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Of the Theologian. Truth is one, but falsehood is manifold. Chrysostom. The strength of truth needs no assistance; but even if it has ten thousand
who would extinguish it, not only is it not obscured, but also 900 through those very ones who attempt to insult it, it would be brighter and more exalted, mocking those who vainly strike themselves.
Of Evagrius. To be silent about the truth is to bury gold. Of Isidore of Pelusium. The falsehood spoken first has more credibility than
the truth shown in a second account. (15Ε_286> Of Severian. When a lie wishes to be believed, if it does not establish
a foundation of apparent truth, it is not believed. Thales. Thales the Milesian, having been asked by someone, "How far is falsehood from
truth?" "As far," he said, "as the eyes are from the ears." Of Plutarch. The equal is judged by a scale; but the true, by the reason that comes from philosophy
From the way and the truth it is difficult to stray. Charicles. For a lie is sometimes also a good thing, when it benefits those who tell it, and in no way
harms those who hear it. Of Gerinus. Just as it is not possible to behold the light of the sun with a weak and powerless
sight, so, and even more, it is not possible to see the truth with a weak and powerless mind.
From the works of Epictetus and Isocrates. Let nothing be more honored than the truth; nor a choice of friendship disposed apart from passions, by which what is just is confounded and darkened.
Aesop. Aesop, having been asked, "What profit do liars get from lying," he said, "Not to be believed even when they tell the truth."
Plato. Plato used to say that the truth is the most pleasant of things to hear; but Polemon, that it is much more pleasant to speak the truth than to hear it.
Of Menander. It is better to choose a lie, than a harmful truth. Discourse 36. On Death. (15Ε_288> John 11. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live; and whoever
lives and believes in me shall never die. 1 Thessalonians 4. I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you
sorrow as others who have no hope. Solomon 4. Having been perfected in a short time, he fulfilled (901) long years; for his soul
was pleasing to the Lord, therefore He hastened him from the midst of wickedness. Sirach 30. Death is better than a bitter life, or a constant sickness. Sirach 38. My child, let your tears fall for the dead, and make mourning according to his
due for a day or two, for the sake of slander, and be comforted for your sorrow's sake. For know that there is no returning, and you will not benefit him, and you will harm yourself. For from sorrow comes death.
Of Basil. For just as those sleeping in ships are carried automatically by the wind, even if they themselves do not perceive it; but the course urges them toward the end; so also we, as the time of our life flows by, as if by a certain continuous and unceasing motion, each toward his own end are hastened by the unperceived course of our life.
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Τοῦ Θεολόγου. Τό μέν ἀληθές ἕν, τό δέ ψεῦδος, πολυσχιδές. Χρυσόστ. Οὐδεμιᾶς δεῖται βοηθείας ἡ τῆς ἀληθείας ἰσχύς· ἀλλά κἄν μυρίους
ἔχῃ τούς σβεννύντας αὐτήν, οὐ μόνον ἀφανίζεται, ἀλλά καί 900 δι᾿ αὐτῶν τῶν ἐπηρεάζειν ἐπιχειρούντων, φαιδροτέρα καί ὑψηλοτέρα ἄν εἴη, τῶν εἰκῆ κοπτόντων ἑαυτούς καγελῶσα.
Εὐαγρίου. Τό σιγᾷν τήν ἀλήθειαν, χρυσόν ἐστι θάπτειν. Ἰσιδώρου Πηλουσ. Τό ψευδές ἐν πρώτοις λεχθέν πλείονα πίστιν ἔχει παρά
τήν ἐν δευτέρῳ λόγῳ δεικνυμένην ἀλήθειαν. (15Ε_286> Σευηριανοῦ. Τό ψεῦδος ὅταν θέλῃ πιστευθῆναι, ἐάν μή πήξῃ
θεμέλιον δοκούσης ἀληθείας, οὐ πιστεύεται. Θαλῆς. Θάλης ὁ Μελήσιος ἐρωτηθείς ὑπό τινος, Πόσον ἀπέχει τό ψεῦδος τοῦ
ἀληθοῦς, Ὅσον, ἔφη, ὀφθαλμοί τῶν ὤτων. Πλουτάρχου. Τό μέν ἴσον ζυγῷ· τό δέ ἀληθές, τῷ ἐκ φιλοσοφίας λόγῳ
κρίνεται. Ὁδοῦ καί ἀληθείας χαλεπόν ἀποπλανηθῆναι. Χαρικλ. Καλόν γάρ ποτε καί τό ψεῦδος, ὅταν ὠφελοῦν τούς λέγοντας, μηδέν
καταβλάπτει τούς ἀκούοντας. Γηρίνου. Καθάπερ τό τοῦ ἡλίου φῶς οὐκ ἔστι θεάσασθαι ἀσθενεῖ καί ἀδυνάτῳ
τῇ ὄψει, οὕτω, καί ἔτι μᾶλλον τήν ἀλήθειαν οὐκ ἔστιν ἰδεῖν ἀσθενεῖ καί ἀδυνάτῳ τῇ διανοίᾳ.
Ἐκ τῶν Ἐπικτήτου καί Ἰσοκράτους. Μηδέν τῆς ἀληθείας τιμιώτερον ἔστω· μηδέ φιλίας ἐκλογή ἐκτός παθῶν διακειμένη, οἷς τό δίκαιον συγχέεται καί σκοτίζεται.
Αἰσώπ. Αἴσωπος ἐρωτηθείς, Τί ὄφελος τοῖς ψευδομένοις ἐκ τοῦ ψεύδους, ἔφη, Τό κἄν ἀληθῆ λέγουσι μή πιστεύεσθαι.
Πλάτων. Πλάτων μέν ἥδιστον εἶναι τῶν ἀκουσμάτων τήν ἀλήθειαν ἔλεγε· Πολέμων δέ πολύ ἤδιον τοῦ ἀκούειν τό λέγειν εἶναι τ᾿ ἀληθῆ.
Μενάνδρου. Κρεῖσσον ἑλέσθαι ψεῦδος, ἤ ἀληθές κακόν. ΛΟΓΟΣ Λστ´. Περί θανάτου. (15Ε_288> Ἰωαν. ια´. Ὁ πιστεύων εἰς ἐμέ, κἄν ἀποθάνῃ, ζήσεται· καί πᾶς ὁ
ζῶν καί πιστεύων εἰς ἐμέ, οὐκ ἀποθάνῃ εἰς τόν αἰῶνα. Α´. Θεσ. δ´. Οὐ θέλω ὑμᾶς ἀγνοεῖν, ἀδελφοί, περί τῶν κεκοιμημένων, ἵνα μή
λυπεῖσθε, καθώς καί οἱ λοιποί οἱ μή ἔχοντες ἐλπίδα. Σολομ. δ´. Τελειωθείς ἐν ὀλίγῳ, ἐπλήρωσε (901) χρόνους μακρούς· ἀρεστή
γάρ ἐν Κυρίῳ ἡ ψυχή αὐτοῦ, διά τοῦτο ἔσπευσεν ἐκ μέσου πονηρίας. Σιράαχ λ΄ . Κρείσσων θάνατος ὑπέρ ζωήν πικράν, ἤ ἀῤῥώστημα ἔμμονον. Σιράχ λη´. Τέκνον, ἐπί νεκρῷ κατάγαγε δάκρυα, καί ποίησον πένθος κατά τήν
τάξιν αὐτοῦ ἡμέραν μίαν καί δύο, χάριν διαβολῆς, καί παρακλήθητι λύπης ἕνεκα. Γνῶθι γάρ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν ἐπάνοδος, καί τοῦτον γάρ οὐκ ὠφελήσεις, καί σαυτόν κακώκεις. Ἀπό γάρ λύπης ἐκβαίνει θάνατος.
Βασιλείου. Ὥσπερ γάρ οἱ ἐν τοῖς πλοίοις καθεύδοντες, αὐτομάτως ὑπό τοῦ πνεύματος ἄγονται, κἄν αὐτοί μή αἰσθάνωνται· ἀλλ᾿ ὁ δρόμος αὐτούς πρός τό τέλος ἐπείγει· οὕτω καί ὑμεῖς τοῦ χρόνου τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν παραῤῥέοντος, οἱονεί τινι κινήσει συνεχεῖ, καί ἀπαύστῳ, πρός τό οἰκεῖον ἕκαστος πέρας τῷ λανθάνοντι δρόμῳ τῆς ζωῆς ἡμῶν κατεπειγόμεθα.