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is cast down, choosing both to say and to do all things that are against its own salvation. And just as madmen, when once they fall from a sound state, fear nothing, are ashamed of nothing, but fearlessly dare and do all things, even if they are about to fall into fire, or into the sea, or over a cliff; so also those seized by the madness of despair are henceforth unbearable, running everywhere into wickedness, and unless death comes upon them and stops that madness and impulse, they work countless terrible things upon themselves. For this reason I entreat you, before you are completely submerged by this drunkenness, to become sober and to be roused, and to thrust away this satanic intoxication, and if it is not possible all at once, then gently and little by little. For to me it seems easier, having broken away from all the ropes that hold you at once, to transfer yourself to the training-ground of repentance. But if this seems difficult to you, in whatever way you wish, take hold of the path that leads to better things, only take hold and lay hold of eternal life. Yes, I beg and beseech you, by your former good repute, by that confidence, may we thus see you again at the same peak and endurance. Spare those who are scandalized on your account, those who are falling, those who are becoming more slothful, those who despair of the way of virtue. For now dejection possesses the company of the brothers, but pleasure and cheerfulness the assemblies of the unbelievers and mockery from the young who are more idly disposed. But if you return again to that strictness of life, the opposite will happen, and all our shame will be transferred to them, and we will have great confidence, seeing you crowned and proclaimed again with greater splendor. For such victories bring greater both good repute and pleasure. For you will receive the reward not only for your own right actions, but also for the encouragement and comfort of others, being a very great example, if anyone should ever fall into such evils, for rising up again and recovering himself.

18 Do not overlook so great a gain, nor bring our souls down to Hades with grief, but allow us to breathe again and to shake off the cloud of despondency that possesses us on your account. For now, leaving aside our own evils, we mourn your misfortunes; but if you are willing to become sober and see clearly and take up the angelic way of life, you will both free us from this grief and remind us of our own sins. For that it is possible for those who have returned again from repentance to shine greatly and brightly, and often more so than those who never fell in the first place, we have shown also from the divine Scriptures. Thus, at any rate, both the tax collectors and the prostitutes inherit the kingdom of heaven, thus many of the last are put before the first. And I will tell you also things that have happened in our time and of which you yourself will be able to be a witness. You know, I suppose, that young son of Urbanus, Phoenix, who was left an orphan at an untimely age, but became master of much money and of servants and lands. This man at first, having bid a long farewell to the pursuits in the schools, and having cast aside that splendid attire, and all worldly pride, suddenly put on a humble garment, and having withdrawn to the wilderness in the mountains, he displayed great philosophy, not only for his age, but as much as any of the admirable and great men. And after this, having been deemed worthy also of the sacred rite of the mysteries, he advanced much more toward virtue. And all rejoiced and glorified God, because though he was raised in great wealth, and had illustrious ancestors and was still very young, he had thus suddenly trampled on all the illusion of life and run up to the true height. But while he was in this state and being admired, certain corrupt men, looking to the law of kinship, again to the former turmoil

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κατακρημνίζεται, πάντα αἱρουμένη καὶ λέγειν καὶ ποιεῖν τὰ κατὰ τῆς σωτηρίας τῆς ἑαυτῆς. Καὶ καθάπερ οἱ μαινόμενοι, ἐπειδὰν ἅπαξ τῆς ὑγιοῦς ἐκπέσωσι καταστάσεως, οὐδὲν δεδοίκασιν, οὐδὲν αἰσχύνονται, ἀλλ' ἀδεῶς ἅπαντα τολμῶσιν καὶ πράττουσιν κἂν εἰς πῦρ μέλλωσιν ἐμπίπτειν, κἂν εἰς πέλαγος, κἂν εἰς κρημνόν· οὕτω καὶ οἱ τῆς ἀπογνώσεως τῇ παραφροσύνῃ ληφθέντες ἀφόρητοι λοιπόν εἰσιν, πανταχοῦ τῆς κακίας διατρέχοντες, κἂν μὴ θάνατος αὐτοὺς ἐπελθὼν κωλύσῃ τῆς μανίας ἐκείνης καὶ τῆς φορᾶς, μυρία ἑαυτοὺς ἐργάζονται δεινά. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο παρακαλῶ πρὶν σφόδρα ὑπὸ ταύτης βαπτισθῆναί σε τῆς μέθης, ἀνανῆψαι καὶ διεγερθῆναι, καὶ τὴν σατανικὴν κραιπάλην ἀπώσασθαι, καὶ εἰ μὴ δυνατὸν ἀθρόως, ἀλλ' ἠρέμα καὶ κατὰ μικρόν. Ἐμοὶ μὲν γὰρ εὐκολώτερον εἶναι φαίνεται τὸ πάντων ὁμοῦ τῶν κατεχόντων ἀποσπασθέντα σχοινίων μεταθεῖναι ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὸ τῆς μετανοίας γυμνάσιον. Εἰ δέ σοι τοῦτο δύσκολον εἶναι δοκεῖ, ὡς ἂν ἐθέλῃς, ἅψαι τῆς ὁδοῦ τῆς ἐπὶ τὰ κρείττω φερούσης, μόνον ἅψαι καὶ ἐπιλαβοῦ τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς. Ναί, δέομαι καὶ ἀντιβολῶ, πρὸς τῆς εὐδοκιμήσεως τῆς προτέρας, πρὸς τῆς παρρησίας ἐκείνης, οὕτω πάλιν σε ἐπὶ τῆς κορυφῆς καὶ τῆς καρτερίας ἴδωμεν τῆς αὐτῆς. Φεῖσαι τῶν σκανδαλιζομένων διὰ τὴν σὴν κεφαλήν, τῶν καταπιπτόντων, τῶν γινομένων ῥᾳθυμοτέρων, τῶν ἀπογινωσκόντων τὴν τῆς ἀρετῆς ὁδόν. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ κατήφεια τὸν τῶν ἀδελφῶν ἔχει χορόν, ἡδονὴ δὲ καὶ εὐθυμία τὰ τῶν ἀπίστων συνέδρια καὶ κωμῳδήματα τὰ τῶν νέων ῥᾳθυμότερον διακειμένων. Ἂν δὲ ἐπανέλθῃς πάλιν ἐπ' ἐκείνην τοῦ βίου τὴν ἀκρίβειαν, τοὐναντίον γενήσεται καὶ ἡ μὲν ἡμετέρα αἰσχύνη εἰς ἐκείνους μεταστήσεται πᾶσα, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἐν παρρησίᾳ ἐσόμεθα πολλῇ, μετὰ πλείονος λαμπρότητος στεφανούμενόν σε καὶ ἀνακηρυττόμενον ὁρῶντες πάλιν. Μείζονα γὰρ αἱ τοιαῦται νῖκαι φέρουσι καὶ τὴν εὐδοκίμησιν καὶ τὴν ἡδονήν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ τῶν οἰκείων κατορθωμάτων μόνον λήψῃ τὸν μισθόν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ἑτέρων παρακλήσεως καὶ παραμυθίας, ὑπόδειγμα μέγιστον ἐγκείμενος, εἴ ποτέ τις τοιούτοις περιπέσοι κακοῖς, πρὸς τὸ διαναστῆναι πάλιν καὶ ἀνακτήσασθαι ἑαυτόν.

18 Μὴ δὴ κέρδος παρίδῃς τοσοῦτο, μηδὲ καταγάγῃς εἰς ᾅδου μετὰ λύπης τὰς ἡμετέρας ψυχάς, ἀλλὰ δὸς ἡμῖν ἀναπνεῦσαι καὶ τὸ κατέχον ἡμᾶς διά σε τῆς ἀθυμίας ἀποσείσασθαι νέφος. Νῦν μὲν γὰρ τὰ οἰκεῖα παρέντες κακά, τὰς σὰς θρηνοῦμεν συμφοράς· ἂν δὲ ἐθελήσῃς ἀνανῆψαι καὶ διαβλέψαι καὶ τῆς πολιτείας ἐπιλαβέσθαι τῆς ἀγγελικῆς, καὶ τούτου τοῦ πένθους ἀπαλλάξεις ἡμᾶς καὶ τῶν ἡμετέρων ἁμαρτημάτων ὑπομνήσεις. Ὅτι γὰρ ἔστιν τοὺς ἐκ μετανοίας πάλιν ἐπανελθόντας λάμψαι μέγα καὶ φαιδρὸν καὶ πλέον πολλάκις τῶν μηδὲ πεσόντων τὴν ἀρχήν, ἀπεδείξαμεν καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν θείων Γραφῶν. Οὕτω γοῦν καὶ οἱ τελῶναι καὶ αἱ πόρναι τὴν βασιλείαν κληρονομοῦσιν τῶν οὐρανῶν, οὕτω πολλοὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων πρὸ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν τιθένται. Ἐρῶ δέ σοι καὶ τὰ ἐφ' ἡμῶν γεγενημένα καὶ ὧν δυνήσῃ καὶ αὐτὸς γενέσθαι μάρτυς. Οἶσθά που τὸν νέον ἐκεῖνον τὸν Οὐρβανοῦ παῖδα, τὸν Φοίνικα, τὸν ἐν ὀρφανίᾳ μὲν καταλειφθέντα ἀώρῳ, κύριον δὲ πολλῶν καὶ χρημάτων καὶ οἰκετῶν γενόμενον καὶ ἀγρῶν. Οὗτος τὸ μὲν πρῶτον ἐρρῶσθαι πολλὰ ταῖς ἐν τοῖς μουσείοις διατριβαῖς εἰπών, καὶ τὴν λαμπρὰν ἐκείνην ἀμφίασιν ἀφείς, καὶ τὸν τῦφον ἅπαντα τὸν βιωτικόν, ἐξαίφνης ἱμάτιον εὐτελὲς περιθέμενος, καὶ πρὸς τὴν ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσιν ἐρημίαν ἀναχωρήσας, πολλὴν ἐπεδείξατο τὴν φιλοσοφίαν, οὐ κατὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν μόνον, ἀλλ' ὅσην ἄν τις τῶν θαυμαστῶν καὶ μεγάλων ἀνδρῶν. Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα καὶ τῆς ἱερᾶς τῶν μυστηρίων τελετῆς ἀξιωθείς, πολλῷ μᾶλλον ἐπεδίδου πρὸς ἀρετήν. Καὶ πάντες ἔχαιρον καὶ ἐδόξαζον τὸν θεόν, ὅτι καὶ ἐν πλούτῳ τραφεὶς πολλῷ, καὶ προγόνους ἔχων λαμπροὺς καὶ σφόδρα ἔτι νέος ὤν, οὕτως ἐξαίφνης ἅπασαν τοῦ βίου τὴν φαντασίαν καταπατήσας πρὸς τὸ ὕψος ἀνέδραμεν τὸ ἀληθινόν. Ἐν τούτῳ δὲ αὐτὸν ὄντα καὶ θαυμαζόμενον, φθόροι τινὲς ἄνδρες, κατὰ τὸν τῆς συγγενείας ἐπισκοποῦντες νόμον, αὖθις ἐπὶ τὸν πρότερον κλύδωνα