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to give money, to spend these things on those who slander the name of Christ? For these reasons, it is necessary to make a great and accurate investigation, so that not only the aforementioned, but not even those who are able to provide for themselves, should spoil the table of the unable. And after this investigation, another concern, not a small one, follows, so that the means of nourishment may flow to them abundantly, as from springs, and never fail; for involuntary poverty is somehow an insatiable evil, and querulous and ungrateful. And there is need of much understanding and much zeal, so as to stop their mouths, taking away every pretext for accusation. Therefore, the majority, when they see someone who is superior to money, immediately declare him to be suitable for this stewardship; but I do not think that this magnanimity alone is ever sufficient for him, but he must have it before all others—for without it he would be a destroyer rather than a protector, and a wolf instead of a shepherd—but along with it, we must seek if he happens to possess another. And this is the cause of all good things for men, forbearance, which, as it were, brings the soul to anchor in a calm harbor and escorts it there. For the class of widows, both on account of their poverty and their age and their nature, use a certain immoderate freedom of speech—for so it is better to say—and they cry out unseasonably, and find fault in vain, and complain about things for which they ought to be grateful, and make accusations about things for which they ought to give thanks. And it is necessary for the one in charge to bear all things nobly, and not be provoked either by their untimely annoyances or by their unreasonable complaints. For it is right that that class be pitied for their misfortunes, not insulted; for to trample upon their calamities and to add to the pain of poverty the pain from insult, would be of the utmost cruelty. For this reason, a most wise man, having regard to both the avaricious and arrogant aspects of human nature, and having learned that the nature of poverty is dreadful and can cast down even the most noble soul and persuade it to be shameless about the same things often, so that no one being asked by them might become angry, nor, provoked by their constant entreaty, he who ought to help should become an enemy, he prepares him to be gentle and approachable to the one in need, saying: "Incline your ear to a poor man without annoyance, and answer him with peaceful words in meekness." And leaving aside the one who provokes—for what could one say to one who is cast down?—he addresses the one who is able to bear his weakness, exhorting him to lift him up with a gentle look and with meekness of words before the giving. But if someone does not take their goods, but surrounds them with countless reproaches and insults them and is provoked against them, not only has he not lightened their despondency from poverty by giving, but by his revilings has worked an even greater evil. For even if they are forced to be very shameless by the necessity of their belly, nevertheless they feel pain at this constraint; therefore, when they are compelled to beg through fear of starvation, and to be shameless for begging, and for being shameless are insulted in turn, a certain manifold power of despondency, bringing much gloom, descends upon their soul. And it is necessary for the one who cares for these to be so long-suffering as not only not to increase their despondency by his indignation, but also to soothe the greater part of what exists through consolation; for just as the one who is insulted does not feel the benefit from the money because of the wound from the insult, so the one who hears a gentle word and receives what is given with consolation, rejoices the more and is glad, and the gift becomes double for him by the manner of giving. And these things I do not speak from myself, but from him who gave the former advice; "My son," he says, "do not add a blemish to your good deeds, nor in any gift a grievous word. Will not dew relieve the scorching heat? So

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δοῦναι χρήματα, ταῦτα ἀναλίσκειν εἰς τοὺς τὸ τοῦ Χριστοῦ διαβάλλοντας ὄνομα; ∆ιὰ ταῦτα πολλὴν δεῖ καὶ ἀκριβῆ ποιεῖσθαι τὴν ἐξέτασιν, ὥστε μὴ μόνον τὰς εἰρημένας, ἀλλὰ μηδὲ τὰς ἑαυταῖς ἐπαρκεῖν δυναμένας τὴν τῶν ἀδυνάτων λυμαίνεσθαι τράπεζαν. Μετὰ δὲ τὴν ἐξέτασιν ταύτην ἑτέρα διαδέχεται φροντὶς οὐ μικρά, ἵνα αὐταῖς τὰ τῆς τροφῆς ἀθρόως, ὥσπερ ἐκ πηγῶν, ἐπιρρέῃ καὶ μὴ διαλιμπάνῃ ποτέ· καὶ γὰρ ἀκόρεστόν πως κακὸν ἡ ἀκούσιος πενία καὶ μεμψίμοιρον καὶ ἀχάριστον. Καὶ δεῖ πολλῆς μὲν τῆς συνέσεως, πολλῆς δὲ τῆς σπουδῆς, ὥστε αὐτῶν ἐμφράττειν τὰ στόματα, πᾶσαν ἐξαιροῦντα κατηγορίας πρόφασιν. Οἱ μὲν οὖν πολλοί, ὅταν τινὰ ἴδωσι χρημάτων κρείττονα, εὐθέως αὐτὸν ἐπιτήδειον εἶναι πρὸς ταύτην ἀποφαίνονται τὴν οἰκονομίαν· ἐγὼ δὲ οὐχ ἡγοῦμαί ποτε ταύτην αὐτῷ τὴν μεγαλοψυχίαν ἀρκεῖν μόνον, ἀλλὰ δεῖ μὲν αὐτὴν πρὸ τῶν ἄλλων ἔχειν-χωρὶς γὰρ ταύτης λυμεὼν ἂν εἴη μᾶλλον ἢ προστάτης καὶ λύκος ἀντὶ ποιμένος-, μετὰ δὲ αὐτῆς καὶ ἑτέραν ζητεῖν εἰ κεκτημένος τυγχάνοι. Αὕτη δέ ἐστιν ἡ πάντων αἰτία ἀνθρώποις τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ἀνεξικακία, ὥσπερ εἴς τινα εὔδιον λιμένα ὁρμίζουσα καὶ παραπέμπουσα τὴν ψυχήν. Τὸ γὰρ τῶν χηρῶν γένος καὶ διὰ τὴν πενίαν καὶ διὰ τὴν ἡλικίαν καὶ διὰ τὴν φύσιν ἀμέτρῳ τινὶ κέχρηται παρρησίᾳ-οὕτω γὰρ ἄμεινον εἰπεῖν-καὶ βοῶσιν ἀκαίρως καὶ αἰτιῶνται μάτην καὶ ἀποδύρονται ὑπὲρ ὧν χάριν εἰδέναι ἐχρῆν καὶ κατηγοροῦσιν ὑπὲρ ὧν ἀποδέχεσθαι ἔδει. Καὶ δεῖ τὸν προεστῶτα ἅπαντα φέρειν γενναίως καὶ μήτε πρὸς τὰς ἀκαίρους ἐνοχλήσεις, μήτε πρὸς τὰς ἀλόγους παροξύνεσθαι μέμψεις. Ἐλεεῖσθαι γὰρ ἐκεῖνο τὸ γένος ὑπὲρ ὧν δυστυχοῦσιν, οὐχ ὑβρίζεσθαι, δίκαιον· ὡς τό γε ἐπεμβαίνειν αὐτῶν ταῖς συμφοραῖς καὶ τῇ διὰ τὴν πενίαν ὀδύνῃ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ὕβρεως προστιθέναι, τῆς ἐσχάτης ὠμότητος ἂν εἴη. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο καί τις ἀνὴρ σοφώτατος, εἴς τε τὸ φιλοκερδὲς καὶ τὸ ὑπεροπτικὸν τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως ἀπιδὼν καὶ τῆς πενίας τὴν φύσιν καταμαθὼν δεινὴν οὖσαν καὶ τὴν γενναιοτάτην ψυχὴν καταβαλεῖν καὶ πεῖσαι περὶ τῶν αὐτῶν ἀναισχυντεῖν πολλάκις, ἵνα μή τις αἰτούμενος παρ' αὐτῶν ὀργίζηται, μηδὲ τῷ συνεχεῖ τῆς ἐντεύξεως παροξυνθεὶς πολέμιος ὁ βοηθεῖν ὀφείλων γένηται, παρασκευάζει προσηνῆ τε αὐτὸν καὶ εὐπρόσιτον εἶναι τῷ δεομένῳ, λέγων· «Κλῖνον πτωχῷ ἀλύπως τὸ οὖς σου, καὶ ἀποκρίθητι αὐτῷ ἐν πραότητι εἰρηνικά.» Καὶ τὸν παροξύνοντα ἀφείς-τί γὰρ ἄν τις τῷ κειμένῳ λέγοι; -τῷ δυναμένῳ τὴν ἐκείνου φέρειν ἀσθένειαν διαλέγεται, παρακαλῶν τῷ τε ἡμέρῳ τῆς ὄψεως καὶ τῇ τῶν λόγων πραότητι πρὸ τῆς δόσεως αὐτὸν ἀνορθοῦν. Ἂν δέ τις τὰ μὲν ἐκείνων μὴ λαμβάνῃ, μυρίοις δὲ αὐτὰς ὀνείδεσι περιβάλλῃ καὶ ὑβρίζῃ καὶ παροξύνηται κατ' αὐτῶν, οὐ μόνον οὐκ ἐπεκούφισε τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς πενίας ἀθυμίαν τῷ δοῦναι, ἀλλὰ καὶ μεῖζον ταῖς λοιδορίαις εἰργάσατο τὸ δεινόν. Κἂν γὰρ λίαν ἀναισχυντεῖν βιάζωνται διὰ τὴν τῆς γαστρὸς ἀνάγκην, ἀλλ' ὅμως ἀλγοῦσιν ἐπὶ τῇ βίᾳ ταύτῃ· ὅταν οὖν διὰ μὲν τὸ τοῦ λιμοῦ δέος προσαιτεῖν ἀναγκάζωνται, διὰ δὲ τὸ προσαιτεῖν ἀναιδεύεσθαι, διὰ δὲ τὸ ἀναιδεύεσθαι πάλιν ὑβρίζωνται, ποικίλη τις καὶ πολὺν φέρουσα τὸν ζόφον ἐπὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ἐκείνων κατασκήπτει τῆς ἀθυμίας ἡ δύναμις. Καὶ δεῖ τὸν τούτων ἐπιμελούμενον ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον εἶναι μακρόθυμον ὡς μὴ μόνον αὐταῖς μὴ πλεονάζειν τὴν ἀθυμίαν ταῖς ἀγανακτήσεσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς οὔσης τὸ πλέον κοιμίζειν διὰ τῆς παρακλήσεως· ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐκεῖνος ὁ ὑβρισθεὶς οὐκ αἰσθάνεται τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν χρημάτων ὠφελείας διὰ τὴν ἀπὸ τῆς ὕβρεως πληγήν, οὕτως οὗτος ὁ προσηνῆ λόγον ἀκούσας καὶ μετὰ παρακλήσεως τὸ διδόμενον δεξάμενος, γάνυται πλέον καὶ χαίρει καὶ διπλοῦν αὐτῷ τὸ δοθὲν τῷ τρόπῳ γίνεται. Καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἀπ' ἐμαυτοῦ, ἀλλ' ἀπ' ἐκείνου τοῦ τὰ πρότερα παραινέσαντος φθέγγομαι· «Τέκνον γάρ, φησίν, ἐν ἀγαθοῖς μὴ δῷς μῶμον καὶ ἐν πάσῃ δόσει λύπην λόγου. Οὐχὶ καύσωνα ἀναπαύσει δρόσος; Οὕτω