John Chrysostom, On Priesthood

be able to command the hearing, so that the people follow and yield to him, but not that he himself be led by their desires.

5.2 2. That he who is appointed to this must both despise commendations and be able to speak. But this is in no way possible to achieve, except through these two things: the despising of praise and the power of speaking. For if one is absent, the remaining one becomes useless by its separation from the other; for if, while despising praise, he does not offer teaching seasoned with grace and salt, he becomes easily despised by the many, gaining nothing from that greatness of soul; and if, having achieved this part well, he happens to be overcome by the glory that comes from applause, his loss comes to the same point again, both for himself and for the many, as he studies to speak for the gratification of his hearers rather than for their benefit, on account of his desire for praise. And just as the one who is neither affected by acclamations, nor knows how to speak, cannot yield to the pleasures of the multitude nor is he able to confer any benefit worthy of mention because he has nothing to say, so also the one who is drawn by the desire for commendations, though he is able to make the many better, instead of this provides things that are more able to please, purchasing with these the noisy applauses.

5.3 3. That if he does not have both, he will be useless to the multitude. Therefore the best ruler must be strong on both sides, so that the one is not overturned by the other; for when he stands up in their midst and says things that can sting those who live idly, and then he stumbles and is interrupted, and is forced to blush from deficiency, the benefit of what was said immediately flows away. For those who have been rebuked, being pained by what was said and not having another way to defend themselves, pelt him with taunts about his ignorance, thinking by these to overshadow their own reproaches. Therefore, it is necessary, like some excellent charioteer, to arrive at precision in both these excellent things, so that he may be able to handle both as is needed; for when he himself has become blameless to all, then he will be able with as much authority as he wishes both to punish and to forgive all those placed under him; but before this it is not easy to do this. But greatness of soul must be shown not only up to the point of despising praise, but it must also be advanced further, so that the gain may not again be incomplete. 5.4 4. That he must especially despise malice. What else then must he despise? Malice and envy. And as for untimely accusations—for it is necessary for the one in charge to endure unreasonable criticisms—it is good neither to fear and tremble at them excessively, nor simply to overlook them, but it is necessary, even if they happen to be false, and even if they are brought against us by ordinary people, to try to extinguish them quickly. For nothing so increases a reputation, both bad and good, as the unruly multitude; for being accustomed to both hearing and speaking without examination, it simply utters everything that comes to mind, taking no account of the truth. For these reasons one must not despise the many, but immediately, at their beginning, cut off evil suspicions, persuading the accusers, even if they be the most unreasonable of all, and to fail in nothing at all of those things that can destroy a bad reputation; but if, when we do everything, those who find fault do not wish to be persuaded, then to despise them. For if one is brought low by these circumstances, he will never be able to produce anything noble and wonderful—for despondency and continuous anxieties are terrible at casting down the power of the soul and bringing it to the uttermost weakness—, so then must the priest be disposed toward those he rules as a father would be disposed toward his very young children; and just as we pay no attention to them when they are insolent, or strike us, or wail, nor even when they laugh and are pleased with us, a great thing

δύνηται τὴν ἀκρόασιν, ὡς αὐτῷ τὸν λαὸν ἕπεσθαι καὶ εἴκειν, ἀλλὰ μὴ αὐτὸν ταῖς ἐκείνων ἄγεσθαι ἐπιθυμίαις.

5.2 βʹ. Ὅτι τὸν εἰς τοῦτο τεταγμένον καὶ ἐγκωμίων ὑπερορᾶν χρὴ καὶ δύνασθαι λέγειν Τούτου δὲ οὐδαμῶς ἔστιν ἐπιτυχεῖν, ἀλλ' ἢ διὰ τούτοιν τοῖν δυοῖν, τῆς τε τῶν ἐπαίνων ὑπεροψίας καὶ τῆς ἐν τῷ λέγειν δυνάμεως. Κἂν γὰρ τὸ ἕτερον ἀπῇ, τὸ λειπόμενον ἄχρηστον γίνεται τῇ διαζεύξει θατέρου· ἄν τε γὰρ ἐπαίνων ὑπερορῶν μὴ προσφέρῃ διδασκαλίαν τὴν ἐν χάριτι καὶ ἅλατι ἠρτυμένην, εὐκαταφρόνητος ὑπὸ τῶν πολλῶν γίνεται, οὐδὲν ἀπὸ τῆς μεγαλοψυχίας κερδάνας ἐκείνης· ἄν τε τοῦτο καλῶς κατορθώσας τὸ μέρος τῆς ἀπὸ τῶν κρότων δόξης ἡττώμενος τύχῃ, εἰς ταὐτὸν πάλιν περιΐσταται τὰ τῆς ζημίας αὐτῷ τε καὶ τοῖς πολλοῖς, πρὸς χάριν τῶν ἀκουόντων μᾶλλον ἢ πρὸς ὠφέλειαν λέγειν μελετῶντι, διὰ τὴν τῶν ἐπαίνων ἐπιθυμίαν. Καὶ καθάπερ ὁ μήτε πάσχων τι πρὸς τὰς εὐφημίας, μήτε λέγειν εἰδὼς οὔτε εἴκειν ταῖς τοῦ πλήθους ἡδοναῖς, οὔτε ὠφελεῖν ἀξιόλογόν τινα δύναται ὠφέλειαν τῷ μηδὲν ἔχειν εἰπεῖν, οὕτω καὶ ὁ τῷ πόθῳ τῶν ἐγκωμίων ἑλκόμενος, ἔχων ἀμείνους ἐργάσασθαι τοὺς πολλούς, ἀντὶ τούτων παρέχει τὰ τέρψαι δυνάμενα μᾶλλον, τούτων τοὺς ἐν τοῖς κρότοις θορύβους ὠνούμενος.

5.3 γʹ. Ὅτι ἂν μὴ ἀμφότερα ἔχῃ, ἄχρηστος ἔσται τῷ πλήθει Ἀμφοτέρωθεν οὖν ἰσχυρὸν εἶναι τὸν ἄριστον ἄρχοντα δεῖ ἵνα μὴ θατέρῳ θάτερον ἀνατρέπηται· ὅταν γὰρ ἀναστὰς ἐν τῷ μέσῳ λέγῃ τὰ τοὺς ῥαθύμως ζῶντας ἐπιστῦψαι δυνάμενα, εἶτα προσπταίῃ καὶ διακόπτηται, καὶ ὑπὸ τῆς ἐνδείας ἐρυθριᾶν ἀναγκάζηται, διερρύη τὸ κέρδος τῶν λεχθέντων εὐθέως. Οἱ γὰρ ἐπιτιμηθέντες, ἀλγοῦντες τοῖς εἰρημένοις καὶ οὐκ ἔχοντες αὐτὸν ἑτέρως ἀμύνασθαι, τοῖς τῆς ἀμαθίας αὐτὸν βάλλουσι σκώμμασι, τούτοις οἰόμενοι τὰ ἑαυτῶν συσκιάζειν ὀνείδη. ∆ιὸ χρή, καθάπερ τινὰ ἡνίοχον ἄριστον, εἰς ἀκρίβειαν τούτων ἀμφοτέρων ἥκειν τῶν καλῶν, ἵνα ἀμφότερα πρὸς τὸ δέον αὐτῷ μεταχειρίζειν ἐξῇ· καὶ γὰρ ὅταν αὐτὸς ἀνεπίληπτος ἅπασι γένηται, τότε δυνήσεται μεθ' ὅσης βούλεται ἐξουσίας καὶ κολάζειν καὶ ἀνιέναι τοὺς ὑπ' αὐτῷ ταττομένους ἅπαντας· πρὸ δὲ τούτου οὐκ εὐμαρὲς τοῦτο ποιεῖν. Τὴν δὲ μεγαλοψυχίαν οὐ μέχρι τῆς τῶν ἐπαίνων ὑπεροψίας δείκνυσθαι χρὴ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ περαιτέρω προάγειν, ἵνα μὴ πάλιν ἀτελὲς ᾖ τὸ κέρδος. 5.4 δʹ. Ὅτι μάλιστα βασκανίας τοῦτον δεῖ καταφρονεῖν Τίνος οὖν δεῖ καὶ ἑτέρου καταφρονεῖν; Βασκανίας καὶ φθόνου. Τὰς δὲ ἀκαίρους κατηγορίας-καὶ γὰρ ἀνάγκη τὸν προεστῶτα μέμψεις ὑπομένειν ἀλόγους-οὔτε ἀμέτρως δεδοικέναι καὶ τρέμειν, οὔτε ἁπλῶς παρορᾶν καλόν, ἀλλὰ χρή, κἂν ψευδεῖς τυγχάνωσιν οὖσαι, κἂν παρὰ τῶν τυχόντων ἡμῖν ἐπάγωνται, πειρᾶσθαι σβεννύναι ταχέως αὐτάς. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως αὔξει φήμην πονηράν τε καὶ ἀγαθὴν ὡς τὸ πλῆθος τὸ ἄτακτον· ἀβασανίστως γὰρ καὶ ἀκούειν καὶ ἐκλαλεῖν εἰωθός, ἁπλῶς τὸ ἐπελθὸν ἅπαν φθέγγεται, τῆς ἀληθείας οὐδένα ποιούμενον λόγον. ∆ιὰ ταῦτα οὐ δεῖ τῶν πολλῶν καταφρονεῖν, ἀλλ' ἀρχομένας εὐθέως ἐκκόπτειν τὰς ὑποψίας τὰς πονηράς, πείθοντα τοὺς ἐγκαλοῦντας, κἂν ἀλογώτατοι πάντων εἶεν, καὶ μηδὲν ὅλως ἐλλείπειν τῶν δυναμένων ἀφανίσαι δόξαν οὐκ ἀγαθήν, ἢν δέ, πάντα ποιούντων ἡμῶν, μὴ θέλωσιν οἱ μεμφόμενοι πείθεσθαι, τὸ τηνικαῦτα καταφρονεῖν. Ὡς ἐὰν φθάσῃ τις ταπεινοῦσθαι τοῖς συμπτώμασι τούτοις, οὐ δυνήσεταί ποτε γενναῖόν τι καὶ θαυμαστὸν ἀποτεκεῖν-ἡ γὰρ ἀθυμία καὶ αἱ συνεχεῖς φροντίδες δειναὶ καταβαλεῖν ψυχῆς δύναμιν καὶ εἰς ἀσθένειαν καταγαγεῖν τὴν ἐσχάτην-, οὕτως οὖν χρὴ τὸν ἱερέα διακεῖσθαι πρὸς τοὺς ἀρχομένους ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ πατὴρ πρὸς παῖδας ἄγαν νηπίους διακέοιτο· καὶ καθάπερ ἐκείνων οὔτε ὑβριζόντων, οὔτε πληττόντων, οὔτε ὀδυρομένων ἐπιστρεφόμεθα, ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἡνίκα ἂν γελῶσι καὶ προσχαίρωσιν ἡμῖν, μέγα