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let us reckon how much of virtue we have accomplished, but also how much we lack. For what does that which has been accomplished profit us, when that which is lacking is not added? And he did not say, that I do not reckon, nor remember, but, "Forgetting," making us more attentive. For thus we become earnest, when we take up all eagerness for what is lacking, when we hand those things over to forgetfulness. "Stretching forward," he says, before we have arrived, we are eager to take hold. For this is the one who stretches forward, the one eager to outstrip his feet, though they are running, with the rest of his body, stretching himself toward what is in front, and stretching out his hands, that he might accomplish something more than the running. And this comes from great eagerness, from great heat. Thus must the runner run, with such haste, with such eagerness, not reclining. And as great as the distance is between one running thus and one lying on his back, so great is it between Paul and us. Daily he was dying, daily he was well-pleasing; there was no season, there was no time, in which his race did not increase for him; he did not wish to take, but to seize the prize; for thus it is to be taken. Above stands the one who gives the prize, above lies the prize. 2. See how great a distance this is to run through, see how great the height; there one must fly on the wings of the spirit; for otherwise it is not possible to traverse this height. With the body one must walk there; for it is possible. For "our citizenship," he says, "is in heaven"; there is the prize. Do you see the runners, how they live by rule? how they admit nothing of those things that weaken their strength? how they train each day in the wrestling school under a trainer and by rule? Imitate these men, you also, or rather, show even more eagerness; for the prize is not equal. many are those who hinder; live by rule; many are the things that weaken strength. make it nimble of foot; for it is possible; for it is not a matter of nature, but of choice. Let us make it light, 62.272 so that the remaining burden may not impede the speed of the feet; teach your feet to be sure; for the slips are many. and if you should fall, you have lost much. But even if you should fall, stand up again; it is possible even so to be victorious. Never attempt slippery things, and you will not fall. run on solid ground; head up, eye up. This also the trainers exhort to the runners; thus is strength sustained. But if you look down, you have fallen, you are undone. Look up, where the prize is. the very sight of the prize makes the purpose greater. the hope of the affliction does not permit one to feel the toils, it makes the length appear small. What is the prize? Not a palm branch, but what? The Kingdom of heaven, eternal rest, glory with Christ, inheritance, brotherhood, countless good things, which it is not possible to speak of. It is not possible to describe the beauty of that prize; only he who holds it knows, and he who is about to receive it. It is not of gold, it is not of precious stones; it is much more precious than these. Gold is mud compared to that prize; precious stones are a brick compared to the beauty of that prize. If you depart to heaven having that, you will be able to walk there with much honor, and angels will reverence you carrying this prize; you will approach all with much boldness. In Christ Jesus. See the grateful man. In Christ Jesus I do this, he says. For it is not possible without his impulse to traverse so great a distance; much help is needed, much alliance. Below, He willed you to contend, but above, He crowns you. not as here, where the contest is, there also is the crown, but in the splendid place is this crown. Do you not see even here, that those most honored both of the athletes and the charioteers, they do not crown them down in the stadium, but the emperor, having called them up, crowns them there? Thus also

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ὅσον ἠνύσαμεν τῆς ἀρετῆς ἀναλογιζώμεθα, ἀλλ' ὅσον ἡμῖν λείπει. Τί γὰρ ἡμᾶς ὠφελεῖ τὸ ἀνυσθὲν, ὅταν τὸ λειπόμενον μὴ προστεθῇ; Καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν, ὅτι Οὐκ ἀναλογίζομαι, οὐδὲ μέμνημαι, ἀλλ', Ἐκλανθανόμενος, ἡμᾶς προσεκτικωτέρους ποιῶν. Οὕτω γὰρ σφοδροὶ γινόμεθα, ὅταν πᾶσαν προθυμίαν εἰς τὸ λεῖπον ἀναλάβωμεν, ὅταν ἐκεῖνα λήθῃ παραδῶμεν. Ἐπεκτεινόμενοι, φησὶ, πρὶν ἢ παραγενέσθαι, λαβεῖν σπουδάζομεν. Ὁ γὰρ ἐπεκτεινόμενος οὗτός ἐστιν, ὁ τοὺς πόδας καίτοι τρέχοντας τῷ λοιπῷ σώματι προλαβεῖν σπουδάζων, ἐπεκτείνων ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὸ ἔμπροσθεν, καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ἐκτείνων, ἵνα καὶ τοῦ δρόμου πλέον τι ἐργάσηται. Τοῦτο δὲ ἀπὸ πολλῆς προθυμίας γίνεται, ἀπὸ πολλῆς θερμότητος. Οὕτω δεῖ τρέχειν τὸν τρέχοντα, μετὰ τοσαύτης σπουδῆς, μετὰ τοσαύτης προθυμίας, οὐκ ἀναπεπτωκότα. Ὅσον δὲ τοῦ οὕτω τρέχοντος καὶ τοῦ ὑπτίου κειμένου τὸ μέσον, τοσοῦτον τοῦ Παύλου καὶ ἡμῶν. Καθ' ἡμέραν ἀπέθνησκεν ἐκεῖνος, καθ' ἡμέραν εὐδοκίμει· οὐκ ἦν καιρὸς, οὐκ ἦν χρόνος, ἐν ᾧ οὐκ ηὔξετο αὐτῷ ὁ δρόμος· οὐ λαβεῖν ἠθέλησεν, ἀλλ' ἁρπάσαι τὸ βραβεῖον· οὕτω γὰρ ἔστι λαβεῖν. Ἄνω ὁ τὸ βραβεῖον διδοὺς ἕστηκεν, ἄνω κεῖται τὸ βραβεῖον. βʹ. Ὅρα πόσον τὸ διάστημα τοῦτο διαδραμεῖν, ὅρα πόσον τὸ ὕψος· ἐκεῖ δεῖ πετασθῆναι τοῖς τοῦ πνεύματος πτεροῖς· ἑτέρως γὰρ οὐκ ἔνι τὸ ὕψος τοῦτο τεμεῖν. Μετὰ τοῦ σώματος ἐκεῖ δεῖ βαδίσαι· ἔξεστι γάρ· Ἡμῶν γὰρ τὸ πολίτευμα, φησὶν, ἐν οὐρανῷ· ἐκεῖ τὸ βραβεῖόν ἐστιν. Ὁρᾷς τοὺς τρέχοντας πῶς νόμῳ ζῶσι; πῶς οὐδὲν τῶν ἐκλυόντων τὴν ἰσχὺν προσίενται; πῶς ἀγωνίζονται καθ' ἑκάστην ἡμέραν ἐν παλαίστρᾳ ὑπὸ παιδοτρίβῃ καὶ νόμῳ; Μίμησαι τούτους καὶ σὺ, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ πλείονα ἐπίδειξαι προθυμίαν· οὐ γὰρ ἴσον τὸ βραβεῖον· πολλοὶ οἱ κωλύοντες· νόμῳ ζῆθι· πολλά ἐστι τὰ ἐκλύοντα τὴν ἰσχύν· εὐσκελῆ ποίησον αὐτὴν τῷ ποδί· ἔνεστι γάρ· οὐ γὰρ φύσεώς ἐστιν, ἀλλὰ προαιρέσεως. Κούφην αὐτὴν ἐργασώ 62.272 μεθα, ἵνα μὴ τῇ ταχύτητι τῶν ποδῶν τὸ λοιπὸν ἄχθος ἐμποδίζῃ· δίδαξον εἶναι τοὺς πόδας ἀσφαλεῖς· πολλοὶ γὰρ οἱ ὄλισθοι· κἂν καταπέσῃς, πολλὰ ἀπώλεσας. Πλὴν κἂν καταπέσῃς, διανάστηθι· ἔνι καὶ οὕτω νικῆσαι. Μηδέποτε τοῖς ὀλισθηροῖς ἐπιχείρει πράγμασι, καὶ οὐ καταπεσῇ· ἐπὶ τὰ βεβηκότα τρέχε· ἄνω τὴν κεφαλὴν, ἄνω τὸ ὄμμα. Τοῦτο καὶ τοῖς τρέχουσιν οἱ παιδοτρίβαι παρακελεύονται· οὕτω διαβαστάζεται ἰσχύς. Ἂν δὲ κάτω νεύσῃς, κατέπεσες, ἐξελύθης. Ἄνω βλέπε, ὅπου τὸ βραβεῖόν ἐστιν· αὐτὴ τοῦ βραβείου ἡ ὄψις μείζονα ποιεῖ τὴν προαίρεσιν· οὐκ ἀφίησιν αἰσθέσθαι τῶν πόνων ἡ τῆς θλίψεως ἐλπὶς, τὸ μῆκος μικρὸν ποιεῖ φαίνεσθαι. Τί ἐστι τὸ βραβεῖον; Οὐ κλάδος φοίνικος, ἀλλὰ τί; Βασιλεία οὐρανῶν, ἀνάπαυσις αἰώνιος, δόξα μετὰ Χριστοῦ, κληρονομία, ἀδελφότης, μυρία ἀγαθὰ, ἃ οὐκ ἔνι εἰπεῖν. Οὐκ ἔνι ἐκείνου τοῦ βραβείου τὸ κάλλος διηγήσασθαι· ὁ κρατῶν αὐτὸ οἶδε μόνος, καὶ ὁ μέλλων αὐτὸ λαμβάνειν. Οὐκ ἔστι χρυσοῦν, οὐκ ἔστι διάλιθον· πολλῷ τούτων τιμιώτερον. Ὁ χρυσὸς βόρβορος πρὸς ἐκεῖνο τὸ βραβεῖόν ἐστι· λίθοι τίμιοι πλίνθος πρὸς τὸ κάλλος ἐκείνου τοῦ βραβείου. Ἂν ἐκεῖνο ἔχων ἀπέλθῃς εἰς τὸν οὐρανὸν, μετὰ πολλῆς τῆς τιμῆς ἐκεῖ βαδίζειν δυνήσῃ, καὶ ἄγγελοί σε αἰδεσθήσονται τοῦτο φέροντα τὸ βραβεῖον· πᾶσι μετὰ παῤῥησίας προσελεύσῃ πολλῆς. Ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ. Ὅρα τὸν εὐγνώμονα. Ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ τοῦτο ποιῶ, φησίν. Οὐ γὰρ ἔνι χωρὶς τῆς ἐκείνου ῥοπῆς τοσοῦτον διελθεῖν διάστημα· πολλῆς δεῖ τῆς βοηθείας, πολλῆς τῆς συμμαχίας. Κάτω μέν σε ἀγωνίζεσθαι ἐβουλήθη, ἄνω δὲ στεφανοῖ· οὐχ ὡς ἐνταῦθα, ἔνθα ὁ ἀγὼν, ἐκεῖ καὶ ὁ στέφανος, ἀλλ' ἐν τῷ λαμπρῷ χωρίῳ ὁ στέφανος οὗτος. Οὐχ ὁρᾶτε καὶ ἐνταῦθα, ὅτι τοὺς μάλιστα τιμωμένους καὶ τῶν ἀθλητῶν καὶ ἡνιόχων, οὐ στεφανοῦσιν ἐν τῷ σταδίῳ κάτω, ἀλλ' ἄνω καλέσας ὁ βασιλεὺς ἐκεῖ στεφανοῖ; Οὕτω καὶ