21

to be fulfilled. And you are not ignorant of what kind of food the Lord himself provided for the five thousand. And Jacob's prayer to God: "If you give me," he says, "bread to eat, and a garment to put on;" not, "If you give me luxury and extravagance." And what about the most wise Solomon? "Give me neither riches nor poverty," he says; "but appoint for me what is necessary and sufficient, lest I become full and become a liar, and say, 'Who sees me?' or being poor, I steal, and swear by the name of my God;" defining wealth as satiety, and poverty as the complete lack of the necessities of life; and by sufficiency, indicating what is both not lacking and not superfluous for one's need. But sufficiency is different for different people, according to both the condition of the body and the need at hand. For one needs more and stronger food because of toil, another needs lighter and simpler food, and everything suitable, on account of weakness; but for all in common, simpler and more easily obtained. In everything, however, diligence and good table manners are necessary, in no way transgressing the limits 31.976 of our need; but let this be the limit of hospitality, what is sought according to the need of each of the visitors. "For," it says, "use this world, but do not misuse it." And misuse is the expense beyond what is needed. We do not have money? Let us not have it. Are our storehouses not full? For our food is for the day; our life is from hand to mouth. Why then do we squander the food given by God for the hungry on the pleasures of the luxurious? sinning in both ways, both intensifying the afflictions of the needy from their want, and for the others the harms that come from satiety.

QUESTION 21. How one ought to conduct oneself concerning seats and places of reclining at the time

of luncheons or dinners. RESPONSE. Since it is a command of the Lord, who accustoms us everywhere to humility, that even when reclining at luncheons we should take the last place beforehand, it is necessary for one who is zealous to do all things according to the commandment not to overlook this command either. If, then, some worldly people are reclining with us, it is fitting for us to become an example to them in this regard, so that they do not exalt themselves, nor seek the first place. But where all come together for the same purpose, so as to give proof of their own humility at all times, it is incumbent upon each to take the last place beforehand, according to the command of the Lord; yet on the other hand to crowd contentiously around it is reprehensible, as being destructive of good order and a cause of disturbance. And to be unyielding towards one another, and the fight over this, will make us like those who contend for the first places. Therefore it is necessary here also, recognizing and being zealous for what is fitting for us with careful consideration, to entrust to the one hosting the arrangement of the reclining as well, just as the Lord also suggested, saying that the command concerning these things belongs to the master of the house. For thus we shall also bear with one another in love, doing all things decently and in order; and we will not show that we are practicing humility for the display of the many, nor to win popular favor, through unyielding and vehement contradiction; but rather we will achieve humility through obedience. For the display of arrogance is greater from contradiction than from taking the first seat, when we accept it by command. 31.977

QUESTION 22. What is the proper clothing for a Christian. RESPONSE. The preceding

discourse has shown that humility is necessary, and simplicity, and in all things plainness, and inexpensiveness, so that few occasions for distractions may arise for us from bodily needs. Therefore, the discussion concerning clothing must also follow those aims. For if it is fitting for us to strive to be last of all, also in

21

ἐκπληρωθῆναι. Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Κύριος ὁποίαν παρέθηκε τοῖς πεντακισχιλίοις τροφὴν οὐκ ἀγνοεῖς. Ἡ δὲ εὐχὴ τοῦ Ἰακὼβ πρὸς τὸν Θεόν· Ἐὰν δῷςμοι, φησὶν, ἄρτον φαγεῖν, καὶ ἱμάτιον περιβαλέ σθαι· οὐκ, Ἐὰν τρυφὴν δῷς μοι καὶ πολυτέλειαν. Τί δὲ ὁ σοφώτατος Σολομών; Πλοῦτον δὲ καὶ πε νίαν, φησὶ, μή μοι δῷς· σύνταξον δέ μοι τὰ δέοντα, καὶ αὐτάρκη, ἵνα μὴ πλησθεὶς ψευ δὴς γένωμαι, καὶ εἴπω· Τίς με ὁρᾷ; ἢ πενόμενος κλέψω, καὶ ὀμόσω τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ Θεοῦ μου· πλοῦ τον μὲν εἶναι τὴν πλησμονὴν ὁριζόμενος, πενίαν δὲ τὴν παντελῆ ἀπορίαν τῶν πρὸς τὸ ζῇν ἀναγκαίων· διὰ δὲ τῆς αὐταρκείας τὸ ἀνενδεὲς ὁμοῦ καὶ ἀπέριττον τῶν πρὸς τὴν χρείαν δηλῶν. Αὐτάρκεια δὲ ἄλλη ἄλλῳ κατά τε τὴν τοῦ σώματος ἕξιν καὶ τὴν πρὸς τὸ προκείμενον χρείαν. Τῷ μὲν γὰρ πλείονος τροφῆς καὶ ἰσχυροτέρας χρεία διὰ τὸν κόπον, τῷ δὲ λεπτοτέρας καὶ κουφοτέρας, καὶ καταλλήλου τὰ πάντα διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν· κοινῇ δὲ πᾶσιν εὐτελεστέρας καὶ εὐποριστοτέρας. Ἐν παντὶ μέντοι τὸ ἐπιμελὲς καὶ τὸ εὐτράπεζον ἀναγκαῖον, μηδαμοῦ τοὺς ὅρους 31.976 ἡμῶν τῆς χρείας ὑπερβαινόντων· ἀλλὰ τοῦτο ἔστω τῆς δεξιώσεως πέρας, τὸ παρὰ τῆς ἑκάστου χρείας τῶν ἐπιδημούντων ἐπιζητούμενον. Ὡς χρώμενοι γὰρ, φησὶ, τῷ κόσμῳ τούτῳ, καὶ μὴ παραχρώμενοι. Παράχρησις δέ ἐστιν ἡ ὑπὲρ τὴν χρείαν δαπάνη. Οὐκ ἔχομεν χρήματα; μηδὲ ἔχοιμεν. Οὐ γέμουσιν ἡμῶν αἱ ἀποθῆκαι; Ἐφήμερος γὰρ ἡμῖν ἡ τρο φή· διὰ χειρῶν ὁ βίος. Τί οὖν τὴν δεδομένην παρὰ Θεοῦ τροφὴν τοῖς πεινῶσιν εἰς ἡδονὰς τρυφώντων παραναλίσκομεν; ἀμφοτέρωθεν ἁμαρτάνοντες, καὶ τούτοις ἐπιτείνοντες τὰς ἐκ τῆς ἐνδείας θλίψεις, κἀκείνοις τὰς βλάβας τὰς ἐκ τοῦ κόρου.

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΚΑʹ. Πῶς δεῖ περὶ τὰς καθέδρας καὶ τὰς κατακλίσεις ἐν τῷ καιρῷ

τῶν ἀρίστων ἢ δείπνων ἔχειν. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Ἐπειδὴ πρόσταγμά ἐστι Κυρίου πανταχοῦ πρὸς τὴν ταπείνωσιν ἐθίζοντος ἡμᾶς τὸ καὶ ἐν τοῖς ἀρί στοις κατακλινομένους τὸν ἔσχατον τόπον προκατα λαμβάνειν, ἀνάγκη τὸν πάντα κατ' ἐντολὴν ποιεῖν ἐσπουδακότα μηδὲ τοῦτο παρορᾷν τὸ πρόσταγμα. Ἂν μὲν οὖν κοσμικοί τινες ἡμῖν συγκατακλίνωνται, ὑπόδειγμα αὐτοῖς πρὸς τὸ μὴ ὑπεραίρεσθαι, μηδὲ τὸ φιλόπρωτον ἐπιζητεῖν, καὶ ἐκ τούτου τοῦ μέρους γίνεσθαι ἡμᾶς προσήκει. Ὅπου δὲ πάντες κατὰ τὸν ἴσον σκοπὸν συνέρχονται, ὥστε ἐν παντὶ καιρῷ τὴν δοκιμὴν τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης ἑαυτῶν διδόναι, τὸ μὲν προκαταλαμβάνειν τὸν ἔσχατον τόπον κατὰ τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἑκάστῳ ἐπιβάλλον· τό γε μὴν πάλιν φιλονείκως περὶ τοῦτον συνωθεῖσθαι ἀδόκιμον, ὡς ἀναιρετικὸν τῆς εὐταξίας καὶ θορύβου αἴτιον. Καὶ τὸ πρὸς ἀλλήλους δὲ ἀνενδότως ἔχειν, καὶ ἡ περὶ τούτου μάχη, ὁμοίους ἡμᾶς ποιήσει τοῖς περὶ πρωτείων φιλονεικοῦσι. ∆ιόπερ χρὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα, τὸ πρέπον ἡμῖν περιεσκεμμένως γνωρίζοντας καὶ σπου δάζοντας, ἐπιτρέπειν τῷ ὑποδεχομένῳ καὶ τὴν τῆς κατακλίσεως τάξιν, καθὰ καὶ ὁ Κύριος ὑπέθετο, τῷ οἰκοδεσπότῃ προσήκειν εἰπὼν τὴν περὶ τούτων δια ταγήν. Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ἀνεξόμεθα ἀλλήλων ἐν ἀγάπῃ, πάντα εὐσχημόνως καὶ κατὰ τάξιν ποιοῦντες· καὶ οὐ πρὸς ἔνδειξιν τῶν πολλῶν, οὔτε δημοκοπικῶς τὴν ταπεινοφροσύνην ἐπιτηδεύειν διὰ τῆς ἀνενδότου καὶ σφοδρᾶς ἀντιλογίας δείξομεν· μᾶλλον δὲ διὰ τῆς εὐπειθείας τὸ ταπεινὸν κατορθώσομεν. Πλείων γὰρ ἐκ τῆς ἀντιλογίας ἡ τῆς ὑπερηφανίας ἔμφασις, ἢ ἐκ τῆς πρωτοκλισίας, ὅταν ἐκ προστάγματος αὐτὴν κα ταδεχώμεθα. 31.977

ΕΡΩΤΗΣΙΣ ΚΒʹ. Τί τὸ πρέπον ἔνδυμα τῷ Χριστιανῷ. ΑΠΟΚΡΙΣΙΣ. Προλαβὼν ὁ

λόγος τήν τε ταπεινοφροσύνην ἀναγκαίαν ἔδειξε, καὶ τὴν λιτότητα, καὶ τὸ ἐν πᾶσιν εὐτελὲς, καὶ ὀλιγοδάπανον, ὡς ὀλίγας ἐκ τῶν σωμα τικῶν χρειῶν τὰς ἀφορμὰς τῶν περισπασμῶν ἐγγί νεσθαι ἡμῖν. Ἐκείνοις οὖν τοῖς σκοποῖς ἕπεσθαι χρὴ καὶ τὸν περὶ ἐνδύματος λόγον. Εἰ γὰρ πάντων προσ ήκει ἡμᾶς σπουδάζειν ἐσχάτους εἶναι, καὶ ἐν