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
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 ought he to have satisfied his own anger, being mindful of the accusation? how will such a one still seek the insults of Christ, who is occupied with his own glories? Why did he not imitate at all the teacher who said, "When we are reviled, we bless"? {THE DEACON} What then, if the monks were heterodox? {THE BISHOP} And he certainly ought to have corrected and persuaded them, but not to have cast them out. {THE DEACON} And what if he did this, but they were not persuaded, being contentious? {THE BISHOP} He ought to have done the apostolic thing: 'A man that is a heretic after the first and second admonition reject, knowing that such a one is subverted'; but not to have cast them out and plundered them and driven them out of the [city] that nourished them with the threat of the rulers. {THE DEACON} You speak to me of the measures of a perfect man, one who is a lover of God and forbearing. {THE BISHOP} And yet it is no great praise to bear with the lesser one. But if he is not perfect, as far as it goes, how is such a one also a bishop? For an imperfect man will never have foresight for the imperfect. And how can he be called Theophilus (lover of God), if he does not love God, for whose sake he ought to have borne easily the insults of men? If he does not love God, clearly he does not love himself either; and he who is an enemy to himself, how then will he love others? Therefore it is not strange if for this reason he blamed Olympias for receiving the monks. {THE DEACON} It is agreed, then, that Theophilus did an angry thing, casting them out, whoever they might be, whether orthodox or heretical; the deaconess, however, ought not to have received them. {THE BISHOP} What then does it seem to you? - did she do well or badly? {THE DEACON} I said that she did badly. {THE BISHOP} And is <the> good deed ever judged? {THE DEACON} Very much so, when it is done for evil men who do not deserve to be well-treated. 101 {THE BISHOP} Who then were the five thousand, whom the Savior fed from five barley loaves, good or evil? {THE DEACON} Clearly good, as they were fed by the Savior. {THE BISHOP} Why then were they fed with barley loaves, being good? {THE DEACON} Because of a scarcity perhaps of wheat loaves and a famine. {THE BISHOP} How then are they reproached for unbelief, as good men or as evil men? {THE DEACON} If they are reproached, clearly as evil men. {THE BISHOP} And can the same men be good and evil? {THE DEACON} Very much so. {THE BISHOP} How? {THE DEACON} In relation to worse men they are good, but in relation to better men they are evil. {THE BISHOP} You have spoken wonderfully. In this way, then, the monks were both good and evil. And the most faithful woman received them as good; but the admirable man cast them out as evil, which he ought not to have done. {THE DEACON} But he will say to you, "To my grief you received my enemies." {THE BISHOP} It is altogether a defeat for him, that he even names them enemies, he who is a debtor of insults as an imitator of Christ. {THE DEACON} And where are the five thousand reproached by the Savior, as you have said? For they are not mentioned. {THE BISHOP} When, having gathered a second time, they came to Jesus, hearing: 'You seek me, not because you saw the signs and wonders, but because you did eat of the loaves, and were filled.' Theodorus said: {THE DEACON} It is most clear. {THE BISHOP} And he who is blameworthy, is in this also evil. {THE DEACON} Certainly. {THE BISHOP} Did the Savior then feed evil men, or good men? {THE DEACON} It is agreed that they were evil; for 'they that are whole have no need of a physician, but they that are sick.' {THE BISHOP} What then? Has Olympias done evil, having imitated her 102 Lord, 'who makes it rain and makes his sun to rise on the just and on the unjust'? even if the Pharisees reproach the disciples, saying: 'Your Master eats and drinks with publicans and sinners.' {THE DEACON} As it seems, contrary to the understanding of the many, venerable things are reviled, but shameful things are loved. {THE BISHOP} To what end is this speech of yours, most truth-loving Theodorus? {THE DEACON} Because if you had not laid bare the argument for me, clarifying it syllogistically, <εἰς> I would have been led away into the insensible opinion, not attending to the aim of freedom, but to the tales of Theophilus. {THE BISHOP} Therefore, on the contrary, if those holy men are shown not only not to be evil, but also many from
ἢ πρέπον ὅλως ῥίπτειν τὸν τυχόντα μαθητήν, μήτι γε καὶ μονάζοντα; 100 {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Ὡς ἐὰν παρώξυναν αὐτὸν ἢ κακῶς εἶπον. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.}
Καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ὀργὴν ὤφειλεν ἐκπληρῶσαι, φρον τίζων τῆς κατηγορίας; πῶς ἔτι οὗτος τὰς Χριστοῦ ὕβρεις ζητήσει, ὁ περὶ τὰς ἰδίας
ἀσχολούμενος δόξας; διὰ τί δὲ ὅλως τὸν εἰπόντα διδάσκαλον οὐκ ἐμιμήσατο, "Λοιδορούμενοι εὐλο γοῦμεν"; {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Τί οὖν, ὡς
εἰ ἑτερόδοξοι ὑπῆρχον οἱ μονάζοντες; {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Καὶ πάντως ἔδει διορθώσασθαι καὶ πεῖσαι, μὴ γὰρ ῥῖψαι. {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Ὡς εἰ καὶ
τοῦτο ἐποίησεν, αὐτοὶ δὲ οὐκ ἐπείσθησαν φιλόνεικοι ὄντες; {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Τὸ ἀποστολικὸν ἔδει ποιῆσαι· "Τὸν αἱρετικὸν ἄνθρωπον
μετὰ μίαν καὶ δευτέραν νουθεσίαν παραιτοῦ, εἰδὼς ὅτι ἐξέστραπται ὁ τοιοῦτος"· μὴ γὰρ ῥῖψαι καὶ λεηλατῆσαι καὶ ἔξω τῆς θρεψαμένης
ἀπελάσαι μετὰ τῆς τῶν ἀρχόντων ἀπειλῆς. {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Τελείου ἀνδρός μοι λέγεις μέτρα καὶ θεοφιλοῦς καὶ ἀνεξικάκου. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.}
Καὶ μὴν οὐκ ἔστι μέγα ἐγκώμιον τὸν ἥττονα βαστάσαι. πλὴν εἰ μὴ ἔστι τέλειος, ὅσον ἥκει, πῶς καὶ ἐπί σκοπος ὁ τοιοῦτος; ἀτελὴς
γὰρ ἀτελῶν οὐδέποτε προνοήσει. πῶς δὲ καὶ Θεόφιλος λέγεται, μὴ φιλῶν τὸν Θεόν, δι' ὃν ὤφειλεν τὰς τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὕβρεις ῥᾳδίως
φέρειν; εἰ δὲ Θεὸν οὐ φιλεῖ, δῆλον οὐδὲ ἑαυτόν· ὁ δὲ ἑαυτοῦ ἐχθρός, πῶς λοιπὸν ἄλλους φιλήσει; οὐκοῦν οὐδὲν ξένον, εἰ τούτου
χάριν ἔψεξεν Ὀλυμ πιάδα ὡς τοὺς μονάζοντας δεξαμένην. {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Ὡμολόγηται μέν, ὅτι Θεόφιλος ὀργίλον ἐποίησε πρᾶγμα, ῥίψας
αὐτούς, εἴ τινες ἂν εἶεν, εἴτε ὀρθόδοξοι, εἴτε αἱρετικοί· ἡ μέντοι διάκονος οὐκ ὤφειλεν αὐτοὺς ὑποδέξασθαι. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Τί
σοι οὖν ἐφάνη; - καλῶς πεποιηκέναι ἢ κακῶς; {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Εἶπον ὅτι κακῶς. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Καὶ <ἡ> εὐποιΐα κρίνεταί ποτε; {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.}
Καὶ πάνυ γε, ὅταν ᾖ ἐπὶ κακῶν καὶ μὴ ὀφειλόντων εὖ παθεῖν γινομένη. 101 {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Τίνες τοίνυν ἦσαν οἱ πεντακισχίλιοι, οὓς
ἔθρεψεν ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐκ πέντε ἄρτων κριθίνων, καλοὶ ἢ κακοί; {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} ∆ηλονότι καλοί, ὡς παρὰ τοῦ Σωτῆρος τραφέντες. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.}
∆ιὰ τί οὖν κριθίνοις ἐτράφησαν, καλοὶ ὄντες; {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} ∆ιὰ σπάνην ἴσως πυρίνων καὶ λιμόν. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Πῶς οὖν ὀνειδίζονται
ἐπὶ ἀπιστίᾳ, ὡς καλοὶ ἢ ὡς κακοί; {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Εἰ ὀνειδίζονται, ὡς κακοὶ δηλονότι. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Καὶ δύνανται οἱ αὐτοὶ καλοὶ εἶναι
καὶ κακοί; {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Καὶ πάνυ γε. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Πῶς; {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Ὡς μὲν πρὸς χείρονας καλοί, ὡς δὲ πρὸς κρείτ τονας κακοί. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.}
Θαυμασίως εἴρηκας. τούτῳ τοίνυν τῷ τρόπῳ καὶ οἱ μονάζοντες καὶ καλοὶ ἦσαν καὶ κακοί. καὶ ἡ μὲν πιστο τάτη ὡς καλοὺς αὐτοὺς
ἐξένισεν· ὁ δὲ θαυμάσιος ὡς κακοὺς ἔῤῥιψεν, ὅπερ οὐκ ἔδει. {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Ἀλλ' ἐρεῖ σοι, ὅτι "Ἐπὶ λύπῃ ἐμῇ ἐδέξω τοὺς ἐχθρούς μου."
{Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Ὅλως μὲν οὖν ἥττημα αὐτῷ ἐστιν, ὅτι καὶ ἐχθροὺς ὀνομάζει, ὁ χρεώστης τῶν ὕβρεων ὡς Χριστοῦ μι μητής. {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.}
Ποῦ δαὶ ὀνειδίζονται οἱ πεντακισχίλιοι ὑπὸ τοῦ Σωτῆρος, ὡς εἴρηκας; οὐ γὰρ ἀναφέρονται. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Ἡνίκα συναθροισθέντες ἐκ
δευτέρου προσῆλθον τῷ Ἰησοῦ, ἀκούσαντες· "Ζητεῖτέ με, οὐχ ὅτι εἴδετε σημεῖα καὶ τέρατα, ἀλλ' ὅτι ἐφάγετε ἐκ τῶν ἄρτων καὶ
ἐχορτάσθητε." Ὁ Θεόδωρος εἶπεν· {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Σαφέστατα ἔχει. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Ὁ δὲ ψεκτός, κατὰ τοῦτο καὶ κακός. {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Μενοῦνγε.
{Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Κακοὺς οὖν ἔθρεψεν, ἢ καλοὺς ὁ Σωτήρ; {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Ὡμολόγηται ὅτι κακούς· "οὐ" γὰρ "χρείαν ἔχου σιν οἱ ὑγιαίνοντες
ἰατροῦ, ἀλλ' οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες." {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Τί οὖν; κακὸν πεποίηκεν Ὀλυμπιάς, τὸν ἑαυτῆς 102 Κύριον μιμησαμένη, "τὸν βρέχοντα
καὶ ἀνατέλλοντα τὸν ἑαυτοῦ ἥλιον ἐπὶ δικαίους καὶ ἀδίκους"; κἂν οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ὀνειδίζωσι τοὺς μαθητάς, λέγοντες· "Ὁ διδάσκαλος
ὑμῶν μετὰ τελωνῶν καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν ἐσθίει καὶ πίνει." {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Ὡς ἔοικε, παρὰ τὴν σύνεσιν τῶν πολλῶν κακολο γεῖται μὲν τὰ σεμνά,
φιλεῖται δὲ τὰ αἰσχρά. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Πρὸς τί σοι οὗτος ὁ λόγος, φιλαληθέστατε Θεόδωρε; {Ο ∆ΙΑΚ.} Ὅτι εἰ μὴ σὺ ἐγύμνωσάς μοι τὸν
λόγον, συλλο γιστικῶς σαφηνίσας, <εἰς> τὴν ἀναίσθητον συναπηγόμην δόξαν, οὐ τῷ σκοπῷ τῆς ἐλευθερίας προσέχων, ἀλλὰ τοῖς Θεοφίλου
θρύλοις. {Ο ΕΠΙΣΚ.} Οὐκοῦν τὸ ἐναντίον, ἐὰν ἀποδειχθῶσιν οἱ ἅγιοι ἐκεῖνοι ἄνδρες οὐ μόνον οὐ κακοί, ἀλλὰ καὶ πολλοὺς ἀπὸ
