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he had done this, he would have been accused rather by those who praise unseasonably; for if he had not boasted, he would have lost and betrayed everything, and he would have advanced the affairs of his enemies. Thus he knows how to use the occasion everywhere, and to do even forbidden things with right judgment, and so usefully, as to be no less esteemed for these things than for those which are commanded. For Paul was more esteemed then when he boasted, than anyone else hiding his own good deeds; for no one accomplished so many good things by hiding his own, as he did by declaring his own. 5.11 And what is again more wonderful, is that he not only spoke out, but also stopped when the need was met. For he did not, as if the occasion gave him much license, again use the matter immoderately, but he knew how far he ought to proceed. And not even this was enough for him, but so as not to corrupt others, nor prepare them to praise themselves simply, he even calls himself a fool; for he himself, when need called, did this. But since it was likely that others, looking to him, would use the example simply and at random; which also happens with physicians; for often, a medicine which one has applied with opportunity, another applying it unseasonably has done harm and obscured the power of the medicine. 5.12 Therefore, that this might not happen here also, see what great correction he uses when about to boast, not once, nor twice, but shrinking back many times. For 'I wish you would bear with me,' he says, 'a little in my folly;' and again, 'What I speak, I speak not after the Lord, but as it were in folly.' 'Wherein any is bold in folly (I speak), I am bold also.' And having said so much, he was not content even with these things, but again when about to enter upon his praises, he conceals himself, saying, 'I know a man;' and again, 'On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast;' and after all these things, 'I have become a fool,' he says, 'you have compelled me.' Who then is so foolish and utterly senseless, as, seeing that holy man, with so great a necessity laid upon him, hesitating and shrinking back from saying anything great about himself, and like a horse coming down cliffs and continually rearing up, although about to manage so great things, not to flee from the matter with great abundance, and use the matter only when the occasion compels? 5.13 Do you wish that I show you another such thing of his? For this is the wonderful thing: that he was not content with his conscience, but also taught us how we ought to pursue each of these things, not only preparing a defense for himself from the necessity of the occasions, but also instructing others, so that when an occasion arises they should not flee from such a thing, nor again pursue it unseasonably. For through these things which he said, he was all but saying these things: a great evil it is to say something great and wonderful about oneself; and of the utmost folly is this, beloved, when no necessity is laid on, and no violent necessity, to adorn oneself with praises; this is not to speak according to the Lord, but such a thing is rather a sign of madness, and it empties for us all our reward after many sweats and toils. For all these things and more than these, through which he excused himself even when necessity arose, he said to all. But what is greater than this, is that not even when necessity arose did he pour out everything into the midst, but concealed the more and the greater things. 'For I will come,' he says, 'to visions and revelations of the Lord;' 'but I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he sees me to be, or that he hears of me.' And these things he said, instructing all, not even when there is necessity, to bring and lay in the midst all that we know of ourselves, but as much as is useful to the hearers. 5.14 Since Samuel also; for it is not at all unlikely to make mention of that holy man also, for praises are also for our benefit; he too once boasted, and

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τοῦτο πεποίηκε, τῶν ἀκαίρως ἐγκωμιαζόντων κατηγορήθη ἂν μᾶλλον· εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐκαυχήσατο, πάντα ἂν ἀπώλεσε καὶ προέδωκε, καὶ τὰ τῶν ἐχθρῶν ἂν ἐπῆρε πράγματα. Οὕτως οἶδε τῷ καιρῷ πανταχοῦ κεχρῆσθαι, καὶ μετὰ γνώμης ὀρθῆς καὶ τὰ ἀπηγορευμένα ποιεῖν, καὶ οὕτω χρησίμως, ὡς τῶν προστεταγμένων μηδὲν ἔλαττον ἐκ τούτων εὐδοκιμεῖν. Μᾶλλον γὰρ Παῦλος καυχώμενος τότε εὐδοκί μησεν, ἢ ἕτερός τις κρύπτων τὰ ἑαυτοῦ κατορθώματα· οὐδεὶς γὰρ τοσαῦτα εἰργάσατο ἀγαθὰ ἀποκρύπτων τὰ ἑαυτοῦ, ὅσα ἐκεῖνος ἐξειπὼν τὰ ἑαυτοῦ. 5.11 Καὶ τὸ δὴ πάλιν θαυμαστότερον, ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἐξεῖπεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ μέχρι τῆς χρείας ἔστη. Οὐ γὰρ ὡς τοῦ καιροῦ παρέχοντος αὐτῷ πολλὴν τὴν ἄδειαν, ἀμέτρως πάλιν τῷ πράγματι ἐχρήσατο, ἀλλ' ἔγνω μέχρι ποῦ προελθεῖν ἔδει. Καὶ οὐδὲ τοῦτο αὐτῷ ἤρκεσεν, ἀλλ' ὥστε μὴ τοὺς ἄλλους διαφθεῖραι, μηδὲ παρασκευάσαι ἁπλῶς ἑαυτοὺς ἐγκωμιάζειν, καὶ ἄφρονα ἑαυτὸν καλεῖ· αὐτὸς μὲν γάρ, τῆς χρείας καλούσης, τοῦτο ἐποίησεν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ εἰκὸς ἦν τοὺς ἄλλους εἰς αὐτὸν ὁρῶντας, ἁπλῶς καὶ εἰκῇ κεχρῆσθαι τῷ παραδείγματι· ὃ καὶ ἐπὶ τῶν ἰατρῶν γίνεται· πολλάκις γάρ, ὃ μετὰ καιροῦ φάρμακον ἐπέθηκεν οὗτος, ἀκαίρως ἕτερος ἐπιθεὶς ἐλυμήνατο καὶ ἐπεσκότησε τῇ τοῦ φαρμάκου δυνάμει. 5.12 Ἵν' οὖν μὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοῦτο γένηται, ὅρα πόσῃ κέχρηται τῇ προδιορθώσει μέλλων καυχᾶσθαι, οὐχ ἅπαξ, οὐδὲ δίς, ἀλλὰ πολλάκις ἀναδυόμενος. Ὤφελον γὰρ ἀνείχεσθέ μου, φησί, μικρὸν τῇ ἀφροσύνῃ· καὶ πάλιν· Ὃ λαλῶ, οὐ λαλῶ κατὰ Κύριον, ἀλλ' ὡς ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ. Ἐν ᾧ δ' ἄν τις ἐν ἀφροσύνῃ τολμᾷ λέγων, τολμῶ κἀγώ. Καὶ τοσαῦτα εἰπών, οὐδὲ τούτοις ἠρκέσθη, ἀλλὰ πάλιν μέλλων εἰς τὰ ἐγκώμια ἐμβαίνειν κρύπτει ἑαυτὸν λέγων· Οἶδα ἄνθρωπον· καὶ πάλιν· Ὑπὲρ τοῦ τοιούτου καυχήσομαι, ὑπὲρ δὲ ἐμαυτοῦ οὐ καυχήσομαι· καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα πάντα· Γέγονα ἄφρων, φησίν, ὑμεῖς με ἠναγκάσατε. Τίς οὖν οὕτως ἀνόητος καὶ σφόδρα ἀναίσθητος, ὡς τὸν ἅγιον ἐκεῖνον ὁρῶν, τοσαύτης ἐπικειμένης ἀνάγκης, ὀκνοῦντα καὶ ἀναδυόμενον περὶ ἑαυτοῦ τι μέγα εἰπεῖν, καὶ καθάπερ ἵππον κατὰ κρημνῶν ἐρχόμενον καὶ ἀναχαιτίζοντα συνεχῶς, καίτοι μέλλων τοσαῦτα οἰκονομεῖν, μὴ φεύγειν ἐκ πολλῆς τὸ πρᾶγμα περιουσίας, καὶ μόνου καιροῦ καταναγκάζοντος κεχρῆσθαι τῷ πράγματι; 5.13 Βούλει καὶ ἕτερον αὐτοῦ δείξω τοιοῦτον; Τὸ γὰρ δὴ θαυμαστόν· τοῦτό ἐστιν, ὅτι οὐκ ἠρκεῖτο τῷ συνειδότι, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐδίδασκε πῶς ἕκαστον τούτων μετιέναι δεῖ, οὐχ ἑαυτῷ μόνον ἀπολογίαν κατασκευάζων ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν καιρῶν ἀνάγκης, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοὺς ἄλλους παιδεύων, ὥστε ἐμπεσόντος καιροῦ μὴ φεύγειν τὸ τοιοῦτον, μήτε ἀκαίρως αὐτὸ μετιέναι πάλιν. ∆ιὰ γὰρ τούτων ὧν εἶπε, μονονουχὶ ταῦτα ἔλεγε· κακὸν μέγα τὸ περὶ ἑαυτοῦ λέγειν μέγα τι καὶ θαυμαστόν· καὶ ἐσχάτης ἀνοίας τοῦτο, ἀγαπητέ, τὸ μηδεμιᾶς ἀνάγκης ἐπικειμένης, καὶ ἀνάγκης βιαίας, καλλωπίζεσθαι τοῖς ἐγκωμίοις· οὐκ ἔστι τοῦτο κατὰ Κύριον λαλεῖν, ἀλλὰ παραπληξίας μᾶλλον δεῖγμα τὸ τοιοῦτόν ἐστι, καὶ πάντα ἡμῖν κενοῖ τὸν μισθὸν μετὰ τοὺς πολλοὺς ἱδρῶτας καὶ πόνους. Ταῦτα γὰρ ἅπαντα καὶ πλείονα τούτων, δι' ὧν παρῃτήσατο καὶ ἀνάγκης ἐμπεσούσης, εἶπε πρὸς ἅπαντας. Τὸ δὲ τούτου μεῖζον, ὅτι οὐδὲ ἀνάγκης ἐμπεσούσης, πάντα ἐξέχεεν εἰς μέσον, ἀλλὰ τὰ πλείονα ἀπεκρύψατο καὶ τὰ μείζονα. Ἐλεύσομαι γάρ, φησίν, εἰς ὀπτασίας καὶ ἀποκαλύψεις Κυρίου· φείδομαι δέ, μή τις εἰς ἐμὲ λογίσηται, ὑπὲρ ὃ βλέπει ἢ ἀκούει τι ἐξ ἐμοῦ. Ταῦτα δὲ ἔλεγε παιδεύων ἅπαντας, μηδὲ ἀνάγκης οὔσης, πάντα ὅσα σύνισμεν ἑαυτοῖς, φέροντας αὐτὰ εἰς μέσον κατατιθέναι, ἀλλ' ὅσα τοῖς ἀκούουσι χρήσιμα. 5.14 Ἐπεὶ καὶ ὁ Σαμουήλ· οὐδὲν γὰρ ἀπεικὸς καὶ ἐκείνου μνησθῆναι τοῦ ἁγίου, εἰς γὰρ ὠφέλειαν ἡμῶν καὶ τὰ ἐγκώμια γίνεται· ἐκαυχήσατό ποτε καὶ ἐκεῖνος, καὶ