72.  When will this be, say they who are swift but not sure in every thing, readily building up, readily throwing down.  When will the lamp be upon its stand,218    Ib. v. 15. and where is the talent?219    Ib. xxv. 15.  For so they call the grace.220    “The grace” i.e. the grace of the priesthood.  Those who speak thus are more fervent in friendship than in reverence.  You ask me, you men of exceeding courage, when these things shall be, and what account I give of them?  Not even extreme old age would be too long a limit to assign.  For hoary hairs combined with prudence are better than inexperienced youth, well-reasoned hesitation than inconsiderate haste, and a brief reign than a long tyranny:  just as a small portion honourably won is better than considerable possessions which are dishonourable and uncertain, a little gold than a great weight of lead, a little light than much darkness.

ΟΒʹ. Πότε οὖν ἔσται ταῦτα, φασὶν οἱ ταχεῖς τὰ πάντα, καὶ οὐκ ἀσφαλεῖς, οἱ ῥᾳδίως οἰκοδομοῦντες, καὶ καταλύοντες; Καὶ πηνίκα ὁ λύχνος ἐπὶ τὴν λυχνίαν; Καὶ ποῦ τὸ τάλαντον; οὕτω τὸ χάρισμα λέγοντες. Ταῦτα οἱ θερμότεροι τὴν φιλίαν ἢ τὴν εὐλάβειαν. Πότε ταῦτα, καὶ τίς ὁ ἐμὸς λόγος, ὦ γενναιότατοι; Οὐ μακρὰ προθεσμία, οὐδὲ γῆρας τὸ ἔσχατον. Κρείσσων γὰρ πολιὰ μετὰ φρονήσεως ἀπαιδεύτου νεότητος, καὶ λελογισμένη βραδύτης τάχους ἀπερισκέπτου: καὶ ὀλιγοχρόνιος βασιλεία μακρᾶς τυραννίδος: ὡς καὶ ὀλίγη μερὶς τιμία πολλῆς κτήσεως ἀτίμου καὶ σφαλερᾶς, καὶ χρυσὸς ὀλίγος μολύβδου πολυταλάντου, καὶ πολλοῦ σκότους. ὀλίγον φῶς.