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to divide the Church, and to be contentiously disposed, and to create divisions, and to deprive oneself of the assembly continually, is unforgivable and worthy of accusation, and has a great punishment. It was possible, then, to say even more than these things, but for those who pay attention, what has been said is sufficient, while for those who do not pay attention, not even if more than these things were said, would there be any advantage. Therefore, ending the discourse here, let us all pray together that our brothers may return to us, and embrace peace, and desist from untimely contentiousness, and having scorned this coldness, may adopt a certain high and great mind, and be freed from the observance of days, so that with one accord we may all with one mouth glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the power, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

48.871 OF THE SAME AUTHOR, AGAINST THE JEWS, CONCERNING THE TRUMPETS OF

THEIR PASSOVER. DELIVERED IN ANTIOCH IN THE GREAT CHURCH. Discourse Four.

1. Again the wretched and most miserable of all men are about to fast,

the Jews, and again it is necessary to secure the flock of Christ. Since shepherds, as long as no wild beast is troubling, having thrown themselves down under an oak or a pine, pipe on the reed, allowing the sheep to graze with all freedom; but when they perceive an attack of wolves happening, quickly throwing aside the reed, they take up the sling, and leaving the pipe, they arm themselves with clubs and stones, and standing before the flock, and shouting loud and long, they often drove away the beast with their voice before the throw. So we too, in the days before, as if in some meadow, gamboling in the narration of the Scriptures, did not touch upon any controversial discourse; for there was no one troubling us; but since today the Jews, who are more dangerous than all wolves, are about to surround our sheep, it is necessary to box and to fight, so that none of ours may be caught by the beast. And do not be surprised, if, though in ten or more days that fast is due to arrive, we are already arming ourselves from now, and fortifying your souls, since even industrious farmers, when they have a neighboring torrent that sweeps away their crops, not in the 48.872.30 time of winter, but before that season, both fence off banks, and raise up mounds, and dig trenches, and prepare in every way against it. For while it is quiet and settled, it is easy to make preparations, but when it is swelling and carried on with a great rush of waters, it is no longer equally easy to confront it. Because of this they anticipate its attacks long beforehand, contriving every security from all sides. Thus soldiers and sailors and farmers and reapers are accustomed to do. For they too, before the time of battle, both polish the breastplate, and inspect the shield, and prepare bridles, and feed the horses with great care, and arrange all other things well. And sailors, before launching the vessel into the harbor, both repair the keel, and renew the sides, and scrape the oars, and stitch the sails, and make ready all the other equipment of the ship. And reapers likewise, many days beforehand, both sharpen the sickle, and prepare the threshing floor and oxen and wagon, and whatever else contributes to their harvest. And one might see all people before the time making preparations for their affairs, so that when the time for the affairs arrives, it is easy

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σχίσαι Ἐκκλησίαν, καὶ φιλονείκως διατεθῆναι, καὶ διχοστασίας ἐμποιεῖν, καὶ τῆς συνόδου διηνεκῶς ἑαυτὸν ἀποστερεῖν, ἀσύγγνωστον καὶ κατηγορίας ἄξιον, καὶ πολλὴν ἔχει τὴν τιμωρίαν. Ἐνῆν μὲν οὖν καὶ πλείονα τούτων εἰπεῖν, ἀλλὰ τοῖς μὲν προσέχουσι καὶ τὰ εἰρημένα ἀρκεῖ, τοῖς δὲ μὴ προσέχουσιν οὐδὲ εἰ πλείω τούτων λεχθείη, ἔσται τι πλέον. ∆ιόπερ ἐνταῦθα καταλύσαντες τὸν λόγον, κοινῇ πάντες εὐξώμεθα τοὺς ἀδελφοὺς τοὺς ἡμετέρους ἐπανελθεῖν πρὸς ἡμᾶς, καὶ τὴν εἰρήνην ἀσπάσασθαι, καὶ τῆς ἀκαίρου φιλονεικίας ἀποστῆναι, καὶ τῆς ψυχρότητος ταύτης καταγελάσαντας, ὑψηλήν τινα καὶ μεγάλην λαβεῖν διάνοιαν, καὶ τῆς τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀπαλλαγῆναι παρατηρήσεως, ἵνα ὁμοθυμαδὸν πάντες ἐν ἑνὶ στόματι δοξάζωμεν τὸν Θεὸν καὶ Πατέρα τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, ᾧ ἡ δόξα καὶ τὸ κράτος, νῦν καὶ ἀεὶ, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

48.871 ΤΟΥ ΑΥΤΟΥ ΚΑΤΑ ΙΟΥ∆ΑΙΩΝ, ΕΙΣ ΤΑΣ ΣΑΛΠΙΓΓΑΣ ΤΟΥ

ΠΑΣΧΑ ΑΥΤΩΝ. ΕΛΕΧΘΗ ∆Ε ΕΝ ΑΝΤΙΟΧΕΙΑ ΕΝ ΤΗ ΜΕΓΑΛΗ ΕΚΚΛΗΣΙΑ. Λόγος τέταρτος.

αʹ. Πάλιν οἱ δείλαιοι καὶ πάντων ἀνθρώπων ἀθλιώτεροι νηστεύειν

μέλλουσιν Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ πάλιν ἀσφαλίσασθαι τὴν τοῦ Χριστοῦ ποίμνην ἀναγκαῖον. Ἐπεὶ καὶ ποιμένες, ἕως μὲν ἂν μηδὲν ἐνοχλῇ θηρίον, ὑπὸ δρῦν ἢ πεύκην ἑαυτοὺς ῥίψαντες τῷ καλάμῳ συρίζουσιν, ἀφέντες ἐπ' ἐξουσίας ἁπάσης τὰ πρόβατα νέμεσθαι· ἐπειδὰν δὲ λύκων καταδρομὴν αἴσθωνται γινομένην, ταχέως τὸν κάλαμον ῥίψαντες, τὴν σφενδόνην μεταχειρίζονται, καὶ τὴν σύριγγα ἀφέντες, ῥοπάλοις καὶ λίθοις ἑαυτοὺς καθοπλίζουσι, καὶ πρὸ τῆς ποίμνης στάντες, καὶ μέγα καὶ διωλύγιον ὀλολύξαντες, τῇ φωνῇ πολλάκις πρὸ τῆς βολῆς τὸ θηρίον ἀπήλασαν. Οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἡμεῖς ἐν μὲν ταῖς ἔμπροσθεν ἡμέραις, ὥσπερ ἐν λειμῶνί τινι, τῇ τῶν Γραφῶν διηγήσει σκιρτῶντες, οὐδενὸς ἡψάμεθα ἀγωνιστικοῦ λόγου· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἦν ἡμῖν ὁ διενοχλῶν· ἐπειδὴ δὲ σήμερον οἱ λύκων ἁπάντων χαλεπώτεροι Ἰουδαῖοι περιίστασθαι ἡμῶν τὰ πρόβατα μέλλουσιν, ἀνάγκη πυκτεύειν καὶ μάχεσθαι, ὅπως μηδὲν ἡμῖν θηριάλωτον γένηται. Καὶ μὴ θαυμάσητε, εἰ μετὰ δέκα καὶ πλείους ἡμέρας, τῆς νηστείας ἐκείνης ἀπαντᾷν μελλούσης, ἡμεῖς ἐντεῦθεν ἤδη καθοπλιζόμεθα, καὶ περιφράττομεν τὰς ὑμετέρας ψυχὰς, ἐπεὶ καὶ τῶν γεωργῶν οἱ φιλόπονοι, ἐπειδὰν ἔχωσι γείτονα χείμαῤῥον παρασύροντα τὰς γεωργίας, οὐκ ἐν τῷ 48.872.30 καιρῷ τοῦ χειμῶνος, ἀλλὰ πρὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης, καὶ ὄχθας περιφράττουσι, καὶ χώματα ἐγείρουσι, καὶ τάφρους ἐλαύνουσι, καὶ παντὶ πρὸς αὐτὸν παρασκευάζονται τρόπῳ. Ἡσυχάζοντι μὲν γὰρ καὶ κατεσταλμένῳ ῥᾴδιον ἐπιθέσθαι, αὐξομένῳ δὲ καὶ μετὰ πολλῆς φερομένῳ τῆς τῶν ὑδάτων ῥύμης, οὐκέθ' ὁμοίως εὔκολον ἀπαντᾷν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο φθάνουσιν αὐτοῦ τὰς ἐπιβολὰς πρὸ πολλοῦ τοῦ χρόνου, πᾶσαν πανταχόθεν ἐπινοοῦντες ἀσφάλειαν. Οὕτω καὶ στρατιῶται καὶ ναῦται καὶ γεωργοὶ καὶ θερισταὶ ποιεῖν εἰώθασι. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖνοι πρὸ τοῦ καιροῦ τῆς μάχης καὶ θώρακα ἀποσμήχουσι, καὶ ἀσπίδα περισκοποῦσι, καὶ χαλινοὺς παρασκευάζουσι, καὶ ἵππους τρέφουσι μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς ἐπιμελείας, καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα εὖ διατίθενται. Καὶ ναῦται, πρὶν ἢ τὸ σκάφος εἰς λιμένα καθελκύσαι, καὶ τρόπιν ἐπισκευάζουσι, καὶ τοίχους ἀνανεοῦσι, καὶ κώπας ἀποξέουσι, καὶ ἱστία ῥάπτουσι, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην ἅπασαν τοῦ πλοίου κατασκευὴν εὐτρεπίζουσιν. Καὶ θερισταὶ δὲ ὁμοίως πρὸ πολλῶν τῶν ἡμερῶν καὶ δρεπάνην θήγουσι, καὶ ἅλωνα παρασκευάζουσι καὶ βοῦς καὶ ἅμαξαν, καὶ ὅσα ἂν ἄλλα πρὸς τὸν ἄμητον αὐτοῖς συντελῇ. Καὶ πάντας ἀνθρώπους ἴδοι τις ἂν πρὸ τοῦ καιροῦ τὰς τῶν πραγμάτων ποιουμένους παρασκευὰς, ὥστε τοῦ καιροῦ τῶν πραγμάτων ἐπιστάντος εὔκολον