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a spear, when it falls, cuts what is soft, but against what is hard and resistant it does nothing, but with its point bent, it falls away; so indeed it happens with the soul. For if the darts sent by the devil find it soft and yielding, they penetrate into the depth; but if it is hard and stronger, he himself goes away having done nothing, and has wrought no harm against it; and there are two gains, or rather even three; for he has not harmed it at all, but has also made it stronger, and he himself has become weaker from this. But see how he proclaims the strength of God. They will grow weak, he says, and they will perish from your presence. Again, when you hear "presence," do not suspect anything corporeal. For here it indicates his energy, his appearance, the ease of his strength. As he says elsewhere: He who looks upon the earth, and makes it tremble; so indeed he says the same here. For his gaze alone is sufficient to destroy the wicked. For if the presence of saints makes the strength of demons weak, how much more that of God. If his appearing lightning strikes all with awe, consider that imperishable power, how it strikes with awe, how it destroys the wicked. Have you seen a form of hymns? Have you seen a manner of doxology, and how he relates concerning his power? Not a small tenet of philosophy does he teach from this too, by saying, I will sing praise to your name, O Most High. When my enemy is turned back. What is this then? That not only in afflictions, but also in times of ease he was vigilant. For many, being humbled by evils, become more diligent; but by good things, more slothful and lax; which he goes on to say about the Jews: When he slew them, then they sought him. But this one is not so; but even in prosperity he is vigilant, and is roused. And this is no small thing for philosophy. Because you have executed my judgment and my cause. Another, You have judged in my favor. You sat on the throne judging righteousness. You have rebuked the nations, and the ungodly one has perished. Another, You have destroyed. You have blotted out his name for ever and ever. See again the man's philosophy, how he does not himself take vengeance on his enemies, but yields the cause to God, keeping the apostolic command: Do not avenge yourselves. And not only is this to be seen, but also that he was suffering these things unjustly. For if he were not suffering unjustly, God would not have intervened. You sat on the throne judging righteousness. He speaks in a more human way, speaking of a throne and a seat. But the phrase, Who judges righteousness, speaks of what is customary for God, and exceptional to his essence. For in the case of men, this cannot be said. For they do not always judge righteousness, even if they are righteous ten thousand times, sometimes through ignorance, sometimes through sloth, being ignorant of what is just; but God, being free of all these things, and both knowing 55.126 and willing, delivers a just verdict. Therefore, You sat on the throne, is you have judged, you have intervened, you have defended. You have rebuked the nations, and the ungodly one has perished. Do you see how he has no need of weapons, no sword, no bows and arrows, but those things were said in a more human way; for it is enough for God to rebuke, and those who are to be punished are destroyed. But that you may learn his strength, hear also what follows: You have blotted out their name for ever, and for ever and ever. You have utterly destroyed them, you have torn them up, you have so obliterated them, that even the memory of them has been lost. The swords of the enemy have failed forever. Another, The ruins. But the Hebrew, Arboth. And you have overthrown cities. What is this? That having consumed his contrivances and counsels, he says, you have made him destitute of his own weapons. For such is the wrath of God; it makes all things disappear and destroys them. Or as another interpreter teaches, saying, Desolate places; because not only their cities, but also their deserts you have made to disappear, and you have overthrown cities. For thus the

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ἐμπεσὸν δόρυ, μαλακὴν μὲν οὖσαν διατέμνει, σκληρὰν δὲ καὶ ἀντίτυπον οὐδὲν ἐργάζεται, ἀλλὰ τῆς αἰχμῆς ἀνακαμφθείσης ἐκπίπτει· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐπὶ τῆς ψυχῆς συμβαίνει. Ἂν μὲν γὰρ μαλακὴν εὕρῃ καὶ χαῦνον τὰ παρὰ τοῦ διαβόλου πεμπόμενα βέλη, διαδύεται εἰς τὸ βάθος· ἐὰν δὲ σκληρὰν καὶ ἰσχυροτέραν, αὐτός τε ἄπρακτος ἄπεισι, καὶ εἰς ταύτην οὐδὲν εἰργάσατο δεινόν· καὶ δύο γίνεται κέρδη, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ τρία· αὐτήν τε γὰρ οὐδὲν ἔβλαψεν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἰσχυροτέραν ἐποίησεν, αὐτός τε ἀσθενέστερος ἐντεῦθεν γέγονε. Σκόπει δὲ πῶς ἀνακηρύττει τοῦ Θεοῦ τὴν ἰσχύν. Ἀσθενήσουσι, φησὶ, καὶ ἀπολοῦνται ἀπὸ προσώπου σου. Πάλιν πρόσωπον ἀκούων, μηδὲν σωματικὸν ὑποπτεύσῃς. Ἐνταῦθα γὰρ τὴν ἐνέργειαν, τὴν ἐπιφάνειαν αὐτοῦ δηλοῖ, τὴν εὐκολίαν αὐτοῦ τῆς ἰσχύος. Ὡς ἀλλαχοῦ φησιν· Ὁ ἐπιβλέπων ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ ποιῶν αὐτὴν τρέμειν· οὕτω δὴ καὶ ἐνταῦθα τὸ αὐτό φησιν. Ἀρκεῖ γὰρ μόνη ἡ ἐποπτεία ἀπολέσαι τοὺς πονηρούς. Εἰ γὰρ ἁγίων παρουσία ἀσθενῆ δαιμόνων ποιεῖ τὴν ἰσχὺν, πολλῷ μᾶλλον Θεοῦ. Εἰ ἡ ἀστραπὴ αὐτοῦ φαινομένη καταπλήττει πάντας, ἐννόησον τὴν δύναμιν τὴν ἀνώλεθρον ἐκείνην, πῶς καταπλήττει, πῶς ἀπόλλυσι τοὺς πονηρούς. Εἶδες ὕμνων εἶδος; εἶδες δοξολογίας τρόπον, καὶ πῶς περὶ τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ διηγεῖται; Οὐ μικρὸν κἀντεῦθεν παιδεύει φιλοσοφίας δόγμα, τῷ εἰπεῖν, Ψαλῶ τῷ ὀνόματί σου, Ὕψιστε. Ἐν τῷ ἀποστραφῆναι τὸν ἐχθρόν μου εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω. Ποῖον δὴ τοῦτο; Ὅτι οὐ μόνον ἐν ταῖς θλίψεσιν, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν ταῖς ἀνέσεσιν ἔνηφε. Πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ ὑπὸ τῶν κακῶν ταπεινούμενοι, σπουδαιότεροι γίνονται· ὑπὸ δὲ τῶν ἀγαθῶν, ῥᾳθυμότεροι καὶ χαυνότεροι· ὃ περὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων προϊὼν λέγει· Ὅταν ἀπέκτεινεν αὐτοὺς, τότε ἐξεζήτουν αὐτόν. Ἀλλ' οὐχ οὗτος τοιοῦτος· ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν εὐημερίαις νήφει, καὶ διεγήγερται. Οὐ μικρὸν εἰς φιλοσοφίαν δὲ τοῦτο. Ὅτι ἐποίησας τὴν κρίσιν μου καὶ τὴν δίκην μου. Ἄλλος, Ὑπερεδίκασάς μου. Ἐκάθισας ἐπὶ θρόνου ὁ κρίνων δικαιοσύνην. Ἐπετίμησας ἔθνεσι, καὶ ἀπώλετο ὁ ἀσεβής. Ἄλλος, Ἀπώλεσας. Τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐξήλειψας εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. Ὅρα πάλιν τὴν φιλοσοφίαν τοῦ ἀνδρὸς, πῶς οὐκ αὐτὸς ἀμύνεται τοὺς ἐχθροὺς, ἀλλὰ τῷ Θεῷ παραχωρεῖ τῆς δίκης, τὸ ἀποστολικὸν τηρῶν παράγγελμα· Μὴ ἑαυτοὺς ἐκδικοῦντες. Οὐ τοῦτο δὲ μόνον ἔστιν ἰδεῖν, ἀλλ' ὅτι καὶ ἀδίκως ταῦτα ἔπασχεν. Εἰ μὴ γὰρ ἀδίκως ἔπασχεν, οὐκ ἂν ὁ Θεὸς ἐπεξῆλθεν. Ἐκάθισας ἐπὶ θρόνου ὁ κρίνων δικαιοσύνην. Ἀνθρωπινώτερον φθέγγεται, θρόνον καὶ καθέδραν λέγων. Τὸ δὲ, Ὁ κρίνων δικαιοσύνην, τὸ σύνηθες τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ ἐξαίρετον αὐτοῦ τῆς οὐσίας φησίν. Ἐπὶ μὲν γὰρ τῶν ἀνθρώπων τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστιν εἰπεῖν. Οὐ γὰρ πάντως κρίνουσι δικαιοσύνην, κἂν μυριάκις ὦσι δίκαιοι, ποτὲ μὲν ἀγνοίᾳ, ποτὲ δὲ ῥᾳθυμίᾳ ἀγνοοῦντες τὸ δίκαιον· ὁ δὲ Θεὸς τούτων ἁπάντων ἀπηλλαγμένος, καὶ εἰδὼς 55.126 καὶ βουλόμενος δικαίαν ἐκφέρει τὴν ψῆφον. Τὸ οὖν, Ἐκάθισας ἐπὶ θρόνου, ἐδίκασάς ἐστιν, ἐπεξῆλθες, ἤμυνας. Ἐπετίμησας ἔθνεσι, καὶ ἀπώλετο ὁ ἀσεβής. Ὁρᾷς πῶς οὐχ ὅπλων αὐτῷ δεῖ, οὐ μαχαίρας, οὐ τόξων καὶ βελῶν, ἀλλ' ἀνθρωπινώτερον ἐκεῖνα εἴρηται· ἀρκεῖ γὰρ ἐπιτιμῆσαι τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἀπολέσθαι τοὺς κολάζεσθαι μέλλοντας. Ἵνα δὲ μάθῃς αὐτοῦ τὴν ἰσχὺν, ἄκουε καὶ τῶν ἑξῆς· Τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῶν ἐξήλειψας εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα, καὶ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦ αἰῶνος. Προῤῥίζους ἀπώλεσας, ἀνέσπασας, οὕτως ἠφάνισας, ὡς καὶ τὴν μνήμην αὐτῶν παραπολέσθαι. Τοῦ ἐχθροῦ ἐξέλιπον αἱ ῥομφαῖαι εἰς τέλος. Ἄλλος, Τὰ ἐρείπια. Ὁ δὲ Ἑβραῖος, Ἀρβώθ. Καὶ πόλεις καθεῖλες. Τί ἐστι τοῦτο; Ὅτι τὰς μηχανὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ τὰς βουλὰς ἀναλώσας, φησὶν, ἔρημον αὐτὸν τῶν οἰκείων ὅπλων ἐποίησας. Τοιοῦτον γὰρ ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ· πάντα ἀφανίζει καὶ ἀπόλλυσιν. Ἢ ὅπερ ἕτερος ἑρμηνευτὴς διδάσκει, Ἔρημα, εἰπών· ὅτι οὐ τὰς πόλεις αὐτῶν μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰς ἐρήμους ἠφάνισας, καὶ πόλεις καθεῖλες. Οὕτω γὰρ ὁ