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(15Ε_364> Luke 14. Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. Romans 12. Do not set your minds on high things, but associate with the humble. Proverbs 29. The Lord will raise up the humble-minded with glory. Sirach 3. The greater you are, the more you should humble yourself, and before the Lord

you will find favor; for great is the power of the Lord, and by the humble he will be glorified. Basil. It is impossible for one who has not accepted (945) being subordinate to all

and last, ever to be able, either when reviled, to control his anger; or when afflicted, through long-suffering to overcome temptations.

The exercise of humility is occupation with the most menial matters, healing the passion of vainglory.

The Theologian. It is better for one who is wise to yield through gentleness, than for one who is ignorant to overextend himself through audacity.

Let us not have humility in clothing only, but in the disposition of the soul; nor let a bending of the neck, or a lowering of the voice, or a nodding of the face, or a long beard, or a manner of walking feign humility, things that are fashioned for a little while and very quickly exposed. For whatever is feigned is not lasting; but let us be lofty in our life, but humble in our mindset; and in virtue unapproachable, (15Ε_366> but in company exceedingly approachable. For it is the work of a public man to do and say all things from which he will gain good repute from those outside; but of the spiritual man, according to us, to look to one thing only, salvation; and simplicity and the guileless and unresentful quality of one's character.

Chrysostom. Nothing is so dear to God as to count oneself among the least.

Let no one think that the achievement of humility is acquired without labor and with ease. For the passion of pride is innate in almost everyone who partakes of human nature; therefore, of all virtuous practices, this is the most laborious.

Clement. One ought to be humble-minded in proportion to how much greater one seems to be; for it is always good for the lesser to follow the greater for the hope of improvement.

Nilus. Blessed is he who has a lofty life, but a humble mindset. From the Fathers. Associate with those who have humility, and you will learn their

ways. For if the contemplation of the things that have been said is beneficial, how much more the teaching of their mouth?

Isocrates. It is proper to yield to the law and the ruler and the wiser. 948 Socrates. In sailing, one must obey the pilot; but in

living, the one who is able to reason better. DISCOURSE 50. Concerning physicians. (15Ε_368> Matthew 9. Those who are healthy have no need of a physician, but those who are sick

having it. Hebrews 12. Make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame

may not be dislocated, but rather be healed. Sirach 38. The skill of a physician will lift up his head; and in the sight of

great men he will be admired. Proverbs 14. A gentle-minded man is a physician of the heart.

84

(15Ε_364> Λουκ. ιδ´. Πᾶς ὁ ὑψῶν ἑαυτόν, ταπεινωθήσεται· καί ὁ ταπεινῶν

ἑαυτόν, ὑψωθήσεται. Ῥωμ. ιβ΄ . Μή τά ὑψηλά φρονοῦντες, ἀλλά τοῖς ταπεινοῖς συναπαγόμενοι. Παροιμ. κθ´. Τούς ταπεινοφονοῦντας ἐγερεῖ δόξῃ Κύριος. Σιράχ γ´. Ὅσον μέγας εἶ, τοσοῦτον ταπείνωσον σαυτόν, καί ἔναντι Κυρίου

εὑρήσεις χάριν· ὅτι μεγάλη ἡ δύναμις Κυρίου, καί ὑπό τῶν ταπεινῶν δοξασθήσεται. Βασιλείου. Ἀμήχανον τόν μή καταδεξάμενον (945) τό πρός πάντας ὑποδείς

καί ἔσχατον, δυνηθῆναί ποτε, ἤ λοιδορούμενον, θυμοῦ κρατῆσαι· ἤ θλιβόμενον, διά μακροθυμίας περιγένεσθαι τῶν πειρασμῶν.

Γυμνάσιον ταπεινοφροσύνης ἐστίν ἡ ἐν τοῖς εὐτελελεστέροις πράγμασι διατριβή, τό πάθος τῆς φιλοδοξίας θεραπεύουσα.

Θεολόγου. Κρεῖσσον ὄντα σοφόν ὑφίεσθαι δι᾿ ἐπιείκειαν, ἤ ἀμαθῶς ἔχοντα διά θράσος ὑπερεκτείνεσθαι.

Μή ἐν ἐσθῆτι τό ταπεινόν ἔχωμεν μόνον, ἀλλά ἐν ψυχῆς καταστήματι· μηδέ θρύψις αὐχένος, ἤ φωνῆς ὕφεσις, ἤ προσώπου νεῦσις, ἤ βάθος ὑπήνης, ἤ βαδίσματος ἦθος τό ταπεινόν ὑποκρίνοιτο, τά πρός ὀλίγον τυπούμενα καί τάχιστα ἐλεγχόμενα. Πᾶν γάρ ὅ προσποιητόν, οὐδέ μόνιμον· ἀλλ᾿ ὧμεν ὑψηλοί μέν τῷ βίῳ, ταπεινοί δέ τῷ φρονήματι· καί τήν μέν ἀρετήν ἀπρόσιτοι, (15Ε_366> τήν συνουσίαν δέ καί λίαν εὐπρόσοδοι. Πολιτικοῦ μέν γάρ ἔργον εἶναι πάντα ποιεῖν καί λέγειν, ἐξ ὧν εὐδοκιμήσει παρά τῶν ἔξωθεν· τοῦ πνευματικοῦ δέ καί καθ᾿ ἡμᾶς, πρός ἕν μόνον βλέπειν, τήν σωτηρίαν· ἥ τε ἁπλότης καί τό τοῦ ἤθους ἄδολόν τε καί ἀμνησίκακον.

Χρυσοστ. Οὐδέν οὕτω τῷ Θεῷ φίλον, ὡς μετά τῶν ἐσχάτων ἑαυτόν ἀριθμῆσαι.

Μηδείς ἄπονον οἰέσθω καί μετά ῥᾳστώνης ἐκποριζόμενον τό τῆς ταπεινοφοσύνης κατόρθωμα. Ἐμπέφυκε γάρ τό κατά τήν ἔπαρσιν πάθος παντί σχεδόν τῷ κοινωνοῦντι τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης φύσεως· διό πάντων τῶν κατ' ἀρετήν ἐπιτηδευμένων τοῦτό ἐστιν ἐπιπονώτερον.

Κλήμεντ. Τοσοῦτόν τις μᾶλλον ὀφείλει ταπεινοφρονεῖν, ὅσον δοκεῖ μᾶλλον εἶναι· καλόν γάρ ἀεί τῷ κρείττονι τό χεῖρον ἀκολουθεῖν διά βελτιώσεως ἐλπίδα.

Νείλου. Μακάριος ὁ τόν βίον ὑψηλόν ἔχων, ταπεινόν δέ τό φρόνημα. Ἐκ τῶν Πατέρων. Συναναστρέφου τοῖς ἔχουσι ταπείνωσιν, καί μαθήσει τούς

τρόπους αὐτῶν. Εἰ γάρ ἡ θεωρία τῶν εἰρημένων ὠφέλιμος, πόσῳ μᾶλλον ἡ διδασκαλία τοῦ στόματος αὐτῶν;

Ἰσοκράτ. Νόμῳ καί ἄρχοντι, καί τῷ σοφοτέρῳ εἴκειν κόσμιον. 948 Σωκράτης. Ἐν μέν τῷ πλεῖν, πείθεσθαι δεῖ τῷ κυβερνήτῃ· ἐν δέ τῷ

ζῇν, τῷ λογίζεσθαι δυναμένῳ βέλτιον. ΛΟΓΟΣ Ν´. Περί ἰατρῶν. (15Ε_368> Ματθ. θ´. Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ὑγιαίνοντες ἰατροῦ, ἀλλ᾿ οἱ κακῶς

ἔχοντες. Ἐβραί. ιβ´. Τροχίας ὀρθάς ποιήσατε τοῖς ποσίν ὑμῶν, ἵνα μή τό χωλόν

ἐκτραπῇ, ἰαθῇ δέ μᾶλλον. Σιράχ λη´. Ἐπιστήμη ἰατροῦ ἀνυψώσει καφαλήν αὐτοῦ· καί ἔναντι

μεγιστάνων θαυμαστωθήσεται. Παροιμ. ιδ΄ . Πραΰθυμος ἀνήρ, καρδίας ἰατρός.