15

a thing fitting for the occasion then; for nothing is as open-air as a festival. And this gave pleasure to our enemies, as if God were displeased with what was being done, but to us a hidden grief in our hearts. But when I and the imperial power were within the revered chancel, and a mingled praise of God was raised by all, called upon with shouting and the stretching out of hands, so great a brightness of the sun shone forth, the cloud having been broken at God's command, that the whole house immediately became lightning-filled, which before was gloomy, and all received an image of the ancient tabernacle, which the brightness of God concealed, and the sky and their minds cleared for all. And then, courage running to meet the sight, we were acclaimed to be sought with all might, as if only this was lacking to those present, and this would be the first and greatest honor for the city from the first power, before the thrones: that we be given to the thrones of the city. These things were from men in authority and those below, all made equal by equal desire, these things were shouted from the women on high, almost beyond what is proper for women. It was an incredible thunder echoed back, until I, having raised a fellow-councilor from his throne—for I had no tone of voice, being crushed and worn out by fear—spoke these words from another's tongue: "Hold back, you men, hold back the shouting. For there is a season for everything; now is for thanksgiving; and hereafter for even greater things." And the people murmured their approval of what I said—for moderation is dear to all—and the emperor himself departed with praise. Thus indeed this assembly concluded, having frightened us only so much, as one drawn sword to fall back into its sheath, and to cut short the boldness of a hot-tempered people. But what came next I know not, how I shall advance the account which has a certain weight in its matters. What writer would give an end to my account? For I am ashamed of my own praises, even if another speaks well of me. This is my rule. Nevertheless I shall speak with moderation as I am able. He was inside; and the city had cast down its arrogance now that the temple was secured; yet it groaned beneath, as a giant, they say, struck by a thunderbolt before on the Aetnean peak, belched forth smoke and fire from its depths. What then, in God's name, was it right for me to do? Teach us, say, you who are now in authority, you miserable assembly of youths, for whom gentleness is considered inaction, but madness and wickedness are manly.

to push, to drive, to exasperate, to inflame, using insatiably both the opportunity and the power? Or to apply healing medicines? For it was possible to gain two good things in this way: to make them moderate by moderation, and for us receiving glory and affection historik. This was just, and I shall be seen always doing this and then, as much as was possible. First, so that I might show that I was not assigning the greater part to the impulse of the moment rather than to the power of God, why am I admonished by my good counselor, when I have reason as a most safe advisor? While all revered the authority of those in power—especially their attendants within, who are unmanly in all other things, except for money matters—what could one say, and how and by what arts they lay wait for them at the royal gates, accusing, taking excessively, being filled with impiety, behaving unseemly, to put it briefly, I alone chose to be desired rather than hated, and I traded reverence for rarity, assigning most things to God and to purification, but giving the doors of the rulers to others. Then seeing some at a loss, at which things they were conscious of having done wrong, and others wishing to be treated well again, as is likely, I released the former from their fear, and I helped the latter, others according to another need, as I had strength. And I will tell one thing out of all for the sake of an example.

I was once resting indoors from an illness—for it had begun, it had begun, running concurrently with my labors. In these things we were living luxuriously, as it seems to the envious. And while I was in this state, some of the people suddenly rush in, and with them a youth, pale, long-haired, dressed in mourning. And when I turned my feet from the couch just a little, as is the way of those who are startled, they on the one hand to God and

15

καιρῷ πρᾶγμα τῷ τότε πρέπον· φιλαίθριον γὰρ οὐδὲν ὡς πανήγυρις. ὃ καὶ παρεῖχε τοῖς μὲν ἐχθροῖς ἡδονήν ὡς δυσφοροῦντος τοῦ θεοῦ τοῖς δρωμένοις, ἡμῖν δ' ἀνίαν ἐν φρεσὶν κεκρυμμένην. ἐπεὶ δ' ἐγώ τε καὶ τὸ πορφύρας κράτος κιγκλίδος ἦμεν τῆς σεβασμίας ἔσω, πάντων δ' ἐπήρθη συμμιγὴς αἶνος θεοῦ καλουμένου βοῇ τε καὶ χειρῶν τάσει, τοσοῦτον ἐξέλαμψεν ἡλίου σέλας νέφους ῥαγέντος τῷ θεοῦ προστάγματι, ὡς πάντα μὲν τὸν οἶκον ἀστραπηφόρον εὐθὺς γενέσθαι, τὸν πρὶν ἐστυγνασμένον, καὶ τῆς παλαιᾶς εἰκόνα σκηνῆς λαβεῖν ἅπαντας, ἣν ἔκρυπτε λαμπρότης θεοῦ, εἶδος δὲ πᾶσιν αἰθριᾶσαι καὶ φρένας· κἀνταῦθα θάρσους συνδραμόντος τῇ θέᾳ ἡμᾶς βοᾶσθαι πανσθενεὶ ζητουμένους, ὡς τοῖς παροῦσι τοῦδε λείποντος μόνου, πρῶτόν τε καὶ μέγιστον ἐκ πρώτου κράτους τοῦτ' ἂν γενέσθαι πρὸ θρόνων πόλει γέρας· ἡμᾶς δοθῆναι τοῖς θρόνοις τοῦ ἄστεος. ταῦτ' ἦν ἀπ' ἀνδρῶν ἐν τέλει καὶ τῶν κάτω, πάντων ἀπ' ἴσου τοῦ πόθου ἰσουμένων, ταῦτ' ἐκ γυναικῶν ὑψόθεν βοώμενα πέρα σχεδόν τι τοῦ γυναιξὶ κοσμίου. βροντή τις ἦν ἄπιστος ἀντικλωμένη, ἕως ἐγώ τιν' ἐξαναστήσας θρόνων σύνεδρον-οὐκ ἐμοὶ γὰρ ἦν φωνῆς τόνος συνωσμένῳ τε καὶ δέει κεκμηκότι- γλώσσης τάδ' εἶπον ῥήματ' ἐξ ἀλλοτρίας· «ἐπίσχεθ' οὗτοι, τὴν βοὴν ἐπίσχετε. καιρὸς γάρ ἐστι παντός· εὐχαριστίας ὁ νῦν· ὁ δ' εἰσέπειτα καὶ τῶν μειζόνων.» λαὸς δ' ἐπερρόθησαν, οἷς ἐφθεγξάμην- πᾶσιν γάρ ἐστι προσφιλὲς τὸ μέτριον- αὐτός τ' ἀπῆλθεν αἰνέσας αὐτοκράτωρ. οὕτω μὲν οὗτος σύλλογος καταστρέφει τοσοῦτον ἡμᾶς ἐκφοβήσας καὶ μόνον, ὅσον γυμνωθὲν ἓν ξίφος πάλιν ἔσω πεσεῖν, θράσος τε συντεμεῖν θερμοῦ λεώ. Τὰ δ' ἔνθεν οὐκ οἶδ', ὡς προάξω τὸν λόγον ἔχοντα καί τιν' ὄγκον ἐν τοῖς πράγμασιν. τίς συγγραφεύς μοι τῷ λόγῳ δοίη πέρας; αἰσχύνομαι γὰρ ταῖς ἐμαῖς εὐφημίαις, κἂν ἄλλος εὖ λέγῃ με. τοῦτ' ἐμὸς νόμος. ὅμως δὲ λέξω μετριάζων ὡς σθένος. Ἦν ἔνδον· ἡ πόλις δὲ τὸ φρύαγμα μέν κάτω βεβλήκει τοῦ ναοῦ κρατουμένου· ὅμως δ' ὑπεστέναζεν, ὡς γίγας, φασίν, βληθεὶς κεραυνῷ πρόσθεν Αἰτναίῳ πάγῳ καπνόν τε καὶ πῦρ ἐκ βάθους ἠρεύγετο. τί οὖν με ποιεῖν, πρὸς θεοῦ, δίκαιον ἦν; διδάξαθ' ἡμᾶς, εἴπαθ', οἱ νῦν ἐντελεῖς, ὁ μειρακίσκων σύλλογος τῶν ἀθλίων, οἷς τὸ πρᾶον μὲν ἀδρανὲς νομίζεται, τὸ δ' ἐμμανές τε καὶ κάκιστον ἀνδρικόν.

ὠθεῖν, ἐλαύνειν, ἀγριοῦν, ἀναφλέγειν καιρῷ τ' ἀπλήστως χρωμένους καὶ τῷ κράτει; ἢ φαρμακεύειν φαρμάκοις σωτηρίας; δύω γὰρ οὕτω καλὰ κερδαίνειν παρῆν· αὐτούς τε ποιεῖν μετρίους τῷ μετρίῳ ἡμᾶς τε δόξαν καὶ τὸ φίλτρον λαμβάνειν. τοῦτ' ἦν δίκαιον, τοῦτο καὶ φανήσομαι ἀεί τε ποιῶν καὶ τόθ', ὡς μάλιστ' ἐνῆν. Πρῶτον μέν, ὡς δείξαιμι μὴ καιροῦ φορᾷ νέμων τὸ πλεῖον ἢ κράτει τῷ τοῦ θεοῦ, τί νουθετοῦμαι τῷ καλῷ παραινέτῃ, λόγον δ' ἔχω σύμβουλον ἀσφαλέστατον; πάντων σεβόντων τὴν ὀφρὺν τῶν ἐν τέλει- τούτων μάλιστα τοὺς ἔσω παραστάτας, οἳ πάντ' ἄνανδροι τἆλλα, πλὴν εἰς χρήματα- τί δ' ἄν τις εἴποι, πῶς τε καὶ τέχναις ὅσαις αὐτοῖς πυλῶσι βασιλικοῖς προσκειμένων, κατηγορούντων, λαμβανόντων ἐκτόπως, τῆς εὐσεβείας ἐμφορουμένων κακῶς, ἀσχημονούντων, ὥς γε συντόμως φράσαι, μόνος ποθεῖσθαι μᾶλλον ἢ μισεῖσθ' ἔγνων καὶ τῷ σπανίῳ τὸ σεμνὸν ἠμπολησάμην θεῷ τὰ πολλὰ καὶ καθάρσει προσνέμων, τῶν δὲ κρατούντων τὰς θύρας ἄλλοις διδούς. Ἔπειτα τοὺς μὲν ἠπορημένους βλέπων, ἐφ' οἷς συνῄδεσάν σφισιν ἠδικηκότες, τοὺς δ' εὖ παθεῖν χρῄζοντας ὡς εἰκὸς πάλιν, τοῖς μὲν ἀφῆκα τὸν φόβον, τοὺς δ' ὠφέλουν, ἄλλους κατ' ἄλλην χρείαν, ὡς ἦν μοι σθένος. ἓν δ' ἐξ ἁπάντων δείγματος λέξω χάριν.

Ἔνδον ποθ' ἡσύχαζον ἐξ ἀρρωστίας- ἦρκτο γάρ, ἦρκτο συνδραμοῦσα τοῖς πόνοις. ταῦτ' ἐτρυφῶμεν, ὡς δοκεῖ τοῖς βασκάνοις. οὕτω δ' ἔχοντος ἀθρόως δήμου τινές ἐπεισίασι, σὺν δὲ τοῖς νεανίας, ὠχρός, κομήτης, πενθικῶς ἐσταλμένος. ἐμοῦ δ' ἐπιστρέψαντος ἐκ κλίνης πόδας οὕτω τι μικρόν, οἷα τὰ πτοουμένων, οἱ μὲν θεῷ τε