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ μικρὸν εἰς ἀσφαλείας λόγον ἡ ἱστορία. Ὁ γὰρ μαθὼν τὸν τρόπον τῆς προτέρας ἀσφαλείας, πρὸς τὰ λοιπὰ ἀσφαλέστερος ἔσται. Ἀναγκαῖον δὲ πάντα πρὸς ὑμᾶς εἰπεῖν· οἷον, ὅτι μία φωνὴ τὸ παλαιὸν πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἦν, ὅτι εἰς πολλὰς ὕστερον μετέπεσε· μέχρι πότε μία ἦν, καὶ πότε μετέπεσεν εἰς πολλάς· καὶ πότερον αὐτὴ ἐκείνη ἠφανίσθη, καὶ ἕτεραι εἰσηνέχθησαν, ἢ μενούσης ἐκείνης ἐπεισήχθη56.181 σαν αἱ λοιπαί· διὰ τί συνεχύθη, καὶ ἐκ ποίας αἰτίας· εἶτα ποίᾳ τούτων τῶν πολλῶν φωνῶν ἡ Παλαιὰ συνέκειτο ∆ιαθήκη· διὰ γὰρ ἐκείνην πάντα ταῦτα ἐκινήσαμεν· πότερον τῇ ἀρχαίᾳ καὶ πρεσβυτέρᾳ, ἢ ταῖς ὕστερον ἐπεισενεχθείσαις. Ἀλλὰ μὴ δείσητε· κἂν γὰρ μὴ τήμερον ἅπαντα δυνηθῶμεν ἀποδοῦναι, ἀλλὰ πάντως ὑμῖν ἀποδώσομεν ὕστερον. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν μὴ μέλλοντες ἅπαντα τήμερον ἀποδιδόναι, ἁπάντων τῶν ὀφλημάτων τὴν ὑπόθεσιν ὑμῖν ἀνέγνωμεν; Ἵνα προσδοκῶντες τὴν ἀπόδοσιν, διαπαντὸς κατὰ νοῦν ἡμᾶς ἔχητε. Καὶ γὰρ ὁ χρυσίον τινὶ δανείσας, καὶ ὑπεύθυνον ἔχων τοῦ ὀφλήματος, καὶ ἐν τραπέζῃ, καὶ ἐν οἰκίᾳ, καὶ ἐν ἀγορᾷ, καὶ ἐν κλίνῃ, καὶ πανταχοῦ τὸν ὀφείλοντα αὐτῷ φαντάζεται καὶ ὀνειροπολεῖ· καὶ ὁ τῶν χρημάτων ἔρως μετὰ τῶν χρημάτων κἀκεῖνον ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ δεδανεικότος ποιεῖ διαπαντὸς περιφέρεσθαι ψυχῆς. Ἵνα οὖν καὶ ἡμεῖς τῇ ἐλπίδι τῆς ἀποδόσεως ἐσώμεθα διαπαντὸς ἐν ταῖς ὑμετέραις διανοίαις, καὶ ἐν οἰκίᾳ, καὶ ἐν ἀγορᾷ, καὶ ὅπου δ' ἂν ἦτε, διὰ τοῦτο τὰ μὲν ὀφλήματα ὡμολογήσαμεν, τὴν δὲ ἀπόδοσιν ἅπασαν οὐ ποιούμεθα σήμερον, ἵνα τῇ προσδοκίᾳ τῶν λειπομένων ὑπόθεσιν τῆς περὶ ἡμῶν μνήμης παρ' ὑμῖν καταλείψωμεν. Μεγάλη γὰρ ἡμῶν ἀσφάλεια, τῆς ὑμετέρας ἀγάπης ἀπολαύειν διηνεκῶς, δήμου τοιούτου καὶ τοσούτου. Ὁ γὰρ ἀγάπης ἀπολαύων, καὶ εὐχῆς ἀπολαύσεται πάντως. Τοῦτο δὲ ἡλίκον ἐστὶν ἀγαθὸν, δῆλον ἐκεῖθεν· Παῦλος ἐκεῖνος, ὁ εἰς τρίτον ἁρπαγεὶς οὐρανὸν, ὁ ῥήματα ἀκούσας ἄῤῥητα, ὁ πάσας καταπατήσας τὰς ἀνάγκας τῆς φύσεως, ὁ ἐν ἀσφαλείᾳ τελείᾳ λοιπὸν ὢν, ἐδεῖτο καὶ εὐχῆς τῶν μαθητῶν, καὶ ἔλεγε· Προσεύχεσθε ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ, ἵνα ῥυσθῶ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀπειθούντων· καὶ πάλιν, Προσεύχεσθε, ἵνα μοι δοθῇ λόγος ἐν ἀνοίξει τοῦ στόματός μου. Καὶ πανταχοῦ ὁρᾶτε αὐτὸν καὶ αἰτοῦντα τὰς εὐχὰς τῶν μαθητῶν, καὶ εὐχαριστοῦντα αὐτοῖς μετὰ τὸ λαβεῖν. Ἵνα γὰρ μὴ λέγῃ τις, ὅτι διὰ ταπεινοφροσύνην καταφεύγει ἐπὶ τὰς εὐχὰς τῶν μαθητῶν, δείκνυσιν αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν δύναμιν, οὕτω λέγων· Ὃς ἐκ τηλικούτων θανάτων ἐῤῥύσατο ἡμᾶς· ἠλπίκαμεν δὲ ὅτι καὶ ῥύσεται, συνυπουργούντων καὶ ὑμῶν τῇ δεήσει ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν, ἵνα τὸ εἰς ἡμᾶς χάρισμα διὰ πολλῶν εὐχαριστηθῇ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν. Εἰ δὲ Παῦλον κινδύνων ἀπήλλαξεν ἡ τοῦ πλήθους εὐχὴ, πῶς οὐ μεγάλα δεῖ προσδοκᾷν καὶ ἡμᾶς ἀπὸ ταύτης καρπώσεσθαι τῆς προστασίας; Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς εὐχόμενοι ἀσθενεῖς ἐσμεν, ὅταν δὲ συλλεγῶμεν, ἰσχυροὶ γινόμεθα μᾶλλον, δυσωποῦμεν τὸν Θεὸν τῷ πλήθει καὶ τῇ συμμαχίᾳ. Οὕτω καὶ βασιλεὺς πολλάκις τινὰ παραπέμψας θανάτῳ, ἑνὶ μὲν οὐκ ἐπένευσε δεομένῳ περὶ τοῦ καταδικασθέντος, πόλιν δὲ ὁλόκληρον παρακαλοῦσαν ἐδυσωπήθη, καὶ τὸν ἐπὶ τὸ βάραθρον ἀπαγόμενον διὰ τὸ πλῆθος τῶν παρακαλούντων ἐξήρπασε τῆς καταδίκης, καὶ πρὸς ζωὴν ἐπανήγαγε. Τοσαύτη ἡ δύναμις τῆς τοῦ πλήθους ἱκετηρίας ἐστί. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καὶ ἐνταῦθα συλλεγόμεθα πάντες, ἵνα μειζόνως εἰς οἶκτον ἐπισπασώμεθα τὸν Θεόν. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ καθ' ἑαυτοὺς εὐχόμενοι, καθὼς ἔφθην εἰπὼν, ἀσθενεῖς ἐσμεν, ἀπὸ τοῦ