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resisting, but rather most easily carried by it and winged towards God. I do not mean that the sizes of bodies and their smallness drag down or lift up the soul, it being dragged down by these or lifting those up, but that wherever the practice of self-control may be applied, and it empties out the matter and consumes the bulk, it lightens the body for "the soul bound with it," not so as to be lifted up with it physically—for the lifting is not due to the physical thinness of the matter—but so as not to resist it as it is being lifted to heaven, but, so to speak, to be translated with it. Her body became so light, as to be truly ethereal. But she, as though now beginning to be temperate, as though for the first time practicing self-control, ambitiously attempted one thing after another, such things as it is necessary to relate, even if she made most of these things unreportable even to me—and she did not wish for these things to be known by anyone, except a single maidservant. For she completely fled from ambition, even if "in secret" she ambitiously practiced the good, and if anyone happened to glance at something of what was happening, she would stop and conceal it and she would contrive and pretend to be doing something else. But I would be doing an injustice, if I were to be completely silent about the inventions of her virtue, and especially since she has passed away, when he who speaks has been freed from being thought to flatter and the ambition of the narration does not cast a shadow over the virtue of her who has departed. 22. So many others indeed found fault with the inopportuneness of her self-control, both "physicians of the body" wishing to strengthen her constitution and as many as have philosophized about the measures and limits of the virtues, and especially the opportune times at which we should partake or abstain from suitable things, but most of all the "father" who had "begotten" her again; and this man was known to be both brilliant in his life and instructive in his speech. At any rate, he often rebuked her for her lack of moderation; and though he respected "the dignity of her virtue," nevertheless he contrived by pretenses to overcome her against her will and to change her diet. But she, once her soul had been shaken by his threats, orders the maidservant she trusted, having prepared some nourishing fish skillfully, to bring it to her. And so it was prepared and brought, and a table, set for her then for the first time, received the little fish. But she, when she saw at the end of her life her philosophical life suddenly driven out and the unaccustomed luxury brought in its place, baskets and napkins and whatever else belongs to a table, forcing "streams of tears" into her eyes and groaning heavily and striking her breast with her hands as much as she could; "Woe is me," she says, "for my misfortunes. Suddenly lost to me is whatever has been prepared by me for provisions for the journey. How unsuitable for me and for my life are the things being done, a table and mixing bowls and fish and cups, and these luxurious and excessive things are mixed in for me as I am philosophizing. I do not recognize the things set before me, I do not know this drama, nor do I understand the scene. I have been rolled out of the continent life, my hopes have been taken away, I have been despoiled of the wealth of virtue." and "raising" her "hands" to heaven; "I have sinned," she says, "against my Lord." When at last she had ceased lamenting mournfully, she directs her maidservant, as she was going out the door of the cell, to bring in whichever poor person she might first encounter. And going out and after a short time she brings in a little woman, "already old and past her prime." And she, immediately as she was able, rose up and, strengthened beyond expectation, went to meet her, then, taking her by the hand, she seated her on the bed, calling her mistress, benefactress, savior, and the other most beautiful of names. And when the fish had been consumed by the old woman, covering her with her own cloak, she sent her away. Thus she enjoyed the given food, so much she benefited from the table, so much she corrupted her continent life. But when her whole body had collapsed and neither her hands

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ἀντιπίπτον, ἀλλὰ ῥᾷστα δὴ ὑπ' ἐκείνης ὀχούμενον καὶ πτερούμενον πρὸς Θεόν. λέγω δὴ οὐχ ὅτι τὰ μεγέθη τῶν σωμάτων καὶ αἱ βραχύτητες καθέλκουσιν ἢ ἀνάγουσι τὴν ψυχὴν καταγομένην ὑπὸ τούτων ἢ ἐκεῖνα ἀνάγουσαν, ἀλλ' ὡς ὅποι δ' ἂν παραληφθείη τὸ χρῆμα τῆς ἐγκρατείας καὶ κενώσῃ τὴν ὕλην καὶ δαπανήσῃ τὸν ὄγκον, ἐπελαφρίζει τὸ σῶμα «τῇ συνδεδεμένῃ ψυχῇ», οὐχ ὥστε αἴρεσθαι σὺν αὐτῇ φυσικῶς-οὐ γὰρ παρὰ τὴν φυσικὴν λεπτότητα τῆς ὕλης ἡ ἄρσις-, ἀλλ' ὥστε μὴ ἀνθίστασθαι αἰρομένῃ ταύτῃ πρὸς οὐρανόν, ἀλλ', ὡς εἰπεῖν, καὶ συμμεθίστασθαι. τοιοῦτον αὐτῇ γέγονε τὸ σῶμα κοῦφον, ὡς ἀληθῶς καὶ μετέωρον. Ἡ δέ, ὡς νῦν ἠργμένη τοῦ σωφρονεῖν, ὡς πρῶτον ἁπτομένη τοῦ ἐγκρατεύεσθαι, ἄλλα ἐπ' ἄλλοις ἐφιλοτιμεῖτο, οἷα καὶ διηγήσασθαι δέον εἰ κἀκείνη τὰ πλείω τούτων ἀνέκφορα κἀμοὶ ἐποιεῖτο-καὶ οὐκ ἐβούλετο παρά τινος ταῦτα γιγνώσκεσθαι, πλὴν θεραπαίνης μιᾶς. ἔφευγε γὰρ ἐκ παντὸς τὸ φιλότιμον, εἰ καὶ «ἐν τῷ κρυπτῷ» φιλοτίμως εἰργάζετο τὸ καλόν, κἂν εἴ που τις τυχὸν οὕτω περιέβλεψέ τι τῶν γινομένων, ἡ δὲ ἐπέσχε καὶ ἐπεσκίασε καὶ ἄλλο τι ποιεῖν ἐμηχανᾶτό τε καὶ ἐσκήπτετο. ἀλλ' ἐγὼ ἀδικοίην ἄν, εἰ παντάπασιν ἀποσιωπήσαιμι τὰ τῆς ἀρετῆς αὐτῆς ἐφευρήματα, καὶ μάλιστα μεταστάσης, ὁπότε καὶ ὁ λέγων τοῦ θωπεύειν νομίζεσθαι ἠλευθέρωται καὶ τῇ ἀπελθούσῃ οὐκ ἔχει παρασκίασιν ἀρετῆς τῆς διηγήσεως τὸ φιλότιμον. 22. Πολλοὶ μὲν οὖν καὶ ἄλλοι τὴν ἀκαιρίαν αὐτῇ τῆς ἐγκρατείας ἐμέμφοντο, τῶν τε «τοῦ σώματος θεραπευτῶν» ῥωννύειν βουλομένων τὴν δύναμιν καὶ τῶν ὅσοι τὰ μέτρα καὶ τοὺς ὅρους τῶν ἀρετῶν πεφιλοσοφήκασι, καὶ μάλιστα τοὺς καιροὺς καθ' οὓς ἢ μεταληπτέον ἡμῖν ἢ ἀφεκτέον τῶν προσαρμάτων, μάλιστα δὲ «ὁ ἀναγεννήσας» ἐκείνην «πατήρ»· οὗτος δὲ καὶ τὸν βίον λαμπρὸς καὶ τὸν λόγον παιδευτικὸς ἐγνωρίζετο. ἐπετίμα γοῦν αὐτῇ πολλάκις τὸ ἄμετρον· καὶ «τὸ» μὲν «τῆς ἀρετῆς» ᾐδεῖτο «ἀξίωμα», ὅμως δ' οὖν ἐμηχανᾶτο ταῖς ὑποκρίσεσι κατενεγκεῖν ταύτην παρὰ τὸ βούλημα καὶ μεταποιῆσαι τὴν δίαιταν. ἣ δ' ἅπαξ ποτὲ κατασεισθεῖσα ταῖς ἐκείνου ἀπειλαῖς τὴν ψυχήν, τῇ πιστευθείσῃ αὐτῇ θεραπαίνῃ ἰχθῦν τινα τῶν εὐτρόφων προστάττει δεξιῶς παρασκευασαμένην προσενεγκεῖν. καὶ δὴ παρεσκεύαστο καὶ προσῆκτο, καὶ τράπεζά τις τὸ ἰχθύδιον προσεδέξατο τότε πρώτως ἐκείνῃ παρατεθεῖσα. ἡ δέ, ὡς εἶδεν ἐπὶ τῷ τῆς ζωῆς τέλει ἀθρόον τὴν φιλόσοφον αὐτῇ ἐξοικισθεῖσαν ζωὴν καὶ ἀντεισαχθὲν ἐκείνης τὸ τῆς πολυτελείας ἀσύνηθες, κανᾶ καὶ χειρόμακτρα καὶ εἴ τι ἄλλο τῶν περὶ τράπεζαν, «λιβάδας δακρύων» εἰσβιασαμένη τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς καὶ βαρύ τι στενάξασα καὶ χερσὶ τὸ στῆθος ὡς δυνατὸν πλήξασα· «ὤ μοι-φησί-τῶν κακῶν. ἀπώλετό μοι ἀθρόον εἴ τι μοι καὶ πρὸς ἐφόδιον παρεσκεύασται. ὡς ἀκατάλληλα δέ μοι καὶ τῷ βίῳ τὰ δρώμενα, τράπεζα καὶ κρατῆρες καὶ ἰχθύες καὶ κύπελλα, καὶ ἀναμέμικταί μοι φιλοσοφούσῃ τὰ πολυτελῆ ταῦτα καὶ περισσά. οὐ γνωρίζω τὰ παρατεθειμένα, οὐκ οἶδα τουτὶ τὸ δρᾶμα, οὐδ' ἐπίσταμαι τὴν σκηνήν. ἐκκεκύλισμαι τῆς ἐγκρατοῦς ζωῆς, ἀφῄρημαι τὰς ἐλπίδας, ἀποσεσύλημαι τὸν πλοῦτον τῆς ἀρετῆς» καὶ πρὸς οὐρανὸν «ἀνασχοῦσα» τὰς «χεῖρας»· «ἡμάρτηκα-φησί-τῷ Κυρίῳ μου»«. Ἐπεὶ δέ ποτε ἐπέπαυτο γοερῶς ἀνοιμώζουσα παρακελεύεται τῇ θεραπαινίδι τὴν θύραν ἐξιούσῃ τοῦ ἀσκητηρίου ᾧ ἂν πρώτῳ ἐντύχῃ πένητι τοῦτον εἰσενεγκεῖν. ἡ δ' ἐξιοῦσα καὶ βραχύν τινα χρόνον διαλιποῦσα εἰσάγει τι γύναιον γεγηρακὸς «ἤδη καὶ ἔξωρον». ἡ δέ, εὐθὺς ὡς ἐνὸν ὑπανέστη καὶ παρ' ἐλπίδας ῥωσθεῖσα ὑπήντησεν, εἶτα δὴ καὶ χειραγωγήσασα ἐκάθισεν ἐπὶ τῆς εὐνῆς, δεσπότιν ἀποκαλοῦσα, εὐεργέτιν, σώτειραν καὶ τἆλλα τῶν ὀνομάτων τὰ κάλλιστα. ἐπεὶ δὲ ἐκτετρύφηται τῇ γραῒ ὁ ἰχθῦς, τῷ οἰκείῳ ἐκείνην ῥάκει καλυψαμένη ἀφῆκεν. οὕτως ἐκείνη ἀπήλαυσε τῆς δεδομένης τροφῆς, τοσοῦτον τῆς τραπέζης ἀπώνατο, τοσοῦτον τοῦ ἐγκρατοῦς βίου διέφθορεν. Ἐπεὶ δὲ ἅπαν αὐτῇ τὸ σῶμα καταπεπτώκει καὶ οὔθ' αἱ χεῖρες