John Chrysostom, On John

repentance comes upon us both for the sake of words and deeds? but when we get the upper hand, do we both luxuriate and exult, as if we have been victorious? For victory over anger is not to retaliate with the same (for this is the ultimate defeat), but to bear it meekly when you have suffered and heard evil. For this is to have the advantage, not to do, but to suffer evil. Therefore, do not say when you are angry, 'I will surely destroy in return, I will surely take revenge'; nor contradict those who advise you to be victorious by saying, 'I will not endure it, lest so-and-so go away having laughed at me.' For he will never laugh at you, but only when you take revenge; and if he does laugh then, he will suffer this as a foolish man. But you, when you are victorious, do not seek the opinion of the foolish, but consider it sufficient to have it from those who have understanding. But why do I set up for you a small and humble theater, composing it of men? Look up immediately to God, and He will praise you. And he who is admired by Him ought not to seek honor from men. For the one often arises out of favor, and out of enmity towards others, and has brought no gain; but the verdict from God is free from this irregularity, and brings great benefit to the one who is admired. Let us therefore pursue this praise. 5. Do you wish to learn how great an evil it is to be angry? Stand by others fighting in the marketplace. For in yourself you will not be able to see the unseemliness easily, with your reason darkened and intoxicated; but when you are cleansed of the passion, then observe your own state in others, when your judgment is not corrupted. But behold for me the surrounding crowds, those who are angry, behaving unseemly in the midst like madmen. 59.52 For when anger, having boiled up around the chest, rises up and grows wild, the mouth breathes fire, the eyes send forth fire, the face swells on all sides, the hands are stretched out disorderly, the feet leap ridiculously and spring upon those holding them back, and they differ in nothing from madmen, being insensible to all these things, nor even from wild asses, kicking, biting. Truly an angry man is not seemly. Then, after this great laughter, having withdrawn homeward, and having come back to themselves, they have a greater pain and much fear, considering who then were present when they were angry. For just as those who are delirious, being ignorant of those present, when they become sober-minded, then reckon these things, 'Were they not friends, were they not rivals and enemies who were watching?' for they fear alike for both; for the one group, as those who will condemn them and make the shame greater; for the other, as those who will rejoice over them. And if they happen to have dealt blows to one another, the fear is more grievous, lest something of the most grievous things should happen to the one who suffered it, or a fever following should bring on death, or a swelling rising up, hard to heal, should bring him into danger of the ultimate consequences. And, 'What need had I of fighting? and what of insults and contention? a curse on this and that.' And then they curse all these deadly affairs, and those who gave them the occasion. And the more irrational ones blame evil demons and an evil hour for what has happened. But there is no evil hour; for there is never an evil hour; nor are these things from an evil demon, but from the wickedness of those who have been captured. For these also draw the demons to themselves, and bring upon themselves all dreadful things. But, he says, the heart swells, and is stung by insults? I know it too; for this reason I admire those who master this terrible beast. For if we are willing, it is possible to beat off the passion. For why, when rulers insult us, do we not suffer this? Is it not because a counterbalancing fear of the passion stands over us, terrifying us, and not even allowing it to arise in the first place? And why do the servants, when insulted by us in countless ways, bear everything in silence? Is it not because they too have the same bond lying upon them? But you, consider not only the fear of God, but also that God Himself insults you then, He who commands you to be silent, and you will bear all things meekly. And say to the one who attacks you: What can I do to you? another holds both my right hand and

τῆς μετανοίας ἡμῖν ἐπεισέρχεται καὶ ῥημάτων ἕνεκεν καὶ πραγμάτων; ὅταν δὲ περιγενώμεθα, καὶ τρυφῶμεν καὶ γαυρούμεθα, ὡς νενικηκότες; Νίκη γὰρ ἐπὶ τῆς ὀργῆς, οὐ τὸ τοῖς ἴσοις ἀμύνασθαι (ἐσχάτη γὰρ αὕτη ἧττά ἐστιν), ἀλλὰ τὸ πράως ἐνεγκεῖν παθόντα κακῶς καὶ ἀκούσαντα. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ πλέον σχεῖν, οὐ τὸ ποιῆσαι, ἀλλὰ τὸ παθεῖν κακῶς. Μὴ τοίνυν λέγε ὀργιζόμενος, Πάντως ἀνταναιρῶ κἀγὼ, πάντως ἐπεξελεύσομαι· μηδὲ πρὸς τοὺς παραινοῦντας νικᾷν ἀντίτεινε λέγων, Οὐκ ἀνέξομαι, ἵνα μου καταγελάσας ὁ δεῖνα ἀπέλθῃ. Οὐ γὰρ δή ποτέ σου καταγελάσεται, ἀλλ' ὅταν ἐπεξέλθῃς· εἰ δὲ καὶ τότε καταγελάσεται, ὡς ἀνόητος τοῦτο πείσεται. Σὺ δὲ μὴ ζήτει νικῶν τὴν παρὰ τῶν ἀνοήτων δόξαν, ἀλλ' ἀποχρῶσαν νόμιζε αὐτὴν ἔχειν παρὰ τῶν νοῦν ἐχόντων. Ἀλλὰ γὰρ τί σοι μικρὸν καὶ ταπεινὸν καθίζω θέατρον, ἐξ ἀνθρώπων αὐτὸ συντιθείς; Πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν εὐθέως ἀνάβλεψον, κἀκεῖνός σε ἐπαινέσεται. Τὸν δὲ παρ' ἐκείνου θαυμαζόμενον οὐ δεῖ παρὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τιμὴν ἐπιζητεῖν. Ἡ μὲν γὰρ καὶ πρὸς χάριν πολλάκις, καὶ πρὸς ἀπέχθειαν ἑτέρων γίνεται, καὶ κέρδος ἤνεγκεν οὐδέν· ἡ δὲ παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ ψῆφος ταύτης ἀπήλλακται τῆς ἀνωμαλίας, καὶ πολλὴν φέρει τῷ θαυμαζομένῳ τὴν ὠφέλειαν. Τοῦτον οὖν τὸν ἔπαινον διώκωμεν. εʹ. Βούλει μαθεῖν πόσον τὸ ὀργίζεσθαι κακόν; Παράστηθι μαχομένοις ἐν ἀγορᾷ ἑτέροις. Ἐν γὰρ σαυτῷ τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην οὐ δυνήσῃ ῥᾳδίως ἰδεῖν, ἐσκοτωμένῳ καὶ μεθύοντι τῷ λογισμῷ· ἀλλ' ὅταν καθαρεύσῃς τοῦ πάθους, τότε ἐν ἄλλοις θεώρει τὰ σὰ, τῆς κρίσεώς σοι μὴ διεφθαρμένης. Θέα δέ μοι τοὺς περιῤῥέοντας ὄχλους, τοὺς θυμουμένους, καθάπερ μαινομένους εἰς τὸ μέσον ἀσχημονοῦντας. 59.52 Ὅταν γὰρ περὶ τὸ στῆθος ὁ θυμὸς ζέσας διανιστῆται καὶ ἀγριαίνῃ, πῦρ πνέει τὸ στόμα, πῦρ ἀφιᾶσιν οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ, οἰδεῖ πάντοθεν ἡ ὄψις, ἀτάκτως αἱ χεῖρες ἐκτείνονται, καταγελάστως πηδῶσιν οἱ πόδες καὶ ἐνάλλονται τοῖς κατέχουσι, καὶ μαινομένων οὐδὲν διεστήκασι πρὸς ταῦτα πάντα ἀναισθητοῦντες, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ τῶν ἀγρίων ὄνων, λακτίζοντες, δάκνοντες. Ὄντως ἀνὴρ θυμώδης οὐκ εὐσχήμων. Εἶτα, μετὰ τὸν πολὺν γέλωτα τοῦτον, ἀναχωρήσαντες οἴκαδε, καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτοὺς ἐπανελθόντες, μείζονα ἔχουσι τὴν ὀδύνην καὶ πολὺ τὸ δέος, ἐννοοῦντες ἄρα τίνες οἱ παρόντες ἦσαν ἡνίκα ὠργίζοντο. Καθάπερ γὰρ οἱ παραπαίοντες τοὺς παρόντας ἀγνοοῦντες, ὅταν σωφρονήσωσι, τότε ταῦτα λογίζονται, Ἆρα μὴ φίλοι, ἆρα μὴ πολέμιοι καὶ ἐχθροὶ οἱ θεασάμενοι; καὶ γὰρ ὁμοίως ὑπὲρ ἀμφοτέρων δεδοίκασι· τῶν μὲν, ὡς καταγνωσομένων καὶ μείζονα ποιησόντων τὴν αἰσχύνην· τῶν δὲ, ὡς ἐφησθησομένων. Ἂν δὲ καὶ πληγὰς τείναντες τύχωσιν ἀλλήλοις, χαλεπώτερον τὸ δέος, οἷον μή τι τῶν χαλεπωτάτων συμβαίη περὶ τὸν παθόντα, ἢ πυρετὸς ἀκολουθήσας ἐπενέγκοι θάνατον, ἢ οἴδημα ἀναστὰν δυσίατον εἰς τὸν περὶ τῶν ἐσχάτων καταστήσῃ κίνδυνον. Καὶ, τί γάρ μοι μάχης ἔδει; τί δὲ ὕβρεων καὶ φιλονεικίας; ἀπόλοιτο τὰ καὶ τά. Καὶ πᾶσι καταρῶνται τοῖς πράγμασι λοιπὸν τοῖς ἐπικήροις τούτοις, καὶ παρασχοῦσιν αὐτοῖς τὴν ἀρχήν. Οἱ δὲ ἀλογώτεροι καὶ δαίμονας πονηροὺς καὶ ὥραν αἰτιῶνται κακὴν τῶν γεγενημένων. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἔστιν ὥρας κακῆς· οὐδὲ γάρ ἐστιν ὥρα κακή ποτε· οὐδὲ δαίμονος ταῦτα πονηροῦ, ἀλλὰ τῆς πονηρίας τῶν ἑαλωκότων. Οὗτοι γὰρ καὶ τοὺς δαίμονας ἐπισπῶνται, καὶ πάντα ἑαυτοῖς ἐπάγουσι τὰ δεινά. Ἀλλ' οἰδαίνει, φησὶν, ἡ καρδία, καὶ ταῖς ὕβρεσι δάκνεται; Οἶδα κἀγώ· διὰ γὰρ τοῦτο τοὺς κρατοῦντας τοῦ δεινοῦ τούτου θηρίου θαυμάζω. Ἂν γὰρ θέλωμεν, δυνατὸν διακρούσασθαι τὸ πάθος. ∆ιατί γὰρ, ἀρχόντων ἡμᾶς ὑβριζόντων, τοῦτο μὴ πάσχομεν; ἆρ' οὐχ ὅτι φόβος ἀντίῤῥοπος ἕστηκε τοῦ πάθους, ἡμᾶς ἐκδειματῶν, καὶ οὐδὲ φῦναι τὴν ἀρχὴν συγχωρῶν; ∆ιὰ τί δὲ καὶ οἱ οἰκέται παρ' ἡμῶν ὑβριζόμενοι μυρία, σιγῇ πάντα φέρουσιν; ἆρ' οὐχ ὅτι καὶ αὐτοὶ τὸν αὐτὸν αὐτοῖς ἐπικείμενον ἔχουσι δεσμόν; Σὺ δὲ μὴ μόνον ἐννοήσῃς τὸν παρὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ φόβον, ἀλλ' ὅτι σε καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Θεὸς ὑβρίζει τότε, ὁ κελεύων σιγᾷν, καὶ πάντα οἴσεις πράως. Καὶ εἰπὲ πρὸς τὸν ἐπιόντα· Τί σοι πάθω; ἄλλος μου κατέχει καὶ τὴν δεξιὰν καὶ