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easily. For neither would one who is not lazy ever fall into despair, nor will one who is nourished by good hopes and does not despair of himself be able to fall into laziness. Break apart this pair for me, then, and shatter the yoke, I mean the complex and heavy reasoning; for that which holds these things together is not of one kind, but of many kinds and diverse. And what is this? It happens that someone, having repented, accomplishes many and great things, but in the meantime also sins again a sin that counterbalances those right actions; and this is especially sufficient to cast one into despair, as if what was built has been torn down and all those things were labored for by him in vain and to no purpose. But one must consider this, and reject this reasoning: that if we had not first stored up a measure of right actions to counterbalance the sins committed afterwards, nothing would have prevented us from sinking down utterly and completely. But now, just as a strong breastplate does not allow a sharp and bitter arrow to do its work, but being itself cut through, it wards off the great danger from the body. For one who departs there with many deeds, both good and evil, will have some consolation in the punishment and those torments; but one who is destitute of the former, and brings only the latter, it is not even possible to say what things he will suffer, being sent to the undying punishment. For there will be a weighing there of the evil deeds and of those that are not so; and if the latter pull down the scale, they have saved their worker in no small way, and the harm from the working of evil deeds has had only so much strength as to pull him down from the first place; but if the former prevail, they lead to the fire of Gehenna, because the multitude of right actions was not so great as to be able to stand against that violent thrust. And these things are suggested not only by our own reasoning, but also by the divine oracles; "For He Himself," it says, "will render to each according to his works." And not only in Gehenna, but also in the kingdom one might find many differences; "For," it says, "in my Father's house are many mansions." And: "There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon." And what wonder, if He spoke so precisely, seeing that He says there is even a difference there of star from star.

22 Knowing all these things, then, let us never desist from the working of good things, nor, when we are not able to attain to the rank of the sun or of the moon, should we despise that of the stars. For so long as we show at least that much virtue, we shall be able to be in heaven. Even if we do not become gold or a precious stone, let us at least remain in the foundation, holding the rank of silver, only let us not return to that material which the fire easily consumes, nor, when we are not able to accomplish great things, let us abstain also from small ones; for this is of the utmost folly, which may we not suffer. For just as bodily wealth is increased by its lovers not despising even the smallest gains, so too is spiritual wealth. For it is absurd that the judge does not overlook the reward even for a cup of cold water, but that we, if our right actions are not very great, should hesitate about the corresponding reward for the working of small things. For one who does not despise the lesser things will use much diligence also concerning the greatest, but one who overlooks these will at some point desist from those also; so that this might not happen, Christ has appointed great rewards for these things also. For what is easier than to visit the sick? but nevertheless, even for this He gives us a great recompense. Therefore, take hold of eternal life, delight in the Lord, and beseech him; again, take up the good yoke, come under the light burden, put an end worthy of the beginning, do not overlook so great a wealth flowing away. For if you persist in provoking God by what you do, you will lose it all; but if, before the loss becomes great and the whole field is flooded, you block up the channels of wickedness, and

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εὐκόλως. Οὔτε γὰρ ὁ μὴ ῥᾳθυμῶν εἰς ἀπόγνωσιν ἂν ἐμπέσοι ποτέ, οὔτε ὁ τρεφόμενος ἐλπίσι χρησταῖς καὶ μὴ ἀπογινώσκων ἑαυτοῦ, εἰς ῥᾳθυμίαν δυνήσεται ἐμπεσεῖν. Ταύτην οὖν μοι τὴν ξυνωρίδα διάσπασον καὶ τὸν ζυγὸν σύγκλασον, τὸν λογισμὸν λέγω τὸν ποικίλον καὶ βαρύν· οὐ γὰρ μονοειδὴς ὁ ταῦτα συνέχων ἐστίν, ἀλλὰ πολυειδὴς καὶ παντοδαπής. Τίς δὲ οὗτός ἐστιν; Συμβαίνει τινὰ μεταγνόντα κατορθῶσαι πολλὰ καὶ μεγάλα, μεταξὺ δὲ καὶ ἁμαρτεῖν πάλιν τῶν κατορθωμάτων ἐκείνων ἁμαρτίαν ἀντίρροπον· καὶ τοῦτο μάλιστα ἱκανὸν εἰς ἀπόγνωσιν ἐμβαλεῖν, ὡς τῶν οἰκοδομηθέντων καθαιρεθέντων καὶ πάντων ἐκείνων μάτην καὶ εἰς κενὸν πονηθέντων αὐτῷ. ∆εῖ δὲ ἐκεῖνο λογίζεσθαι, καὶ τοῦτον ἐκκρούειν τὸν λογισμὸν ὅτι, εἰ μὴ φθάσαντες κατορθωμάτων μέτρον ἀντίρροπον τοῖς μετὰ ταῦτα γενομένοις ἁμαρτήμασιν ἀπεθέμεθα, οὐδὲν ἂν ἡμᾶς σφόδρα καὶ ὀλοσχερῶς καταδῦναι ἐκώλυεν. Νῦν δὲ καθάπερ τις θώραξ ἰσχυρὸς βέλος ὀξὺ καὶ πικρὸν οὐκ ἀφῆκεν ἐργάσασθαι τὸ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ' αὐτὸς διατμηθεὶς τὸν πολὺν ἤμυνεν τῷ σώματι κίνδυνον. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ μετὰ πολλῶν ἔργων καὶ ἀγαθῶν καὶ πονηρῶν ἀπερχόμενος ἐκεῖ ἕξει τινὰ παραμυθίαν ἐπὶ τῇ κολάσει καὶ τοῖς βασανιστηρίοις ἐκείνοις· ὁ δὲ τούτων μὲν ἔρημος, ἐκεῖνα δὲ μόνον ἐπαγόμενος, οὐδὲ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν οἷα πείσεται πρὸς τὴν ἀθάνατον παραπεμπόμενος κόλασιν. Καὶ γὰρ ἀντίστασις ἔσται ἐκεῖ τῶν πονηρῶν πράξεων καὶ τῶν οὐ τοιούτων· κἂν μὲν αὗται καθελκύσωσι τὸν ζυγόν, ἔσωσαν οὐ μικρῶς τὸν ἐργάτην τὸν ἑαυτῶν καὶ τοσοῦτον ἴσχυσεν ἡ τῆς τῶν πονηρῶν πράξεων ἐργασίας βλάβη, ὅσον κατασπάσαι τῆς πρώτης χώρας αὐτόν· ἐὰν δὲ ἐκεῖναι περιγένωνται, εἰς τὸ τῆς γεέννης ἀπάγουσι πῦρ, διὰ τὸ μὴ τοσοῦτον εἶναι τὸ πλῆθος τῶν κατορθωμάτων ὡς καὶ δυνηθῆναι στῆναι πρὸς τὸν βίαιον ἐκεῖνον ὠθισμόν. Καὶ ταῦτα οὐχ ὁ ἡμέτερος μόνον ὑποβάλλει λογισμός, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ θεῖα λόγια· «Αὐτὸς γάρ, φησίν, ἀποδώσει ἑκάστῳ κατὰ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ.» Καὶ οὐκ ἐν τῇ γεέννῃ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ πολλὰς ἂν εὕροι τις τὰς διαφοράς· «Μοναὶ γάρ, φησίν, πολλαὶ παρὰ τῷ Πατρί μου.» Καί· «Ἀλλὴ δόξα ἡλίου καὶ ἄλλη δόξα σελήνης.» Καὶ τί θαυμαστόν, εἰ μέχρι τοσούτων ἠκριβολογήσατο, ὅπου γε καὶ τὴν ἀστέρος πρὸς ἀστέρα διαφορὰν εἶναί φησιν ἐκεῖ.

22 Ταῦτα οὖν ἅπαντα εἰδότες, μήποτε τῆς τῶν ἀγαθῶν ἐργασίας ἀποστῶμεν, μηδέ, ἐπειδὰν εἰς τὴν τοῦ ἡλίου τάξιν ἢ τῆς σελήνης ἐλθεῖν μὴ δυνηθῶμεν, καὶ τῆς τῶν ἀστέρων καταφρονήσωμεν. Ἕως ἂν τοσαύτην γοῦν ἀρετὴν ἐπιδειξώμεθα, δυνησόμεθα εἶναι ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ. Κἂν χρυσός, κἂν λίθος τίμιος μὴ γενώμεθα, τὴν γοῦν τοῦ ἀργύρου τάξιν ἐπέχοντες ἐν τῷ θεμελίῳ μένωμεν, μόνον μὴ πρὸς ἐκείνην τὴν ὕλην παλινδρομήσωμεν, ἣν εὐχερῶς καταφλέγει τὸ πῦρ, μηδέ, ὅταν μεγάλα κατορθῶσαι μὴ δυνηθῶμεν, καὶ τῶν μικρῶν ἀποσχώμεθα· ἐσχάτης γὰρ ταῦτα ἀνοίας ἐστίν, ὅπερ μὴ πάθωμεν. Ὥσπερ γὰρ ὁ πλοῦτος ὁ σωματικὸς αὔξεται τῷ μηδὲ τῶν ἐλαχίστων κερδῶν καταφρονεῖν τοὺς ἐραστὰς τοὺς ἐκείνου, οὕτω καὶ ὁ πνευματικός. Καὶ γὰρ ἄτοπον τὸν μὲν κριτὴν μηδὲ ψυχροῦ ποτηρίου μισθὸν παρορᾶν, ἡμᾶς δέ, εἰ μὴ πάνυ μεγάλα εἴη τὰ κατορθώματα, καὶ τῆς τῶν μικρῶν ἐργασίας ἐνδοιάζειν περὶ τὴν ἀντίρροπον ἀντίδοσιν. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἐλαττόνων μὴ καταφρονῶν, πολλῇ καὶ περὶ τὰ μέγιστα χρήσεται τῇ σπουδῇ, ὁ δὲ ταῦτα παρορῶν καὶ ἐκείνων ἀποστήσεταί ποτε· ὅπερ ἵνα μὴ γένηται, καὶ τούτων μεγάλους ὤρισεν τοὺς μισθοὺς ὁ Χριστός. Τί γὰρ τοῦ ἐπισκέπτεσθαι τοὺς κάμνοντας εὐχερέστερον; ἀλλ' ὅμως καὶ τούτου μεγάλην ἡμῖν ἀποδίδωσιν τὴν ἀμοιβήν. Τοιγαροῦν ἐπιλαβοῦ τῆς αἰωνίου ζωῆς, κατατρύφησον τοῦ Κυρίου, καὶ ἱκέτευσον αὐτόν· πάλιν τὸν ζυγὸν ἀνάδεξαι τὸν χρηστόν, ὕπελθε τὸ φορτίον τὸ ἐλαφρόν, ἐπίθες ἄξιον τῆς ἀρχῆς τὸ τέλος, μὴ παρίδῃς τοσοῦτον διαρρυέντα πλοῦτον. Ἂν μὲν γὰρ ἐπιμένῃς παροξύνων τὸν θεὸν δι' ὧν ποιεῖς, ἅπαντα αὐτὸν ἀπολεῖς· ἂν δὲ πρὶν ἢ πολλὴν γενέσθαι τὴν ζημίαν καὶ πᾶν ἐπικλυσθῆναι τὸ γεώργιον, ἀποφράξῃς τῆς κακίας τοὺς ὀχετούς, καὶ