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to learn if these things would prevail in the long run. It stands on a razor's edge, whether our solemn and venerable doctrine is still to be saved, or, destroyed by dissension, to be no more. For just as the poor quality of the colors is thought to be the painter's fault, not with right reason, or the character of the disciples the teachers', so a bad initiate—how much more a bad initiator—is an outrage against a mystery. Let us be conquered in some small way, so as to gain a greater victory and salvation in God, and to save a world that has been terribly ruined. To conquer does not bring glory in all things. It is better to be well deprived than to possess badly. The Trinity knows these things, and the glorious proclamation of my free speech, together with the stones, which made me an object of envy to the wicked. Today have been spoken simply and justly the things which I know will be of advantage to those who are considering them. But if anyone of the wicked thinks that we say these things to please, having been bought ourselves (for there are, there are, merchants of the elect, full of gold and of equal zeal), or that we are looking after some personal interest, as is the custom for many, devising ourselves to be hidden among the wicked, or aspiring for ourselves to rule from this, let him give the judgment to the final fire. But for us, allow a life without a throne, inglorious, yes, but nevertheless safe. I will go and sit down where there is a desert from evils. For it is better than, being mixed with the majority, neither to be strong enough to draw others to one's will nor to agree with others oneself, where there is no reason. Come, whoever knows the throne, let him ascend; he will pass by many, both worthy and wicked. Deliberate on these things. The speech has been spoken.” These things I said; but they began to caw, one from one place, another from another, a people of jackdaws gathered into one, some turmoil of youths, a new workshop, a whirlwind dragging dust by a strife of winds, to whom not even one of the officials would have deigned, out of fear of God and for the time being, to give an account as they chaotically seethed or like wasps darted straight for the faces all at once; and the venerable council of elders followed them. So far were they from correcting the young. And consider their reasoning, how praiseworthy. For they said that matters should leap together with the sun, taking their beginning from where God shone upon us in a fleshy form. What then? Let us learn not to reverence revolutions, but to think of Christ's flesh as the first-fruits of our whole race. “But from here it began,” someone might perhaps say, “where there is more boldness, so that he might also easily die here, and from that is the resurrection, and from that salvation.” Ought not those who hold these opinions yield to those who, as I said, have learned with ease? From which it is also clear in other things how arrogant they are. And what a thing was that; the sweet and beautiful spring of the ancient faith, which brought the venerable nature of the Trinity into one, of which Nicaea was once the school, this they saw miserably muddied by the brackish inflows of those of doubtful opinion, who hold these opinions, in which power rejoices, being in the middle—and it would be welcome if they were in the middle, and not manifestly of the opposite party—bishops now learning about God, yesterday teachers, and today students, perfecting others, and being perfected a second time, instructing the people, who their own evils, I know not how, but still they confess them, and this without tears; which is also strange, a tearless confession of sicknesses. These men are thus. For they say all things are slaves of opportunity. And what greater luxury is there than to play? which can neither be acquired by toil, as many things are, nor supplied from elsewhere, nor even bought— but we, how are we ever so very philanthropic? We have set forth a proclamation before the pulpits; we cry to all: “Whoever wills, let him enter here, even if he happens to be twice-turned or much-turned. It is a theater opened to all, a festival is established; let not one depart uninitiated. If the die should turn (for nothing is more versatile than opportunity), you have the little trick; run back the other way. It is not easy to adhere to one faith, but to know many ways of life.”

From which what happens? The manifold image of old in dreams: gold, next silver, bronze, iron, earthenware at the feet. I fear, lest a stone winnow all things. Both to Moabites and Ammonites, to whom not long ago, it is now permitted to enter the church. “But did you not praise these things before? Speak. And of the assemblies, who ever held the power?” The

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μαθεῖν, εἰ ταῦτα νικήσειεν ἐν μακρῷ χρόνῳ. ἐπὶ ξυροῦ βέβηκεν, ἢ σῴζεσθ' ἔτι τὸ σεμνὸν ἡμῶν δόγμα καὶ σεβάσμιον ἢ μηκέτ' εἶναι τῇ στάσει διαρρυέν. ὥσπερ γὰρ ἡ τῶν χρωμάτων μοχθηρία τοῦ ζωγράφου νομίζετ', οὐκ ὀρθῷ λόγῳ, ἢ τῶν μαθητῶν ὁ τρόπος διδασκάλων, οὕτως ὁ μύστης ὢν κακός-πόσῳ πλέον ὁ μυσταγωγὸς ὕβρις εἰς μυστήριον. μικρόν τι νικηθῶμεν, ὥστε προσλαβεῖν νίκην τε μείζω καὶ τὸ σωθῆναι θεῷ, κόσμον τε σῶσαι τὸν κακῶς ὀλωλότα. οὔτοι τὸ νικᾶν δόξαν ἐν πᾶσιν φέρει. καλῶς στέρεσθαι κρεῖσσον ἢ κακῶς ἔχειν. ταῦτ' οἶδεν ἡ τριάς τε καὶ τὸ σὺν λίθοις κήρυγμα λαμπρὸν τῆς ἐμῆς παρρησίας, ὃ καί μ' ἔθηκε τοῖς κακοῖς ἐπίφθονον. Εἴρηθ' ἁπλῶς τε καὶ δικαίως σήμερον, ἅπερ συνοίσειν οἶδα τοῖς σκοπουμένοις. εἰ δ' οἴεταί τις τῶν κακῶν ἢ πρὸς χάριν λέγειν τάδ' ἡμᾶς αὐτὸς ἠγορασμένος (εἰσὶν γάρ, εἰσὶν ἔμποροι τῶν ἐκκρίτων χρυσοῦ γέμοντες καὶ προθυμίας ἴσης) ἤ τι σκοπεῖν οἰκεῖον, ὡς πολλοῖς νόμος, αὐτὸς τεχνάζων λανθάνειν ἐν τοῖς κακοῖς ἢ τὸ κρατεῖν ἐντεῦθεν αὑτῷ μνώμενος, δότω τὸ κρίνειν τῷ τελευταίῳ πυρί. ἡμῖν δὲ συγχωρήσατ' ἄθρονον βίον, τὸν ἀκλεῆ μέν, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἀκίνδυνον. καθήσομ' ἐλθών, οἷ κακῶν ἐρημία. κρεῖσσον γὰρ ἢ τοῖς πλείοσιν μεμιγμένον μήτ' ἄλλους ἕλκειν πρὸς τὸ βούλημ' ἰσχύειν μήτ' αὐτὸν ἄλλοις συμφέρεσθ', οὗ μὴ λόγος. δεῦρ', ὅστις οἶδε τὸν θρόνον, προσβαινέτω· πολλοὺς ἀμείψει, ἀξίους τε καὶ κακούς. πρὸς ταῦτα βουλεύεσθε. εἴρηται λόγος.» Ταῦτ' εἶπον· οἱ δ' ἔκρωζον ἄλλος ἄλλοθεν, δῆμος κολοιῶν εἰς ἓν ἐσκευασμένος, τύρβη νέων τις, καινὸν ἐργαστήριον, λαῖλαψ κόνιν σύρουσα πνευμάτων στάσει, οἷς οὐδ' ἂν ἠξίωσε τῶν τις ἐντελῶν φόβῳ τε θείῳ καὶ χρόνῳ δοῦναι λόγον ἄτακτα παφλάζουσιν ἢ σφηκῶν δίκην ᾄττουσιν εὐθὺ τῶν προσώπων ἀθρόως· τοῖς δ' ἠκολούθουν ἡ σεμνὴ γερουσία. τοσοῦτ' ἀπεῖχον σωφρονίζειν τοὺς νέους. καὶ τὸν λογισμόν, ὡς ἐπαινετός, σκόπει. δεῖν γὰρ συνάλλεσθ' ἡλίῳ τὰ πράγματα ἐντεῦθεν ἀρχὴν λαμβάνονθ', ὅθεν θεός ἔλαμψεν ἡμῖν σαρκικῷ προβλήματι. τί οὖν; μάθωμεν μὴ σέβειν περιτροπάς, Χριστοῦ δὲ σάρκα παντὸς ἡμῶν τοῦ γένους οἴεσθ' ἀπαρχήν. «ἡ δ' ἐντεῦθεν ἤρξατο», εἴποι τάχ' ἄν τις, «ἔνθα πλεῖον τὸ θράσος, ὡς ῥᾳδίως ἐνταῦθα καὶ θανούμενος, ἐκ τοῦ δ' ἔγερσις, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ σωτηρία.» τοὺς ταῦτα δοξάζοντας οὐκ εἴκειν ἐχρῆν τοῖς, ὥσπερ εἶπον, εὐμαθῶς ἐγνωκόσιν; ἐξ οὗ καὶ τἆλλα δῆλον ὡς ὑψίφρονες. Κἀκεῖνο δ' οἷον· τὴν γλυκεῖαν καὶ καλήν πηγὴν παλαιᾶς πίστεως, ἣ τριάδος εἰς ἓν συνῆγε τὴν σεβάσμιον φύσιν, ἧς ἦν ποθ' ἡ Νικαία φροντιστήριον, ταύτην ἑώρων ἁλμυραῖς ἐπιρροαῖς τῶν ἀμφιδόξων ἀθλίως θολουμένην, οἳ ταῦτα δοξάζουσιν, οἷς χαίρει κράτος, μέσοι μὲν ὄντες- ἀσμενιστὸν δ' εἰ μέσοι, καὶ μὴ προδήλως κλήσεως ἐναντίας, ἐπίσκοποι νῦν μανθάνοντες τὸν θεόν, διδάσκαλοι χθές, καὶ μαθηταὶ σήμερον, τελειοποιοί, καὶ τέλειοι δεύτερον, λαὸν καταρτίζοντες, οἳ τὰ σφῶν κακά, οὐκ οἶδ' ὅπως μέν, ἐκλαλοῦσι δ' οὖν ὅμως, καὶ ταῦτα χωρὶς δακρύων· ὃ καὶ ξένον, ἄδακρυς ἐκλάλησις ἀρρωστημάτων. Οὗτοι μὲν οὕτω. δοῦλα καιροῦ γάρ φασιν τὰ πάντα. τοῦ παίζειν δὲ τίς μείζων τρυφή; ὃ μήτε μόχθῳ κτητόν, ὡς τὰ πόλλ' ἔχει, μήτ' ἄλλοθεν ποριστόν, ἀλλ' οὐδ' ὤνιον- ἡμεῖς δὲ πῶς ποθ' οἱ φιλάνθρωποι λίαν; προυθήκαμεν κήρυγμα πρόσθεν βημάτων· πᾶσιν βοῶμεν· «ὃς θέλει, δεῦρ' εἰσίτω, κἂν δίστροφός τις ἢ πολύστροφος τύχῃ. θέατρόν ἐστι πᾶσιν ἠνεῳγμένον, πανήγυρις ἕστηκεν· ἀπίτω μηδὲ εἷς ἀπραγμάτευτος. ἂν μεταστραφῇ κύβος (καιροῦ γὰρ οὐδέν ἐστιν εὐστροφώτερον), ἔχεις τὸ τεχνύδριον· ἀνάδραμε τοὔμπαλιν. οὐκ εὐμαθὲς τὸ πίστει προσκεῖσθαι μιᾷ, βίων δὲ πολλὰς εἰδέναι διεξόδους.»

Ἐξ οὗ τί γίνεθ'; ἡ πολύπλοκος πάλαι εἰκὼν ἐν ὕπνοις· χρυσός, ἑξῆς ἄργυρος, χαλκός, σίδηρος, ὄστρακον τὰ πρὸς πόδας. δέδοικα, μὴ τὰ πάντα λικμήσῃ λίθος. καὶ Μωαβίταις κἀμμανίταις, οἷς οὐ πάλαι, νῦν εἰσιτητόν ἐστιν εἰς ἐκκλησίαν. «σὺ δ' οὐκ ἐπῄνεις ταῦτα τὸ πρόσθεν; λέγε. τῶν συλλόγων δὲ τίς ποτ' εἶχε τὸ κράτος;» οἱ