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That slavery and lordship are useful to life. The Creator of all things does not need the human tongue for the provision of hymns; for neither does He receive the doxology of the angels as if needing it, but seeing their goodwill, He accepts their gratitude; and when those who offered the legal sacri fices offered them, they did not bring them as if fulfilling some need, but for the countless benefits, which 83.668 they received, trying to pay what thanks they could. Therefore, it is immediately possible to see that not all offer one and the same sacrifice. For one sacrificed a calf, another a lamb, another a goat; and one offered more victims, another fewer; and he who lacked these, and lived in poverty, a pair of turtledoves, or young pigeons; and he who was short even of these, a little fine flour, and a small amount of frankincense. Therefore, from this we are surely taught that the righteous judge pays attention to the quality of the intention, not the quantity of the gifts. And we offer our humble words, not that we might augment the abyss of wis dom with the smallest drop, but trying to show the goodwill that is fitting for servants, and providing to refute the audacity of our fellow-servants, and to place upon them the master's yoke. For we are utterly distressed seeing the wisdom of God that governs all things being slandered by them; for which reason we have also undertaken the present labor of this discourse, and we try to stop the blasphemy with refutations. That they therefore very foolishly accuse the apparent inequality of life, and, being delirious, do not perceive what is necessary, the preceding discourse has sufficiently taught, both by showing the usefulness of poverty and by refuting the deficiency of wealth. But since they not only complain against poverty, but also bewail sla very, and lament the royal taxes, and other things very suitable to this life; come, let us also discuss these things a little, and let us imitate the best of physicians, who, seeing the sick without appetite, and loathing all the foods offered, very cleverly overcome their displeasure with certain medical arts. For by mixing in the drier and more astringent of seasonings, they make what seems loathsome to the sick person most pleasant. And these people likewise to those, find fault with all things seen and done. But for those, the disease happens against their will, and being greatly in pain they abstain from foods, and though desiring to partake, they are prevented by the disease; but for these, the passions war voluntarily and of their own accord, and they hold their displeasure, not concerning foods and dishes, but concerning all things wisely and justly administered by divine providence. And while sowing they desire the rains, but while traveling they complain of the rains. And they need a hotter ray of the sun, that it might make the fruits of the seeds ripe; and again they are annoyed, and they blame the heat. They accept every toil for the sake of the belly, both farming, and sailing, and long journeys; and again they become its bitter accu sers; as if it were not appointed to serve the biddings of the soul, but to rule. They find fault with thun derbolts, and hail, and such chastisements, 83.669 and again they accuse the long-suffering of God; and neither justice nor long-suffering shames them. But they themselves pray to enjoy long-suffering, even while sinning greatly; but those who have grieved them they wish to receive the unmixed assault of justice. They saw a poor man, immediately they moved their tongue against Providence, and they buried poverty with many jests. They beheld a rich man walking on the tips of his toes, looking like a lion, carrying his shoulders this way and that, or being carried on vehicles, and surrounded by many servants and lic tors, they transfer their blasphemy against wealth. They are annoyed with the

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Ὅτι δουλεία καὶ δεσποτεία πρόσφοροι τῷ βίῳ. Οὐ δεῖται τῆς μὲν ἀνθρωπίνης γλώττης εἰς ὕμνων χορηγίαν τῶν ὅλων ὁ Ποιητής· οὐδὲ γὰρ τὴν τῶν ἀγγέλων δοξολογίαν ὡς δεόμενος δέχεται, ἀλλὰ τὴν εὔνοιαν ὁρῶν, τὸ εὔγνωμον ἀποδέχεται· καὶ τὰς θυ σίας δὲ τὰς νομικὰς ἡνίκα προσέφερον οἱ προσφέρον τες, οὐχ ὡς χρείαν δήπουθεν ἀναπληροῦντες ἔφε ρον, ἀλλ' ὑπὲρ τῶν μυρίων εὐεργεσιῶν, ὧν 83.668 ἐδέχοντο, τὴν δυνατὴν χάριν ἐκτίνειν πειρώμενοι. Αὐτίκα τοίνυν ἔστιν ἰδεῖν, οὐδὲ πάντας μίαν καὶ τὴν αὐτὴν θυσίαν προσφέροντας. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ, ἔθυε μόσχον, ὁ δὲ ἀμνὸν, ὁ δὲ χίμαρον· καὶ ὁ μὲν πλείω τὰ θύματα, ὁ δὲ ἐλάττω· ὁ δὲ τούτων ἀπορῶν, καὶ πενίᾳ συζῶν, ζεῦγος τρυγόνων, ἢ νεοτ τοὺς περιστερῶν· ὁ δὲ καὶ τούτων σπανίζων, σεμί δαλιν ὀλίγην, καὶ βραχύ τι λιβανωτοῦ. Ποιότητι τοιγαροῦν γνώμης, οὐχὶ ποσότητι δώρων προσέχειν τὸν δίκαιον κριτὴν ἐντεῦθεν δήπουθεν διδασκόμεθα. Καὶ τοὺς εὐτελεῖς ἡμῶν προσφέρομεν λόγους, οὐχ ἵνα τῇ βραχυτάτῃ σταγόνι τὴν ἄβυσσον τῆς σο φίας αὐξήσωμεν, ἀλλὰ τὴν οἰκέταις πρέπου σαν εὔνοιαν ἐπιδεῖξαι πειρώμενοι, καὶ τῶν ὁμο δούλων διελέγξαι τὸ θράσος, καὶ τὸν δεσποτικὸν αὐτοῖς ἐπιθεῖναι ζυγὸν προμηθούμενοι. Κομιδῇ γὰρ ἀσχάλλομεν τὴν τὰ πάντα κυβερνῶσαν τοῦ Θεοῦ σοφίαν ὑπ' αὐτῶν συκοφαντουμένην ὁρῶντες· οὗ χάριν καὶ τὸν παρόντα τοῦ λόγου πόνον ἐδεξά μεθα, καὶ παῦσαι τοῖς ἐλέγχοις τὴν βλασφημίαν πειρώμεθα. Ὅτι μὲν οὖν λίαν ἀνοήτως καταιτιῶνται τὴν δοκοῦσαν ἀνωμαλίαν τοῦ βίου, καὶ παραπαίοντες τὸ δέον οὐ συνορῶσιν, ἱκανῶς ὁ πρὸ τούτου λόγος ἐδίδαξε, καὶ τῆς πενίας ὑποδείξας τὸ χρήσιμον, καὶ τοῦ πλούτου διελέγξας τὴν ἔνδειαν. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐ μόνον τῆς πενίας κατηγοροῦσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν δου λείαν ὀλοφύρονται, καὶ τοὺς βασιλικοὺς ἀποδύρονται φόρους, καὶ ἕτερα τὰ τῷδε τῷ βίῳ λίαν ἁρμόττοντα· φέρε, καὶ περὶ τούτων μικρὰ διεξέλθωμεν, καὶ τοὺς ἀρίστους τῶν ἰατρῶν μιμησώμεθα, οἳ τοὺς ἀῤ ῥώστους ἀποσίτους ὁρῶντες, καὶ τὰ προσφερόμενα σιτία πάντα βδελυττομένους, τέχναις τισὶν ἰατρικαῖς τὸ δυσάρεστον αὐτῶν εὖ μάλα κατασοφίζονται. Τὰ γὰρ ξηρότερα καὶ στρυφνότερα τῶν ἡδυσμάτων πα ραμιγνύντες, τὸ βδελυκτὸν τῷ ἀῤῥώστῳ φαινόμενον ἥδιστον ἀπεργάζονται. Καὶ οὗτοι δὲ ὁμοίως ἐκείνοις, πᾶσι τοῖς ὁρωμένοις καὶ γινομένοις ἐπιμέμφονται. Ἀλλ' ἐκείνοις μὲν ἡ νόσος παρὰ γνώμην συμβαίνει, καὶ ἀλγυνόμενοι λίαν τῶν σιτίων ἀπέχονται, καὶ μεταλαβεῖν ποθοῦντες ὑπὸ τῆς νόσου κωλύονται· τούτοις δὲ ἑκούσια καὶ αὐθαίρετα πολεμεῖ τὰ πάθη, καὶ τὸ δυσάρεστον ἔχουσιν, οὐ περὶ σιτία καὶ ὄψα, ἀλλὰ περὶ πάντα τὰ σοφῶς καὶ δικαίως ὑπὸ τῆς θείας προμηθείας οἰκονομούμενα. Καὶ σπείροντες μὲν τῶν ὄμβρων ἐπιθυμοῦσιν, ὁδοιποροῦντες δὲ τῶν ὄμβρων κατηγοροῦσι. Χρῄζουσι δὲ θερμοτέρας τῆς ἡλιακῆς ἀκτῖνος, ἵνα πέπονας τῶν σπερμάτων τοὺς καρποὺς ἀπεργάσηται· καὶ δυσχεραίνουσι πάλιν, καὶ τὸν φλογμὸν αἰτιῶνται. Πάντα πόνον ὑπὲρ τῆς γαστρὸς καταδέχονται, καὶ γηπονίας, καὶ ναυτιλίας, καὶ μακρὰς ὁδοιπορίας· καὶ πάλιν αὐτῆς πικροὶ κατ ήγοροι γίνονται· ὥσπερ οὐ δουλεύειν τοῖς τῆς ψυχῆς νεύμασιν, ἀλλ' ἄρχειν τεταγμένης. Μέμφονται σκη πτοῖς, καὶ χαλάζαις, καὶ ταῖς τοιαύταις παιδείαις, 83.669 καὶ πάλιν τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ μακροθυμίας κατηγοροῦσι· καὶ οὔτε τὸ δίκαιον αὐτοὺς, οὔτε τὸ μακρόθυμον κατ αιδεῖ. Ἀλλ' αὐτοὶ μὲν τῆς μακροθυμίας ἀπολαύειν, καὶ μεγάλα πλημμελοῦντες, προσεύχονται· τοὺς δὲ σφᾶς αὐτοὺς λελυπηκότας ἄκρατον δέχεσθαι θέλουσι τοῦ δικαίου τὴν προσβολήν. Εἶδον πένητα, εὐθὺς τὴν γλῶτταν κατὰ τῆς Προνοίας ἐκίνησαν, καὶ πολ λοῖς τὴν πενίαν κατέχωσαν σκώμμασιν. Ἐθεάσαντο πλούσιον ἐπ' ἄκρων ὀνύχων βαδίζοντα, λεόντειον βλέ ποντα, τῇδε κἀκεῖσε τοὺς ὤμους περιφέροντα, ἢ ἐπ' ὀχημάτων φερόμενον, καὶ πολλοῖς οἰκέταις καὶ ῥα βδοφόροις κυκλούμενον, μεταφέρουσι κατὰ τῶν χρη μάτων τὴν βλασφημίαν. ∆υσχεραίνουσι τὸν