19

experience shipwreck; so also the poor, fearing famine like a shipwreck, hasten before evening to gather enough money for their food, so that, when all have departed homeward, they may not be left outside the harbor. For the hands of those who help them are a harbor to them. d. But we are not moved by their misfortunes, neither in the marketplace, nor when we have gone home; but even when our table is set before us, often laden with countless good things (if indeed we should call those things good which we eat to the condemnation of our inhumanity), yet even with the table set before us, hearing them below walking through the narrow streets, and crying out loudly in the alleys, suffering in the deepest darkness, in great desolation, not even so are we moved; but even when we are full, and going to sleep, and at that time again hearing them lamenting loudly from below, we pass by as if hearing a raging dog, but not a human voice; and we are not moved by the time of night, because it is now late, with everyone sleeping, that he laments alone, nor by the smallness of the request, because he asks nothing more of us than bread, or a little money, nor by the magnitude of his misfortune, because he struggles with perpetual hunger, nor by the reasonableness of the supplicant, because, though seized by such necessity, he does not dare to come to our doors, nor to come near, but makes his supplication from below, from a great distance. And if he receives anything, he gives countless blessings; but if he does not receive anything, not even so does he utter a bitter word, nor does he revile and blaspheme those who are able to give, and do not provide; but just as someone being led by an executioner to an unbearable punishment, then beseeching and supplicating all who pass by, and receiving no help, is led with great 54.604 inhumanity to the punishment; so also this one, as if dragged by the executioner of hunger toward the night and the unbearable sleeplessness, stretches out his hands, with a vehement cry beseeching those sitting above in their houses, but receiving no charity, he is sent away pitilessly and with great cruelty. But none of these things moves us, but after such inhumanity we dare to stretch out our hands to heaven, and to speak to God about mercy, and to ask forgiveness for our own sins; and we do not fear lest a thunderbolt should be cast down after such a prayer, after such cruelty and inhumanity. How, tell me, do we go to sleep and rest, and do not fear lest this very poor man should stand before you in a dream, squalid, filthy, clothed in rags, and lament and wail, accusing you of cruelty? For I have often heard many say that after having despised helping the poor during the day, at night they saw themselves bound with ropes and being dragged by the hand of the poor, being torn apart, suffering countless things. But these things are sleep and a dream, and a temporary punishment; but do we not fear, tell me, lest we should ever see this poor man who is lamenting and crying out and wailing in the bosom of Abraham, just as that rich man once saw Lazarus? The things that follow from this I leave to your conscience, those bitter and inconsolable torments, how he asked for water, how he did not receive even a drop, how his tongue was parched, how, having made great supplication, he obtained no mercy, and how he was tormented immortally. But may it not happen that we learn these things through experience, but having heard them through words may we flee the threat that comes through deeds, and having been shown worthy of the hospitality of the forefather Abraham, may we go to the same place as he, by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father be honor, glory,

19

πειραθῶσι τοῦ ναυαγίου· οὕτω καὶ οἱ πένητες, καθάπερ ναυάγιον δεδοικότες τὸν λιμὸν, σπεύδουσι πρὸ τῆς ἑσπέρας τὸ πρὸς τροφὴν αὐτοῖς ἀργύριον ἀρκοῦν συναγαγεῖν, ἵνα μὴ, πάντων ἀποδημησάντων οἴκαδε, ἔξω τοῦ λιμένος μείνωσι. Λιμὴν γὰρ αὐτοῖς αἱ τῶν ἀντιλαμβανομένων χεῖρές εἰσιν. δʹ. Ἡμεῖς δὲ οὔτε ἐν ἀγορᾷ πρὸς τὰς ἐκείνων ἐκκαμπτόμεθα συμφορὰς, οὔτε οἴκαδε ἀπελθόντες· ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς τραπέζης ἡμῖν παρακειμένης, πολλάκις καὶ μυρίων γενούσης ἀγαθῶν (εἴγε ἀγαθὰ χρὴ καλεῖν, ἃ ἐπὶ κατακρίσει τῆς ἡμῶν ἀπανθρωπίας ἐσθίομεν), πλὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς τραπέζης παρακειμένης, ἀκούοντες κάτωθεν διὰ τῶν στενωπῶν βαδιζόντων ἐκείνων, καὶ μεγάλα βοώντων ἐν τοῖς ἀμφόδοις, ὀδυνωμένων ἐν βαθυτάτῳ σκότῳ, ἐν ἐρημίᾳ πολλῇ, οὐδὲ οὕτως ἐπικαμπτόμεθα· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐμπλησθέντες, καὶ πρὸς ὕπνον βαδίζοντες, καὶ ἐν ἐκείνῳ πάλιν τῷ καιρῷ μεγάλα κάτωθεν ὀδυρομένων ἀκούοντες, ὥσπερ κυνὸς λυττῶντος, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἀνθρωπίνης ἀκούοντες φωνῆς οὕτω παρατρέχομεν· καὶ οὔτε πρὸς τὸν καιρὸν ἐπιστρεφόμεθα, ὅτι ἀωρὶ λοιπὸν τῶν νυκτῶν καθευδόντων ἁπάντων ἐκεῖνος ὀδύρεται μόνος, οὔτε πρὸς τὸ κοῦφον τῆς αἰτήσεως, ὅτι ἄρτου πλέον οὐδὲν ἡμᾶς ἀπαιτεῖ, ἢ ἀργύριον ὀλίγον, οὔτε πρὸς τὸ μέγεθος τῆς συμφορᾶς, ὅτι λιμῷ παλαίει διηνεκεῖ, οὔτε πρὸς τὴν ἐπιείκειαν τοῦ ἱκέτου, ὅτι τοσαύτῃ κατεχόμενος ἀνάγκῃ, οὐ πρὸς τὰς θύρας ἐλθεῖν, οὐκ ἐγγὺς γενέσθαι τολμᾷ, ἀλλὰ κάτωθεν ἐκ πολλοῦ τοῦ διαστήματος ποιεῖται τὴν ἱκετηρίαν. Κἂν μὲν λάβῃ, μυρίας δίδωσι τὰς εὐχάς· ἂν δὲ μὴ λάβῃ, οὐδὲ οὕτω πικρὸν ἐκβάλλει ῥῆμα, οὐδὲ λοιδορεῖται καὶ βλασφημεῖ τοὺς δυναμένους δοῦναι, καὶ μὴ παρέχοντας· ἀλλ' ὥσπερ τις ὑπὸ δημίου τινὸς ἐπὶ κόλασιν ἀγόμενος ἀφόρητον, εἶτα τοὺς παριόντας ἅπαντας παρακαλῶν, ἱκετεύων, καὶ μηδεμιᾶς τυγχάνων ἀντιλήψεως, μετὰ πολλῆς 54.604 τῆς ἀπανθρωπίας πρὸς τὴν κόλασιν ἄγεται· οὕτω καὶ οὗτος, καθάπερ ὑπὸ δημίου τοῦ λιμοῦ πρὸς τὴν νύκτα ἑλκόμενος καὶ τὴν ἀφόρητον ἀγρυπνίαν, ἐκτείνει μὲν τὰς χεῖρας, μετὰ σφοδρᾶς τῆς βοῆς τοὺς ἐν ταῖς οἰκίαις ἄνω καθημένους παρακαλῶν, οὐδεμιᾶς δὲ φιλανθρωπίας τυγχάνων, ἀνηλεῶς ἀποπέμπεται καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ὠμότητος. Ἀλλ' οὐδὲν τούτων ἡμᾶς ἐπικάμπτει, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τοσαύτην ἀπανθρωπίαν εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐκτεῖναι τὰς χεῖρας τολμῶμεν, καὶ περὶ ἐλέου διαλεχθῆναι τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ συγγνώμην αἰτῆσαι τῶν οἰκείων ἁμαρτημάτων· καὶ οὐ δεδοίκαμεν μὴ κεραυνὸς μετὰ τὴν τοιαύτην εὐχὴν κατενεχθῇ, μετὰ τὴν τοσαύτην ὠμότητα καὶ ἀπανθρωπίαν. Πῶς πρὸς ὕπνον, εἰπέ μοι, βαδίζομεν καὶ ἀνάπαυσιν, καὶ οὐ δεδοίκαμεν μὴ κατ' ὄναρ αὐτὸς οὗτος ὑμῖν ὁ πένης ἐπιστὰς, αὐχμῶν, ῥυπῶν ῥάκια περιβεβλημένος, ὀδύρηται καὶ θρηνήσῃ, τὴν ὠμότητα ἐγκαλῶν; Καὶ γὰρ πολλῶν πολλάκις ἤκουσα λεγόντων, ὅτι μεθ' ἡμέραν ὑπεριδόντες τῆς τῶν πτωχῶν ἀντιλήψεως, ἐν νυκτὶ σχοινία περιβεβλημένους ἑαυτοὺς εἶδον καὶ ἑλκομένους ὑπὸ τῆς τῶν πενήτων χειρὸς, σπαραττομένους, μυρία πάσχοντας πράγματα. Ἀλλὰ ταῦτα μὲν ὕπνος καὶ ὄναρ, καὶ πρόσκαιρος τιμωρία· ἡμεῖς δὲ οὐ δεδοίκαμεν, εἰπέ μοι, μήποτε τὸν πένητα τοῦτον τὸν ὀδυρόμενον καὶ βοῶντα καὶ ὀλοφυρόμενον ἐν τοῖς κόλποις ἴδωμεν τοῦ Ἀβραὰμ, καθάπερ ποτὲ τὸν Λάζαρον ὁ πλούσιος ἐκεῖνος; Τὰ δὲ ἐντεῦθεν ἀφίημι ὑμῶν τῷ συνειδότι, τὰ πικρὰ καὶ ἀπαραμύθητα ἐκεῖνα κολαστήρια, πῶς ᾔτησεν ὕδωρ, πῶς οὐδὲ σταγόνος ἔτυχε, πῶς ἡ γλῶττα ἀπετηγανίζετο, πῶς πολλὴν τὴν ἱκετηρίαν θεὶς, οὐδεμιᾶς συγγνώμης ἀπέλαυσε, καὶ πῶς ἀθάνατα ἐκολάζετο. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ μὴ γένοιτο ἡμᾶς ταῦτα διὰ τῆς πείρας μαθεῖν, ἀλλὰ διὰ τῶν λόγων ἀκούσαντας φυγεῖν τὴν διὰ τῶν ἔργων ἀπειλὴν, καὶ τῆς τοῦ προπάτορος Ἀβραὰμ φιλοφροσύνης ἀξίους ἀποδειχθέντας, εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν ἐκείνῳ χωρῆσαι τόπον, χάριτι καὶ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, μεθ' οὗ τῷ Πατρὶ τιμὴ, δόξα,