96

Having left, then, Tripolis of Phoenicia to go to Antioch of Syria, we came and remained that same day in Orthosia. And because it was near the city we had left, almost everyone having heard the preaching beforehand, after remaining there one day we departed for Antaradus. And since many were traveling with us, Peter spoke to Nicetas and Aquila, saying: Since a large crowd of fellow travelers draws no small envy upon us when we enter a city, I have found it necessary to consider how neither these might be grieved by being prevented from being with us, nor we, by becoming conspicuous, might fall victim to the envy of wickedness. For this reason, I want you, Nicetas and Aquila, to go on ahead of me in two separate groups and enter the cities of the Gentiles. And I know that you are discouraged at hearing this, being separated from me for a period of not even two full days. I want you to know, then, that we who have persuaded you love you who have been persuaded many times more than you love us who have persuaded you. Therefore, loving one another, let us take care for what is profitable, as far as it is in our power, by not doing irrationally what we wish. Besides this, you will not be absent for a single day of my discoursing. For I have decided (as you yourselves also know) to stay for some days in the more prominent cities of the provinces and to discourse. And now, go on ahead to Laodicea, which is nearest to us, and after two or three days (as far as my plan is concerned) I will overtake you. But wait for me at the gates, you alone, on account of the stir, so that entering together with you quietly, we may be together. And from there likewise, after staying for some days, others in your place will go on ahead to the parts beyond, in turns, preparing the lodgings. When Peter had said these things, they were compelled to agree, saying: It does not altogether grieve us, lord, to do this, because it is commanded by you. First, because you, being worthy both to understand and to counsel all things well, were chosen by the providence of God; and besides this, we are separated from you for at most two days by the necessity of going ahead. And these are many days for not seeing you, our lord Peter, yet we reckon that those who are sent much farther ahead will be more grieved, as they have been ordered to wait for you in each city for a longer time, being distressed at being deprived for longer of the sight of your much-desired face. And we, being no less discouraged than they, do not speak against doing as you command for the sake of what is expedient. Nevertheless, having said these things, they went ahead, having a command to speak to the accompanying crowd at the first inn, so that they might enter the cities scattered from one another. So when they had departed, I, Clement, rejoiced greatly that he had commanded me to be with him. And I answered and said: I thank God that you have not sent me away like my companions, since I would have cried out in pain. And he said: What then? If there should be some need for you to be sent somewhere for the sake of learning, will you die on account of being separated from me for a short while for a good purpose? But rather, having communed with yourself, to bear what has been commanded you through necessity with right-

[HOMILY XII.]

96

Ἐκβάντες οὖν τὴν Τρίπολιν τῆς Φοινίκης ὡς ἐπὶ Ἀντιόχειαν τῆς Συρίας ἐλθεῖν, αὐτῆς ἡμέρας ἐν Ὀρθωσίᾳ ἐμείναμεν ἐλθόντες. καὶ διὰ τὸ πλησίον εἶναι ἧς ἐξήλθομεν πόλεως, πάντων σχεδὸν προακηκοότων τοῦ κηρύγματος, μιᾶς ἡμέρας ἐκεῖ μείναντες ἀπήραμεν εἰς Ἀντάραδον. πολλῶν δὲ τῶν συνοδοιπορούντων ἡμῖν ὄντων, ὁ Πέτρος Νικήτῃ καὶ Ἀκύλᾳ προσωμίλει λέγων· Ἐπειδὴ πολὺς ὄχλος τῶν συνοδοιπορούντων οὐ μικρὸν φθόνον ἡμῖν εἰσιοῦσιν κατὰ πόλιν ἐπισπᾶται, ἀναγκαίως ἐσκε- ψάμην φροντίσαι πῶς μήτε οὗτοι λυπηθῶσιν κωλυθέντες συνεῖναι ἡμῖν μήτε ἡμεῖς περίβλεπτοι γινόμενοι φθόνῳ τῷ τῆς κακίας ὑποπέσωμεν. τούτου ἕνεκεν βούλομαί σε τὸν Νικήτην καὶ Ἀκύλαν προοδεύειν μου κατὰ συ- στήματα δύο σποράδην μανθάνοντες τὰς τῶν ἐθνῶν εἰσέρχεσθαι πόλεις. οἶδα δὲ ὅτι ἀθυμεῖτε τοῦτο ποιεῖν ἀκηκοότες, ἀπολειπόμενοί μου διάστημα οὐδ' ὅλων ἡμερῶν δύο. εἰδέναι οὖν ὑμᾶς θέλω ὅτι πολλα- πλάσιον ἀγαπῶμεν ἡμεῖς οἱ πείσαντες ὑμᾶς τοὺς πεισθέντας ἤπερ ὑμεῖς ἡμᾶς τοὺς πεπεικότας. ἀλλήλους οὖν στέργοντες, τῷ μὴ ἀλόγως ποιεῖν ἃ θέλομεν τῆς ὠφελείας ὅσον τὸ ἐφ' ἡμῖν φροντίζωμεν. πρὸς τούτοις δὲ οὐδεμιᾶς ἡμέρας διαλεγομένου μου ἀπολιμπάνεσθε. εἰς γὰρ τὰς ἐπι- σημοτέρας τῶν ἐπαρχιῶν πόλεις προῄρημαι (ὡς ἴστε καὶ ὑμεῖς) ἡμερῶν ἐπιμένειν καὶ διαλέγεσθαι. καὶ τὸ νῦν εἰς τὴν ἐγγυτέραν ἡμῖν Λαοδί- κειαν προάξατε καὶ μεθ' ἡμέρας δύο ἢ τρεῖς (ὅσον ἐπὶ τῇ ἐμῇ προαιρέσει) καταλήψομαι ὑμᾶς. ἐπὶ δὲ τῶν πυλῶν ἐκδέξασθέ με, ὑμεῖς μόνοι διὰ τὸν θρῦλον, ἵνα οὕτως ἀψοφητὶ συνεισελθόντες ἅμα ὑμῖν ὦμεν. κἀκεῖ- θεν ὁμοίως μετὰ τὸ ἐπιμεῖναι ἡμερῶν ἄλλοι ἀνθ' ὑμῶν εἰς τὰ ἐπέ- κεινα κατὰ ἐφημερίας προάξωσιν τὰς ξενίας ἑτοιμάζοντες. ταῦτα τοῦ Πέτρου εἰπόντος ἠναγκάσθησαν συνθέσθαι λέγοντες· Oὐ πάνυ ἡμᾶς, κύριε, λυπεῖ τοῦτο πράττειν διὰ τὸ ὑπὸ σοῦ κελεύεσθαι. πρῶτον μέν, ὅτι πάντα καλῶς νοεῖν τε καὶ συμβουλεύειν ἄξιος ὢν ὑπὸ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ προνοίας ἐξελέγης· πρὸς τούτοις δέ, ἐπὶ τὸ πολὺ ἡμερῶν δύο ἀνάγκῃ τοῦ προάγειν ἀπολιμπανόμεθά σου. καὶ αὗται μὲν πολλαὶ πρὸς τὸ μὴ σὲ τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν ὁρᾶν Πέτρον, πλὴν λογιζόμεθα ὅτι πλεῖον λυπηθή- σονται οἱ πολὺ μακρὰν προπεμπόμενοι ὡς ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἀναμένειν σε κατὰ πόλιν κεκελευσμένοι, ἀνιώμενοι ἐν τῷ ἐπὶ πλεῖον ἐστερῆσθαι τοῦ ὁρᾶν σου τὸ περιπόθητον πρόσωπον. καὶ ἡμεῖς οὐκ ἐλάττονα ἐκείνων ἀθυμοῦν- τες ὡς κελεύεις διὰ τὸ συμφέρον ποιεῖν οὐκ ἀντιλέγομεν. ὁμῶς ταῦτα εἰπόντες προῆξαν ἐντολὴν ἔχοντες ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ πανδοχείῳ προσομιλῆσαι τῷ συνοδοιποροῦντι ὄχλῳ, ὅπως σποράδην ἀλλήλων γενόμενοι εἰς τὰς πόλεις εἰσέρχωνται. Πορευθέντων οὖν αὐτῶν ἐγὼ Κλήμης μεγάλως ἔχαιρον ὅτι σὺν αὐτῷ με ἐκέλευσεν εἶναι. καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπον· Eὐχαριστῶ τῷ θεῷ ὅτι με οὐκ ἐξαπ- έσταλκας ὡς τοὺς ἑταίρους, ἐπειδὴ ὀδυνώμενος ἂν διαπεφωνήκειν. ὁ δὲ ἔφη· Τί δέ; εἰ καὶ χρεία τις ἔσται πεμφθῆναί σέ που μαθημάτων χάριν, σὺ διὰ τὸ πρὸς ὀλίγον ἀπολιμπάνεσθαί μου συμφερόντως, διὰ τοῦτο τεθνήξει; οὐχὶ δὲ προσομιλήσας σεαυτῷ φέρειν τὰ διὰ τὴν ἀνάγκην σοι προσταγέντα εὐθύ-

[OΜIΛIA IΒ.]