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Greg. Nyss. The consequence of being reviled and insulted is stopped from its forward momentum through long-suffering; for if someone were to ward off insult with insult and reviling with reviling, he will surely increase it, feeding the absurdity through like things.

(15Ε_326> 924 The faithful and undoubted nature of the hoped-for grace becomes a source of enjoyment for those who wait for it through patience.

Democrit. If it were possible to learn what one must suffer, and not to suffer, learning would be a good thing; but if one must suffer, what need is there to learn? For one must suffer.

Solon. Solon, when someone spat at him, endured it; and when another blamed him for this, he said, "Then do fishermen endure being sprinkled by the sea, so that they may catch a gudgeon; and shall I not endure to suffer the same thing, so that I may fish for a man?"

Of Metrodorus. Do not seek for things to happen as you wish, but wish for things to happen as they do happen.

DISCOURSE 43. Concerning Praise. (15Ε_328> Luke 6. Woe to you, when all people speak well of you;

for so their fathers did to the false prophets. James 3. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. It ought not,

my brothers, be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water?

The test of silver and gold is the fire; but a man is tested by the mouth of those who praise him.

Sirach 27. Do not praise a man before he speaks; for this is the test of men.

Basil. Let us not be puffed up by praises that are beyond the truth. Theol. The excesses of honors prepare some even of what is fitting

to despise; for of whom I know the praises, of them I also clearly know the progress. Let not everything that is another's be praised, which is not just; nor let be dishonored that

which is one's own, if it is honorable; so that foreignness may not be a gain to one, and familiarity result in a loss to another. For in both ways the principle of justice would be harmed, both by those being praised, and these being passed over in silence.

Chrysost. For he who praises wickedness has deprived it of the healing that comes from repentance.

Not only those who do evil things, but also those who (15Ε_330> praise them, will share in the same, or even a more grievous punishment than they.

Of Saint Ignatius. Even if I am strong in God, I must fear more and pay attention to those who idly puff me up. For in praising me, they scourge me.

925 Of Clement. Hunters hunt hares with dogs; but the many hunt the foolish with praises.

Frankincense should be offered to the gods; but praise to good men. Isocrat. Consider faithful, not those who praise everything you do and say,

but those who rebuke what is done amiss. Moschion. If you wish to be well spoken of, learn to speak well. Try well

to act, and thus you will reap being well spoken of. Of Polyaenus. Neither blame nor praise one who is present; for the one brings enmity; and the other

flattery. Of Cypselus. While one is living, praise; but when one is dead, call blessed.

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Γρηγ. Νύσσ. Ἡ τοῦ λοιδορεῖσθαι καί ὑβρίζειν ἀκολουθία, διά μακροθυμίας ἵσταται τῆς ἐπί τά πρόσω φορᾶς· ὡς εἴ γέ τις ὕβρει τήν ὕβριν καί λοιδορίᾳ τήν λοιδορίαν ἀμύνοιτο, πλεονάσει πάντως, τρέφων διά τῶν ὁμοίων τό ἄτοπον.

(15Ε_326> 924 Τό πιστόν καί ἀναμφίβολον τῆς ἐλπιζομένης χάριτος, ἀπόλαυσις τοῖς δι᾿ ὑπομονῆς ἀπεκδεχομένοις γίνεται.

∆ημοκρίτ. Εἰ μέν ἦν μαθεῖν ἅ δεῖ παθεῖν, καί μή παθεῖν, καλόν τό μαθεῖν· εἰ δέ παθεῖν, τί δεῖ μαθεῖν; παθεῖν γάρ χρή.

Σόλων. Σόλων, προσπτύσαντος αὐτῷ τινος, ἠνέσχετο· μεμψαμένου δέ αὐτῷ ἑτέρου ἐπί τούτῳ, Εἶτα οἱ μέν ἁλιεῖς, εἶπεν, ὑπομένουσι ῥαίνεσθαι τῇ θαλάσσῃ, ἵνα κωβίον θηράσωσιν· ἐγώ δέ μή ἀνάσχωμαι τό αὐτό παθεῖν ἵνα ἄνθρωπον ἁλιεύσω;

Μητροδώρου. Μή ζήτει γίνεσθαι τά γινόμενα ὡς θέλεις, ἀλλά θέλε ὡς ἄν τά γινόμενα γίνηται.

ΛΟΓΟΣ ΜΓ´. Περί ἐπαίνου. (15Ε_328> Λουκ. στ´. Οὐαί ὑμῖν, ὅταν καλῶς ὑμᾶς εἴπωσιν οἱ ἄνθρωποι·

κατά ταῦτα γάρ ἐποίουν τούς ψευδοπροφήτας οἱ πατέρες αὐτῶν. Ἰακ. γ´. Ἐκ τοῦ αὐτοῦ στόματος ἐξέρχεται εὐλογία καί κατάρα. Οὐ χρή,

ἀδελφοί μου, ταῦτα οὕτω γίνεσθαι. Μή τι ἡ πηγή ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς ὀπῆς βρύει τό γλυκύ καί τό πικρόν;

∆οκίμιον ἀργυρίου καί χρυσίου, πύρωσις· ἀνήρ δέ δοκιμάζεται διά στόματος ἐγκωμιαζόντων αὐτόν.

Σιράχ κζ΄ . Πρό λογισμοῦ μή ἐπαινέσῃς ἄνδρα· οὗτος γάρ πειρασμός ἀνθρώπων.

Βασιλ. Μή πρός ἐπαίνους χαυνωθῶμεν τούς ὑπέρ τήν ἀλήθειαν. Θεολ. Αἱ τῶν τιμῶν ὑπερβολαί, παρασκευάζουσί τινας καί τοῦ δέοντος

καταφρονῆσαι· ὧν γάρ τούς ἐπαίνους οἶδα, τούτων σαφῶς καί τάς ἐπιδόσεις. Μήτε τό ἀλλότριον ἐπαινείσθω πᾶν, ὅ μή δίκαιον· μήτε ἀτιμαζέσθω τό

οἰκεῖον εἰ τίμιον· ἵνα μή τῷ μέν κέρδος ἡ ἀλλοτριότης ᾖ· τῷ δ᾿ εἰς ζημίαν περιστῇ τό τῆς οἰκειότητος. Ἀμφοτέρως γάρ ἄν ὁ τοῦ δικαίου βλάπτοιτο λόγος, κἀκείνων ἐπαινουμένων, καί τούτων σιωπωμένων.

Χρυσοστ. Ὁ γάρ ἐπαινῶν πονηρίαν, τῆς ἐκ τοῦ μετανοῆσαι θεραπείας αὐτήν ἀπεστέρησε.

Οὐχ οἱ τά φαῦλα πράττοντες μόνον, ἀλλά καί οἱ τούτους (15Ε_330> ἐγκωμιάζοντες, τῆς αὐτῆς, ἤ καί χαλεπωτέρας ἐκείνοις κοινωνήσουσι κολάσεως.

Τοῦ ἁγίου Ἰγνατίου. Κἄν ἐῤῥωμένος ὦ κατά Θεόν, πλέον με δεῖ φοβεῖσθαι καί προσέχειν τοῖς εἰκῆ φυσιοῦσί με. Ἐπαινοῦντες γάρ με μαστιγοῦσιν.

925 Κλήμεντος. Θηρεύουσι τοῖς μέν κυσί, τούς λαγωούς, οἱ κυνηγοί· τοῖς δέ ἐπαίνοις τούς ἀνοήτους οἱ πολλοί.

Τό μέν λαβανωτόν, τοῖς θεοῖς· τόν δέ ἔπαινον τοῖς ἀγαθοῖς ἀπονέμειν χρή. Ἰσοκράτ. Πιστούς ἡγοῦ, μή τούς πᾶν ὅ τι ἄν ποιῇς καί λέγῃς ἐπαινοῦντας,

ἀλλά τοῖς ἁμαρτανομένοις ἐπιτιμῶντας. Μοσχίων. Εἰ θέλεις καλῶς ἀκούειν, μάνθανε καλῶς λέγειν. Πειρῶ καλῶς

πράττειν, καί οὕτω καρπώσῃ τό καλῶς ἀκούειν. Πολυαίνου. Παρόντα μήτε ψέγε, μήτ᾿ ἐπαίνει· τό μέν γάρ ἔχθραν φέρει· τό δέ

κολακείαν. Κυψέλλου. Ζῶν μέν, ἐπαινοῦ· ἀποθανών δέ, μακαρίζου.