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prison; but since he became a slave of Christ, he is no longer honored for doing, but for suffering. And this is the wonder of the preaching, that it is so raised up and increased through those who suffer, and not through those who do evil. Where has anyone seen such contests? The one who suffers evil, conquers; and the one who does evil, is defeated. This one is more glorious than that one; through bonds the preaching entered. I am not ashamed, but am even proud, he says, in preaching the crucified one. For consider this for me: The whole world, leaving the unbound, went to the bound; turning away from the binders, it honors those who wear the chain; hating those who crucified, it worships the one crucified. 4. It is not only wonderful that the preachers were fishermen, that they were unlearned, but also that there were other hindrances, hindrances by nature, and the progress became greater. Not only did their lack of learning hinder nothing, but this very thing made the preaching manifest. For hear what Luke says: And when they perceived, he says, that they were unlettered and ignorant men, they marveled. Not only did the bond hinder nothing, but this very thing made them bolder. The disciples were not so bold when Paul was free, as when he was bound; For, he says, they were much more bold to speak the word of God without fear. Where are those who deny that the preaching is divine? Was their lack of learning not sufficient to cause them to be condemned? Therefore, ought this not also to have frightened them? For you know that the multitude is held by these two passions, vainglory and cowardice. Their lack of learning did not permit them to be ashamed; the dangers ought to have thrown them into cowardice. But, they say, they performed miracles. Believe then that they did perform miracles. But did they not perform them? This is a greater miracle than performing them, if they converted people without miracles. Socrates was also bound among the Greeks; what then? did not his disciples immediately flee to Megara? Indeed they did; for they did not accept his words about immortality. But see here: Paul was bound, and the disciples were more bold; reasonably so; for they saw that the preaching was not hindered. For are you able to bind a tongue? In this way 62.371 it runs all the more. For just as you have not hindered a runner's course if you do not bind his feet; so also you have not hindered the course of an evangelist if you do not bind his tongue. And just as that one, if you bind his loins, runs more and is supported, so also this one, being bound, preaches more, and with greater boldness. A prisoner is cowardly, when there is only a bond; but one who despises death, how could he be bound? They did the same thing as if they were binding Paul's shadow, and stopping up its mouth. For it was a shadow-fight; for he was more longed for by his own, and more revered by his enemies, since he bore the bond as a prize for his courage. A crown adorns a head, but does not shame it, but even makes it glorious. Unwillingly they crowned him with the chain. For tell me, was one who dared the adamantine gates of death going to fear iron? Let us come to a zeal, beloved, for these bonds. As many women as wear gold, desire the bonds of Paul. Your necklace does not shine so brightly around your neck, as the adornment of iron bonds shone around his soul. If anyone desires those, let him hate these. For what fellowship has indolence with courage? bodily adornment with philosophy? Those bonds angels revere, these they even mock; those bonds are accustomed to draw one up from earth to heaven, these bonds bring one down from heaven to earth. For these are truly bonds, not those; those are an adornment, these are bonds; these afflict the soul along with the body, those adorn the soul along with the body. Do you wish to learn that those are an adornment? Tell me, who more attracted those who were watching, you, or Paul? and why do I say, you? the queen herself

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δεσμωτήριον· ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ τοῦ Χριστοῦ γέγονε δοῦλος, οὐ τῷ ποιεῖν λοιπὸν, ἀλλὰ τῷ πάσχειν σεμνύνεται. Καὶ τοῦτο δὲ τοῦ κηρύγματος θαῦμα, ὅταν διὰ τῶν πασχόντων αὐτῶν, ἀλλ' οὐ τῶν ποιούντων κακῶς, οὕτως ἐγείρηται καὶ αὔξηται. Ποῦ τις εἶδεν ἀγῶνας τοιούτους; Ὁ πάσχων κακῶς, νικᾷ· καὶ ὁ ποιῶν κακῶς, ἡττᾶται. Οὗτος ἐκείνου λαμπρότερος· διὰ δεσμῶν τὸ κήρυγμα εἰσῆλθεν. Οὐκ αἰσχύνομαι, ἀλλὰ καὶ σεμνύνομαι, φησὶ, τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον κηρύττων. Ἐννόησον γάρ μοι· Ἡ οἰκουμένη πᾶσα τοὺς λελυμένους ἀφεῖσα, τοῖς δεδεμένοις προσῄει· τοὺς δεσμοῦντας ἀποστρεφομένη, τοὺς τὴν ἅλυσιν περικειμένους τιμᾷ· τοὺς σταυρώσαντας μισήσασα, τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον προσκυνεῖ. δʹ. Οὐκ ἔστι μόνον θαυμαστὸν, ὅτι ἁλιεῖς, ὅτι ἰδιῶται ἦσαν οἱ κήρυκες, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ ἕτερα κωλύματα, φύσει κωλύματα ἦσαν, καὶ πλείων γέγονεν ἡ ἐπίδοσις. Οὐ μόνον οὐδὲν ἐκώλυσεν ἡ ἰδιωτεία, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο φανερωθῆναι ἐποίησε τὸ κήρυγμα. Ἄκουε γὰρ τοῦ Λουκᾶ λέγοντος· Καὶ καταλαβόμενοι, φησὶν, ὅτι ἄνθρωποι ἀγράμματοί εἰσι καὶ ἰδιῶται, ἐθαύμαζον. Οὐ μόνον οὐδὲν ἐκώλυεν ὁ δεσμὸς, ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸ τοῦτο ἐποίησεν αὐτοὺς θαρσαλεωτέρους. Οὐχ οὕτως ἐθάῤῥουν οἱ μαθηταὶ, λελυμένου τοῦ Παύλου, ὡς δεδεμένου· Περισσοτέρως γὰρ, φησὶ, τολμᾷν ἀφόβως τὸν λόγον τοῦ Θεοῦ λαλεῖν. Ποῦ οἱ ἀντεροῦντες, ὅτι οὐ θεῖον τὸ κήρυγμα; ἡ ἰδιωτεία οὐκ ἦν ἱκανὴ ποιῆσαι καταγνωσθῆναι αὐτούς; οὐκοῦν ἔδει κἀνταῦθα φοβῆσαι αὐτούς; Ἴστε γὰρ ὅτι δύο πάθεσι τούτοις τὸ πλῆθος κατέχεται, κενοδοξίᾳ καὶ δειλίᾳ. Ἡ ἰδιωτεία οὐκ ἠφίει ἐπαισχύνεσθαι· οἱ κίνδυνοι εἰς δειλίαν ἐμβαλεῖν ὤφειλον. Ἀλλὰ θαύματα, φησὶν, ἐποίουν. Πιστεύετε οὖν ὅτι ἐποίουν θαύματα. Ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐποίουν; Τοῦτο μεῖζον θαῦμα τοῦ ποιεῖν, εἰ χωρὶς θαυμάτων προσήγοντο. Ἐδέθη καὶ Σωκράτης παρ' Ἕλλησι· τί οὖν; οὐκ εὐθέως ἔφυγον εἰς Μέγαρα οἱ μαθηταί; Πάνυ γε· οὐ γὰρ τοὺς περὶ ἀθανασίας ἐδέξαντο λόγους. Ἀλλ' ὅρα ἐνταῦθα· ἐδέθη Παῦλος, καὶ μᾶλλον ἐθάῤῥουν οἱ μαθηταί· εἰκότως· ἑώρων γὰρ οὐκ ἐμποδιζόμενον τὸ κήρυγμα. Μὴ γὰρ γλῶτταν δύνασαι δῆσαι; ταύτῃ 62.371 μάλιστα τρέχει. Ὥσπερ γὰρ, δρομέως ἂν μὴ δήσῃς τοὺς πόδας, οὐκ ἐκώλυσας τοῦ δρόμου· οὕτω καὶ εὐαγγελιστοῦ ἐὰν μὴ δήσῃς τὴν γλῶτταν, οὐκ ἐκώλυσας τοῦ δρόμου. Καὶ ὥσπερ ἐκεῖνος, ἐὰν δήσῃς τὴν ὀσφὺν, μᾶλλον τρέχει καὶ διαβαστάζεται, οὕτω καὶ οὗτος δεσμούμενος μᾶλλον κηρύττει, καὶ μετὰ πλείονος τῆς παῤῥησίας. ∆ειλιᾷ ὁ δέσμιος, ὅταν δεσμὸς ᾖ μόνον· ὁ δὲ τοῦ θανάτου καταφρονῶν, πῶς ἂν ἐδέθη; Ταυτὸν ἐποίουν, οἷον ἂν εἰ τὴν σκιὰν ἐδέσμουν Παύλου, καὶ τὸ στόμα αὐτῆς ἐνέφραττον. Σκιομαχία γὰρ ἦν· τοῖς τε γὰρ οἰκείοις ποθεινότερος μᾶλλον ἦν, τοῖς τε ἐχθροῖς αἰδεσιμώτερος, ἅτε ἀνδρείας φέρων ἔπαθλον τὸν δεσμόν. Στέφανος κοσμεῖ κεφαλὴν, ἀλλ' οὐκ αἰσχύνει, ἀλλὰ καὶ λαμπρὸν ποιεῖ. Ἄκοντες ἐστεφάνουν αὐτὸν τῇ ἁλύσει. Εἰπὲ γάρ μοι, σίδηρον εἶχε δεῖσαι ὁ τῶν ἀδαμαντίνων τοῦ θανάτου κατατολμῶν πυλῶν; Ἔλθωμεν εἰς ζῆλον, ἀγαπητοὶ, τῶν δεσμῶν τούτων. Ὅσαι γυναῖκες χρυσία περίκεισθε, τὰ Παύλου δεσμὰ ποθήσατε. Οὐχ οὕτως ὑμῖν περὶ τὸν τράχηλον τὸ περιδέῤῥαιον ἀπολάμπει, ὡς ἐκείνου περὶ τὴν ψυχὴν ὁ τῶν σιδηρῶν δεσμῶν ἔστιλβε κόσμος. Εἴ τις ἐκεῖνα ποθεῖ, ταῦτα μισείτω. Τίς γὰρ κοινωνία βλακείᾳ πρὸς ἀνδρείαν; καλλωπισμῷ σωματικῷ πρὸς φιλοσοφίαν; Ἐκεῖνα τὰ δεσμὰ ἄγγελοι αἰδοῦνται, τούτων καὶ καταπαίζουσιν· ἐκεῖνα τὰ δεσμὰ πρὸς τὸν οὐρανὸν ἀπὸ τῆς γῆς ἕλκειν εἴωθε, ταῦτα τὰ δεσμὰ πρὸς τὴν γῆν ἀπὸ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ κατάγει. Ὄντως γὰρ ταῦτα δεσμὰ, οὐκ ἐκεῖνα· ἐκεῖνα κόσμος, ταῦτα δεσμά· ταῦτα μετὰ τοῦ σώματος καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν θλίβει, ἐκεῖνα μετὰ τοῦ σώματος καὶ τὴν ψυχὴν κοσμεῖ. Βούλει μαθεῖν ὅτι ἐκεῖνα κόσμος ἐστίν; Εἰπέ μοι, τίς μᾶλλον ἐπεσπάσατο τοὺς ὁρῶντας, σὺ, ἢ Παῦλος; καὶ τί λέγω, σύ; αὐτὴ ἡ βασιλὶς