Dialogus de vita Joannis Chrysostomi

 honor, but he who is called by God. Thus 5 also Aaron, he says, did not glorify himself to become high priest. For although there were six hundred

 the flight of concord, most of us who are active and eager for it have become fugitives from the country, being unable to live safely and without trou

 he met with us, he did not share in words, nor in prayer, nor in communion but disembarking from the ship and running past the doors of the church, h

 to share in the suffering and to do everything, so as to stop these evils. For he put a stop to none of their lawlessness here, but even after this he

 and lamentations and fountains of tears in the marketplaces and the houses and in the desolate places and the whole part of the city was filled with

 you are exhorted to contribute zeal from yourselves. For thus you will gratify not only us, 16 but also the community of the churches, and you will re

 had fled on account of the threat contained in the imperial decree, that If anyone is not in communion with Theophilus and Arsakius and Porphyry, let

 of Bishop John of the Constantinopolitans and, as it seems, it has not been accomplished. Therefore, I wrote again through the bishops and presbyters

 savagery. This also the Savior God did, illuminating them with various revelations, so that also to Paul, the deacon of Saint Emilius, a most gentle

 He who speaks a lie is not of God, and again from David, Because the mouth of those who speak unjust things was stopped. For he who lies truly wro

 by his own choice, he was trained in the discourses for the ministry of the divine oracles. From there, being in the eighteenth year of his physical a

 of those who have believed in him will be bound. {THE DEACON} But where did they recognize the presence of the Savior? {THE BISHOP} When they cried ou

 of the rich, cutting away the abscesses of the soul, teaching them humility, to be of a humble mind towards other people, obeying the apostolic word,

 she gives one thousand gold pieces, having made him swear by the table of the Savior that he would buy clothes and clothe the poorer women of the Alex

 with his own hands on his neck, and after inflicting blows on his jaws, with clenched fingers he bloodied his nostrils, shouting 38 with a loud voice:

 by an excess of conceit. But those men, driven by great necessity because they were changing places from place to place, arrive at the camp, where Bis

 of the church, Dioscorus the bishop, who had grown old in the church but to the bishop John he writes: I think you are not ignorant of the decree of

 of John for unlawful offenses, he took advantage of their fickleness and persuades them to submit bills of accusation against John, promising them to

 Elijah was taken up did not Elisha prophesy? Paul was beheaded did he not leave behind Timothy, Titus, Apollos and ten thousand others? After these

 these of the council but if as accusers, set them up for the trial, so that I may know how I should contend, whether as against adversaries or as jud

 (for he is impetuous by nature, and rash and bold and exceedingly contentious—for there is nothing that appears to him by sight, <towards> which he do

 brother Acacius and Antiochus whom they put forward as canons of the orthodox, because We are of the faith of those who set them forth, and our doub

 reading the oracles, and others baptizing the catechumens, as was fitting because of Easter. These very things the corruptors of minds and deceivers o

 a proof of the diligence of teachers, unceasingly setting right the unconquerable quality of their resolve. Theodore said: {THE DEACON} You have spoke

 near him to the west), but in the western part, where the gate of the church is, the mule-team, on which he was accustomed to sit, having ordered it t

 of a hierophant, a man more silent than a fish and more idle than a frog (for there are times when even action speaks, especially when the good is don

 terrifying, just as bogeymen do children? Alas! Those who are clothed in worldly powers and ecclesiastical wealth with authority, with command even of

 on the one hand, that he ate alone but I did not wish you, most harmonious Theodore, to ask about the things of gluttonous infants. For being a man,

 he says, urging us to imitation Do not forget hospitality, he says, for by this some have entertained angels unawares. But the host must have the

 fell from blessing? was it not when he served his belly, deceived by the food? When did Saul fall from the kingdom? was it not when he ate the best of

 to eat bread and to put on a garment, all that you give me, I will tithe a tenth of it to you -he did not say, I will consume it at tables. That sp

 to give glory to God <in> persecutions. in the refutations of error, is there any mention of a table? But again to Titus, the bishop of Crete, let us

 they were seeking luxury. It was absurd to squander the food of the sick or the poor on the intemperance of the healthy. And what sort of law is this,

 from seeing evil. For many of the so-called bishops, wishing to cut off the reasonable hatred directed at them on account of their own ways and their

 First, that having melted down treasures he fashioned a silver object in the name of his son second, that having taken marbles from the entrance of t

 love of money is a source of evils. For he who took bribes against the innocent and thought to sell the distribution of the Holy Spirit for silver,

 Antoninus dies, with whom Eusebius had the lawsuit. Again a decree comes from Asia, this one from the clergy of the church of the Ephesians, and this

 to buy the priesthood. They say that the ravager and falsely-named patriarch of the Jews changes the rulers of the synagogue every year, or even more

 of those who deposed him and concluded the trial. <CHAPTER 19> {THE DEACON.} Forgive me, father, such things surpass drunkenness and madness and sport

 ambidextrous (for even his so-called left hand was better than the right hand of others) who at first, having served in letters, was found blameles

 slandering their life, waiting to have help from God. To these things Theodore, being astonished, said: {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} I see the facts as contrary to the n

 Or is it proper at all to cast out any disciple, much less a monk? 100 {THE DEACON} Because they provoked him or spoke ill of him. {THE BISHOP} And ou

 having led them back from vice to virtue, it will be clear that their persecutor deserves not to be persecuted, but to be pitied, as one who always ab

 having provoked the physician and enchanter of souls and removed his interpreter from the workshop of salvation, 105 they were handed over to the phys

 imitating him who, having found the one crushed by robbers, half-dead, on the way down to Jericho, placed him on his own beast of burden, having broug

 did he give? And when Optimus died in Constantinople, he closed his eyes with his own hands. In addition to these things, he also refreshed in no smal

 desiring to chasten the herd of men for their various desires towards the more austere part of life, he became his own judge and lawgiver, being stren

 toward the north, and each man's axe in his hand and one man in the midst of them, clothed in a full-length robe, and a sapphire belt on his loins a

 in many ways Who will boast that he has a pure heart? Or who will boldly claim to be pure from sin? but yet the blessed John did not know how to us

 happen to us anonymously and beneficially? sifting the reasons, not obeying him who said: Eat whatever is sold in the meat-market, asking no question

 two? {THE BISHOP} Especially if it is an unprofitable and charlatan crowd such as the one who said to Jesus: Teacher, I will follow you wherever you

 an intemperate old man, and an old man who loves learning above an unlearned younger man, and a poor layman above an educated lover of money, and a vi

 enjoying his disease nor raging with the same desires. For this is a fitting way of life for a teacher, not to linger with the crowds, but in quiet an

 having subjected his body to shameful tortures by the cruelty of judges, to the point of knocking out his teeth, as the story goes, 127 they confined

 knocking, they made the two-day journey into one, arriving late in the evening and departing in the dark of dawn, so that the stomach could not even k

 and that these things are done and are prolonged and are strong, and that the good are afflicted and plundered, brings me to shudder at his approachin

 Why shall I not be angry? looking upon me, marvel, and lay your hand upon your jaw. For if I remember, I am troubled, and pains take hold of my flesh.

 when reviled, we bless when persecuted, we endure when slandered, we entreat we have become as the refuse of the world, the offscouring of all thi

 sleepless or troubled in sleep, he suspects plots even from his own family, not trusting even himself, distrusting everyone as liars. Being such a per

 each other, for which it was also fitting, having learned something, did you not decide to be quiet and remain still by yourselves even for the future

 to his father and to his mother, I have not seen you, and his brothers he did not acknowledge he guarded your oracles, and kept your covenant. He d

 foot-soldiers' machinations for the hindering of those who travel for the truth). How then do they dare to say: By God's economy John has been cast o

fell from blessing? was it not when he served his belly, deceived by the food? When did Saul fall from the kingdom? was it not when he ate the best of the sheep against the law? When did the people of Israel provoke God? was it not when they desired the Egyptian table, seeking meats and cauldrons from their teacher? Hophni and Phinehas, the sons of Eli, why were they put to death in a single hour in the war? was it not because they seized with flesh-hooks from the cauldrons the meats that were part of the sacrifice? But Jacob the reproached, why did he "kick"? was it not because "he was filled and grew fat and was thickened and was broadened"? When did the Sodomites burn contrary to nature? was it not when they corrupted their mind with continual banquets, being mentioned in reproach by Ezekiel who says: "'In abundance of wine and in fullness of bread they lived wantonly,' they" (that is, the city) "and her daughters" (that is, the villages, always having the law of the city)? But the thought of moderation, when was it abandoned by the ancient people? was it not when 74 they likewise grew old on couches, with the prophet lamenting: "'Those who eat kids from the flocks and suckling calves from the herds, drinking strained wine, and anointing themselves with the finest myrrh, living wantonly upon their couches, and they suffered nothing for the affliction of Joseph'"? To whom did Isaiah direct his declaration of woe? was it not to those who rise early for banquets; saying thus: "'Woe to those who rise in the morning and pursue strong drink, who stay late in the evening; for wine shall burn them. For with harp and psaltery they drink wine, but they do not look upon the works of the Lord'"? When were the priests of Bel shamed by Daniel? was it not when the ash convicted them, having caught them through food or drink? And what need is there for me to speak of those who have chosen to walk the broad way and revile the narrow? The saving word is sufficient for me for the refutation of the savor-chasers, where it shows the anonymous rich man, feasting sumptuously every day in the present life, desiring and failing to get the crumbs and a drop from the poor Lazarus. But let us see also the chorus of the saints of old and let us learn what sort of character of teaching they used at all, that through a sober life and an upright word, or that through banquets and feasting. First Enoch was translated by faith, or by a banquet? Then Noah saved the race of the inhabited world by faith in the wood, when the earthly world was being cleansed from the continuance of banquets and unclean works, or by fasting and prayers? Do not the Scriptures proclaim his shame, and not his glory, because he was relaxed by drink a little after so great a flood? Did the blessed Abraham overcome the five kings in Sodom by faith and righteousness, or by food and drink, when he called Lot back? And Theodore said: {THE DEACON} If you bring Abraham into the middle, then listen also from me; for anyone will tell you that he overcame the war 75 by faith, but he snared God by means of a table, as you yourself previously suggested. {THE BISHOP} Amazing! since Abraham snared God with a table, should we all then, leaving behind faith and the other virtues, cherish banquets? being no different from retailers or innkeepers who have fortified the main roads for this very reason, for the sake of profit. And the virgins, therefore, who strive to be holy in body and spirit for the glory of God, since Mary gave birth to Christ, let them also give birth; for if they do so, they will differ in nothing from harlots. For if the teachers prepare tables on account of Abraham, let the virgins also give birth on account of Mary. Away with it, most honored one, let us not treat with contempt things that have happened or are happening well in their own time; for each one's conscience, if it wishes, dictates what is expedient. Then did the wrestler Jacob take away the things of Laban by discipline, or by presiding over a banquet? —he who says: "I was consumed by the heat and by the frost of the night, and sleep departed from me"; and asking for nothing more in his prayer than bread and a garment, saying: "If you give me

εὐλογίας ἐξέπεσεν; οὐχ ὅτε τῇ κοιλίᾳ ἐδούλευσεν ἀπατηθεὶς τῷ τροφίῳ; πότε Σαοὺλ τῆς βασιλείας ἐξέπεσεν; οὐχ ὅτε τὰ κάλλιστα τῶν προβάτων παρὰ τὸν νόμον ἔφαγεν; πότε δὲ ὁ λαὸς τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τὸν Θεὸν παρώξυνεν; οὐχ ὅτε τῆς Αἰγυπτιακῆς ἐπεθύμει τραπέζης, κρέα καὶ λέβητας ἐπιζητῶν παρὰ τοῦ διδασκάλου; Ὁφνὶ καὶ Φινεές, οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ Ἠλεί, διὰ τί ἐθανατώθησαν ἐν ὥρᾳ μιᾷ ἐν τῷ πολέμῳ; οὐχ ὅτι ἥρπαζον ταῖς κρεάγραις ἀπὸ τῶν λεβήτων τὰ κρέατα τὰ ὄντα τῆς θυσίας; Ἰακὼβ δὲ ὁ ψεκτός, διὰ τί "ἀπελάκτισεν"; οὐκ ἐπειδὴ "ἐνεπλήσθη καὶ ἐλιπάνθη καὶ ἐπαχύνθη καὶ ἐπλατύνθη"; πότε δὲ Σοδομῖται παρὰ φύσιν ἐξῴστρησαν; οὐχ ὅτε συνεχέσι συμποσίοις τὴν γνώμην παρέ φθειραν, ὑπὸ τοῦ Ἰεζεκιὴλ ἐφ' ὕβρει μνημονευόμενοι λέγοντος· " ̓Εν εὐθηνίᾳ οἴνου καὶ ἐν πλησμονῇ ἄρτου ἐσπατάλων αὐτοί" (τοῦτ' ἔστιν ἡ πόλις) "καὶ αἱ θυγατέρες αὐτῆς" (τοῦτ' ἔστιν αἱ κῶμαι, τὸν νόμον ἀεὶ τῆς πόλεως ἔχουσαι); ὁ τῆς σωφρο σύνης δὲ λογισμός, πότε παρείθη τοῦ παλαιοῦ λαοῦ; οὐχ ὅτε 74 ὁμοίως κατεγήρασαν ἐπὶ στιβάδων, τοῦ προφήτου σχετλιά ζοντος· "Οἱ ἐσθίοντες ἐρίφους ἐκ ποιμνίων καὶ μόσχους ἐκ βουκολίων γαλαθηνούς, πίνοντες τὸν διϋλισμένον οἶνον, καὶ τὰ πρῶτα μύρα χριόμενοι, κατασπαταλῶντες ἐπὶ ταῖς στρωμναῖς αὐτῶν, καὶ οὐδὲν ἔπασχον ἐπὶ τῇ συντριβῇ Ἰωσήφ"; τίσι τὸν ταλανισμὸν ὁ Ἠσαίας ἐπήγαγεν; οὐχὶ τοῖς ἐν συμποσίοις ὀρθρίζουσιν· οὑτωσὶ λέγων· "Οὐαὶ οἱ ἐγειρόμενοι τὸ πρωῒ καὶ τὸ σίκερα διώκοντες, οἱ μένοντες τὸ ὀψέ· ὁ γὰρ οἶνος συγκαύσει αὐτούς. μετὰ γὰρ κιθάρας καὶ ψαλτηρίου τὸν οἶνον πίνουσιν, τὰ δὲ ἔργα Κυρίου οὐκ ἐμβλέπουσιν"; πότε οἱ ἱερεῖς τοῦ Βὴλ ὑπὸ τοῦ ∆ανιὴλ κατῃσχύνθησαν; οὐχ ὅτε ἡ σποδὸς αὐτοὺς ἤλεγξεν διὰ βρωμάτων ἢ πομάτων θηρεύσασα; καὶ τί δεῖ με λέγειν περὶ τῶν τὴν πλατεῖαν βαδίζειν ἑλαμένων καὶ τὴν στενὴν λοιδορούντων; ἀρκεῖ μοι ὁ σωτήριος λόγος πρὸς ἔλεγχον τῶν κνισοδιωκτῶν, ὅπου τὸν ἀνώνυμον πλούσιον, λαμπρῶς καθ' ἡμέραν εὐφραινόμενον ἐν τῷ παρόντι βίῳ, δείκνυσι ψιχίων καὶ ῥανίδος τοῦ πένητος Λαζάρου ἐπιποθοῦντα καὶ ἀστοχοῦντα. ἴδωμεν δὲ καὶ τὸν χορὸν τῶν πάλαι ἁγίων καὶ μάθωμεν ὅλως ποίῳ χαρακτῆρι τῆς διδασκαλίας ἐχρήσαντο, τῷ διὰ βίου σεμνοῦ καὶ λόγου εὐθοῦς, ἢ τῷ διὰ συμποσίων καὶ εὐωχίας. πρῶτος ὁ Ἑνὼχ πίστει μετετέθη, ἢ συμποσίῳ; εἶτα ὁ Νῶε τὸ τῆς οἰκουμένης γένος πίστει διέσωσεν ἐν τῷ ξύλῳ, ὅτε ὁ περί γειος ἐκαθαρίζετο κόσμος, ἀπὸ τῆς τῶν συμποσίων καὶ ἀκαθάρ των ἔργων συνεχείας, ἢ νηστείᾳ καὶ προσευχαῖς; οὐχ ἵνα μικρὸν ἀπὸ τοῦ τοσούτου κλύδωνος πόματι ἀνεθῇ, ἀσχημοσύνην αὐτοῦ, καὶ οὐ κλέος, κηρύσσουσιν αἱ Γραφαί; ὁ μακάριος Ἀβραὰμ τῶν πέντε βασιλέων τῶν ἐν Σοδόμοις πίστει καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ περιεγένετο, ἢ βρώμασι καὶ πόμασι, τὸν Λὼτ ἀνα καλεσάμενος; Καὶ ὁ Θεόδωρος εἶπεν· {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Εἰ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ ἄγεις εἰς μέσον, οὐκοῦν ἄκουσον καὶ παρ' ἐμοῦ· λέξει σοι γὰρ ὁ τυχών, ὅτι τοῦ μὲν πολέμου 75 πίστει περιεγένετο, τὸν δὲ Θεὸν διὰ τραπέζης ἐθήρευσεν, ὡς προλαβὼν αὐτὸς ὑφηγήσω. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Βαβαί! ἐπεὶ ὁ Ἀβραὰμ τραπέζῃ τὸν Θεὸν ἐθήρευσεν, οὐκοῦν πάντες καταλείψαντες τὴν πίστιν καὶ τὰς λοιπὰς ἀρετάς, τὰ συμπόσια φιλοκαλήσωμεν; οὐδὲν διαφέ ροντες καπήλων ἢ πανδοχέων τῶν τὰς λεωφόρους δι' αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐπιτειχισάντων ἕνεκα κέρδους. καὶ αἱ παρθένοι τοίνυν, αἱ ἀγωνιζόμεναι ἅγιαι εἶναι σώματι καὶ πνεύματι εἰς δόξαν Θεοῦ, ἐπειδὴ Μαρία τὸν Χριστὸν ἐγέννησεν, καὶ αὗται γεννη σάτωσαν· εἰ γὰρ οὕτως ποιήσουσιν, οὐδὲν τῶν ἑταιρίδων διαλλάσσουσιν. εἰ γὰρ οἱ διδάσκαλοι διὰ τὸν Ἀβραὰμ τὰ τῶν τραπεζῶν εὐτρεπίζουσιν, καὶ αἱ παρθένοι διὰ τὴν Μαρίαν γεννάτωσαν. ἄπαγε, τιμιώτατε, τὰ καλῶς κατὰ τὸν οἰκεῖον καιρὸν γεγενημένα ἢ γινόμενα μὴ ὑβρίζωμεν· ἑκάστου γὰρ τὸ συνειδός, ἐὰν βούληται, τὸ συμφέρον ὑπαγορεύει. εἶτα ὁ παλαιστὴς Ἰακὼβ ἀσκήσει τὰ τοῦ Λαβὰν ἀφείλατο, ἢ συμ ποσιαρχίᾳ; -ὁ λέγων· "Ἐγενόμην τοῖς καύμασι συγκαιόμενος καὶ τῷ παγέτῳ τῆς νυκτός, καὶ ἀφίστατο ἀπ' ἐμοῦ ὁ ὕπνος"· καὶ οὐδὲν πλέον αἰτῶν ἐν τῇ προσευχῇ ἢ ἄρτον καὶ ἱμάτιον, λέγων· "Ἐὰν δῷς μοι