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ruler of both land and sea, and of cities and peoples and armies. For he who has set his reason over the passions of his soul, would easily preside over men also with the divine laws, so that he would be in the position of a father to his subjects, dealing with the cities with all gentleness. But he who seems to rule men, but is a slave to anger and love of power and pleasures, would first seem ridiculous to his subjects, because he wears a jeweled and golden crown, but is not crowned with self-control; and though his whole body gleams with purple, he has an unadorned soul; then, he will not even know how to handle his authority; for he who has not been able to rule himself, how could he be able to direct others with laws? Let us not consider this, how we may be in honors and powers, but how we may be in virtue and philosophy. For powers persuade men to do many things that are not pleasing to God, and a very vigorous soul is needed to use the given honor and glory and power as is right. The one who is deprived of glory, even unwillingly philosophizes; but he who enjoys it suffers something like this, as if one living with a beautiful and comely maiden, should receive laws never to look upon her licentiously. For such is power. Wherefore it has cast many, even against their will, into insolence, and has stirred up anger, and removed the bridle from the tongue, and thrown open the door of the mouth, fanning the soul as if by a wind, and plunging the vessel into the uttermost depth of evils. For the greatness of an honor is an addition of punishment for those who choose not to live worthily of the honor. For to be well-reputed and to advance among the people, the more brilliant it makes one, the greater dangers and cares it has; for such a person cannot breathe or stand at all, having so bitter and heavy a master. And why do I say stand and breathe? Even if such a man has countless achievements, he with difficulty enters into the kingdom. For nothing is so accustomed to cause a fall, as glory from the many. For to bear dishonor is a great and noble thing; but to partake of glory requires a vigorous and very great soul, so as not to be overthrown while enjoying glory. But if you wish to receive glory, reject glory; but if you pursue glory, you will fall from glory. For this glory is a shadow of glory. No one, seeing bread that is painted, even if he is ten thousand times seized by hunger, will touch the painting. Those, therefore, who say they have received everything in the present, make themselves completely desolate for the future. So also Adam, in the hope of greater honor, fell from that which he had. And many, often desiring greater things, lost also the things they had, and those who expect to have everything here, fell even from the part. For human affairs, however much they are exalted and shine, work a greater fall, not only for the subjects, but also for the rulers themselves. For one would not find a private house filled with so many misfortunes, as the palaces are full of evils. Therefore, tell me, do you envy your neighbor because you see him enjoying honor and much glory? Then do you not consider how quickly these things fade, and how much evil is born from them? For the most difficult thing about them is that the evils resulting from them remain immortal; but the pleasure has not yet appeared and has flown away. But does he have much authority with the ruler, and does he lead and carry all things wherever he wishes, and grieve his enemies, and benefit his flatterers, and have much power? What terrible thing then can he do? Will he depose him from his rank? And what of it? For if justly, it is even beneficial; for nothing so provokes God as to be honored beyond one's worth; but if unjustly, the charge again goes to that one, not to this one; for he who has suffered something unjustly, and has borne it nobly, possesses this greater confidence before God. For he who submits to rulers, submits not to the rulers, but obeys God who ordained these things; and he who does not obey them, wars against God; For there is no authority, he says, except from God. For that there be rulers, and that some rule, and others be ruled, and not simply

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καὶ γῆς καὶ θαλάττης ἄρχοντα, καὶ πόλεων καὶ δήμων καὶ στρατοπέδων. Ὁ γὰρ τοῖς πάθεσι τῆς ψυχῆς τὸν λογισμὸν ἐπιστήσας, ῥᾳδίως ἂν ἐπισταίη καὶ ἀνθρώποις μετὰ τῶν θείων νόμων, ὥστε αὐτὸν ἐν πατρὸς τάξει τοῖς ἀρχομένοις εἶναι, μετὰ πάσης ἡμερότητος ὁμιλοῦντα ταῖς πόλεσιν. Ὁ δὲ ἀνθρώπων μὲν ἄρχειν δοκῶν, θυμῷ δὲ καὶ φιλαρχίᾳ καὶ ἡδοναῖς δουλεύων, πρῶτον μὲν καταγέλαστος εἶναι δόξειεν ἂν τοῖς ἀρχομένοις, ὅτι στέφανον μὲν φορεῖ λιθοκόλλητον καὶ χρυσοῦν, σωφροσύνῃ δὲ οὐκ ἐστεφάνωται· καὶ ἁλουργίδι μὲν ὅλον τὸ σῶμα λάμπεται, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν ἀκόσμητον ἔχει· ἔπειτα δὲ οὐδὲ ὅπως μεταχειρίσεται τὴν ἀρχὴν ἐπιστήσεται ὁ γὰρ ἑαυτοῦ μὴ δυνηθεὶς ἄρχειν, πῶς ἂν ἑτέρους δυνηθείη κατευθύνειν τοῖς νόμοις; Μηδὲ τοῦτο σκοπῶμεν ὅπως ἐν τιμαῖς ὦμεν καὶ ἐξουσίαις, ἀλλ' ὅπως ὦμεν ἐν ἀρετῇ καὶ φιλοσοφίᾳ. Αἱ γὰρ ἐξουσίαι πολλὰ τῶν τῷ Θεῷ μὴ δοκούντων ποιεῖν πείθουσι, καὶ σφόδρα νεανικῆς δεῖ ψυχῆς, ὥστε εἰς δέον χρήσασθαι τῇ δεδομένῃ τιμῇ καὶ δόξῃ καὶ ἐξουσίᾳ. Ὁ μὲν ἀπεστερημένος δόξης, καὶ ἄκων φιλοσοφεῖ· ὁ δὲ ἀπολαύων αὐτῆς τοιοῦτόν τι πάσχει, οἷον ἂν εἴ τις κόρῃ συνοικῶν εὐειδεῖ καὶ καλῇ, νόμους δέξηται τὸ μηδέποτε εἰς αὐτὴν ἀκολάστως ἰδεῖν. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ ἐξουσία. ∆ιὸ πολλοὺς καὶ ἄκοντας εἰς τὸ ὑβρίζειν ἐνέβαλε καὶ θυμὸν ἤγειρε, καὶ χαλινὸν γλώττης ἀφεῖλε, καὶ θύραν ἀνεπέτασε στόματος, ὥσπερ ὑπὸ πνεύματος τὴν ψυχὴν ἀναῤῥιπίζουσα, καὶ εἰς τὸν ἔσχατον τῶν κακῶν βυθὸν τὸ σκάφος καταποντίζουσα. Τιμῆς γὰρ μέγεθος τοῖς οὐκ ἀξίως τῆς τιμῆς ζῇν προαιρουμένοις προσθήκη τιμωρίας ἐστί. Τὸ γὰρ εὐδοκιμεῖν καὶ προκόπτειν ἐν δήμῳ, ὅσον λαμπρότερον ποιεῖ, τοσοῦτον μείζους τοὺς κινδύνους ἔχει καὶ τὰς φροντίδας· ἀναπνεῦσαι γὰρ καὶ στῆναι ὁ τοιοῦτος ὅλως οὐ δύναται, οὕτω πικρὸν ἔχων καὶ βαρὺν τὸν δεσπότην. Καὶ τί λέγω στῆναι καὶ ἀναπνεῦσαι; κἂν μυρία ἔχῃ κατορθώματα ὁ τοιοῦτος, δυσκόλως εἰς βασιλείαν εἰσέρχεται. Οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτως ἐκτραχηλίζειν εἴωθεν, ὡς ἡ παρὰ τῶν πολλῶν δόξα. Τὸ μὲν γὰρ ἀτιμίαν ἐνεγκεῖν, μέγα καὶ γενναῖον· τὸ δὲ δόξης μετασχεῖν, νεανικῆς δεῖται ψυχῆς καὶ σφόδρα μεγάλης, ὥστε δόξης ἀπολαύοντα μὴ ἐκτραχηλισθῆ 63.696 ναι. Ἀλλ' εἰ βούλει δόξαν λαβεῖν, διάκρουσαι δόξαν· εἰ δὲ διώκεις δόξαν, ἐκπέσῃς δόξης. Σκιὰ γάρ ἐστι δόξης αὕτη ἡ δόξα. Οὐδεὶς ἄρτον ἰδὼν ἐζωγραφημένον, κἂν μυριάκις ὑπὸ λιμοῦ κατέχηται, τῆς γραφῆς ἅψεται. Οἱ οὖν κατὰ τὸ παρὸν λέγοντες ἀπειληφέναι τὸ πᾶν, εἰς τὸ μέλλον ἐρήμους ἑαυτοὺς παντελῶς καθιστῶσιν. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ Ἀδὰμ, ἐλπίδι πλείονος τιμῆς καὶ τῆς οὔσης ἐξέπεσε. Καὶ πολλοὶ πολλάκις μειζόνων ἐπιθυμοῦντες, καὶ τὰ παρόντα ἀπώλεσαν, καὶ οἱ προσδοκῶντες τῶν ἐνταῦθα τὸ πᾶν ἔχειν, καὶ τοῦ μέρους ἐξέπεσον. Τὰ γὰρ ἀνθρώπινα πράγματα ὅσον ἂν ἐπαρθῇ καὶ λάμψῃ, τοσοῦτον μείζονα τὴν πτῶσιν ἐργάζεται, οὐ τὰ τῶν ἀρχομένων μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ τῶν βασιλευόντων αὐτῶν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν εὕροι τις οἰκίαν ἰδιωτικὴν τοσούτων ἐμπεπλησμένην συμφορῶν, ὅσων τὰ βασίλεια γέμει τῶν κακῶν. ∆ιὰ τοῦτο οὖν, εἰπέ μοι, βασκαίνεις τῷ πλησίον, ὅτι τιμῆς ἀπολαύοντα βλέπεις καὶ δόξης πολλῆς; Εἶτα οὐκ ἐννοεῖς τὸ τούτων εὐμάραντον, καὶ ὅσον ἐντεῦθεν τίκτεται τὸ κακόν; Τὸ γὰρ δὴ χαλεπώτατον τούτων, ὅτι τὰ μὲν ἐξ αὐτῶν κακὰ ἀθάνατα μένει· ἡ δὲ ἡδονὴ οὔπω ἐφάνη καὶ ἀπέπτη. Ἀλλ' ἐξουσίαν ἔχει παρὰ τῷ κρατοῦντι πολλὴν, καὶ ἄγει καὶ φέρει πάντα ὅπου θέλει, καὶ τοὺς ἐχθροὺς λυπεῖ, καὶ τοὺς κολακεύοντας εὐεργετεῖ, καὶ πολλὴν ἔχει δύναμιν; Τί οὖν ἐργάσασθαι δύναται δεινόν; ἀποχειροτονήσει τῆς ἀξίας; καὶ τί τοῦτο; ἂν μὲν γὰρ δικαίως, καὶ ὠφελεῖ· οὐδὲν γὰρ οὕτω παροξύνει Θεὸν ὡς τὸ παρ' ἀξίαν τιμᾶσθαι· ἂν δὲ ἀδίκως, τὸ ἔγκλημα πάλιν ἐπ' ἐκεῖνον, οὐκ ἐπὶ τοῦτον χωρεῖ· ὁ γὰρ ἀδίκως τι παθὼν, καὶ γενναίως ἐνεγκὼν, πλείονα ταύτην πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν κέκτηται τὴν παῤῥησίαν. Ὁ γὰρ τοῖς ἄρχουσιν ὑποτασσόμενος, οὐ τοῖς ἄρχουσιν ὑποτάσσεται, ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ τῷ ταῦτα νομοθετήσαντι πείθεται· καὶ ὁ μὲν οὐχ ὑπακούων ἐκείνοις, τῷ Θεῷ πολεμεῖ· Οὐ γάρ ἐστιν ἐξουσία, φησὶν, εἰ μὴ ἀπὸ Θεοῦ. Τὸ γὰρ ἀρχὰς εἶναι, καὶ τοὺς μὲν ἄρχειν, τοὺς δὲ ἄρχεσθαι, καὶ μὴ ἁπλῶς