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we do, giving thanks to him and to all at the same time. But in saying these things you do not know the plot against you. For just as, whenever many physicians who can do nothing promise to heal one sick person, but one who is truly able to heal does not offer his antidote, reasoning that if he himself should heal, others will take the credit, so also God, when honored with many who can do nothing, does not bestow benefits. What then? (he says) Is God indignant at this, if when he heals, another takes the credit? I say, even if he is not indignant, yet he does not wish to become a collaborator in the deceit. For when he has bestowed a benefit, even the idol which did nothing is believed in as having had the power. But I also say that, if the one who is terrified of senseless things were not naturally harmed, perhaps he would have endured even this; therefore be sober and think reasonable things for the sake of your salvation. For God, being without need, himself needs nothing, nor is he harmed. For it is our part to be benefited or harmed. For in the same way that Caesar is neither harmed when blasphemed nor benefited when thanked, but for the one who gives thanks there is safety, while for the blasphemer there is destruction, so also those who speak well of God do not benefit him at all, but save themselves, and likewise those who blaspheme him do not wrong him, but are themselves destroyed. But (he says) it is not the same in the case of man and of God. I too agree that it is not the same. For the punishment is greater for the one who has sinned against a greater one, but less for the one who has sinned against a lesser one. As God, then, is greater than all, so the one who has sinned against him will suffer a greater punishment, as having sinned against a greater one, not with him defending himself with his own hand, but with all of creation becoming indignant at this and naturally taking vengeance. For the sun will not give its light to the blasphemer, nor the earth its fruits, nor a spring its water, nor in Hades will the ruler appointed there give rest to his soul, since even now, while the appointed time of the world subsists, all of creation is very indignant. Therefore heaven does not provide rains perfectly, nor the earth its fruits, which is why the majority are ruined. But also the air itself, kindled with anger, changes to a pestilential mixture. But for whatever good things we enjoy, by his own mercy he compels creation out of kindness toward us. Thus all of creation is angry with you who dishonor the creator of all. For even if you escape the punishment at the dissolution of the body, how will your soul, being incorruptible, be able to escape by means of decay? For the soul even of the wicked is immortal, for whom it would have been better not to have it incorruptible. For being punished by the unquenchable fire with endless penalty and not dying, it cannot find an end, to its own harm. But perhaps one of you will say: You are frightening us, Peter. Teach us then how, while remaining silent, we shall say the things that are as they are; for otherwise we cannot signify them to you. If we are silent, you are ambushed by evils through ignorance; if we speak, we are suspected of frightening you on a false pretext. How then shall we charm the evil <serpent> lurking in your <heart> and cunningly sowing in you suspicions that are hostile to God? On the pretext of friendship toward God, be reconciled to yourselves; for on behalf of your

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ποιοῦμεν ἅμα αὐτῷ καὶ πᾶσιν εὐχαριστοῦντες. ἀλλὰ ταῦτα λέγοντες οὐκ ἴστε τὴν καθ' ὑμῶν ἐπιβουλήν. ὡς γάρ, ὁπόταν ἕνα κάμνοντα πολλοὶ ἰατροὶ θεραπεύειν ἐπαγγέλλωνται μηδὲν δυνάμενοι, εἷς δέ τις ὄντως ἰᾶσθαι δυνάμενος τὴν αὐτοῦ ἀντίδοτον μὴ προσφέρῃ λογισάμενος ὅτι, ἂν αὐτὸς θεραπεύσῃ, ἄλλοι ἐπιγράφονται, οὕτω καὶ ὁ θεὸς μετὰ πολλῶν ἀξιούμενος τῶν μηδὲν δυναμένων οὐκ εὐεργετεῖ. τί οὖν; (φησίν) ὁ θεὸς ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἀγανακτεῖ, ἐάν γε αὐτοῦ θεραπεύοντος ἄλλος ἐπιγραφῇ; φημί, εἰ καὶ μὴ ἀγανακτεῖ, ἀλλ' οὖν γε οὐ θέλει τῆς ἀπάτης συνεργὸς γενέσθαι. αὐτοῦ γὰρ εὐεργετήσαντος καὶ τὸ μηδὲν ποιῆσαν εἴδωλον ὡς δυνηθὲν πιστοῦται. ἀλλὰ κἀγώ φημι ὅτι, εἰ μὴ φυσικῶς ἠδίκητο <ὁ> πρὸς ἀναίσθητα ἐπτοημένος, ἴσως ἂν καὶ τοῦτο ὑπομεμενήκει· διὸ νήψατε ὑπὲρ τῆς σωτηρίας τὰ εὔλογα νοεῖν. ὁ θεὸς γὰρ ἀνενδεὴς ὢν αὐτὸς οὐδενὸς δεῖται οὔτε βλάπτεται. ἡμῶν γάρ ἐστιν τὸ ὠφελεῖσθαι ἢ βλά- πτεσθαι. ὅνπερ γὰρ τρόπον Καῖσαρ οὔτε βλασφημούμενος βλάπτεται οὔτε εὐχαριστούμενος ὠφελεῖται, ἀλλὰ τοῦ εὐχαριστοῦντος μὲν γίνεται τὸ ἀκίνδυνον, τοῦ δὲ βλασφημοῦντος ὄλεθρος, οὕτως οἱ θεὸν εὐφημοῦντες αὐτὸν μὲν οὐδὲν ὠφελοῦσιν, ἑαυτοὺς δὲ σσζουσιν, ὁμοίως καὶ οἱ βλασφη- μοῦντες αὐτὸν μὲν οὐκ ἀδικοῦσιν, αὐτοὶ δὲ ὀλοθρεύονται. ἀλλά (φησίν) οὐχ ὁμοίως ἐπ' ἀνθρώπου καὶ θεοῦ. σύμφημι κἀγὼ ὅτι οὐχ ὁμοίως. μεί- ζων γὰρ ἡ κόλασις <τῷ> εἰς μείζονα ἀσεβήσαντι, ἥττων δὲ τῷ εἰς τὸν ἥττονα ἁμαρτήσαντι. ὡς οὖν πάντων μείζων ὁ θεός, οὕτως μείζονα ὑφέξει κόλασιν ὁ εἰς αὐτὸν ἀσεβήσας ὡς εἰς μείζονα ἁμαρτήσας, οὐκ αὐτοῦ αὐτόχειρος ἀμυνομένου, ἀλλὰ πάσης τῆς κτίσεως ἐπὶ τούτῳ ἀγα- νακτούσης καὶ φυσικῶς ἐπεξερχομένης. οὐ γὰρ δώσει τῷ βλασφήμῳ οὐχ ἥλοις τὸ φῶς, οὐ γῆ τοὺς καρπούς, οὐ πηγὴ τὸ ὕδωρ, οὐκ ἐν ᾅδῃ τῇ ψυ- χῇ ὁ ἐκεῖ καθεστὼς ἄρχων τὴν ἀνάπαυσιν, ὁπότε καὶ νῦν ἐπὶ τῆς τοῦ κόσμου προθεσμίας ὑφεστώσης παραγανακτεῖ πᾶσα ἡ κτίσις. διὸ οὔτε τελείως οὐρανὸς ὑετοὺς παρέχει οὔτε γῆ τοὺς καρπούς, διὸ οἱ πλείονες λυμαίνονται. ἀλλὰ καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ ἀὴρ θυμῷ ὑπεκκαιόμενος πρὸς λοιμώδη κρᾶσιν μεταβάλλεται. πλὴν ὅσων ἀπολαύομεν ἀγαθῶν, τῷ αὑτοῦ ἐλέῳ εἰς τὴν ἡμετέραν φιλανθρωπίαν βιάζεται τὴν κτίσιν. οὕτως ὑμῖν τοῖς ἀτιμάζουσιν τὸν τῶν ὅλων δημιουργὸν ἡ πᾶσα κτίσις χαλεπαί- νει. κἂν γὰρ τῇ τοῦ σώματος λύσει τὴν κόλασιν ἐκφύγητε, πῶς τὴν ψυχὴν ὑμῶν ἄφθαρτον οὖσαν διὰ τῆς φθορᾶς φυγεῖν δυνήσεσθε; ἀθάνατος γὰρ ἡ ψυχὴ καὶ τῶν ἀσεβῶν, οἷς ἄμεινον ἦν μὴ ἄφθαρτον αὐτὴν ἔχειν. κολαζομένη γὰρ ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀσβέστου πυρὸς ἀπεράντῳ τιμωρίᾳ καὶ μὴ θνῄσκουσα, ἐπὶ κακῷ τῷ αὑτῆς τέλος λαβεῖν οὐκ ἔχει. ἀλλ' ἴσως ἐρεῖ τις ὑμῶν· Φοβεῖς ἡμᾶς, Πέτρε. διδάξατε οὖν ἡμᾶς πῶς σιγῶντες ἐροῦμεν τὰ ὄντα ὡς ἔστιν· ἄλλως γὰρ αὐτὰ ὑμῖν σημαίνειν οὐ δυνάμεθα. ἐάν τε σιγήσωμεν, ἐνεδρεύεσθε ὑπὸ τῶν κακῶν διὰ τὴν ἄγνοιαν-ἐάν τε λαλή- σωμεν, ὡς ἐπὶ ψευδεῖ ὑποθέσει φοβοῦντες ὑμᾶς ὑποπτευόμεθα. πῶς οὖν ἐπᾴσωμεν τῷ εἰς τὴν ὑμετέραν <καρδίαν> κακῷ ἐνδομυχοῦντι <ὄφει> καὶ πανούργως ὑποσπείροντι ὑμῖν τὰς θεῷ ἐχθραινούσας ὑπονοίας; προφάσει τῆς πρὸς θεὸν φιλίας διαλλάγητε ἑαυτοῖς· ὑπὲρ γὰρ τῆς ὑμῶν