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22. Concerning friends who are not good. To suffer is a dreadful thing. But if it is by friends, How much worse. But if by secret stings, This is unbearable. But if by trusted ones, Hold back. But if by those who stand by God, Where can one turn? how can he escape the onslaught of evils? 790

23. On the same topic. A grievous thing is what causes pain. But if a friend causes pain, It is slavish. But if he bites in secret, How beastly. But if a talkative woman, A demon cohabitant. But if a litigious man, There is need for thunderbolts. But if a priest, Hear, O Christ, and judge the case.

24. A dialogue with those who swear often. A. What is worse than an oath? Nothing, according to my argument.

B. How do you prove this? tell me. A. With very manifest and most clear reasons. B. Which ones? teach me. 791 A. These. Answer now, and let us consider. B. Speak, if you have something to say, dearest friend. A. Do you know anything greater than all that you know? B. Of what things do you ask? A. Of all things, both seen and understood. B. I conceive of nothing greater than God. A. You speak correctly, but I did not ask correctly. B. How then should you have asked? A. There is nothing greater; for he cannot be compared. Is it not clear to you? B. Entirely so. A. What then should one perhaps ask is greatest? B. I think so. A. And this would be said by way of comparison. B. I do not think so; what do you mean? 792 A. Nothing is greatest except among things of the same nature; But what is of the same nature as God? B. Nothing. A. Therefore let God be spoken of in another way. B I will accept however you may say it. A. What is in no way comparable to all things? B. God. We will say it thus, as it seems best. A. What is to be revered, and that alone, by every nature? B. Alone to be revered, you say well. A. Or is it both to be revered and something to be insulted? B. And how shall we mix the unmixable? A. For let us consider if an oath brings honor, But not insult either. If there were not a danger of perjury, Thus it would also have reverence; As someone called a safe mediator, For indeed he is a mediator. 793 But now consider for me the matter and where it leads. B. I almost know, but speak. A. I am seeking a very clear image for the argument. B. And what would that be? A. Have you seen a rock being moved from a hill? B. Yes, many times; for how could I not? A. And hurtling downward with a great rushing sound? B. And with great fear. A. Or have you also seen it stopping easily? B. Unless someone else has, I have not. For the rock, pushing itself, is stronger than a hand. A. You speak the truth; I suffer the same thing, whenever I run down. The rush carries me by force; 794 But it is easiest for both me and the stone to stay at the beginning. B. How could it not be easiest? A. To this man, every evil is congenial, But especially an oath, I think. And how, listen. Much pleasure is attached to the practice. Then if one happens to fall into the habit, What happens? He is not held back, Until he comes to the precipitous depth. B. What precipice do you mean? A. The greatest of precipices is perjury. B. How so, I would gladly learn. For many do not even know how it is evil. How then is it so? 795 A. Has not someone often sworn by his own salvation? B. Indeed. A. What then? He fears lest having done some evil thing, he also be harmed; Meanwhile he has placed salvation in the middle, His own, that is, So that he may be destroyed, if he happens to be speaking falsely. B. So it seems to me. A. Consider this, then, whenever you swear by God. B. What thing, that I may know? A. You have placed God in the middle as a pledge. B. In the middle; what else? A. He is preserved for the one who swears truly, but is dissolved for the one who does not, As far as it is in our power. B. You speak well. 796 A. But not to preserve him, tell me, what does it seem to you? B. Denial, I think. A. Perjury, then, is by nature denial. B. It is in no way otherwise. A. And what can you say is worse than denial? B. It is not possible to find. A. Therefore perjury is worse than all things, As has been shown, and by far. B. How then may we escape? A. Let us acquire a trustworthy character. B. You have said a great thing. A. For there is less need of an oath for the conscientious. B. Less need? By no means, I think. A. But character stands in place of a witness. B. For so it is. A. What more is there for those who swear often, tell me? B. Laughter. What else do you add? 797 A Not to be believed, even if they say something trustworthy. B. So it seems to me too.

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ΚΒʹ. Περὶ φίλων τῶν μὴ καλῶν. ∆εινὸν τὸ πάσχειν. Ἂν δὲ καὶ φίλων ὕπο, Ὡς χεῖρον. Ἂν δὲ καὶ λαθραίοις δήγμασι, Τοῦτ' οὐ φορητόν. Ἂν δὲ καὶ πιστῶν ὕπο, Ἐπίσχες. Ἂν δὲ καὶ Θεοῦ παραστατῶν, Ποῖ τις τράπηται; πῶς φύγῃ κακῶν φοράν; 790

ΚΓʹ. Εἰς τὸ αὐτό. ∆εινὸν τὸ λυποῦν. Ἂν δὲ καὶ λυπῇ φίλος, Ἀνδραποδῶδες. Ἂν δὲ καὶ δάκῃ λάθρα, Ὡς θηριῶδες. Ἂν δὲ καὶ γυνὴ λάλος, ∆αίμων σύνοικος. Ἂν δὲ καὶ δικασπόλος, Χρεία κεραυνῶν. Ἂν δὲ καὶ θυηπόλος, Ἄκουε, Χριστὲ, καὶ δίκαζε τὴν δίκην.

Κ∆ʹ. Πρὸς πολυόρκους διάλογος. Α. Ὅρκου τί χεῖρον; Οὐδὲν, ὡς ὁ ἐμὸς λόγος.

Β. Πῶς τοῦτ' ἐλέγχεις; εἰπέ μοι. Α. Λίαν προδήλοις καὶ σαφεστάτοις λόγοις. Β. Τίσι; δίδαξον. 791 Α. Τούτοις. Ἀπόκριναι δὴ, καὶ σκεψώμεθα. Β. Λέγ', εἰ λέγεις τι, φίλτατε. Α. Πάντων τι μεῖζον οἶδας ὧν ἐπίστασαι; Β. Τίνων ἐρωτᾶς; Α. Πάντων, ὁρωμένων τε καὶ νοουμένων. Β. Θεοῦ τι μεῖζον οὐ νοῶ. Α. Ὀρθῶς λέγεις μὲν, οὐχὶ δ' ὀρθῶς ἠρόμην. Β. Ἐχρῆν δὲ δὴ πῶς; Α. Οὐκ ἔστι μεῖζον· οὐδὲ γὰρ συγκρίνεται. Οὐ γὰρ σαφές σοι; Β. Καὶ πάνυ. Α. Τί οὖν μέγιστον πυνθάνεσθ' ἐχρῆν ἴσως; Β. Οὕτω νομίζω. Α. Καὶ τοῦτο δ' ἂν λέγοιτο ἐκ συγκρίσεως. Β. Οὐκ οἶμαι· πῶς λέγεις; 792 Α. Οὐδὲν μέγιστόν ἐστι μὴ τῶν συμφυῶν· Θεοῦ δὲ τί συμφυές; Β. Οὐδέν. Α. Λεγέσθω τοιγαροῦν ἄλλως Θεός. Β Ὅπως λέγοις ἂν ἕλωμαι. Α. Τί τῶν ἁπάντων τ' οὐδὲ συγκριτός; Β. Θεός. Ἐροῦμεν οὕτως, ὡς δοκεῖ. Α. Τί δ' οὐ σεβαστὸν, καὶ μόνον, πάσῃ φύσει; Β. Μόνον σεβαστὸν, εὖ λέγεις. Α. Ἢ καὶ σεβαστὸν καί τι καὶ ὑβριστέον; Β. Καὶ πῶς ἄμικτα μίξομεν; Α. Καὶ γὰρ σκοπῶμεν ὅρκος εἰ τιμὴν φέρει, Ἀλλ' οὐδέ γ' ὕβριν· Εἰ μή γ' ὑπῆρχε κίνδυνος ψευδορκίας, Οὕτως ἂν εἶχε καὶ σέβας· Ὥς τις μεσίτης ἀσφαλὴς καλούμενος, Καὶ γὰρ μεσίτης. 793 Νῦν δὲ σκόπει μοι τὸ πρᾶγμα καὶ ποῖ φέρει. Β. Σχεδὸν μὲν οἶδα, πλὴν λέγε. Α. Ζητῶ τιν' εἰκὼ τοῦ λόγου σαφεστάτην. Β. Τίς δ' ἂν γένοιτο; Α. Πέτραν τιν' εἶδες ἐκ λόφου κινουμένην; Β. Καὶ πολλάκις γε· πῶς γὰρ οὔ; Α. Ῥοίζῳ τε πολλῷ σφενδονημένην κάτω; Β. Πολλῷ φόβῳ τε. Α. Ἢ καὶ τόδ' εἶδες ῥᾳδίως ἱσταμένην; Β. Εἰ μή τις ἄλλος, οὐκ ἐγώ. Αὑτὴν γὰρ ὠθοῦσ' ἡ πέτρα, κρείττων χερός. Α. Λέγεις ἀληθῆ· Τὸ δ' αὐτὸ πάσχω, κἂν ἐγὼ κατατρέχω. Ῥοῖζος φέρει με πρὸς βίαν· 794 Μένειν δ' ἀπαρχῆς κἀμὲ ῥᾷστον καὶ λίθον. Β. Ῥᾷστον τί δ' οὐκ ἔχει; Α. Τούτῳ κακὸν μέν ἐστι καὶ πᾶν προσφερὲς, Μάλιστα δ' ὅρκος, οἵομαι. Τὸ πῶς δ', ἄκουσον. Ἡδονὴ τῷ πράγματι Πολλὴ πρόσεστιν. Εἶτ' ἂν τύχῃ τις εἰς συμπάθειαν πεσὼν, Τί γίνετ'; οὐκ ἀνείργεται, Ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ πρὸς κατάκρημνον βάθος. Β. Λέγεις τί κρημνόν; Α. Κρημνῶν μέγιστός ἐστιν ἡ ψευδορκία. Β. Τὸ πῶς, μάθοιμ' ἂν ἡδέως. Πολλοὶ γὰρ οὐδ' ἴσασι πῶς ἐστι κακόν. Ἔστι δὲ δὴ πῶς; 795 Α. Οὐ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ πολλάκις σωτηρίαν Ὀμώμοκέ τις; Β. Καὶ μάλα. Α. Τί οὖν; ∆έδοικε μή τι τῶν κακῶν δράσας, Τὶ καὶ κακωθῇ· Μέσην τέως τέθεικε τὴν σωτηρίαν, Τὴν αὐτὸς αὑτοῦ δηλαδὴ, Ὥστ' ἐξολέσθαι, εἰ τύχοι ψευδῆ λέγων. Β. Οὕτω δοκεῖ μοι. Α. Τοῦτ' οὖν λογίζου, κἂν Θεόν ποτ' ὀμνύσῃς. Β. Τὸ ποῖον, ὡς ἂν εἰδῶ; Α. Μέσον τέθεικας τὸν Θεὸν τῆς πίστεως. Β. Μέσον· τί δ' ἄλλο; Α. Φυλάσσετ' εὐορκοῦντι, λύεται δὲ μὴ, Ὅσον ἐφ' ἡμῖν. Β. Εὖ λέγεις. 796 Α. Τὸ μὴ φυλάσσειν δ', εἰπέ μοι, τί σοι δοκεῖ; Β. Ἄρνησις, οἶμαι. Α. Ἄρνησις οὖν πέφυκεν ἡ ψευδορκία. Β. Οὐκ ἔστιν ἄλλως οὐδαμῆ. Α. Ἀρνήσεως δὲ τί χεῖρον ἄρ' εἰπεῖν ἔχεις; Β. Οὐκ ἔστιν εὑρεῖν. Α. Πάντων ἄρ' ἐστὶ χεῖρον ἡ ψευδορκία, Ὡς γοῦν δέδεικται καὶ μακρῷ. Β. Πῶς οὖν φύγωμεν; Α. Τὸν τρόπον κτησώμεθα Πιστόν. Β. Μέγ' εἶπας. Α. Ὅρκου γὰρ ἧττον χρεία τοῖς εὐγνώμοσιν. Β. Ἧττον γὰρ οἶμαι οὐδαμῶς. Α. Ἀλλ' ὁ τρόπος καθίστατ' ἀντὶ μάρτυρος. Β. Ἔχει γὰρ οὕτως. Α. Τί πλεῖόν ἐστι τοῖς πολυόρκοις, εἰπέ μοι; Β. Γέλως. Τί δ' ἄλλο προστίθεις; 797 Α Μηδ' ἂν λέγωσιν οὖν τι καὶ πιστὸν, δοκεῖν. Β. Κἀμοί γ'