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Scripture says of the better things: let brothers be useful in times of need; but of the opposite, that: every brother will utterly supplant. 2.54 Having set these things forth in the sequence of our discourse and having postponed the more precise contemplation concerning them to its proper place, let us now take up the matters before us. He, therefore, having strengthened himself by the light that had appeared and having acquired such a brother as an ally and a helper, confidently addresses the people with words concerning freedom and reminds them of their ancestral nobility and gives his counsel on how they might get out of the misery of the clay and the brick-making. 2.55 What then does the history teach us through these things? That one who has not prepared his speech for discourse with the many through such training ought not to presume upon a voice among the people. For you see how while still young, before he had grown to such a degree in virtue, in the case of two men he was not considered a credible counselor of peace for those who were quarreling, but now he discourses to so many myriads at the same time, the history all but shouting this to you, not to venture in teaching to counsel your hearers, unless your power in this matter is perfected through such and so great a diligence. 2.56 But when the better words had been spoken and freedom had been pointed out and the hearers had been strengthened toward this desire, the enemy is provoked and intensifies the pain for the subjects of the word. This is not outside the things that happen now. For many of those who have received the word that frees from tyranny and who align themselves with the preaching are, even until now, assailed by the adversary with the attacks of temptations. 2.57 As a result of these things, many become more approved and more steadfast concerning the faith, being tempered by the assault of afflictions, but some of the weaker ones even give way under such circumstances, openly saying those things, that it is more profitable for them to remain deaf to the preaching of freedom than to be beset by such things for this reason, 2.58 which indeed also happened then, when because of faintheartedness the Israelites held in blame those who had proclaimed to them their release from slavery. But the word, drawing them toward the good, will by no means desist, even if he who is still an infant and imperfect in understanding childishly shrinks from the unfamiliarity of temptations. 2.59 For this is eagerly pursued against men by the harmful and corrupting demon: that his subject should not look to heaven, but should stoop to the earth and make bricks of clay within himself. For whatever belongs to material enjoyment is entirely from earth or water, as is clear to everyone, whether it is one of the things eagerly sought concerning the belly and feasting, or whatever is seen concerning wealth.

2.60 The mixture of these elements becomes and is called clay; with which those who gape after clay-like pleasures, filling themselves, never keep the receptive capacity for pleasures full, but what is always being filled becomes empty again for what flows in after. For so the brick-maker at different times puts different clay into the mold which is always being emptied, which it seems to me anyone looking at the appetitive disposition of the soul could easily understand as a riddle. 2.61 For one who has filled his desire in one of the things he sought, if he should incline with desire toward something else, he is found empty again with respect to that; and if he becomes full of this, with respect to the other he becomes empty and capacious again. And this does not cease working in us throughout, until one withdraws from the material life. 2.62 And the stubble and the chaff from it, which he who obeys the tyrannical commands is forced to mix with the brick, is further interpreted by both the divine Gospel and the lofty voice of the Apostle, both of whom have similarly interpreted the chaff and the stubble as fuel for the fire. 2.63 When, therefore, one of those pre-eminent in virtue wishes to draw away those enslaved by deceit to a life both philosophical and free, he knows that the

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Γραφὴ ἐπὶ μὲν τῶν χρηστο τέρων· ἀδελφοὶ ἐν ἀνάγκαις χρήσιμοι ἔστωσαν· ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν ἐναντίων, ὅτι· πᾶς ἀδελφὸς πτέρνῃ πτερνιεῖ. 2.54 Ταῦτα δὲ τῇ ἀκολουθίᾳ παραθέντες τοῦ λόγου καὶ τὴν ἀκριβεστέραν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν θεωρίαν εἰς τὸν ἴδιον ὑπερθέμενοι τόπον, νῦν τῶν προκειμένων ἁψώμεθα. Ὁ τοίνυν ἑαυτόν τε τῷ ἐπιφανέντι φωτὶ δυναμώσας καὶ τὸν τοιοῦτον ἀδελφὸν σύμμαχόν τε καὶ παραστάτην κτησάμενος, θαρσῶν τῷ λαῷ τοὺς ὑπὲρ τῆς ἐλευθερίας προσάγει λόγους καὶ τῆς πατρικῆς εὐγενείας ἀναμιμνῄσκει καὶ ὅπως ἂν ἔξω γένοιντο τῆς περὶ τὸν πηλὸν καὶ τὴν πλινθείαν ταλαιπωρίας δίδωσι γνώμην. 2.55 Τί οὖν ἡμᾶς διὰ τούτων παιδεύει ἡ ἱστορία; τὸ μὴ δεῖν κατατολμᾶν τῆς ἐν τῷ λαῷ φωνῆς τὸν μὴ διὰ τῆς τοιαύτης ἀγωγῆς πρὸς τὴν τῶν πολλῶν ὁμιλίαν τὸν λόγον παρασκευάσαντα. Ὁρᾷς γὰρ ὡς νέος ὢν ἔτι, πρὶν εἰς τοσοῦτον αὐξηθῆναι τῇ ἀρετῇ, ἐπὶ δύο τινῶν ἀνθρώπων οὐκ ἀξιόπιστος ἐνομίσθη σύμβουλος εἰρήνης γενέσθαι τοῖς στασιάζουσι, νυνὶ δὲ τοσαύταις μυριάσι κατὰ ταὐτὸν διαλέγεται, μονονουχὶ βοώσης σοι τοῦτο τῆς ἱστορίας, μὴ ἐπιτολμᾶν ἐν διδασκαλίᾳ τῇ συμβουλῇ τῶν ἀκουόντων, εἰ μὴ διὰ τοιαύτης καὶ τοσαύτης ἐπιμελείας ἡ περὶ τούτου κατορθωθείη σοι δύναμις. 2.56 Ἀλλὰ γενομένων τῶν χρηστοτέρων λόγων καὶ τῆς ἐλευθερίας ὑποδειχθείσης καὶ τῶν ἀκουόντων πρὸς τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ταύτην ἐπιρρωσθέντων, παροξύνεται ὁ πολέμιος καὶ ἐπιτείνει τὴν ἀλγηδόνα τοῖς ὑπηκόοις τοῦ λόγου. Οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἔξω τῶν νῦν γινομένων ἐστίν. Πολλοὶ γὰρ τῶν παρα δεξαμένων τὸν ἐλευθερωτὴν τῆς τυραννίδος λόγον καὶ προστιθεμένων τῷ κηρύγματι μέχρι τοῦ νῦν ταῖς τῶν πειρασμῶν προσβολαῖς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀντικειμένου ἐπηρεάζονται. 2.57 Ἐξ ὧν πολλοὶ μὲν δοκιμώτεροι καὶ βεβαιότεροι περὶ τὴν πίστιν καθίστανται, τῇ προσβολῇ τῶν λυπούντων στομού μενοι, τῶν δὲ ἀσθενεστέρων τινὲς καὶ ἐποκλάζουσι τοῖς τοιούτοις συμπτώμασιν, ἄντικρυς ἐκεῖνα φθεγγόμενοι τὸ λυσιτελεῖν αὐτοῖς μᾶλλον ἀνηκόοις μεῖναι τοῦ τῆς ἐλευθερίας κηρύγματος ἢ τοῖς τοιούτοις διὰ τὴν αἰτίαν ταύτην συνε νεχθῆναι, 2.58 ὃ δὴ καὶ τότε ἐγένετο, ὑπὸ μικροψυχίας τῶν Ἰσραηλιτῶν ἐν αἰτίᾳ ποιουμένων τοὺς τὴν ἀπαλλαγὴν αὐτοῖς τῆς δουλείας ἐπαγγείλαντας. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν μᾶλλον ἀνήσει ὁ λόγος πρὸς τὸ καλὸν ἐφελκόμενος, κἂν παιδικῶς ἀποδειλιάσῃ πρὸς τὰς τῶν πειρασμῶν ἀηθείας ὁ νήπιος ἔτι καὶ ἀτελὴς τὴν διάνοιαν. 2.59 Τῷ μὲν γὰρ βλαπτικῷ καὶ φθοροποιῷ δαίμονι τοῦτο κατὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων σπουδάζεται τὸ μὴ εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν βλέπειν τὸ ὑποχείριον, ἀλλὰ τὸ εἰς γῆν κύπτειν καὶ τὸν πηλὸν ἐν ἑαυτῷ πλινθεύειν. Ὅ τι γὰρ ἂν ᾖ τῆς ὑλικῆς ἀπολαύσεως ὡς ἐκ γῆς ἐστι πάντως ἢ ὕδατος, παντί που δῆλον, εἴτε τι τῶν περὶ γαστέρα καὶ θοίνην σπουδαζομένων εἴτε καὶ ὅσα περὶ τὸν πλοῦτον ὁρᾶται.

2.60 Ἡ δὲ τῶν στοιχείων τούτων μίξις πηλὸς γίνεται καὶ ὀνομάζεται· οὗ πληροῦντες ἑαυτοὺς οἱ πρὸς τὰς πηλώδεις ἡδονὰς κεχηνότες οὐδέποτε τὴν δεκτικὴν τῶν ἡδονῶν εὐρυχωρίαν πλήρη φυλάσσουσιν, ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀεὶ πληρούμενον κενὸν γίνεται πάλιν τῷ ἐπεισρέοντι. Οὕτω γὰρ ὁ πλινθουργῶν ἄλλοτε ἄλλον πηλὸν ἀεὶ κενουμένῳ ἐπιβάλλει τῷ τύπῳ, ὅ μοι δοκεῖ τις καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἐπιθυμητικὴν τῆς ψυχῆς βλέπων διάθεσιν εὐκόλως ἂν νοῆσαι τὸ αἴνιγμα. 2.61 Ὁ γὰρ πληρώσας ἑαυτοῦ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν ἔν τινι ὧν ἐσπούδασεν, εἰ πρὸς ἕτερόν τι τῇ ἐπιθυμίᾳ ῥέψειε, κενὸς πρὸς ἐκεῖνο πάλιν εὑρίσκεται· κἂν γένηται τούτῳ πλήρης, τῷ ἑτέρῳ πάλιν κενός τε καὶ εὐρύχωρος γίνεται. Καὶ τοῦτο οὐ παύεται διὰ παντὸς ἐν ἡμῖν ἐνεργού μενον, ἕως ἄν τις ὑπεξέλθοι τοῦ ὑλώδους βίου. 2.62 Ἡ δὲ καλάμη καὶ τὸ ἐκ ταύτης ἄχυρον ὃ καταμιγνύειν τῇ πλίνθῳ καταναγκάζεται ὁ τοῖς τυραννικοῖς ὑπακούων προστάγμασι παρά τε τοῦ θείου Εὐαγγελίου καὶ παρὰ τῆς ὑψηλῆς τοῦ Ἀποστόλου φωνῆς προσερμηνεύεται, ἀμφοτέρων ὁμοίως πυρὸς ὕλην τό τε ἄχυρον καὶ τὴν καλάμην ἑρμηνευσάντων. 2.63 Ὅταν τοίνυν τις τῶν ἐν ἀρετῇ προεχόντων ἀποσπᾶν ἐθέλῃ τοὺς τῇ ἀπάτῃ δεδουλωμένους εἰς βίον ἐμφιλόσοφόν τε καὶ ἐλεύθερον, οἶδεν ὁ ταῖς